1. Praise:

   Shabbat's prophetic portion ties in with Succoth, the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths, which starts at sundown this evening. It has several verses revealing that Israel's King is Yahweh. Clearly this refers to Yeshua, God the Son, who was identified as Israel's King in His first appearing (Matt. 2:2; John 1:49; 12:13-15) and will be seen as the King of Kings at His return (Rev. 19:16).

   • From the prophetic portion: YHWH shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one YHWH and His name one… And it shall come to pass, that everyone who is left of the nations which came up against Jerusalem shall go up annually to worship the King, YHWH of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zech. 14:9, 16)

   • Thank You Abba Father for revealing to us that Your Son is Israel's King Messiah, our Redeemer and is the Lord of all (Isa. 33:22b; 54:5; 59:20; Matt. 16:16-17; Acts 10:36).

   • We bless You Lord Yeshua for leaving the glory You had with Your Father (Matt. 20:28; John 17:5; Phil. 2:6, 7) and coming to dwell with us and become our Savior (John 1:14; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 2:14).

   • Thank You Lord, for sending the gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell in us in order to glorify You and to enable us to be connected with You forever (John 15:26; 16:7, 14).

   • At this harvest season, we marvel at Your wondrous creation and bless You as both the Creator and Sustainer of all (Gen. 1:1; Neh. 9:6, 21; Psa. 89:11; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3; 11:3; Rev. 14:7).

2. Salvation:

   In the Torah portion, we read that God's grace in electing Israel came before He expected anything from Israel. He does the same with us and then after salvation, He works in us to work with us to work out our salvation, resulting in a people sanctified by Him (Phil 2:12b-15).

   • From the Torah reading: I am YHWH who sanctifies you [i.e., declare you as pure in My sight], and who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am YHWH. (Lev. 22:32b-33)

   • Lord, as Your people read this, let them see how You are the One who initiates salvation and then cause them to cry out to You to save them (Psa. 50:15; Acts 15:11; Eph. 2:8-10; Tit. 3:5).

   • At this season, we ask You to send forth laborers into the harvest of Jewish souls (Luke 10:2).

   • Revive the image of Messiah as portrayed in Your Word, and erase all unbiblical pictures which Your people have unfortunately been taught of who the Messiah should be (Isa. 53:1-3; Acts 3:22).

   • Restore the Tanach [Old Testament] in Jewish hearts as it really is – the Word of God – and let them then see the Talmud as it really is – the words of men (Psa. 119:89, 97-100, 105, 130).

   • God, we ask You to save a huge remnant of Israel during Your feast (Jer. 31:7b).

   • Abba, pluck out that remnant from Jews in all religious denominations, including the Haredi [ultra-Orthodox]; Religious Zionists and other Jews dwelling in Judea and Samaria; secular Jews in Israel and in exile; Jews who have recently made aliyah; Jewish politicians globally; Ethiopian-Israelis; the Beni-Menashe [Jews from India]; IDF personnel in every branch and rank; medical professionals; those involved in abortions – both medical people and the parents; teachers, professors, and university students; hi-tech workers; archeologists; tour guides; Jews involved with the occult; drug and sex-addicts and alcoholics; Jewish LGBTQ+ individuals; many who continually demonstrate against the government; terrorism survivors and their families; families of terrorist victims; Holocaust survivors and their families; Jews burdened with survivor's guilt; unsaved loved ones in Messianic Jewish households, including gentiles married to Jews (Isa. 44:22; Acts 2:17-21).

   • Use Messianic Jews and Christians, especially those who have come up to Jerusalem to celebrate Succoth as Your light of truth and love upon Israel's society today (Matt. 5:14-16; Phil. 2:15).

   • Use the fragility of the sukkah and the reading of Lamentations to cause many Jews to reflect on the emptiness of life without the fear/awe of God as the central focus (Lam. 1:2-3; 2:15-26; 12:13-14).

3. Aliyah:

   God's regathering of His people is for His glory (Isa. 43:5-7), so our persistent prayers concerning aliyah glorify God and are in line with His perfect will (Psa. 50:15; 1 John 5:14-15).

   • Lord, we praise You for the large number of new immigrants [olim], about 66,000, since last year's feasts, and yet for Your holy name's sake, we are asking for more this year (Ezek. 36:22-28).

   • Open the eyes of the Jews in the West that they should flee "Babylon" to save their lives and the lives of their loved ones lives – even at the cost of sacrificing their lifestyles (Jer. 51:6-10).

   • Use politics, the economy, the increase of anti-Semitism and whatever else is needed to remove the false comforts that keep Jews trapped in captivity and then bring them home (Jer. 16:16).

   • Convince rabbis and other Jewish leaders that when they said "Next year in Jerusalem" at the end of the Yom Kippur service, that this is the time to just do it (Psa. 15:4b; Jam. 5:12).

   • Ignite the flame in Jews who want to make aliyah and have not yet followed through (Jam. 1:8).

