Ha Azinu (Listen) Devarim 32:1-52

The name of our portion is, as usual, derived from the first word of the portion, "ha azinu ha shamayim v’d’berah," listen heavens and I will speak. This portion is so rich and calorie laden, I hope you are hungry for Torah this week.

The Song of Moshe, the Song of the Lamb

“And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and who gained victory over the beast, over his image, over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of Elohim. And they sing the Song of Moshe the servant of Elohim, and the Song of the Lamb, saying, great and marvelous are your works, Adonai Yehovah Almighty; righteous and true are your ways, King of saints.” (Revelation 15:2-3)

Those who sing in the book of Revelation sing two songs, the Song of Moshe, and the Song of the Lamb. Since John (Yochanan) is a Jewish writer, who traveled with Yeshua during his ministry, it is most likely that John was referring to this Song of Moshe in verses 1-43 of our portion.

The chapters and verses we use today were not included in the Scriptures during Yochanan’s time. They were added much later. According to Bible.org, “Stephen Langton, in the 12th century, added what we use today as the chapter divisions.” As an Israelite Yochanan would have referred to a portion of Scripture by a name.

Since in our last portion we are told, “Moshe therefore wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel,” (Devarim 31:22) it would be natural for Torah readers to refer to this as the Song of Moses, we still do.

But where is the second song, the Song of the Lamb? Some say it is in our text in Revelation; “Great and marvelous are your works, Adonai Yehovah Almighty; righteous and true are your ways, King of saints.”

Connecting the Songs

The two songs are connected with the phrase, “Righteous and true are your ways” in Revelation, and “Righteous and straight is He,” in Devarim.

Why the difference between “true” in Revelation and “Straight” in Devarim?

Perhaps because in Devarim the events Moshe sings about have not yet happened. The emphasis is on the straightness and honesty of Yehovah. He is just, fair, and impartial in judgment. We have faith that what He says, He will do. And when He does it, it will be because those who received either blessing or discipline will deserve what they receive.

By the time we get to the event prophesied in Revelation, we will all look back and see that just as Elohim said He would do, He did, and we can with authority say that all that He said is true.

The song of the Lamb is very short, if this is it, and perhaps that is because after all that has happened we will be amazed, shocked, and emotionally drained. All that is left to be said is the short, “Great and marvelous are your works, Adonai Yehovah Almighty; righteous and true are your ways, King of saints.”

Tidbits in the Text

If you don’t have a Hebrew copy of the text of our portion there are a few things you will not be able to see, but that are important to our understanding. The first is apparent, even if you can’t read a letter of Hebrew.

The song is divided into columns in the text. The first verse in the right column (remember Hebrew in the Scriptures in read right to left) reads, “Listen heavens and I will speak” Then there is a break of several spaces        and the left column reads, “And may hear the earth the speech of my mouth.”

This columnar break in the text continues throughout the song.

Two more interesting tidbits are immediately available to the hungry in the Hebrew Torah. At the beginning of verse 6 the first letter is a hey, and it is enlarged. The English translation is “To.” “To Yehovah do you repay this?”

The second anomaly is that in verse 18 there is a small yod in the word translated as ignored or unmindful. “The Rock that birthed you, you ignored, and have forgotten El that formed you.” (Devarim 32:18)

Every Word that Proceeds from Elohim’s Mouth

We have learned that each word in the Torah is significant, and there are no unnecessary words. So what does it mean that these letters are of different size from the rest of the text?

The numerical value of the letter hey is five, and as such is a picture of the Torah. The letter hey is also a breath of air as it is spoken, it has no sound as such except what its attached vowel provides, hey is the sound of a sigh.

The written Torah is the word of Elohim. As the written word is breathed into us by the Ruach ha Kodesh, the Holy Spirit, and we put the Torah into action through our life, the written word becomes a living word. If we live life in obedience to the Torah, we become living words of Torah.

The large hey is part of the phrase, “Is it to Yehovah.” Two meanings come from this. The Ruach leads us to Yehovah and the breath of the hey represents the breathing of the Ruach into us and drawing us to Elohim.

A second meaning comes from Psalm 33:6, “By the word of Yehovah The heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host.” The hey represents the breath by which Elohim made all things, He spoke, and they were created. It is an affront that the creation should act against its creator the way Israel would act against Elohim. Yet He does not respond in kind against them. He remains fair and just.

