ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 MONITE SEPITEMA 11

Feasting on Leviathan

Ko Levaiatani

JOB 41:1-2

"CAN YOU DRAW OUT LEVIATHAN WITH A FISHHOOK OR PRESS DOWN HIS TONGUE WITH A CORD? CAN YOU PUT A ROPE IN HIS NOSE OR PIERCE HIS JAW WITH A HOOK?

JOB 41:1-2

1 ‘OKU ke lava ke fusi ‘a Levaiatani ‘aki ha māta‘u? Pe te ke fakaniupāpua ia ‘aki ha afo? 2 Te ke tui ha maea kutu ‘i hono ihu? Pe tui hono kou‘ahe ‘aki ha me‘a piko?

[LILIU FAKA-TONGA]

Hange pe ko e fa’a ngaue’aki ‘e he kau malangaa ‘a e ngaahi fakataataa mei he ngaahi talatupu’a ke tokoni ki he mo’oni ‘o ‘enau kaveinga, na’e pehee pe mo e kau palofita ‘o e Tohitapu, ‘enau ‘omi e ngaahi talanoa tupu’a fakafonua ‘o honau kuonga. Ko Levaiatani, na’e ‘iloa ‘i ono’aho ko e manufekau ‘o tahi. ‘Oku ha tu’o ua ‘i he tohi ‘a Siope, ko ha manu hange ha kalokataile (41:1-34) pea pehee ki he kamata ‘o ‘ene tengihia (3:8). ‘Oku ha ‘i he Tohi Saame, “‘I ai ‘a e ngaahi vaka ‘oku fefolau‘aki; Ko e levaiatani ena kuo ke ngaohi ke fakavā ai” (Saame 104:26). Ko hono ikuna’i ‘e he ‘Otua ‘a Felo ‘i he Tahi Kulokula, ‘oku lau ia ko hono ‘ene ‘a’ahi ‘aki ‘ene “heletā, ‘a e heletā fefeka mo lahi mo mālohi, kia Levaiatani, ‘a e Ngata Hola, pea kia Levaiatani ‘a e Ngata Pikopiko: pea te ne tāmate‘i ‘a e Tanini ‘oku nofo ‘i he tahi na” (‘Aisea 27:1). Pea pehee ki he Saame ‘oku lau ki he Fakatupu, “Na‘a ke laiki ‘e koe ‘a e ngaahi ‘ulu‘i levaiatani, ‘O ke tuku ki he fa‘ahinga nofo he ngaahi lala ke me‘akai ‘aki” (74:14). Pea ko e veesi eni ‘oku to’o mei ai ‘a e tukufakaholo ‘a e kau Siu, te nau “me’akai ‘aki” ‘a e Levaiatani ‘i hevani.

Ko e Talākoni ‘i he vahe 12 ‘o e Tohi Fakahaa, ‘a e faka’ilonga ‘o e pule’anga ‘o e fakapo’uli mo e kovi kehekehe ‘i mamani, ko e ‘omi meia Levaiatani. ‘Io, ‘oku ikuna’i ‘e he Lami ‘a e fili kotoa a hono kakai (Fakaha 12:11). 

Fakafeta’i ki he ‘Afiona, ‘Eiki mo e Hau ‘o e me’a fakatupu, ‘oku ke fakahaofi ho kakai ‘’aki ho’o meesi. 

[ENGLISH]

Just as preachers today might reference mythological creatures from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to illustrate a truth, so biblical prophets sometimes drew on cultural myths popular in their day. Livyatan ("Leviathan"), known in ancient literature as a mythological sea creature, is an obvious example. This monster pops up twice in Job, as a crocodile-like creature (41:1-34) and in his opening lament (3:8). Psalm 104 has him playfully swimming by ships (v. 26). God's defeat of Pharaoh at the Red Sea is pictured as the Lord taking a sword to Livyatan, "the twisting serpent...the dragon that is in the sea" (Isa. 27:1). And in a psalm with overtones of creation and the exodus, God crushes Livyatan's heads and makes him a meal for wilderness travelers (74:14). Oddly, this verse was the basis for later Jewish traditions about believers feasting on Leviathan in heaven!

The dragon in Revelation 12, symbolic of both the devil and the evil kingdom that oppress Christ's church, is based on this creature. Just as God crushed them ail (12:11). Pharaoh, symbolized as Leviathan, so he will destroy every foe, human or hellish, that seeks to harm his chosen people, for the Lamb triumphs over your people.

Blessed are you, O Lord, King of creation, for you will mercifully save your people.