Izinto Esimele Sisabe Kuzo
“Nzalandini yamarhamba, ngubani na onicebisileyo ukuba niyisabe ingqumbo ezayo?”—MAT. 3:7.
1. Yiyiphi eminye yemizekelo eseBhayibhileni yabantu abasabayo?
YINTONI ethi qatha kuwe xa usiva igama elithi ‘saba’? Kwabanye kusenokuthi qatha inzwana enguYosefu ibaleka umfazi kaPotifare oziphethe kakubi. (Gen. 39:7-12) Kanti abanye banokucinga ngamaKristu awabaleka eYerusalem ngowama-66 C.E., ethobela esi silumkiso sikaYesu: “Xa niyibona iYerusalem ingqongwe yimikhosi emise iintente, . . . mabandule abo bakwelakwaYuda basabele ezintabeni, nabo baphakathi kuyo mabemke.”—Luka 21:20, 21.
2, 3. (a) Yintoni kanye kanye intsingiselo yokugxeka kukaYohane uMbhaptizi iinkokeli zonqulo? (b) UYesu wangqinelana njani nesilumkiso sikaYohane?
2 Le mizekelo ikhankanywe ngasentla yeyabantu ababaleka ngokoqobo. Namhlanje, kungxamisekile ukuba amaKristu okwenyaniso ehlabathini lonke asabe ngendlela yokomfuziselo. Lolo hlobo lokusaba kanye awayebhekisela kulo uYohane uMbhaptizi. Phakathi kwabo babesiza kubona uYohane yayiziinkokeli zonqulo zamaYuda ezazingaboni mfuneko yakuguquka. Zazibajongela phantsi abantu abaqhelekileyo ababebhaptizwa befuzisela inguquko. Engoyiki, uYohane wathi xa wayebhenca uhanahaniso lwezo nkokeli: “Nzalandini yamarhamba, ngubani na onicebisileyo ukuba niyisabe ingqumbo ezayo? Ngoko ke velisani iziqhamo ezifanele inguquko.”—Mat. 3:7, 8.
3 UYohane wayengabhekiseli ekubalekeni ngokoqobo. Wayelumkisa ngomgwebo ozayo, imini yengqumbo; ibe wazilumkisa ezo nkokeli zonqulo ezichazela ukuba, ukuba zaziza kusaba ngaloo mini kwakuza kufuneka zivelise isiqhamo ezibonisa ukuba ziguqukile. Ngaphandle koloyiko, noYesu wazigxeka, echaza elubala ukuba isimo sengqondo sazo sibonisa ukuba uyise wazo nguMtyholi. (Yoh. 8:44) Engqina isilumkiso sikaYohane, uYesu wazibiza ngokuthi ‘ziyinzala yamarhamba’ waza wazibuza oku: “Niza kuwusaba njani umgwebo weGehena?” (Mat. 23:33) Wayebhekisela entwenini uYesu xa wathetha ‘ngeGehena’?
4. Wayebhekisela entwenini uYesu xa wayethetha ‘ngeGehena’?
4 IGehena yayiyintlambo engaphandle kweendonga zeYerusalem apho kwakutshiselwa khona inkunkuma nezilwanyana ezifileyo. UYesu wasebenzisa iGehena njengomfuziselo wokufa okungunaphakade. (Bona iphepha 27.) Umbuzo wakhe ngokuphathelele ukusaba iGehena wawubonisa ukuba ezo nkokeli zonqulo zizonke zazifanele zitshatyalaliswe ngonaphakade.—Mat. 5:22, 29.
