ʻOku ʻIkai Faituai ʻa e ʻOtuá Fekauʻaki mo ʻEne Talaʻofá

“E JIHOVA, e fefe hono fuoloa o eku tagi, ka e ikai te ke fanogo?” Ko e ngaahi lea ia ʻa e palōfita Hepelū ko Hapakuké, ʻa ia naʻá ne moʻui ʻi he senituli hono fitu K.M. Ka ʻoku nau maʻu ha foʻi ongo anga-maheni, ʻikai ko ia? Ko e natula fakaetangata ia ke loto ke maʻu leva, pe ʻi he vave taha ʻe malavá, ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ʻoku tau mātuʻaki fakaʻamu ki aí. Pea ʻoku tautefito ʻa e moʻoni ʻa e meʻá ni ʻi hotau kuonga ʻo e fakahōhōʻiaʻi vavé.​—Hapakuke 1:​2, PM.

ʻI he ʻuluaki senitulí, naʻe ʻi ai ʻa e faʻahinga naʻe hā mahino naʻa nau ongoʻi naʻe totonu ke vave ange hono fakahoko ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻene ngaahi talaʻofá. Naʻa nau hoko ʻo taʻeangakātaki ʻaupito ʻo aʻu ʻo nau fakakaukau ai ki he ʻOtuá ʻokú ne faituai pe tōmui. ʻI he meʻá ni, naʻe pau ai ki he ʻapositolo ko Paulá ke ne fakamanatu kiate kinautolu ʻoku kehe ʻaupito ʻa e anga ʻo e vakai ʻa e ʻOtuá ki he taimí mei haʻatautolú. ʻOku tohi ʻe Pita: “Ke ʻoua naʻa puli ʻiate kimoutolu, siʻi ʻofaʻanga, ʻa e foʻi meʻa ko eni, Tokua ko e ʻaho ʻe taha ʻoku tatau ki he ʻEiki pea mo ha taʻu ʻe afe, pea ko e taʻu ʻe afe ʻoku tatau mo e ʻaho ʻe taha.”​—2 Pita 3:8.

Fakatatau ki he founga fikaʻi taimi ko ʻení, ko ha tokotaha taʻu 80 ko e houa pē ʻe ua kuó ne moʻui mai aí, pea ko e kotoa ʻo e hisitōlia ʻo e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá ko e ʻaho pē nai ʻe ono kuó ne faai mai aí. ʻI heʻetau sio ki he ngaahi meʻá mei he anga ʻo e vakai ko iá, ʻoku hoko ʻo faingofua ange ai kiate kitautolu ke tau mahinoʻi ʻa e anga ʻo e feangainga ʻa e ʻOtuá mo kitautolú.

Kae kehe, ʻoku ʻikai ke taʻemahuʻingaʻia ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻi he taimí. ʻI hono kehé, ʻokú ne mātuʻaki tokanga ki he taimí. (Ngāue 1:7) Ko ia ai, ʻoku hoko atu ʻa Pita ʻo pehē: “Talaʻehai ko ʻene fai tuai ʻa e ʻEiki ʻi heʻene talaʻofa, ʻo hange ko e lau tuai ʻe he niʻihi, ka ko ʻene angamokomoko pe kiate kimoutolu, mo e ʻikai te ne finangalo ke ʻauha ha taha, ka ke aʻusia ʻa e fakatomala ʻe he kakai kotoa pe.” (2 Pita 3:9) ʻI he ʻikai hangē ko e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá, ʻoku ʻikai ongoʻi hohaʻa ʻa e ʻOtuá ia ke fai ha ngaahi meʻa ʻo hangē ne ʻosi ʻa e taimi kiate iá. ʻI he tuʻunga ko e “Tuʻi Itaniti,” ʻokú ne maʻu ha vakai fakalūkufua fakaofo pea malava ke ne fakapapauʻi ai ʻa e taimi ʻi he tukuʻau mai ʻa e taimí ʻe lelei taha ai ʻa ʻene ngaahi ngāué ki he faʻahinga kotoa ʻoku kau ki aí.​—1 Timote 1:17.

