Biblical Basics

Are you new to the Bible? Would you like to understand it better? If so, tune into these programs which serve to help the new believer in the Messiah.

Latest Podcasts in Biblical Basics

Mark Call – Parsha “Noach” (Genesis ch. 6 – 11) teaching from Shabbat Shalom Mesa

Mark Call – Parsha “Noach” (Genesis ch. 6 – 11) teaching from Shabbat Shalom Mesa

Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship for a two-part look at parsha Noach (Genesis chapters 6 through 11) - which not only includes the enigmatic setting of the "days of Noach," when the thoughts of men's hearts were only evil all the days, and certainly...

Dr Hollisa Alewine – Footsteps of Messiah Part 83 (The Greater Exodus Pt 13- Wars of Kings Pt 8: A Time for War)

Dr Hollisa Alewine – Footsteps of Messiah Part 83 (The Greater Exodus Pt 13- Wars of Kings Pt 8: A Time for War)

Was there any prior clue that the Simchat Torah war would break out last Shabbat?

The Creation Gospel is a pattern that links the days of Creation, the Seven Spirits of Adonai listed in Isaiah, the Seven Feasts of Adonai, and even the Seven Assemblies of Revelation to demonstrate the significance of the numbers 1-7. The video series is free to watch on YouTube. Beginner classes are free on Zoom and routinely announced in our newsletter and Facebook. The Creation Gospel workbooks are not free because they fund LaMalah Orphanage in Kenya.

The paradigm of Days 1-7 is the seed prophecy from which every other prophecy sprouts in the Word.

Day One: separation of light and darkness

Day Two: separation of waters from water (the day not declared “good”)

Day Three: separation of dry land from water, seed-bearing trees with fruit

Day Four: establishment of the sun, moon, and stars to “govern” the day and night, seasons (moedim-feasts)

Day Five: first living creatures with a breath of life, birds and fish in swarms

Day Six: beasts to reproduce after their kind; human beings to reproduce after the kind and image of their Creator

Day Seven: Shabbat rest from creative work

Creation Gospel students analyze the symbols and patterns of each day, including linking the creation characteristics to the corresponding seven feasts. For instance, Day Two is a day on which separation begins to work with the chaos of fluidity. Because there is only separation, it is seen as a “death” day, for death occurs when the the soul and body separate along with the spirit. These await resurrection to life or judgment. Day Two is not pronounced good until Day Three when the chaotic waters are finally gathered into one place. Only then is it declared “good.” What good comes from Day Two? Although chaotic, the process of gathering is begun, a day in which the pain of separation must occur. Perhaps this is why Day Three corresponds to resurrection with its symbolism of first fruits from the dead.

In the cycle of shmittah years, we have now entered into “Day Two,” or Year Two of the cycle. What should we expect between now and next Feast of Trumpets? Chaos. Fluidity. Uncertainty. Separation, separation, separation. Exposure and assignment to upper or lower realms. In the pain of this coming year, the “gray area” of faith will be obliterated. One’s true heart will be exposed. Since Day Two is connected at its base on the menorah to the Sixth Day, then expect one’s conforming to be exposed. Do we conform to the image of the beast or the image of Elohim? Nothing in between. No fence riding. Heaven and earth are the two witnesses who will be the first to speak:

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”” (Dt 30:19-20)

A fence is a dangerous place this year. Run to truth; embrace it; proclaim it. Don’t be embarrassed by it. Learn to begin sentences with “It is written…,” not “I think… I feel… I want…” I could add words here to emphasize the importance of this, but those who don’t have ears to hear at this point have already sunk too low in the lower waters. Their confusion will likely not improve, although we should continue to pray that it does. It feels as though Covid somehow began the process of sorting those who would continually harden their hearts to believe lies. When you talk to them, it is like talking to a a walking human lie. What they believe and proclaim as truth defies all heavenly or earthly logic.

Believers must continue to shine the Light of the First Day so that if a fence-rider should look up to the surface, he or she can re-orient and make an effort to swim upward to the Light of the Word.

Here is another way of applying the pattern using the relationship to the seven feasts, or moedim:

We use the menorah to show chiastic relationships (mirrors). On Day Five, birds and fish were created. They are prophecies of many peoples, and so Yeshua later refers to the fish as “men,” which his disciples will go fish out of the nations with the Good News. Two of his post-resurrection appearances involved fish as food. Yeshua knew where to find good fish, and so his disciples would be dispatched to find them, too. The Fifth Feast is the Feast of Trumpets, which heralds the resurrection of the dead, or the Greater Resurrection of the faithful. It is also known as Rosh HaShanah, referring the “change” or turn of the year. These swarms of fish would be fished out the waters, which represent nations, and be resurrected to life in the waters above, the heavenly waters.

