1. Praise:

   Shabbat's prophetic portion begins with Isaiah's vision of the pre-incarnate Son of God and ends with an incredible revelation of who is the coming Messiah.

   • Lord Yeshua, we thank You that John 12:41 clearly states that You were the One whom Isaiah saw when, after King Uzziah died, he had that open vision of Israel's God (Isa. 6:1).

   • Holy, holy, holy, is YHWH of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory. (Isa. 6:3) Amen!

   • We confess with the prophet that You Yeshua, are Israel's King, the Lord of hosts (Isa. 6:5b).

   • We praise You Abba for Your revelation of Messiah Yeshua: For unto us a child is born [Son of man], unto us a Son is given [God the Son]; and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name [His essential nature] shall be Wonderful, Counsellor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father [John 14:7-9], Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order and establish it with judgment and righteousness from now and forevermore. The zeal of YHWH of hosts will accomplish this. (Isa. 9:6-7)

   • Messiah Yeshua, after reading just some of Your amazing attributes in the verses above, we confess that You truly are our Lord and our God (John 20:28).

2. Government & society:

   Hamas releases a few hostages and Israel sets free an absurd number of terrorists in exchange. Yet surveys show that a majority of Israelis want this to continue until all the hostages – alive or dead– are returned. While what Hamas says - that Israelis love life and they love death – is true, yet their idea that this is why they will win is not true as the God of Israel will have the last word over their god and his death-cult.

   • Messiah Yeshua, we trust You and not Israel's leaders, yet since they lead Israel by Your will today, please lead us as we stand in the gap for them (Psa. 10:17; Prov. 15:29).

   • God of Israel, You have placed Bibi Netanyahu as Israel's leader today (Dan. 4:32), so anoint him to accomplish all that which You have ordained for him (Psa. 68:27; 75:5-7; 80:17; Phil. 1:6).

   • With the constant intense pressure on Bibi, Lord make our prayers for him to be like Aaron and Hur strengthening Moses' arms in the midst of this war against modern-day Amalek (Ex. 17:10-12).

   • God, surround Netanyahu with wise counselors and supportive friends (Prov. 17:17; 18:24; 27:6).

   • Let Bibi take to heart Jethro's instructions to Moses in Shabbat's Torah portion (Ex. 18:21).

   • Abba Father, move upon all coalition members to humble themselves before You (Prov. 29:23).

   • God, silence the media lions that constantly attack Bibi and other right-wing politicians (Dan. 6:20).

   • Lord of hosts, turn Eyal Zamir, the new IDF Chief of Staff, into a strong son of Zion, and raise up more like that to positions of authority and responsibly throughout Israel's military (2 Sam. 10:7).

   • Messiah Yeshua, comfort all Israelis who are grieving because their loved ones have been murdered, severely wounded, or are still held hostage (Isa. 61:3; 63:7-9; Matt. 5:4).

   • Lord, as it is often harder on the families of the soldiers than the soldiers in the field, bring comfort, hope and support to the spouses and children who remain at home (Psa. 42:5; 119:81, 116; 130:7).

   • God, for hostage families whose loved ones are still in captivity, cause them to cry out to You for mercy and not to scream at Bibi out of their understandable frustration and anger (Psa. 80:19; 86:7).

   • Lord God, prepare the families who will only receive back their loved ones' corpses (Psa. 147:2-3).

   • With more terrorists murderers being released, let more voices in Israel be heard for the use of the death penalty to prevent any injustice like this in the future (Num. 35:16-18, 21, 30-31).

   • Lord of hosts, we praise You as we see Israel producing much more of its own military hardware and ammunition locally (2 Chr. 32:5b; Jer. 50:25; Rom. 8:28).

   • Lord God, use Israel's construction industry as a tool for Your purposes (Psa. 51:18; 69:35; 147:2).

3. Foreign relations:

   Israel, and most of the world, is still buzzing about US President Trump's solution to the Gaza conflict. After Israel defeats Hamas, the US will take over Gaza, let any Gazans who want to leave to do so, which is likely most of them, and then take responsibility to rebuild Gaza as a paradise on the Mediterranean. Trump's statement that if Hamas does not release any hostages tomorrow, Israel should break the ceasefire and destroy them is, after Biden's demands, a breath of fresh air coming out of Washington – regardless of what Israel decides to do.

   • Lord God, we thank You for the Trump administration's relations with Israel so far (Num. 24:9b).

   • Yet forbid any Israeli from placing their trust in any man, but only in You (Psa. 146:3; Isa. 31:1).

