Ko ha Tangata Faʻifaʻitakiʻanga Lelei Naʻá Ne Tali ha Fakatonutonu

“ʻOKU Kai ʻe he Fanga Kalokataile ʻi Semipiá ʻa e Kakai ʻe Toko 30 ʻi he Māhina.” Ko e līpooti ia ʻa ha nusipepa ʻAfilika ʻi he ngaahi taʻu kuohilí. Fakatatau ki ha faisaienisi ki he fanga manú ʻa ia naʻá ne puke ʻa e fanga manu totolo ko ení ki ha fakatotolo, “naʻe fiemaʻu ʻa e kau tangata ʻe toko 12 ke nau puketuʻu ʻa e kalokataile ʻe tahá.” Koeʻuhi ko hono fuʻu hiku mālohí mo hono ongo fuʻu kaungao mālohi ʻaupitó, ʻoku malava ke hoko ai ʻa e kalokatailé ko ha manu fakamanavahē!

Ngalingali ko e lave ki he kalokatailé ko ha “levaiatani,” naʻe ngāueʻaki ai ʻe he Tokotaha-Fakatupú ʻa e “tuʻi . . . ʻo e haʻa mofuta kotoa” ko ení ke akoʻi ki heʻene tamaioʻeiki ko Siopé ha lēsoni mahuʻinga. (Siope 41:​1, 34) Naʻe hoko eni ʻi he taʻu nai ʻe 3,500 kuohilí ʻi he fonua ko Usá, ngalingali ko ha feituʻu ʻi he fakatokelau ʻo ʻAlepeá. Lolotonga hono fakamatalaʻi ʻa e meʻamoʻui ko ení, naʻe tala ʻe he ʻOtuá kia Siope: “ʻOku ʻikai ha taha ʻe pehe ʻene toʻa te ne ueʻi hake ʻa e toko taha ko ia: pea ko hai ai ʻe tuʻu ke fai mo Au?” (Siope 41:10) He meʻa moʻoni ē ko ia! Kapau ʻoku tau ilifia ʻi he kalokatailé, he totonu moʻoni ē ke tau manavahē lahi ange ke lea ki he Tokotaha naʻá ne fakatupu iá! Naʻe fakahāhaaʻi ʻe Siope ʻa e houngaʻia ki he lēsoni ko ení ʻaki ʻene vete ʻa ʻene halá.​—Siope 42:​1-6.

ʻI he taimi ʻoku fai ai ha lave kia Siope, te tau manatuʻi nai ʻa ʻene faʻifaʻitakiʻanga anga-tonu ʻi hono kātekina ʻa e ʻahiʻahí. (Semisi 5:11) Ko hono moʻoní, naʻe leleiʻia ʻa Sihova ʻia Siope ki muʻa pē ia ʻi hono toki ʻahiʻahiʻi kakaha ʻa ʻene tuí. ʻI he fakafuofua ʻa e ʻOtuá, ko e taimi ko iá naʻe “ʻikai ha taha ʻi mamani ʻoku tatau mo ia . . . he ko e tangata haohaoa mo angatonu, ʻoku ʻapasia ki he ʻOtua mo afe mei he kovi.” (Siope 1:8) ʻOku totonu ke ueʻi ʻe he meʻá ni kitautolu ke tau ako lahi ange ʻo fekauʻaki mo Siope, he ko e fai peheé ʻe tokoni ia kiate kitautolu ke sio ki he founga te tau malava ai mo kitautolu foki ke fakahōifua ki he ʻOtuá.

