ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Falaite Fepueli 3, 2023

 

The Visible Word of God  דבר 

KO E FOLOFOLA HA MAI ‘A E ‘OTUA

GENESIS 15:4-5

AND BEHOLD, THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO [ABRAM]: "THIS MAN SHALL NOT BE YOUR HEIR; YOUR VERY OWN SON SHALL BE YOUR HEIR." AND HE BROUGHT HIM OUTSIDE AND SAID, "LOOK TOWARD HEAVEN, AND NUMBER THE STARS, IF YOU ARE ABLE TO NUMBER THEM. THEN HE SAID TO HIM, "SO SHALL YOUR OFFSPRING BE."

SENESI 15:4-5

Pea ‘iloange na‘e hoko kiate ia ‘a e folofola ‘a Sihova, ‘o pehē, ‘Oku ‘ikai ko eni ia te ne ‘ea kiate koe; kaekehe, ko e tokotaha ‘e ha‘u mei ho mānava, ko ia ia te ne ‘ea kiate koe. 5 Pea ne taki ia kitu‘a, ‘o ne me‘a mai, Hanga hake ā ki langi, pea lau ‘a e ngaahi fetu‘u pe te ke lava hono lau: pea ne folofola kiate ia, ‘E pehē ho hako

Sometimes God's Word is for the ears and the eyes. The word davar, usually translated as "word," can also mean "thing or matter." When the Lord's davar came to Abram, he "brought him outside." Spoken words don't usher people out-of-doors. Similarly, when the davar spoke to Jeremiah, he also "put out his hand and touched [Jeremiah's] mouth" (1:4-9). This divine davar is thus more than a voice dropping from the sky; it is the seeable, touchable manifestation of God on earth.

This visible davar of the Old Testament is the same davar who was in the beginning, who was with God, who is God, and who became flesh and dwelled among us (John 1:1, 14). John says we have seen him with our eyes, we have looked on him, and our hands have touched him (1 John 1:1). He was there all along with his people before his incarnation. And now, everlastingly both divine and human, he is with us, "the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

Christ Jesus, the Word made flesh, may we all receive from you grace upon grace.