Sapate ‘Epeleli 30, 2023

Mouth-to-Mouth Conversation   פה אל פה 

ALEA MO IA, NGUTU KI HE NGUTU

NUMBERS 12:6-8

AND [GOD] SAID, "HEAR MY WORDS: IF THERE IS A PROPHET AMONG YOU. I THE LORD MAKE MYSELF KNOWN TO HIM IN A VISION; I SPEAK WITH HIM IN A DREAM. NOT SO WITH MY SERVANT MOSES. HE IS FAITHFUL IN ALL MY HOUSE. WITH HIM I SPEAK MOUTH TO MOUTH, CLEARLY, AND NOT IN RIDDLES, AND HE BEHOLDS THE FORM OF THE LORD.

NOMIPA 12:6-8

 6 Pea ne folofola ange, Tokanga mai ki he‘eku lea: ka ai ha palōfita ‘iate kimoutolu, ko au Sihova te u faka‘ilo au kiate ia ‘i ha vīsone, te u lea kiate ia ‘i ha misi. 7 Taha kehe ‘eku sevāniti ko Mōsese: ko e falala‘anga ia ‘i hoku fale kotoa.  8 Ko ‘ema alea mo ia ‘e fai ko e ngutu ki he ngutu, pea ‘i he lea tonu, ‘o ‘ikai ‘i he fakatātā; pea ko e anga totonu ‘o Sihova te ne māta‘i: pea lau ‘e au te mou manavahē ke lau‘i ‘eku sevāniti ko Mōsese.

We communicate in a variety of ways-emails, texts, phone calls, video, and face to face. When the Lord wanted to convey a message, he too had options. To Gentiles, like Pharaoh, he ordinarily used dreams (Gen. 41:1). To most prophets he spoke in visions (Isa. 1:1). But to Moses, the apex prophet. he spoke peh el peh ("mouth to mouth"). The image is drawn from royalty, for only the king's closest servants had regular dialogues with him. As in 2 Kings 25:19, where the "king's council" are literally "those who see the face of the king." So with Moses, who knew the King of kings "face to face"  (Deut. 34:10).

Moses foretold that the Lord would raise up a prophet like himself (Deut. 18:15). Jesus, indeed, was this prophet-but infinitely more, "for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). From his mouth comes "a sharp, two-edged sword" by which to defend us, the people who heed his voice (Rev. 1:16).

Open our ears, O Lord, to listen to the voice of your all-wise, all-powerful Word.

Tokonaki ‘Epeleli 29, 2023

פנים When God Smiles

FOFONGA OLA ‘O E ‘OTUA

NUMBERS 6:24-27

"THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU; THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE TO SHINE UPON YOU AND BE GRACIOUS TO YOU; THE LORD LIFT UP HIS COUNTENANCE UPON YOU AND GIVE YOU PEACE. SO SHALL THEY PUT MY NAME UPON THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, AND I WILL BLESS THEM."

NOMIPA 6:24-27

24 ke tāpuaki‘i mai koe ‘e Sihova, mo ne tauhi‘i! 25 Ke fakaulo mai ‘e Sihova hono fofonga kiate koe, mo ne ‘alo ‘ofa! 26 Ke hāngaifofonga mai ‘a Sihova kiate koe, mo ne ‘atu ‘a e melino! 27 Koe‘uhi ke nau ‘ai hoku hingoa ki ha‘a ‘Isileli, ka u tāpuaki kinautolu ‘e au.

Faces pop up frequently in conversation: a face-off, a slap in the face, a poker face. Twice in the priestly blessing, God's panim ("face") does something; it shines and is lifted up. This shining face is not the same as our "glowing face" in English. When God's face illumines, he is gracious and saves (Ps. 31:16). He enlightens our darkness. Likewise, when he "lifts up his panim" he looks with favor. A smile spreads across his face, filling us with peace. God's shining and smiling face, along with the threefold repetition of his name on us, is how he blesses us.

