Shalom: Bringing Order to a Chaotic World

The Story of the Bible begins with YHWH molding an unfinished creation into a perfect paradise. He places humanity in a garden with instructions to steward this new world on His behalf. But man sins. And with that sin chaos descends. Since then, YHWH has been ordering this chaos. This is the meaning of the Hebrew word, “shalom.” I’ll prove it to you in less than 10 minutes.

I’m an introvert. I love peace and quiet. It’s why I’m usually awake hours before everyone else in my family. Give me a cup of coffee, my Bible, and a couple of hours with no one talking to me and I’m a happy camper. And while this is still a wonderful time, it’s not peace as the Bible describes it. Shalom is a unique kind of peace that only comes through having conflict, not by avoiding it. 

Tohu

The Genesis story is the story of YHWH taking a chaotic world, and putting it into order.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was without shape and empty, and darkness was over the surface of the watery deep, but the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the water. (Genesis 1:1-2 NET)

“Without shape and empty” describe creation as something unfinished. It isn’t useful. It has no purpose. The Hebrew words here are “tohu va bohu.” Literally translated, these words mean “an empty wasteland.” But the Bible doesn’t suggest that this status is wrong or evil. It’s clay, ready to be placed on the potter’s wheel; paint waiting to be brushed along a blank canvas. It is raw. And this is where YHWH comes in. He begins separating light from darkness; heaven from earth; land from sea. Having created the perfect environment, YHWH now populates creation with birds and fish and animals. Finally, it is time for the pinnacle of His creative work. YHWH reaches down into the dust, molds humanity, transfers His own breath into this shell, and mankind is born. And it was very good.  

Descending Into Chaos

 We’re all aware of what comes next. Mankind is divided into two distinct humans: male and female. They are given authority over the physical realm. They are told to cultivate it and guide it; to rule it under YHWH’s authority. But YHWH’s enemy deceives them, and they question YHWH’s goodness. Is He lying to them? Is there more He’s not telling them? And they fall. 

Chaos falls over creation. What was good, now is… not as good. Shame. Guilt. Division. Hatred. Pain. Death. What was perfectly formed, is now falling apart. 

Jeremiah composed a beautiful poem describing this moment from YHWH’s perspective:

YHWH answered, “This will happen because my people are foolish. They do not know me. They’re like children who have no sense. They have no understanding. They’re skilled at doing evil. They do not know how to do good.” I looked at the land and saw that it was an empty wasteland. I looked up at the sky, and its light had vanished. I looked at the mountains and saw that they were shaking. All the hills were swaying back and forth! I looked and saw that there were no more people and that all the birds in the sky had flown away. (Jeremiah 4:22-25 NET)

This is creation being reversed. All that YHWH has done, is being undone. Jeremiah even uses the words “empty wasteland” – tohu va bohu – to describe what is happening. In Genesis 1, YHWH said “let there be light.” Now, the light has vanished. YHWH once formed the earth. Now, the mountains are shaking and the hills are swaying. Even humanity is missing and birds are no longer in the sky. Sin has taken paradise, and thrown it off the potter’s wheel; chaos rules.

Shalom Through Confrontation

This is going to be a bit uncomfortable. Before things can get better, they must get much worse. Think about the clay analogy. YHWH had crafted something perfect. But our own pride and arrogance took what was good and destroyed it. Now, a distorted and corrupt remnant lay on the floor. So, YHWH makes a decision:

I looked and saw that the fruitful land had become a desert and that all the cities had been laid in ruins. YHWH had brought this all about because of his blazing anger. All this will happen because YHWH said, “The whole land will be desolate; however, I will not completely destroy it. (Jeremiah 4:26-27)

Before the Creator can fully repair the creation, more destruction must come. The Potter can’t just throw the clay back up on the wheel; He must rework the clay and make it pliable to be formed. YHWH cannot just avoid the consequences of the chaos humanity has brought upon the Earth; He must deal with these consequences. 

Give Shalom a Chance

This is Shalom. The Hebrew word for “peace” isn’t a denial of conflict. It is the embracing of it. YHWH doesn’t ignore our sin and destruction; He repairs it. Shalom is YHWH becoming a man, dying on a cross, and rising again to conquer sin and death. Now, all of history is moving toward a day when the paradise of Genesis 1 and 2 becomes the renewed paradise of Revelation 21 and 22. Shalom isn’t ignoring our problems; it’s healing them. 

We pray for peace. And we should. But we need to remember what this peace really is. Shalom is when YHWH looks at the brokenness in our lives, and steps in to restore it. A lot of the time this feels like pain. Have faith in His love. He has a purpose and plan. YHWH will restore order where you feel chaos. He is good.