Ha'Azinu - Reading #6

Ha'Azinu הַאֲזִינוּ - Listen!

Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52

Reading #6 - Deuteronomy 32:40–43

My Thoughts:

Even though the people of Israel will fall after they arrive into the Land, Hashem is always faithful to bring them back. His love is so strong for His people that He will protect them through it all. We see this in verse 43, “He avenges the blood of His children and takes vengeance on His adversaries. He repays those who hate Him and cleanses His people's land…”. Even if people stray from Hashem, they still will have enemies or people after them. Hashem says He will take vengeance on these enemies and will “cleanse” the land. Somehow He will get rid of those who tempt and torment His people. That is unconditional love. Imagine if you “turned” on your best friend. But, then he/she saw that you were in trouble with another person. I’m sure he/she would defend you, even if you had hurt them. That is true friendship/love. To help someone when they have turned their back on you. Think about it. Amen.

Challenge:

Torah is clear that we are to “rejoice” with Hashem in all we do. The beginning of verse 43 says, “Rejoice with Him, O heavens; bow down to Him, all gods…”. Not only are we to bow to the King of the Universe, but He wants us to rejoice with Him! What does that look like? It could simply be giving praise and honor throughout your day. Every time you see His Hand and work, or feel His presence, or witness a miracle -- you thank Him with all your heart. That is my challenge to you today. Look for Hashem and praise Him when you find Him. If you can’t seem to find Him, praise Him anyways. He is always there, that is His promise. Amen.

Reading #6 - Deuteronomy 32:40–43

32:40 For I lift up my hand to heaven

    and swear, As I live forever,

41 if I sharpen my flashing sword

    and my hand takes hold on judgment,

I will take vengeance on my adversaries

    and will repay those who hate me.

42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,

    and my sword shall devour flesh—

with the blood of the slain and the captives,

    from the long-haired heads of the enemy.’

43 “Rejoice with Him, O heavens;

    bow down to Him, all gods,

for He avenges the blood of His children

    and takes vengeance on His adversaries.

He repays those who hate Him

    and cleanses His people's land.”

Ha'Azinu - Reading #5

Ha'Azinu הַאֲזִינוּ - Listen!

Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52

Reading #5 - Deuteronomy 32:29–39

My Thoughts:

Verse 36 should clarify the future for us, ”For Hashem will judge His people, and have compassion on His servants…”. It’s not like we can lead a sinful life, ignoring Hashem’s commands and not be judged. That is why we repent, teshuvah and make restitution -- so that He will have compassion on us. Make sure your heart is right with Hashem. If not, make it so. We want to experience Hashem’s compassion and not His judgment. Amen.

Challenge:

Sometimes it helps to understand that Hashem really dictates the length of our days. Verse 39 explains, “I kill and I make alive,  I wound and I heal. There is no one who can deliver out of My hand.” He can keep us alive or He can let us go. But the greater promise is no one can take you out of His hand. We must remember that Hashem can and will keep us alive and will heal us too. We just need to ask Him. That is my challenge today. If you need healing, maybe you have a serious disease. Don’t give up. Go to Hashem. Worship and pray before Him. Pray this Scripture that He heals. Then ask Him to heal you. Or someone you love or care about. It’s up to Him and we can ask. It will be in His time and in His way. Amen.

Reading #5 - Deuteronomy 32:29–39

29 Oh that they were wise, that they understood this,

    that they would consider their latter end!

30 How could one chase a thousand,

    and two put ten thousand to flight,

unless their Rock had sold them,

    And Hashem had delivered them up?

31 For their rock is not as our Rock,

    even our enemies themselves concede.

32 For their vine is of the vine of Sodom,

    of the fields of Gomorrah.

Their grapes are poison grapes.

    Their clusters are bitter.

33 Their wine is the poison of serpents,

    the cruel venom of asps.

34 “Isn’t this laid up in store with me,

    sealed up among my treasures?

35 Vengeance is mine, and recompense,

    at the time when their foot slides;

for the day of their calamity is at hand.

    Their doom rushes at them.”

36 For Hashem will judge His people,

    and have compassion on His servants,

when He sees that their power is gone;

    that there is no one remaining, shut up or left at large.

37 He will say, “Where are their gods,

    the rock in which they took refuge;

38 which ate the fat of their sacrifices,

    and drank the wine of their drink offering?

Let them rise up and help you!

    Let them be your protection.

39 “See now that I Myself am He.

    There is no god with Me.

I kill and I make alive.

    I wound and I heal.

    There is no one who can deliver out of My hand.

Ha'Azinu - Reading #4

Ha'Azinu הַאֲזִינוּ - Listen!

Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52

Reading #4 - Deuteronomy 32:19–28

My Thoughts:

After Moses explains the “trouble” they are going to be getting into when they abandon Hashem, he says in verse 28, ”For they are a nation void of counsel. There is no understanding in them.” He is predicting that they will have a time in the future when they will no longer “consult” with Hashem. They will be “void” of His counsel. Therefore, since they are not in relationship with Hashem there will be “no understanding”. That’s what is happening today. People no longer believe or communicate with the one true Elohim. They are going it alone. And the end result is that they have no understanding in spiritual matters. People have become totally carnal, devoid of the one true spiritual relationship with Hashem. This is sad. You and I can be a part of changing this. We can be “lights” to His truth and existence and bring His real love to others. We can teach people about Him and how to communicate (pray) with Him. If they do this they will gain understanding. 