When Jesus was transfigured before his disciples, his face shone like the sun (Matt. 17:2), "for God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6). In the face of Jesus, we see the Father's smile of grace and favor, for in him we are blessed by the Spirit.

"Restore us, O God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!" (Ps. 80:7).

Falaite ‘Epeleli 28, 2023

Year of the Ram's Horn

Ko e Talupite Faka-Siupeli

LEVITICUS 25:9-10

"ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT YOU SHALL SOUND THE TRUMPET THROUGHOUT ALL YOUR LAND. AND YOU SHALL CONSECRATE THE FIFTIETH YEAR, AND PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGHOUT THE LAND TO ALL ITS INHABITANTS. IT SHALL BE A JUBILEE FOR YOU. WHEN EACH OF YOU SHALL RETURN TO HIS PROPERTY AND EACH OF YOU SHALL RETURN TO HIS CLAN."

LEVITIKO 25:9-10

 9 Pea te ke toki fakaongo atu ‘a e talupite le‘o lahi ‘i hono ‘aho hongofulu ‘i hono fitu ‘o e māhina; ‘i he ‘Aho Fakalelei te mou fakaongo atu ‘a e talupite ‘i homou tukui feitu‘u kotoa pē. 10 Pea te mou tapui ‘a e ta‘u ko hono nimangofulu, pea te mou fanongonongo tau‘atāina ‘i he fonua ki he kau nofo kotoa: ko e Siupeli ia kiate kimoutolu, pea te mou foki takitaha ki hono tofi‘a, pea foki takitaha ki hono fāmili. 

Today, "Jubilee" refers to everything from a special anniversary to an X-Men character. It all started with the Hebrew word yovel. A yovel ("jubilee") is a ram's horn that is hollowed into an instrument (e.g., Josh. 6:5). Every fiftieth year, on Yom Kippur, a blast from the yovel would put the brakes on the nation for an extended rest. Debts were forgiven. Ancestral lands returned. Slaves liberated. It was the Sabbath of Sabbaths. Everyone, including the land, enjoyed R&R from labor, captivity, and debt. Yovel was a foretaste of the ultimate rest to come in the Messiah.

When Jesus preached his first sermon in Nazareth, he announced that the messianic Yovel was on their doorstep. Quoting Isaiah, he told the synagogue that he had come to liberate captives, give sight to blind, give liberty to the oppressed, and proclaim the year of the Lord's favor (Luke 4:18-19). Sins were forgiven. Chains broken. In Jesus, the Spirit blows the horn of salvation to announce that we have entered the ongoing Jubilee that has no end.

All glory to you, O Lord, for bringing us, who are weary and heavy laden, into your rest.

Tu’apulelulu ‘Epeleli 27, 2023

סכות Feast of Huts

KATOANGA FALE LOU‘AKAU

LEVITICUS 23:34, 42-43

"ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF THIS SEVENTH MONTH AND FOR SEVEN DAYS IS THE FEAST OF BOOTHS TO THE LORD... YOU SHALL DWELL IN BOOTHS FOR SEVEN DAYS. ALL NATIVE ISRAELITES SHALL DWELL IN BOOTHS, THAT YOUR GENERATIONS MAY KNOW THAT I MADE THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL DWELL IN BOOTHS WHEN I BROUGHT THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT: I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD."

LEVITIKO 23:34, 42-43

34 Lea ki ha‘a ‘Isileli, ‘o pehē, ‘I hono ‘aho hongofulu mā nima ‘o e māhina fitu ko eni ‘e kamata ai ‘a e kātoanga Fale-lou‘akau, pea ‘e fai ia kia Sihova ‘o ‘aho fitu. 42 Te mou nofo fale lou‘akau ‘o ‘aho fitu; ko e kau ‘Isileli tupu‘i fonua kotoa pē te nau nofo fale lou‘akau; 43 koe‘uhiā ke ‘ilo ‘e homou ngaahi to‘utangata na‘a ku tuku ke nofo fale lou‘akau ‘a ha‘a ‘Isileli ‘i he‘eku ‘omi kinautolu mei ‘Isipite: ko Sihova au ko homou ‘Otua.

