Khonza uJehova, iNkosi Yaphakade

1, 2. (a) Ingubani “iNkosi yaphakade,” njalo kungani ifanelwe yileli bizo lokuhlonipha? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.) (b) Kuyini okuphathelane lokubusa kukaJehova okwenza sisondele kuye?

INKOSI USOBHUZA II yaseSwaziland yabusa okweminyaka ephosa ibengu-61. Lokhu kuyamangalisa kakhulu nxa sikhangela ubude besikhathi sokubusa kwamakhosi akulezinsuku. Lanxa kumangalisa ukuthi iNkosi uSobhuza yabusa iminyaka eminengi kangaka, kulenye inkosi ebusa okwesikhathi esingeke silawulwe yibude bempilo yomuntu. Yikho iBhayibhili liyibiza ngokuthi ‘yiNkosi yaphakade.’ (1 Tim. 1:17) Umhubi wayiqamba ngebizo wathi: “UJehova ungumbusi kuze kube nini lanini.”​—Hubo. 10:16.

² UMbuso kaNkulunkulu awufanani leyabantu ngoba yena ubusa kuze kube nini lanini. Kodwa-ke, okwenza sisondele kuJehova yindlela abusa ngayo. Inkosi eyabusa ko-Israyeli endulo okweminyaka engu-40 yadumisa uNkulunkulu ngamazwi la: “UJehova ulesihawu njalo ulomusa, uyaphuza ukuthukuthela, kodwa uyanda ngothando. UJehova usemisile isihlalo sakhe sobukhosi ezulwini, njalo ubukhosi bakhe buphezu kwakho konke.” (Hubo. 103:8, 19) UJehova uyiNkosi yethu njalo uphinda abe nguBaba wethu osezulwini osithandayo. Lokhu kwenza kube lemibuzo emibili: UJehova unguBaba ngayiphi indlela? UJehova ubebutshengisa njani ubukhosi bakhe kusukela ekuhlamukeni kwase-Edeni? Izimpendulo zemibuzo le zizakwenza ukuthi sisondele kuJehova njalo simkhonze ngenhliziyo yonke.

INKOSI YAPHAKADE IDALA IZIDALWA ZASEZULWINI LEZASEMHLABENI

3. Ngubani owaqala ukuba lilunga lemuli kaJehova yezidalwa zonke, njalo yiziphi ezinye izidalwa ‘ezingamadodana’ kaNkulunkulu?

³ Kumele ukuthi uJehova wathokoza kakhulu mhla edala iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa. UNkulunkulu kazange aphathe izibulo lakhe njengesisebenzi esiphansi nje. Kodwa wayithanda iNdodana yakhe wasesithi imncedise emsebenzini othokozisayo wokudala ezinye izidalwa ezipheleleyo. (Kol. 1:15-17) Lezi kwakuyizingilosi eziyizigidi lezigidi. Izingilosi zikhonza uNkulunkulu zithokoza yikho zichazwa ngokuthi, ‘yizinceku zakhe ezenza intando yakhe.’ Kanti njalo uyaziqakathekisa ngokuzibiza ngokuthi ‘ngamadodana’ akhe. Ziyingxenye yemuli kaJehova yezidalwa zonke.​—Hubo. 103:20-22; Jobe. 38:7.

4. Kwenzakala njani ukuthi abantu babe yingxenye yemuli kaJehova yezidalwa zonke?

⁴ Eqeda ukudala amazulu lomhlaba uJehova waqhelisa imuli yakhe yezidalwa zonke. Eselungise umhlaba wabamuhle, ulezinto zonke ezisekela ukuphila waseqedisa umsebenzi wakhe wasemhlabeni ngokudala umuntu wokuqala u-Adamu ngomfanekiso wakhe. (Gen. 1:26-28) UJehova wayekhangelele ukuthi u-Adamu amlalele ngenxa yokuthi unguMdali. UBaba uJehova wayenika imilayezo yakhe yonke ngothando langomusa. Imilayezo le yayingabacindezeli.​—Bala uGenesisi 2:15-17.

