Voetstappe - Footsteps
“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Rom.10:12-15)
Met erkenning aan Africa Christian Action
“…Na die Gees van heiligheid met krag verklaar
is as die Seun van God deur die opstanding uit die dode...” Rom. 1:4. Wie Het Die Steen Weggerol?
Christus se Opstanding is uiters belangrik en die kern van die
Christelike geloof. Dit is juis die rede waarom dit die teiken van die mees
meedoënlose aanvalle is. Frank Morrison, ‘n regspraktisyn, het hom beywer om te
bewys dat die Opstanding nooit plaasgevind het nie. Die uiteinde van al sy
vermoeiende ondersoeke was dat hy hom tot die Christendom bekeer het en ’n
boek, ‘Who Moved the Stone?’ geskryf het. In die publikasie word daar
oorweldigende getuienis oor die Opstanding aangetoon.
Josh McDowell was ’n baie skeptiese universiteitsdosent wat vasbeslote
was om die Christelike geloof te weerlê, deur die besware teen die Opstanding
te ondersoek. Die resultaat? Bekering tot die Christendom en die uitstaande
boek ‘Evidence That Demands a Verdict’ sien die lig. Hierin is daar
volledige en afdoende bewyse wat die historiese waarhede, feitelike
korrektheid, argeologiese bewyse, manuskripbewyse, vervulde profesieë,
veranderde lewens en ander onweerlegbare bewyse wat die Opstanding van Christus
Thomas Arnold, Professor in Geskiedenis aan die Universiteit van Oxford
en een van die grootste historici van die 19de Eeu, het geskryf: “I know of
no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better, fuller
evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair enquirer, than the great
sign which God has given us that Christ died and rose from the dead.” Ondersoek Die Bewyse
Een van die mees gerespekteerde regspraktisyns van alle tye en die vader
van die Harvard Law School, Simon Greenleaf, word gereken as die mees
gesaghebbende persoon oor geldige bewyse in enige regsgeding. Hy het ’n baie
deeglike studie van die objektiewe bewyse en getuienis van die vier
Evangelieskrywers, Matteus, Markus, Lukas en Johannes gemaak, en ’n boek
daaroor gepubliseer: -‘The Testimony of the Evangelists’ (Baker,
1874). Daarin het hy tot die gevolgtrekking gekom: “It was therefore
impossible that they could have persisted in affirming the truths they have
narrated, had not Jesus actually risen from the dead, and had they not known
this fact as certainly as they knew any other fact.” Simon Greenleaf het ook verklaar dat enige geregshof, indien hierdie
bewyse voorgelê sou word, uitspraak sou lewer ten gunste van die integriteit en
akkuraatheid van die Evangelieskrywers oor die Opstanding.
Een van die gewildste boeke wat ooit geskryf en een van die suksesvolste
films wat ooit geproduseer is, ‘Ben Hur’, was die gevolg van die
skeptiese uitdaging aan Generaal Lew Wallace oor die betroubaarheid van
Christus se Opstanding en die noukeurige ondersoek van die bewyse daarvan.
Vir die godsdienstige leiers - die Fariseërs en Sadduseërs, wat ’n
veldtog gelei en saamgesweer het om Christus te arresteer en Hom triomfantelik
tereg te stel - was die weerlegging van enige aanspraak op die Opstanding van
Hulle het gedink dat die teregstelling van Jesus die bedreiging van
hulle godsdienstige magsbasis sou elimineer en Sy ondersteuners vir ewig sou stilmaak.
Hulle was gevolglik bekommerd oor die Liggaam van Jesus en het die Romeinse
goewerneur, Pontius Pilatus, om militêre hulp genader, ten einde die graf te
beveilig. (Mat. 27:62-66).
Die Romeinse goewerneur se belange was om die oproerige Palestina-provinsie
se vrede en stabiliteit te herstel. Hy het die politieke konsekwensies
raakgesien, wat uit hierdie situasie met die godsdienstige Leermeester, wat hy
drie keer onskuldig verklaar het, kon voortvloei. Uiteindelik het hy sy hande
voor die skare gewas en verklaar: “Ek is onskuldig aan die bloed van hierdie
regverdige man; julle kan toesien!” Mat. 27:24.
Pilatus was maar al te bewus van die bespotting wat daar van die gereg
gemaak is en die laaste ding wat hy nodig gehad het, was ’n hersiening van sy
skandalige gedrag en die ontduiking van verantwoordelikheid en plig in hierdie
saak. Om seker te maak dat die liggaam in die graf bly, was gevolglik beslis in
Pilatus se beste politieke belang. “Julle sal ‘n wag kry; gaan verseker dit
soos julle dit verstaan.” Mat. 27:65.
Die feit dat die hoofpriesters die Romeinse goewerneur genader het,
sowel as die gebruik van die Griekse woord ‘koustodia’ (wat ’n afdeling
soldate beskryf) bevestig dat dit Romeinse wagte was wat die graf bewaak het.
As slegs ’n tempelwag gebruik was, sou dit nie nodig gewees het om Pilatus
daaroor te nader nie. Die wagte het gevrees dat die goewerneur hulle nie sou
beskerm teen die gevolge van die Opstanding nie. (Matt 28:14) Die groep sou uit
minstens 16 soldate bestaan het - met vier soldate per diensbeurt - direk voor
die ingang na die graf. Die Romeinse militêre wet het vereis dat enige wag wat
sy pos sou verlaat, of wat aan die slaap sou raak tydens sy wagbeurt, gekruisig
sou word. Enigiemand wat die Romeinse seël sonder toestemming sou breek, sou
vervolg en tereggestel word.
Alhoewel dit die voorneme van die godsdienstige en politieke leiers was
om seker te maak dat hierdie hele ‘Jesus-fenomeen’ by die graf sou
eindig, het die buitengewone veiligheidsmaatreëls net die waarheid – nl. dat
hulle ’n onskuldige man vermoor het, en dat Jesus Christus werklik die Messias,
die Seun van die Lewende God was - bevestig. Teorieë
Ten einde die leë graf te rasionaliseer, moes die vyande van die
Evangelie desperaat gryp na misleidende teorieë. Die eerste was om voor te gee
dat die dissipels die liggaam gesteel het. Dié ongelooflike teorie moes mense
wysmaak dat dit dieselfde dissipels is wat in Getsemane geslaap het, wat tydens
Sy arrestasie gevlug het, wat Hom voor die jong diensmeisie verloën het en bang
agter toe deure weggekruip het – dat dit húlle was wat sáám 16 professionele
Romeinse wagte kon oorval, dit durf waag het om die Romeinse seël van die graf
te breek, en ’n rots van twee ton beweeg het - net om ’n dooie liggaam te
steel! ’n Dooie Messias sou tog mos geen doel vir die dissipels dien nie. Wat
kon die moontlike motivering wees indien hulle wel die wagte kon oorval en al
die politieke en logistieke hindernisse te bowe kom? Hulle het absoluut niks
gehad om te wen nie, maar alles om te verloor. Elkeen van die dissipels
het na die Opstanding onder ernstige vervolging gely en die meeste het as
martelare gesterf. Sou jy vir ’n leuen sterf? Het Jesus Waarlik Gesterf?