   • Infect with an incurable homesickness Israelis who are living in gentile nations (Isa. 62:4-5).

   • Lord, scatter Your "enemies" that invade Jewish hearts and confuse them about aliyah (Num. 10:35).

   • Abba, change Israel's Law of Return so that those who have only Jewish fathers will be received fully as Jews when they make aliyah (Isa. 8:20; Luke 16:29).

   • Marry new immigrants to Your land (Isa. 62:4-5), and settle many of them in Judea and Samaria, the Jordan Valley, the Galilee, the Golan and in the Negev (Jer. 33:12-14).

   • While we pray for Israel to expand its sovereignty for its security, we also ask You to have Israel do this so that there is plenty of living space for all the olim You are bringing home (Isa. 43:5-7; 54:2-3).

   • Lord Yeshua, speak to those Israelis who have met You in exile to return home (Isa. 35:10; 51:11).

   • Also Lord, make believers who understand the importance to Your kingdom purposes of the aliyah today to be like leaven within the rest of Your Body (Matt. 13:33).

4. Government & society:

   The protests against PM Bibi Netanyahu's government continue, both inside and outside of Israel. And while Bibi's speech at the UN was for the most part excellent, we are troubled by his looking to US President Biden and America for anything whatsoever at this time, especially a "normalization" deal with Saudi Arabia.

   • King Messiah, we pray for You to start exercising more of Your rulership over Israel from now until You physically return (Isa. 9:7; Luke 1:32; 11:2; 1 Tim. 6:15).

   • Protect and use PM Bibi Netanyahu until it is Your time for him to retire (Psa. 75:6-7; Prov. 21:1).

   • Shield him, his wife Sara, and his coalition from every curse against them (Deut. 23:5; Prov. 26:2).

   • God, scatter Your spiritual enemies who are trying to destroy Your people (Psa. 3:7; 7:6; 44:26).

   • Expel the spirits of hate that have taken hold in parts of Israeli society (Matt. 8:16; 1 Tim. 4:1).

   • Use the horrific scene in Tel Aviv during Yom Kippur, as a small group of hate-filled secular Jews tried to physically stop hundreds of Jews from praying together, to warn Israelis of the lawless spirit that has been released through the anti-government demonstrators (Matt. 24:12; 1 Cor. 13:6; 2 Thess. 2:7. [In these verses the word translated "iniquity" is literally "lawlessness".]).

   • Block this bullying spirit from intimidating Israel to move away from Your will (Prov. 25:26).

   • Expose and dry-up all outside sources of finances backing these anti-government demonstrations.

   • As the Righteous Judge, we ask You to have the final say in Israel's High Court's decisions' relating to the judicial reforms, and all other issues that come before them (Gen. 18:25; Psa. 7:8a; 9:8).

   • We continue to pray for You to watch over and fulfill Isaiah 1:25-27 as soon as possible (Mal. 3:3).

   • Lord, create good out of the anti-government demonstrations and chaos (Gen. 1:2-4; Rom. 8:28).

   • Hedge in the leaders of the anti-government demonstrations (Hos. 2:6), and remove their influence inside of Israel as You open the eyes of Israelis to their hypocrisy (Job 17:8; 20:5; Prov. 11:9).

5. Internal security:

   There has been a revival of the Gaza security fence riots by Hamas' Gazan pawns. The IDF has fought fire with fire and so far is not allowing these demonstrators to get away with murder – literally and figuratively. Also, problems continue to heat up in Judea and Samaria.

   • May Israel's political and military leaders be of one mind concerning security issues (1 Chr. 29:24).

   • Remove humanistic leaders who are against waging total war on Israel's internal enemies because of what the nations might say or how it offends their unbiblical mindsets (Deut. 25:17-19; Rom. 13:3-4).

   • Also remove all political ambitions from all IDF leaders (Psa. 75:5-7).

   • Raise up those "governors" [Modern Hebrew = generals] of Judah who will gain the victory over Israel's enemies in Judah and Samaria (Zech. 12:6).

   • Thrust Israel's foes into the traps they have set for Your people (Psa. 7:14-16; 141:9-10; Eccl. 10:8).

   • Bring about increasing division between the various Palestinian terror groups (Zech. 14:13)

   • Watch over Zechariah 14:13 in the prophetic portion and set Israel's enemies against each other.

   • Increase Israel's ability to gather and interpret intelligence correctly (Job 28:11b; Matt. 10:26).

   • May all of the buildings in Area C being built by the Palestinians with EU money end up belonging to Israel for the use of the new olim and other citizens (Deut. 6:10-11; Josh. 24:13).

   • Thank You for the increase of building by Israel in Judea and Samaria and despite this upsetting the US Biden administration, let Israel be stubborn and stiff-necked enough to continue (Deut. 9:5-6).

   • Reveal to more Israelis that any "peace" with the Palestinians – especially one based on creating a Palestinian State on Your land – is a total deception and will lead to Your judgment (Joel 3:1-2).

