Tusite ‘Okatopa 31, 2023

Stand or Stumble

Tu’u pe ko e To

ISAIAH 7:9

"IF YOU ARE NOT FIRM IN FAITH, YOU WILL NOT BE FIRM AT ALL."

ISAIAH 7:9

Pea ko e ‘ulu ‘o ‘Ifalemi ko Samēlia, Pea ko e ‘ulu ‘o Samēlia ko e foha ‘o Lemalaia. Kapau ‘e ‘ikai te mou tui ‘e kimoutolu, tala atu ‘e ‘ikai te mou tu‘u kimoutolu.

In the lengthy list of Judah's deadbeat kings, Ahaz was notoriously atrocious. He sold his soul to the Assyrians; built a pagan altar for the temple; sacrificed children. There was bad, then there was Ahaz bad. His legacy could have been radically different. When two rival powers threatened Judah, the Lord sent Isaiah to place before Ahaz life and death, good and evil. He offered to move heaven and earth to give Ahaz a sign to bolster his faith. But the king refused.

In stunning poetry, the Lord summarized Ahaz's situation. Transliterated so as to catch the sound in English, we read: "If you will not tah-ah-me-nu, you will certainly not tay-ah-mey-nu." The two words are different forms of the same verb, aman, but the first means "believe, trust, have faith" and the second means "endure, last, be permanent." Raise your faith or razed you will be. Firm in faith or not firm at all.

Ahaz was religious, hyperreligious even, but only in idolatry. To this day. he stands as a warning as well as a beckoning-a beckoning by the Lord to believe, to stand fast in faith, to entrust our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies to the one true God in Christ, whose love for us is as firm as firm can be.

"Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief" (Mark 9:24 KJV).

 Monite ‘Okatopa 30, 2023

The Choir of Fire

Ko e Kau Hiva ‘o e Afi faka-Langi

ISAIAH 6:1-3

IN THE YEAR THAT KING UZZIAH DIED I SAW THE LORD SITTING UPON A THRONE, HIGH AND LIFTED UP; AND THE TRAIN OF HIS ROBE FILLED THE TEMPLE. ABOVE HIM STOOD THE SERAPHIM. EACH HAD SIX WINGS: WITH TWO

HE COVERED HIS FACE, AND WITH TWO HE COVERED HIS FEET, AND WITH TWO HE FLEW. AND ONE CALLED TO ANOTHER AND SAID: "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD OF HOSTS: THE WHOLE EARTH IS FULL OF HIS GLORY!"

‘AISEA 6:1-3

1 ‘I HE ta‘u na‘e pekia ai ‘a Kingi ‘Ūsaia, ne u māta‘i ‘a ‘Ātonai, ‘oku ne ‘afio ‘i ha taloni ‘oku fotu mo mahiki hake, pea ko hono kofu fakapatohotoho na‘e faliki ‘aki ‘a e Temipale. 2 Ko ha‘a Selāfimi ē ‘oku taka ‘olunga ‘i ai: ‘oku taki ono honau kapakau; ko e ua na‘a nau fufū ‘aki honau mata, mo e ua na‘a nau fufū ‘aki honau va‘e, pea ko e ua na‘e fai‘aki ‘enau fepunakaki. 3 Pea na‘e fetāliaki ‘a ē mo ē ‘o pehē, ‘A e Tāpuhā! ‘a e Tāpuhā! ‘a e Tāpuhā! ‘a Sihova Sāpaoti! Ko hono lāngilangi ē ‘a e fonu ‘a māmani kātoa.

Seraphim are mentioned only here in the Bible. They derive their name from saraf ("to burn"), like the burning or "fiery serpents" in the wilderness (Num. 21:6). These six-winged, burning angels form a choir of fire. With eyes blindfolded by wings and feet covered, their mouths chant the Trisagion, the triple-holy to the Lord of hosts. Perhaps Isaiah named them seraphim because one of them touched his lips with a live coal (v. 6). Or perhaps they resembled flying flames. Either way, these celestial beings sing the Lord's praise, do his bidding, and serve sinners with a purifying touch.

