Praying for the Salvation of the Jewish People
First and foremost, we urge you to pray for Israel’s salvation.
- Romans 10:1 – My heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.
- Isaiah 62:1, 6-7 – “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch….I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.”
The spread of the Gospel in Israel is intimately connected to the perceived legitimacy of Jesus as the Jewish Messiah, or Jewish faith in Jesus. This past month, due to several converging events, and as perhaps never before, the topic of Jewish faith in Jesus recurrently made Israeli national news. Following is a chronological list of events and prayer concerns, which collectively represents, we believe, the beginning of a shift in the spiritual climate of Israel.
Pray for fruit from a widespread evangelistic campaign undertaken by the organization “Jews for Jesus” in the Tel Aviv area throughout the month of May. As of May 30, their web site reported 8 resulting salvations. (Acts 4:29-30; Zechariah 12:10)
Purim terror victim and Messianic Jewish believer Ami Ortiz
Fifteen-year old Ami continues to miraculously heal but still remains in a great deal of pain with a great many surgeries ahead. Please pray for his continued, rapid healing and his emotional comfort, for his family’s wisdom and strength, and for the merciful justice of God to prevail in the situation. It appears the police are covering up the facts underlying the attack, most likely because Jewish anti-missionaries perpetrated an attempted murder against the Ortiz family on account of their faith. The Ortiz family has hired a private criminal lawyer. Meanwhile, the good news is that unsaved Israelis whose loved ones have been injured in terror attacks have begun asking for national and international prayer due to Ami’s amazing recovery. (Please pray according to Isaiah 53:4-5; Philippians 1:27-29; James 5:14-16; 2 Timothy 3:12; Matthew 5:44; and as the Spirit leads.)
A Messianic Jewish high school student won the Jerusalem district Bible knowledge competition in connection with Israel’s annual, international youth Bible contest. Although anti-missionary and some Orthodox leaders were outraged, the Messianic student was allowed to compete. (She did not win.) (See JTA International Global News Service of the Jewish People, 5/2/08) (Romans 11:25-28)
A national youth revival gathering took place May 8-10, called One Thing Israel.
In cooperation with the International House of Prayer in Kansas City and Succat Hallel (“House of Praise”) in Jerusalem, Messianic believers from 13-30 convened from all over the country for spiritual refreshment, recommitment and equipping. Please pray for revival among the Israeli Messianic youth and those ministering to them. (Romans 11:25-27; )
The Call – Jerusalem took place May 11. Never before have we witnessed this level of unity in repentance, prayer and prophetic proclamation by Israel’s spiritual authorities—-Messianic Jewish and Arab Christian leaders, together with leaders from the international Church. (Psalm 122:6; Isaiah 62:1, 6-7; Ephesians 2:15; John 17:20).
Orthodox Jewish youth publicly burned, at the direction of the deputy mayor of the city of Or Yehuda, hundreds of New Testaments. After some Jewish leaders denounced the book burning as reminiscent of the Nazi Holocaust, the deputy mayor apologized and police are not pursuing the matter. (Jerusalem Post Online, 5/20/08) (Romans 9:1-5, 11:25-28; Romans 8:28)
In addition . . .
Pray for Prime Minister Olmert, who is willing to relinquish the Golan Heights to Syria and 91 percent of Judea/Samaria, including East Jerusalem, to the Palestinians in exchange for a promise of peace. (Jerusalem Post Online, 5/25/08) Attempts are underway toward possibly removing him from political office. Please lift up the Israeli government as we petition God for righteous leaders. (1 Timothy 2:2; Joel 3:2; Zechariah 12:6)
Iranian President Ahmadinejad continues to proclaim and move toward his vision of a Middle East without Israel. The nations of the world take no visible action to counter his proclamations or the progress of his nuclear ambitions. Ask God to mobilize the international Church to take action. Let us not assume, as did the Church of Europe before the Holocaust, that a Jewish genocide could not or would not take place. Rather, if we’ve learned from history, we should assume such a genocide could indeed take place and soon. Please pray ~ and act as God leads. (Psalm 83; Psalm 2; Zechariah 1:14-17)
Isaiah 66:10 – Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you
who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her.