This week, Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship takes a look at teachings associated with the final days of the Passover feast and the last Sabbath of the week of Unleavened Bread.
During the Erev Shabbat overview teaching, Mark examines the traditional parsha for this week, from Exodus 13:17 through 15:26, that tells the story of what happens AFTER the plagues, up to the crossing of the Sea of Reeds. In other words, the end of the ‘exodus proper’ and the Beginning of the real journey:
This week continued the escalation unparalleled turmoil in the world, to the point where the war against those who seek to follow YHVH and His Word — or even pretend to, in too many cases — has become undeniable, except among those who deceive for ‘another master’.
There IS a war in progress, on many fronts, and it ‘sure as heck ain’t holy’. But all of that, in conjunction with ‘such a time as this,’ and the lessons and reminders of this very season, have much to teach us, and much to warn us about. In the special Sabbath Day teaching for this final part of the week of Unleaved Bread, Mark’s message is entitled:
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship for a look at parsha “Tzav” (meaning ‘command,’ from Leviticus/Vayikra chapters 6 through 8).
This week Mark’s internet connection was devastated for the Erev Shabbat service, so the ‘overview teaching’ didn’t really happen, until a recap during the Sabbath Day session.
The parsha begins with an admonition to “command” Aaron and his sons — the cohenim — concerning the instruction of YHVH about the things outlined in last week’s parsh, the olah, minchah, chattat (and asham), and shalamim offerings. The associated haftorah portion for this week, from Jeremiah chapter 7, offers an interesting and very instructive contrast. And it’s one which is not in the least less dramatic today, because we still are being conditioned to “trust in lying things, which are of no avail.”
Join Mark Call for a look at parsha, “Vayetze,” Genesis 28:10 through 32:3, which beings the story of Yakov’s (Jacob) journey (“and he went out”) via his famous vision, his wives, his sons, and his strengthening faith, in truth.
During the Erev Shabbat teaching, we hear the story in sequence, and Mark takes a look at aspects that are not only too often ‘overlooked’ by much of the ‘mainstream’, but even some things that just don’t translate well from the original Hebrew:
The Sabbath Day teaching is more about “Yakov’s journey,” but in a way that is intended to show just how important the lessons he learned, and is teaching us, are in a world where our threats may seem much greater, but the solution remains the same.
Join Mark Call for a look at parsha, “Chayei Sarah,” Genesis 23:1 through 25:18, which he describes as including THE pre-eminent “common law textbook” stories in the entire Torah.
During the Erev Shabbat teaching, Mark Call again looks at the entire parsha, from the “life of Sarah,” and then her death and burial, through those stories that formed the basis for the common law concepts of “contract law,” and then marriage, and finally the idea of “agency,” power of attorney, or what the Bible means by a good and faithful servant who “comes in the name of,” his master.
During the Sabbath Day teaching, Mark looks initially and a bit more deeply into the elements of the story of Abraham’s purchase of the Cave of Machpelah and the first recorded land transfer deed in history, and the elements of what we see a “good and faithful servant,” who goes to do his master’s will, in his name, should look like.
And, now, just how far those twin pillars of a just society — Trust, and the Rule of Law –have been undermined.
How better to destroy that society? And how can we begin to rebuild those elements?
The combined part 1 and 2 files for both sections are up here via the permalink on Hebrew Nation Radio. (This week there were a lot of additional questions following the teaching, related to peripheral topics — from bicoins to solar systems and EMP — so that extended Q&A is also at the end of this recording)
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa for a look what another of ‘those’ detailed, and therefore, often ignored (like so much of that “Old” Testament…) portions of Scripture; Parsha “Vayikra,” Leviticus/Vayikra chapters 1 through 5.) If anything, however, this whole BOOK may be among the most ignored in all of Scripture.
It’s also again true that not only is there much more to this one “than meets the eye,” but it’s part of the most divisive, and even “fought over” in His Word, too.
These teachings are available live each week via Paltalk, in the “Walking Torah with Shabbat Shalom Mesa” room (interactively, via www.paltalk.com) and also simulcast at http://cp3.shoutcheap.com:2199/start/lindcall/
The Sabbath Day teaching this week continues from there into a variety of related Scriptures, especially some of the Biggest Twistings from the letter to the ‘Hebrews’.
