Paw-lal‘, Deh'-om-ahee, Pros-yoo'-khom-ahee

(Pray, Pray, Pray)Pastor Timothy Hinkle

October 4, 2009

פלל• palal

• paw-lal‘

• A primitive root; to judge (officially or mentally); by extension to intercede, pray: - intreat, judge (-ment), (make) pray (-er, -ing), make supplication.

In Scripture פלל• 1 Kings 8:22-53 (New King James Version)• Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication• 22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the

presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven; 23 and he said: “LORD God of Israel, there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. 24 You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day. 25 Therefore, LORD God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk before Me as you have walked before Me.’ 26 And now I pray na‘ naw--A primitive particle of incitement and entreaty, which נא)may usually be rendered I pray, now or then; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjugation: - I beseech (pray) thee (you), go to, now, oh.)O God of Israel, let Your word come true, which You have spoken to Your servant David my father.

In Scripture פלל27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! 28 Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O LORD my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today: 29 that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. 30 And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray (פלל--paw-lal‘) toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive. 31 “When anyone sins against his neighbor, and is forced to take an oath, and comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this temple, 32 then hear in heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, condemning the wicked, bringing his way on his head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness. 33 “When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and when they turn back to You and confess Your name, and pray (פלל--paw-lal‘) and make supplication to You in this temple, 34 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to their fathers.

In Scripture פלל35 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray (פלל--paw-lal‘) toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance. 37 “When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; 38 whatever prayer (תפלה tephillah--tef-il-law‘—from פלל--paw-lal‘-- intercession, supplication; by implication a hymn: - prayer), whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple: 39 then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men), 40 that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.

In Scripture פלל41 “Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake 42 (for they will hear of Your great name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays (פלל--paw-lal‘) toward this temple, 43 hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name. 44 “When Your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever You send them, and when they pray (פלל--paw-lal‘) to the LORD toward the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name, 45 then hear in heaven their prayer (תפלה tephillah--tef-il-law‘) and their supplication, and maintain their cause. 46 “When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to the land of the enemy, far or near;

In Scripture פלל47 yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness’; 48 and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray (פלל--paw-lal‘) to You toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name: 49 then hear in heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplication, and maintain (‘tephillah--tef-il-law תפלה)their cause, 50 and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You; and grant them compassion before those who took them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51 (for they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Egypt, out of the iron furnace), 52 that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. 53 For You separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be Your inheritance, as You spoke by Your servant Moses, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD.”

פלל• palal, paw-lal‘: A primitive root; to judge (officially or

mentally); by extension to intercede, pray: - intreat, judge (-ment), (make) pray (-er, -ing), make supplication.

• Notice here, Solomon was offering a prayer for the people. He was interceding on their behalf.

• Many of the prayers in the Old Testament are “representative prayers”; that is, for the most part, people do not appear to have prayed themselves, but came to a prophet, a priest, or a king and asked them to pray for them. This was, in fact, one of the main roles of the priest, especially on the Day of Atonement (see Lev. 16)*

*Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words, p530

Leviticus 16 (New King James Version)

 1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered profane fire before the LORD, and died; 2 and the LORD said to Moses: “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.3 “Thus Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with the blood of a young bull as a sin offering, and of a ram as a burnt offering. 4 He shall put the holy linen tunic and the linen trousers on his body; he shall be girded with a linen sash, and with the linen turban he shall be attired. These are holy garments. Therefore he shall wash his body in water, and put them on. 5 And he shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats as a sin offering, and one ram as a burnt offering. 6 “Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house. 7 He shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 8 Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the LORD and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9 And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the LORD’s lot fell, and offer it as a sin offering.

Leviticus 16 (New King James Version)

10 But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make atonement upon it, and to let it go as the scapegoat into the wilderness. 11 “And Aaron shall bring the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house, and shall kill the bull as the sin offering which is for himself. 12 Then he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the altar before the LORD, with his hands full of sweet incense beaten fine, and bring it inside the veil. 13 And he shall put the incense on the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the Testimony, lest he die. 14 He shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. 15 “Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil, do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat. 16 So he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, for all their sins; and so he shall do for the tabernacle of meeting which remains among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

Leviticus 16 (New King James Version)

17 There shall be no man in the tabernacle of meeting when he goes in to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself, for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel. 18 And he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD, and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around. 19 Then he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, cleanse it, and consecrate it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel. 20 “And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, the tabernacle of meeting, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat. 21 Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. 22 The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness. 23 “Then Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of meeting, shall take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the Holy Place, and shall leave them there.

Leviticus 16 (New King James Version)

24 And he shall wash his body with water in a holy place, put on his garments, come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people. 25 The fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar. 26 And he who released the goat as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. 27 The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried outside the camp. And they shall burn in the fire their skins, their flesh, and their offal. 28 Then he who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.

Leviticus 16 (New King James Version)

29 “This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you. 30 For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. 31 It is a sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever. 32 And the priest, who is anointed and consecrated to minister as priest in his father’s place, shall make atonement, and put on the linen clothes, the holy garments; 33 then he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tabernacle of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 34 This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year.” And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

What Do We See Here?

• In Leviticus 16, we see here a number of things: – Sin has brought a separation from God – The people NEED a priest to intercede for

them– The “instructions” surrounding entering the

Holy of Holies are all testimonies or “promises” of Christ!

Matthew 27:50-52 (New King James Version)

50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;

Hallelujah!