The third annual mass gathering of Israelites is the "roughing it" festival in the fall. No comfy beds in the Jerusalem Hilton, but makeshift sukkot were their homes for seven days. A sukka (plural: sukkot) is a hut or booth made from leafy branches. Living in these sukkot was Israel's way of remembering that their ancestors lived similarly when God brought them out of Egypt. By the first century, during Sukkot the high priest poured out water around the altar to commemorate God's gift of water during the wilderness wandering and to anticipate the profusion of life-giving water that the Messiah would outpour.

On the last day of Sukkot, Jesus made himself known as the Messiah (John 7:2, 37). Standing in the temple, he proclaimed, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink" (v. 37). From Christ, the embodied sukka of God, rivers of living water flow to all who believe in him (v. 38).

Lord Jesus, may we ever feast on the abundance of your house, and drink from the river of your delights (Ps. 36:8).

Pulelulu ‘Epeleli 26, 2023

The Day of Affliction and Atonement   ענה

KO E ‘AHO ‘O E FAKAMAMAHI MO E FAKALELEI

LEVITICUS 23:26-28

AND THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSES, SAYING, "NOW ON THE TENTH DAY OF THIS SEVENTH MONTH IS THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. IT SHALL BE FOR YOU A TIME OF HOLY CONVOCATION, AND YOU SHALL AFFLICT YOURSELVES AND PRESENT A FOOD OFFERING TO THE LORD. AND YOU SHALL NOT DO ANY WORK ON THAT VERY DAY, FOR IT IS A DAY OF ATONEMENT, TO MAKE ATONEMENT FOR YOU BEFORE THE LORD YOUR GOD."

LEVITIKO 23:26-28

26 Bea nae folofola a Jihova kia Mosese, o behe, 27 I hono hogofulu foki oe aho o hono fitu mahina ni e ai ae aho oe fakalelei: koe aho ia oe fakataha maonioni kiate kimoutolu; bea ke mou fakamamahi ho mou laumalie, bea atu ha feilaulau kuo gaohi aki ae afi kia Jihova. 28 Bea e ikai te mou fai ha gaue i he aho koia: he koe aho ia oe fakalelei, ke fai ai ae fakalelei maa moutolu i he ao o Jihova ko ho mou Otua.

Only once per year, on Yom Kippur ("day of atonement"), are the Israelites are told, "Afflict yourselves." The verb anah ("afflict" or "humble") suggests both inner contrition over sins and outer fasting from food, drink, sex, and bathing. Still today, the Jews call the time from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur the "Ten Days of Teshuvah [Repentance]." This isn't just about "beating yourself up" but confessing sins and praying for God's mercy. Fasting and repentance do not merit atonement but are God's way of bringing his people to an awareness of their deep and abiding need of his mercy.

The suffering messianic Servant of Isaiah 53 is himself anah ("afflicted" v. 7). He fasted even from speech, for "he opened not his mouth." Though he had no sins of his own for which to repent, our sins became his own, for "the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (v. 6).

O Lord, who takes pleasure in your people, adorn the humble with salvation (Ps. 149:4).

Tusite ‘Epeleli 25, 2023

שׁבעת The Feast of Weeks

KATONGA ‘O E NGAAHI UIKE

LEVITICUS 23:15-16

"YOU SHALL COUNT SEVEN FULL WEEKS FROM THE DAY AFTER THE SABBATH, FROM THE DAY THAT YOU BROUGHT THE SHEAF OF THE WAVE OFFERING. YOU SHALL COUNT FIFTY DAYS TO THE DAY AFTER THE SEVENTH SABBATH. THEN YOU SHALL PRESENTA GRAIN OFFERING OF NEW GRAIN TO THE LORD."

