Why Stand With Israel?
I’ve posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem. Day and night they keep at it, praying, calling out, reminding God to remember. They are to give him no peace until he does what he said, until he makes Jerusalem famous as the City of Praise. (Isaiah 62:6-7)
There is a Battle for Israel that is far more than a political, ethnic, or religious conflict. It is the epicenter of a clash between two ancient kingdoms. The struggle will determine the destiny of the city, the land, and the peoples of the earth. Manifestations of this epic struggle can be seen daily in headlines and news stories around the world as tensions are mounting, nations are raging, and kings are making their stand.
“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.” (Zechariah 12:2-3)
It is imperative that the Church stand with God’s purposes for Israel. It is not optional, and the days are quickly coming when every Christian will be confronted with the choice of whether to stand for and with the Jewish people. The highest issue in serving God’s purposes concerning Israel is in obeying God’s sovereign leadership. We love Him; therefore we embrace the desires of His heart. We want to love what He loves, say what He says, and do what He does. The scripture is clear that He zealously desires the glory of Jerusalem and the prosperity of all Israel.
Understanding and engaging rightly demands far more than simply grasping historical facts, political context, or even right doctrine; It necessitates a revelation of His heart for the city, for the land and for the Jewish people. It also requires confidence in our identity as the sons of God.
Jerusalem is the front line in contending for God’s kingdom to come on the earth as it is in heaven and thus is the most significant battlefront in the spirit today. The Church MUST understand it. God’s ultimate desire is to re-unite heaven and earth.
For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of His will, according to His purpose which He set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:9-10 :: RSV)
We were made to dwell in physical (glorified) bodies on the material earth with God forever. Our bodies are made of the earth and are therefore profoundly connected to the land we inhabit.
…but you [Jerusalem] shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall your sons marry you; and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. (Isaiah 62:4-5)
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. (Revelation 21:3)
We are not satisfied, nor is creation at rest until God executes judgment, establishes His Kingdom, and accomplishes His will in summing up all things into a single supernatural reality. God created us for intimate partnership in every aspect of that process. The cries of the saints in heaven and the groans of the whole creation attest to it.
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood [the shedding of which defiles the land]…” (Revelation 6:10)
For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God… because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our [material] body. (Romans 8:19-23)
The convergence of that singular reality—the point from which creation will be progressively redeemed and to which Heaven will literally descend—is the city of Jerusalem, the place chosen to be His throne forever—the city of the Great King.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, The City of the Great King. (Psalm 48:1-2)
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… (Isaiah 9:7)
…Behold, the Man whose name is the Branch! From His place [in Jerusalem] He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the LORD… He shall bear the glory [authority], and shall sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both [between both offices of priest and king]. (Zechariah 6:12-13)
“Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days,” says the Lord, “that they will say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore. “At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts.” (Jeremiah 3:16-17)
Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? (Isaiah 66:1)
The coming Kingdom is about far more, though, than the transformation of the created order. God has NOT given up on employing Abraham’s descendants as His primary instrument to establish His kingdom on earth.
The Gentiles have been used by God for thousands of years to help Israel. Paul reminds the Gentile believers time and again that their salvation is inextricably connected to the Jewish people. In similar fashion, the future blessings for Israel are strategically dependent upon the Gentiles walking in the fullness of their destiny.
And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. (Galations 3:8-9)
…that you [Gentile believers in Ephesus], being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with ALL the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you [Gentile believers] may be filled with ALL the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)
Paul pleaded that we would not live in ignorance concerning God’s marvelous strategy to bring Jew and Gentile together as one new man. The oldest division that exists in the Church is that between Jew and Gentile.
Prayers for unity in the New Testament have nothing to do with denominational affiliation as we often apply them today, but entirely with the healing of the rift between Jewish and Gentile believers.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you [all] have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus…
Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh… were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself ONE NEW MAN FROM THE TWO, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. (Ephesians 2:4-7,11-16)
The earth, therefore, will not experience the fullness of the Kingdom until the fullness of BOTH Jew and Gentile is revealed.
I say then, have they [the Jewish people] stumbled that they should fall [forever]? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! (Romans 11:11-12)
The revelation of God’s wisdom and power to save and reconcile both Jew and Gentile into a singular new creation is nothing less than the revelation of God’s Kingdom.
