Column by Sumter Pastor Joey Durham: Pray for the peace of Jerusalem
Today, I want to conclude the thought that we've been looking at with "Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem." My text is Psalm 122:6, where we see, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee." (KJV)
We've been looking at the Prophet Zechariah's prophecy concerning the environment in which Israel and Jerusalem will be in during the Great Tribulation, but today, I want to look at an opportunity as well as a responsibility that the people of God from that day to this are directed to do, which is, "pray for the peace of Jerusalem." That was true for Old Testament Israel, and I believe it remains true for the church today. God has promised to prosper those who so desire peace in Israel and pray toward that end. The focus is the promise which God made to Abraham in Genesis 12:3, where God promised, "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." (KJV) This is referred to as the Abrahamic Covenant. This covenant was made to Abram whom God later renamed Abraham, and this covenant was also made to Abraham's son Isaac, and also Isaac's son Jacob whom God renamed Israel.
As we have been bringing to your heart, Israel and Jerusalem are experiencing great turmoil and trials that easily show us there is no peace there. I believe Israel is fighting a continual war with this world's animosity, hatred, and as history has shown us, even military campaigns to eliminate her existence. Israel will never be eliminated by the Palestinians or Iran or Russia or anyone else for that matter, because of the covenant God made with Abraham, and we can be sure that God always keeps His promises! My privilege today is to "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem," and there is a lot involved within those words. Before peace comes to the "City of Peace," the true church will be raptured off of planet earth and Israel will sign a peace treaty with the Antichrist for seven years which will begin the Tribulation Period on this earth. Then at the close of that seven-year time period of Jacob's trouble, Jesus Christ will return to rescue Israel, defeat the Antichrist in the Valley of Megiddo and put the Antichrist and the False Prophet into the Lake of Fire and also shut Satan up for 1,000 glorious years, known as the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ on this earth. Then will there be peace as Jesus Christ rules this planet from His throne in the Millennial Temple in the city of Jerusalem. So in the meantime, the believing Jew and also the church can "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee."
Joey Durham is pastor at Open Bible Baptist Church at 180 Old Manning Road in Sumter. You can contact Pastor Durham at durham.joey@yahoo.com or call the church office at (803) 481-9315.