Join Rabbi Schneider as he delves into the covenant name Yahweh Shalom, unraveling the promise embedded within these sacred words. Through the tale of Gideon in the Book of Judges, a vivid picture is painted — a journey from turmoil to tranquility, a cry for miracles turned into a covenant of peace with God’s chosen ones. This episode is not only an exploration of biblical text but a call to engage in personal transformation through spiritual discipline. With an inspiring personal dream, Rabbi Schneider illustrates the need for a relentless pursuit of divine serenity, urging listeners to deny worldly
Some things we can pray for, we can desire, and God will answer some of those prayers. Some He may not answer. But one thing that you can believe for and pray for is to bring you in to greater shalom.
SPEAKER 01 :
This is Discovering the Jewish Jesus with Rabbi Schneider, and I’m your host, Dustin Roberts. And whether it’s politics, science, or maybe moral issues, our country, it seems to be split in two. Everyone is taking sides and fighting for their own position. It can really be exhausting. The question is, when will our country and our world experience a season of peace and calm? It just seems it’s getting worse. When will we come together in unity? Well, that’s Rabbi Schneider’s topic today. When we get overwhelmed by conflict and become weary of taking sides, it helps to know that God’s peace is woven into his name. Rabbi?
SPEAKER 03 :
On the last episode, we were looking at Father’s covenant name, Yahweh Makadesh, from the book of Leviticus, chapter number 20, verse number seven and eight. And in this section of scripture, Father said, consecrate yourself to me and be holy, for I am Yahweh Makadesh. I am the Lord that sanctifies you. And beloved ones, what we said was that Father God is supernaturally involved actively in the lives of his people, transforming them into the likeness of his son. But he isn’t doing it independently of us. He’s doing it as we cooperate with him. That’s why he begins there in Leviticus chapter 20, verse number seven, by saying before he says, I am Yahweh Makadesh, he says right before that, consecrate yourselves to me and be holy. So I want to simply introduce one more scripture in conjunction with this concept right now before we move on today to the next covenant name of God that we’ll be studying. I’m going now. to the book of Timothy. I’m going to chapter number two of second Timothy. I want you to think about this in relationship to what I’ve just stated. Here’s the word of God. This is what the Lord says to us through Paul in the book of Timothy. Verse 21. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the master, prepared for every good work. Now flee from youthful lust and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart, but refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.” Notice this is the same concept here. The Lord is calling us to separate ourselves unto him, denying ungodliness, and as we do this, beloved, there’s going to be a supernatural transformation and great fruitfulness. Did you notice there that Paul said that in someone’s house are many different vessels, some for common use, some of tin, some of bronze, some of silver, some of gold? In other words, what’s going to determine Whether you bear fruit 30-fold, 60-fold, or 100-fold, it’s going to be, beloved, your cooperation with God. Remember Jesus said, some will bear fruit 30-fold, some 60-fold, and some 100-fold. What’s going to determine whether you’ll bear fruit 30-fold or 100-fold? It’s you, beloved, in cooperation with the grace of God. So in conclusion then today regarding this, I want to simply say the Lord’s power is at work in our life, but he’s waiting. to activate, to release power into us. He’s waiting for us to open our heart by saying yes to him and seeking to obey him, denying the things of the world that corrupt us and saying yes to him. As we do, power is going to be released. We’re going to again be transformed into the likeness of a son and we’re going to be bearing more and more fruit. And so at his return, he’s going to reward to you and I according to what we’ve done by his grace alone. Let’s continue today with the next covenant name of God. I love this covenant name of God, Yahweh Shalom. It’s probably the most well-known Hebrew word. Now in Israel today, the word Shalom is used in many different ways. For example, in the United States, when we greet somebody, we say it most often, hello or hi. But in Israel, the greeting is Shalom. Oftentimes in Israel, the word shalom is used as well when we’re leaving someone. And so it’s used as a greeting. It’s used as a way to say goodbye. But biblically speaking, the word shalom is so much deeper. Biblically speaking, the word shalom carries with it the concept of wholeness. completeness, restoration, and fullness, spirit, soul, mind, and body. And so Yahweh, our Savior, has made a covenant, get this now, of shalom with His people. In fact, one of the most well-known Hebrew blessings comes from the book of Numbers. It’s called the Aaronic Blessing. Many of you hear me say it at the end of every broadcast, right? The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift you up with his countenance, get it now, and the Lord give you his peace. What’s the actual Hebrew word for peace there? It’s the word shalom. Yahweh, your father, has entered in to a covenant of shalom with you. In other words, he wants to bring his children into complete peace. He wants to totally restore us, beloved, into a state of divine peace, spirit-spirited. soul, mind, and body. You know, there are some things we can pray for, and we’re not sure if we’re praying exactly according to God’s