Divineinsight BY HUMPHREY MTANDWA
BLOOD speaks because it has a voice. The Bible says the blood of Jesus speaks better things than that of Abel (Hebrews 12:24).
In Zimbabwe, one of the most common utterances among our leaders is: “Nyika yakatengwa neropa.” This means the nation’s freedom and independence were brought about by the blood of those who died during the liberation war.
In the Bible, the blood of Abel spoke of judgement and vengeance in retribution to his brother who had taken his life. Man’s sacrifice is born out of personal pursuits and it is rare for a sacrifice to be made without personal gain expected at the end. The reason why the blood of Jesus speaks of mercy even until now is because it was spilled out of love. Any sacrifice made outside of love becomes a hanging noose on the neck of the one the sacrifice is made for.
In the Bible, we read the story of David as he was hiding in the mountains because Saul was in hot pursuit of him, seeking to destroy him. David spoke out his desire for water from the well of Bethlehem. Three of his men risked their lives and brought back the water for him. He refused to drink it because he would not drink the blood of those men. “God forbid that I should do this!” he said. ‘Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?’
Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.” (1 Chronicles 11:9).
The sacrifice they had made touched David so much that he refused to drink the water. It was just water, but because of the sacrifice that had been made to acquire it, its form became blood. At times, selfless actions have been made with good intentions, but the sacrifice in itself has effects that are beyond man’s understanding. The intention of David’s men was pure like that of our heroes and those that gave their lives for the nation. But the spiritual connotations are deeper than what man can see. It is rare for the blood of man to speak mercy. It often speaks judgement.
Cain killed his brother, Abel, and even after he had died, his children answered for his sin. Yet when Jesus died, he put to silence the demands of the blood of Abel and spoke mercy in place of the judgement and vengeance it cried out for. A nation born from war at times goes through cycles of conflict because there is blood that still cries for vengeance. National days of prayer help to seek God’s mercy for a nation. Yes, our nation was born out of the sacrifice of thousands of men and women, but there was a sacrifice that was made on the cross that speaks mercy!
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The fact that man’s blood speaks of judgement and vengeance explains why anything born out of conflict cannot be maintained without further loss of blood. As a nation, we have to appreciate the sacrifice made during the liberation war, but we also have to understand that unless we ask for mercy, we will continue to see cycles of conflict. There is blood that speaks better things than that of men. That is the blood of Jesus. Zimbabwe has a great destiny, but it has to be born from the sacrifice of Jesus. That is the message of the cross.
Although the sacrifice of men brought about liberation, only the cross of Calvary speaks of mercy which can bring about freedom in the heart of people in Zimbabwe, giving them strength to transform the nation.
God bless you and may the Lord prosper our Zimbabwe.
Humphrey Mtandwa is an anointed minister of the gospel and teacher of the Word based in South Africa. He has written several books including The Enoch Generation, Truthfulness and Theophany. He blogs at mtandwa.blogspot.com and can be contacted via e-mail or WhatsApp on +27 610286350.
