Chapter 8
Abasindi Abavela Kuzo Zonke Iintlanga
1. Liliphi idinga elenziwa kuAbraham elibonisa ukuba ‘zonke izizwe’ zoluntu zinokuba zezikholisekileyo kuThixo?
UYEHOVA unomdla ngokunothando ebantwini bazo zonke iintlanga nezizwe. Wenze ilungiselelo ukuze zonke iintsapho zomhlaba zikwazi ukunandipha inkoliseko nentsikelelo yakhe. UYehova wathi, kuAbram (kuAbraham), inzala yonyana kaNowa onguShem: “Hamba, umke ezweni lakowenu, kwelokuzalwa kwakho, nasendlwini kaYihlo, uye ezweni endokubonisa lona; ndikwenze uhlanga olukhulu, ndikusikelele, ndilikhulise igama lakho, ube yintsikelelo; ndibasikelele abakusikelelayo, ndimtshabhise okuqalekisayo; zisikeleleke ngawe zonke izizwe zehlabathi.” (Genesis 12:1-3; IZenzo 7:2-4) “Zonke izizwe zehlabathi”—oko kuquka nathi namhlanje, kungakhathaliseki ukuba sizalelwe kuluphi na uhlanga okanye sithetha luphi na ulwimi.—INdumiso 65:2.
2. (a) NjengoAbraham, luluphi uphawu esilufunayo? (b) Njengokuba kuboniswe kumaHebhere 11:8-10, uAbraham wabubonisa njani ubungqina bokuba nolu phawu?
2 UYehova eli dinga walithetha kwindoda yokholo, kanye njengokuba simele sibe nokholo ukuba siza kufumana intsikelelo evela kuThixo ethenjisiweyo apha. (Yakobi 2:23; Hebhere 11:6) Ukholo luka-Abraham lwalungeyonkolelo nje efileyo kodwa lwaluphelekwa yimisebenzi. Lwambangela ukuba emke eMesopotami aye kwilizwe elikude awayengazange alibone ngaphambili. “Ngokholo waba ngumphambukeli emhlabeni wedinga,” engazihlanganisi kunye naziphi na izikumkani zezixeko apho. “Kuba wayewulindele umzi lo [uBukumkani bukaThixo] uneziseko, ungcibi, umbangi wawo, inguThixo.”—Hebhere 11:8-10.
3. Luluphi uvavanyo olukhulu lokholo uAbraham awaluthubelezayo ngokubhekisele kuIsake?
3 Xa uAbraham wafikelela kwiminyaka eli-100 ubudala yena umkakhe uSara enama-90 eminyaka, ngokungummangaliso uYehova wabasikelela ngonyana, onguIsake. Ngokunxibelelene nalo nyana, uAbraham wathubeleza uvavanyo olukhulu lokholo nokuthobela uThixo. UYehova wayalela uAbraham ukuba athabathe uIsake, ngoku owayengumfana, amse kwilizwe laseMoriya aze apho amnikele njengedini elitshisiweyo. Enokholo kumandla kaThixo okubuyisela unyana wakhe ebomini ngovuko, uAbraham wathobela. (Hebhere 11:17-19) UIsake, ethobela uyise, wayesele ebotshelelwe kwisibingelelo yaye uAbraham wayephethe isitshetshe awayeza kumbulala ngaso xa kwangenelela isithunywa sikaYehova. Olu vavanyo lwaluphunyezwe ngokupheleleyo ukungqina ukuba uAbraham wayengayi kugatya nantoni na ethethwa nguThixo. Ngoko ke uThixo wawuqinisekisa umnqophiso wakhe noAbraham, njengokuba iBhayibhile isithi:
4. Ngeso sihlandlo, liliphi idinga elibaluleke ngakumbi uThixo awalenza ngabantu bazo zonke iintlanga?
4 “Ndizifungile, utsho uYehova, ngenxa enokuba uyenzile le nto, akwanqaba nonyana wakho, emnye kuwe: ukuba ndiya kukusikelela ndikusikelele; ndiya kuyandisa ndiyandise imbewu yakho njengeenkwenkwezi zezulu, nanjengentlabathi eselunxwemeni lolwandle; imbewu yakho ilidle ilifa isango leentshaba zayo; zisikelelwe ngembewu yakho zonke iintlanga zehlabathi, ngenxa enokuba uliphulaphule ilizwi lam.”—Genesis 22:15-18.
