Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship for this week’s teaching of “Beha’alotcha,” (Numbers chapters 8 through 12) — another one of those portions that seems to have a lot of disparate, maybe even only loosely-related, elements, from commandments about things that SOUND a bit repetitive, to history that ranges from obscure to fundamental.
The Erev Shabbat overview again looks at the entire parsha in order, and attempts to connect what might seem a bit disparate. And, as is mostly the case, there are some poignant lessons, and no shortage of controversy over what some of them might be.
The Sabbath Day teaching this week may involve even more ‘themes’ than usual. There’s the menorah, the silver trumpets, the substitution of the Levites for the first-born, and more than a little whining.
This time, though, Mark suggests there’s a connection in all of these elements, as well as not only the haftorah reading (from Zecharia chapters 3 and 4) and more than a bit of Revelation, that all connects, and ultimately speaks to us today more than perhaps any generation in a millenium. And it has to do with the central choice in all of Scripture — life or death, blessing or cursing.
Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa teaches the Torah and related portions having to do with this season, continuing the Spring Feasts, and in this case the final Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
The Erev Shabbat overview is another look at what follows the initial ‘exodus’ of the children of Israel from Egypt, followed by the crossing of the Sea of Reeds. And it sets up the parallels that resonate so much today.
The Sabbath Day teaching this week is a bit different than usual — as is the Torah portion for the holiday — in that it is much more ‘speculative’ than normal. (As regular listeners know, Mark is careful to distinguish between “what is Written” and ideas associated with “connecting the dots” of Scripture, or — as might be the case today — speculation about how events will play out. “Markology” is how he puts it.)
Follow along as Mark examines the potential, perhaps even probable, connections between the themes, patterns, and ‘shadow pictures’ of things past, and in particular the “parting of the Red Sea,” and what may be to come in the near future.
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa for the second parsha in the Book of Exodus, and the first in the famous story of the Ten Plagues. (Parsha “Shemot,” Exodus 6:2 through 9:35)
The Erev Shabbat overview not only tells the story, but points out how SO MUCH of what is contained in this portion literally “plants the seeds” — reverberates — throughout the rest of Scripture. And it has so much to teach us about “human nature,” but even more importantly, His as well.
The Sabbath Day teaching this week attempts to take one of the most information-packed and “theme-intense” stories in the Torah, and connect more than a few Disparate Dots.
Yes, we may be on the brink of seeing the “bookends” of this story play out. If there are plagues ahead, it’s important to at least have some clue as to what they may look like. Perhaps more importantly, what about “Free Will”? (Did Pharoah really have a choice about the role he played? Maybe that’s an “easy one,” but it leads to other more critical clues…)
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa for the first parsha in the Book of Exodus, by the same name in Hebrew “Shemot”. (Parsha “Shemot,” Exodus 1:1 through 6:1)
The Erev Shabbat overview gives us an introduction to the descent of the descendents of Yakov into bondage, under a pharoah who “did not know Yosef,” and into the first two-thirds of the live of Moshe/Moses as well. (there’s also a major “first proof” up front in there of why the Official Big Brother Approved Romans 13 Bible is so just-plain-wrong, too.)
The Sabbath Day teaching this week is about why this “introduction to the Exodus” is SO important, and why Mark suggests (and that’s what a “look ahead” into prophecy and patterns always is, as opposed to ‘doctrine’!) that we may be on the brink of seeing the “bookends” of this story play out. There’s a reason to be excited about the times in which we live, especially if they may be among the most pivotal in all of human history!
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa for the thrilling climax of at least MOST of the story of the “Suffering Servant,” Yosef/Joseph, and how THE Plan of YHVH continues to play out, with Judah demonstrating what it means to “MAN UP!” — resulting in restoration of the brothers and their houses, lives saved, and — ultimately — a descent into bondage. (Parsha “Vayigash,” Genesis 44:18 – 47:27. And a look at the haftorah in Ezekiel 37, and a bit of Ephesians 5, too.)
