“Why are the nations in an uproar
And the peoples devising a vain thing?
The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
‘Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!'”
Psalm 2:1-3
Nations forming coalitions against Israel is nothing new. Since Biblical times, Satan has stirred up the hearts of men in hatred towards the Jewish people.
Those who come against Israel may feel they are doing what is right, but they are partaking in an age-old tradition of antisemitic hatred towards God’s chosen people. And they are working against His plans.
President Erdogan revealed that the coalition of Islamist nations who seek Israel’s destruction is something we must be concerned about. Hamas has moved its headquarters from Qatar to Turkey, and so Hamas leaders are being shielded from Israel by a NATO nation. Erdogan is calling on all Islamic nations to cut trade with Israel, and he has repeatedly called for Islam to unite against Israel militarily.
“Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
Worship the Lord with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.”
Psalm 2:10-11
Both of this week’s Scriptures come from Psalm 2, and the warning to judges and kings to have sound judgment shows that these decrees against Israel are nothing new.
This week we have seen a corrupt International Criminal Court (ICC), which has no jurisdiction over Israel, enact a judgment against Israel and issue arrest warrants for Israel’s leaders. Likewise, we have seen nations’ leaders (‘O kings’) show a troubling lack of discernment in their response to that judgement.
For many politicians, the term ‘international law’ is viewed as a holy text that must be obeyed without question. International law is fallible, just as the people who wrote it are fallible.
With these things in mind, here are the prayer points for this week:
- Pray for Israel’s leaders as they are under attack politically in this way. Pray for wisdom in dealing with these international disputes and that they will seek God as they handle their responsibilities.
- Pray that Israel’s allies will not turn their backs on Israel, but will instead stand up against the corrupt systems of this world that seek to harm the people and place God has blessed. International bodies are being utilised to undermine Israel, but also Christianity and the Bible are under threat from the ungodly decrees.
- Pray that the anti-Israel and ungodly resolutions of the United Nations and the biased rulings of the International Criminal Court will come to nothing.
- Pray that God will soften President Erdogan’s heart to the Jewish people. Pray that any coalition of Islamic nations that seeks the destruction of Israel will be thwarted by the hand of Almighty God.
- Pray that the Church will understand the times we live in. Pray they will stand up to defend the Bible and speak out for the truth. Pray that Christians throughout the world will discern these news headlines and come to the realisation that Israel is at the very heart of Bible prophecy.