   • Lord Yeshua, build up the Palestinian Church spiritually and numerically, and use them to provoke both Arabs and Jews to jealousy (Matt. 16:18b-19; Rom. 11:11).

6. External security:

   Iran and its proxies are Israel's main existential threats. Iran is backing both Israel's internal and external foes, and is moving forward with its nuclear weapons program.

   • Lord, arise and scatter Your enemies who delight in war (Psa. 68:1, 30).

   • Anoint those in Israel who gather intelligence to know what is real and what is not (Eccl. 8:5b).

   • Let all Israeli spies find a "Rahab" to protect and hide them (Josh. 2:1-14).

   • Impart to Israel wisdom and humility on how to use AI in defense of Your nation (Prov. 8:12; 11:14)

   • Remove all fear from Israel of taking action because of the nations' negative feedback (Jer. 46:28).

   • Restore in Israel's enemies' minds Your fear of the IDF as Your army (Josh. 2:11; Ezek. 37:10).

   • Reinforce Your angelic hosts on all of Israel's borders, including the Mediterranean (2 Kin. 6:17).

   • Lord, in particular, guard Israel's Lebanese border and when Israel needs to pre-empt Hizbullah, or Hamas who is also there, let it be done in Your timing and with Your overall guidance (Prov. 21:31)

   • And when it is Your timing for Israel to act against Your enemies, create unity between her political and military leaders (Psa. 133:1; Prov. 19:21).

   • Increase Your shaking of Iran – physically, socially, financially and politically (Jer. 49:38b).

   • Cause the money released by western nations to Iran to end up in bags with big holes (Hag. 1:6).

   • As Iran's leaders constantly curse Israel – fulfill Numbers 24:9a and repay them in kind.

   • Send forth a spirit of paranoia on all Iranian leaders so that they see Israel's actions everywhere and let it result in them making major geo-political mistakes (Josh. 2:11; Psa. 71:13, 24).

   • Guide Iranian believers in praying for their nation (1 Tim. 2:1-4), as well as for Israel (Psa. 122:6).

   • Protect them against all anti-Semitic and anti-Zionistic teachings (Eph. 4:15-20).

   • Use them as a source of comfort and encouragement to whom other Iranians seek (1 Thess. 5:14-15).

   • Lord, we pray for Your will alone to be done in any Israel-Saudi Arabia deal (Psa. 33:10-11).

   • Let the pride of Islam hinder the deal if it involves sacrificing Your land for peace (Psa. 59:12).

   • Expose all hidden dangers involved in this for all Israelis to see (Job 12:22).

   • Do not allow Netanyahu to end his time as Israel's leader by orchestrating anything that is good for his legacy – yet is dangerous for Israel (1 Sam. 2:2-4; Job 33:16-18; Eccl. 7:8).

7. Body of Messiah:

   We cannot imagine anything more vital for the Body today other than to be gifted with a divine hunger and thirst for all of God's Word. How else can we know the times and seasons we are in other than through the prophetic words found especially in the Tanach?

   • Lord, You warned us that in the last days many would come in Your name, and try to deceive us (Matt. 24:4-5, 11, 24-25), so we desire to have an even greater grasp of the truth of Your Word (John 17:17) to guide us to both avoid and expose these lies (Psa. 119:105, 130).

   • Reveal to all of our brothers and sisters, especially the elders, how the Tanach is crucial in order to know what You are doing in history today (Luke 24:25-27; 2 Tim. 3:1-17).

   • Uncover the inappropriateness of trusting in You while denying the only Bible that You and Your first disciples read, trusted in, and quoted from (Isa. 8:20; Jer. 8:7-9; Matt. 5:17-18; Mark. 12:24).

   • Remind gentile believers of how Yeshua used Moses and the prophets to expound the prophecies concerning Himself (Luke 24:25-27, 44).

   • Help us to interpret the Tanach the way You did: to understand the spiritual basis of the Law (Matt. 5:22, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44), and to insist on a literal fulfillment of biblical prophecies (Matt. 26:54, 56; Mark 14:49; Luke 4:21; 21:22; John 13:18; 15:25; 17:12; 19:28).

   • Cleanse Your Body from all anti-Semitic and anti-Zionistic teachings and tendencies – especially replacement and fulfillment theologies (Eph. 5:27).

8. Water:

   As Israel moves into its rainy season, please note that for God's land rain from heaven is seen by many Israelis as a blessing from Him.

   • Lord, in Your mercy, give Israel an abundant rainy season without excess damages (Matt. 5:45b).

   • Let more Israelis see this as a blessing coming from Your hands (Isa. 41:17-20).

   • Continue to give Israel wisdom to use the breakthroughs in water technology that You have given to it to bless less fortunate nations and to develop good diplomatic relations (Deut. 28:11-13).

9. IFI:

   And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Gal. 6:9) Precious family, we do appreciate your prayers for His grace to help us to stand by this word of exhortation as we continue to run the race which He has set before us. Thank you.

Shabbat shalom, hag Sukkot sameach and blessings from Jerusalem

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

1 Tim. 1:17