An Esther Fast For Israel During Purim
"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esth 4:14)
The Battle For Jerusalem and the Return of Jesus
The Bible commands us, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: 'May those who love you be secure.' " (Ps 122:6) We know that it is to Jerusalem that Jesus will return to establish His kingdom of peace over all the earth. When Jerusalem has peace, the world will know peace.
Jesus predicted that Jerusalem would be destroyed and that Gentiles would occupy the city and the Jewish people would be dispersed to the nations. But He also prophesied that the Jewish people would return again to Jerusalem at the end of this age and welcome Him back as their Messiah. "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." (Lk 21:24) "For I tell you [Jerusalem], you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.' " (Mt 23:39)
For two thousand years the Jewish people have prayed every day facing Jerusalem longing to return to their beloved city. In our time we have witnessed how they have come back to Jerusalem again just like Jesus promised that they would. After 1967 when Jerusalem was reunited again under Jewish rule, the Messianic Jewish movement was born and literally hundreds of thousands of Jews have accepted Yeshua their Messiah. We are living on the threshold to the kingdom of God appearing in the earth.
Satan is very afraid for what is happening as this will mean the end of his influence as "the god of this age." Yasser Arafat said in a speech in Gaza on October 27, 2001,
"The Palestinian convoy has turned towards the place that Muslims first faced in prayer, and the third holiest city after Mecca and Medina, the place where the Prophet Muhammad held his night journey and the cradle of our Lord Jesus - holy Jerusalem, the capital of the Palestinian state, the capital of Palestine, and whoever doesn't like this can drink from the sea off Gaza.
They asked the Prophet [Mohammed]: Who are these people and where are they? He answered: In and around Jerusalem. They are in a defensive holy war until Judgment Day and every fallen of theirs is worth 70 fallen.
"This is the graciousness that God has granted us. We are in a holy defensive war until Judgment Day. Dear brothers! Together, shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand, step by step, out of faith and determination, we will, God willing, merit that a Palestinian boy or girl will plant our flag atop the walls of Jerusalem, atop its mosques, and this flag will be seen atop the churches of Jerusalem." (Communicated by Israeli Minister Tzipi Livni's Office, October 27, 2001)
The so-called "Road Map" to peace in the Middle East is built on a peace initiative from Saudi Arabia that will fulfill Islam's vision for Jerusalem in contradiction to God's plans. The Old City of Jerusalem will become a Muslim dominated city without any Jews or synagogues. It is Satan's plan to prevent the return of Jesus!
Satan Has Risen up against America
The Bible clearly declares, "And it will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured." (Zech 12:3 NASB) No one can go against God's plan for Jerusalem and get away with it!
In 1 Chr. 21:1 it says, "Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel." Satan knew that if he could get David to sin, by taking a census of Israel, God would be forced to bring judgment over Israel.
Satan hates the United States of America for several reasons, but one of the main reasons is that from 1948 and on USA has been Israel's main defender and supporter. God has blessed the United States because of its support for Israel and Satan hates it. His goal is to "weaken the nations." (Isa 14:12) He wants to destroy America.
The Road Map is Satan's attempt to bring God's judgment on America. Through evil advice from the US State Department and an unholy alliance with Saudi Arabia, "Haman" that has managed to get President Bush to sign the Road Map that will bring about destruction for Israel and the Jewish people. The Church must act like Esther now and fast and pray for Haman's advice, The Road Map, to be reversed!
Esther is the only book in the Bible that does not mention God. Yet it is part of the sacred Scriptures. Without Esther Jesus could not have been born. What is happening right now in the Middle East and the road map is not just politics. It has everything to do with God. The church must act like Esther and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Prayer Points
