ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Monite Siulai 12, 2021

Ko Sisu Kalaisi ‘a hotau Tofi’a

Jesus Christ is our inheritance

Nomipa 34 (Numbers 34)

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary

Here are set out the borders of the Promised Land, which were never fully reached in the days of Israel’s occupation, except perhaps for one brief period in Solomon’s glorious reign. God’s ideal for His people far exceeded their realization of it. But is it not always so! Does not His peace pass understanding? Is not His joy unspeakable and full of glory? Does not the love of Christ pass knowledge? Jesus Christ is our inheritance; let us possess our possessions. Let us follow on to know the Lord; and remember that there is an allotted space for each of us in Christ, to which no other soul has a right.

It is a great honor to be chosen to divide the lots. Year by year we ought to set forth the believer’s rights in Christ, that a divine discontent may urge to higher heights and deeper experiences. 

GOD IS . . . (KO E ‘OTUA´, ‘OKU . . )

5.        GOD IS ETERNAL

               KO E ‘OTUA´ ‘OKU LAUʻITANITI

             Ko Hono Fakahoko ki he mo'ui

‘Oku malava ke tau fakafehoanaki ‘a e fakamamahi ‘o heli mo e fiefia ‘o hevani fou ‘i he lau taimi. Pea ‘i he tu’unga ko ia, te tau ma’u ha mahino ‘oku toe lelei ange fekau’aki mo e naunau ‘o hevani pea mo e tu’unga fakalilifu ‘o heli. ‘Oku mo’oni foki, ko e ngaahi tautea taupotu ‘o heli mo e lahi fau ‘o e ngaahi tapuaki ‘o hevani, ‘oku mama’o atu ia ‘i hotau ‘atamai ‘i he’etau vakai atu mei he mo’ui ko eni. ‘E ma’u ‘e he kau kalisitiane ‘a e mo’ui ta’engata (Sione 5:24), pea ko kinautolu ‘oku ‘ikai te nau ‘ofa ‘i he ‘Eiki te nau ‘auha ‘o ta’engata (1 Kolinito 16:22). Ka te tau lava fe fe ke kau fakataha mo Paula ‘i hono fakatui’i ‘o e kakai koe’uhi fakamaau ‘oku tu’unuku mai (2 Kolinito 5:11) ‘i he’etau vakai atu ki ‘itaniti? Ko e founga ‘e taha, kapau ‘e fakamanatu ‘e he kau malanga ki he kau fanongo, ko ‘ete ‘i heli, ko e me’a pe ‘oku te ‘ilo’i, ko e taimi - ‘oku mamalie fau ‘a e ‘alu ‘a e taimi ai. ‘I mamani, ‘i he taimi ‘oku tau tofanga ai ‘i he mamahi, ‘oku hange ‘oku tu’uma’u ‘a e taimi ia. ‘Oku a’u pe ki he taimi ‘oku tau fononga ai ‘i he hala pule’anga, ‘oku ‘ikai ke tau fa’a tatali, pe ko ha’a tau tali ‘i falemahaki, ‘oku tuai ‘aupito e taimi ai. ‘Oku tau fakatokanga’i e ki’i fo’i sekoni kotoa pe. ‘Oku hange pe ko ‘etau fanongo ki ha malanga ta’emateuteu.

Ka, ko kinautolu ‘oku ‘i hevani, ‘oku makehe atu pe ‘a e me’a ia ‘oku nau a’usia, he ‘oku nau hoko pe ia kia Kalaisi, fonu ‘i he fiefia ta’emahakulea. ‘Oku kemo pe ‘a e taimi ia ‘i he ‘ete tofanga ‘i he fiefia. Faka’uta ange mole fakafokifa pe ‘a e taimi ia ‘i he hulu fau ‘a e fiefia te tau a’usia. Fakahoa ange ha’o ha’o talanoa telefoni ma ha taha tu’uaki koloa, mo ha’o talanoa ki ha taha ‘oku mo kaume’a fafale? Ko e ‘uluaki, hange ia ko heli, ko e fo’i sekoni hangee ia ha ta’u. Pea ko e ua, hange ko hevani, ko e ta’u, ‘oku hange pe ha fo’i sekoni.

              Application

We can contrast the torments of hell with the joys of heaven from the perspective of time. In doing this, we can better understand the glories of heaven and the terrors of hell. True, hell is a

punishment so great and heaven a reward so wonderful that we can comprehend neither properly in this life. Christians will receive eternal life (John 5:24), and those who do not love the Lord Jesus with an undying love will receive eternal death (1 Cor. 16:22). But how do we seek to join with Paul, for example, in persuading men because of the terrors of the Lord (2 Cor. 5:11) as we reflect on time in eternity? One way is for preachers to remind their hearers that in hell it will feel as though there is only time - slow - time. In this world, when we suffer, time seems to stand still. Even waiting in traffic or in a doctor's office, time crawls. We become more sensitive to the seconds. This happens when listening to poor sermons too.

However, those in heaven will experience something entirely different because they resemble Christ, possessing joy unspeakable. Time flies when you're “having fun." Imagine how time will

seem to evaporate in heaven because of the joy we will experience. Or consider the time spent talking to a relentless telephone sales man compared with getting to know your future wife or husband. In the former, like hell, a second feels like a year. In the latter, like heaven, a year feels like a second.