ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Sapate ‘Aokosi 22, 2021 

ko si‘ene kakai kānokato koe

you are a people for his treasured possession 

Teutalōnome 26 (Deuteronomy 26)

(v. 17-18) Kuo ke fakapapau he ‘aho ni ko Sihova ko ho ‘Otua ia, pea te ke fou ‘i hono ngaahi hala, pea te ke tauhi ‘ene ngaahi fekau mo tu‘utu‘uni mo konisitūtone, pea te ke fakaongo ki hono le‘o: pea kuo fakapapau ‘e Sihova he ‘aho ni ko si‘ene kakai kānokato koe, ‘o hangē ko ‘ene folofola kiate koe, ka ke tauhi ‘ene ngaahi tu‘utu‘uni kotoa pē:

(v. 17-18) You have declared today that the Lord is your God, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules, and will obey his voice. And the Lord has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments

 

* G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible*

Here we have the final movement in the second of these great farewell discourses of Moses. In it the lawgiver lifted his eyes and looked at the land to be possessed, and proceeded to tell the people how they were to worship in the new land.

The first recognition and act of worship necessarily is that of approach to God. Therefore they were instructed to go to the place of worship with the first fruits of the land. Then a formal confession of a threefold nature was to be made; first, the fact of possession was to be stated; second, the helpless origin of the nation was to be remembered: "A Syrian ready to perish was my father"; and, finally, the people's possession of the land was to be acknowledged as the work of Jehovah alone.

With such confession, offerings were to be presented to the Lord and the people to rejoice together.

Then followed a recognition of the other side of worship, which is the true and outward expression of the first. Gifts were to be bestowed on men, the Levites, the strangers, the fatherless, and the widow.

This having been done, prayer again was to be offered to God in which the gifts bestowed on men are spoken of as dedicated to Him.

All this is most suggestive, as it teaches us that our worship can be perfected only in service to our fellow men. The discourse ended with words that reminded the people of their relationship to God. Of the nation it was affirmed, "Thou hast avouched Jehovah this day to be thy God." Of Jehovah it was affirmed, "Jehovah hath avouched thee this day to be a people for His own possession."

 

David Guzik :: Study Guide for Deuteronomy 26

Today you have proclaimed the LORD to be your God: Israel was to proclaim two things. First, that the LORD to be their God. Second, that they will walk in His ways and keep His statutes. The two go together, because the identity of our God is always demonstrated by the direction of our obedience.

The LORD has proclaimed you to be His special people: Israel's obedience to the LORD would be more than rewarded. God promised that He exalt an obedient Israel, to set them high above all nations which He has made, in praise, in name, and in honor.