Gideon’s construction of this altar confirms that God’s peace meets us in our moments of uncertainty.
So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. (Judges 6:24). This verse depicts the moment Gideon chooses to honor the God of Israel following the divine promise of deliverance from Midianite oppression. The altar, built in Ophrah, marks a place set apart for worship and commemorates the peace and protection that Gideon and the Israelites would receive through God’s providential care. The Hebrew expression for “The LORD is Peace” can also be rendered “Yahweh Shalom,” signifying that He is the ultimate source of safety and well-being in times of turmoil.
The city of Ophrah belonged to the Abiezrites, a clan within the tribe of Manasseh, located in the northern region of Israel. Gideon lived in this period of the Judges, traditionally dated between approximately 1380 and 1050 BC, before Israel had a king. Even though Gideon was initially hesitant (Judges 6:15), he responded to God’s call and worshiped Him by building this altar, signifying both Gideon’s faith in God’s promise and God’s commitment to preserve Israel.
By naming the altar for the LORD’s peace, Gideon proclaimed God’s sustaining presence for all who would come after. Even as challenges and wars continued in the land, the testimony of Gideon’s altar told of God’s readiness to impart peace and assurance to His people when they trusted Him.
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Judges 6:24 meaning
So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. (Judges 6:24). This verse depicts the moment Gideon chooses to honor the God of Israel following the divine promise of deliverance from Midianite oppression. The altar, built in Ophrah, marks a place set apart for worship and commemorates the peace and protection that Gideon and the Israelites would receive through God’s providential care. The Hebrew expression for “The LORD is Peace” can also be rendered “Yahweh Shalom,” signifying that He is the ultimate source of safety and well-being in times of turmoil.
The city of Ophrah belonged to the Abiezrites, a clan within the tribe of Manasseh, located in the northern region of Israel. Gideon lived in this period of the Judges, traditionally dated between approximately 1380 and 1050 BC, before Israel had a king. Even though Gideon was initially hesitant (Judges 6:15), he responded to God’s call and worshiped Him by building this altar, signifying both Gideon’s faith in God’s promise and God’s commitment to preserve Israel.
By naming the altar for the LORD’s peace, Gideon proclaimed God’s sustaining presence for all who would come after. Even as challenges and wars continued in the land, the testimony of Gideon’s altar told of God’s readiness to impart peace and assurance to His people when they trusted Him.