Praying for the Peace of Jerusalem
This year, Purim falls on March 4th-5th. It is a day of celebration commemorating Queen Esther’s faith and courage and the deliverance of the Jewish people. What a perfect time for us to be mindful of the call to pray—and to be diligently engaged in intercession—for the peace of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel.
The Problem Facing Esther
Esther was a young, single woman living in the land of Persia, where the Israelites had been carried away as captives in the sixth century B.C. Esther was raised by her cousin Mordecai after her parents died. When Queen Vashti of Persia displeased King Xerxes, Esther and several other young woman were taken to the king’s palace as possible replacements for the queen.
God, in His sovereignty, allowed Esther to be chosen over all the other women to become queen of the Persian Empire. During the process, Esther hid her identity as an Israelite.
Haman, the prime minister of Persia, hated the Jews. Why? Because Mordecai, Esther’s cousin, wouldn’t bow down to him (see Esther 3:1-6). Haman passed a law calling for the annihilation of the Jews. He planned to slaughter all Hebrews living in Persia. When the proposed holocaust was announced, Mordecai sent word to Esther about the plot, urging her to go to the king, intercede, and plead with him for her people.
But in doing so, Esther faced a problem. It was against Persian protocol to see the king uninvited. Anyone who did so could lose their life. When Esther raised this issue with Mordecai, he responded:
“Don’t think that just because you live in the king’s house you’re the one Jew who will get out of this alive. If you persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive for the Jews from someplace else; but you and your family will be wiped out. Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this” (Esther 4:13-14, MSG).
Esther resolutely determined to appeal to the king to save her people. But she did something critical: she called on Mordecai to stand with her and gather the Jews in a three-day fast. (See Esther 4:15-16.)
Esther took a serious risk, but she summoned her courage and her faith — and the prayers and support of her people — and she proceeded to go see the king.
As you know, God was with Esther. The king was pleased to see her extended his staff toward her when she approached him uninvited. Later, Haman’s evil plot was turned against Him. He was hanged on the gallows meant for Mordecai, and the plot to annihilate the Jews was averted.
The Problem Facing Israel Today
The Jewish People were in danger, and Esther took a serious risk—and stepped out of protocol—in order to seek favor and stop the evil plot against them.
Some have noted the similarity between Esther’s actions (courageous and willing to break protocol) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the Congress yesterday, March 3rd, on the very day of the Esther Fast this year. Much of the controversy prior to the speech was over the fact that it wasn’t set up according to protocol.
Regardless of protocol, or pending elections in Israel, Prime Minister is singularly focused on the survival of his people, and the peace of the world. He is determined to speak up on behalf of his nation regarding the deadly threat of Iran’s nuclear power. It seem he would take the same bold actions regardless of the timing of elections or the presence or absence of protocol.
In his speech, Netanyahu spoke of Esther:
We’re an ancient people. In our nearly 4,000 years of history, many have tried repeatedly to destroy the Jewish people. Tomorrow night, on the Jewish holiday of Purim, we’ll read the Book of Esther. We’ll read of a powerful Persian viceroy named Haman, who plotted to destroy the Jewish people some 2,500 years ago. But a courageous Jewish woman, Queen Esther, exposed the plot and gave for the Jewish people the right to defend themselves against their enemies.
The plot was foiled. Our people were saved.
Today the Jewish people face another attempt by yet another Persian potentate to destroy us. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei spews the oldest hatred, the oldest hatred of anti-Semitism with the newest technology. He tweets that Israel must be annihilated — he tweets. You know, in Iran, there isn’t exactly free Internet. But he tweets in English that Israel must be destroyed.
Prime Minister Netanyahu clearly stated that Iran is not just a Jewish problem:
But Iran’s regime is not merely a Jewish problem, any more than the Nazi regime was merely a Jewish problem. [Tweet this] The 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis were but a fraction of the 60 million people killed in World War II. So, too, Iran’s regime poses a grave threat, not only to Israel, but also the peace of the entire world. To understand just how dangerous Iran would be with nuclear weapons, we must fully understand the nature of the regime.
He contrasted America with Iran:
America’s founding document promises life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Iran’s founding document pledges death, tyranny, and the pursuit of jihad. [Tweet this]
And he made the case that the greatest threat to the world is the marriage of nuclear weapons with militant Islam.
Iran and ISIS are competing for the crown of militant Islam. One calls itself the Islamic Republic. The other calls itself the Islamic State. Both want to impose a militant Islamic empire first on the region and then on the entire world. They just disagree among themselves who will be the ruler of that empire.
