Reading Acts Through Paul's Application of Ha'Azinu

Reading Acts Through Paul’s Application of Ha’Azinu Or How Acts Fulfills God’s Promise To Israel through the Nations  Dan Strull, 2014 Pastor, Olive Tree Congregation Prospect Heights IL

P s a lm 67 4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; For You will judge the peoples with uprightness and guide the nations on the earth.

3 Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. 1-2 God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us-- That Your way may be know on the earth, Your salvation among all nations.

5 Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. 6-7 The earth has yielded its produce; God our God, blesses us. God blesses us, that all the ends of the earth may fear Him.

Ha’Azinu Deuteronomy 32:1-52

Ha’Azinu’s Layout

Ha‘Azinu’s Pattern Follow the pasuq

Blessing Cursing Blessing

 

 

vv.1-14

 

vv.15-39 vv.40-43

Ha’Azinu Deut.

32:1-22

Blessings

Curses

Ha’Azinu

Deut. 32:11-16

Blessings

Curses

Ha’Azinu Deut.

32:23-43

Blessings

Curses

Deut. 32:1-14 Blessings End in Right v1

Give ear, O Heaven and let the earth hear

and let me speak; the words of my mouth.

v14

Curds of cows, and milk Of lambs…

of the flock, with fat …you drank wine.

Deut. 32:15-39 Curses End in Left v15

But, Jeshurun grew fat Grown fat, thick, and God who made him, and his salvation.

v40- Indeed 41

and kicked—You are Sleek—then he forsook scorned the rock of

Deut. 32:40-43 Blessings End in Right

I lift up My say as I live forever, sword and My hand… and I will repay

hand to heaven, and if I sharpen my flashing …on My adversaries those who hate Me.

Ha’Azinu’s Pattern Deut. 32:1-14= Blessing Deut. 32:15-39= Curse Deut. 32:40-43= Blessing

Ha’Azinu’s Pattern Deut. 32:1-14=  Deut. 32:15-39=  Deut. 32:40-43= 

Ha’Azinu’s Pattern Deut. 32:1-14= Creation Deut. 32:15-39= Fall Deut. 32:40-43= Redemption

Part of God’s Plan for Israel “They have made Me jealous with what is not God; They have provoked Me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation…”

Deut. 32:21

Paul Quotes Ha’Azinu But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous by that which is not a nation, By a nation without understanding will I anger you.”

Romans 10:19 (NASB95)

Paul Applies Ha’Azinu I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.

Romans 11:11 (NASB95)

Paul Applies Ha’Azinu To The Spread of the Gospel, i.e. Acts

In Paul’s thinking, the story of Acts, and the spread of the good news to Gentiles, is the unfolding of God’s ongoing relationship with, and plan to ultimately bless the Jewish people, and through them the world.

Paul Applies Ha’Azinu To His Ministry

“But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them.”

Romans 11:13–14 (NASB95)

Paul Applies Ha’Azinu To Explain His Approach To Ministry

In Paul’s thinking, his ministry taking the good news to Gentiles, is part and parcel of the unfolding of God’s ongoing relationship with, and plan to ultimately bless the Jewish people, and through them the world.

A “Summary” Outline of Acts Intro: Roots of the gospel in Jerusalem 1:1-2:41 Part I: The gospel’s spread in Jewish world 2:42-12:24 Panel 1: Spread in Jerusalem 2:42-6:7 Panel 2: Spread into Judea, Galilee & Samaria 6:8-9:31 Panel 3: Continued spread in Israel & Syria 9:32-12:24 Part II: The gospel’s spread in Gentile world 12:25-28:31 Panel 4: 1st Miss. Journey & Jeru. Council 12:25-16:5 Panel 5: 2nd & 3rd Missionary journeys 16:6-19:20 Panel 6: Spread to Rome from Jerusalem 19:21-28:31

Verses in Acts 14 Paul

Parallels or Similarities

Verses in Acts 3 Peter

8

“lame from his mother’s womb” life-long, incurable disability

2

9

“fixed his gaze on him”

4

10

Paul “stand up on your feet” and Peter “walk” pagan god’s praised, God praised; pagan temple, portico of Solomon (God’s temple)

6

11-13

9,11

15

“we are men of the same nature as you” “why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power…”

12

16-18

They both preached messages

13-26

19-20

Hostile response: stoning & jail respectively

4:1-3

Redemptive History Primeval History Creation Fall Noah

Covenants: Promises/Obligations Blessings/Curses

Abrahamic Covenant Gen 12:1-3

Tower of Babel

Egyptian Bondage 400 years

Joseph Abraham Isaac/Ishmael Jacob/Esau

Moses: Mediator of Old Covenant Exodus 18

Mt. Sinai

Promised Land – Joshua

40 Years Wilderness Wandering

12 Tribes Judah

Genesis 1-11 Universal

Pre-Exilic

Judges

King David: Davidic Covenant 2 Sam 7:5-17 ••••••• Tribe of Judah Bethlehem King of Israel A Man After God’s Heart

Post-Exilic

Exilic

Persian Rule Jewish Remnant Returns

Disobedient Samuel Davidic Last Judge/ Kings First Prophet

Acts 1:8

333 BC Greeks

New Covenant Predicted: Jer 31:31-34; Ezek 36-37 Babylonian Exile 586 BC Fall of Jerusalem, Capital of Southern Kingdom

64 BC Romans

Mt. Zion

Acts 2, Holy Spirit

Jesus: Mediator of New Covenant Lk 22:20; Begins the 1 Cor 11:25 Broadening 2 Cor 3:6 Of Redemptive Gal 4:21-31 History Heb 8:8, 13 Heb 9:15 Heb 12:18-24 Gospel Spreads

Assyrian Crisis 722 BC Fall of Samaria, Capital of Northern Kingdom

Gen. 12-Mal. Israel

Rev 5:9

Matt.-Rev. Universal ©2009 Tim M. Sigler, Ph.D.

Acts 10 Cornelius= Son of Japheth

Acts 9 Saul of Tarsus= Son of Shem

Acts 8 Ethiopian Eunuch= Son of Ham

He’s got the whole world on his heart