Jerusalem

JERUSALEM, A HEAVY STONE CAUSING A SEVERE WOUND

Sunday morning Israelis awakened to the headlines that our Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu had undergone unanticipated emergency surgery overnight for an umbilical hernia. The operation, thankfully, was considered mild and a success-but it was enough to make him miss his weekly Cabinet meeting, which was to have been centered round the confirmation of the first 26 of 104 convicted terrorists who are to be released as Israel's "confidence-building measure" for the current peace talks with the Palestinians. Today it was clarified that the list included 17 names of prisoners who murdered Israelis. The families of terror victims have 48 hours to appeal the government's decision and demonstrations continue to take place-but few expect the decision to be rescinded.

We are in sympathy with Mr. Netanyahu and pray for his healing and health-but found our minds being drawn anew towards the 12^th chapter of Zechariah. For all the fact that the talks are ostensibly related to establishment of a "state" in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, no one questions that the ultimate contention involved has been and will be Jerusalem- specifically, the ancient part including the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives which the Palestinians and much of the world demand Israel withdraw from.

Zechariah 12:2-3 (NKJ) reads, "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces(or: "tear rents for themselves"-David Baron), though all nations of the earth are gathered against it." Might the "rent within himself" at the beginning of the negotiations serve as a warning to our Prime Minister? This object of the Biblical warning is not just to the "nations" (Hebrew:goim)-Jerusalem will be made a heavy stone for all the peoples (Hebrew: l'chol-ha'amim), including Israel herself if she attempts it.

PLEASE PRAY:

*For Prime Minister Netanyahu, that he will seek and hear God regarding Jerusalem, and not be a party to attempting to move her from her God ordained positioning.

*For God "Who makes peace in His high places whose armies are innumerable" (Job 25:2), to oversee both the Israeli and Palestinian delegations to the peace talks-and not allow an alliance or agreement to be made which violates His sovereign design, decree and timing for the lands in question.

*That believers in Israel seek to understand and pursue God's priority for "peace" during this season. "Stand therefore, having.shod your feet with the preparation of the good news of peace."(Ephesians 6:14-15); "How beautifully the feet of those bringing good news adorn the mountains-those who proclaim Shalom (peace), who bring glad tidings of Good-who proclaim Salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" (Isaiah 52:7).

portions taken from Israel prayer list