1. Praise: These verses from Shabbat's prophetic portion are a great encouragement to all of us:

    • O Israel, you have destroyed yourself; but your help is in Me. I will be your king:Hos. 13:9-10a

    • We bless You that we do have a King in heaven today (Psa. 103:19; 110:1).

    • It is with joyful expectation that we wait to live in a kingdom under a just and righteous King.

    • Thank You that Israel's King and Helper is Messiah Yeshua (Isa. 44:6; 59:20).

    • Hallelujah! Even when we "destroy" ourselves, You still wait for us to call out to You (Psa. 50:15).

    • What mercy that You have said You would "heal" your children's backsliding (Hos. 14:4).

    • Thank You that we can always trust in Your judgments to be righteous (Gen. 18:25; Psa. 9:16).

    • Bless You for being a gracious God whose mercies are renewed every morning (Lam. 3:22-23).

    • Praise You that Your lovingkindness "conquers" [in the Hebrew] us (Psalm 117:2).

    • We stand in awe that by Your amazing grace, You even subdue our iniquities (Mic. 7:19).

    • What a privilege we have to live in the day of Israel's restoration. O God, be glorified (Luke 11:2).

  2. Salvation: Shabbat's prophetic portion also has a great verse to pray into concerning Israel's salvation. And the Torah portion talks about a beautiful type of Messiah.

    • From Hosea 14:1-2a: Israel, return to YHWH your God; for you have fallen by your iniquity. Take your words, and turn to YHWH, saying to Him, 'Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously'.

    • Lord Yeshua, as Jews read the Torah portion and consider that ladder which Jacob saw connecting earth with heaven, show them that it is a clear type of You (John 1:51).

    • Let Your people see that according to the Bible, no one approaches You without a mediator, and reveal to them the Mediator between You and them today, the Son of Man, Yeshua (1 Tim. 2:5)

    • Give Your people a hunger for Your Word and turn their hearts to You (Psa. 119:145-149)

    • Give dreams and visions of Yeshua and draw many Jews to Yourself through Him (John 14:6).

    • Grant each generation to have a personal relationship with You (Isa. 54:13).

  3. Government: Israeli PM Bibi Netanyahu seems to be weakening in his stance on the land of Israel. It was reported that he wanted Trump's approval before Israel builds in Atarot, in northwest Jerusalem, which is the area where Jeremiah buried the title deed of the land he was told by God to purchase (Jer. 32:6-8). Bibi's looking to America or anyone else to build on this land, is not right before God and may be a sign that his time in office is over.

    • Abba, You have commanded us to pray for our leaders (1 Tim. 2:1-2) and we do ask that You would move Netanyahu's heart in the direction of Your heart for Israel – both land and people (Prov. 21:1).

    • Continue to bless and use him as Israel's leader until it is Your time for him to retire (Eccl. 3:1).

    • Prepare the person who will succeed him and please reveal that person to us for prayer (Amos 3:7).

    • If need be, like King Saul with David, may Bibi's replacement be raised up without his help.

    • Or, if need be, pressure Bibi to name his replacement like David did with Solomon (1 Kin. 1:28-31).

    • Whoever this is, work deeply in them to prepare them to lead Your nation (Jer. 30:21).

    • It seems that new elections are always right around the corner for this non-unified unity government. Overrule and bring in new elections in Your perfect timing (Psa. 103:19).

    • Lord, the animosity between Bibi and Naftali Bennett hurts all Israel. After new elections these right-wing party leaders will need to work together. Intervene and bring peace now (Prov. 18:19).

    • Remove from their circles anyone who is negatively interfering with their relationship (Prov. 10:18).

    • Do not allow the media to blow this animosity up any greater than it actually is. [YHWH hates] …a lying tongue…a heart that devises wicked imaginations…a false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows strife among brethren. (Prov. 6:16-19) [An accurate description of much of today's media!]

    • Grace the next generation of Israel's leaders with a desire to give You all the glory (Psa. 115:1-3).

    • Thank You for the Arab member of Knesset, M. Abbas, who is working openly with Bibi for the betterment of Arab- Israeli citizens. Hallelujah for this answer to prayer (1 John 5:14-15).

    • The rest of the Arab Joint List is furious with him. Let this anti-Zionist party divide (Psa. 129:5).

    • Whether Trump or Biden becomes the next US president, we ask that You would sever Israel's over-dependence on America (Isa. 51:1-6).

