The Jerusalem Prayer List – 28 September, 2024
by Joseph Shulam - From Jerusalem Israel
Here are the readings for this next Shabbat in all the synagogues (without the text from the New Testament reading—which is only read in messianic congregations).
The Torah portion is a double portion - Nitzavim-Vayelech, from Deuteronomy 29:9 - 31:30.
The reading from the Prophet's "Haftarah" will be from Isaiah 61:10-63:9.
One reason this reading from Isaiah 61 is significant is that Yeshua read it in the Synagogue in Nazareth when he went home to visit his parents, Joseph and Mary. Typically, the reading of the Haftarah (from the Prophets) was given to honor someone with a birthday or a celebration. Since this was the reading given to Yeshua when he visited his family in Nazareth, it might be a hint pointing to the date of his birth around and close to the Feast of Trumpets (then and now called Rosh Hashanah.).
We also have an extended reading of this next Shabbat from the New Testament. We will be reading from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 24, the last chapter of Luke, which is also full of very interesting and important content: Luke 24:1-43.
Here are a few observations from Deuteronomy chapter 29:9 – 31:30. I have chosen these observations because they have clear and immediate implications for Jewish and non-Jewish disciples of Christ in our day and age. (Please note that I didn't mention implications for Christians. The reason is simple: Christians have more flavors than 1000 times the ice cream flavors of Baskin Robbins. I find it hard to address my Christian brothers because the denominations are so different from one another, and they all call themselves Christians. However, in the whole New Testament, there is not one Apostle or a cousin of an Apostle who said, "I am a Christian!"
In Acts 11:26, in Antioch of Syria, the pagans called the Disciples of Yeshua "Christians!" None of the disciples ever said, "I am a Christian." However, I will take Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, and give you the texts of how Paul identified himself in the letters to the different churches.
Acts 21:39, "But Paul said, "I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people."
Acts 22:3, "I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers' law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.
Philippians 3:4-5, "I more so: circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;"
The divisions in the Christian world only serve one extremely questionable character, Satan himself. The Lord is the Lord of ONE Community (church), identified with different names but is not divided and never followed Martin Luther, John Wesley, Meno, or John the Baptist. Here is how the community of Yeshua's followers identified itself in the New Testament:
In the New Testament, followers of (Yeshua) Jesus were referred to by various names and descriptions. Here are some of the key terms and their references:
1. Disciples (the most popular name and used the most times.) – The earliest term used to describe followers of Jesus. Matthew 28:19, Acts 6:1
2. Believers – Used to refer to those who have faith in Jesus. Acts 5:14, 1 Timothy 4:12
3. Saints – This term emphasizes the holiness and sanctification of the followers. Romans 1:7, Ephesians 1:1, Philippians 1:1.
4. Brothers/Brethren – Followers of Jesus saw themselves as part of a family of faith. Acts 9:30, 1 Corinthians 15:6, Hebrews 2:11
5. Followers of "The Way" is A term used to describe the early Jewish movement of the disciples of Jesus as the way to live pleasing to God. Acts 9:2, Acts 19:9, Acts 24:14
6. Servants (or Slaves) of Christ – This term emphasizes the submission to the will of Jesus. Romans 1:1, Philippians 1:1, 2 Peter 1:1
7. Children of God** – Followers of Jesus were also identified as being adopted into God's family. John 1:12, Romans 8:16, 1 John 3:1.
These names reflect various aspects of the identity, purpose, and community relationship of believers with Christ and each other.
Now, we go to the Torah portion from Deuteronomy 29:9. In our synagogue in Jerusalem, we read from a handwritten scroll of the Torah. We roll it each year at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkoth) from one end to the other. The scroll is made from Goat Skin, a proximal 40-meter-long scroll. The weight of the scroll can be between 15 kilograms, the average weight of a good scroll written on proper sheets of a young goat, cured and prepared and made for a scribe to write by hand with calligraphy letter after letter with special ink and typically with a feather pen. As the year progresses, one side of the scroll becomes fatter, and the other becomes skinnier.
Last Shabbat in the congregation, it was clear that we were getting to the end of the year and that soon we would spend time in the congregation during the service to roll the scroll back to the beginning, back to Genesis chapter 1. It is not a physically easy task for anyone, but it would be tough for an old and sick man like me.
