ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 SAPATE SEPITEMA 10

Seeing God in the Flesh

Teu Mamata ‘i hoku kakano ki he Otua

JOB 19:25-27

"FOR I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES, AND AT THE LAST HE WILL STAND UPON THE EARTH. AND AFTER MY SKIN HAS BEEN THUS DESTROYED, YET IN MY FLESH I SHALL SEE GOD, WHOM I SHALL SEE FOR MYSELF, AND MY EYES SHALL BEHOLD, AND NOT ANOTHER. MY HEART FAINTS WITHIN ME!"

SIOPE 19:25-27

25 He ‘oku ou ‘ilo ‘oku mo‘ui ‘a hoku Koeli, Pea te ne tu‘u mai ki he funga efu kimui; 26 Pea hili hoku kili–hono ‘aunga pehē– Ka–ko ia ai pē ha kakano–te u mamata kia ‘Elohā: 27 ‘A ia te u mamata ki ai ‘oku ne kau mo au, Pea ko ho‘oku ni mata ‘e sio ki ai, ‘o ‘ikai ‘o e kehe. ‘Ā, kuo ‘osi‘osi hoku kofuua he holi ki ai!

25 He ‘oku ou ‘ilo ‘oku mo’ui ‘a hoku Huhu’i, bea ‘e tu’u ia ‘i mamani ‘i he ‘aho fakamui. 26 Bea ka ‘oji hoku kili bea maumau hoku jino, ka teu mamata ‘i hoku kakano ki he ‘Otua: 27 ‘A’ia te’u mamata ki ai ma’aku, bea ‘e vakai ki ai ‘a hoku mata, bea ‘ikai ha taha kehe; neogo ‘a’e ‘auha ‘a hoku gaahi kubu‘i jino ‘iate au. (Uesi)

[LILIU FAKA-TONGA]

Ko e ngaahi laumalie ‘oku teetee pe ‘i he ‘ataa (ngaahi langi) ‘ikai popula ki he pilisone ‘o e sino matelie, ‘oku ‘ikai ko ha tui faka-Tohitapu ia. ‘Oku tu’u fehangahangai ia mo e tui faka-Kalisiatiane. Ko e fakamo’oni ‘a Siope, na’e ‘ikai ko hono “laumalie” ‘e mamata ki he ‘Otua, ka ko hono paasala [“kakano”]. ‘I he taimi na’e mamata ai ‘a ‘Atama kia ‘Ivi, na’a ne pehee, “ko eni ko e hui mei hoto hui, mo e pasaala [kakano] mei hoto paasala [kakano]” (Senesi 2:23). Ko hono kakano, ko e konga ia ‘oku fakatupu haohaoa ‘a e ‘Otua. Neongo ‘oku ha ‘i he Fuakava Fo’ou ‘a e tu’unga nakativo ‘o e “kakano”, ka ‘i he tu’unga faka-Hepeluu, ‘oku ‘uhinga pe ia ki he “mo’ui ‘a e sino” (fakamatelie). Na’e nofo’aki tali ‘a Siope ki he toetu’u ‘a e sino, ko e fokotu’u ‘o e paasala, te ne mamata ki hono Huhu’i (Koeli) “ ‘e tu’u ia ‘i mamani ‘i he ‘aho fakamui” mo ia. 

‘I he taimi ‘o e pekia ‘a e kau tui, te tau ‘alu kia Kalaisi, ki Palataisi pe ko Hevani. Ka ‘oku ‘ikai ko Hevani ‘a hotau ‘api ma’u, ko e potu talitali pe ia. ‘Oku tau tatali kotoa ki he toetu’u ‘a e sino mo e mo’ui ta’engata mo hotau Huhu’i ‘i he Langi fo’ou mo e Mamani fo’ou. 

Sisu, ko homau Huhu’i, pukepuke kimautolu ‘i he ngaahi ‘ahi’ahi ‘o e mo’ui ko eni, mo e ‘amanaki lelei ki he toetu’u ‘o e sino. 

[ENGLISH]

Souls forever floating in a celestial sphere, no longer trapped in the so-called prison of a body of flesh and blood, is not a biblical teaching. In fact, it is antithetical to Christianity. Job's confession is not "in my soul" but "in my basar ['flesh'] I shall God." When Adam first lays eyes on Eve, he says she is "bone of my bones and basar of my basar" (Gen. 2:23). Her flesh is part of her perfection. Though in the NT the Greek word for "flesh" often has a negative connotation, in Hebrew, human "flesh" primarily means "bodily existence." Job awaits a bodily resurrection, a raising of his basar, to see his divine Redeemer, who will "stand upon the earth" with him.

When believers die, we will go to be with Christ in paradise or heaven. But heaven is not our home; it is a lovely waiting place. We await the resurrection of the flesh at Christ's return, the raising of our bodies, and life forever with our Redeemer in the new heavens and new earth.

Jesus our Redeemer, sustain us through life's trials with hope in the resurrection of the body.