Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship for a study of perhaps one of the most “problematic” portions in the Torah, “Pinchas” (Bemidbar/Numbers 25:10 through 3:1), because it describes the outright ‘killing-by-spear’ of two pagans, engaged in a pretty brazen act, not only right before Moshe, but the ‘whole congregation’ of Israel. And for that act, Pinchas is not tried for ‘murder,’ but given an ‘eternal covenant of peace’ by the Most High Himself.
This lesson is not only ‘timely’ – perhaps more now than ever before in our lifetimes – but incorporates one of those “jots and tiddles” that speaks literally VOLUMES to those with “eyes to see”, but doesn’t even get translated in the English renderings of the Bible. Truly, an example of what is worth “studying for ourselves” from His Word, as Written.
(Internet outages Friday evening – sure looked like a beta test! — so this is a single combined teaching this week)
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship for this week’s teaching of “Pinchas,” (Numbers 25:10 through 30:1), which includes one of the most “problematic” examples and rewards in the Torah. How can what might be described as murder be rewarded by Yahuah with a perpetual Covenant of Peace?
The Erev Shabbat overview describes the “rest of the story,” since the major action actually took place at the end of last week’s parsh, and then what might seem to be a variety of disjointed other bits and pieces, from a second ‘head count’ to a recap of His ‘moedim’ (appointed times and feasts).
The Sabbath Day teaching explores what it means to be “zealous” for YHVH not only in a bit more depth, but in ‘context’ as well. Pinchas (Phineas) acted to save lives by making a public demonstration against those who — by their actions — acted in open defiance of Yahuah. But he was also “in the camp”, taking action to keep it clean.
If nothing else, Mark proves, while we are still in exile, the world we live in could hardly pass for a clean camp.
And it certainly shouldn’t surprise us that the portion is again SO relevant to the “times and seasons” today. It even has more to say about what constitutes “blasphemy” against His Ruach.
Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa takes another two-part look at parsha “Pinchas” this week (Numbers 25:10 through 30:1).
The Erev Shabbat overview teaching begins with the end of the story of Pinchas (aka “Phineas” in some English Bibles), the now-legendary zealot who stayed the plague against the children of Israel by running a pair of coupling pagans through with a spear, and continues through the ‘second head count’, as the mixed multitude prepare to enter the land, to a summary of the daily and <em>moedim </em>offerings.
This week the Sabbath Day teaching is about The Zealot, but with the caveat that Pinchas was “in the camp” whereas we today are in exile; arguably, the “opposite part of the cycle.” As Mark also notes, it should perhaps be no surprise that the haftorah portion this week, from the story of Eliyahu (Elijah) the prophet, I Kings 18 into 19, is also a man who self-describes as “zealous for YHVH”. And there’s a whole lot to be learned from that comparison!
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa for a study of the parsha “Pinchas” (Numbers chapter 25 through 29).
Note: These are available every Shabbat during the on-line services at 6:30 PM Mountain Time, and the Sabbath Day teaching broadcast live via links in both Paltalk and Shoutcheap.
The Erev Shabbat overview teaching this week begins with what is arguably one of the most “problematic” stories in Scripture, of the ‘zealot’ Pinchas (Phineas) — who without hesitation kills two people “in the act” — and simultaneously stays a plague that had already killed 24,000 people. How does what follows fit in?
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa for a study of the parsha “Balak” (Numbers 22:2 through 25:9).
Note: These are available every Shabbat during the on-line services at 6:30 PM Mountain Time, and the Sabbath Day teaching broadcast live via links in both Paltalk and Shoutcheap.
The Erev Shabbat overview teaching this week is unique among the stories in the Torah for several reasons, including the fact that it focuses not on Moses, Aaron, and the ‘children of Israel,’ but two pagan characters, Balak and Balaam. But their connections to “kol Israel ” then and ‘Scattered Israel’ NOW are too important to overlook.
The Sabbath Day teaching starts where the story seems to leave off. There are truly “tough choices” ahead, and the pitfalls associated with “Baal Peor” haven’t changed much, either.
The longer teaching from Shabbat concentrates on specifics from the parsha in more detail. In particular, this teaching about what is really “Zealot vs zealot” has a lot to say to us today about leadership, ‘fanatacism,’ and even some things that may hit pretty close to home today.