Chapter 17
Isimo Sengqondo Esahlukileyo Ngokuthobela
1. Kutheni uYehova wavumela amaBhabhiloni ukuba atshabalalise iYerusalem?
KWIMINYAKA emininzi ngaphambi kokuba iYerusalem itshatyalaliswe ngamaBhabhiloni, uYehova wawalumkisa amaYuda ngento eyayisiza nesizathu soko. Ayelandela utyekelo lweentliziyo zawo ezilukhuni kunokuthobela uThixo.—Yeremiya 25:8, 9; 7:24-28.
2. (a) Ngokufanelekileyo, ziziphi iingenelo ezixhomekeke ekuthobeleni uThixo? (b) Kwenzeka njani ukuba uSirayeli abe kulwalamano lomnqophiso noYehova?
2 UYehova akanyanzelisi namnye umntu ukuba amkhonze, kodwa, ngokufanelekileyo, ufuna ukuba athotyelwe ngabo bonke abafuna ukuba ngabakholekileyo kuye nabafuna iintsikelelo zobomi ezihambisana noko. Emva kokuhlangula uSirayeli eYiputa, uYehova wawaxelela oku: “Ukuba nithe naliphulaphula okunene izwi lam, nawugcina umnqophiso wam, noba yinqobo kum kwizizwe zonke, kuba ihlabathi lonke lelam; nibe bubukumkani bababingeleli kum, nohlanga olungcwele.” (Eksodus 19:5, 6) Emva kokuba uThixo echaze izinto awayezifuna kuwo nasemva kokuba bevile kufundwa “incwadi yomqophiso,” ngokuzithandela bayamkela imbopheleleko eyayihambisana nolwalamano olunjalo noThixo.—Eksodus 24:7.
3. (a) USirayeli emva koko wawubonisa ngaziphi iindlela umoya wokuvukela uYehova? (b) Kutheni le nto ezo ziganeko zibhaliwe nje eBhayibhileni?
3 Phofu ke, akuzange kube thuba lide ngaphambi kokuba kuqalise ukubonakala komoya wemvukelo. Oonyana bakaSirayeli abazange bakuvakalise ngokuphandle ukungabi nalukholo kwabo kuYehova; kodwa, ngokuvukela umthetho wakhe, abaninzi bazama ukuxuba uqheliselo lwamaYiputa nokunqula uYehova. (Eksodus 32:1-8) Kamva bambi bafumana iimpazamo kumadoda uYehova awayewasebenzisa njengabameli bakhe ababonakalayo. (Numeri 12:1-10; 16:1-3, 31-35) Njengohlanga, uSirayeli wabonakalisa ukuswela ukholo ngokwenza ngokwelizwi likaThixo, eshukunyiswa kukoyika umntu. (Numeri 13:2, 31-33; 14:1-4; Hebhere 3:17-19) Xa iimpazamo yayingezizo ezangabom, abantu abaguquke ngendlela ethobekileyo babenokuxolelwa. Kodwa kwisithuba esingangeenkulungwane ezisithoba olu hlanga lwayityeshela ngabom imfuneko yokuqala yobuthixo, kwaza kwalandela enye, yaye ngokufuthi kwalandela ezininzi. Izinto olwazenzayo nomphumo woko zibhalwe eBhayibhileni njengemizekelo elumkisa thina.—2 Kronike 36:15-17; 1 Korinte 10:6-11.
4. (a) Ayengoobani amaRekabhi? (b) Ziziphi iimfanelo uYehonadabhi awayezibeke phezu kwawo?
4 Ngemihla kaYeremiya, emva kokuba kunikelwe izilumkiso eziphindaphindiweyo ngokubhekisele kwimiphumo ebuhlungu yekhondo lawo, uYehova wenzela amaYuda umzekelo—amaRekabhi. Aba bantu babengengomaSirayeli, babeyinzala kaYehonadabhi owayebonise ukuba wayevisisana ngokupheleleyo nokubonakalisa kukaYehu ikhwele ngenxa kaYehova. Lo Yehonadabhi (okanye, uYonadabhi) njengentloko engusolusapho yesizwe samaRekabhi wayewayalele ukuba angayiseli iwayini ngonaphakade, nokuba angahlali ezindlwini okanye azixakekise ngezinto zolimo kodwa ahlale ezintenteni njengoonothwal’ impahlana. Ngaloo ndlela ayeza kuphila ubomi obuzolileyo nobungenazinto zininzi, ezinxwemile ekuzificeni ngokugqith’ emgceni nakububi bobomi basesixekweni, ngoxa enqula uYehova namaSirayeli, awayehlala phakathi kwawo.
5. AmaRekabhi ayengumzekelo njani ngokuthobela?
5 Ekubeni amaYuda ayengakuvumi ukuphulaphula uYehova, uMongami Wendalo Iphela, ngaba kwakunokulindelwa ukuba amaRekabhi ayenokumthobela ukhokho wawo ongumntu? Amthobela, yaye esenjenjalo ngendlela engumzekelo. Nangona amaRekabhi afuna inkuselo eYerusalem xa imikhosi yamaBhabhiloni neyama-Aram yahlasela elakwaYuda, aqhubeka ehlala ezintenteni. Kodwa sasiqine kangakanani isigqibo sawo sokungachukumisi wayini, nakubeni abantu awayehlala phakathi kwabo babevunyelwe ukuba bayisele? UYehova wathuma uYeremiya ukuba athabathe amaRekabhi awangenise kwigumbi lokudlela letempile, abeke iindebe zewayini aze awacele ukuba asele. Awazange avume. Ngoba? Ngokucacileyo ayekuxabisile ukuzinikela kokhokho wawo kuYehova, ayekuqonda ukuyixhalabela kwakhe ngothando impilontle yawo, yaye ke awuthobela umthetho wakhe. UYehova wayekholiswa ngulo mzekelo mhle wentobelo owabhenca ukungabi nantobelo kuYehova okwaboniswa ngamaYuda.—Yeremiya 35:1-11.
6. (a) Ngoobani namhlanje abafana namaRekabhi? (b) Ngoobani abangqineke bengamaSirayeli okomfuziselo angathobeliyo?
6 Namhlanje kukho abantu abafana namaRekabhi. Aba ‘zezinye izimvu’ zeNkosi. Ukusela kwazo iwayini asinto iyimbambano namhlanje. (Thelekisa eyoku-1 kuTimoti 5:23.) Lo ngumcimbi wobuqu lo gama nje zingaseli kakhulu okanye mhlawumbi zingengomanxila. (IMizekeliso 23:20; 1 Korinte 6:9, 10) Kodwa into ebalulekileyo yintobelo yokuhlonel’ uThixo. Ngokuchaseneyo neNgqobhoko, efuzisela uSirayeli owexukileyo, udidi lwanamhla lwamaRekabhi ngezenzo zalo lubonisa ukuba luyakwazi ukuxabiseka kwentobelo yokuhlonel’ uThixo. Kuya kuba yingenelo njani oku kulo?
7. (a) Liliphi idinga elikhuthazayo uYehova awalenzayo kumaRekabhi? (b) Liliphi ithemba oko okuliqulathele udidi lwamaRekabhi anamhla?
7 Ngenxa yokuzinikela kwawo, uYehova wawanika amaRekabhi idinga elinentsingiselo enamandla yesiprofeto kumhla wethu, dinga elo elithi: “Ngenxa enokuba niwuphulaphule umthetho kaYonadabhi uyihlo, nayigcina yonke imithetho yakhe, nenza ngako konke awaniwisela umthetho ngako; ngako oko utsho uYehova wemikhosi, uThixo kaSirayeli, ukuthi, UYonadabhi, unyana kaRekabhi, akayi kunqunyukelwa ndoda yakuma phambi kwam yonke imihla.” (Yeremiya 35:18, 19) Ayephakathi kwabantu abasindayo kwintshabalalo yeYerusalem ngowama-607 B.C.E. Ibe udidi olwafanekiselwa ngawo kwangaphambili luya kusinda kwintshabalalo ezayo yeNgqobhoko neyehlabathi lonke elithi ngokufuna ukuzimela lizihambele ngeliyibonayo, ngokungavumi ukulwamkela ulongamo lukaYehova.