Ander weer bevraagteken die feit dat Christus werklik aan die Kruis
gesterf het. Moontlik het Hy net flou geword? Hierdie “flou-” teorie wil ons
wys maak dat die Romeinse soldate - wat professionele moordenaars was (die
hoofman oor honderd het heel waarskynlik oor meer as honderde teregstellings
toesig gehou) - gefaal het in hul pogings om seker te maak dat hierdie
hoë-profiel-gevangene waarlik dood is. As die wreedaardige geseling wat Jesus
moes deurmaak, die verskriklike kruisiging en die spies in Sy sy (waaruit water
en bloed gevloei het) in berekening gebring word, is dit oortuigende en
genoegsame bewys dat Hy werklik gesterf het.
En tog, die voorstaanders en verkondigers van hierdie “flou” teorie wil
ons laat glo dat die Een wat soveel kon verduur, nie net die Romeinse
militariste doeltreffendheid oorwin het nie, maar ook op ’n koue klipblad in ’n
koue graf vanself herstel het. Verder het Hy ook nog van die grafklere, ‘n
honderd pond speserye, salwe en toedraai-doeke - wat Hom effektief sou
mummifiseer - asook die twee ton rotsblok ontslae geraak, en boonop die
Romeinse soldate effektief ontwyk. En Hy sou nog steeds die dissipels met
Sy Godheid beïndruk? Die blote suggestie is belaglikheid. Die Leë Graf ’n Ander desperate poging om die Opstanding weg te redeneer, is die
aanname dat hulle - Maria Magdalena, Petrus, Johannes, die ander vroue - almal
na die verkeerde graf gegaan het. Op ’n manier het nóg die Fariseërs, nóg die
Sadduseërs, nóg die Romeinse soldate óf Josef van Arimathea (wie se graf dit
was) daaraan gedink om daarop te wys dat die liggaam nog steeds in die regte
graf is nie! Hierdie teorie is egter net so vergesog, want die graf was nie in
’n begraafplaas nie, maar in ’n tuin wat in die privaat-besit van Josef van
Arimathea was. Daar was geen ander graf in die tuin nie!
Al wat die Romeinse en Joodse leiers moes doen om die Christendom te
beëindig, was om ’n liggaam as bewysstuk na vore te bring. En hulle kon nie!
Selfs toe die Apostel Petrus die dag met die uitstorting van die Heilige Gees
opgestaan en verklaar het: “Laat dan die hele huis van Israel sekerlik weet
dat God Hom Here en Christus gemaak het, hierdie Jesus wat julle gekruisig
het.” Hand. 2:36.
“En met groot krag het die apostels getuienis gegee van die
opstanding van die Here Jesus…” Hand. 4:33. Duisende in Jerusalem,
insluitend baie Fariseërs, het daar tot geloof gekom. Die Geloofwaardigheidskrisis
Dit was vir die Joodse godsdienstige leiers die grootste nagmerrie -’n
ramp! Die belydenis van die Opstanding van Christus het dus hul mag en
geloofwaardigeheid ondermyn. Duisende van hulle volgelinge het geglo dat hulle
’n onskuldige man - die Messias - ter dood veroordeel het. Die nuwe godsdiens
het hul magsbasis ondermyn. Indien die liggaam van Jesus gevind sou kon word,
sou die Christendom daar en dan tot ’n einde gekom het en die bedreiging wat
dit vir die godsdienstige leiers ingehou het, sou beëindig wees. Omdat hulle
die liggaam so dringend nodig gehad het om hul eie saak te bevorder, sou hulle
alles in die stryd gewerp het om die liggaam te vind - indien dit hoegenaamd
Die Ooggetuies Ons het egter nie net met die leë graf en die afwesigheid van die
liggaam te doen nie, maar ook met die verslag van die ooggetuies. Op ten minste
twaalf verskillende geleenthede is Jesus gesien nadat hy uit die dood opgestaan
het. Maria Magdalena (Joh. 20:11-18); Mark. 16:9), die ander vroue (Mat.
28:8-10), Petrus (Luk. 24:34); die twee Emmaus-gangers (Luk. 24:13-35), tien
dissipels (Luk. 24:36-43; Joh. 20:19-24); al elf dissipels agt dae na die
opstanding (Joh. 20:24-29); sewe dissipels by die See van Tiberias (Joh.
21:1-23), tot 500 mense by geleentheid (1 Kor. 15:6), Jakobus (1 Kor. 15:7),
aan al elf dissipels, en ander, tydens Hemelvaart (Hand 1:3-12), Paulus (Hand
9:3-8) en Johannes (Openb. 1:12-18) het almal die Here Jesus gesien nadat Hy
opgestaan het. Deur hierdie getuienis te probeer wegredeneer, probeer die vyande van
die Christendom voorgee dat dit bloot hallusinasies, of dalk nog die gevolg van
hipnose of histerie, was. Hallusinasies is unieke psigologiese ervarings van
enkele individue, maar ons het hier te make met groot getalle mense wat op
verskillende tye, in verskillende groepe en plekke, binne- sowel as
buitenshuis, op pad en by ’n meer, die Here Jesus gesien het. Hulle het saam
met Hom geëet, Sy wonde gesien en ook die wond aan Sy sy.
Sy dissipels was skepties en traag om te glo dat dit werklik Hy was.
Thomas het selfs verklaar dat hy net sal glo, indien hy persoonlik sy vingers
in Jesus se wonde aan Sy hande, voete en sy kon druk.
Ons het méér as net die verslae van ooggetuies; ons het ook die
dramatiese verandering in die lewens van die dissipels self, as bewys van die
Opstanding. Jesus se Opstanding het hulle rou in vreugde verander. Hul
lafhartigheid het in vrymoedigheid, en hul skeptisisme in geloof verander.
Hulle was ook baie vasbeslote en doelgerig. Saulus, die vervolger van die Kerk,
het in Paulus, die apostel van die Kerk, verander.
Dit het ook die gemeenskap en die geskiedenis verander. Dit het die
Joodse Sabbat in die Christelike Dag van die Here verander. Die Opstanding het
die Joodse oorblyfsel in die wêreldwye Christelike Kerk verander. Meer as 2
miljard mense wêreldwyd beskou hulself as Christene wat in die Opstanding van
Jesus Christus glo. Die blote bestaan van hierdie grootste godsdiensbeweging in
die geskiedenis van die wêreld, is nog ’n kragtige bewys van die Opstanding van
Jesus het Self geprofeteer dat Hy uit die dood sou opstaan. En omdat
hierdie profesie vervul is, kan ons absoluut seker wees dat Jesus Christus God
met ons is, soos wat Hy gesê het. Ons kan dus weet dat ons sonde deur Sy bloed
wat aan die Kruis op Golgota gevloei het, vergewe is.
Juis op grond van Sy dood aan die Kruis kan ons ons verheug - ons sonde
is vergewe, ons is vrygespreek deur geloof. Op grond van Sy Opstanding uit die
dood kan ons uitsien na die ewige lewe. Sy Hemelvaart verseker ons van die feit
dat Hy oor al die gesag beskik en dat Hy Sy groot Opdrag op aarde uitgevoer
het. Die uitstorting van die Heilige Gees op Pinksterdag maak dit vir ons
moontlik om nie meer op ons eie vermoëns staat te maak nie, maar op Sy krag
alleen. “Nie deur krag of deur geweld nie, maar deur my Gees, sê die HERE
van die leërskare.” Sag. 4:6.
Ons dien ’n Opgestane Heer en Redder! Die dood is oorwin. Christus het
opgestaan - oorwinnaar oor die dood, hel, satan en die graf. Hy is die
Opstanding en die Lewe! (Joh. 11:25).
“Geseënd is die God en Vader van onse Here
Jesus Christus wat na sy grote barmhartigheid ons die wedergeboorte geskenk het
tot ‘n lewende hoop deur die opstanding van Jesus Christus uit die dode.” 1 Pet. 1:3.
