ra'ta' - commanded

vaD ghaH jatlhta', je 'oH ghaHta' ta'pu'.  ghaH ra'ta', je 'oH Qampu' firm
For he spoke and it was done.  He commanded, and it stood firm.   Psalm 33:9

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Picture this:
You are a crewmember of a Klingon bird of prey.  Your captain turns to you and...  what do you do?  Well, if you are a wise Klingon, you probably will say:

chay' jura'?   What are your orders?

Klingons take command (and commanders) seriously.  So much so, in fact, that within Klingon military culture, a commander who cannot hold his command is fair game - advancement in rank to commander may happen when a subordinate officer challenges and defeats his or her commander.   A commander perceived as weak will never last.  While this does not appeal to most humans - it's guaranteed to develop a leadership class that gets things done.  Commands are obeyed.  The Klingon commander will be as the psalmist here describes God:   For he spoke and it was done.


The Bible likewise takes command seriously     - God's commands are so sure, they are the foundation of creation - as we read in the very beginning of Genesis:God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  Or as this psalm puts it:

vaD ghaH jatlhta', je 'oH ghaHta' ta'pu'.  ghaH ra'ta', je 'oH Qampu' firm
For he spoke and it was done.  He commanded, and it stood firm.   Psalm 33:9

The Klingon word here for "commanded" is ra'ta' - ra', command, plus the suffix ta', done.   This translates the Hebrew "tsvah," command,  a word that is familiar in it's noun form "mitzvah" - commandment, used in the familiar bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah - son or daughter of the commandment.  Perhaps in Klingon we'd say puqbe' ra'ta' or puqloD ra'ta', commanded daughter or son, to carry the same idea - to be a child of the commandments, that is, one who willingly enters into the life commanded for believers.

Here's an interesting difference - for the testimony of Scripture is that creation is God's sure work - the immediate, sure and unfailing result of his commands.  But when it comes to US - obedience to these commands is far less sure or certain, isn't it?  It seems we need to participate, we have to choose to follow and obey.  That's why the attainment of the rite of confirmation, or believer baptism, bar mitzvah, bat mitzvah or altar call are so pivotal in the life of the believer - the moment when God's command is obeyed in our lives completes the action:

For he spoke .....................and it was done.

Does this mean God's command IS resistable, that he ISN'T an infallible commander?

I don't think so.  We obey, we follow we say "chay' jura'?"  because HE commands.  We become his children, the children of his commandments BECAUSE he commanded, not because we responded.  We're fooling ourselves if we imagine that our ability to respond is something we conjured up on our own - it is his grace, his gift, again - the power of God's speaking his word into our lives:

vaD ghaH jatlhta', je 'oH ghaHta' ta'pu'.  ghaH ra'ta', je 'oH Qampu' firm
For he spoke and it was done.  He commanded, and it stood firm.   Psalm 33:9

Rejoice - God calls you, commands you!  O Lord, chay' ju'ra'?

Hoch - This Means You!

  chaw' Hoch the tera' taHvIp joH'a'. chaw' Hoch the nganpu' vo' the qo' Qam Daq awe vo' ghaH. 

 Let all the earth fear the LORD.  Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.  ps 33:8

podcast version

How do you imagine that Klingons recruit?

I think, though I don't know, that it would be direct, not some sweet winsome wooing or promise of reward.  I picture it more as

yIqIm!     /  Attention

qaneH  / I need YOU!

DaH!  /   NOW!

SoHvaD Dochvam /   THIS MEANS YOU!

Military recruitment, or proposal of marriage - that's the sort no-nonsense approach I imagine would be the Klingons.  Particularly SoHvaD Dochvam /   THIS MEANS YOU!

  chaw' Hoch the tera' taHvIp joH'a'. chaw' Hoch the nganpu' vo' the qo' Qam Daq awe vo' ghaH. 

 Let all the earth fear the LORD.  Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.  ps 33:8

 

The word here "all" is one of those happy (however rare) cases where the KLV is right on - ALL in this verse, in Hebrew KOL, nicely is translated here as the Klingon Hoch.  The Psalmist here speaks of ALL, that is everyone, everybody - in other words SoHvaD Dochvam /   THIS MEANS YOU!


Consider what Spurgeon observes about this verse:

The psalmist was not a man blinded by national prejudice, he did not desire to restrict the worship of Jehovah to the seed of Abraham. He looks for homage even to far off nations.

We hear this through the Psalms:

joH'a' DichDaq ghurmoH maH. Hoch the ends vo' the tera' DIchDaq taHvIp ghaH. 
God will bless us. All the ends of the earth shall fear him.  Ps 67.7

lalDan toy' joH'a' Daq le' array. Tremble qaSpa' ghaH, Hoch the tera'. 
Worship Yahweh in holy array. Tremble before him, all the earth. Ps 96.9

SoHvaD Dochvam /   THIS MEANS YOU!

There are two dimensions to this:  The scripture reminds us again and again that ALL will be judged and ALL are called:

    vaD maH must Hoch taH 'angta' qaSpa' the yoj seat vo' Christ

     For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; 2Co 5:10

    ( Mt 25:32; Ac 17:31; Ro 2:16; 14:12; 2Co 5:10; Re 20:12)




  SoHvaD Dochvam /   THIS MEANS YOU!  But this  isn't a bad news story - because the same Bible also tells us:

 vaD pa' ghaH ghobe' distinction joj Jew je Greek; vaD the rap joH ghaH joH vo' Hoch, je ghaH rich Daq Hoch 'Iv ja' Daq ghaH.

 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him. Ro 10:12

   ( Joh 3:16; 10:16; Ro 10:12; 1Ti 2:4)

 So call on Him today!  SoHvaD Dochvam /   THIS MEANS YOU!