The Jerusalem Prayer List – 02 November, 2024
by Joseph Shulam - From Jerusalem Israel
We read the glorious story of God creating the world just a couple of weeks ago. He then set Adam and Eve in the Garden to the East of Eden after the sin of eating from the Tree of Knowledge and the horrible murder of a brother on brother. Six chapters later, we read one of the saddest narratives in the whole Bible.
These are our readings on Shabbat, November 2nd, 2024.
The name of the Torah Portion is Noach. The reading starts in Genesis 6:9 – 11:32.
From the prophets, we read the eschatological repair of the flood's damage and the consequences for humanity of the flood. The reading from the prophets (The Haftarah) is one of my favorite texts, Isaiah, Chapter 66:1-24.
From the New Testament, we will read the Gospel of Mark 9:40- 50.
Skeptics debate whether the flood was a localized flood or a universal flood. I suggest that either the flood was universal or there was no flood because if Noah’s big boat landed on the Mount of Ararat, the waters must have covered most of Europe, Africa, and the islands of the Pacific Ocean. The facts that settle the argument for me are that there are stories of similar floods from about every part of the world.
Ancient flood narratives appear across many cultures, often sharing common themes despite arising from diverse regions and times. Here’s a list of notable flood myths, along with their origins and a summary of common elements:
1. Epic of Gilgamesh
Origin: Mesopotamia (Sumerian/Babylonian).
The Story: In the Gilgamesh epic, Utnapishtim is instructed by the Sumerian and Babylonian god Ea to build a massive boat to save himself, his family, and pairs of all living creatures from a flood sent by the gods. After the flood, he releases birds to find land, and his boat finally rests on a mountain.
2. Noah’s Ark (Bible)
Origin: Ancient Israel (Hebrew Bible)
The Story: God, the creator of all things on Earth, is upset and disappointed by the moral depravity of humans' commands. God’s so disappointed with the outcome of humanity that God says that he regrets creating the humans and decides to push the restart button and commands Noah, who is a relatively righteous man, to build an ark to save his family and pairs of all animal species from a global flood meant to purge the earth of human wickedness. The waters recede after a period, and Noah’s ark rests on Mount Ararat.
3. Deucalion and Pyrrha
Origin: Ancient Greece
Story: Zeus, angered by humanity’s corruption, sends a flood. Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha, warned by the god Prometheus, survive by building a chest. After the flood, they are instructed to repopulate the earth by throwing stones behind them, which turn into humans.
4. Manu and the Fish
Origin: India (Hindu text, Satapatha Brahmana and later Mahabharata)
Story: Manu, forewarned by a fish (considered an avatar of the god Vishnu), builds a boat to survive a flood that wipes out humanity. He survives and re-establishes the human race after the flood recedes.
5. The Chinese Flood Myth of Nuwa
Origin: China
Story: In early Chinese legends, Nuwa, a goddess, repairs a broken heaven that causes a devastating flood. In later versions, the hero Yu is tasked with controlling a flood, channeling rivers to save the land rather than building an ark.
6. Unu Pachakuti (Incan Flood Myth)
Origin: Incan Empire (South America)
Story: Seeing humanity's moral decline, the god Viracocha floods the earth. Two people survive in a sealed cave, and after the flood, Viracocha creates new humans from stone.
7. Maori Flood Myth (Aotearoa/New Zealand)
Origin: Polynesia (Maori culture)
Story: The god Tāne creates a deluge to punish human impiety, though details vary widely. Some stories tell of survivors who go on to repopulate the land.
Since this prayer list has space limitations, and if it becomes too long, some brothers and sisters might be intimidated by the length of the teaching section. So, I have limited myself to examples of floods that are similar to biblical narratives.
There are many more similar stories in the folklore of Indian tribes in North and South America, as well as among the tribes in Polynesia and other places. There are more such ancient semi-mythological stories with elements that are very close and complimentary to the biblical narrative of Noah's flood. The similarities between these stories make the story of Noah more than plausible and give the biblical narrative widespread credibility. That has some profoundly serious implications both about the genesis of humanity and the limited divine patience for the sin and depravity of humanity. If it happened once, it could easily occur multiple times, even further down the path of the history of this world.
