Bible Society of South Africa
Merero ya ho bala
Seven days of inspiration from Revelation
Seven days of inspiration from Revelation - Day 4
Gerhard Lindeque

Seven days of inspiration from Revelation - Day 4

Stay faithful to God

Se(di)ngolwa (t)sa Bibele

TSHENOLO 2

Molaetsa o yang Thiatira

18“Ngolla moruti wa kereke e Thiatira, o re:

“Tsena di bolelwa ke Mora wa Modimo, eo mahlo a hae a kang malakabe a mollo, le maoto a hae a benyang jwaloka lethose, 19o re: Ke tseba mesebetsi ya hao, le lerato, le tumelo, le bosebeletsi, le tiisetso ya hao, mme mesebetsi ya hao ya ho qetela e feta ya pele ka bongata.

20“Leha ho le jwalo, seo ke se nyatsang ho wena ke hore o dumella Jesabele, mosadi ya reng ke moporofeta, ho kgelosa bahlanka ba ka, ka ho ba ruta ho etsa bohlola, le ho ja tse hlabetsweng medimo ya bohata. 21Ke mo file nako ya hore a bake, empa o hana ho bakela bohlola ba hae. 22Bona, ke mo akgela diphateng tsa bohloko, mme ba etsang bohlola le yena ke tla ba kenya matshwenyehong a maholo, haese ha ba ka bakela diketso tsa bona. 23Ke tla bolaya bana ba hae; dikereke tsohle di tla tseba hore ke nna ya bonang se ka mehopolong le ka dipelong tsa batho, mme ke putsa e mong le e mong wa lona ho ya ka mesebetsi ya hae. 24Empa ho lona bohle ba Thiatira ba sa amoheleng thuto ena, le ba sa tsebeng hoo ho thweng ke bofihla ba Satane, ke re: Ha ke le belese mojaro o mong hape. 25Feela le kgomarele ho seo le nang le sona, ho fihlela ke etla.

26“Ya hlolang, ya phethang mesebetsi ya ka ho isa qetellong,

“ke tla mo nea matla

hodima ditjhaba;

27o tla di busa ka lere la tshepe,

a di pshatle

jwaloka dinkgo tsa letsopa,

28“jwalokaha le nna ke neilwe matla ke Ntate. Ke tla mo nea le naledi ya meso.

29“Ya nang le ditsebe a ke a utlwe seo Moya o Halalelang o se bolellang dikereke.”

TSHENOLO 2:18-29SSO89SOBula ka mmadi wa Bibele

We will always have examples of faith, service and perseverance. There are certainly also times in our own lives when we manage to be faithful to God. However, because society consists of people, there will always be unfaithfulness to God. We also experience it in our personal faith that we fall into sin and disobedience because of our weaknesses.

The reference to Jezebel in this passage reminds us of that. Jezebel seduced King Ahab into idolatry, and took Naboth’s vineyard through lies and murder. Such infidelity can even appear in a religious guise. This is confirmed in the passage by the representation of Jezebel as a prophetess. It is sometimes people and events in the church itself that hurt us the most. On the other hand, we must be careful not to bring others down through our own actions.

People can always turn back to God through God’s grace. It is a lifelong process and we will all bear witness to this constant struggle that rages within us. Although God does not cause it, he can still use suffering to bring people back to him.

It is not easy to remain faithful to God in a wicked world. Sometimes, the pressure to give in to the temptations of the world can become overwhelming. However, God does not expect us to fulfil all kinds of obligations. God’s grace is enough for us and we can hold on to that. Through Jesus Christ’s victory, we also achieve victory over the powers of darkness. As the morning star announces the day after the night, the light of Jesus Christ still shines through the church in the darkness of our time.

Think about:

  1. 1.How does evil present itself as something good these days?

2. How does God’s light break through in our dark world?

Bible Society of South Africav.4.26.9
RE FUMANE HO