After fighting the good fight and finishing the race, former President Nelson Mandela has crossed over into Glory to await the crowns the Lord has stored for him. I have great respect for Mr. Nelson Mandela, and I have always been fascinated at how Almighty God, our Father uses people whom the world sees as weak and despised to carry out His plans and purposes. 1 Cor 1:27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty .
I believe the Lord used Nelson Mandela to end apartheid in South Africa, He used Mahatma Ghandi to advocate for the rights of Indians, both at home and in South Africa. Gandhi became a leader of India's independence movement, organizing boycotts against British institutions in peaceful forms of civil disobedience. He used Martin Luther King, Jr. to fight for civil rights for justice and equality for all people. Mr. Mandela dreamed of having one day a "Rainbow Nation" "We enter into a covenant that we shall build a society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without and fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity – a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world."
Nelson Mandela, Inaugural Address, Pretoria 9 May 1994.
Apartheid as an official policy was introduced following the general election of 1948. Legislation classified inhabitants into four racial groups, "black", "white", "coloured", and "Indian", with Indian and coloured divided into several sub-classifications,[7] and residential areas were segregated, sometimes by forced removals.
As I'm studying the bible I have seen the pattern throughout with Moses, born a slave, become the deliverer of the Hebrew slaves from Egypt. Joseph, Jacob's son was sold into slavery by his brothers, who were jealous of him.Genesis 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. Joseph was thrown into prison due to an unjust charge by Potiphar's wife but by God's great plan did not remain there but became second in command to Pharoah over all of Egypt. Gen 45: 8 So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
Joseph could've harbored resentment and anger in his heart toward his brothers and with all the power he posessed as second in command over all of Egypt he could have repayed evil for evil for what they had done to him, but he chose instead to forgive them. Genesis 45:4 And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.6 For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
Injustice, poverty and inequality are still in our world today but so is God's unfailing love, unending grace and His Precious Holy Spirit. All of us are imperfect vessels that only the Master can make fit for His use, as for me I would like to be used as a vessel of honor, to plant seeds of love not hate. When I think of how evil can be inflicted on other human beings depending on the color of one's skin is heartbreaking but I know who our enemy is and it is not each other. I know nothing takes our God by surprise and His plan of Redemption for us was carried out through The Lord Jesus our Savior and His Finished work at the Cross.
In the Old Testament, the Lord gave specific instructions in how the High Priests garments were to be made. "And he made the breastplate, artistically woven like the workmanship of the ephod, of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine woven linen. They made the breastplate square by doubling it; a span was its length and a span its width when doubled.
"And they set in it four rows of stones: a row with a sardius, a topaz, and an emerald was the first row; the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond; the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in settings of gold in their mountings.
"There were twelve stones according to the names of the sons of Israel: according to their names, engraved like a signet, each one with its own name according to the twelve tribes." (Exodus 39:8-14)
The Book of Revelation speaks of a rainbow around the throne of God Revelation 4:3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.
Ezekiel 1:28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
Nelson Mandela spoke of a covenant to build a rainbow nation. Jacob, father of the 12 patriarchs. made Joseph a coat of many colors and Joseph set an example of forgiveness and deliverance. Martin Luther King said he dreamed "one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to
join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and
brothers." I have a dream that one day every valley shall be
exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be
made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the
Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."
The Glorious Father of our Lord & Savior Jesus placed our sins upon His only begotten Son and He was bruised and striped for our sins and transgressions, God has placed on all of us who confess our sins and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Robe of Righteousness. Isaiah 61:10
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels
Jesus is now our eternal High Priest, and all of us in all of our different shades, hues and colors lay on His breast, upon His heart. 1 Peter 2 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
“Behold, I lay in Zion
A chiefcornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
A chiefcornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
I do believe the Glory of the Lord is being revealed.. I'm listening Lord, I'm listening.
Peace & Blessings to you, my God Family.