Common Elements Across Flood Narratives
1. Divine Judgment and Cleansing: The flood often represents divine punishment for moral failings, with the flood acting as a cleansing mechanism to reset or renew the world.
2. Instructions for Building a Vessel: In many stories (like Noah’s Ark, Gilgamesh, and Manu), a chosen person is instructed by a deity or other divine figure to construct a vessel (often a boat) to preserve life.
3. Selective Survival: Survivors (s) are usually moral or virtuous figures chosen to repopulate the earth, often with a mandate to renew humanity without reintroducing past corruption.
4. Animals as Companions: Like Noah’s Ark, several flood myths include animals or pairs of each species to ensure biodiversity after the floodwaters recede.
5. Symbolic Landfall and Covenant: When the waters recede, the survivors often land on a high place (e.g., a mountain), symbolizing new beginnings. Some myths include a divine promise or covenant post-flood to prevent another disaster.
The lessons that God wants to teach us from the story of Noah and his family are not children’s stories, far from children’s stories. It is, in fact, one of the most radical tragedies in the Biblical narrative, with some grave implications for all of humanity and creation. The primary and most important consequence of Noah’s flood is that humankind has a limit for their depravity, which also influences the animal world and the simple right to live under the sun. Morality and righteousness can deteriorate to the point that living on this blue planet called Earth is denied to us by God and nature alike.
What do we learn about God from the story of the flood in Noah's days, and what are the implications for humanity from Noah's story?
I would like to take some of the main elements from Noah’s flood story and telescope them into our 21st century with the modern electronics and computers and hi-tech that so many of the people of the world today carry in their pockets.
The story of Noah starts with sad and serious statements made by God about His creation. But, just prior to God’s most serious statement in the whole bible in the beginning of Genesis 6 – we find this very strange news announcement:
“Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” “There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came into the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.” (Genesis 6:1-4 NKJV)
There are many stories in Greek mythological texts and Gnostic texts that speak of relationship between divine (angelic or sons of gods) that have relationship with earthlings, humans. The most famous of these ancient legends is the legend of Norea that has similarities with the Genesis text. The result of all these legends is that the mixture between the divine beings and the humans brings disaster.
The opening of chapter 6 with this strange text is the introduction for the story of Noah and the flood. The Holy Spirit gives us this story of the ‘sons of God’ and the giants (nefilim) that roamed the earth, as the root cause for the evil that has overtaken humanity. This brings me to what I consider the saddest text in the whole bible:
“Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”” (Genesis 6:5-7 NKJV)
There are many artists who create works of art and then are not satisfied with their own work. Pablo Picasso was one of them. When he died his daughter started to sell some of Pablo Picasso’s works that were never put on display or sold. He was not satisfied with some of his own work and he just placed these works in his basement and didn’t show them to anyone.
In this text of Genesis chapter 6, we read from verse 5 that the Lord was sorry that he made man on this earth. The human was the last of God’s creation. Man was the diamond, on the top of God’s crown, the only animal that is made in the form and nature of God with the ability to imagine, create, produce, and invent new things like God Himself.
“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”` So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26-28 NKJV)
This text tells us that God, after creating man and woman in his own image and in his own creative abilities like imagination, the ability to create, the ability to predict and calculate and plan his own future and project the future of his own environment is now sorry that He created man on the earth. God is so sorry He created man that he makes up His mind to destroy the very diamond of the crown of His creation.
The theosophical question asked about God is this: Can God make mistakes? Can God fail in His own plan? Can God create a rejection? Our text answers with a positive YES! God confesses here in Genesis that He wishes to destroy, delete, and eliminate humankind and leave the planet Earth with the mammoth, the chimpanzee, the buffalo and the crocodile.
This text is one that ought to keep us all awake! When we sin, or when we make mistakes, they damage or hurt our families and our friends and our brothers and sisters on this earth!
