Prophet

An amazing thing about the Word of God to me is that it proves itself to be true in many ways. Scripture does not rely on man to prove its truth, but it proves itself to be true. One of the ways that it does this is through prophecy, and its fulfillment in such a specific manner that we are left with no doubt that it was the Lord Himself who fulfilled His Word. Some of the prophecies in scripture are fulfilled within hours (Dan. 5:22-30), some within months (Lk. 1:26-38), some within years (Jer. 25:11-13), some within hundreds of years (Gen. 15:13-14), and even thousands of years (Dan. 9:26-27, Ezek. 38 and 39, Joel 3:12-21), but they have been, or will be fulfilled as written. God has prophesied the appearance of the Savior, His death, and His resurrection hundreds and even thousands of years before the events took place (Gen. 3:14-15, Isa. 53, Ps. 22, Hos. 6:2, Hos. 13:14). In the same way, the scriptures prophesy the return again of the Messiah, Jesus, (Ezek. 34:22-24, Ezek. 37:12, 23-28, Mt. 24:44, Acts 1:9-11, Rev. 19:11-16, Rev. 22:13-14). There are prophecies in the scriptures that deal with the events that will take place in what is referred to as "the last days, the end times, the latter days", which we associate with the events up to and including the Lord's return, especially as Jesus identified them in Mt. 24 and Lk. 21. God does nothing without telling His prophets (Amos 3:6-8). The LORD described the role of a prophet to Jeremiah this way: "...Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant." (Jer. 1:9-10). Often when we think of the great prophets of scripture, we fail to include Moses in that category, but Moses was indeed a great prophet of God. All that he brought forth to the Israelites was at the command of God saying: "Speak to the children of Israel, saying...". God showed Moses what to say and do, and Moses brought this to the people of God. In one of his final actions, Moses prophesied in a song regarding "the latter days" (see Deut. 31:29-30). He began to sing the prophecy to the heavens and the earth, saying to them "Give ear" and ""hear" (Deut. 32:1). The title of this sabbath's reading is Ha'azinu, meaning "LISTEN". The prophetic words of Moses' song were establishing in the heavens and in earth the events of the latter days. It is believed by many that because we are now seeing many of the signs prophesied in scripture, that we are indeed living in "the latter days" before the return of Christ and His reign on earth. Therefore, this prophecy of Moses in Deut. 32 is important for us to know. Moses used five different forms of the word "to say" in the first three verses of his song. Moses compared the spoken words of his song to the role of rain and dew upon the grass. Like Jeremiah, with his words, Moses will tear something down, and build something up through prophecy. First Moses declared to the heavens and the earth the character and greatness of God: "For I proclaim the name of the LORD: Ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He." (Deut. 32:3-4). Because of this beginning statement by Moses to the heavens and the earth, we go into this prophecy knowing that what follows in Moses' song will be part of the perfect, true, just, and righteous work of God. Knowing this keeps us in hope and assurance through all that may come. Moses sang that the LORD's only portion is His people. The only place of His inheritance is wherever "Jacob" is (v. 9, see also Ezek. 37:26-28, Rev. 21:3-4). The King and Creator of all that exists claims no inheritance for Himself except for His beloved people. However, sadly, as his prophetic song regarding the latter days continued, Moses described the people of God as corrupt, blemished, crooked and perverse, foolish and unwise. This occurred even though the LORD had made His people to "ride in the heights of the earth", and supplied them with every provision of wealth: honey, oil, cattle, milk and curds, the fat of lambs, rams, and goats, the choicest wheat, and gave them wine from the blood of grapes to drink (v. 13-14). Then for the first time in scripture, here in Moses' song, God's people are called "Jeshurun". Jeshurun means "upright one", and is used to describe Israel's ideal character. It is a tender and loving name given by God to His people. However, in the latter days, something has happened to Jeshurun. They have treated the bountiful provision and wealth that God has provided to them as something to consume on themselves. As a result: "Jeshurun grew fat and kicked (ba'at - trample down, despise, condemn, neglect); you grew fat, you grew thick, you are obese! Then he forsook God who made him, and scornfully esteemed the Rock of His salvation." (v. 15). It is true that we have become plagued with physical obesity today, but I think this is also about a spiritual fatness or obesity, that takes the blessing and provision of God to serve ourselves, making it more important than the Person of God, Who made us, and from Whom the bounty comes, including our salvation. We become addicted to the bounty, having an unending craving for it that can never be satisfied. Jesus described a man who had accumulated crops and goods. His sole plan