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! “For who has known the mind of the Lord…” (Romans 11:33-34)
In response to the revelation of God’s heart concerning the destiny of Jerusalem and that of all peoples, Isaiah gives us insight into how we also are to respond.
He was so stirred in his inner man that he, by the grace of God, committed to both intercede and to raise up intercessors who would contend in prayer until the things revealed are also realized—until Jerusalem is made a praise in the earth, the capital and crown jewel of Jesus’ empire.
For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
and her salvation as a lamp that burns. The Gentiles shall see your righteousness,
and all kings your glory… (Isaiah 62:1-2)
I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. (Isaiah 62:6-7)
The Lord specifically commands us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem because in so doing, we are pursuing His heart and praying for the coming of His kingdom on the earth.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls,
prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.” (Psalm 122:6-8)
The Lord specifically commands the Church, Jew and Gentile together, to engage in making prophetic declarations over the Jewish people, the city of Jerusalem, and the Gentile nations in agreement with His heart and what He has clearly proclaimed in the scriptures.
“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!”
says your God. “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,
that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned;
for she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40:1-2)
Indeed the Lord has proclaimed
to the end of the world:
“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Surely your salvation is coming;
behold, His reward is with Him,
and His work before Him.’” (Isaiah 62:11)
For thus says the Lord: “Sing with gladness for Jacob,
and shout among the chief of the nations;
proclaim, give praise, and say,
‘O Lord, save Your people,
The remnant of Israel!’ Behold, I will bring them from the north country,
and gather them from the ends of the earth…A great throng shall return there... Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
And declare it in the isles afar off, and say,
‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,
and keep him as a shepherd does his flock.’” (Jeremiah 31:7-10)
As we agree with the heart of Jesus, our hearts are tenderized to accept His leadership on His terms, our love of the Jewish people grows, and God’s family (Jew and Gentile) is unified in love.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you [O Israel] with an everlasting love…” (Jeremiah 31:3)
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Blessing, serving, and praying for the Jewish people not only honor God’s sovereignty; they also command blessing in return. God promised that He would bless any Gentile who blessed Abraham or his offspring. This principle has operated throughout all of history, but it will have profound significance during the Great Tribulation and into the age to come.
I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you… (Genesis 12:3)
Let peoples serve you [Jacob], and nations [Gentiles] bow down to you...
Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you!” (Genesis 27:29)
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.” (Psalm 122:6)
We will be required to stand with the Jewish people in the end-times through great tribulation.
Pray that prayers in and for Jerusalem would gain momentum around the world as the wisdom and strategies of God are revealed to His people globally.
I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, 7 and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. (Isaiah 62:6-7)
…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding[a] being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power… (Ephesians 1:17-19)
Pray that the Jewish believers in Israel would be strengthened and that their territory (spheres of influence) would be increased particularly among Israel’s national religious leaders.
…that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man… (Ephesians 3:16)
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:1-3)
Pray for the return of the Jewish people (Aliyah) to the land God promised them.
Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’
Bring My sons from afar,
and My daughters from the ends of the earth… (Isaiah 43:5-6)
“Lift up your eyes all around, and see:
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from afar,
and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant,
and your heart shall swell with joy… (Isaiah 60:4-5)
Pray for the governmental and religious leaders of Israel to know God, to believe on Him, and to say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”
…for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ” (Matthew 23:37-39)
Pray for the reconciliation and unity of Jew and Gentile and that the Lord would heal the oldest and longest-standing division existing in the Church.
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (John 17:20-23)
Declare over the Jewish people, the city of Jerusalem, and the Gentile nations the fullness of their destiny in God. Pray it, shout it, decree it and sing it so that all the nations of the earth will hear the wisdom and heart of God.
For thus says the Lord: “Sing with gladness for Jacob,
and shout among the chief of the nations;
proclaim, give praise, and say,
‘O Lord, save Your people,
The remnant of Israel!’ Behold, I will bring them from the north country,
and gather them from the ends of the earth…A great throng shall return there... Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
and declare it in the isles afar off, and say,
‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,
and keep him as a shepherd does his flock.’” (Jeremiah 31:7-10)
Arise, shine;
for your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
and deep darkness the people;
but the Lord will arise over you,
and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising. (Isaiah 60:1-3)
“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!”
says your God. “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,
that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned;
for she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40:1-2)
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls,
prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.” (Psalm 122:6-8)
Your Kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)
Download "Why Stand With Israel?" as a PDF
There is a Battle for Israel that is far more than a political, ethnic, or religious conflict. It is the epicenter of a clash between two ancient kingdoms. The struggle will determine the destiny of the city, the land, and the peoples of the earth. Manifestations of this epic struggle can be seen daily in headlines and news stories around the world as tensions are mounting, nations are raging, and kings are making their stand.
