ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tu’apulelulu Sune 22, 2023

ארבה The Locust

KO E HE‘E

JUDGES 6:4-5

[THE MIDIANITES AND THE AMALEKITES AND THE PEOPLE OF THE EAST] WOULD ENCAMP AGAINST THEM AND DEVOUR THE PRODUCE OF THE LAND, AS FAR AS GAZA, AND LEAVE NO SUSTENANCE IN ISRAEL AND NO SHEEP OR OX OR DONKEY. FOR THEY WOULD COME UP WITH THEIR LIVESTOCK AND THEIR TENTS; THEY WOULD COME LIKE LOCUSTS IN NUMBER-BOTH THEY AND THEIR CAMELS COULD NOT BE COUNTED-SO THAT THEY LAID WASTE THE LAND AS THEY CAME IN

FAKAMAAU 6:4-5

4 pea na‘a nau nofo ‘aki mai, ‘o maumau‘i ‘a e fua ‘o e fonua ‘o a‘u atu ki Kesa, ‘o ‘ikai te nau fakatoe ha me‘akai ‘i ‘Isileli, pe ha sipi, pe ha pulu, pe ha ‘asi. 5 He na‘a nau ha‘u mo kinautolu ‘enau fanga manu, mo honau ngaahi tēniti; na‘e hangē ko ha ta‘emalau ‘o ha fanga he‘e ‘enau tokolahi; na‘e ‘ikai lava ke lau ‘a kinautolu, pe ko ‘enau fanga kāmeli: pea na‘a nau ha‘u ki he fonua ke faka‘auha ia.

The arbeh ("locust") crawls all over the pages of the Bible. We first encounter this insect in Egypt, during the eighth plague (Exod. 10). Later, in the harrowing list of curses with which God will smite Israel should they scorn his covenant, devouring locusts are included (Deut. 28:38). The prophet Joel preaches in the aftermath of a locust infestation (1:4). When the author of Judges was looking for a metaphor to depict how hordes of neighboring peoples had gobbled up the produce of the land, he says they were "like locusts in number." Finally, in Revelation, ghoulish locusts cast woe on earth (9:1-12).

Yet there stands the forerunner of Jesus, chewing on the arbeh. John made locusts his prophetic lunch (Matt. 3:4). The one who prepared the way for the Messiah, even in his food choice, indicated that our Lord would devour the devourer, swallow the curse, and provide us with the food of blessing.

Lord of creation, be our tower of defense against everything that might harm body or soul.