More prophetic words are brought at a day of prayer in Chichester, confirming the prophecy that was given through David Noakes last week.

In last week's editorial we looked at events that have taken place since the Referendum and the vote to leave the European Union. We published a word from my colleague David Noakes that assured us that God is fully in control and that although we must expect "darkness and upheaval in the European institution" we should not be anxious, because God is working out his purposes and will walk with us in the difficult times that lie ahead.

Chichester Day of Prayer and Prophecy

Last week my wife and I led a day of prayer in Chichester. There were quite a large number, most of whom were mature Christians having a good knowledge of the Bible and Christian teaching. At one point during the day we set aside a time of complete quiet to listen to the Lord for what he is saying to his people in Britain today.

Individuals took a note of what they heard and then shared it with others in groups of about ten, who together weighed what was brought. Following this a spokesperson for each group reported back to the whole gathering the most significant words that had been accepted in their group.

Learning from Past Examples

During the day, we had already done some teaching on how the biblical prophets had received revelation from God: how they listened and how they knew that what they were hearing really was from the Lord. We noted that Isaiah heard from God early in the morning, "He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught" (Isa 50:4). We noted how Jeremiah learnt to "stand in the Council of the Lord" (Jer 23:18).

We noted that Jesus promised that his disciples would recognise his voice in the same way as sheep recognise the voice of their shepherd. He said "I am the good Shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me" (Jn 10:14). Jesus also promised that we would be able to hear the truth through the Holy Spirit. He said "When he the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own, he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come" (Jn 16:12-13).

Hearing God Speak

Only two of all those present had seen David's prophecy, which had only just been published. But the remarkable thing was how many of the words reported in the feedback time were in accordance with it. Of course, we should not be surprised at this because if we are all listening to the same Source on behalf of the nation, we should hear a similar message!

At a prayer day in Chichester last weekend, many prophetic words were given in accordance with that given by David Noakes, despite only two people present having read it.

Warnings of Trouble, Hope for Opportunity

Many of the words were warnings of troubled times that lie ahead. A typical word reported by one group was, "Times of great turmoil are coming because the enemy is angry with the vote to leave the European Union. The praying church will be important in the coming battle nevertheless the exit will be successfully completed", but we were also warned about deception, "Watch out that you are not deceived" (Luke 21:8).

We were warned that getting out of Europe will not be easy. It was not easy for the people of Israel to get out of slavery in Egypt. Although they were given permission to leave, the Egyptians chased after them and God had to do a miracle to save them. "When the King of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, 'What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!'" (Ex 14:5). The battle to get out of the EU will be long and hard. There is a great need for Christians to intercede and pray for our negotiators, businessmen and politicians, that righteousness will prevail.

There were a number of prophetic words about the 'fields being ripe for harvest', suggesting that God is giving us a great opportunity to share his truth with others and that many will respond to the Gospel – particularly young people, who are searching for truth in a confusing world of strife and conflict.

Warnings About Israel and the Middle East

There were strong warnings about the situation in the Middle East; "See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of the ruins" (Isa 17:1). This is coming true today as Syria is being destroyed, but there is great danger that when the destruction of Syria is completed the nations will turn upon Israel "Come, they say, let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more" (Ps 83:4).

There were strong calls for Christians to stand with Israel in prayer as we approach the close of this age. There were further warnings of storm clouds gathering and a time of darkness coming when the faith of Christians will be severely tested. But this was accompanied by promises that we should not be afraid in difficult times because God knows the way he is taking us (Job 23:10) and he will use the difficult times to cleanse his people.

We were warned that getting out of Europe will not be easy - it was not easy for the people of Israel to get out of slavery in Egypt.

With Jesus' Help

God will also strengthen us during the testing times for Jesus has promised that he will never leave us alone. As he prayed for his first disciples, he is still interceding with the Father for his disciples today. In his prayer to the Father, Jesus said, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one" (Jn 17:15).

We know that this editorial is different from our usual brand, but the editors felt that it was important to report these words, which we believe to be from the Lord at this special time in the history of our nation. They are particularly important because they have come through ordinary Christians, who are members of prayer groups from many different churches – not ministry leaders or clergy. Clearly God is speaking to his people today!

These prayer groups are scattered around the South Downs area of England – and our team has been leading similar days in different parts of the country. Next month we are in Rochester, Kent, when we may publish a further report. We do hope that this is an encouragement to all praying Christians.

Paul Luckraft reviews three of CFI's handy teaching booklets, each approaching this important topic with a slightly different emphasis.

Praying for Israel: Practical Guidelines (various contributors, 18 pages, available from CFI for £2.50)

This short booklet has been compiled from a selection of articles by various contributors including Lance Lambert and Derek White. As the title suggests, it is mainly a series of tips and hints for those who already see the need to pray for Israel and who are committed to this.

The first section gives a series of bullet points to enable stronger praying regarding the Church and Israel. The aim is to uplift those in the Church who support Israel and teach Hebraic roots, and to pray for a change of heart for those who do not. Each point is backed up with a verse from Scripture.

