"SHALOM CHAVERIM DEAR FRIENDS" AS PUBLISHED BY "THE VOICE FOR ISRAEL"!!

October 14th 2016 Shalom Chaverim (Friends),   Greetings (Chag Sameach) & welcome to this week's Torah study from Parashat  HA’AZINU { הַאֲזִינוּ } (Give Ear - Listen!) A Messianic Jewish Commentary  By Hannah Nesher  www.voiceforisrael.net Deuteronomy 32:1-52, 2 Samuel 22:1-51, Romans 10:17-11:12   The beginning of Parashah Haazinu, Deuteronomy 32:1–4, as it appears in a Torah scroll  “Give ear (Ha’azinu), the heavens, and I will speak…” (Deuteronomy 32:1) The Song of Moses   This parashah opens with the Song of Moses – a song which some believe to have been written down and placed in the Ark of the Covenant, along with Aaron's staff and the Pentateuch.  In the scroll of the Torah, this song is written in two parallel columns.  This special layout of script resembles the two towersthat were destroyed on September 11, 2001; and this section of Scripture is also generally read in the fall when the theme of God’s judgment takes place. It is with a song of praise that Moses began his ministry at the Red Sea, and also with praise (hallel) to God (Yah) that he ends his time of serving the Lord on the banks of the Jordan River. Even though Moses did not cross the Jordan with the children of Israel,  it was enough for him that He had been faithful to his calling and had seen with his own eyes, the Promised Land. Moses sees Promised Land from Afar  Painting by James Tissot Anticipating the Joy Set Before us Moses’ joy came from his anticipation of the glorious future that awaited Israel beyond their dry, barren, wilderness wanderings. Yeshua (Jesus) also endured the cross by anticipating the joy of the resurrection (Hebrews 12;2). We too may find joy, even when we fall short of our heart’s desire in this life, by anticipating the great and glorious things that God has prepared for us in eternity. “No eye has seen, nor ear has heard and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."  (1 Corinthians 2:9) Nearing the end of his earthly life, Moses delivers his final message as a ‘melodic farewell’. This seems an odd time for Moses to be singing. After all – practically the entire generation that he brought out of Egypt lay dead – their carcasses scattered all around the wilderness; and Moses, himself, stood ready to die as well. However, herein lays evidence of the spiritual greatness of this leader of Israel.  The personal tragedies and hardships which would likely have broken the spirit of a lesser man, instead, caused Moses to rise to an even higher spiritual plane. Moses sang  - despite his impending death; despite the fact that he failed to achieve his life’s goal of entering the Promised Land -  Moses still sang.  We may also refuse to succumb to despair over the trials of life through the ministry of song.   Serving through Singing “Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.  Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.”  (Psalm 33: 1-3) The Hebrew word for sing is ‘shar’  שר and it is the root of the Hebrew word for serve ‘sharet’ שרת.  When we go through a time of weakness and don’t even know how we can serve the Lord in our condition, we can still serve Adonai through singing to Him and making music to His name. The Hebrew language contains a secret meaning behind the power of praise and worship music.  Many of the Psalms (called Tehillim in Hebrew) are addressed ‘To the Chief Musician’.  In Hebrew, the chief musician is called a ‘menatzeach’ מנצח .  The root of this word is ‘netzach’, נצח which means ‘eternity’. Victory through Worship Music What is amazing, is that the Hebrew word for ‘victory’ (nitzachon) נצחון  comes from this very same Hebrew root!  What does this mean to us as worshippers of the one, true God?  The Hebrew shows us that when we minister to Adonai with music and song, we touch the eternal realm and from this heavenly place, we may receive the victory. Halleluyah! “Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Messiah, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place.” (2 Corinthians 2:14) If we can overcome the temptation to be discouraged or downcast when we fail to reach our goals; when things don’t seem to go our way; and rather sing praises to the Lord instead, then we will walk in triumph in Yeshua.                                Reaching Hearts Ministries THE SONG OF MOSES & THE LAMB Some New Testament Believers may be under the impression that Moses, as part of the ‘Old Testament’, is not really relevant to their faith.  However, in the book of Revelation, we read that in the end of the final battle with evil, those who have been victorious over the beast and its image hold harps and sing the song of Moses. “And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb.”  (Revelation 15:2-3) Torah is our Life Moses concludes his last message to Israel with the exhortation to observe all of the words of the Torah:  “For it is no vain thing for you; because it is your life….” (Deuteronomy 32:47) The Bible is not a book of meaningless, empty words; it is our instructions for a long, full, satisfying life of blessing, health, holiness and prosperity through obedience and faith. “The fear of the Lord prolongs days; but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.” (Proverbs 10:27)                            Reading from a Torah Scroll                 To read this week's full Torah study CLICK HERE   If you have enjoyed this message, please share with others!