Urgent Prayer Request

Shalom from the City of Peace.  That is certainly a prophetic statement, because Jerusalem is anything but peaceful right now.  The Bible says, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, may those who love You be secure." Psalm 122:6

For those of you who haven't been keeping up with the news in our neighborhood, there has been a lot of turmoil in the past week.  Last week, 3 Palestinians murdered 2 Jewish police officers near the Lion Gate also near the Temple Mount (where Biblical Temple stood).  The terrorists had smuggled guns onto the Temple Mount (where the Islamic Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque are located).

The Israeli government closed the Temple Mount for a few days for their investigation - this included Friday, the Muslim holy day when they assemble on the Temple Mount for weekly prayers.  This is the first time this has occurred in decades.  Sunday afternoon, the Israeli government reopened 2 of the 9 Muslim entrances to the Mount.  However - there was a change.  Israel had installed metal detectors at the entrances.

This did not go over very well with the religious leaders or Muslim worshippers, and most refused to go though and have been protesting (sometimes violently) ever since.  Their leaders have told them if they go on the Temple Mount their prayers will not be answered.  Each day has seen escalations as the Palestinians and Arab nations around the world demand that Israel take down the metal detectors.  Arab leaders have called called for a "Day of Rage", protests, refusal to go through the security detectors to pray and jihad.

Tomorrow - Friday, 21 July - the religious leaders have ordered all mosques in Jerusalem to be closed for prayers and for all Muslim worshippers to go to the Temple Mount to protest.  The Israeli army has cancelled weekend leave for many soldiers, and called up 5 extra battalions of soldiers in anticipation of unrest.

There is disagreement among Israeli security leaders as to whether they should remove the metal detectors to quell the uprising, come to some sort of  compromise, or leave them in place.  The point has been made that most other major holy sites in the world have security detectors - even Mecca and the Jewish Western Wall.  While Jordan is in charge of running the Temple Mount (where nonMuslims - Jews and Christians - are not allowed to pray), Israel is in charge of security.  Period.  Even the Jordanians admit this - but they say they still will not accept this new change.

Our concern is that once again, in the face of world pressure, our Prime Minister will back down and compromise.  There is absolutely no logical reason why the metal detectors cannot stay in place to protect lives - of everyone who visits the Temple Mount.  Israel has released video footage of the guns being smuggled onto the Temple Mount.  If there had been metal detectors, this could have never happened.  However, it is the standard procedure for them to protest until they get what they want.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/white-house-very-concerned-over-temple-mount-disquiet/

So, our request is this - please pray for Godly wisdom for our leaders, for protection for our protectors (IDF, police, etc.), and  please pray for God's will to be done in this volatile situation.  This is HIS holy hill.  And as His Word says....

"Why do the nations rage,

And the people plot a vain thing?

 

The kings of the earth set themselves,

And the rulers take counsel together,

Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,

“Let us break Their bonds in pieces

And cast away Their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.

Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,

And distress them in His deep displeasure:

“Yet I have set My King

On My holy hill of Zion.”