The second section recognises that praying for Israel is a spiritual battle which requires intervention in the heavenly places. Some 'prayer weapons' are listed, as are some scriptures (mainly verses from the Psalms) to enable the prayer warrior to cry to God from the heart.

The third section concerns praying for Israel in the modern world today. We are encouraged to pray for truth, for those in authority and for the salvation of both Jews and Arabs. Reconciliation and protection are also key issues. We should also not forget those in Israel who are already believers in Jesus.

The final section provides guidelines for corporate prayer. This is the longest section and gives practical advice for leaders of prayer groups as well as for those who are new to intercessory prayer. These final few pages are full of wisdom and good sense, and round off the whole booklet in an excellent way.

For Zion's Sake: Praying for the Restoration of Israel (Carl Kinbar, 12 pages, available from CFI for £2)

This is the shortest of the three booklets but overflows with excellent information and advice. It is a basic prayer guide for those who have a heart for the Jewish people and who desire to see the complete fulfilment of God's purposes for them.

It opens with an outline of God's basic plan for Israel based on passages from Ezekiel, highlighting the three main aspects of the prophetic promise; namely their return to the land, their restoration to God and then the reign of Messiah. These serve as the foundation for intercessory prayer on their behalf. Kinbar is clear that Jews are "restored to relationship with God in exactly the same way non-Jews are saved, by the grace of God through faith" (pp 3-4). The barrier of sin must be removed and a spiritual cleansing take place. Only then can they walk in God's ways and fulfil their destiny as a nation.

The rest of the booklet contains seven specific areas of prayer that arise from the prophetic pattern and which are shaped by God's promises. One area is to pray for believers and congregations already in the land. Another is to pray for the attitude of the Church and that it would fulfil its God-given role of making Israel jealous. Praying for the peace of Jerusalem is explained in two ways, external and internal, covering both protection against enemies outside the land and reconciliation between factions inside the land.

The overall conclusion is that one day "God will capture the heart of Israel and possess her as a people who worship and serve him fully" (p13). Those who pray "For Zion's sake" have a part in that restoration.

Intercession: Called to be Watchmen (Lance Lambert, 28 pages, available from CFI for £2)

This longer booklet is obviously a transcript of a talk given by Lance back in 1987. Nevertheless, the principles it contains remain the same even though the final section on certain specifics of the time is now outdated.

Lance's first point is that interest in Israel must lead to intercession for them, rather than obsession with them. He asserts that 'watch and pray' should be a key instruction for all who love Israel.

He warns that intercession is the deepest form of prayer. It is not a light or easy thing. He gives details from the biblical examples of Moses, Samuel and Daniel to back up this point. Anyone wanting to be a watchman needs to feel called to this. He or she doesn't need special education but does need vision, someone who sees the Lord and what he is doing, not so much with physical eyes but with the eyes of the heart. Lance explains that the "function of a watchman is to guard the interests of the king and of the city" (p9).

He must see not only what is coming from outside, but also what is happening inside the city. His job is not only to see enemies coming from afar but also look for betrayers within.

Lance goes on to explore the mystery of intercession, including why God requires it at all. He also helpfully outlines common misconceptions regarding intercession. With the help of real life stories that are both amusing and alarming, he explains the errors and pitfalls that he has come across in practice, and warns of the dangers of entering into this ministry without the leading of the Spirit.

He ends with the costs and rewards of being an intercessor. Intercession requires "your whole being, spirit, soul and body for twenty-four hours of every day of every week of every year" (p20). This might seem rather daunting, even off-putting, but it is as well to be aware that intercession is a constant burden and not for Christians of 'minimal maturity'.

Taken together these three booklets provide a comprehensive set of teaching on this important topic of praying for Israel.

There are many more teaching booklets available through CFI (Christian Friends of Israel) – just click here.

A call to prayer.

Several significant anniversaries in recent years have reminded us of what it has taken to defend our nation against physical enemies through two world wars: Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, D-Day and - last week - the horrific Battle of the Somme.

Through such battles Christians have recognised that wars are not fought on earth alone and, through intercessory prayer, they have joined in a spiritual battle that parallels what is experienced on earth.

We are in such a time today. There is a spiritual battle raging right now for the heart of our nation, as evidenced by the confusion among our national leaders following the Referendum. God granted us a door of opportunity through the vote to come out of Europe, but this is no more the end of the battle for Britain than Dunkirk was the end of the Second World War. It is another 'end of the beginning', to remember Winston Churchill's stirring speech after Dunkirk.

Responsibility of Christians

The divided Britain that has been exposed as a result of the Referendum exists because we have lost the biblical principles that once united and defined our nation. Now is the time to re-discover these principles, which brought us through other dark days in our history.

The vote to leave the EU was no more an end of the battle for Britain than Dunkirk was the end of the Second World War.

The topics on top of the Referendum agenda were business, finance, border control, immigration and sovereignty. Across the spectrum of the mainstream debate, the arguments being put forward about these topics were based on humanistic objectives. These objectives have not united Britain – neither have they inspired any party or campaign group to put forward a positive vision for the nation's future.