Fakamuʻomuʻa ʻa e Vahaʻangatae mo e ʻOtuá

Ko Siopé ko ha tangata ia naʻe tuʻumālie. Tuku kehe ʻa e koulá, naʻá ne maʻu ʻa e fanga sipi ʻe 7,000, fanga kāmeli ʻe 3,000, fanga ʻasi fefine ʻe 500, fanga pulu ʻe 1,000, mo e fuʻu kau sevāniti tokolahi. (Siope 1:3) Ka naʻe falala ʻa Siope ia kia Sihova, ʻo ʻikai ki he koloá. Naʻá ne fakaʻuhinga: “ʻIlo ʻe au ʻo kapau naʻa ku tuʻu ʻi he koula ʻeku falala, pea u pehe ki he koula mahuʻinga, ko hoku paletuʻa koe! ʻIlo ʻe au ʻo kapau naʻa ku fuʻu fiefia ʻi he hulu ʻeku koloa, mo fuʻu maʻu hoku nima . . . ko e kovi mo ia foki ʻe ʻave ki he fakamaau: he ko ʻeku fakaʻotuamate ʻa Ela ʻoku ʻafio mei ʻolunga.” (Siope 31:​24-28) Hangē ko Siopé, ʻoku totonu ke tau fakamahuʻingaʻi ha vahaʻangatae vāofi mo e ʻOtua ko Sihová ʻo lahi mamaʻo ange ia ʻi he ngaahi meʻa fakamatelié.

Ko e Feangainga Pē mo e Kaungā Faʻahinga ʻo e Tangatá

Naʻe anga-fēfē ʻa e feangainga ʻa Siope mo ʻene kau sevānití? Ko ʻenau ʻiloʻi ia naʻe faitotonu mo fotungofuá ʻoku fakahaaʻi ia ʻe he ngaahi lea tonu ʻa Siopé: “Ka ne u taʻetokaʻi ʻa e totonu faka-lao ʻa ʻeku tamaioʻeiki pe kaunanga, ʻi he ʻi ai ʻenau meʻa mo au: pea ko e ha ʻaku ʻe fai ʻo ka tuʻu hake ʻa Ela? Pea ko e ha te u tali ʻaki ʻo ka fai ʻe ia ʻa e sivi?” (Siope 31:​13, 14) Naʻe fakamahuʻingaʻi ʻe Siope ʻa e meesi ʻa Sihová ʻo ne faimeesi ai ki heʻene kau sevānití. He faʻifaʻitakiʻanga lelei ē, tautefito ki he faʻahinga ko ia ʻoku ʻi ai hanau ngaahi tuʻunga tauhi ʻi he loto fakatahaʻanga Kalisitiané! Ko kinautolu foki kuo pau ke nau faitotonu, taʻefilifilimānako, mo fotungofua.

Naʻe toe fakahāhā foki ʻe Siope ʻa e mahuʻingaʻia ʻi he faʻahinga ko ia ʻi tuʻa ʻi hono kau nofoʻangá. ʻI hono fakaeʻa ʻa ʻene tokanga fekauʻaki mo e niʻihi kehé, naʻá ne pehē: “Kapau kuo u taofi ʻa e masiva mei heʻene holi, pe kuo u tuku ke ʻosiʻosi ʻa e mata ʻo siʻi uitou he holi noa, . . . kapau naʻa ku ino hoku nima ki he tamaimate, ko ʻeku sio ʻoku ʻi he matanikolo hoku poupou: ke huʻi hoku uma mei he huifohe, pea motu hoku nima mei he hokotanga!” (Siope 31:​16-22) ʻOfa ke tau fakaʻatuʻi pehē ki he kau faingataʻaʻia ko ia ʻoku tau ʻiloʻi ʻi he fakatahaʻangá.

