Urgent call for prayer concerning Iran & Israeli-Palestinian conflict

A call to prayer from Rev. David Pileggi, rector of Christ Church Jerusalem, as posted on Facebook.

Dear Praying Friends,

Always crying wolf?Perhaps many of you are accustomed to receiving prayer alerts from Israel telling you the situation is dire. We have been cautious about being alarmist, but in a Prayer Line a few months ago we noted that the tension between Israel and Iran is escalating and war is on the horizon. As of Sunday night there is no doubt. Israel bombed military targets in Syria, including a weapons depot, killing a number of Iranian personnel. The massive explosion registered 2.6 on the Richter scale.

In addition to the situation with Syria in the north, there is the simmering Israeli-Palestinian conflict. May 14th marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of Israel (celebrated in Israel according to the Hebrew calendar several weeks ago). May 14th is also the date that the U.S is moving its embassy to Jerusalem. The Palestinians have promised to commemorate this date (called the Nakba or disaster) with marches and protests that inevitability will turn violent.

Tensions were further heightened Monday evening when Netanyahu addressed the world with the revelation that Israel has come into possession of Iran’s huge nuclear archive. The intelligence coup shows that Iran continues (and never intended to stop) the development of nuclear weapons despite signing a 2015 international agreement to the contrary. Given Iran’s demonic hatred of Israel and its long declared goal of wiping the Jewish State off the map, this revelation is another step towards war. Such a war will likely not be confined to Israel and Iran but will draw in surrounding countries, and perhaps include the United States and Russia.

Crying wolf? No, the situation is volatile. Please pray.

Prayer Points

• Pray for a radical change in the Iranian leadership.
• Pray for an end to the suffering of the Syrian people and that Iran will move its forces out of Syria.
• Pray that the international community will have the resolve to stop Iran from becoming an armed nuclear power.
• Pray that more and more Iranians will come to know Jesus as Messiah.
• Pray that May 14th will be quiet in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. Pray that there will be no bloodshed, especially in Gaza.
• Pray for reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.
• Pray for the continuing efforts and witness of Christ Church as God gives us the opportunity to lift up the Prince of Peace in the midst of troubles.
• Pray for one small Christ Church effort – our Spring Fair this coming Saturday which enables us to build relationships with our Jewish and Arab neighbors.

We would like to thank all of you who prayed for and supported At the Crossroads Conference in March. Delegates came from Israel, the Palestinian territories, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon. It was a rewarding time for all of us as your prayers were answered. The Lord provided the visas, the finances and His Presence in abundance. Peace in the Middle East is indeed possible when Jesus is in the center.

Shalom!