Genesis 6 is the prelude and the justification of Noah’s flood and the destruction of the human race, save the eight souls of Noah’s family.
The reason God allowed Noah and his family to survive and build the ark and save both humanity and mammal life on this earth:
“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” (Genesis 6:8-12 NKJV)
Genesis 6:8 is a key, a litmus paper, that reveals to me the whole character of God and the plan of salvation. Noah was not a perfect saint, nor a sinless man, but he was a man who would be obedient, good willed, and trustworthy to do what God commanded him. "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD!” The “BUT” in the beginning of this verse says it all for me. God was not looking for a perfect holy man, a spiritual person who walks on the clouds of spirituality. No, “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD!”
Noah is called a just man, perfect in his own generation. The Rabbis dig deep here and understand that if Noah was living in a different generation, he might not find grace in the eyes of the Lord. In that evil generation where humanity was all day long and night was looking to do evil and mar the image of God in which he, man, was created caused God to regret His creation, Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord because God has never been a God of absolutes. God measures everything toward everyone on a relative scale. God looks at us as individuals and His creation, and if we sin and fail and damage – He always looks at us with eyeglasses of relativism. This we see in the most straightforward way in the commands of how and what we must sacrifice for the atonement of our sins.
Please notice the following text and see how God deals with us as individuals from the beginning and in the Torah.
“Or if a person swears, speaking thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, whatever it is that a man may pronounce by an oath, and he is unaware of it—when he realizes it, then he shall be guilty in any of these matters.“And it shall be, when he is guilty in any of these matters, that he shall confess that he has sinned in that thing; and he shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD for his sin which he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats as a sin offering. So, the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin. “If he is not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring to the LORD, for his trespass which he has committed, two turtledoves or two young pigeons: one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. And he shall bring them to the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and wring off its head from its neck, but shall not divide it completely. Then he shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, and the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering. And he shall offer the second as a burnt offering according to the prescribed manner. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin which he has committed, and it shall be forgiven him.
“But if he is not able to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, then he who sinned shall bring for his offering one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a sin offering. He shall put no oil on it, nor shall he put frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering. Then he shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it as a memorial portion and burn it on the altar according to the offerings made by fire to the LORD. It is a sin offering. The priest shall make atonement for him, for his sin that he has committed in any of these matters; and it shall be forgiven him. The rest shall be the priest’s as a grain offering.’ ”” (Leviticus 5:4-13 NKJV)
As you can see from the book of Leviticus, the Torah itself is flexible, not legalistic. The Torah is relative. The same was true in the days of Noah! Noah was a righteous man relative to the generation that he was living in. That is why God chose him to save humanity in the flood that destroyed humanity and pushed the restart button in God’s economy.
By the way, that generation of the flood, at Yeshua's crucifixion received grace and an opportunity to be saved. We find this in the New Testament within a clear Pharisaic Jewish concept about the generation that perishes in the flood of Noah. 1 Peter 3:18-20 says:
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made a proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built."
Peter brings this concept to us from deep within the Pharisaic tradition of the time of Yeshua. Peter confirms that God’s grace was extended to that generation of Noah who didn’t get a second chance after the flood. Their souls were put in prison under the throne of Yeshua waiting for Yeshua to die on the cross and retroactively extend his blood with Grace for those poor souls that were not given a chance to repent.Peter reveals to us that those who wanted to receive Christ and receive his atoning death on the cross received the preaching of the good news and could repent.
I never heard a preacher expound about this text, likely as most do not understand it. Maybe sometime in the future I shall do a Mind Candy on this verse.
For now I beg you to pray for my wife Marcia, her condition is not improving much, and both Marcia and I need your prayers and support begging God for healing and mercy and the application of his suffering for our own health and restoration for just a few more years to finish the work that we have started for more than 60 years and planted congregations and ministries in more than one continent.
Thank you for your prayers and our support!
