1 I was glad when they said to me,
    "Let us go into the house of the LORD."
² Our feet have been standing
     Within your gates, O Jerusalem!
³ Jerusalem is built
     As a city that is compact together,
⁴ Where the tribes go up,
     The tribes of the LORD,
     To the Testimony of Israel,
     To give thanks to the name of the LORD.

There are moves to make Jerusalem in international city. Doesn't this fulfill the requirement of this passage to make Jerusalem a city "Where the tribes go up…" and, as Isaiah prophesied, ...
"My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations" (Isaiah 56:7)?

Making Jerusalem an international city, or a city divided according to the interests of various ethnic and religious groups appears to fulfill this requirement on the surface. However, this is not in the way that was intended.

The warfare over Jerusalem is not about Arab vs. Jew vs. Christian. G·d is in the process of fulfilling His intentions for Jerusalem. HaSatan (The Adversary) is fighting G·d's purposes. These are the true battle lines of the warfare. What we read in the news (accurate or not) are just the reverberations of this spiritual warfare.

Jerusalem will be at peace when she fulfills her purpose, when she becomes what G·d intends for her.  So, the way to pray for the peace of Jerusalem is to pray for His purposes to be fulfilled.

What are G·d's purposes for Jerusalem?

First, Jerusalem is intended to be the city in which is the "House of the LORD"
("¹ I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go into the house of the LORD.' ²Our feet have been standing Within your gates, O Jerusalem!" - Psalm 122:1-2). Daniel, Zechariah, and others in Scripture prophesy that the Temple will be built again.
Satan is opposed to this.

Second, Jerusalem is to be a place of prayer, worship, and to give thanks for the "tribes of the LORD" (Psalm 122:4), not the tribes of Islam or any other religion.

Third, Jerusalem is to be the "Testimony of Israel" (Psalm 122:4). What is the Testimony of Israel? The continued existence and restoration of Israel testifies to the enduring truth and eternal nature of G·d's Word. Without this testimony, all else, even the very nature of G·d Himself, is thrown into doubt.

This is why Rabbi Shaul (Paul) was so insistent that "²God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew" (Romans 11:2) because "²⁹For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable" and are not dependent upon men, but upon G·d's own mercy. "¹⁵For He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.' ¹⁶So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy" (Romans 10:15-16).

Yeshua tells us as recorded by Luke: "²⁴And they [the Jewish people] will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" (Luke 21:24). Then Rabbi Shaul (Paul) tells us by way of the Romans: "²⁵For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written" (Romans 11:25-26).

Therefore, the "Testimony of Israel" is that G·d is true to His Word and His own nature. That which He speaks, He will accomplish. Physical restoration to the land and to Jerusalem is not the full testimony. Spiritual revival and the restoration of first century Messianic Judaism is not the full testimony. Taken together, we see that both spiritual and physical restoration are necessary for the "Testimony of Israel."

Yeshua tells us that Jerusalem is integral to this testimony
(Luke 21:24) .

Psalm 122 goes further. Verses 5 and 7 both refer to right government ("thrones" and "palaces"). The fourth purpose of G·d for Jerusalem is that the government be righteous, reflecting the heart of Messiah.

The fifth purpose is found in verse 7: "prosperity."

We see another part of the purpose through Isaiah who prophesies that "In that day" there will be a song of praise in the land of Judah (the so-called "West Bank") which begins like this:

     ¹  "We have a strong city;
          God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks.

     ²  Open the gates,
         That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in.

     ³  You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You,
          Because he trusts in You..." (Isaiah 26:1-3)

We need to pray for "salvation," even Yeshua, to be the walls and the bulwarks of Jerusalem and of the nation of Israel. There will come a time when it is only the righteous nation, which can only be accomplished through Yeshua, that may enter in. We know that "all Israel will be saved" (Romans 11:26). We are seeing this revival before our eyes even now. Jerusalem's peace is dependent upon the fullness of Jewish revival and worldwide revival ("For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but [revival]?" - Romans 11:15).

Finally, our trust is not in "peace processes," diplomacy, treaties, victories of war, compromises, "land for peace," the United Nations, or any such thing. Our trust is in the L·rd.

As we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, we do so from a place of perfect peace. We are kept in this place, not by force of will, but by the L·rd Himself as we fix our minds, not on the headlines and news reports, but on Him, His purposes, and the accomplishment of His will.

Summary

To summarize these seven aspects of praying for the peace of Jerusalem:



 

			Pray for Jerusalem to be the place for the "House of the LORD,"  the rebuilt Temple.
			Pray for Jerusalem to be the center of worship for the "tribes of the LORD,"  not for the glory of the United Nations or Islam.
			Pray for the "Testimony of Israel:" the continued restoration of the Jewish people to their own land. Also, the continued restoration of the Jewish people to G·d through Yeshua.
			Pray for the Israeli government that they would have the wisdom and mind of Messiah in all that they do and say.
			Pray for the prosperity of Israel.
			Pray for the people of Israel to receive Salvation.
			Pray with trust and peace that all of G·d's purposes, as spoken in His Word, will be fulfilled.
			"The end of all things is at hand;
			therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers" (1 Peter 4:7)

All Scriptures are from the NKJV.