Paul says, “For we know that all the creation groans (sighs) together and travails together until now.” (Romans 8:22) Moshe is in the middle of expressing the corruption and evil of the people. What an appropriate moment for Elohim to sigh as a show of His patient longsuffering through their transgressions.

Their Rock is not Like Our Rock

The small yod tells us another side to the issue of Elohim’s longsuffering. It shows up in the phrase “The rock who gave you birth you ignored.”

Back in verse four Moshe reminded Israel, “He is the Rock; His work is perfect. For all His ways are just, a God of faithfulness, and without evil; just and upright is He.” Now Moshe contrasts the attributes of Elohim with the attributes that Israel is going to display. While Elohim is faithful, without evil, just and upright, Israel will prove to be rebellious, wicked, unjust and crooked.

The diminutive yod perhaps signifies that although Elohim is aware of Israel’s rebellions, as a righteous parent He understands that a child must be disciplined, yet He is embarrassed because of what the child does. In verse 20 it says, “I shall hide my face from them.”

The yod represents the hand. Here it is small, perhaps to show that even though Elohim could be heavy handed because of Israel’s sin, He chooses to show mercy and use a light hand in punishment. He could have decreed the destruction of Israel, but chose not to do so.

The overall message of the song is that because of Israel’s unfaithfulness they would be subjected to discipline. When the victors in the time prophesied in Revelation sing, they will acknowledge that Yehovah was just in all that He did because Israel rebelled just as He said they would.

Live Torah

A message for us is that we should be careful to heed Elohim’s instructions and live them. The message of the song concludes with the vindication of Israel as Yehovah takes vengeance against those who did evil against His People Israel and “Atones (kepher) for His ground and His people.”

We look forward to the day when Elohim will again show Himself mighty for His people. Until then, we live Torah.

Shalom, and blessings in this appointed time of Yom Kippur. May the righteous Judge of all find you clean of all sin through your repentance, turn from sin and turn to righteousness and may your name be written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Please join me next week hungry for Torah when we will study portion ha berachah, the blessing, Devarim 33:1-11, and as is customary to link the end with the beginning, Beresheit (Genesis) 1:1. Until then, Shalom, and Pray for the peace of Yerushalayim.

Vayeilech (and went) Devarim (Deuteronomy) 31:1-30

This week’s portion begins with “And went Moshe and spoke all these words to all Israel.” I hope you’re hungry for Torah this week because Elohim has packed a lot into this portion. Some obvious, some not so obvious.

Every Seven Years

All of Israel goes up to hear the Torah read aloud every seven years, in the shmitta year. Men, women, children and the sojourners in Israel. All of them will hear the instructions, so none of them can say they don’t know what is right and wrong in Elohim’s eyes.

Not a Condemnation, a Warning

It is difficult to imagine that Elohim tells the people that they will sin against Him and turn away in verse 20. When we look at the Hebrew, the sense is not so much “then” as in He knows they will turn away, but “and” as in if you do. 

This makes so much more sense. He is warning them, if you do these things, not telling them ahead of time they are going to. It would be like telling your child, “I’m going to let you go to the movie, but I know you are going to get mixed up with the wrong crowd and take drugs, and since you are going to, here’s what I’m going to do to punish you after you have taken the drugs.” What a way to set up your child for failure. Telling him up front that he is going to fail. It makes more sense in the Hebrew that Elohim tells them about the problem and says, 'if you do these things.'

Against? Maybe Not.

In verse 19 our english translation uses the phrase, “...a witness for me against the children of Israel.” In looking at the Hebrew, the phrase is actually “...a witness in the children of Israel.” The Torah is placed in the side of the aron, the ark, and the ark is in the center of the camp. It will eventually be in the center of the nation, in the temple in Jerusalem. It is literally in the children of Israel. I think the word “against” was included by translators to make the english agree with church doctrine derived from an erroneous understanding of the New Testament verse,

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” (Colossians 2:14 KJV)

We can see part of the problem if we look at the Literal Version translation.

“Blotting out the handwriting in the ordinances against us, which was contrary to us, even He has taken it out of the midst, nailing it to the cross;” (Colossians 2:14 LITV)

Notice the subtle difference between the two translations? In the KJV, the verse speaks of the “handwriting of ordinances,” referring to the ordinances themselves as being against us, and Yeshua taking it, the “handwriting of ordinances” out of the way and nailing it to the cross. This is one of the proof texts that Yeshua did away with the Torah.