From Rosh HaShanah until Yom Kippur, or Yom HaKippurim, ten days later, the standard greeting among Jews is “May your name be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life for a sweet year.” The decrees are written, but they can still be modified or discarded if an individual repents and returns to Adonai and His Word. If there is no repentance by the conclusion of the tenth day, Yom HaKippurim, the decrees are sealed and handed off to the angels for execution upon each person, whether for good or evil, life or death.

After a week of joyful feasting in the sukkah during the Feast of Sukkot, Israel removes themselves from their celebratory shelters (sukkot) on the Eighth Day for Shemini Atzeret, which is “rejoicing in the Torah,” Simchat Torah. Things come uncovered. The seals begin to break. When the gates closed on Yom HaKippurim (Day of Atonements, Coverings), one’s fate was sealed. If one repented, he or she was covered, atoned for. If not, he or she remained uncovered, vulnerable. This covering blood was a precious price paid by Yeshua, the letter to the Hebrews cautions believers not to take it lightly and keep on sinning, or there was “severer punishment.” (He 10:29)

This year, something interesting happened in Israel during the Days of Awe, the ten days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom HaKippurim. Heaven and nature warned the nation with a fish kill during the Days of Awe. Heaven and nature are warning the rest of the world through the uncovered slaughter of Shemini Atzeret. Not so incidentally, heaven and earth, the natural world, were summoned as witnesses to the warnings in the Deuteronomic Song of Moses, a song repeated in the Book of Revelation.

Here is the text of an article published on 9/26/23 in YNet News, the day after Yom HaKippurim. Reported the day after the decrees on the world were sealed up:

“Thousands of dead fish have been spotted on one of the beaches in Hadera in recent days. A dead sea-turtle was also found in the area, and the Nature and Parks Authority said that its death is unrelated to the fish. The Environmental Protection Ministry estimated that since these fish were not of commercial use, they were likely discarded by fishermen.

Shelly Goldsmith, a travel blogger, shared her distress, saying, ‘This morning, I headed towards Hadera beach, which is a beautiful spot. As I reached the shore, I saw large quantities of dead fish scattered along the beach, numbering in the thousands. I also noticed a dead sea turtle. I realized that pollution must have caused this.’ Goldsmith added, ‘It’s truly a terrible and heartbreaking sight. This is not the first time we’ve witnessed such a horrifying phenomenon with thousands of dead fish washing up on the shore. It’s a sorrowful morning.’

According to the Environmental Protection Ministry, ‘In recent days, reports were received about dead fish on Hadera’s beach. The images were sent to Dr. Nir Stern from the Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, who identified them as young and non-endangered fish. The small size of these fish indicates that they were likely discarded by fishermen. The ministry and other authorities are not aware of any pollution in the area that could have caused the fish deaths.’”

Knowing what we know of the events of Simchat Torah, the words of the article take on predictive horror. Young fish. Not endangered. Or so they thought. Discarded by evil fishermen. It was indeed a sorrowful morning. We came out of the covering of our sukkot to see the decrees came unsealed with lightning speed. In an unbelievable coincidence, the YNet fish article yesterday held photos of a young lady kidnaped and mutilated by Hamas on Shabbat, splayed unnaturally in the back of a pickup truck, broadcast to the nations.

Some rejoiced. Some were horrified. The waters, the nations, are separating into upper and lower realms. What happened to Israel happens next among the nations. We think it was unfortunate “her”? Evil fishermen are among the nations. Adonai is marking, sealing, and gathering His fish. He sent His Good News with fishermen to call those who would listen and love truth. His Word is truth. The beast is doing the same. Gathering, marking, directing with demonic, hateful, deathly lies. It is a year of exposure. The illusion of safety on the broken fence is exposed, so get off of it and get away from it. It is dangerous.

If none of this makes sense to you, it’s not too late. Don’t complain about it being over your head. These things are plainly written in Scripture from Genesis to Revelation for anyone to read, learn, verify, live by. Read it until you do understand. Buy a book on the Biblical feasts. Enroll in a Creation Gospel Zoom class to learn the paradigm. Read your Bible. Believe it.

The Torah is the first five books of the Bible, the covenant with Israel. Its seed prophecies are expanded throughout the rest of Scripture. The Torah is the Word. We are to rejoice in obeying the Word, not evil. Take a side. Make a decision. Heaven and nature are screaming that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is judging His creation. Call upon Him. Swim up if you know you’re drowning in doubt, anxiety, and confusion.

Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. (2 Pe 1:10-11)

It was a sunny Shabbat morning on the beach, close to the fence like thousands of others. Until it wasn’t.

Mark Call – Parsha “Bereshiet” (Genesis – In the Beginning) teaching from Shabbat Shalom Mesa

Mark Call – Parsha “Bereshiet” (Genesis – In the Beginning) teaching from Shabbat Shalom Mesa

The cycle begins again. Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship as the continuing study of His Word, as Written, restarts "In the Beginning," on page one of every Bible, with Bereshiet (Genesis 1:1 through 6:8) and the Foundation upon which literally...

Torah Teachers’ Round Table – Tanakh Edition – Isaiah, chapter 1, and more

Torah Teachers’ Round Table – Tanakh Edition – Isaiah, chapter 1, and more

This week, in the absence of the regular co-hosts, Dr. Jeff Prystupa joins Mark Call to not only take a look at a 'new' Book, and a very ancient prophet, but a whole bunch of warnings which suddenly seem even MORE important than ever. It's a bit of a departure from...

Now Is The Time with Rabbi Steve Berkson | Are You Covenanted? Part 15

Now Is The Time with Rabbi Steve Berkson | Are You Covenanted? Part 15

Rabbi Steve Berkson desires that you embrace the understanding that it’s all about your heart when it comes to keeping covenant with your Creator. It has to be in your heart to fear him, guard and do all of His commandments, to love Him and to serve Yahweh your...

Mark Call – ‘Sukkot Finale – Last Great Day – teaching from Shabbat Shalom Mesa

Mark Call – ‘Sukkot Finale – Last Great Day – teaching from Shabbat Shalom Mesa

The conclusion of the Fall Feasts, and the week of Sukkot which ends with the "Last Great Day," is this weekend, by most calendar reckonings. And certainly the largest attack on the modern nation of Israel in almost exactly 50 years on that day, and Sabbath, can...

Now Is The Time with Rabbi Steve Berkson | Are You Covenanted? Part 14

Now Is The Time with Rabbi Steve Berkson | Are You Covenanted? Part 14

In 1 Chronicles 16 we see within a song of praise that went up in thanksgiving there is a “covenantal-mindset”. What is that “covenantal-mindset”? What happened to Israel when the “covenantal-mindset” faded away? 1 Chronicles 16:22 is the statement, “Do not touch my...

Mark Call – ‘Sukkot begins’ (and His real birth) teaching from Shabbat Shalom Mesa

Mark Call – ‘Sukkot begins’ (and His real birth) teaching from Shabbat Shalom Mesa

This week the season of the Fall Feasts enter - literally - the final joyful week, with Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as 'the Season of our Joy.' And that turns out to be more appropriate than most 'Christians' have been told in 'sun-god-day school,'...

Dr Hollisa Alewine – Footsteps of Messiah Part 82 (The Greater Exodus Pt 12- Wars of Kings Pt 7 : Locusts in Your Face)

Dr Hollisa Alewine – Footsteps of Messiah Part 82 (The Greater Exodus Pt 12- Wars of Kings Pt 7 : Locusts in Your Face)

Your neck is like the tower of David,

Built with rows of stones

On which are hung a thousand shields,

All the round shields of the mighty men. (So 4:4)

Our working text for the Footsteps of Messiah is the Song of Songs. From the above text, we previously connected the shields of a thousand generations with the offspring of Abraham, the righteous remnant in each generation forming the faithful shield of their generation. These are faithful warriors of the Word. Deuteronomy gives us insight into how Israel is instructed to prepare for war:

“When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you. When you are approaching the battle, the priest shall come near and speak to the people. He shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’ The officers also shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Who is the man that has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would dedicate it. Who is the man that has planted a vineyard and has not begun to use its fruit? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would begin to use its fruit. And who is the man that is engaged to a woman and has not married her? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would marry her.’ Then the officers shall speak further to the people and say, ‘Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted? Let him depart and return to his house, so that he might not make his brothers’ hearts melt like his heart.’ When the officers have finished speaking to the people, they shall appoint commanders of armies at the head of the people.
When you approach a city to fight against it, you shall offer it terms of peace. If it agrees to make peace with you and opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall become your forced labor and shall serve you. However, if it does not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it… (Dt 20:1-12)

Before a soldier could go to war, he was required to enjoy the fruit of his labors. A soldier who built, planted, and betrothed without consummating the joy of his labors expected to die in battle, an attitude that would discourage his fellow soldiers. Comfortable shelter, food and drink, and a family relationship are the building blocks of human joy. The feast time of Sukkot teaches this pattern. Every family comes to Jerusalem to commemmorate the Divine provision of food, drink, shelter, and family relationships, including the extended family who will share in the offerings along with strangers, aliens, Levites, and even the kohanim:

“There also you and your households shall eat before the LORD your God, and rejoice in all your undertakings in which the LORD your God has blessed you.” (Dt 12:7)

“You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes; for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the LORD your God is giving you. When you cross the Jordan and live in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security, then it shall come about that the place in which the LORD your God will choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to the LORD. And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance with you. (Dt 12:8-12)

In the passage above, there are some interesting questions: If Israel is at peace, then why instructions for war? What do the Three Questions suggest about the spiritual state of the nation at war? Why is joy so important in a festival of shelter, food and drink, and family?

