How the Vikings were Won to Christ

The Scandinavians were the last great group of Teutonic people to abandon heathenism and embrace Christianity. The Viking marauders from the pagan North wreaked havoc throughout Northern and Western Europe. Throughout the 9 th and 10 th centuries Vikings raided, killed and plundered. They also established strong Viking settlements in Normandy, England, Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, throughout the Baltic and in Russia.

Terror from the North
 

Alcuin wrote of the shocking Viking raid on the monastery at Lindesfarne in AD 793: “Never before has such terror appeared in Britain as we have now suffered from a pagan race. Nor was it thought possible that such an inroad from the sea could be made. Behold, the Church of Saint Cuthbert splattered with the blood of the priests of God, despoiled of all its ornaments. A place more venerable than all in Britain has fallen prey to pagans.”

The Fury of the Northmen
 

Soon a new prayer was added to the church liturgy: “From the fury of the Northmen, O Lord, deliver us!”

Conversion
 

At the time, probably nobody could have predicted that the violent Vikings would be conquered by the Prince of Peace and become some of the most enthusiastic missionaries for the advance of Christianity.

The Viking Era
 

The Viking era is normally dated from the Lindesfarne raid of AD 793 to the battle of Hastings of AD 1066.

Impacting Culture
 

Although the Vikings were famous for their hit and run raids, many Vikings actually settled in the British Isles and deeply influenced English culture. The fact that we have a seven day week is due to the Biblical account that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. However, the days of the week were originally named by the Romans after the seven main celestial planets: The Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. The Anglo Saxons replaced four of these with the names of Viking deities: Tuesday is named after the Viking war god, Tyr (or Tiw); Wednesday after the Viking war god Wodin (Odin); Thursday is named after the Viking god of war, Thor; and Friday after the Viking fertility goddess Frigg (Frey).

Viking Words
 

Many English words have their roots in Scandinavian speech including: anger, die, scant, ugly, loose, wrong, low, sky, take, window, husband, happy, thrive, ill, beer and anchor. The word berserk is actually from the name of a Viking soldier.

Ansgar –The Apostle of the North
 

When the Vikings were the terror of Europe God placed a great missionary burden on young Ansgar. With his own money Ansgar redeemed several Danish youths who were slaves. He educated them to be his co-workers in bringing the Gospel to their countrymen.

Denmark
 

Harold, King of Denmark, had been driven from his throne and had sought refuge at the court of Louis I, King of the Franks. While at Louis’s court King Harold heard the Gospel and turned to Christ, submitting himself to being baptised. On the king’s return to Denmark, Ansgar eagerly joined the king to preach the Gospel to the Danes. At Hedeby Ansgar built a small wooden church, but persecution forced him to flee the country.

Sweden
 

Ansgar responded to a request from King Bjorn of Sweden. This was early in the 9 th century when the Vikings were raiding, plundering and burning the coastal cities of Northern and Western Europe. Ansgar narrowly escaped with his life when Norsemen burned the churches and monasteries in Hamburg. With two co-workers Ansgar crossed the Baltic Sea to begin ministering in Sweden. On the way the vessel was plundered by pirates and they arrived destitute in Sweden. King Bjorn welcomed the Christians to Sweden and the first church was built in the country.

Stronger than Thor
 

At an assembly of the people a question was debated as to whether the missionaries should be allowed to continue to preach Christ and so invite the anger of the old Viking gods. At a critical part in the discussions, an old Viking stood up and declared with great force that it was clear that the Christian God was stronger than Thor. This decided the matter and the missionaries received freedom to continue to preach the Gospel in Sweden.

God’s Judgment
 

More than any previous invasions and crises faced by the Christian church, the Viking raids wrought desolation throughout the western Christendom. The Vikings laid waste to monasteries and churches, shaking the churches to their foundations. A decline and decay in faith and morals had set in before the Viking invasions and many saw the fury of the Norsemen as a judgment of God upon a backslidden, and often apostate, church.

Resistance in Wessex
 

Churches and monasteries were destroyed, clergy and monks were slain, church buildings lay vacant until, in the South of England the West Saxons were rallied by King Alfred the Great to steadfastly resist, and ultimately defeat, the great Danish invasion.

Conversion of the Vikings
 

In 878, after King Alfred defeated the Danish army at Ashdown, he required its King Guthrum, and 30 other of his leaders, to be baptised as Christians. In 882 another Viking leader in the lower Rhine region abandoned heathenism and embraced Christianity receiving baptism in the Name of Lord Jesus Christ. Duke Rollo of the Vikings, and some of his followers, received baptism and created the Duchy of Normandy.

Impressed by Christ
 

The ethics of Christianity were so radically different to traditional Viking culture that it took literally centuries for the Scandinavian people to be thoroughly evangelised and discipled. One of the chief attractions was the conviction that Christ is a mighty Victor who has risen triumphant over death. The power of Christ impressed the hardened Viking warriors. In Norway the king commanded his people to be converted to Christ or be prepared to die. However, in Denmark and Sweden the Vikings were converted by persuasion not force. Pioneer missionaries Willibrord and Liudger attempted to take the Gospel to the Vikings, but with little visible success initially.

Ansgar – Missionary to the Vikings
 

It remained for Ansgar, born of Saxon parents in the North West of France in 801, to succeed where others had failed. Ansgar was described as a sensitive child who led a devout life. He experienced visions and dreams and possessed “a combination of humility, of self-forgetfulness, and of undaunted courage and energetic initiative.”

Winning Sweden to Christ
 

King Harold of Denmark was baptised in 826 in Mainz. Some of the first pagans in Sweden to request baptism included the leader of Birka, an Island in Lake Malar, not far from the present capital Stockholm. Despite serious reverses, violence and destruction of churches, Ansgar did not give up, he persevered and soon Danish missionaries were being sent to establish churches in Sweden. Ansgars’ faithful work was continued by his disciple, Rimbert, who ministered both amongst the Danes and the Swedes. Rimbert was succeeded by Adalgar.

Opposition and Persecution
 

Early in the 10 th century, King Gorm of Denmark, a determined enemy of Christianity, attempted to banish Christianity from his realm. Many ministers and missionaries were martyred, numerous churches burned to the ground.

Saxons Champion the Christian Cause
 

As the Saxons grew in strength they became champions of the Christian cause. When Henry became King of the Germans in 919 he sponsored numerous missionary outreaches to the Danes. After his victory over the Danes in 934, King Henry compelled their rulers to accept Christianity. Unni was encouraged by the king to renew the work of Ansgar. Gorm’s successor King Harold looked with favour upon Unni’s attempts to reassemble the scattered remnants of Christian communities on the Danish Isles and to bring in ministers to rebuild these congregations.

Reform and Revival
 

King Henry’s son, Otto the Great, became king in 936 and in 962 was crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Under royal favour the churches experienced a wave of reform with a tremendous revival of devotion and enthusiasm. King Harold of Denmark extended his realm to become overlord of Norway. As he himself was baptised he encourage the spread of Christianity throughout his realms.

Growth Despite Opposition
 

Harold’s son, Sweyn, attempted to bring about a pagan rebellion against his father who died in the struggle (986). Sweyn severely persecuted Christians and repeatedly invaded England where he died in 1014. In Sweden a pagan King, Eric, arose, hostile to Christianity. Yet the church continued to grow. The missionary Poppo won many thousands to the Christian faith in Denmark. Odinkar was a missionary from Denmark who strengthened the Gospel work in Sweden.

