ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Falaite 5 Ma’asi 2021

About midnight I will go out

‘I he tu‘uapō te u ‘alu atu

'Ekisoto 11 (Exodus 11)

(v. 4-5) So Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, 5 and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle.

 (v. 4-5) Pea fakahā ‘e Mōsese, Ko eni ‘a e folofola ‘a Sihova, ‘I he tu‘uapō te u ‘alu atu ‘i he lotolotonga ‘o ‘Isipite: 5 pea ‘e mate ‘a e ‘uluaki tama kotoa pē ‘i he fonua ko ‘Isipite, ‘o fai mei he ‘uluaki tama ‘a Felo ‘oku ‘afio ‘i hono taloni, ‘o a‘u ki he ‘uluaki tama ‘a e kaunanga ‘oku nofo mei he tu‘a me‘a momosi; pea mo e ‘uluaki tama kotoa pē ‘a e fanga manu.

 *Commentary:  The ESV Study Bible*

 11:4 The descriptions of the third, sixth, and ninth plagues each begin with the Lord simply instructing Moses to perform the sign (8:16;9:8; 10:21). The descriptions of the other plagues always include the words to Pharaoh "thus says the LORD" and the instruction to "let my people go" (see 7:16, 17; 8:1, 20; 9:1, 13; 10:3). The warning here indicates the finality of the

tenth plague when Moses says, “Thus says the LORD," and then describes the forthcoming effects of the plague without any further request to let Israel go.

 11:5 When the Lord spoke to Moses as he was preparing to go back to Egypt, he referred to Israel as my firstborn son" (4:22) and indicated that Pharaoh's refusal would result in the death of his firstborn (4:23). Since Pharaoh leads as his people's representative, the plagues have extended not simply to him but also to his people, a fact which becomes even more poignant in the final plague when every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die.

 *Tohi Vete:  Tohitapu Ako ‘a e ESV*

11:4.  Ko e fakamatala ‘o e tautea hono tolu, ono mo e hiva´, na’e kamata’aki pe ha fekau ‘a e ‘Otua kia Mosese ke ne fakahoko ‘a e mana ko ia (8:16; 9:8; 10:21).  Ko e fakamatala ‘o e ngaahi tautea kehe, na’e kau ai ‘a e lea kia Felo “ko eni ‘a e folofola ‘a Sihova” pea mo e fekau “tukuange ‘a hoku kakai” (7:16, 17; 8:1, 20; 9:1, 13; 10:3).  Ko e fakatokanga ko eni ‘i he tautea hono hongofulu´ ‘oku ‘ilonga ko e tā faka’osi ‘i he pehe ‘e Mosese “ko e folofola eni ‘a Sihova,” pea hokoatu ‘ene fakamatala’i ‘a e me’a ‘e hoko ‘i he tautea ko eni pea na’e ‘ikai toe ai ha fekau ke tukuange ‘a e kakai ‘Isileli.

 11:5.  ‘I he taimi na’e fepōtalanoa’aki ai ‘a e ‘Otua mo Mosese ‘i he teuteu ke foki ki ‘Isipite, na’a ne lau ‘a ‘Isileli “ko hoku foha, ko hoku ‘uluaki” (4:22 pea na’a ne ‘osi tala ‘e ta’eloto ‘a Felo pea ‘e iku ke ne tamate’i ‘a hono foha lahi (4:23).  Pea koe’uhi ko e taki ia ‘o hono kakai, ko e tautea ko ‘eni´ na’e fakalaka atu ia mei hono fale´ ki hono kakai, pea ko e mo’oni na’e fakae’a ‘i he tautea faka’osi ‘i he mate ‘a e tama ‘uluaki kotoa ‘o ‘Isipite.

 GOD IS . . . (KO E ‘OTUA, ‘OKU . . )

 2        GOD IS SIMPLE

            Application

 Consider the example of Moses in Hebrews 11:24-28:

 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin [i.e., self-control]. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward [i.e., faithfulness]. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible [i.e, patience]. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood [i.e., peace], so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them [i.e., goodness].

 Living in the power of the Spirit, Moses displays the fruit of the Spirit and all that this means. Those who have the Spirit cannot say that they excel in love but not in gentleness of patience. To have one grace is to have them all, because the Spirit is one, not many. The husband shows his love by being faithful and gentle in his love to his wife. The giver to God's work is the joyful giver. Jonathan Edwards makes an important point in this regards:

 All the graces of Christianity always go together, so that where there is one, there are all; and when one is wanting, all are wanting. ... The different graces of Christianity are in some respects

implied in one another. They are not only always together, and do arise one from another; but one is, in some respects, implied in the very nature of another.

 For Edwards, the Spirit-filled life does not consist of parts. We love God and live obediently because of the Spirit who lives in us, enabling us to be not just loving or kind but loving, kind, joyful, peaceful, patient, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. The Spirit-filled life represents an analogy of how God is all that he is in his simple, undivided essence.