In the aftermath of the Leave vote, it is now time to re-discover deeper principles that God can bless - or we will simply shift from one set of humanistic objectives to another.

It has fallen to Christians to steer the country through, primarily in prayer and increasingly in witness. We, out of the entire nation, are able to interpret the times in biblical perspective and are able to access and articulate God's vision for Britain and the British people.

Defining 'Britishness'

What is it to be British? Attempts to define what it means to be part of a particular community or nation are where constitutions come in.

If Britain's constitution were left to believers, I would hope that we would use biblical principles to frame the governance of our land in a way that would ensure God's blessing and protection. That would be our constitution – our definition of 'Britishness'.

But we do not need to start all over again. Over many centuries, thanks to God's grace and the faithful efforts of believers down through the ages, Britain has developed the best constitutional framework of any Gentile nation (albeit that it has been betrayed by successive leaders of the nation).

It is time to re-discover principles of governance that God can bless - or we will simply shift from one set of humanistic objectives to another.

Now that we are freeing ourselves from Europe and its secular humanist constitution, a window of opportunity has been opened up for us to re-group on the ancient foundations of our own constitution that God has blessed in times past.

Britain's Unwritten Constitution

Britain has a largely unwritten constitution bound up in laws and customs, but that does not mean that it is vague or difficult to pin down.

At its heart, a key principle is the concept of the Crown, which distributes responsibility for governance interactively among the Monarch, the two Houses of Parliament, the Courts and other tribunals, the servants of the Crown, local authorities, the police and the armed forces.

This principle has been developed and refined over the years, especially through Magna Carta in 1215 and the Coronation Oath Act of 1688, keeping the Monarch central to our constitutional framework but in healthy balance.

The following summaries, taken from Halsbury's Laws of England,¹ illustrate this sharing of power, as well as the balance between laws and customs in the constitution of the UK:

By law the Monarch is the Head of State.
By custom she acts on the advice of her ministers.
By law she has no power in judicial systems.
By custom she can only give opinion and advice.
By law she is not responsible for the acts and decisions made on her behalf.
By law she can choose whichever minister she wishes.
(p26)

The Monarch is the principle source of legislative, executive and judicial power.
By custom the term "Crown" can mean either the Monarch or the body that is delegated to execute the responsibilities of the Monarch.
By custom, Parliament sets out primary legislation.
By law, the Monarch gives Royal Assent to laws presented to her by Parliament.
By law, the courts administer justice. This power has been taken from the Monarch.
(p27)

The Principles Behind our Constitution

Behind the laws and customs which are applied by our leaders lie deeper moral principles which, again, have developed in Britain over centuries. According to AV Dicey, these include the idea that everyone is equal before the law (including those in power), as well as the notion that people are only punishable if they breach the law. Such principles are designed to protect people and to hold authorities to account.²

These deeper principles owe a great debt to scriptural values and ethics. This is nowhere stated more clearly than in the Coronation Oath, the importance of which we have highlighted elsewhere. The Oath acknowledges God and his word as central to the governance of our nation. Its main tenet, sworn by the Monarch, is to "maintain the laws of God [and] the true profession of the Gospel".³

The promises to God made by the Monarch as the Coronation proceeds illustrate a wonderful balance in our constitution between law and Gospel, justice and mercy, dependence on God, responsibility of Christian leaders within Government, responsibility to the Commonwealth - with all parts of the nation held before God for his help and blessing.

Is it any wonder that there is difficulty for our Government to get its hands firmly on the rudder to steer the nation into the future, when these principles are neglected? Is it any wonder that this wake-up call from God seems like the shaking of an earthquake? The shaking is intended to stir us to repentance – a return to our constitutional principles, which we will also find is a pathway back to God.

The current shaking is intended to stir us to repentance and take us back to our constitutional principles – which we will also find is a pathway back to God.

The Bible Central

In a British Coronation, the Bible is placed on the altar along with the paten and chalice, which are used for the Communion Service. This takes place after the taking of the Oath and before the Anointing, prior to events leading up to the Crowning. The entire ceremony is drawn from biblical parallels for the crowning of kings.

The Monarch takes the Oath with their right hand on the Bible, with these words being said:

...to keep your Majesty ever mindful of the law and the Gospel of God as the Rule for the whole life and government of Christian Princes, we present you with this Book, the most valuable thing that this world affords.

Here is Wisdom; this is the royal Law; these are the lively Oracles of God.⁴

Today, the Bible is no longer central to the life of Britain and our Oath to God is betrayed. But what if, with repentant hearts, we were to confess this to God and seek his help to restore biblical precepts in our nation?

Christians must lead the way at this time of appointing new leaders, praying that eyes will be opened and that Godly men and women will come into office. If we are open to such prayer, God will give us the understanding that we need as we engage in the spiritual battle that lies ahead.

Dare We Believe?

Additionally, we might all do well to revise the Oath itself, as there is a sense in which every British citizen has been committed to it because of the declarations made by our Queen.

