Readings: Jan. 24, 2026

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.

Readings

• Exodus 27:20–28:43
• Hosea 14:4–9
• Hebrews 4:14–16

Corresponding reading from the 1-year Torah cycle

Insights from this week’s readings

Across these passages runs a coherent theological line:

God provides a way for restored access to His presence through divinely appointed mediation, resulting in healing, light, and life.

• Exodus 27–28: God appoints priests, garments, oil, and continual light so Israel may dwell near Him. Establishes mediated access through sacred service.
• Hosea 14: God promises to heal Israel’s apostasy and cause her to flourish again like a tree rooted in Him. Promises healing and restoration through repentance.
• Hebrews 4: Yeshua is revealed as the ultimate High Priest, enabling confident access to God’s throne of grace. Proclaims fulfilled access through Yeshua the Messiah.

Together, they trace a movement: Sacred service → Repentant return → Confident access.

The menorah’s light, Israel’s healing, and the throne of grace converge in Messiah Yeshua, who is:

• the Light (λύχνος / φῶς),
• the Healer (ἰάομαι),
• and the Great High Priest (ἀρχιερεύς),

inviting God’s people — Israel and those grafted into her from the nations — to draw near with confidence.

Exodus 27:20–28:43: Light, Priesthood and Mediated Nearness

Pure Oil and Continual Light

• שֶׁמֶן זַיִת זָךְ shemen zayit zakh – “pure olive oil” (Exod 27:20)
• לְהַעֲלֹת נֵר תָּמִיד leha‘alot ner tamid – “to raise up a continual lamp”

Theme: God’s presence is sustained by obedience and holiness.

LXX Greek:

• ἔλαιον καθαρὸν elaion katharon – pure oil
• λύχνον διαπαντός lychnon diapantos – continual lamp

NT Usage:

• λύχνος luchnos (lamp): Matthew 5:15; John 5:35
• φῶς phos (light): John 1:4–9; John 8:12. These echo the menorah imagery, now centered on Messiah as divine light.

Holy Garments for Glory and Beauty

• בִּגְדֵי־קֹדֶשׁ bigdei qodesh – “holy garments” (Exod 28:2)
• לְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְאָרֶת le-kavod u-le-tif’eret – “for glory and beauty”

LXX Greek:

• στολὰς ἁγίας stolas hagias
• δόξα doxa – glory

NT Usage:

• δόξα doxa: John 1:14; Hebrews 1:3. Yeshua embodies the divine glory once symbolized by priestly garments.

Bearing the Names of Israel

Aaron bears the tribes on his shoulders and heart (Exod 28:12, 29).

Messianic Insight: This anticipates Yeshua bearing Israel—and humanity—before God.

NT Parallel:

• Hebrews 7:25 – He “always lives to make intercession.”

Hosea 14:4–9: Healing, Return, and Fruitfulness

Healing Apostasy

• אֶרְפָּא מְשׁוּבָתָם erpā’ meshūvatam – “I will heal their turning away” (Hos 14:4)

• ἰάσομαι τὰς κατοικίας αὐτῶν iasomai tas katoikias autōn

• ἰάομαι iaomai – to heal

• Matthew 8:71; Peter 2:24 (quoting Isaiah 53 LXX healing language)

Rooted Life and Fruit

• יֹשָׁרִים דַּרְכֵי יְהוָה yoshārim darkhei Adonai – “the ways of the LORD are upright” (Hos 14:9)

• εὐθεῖαι αἱ ὁδοὶ Κυρίου (eutheiai hai hodoi Kyriou)

ὁδός hodos (way): Acts 9:2; John 14:6. Yeshua identifies Himself as the Way — the embodied path of return.

Hebrews 4:14–16: The Great High Priest and Open Access

High Priest

• ἀρχιερεύς archiereus – High Priest (Heb 4:14)

• Translates כֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל kohen ha-gadol in Exodus and Leviticus

Sympathy and Weakness

• συμπαθῆσαι (sympathēsai) – to sympathize (Heb 4:15)

• ἀσθένεια (astheneia) – weakness

LXX Usage:

• ἀσθένεια translates Hebrew חֹלִי ḥoli (sickness) and כֹּחַ אָזַל kokh azal (strength failing)

NT Usage:

• Matthew 8:17 (Isaiah healing texts)
• 2Corinthians 12:9

Drawing Near

• προσερχώμεθα proserchōmetha – “let us draw near” (Hebrews 4:16)

• Translates קָרַב qarav (to approach; Leviticus 16; Exodus 29)

• Hebrews 7:19; 10:22; James 4:8

Studies

Torah reading Tetzaveh (תצוה): Exodus 27:20–30:10

Hallel Fellowship February 17, 2024

What does is mean that Yeshua (Jesus) is our “high priest” (Hebrews 4:14)? We can learn a lot about that role from the inauguration of the first high priest of the people of God, described in detail in this week’s Torah reading, תְּצַוֶּה Tetzaveh (“you shall command”), covering Exodus 27:20-30:10.