5. (a) Yintoni eyafanekiselwa kwangaphambili kukulinga kuka-Abraham ukunikela ngoIsake? (b) Ngokuzalisekisa iGenesis 12:3, abantu ‘bamqalekisa’ njani uAbraham Omkhulu, ibe ngawuphi umphumo? (c) ‘Sinokumbonga’ njani?
5 Xa siqonda ukuba uAbraham Omkhulu unguYehova yaye uIsake wafanekisela kwangaphambili uYesu Kristu, sinokuqalisa ukuqonda indlela ezi ziganeko ezibaluleke ngayo kuthi ngokobuqu. Ngokwenene, into egqibayo ngekamva lethu yindlela esimjonga ngayo uYehova uThixo. Ithemba lobomi obungunaphakade sinokuba nalo kuba uThixo ngokwenene wanikela ngokuphela koNyana wakhe amzeleyo njengedini lezono zethu, njengokuba kwaboniswayo kukulinga kuka-Abraham ukunikela ngoIsake. (Yohane 3:16) Nabaphi na ‘abaqalekisa’ uYehova, bemdela okanye bezenza lula iinjongo zakhe zothando, bafumana isiqalekiso esiya kuthetha ukutshabalala kwabo ngonaphakade. (Thelekisa eyoku-1 kaSamuweli 3:12-14; 2:12.) Kodwa ukuba singabantu abanoxabiso, siya ‘kumbonga’ uAbraham Omkhulu. Njani? Ngokuvuma ngokukhululekileyo ukuba zonke izinto ezilungileyo zivela kuYehova, kuquka nesipho sobomi esilubabalo ngoNyana wakhe. Kwakhona, siya kuxelela abanye ngokulunga kukaYehova neempawu ezizukileyo zolawulo lwakhe. (Yakobi 1:17; INdumiso 145:7-13) Ngale ndlela sizenza sikwazi ukuzifumana ngonaphakade iintsikelelo ezivela kuye.
“IMBEWU” KA-ABRAHAM ETHENJISIWEYO
6. (a) Ngubani ‘oyimbewu’ eyintloko ka-Abraham? (b) Sinokuyifumana njani intsikelelo efumaneka ngaye?
6 Njengenxalenye yelungiselelo lakhe lokusikelela uluntu uYehova waba nenjongo yokuba norhulumente wasezulwini onobulungisa. UYesu Kristu wazalwa njengenzala ka-Abraham, njengeyona nzala yakhe ebalulekileyo, okanye “imbewu,” ibe uYehova nguye awamjizeka ngolawulo. (Galati 3:16; Mateyu 1:1) Ngoko, njengoko kwaboniswa sisifungo sikaThixo awasenza kuAbraham, abantu abavela kuzo zonke iintlanga zomhlaba baya kusikelelwa ngoYesu Kristu. Ngaba wenza okufunekayo ukuze uyifumane loo ntsikelelo? Ngokomzekelo, ngaba ikhondo lakho lobomi libonisa ukuba uyayibulela indlela elibaluleke ngayo kuwe idini lobomi bukaYesu? Ngaba ngokwenyaniso uyazithoba kwigunya lakhe njengoKumkani?—Yohane 3:36; IZenzo 4:12.
7. (a) Ngoobani abanye abaqukwe ‘kwimbewu ka-Abraham’? (b) Sazi njani ukuba asingabo bonke abamkhonza ngokuthembekileyo uThixo abaya kuya ezulwini?
7 Umpostile uYohane wanikwa umbono wesiprofeto ongezinto ezaziza kwenzeka ezulwini apho wabona abanye abanxulumene noYesu Kristu kwiNtaba yasezulwini eyiZiyon. Nabo, bayinxalenye ‘yembewu ka-Abraham.’ Njengokuba kuchaziwe kwiSityhilelo 14:1-5, ‘bathengwe ebantwini’ yaye bali-144 000. (Galati 3:26-29) Baquka oobani? IBhayibhile ikucacisa gca ukuba kwakungazange kwaba yinjongo kaThixo ukuthabatha bonke abantu abathanda ubulungisa baye ezulwini. (Mateyu 11:11; IZenzo 2:34; INdumiso 37:29) Ilungelo elizukileyo lokuba nesabelo noKristu eBukumkanini basezulwini lilinganiselwe ‘kumhlambi omncinane’ oya kuba ngookumkani nababingeleli kunye naye iminyaka eliwaka.—Luka 12:32; ISityhilelo 5:9, 10; 20:6.
