ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 TUSITE SEPITEMA 5

The Walls of Jerusalem

Ko e Ngaahi Ā ‘o Selusalema

NEHEMIAH 12:27

AND AT THE DEDICATION OF THE WALL OF JERUSALEM THEY SOUGHT THE LEVITES IN ALL THEIR PLACES, TO BRING THEM TO JERUSALEM TO CELEBRATE THE DEDICATION WITH GLADNESS, WITH THANKSGIVINGS AND WITH SINGING, WITH CYMBALS, HARPS, AND LYRES.

NEHEMAIA 12:27

Pea ‘i he huufi ‘o e ‘ā ‘o Selusalema na‘a nau kumi ‘a e kau Līvai mei honau tukui feitu‘u, ke ‘omi kinautolu ki Selusalema, ke fai ‘a e huufi mo e fakafiefia, ‘io, ‘aki ‘a e ngaahi fakafeta‘i, mo e hiva, he fakasimipale, he fakahelefilo, mo fakaha‘ape.

[LILIU FAKA-TONGA]

‘Oku talamai ‘e Palovepi, "Ko ia ia ‘oku ‘ikai fa’a bule‘i hono laumalie ‘o’ona ‘oku tatau ia mo e kolo kuo holoki hifo, bea ‘oku ‘ikai hano ‘a" (25:28 UESI). Ko e tangata pehe ni, ‘oku ‘ikai hano malu‘i pea tu’utu’u vaivai ngofua ke ‘ohofi ‘e he fili. Ko e tu’unga eni na’e hoko ‘i he senituli hono nimaa ‘i Selusalema, ‘i he taimi na’e holo ai ‘a e sioma [‘aa] ‘o e koloo pea faka’auha ‘e he afi ‘a e matapaa. (Nehemaia 1:3). Hange pe ko hono fokotu’u ‘e he ‘Otua ‘a ‘Esela ke ne ako’i ‘a e Lao ki he kakai, na’a ne fokotu’u ‘a Nehemaia ke ne toe langa ‘a e ‘aa. Ko e tokotaha na’e fou mai ai ‘a e sokomai (poto), pea ko e tokotaha na’e fou mai ai ‘a e somai (‘aa) pea na’e katoanga’i ‘a e lava ‘o e ngaue ma’ongo’onga ni. ‘Oku me’angaue’aki ‘e he ‘Otua ‘a e ngaahi tufakanga kehekehe ‘i hono pule’anga. ‘Oku tatau pe ‘a e fiema’u ‘o e kau mataotao ki he ako ‘o e Tohitapu  pea mo e kau tangata ki he ta ‘o e mape langa, kau tufunga mo e kau to piliki. 

Ko e Misaiaa, ‘oku ne holoki ‘a e ‘aa pea ne toe langa. Na’a ne ngaohi ‘a e Siu mo e Senitaile, “ke taha; ‘io, na‘a ne holoki ‘aki hono kakano ‘a e ‘āvahevahe" (‘Efeso 2:14). Ka na’a ne toe ngaohi ‘a e Selusalema Fo’ou, ko hotau ‘api hili ‘a e toetu’u, ko ha kolo laulotaha "Na‘e ai hono ‘ā lahi, mo mā‘olunga" (Fakaha 21:12), pea ‘e nofo ta’engata ai ‘a “kinautolu kuo tohi ‘i he tohi ‘o e mo‘ui ‘a e Lami" (v. 27).

‘E Tamai faka-langi, "Ke ke finangalo ke fai lelei ki Saione: Langa ‘a e ngaahi ‘ā ‘o Selusalema ē." (Ps. 51:18).

[ENGLISH]

Proverbs says, "a man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls" (25:28). Such a man would be defenseless, vulnerable to any attack. So it was in fifth-century Jerusalem, when the city's chomah ("wall") was broken down and its gates destroyed by fire (Neh. 1:3). Just as God raised up Ezra to be a Torah teacher to his people at this time, so he raised up Nehemiah to be a wall builder. One provided chokmah ("wisdom"), the other a chomah ("wall"), the dedication of which was celebrated with holy fanfare. Through a variety of vocations, the Lord employs people to serve in his kingdom. For every biblical scholar, we also need architects, carpenters, and bricklayers.

The Messiah is both a wall destroyer and a wall builder. He has made Jew and Gentile "one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility" (Eph. 2:14). But he also has created the New Jerusalem, our resurrection home, a splendid city with "a great, high wall" (Rev. 21:12), inside of which shall reside forever those "who are written in the Lamb's book of life" (v. 27).

Heavenly Father, "do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls

of Jerusalem" (Ps. 51:18).