Jesus said that his good news should spread to all parts of the world. This definitely includes Africa. However, it must not be mistaken that Africa is just a recipient of the news. There is a dominant and pivotal African presence in the bible, both the new and old testament. Here are some of the incidences worth noting.
The Garden of Eden is where man was put upon creation. This makes it the source of human kind and the appointed place for human existence. The bible in Genesis places the garden at the intersection of 4 rivers that include Cush, Asshur and Havilah. These rivers according to historians are in Ethiopia. It also happens that archeologists have recently discovered the oldest human fossils in Ethiopia. This almost confirms the narrative of location of the Garden of Eden.
Biblical patriarchs are shown to have married or sired children with women of African descent. This afforded credence to the central place of Africans in biblical history. Sarah allowed Abraham to have a child with Hagar when her womb was barren. It signifies an element of rescue. Hagar was a Hermitic slave. This leaves Africans occupying a special place in the history of salvation.
Psalms also mentions two African nations of Egypt and Ethiopia. Egypt is said to be the bearer of a prince while Ethiopia will turn to the Lord. The book of Psalms was written way before Jesus was born. This is a prediction of Jesus running to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod. As for Ethiopia, it is the recognition that the wise men gave to Jesus that signifies the turning to God. One of these men is said to have come from Ethiopia.
Egypt is mentioned extensively in both the old and new testaments, albeit as an oppressor. This is where Joseph ended up after being sold by his brothers. His brothers find him there while searching for food during a major drought. It took Moses and the 7 calamities to rescue Israelis. In fact, an oppressive state is still referred to as being in Egyptian bondage.
The New Testament introduces Africa through the flight of Mary and Joseph when Herod wanted to kill them. It is the angel of God who instructed them to run. The death of Jesus would have spelt doom to salvation. It is Africa that gave refuge to the Son of God.
Simon of Cyrene is the stranger forced to assist Jesus with the cross on the way to Calvary. Interestingly, Cyrene was a Roman colony in Africa. It was an important source of corn, oil and wool. Further, her people were marathoners or long distant traders. This means that Simon was most likely an African on his errands when he was forced to act merciful, another insurmountable contribution of Africans to the story of salvation.
When Jesus appeared to his disciples, he instructed them to go to all corners of the world. They ended up in Africa. Notable apostles are Simon who Acts 13, 1 and 2 refer to as Black One and Stephen. Such evidence makes Africa a central element of the story of salvation.
The Garden of Eden is where man was put upon creation. This makes it the source of human kind and the appointed place for human existence. The bible in Genesis places the garden at the intersection of 4 rivers that include Cush, Asshur and Havilah. These rivers according to historians are in Ethiopia. It also happens that archeologists have recently discovered the oldest human fossils in Ethiopia. This almost confirms the narrative of location of the Garden of Eden.
Biblical patriarchs are shown to have married or sired children with women of African descent. This afforded credence to the central place of Africans in biblical history. Sarah allowed Abraham to have a child with Hagar when her womb was barren. It signifies an element of rescue. Hagar was a Hermitic slave. This leaves Africans occupying a special place in the history of salvation.
Psalms also mentions two African nations of Egypt and Ethiopia. Egypt is said to be the bearer of a prince while Ethiopia will turn to the Lord. The book of Psalms was written way before Jesus was born. This is a prediction of Jesus running to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod. As for Ethiopia, it is the recognition that the wise men gave to Jesus that signifies the turning to God. One of these men is said to have come from Ethiopia.
Egypt is mentioned extensively in both the old and new testaments, albeit as an oppressor. This is where Joseph ended up after being sold by his brothers. His brothers find him there while searching for food during a major drought. It took Moses and the 7 calamities to rescue Israelis. In fact, an oppressive state is still referred to as being in Egyptian bondage.
The New Testament introduces Africa through the flight of Mary and Joseph when Herod wanted to kill them. It is the angel of God who instructed them to run. The death of Jesus would have spelt doom to salvation. It is Africa that gave refuge to the Son of God.
Simon of Cyrene is the stranger forced to assist Jesus with the cross on the way to Calvary. Interestingly, Cyrene was a Roman colony in Africa. It was an important source of corn, oil and wool. Further, her people were marathoners or long distant traders. This means that Simon was most likely an African on his errands when he was forced to act merciful, another insurmountable contribution of Africans to the story of salvation.
When Jesus appeared to his disciples, he instructed them to go to all corners of the world. They ended up in Africa. Notable apostles are Simon who Acts 13, 1 and 2 refer to as Black One and Stephen. Such evidence makes Africa a central element of the story of salvation.
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