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How the Tabernacle and Messiah ‘show us the Father’ (Exodus 27–30)

Jeff March 4, 2023

The Tabernacle, God’s mobile embassy on Earth, was not merely a magic charm to give you the desires of your heart. That is how the surrounding nations engaged with their deities. Rather, the Torah reading תצוה Tetzaveh (“you shall command,” Exodus 27:20–30:10) teaches that the Tent of the Testimony guides us toward how our hearts are tuned to the harmony of Heaven. How much more, then, would the Tabernacle made man — Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) — reveal the Father to us.

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Tabernacle and Messiah: How we are transformed into Heaven’s character (Ezekiel 43–44)

Jeff February 12, 2022

The Sanctuary of Israel was created as a dwelling place for the LORD among His people. He repeatedly implored Moses to “build it as you saw on the mountain.” This was not a “mere” copy, but a facsimile, a visual representation on earth of what happens in heaven. The Book of Hebrews makes it abundantly clear that Yeshua is the fullness of what all the elements in the Tabernacle represent. Heaven’s goal is to live among His people. This study of he Torah reading תצוה Tetzaveh (“you shall command,” Exodus 27:20-30:10) emphasizes how see that this close connection between Heaven and…

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What the Tabernacle and high priest’s uniform teach us about Messiah (Exodus 27:2–30:10)

Jeff March 7, 2020

If you look at a map of where the tribes were settled in relation to the Tabernacle, you might ask “Where am I?” Where do you fit into the Kingdom of God? In the Torah readings תצוה Tetzaveh (“you shall command,” Exodus 27:2–30:10) and תרומה Terumah (“heave offering,” Exodus 25:1–27:19), Moses frequently referred to the “pattern” that God showed him to recreate in the form of the Tabernacle. And Heaven brought this pattern to reality in Yeshua the Mashiakh (Jesus the Christ).

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Exodus 28: How to ‘altar’ your future to live with the ‘Lion of God’

Daniel February 16, 2019

Why does it matter how Israel’s first high priest, Aaron, and his sons were dressed, as described in great detail in Torah section תצוה Tetzaveh (“you shall command,” Exodus 27:20–30:10)? Is it merely for drawing attention to the wearer? No. We are to remember as we study about the High Priest is that every description of the High Priest is a description of the Messiah. Everytime you see read about someone being anointed with oil, that is a picture of the Messiah.  As we’ll see in this study of Zechariah 14, Ezekiel 43 and Revelation 21, a repeating lesson is the…

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Exodus 27:20–30:10: High priest foreshadows Messiah Yeshua’s redeeming humanity

Daniel March 11, 2017

The garments of Israel’s High Priest, detailed in Torah reading תצוה Tetzaveh (“you shall command,” Exodus 27:20-30:10), mark him as the highest representative of the people before God. Messiah Yeshua, equally God and equally man, is uniquely qualified to fill that role completely. The connection between the menorah, the altar of incense and the people of Israel is equally profound as the work of their hands and their prayers are lifted to God symbolically by Aharon the High Priest and literally in Heaven by Messiah Yeshua, our eternal High Priest.

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Exodus 27:20–30:10: When suffering is a ‘soothing aroma before the LORD’

Jeff February 20, 2016

Some think the sacrifices detailed in the Torah reading תצוה Tetzevah (“you shall command,” Exodus 27:20–30:10) are simply to appease an angry God. But when you read about the Tabernacle and the sacrifices in the Prophets section of the Bible, you see there’s a lot more here than just butchery and blood. These were not the sacrifices surrounding pagan nations of the time performed. The purpose of these sacrifices do not mirror the sacrifices of the pagan nations. The foundation of the Torah points to the Messiah. We have the benefit of hindsight to see that.

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