Shalom.
Some nations seek peace; some nations seek war.
The Bible says that there will be wars and rumours of wars. But the nations will only experience peace – true peace – when there is peace in Jerusalem.
The nations will only experience prosperity – true prosperity when they desire to bless Jerusalem.
The Bible speaks about the peace of Jerusalem in Psalm 122:6–7:
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
Prosperity within your palaces.”
Isaiah 66 tells those who mourn for Jerusalem to also rejoice with Jerusalem. Those who today weep over Jerusalem will one day rejoice with her when peace comes to Zion. Isaiah 66:12–13 states:
For thus says the Lord:
“Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream.
Then you shall feed;
On her sides shall you be carried,
And be dandled on her knees.
As one whom his mother comforts,
So I will comfort you;
And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”
Zechariah 9:9–10 speaks of when Messiah will reign from Jerusalem. He will “speak peace to the nations” and “His dominion (His ruling realm) shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.” To adopt a phrase used to delegitimise Israel, it will be “from the river to the sea’ and beyond to the ends of the earth.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
And the horse from Jerusalem;
The battle bow shall be cut off.
He shall speak peace to the nations;
His dominion shall be from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.”
Speaking also of the Messianic age, Isaiah 52:7 says that He will proclaim peace, He will proclaim salvation, and He will proclaim to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
How beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
The common theme here is that Jerusalem is designed for peace; destined for peace, and the place where peace will be proclaimed to the ends of the earth. It is and always will be the capital of the Jewish people and the centrepiece of hope for the Gentiles. True peace will come when Messiah reigns, but until that time we must pray that Jerusalem and all who dwell within it will experience the blessing for peace – even if it is a foreshadow. Jerusalem was not designed to be divided; it is not destined to remain a ‘cup of drunkenness’ or ‘heavy stone’ indefinitely. It is not the place from which a Palestinian state is to be proclaimed. Yet, that is what Hamas has called for. By recognising a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, the nations will be waging war against Jerusalem’s peace; it will be rewarding antisemitic terror; it will be dividing the land; and it will be going against the Bible. It would be in direct conflict of God’s glorious purpose for the City that has His name inscribed on it.
As we pray for Israel and the Jewish people, let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem and that the Gentile nations will wake up to realise that dividing the Land is incompatible with the peace that Israel and the world is hoping for.
Shalom.
