Ha’azinu (Deuteronomy 32:1-52), means “give ear.” It is a Hebrew call to listen carefully to what follows. It is the name of the “Song of Moses,” beginning with “Hear (Ha’azinu), O heavens, as I speak! Listen, earth, to the words from my mouth!” Moses, nearing the end of his life, delivers this prophetic oracle as both a warning and a witness. He foretells Israel’s future unfaithfulness and God’s righteous judgment. Yet this reaches across time to the Messianic redemption. Moses urges Israel to “take to heart” these words, for they are not trivial but “your very life” (Deuteronomy 32:47). Then, having fulfilled his mission, Moses ascends Mount Nebo to view the Promised Land he will not enter. So, what’s this have to do with you?
Within the song, Moses uses vivid imagery to reveal God’s heart. The LORD’s teaching falls like rain, nourishing His people as an eagle stirs its young to fly. But Israel, once nurtured, grows fat and rebellious, chasing false gods. God warns that such rebellion will bring famine, plague, and the sword, yet His covenant remains. He will not abandon them forever. The song offers a sweeping outline of divine justice: God chooses and provides (v.9-14), Israel rebels (v.16-18), God disciplines (v.19-20), avenges His people (v.27-33), declares His uniqueness (v.37-39), and finally atones for the land and His people (v.43). Through every turn, God’s perfection and righteousness stand firm. Sounds a lot like life, right? Yet, through all of our trials, God’s promise is the same as Christ’s in Matthew 28:20, “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
A key lesson is revealed in verse 7: “Remember how the old days were; think of the years through all the ages. Ask your father, he will tell you…” The Hebrew word “olam,” often translated “old days,” actually means “eternity.” Moses is teaching us to see history not as isolated moments, but as a continuum of God’s eternal plan. We cannot judge divine justice by the short span of our lifetimes. Instead, we must study the whole sweep of His work — from Adam to Abraham to Moses — and what Scripture reveals about the future. In doing so, we begin to understand God’s justice and faithfulness. Wisdom grows when we learn from those who came before us and trace God’s purposes through time.
Moses’ song reminds us that history is not random. It is “His-Story.” Every generation, every rise and fall of nations, every act of mercy and judgment serves one great purpose: to reveal God’s righteousness to the world. That’s why the call to study, obey, and pass down His word is not an optional exercise. It is life itself. In a world quick to forget its past and redefine its future, Ha’azinu calls us to remember, to listen, and to trust that God’s justice is unfolding exactly as He intends. Our task is to keep the story alive in our hearts, our homes, and our generations until the final redemption is revealed. As Deuteronomy 32:7 says, “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you.”