"Jesus' Resurrection: Fact or Fiction?", by Rusty Wright, was taken from Thoughts about God.com
Worth considering? Would you like to have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ? You can start by saying this simple prayer:
REFORMATION 500: The heart of the Reformation
On October 31, 1517, in Wittenberg,
Germany, Martin Luther posted his thoughts about some theological topics and
the practices of the Church. That simple action began the Reformation — a
movement that changed Western society. One man stood against the corruption of
the establishment. Luther’s fight was, of course, one of theology. But it was
still one man, a monk, against the massive Holy Roman Empire. Luther was
threatened, exiled, condemned and labeled a heretic. But his teaching grew in
popularity throughout his life.
. Those who follow Luther’s teachings
number in the millions. Most Protestant churches today trace their lineage, in
some part, to the teachings of Luther. The German language exists as it does
today in large part due to Luther’s translation of the New Testament. Luther’s writings on the freedom of the
Christian to serve the government, and the role of the government to establish
justice and to protect citizens, have greatly influenced our view of authority.
Though he was a theologian, Luther wrote and thought about all of life. He was
concerned for the children in his town. He was involved in the politics of his
day. He was an academic. He was a family man. He was a revolutionary. He was
involved in the lives of the poor and the common man. Yet this Reformation anniversary is not
a celebration of Luther. Even the Lutheran church does not celebrate Luther.
Lutheran does not mean a follower of Luther, but of his theological teachings. Luther and the other Reformation
theologians believed that all mankind is sinful, that everyone is guilty of error
in God’s sight. They also believed that God will punish those who do what He
forbids. The problem is not only that everyone sins, but that mankind’s sinful
condition means there is no way to do enough good things to earn God’s love. The Reformation proclaimed that the
solution to the problem is not in man, but in God. Luther and his followers
taught that the Bible teaches salvation by God’s grace, through faith, because
of Jesus. The message of the Reformation is that the Scriptures teach that God
has grace on sinners. He gives forgiveness freely to all who believe in Him.
This forgiveness is given through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and
His resurrection from the dead. All who believe in Jesus as their Savior
receive forgiveness and eternal life. All of this is a free gift from a loving
God. Luther’s teaching, and that of the
Reformation, is often summarized in three “solas.” Sola gratia, sola fide and
sola scriptura — by faith alone, by grace alone and by Scripture alone. The key
to Reformation theology is found in God’s love for people. By grace alone means that God gives His
love freely. People can’t earn God’s love. People can’t earn forgiveness. God’s
love is not gained by human efforts, but given freely by God’s grace. By faith alone means that those who
believe in Jesus as God’s Savior for all of mankind receive forgiveness and
eternal life. Faith is something God gives to people through His Holy Spirit,
working in the Word of God and the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and the Lord’s
Supper. People do nothing to earn God’s love, but receive it by grace through
faith. By Scripture alone means that God has
revealed His truth through the Holy Bible. Scripture is the one trustworthy
source for the truth about God. The Scriptures are properly read in light of
Jesus as the Son of God in the flesh. The Bible teaches that His death and
resurrection is the key event in all of history, because there, Jesus died to
gain the forgiveness of everyone’s sins. This does not mean that Christians
should only read the Bible. Sola scriptura means that the Bible is the only
trustworthy source for doctrine and life. The three solas, by grace alone, by
faith alone and by Scripture alone, are all summarized in one more phrase from
the Reformation, solus Christus — through Christ alone. This is really the focus of the
Reformation. God’s grace, our faith and the Scriptures are all focused on Jesus
Christ. The Reformation moved the focus from the Church to Jesus. Luther and
the reformers taught that Jesus is how God relates to us and how we relate to
Him. The reformers taught that Jesus is our salvation, that Jesus is the way
that God loves. When Martin Luther understood Jesus as
the center of all of Scripture and man’s relationship to God, he saw everything
in light of this relationship between God and man. This moved him to teach
about the Christian’s role in society, the role of the government, and how
individual Christians live out their faith. Luther cared for the people in his town
and worked to provide materials for them, writing the Small Catechism to teach the basics of the faith, and translating
the Bible into German so that everyone could read the Word of God. Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses in
Wittenberg, Germany, 500 years ago. Much has changed since then. Many things we
encounter daily were influenced by the Reformation. The heart of the
Reformation was theology. It was a return to God as the source of mankind’s
salvation. It was a focus on God’s love.
16 December - The Day of the Covenant
Thankyou to Dr. Peter Hammond, Reformation Society, for this insightful article on The Day of the Covenant (16 December)
Active for Jesus Media Mission / WoomaNet
"Therefore know that the Lord your God, He
is God, the faithful God who keeps Covenant and mercy for a thousand
generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments." Deuteronomy 7:9
For over a century and a half, throughout South Africa, 16 December has been
observed as The Day of the Covenant. Marking the decisive Battle of Blood
River, the Day of the Covenant has been recognised by many, not only as a
victory for the Voortrekkers, but as a triumph for Western civilization and
Christianity in Africa.
It should be noted that before the Battle of Blood River, 16 December 1838,
there were no known Christians amongst the Zulu nation. Despite the dedicated
spiritual labours of British and American missionaries amongst the Zulus for 18
years previously, so great was the hold of superstition, the reign of terror of
the Zulu kings, and fear of the witchdoctors, that no Zulus were known to have
responded to the preaching of the Gospel before the defeat of Dingaan’s Impis
at Blood River.
One could similarly note that despite the strenuous labours of famous British
missionary Robert Moffatt, and others, amongst the Matabele, in what became
Rhodesia, there were no baptised Matabele converts to Christianity before the
defeat of Lobengula's Impis in the Matabele War of 1893.
of the Zulu
Observing the significance of The Day of the Covenant is not in any sense
anti-Zulu. I have many precious friends amongst the Zulu. Having read
extensively on their history, and visited many of the strategic battle sites
and museums in Zululand, I have to regard the Covenant made by the Boers, and
The Battle of Blood River, as the beginning of the spiritual liberation of
Zululand. Only after The Battle of Blood River did hundreds, and then
thousands, of Zulus come to Christ.
It needs to be noted that after their victory over Dingaan's forces the
Afrikaans Christians built a magnificent mission station and church at
Mgundgundlovu (Dingaanstad) within sight of the massacre of the Trek leader
Piet Retief and his 100 followers who were brutally tortured and massacred. The
Afrikaans missionaries built a school for the blind, an evangelists training
college, and many other expressions of Christian love for their former
After the final defeat of the Zulu military, in the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879,
Zulus came to Christ by the hundreds of thousands. Today there are millions of
As a descendant of the Vikings, I look to our former enemy, King Alfred the
Great, as one of my Spiritual forefathers. Although the original Hammonds would
have been among the Viking invaders of England, I recognise that the conversion
and discipling of the once brutal Vikings began with the military victory of
King Alfred the Great and his Saxon armies over the Vikings. Similarly, I
believe that our Zulu brothers and sisters in Christ can rejoice in the
Spiritual liberation of the Zulu nation that began with the original Day of the
Shaka had built the Zulu into a great warlike nation. He unleashed waves of
destruction impi ebomvu
(total war) that left enormous stretches of country uninhabited by people. The
Mfekane unleashed by Shaka had led to the annihilation of literally hundreds of
tribes. Known as "the
Black Napoleon", Shaka had soaked Southern Africa in blood,
devastating countless kraals, particularly between 1820 and 1824. Shaka was
described as tall, handsome and a military genius. He moulded the previously
insignificant Zulu tribe into a mighty war machine. He introduced new systems
of fighting, abandoning the long throwing spears, and introducing the far more
lethal short handled broad-bladed assegai.