ʻI he hili hono fakamatalaʻi ʻa e ʻuhinga ki he hangē ʻoku faituai ʻa e ʻOtuá, ʻoku fakaongo mai ʻe Pita ʻa e fakatokangá ni: “ʻE hoko mai pe ʻa e ʻaho ʻo e ʻEiki ʻo hange ha kaihaʻa.” ʻA ia ko e pehē, ko e ʻaho ʻo e fai fakamatalá ʻe hoko mai ia ʻi he taimi ʻoku ʻikai ʻamanekina ai ia ʻe he kakaí. Ko ia, ʻi he ngaahi veesi hoko maí, ʻoku tuhu ai ʻa Pita ki he ʻamanaki fakaofo maʻá e faʻahinga ʻoku nau fakahāhā ʻa e “toʻonga maʻoniʻoni mo e lotu moʻoni,” koeʻuhí pē, ke lava ke nau hao atu ki he “ngaahi langi foʻou mo e fonua foʻou” naʻe talaʻofa ʻe he ʻOtuá.​—2 Pita 3:​10-13.

ʻOku totonu ke ʻai ʻe he meʻá ni kitautolu ke tau houngaʻia lahi ange ʻi he teʻeki ke hoko mai ʻa e fakamaau ʻa e ʻOtuá. Ko ʻene kātakí kuo malava ai kiate kitautolu ke tau hoko ʻo ʻiloʻi ʻene taumuʻá pea ke fakatonutonu ʻetau moʻuí kae lava ke tau maʻu ʻene ngaahi tāpuaki kuo talaʻofa maí. ʻIkai ʻoku totonu ke tau vakai ki he “kataki fuoloa ʻa hotau ʻEiki ko e koto fakamoʻui,” ʻo hangē ko ia ʻoku fakamahino mai ʻe Pitá? (2 Pita 3:15) Kae kehe, ʻoku ʻi ai ha toe moʻoniʻi meʻa ʻe taha ʻi he kātaki ʻa e ʻOtuá.

Ko ha Kovi ke Fakakakato

ʻI hono ako ʻa e ngaahi feangainga ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻi he kuohilí mo e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá, ʻoku tau fakatokangaʻi ai naʻá ne faʻa taʻofi ʻene fakamāú kae ʻoua kuo paasi atu ʻa e ʻamanaki kotoa pē ʻo e fakaleleiʻí. Hangē ko ʻení, ʻi he fekauʻaki mo e fakamaau ʻa e ʻOtuá ki he kau Kēnaní, naʻá ne fakahaaʻi ʻenau ngaahi angahalá kia ʻĒpalahame ʻi ha taimi fuoloa ki muʻa. Ka ko e taimi ke fakahoko ai ʻene fakamāú naʻe teʻeki ke aʻu ia ki ai. Ko e hā naʻe teʻeki hoko aí? ʻOku pehē ʻe he Tohitapú: “He kuo teʻeki ke lato ʻa e kovi ʻa e haʻa Amoli [kau Kēnaní],” pe hangē ko ia ko hono fakalea ʻe he liliu Knox: “Ko e fulikivanu ʻa e kau ʻĀmolí [naʻe] teʻeki ke aʻu ki hono taimi kakató.”​—Senesi 15:16.a

