Monite Sune 28, 2021
GOD IS . . . (KO E ‘OTUA´, ‘OKU . . )
5. GOD IS ETERNAL
KO E ‘OTUA´ ‘OKU LAUʻITANITI
Christ's Gift of
Eternal Life
The Son who is "before all things" (Col. 1:17), and thus the eternal God, entered time and became subject to the conditions of time. According to his humanity, Christ was subject to extrinsic time and intrinsic time. By extrinsic time, Christ, who made the heavens (e.g., the planets, the stars), measured their motion. By intrinsic time, he grew up and could look forward to the Sabbath or a good meal (Luke 19:5). He had a past, present, and future. Because his humanity was created, like ours in every way except without sin, he possessed intrinsic time, which is a characteristic of all created things.
The eternal Son of God - in need of nothing, knowing all things, possessing all things - entered time so that we might have eternal life (John 3:36). He willingly subjected himself to all the realities of time (e.g., living by faith and in hope) in order to give us the gift of eternal life.
We note something of time and eternity in the person of Christ in Psalm 90. The psalmist sets forth his eternity in verse 2: "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” For Christ, however, he was also taught to number his days (v. 12). He passed away under his Father's wrath (v. 9). As the exalted Messiah, Christ's days have no end (Ps. 102:27; Heb. 1:12). And those who are "in Christ” will share in this reality.
But does that mean we are eternal as God is eternal? No. We possess aeviternity, which has a beginning but no ending. This word was used both by Reformed theologians and by medieval scholastics (e.g., Bonaventure). Angels and humans possess aeviternity. God's eternality includes his vast omniscience; our eternal state means growing in the knowledge of God forever but never knowing all as only God can. Still, only an eternal God can grant "eternal" life.
Ko e Meʻofa moʻui ta´engata
‘a Kalaisi
Ko e ‘Alo´, ‘a ia ko e “mu‘a ‘a ‘Ene ‘Afio” (Kolose 1:17), pea ko e ‘Otua lau’itaniti, na’a ne hifo ‘o hu mai ki taimi pea ne lalo’aoa ki he ngaahi makatu’unga ‘o taimi. Pea ‘i hono tu’unga tangata, na’a ne tali ui ki he taimi mei tu’a(tu‘a taimi) pea mo e taimi mei loto. Ko e taimi mei tu’a, ‘oku ‘uhinga ia, ko Kalaisi, ‘a ia na’a ne ngaohi ‘a e ngaahi langi (palanite mo e fetu’u) ‘oku malava ke ne fua ‘a ‘enau fe’alu’aki. Pea ko ‘ene taimi mei loto, na’e tutupu hake pea na’e malava ke ne ma’u ‘a e ongo ‘o e teuaki ki ha ‘aho lelei, hange ko e Sapate - pe ko ha’ane ‘amanaki lelei ki ha ma’u me’a tokoni (Luke 19:5). Na’e ‘i ai hono kuohili, lolotonga mo hono kaha’u. Na’e fakatupu ‘a hono natula tangata, hange pe ko kitautolu ka na’e ‘ikai ke angahala. Na’a ne ma’u ‘a e lau taimi mei loto, he ko e ‘ulungaanga ‘o e me’a fakatupu kotoa.
Ko e ‘Alo Lau’itaniti ‘o e ‘Otua - ‘ikai masiva ‘i ha me’a, ‘afio’i faka’auliliki ‘a e me’a kotoa, falute ‘a e me’a kotoa - na’a ne hu mai ki taimi kae lava ke tau ma’u ‘a e mo’ui ta’engata (Sione 3:36). Na’a ne fakamo’ulaloa’i ia ki he tu’utu’uni kotoa ‘o taimi (mo’ui ‘i he tui mo e ‘amanaki) kae lava ke ne foaki kiate kitautolu ‘a e mo’ui ta’engata.
‘Oku tau fakatokanga‘i ‘a e lau taimi pea mo e lau’itaniti ‘i he pesona ‘o Kalaisi ‘i he lau ‘a e Saame 90. ‘Oku fokotu’u mai ‘e he tangata fa’u Saame ‘a e tu’unga lau ‘itaniti ‘i he veesi 2: “Te‘eki fakatupu ‘a e ngaahi mo‘unga, Pe fanau‘i ‘a māmani mo e fonua; ‘Io, talu mei mu‘a ‘o lauikuonga ko e ‘Otua pē ‘a e ‘Afiona.” Ka ko Kalaisi, na’e toe tala pe ke ne lau hono ngaahi ‘aho (v. 12). Na’e pale hono ngaahi ‘aho ‘i he houhao ‘a e Tamai (v.9). Pea ‘i hono tu’unga ko e Misaia kuo hakeaki’i, ‘oku ‘ikai ngata ‘a hono ngaahi ‘aho (Saame 102:27; Hep 1:12). Pea ko kinautou ‘oku “ ‘ia Kalaisi” te nau kau fakataha ‘i he tu’unga ko ia.