King Canute Sponsors Missions in England and Denmark
 

Under King Canute the church was firmly established in Denmark. Canute later became king of all England. Under his support missionaries from Germany established more churches in Denmark. He commanded his subjects to learn The Lord’s Prayer and to be faithful in Communion with the Lord. The church in Denmark grew and deepened with strong ties to the Saxon churches in Germany and England.

Missions to Norway
 

The conversion of the Vikings in Norway was far more stormy than that of Denmark. Throughout the 10 th century Saxon missionaries from England laboured throughout Denmark establishing many mission stations and congregations. From the time of King Alfred the Great the revived churches in England evidenced a dynamic vitality in missions to the Vikings.

The Kingdom of Norway
 

The Norwegian kingdom was the creation of Harald Haarfager (fair hair) who died in 933. By much combat he had established himself as the overruler of all Norway. His sons Eric Bloodaxe and Haakon the Good struggled over the succession. Haakon had been sent to England to study and there had been converted, baptised and discipled as a Christian. By 935 the young, tall, handsome and athletic Haakon had established his supremacy through combat and was accepted as king of all Norway.

Royal Mission to Win the Vikings
 

Haakon then attempted to win his people to the Christian faith. Most of his immediate court were soon baptised. Later he sent to England for missionaries and began to build churches in Norway. By the year 950 after he had been reigning 15 years, Haakon proposed to the assembly of landowners that they adopt Christianity. Most of the landowners responded with great hostility and vehemently refused to abandon the old pagan ways. They began to place great pressure on the king to compromise and participate in their pagan sacrifices. Facing open rebellion King Haakon, very reluctantly, ate some of the meat in their ceremonial feast organised by his landowners. Later, after been wounded in battle, on his death bed, in 961, Haakon declared his great remorse over that compromise and his desire to do penance for his sins.

A Rocky Road and Reverses
 

His nephew, Harold Graafell, succeeded to the throne of Norway. While not as enthusiastic a Christian as Haakon, Harold Graafell did pull down pagan temples wherever he went. However misrule and bad seasons led much of the people to resent the faith which he had violently championed. In 970 Harold Graafell was lured to Denmark and killed. King Harold Bluetooth of Denmark then made himself the overlord of Norway and encouraged the spread of Christianity there.

Olaf Trygvesson
 

Olaf Trygvesson was the son of the King of Norway. His great grandfather, Harald Haarfager (Fair-hair), had initially established the Kingdom of Norway. When Olaf’s father was murdered in 968, Olaf fled the country with his mother. Vikings captured their ship and sold the boy into slavery. Olaf ended up in the court of Russia’s Tsar Vladimir I, where he became a favourite of the Queen. When Olaf was just twelve years old, the Tsar put a dozen ships under his command and sent him off into battle.

A Viking without Equal
 

By the time he was twenty one years old, Olaf Trygvesson was renowned as the ultimate Viking, tall, strong, handsome, and unequalled in martial skill. He led a huge army of Swedish Vikings, in a fleet of almost ninety ships to loot Holland. After devastating the Dutch, he went to fight the French and left a massive amount of death and destruction wherever he went.

Extortion in England
 

His next target was England where, after the battle of Maldon, near the mouth of the Thames, he forced the Anglo Saxon King, Ethelred the Unready, to pay a tribute of 10,000 pounds of silver. After this he moved North plundering Northumberland and Scotland. He attacked the Hebrides and the Isle of Man. He conducted raids of Ireland, Wales, Cornwell, and France again. With a fleet of over ninety-four ships he again attacked England, killing and looting wildly until King Ethelred offered him a further 22,000 pounds.

Seeking Sorcery
 

Off the coast of Cornwell Olaf heard of a local fortuneteller who was renowned to have a gift of prophecy. Olaf rowed to the remote rocky retreat and asked the prophet if he could foresee anything in his future.

A Word of Prophecy
 

“Thou wilt become a renowned king and do celebrated deeds. And that thou not doubt the truth of this answer, listen to this …” The old man predicted that Olaf would soon suffer a mutiny from his men, in which he would be wounded and carried to his ship on his oblong shield. After seven days he would recover and he would be baptised as a Christian. Many men wilt thou bring to faith and baptism, and both to thy own and others’ good.”

Mutiny
 

When the mutiny, wounding and recovery happened, precisely as the hermit had predicted, Olaf sought the old man again to enquire how he could possess such knowledge. The man humbly confessed: “The God of the Christians has blessed me.”

Conversion
 

When King Ethelred heard of the conversion and baptism of his tormentor, King Olaf, he sent his bishop and officials to present him with royal gifts and to offer Christian fellowship.

Confronting Apostasy
 

In 995, news from Norway reached Olaf that the leader Earl Haakon, the very man who had murdered Olaf’s father, had caused an uproar in the land by demanding the daughters of respected leaders of the community. Although Earl Haakon had originally accepted Christianity, under threat from the German Emperor Otto, he had since reverted to heathenism, restoring many heathen temples and persecuting Christians. Earl Haakon the Apostate had even gone so far as to offer his best horses and his youngest son, a seventeen year old, as sacrifices to a heathen goddess.

For the Love of Justice
 

It was at this opportune time that Olaf, the great grandson of King Harald Haarfager, determined to leave England and avenge the death of his father, the exile of his mother, the slavery of his youth and to end the pagan misrule of Earl Haakon.

Norway for Christ
 

With just five ships Olaf landed in Norway and claimed it for Christ. Soon word reached him that Earl Haakon had angered two landowners by attempting to seize their wives for himself. The growing resistance was greatly strengthened when word reached them that Olaf Trygvesson was on his way to claim the throne and deal with Haakon. Olaf was renowned as the Viking warrior without parallel. His height, strength, athletic stature, superior skills in all the warrior arts, his boldness and ruthlessness were renowned throughout the land. Earl Haakon the Apostate fled and hid in a pit beneath a pig sty, where he was killed by his slave.

At a national assembly Olaf was proclaimed King of all Norway. He then travelled throughout the land consolidating his rule and attempting to Christianise the people.

Repent or Perish
 

Many of his relatives became his first converts and he appointed them as “Christ’s captains.”

“I shall make you great and mighty men for doing this work. All Norway must be Christian or die.”

Greater than Thor and Odin
 

The scattered settlements on the West and East shores of the Oslofjord readily accepted baptism, but the people in the Northern part of the Vic resisted the Gospel. King Olaf challenged the followers of Thor and Odin to combat and by the end of the year he had convinced everyone that Christ was greater than Thor and Odin.

Conversion by Contest and Combat
 

As King Olaf moved to the Western and Northern fjords of Norway he challenged the heathen to swimming races, archery contests and mortal combat. Olaf’s message was to the point: Repent or die! Those who chose to fight were quickly defeated by Olaf’s superior strength and skill.

War against Heathenism
 

King Olaf declared that the heathen gods were demons. The powers behind the idols were evil spirits. All sorcerers, and those who promoted idolatry and heathenism, were to be banished.

Those wizards and priests who resisted were killed and some other incorrigibles were marooned on a rock far off-shore at low tide.