But if we look at the LITV translation, we can see it is not the ordinances, but something external to the ordinances. This reads, “handwriting in the ordinances.”

We are looking at the english sentence structure here, but the translators were dealing with english sentence structure when they wrote this verse. In context, if the KJV translation was correct, the structure would dictate the last part of the verse should read “and took them out of the way, nailing them to the cross.” Handwriting of ordinances is plural; the reference to them should also be plural.

In the LITV, the reference is to the handwriting, not the ordinances, “handwriting in the ordinances.” The reference “taking it (the handwriting) out of the way makes sense. So there is something external to the ordinances. The external handwriting is the accusations against us, the charges of our violating the Torah.

Who did Messiah Triumph Over

Paul, in speaking of Messiah, said;

“And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15)

The Accuser

Now let’s consider a few things. Who accuses us? And who are the principalities and powers, (or rulers and authorities as translated in the LITV) Yeshua triumphed over?

“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” (Revelation 12:9-10)

The accuser is Satan. That’s who Messiah triumphed over.

The Principalities and Powers

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Most of you will recognize that Paul is speaking of spiritual powers and darkness, that’s why he says, “not against flesh and blood.” So going back to Colossians 2:14-15 we can see that Messiah Yeshua triumphed over Satan and spiritual dark powers.

Should we connect the Torah given by Yehovah with Satan? I would say no. 

 It is not the Torah and commandments that Paul refers to as being, “Holy, just and true”(Romans 7:12) that are nailed to the cross, but the adversary’s accusations. Paul is using a reference to the handwritten charges or accusations that are hung above a prisoner’s cell door, and over the head of a crucified criminal.

The Accusations

In Yeshua’s case, the accusation read Yeshua of Natzeret king of the Jews. That accusatory charge of a violation of the Torah is the handwriting in the ordinances that is charged against the condemned. In our case, the handwriting would contain all of the violations we have sinned against Torah.

If we accept the covenant offered to us, Yehovah will forgive us our trespasses and sins. Taking this back to Devarim 31:19, the witness of the Torah is in our midst. We have no excuse for disobedience, just as in our last portion we discussed that all of us, from the water bearer to the chiefs of the tribes, every man woman and child heard the words. In this portion, Yehovah tells Moshe to teach the people the song written in our next portion. Yet another method so none of us will be able to say we don’t know what Elohim expects.

Since Elohim instructs us clearly what not to do He is well within the bounds of justice and mercy to carry out the discipline He lays out IF we choose to turn away from Him and turn to other gods.

Back to Devarim

Again, in verse 31:20 we have the affirmative “Then they will” making it appear that Elohim is prophesying about their unavoidable falling away. But in the Hebrew, the thought is “and”;

“For when I shall have brought them into the land which I swore unto their fathers, that flows with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then (AND not THEN) they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.” (Devarim 31:20)

The Hebrew sentence construction is consistent throughout the verse, and they eat, and get fat, and turn to other gods.

Bottom line, Elohim is warning them to avoid the pitfalls and saying, don’t do these things. He isn’t setting them up for failure by telling them they are going to do them.

One-Hundred Twenty

“And he said to them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also Yehovah said to me, you shall not go over this Jordan. (Deuteronomy 31:2)

I have talked to people who look at Moshe’s age and think he was a decrepit old man who could no longer do his job. They equate his years with people today who reach close to one twenty. But perhaps we need to look more closely at what it going on here.

Devarim 34:7 says, “And Moshe was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.” So what is going on? This says he was strong and vigorous when he died. What does he mean that he can’t go out or come back in?

We know the people are preparing to cross the Jordan and take the land. We also know that Elohim has forbidden Moshe to cross the Jordan. Elohim gives instructions that Yehoshua (Joshua) is to take over the leadership of the nation and lead them across the Jordan. So Moshe has been forbidden to go out and come in because he can’t be where the people are going to be.

It is difficult enough for a new leader to take over the reins of command from a popular leader. Even more difficult if the previous leader was in charge for forty years. If Moshe remained behind while the people crossed over, there would always be a problem of who the people consulted and followed.

With Moshe’s death, Yehoshua would be the leader. There would be no turning back to Moshe for advice for the people or for Yehoshua. The people would look to Yehoshua and he would look to Yehovah.

Don’t Assume too much

We should be careful in assuming that because Elohim promised to be with Yehoshua and the people as they entered and possessed the land that He will do the same for us no matter what the endeavor. Not to say that He won’t be with you and fight your battles, just that we may err if we assume He will do so.

