Peace, Peace Be Unto You

After the cloud of darkness dispersed from the Lamanites at the prison with Nephi and Lehi in their midst, they beheld that “they were encircled about, yea every soul, by a pillar of fire.” They then heard “a pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying: Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world” (Helaman 5:43, 46-47). I love that after this traumatic experience where they were surrounded by darkness—and surely troubled by their own sins as they had sought to kill these prophets—the voice of the Lord offered them peace. And peace was given to them specifically because of their faith in Christ. True peace always comes because of Jesus Christ. He told His apostles shortly before His death: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). He doesn’t give us peace in the world’s sense (i.e. simply a lack of conflict), but He offers peace in our souls with a knowledge of our divine worth and a remission of sins and a hope for eternal life. The Savior also said to His apostles on that last night, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). We can be assured that we will indeed have trials and troubles and even tribulations in the world, but we can still have peace in Him.

                Many other passages in the Book of Mormon highlight that peace comes through Jesus Christ and our faith in Him. After the people of King Benjamin accepted his words with faith in Christ, they found peace: “And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them” (Mosiah 4:3). Nephi highlighted what would happen to his descendants when the Savior would come among them: “But the Son of Righteousness shall appear unto them; and he shall heal them, and they shall have peace with him, until three generations shall have passed away” (2 Nephi 26:9). Those righteous Nephites had peace with Christ. Helaman spoke of how the Savior gave him and his army peace even amidst great struggles: “Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him” (Alma 58:11). The Savior granted them peace to their souls, and their faith in the power of His deliverance was strengthened. Isaiah wrote of how peace comes through His atoning sacrifice: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Mosiah 14:5). In other words, He was chastised so that we could have peace. Isaiah also prophesied, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (2 Nephi 19:6). One of His names is Prince of Peace because He offers us the peace of His Father. As Abinadi taught the wicked priests of king Noah, he exclaimed, also relying on the words of Isaiah, “For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people” (Mosiah 15:18). I love that name for the Savior: “the founder of peace.” No matter what our circumstances, through repentance and faith in Him, we can find peace in Him just like those Lamanites who heard these words from heaven meant both for them and for us today: “Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world.”