Heathen Sacrifice
 

At Trondheim, which had been the stronghold of the late heathen King Earl Haakon, Olaf burned the heathen temples and destroyed the idols. The local chiefs rose in rebellion against him. Olaf mustered a large army, and with thirty ships anchored in the River Nid, Olaf invited the local chiefs to a feast where he indicated that he would be willing to perform a heathen sacrifice. When the chiefs were gathered together, Olaf declared: “If I am to return to making heathen sacrifices then I will make the greatest sacrifice of all. I will not sacrifice slaves but men. I will sacrifice the greatest of men only.” Olaf named the most prominent leaders of the opposition.

Baptism or Battle
 

As the horrified heathen howled in protest, Olaf gave them a straight challenge: “Baptism or Battle”. He held eleven leaders hostage until everyone was baptised. At nearby Trondheim the local Chief Ironbeard demanded that the king offer sacrifices, as other kings before him had done. Olaf said he would make a sacrifice, walked into the temple and smashed the idol of Thor to pieces with his axe. He then killed Ironbeard and persuaded the rest of the village to abandon their heathen ways and to be baptised as Christians.

Defeating all Resistance
 

Further North Olaf faced the strong opposition of Chief Raud the Strong. Raud mobilised his army and a fierce sea battle was fought. Olaf’s forces overwhelmed Raud’s rebels. Raud escaped to take refuge in an island hide-out in Saltenfjord. The narrow channel to the fjord was turbulent and for a week no ship could enter. As Raud attempted to mobilise his witchcraft against the king, Olaf summoned his bishop to read the Gospels and pray. By some miracle his ships managed to negotiate the treacherous and turbulent rocky entrance to the fjord. Soon Raud was apprehended and brought before the king who ordered him to submit to Christ. “I will not take your property from you but instead will be your friend, if you make yourself worthy to be so.” When Raud rejected this offer, with vile blasphemies, Olaf had his men force an adder down his throat.

Crusade Completed
 

This was the last resistance to Olaf’s crusade to eradicate paganism in Norway. Now he focused on winning Iceland and Greenland to Christ. But before he could do so, in the year 1000, King Olaf was killed in the spectacular sea battle of Svold. The pagan queen Sigrid the Haughty, was furious that Olaf had spurned her advances. She mobilised two pagan kings to trap Olaf off the coast of Denmark. Olaf died as courageously as he had lived, rejoicing that he had succeeded in his mission to convince the Vikings of Norway to abandon heathenism, to destroy their idols and to commit to following the Christian Faith.

Olaf Haraldsson
 

Another prominent Norwegian king who consolidated the Christian Faith in Norway was Olaf Haraldsson. In 1007, when he was just twelve years old, Olaf Haraldsson was sent out as a sea king to raid Sweden. Later, in Denmark, Olaf joined forces with Thorkel the Tall. They together launched raids on Jutland, Freisia, Holland and England. They tormented King Ethelred the Unready, who had already suffered much at the hands of the earlier Olaf Trygvesson. In 1009, Olaf and Thorkel attacked London and East Anglia. They martyred the archbishop of Canterbury and plundered the Cathedral. Thereafter Olaf raided Brittany, France and Spain.

Transformed
 

Then Olaf had a traumatic spiritual experience and he saw a terrifying vision of Christ. Olaf abandoned his heathen ways and committed to being a Christian. In 1015 he arrived in Norway and proclaimed himself king. He immediately proclaimed the Christian Faith throughout Norway and built numerous churches. Olaf became known as a great lawgiver. With Bishop Grimkell he established the Moster Law. While most of Norway accepted this, Trondelag continued with their pagan practices and incurred the wrath of King Olaf, who descended on the area fining or executing offenders.

Smashing Idols
 

At Gulbrandsdal, local pagans confronted him with their huge wooden idol of Thor. Olaf distracted them by drawing their attention to the bright sunrise behind them as a herald of his God. As his enemies turned to face the sunrise, one of Olaf’s warriors smashed the idol of Thor and revealed that its wood was rotten. As gold spilled out, large rats, which had evidently been living off the food offerings, scattered. King Olaf pointed out that the gold they had wasted on offerings to Thor’s rotten idol would look far better as jewelry on their wives and daughters.

Winning Enemies to Christ
 

This demonstration of Christ’s superiority over Thor convinced the locals to be baptised. As a contemporary report noted: “They who met as enemies, parted as friends.”

Ending Piracy and Plunder
 

For twelve years King Olaf ruled Norway and brought Iceland and the Faeroe Islands were discipled in Christianity. Most unpopularly of all he outlawed the Viking raids, which had been considered an essential way of life.

A Warrior to the End
 

It was at this point that Denmark attempted to regain control over their previous colony and Olaf was forced to flee. In 1030 Olaf attempted to liberate his country from the Danes. At the battle of Stiklestad, heavily outnumbered, more than three to one, Olaf inspired his men with a battle cry: “Fram, Fram. Kristsmenn, Kraossmenn, Konungsmenn!” (On. On. Christ’s men, Cross men, kings’ men!) Olaf and his men fought boldly and bravely, but were overwhelmed by superior numbers.

Success and Sainthood
 

As Danish taxes and oppression intensified the Vikings grew to regret their betrayal of King Olaf. Within a year Olaf was popularly proclaimed a Saint and his remains enshrined in Saint Clement. What he had failed to do in life, he achieved in death, to unite and inspire his people to win his country’s freedom from Denmark and to be united as an independent Christian kingdom. The cathedral in York was dedicated to Saint Olaf. Olaf was regarded by many medieval leaders as an example of the ideal ruler. A church in Constantinople was dedicated to the memory of King Olaf and the sword that he had wielded at the battle of Stiklestad was hung over the high altar. Olaf is the last Western saint to be accepted by the Eastern Orthodox Church.

The Vikings Surrender to Christ
 

And so, by a combination of pioneer missionary work, royal favour and combat the ferocious Vikings were convinced to abandon heathenism, destroy their idols, abandon their aggression, cease their violent raids, submit to baptism and commit to following the Christian Faith.

Christ Triumphant
 

The Vikings came to be convinced that the Christian God is more powerful than all other gods. They saw how He answered the prayers of the Christians. They witnessed miracles. They saw how Christian kings and missionaries were able to destroy idols and defy the heathen gods and taboos - without suffering any ill effects. They saw that their pagan gods were powerless before the all powerful Jesus Christ. Christ was honored and worshiped as the mighty Warrior who had triumphed over all the powers of death, hell and the grave. He is the risen ascended Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords, with all other authorities in subjection to Him.

“Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; all nations shall serve Him.” Psalm 72:11

Scandinavia for Christ
 

The prominence of the Cross in every Scandinavian flag serves as a dramatic testimony to the conversion of the Vikings.

Dr. Peter Hammond
The Reformation Society
P. O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Email: mission@frontline.org.za This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: www.ReformationSA.org

For further reading:

A History of the Expansion of Christianity, by Kenneth Scott Latourette, 1938, Harper and Row.
The Hammer and the Cross, by Michael Scott Rohan and Allan J. Scott, 1980, Alder.
The Christianisation of Scandinavia, edited by Birgit and Peter Sawyer and Ian Wood, 1987, Viktoria Bokforlag.
The Last Apocalypse, by James Reston, 1998, Doubleday.
The Barbarian Conversion, by Henry Holt, 1997.
Medieval Scandinavia, by Brigit and Peter Sawyer, 1993, University of Minnesota.

