Our Hope

The first official translation of the Bible into Afrikaans was completed in 1933 by J.D. du Toit, E.E. van Rooyen, J.D. Kestell, H.C.M. Fourie, G.B.A. Gerdener, and B.B. Keet. This monumental work was launched in Bloemfontein on 27 August 1933.

In 2023, we celebrate the ninetieth anniversary of that translation—a milestone that speaks not only to the enduring power of God’s Word but also to the faith of a people who found hope in it through generations. To commemorate this special occasion, the Anglo-Boer War Museum in Bloemfontein invited me to create a painting that would capture the spirit of that hope.

In preparation, I read several books recounting true stories from the Anglo-Boer War, especially those from the concentration camps where so many women and children suffered deeply. Amid the sorrow and hardship, one truth shone through every story: their hope never died. Though surrounded by loss and misery, their faith in God’s Word became their anchor. It was hope—rooted in Scripture—that kept their spirits unbroken and their hearts steadfast.

Our Hope
(Ref 04/23)

Oil painting done on stretched canvas
sides are painted, ready to hang.
No need to frame

Size of canvas : 70cm


SOLD

Prints Available :
See prices in Square and Circle size range

Meaning of the painting

Candlestick
In Exodus 25, we read about the design of the golden candlestick, or menorah, as described in the 2020 Afrikaans translation. In this passage, God gives Moses detailed instructions for building the Tabernacle and all its furnishings. The menorah stood in the Holy Place, serving as the only source of light within that sacred space.

Scripture reminds us:

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” — Psalm 119:105

The menorah points prophetically to Jesus Christ, the Living Word and Light of the World.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”— John 8:12

Unlike the other furnishings in the Holy Place, which were made of wood overlaid with gold or bronze, the menorah was crafted entirely from pure gold. This symbolizes Christ’s divinity, the purity of God’s Word, and the glory of His presence.

“Your Word is thoroughly refined, and Your servant loves it.”— Psalm 119:140

The menorah had seven lamps, representing spiritual fullness and perfection, as well as the sevenfold Spirit of God (Revelation 4:5). Each side had three branches, each adorned with three almond blossoms, while the central shaft bore four blossoms—a total of twenty-two flowers. Interestingly, the Hebrew alphabet also has twenty-two letters, the very building blocks of God’s Word.

Each blossom consisted of a cup, bud, and flower—three ornaments per blossom. Twenty-two multiplied by three equals sixty-six, the exact number of books in the Bible. What a powerful reminder that nothing in God’s Word is accidental—every detail reveals His perfect design.

The number ninety, which we celebrate this year, carries the meaning of something that has been tested and proven—its faithfulness verified by the fruit it bears.

“For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined.”— Psalm 66:10
“Even in severe trials, their overflowing joy and deep poverty welled up in rich generosity.”— 2 Corinthians 8:2 (NLV)

Looking back over the hardships and trials the Afrikaner nation has endured since the Boer War, we can boldly testify: God has never forsaken us. Through every season of testing, He has remained sovereign and faithful.

The Almond Blossoms
“Then the Lord said to me, ‘What do you see, Jeremiah?’ I replied, ‘I see a branch of an almond tree.’ The Lord said to me, ‘You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it.’”— Jeremiah 1:11–12

Here, God explains to Jeremiah the meaning of the almond branch—it symbolizes His faithfulness to His Word. The almond tree is the first to awaken in spring, standing as a living emblem of God’s promises, ever watchful to bring them to fulfillment.

The Round Canvas and the Two Sparrows

The painting was created on a round canvas, symbolizing South Africa’s old half-cent and one-cent coins, which bore the image of two sparrows. The origin of this design traces back to a moving story from the Anglo-Boer War.
In the Bethulie concentration camp, a prisoner named Anette Marais cried out to God for a word of encouragement for her fellow captives. The Lord led her to Matthew 10:29: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.”
As she read those words aloud, a sparrow landed gently on her shoulder—a tangible sign of God’s presence and care. Hope was rekindled among the women, and the Sparrow of Bethulie became a lasting symbol of faith and divine comfort.
Years later, General Jan Smuts ensured that two sparrows were engraved on the nation’s smallest coin, the quarter penny, as a reminder of God’s care for even the least and the suffering. It stands as a national emblem of hope, remembrance, and divine faithfulness.

Epilogue
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”— Romans 15:13

Through every trial—past, present, and still to come—our hope remains anchored in God’s unchanging Word. He is the Light in our darkness, the Keeper of His promises, and the faithful God who never forgets His people.