8. Kwaqaliswa nini ukukhethwa ‘komhlambi omncinane,’ yaye olu khetho luqhubeka ithuba elide kangakanani?
8 Wakhethwa njani loo “mhlambi mncinane”? Isimemo esilubabalo sokuba nesabelo kuBukumkani basezulwini okokuqala sadluliselwa kumaSirayeli okwemvelo. Kodwa ngenxa yokuswela kwawo ukholo, awazange alizalise inani elili-144 000. Ngoko kwamenywa amaSamariya kwaza, kamva, kwamenywa abantu bazo zonke iintlanga. (IZenzo 1:8) Iindlalifa zokuqala ezidlelana noKristu zathanjiswa ngomoya oyingcwele ngePentekoste yama-33 C.E. Ukukhethwa kweli qela kuyaqhubeka de i-144 000 libe litywiniwe nguThixo njengelikholekileyo. Kuya kwandulwa ke kwalathiselwe ingqalelo ekuhlanganisweni kwabantu abaya kuphila emhlabeni njengabalawulwa abanoxabiso borhulumente wasezulwini.
9. (a) Ngawaphi amazwi aseBhayibhileni asebenza kolu didi lwasezulwini? (b) Ngoobani abafanekiselwa kwangaphambili ngamaSirayeli okwemvelo?
9 Abo baziindlalifa zoBukumkani basezulwini noKristu eZibhalweni bachazwa ‘njengabanyulwa,’ “abangcwele,” abantu ‘abathanjiswe nguThixo.’ (2 Timoti 2:10; 1 Korinte 6:1, 2; 2 Korinte 1:21) Ngokuyintlanganisela bakwachazwa ‘njengomtshakazi’ kaKristu. (ISityhilelo 21:2, 9; Efese 5:22-32) Xa bejongwa ngokwezinye iindlela, babizwa ngokuthi ‘ngabazalwana’ bakaKristu, ‘iindlalifa kunye noKristu’ nangokuthi ‘ngoonyana’ bakaThixo. (Hebhere 2:10, 11; Roma 8:15-17; Efese 1:5) Kungakhathaliseki ukuba bangabaluphi na uhlanga, ngokomoya, ‘bangamaSirayeli kaThixo.’ (Galati 6:16; Roma 2:28, 29; 9:6-8) Xa uYehova waphelisa umnqophiso wakhe woMthetho noSirayeli wokwenyama, wangenisa uSirayeli wokomoya kumnqophiso omtsha kunye naye. Kodwa ukuqhubana kwakhe noSirayeli wokwenyama ngoxa wayephantsi koMthetho kumisela umzekelo wezinto eziza kuza. (Hebhere 10:1) Ngoko, ngubani owafanekiselwa kwangaphambili luhlanga lukaSirayeli wokwenyama, olwanyulwa nguThixo ‘njengoluyinqobo’ kuye? Izibakala zalatha kuSirayeli wokomoya, lowo uThixo amnyulele ukulawula noKristu ezulwini. (Thelekisa iEksodus 19:5, 6 neyoku-1 kaPetros 1:3, 4 nesesi-2:9.) Bebonke kunye noKristu babumba ilungiselelo ekuya kuthi ngalo iintsikelelo zidluliselwe kubo bonke abanye abathobekileyo phakathi koluntu. Ukuxabisa oku kusisikhokelo sokuqonda iBhayibhile.
ABO BASIKELELWE ‘NGEMBEWU’
10. Ngoobani abafanekiselwa ngabanquli bakaYehova abangengomaSirayeli?
10 Ebudeni bexesha laxa uThixo wayeqhubana ngendlela ekhethekileyo nohlanga lukaSirayeli, wenza namalungiselelo othando kubantu ababengengabo abolo hlanga kodwa ababeneentliziyo ezazibashukumisela ukuba nesabelo kunqulo lokwenyaniso ngokunxulumana namaSirayeli. Bakhankanywe ngokuphawulekayo kwingxelo yeBhayibhile. Ngaba, nabo, bakho ababebafanekisela namhla? Ewe, ngokwenene bakho. Ngeendlela ezininzi bafanekisela abo bangengawo amaSirayeli okomoya kodwa abavuyela ithemba elingummangaliso lobomi obungunaphakade njengabalawulwa basemhlabeni boBukumkani bukaThixo. Aba ngabo uThixo awathetha ngabo kuAbraham, esithi abantu abaphuma kuzo “zonke iintlanga zehlabathi” babeya kuzisikelela ‘ngembewu’ yakhe.—Genesis 22:18; Duteronomi 32:43.
