23 Then YHWH said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” 24 So Gideon built an altar there to YHWH and called it YHWH-Is-Peace [YHWH-shalom] (Jdg. 6:23–24, NKJV).

YHWH’s fifth name, YHWH-shalom, means “God is our peace” from Gideon’s story in Judges 6–7. Because of Israel’s apostasy, YHWH had given Israel into Midianite hands for seven years, and He began freeing them through Gideon (“warrior who destroys, feller,” ISBE), the son of Joash (“the fire of YHWH’s name,” ISBE, HBN). The Angel of YHWH appeared to fearful Gideon threshing wheat in a winepress in Ophrah (Strong’s H6080 “to be pulverized, dust, ashes”) saying, “YHWH is with you mighty man of valor” and “Go in your strength; I have sent you.” Ophrah reflected Israel’s suffering or put through the fire, figuratively meaning miserable, without value, humbled, in shame and repentance (TWOT, Strong’s H665, Gen. 18:27, Job 30:19, 42:6, Eze. 27:30). After the Angel of YHWH consumed with fire the sacrificed young goat and unleavened bread (Lev. 9:4, 1Ch. 21:26, 2Ch. 7:3, 1Ki. 18:24), Gideon was terrified that he would die, for he had seen YHWH face-to-face (Exo. 33:20). But YHWH in covenant mercy said, “Peace be with you, do not fear, you shall not die.” So Gideon built an altar to YHWH and called it “YHWH is peace.”

Since Gideon cut down (fell) Baal’s altar, his father named him Jerubbaal (312, 12 × 26, Strong’s H7378, 1168 “let Baal plead”). Because God was with Him, Jerubbaal overthrew Midian using torches, trumpets, and the sword of YHWH. The battle orders YHWH gave Gideon had similarities to those issued to Joshua in the fall of Jericho and to the trumpet blasts’ final shout announcing the coming of the Prince of Peace at Babylon’s fall. Fire is mentioned in these three triumphant occasions (Jdg. 7:16, 20, Jos. 6:24, Rev. 18:8). In all three, armies surround the enemy, trumpets blow, and a great shout of victory roars out (Job 37:1–5, Hos. 11:10–11, Amo. 1:2, Rev. 10:3). Gideon “blew” (taqa) a shofar, after which his three hundred warriors blew their trumpets while holding torches of fire, shouting, “The sword of YHWH and of Gideon!” (Jdg. 7:20). Blowing the trumpet signaled the battle was YHWH’s, and Israel, showing confidence in the fire of YHWH’s jealousy, stood and fought to the victory against the once-powerful Baal (Exo. 19:16–20, Neh. 4:20). Midianite warriors killed each other in confusion. Midian fell in utter defeat to the Feller Warrior, impotent like Baal against the power of YHWH’s Word (Jdg. 7:22). YHWH and Gideon’s conquering of the Midianites was a type of the powers of this world’s defeat upon Yeshua’s return, observed on Yom Teruah.

YHWH chose only three hundred warriors to show His glory, arming them with shofars and hidden fire. (Shaped like teeth of fire, the Hebrew letter for 300 is the shin שׁ.)  These three hundred warriors saw God’s power rather than the odds against them. God, as a consuming fire (aleph + shin, esh, אֵשׁ), first occurs when He created the adam, ish, אִישׁ (aleph + yod + shin) and the woman, isha, אִשָּׁה (aleph + shin + hey) in His image by adding the letters of His name, YAH, יָהּ (yod + hey, “behold His hand”) to the Hebrew word for fire, אֵשׁ (Seekins, p. 239). His Word, “Do not fear, you shall not die,” with a letter sum of 1519, 7² × 31, infers the wilderness seven Sabbaths (7²) with El (31) conforming us to the image of His Son, destroying what seeks to destroy us, and restoring us to holiness, a consuming fire against all that is a lie. “Bride” literally means “behold she who comes out of the fire as purified gold, complete” (Seekins, pp. 151, 225). YHWH encourages us, “Fear not, for I am with you,” like the disciples in the boat, “I AM; do not fear” (Isa. 41:10, 863,15^th P; Jhn. 6:20, 1722, 3 × 14 × 41), saying, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” [Jhn. 20:21; sum 5477, (2 × 37)² + 1²)]. As images of God, Yeshua and His bride are one, the fulfillment of YHWH’s fire, warrior judges protecting holiness and keeping truth, the brightness of His glory to the world.

