For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (ESV)

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (NIV)

For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,” says the Lord, who has mercy on you. (NLT)

Dive Deeper:

The Search for Peace

Peace is heavily desired; most people call for peace globally while also striving for interpersonal peace. We all want peace. Yet, we are told that peace varies from person to person and culture to culture. One person’s peace often comes at the expense of someone else’s. Let’s find out what God says about peace. The Bible mentions the word peace well over 300 times; the majority lay within the book of the prophet Isaiah. In this week's passage, God makes His meaning of peace both known and unshakeable. 

Fulfilled Promises 

God compares His promise of peace to the days of Noah in verse 9: “This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you.” God’s wrath was obvious and “overflowing” in Genesis because sin had to be paid for. God never promised there wouldn’t be floods again or that disaster wouldn’t strike; He promised that He wouldn’t send a flood to destroy the earth again out of wrath. And His promise stood; never again has God sent His just wrath in such a way. 

Though the floodwaters were immense in the days of Noah, they eventually receded. But the hills and mountains remained. God goes a step further by saying mountains and hills will move before God’s love and peace will ever leave us. Mountains and hills are natural reminders of permanence- but even these God can move! No matter what takes place from now until eternity, one thing will surely remain: our Father's promises and steadfast love. 

For Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (Matthew 24:35)

This kind of peace is marvelous but comes at a great expense. It is not free. God promised He wouldn’t send a flood of water again on His people because He would soon send a flood of wrath on His Son Jesus as He hung upon the cross. This is the greatest news: that Jesus would give us His peace at the expense of His own life. HE is our pardon. 

His Promise Still Stands

We have peace because God’s promises still stand true. For God to stop loving His people is a cosmic impossibility, regardless of how we feel or what circumstances are going on in our lives. Our peace depends on God’s promises; He hasn’t failed yet and He never will. 

Written by Garrett Belzer

Challenge:

Where have you seen peace in your life? Where do you desire peace in your life? 

If God’s promises never fail, where do you want to see Him move in your life?

Create a gratitude journal for the ways that God has been faithful and for the ways He’s been kind to you.