will. In other words, you may pray about a certain job. You may want a certain job, but sometimes you can’t be completely sure that that’s what the Lord’s will is for you. You can pray for it, and maybe Father will answer your prayer But maybe he has other plans, because the Bible says, his ways are higher than our ways, even as the heavens are higher than the earth. Some things we can pray for, we can desire, and God will answer some of those prayers. Some he may not answer, and actually it’s in our best interest that he doesn’t answer all our prayers. But one thing that you can believe for and pray for that he definitely will answer is to bring you in, get it now, church, to greater shalom, to greater peace. Because it’s Yahweh’s will to bring his people into peace. He says over his people, I am Yahweh, your shalom. Now, where does this come from? This sacred name, this covenant name of Father, Yahweh Shalom, comes from the book of Judges. In the book of Judges, the Israelites had been oppressed by the Midianites. And Gideon is out one day, and while he’s out, the angel of the Lord appears to him. And Gideon says to the angel of the Lord, if it’s really you, and if I’ve really found favor in your sight, then why are you letting all these bad things happen to your people? And where are the miracles that I heard about during the time of Moses? Doesn’t that sound like you and I today? We say, God, if you’re really real, if you really love me, if you really love your people, then why are you letting all these bad things happen? And also, where is your power? Where are the miracles? And so what Gideon spoke to the father about is very similar to the things that you and I have called out to the Lord about at times. Let’s listen to this in the book of Judges, chapter number six. I’m going to begin there in verse number 11. Then the angel of the Lord, and many believe that the angel of the Lord is Yeshua himself, Jesus himself. Hear the word of God again. Then the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak that was in Oprah, and Gideon was there beating out wheat in the winepress. I’m going now to verse number 12. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “‘The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.'” Then Gideon said to him, O my Lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” Then the Lord looked at him and said, go in this your strength. And by the way, this is a solid reason to take a hold of the fact that the angel of the Lord here was Jesus himself, what we call the pre-incarnate Jesus, before Jesus came into the world in the flesh 2,000 years ago. Because it says the Lord looked at him. Listen again, verse 14. Then the Lord, Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh, this is God’s sacred name, Yahweh. Then the Lord looked at him and said, go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you? I’m skipping down to verse 17. So Gideon said to him, if now I found favor in your sight. In other words, the Lord is giving Gideon a charge, but Gideon is still plagued by doubt and unbelief and confusion. So he looks up to the Lord for reassurance. And he says, once again, verse 17, So Gideon said to him, if now I have found favor in your sight, then show me a sign that it is you that speaks with me. Please do not depart from here until I come back to you and bring up my offering and lay it before you. So this was the sign that Gideon was looking for. He wanted to present an offering to the Lord and he wanted to see what God would do, what supernatural sign, what miracle the Lord would perform. Picking up in verse 19. Then Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephaph of flour. He put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them. Now listen to the verse 20. Then the angel of God said to him, take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock and pour out the broth. And he did so get a church. Then the angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touch the meat and the unleavened bread and fire sprang up from the rock and consume the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight. When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the Lord, he said, Alas, O Yahweh God, for now you have seen the angel of the Lord face to face. Then the Lord said to him, Peace, shalom to you. Do not fear, you shall not die. Then Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh. And whenever you see the word in your Bible, capital L, capital O, capital R, capital D, the original Hebrew is the four letters that make up God’s sacred name, Yahweh, called Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh. Here we go again, verse 24. Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, to Yahweh, and named it, get it here, church, Yahweh is peace.
SPEAKER 01 :
You’re listening to Discovering the Jewish Jesus with Rabbi Schneider. He’s going to be right back. But first, I want to let you know that you can watch full episodes of Discovering the Jewish Jesus on Roku television. We have episodes that are filmed in the Holy Land and outreach events from Nigeria and Gulu, Uganda, all sorts of places. Every episode is available to help deepen your understanding of scripture and the Jewish roots of your faith. So search for Discovering the Jewish Jesus on Roku today. Just as this program has been a blessing to you, you can multiply the blessing with others. It’s simple when you become a monthly partner. Give a financial gift of any amount today or set up your monthly automated gift by calling this number, 800-777-7835. That’s 800-777-7835. Or you can visit discoveringthejewishjesus.com when you give your equipping others for Jesus’ return. And now here is Rabbi Schneider.
