Bible Society of South Africa
Izinhlelo zokufunda
Seven days of inspiration from Revelation
Seven days of inspiration from Revelation - Day 3
Gerhard Lindeque

Seven days of inspiration from Revelation - Day 3

It is I! Don’t be afraid

Um(Imi)bhalo weBhayibheli

IsAmbulo 1

UJesu uyazibonakalisa kuJohane esesiqhingini sasePhatmose; uyamyala ukuloba lesi sambulo

9Mina Johane, umfowenu nomhlanganyeli kanye nani ekuhluphekeni nasembusweni nasekubekezeleni kukaJesu, ngangisesiqhingini esithiwa iPhatmose ngenxa yezwi likaNkulunkulu nangenxa yobufakazi bukaJesu. 10NgangikuMoya ngosuku lweNkosi, ngezwa emva kwami izwi elikhulu kungathi elecilongo, 11lithi: “Lokhu okubonayo kulobe encwadini, ukuthumele kuwo amabandla ayisikhombisa, e-Efesu, naseSmirna, nasePhergamu, naseThiyathira, naseSardesi, naseFiladelfiya, naseLawodikeya.”

12Ngaphenduka ukuba ngibone izwi ebelikhuluma nami; kuthe ngiphenduka, ngabona izinti zezibani eziyisikhombisa zegolide, 13nofana nendodana yomuntu ephakathi kwezinti zezibani, embethe ingubo ekhawula ezinyaweni, ezibophe ngebhande* legolide ezibeleni; 14futhi ikhanda lakhe nezinwele zakhe kumhlophe njengoboya bezimvu, njengeqhwa, namehlo akhe enjengamalangabi omlilo, 15nezinyawo zakhe zifana nethusi elikhazimulayo sengathi zazishiswe esithandweni, nezwi lakhe linjengenhlokomo yamanzi amaningi; 16futhi wayephethe izinkanyezi eziyisikhombisa esandleni sakhe sokunene, nasemlonyeni wakhe kwaphuma inkemba ebukhali esika nhlangothi zombili, nobuso bakhe bunjengelanga likhanya ngamandla alo.

17Ngathi ukumbona, ngawa ngasezinyaweni zakhe njengofileyo; wayesebeka isandla sakhe sokunene phezu kwami, ethi: “Ungesabi; mina ngingowokuqala nowokugcina, 18nophilayo; ngangifile, bheka, sengingophilayo kuze kube phakade naphakade, futhi nginezihluthulelo zokufa nezeHayidese*.

19“Ngakho-ke loba okubonileyo, nokukhona, nokuzakwenzeka emva kwalokho. 20Imfihlakalo yezinkanyezi eziyisikhombisa ozibonileyo esandleni sami sokunene, nezinti zezibani eziyisikhombisa zegolide yile: izinkanyezi eziyisikhombisa ziyizingelosi zamabandla ayisikhombisa, nezinti zezibani eziyisikhombisa zingamabandla ayisikhombisa.

IsAmbulo 1:9-20ZUL59NOVula kumfundi weBhayibheli

John finds himself on the island of Patmos. His seclusion on the island depicts the suffering that believers of all times must endure. Just as Jesus Christ was rejected, so will his followers be. The world will always try to silence the voice of the church. John is, nevertheless, carried away in the Spirit. With this, we are assured that we can experience the presence of God’s Spirit everywhere.

We experience God’s presence, among other things, on the Lord’s day – on a Sunday – when believers gather to celebrate Jesus Christ’s resurrection. On this day, God still speaks to his church through his word, in a special way. The church is called the seven congregations and is represented as seven lampstands. After all, the church must be the light for the world.

In this passage, as in the Gospels, Jesus Christ is referred to as someone who looks like the Son of Man. The description of his appearance does not have to be explained in detail. It only emphasises Jesus Christ’s glory and authority after his resurrection from the dead. The consolation for the church is that Jesus Christ is the Living One and that he is with his church. The images used have a double consolation for the church. The image of the sword from the mouth assures us that Jesus Christ is speaking to his church from heaven. He rules his church like a king with his sceptre in his right hand and, at the same time, he protects his church, the seven stars.

Jesus Christ’s divinity is evident from these words: “It is I! Don’t be afraid”. With these words, God reassures his church. Jesus Christ has conquered death. He is with us through his word and Spirit.

Think about:

  1. 1.How is the voice of the church silenced today?
  2. 2.Where do you experience God’s presence?

Bible Society of South Africav.4.26.9
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