5. UNkulunkulu wenzani ukuze agcwalise umhlaba ngabantwabakhe emhlabeni?

⁵ UJehova kenzi njengamakhosi amanengi asemhlabeni, kodwa utshengisa ukuthi uyawathemba amalunga emuli yakhe ngokukhululeka ukuwanika eminye imisebenzi. Ngokwesibonelo wanika u-Adamu amandla okubusa ezinye izidalwa eziphilayo, waze wamnika lomsebenzi othokozisayo kodwa onzima, wokunika izinyamazana amabizo. (Gen. 1:26; 2:19, 20) UNkulunkulu kazange ahle adale izigidi zabantu ukuthi zigcwalise umhlaba. Kodwa wakhetha ukudala umsizi ka-Adamu owayephelele, owesifazana okuthiwa ngu-Eva. (Gen. 2:21, 22) Wasebanika ithuba lokugcwalisa umhlaba ngabantwababo. Aluba izinto zonke zahamba kuhle, kancane kancane babezaqhelisa iPharadayisi lize ligcwale umhlaba wonke. Babezakhonza uJehova kuze kube nini lanini beyimuli yakhe yezidalwa zonke egoqela lezingilosi ezisezulwini. Leli kwakulithemba elimangalisayo sibili! Kanti njalo kwakutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uBaba wethu uyasithanda kakhulu.

AMADODANA ANGABAHLAMUKI ALA UKUBUSWA NGUNKULUNKULU

6. (a) Ukuhlamuka kwaqalisa njani emulini kaNkulunkulu? (b) Kukhanya njani ukuthi uJehova ulokhu elamandla okuqondisa izinto?

⁶ Kuyadanisa ukuthi u-Adamu lo-Eva bala ukubuswa nguJehova. Kodwa bakhetha ukulandela uSathane, isidalwa sikaNkulunkulu sasezulwini esahlamukayo. (Gen. 3:1-6) Ukuphila bengabuswa nguNkulunkulu kwabangela ukuthi bona kanye lenzalo yabo bezwe ubuhlungu, bahlupheke, njalo bafe. (Gen. 3:16-19; Rom. 5:12) Kwakungaselamuntu olalela uNkulunkulu emhlabeni. Lokhu kwakusitsho yini ukuthi uNkulunkulu kaselamandla okuqondisa izinto lokuthi usebukhalalile ubukhosi bakhe emhlabeni? Hatshi. Wasebenzisa amandla akhe ngokuxotsha owesilisa lowesifazana esivandeni sase-Edeni njalo wafaka amakherubhi ukuthi alinde ukuze bangaphenduki. (Gen. 3:23, 24) Lanxa kunjalo, uNkulunkulu watshengisa ukuthi unguBaba olothando ngokuqinisekisa ukuthi injongo yakhe yokuba lemuli yezidalwa zonke ezizinikeleyo emhlabeni lasezulwini yayizagcwaliseka. Wathembisa ukuthi kwakuzakuba ‘lenzalo’ eyayizatshabalalisa uSathane njalo isuse bonke ubuhlungu obubangelwa yisono sika-Adamu.​—Bala uGenesisi 3:15.

7, 8. (a) Umumo wezinto wawunjani ngesikhathi sikaNowa? (b) UJehova wenzani ukuze ahlambulule umhlaba njalo alondoloze imuli yakhe yasemhlabeni?

⁷ Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, u-Abela, u-Enoki labanye abantu bakhetha ukuthembeka kuJehova. Kodwa abanengi bala ukuthi uJehova abenguYise njalo abe yiNkosi yabo. Ngesikhathi sikaNowa, umhlaba ‘wawusugcwele ubudlwangudlwangu.’ (Gen. 6:11) Lokhu kwakusitsho yini ukuthi uJehova kaselamandla okuqondisa okwenzakala emhlabeni? Umlando utshengisani?

