GiveEar

      

Words like rain...

     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. We can say also that the Word became a flowing liquid that covers.

     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. 

AncientWays

      This Sabbath's reading portion is titled Ha'azinu, meaning "Listen." This Sabbath comes during the Ten Days of Awe between The Feast of Trumpets, Yom Teruah: literally "The Day of Blasts", and the Feast of Atonement, Yom Kippur (kapar - atonement, purge, reconciliation, forgive, pacify, appease, merciful, cleansed, pardon, cover over, expiate/cancel, overspread, obtain forgiveness). This reading portion starts in Deuteronomy 32, which is The Song of Moses. In this song, Moses begins by telling the heavens and the earth that the words he is singing have great importance, knowledge and understanding to bring to us: "Give ear (azan - to hear, listen, be obedient, broaden out the ear with the hand, prick up the ears), O heavens, and I will speak; And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. Let my teaching (leqah/laqah - teaching, insight, doctrine, teaching-power/take, seize, fetch, lay hold of, buy, take in marriage, carry off, flash of lightning) drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew...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. 32:1-4).

     As Moses sings his words to "the heavens", it is the Hebrew word samayin, which means not only the abode of God, but also "the visible in which the clouds move and the higher ether where celestial bodies revolve, the firmament which seems to spread out like a vault [an arch that supports a roof or ceiling] over the globe as supported on foundations and columns, a place from where the rain is let down as through doors or floodgates." So not only does samayim heaven refer to the invisible realm of God, but also to the atmosphere and space that vaults the earth. We know that the rebellious spirits of wickedness inhabit this atmosphere, this vault of heaven, as Satan is called "the prince of the power of the air (aer - the air, the atmospheric region)", (Eph. 2:1-3). Paul also wrote about "spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (epouranios/ouranos - the abode of God and His angels; lower heavens of the stars, heavens of the clouds/the vaulted expanse of the sky)." (Eph. 6:10-12). 

     Moses sings about beloved Jeshurun ("upright one", a poetic term for Israel): "...he forsook God who made him, and scornfully esteemed (see Isa. 53:1-6) the Rock of his salvation. They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods; with abominations they provoked Him to anger. They sacrificed to demons (sed/sud - demon, to rule, rulers/ruin, destroy, spoil, devastate, waste, strong, powerful, to act with violence, to rule, to master), not to God, to gods they did not know, to new gods, new arrivals (qarob/qarab - from near, from the vicinity, of relationship and affinity, intimate acquaintance, within a short space/come near, approach, draw near, bring near) that your fathers did not fear (sa'ar - to feel a sacred awe). Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, and have forgotten the God who fathered you." (Deut. 32:15-18). His own people chose to worship other gods, which were nothing less than demons, fallen angels.

     There is a generation that has corrupted themselves within their surroundings, nearby as the above scripture states, within the ways of the times and places, within their neglect and forgetfulness towards God and their Rock of salvation and their worship of the demon rulers and powers that are surrounding, rather than the worship of God: They have corrupted themselves; They are not His children, because of their blemish (me'um - blemish, spot, defect, moral stain): a perverse ('iqqes/aqas - distorted, false, crooked, perverted, perverse of mind and fraudulent of speech/to knot or distort, making the straight way crooked) and crooked generation...they are a perverse generation, children in whom is no faith" Moses said (Deut. 32:5, 20). The LORD lovingly named His people Jeshurun, the straight and upright ones, but they have allowed themselves to become twisted and crooked.

     The apostle Paul wrote to the church: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Rom. 12:1-2). The world of "here, now and nearby" seeps into us and corrupts us, and, as Moses said above, removes our faith from us. We are no longer recognizable as children of God. Jesus said of His disciples that they were in the world, but not of the world (Jn. 17:11, 14-17). We are also in this world but are not to become of this world.

      Moses in his song, calls Jeshurun to remember: "Remember the days (yom - day as defined by the warm, hot hours, time, chronicles, year, always, season) of old (olam/alam - ever, everlasting, perpetual, evermore, always, antiquity, ancient, continuous existence, unending future, eternity/to conceal, to hide, secret, veiled from sight), consider the years of many generations. Ask your father (ab - founder of a household, group, family; originator, generator, first ancestor), and he will show you; your elders (zaqen - ancient man, eldest, aged, ancient, old man), and they will tell you..." (v. 7).