Kae kehe, ʻi he taʻu nai ʻe 400 ki mui ai, naʻe hoko mai ʻa e fakamaau ʻa e ʻOtuá, pea naʻe maʻu ai ʻe he ngaahi hako ʻo ʻĒpalahamé, ko e kau ʻIsilelí, ʻa e fonuá. Ko ha tokosiʻi pē ʻo e kau Kēnaní, hangē ko Lēhapi mo e kau Kipioné, naʻe fakahaofí koeʻuhi ko e fakakaukau naʻa nau maʻú mo e ngaahi ngāue naʻa nau faí, ka ki he konga lahi tahá, naʻa nau aʻu ki ha tuʻunga tōtuʻa ʻo e taʻemaʻá, ʻo hangē ko ia ʻoku fakahaaʻi ʻe he ngaahi meʻa kuo maʻu hake ʻe he ngaahi keli fakaefakatotolo ʻi onopōní. Naʻa nau ngāueʻaki ʻa e lotu fakaefehokotaki fakasinó, paʻumutu ʻi he temipalé, mo e feilaulau fānaú. ʻOku fakahā mai ʻe he Halley’s Bible Handbook: “Ko e kau keli fakatotolo ko ia ʻoku nau keli ʻi he ngaahi kolo maumau ʻo Kēnaní ʻoku nau fifili ki he ʻikai ke fakaʻauha tōmuʻa ange ʻe he ʻOtuá kinautolu mei he taimi naʻá ne fai ai iá.” ʻI he ngataʻangá, ‘naʻe kakato ai ʻa e angahala’ ʻa e kau Kēnaní; ko ʻenau fulikivanú “naʻe aʻu ki hono taimi kakató.” Naʻe ʻikai malava ai ʻe ha taha ke ne tukuakiʻi totonu ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻo pehē ʻoku taʻefaitotonu ʻi heʻene tuku ʻa e fonuá ke ʻauha kae fakahaofi ʻa e faʻahinga naʻa nau fakahāhā ʻa e fakakaukau totonú.

ʻOku tau maʻu ha fakatātā meimei tatau ʻi he ʻaho ʻo Noá. Neongo ʻa e moʻoniʻi meʻa ko ia ko e kakai ki muʻa ʻi he Lōmakí naʻe anga-fulikivanu, naʻe fili faimeesi ʻa e ʻOtuá ke hokohoko atu honau taimí ʻi he toe taʻu ʻe 120. ʻI he lolotonga ʻa e konga ʻo e taimi ko iá, naʻe hoko ai ʻa Noa ʻo ne “malangaʻaki ʻa e maʻoniʻoni.” (2 Pita 2:5) ʻI he faai atu ʻa e taimí, ʻoku hā mahino ne aʻuaʻu ai ʻenau anga-fulikivanú. “Naʻe ʻafio ʻa e ʻOtua ki mamani, pea ta kuo kaʻanga; he kuo fakakaʻanga ʻe he kakano kotoa pe hono ʻalunga ʻi mamani.” (Senesi 6:3, 12) Ko ʻenau ‘angahalá naʻe kakato’; naʻe hanga ʻe he faai atu ʻa e taimí ʻo ʻomai ʻenau ngaahi fakakaukau halá ki hono tumutumú. ʻI he taimi naʻe ngāue mai ai ʻa e ʻOtuá naʻá ne totonu fakaʻaufuli ai. Ko e toko valu pē naʻe fakamoʻoniʻi naʻa nau māʻoniʻoni ʻi he vakai ʻa e ʻOtuá, pea naʻá ne fakahaofi kinautolu.

Ko e sīpinga tatau pē ʻoku hā ʻi he feangai ʻa e ʻOtuá ki ʻIsilelí. Neongo ʻenau ʻulungaangaʻaki ʻi ha founga taʻeangatonu mo fakalieliá, naʻe anga-kātaki ʻa e ʻOtuá kiate kinautolu he taʻu ʻe lauingeau. ʻOku pehē ʻe he fakamatalá: “Ko Sihova . . . naʻa ne fakafai . . . heʻene kau talafekau ʻene tala kiate kinautolu, ʻo ne . . . fekau atu; he naʻa ne maemaeʻekina hono kakai . . . ka naʻa nau . . . fakasikakaʻi ʻene ngaahi lea, ʻo nau manukiʻi ai pe ʻene kau palofita; kae faifai pea hake ʻa e houhau ʻa Sihova ki hono kakai, ʻo ʻikai toe felave ha meʻa ki ai.” (2 Kalonikali 36:​15, 16) Naʻe aʻu ʻa e kakaí ki ha tuʻunga ʻa ia naʻe ʻikai kei malava hano toe fakaleleiʻi. Ko Selemaia pē mo e niʻihi kehe tokosiʻi naʻe malava ke fakahaofí. Naʻe ʻikai lava ke ui ai ʻa e ʻOtuá ia ʻoku taʻefaitotonu ʻi heʻene ʻomai tātuku ʻa e fakamaau ki he toengá.

