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What Does Sukâ Mean For Indonesia & Lala?

What Does Sukâ Mean For Indonesia & Lala?

Last updated on: August 16, 2026 at 11:02 pm by Martin Thomas Johnson

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What Does Sukâ Mean For Indonesia & Lala? 2026-08-16T23:02:18-04:00 Martin Thomas Johnson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

This weekend, the major news is an earthquake that devastated Indonesia. To make matters worse, there was a powerful aftershock just hours afterwards. The country is used to earthquakes because it lies on the Ring of Fire, where 90% of the world’s earthquakes occur due to actively moving tectonic plates.

Image by Pixabay

However, major earthquakes like this weekend happen every few years, not twice within one day. Still, there are risks of more major aftershocks in the region as the plates settle and push against each other.

What is more alarming is that this is the second nation to experience a major earthquake within the past week, after what happened in Colombia earlier. These occurrences are harsh reminders of the physical and spiritual truth that this world and everything on it are temporary (Psalm 102:25-27, James 4:13-14):

Money
Greatness
Power
Homes
Life

It is no wonder why God’s people are warned not to put their hope into the temporary things of this fallen kingdom (Proverbs 11:28, Jeremiah 17:5-8, 1 Timothy 6:17-18). Whatever greatness or success we achieve in this life will not go with us or transfer to heaven from this temporary kingdom (Job 1:21, 1 Timothy 6:7).

That is why I am so confused by so-called conservatives who have placed their hope in temporary greatness, a fallen man, and politics, instead of placing their hope in what matters in heaven (Colossians 3:1-4, Hebrews 11:13-16). Earthly things are temporary.

Just ask the thousands of misplaced people who are sheltering in temporary huts in Indonesia today what really matters (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:34-40).

What Is Temporary

We often think of temporary when it comes to disposable things (cups, paper plates, cameras), but temporary things are everywhere in life, because this life is temporary. Temporary is defined as “Lasting for a limited time.”

Image by Pixabay

It is both physical and spiritual, because time itself is. Temporary things aren’t as valuable to us as permanent things in life, because they can be easily replaced. The older you get, the more you realize just how temporary this life is.

Family, friends, health, and wealth all come and go because they are temporary parts of life. We only need temporary things until they fulfill their purposes. God calls us all home once we fulfill His purpose for us in this temporary life, whether you’re 35 or 95 years old (Job 14:5, Hebrews 13:14).

God created mankind in His own image; although our bodies fade, our souls last for eternity with God in the new and permanent Heaven. That is why the Bible has a lot to say about what is temporary (Malachi 4:1, Hebrews 9:27, 2 Peter 3:11).

Our earthly bodies are temporary due to the curse of sin (Romans 5:12, 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:4). God’s people cannot put our hope into the temporary idols of this earthly kingdom (Psalm 20:7, 1 Timothy 6:17).

Our focus is supposed to be on what lasts long after this temporary life is over (John 6:27, Romans 8:18, Philippians 3:20-21, Colossians 3:1-4, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Hebrews 3:14, 2 Peter 3:10-13, 1 John 2:15-17). The apostles remembered their Jewish education about focusing on what lasts instead of what is temporary.

Sukâ

The Torah tells us in the beginning God created everything in the universe and put things in proper order under His authority (Genesis 1:1-3). God created man in His image and put him in the garden to care for it and the animals (Genesis 1:26-28). We were commanded to be good stewards of everything God gave us, including time and His boundaries (Genesis 2:15-17).

Everything was fine until mankind listened to the serpent and wanted more than what God had temporarily given him (Genesis 3:1-6). Then sin entered creation, and it became broken, and death entered both the earth and mankind (Genesis 2:16-17; 6:5-7).

Mankind and everything on the earth became temporary because they are limited by time and God. The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for temporary is sukâ, and it can also mean, “Tabernacle, cottage, pavilion, or booth,” depending upon the context it is used in.

During the Exodus from Egypt, these temporary shelters were never meant to be God’s people’s permanent homes or sanctuaries. But they were temporary places of shelter and worship in the wilderness. These booths and huts were hastily built because they weren’t meant to last. Next month, many Jews will celebrate the festival of Tabernacles to remember God’s Divine provision and covering during the Exodus (Leviticus 23:42-43).

Through the Davidic covenant, God promised further protection and shelter through David’s lineage and eventually a permanent house (2 Samuel 7:1-3):

A secure home
Freedom from fear
Rest from enemies
Royal dynasty
Everlasting Kingdom

The prophesied Messiah, or the other Son of David, will sit on His permanent throne forever (2 Samuel 7: 12-16, Psalm 89:3-4, Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 1:31-33). Jesus taught their temporary temples would be destroyed (Matthew 24:1-2).

Image by Pixabay

Our Rabbi taught His followers to focus on what will last, instead of temporary things (Matthew 6:19-21; 24:35, Luke 12:32-34, John 4:13-14). He redefined what greatness will be in His Kingdom (Matthew 20:26-28). Our Lord warned His followers about the signs of the end of this temporary kingdom (Matthew 24:3-14, Mark 13:7-13, Luke 21: 25-28).

Lala

In other big news this weekend, Hawaii had a brush with Hurricane Lala. Although it didn’t make a direct landfall on the island, it was close enough to cause major flooding and storm damage. Residents were warned to shelter inside from the winds and storm surges.

Image by Wikipedia Commons

Hurricanes in general rarely make landfall in Hawaii due to water temperatures, but as the oceans warm, more severe storms and weather events will occur, just as the Bible predicted would happen in the last days (Luke 21:10-11, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 2 Peter 3:3-10).

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist or billionaire investor to see and understand this temporary kingdom will not last forever (Matthew 24:35, Revelation 20:1-15):

Wars
Greed
Severe weather
Natural disasters

God’s people should know and understand that this temporary fallen kingdom will be destroyed one day regardless of who is sitting in the White House, because Jesus is on His throne forever (Luke 1:32-33, Hebrews 1:8).

There is no billionaire or political party that can save this cursed and temporary world. Scripture and Jesus are clear that the old Earth and heavens will pass away to make room for the eternal kingdom of God (Matthew 24:35, 2 Peter 3:10-13, Revelation 21:1-5). God’s Kingdom will be the true “Golden age” for God’s people, not earthly greatness, power, nor wealth. All of these treasures are sukâ!

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