1 Tishrei 5994 / 16 September 2023
Day 259 Readings
Torah: Ha'azinu, 7th Portion Devarim (Deuteronomy) 32:44-52
Moses to Die on Mount Nebo
48 Then the Lord spoke to Moses that very same day, saying: 49 “Go up this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, across from Jericho; view the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel as a possession; 50 and die on the mountain which you ascend, and be [c]gathered to your people, just as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people; 51 because you trespassed against Me among the children of Israel at the waters of [d]Meribah Kadesh, in the Wilderness of Zin, because you did not hallow Me in the midst of the children of Israel. 52 Yet you shall see the land before you, though you shall not go there, into the land which I am giving to the children of Israel.”
Haftarah Ha’azinu: Sh’mu’el Bet (2 Samuel) 22:1–51
2 He said:
“Adonai is my Rock, my fortress and deliverer,3 the God who is my Rock, in whom I find shelter,my shield, the power that saves me,my stronghold and my refuge. My savior, you have saved me from violence.4 I call on Adonai, who is worthy of praise;and I am saved from my enemies.
5 “For death’s breakers were closing over me,the floods of B’liya‘al terrified me,6 the ropes of Sh’ol were wrapped around me,the snares of death lay there before me.7 In my distress I called to Adonai;yes, I called to my God.Out of his temple he heard my voice,and my cry entered his ears.
17 “He sent from on high, he took meand pulled me out of deep water;18 he rescued me from my powerful enemy,from those who hated me, for they were stronger than I.19 They came against me on my day of calamity,but Adonai was my support.
20 “He brought me out to an open place;he rescued me, because he took pleasure in me.21 Adonai rewarded me for my uprightness,he repaid me because my hands were clean.
22 “For I have kept the ways of Adonai,I have not done evil by leaving my God;23 for all his rulings were before me,I did not depart from his regulations.24 I was pure-hearted toward himand kept myself from my sin.
25 “Hence Adonai repaid me for my uprightness,according to my purity in his view.26 With the merciful, you are merciful;with the champion of purity, you are pure;27 with the honest, you are honest;but with the crooked you are cunning.28 People afflicted, you save;but when your eyes are on the haughty, you humble them.
29 “For you, Adonai, are my lamp;Adonai lights up my darkness.30 With you I can run through a whole troop of men,with my God I can leap a wall.
31 “As for God, his way is perfect,the word of Adonai has been tested by fire;he shields all who take refuge in him.32 For who is God but Adonai,and who is a Rock but our God?
33 “God is my strength and protection;he makes my way go straight.34 He makes me swift and sure-footed as a deerand enables me to stand on my high places.35 He trains my hands for waruntil my arms can bend a bow of bronze;36 You give me your shield, which is salvation;your answers make me great.37 You lengthen the steps I can take,yet my ankles do not turn.
38 “I pursued my enemies and wiped them out,without turning back until they were destroyed.39 I destroyed them, crushed them; they can’t get up;they have fallen under my feet.
40 “For you braced me with strength for the battleand bent down my adversaries beneath me.41 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,so that I could destroy those who hate me.
42 “They looked, but there was no one to help,even to Adonai, but he didn’t answer.43 I pulverized them like dust on the ground,pounded and stamped on them like mud in the streets.
44 “You also freed me from the quarrels of my people. You kept me to be the head of the nations;a people I did not know now serve me.45 Foreigners come cringing to me;the moment they hear of me, they obey me.46 Foreigners lose heart as they stagger from their fortresses.
47 “Adonai is alive! Blessed is my Rock!Exalted be God, the Rock of my salvation,48 the God who gives me vengeanceand makes peoples submit to me.49 He brings me out from my enemies. You raise me over those who rebel against me,you rescue me from violent men.
50 “So I give thanks to you, Adonai, among the nations;I sing praises to your name.51 He is a tower of salvation for his king;he displays grace to his anointed,to David and his descendants forever.”
B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Ha’azinu:
Romans 10:14 –21;
15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
“How beautiful are the feet of those who [a]preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 12:14–21; 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have[a] regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;If he is thirsty, give him a drink;For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 12:28–39
28 Therefore, since we have received an unshakeable Kingdom, let us have grace, through which we may offer service that will please God, with reverence and fear. 29 For indeed, “Our God is a consuming fire!”