Isaiah was privileged to see with the naked eye the active sphere all around us, hidden from view. Angels watch over us. Angels sing God's praises. And we, with them, worship the Christ, the Lord upon the throne, to whose glory Isaiah bore witness (John 12:41).

"O LORD, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells" (Ps. 26:8).

 Sapate ‘Okatopa 29, 2023

Woe Upon Woe!

‘Oiaue ‘i funga ‘o e ‘Oiaue!

ISAIAH 5:20

WOE TO THOSE WHO CALL EVIL GOOD AND GOOD EVIL, WHO PUT DARKNESS FOR LIGHT AND LIGHT FOR DARKNESS, WHO PUT BITTER FOR SWEET AND SWEET FOR BITTER!

‘AISEA 5:20

‘Oiauē ‘a kinautolu, ‘Oku lau ‘a e kovi ko e lelei, Pea ‘oku lau ‘a e lelei ko e kovi; ‘Oku nau tuku ‘a e po‘uli ko e maama, Mo e maama ko e po‘uli; ‘Oku nau tuku ‘a e kona ko e melie, Mo e melie ko e kona!

Hoy can be used to lament ("Alas!"), but almost every instance is the verbal equivalent of taking someone's face in your hands and preparing to inform them of a cold, hard, unwelcome truth. With six occurrences of hoy in it, Isaiah 5 has this word more than any other OT chapter. Woe to those who hog land (v. 8), guzzle wine (v. 11), rope themselves to sin (v. 18), lie and twist truth (v. 20), are know-it-alls [v. 21), and are gold-medal winners at inebriation (v. 22). The only other portions of Scripture awash with this many woes is when Jesus unleashes a string of them upon the scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 23). "Woe" may be an old-fashioned, churchy sounding word, but it's one we would do well to recycle. Calling good evil and evil good is as stylish and mainstream today as millennia ago.

Hoy is the call of repentance, which is not an occasional emotion but an ongoing motion. We move out of ourselves, out of sin, into contrition, faith, and forgiveness in Christ. To heed the woe is to speed into the blessing, to  pass from death in sin to life in the Son of God. 

Give us broken and contrite hearts, O Lord, to repent, believe, and rejoice in your forgiving love.

 Tokonaki ‘Okatopa 28, 2023

Mishpat and Murder

Ko e Fakamaau mo e Fakamalohi

ISAIAH 5:7

FOR THE VINEYARD OF THE LORD OF HOSTS IS THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, AND THE MEN OF JUDAH ARE HIS PLEASANT PLANTING; AND HE LOOKED FOR JUSTICE, BUT BEHOLD, BLOODSHED; FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT BEHOLD, AN OUTCRY!

‘AISEA 5:7

He ko e ngoue vaine ‘a Sihova Sāpaoti ko e fale ‘o ‘Isileli ia, pea ko e tangata Siuta ko ‘ene ma‘ala mamana: pea ‘i he‘ene ‘amanaki ki he fakalao, uoi! ko e faluku pē; na‘a ne ‘amanaki ki he faitotonu, kae uoke! Ko e tangi kaila ē.

He koe goue vaine ‘a Jihova ‘o e gaahi kau tau, ko e fale ‘o ‘Isileli ia, bea ko e kau tagata ‘o Juta, ko ‘ene ‘akau toulekeleka: bea na’a ne ‘amanaki ki he fakamāu, ka e vakai koe fakamalohi; ki he ma’oni’oni, kae vakai ko e tagi. (Paaki ‘a Uesi)

There must have been an audible gasp from the Jerusalem crowd. There stood Isaiah, preaching. He'd reeled in his listeners by singing a song of a vineyard, the Lord's vineyard. God worked his fingers to the bone for this vineyard. Cleared away the stones. Planted choice vines. Then he waited. Finally, harvest time arrived. And this vineyard, for which the Lord had gone above and beyond, what was its fruit? What did God harvest? He looked for mishpat, but behold, mispach! He looked for Izedaqah, but behold, tze 'aqah! No translation can do justice to this masterful pairing of rhymes. He looked for the correcting of wrongs (mishpat [justice]] and found only wrongdoing (mispach (bloodshed]). He looked for what was right (tzedaqah [righteousness]) and found only the cries of those who had been wronged (tze 'aqah [outery]).