He compelled his men to throw away their sandals and to harden their feet. His
would be compelled to dance on thorns and if anyone showed pain they were
immediately executed. Instead of standing at a distance singing, and taunting
the enemy, and ineffectually throwing their spears, Shaka trained his men to
fight as a cohesive unit, in the shape of cattle horns. The most experienced
troops were at the head to gore, and the younger warriors were put on the horns
to encircle the enemy. The Zulu were trained to rush straight in for the kill.
They overwhelmed every tribe they came across and annihilated them. Many of the
young women and young boys from these defeated tribes were amalgamated into the
Zulu tribe, but the older people and warriors were exterminated.
Mzilikazi's Path of
One of Shaka's most effective generals, Mzilikazi, was a dynamic, and
ambitious, man. (Mzilikazi was born in 1790, making him slightly the junior of
Shaka who was born in 1787.) Mzilikazi was 34 when he fled Zululand with his
Impi and founded Matebele nation. To avoid retribution at the hands of his
king, Shaka, Mzilikazi led his men on a devastating path of blood through the
Transvaal, the Orange Free State and Botswana, later settling in what became
Rhodesia. Mzilikazi spared the most promising of the vanquished tribes to be
incorporated into his army and tribe. He moulded his heterogeneous horde into a
great nation using the best of Zulu military tactics. His path through the
interior of Southern Africa was as devastating as a veld fire, as he
slaughtered, captured, plundered and left destruction in his wake. Until his
defeat at the hands of the Boers at Vegkop, the Matabele were operating out of
Western Transvaal. Their defeat at the hands of Hendrik Potgieter's trekkers
led Mzilikazi's men to flee across the Limpopo River to settle in Matabeleland
(in what later became Rhodesia, and ultimately Zimbabwe).
On 22 September 1828, Shaka, the founder and King of the Zulus, was stabbed to
death by his half-brothers, Princes Dingaan and Mhlangana. Missionaries and
English traders who visited Zululand described Dingaan as "astute", "sly",
"cruel", "temperamental", "brutal",
"charming", "diplomatic" and "treacherous".
Shortly after murdering his half-brother, Dingaan quickly arranged the
assassination of his co-conspirator Mhlangana, and then systematically executed
all aristocratic rivals and anyone else who could possibly be a danger to him,
including the commander-in-chief of Shaka's army, Ndlaka, who he had strangled.
Dingaan was about 30 years old when he seized power. He began to build himself
a new capital in Mgungundlovu (the place of the great elephant). Dingaan
quickly accumulated over 300 wives and concubines. Traders and missionaries
described Dingaan's appetite as "voracious,
sexually and otherwise" and he soon became extremely obese.
Unlike his brother Shaka, Dingaan preferred to stay at his palace. He was not a
warrior like Shaka. Instead of leading military campaigns, he sent out his Impis and remained at
Mgungundlovu surrounded by a continual programme of feasting and dancing.
The Gullibility of Piet
When the Trek leader Piet Retief came to Dingaan to negotiate the right for the
Voortrekkers to settle in the depopulated territory between the Tugela and the
Bushmans River (present day Natal) he was warned by the missionaries that one
of the principle objectives of Shaka had been to totally depopulate all the
surrounding territory as far as his soldiers could penetrate so that his
followers, over whom he held such despotic sway, might have no asylum or refuge
if they attempted to escape his murderous rule. Retief was also warned that the
defeat of the renegade Zulu general Mzilikazi at the hands of the Boers in the
Transvaal had sent shockwaves through Zululand. As Dingaan's military
expeditions against Mzilikazi had all been indecisive, he feared the power of
the Boers. Yet, Piet Retief seemed supremely self-confident and brushed aside
every warning about the danger of the dictator with whom he was attempting to
Dingaan's capital, Mgungundlovu, was described as an efficient military camp
entirely fenced in with thorn bushes. The king's quarters dominated the high
ground, overlooking the two thousand huts to the sides of the main entrance and
open arena. Each hut accommodated twenty warriors. Within the lines of the
military huts were four strongly fenced in cattle kraals. Dingaan's own
quarters consisted of hundreds of beehive huts including huts for his enormous
harem, and his counsel house and reception hall, both some 20 feet in height,
with the roof supported by 22 pillars entirely covered in bead work. The floors
were made of mud and dung, polished with blood and fat until they shone like a
mirror. Mgungundlovu as a whole was arranged in ovals, circles and
semi-circles, with thousands of beehive huts appearing like beads in a
necklace. Facing the capital, on the other side of the stream below was the
hill of execution (KwaMatiwane).
Dingaan required his subjects to throw themselves to the ground and crawl forward
in the dust for about two hundred metres before coming to a halt a good
distance from his throne. Piet Retief and the other white visitors refused to
succumb to such an indignity, and stood in the presence of the king. They noted
that Dingaan was entirely hairless. He was shaved every day and was described
as having an abhorrence of human hair. He wore many ornaments on his head and
his body was rubbed daily with fat to make him appear like polished
Acting as the king's secretary was Rev. Francis Owen of the Church Missionary
Society. Most of what we know concerning the meetings of Piet Retief with
Dingaan come from Owen’s diary. Piet Retief first reached Mgundgundlovu on 5
November 1837. The king entertained him with war dances by thousands of his
warriors. Owen warned him of the countless cruelties, tortures and executions
that he had been forced to witness. However, Piet Retief seemed most impressed
with the "sincerity",
"graciousness", "intelligence", and "goodwill" of
After seeking to impress Retief for two days with parades of his regiments and
herds, Dingaan informed Retief that he was willing to grant the Trekkers the
territory his armies had depopulated across the Tugela, and around Port Natal -
on condition that Piet Retief should return the cattle, which had been taken by
Sikonyela and his Batlokoa people. As they had come on horseback and dressed in
clothes, Sikonyela's people had been assumed to be Boers. To prove that the
trekkers were not in any way responsible for Sikonyela's cattle raid, he
required them to deal with this chief.
The CMS missionary, Francis Owen, warned Piet Retief that he was wasting his
time, for Dingaan was utterly inconsistent and had already granted the desired
territory to the English government through John Gardiner. However, Piet Retief
regarded the expedition against Sikonyela as necessary for the vindication of
their honour. Owen questioned how a man of Retief's intelligence could attach
any value to any promise made by a tyrant like Dingaan.
When Piet Retief later gave an enthusiastic account of the splendours of
Dingaan, his kindness and boundless hospitality, American missionary Rev.
George Champion declared: "I
have known Dingaan for two years Mr Retief, and I know full well what a
dangerous character he is. I can only see disaster should you visit him
again." Rev. Kirkwood also warned Retief of Dingaan's
intention to have him put to death as "a
wizard." But Retief brushed all their warnings aside declaring:
"Have no apprehension
on my account!"
Sikonyela and the
Chief Sikonyela was described as a man who always caused trouble. He was the
son of a famous warrior queen Ma Ntatisa. He had done his share of devastating
the country along the Caledon River. The remnants of the devastated tribes he
moulded into the Batlokoa. Cattle raids were part of the African way of life
and both Sikonyela and many of the trekkers questioned Retief's actions as
contrary to his own code of behaviour by interfering in inter-tribal affairs.
However, Retief felt himself justified in taking action, if these people had
indeed posed as Boers. Retief managed to avoid bloodshed by using a pair of
handcuffs to restrain Sikonyela and then declaring that he was "under arrest" and
they would only take the handcuffs off if he returned the stolen cattle.