Bible Study Together
Joshua 2:1-24
8 Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men: “I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12 Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me [c]a true token, 13 and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.”
Luke 9:21-27
Take Up the Cross and Follow Him
23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross [a]daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? 26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.”
365 Daily Kingdom Living
Trusting In God Alone Brings Triumph
There are many stories in the bible where made has been triumphant even in battle when he has depended on God. When we face challenges, it is easy for us to weigh using our own judgement what we feel we can ask God for or not. Remember nothing is a stretch for our father who loves us and gave his only son for us.
Prayer: Abba Father, thank you for giving your only son for us. Help me to remember this in context that as our Father youhave the ultimate power to do whatever it takes to help us in times of need, and also help us remember to trust in your entirely instead of weighing our challenges in our own limited minds. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture
Isaiah 22
17 Look, strong man! Adonai is aboutto throw you out! He will grab you,18 roll you up, and toss you aroundlike a ball in the open country.There you will die, with your fancy chariots,you disgrace to your master’s palace!
19 “I will remove you from your office,I will snatch you from your post.20 When that day comes, I will summonmy servant Elyakim the son of Hilkiyahu.21 I will dress him in your robe,gird him with your sash of office,and invest him with your authority.He will be a father to the peopleliving in Yerushalayimand to the house of Y’hudah.22 I will place the key of David’s houseon his shoulder;no one will shut what he opens;no one will open what he shuts.
23 “I will fasten him firmly in place like a peg, so that he will become a seat of honor for his clan. 24 They will hang on him all the weight of his clan, descendants and offspring, as well as all the vessels of small capacity, from pitchers to cups. 25 When that day comes, the peg fastened firmly in place will give way; it will be cut down and fall, and the weight that was on it will be cut off.” For Adonai has said it.
Isaiah 23
Isaiah 24
Galatians 3:1-14
6 It was the same with Avraham: “He trusted in God and was faithful to him, and that was credited to his account as righteousness.”[a] 7 Be assured, then, that it is those who live by trusting and being faithful who are really children of Avraham. 8 Also the Tanakh, foreseeing that God would consider the Gentiles righteous when they live by trusting and being faithful, told the Good News to Avraham in advance by saying, “In connection with you, all the Goyim will be blessed.”[b] 9 So then, those who rely on trusting and being faithful are blessed along with Avraham, who trusted and was faithful.
10 For everyone who depends on legalistic observance of Torah commands lives under a curse, since it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the Scroll of the Torah.”[c] 11 Now it is evident that no one comes to be declared righteous by God through legalism, since “The person who is righteous will attain life by trusting and being faithful.”[d]
Psalm 60
60 (0) For the leader. Set to “Lily of Testimony.” A mikhtam of David for teaching about 2 when he fought with Aram-Naharayim and with Aram-Tzovah, and Yo’av returned and killed 12,000 from Edom in the Salt Valley:
3 (1) God, you rejected us; you crushed us;you were angry; but now revive us.4 (2) You made the land shake, split it apart;now repair the rifts, for it is collapsing.5 (3) You made your people suffer hard times,had us drink a wine that made us stagger.
6 (4) To those who fear you because of the truth you gave a banner to rally around, (Selah)7 (5) so that those you love could be rescued;so save with your right hand, and answer us!
8 (6) God in his holiness spoke,and I took joy [in his promise]:“I will divide Sh’khemand determine the shares in the Sukkot Valley.9 (7) Gil‘ad is mine and M’nasheh mine,Efrayim my helmet, Y’hudah my scepter.10 (8) Mo’av is my washpot; on Edom I throw my shoe;P’leshet, be crushed because of me!”
11 (9) Who will bring me into the fortified city?Who will lead me to Edom?12 (10) God, have you rejected us?You don’t go out with our armies, God.13 (11) Help us against our enemy,for human help is worthless.14 (12) With God’s help we will fight valiantly,for he will trample our enemies.
Proverbs 23:15-16
New King James Version
15 My son, if your heart is wise,My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;16 Yes, my [a]inmost being will rejoiceWhen your lips speak right things.