Author: Jeff

Categories
Torah readings

Readings: May 17, 2025

Studies in Torah

Genesis 30:22–31:2; 1Samuel 1:1–11; and Acts 13:16–41 highlight God’s sovereignty in fulfilling His promises and the importance of faith. In Genesis, Rachel’s barrenness ends with Joseph’s birth, showcasing divine intervention. 1Samuel depicts Hannah’s fervent prayer leading to Samuel’s birth, emphasizing heartfelt supplication and paralleling Miriam’s prayer on hearing she would bear the Messiah. Acts presents Paul’s sermon, tracing Israel’s history to Yeshua (Jesus), urging belief in Him for salvation. Collectively, these passages underscore God’s faithfulness and the transformative power of trust in His plan.

Categories
Discussions Parenting tips Torah

Children: Heaven’s strategy for kingdom expansion (Genesis 29–30)

Adobe Firefly illustrated banner featuring three joyful young girls running through a vibrant field with sunlight and colorful brushstroke-style background. The large bold text in the center reads, “CHILDREN,” with the subtitle below: “Heaven’s strategy for kingdom expansion – Genesis 29–30.” The hallel.info logo is visible in the top left corner.

Children are a divine blessing and essential to God’s covenant. In this study, we zeroed in on the bigger lessons from the sibling rivalries in Genesis, focusing on Leah and Rachel’s struggle to bear children (Genesis 29–30). Contrary to a frequent refrain on social media, children aren’t an inconvenience, but a sacred trust for passing faith between generations. Modern society is slowly recognizing children’s importance as birth rates plummet to civilization-ending levels. Scripture reveals the crucial role parents play in teaching God’s words and modeling trust across generations.

Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions Torah

No place too hidden: God’s all-present mercy (Genesis 28; Ephesians 5)

Adobe Firefly digital painting banner illustrating Jacob’s ladder from Genesis 28. The scene shows Jacob lying on the ground, gazing upward in awe, wrapped in warm, ethereal light. A glowing staircase ascends into radiant clouds where a divine, luminous lamb-shaped figure appears in the sky, representing the Messiah. Angels ascend and descend the ladder amid golden and blue celestial light. Large bold text reads: “No Place Too Hidden – God’s all-present mercy. Genesis 28; Ephesians 5.”

Jacob’s ladder vision in Genesis 28:10-17 shows how God sees everything and desires closeness with us. Using passages from Psalms, Jeremiah, Isaiah and Ephesians, this study unpacked how nothing escapes God’s sight. The key message? God isn’t just watching to judge, but wants to connect with us. The Messiah bridges Heaven and Earth, transforming us from who we were to who He wants us to be.

Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions Torah

Spiritual freedom: How to let go of grudges before they destroy you (Genesis 27; Genesis 4; Leviticus 19)

Digital artwork created with Adobe Firefly depicting an enraged man shouting intensely, rendered with dramatic lighting and strong emotion. To the left, large bold text reads: "SPIRITUAL FREEDOM — How to let go of grudges before they destroy you — Genesis 27 & 4; Leviticus 19." The background is blurred with warm, golden light, enhancing the intense mood. The website "hallel.info" is faintly marked in the lower right corner.

This study explores the destructive power of resentment by examining Esau’s grudge against Jacob (Genesis 27) and Cain’s anger toward Abel (Genesis 4). Unchecked emotions can lead to hatred and potential violence. However, God’s Word (particularly, the Golden Rule) offers a transformative path: choose love over vengeance, seek reconciliation and allow God’s Spirit to heal wounds. By mastering our impulses and embracing forgiveness, we can break cycles of bitterness and experience divine restoration.

Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

The Lamb before time: Rethinking the role of sacrificial worship

**Alt-text**: A soft, dreamlike digital painting shows a young white lamb standing on a sunlit rock in an open field with rolling hills and pastel-colored skies in the background. The lamb gazes forward, symbolizing innocence and peace. Bold, stylized text overlays the image reading: “The LAMB before time – Rethinking the role of sacrificial worship.” The bottom right corner features the logo and website “hallel.info.”

How does Messiah Yeshua — Christ Jesus — relate to the biblical sacrificial system? Did He replace it or reveal its deeper spiritual meaning? If God established temple sacrifices, why would they no longer be necessary? So what eternal purpose did they serve? These are the questions we’ll be tackling in this short study.

Categories
Appointments With God Discussions Passover Prophets and Writings Unleavened Bread

Cleaning the temple of the heart: Hezekiah’s spiritual revival flows from 2nd-chance Passover (2Chronicles 29–32; 2Kings 18–20; Isaiah 36–39)

**Alt-text**: A vibrant digital painting in an impressionist style shows four figures—two women and two men—dancing joyfully in a beam of light surrounded by swirling colors of blue, green, yellow, and red. The scene evokes a sense of spiritual celebration and renewal. Overlaid text reads: “Cleaning the temple of the heart. Hezekiah’s spiritual revival flows from 2nd-chance Passover – 2 Chronicles 29–32; 2 Kings 18–20; Isaiah 36–39.” In the lower-left corner is the logo and website “hallel.info.”

This study dives into Passover’s themes of return and renewal in 2Chronicles 29–32. Drawing on the Torah’s “Second Passover” instruction, King Hezekiah restored temple worship and invited the northern kingdom to celebrate this pivotal memorial to freedom, revival and unity. Also explored are Messiah’s eternal role in atonement and the importance of maintaining spiritual momentum from generation to generation.

Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

Blindness and God’s sovereignty: How our spiritual arrogance can battle His hidden hand (Genesis 27; Isaiah 46; Hebrews 11)

BLINDNESS & GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY: How our spiritual arrogance can battle His hidden hand (Genesis 27; Isaiah 46; Hebrews 11).

This study of Genesis 27:1–29; Isaiah 46:3–11; and Hebrews 11:17–22 explores how divine plans supersede human intentions, prejudices and shortsightedness. Faith/trust and generational legacy play out in the lives of Abraham, Yitzkhak (Isaac) and Yaakov (Jacob). But Yitzkhak’s physical blindness reveals his inability to see God’s choice of unexpected vessels, and the importance of seeking divine wisdom. The Prophets reveal how curing spiritual as well as physical vision problems would be a key role for the Messiah — and fundamental to Heaven’s redemptive plan.