Koeʻuhí ko ʻene mahuʻingaʻia taʻesiokita ʻi hono kaungā faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá, naʻe anga-talitali kakai ai ʻa Siope ki he kau solá. Ko ia, naʻe malava ke ne pehē: “Naʻe ʻikai mohe ʻi tuʻa ʻa e ʻaunofo; naʻa ku fakaava hoku matapa ki hala.” (Siope 31:32) He faʻifaʻitakiʻanga lelei ē ki he kau sevāniti ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻi he ʻaho ní! ʻI he taimi ʻoku haʻu ai ʻa e kau mahuʻingaʻia foʻoú ki he Fale Fakatahaʻangá, ko ʻetau talitali anga-talitali kakai kinautolú ʻe tokoni nai ia ki heʻenau fakalakalaka fakalaumālié. Ko e moʻoni, ko e kau ʻovasia fefonongaʻakí mo e kau Kalisitiane kehé ʻoku nau fiemaʻu foki ʻa ʻetau anga-talitali kakai anga-ʻofá.​—1 Pita 4:9; 3 Sione 5-8.

Naʻe maʻu ʻe Siope ʻa e vakai totonu ʻo aʻu ki hono ngaahi filí. Naʻe ʻikai te ne fiefia ʻi he fakatuʻutāmaki ʻe hoko nai ki ha taha naʻe fehiʻa mai kiate ia. (Siope 31:​29, 30) ʻI hono kehé, naʻá ne loto-lelei ke fai lelei ki he kakai peheé, ʻo hangē ko ia ʻoku hā mei heʻene tokateu ke lotu maʻa hono kau fakafiemalie loi ʻe toko tolú.​—Siope 16:2; 42:​8, 9; fakafehoanaki mo Mātiu 5:​43-48.

Anga-Maʻa Fakaefehokotaki Fakasino

Naʻe mateaki ʻa Siope ki hono hoa malí, ʻo ʻikai ʻaupito te ne fakaʻatā hono lotó ke tupulekina ai ha ongo taʻetotonu ki ha fefine kehe. Naʻe pehē ʻe Siope: “Naʻa ma alea mo hoku mata, ʻo u fai tuʻutuʻuni ki ai; pea fefe ai haʻaku sio kovi ki ha taʻahine? Kapau kuo toʻoa hoku loto ki ha fefine alafia, pea u tuku toitoi ki he matapa ʻo hoku kaungaʻapi: pea tuku ke fai ʻa e momosi mahoaʻa ʻe hoku uaifi ki ha taha kehe, pea mākau ʻiate ia ha niʻihi kehe. He ko e angahala fakalielia ia: pea ko e kovi ke ʻave ki he fakamaau.”​—Siope 31:​1, 9-11.

Naʻe ʻikai ke fakaʻatā ʻe Siope ha ngaahi holi taʻetaau ke ne fakameleʻi hono lotó. Ka, naʻá ne tuli ki ha ʻalunga faitotonu. Tā neʻineʻi ke leleiʻia ʻa e ʻOtua ko Sihová ʻi he tangata anga-tonu ko eni naʻá ne tauʻi ʻa e ngaahi fakatauele taʻetāú!​—Mātiu 5:​27-30.

Tokanga Fekauʻaki mo e Tuʻunga Fakalaumālie ʻo e Fāmilí

ʻI he taimi ʻe niʻihi, naʻe hanga ai ʻe he ngaahi foha ʻo Siopé ʻo teuteu ha ngaahi kātoanga kai ʻa ia naʻe kātoa ai hono ngaahi fohá mo hono ngaahi ʻofefiné. ʻI he hili atu ʻa e ngaahi ʻaho kātoanga kai ko ení, naʻe tokanga ʻaupito ʻa Siope naʻa kuo fai ʻe heʻene fānaú ha angahala kia Sihova ʻi ha faʻahinga founga. Ko ia naʻe fai leva ʻe Siope ha ngāue, he ʻoku pehē ʻe he fakamatala Fakatohitapú: “ʻI he faifai pea kuo foki tuʻo taha honau ʻaho katoanga, pea fekau ʻe Siope ke fai honau fakatapuʻi, ʻo ne tuʻu hengihengi hake, ʻo ne feia ʻa e ngaahi feilaulau moifua, ʻo fakatatau ki honau tokolahi: he naʻe pehe ʻe Siope, Naʻa kuo angahala ʻeku fanau, ʻo nau tafuli loto mei he ʻOtua.” (Siope 1:​4, 5) ʻOku pau pē naʻe maongo ʻa e meʻá ni ki he ngaahi mēmipa ʻo e fāmili ʻo Siopé ʻa ʻene tokanga ke nau maʻu ha manavahē anga-fakaʻapaʻapa kia Sihova mo ʻaʻeva ʻi Hono ngaahi halá!

