Ha’azinu “give ear”
It is customary for religiously practicing Jews to read from an annual cycle of weekly Old Testament readings called Torah Portions. This is said to be the same reading schedule that was taught every Sabbath in the Synagogues during the times of Jesus in the first century.
As Christians exploring the Torah portion cycle we must maintain a balance of including the Old Testament, the prophets, and the gospels in our weekly bible study.
Torah Portion Name and Readings-
The Ha’azinu Torah Portion is named after the Hebrew word for “give ear”, the weekly reading is found in Deuteronomy starting in chapter 32 verse 1 and going through verse 52.
Prophets and New Testament-
It is also important to point out that along with the Torah portion readings and teachings, there are what are called Haftarah portions which are readings from the Bible in the books of the prophets. This week’s haftarah readings come from the book of 2 Samuel in chapter 22 verse 1 through verse 51.
The gospel readings incorporated with the weekly Torah portion readings come from the book of John in chapter 6 with verses 26 through verse 35.
Torah Portion Overview-
In this Parashat we see what Israel heard, the song of Moses. Moses started the song with praise, worshipping God. He reminded Israel that they were not faithful, and that although the nations were given to the gods, Israel, His children, were the Lord’s portion. Thus, they should be faithful to Him. Even though they were not faithful the Lord cared for Israel and sustained them. Even with this faithfulness Israel worshipped other gods and made Yahweh jealous. Because of this God hid His face from Israel and provoked them to jealousy with another people. Is this what Paul was referring to when He talked about the time of the Gentiles? God finally grew angry and sent judgments against Israel. Yet even though He judges He is merciful, for the Lord will have mercy on His people. While doing so He will punish His enemies. Israel was then reminded that this song would be a witness against Israel. Lastly Moses was commanded to go up the mountain where he would see the land. He was not allowed to enter into the land because of His disobedience. Moses would die and be gathered to his people.
Today I want to focus on two verses in this song of Moses that may immediately strike us as odd.
“When the Most High apportioned the nations, when he divided humankind, he fixed the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the gods; the LORD’s own portion was his people, Jacob his allotted share.”
Deuteronomy 32:8-9 (NRSVue)
Wait, full stop, what is Moses talking about?! There are no other gods, we all know this! Right?
Well, first of all, what do we mean by “god” or “God”? In the west, we view a god/God as a being that is all knowing, all powerful, and the creator of all. When we use that definition we see from scripture that there is only one God, Yahweh. Indeed, Yahweh is species unique, there is only One. We understand that this Yahweh is three persons, The Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. They are three persons but one being. To be frank, the Trinity is a mystery that I don’t think we will fully understand until we get to the Kingdom. Indeed, it may be something that is beyond human comprehension. So when we talk about a God like this, there is only One. Moses, in his song, was NOT talking about other beings in this way. There are none.
If Moses was not speaking about other “Yahwehs” being out there, other Gods, what was he talking about? When you eximine the Bible, the word translated “god” or “God”, which is the Hebrew word “Elohim” has a vary wide meaning. It can refer to God, spirits, angels, or even the human dead. In other words, the word Elohim could possibly be better translated as a being that lives in the Spiritual realm. Perhaps the word “spirit” may be a better use here. What kind of spirits are there? We know that in heaven there are Seriphim, Cherubim, Messenger spirits (called Angels), rulers, and other beings and classes of beings. Not only this, but there are also fallen angels, demons, and of course dead humans. This is a very wide assortment of beings. None of them are all powerful, none of them are all knowing, and none of them created. In fact, the Bible says that Yahweh, through Jesus, created everything.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being”
John 1:1-3 (NRSVue)
Even these spirits that we now speak of were created by Jesus. Yahweh is the only uncreated being, He alone exists from before time. All other spirits were created by Him.
“for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him.”
Colossians 1:16 (NRSVue)
Even though these beings are not all powerful they do have power. Even though they are not all knowing they do have knowledge that we do not. The highest spirits which were created were put into a place of power and authority by God. The Bible calls this the “Divine Council”. Even though God is all knowing, He seeks to have a group of other spirits that offer advice and support. We can see this in the words of Micaiah in 1 Kings.
“Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, with all the host of heaven standing beside him to the right and to the left of him. And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, so that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ Then one said one thing, and another said another, until a certain spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘How?’ the LORD asked him. He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then the LORD said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do it.’ So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the LORD has decreed disaster for you.”
1 Kings 22:19-23 (NRSVue)
These divine council members are also called “sons of God”, although it is very important that we do not confuse this with Jesus, the ONLY begotten Son of God. Jesus is Yahweh in the flesh, He is species unique, these other beings do not compare to Him. Just as we are called sons of God, but we are not Yahweh, they too are called sons of God but are not Yahweh.
“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.”
Job 1:6 (ESV)
Yet not all these council members remained faithful! There were those that rebelled against Him and disobeyed. Other extra-Biblical books like the Book of Enoch (which is not scripture) explain how certain Jews thought this rebellion happened. However, scripture only gives us a quick reference to their rebellion and does not explain it.
“When people began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that they were fair, and they took wives for themselves of all that they chose.”
Genesis 6:1-2 (NRSVue)
To my knowledge there aren’t any other references to this even in the Old Testament. However, there are some in the New Testament. Jude and Peter both talk about them. This is important because there are two primary views on this Genesis 6 event. One says that the “sons of God” were sons of seth and rulers. The other suggests that they were rebellious members of the divine council. The reference in Jude and Peter to this event makes it very difficult to argue that these were sons of Seth.
“And the angels who did not keep their own position but deserted their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deepest darkness for the judgment of the great day.”
Jude 6 (NRSVue)
“For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of deepest darkness to be kept until the judgment; and if he did not spare the ancient world, even though he saved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly;”
2 Peter 2:4-5 (NRSVue)
What of these fallen and rebellious spirits? These divine council members were created as eternal beings, just like the angels. They were created with power and given authority. However, Psalms explains that they will be stripped of their authority and that God will kill them like men.
“God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” They have neither knowledge nor understanding; they walk around in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. I say, “You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, you shall die like mortals and fall like any prince.” Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations belong to you!”
Psalm 82:1-8 (NRSVue)
It is these rebellious ones that Paul says we will judge.
“Do you not know that we are to judge angels, to say nothing of ordinary matters?”
1 Corinthians 6:3 (NRSVue)
When Jesus resurrected He was given a name above all these rebels. He was put into power above them! They have been stripped of all their authority. Thus, they have some power, but no authority or ability to rule.
“God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”
Ephesians 1:20-23 (NRSVue)
This is what it means when we are baptized. We are proclaiming to the world and to the rebellious spirits that we are no longer under their domain, we are under the authority and power of Jesus Christ. We belong to Him and no longer belong to sin or the enemy. Baptism is a swearing of a public oath, a swearing of allegiance to the Great King, Jesus.
Even though these beings exist we are not to fear them, but we are also not to mock them. We are outside of their ability to rule, and we belong to the Most High. When God is with us, who can be against us! There are those who believe the lie of the enemy that they belong to him. They believe they are bound and cannot escape. This is a lie. Jesus has broken the power of the enemy! Let us worship the one and only true King! Let us fear Him, let us love Him, and look to Him as the source of all we have and all we want. He is our great love, our great savior, and our hero that has broken the enemy!
Torah Portion Scriptural Highlights-
Deuteronomy 32:1 Moses praised God.
Deuteronomy 32:5 The children of God, Israel, were not faithful.
Deuteronomy 32:8 The nations were given to the gods but Israel is Yahweh’s portion.
Deuteronomy 32:10 God cared for and sustained Israel.
Deuteronomy 32:16 Israel worshipped other gods and made Yahweh jealous.
Deuteronomy 32:20 God hid His face from Israel and made them jealous with another people.
Deuteronomy 32:22 God grew angry and sent judgement against Israel.
Deuteronomy 32:36 The Lord will have mercy on His people but punish His enemies.
Deuteronomy 32:44 The song is a witness against Israel.
Deuteronomy 32:48 Moses commanded to go up the mountain where he would die and be buried (although he could see the land).
Haftarah (Prophets) Scriptural Highlights-
2 Samuel 22:1 A Psalm of David to celebrate God rescuing Him.
Brit (Gospel) Scriptural Highlights-
John 6:26 Jesus is the true bread from heaven.
Further Reading-
The Unseen Realm by Michael S. Heiser
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