The vineyard parables of Jesus grow from the literary soil of this one-only Christ adds a postscript. Rather than destroying his vineyard, he hands it over to those who will produce its fruit (Matt. 21:43). By the Gospel, he calls and gathers servants through whom the Spirit works faith, hope, love, justice, and righteousness in the world.

Defend your vineyard, O Lord, from all enemies, and produce in us fruits in keeping with repentance.

 Falaite ‘Okatopa 27, 2023

Torah not Law

Ko e Akonaki, ‘Ikai ko e Lao

ISAIAH 2:3

"COME, LET US GO UP TO THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD, TO THE HOUSE OF THE GOD OF JACOB, THAT HE MAY TEACH US HIS WAYS AND THAT WE MAY WALK IN HIS PATHS." FOR OUT OF ZION SHALL GO FORTH THE LAW, AND THE WORD OF THE LORD FROM JERUSALEM.

‘AISEA 2:3

‘Io, ‘e ō ange ‘a e ngaahi kakai lahi, pea te nau pehē, Ha‘u ā, ke tau ‘alu hake ki he mo‘unga ‘o Sihova, ki he fale ‘o e ‘Otua ‘o Sēkope; pea te ne ako kiate kitautolu hano ngaahi ‘alunga, pea te tau fou ‘i hono ngaahi founga: he ko Saione ‘e ‘alu mei ai ‘a e fakahinohino, mo e folofola ‘a Sihova mei Selusalema.

Isaiah sees God's mountain inflated, towering above all peaks. People from across the globe, like a human river in reverse, flow upward to it. Here is the prophetic image of the church, making disciples of all nations, washing them into Christ's temple. What will precipitate this? From Zion the Torah shall march forth, ushering people in. Torah does not mean law. It derives from yarah ("teach") - the same verb on the mouths of the Gentiles when they say, "that he may teach [yarah] us his ways." The Messiah's teaching, his Torah, the message of his kingdom and grace and life, will bring Jews and Gentiles to the church's mountain sanctuary.

Isaiah 2 is the OT cousin of Matthew 28, the "Great Commission." The effects of the discipling in Matthew 28 are graphically described by the prophet. Believers worldwide will ascend Zion as they are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and as they are "torah-ed" in everything Christ has instructed. Having received this priceless gift, we rejoice to say: 

O Lord, the Torah of your mouth "is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces" (Ps. 119:72).

 Tu’apulelulu ‘Okatopa 26, 2023

Rebellious Rulers

Hou’eiki Angatu’u

ISAIAH 1:21-23

HOW THE FAITHFUL CITY HAS BECOME A WHORE, SHE WHO WAS FULL OF JUSTICE! RIGHTEOUSNESS LODGED IN HER, BUT NOW MURDERERS. YOUR SILVER HAS BECOME DROSS, YOUR BEST WINE MIXED WITH WATER. YOUR

PRINCES ARE REBELS AND COMPANIONS OF THIEVES.

‘Aisea 1:21-23

21 ‘Oiauē, ‘a e hoko ‘a e kolo alafianga ko e pa‘umutu! ‘a e kolo na‘e fonu ‘i he fai fakakonisitūtone–ne me‘a mo toka ai ‘a Totonu ‘e ia–ka ko eni ko e koto fakapō. 22 Ko ho‘o siliva kuo tolosia, ko ho‘o kava kuo talovai. 23 Ko ho hou‘eiki kuo hoko ko e angatu‘u, mo e tākanga ‘o e kau kaiha‘a; ‘oku nau manako me‘a‘ofa kotoa pē, ‘o muia ki he fakakoloa: ko e me‘a ‘a e tamai mate ‘oku ‘ikai te nau fakatonutonu, pea ko e faka‘ilo ‘a e fefine uitou ‘oku ‘ikai ke a‘u kiate kinautolu.