Challenge:

In verse 20 we read that the result of disobedience among His people is that, “I will hide My face from them.”. Having the face of Hashem “hid” from you means He is no longer visible or tangible in your life. It is like when we sin, the “hand” of Hashem is lifted off our lives -- we can only go it alone. Do you want that? I don’t. And I can feel this happening every time I deliberately sin against Him. It’s like He really does “hide His face” from me. It takes true repentance and teshuvah to regain that personal relationship with Him. My challenge today is for you to assess your spiritual life. Do you feel Hashem’s Hand in upon your life, or do you feel He is “hiding His face” from you? If it is the latter, please do something about it. Repent and return to Him. Make restitution for what you have done and pray that He will return to you. Scripture says He will (Malachi 3:7). Don’t be content with a life absent of Hashem, invite Him back into your life. And show Him that you really mean this. Amen?

Reading #4 - Deuteronomy 32:19–28

19 Hashem saw and abhorred,

    because of the provocation of His sons and his daughters.

20 He said, “I will hide My face from them.

    I will see what their end will be;

for they are a very perverse generation,

    children in whom is no faithfulness.

21 They have moved Me to jealousy with that which is not Elohim.

    They have provoked Me to anger with their vanities.

I will move them to jealousy with those who are not a people.

    I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

22 For a fire is kindled in my anger,

    that burns to the lowest Sheol,

    devours the earth with its increase,

    and sets the foundations of the mountains on fire.

23 “I will heap evils on them.

    I will spend my arrows on them.

24 They shall be wasted with hunger,

    and devoured with burning heat

    and bitter destruction.

I will send the teeth of animals on them,

    with the venom of vipers that glide in the dust.

25 Outside the sword will bereave,

    and in the rooms,

    terror on both young man and virgin,

    the nursing infant with the gray-haired man.

26 I said that I would scatter them afar.

    I would make their memory to cease from among men;

27 were it not that I feared the provocation of the enemy,

    lest their adversaries should judge wrongly,

    lest they should say, ‘Our hand is exalted,

    Hashem has not done all this.’”

28 For they are a nation void of counsel.

    There is no understanding in them.

Ha'Azinu - Reading #3

Ha'Azinu הַאֲזִינוּ - Listen!

Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52

Reading #3 -  Deuteronomy 32:13–18

My Thoughts:

It is so harsh that here the people are ready to enter the Promised Land and Moses is prophesying that they are going to fail and go off and worship other gods. In verse 18 we read, “Of the Rock who became your father, you are unmindful, and have forgotten Elohiim who gave you birth.” This is how sin begins, we forget who Hashem is. Sometimes things can get so good in life, that we forget who gave them to us. We get prideful, puffed up and think we worked or earned the things we have. And then we begin to “worship” what we have, instead of Hashem. Maybe you don’t think you could ever forget Hashem and all He has done. But, sometimes I think we do. How many hours a day do we watch TV? How many hours a day do we pray and worship Hashem? If that answer convicts you and scares you -- then it is time to set things straight! Make sure today that you are not forgetting Hashem and all He is. Spend time with Him today. Take a “prayer walk” and thank Him for all He has done!

Challenge:

In continuation of the thoughts above -- have you ever “abandoned” Hashem (verse 15)? I have a good friend who unexpectedly lost his brother a few months ago. They were best friends. He got mad at Hashem. Why did Hashem “take” his brother at such a young age? I can see where this anger has really separated my friend from Hashem. I am encouraging him to think about where his brother is. That just maybe he is in paradise (I believe with Yeshua) -- in a very special place that Hashem has prepared. My friend is hurt, and we all have had times when we have felt the same. But we must not abandon or reject Hashem. We must remember He gives and He takes away. My challenge to you today is to thank Hashem for today. That He woke you up, Ask Him to walk with you today. If you are hurting, go back to Him and ask Him if He will help you to heal and be restored. Ask Him to come close to you so that you can feel His presence in your life. I pray that He does.

Reading #3 -  Deuteronomy 32:13–18

32:13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth.

    He ate the increase of the field.

He caused him to suck honey out of the rock,

    oil out of the flinty rock;

14 butter from the herd, and milk from the flock,

    with fat of lambs,

    rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats,

    with the finest of the wheat.

    From the blood of the grape, you drank wine.

15 But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked.

    You have grown fat.

    You have grown thick.

    You have become sleek.

Then he abandoned Elohim who made him,

    and rejected the Rock of his salvation.

16 They moved Him to jealousy with strange gods.

    They provoked Him to anger with abominations.

17 They sacrificed to demons, not Elohim,

    to gods that they didn’t know,

    to new gods that came up recently,

    which your fathers didn’t dread.

18 Of the Rock who became your father, you are unmindful,

    and have forgotten Elohiim who gave you birth.

