ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tusite Sune 6, 2023

General Jesus

SISU, KO E KAPITENI ‘O E TAU

JOSHUA 5:13-15

WHEN JOSHUA WAS BY JERICHO, HE LIFTED UP HIS EYES AND LOOKED, AND BEHOLD, A MAN WAS STANDING BEFORE HIM WITH HIS DRAWN SWORD IN HIS HAND. AND JOSHUA WENT TO HIM AND SAID TO HIM, "ARE YOU FOR US, OR FOR OUR ADVERSARIES?" AND HE SAID, "NO; BUT I AM THE COMMANDER OF THE ARMY OF THE LORD. NOW I HAVE COME." AND JOSHUA FELL ON HIS FACE TO THE EARTH AND WORSHIPED AND SAID TO HIM, "WHAT DOES MY LORD SAY TO HIS SERVANT?" AND THE COMMANDER OF THE LORD'S ARMY SAID TO JOSHUA, "TAKE OFF YOUR SANDALS FROM YOUR FEET, FOR THE PLACE WHERE YOU ARE STANDING IS HOLY." AND JOSHUA DID SO.

SIOSIUA 5:13-15

13 Pea ‘i he ‘iloange na‘e tu‘u ‘a Siosiua ofi ki Sielikō, pea ne hanga hake ‘o vakai, tā ko e tangata ena ‘oku tu‘u ‘o hangatonu mai kiate ia, pea kuo unuhi ‘ene heletā ‘o to‘o: pea laka atu ‘a Siosiua kiate ia, ‘o ne pehē ki ai, ‘Oku ke kau mo kimautolu, pe mo homau ngaahi fili? 14 Pea ne pehē, ‘Ikai: ka ko ‘eku ha‘u ni ko e Kapiteni ‘o e Tau ‘a Sihova. Pea tō fo‘ohifo ‘a Siosiua ki he kelekele, ‘o ne hū kiate ia, ‘o ne pehē ki ai, Ko e hā ‘a e me‘a ‘a e Feitu‘u na ki ho‘o tamaio‘eiki ko au? 15 Pea folofola mai ‘a e Kapiteni ‘o e Tau ‘a Sihova kia Siosiua, Vete ho sū mei ho va‘e, he ko e potu ‘oku ke tu‘u ai ko e potu tapu. Pea fai ‘e Siosiua.

(Liliu Faka-Tonga)

Ko e sar (sala) ko ha taki, pilinisi, pe fakafofonga ‘o ha tu’i. ‘Oku ui ‘e ‘Aisea ‘a e Misaia, ko e Sar Shalom (Sala Salome), "Pilinisi ‘o e Melino" (‘Aisea 9:6). ‘I hono fakataha’i mo e tzava (tasava) - “kau tau” , pea ‘oku hoko leva ‘a e sala ia, ko e ‘Eikitau. Ko e sar (sala) na’e ha kia Siosiua, na’a ne fai ‘a e lea tatau na’e fai ‘e he talafekau na’e ha kia Mosese mei he talatala’amoa; “ke to’o hono topuva’ee he ko e potu tapu ia” (‘Ekisoto 3:5). 

Ko e tokotaha na’e lea kia Mosese mo Siosiua, ko e ‘Alo ‘o e ‘Otua, ‘i he’ene ha sino mai ‘i he Fuakava Motu’a ‘i he fotunga kehekehe. Ko e ‘Eikitau ko Sisu, ‘a ia te ne taki ‘a e konga kau ‘i he tau fakamui (Fakaha 19:11), ‘oku ne takimu’a kia Siosiua mo ha’a ‘Isileli. Ko e Helo Pate’itau, ‘oku ne tau ma’a hono kakai. 

“FEKUKI, ‘Eiki, mo kinautolu ‘oku fekuki mo au: Tau‘i ‘a kinautolu ‘oku tau‘i au. (Saame 35:1).

A sar is a leader, prince, or representative of a king. Isaiah calls the Messiah Sar Shalom, "Prince of peace" (Isa. 9:6). When joined to tzava ("army"), the sar is a military commander. The sar who appears to Joshua repeats, almost verbatim, what the divine messenger told Moses at the burning bush: to remove his footwear on holy ground (Exod. 3:5). 

In both cases, the one who speaks is the Son of God, who visited his people of old in various guises. General Jesus, who will marshal the forces of heaven in the final battle (Rev. 19:11ff.), leads them here also, for he is the Warrior who always fights on our behalf.

"Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!" (Ps. 35:1).