Isaiah is the king of Hebrew wordsmithing. He weaves in puns, tinkers with names, winks with linguistic sarcasm. He's cooked up a rhyme in this law-heavy sermon against his people and their leaders. The four-word phrase "Your princes are rebels" is but two words in Hebrew: sarayik sor'rim (Say it slowly aloud: saw-rah-yik sow-re-reem). The simple form of the two Hebrew nouns, sar ("ruler") and sarar ("rebel"), is just begging for them to be paired. But that's not all. The word sarar carries baggage; it describes the rebellious son who earned the death penalty (Deut. 21:18-21) and rebellious Israel who earned forty years of wilderness wanderings (Ps. 78:8). Isaiah pulls no punches: the whore-like nation (v. 21), full of murderers (v. 21), has the lowlife leaders they deserve.

Like Isaiah, Jesus sugarcoated nothing. When he verbally whipped the religious leadership of his day, he drew on images of graves, snakes, and dirty dishes to characterize their hypocrisy. What Israel needed-and what we need-is a ruler who is true, gentle, just, merciful, and righteous. And that's precisely what we have in our Lord, the truth-telling, anointed King.

Holy Father, break our stubborn hearts and rebuild them in the shape and texture of your own.

 Pulelulu ‘Okatopa 25, 2023

Love and Mandrakes 

Ko e ‘Ofa mo e ‘Akau Fanau

SONG OF SONGS 7:11-13

COME, MY BELOVED, LET US GO OUT INTO THE FIELDS AND LODGE IN THE VILLAGES; LET US GO OUT EARLY TO THE VINEYARDS. THERE I WILL GIVE YOU MY LOVE. THE MANDRAKES GIVE FORTH FRAGRANCE, AND BESIDE OUR DOORS ARE ALL CHOICE FRUITS, NEW AS WELL AS OLD, WHICH I HAVE LAID UP FOR YOU, O MY BELOVED.

HIVA ‘O E HIVA 7:11-13

11 Ha‘u ange, si‘oku ‘ofa‘anga, Ta ō ki he tuku‘uta, Ta nofo vilisi. 12 Ta uhu ki he ngaahi ngoue vaine, Ta vakai pe kuo muka ‘a e vaine; Na‘a kuo lūpū ia; Na‘a kuo moto ‘a e pomikānite Ko e potu ia te u ‘atu ai ‘eku ‘ofa. 13 ‘Oku manongi ‘a e ‘akau fakafanau, Pea kuo hilifaki ‘i homau ngaahi funga matapā ‘a e fungani kai kehekehe, Ko e me‘a fo‘ou mo e me‘a motu‘a foki, ‘A ia kuo u tauhi ma‘au, si‘oku ‘ofa‘anga.

Dudaim ("mandrakes") are "love fruits," plants that, as the Song says, "give forth fragrance" - a fragrance often linked with intimacy in other ancient texts and iconography. We might compare them to our romantic perfumes and colognes, perhaps even an aphrodisiac. In Genesis, they are mentioned in a barter between the sister-wives, Rachel and Leah, for who will have Jacob in her bed that night (30:14-16). In the Song, their scent wafts through the air where the Shulammite, Solomon's wife, says, "There I will give you my love." There is even a play on words, because "my love" (dodai) and "my beloved" (dodi) sound like mandrakes (dudaim).

This earthy, romantic scene, scented with mandrakes, where husband and wife embrace, is one of the many ways the Bible pictures the intimate bond between God and his people, Christ and his church, who are no longer two but one flesh, joined as a head to a body in love.

Christ our Bridegroom, who gave your life as a ransom for the church, make us one with you, even as you are one with the Father and Spirit.

