ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 PULELULU NOVEMA 1, 2023

Shadow of Death

Malumalu ‘o e Mate

ISAIAH 9:2

THE PEOPLE WHO WALKED IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT; THOSE WHO DWELT IN A LAND OF DEEP DARKNESS, ON THEM HAS LIGHT SHONE.

‘AISEA 9:2

Ko e kakai na‘e nofo he po‘uli; ‘Oku nau mamata ki ha maama lahi; Ko e nofo ‘i he fonua ‘o e ‘ata ‘o mate, ‘Oku ulo ha maama kiate kinautolu.

A midnight walk in the park may be dark, but it's not tzalmavet dark. Spelunk into the bowels of a cave, extinguish every source of illumination, and experience being blanketed by black. That's tzaimavet. Though traditionally translated "shadow of death," "deep darkness" or "impenetrable gloom" are more accurate. Tzalmavet is dark on steroids. But of course, the darker the dark, the more blindingly beautiful the light becomes when it shines. Isaiah foresaw the age when the northern tribes, bruised and benighted by one foreign power after another, would spy the radiance of hope. "Those who dwelt in a land of tzalmavet, on them a light has shone."

That light, Matthew tells us, had two legs, two hands, and a mouth that preached, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (4:17). Jesus kicked off his ministry in Galilee, just as Isaiah had prophesied. He did not stand aloof from our sin-darkened world but dove headfirst and lovefirst into the bowels of our cosmic cave to be the light of the world, to lead us blinded sinners into the rays of grace, where we might behold a world illumined by divine and enlivening mercy.

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me" (Ps. 23:4 KJV).