ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Falaite Me 26, 2023

ברזל Keep the Iron Away

‘Oua naa ke hiki ki ai ha toki ukamea (liliu ‘a Uesi)

DEUTERONOMY 27:5-7

"AND THERE [ON MT. EBAL] YOU SHALL BUILD AN ALTAR TO THE LORD YOUR GOD, AN ALTAR OF STONES. YOU SHALL WIELD NO IRON TOOL ON THEM; YOU SHALL BUILD AN ALTAR TO THE LORD YOUR GOD OF UNCUT STONES. AND YOU SHALL OFFER BURNT OFFERINGS ON IT TO THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND YOU SHALL SACRIFICE PEACE OFFERINGS AND SHALL EAT THERE, AND YOU SHALL REJOICE BEFORE THE LORD YOUR GOD."

TEUTALONOME 27:5-7

5 Pea te ke langa ai ha ‘ōlita kia Sihova ko ho ‘Otua, ko ha ‘ōlita langa maka: ‘e ‘ikai te ke apo ha ukamea ki ai. 6 Ko e ngaahi maka tekanoa te ke langa ‘aki ‘a e ‘ōlita ‘o Sihova ko ho ‘Otua: pea te ke feia ai ha ngaahi feilaulau-mōifua kia Sihova ko ho ‘Otua: 7 pea te ke fai mo e ngaahi feilaulau-‘ofa, mo kai ‘i he potu ko ia; pea te ke fakafiefia ‘i he ‘ao ‘o Sihova ko ho ‘Otua.

God doesn't always fully explain his "thou shalt nots." Take, for instance, the prohibition of using barzel ("iron") to hew stones for the altar. At Sinai, he said, "If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it" (Exod. 20:25; cf. 1 Kings 6:7). What did God have against iron? A likely explanation is offered in the Mishnah, an early Jewish collection of oral laws: "Iron was created to shorten man's days, while the altar was created to lengthen man's days; what shortens may not rightly be lifted up against what lengthens" (Middoth 3:4).

The altar was created to lengthen life. Through it the Lord cleansed, forgave, and sustained his people. But even the altar was temporary, awaiting the final sacrifice to be made-the Messiah's offering of himself, by which the Father has given us everlasting days in his kingdom.

Draw us to your altar, gracious Savior, that we may rejoice before you.