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Your prayers for brothers and sisters you don't know personally are pure love and building of the Body of the Messiah. It is Agape Love since you are doing this without any selfish interests and casting a vote in Heaven for someone who is your brother. Still, you don't know them, and God looks at these prayers that are unselfish and genuine expressions of love and care for another link in the long chain of love and faith that binds us together even though we might not know each other in this world.
When we all get to Heaven, it will be a joy to meet people we prayed for and sometimes even cried for. Brothers and sisters who are physically strangers but spiritually a part of the same body of Christ, I believe that one day we will have the privilege to sit together and share: "I remember praying for you to be healed!" "I remember praying for you to be safe when you were fighting in Gaza to free the hostages from the cruel hands of the terrorists of the Hamas in Gaza."
Pray for the following brothers and sisters who need divine grace and the gentle touch of the hand of God for healing and strength.
In Jerusalem:
Please pray for those held in captivity. The 101 hosteges that are kept in terrible conditions and their families that are holding on with hope for their return soon. This is one way you can help fight anti semitism by sharing a meaningful prayer with your bible study groups.
Joseph & Marcia Shulam
new Marcia was in and out of the hospital a couple of more times this last week. She is back home and had a new medication that is supposed to address the blood pressure dropping when she stands up. Continue to pray for strength for both of them. For mom to get stronger and be able to breath better with out the need for oxygen. Dad is a trooper and he could use some prayers for dealing with moms health needs and the stress he feels.
Ilana Ahijervie is a dear sister who is 98 years old and suffering from memory problems.
Please pray for our dear sister, Lea Kurkey.
Pray for Adam's father and mother, Barry and Dalia. They have some health problems and challenges.
Pray for Miriam a dear sister old age dementia.
Pray for Daniel S. and his children.
Pray for Gary, our dear leader in the Ro'eh Israel congregation, and his health, as well as for his wife Melanie and their family.
Pray for Um Mahmud Abu-Eid, Jimmy Abu-Eid, and all of the family. This is a dear family of old friends that needs healing and wisdom for the children and for their work.
Please pray for the Romero family, who live deep in the Negev desert. It is hot there, and they are far from our congregation, and we miss them.
In the U.K.:
Pray for Deborah Isaiah. I pray for the Lord to find Deborah Isaiah and lead her to a blessed life, family, and a solution to her problems.
In Finland:
Mauno Lemponen has been diagnosed with cancer in advanced stages. We are asking for God's Will to be done, giving him healthy days with family—prayers for Hilka, Miika, and Ester, who support each other.
Pray for Keijo and Salme, our dear partners and fellow workers in God's flock. Both Keijo and Salme have some challenging heart issues.
Pray for Satu-Maria, Sinni Tuuli, Anne Mirjami, our dear sisters
Pray for Eva H., Patty, Andrea, Julia, Victor, Aaron Tani, and Hillel.
In Brazil:
update Tatiane's father Roberto who suffered a heart attack had a stint placed and is back home now. Please continue to pray for his heart to get stronger.
Max Rodrigues. his mother's health issues. she has stomach problems that have yet to be diagnosed. The hospital is taking a long time to complete tests. Pray for her salvation. Pray for Max as he navigates a challenging period in his life. He has confidence Gods victory in his life.
Pray for the Congregations related to Netivyah in Brazil to have the strength and stamina to face the challenges ahead of them with courage and strength of faithfulness to the Lord and to the vision of the restoration of the church and Israel.
Pray for the millions of victims of the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisition who have been forced to convert to the Catholic church and now want to return home to the land of Israel and the faith of our fathers.
Pray for a dear young man, Paulo, from Curitiba, Brazil, who seriously needs our prayers for sanity and mental health.
Pray for a dear sister named Claudia Rita Souze Arau. She has cancer and needs God's healing hands to touch her with healing.
Pray for Fatima Maria Docarmo Guimararaes - pray for her health and her granddaughters' twin babies.
Guilherme Antonio Nothen Becker is suffering from back problems.
Aratuza de Oliveira and his wife. Pray for their 3-year-old child, Caique de Oliveira Becker, who has severe problems with his eyes, and ask the Lord to give healing to his eyes.
