Readings: April 18, 2026 - Hallel Fellowship

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.

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Readings
Corresponding reading from the 1-year Torah cycle
Insights from this week's readings
Studies

Readings

Leviticus 4
Ezekiel 18:1-18
Revelation 5:6-10

Corresponding reading from the 1-year Torah cycle

Torah reading Vayikra (ויקרא): Leviticus 1:1-6:7

Insights from this week’s readings

This week’s three passages form a coherent theological arc: sin, responsibility, and redemption. Heaven’s pattern of Torah’s sacrificial system is expounded on in the Prophets as personal and corporate accountability. And the pattern meets its fullness in Messiah’s once-for-all work of redemption and covering.

In Leviticus 4, sin requires atonement. In Ezekiel 18, each אדם adam (person) is individually accountable. In Revelation 5, the Lamb fulfills the pattern by redeeming a people. The thread is that God deals seriously with sin and provides a just and merciful path to restoration through substitution and repentance — all made effectual in Messiah.

Sin

Leviticus 4 emphasizes unintentional sin: חטא khatah (“sin”; חַטָּאת ḥaṭṭā’t, “sin offering”). In the Septuagint (LXX), this is often translated as ἁμαρτία hamartia. This same Greek term appears throughout the Apostolic Writings, for example, in Romans 3:23 (πάντες γὰρ ἥμαρτον pantes gar hēmarton, “all have sinned”) and John 1:29, where the Lamb “takes away the sins of the world (τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου tēn hamartian tou kosmou).

In the LXX, hamartia translates Hebrew khatah across sacrificial contexts (e.g., Leviticus 4:3, 4:14). The continuity shows that what the Torah defines as sin is exactly what Messiah addresses.

Bottom line: the Bible uses the same word family for “sin” from Moshe (Moses) to Yeshua (Jesus). That means the problem hasn’t changed — and neither has God’s solution. The sacrifices in Leviticus aren’t random rituals. They point to the deep resolution of the same human condition.

Atone, cover, make propitiation

Another key term is כִּפֶּר kipper (“to atone, cover”). In the Septuagint, this is often rendered ἐξιλάσκομαι exilaskomai or ἱλάσκομαι hilaskomai. These Greek terms appear in New Testament passages like Hebrews 2:17 (εἰς τὸ ἱλάσκεσθαι eis to hilaskesthai, “to make propitiation”) and Luke 18:13 (ὁ θεός, ἱλάσθητί μοι ho theos, hilastheti moi, “God, be merciful to me”). In the LXX, exilaskomai translates kipper in Leviticus 4:20, where the priest “makes atonement” for the people.

Bottom line: “Atonement” means dealing with sin so the relationship with God can be restored. The same Greek word used for temple sacrifices is used later to describe what Jesus does—showing He isn’t replacing the system but fulfilling what it always aimed to do.

Laying on of hands

Leviticus also highlights substitution through the laying on of hands (סָמַךְ samak, “to lay upon”), symbolizing identification with the offering. While the LXX uses ἐπιτίθημι epitithēmi (“to lay upon”), the concept echoes in the New Testament in passages like 2Corinthians 5:21, where Messiah “became sin for us” (ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησεν, hamartian epoiēsen). Isaiah 53:6 in the LXX (κύριος παρέδωκεν αὐτὸν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν kyrios paredōken auton tais hamartiais hēmōn, “the Lord delivered Him over for our sins”¹) uses overlapping Greek terms with those in the Apostolic Writings.

Bottom line: The idea that someone else can bear the consequence of sin is built into the Torah itself. The New Testament doesn’t invent substitution — it identifies Who ultimately fulfills it.

Soul, life

Ezekiel 18 shifts the focus to personal responsibility. The Hebrew נֶפֶשׁ nephesh (“soul, life”) is central: הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַחֹטֵאת הִיא תָמוּת hannephesh haḥote’t hi tamut, “the soul who sins shall die”. In the Septuagint, nephesh is translated ψυχή psychē (from which we get psychology), and khatah again as hamartanō. This same pairing appears in the New Testament, for example Matthew 16:26 (τί γὰρ ὠφεληθήσεται ἄνθρωπος… τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ζημιωθῇ;) and James 1:15, where sin brings forth death.