The Hebrew four-letter word for peace is shalom, שָׁלוֹם (sum 376, 8 × 47, new beginning in Sabbath excellence by His hand), conveying that peace comes when the authority connected to chaos is destroyed (Seekins, p. 193). Shalom means “finished, whole, full, perfect, restitution, repay” (Strong’s H7965). The primary concept of peace is a “harmony of relationship or reconciliation based upon the completion of a transaction, the payment of a debt, and the giving of satisfaction that leaves one whole as a result of God’s presence” (TWOT, Strong’s H7965). Characteristic of the Messiah’s reign beginning on the first of the seventh month (7-1), peace highlights His prevailing to destroy the chaos in human minds (rebellion, fear), bringing all things into His Sabbath rest. Like His power exercised in Genesis 1:2-3, Yeshua proved to His disciples in the fifth sign that He had the authority to destroy the chaos, tohu and bohu, of false doctrine. Having purged our sins, He is the Prince of Peace, restoring humanity’s peace with God by destroying Satan’s authority (Isa. 9:6).

3 Israel will again be great, and its people will rejoice as people rejoice at harvest time. They will shout with joy like warriors dividing the plunder. (NLT)

4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.

5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire (NIV)

Just as he did when he destroyed the army of Midian with Gideon’s little band. (NLT)

6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of YHWH of hosts will perform this (Isa. 9:3–7).

Takeaway:
Gideon and Joash’s names allude to the Messianic Warrior King rescuing Israel with His glorious consuming fire of judgment, cutting down the enemy with the sword of His mouth. God desires us to live in shalom and not die. Our path to holiness and life requires the fire of His Holy Spirit, the sword of His Word, and the sound of the trumpet in prayer. The Pentecost-Feast of Trumpets pivot shows His bride, purified as gold out of the fire, and Yeshua as one, in His image.

Fun Factors:
The numeric signature of YHWH’s words in this story points to the certainty of the work of His hand in judgment and restoration within a time frame, making a name for Himself. We see His love, the glory of His fire, and His transforming Presence as keys to the victory of peace.

YHWH-shalom (402, 6 × 67, 6 × 19^th P), Gideon (133, 7 × 19), the son of Joash (317, 66^th P, 31^st PP, 14² × 11²), sum 852 = 12 × 71, the 24^th pentagonal number, twelve divisors can be divided into two sets of 1008, 8 × 5 × 2 = 80, 8 + 5 + 2 = 15. Ophrah is 355, 5 × 71. Judges 7:1, Jerubbaal = 312,12 × 26, “Jerubbaal is Gideon” = 457, 21² + 4², I AM’s (21) signature on His house (4).

Judges 6:12, the Angel of YHWH called Gideon, “Mighty Warrior, YHWH is with you!” (420, 2² × 3 × 5 × 7). The verse sum of 40 letters in 10 words equals 1105, 5 × 13 × 17, 23² + 24², or 9² + 32².

Judges 6:14, YHWH told Gideon, “Go with your strength and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” The verse sum of 54 letters (3³ + 3³, or 2² + 3² + 4² + 5²) in 14 words (1² + 2² + 3²) equals 3365, 5 × 673, 34² + 47², the stamp of victory (17) of His hand (47).

Judges 6:23-24 has 91 letters (7 × 13) in 25 words (3² + 4²), totaling 5018, 26 × 193, 26(7² + 12²), or 67² + 23². “Peace be with you, do not fear, you shall not die” (18 letters, 6 words, 1945 = 24² + 37²).

Judges 7:20, 98 letters (1⁴ + 2⁴ + 3⁴, or 7² + 7²) in 18 words (9 + 9, 3² + 3²), totaling 7054, 2 × 3527, 3527 is the 492^nd P, 12 × 41, the sum of 8 squared numbers, 4² + … + 11². “The sword of YHWH and of Gideon” = 15 letters, 3 words, totaling 435, 15 × 29, the sum of 1 + … + 29.

Judges 6-7, 4567 letters (619^th P) in 1183 words [7 × 13², 7(2² + 3²)²; 7 = 4^th P, 13 = 6^th P, 7^th Fibonacci number, and 3^rd centered square number], totaling 289533, 3 × 103 × 937, 309(24² + 19²), 103 = 27^th P, 937 = 159^th P and 76^th PP.