 2        KO E ‘OTUA´, ‘OKU LAULOTAHA

             Ko e Akonaki ki heʻetau moʻui´

 Fakatokanga’i ange ‘a e ta sipinga ‘a Mosese ‘oku ha ‘i he tohi Hepelu 11:24-28

 Ko tui na‘e fakatale‘i ai ‘e Mōsese ‘i he‘ene tangata hono lau ko e tama ‘a e ‘ōfefine ‘o Felo; he‘ene fili mu‘a ke kaungā ngaohikovia mo e kakai ‘a e ‘Otua, ‘i ha‘ane ma‘u fakataimi pē ha mālie tu‘u he angahala [anga fakama’uma’u]; 26 he na‘a ne lau ‘a e manuki‘i ‘o Kalaisi ko e koloa na‘e hulu atu ‘i he ngaahi fokotu‘unga koloa ‘o ‘Isipite: he na‘a ne sio fakamama‘u atu ki he totongi. [anga tonu]. Ko tui na‘a ne li‘aki ai ‘a ‘Isipite, ‘o ‘ikai te ne manavahē ki he tuputāmaki ‘a e tu‘i: he na‘a ne kītaki he‘ene sio ki he Tu‘i Ta‘ehāmai [anga kataki]. Ko tui na‘a ne fai ai ‘a e Pāsova mo e afuhi ‘aki ‘a e toto [melino], koe‘uhi ke ‘oua na‘a ala kiate kinautolu ‘e ia ‘oku faka‘auha ‘a e ngaahi ‘uluaki [anga ‘ofa].

 Koe’uhi ko hono fakaivia ia ‘e he malohi ‘o e Laumalie, ‘oku fakae’a mai ‘i he mo’ui ‘a Mosese, ‘a e fua ‘o e Laumalie mo ‘enau fekau’aki. Ko kinautolu ‘oku nau ma’u ‘a e Laumalie´, ‘oku ‘ikai totonu ke nau pehē, ‘oku tupulekina ‘a e ‘ofa´ ‘iate kinautolu ka nau hala ‘i he angalelei mo e anga kataki. Ko ‘ete ma’u ‘a e kelesi ‘e taha´, ko ‘ete ma’u kotoa ia, koe’uhi ‘oku taha pe ‘a e Laumalie, ‘o ‘ikai ke va’ava’a. Ko e husepanti ‘oku ne fakahaa’i ‘ene ‘ofa´, ‘aki ‘ene angatonu mo anga ‘ofa ‘i he’ene ‘ofa ki hono uaifi. Ko e tokotaha foaki ki he ngaue ‘a e ‘Otua´, ko e tokotaha foaki fiefia ia.

 ‘Oku ‘i ai ‘a e lau ‘a Sonatane ‘Etuate (Jonathan Edwards) fekau’aki mo e fakakaukau ‘o e felave’i ‘a e ngaahi kelesi:

 Ko e kotoa ‘o e ngaahi kelesi ‘i he lotu Faka-kalisitiane, ‘oku nau ō fakataha. Pea ko e potu ‘oku ‘i ai ‘a e tahaa, te nau ‘i ai foki hono kotoa; pea ko e masiva ‘a e tahaa, ‘e masiva kotoa ai… Ko e ngaahi kelesi kehekehe ‘i he lotu Faka-kalisitiane, ‘oku ‘i ai ‘enau fekau’aki. ‘Oku ‘ikai ngata pe ‘i he’enau fakatahaa, mo ‘enau hopo hake mei he uho tahaa; ka ko e kelesi ‘e tahaa, ‘oku ‘i ai hono ‘ata ‘i he natula ‘o e kelesi ‘e taha.

 Fakatatau ki he lau ‘a Sonatane ‘Etuate (Jonathan Edwards), ko e mo’ui ‘oku fakafonu ‘e he Laumalie, ‘oku ‘ikai ko ha mo’ui fakakongokonga. ‘Oku tau ‘ofa ki he ‘Otua´ pea ‘oku tau mo’ui talangofua koe’uhi ko e Laumalie ‘oku ne nofo’ia kitautolu; ‘a ia ‘oku ne fakaivia kitautolu, ke ‘oua te tau taafataha pe ke ‘ofa, pe mo’ui anga lelei, ka ke tau anga ‘ofa, angalelei, fiefia, melino, fa’a kataki, anga maau, anga tonu, angavaivai mo e anga fakama’uma’u. Ko e mo’ui ‘oku fonu ‘i he Laumalie (Spirit-filled) ‘oku ne fakatataa’i ‘a e tu’unga laulōtaha ‘o e ‘Otua, ko e natula ‘oku ‘ikai māvahevahe pe fakakongokonga.