Bible Society of South Africa
Merero ya ho bala
Jesus in the Old Testament
Jesus in the Old Testament - Day 7
Gerhard Lindeque

Jesus in the Old Testament - Day 7

God is love

Se(di)ngolwa (t)sa Bibele

JOSHUA 6

22Ho banna ba babedi, ba neng ba rometswe ho ya hlwela naha, Joshua a re: “Eyang tlung ya seotswa, le tle le mosadi eo, le bohle bao a nang le bona, jwalokaha le ile la mo hlapanyetsa.” 23Bahlankana ba dihlwela ba ya, ba tla le Rahaba, le ntatae, le mmae, le bana babo, le bohle bao a neng a ena le bona. Ba ntsha le ba malapa wohle a bang ka yena, ba ba bea kantle ho diahelo tsa Baiseraele.

24Motse wona ba o tjhesa ka mollo, le tsohle tse neng di le kahara wona. Ha e le silefera, le kgauta, le dijana tse entsweng ka lethose le ka tshepe, tsona ba di kenya letloleng la ntlo ya Morena. 25Joshua a pholosa Rahaba wa seotswa, le ba lelapa lohle la ntatae, le bohle bao a neng a ena le bona. O ntse a phela le Baiseraele ho fihlela kajeno, hobane o ne a ile a pata baromuwa bao Joshua a neng a ile a ba roma ho hlwela Jeriko.

JOSHUA 6:22-25SSO89SOBula ka mmadi wa Bibele

JOSHUA 9

21Mahosana a boela a re ho setjhaba: “A re ba tloheleng ba phele, e le hore e tle e be bona ba rwallelang setjhaba sena sohle patsi, ba se kgellang metsi.” Setjhaba sa etsa jwalokaha mahosana a boletse.

22Joshua a bitsa Bagibeone, a bua le bona, a re: “Ke hobaneng le ileng la re thetsa, la re le tswa hole, empa le ntse le ahelane le rona? 23Ka baka lena he, le rohakehile, mme ha le ka ke la phetsa ho ba makgoba a rwallelang ntlo ya Modimo wa ka patsi, a e kgellang metsi.”

24Ba araba Joshua, ba re: “Bahlanka ba hao ba ile ba bolellwa kamoo Morena Modimo wa lona, a ileng a laela Moshe, mohlanka wa hae, hore a le nee naha ena yohle, mme le bolaye baahi ba yona ba kapele ho lona. Ka baka leo, re ile ra tshaba hore le tla re bolaya, mme ke ka hona re entseng hona. 25Bona mona, re matsohong a hao, seo o bonang hore se lokile, wena o re etse sona.”

26Joshua a etsa jwalo, a ba lopolla matsohong a bana ba Iseraele, mme bona ba se ke ba ba bolaya. 27Empa ho tloha ka lona letsatsi leo, Joshua a ba etsa makgoba a rwallelang setjhaba patsi, a se kgellang metsi, le a rwallelang aletare ya Morena patsi, le a e kgellang metsi sebakeng seo Morena a tla se kgetha, ho fihlela kajeno-ya-bokajeno.

JOSHUA 9:21-27SSO89SOBula ka mmadi wa Bibele

It is written on many pulpits in churches: God is love. But what does love look like? Jesus Christ demonstrated love practically. He does not condemn the woman caught in adultery. Jesus allows an unclean woman to touch him. He draws children closer and heals people so that they can participate in the temple service again. Jesus showed that God’s love makes it possible for people, who were excluded by some laws, to be able to experience God’s compassion with people again.

There is a remarkable similarity with Jesus’ actions and Joshua in the Old Testament. Although the command was to destroy the city and everything in it, Joshua spared the lives of the prostitute Rahab and everyone in her house. The same also happens with the Gibeonites. Although they were dishonest, Joshua not only spared their lives, but he even gave them the opportunity to serve in the temple. In both cases, Joshua’s actions are followed by great victories. This clearly conveys the message that God’s blessing is not only intended for those who fulfil the prescriptions of the law. God’s love makes room for our human weaknesses and shortcomings.

The implication is that the great commandment of love will also determine our actions towards other people. This means that we will have compassion for people’s need. Love is to do something. It is to provide people with food, clothing and housing, and make time for people who are sick, broken and lonely. Serving God is not just about following a list of instructions. We serve God by caring for other people. We demonstrate God’s love by being kind and patient.

Jesus came to teach us to look differently at people and their circumstances. We cannot approach people in a harsh way, because God is not like that. We must realise that other people see and experience something of God in us. Other people’s image of God is shaped by the image of God that you and I portray.

Bible Society of South Africav.4.26.9
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