Hebrew Highlights 001 – Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem

 

Shalom, this is Yuval Shomron in Jerusalem.    PSA 122:6 says – “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:   May they prosper who love you.”

 

Let’s look at a few facts.

1.  No other city is remembered in this way in the Bible.

( In fact, it seems that God must have known this prayer would always be needed, to warrant putting this command in His eternal word.)

2.  Only one other verse in the bible speaks of praying for the peace of a city:

JER 29:7 'And seek the peace of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its peace you will have peace.'

In this scripture God promises peace even to Babylon, for the sake of the Jewish people who were living there.

3.  Your prayers have results!

          As bad as things may seem as you listen to network news, God is at work.  Statistically, 88% of planned terror attacks on Jerusalem, and all of Israel for that matter, have been stopped at one stage or another, in many cases, quite miraculously.  It is still much more safe to walk around Jerusalem than many American cities of the same size.

The Lord said about Jerusalem in ISA 49:16 "Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.”

If this city is so important to God, how can we as believers possibly ignore her.  As if to offer an incentive for our spending time in prayer, God says: “May they prosper who love you.”  This promise is as eternal as our call to prayer.  Many of you who may have visited the city would agree that a blessing sticks with you, even long after you leave.

By the way, I think this is one of those cases where we can confidently pray the opposite as well.  For instance:  “May those who hate you see their funds dry up.” Certainly, money is one of the major contributing factors to the proliferation of terrorism.  Please pray those funds will stop pouring in to Israel’s enemies.

As I walk around in downtown Jerusalem with my wife and children, I am aware of your prayers, as well as God’s constant vigil.

Pray for our city.  Receive God’s blessing.

 

Shalom, Shalom from Jerusalem