ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Falaite Me 12, 2023

A Burr in Your  Backside   צנינים

Ko e foto ke mou tolounua ai

NUMBERS 33:55

"BUT IF YOU DO NOT DRIVE OUT THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND FROM BEFORE YOU, THEN THOSE OF THEM WHOM YOU LET REMAIN SHALL BE AS BARBS IN YOUR EYES AND THORNS IN YOUR SIDES, AND THEY SHALL TROUBLE YOU IN THE LAND WHERE YOU DWELL."

NOMIPA 33:55

Pea kapau ‘e ‘ikai te mou kapusi kinautolu ‘oku nofo ‘i he fonua mei homou ‘ao, pea ko kinautolu ‘oku mou fakatoe te nau hoko ko e ngaahi tala ‘i homou mata, mo e ngaahi tolounua ‘i homou vakavaka, pea te nau fakakina kimoutolu ‘i he fonua ‘oku mou nofo ki ai.

From nursery rhymes ("Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers") to lyrics ("Whisper words of wisdom"), alliteration is everywhere. All you need is a series of the same consonants. Hebrew can play that game too. In Numbers 33:55, three words in a row have a "tz" sound: tz'ninim (thorns), tzad (side), and tzarar (trouble). We might say, "A burr in your backside to bother you." But this is no laughing matter. Should Israel not purge the land of idolaters, idolaters will poke and provoke them toward their own pagan ways. The Lord did allow some Canaanites to remain in the land, however, to teach his people how to fight and to follow his word (Judg. 3:1-4). 

Isn't this God's approach with Paul? Three times he pleaded with God to extract his own "thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor. 12:7), but God said No. His grace was all Paul needed, for divine power is made perfect in human weakness. Sometimes God's soldiers and preachers must endure thorns. Indeed, at one time, a thatch of thorns topped our enthroned King.

Our Savior, crowned with thorns, perfect in our weakness the power of your grace.