   • Lord God, if Trump's plan to relocate most Gazans and have the US rebuild Gaza is of You as a way to cleanse Your land of its enemies, then fulfill it as soon as possible (Job 38:13; Jer. 12:14-17).

   • Sovereign God, thank You for the sons and daughters of Zion and of Issachar whom You are raising up throughout Israel's diplomatic corps (1 Chr. 12:32; Job 22:21-22; Isa. 48:17).

   • Lord Yeshua, bring to each of them Christian Zionists who will support and encourage them through the truth of Your Word (Psa. 40:10; 43:3a; 86:1; 98:3; John 17:17).

   • God of Israel, establish a connection between Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and America's Secretary of State Marco Rubio that furthers Your kingdom purposes (Mark 6:7).

   • Lord, as Rubio visits Israel next week, show him whatever it is that is missing from his very strong pro-Israel stance so that he can positively impact the rest of Trump's team (2 Kin. 6:17a).

   • Continue to use Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon as a sharp two-edged sword to cut through the lies and distortions about Israel that are spread in that anti-God organization (Psa. 81:10; 119:13).

   • King of Israel, stretch out Your scepter of authority over the UN and those of its outreaches who do frequently curse Israel and shut them up (Jer. 10:25; 30:20; Zech. 2:13; Matt. 28:18).

   • Lord God, turn believers to Ezekiel 29:6-9, showing them how furious You get with nations who are untrustworthy allies of Israel, and then move upon them to pray for their nations (Ezek. 22:30-31).

4. "Operation Swords of Iron:

   Earlier this week Hamas threatened to not release any more hostages. But as of now, the release of three more is set for tomorrow. Trump's telling Israel to break the ceasefire and destroy Hamas if all hostages were not released got their attention! Yet Israel seems to be willing to go along with just three more hostages and to keep this very bad deal intact. On the other hand, as the hostages are returned in very poor health, the indignation of Israeli society grows.

   • Abba, not all things are good, yet You can work in all things for good (Rom. 8:28), and so we ask You to lead us in prayer about this very difficult ceasefire/hostage situation (Rom. 12:15).

   • Lord, remind Bibi of his righteous redlines about Hamas and Gaza which he has forsaken in the face of intense US pressure from both the previous and current administrations (Psa. 15:4b; Matt. 5:37).

   • God Almighty, remove Israel's reluctance to repossess Gaza – as it is theirs to own (Judg. 2:1-4).

   • God of Israel, recall what Hamas did and erase its rule over Gaza (Psa. 34:6; Amos 1:6-7).

   • Lord God, when this ceasefire is over, release the IDF to destroy Hamas' rule and to kill or capture all terrorists in Gaza, the region You gave to the tribe of Judah (Judg. 1:18; Psa. 10:16).

   • Lord of hosts, let Hamas' pride betray and end them (Prov. 16:18; Obad. 1:3-4, 8).

   • Abba, continue to guard over the IDF against Hamas attacks and traps, all kidnapping attempts, and against friendly fire and any other types of accidents (Psa. 4:8; Zech. 9:16; 10:5-8).

   • God of Israel, as Egypt's betrayal of Israel is revealed, deal with Egypt as per Isaiah 19:1-5.

5. Internal security:

   About 2,000 terrorist-murderers are being set free from Israeli jails as part of the deal with Hamas, with many returning to Judea and Samaria. Israel's political and military leaders have agreed to increase the fight against terrorism in Israel's biblical heartland, yet until Israel extends its sovereignty over this area, it will not have God's full backing and protection.

   • Abba Father, increase the number of Israelis who see the existential need for Israel to extend its sovereignty over all of the land west of the Jordan River (Gen. 13:15; 1:18; Psa. 105:4-11).

   • Lord Yeshua, move upon Your Body to prayer for this as it is what You are doing with all of Your heart and all of Your soul today (Jer. 32:41; 1 John 5:14-15).

   • God Almighty, in 2025 restore to the Jews these biblical land deeds (Psa. 125:3): Hebron (Gen. 23:17-18), Shechem [Nabulus today] (Gen. 33:19) and the Temple Mount (2 Sam. 24:24).

   • Thank You God for the move in Israel and the US to stop using the unbiblical term "the West Bank" and to replace it with the biblically correct name "Judea and Samaria" (Jer. 31:4-5; Zech. 12:5-7).

   • Shepherd of Israel, guard over the Jews You are regathering from all terrorist actions (Jer. 31:10).

