“My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. The nations also will know that I, the LORD, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.” Ezekiel 37:27-28

Why should you pray for Israel? Why is it that this one small nation and its right to exist dominate such a large amount of the world’s attention and the conflict for its existence threaten world peace? Although land, religion, and oil are major factors in the political equation there is only one reason at the heart of the current situation.

From the beginning verses of Genesis to the last verses of Revelation it is clear that God has a specific purpose in mind for the nation of Israel. God created and gave one nation 10 commandments to show all nations that He created that they could not keep one. Through Israel’s unfaithfulness and the consequence of their sin as prescribed in the Law given through Moses, the nations have been given a testimony of the sovereign presence and judgment of God in the affairs of mankind and the way to reconciliation to remain in His presence forever.

God has made Israel to be His testimony to the nations…

“When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name—when they said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, and yet they have gone out of His land.’” Ezekiel 36:20

“Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd does his flock.’” Jeremiah 31:10 (23:3; 24:6; 30:3)

That we might know through Israel’s disobedience and punishment that He is the only sovereign God and the only righteous judge of all.

“But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: …And you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations where the LORD will drive you… Moreover all these curses shall come upon you and pursue and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. And they shall be upon you for a sign and a wonder, and on your descendants forever.” Deuteronomy 28:15, 37, 45-46

“But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine…you are My witnesses,’ says the LORD, ‘And My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me…I will give Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches…Do not fear, nor be afraid; have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me?’” Isaiah 43:1, 10, 28; 44:8

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” Luke 21:20-24

That the nations would know that He would not spare His own people for their disobedience.

“Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God…And the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the LORD will drive you. And there you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice (for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them…You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD your God is giving you for all time.” Deuteronomy 4:23-24, 27-31, 40

“All nations would say, ‘Why has the LORD done so to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?’ Then people would say: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt; for they went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods that they did not know and that He had not given to them. Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against this land, to bring on it every curse that is written in this book. And the LORD uprooted them from their land in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.’” Deuteronomy 29:24-28

“For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead…Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear…. blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in… Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.” Romans 11:15, 20, 25, 28

And for His great love for us, to gather us to himself, He did not spare His own son…

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32

“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed… By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.” Isaiah 53:4-5, 11

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:13-14

And for our sin He will not spare any who are not obedient to His will…

“For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.” Romans 11:21, 22; Isaiah 45:22-23

“Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:40-42

However, God’s plan is for the redemption, not the destruction of Israel or mankind…

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9; Genesis 3:15

“I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew…For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead…” Romans 11:1-2, 15

“Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.” John 11:51-52

“‘Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, who disturbs the sea, and its waves roar (The LORD of hosts is His name): If those ordinances depart from before Me, says the LORD, then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever.’ Thus says the LORD: ‘If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, says the LORD.’” Jeremiah 31:35-37

“He shall say, ‘Surely in the LORD I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, and all shall be ashamed who are incensed against Him. In the LORD all the descendants of Israel shall be justified, and shall glory.’” Isaiah 45:24-25

His plan is for our blessing ending in life from the dead for us all…

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem…

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.’ For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, ‘Peace be within you.’ Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good.” Psalm 122:6-8

That your family and nation may be comforted with Israel when God has restored His land and His people to their inheritance…

“‘Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you who love her. Rejoice with joy for her, all you who mourn for her; that you may feed and be satisfied with the consolation with her bosom, that you may drink deeply and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.’ For thus says the Lord, ‘Behold I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like a flowing stream. Then you shall feed; on her sides you shall be carried, and be dandled on her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.’” Isaiah 66:10-13

“Look to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God and there is no other. I have sworn by myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee, every tongue shall take an oath. He shall say, ‘Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, and all shall be ashamed who are incensed against Him. In the Lord the descendants of Israel shall be justified and shall glory.’” Isaiah 45:22-25

And pray for God to pour out His mercy and His Spirit on Israel now for their repentance and salvation…

Leviticus 26:40-42; Deuteronomy 4:29-30; 30:1-5, 10; 32:29; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 79:9; 80:3,7, 19; Isaiah 1:18-20; 40:1-2; 43:25-26; 44:22; 45:17; 61:1-3; 63:17-19; 62:1; 64:5-12; 65:8-9; Jeremiah 14:7-9; Ezekiel 18:31; 37:11; Joel 2:12-14, 28, 32; Zechariah 12:10-13:1; Matthew 23:37-39; Acts 2:36-38; 10:34-43; 13:23-24; 28:20; Romans 1:16; 11:23-26; 2 Corinthians 3:15-16; Hebrews 8:8-10

“Him (Jesus) God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.” Acts 5:31

“I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.” Isaiah 62:6-7

“Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants—everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant—even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” Isaiah 56:6-7

When we pray for Israel and the peace of Jerusalem in effect we are interceding for the prosperity of every capital of every nation of the world. One day mankind will be set free from the confusion that sin has imposed on all men and yield to the will of God and the institution of His kingdom. He will not only bring the nations to their knees in repentance but on that day affirm Israel before all the nations for having been the testimony of His sovereign will to them.

Having an understanding of why God has chosen Israel for this purpose will help in making intercessory prayer more effective for Israel, your nation and God’s plan for peace for mankind. That peace will begin at a time determined before the foundation of the world with the establishment of His kingdom that has been ordained to rule the nations.