Bottom line: Ezekiel is correcting a common excuse — blaming others for our condition. Each person is responsible before God. The New Testament keeps this idea intact: your spiritual life (“soul”) is yours to steward, and your choices matter.

Turn, repent

Ezekiel also uses שׁוּב shuv (“to turn/repent”), rendered in the LXX as ἐπιστρέφω epistrephō. This Greek verb is foundational in the New Testament for repentance, as in Acts 3:19 (“μετανοήσατε … καὶ ἐπιστρέψατε metanoēsate … kai epistrepsate, “repent and turn”). The LXX uses epistrephō throughout Ezekiel 18 (e.g., Eze 18:21, 18:23) for turning away from sin.

Bottom line: Repentance isn’t just feeling bad. It’s turning around, turning away from the bad and turning toward the good. The same word used by the Prophets is used by the apostles. The call to “turn back to God” hasn’t changed.

Forgive

“This verb, together with a few others, such as בָּרָא bara ‘to create,’ is used in Scripture solely of God. סָלַח salakh is used of God’s offer of pardon and forgiveness to the sinner. Never does this word in any of its forms refer to people forgiving each other. … Other terms used for forgiveness stressed the ideas of wiping out or blotting out the memory of the sin (מָחָה makhah‎), covering or concealing the record of the sin (‏כָּסָה‎ kasah), lifting up and removal of sin (‏נָשָׂא‎ nasa), passing by of sin (‏ עָבַר’avar‎), and pardoning on the basis of a substitute (‏כָּפַר kafar [related to כִּפֶּר kipper, “to atone for”]).”²

Salakh and kipper are seen in וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו הַכֹּהֵן וְנִסְלַח לוֹ v’ḵipper ʿālāv hakkōhēn v’nislakh lô, “The priest shall make atonement for him, so that he will be forgiven” (Leviticus 4:31).

Lamb

Revelation 5 brings the imagery to its climax with the Lamb: ἀρνίον arnion (“little lamb”). This connects to the Hebrew שֶׂה seh (lamb) used in sacrificial contexts like Exodus 12 and Leviticus. The LXX often uses ἀμνός amnos or ἀρνίον arnion. In the New Testament, John 1:29 calls Yeshua ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ho amnos tou theou (“the Lamb of God”), while Revelation consistently uses arnion.

Bottom line: the “Lamb” is not a random image—it’s loaded with meaning from Passover and temple sacrifices. Revelation is saying that all those earlier lambs were pointing to one ultimate Lamb.

Purchased, redeemed

Revelation 5:9–10 introduces redemption as ἠγόρασας ēgorasas (“you purchased/redeemed”), from ἀγοράζω agorazō. This reflects Hebrew גָּאַל ga’al (“to redeem”) and פָּדָה padah. In the LXX, these are often translated with λυτρόω lytroō or related terms.

The New Testament uses this redemption language widely: 1Peter 1:18 (ἐλυτρώθητε elytrōthēte, “you were redeemed”) and 1Corinthians 6:20 (ἠγοράσθητε γὰρ τιμῆς ēgorasthete gar timēs, “you were bought with a price”).

Bottom line: redemption means being bought back or rescued at a cost. The Bible consistently describes salvation this way: God pays a price to bring people back into relationship with Him.

Kingdom of priests

Finally, Revelation declares believers a “kingdom of priests”: βασιλείαν καὶ ἱερεῖς basileian kai hiereis. This echoes Exodus 19:6 (מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים mamlekhet kohanim), translated in the LXX as βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα basileion hierateuma. The same idea appears in 1Peter 2:9, using identical Greek phrasing.

