While writing the previous blog post, the Lord showed the role of an armor bearer and how this role refers to our role as believers and followers of Jesus Christ. Let’s look at what the Bible says about the life of an armor bearer and the characteristics of an armor bearer. What does it mean to be an armor bearer of Jesus Christ?
What’s the role of an armor-bearer?
The armor-bearer is in the service of his lord. He carries his armor and does what his lord commands him to do. The armor-bearer knows, that he is subordinate to his lord. He is not important, but his lord is important. It’s not about his will and what he wants, but it’s all about what his lord wants.
Although the armor-bearer is subordinate to his lord, he plays an important role in the battle. The lord and his armor bearer each have their task to do in the battle.
Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armor bearer after him: bawa phambi kukaJonathani; and his armor-bearer slew after him(1 Samuweli 14:13)
What are the characteristics of an armor-bearer?
The first characteristic of an armor bearer is that an armor bearer follows his lord. Wherever his lord goes to, his armor bearer follows him and will not leave the side of his lord.
The second characteristic of an armor bearer is that an armor bearer is always obedient to his lord, in all things.
Ku 1 Samuweli 14, we read about the battle, between the people of Israel and the Philistines.
Jonathan stepped out of the army of 600 people and commanded his armor-bearer to come with him and fight against the Philistines.
Jonathan commanded his armor-bearer to come, and his armor-bearer immediately obeyed his lord.
The armor-bearer didn’t think about it. He didn’t argue with his lord and didn’t question him. He didn’t say to Jonathan, “Jonathan, are you sure? Is this the right thing to do? Why don’t we wait until the others go, so we can all go together and attack the Philistines?”
Cha, the armor-bearer didn’t say that. The armor-bearer was willing and obeyed his lord and went with him. Because he trusted his lord completely. The armor-bearer knew that his lord had the knowledge, ukuhlakanipha, nokuqondisisa, to make the right decisions.
Jonathan commanded his armor-bearer twice to come. Both times his armor-bearer obeyed Jonathan and came.
Okwesibili, that Jonathan commanded his armor-bearer to come with him, the armor-bearer said, “Do all that is in your heart: phenduka wena; bheka, I am with you according to your heart.”
The armor-bearer obeys and follows his lord
Whatever Jonathan decided to do, his armor-bearer obeyed and followed him. Jonathan made his plans known to his armor-bearer and made him partaker of his mission.
When Jonathan climbed up to the Philistines, his armor-bearer followed him and stayed in his shadow. Jonathan had authority, and as long as his armor-bearer stayed in his shadow, he shared this authority with him. But as soon as the armor-bearer would leave his shadow, he would be on his own and lost his authority.
The armor-bearer wouldn’t have any authority anymore, because he was the armor-bearer and not lord.
Then came the best moment of their cooperation, okungukuthi, the moment that Jonathan and his armor-bearer attacked the Philistines and gained the victory. The Philistines fell before Jonathan and his armor-bearer slew after him and killed the Philistines. During their attack, they each had their own task and together they gained the victory. (Funda futhi: Ukukholwa, isenzo, kanye nokunqoba).
A list of the characteristics of an armor-bearer
In the story of Jonathan and his armor bearer, we see the following characteristics of an armor bearer:
- The armor-bearer’s life was in service of his lord
- Yena walalela his lord
- Yena trusted his lord
- Yena followed his lord
- Yena stayed in the shadow of his lord
- Yena fulfilled his task during their mission
What does it mean to be an armor bearer of Jesus Christ?
Uma ukholwa kuJesu Kristu, bazalwa ngokusha kuye, have become a new creation (umuntu omusha), and made Jesus the Lord of your life, you are an armor bearer of Jesus Christ.
Just like Jonathan and his armor bearer were joined together and worked together, you are joined together with Jesus Christ and work together with Him.
All hosts, ezulwini nasemhlabeni, are put under Jesus’ amale. UJesu unalo lonke igunya emazulwini nasemhlabeni! (Oh. Mathewu 28:18, Kwabase-Efesu 1:19-23, AbaseKolose 2:10, amaHebheru 2:8).
Jesus came in the Name of His Father and stayed in His shadow, by speaking the words and doing the words that His Father told Him to speak and do. He stayed obedient to His Father until death.
