Isaiah 62 Prayer Campaign

Prayer Letter for April 2025

Dear Prayer Partners,

The relative quiet that Israel experienced over recent weeks on the Gaza front has suddenly ended. Due to the refusal of Hamas to release more Israeli hostages to extend the ceasefire, Israel decided to resume the fighting in Gaza, both in the air and on the ground. The Houthis in Yemen also renewed their missile attacks on Israel, and even rocket fire from Gaza has returned for the first time in six months. With 59 hostages still in captivity, 24 of them presumed to be alive, many Israelis are upset with the government for seemingly abandoning the hostages. Yet the truth is that Hamas simply does not want to release any more hostages, as they are the only ‘insurance’ for their continued existence and rule in Gaza. Please continue to pray for the release of the remaining Israelis held hostage in Gaza, and for total victory and peace for Israel. May Israel know that God will never forsake them for His Holy name’s sake, as assured in 1 Samuel 12:22.

I believe as we pray this month, we should put emphasis on God acting for His Holy name’s sake. From the powerful prophetic passage in Ezekiel 36:16-38, we read that God has not brought the Jewish people back to their ancestral homeland to be destroyed, humiliated or cast down before the Gentile nations, but He has brought them back because of His Holy name’s sake (v. 22), and that through Israel the surrounding nations will know that God is Lord of all (v. 36).

We are now in the Hebrew month of Nisan, which also means we are close to Pesach and the story of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and their journey to the Promised Land. Here, we see the same principle, that God acts for His name’s sake. Even when Israel rebelled and God wanted to destroy them for their unbelief (Numbers 14), Moses interceded with the Lord to have mercy on Israel for His name’s sake among the nations (vs. 13-16). In Psalm 106:7-9, it says that even when Israel rebelled at the Red Sea, “He saved them for His name’s sake, that He might make His mighty power known.”

This is an important principle to remember when we are praying for Israel. It is not just about Israel; in fact, our emphasis should be much more on the glory and power of God, as He acts to preserve and defend His holy name. Indeed, God has made so many promises to Israel that He cannot break, otherwise His name will be profaned among the nations (Ezekiel 36:20-21).

Jesus himself also taught us to pray in this direction. “Father, hallowed be your name.” (Luke 11:2).

The best days are still ahead for Israel, according to Ezekiel 36. This nation will come to a full spiritual restoration and even the Land will become like the Garden of Eden. The current war is mere birth pangs that God will use to steer the Middle East and the world in the right direction for His name’s sake.

Thank you for praying with us!

Many Blessings,

David van der Walt
Vice President for Finance
International Christian Embassy Jerusalem

Photo Credit:  Vecteezy.com

https://www.vecteezy.com/photo/54356637-dramatic-sunset-over-rugged-desert-landscape

PS: Our next day of prayer and fasting for the Isaiah 62 Prayer Campaign will be on Wednesday, 2 April 2025. Also, please join our daily Global Prayer Gathering at 4:30 PM (Israel time) to pray for the nation of Israel. So, please join us there at on.icej.org/ICEJGlobalPrayer

And let us hear from you about your needs and how God has answered your prayers! Send a short email to prayer@icej.org to let us know you are praying and fasting with us.