ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

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).