 

 

Dogs in the Parlor

by Pastor Ken Kemble

Post Office Box 5204 – Uvalde, Texas 78802-5204 – USA

Just about everybody likes dogs. They are known for their loyalty and devotion to their master. We have all heard stories of a dog travelling hundreds of miles to find his master, or risking his life, even dying, to protect his master or lady. Yes, the relationship between a man and his dog can be happy, beneficial relationship as long as you treat him right, and as long as he knows that you are the master, and that he is the dog.

But when you let the dog become your master, and give them free reign of the house, everything gets turned upside down. They can really get out of hand! It can literally destroy a house. Have you ever been in a home where the dog is the boss? These homes are generally the trashiest, filthiest homes you will ever lay eyes on. Newspaper, hair and dog toys everywhere; furniture frazzled. Things are unnatural and in disorder, for it is not proper that man and dog should live together as equals.

Our Lord Jesus Christ referred to the heathen( foreigners, non-Israelites) as dogs:------

‘’And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, [thou] Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and cast [it] to the dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters table.’’ –Matthew 15:22-27

In referring to this woman as a dog, Jesus was not being cruel. As has been stated, almost everyone likes dogs—in their place. And this woman knew her place. When Jesus said ‘’It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast [it] to dogs.’’ She did not say ‘’How dare you refer to me as a dog!’’ , she said ‘’Truth, Lord : yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters table.’’

In this world, there is a people that has been set apart by God. A people that God Himself has set above all the other peoples of the earth for His own reasons.

‘’For thou [art] an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that [are] upon the earth. ‘’ Deuteronomy 14:2 ‘’They shall be My people, and I shall be their God.’’ Jeremiah 32:38

Israel---the Anglo-Saxon, Celtic, Germanic, Scandinavian and kindred peoples of the world today---are these people, chosen of God and anointed to do a work. Though we have not been doing a very good job of late, we are nevertheless God’s chosen keepers of the Kingdom, the caretakers of His creation. We have taken care of, and managed God’s creation as His eleemosynary servant nation for centuries. Because of this we have had the respect, even the adoration, of all the other peoples of the earth. It is a recorded fact that many of the heathen, upon their first glimpse of white men, believed them even to be gods come from heaven.

Drawn by our divine calling, we set out to colonize the world: and in doing so, we were a blessing to the entire world---just as God said we would be (Genesis 12: 3, 28:14)---bringing education, churches, agricultural skills and medical care everywhere we went.

However, there came a time during our exploits when we were made to feel bad and embarrassed that God had blessed us more than all the other people of the world; and so we began to let the dogs into our parlor. Not only that—we began to study the dogs and their cultures with great interest, and became fascinated with them. In time, instead of continuing to show them how to live, we began to act like them. And in our benevolent attempt to elevate the other peoples of the earth, we not only began to make them our equals, but have essentially handed our entire culture to them on a silver platter. We have forgotten the One who chose us!

‘’For thou [art] an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that [are] upon the face of the earth…Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them. ‘’Deuteronomy 7:11 ‘’Ye are my witness…’’ Isaiah 43:10 ‘’For unto me the children of Israel [are] servants; they [are] my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt : I [am] the LORD your God.’’ Leviticus 25:55

We have an obligation to God to establish His Laws, statutes and judgments in the earth, for ‘’when Thy judgments [are] in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.’’ Isaiah 26:9 But we have dropped the ball. We have ceased to exalt God and to establish His ways in the earth, and continue to take the ways of the dogs. It has gotten so bad that even some ‘’Christian’’ groups now never even mention the Name of Jesus, or His precious blood that saves. You see, the dogs have their own religions—Islam, Bhuddism, Shinto----and we have become so concerned about not offending the dogs in the parlor that we have abandoned our mission and have pushed God and His Holy Law out of the house in deference to the dogs. We are rapidly losing our heritage and our Christian culture. The dogs have begun rearranging the furniture and setting up their own idols. And we refuse to stop it because we don’t want to offend them. Israel, you have acted as profane Esau, and have despised your birthright. In a ridiculouse show of tolerance, you have traded your glorious heritage for the culture of the heathen. Instead of continuing to spread the light, you have embraced the darkness and paganism of the heathen. Where you should have torn down the ‘’asherah poles,’’ you have left them standing tall, and have allowed false religions to flourish. These things should not be! There should not be one mosque or pagan shrine standing in this great land! Tolerance is good among brethren. ‘’Behold, how good and how pleasant [it is] for the brethren to dwell together in unity! ‘’But light yielding to darkness, and good yielding to evil, is intolerable!  And so we find ourselves in the present mess. Hear, O Israel: When you let dogs into the parlor, you’re going to get FLEASE! And not only have you let them into your parlor, you have given them your food, your substance, your schools, your churches, your houses, your lands, and even given them your sons and daughters in marriage! It is absolutely insane!

We cannot blame the dogs; they’re just doing what dogs do. We are the ones to blame for our own misery! They have never taken anything from us that we did not give them on a silver platter---they never could if we had been obedient to our God. But we have strayed from our God, abandoned our holy purpose---and so we are reaping our just reward. Oh, foolish Israel! You are stubborn and rebellious, just like wicked Jezebel, hell-bent on going your own way. And if you do not repent, humble yourselves, and beg the forgiveness and guidance of the LORD your God, you will come to the very same end---she was consumed by the dogs and only traces of her remained! 2 Kings 9:35-36

If you’ll take an honest look at our nation, you’ll see that this is already happening. The dogs are killing us by the thousands (September 11), and we still allow them to flourish in our parlor!

Wake up, Israel! Turn back to your God--- the Lord Jesus Christ! Get your house in order! Take care of the dogs, for they, like the rest of God’s creation, were placed in your care; but for the sake of all that is holy, put them back out in the yard where they belong or there will soon be nothing left of the house!

SAULUS VAN TARSIS / PAULUS VAN DAMASKUS ...DIE MEES VERVOLGDE APOSTEL IN DIE GANSE SKRIF

Die beskuldiging dat Paulus ‘n Jood was en die wet tot niet verklaar het ...

