ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 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).