In my life, there are very few things that I could start over from the beginning. The Lord has used me as I define myself, as a donkey, the Donkey of the Messiah. Wherever I went and whatever I did, I took the Messiah with me and shared him as best I could with anyone who would hear me and give me a chance to share. My good fortune is that in many places around the world, this donkey didn't do a lot of Braying but did a whole lot of praying! The Lord has used this one-eye Jew from Jerusalem in 50 countries. In several of these countries, there are local congregations that follow the Restoration of the Early Church without being Protestants protesting about anything, but reporting what God is doing in the history of modern Israel and how God is fulfilling the promises that He made to Moses and Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Amos and all the promises made in the Torah and the Prophets are in the process of being fulfilled. I say all the promises, including those made in the New Testament and Revelation. I hope to see these fulfilled before I fellowship with Peter Paul, Mary, and maybe Elijah and Elisha. I like Elijah and Elisha as much and maybe a little more than some of these very lovely and gentle prophets who were sitting in their gardens and criticizing the Kings and the Priests but not so often the wives of the Kings and the Priests.
Our reading on Shabbat will start from Deuteronomy chapter 29:9. Still, I would like to start from chapter 29:1. The reason for this is simple verse 1 of Deuteronomy 29 is the revelation of this book Deuteronomy – in Latin, "The Second giving of the Torah." (The Law).
"These are the words of the covenant which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He made with them in Horeb." (Deuteronomy 29:1 NKJV).
The first giving of the Torah (The Law) was at the mountain of Sinai (Horeb), and now the second is in the land of Moab just before they enter Canaan. This verse is of great importance for our understanding of the Torah, specifically God's right to change, modify, and remand what was given 40 years earlier. Religious thinking is petrified. Generally speaking, God's revelation, although written on stone in Sinai, was still alive and kicking. We have several examples of God changing the Torah and remanding some commandments, and such changes are of significant importance in the prophets. Here are some examples from the holiest text in the Torah, spoken from the mouth of God and written on stone by the finger of God.
The Ten Commandments are recorded twice in the Bible, once in Exodus 20:1-17 and again in Deuteronomy 5:6-21. While they are fundamentally the same, some slight variations in wording, emphasis, and additional details exist. Here's a comparison of the two versions:
First Commandment: No Other Gods**
Exodus 20:3: "You shall have no other gods before me."
Deuteronomy 5:7: "You shall have no other gods before me."
Both passages are identical in this commandment.
Second Commandment: No Idols
Exodus 20:4-6**: "You shall not make for yourself a carved image... You shall not bow down to them or serve them... for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God... showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments."
Deuteronomy 5:8-10: Similar wording but with a slight emphasis on punishment and love: "I am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children... but showing steadfast love..."
The key difference is in the emphasis in Deuteronomy on "visiting the iniquity" and "showing steadfast love" with more clarity on the generational consequences.
Third Commandment: Not Taking God's Name in Vain
Exodus 20:7: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain."
Deuteronomy 5:11: Same wording as Exodus.
This commandment is the same.
Fourth Commandment: Remember the Sabbath
Exodus 20:8-11: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy... For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth... and rested the seventh day."
Deuteronomy 5:12-15: "Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy... You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out... therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day."
Deuteronomy adds a historical reason for keeping the Sabbath (reminding the people of their liberation from slavery in Egypt), while Exodus focuses on the creation account as the reason for rest.
Fifth Commandment: Honor Your Father and Mother
Exodus 20:12: "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you."
Deuteronomy 5:16: "Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you..."
Deuteronomy adds the phrase "that it may go well with you," extending the promise of well-being and longevity.
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Sixth Commandment: Do Not Murder
Exodus 20:13**: "You shall not murder."
Deuteronomy 5:17: "You shall not murder."
Identical wording.
Seventh Commandment: Do Not Commit Adultery
Exodus 20:14**: "You shall not commit adultery."
Deuteronomy 5:18: "You shall not commit adultery."
Identical wording.
Eighth Commandment: Do Not Steal
Exodus 20:15: "You shall not steal."
Deuteronomy 5:19: "You shall not steal."
Identical wording.
Ninth Commandment: Do Not Bear False Witness
Exodus 20:16**: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."
Deuteronomy 5:20: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Identical wording.
Tenth Commandment: Do Not Covet:
Exodus 20:17: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."
Deuteronomy 5:21: "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."
Deuteronomy changes the order, placing the "wife" first and adding "field" to the list of things not to covet.
We could attribute these minor changes to Moses's being 40 years older; his mind might have dementia, and he just forgot some of the phraseology. But we all believe that God's Holy Spirit was with Moses and would have protected him from forgetting.
On the other hand, we could say that God Himself made some minor changes in this, the holiest text in the Bible. He wanted that generation that spent 40 years in the wilderness of Sinai to know that He created the heavens and the earth in six days and rested on the seventh Day.
God wanted to remind Israel that when they were enslaved in Egypt, they didn't have the Shabbat to rest and refresh their souls.
God wanted to let the children know that if they honor their parents, they will receive the blessing of well-being from God!
