“Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem” — Mission Forgotten

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We have a few brief hours to embrace an aspect of our mission that I think we’ve largely forgotten, namely, praying for the peace of Jerusalem. What does it mean to pray for the peace of Jerusalem? Jerusalem will never have peace until they recognize the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Some we can reach now, in which case they become a member of the Church. Some will not believe until it’s the last hope in a very, very dark, and painful world after the rapture of the Church. Let’s make sure that we have uttered a prayer for that nation. They are surrounded by enemies. They are facing from a human point of view, certain annihilation. You know, Henry Kissinger said in ten years there will be no nation of Israel. That’s the best joke I’ve heard in a long, long time. They will never be driven out. So how can you know? I’m asked this question all the time. How can you know? How can you know that they won’t be driven out and scattered again and things that go on for a thousand years? Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is they’re there to stay. The bad news is you don’t have another thousand years. We’d like to think that we do. But we are are at the conclusion of our short paragraph in history.

Check out Isaiah 11:11. The prophet foresaw that there would be two dispersions and two returns, and “after the second time” God will re-gather them and then will return. And, folks, it has happened! And He’s coming. Israel is not going to be driven out, but it’s going to be painful in the extreme. A third of those who survive into that time are going to believe (Zechariah 13:8).

We have a mission mandate, and that mandate is to all the nations of the world. But I do believe that there is a specific focus of that mandate and that that aspect of the mandate is with special attention to the children of Israel. Israel is a burning passion in the heart of the impossible and should be to you and me. You remember that Paul in Colossians 1:24 that it was his pleasure “to suffer on their behalf because he was filling up that which was lacking in the sufferings of Christ.” Paul saw very clearly that it was his responsibility as a member of the Body of Christ to continue what His Lord had begun, what Christ came to do. That’s what Paul was here for, and what Christ died for. That was what Paul was willing to die for and therefore to carry on Christ’s ministry. And Paul, in Romans 10:1, we see how he makes this a little bit more specific. “ Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.”

You know, my friends, the Bible commands us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” comes from Psalm 122. What does it mean to pray for the peace of Jerusalem? When you and I pray for the peace of Jerusalem, there will be no peace in Jerusalem until Jerusalem and Israel receives the prince of peace. And therefore, we pray for the opening of their eyes. Have you ever thought that a prayer that you utter today could impact the soul of someone who will live in the next dispensation? A thousand years before Christ, David prayed for us in the Psalm 102. This is similar to when Paul says, “My heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.” Don’t you think, Paul, being doctrinally accurate and having the mystery of a new creation revealed to him would just say, “Who cares about them?” And “we’re done with them.” “We’ve moved on to new ground.” A thousand years before Christ came, there was someone praying for you.

David, by the way, often praise as an expression of the trials of Messiah when He would come. I like the way Dietrich Bonhoeffer puts it. He said, “When you read the prayers of David, you are reading the prayers of Messiah, because the prayers that David prayed, Messiah prayed when he was here.” Interesting thought, isn’t it? Psalm 102 is picturing the whole history of the nation of Israel, which is summarized in brief in Revelation Chapter 12, which tells us that “the woman will conceive and bear a child,” and because of that child that she brings, she “will be driven into the wilderness.” The hatred against the nation of Israel that existed in David’s day and the hatred that existed against Israel in the time of Nazi Germany, and that exists today comes from the same source. It’s satanic in origin because Satan still knows that God’s plan for those people is not done. And so Satan stalks to the woman who is in travail. Psalm 102 says in part, “But you all Lord shall endure forever, And the remembrance of your name to all generations. You will arise and have mercy on Zion for the time to savor her. Yes, the time that was set has come.” What time is he talking about? Jesus Christ’s Second Advent, right? The Psalmist continues, “Your glory for the Lord shall build up Zion. He shall appear in His glory. He will regard the prayer of the afflicted. He will not despise their prayer.” Did you get the message that he just said this that is promised is going to happen? “He will not despise their prayer.”

