Prayer for Israel

A nuance of the Hebrew religion that I find intriguing is that the day officially begins at sunset, not sunrise. There are layers of spiritual importance to that, for me, but, the Hebrew day is literally from sundown to sundown. It comforts me in a world gone mad, to recognize that nearly everything in God's realm is uniquely different from our reality. Then again, it is often a struggle to deal with two realities, but, an exercise that is constantly referred to, especially in the New Testament.

We are to live in the world, without being worldly. We are to be strangers in a strange land, which isn't always a comfortable existence, but, then again, it establishes hope in a sane paradigm, where YHWH rules, not men.

I start this article on a tangent, not aware of where it will lead me, but, I like being surprised. Let's see where it goes....

Before I get to Israel, which is my theme tonight, I wanted to document my personal life in the past six months, since I've been absent from the web. I had major spinal surgery, and am going back for more of the same. This next one is more intimidating, and I'm very concerned about the recovery period, albeit, the LORD has not yet let me down, or prolonged my suffering. Still, the last one was very painful. I had virtually my entire cervical spine replaced by cages, bolts and rods, and other than a slash across my throat, I was blessed to receive 80% improvement in my symptoms. I can paint and be an artist again, and I've made up for lost time. I spend nearly 12 hours a day creating, and it is a mystical experience. It helps me to transcend any depression and pain that's left.

The LORD sometimes speaks to my prayers when I meditate while I draw or paint. It's glorious.

I love chit-chatting with our LORD, aside from formal intercession and praise. My dad likes to say that God is not concerned with the trivialities of our lives, but, I vigorously disagree. I am encouraged by such exhortations as in 1Thessalonians 5:19- :Pray without ceasing.

I feel like we have a direct line to our Father in heaven, and so far, He has never yet withdrawn his grace.

I used to always pray for the USA, as well as other countries dear to me, like the tragic countries in Africa, where so many of my brothers and sisters are undergoing genocide and persecution that is virtually worse than at any time of history after the First Century.

Now, however, I pray mainly for Israel, for they are on the endangered list.
Christ warned us to observe the fig tree (Israel) blooming, and attend to when the world turns against her, and I believe we are at this exact coordinate in the divine plan.

A strange vision keeps floating behind my fears and presumptions about what will happen, according to prophecy, and in light of the bestial sudden global government and nuclear weaponry.

The visions of Zechariah 12-14 are inescapable to our generation, and I see something written between the lines, or not really written at all, but, implied. Jerusalem is awaiting the Messiah, yet, the vast majority of the Jews do not recognize him, at this time, as the son of man, who was called Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The Muslims of Jerusalem don't believe Christ was the physical manifestation of the invisible Creator of the Universe. The Christians that occupy some old missions there are mainly from arcane orders that do not conform with the grace ascribed in the prototypical "saved" Church of Philadelphia.

In other words, less than a few percent of the inhabitants of this coveted land even understand that Christ is the ONE. How ironic is that? They're each fighting to be the ones possessing the key to the universe, the key of David, the doorway to a portal that leads to God, himself, yet, who is worthy? Who indeed is even looking for Christ to return?

To make a long story short, my vision, is that in that day, when the advent of Christ appears, they will all see New Jerusalem, and receive the understanding of Christ. It says in Zechariah, the Jews will mourn for him, as an only son, and their hearts will finally be circumcised. My vision, or maybe my fantasy and dream is that our brothers, the Arabs in Jerusalem, will also mourn for him, and their hearts will also be converted.

How ironic to dream of Jews and Muslims being united because of Jesus Christ, eh?

Anyway, that's my prayer for Israel, that the Lord will prepare their hearts, and open their minds, eyes and ears, and that there will be a hope for brotherhood, even on the eve of destruction.

When you love and are loved by Christ, you can overcome depression and negativity by daydreaming about love, and the day when we will all be brothers and sisters, children of God, with Christ as our King and High Priest.

Father, in Jesus Christ's Name, I pray that you impart to all lonely, frightened, and bitter souls, sharing unique dreams for them to ponder when everything else seems bleak and hopeless.,

Zec 12:1	The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.
Zec 12:2	Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah [and] against Jerusalem.
Zec 12:3	And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.
Zec 12:4	In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.
Zec 12:5	And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem [shall be] my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.
Zec 12:6	In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, [even] in Jerusalem.
Zec 12:7	The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify [themselves] against Judah.
Zec 12:8	In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David [shall be] as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.
Zec 12:9	And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
Zec 12:10	And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn.
Zec 12:11	In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
Zec 12:12	And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;
Zec 12:13	The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;
Zec 12:14	All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart. Zec 13:1   In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. Zec 13:2   And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, [that] I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land. Zec 13:3   And it shall come to pass, [that] when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth. Zec 13:4   And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive: Zec 13:5   But he shall say, I [am] no prophet, I [am] an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth. Zec 13:6   And [one] shall say unto him, What [are] these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, [Those] with which I was wounded [in] the house of my friends. Zec 13:7   Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man [that is] my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. Zec 13:8   And it shall come to pass, [that] in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off [and] die; but the third shall be left therein. Zec 13:9   And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It [is] my people: and they shall say, The LORD [is] my God. Zec 14:1   Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. Zec 14:2   For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Zec 14:3   Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. Zec 14:4   And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which [is] before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, [and there shall be] a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. Zec 14:5   And ye shall flee [to] the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, [and] all the saints with thee. Zec 14:6   And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the light shall not be clear, [nor] dark: Zec 14:7   But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, [that] at evening time it shall be light. Zec 14:8   And it shall be in that day, [that] living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. Zec 14:9   And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. Zec 14:10   All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and [from] the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses. Zec 14:11   And [men] shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. Zec 14:12   And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. Zec 14:13   And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour. Zec 14:14   And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance. Zec 14:15   And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague. Zec 14:16   And it shall come to pass, [that] every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. Zec 14:17   And it shall be, [that] whoso will not come up of [all] the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. Zec 14:18   And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that [have] no [rain]; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. Zec 14:19   This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. Zec 14:20   In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD'S house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Zec 14:21   Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.