Sikonyela was kept prisoner for three days while the seven hundred cattle were
rounded up and identified by the accompanying Zulus.
A passing trader warned Piet Retief of Dingaan’s planned treachery against him
upon his return. Fellow trek leader Gert Maritz repeatedly warned Piet Retief
not to return to Dingaan declaring: “I
do not trust Dingaan!” But, every attempt to dissuade Piet Retief
was brushed aside. Maritz reminded him of the murder of Anders Stockenstrom in
1811 while having friendly talks with a band of Xhosas.
Piet Retief, with almost a hundred followers, arrived at Mgundgundlovu on
Saturday 3 February. He was rebuked by Dingaan for having released Sikonyela
unharmed. Dingaan was shocked that Retief had not executed him, or at least
brought him to the Zulu capital for execution.
He then requested the Boers to make a demonstration of their war dances on
their horses. The trekkers staged an impromptu charge on horseback in the royal
arena, making the air resound with the sound of their muskets. Dingaan and his
subjects had never seen anything like it and were plainly shocked at the speed
and agility of the Boers on horseback and the deafening sound of their muskets.
The missionary warned Retief that his display was entrenching the fear of
Dingaan that he was a wizard
and a threat that must be eradicated.
However, when Dingaan agreed to sign the document drawn up by Retief to cede
the territory between the Tugela and Umzimvubu Rivers to the trekkers, Retief
felt that all of his trust in the word of Dingaan was fulfilled. This document
was placed in his leather briefcase with great relief.
However, the CMS missionary, Rev. Owen, was most disturbed that Retief and his
followers had missed the Sunday morning church service on 4 February, for these
formalities for the king. Retief later said that he had forgotten what day of
On Monday the trekkers were treated to an endless display of war dances and
military manoeuvres by Dingaan's Impis.
Dingaan was described as "a
master showman" with his entertainment the most spectacular
ever seen in the sub-continent. Dingaan again asked for a display of the Boers
war tactics on horseback. The Zulus sat stunned at the speed and perfect
control of the men with their rifles on horseback.
On Tuesday morning William Wood, a young English trader fluent in Zulu, who was
visiting the Owens, warned Retief that "your
entire party will be massacred before the day is out." As the
Retief party struck camp and were preparing to leave, they were invited to a
final farewell display. For this they were requested to leave their firearms,
bandoleers and powder horns outside the gates of the kraal. Incredibly, they
acceded to this demand. Leaving their firearms outside the kraal, they walked
defenceless into the arena of Dingaan's kraal. After ominous war dances which
increased in volume and intensity, Dingaan stood up and shouted "Babulaleni abathakathi!"
From across the stream on the opposite hillside, Francis Owen was reading the
New Testament when a messenger rushed up to inform him that Dingaan had decided
to kill the Boers but he was not to be concerned. Owen looked with horror as he
saw an immense multitude, "about
nine or ten Zulus to each Boer were dragging the helpless unarmed victims to
the fatal spot" on the hill of execution. Many of the Boers
were impaled on assegais, and they were all clubbed to death. Piet Retief's
young son was killed before his eyes. Amongst the dead was their interpreter,
Thomas Halstead, the only Englishman of the party. The various missionaries and
traders who had warned Piet Retief repeatedly questioned how such an
intelligent and experienced man as Piet Retief could have been so thoroughly
deceived, even mesmerized, by the tyrant Dingaan. Soon, the sky above the hill
of execution was black with vultures. The heart and liver of Piet Retief was
brought to Dingaan, but the rest of the corpses were left out in the open on
the hill of execution to later be discovered along with Retief's blood-stained
leather case containing the signed treaty with Dingaan. It was almost ten years
since Dingaan had murdered his half-brother Shaka to assume the chieftainship.
About noon on that fateful Tuesday, 6 February, Rev. Owen saw Dingaan send out
a huge army in the direction from where the Boers had come. There was no doubt
that even worse was to come. In the early hours of 17 February, ten thousand
Zulu warriors attacked the sleeping Voortrekkers between the Bushman’s the
Blaauwkrants Rivers. There was no moon that night and it was pitch dark.
Trekkers awoke to the sounds of their dogs barking. Wave after wave of Zulu
warriors were stabbing men, women and children, wiping out whole
The followers of Gert Maritz were more cautiously laagered and better prepared
to defend themselves. However, the followers of Piet Retief were spread out and
most vulnerable. Sarel Cilliers and Gert Maritz led charges to rescue fleeing
trekkers. Women and children, even as young as ten years old, fought
tenaciously, selling their lives dearly. Marthinus Oosthuizen charged through
the mass of Zulus to a wagon for ammunition and then back again to re-supply
the beleaguered Van Rensburgs surrounded on a hill.
Fighting continue until the afternoon of the 17th when the Zulu army
retreated, taking over 25,000 cattle, and many horses and sheep, with them.
Many hundreds of the Zulu attackers had been killed in the fierce fighting. As
the Voortrekkers began to count up their own dead, they grieved over the loss
of 185 of their children murdered. Of the women 56 were dead - this included
even grandmothers - many with multiple assegai wounds. The murdered men
numbered 40. Incredibly, some women who had been horribly stabbed were found
alive amongst the piles of dead. Johanna van der Merwe and Margarita Prinsloo had
each survived despite 20 assegai wounds, and Klasina Le Roux with 17 stab
As Gert Maritz organized a mass burial of the slain trekkers, the sky was full
of circling vultures and the sounds of weeping could be heard throughout the
area. The Boers later founded a town at the site of the massacre which was
(The Place of Weeping).
Ambushed at the Buffalo
On 6 April a counter-attack by a Boer commander led by the two rival leaders
Piet Uys and Andries Potgieter was ambushed across the Buffalo River at
Italeni. A British expedition from Port Natal rushed to assist the beleaguered
trekkers, but ten of the Commando were killed, including Piet Uys and his brave
son Dirkie who kept fighting by his father's side to the very end. As this
commando retreated it became known as the Vlugcommando
(the fleeing commando).
It was the darkest time of despair for the Voortrekkers. Death, disaster and
dissention seemed to doom their ambitious enterprise.
Andries Pretorius Comes from
With the arrival of Andries Pretorius from the Transvaal, there was fresh hope.
The widow of Piet Retief declared of Andries Pretorius: "This man has been sent by God.
He will help us obtain justice." Andries Pretorius was a
dynamic pistol packing farmer from Graaf Reinet. He was described as a tall,
imposing figure in a well cut suit, with a pistol and a cutlass at his belt. He
also came with 60 Transvaal volunteers for the Wencommando that he intended to organize. At
an assembly of the Volksraad, Pretorius was elected Commandant General.
Within a couple of days, he was heading out with 464 men, and 64 wagons, to
engage the Zulus. Pretorius adopted the motto Eendragt Maakt Magt (unity is strength).
(These words were to become the motto of the Transvaal Republic.) All in the Wencommando (The Victory
Commando) were lectured on discipline, Christian conduct, decency, integrity,
compassion and courage. As God's soldiers their conduct had to be of a high
standard. The chaplain, Sarel Cilliers, who was widely respected as a man of
God, and who had proved himself in battle at Vegkop, ensured strict religious
observance with daily devotions and prayer times where the men were required to
On the move the 64 wagons travelled in four rows so as not to make the column
too long for the vanguards and rear guards to protect from ambush. Every night
their laager was drawn up, sentries posted, inspections held, and defensive
drills practiced. Scouting patrols were sent out every day to ascertain the
whereabouts of the Zulu army, and to identify any potential threats.
As the Tugela River was flood, the Wencommando crossed near Spioenkop. At
Waschbank, on Sunday 9 December, Sarel Cilliers stood on a gun carriage before
the men had who assembled for worship and he proposed a solemn vow: "My brethren and fellow
countrymen, at this moment we stand before the Holy God of Heaven and earth to
make a promise. If He will be with us and protect us and deliver the enemy into
our hands so that we may triumph over him, that we may observe the day and the
date as an anniversary in each year and a day of Thanksgiving like the Sabbath,
in His honour; and that we shall enjoin our children that they must take part
with us in this, for remembrance even for our posterity; and if anyone sees a
difficulty in this, let them return from this place. For the honour of His Name
shall be joyfully exalted, and to Him the fame and the honour of the victory must
All the English volunteers joined with the Afrikaans Voortrekkers in taking
this Vow. From 9th December the Vow was repeated every evening, up
until the night of the 15th, during evening services when Psalms
were sung and prayers were offered.
There was a calm deliberation amongst the men of the Wencommando. They knew
that they were going up against the most formidable force in Africa at that
time. Up to that point, the Zulu Impis had never been beaten. They knew that
Dingaan had over 20,000 warriors that he could throw at them. They were only
464, and this being 1838, they only had smooth ball muskets, which required 30
to 40 seconds to reload. And they knew charging Zulu warriors could cover a lot
of ground in that time.
On Saturday the 15th of December the Commando crossed the Buffalo
River and outspanned between the Buffalo River and the Ncome River. Two scouts
reported that they had seen a huge Zulu army only half an hour ride away.
Pretorius inspected the terrain for a suitable laager site and he sensed God's
guidance for there was a perfect spot on the other side of the Ncome. On its
western bank there was a deep hippopotamus pool and a large donga, or gully.
The laager was set up making use of these natural defensive features on two
sides. The 64 wagons were firmly lashed together with two battle gates secured
at the two openings where the canon were placed. The back of the D-formation
was set against the donga, and the semi-circle faced towards the open plain.
Candles were set out everywhere and lanterns suspended over the wagons on the
long whip handles, to prevent the Zulus from approaching the laager unseen in
the night. As Sarel Cilliers led the Commando in repeating the Vow for the last
time, and then in singing the Psalms, the Zulus had moved within earshot and
could hear their strange singing and see the eerily lit laager.
It was a suspenseful moonless night. Two hours before dawn the trekkers were at
their posts. A veil of mist lifted and a perfect day broke. There was not a
cloud in the vivid blue sky and there was no wind. It was a day of crystal
clarity. As the mist lifted the Boers saw the entire Zulu army seated facing
them with their shields in front. The front row of the Zulus was only 40 paces
away from the half-moon of wagons. Row after row of Zulu regiments were grouped
according to the colour of their shields. There were between 12,000 and 15,000
Zulu's surrounding the laager.
"Do not fear their
numbers, we can deal with them", shouted Pretorius. As
warriors were moving into position to attack from the donga in the rear,
Commandant Pretorius decided to seize the initiative and he ordered his men to
open fire immediately. Before the Zulus could even begin their intimidating war
dances the roar of gunfire shattered the early morning peace. The day began in
furious battle with Zulus yelling, hissing, smashing their assegais against
their shields, thunderously stamping the ground with their feet, charging the
laager at full speed. The two little canon cut swathes through the Zulu ranks,
and the deadly aim of the Boer Commandos took their toll. As a mass of Zulus
tried to scale the donga and assault the rear of the laager, Sarel Cilliers led
his men to cut them down.
As the Zulus retreated out of range to about 500 metres, Pretorius sent out his
brother and an interpreter to taunt the Zulus: "What are you doing, men of Dingaan? We have come to
fight men, not women and children! Why don’t you attack?"
Facing the Zulu Tidal
The Zulus leapt up to attack, drumming their shields, yelling, whistling,
hissing and swept in a black wave down upon the wagons. This was the longest
charge of the two-hour battle. Muzzles were becoming dangerously hot, wagons
bristled with assegais, but the strategic positioning of the laager was
frustrating the assaults of the Zulus. The closer they got to the wagons, the
more they were funnelled and compressed by the river and the donga until they
were tripping into one another and stumbling over their earlier casualties.
Their losses were becoming enormous, yet without achieving anything. Never in
the experience of their warrior nation had anything like this happened to them
Andries Pretorius sensed a change in the tempo of the battle and ordered a
charge form the laager. He had the two canon dragged out and fired from the
front. Then he led a charge into the middle of the Zulu Impi. For the first
time in history a Zulu Impi broke and fled. The cohesion on which the Zulu
Impis was based was shattered. The Zulus began to flee across the Ncome River,
many drowning in the process. As Pretorius fired on one Zulu his horse reared
and threw him off. A Zulu lunged at him and Pretorius managed to ward off the
assegai with his rifle. As the Zulu struck again Pretorius was thrust through
his left hand. He pinned the Zulu to the ground and grappled hand to hand until
the warrior was stabbed with his own assegai.
On the other side Sarel Cilliers led a commando charge that put to flight the
other section of the Zulu army. The mounted Boers pursued the fleeing Zulus,
shooting at them as long as their bullets lasted, and firing pebbles when all
their bullets were exhausted. Over 3,000 Zulu dead were counted around the
laager. Yet not one Voortrekker had been killed, although several were wounded.
As the sun set the exhausted Commando members returned for a service of
Thanksgiving and for their first meal of the day. Then they had to clean their
muskets and cast bullets for the final push to track down Dingaan at
By the 20th December the Zulu capital was sighted. It was ablaze
from one end to the other. Dingaan had fled and set fire to his own capital.
When the grizzly remains of Piet Retief and his 100 followers was discovered on
KwaMatiwane they saw the legs and arms still tied with thongs, the impaling
sticks still visible. Next to the remains of Piet Retief lay his water bottle
and leather satchel which still contained Dingaan's signed and witnessed
agreement for the cession of Natal. On Christmas Day the remains of these
victims were all gathered and buried in a communal grave at the foot of the
The Zulu kingdom fell into a civil war and Dingaan was overthrown by his
It is remarkable that, despite the treachery that the Boers had endured at the
hands of the Zulu, and the massacres of so many unsuspecting women and children
on the banks of the Blaauwkrans River, that no atrocities were committed by the
Boers in retaliation. Instead, the Biblical injunction to love their enemies
was fulfilled by the vigorous missionary work which was established by the
Reformed Church in Zululand, establishing schools, hospitals, churches and
orphanages, even within sight of where Piet Retief and his followers were so
brutally murdered. In the century and a half since that original Day of the
Covenant, many millions of Zulus have come to Christ and Zululand has been
blessed by Revival. In a very real sense all of that began with the Covenant
proposed by Sarel Cilliers, and enthusiastically adopted by the Wencommando.
Just as the descendants of the Vikings can look back to their one-time enemy
King Alfred the Great as their Spiritual father who brought the first Vikings
to the Lord after defeating them in battle, so the Zulus and the Afrikaners and
English, with whom they had once been locked in deadly battle, are now united
in Christ. With the defeat of Dingaan, and later Ceteswayo, the power of the
witchdoctors was also broken and the Spiritual liberation of the Zulu people
began. As the Lord promised in Genesis 22:17: "…thy seed shall possess the gates of his
enemies…" Jesus Christ is building His Church and the
Blessed in Order to be a
God’s promise to Abraham is being fulfilled to this day: "I will make you a great nation; I
will bless you and make your name great; and ye shall be a blessing. I will
bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all
the families of the earth shall be blessed." Genesis
"Even though we all know that Christmas is about the birth of the Savior,
it’s easy to get caught up in the cultural approach to the holiday and switch
off Jesus. While there’s nothing wrong with dreaming of a white Christmas or
having a Christmas tree, or giving gifts to one another, the real meaning of
Christmas deals with a much more urgent matter, namely, salvation."