In this deadly game of thrones, there’s no place for America or for Israel, no peace for Christians, Jews or Muslims who don’t share the Islamist medieval creed, no rights for women, no freedom for anyone. . . .
The difference is that ISIS is armed with butcher knives, captured weapons and YouTube, whereas Iran could soon be armed with intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear bombs. We must always remember — I’ll say it one more time — the greatest danger facing our world is the marriage of militant Islam with nuclear weapons. [Tweet this] To defeat ISIS and let Iran get nuclear weapons would be to win the battle, but lose the war. We can’t let that happen.
Prime Minister Netanyahu called for an end to Iranian aggression. And at the end of his speech, he referred to an image of Moses carved on the wall of the House Chamber:
I know that Israel does not stand alone. I know that America stands with Israel. …
You stand with Israel, because you know that the story of Israel is not only the story of the Jewish people but of the human spirit that refuses again and again to succumb to history’s horrors.
Facing me right up there in the gallery, overlooking all of us in this (inaudible) chamber is the image of Moses. Moses led our people from slavery to the gates of the Promised Land.
And before the people of Israel entered the land of Israel, Moses gave us a message that has steeled our resolve for thousands of years. I leave you with his message today, (SPEAKING IN HEBREW), “Be strong and resolute, neither fear nor dread them.” [Tweet this]
Standing with Israel
Given the upcoming March 17th elections in Israel, the acceleration of terrorist attacks and anti-Semitic acts around the world, and the danger of a nuclear-armed Iran, it is clear—there is an urgent need for fasting and prayer. As watchman and intercessors for Israel and the Jewish people, we must fulfill our role and responsibility … for such a time as this.
If you follow me on social media, you noticed that yesterday we joined a host of believers around the world in fasting and praying for Israel, for Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to Congress—and for our government’s response.
As the seriousness of the hour increases, may we continue to be diligent in our prayers for Israel. May we continue to fast and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May those who love you prosper;
may there be peace within your walls,
prosperity within your fortresses.”
Because of my brothers and friends,
I will say, “Peace be with you.”
Because of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your good.Psalm 122:6-9, HCSB
Prayer Bullets
Pray for:
- God’s protection of Israel, the Jewish people, their friends and allies.
- God’s protection over Benjamin Netanyahu.
- God to to give wisdom to those in authority to heed Prime Minister Netanyahu’s words and respond effectively!
- God to sovereignly set in place His choices for Israel’s leadership through the coming election.
- America to be a true ally to Israel.
- The destruction of any plots to remove leaders who have stood against separating the Land of Israel, even any efforts that might initiate in the United States.
- The salvation of the Jewish people of the world. [1]
Tweetables
- Praying for Israel and taking our place in history … for such a time as this. #StandwithIsrael > Tweet
- Iran’s regime is not merely a Jewish problem, any more than the Nazi regime was merely a Jewish problem. ~@Netanyahu > Tweet
- Iran’s founding document pledges death, tyranny, and the pursuit of jihad. ~ @Netanyahu > Tweet
- The greatest danger facing our world is the marriage of militant Islam with nuclear weapons. ~ @Netanyahu > Tweet
- “Be strong and resolute, neither fear nor dread them.” Deut 31:6 ~ @Netanyahu > Tweet
Scripture Quotes:
- Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you prosper; may there be peace within your walls.” Ps. 122:6-7 > Tweet
- Because of my brothers & friends, I will say, “Peace be with you [Jerusalem].” ~ Psalm 122:8 > Tweet
- Because of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good [Jerusalem]. ~ Psalm 122:9 > Tweet
Questions: Are you faithful to pray for Israel and the Jewish people? In what other ways might we be praying for Israel?
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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1. The idea for this post and some of the prayer bullets came from Jewish Voice Ministries International.
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“Natalie Grace Nichols is experiencing God’s grace and freely expressing it. My wife, Betty, and I thank God for the ministry of Jesus through Natalie.”
“I’m so thankful that God is raising up women like Natalie for a new generation, providing biblically balanced teaching, encouragement, and comfort for people who are enduring life’s trials.”
Right on, Natalie. I will be praying for the nation and Netanyahu-who has clearly been raised up for this time. We also need to pay against the spread of radical Islam.
Yes indeed, We need to pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. which I have done so today. Not only prayed today but every day, because I love Isra'el, and want to also bless Isra'el. God wants His people blessed for He wants to do a work in Isra'el to set His people free. We Goyim, Gentiles have been blessed by Isra'el, because salvation comes from the Jews. Now we need to bless the Jews so they come to know their Jeshua HaMaschiach too.