Heb 5 : 12 "Want hoewel julle vanweë die tyd leraars behoort te wees, het julle weer nodig dat ons julle die eerste beginsels van die woorde van Elohiym moet leer, en julle het weer behoefte aan melk en nie aan vaste spyse nie." "Herinner aan hierdie dinge en betuig voor die Almagtige dat hulle geen woordestryd moet voer wat tot geen nut is nie, maar net tot ondergang
van die hoorders. Lê jou daarop toe om jou beproef voor Elohiym te stel as ‘n werker wat hom nie hoef te skaam nie, wat die woord van die waarheid reg sny. Maar die onheilige, onsinnige praatjies moet jy vermy; want hulle sal al verder voortgaan in goddeloosheid, en hulle woord sal voortwoeker soos ‘n kanker ..." 2 Tim. 2 :14 – 17.
‘n Beskuldiging soos dat enige ware Israeliet ‘n Jood is, grens aan Godslastering omrede Yahshua baie duidelik in die Skrif na hierdie geslag as adders verwys, slangsaad en ook uit die sinagoge van die Satan vlg.
Matt 23 : 29 – 35; Joh. 8:43-44; Open. 3:9 en ander plekke! Ons moet baie duidelik onderskei tussen die terme Jood en Judeër of Judahiet. Jode is die direkte saadlyn-nageslag van satan self, soos die Meester ook na hulle verwys en soos hierbo aangedui. Hulle stam ook direk uit Esau uit. Daarteenoor staan diegene wat voortkom uit die stam van Juda, suiwer Israeliete, genoem Judeërs of Judahiete. Kom ons kyk na wat Paulus, die beskuldigde in hierdie verband, van homself getuig het: Hand. 22 : 3 "Ek is ‘n Jood, gebore in Tarsus in Cicilië, maar opgevoed in hierdie stad aan die voete van Gamaliël, streng ooreenkomstig die voorvaderlike Wet, ‘n yweraar vir Elohiym soos julle almal vandag is." Sien u die drastiese en doelgerigte Godslasterlike foutiewe vertaling wat ingebring is deur die eienaam "Jood" hier in te vertaal DEUR OPPERSTE EN BLATANTE ONKUNDE en moontlike misbruik van die Skrif deur die vyand, die vader van hierdie geslag ter sprake? U sal die benaming "Jood" in géén korrek vertaalde Skrif vind in die konteks van Sy uitverkore volk nie! (Lees gerus die beskikbare boekie "Jood of Israeliet: Wie is wie?" - J.A.J de Beer) In Hand 2 : 5 verklaar Paulus die wyd verspreidheid van die Judeërs in daardie tyd, suiwer Israeliete uit elke suiwer nasie in die destydse Romeinse Ryk. Ten einde hierdie etniteit korrek te verstaan, moet u noodwendig die Skrif in sy volle volkskonteks gaan bestudeer en aandagtig lees. "En daar het in Jerusalem Judeërs gewoon, godsdienstige manne, uit elke nasie wat onder die hemel is." Volgens Paulus was daar dus in sy leeftyd op aarde Judeërs uit elke nasie wat onder die hemel is, dit wil sê vanuit die nasies regdeur die destydse Romeinse Ryk.
In Hand 23:6 vind ons die volgende kontroversiële punt wat tesame met bg. beskuldiging verdere vergiftiging onder opregte en ware gelowiges ontketen in ons tyd: "En omdat Paulus geweet het dat die een deel uit Saduseërs en die ander uit Fariseërs bestaan, het hy in die Raad uitgeroep: Broeders, ek is ‘n Fariseër, die seun van ‘n Fariseër. Oor die hoop en die opstanding van die dode staan ek voor die gereg." In Rom 11:1 verklaar Paulus dat hy uit die stam van Benjamin is ... "Want ek is ook ‘n Israeliet uit die nageslag van Abraham, van die stam van Benjamin." een van die twaalf uitverkore stamme van Israel. Dit is mos baie duidelik onder Skrifkundiges dat die stam van Benjamin deel was van die huis van Juda en so deel van die huis van die groter Israel, sodat Paulus dus met reg van homself kon sê dat hy ‘n Judeër was. Fil. 3:5 bevestig dit as volg: "Ek is besny op die agste dag, uit die geslag van Israel, uit die stam van Benjamin, ‘n Hebreër uit die Hebreërs; wat die wet betref, ‘n Fariseër." Paulus was deur sy eie belydenis ‘n Fariseër terwyl Yahshua baie duidelik aan die Fariseërs en Sadduseërs gesê dat hulle die addergeslag is vlg. Matt
23 : 29 – 35. Volgens Joh 8 : 44 het die Meester hulle aangespreek as dat hulle die duiwel as vader het ... Is dit dan enigsins moontlik dat iemand soos Paulus as Fariseër kon dien en terselfdertyd ‘n suiwer Israeliet kon wees, terwyl ons Meester hierdie mense met soveel minagting hanteer en aangespreek en ook glad nie hoegenaamd aanvaar of gereken het as deel van Sy eie volk nie? Geen wonder dat die onkundige gelowiges in ons midde die Skrifte so geweldig verdraai wat hierdie spesifieke twispunte betref nie. Die apostel Johannes verklaar egter die volgende kragtige waarheid in 1 Joh. 2:20,27 van diegene wat deur die Gees van die Almagtige gelei word en in die suiwere waarheid van Sy Woord wandel: "En julle het die salwing van die Heilige en weet alles." "En die salwing wat julle van Hom ontvang het, bly in julle, en julle het nie nodig dat iemand julle leer nie; maar soos dieselfde salwing julle aangaande alles leer, so is dit ook waar en geen leuen nie; en soos dié julle geleer het, so moet julle in Hom bly."

Dit los egter nog nie die probleem op nie, aangesien daar menige gelowiges in ons midde is, manne en vroue wat mislei, verlei en behoorlik verslind word deur dwaalleer hieroor a.g.v. die dwaalleer van sg. Skrifkundiges wat betref Paulus se valse apostelskap en lering ... Die enigste wyse waarop enige ware gelowige in ons dag hierdie blatante valse beskuldigings teen die apostel Paulus kan elimineer, is deur die ware wortels van Fariseïsme te gaan opdelf en vir jouself te ontdek. Dit is egter ‘n geweldige en eiesoortige studie opsigself waarvan ek hierin slegs sekere basiese feite deurgee. Fariseërs was die naam van ‘n baie bekende en oorkoepelende godsdienstige en politieke party in Skriftye wat hulleself ook voorgedoen het asof hulle die Wet onderhou. In werklikheid het hulle dit totaal en al verwerp ten gunste van hul eie tradisie. Hulle lewens en algemene optredes en dade was verdermeer ook duidelik gekenmerk daaraan dat dit bestaan het uit geweldige vorme van absolute magsbeheptheid en magssugtigheid. Om daardie rede het Johannes die Doper sowel as die Meester uitlatings soos die volgende gemaak wanneer Hy hulle bose harte openbaar gemaak het.
Joh. 3:7;12 "Maar toe hy baie van die Fariseërs en Sadduseërs na sy doop sien kom, sê hy vir hulle: Addergeslag, wie het julle aangewys om te vlug vir die toorn wat aan kom is?" "Sy skop is in sy hand, en Hy sal sy dorsvloer deur en deur skoonmaak en sy koring in die skuur saambring, maar die kaf sal Hy met onuitbluslike vuur verbrand." Yahshua het onder andere die volgende oor die Fariseërs te sê gehad teenoor Sy dissipels in Matt. 16:6;12-13 en ek wil vandag presies dieselfde sê teenoor elkeen wat hier lees: "Daarop sê Yahshua vir hulle: Pas op en wees op julle hoede vir die suurdeeg van die Fariseërs en Sadduseërs.
" Vers 12-13: "Hoe is dit dat julle nie begryp dat Ek nie in verband met brood vir julle gesê het om op te pas vir die suurdeeg van die Fariseërs en Sadduseërs nie? Toe het hulle begryp dat Hy nie gesê het dat hulle moes oppas vir die suurdeeg van die brood nie, maar vir die leer van die Fariseërs en Sadduseërs." Dit was hierdie selfde sg. "geleerdes" wat valshede soos die maankalender, weekstelsel en Saterdagsabbat op baie subtiele wyse ingevoer het onder gelowiges tydens die Babiloniese ballingskap. In die studie oor die Ware Skriftuurlike Sabbat wat moontlik binnekort gepubliseer sal word sal u baie meer hiervan vind, o.a. dat die Saterdagsabbat juis hiéruit gebore is en nóóit ooit nog die Sabbat van die Skrif was nie!

