1. Praise: This Shabbat's Torah portion is Numbers 30:2-36:13. At least eight times in this section we read of Moses telling the children of Israel that the land they are about to enter was given to them by the God of their fathers, the One who released them from Egyptian bondage.

    • Lord, we bless You for being so precise about the destiny of Your land (Lev. 25:23).

    • To think that we are the generation seeing Israel being restored is beyond words (Zech. 8:3-6).

    • Praise YHWH: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; it is delightful, and praise is comely. YHWH builds up Jerusalem: He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.Psa. 147:1-2

    • Thank You for bringing us into Your kingdom at this time (Col. 1:13; 1 Thess. 2:12).

    • We exalt You and declare that You reign over all (Psa. 22:28; 135:6).

    • Praise You for Your Word which gives us light, and truth and guidance in these days (Prov. 6:23).

    • All scripture [for Paul when he wrote this – the Old Testament] is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.2 Tim. 3:16-17

  2. Government: This Shabbat's prophetic portion gives us hope as we recall we often asked God for a government through which He can be glorified. As of now, the current Israeli government seems to be far from an answer to our prayers, yet with God all things are possible (Luke 18:27).

    • Lord, it is somewhat discouraging to see this dysfunctional government after all our intercession. Help us and guide us to continue to pray and not to faint (Luke 18:1).

    • We do ask You to make this a government through which You can be glorified (Psa. 115:1-3).

    • The last verses of Shabbat's prophetic portion are these: I will turn My hand on you, purely purge away your dross, and take away all your impurities. I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. After, you shall be called, 'The city of righteousness, the faithful city.' Zion shall be redeemed with justice and her converts [repentant or returnees] with righteousness. (Isa. 1:25-27)

    • God, please continue to purge out of the government all the dross and impurities (Mal. 3:3).

    • Turn government ministers' hearts to Your will and to be open for Your guidance (Prov. 16:1, 9).

    • Anoint and use PM Bibi Netanyahu until Your time for him to retire has come (Psa. 31:15).

    • Take from him all discouragement and frustration and guide him in Your priorities (Psa. 23:3).

    • Replace a spirit of confusion in Bibi and many other ministers, with wisdom, courage and insight from on high (Prov. 2:6: 21:30).

    • Abba, You use the weak and foolish for Your glory. Demonstrate that openly with Israel's current government (1 Cor. 1:25-29).

    • Have abundant mercy on the Israeli people and turn this chaos into light and good (Gen. 1:2-4).

    • Use this time to turn Israelis away from trusting in man, but looking to You instead (Psa. 62:8-9).

  3. Coronavirus: Israel now has a "corona czar" to oversee its war against this virus – Ronni Gamzu. A former Health Ministry Director-General, Gamzu is now the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center CEO. Hopefully, and for this we must pray, this appointment will diminish the way-too-many voices and over-the-top disagreements that have Israel trapped in confusion and frustration.

    • Lord, as intercessors who believe in Messiah Yeshua, we stand between the living and the dead in prayer and ask for You to stop this plague in Israel (Num. 16:48; 2 Pet. 2:9).

    • Abba, there are way too many opinions – even for Israelis! Anoint one voice that will be able to speak truth and clarity into this very perplexing situation (Psa. 71:9; 1 Cor. 14:33).

    • Enable Gamzu to see the whole picture (1 Chr. 12:32).

    • Help him to make decisions based on facts and not on politics (Psa. 15:2; 3 John 1:4).

    • Surround him with wise and discerning counselors, and remove all who are not (Prov. 15:22).

    • Give Gamzu a solid working relationship with Bibi and Health Minister Edelstein (Eccl. 4:12),

    • In all discussions, weaken man's opinions and strengthen Your influence (John 3:30).

    • Show Netanyahu that he has to release to others both the responsibility and the authority to deal with this virus crisis and any other areas which he should not be overly involved with (Ex. 18:13-24).

    • As many Israelis are very frustrated, depressed, and some even suicidal, Lord Yeshua we ask You to lead them to Yourself, the Rock of Israel that provides for them a safe haven (Psa. 61:1-2).

    • Raise up all the help that Israeli medical professionals need at this time (1 Sam. 7:12; 1 Chr. 12:21).