LEVITIKO 23:15-16

15 Pea te mou kamata ‘apongipongi, hili ‘a e Sāpate, ke lau ‘aho; ‘io, te mou kamata mei he ‘aho na‘a mou ‘omi ai ‘a e ‘ū koane tākalo, ‘o fakakakato ha uike ‘e fitu: 16 te mou fai atu ki he ‘aho hili hono fitu ‘o e uike, ‘o kakato ai hamou nimangofulu‘i ‘aho; pea te mou toki ‘atu kia Sihova he feilaulau me‘akai mei he ta‘u fo‘ou.

Christians call it Pentecost (Greek for "fiftieth"), but Israelites called it Shavuot ("weeks"). They counted seven shavu'ot after Passover, then began this second annual festival the next day. Originally, Shavu'ot was a farming festival in which the firstfruits of the spring wheat harvest were brought to the altar. Well before the first century, however, it had also become the time to celebrate God's giving of the Torah at Sinai. Since the nation had arrived at that mountain on the third month after the original Passover (Exod. 19:1), the seven-weeks-plus-one-day time period lined up. 

In Acts 2, when Jews from around the world were gathered in Jerusalem, they were there to celebrate the giving of the old covenant. But the Holy Spirit had other plans. As Sinai had flamed and smoked, so a "mighty rushing wind" and "tongues of fire" appeared at this new Shavu’ot. As Israel had offered her firstfruits, now Christ gave his people "the firstfruits of the Spirit" (Rom. 8:23). The tongues of the disciples spoke of the universal message of grace for all in the new covenant.

Holy Spirit, God's fire from above, kindle in our hearts faith, hope, and love.

Monite ‘Epeleli 24, 2023

קעקע Tattooed for the Dead

Tātatau ma‘ae kau mate

LEVITICUS 19:28

"YOU SHALL NOT MAKE ANY CUTS ON YOUR BODY FOR THE DEAD OR TATTOO YOURSELVES: I AM THE LORD."

LEVITIKO 19:28

Tapu ho‘omou tafatafa‘i homou sino koe‘uhi ko e pekia, pea tapu ho‘omou tātatau: ko Sihova au.

Every society mourns the dead in their own way. Some wear black; some wail publicly; others leave mementos at the graveside. In the ancient cultures around Israel, inner grief was often expressed in physical alteration. Mourners disfigured their bodies, shaved their heads, or inked a qa'aqa ("tattoo") into their skin (e.g., Jer. 16:6). A qa'aqa was cultic action. The ink religiously bonded them with the dead. In Israel, however, the living God erected clear boundaries between the living and dead. With him, even believers who died are alive, for "he is not God of the dead, but of the living" (Matt. 22:32).

This verse is sometimes misapplied as a prohibition against getting inked by your local tattoo artist. As is obvious from the context, however, it concerned Israel maintaining holiness by not fellowshipping with the dead by indulging in pagan practices. Christians do grieve, of course, even as Jesus shed tears at the tomb of his friend Lazarus. But we mourn our dead, not as unbelievers, who have no hope (1 Thess. 4:13). Even through tears, we see Christ's empty tomb and our promised resurrection, thanks to the one who has engraved Zion-and us, her citizens-onto the palms of his hands (Isa. 49:16).

Console us in our grief, Lord Jesus, with the sure and certain hope of your resurrection.

Sapate ‘Epeleli 23, 2023

Uncovering Nakedness  גלה ערוה 

KE FAKATELEFUA‘I

LEVITICUS 18:6-7

"NONE OF YOU SHALL APPROACH ANY ONE OF HIS CLOSE SHALL NOT UNCOVER THE NAKEDNESS OF YOUR FATHER, RELATIVES TO UNCOVER NAKEDNESS. I AM THE LORD. YOU WHICH IS THE NAKEDNESS OF YOUR MOTHER; SHE IS YOUR MOTHER, YOU SHALL NOT UNCOVER HER NAKEDNESS."

