Gideon had asked God for a sign that He was the one speaking with him. The sign he received speaks in all its details of resurrection life. YAHWEH takes the sacrifice to himself by burning it with fire and proves to Gideon that He is the one calling him.
Judges 6
22 Then Gideon saw that he was the messenger of YAHWEH, and Gideon said, “Alas, Lord YAHWEH! For I have seen the messenger of YAHWEH face to face!”
23 And YAHWEH said to him, “Peace be with you! Do not fear; you shall not die.”
24 So Gideon built an altar there to YAHWEH, and called it YAHWEH is Peace; to this day it remains in Ophrah of Abi-Ezrites.
not dying, but living
We know more examples from the Old Testament of people who saw an angel and thought they were dying, such as Manoah, Samson’s father (Judg. 13:22). After all, God had already said to Moses: “You cannot see my face, for no one shall see me and live” (Ex. 33:20). Gideon did not die, but lived, as this story, in all its facets, speaks of life.
altar
Gideon built an altar there, namely on the rock, which we saw is a representation of the resurrected Christ. Gideon called it: “YAHWEH is peace.” Sacrifices are offered on an altar, and all sacrifices foreshadow the sacrifice of Christ. God makes peace on this rock, namely: the resurrected Christ!
covenant of peace
Gideon calls the altar “YAHWEH is peace.” This is a reference to the new covenant, which is called “the covenant of peace.” The new covenant is a covenant in which all “duties” lie with God. “I will…” resounds the sevenfold promise in Jeremiah 31:31-34.
When God brings a restored Israel back to the land, it will be under the covenant of peace (Ezek. 34:25; 37:26). This covenant, like the old covenant, cannot be broken because nothing is required of man (Isa. 54:10). Later in Judges 6, we will see another illustration of the end of the old covenant and the beginning of the new.
Evangel of Peace
Besides an application to Israel, we also see in the letters of Paul, the apostle of the nations, that God is a God of peace. His letters address the ecclesia. Christ is our peace (Eph. 2:14), who destroys the enmity between Jew and Gentile, unites them, and reconciles them in one body through the cross (Eph. 2:14-16). Paul calls this message: the evangel of peace (Eph. 2:17).
making peace
The peace of God will ultimately encompass all creation. The universe will be reconciled to God. What is reconciliation? If we look at the passage from Ephesians 2 quoted above, we see that reconciliation means making peace by destroying enmity, making it one. God will do this through Christ with “all things,” that which is on earth and that which is in heaven!
Colossians 1
20 and through Him to reconcile all things (>all things) to Him, making peace through the blood of His cross, whether things on earth or things in heaven.