SPEAKER 03 :
And so Gideon’s heart was troubled. He was afraid. He wondered where the God of miracles was. He wondered why Israel was being oppressed. But Yahweh came, brought assurance and peace to Gideon’s heart. Because listen, Yahweh God came. through Jesus, has made a covenant, hear me now, of peace with his people. You see, God wants to bring you and I into his peace. This is forever his will. You don’t ever have to doubt this. If you pray to Father for his peace and you make it a consistent prayer, I promise you, if you’re serious about it, if you’re giving yourself over to him, if there’s a big yes in your heart to God, if you’re really seeking to overcome and pick up your cross, deny yourself and follow him, I’m promising you right now, church, Father God will strengthen you in his peace. He’ll give you rest. Jesus said, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, come to me and I will give you rest. In fact, this desire for peace was one of my focal points for about a year going back several years ago. I was focusing as one of my primary prayer points going back a number of years ago was, Father, give me more peace. Strengthen me in peace. And I’d been praying this for about a year. Then one night, beloved one, I went to sleep and I had a God dream. Now, let me simply say that most of my dreams are not God dreams. But you know what? Every now and then, Father God, King Jesus, show up in my sleep and I have what’s called the God dream. This is what Peter spoke of in Acts chapter 2, quoting from the book of Joel, when he said, the Lord has poured forth his spirit on all flesh. And the result of this is that in our sleep, Father God is going to speak to us through our dreams. Now, not all dreams are from God. Some are from just processing of stimuli that has happened in our life, in our mind. In other words, our mind is just processing the things that we’ve been through in life. Some of it can come from the enemy, but some dreams come from God. So this was a God dream. Again, I’d been praying for peace for a solid year. I go to sleep one night. And in my sleep, I find myself in this lush forest. It was so beautiful. It was so green. And this beautiful, tropical, lush forest that I was in was surrounded by these big rock formations. In other words, I was in the center of the forest. But around the perimeter of the forest, there was something like a circle of big, huge rocks, big, beautiful cliffs and boulders kind of sealing off this forest as a sacred, secret place. And on these cliffs, on these rocks that secluded the forest that I was in the center of was this beautiful, lush, green ivy. So get the scene. I’m in this beautiful tropical rainforest type of atmosphere. so lush, surrounded by huge cliffs and rock formations to seal it off so that it became a beautiful, sacred, sealed off, secret place. And as I’m in this beautiful, lush forest, suddenly, beloved one, the peace of God begins to roll over me like I can’t even explain it. It was one of the most emotional encounters that I’ve ever experienced in my life with the Lord. I mean, I emotionally felt the peace of God rolling over me wave after wave. It was absolutely and completely supernatural. It was peace that was independent of circumstances. It was literally the peace of Yahweh God himself rolling over me. And then as this was going on, I felt the Spirit of the Lord leading me deeper into the center of the forest where there was a simple wooden picnic table set up. The picnic table again was very simple, but I knew in the dream that it represented the table of plenty, that the picnic table in the center of the forest represented just God’s absolute abundance. And so I felt the Spirit of the Lord leading me once again into the center of the forest to the picnic table where I was going to partake of even more of God’s shalom. And just as I felt the Spirit of God leading me deeper into the center of the forest, immediately I smelled in my sleep pizza. And it was the most poignant smelling pizza and the best smelling pizza I ever smelled in my life. And immediately when I smelled that pizza, I got hungry. Immediately my senses, my appetite was aroused. And so I got double-minded. Because on the one hand, I’d been praying for Father’s peace for a year, and now He’s actually bestowing it on me. And He’s leading me deeper into the forest where I can experience more of a supernatural peace. But at the same time, my fleshly nature was aroused as I smelled that pizza in the dream, and I got double minded. And this is all in my sleep. And in my sleep, I’m asking, what should I do? Should I go deeper into the forest or should I take a bite of this pizza? And I thought to myself, well, maybe I can have a bite of the pizza and then go deeper into the forest. And as soon as I thought that, the dream ended. The encounter with the Lord ended. And I got out of my bed. I was so grieved. I couldn’t believe what I had just done. that I traded in the peace of God, the most beautiful emotional encounter perhaps that I had ever had in my