1. Praise:

    During Sukkot [the feast of Tabernacles/Booths], we recall God's gracious provision for a rebellious Israel during their 40 years of wilderness wanderings. The time in the wilderness was not God's perfect will – yet celebrating Sukkot is – remembering the first year after leaving Egypt when Israel lived in sukkot. Yet although they were being disciplined by God because of not believing in Him and entering the Promised Land, He, as a Father, still provided for all of their needs. This is a huge encouragement to us; when we come under His discipline as children. He still provides for us.

    • Thank You for affirming how vital "grace" is in Shabbat's Torah portion as when Moses pleads with You to go with Israel instead of sending an angel, "grace" is the foundation of his plea (Ex. 33:12-19).

    • We bless You for the comfort and hope You give us when we see that You are always a God of grace and mercy – even with Moses on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 34:6-7).

    • We praise you for drawing us by Your love and grace – both before and after salvation (Jer. 31:3).

    • As we read how You remained with Israel all during the wilderness, we bless You for Your patience with us, as well as with Your nation of Israel today (Rom. 15:5).

    • During Sukkot You commanded Israel to rejoice (Lev. 23:40b). We thank You for also reminding us that we too are to rejoice in the Lord Yeshua always (Phil. 3:1; 4:4).

    • How faithful You are that while it has been about 4,000 years since You called Abram to obey You and enter the land, Your promise to him and his seed are still being fulfilled today (Gen. 12:1-3).

  2. Aliyah:

    Many Jews in exile celebrating Sukkot do not see that they are still in the wilderness, yet, just like in biblical days, it is God's perfect will for them to enter in and conquer the land.

    • Lord, there are still many giants in Your land, yet encourage Your people with the spirit of Joshua and Caleb, and bring them home to take all of the land for Your holy name's sake (Num. 14:6-9).

    • With as much mercy as possible, continue to make life in exile more difficult and chaotic – so that we can see all of Your will being done on earth (Luke 11:2) – including the aliyah (Isa. 43:5-7)!

    • As they sit in the sukkah, show them how vain life is without obeying You (Eccl. 1:2-3; 12:13-14).

    • Lord, for all Jews living among the gentiles who are afraid to openly show who they are, let them realize that this is not an issue in Your land and among Your people (Zech. 8:4-8).

    • Remove the fear of coming home, or make it a lesser fear than remaining in exile (Jer. 50:4-5).

    • Remove all blockages which coronavirus has put in the path of Your people's return (Isa. 62:10).

    • Bring large families of several generations to make aliyah together (Jer. 31:8-9).

    • For the thousands of Jews who normally come up to the land during this season and are not able to – clarify in their hearts and minds that it is better to be stuck in Israel than in exile (Jer. 30:10-11).

    • Make all Israelis living outside of the land very homesick during this season (Psa. 137:5-6).

    • As You did for Israel in the wilderness so do with all new immigrants and continually supply all of their needs (Deut. 29:5; Neh. 9:21).

    • Lord God, also abundantly supply the needs of every organization – Jewish and Christian – which is encouraging aliyah and helping the new immigrants to be settled in the land (Ex. 36:4-7).

    • Move on wealthy Jews and Christians to donate heavily towards aliyah (Ezra 1:3-4; Isa. 60:4-11).

    • Lord Yeshua, enlighten the members of Your Body to see that the regathering of the Jewish people and the restoration of the land is a fulfillment of Your prophetic Word (Psa. 147:2; 2 Pet. 1:19).

  3. Salvation:

    We bless God for every Jew who has met Messiah Yeshua while in exile, yet when all Israel is saved as a nation, it occurs in the land. There are also many promises to the Jews that as they return home, God will physically protect them. After all, to be saved they need to be alive!

    • He that scattered Israel will gather him, and guard him, as a shepherd does his flock.Jer. 31:10

    • Lord, we ask You to do that which You said was for the sanctification of Your holy name – that You would gather Your people back to their land and save them (Ezek. 36:22-28).

    • Abba, for all those who are in the land today, pour out Your spirit of grace and supplication and let them look unto Your Son, their Messiah and King (Zech. 12:10).

    • Use the sukkot that many Jews eat and even sleep in during this feast to impress on them the frailty of this life and to press them on to seek You and life eternal (Prov. 8:17; Jer. 29:13; John 17:2-3).

    • Anoint believers as they share the good news with their Jewish acquaintances (1 Pet. 3:15).