5. Mandulo phayaa, kwenzeka njani oko uYohane noYesu babelumkise ngako?
5 Iinkokeli zamaYuda zathi kratya kwizono zazo ngokutshutshisa uYesu nabalandeli bakhe. Njengokuba uYohane noYesu babelumkisile, yada yafika imini yengqumbo kaThixo. Ngelo xesha, “ingqumbo ezayo” yayiza kufikela ummandla waseYerusalem nowakwaYuda kuphela, ngoko abantu babenokukwazi ukusaba ngokoqobo. Loo ngqumbo yafika xa iYerusalem netempile yayo zatshatyalaliswa yimikhosi yamaRoma ngowama-70 C.E. Loo “mbandezelo” yayinkulu kunayo nantoni na eyakha yehlela iYerusalem. Abaninzi babulawa ngoxa abanye bathinjwayo. Oku kwakufuzisela nje intshabalalo engaphezulu eza kufikela abo bathi bangamaKristu nabezinye iinkonzo zonqulo.—Mat. 24:21.
Ingqumbo Ezayo Esimele Sisabe Kuyo
6. Yintoni eyavela kwibandla lamaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala?
6 Amanye amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala awexuka aza alandelwa ngamanye. (IZe. 20:29, 30) Ngoxa babesaphila, abapostile bakaYesu baba ‘zizithintelo’ kolo wexuko, yaye emva kokufa kwabo, kwantshula amahlelo amaninzi amaKristu obuxoki. Nanamhlanje kusekho amakhulukhulu eenkonzo ezingqubanayo zeNgqobhoko. IBhayibhile yaprofeta ngokuvela kwabefundisi beNgqobhoko, xa bebonke ibachaza ‘njengomchasi-mthetho nonyana wentshabalalo lowo iNkosi uYesu iya kumbhangisa ize imtshitshise ngembonakaliso yobukho bayo.’—2 Tes. 2:3, 6-8.
7. Kutheni sinokuthi ibinzana elithi “umchasi-mthetho” liyabafanela abefundisi beNgqobhoko?
7 Abefundisi beNgqobhoko bachas’ umthetho kuba baye balahlekisa izigidi zabantu ngokufundisa, bakhuthaze iiholide nendlela yokuphila engqubanayo neBhayibhile. Kanye njengeenkokeli zonqulo ezagxekwa nguYesu, abanquli banamhlanje abayinxalenye ‘yonyana wentshabalalo’ baza kutshatyalaliswa baze bangaphinde bavuke. (2 Tes. 1:6-9) Kodwa, kuza kuthiwani ngabo baye balahlekiswa ngabefundisi beNgqobhoko nabezinye iinkonzo zobuxoki? Ukuze siphendule lo mbuzo, masihlolisise iziganeko ezenzeka emva kokutshatyalaliswa kwangaphambilana kweYerusalem, ngowama-607 B.C.E.
“Sabani Niphume Phakathi KweBhabhiloni”
8, 9. (a) Sisiphi isiprofeto esadluliselwa nguYeremiya kumaYuda awayethinjwe eBhabhiloni? (b) Emva kokoyiswa kweBhabhiloni ngamaMedi namaPersi, luluphi uhlobo awasaba ngalo amaYuda?
8 Umprofeti uYeremiya wachaza kusengaphambili ngokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem okwenzeka ngowama-607 B.C.E. Wathi abantu bakaThixo babeya kuthinjwa, kodwa baphinde babuyiselwe kwilizwe labo emva “kweminyaka engamashumi asixhenxe.” (Yer. 29:4, 10) KumaYuda awayethinjwe eBhabhiloni uYeremiya wadlulisela isigidimi esibalulekileyo sokuba ayengamele angcoliswe lunqulo lobuxoki lwaseBhabhiloni. Ngaloo ndlela ayeya kukulungela ukubuyela eYerusalem aze abuyisele khona unqulo olunyulu ngexesha elifanelekileyo. Oku kwenzeka ngokukhawuleza emva kokuba amaMedi namaPersi oyise iBhabhiloni ngowama-539 B.C.E. UKumkani uKoreshi II ongumPersi wayalela amaYuda ukuba agoduke ukuze aphinde ayakhe itempile kaYehova eYerusalem.—Ezra 1:1-4.
