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
- Corresponding reading in the 1-year cycle
- Insights from this week’s readings
- Connections
- Key Hebrew & Greek terms
- יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים yirat Elohim — fear of God
- תְּשׁוּבָה teshuvah — a return, repentance
- עֶבֶד יְהוָה ‘eved Adonai — servant of the LORD
- גָּאַל ga’al — to redeem
- נָשָׂא nasa — to bear, lift up
- ἀποκάλυψις apokalypsis — revelation, unveiling
- κοινός koinós — common, shared, ordinary
- σκηνόω skēnoō — to dwell, tabernacle
- Lessons
- Studies
Readings
- Genesis 42:18–43:23
- Isaiah 50:10–52:11
- Revelation 21:9-27
- Shabbat Chazon (Sabbath of Vision): Isaiah 1:1–27
Corresponding reading in the 1-year cycle
Insights from this week’s readings
Connections
Genesis 42:18–43:23, Isaiah 50:10–52:11, and Revelation 21:9–27 trace a spiritual arc: testing and repentance (Genesis), faithful endurance through suffering (Isaiah), and final redemption and glory (Revelation). Together, they show the journey of God’s people — Israel and the nations — being refined and prepared to dwell eternally with Him through Messiah Yeshua.
Testing and repentance (Genesis 42–43)
Joseph tests his brothers to reveal whether they have truly repented for their past betrayal. This foreshadows Messiah Yeshua’s role in discerning the heart—drawing Israel and the nations into self-examination and repentance. Joseph, a type of Messiah, hides his identity but works behind the scenes to bring restoration.
Trust in the suffering servant (Isaiah 50–52)
Isaiah describes the “Servant of the LORD,” who suffers innocently but will ultimately be vindicated. Believers are called to trust in God even in darkness, reflecting how Joseph’s brothers—and Israel—must walk by faith, not sight. The servant’s exaltation (Isa. 52:13) anticipates Yeshua’s resurrection and reign.
Redemption and glory (Revelation 21)
Revelation presents the New Jerusalem, filled with imagery from the 12 tribes and 12 apostles — uniting Israel and the nations. It’s the consummation of God’s promise: purified people dwelling with Him, just as Joseph’s brothers are eventually reconciled and restored. The city’s purity and light reflect the refined character God desires, developed through testing (Genesis 42–43), trusting (Isaiah 50–52), and final transformation (Revelation 21).
Key Hebrew & Greek terms
יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים yirat Elohim — fear of God
Now Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God [אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים יָרֵא et-haElohim yarey]…
Genesis 42:18 NASB 1995
Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God [יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים yir’at Elohim] in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.”
Genesis 20:11 NASB 1995
Joseph appeals to the brothers’ moral conscience by invoking their fear of God. Insight: In Messianic thought, this fear is not dread, but reverent awe that leads to repentance (e.g., Prov. 1:7).
תְּשׁוּבָה teshuvah — a return, repentance
Not explicitly used, but thematically central as Judah and the others begin showing remorse and changed behavior.
עֶבֶד יְהוָה ‘eved Adonai — servant of the LORD
“Who is among you that fears the LORD, That obeys the voice of His servant [עַבְדּוֹ ‘avdo], That walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.”
Isaiah 50:10 NASB 1995
“Who is blind but My servant, Or so deaf as My messenger whom I send? Who is so blind as he that is at peace with Me, Or so blind as the servant of the LORD [עֶבֶד יְהוָה ‘eved Adonai]?”
Isaiah 42:19 NASB 1995
This Hebrew word plays a big role in Isaiah’s four עֶבֶד ‘eved prophecies: Isa. 42:1–9; 49:1–7; 50:4–11; 52:13–53:12. The last of them talks about a suffering yet exalted servant, understood in ancient Judaism as referring to the Mashiach (Messiah, Christ) and generally by Christians to prefigureYeshua haMashiach (Jesus the Christ).
The title עֶבֶד יְהוָה (‘eved YHWH, “servant of the LORD”) is one of deep honor in the Hebrew Bible, applied to figures such as Moshe (Moses), David and the mysterious Servant in Isaiah.
Moses as עֶבֶד יְהוָה
“So Moses the servant of the LORD died there…”
Deuteronomy 34:5 (cf. Joshua 1:1, 13; 8:31, 33; 9:24)
Moshe is the archetypal servant, representing perfect obedience and closeness to God (Num. 12:6–8). He mediates Torah, stands between God and Israel, and intercedes on their behalf. In rabbinic tradition, Moshe is sometimes called the greatest prophet, עבד נאמן בביתו (“a faithful servant in His house,” cf. Sifre Devarim).
David as עֶבֶד יְהוָה
A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD
Psalm 18:0; Psalm 36:0
David exemplifies faithful kingship despite flaws — God calls him a “man after My own heart” (1Sam. 13:14). Rabbinic tradition elevates David’s role as the ancestor of Mashiach ben David, the royal redeemer.
גָּאַל ga’al — to redeem
For thus says the LORD, “You were sold for nothing and you will be redeemed [תִּגָּאֵלוּ tigaeylu] without money.”
Isaiah 52:3 NASB 1995
God will redeem His people not with money — pointing to spiritual redemption through Messiah.
