Bishop S.N.N. Ngqakayi – December 2019

Introduction

Chapter 50 of the Book Isaiah, essentially, consists of two parts. The first part comprises the first three verses (50:1-3) and contains a statement of the reasons why the Jews had been rejected and punished. They are to be regarded as being in exile in Babylon. The second part of the chapter comprises the portion from Isaiah 50:4-11. This part relates to a different subject to the one covered in the first part. Needless to say, our text of choice which is the text for the month of December (2019) belongs to the second part of Chapter 50.

As far as the second part of Chapter 50 is concerned, according to Biblical Commentators, a speaker who is believed to be the prophet himself is introduced in it, and who claims to put his trust in God, and confides in him alone Isaiah 50:7-9; and who calls on all who fear the Lord to hear him Isaiah 50:10; and who threatens to inflict punishment on all who do not listen to him Isaiah 50:11.

The Darkness vs Light Dualism

In almost all cultures and religions, the world over, light, as opposed to darkness, is associated with positive gifts and blessings of good fortune, success, prosperity, good health, etc. By contrast, darkness represents misfortune, ill health, poverty, hardship, trials, tribulations, etc. As human beings, we are forever looking for secrets to all-round success as we all deplore failure and misfortune. Our insatiable thirst for all these gifts associated with light for our daily living, often time, has seen too many a desperate people fall prey to unscrupulous pastors and others who promise them magic potions and rituals that would unleash miracles of luck, prosperity, etc on them. To this end, we see, from time to time on television and elsewhere, how desperate and gullible believers are subjected to dehumanizing rituals, all under the guise of accessing blessings and luck that are associated with light. Simply put, we are all in desperate need for light and for all the blessings that come with it. The God of Isaiah is here presented as the source of all light and by extension the source of all blessings.

Having identified God as the source of all light and the concomitant blessings, the logical question to be asked therefore is: what do we need to do, from our side, for him to shower us with the much-needed blessing of light? According to Isaiah, the following are the simple requirements on our part that will qualify us, as it were, to access all his divine light for our lives, families, churches, etc?

• Fear God
• Obey to God’s message through His servant
• Trust God

Brothers and Sisters and Children, the Festive Season as characterised by both the Advent and Christmas Season for us, Believers, is upon us. Our cherished Moravian Star is going up in the different congregations, as we speak, to signal the divine light, in the person of Jesus, that came into the otherwise dark world. The Moravian Star, which is directly linked to the person of Jesus, normally hangs in our congregations until the 6th of January (Epiphany) when the Wise Men return to their homeland having seen and honoured, Baby Jesus.

In the name of Jesus, I invoke the spirit of luck and blessing of the Moravian Star on your lives and families, my dear Brothers and Sisters and Children. May you all walk in the light of God during the festive season. May His light shine upon you and your loved ones during the coming Christmas season. God bless all of you as you strive to fear Him more, and as you strive to obey His word from the mouths of His Ministers and preachers, as per the call by Isaiah in the text under review. Most importantly, may God bless you as you strive to trust Him more for your troubles, trials and tribulations.

Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2020 to you and your loved ones, in Jesus’ name!

Amen

By: S.N.N. Ngqakayi (Bishop)