Reflection for Ha’azinu
“A Final Poetic Word”
Romans 10:14-21; 12:14-21
Hebrews 12:28-29
excerpted from TorahScope Apostolic Scriptures Reflections
The beautiful aspect of poetry, is that one can impart a multitude of subtle and not so subtle meanings, in a mellifluous and rather thought provoking way. In the second to last Torah reading, Ha’azinu (Deuteronomy 32:1-52), Moses waxed eloquent and left the people of Israel with some profound words, which can be readily committed to memory. When the tough times come as prophesied, those who have put these words into their hearts and minds, can reflect upon them and gain a degree of encouragement, knowing that God’s plan for the ages is at work.
Deuteronomy chs. 32-33 include the final recorded words of Moses, and can, in essence, be considered a summary which epitomizes the essentials he wanted to leave with the Israelites. In the final segment of Ha’azinu, it is noted how the Lord made a final statement about Moses’ duty to die on Mount Nebo, and only peer from a distance the beautiful Promised Land he so desired to enter (Deuteronomy 32:48-52). The Almighty could not allow His faithful servant Moses to enter into Canaan, because of the disobedience he showed at Meribah-kadesh (Numbers 20:12; 27:14). This is a stern reminder to readers throughout the ages, that no matter how useful one might have been in the work of God’s Kingdom, everyone may reap what has been sown. You might not be excluded from the joys of an eternity with the Lord, but you may be excluded from some rather substantial material or Earthly rewards.
After forty years of sojourning in the desert from Egypt to the plains of Moab, Moses certainly knew the human flock he was given to tend and lead. As he was given a peek into the future, some of his poem (Deuteronomy 32:1-43) centered on the inherent tendency for the people to wander away from the Lord. At a critical juncture in the message, he summed up not only how many would fall away, but also part of how the Lord would deal with Israel’s infidelity:
“Of the Rock who became your father, you are unmindful, and have forgotten God who gave you birth. The LORD saw and abhorred, because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters. 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. They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God. 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. 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” (Deuteronomy 32:18-22, WMB).
The Apostle Paul made a reference to Deuteronomy 32:21, in his letter to the Romans, as he described the First Century Jewish predicament of how many of his own people were rejecting the Messiah. In combining some insightful statements from the Prophet Isaiah, there is little doubt that Moses’ message in Deuteronomy 32, combined with the realities of what Isaiah foresaw, were clearly in the mind of Paul. He exhorted the Romans to believe and embrace the good report that the Messiah Yeshua was slain for their sin, and to live by faith:
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a proclaimer? And how will they proclaim unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things! [Isaiah 52:7; Nahum 1:15]’ But they didn’t all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our report [Isaiah 53:1]?’ So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, didn’t they hear? Yes, most certainly, ‘Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world’ [Psalm 19:4]. But I ask, didn’t Israel know? First Moses says, ‘I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation. I will make you angry with a nation void of understanding’ [Deuteronomy 32:21]. Isaiah is very bold and says, ‘I was found by those who didn’t seek me. I was revealed to those who didn’t ask for me’ [Isaiah 65:1]. But about Israel he says, ‘All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people’ [Isaiah 65:2]” (Romans 10:14-21, WMB).
With the benefit of knowing the Scriptural and historical record of Ancient Israel, from the time of Moses to the era of Isaiah to the First Century C.E.—almost a millennia and a half—Paul understood that the patterns of disobedience were not fixed, but actually passed down through the generations. Yet, just as we see Moses give Ancient Israel some hope in Deuteronomy 32, Paul told the Romans numerous times in his letter of the faithfulness of the Almighty toward His people. It was not God’s fault that His people must be judged, but rather their blatant disobedience and faithlessness toward Him which required punishment. Sadly, these patterns still persist in much of the Body of Messiah down to today, despite the fact that we live in a New Covenant era (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:25-27) where God’s Spirit is to supernaturally inscribe His Torah onto human hearts. Unfortunately, many are still obstinate and do not desire to obey Him.
Another beneficial principle, which is witnessed in Moses’ poem, is the concept that vengeance is something exclusively to be distributed by the Lord—and is something His human servants are ultimately not responsible for! God is the impartial and fair Judge; we are not. In describing how the Holy One would deal with the enemies of Israel, there is a strong reminder that He will take vengeance upon those who follow entities other than He:
“For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves concede. For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, of the fields of Gomorrah. Their grapes are poison grapes. Their clusters are bitter. Their wine is the poison of serpents, the cruel venom of asps. ‘Isn’t this laid up in store with me, sealed up among my treasures? 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’” (Deuteronomy 32:31-35, WMB).
The principle that the Lord is the One who will take vengeance, is an eternal truth. Writing to the Romans, Paul highlighted various aspects of how Messiah followers are to demonstrate their good character to the world, perhaps clarifying how Yeshua requires them to love their enemies (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27, 35). Believers are to recognize how it is God’s job to ultimately issue retribution for wrongs done, and it is their responsibility to demonstrate His goodness to enemies, with the hope that they might turn in repentance:
“Bless those who persecute you; bless, and don’t curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in your own conceits. Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men. Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, ‘Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay [Leviticus 19:18], says the Lord.’ Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head’ [Proverbs 25:21-22]. Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:14-21, WMB).
These are some words which really do need to be embraced by all of our hearts, and applied when it comes to not only dealing with one’s enemies, but also relatives, friends, acquaintances, competitors, rivals, and all who one may come into contact with in the marketplace of life. Circumstances being what they are, we will each be severely wronged at one point or another, but we have to learn to restrain any anger or consternation we may feel, and turn it over to our Heavenly Father. Given the challenges and vagaries of life, we need to be reminded of the great awesomeness of God and how His Kingdom cannot be shaken, as He is an Eternal Creator:
“Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let’s have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29, WMB).
Let us never forget that the Father has a plan and it is being executed perfectly, despite our limited inability as mortals to understand all of the intricacies. All of us should certainly recognize that His thoughts and ways are higher than ours:
“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth, and makes it grow and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so is my word that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me void, but it will accomplish that which I please, and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do’” (Isaiah 55:8-11, WMB).
As we reflect on the words of Moses this week, and even Paul’s own thoughts on them, may we all stand confident that the Lord’s will shall be done! Turn all of your cares and burdens over to Him, and feel great peace as you release the situations and circumstances over to Him—for which He alone has ultimate control.
