Ha’azinu (Hear) D’varim (Deut) 32
1.In Deut 32:15 Israel is called Jeshurun. What does that name mean and where else do you find it used in scripture? After finding the meaning of this word, look at the verses following that name. Does it make sense that Israel would be called Jeshurun right before listing their sins? Why would G-d do this?
Jeshurun was a poetical name for the people of Israel, used as a token of affection, meaning, “the dear upright people” ( Deuteronomy 32:15 ; Deuteronomy 33:5 Deuteronomy 33:26 ; Isaiah 44:2 ). It is from the verb ישר (yasar), to be level, straight, upright.
Knowing Israel’s wavering history it does not seem like an appropriate name. But perhaps that name was G-d’s ideal plan for Israel. G-d’s ideal was he intended them to be upright with respect to keeping the law and following Him.
Certainly, G-d sees us the same way. He has a vision of the final product that He intends to mold us into. Even while we are sinning, G-d sees beyond the sin to a forgiven sinner who glorifies Him. This is a name that celebrates G-d’s commitment to Israel. It is a name of hope.
2. In Deut. 32:6 we read Moses telling the people, “Is He not your Father who bought you?” Do you see any connection in this verse to Yeshua’s words in Matthew 6:9-13 where He is teaching his disciples to pray? Also our Haftarah Hosea 14:2-10 expresses this same thought.
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 does 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.
3. Deut 32:6 says, “Your Father who bought you.” In another of Moses’ songs it says in Exodus 15:16, “Terror and dread fall upon them; because of the greatness of your arm, they are still as a stone, till your people, O L-rd, pass by, till the people pass by whom you have purchased.” Both of these verses remind the children of Israel that G-d bought them and they were His. Are these two verses similar to any verses you find in the Messianic scripture?
We have been purchased by G-d. “ The Anointed One purchased our freedom from the curse of having disobeyed Torah, by taking the curse upon Himself for us, because it stands written, cursed is everyone who hangs upon a tree.” Galatians 3:13 (The Newer Testament)
Yeshua purchased our freedom but we are not free in the sense that we are now self-owned and self-determined.
1 Corinthians 6:12–13, “It has been said, everything is allowed for me but even so not everything is good for me. Everything is allowed for me someone claims but I will not be enslaved by addiction to anything. Food is meant for the stomach, and the stomach is meant for food, but G-d will do away with both of them. So then, the body is not intended for sexual vice but is really intended for the L-rd. The L-rd is for the body.”
The price we were bought with is disclosed in 1 Peter 1:18–19: “For you know that G-d paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Yeshua, the sinless, spotless Lamb of G-d” (NLT).
Since G-d paid such a high price for us, everything we do should be to the glory of G-d.
4.Deut. 32:4-5 talks about a warped and twisted generation. Some Jewish commentators believe “righteous and pious” people who, because of the way they deal with other people, are part of this warped and twisted generation. How would you describe the difference in a righteous person and a self-righteous person. Is there an example in scripture of a self-righteous person?
There are failings that sometimes religious people are prone to, namely, indifference to the injustices of society, a willingness to overlook corruption within their own ranks and a tendency to believe that attachment to G-d relieves them of the duty to be upright and gracious in one’s dealings with other human beings.
Outwardly, righteous and unrighteous people may look similar. But they are not similar.
The righteous see the good in people, the self-righteous see the bad.
The righteous have a high opinion of others, the self-righteous a high opinion of themselves. The righteous leave us feeling enlarged, the self-righteous leave us feeling diminished.
The righteous lift us up, the self-righteous put us down.
Great Knowledge of scripture alone is no defense against becoming a self-righteous person. Indeed knowledge alone can lead to self-righteousness because studying scripture alone can lead you to think your knowledge makes you righteous. Knowledge of G-d’s word must be balanced with obedience to His word and compassion for others.
Romans 10:3 says, “For they being ignorant of G-d’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of G-d.”
As His children, we can sometimes fall into the trap of self-righteousness. Sometimes we believe that we aren’t like people around us in their mistakes and bad choices. But let us be reminded we are to be servants of G-d to whomever He brings into our life.
One well-known example of self-righteousness is the story Yeshua told in Luke 18:9-14.
Luke 18:9-14.(The Newer Testament) “He also told this parable for certain individuals who put confidence in themselves that they were righteous and viewed others with contempt. “Two men went up into the Temple to pray, one a spiritual leader and the other a tax collector. The spiritual leader stood and was praying to himself, G-d, I thank Thee that I am not like other people; swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I pay tithes of all that I receive. But the tax collector standing some distance away was unwilling even to lift up his eyes toward heaven. He was beating his chest in deep sorrow saying, G-d be merciful to me the sinner! I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled (by G-d), but the one who humbles himself shall be exalted (by G-d).
In the story, both men were praying in the temple. The spiritual leader boasted to G-d about all the good he did, and how he was nothing like the tax collector next to him. The tax collector did the opposite, asking G-d to be merciful to him, a sinner. Yeshua went on to share that those who exalt themselves will be humbled while those who humble themselves will be exalted.
I am adding on to today’s teaching an interesting word study on the word “Rock” that we received yesterday from a friend in Israel, Martha Stern. The word “Rock” appears in this Torah portion, Deut. 32 and many other places in scripture.
Deuteronomy 32:4 The Rock! His work is perfect, for all his ways are just. A trustworthy G-d who does no wrong, he is righteous and straight.
Deuteronomy 32:15 But Yeshurun grew fat and kicked (you grew fat, thick, gross!). He abandoned G-d his Maker; he scorned the Rock, his salvation.
Deuteronomy 32:18 You ignored the Rock who fathered you, you forgot G-d, who gave you birth.
Deuteronomy 32:30 After all, how can one chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to rout, unless their Rock sells them to their enemies, unless Adonai hands them over?
Deuteronomy 32:31 For our enemies have no rock like our Rock — even they can see that!
Deuteronomy 32:37 Then he will ask, ‘Where are their gods, the rock in whom they trusted?
Next we are including verses from the Haftarah:
2 Samuel 22:47 Adonai is alive! Blessed is my Rock! Exalted be G-d, the Rock of my salvation,
2 Samuel 23:3 The G-d of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, ‘A ruler over people must be upright, ruling in the fear of G-d;
Some verses from Isaiah and Psalms:
Isaiah 44:8 Don’t be frightened, don’t be afraid — Didn’t I tell you this long ago? I foretold it, and you are my witnesses. Is there any G-d besides me? There is no other Rock — I know of none.
Psalm 18:32 “For who is G-d but Adonai? Who is a Rock but our G-d?
Psalm 18:47 Adonai is alive! Blessed is my Rock! Exalted be the G-d of my salvation,
Psalm 19:15 May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be acceptable in your presence, Adonai, my Rock and Redeemer.
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And verses from the Messianic Scripture:
Matthew 7:25 The rain fell, the rivers flooded, the winds blew and beat against that house, but it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on rock.
Mark 12:10 Haven’t you read the passage in the Tanakh that says, ‘The very rock which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone!
Luke 20:17 But Yeshua looked searchingly at them and said . ” Then what is this which is written in the Tanakh, ‘The very rock which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?
Romans 9:33 As the Tanakh puts it, “Look, I am laying in Zion a stone that will make people stumble, a rock that will trip them up. But he who rests his trust on it will not be humiliated.”
And Paul says this about the Rock:
1 Corinthians 10:4 and they all drank the same drink from the Spirit — for they drank from a Spirit-sent Rock which followed them, and that Rock was the Messiah.