ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Weighing and Measuring God

Fua Mamafa mo Fua Loloa ‘a e ‘Otua

1 KINGS 8:27

[SOLOMON SAID], "BUT WILL GOD INDEED DWELL ON THE EARTH? BEHOLD, HEAVEN AND THE HIGHEST HEAVEN CANNOT CONTAIN YOU; HOW MUCH LESS THIS HOUSE THAT I HAVE BUILT!"

1 TU’I 8:27

Ka ‘e nofo mo‘oni koā ‘a e ‘Otua ‘i māmani? Vakai, na‘a mo e langi, ‘io, mo e langi ‘o e ngaahi langi, ka ‘oku ‘ikai hao ai ‘a e ‘Afiona; kae huanoa ‘a e fale ni kuo u langa!

[LILIU FAKA-TONGA]

Ko e vai na’e fakafonu ‘aki ‘a e Tahi Ukamea ‘o e Temipale na’e lava ke kula (fua pe ko ha e lahi ‘o e me’a ‘e hao ai): “na‘e fe‘unga mo e pate ‘e ua afe” (1 Tu’i 7:26). Ko e fu’u Tangikē Ukamea ko eni na’e hao ai ha fu’u vai lahi. Ka na’e pehee ‘e Solomone, “na‘a mo e langi, ‘io, mo e langi ‘o e ngaahi langi, ka ‘oku ‘ikai kula (hao) ai ‘a e ‘Afiona”. Ko hotau ‘Otua taumama’o fau, ‘oku ‘ikai lava ke ‘aakilotoa. Ka ‘oku toe malava pe ke ‘afio ‘i ha potu hange ko e temipale. ‘Oku ‘ikai ke ne hange ko e vai ‘o e tahi ukamea, ke lava ‘o fua pe aa’i, ka ‘oku laulotaha ‘ene hifo ki he temipale (8:10-11). ‘Oku ne ‘i he potu kotoa pea ‘oku ne ‘ataa ki hono kakai ‘o fakatatau ki he’ene palomesi. 

‘Oku ‘eke ‘e Solomone, “‘e nofo mo‘oni koā ‘a e ‘Otua ‘i māmani?” ‘Oku tali fiefia ‘e he Misaia ‘a e fehu’i ko eni. ‘Io, ‘oku tapanekale ‘a e ‘Otua ‘i mamani. Ko e langi ‘o e ngaahi langi ‘e ‘ikai te nau lava ke kula ‘a e ‘Otuaa, ‘o hangee ko ia ‘i ono’aho, ka “ ‘ia [Sisu] ‘oku fale ‘i He‘ene ‘Afio hono kātokatoa ‘o e ‘Otua, ‘o nofo sino” (Col. 2:9). ‘Iate Ia, ‘oku ‘afio ‘a e ‘Otua ‘i he potu kotoa pe pea ‘oku ne toe tu’u ‘ataa mai kiate kitautolu hono kotoa. Ka hifo ‘a e ‘Otua ta’ehamai ‘o tu’u ‘i he me’afuaa, te tau toki ‘ilo ‘a e fua ‘o e ‘Otua.H

‘Eiki Sisu, kau mai mo kimautolu, pukepuke kimautolu pea tuku ke fakamama’u homau mata kiate koe pe.

The water that filled the vast Bronze Sea at the temple could be kul ("measured to see how much it contains"): "it held [kul] two thousand baths" (1 Kings 7:26). This giant vessel fully contained all that water. But Solomon exclaims to the Lord that "heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain [kul] you!" Our mysterious God cannot be boxed in. Yet he also locates himself in specific places like the temple. He is not like the liquid in the Bronze Sea, capable of being measured or walled in, but he also makes quite the splash when he moves into the temple (8:10-11). He's omnipresent, yes, but also omni-available specifically where he has promised to be for his people.

Solomon asks, "But will God indeed dwell on the earth?" This question receives a joyfully positive answer in the Messiah. Yes, God most certainly will "dwell on the earth"! The heaven of heavens might not be able to kul God in days of old, but "in [Jesus] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily" (Col. 2:9). In him, the Lord is omnipresent and omni-available for us. Have Jesus step on the scales and you'll know exactly how much God weighs.

Lord Jesus, be with us, uphold us, and keep our eyes fixed on you.