Isahluko 8
Ngoobani Abaya Kuba Ngabasindi?
1. (a) Ukusindela kukabani kuLungelelwaniso Olutsha lukaThixo kuya kuxhomekeka enini? (b) ISityhilelo isahluko 7 sibachaza njani abo baya kusindela ukuphila emhlabeni eParadisi?
UKUSINDA kwintshabalalo yehlabathi ezayo akuyi kuba ngumcimbi wamabona-ndenzile, njengoko kudla ngokuba njalo kwiimfazwe zabantu. Akuyi kumiselwa yindawo umntu ahlala kuyo, kungayi kumiselwa nakukuxhabashela kwakhe kwindawo ethile yokukhuseleka kwibhombu okanye kwenye indawo yokhuseleko ekukhaleni kwesigodlo esilumkisayo. Ukusinda kuya kuxhomekeka kwinceba kaThixo ndawonye nokuzikhethela komntu ngamnye ngaphambi kokuqalisa ‘kwembandezelo enkulu.’ Unokulwenza njani ukhetho oluya kukubeka phakathi kwabo baya kusinda ukuze uphile emhlabeni kuLungelelwaniso Olutsha lukaThixo loxolo nolubuparadisi?—ISityhilelo 7:9, 10, 14, 15.
2. Ngubani owandlala imimiselo yokusinda, ibe ifumaneka phi le mimiselo?
2 IBhayibhile ayaneli nje ngokuxela kwangaphambili ukuba kuya kubakho abasindayo kwintshabalalo yehlabathi ezayo. Ikwanikela umzekelo wokusinceda sazi ukuba baya kuba luhlobo olunjani na lwabantu. Ekubeni uThixo inguye obangela ukusinda kube nokwenzeka, ngokufanelekileyo nguye owandlala imimiselo.
3. Ukuze kubekho uxolo nonqabiseko, kungani kuyimfuneko ukunqunyulwa kwabenzi bobubi?
3 Ngobulumko nangokusesikweni uThixo uya kuqinisekisa ukuba abasindi bangabantu abaya kuba ngabalungileyo kuLungelelwaniso Olutsha lwakhe, ingabi ngabo abo basebenzela ukulona. Ukuba uyabavumela abantu abangengomalungisa basinde, aluyi kubakho uxolo nonqabiseko kwabangamalungisa. Amakhaya abo nenkuseleko engokobuqu isaya kuba sengozini. Kodwa iBhayibhile ithembisa oku: “Abenzi bobubi baya kunqunyulwa; ke bona abamthembayo uYehova, baya kulidla ilifa ilizwe.” Kuphela kungokusebenzisa kukaThixo loo mlinganiselo, njengoko wandlalwe kwiNdumiso 37:9-11, abaya kuthi abasindi “baziyolise ngobuninzi boxolo.” Indlela uThixo aya kukwenza ngayo oku ibonwa kwizihlandlo ezidluleyo xa ubungendawo babantu banyanzelela uThixo ukuba atshabalalise.
Imizekelo Yexa Elidluleyo Yokusinda
4-6. (a) Yintoni engqinela ukuba intshabalalo yeYerusalem ngowama-70 C.E. isisibakala sembali? (b) Kungani yafikayo nje intshabalalo? (c) Yintoni eyabangela abafundi bakaYesu basinda?
4 Kwisixeko saseRoma namhlanje kusekho igophe lenkumbulo elisusela kwinkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, iGophe likaTitus. Kulo kuboniswe izinto ezathatyathwa etempileni eYerusalem emva kwentshabalalo yayo ngowama-70 C.E. Ngenxa yoko loo ntshabalalo isisibakala esingokwembali. Into engokwembali ngokufanayo sisibakala sokuba kumashumi eminyaka ngaphambi kwaloo ntshabalalo uYesu Kristu wayekuxele kwangaphambili ukuza kwayo kwanendlela abantu ababenokusinda ngayo.
5 AmaYuda ayemnikele umva uThixo aza alandela abantu nezithethe zonqulo ezenziwe ngabantu. (Mateyu 15:3-9) Aba nentembelo kubalawuli babantu abangabapolitiki kunokuba nentembelo kuBukumkani obuthenjiswe nguThixo. (Yohane 19:15) Ada agatya aza alwa nenyaniso eyavakaliswa nguNyana kaThixo nabapostile bakhe. UYesu walumkisa ngemiphumo eyayiya kuziswa lelo khondo.—Mateyu 23:37, 38; 24:1, 2.
