The old economy is as good as dead

OVER the past three days, we have been remembering the brutal, gruesome and dastardly murder of Jesus Christ more than 2 000 years ago, which culminated in his resurrection today.

Essentially, all this means close to 2,6 billion Christians around the world solemnly believe that the historical figure called Jesus, who was the long-prophesied Son of God, the Creator of heaven and earth, really lived amongst us, died and rose from the dead.

Last week, Bishop Lazi went to great lengths to explain how crucifixion — the preferred method of execution by the brutish Romans — was cruelly and sadistically designed to administer the maximum possible pain and distress on the condemned.

So, in essence, victims were not just condemned to die, but to also die a slow and excruciatingly painful death.

And this is how Jesus died.

Human sacrifice

But Jesus’ death was the ultimate sacrifice.

It represented a departure from the centuries-old tradition of sacrificing unblemished animals, grain and money in order to stay close to God.

Leviticus 22: 17-23 is revealing.

In the verses, the Lord said to Moses: “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘If any of you — whether an Israelite or a foreigner residing in Israel — presents a gift for a burnt offering to the Lord, either to fulfil a vow or as a freewill offering, you must present a male without defect from the cattle, sheep or goats in order that it may be accepted on your behalf. Do not bring anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf.

When anyone brings from the herd or flock a fellowship offering to the Lord to fulfil a special vow or as a freewill offering, it must be without defect or blemish to be acceptable. Do not offer to the Lord the blind, the injured or the maimed, or anything with warts or festering or running sores.

Do not place any of these on the altar as a food offering presented to the Lord’.”

And what sacrifice could be greater than the Son of God?

Priceless!

But there is even greater meaning in Jesus’ resurrection, which symbolises the triumph of life over death.

We, as Christians, believe it is this sacred act that guarantees us eternal life.

But we need to seriously reflect on this.

Well, what this simply means is that more than 2,6 billion people — about a third of the world’s population — around the world actually believe that God once lived on earth as one of us, was executed in the most gruesome way imaginable and rose from the dead on the third day.

Religion, as with most things, is sustained by faith.

You see, as human beings, we are mere creatures that will never even begin to understand God, our Creator.

We will only know what has been revealed to us through grace.

It, therefore, follows that we can only become as intelligent and as wise as God will allow, beyond which lies the mystery of His omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence.

Even non-Christians also acknowledge that Jesus, as a historical figure, is one of the most influential human beings to have ever lived.

Nothing shows this more than the fact that Easter is being celebrated in about 95 countries around the world, including Zimbabwe, where even non-believers are forced by the sheer weight of circumstances to take some downtime.

Fickle

Critically, notwithstanding the signs — the teachings, prophesies throughout the ages, countless miracles and resurrection — most Jews still did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God.

Thomas, one of Jesus’ disciples, had to see him with his own eyes in order for him to believe that indeed Jesus had risen from the dead.

But, as was and is ordained, all this did not stop the gospel from spreading throughout the world.

Christianity has now endured for the past 2024 years and will likely be with us until the end of time.

As Jesus says in Matthew 24 verse 35: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

But human beings are by their very nature fickle, incredulous and, worse, cynical.

You see, signs abound that Zimbabwe is on the rise.

Only a small stretch is now left for the Beitbridge-Masvingo-Harare highway to be finally complete.

Rehabilitation of the Harare-Chirundu highway has already begun.

Construction of Lake Gwayi-Shangani and Kunzvi Dam — critical water bodies that will solve water challenges currently plaguing Bulawayo and Harare, respectively — has now entered the home stretch.

As prophesied by Bishop Lazi a few years ago, a new steel plant, which symbolises Zimbabwe’s resurgence, is now ready to begin production after completion of the first phase of a project that is expected to be the biggest on the continent.

And a new capital is taking shape in Mount Hampden, with roadworks leading to the new city set to also transform the face of the old and rotting capital, Harare.

But Harare will not continue to rot away; not anymore.

Mark the Bishop’s words, before the end of the year — even well before that — something is going to give.

The comrades will not stand aside and look while the circus, which is no longer funny, continues at Town House. The circus is going to end, heralding the beginning of the regeneration and renewal of Harare.

However, the face of the city and, by extension, of the economy is changing.

One does not have to look far.

As is happening everywhere around the capital, just next to Varun Beverages, on Simon Mazorodze Road, a new giant steel structure is taking shape.

And when you continue driving along the same road, just after Zindoga Shopping Centre, the new road that is snaking its way from the highway is advancing towards the capital.

A little drive after that, work on the Mbudzi Traffic Interchange is nearing completion.

Similarly, on Amalinda Road, construction of a new bridge is well underway.

This is not all.

When you drive along High Glen Road, towards Mufakose, just after Mashwede, you will see the numerous new factory shells that have been constructed — all of them by the new class of young and enterprising black businesspeople.

Similarly, you will see the same phenomenon either side of Seke Road, where new factories are coming up.

But there is even a bigger, if not humongous, US$80 million factory shell that has risen in Aspindale, Harare, adjacent to the Grain Marketing Board depot.

The structure is simply huge.

But this is happening in every corner of Harare.

These are clearly the green shoots of a new economy that is on the rise.

The old economy is well and truly dead.

Far from the world of scepticism and cynicism that exists online, some of our people have really stepped up to the plate and are actively participating in the new economy.

And they are becoming fabulously rich.

Just look at the monster cars that now dominate our roads.

They are being bought by local black businesspeople.

It is the same phenomenon that is happening in India, where their locals now control the soul of the economy.

One day, Bishop Lazarus will tell you the story of Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, chairperson of the eponymously named Adani Group, whose seven airports handle 23 percent of India’s passenger traffic.

They also say its dozen ports receive and dispatch around 30 percent of India’s international freight.

Further, Adani’s cement business produces between 14 percent and 20 percent of India’s total, while its warehouses hold 30 percent of India’s grain.

And we must not forget that India is now the world’s most populous country, with 1,4 billion people, which makes Adani eye-wateringly rich.

Sliding Zimbabwe dollar

Sceptics and cynics will, however, only cling on to the negatives.

They are now celebrating the slide of the Zimbabwe dollar, however temporary it might be, pointing to it as a sign of failure.

The Bishop always tells anyone who cares to listen that inflation is impermanent, as it is transitory, while investment in infrastructure will last for generations.

We need to look at the bigger picture.

Most people forget that we are still living under sanctions, which makes it impossible for us to get balance of payment support, which can help to defend our currency.

We, therefore, have to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps.

We are moving mountains.

But, even if we perform miracles, sceptics will always be sceptics.

In Matthew 13: 13-15, Jesus says: “This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.’

For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.

Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.”

One thing, however, is for sure: President ED, as his ordained mission, will leave Zimbabwe better than he found it.

Bishop out!