Why Must We Pray For Israel?

Why Must We Pray For Israel?

I want to answer the question, “Why must we pray for Israel?”    I hope to take what we have learned in the three previous classes, and breathe life into it so you can receive a deeper heart and see why each of us is crucial in the End Time mandate given in scripture to “Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.” 

Why should I concern myself with Israel and the Jewish people?  Why should praying for Israel be a central theme in our lives and even in the House of Prayer worldwide?  While these questions should be answered, I think they beg a larger question that goes back to the disciples asking Jesus, “Teach us to Pray”.  Jesus responded with a model we have come to call The Lord’s Prayer.  In it, Jesus says to hallow his Father’s name, and ask that His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. 

We know from 1 Chronicles 12:32, that there was a tribe in Israel who understood the times and knew what Israel ought to do.  Issachar discerned what God was doing in bringing David to the throne as His anointed.  They were with him in Hebron.  They were armed for battle, and came to David to help turn Saul’s kingdom over to him as the Lord had said.  They knew God’s sovereign wisdom and the season for the fulfillment of His promises.  Their eyes were open to what He was doing.  The Bible says there were two hundred chiefs with all their relatives under their command.  They were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks, FULLY DETERMINED to make David king over all Israel.  Even their provision was supplied by their families.  Their neighbors came bringing food.  There was a plentiful supply because there was JOY in Israel.  They had an understanding which motivated them to partner with God to see David enthroned.  There was a JOY in seeing and partnering with God.  When you know with certainty how God is moving, there is a Joy that comes and empowers you to move into the future with Him. 

That is a prophetic picture of where we are today.  The Spirit of Issachar is being released to understand the times we are living in, and to give wisdom.  It is also being released to give a forwarding boost into the plans of God, and is making clear where He is going and how to partner with Him.  Just like the Tribe of Issachar partnered with David for the transition of kingdom rule, we are being called at this time for the same purpose; to see Yeshua enthroned.

There are seasons in nature: springtime and harvest.  There are times appointed for things: birth and death.  There is a season and a time for Israel.  Psalm 102:13-21 says: You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come.
Psa 102:14 For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity.
Psa 102:15 The nations will fear the name of the LORD, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.
Psa 102:16 For the LORD will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory.
Psa 102:17 He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea.
Psa 102:18 Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD:
Psa 102:19 "The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth,
Psa 102:20 to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death." Psa 102:21 So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem
Psa 102:22 when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the LORD.

This is the time for Israel to come into fullness of the promises of God.  Now is the time.  Today is the day.  All attention is focused on the Middle East.  All of history has culminated in this time we are living in.  I remember a couple of years ago, right here in a worship service, the Lord said to my spirit, “The momentum of the ages is upon us.”  We are so privileged to live in this time.

Israel was blind at the time of Messiah’s first coming.  So, too, much of the church is blind to discerning the times we are living in.  Why?  Part of the reason is we preach a “me” centered gospel.  Salvation is about making a choice to invite Jesus to be Lord of my life.  Then the task is to get as many people “saved” as possible before we die so that the harvest will be fulfilled. 

But, if we were to start from God’s perspective, we would see that He has always wanted to share a kingdom with mankind.  Even in the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray that His Father’s kingdom be manifest on earth as it is in heaven.  That is why He created mankind and gave him the earth to rule and reign.  Mankind is called to establish the extension of God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.   However, Adam (representative of all humanity) fell and gave over the rule of earth to Satan.  Adam handed the keys of the kingdom to the enemy.  God promised the woman that there would come seed through her lineage that would crush the head of Satan.  In order to properly understand Israel we have to understand the kingdom. 

As we are transitioning from the Church age to the Kingdom age, there seems to be a new excitement and understanding beginning to form.  We are realizing that we don’t have to wait until we get to heaven before we experience the glory and power of the kingdom.  There is a beginning of an understanding that the Kingdom of God is within us, and that we are to rule and reign with Christ Jesus.  This is creating a new sense of purpose and destiny, but there is not much talk about the King of this kingdom.  Who is he?  What is he king of?  Where is he now?  Why is he there?  What is the plan for his inauguration, or coronation?  When does he get to be king?  We have some understanding that the book of Revelation states that Jesus is King of kings; that everything in heaven and earth has been given to him, and that somehow we are to have that kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, but that’s about as far as most of us are able to go.

Matthew 24:14 says:  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.  Jesus will return when the Gospel of the kingdom is preached throughout the whole world.   The kingdom requires us to think in a new way.  Let me give you an example. 

If I were to ask you, “What is the “New World Order,” what would you say?...  It is the kingdom of God that He is in the process of establishing on earth as it is in heaven and YOU are His ambassador. Here is another question, “What is the greatest influential (territorial) spirit over Sturbridge?”…  It is the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if I align myself with Him, I will receive everything I need for the challenges that face me.  The kingdom uses some of the same vocabulary, but it doesn’t mean the same thing.  When we have a kingdom mindset it always challenges us to look at things from God’s perspective and it enlarges rather than limits, the possibilities.  In order to properly understand Israel, we need to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom and renew our minds to come into a kingdom understanding.  The Bible says in several places that Jesus came preaching the gospel of the kingdom.