Torah Portion: Ha’azinu (Hear) D’varim (Deut) 32
Tonight we read the Torah portion known as Ha’azinu, translated as “Give ear.” This portion is almost entirely composed of the “Song of Moshe.” In this song Moshe speaks of Israel’s falling away from G-d in the years following his death. He called all of Israel together to hear his words. He also commanded them to teach the words to their children and pass this song down through the generations to come. This song is given as witness to the falling away of G-d’s people and the suffering they would undergo because of their wanderings. However, it ends on a note of hope as the Father reminds Israel of who He is and who they are. They are His people and He would provide atonement for them. Deut. 32:43.
What may surprise you is that this song is also mentioned in Revelations 15:3 Here we read of the saints standing on the sea of glass singing the song of Moshe and finishing it with the Song of the Lamb telling about the “Lamb of G-d” being the solution for the wanderings of Israel and for the people who were included in the wandering away into sin. Redemption is found. I believe it is so wonderful that the words near the end of the Torah find their fulfillment here in this chapter of Revelations. G-d had a way for Israel to return to be His, “Am Segula,” His treasured people. He had a way for us to be redeemed and find peace and hope, as we read in verse 43 of the gentiles rejoicing with His people. Praise G-d for His faithfulness!
As we read this chapter in Deut. we see G-d never threw His people away even though they sinned and worshiped other gods. He brought them back. He also brings us back. So this time we are in now should give us hope. It should give us the strength to come back to the Lover of our soul.
In the first verse of our portion we see an example given to us by Moshe. Ha’azinu actually means to almost whisper. Moshe, by using this word, was giving us insight into where he was in at this time. He was so close to the time of his death. He only had to whisper and heaven would hear him. As I read this this week I thought of each of you. G-d’s desire, and should be our desire, is that we are so close to Him that we only have to whisper and our Father will hear us and answer us. Another first we read here in our chapter is in verse 6 where Moshe says to the people, “Is He not your Father?” He was telling the people of the relationship they had with G-d. He was their Father who loved them and would never forget them. In the Messianic Writings we see Yeshua, in Matt. 6:9-13, using this expression when teaching His disciples how to pray. So again, we see Torah and the Messianic writings expressing this same idea of a loving Father that cares for His children, even though He may discipline them/us He dose not give up on us. He loves us and will redeem us if we will turn from our sins and come back to Him. The Haftorah this week comes from Hosea 14:2-10 and it expresses this thought so beautifully when we read that when we return He will throw our sins into the deepest sea and they will be forgiven.
This Shabbat is called Shabbat Shuvah and it gets this name from a verse in Hosea 14:2. Here we are in the middle of these days of repentance before Yom Kippur. I pray we all are seeking out G-d and examining our lives. I pray that anything that stands between you and the Father or between you and any other person will be dealt with. He is waiting for us to return to Him, to live our lives in His way not our own, to follow His path, not our own. Bless you all in these days.