October 5, 2024: Parashah Torah Portion Ha'Azinu - "Give Ear!"

Shabbat: October 4th, 2024 at sunset until October 5th, 2024 at sunset.

Scriptures:

Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52

Haftarah (Prophets): 2 Samuel 22:1-51

Brit Chadashah (New Covenant): Romans 10:14-11:12

Restore Israel Team: Elihana Elia, Dr. Hadassah Elia & Devorah Silva

This Shabbat is a very special Shabbat, it is the Shabbat in between Yom Teruah (which was just celebrated on the evening of Wednesday, October 2nd, and ended at sundown on Thursday, October 3rd), and Yom Kippur, which is the holiest day for the Jewish people.

Therefore, this Shabbat is called Shabbat Shuvah - "The Shabbat of Return." It is called "shuvah" because the Haftarah (Hosea 14:2) begins with:

"Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled by your iniquity." Hosea 14:1

":שּוָבה ִיְׂשָרֵאל ַעד ְיה ָוה ֱאלֶהיָך"

(Shuvah, Yisrael ad ADONAI ELOHECHA: Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God)

Since this Sabbath occurs before Yom Kippur, it is customary to listen to a sermon from an honored Torah sage calling for teshuvah (repentance) at this time.

"Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon" Isaiah 55:6-7

In the last week's Torah Portion we learned, in Parashat Vayeleich, Moses finished his long address to the people of Israel and commissioned Joshua to be his successor.

Then Moses foretold that after his death the Israelites would "whore after foreign gods" and break covenant with ADONAI (Deuteronomy 31:26-29).

In light of this, Moses was instructed to teach the Israelites a great prophetic song called the "Ha'azinu", which in English means, Give Ear or Listen!

This week's portion provides the words of this song, which foretells of Israel's history (past, present, and the future redemption), and warns the people not to stray from the path that God had commanded.

Structured in the form of an "oracle," the Ha'azinu contains Moses' final words of prophecy given to the Israelites before he ascended Mount Nebo to die.

The oracle begins by declaring the righteousness of God. Moses reminded the people of all that God had done for them and then foresaw all the great gifts they would enjoy as God’s chosen nation in the promised land.

However, instead of thanking God for all these gifts, Moses foresaw that the people would “grow fat” and forsake the LORD for various false gods. This would cause ADONA’s anger to burn, and Israel’s apostasy would eventually lead to defeat at the hand of their enemies and to eventual exile. All the various curses listed earlier in the covenant would then come upon the people:

“I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend my arrows on them; they shall be wasted with hunger, and devoured by plague and poisonous pestilence.”

Deuteronomy 32:23-24

Indeed, ADONAI would have entirely destroyed the Jewish people were it not for His Namesake, His reputation among the nations, lest they should say, “Our hand is triumphant, it was not the LORD who did all this.”

"But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they were living, in whose sight I had revealed Myself to Israel by bringing them out of the land of Egypt." Ezekiel 20:9

Indeed, to this day, Israel and the Jewish people are a MIRACLE, a sign and a wonder to the world, as a testimony of ADONAI's miraculous Mighty Hand of protection, of mercy and grace upon His people!

We have just begun the Jewish New Year 5785, which the Hebraic numerical value of the number 5 means "grace". And since there are two number 5's in this year, it is considered "double grace".

In this year of double grace, let's pray for Israel to receive the grace in seeing their current spiritual condition, their partial blindness to the Truth (Romans 11:25-27) and learning from their past mistakes so that they will not repeat the sins that our people committed against ADONAI, but will turn to Him in repentance, giving ear (in accordance with today's Parashah), as the Shofar is being sounded - especially in the coming holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur, as this day quickly approaches. That they would take heed to the warnings of the LORD, looking to the One whom they have pierced and allowing the RUACH HA'KODESH (Holy Spirit) to be poured out upon them, bringing healings, deliverances, transformation and salvation, as they look to the One whom they have pierced and mourn for Him, as the only begotten Son of God, YESHUA HA'MASHIACH!!

"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son." Zechariah 12:10

Ultimately, ADONAI will vindicate His justice and mercy before heaven and earth by saving Israel from her enemies and atoning for all her sins.

The song ends with, “Cry out, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge his servants’ blood; he will take vengeance against his enemies, and will atone for his land and his people.” Deuteronomy 32:43

After Moses recited the words of this song, he encouraged the people to take the words of his prophecy to heart and to teach them diligently to their children.

“For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this Word you shall live long in the land.” Deuteronomy 32:47

The portion ends with Moses ascending Mount Nebo so that he could see the Promised Land before he died.

We affirm that Judgment Day has come and eternal justice was served through the sacrificial offering of YESHUA MESSIAH for our sins, according to 2 Corinthians 5:21. Yeshua is the complete fulfillment of the substitute ram that was found in the thicket, that took Isaac's place.

Our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life (Sefer HaChayim), in accordance to Revelation 13:8. We do not believe that we are made acceptable in God's sight by means of "our own works of righteousness" (Titus 3:5-6), though of course that does

not excuse us from being without good works, as "fruit" of the RUACH HA'KODESH (Holy Spirit) in our lives.

Indeed, all professing believers of MESSIAH YESHUA will stand before the Throne of Judgment to account for their lives:

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Messiah, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." 2 Corinthians 5:10

"Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." 1 Corinthians 3:13

Just as Moses was judged, so we too shall be judged! Therefore, we should walk in "fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). Life is an examination, a test, and every moment is precious. Every "careless" word we utter will be echoed before heaven!

“But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. 37“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:36-37

Our future day of judgment is being decided today...so let's prepare our hearts, during this time leading up to Yom Kippur, called the 10 Days of Awe (which started on Yom Teruah), to make sure we are in right standing before ADONAI ELOHIM, repenting of sin, being cleansed by the precious blood of His dear Son, YESHUA HA'MASHIACH, and making sure we are living a life that is holy and set apart unto Him! In YESHUA'S MIGHT NAME! Amen!