ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Pulelulu Sune 7, 2023

חרם Under the Ban

FOKOTU‘U HA TAPU

JOSHUA 6:16-17

JOSHUA SAID TO THE PEOPLE, "SHOUT, FOR THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU THE CITY. AND THE CITY AND ALL THAT IS WITHIN IT SHALL BE DEVOTED TO THE LORD FOR DESTRUCTION. ONLY RAHAB THE PROSTITUTE AND ALL WHO ARE WITH HER IN HER HOUSE SHALL LIVE, BECAUSE SHE HID THE MESSENGERS WHOM WE SENT."

JOSHUA 6:16-17

16 Pea ‘i he faifai pea hoko hono tu‘o fitu, mo e ifi ‘e he kau taula‘eiki ‘enau talupite, pea toki pehē ‘e Siosiua ki he kakai, Mou kaila; he kuo tuku ‘e Sihova ‘a e kolo kiate kimoutolu. 17 Pea ko e kolo, ‘e tapui ia, ‘a ia mo e me‘a kotoa pē ‘oku ‘i ‘ai, ma‘a Sihova: ngata pē ‘i he fefine fe‘auaki ko Lēhapi te ne mo‘ui, ‘a ia mo kinautolu ‘iate ia ‘i he fale, he na‘a ne fufū ‘a e ongo me‘a na‘a tau fekau atu.

(Liliu Faka-Tonga)

‘I he ngaahi fonua muli´, kapau ‘oku ‘i ai ha fale kuo holo pe ‘ikai fe’unga ke nofo’i, pea ‘oku fokotu’u leva ‘a e tohi faka-pule’anga ki ai, ‘o “TAPUI” ‘a hono ngaue’aki pe nofo’i. Ko e founga ‘a e ‘Otua ki he ngaahi me’a pehe ni, ko ‘ene lau ia ko e cherem. Pea kapau ‘oku cherem, ha tokotaha pe kolo, pea ‘oku fokotu’u leva ha “TAPU” ‘i he fa’ahinga ko ia, pe ko e feitu’u ko ia. Na’e pehee ‘a Seiliko, na’e tu’unga cherem ‘a e me’a kotoa (tukukehe pe ‘a Lehapi mo hono famili). Na’e pau ke faka’auha kotoa. Ka ‘i he’etau lau ‘a e talanoa, ‘oku tau ‘ilo na’e ‘ikai fai pau ‘a ‘Akani ki he fekau ko eni, ka na’a ne ala ki he me’a na’e tapui (7:1), ‘o tupu ai ‘a e houhau ‘a e ‘Otua ki ‘Isileli. Na’e toki lolou ‘a e finangalo ‘o e ‘Otua ‘i he vete hia mo hono tamate’i ‘o ‘Akani (v. 12). 

‘Oku fakaha mai ‘e he fakakaukau ‘o e Cherem ‘a e ‘ikai ke fakamaau’i fakakonga pe ‘e he ‘Otua ‘a e angahala, ‘o hange ha me’a si’i, ka ‘oku ne fakamaau’i fakakatoa.  Ko e ongoongolelei eni ia kiate kitautolu. Na’e ‘ikai pekia fakakonga pe ‘a Sisu ki he’etau angahala, pe ko ha peseti ‘e 99.9. Na’e totongi kakato ke ‘osi.  ‘Oku ‘ikai ha angahala ‘e kei takatu’a ‘i he kolosi ‘o Sisu pea ‘ikai ha angahala ‘e kei lau kiate kitautolu. Na’e hoko ‘a Kalaisi ko e cherem (mala’ia) ma’a kitautolu, kae lava ke tau hoko ko e hoifua’anga ‘iate Ia.  

‘E Lami ‘a e ‘Otua, na’a ke ‘ave ‘a e hia ‘a mamani, ‘alo’ofa mai kiate kimautolu.

When a governing authority declares a building "condemned," they mean it is no longer safe or fit for human habitation. God had his own method of condemning: he declared things cherem. If a city or person was cherem, they were "put under the ban" or "devoted to destruction." Because everything in Jericho was cherem (except Rahab and her family), nothing was to be left alive. As the story unfolds, we learn that Achan absconded with some of the things under cherem (7:1). resulting in Israel herself falling under the ban (v. 12)! Only when Achan finally confessed, and was executed, did the Lord's judgment cease.

Cherem illustrates that God does not deal with sin and evil fractionally but wholly. And that is very good news for us. Jesus did not die for 50 percent of sins, or even 99.9 percent. He dealt with evil in totality. No sins remained outside of Jesus on the cross, so that no sins remain on us. Christ became cherem for us, so we become cherished in him.

O Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.