God compares Himself in Is.46 with an idol or a false god in terms of carrying weight – Him as the One who wants to carry us, while an idol needs to be carried, and causes the carrier to become weary. In the Afrikaans Bible He describes Himself as “…Ek het julle gemaak en Ek sal julle vashou, julle dra en julle red” (Jes.46:4).
Although the wheelbarrow is not mentioned in the Bible, the cart, which is in the Afrikaans Bible called ‘die wa’ is mentioned in the Bible. It had the purpose of carrying a load, and was pulled by animals. If the load was heavy, it caused the animal to get tired. The wheelbarrow has the same effect in that if it is heavily loaded, it causes the person pushing it, to get tired and weary. Then the load becomes a burden.
There are many different types of burdens mentioned in the Bible. Some examples are – sin, anxiety, oppression and sickness. While we are still in the time of the Covid 19 Pandemic, people are carrying various burdens. Marelize shares God’s word for this moment – to unload your heavy wheelbarrow and to keep unloading it before God, while the Holy Spirit is your Helper (Parakletos) in this, for “the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil” (Is.10:27).
Ps.51 1 Pet.2:24 Ps.81 Is.9:4 Is.10:27 Is.53:4 Ps.68:19 John 14:16-17 Matt.11:28