ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Falaite Sune 2, 2023

בים המלח The Salt Sea

KO E TAHI MASIMA

JOSHUA 3:16

THE WATERS [OF THE JORDAN] COMING DOWN FROM ABOVE STOOD AND ROSE UP IN A HEAP VERY FAR AWAY, AT ADAM, THE CITY THAT IS BESIDE ZARETHAN, AND THOSE FLOWING DOWN TOWARD THE SEA OF THE ARABAH, THE SALT SEA, WERE COMPLETELY CUT OFF. AND THE PEOPLE PASSED OVER OPPOSITE JERICHO.

SIOSIUA 3:16

pea na‘e toki tu‘u hake ‘a e vai ‘o Soatani, ‘a e feitu‘u ki he matavai, ‘o fokotu‘utu‘u hangē ha fu‘u ‘esi, mei he mama‘o ‘aupito, fe‘unga mo ‘Ātama, ko ha kolo ‘oku ‘i he tafa‘aki ‘o Saletani: pea ko e muivai na‘e tafe ki he tahi ‘o e ‘Alapā, ‘a ia ko e Tahi Māsima, na‘e maha ‘aupito: pea na‘e a‘a atu ‘a e kakai, ‘o hangatonu ki Sielikō.

(Liliu Faka-Tonga)

Ko e Tahi Mate´, ‘oku ma’olalo hifo ‘i he fute ‘e 1,400 mei he levolo ‘o e tahi´ pea ko e potu ma’olalo taha ia ‘i mamani.  ‘Oku peseti ‘e 34 ‘a e masina ‘i he tahi´ pea ko e potu tahi konokona taha ia ‘i he kolope. Pea neongo ‘oku tonu ‘a e hingoa ‘oku ui ‘aki, ka ‘oku lahi pe mo e ngaahi hingoa kehe ‘oku ui ‘aki ‘e he Tohitapu: ko e tahi ‘o e ‘Alapā, Tahi Hahake, pea mo e Yam Hammelach (ko e Tahi Masima). ‘Oku ‘i ai ha visone fakaofo ‘i he Tohi ‘Isikeli, fekaua’aki mo ha ki’i vai ne tafe mei he ‘aa ‘o e Temipale, pea na’e tupu fakautuutu, ‘i hono loloto mo e maokupu, ‘o tafe mei Saione ki he Yam Hammelach. Pea ‘i he ‘ene fakafonu ‘a e tahi, “na‘e fakahū ki tu‘a; kae mo‘ui ‘a e tahi” (‘Isikeli 47:8). Ko e Tahi Masima ‘e hoko ‘o melie pea ‘e mo ‘ui ‘a e Tahi Mate. 

Na’e ngaue’aki ‘e Sione ‘a e palofisai ko eni, ‘i he’ene pehee, ko e vaitafe mo’ui ko eni, “‘oku tafe mai mei he taloni ‘o e ‘Otua mo e Lami” (Fakaha 22:1). Ko e potu tahi konokona taha ‘i mamani, ‘oku tafe mai ia kiate kitautolu ‘i he papitaiso. Neongo na’a tau mate, ka ‘oku tau mo’ui ‘ia Kalaisi.

“ ‘Oku ai ha vaitafe, pea ko hono ngaahi manga‘i vai ‘oku ma‘u fiefia ai ‘a e kolo ‘a ‘Elohimi, ‘Io, ‘a e potu tapu ko e nofo‘anga ‘o ‘Elioni” (Saame 46:4).

At over 1,400 feet below sea level, the shore of the Dead Sea is the lowest land elevation on earth. At about 34 percent salinity, it's also one of the saltiest bodies of water on the globe. Though its name befits this near-lifeless place, it's called by different names in the Bible: Sea of the Arabah, Eastern Sea, and Yam Hammelach ("the Sea of Salt"). In a remarkable vision, Ezekiel is shown a trickle of water emerging from the side of a temple, growing deeper and broader as it streams from Zion toward the Yam Hammelach. When it empties into the sea, "the water will become fresh [literally, 'healed']" (47:8). The Sea of Salt will be desalinated; the Dead Sea resurrected.

Using this prophecy, John says that this vivifying "river of the water of life" flows from "the throne of God and of the Lamb" (22:1). The same water of God that desalinates one of the saltiest seas in the world flows onto us in baptism. Though once dead, we are made alive in Christ.

Blessed are you, O Lord, for giving us a river whose streams make glad the city of God (Ps. 46:4).