Haazinu הַאֲזִינוּ - Listen!
Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52
Haftarah: 2 Samuel 22:1-51
Apostolic Writing: John 6:26-35
Reading #7 - Deuteronomy 32:44–52
My Thoughts:
Here is the end of Moses' journey with Hashem to the Promised Land. It is so very sad that after all of Moses’ dedication and work that he can not enter the land. But it is a stark remembrance to all of us, that sin is powerful and has strong repercussions. Yes, we know Hashem forgave Moses, but He did not forget. He passed a judgment at the time of Moses sin (at the water of Meribah) and He held to that judgment. It makes me think that there is a consequence to disobedience. We can repent and teshuvah, but we still must suffer the effects of what we have done. This reminder to us today should keep us in check. Let us think carefully before disobeying the Father. Amen.
Challenge:
Today we are reminded also that Torah is life! In verse 47 we read, “...it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long…”. As we have studied Torah each day throughout this past year we have been “filled” with Hashem’s Word. What a blessing it is to have eaten it every day. Now soon we will go back to the beginning of Torah and start all over again. It will be a new year with new revelation and more miracles in our lives. We will be reminded every day of Hashem’s promises and His requirements of how to live our lives! My challenge to you today is to start over again after Sukkot in the new Torah cycle. Read, study, pray, worship and live His Word every day! It will give you abundant life and liberty! Amen!
Reading #7 - Deuteronomy 32:44–52
32:44 Moses came and recited all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, he and Joshua the son of Nun. 45 And when Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, 46 he said to them, “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. 47 For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”
48 That very day the Lord spoke to Moses, 49 “Go up this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, opposite Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel for a possession. 50 And die on the mountain which you go up, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died in Mount Hor and was gathered to his people, 51 because you broke faith with me in the midst of the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, and because you did not treat me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel. 52 For you shall see the land before you, but you shall not go there, into the land that I am giving to the people of Israel.”
Haftarah
My Thoughts:
Here is a beautiful testimony from David about Hashem’s deliverance, love and faithfulness. In verse 36 we read, “You have given me the shield of Your salvation, and your gentleness made me great.” Hashem gave David a special anointing. He protected in fierce ways and yet was gentle in displaying His love for him. This is just what we can look forward to today in Hashem. Again His faithfulness and protection requires us to be righteous and faithful to Him. We must be obedient to His Laws and Commandments. Make today a new day and resolve that you will do this. That you will serve Hashem with your whole heart, soul and strength. Amen!
Challenge;
If you are in trouble, sick or need Hashem’s help -- here is wonderful Scripture to read -- especially verse 7, “In my distress I called upon Hashem; to my Elohim I called. From His Temple He heard my voice, and my cry came to His ears.” I believe when we call out to Hashem with all of our heart, that He does hear us. Sometimes it may not seem so because it doesn’t appear that our prayers are being answered. But from my experience, I can testify He always does hear you. He just may have a different way of hearing your prayer. Sometimes we pray for healing for someone and they die. We think He didn’t hear our prayer. But He did. That person we prayed for has ultimate wonderful healing in Paradise with Him! That person is in the best part of eternity! My challenge to you is to ask for more faith from Hashem. Faith that He does hear us and that we have evidence of that. Amen.
Haftarah: 2 Samuel 22:1-51
22:1 And David spoke to Hashem the words of this song on the day when Hashem delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. 2 He said,
“Hashem is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
3 my Elohim my Rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold and my refuge,
my Savior; You save me from violence.
4 I call upon Hashem, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.
5 “For the waves of death encompassed me,
the torrents of destruction assailed me;
6 the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
7 “In my distress I called upon Hashem;
to my Elohim I called.
From His Temple He heard my voice,
and my cry came to His ears.
8 “Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations of the heavens trembled
and quaked, because He was angry.
9 Smoke went up from His nostrils,
and devouring fire from His mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from Him.
10 He bowed the heavens and came down;
thick darkness was under His feet.
11 He rode on a cherub and flew;
He was seen on the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness around him His canopy,
thick clouds, a gathering of water.
13 Out of the brightness before Him
coals of fire flamed forth.
14 Hashem thundered from heaven,
and the Most High uttered His voice.
15 And He sent out arrows and scattered them;
lightning, and routed them.
