Chapter 2

Iimbambano Ezigqiba Ngekamva Lethu

1. (a) Ziziphi iimbambano ezikhoyo ezilawula indlela abantu abaninzi abacinga ngayo, ibe bakhangele phi ukufumana izicombululo? (b) Yintoni abadla ngokusilela ukuyiqwalasela?

KWIMINYAKA yakutshanje iimbambano ezishushu ezibandakanya ikamva lethu ziye zathi zinzi phezu kwethu enye emva kwenye ngolandelelwano olukhawulezileyo. Iimeko zimaxongo kangangokuba abantu kuzo zonke iindawo bakufuna ngokwenene ukukhululeka. Mhlawumbi bayakholelwa kuThixo, kodwa kubo kusenokubonakala ukuba, ukuba imeko apha emhlabeni iza kuphucuka, ngabantu ekufuneka bekubangele oko. Bambi bazama ukukwenza oku ngoorhulumente abakhoyo okanye ngokuthi njengabantu abaninzi bachase izigqibo zaba rhulumente. Abanye bakholelwa kwelokuba imvukelo ikuphela kwendlela ekhoyo. Banoluvo lokuba ukuguqula imithetho, ukuthatyathelw’ indawo kwabalawuli ngabanye okanye kwanoorhulumente bephela ngokuqinisekileyo kuza kuziphucula ezi meko. Kodwa zibonisa ntoni izibakala? Emva kokuzama kangangamawakawaka eminyaka, abantu abavelisanga norhulumente omnye ozise okusesikweni okufanelekileyo, unqabiseko lokwenyaniso nolonwabo oluhlala luhleli kubo bonke abalawulwa bakhe. Uyintoni unobangela woku?

2. Kutheni le nto iimeko ezisehlabathini zimbi kangaka?

² Kungakhathaliseki ukuba zintle kangakanani na iinjongo zabantu abasegunyeni, bonke oorhulumente babantu balawulwa ngamagunya angaphaya kwamandla abantu abasesikhundleni. Ngawaphi loo magunya? Yimimoya engaphaya kwamandla omntu, uSathana uMtyholi needemon zakhe. Kuyinyaniso ukuba, abantu abaninzi bayakuhleka ukukholelwa kwiziqu eziyimimoya elolo hlobo. Kodwa uYesu Kristu akazange enjenjalo. Wayeyazi ngokobuqu imvelaphi kaSathana yaye wathetha ngaye ‘njengomphathi walo eli hlabathi.’ (Yohane 12:31) Ngokufuziselayo, iBhayibhile ichaza inkqubo yomhlaba yezobupolitika njengerhamncwa ize ibonise ukuba “inamba [uSathana] yalinika amandla ayo, netrone yayo, negunya elikhulu.” (ISityhilelo 13:1, 2; thelekisa uDaniyeli 7:2-8, 12, 23-26.) Yaye ngokubhekisele kumhla wethu iBhayibhile yaxela kwangaphambili ‘ngoyeha owandisiweyo kwabawumiyo umhlaba ngokokuba uhlile weza kuni uMtyholi.’ (ISityhilelo 12:12) Ayikho enye into enokumchaza ngokwanelisayo unobangela wesiphithiphithi ibutho labantu elikuso. Kodwa kwenzeka njani oku? Sinokwenza ntoni ukuze sikhululeke?

IMBAMBANO YOLONGAMO

3. Ibonisa ntoni iGenesis 2:16, 17 ngokubhekisele kulwalamano olufanelekileyo loluntu noThixo?

³ Izahluko zokuqala zeBhayibhile zisixelela ukuba xa uYehova uThixo wadala isibini sabantu sokuqala, uAdam noEva, waza wasibeka kumyezo wase-Eden wasiyalela ngolwalamano lwaso naye. WayenguYise kuso, uMlungiseleli waso onobubele, kwanoMongami Wendalo Iphela. Ukuze kulungelwe sona, kwakufuneka siqonde ukuba ukuqhubeka kwaso siphila kwakuxhomekeke ekuthobeleni uThixo.—Genesis 2:16, 17; thelekisa IZenzo 17:24, 25.

4. (a) USathana wayevela phi? (b) Nguwuphi umnqweno ophosakeleyo awawuvumelayo ukuba ukhule?