Dit is ook hierdie tradisie wat vandag nog bekend staan as Judaïsme, een van die sluuste en bedrieglikste van alle godsdiensvorme in die ganse geskiedenis van die Skrif!

Omdat geïnfiltreerde Idumese (Joodse) lede van die priesterskap ‘n lange assosiasie gehad het met die Edomieties-Kanaänitiese priesterskap van Babilon, het hulle hierdie heidense dwaalleer in hul tradisies begin insluit en hier ingebring onder onskuldige en totaal onkundige goedgelowige Israeliete tot vandag toe! Hierdie verbale tradisie was bekend as die mischnah. Toe dit later op skrif vasgestel is, het dit bekend geword as die Babiloniese Talmud. Die oorsprong daarvan is uit Babilon en nie vanuit Juda nie. Die Mischnah is saamgestel gedurende die jaar 220 n.M. deur ene Rabbi Yehudah haNasi. Die uitsluitlike doelstelling daarmee volgens die Talmoed was vir die bewaring van sekere mondelinge tradisies uit tye van die Fariseërbewind (536 v.M. tot en met 70 n.M.) Die vrees het begin ontstaan dat hierdie wette waaraan hulle so knaend vasgehou het, moontlik verlore sou gaan. Die Mischnah is verdermeer ook die benaming vir die een geskrewe outoriteit sekondêr aan die Tanak as basis om ‘n oordeel te fel sowel as ‘n geskrewe bron vir die samestelling van sekere wetgewing. Dit was ook die eerste van baie geskrifte waardeur die ware Skrif soortvan gekomplimenteer is. Mischnah kan dus oor die algemeen verwys na die volle tradisie van die Orale Torah of uitgespreekte of belyde Torah deur die mond. Die tradisies hierin vervat kon vanuit die Mischnah nie neergepen word in woorde op skrif nie, maar moes uit die kop geleer word en mondelings herhaal word. Hierdie streng bepaling was baie ernstig en selfs hardhandig toepaslik gemaak dwarsdeur die era van die Mischnah sowel as die Talmoed. Die woord Mischnah is afgelei van die werkwoord shanah, wat inderwaarheid instruksie-gewing of die onderwysing en lering van die tradisie beteken. Wat ‘n verskriklike wettiese en tradisie-vaste toestand is dit nie! Tereg spreek die Meester sy siening daaroor uit in
Mark. 7:7-9 "Maar tevergeefs vereer hulle My deur leringe te leer wat gebooie van mense is. Want terwyl julle die gebod van Elohiym nalaat, hou julle aan die oorlewering van mense vas: die wassery van kanne en bekers, en ander dergelike dinge van dieselfde aard doen julle baie.
En Hy sê vir hulle: Julle verstaan dit goed om die gebod van YHWH opsy te sit en so julle oorlewering te onderhou. Is dit deels die rede waarom Yahshua die volgende ernstige vermaning uitgespreek het (die mondelinge uitspreek van o.a. die tradisionele mishnah deur woorde uit die hart?) Matt. 7:15 "Daar is niks wat van buite af in die mens ingaan wat hom onrein kan maak nie; maar die dinge wat van hom uitgaan, dít is die dinge wat die mens onrein maak."

Dit was hierdie groepering onder die Judeërs en hulle hedendaagse afstammelinge en volgelinge wat werklik "Jode" genoem word. Ten tye van die onskriftuurlike vereniging met- en inlywing van Idumië in Judea, ongeveer 150 v.M was dit dan ook so dat daar van die wyse ou manne van Israel hulle ook in die geledere van die Fariseërs bevind het waar hulle nog uit hulle vervloë dae as die sg. geestelike leiers en regslui van die volk daar diens gedoen het. Die stelselmatige oorname en ommeswaai van hierdie strukture deur hierdie verkeerde en bose invloede wat die Idumeërs daar ingebring het, het waarskynlik plaasgevind met hierdie gelowiges nog in hul midde en het die klemverskuiwing waarskynlik baie subtiel en ongemerk plaasgevind, ten minste vir hierdie Israeliet leiers onder hulle. Ons sit vandag met presies dieselfde tendens, net op ‘n uiters meer geslepe en subtiele wyse deur die valse lering van die sogenaamde Skriftuurlike Sabbatlering, besnydenis in die vlees, maankalenders, en ander onskriftuurlike en Babiloniese tradisies waarvan die wortels uit die Jodedom / slangsaadbloedlyn ontspring reeds vanaf die tyd van die skepping in die tuin van Eden. Hierdeur worstel menige Israeliet gelowiges in ons dag in hulle totale onkunde van wat die ware feite is wat betref die Babilonstelsel van die addergeslag waaruit hierdie dinge ontspring het! Diegene is behoorlik vasgevang daarin soos ‘n prooi in die web van die gevaarlike spinnerak. Hoe meer hulle worstel met wat werklik die Skriftuurlike waarheid is en hoe om YHWH ten volle te behaag, hoe dieper raak hulle verstrengel tot op die plek waar groot dele van die Skrif doodeenvoudig uitgeban word sonder die berekening van die drastiese gevolge van hulle keuses, ‘n besluit wat ‘n geweldige invloed kan hê op hulle ewige saligheid!

Wat Paulus betref, kan ons aan die einde van die dag nie alle Fariseërs oor dieselfde kam skeer nie. As voorbeeld kan ons gaan kyk na gevalle soos dié van Nikodémus en Gamaliël (lg. ‘n man wat die wet onderhou het, maar tot insig begin kom het deur Paulus en Petrus se prediking as na sy optrede gekyk word volgens Hand 5 : 34. Nikodemus was ook ‘n streng Fariseër volgens Joh 3:1, maar het tot elkeen wat dit vandag sou lees se verstomming, homself in die nag na Yahshua gekeer met die vraag wat hy kan doen om nuut gebore te word en afstand te doen van hierdie eeue-oue tradisievaste lewe van hom. Gaan kyk na die Meester se antwoord op sy vraag en u sal nie een letter van die Torah of die wet daarin vind nie! Inteendeel, die Meester vergelyk die tradisionele en wettiese met die aardse en die redding van daardie nag met die hemelse ! Wonderbaarlik! Bg. twee manne was duidelik hoog in aansien en boonop ware weergebore en geredde gelowiges wat afstand gedoen het van die tradisie, die wet en die oorleweringe van die ou mense in ‘n doelgerigte keuse vir die Meester en Sy Nuwe Verbond van genade! (Sien Hand 5 : 34 & Joh 3 & Joh 7 : 50 – 52 & Joh 19 : 39 – 42). Paulus, die mees vervolgde apostel, ‘n Jood en ‘n Fariseër volgens sekere gelowiges van ons dag, sekere geestelike leiers en sg. Skrifkenners in ons midde, was inderdaad ook die man met die Damaskuspad-ervaring waar die Afgesonderde Gees ook hom, nes Nikodémus en ook Gamaliël, wonderbaarlik en kragdadig tot Yahshua Messias bekeer het.