    • Continue to make Israel line up with Numbers 23:9. For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him. Behold! A people dwelling alone, not reckoned among the nations.

    • When Israel starts building in Atarot, let them find the jar with Jeremiah's title deed (Jer. 32:14-15)!

  4. Covid-19: Israel is continuing to open up society from its last lockdown. It is also buying and developing various vaccines. A vaccine committee has been established to determine which vaccine is better and which may be harmful. Yet this whole war against this virus is still very confusing and requires leaders to have to make – hopefully – informed guesses.

    • Lead us to pray in line with Your will in this modern valley of the shadow of death (Psa. 23:4).

    • Thank You that in spite of all the confusion that surrounds this virus You have led and protected Israel from a huge loss of life (Psa. 77:19-20).

    • Provide Israel with the vaccine that has Your stamp of approval (Jer. 8:22).

    • Protect Israel from all plans of man – and impart Your plans to those making decisions (Jer. 17:5-8).

    • Forbid the vaccine committee from becoming political in any way (Prov. 26:17).

    • Let the medical experts provide all the information needed so that Israel's elected leaders can make the right decisions for this nation concerning the lockdowns and the vaccines (Prov. 3:13-18).

    • With all the frustrations and inconsistencies that arise in dealing with this virus, please bless Israel with a degree of sanity in the guidelines the government gives to the nation (Deut. 32:4).

    • Do not allow the government to make taking the vaccine mandatory (Dan. 3:16-18).

    • Guard over the complete opening of schools next week (Eccl. 3:1).

    • Guide the Body of Messiah to be an example of loving grace as we let each other be led by the Lord as to whether we should take the vaccine or not (Psa. 32:8).

  5. Security – external: If Biden is the next US President, and does what he said he will do and rejoins the Iranian nuclear deal, the danger from Iran increases dramatically. Already, Israel and many "moderate" Arab nations are warning Biden not to do this. Meanwhile, the IDF is preparing for the possibility that Trump will order an attack on Iran before he leaves office in mid-January. If he does, Israel expects that Iran would release Hizbullah and its other proxies to attack Israel.

    • Give Israel strategies to deal with any renewal of Obama-like policies under Biden (Psa. 44:4).

    • Remind Israel's leaders that when it comes to protecting this nation – it does not matter what the US, or the UN, or the EU or any other group thinks. It is their responsibility alone (Rom. 13:3-4).

    • Abba, hedge Trump in so that he is able to do only that which is Your will (Prov. 21:1).

    • Bless the "Iran Command" division of the IDF whose sole focus is on the Iranian threat (Jam. 1:8).

    • Reveal to them all the information that they need to function super-effectively (Luke 12:2).

    • Keep Israel's target banks of its numerous enemies, especially Hizbullah, up-to-date (2 Kin. 6:8-9).

    • Expose all disinformation, deceit and lying concerning intelligence, for the IDF to see (Deut. 33:29).

    • Hide Israel's spies and collaborators and bring accurate actionable intelligence to them (Psa. 140:7).

    • Thank You that Israel's recent attacks in Syria have been successful and effective (Psa. 144:1).

    • Do not allow Israel to be cowed by Lebanon's over-the-top demands in setting a maritime border between them. Remind Israel that Lebanon needs this much more than Israel does (1 Kin. 5:6-11).

    • Watch over and advance Israel's cyberwarfare capabilities (Job 22:13; 37:15; Isa. 19:1).

    • We praise You for the "unmanned" aerial vehicles, patrol cars and boats Israel has developed. We pray that the human operators behind these "unmanned" weapons systems would be sharp, alert and have a will to act as and when needed (1 Chr. 12:8; Prov. 28:1b).

  6. Security – internal: If Biden is the next US President, and reengages the Palestinians, as he said he would, and views the Israel-Palestinian issue as central for Middle East peace – the danger to Israel from terrorists and being forced to divide God's land increases dramatically.

    • Thank You that Trump and Pompeo stand with Israel's right to all of the land (Gen. 13:15; 17:8).

    • In Your timing – may it be soon, Lord – move on Israel to be bold and extend its sovereignty over Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley (Obad. 1:17-20; Amos 9:14-15).

    • Let the current government legalize all Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria now (Jer. 31:3-5).

    • Give them courage before the face of man and grant them the fear of God as well (Prov. 29:25).

