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You asked

what was the common understanding of 'peace' or 'shalom' in jeremiah's time?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Jeremiah 6:14

They have healed also the hurt of my people slightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace;’ when there is no peace.

Jeremiah, a prophet in Judah during the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE, delivered challenging messages to a people facing imminent destruction from Babylon. Here, he criticizes religious and political leaders who offer false comfort and superficial solutions, assuring the people of 'peace' when their actions are leading them to disaster.

What does it look like to pursue genuine well-being when societal voices are assuring us that everything is fine?

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Read alongside it

  • Jeremiah 8:11

    This verse repeats the same criticism, highlighting the persistence of false assurances.

  • Isaiah 48:22

    It declares that there is 'no peace for the wicked,' connecting peace with righteousness.

  • Romans 5:1

    Paul speaks of peace with God through faith, introducing a spiritual dimension to 'peace'.

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