God gave Gideon the task of delivering His people from Midianite raiders who were destroying their crops and stealing their livestock. He assured Gideon of His presence and guidance by burning up a sacrificial offering that Gideon had placed on an altar.

This display frightened Gideon. But God showed him that His intentions were peaceful and that Gideon had nothing to fear. With this assurance, Gideon gave God a special name-translated as the Lord Is Peace by modern translations-and also applied this name to the altar he had built.

“Peace to you and your house” was a common greeting of Bible times, just as we greet people today with “Good morning” or “How are you?” With this divine name, Gideon expressed his confidence that God intended to bless him and to strengthen him for the task to which he had been called.

God extends this same promise to His people today. The psalmist declares, “The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace” (Psalm 29:11)

    And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not” thou shalt not die. Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovah-shalom. (Judges 6:23-24)