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.
The Old Testament features persons who married women of African descent. Other had children with women who came from Africa. An example is Abraham who had children with both Hagar and Keturah. Both of them were Hermitic. Considering the stature of these men in the Christian faith and biblical stories, there is no denying that Africans hold a special place in biblical mythology.
Chapter 68 of the book of Psalms says that a prophet shall rise from Egypt. It continues to say in clear words that Ethiopia shall call unto the lord. These words were spoken thousands of years before Jesus was born. At nativity, Jesus runs away with his parents to Egypt because Herod wanted to kill him. This is the rise that is referred in Psalms. It is also the coming of wise men that is insinuated by Ethiopia stretching out to the Lord.
Egypt has a special place in biblical story of salvation. However negative the mention is in Old Testament, there is an element of redemption in New Testament. Joseph ends up in Egypt after being sold by his brothers. Moses rescues the people when God sends 7 disasters to the people of Egypt. Egypt acts as a refuge to Israelis when they faced drought. However, it is referred as the land of oppression even in imagery today.
The story of Jesus opens with the flight of Mary and Joseph to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod. They were told to run to Egypt by an angel of God. If it had not been for Egypt, Jesus would have met his death as an infant. This gives Africa a very special place in this biblical story of salvation.
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.
The Old Testament features persons who married women of African descent. Other had children with women who came from Africa. An example is Abraham who had children with both Hagar and Keturah. Both of them were Hermitic. Considering the stature of these men in the Christian faith and biblical stories, there is no denying that Africans hold a special place in biblical mythology.
Chapter 68 of the book of Psalms says that a prophet shall rise from Egypt. It continues to say in clear words that Ethiopia shall call unto the lord. These words were spoken thousands of years before Jesus was born. At nativity, Jesus runs away with his parents to Egypt because Herod wanted to kill him. This is the rise that is referred in Psalms. It is also the coming of wise men that is insinuated by Ethiopia stretching out to the Lord.
Egypt has a special place in biblical story of salvation. However negative the mention is in Old Testament, there is an element of redemption in New Testament. Joseph ends up in Egypt after being sold by his brothers. Moses rescues the people when God sends 7 disasters to the people of Egypt. Egypt acts as a refuge to Israelis when they faced drought. However, it is referred as the land of oppression even in imagery today.
The story of Jesus opens with the flight of Mary and Joseph to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod. They were told to run to Egypt by an angel of God. If it had not been for Egypt, Jesus would have met his death as an infant. This gives Africa a very special place in this biblical story of salvation.
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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