ISIZATHU SOKUBA INTOBELO ISENOKUNGABI LULA
8. Kutheni abantu abaninzi ukuthobela bekufumanisa kunzima nje?
8 Abantu abaninzi bakufumanisa kunzima ukufunda ukuthobela. Bakhulele kwihlabathi apho wonk’ ubani ‘esenza unothanda.’ Basenokukuthanda oko bakufundayo ngobomi phantsi koBukumkani bukaThixo. Kodwa ukuba ikratshi lisitha indlela abacinga ngayo, basenokungazivumi ezinye izinto ezifunwa nguThixo okanye bahlab’ amadlala nendlela ezi zinto eziziswa ngayo kuthi. (IMizekeliso 8:13; 16:18) UNahaman, intloko yomkhosi wama-Aram ngemihla yomprofeti uElisha, wayenaloo ngxaki.
9. (a) Kwenzeka njani ukuze uNahaman ahambe esiya kubona uElisha? (b) Yintoni awayeyilindele, kodwa yintoni eyathi yenzeka ngokwenene?
9 UNahaman wabethwa ngeqhenqa. Kodwa uNahaman waya kwaSirayeli ngenxa yokuba intwazana engumSirayeli neyayingumthinjwa yathi ngokungafihlisiyo yavakalisa ukholo lwayo lokuba uNahaman wayeya kuphiliswa ukuba wayenokuthi nje aye kumprofeti kaYehova uElisha. Enamahashe neenqwelo zokulwa wahamba waya endlwini kaElisha. UNahaman ke wayengumntu odumileyo yaye wayelindele ukuba uElisha eze amhlangabeze aze ke enze isithethe esithile, ethandaza kuYehova yaye ehambisa isandla sakhe kwinyama enesifo de iphile. Kunoko, uElisha wasuka nje wathumela umthunywa ukuba amxelele aye kuMlambo iYordan aze apho angene emanzini izihlandlo ezisixhenxe.—2 Kumkani 5:1-12.
10. (a) Wasabela njani uNahaman? (b) Yintoni eyamshukumisayo ekugqibeleni ukuba athobele? (c) Waba yintoni umphumo?
10 UNahaman wacaphuka ngenxa yokuba nekratshi. Wahamba enomsindo. Kodwa emva kokuba abalindi bakhe beqiqile naye, wazithoba ngokholo. “Wehla ke, wantywila izihlandlo ezisixhenxe eYordan, ngokwelizwi lomfo wakwaThixo; yabuya ke inyama yakhe, yanjengenyama yomntwana, wahlambuluka.” UNahaman weyiseka ukuba uYehova ungokuphela koThixo oyinyaniso, ibe waqonda ukuba, phezu kwayo nje indlela awasabela ngayo ekuqaleni, ulwalathiso olwanikelwa nguElisha ngokwenene lwaluvela kuThixo.—2 Kumkani 5:13-15.
11. (a) “Ezinye izimvu” zafanekiselwa nguNahaman ngaziphi iindlela? (b) Ziziphi izifundo ezibalulekileyo thina sonke esimele sizifunde?
11 Ngaba mhlawumbi kukho iimpawu ezithile ozibonayo ezifana nezikaNahaman kuwe? Njengokuba kunjalo ngabanye abantu abangengomaSirayeli ababenokholo, uNahaman eZibhalweni usetyenziswa ukufanekisela “ezinye izimvu” eziye zathelela kunqulo lokwenyaniso. Zonke ezi, ekubeni zizalelwe esonweni, zazikhe zanesifo sokomoya. Zonke kuye kwafuneka zifune uncedo lodidi lwabakhonzi bakaYehova abathanjisiweyo zize ke zikwenze ngokuthobela oko lo “mkhonzi” abafundise kona kwiLizwi likaThixo. (Mateyu 24:45) Bambi ngaxa lithile abazange basixabise sonke isiluleko seZibhalo ababesinikwa—njengemfuneko yokuya kwiintlanganiso zebandla ngokuthe rhoqo, ukubaluleka kokuzahlula ehlabathini okanye ukubaluleka kokubhaptizwa emanzini okuyindlela yobuKristu. Basenokuba barhoxobisa ekuzahluleleni nasekubhaptizweni emanzini ngenxa yokuba iintliziyo zabo zayixhathisa imfuneko ‘yokuzincama’ ukuze babe ngabalandeli bakaKristu. Kwezinye iimeko babeyigxeka indlela isiluleko esasinikelwa ngayo kubo ngabantu abanembopheleleko ebandleni. Kodwa ekuhambeni kwexesha bonke ababeza kuthi ngokwenyaniso babe ‘ngabezinye izimvu’ zeNkosi kwakufuneka bafunde ukubaluleka kokululama nentobelo yothando.—Yakobi 4:6; Mateyu 16:24.