If we return to its principles, then God will look after those priorities that prompted fear in our nation as Referendum day drew near. He will help us protect our borders and show us how to care for the strangers in our midst. He will help us reverse laws that displease him. He will help us in our businesses, hospitals, schools and homes.

Dare we believe this? Surely God has opened the door for us - so surely he will help us.

There are Christians in our Government, among them some seeking to take leadership roles. Now let eyes be opened, clarity of understanding re-kindled, and with repentant hearts let us go forward to put our constitution back on the rock of biblical intent. Let this again be how our nation as a whole is identified in the world – what it is to be British.

Postscript

If, as a nation, we had more deeply sought God's guidance, we would not have been led into the errors that currently beset our generation. The results of the Chilcot Inquiry illustrate the serious consequences that we are reaping from what has been sown in various aspects of our nation's life.

We cannot go back and restore the multitudes of lives lost in the Iraq War and its fallout. Sadly, had we had biblical truths at our heart and through listening prayer, we would have had the guidance of Almighty God – and things may well have turned out very differently. That is how serious this is.

References

1 Taken from Vol 8, 1996 edition, edited by Lord Hailsham, published by Butterworths.

2 Dicey, AV, 1885. Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution. Discussed on Wikipedia's page on Rule of law in the United Kingdom.

3 Read the text of the Coronation Oath here.

4 For more information on the structure of the British Coronation Service, click here.

If we are to regain peace in our nation, we have to study the social geography of voting in the Referendum and learn from it.

My joy at hearing the result of the Referendum was very short-lived when I saw the dismay of some of the younger members of my own family.

Social media went into overdrive in condemnation of the decision to leave the European Union, which many young people saw not as a victory for freedom but as a triumph for racism and prejudice against foreigners.

I was immediately moved with compassion for those who felt betrayed by the older generation who had voted heavily for leaving the EU and who they accuse of not considering the views of young people and their future. But a breakdown of the voting pattern shows that it was not only older voters who wanted to break with the European Union. There were other social dimensions to the voting which are most informative about our society.

Understanding the 'Older' Vote

But first, why did so many older people vote 'Leave'? The simple answer is that they remember being told in 1975 that Britain was joining a trading organisation that would lead to great prosperity for all the nations of Europe and bring greater international cooperation and harmony - which is what everyone desired in the aftermath of two terrible wars in the 20^th Century.

But fundamental changes have taken place in the European Union, from simple trade agreements to political power being removed from our own Government to Brussels and Strasbourg, and our politicians actually admitting that we had been deceived.

The older generation was brought up in a social environment of strict morality where truth, loyalty, integrity and righteousness were universally accepted values – they deeply resent being deceived.

The older generation remember joining a trading organisation that promised peace and prosperity – and which became about political power.

Voting on Principle

These issues and the philosophy underlying the policy being pursued by the European Union were not discussed during the Referendum debate, which was an utter disgrace, descending into personal abuse and slogan shouting.

Many in the older generation ignored the debate and held fast to their social values. They knew that if Britain voted to leave the EU, there would be a period of severe economic turmoil. But, in the long-term, it seems they also believed that British character is sufficiently strong to come through the shockwaves of change and steer the country through to a time of prosperity, equality and a recovery of the values and heritage we have lost.

This is why so many in the older generation voted to reassert our independence from the EU and seek a new relationship with the other nations of Europe in a partnership of peace and prosperity. They did not want to leave Europe! They wanted Britain to decide our own destiny!

Voting Against the Establishment

But it was not only the older generation in Britain who voted 'Leave'. In areas of social deprivation, it was young people who see no future for themselves in simply maintaining the status quo. Their vote was as much against the Westminster establishment who never listen to their plight as it was against the European Union, which is just another set of faceless rulers in the 'them and us' structure of society in which they are the forgotten underclass.

For many young people and ordinary working people this was an opportunity to go against those in power. It was a chance to give a black eye to the bankers, stockbrokers, big business moguls and politicians (even including the Labour Party leaders). Sadly, we belong to a highly structured and divided society, in which the gap between rich and poor, the haves and the have-nots has been growing steadily wider for at least the past 30 years.

It was not only the older generation who voted 'Leave', but also young people – particularly in areas of social deprivation.

This is why the Labour Party is in turmoil today - because it has always been a mixture of middle-class idealists and ordinary working people, but the gap between the workers and the middle classes has grown steadily wider.

The Social Geography of the Vote

Many firms in Britain have been recruiting from Eastern Europe, where migrant workers are willing to work for lower wages that are still vastly higher that they can get in their own countries. But this has created huge resentment among British workers, especially when the migrants bring their families, with great impact upon schools and the Health Service.

The affluent middle classes, academics, civil servants, politicians, bankers and businessmen who voted to 'remain' don't have to compete for jobs with immigrants, feel the upheaval of drastic cultural change or send their children to overcrowded schools. The unwillingness of Labour politicians in Westminster to face these issues is now tearing their Party apart.

If we are to regain peace in our nation, we have to study the social geography of voting in the Referendum and learn from it.

