Genesis 27:1-29 highlights Jacob’s deception in securing Isaac’s blessing, emphasizing God’s sovereignty in fulfilling His promises despite human actions. In the parallel reading Isaiah 46:3-11, the focus is on God’s unchanging nature and His control over history, assuring believers of His plans. Another parallel, Hebrews 11:17-22, underscores the faith of the patriarchs, particularly Abraham’s trust in God’s promises, even when tested. Together, these passages illustrate God’s faithfulness and the importance of trusting His divine plan.
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.
The passages Genesis 27:1–29, Isaiah 46:3–11, and Hebrews 11:17–22 are deeply connected by the themes of God’s sovereignty, faith, and divine purpose unfolding through human imperfection.
God’s sovereignty over human actions
Genesis 27:1–29: Jacob deceptively secures the blessing meant for Esau. Despite the deceit, God’s plan for Jacob being the chosen line is fulfilled.
Isaiah 46:3–11: God declares that His purposes will stand, and He will accomplish all His will. This underscores that no human action, including deceit or error, can thwart God’s plans.
Connection: Even though Isaac intended to bless Esau, God’s sovereign will for Jacob prevailed.
Faith amid uncertainty
Hebrews 11:17–22: Highlights the faith of the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph—who trusted God’s promises even when outcomes seemed unclear.
Genesis 27: Though not all actions are commendable, they play a role in the story of faith passed down through generations.
Connection: The faith celebrated in Hebrews includes flawed individuals acting within God’s larger redemptive plan.
God’s eternal plan and foreknowledge
Isaiah 46:10: “Declaring the end from the beginning…” shows God’s eternal perspective and His ability to declare outcomes beforehand.
Genesis 25:23 (background to ch. 27): God foretold that the older (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob).
Connection: Hebrews affirms that God was working through the lives of the patriarchs, aligning with His declared intentions.
Blessings and promises passed through generations
Genesis 27: The blessing of Abraham is passed to Jacob.
Hebrews 11:20–22: Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph speak blessings by faith, trusting God’s future fulfillment.
Connection: All three passages emphasize the transmission of God’s promises across generations, rooted in faith and divine will.
In summary, these passages together reveal that God’s purposes are not dependent on perfect people but on His perfect will, and that faith trusts God even when the path isn’t clear.
Key Hebrew & Greek terms
Genesis 27:1–29
בְּרָכָה berakhah — blessing
Used throughout the chapter (e.g., Gen 27:4, 10, 27).
Signifies the transfer of divine favor, prosperity, and covenantal inheritance.
Also appears in Genesis 12:2 — “I will bless you and make your name great.”
צַעִיר tsa’ir — younger
Genesis 27:15 indirectly references Jacob, the younger son, a recurring theme in God’s unexpected choices.
Compare with Genesis 25:23: “The older shall serve the younger.”
בְּכוֹר bekhor — firstborn
Though not in this exact passage, the concept is central.
Connects to the blessing that should have gone to Esau but was given to Jacob.
Isaiah 46:3–11
סָבַל saval — to carry, to bear
Isaiah 46:3–4: God carries Israel, contrasting with idols who must be carried. Emphasizes God’s sustaining power.
אֵל El, אֱלֹהִים Elohim — God
Isaiah 46:9: “For I am God, and there is no other.” Stresses God’s uniqueness and supremacy.
מוֹעֵד mo’ed — appointed time
This is implied in Isaiah 46:10. Points to God’s control over timing and history.
Hebrews 11:17–22
πίστις pistis — faith
This word is central to this passage, repeated multiple times (Hebrews 11:17, 20, 21, 22). It’s also seen in Hebrews 11:1 — “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for….”
πειράζω peirazō — to test or tempt
Hebrews 11:17 refers to Abraham being “tested” (cf. Genesis 22:1). Indicates a refining of faith, not tempting to sin.
ἐπαγγελία epangelia — promise
Seen earlier in Hebrews 11 (Heb. 11:13, 17), tying all acts of faith to trust in God’s promises.