LEVITIKO 18:6-7

6 Tapu ki he tangata ke ‘unu‘unu ki he kakano ‘o hono manava, ke fakatelefua‘i ia: ko Sihova au. 7 Tapu ha‘o ala ki he telefua ‘o ho‘o tamai, ‘a ia ko ho‘o fa‘ē; ko ho‘o fa‘ē ia, ‘e ‘ikai te ke fakatelefua‘i.

Idioms spice up a language, but for nonnative speakers, they're often bewildering. Imagine trying to understand "by the skin of your teeth" or "cost an arm and a leg" as if they were literal! As with English, so with Hebrew. For instance, to galah ervah ("uncover [someone's] nakedness") often implicitly refers to sex with Person X while explicitly referring to Person Y. So to "undercover a father's nakedness" is actually to commit incest with the mother. But since she and her husband are "one flesh" (Gen. 2:24), her body is his, and his, hers. All the sexual laws in Leviticus 18 are variations on this theme: family members are our flesh and blood-to be defended against every evil.

"Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous" (Heb. 13:4). Our families are gifts of God. Each marriage is an icon of Christ and his bride. May our Father defend us from every attack of the evil one, who seeks to fracture families, including the family of God. 

Blessed are you, O Lord, giver of marriage and family; you alone are our rock and salvation.

Tokonaki ‘Epeleli 22, 2023

עזאזל The Goat for Azazel

 KO E KOSI MA’AE ‘ASASELI

LEVITICUS 16:7-8

"THEN [AARON] SHALL TAKE THE TWO GOATS AND SET THEM BEFORE THE LORD AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE TENT OF MEETING. AND AARON SHALL CAST LOTS OVER THE TWO GOATS, ONE LOT FOR THE LORD AND THE OTHER LOT FOR AZAZEL."

LEVITIKO 16:7-8

7 Pea te ne to‘o ‘a e ongo kosi, ‘o fokotu‘u ‘i he ‘ao ‘o Sihova, ‘i he mata Tēniti Fe‘iloaki‘anga. 8 Pea ‘e talotalo ‘e ‘Ēlone ki he ongo kosi, ko e taha ma‘a Sihova mo e taha ma‘a ‘Asaseli.

Older translations understood Azazel not as a proper noun but a combination of ez ("goat") and azal ("to go away"). Thus we get "scapegoat" (short for "escaped goat"). Most scholars today, however, identify Azazel as a desert demon, as indeed some rabbis did, calling him Azael. This goat is not an innocent victim that bears the blame (as we colloquially say, "The boss is using Cindy as a scapegoat for his mistakes"). Rather, on Yom Kippur, the sins have already been atoned for by the first goat sacrificed (Lev. 16:15-19). When the high priest lays his hands on the head of the Azazel goat, confesses, and sends him into the wilderness, this goat bears witness not of guilt but of absolution. The goat goes to the devil, as it were, parading the atonement on the accuser's own turf.

When Jesus, after his death, descended into hell, he was parading before the Enemy in a victory march that beat the drum of forgiveness. After the final Yom Kippur of Calvary, Satan had no claim on us. It is finished.

Lord Jesus, the Lamb of our absolution, all glory be to you for the atonement by which you trampled underfoot all our foes.

Falaite ‘Epeleli 21, 2023

What's Wrong with Natural Body Functions?   נדה

Ko e ngaahi huhu‘a fakanatula ‘o e sino 

LEVITICUS 15:32-33

32 This is the law for him who has a discharge and for him who has an emission of semen, becoming unclean thereby; 33 also for her who is unwell with her menstrual impurity, that is, for anyone, male or female, who has a discharge, and for the man who lies with a woman who is unclean.