Bottom line: God’s goal was never just to forgive individuals but to form a people who serve Him together. From Sinai to Revelation, the plan is consistent — a restored community living in God’s presence.

Studies

This digital painting in a thick, oil palette knife style shows a rugged hillside at sunset glowing with warm oranges and golds. In the foreground, a single sheep walks carefully along a rocky path away from a cliff’s edge toward an ancient Israelite shepherd standing beside an open wooden gate set into a low stone wall. The shepherd, dressed in earth-toned robes, extends a welcoming hand, guiding the sheep into a सुरक्षित enclosure beyond the gate. In the far distance, a faint but distinct rectangular Tabernacle courtyard is visible, with the inner sanctuary positioned toward the rear, softly illuminated by the fading light. The scene uses textured strokes of green, ochre, and amber to create a sense of depth and restoration. The image was created by ChatGPT and includes the text overlay: “From messing up to making it right: Understanding the Bible's guilt offering (Leviticus 6; Jeremiah 7; 1Peter 2).” A “Hallel.info” watermark appears in the lower right corner.

From messing up to making it right: Understanding the Bible’s guilt offering (Leviticus 6; Jeremiah 7; 1Peter 2)

Jeff May 2, 2026

In Leviticus 6–7, the “guilt offering” is not a harsh relic of the past but a detailed roadmap from sin and shame to real peace with God and others. We explore why God highlights lies, broken trust, and hidden theft — then requires both confession and restitution with 20% added. Alongside Jeremiah 7 and 1Peter 2, we see how repentance, restoration and reconciliation via the Messiah form one journey from acting unfaithfully to living in shalom (peace).

Oil palette knife–style digital painting created by ChatGPT, showing a continuous three-part scene of relational repair. On the left, two ancient Near Eastern men sit facing each other in a tense but calm private conversation. In the center, a small group stands around a humbled man, gently placing hands on him in prayer and support. On the right, several men stand closely together, embracing in reconciliation with warm expressions. All figures wear flowing robes rendered in thick, textured brushstrokes under a golden, softly lit sky. The composition emphasizes emotional restoration and community healing. The image includes a text overlay reading, “I didn't mean to hurt you: What the Bible says about unintentional sin and relationship repair (Leviticus 5; Numbers 15; James 5; Matthew 18)” and contains a Hallel.info watermark.

‘I didn’t mean to hurt you’: What the Bible says about unintentional sin and relationship repair (Leviticus 5; Numbers 15; James 5; Matthew 18)

Jeff April 25, 2026

Hidden guilt, broken relationships and uneasy consciences. In this study of Leviticus 5, Matthew 18, Numbers 15 and James 5, we explore how God deals with unknown sin, deliberate rebellion and everyday conflicts between believers. Discover what confession, mitzvah, and shuva (repentance) really mean, why silence can still make you guilty, and how the Messiah brings to fullness Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) to bring real restoration — more than ritual.

Oil palette knife–style digital painting created by ChatGPT. At the center stands a small golden altar of incense, richly textured in gold tones, with thick, glowing smoke rising upward. The incense transforms into radiant streams of light that form small, compassionate scenes: one figure feeding a poor person and another comforting an elderly man, symbolizing acts of mercy. The upper portion of the image opens into a brilliant, holy light, rendered in luminous golds and whites. Below, in deep shadow, lie broken and dim symbols representing sin. The composition uses dramatic chiaroscuro with deep purples and golds throughout. Overlaid text reads: “Do my actions really matter to God? What the Bible says about sin, sacrifice and change (Leviticus 4; Ezekiel 18; Matthew 7; John 9).” A Hallel.info watermark is visible on the image.

Do my actions really matter to God? What the Bible says about sin, sacrifice and change (Leviticus 4; Ezekiel 18; Matthew 7; John 9)

Daniel April 18, 2026

Many believers quietly wonder, “If Jesus paid for my sins, do my daily choices still matter?” This study walks through Leviticus 4, Ezekiel 18, the Gospels, and apostle John’s first letter to show how God weighs our actions, why some prayers go unheard, and why the end of our stories matters more than the past. Discover the biblical difference between intentional and unintentional sin, why “lawlessness” is so serious, and how real repentance changes both your life and your relationship with God.

