Why Does the Jerusalem Prayer Team Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem?

Updated

The Jerusalem Prayer Team prays for the peace of Jerusalem because, in its own account, Scripture commands it—specifically Psalm 122:6. The organization, founded with Dr. Michael D. Evans, describes its mission as building "Friends of Zion" to guard, defend, and protect the Jewish people, and it frames prayer for Jerusalem's peace as a direct response to that biblical instruction rather than a general devotional habit.

The Scriptural Basis

The website states plainly that "We pray for peace in Jerusalem because the Scriptures tell us to in Psalm 122:6." That verse is the organizing text for the ministry's name and purpose. The same scriptural logic appears in the blog material: a post titled "Blessings and Curses" cites Psalm 128:5 ("The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life") alongside Zechariah 2:8, where God warns of the danger of offending Israel. Taken together, the ministry presents prayer for Jerusalem not as one option among many but as an obligation tied to blessing and warning.

Guarding and blessing as a theological stance

The stated purpose—"to guard defend and protect the Jewish people"—shows how the team connects prayer to a broader posture toward Israel. Prayer is the devotional expression; protection and defense are the practical outworking. The blog reflects this consistently, from "For Such a Time as This" (Esther's intervention to save the Jewish people from extinction) to "Blessings and Curses" (the consequences of how nations treat Israel).

The ten Boom Historical Root

The ministry traces its inspiration to a specific source: "the 100-year long prayer meeting for the restoration of Israel held in the ten Boom family home in Haarlem, Holland." This is the same ten Boom family associated with Corrie ten Boom, whose household sheltered Jews during the Holocaust. The Jerusalem Prayer Team presents itself as a continuation of that sustained, generations-long intercession—prayer for Israel's restoration as a lived family tradition, not a recent campaign.

Prayer and Action Together

The site's structure suggests the two are meant to operate as a pair. Alongside prayer language, the homepage surfaces a weekly prayer meeting, a "Join Today" banner, a museum slide (Friends of Zion Museum), a book on heroes of history, and a Ukraine relief slider. The pattern: prayer is the entry point, and participation extends into supporting initiatives connected to the Jewish people and Israel.

Element What it signals
Weekly prayer meeting Recurring, communal prayer for Jerusalem's peace
Friends of Zion Museum Educational/cultural arm tied to the same mission
"Join Today" call Invitation to become part of the prayer community
Ukraine relief slider Practical aid as an expression of the same commitment

What This Means If You're Deciding Whether to Engage

If your interest is devotional—joining a structured, ongoing prayer effort focused on Jerusalem and the Jewish people—the site gives you a clear entry point through its prayer meeting and membership invitation. If your interest is historical or theological, the ten Boom lineage and the Psalm 122:6 framing are the two ideas to evaluate. The organization is explicit about its stance: prayer for Jerusalem's peace, paired with active support for the Jewish people, understood as biblically commanded. Whether that framing matches your own convictions is the decision the site leaves to you.