According to figures published by The Times (25 June 2016), 72% of voters in areas of high average house prices (above £282,000) voted to remain; whereas in areas where house prices are lower than that, 79% voted to leave the EU. Similarly, in affluent areas, 65% voted to remain, whereas in areas where average wages are lower than £23,000, 77% voted to leave.

In terms of occupation and education the differences are even greater, with 86% voting to leave the EU in areas of high manufacturing and 83% in local authority areas where more than a quarter of the electorate do not have at least five good GCSEs.

British society is highly divided, with the gap between the haves and the have-nots growing steadily wider for at least the past 30 years.

Holding Out Hope

So what can Christians do to heal the divisions that are so apparent in our nation and promote harmony and a single-minded determination to seek the national good?

First, we all need to show love and compassion to those who fear for the future. We have to replace fear with hope. This can only be done by reasserting the values that have held the nation together during times of great trouble and danger in times past, and by encouraging people to put their trust in the Lord. Today, as one of our readers said in a perceptive comment, our situation is more like Dunkirk than D-Day. When we found ourselves alone facing vast hostility across the Channel we cried out to God for help; we put our trust in the Lord and he answered our prayers. This is the first thing we need to do today!

Secondly we know that we are facing turbulence for the next two years and at the moment we have no stable Government or credible Opposition. Both political parties are deeply divided and have no clear plans for the future, which is highly dangerous for the nation. Christians should be coming together to seek the Lord for his plans. Now is the time for believers to close ranks and unite in prayer for the nation; boldly speaking the word of the Lord. We know that it is only when we recognise the mess we are in and we cry out to the Lord in repentance that any real change will come in the nation, because God always responds to such prayers.

Thirdly we must intercede for our politicians. Prayer groups and intercessors should be praying for the MPs who have to elect a Prime Minister and for each of the candidates. Of the three leading contenders Theresa May attends her local Anglican church, Michael Gove is an Anglo-Catholic and Stephen Crabb is an Evangelical: all three are known to be friendly to Israel. But we not only need a Godly Prime Minister, we need committed Christians in the Cabinet who will have the discernment to know the will of God for the nation and the courage to speak the word of the Lord in decision-making.

Prayer groups should let their local MP know that they are being supported in prayer and ask if there are any special prayer needs. The next few weeks are especially important to pray for MPs when far-reaching decisions will be made. This is where Christians can play a vital part in the affairs of the nation. We need the same boldness that Peter and John had when they faced the leaders of Israel in Jerusalem soon after the Day of Pentecost. They spoke about Jesus and declared "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4.12).

This is the message that should be upon our lips and declared in our Parliament and in the public square!

Prophets not only understood God's words and relayed them to others, they also gained God's ear. Edmund Heddle looks at this profound intercessory relationship...

It was the special privilege of the true Old Testament prophets to stand in the council of the Almighty to listen to his words. It was this access that ensured the accuracy and authority of the prophecies they spoke.

But this access also gave them the privilege of gaining the ear of God as they interceded on behalf of their people and ensured the success of their intercession. God spoke to them and they spoke to God. Both of these aspects need to be kept in mind if we are to gain a true understanding of what a prophet is.

First Bible Prophet an Intercessor

The earliest example of a prophet interceding occurs in Genesis 20:7, which is where the first reference to a prophet in Scripture occurs. In a dream God told Abimelech, king of Gerar, to hand back Sarah, Abraham's wife, and said that Abraham's intercession would save him from certain death "because he is a prophet" (Gen 20:7, 17).

There is however an earlier reference to Abraham praying when he interceded for the wicked city of Sodom (Gen 18:22-23). Six times Abraham besought God to spare Sodom and each time God accepted his prayer. What an encouragement today to pray for our increasingly immoral society! It was a sad commentary on Sodom's widespread homosexuality that there were fewer than ten righteous men in the city and so the inevitable judgment fell, a lasting warning to the cities that are moving in that direction before our eyes today.

Abraham's intercession spared kings and cities judgment- what an encouragement today to pray for our increasingly immoral society!"

Prayers of the Writing Prophets

The close link between prophesying and interceding is also found in the writing prophets of the Old Testament. We find Amos asking God's pardon for Israel and for respite from the utter destruction caused by a divinely ordained plague of locusts (Amos 7:1-2).

In similar fashion Joel cries to God for the ending of the drought which has caused the "seed to shrivel under the clods" and the wild beasts to cry out because "the water brooks are dried up" (Joel 1:17-¬20). In contrast, Hosea calls down an awful judgement on the homes of Israel by requesting "wombs that miscarry and breasts that are dry" (Hos 9:14).

Habakkuk's Fiddle!

In his long prayer forming the whole of Habakkuk 3, the prophet expresses his absolute confidence in Yahweh, no matter how many calamities might befall him or however bad things might become. One quaint old commentator advises his readers to strum away on 'Habakkuk's Fiddle' when we are facing days of trouble.

Hebrew scholars tell us that the rhythm of the last part of this prayer is very beautiful, consisting of short lines of three words each and obviously intended to be set to music. He says that he will wait patiently until the day of calamity overwhelms the nation that was invading his land (Hab 3:16b).

