SITUATION ANALYSIS -- 72

Jerusalem, Israel

OCTOBER 2013 PRAYER UPDATE

Israel and the Middle East

John 4:10; John 7:37-38

Israel cannot count on the international community when it comes to Iran – especially not the U.S. or Western powers. Iran’s recent charm offensive is causing nations to be deceived and re-think the use of military action if Iran does not comply with diplomatic demands to stop its nuclear military program. Israeli leaders are trying to convince the global community that stiffer sanctions must be applied and that leaders should not placate the Iranians in their quest for nuclear power.

Israeli leaders must look to the Lord for wisdom, strength, and might in dealing with the Iranian crisis. Pray for Netanyahu to have the kind of wisdom that Solomon had when he needed great help in such earthly matters. (Read 1 Kings 4:29-30).  Intercede for wisdom to come to all Israel’s government leaders, declaring passages in Proverbs Chapter 8.

• There has been an increase in violence in the Old City as Israeli Jews demand more access to the Temple Mount to pray, especially during special feast days. There are new initiatives within the Israeli government, particularly vocalized by the Bayit Yehudi party (a right-wing conservative party in the Knesset) calling for the laws of Israel to be implemented that allow Jews and Christians to pray on the Temple Mount without restrictions. 

To-date, Muslims are allowed to pray at the Al-Aksa Mosque but Jews are forbidden to pray at any time on the Mount. The Mount is controlled by the WAQF (an Islamic Trust that is overseen by Jordan and the Palestinians). Israel has overall jurisdiction of the Mount, but the police placate the Muslims. Israeli leaders fear that the Muslims will cause an international incident if the government changes the status quo. So, Israel does not exercise its authority over the Temple Mount.

The police simply try to keep the area free of violence attempting to provide an atmosphere of calm. This does not work when Jewish worshippers want to seek God on the original Temple site during certain days of the year and they are locked out. The police have also restricted Muslims, according to age, from ascending the Mount, when there is a heightened alert. This stirs up Muslims who unleash their frustration and anger on the police, soldiers, and Jewish worshippers, especially after Friday prayers in the Old City.

Muslim leaders have used the recent clashes as an opportunity to spread lies that Israel is trying to take over the Al-Aksa Mosque, destroy it, and build a third Temple there. This is causing increased tensions between Palestinian and Jewish worshippers. Rocks have been thrown at Jews trying to tour the Mount, or at those trying to pray at the Western Wall below. 

Tens of thousands of Israeli Arabs recently attended a rally in an Israeli Muslim town that has become increasingly influenced by radical Islam.  At the rally Islamic leader Sheikh Raed Salah stirred up incitement towards violent action against Jews. Salah gave an inflammatory speech at Rosh Hashanah calling for rioting during the feast.

Jewish and Arab Knesset members have been vocal in their hostilities towards one another regarding the Temple Mount issue. The atmosphere in and around the Old City is like a power-keg ready to explode. Our sense is that if the Palestinians want to start a third Intifada, they are already preparing for it. They will look to create an incident on the Temple Mount.   

  

Pray about this volatile issue. Intercede before the Lord for His Presence to be manifested on the Temple Mount day and night. Pray that all those who love Him and worship Him will have access to the Mount and will be able to freely worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! 

Pray that all wicked and evil plots that would try to destroy the works of the Lord on His Holy Mountain would cease immediately in Yeshua’s name!  Pray that all lies would be exposed and all plans to hurt the Jewish People will be rendered null and void.

Pray that the Lord will bring a spirit of confusion into the ranks of those who would try to limit Jewish and Christian prayers on the Mount.

Proclaim Psalm 91 and Ephesians 6, prayers of protection over those who pray at the Western Wall and tour the Temple Mount.

Pray according to Isaiah 54:17 for worshippers near or on the Temple site: “No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from Me," declares the LORD.

  

Pray according to 2 Corinthians 10:4, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds!” Pray for the Lord of the Breakthroughs to come!

• One of Israel’s most powerful rabbis, Shas leader Ovadia Yosef, is in serious condition at Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital. The rabbi, who is 93 years old, has multiple health problems. An estimated 40,000 people prayed for him at a mass rally at the Western Wall on Sunday, September 29.  The rabbi is known as a powerful political manipulator. The Shas Party uses superstition and amulets to recruit followers.  There is wickedness in high places among the loyal members of Shas.  Pray the Lord will use this illness to purify His people. Intercede that Ovadia Yosef will have a revelation of His Messiah, Yeshua, before the masses. Pray that his followers will come to salvation during these troubled times. Pray that their hope will be in Jesus and not in the rabbi, himself.  Ask the Lord to give Ovadia Yosef dreams and visions that bring him to the knowledge of the Son of God and that he spreads the truth among the Shas leadership before the Lord takes him home!

