Shout to the Lord (in Hawaiian)
Psalm 149
1 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the godly!
2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
3 Let them praise his name with dancing,
making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with salvation.
5 Let the godly exult in glory;
let them sing for joy on their beds.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats
and two-edged swords in their hands,
7 to execute vengeance on the nations
and punishments on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with chains
and their nobles with fetters of iron,
9 to execute on them the judgment written!
This is honor for all his godly ones.
Praise the Lord!
When we read verses 6 to 9, we'll be tempted to dismiss this as ancient barbarism. It would be a mistake, it really is about human nature. We all grow and fall back in our Christian journey as selfishness and events press us.
by Betty Fullard-Leo (paraphrased & condensed)
Queen Kaahumanu, the favorite wife of King Kamehameha I, transformed the foundations of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Not without human frailty (vengeance), self-interest (two-edged sword), and a Christian journey that grew and fell back.
Kaahumanu was born in 1768, from a family of Hawaiian kings, on the island of Maui; moving with her family to the Big Island, her father, a chief, could join the army of the young King Kamehameha. She witnessed a lot of terrible violence.
When she was about ten years old, she married the 30 year old King Kamehameha. The king married about 17 times, but Queen Kaahumanu was his favorite. Queen Kaahumanu understood politics, violence, and helped defeat the other chiefs allowing Kamehameha to reach his goal to conquer, to unite. During those years she was frustrated and held back by the strong taboos of the Hawaiian gods. Women could not eat with men, eat certain foods basic to the Hawaiian diet, but were allowed adultery for all, but the queen. Hawaiian women freely offered themselves to the sailors, hoping for pregnancies. STDs were abundant.
The foreigners broke the taboos. They ate with women. Kamehameha went along with foreigners; Queen Kaahumanu noticed, for the first time, the taboos broken had not caused the gods to strike with lightning and death.
As time swept on, Queen Kaahumanu was no longer the favored wife. Younger women, including her younger sister, became favorites with the King. Kaahumanu could not become pregnant. Kaahumanu took a lover, Kamehameha killed him. To have a reconciliation, he gave Kaahumanu the godlike power of "puuhonua". She alone had the power to spare from death, to protect women and children, to save criminals from prosecution. Kamakau wrote about the royal couple, "He dealt out death, she saved from death."
Women, wives, pregnancies & children borne to other wives further pulled the marriage apart, Kamehameha honored puuhonua, he gave his wife a shared throne and public respect. Kaahumanu was appointed as guardian to the heirs of the throne.
Kaahumanu ate with the sailors, ignoring the taboo. She smoked a pipe. On May 8, 1819, when King Kamehameha died, her new tattoo was the date of his death on her arm.
Chaos did away with all the taboos. Queen Kaahumanu demanded & received a co-reign with Kamehameha’s heir. Together they changed Hawaii, the sacred sites, the priesthood and the temples - all were destroyed. There were no beliefs and no morally.
In 1820 the missionaries arrived, Hawaiians were eager for good and evil, right and wrong. Kaahumanu loved Christian commandments and strong code of ethics, righting the wrongs she has suffered under. The missionaries were wary of her motivations, but enjoyed her zeal, if not her methods. She was reported to take lovers and force marriage upon the heirs to the throne, all the while fighting against adultery and prostitution.
When she requested to be baptized, the missionaries declined. She was "Not yet born from above, with the power of the spirit of God."
In 1824, she fell ill, thinking that it would be fatal, she told the missionaries: "I will do all the good I can before I die." When Kaahumanu was baptized, she took the name 'Elizabeth'. She no longer railed and ranted to her people, she only asked her people to obey God. She recovered and continued to spread the Word of God.
By December 1827, three of the commandments, those against murder, theft and adultery, became enforced by law. Kaahumanu continued to spread God’s ways showing genuine and compelling love.
~~~~~~
Father God, let us dwell on the good blessings You give us. Put a song in our hearts as we praise You. Help us to encourage others in their faith walk. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
<><
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment