Why pray for Israel?

In the Bible God calls us several times to support His people Israel. In Isaiah 40 we are instructed to comfort the Jewish people and in Psalm 122 it says that we must pray for Israel, so that there will be peace in Jerusalem. These texts show us that it is important to remember the Jewish people in our prayers. But why does God ask this from us? And what do we actually have to pray for?n

Israel’s history

nThe Jews, as God’s chosen people, never had an easy life, unfortunately. Around 550 BC the first Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians. The Jewish people were driven out of their homeland and the kingdom disintegrated completely. Via Babylonia and Egypt, they spread all over the world, a phenomenon that is also called the Jewish diaspora. For centuries the Jews formed small minorities abroad with their own religion and a different legal status than the indigenous population. Antisemitism and discrimination of Jews was always present, but increased massively in the 19th century. Rising nationalist sentiments caused more and more discrimination and persecution of the Jews. This antisemitism reached rock bottom during the Holocaust.nnBecause of the horrors of the Second World war, the desire for their own land, a national home, grew. This dream was realized in 1948, when the State of Israel was founded. However, this was not the end of the suffering of the Jewish population. The founding of the State of Israel led to a fierce battle with the surrounding Arab countries. The young State of Israel got engaged in various wars. Even today the inhabitants of Israel are living under the threat of terror and violence.n

Prayer points for Israelv

nGod calls us in the Bible to support Israel and its people with prayer. We can pray for example for:n

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• The inhabitants of southern Israel, who live in the frontline of terror movement Hamas, and the inhabitants of northern Israel, who live under the threat of Hezbollah

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• The survivors of the extermination camps, who expected to finally find rest in Israel after the horrors of the Holocaust

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• The Holocaust survivors still living outside of Israel, often in extreme poverty in Eastern Europe

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• All other Jews who have not returned yet to Israel. More and more they are facing antisemitism

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• The thousands of Israeli living in poverty

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• The realization of the people of Israel that the Lord is their God, the God of Israel

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• The political leaders of Israel, that they may do what is good for the Jewish land and the people, and for the Arabic inhabitants of the state.

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