9 Amawakawaka amaYuda alixhakamfula eli thuba aza agoduka. (Ezra 2:64-67) Ngokwenjenjalo, azalisekisa umyalelo owathunyelwa ngomprofeti uYeremiya owawubhekisela ekusabeni ngenye ingqiqo, eyokusuka kummandla othile uye komnye. (Funda uYeremiya 51:6, 45, 50.) Iimeko azizange ziwavumele onke amaYuda ukuba athabathe olo hambo lude lubuyela eYerusalem nakwaYuda. Lawo asalayo eBhabhiloni, njengomprofeti osele ekhulile uDaniyeli, ayenokusikelelwa nguThixo, ukuba nje ayeza kuluxhasa ngeentliziyo ezipheleleyo unqulo olunyulu oluseYerusalem aze amele kude kunqulo lobuxoki lwaseBhabhiloni.
10. Ziziphi ‘izinto ezilizothe’ enetyala lazo “iBhabhiloni Enkulu”?
10 Namhlanje, amawaka ezigidi zabantu akwiinkonzo ezahlukahlukeneyo zonqulo lobuxoki ezimnombo wazo uyiBhabhiloni yamandulo. (Gen. 11:6-9) Xa zidibene, ezo nkonzo zibizwa ngokuba ‘yiBhabhiloni Enkulu, unina wamahenyukazi nowezinto ezilizothe zomhlaba.’ (ISityhi. 17:5) Akungoku unqulo lobuxoki luxhasa abalawuli bezopolitiko beli hlabathi. Phakathi ‘kwezinto ezilizothe’ olunetyala lazo, ziimfazwe ezininzi eziye zaphumela ekubeni ‘kubulawe ngogonyamelo emhlabeni’ amakhulukhulu ezigidi zabantu. (ISityhi. 18:24) Ezinye ‘izinto ezilizothe’ ziquka ukuxhatshazwa kwabantwana nezinye iindlela zokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini ezenziwe ngabefundisi zaza zabethwa ngoyaba ngamagunya eecawa. Ngaba iyamangalisa into yokuba kungekudala uYehova uThixo eza kulusiphula neengcambu unqulo lobuxoki kulo mhlaba?—ISityhi. 18:8.
11. Yiyiphi imbopheleleko aya kuhlala enayo amaKristu okwenyaniso de ibe isitshulwe neengcambu iBhabhiloni Enkulu?
11 AmaKristu okwenyaniso akwaziyo oku, anembopheleleko yokulumkisa amalungu eBhabhiloni Enkulu. Enye indlela akwenza ngayo oku kukusasaza iiBhayibhile neencwadi ezipapashwa ‘likhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi,’ athe uYesu walimisela ukuba lilungiselele ‘ukutya ngexesha elifanelekileyo.’ (Mat. 24:45) Xa kukho abantu abanomdla kwisigidimi seBhayibhile, baye bancedwe baqhutyelwe isifundo seBhayibhile. Sinethemba lokuba, baya kuyibona imfuneko ‘yokusaba baphume kwiBhabhiloni’ bengekashiywa lixesha.—ISityhi. 18:4.
Sabani Kunqulo-zithixo
12. UThixo ukujonga njani ukunqulwa kwezithixo nemifanekiso?
12 Enye into elizothe kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu kukunqulwa kwemifanekiso nezithixo. UThixo uthi ‘zizinto ezilizothe nezithixo ezinezothe.’ (Dut. 29:17) Bonke abafuna ukukholisa uThixo bamele baluphephe unqulo-zithixo, ngokuvisisana nala mazwi akhe: “NdinguYehova. Lilo elo igama lam; andiluniki omnye uzuko lwam, nendumiso yam andiyiniki imifanekiso eqingqiweyo.”—Isa. 42:8.