We also remember that Israel was to possess the land. An active taking, and dispossessing the inhabitants that were already there. One of the difficulties people face is that they ask for something and sit back and wait. But the instructions given here and elsewhere in the Torah and the TaNaKh (the Torah, Naviim (prophets), the Ketuvim (writings)) is that we are to fight for what we ask for.

Elohim will give us the victory, but just as Israel, we need to pick up our weapons and fight the good fight.

Celebrate Yehovah’s Festivals

The next few weeks I encourage you to celebrate the Day of the Atonements, and the festival of Tabernacles. I hope you had a meaningful Day of Trumpets and that you have been able to strengthen your relationship with Yehovah. Be attentive to what He will give to you this year on His appointed times, He is the consummate professional, He set these appointed times and He will be there to meet with you. The only question is, will you show up for your appointment.

Our portion today gave us background and warning as an introduction to the Song of Moshe that we will read in next week’s portion, Ha’azinu (Give ear, hearken), Devarim 32:1-52. Please come back hungry for Torah next week.

Until then, Shalom.

Nitzavim Devarim (Deuteronomy) 29:10 - 30:20

“You stand (nitzavim) this day, all of you before Yehovah your Elohim; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel, Your little ones, your wives, and the stranger that is in your camp, from the hewer of your wood unto the drawer of your water: (Devarim / Deuteronomy 29:10-11)

All of You

Torah portion Nitzavim (Standing) begins with the injunction that all of you stand before Yehovah. So that none of you who are hungry for Torah has the excuse you didn’t know, or the claim that you didn’t take part in the covenant. None were left out, and in out Torah study today we will see that none were left with an excuse.

Even the ger, the stranger in the midst of the camp. These were not travelers who happened to be near the camp and 'just in the area' the day Moshe called the assembly. These ger are the ones who were not born into the house of Israel, but who decided to live within the camp and keep the Torah laws and instructions. Even these grafted in members are included in this covenant.

Take Part in the Covenant

Why are we all gathered and included?

So each of us can enter into a two-part oath and covenant – that Yehovah will be our El. And we will be His people – with all the ramifications that both of these covenants entail.

And not only to those who stand with Moshe physically on that long-ago day, but as he says, “...and also with him that is not here with us this day” (Devarim 29:15)

Those who were standing with Moshe knew first or second-hand about all of the things Elohim had done and continued to do for them. They saw His mighty acts, they ate of the manna*, and they experienced Yehovah’s protection against their enemies, human and animal.

But what about us?

Seeing is not Prerequisite to Believing

They saw, but we who were not standing there that day, have not seen.

Yeshua said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

That’s us.

We didn’t see Yehovah’s mighty works in Egypt or in the wilderness, all we have is the record of what happened but if we believe their account of the goodness and power of Elohim, we have faith, and choose to accept Him as our El, and agree to become one of His people, then we are among those who were not standing with Moshe that day, yet these are our promises – of blessing, and of chastising curses.

Choose Wisely

This covenant and oath belongs to us. As Moshe offered the children of Israel in his day, so the offer is made to us through his record – “I set before you good and life, and death and evil, choose life.” We can choose to accept and follow Yehovah our Elohim, or choose to turn away from Him.

If you choose Him, He chooses you.

You obligate yourself to keep His commandments, ordinances, judgments and statutes. You are no longer your own, you are bought with a price.

In Egypt, the price was the firstborn of Egypt for the firstborn of Israel. A shadow of the eventual firstborn of Elohim for His firstborn – Israel – all who accept His covenant and enter into His family.

When you accept the covenant to establish Yehovah – Creator of all things, author of the Torah, Savior, Redeemer, Sustainer of all – as your Elohim, and Yeshua as your Messiah, to follow Him, to obey Him and to love Him with all your heart, soul and strength, He accepts you as a member of His family. His firstborn. You are adopted (grafted) in to Israel.

Adopted as Children

You become one of the Children of Israel and can receive all the blessings and the chastisement promised to them.

Please don’t confuse this concept with the commonly taught replacement theology doctrine; That Christians somehow replace the natural-born children of Israel, or the Jewish people, as God’s chosen people. That’s not it.

As grafted in Israelites, we don’t replace anyone. We don’t dispossess anyone. We are grafted in to the ranks of Israel. We take our place within and alongside the natural born children of Israel. We flesh out their ranks and add to their numbers. That’s one of the methods Elohim is using to make Israel’s numbers as many as the sands of the sea.