Atonement for man’s sin was completed once and for all! There was no more a need for a separation between God and man. Now, all of mankind could come directly to the Father ANYTIME! What a privilege! Let’s not neglect this awesome privilege…We no longer need someone to

!pray, intercede, for us (‘paw-lal) פלל

More on Old Testament PrayerPrayer is powerful, Abraham prays for healing, and his prayer is answered (Gen. 20:7, 17). Moses prays for God’s fiery anger to subside, and it does (Num. 11:1-3). Moses intercedes before the Lord after the golden calf incident (Deut. 9:25-28), and the Lord forgives his people. Hannah prays to the Lord for a child, and she receives one (1 Sam. 1:10, 12, 26-27). Both Elisha’s and Hezekiah’s prayers are answered (2 Kings 6:17-18; 19:15-19, 35-36). Nehemiah’s book is sprinkled with many “arrow prayers to God” (Neh. 1:4; 2:4; 4:9). God’s willingness to answer prayers is especially seen during the time of opposition from their enemies. Daniel prays fervently before the Lord, confessing the sins of the people (Dan. 9:4, 20). And Jonah prays to God from inside the fish’s belly, and shortly thereafter Jonah is vomited up on dry land a couple days later (Jon. 2: 1, 10). *

*Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words, p530

New Testament Prayer

•δεομαι (deomai, deh'-om-ahee): to beg (as binding oneself), that is, petition: - beseech, pray (to), make request.

•προσευχομαι (proseuchomai, pros-yoo'-khom-ahee): to pray to God, that is, supplicate, worship: - pray (X earnestly, for), make prayer.

Jesus Prayed

• Luke 22:32 (New King James Version)– 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and

when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

• Matthew 14:23 (New King James Version)– 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on

the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.

• Matthew 26:36 (New King James Version)– 36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane,

and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.”

• Mark 1:35 (New King James Version)– 35 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight,

He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

Jesus Prayed

• Luke 9:18 (New King James Version)– 18 And it happened, as He was alone

praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

• Luke 9:28 (New King James Version)– 28 Now it came to pass, about eight days

after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.

Jesus Prayed

• Matthew 6:9-13 (King James Version)–  9After this manner therefore pray ye*: Our Father

which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  10Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  11Give us this day our daily bread.  12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

*This was given by Jesus as an example of prayer, but he would not have prayed this prayer himself since it involves a confession of sin.

Jesus Prayed

• Jesus Prays for All Believers– 20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will[

e] believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Jesus Prayed

• John 17 (New King James Version)

• Jesus Prays for Himself–  1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to

heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

Jesus Prayed

• Jesus Prays for His Disciples– 6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have

given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. 8 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. 9 “I pray for them. I do not pray (ερωταω--erotao, er-o-tah'-o:to interrogate; by implication to request: - ask, beseech, desire, intreat, pray) the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

Jesus Prayed• 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in

Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray (ερωταω--erotao, er-o-tah'-o: to interrogate; by implication to request: - ask, beseech, desire, intreat, pray) that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

Jesus Prayed

• Jesus Prays for All Believers– 20 “I do not pray (ερωταω--erotao, er-o-tah'-o:

to interrogate; by implication to request: - ask, beseech, desire, intreat, pray) for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

CommentaryAlthough Jesus prayed often for his disciples, the Gospel of John records this long prayer toward the end of His earthly ministry. Now Jesus is the only and ultimate intercessor with the Father on our behalf.*

• Romans 8:34 (New King James Version)– 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died,

and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

• Hebrews 7:25 (New King James Version)– 25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost

those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

*Rose Guide To The Tabernacle, p 62

CommentaryJesus knew the time for His death, resurrection, and ascension was approaching. The times of sorrow and persecution against the disciples were around the corner. Therefore, Jesus interceded for his disciples and all the ones who would believe by their testimony without the benefit of seeing Jesus. The coming of the Holy Spirit is a response to this prayer. The Holy Spirit guides believers to all truth, protects us, santifies us, and is Jesus’ presence within and among us. Chrustians must intercede for each other in prayer—the Apostle Paul commands it!*

*Rose Guide To The Tabernacle, p 62

Ephesians 6:14-20 (New King James Version)

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

1 Timothy 2:1-7 (New King James Version)

1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christand not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

• PRAY FOR OTHERS

James 1:5 (New King James Version)

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

• PRAY FOR YOURSELF

Philippians 4:6 (New King James Version)

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

• PRAY WITH THANKSGIVING

Matthew 18:19-21 (New King James Version)

19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

• PRAY TOGETHER

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (New King James Version)

pray without ceasing,

Summary• Most Old Testament prayer is made on behalf of

the people by a priest, king or prophet because sin separated the people from God. Even then, PRAYER was shown to be effective. We saw how the High Priest was commanded to go into the Holy of Holies once a year and make intercession for the people.

• When Jesus offered himself as the ultimate sacrifice for sin, the veil of the temple was tore from top to bottom as a sign that man now had direct access to the father—sin no longer separated God from man—Hallelujah!

Summary• Jesus prayed and prayed often. He

prayed for Himself, for his disciples and for all believers.

• We are commanded to pray for ourselves and for one another.

• We are to pray together, agreeing in Jesus Name and He will be in the midst of us and our prayers will be answered.

• We are to PRAY WITHOUT CEASING! In other words, we should live our lives in a state of constant communication with God!

Declarations

• I WILL PRAY FOR OTHERS• I WILL PRAY FOR MYSELF• I WILL PRAY WITH THANKSGIVING• I WILL PRAY TOGETHER WITH OTHER

CHRISTIANS• I WILL PRAY WITHOUT CEASING• I WILL LIVE A LIFESTYLE OF PRAYER—

IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH GOD!