ʻI he ʻahó ni, ʻoku fiemaʻu ki he ngaahi ʻuluʻifāmili Kalisitiané ke nau fakahinohino honau ngaahi fāmilí fekauʻaki mo e Folofola ʻa e ʻOtuá, ʻa e Tohitapú. (1 Timote 5:8) Pea ʻoku feʻungamālie moʻoni ke lotu maʻá e ngaahi mēmipa ʻo e fāmilí.​—Loma 12:12.

Kātaki Anga-Tonu Lolotonga ʻa e ʻAhiʻahí

Ko e tokolahi taha ʻo e kau lau Tohitapú ʻoku nau alāanga mo e ngaahi ʻahiʻahi kakaha naʻe hoko kia Siopé. Ko Sētane ko e Tēvoló naʻá ne pehē ʻi he lolotonga ʻo e ngaahi tuʻunga faingataʻá ʻe lea kovi ʻa Siope ki he ʻOtuá. Naʻe tali ʻe Sihova ʻa e pole ko ení, pea ʻikai tuai kuo fakahoko mai ʻe Sētane ʻa e faingataʻa kia Siope. Naʻe mole kotoa ʻa ʻene fanga monumanú. Ko e toe kovi angé, naʻá ne faingataʻaʻia ʻi he mole kotoa ʻa ʻene fānaú ʻi he maté. Taimi nounou pē mei ai, naʻe hanga ʻe Sētane ʻo taaʻi ʻa Siope ʻaki ʻa e hangatāmaki kovi mei hono ʻulú ki hono vaʻé.​—Siope, vahe 1, 2.

Ko e hā ʻa e ikuʻangá? ʻI he taimi naʻe fakaʻaiʻai ai ia ʻe hono uaifí ke lea kovi ki he ʻOtuá, naʻe pehē ʻe Siope: “Ko hoʻo lea ʻoku hange ko e lau ʻa ha taha ʻi he kau fefine fakangangau. He te tau tali koā ʻa e lelei mei he ʻOtua, kae ʻikai tali mo e kovi?” ʻOku tānaki mai ʻe he fakamatala ʻa e Tohitapú: “ʻI he meʻa ko ia kotoa naʻe ʻikai to ha meʻa hala mei he ngutu ʻo Siope.” (Siope 2:10) ʻIo, naʻe kātaki anga-tonu ʻa Siope ʻo ne fakamoʻoniʻi ai ko e Tēvoló ko ha tokotaha-loi. ʻOfa ke pehē ʻetau kātakiʻi ʻa e ngaahi ʻahiʻahí pea fakamoʻoniʻi ai ko ʻetau ngāue ki he ʻOtuá ko e ueʻi ia ʻe he ʻofa moʻoni kia Sihová.​—Mātiu 22:​36-38.

Tali Anga-Fakatōkilalo ʻa e Fakatonutonú

Neongo naʻe faʻifaʻitakiʻanga lelei ʻa Siope ʻi he ngaahi founga lahi, naʻe ʻikai ko ha tangata haohaoa ia. Naʻá ne lea tonu ʻo pehē: “Ko loto ke tupu ha maʻa mei he taʻemaʻa; ka ʻoku ʻikai ha taha!” (Siope 14:4; Loma 5:12) Ko ia ʻi he taimi naʻe pehē ai ʻe he ʻOtuá naʻe taʻemele ʻa Siopé, naʻe moʻoni eni ʻi he tuʻunga ko ia naʻá ne moʻui ʻo fakatatau ki he meʻa kotoa naʻe ʻamanekina ʻe he ʻOtuá mei ha taha ʻo ʻene kau sevāniti fakaetangata taʻehaohaoa mo angahalaʻiá. He matavai ē ʻo e fakalototoʻá!

