Page 2 - Good News August 2007 paper

GOEIE NUUS / GOOD NEWS

Posbus 1957, Potchefstroom

GOUD

edert menseheugenis het en twintig ton beloop, behalwe migheid van die HERE nie; hul
goud ‘n baie belangrike rol nog wat die reisigers en hande- siel sal hulle daarmee nie
Sgespeel. Reeds kort na die laars en al die konings van Arabië versadig of hul ingewande
Skepping van die mens en die en die Israelitiese goewerneurs daarmee vul nie, want dit was die
vestiging van die tuin van Eden, ingebring het.” Dan sê die Bybel s t r u i k e l b l o k t o t h u l l e
lees ons in Gen. 2:12 - “En die m.b.t. Salomo: “Die koning het ongeregtigheid” (Eseg. 7:19).
goud van dié land is goed.” goud en silwer in Jerusalem so In ons verhouding met die Here
Dit word egter nie vir ons gesê of volop gemaak soos klippe, en moet ons ook met “goud” bou
Adam enige iets met die goud seders so volop soos wildevye- (1 Kor. 3:12). Die Here sal ons
gedoen het nie. Later sou die bome in die Laeveld” (2 Kron. toets en louter soos goud (Spr.
mens dit ontgin, en het dit ‘n 1:15). Selfs Abraham (en andere) 17:3; Sag. 13:9; Mal. 3:3).
sentrale rol vervul in die bestaan was ryk aan goud (Gen. 13:2). Die apostel Petrus skryf m.b.t.
van die mens. Indien ons slegs By Dawid vind ons ‘n klemver- ons beproewinge (1 Pet. 1:7):
die Bybelse getuienis oor goud skuiwing m.b.t. die betekenis van “…sodat die beproefdheid van
nagaan, kom daar insiggewende goud: “Koning Dawid het dit alles julle geloof, wat baie kosbaarder
inligting na vore. aan die Here gewy, en so ook die is as goud wat vergaan maar
Goud was belangrik toe Moses silwer en goud van al die nasies deur vuur gelouter word, bevind
die tabernakel as plek van aan- wat hy onderwerp het” (2 Sam. mag word tot lof en eer en
bidding moes bou. (Verder ook 8:11). Hy verklaar ook: “Die wet heerlikheid by die openbaring
met die bou van die tempel in die van u mond is vir my beter as van Jesus Christus…” Want, sê
tyd van Salomo). Ons lees voorts duisende stukke goud en silwer” Petrus: “…omdat julle weet dat
hoe Hiram aan Salomo ‘n groot (Ps. 119:72). julle nie deur verganklike dinge,
hoeveelheid goud geskenk het: God se wet (Sy Woord) is vir ons silwer of goud, losgekoop is uit
“Hiram het aan Salomo meer as kosbaar. Daar is baie ander dinge julle ydele lewenswandel wat
vier ton goud gelewer” (1 Kon. wat beter is as goud: verstand deur die vaders oorgelewer is
9:14). En selfs die koningin van (Spr. 3:14), kennis (Spr. 8:10), nie, maar deur die kosbare bloed
Skeba: “Sy het na Jerusalem toe wysheid (Spr. 16:16), lippe van van Christus, soos van ‘n lam
gekom met ‘n baie groot gevolg kennis (Spr. 20:15). Spr. 22:1 lui sonder gebrek en vlekkeloos…”
en ook kamele wat belaai was “‘n Naam is verkiesliker as groot (1 Pet. 1:18-19).
met kosbare kruie en ’n groot rykdom, guns beter as silwer en Daarom verklaar Openbaring
hoeveelheid goud en edelstene” as goud.” 3:18 ook: “Ek raai jou aan om van
(1 Kon 10:2). Dan vers 10: “Sy het Al bg. dinge is beter as goud, My te koop goud wat deur vuur
vir die koning meer as vier ton omdat goud sy glans kan verloor gelouter is, sodat jy kan ryk
goud en ‘n groot hoeveelheid (Klaagl. 4:1). “Hul silwer sal hulle word…”
kosbare kruie en edelstene op die strate gooi, en hulle goud Laat ons ons beywer om die
gegee.” Ons lees verder in 1 Kon. sal ‘n voorwerp van afsku wees; “goud” van God te bekom, en
10:14 - “Salomo se jaarlikse in- hul silwer en hul goud sal hulle nie gereed te wees vir die koms van
komste aan goud het sowat drie kan red in die dag van die grim- Jesus Christus!

ise leaders are rare. They unique position in the Old accomplish great things through
a c c o m p l i s h g r e a t Testament. people who are willing to be led by
Wamounts of work without Deborah was the fourth and only Him.
direct involvement, because they female judge of Israel. She is also Deborah’s life challenges us in
know how to work through other known for her prophetic power several ways:
people. and was a songwriter. * She reminds us of the need to be
They are able to see the big Deborah is among the out- available both to God and to
picture which often escapes standing women of history. Her others.
those directly involved, so they life shows that she was not power * She encourages us to spend our
make good mediators, advisers, hungry. She wanted to serve God. efforts on what we can do rather
and planners. Whenever praise came her way, than on worrying about what we
Deborah fit this description she gave God the credit. can’t do.
perfectly. She had all these She didn’t deny or resist her * She challenges us to be wise
leadership skills, and she had a position in the culture as a woman leaders.
remarkable relationship with God. and wife, but she never allowed * She demonstrates what a per-
The insight and confidence God herself to be hindered by it either. son can accomplish when God is
gave this woman placed her in a Her story shows that God can in control.

highwayman once stopped John Wesley and demanded his
money or his life. Wesley, after giving him the money, said, “Let
Ame speak one word to you; the time may come when you will
regret the course of life in which you are now engaged. Remember this,
‘The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.’”
No more was said, and they parted. Many years after, as Wesley was
going out of a church in which he had been preaching, a stranger
introduced himself, and asked Wesley if he remembered being waylaid
at such and such a time.
He said he recollected it. “I was that man,” said the stranger, “and that
single verse you quoted on that occasion was the means of a total
change in my life and habits. I have long since been in the practice of
attending the house of God and of giving attention to His Word, and I
have become a Christian.” - Selected