This digital painting in an oil palette knife style, created with ChatGPT, shows an ancient Israelite man standing at the entrance of the Mishkan (tabernacle), placing his hand on the head of a sheep for a shelamim (peace) offering. The man’s internal organs—his heart, kidneys and liver—glow visibly through his torso, symbolizing his inner life and conscience. Warm golden light from the altar and the Shekhinah fills the background, with the tabernacle structure and rising smoke visible behind him. Overlaid text reads, “Can I really change inside? What the Bible says about a new heart & clean conscience (Leviticus 3; James 1).”

Can I really change inside? What the Bible says about a new heart and clean conscience (Leviticus 3; James 1)

Jeff April 11, 2026

The peace offering in Leviticus 3 is a powerful picture of how God restores relationship with humanity. So why does Scripture talk about kidneys, heart, liver, fat and “inward parts”? In this study, we explore how the Bible uses these to describe our conscience, desires, and inner struggles — and how the offerings, from peace to sin to Yom Kippur, point to Yeshua (Jesus), Who brings true peace with God.

Tree of Knowledge & Haman's gallows: Esther show us how to overcome our desire to replace God. Artwork shows a fruit tree on the left side of the image.

Tree of Knowledge and Haman’s gallows: Esther shows us how to overcome our desire to replace God

Jeff March 23, 2024

Bible prophecy often talks about widespread persecution against the people of God in the “latter days.” But that seems so far removed from today’s society, where we have global human rights watchdog groups, U.S. First Amendment protections for religious freedom, the International Court of Justice and the United Nations. This study of the Torah reading וַיִּקְרָא Vayikra (“and He called,” Levicus 1:1–6:7) plus readings for the Sabbath of Remembrance (Deuteronomy 25:17–19; 1Samuel 15:2–34; 1Peter 4:12–5:11) and the Book of Esther reminds us why we keep seeing outbreaks of perplexing violence throughout history, in spite of attempts to legislate away evil.

‘He who has an ear to hear’: Listen as Messiah speaks through Israel’s Tabernacle offerings (Leviticus 1–7; Hebrews 10; Psalm 40)

Jeff March 25, 2023

The Torah reading וַיִּקְרָא Vayikra (“and He called,” Lev. 1:1–6:7) picks up immediately after God moved into the newly constructed Tabernacle (Ex. 40:34–38), ancient Israel’s tent shrine for the LORD. But the question then was, “Now what happens after God enters the Tabernacle and everyone must get out, for their own safety?” To answer this and to help understand the seemingly strange and rather grotesque imagery of the sacrifices in the Leviticus, approach the book as one would a parable, like one tackles the parables of Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus).

Let’s make God in our own image? How idol hands are the devil’s workshop (Isaiah 43:21–44:23)

Jeff March 12, 2022

There’s a domain that is ours and a domain that is not ours. And we need to respect those boundaries to live in harmony. When our relationship with God is damaged, we have to listen and obey when God tells us where we went wrong and how to repent and make it right. That is, if our goal is fellowship with Him. In this exploration of the parallel passage to the Torah reading ויקרא Vayikra (“and He called,” Lev. 1:1–6:7), we discover how the whole goal of the Dwelling Place’s being with mankind, whether it was in the Garden of Eden, the…

How our lives can become a ‘soothing aroma to the LORD’ (Leviticus 1–5)

Jeff March 20, 2021

The Creator of the heavens and the Earth wants to live among humankind, but there humankind is too attached with the muck-and-mire ways of this world. Heaven’s solution is acted out in the imagery and ceremony of Israel’s Tabernacle and in the work of the Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus). Discover in the Torah reading ויקרא Vayikra (“and He called,” Leviticus 1:1-6:7) how our heart’s cry determines whether we are a “soothing aroma” as Heaven transforms us.