⁴ Ngelo xesha yonke indalo yayifezekile. Ngokungafaniyo nezilwanyana, izithunywa zezulu nabantu babe namandla okuzenzela izigqibo. Kodwa kungekudala emva kokudalwa komntu esinye sezithunywa zezulu, ngokuwasebenzisa kakubi amandla angummangaliso okuzenzela izigqibo zobuqu, savukela ulongamo lukaYehova. Ngaloo ndlela sazenza utshaba okanye umchasi, gama elo eliyintsingiselo yokoqobo yegama elithi Sathana. (Thelekisa uYakobi 1:14, 15; ISityhilelo 12:9.) Eshukunyiswe ngamabhongo, uSathana wafuna ukulinga isibini sokuqala esingabantu ukuba simke kuYehova uThixo nokuze silawulwe nguye. Kwesi sibini wabona ukuba umhlaba unokuzaliswa ngabantu abazukisa yena njengothixo wabo. (Thelekisa uIsaya 14:12-14; Luka 4:5-7.) Ingxelo yoko kwenzekayo e-Eden asiyontsomi. UYesu Kristu wabhekisela kuyo njengenyaniso eyaziwayo embalini.—Mateyu 19:4, 5.

5. (a) Ziziphi iimbambano ezaphakanyiswa e-Eden? (b) Ngoobani abachatshazelwayo zizo?

⁵ UYesu wathi ngoMtyholi: “Akemi enyanisweni, . . . ulixoki, noyise wawo.” (Yohane 8:44) Ubuxoki bokuqala bukaMtyholi nobubhaliweyo wabuthetha kuEva xa wathandabuza ukunyaniseka kukaThixo. Wambongoza ukuba awuchase umthetho kaThixo waza wema ngelithi kwakuya kuba yingenelo ngomntu ngamnye ukuba azimisele eyakhe imilinganiselo ebomini. (Genesis 3:1-5; thelekisa uYeremiya 10:23.) Ngaloo ndlela ulongamo lukaYehova lwacelw’ umngeni apho e-Eden. Njengokuba iziganeko zamva zabonisayo, ingqibelelo yazo zonke izidalwa ezikrelekrele kuThixo nayo yathandatyuzwa. Ngaba zazikhonza uThixo ngenxa yokuba zazimthanda ngokwenene, okanye zazinokulingelwa ekubeni zimshiye? (Yobhi 1:7-12; 2:3-5; Luka 22:31) Ezi mbambano zaziya kuchaphazela wonk’ ubani ezulwini nasemhlabeni. Liliphi inyathelo elathatyathwa nguMongami Wendalo Iphela?

6. Kutheni uYehova engazange abatshabalalise ngoko nangoko abavukeli?

⁶ Kunokuba abatshabalalise ngoko nangoko aba bavukeli, uYehova ngobulumko wavumela isihlandlo esithile sexesha ukuze ezi mbambano zizinziswe ngonaphakade. UThixo wakwenza oku, kungekuko ukungqina nayiphi na into kuye, kodwa ukuze avumele izidalwa ezinokuzenzela izigqibo zizibonele ngokwazo isiqhamo esibi esaveliswa kukuvukelwa kolongamo lwakhe, nokuze azinike ithuba lokubonisa apho zimi khona ngokobuqu kule micimbi ibalulekileyo. Zakuba zizinzisiwe ezi mbambano, kwakungasayi kuvunyelwa nabani na ukuba aphazamise uxolo.

7. (a) Baqala njani oorhulumente babantu? (b) Luhlobo olunjani lwembali abayenzileyo?

⁷ UYehova uThixo, ekubeni enguMdali woluntu, wayekwanguMlawuli wabo ofanelekileyo. (ISityhilelo 4:11) Noko ke, ekuhambeni kwexesha, uSathana needemon zakhe waqalisa ukuphembelela ebantwini umnqweno ingenguwo nje kuphela owokuzimisela eyabo imilinganiselo ngokubhekisele kokulungileyo nokubi kodwa kwanowokulawula abantu abangoowabo. UNimrodi waba ngumntu wokuqala ukuzimisa njengokumkani, elawula phezu kwezixeko ezaziseMesopotami. “Yena waba ligorha lezingela [lezilwanyana nelabantu] phambi kukaYehova.” (Genesis 10:8-12) Ukususela ngemihla kaNimrodi ukuza kuthi ga namhla, kuye kwazanywa zonke iintlobo ezinokucingwa zoorhulumente babantu. Kodwa yonke imbali, njengokuba nawuphi na umfundi wembali esazi, ibe yileyo yokonakala nokuphalazwa kwegazi.—INtshumayeli 8:9.

