ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tu’apulelulu Sanuali 19, 2023 

The Voice of Blood

Ko e Le‘o ‘o e Toto

GENESIS 4:10

AND THE LORD SAID, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? THE VOICE OF YOUR BROTHER'S BLOOD IS CRYING TO ME FROM THE GROUND."

SENESI 4:10

Pea ne folofola mai, Ko e hā eni kuo ke fai? Sī, ko e le‘o ena! Ko e ngaahi tulutā toto ‘o ho tehina ‘oku tangi mai kiate au mei he kelekele.

The word for blood, dam, is in the plural here. Cain shed "bloods." The plural is almost always used in situations of bloodguilt or bloodshed. Early Jewish commentators, who found significance in every miniscule detail, argued that "bloods" was written instead of "blood" because Cain murdered not just one man but also all his potential descendants. This led to the rabbinic saying that he who destroys one life has destroyed the whole world. We recognize the truth of this, for there is never one victim of a murder-countless others are "killed" emotionally or psychologically by this heinous crime.

We learn from Cain's story three vital truths: blood has a voice, it uses that voice to cry to God, and that bloody voice is heard. Now if God heard Abel's blood, just think of how much louder the blood of Christ rings in his ears! For his blood "speaks a better word than the blood of Abel" (Heb. 12:24). His death, far from destroying a whole world, saved it, for through him God reconciled "to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross" (Col. 1:20).

May your blood, O Christ, which through the eternal Spirit you offered without blemish to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Heb. 9:14).