נָשָׂא nasa — to bear, lift up
“Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.”
Isaiah 52:13 NASB 1995 (connected to “bore” in Isa. 53:4)
Linked to the servant’s lifting up — Messianic interpreters connect this to Yeshua’s crucifixion and exaltation.
ἀποκάλυψις apokalypsis — revelation, unveiling
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.
Revelation 1:1-2 NASB 1995
This word is part of the Greek title for the book of Revelation, a book that reveals Yeshua, reflecting the uncovering of Messiah’s full glory and the plan for restored creation.
κοινός koinós — common, shared, ordinary
“and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
Revelation 21:27 NASB 1995
Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life — those made pure — enter the city.
In Jewish contexts of the Second Temple period, κοινός (“common”) came to imply ritually profane — not inherently unclean like a carcass, but not holy or clean either.
In the Torah, there is a distinction between טָהוֹר tahor (“clean,” fit to approach the Presence) vs. טָמֵא tamei (“unclean,” unfit to approach). Later rabbinic tradition and Second Temple Jewish practice introduced a third category: common or profane, i.e., not consecrated, and potentially defiled by contact.
In the Septuagint (LXX), κοινός is not typically used to translate טָמֵא tamei. Instead, ἀκάθαρτος akáthartos (“without cleansing”) is the usual word for unclean.
This helps clarify that κοινός likely preserved a separate meaning even in biblical Greek — less than holy, but not necessarily defiled.
Here are some key passages from the Apostolic Writings where this distinction matters in the translation — and has caused some errant teachings over the centuries.
Mark 7:2, 5, 15, 18: Pharisees complain the disciples eat with hands that are κοινός, i.e., not ritually purified. Some English translations (e.g., KJV) use “defiled” or “unclean”; others say “common.”
Acts 10:14–15 (Peter’s Vision): “I have never eaten anything common [κοινόν] or unclean [ἀκάθαρτον]!” This verse distinguishes between κοινός and ἀκάθαρτος as two categories:
κοινός: foods not intrinsically unclean, but deemed unacceptable due to usage or contamination. ἀκάθαρτος: intrinsically unclean foods (e.g., pork, shellfish) per Leviticus 11.
Romans 14:14: “…nothing is unclean [κοινόν] in itself, but it is unclean [κοινόν] for anyone who thinks it unclean.” Paul uses κοινός to refer to foods considered unfit because of conscience or tradition — not Torah prohibition.
σκηνόω skēnoō — to dwell, tabernacle
And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them…”
Revelation 21:3 NASB 1995
This echoes the Hebrew שָׁכַן shakhan (“to dwell”) from passages about Adonai’s wanting to dwell in the midst of His people, realized through the Tabernacle (Exod. 25:8). This implies God’s intimate, permanent presence with His people. This reaches its fullness when the Word of Elohim became flesh and skenoo-ed among us (John 1:1, 14).
Lessons
Repentance precedes restoration (Genesis)
Joseph’s brothers are tested to show genuine change. Lesson: God disciplines to restore, not destroy. True reconciliation (with God and others) follows repentance.
Faith in darkness, trusting the Servant (Isaiah)
The faithful are called to walk by faith even when they can’t see God’s hand. Lesson: Messiah’s suffering is not a sign of defeat but of divine mission. His vindication is ours too.
God’s glory among a purified people (Revelation)
The New Jerusalem represents not just a city but a holy people redeemed and radiant with God’s presence. Lesson: The end goal is union with God—sin removed, hearts transformed, dwelling restored.
Joseph as a type of Messiah (Mashiach ben Yosef)
Hidden from his brothers, tests them, but ultimately saves them—a pattern echoed in Yeshua’s first coming.
Isaiah’s servant as Messiah (Mashiach ben David)
The servant suffers innocently, is exalted, and brings redemption to Israel and the nations—fulfilled in Yeshua’s death and resurrection.
New Jerusalem as fulfillment of covenant promises
The 12 gates (tribes) and 12 foundations (apostles) in Revelation represent the unity of Israel and the nations in Messiah. Messianic expectation is not just personal salvation, but corporate, covenantal restoration. Torah and Lamb in Harmony (Rev. 21:22–23): No temple needed—the Lamb and God are the center. Insight: Messiah doesn’t abolish God’s presence or holiness system—He embodies it.
Studies
Treasures that last: Building a life of eternal value (Genesis 43–44; Matthew 6)
Trials and transcendence: Joseph’s divine evolution beyond envy (Genesis 41–44)
Torah reading Miketz (מקץ): Genesis 41:1–44:17
Why it’s better to be open to what Heaven has planned (Genesis 41–44; Luke 1; Matthew 27)
Joseph & Messiah reveal what true repentance looks like (Genesis 42–44)
Matthew 24 and Chanukah: Why Yeshua warned believers to run to the hills
Chanukah: Dare to be a Daniel, Joseph, Judas Maccabeus
Genesis 37–40: Joseph and Judah’s school of hard knocks
Genesis 41:1-44:17: Yitzkhak’s and Yosef’s extended passion play
Genesis 42:1-22: The Unknown Brother, The Unrecognized Messiah
Genesis 41, part 2: Messianic connection between pharaoh and Yosef
Genesis 41, part 1: Yosef foretells of seven famine years in Mitsraim
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