 Tusite ‘Okatopa 24, 2023

When Christ Knocks

Ko e Taimi ‘oku Tukituki ai ‘a Kalaisi

SONG OF SONGS 5:2-3

ISLEPT, BUT MY HEART WAS AWAKE. A SOUND! MY BELOVED IS KNOCKING. "OPEN TO ME, MY SISTER, MY LOVE, MY DOVE, MY PERFECT ONE, FOR MY HEAD IS WET WITH DEW, MY LOCKS WITH THE DROPS OF THE NIGHT." IHAD PUT OFF MY GARMENT; HOW COULD I PUT IT ON? I HAD BATHED MY FEET; HOW COULD I SOIL THEM?

HIVA ‘O E HIVA 5:2-3

2“ To‘o kiate au, si‘oku tuofefine; Si‘oku ‘ofa‘anga, si‘eku lupe, si‘eku ta‘emele: He ko hoku ‘ulu ni ‘oku hausia, Pea viku hoku lau ‘i he tulutā ‘o e pō.” 3 Kuo u to‘o hoku kofu loto; fēfē ha‘aku toe ‘ai? Kuo u fufulu hoku va‘e, pea ko e pehē ke toe ‘uli‘i?

The church of Laodicea said to herself, "I am rich, I have prospered, and I need othing," but they didn't realize they were "wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked" (Rev. 3:17). Much like the woman in Song of Songs, who was naked in bed, had washed her feet, and was initially unwilling to open the door to her beloved, so the Laodicean church was spiritually lazy, lukewarm, unwilling to act. Yet the Lover dafaq ("knocks"). Based on the other two accurrences of this verb (Gen. 33:13; Judg. 19:22), this is not light tapping but vigorous pounding. The knuckles rap with vehement desire. In the Song, she hesitates, then finally gets up, but by then her "beloved had turned and gone" (5:6).

Jesus stood "at the door and knock[ed]" at Laodicea (Rev. 3:20). He calls us, not like a door-to-door salesman, but a zealous lover, battering our hearts, seeking entrance, seeking us. Repent and believe. The Lord of grace and forgiveness desires us as his own.

Holy Spirit, who calls us by the Gospel, give us open and contrite hearts that rejoice at your entrance.

 Monite ‘Okatopa 23, 2023

Dark but Lovely

Kili ‘Uli’uli kae kei Matamatalelei pe

SONG OF SONGS 1:5-6

"I AM VERY DARK, BUT LOVELY, O DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM, LIKE THE TENTS OF KEDAR, LIKE THE CURTAINS OF SOLOMON. DO NOT GAZE AT ME BECAUSE I AM DARK, BECAUSE THE SUN HAS LOOKED UPON ME."

HIVA ‘O E HIVA 1:5-6

5 ‘Oku ou kili ‘ui ‘apē, kau ta‘ahine Selusalema, Ka ‘oku ou matamatalelei pē; ‘Oku pehē ‘a e ngaahi tēniti ‘o Keta, ‘Oku pehē ‘a e ngaahi puipui ‘o Solomone. 6 ‘Oua te mou siosiofi au, Koe‘uhi ko ‘eku kilikiliua, Koe‘uhi ko e ‘ā mai kiate au ‘a e fine‘eiki ko la‘ā. Ko e kau tama ‘a ‘eku fa‘ē na‘e ‘itangi au: Na‘a nau tu‘utu‘uni au ko e tauhi ngoue vaine;

Ko e ngoue vaine ‘a‘aku tonu na‘e ‘ikai te u lava ke tauhi.

Hannah sang of how the Lord "makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts" (1 Sam. 2:7). In her canticle, Mary too sings of how God "looked upon the humble estate of his servant... brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate" (Luke 1:48, 52). This theme of "great reversal" is touched on in the opening lines of the Song of Songs. The lover of Solomon-iconic of Israel and the church-is "very shachor, but lovely." Shachor is "swarthy, sunbaked, dark." Although sun-kissed bodies have sex appeal today, in this ancient culture there was a stigma attached to this look. Sun-darkened skin signaled that you worked outside, were of a lower class, and were certainly not royalty.