Converting to Elohim’s Torah

In the past, we have discussed that the idea of converting Jewish people to Christianity is actually turning the process on its head. Yeshua said he came only for the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” The Jewish people have the Torah and they have the covenant.

At least in part, they keep the Torah, and don’t adopt or inculcate the religious practices of other gods. All they need to do is come home to their Torah, and accept their Torah teaching, Torah keeping, Torah fulfilling Messiah, Yeshua ben Joseph.

It is Christians overall who need to be converted. They need to turn their backs on their worship of other gods and get back to the Elohim of the Hebrew Scriptures. They need to stop the abominable practices descended from child sacrifices and nature worship, and convert to the Torah’s teachings and instructions and to the feasts of Yehovah.

Moshe warns about this very problem;

“If there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turns away this day from Yehovah our Elohim, to go and serve the gods of these nations; in case there should be among you a root that bears gall and wormwood; And it is when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my heart...’” (Deuteronomy 29:19)

Once we knowingly accept Yehovah as our El, He expects us to abandon all those Torah forbidden practices. How does a new believer go about the process of eliminating all the pagan practices and worship rites and cleanse his life of sin?

The New Testament disciples discussed this very issue;

First Step

“My decision is that we don’t trouble them, which are turned to God from among the Gentiles: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time has in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day.” (Acts 15:19-21)

The disciples decided that new believers should immediately stop certain practices that were so corrupt and disgusting that they wouldn’t even allow them to fellowship with other believers unless they stopped. If new believers weren’t willing to stop doing these few things, they wouldn’t even be allowed to go to synagogue and fellowship with other followers.

Were this list composed today, in the United States of America, it might be different. Most people living in the U.S. today aren’t involved in pollutions of idols. (Notice that two of the issues are food related.)

Now go and Learn

Notice also at the end of the Acts verse, “For Moses of old time has in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day.” This wasn’t an idle afterthought. It was an instruction. The new believer was to immediately stop doing a few degrading disgusting things, then he would be allowed to attend the synagogue. Each week he would hear the week’s Torah portion, just as we study here.

As the new convert learned the content of the week’s Torah portion, he could examine his life and begin, week by week to eliminate the things in his life that were sin according to Torah. He could start keeping the commandments, judgments and ordinances he learned about that Shabbat in synagogue. It would only take the new believer from one to three years to hear the Torah from beginning to end.

It is reasonable to conclude that as the convert heard the Torah instructions, he would obey them. That’s the key – Obey.

Why would a person who wants to be in covenant with Yehovah, and become one of His children, ignore Yehovah’s instructions and go after evil? Yet some do. I have talked with people who have a 20 year walk with god, but they are unwilling to keep His commandments, out of direct rebellion.

This Commandment is not too Difficult

I repeatedly hear refrains like, “Nobody can keep all those laws...” or “It’s too hard to keep all those commandments...” But Moshe disputes this concept.

“If you will listen and obey the voice of Yehovah your Elohim, keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the Torah, and if you turn unto Yehovah your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your soul.

“For this commandment which I command you this day, it is not too difficult for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, "Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?" Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, "Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?" But the word is very near to thee, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it.” (Devarim 30:10-14)

Who will you Believe?

Who will you believe? Men, who claim the commandments are too hard to keep, or Yehovah and Moshe who say they’re not too difficult? “Let Elohim be true, but every man a liar.”

Following Moshe’s assurance that we can keep the commandments, that they are not too hard for us to keep come two of my favorite verses in all Scripture:

“See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command you this day to love Yehovah your Elohim, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that you may live and multiply: and Yehovah your Elohim shall bless you in the land you are going in to possess.” (Devarim 30:15-16)

“I call heaven and earth to witness this day that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live: That you love Yehovah your Elohim, and obey his voice, and cleave unto him: for he is your life, and the length of your days.” (Devarim 30:19-20)

Join me next week to study portion Vayeilach, Devarim 31:1-30. Please share your comments with me. Let me know if you don’t want me to share your comments with our brothers and sisters who study with us.

Until then, Choose Life. Shalom.

*Manna in Hebrew is actually Mahn, What. The first time they saw the bread from heaven laying on the ground, they exclaimed “What - is it?” “Mahn - who?” Through transliteration the two words became man-nah, and in turn manna that we use today.