In the 10th commandment, God placed the wife first and added the field later when He commanded us not to covet. This is interesting because one of the big problems in civilization today and probably has been in history is the inside-the-family issues.
God has the right to change the Torah, and we have several examples, like the father who had seven daughters and no sons, and only sons could inherit their father's property under the Torah given in Mount Sinai.
Numbers 26:33: “Now Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, had no sons but daughters, and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.”
Num. 27:1 “Then came the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, from the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.”
Moses raised the issue with God, and God saw that this law was unjust and changed it so that daughters could actually inherit their father's property.
Another example is from Jeremiah 31:28-30 (and it has a much more detailed example in Ezekiel chapter 18)
"And it shall come to pass, that as I have watched over them to pluck up, to break down, to throw down, to destroy, and to afflict, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says the LORD. In those days they shall say no more: "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children's teeth are set on edge.' But every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge."
(Jeremiah 31:28-30 NKJV)
Read from Jeremiah 31: 28 – 37 and see that Israel, the Jewish nation, and all those that through the cross have been grafted into the good fruit-bearing natural olive tree need to stand with Israel. Especially for those of us who are disciples of Christ and fellow partakers of the grace of God that is supplied by the blood of Yeshua, our Messiah. Don't forget that Yeshua is returning to Jerusalem and to the community of Jewish disciples of Yeshua, which will enable us to continue teaching and preaching to Jews and non-Jews that Yeshua is real and returning for His bride.
The lessons I have chosen to present from this Shabbat's reading of the Torah and the prophets are basic but important because they are neglected in the preaching and teaching that one gets in the run-of-the-mill church. Most churches' agenda is not to teach the Bible or their members how to study and think for themselves. The messages are canned. The tuna is best fresh right out of the sea, just after it is caught and fresh. What I have seen and heard most of my life from the bench sitting upfront to see better and hear better is that the preachers were good messages with an agenda. God's Word is to promote, sell, and encourage the members to 'DO SOMETHING,' 'GIVE SOMETHING,' and 'BUY SOMETHING.' The idea that brothers and sisters need to be equipped and trained for a life of battle and defense and victory over the world and against the spiritual challenges and moral challenges and spiritual challenges that life on this earth presents us almost daily is not the main agenda of most congregations in most evangelical denominations and non-denominational denominations.
God bless you all. Please pray for and stand with Israel. Israel as a nation is still high on God's agenda, and the future of the Body of Christ is connected with Jerusalem and with the nation of Israel. Paul states this clearly in Ephesians 2: 10 – 18:
"You were without God and without covenants and outside of the community of Israel and without hope."
But now through that Jew born in Bethlehem, Israel, and who died and raised from the dead in Jerusalem, and is returning to Jerusalem, makes you dear Christian brothers and sisters connected to Jerusalem whether you like it or not. You will need Jerusalem. So, it would be wise and best for you now to stand with Israel and with your Jewish and Arab brothers in Israel and start by making it a daily habit to pray for Jerusalem and the peace of Jerusalem as the Psalm says and receive peace from God and maybe prosperity like your translation says. Receiving peace is, in my opinion, more important than prosperity.
God bless all who pray for us, Israel, and Jerusalem. Israel desperately needs a breakthrough in this war with Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Joseph Shulam
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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:
Yehuda is back into military service next week. Pray for his safe return home.
new Reuven is also back from military service.
Yehuda Levi is in the hospital with stage 4 lymphoma for the fourth week. We ask for prayers for his family. Especially the difficult time that Elisheva is experiencing. A reminder - in past JPL (in 2010) Yehuda is the father of Major Emmanuel Levi , who died in a tragic training exercise.
Joseph & Marcia Shulam
new This morning Joe woke up with tooth pain and had to have a wisdom tooth extracted. Some other work needs to be done on other teeth. Marcia's health needs have not changed and we pray for strengthening her health and memory.
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 Hannah suffering from Migraine Headaches. Miriam is 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:
Max Rodrigues. his mothers 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:
update Hester H is home from the the hospital. Please pray for her continued recovery and strength.
update Pat R the returned for a brief period to deal with an infection and is now home.
Sarah Sacks has received the news that she has stage 1 cancer and a treatment plan is in the works. I am asking that you raise your prayers for Jonathan & Sarah as they begin the road of diagnosis and treatment for Cancer. However we believe in the power of healing that only God can provide.
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 warier 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.
Bill C. is doing well. I received wonderful news that his cancer markers continue to trend to the normal states. A true answer to prayers. Please pray a thanks to God and continue to ask for success of the treatments..
Juli Please continue to pray for the daughter of Bill Culwell, her white count is low and additional testing is scheduled. Please pray for God to provider her strenght and 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.
For updates or requests please email us at:Prayer@netivyahinternational.org
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