Now, get this, because here is the kicker in Psalm 102:18, “This will be written for a generation to come. There are people yet to be created, may praise the Lord.” Do you see the church there? He’s not just talking about the next generation of Jews. He’s not just talking about another generation. He’s talking about a new people. Generation is often used for race that are race yet to come of people yet to be created. I believe that David here anticipated, and maybe because of something He saw in the writing of Moses, Moses knew there was more to be revealed, but he knew that it was not for the children of Israel, it was for someone else. David knew that the things he wrote would be an encouragement and a strength to a people who did not yet exist. He didn’t know who they were. He didn’t know what they would be called. The idea of church never entered his mind. The concept of being in Christ was beyond his ability to comprehend. Although I would say that of all the prophets of the Old Testament, no one came as close to church age truth as did David in the Psalms. The Psalms are timeless and express the prayers of Christ. I would even be willing to bet that the Lord Jesus Christ had the entire Psalms memorized and uttered each of them at their proper place throughout the time of his pilgrimage on this earth may be continues to pray them. Who knows? He intercedes in our behalf. If David had a concern for a people that would not yet be created, how much concern can you and I have for a people who preceded us?

If the last are going to be first, how great will they be? Paul asked the question in Romans 11 If their casting off is the salvation of the world, what will their reception be but a resurrection from the dead? It’s going to be something amazing. Pray for the opening of their eyes. Our nation is no longer a friend to Israel as we have been. But somewhere there has to be a people that will not only pray for that nation and speak out for that nation, but if necessary, shelter that nation. Those Christians who fought in the resistance for the sake of the Jewish people, they did what the church is supposed to do. And through their dedication and devotion, many, many people of the Jewish nation have come to Christ. Many people will yet come to Christ. How many will come to Christ because you played your part?

Let’s pray that you and I can play the part through our prayers. Stand up for them, be their advocate, be their defender, and above all, be their intercessor. It will make a difference. The priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. See the previous video “I will bless those who bless you – Mission Forgotten” for more detail.

