| | | |  | The Jerusalem Prayer List – Thursday, March 5, 2009by Joseph Shulam
I have just returned from a three day seminar in the Negev. The seminar was very small. Only fifteen people attended this seminar. There were five Japanese participants and ten Israeli participants in the seminar. This seminar was initiated by our Japanese guests who have made the salvation of Israel a priority for their lives. The topics of the seminar were the divine identity of Yeshua and the issues of Jewish identity for the followers of Yeshua in Israel. The attendance was closed it was by invitation only. The atmosphere in these three days in the Negev desert was one of great openness and willingness to hear and learn from each other and a sincere occupation with truth and Scriptures on issues that stretch and strain our theology and tradition. One of the highlights of the seminar was a jeep trip into the Ramon Crater and than repelling some 100 feed down a cliff. For young people there is no problem to repel down a 100 foot cliff, but for 72 and 63 year old men to do it for the first time it was exciting. The wonderful reaction of the young Messianic Jewish leaders on the study topics was a great encouragement for us older men. A request came from the young participants to do a seminar for leaders in the North of the country. The seminar that we will need to do will be very similar to this seminar in the Negev, it will be open for discussion on all relevant topics, and it will demand that all speakers submit their notes and manuscripts well in advance, and it will be again a closed seminar for people who will be hand-picked and invited to attend. Please pray that this kind hunger and thirst for God's righteousness and learning His Word. There are some wonderful and serious spiritual developments in Israel and out of the horrible attacks and persecution that we have experienced in Israel in the last eight months at the hands of some Christian missionary types and also by some Orthodox Jews.
This last Sabbath the reading of the Torah was from Exodus 25 until 28. In Exodus chapter 25:8, we find the following short verse: “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.” The literal translation ought to be ““Let them construct a temple for Me, that I may dwell in side them.” This passage is actually the basis for the teaching of Yeshua and Paul that we, those who make themselves as the temple of the Lord will be the dwelling place of God. Our body will be literally the temple of the Lord: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” (1Cor. 6:19) The same idea is seen in texts like 1 Cor 3:16, and 2 Cor 6:16, and 1 Peter 2:5. In all these passages we see the idea that God will dwell in our bodies. The interesting thing is that the Rabbis have also the same concept coming from the same verse in Exodus 25:8. Here is one of the classic Jewish commentaries of the Torah says about this verse. “The text does not say, 'make me a tabernacle' but 'make me a temple.' This means that they are to sanctify themselves and every one of them will be a chariot of God's PRESENCE, that means that God will dwell in them literally.” The implications of this text are so wonderfully far reaching in every aspect. If we could really believe that God is dwelling in our body how would we be acting? If we could really believe that our body is literally a “temple” of the Lord – what would we be doing to care for it and keep it clean and rested and much more. We have not taken these teaching of the New Testament as more than just “religious slogans” that have not much meaning or implications toward our daily lives and practical matters. Even Yeshua himself make an application of this passage from the Torah about His own body. Please look at this text from John 2:18-22, “The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body. So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.”
I really believe that because we do not connect the teaching of Yeshua with His source of learning the Torah we also don't understand fully and see the implications fo His Words. Do you believe that if you sanctify your life God will literally come to dwell in you? I believe it and the key is to want to sanctify our lives and turn our bodies temples of the Most High God!
The financial situation and job loss across the whole industrial world is alarming. I think that we should all pray to God and ask for mercy on our world and mercy on the countries and the concerns and on the families of those who had jobs and could provide food on their tables and now they can't anymore. We ought to intercede for our world and pray that like in the plague of darkness in Egypt the enemies would be in darkness if they don't repent and the children of God will be in the light. (Exodus 10:21-22) God can bless His faithful children, those who sanctify Him, and leave the World in Darkness at the same time. Although we ought to pray that the financial mess that our world is right now will be resolved by the mercy of God and not be His judgment.
We pray for healing and continue to pray for healing for many people who are listed below and those many who are not listed below because they don't want their names to be listed. Those who are listed below need prayer and want you to pray for their healing: Julie, Kemi San, Ruby, Miriam, Liora, Ahuva, Lea, Ilana, Paulo, Lonnie and Barbara.
Purim is coming next week and we plan again a big joyous party for the congregation. It is a time of joy and victory for the children of God and I urge you all to pray for the Joy of the Lord to spread to every house hold of Jews around the world. It is again a time when Haman is spreading hate against Jews in the World and we are looking for the Lord's deliverance to appear like rain on a Sunny day.
Blessings and gratitude to all of you who stand in the gap for Israel and for Netivyah and for the Shulam family!
Joseph Shulam
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