6 Imiphumo yaba njengokuba kanye kwaxelwa kwangaphambili. Kunyaka wama-66 C.E., amaYuda avukela iRoma. Ukuhlaselwa kokuqala kweYerusalem ngamaRoma kwalandelwa kukurhoxa kwawo ngequbuliso. Oku kwaba ngumqondiso nethuba kwabo babekholelwa kuYesu ukuba benze oko wayekuthethile: Basabe—baphume esixekweni esigwetyiweyo nakulo lonke iphondo lakwaYuda, kungakhathaliseki oko kwakumele kushiywe ngasemva. Abafundi bokwenyaniso bakaYesu benza kanye oko. Kwandula ke, ngonyaka wama-70 C.E., amaRoma abuya aza, emva kokungqinga, ayitshabalalisa iYerusalem nabo bangazange baphulaphule. Ingqina lokuzibonela, umbhali-mbali womYuda onguJosephus, uthi isi-1 100 000 sabantu eYerusalem sabulawa yindlala, zizifo, yimfazwe yamakhaya, okanye likrele lamaRoma. Kanti amaKristu athabatha inyathelo elingqalileyo asinda.—Luka 19:28, 41-44; 21:20-24; Mateyu 24:15-18.
7. Yintoni ekwakufuneka yenziwe ngabantu ukuze basinde xa iBhabhiloni yavikiva uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli?
7 Imeko efanayo yayesamele phantse kwiinkulungwane ezisixhenxe ngaphambilana xa uThixo wavumela imikhosi yaseBhabhiloni phantsi koKumkani uNebhukadenetsare (II) ukuba ivikive uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli. Naloo ntshabalaliso, iyimbali engqinelweyo. Kwiminyaka ngaphambili, ngabaprofeti bakhe uThixo wayebalumkisile abantu abawexukileyo ukuba ikhondo labo lalikhokelela kwintshabalalo. “Buyani, buyani ezindleleni zenu ezimbi! Yini na ukuba nide nife?” elo yayilikhwelo elahlatywa nguThixo kubo. (Hezekile 33:11) Uninzi aluzange lube nalukholo kweso silumkiso, ibe kwanaxa imikhosi yaseBhabhiloni yangqinga iYerusalem, loo maSirayeli aqhubeka enethemba lokuba kwakungayi kufika ntshabalalo. Kodwa yenzeka kanye njengoko kwaxelwa kwangaphambili. Kanti uThixo waqinisekisa ukuba abo babonakalisa ukholo lwabo ngokuthobela bayasindiswa.—Yeremiya 39:15-18; Zefaniya 2:2, 3.
8-10. (a) Kungani uYehova wezisa intshabalalo yehlabathi ngemihla kaNowa? (b) Kungani uNowa nentsapho yakhe basindiswayo nje?
8 Ngaphambilana kwimbali yabantu sifumana imbonakaliso yokuqala yomzekelo wobuthixo ongowokusinda. Awubandakanyi nje intshabalalo yohlanga kuphela kodwa intshabalalo yehlabathi. Ibe noko kusisibakala esingokwembali, kuquka uMkhukula womhlaba wonke ebudeni beminyaka yama-2370/2369 B.C.E., ngemihla kaNowa. Ithetha ngeemeko ezazesamele ngaphambi kwentshabalalo yehlabathi, iBhayibhile ithi: “Wabona uThixo ukuba ububi babantu bandile ehlabathini, konke ukuyila kweengcinga zentliziyo yabo kubububi bodwa imihla yonke. Ihlabathi lalonakele ebusweni bukaThixo; ihlabathi lalizele lugonyamelo.”—Genesis 6:5, 11.
9 Ubungendawo nogonyamelo bamnyanzelisa uThixo ukuba athabathe inyathelo. Kuphela nguNowa nentsapho yakhe ababonakalisa ukholo nentobelo. Ngenxa yokuba nenceba kubo, nokulondoloza okusesikweni nobulungisa emhlabeni, uYehova uThixo ‘akazange aliconge ihlabathi lakudala labangahloneli Thixo.’ Umphumo waba kukuba “ihlabathi langoko lantywiliselwa ngamanzi, latshabalala.”—2 Petros 2:5; 3:5-7.
10 Kanti uNowa nentsapho yakhe basinda. Kwakutheni? Okokuqala, abazange bahambisane nelo “hlabathi labangahloneli Thixo” ekungalungisini kwalo. Abazange babandakanyeke kakhulu kwizinto eziqhelekileyo zobomi, ukudla, ukusela nokutshata, bangakukhathaleli ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo okanye bazivale iindlebe zabo kwisilumkiso sakhe. UNowa ‘wahamba noThixo’ ebulungiseni. Oku akuzange kuthethe ukuba yena nentsapho yakhe basuka nje bazinxwema ekwenzeni okubi. Kunoko, bathabatha inyathelo elingqalileyo lokwenza okufanelekileyo. Ngokwenene bakukholelwa okwakuthethwa nguThixo, ibe bakubonakalisa ngokwakha umkhombe omkhulu omigangatho mithathu nobude buziimitha ezingaphezu kwe-130. Kwakhona uNowa wasebenza ngokukhutheleyo ‘njengomvakalisi wobulungisa,’ exelela abanye ngeenjongo zikaThixo, ethethelela indlela yobulungisa.—Genesis 6:9, 13-16; Mateyu 24:37-39; Hebhere 11:7.