LEVITIKO 15:32-33

32 Ko e lao ia ‘o e tangata ‘oku mahaki ‘au, mo ia ‘oku tafe hono huhu‘a, ‘o ne ta‘ema‘a ai; 33 pea mo e fefine ‘oku mahaki fakafefine, pea mo ia ‘oku mahaki ‘au, pe ko e tangata pe ko e fefine; pea mo e tangata ‘oku mohe mo e fefine ‘oku ta‘ema‘a.

To moderns, all this talk about semen and menstruation seems bizarre. Why would a woman in niddah ("menstruation") be unclean (tame )? Or a man with a seminal discharge? These are natural bodily functions. Most likely, this was God's way of declaring that a woman's blood and a man's semen were not sacred. In the cultures around them, the opposite was often true, especially in religions that practiced ritual prostitution. To that, God says an emphatic No. His sanctuary must be kept clean of all such pagan ideas and practices. Thus the Lord established ways whereby men and women could purify themselves before entering the holy courts of his tabernacle.

One of the most remarkable stories in the Gospels is when a woman who had been unclean for twelve years due to menstrual bleeding touches the fringe on the garments of our Lord (Mark 5:25-34). This touch would have rendered Jesus ritually unclean. Rather than rebuking the woman, however, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be Jesus says, healed of your disease" (v. 34). The Messiah absorbs our uncleanness, that in him we might be clean, restored, and healed.

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" (Ps. 51:7).

Tu’apulelulu ‘Epeleli 20, 2023

Unclean Doesn't Mean Dirty

KO E TA’EMA’A ‘OKU ‘IKAI ‘UHINGA KO E ‘ULI

LEVITICUS 11:46-47

THIS IS THE LAW ABOUT BEAST AND BIRD AND EVERY LIVING CREATURE THAT MOVES THROUGH THE WATERS AND EVERY CREATURE THAT SWARMS ON THE GROUND, TO MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE UNCLEAN AND THE CLEAN AND BETWEEN THE LIVING CREATURE THAT MAY BE EATEN AND THE LIVING CREATURE THAT MAY NOT BE EATEN.

LEVITIKO 11:46-47

Ko e lao ia ‘o e manu, mo e manupuna, mo e ngaahi fa‘ahinga manu ‘oku ngaue ‘i he vai, mo e ngaahi fa‘ahinga ‘oku totolo ‘i he kelekele; ke vahe‘i ‘a e me‘a ‘oku ta‘ema‘a mei he me‘a ‘oku ma‘a, pea ko e manu ‘oku kai mei he manu ‘oku ‘ikai kai.

Tame ("unclean") is the technical term for ritual impurity. It has nothing to do with being dirty or the "yuck factor." People became temporarily tame (e.g., by touching a corpse; Num. 9:6) and some animals were permanently tame (e.g., pigs). By keeping the God-given distinctions about which foods to place on their table, Israelites were practicing the discipline of keeping the God-given distinctions about which people to invite to their table (Lev. 20:22-26). 

Food and fellowship were thus baked together. In his ministry, Jesus "declared all foods clean" (Mark 7:19) and "ate with tax collectors and sinners" (Matt. 9:10-11). He demonstrated, in a vision to Peter, that the old covenant laws between unclean foods and unclean people were now null and void. The command to "eat" (Acts 10:13) was followed by the invitation to visit the home of a Gentile (10:17ff.). Food and fellowship laws of the old covenant are over, for "there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28).

Blessed are you, Lord Jesus, for welcoming us to your holy table.

Pulelulu ‘Epeleli 19, 2023

מלאים A Priestly Handful

Ongo nima ‘oku fonu

LEVITICUS 8:33

SHALL NOT GO OUTSIDE THE ENTRANCE OF THE [MOSES SAID TO AARON AND HIS SON.] "AND YOU TENT OF MEETING FOR SEVEN DAYS, UNTIL THE DAYS OF YOUR ORDINATION ARE COMPLETED, FOR IT WILL TAKE SEVEN DAYS TO ORDAIN YOU."