Theological lessons
God’s sovereignty
Genesis: God uses even human deception to fulfill divine promises.
Isaiah: God declares the end from the beginning, asserting control over history.
Hebrews: God honors faith even when circumstances look impossible.
Faith over sight
Abraham’s offering Isaac (Heb. 11:17) showed trust beyond logic.
Isaac and Jacob blessed descendants without seeing the fulfillment.
God chooses the least likely
Jacob over Esau, a recurring theme in Scripture, shows grace is not earned.
Idolatry vs. divine reliability
Isaiah 46: Idols are powerless; God carries His people.
Messianic Insights
Yaakov’s blessing and the Messiah
Gen 27:29: “Let peoples serve you… be lord over your brothers.”
The blessing foreshadows the dominion of the Messiah from Yaakov’s line: Yehudah (Judah) → David → Yeshua.
See Luke 1:33: “He will reign… and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Isaiah 46:10: ‘Declaring the end from the beginning’
Ties into the eternal plan of redemption fulfilled in Christ (Acts 2:23, Eph. 1:4–10).
Hebrews 11: Typology of Messiah
Abraham offering Isaac is a clear type of God offering His Son.
Points to resurrection hope: Abraham believed God could raise Isaac (Heb. 11:19), foreshadowing Jesus’ resurrection.
This study of Genesis 26:12-35 and Isaiah 65:23-66:8 reveals how each generation plays a crucial role in advancing Heaven’s redemptive promise. From Isaac’s redigging Abraham’s sabotaged water wells to Isaiah’s prophetic message of restored Jerusalem and new earth, there’s a continuous thread of divine legacy. The Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus), is fundamental to God’s sovereign plan to bring redemption to the nations. Each generation is called to step forward in trust, carrying the “living water” of promise until the Messianic age is fully realized.
In this study of Genesis 25–26, 2Samuel 5–6, and Hebrews 12, we explore God’s enduring covenant of faithfulness. From Esau’s rash birthright trade to David’s seeking divine guidance, these passages reveal our human frailty and God’s unwavering commitment. The Messiah emerges as the ultimate fulfillment of the covenant between Heaven and Abraham, bridging generations and offering hope. Through the anointing of Yeshua (Jesus), we’re called to reverence, obedience and trust of Heaven’s leading, recognizing that our legacy is defined not by our beginnings, but by our response to God’s gracious promise.
This study of the Torah portion תּוֹלְדֹת Toldot (“generations,” Gen. 25:19–28:9) explores the concept of teamwork in prayer through the story of Isaac and Rebecca, who prayed together for 20 years to conceive children. We delve into biblical relationships, highlighting the patience and perseverance demonstrated by the patriarchs and matriarchs. Comparisons between the sons of the Spirit and flesh, represented by Jacob and Esau, shed light on the importance of spiritual and physical completeness.
We also explore the descendants of Jacob, Esau and historical figures, emphasizing the ramifications of short-term thinking versus long-term vision. It draws parallels between biblical narratives…
At first glance, the trustworthiness troubles of Abraham, his son Yitzkhak (Isaac) and grandson Ya’akov (Jacob) can be disturbing, considering they are pillars of faith in the Kingdom of God. How can we forget Ya’akov’s “red, red stuff” deal with his brother, Esau?
Rather than a descent into “truthiness,” their legacy for the commonwealth of Israel is growth from faith-fickle to faithful. In this week’s Torah portion (תּוֹלְדֹת Toldot, “generations,” Gen. 25:19–28:9), we follow Ya’akov’s journey to becoming a “new man,” renamed Israel (“struggles with God” or “rules with God”). That “rebirth,” pictured via Ya’akov’s dream of a ladder between Earth…
Heaven warned the spiritual leaders of ancient Israel through the prophet Malachi that they were showing more respect for human leaders than for the One who created the world and Israel. The priests were despising their legacy for the world, handed down through giants of character, as described in the Torah reading תּוֹלָדוֹת Toledot (Genesis 25:19–28:9).
