PRAYING FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM
I. INTRODUCTION
A. In a sentence the “Israel Mandate” is a sacred charge we have been given to raise up and equip 100 million intercessors
that will pray in a focused way for the salvation of the Jewish people. Their job description is Isa. 62:6-7.
B. The word mandate means: (1) a command or authorization to act in a particular way (2) a command from a
superior court to a lower one (3) an authoritative order or command — a royal mandate.
C. The theme verse for today is Ps. 122:6 “Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.” Although most believers are familiar
with this verse — few have taken this verse seriously. I completely understand how that works as I was aware of that
verse for several decades before the Holy Spirit highlighted its significance.
D. My goals today are (1) to help us see why prayer for a tiny nation in the Middle East – a nation called Israel -
whose capitol city is Jerusalem … why focused intercession for that tiny city matters to God and (2) why it’s part of your
future destiny as a believer.
II. KING DAVID’S END OF THE AGE PROPHETIC INSIGHTS
A. Read — Ps. 122:1-6
B. Although many believers are familiar with verse 6 - the verses most people aren’t generally familiar with are the five
verses before and the three verses that follow. The first five verses are clearly millennial verses and are composite verses.
By composite verses I am referring to verses that have the same event and same time frame in mind but often view these
events through very different lenses. (i.e. Zech. 13-14; Matt. 24.; Rev. 19; Isa. 63; etc.)
C. The reason why it is helpful to know that is because the first 5 verses of Psalm 122 are composite verses that
contain information and ideas found in many other places in scripture. That’s why David’s sudden appeal for prayer
for Jerusalem - (v.6) - seems abrupt and at first glance appears to be disconnected from his other thoughts.
D. Actually what seems to be going on here is that David is relating information he received during some type of
revelatory encounter – perhaps through a (vision/trance/dream) -where he was given supernatural understanding –
much like Daniel or the Apostle John. My hunch is that it was the impact of that encounter (i.e. verses 1-5) that gave
David urgency to pray for Jerusalem as well as recruiting others to join him.
E. Although David’s thoughts are brief in Ps. 122 — he is communicating ideas that have elements of many other
key end-time verses: (1) thoughts about the tribes of the earth going up to Jerusalem to worship – to pray – to attend
Jesus’ millennial seminars (Isa. 2; Zech. 14:16; Micah 4:1-3) (2) the judgments of those that hated and opposed Jesus’
leadership having to appear before Jesus’ court of divine justice (Matt. 25; Ps. 110:5-6; Ps. 2) (3) the idea that there
are a multitude of believers who have been faithfully standing in the gap for Jerusalem and interceding for the Jewish
people (Isa. 56:6-7; 62:6-7; Ps. 102:13-14, 17; Ez. 22:30).
F. Point — there are numerous verses whose main ideas are found embedded in the first five verses of Ps. 122.
With simply a casual reading of this psalm — these ideas can be easily missed.
III. END TIME PERSPECTIVE
A. David’s compelling reason for relating his insights in verses 1-5 was so that he could share his burden in verse 6. It’s
like we were allowed to gaze - just for a moment - into the future and then brought back in time and instructed to turn our
insights into fiery prayer for the Jewish people. My sense when reading this is that it seems like verses 1-5 are revelatory
insights given to David so that he could be a spokes person for the end-time prayer movement.
B. The prophet Amos declared that in the last days God would restore David’s Tabernacle that had fallen down —
or that was in disrepair (Amos 9:11). Jesus prophesied from Jerusalem that in the closing hours of human history God
would raise up a fiery prayer movement that would cover the entire earth and that the primary activity of His Church would
be intercession (Mk. 11:17; Isa. 56:7). The context of the verses that Jesus quoted from in Isaiah suggests that these
“Houses of Prayer” would be primarily manned by Gentile believers who would come into agreement with God’s heart for
the salvation of the Jewish people (Isa. 56:3-8).
C. Present in both King David’s request and Jesus’ prophetic decree is an undeniable sense of urgency. David’s
sense of urgency seems to be generated by the events that surround the Second Coming. Jesus’ prophetic decree
recorded in Mark’s Gospel — “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations” … is spoken in the context
of a corrupt, carnal, and compromising religious system that “has a form of godliness but is devoid of a spirit of power
and truth” (1 Tim. 3:5).
D. If you put these two together you get a clear sense that Israel will be in a great crisis in the season when the
Lord returns and will be in desperate need of prayer. Her spiritual condition near the coming of the Lord is troubling.
She is mostly secular and is spoken of in symbolic terms as being like “Sodom and Egypt” (Rev. 11:8) — two cities that
experienced serious judgment for resisting God.
E. If her spiritual condition can be described as desperate then her natural circumstances can only be described as
bleak. According to Joel 3 — the nations of the earth have gathered to finish the holocaust that Hitler and Haman planned
and came up short. The season immediate before the Lord’s return will be Israel’s most troubling time ever in her history
(Dan. 12:1; Jer. 30:5-7; Matt. 24:21-22).
F. The ironic thing about the gathering of the nations is that they have been deceived into believing that they are
gathering to annihilate Israel and her Messiah (Rev. 17:14; 19:19). However in actuality they have been drawn together
by God for the purpose of judgment and their utter destruction (Joel 3:1-3; Zech. 14: 1-2, 12).
G. Many believers when first introduced to the events of the Book of Revelation make some basic wrong assumptions
about the book that results in making the book incredibly confusing. They assume that God has given the enemy free
reign for a season and then finally shows up at the end of the Great Tribulation and wins the final battle for Jerusalem
and every one lives happily ever after!
