Jerusalem In Our Midst

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” Psalm 122:6. Evangelical Pastors tell us that those who pray for and bless the modern state of Israel in the Middle East will be blessed.

In 2015 Canada had an evangelical Christian Prime Minister named Stephen Harper. Christians were saying he would be blessed greatly because he was a “friend of Israel.” He loved the modern state of Israel in the Middle East. Shortly thereafter Justin Trudeau defeated his government. Jump ahead to 2020. President Donald Trump was another “friend of Israel.” Christian leaders were laying hands on him and praying for him and many of them throughout the country were prophesying that he would win a second term. Then he lost to Joe Biden. What happened? Donald Trump should have been blessed with victory according to many evangelical leaders.

The city of Jerusalem in the Middle East is the old Jerusalem. Jesus Christ did not pray for that old Jerusalem. He rebuked it and mourned for it because of its sins. (Luke chapter 13). The apostle Paul said the old Jerusalem was in bondage. “For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.” Galatians 4:25,26. There is a New Jerusalem for which we should pray. Pray for the peace of New Jerusalem. They shall prosper that love thee. The New Jerusalem is in heaven, but it is also in our midst.

The New Jerusalem is the people of God down through the ages who have loved the Lord and turned away from other gods. “And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.” Mark 3:34,35. “And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.” Mark 2:19. As disciples of Jesus, we are his mother, his brothers, his sisters, his friends, and his bride. We are the New Jerusalem! We are the city of peace, and we shall be the peacemakers who will heal this poor old world.

We are to pray for Christians everywhere and especially for the Anglo-Saxon and kindred peoples because they are the descendants of the lost tribes of Israel. They shall come to the New Jerusalem in the kingdom age and be joined with the Lord. (Jeremiah 31). The first marriage of Israel was at Mount Sinai under the terms of the old covenant. The new marriage of Israel will be at Mount Zion under the terms of the New Covenant.

Today Christians would like to have freedom from persecution to complete their mission. “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.” Acts 9:31. Church growth happened when they were at peace. “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” 1 Timothy 2:1,2. History bears out the need for peace. Christians were tortured and murdered in the Roman Empire until Constantine came to power and gave them their freedom. Then the church grew. We are to pray that God will influence governments to give us peace and freedom. However, we must not obey governments when they command us to do anything that is against God’s commands. Paul and the apostles were eventually killed for obeying God rather than Rome.

In a recent episode in Canada, convoys of truckers converged on the capital and demanded an end to vaccination mandates and the resignation of the Prime Minister. I believe they had every right to protest the mandates, but if they wanted to meet with the Prime Minister, they should not have demanded his resignation. His future is in the hands of God and the voters. “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” Romans 12:18. We are called to be the city of peace, the New Jerusalem, and to have the glory of God upon us.