Naʻe kātekina ʻe Siope ʻa hono ʻahiʻahí, ka naʻe fakaeʻa ai ha mele. ʻI heʻenau fanongo ki he faingataʻa kotoa kuo hoko kiate iá, naʻe ʻaʻahi mai ai ha kau fakafiemālie tokua ʻe toko tolu kiate ia. (Siope 2:​11-13) Naʻa nau tukuakiʻi ko e tautea ʻe Sihova ʻa Siopé ko ʻene fai ʻa e ngaahi angahala mafatukituki. ʻI he ongo fakaenatulá, naʻe loto-mamahi ʻa Siope koeʻuhi ko e ngaahi tukuakiʻi loi ko ení, pea naʻá ne kumi tōtōivi ke fai ha taukapo. Ka naʻá ne hoko ʻo taʻemafamafatatau ʻi heʻene feinga ko ia ke fakatonuhiaʻi iá. ʻIkai koā, naʻe aʻu ʻo fakahaaʻi ʻe Siope naʻá ne anga-tonu ange ia ʻi he ʻOtuá!​—Siope 35:​2, 3. 

Koeʻuhí naʻe ʻofa ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻia Siope, naʻá Ne ngāueʻaki ai ha kiʻi talavou ke ne tuhuʻi atu ʻa e hala ʻa Siopé. ʻOku pehē ʻe he fakamatalá: “Toki kohu ʻa e ʻita ʻa Ilaiu . . . ʻio naʻe kohu ʻene ʻita kia Siope, koeʻuhi ko ʻene fakatonuhiaʻi ia ʻe ia, ʻo tuku ʻa e ʻOtua.” Hangē ko ia naʻe fakamatala ki ai ʻa ʻIlaiuú: “Kuo lea ʻa Siope, ʻo pehe, ‘ʻOku ou tonuhia; ka ko Ela kuo ne toʻo ʻeku malu fakalao.’” (Siope 32:2; 34:5) Kae kehe, naʻe ʻikai ke kau atu ʻa ʻIlaiū ki he toko tolu ‘fakafiemālié’ ʻi hono fakamulituku hala ʻaki ko e tautea ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa Siope ko ʻene ngaahi angahalá. ʻI hono kehé, naʻe fakahaaʻi ʻe ʻIlaiū ʻa e loto-falala ki he anga-tonu ʻa Siopé, pea naʻá ne akonakiʻi ia: “ʻOku ʻi hono ʻao [Sihova] hoʻo meʻa, pea naʻa ke mei tatali kiate Ia.” Ko e moʻoni, naʻe totonu ke fakatatali ʻa Siope kia Sihova kae ʻikai ko e lea mālohi ʻo taukapoʻi ia. Naʻe fakapapauʻi ʻe ʻIlaiū kia Siope: “ʻI he lahi o ʻene faitotonu ʻoku ʻikai . . . fai fakamalohi [ʻa e ʻOtuá].”​—Siope 35:14; 37:23.

Ko e fakakaukau ʻa Siopé naʻe fiemaʻu ke fakatonutonu. Ko ia ai, naʻe ʻoange ʻe he ʻOtuá kiate ia ha lēsoni fekauʻaki mo e siʻisiʻi ʻa e tangatá ʻi hono fakahoa mo e lahi ʻo e ʻOtuá. Naʻe tuhu ʻa Sihova ki he māmaní, ko e tahí, ko e langi fetuʻuʻiá, ko e fanga manú, pea ki he ngaahi meʻa fakatupu fakaofo kehé. Fakaʻosí, naʻe folofola ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻo fekauʻaki mo e Levaiataní​—ʻa e kalokatailé. Naʻe tali anga-fakatōkilalo ʻe Siope ʻa e fakatonutonú, pea ʻi he meʻá ni naʻá ne toe fokotuʻu ai ha faʻifaʻitakiʻanga.