IMIYALELO EYINGENELO KUTHI
12, 13. (a) Kutheni ukuthobela imiyalelo kaYehova kuyingenelo nje kuthi? (b) Oku kunokuzekeliswa njani?
12 Njengokuba siya simazi uYehova neendlela zakhe, siya siyiqonda indlela ayinyaniso ngayo amazwi awawathetha kubakhonzi bakhe kumaxesha adlulayo: “Mna Yehova, Thixo wakho, ndingokufundisa okungakuncedayo, ndikunyathelise ngendlela oya kuhamba ngayo. Akwaba imithetho yam ubuyibazele indlebe!” (Isaya 48:17, 18) Umnqweno kaYehova onyanisekileyo ngowokuba abantu bakhe bayiphephe intlekele baze banandiphe ubomi ngokunikela ingqalelo kwimiyalelo yakhe. Uyayazi indlela esenziwe ngayo nento eya kusizisela ulonwabo lokwenyaniso. Uyasilumkisa nxamnye nehambo enokusonakalisa okanye enokuphelisa ulwalamano lwethu nabanye.
13 Abo baye basithobela isilumkiso sakhe esichasene nohenyuzo nokrexezo baye basindiswa kuxinezeleko olungokweemvakalelo, kwizifo nasekufumaneni abantwana ngokungekho mthethweni okuveliswa zezi zinto. (1 Korinte 6:18; Hebhere 13:4) Ngokusebenzisa isiluleko esinjengeso sikweyesi-2 yabaseKorinte 7:1, baye abakhotyokiswa licuba nazezinye iziyobisi, ezonakalisa impilo kabani nezinokuphumela ekufeni kwangaphambi kwexesha. Umyalelo wakhe ‘wokuzinxwema egazini’ uncede abakhonzi bakhe ukuba bomeleze ukukholosa kwabo ngaye njengaLowo onke amathemba abo obomi bexesha elizayo axhomekeke kuye, yaye kwangaxeshanye uye wabalondoloza kwizifo ezoyikekayo ezinokusasazwa ngokutofelwa igazi.—IZenzo 15:28, 29.
14. Singenelwa njani ngokufuna kuqala uBukumkani kunokuzixakekisa ngokungeyomfuneko ngehlabathi?
14 Lo gama nje sisesehlabathini, ngomlinganiselo othile siyahlangana nalo. Kodwa uYehova uyasilumkisa ukuba amathemba ethu singawabeki kulo, singabi yinxalenye yalo. Uyazi ukuba linjani na ikamva lehlabathi. Hayi indlela ebekuya kuba bubuyatha ngayo ukuba ubani achithe ubomi bakhe esakha oko uThixo aza kukudilizela phantsi! Okubi ngakumbi kukuba, abo benjenjalo baya kufumanisa ukuba baya kutshatyalaliswa nehlabathi abebenikele kulo ubomi babo. Ngoko ke, hayi indlela esiyingenelo ngayo isiluleko esanikelwa nguNyana kaThixo esithi: Funa uBukumkani bukaThixo! Bubeke kuqala kubomi bakho!—1 Yohane 2:17; Mateyu 6:33.
15. (a) Ukuze sibe phakathi kwabo baya kuphinda bazuze oko kwalahlwa nguAdam, yintoni esimele sifunde ukuyenza? (b) UYehova uya kuthetha njani nathi ebudeni beWaka Leminyaka?