LEVITIKO 8:33

Pea ‘e ‘ikai te mou hū kitu‘a mei he mata Tēniti Fe‘iloaki‘anga, ‘o ‘aho fitu; kae‘oua ke kakato ‘a e ngaahi ‘aho ‘o homou fakanofo: “He ko ha ‘aho ‘e fitu te ne fai ai homou fakanofo.

When we say, "My hands are full," we mean that we have become busy. When an Israelite said, "My hands are full," he meant that he had become a priest. Though traditionally translated "ordination," millu'im means "filling." It's based on the verb mala ("fill") and derived from the Hebrew idiom "to fill the hand." Moses took bread, oil, and a sacrifice, "and he put all these in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons" (8:27). This "filling of their hands" placed them in office.

After his resurrection, Jesus showed his disciples "his hands and his feet" (Luke 24:40). Those scarred hands were the priestly insignia of his office. The Father had given all things into his hands (John 13:3). With those almighty hands he washed dirty feet and received piercing nails. Now he lifts those same hands to bless us, intercede for us, and one day to raise our bodies and place us in the New Jerusalem. There each of us, like the high priest of old, shall wear on our foreheads the holy name of God (Exod. 28:36; Rev. 22:4).

Fill our hands, Holy Spirit, with the blessings of our Father, that we might serve as co-priests with our great High Priest.

Tusite ‘Epeleli 18, 2023

Sin and Reparation prolap Offerings  חטאת

FEILAULAU ANGAHALA MO E FAKALELEI

LEVITICUS 4:13-14, 20

"IF THE WHOLE CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL SINS UNINTENTIONALLY AND THE THING IS HIDDEN FROM THE EYES OF THE ASSEMBLY. WHEN THE SIN WHICH THEY HAVE COMMITTED BECOMES KNOWN, THE ASSEMBLY SHALL OFFER A BULL FROM THE HERD FOR A SIN OFFERING AND BRING IT IN FRONT OF THE TENT OF MEETING... AND THE PRIEST SHALL MAKE ATONEMENT FOR THEM, AND THEY SHALL BE FORGIVEN

LEVITIKO 4:13-14, 20

13 Pea ka kuo hia ta‘e‘ilo ‘a e fakataha kotoa ‘o ‘Isileli, pea puli ‘a e me‘a mei he ha‘oha‘onga ‘o e Fakataha, ka kuo nau fai ha taha ‘o e ngaahi me‘a na‘e tu‘utu‘uni ‘e Sihova ke ‘oua na‘a fai, pea kuo nau halaia; 14 pea ka ‘iloa ‘a e angahala kuo nau fai, pea ‘e toki ‘omi ‘e he Fakataha ha pulu mui ma‘anau feilaulau-angahala, pea te nau taki mai ki he mata Tēniti Fe‘iloaki‘anga.

20 Pea ko e me‘a te ne fai ki he pulu; hangē ko ia na‘a ne fai ki he pulu feilaulau-angahala ko ē, ‘e pehē ‘ene fai ki heni: pea ‘e fai fakalelei ma‘anautolu ‘e he taula‘eiki, pea ‘e fakamolemole kinautolu.

The Lord was not naive. He was well aware that Israel would make a mess of things. By theft, lying, fraud, or some other vice they would pollute both themselves and others. To provide a way for atonement and forgiveness, he instituted both the chattat ("sin offering") and the asham ("reparation [or guilt] offering"). The asham differs in that it was offered only by individuals, and in addition to the sacrifice, and in addition to the sacrifice, a 20 percent reparation was tacked onto it. But both sacrifices shared the same goal: cleansing the unholy sinner for reunion with the holy God.

When Isaiah prophesies the death of the messianic Servant, he says, "it was the will of the LORD crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt" (53:10). The crucified one is our asham, the "offering for guilt," whereby we unholy sinners are made right with our holy Father.

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love, according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions" (Ps. 51:1).