Mafatlha�s Chronology of the Bible artwork in high demand
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Friday September 5, 2014 12:47
Mafatlha’s passion for life fueled his desire to explore the loop holes in history, which could explain to people how everything in life existed. The young man from Mahalapye has an unquenchable passion for history and the arts. He decided to revisit the Bible hoping to get answers to the many questions in his mind. Although he claims he doesn’t align with any particular religion, Mafatlha dedicated most of his time to to studying the Bible in order to understand life better.
During an interview with Arts and Culture, Mafatlha said that he felt that his history class had not answered the many questions he had. He said the information he received was shallow while the exciting historical details beyond man’s imagination, was left out.
“I decided to read the Bible to seek answers. I read it chapter by chapter and realised that all the chapters related. When reading the Bible, there were pictures that were painted in my mind. Those pictures were influenced by the way I understood the Bible and I decided to share my understanding with other people,” Mafatlha said.
He added that it took him several years to understand the Bible as he went through all the scriptures. It was then that he decided to create the Chronology of the Bible painting, where he portrays details of the Bible in a simpler manner.
“I decided to incorporate two of my favourite subjects together as a way of spreading to the public in an appealing way. As we know, a picture is worth thousand words. Unlike in the bible, this painting tells every story written in the bible but in a simpler way,” he explained.
Mafatlha also said his painting explains the chronology of life easily and faster, considering that it often takes several hours to prose through material that reveals life events as stipulated in the Bible.
The painting, which shows a hand carrying the world a corners, is said to symbolise God’s hand when creating the earth.
‘The hand marks the beginning of life. Going down you see the flowerpot. It symbolizes life. It is when the man and woman (Adam and Eve) were created. The flowerpot soil represents the biblical view of life and death. We are made from soil so when we die our flesh returns to the soil,” he said.
Mafatlha exemplified that Adam and Eve’s children sinned and God became angry with them.
“He ordered the only man who obeyed him Noah to build an Ark so that he could punish the world by demolishing all the sins in water.
It was then that Noah, his family and some animals were saved. The rainbow drawn in the painting is a reminder to mankind that God could bring floods to the world as punishment,” he said.
Mafatlha’s painting also showcased a tower called Babylon that he said was built, but in those years, people wanted to reach the skies and supposedly catch a glimpse of how God created them. He said this brought confusion among people and this is where chaos erupted.
The paintings later stated the dates after Abraham, also the only man who as his time feared the only creator, God. That was estimated to be around the 1900 Before Christ (BC). He pointed out Abraham and his descendants were blessed, as God was happy with the way Abraham feared and honored him.
The painting also included Pharaoh and Moses’s lives. Ironically, there is a Rasta man whom Mafatlha pointed out to represent Judge Samson who the bible described as one of the powerful judges that existed at the time. He said that Samson was a strange man whose hair and beard was not cut.
“Together with other four judges, the existence of Solomon marked the beginning of politics. God was the only leader of the world but people due to curiosity decided to choose a leader whom they could see. This led to wars and chaos we see in the world today,” he explained.
He said at the time, even prophets tried to advice people to stick to the one ruler they had (God). Israel did not have a chief and so they decided to choose Saul as their leader and forgot all about God, whom they relied on. Saul, who later changed his name to Solomon, built churches as a place of worship. Mafatlha said this is when oppression started.
“Nebuchadnezzar, the destroyer of Babylon was one of the ruthless kings who hindered people to praise God. One day he had a dream that explains the beginning and end of life. He dreamt of a statue that its head was of gold, body made of silver and bronze when its legs where made with clay,” he said, pointing to the statue below the chart. He said that there was a stone that was going to hit the statue and break it.
The statue, he noted, represented different generations that would exist as the world evolved and moves towards the end of its existence. He pointed out at the feet made of clay, saying they marked that we were going towards the end of life.
“These beasts show the different evil spirits that are ruling earth. They are responsible for the wars and confusions that we see today. We are going toward the last days of life but no one knows when that will happen. The story I am narrating is similar to the ones that scientists tell. Even though they do not conduct their researches based on religion, they have surly give evidence to what the Bible tells us,” he explained.
Mafatlha said unlike during Noah’s era, the world would not be punished with water, but fire, which will consume everything.
The big eye in the chart marks the world’s history.