Ko e Taimi ʻa e ʻOtuá ke Ngāue Mai Aí ʻOku ʻi Heni

ʻOku malava ke tau sio mei he ngaahi fakatātaá ni ʻoku taʻotaʻofi ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e fakamaau ki he ngaahi meʻa ʻo e fokotuʻutuʻu lolotongá kae ʻoua ke toki feʻungamālie ʻa e taimí. ʻOku fakahaaʻi ʻeni ʻi he tuʻutuʻuni ʻoku ʻoange ki he tokotaha-fakahokotautea fakaefakatātā ʻa e ʻOtuá: “ʻAi atu hoʻo hele masila na, ʻo toli ʻa e ngaahi fuhi ʻo e vaine ʻo mamani; he kuo momoho hono kalepi. Pea velo ʻe he ʻangelo ʻene hele ki mamani ʻo ne utu ʻa e vaine ʻo mamani, ʻo ne laku ki he fuʻu tataʻonga kalepi ʻo e houhau ʻo e ʻOtua.” Fakatokangaʻi ko e anga-fulikivanu ʻa e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá kuo hoko ʻo “momoho,” ʻa ia, naʻe aʻu ki ha tuʻunga kuo mahili atu ia mei he malava ke fakaleleiʻí. ʻI he taimi ʻe fakahoko ai ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e fakamāú, ʻe ʻikai ha toe veiveiua ʻoku fakatonuhiaʻi ʻa ʻene tuʻu ʻi vahaʻá.​—Fakahā 14:​18, 19.

ʻI he fakakaukau atu ki he meʻa ʻi ʻolungá, ʻoku hā mahino ko e fakamaau ʻa e ʻOtuá ki he māmaní kuo pau ʻoku ofi koeʻuhi ko e māmaní kuó ne ʻai ʻa e ngaahi anga ko ia naʻá ne fakatonua ʻa e fakamaau ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻi he kuohilí. ʻI he potu kotoa pē ʻoku tau vakai ki ai, ʻoku fonu ʻa e māmaní ʻi he fakamālohí, ʻo hangē pē ko ia ki muʻa ʻi he Lōmaki ʻo e ʻaho ʻo Noá. Ko e ngaahi fakakaukau ʻa e kakaí ʻoku hoko ʻo toe tatau lahi ange ia mo e meʻa ʻoku fakamatalaʻi ʻi he Senesi 6:5: “ʻOku kovi ʻatā ʻa e filioʻi kotoa pe ʻo e ngaahi fakakaukau ʻa hono loto [ʻo e tangatá] maʻuaipe.” Naʻa mo e ngaahi angahala mamafa ko ia naʻa nau ʻomai ʻa e fakamaau ʻa e ʻOtuá ki he kau Kēnaní ʻoku failahia ia he ʻahó ni.

Tautefito talu mei he Tau I ʻa Māmaní, kuo hokosia ai ʻe he faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá ʻa e ngaahi liliu fakalilifu. Kuo mātā ʻa e māmaní kuo ngaunu ʻi he toto ʻo e laui miliona. Ko e taú, fakaʻauha fakamatakalí, tau toitoí, faihiá, mo e maumau-laó kuo mapuna hake ia ʻi māmani lahi. Ko e hongé, mahakí, mo e ʻulungaanga taʻetāú kuo nau tolofi hotau kolopé. ʻOku fakahaaʻi ʻe he fakamoʻoní kotoa ʻoku tau lolotonga moʻui ʻi he lotolotonga ʻo e toʻutangata fulikivanu ko ia naʻe leaʻaki ʻe Sīsū ʻo pehē: “ʻE ʻikai ʻaupito mole ʻa e toʻutangata ko eni, kaeʻoua ke hoko ʻa e ngāhi meʻa ko ia kotoa pe.” (Mātiu 24:34) ʻOku lolotonga fakakakato ʻe he māmaní ʻene “angahala.” Ko e “ngaahi fuhi ʻo e vaine ʻo mamani” ʻoku hoko ʻo momoho ki hono tolí.

