ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Springing Up

 Fakamuka Hake

2 SAMUEL 23:5

[DAVID SAID.] "FOR DOES NOT MY HOUSE STAND SO WITH GOD? FOR HE HAS MADE WITH ME AN EVERLASTING COVENANT, ORDERED IN ALL THINGS AND SECURE. FOR WILL HE NOT CAUSE TO PROSPER ALL MY HELP AND MY DESIRE?"

2 SAMIUELA 23:5

He ‘ikai ‘oku pehē ‘a e tu‘u hoku fale ki he ‘Otua? He kuo ne fai mo au ha fuakava ta‘engata, Kuo ma‘u ‘i he me‘a kotoa, mo ma‘uma‘uluta: He ko hoku fakamo‘ui kotoa mo e kotoa ‘o e ‘ofa – He ‘ikai te ne fakamuka?

[LILIU FAKA-TONGA]

‘I he kamata’anga, “na’e saumaki ‘e he ‘Otua (fakatupu - fakamuka hake) ‘a e ‘akau kehekehe na‘e hā faka‘ofo‘ofa, pea lelei ki he kai” (Senesi 2:9). Ka ‘i he hili ‘a e angatu’u ‘a e fa’ahinga ‘o e tangata, na’e tala ‘e ‘Otua, “ko e ‘akau talatala mo e talatala‘āmoa te ne saumaki (fakatupu) ma‘a u” (Senesi 3:18). Ko ia ai, ko e fo’i veape ko eni, saumaki, ‘oku ne fakamatala’i kitautolu: mei he ‘akau lelei ki he ‘akau talatala, mei palataisi ki he mo’ui mamahi. Pea ‘i he “llea tuku” ko eni ‘a Tevita, ‘oku ne saame ‘aki ha ‘epoki fo’ou. ‘E fakatupu ‘e he ‘Otua ha me’a fo’ou ke fakamuka hake; “ko ia kotoa be te u mo’ui ai, mo ia kotoa be ‘oku ou holi ki ai, ‘ikai te ne gaohi ia ke tubu?” (Uesi) “ko hoku fakamo‘ui kotoa mo e kotoa ‘o e ‘ofa – He ‘ikai te ne fakamuka?” (Molitoni). Ko e finangalo ‘o ‘etau Tamai ke toe muka mai, ke tupu mai, ‘o fakatatau ki he kovinanite ta’engata na’a ne fokotu’u pea mo ‘ene sevaniti ko Tevita. 

Ko e Misaia, ‘a e Huli [seimaki] mā‘oni‘oni ‘i he laine ‘o Tevita (Selemaia 23:5), ‘a ia “te u ‘ai ke (saumaki) muka hake ‘ia Tēvita ha Huli mā‘oni‘oni” (Sel 33:15) ‘o e fakamo’ui.  “hangē ha lito pē, ‘io, hangē ha huli mei ha kelekele kakā” (‘Aisea 53:2). ‘E tupu hake (huli hake) ‘o matala pea ‘e tupulaki mai ‘a e ‘Akau ‘o e Mo’ui, ‘io, ko ha ‘akau fo’ou mo lelei ange. Te tau malolo ‘i he malumalu ‘o e ‘Akau Faka-Kalaisi ko eni. ‘E ngafuli ‘a e fua ‘o e mo’ui mo e fakamolemole mei hono ngaahi va’aa pea te tau toe ‘inasi ‘i he vovo ‘o palataisi. 

‘Oku mau hanga atu ‘e ‘Otua, ke ke fafanga kimautolu mei he ‘akau ‘oku tupu mei he Hako ‘o Tevita. 

In the beginning, God caused "to tzamach ['spring up'] every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food" (Gen. 2:9). After humanity's rebellion, however, God warned "thorns and thistles it shall tzamach for you" (3:18). This verb, tzamach, therefore, encapsulates our story: from good trees to thorny thistles, from paradise to pain. In his famous "last words," however, David sings of a coming welcome change. God will cause something else to spring up: "all my help and my desire," literally, "all my salvation and desire." Our Father's saving desire will blossom, spring forth, according to

the "everlasting covenant" that he made with David.

The Messiah is this "righteous Branch [tzemach]" of David (Jer. 23:5) whom God causes to branch up (tzamach; 33:15) for our salvation. "Like a root out of dry ground" (Isa. 53:2), he will spring forth to blossom and grow into our new and better Tree of Life. In the shade of this Christ Tree, we find rest. And from his branches hangs the fruit of life and forgiveness, so that we might sink our teeth into paradise once more.

Open our lips, O Lord, to feed us the fruit that grows from the tree of the Son of David.