We all yearn for peace — in the world and in our lives. Recently, headlines proclaimed a new "peace" between Israel and Hamas, which saw the last 20 living hostages finally returned and the war with Gaza on its way to being over. Yet even as we read these hopeful words, a sobering question lingers: Will peace hold?
At the time of this writing, Hamas has yet to return two-thirds of the deceased hostages it has held for more than two years. And without a total reversal of Hamas ideology, can there really be peace?
Former Israeli hostage Tal Shahom, after experiencing 505 days of captivity in Gaza, shared his sobering conclusion with All Israel News: "I believed that peace is something that we can achieve. But after I saw the magnitude of hatred that they grew up on and they are growing their children up on, it's really clear that at least in our generation it won't be possible."
This harsh reality forces us to confront a fundamental truth: the peace this world offers — fragile agreements between nations, temporary ceasefires, and diplomatic solutions — is inherently unstable. But there is another kind of peace, one that Yeshua (Jesus) promised His followers.
The World's Fragile Peace
When we speak of worldly peace, we typically mean what dictionaries describe as an agreement ending war or other hostilities between parties or a state of security within a community, free of civil disturbance. This earthly peace relies entirely on external factors such as stable governments, cooperative neighbors, and mutual agreements between fallible human beings.
The current situation between Israel and Hamas perfectly illustrates this fragility. Despite declarations of peace, the fundamental ideologies remain unchanged. Former hostage Eli Sharabi, in his recently released book Hostage, revealed what he learned from his captors about Hamas's unwavering beliefs. His guards would "repeat on loop…some things they all believe and say with absolute confidence:…[that] there is no room for the Jews here and no such thing as Israel. They will not relent in their war against us until we all pack up and go back to the countries we came from, until they conquer every last inch of this land."
How can there be lasting peace when one side is fundamentally committed to the other's destruction? This worldly peace, dependent as it is on circumstances and human cooperation, inevitably proves temporary and fragile.
Peace is also defined as a sense of tranquility free from strife or inner disturbance. This, too, is fragile because it most often relies on outward conditions aligning to provide us with this sense of calm. Life, however, doesn’t usually deliver such carefree conditions. Difficulties, pain, and sorrows are a regular part of our years on this planet. We can work toward a positive attitude, but this too often proves fleeting.
The Unshakeable Peace of Yeshua
In stark contrast to the world's fragile peace, Yeshua offers His people a different kind of peace. In the gospel of John, Jesus makes the profound distinction: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" — John 14:27 (NKJV).
Yeshua’s peace is unlike any other peace. The world’s peace is based on circumstances and is often dependent on others. The peace of Yeshua operates on an entirely different foundation. It is:
- Internal, not external. This peace dwells within the heart and mind, unaffected by external chaos. It's the peace that passes all understanding, as Paul describes in Philippians 4:7, and is found through abiding closely with Jesus
- Unconditional, not circumstantial. Unlike worldly peace that requires specific conditions to exist, God's peace is available to anyone who trusts in Him, regardless of their circumstances and despite our inability to earn it
- Permanent, not temporary. Rooted in God's unchanging nature and eternal love, this peace cannot be shaken by human failure or changing situations. Because the Holy Spirit dwells within every Believer, we have constant and everlasting access to this supernatural peace
The prophet Isaiah beautifully captured how we attain this peace: "You will keep in perfect peace one whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You" (Isaiah 26:3 TLV). This perfect peace, the kind our hearts crave and our souls need, comes not from favorable circumstances but from unwavering trust in our unchanging, good, and loving God.
In John 16:33, Yeshua promises: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." He doesn't promise the absence of trouble; He promises that we can have His peace in the midst of trouble because He has already secured the ultimate victory.
Finding Peace in the Midst of Chaos
Even in the most chaotic and far-from-peaceful situations, God's inner peace is possible. It's a peace that circumstances could never provide and can never alter. It’s a peace that transforms our internal experience rather than depending on our external reality. This is the peace that "surpasses all understanding" (Philippians 4:7). It's the peace that allows Believers to "lie down and sleep" even when surrounded by enemies because we know God is our protector and provider (Psalm 4:8). It's the peace that redeems our souls "from the battle" regardless of how many stand against us (Psalm 55:18).
Praying for Peace
Understanding these two distinct types of peace can transform how we pray for ourselves as well as how we pray for Israel and the Jewish people worldwide. While earthly peace is important, spiritual peace with God through faith in Yeshua is eternal. Here’s how you can pray for both.
Pray for Earthly Peace (Shalom): This kind of peace matters deeply. It affects real lives, real families, and real communities. The psalmist commands us to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Psalm 122:6), and this prayer includes physical safety, economic stability, and freedom from violence. These are legitimate, biblical concerns that deserve our persistent intercession.
Pray for the safety and security of Israel within its borders. Pray for protection from hostile neighbors and for wisdom in diplomatic relations. Pray also for an end to antisemitism wherever Jewish people face persecution.
Pray for Spiritual Peace: Our greater calling is to pray for the eternal peace that comes only through being reconciled to God. As Paul writes in Romans 5:1: "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus" (NKJV).
This is the ultimate peace: the peace between God and humanity that was purchased through Yeshua's atoning sacrifice. Ephesians 2:14 declares that "He Himself is our peace," breaking down the walls of separation and hostility between peoples and between humanity and God.
When we pray for Jewish people affected by war, persecution, or displacement, let’s not neglect also to pray that they would discover this unshakeable peace found only through faith in Yeshua. Pray that in their darkest moments, they would encounter the Messiah of the God of their fathers and find in Him a peace that no earthly circumstance can disturb.
Your Call to Bring True Peace
The contrast couldn't be more apparent. The world offers a fragile peace dependent on circumstances and human cooperation — a peace that Hamas’s present ideology, not to mention that of other nations in the world, leaves us doubtful we will see it in our generation. But Yeshua offers an unshakeable peace rooted in God's unchanging love and sovereign control.
While we continue to pray earnestly for earthly peace in Israel and safety for Jewish people worldwide, our greater mission is to help every Jewish person discover the eternal peace that "surpasses all understanding." Every Jewish person needs to know that their Messiah offers a peace the world cannot give and cannot take away.
This peace is available right now, regardless of external circumstances, to anyone who will trust in the God of Israel through faith in Yeshua the Messiah.
Will you be a part of this mission? Millions of Jewish people in Israel and scattered communities worldwide need the comfort that only Yeshua can provide. They need to hear that there is a peace available to them that no enemy can destroy, no circumstance can shake, and no human failure can diminish. Discover how you can help bring this Good News of Yeshua the Messiah to Jewish hearts yearning for true, lasting peace.