    • Enable nurses and doctors to get sufficient rest for themselves and to avoid making costly mistakes.

    • Use all believers in the medical fields to be a source of encouragement and a provoker of jealousy for both their co-workers and their patients (Psa. 9:9-10; 40:3; Rom. 11:14).

  4. Society: This is a very difficult time as Israeli society is beginning to experience civil strife.

    • God, convict Israelis that demonstrating is fine, but rioting is not (Acts 19:24).

    • During Israel's current hot weather spell, pour out Your grace to drench the fires of frustration and rage that empower these riots (Psa. 37:3-8).

    • Remind all Israelis that to love your neighbor as you love yourself is from Torah (Lev. 19:18b).

    • Provide for those truly desperate demonstrators what they really need – finances, jobs, houses, etc.

    • Expose the professional agitators who stir up the crowd to do things unlawful (Num. 16:1-3).

    • Forbid that "hatred without a cause" take over this nation again as in 70 AD (Psa. 109:3).

    • Give wisdom, patience and empathy to the security forces in dealing with the demonstrators. A soft answer turns away wrath: but hard words stir up anger. (Prov. 15:1)

    • Lord, please guard Netanyahu and his family from the very real threats on their lives (Psa. 3:1-3).

    • Alert his security detail to spot and stop any attempts to assassinate him (2 Kin. 11:8).

    • Lord, we ask You to hasten the time when we see old people walking and children playing in the streets of Jerusalem again – being able to hug one another and without needing masks (Zech. 8:4-5) .

  5. Economy: The collapse of major areas of Israeli economy adds to society's struggle. Industries like tourism, restaurants, entertainment centers, etc., are being hit very hard.

    • Lord, You made many wonderful promises to bless this nation and its economy during its time of restoration. Please watch over those words today (Jer. 32:41-44; Ezek. 36:8-12; Amos 9:13-15).

    • Unless it is Your will for new elections, let a budget be passed quickly (Prov. 16:1, 9).

    • Give the corona czar insight to balance the needs of health and economic well-being (1 Chr. 12:32).

    • Guide all Israelis who need to move into new professions because of this global crisis (Psa. 32:8).

    • Provide for Holocaust survivors, poor Ethiopians and poor Messianic believers, folks in the tourism and restaurant industries, small business owners, and all those recently unemployed (Neh. 9:31).

    • Give Israel's financial leaders wisdom to know how to deal with China (Deut. 11:16; 2 Tim. 3:13).

    • Defend Israel against all anti-God, antichrist global economic solutions that are being presented to the world at this time (Num. 23:9; Zech. 9:8).

    • Speak to wealthy Israelis that now is the time to invest of their blessings in society (Deut. 15:7).

    • Speak to wealthy Christians in the nations – reminding them that all they have is Yours, and that there is a biblical obligation they have to help the Jews at this time (Hag. 2:8; Isa. 60:3-12).

  6. Reunification: This is another area of much prayer where we are seeing no real progress on the ground. This does not mean that our intercessions were wasted as all prayers that are in line with His will He hears and answers – in His timing and in His way (1 John 5:14-15).

    • Lord, we know the restoration of all the land promised to the Jewish people is Your will (Neh. 9:8).

    • Therefore guide us in prayer as the reunification in line with the January Trump plan has basically been swept off the current Israeli government's table – but not off Your table (Num. 23:19).

    • Use the frustration of the almost half a million Israelis who live in these areas to press on and build in Judea and Samaria – and not to be torn up (Jer. 32:41; Amos 9:15)

    • Do not allow all the very serious issues that Israelis are daily faced with to quench the desire to see Your land and Your people be reunified – especially as You are zealous for this (Joel 2:18; Zech. 8:2).

    • When it happens, may You to receive the glory – not Donald or Bibi or anyone else (Psa. 115:1-3).

  7. Security – Iran: As Iran sees many of its military and industrial complexes exploding there are a few paths it could take. The best would be to give up its nuclear program and pour the money wasted on that into the people. Another more likely scenario considering Iran's current radical Shi'ite leadership is to lash out at its enemies, Israel, America and the Arab States that resist it.

    • Lord, the media is again spreading reports that Israel is behind these attacks, whether true or not. Make Israel ready to defend itself completely in the face of all Iranian attacks (Isa. 41:15-16).