Ha'Azinu - Reading #2

Ha'Azinu הַאֲזִינוּ - Listen!

Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52

Reading #2 - Deuteronomy 32:7–12

My Thoughts:

At the beginning of today’s reading we see how Hashem has set apart His chosen people. Verse 8 we read,  “When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the children of men, He set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel.” Hashem chose a people, from the seed of Abraham to represent Him and be a light to the world. With doing this He also gave them a land to live in and laws to live by. There is a specific reason for this. Because the rest of the world needs to know Hashem! Picture a successful business where they want people to buy their product. They market their product. I believe that Hashem was “marketing” Himself and His love for mankind, by picking a group of people who would represent Him and all He does. He chose the Israelites, the Hebrews to literally be His “light” to the nations. All for the purpose that people all over the world (His creation) would be drawn to Him! I want to “join” His people and His land, just like Ruth did. I pray this prayer, “Israel -- wherever you go, I will go. Your people are my people. And your Elohim is my Elohim.” Amen! 

Challenge:

Verse 10 says Hashem “...kept them as an apple of His eye”. We know that this phrase “apple of his eye” means you are very important and special to that person. And that is exactly what this song is saying. The Israelites, the Hebrew people are very special to Hashem. My challenge to you today is to think about who is the “apple of your eye”? Who is special to you (besides Hashem). Are you kind and generous to them? Do you have more than one “apple” relationship? If you don’t have an “apple” pray and ask Hashem to give you one. Or maybe you do have one and don’t realize it -- like your parents, a niece or nephew, neighbor? Find your “apple” today and praise Hashem for him/her. Amen!

Reading #2 - Deuteronomy 32:7–12

32:7 Remember the days of old.

    Consider the years of many generations.

Ask your father, and he will show you;

    your elders, and they will tell you.

8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance,

    when He separated the children of men,

He set the bounds of the peoples

    according to the number of the children of Israel.

9 For Hashem’s portion is His people.

    Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

10 He found him in a desert land,

    in the waste howling wilderness.

He surrounded him.

    He cared for him.

    He kept him as the apple of His eye.

11 As an eagle that stirs up her nest,

    that flutters over her young,

He spread abroad His wings,

    He took them,

    He bore them on his feathers.

12 Hashem alone led him.

    There was no foreign god with him.

Ha'Azinu - Reading #1

Ha'Azinu הַאֲזִינוּ - Listen!

Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52

Reading #1 - Deuteronomy 32:1–6

My Thoughts:

The first part of this song Moses is showing His praise for Hashem. In verse 3 we read, “For I will proclaim Hashem’s name. Ascribe greatness to our Elohim!” As He is preparing to die and giving this prophetic song to the people, he must give all glory to Hashem. And that is the same for us. At the beginning of each day, at every special event -- we must give praise and honor to Hashem. We must tell others about His greatness. He is the reason for everything. Remember to do that and so will I.

Challenge:

Verse 32:4 is explaining the perfection of Elohim, “The Rock: His work is perfect, for all His ways are just. An Elohim of faithfulness who does no wrong, just and right is He.” If He is perfect and does no wrong (we know this to be true) then why do we have so many different denominations, churches, synagogues, sects of Judaism, etc.? In other words, if we just read what Hashem says in Torah and believe it, we could all just meet in groups and worship Him basically the same way. We could keep it so simple. But, for some reason Hashem created us to be uniquely different and along with this comes different opinions. My challenge to you today is to think about keeping neutral to others about your faith. Instead of arguing doctrine or Bible, look at what you have in common. Seek to find what you share, not what you don’t agree upon. Seek to serve the perfect Elohim in a perfect way -- without disagreement but with love and worship. We all love the same Elohim. Let's stop fighting about it and let’s join in harmony with our love for Him!

Reading #1 - Deuteronomy 32:1-6

32 Give ear, you heavens, and I will speak.

    Let the earth hear the words of my mouth.

2 My doctrine will drop as the rain.

    My speech will condense as the dew,

    as the misty rain on the tender grass,

    as the showers on the herb.

3 For I will proclaim Hashem’s name.

    Ascribe greatness to our Elohim!

4 The Rock: His work is perfect,

    for all His ways are just.

    An Elohim of faithfulness who does no wrong,

    just and right is He.

5 They have dealt corruptly with Him.

    They are not His children, because of their defect.

    They are a perverse and crooked generation.

6 Is this the way you repay Hashem,

    foolish and unwise people?

Isn’t He your father who has bought you?

    He has made you and established you.

Ha'Azinu - Week #9

Ha'Azinu הַאֲזִינוּ - Listen!

Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52

2 Samuel 22:1-51

John 6:26-35

1.1 First reading — Deuteronomy 32:1–6

1.2 Second reading — Deuteronomy 32:7–12

1.3 Third reading — Deuteronomy 32:13–18

1.4 Fourth reading — Deuteronomy 32:19–28

1.5 Fifth reading — Deuteronomy 32:29–39

1.6 Sixth reading — Deuteronomy 32:40–43

1.7 Seventh reading — Deuteronomy 32:44–52