The Erev Shabbat overview teaching is about the final installment of the journey to Mitzraim (Egypt) and the restoration saga, but with a perhaps disturbing implication:
The Sabbath Day teaching this week is focused on a specific aspect of the story of the man who represents a picture or aspect of the Meshiach to come. How is it that the very same man who literally saves the entire house of Israel, and was sent to “preserve life” at the same time looks to his brothers like a pagan, and ultimately initiates a process that leads to bondage?
The answer seems to relate to cycles that repeat, whether we like it or not, and what might seem like a contradiction (Ephesians chapter 5, or Ezekiel 37?) if we don’t look at the ‘bigger picture’ – in context. Especially in a ‘season’ like today.
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa for a shift to a ‘new’ character, Yosef (Joseph) and his dreams, his enslavement, and his imprisonment. (Parsha “Vayashev,” (Genesis 37 through 40:23)
The Erev Shabbat overview teaching again covers the story itself, and how almost everything about this character signals that there is far more going on here than meets the eye.
That concept is expanded during the following Sabbath Day teaching. In particular, there are not only so many elements of this parsha that are “politically-incorrect”, the lesson is a virtual tour of why just about everything this world values is either on fire, being revealed as a Big Lie, or literally headed to a Hell-on-Earth.
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa for the second installment of the story of Yakov/Jacob’s journey, where he prepares for a potentially deadly encounter with his estranged brother, Esau, and confronts…any number of fears…in the wilderness. (Parsha “Vayishlach,” Genesis 32:3-36:43)
The Erev Shabbat overview teaching again covers the story itself, how this encounter with YHVH, too, might now seem to be during the most fearful time of his life, for more than one reason, and what happens thereafter.
The Sabbath Day teaching this week again covers a lot of ground. Yakov “wrestled with man and with God,” and arguably that alone makes it a great lesson for us today. But this time it’s the “ambiguity” in the story – on SO many levels – that Mark finds particularly important this time around.
And so key to the special, but very much related, issues we now face.
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa for the first installment of the story of Yakov/Jacob’s journey, from his first direct encounter with Yahuah to the place where he later spends 20 years and acquires the family from which come the twelve tribes of Israel. (Parsha “Vayetzei,” Genesis 25:19 – 32:3)
The Erev Shabbat overview teaching is covers the story itself, how his encounter with YHVH might seem to be during one of the most difficult and fearful times of his life, so far, and then how he comes to have wives, children and flocks, and a legacy which spans millenia.
The Sabbath Day teaching this week really covers a lot of ground. Yes, this is a “politically incorrect” parsha, which again makes clear that what Yahuah Wrote for us is often very divergent from men have subsequently decided to REwrite for Him. But this is a particularly important Torah lesson for us today, because it can teach us how to deal with fear and massive change in our own lives.
Mark looks at many of the things happening in our world today that demonstrate the “scale of Evil” we face, and the choices that result. Will we trust in Him, as Yakov did, or “<em>return to our place</em>” in failure, as Laban demonstrated?
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa for a final look at the story of Abraham, and his wife Sarah, but perhaps more importantly at perhaps THE pre-eminient parsha when it comes to ‘Legal Precedent’. (Parsha “Chayei Sarah,” Genesis 23:1 – 25:18)
The Erev Shabbat overview teaching is an examination of what it literally THE primary story that underlies major concepts of what was once understood to be the Common Law:
Contract, Agency – or ‘power of attorney,’ and Marriage.
The Sabbath Day teaching connects all of that to the lessons of the “Torah Made Flesh,” Who came in His Father’s Name, to DO His Father’s will. How can we possibly know what it means for US each to seek to be a “good and faithful servant,” if we don’t understand the precedents He shows us?
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa for a two-part look at parsha “Vayeira,” Genesis chapters 18 through 22.
The Erev Shabbat overview stretches from the story of the birth of Isaac and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, through the Akeida, or binding of Isaac.
The Sabbath Day teaching continues the examination of Abraham’s demonstation of FAITH, from the perspective of what it really means for us to believe Yahuah as he did.