Likewise, we have this legacy handed down to us from Adam to Noach to Abraham to Yitzkhak to Ya’akov to David to Yeshuah the Messiah (Jesus the Christ). Now we are a part of that legacy, grafted into the olive tree that Heaven planted —…
Why does God let evil things happen? Why do people who supposedly are close to God do evil things? Just as all who profess to be of Abraham aren’t actually truly descendants of him (John 8:39–47), so too, those who claim to be in Messiah (Christ) are not actually in Him (Matt. 7:21–24; Romans 9). These are some of the tough questions tackled in the Torah reading תולדות Toldot/Toledot (“generations,” Gen. 25:19–28:9).
Esau was not the innocent victim of his brother Jacob’s conspiracy we read about in the Torah reading תולדות Toldot (“generations,” Genesis 25:19–28:9). We learn through the companion passage in Malachi 1 that Esau knew that he didn’t value his birthright or his blessing from his father, Isaac, the legacy of faith in God passed down from Abraham. God separated Jacob and Esau for very good reasons. And God will take care of your future — if you follow Him faithfully.
Who we came from doesn’t necessarily define who we are or will become. On the flip side, if we aren’t “born again” (John 3) into the best of the legacy passed to us — the Kingdom of God — we can turn it into an abomination.
The Torah section תולדות Toldot (“generations,” Gen. 25:19–28:9) reminds us that we are called to recognize the good around us and must become wise to the frequent folly of “following your heart.” We should have the desire to be mature and complete in the knowledge of and relationship to God. We should not be dismayed…
One lesson from the life of Esau in Torah reading תּוֹלְדֹת Toldot/Toledot (“generations,” Genesis 25:19–28:9) is who and where we came from doesn’t necessarily define who we are or will become. Another takeaway is to recognize the good around us and become wise to the frequent folly of “following your heart” after what appears to be good. This is why Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) wants us to learn how to be “complete,” not lacking in anything.
It’s difficult for those of us who are naturally rebellious to understand God’s will. But if we have our eyes and hearts open, we can find out what it is. That’s what the Bible accounts of Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob and Esau teach us. In the Torah section Toldot (Genesis 25:19–28:9), we explore the beginning of Isaac’s account in earnest and how the battle over Esau’s birthright and blessing reveals God’s Spirit in us battles our fleshly clinging to our old way of life.
The “big picture” lessons of Parashat Toldot both come to us from the life of Esau. First, we need to understand that who and where we came from doesn’t necessarily define who we are or will become. Second, we need to recognize the good around us and become wise to the frequent folly of “following your heart.”
The eight days of Chanukah (Festival of Dedication, John 10:22–39), historically parallel the eight days of Sukkot (Festival of Tabernacles). But there is a startling parallel to eight women in the Bible for whom having children would have been miraculous — including the mother of Yeshua (Jesus) — yet these women dedicated themselves to God’s mission to restore the Earth.
Why has the birthright and blessing due Esau but passed to Ya’akov (Jacob) been a persistent factor in world history, even to our day and the future Day of the Lord? Is there a connection between the delusion Ya’akov gave his father, Yitzkhak (Isaac), to gain Esau’s blessing and the “strong delusion” God has planned for the Day of the Lord?
What is the connection between this account of the death of Abraham and the prophecy of warring children in the womb of Rivkah (Rebecca) and the accounts of Creation and of the Flood?
After Sarah’s death Abraham had other children as well and we learn how his estate was divided up between his heirs. We also learn how Yiskhak (Isaac) deals with his status as a wealthy patriarch in a hostile land and how his two sons start fighting over Yiskhak’s estate before they are born and continue fighting over it when they are adults. The fight appears to end with Esau “despising” his birthright. But does this really end the dispute?
Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) is called the firstfruits of the resurrection (1st Cor. 15:20), and why are we called firstfruits of creation (James 1:18)? Pentecost originally was a celebration of the firstfruits of the wheat harvest and followed 50 days after the celebration of the firstfruits of the barley harvest. What is God teaching here about Yeshua and us?