“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.” (Zechariah 12:2-3)
It is imperative that the Church stand with God’s purposes for Israel. It is not optional, and the days are quickly coming when every Christian will be confronted with the choice of whether to stand for and with the Jewish people. The highest issue in serving God’s purposes concerning Israel is in obeying God’s sovereign leadership. We love Him; therefore we embrace the desires of His heart. We want to love what He loves, say what He says, and do what He does. The scripture is clear that He zealously desires the glory of Jerusalem and the prosperity of all Israel.
Understanding and engaging rightly demands far more than simply grasping historical facts, political context, or even right doctrine; It necessitates a revelation of His heart for the city, for the land and for the Jewish people. It also requires confidence in our identity as the sons of God.
Jerusalem is the front line in contending for God’s kingdom to come on the earth as it is in heaven and thus is the most significant battlefront in the spirit today. The Church MUST understand it. God’s ultimate desire is to re-unite heaven and earth.
For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of His will, according to His purpose which He set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:9-10 :: RSV)
We were made to dwell in physical (glorified) bodies on the material earth with God forever. Our bodies are made of the earth and are therefore profoundly connected to the land we inhabit.
…but you [Jerusalem] shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall your sons marry you; and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. (Isaiah 62:4-5)
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. (Revelation 21:3)
We are not satisfied, nor is creation at rest until God executes judgment, establishes His Kingdom, and accomplishes His will in summing up all things into a single supernatural reality. God created us for intimate partnership in every aspect of that process. The cries of the saints in heaven and the groans of the whole creation attest to it.
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood [the shedding of which defiles the land]…” (Revelation 6:10)
For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God… because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our [material] body. (Romans 8:19-23)
The convergence of that singular reality—the point from which creation will be progressively redeemed and to which Heaven will literally descend—is the city of Jerusalem, the place chosen to be His throne forever—the city of the Great King.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, The City of the Great King. (Psalm 48:1-2)
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… (Isaiah 9:7)
…Behold, the Man whose name is the Branch! From His place [in Jerusalem] He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the LORD… He shall bear the glory [authority], and shall sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both [between both offices of priest and king]. (Zechariah 6:12-13)
“Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days,” says the Lord, “that they will say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore. “At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts.” (Jeremiah 3:16-17)
Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? (Isaiah 66:1)
The coming Kingdom is about far more, though, than the transformation of the created order. God has NOT given up on employing Abraham’s descendants as His primary instrument to establish His kingdom on earth.
The Gentiles have been used by God for thousands of years to help Israel. Paul reminds the Gentile believers time and again that their salvation is inextricably connected to the Jewish people. In similar fashion, the future blessings for Israel are strategically dependent upon the Gentiles walking in the fullness of their destiny.
And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. (Galations 3:8-9)
…that you [Gentile believers in Ephesus], being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with ALL the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you [Gentile believers] may be filled with ALL the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)
Paul pleaded that we would not live in ignorance concerning God’s marvelous strategy to bring Jew and Gentile together as one new man. The oldest division that exists in the Church is that between Jew and Gentile.
Prayers for unity in the New Testament have nothing to do with denominational affiliation as we often apply them today, but entirely with the healing of the rift between Jewish and Gentile believers.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you [all] have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus…
Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh… were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself ONE NEW MAN FROM THE TWO, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. (Ephesians 2:4-7,11-16)
The earth, therefore, will not experience the fullness of the Kingdom until the fullness of BOTH Jew and Gentile is revealed.
I say then, have they [the Jewish people] stumbled that they should fall [forever]? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! (Romans 11:11-12)
The revelation of God’s wisdom and power to save and reconcile both Jew and Gentile into a singular new creation is nothing less than the revelation of God’s Kingdom.
