ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Falaite Tisema 8, 2023

Out of Egypt I Call My Son

Ui Hoku Foha mei ‘Isipite

HOSEA 11:1-2

WHEN ISRAEL WAS A CHILD, I LOVED HIM, AND OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON. THE MORE THEY WERE CALLED THE MORE THEY WENT AWAY; THEY KEPT SACRIFICING TO THE BAALS AND BURNING OFFERINGS TO IDOLS.

HOSEA 11:1-2

1 ‘I HE kei tamasi‘i ‘a ‘Isileli, na‘a ku ‘ofa ki ai, pea u ui hoku foha mei ‘Isipite. 2 Na‘e fai ha ui kiate kinautolu, ka nau hola ai pē ke puli: na‘a nau feilaulau ki ha‘a Peali, pea nau tutu ‘inisēnisi ki he ngaahi ‘aitoli.

When Matthew narrates how Joseph, Mary, and Jesus fled from Herod into Egypt, remained there until his death, then returned to Israel, he says. "This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, 'Out of Egypt I called my son'" (2:15). When we read this verse from Hosea, however, the prophet is describing how God called his son, Israel, out of Egypt, yet Israel went after other gods. How then could Jesus "fulfill" this verse from Hosea when it's describing a past action, not a future messianic event? God calls Israel "my firstborn ben [son]" (Exod. 4:22). The Father did everything for his ben - chose him, called him, redeemed him. But this rebellious son dishonored and disavowed his Father repeatedly. Jesus, the divine ben of the Father and human ben of Mary, comes to fulfill-"fill to the full"-Israel's history. By repeating that history, including his own exodus from Egypt, and perfecting that history, Jesus the Son makes Israel the son right with the Father. He fills Israel's history (and all human history!) with the  fullness of his perfect righteousness for us.

Call us home, heavenly Father, through the righteousness found only in your Son.