life up to that point. I traded it in, listen, for a lousy piece of pizza. I got out of bed. I got on my knees. I said, Father, forgive me. Please forgive me. I can’t believe I did that. I’m so sorry. I’ll never do that again. Father, I said, I’m going to go back into the bed. I said, put me to sleep. Let the dream return and give me another chance. But you know what happened, beloved? The dream never returned and it didn’t happen again. The next morning when I got up, I was still so grieved at what I had just done. And I sat down before the Lord. I said, Father, I’m so sorry. I said, what happened? How did that happen? I said, was that the devil? that was trying to steal that from me? I said, or Lord, did you arrange that? Were you the divine architect of that dream? And then I considered, you know, even if it was the devil that came there with that piece of pizza to try to rob me from the peace of God, I said, even if it was the devil, I said, Father, I still believe that you engineered that dream. What is it that I need to learn? And here’s what I felt Father was saying to me. If you want more peace, you have to deny yourself the flesh. Because if you feed the Spirit and deny the flesh, you’re gonna be built up in the Holy Spirit, you’re gonna be built up in peace. But if you feed your flesh, you’re gonna be built up in the things of the world which won’t give you peace. so i am here to say to you and to challenge you beloved when you fast the things of the world whether it’s tv whether it’s the internet whether it’s listening to raw music whether it’s going on fast with your food and controlling your appetite whether it’s fasting certain relationships if you fast to feed your spirit because of your love for god Yahweh Shalom is going to build you up in His peace. Because when you sow to the Spirit, you’re going to reap from the Spirit love, joy, and peace. Shalom Aleichem, peace to you. We have an interesting verse in the book of Galatians, chapter number 6, verse 6. It says this, The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. In other words, the Lord ordained that those that are preaching the gospel and teaching his word, those ministries should be supported by the ones that are receiving. I want to thank all of you that have sown financial seed into discovering the Jewish Jesus. What you’re doing is a biblical thing, and it’s in alignment with God’s plan. If there’s those today that are being blessed by the ministry, that are being blessed by my teaching, I would simply ask you, would you open your heart? And if you feel the Lord leading you to make a financial offering to him through discovering the Jewish Jesus, to fulfill his word in Galatians 6.6, I would just encourage you, be obedient to him. You’ll be blessed. This is Rabbi Schneider. I love you.
SPEAKER 01 :
Amen. And if God is calling you to support discovering the Jewish Jesus with the gift of any amount, would you please give us a call today? You can reach us at 800-777-7835. You can also give online when you visit our website. You’ll find us at discoveringthejewishjesus.com and We want to say thanks back to you when you give, so we’ll send you our latest newsletter. And it’s a special monthly publication that’s filled with loads of spiritual wisdom featuring rabbis engaging in authentic biblical messages and an intimate spiritual reflection from his wife, Miss Cynthia. It also includes inspiring stories of lives forever changed, and it’s a great way to see what God is doing here with your help. You’ll also receive a free message of the month teaching booklet to help you grow closer to the Lord. And for those seeking to deepen their connection with the ministry, when you become a monthly partner, you’ll get an additional gift. It’s a handcrafted shofar that’s made in Israel, and it is a beautiful instrument. And it’s the same kind that’ll be used to announce Jesus’ second coming. And we hope that when you receive yours, it’ll remind you of your impact on this ministry in the world. It’s also a great conversation starter. So let’s tell the world about Jesus as we prepare for his return together. Once again, to partner with us today, call us at 800-777-7835. Well, that’s all the time that we have for today. But as always, we close each and every program with a special blessing. I pray that these words leave you feeling inspired. Rabbi?
SPEAKER 03 :
In the Old Testament book of Numbers, we find a blessing God speaks over his children through Moses and Aaron. It carries the idea of favor and expression. Open your heart to the Spirit and the Word today and receive Father’s goodness into your life with confidence.
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift you up with His countenance. And the Lord give you, beloved one, His peace. God bless you and shalom.
SPEAKER 01 :
This program is produced and sponsored by Discovering the Jewish Jesus. And I’m your host, Dustin Roberts. Come back next week when Rabbi Schneider presents a special Passover message. That’s coming up Monday on Discovering the Jewish Jesus.