⁸ Asihlole indaba kaNowa. UJehova wamnika imilayezo ecacileyo mayelana lokuthi umkhumbi omkhulu kwakumele wakhiwe njani. UNowa lemuli yakhe babezangena kuwo ukuze basinde. UNkulunkulu watshengisa lokuthi uyayithanda kakhulu imuli yakhe yasemhlabeni lapho elaya uNowa ukuthi abe ‘ngumtshumayeli wokulunga.’ (2 Phet. 2:5) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi umlayezo kaNowa wawugoqela ukubatshela ukuthi baphenduke kanye lokubaxwayisa ngembubhiso eyayisizafika, kodwa kwakufanana lokuthi ukhuluma lomoya nje. Okwamatshumi eminyaka, uNowa lemuli yakhe babephila emhlabeni ogcwele ubudlwangudlwangu kanye lokuziphatha okwenyanyekayo. UJehova wavikela imiphefumulo leyo engu-8 njalo wayibusisa ngenxa yokuthi unguBaba okhathalelayo. Watshengisa ukuthi ulamandla ukwedlula abantu abahlamukayo kanye lezingilosi ezimbi ngokuletha uZamcolo emhlabeni wonke. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi wayelokhu elamandla okuqondisa izinto.​—Gen. 7:17-24.

UBUKHOSI BUKAJEHOVA NGEMVA KUKAZAMCOLO

9. Ngemva kukaZamcolo, uJehova wanika abantu ithuba lokwenzani?

⁹ UNowa lemuli yakhe bephuma nje emkhunjini, banyathela emhlabeni owawusuhlanjululiwe ubetha umoya omnandi. Kumele ukuthi bambonga kakhulu uJehova ngokubanakekela kwakhe kanye lokubavikela. Masinyane nje, uNowa wakha i-alithare wasenikela ngemihlatshelo yokukhonza uJehova. UNkulunkulu wabusisa uNowa lemuli yakhe wasebanika imilayezo yokuthi ‘bazale bande ngobunengi bagcwalise umhlaba.’ (Gen. 8:20–9:1) Abantu baphinda baba lethuba lokuthi bakhonze bemanyene njalo bagcwalise umhlaba.

10. (a) UZamcolo esedlulile, ukuhlamukela uJehova kwaqalisela ngaphi futhi njani? (b) UJehova wenzani ukuze abe leqiniso lokuthi intando yakhe iyenzeka?

¹⁰ Kodwa uZamcolo kazange asisuse isono ebantwini njalo kwakumele baqhubeke belwisana lamaqhinga kaSathane kanye lezingilosi ezahlamukayo. Akuzange kuthathe isikhathi eside ukuthi abantu baphinde bahlamukele ukubusa kukaJehova okuhle. Ngokwesibonelo omunye wezizukulwane zikaNowa, uNimrodi, wahlasela ubukhosi bukaJehova ngendlela enkulu. UNimrodi uchazwa ‘njengomzingeli omkhulu [“ophikisana loJehova.” NW ]’ Wakha amadolobho amakhulu agoqela leBhabheli, wasezibeka ukuthi abe yinkosi “eShinari.” (Gen. 10:8-12) INkosi yaphakade yayizamenzani umbusi lo ongumhlamuki owayezama ukuvimba injongo yayo ‘yokugcwalisa umhlaba’? UNkulunkulu wasanganisa ulimi lwabantu, ebangela ukuthi abasekeli bakaNimrodi bahlakazeke “emhlabeni wonke.” Sebehlakazeka, basuka lokukhonza kwabo kwamanga kanye lendlela yabo yokubusa.​—Gen. 11:1-9.

11. UJehova watshengisa njani ukuthi uthembekile kumngane wakhe, u-Abhrahama?

¹¹ Lanxa abanengi babekhonza onkulunkulu bamanga uZamcolo esedlulile, abanye abathembekileyo baqhubeka bekhonza uJehova. Omunye wabo kwakungu-Abhrahama, owavuma ukutshiya idolobho lakibo, i-Uri, elalilihle kakhulu wayahlala emathenteni okweminyaka eminengi. (Gen. 11:31; Heb. 11:8, 9) Ngesikhathi u-Abhrahama engelandawo ebiza yena, wayejayele ukuhlala ephahlwe ngamakhosi, amanengi awo ayehlala emadolobheni ahonqolozelwe yimiduli. Kodwa uJehova wayemvikela u-Abhrahama kanye lemuli yakhe. Ekhuluma ngokuthi uJehova nguBaba ovikelayo, umhubi wathi: “[UNkulunkulu] kavumelanga loba ngubani ukubacindezela; wawakhuza amakhosi ngenxa yabo.” (Hubo. 105:13, 14) UJehova wayethembekile kumngane wakhe u-Abhrahama, yikho wamthembisa ukuthi ‘amakhosi azaphuma kuye.’​—Gen. 17:6; Jak. 2:23.