    • Grant security on the roads and settlements in all these areas (Psa. 121:4).

    • May the population of the Israeli communities in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley increase dramatically in the very near future (Ezek. 36:8-12).

    • Do not allow the Palestinian issue to become the central issue for Middle East peace again.

    • Prepare Israel's security forces for the chaotic time after PA President Abbas is removed (Psa. 70:2).

    • We also ask that the next Palestinian leader would not be so "moderate" that Israel is forced – or leans towards – any further division of Your land (Lev. 25:23; Joel 3:1-2).

  7. Aliyah: The Jews must leave exile today and Israel needs to be ready to receive them and help them get settled in God's chosen land for His chosen people.

    • As many non-resident Jews are buying houses in Israel as a place to run to in these uncertain times – show them that now is that time to make aliyah and live in Israel (Jer. 30:3).

    • Use the caution that Jews in the West have at this time about whether to set their Chanukah Menorah openly in a window, like they should, or whether to avoid publicly showing themselves to be Jews, to wake them up to the danger of remaining in exile today (Jer. 16:16; Ezek. 39:28).

    • Provide affordable housing for all Israelis – new immigrants, those living here for many years, and even the Sabras who were born here (Isa. 65:21-22).

    • Grant wisdom to the Israeli government in how to welcome Jonathan Pollard home (Neh. 1:10; 5:8).

    • As Ethiopia becomes more unstable, bring all remaining Ethiopian Jews home to Israel (Isa. 43:5-7).

    • Release the remaining 7,000 or so Jews left in Iran (Zech. 8:7a).

    • Remove all obstacles to making aliyah that coronavirus has placed on global travel (Isa. 62:10).

    • Speak clearly to all Israelis living outside of Israel that this is the season to return (Isa. 2:3).

    • Supply all the needs of the Jewish and Christian groups who are working to carry Your people home at this time (Isa. 49:22).

    • I will return Israel to his home, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan [the Golan], and his soul shall be satisfied on mount Ephraim and Gilead [northern Jordan]. In those days… the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and none; and the sins of Judah shall not be found: for I will pardon [+forgive] them whom I reserve [the remnant]. (Jer. 50:19-20) Amen!

  8. The worldwide Church: Many believers shun prophecy because it is too confusing and scary, and some prophecy teachers are just plain weird. Yet this is dangerous, as while there are strange and unbiblical teachings of what might happen before Messiah returns – concerning the restoration of Israel and the nations being judged today based on how they deal with God's nation, all this is so clear in the Word that there should be no confusion about it. Of course, this requires spending time reading and studying the Word for oneself as opposed to being spoon-fed once a week by someone else.

    • Lord, pour out a deep hunger for Your Word on all of Your people today (Jer. 15:16).

    • Your Word is a lamp and light to guide us. Wake up Your children who are not using this divine light and are instead walking in dark and dangerous paths (Psa. 107:10-15; 119:105; 1 Thess. 5:1-6).

    • Let Your Word be read with the spirit and with understanding (1 Cor. 14:15; 2 Cor. 3:1-18).

    • We bless You that there is ultimate truth – and it is found in Your Word (John 17:17).

    • Help us to hold future prophecy loosely and not be so dogmatic about what we "know" will happen, that we end up missing You at work and even cause division in the Body (Matt. 27:42; John 7:41).

    • For believers not "into" prophecy, remind them that prophecy is at least one-third of Your Word and that it is the one thing which proves that their Bible is the Word of the God (Isa. 42:9: John 13:19).

    • Use Israel's restoration as a declaration of Your faithfulness to guard over Your Word (Jer. 1:12).

    • Almighty Savior, give grace to the American Church to keep their eyes on You and not to move into despair regardless of who the next president is (Isa. 45:22; Heb. 12:2).

  9. Water: We are approaching the time when the heavy rains would be welcomed on this land. Praise God, this past week there was the first snowfall of the season on Mount Hermon, and more rains over much of the nation. Yet there have been some flooding and damage as well.

    • Lord, may this early snowfall be a sign of more snow to come (Job 37:6).

    • We thank You that You care for and watch over this land of Israel (Deut. 11:10-12).

    • Protect this land and its people from deaths and damage due to flooding (Psa. 107:25-31).

    • Send now the heavier rains to soak into the earth as needed (Psa. 68:9).

Shabbat shalom and blessings from Zion

For the IFI team