Jesus finished God’s perfect redemptive work for humanity on earth, through His death on the cross.
Esiphambanweni, UJesu wathatha zonke izono, ukufa, and iniquities of the world upon Him. He bore the penalty of sin which is death, futhi wangena hades. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu, UJesu wavuka njengoVictor kwabafileyo.
Through His redemptive work and by His blood, He restored the position (isimo) of fallen man and reconciled man back to God.
UJesu wathatha izihluthulelo (of authority) back from the devil and gave you the power to reign with Him, in His authority in the heavenly places. (Funda futhi: Has Jesus bound the strong man, or do you have to bind the strong man?).
The armor bearer is a servant of his Lord
It all begins by giving up your own life. Jesus said this in all the four gospels:
UJesu wabe esethi kubafundi bakhe, Uma noma yimuphi umuntu ezongilandela, azidele, athabathe isiphambano sakhe, futhi ungilandele. Ngokuba yilowo nalowo othanda ukusindisa ukuphila kwakhe uyakulahlekelwa yikho: futhi noma ngubani olahlekelwa yimpilo yakhe ngenxa yami uyakuthola (Mathewu 16:24-25)
And when He had called the people unto Him with His disciples also, Wathi kubo, Whosoever will come after Me, azidele, athabathe isiphambano sakhe, futhi ungilandele. Ngokuba yilowo nalowo othanda ukusindisa ukuphila kwakhe uyakulahlekelwa yikho; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel’s, yona iyoyisindisa (Maka 8:34-35)
Ngokuba yilowo nalowo othanda ukusindisa ukuphila kwakhe uyakulahlekelwa yikho: kodwa loba ngubani olahlekelwa yimpilo yakhe ngenxa yami, yona iyoyisindisa (Luka 9:24)
Othanda ukuphila kwakhe uyakulahlekelwa yikho; nozonda ukuphila kwakhe kuleli zwe uyakukulondela ukuphila okuphakade. Uma umuntu eNgikhonza, akangilandele; nalapho ngikhona, izakuba khona inceku yami: uba umuntu engikhonza, yena uBaba wami uyakumdumisa (UJohane 12:25-26)
The armor bearer of Jesus gives up his own life
You can’t serve Jesus without giving up your own life. Why not? Because you will not be able to follow Jesus. A follower follows someone. When you want to follow your own will and do what pleases you, then you can’t follow someone else. Because the only person you want to follow is yourself.
There can’t be two lords in your life. There’s only one lord and one follower.
When you decide to follow Jesus Christ, it means that you have to give up your own will; your ‘-sibili‘’, and give your whole life to Him and yield to Him and become His servant. (Funda futhi: Ukulandela uJesu kuzokubiza konke).
The armor bearer of Jesus obeys his Lord
When you give up your life and serve Jesus Christ, it means that you Mthanda and you shall obey Him and do His commandments. It doesn’t matter what you want to do, what you feel, or what you think. But it’s all about what Jesus wants and what Jesus thinks and what the Word says.
Just as Jesus did the will of His Father and walked in His commandments, so shall you do the will of Jesus and walk in Imiyalo Yakhe.
Jesus said, Uma ningithanda Mina, gcina imiyalo Yami (UJohane 14:15)
Uma nigcina imiyalo yami, Niyakugcina Uthando lwami; Njengoba nje ngigcine imiyalo kababa wami, futhi bahlale othandweni lwakhe (UJohane 15:10)
Uma umuntu eNgikhonza, akangilandele; nalapho ngikhona, izakuba khona inceku yami: uba umuntu engikhonza, yena uBaba wami uyakumdumisa (UJohane 12:26)
The armor bearer trusts his Lord
You can only follow Jesus if you believe in Him and fully trust the Lord. Faith is the foundation. When there is doubt in your heart, it is impossible to obey and follow Jesus and walk in the faith.
Uma usho, that you believe, then you should prove that by walking in faith and relying on Him. Because you can say that you believe, but your words and actions show if you really believe in Jesus and His words or not.
Thembela kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho; and lean not unto your own understanding (Izaga 3:5)
When you trust Him and don’t lean on your own understanding, then you shall be able to follow Him.