8. Kutheni uYesu engazange avume nje ukubandakanyeka kwinkqubo yehlabathi lobupolitika?

⁸ Xa uYesu Kristu wayesemhlabeni, uSathana wazama kwanaye ukuba amphembelele. Wanika uYesu “zonke izikumkani zelimiweyo” ngokuthi yena enze isenzo esinye sokumnqula. UYesu wakugatya oko. (Luka 4:1-13) Kamva abantu bafuna ukumenza ukumkani, kodwa uYesu akazange avume. (Yohane 6:15) Wayesazi ukuba yayinjani na inkqubo yehlabathi lobupolitika, ibe wayeqonda ukuba kwakungekokuthanda kukaThixo ukuba azame ukuyiphucula.

9. (a) Ukuze kuconjululwe iingxaki zoluntu, kumele kwenziwe ntoni nto leyo enokwenziwa kuphela buBukumkani bukaThixo? (b) Buyintoni obo Bukumkani?

⁹ UYesu wabonisa ukunyaniseka okupheleleyo kuYehova, kuThixo wakhe noYise. Wayezithanda iindlela zikaYise ibe wayesoloko esenza izinto ezimkholisayo. (Yohane 8:29) Wayesazi ukuba izicombululo zeengxaki zoluntu zaziya kuza ngoBukumkani bukaThixo, urhulumente wokwenene owayeza kulawula esezulwini nowayeza kunikela ulwalathiso lobulungisa nolunothando olufunwa luluntu. Obo Bukumkani bubodwa nje bunokuyisusa impembelelo kaSathana needemon zakhe. Bubodwa nje bunokumanyanisa abantu bazo zonke izizwe neentlanga babe yintsapho enye esemhlabeni ephila eluxolweni. Bubo kuphela obunokukhulula uluntu kubukhoboka besono nokufa. Bubo kuphela obunokuzisa ulonwabo oluhlala luhleli kuluntu. Obu Bukumkani abulolungiselelo lithile elimiselwe ngabapolitiki laza lasikelelwa ngabefundisi. AmaKristu okwenyaniso akasebenzisi zixhobo ezibonakalayo zemfazwe ukuhambisela phambili izinto ezilangazelelwa bubo. Buburhulumente bukaThixo siqu, obunoKumkani wasezulwini ofezekileyo nobekwe etroneni nguThixo ngokwakhe. Obu buBukumkani uYesu awashumayela ngabo nawafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba babuthandazele.—Daniyeli 2:44; ISityhilelo 20:1, 2; 21:3, 4.

LILIPHI ICALA OYA KULIKHETHA?

10. (a) Yiyiphi imbambano enkulu mntu ngamnye kuthi amele ajongane nayo? (b) Simele senze ntoni ngayo?

¹⁰ Imbambano omele ujongane nayo yile: Uyaqonda na ukuba uYehova uThixo, uMdali wendalo iphela, ukwanguMongami wayo ofanelekileyo, uMlawuli wayo Ophakamileyo? Ngaba uzinikile ixesha lokufunda ngenjongo yakhe nangezinto azifunayo njengokuba zandlalwe eBhayibhileni? Ngokuhlonela isigxina sakhe nangokuxabisa iindlela zakhe, ngaba uzingqina ungomthobela ngokunothando?—INdumiso 24:1, 10; Yohane 17:3; 1 Yohane 5:3.

