A Call to Prayer: Isaiah 62 Fast
Happy May! Exciting things are happening this month.
Sundown on Thursday, May 25th through sundown on Saturday, May 27th, marks the celebration of Shavuot or the Feast of Weeks. Agriculturally, it speaks of the wheat harvest in Israel. Biblically, it commemorates the day God gave Moses and the children of Israel the Torah on Mount Sinai. This holiday also ends the 50 days of counting the Omer between Passover and Shavuot.
In keeping with the fact that every one of the major events in Jesus’ life occurred during one of Israel’s Spring Feasts, Shavuot occurred on the day known as Pentecost (derived from the Greek word meaning fiftieth). After He was raised from the dead on the Feast of First Fruits (even as He is the Firstborn from the dead, Revelation 1:5), Jesus appeared first to Mary at the tomb, then to His disciples, and 500 people in total over forty days (I Corinthians 15:4-6). He then asked the believers to tarry in Jerusalem and pray, which they did in the Upper Room. Ten days later, the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost - at the exact time of Shavuot.
As Shavuot and Pentecost are in this month of May 2023 another miraculous event will occur during this month. The conservative estimate is that one million Gentile believers have committed to pray and fast for Israel for 21 days, May 7-28. Large networks such as the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Missouri, Lou Engle Ministries, Youth With A Mission, International Prayer Connect, and more are linking arms to pray in unity for the land and people of Israel. Click here to register to join JH Israel on Zoom for 15 minutes starting Sunday, May 7 in prayer for Israel.
The 21 days of fasting will conclude at the end of Shavuot and on the day of Pentecost. This is no coincidence. As the Jewish people are celebrating the beginning of the harvest and the giving of the Word of God and Christians are celebrating the outpouring of the power of the Holy Spirit, may it be a heavenly sign that the power of God will be poured out for the raising up of Watchmen on the Wall who will pray day and night until Jerusalem is a praise on the Earth (Isaiah 62).
It is an exciting time to be alive in God’s Kingdom on Earth. We get to be part of the company of God’s army, helping to push back the powers of darkness and usher in the power of His Presence over His beloved firstborn Israel.
Patricia Bootsma
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