15 Ekwazi ngokupheleleyo esikufunayo, uYehova ulungiselela abantu bakhe ubomi kwinkqubo yakhe entsha yezinto neyobulungisa. Ukungathobeli kuka-Adam kwakhokelela kukungafezeki kwabantu, ekuphulukaneni kwabo nobomi obungunaphakade nokugxothwa kwabo eParadisi. Ngokuqinisekileyo ukuba siza kuba phakathi kwabo basikelelwe ngoko kwalahlwa nguAdam, simele sinikele ubungqina bokuba sinikela ingqalelo xa uThixo ethetha. Ibe uya kuthetha njani nathi ebudeni beMinyaka eliWaka ezayo, ngoxa uluntu lusenziwa lufezeke? Uya kuthetha ngoBukumkani obulawulwa nguMesiya. Ngaba loo rhulumente naye uya kuba nabameli ababonakalayo basemhlabeni? Ewe, uya kuba nabo. UKumkani uya kusebenzisa “abathetheli ehlabathini lonke.” (INdumiso 45:16; thelekisa uIsaya 32:1, 2.) Ngokubathobela ngothando aba bathetheli, uluntu luya kubonakalisa intobelo kuKumkani walo wasezulwini.
16. Kutheni ukuthobela abadala kuyinkuselo nje ngoku, yaye oku kubulungiselela kakuhle njani ubomi kuLungelelwaniso Olutsha lukaThixo?
16 Elungiselela elo xesha, uYehova ngoku unikela uqeqesho ngentlangano yakhe ebonakalayo nephantsi kolawulo lobuthixo. Emabandleni unamadoda amakhulu ngokomoya, okanye abadala. Azongamela ngokuyimfuneko iintlanganiso zebandla aze akhokele ekushunyayelweni kwesigidimi soBukumkani. Anceda bonke abafuna ukukhonza uYehova bafunde indlela yokusebenzisa imigaqo yeBhayibhile kubomi babo yaye athi ngothando alumkise ngemigibe enokonakalisa ulwalamano lukabani noThixo. Zwenibanzi amaNgqina kaYehova nawo aye aqonda ukuba ukuhamba ngolwalathiso lwabadala ngokufuthi kuye kwaphumela ekulondolozweni kobomi ebudeni boqhwithela, beenyikima zomhlaba nasekuqhambukeni kogonyamelo olwenziwa ngabantu abaxhobileyo. Ibandla asilolabadala; lelikaThixo. Abadala abazibangi bengabaphefumlelweyo. Kodwa, njengokuba iZibhalo zibonisa, uThixo uyabasebenzisa ukuba bakhokele, ibe ukubathobela kubonisa ukuhlonela ilungiselelo uYehova alisebenzisayo ukulungiselela abakhonzi bakhe ukuba basindele kuLungelelwaniso lwakhe Olutsha.—IZenzo 20:28; Hebhere 13:17.
17. Yintoni emele isishukumisele ukuba sithobele?
17 Phofu ke, into ebangela intobelo enjalo asingomnqweno nje wokuba phakathi kwabantu abaza kusinda kwintshabalalo ezayo yehlabathi. Kukho okuninzi ngakumbi. Kuyintoni? Kukuxabisa ubomi nawo onke amalungiselelo uThixo awenzele ukubuzimasa. Kukuba nombulelo ngezipho zakhe ezityebisa ubomi bethu—ubuchule bokuqiqa, ukuvuyiswa bubuhle nemilinganiselo yokomoya, amandla okumazi nokumnqula uMdali wethu. Kwakhona, kukuqonda uthando olukhulu lukaThixo olwamshukumisela ukuba anikele ngoNyana wakhe ukuba ancame ubomi bakhe njengedini ukuze nathi sibe nethuba lokuphila ngonaphakade.
18. Xa sithi simazi kakuhle uThixo, sikujonga njani ukuthobela yena kwanentlangano yakhe?
18 Kwabo baye bamazi kakuhle uThixo, intobelo asingomsebenzi ungayolisiyo. Ukuzazi ngokuchanileyo iinjongo zakhe kwanezinto azifunayo, kwanokubona imiphumo emihle ngenxa yokusebenzisa zona, akushiyi mathandabuzo ezingqondweni zabo ukuba ukwenza izinto ngendlela kaThixo kukuphela kwekhondo elifanelekileyo nelisengqiqweni. Bakugqala kuyinkuselo. Kukwayindlela yokubonisa ukuthanda kwabo uThixo. Bakufumana kuluyolo olukhulu ukumthobela.—1 Yohane 5:3; INdumiso 119:129.
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 135]
Bambi kufuneka boyise ikratshi, njengokuba uNahaman oneqhenqa wenjenjalo