7 Reasons Why We Should Pray for Israel

Talking about Israel is highly controversial, even within the church. However, the world’s opinion does not change how God feels about His chosen people. Paul’s letter to the Romans reflects God’s heart—a deep sorrow for the lost Israelites. So much so that he wishes he could trade his own salvation, even to the point of being cursed, for the sake of his countrymen.

"For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my countrymen, my kinsmen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites." (Romans 9:3–4)

If the New Testament reveals God’s love and care for Israel, why has our perception of His people changed so drastically? This shift, by the way, is deeply rooted in the history of the Christian church. In Romans 9-11, Paul expresses God’s mercy towards Israel, and what I call the mutualistic-God-ordained plan between the Jews and the Gentiles. Mutualism is a form of symbiosis where both organisms coexist and benefit from one another. Paul addresses the church in Rome as a whole, as well as the Jews and the Gentiles individually. He emphasizes their mutual importance, particularly the vital role of Israel in the faith of Gentile believers.

7 Reasons Why We Should Pray for Israel from Romans 9-11

This is not a teaching on Romans 9-11 however, we will use this passage to understand seven reasons why the church should be praying for Israel as Paul did.

"Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their (ISRAEL) salvation." (Romans 10:1)

1. God chose Israel

"who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons and daughters, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the temple service, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen." (Romans 9:4–5)

God chose Abraham, and Abraham chose him back (Gen 12:1-3, 15:6), establishing a covenant that can only be fulfilled by the Lord (Gen 15:9-18). God chose Israel (Ex 19:5-6), and Israel chose him back (Ex 24:7-8). Even though they failed countless times, Israel’s faithfulness in preserving the word of the Lord through generations is a testament to God’s power. They were stewards of His word, keeping it so well that, thousands of years later, we can still read the stories of what the Lord has done—how He feels about us, how He cares for us, how He lifts us up when we fall and return to Him, and how His name is glorified through us. Israel is not just a pattern for us to learn from; it is the very manifestation of God’s faithfulness. If God said it, He will do it.

For Israel, we pray with thanksgiving, but we also pray for their restoration. Just as they were once exiled and far from Jerusalem, the Lord keeps them, watches over them, and cares for them. In His faithfulness, He will draw them back to Himself.

2. Salvation is for Everyone

"For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:12–13)

God desires humanity to return to Him and to establish a kingdom of priests who are fruitful, multiply, and subdue the earth according to the standard of the King. Everyone has sinned. Everyone needs salvation. Therefore, everyone needs Jesus.

Just as we pray for a coworker, a cousin, an aunt, or anyone else, let us also pray that the Jewish people would come to the Lord.

"The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

"For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9–11)

3. Israel has not been rejected by God

"I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? Far from it! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew." (Romans 11:1–2)

As believers, we are called to be intercessors for Israel. To intercede is to partner with the Lord in establishing His will. In this case, we pray for God’s purposes for Israel to be fulfilled. Their time has not run out—just as it has not for any of us. The Lord has designed a plan to draw them to Himself through the faith and authority of the Gentiles. This faith and pursuit of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob stirs a holy jealousy in the Jewish people (Rom. 11:11), as salvation has come to those who were once “not My people” (Hosea 2:23).

Yet, if they do not persist in unbelief and disobedience, there is mercy, repentance, and salvation, and they will be grafted in again (Rom. 11:23). Let us pray for the prodigal son to return to his Father’s house.

"The Lord is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in mercy." (Psalm 103:8)

4. There’s a remnant

"In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, since otherwise grace is no longer grace." (Romans 11:5–6)

By God’s grace, there is a remnant. This remnant of Jewish people who have turned to the Lord are the same people who wrote the New Testament. Today, they are the community of Jewish believers worldwide, often referred to as Messianic Jews.

So we pray for their strength, for an unmovable and unshakable faith that provokes their family, other Jews, and all of Israel to jealousy. We pray that they remain steadfast in their calling, holding firm to their assignment and fighting the good fight until the end. From Argentina to the USA, from Israel to Russia, Messianic Jews are found across the world. We pray for blessing, provision, and an increase of supernatural wisdom and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

"if somehow I may move my own people to jealousy and save some of them." (Romans 11:14)

5. Partial Hardening

"For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be uninformed of this mystery…that a partial hardening has happened to Israel." (Romans 11:25a)

"What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened." (Romans 11:7)

Those who are not part of the redeemed Israel, the remnant, have been hardened by the Lord, and left to their own understanding. This is a way of thinking that blinds them. Their hearts and ears have become hardened to the voice of the Lord calling them. It doesn’t mean that they can’t get saved, but it means that it is harder for them than for other people groups.

Therefore, pray that the blindness and the hardening would be lifted, that the eyes of their understanding would be enlightened, so that they may recognize the One who has called them out of darkness into His marvelous light.

"For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes." (Romans 10:2–4)

6. Fullness of the Gentiles

"that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;" (Romans 11:25b)

This partial hardening will be fully lifted when the fullness of the Gentiles “has come in.” This means that the Gentile church is walking as the image of Christ, shining light in the darkness, and operating in their gifts, miracles, and authority by the power of Jesus Christ our Lord. However, the church’s ultimate fullness is in Christ and will be revealed in its majestic form on the day of the Lord’s return (Eph. 5:27, Rev. 19:7).

I always tell those around me: praying for Israel is the most unselfish way of praying for yourself. Why? Because for Jesus to return, He seeks a mature bride, containing Jew and Gentile, who has prepared herself to be holy and blameless. The Bride of Christ matures through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the community of believers, who build one another up with all spiritual gifts and blessings. He will only return when His bride is ready and when Israel will recognize Him.

"for the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a MATURE man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:12–13)

If Israel’s failure to come to the Lord has brought salvation and riches to the Gentiles, how much greater will their fulfillment be—the completion of the mature, one new man, where Jew and Gentile are rooted and grafted into the same perfect tree of the Lord (Rom 11:12–24, Eph 4:24)?

7. Israel will be saved

"and so ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED; just as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”“This is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” (Romans 11:26–27)

Praying for Israel has both immediate and eschatological implications. The immediate reality is why reason number 3 is on this list: everyone who dies without accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be lost. Every day, Jewish people die without knowing the Lord.

The latter part of this passage speaks to an eschatological reality. The day when all Israel will be saved is the day the Deliverer comes. This refers directly to the day of the Lord and Jesus’ second coming. On that day, the fullness of the Gentiles will be complete, the partial hardening and blindness will be removed, and all the Jews alive at that time will see the Messiah they’ve always awaited. They will bow down, weep, and recognize that it was Jesus of Nazareth all along (Zech 12:10).

Praying for the salvation of Israel from Romans 11:25-27 is to pray for our older brother and the second coming of the Lord.