11. Njengoko kuboniswe yile mizekelo ilumkisayo, yintoni esimele siyenze ukuba siza kusinda kwintshabalalo yehlabathi ezayo?
11 Aba bantu basibhozo basinda ngenxa yokholo lwabo nemisebenzi yabo eyayisekelwe elukholweni. UYesu nabapostile bakhe bathetha ngaloo ntshabalalo yehlabathi njengeyayiprofeta okujongene nabantu kweli “xesha lokuphela.” Ngoko kucacile ukuba nathi simele sizahlukanise nehlabathi elijonge kwantshabalalo, kanye njengokuba uNowa nentsapho yakhe benjenjalo. Nathi simele siphile ngokuvisisana nokuthanda kukaThixo. Asinakusuka nje sikhokelwe yimilinganiselo yethu size sithembe ukusinda. ILizwi likaThixo lithi: “Kukho indlela ethe tye phambi komntu, ukanti ukuphela kwayo ziindlela zokufa.” (IMizekeliso 16:25) Ibe nayiphi na imbonakalo yangaphandle yobulungisa ayinakuluzisa usindiso. Kuba uYehova uThixo ubona okusentliziyweni.—IMizekeliso 24:12; Luka 16:15.
Okukhangelwa NguYehova Ezintliziyweni Zabantu
12, 13. (a) Ziziphi iimeko ezibangela abantu abaninzi bafune inguqulelo? (b) Kungani oku kunganele ukuqinisekisa ukusindela kwabo kuLungelelwaniso Olutsha lukaThixo? (c) Ukuze sibe kwabasindayo, yintoni emele ishukumise ukuba buhlungu kwethu ngenxa yeemeko ezimbi ezikhoyo?
12 Abantu abaninzi azibonwabisanga iimeko ezikhoyo, ibe oku bakubonakalisa ngokukhalaza, ngokuqhankqalaza ekuhleni ibe kumazwe athile bakubonakalisa ngokuvukela ngogonyamelo. Abaninzi bayithiyile irhafu ephezulu neendleko eziphakamileyo zokuphila. Bakhalela ingozi yolwaphulo-mthetho. Uloyiko lubenza bafune inguqulelo. Kodwa, ngaba oku kwanele ukuqinisekisa ukusindela kwabo kuLungelelwaniso Olutsha lukaThixo? Hayi, akwanele. Kungani kungenjalo nje?
13 Kungenxa yokuba ubani unokungonwabi ngenxa yezi meko aze sekunjalo azingce. Usenokude akholane neentlobo ezithile zokunganyaniseki nokuziphatha okubi—lo gama nje engabuva ubuhlungu. Noko ke, abantu abaneentliziyo ezifanelekileyo bazijonga izinto ngokwahlukileyo. Xa befundisisa iBhayibhile bayabona ukuba iimeko ezimbi zibubungqina obuphandle bokugula ngokwenene kwehlabathi. Bayaqonda ukuba unobangela wezi mpawu kukungakukhathaleli ukwazi nokwenza ukuthanda kukaYehova nokuphila ngemilinganiselo yakhe yobulungisa. Ngenxa yoko, ngokuyintloko abahlungiswa kukungabikho kokusesikweni entlalweni, lulwaphulo-mthetho, lungcoliso, okanye sisisongelo semfazwe. Kunoko, abantu abaneentliziyo ezifaneleke ngolo hlobo bahlungiswa ngokukodwa kukubona igama likaThixo linyeliswa likhondo loluntu elonakeleyo. Ibe bahlungiswa kukuba abanye, kungekhona nje bona, babandezeleka gqitha ngenxa yoko.