This special Christmas message by Steven J. Cole puts it all into perspective. Please make the time to read this, as it is most probably the best message you will hear this Christmas. Just click on the link below.
RUDIE VAN HEERDEN (Active for Jesus Media Mission)
What Christmas Really Means Posted by
JESUS WHO CAME IS COMING AGAIN
I gladly share this post, as received from Johan Terblanche (Christ Alone Ministries)
Have a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous 2017
“JESUS WHO CAME IS COMING AGAIN”
Soon the world will be celebrating Christmas.
We, as true believers, followers of Christ will not celebrate the date on which
Jesus is said to be born. Instead we will be able to celebrate the coming of
the Lord, His life, His death and His resurrection. We will have yet another
opportunity to celebrate the love of a merciful God, and His only begotten
Son. In Scripture we read that God so loved the
should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) but we also see Jesus
prepared to come down to earth to show the greatest kind of love by being
prepared to lay down His life on an old rugged cross on Calvary’s hill. When Jesus was born on that very special
morn, Love became Man. When Jesus walked the face of the Earth, Love walked.
When Jesus touch the broken, healed the sick and raised the dead, Love touched.
When Jesus died on Calvary, Love gave up life so that we may be saved. But I don’t want to dwell too long on that
which has happened. Instead I wish to emphasize that He who came is coming back
again. One day soon we will see Him. And the question I need to ask is whether
we will be ready for that day, when the clouds will burst open and the
brightest light of day will seem like darkness when compared with the light of
His glory. Will we be ready to be taken up with Him where forever we will share
in His eternal, everlasting, never failing love? Love caused Jesus to come to earth some 2000
years ago. Love will bring Him back again. In this time of remembrance let us
also reflect on the condition of our soul and if need be; let us give Him the
greatest gift we can, let us give him our lives. Let us surrender anew to Him,
to Jesus who came and who’s coming back again. Johan Terblanche
Christ Alone Ministries Posted by
BEDIENING NUUSBRIEF - Desember 2016 - Die Waarde in Storms
Dit is nogal ironies dat ‘n mens hom-/haarself eers midde in ‘n lewensbedrygende storm moet bevind, alvorens mens die stem van die Here weer duidelik kan hoor, of dalk is dit meer korrek om te sê “alvorens mens die stem van die Here weer duidelik WIL hoor”. Onthou julle ook nog daardie bekende kanselkleed wat elke Sondag dit vir elkeen in die erediens so duidelik uitgespel het: “So Spreek die Here”? Daardie woorde het sommer baie goed gesê, soos byvoorbeeld dat die boodskap wat van daardie kansel af verkondig word 100% Woord-getrou is, dat dit die Waarheid is en dat daardie boodskap deur die Heilige Gees geinspireer en gegee is. Om dus daar te staan en ‘n boodskap te lewer is nie iets wat ligtelik opgeneem moet word nie. Dit is ‘n saak van erns. Ek moet seker wees!
Dieselfde geld egter ook ons bedieninge en wat ons doen. Mens sê soms baie maklik dat hierdie ding wat ek doen en mee besig is van die Here af is. Hy het my vir hierdie taak/bediening geroep. As ek nou ‘n kanselkleed daaroor kon hang sou die bewoording dan iets wees soos “So Lei die Here my”. Maar is ek seker daarvan, of doen ek hierdie ding maar net omdat dit oor my pad gekom het en ek gedink het dit is ‘n goeie idee of ‘n goeie geleentheid? Of ek nou preek en of ek nou doen, as ek die Here se Naam daaraan koppel, moet ek 100% seker wees dat ek 100% in die Here se wil is, anders is ek eintlik maar net besig met my eie ding met my eie agenda met my eie planne en doelwitte en uitkomste. Ek het hierdie selfde fout al hoeveel keer in my eie lewe gemaak. Elke keer was ek daarvan oortuig dat die Here my lewe en bediening in ‘n nuwe rigting stuur of my nuwe geleenthede gee, net om later agter te kom dat ek eintlik God se pad byster geraak het......gewoonlik in en na ‘n storm wat losgebars het, want storms doen gewoonlik 5 dinge:
1. Dit maak jou bewus van jou eie onvermoeë en magteloosheid om vanuit eie krag iets aan die situasie te doen.
2. Dit bring jou tot stilstand.
3. Dit maak jou stil.
4. Dit maak jou luister.
5. Dit bring jou lewe weer op koers.
Jona het ‘n lewensbedrygende storm in sy lewe nodig gehad om sy rigting van Tarsis na Nineve te verander, maar eers moes hy in die see gegooi word om tot stilstand te kom en toe deur ‘n vis ingesluk word om stil te word en sy ore oop te kry sodat hy WIL luister. (Jona 1 en 2)
Hoe lyk die storm wat vandag in jou lewe woed? Is dit al fel genoeg om te besef dat jy meer as net jou eie “slimkop” nodig het? Is dit al fel genoeg om jou tot stilstand en stilswye te dwing? Is dit al fel genoeg om jou te laat uitroep “Here, ek WIL luister!”? Wat van die kerk vandag? Meer as net een storm woed vandag binne die kerk, maar is daardie storm al lewensbedrygend genoeg vir die kerk om haar eie swakheid en onvermoeë te besef en dit te verstaan? Is die krag van die storms genoeg om ons tot stilstand te ruk sodat ons vir ‘n oomblik net kan afvra “Waarmee is ons besig? In watter rigting vaar ons?” Is dit al fel genoeg om ons eie mooi praatjies en redenasies stil te maak sodat God kan praat? En as Hy praat, WIL ons regtig luister? En as ons luister, WIL ons regtig gehoorsaam wees en sê “So Spreek die Here”. Wat van ons land? Wat van die wêreld? Ons moet dieselfde vrae vra!
‘n Onlangse storm in my lewe het my ook weer bewus gemaak van my eie kwesbaarheid en swakheid. Ek is ook tot stilstand gedwing en al my verskonings en mooi praatjies en redes en motiverings het ook stil geraak. Dit was ook vir my tyd om te luister....en ek wou....maar ek wou God hoor en Hom alleen. Nee, nie die kennis en ervaring en belewenis en Skrif-interpretasies van mense nie. Net een stem wou ek hoor. God se stem!
Die stad Munchen in Duitsland was vir meer as twee weke my
‘Jona-vis’ waar ek kon stilstaan, stilbly en luister. Daar het die
Here my ontmoet. Ek het geluister. Hy het gepraat.
Daar in die vreemde, weg van alles, aan Sy voete, in Sy Woord, kon ek weer perspektief en koers kry....in die regte rigting.....God se rigting.....en hier so aan die einde van ‘n oujaar en op die drumpel van ‘n nuwe, gesels ek weekliks, vanaf 30 November 2016 tot 04 Januarie 2017, in VOETSTAPPE op WoomaNet Radio (www.wooma.net) en deelnemende radiostasies, oor al diè dinge wat God met my oor gepraat het, maar ook vir almal noodsaaklik is om te hoor, te weet en te verstaan. Ek nooi jou om saam met my, so aan die voete van Jesus, die oujaar uit te stap die nuwejaar binne. Moet dit nie misloop nie!
