ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Unwise Counsel

Alea Ta’efakapotopoto

1 KINGS 12:28-29

SO [JEROBOAM] TOOK COUNSEL AND MADE TWO CALVES OF GOLD. AND HE SAID TO THE PEOPLE, "YOU HAVE GONE UP TO JERUSALEM LONG ENOUGH. BEHOLD YOUR GODS, O ISRAEL, WHO BROUGHT YOU UP OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT." AND HE SET ONE IN BETHEL, AND THE OTHER HE PUT IN DAN.

1 TU‘I 12:28-29

28 Ko ia na‘a nau alea, pea ngaohi ‘e he tu‘i ha ongo kafi koula; ‘o ne pehē ki he kakai, Koe‘uma‘ā fau ho‘omou ‘alu ki Selusalema; ko homou ‘Otua ē, ‘e ‘Isileli, ‘a ia ne na ‘ohake kimoutolu mei ‘Isipite. 29 Pea ne fokotu‘u ‘a e taha ‘i Pēteli, pea ko e taha na‘a ne tuku ‘i Tani.

[LILIU FAKA-TONGA]

Ko e ongo fo’i fehalaaki lalahi ‘e ua ‘a Selopoame na’e iku ai ki he ‘auha ‘a e Pule’anga ki he Noate. ‘Uluaki, na’a ne fai pe ki he lau ‘a “Hono loto”, he ka ‘ikai te ne fai ha liliu, ‘e foki ‘a e kakai pea te nau tamate’i ia (12:26-27). Ua, na’a ne ‘iatesi (alea - ma’u fale’i) mei ha kau tangata te nau tali ‘io ma’u pe (poupou) ki he ngaahi taumu’a kovi ‘oku ne palani. Ko e alea mo e fale’i mei loto mo tu’a na’a ne fakahoko, na’e iku ki hono ngaohi ‘o ha ongo kafi koula, ko e tatau ‘o e kafi koula ‘i Sainai. Na’e fokotu’u ‘a e taha ‘i he Noate, ‘i Tani pea ko e taha ‘i he Sautee, ‘i Peteli, ko e ongo kolo ‘i hono pule’anga. Na’a ne toe liliu foki mo e tu’utu’uni ki he ngaue ‘a e kau taula’eiki mo e taimi ‘o e ngaahi katoanga. Neongo na’e toki ha’ulu ‘a e Pule’anga ‘i he hili ha ta’u ‘e 200 (722 K.M.), ka kuo sila’i ‘e Selopoame mo ‘ene kau fai fale’i ‘a e tohi mate ‘o ‘Isileli.

Na’e ‘ikai ha va tatau ‘o e taki siokita mo lotu-’aitoli ko eni, pea mo e Hako ‘o Tevita, ka ko e ‘Eiki na’e ui ko Pele ‘Iotesi - “Fakaofo ‘ene fale’i” (‘Aisea 9:6). ‘I hono loto, ‘oku pule pea fungani ai ‘a e folofola ‘o ‘ene Tamai. Pea ‘oku ne foaki mai ‘a e Laumalie Ma’oni’oni, ke hoko ko hotau taukapo ke ne fale’i fakapotopoto hotau ngaahi loto ke hu ki he ‘Otua mo’oni pe ‘e tahaa, ‘a ia na’a ne ‘ohake kitautolu mei he mate ki he mo’ui.

Te u fakafeta‘i kia Sihova ‘a ia kuo ne fale‘i kita: Seuke, ‘i he ngaahi pō ‘oku ako mai hoku ngaahi kofuua (Saame 16:7).

King Jeroboam made two gross mistakes that spelled doom for the northern tribes. First, he listened to his heart. He said "in his heart" that, unless he initiated major worship alterations, his people would desert and kill him (12:26-27). Second, he ya'atz ("took counsel") with yes-men who only affirmed his wicked intentions. His internal and external counsels led to two replicas of the infamous golden calf at Sinai being erected in the northern (Dan) and southern (Bethel) cities of his kingdom, along with changes to

the priesthood and festival calendar. Though the nation's funeral wouldn't happen for two hundred more years (722 BC), Jeroboam and his counselors had already signed Israel's death certificate.

Unlike this self-serving, idol-worshipping ruler, David's Son and Lord is called Pele Yo'etz, "Wonderful Counselor" (Isa. 9:6). In his heart the word of his Father reigns supreme. And to us he sends the Holy Spirit, who wisely counsels our hearts to worship the one true God who brought us up from the land of death into life again.

Blessed are you, O Lord, for you give us counsel and instruct us in the night

(Ps. 16:7).