Isaiah 62 Prayer Initiative

September 2016 Prayer Letter

“O Zion, you who bring good tidings (lit. messenger of Good News), get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, you who bring good tidings, lift up your voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid; say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God!’” (Isa. 40:9 NKJV)

Dear Prayer Partners,

God uses the existence of restored Israel – and specifically Zion and Jerusalem – as His messenger of Good News. So how may we pray into God’s purposes and calling on Zion and Jerusalem to be His Messenger in our day?

Prophet Ezekiel spoke of a time “when they came to the nations where they were scattered, they profaned my Holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of God yet they have come out of His Land.’” (Ezek. 36:20)

Moses made a similar argument in Numbers 14 when, in response to the people’s unbelief and rebellion over the report of the ten spies, God said He would kill all the people of Israel and start over with Moses, raising up a new people through him. Moses answered God, “now if You kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of Your fame will speak, saying, ‘Because the Lord was not able to bring this people to the land which He swore to give them, therefore He killed them in the wilderness.’” (Num. 14:15-16)

Therefore, while the people of Israel were scattered throughout the nations of the earth, the nations and even the church used this to profane and discredit God. To some, this was evidence that either God was not able to redeem his people Israel, the Jewish people were so hard hearted that God could not forgive them, or God had broken His covenant with Israel, the Jewish people.

The restoration of Israel/Zion and Jerusalem challenges these arguments and raises Israel to the status of Messengers of God’s Good News. And what is this Good News? Although it is not yet the Good News of redemption in Jesus, which how we Christians commonly define it, the restoration of the Nation of Israel is Good News as it testifies:

1. God’s promises are trustworthy. Even after 2000 years He is a covenant-keeping God, fulfilling His promises to the Jewish People.

2. God alone is Faithful and True.

3. If He keeps his promises to his people Israel, and to the Land of Israel, we can trust Him to keep his promises to us in Jesus Messiah.

God said in Isaiah 52, “Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem! For the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” (Isa. 52:9-10)

God is saying when He redeemed Jerusalem he revealed his bared Holy arm, almost like a fighter flexing his muscles, and this allows the ends of the earth to see the Salvation of our God.

There is something spiritual that happened among the nations: When God restored Jerusalem He gave reason to believe His Word, for the salvation for the ends of the earth is also Faithful and True.

So as we pray for Israel, the land and the people, as we pray for Jerusalem, as we pray for the nations, let us pray with great expectancy.

Israel is always in the news! Why? Its existence is part of God’s message to the World. News articles about Israel are often negative, even falsified at times to slander Israel and the Jewish People. Why? So that those of us who love the Lord and His word, stand on His promises to pray for the complete restoration of Israel and the Jewish People while we also pray for His Salvation to come to the ends of the earth.

Let’s pray with rejoicing that our Lord has chosen us to live in these exciting time as He shows Himself Faithful, True and Strong to fulfill his promises. Let us pray that Israel continues to be a light to the Nations. That our Lord continue His promised restoration of Israel, and that the Church worldwide rejoice with God’s faithfulness to Israel and that the Holy Spirit continue to draw people to Jesus Messiah to the ends of the Earth.

With every blessing,

Barry R Denison

ICEJ General Manager

Prayer Points

PRAY FOR ISRAEL

The people of Israel have been watching closely the violence and upheavals shaking the entire Middle East. So far, Israel remains the most stable country in the region, thanks to a strong economy, military and political leadership.

Guidelines for prayer:

· Thank God for His hand of blessing and protection over Israel (Deut. 32:9-10)

· Pray for His glorious plans to be hastened in its time (Isaiah 60:22)

PRAY FOR THE MIDDLE EAST

The numerous conflicts raging in the surrounding countries now include civil wars and insurgencies in Libya, Yemen, the Egyptian Sinai, Iraq and – worst of all – in Syria. Many Sunni Arab leaders are looking for an anchor of support where they can, and they are even turning to Israel. In recent months Egypt’s foreign minister paid a rare visit to Jerusalem, while key Saudi figures have been discreetly opening contacts with Israeli officials. But this newfound cooperation, while based on mutual interests, can only go so far without a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. Knowing this, the Palestinian leadership is trying to scuttle any rapprochement between Jerusalem and the pro-Western Sunni bloc.

Guidelines for prayer:

· Pray the Palestinians would finally have the courage and will to make peace with Israel (Psalm 34:14; 1 Peter 3:11)

· Pray that Israel would enjoy better relations with its moderate Sunni Arab neighbors, and the threats posed by Iran and ISIS would be completely dispelled (Psalm 68:1-2)

· Pray that God’s redemptive purposes for the region would quickly come to pass (Isaiah 19:23-15).

PRAY FOR THE ICEJ

Thank you for praying with us for the Ethiopian Aliyah – God is answering already! The government of Israel opened the doors for the Jews in Ethiopia to return home. We also ask you to pray for the upcoming Feast of Tabernacles in October, and for all the pilgrims as they make plans to attend this year’s celebration in Jerusalem.

Guidelines for prayer:

· Continue praying for the journey of the Ethiopian Jews – that it will happen swiftly and go smoothly (Is. 11:12)

· Keep the Feast of Tabernacles in your prayers (Psalm 84:5, 7)

· Please pray that everyone whose heart desires to be at this year’s Feast would be able to come and indeed encounter the living God in Zion (Ps. 122)