11. (a) Yintoni eyakhankanywayo ngeli qela ekunikelweni kwetempile kaSolomon? (b) “Oonyana bolunye uhlanga” ‘banamathele njani kuYehova’ kumhla wethu, njengokuba kwaxelwa kwangaphambili kuIsaya 56:6, 7?
11 Bekusoloko kuyinjongo kaThixo ngalo lonke uluntu ukuba lumanyaniswe kunqulo lokwenyaniso. Ngokufanelekileyo, ekunikelweni kwetempile eyakhiwa nguSolomon eYerusalem, ukumkani wathandazela ukuba uYehova ayiphulaphule imithandazo yabasemzini ababefuna ukunqula ngendlela eyamkelekileyo noSirayeli. (2 Kronike 6:32, 33) Yaye, kuIsaya 56:6, 7, uThixo wathembisa oku: “Oonyana bolunye uhlanga, abanamathele kuYehova, ukuze balungiselele kuye, balithande igama likaYehova, ukuba babe ngabakhonzi kuye, . . . ndobazisa entabeni yam engcwele, ndibavuyise endlwini yam yokuthandaza; . . . kuba indlu yam kuya kuthiwa yindlu yokuthandaza ezizweni zonke.” Besenza oku kuchazwe apha, “oonyana bolunye uhlanga” banamhla ngoku baqokelelwa bevela kuzo zonke iintlanga, bengengobabukeli nje, kodwa bengabantu ‘abanamathele kuYehova.’ Oku bakwenza ngokwahlulela ubomi babo kuye, bekufuzisela oku ngokuntywiliselwa emanzini baze ke bakhonze ngendlela ebonisa ukuthanda kwabo “igama likaYehova” nako konke okumelwa lilo.—Mateyu 28:19, 20.
12. UMthetho kaMoses ubonisa njani enoba abo bathemba ukuba ngabalawulwa basemhlabeni boBukumkani bukaThixo bamele bathobele imilinganiselo ephakamileyo esebenza kuSirayeli wokomoya?
12 Akufunwa kuthembeka kuncinane kubo kunendlela ekufunwa ngayo kwabo bangamaKristu athanjiswe ngomoya. Phantsi koMthetho kaMoses, uYehova wayefuna ukuba “umphambukeli” owayekunqulo lokwenyaniso athobele kwaumthetho owawubopha uSirayeli. (Numeri 15:15, 16) Ulwalamano phakathi kwabo lwalungazukuba kukunyamezelana nje kodwa lwaluza kusekelwa kuthando lokwenyaniso. (Levitikus 19:34) Ngokukwanjalo, abo bafanekiselwe kwangaphambili ‘ngabaphambukeli’ bafuna ukwenza ubomi babo buvisisane ngokupheleleyo nezinto ezifunwa nguYehova baze bamkhonze ngomanyano olunothando nabaseleyo boSirayeli wokomoya.—Isaya 61:5.
13. Ziziphi iinkcukacha ezikuIsaya 2:1-4 esimele sizithabathele entliziyweni ukuba sifuna ukusindela ‘kumhlaba omtsha’?
13 Ngomprofeti wakhe uIsaya, uYehova wachaza isihlwele sabantu esineentliziyo ezivumayo nesiphuma kuzo “zonke iintlanga” nesithi namhlanje sithontelane kwindlu kaYehova yonqulo yendalo iphela. Waxela oku kwangaphambili: “Kuya kuhamba izizwe ezininzi, zithi, Yizani, sinyuke siye entabeni kaYehova, endlwini kaThixo kaYakobi; asiyalele iindlela zakhe, sihambe ngomendo wakhe.” Ngenxa yoko, baye ‘bawakhanda amakrele abo aba ngamakhuba’ yaye, kwanaphakathi kweli hlabathi lahluleleneyo, ‘abasafundi kulwa.’ (Isaya 2:1-4) Ngaba uyazibona ukweso sihlwele sinemincili? Ngaba unawo umnqweno waso wokufunda ngezinto ezifunwa nguYehova, uzisebenzisa ezi kubomi bakho yaye ungakholosi ngezixhobo zemfazwe? UThixo uthembise ukuba isihlwele esikhulu esifuna eli khondo siya ‘kuphuma kwimbandezelo enkulu’ njengesiya kusindela ‘kumhlaba wakhe omtsha’ woxolo.—ISityhilelo 7:9, 10, 14; INdumiso 46:8, 9.