#48 — Parshat Haazinu
Devarim 32:1–52
Overview
In Parshat Haazinu we have the special prophetic song which G-d commanded Moses to teach Israel (see Deuteronomy 31:19, 30). It is an impressive prophetic witness against Israel, given in advance, prophesying future apostasy and the L-RD’s awe-inspiring response.
Moses calls Israel a “crooked generation” in stark contrast with the L-RD’s own perfection and justice. He goes so far as to say they are not G-d’s children anymore. They repaid G-d’s election and special care for Israel – bringing them into a land of abundance – with abandoning the L-RD in idolatry. This deeply provoked G-d’s anger.
G-d further states He would have decided to wipe them from human memory, lest Israel’s erasure be misunderstood by Israel’s enemies as their own achievement. For that reason, the L-RD had, as it were, second thoughts. (Deuteronomy 32:1-35)
But then, thankfully, we see a gracious turn in the prophetic song! The L-RD will judge[1] His people but He will also have mercy on His servants and avenge their blood. He will bring His people to the recognition that He alone is G-d, the one who kills and makes alive. (Deuteronomy 32:36-42) The song ends with a call to the nations to rejoice with His people:
Rejoice, O nations, with His people;For He will avenge the blood of His servants,And will render vengeance on His adversaries,And will atone for His land and His people” (Deuteronomy 32:43 NASB).
After reciting this song, Moses gives a final exhortation to do all the words of this law, which are “your very life.” The L-RD tells Moses to come to Mount Nebo where he will die. He will see the land but not be able to enter because of his failure at Meribah-Kadesh. (Deuteronomy 32:44-52).
The Secret Behind the Reversal of Israel’s Fortunes
The purpose of the song
The prophetic song which Moses was given speaks in very serious ways about Israel’s faithless abandonment of the L-RD who cared so much for them. It also speaks in the most serious terms about the judgment that would follow.
And He said, I will hide My face from them;I will see what their end will be,For they are children in whom is no faithfulness (Deuteronomy 32:20).
But the purpose of the song is not only condemnation. Moses says:
May my teaching drop as the dew,like gentle rain upon the tender grass,and like showers upon the herb (Deuteronomy 32:2).
As a caring shepherd of his flock, Moses wants the message of the song to sink in, to be taken to heart, so that repentance may be its fruit. And that goal will be reached! Even amidst the prophecy about judgment we find divine kindness, wooing the people back. Yes, the song foretells the coming judgment for apostasy, but it also contains a precious message of hope beyond the judgment.
A gracious reversal
Yes, the L-RD will judge His people but His judgment will not end in annihilation. When He sees their power is gone, He will have compassion on His servants. When Israel’s own power has reached a dead end and its idols have proven worthless, the L-RD will show Himself to be their only true savior.The L-RD will bring His people to the realization that only He is the one true G-d, who not only wounds but also heals, who not only kills but also makes alive.
See now that I, even I, am He,and there is no god beside Me;I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal;and there is none that can deliver out of My hand (Deuteronomy 32:29).
He will atone
A great reversal is promised: the L-RD will turn on the enemy into whose hand the people were sold. He will avenge the blood of His servants, Moses prophesies.
We should especially pay attention to the last line of the song: “He will make atonement for His land, His people” (Deuteronomy 32:43). Israel’s sins will be forgiven and the relationship with the L-RD restored. Because this atonement is the secret behind the great reversal. It is the key to the great turnaround in Israel’s final fortunes.
It is important to note it is not the repentance of the people which atones. Repentance is essential for receiving G-d’s forgiveness, but it is not the basis of it. It is G-d Himself who provides the atonement.
As we will see, it is even because of G-d’s own special work that the people will accept and receive the atonement G-d graciously provides. That this atonement is given and applied by G-d Himself is the secret behind the great reversal. Any view of repentance that is based on human effort to achieve restoration takes sin too lightly and doesn’t reckon enough with the extremely serious breach in our relationship with G-d. Consider the shrill contrast: He is “the rock whose work is perfect”; “all His ways are just”; He is a G-d of faithfulness and without injustice.” In contrast, we stand condemned as “a crooked and twisted generation“ (Deuteronomy 32:4-5). If such is our predicament, our only hope is the atonement G-d provides.
According to the prophets
The good news of an ultimate reversal and atonement for His land and His people is echoed and expanded upon in the books of the prophets. Through the prophet Zechariah, for instance, G-d promised “I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day” (Zechariah 3:9).
This promise is directly joined to the promise of the coming of the Messiah. “Behold I will bring my servant the branch” (Zechariah 3:8).[2]
Isaiah makes the link between atonement and G-d’s servant the branch even more explicit. Though He will be rejected, despised, and misunderstood, He actually will give Himself as the ultimate lamb, a guilt-offering suffering who dies for our sins. (Isaiah 53)
In this way Messiah will be the ultimate intercessor and priest through whom the relationship with G-d can be restored. (Isaiah 53:12, Jeremiah 30:21-22) Together with the L-RD He will plan peace. (Zechariah 6:13 NKJV)
But not only will the L-RD make atonement possible this way, He also finally ensures His people will accept the atonement He brought about. In the prophecies of Zechariah we read this will happen in the context of a final battle, when all the nations attack Jerusalem. The L-RD will defend His people and destroy the enemy (Zechariah 12:1-9 and 14:1-3, 12-15) just as is promised in the song of Moses.
But G-d will not only destroy the enemies of His people, He also will grant Israel a spirit of repentance. “I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn”(Zechariah 12:10).Through His Spirit, G-d will bring Jerusalem and each individual in the land, to deep mournful repentance. All the people will recognize they pierced the L-RD Himself. (See also Zechariah 12:11-14.)
In this prophecy there is a subtle shift from “Me” (G-d saying He Himself was pierced), to a “Him” about whom the people shall mourn as for a firstborn, indicating there is a special person who is so much one with the L-RD that G-d can say “they will look on Me whom they pierced.” Because the one who was pierced is the Messiah who actually is Immanu-el: G-d with us. (Isaiah 7:14)
Then God also promises this: “On that day there shall be a fountain for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness“ (Zechariah 13:1).
Fulfillment
We believe all this is fulfilled by Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. He already brought about the atonement for sin by His death and resurrection. Thus far He has yet to be accepted by the majority of His people. But when that happens the great reversal of the song of Moses will take place and the hope of the prophets will become a completed reality. Yeshua is the true secret behind the great reversal in Moses’ song.
Through Him the words of the prophet Micah will become fully true:
Who is a G-d like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of His inheritance? He does not retain His anger for ever, because He delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast their sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 6:18-19).
This is the music of the future. But the peace achieved by Yeshua’s atonement already can be received personally – even today!
We would love to talk with you about this.
This “judging” (Deuteronomy 32:36) can be understood in a positive sense; i.e., God’s “vindicating” or “settling things in favor” of His people.
Compare Psalm 132:17, Jeremiah 23:5; see also Zechariah 6:11-13.