According to the Jewish News Syndicate, the Home Front Command of the Israel Defense Forces extended civilian restrictions during the beginning days of Passover, which lasts from April 1-9.
Most public gatherings and workplaces could not exceed 50 people with the provision of a bomb shelter within easy reach. Only some less restrictive areas allowed up to 100 people to gather.
While the restrictions were lifted April 4, The Jerusalem Post reported on April 6 that four victims were confirmed dead in the Israeli city of Haifa following an Iranian missile strike.
Chris Mitchell, Middle East Bureau Chief for CBN News, spoke with Tony Perkins on “Washington Watch” about the spiritual needs of Israel. The main need is prayer, he says.
“Paul said in the Book of Timothy to go ahead and pray for leaders and those in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life. That's, I think, No. 1,” says Mitchell.
Mitchell says to pray for wisdom for President Donald Trump, that he would hear from God and listen to the Holy Spirit and his advisors. He asks for the same for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, especially as he faces political troubles.
“I think most of the people are supporting the prime minister in his war efforts. But ironically, politically, it's not a done deal that he will be the prime minister after the next elections,” Mitchell says.
The upcoming elections, he says, most likely won’t happen until September, but this probably will be the first time in years that the government will complete a full term. However, according to Mitchell, it looks like it will be difficult for the current government or the opposition to get the 61 seats necessary for control of the Knesset.
“So politically, it's very difficult. I would almost compare it to Winston Churchill after World War II. He helped lead the Allies in victory, and yet, after the war, he wasn't re-elected as a prime minister,” states Mitchell. “So still, a very difficult time for Netanyahu politically.”
Mitchell also calls for prayer for the protection of U.S. and Israeli servicemen and women and all those who are in harm’s way.
And furthermore, he asks for prayer that this regime will fall.
“That the people of Iran could be free, and maybe our brothers and sisters in Christ, who are part of the fastest growing church in the world right now in Iran, would be able to be free as well to preach the gospel without fear of imprisonment, torture, or even death,” Mitchell says.
This war is justified, Mitchell states, because the regime has an apocalyptic view of the end times, which they prepare for by sowing chaos globally to bring about the return of the Mahdi, or the 12th Imam, a Jesus-like figure for Shia Muslims. They have invested their lives and treasure to the creation of the largest terror infrastructure in the world, he says, to the detriment of the Iranian people.
Therefore, the Iranian regime paints itself not only to Israel, but its neighboring countries, Europe and the U.S.
Prince of Persia is not make believe
According to Mitchell, in the last five or six weeks, the U.S. and Israel have systematically destroyed an infrastructure that may be worth a trillion dollars or more.
“There has been such a change in the Middle East and a degradation of this existential threat to Israel that the Middle East will never be the same again,” says Mitchell. “There is an expectation here in Israel that they don't want the war to end prematurely because they want to make sure that the Iranian regime never has the capacity to resurrect itself.”
Finally, Mitchell says to pray for the spiritual battles that are taking place. The Book of Daniel talks about the Prince of Persia, a very real spiritual entity, he says, that could be overthrown right now.
Ultimately, at its root, he says, the whole conflict is a real spiritual, religious battle.
“I think some people do dismiss what they (Muslims) say, but it is religious, it's spiritual, and that's why Christians need to be engaged in prayer because intersection in prayer makes the difference in this spiritual battle,” Mitchell concludes.