     The people of God had/have become so corrupted by "the here, now and nearby" that they can no longer be called the children of the perfect, righteous God of truth, uprightness, and justice, because in their blemishes and imperfections they no longer bear a resemblance to Him. "They are not His children" is a very sad condition. The LORD wants to bring them beyond the "here, now and nearby" that corrupted them and have them consider and remember "the days of old", the eternal and everlasting things, the things that are generally concealed from man, but the knowledge of the ancient truths can be found within their heritage in Him. In the "here, now and nearby", man tends to think that the world is ruled by the will of man, however, there are ancient and everlasting foundational spiritual truths upon which all creation, including man, began and continues. The LORD spoke about these ancient ways: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old (olam/alam - ever, everlasting, perpetual, evermore, always, antiquity, ancient, continuous existence, unending future, eternity/to conceal, to hide, secret, veiled from sight) paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not listen." (Jer. 6:16-17). During these present fall feasts, the trumpets or shofars are blown, calling for God's people to repent and return to Him.

     Not only does the LORD want His people to return to these ancient paths that lead to Him, but it is our ordained purpose to restore those ancient paths that have been forgotten, neglected and destroyed: "Those from among you shall build the old (olam - see above) waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In." (Isa. 58:12). It is interesting that this chapter of Isaiah begins with: "Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." (v. 1). We may mistakenly think that we have nothing to repent for, that repentance is only for the unbeliever, but by believing so, we miss an opportunity to see the resulting restoration of eternal truths through us for the whole world. The whole creation groans for the manifestation of the sons/children of God (Rom. 8:20-22) who, through Jesus Christ, resemble their Father in truth, perfection, righteousness and justice, as Moses said. This is part of God's call for His people to return to Him, especially during this time of repentance and return (shuvah) during the fall feasts.

     During this shuvah return time of the fall feasts, part of this Sabbath reading portion is from the prophet, Micah: "He (God) does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy/lovingkindness. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will give truth to Jacob and mercy to Abraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old (qedem/qadam - old, ancient, before, aforetime, eternal, antiquity, Mount of the East, earliest time, beginning, that which is before/go before, go in front, beforehand, precede)." (Micah 7:18-20).

     Another reading portion from this Ha'azinu, "Listen", Sabbath is from the prophet, Hosea, calling the LORD's people to return to Him: "O Israel, return (shuv- return unto, come back, go back, restore, refresh, renew) to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity; Take words with you and return (shuv - see above) to the LORD. Say to Him, 'Take away all iniquity; Receive us graciously, for we will offer the sacrifices of our lips." (Hos. 14:1-2).  The LORD says in response: "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away from him...Those who dwell under His shadow shall return (shuv - see above); They shall be revived like grain (dagan/daga - wheat, corn, grain, increase, multiply, used for bread/multiply, increase, become numerous, to cover, covering over everything, great multitude), and grow like a vine..." (v. 7).

     In the meaning of the word, return (shuv), there is also the meaning of restore, refresh, renew as we see above. We saw this same truth in the verses from Isaiah 58 above. Hosea calls it "revived". So many want to see revival. So many are praying to see all men know the LORD and His salvation through Christ. The seeds of it can be found in the shuv return to the LORD by His people.

     The LORD said, "Return to Me and I will return to you." (see Mal. 3:7, Zech. 1:3, Neh. 1:7-9).

     As His people return to Him, the LORD promises: "I will be like the dew (tal/talal - night mist, to cover with a roof, distilled from heaven [see Deut. 32:2, above] to Israel; He shall grow like the lily (susan/sus - whiteness, trumpet-shaped/exult, rejoice, leap with joy), and lengthen his roots (seres - roots indicating permanence, footholds, flourishing in prosperity) like Lebanon (meaning whiteness, purified, make white). His branches shall spread; His beauty (hod - glory, beauty, majesty, honor, splendor, goodly) shall be like an olive tree (zayit - be bright, fresh, luxuriant, oil as clear and brilliant), and his fragrance (reah - pleasant scent, fragrance, perceive, breath, to blow) like Lebanon." (Mic. 14:5-6).

     If you would like to experience repentance and the restoration of the LORD, you can join me in my prayer: "Lord, I come to You in repentance. I desire to return to You, to the place of My salvation, restoration and renewal. Remove the spiritual blemishes from me. I turn away from the thoughts and ways of the world and turn to You, my Creator and King. Restore me to the ancient paths of righteousness and let me be a repairer and restorer of those ways for others. Fill my life with the fruits of repentance and the way of life everlasting, in Jesus' name, AMEN."

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."