• Despite wars and rumors of war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took two hours during the Fall Feasts to discuss the Bible with a group of rabbis and scholars.  This was the 4^th meeting of the study circle that the prime minister has hosted.

The passage was from Deuteronomy Chapter 34: “And Moses went up from the plains of Moav to the Mountain of Nebo; And, the Lord showed him all the land of Gilad to Dan, and all Naftali, and the land of Ephraim and Menashe and all the land of Yehuda, as far as the utmost sea… I have caused thee to see it with thy eyes, but thou shall not go over there.” 

The Bible study discussion was about the punishment given to Moses which Netanyahu thought was cruel. Netanyahu said he has always wanted to travel to Mount Nebo, and still hopes to get there someday.

As reported in the Jerusalem Post on 9/18/2013, Netanyahu said:  “Moses could not enter the Promised Land, and we merit that privilege to be here in the land of our forefathers thanks to him and thanks to the struggle of our people. And, we bless every second. It is a great privilege to read this great book and to know that we are fulfilling what God commanded our people. The fact that this is our inheritance and that we are here to stay – in that way we are fulfilling the legacy.”

Thank the Lord for Isaiah 55:11 which states:  “So is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

Declare Isaiah 2:3 over Netanyahu and his government:  “Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the Temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.’ The law will go forth out of Zion, and the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”

SITUATION ANALYSIS -- 71

Jerusalem, Israel

DIFFERENCES CONTRIBUTING TO REGIONAL UNCERTAINTY: 

The U.S. and Israel

The High Holy season is officially over in Israel but life is not back to normal. Regional events are casting a shadow over the Middle East causing the Israeli government to feel the tension and stress of trying to defend the nation, militarily, from terrorism and war; while also defending it, diplomatically, from regimes that want to destroy the safety and security of Israeli citizens. 

During the past few weeks it has become obvious that the thawing in the personal relationship between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama, which was highlighted in Obama’s visit to Israel in March 2013, has recently frozen over. This is because of differences in opinion regarding key Middle East issues and the way they are being handled.  While, publicly, it appears that the two men are on the same page – privately, they are not.

Netanyahu is currently in the U.S. speaking in Washington, at the U.N., and on major media networks, trying to get Israel’s point-of-view across to Americans as well as the international community.

As disagreements are being discussed behind closed doors, it is clear where the U.S. stands and where Israel stands, based on each country’s geo-political interests. Rifts between Obama and Netanyahu are widening the gap between these two allies. This is unfortunate in a volatile Middle East where U.S.-Israel strategic cooperation needs to be robust and strong.

Contributing to uncertainty in the region is Iran’s quest for nuclear capability, masked by a recent Iranian charm offensive meant to fool Western powers. U.S. President Barack Obama’s historic phone call with new Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has seemed to shift American interests away from increased sanctions on Iran. Now it is all about direct diplomacy between Obama and Rouhani supposedly meant to sway Tehran away from its quest for nuclear capability. Yet, the centrifuges are spinning faster and more efficiently than before, and Iran is headed towards enough uranium enrichment for a “breakout” within six months. This is the greatest threat to Israel’s survival and alarms Israel’s government.

Syrian President Bashar Assad’s agreement to allow international inspectors into Syria to destroy his massive piles of WMD’s, considered an impossible feat in a country that is embroiled in a 2.5 year old bloody war, is also contributing to uncertainty in the Middle East.  Yet, when America and Western powers could have intervened, in the beginning of the Syrian civil war, nothing was done. The isolationist attitude of Americans, who are war-weary and have ignored the crisis in Syria, is even more surprising in their decision not to punish Assad for using chemical weapons against his own citizens. More than 1,400 died from sarin gas this summer. Now the death toll in Syria is 110,000; and, millions of Syrians have been displaced who are hungry and living in poverty.