Yet this is the woman whom wise, powerful, internationally famous Solomon loved. He chose her. He looked upon the humble estate of this servant, exalted her, kissed her, and wrapped her in his royal arms. He beautified her with his love, as Christ does his church, his resplendent bride. She may not look like much to the world, but in the eyes of King Messiah, she is  lovely beyond reckoning.

Exalt your church, Lord Jesus, that we may partake of the glory that is yours.

 Sapate ‘Okatopa 22, 2023

This Is the All of Humanity

Ko e ngata‘anga ‘eni ‘o e me‘a KOTOA

ECCLESIASTES 12:13-14

THE END OF THE MATTER; ALL HAS BEEN HEARD. FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, FOR THIS IS THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN. FOR GOD WILL BRING EVERY DEED INTO JUDGMENT, WITH EVERY SECRET THING, WHETHER GOOD OR EVIL.

KOHELETI 12:13-14

13 Ko e ngata‘anga ‘eni ‘o e me‘a: kuo ‘a‘au hono kotoa. Ke ke ‘apasia kia ‘Elohimi, ‘o tauhi ‘ene ngaahi fekau; he ko e kotoa ‘o e tangata ia. 14 He ‘e ‘omi ‘e ‘Elohimi ‘a e ngāue kotoa ki he fakamaau, kae‘uma‘ā ‘a e me‘a kotoa ‘oku fufū, pe ‘oku lelei ia, pe kovi.

Ecclesiastes starts off with "vanity of vanities" but closes the book-more positively-with "the whole duty of man." The little word kol is translated as "whole." It means "all, everything, totality." The great Shema tells us to love the Lord with "kol your heart and with kol your soul and with kol your might" (Deut. 6:5). That last word, "might," might better be rendered "veryness." The totality of who we are. So too in Ecclesiastes, to "fear God and keep his commandments," in other words, to love him, is "the whole duty

of man." Or, more literally, "the all of humanity." Our all, our everything, our very-ness as humans is to fear and love God, to guard (shamar) his commandments, for he "will bring every deed into judgment."

"All the commandments of God are kept, when what is not kept is forgiven" (Augustine). This is the way of God, who is kol of love. Love is his everythingness, his essence. If the all of humanity is to love him, the all of God is to love us, forgive us, and make us right in Christ.

"O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" (Ps. 8:9).

 Tokonaki ‘Okatopa 21, 2023

Cistern and Grave

Siā mo Fonualoto

ECCLESIASTES 12:6-7

REMEMBER YOUR CREATOR] BEFORE THE SILVER CORD IS SNAPPED, OR THE GOLDEN BOWL IS BROKEN. OR THE PITCHER IS SHATTERED AT THE FOUNTAIN, OR THE WHEEL BROKEN AT THE CISTERN, AND THE DUST RETURNS TO THE EARTH AS IT WAS, AND THE SPIRIT RETURNS TO GOD WHO GAVE IT.

KOHELETI 12:6-7

6 Te‘eki vete ‘a e filo siliva, Mo foa‘i ‘a e ipu koula, Pe maumau ‘a e siā ‘i he fauniteni, Mo laiki ‘a e sāliote fusi ‘i he vaikeli: 7 Pea foki ‘a e efu ki he kelekele, ‘O hangē ko ‘ene ‘i ai mu‘a; Pea foki ‘a e laumālie kia ‘Elohimi ‘A ia na‘a ne tuku mai ia.

Janus was a Roman god with two faces: one looking forward, one looking back. In Hebrew, there is a literary device named after him, called Janus parallelism, where a word points back with one of its meanings and forward with another of its meanings. We see an example of this in Ecclesiastes 12:6. The verse ends with the word bor, which means both "cistern" and "grave." As "cistern," bor points back to the fountain imagery that precedes it. As "grave," bor points forward to the imagery of dust and death. This "two-faced" word thus bridges the gap between a fountain full of life and a grave full of death.

The very same Creator whom Solomon urges us to remember in the days of our youth, before we age and eventually enter that grave, knows a thing or two about getting out of the grave. And when this world is done, he'll get our bodies out of the grave as well. In the meantime, we rejoice that we have already passed from death to life in the revivifying fountain of mercy.