12. UJehova watshengisa njani ubukhosi bakhe eGibhithe njalo lokhu kwabathinta njani abantu bakhe ayebakhethile?

¹² UNkulunkulu waphinda watshela indodana ka-Abhrahama u-Isaka, kanye lomzukulu ka-Abhrahama uJakhobe, ngesithembiso sakhe sokubabusisa, okwakuzagoqela ukuthi amakhosi aphume kusendo lwabo. (Gen. 26:3-5; 35:11) Kodwa, engakabi khona amakhosi la, izizukulwane zikaJakhobe zaba yizigqili eGibhithe. Lokhu kwakusitsho yini ukuthi uJehova wayengasoze agcwalise isithembiso sakhe kumbe ukuthi wayesebukhalalile ubukhosi bakhe emhlabeni? Hatshi. Ngesikhathi sakhe esifaneleyo, uJehova watshengisa amandla akhe amakhulu kanye lobukhosi bakhe, kuFaro owayeyisiqholo. Abako-Israyeli bakholwa kuJehova owabakhulula ngendlela emangalisayo bechapha uLwandle oLubomvu. Kusegcekeni ukuthi uJehova wayelokhu enguMbusi wezidalwa zonke njalo enguBaba okhathalelayo owayesebenzisa amandla akhe amakhulu ukuze avikele abantu bakhe.​—Bala u-Eksodusi 14:13, 14.

UJEHOVA UBA NGUMBUSI WAKO-ISRAYELI

13, 14. (a) Abako-Israyeli bahlabela besithini mayelana lobukhosi bukaJehova? (b) UNkulunkulu wamthembisani uDavida mayelana lobukhosi?

¹³ Abako-Israyeli bahlabela ingoma yokunqoba bedumisa uJehova besanda kukhululwa ngendlela eyisimangaliso eGibhithe. Ingoma le ebhalwe ku-Eksodusi isahluko-15 ilamazwi la kuvesi-18: “UJehova uzabusa kuze kube nini lanini.” Lakanye uJehova waba yiNkosi yesizwe leso esitsha. (Dute. 33:5) Kodwa abantu abazange basuthiseke ngoMbusi wabo owayengabonakali, uJehova. Sekwedlule iminyaka engu-400 besuke eGibhithe, bacela ukuthi uNkulunkulu abakhethele inkosi phakathi kwabo njengezizwe ezazingabahedeni ezaziseduze ezazilamakhosi azo. (1 Sam. 8:5) Lanxa kwakunjalo, uJehova wayelokhu eyiNkosi, njalo lokhu kwakhanya ngesikhathi kubusa uDavida, inkosi yako-Israyeli yesibili.

¹⁴ UDavida wahambisa ibhokisi lesivumelwano elingcwele eJerusalema. Ngelanga lelo elalilentokozo, amaLevi ahlabela ingoma yokudumisa ebhalwe ku-1 ImiLando 16:31 ethi: “Kabathi phakathi kwabezizwe, ‘uJehova uyabusa, [“useyiNkosi.” NW]’” Omunye angacabanga ukuthi, ‘Kanti uJehova waba njani yiNkosi ngesikhathi leso, yena kuthiwa yiNkosi yaphakade?’ UJehova uba yiNkosi nxa etshengisa ubukhosi bakhe loba ebeka omunye umuntu ukuthi ammele ngesikhathi esithile kumbe nxa efuna ukuxazulula udaba oluthile. Indlela le uJehova abusa ngayo iqakatheke kakhulu. UDavida engakafi, uJehova wamthembisa ukuthi ubukhosi bakhe babuzakuma kuze kube nini lanini. Wathi: “Ngizakwenza oyinzalo yakho athathe isikhundla sakho, ozaphuma emzimbeni wakho, ngizawuqinisa umbuso wakhe.” (2 Sam. 7:12, 13) Ekucineni isithembiso leso sagcwaliseka lapho ‘inzalo’ kaDavida ifika ngemva kweminyaka edlula engu-1 000. Yayingubani njalo yabunikwa nini ubukhosi?