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa for a discussion of the two-part ‘Double Parsha’ that wraps up the Book of Exodus. “Vayakhel, then Pekudei,” Exodus chapter 34 through the end of the Book).
What does a wise heart have to do with what much of xtianity calls a really boring part of Scripture that’s been “done away with” anyway? The answer goes to the very heart of what is wrong with a ‘church’ that denies His Word, yet claims He dwell in hard hearts that have no place for Him.
The Erev Shabbat overview of what exactly it is that the last part of Exodus describes being made, and why, introduces some perhaps uncomfortable parallels.
And the in-depth look at OPPOSITES on the Sabbath explores why that may be.
These teachings are available live each week via Paltalk, in the “Walking Torah with Shabbat Shalom Mesa” room (interactively, via www.paltalk.com) and also simulcast at
http://cp3.shoutcheap.com:2199/start/lindcall/
And in that respect, the Sabbath Day teaching this week is a literal OPPOSITE of the Erev Shabbat overview; sometimes, at the OPPOSITE part of the historical cycle, things are just plain inverted, or upside-down. And that describes the world today.
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa another of those truly “pivotal” stories in all of human history, which begins with the arrival of Moses’ father-in-law, Yitro (not to be confused with Jethro Bodine) and includes the voice of YHVH from Mt. Sinai, and the giving of the “Ten Words/Sayings/Commandments” (Parsha “Yitro,” Exodus 18:1 through chapter 20)…
SOME of which, says the ‘church’ may still even apply today!
Warning: Adult content and language. Mark makes it clear that sometimes the truth must be blunt and unambiguous. No punches pulled this week!
These teachings are available live each week via Paltalk, in the “Walking Torah with Shabbat Shalom Mesa” room (interactively, via www.paltalk.com) and also simulcast at:
The Sabbath Day teaching this week again continues the in-depth exploration of those major ‘themes’ in the story of the Exodus, this time revolving around those “Ten Commandments” themselves, and what we can see has happened since the “law has been DONE AWAY WITH”.
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa for the continuing saga of the “Suffering Servant,” Yosef/Joseph, and how THE Plan of YHVH continues to play out, in the second part of a series of parsha “cliff-hangers”. (Parsha “Mikketz,” Genesis 41:1 – 44:17. And a look at I Maccabees, and Zechariah 2-4, too.)
The Erev Shabbat overview teaching again covers the story itself, from Pharoah’s TWO dreams to the ‘cliff-hanger,’ as at least PART of Yosef’s plan — but not evidently YHVH’s —
comes to a conclusion.
The Sabbath Day teaching this week again really covers a LOT of ground. How interesting is it that this parsha usually coincides with the time of Chanukah? (And, yes, there’s a LOT of ‘tradition’ around this one, but that’s only PART of the story!)
Yosef’s story is that of a man who looks a look like a “harbinger”, or “type/shadow”, if you prefer, of at least one potential picture of the Meshiach then still yet-to-come. And while he literally brings ‘salvation’, to “preserve life” — what happens thereafter is a people who descend into slavery.
Why were there (so far as we know) not any “Egyptian Preppers?”
The answer to THAT question seems to tie, Mark suggests, closely to the OTHER story that fits in so many ways for this “time and season” — the tyranny and Evil of yet another time in history where the parallels, and the lessons, are too important, even if unsavory, to be ignored.
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.
Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa looks at the Scriptures associated with the end of the regular annual Torah cycle, and The Beginning of the next. From “V’zot Ha Bracha,” at the end of Deuteronomy, the time of “Simcha Torah,” is about the joy of this season, and the new beginning as we start — well, CONTINUE, our study into Genesis.
The Erev Shabbat overview teaching is a look first at Deuteronomy chapters 33 and 34, which includes both the end of the life of Moses, and the five Books of the Torah as well, and then continues into The Beginning again, into Bereshiet (chapters 1 through part of 6, even).
The Sabbath Day teaching is an acknowledgement that there is FAR too much just in the first few characters of Bereshiet/Genesis for a single study, and that’s just the beginning. So Mark focuses on the “WHY?”
Why is THIS portion so FUNDAMENTAL, so vital to us NOW, and, therefore, so reviled by ‘the world’ in general.
We see IN-credible Big Whoppin’ Lies being foisted – from the Very First Two Lies in Scripture, to the rebellion and failure of “covering” and responsibility that accompanied them, to the consequences – which STILL form the basis — the Rock — for all that follows.