14. Ngoobani ‘abaphawulelwa’ ukusinda ngexesha lokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem yiBhabhiloni?
14 Ukuze sisinde kwintshabalaliso yehlabathi ezayo, simele sibe njengabo basindiswayo xa iBhabhiloni yatshabalalisa iYerusalem ngowama-607 B.C.E., abantu abachazwa ‘bengabagcumayo, abancwinayo ngenxa yamasikizi onke’ awayesenziwa kweso sixeko. (Hezekile 9:4) Iimeko ‘zazingamasikizi’ ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo. Ngokomzekelo, kwakucinezelwa amahlwempu, wambi ade agcinwe ebukhobokeni ngokungekho mthethweni ngabantu abangoowabo. (Yeremiya 34:13-16) Imeko yokuziphatha yobukumkani bakwaYuda yaba mbi ngokude kwangakumbi kunaleyo yobukumkani bangasentla bakwaSirayeli, obo ngaphambilana babuchazwe ngumprofeti uHoseya ngokuthi: “Kukushwabula, nokuxoka, nokuncinitha, nokuba, . . . igazi liphathelele kwigazi.” (Hoseya 4:2; Hezekile 16:2, 51) Kuphela ngabo baziva bebuhlungu entliziyweni ngenxa yokungalungisi okunjalo nokungahlonelwa kukaThixo abathi ‘baphawulelwa’ ukusinda.—Hezekile 9:3-6.
15. Yintoni eyenza abathile barhoxobise ekwenzeni iinguqulelo ezifunekayo ukuze basinde kwintshabalalo yehlabathi ezayo?
15 Nangona namhlanje bebaninzi abakuthandayo ukunandipha ubomi emhlabeni ngonaphakade eluxolweni, kwiimeko ezintle nakwintuthuzelo, abakufuni ukwenza iinguqulelo kwindlela yabo yobomi eziya kuziswa kukufunda nokulandela umzekelo weBhayibhile wokuphila ngendlela efanelekileyo. Ngaphakathi kubo, ngokwenene ababuthandi ubulungisa okanye abanankxalabo yokwenyaniso ngabantu abangoowabo. Ekubeni uLungelelwaniso Olutsha lukaThixo luya kuvelisa ibutho elitsha “apho kumi ubulungisa,” iindaba ezilungileyo ezingalo zinomtsalane kuphela kwabo bathanda ubulungisa. Abanye baziva begwetywa zizo.—2 Petros 3:13; 2 Korinte 2:14-17.
Onokukwenza Ngoku
16-18. (a) Umntu ‘ukuphawulelwa’ njani ukusinda? (b) Liliphi inyathelo amele alithabathe, ngokubhekisele kunqulo lobuxoki, nangokubhekisele kunqulo lokwenyaniso? (c) Umele ayijonge njani imibutho yobupolitika enjengeZizwe Ezimanyeneyo?
16 UYehova uza kusindisa kuphela abo bakufuna ngokunyanisekileyo ukuphila phantsi kolawulo lwakhe lobulungisa. Akayi kunyanzela nabaphi na ngoko ukuba baphile phantsi kweemeko abangazifuniyo. Ngoko ke, abo basindisiweyo kuya kufuneka bangqine ukulamkela ngokwenyaniso ulawulo lwakhe lobuthixo ngoku. ‘Baphawulelwa’ ukusinda ngokwambatha “umntu omtsha” wobuKristu, bavisisanise ubomi babo neendlela zikaThixo yaye banikele ubungqina bokuba bangabafundi boNyana kaThixo. Ngaloo ndlela ‘banyula ubomi’ neentsikelelo, kungekhona ukufa. (Kolose 3:5-10; Duteronomi 30:15, 16, 19) Wena uza kunyula ntoni?
17 Ukukhetha kwakho kuquka ukuzithoba kuThixo ekumnquleni. UYesu wathi: “Kuza ilixa, nangoku selikho, xa abanquli abayinyaniso baya kumnqula uBawo ngomoya nangenyaniso; kuba uBawo ufuna abanjalo ukumnqula.” (Yohane 4:23) Ngoko ke ukusinda kwintshabalalo yehlabathi ezayo kufuna ukuba ubani ashiye lonke unqulo lobuxoki aze abe nenxaxheba kunqulo lokwenyaniso. Kwakhona, abasindi abayi kufunyanwa phakathi kwabo bakholosa ngeZizwe Ezimanyeneyo okanye eminye imibutho yobupolitika, ekubeni ezi zinto ziyinxalenye yehlabathi eliya kutshatyalaliswa.—ISityhilelo 17:11; 18:17-21.
18 Iintsikelelo ezingapheliyo zilindele abo bahamba ngeli khondo likhokelela ekusindeni. Khawuqwalasele ngoku ezinye zezinto ezizukileyo uThixo azithembisa abo banokholo kwiLizwi lakhe nabangqina olo kholo ngesenzo esingqalileyo.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 87]
“Isihlwele esikhulu” siza kusinda kwintshabalalo yehlabathi ukuze siphile emhlabeni kuLungelelwaniso Olutsha lukaThixo