UJEHOVA UBEKA INKOSI ENTSHA

15, 16. UJesu wabekwa nini ukuthi abe yiNkosi yesikhathi esizayo, njalo esesemhlabeni wenzani okwakuphathelane lokubusa kwakhe?

¹⁵ Ngomnyaka ka-29 C.E., uJohane uMbhaphathizi waqalisa ukutshumayela esithi: “Umbuso wezulu ususeduze.” (Mat. 3:2) UJehova wagcoba uJesu ngesikhathi ebhaphathizwa nguJohane ukuthi abe nguMesiya othenjisiweyo owayezakuba yiNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Watshengisa lokuthi uyayithanda iNdodana yakhe uJesu, lapho esithi: “Lo yiNdodana yami engiyithandayo; ngiyathokoza kakhulu ngayo.”​—Mat. 3:17.

¹⁶ UJesu wanika uYise inkazimulo kwaze kwaba sekucineni kwenkonzo yakhe. (Joh. 17:4) Lokhu wakwenza ngokutshumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (Luk. 4:43) Kanti njalo wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuthi bathandazele ukuthi uMbuso lo uze. (Mat. 6:10) UJesu kazange athikaze ukutshela ababemphikisa ukuthi: “Umbuso kaNkulunkulu uphakathi kwenu,” ngenxa yokuthi wayezakuba yiNkosi esikhathini esizayo. (Luk. 17:21) Ngobusuku bokucina engakabulawa, ‘wenza isivumelwano sombuso’ labalandeli bakhe. Ngokwenza lokhu, wayenika abanye abafundi bakhe abathembekileyo ithemba lokuba ngamakhosi kanye laye eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu.​—Luk. 22:28-30, NW.

17. Ekhulwini lokuqala, uJesu waqalisa ukubusa ngayiphi indlela, kodwa kuyini okwakumele akulindele?

¹⁷ UJesu wayezaqalisa nini ukubusa eyiNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu? Wayengasoze ahle aqalise khonapho nje. Ngemini eyalandelayo, uJesu wabulawa njalo abalandeli bakhe bachitheka basabalala. (Joh. 16:32) Kodwa njengasendulo, uJehova wayelokhu eqondisa izinto. Ngelanga lesithathu, wavusa iNdodana yakhe njalo ngePhentekhosti lika-33 C.E., uJesu wabeka umbuso owawuzabusa ibandla lamaKhristu agcotshiweyo. (Kol. 1:13) Lanxa kunjalo, uJesu kwakumele alinde aze aphiwe amandla okubusa umhlaba ngokugcweleyo njengoba ‘wayeyinzalo’ ethenjisiweyo. UJehova watshela iNdodana yakhe wathi: “Hlala ngasekunene kwami ngize ngenze izitha zakho zibe yisinyathelo sezinyawo zakho.”​—Hubo. 110:1.

KHONZA INKOSI YAPHAKADE

18, 19. Ufisa ukwenzani, njalo sizafundani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁸ Ubukhosi bukaJehova babuhlaselwa ezulwini lasemhlabeni okwezinkulungwane zeminyaka. Kodwa kazange ake abukhalale, waqhubeka eqondisa izinto. UJehova unguBaba olothando sibili yikho wavikela njalo wanakekela izinceku zakhe ezithembekileyo, uNowa, u-Abhrahama loDavida. Lokhu kuyasikhuthaza kakhulu ukuthi sizithobe eNkosini yethu njalo sisondele eduze kwayo.

¹⁸ Kodwa khathesi singabuza ukuthi: UJehova usebe yiNkosi njani lamuhla? Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyizinceku zoMbuso kaJehova ezithembekileyo njalo sibe ngamadodana apheleleyo emulini yakhe yezidalwa zonke? Kutshoni ukuthandazela ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uze? Imibuzo le izaphendulwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.