   • Lord of hosts, release Your angelic armies to battle against the spiritual forces of Israel's enemies as Israel battles against them on earth (2 Kin. 6:16-17; 2 Chr. 32:7-8; 1 Chr. 15:46).

   • Lord Yeshua, expel all demonic protection over Palestinian terrorists (Psa. 101:8).

   • Almighty God, push terrorists into the traps they have set for Your people (Est. 7:10; Psa. 7:14-16).

   • Do not let Israel back off its aggressive assaults against terrorism in Judea and Samaria (Eccl. 8:11).

   • God, reveal and block any Israeli-Arab terrorist plans against Israeli Jews (Psa. 34:16).

   • Lord, direct Israel to rebuild its north more securely and more populously (Isa. 54:2-3; Eccl. 3:3b).

   • Lord, save many Palestinians and use them to provoke Jews to jealousy (Matt. 5:44; Rom. 11:11).

6. External security – Middle East [ME]:

   Israel's ME enemies see the Hamas deal as a win for them as well. They perceive it is a step closer to wiping the Jewish nation off the map. Yet Micah 4:11-13 indicates that God has plans of which they are totally unaware.

   • Lord of hosts, quickly fulfill Micah 4:11-13 against all of Your ME enemies (Psa. 83:1-4).

   • God of Israel's fathers, Isaiah 41:11-12a is very appropriate for the mindset of Israel's ME enemies, including Iran, so shame them mightily, confounding and making them as nothing before the IDF.

   • Almighty, we pray that Islam's eternal hatred against Israel would backfire (Ezek. 35:5-6).

   • Abba, maintain Israel's distrust towards Syria's new Sunni Muslim radical leaders and guide it to destroy all things that might be used against it which Assad's army, or Iran, left behind (Psa. 27:11).

   • Keep Israel in the areas it has taken in Syria, as they are all part of the Promised Land (Gen. 15:18).

   • Lord God, increase Israel's skill in gathering accurate intelligence and in interpreting all collected data precisely, including on Turkey's evil leader Erdogan (2 Kin. 6:12; Isa. 29:15).

   • Intensify the fighting between Syria's army and Hizbullah on Lebanon's border (Zech. 14:13).

   • Almighty God, lead the IDF to find and destroy all of Hizbullah's remaining weapons stores, missile launchers, and attack tunnels throughout south Lebanon (Psa. 23:3b; Isa. 54:17a).

   • Abba Father, set free the Lebanese and the Iranian citizens who are basically being held hostage by Hizbullah and the Iranian regime respectively (Psa. 146:7).

   • God, may Israel insist on having a good-sized buffer zone in Lebanon to keep Hizbullah away so as to allow for the return of the 60,000+ Israelis to their homes near the northern border (Psa. 147:14a).

   • Lord, sovereignly destroy Iran's nuclear facilities (Psa. 54:5; 137:8; Isa. 34:8), or if You want Israel to do it, guide the timing and tactics of all Israeli attacks (Prov. 21:31; Jer. 51:20-25).

   • Lord God, fulfill Jeremiah 49:38b and remove Iran's political, military and religious leadership.

   • Lord Yeshua, guard over Your Body in the ME; help them grow numerically and spiritually; and anoint them to greatly influence their nations for You (Jer. 49:38a; Matt. 5:13-16; 16:18b).

7. Aliyah:

   While over 30,000 new immigrants came to Israel last, year, a majority of Jews still remain in the gentile nations. Especially after 1948, this is self-imposed exile. We wonder what it will take for God to uproot them and bring them home.

   • We bless You Abba Father, that the aliyah is an open witness to the world of Your faithfulness to fulfill Your biblical promises, in spite of the world's opposition (Isa. 43:12; Heb. 10:23b).

   • Lord God, by Your mercy bring many millions of Jews home very soon (Isa. 54:7).

   • Show them that while Israel is not 100% safe, it is safer than staying in the nations (Psa. 121:3-4).

   • Lord, use the rise of anti-Israel/anti-Semitic acts throughout the West to chase many of Your people who have been so comfortable in exile that they have not seriously considered aliyah (Jer. 16:16).

   • Lord God, challenge Jewish pride which says, "They will not chase us out!" and show them that You are the One both chasing and drawing them back (Prov. 16:18; Jer. 31:3-5, 8-10; Zech. 8:1-8).

   • Abba, bring home Jews with practical, as well as medical and scientific, skills (Neh. 4:16-18).

   • Bless You that Foreign Minister Sa'ar is pushing Israel to prepare for a massive aliyah (Jer. 31:8).

