Haftarah V’yeilekh
“A Restoring God”
Hosea 14:2-10; Micah 7:18-20;
Joel 2:15-27
excerpted from TorahScope Haftarah Exhortations
V’yeilekh (Deuteronomy 31:1-30) is one of the briefest Torah portions, where readers see Moses’ in the final days of his life, and the Ancient Israelites were preparing to end their desert sojourn. Moses was quite aware that crossing over the Jordan River and into the Promised Land was not for him, but rather for the generation—of those twenty and younger—which wandered in the wilderness and had been prepared by him:
“Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. He said to them, ‘I am one hundred twenty years old today. I can no more go out and come in. The LORD has said to me, “You shall not go over this Jordan”’” (Deuteronomy 31:1-2, WMB).
At this point in the illustrious life of Moses, some final words of encouragement came forth. Moses assured the people of Israel, that the Lord God would never leave or forsake them. When they entered into the Land, they were to remain strong, courageous, and be fearless before its current inhabitants:
“Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or scared of them, for the LORD your God himself is who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6, WMB).
Even though many would surely follow Moses’ admonition, the sad reality was that many Israelites in the future would turn themselves away from God. Moses was directed to compose a song, which was intended to communicate the Lord’s intention in chastising His people, when they proved themselves to be unfaithful toward Him:
“Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall come on them; so that they will say in that day, ‘Haven’t these evils come on us because our God is not among us?’ I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods. Now therefore write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel” (Deuteronomy 31:17-19, WMB; cf. 32:1-43).
There is something very beneficial about the ability to memorize songs with key lyrics and melodies. The Bible is replete with songs, hymns, and creedal formulas, which communicate important messages about our Heavenly Father and His plan for the ages. The poem Moses communicated in Deuteronomy 32, is a place where Bible readers and interpreters, frequently turn for teaching about the heritage and destiny of Israel. It is surely a passage which has generated much discussion among today’s Messianic Believers!
V’yeilekh actually includes three separate passages for its Haftarah: from Hosea, Micah, and Joel. Providentially I think, the Hosea and Micah readings are closely similar to Moses’ final words. Even though the Deuteronomy 32 song Moses composed spoke of judgment, God did promise restitution and restoration for His people (Deuteronomy 32:36-43), and He will deliver them from their exile and banishment. This is also a major theme of the Prophets, which we can be considering this week from several distinct witnesses.
The Prophet Hosea declared that the Lord will heal Israel’s stumbling and apostasy, He will love them freely, and He will turn His anger away from them. The key to receiving the Almighty’s blessings, is to simply understand Him and walk in His ways. This surely requires His people to allow themselves to be submissive to His words, and allow His words to convict their hearts toward repentance:
“Israel, return to the LORD your God; for you have fallen because of your sin. Take words with you, and return to the LORD. Tell him, ‘Forgive all our sins, and accept that which is good; so we offer bulls as we vowed of our lips. Assyria can’t save us. We won’t ride on horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, “Our gods!” for in you the fatherless finds mercy.’ I will heal their waywardness. I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from them. I will be like the dew to Israel. He will blossom like the lily, and send down his roots like Lebanon. His branches will spread, and his beauty will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon. Men will dwell in his shade. They will revive like the grain, and blossom like the vine. Their fragrance will be like the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim, what have I to do any more with idols? I answer, and will take care of him. I am like a green cypress tree; from me your fruit is found.’ Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Who is prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them” (Hosea 14:1-9, WMB).
The Prophet Micah’s message is an encouraging reminder how the Lord does not retain His anger forever. The Lord promised to have compassion on His people, demonstrating unconditional love, and casting all of their sin into the depths of the sea:
“Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness. He will again have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. You will give truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old” (Micah 7:18-20, WMB).
The third part of Haftarah V’yeilekh is a long selection from Joel 2. This also attests of God’s love for His people, despite their wondering ways. The Lord will fulfill His responsibilities to His chosen people Israel, despite their widescale lack of allegiance. After being brought back from being the reproach among the nations, God will restore what the locusts have eaten and His people will not suffer shame again:
“Blow the shofar in Zion! Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly. Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts. Let the bridegroom go out of his room, and the bride out of her chamber. Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, ‘Spare your people, LORD, and don’t give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, “Where is their God?”’ Then the LORD was jealous for his land, and had pity on his people. The LORD answered his people, ‘Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied with them; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations. But I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise.’ Surely he has done great things. Land, don’t be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things. Don’t be afraid, you animals of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness spring up, for the tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yield their strength. Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD, your God; for he gives you the early rain in just measure, and he causes the rain to come down for you, the early rain and the latter rain, as before. The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, my great army, which I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied, and will praise the name of the LORD, your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and my people will never again be disappointed. You will know that I am among Israel, and that I am the LORD, your God, and there is no one else; and my people will never again be disappointed. It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions’” (Joel 2:15-28, WMB).
Today, whether we are Jewish Believers who have finally come to know the Messiah Yeshua, or non-Jewish Believers who have tangibly embraced our faith heritage in Israel’s Scriptures—we should take encouragement from knowing that Israel will be restored by the supernatural hand of our Creator! Like Moses and the Prophets attested: it is just a matter of time. Even if we might get frustrated when various individual voices deter or complicate the process of restoration, the Kingdom’s restoration is a work of God and not of limited mortals! While each of us should make sure that we have appropriated the salvation available in the Messiah as individuals, it is only the King of Kings who can restore us corporately to Himself.