Liewe leser, het u al ‘n Damaskuspad-ervaring gehad? U wat Paulus uit u Skrif skeur en verban, het u al in die nagtelike ure ‘n besoek afgelê aan die voete van die Meester, soos Nikodémus? Is u nuutgebore, want daarsónder sal u nóóit in der ewigheid die poorte van die hemel kan binnegaan nie! Dit mag dalk nou u geleentheid wees vir ‘n besoek aan die Meester. Môre mag dalk net te laat wees liewe volksgenoot!

Hierdie berig verskyn in Die Volksbasuin van Junie 2012. Indien u die maandelikse tydskrif wil ontvang, kontak gerus die redakteur by 082 819 7101 of judahe@vodamail.co.za
*56 Bladsye per Maand propvol leesstof van die beste gehalte!
*Geestelike Leesstof wat u nie maklik op ‘n ander plek weer sal kry nie!
*Kleinspan word ook Vermaak met ‘n Baie Oulike Maandelikse Bybelstorie van Oom Jannie!!!

Vir meer intense studies oor die Waarheid, stuur gerus n e-pos aan vaalwaarheid@gmail.com . Voeg ook vriende en familie se e-pos adresse by wat u wil oortuig van die waarheid of wat reeds te doen het met die waarheid. Voer ook gerus u e-pos adres in op hierdie blad aan die regterkant. Al bly u nie in die Vaaldriehoek nie is u steeds welkom!

Wie is skuldig?

Die Woord sê ons lewe hier op aarde net een maal en daarna sterwe ons om ons Saligmaker te ontmoet. So wat vandag en môre vir ons inhou is in ons Hemelse Vader se hande en die Psalmis verklaar dat ons jare of leeftyd hier op aarde sewentig jaar is, en as ons baie sterk is tagtig jaar.

Tog lewe ons asof ons vir altyd op die aarde gaan wees en laat ons so dikwels dinge agterweë wat afgehandel moet word. Wat sal die rede wees dat ons die gebod wat ons Hemelse Vader vir ons gegee het naamlik dat ons Hom eerste moet lief hê met alles wat binne ons is en dan daarna ons naaste net soos onsself, dat ons die naaste gedeelte so min nakom? Het ons dan almal geabdikeer en afstand gedoen van ons Goddelike verantwoordelikhede en roeping?

Begin ons by die priester van die huis, die man, dan sien ons dat hy in die eerste plek so min sigbaar en onsigbaar instaan of intree vir sy gesin by ons Hemelse Vader dat dit lyk of daar geen priesters van huise meer bestaan nie!. Hoeveel gebede en smekinge kom nog van hom vir sy gesin en hoeveel respek verdien hy nog van sy gesinslede? Deur elke dag se voorbeeld wat hy stel deur sy optrede, taalgebruik, drankgebruik, ens. dan is dit verstaanbaar hoekom daar ook geen ontsag meer is vir ons Hemelse Vader nie, want die priester van die huis het sy pos verlaat en lê meestal op die rusbank of ‘lazy boy’ en rugby en sportgebeure en bekyk en skree dan nog ook op sy vrou en kinders om die kos en versnaperinge betyds en gereeld vir hom aan te dra! Die dae dat ons mans soos Joshua gesê het dat ‘ek en my huis, ons sal die HERE dien’ is vinnig besig om uit te sterf in Suid-Afrika! Ons Sabbatsontheiliging word in stilswye deur die priesters van die huise goedgekeur en Sondae loop ons in winkelkomplekse rond om inkopies te doen en die dag met wêreldse vermaak op te knikker i.p.v. dat ons die dag tot eer van ons Hemelse Vader sal aanwend. Die priester van die huis het sy eie vrou nie meer alleen lief nie, maar sal ook ander vroue by die werk, of waar ook al, onthaal of sy oë en verstand besoedel met pornografiese materiaal op die TV laat nagte of geheime internet blaaie besoek! Hoe het die priester van die huis nie sy priesterskap verruil vir die genot van die lewe nie! Die gebed altaar word verwaarloos en die voorbeeld om gereeld die gemeente te besoek word deur feitlike alle priesters van huise verontagsaam! Hoekom? Want niemand sal meer vir die priester van die huis vertel wat om te doen of wanneer om dit te doen nie! Die priester luister net na homself en laat nie meer toe dat God met hom deur Sy Gees praat nie! En môre as sy uurglas leeggeloop het dan bedrieg ons mekaar nog vêrder op sy begrafnis en ’n elle lange lys van hoe lank was hy ouderling en by hoeveel verenigings was hy betrokke en so word ons wêreldse oor getroos en glo ons elkeen gaan hemel toe! Watter hartseer toestand is ons nie in nie! Waar is daar nog godsmanne wat die hand aan die ploeg wil slaan en opstaan vir hulle God en gesinne en in die bres gaan staan sodat die duiwel kan weg vlug van die krag van God en sy volgeling! Mag die roepstem van die verlore priesters van gesinne wakker geskud word sodat daar weer lewe en ontwaking mag plaasvind wanneer ons agter kom hoedat ons versuim om waardige priesters vir ons huise en gesinne moet wees, in Jesus’s Naam!!

Gaan ons oor na die vrou agter elke man en die moeder van elke huis, dan kom die gedagte wat in Spreuke voorkom oor ’n deugsame vrou onmiddellik na vore. Die rol wat elke vrou deur haar man en kinders speel word geweldig onderskat! Die spreekwoord dat agter elke man staan ’n vrou word te ligtelik opgeneem. Sonder die gebed van ’n vrou en die opvoeding van ‘n ma teenoor haar kinders gaan ’n geslag verlore wat gewoond word aan oppervlakkige maniere en die eetgewoontes van ’n gesin verander van gekookte en gesonde kos en eetgewoontes na kitskos en al die gevare daarvan! Aangesien die priesters van die huise nie meer die leiding en tugtiging behartig nie moet die vroue ook hierdie amp beklee en so erf ons kinders wat onhanteerbaar rebels geword het en ons wil ons self laat glo dat sielkunde die antwoord is! Die vrou moet ook werk om die pot aan die kook te hou en die moderne leefwyse vereis al ons tyd en energie en daar bly weinig krag oor om te spandeer aan jul familie. Die omstandighede waarin die vrou haar bevind het van haar ’n vegter gemaak i.p.v. die sagte een in die gesin. Sy aanvaar nie meer dat die man deur God oor haar aangestel is nie en regte word opgeëis wat nooit vir vroue bedoel was nie. Wanneer ons die Woord lees vind ons dat selfs Sara vir Abraham ‘heer’ genoem het. Durf ons dit vandag noem wil ek skat dat ongeveer 90% van alle vroue en selfs mans ‘n aar op hulle kop wil bars wanneer ons aangespreek word oor die orde wat omgedraai word wat God bepaal het. Dit is eerste ons Hemelse Vader deur Jesus Christus en die Heilige Gees, dan die engele, dan die manne, dan die vroue en dan die kinders. Mag ons vroue hulle krag besef deur gebed en ondersteuning en mag ons vroue weer die inspirasie van hierdie volk word en mag die Heilige Gees hulle opwek om weer moeders en ma’s vir hulle gesinne te word! Die krag wat agter elke man staan! Mag ons vrou hulself weer in Christus Jesus ontdek en herstel as die een wat ‘n sintuig het wat die mans nie altyd het nie en mag hulle, hulle volle potensiaal in Christus bereik en sodoende die anker en moeder van die gesin bly totdat ons Koning kom!