Gene Cunningham - January 28, 2003

Hebrews 06

Five warning sections in Hebrews, each are more severe, five is the number of grace. Heb 1:10-12, Psa 104:4 Joh 1:3 Col 1:16 without Jesus, nothing was made Anyone who things Jesus was a created being, read Joh 1:1-51, Col 1:1-29, and Heb 1:1-14 Psa 45:6-7 we are included in this citation, we must keep quotes in the context they were taken from Psa 45:1-17 the writer of Hebrews knows this Psalm is talking about the Messiah. Queen in psa 45:9 is the bride of Christ. Eph 5:6-7, Rev 19:6-9, Rev 21:2 we will be adorned with the acts we do in faith now Friends of the Bridegroom are Old Testament believers. Friends of the Bride are tribulation believers. Eph 2:7 Jesus received anointing after His resurrection. There are three anointings of Jesus: anointing of Jesus as a prophet isa 61:2, anointed as a priest psa 45:6-7, anointing as King psa 2:2, psa 92:10, psa 110:4 In the receiving of a crown, a crown follows anointing 6th superiority of Jesus to the angels: psa 102:25-27 He is superior to the angels because He is unchangeable. Job 38:4-7 Jesus is the foundation, He is the cornerstone. Physical and spiritual 1co 3:10-11, 1pe 2:6, col 1:17 He laid the heavens by the works of His hands. Isa 40:12 span of His hand, the entire creation. Salvation is the work of His arm, salvation is a greater work than creation isa 51:5, isa 52:10, isa 53:1, isa 59:16 If you are a Christian, and you have no burden for the souls of other people to come to know Christ, then you are apostate. His Spirit is not allowed to work in you because of your hardness of heart. We have great responsibility with the Grace He’s given us. 7th superiority of Jesus to the angels Heb 1:13, Psa 110:1, joh 19:30 it is finished, victory cry Heb 10:10-14 Jesus’ work was done so He sat down. Three postures in Ephesians: Eph 1:23, Eph 2:1-22, Eph 3:1-21 seated with Christ Eph 4:1-32, Eph 5:1-33 walking in the Light Eph 6:1-24 stand firm. Unless you learn to sit and rest in the complete work of Christ you’ll never be able to walk or stand firm. Our work is only of value when it comes from a posture of rest because of Christ’s finished work on our behalf. Heb 2:1 “Therefore” connects these chapters, and it ties into the first warning section. Heb 2:1-4 The danger is to those who received this letter and for us now too, the current day is the great apostasy, experience driven spirituality. It is demonism. Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witness is the Gnosticism of Col 2:8-23 If you are a child of God and you have an attitude of apathy, this passage is warning you that judgment is coming. The danger is casting of your anchor. Heb 6:19-20 Cling to the anchor and you are secure. Hope is assurance, it enters into the veil. The only anchor that works is on you can’t see, it has to go where you cannot see. Our anchor goes above; if our biblical assurance is connected to Jesus then there is nothing that can distract us. The need to give heed: Heb 2:1 dei-spiritual necessity required by the nature of things. It is of upmost importance that we give more attention to the things we’ve heard, to keep them in front of us wherever we go, to the extreme measure. Jesus is out of the reach of the enemy, but we are not, which is why we must cling to our anchor. Lest we drift, this is a daily threat. We can drift away at any moment. 2co 11:25, act 27:9-44 greater grace means greater accountability Heb 2:2-3. If is the lesser, then is the greater. Transgression- a voluntary stepping over the line, and disobedience- hearing and disobeying. Five times in four verses “we” refers to the heirs of salvation. This is a message to believers. Old Testament believers did not escape divine justice, there’s no way we ever could. Do not turn your back on the Word. Where we stand is dependent on where we stand in relation to Christ and if we’ve set aside or neglected the Word. Great Salvation: personally proclaimed by Christ who bought it, confirmed by the apostles who directly heard Jesus, given divine testimony by apostolic miracles. Apostolic miracles are a thing of the past. Heb 12:25 Jesus is speaking to you, do not refuse Him. The only security and hope is in God’s Word? The only way to escape is to not neglect what we’ve heard 1ti 1:18-20 These names were teachers of the word. Our record is kept of our conduct in heaven. The Christian life is a campaign-intense conflict over a long amount of time, just a few victories does not mean the whole life was victorious. You must choose this. We must recognize the terrible end of apathy to the word of God-spiritual shipwreck. You come through with just your life 1co 3:11-15 Constantly pushing away from us that which can stabilize us, the Word of God. We must hold two things to ourselves, clutch to ourselves, hold fast to the faith (which is delivered to us in the Word of God), and hold fast to a pure conscience (good of a divine kind, a conscience cleansed by forgiveness, through living in fellowship with Christ, to confess our sins and enter into His Light 1jo 1:9, 1jo 1:7) Heresy to ignore self-examination and confession. You need to find your spiritual gift so you know what you’re to do while you’re on this earth. It’s the treasure He gave you. The darkling thrush poem by Thomas Hardy: I leant upon a coppice gate When Frost was spectre-gray, And Winter's dregs made desolate The weakening eye of day. The tangled bine-stems scored the sky Like strings of broken lyres, And all mankind that haunted nigh Had sought their household fires. The land's sharp features seemed to be The Century's corpse outleant, His crypt the cloudy canopy, The wind his death-lament. The ancient pulse of germ and birth Was shrunken hard and dry, And every spirit upon earth Seemed fervourless as I. At once a voice arose among The bleak twigs overhead In a full-hearted evensong Of joy illimited; An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small, In blast-beruffled plume, Had chosen thus to fling his soul Upon the growing gloom. So little cause for carolings Of such ecstatic sound Was written on terrestrial things Afar or nigh around, That I could think there trembled through His happy good-night air Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew And I was unaware. We need to let the world know about Him. Our blessed hope.

Scripture References: Psalms 102:25-27, Hebrews 2:1-4, Hebrews 1:1-14, Isaiah 53:1, Hebrews 12:25, Revelation 21:2, Ephesians 1:23, Psalms 110:4, Hebrews 2:1, Colossians 1:1-29, Isaiah 52:10, Hebrews 2:2-3, Revelation 19:6-9, Hebrews 10:10-14, Psalms 92:10, Ephesians 6:1-24, John 1:1-51, Isaiah 51:5, Acts 27:9-44, Ephesians 5:6-7, John 19:30, Psalms 2:2, Ephesians 5:1-33, Colossians 1:16, Isaiah 40:12, Hebrews 2:1, Psalms 45:9, Psalms 110:1, Psalms 45:6-7, Ephesians 4:1-32, John 1:3, Colossians 1:17, Hebrews 6:19-20, Psalms 45:1-17, Hebrews 1:13, Isaiah 61:2, Ephesians 3:1-21, Psalms 104:4, Job 38:4-7, Colossians 2:8-23, Psalms 45:6-7, Isaiah 59:16, John 1:7, Ephesians 2:7, Ephesians 2:1-22, Hebrews 1:10-12