    • Anoint many Arab-Israeli and Palestinians Christians to provoke Jews to jealousy (Rom. 11:11).

    • Bring forth a harvest from all the seeds sown and watered this past year (1 Cor. 3:6-11).

    • Save many Israeli medical professionals who are at their wits end (Psa. 107:27-32).

    • Reveal Israel's true King to Israeli politicians at this time, including PM Naftali Bennett, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Opposition leader Bibi Netanyahu and many others (Isa. 33:22; Luke 24:31-32).

  4. Government:

    A report on the first 100 days of Israel's current coalition shows that they have accomplished little of what they promised, except, of course, the removal of Netanyahu as prime minister. As for all the right wing politicians now in office who blasted Bibi on his handling of the settlements and Gaza and the Palestinians – so far their talk has been mostly empty words. Yet we continue to pray as God encourages us to do, whether we agree with our rulers or not (1 Tim. 2:1-4).

    • As Sukkot is a time when You want to meet with Your people, Lord please meet with the right-wing coalition members and confront them with their boastful promises before the election (Lev. 19:11).

    • May love for You, Your land and people override their love for power and fame (2 Chr. 35:3b).

    • Continue to hedge in the current coalition so that it does all You want it to do and is not able to do anything that is not in line with Your will for Israel at this time (Prov. 19:21; 21:1).

    • Lord, place Your fear in Israel's political leaders' hearts and cast out the fear of man (Prov. 29:25).

    • Let the proposed budget be refined so that when approved, it pleases You (Prov. 16:9).

    • Or use the budget to end this government as if it is not passed by November 4th Israel automatically goes to new elections. (Job 12:18-21).

    • Put Your words in PM Bennett's mouth as he speaks at the UN this coming week (Psa. 81:10).

    • Prevent him from saying anything against Your will as he mingles with world leaders (Psa. 141:3).

    • Protect Bennett and his entourage from the new-age and humanistic spirits ruling over the UN.

  5. Government – Coronavirus:

    There are many serious existential issues in Israel – like Iran, a Palestinians State and terrorism – that have been deemphasized because of this plague. Dealing with Covid-19 is important, but has it become a diversion and a trap for both Israel and the Body?

    • Lord, as this plague did not take You by surprise, we ask You to give Israel and Your Body Your priorities in dealing with this and all other issues (Isa. 42:9).

    • If this has already become a major diversion and/or a deception against Your nation and the Body – especially in the West – have mercy and show us how to pray (Psa. 10:17; 19:14; Luke 11:1).

    • Lord, hedge in the mainstream, alternative and social media from exaggerating this issue (Eph. 2:2).

    • Give Israel's authorities the ability to communicate clearly and consistently to the people as to why they are instituting all of the various coronavirus restrictions and guidelines (1 Cor. 14:7-8).

    • Enable Israel's leaders to balance out their responsibility to protect the people against the people's right to have freedom of choice (Deut. 30:15; Josh. 24:14-15; Rom. 13:1-4).

    • Do not allow the Israeli government to make the unvaccinated feel like 2nd class citizens.

    • Shepherd of Israel, refresh, strengthen and encourage all of Israel's medical personnel (Psa. 23:2-4).

    • Have mercy on Israel's overcrowded hospitals and give much wisdom so that all who really need medical care are able to receive it (Zeph. 3:14-20).

  6. Security – internal:

    For there to be real peace in Israel, it needs to extend its sovereignty over all of its God promised land. While that may not happen soon – or even in our lifetimes – we still need pray persistently into this (Luke 18:1).

    • Lord, in Shabbat's Torah reading You said when You enlarged Israel's borders, no other people will even consider possessing Israel's land (Ex. 34:24). Watch over this promise today (Jer. 1:12).

    • Show Israelis of their need to possess all of their possessions – in line with Your will and, of course, Your timing (Obad. 1:17-20).

    • Regardless of what most of the world leaders are spewing at the UN at this time, we declare that the "two-state solution" is not a solution but against Your will and ask that You would forbid it from ever coming to pass (Lev. 25:23; Joel 3:1-2).

    • If at the UN, Palestinian Authority President Abbas actually threatens to disband the PA unless the Palestinians get a state, show us how to pray as this could be the next step in Israel possessing all of Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley (Gen. 13:14-18; Ex. 34:11-17).