In Asia:
Pray for Pastor TJ in Taiwan.
Pray for Deborah Ruth, a dear sister from China.
Pray for Sister Yoko Nagumo in Japan.
Tony Tam, his wife Luisa, and his son Marco need special prayers for their situation.
We continue to pray for Zhou Wenrian, the Abe family, Toru San, Yumi Ohara, and her family: Deborah Ruth, Ayla, Daniel, and their daughter.
Pray for Dr. Song and his wife, Sister Harriet Kim and the KIBI Ministry.
in Denmark
Gurli has reached out and asked for prayers to deal with persecution they are facing. However the request for family members to know Yeshua is a heavy concern for a mother and father. When our influence is struggling the prayers of the body strength us.
In the United States of America:
Shirleyann in Pittsburgh is one of our prayer warriors. She prays weekly for everyone on the list and is 91 years young. She needs prayers for her heart to remain strong due to issues.
update Kornelija has a successful interview for her green card applications.
new Isabella is a young women who is at the hospital for diagnosis regrading issues that have prevented her from sleeping this last week. Please pray for the doctors and her to find what the underlying causes and for a solution.
Jerry A. needs prayers to deal with stress of the unknown waiting for diagnosis on possible prostate cancer.
Aida Ramirez is 98 years old and suffering from first stages of dementia. Also her daughter Aida Gonzalez needs prayer for strength and Gods grace and protection as she is taking care of her mother.
Pat R the returned is having a difficult time post surgery for Brest cancer and has been back in the hospital and now she is in a rehab facility.
Pat S needs prayers as she is suffering memory loss, Philip her husband is a dedicated man of God who is caring for her diligently - please keep them both in prayers.
Sarah Sacks received good news from the surgery and pathology test.
Elisheva is studying for passing Financial certifications in September. Please pray for calmness in her studies and confidence in passing her exams next month. also for health and her household.
Jerry Rogers - a long time prayer warrior and supporter in Dallas has been diagnosed with cancer. he is starting treatments and we lift up his doctors and medical team & family in prayer.
Larry is asking for prayers for his grandchildren. I would say most of us that have grandchildren are concerned about the states of the world. The state of intolerance. The temptations out there. Please pray for the holy sprit to guide them in making good choices.
update Bill C. is halfway through is treatment plan. Please pray a thanks to God and continue to ask for success of the treatments..
Juli's white count needs to improve. Please continue to pray for the daughter of Bill Culwell, her white count is low after the last round of treatments Please pray for God to provider her body healing.
Brother Philip Slate and his wife. She is suffering from several physical and mental health challenges.
Barbra and Angie in Alaska. Barbra has some pains and discomfort related to old age. Please lift them in prayer for strength and reduction in pain.
Jonathan Bernis is continuing recovery from a liver transplant. Please pray for Elisangela and the girls and the doctors and nurses attending our dear brother Jonathan Bernis.
Please pray for Danah, my daughter's health issues. I pray for the Lord to give Danah wisdom, peace, and calm in life and her work.
Aaron Hook, Nancy Hook's oldest son, needs our prayers for wisdom and healing from past life issues.
Lift for blessing and healing Jonathan B., his wife Aviva, their new baby, his mother, and his brother Daniel.
Pray for these important men of God: Rabbi Salt, his family, and Rabbi Hasselblad. They are both older and need protection and blessings.
Also, pray for Ilana Avramov, who is married to my cousin Nissim and lives in New York City. Ilana has fallen and is now in rehab, learning how to walk again. We pray for her full recovery. She and Nissim both need our prayers.
Pray for Steve Mock - His cognitive condition has declined, and we ask for the grace of God and His Healing and strength. Steve and Josie's son Joseph has received a wonderful and glorious report. After the last bone marrow transplant, the report is that the doctors didn't find any leukemia in his body! Praise the Lord!
I am asking for a special prayer for a dear brother and friend who is now doing very important work in a very dangerous and precarious part of the world. Just mention DadyLion in your prayers and ask for divine protection and angelic accompaniment for this man of God.
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