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! “For who has known the mind of the Lord…” (Romans 11:33-34)
In response to the revelation of God’s heart concerning the destiny of Jerusalem and that of all peoples, Isaiah gives us insight into how we also are to respond.
He was so stirred in his inner man that he, by the grace of God, committed to both intercede and to raise up intercessors who would contend in prayer until the things revealed are also realized—until Jerusalem is made a praise in the earth, the capital and crown jewel of Jesus’ empire.
For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
and her salvation as a lamp that burns. The Gentiles shall see your righteousness,
and all kings your glory… (Isaiah 62:1-2)
I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. (Isaiah 62:6-7)
The Lord specifically commands us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem because in so doing, we are pursuing His heart and praying for the coming of His kingdom on the earth.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls,
prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.” (Psalm 122:6-8)
The Lord specifically commands the Church, Jew and Gentile together, to engage in making prophetic declarations over the Jewish people, the city of Jerusalem, and the Gentile nations in agreement with His heart and what He has clearly proclaimed in the scriptures.
“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!”
says your God. “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,
that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned;
for she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40:1-2)
Indeed the Lord has proclaimed
to the end of the world:
“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Surely your salvation is coming;
behold, His reward is with Him,
and His work before Him.’” (Isaiah 62:11)
For thus says the Lord: “Sing with gladness for Jacob,
and shout among the chief of the nations;
proclaim, give praise, and say,
‘O Lord, save Your people,
The remnant of Israel!’ Behold, I will bring them from the north country,
and gather them from the ends of the earth…A great throng shall return there... Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
And declare it in the isles afar off, and say,
‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,
and keep him as a shepherd does his flock.’” (Jeremiah 31:7-10)
As we agree with the heart of Jesus, our hearts are tenderized to accept His leadership on His terms, our love of the Jewish people grows, and God’s family (Jew and Gentile) is unified in love.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you [O Israel] with an everlasting love…” (Jeremiah 31:3)
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Blessing, serving, and praying for the Jewish people not only honor God’s sovereignty; they also command blessing in return. God promised that He would bless any Gentile who blessed Abraham or his offspring. This principle has operated throughout all of history, but it will have profound significance during the Great Tribulation and into the age to come.
I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you… (Genesis 12:3)
Let peoples serve you [Jacob], and nations [Gentiles] bow down to you...
Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you!” (Genesis 27:29)
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.” (Psalm 122:6)
We will be required to stand with the Jewish people in the end-times through great tribulation.
Pray that prayers in and for Jerusalem would gain momentum around the world as the wisdom and strategies of God are revealed to His people globally.
I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, 7 and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. (Isaiah 62:6-7)
…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding[a] being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power… (Ephesians 1:17-19)
Pray that the Jewish believers in Israel would be strengthened and that their territory (spheres of influence) would be increased particularly among Israel’s national religious leaders.
…that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man… (Ephesians 3:16)
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:1-3)
Pray for the return of the Jewish people (Aliyah) to the land God promised them.
Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’
Bring My sons from afar,
and My daughters from the ends of the earth… (Isaiah 43:5-6)
“Lift up your eyes all around, and see:
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from afar,
and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant,
and your heart shall swell with joy… (Isaiah 60:4-5)
Pray for the governmental and religious leaders of Israel to know God, to believe on Him, and to say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”
…for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ” (Matthew 23:37-39)
Pray for the reconciliation and unity of Jew and Gentile and that the Lord would heal the oldest and longest-standing division existing in the Church.
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (John 17:20-23)
Declare over the Jewish people, the city of Jerusalem, and the Gentile nations the fullness of their destiny in God. Pray it, shout it, decree it and sing it so that all the nations of the earth will hear the wisdom and heart of God.
For thus says the Lord: “Sing with gladness for Jacob,
and shout among the chief of the nations;
proclaim, give praise, and say,
‘O Lord, save Your people,
The remnant of Israel!’ Behold, I will bring them from the north country,
and gather them from the ends of the earth…A great throng shall return there... Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
and declare it in the isles afar off, and say,
‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,
and keep him as a shepherd does his flock.’” (Jeremiah 31:7-10)
Arise, shine;
for your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
and deep darkness the people;
but the Lord will arise over you,
and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising. (Isaiah 60:1-3)
“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!”
says your God. “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,
that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned;
for she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40:1-2)
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls,
prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.” (Psalm 122:6-8)
Your Kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)
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