16 Then the channels of the sea were seen;
the foundations of the world were laid bare,
at the rebuke of Hashem,
at the blast of the breath of His nostrils.
17 “He sent from on high, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
18 He rescued me from my strong enemy,
from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but Hashem was my support.
20 He brought me out into a broad place;
He rescued me, because He delighted in me.
21 “Hashem dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands He rewarded me.
22 For I have kept the ways of Hashem
and have not wickedly departed from my Elohim.
23 For all His rules were before me,
and from His statutes I did not turn aside.
24 I was blameless before Him,
and I kept myself from guilt.
25 And Hashem has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to my cleanness in His sight.
26 “With the merciful you show Yourself merciful;
with the blameless man You show Yourself blameless;
27 with the purified You deal purely,
and with the crooked You make Yourself seem tortuous.
28 You save a humble people,
but Your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.
29 For you are my lamp, Hashem,
and my Elohim lightens my darkness.
30 For by You I can run against a troop,
and by my ElohimI can leap over a wall.
31 This Elohim—His way is perfect;
the word of Hashem proves true;
He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him.
32 “For who is Elohim, but Hashem?
And who is a rock, except our Elohim?
33 This Elohim is my strong refuge
and has made my way blameless.
34 He made my feet like the feet of a deer
and set me secure on the heights.
35 He trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36 You have given me the shield of Your salvation,
and your gentleness made me great.
37 You gave a wide place for my steps under me,
and my feet did not slip;
38 I pursued my enemies and destroyed them,
and did not turn back until they were consumed.
39 I consumed them; I thrust them through, so that they did not rise;
they fell under my feet.
40 For You equipped me with strength for the battle;
you made those who rise against me sink under me.
41 You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
those who hated me, and I destroyed them.
42 They looked, but there was none to save;
they cried to Hashem, but He did not answer them.
43 I beat them fine as the dust of the earth;
I crushed them and stamped them down like the mire of the streets.
44 “You delivered me from strife with my people;
You kept me as the head of the nations;
people whom I had not known served me.
45 Foreigners came cringing to me;
as soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me.
46 Foreigners lost heart
and came trembling out of their fortresses.
47 “Hashem lives, and blessed be my Rock,
and exalted be my Elohim, the Rock of my salvation,
48 the Elohim who gave me vengeance
and brought down peoples under me,
49 who brought me out from my enemies;
You exalted me above those who rose against me;
You delivered me from men of violence.
50 “For this I will praise you, O Hashem, among the nations,
and sing praises to Your name.
51 Great salvation He brings to His king,
and shows steadfast love to His anointed,
to David and his offspring forever.”
Apostolic Writing
My Thoughts:
In verse 29 Yeshua tells His disciples to believe in Him who Hashem has sent. I believe that to “believe in Him” means to believe in who He is and what He represents. He is an emanation of Hashem -- His representation to us. And when He came His teaching was to bring people back to Hashem through obedience in Torah. That is what He said. To believe in Him is to believe in Hashem and His Torah. He always “pointed” everyone to Hashem, to the Father. It is no coincidence that shortly after Yeshua was killed that the Temple came down. Maybe Yeshua was Hashem’s last chance for people to come back to Him. His people had strayed and followed other gods. Yeshua came to bring them back to Truth. He was not accepted. He was killed. The Temple was destroyed and the people were exiled. Someday the Mashiach will return and all will be well. But until that day, we must follow Hashem and His Torah with all of our being. Amen.
Challenge:
How beautiful is verse 35, “Yeshua said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst.” I believe what He is saying is that the “bread” is Torah. If we study (eat) the Torah (bread) we will never be hungry. If we follow Hashem and Torah we will never be thirsty because we will be filled up. Isn’t that a wonderful analogy? The challenge today is that you partake in the “daily bread” of Torah. Make sure you are eating and consuming the Word of Hashem every day. Get filled up with HIM and your life will be the best. Amen.
Apostolic Writing: John 6:26-35
6:26 Yeshua answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on Him Elohim the Father has set His seal.” 28 Then they said to Him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of Elohim?” 29 Yeshua answered them, “This is the work of Elohim, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” 30 So they said to Him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe You? What work do You perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Yeshua then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of Elohim is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to Him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35 Yeshua said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst.”