Taimi ke Ke Fai ha Meʻa

Naʻe tala ki he ʻapositolo ko Sioné ʻo pehē ʻi he taimi ko ia ʻoku ofi ai ʻa e fakamāú, ʻe hoko ai ʻa e faʻahinga momoho ʻe ua. ʻI he tafaʻaki ʻe tahá, “ko ia ʻoku ne taʻeangatonu ke ne fai taʻetotonu ai pe: pea ko ia ʻoku ʻuli, ke ne fai aipe hono ʻuliʻi.” Ka ʻi he tafaʻaki ʻe tahá, “ko ia ʻoku angatonu ke ne fai totonu ai pe: pea ko ia ʻoku maʻoniʻoni ke ne fai ai pe hono fakamaʻoniʻoni.” (Fakahā 22:​10, 11) Ko e tupulaki ʻa e meʻa hono uá ʻoku hoko ia ʻo fehoanaki mo e ngāue fakaeako Tohitapu ʻi māmani lahi ʻoku fai ʻe he Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová. Ko e taumuʻa ʻo e ngāue ko iá ke akoʻi ʻa e kakaí ki he meʻa ʻoku fiemaʻu mai ʻe he ʻOtuá meiate kinautolú koeʻuhi kae lava ke lau kinautolu ʻoku nau taau ke maʻu ʻa e moʻui taʻengatá. Ko e ngāue ko ʻení ʻoku aʻu atu ia he taimí ni ki he ngaahi fonua ʻe 233 ʻo fakafou ʻi he ngaahi fakatahaʻanga ʻe 87,000 nai.

ʻOku ʻikai faituai ʻa e ʻOtuá. ʻI heʻene anga-kātakí kuó ne fakaʻatā ai ki he faʻahinga tāutaha ʻa e taimi ʻoku fiemaʻu ke “kofuʻaki ʻa e tangata foʻou” kae hoko ʻo kau ki heʻene ngaahi talaʻofá. (Efeso 4:24) ʻI he ʻahó ni, ʻoku kei tatali ʻa e ʻOtuá, neongo ʻa e ngaahi tuʻunga fakaʻau ki he kovi ange maʻu pē ʻi he māmaní. ʻOku fai ʻe he Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihova takatakai ʻi he māmaní ʻa e kotoa ʻo e meʻa ʻoku nau malava lelei ke faí ke vahevahe atu ai ki honau ngaahi kaungāʻapí ʻa e ʻilo ʻoku taki atu ki he moʻui taʻengatá. (Sione 17:3, 17) ʻOku fakafiefiá, ʻi he taʻu taki taha ʻoku laka hake ʻi he kakai ʻe toko 300,000 ʻoku nau tali pea hoko ʻo papitaiso.

ʻI he vakai atu ki he moʻui taʻengatá, ko e taimí leva ʻeni, ʻoua ʻe toe tatali, kae fai ha meʻa. He ʻi ha taimi siʻi pē, te tau sio ki hono fakahoko ʻo e talaʻofa ʻa Sīsuú: “ʻIlonga ʻa ia ʻoku moʻui mo tui pikitai kiate au ʻe ʻikai ʻaupito te ne mate, ʻo taʻengata.”​—Sione 11:26.

[Fakamatala ʻi lalo]

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 6]

Naʻe tala ki he tokotaha-fakahokotautea ʻa e ʻOtuá ke ne velo atu ʻa e hele tuʻusí ʻi he taimi kuo hoko ʻo momoho ai ʻa e vaine ʻo māmaní

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 7]

ʻOku tokoniʻi ʻe he Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihova ʻi māmani lahí ʻa e kakaí ke nau hoko ʻo kau ki he ngaahi tāpuaki taʻengata ʻa e ʻOtuá