ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 אדמוני The Redheaded King

KO E TU‘I LOU’ULU KULOKULA

1 SAMUEL 16:11-12

THEN SAMUEL SAID TO JESSE, "ARE ALL YOUR SONS HERE?" AND HE SAID, "THERE REMAINS YET THE YOUNGEST, BUT BEHOLD, HE IS KEEPING THE SHEEP." AND SAMUEL SAID TO JESSE, "SEND AND GET HIM, FOR WE WILL NOT SIT DOWN TILL HE COMES HERE." AND HE SENT AND BROUGHT HIM IN. NOW HE WAS RUDDY AND HAD BEAUTIFUL EYES AND WAS HANDSOME. AND THE LORD SAID, "ARISE, ANOINT HIM, FOR THIS IS HE."

1 SAMUEL 16:11-12

11 Pea me‘a ‘a Sāmiuela kia Sese, ‘Oku kātoa heni ‘a e kau tama? Pea ne pehē, ‘Oku kei toe pē ‘a e kihi‘i si‘i, ka ko eni ‘oku ne tauhi ‘a e fanga sipi. Pea me‘a ‘a Sāmiuela kia Sese, Fekau ke ‘omi ia: he ‘ikai te tau nofo ki he kai kae‘oua ke ne ha‘u ki heni. 12 Pea na‘a ne fekau, ‘o ‘omi ia. Pea na‘e pahapaha ia, kae‘uma‘ā na‘e faka‘ofo‘ofa hono ongo fo‘i fofonga, pea ko e tama hōihoifua. Pea folofola ‘a e ‘Eiki, Tu‘u ‘o pani ia; he ko ia ia.

Tall and handsome Saul made a good first impression but later botched the whole king thing. Now along comes David, who, with his "beautiful eyes" and "handsome" face, makes us wonder if we're in for Saul #2. Worse, the only other person in Scripture who is described as admoni ("ruddy" or "red-haired") is Esau, who was born admoni (Gen. 25:25). Either way, to have Saul - like and Esau - like characteristics doesn't bode well for David. But once more we are deceived, for this red-haired or ruddy-complected. good-looking young man will become the greatest earthly king ever to reign over Israel.

This shepherd boy from Bethlehem, anointed as king, is the premier preview of another boy from Bethlehem, anointed from eternity, who would ride into Jerusalem, David's city, to assume his cross-throne. The only admoni on him, however, would be the blood in which we wash our robes to make them white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14).

"Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!" (Matt. 20:30).