ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 FALAITE SEPITEMA 1

EXILE

FAKAHĒ

2 KINGS 25:11

AND THE REST OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE LEFT IN THE CITY AND THE DESERTERS WHO HAD DESERTED TO THE KING OF BABYLON, TOGETHER WITH THE REST OF THE MULTITUDE, NEBUZARADAN THE CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD CARRIED INTO EXILE.

2 Tu’i 25:11

Pea ko e toenga kakai na‘e toe ‘i he kolo, mo kinautolu na‘e tō ki he Tu‘i Pāpilone, pea mo e toe ‘o lāuvale, na‘e taki pōpula kinautolu ‘e Nēpusa-‘ātani ko e ‘eiki ‘o e ka‘ate.

[LILIU FAKA-TONGA]

Ka fakamatala’i ‘e he kau Siu ‘a hono hiki kinautolu mei honau fonua tupu’anga ko ‘Isileli, ‘oku nau ngaue’aki ‘a e fo’i lea ko e Kalutu. ‘Oku ‘uhinga ‘a e fo’i lea ko eni, ki ha kau fakahee’i (‘Aisea 20:4) pe ki honau fakahee’i (2 Tu‘i 25:27). Ko e veape, ko e kalaha, ko e fakapuli pe mavahe ka ‘oku lahi ange pe ‘a hono ngaue’aki ki he “taki popula ke fakahee’i”, hangee ko ia na’e hoko ki ‘Isileli; ‘a hono fakahee’i kinautolu ki Papilone. Na’e ‘ikai ko ha lau ta’u pe ‘a e fakafetau ‘a ‘Isileli ki he ‘Otua ‘aki ‘enau tauhi ‘aitoli, ka na’e laui senituli, ‘o kamata pe mei he tohi ‘Ekisoto (21:15) pea na’e toki taa’i faka’osi kinautolu ‘i he tautea kafakafa: ko e kalutu ki Papilone. 

Na’e ‘ikai ke ngata pe ‘i he kikite ‘a e kau palofita, ‘e hoko mai ‘a e Misaia ke toe fakafoki ‘a e kau fakahee’i ‘o ‘Isileli, ka te ne hoko ko ha “maama ki he ngaahi pule’anga” (‘Aisea 49:6). Na’e fakakakato eni ‘e Sisu ‘i ha founga fakaofo mo’oni. ‘I he taimi na’e “hiki hake ai ia” ‘i he kolosi, na’a ne tohoaki ‘a e “kakai kotoa” kiate ia (Sione 12:32), ‘o ne fakangata ai ‘a e kalutu ‘o e fa’ahinga ‘o e tangata, ‘i hono fakahee’i ia, ‘i he’ene pekia mo ‘ene toetu’u. 

Ko kinautolu ‘oku fai tangi pē ‘enau fakaheka te nau utu mo e hiva fiefia. Si‘ene ‘alu ko e ‘alu tangi ē, ‘o to‘o ha falukunga pulopula; Ka ko si‘ene ha‘u ko e ha‘u fiefia, ‘o ne to‘o ‘ene ‘ū fua (Ps. 126:5-6).

[ENGLISH]

When Jews today describe the condition of being uprooted from their home land of Israel, they often call it Galut. That noun refers to either a group of exiles (Isa. 20:4) or the exile itself (2 Kings 25:27). It's from the verb galah, which can mean uncover or go away, but commonly describes "being exiled," as when the Israelites were "carried into exile" by the Babylonians (v. 11). Not for years or even decades of provoking the Lord to anger by their idolatry, but for centuries of rebellion, dating all the way back to the exo-

dus (21:15), Israel was finally dealt the most catastrophic blow they could receive: galut to Babylon.

The prophets foretold the Messiah who would not only bring back the exiled of Israel but be "a light for the nations" (Isa. 49:6). Jesus fulfilled this, but in an extraordinary, unexpected way. When he was "lifted up from the earth" atop the cross, he drew "all people" to himself (John 12:32), thus ending humanity's galut in his own exile to death and return to life again. 

As we have sown our tears in exile, O Lord, may we come home with shouts of joy, bringing our sheaves with us (Ps. 126:5-6).