   • King Messiah, turn Israel's diplomatic outreach to the Jews in the nations to focus more on aliyah and less on helping them remain safe outside of the land (Deut. 28:65-67; Psa. 53:6; 107:1-9).

   • Change the rabbinical definition of "who is a Jew?" to line up with Your definition (Psa. 119:116).

   • Lord God Almighty, marry Your people to the land, and show them that it is a marriage – for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health – and not just a love affair (Isa. 62:4-5).

   • Lord God, hasten the day when Ezekiel 28:25-26 comes to pass – and we see the aliyah combined with the destruction of Israel's enemies, leading to all Israel being saved.

   • Lord, show believers that Isaiah 43:5-6 speaks of them working with You to bring the Jews home, and have them tell their Jewish neighbors that now is the time to return (Deut. 30:3-5; Psa. 106:47).

8. Salvation:

   Exodus 20:20 in the Torah portion should challenge unsaved Jews with what God expects of them: Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that you do not sin.

   • Lord, as many face their total inability to not sin, let them seek You for the answer (Eccl. 7:20).

   • Abba Father, increase a biblical fear of You in the lives of many Jews and use it to save them (Psa. 85:9; 145:19; Acts 13:26).

   • God of Israel, move more of Your people away from the humanistic rabbinic thinking and instead let them feed on Your Word and attain a biblical mindset (Jer. 15:16).

   • Lord God, please fulfill Zechariah 12:10 and release Your spirit of grace on You people who are in the land today, causing multitudes to recognize, and trust in, Your Son (Zech. 12:10; Acts 19:20).

   • Lord Yeshua, let the light of Your glory shine brightly through all believing Israelis at this time and use them to provoke other Israelis to jealousy (Matt. 5:14-16; Rom. 11:14).

   • Lord God, may Jews who made aliyah with help from gentile believers be provoked to jealousy by the love and concern of these Christians, and use that to draw them to You to be saved (Rom. 11:11).

   • Messiah Yeshua, impart a burden to pray for Israel's salvation on gentile believers (Rom. 10:1).

   • [Ask God which specific group or groups of Jews He desires for you to pray about this week.]

9. Body of Messiah:

   In the Torah portion, Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, becomes a believer in the Israel's God when he saw His protection over His people and His ability to confound the gods of Egypt (Ex. 18:9-12).

   • Lord Yeshua, show Your Body that gentile salvation occurred even before Your cross as we see in these verses that Jethro offered a blood sacrifice and then partook of a communal meal with the priests of Israel (Ex. 29:33; Lev. 17:11; Dan. 4:37).

   • Also, help believers see that You call them a special possession and a kingdom of priests because they are grafted into Israel's cultivated olive tree (Ex. 19:4-6a; Rom. 11:16-24; 1 Pet. 2:9).

   • In fact, Lord, show gentile believers that it makes more sense for a Jew to receive Yeshua than for a gentile as Jews are simply grafted back into their own tree (Rom. 11:24)!

   • Lord Messiah, expel the curse of generational anti-Semitism out of Your Body (Num. 14:18b).

   • Lord, heal Your Body of its biblical anorexia and prophetic illiteracy by injecting it with a hunger to "eat" all of Your Word (Jer. 15:16; Amos 8:11; Acts 20:32; 2 Tim. 2:15; Heb. 5:13-14; Rev. 6:9).

   • God, expose replacement theology as a demonic, anti-Christ, and Jew-hating teaching (1 Tim. 4:1).

   • Lord, raise up more sons and daughters of Zion as elders in Your Body (Zech. 9:13; Acts 20:27).

   • King Messiah, may the link between Israel and Your glory become very clear to Your Body (Isa. 46:13; Jer. 13:11; Luke 2:32; Rom. 9:4).

10. Water:

    We bless God for the wet weather, including snow on Mt. Hermon that Israel has had this past week. Please continue to ask for all that the land needs to be fruitful, and that the Sea of Galilee would be totally full by the end of the rainy season. Also, pray for Israelis to recognize this as a result of God's mercy towards them (Isa. 41:17-20; Matt. 5:45b).

11. IFI:

    We appreciate and need your prayers for us and this ministry at this time. Please ask God to lead us to pray in line with His will and His timing so that He alone is glorified: Not unto us, YHWH, not unto us, but unto Your name give glory, for Your mercy, and Your truth's sake. Why should the nations say, 'Where is their God?' But our God is in the heavens: He has done all that pleases Him. (Psa. 115:1-3).

Thank you, Shabbat shalom and blessings from Jerusalem

Chuck Cohen, for the IFI team

Psa. 121:5-8