    • Abba, we know that ultimately this is You answering our prayers to shake the wicked Iranian regime out of office – and we thank You for this shaking (Jer. 49:35-38).

    • We pray for the Church in Iran to already be praying for their next leaders (1 Tim. 2:1-4).

    • Use all the disasters that are hitting Iran at this time to cut off its financial and spiritual support for its proxies in the Middle East, like Hizbullah in Lebanon and terrorists groups in Gaza (Psa. 83:1-18).

    • Continue to give Israel all the intelligence information it needs to pre-empt or defend itself against this Shi'ite Islamic nation which constantly threatens to destroy the Jewish State (Mic. 4:11-13).

    • Protect Israel from misinformation and disinformation (John 8:32).

    • Send misinformation and disinformation to the intelligence services of the Zion haters (Psa. 129:5)

    • Anoint the IDF's new Iran Command section (Psa. 33:16-17).

    • Provide a shield of protection against the Covid-19 to all those in the IDF (Psa. 91:1-4).

    • Thank You that there have been no successful kidnappings recently (Psa. 121:4).

    • Give wisdom to the IDF as to where to distribute its troops and equipment (Prov. 21:31).

    • Thank You for the supernatural protection and effectiveness You give to the Israeli Air Force.

    • Reinforce the angelic wall of protection that we have asked for on Israel's northern and north-eastern borders (Mal.1:5).

    • Either break the newly formed China-Iran 25 year joint plan or use it to draw the Chinese leaders into a trap of Your making (Prov. 11:21a; Eccl. 10:8) .

    • Let Israel rethink its relations with China in the face of this Iran-China deal (Isa. 30:13; 31:1-3).

  8. Aliyah: Immigrating to Israel at this time has its own special stones of stumbling that need to be removed. Coming home – especially from the West – is hard at the best of times. But with Israel in the corona war and the reunification battle and all the other threats against it, it takes a dedicated person to return to Israel today. Yet, thank God, reliable reports say there are hundreds of thousands of Jews who want to do just that.

    • As this is for Your holy name's sake we boldly ask You for a huge number of Jews to return to live in their ancient borders (Jer. 31:17, 21).

    • May all Your hunters be effective in shocking all comatose Jews in captivity to their precarious life-threatening situation (Jer. 16:16).

    • Place the spirit of Psalm 137:4-6 in the hearts of all Jews who are not interested in coming home.

    • Make all stumbling stones crumble from the path of Your people – in exile and in Israel (Isa. 62:10).

    • Prepare the Jews in exile whom You are speaking to about returning at this time (Jer. 51:10).

    • Prepare also the nation of Israel to be ready to receive and absorb them successfully (Isa. 27:6).

    • Today the wide open doors of coming to Israel have been reduced tremendously. Let the Jews in exile realize that they could be stuck there for the rest of their lives (Num. 14:22-23).

    • Awaken the Church to be ready and willing to help the Jews return with the Church's resources and expertise and to be ready to even help carry them home physically (Isa. 49:22).

    • As rabbis in exile read this Shabbat's Torah potion, convict them that the "diaspora" – the exile – was never meant to be the final resting place of the Jews, but if they do not speak up and encourage their people to make aliyah, it very well could be (Ezek. 39:29).

  9. The Israeli Body of Messiah.

    • Lord Yeshua, during this time of Zoom meetings and social distancing and masks, we ask You to continue building your Body in Israel (Matt. 16:18).

    • May Your divine wisdom descend on all elders to know how to feed their flocks (Acts 20:28).

    • Also, give them wisdom to know how to encourage their flocks to feed themselves (Jer. 15:16).

    • Protect Your Body from being infected by Covid-19 – yet remove all fear of it from us (Prov. 3:7-8).

    • God has not given us the spirit of fear – but of power, love, and a sound mind.2 Tim. 1:7

    • For those discouraged, encourage them to put on a garment of praise instead (Isa. 61:3).

    • Quicken all Your sheep to hear Your voice and to know what to do and what not to do (John 10:27).

    • During this season take the Body – in Israel and the rest of the world – from all that is superfluous and build us as a house of Your Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16).

Shabbat shalom

May He who created heaven and earth bless you out of Zion (Psa. 134:3)

For the IFI team