H. The truth is that every event – every battle – every calamity - every judgment has been planned – organized –
and will be released according to God’s sovereign timetable and will not happen an instant early or an instant too late.
The timing – the order – the intensity - and the scope of every event have been meticulously worked out with
supernatural wisdom and will be executed with supernatural precision.
IV. GLOBAL TROUBLE AND ISRAEL’S PURIFICATION
A. Not only will Israel be experiencing great trouble but the entire earth will be reeling from the global devastation caused
by the Antichrist’s wicked reign of terror. Every time Daniel was given even a glimpse of this man’s season of global
dominance — he was troubled and perplexed – his countenance changed – he passed out – he became ill and was
traumatized for days (Dan. 7:15; 8:27; 10:2).
B. A reoccurring phrase that Daniel used to describe the 4th beast or “Little Horn” was that “he was different”
(Dan.7:7, 19, 23, 24). What was Daniel trying to communicate by repeatedly telling us how “different” this world leader
would be from all others that preceded him? Different in what way? What would distinguish this man’s season of
rulership from all others that went before him?
C. Although he is described as using “pompous words” (Da. 7:11) – words by which he “exalted himself above God”
(2 Thess. 2:4) – words of great blasphemy (Rev. 13:5-6) —many ancient rulers exalted themselves and made their
subjects worship them as god.
D. It’s also difficult to make a case in terms of his cruelty. The Bibles description of his evil plans and wicked exploits
are terrifying. He is described as “dreadful” - “terrible” “exceedingly strong” - “one who devours and breaks in pieces” -
“who tramples the residue with his feet” - “one who destroys fearfully” (Dan. 7:7; 8:24). Clearly these examples of this
mans cruelty are frightening however if you happened to be a survivor of Hitler’s military campaign during WW2 against
Russia – especially if you were a resident of Stalingrad – I’d imagine these same figures of speech would have been
used.
E. Having said all that I believe that there are several things the Bible points out that seem to set the Antichrist apart and
make him “different” from other world rulers. First of all he will actually be the first true world leader. Others before him
were successful to different degrees of being able to subdue portions of the earth (Europe, Asia, and the Middle East
specifically). The Antichrist’s regime – with the exception of several pockets of resistance – is able to bring the nations
of the earth together under his control. “And all the world marveled and followed the beast” (Rev. 13:3b). His ability to
dominate the nations in terms of military, economic, political, and religious control will be completely unprecedented.
F. Another area of “difference” has to do with this man’s motive. His motive is in a league of its own and can only be
described as “supernaturally evil.” All other world leaders strived for world dominance and were motivated by things like
power – honor – control – wealth – possessions – greed – pride - and comfort. This man’s total power source comes
from his connection to Satan. “The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 4So they worshiped the
dragon (Satan) who gave authority to the beast (Antichrist); and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast?
Who is able to make war with him (Rev. 13:2b, 4)?” This man takes demon possession to entirely new levels. He’s
described in the most diabolical terms in Rev. 17:8 as an individual who “will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to
perdition” (everlasting destruction / torment; future state of the wicked).
V. THE PURPOSE OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION
A. God’s ability to multi-task is unsurpassed. As Mike often says, “He loves to play 10 dimensional chess.” Consistent with His
multifaceted nature He has multiple purposes that He wants to accomplish during this incredible time of trouble.
B. For example (1) He wants His Bride purified and walking without compromise so she can enter into full agreement with
His heart (Rev. 19:7). (2) The pressure of the Great Tribulation will also cause unsaved men and women – Jew and
Gentile – to respond to the great grace that will be released to bring in the Great End Time Harvest (2 Pet. 3:8). (3) He
will vindicate His people as He avenges their deaths (Rev. 6:9-11). (4) He demonstrates his power to protect His people
— similar but on a much broader scale than in Egypt (Ps. 91:1-11). (5) The Great Tribulation will expose true motives of
the heart and many false and insincere believers will deny Jesus as Messiah and depart from the Church (1 Tim. 4:1).
(6) He creates the kind of atmosphere where evil has an opportunity to be fully manifest and then expresses His Justice
towards those who have chosen darkness rather than righteousness (Gal. 6:7-9). (7) He will demonstrate His covenant
love towards the Jewish people and will cause the whole house of Israel to repent for the first time the entire Nation will
wholeheartedly embrace Yeshua their Messiah (Rom. 11:26).
VI. THE CHURCHES END TIME ISRAEL MANDATE
A. During Israel’s great crisis – the Church will for the first time move into its place of functioning in her bridal identity
(Rev. 19:7). The Great Tribulation has both unified and purified her and she is now operating in full agreement with His
heart (Jn. 17:20-26).
B. One of the most surprising and profound expressions of that agreement will be the Churches new attitude and
wholehearted embrace of the Jewish people. There will be complete agreement in the Church concerning God’s heart
for the destiny of the Jewish people. The destiny of the Church will forever be intertwined with the destiny of the Jewish
people.
C. It will take the pressure of the Great Tribulation to produce the degree of humility necessary to remove the great wall
of offense as well as the great mountain of suspicion that currently exists between the Jews and Gentiles. As strange as it
may seem the primary tool to turn things around and break through the great wall of offense and the great mountain of
suspicion will be The Great Tribulation (Matt. 24:21).
D. The environment or the green house for this change is clearly pressure however the tool that God has chosen to
bring healing and reconciliation is focused intercession.