For around 400 years, God had been warning the Canaanites to turn from their unspeakable religious and social practices, but they refused. God sent Joshua and the nation of Israel into the land in 1405 BC to conquer the city of Jericho and the surrounding cities. This would finally bring justice and remove the heritage of those evil practices from humanity’s future. They conquered the land, except for one city …

It was around 400 years later in 1003 BC that King David finished the job by conquering the city of Salem, renaming it “Jerusalem,” and making it Israel’s capital city. The city’s new name meant “The Lord provides peace,” and it would eventually be the location of God’s temple. While that city is named after the true source of peace, Jerusalem has a history that is filled with times of great unrest, even to this day. In the Scriptures, this unrest was often directly related to Israel’s leaders and people failing to obey the One who provides their peace.

For around 400 years, the true source of peace had been warning Israel and its leaders to change their ways. Then, after all this time of warning, in 586 BC, Jerusalem became the new “Jericho” when God allowed the Babylonians to take over. Even the captain of the Babylonian guard could see why, saying, “The Lord your God has brought this disaster on this land, just as he said he would. For these people have sinned against the Lord and disobeyed him. That is why it happened.” (Jeremiah 40:2-3)

It was around 400 years between the last writings of Israel’s prophets and when the true source of peace spoke once more by sending his son, Jesus, into the world. Jesus was pronounced “Yeshua,” which is basically the same name as “Joshua.” But instead of conquering Canaanites, he conquered the sin, evil and death underneath those evil practices by dying on a cross in Jerusalem and rising again. Now our true source of peace is coming again, with a “New Jerusalem.” (Revelation 21) On that day, there will be a peace that has no end.

Questions for reflection:

  1. What would you have to do differently in your life if you were going to obey your true source of peace? What peace do you think he would provide in that obedience?
  2. What could the long-term consequences be for putting off your true source of peace?