Pray for peace in Israel f or in it the Body Of Christ will have peace.
in 2 Peter 3 (addressing the Jews) recognized that the revelations of Paul concerning the Gentiles were valid and that they were hard for Jews to understand. The long suffering of our Lord is salvation. Grace without works was hard for them to believe. It was easier for them to make it about works and not grace in Jesus Christ.
Zechariah 8:3
“Thus says the LORD:‘I will return to Zion,
And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth,
The Mountain of the LORD of hosts,
The Holy Mountain.’
1 Corinthians 6:20 says, “God bought you with a high price.” The Christmas promise is this: we have a Savior, and his name is Jesus! Max Lucado
Jesus resurrected as fully God and fully human. Knowing that a glorified and embodied Jesus ascended into heaven is a source of great joy and hope!
The ascension of Jesus is a powerful truth. Jesus really is God. He really is human. And we really will get to be together one day soon.
It wasn't until Jesus ascended that the Helper, the Holy Spirit, could be sent into the world to dwell in the hearts of believers. When Jesus ascended to heaven to share the throne of God as our Priest and King, His mission was complete; now the Holy Spirit testifies to His finished work (John 15:26). And why is it to our advantage to have the Holy Spirit? Because while Jesus' body can only be in one place at a time, the Spirit of Jesus can be in all places at all times.
While we cannot currently touch, see or hear Jesus physically, we have the Spirit with us constantly. We don't have to buy a plane ticket to visit Him. He is right here, right now, wherever we are. The Spirit is available to comfort and correct all around the globe every second of every day (John 16:13; Romans 5:5; Romans 8:2). That truly is an advantage! First 5
Daniel 9:16-19
16 “O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us. 17 Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.” The New King James Version
Daniel entreats Yahweh to subdue His wrath and forgive on the basis of His righteous acts—His legacy of saving works. The Israelites are in captivity because of their ancestors’ sin. Babylon and the nations that surround Palestine. If the temple associated with the God of Israel has been disgraced, so too has God and the nation to whom it belonged.
Daniel’s reference to the desolate sanctuary would have resonated with those living in the days of Antiochus. Daniel’s prayer reaches its peak with four imperatives asking Yahweh to forgive and take swift action. The condition of God’s city—the temple—and His people reflects on Him.
Daniel pleads for their restoration so that the greatness of God’s name might be restored, not defamed. Daniel is concerned with God’s reputation among the nations; he does not want to bring any reproach on His name. Faithlife Study Bible
Daniel reflected on the greatest redemptive event of Israel’s history, the exodus from Egypt, and prayed that God would repeat what He had done long ago.
Your sanctuary is a reference to Solomon’s temple, which had lain in ruins since 586 b.c.. It is important to note that the only basis for Daniel’s appeal was the grace of God.
Daniel knew full well that all of God’s promises had not come to pass, nor had the blessings been conferred on the regathered and restored people. The NKJV Study Bible
Afflictions are sent to bring men to turn from their sins, and to understand God’s truth.
Here is a believing appeal to the mercy of God. It is a comfort that God has been always ready to pardon sin. It is encouraging to recollect that mercies belong to God, as it is convincing and humbling to recollect that righteousness belongs to him. There are abundant mercies in God, not only forgiveness, but forgivenesses.
Here are pleaded the reproach God’s people was under, and the ruins God’s sanctuary was in. Sin is a reproach to any people, especially to God’s people. The desolations of the sanctuary are grief to all the saints. Here is an earnest request to God to restore the poor captive Jews to their former enjoyments. O Lord, hearken and do. Not hearken and speak only, but hearken and do; do that for us which none else can do; and defer not. Here are several pleas and arguments to enforce the petitions. Do it for the Lord Christ’s sake; Christ is the Lord of all. And for his sake God causes his face to shine upon sinners when they repent, and turn to him. In all our prayers this must be our plea, we must make mention of his righteousness, even of his only. The humble, fervent, believing earnestness of this prayer should ever be followed by us. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Numbers 6:25
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
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