and focus was to build a bigger storehouse so that he could add to his accumulation. Unfortunately for him, he did not know that he would die that very night, and his accumulations would mean nothing compared to his soul which was then required by God. It is called the Parable of the Rich Fool (see Lk. 12:15-21). Moses was prophesying in his song that this would be a temptation and a serious problem for the people of God in the latter days. Several other latter day prophecies in scripture also refer to a covetous control of wealth and luxuries (see Rev. 17:4, Rev. 18:9, 11-19). We are seeing today a fragile economic condition created by unparalleled amounts of nationsl debts across the world, inflation, and currency devaluations that could lead to severe problems for the world economy, with the U.N. issuing warnings to national banks regarding the steps they are taking to alleviate the crisis. Meanwhile, accumulation and consumption are still increasing. We can take the prophetic song of Moses as a reminder to stay close to God, rather than the economic systems of the world, which will not save us nor provide for us. Moses' prophetic song was also warning of spiritual consequences to Jeshurun: "They provoked Him (God) to jealousy with foreign gods; with abominations they provoked Him to anger. They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they did not know, to new gods, new arrivals that your fathers did not fear." (v. 16-17). In the latter days, according to Moses, we will be facing the works of demons and gods that we have not seen before, and are unknown to us. The Book of Revelation speaks of demonic creatures that are released in the latter days before Christ's return, and it's not a pretty picture (Rev. 9:1-6, Rev. 16:13-16). Daniel also prophesied of a king, whom many believe is the antichrist, who will make war against the House, the people, and Holy Covenant of God. This king has a god that is unknown to his fathers, whom he honors with "gold, silver, with precious stones and pleasant things." (Dan. 11:28, 31, 36-38). Meanwhile, Moses' prophetic song of the latter days continued: "For they are a nation void of counsel, nor is there any understanding in them....For their vine is of the vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah...Their wine is the poison of serpents, and the cruel venom of cobras." (v. 32-33). The spiritual wine that they drink will contain their own destruction (see Rev. 16:19, Rev. 18:1-3), which is the same destruction as Sodom and Gomorrah (see Rev. 18:8-10). Moses was prophesying this concerning Jeshurun, God's people, His portion, His place of inheritance. God said regarding them: "I will hide My face from them...for they are a perverse generation, children in whom is no faith (see Lk. 18:7-8)....For a fire is kindled in My anger, and shall burn to the lowest hell; it shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains." (Deut. 32:20-22). In scripture, there is a judgment of destruction by fire before the new heavens and a new earth are brought forth (2 Peter 3:7-13). This prophetic song of Moses is a foundational prophecy that would be confirmed in future prophetic visions and words in scripture, as we have seen. This prophetic song sets a great challenge for Jeshurun, the people, the inheritance, of God in the latter days. However, as this prophetic song began with the declaration of God's perfect work, truth, justice, and righteousness, it ends with the LORD saying: "Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; nor is there any who can deliver from My hand...Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people." (v. 39, 43). Moses saw prophetically the nations or Gentiles who will serve God. If we look up the Hebrew word that is translated as nations or Gentiles, we find the following words and roots: goy/geva/gev/ga'a/gab. These Hebrew words have the meanings "among, body, to be lifted up, raised up, gloriously risen, be exalted in triumph, increase, eminent place". As we can see, the identity of those who were added to God's inheritance came to Him through the triumph of Jesus Christ. This reading takes place on the sabbath that follows the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, and Moses was showing us in his song another fulfillment of Christ's atonement, which brings repentance, forgiveness and cleansing of sins, and reconciliation with God that will restore His people in the latter days. If you would like to know more about the latter days, and the atonement provision from God, you can pray with me: "Dear Father, You have prepared Your people, Your inheritance, for the latter days through the words of Your prophets. You have provided Your eternal atonement to Your people through the blood of Your Son, Jesus. to keep and save me, even in perilous times. Forgive me, LORD, for my sins, especially when I have grown fat on Your blessings, but have forgotten You. Reconcile me back to You, my only Rock of salvation. Fill me with Your Spirit who teaches me to walk in Your wisdom and counsel. I am thankful for Your Word, and the warnings and teachings of Your prophets. I ask these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."