Obama’s appeasement policies, coupled with America’s reluctance to get involved in another conflict that does not directly affect its shores, has contributed to a major shift in the region’s power and influence.  As American diplomacy trumps war in the region, Israel and Arab Gulf States are showing greater concern about the strengthening of the Shiite Crescent -- from Iran, to Iraq, to Syria, and to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The weakening of American resolve to get involved in the region has Russia poised to take over as the leading political power in the Middle East. Russia has effectively blocked UN Security Council resolutions concerning Syria and Iran, while beefing up its own military presence in the region. Russian President Vladimir Putin is delighted to take on the new role of “chief security guard”, assuring the world of Assad’s willingness to destroy his chemical stockpiles. Putin has also been very willing to help Iran store its enriched uranium and fuel rods in his country. Russia has hidden its role in assisting Iran’s mullahs in their quest for nuclear military power. In addition, because Russia has continued to supply advanced weapons systems to Iran and Syria, it has aligned itself with the Shiite axis of rogue states, propping up these regional powers.

While war and rumors of war continue to embroil the Middle East, Obama has focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, linking it to regional stability. Leaks from the Palestinians indicate that peace negotiations are at a stalemate and that a third Intifada may be on the horizon. This, linkage is also a major concern for Israel as Obama puts pressure on Netanyahu to offer more concessions to the Palestinians.

These are just some of the indicators of how sensitive a time it is for Israel – especially in its relationship with America. What Bible-believers do not often understand is that Israel’s foreign policy decisions are almost always based on what is good for the security and survival of the Jewish State.   As a small island in the midst of a violent aggressive sea of enemies, Israel has to look after its own. The citizens of this nation trust that their prime minister, his security cabinet, and his military advisors are focused on trying to keep Israelis safe and secure.  If Israel has to fight wars on its own, without American or Western assistance, it will do so. Netanyahu’s foreign policy is simple: Stay out of the way until attacked or threatened with annihilation. Then, go to war.   Israel can no longer rely on others to defend the only Jewish State in the Middle East.

“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.”

Matthew 24:6

SITUATION ANALYSIS -- 70

Jerusalem, Israel

SEPTEMBER 2013 PRAYER UPDATE

Israel and the Middle East 

Psalm 25:22; Psalm 81:13-14; Isaiah 62:6-9

PRAYER POINTS:

(1)   Pray that Israel’s peace will be her governor and that righteousness will be her ruler (Isaiah 60:17b). Ask the Lord to bring confusion to the current peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians if Israeli leaders are secretly negotiating away the Land of Israel. Pray that all evil plans to divide the Land, or to divide Jerusalem, will be exposed to the general public and stopped immediately.

(2)   There is a big gap in the interests of Americans and the interests of Israelis in regard to Syria. Some people in the Obama Administration and in Congress, as well as a majority of the American people do not want to confront Syrian President Bashar Assad with Western military action. However, Israelis want to see immediate military action against Assad because he, reportedly, launched a chemical attack that killed 1,400 of his own citizens, and injured thousands. It’s the worst poison gas attack against a civilian population in 25 years.

There is a warning about this in Ecclesiastes 8:11:  “When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong.” 

If Assad is not dealt with quickly and swiftly, it is expected he will continue to poison his own population with WMD’s.

Israelis want to see the weakening of Assad and his regime. This is because it will also weaken the alliance between Syria, Iran, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Shiite axis in the region. 

For Israel, the main threat to its existence is Iran and the possibility of Iranian leaders being able to build a nuclear bomb that would be used against the Jewish State.

For Americans, the greatest evil that they have faced is 9/11 attacks by Al-Qaida. They are afraid that if Obama launches military attacks against Assad, and Assad is weakened, then Al-Qaida extremists will be strengthened as they fight side-by-side Sunni opposition forces in Syria. 

Meanwhile, the current military in-action by the United States is causing Middle East nations to mistrust the true intentions of American President Barack Obama. Israelis are worried that Obama will not keep his word. He has drawn a red line in the sand concerning Assad’s use of chemical weapons. And, he has repeated over and over again that the U.S. will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear capability. But, the delay in military action against Syria is proving to Israeli leaders that they cannot trust Obama’s promises to stop Assad or Iran. 

Please pray for greater understanding and clarity of purpose between Israel and the United States in regard to Syria. Pray that every issue is coordinated between both governments with strategic cooperation in mind. Pray that Israeli interests in regard to hostile neighbors in the region will be understood and considered seriously by the American people. Pray that the United States stands by Israel in all its critical foreign policy decisions. 

Intercede for America, as part of the hesitation in sending armed forces to Syria is a lack of U.S. military funds; and, not enough fighting troops that are ready and able to serve in another Middle East conflict.

The point of view in the Middle East is that America’s superpower status has weakened. This means that U.S. leverage against Israel’s enemies has been less effective. This is contributing to regional turmoil.  It is not good for the U.S. and not good for Israel. 

