Praying for Israel on Holocaust Memorial Day
We met on the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day. Today is the actual Holocaust Day. (You will see why that is important to note a little further down this Prayer Directions Bulletin.)
We read from Isaiah 63.
For the day of vengeance is in My heart, And the year of My redeemed has come. Isaiah 63:4
At the beginning of chapter 63 of Isaiah, the prophet sees the Messiah coming. It is a strange sight, perhaps a frightening one. He does not recognize the Messiah as such, and asks, “Who is this?” And the Lord answers: “I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” Isaiah, still perplexed by the red-stained garment of the Lord, asks again “Why is your apparel red?” And the Lord answers him, “…The day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed has come.”
This wonderful chapter reveals the two aspects of the Lord’s work. On the one hand he comes to redeem and save His people from their enemies and their backsliding, and on the other hand to judge the nations who have repudiated Him, and made themselves enemies of His people and His work on the earth. (For further reading on Edom read Ezekiel 35-36, for instance.) The final judgment will also be of those nations and peoples who have rejected His offer of salvation in Yeshua. “The cross stands for the judgment of the world as well as its salvation, and, “The destruction of mankind’s most implacable enemies is both the aim and the fruit of his sacrifice.” "Edom appears to represent Gentiles under divine judgment.” (EBC)1
The chapter unfolds with an amazing revelation of the grace and mercies of God to his unfaithful people and the saviors intent to deliver them from their sins and their enemies. (See Isiah 63:7-9)
This sight and the remembrance of God’s past deliverances (Isaiah 63:10-14) and the revelation that God will not fail to honor his covenant promises to His people, create within Isaiah a great longing and cry for God to arise again in deliverance and mercy.
The rest of the chapter and the next one, Isaiah 64 is the prayer that arose from this longing.
We spent the entire time of our prayer meeting, crying out to God for this twofold deliverance we so need and long for; salvation from our sins and salvation from our enemies.
I suggest you use the prayer of Isaiah: Isaiah 63:15-64:12 I believe that as you read these chapters, and pray through Isaiah’s intercession, you will be much moved and inspired.
Praying for Israel’s security on Holocaust Memorial Day
Last week, during the Friday “March of Return” in Gaza, a flag was planted somewhere near the fence. Look closely at the middle one. What do you see?
We met on the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day. Today is the actual Holocaust Day. (You will see why that is important to note a little further down this Prayer Directions Bulletin.)
We read from Isaiah 63.
For the day of vengeance is in My heart, And the year of My redeemed has come. Isaiah 63:4
At the beginning of chapter 63 of Isaiah, the prophet sees the Messiah coming. It is a strange sight, perhaps a frightening one. He does not recognize the Messiah as such, and asks, “Who is this?” And the Lord answers: “I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” Isaiah, still perplexed by the red-stained garment of the Lord, asks again “Why is your apparel red?” And the Lord answers him, “…The day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed has come.”
This wonderful chapter reveals the two aspects of the Lord’s work. On the one hand he comes to redeem and save His people from their enemies and their backsliding, and on the other hand to judge the nations who have repudiated Him, and made themselves enemies of His people and His work on the earth. (For further reading on Edom read Ezekiel 35-36, for instance.) The final judgment will also be of those nations and peoples who have rejected His offer of salvation in Yeshua. “The cross stands for the judgment of the world as well as its salvation, and, “The destruction of mankind’s most implacable enemies is both the aim and the fruit of his sacrifice.” "Edom appears to represent Gentiles under divine judgment.” (EBC)1
The chapter unfolds with an amazing revelation of the grace and mercies of God to his unfaithful people and the saviors intent to deliver them from their sins and their enemies. (See Isiah 63:7-9)
This sight and the remembrance of God’s past deliverances (Isaiah 63:10-14) and the revelation that God will not fail to honor his covenant promises to His people, create within Isaiah a great longing and cry for God to arise again in deliverance and mercy.
The rest of the chapter and the next one, Isaiah 64 is the prayer that arose from this longing.
We spent the entire time of our prayer meeting, crying out to God for this twofold deliverance we so need and long for; salvation from our sins and salvation from our enemies.
I suggest you use the prayer of Isaiah: Isaiah 63:15-64:12 I believe that as you read these chapters, and pray through Isaiah’s intercession, you will be much moved and inspired.
Praying for Israel’s security on Holocaust Memorial Day
Last week, during the Friday “March of Return” in Gaza, a flag was planted somewhere near the fence. Look closely at the middle one. What do you see?
Though the nations want to forget the Holocaust with an “enough already” attitude, our enemies remind us all too clearly that this murderous anti-Semitic spirit is not only alive and kicking, but is thriving and is knocking at our door on our borders.
Clouds of war seem to be gathering over our region. Whether it is Hamas with a declared intent on displacing and replacing Israel, or Iran with a stated purpose of our destruction, edging ever closer to our border with Syria, and Lebanon (via Hezbollah as their proxy)
Clouds of war seem to be gathering over our region. Whether it is Hamas with a declared intent on displacing and replacing Israel, or Iran with a stated purpose of our destruction, edging ever closer to our border with Syria, and Lebanon (via Hezbollah as their proxy)
- Pray with us for God’s intervention on our borders
- Pray with us for the plan of the nations to become of none effect psalm 33:8-11
- Pray with us for God to work providentially in Syria - using all the conflicting interests of Iran, Syria, Russia, Turkey and the US.
- Pray with us for God’s tactics and strategy to be given to our IDF leaders and our government (God can speak to those who don’t know him (see re Nebuchadnezzar)
- Pray with us into God’s promises that pertain to these times (Zech 12, Ezekiel 36)
We end with an encouragement: Who would have thought?
In 2003, three Israeli fighter jets flew over Auschwitz. All three pilots were “piloted by descendants of Holocaust survivors, flew to Auschwitz and thundered through the skies above the camp where nearly one million Jews were slaughtered between 1940 and 1945 while the world stood by and did nothing.”
One of the pilots, Amir Eshel, air force chief at the time, spoke these words: “We pilots of the Israel Air Force, flying in the skies above the camp of horrors, arose from the ashes of the millions of victims and shoulder their silent cries, salute their courage, and promise to be the shield of the Jewish people and its nation Israel.”
In 2003, three Israeli fighter jets flew over Auschwitz. All three pilots were “piloted by descendants of Holocaust survivors, flew to Auschwitz and thundered through the skies above the camp where nearly one million Jews were slaughtered between 1940 and 1945 while the world stood by and did nothing.”
One of the pilots, Amir Eshel, air force chief at the time, spoke these words: “We pilots of the Israel Air Force, flying in the skies above the camp of horrors, arose from the ashes of the millions of victims and shoulder their silent cries, salute their courage, and promise to be the shield of the Jewish people and its nation Israel.”
And a picture from today's march of an Israeli delegation in Auschwitz
Who would have thought?!
When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream.Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”The LORD has done great things for us, And we are glad. Psa. 126:1-3
For the LORD shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory. Psa. 102:16
Blessings from Jerusalem,
_____________________________________________
- EBC - Expositors l Bible Commentary
- Picture of Palestinian flags with swastika: Ynet:
- Pictures of jets over Auschwitz: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/images/Holocaust/iaf1.jpg and https://goo.gl/images/hLtwBv
- Picture of today's march in Poland from Ynet: https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-5227547,00.html