We have seen the LORD tell us to ra'a see, which means not only to see naturally, but to see and perceive spiritually, to have revelation, to perceive, to have a vision, to foresee, to be a seer. It is a powerful and wondrous thing to ra'a see and perceive the spiritual realm as the LORD desires to show us. Many times the scriptures will say, "Lift up your eyes and (ra'a) see...". This Sabbath reading portion is titled Ha'azinu, which means "to give ear to" or "to listen." We see this title used in the first reading portion of this Sabbath in the Song of Moses, Deuteronomy 32:1: "Give ear ('azan - give ear, listen, hear, hearken, perceived by the ear, be obedient, to hear in the same way that God hears and listens to prayers) O heavens, and I will speak; and hear (sama - hear, hearken, obey, understand, discern, perceive, publish, declare, to listen to and consent to and agree with, to yield to), O earth, the words of my mouth."
This kind of 'azan and sama hearing and ra'a seeing is to hear and see/perceive as God hears and sees. From the beginning, Adam identified the presence of the LORD in the Garden of Eden by hearing (see sama above) His voice. (see Gen. 3:8-10 KJV). All creation still hears the voice of the LORD in this manner (see Ps. 29:3-11) except for man, who in his rejection of God, becomes one who is as the LORD spoke to Isaiah: "Go and tell this people: 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return (shub(v) - return, repent, restore, recover, refresh, repair, be brought back) and be healed." (Isa. 6:9-10). Are we able to "see" from this Word to Isaiah, that during this time when the LORD has set aside the fall feast season and the Day of Atonement for repentance and return to Him, that unless we have eyes that "see", ears that "hear", and hearts that "understand" as the LORD sees, hears and understands, return and restoration to the LORD is not possible? Repentance and all of the healing that comes with it is not a religious term and obligation, as some treat it, but a time to find the ears, eyes and heart of God that the LORD put within us when He created us. It is the time to seek and find the Person who is the Atonement of God, His Son sacrificed for us, and His blood that covers and cleanses sin poured out for us, Jesus Messiah/Christ. Are we truly perceiving Him in the Day of Atonement? We will see more about this later.
Moses was addressing both heaven and earth in his Song, and commanded that they listen to his words. The following was his declaration (see sama above) to those elements: "Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, as raindrops on the tender herb, and as showers on the grass. 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." (v. 2-4).
The words of Moses' Song are to touch and cover every part of the creation like rain and dew descend and cover, and that creation is to hear, perceive, understand and obey them. These words will be imprinted on the creation. They are indelible: making marks that cannot be removed nor forgotten, enduring eternally.
This Ha'azinu, "give ear", Sabbath also falls between Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. On the Day of Atonement, we humble ourselves and repent before the LORD because we understand the cost of the blood of sacrifice that was needed to cover our sins. A life was given on our behalf. However, the Atonement is not just a day, but the prophetic promise of a Person, the Son of God, Jesus Messiah/Christ who is our Atonement as prophesied by Isa. 53:5, declared (see sama above) by Jesus to His disciples, saying: "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Mt. 26:28) and foundationally set by the apostles. (see Rom. 3:23-26, 1 Pet. 2:24-25, 1 Jn. 2:1-2). This same provision of covering also has a special place during these latter days before the return of Messiah/Christ, as Moses will show us.
The Feast of Tabernacles contains the joyful promise (Ex. 25:8-9, Lev. 26:11-12, Ezek. 37:24-28) and fulfilment of a place prepared for us with God and Christ (see Jn. 1:14, Jn. 14:1-6, 1 Cor. 3:16-17), and the dwelling of God among us. (see Rev. 21:1-6).
As we continue with the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32, the prophetic declaration that began with exalted praise of the LORD to the heavens and the earth, now turns to great heaviness. The Song contains a warning to Israel, and also to all of us, about their/our continual rejection of the LORD who had delivered them from Egypt and exalted and blessed them mightily in their own land, including providing them with "the pure (hemer/hamar - pure, red wine/seal up, cover or seal with pitch [see Gen. 6:14 - kapar: atonement] blood (note: the sprinkling of the blood is for the atonement for sin) of the grape.". (v. 10-14 KJV). Part of the provision that the LORD had given to Israel was the revelation of the atoning blood, as we see above)
Moses' Song cried out that if only God's specially chosen and sanctified people would understand and consider their latter end. (v. 28-29). Their latter end will contain tribulation that we also see in the Book of Revelation: disasters heaped upon them, being wasted with hunger, devoured by pestilence, the teeth of beasts, the poison (hema - venom, rage, anger, wrath) of serpents (zahal - crawl into the earth to hide, fear), the destroying sword, and terror within. (v. 23-25, see also Rev. 6:1-8).
Because of the crookedness and lack of faith found within His people, Moses sings this prophecy of the LORD: "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." (v. 22). A fire that burns the whole earth all the way down to its foundations will be released. Ezekiel later prophesied of judgment fire. (Ezek. 19:10-14, 20:45-48). Malachi prophesied of the Refiner's fire coming to purify Israel. (Mal. 3:2-3). The Book of Revelation prophesies destroying fires (Rev. 8:7-11), and the apostle Peter wrote of a melting fire (2 Pet. 3:10-13).
We have been given the living blood atonement kapar covering to keep us from flood and fire judgment. However, Moses sang that Israel preferred to save themselves by their own strength and gods. These things will fail to save them. The Song turns again at this point: "For the LORD will judge His people and have compassion on His servants, when He sees that their power (yod - hand, power, strength, direction, force) is gone ('azal - gone, fail, spent, used up, evaporated, exhausted, go to and fro, disappear), and there is no one remaining, bond or free....Rejoice, O Gentiles/nations, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, and render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide mercy/atonement (kapar - atonement, purge, reconciliation, forgive, cleansed, merciful, pardon, atone for sin, make atonement for, cover over with pitch, be covered over, overspread) for His land and His people." (v. 36, 43).
