JERUSALEM, Israel–Hundreds of Jews and Christians gathered this week for the 7th annual Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast. The meeting follows the biblical command to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Representatives from nearly 50 nations joined this year’s event.
Michele Bachmann, co-chair of the prayer breakfast and dean of Regent University’s School of Government explained, “It’s very simple. It’s not political. Our mission is to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. So, for seven years we’ve gathered in Jerusalem and people have come from all over the world to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. It’s about bringing people and the nations in to pray and to receive a blessing because out of Zion goes the law and it goes blessing the peace of Jerusalem.”
Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, invited attendees to visit the seat of the nation’s legislature.
Former Israeli Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana noted, “This return to our holy land after 2000 years of exile is a fulfillment of all the promises of the prophets. In order for this amazing experience to continue, we need you. We need those true friends who share the same set of values with us.”
Since its inception, the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast event has gone global, from Africa to South America to Europe, influencing many nations.
Former Italian Senator Simone Pillon gave an encouraging report about prospects for an Italian embassy move. ”We will try to move the embassy, the Italian embassy, from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as a big sign, a little but a big sign, to recognize the importance of this holy city, and also the efforts of the Israeli state,” Pillon said.
According to Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Hungary may become the first European Union member to move its embassy to Jerusalem.
Robert Szendrei from the Hungarian Parliamentary prayer group hopes it will happen.
“The epicenter of the world is Israel…and Jerusalem, it is the undivided and indivisible capital of Israel, and I would like to become a blessed man, and I would like our nation, Hungarian nation will be a sheep nation. We would like to become a blessed nation. Therefore, we pray for Israel. We pray for Jerusalem peace every time,” Szendrei said.
Bachmann echoed those sentiments: “They’re bringing embassies here, and that’s bringing a blessing back to those countries because that’s what the word of God says is that the blessing goes forth from Jerusalem and from Israel to other nations.”
For many, praying for Jerusalem means praying biblical promises for the city.
Annette Powel of Echad One New Man explained, “To pray God’s purposes for Jerusalem, just being a watchman on the wall, surrounding her day and night with our prayers For Zion’s sake, we will not be silent and we will not hold our peace until He makes Jerusalem a praise in all the earth.”
Bachmann says that since one prayer breakfast has already happened, in the Muslim nation of Kosovo, the group could target even larger goals.
“So why not pray for Iran?” she asked. “Why not pray for Saudi Arabia? Why not pray for North Korea? Why not pray for communist China. Those countries need Jesus too. They need blessing too and so that’s what we’re doing. We’re standing here by faith, praying the word of God and praying that God will open up his spirit in these nations.”
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