Amidah 10 – Prayer for the reunion of Israel

“Sound the great horn for our freedom; raise the ensign to gather our exiles, and gather us from the four corners of the earth. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who gathers the dispersed of Your people Israel.”

When one comes under the banner of Christ, things change. While it is Paul who says, “Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” (Romans 10:1), it is also Paul who writes, “when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles.” (Galatians 1:15-16)

Peter writes, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28:19)

For Paul this prayer was for the reunion of People with God through Christ. “Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called ‘uncircumcised’ by those who call themselves ‘the circumcision’ (that done in the body by the hands of men)-- remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:11-13)

For God who created all people wants to bring them to Himself. This was God’s plan from the beginning of time. Through Israel God has shown us His plan. In the fullness of time Jesus was born according to the plan and prophecy laid out by God.

Jesus “opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem’.” (Luke 24:46-47)

So let us sound the shofar, the great horn so people will know the freedom and salvation which only comes in Christ. Let us not be silent. Let us raise the ensign to exiles who know not the message of Christ so people from the four corners of the world may know the God of Israel and the salvation which comes through Jesus Christ.