Amos interceded for God's pardon, Hosea called for judgment and Habakkuk expressed his complete confidence in God, whatever the future might hold."

The Prophet's Arguments with God

Ezekiel wrestles with God and hints that his reputation is at stake if he utterly wipes out the remnant of Israel (Eze 9:8-11; 11:13-16). The reputation of Yahweh is one of the strongest arguments advanced by the prophets in their interceding for God's people. It was used by Moses several times, as he argues that the surrounding nations would conclude that Yahweh had failed to bring his people into the Promised Land (Ex 32:12; Deut 9:25-29).

A variation of this argument, also used by Moses, was to remind God of his promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and to tell him that he dare not break them. A similar argument that Yahweh would bring disgrace to his name if he let his people down had been used by Joshua at the defeat of Ai (Josh 7:9). These arguments are just as strong today if we adapt them to our New Testament understanding of the character and promises of our Heavenly Father and the victory of his Son, our Saviour.

Many prophets interceded by reminding God of his character and promises- and by arguing that his reputation was at stake. These arguments are just as strong today"

Prayer's Powerful Effect

Of all the prophets, Elijah is chosen as the example of the powerful effect of a righteous man's intercession (James 5:16-17) and it is from this New Testament account that we learn that the disastrous three and a half years' drought in the reign of King Ahab happened in answer to Elijah's praying. Had we only the narrative in 1 Kings 17, we should not have known the part that his prayers had in bringing about the drought, as a judgement upon the idolatrous activity of the wicked Queen Jezebel.

As this three-year period came to an end the power of Elijah's praying was again demonstrated when, after total failure on the part of Baal's prophets to bring fire from heaven, God answered his servant's prayer by causing the enormous power of his lightning falling from heaven to consume not only the wood and the sacrifice but also the soil and the stones!

In 1 Kings and James, we find that Elijah's powerful intercession caused drought in Israel for three and a half years, brought down fire from heaven and then finally brought rain"

Having brought about this convincing demonstration of Yahweh's superiority, Elijah tells the king that rain was on its way. Yet again Elijah turned to prayer, bending down to the ground with his head between his knees, having first climbed to the top of Carmel. After six reports from his servant that there was not a cloud in the sky, when he looked the seventh time a cloud no larger than a man's hand convinced him that torrential rain was about to fall.

Intercessor's Options

From the foregoing stories it is clear that, on occasion, a prophet may in prayer invoke the judgement of God upon a sinful nation whereas at another time he may terminate the judgement. An example of both options may be found in the story of Elisha, Elijah's successor. He invoked blindness on Israel's enemy, but later prayed that their vision might be restored (2 Kings 6:18-20).

There is in fact another option, making three in all. Elisha could ask either (i) that God would bring judgement to reveal his displeasure (eg Elijah in 1 Kings 17:1), or (ii) that God would pardon his people and rescue them from judgement (eg Moses in Numbers 11:1-3), or again (iii) that God would modify the intensity of his judgement (eg Ezekiel in Ezekiel 11:13) so as to avoid their total overthrow.

It might well be asked which option that today's intercessors should adopt, though they are not left without direction: "For the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought...the Spirit intercedes...according to the will of God" (Rom 8:26-27).

Moses - Intercessor for Israel

Moses is the supreme example of a prophet who was also an intercessor. Moses prayed for Israel at least four times during the wilderness wanderings and secured the mercy and pardon of God for his sinning people. They turned to idolatry, they constantly grumbled, they wanted to return to Egypt and on one occasion were about to stone Moses and his few faithful companions. But time and time again Moses' intercession secured them God's deliverance (Ex 32:9-14; see also Deut 9:20-29; Ex 32:30¬-34; Num 14:13-19 & 21:7-9).

Moses' example of fervent, vicarious intercession has only been surpassed by that of Jesus."

The fervency of Moses' intercession – "I lay prostrate before the Lord for these forty days and forty nights, because the Lord had said he would destroy you" (Deut 9:25) - and the vicariousness of his pleading as he says to God "forgive their sin - and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book..." (Ex 32:32), together with his refusal of the divine suggestion that the people should be wiped out so that God could make a new nation of him, form an example for today's intercessors to emulate, though never to surpass. Only one has ever done that when "in the days of his flesh he offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears" (Heb 5:7).

Other Prayers of Moses

Moses' intercession bringing victory to Israel over the Amalekites is the classic story of the power of the intercessor (Ex 17:8-16). Moses' prayers also secured mercy for Miriam his jealous sister (Num 12:13), God's presence in their onward pilgrimage (Ex 33:12-¬16) and a new leader to take over from him (Num 27:15-23).

When we see the achievements that result from praying for others we are ashamed that we so often neglect this part of the prophetic ministry and cry out with John Calvin "what deep-seated malice against God is this, that I will do anything and everything, but go to him and remain with him in secret prayer!".

Another Prophet Intercessor

Psalm 99:6-8 refers to Samuel as another intercessor who called on the name of the Lord to have mercy on his people. When the Israelites were terrified at the impending attack of the Philistines, they begged Samuel to pray for them. God's thunder was his answer and the enemy was routed (1 Sam 6:7-10).