Neongo ʻoku tau fai lelei nai ʻi he ngāue ʻa Sihová, te tau fai ʻa e ngaahi fehālaaki. Kapau ko e fehalaakí ʻoku mafatukituki, ʻe fakatonutonu nai kitautolu ʻe Sihova ʻaki ha ngaahi founga. (Palovepi 3:​11, 12 [Lea Fakatātā, PM]) Te tau manatuʻi nai ha konga Tohitapu ʻokú ne ueʻi hotau konisēnisí. Mahalo ko e Taua Leʻo pe ko ha tohi kehe ʻa e Sōsaieti Taua Leʻó ʻe lave nai ki ha meʻa te ne ʻai ai kitautolu ke tau ʻilo ha faihala. Pe ko ha kaungā Kalisitiane nai te ne tuhuʻi anga-lelei mai ko kitautolú kuo tau taʻengāueʻaki ha tefitoʻi moʻoni faka-Tohitapu. ʻE anga-fēfē haʻatau tali ki ha fakatonutonu pehē? Naʻe fakahāhaaʻi ʻe Siope ha laumālie loto-lavea, ʻo ne pehē: “ʻOku ou fakaliliʻa kiate au, ʻo u fakatomala ʻi he funga efu mo e efuefu.”—Siope 42:6.

Fakapaleʻi ʻe Sihova

Naʻe fakapaleʻi ʻe Sihova ʻa Siope, ʻo fakaʻatā ʻa ʻene sevānití ke toe moʻui atu ʻi he taʻu ʻe 140. Lolotonga ʻa e taimi ko iá, naʻá ne maʻu ʻa e meʻa lahi mamaʻo ange ia mei he meʻa naʻe mole meiate iá. Pea neongo naʻe faai mai pē ʻo mate ʻa Siope, kuo pau ke ne toetuʻu mai ki he māmani foʻou ʻa e ʻOtuá.​—Siope 42:​12-17; Isikeli 14:14; Sione 5:​28, 29; 2 Pita 3:13.

Ko kitautolu foki ʻe malava ke tau fakapapauʻi ʻa e hōifua mo e tāpuaki ʻa e ʻOtuá kapau te tau tauhi mateaki kiate ia mo tali ʻa e fakatonutonu kotoa makatuʻunga ʻi he Tohitapú ʻa ia ʻe fou mai kiate kitautolú. Ko hono olá, te tau maʻu ai ʻa e ʻamanaki papau ʻo e moʻui ʻi he fokotuʻutuʻu foʻou ʻo e ngaahi meʻa ʻa e ʻOtuá. Ko e mahuʻinga angé, te tau fakalāngilangiʻi ai ʻa e ʻOtuá. Ko ʻetau tōʻonga anga-tonú ʻe fakapaleʻi ia pea ʻe tānaki ia ki he fakamoʻoni ko ʻene kakaí ʻoku nau tauhi ia, ʻikai ki he ngaahi ʻuhinga siokita, ka ko e fai ʻi he ʻofa ʻaufuatō. He monū ē kiate kitautolu ke ʻai ʻa e loto ʻo Sihová ke fiefia, ʻo hangē ko ia naʻe fai ʻe Siopé, ʻa ia naʻá ne tali anga-fakatōkilalo ʻa e fakatonutonú!​—Palovepi 27:11.

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 26]

Naʻe fakahāhā ʻe Siope ʻa e tokanga anga-ʻofa ki he fānau paeá, kau uitoú, mo e niʻihi kehé

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 28]

Naʻe fakapaleʻi lahi ʻa Siope ʻi heʻene tali anga-fakatōkilalo ʻa e fakatonutonú