Pray for the Lord to intervene to prevent a tip in the balance of power in the Middle East. Declare that God will bring His peace to this turbulent part of the world.  (John 14:27).

(3)   Israel has called up a small number of reservists; the IDF has employed air defenses throughout the state; and thousands of citizens have updated their gas masks.  The Goliath's in the Middle East, including Iran and Hezbollah, have threatened that if the U.S. strikes Syria, then Israel will be destroyed.  

Declare that God will raise-up David’s in Israel’s fighting forces that will have the courage, wisdom and insight to know how to defend the nation and defeat the enemy. Proclaim 1 Samuel 17:25 over Israel:  “David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.’ ”

(4)   “Operational Sandstorm” is Israel’s home front preparedness operations for war, including a war that would involve an unconventional attack against the Jewish State. Currently, Israel’s Home Front Command has admitted it is somewhat prepared for a war in 2013; but, not for a war in 2014. This is apparently due to a disagreement in funding between Israel’s Defense Ministry and the Home Front Defense Ministry, and it also involves an overlap in areas of authority.  

Pray that the Lord will intervene and bring unity in Israel between the various war departments. Pray for the funding that is needed to protect Israel’s home front. Pray that all chain of command is clearly understood and that there are no overlaps in authority over critical branches of government.

(5)   Hamas and Israeli Arabs planned a bomb attack against shoppers at Jerusalem’s Mamilla mall during the High Holy Days. It was thwarted by Israel’s security forces. However, it reveals the constant threat of terrorism against Israelis, even from within the state of Israel.  

Please continue to thank God for His supernatural intervention and protection over the citizens of Israel, and over tourists, especially during the Fall Feasts. Pray for a double measure of protection during this critical time period.

(6)   Americans have begun to get international news from a new start-up of Al-Jazeera’s television network that is broadcasting “live” in English to U.S. outlets. However, few Americans realize the extreme bias that Al-Jazeera portrays in its coverage of the Middle East. 

 

Pray that all attempts to influence American opinion through biased broadcast communications will be rendered null and void. Pray that God will intervene and stop Al-Jazeera from obtaining licensing permits to show their subjective programming on local U.S. television stations.  Pray that its current coverage will be extremely limited and not have any negative influence on American public opinion, especially concerning Israeli and U.S. strategic interests in the Middle East.

 

SITUATION ANALYSIS -- 69

Jerusalem, Israel

AUGUST 2013 PRAYER UPDATE

Israel and the Middle East

Psalm 121

Going into these negotiations with the Palestinians, does the Israeli government have “red lines” in place that they will not cross, regardless of U.S. pressure?  Those “red lines” would be:  

(1) No division of the land (no withdrawing to the pre-1967 lines; no uprooting of major settlements).

(2) No division of Jerusalem (no Arab control over east Jerusalem, including neighborhoods in the Old City and its surroundings. No official Palestinian or foreign control over the holy sites; no custodial arrangements of shared power over the Temple Mount).

(3) No international peacekeeping force along the Jordan Valley. Only a strong Israeli military presence will be allowed on the eastern border with Jordan.

(4) No return of Palestinian “refugees” to the state of Israel.

(5) There must be a Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish State.

(6) The Palestinians and Arab countries must be willing to end the conflict with verbal and written assurances.

(7) Any Palestinian entity on any of the land of Judea and Samaria must be de-militarized.

Ecclesiastes 7:25 states:

“So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly.”

Pray that the Lord will give Israeli leaders great discernment, courage, and conviction to not cross “red lines” as they proceed with peace talks. Pray that they will search out the Lord Almighty for His wisdom and counsel, seeking to know what is behind the negotiations that are the result of evil plans created for evil purposes (ploys that are working directly against the will of God!)

*Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said, “This land belongs to us.”  He has stated there will be no peace without Jerusalem; no Palestinian state without Jerusalem; no security and stability without Jerusalem.

Ask the Lord to close the mouth of Abbas so that he cannot declare that Jerusalem belongs to the Palestinians. When Abbas opens his mouth, pray that he declares, Zechariah 12:3:  "It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured…”

We know that all the nations of the earth will eventually be gathered against Jerusalem. Pray that during this present time of grace, God will preserve nations for Himself; those nations that will come into alignment with His Kingdom purposes. Though such nations may fall, pray that they will rise up again, in repentance, and declare the salvation of the Lord and His Glorious Presence to all mankind!