When Israel has exhausted all other ways to save itself, the LORD will have mercy and show them the way back to His (kapar) atonement provision. We see today that nations, including Israel, are relying on their military strength or the strength of their alliances with other nations, to provide them with safety in this dangerous time. We see millions of people running "to and fro" to other nations in order to escape the famine, pestilence, warfare, poverty, persecution and misery in their own countries. The LORD will remove these false safety nets in order to provide for His people, as He promised the forefathers: the true and living safety net that saves them out of all their troubles. (see Ps. 34:4-7, 18-20). Moses, who loved and interceded before God on behalf of the children of Israel, spoke in the 'ozen/'azan hearing ears of Joshua and all of the congregation that they should learn the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) words of his Song and teach their (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) children so that the prophetic warning therein and the kapar Atonement deliverance provided would be perceived with eyes that ra'a see, ears that sama hear and hearts that understand.
As Moses prophesied, this will be a terrible time for Israel and the world in these latter days. Jesus described these times: "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days be shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened." (Mt. 24:21-22). I know that this is a difficult message, however, we need to understand the Atonement provision of God, which Moses spoke of to the children of Israel in his Song, in the deepest way - with eyes that see, ears that hear, and hearts that understand. Israel needs to understand Atonement in its truest sense. This is something that goes beyond a day of fasting. The Atonement is God Himself in the flesh, offering Himself and His covering blood for our sakes. Jesus said: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!" (Mt. 23:37-39, see also Ps. 91). Jesus, as our living Atonement, felt the strong purpose and desire to cover.
Moses was not alone in this warning message. From other selections in this Ha'azinu, "Give Ear," Sabbath reading, Psalm 78 is included. It begins: "Give ear ('azan - see above), O my people...incline your ears ('ozen - see above)...we have heard (sama - see above) and known (yada - know, understand, consider, acknowledge, declare, teach, perceive, discern, to know by experience, confess, be revealed)..." (Ps. 78:1-3). The Psalmist wrote that they would not hide this revelation knowledge from their children, even children yet to be born, "That they may set their hope in God..." (v. 7). The Psalmist recounts all of the times that Israel rebelled against the LORD who provided so miraculously for them in the wilderness. Although they were not faithful to Him: "...He being full of compassion, forgave (kapar - atonement, purge, reconciliation, cleansed, pardon, merciful, to cover over, atone for sin, be covered over, to overspread) their iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath. (v. 38). Again, the kapar Atonement that covers came to the rescue, saving them from God's destruction! The Psalmist then points to David, from the tribe of Judah, the place of Mt. Zion, who came for the purpose of shepherding Jacob (Israel), God's people: "So he (David) shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands." (v. 68-72, excerpt). David also represents the house from which the Messiah/Christ Jesus would later come, who was also called "the Son of David."
The prophet Joel wrote of a people who come against Israel as being "great and strong, the like of whom has never been; Nor will ever be any such after them, even for many successive generations. A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns...surely nothing shall escape them. Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; and like swift steeds, so they run...like the noise of a flaming fire that devours stubble, like a strong people set in battle array. Before them the people writhe in pain; all faces are drained of color...They (the strong people who look like horses) climb into the houses, they enter at the windows like a thief." (Joel 2:2-9, excerpt). This "army" has an appearance as horses. Revelation refers to the four horsemen of the apocalypse, describing the horses they rode and the death that they brought in different forms, but they could not touch the oil (the anointing, Messiah/Christ) and the wine (the blood). (Rev. 6:1-8). These carriers of death cannot touch the blood of the anointing.
How should Israel be saved? Shall it use its wealth to assemble for itself the world's greatest army? Shall it align itself with, and depend upon the power of the world's strongest nation? Neither of these things will provide the kapar Atonement covering they will need. The LORD will arrange events so that they will have to find that true kapar covering that cannot be killed or destroyed because He promised that He would provide it for them.
The Law of Moses commands that the Day of Atonement was to be observed as a sabbath wherein God's people "afflict your souls." (Lev. 23:26-32). Those who do not do so will be cut off from his people - perhaps because there is no covering? What does it mean to afflict one's soul? It is often interpreted in part as fasting. However, we need to look more deeply. The soul is the seat of the emotions, the thoughts of the mind, and the will, the desire for self-determination. Joel gives us this look into Atonement: Now, therefore,' says the LORD, 'Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.' So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm." (Joel 2:12-13).
Tear down the useless things that we have built within our own souls. Tear open our hearts, and ask the LORD to rebuild and restore those things that He created in our souls when He breathed His own breath into us: eyes that see, ears that hear, and a heart that understands so that we may perceive our Atonement, Messiah/Christ Jesus, and receive Him.
If you would like to learn more about the Atonement covering of the LORD, you can join me in my prayer: "Blessed LORD over all the earth, "God of Israel" is one of Your names in scripture. You have promised with Your own life and blood to cover, and save all of Israel, and all who believe Your Son, Jesus. Help me to search my own heart, to rend it so that You may restore, renew and rebuild my heart that I may walk in understanding. Heal my eyes, as Jesus did with the blind, so that I may "see." Heal my ears, as Jesus did with the deaf, so I may "hear." I pray this same mercy for all of Israel and the descendants of Abraham, including his descendants by faith, for we have inherited Your promises through our Atonement, Jesus. I trust in You, LORD, and I will declare it to future generations. I ask these things in the name of Jesus. AMEN."
*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.
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