Ka, ‘oku ‘uhinga nai ‘oku tau ma’u ‘a e tu’unga lau ‘itaniti ‘o e ‘Otua?
‘IKAI. ‘Oku tau ma’u ‘a e tu’unga ‘oku ‘iloa ko e ‘aivitaniti, ‘a ia ko e me’a
‘oku ‘i ai hono kamata’anga kae ‘ikai hano ngata’anga. Na’e ngaue’aki ‘a e fo’i
lea ko eni ‘e he kau Teolosia ‘o e Fakalelei Lotu pea mo e kau mataotao ‘i he
ako ‘i ono’aho. Ko e kau ‘angelo mo e fa’ahinga ‘o e tangata ‘oku nau ma’u ‘a e
tu’unga ‘aivitaniti. Ko e tu’unga lau’itaniti ‘o e ‘Otua ‘oku ne falute ‘a e
kotoa ‘o e ‘ilo me’a; ko e tu’unga ta’engata ‘o e tangata, ‘oku ‘uhinga, te ne
tupulaki ‘i he ‘ilo ta’engata ki he ‘Otua, ka ‘e ‘ikai te ne faka’auliliki ‘a e
‘ilo me’a, hange ko e ‘Otua, he ko e ‘Otua tokotaha pe ia. Pea ko ha ‘Otua
ta’engata pe (lau’itaniti) ‘oku malava ke ne foaki ‘a e mo’ui “ta’engata.”
Speak to the rock
lea ki he makatu‘u
7 Pea folofola ‘a Sihova kia Mōsese, ‘o pehē, 8to‘o ‘a e tokotoko, pea fakakātoa mai ‘a e fakataha, ‘a koe mo ‘Ēlone ko ho tokoua, pea mo lea ki he makatu‘u ‘i honau ‘ao ke ne tuku mai hono vai; pea te ke fakahū kitu‘a ma‘anautolu ha vai mei he makatu‘u, ‘o fakainu ‘a e fakataha mo ‘enau monumanu.
7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8
“Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak
to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall
bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and
their animals.
F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary
Numbers 20:1-13
the Sin of Moses and Aaron
Again the people, as the long years of their Wilderness life drew to an end, gathered around the Tabernacle at Kadesh. Again the murmuring spirit broke out, as it had done forty years before. To the end we shall be liable to the outbreak of the old sins; and can never relax our vigilance or sheathe the sword.
Moses was to speak to the rock, not smite it. See Exodus 17:6 . The Rock of Ages was smitten only once. “It is appointed unto men once to die,” and “Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.” It is now only needful for the soul to speak to Him, though in the lowest and most faltering accents, to elicit streams of help and salvation.
It was lack of faith that led Moses to smite the rock twice. Speaking seemed too slight an effort for the production of such a marvel! He forgot that neither rod nor speech effected the result, but the power of God that wrought through and with him. See 1 Corinthians 3:4 . “She only touched the hem of His garment!” Matthew 9:20 .
Numbers 20:14-28
Edom Refuses
Passage; Aaron Dies
It was an ungracious act on the part of the Edomites-descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother-to forbid the passage of the chosen people through their territory; and it was never forgotten. It is referred to again and again in the strongest terms by prophet and psalmist. See Deuteronomy 2:4 ; Deuteronomy 2:8 ; Deuteronomy 23:7 ; Amos 1:11 ; Obadiah 1:10 ; Obadiah 1:12 ; Psalms 137:7 .
Aaron’s death was arranged so as to give him a distant glimpse of the Land which had so long beckoned him onward. But he was not suffered to continue. His death is quoted in evidence of the imperfection of the Aaronic priesthood, in contrast to the indissoluble priesthood of our Lord, Hebrews 7:16 .
This is a sad chapter! Moses’ failure,
Aaron’s and Miriam’s death, Edom’s refusal! But God’s purpose moved steadily
on. He wrought for His own sake, because of the Covenant.
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