"O LORD... you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit" (Ps. 30:3).

 Falaite ‘Okatopa 20, 2023

The Fool

Ko e Vale

ECCLESIASTES 2:13-14

THEN I SAW THAT THERE IS MORE GAIN IN WISDOM THAN IN FOLLY, AS THERE IS MORE GAIN IN LIGHT THAN IN DARKNESS. THE WISE PERSON HAS HIS EYES IN HIS HEAD, BUT THE FOOL WALKS IN DARKNESS. AND YET I PERCEIVED THAT THE SAME EVENT HAPPENS TO ALL OF THEM.

KOHELETI 2:13-14

13 Pea u vakai ‘oku hulu ‘a e poto ‘i he fakasesele hangē ‘oku hulu ‘a e maama la‘ā ‘i he po‘uli: 14 ko e ongo fo‘i mata ‘o e poto ‘oku ‘i hono ‘ulu, ka ko e fakasesele ‘oku ha‘ele ‘i he po‘uli: ka na‘e e‘a kiate au foki ‘oku ai ha iku‘anga pē taha kiate kinaua ‘osi pē.

One might expect that Solomon, renowned for his wisdom, would have much to say about fools - and he does. Though there is more than one Hebrew word for "fool," k'sil (pronounced "ka-SEEL"), which he uses eighteen times in Ecclesiastes, seems to be his favorite. Being a k'sil has nothing to do with IQ; someone with three PhDs can be the biggest fool in the room. "The fool walks in darkness" (v. 14). He is stupid regarding daily life and insolent regarding religion. He hates knowledge (Prov. 1:22). The fool is a cancer to the lives of friends and family and community. Perhaps worst of all, a fool does not even believe himself to be a fool. He is intoxicated on the rotgut of his own faux wisdom.

Unlike the fool, the wise acknowledge one truth above all: "Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor. 1:24). Conformed to him, they are transformed by the Father into bearers of his wisdom to others. Wise in Christ, they walk in the light of truth.

Dear Father, rescue us from folly and teach us the wisdom that comes from on high.

 Tu’apulelulu ‘Okatopa 19, 2023

Mega-Vanity! 

Muna ‘o e muna

ECCLESIASTES 1:1-2

THE WORDS OF THE PREACHER, THE SON OF DAVID, KING IN JERUSALEM. VANITY OF VANITIES, SAYS THE PREACHER, VANITY OF VANITIES! ALL IS VANITY.

KOHELETI 1:1-2

1 KO E ngaahi lea ‘a Koheleti foha ‘o Tēvita na‘e tu‘i ‘i Selusalema. 2 Muna ‘o e muna–ko e lea ia ‘a Koheleti–muna ‘o e muna! ko e muna ‘a e me‘a kotoa.

Havel havalim, vanity of vanities. So begins one of the most bizarre-and philosophical-books of the Bible. Its English title is Ecclesiastes; in Hebrew it's Qoheleth; but Vanity might have been a more fitting title, considering that the word populates eleven of the twelve chapters. Hevel means "breath," and, by extension, "vanity" (something as insubstantial as breath) and "idols" (things without essence). "Vanity of vanities" is a Hebrew superlative like "servant of servants" ("abject slave" Gen. 9:25) or "forever and ever" ("everlastingly" Isa. 34:10). It means something like "utter futility" or "mega-vanity." What is utter futility? Life "under the sun" (v. 3). It's all as

vain as "chasing after the wind" (v. 14 NIV).

This book drops an atomic bomb onto every one of our private towers of Babel. We are so easily bloated with self-importance and our delusions of grandeur. Vanity of vanities! Foolishness! Rather, during our time under the sun, let us lose ourselves in the life of Christ-and thus find true life, true meaning in the King of kings and Lord of lords. In him, we receive a treasure to which nothing in this world can compare.

Breathe in us, Holy Spirit, your life-giving and hope-bestowing grace, that we might serve you all our days.