13. Ziziphi iindlela zokunqula izithixo ezifihlakeleyo esifanele sisabe kuzo?
13 ILizwi likaThixo likwabhenca nezona ndlela zifihlakeleyo zonqulo-zithixo. Ngokomzekelo, lithi ukubawa ‘kulunqulo-zithixo.’ (Kol. 3:5) Ukubawela kuthetha ukunqwenela into ongenalungelo lakuyifumana, nenomniniyo. (Eks. 20:17) Ingelosi eyaba nguSathana uMtyholi yakhulisa umnqweno wokufana noYena Uphakamileyo ize inqulwe. (Luka 4:5-7) Oku kwayibangela ukuba ivukele uYehova ize ilukuhlele uEva ekubaweleni into eyalelweyo nguThixo. Ngandlel’ ithile, noAdam wanqula izithixo ngokuvumela ukufuna kwakhe ngokuzingca ukuzithandisa emfazini wakhe kube yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kunokuthobela uBawo wasezulwini onothando. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, bonke abo bafuna ukubaleka imini yengqumbo kaThixo bamele bazinikele ngokupheleleyo kuye baze bakuphephe ukubawa.
“Sabani Kulo Uhenyuzo”
14-16. (a) Kutheni sinokuthi uYosefu wamisela umzekelo omhle wokuziphatha? (b) Sinokwenza ntoni xa sinenkanuko yesini engacocekanga? (c) Yintoni enokusinceda siphumelele ekusabeni kulo uhenyuzo?
14 Funda eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 6:18. Xa umfazi kaPotifare wazama ukuhenda uYosefu, wabaleka. Wawamisela umzekelo obalaseleyo amaKristu angatshatanga nalawo atshatileyo! Lizicacele elokuba isazela sikaYosefu saxonxwa yindlela uThixo alujonga ngayo uhenyuzo. Ukuba sifuna ukuthobela umyalelo ‘wokusaba kulo uhenyuzo,’ siya kuphepha nantoni na enokwenza sikhanuke ngokwesini abantu esingatshatanga nabo. Sixelelwa oku: “Bhubhisani . . . amalungu enu omzimba . . . uhenyuzo, ukungahlambuluki, inkanuko yesini, umnqweno owenzakalisayo, nokubawa, okulunqulo-zithixo. Iza ngenxa yezo zinto ingqumbo kaThixo.”—Kol. 3:5, 6.
15 Phawula ukuba ‘ingqumbo kaThixo iyeza.’ Abaninzi ehlabathini namhlanje bavumela ukuba bonganyelwe yiminqweno yesini engafanelekanga baze benze ngokuvisisana nayo. Ngoko, thina njengamaKristu kufuneka sithandaze kuThixo sicele asincede ngomoya oyingcwele ukuze singalawulwa yiminqweno yesini engacocekanga. Ukongezelela, ukufundisisa iBhayibhile, ukuya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, nokushumayela kubamelwane bethu kuya kusinceda ‘siqhubeke sihamba ngokomoya.’ Xa sisenjenjalo ‘asisayi kulawulwa yiminqweno yenyama konke konke.’—Gal. 5:16.
16 Ngokuqinisekileyo, ukuba sibukela amanyala, asinakuba ‘sihamba ngokomoya.’ Ngokufanayo, mKristu ngamnye kufuneka akulumkele ukufunda, ukubukela okanye ukuphulaphula nantoni na evuselela inkanuko yesini. Kwangaxeshanye, kuphosakele ‘ngabantu abangcwele’ bakaThixo ukuqhula okanye ukuxubusha ngezinto ezinjalo. (Efe. 5:3, 4) Ngaloo ndlela siya kubonisa uBawo wethu onothando ukuba ngokwenene sifuna ukuyibaleka ingqumbo yakhe ezayo size siphile kwihlabathi elitsha lobulungisa.
Kusabeni “Ukuthanda Imali”
17, 18. Kutheni simele sisabe ‘ekuthandeni imali’?
17 Kwileta yakhe yokuqala awayibhalela uTimoti, uPawulos wachaza imigaqo efanele ilawule amakhoboka angamaKristu, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba amanye awo ayefuna iingenelo zezinto eziphathekayo ngenxa yokuba eneenkosi ezingamaKristu. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba amanye asebenzisa izinto ezingcwele ngenxa yokuzingca. UPawulos wawalumkisa nxamnye ‘nokucinga ukuba uzinikelo lobuthixo yinto yokufumana inzuzo [yezinto eziphathekayo].’ Eyona nto yayibangel’ ingxaki isenokuba ‘yayikukuthanda imali,’ nto leyo enokuba yingozi nakubani na, esisityebi okanye elihlwempu.—1 Tim. 6:1, 2, 5, 9, 10.