The armor bearer follows his Lord
Jesus commands you to follow Him. Ngakho-ke, you should follow Him and His will, instead of following your own will. He gave you His Word. Manje, it’s all about what you do with His words.
When you take up your cross daily, which means that you submit your will and flesh to Him (iZwi), His will and follow Him, you shall be His armor-bearer.
And he said to them all, Uma noma yimuphi umuntu ezongilandela, azidele, athabathe isiphambano sakhe imihla ngemihla, futhi ungilandele (Luka 9:23)
The armor bearer of Jesus stays in his Lord’s shadow
As long as you are seated in Jesus Christ and stay in His shadow, you walk in His authority and are protected.
But as soon as you leave His shadow and go your own way, you will have no authority over principalities, amandla, ababusi bobumnyama balomhlaba, nobubi obungokomoya ezindaweni eziphakemeyo.
There are two shadows in which you can live. You can live in the shadow of the Most High or the shadow of death.
The shadow of death
The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; Abantu ababehlezi ebumnyameni babona ukukhanya okukhulu; futhi kwabahlezi esifundeni nasethunzini lokufa ukukhanya kuye kwaphumela (Mathewu 4:15-16)
The shadow of the Most High
How excellent is Thy lovingkindness, O kuhle! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings (Amahubo 36:7)
Ohlezi ekusithekeni koPhezukonke uyakuhlala emthunzini kaSomandla (Amahubo 91:1)
Ngokuba kuhlezi kuye ukugcwala konke kobuNkulunkulu ngokomzimba. Futhi nina niphelele kuYe, okuyinhloko yazo zonke izinduna kanye namandla (AbaseKolose 2:9-10)
Uma nje uhlala kuJesu Kristu; iZwi, you shall walk in His shadow and His authority. When you walk in His authority, you shall have dominion over all hosts. (Funda futhi: Hambani ebukhosini ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukunikeze wena).
The armor bearer has a task to accomplish
Bheka, Ngininika amandla okunyathela izinyoka kanye nezinhlamvu, nangawo wonke amandla esitha: Futhi akukho lutho oluzokulimaza (Luka 10:19)
Jesus finished His task on earth, He bound the strong one; usathane. Jesus defeated the devil at the cross, Futhi ngokuvuka Kwakhe, He took the keys of authority back from him.
Kuwo wonke umuntu, who believes in Him and has given up his or her life to serve and follow Jesus, He has given power (isiphathimandla) over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt him or her.
Jesus finished His work and is now seated on the right hand of God the Father.
Jesus has bound the strong one, usathane. Manje, it’s our job to spoil the house and set people free.
No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house (Maka 3:27)
Both Jonathan and his armor bearer had a task to fulfill. Jonathan didn’t take these two tasks upon himself, so that the armor-bearer didn’t have to do anything. No, the Philistines fell before Jonathan and his armor-bearer had to kill the Philistines.
Jesus gave you a task to accomplish
You also have your own task to accomplish. Jesus gave you and all His armor bearers the following task:
UJesu weza wakhuluma kubo, ethi, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, futhi nifundise izizwe zonke, Babhapathiza Ngegama Likababa, neyeNdodana, kanye loMoya oNgcwele: nibafundise ukugcina konke enginiyale ngakho: futhi, lo, nginani njalo, kuze kube sekupheleni kwezwe. Amen (Mathewu 28:18-20).
Okholwayo abhapathizwe uyakusindiswa; but he that believes not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; Ngegama Lami bayokhipha amademoni; bayakukhuluma ngezilimi ezintsha; bayakubamba izinyoka; uma bephuza okubulalayo, akuyikubalimaza; bayakubeka izandla phezu kwabagulayo, futhi bazolulama (Maka 16:16-18)
You can’t pray to God and expect Him to take over and do your part; your task. If that was the case, then what are we all doing here on earth? Because that would mean, that you don’t have to do anything anymore.
You can’t turn your task over to Him and expect Him to accomplish what you are supposed to do. It’s your job to fulfill the task that Jesus gave you. Jesus has done His part, now you should do your part. That means action!
As long as your life is in the service of Jesus Christ and you yield to Him and obey Him, trust Him, Mlandele, futhi uhlale kuye, then you shall be able to fulfill your task and fulfill God’s mission on earth.
‘Yiba usawoti womhlaba’
