Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

“May they prosper who love you.

May peace be within your walls,

And prosperity within your palaces.”

For the sake of my brothers and my friends,

I will now say, “May peace be within you.”

For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,

I will seek your good.

~Psalm 122:6-9

Welcome back friends!  I don’t know about you, but I was deeply moved by “911: An Urgent Call to Pray for Jerusalem.”  There was a stirring in my soul that hasn’t gone away and I’m compelled to continue meditating on the thoughts shared so eloquently by Anne Graham Lotz.  Let’s go deeper together as we continue to petition the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob on behalf of Israel.  So, I’ll refer back to Anne’s prayer, which can be found at 911: An Urgent Call to Pray for Jerusalem.

She indicates her prayer was patterned after Daniel 9, a prayer in which Daniel sought the Lord “by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.”  In contriteness, Daniel confessed at least three things:

• The greatness and awesomeness of God who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments. (Verse 4)
• The sin, iniquity, wickedness and rebellion of the people in turning aside from God’s commandments and ordinances. (Verse 5)
• That they (the people of Israel) had not listened to the prophets who spoke to kings, princes, fathers and the people of the land. (Verse 6)

Today, God continues to keep His covenant with His chosen people, despite their sin and turning aside from God’s commandments.  Israel continues to ignore the prophets who continue to speak through the words of Scripture.  Daniel’s prayer of repentance on behalf of His people for failing to obey the Lord’s voice (verses 7-14) is as applicable today as it was in Daniel’s day.

Beginning in verse 15, Daniel remembers God’s hand of deliverance out of the land of Egypt, then is bold enough (verse 16) to petition God to turn away His anger and wrath from the city of Jerusalem.  He pleads for God’s ear to hear his prayers.  Believers, let’s be just as bold in asking Almighty God to hear our prayers as well.  Then, let us be faithful to pray just as fervently for deliverance.  After all, our Father in heaven is a prayer-hearing, prayer-answering, covenant-keeping, miracle-working God!

That miracle-working God sent the angel Gabriel to instruct Daniel, and what followed was God’s plan for the Jews…the Seventy Sevens described in Daniel 9:24-27!  (Study about God’s plan for the Jews here, here, here, and here.)

Friends, we live in a “prophetic pause” leading up to the tribulation period when God will draw all of Israel to repentance and salvation.  But it will come at great cost when all nations of the world turn against Israel and the wrath of God is poured out on earth.  Let’s be diligent to pray as Daniel did in verse 19: “O Lord, hear!  O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action!  For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”

I urge you to continue to use the prayer Anne Graham Lotz shared, or simply petition our Lord God in your own words on behalf of Israel.  Be diligent in your prayers for the peace of Jerusalem!

Shalom!