Jerusalem, Israel
JULY 2016
PRAYER UPDATE
Israel and the
Nations
“And, you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See
that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end
is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
And, there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All
these are the beginning of sorrows.” Matthew
24:6-8
Today, throughout the world we are hearing of terrorist acts
being committed by “lone wolves” and Islamic terror cells, usually with ties to
ISIS.
Here in Israel,
there seems to be a resurgence of the Palestinian Uprising that started in
October 2015. There was a lull from March-June 2016 until Ramadan started. And,
then, the attacks began again. Over the past several days, a 13 year old girl
was brutally killed in her bedroom by a terrorist in a knife attack; a man was
murdered (a father of 10 children); and others have been wounded in three
separate incidences in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria), Netanya, and on Route
60 (which is a well-traveled highway that goes north and south).
Hamas has been launching rockets into southern Israel, provoking Israeli Defense Forces to
retaliate against Hamas military bases in Gaza.
Israeli leaders continue to report that the IDF is preparing the home front for
an eventual war with Hezbollah in the north.
These are uprisings and rumors of wars that could lead to
full-scale wars. The Middle East remains an
unpredictable unstable region in the world.
Incitement on social media has, increasingly, become a major problem as
young people take to radical Islam, inspiring one another to kill.
The incitement in the Palestinian official media has caused
rumors to spread again from the Temple
Mount, where Palestinian
violence is stirred-up during every major Jewish and Muslim holiday. This then
fuels the young Palestinian population, contributing to the lies they have
already received from reading their school textbooks. They are conditioned to
grow up hating Israeli Jews, looking for a way to strike out when the
conditions are ripe.
As nations turn against Israel in the diplomatic arena,
trying to force Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to stop
settlement building, they are also pushing the Jewish State into an
“internationalized” peace process. Signals from U.S. Middle East envoys, who
have recently come to speak to journalists and diplomats in Israel, have been directed to Jerusalem government leaders. The indications
are that Israel must give up
“land for peace” or face international isolation at the UN, where American
president Barak Obama could introduce a UN Security Council resolution before
the end of the year that would harm Israel’s international standing.
Another threat to Israel is
a French initiative for an international peace conference, with demands that Israel and the
Palestinians come together in this international forum before the end of the
year.
These pressures on Israel to conform to the ways of
the world are against the Lord, and against His Anointed. (Psalm Chapter
2). The nations are conspiring; they are taking crafty counsel together
against the Jewish People. They are consulting together; trying to cut Israel
off from being a nation; trying to usurp her sovereignty over the land God has
given her; trying to wipe out the name of Israel forever. This is a united
confederacy against the Lord, Himself. (Psalm 83:1-5).
We can expect more shakings in the earth; and, an increase
in global instability, while the nations try to force Israel into a
two-state solution to appease the Palestinians. There will be more violent
storms from heaven that rattle kingdoms and bring rulers to their knees.
“Behold, I will make Jerusalem
a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the
siege both against Judah and
against 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 shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy
all the nations that come against Jerusalem.”
Zechariah 12:9.
Meanwhile, the Brexit vote in Britain
has caused the shaking of the United
Kingdom. Threats by Scotland to break off from Britain, and talk about Ireland uniting and becoming independent, has
caused uncertainty for many in the U.K. The future of the EU “kingdom”
that Britain
is “divorcing” from has also become uncertain. The stock market has taken a downswing
and the Euro is volatile, along with other currencies. This may lead to a possible
financial recession in Europe, which will
affect other financial markets. These are just the birth pangs!
If ever there was a time to seek the Lord and follow after
His ways, it is now!
“Woe to the many nations that rage-- they rage like
the raging sea! Woe to the peoples who roar-- they roar like the roaring of
great waters!” Isaiah 17:12
Declare that Israel will become a light to the
nations and fulfill her destiny, serving Him in the true peace of the Messiah,
and resting in His covenants.
Intercede for
God’s heavenly hosts (the army of the Lord!) to intervene when nations and
terror groups fight Israel
in word and deed.
There has
been a rise in anti-Semitic rhetoric among government leaders, especially in
the U.K. This has opened the door to a weakening of Britain’s Labor
Party. These tongues that curse Israel
and the Jewish People need to be silenced!
"No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn.
This is the heritage
of the servants of the Lord. And,
their vindication is from Me, declares the Lord.” Isaiah
54:17
We stand in
the gap for Israel as His
servants and, therefore, receive this scripture as His truth for His Chosen People!
“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices
in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord,
and of His Messiah; and He shall reign for ever and ever.’ ” Revelation 11:15
Proclaim Psalm 82:8: “Arise, O God, judge the earth! For it is
You who possesses all the nations.”
Daniel 2:44: "In the days of those kings
the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that
kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to
all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.”
Entreat the Lord that the kingdoms of this world, which
are now being shaken will submit to the Lord and become part of His Messianic
Kingdom. Thank the Lord that His Kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom; and
all rulers will serve and obey Him!
"And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a
kingdom; that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve
Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away; and His
kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.” Daniel 7:14
“All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to
the Lord. And, all the families of the nations will worship before You.”
Psalm 22:27
Psalm 22:27
Thank Him that ultimately His hand is upon Israel, and
Jesus, the Messiah is looking after her:
“…and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever.
His kingdom will never end!" Luke
1:33
"But, as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy
mountain." Psalm 2:6
This is encouraging news during the times we live in when
it seems that the battles are fierce and the fear is great. We can rejoice in
the final outcome… OUR GOD REIGNS!