Zechariah 8:20-22: “Thus said the LORD of hosts; it shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities. And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.’ Yes, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.”

*Economy and Trade Minister Naftali Bennett has stated that Jews were in Judea and Samaria thousands of years ago, and they will continue to live there for thousands of years into the future. He has also stated that the Palestinians think the only way to defeat Israel is “to brainwash us and make us forget that the Land of Israel is ours. Judea and Samaria are ours, not because they protect Gush Dan, but because Abraham walked there.” (6/20/2013 Jerusalem Post).

Intercede for Naftali Bennett who is a torch bearer for Israel and the Jewish people. Declare over his life Isaiah 62:1, and come into agreement with this enduring promise from God:  “For Zion's sake I will not keep silent; and, for Jerusalem's sake I will not keep quiet, Until her righteousness goes forth like brightness, And her salvation like a burning torch.”

Pray that the Israeli and Palestinian peace negotiating teams will speak of God’s everlasting covenant with the Jewish People, through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – from generation to generation. Declare the Lord’s promises concerning the Jewish People, especially the scriptures that speak of the dimensions of the land covenant He has entered into with Israel – stretching from the Euphrates River to the Great Sea. (Genesis 15:18; Exodus 23:31; Joshua 1:4).

*On the 9^th of Av, many Jewish and Christian worshippers in Jerusalem were making their way to the Temple Mount to pray and repent for the destruction of the 1^st and 2^nd Temples that happened on that day. When they approached the Mount, they were turned back by the Israeli police. The police were concerned there would be riots and violence because it was Ramadan and there were many Moslems up on the Mount praying. The police had granted thousands of Arabs entry to pray at the Dome of the Rock. This infuriated the hundreds of Jews and Christians who wanted to pray peacefully on the Mount. 

Pray that, in the future, Israel will exercise its sovereignty over the Temple Mount and strengthen its authority over the Holy City, Jerusalem. Pray that Israeli security forces will stop fearing repercussions from the Moslem community when Jews and Christians request to pray on the Mount. Intercede, asking God to change the hearts of men, so that the site will be open to Jews and Christians who want to enter it, according to the basic right of “freedom of religion”. This right should be exercised in Jerusalem, according to the biblical fact that the Temple Mount is the holiest area to the Jewish People. Pray that the police will stop making excuses about security and begin to protect Jewish citizens who want to pray there, especially during important holidays that have biblical significance. 

*There has been an increase in racially motivated attacks in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv (stabbings; murder), along with criminal killings. There has also been an increase in rapes this summer of women tourists, especially in Tel Aviv and Jaffa. Meanwhile, Jerusalem security guards have been acting out their hostile aggressions with a spate of shootings over the past month. Some officials are concerned that these guards can easily obtain gun licenses for their jobs, which gives them the ability to use their weapons against innocent civilians. Ask the Lord to expand security operations in Israel, especially in major cities. Pray that all citizens, and those who are visiting Israel, will be shielded from perpetuators of evil. Pray that God will cleanse the land of all violence and hatred. 

*A Jewish law of return has gone into effect in Lisbon, Portugal.  The Portuguese government has recognized the Jewish descendants of those who perished in the Spanish Inquisition; or, were persecuted and fled to other nations. Now, those “anusim”, who through ancestry, language and name can identify with the Jewish People, will be allowed to return to Portugal and claim their Jewishness!  

This is the beginning of the release of Jews from Spanish-speaking countries who will eventually be allowed to make Aliyah to Israel! Once the “anusim” return to Portugal to live, they will then be able to apply to immigrate to this land as Jews!

Thank the Lord for this breakthrough for the Portuguese Jews! Pray that Spain will follow in passing a bill through parliament that will allow the naturalization of the Jewish descendants of expelled Jews from the Spanish Inquisition. Pray that all nations in Latin America will also follow suit.

Declare, as in Obadiah 1:20, that the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad (Spain) shall possess the cities of the South in Israel (the Negev), and live there forever! Hallelujah!

* There was an increase of 40% in Aliyah from France in 2012.  Pray that the Jewish people keep making their way to Israel, and that they will begin to return to their homeland in mass numbers in the days to come. Pray for a great wave of immigration to Israel from western countries in 2013!  (Isaiah 43:5-6).

 

*Chaos and upheaval continue in Syria and Egypt, while the world looks on, not knowing what to do.  Declare the healing of both these nations and the promise of hope that the Syrian and Egyptian people have in future times.

Isaiah 27:13: “And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.”