Day of Prayer for Israel (4 Oct 2009)

On Sunday 4 October over 200,000 Churches from around the world join in a Day of Prayer for Israel (see: www.daytopray.com). While the Jewish people have been the most persecuted, rejected, and tortured people in history, the 'scapegoat misuse' of God's beloved people still contines. Today many people around the world hate Israel, and the very existence of a Jewish State is unnacceptable. This is not only true for many followers of Islam, but also of secular Europeans, who are being influenced by a pre-determined anti-Israel attitude and, worse, by media bias that is distorted by subjectivity and a humanistic agenda. Over against all that anti-Semitism and hatred against the Jewish people and their tiny State, there is a large movement of Christians who stand with, support, and pray for Israel, the Jewish People and the State of Israel.

On Sunday 4 October, as every first Sunday in October of the year, Christians from around the world are gathering to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (see Psalm 122:6). As Christians we are called to be those who promote love, peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation - and where is this more needed than in Israel?! The whole issue is ever so controversial and complex, to say the least, and everybody around the world seems to have an opinion! But sometimes these opinions are based on emotional reactions to biased media reports, and are not informed opinions based on research and objective analyses. Too often those with the strongest and loudest opinions are those who are least informed!

While the issue is too complex to be treated in a single blog post, here are five points why Christians should pray for Israel:

1. The Jewish People are God's People (Gn 17:7; Ex 19:4-6; Jer 31:35-37; Rom 9:4-5; 11:1-2): They are chosen, beloved and enterally covenanted with the God who calls Himself the God of Israel. Those who bless Israel will be blessed by God (Gn 12:3; 27:29). Despite their short-comings in history and political and morals failures today, the Jewish people are and remain to be God's people. It is therefore imperative that we support them and pray for them as Christians who are fellow citizens with the Jews through our faith in Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) as Shaul (Paul) taught (Eph 2).
2. The Church owes ever so much to the Jewish People (Ex 20; Jn 4:2; Rom 9:4-5): Not only have Jews been and still are a tremenduous blessing to the whole world (especially in science, the economy and the arts), Christianity owes everything to them. 'Salvation is of the Jews,' in the words of the Messiah Himself (Jn 4:22). Israel didn't just give us the Word of God (Bible), but also the Saviour of the world, through whom everybody can find salvation. Jewish wisdom in Scripture is absolutly leading, and the moral teachings of Jesus found fans in various religions and sectors of society, from John Lennon to Mohandas Gandhi! Abraham Lincoln considered the Bible to be the greatest gift from God - and it came through the Jewish people. Today the moral code of Scripture is the basis of our legal system and democracy. But the Church owes Israel not only because of the good things she has blessed us with, but also because of all the harm that has come to the Jews at the hands of the institutional Church, starting with the anti-Semitism of the Church Fathers (early church leaders, 3rd and 4th cent. CE), to the Inquisition and various expulsions from one corner of Europe to another (Middle Ages), to Martin Luther's anti-Jewish propaganda, to the climax of 23 centuries of anti-Semitism: the Shoah (Holocaust) at the hands of Nazi Germany during WWII (only just over 60 years ago!). Christians are to protect and support the Jews in order to show them that Christians today are not the same as the Christians of the Middle Ages or the Reformation.
   
3. Israel and the Jewish People are seriously threatened (Ps 83). Throughout history Israel has suffered more than any other people, not least at the hands of the institutional Church in the Middle Ages. We are to support persecuted and rejected peoples, be they in Africa, South America, the Far East or the Middle East. Today Iran and other nations of the Arab world (to a lesser extent) pose a serious threat to Israel and the Jewish people as their officially declared goal is the total destruction of the State of Israel. In fact, according to Iran, peace will prevail once Israel is annihilated - what a solution to the Middle East conflict! And this not from an extremist, radical, Islamic organisation, but from a head of state, who is presently arming himself with a nuclear weapon to fulfill his hateful aims. Christians are to pray and use their influence to oppose such terrible plans.
4. We are to pray for the Peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). All of God's people are called to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. This is ever so important in our dramatic times today. God loves not only His own people (Israel), but all peoples, especially the suffering Arab population. We are to pray that peace can prevail and that the suffering of the innocent can be stopped. While the Arab nations accuse only Israel for the suffering of the Arabs in and around Israel, we should know that the civilians are used by such leaders as of the PLO, PA, Hamas, Hizbollah, in order to win the support of the nations against Israel. While Jordan occupied the West Bank (1948-67), did they solve the problem of the refugees? (a problem, by the way, caused by the Arab attacks on Israel in 1948). What ever the political and historical causes, we need to pray for peace on all sides. As Christians we are to stand up for peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation!
5. Christians are to love, bless and pray for both neighbours and enemies (Mt 5:43-45; Lk 10:27). We are called to bless, not to judge; we are called to be peacemakers and promote reconciliation through the Gospel message (2Co 5:18-20). So, whoever we might consider neighbour (those we like) or enemy (those we dislike), we should love, bless, and pray for both sides. In fact, we shouldn't dislike any people, nor take sides over against another. We can stand by Israel, while at the same time help the suffering Arab civilian population. Yet we must clearly understand how Islamic hate-ideology is fuelling the fires of anti-Semitism and hatred, something we can clearly not support whatever Israel might do wrong. At the same time, addressing political and moral issues with Israelis in a respectful way is not anti-Semitic (many Israelis struggle with some of their own politicians - at least, they have the freedom to think, debate and disagree).

Yes, it is very complex and controversial, but hopefully these points will help in our prayers. We should pray for people on all sides and in all positions, but above all for the truth to be revealed and the purposes of God to come to pass - He wants blessing, peace and salvation for all human beings, no matter what they believe, what their background is, or what crimes they have commited. There is forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation through the One called Prince of Peace, Yeshua HaMashiakh.