When the people sinned against God by demanding a king, to be like the other nations, the Lord showed his displeasure by sending thunder and rain, seldom experienced at that particular season. This was in answer to Samuel's praying. However, when they repented, Samuel (though personally rejected by their demands for asking) magnanimously assured them that he would not cease to pray for them and would continue to teach them the "good and right way".

Are we guilty of giving up praying because we have been rejected?"

For Samuel to cease to pray would have amounted to "sin against the Lord" (1 Sam 12:23). Are we guilty of giving up praying because we have been rejected? Samuel's attitude is one which today's intercessors would do well to copy.

Courageous Praying

The prophet Daniel is well known for his faithfulness in continuing to pray even when the threat of being thrown to the lions had been made. "He kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed...as he did afore time" (Dan 6:10). Most of his prayers are concerning the hidden mysteries God was gracious enough to unveil to him. But chapter 9 contains his prayer of confession, which is an aspect of prophetic praying we have not so far mentioned.

In the context of reminding Yahweh of his promise through the prophet Jeremiah to restore his people to their land after seventy years, Daniel confesses vicariously on behalf of God's sinful nation. A most important part of the prophet's intercession is to 'stand in the shoes' of the people being prayed for as prayer is offered on their behalf.

When Prayer is Forbidden

Jeremiah's prophecy contains a number of prayers for God's people (Jer 14:7-9; 19-22; 42:1-7). But the time came when it was too late to pray and Jeremiah was forbidden to do so. God's order to his servant was "do not pray for this people, or lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede for them, and do not intercede with me, for I do not hear you" (Jer 7:16; see also 11:14, 14:11). How important that prayer should be offered before it is too late!

Prophet's Privilege

If we are to speak for God, we need first to speak to God."

Everyone knows that it is the responsibility of the prophet to speak God's word to whoever he is sent. Sometimes that word can be hard and condemnatory - unless the prophet has also interceded for whoever is on the receiving end of the prophecy. If we are to speak for God, we need first to speak to God. Then only will the prophets of today really copy the example of the prophets of the Bible.

First published in Prophecy Today, Vol 2, No 4, July/August 1986.

In celebrating the 75th anniversary of Dunkirk, Britain has conveniently forgotten that it was God's intervention that saved the day...

In recent days the nation has been celebrating the 75th Anniversary of 'Operation Dynamo', the evacuation of Allied troops from the beaches of Dunkirk between 27 May and 4 June 1940. The emphasis has been, once again, on the "Dunkirk Spirit" – on the sacrifices and heroism, the grit and determination of the British people, on the collaboration between the Navy, the RAF, and (especially) the "little ships". Services have been held in places such as Dover and Ramsgate, Dunkirk and Westminster Abbey, with media reports on these continuing the same emphases. National pride has been on parade again.

Selective National Memory

Conspicuous by their absence have been any substantial element of thanksgiving to Almighty God and any recognition of the role of prayer and the miraculous. This is the result of the secularisation of British society – a process almost unthinkable to most who lived and died in those dark days. In some cases it results from ignorance; in others, the result of wilful attacks upon the testimony of the participants at the time.

In the Dunkirk exhibition in Dover Castle there is no mention of the spiritual dimension of those times. On its website, the word 'miracle' is only used to credit the director of the operation: "Vice-Admiral Bertram Ramsay pulled off a miracle".¹ Furthermore, the BBC website includes an article entitled Spinning Dunkirk,² in which the 'miracle' is attributed to clever manipulation of the media by the politicians, creating a "myth" that the British have preferred to believe. Other authors have also scorned the miracle.

Conspicuous by their absence this memorial year have been any substantial elements of thanksgiving to God, or recognition of the role of prayer."

Call to Prayer

What do the eyewitness accounts have to say? Did you know, for example, that the main operation was preceded by a National Day of Prayer? In a broadcast on 24 May 1940 to the nation and the Empire, King George VI called his people to a day of repentance and prayer on Sunday 26 May.

John Richardson, in Dunkirk Revisited, writes:

It says much about the times, and about Dunkirk, that it had then taken centre stage in the nation's life. Every church and synagogue had been packed. Petticoat Lane's market closed for the only time in its history so that traders could attend church. On the forecourt of Southampton's Guildhall, an overflow of 2,000 had assembled to hear relayed the united service within.³ [emphasis added]

British Pathe's film commentary refers to "the mighty congregation" at the service in Westminster Abbey, at which King George VI, Winston Churchill, members of the Cabinet and Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands participated. The photograph here shows the queue for prayer outside the Abbey. The Daily Sketch, reporting the following day, said "Nothing like it has ever been seen before".

Answered Prayer: Halted Forces

So what followed? Contemporary accounts refer to three or four aspects of the miraculous. First, the Panzer forces were unexpectedly halted for two days on 24 May, enabling the Allies to re-group. Even now, historians puzzle over why this happened; not even the German generals could agree the reason for the call to halt the German armoured divisions.