Each question asked of a soldier involves his “wife”: house, vineyard, and betrothed. Each of those in certain contexts represents one’s wife. A wise woman builds her house; a man’s wife is his vineyard (Ps 128:3); his betrothed is his future wife with nothing left but the consummation of the marriage to complete it. It’s not as if such a man is lazy; quite the contrary! He has labored hard to build, plant, and consider a family. He simply hasn’t allowed himself the final commitment to fully enjoy it! These are the gifts of Adonai to human beings. He gives us the ability to build, plan, create, and imagine. Part of the joy is in that process, but the crown of joy is to eat the fruit of one’s labor. Strangely, it is the Feast of Sukkot that celebrates the partnership of Adonai and His People to build, plant, and live in intimate relationships.

If a young man works, yet refuses the fruit, instead leaving it for someone else, he is cutting himself off from faith in the root and fruit of blessing. Not only is he entitled to it, he is OBLIGATED to it. It is as if he plans to die in battle, a hidden mindset that will discourage his fellow soldiers on the day of tribulation. This hidden fault can be exposed by the priest and remedied if he will go back and enter into joy in the commandment. If not, he will likely die in battle and another man will enjoy the blessings of fulfilling his unfulfilled mitzvot, which ironically, is what the hopeless soldier expects to happen.

Sukkot is about embracing the joy of offspring, whether one’s own household or the household of faith, even those just curiously sitting in. Sukkot defies the fear of death. Sukkot says that the Holy One will shelter us in His sukkah on the day of trouble; He will feed us and give us drink without sorrow; He will betroth us in righteousness. The blessings He’s enabled us to set before our families and friends is the proof of even greater blessings of peace and prosperity yet to come if we believe and obey His Word.

Having joy in the commandments is a type of armor on the day of battle. Don’t live a life of ascetism in the Name of Heaven. Fast when you must, but like Yeshua, don’t refuse the joy of this life for which he was criticized:

But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call out to the other children, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds. (Mt 11:16-19)

Others want us to conform ourselves to the childish emotional flavor of the day. Instead, we conform to “it is written.” There is a time and season to everything, appointed times for fasting and feasting. Do not be so consumed with tribulation that you fail to invest in joy, nor so gluttonous as to refuse days of sober fasting and intense prayer for war. This life is a brief investment window from which we will continue eternally to enjoy its yield from the Root of Jesse and his fruit which the Father has placed in our hands.

Your joy at Sukkot is part of the battle plan. Arm yourself with a lulav. Can’t you just imagine Yeshua sitting among his parents, his brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles and cousins, and all his disciples and their families in Jerusalem at Sukkot, laughing big belly-laughs while he watches the nieces and nephews romping around the barbecue pit? What a mitzvah! What a war hero!

Wars of Kings is a foundation for using the template of the first Exodus to understand the Greater Exodus and the accompanying plagues in the Book of Revelation. Click on Wars of Kings to go to the first segment of the Wars YouTube video. Last week’s teaching explained up to plague five, and this week’s video will continue the plagues, providing examples from our time to connect with the texts.

Now Is The Time with Rabbi Steve Berkson | Are You Covenanted? Part 13

Now Is The Time with Rabbi Steve Berkson | Are You Covenanted? Part 13

Continuing with, “The Role and Effect of Leadership on Covenant Keeping”, Rabbi Steve Berkson takes us on a journey through the books of 1 & 2 Kings where he shows us examples in King Solomon and the Northern Kingdom of Israel of what happens when those in...

Mark Call – Parsha “Ha’azinu” and ‘Shabbat Shuva’ teaching from Shabbat Shalom Mesa

Mark Call – Parsha “Ha’azinu” and ‘Shabbat Shuva’ teaching from Shabbat Shalom Mesa

The regular Torah portion now includes the very last few in the Book of Deuteronomy, the life of Moses himself, and thus some of his final admonitions, including the second, and final, "Song of Moses," in parsha "Ha'azinu," chapter 32 of Debarim. This week is also the...

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