Pictures of a man in flames, kneeling in agony on a street in Ramaphosa informal settlement, confronted the world on television and on the front pages of many newspapers this week.  The images of this poor Mozambican man's horrific death by burning at the hands of a rampaging mob of South Africans was too much to bear.  The years of hard work, of reconciliation, of goodwill and international acceptance went up in flames along with his flesh as the rage, heartlessness, and loathing of our fellow Africans was laid bare for the world to see.  His crime was that he was a foreign man who had a job in a country where many others can not find work.  This poor soul from Mozambique was beaten up and then had petrol poured all over him.  He was set on fire while still alive and the picture of him struggling to his knees in flames will haunt the world for decades to come. 

Why is this happening?  Why is South Africa officially the most xenophobic nation in the world ( according to a World Values Survey, South Africans held the harshest views on foreigners among all nations surveyed )? Yes, the influx of foreigners into South Africa has mushroomed in recent years especially influenced by the meltdown in Zimbabwe, our neighbor to the north.  And yes, jobs are scarce and wages sub-standard, but that still does not explain these happenings in a nation that should be intimately acquainted with the ravages of prejudice and violence. 

I can't help but believe that the answer is spiritual and rooted in a demonic assignment against the prophetic destiny of South Africa.  Even in the natural, this nation has deemed itself the "rainbow nation", a place where all races, peoples, tribes and colors can live as brothers in peace and harmony.  Those of us who God has moved here believe that what the Holy Spirit is doing in South Africa is pivotal to the continent.  This is nothing more than the rising again of that ancient spirit of racism and hatred that held this country in bondage for so many years.  Listen to these scriptures: 

" When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do
him wrong.  The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as
the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for
you were aliens in the land of Egypt. "  Lev. 19:33-34 

" Cursed is he who distorts the justice due an alien, orphan, and widow. "  Deut. 27:19

" How long shall the wicked exalt?....They crush thy people, O Lord,
and afflict thy heritage.  They slay the widow and the stranger, and
murder the orphans. "  Ps. 94:3-6

" For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat;  I was thirsty,
and you gave me drink;  I was a stranger, and you invited me in. "  Matt. 25:35

These are just a few of the many scriptures that express the heart of the Lord for the foreigner and the stranger in our midst.  Not only that but Is. 2:2 declares this promise... 

" Now it will come about that in the last days, the mountain of the
of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the
mountains, and will be raised above the hills; and all nations will
stream into it. "  Is. 2:2