This clearly preceded the National Day of Prayer – was it a case of "Before they call I will answer" (Isa 65:24)? Perhaps God was blessing the king's very decision to call for prayer, itself a step of faith preceded by several days of debate, commitment and preparation. It is also important to realise that prayer was already well underway. Consider this excerpt from Norman Grubb's 'Rees Howells – Intercessor':

When the war broke out the prayer meetings at Wales Bible College became a daily event...Every week and often for days at a time there were whole days of prayer. It seems that God would lay one or another aspect of the war on the heart of Rees Howells or one of the others praying, and the whole community would intercede...⁴

Dunkirk was bathed in unprecedented levels of prayer all around the country, and then the miraculous happened."

Bad Weather over Flanders

The second miracle of Dunkirk was that within 48 hours of the National Day of Prayer, a great storm broke over Flanders, giving cover to the Allied troops, softening the marshlands which lay before the German armoured divisions and grounding the Luftwaffe for all but 2½ days of the operation. General Halder, head of the German Army General Staff, wrote in his diary on 30 May:

The pocket would have been closed at the coast if only our armour had not been held back. The bad weather has grounded the Luftwaffe, and we must now stand and watch countless thousands of the enemy get away to England right under our noses.⁵

Calm Conditions for the 'Little Ships'

The third miracle was strangely calm conditions in the Channel during much of Operation Dynamo.

German author Hans Frank states that over the 9 days of the operation "the sea was leaden and calm, unusual for the Channel."⁶ Even the rather cynical comedian Spike Milligan was later to write "...the Channel was like a piece of polished steel. I'd never seen the sea so calm. One would say it was miraculous."⁷

The Daily Telegraph wrote on 8 July, 1940:

Those who are accustomed to the Channel testify to the strangeness of this calm; they are deeply impressed by the phenomenon of nature by which it became possible for tiny craft to go back and forth in safety.

This was particularly helpful in evacuating over 98,000 soldiers from the beach zones, as opposed to from the harbour area.

Large-Scale Rescue

By the end of Operation Dynamo on 4 June, a total of over 338,000 troops had been rescued (almost 140,000 of which were French, Belgian, Dutch and Polish). This contrasted greatly with the Admiralty's best estimate in planning – 45,000 over a two-day period.

In the House of Commons on 4 June, Churchill confessed that he had only hoped for 20,000-30,000 successful evacuations: "I feared it would be my hard lot to announce the greatest military disaster in our long history."⁸ The graph to the left shows the unexpectedly miraculous scale of the rescue.

On the same day, the BBC reported: "The Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, has described the "miracle of deliverance" from Dunkirk and warned of an impending invasion."

Notable Reactions

Looking back on Operation Dynamo, Vice-Admiral Ramsay wrote to his wife: "The relief is stupendous. The results are beyond belief."⁹ General Pownall, Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief of the BEF, noted in his diary at the time: "The evacuation from Dunkirk was surely a miracle."¹⁰ Admiral Sir William James, who later led the evacuation of remaining Normandy and Brittany ports, was later to exclaim, "Thank God for that miracle at Dunkirk".¹¹

C.B. Mortlock wrote in the Daily Telegraph on 8 June 1940:

...the prayers of the nation were answered...the God of hosts himself had supported the valiant men of the British Expeditionary Force...One thing can be certain about tomorrow's thanksgiving in our churches, from none will the thanks ascend with greater sincerity or deeper fervour than from the officers and men who have seen the hand of God, powerful to save, delivering them from the hands of a mighty foe, who, humanly speaking, had them utterly at his mercy.

When services of national thanksgiving were held in all churches on the following Sunday, it was with great feeling that many a choir and congregation sang the words of Psalm 124, for they were seen to apply to that situation through which the nation had just passed:

If the Lord had not been on our side- let Israel say -if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us, they would have swallowed us alive when their anger flared against us; the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away.

Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the fowler's snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

No other passage of Scripture could have more aptly described the nation's experience on that day.

In the aftermath of Dunkirk, the nation was awestruck at God's deliverance. Surely 75 years on, it is time to recognise afresh the hand of God in our history, and give him all due worship."

Remembering Today

Surely, it's time for us to recognise anew the hand of God in our history, and to give him all due praise and thanks.

It's time, too, for those of us who are Christians to repent of any national pride and complacency and to intercede on the nation's behalf – that the Almighty will have mercy and by the power of his Holy Spirit bring conviction and conversion once more to this disturbingly secular land.

References

1 English Heritage: Operation Dynamo

2 Spinning Dunkirk. BBC News, 17 February 2011.

3 Dunkirk Revisited, 2008, p139.

4 Chapter 34: Intercession for Dunkirk.

5 Shirer, W L, 1959. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany. New York: Simon & Schuster, p883.

6 2007, Seaforth Publishing.

7 Games, A, 2003. The Essential Spike Milligan, p.198.

8 We Shall Fight on the Beaches, Speech to the House of Commons, 4 June 1940.

9 Barnett, C, 2000. Engage the Enemy More Closely. Penguin Books, p161.

10 Lord, W, 2012. The miracle of Dunkirk. Open Road Media.

11 Ibid.