KENNISGEWING
Hierbo aan die regterkant van die blad, is daar 'n lys van 4 boeke wat handel oor Jesus Christus in Genesis - Boek 1 tot Boek 4. Klik op 'n boek om die inhoudsopgawe te lees. Jy kan al die inhoudsopgawes lees en dan besluit watter boek jy eerste wil lees. Die boeke hoef nie in volgorde gelees te word nie.Hieronder is 10 Bybelstudies kry wat jy gratis kan bestel by die epos-adres pauleyrentia@gmail.com of by rentia.pauley@gmail.com
THE WONDERFUL WORD OF GOD
It is the early morning of a
wind-still day. Karim looks at the beautiful ocean in front of him as he
watches the boats going out to fish. Today people will catch a lot.
His eyes turn back to the words he has just read. Many questions rise to
his mind. Who is the one sitting on the throne? Why is the scroll written on
both sides? Why is it tightly sealed so nobody can get inside?
So many questions. So many things he does not understand...
He is busy reading from the 5th chapter of the book of Revelation, the last
book in the Holy Scriptures. The words are powerful with an
undertone of deep sadness. He reads it again:
Then I saw in the right hand of the one who sits on the throne a scroll
written on the inside and on the outside, sealed with seven seals.
I also saw a powerful angel
proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its
seals?”
No one in heaven, on earth,
or under the earth could open the scroll or look inside it.
I began to cry bitterly
because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look inside it.1
Why is it so important to
find somebody to read what is written inside? Who is crying his
heart out?
Karim continues reading.
Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop crying. Look! The Lion from the tribe
of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered. He can open the scroll and its
seven seals.” And between the throne and the four living creatures and
among the elders, I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with
seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out
into all the earth; and he
went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the
throne. 1
Karim realises that there is
something strange in the words he has just read. It is not a lion who steps
forward to take the scroll, but as slaughtered lamb.
In the following part the
whole scene changes. Everybody seems to be exuberant because the lamb
takes the scroll. The entire place is vibrant with joy and singing of
praises. Some sing the words:
You are worthy to take the
scroll and open its seals, because you were slaughtered. With your blood you
purchased people for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation. You
made them a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign on the earth.1
Karim shook his head. What
is the mystery of the scroll? He decides to go to his friend Abou and ask
him about the meaning of what is happening here. Abou knows the Holy
Scriptures; he will know.
As Karim is sitting across
his friend at the table, sipping a cup of lemon grass tea, Abou smiles.
“This portion of Scripture is my favourite,” he says. “And as I have
explained to you before, the Book explains itself.”
“Do you mean that I will
find an explanation of everything that is happening here elsewhere in the
Book?” Karim asks.
“Yes. Let’s start with
the scrolls. The prophet Jeremiah gave us a good example of the use of
scrolls. Jeremiah’s nephew, Hanamel, approached him with a request: “I
own a plot of land in Anathoth,” he explained. “Please buy it and keep it
for me because the right of redemption is your’s; you are my nearest
relative.” Jeremiah bought the land. They then drew up the deed of
purchase and sealed the one copy containing the terms and conditions of
purchase and left the other copy unsealed for everybody else to read.
Then they put both contracts in a clay jar for safe keeping.2
Later these two scrolls
became one - written on the inside as proof of purchase between the two parties
involved and on the outside for the public to see.”
“And the one on the
throne? Is it GOD?”
Abou nods.
“How does this plot of land
of Jeremiah’s nephew explain the importance of the scroll in the hand of
GOD?”
“Good question, Karim!
I will show you a few more examples in the Scriptures. But first look at
the requirements of the redeemer. Firstly he had to be a nearest
relative, secondly he had to be willing and thirdly he had to be able. Jeremiah
answered to all these.
“Have you read some of the laws
God gave to the people of Israel?” Abou asked.
“I tried to, but they are
boring!”
Abou laughed at his friend’s
honesty. “Yes, I know. I feel the same. But still God gave
them with a purpose. He wants us to know that there are three things He
wants to redeem: 1. Land. 2. A slave and 3. A woman. God gave
specific laws for these: If somebody was too poor to keep his property, his
nearest relative should step in and buy and keep the property for him, like
Jeremiah did for his nephew. He also gave specific laws when a
person was forced to become a slave. His redeemer relative should step in
and buy his freedom. Also if a family member should die, the relative
redeemer should marry the widow. 3.”
Karim remains quiet for some
time, thinking, then he said: “I was reading the story about God’s throne in
the last book of the Bible and you take me back to the beginning to where God
gave the initial laws to the people. They are thousands of years apart.”
“Exactly! I want
to show you how fantastic this Book is written.
“God had a plan from the
start. He shows us from the very beginning that one day He will make a plan for
the redemption of man.
“Throughout the
Scriptures God gives examples of His plan of redemption so that people will
understand it. The story of Ruth is another good example of how a relative was
willing and able to step in to redeem property and a woman who was forced to do
slavery work.
You can read the story by
yourself at home.”4
“All right. But what
about the person who took the scroll from the hand of God on the throne...?”
“Oh yes... God holds a
scroll in his hand written on both sides. Only the Redeemer knows
what is written inside. He knows what He has to redeem: land,
slave and woman.”
“Now what land, what slave
and what woman?” Karim is puzzled.
“Read the following from the
Sriptures then you decide for yourself:
...that the creation
itself would also be set free from slavery to decay ...
For we know that all
creation has been groaning with the pains of childbirth right up to the present
time.” 5
“You mean God’s creation is
God’s property that has to be redeemed?”
“Exactly. God promises
a new earth. This old one will pass away.” 6
“And the slave?”
“Listen to what Jesus said: Truly,
truly I tell you that everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 7 Man is
the slave that has to be redeemed.”
“And the woman?“
“God compares his church,
his people, to a married couple, a man and his bride.
God says: For the husband
is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church.8
“Do you understand now,
Karim, why John, the author of the Book of Revelation, cried bitterly when no
one was found worthy to take the scroll from God’s hand? John knew
what was at stake: The redemption of the whole earth, all people that are
enslaved to sin and all people who have accepted Him and follow in his
ways who are called his bride.”
“Who was this person and why
was he found worthy to do it?” Karim asked.
“Jesus! He was the
only person who had the requirements to redeem the earth. He was the
nearest relative to the earth because He left heaven to become part of
man. The Sriptures say in order to identify Himself with man, He emptied
Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of
men.9 He was willing. He laid down his life by
himself. No one took it from Him. Jesus said, For even the Son of Man
did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for
many.10 And he was able. He did not pay with money, but
he paid with his blood to redeem us from sin. He takes our sins on Himself and
paid with His life.”
“So, being slaughtered means
he was killed for our sins?” Karim asks.
“Yes, but one day He will
come as the Lion, the King from the tribe of Judah, to judge the world and man
who do not receive him as Redeemer.”
“I receive Him” says
Karim “I believe He is the true Redeemer!
1Revelation
5; 2These clay jars were fantastic safekeepers.
The Dead Sea Scrolls that were discovered in 1947 near Qumran were stored away
in clay pots since the 2nd century and were still readable; 3Leviticus
25; Deuteronomy 25; 4Ruth; 5Romans
8; 6Revelation 21; 7John
8; 8Ephesians 5; 9Philippians
2; 10Mark 10.
pauleyrentia@gmail.com
pauleyrentia@gmail.com