11. Kutheni ukukhetha ikhondo elahlukileyo kungazisi ulonwabo nje?

¹¹ Ngaba abantu abakhetha elinye ikhondo bonwabe ngakumbi? Ube yintoni umphumo wempikiswano kaSathana yokuba abantu babeya kungenelwa ngokuzimisela owabo uzimele geqe kunokuphulaphula uThixo? Ukungavumi ukuba uThixo ungumnini womhlaba nokuba lonke uluntu, njengenzala yesibini santlandlolo, lwenzelwe ukuba lube ngabazalwana ubuncinane kuphumele ekubulaweni kwamadoda, abafazi nabantwana abangama-99 ezigidi ezimfazweni kule nkulungwane kuphela. Ukusilela ukusebenzisa imilinganiselo yeBhayibhile yokuziphatha kuvelise amakhaya aqhekekileyo, oobhubhani bezifo zeentlobano zesini, ukonakaliswa kwempilo ngenxa yokukhotyokiswa ziziyobisi, nolwaphulo-mthetho olunogonyamelo. Kwanabantu abasinda kwisiphelo esinogonyamelo bajongana nokufa ngenxa yesono esisizuz’ ilifa kuAdam. Bonke ubungqina bubonisa ukuba abantu bazenzakalisa ngokwabo besenzakalisa nabo babangqongileyo xa betyeshela iimfuneko zobulumko nezothando zoMdali. (Roma 5:12; thelekisa uIsaya 48:17, 18.) Ngokuqinisekileyo olo asilohlobo lobomi olufunayo. Unokukhetha into elunge ngakumbi kunoko.

12. (a) Sisiphi isimemo esifudumeleyo iBhayibhile esibhekisa kuthi? (b) Njengokuba ngokwamabakala sisebenzisa iLizwi likaThixo kubomi bethu, yintoni esiya kuyifumana?

¹² Ibongoza ngokufudumeleyo, iBhayibhile ikhupha esi simemo: “Yivani, nibone ukuba ulungile uYehova. Hayi, uyolo lomfo ozimela ngaye!” (INdumiso 34:8) Ukuze ukwenze oko, umele umazi uYehova uze ke usebenzise isiluleko sakhe. Njengokuba usenjenjalo, ubomi bakho buya kuba nentsingiselo. Kunokuxhakamfula amathuba amafutshane oyolo asenokukunceda okomzuzwana ukuze ulibale iingxaki kodwa adla ngokubangela intliziyo ebuhlungu kamva, uya kufunda indlela onokuhlangabezana ngayo ngokuphumelelayo neengxaki zobomi nokuba novuyo oluhlala luhleli. (IMizekeliso 3:5, 6; 4:10-13; 1:30-33) Kwakhona uya kuba nethemba lokufumana iintsikelelo ezimangalisayo eziya kuza ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. Ukuba olu luhlobo lobomi olulangazelelayo, kubalulekile ukuba ube nento oyenzayo ngoku. Ngoba?

ZONKE IINTLANGA ZIYA KWIARMAGEDON

13. Kutheni kubalulekile nje ukuma ngokuqinileyo ngakwicala likaYehova ngoku?

¹³ UYehova akayi kubanyamezela ngonaphakade abantu neentlangano ezithi ngabom okanye ngokungakhathali zilandele ulwalathiso lukaSathana. Abayi kuvunyelwa baqhubeke bewugatya umthetho kaThixo, bewusebenzisa kakubi umhlaba baze bonakalise ubomi babanye. Bajongene nomhla wokuziphendulela koko iBhayibhile ikubiza ngokuthi ‘yimini enkulu kaYehova.’—Zefaniya 1:2, 3, 14-18.

14. Ziqokelelelwa phi zonke iintlanga ngoku?

¹⁴ Ekutyhileni iziganeko ezaziza kwenzeka ebudeni bemihla yokugqibela yenkqubo ekhoyo yezinto, uYesu Kristu wabonisa ukuba “oomoya beedemon” babeya kuya “kubo ookumkani bomhlaba, nabelimiweyo liphela, ukubahlanganisela emfazweni yaloo mini inkulu kaThixo uSomandla.” Njengokuba eso sityhilelo sabonisayo, “babahlanganisela endaweni ekuthiwa ngesiHebhere yiArmagedon.” Ngoku lo msebenzi wokuhlanganisa uyaqhubeka!—ISityhilelo 16:14, 16.

15, 16. (a) Iyintoni iArmagedon? (b) Kutheni ifuneka nje?