18 Ngaba ikho imizekelo ekuthethwa ngayo eBhayibhileni oyikhumbulayo yabantu abonakalisa ulwalamano lwabo noThixo ngenxa ‘yokuthanda imali’ okanye izinto ezingabalulekanga ezinokuthengwa yiyo? (Yosh. 7:11, 21; 2 Kum. 5:20, 25-27) UPawulos wathi kuTimoti: “Wena, mntu kaThixo, saba kwezi zinto. Kodwa phuthuma ubulungisa, uzinikelo lobuthixo, ukholo, uthando, unyamezelo, umoya wobulali.” (1 Tim. 6:11) Ukuthobela elo cebiso kubalulekile kubo bonke abo bafuna ukusinda ngemini yengqumbo.
‘Zisabeni Iinkanuko Zobutsha’
19. Yintoni efunwa lulo lonke ulutsha?
19 Funda IMizekeliso 22:15. Ubudenge obusentliziyweni yomntwana bunokumlahlekisa. Ingqeqesho esekelwe eBhayibhileni inokukuthintela oku. Ulutsha oluninzi lwamaKristu olunabazali abangengawo amaNgqina kaYehova lukhangela luze luphile ngokuvisisana nemigaqo eseBhayibhileni. Olunye luncedwa ngamacebiso obulumko abo baqolileyo ngokomoya kumabandla alo. Enoba ngubani onikela isiluleko esisekelwe eBhayibhileni, ukusithobela kunokukhokelela kulonwabo ngoku nakwikamva.—Heb. 12:8-11.
20. Ulutsha lunokulufumana njani uncedo lokusaba kwiminqweno engafanelekanga?
20 Funda eyesi-2 kuTimoti 2:20-22. Abaselula abaninzi abangaqeqeshwanga baye boyiswa ziindlela zobudenge, ezifana nomoya wokhuphiswano, ukubawa, uhenyuzo, ukuthanda imali nokuthanda ulonwabo. Olu lutsha luye lwabandakanyeka ‘kwiinkanuko zobutsha’, esibongozwa yiBhayibhile ukuba sizisabe. Ukusaba kufuna ukuba umKristu oselula alumkele impembelelo engafanelekanga, enoba ivela phi na. Icebiso likaThixo elinokubanceda ngokukhethekileyo lelokusukela iimpawu zakhe “kunye nabo babiza eNkosini ngentliziyo ehlambulukileyo.”
21. Sisiphi isithembiso esimangalisayo esenziwa nguYesu Kristu kubalandeli bakhe abanjengezimvu?
21 Enoba siselula okanye sesikhulile, ukungabaphulaphuli abantu abasilahlekisayo kubonisa ukuba sifuna ukuba yinxalenye yabalandeli bakaYesu abafana nezimvu ‘nabasabayo kwilizwi labasemzini.’ (Yoh. 10:5) Noko ke, ukusaba imini yomsindo kaThixo kufuna senze okungakumbi kunokusaba nje izinto eziyingozi. Simele sisukele neempawu ezintle. Kwinqaku elilandelayo siza kuxubusha ezisixhenxe kwezi mpawu. Sinesizathu esihle sokukuxubusha ngakumbi oku, kuba uYesu wenza esi sithembiso simangalisayo: “[Izimvu zam] ndizinika ubomi obungunaphakade, yaye aziyi kuze zitshatyalaliswe, kungekho namnye uya kuzixhwila esandleni sam.”—Yoh. 10:28.
Unokuphendula Uthini?
• Wazilumkisa wathini uYesu iinkokeli zonqulo?
• Izigidi zabantu zikweyiphi ingozi namhlanje?
• Ziziphi iindlela ezifihlakeleyo zonqulo-zithixo esimele sisabe kuzo?
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 8, 9]
Kuthi qatha ntoni kuwe xa usiva igama elithi ‘saba’?