The sentencing of a 51-year-old Mpumalanga pastor who fathered three children with his daughter and claimed God had told him to sleep with her has been postponed to July 29.

The Nelspruit regional court yesterday postponed the case again because the rapist's new lawyer is being briefed by his client.

The man, who was found guilty two years ago and may not be named to protect the victim's identity, fired his lawyer when he was found guilty on nine counts of rape.

It was the 30th time the court had postponed the sentencing since finding him guilty.

The daughter, 24, has three children aged nine, six and four.

They were all fathered by her father who raped her for nine years between 1998 and 2006.

The father said that he had not heard of the word incest before because "it was not anywhere in the Bible".

He said he had sex with his daughter so that she could see the Kingdom of God.

He also said that he had told his wife that God had asked him to sleep with their daughter so the family would be blessed.

The court heard that the man was very strict. He did not allow any member of his family out of their yard and he made them attend the church he ran from home.

He usually gave sermons about the end of the world.

The father told the court that there was nothing wrong in sleeping with his daughter because even Lot in the Bible was said to have slept with his daughter.

He quoted the Bible to justify his actions.

His shenanigans came to light when the daughter found a letter written by her father saying he was going to kill his family, then commit suicide.

She blew the whistle and has since been placed in an unnamed place of safety.