‘We have such a high priest’: Sacrifice of praise and a bridled tongue (Leviticus 1–5)

Daniel March 28, 2020

Why does the New Testament have such a large discussion about the Israel’s high priest and the offerings of the Tabernacle (Hebrews 4–14) in connection with Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ)? In the Torah reading ויקרא Vayikra/Vayiqra (“and He called”), covering Lev. 1:1–6:7, we have the “what” and “why” the various qorbanot (“offerings” aka “sacrifices”) in the Tabernacle services that were revealed to all the children of Israel. In the next Torah reading, God reveals to the Levites and priests how the sacrifices are to be processed and presented to HaShem (the Name). Heaven has communicated this through the Torah, Prophets and…

Leviticus 1:1–6:7: Lessons on faith, grace and worship from Tabernacle offerings

Daniel March 17, 2018

Many think that the Tabernacle and Temple services were about works that pay for entrance into the Father’s presence and that the regimens of faith — prayer and repentance — made the Tabernacle obsolete. But what the Bible actually teaches about the Tabernacle is quite different from this common view. God’s presence can’t abide with impurity, and the book of Vayiqra (Leviticus) shows us God’s prescription to make us pure and ready to live in His presence. The animal and grain קרבנות qorbanot (offerings/sacrifices) described in the Torah reading ויקרא Vayikra/Vayiqra (“and He called,” Leviticus 1:1-6:7) were symbolic of the supplicant’s…

"The National Sin Offering," 1890 Holman Bible

Entering God’s Presence via the sacrifice of a contrite heart (Leviticus 1:1–6:7)

Jeff April 1, 2017

None of the sacrifices or offerings of the Tabernacle or Temple of ancient Israel (recorded in Torah reading וַיִּקְרָא Vayiqra/Vayikra, Lev. 1:1–6:7) apply to us today, yet all of them apply to us today. That paradox comes to us because forgiveness for diverging from the Creator’s plan has always come to mankind the same way: the old way of life must die. Offerings of blood and food never accomplished that — and never were meant to. So then, what’s the deal with all the detailed instructions in the Bible about killing animals, pouring and sprinkling blood, burning carcasses and bringing in…

Getting back into the LORD’s presence (Leviticus 1:1–6:7)

Jeff March 19, 2016

Ever been homesick? Or finally woken up to the reality, “There’s no place like home!” The Torah reading ויקרא Vayiqra/Vayikra (“and he called,” Leviticus 1:1–6:7) flows from the end of the second book of the Pentateuch (Exodus 40:35), which ends with the exclusion of Moshe and everyone else from God’s Presence in the newly dedicated Tabernacle. The third book of the Pentateuch gives us God’s instructions for how we return to His Presence. The entire book of Leviticus, called Vayiqra in Hebrew, teaches that true worship is not about entering a building but entering God’s Presence every day of our lives.

A digital collage-style illustration visually representing the burnt, grain, and peace offerings described in Leviticus 1–3. The left panel depicts a burning altar with stacked wood and flames, symbolizing the burnt offering. The center panel features a stylized stack of flat, circular breads and loaves, representing the grain offering, with an ornate archway in the background. The right panel shows a joyful group of people gathered around a table with food, symbolizing the peace offering as a shared meal. The title "Meanings of the Burnt, Grain, and Peace Offerings (Leviticus 1–3)" is prominently displayed in bold, red text at the top. The bottom left corner features the website "hallel.info."

Meanings of the burnt, grain and peace offerings (Leviticus 1–3)

Richard August 16, 2014

The entire book of Leviticus is about the function of Israel’s high priest. Yeshua (Jesus) is our High Priest, and as we study Leviticus, we learn more about what Yeshua is doing for us in God’s presence. Leviticus 1-3 starts with instructions about how to give free will offerings to God. These are not offerings of punishment but offerings of gratitude and love of God. We also learn how the High Priest prepares and gives these offerings to God. We can see the New Testament fulfillment in Yeshua as we read through Hebrews 5.