Starting after Sukkot 2024, Hallel Fellowship switched to a three-year cycle of Torah and parallel Bible readings (2024–2027), outlined by TorahResource. While there’s ancient evidence for a triennial cycle, a major benefit is to provide more time to mine more of Scripture for lessons.
Genesis 1:1–2:3 offers a rich exploration of the creation narrative, emphasizing the intentionality and divine purpose in God’s work:
- Creation vs. Making: There is a distinction between “created” (Hebrew: bara) and “made” (Hebrew: asah). “Created” refers to bringing something entirely new into existence, whereas “made” refers to forming or fashioning something from pre-existing materials. This distinction appears in how God “created” the heavens and the earth but later “made” the firmament and lights in the sky.
- Order from Chaos: Genesis 1:2 describes the earth as “formless and void” (Hebrew: tohu v’bohu), and Hallel Fellowship interprets this as a state of chaos that God transformed into order. This process is symbolic of how God brings light and structure to darkness and confusion in the world and in the lives of believers .
- The Purpose of Creation: The primary purpose of creation was not for God’s comfort, but for mankind. Humanity, made in God’s image, is the focal point of creation. The repetitive declaration of “it was good” throughout the creation account is seen as God’s satisfaction with His work, culminating in the creation of mankind.
- Sabbath Rest: Genesis 2:2-3 introduces the Sabbath, which Hallel Fellowship teaches is not just a day of rest for God, but a special time set aside for humans to rest and connect with Him. This rest reflects a deeper spiritual truth, emphasizing that God’s ultimate plan for creation is restoration and peace.
Readings
- Genesis 1:1-2:3
- Isaiah 42:5-9
- Colossians 1:1-23
Corresponding reading in the 1-year cycle
Previous studies
The Messianic fingerprint: Decoding the 7 days of creation
The Hebrew text of Genesis 1:1–2:3 can be read with symbolic significance in each of the seven days of creation. For example, the first Hebrew word of the first sentence (Gen. 1:1) could be a prophecy about the Messiah, based on symbols of the letters. Each day of creation has been seen as paralleling 1,000-year “millennial days” of Earth’s history. And that can point to the Messiah’s return and the establishment of the millennial Sabbath in the seventh 1,000 years, like the Sabbath instituted on the seventh day of creation.
Seed of hope is planted in the hearts of humanity groaning in a world of hate and violence (Genesis 1–4)
The origins of not just the universe and creation but also hatred and violence in contemporary and ancient society are revealed in the first Torah reading, בְּרֵאשִׁית B’reisheet (“In the beginning,” Genesis 1:1–6:8), reveals. What makes the difference in not going down that dark road is listening to God’s voice in a world filled with confusion and disobedience.
This study explores the nature of sin, highlighting the responsibility individuals bear for their actions and how the Age of Ignorance is over with the revelation of the Creator through Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ). This exploration also touches upon gender and…
Torah reading Beresheet (בראשית): Genesis 1:1-6:8
These days, a Creator Who made the heavens, Earth, plants, creatures and people is scoffed at by many, including ever more in the Body of Messiah. But this week’s Torah portion, בְּרֵאשִׁית B’reisheet (“In the beginning,” Genesis 1:1-6:8), reminds us why Yeshua (Jesus) taught that this is important real history undergirding our faith.
Genesis 1:1–6:8: God commanded, but why should I listen?
If you were to chop off Genesis 1–5, you would not be able to competently answer this about the instructions and teachings of the Father and Messiah: “Why should I do that?” Two-thirds of children from Christian homes will walk away from their faith to varying degrees, and one of the main reasons for that fall off is they are not given honest answers about the authority of the Scriptures.
Genesis 1:1–6:8: The Creator shows why to ‘have no other gods before [Him]’
Some Bible versions translate Gen. 1:1 as “In the beginning, God created…” or “In the beginning of God’s creating the heavens and the earth….” בְּרֵאשִׁית Bereysheet (Genesis) is not a science book. It is not designed to teach you how God created anything. The purpose of the beginning of Bereisheet is to teach us who God is, what He did and how powerful He is, much like Devarim (Deuteronomy) starts with reminding the people who God is and why the Ten Commandments say to have no other gods before Him.
Genesis 1:26-2:8: The Sacred Pause: Discovering Shabbat as a Divine Invitation
The last two things God created was the Shabbat/Sabbath and the Garden of Eden. God did not create the Shabbat because He was exhausted or tired. Rather, He wanted to set aside a day for mankind to have a special time with Him. Also some are confused about the creation narratives of Gen. 1 and Gen. 2 but a careful reading of each shows us that Gen. 2 focuses specifically on the creation of mankind and the special Garden called Eden that was made by God as mankind’s primary residence.
Genesis 1:3-31: ‘And God said…’
Genesis 1 tells us that God did not create the earth and the heavens above for His own comfort, He created it for ours. The primary purpose of creation was for the use of mankind — His Image upon the Earth. God said it was good and He took pleasure in His creation, particularly its culmination in creating mankind with His own hands. God will fulfill His pleasure and it will be complete.
Genesis 1:2: ‘The land became formless and empty’
The end will be greater than the beginning, according to prophesy. If you want to know how the current world will end, you need to know how it began. We are continuing our survey through the start of creation.
Did God create the world in chaos and confusion? Isa. 45:18 says no. So how do we understand Gen. 1:2 because it seems to imply otherwise.
Genesis 1:1: ‘In the beginning’
In seven Hebrew words of the first verse of the Bible, God started declaring the end from the beginning. The final result of the creation — shown in the Apostolic Writings, especially in the book of Revelation — will be much greater than “in the beginning.”
Genesis 1:3 — ‘let there be light’
In Gen. 1:3, God says, “Let there be light!” Richard explores the connection between God’s bringing light to darkness at the beginning of the world to Messiah Yeshua’s (Jesus) bringing His “light” to the darkness of people living apart from God.
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