Net noudie dag vra ‘n vriend vir my: “Wat dryf jou so?” So ‘n kort vraag het altyd ‘n lang antwoord. Daar was ‘n tyd in my lewe, voordat ek die Here geken het soos ek Hom vandag ken, dat my hele lewe net oor myself en my eie suksesse gegaan het. Geloof, en in besonder geloof in Jesus Christus, was ‘n bysaak. Dit was daar, maar dit was nie belangrik nie. So het ek bykans 30 jaar van my lewe geleef, ‘n totaal verlore gelowige. Ek het God nie gaan soek nie. Hy het my kom soek. Toe Hy my vind het Hy my nie net daar gelos waar ek was nie, ook nie soos ek was nie. Hy het alles kom verander. Daarvoor sal ek Hom ewig dankbaar wees. Soos ek in hierdie wêreld rondbeweeg sien en beleef ek duisende mense wat net so verlore is vandag soos ek destyds was. God het nie Sy rug op my gedraai nie. Hy het bemoeienis met my gemaak en iemand oor my lewenspad gestuur wat vir my kom sê en wys het “God soek na jou. Hy het jou lief en Hy het ‘n plan vir jou lewe!” Kan ek enigsins anders doen? Een persoon wat gehoorsaam was aan die Here het redding en hoop en lewe vir my gebring... betyds....en sonder dat ek dit verdien het. Dis Genade...ook vir ander... dit dryf my!
Deur hierdie selfde onverdiende genade van die Here was dit steeds deurlopend vir my moontlik om, nie teenstaande die “storm”, weekliks voort te gaan met die ontwikkeling, voorbereiding en produksie van Voetstappe, Nuwe Hoop (Dr. Hennie Brits) en die maandelikse Christelike boekoorsigte (Boekrak Bonus/Bonus Books) vir WoomaNet Radio en die huidige 11 deelnemende radiostasies. Vanaf Januarie 2017 begin ek ook met die produksie van ‘n nuwe maandelikse insig-program, Perspektief / Perspective. Die doel van diè program is om dit wat in die wêreld om ons gebeur en oor gepraat word, in perspektief te plaas in die lig van die Skrif, die Woord van God.
Met die bediening se internetportaal, WoomaNet (www.wooma.net), gaan dit ook goed. Duisende luisteraars in nou al meer as 80 lande besoek maandeliks diè webwerf . Die toevoeging van die weeklikse “Salt and Light” radioprogram (Dr. Peter Hammond, Frontline Fellowship) tot die amptelike WoomaNet Radio programskedule, is ook baie goed ontvang. Al ons radio-programme word ook via WoomaNet Radio se Twitter profiel (‘woomanetradio’), Facebook-blad (‘WorldOutreachMedia’ en ‘Voetstappe-Footsteps’), asook SoundCloud kanaal (WoomaNet Radio) beskikbaar gestel en geluister. Gedurende Desember moet daar ook weer dringende instandhoudingswerk aan die ateljee en toerusting gedoen word. Die huidige Adobe Audition sagteware, wat vir al die produksiewerk gebruik word, gee die laaste ruk heelwat probleme en laat my nou met geen ander keuse as om so spoedig moontlik op te gradeer nie. Die ateljeerekenaar moet ook volledig gediens en sekere elemente moet nou, na bykans 8 jaar, vervang en opgradeer word. Dit is egter vir my nog ‘n ernstige gebedsaak, aangesien daar nie tans fondse beskikbaar is nie. Na nog ‘n “duur” poging lyk dit darem asof ons nou suksesvol was om die ateljee en kantoor se dak effektief geseel te kry. Die volgende stap is nou om die hele dak twee of drie lae verf te gee ten einde die seelwerk se leeftyd te verleng en alles weer mooi netjies te laat lyk. Ongeveer 20-30 liter dakverf word hiervoor benodig. Ek was ook genoodsaak om laasweek 4 nuwe bande op die bedieningsvoertuig te sit aangesien die vorige bande nie meer binne die wettige perk was nie en dus ook nie veilig nie. Bid asb. saam vir voorsiening.
2016 met sy vele uitdagings was vir ons as gesin ‘n baie moeilike jaar, maar tog ook ‘n jaar wat sy oorvloed van seëninge ingehou het. Eerstens was dit Renier se finale skooljaar, sy matriekjaar, wat sy eie eise gestel het. Boonop het die jaar afgeskop met vele finansiële uitdagings en het ek ook gedurende Maart/April met my gesondheid begin sukkel (so in die stilligheid). Net na afloop van die Junie eksamens het Renier siek geword (ek glo nie hy was al ooit so siek in sy lewe nie) en op 23 Julie het ek in die hospitaal opgeëindig. Alhoewel dit deesdae met my gesondheid sommer al weer baie beter gaan, het Renier maar bly sukkel met sy gesondheid en was hy die afgelope week weer baie siek. Dit gaan egter alweer baie beter en het hy eergister (Maandag) sy laaste matriekvraestel geskryf. Ek vertrou dat daar nou ook vir hom volle genesing sal kom.
Ons het egter ook so baie om voor dankbaar te wees. Nie teenstaande die finansiële uitdagings, wat aan die begin van 2016 maar baie duister was, het die Here ons maand vir maand deurgedra en in al ons behoeftes voorsien. Ons is dankbaar dat ons hierdie jaar saam met Talitha haar 21ste verjaardag kon vier en saam met Renier sy 18de. Ons is dankbaar dat Talitha haar 3de jaar op universiteit met uitstekende uitslae kon voltooi en dat dit ook baie goed gegaan het met Renier se matriekjaar. Ek is dankbaar vir my gesondheid wat vandag soveel beter is, maar ook vir die groot bederf en ‘gesond word tyd’ wat ek in Duitsland kon deurbring en waarvoor die Here deur ‘n kosbare vriend (ek sal nooit vergeet wat hy vir my gedoen en beteken het nie) voorsien het. Ek is dankbaar vir my gesin wat deur ‘n moeilike tyd my met soveel liefde en omgee bygestaan en versorg en bemoedig het. Vir vriende en familie wat ondersteuning gegee het. Ek is dankbaar vir Venessa wat gelukkig is in haar beroep as Maatskaplike Werker en vir die wonderlike werk wat sy ook daar doen. Ek is dankbaar dat, na alles, ek nog steeds kan voortgaan om my uit te leef in die bediening wat die Here my gegee het en waarvoor ek so lief is. Ek is dankbaar vir tweede kanse. Ek is dankbaar vir ‘n liefdevolle God en Vader wat jare gelede my kom soek het, my Sy kind gemaak het en tot vandag toe vir my en al my geliefdes veilig in Sy hand toevou, beskerm en versorg, al stel ons Hom soms teleur.
Kersfees 2016 is vir my ‘n dankbaarheidsfees. Dit is mos wat Kersfees elke jaar moet wees, is dit nie? Dankbaarheid vir daardie Godskind wat meer as 2000 jaar gelede vir ons gebore is. As dit nie vir Hom, Jesus, was nie, sou die mens tot vandag toe nie die Vader geken het nie en sou ons ook nie met Hom kon versoen nie. Mag hierdie feestyd ook vir elkeen van julle ‘n Dankfees wees, ‘n geleentheid vir terugskou op die jaar 2016 met sy oorvloed van genade op genade. Mag 2017 vir julle voorspoedig wees met ‘n oorloop-maat van genade en seën uit die Here se hand. Met baie liefde en waardering,
Rudie, Venessa, Talitha en Renier van Heerden
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