Die saak wat die meeste mense liewers wil ignoreer is wanneer ons by ons kinders se opvoeding kom. Want ek voed my kind mos so op soos wat ek opgevoed wou wees toe ek ‘n kind was! Dit wat ek nooit kon kry nie sal ek vir my kind gee en nooit sal my kinders so skaam kry soos ek toe daar nie geld was om iets te koop nie! En die saak van ‘jy sal die een tugtig wie jy liefhet’ is sommer deur die landswet verander en geen onderwyser sal sy hande oplug vir my kinders nie. Vat aan my kinders en jy vat aan my! Sê jy dit vir die HERE ook? Daar was nie ’n tyd waar ons meer gehoorsame ouers gekry het as vandag nie! Hoeveel keer hoor ek in winkelsentrums dat die ouer byvoorbeeld Fanta wil koop, dan sê die kind nee, ek hou van Cream Soda! Al hou die ma of pa van Fanta word daar Cream Soda gekoop want sussie of boetie kry wat hulle wil hê! Wat van klere drag, wat van aande uit en die tyd van terug kom in die huis! Wie besluit die tyd? Definitief nie meer die ouers nie! Wat nog erger is en word, is die manier hoe kinders met hulle ouers praat, die eerste keer sal dalk pa of ma gesê word, maar daarna is dit sommer jy en jou! Daar is geen respek of ontsag vir ouer persone meer nie! Ons kinders het ongehoorsame brokkies geword en ons ouers stap heel voor en durf iemand iets van hulle sê! Wat ons nie besef nie is dat ’n geslag van ongehoorsame rebelle besig is om groot te word en die hartseer van menige ouers is ons voorland! Dank ons Hemelse Vader vir elke ligpuntjie waar jy nog kinders ontmoet wat fyn opgevoed is met respek vir hulle ouers en ouer mense rondom hulle! Hulle beantwoord die Woord wat sê jou kinders is jou eer!

Sal ons nie almal weer werk aan ons verhoudings met ons gesinne nie en sal dit nie vir elkeen van ons weer belangrik word wat ons Hemelse Vader van ons verwag binne ons gesinne nie! Die gesin is ’n gemeente in die kleine en wanneer ons nie na ons gesinne kyk soos wat die Woord en die Heilige Gees ons leer dan skep ons ’n toekoms wat blywend is! Mag ons as gesinne deur die gemeentes deel hê aan die heiligmaking en voorbereiding van die Bruid van die Lam en mag ons lewe nou al so gereed wees vir hierdie Bruilof wat voorhande is dat dit ons sal bemoedig om die beste uit elkeen te haal! Mag ons hemelse verlange ons wakker maak om in te spring en hard te werk totdat die trompette Sy wederkoms aankondig! Mag ons elkeen gereed wees om ons Koning te ontmoet en mag ons dan met vreugde ingaan in Sy ewige heerlikheid!

Gehoorsaamheid is beter as offergawes – laat alles dan tot Sy eer wees!

Mooi dag.

Deut. 4:9 Neem jou net in ag en wees terdeë op jou hoede, dat jy die dinge nie vergeet wat jou oë gesien het nie, en dat hulle uit jou hart nie wyk al die dae van jou lewe nie; en jy moet dit aan jou kinders en jou kindskinders bekend maak:

Hos. 4:6 My volk gaan te gronde weens gebrek aan kennis; omdat jy die kennis verwerp het, sal Ek jou verwerp, sodat jy vir My die priesteramp nie sal bedien nie; omdat jy die wet van jou God vergeet het, sal Ek ook jou kinders vergeet.

Lev 19:32 Vir die grys hare moet jy opstaan, en die persoon van ‘n grysaard eer; en jy moet jou God vrees. Ek is die HERE.

Deut. 5:16 Eer jou vader en jou moeder soos die HERE jou God jou beveel het, dat jou dae verleng mag word en dat dit met jou goed mag gaan in die land wat die HERE jou God aan jou gee.

1Sam. 15:22 Daarop sê Samuel: Het die HERE behae in brandoffers en slagoffers soos in gehoorsaamheid aan die stem van die HERE? Kyk, om gehoorsaam te wees is beter as slagoffer, om te luister beter as die vet van ramme.

Ps. 90:10 Die dae van ons jare—daarin is sewentig jaar, of as ons baie sterk is, tagtig jaar; en die uitnemendste daarvan is moeite en verdriet; want gou gaan dit verby, en ons vlieg daarheen.

Spr. 17:6 Kindskinders is ‘n kroon vir grysaards, en vir die kinders is hulle vader ‘n eer.

Pred. 9:10 Alles wat jou hand vind om te doen, doen dit met jou mag, want daar is geen werk of oorleg of kennis of wysheid in die doderyk waar jy heengaan nie.

Jes. 58:13 As jy jou voet terughou van die sabbat—om nie jou sake op my heilige dag te doen nie, en as jy die sabbat ‘n verlustiging noem en die heilige dag van die HERE hooghou; en as jy dit eer deur nie jou gewone gang te gaan nie, nie geleentheid vir jou sake soek of ydele taal spreek nie;

Mat 15:4 Want God het bevel gegee en gesê: Eer jou vader en moeder; en: Hy wat vader of moeder vloek, moet sekerlik sterwe.

Mat 22:37 En Jesus antwoord hom: Jy moet die Here jou God liefhê met jou hele hart en met jou hele siel en met jou hele verstand.

Mat 22:38 Dit is die eerste en groot gebod.

Mat 22:39 En die tweede wat hiermee gelykstaan: Jy moet jou naaste liefhê soos jouself.

Mat 22:40 Aan hierdie twee gebooie hang die hele wet en die profete.

Kol 3:23 En wat julle ook al doen, doen dit van harte soos vir die Here en nie vir mense nie,

Heb. 9:27 En net soos die mense bestem is om een maal te sterwe en daarna die oordeel,

Heb. 9:28 so sal Christus ook, nadat Hy een maal geoffer is om die sondes van baie weg te neem, vir die tweede maal sonder sonde verskyn aan die wat Hom verwag tot saligheid.

Effe. 5:25 Manne, julle moet jul eie vroue liefhê, soos Christus ook die gemeente liefgehad en Homself daarvoor oorgegee het

Effe. 5:22 Vroue, wees aan julle eie mans onderdanig, soos aan die Here.

Spr. 31:10 Alef. Wie sal ‘n deugsame vrou vind? want haar waarde is ver bo korale.

Effe. 6:1 Kinders, julle moet jul ouers gehoorsaam wees in die Here, want dit is reg.

Kol. 3:20 Kinders, julle moet jul ouers in alles gehoorsaam wees, want dit is die Here welbehaaglik.

1Pet 3:6 soos Sara gehoorsaam was aan Abraham en hom heer genoem het; wie se kinders julle geword het as julle goed doen en geen enkele verskrikking vrees nie.

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