    • [Area C in Judea and Samaria is under total Israeli control as per the Oslo Accords. Yet the illegal building and planting that the Palestinians are doing with the EU's help is outrageous.] Lord, wake up Israel's government to confront all of the Europeans who are abetting the Palestinians in their illegal activities in this area of Your land (Judg. 11:21-27).

    • May the government release Israel's security forces to destroy these illegal Arab structures with as much energy as they do in destroying illegal Jewish buildings in these areas (2 Sam. 8:15; Prov. 8:15).

    • Severely weaken the economies of every one of those European nations who help finance this thief of Israel's land by the spirit of Islam (Gen. 12:3a).

    • Lord, fight against those who fight against Israel – whether through warfare or lawfare (Psa. 35:1-8).

    • Bless You for aiding Israel's security forces to capture the final two escaped terrorists (Isa. 2:10-22).

    • Continue protecting Your people – especially over the remainder of the Sukkot holiday (Psa. 121:4).

    • Expose all terrorist plans being hatched in Gaza against Your people (Job 12:22).

    • Forbid any prisoner exchange with Hamas that is dangerously disproportionate for Israel.

    • Protect the Israeli negotiators in this exchange from manipulation and threats (Num. 23:23).

    • In mercy, send waves of salvation among Palestinians who are residing in Your land (Jer. 12:14-17).

  7. Security – external:

    Shabbat's prophetic portion centers on the attack against Israel by Gog and Magog (Ezek. 38:18-39:16). This reminds us of verses in Micah 4:11-13 and Zechariah 12:2-3 where God says He is setting a trap against His/Israel's enemies, and He will draw them into it – so that He alone receives all of the praise and the glory (Psa. 115:1-3; Rom. 11:33-36).

    • We praise You that the outcome in all of the above scenarios is that Israel is victorious and that You are revealed as the only true God among many gentiles (Ezek. 39:5-8).

    • Lord, as Iran has its proxies surrounding Israel on almost all sides, we ask that You set Iran and the Taliban in Afghanistan against each other (Ezek. 38:21).

    • Send a spirit of paranoia and which will permeate both of their leaderships (Num. 24:9b).

    • Expose all plans Iran has against Your nation that Israel is not yet aware of (Job 28:11b; 34:21-22).

    • [It appears that if Iran's quest for nuclear weapons is to be stopped, Israel will be the one to stop it.] Lord, overrule and guide all of Israel's strategy, tactics and timing (Prov. 21:31; Jer. 51:19-29).

    • Arise and aid the Iranian people against their wicked leaders (Psa. 68:1; Isa, 14:5; Jer. 48:15-17).

    • Use the Iranian Church for Your glory in the midst of that spiritually oppressed nation (Jer. 49:38).

    • Guide our Iranian brothers and sisters on how to pray for their nation and for Israel (Rom. 8:26).

    • Wake up believers in America to fully appreciate how much more dangerous than Covid-19 are the anti-Semitic and anti-Israel members of the Democrats to the destiny of their nation (Isa. 60:12).

  8. The Body of Messiah:

    Regardless of what we are dealing with, we are encouraged to look to Yeshua. We are not to focus on the coming of the Anti-Christ, or possible signs of the mark of the Beast, or any of the other end time events that are swirling around us today. Yes, we should be aware of them, but if any of them become an obsession and take our focus off of Messiah Yeshua and His total Lordship (Matt. 28:18) – then Satan has already deceived and distracted us and has won this battle. Thank God, that regardless of what Satan does, the Lord has already won the war.

    • Hallelujah! Our Lord is enthroned in glory! …let us run with patience the race set before us, looking unto Yeshua, the author and completer of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb. 12:1-2)

    • Lord, please help us keep our eyes on You, as we cannot do even this without You (John 15:5b).

    • Grace many of us who have a deep need to return to our first love (Rev. 2:4).

    • Quiet our hearts and minds before You so that we can hear Your still small voice (1 Kin. 19:12).

    • Be still [+silent], and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the gentiles; I will be exalted in the land. (Psa. 46:10) Amen!

    • Show us that by placing You and Your sovereignty in its right place, then so much of what causes us panic and distress in the world becomes easier to deal with (John 16:33)..

    • As we do see so many most-likely end-time prophecies coming to pass, lead us in prayer so that we do not pray against Your will and purposes in and through these events (Amos 3:7).

Shabbat shalom and hag Sukkot sameach

For the IFI team