¹⁵ IArmagedon iBhayibhile ethetha ngayo asiyonto enokuphetshwa ngokunqunyanyiswa kwezixhobo zenyukliya. Uthethathethwano olwenziwa zizizwe ngezizwe aluyi kuyithintela. Ngokucacileyo eli gama lithatyathwe kwisixeko samandulo saseMegido, kodwa kubandakanyeke okungakumbi lee kunendawo ekuMbindi-mpuma. Ziphenjelelwa ‘ngumlawuli weli hlabathi’ ongabonakaliyo, zonke iintlanga, phezu kwako nje ukwahlukahlukana kweengcamango zazo zobupolitika, zihlanganiselwa kwimeko yazwenibanzi ebonisa ukuchasa kwazo uYehova uThixo. “Ookumkani bomhlaba, nabelimiweyo liphela,” nabo bonke abalandeli babo, benziwa babonakalise isimo sabo sengqondo. Ngokukhawuleza ngaphambi kweArmagedon ukuchasa kwabo uBukumkani bukaThixo nabo bonke ababuvakalisayo kuya kuba namandla emhlabeni wonke. Enoba bayabuvuma ubukho bukaSathana okanye akunjalo, kunjengokuba iLizwi likaThixo lisithi, “ihlabathi liphela lilele kongendawo.” Lonke ihlabathi elingendawo nabo bonke abakholose ngalo, ewe, bonke abaxelisa iindlela zalo, bamele bemke.—1 Yohane 5:19; 2:15-17.

¹⁶ Lonke eli hlabathi lizaliswe kukonakala. Alizaliswanga nje zizaphuli-mthetho ezidume kakubi kodwa abemi nje babonakalisa ukungawukhathaleli ngendlela engenamvakalelo umthetho nokungamxhalabeli umntu nento yomntu onguwabo. Ngaphezu koko, abavumi ukuthobela okuthethwa nguThixo kwiLizwi lakhe, iBhayibhile. Abaluhloneli ulongamo lwakhe. Kuyimfuneko ukuba uThixo enze okuthile ukuze acoce igama lakhe kugculelo oluziswe kulo, kwakhona alungiselele indlela yokwenza umhlaba iParadisi apho abathand’ ubulungisa baya kukwazi ukunandipha uxolo nonqabiseko lokwenyaniso.

17. (a) Iya kuba nkulu kangakanani intshabalaliso? (b) Ngubani oya kwalathisa umphumo?

¹⁷ Xa intshabalaliso ifika, akuyi kubakho mathandabuzo okuba ivela kuYehova. Imbubhiso iya kukhucula kuwo wonke umhlaba. Iintlanga ziya kwazi ukuba uYehova unento ayenzayo njengokuba imikhosi yakhe yokutshabalalisa iya kube iqhubeka. Njengokuba amagunya karhulumente echithakala, bonke abantu baya kujikela abahlobo babo. Esemazulwini, uNyana kaThixo uya kwalathisa umphumo.—ISityhilelo 6:16, 17; 19:11-13; Zekariya 14:13.

18. Baya kuba ngoobani abasindi?

¹⁸ Ngokwahlukileyo kwimfazwe yenyukliya eliwa ngabantu, le ntshabalalo iya kuba yekhethayo. Kodwa baya kuba ngoobani abasindi? Ngaba baya kuba ngabo bonke abantu abathi bangabonqulo oluthile, okanye mhlawumbi iya kuba ngabo bonke abazibabaza bengamaKristu? UYesu uthi ‘abaninzi’ abanjalo ‘bangabasebenzi abachasene nomthetho.’ (Mateyu 7:21-23) Abaya kusindela ‘kumhlaba omtsha’ kuphela iya kuba ngabo baluhlakulele ngokwenene ulwalamano olusenyongweni noYehova noNyana wakhe ongukumkani, uKristu Yesu. Ngendlela yabo yobomi nangokunikela ubungqina ngoBukumkani, baya kuba bebonisile ukuba ngokwenyaniso ‘bayamazi uThixo’ nokuba ‘balulamela iindaba ezilungileyo zeNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu.’ Ngaba uzingqina ungumntu onjalo?—2 Tesalonika 1:8; Yohane 17:3; Zefaniya 2:2, 3.