Isahluko 1

Kutheni UYehova Efanele Abe Namangqina?

AMANGQINA KAYEHOVA aziwa ehlabathini lonke ngokuzingisa kwawo ekuthetheni nabantu ezindaweni zonke ngoYehova uThixo nangoBukumkani bakhe. Kwakhona adume ngokuba ngabantu ababambelela kwiinkolelo zabo nokuba sele betshutshiswa ngaluphi na uhlobo, kuquka nokufa.

Incwadi ethi The Court and the Constitution, ebhalwe nguArchibald Cox (1987), ithi, “Amaxhoba aphambili okutshutshiswa ngenxa yonqulo eUnited States kwinkulungwane yamashumi amabini ibingamaNgqina kaYehova.” “AmaNgqina kaYehova . . . aye aphathwa kakubi aza atshutshiswa ngoorhulumente ehlabathini lonke,” utsho uTony Hodges. “KwiJamani yamaNazi aqokelelwa aza athunyelwa kwiinkampu zoxinaniso. Ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi Yesibini, [iWatch Tower] Society yavalwa eOstreliya naseKhanada. . . . Ngoku [ngeminyaka yee-1970] amaNgqina kaYehova aphethwe kakubi eAfrika.”—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Africa, uHlelo lowe-1985.

Kutheni etshutshiswa? Iyintoni injongo yokushumayela? Ngaba ngokwenene amaNgqina kaYehova athunywe nguThixo? Kakade ke yintoni enokwenza uYehova afune ukuba namangqina—nokwenza amangqina angabantu abangafezekanga? Iimpendulo zinokuthanani neembambano ezichotshelwe kwityala elikwinkundla yendalo iphela—ukuza kuthi ga ngoku elilelona tyala libalulekileyo lakha laxoxwa. Simele sizihlolisise ezi mbambano ukuze sisiqonde isizathu sokuba uYehova enamangqina nesizathu sokuba la mangqina ekulungele ukunyamezela kwaneyona nkcaso ikrakra.

Ukucelwa Umngeni Kolongamo LukaYehova

Ezi mbambano zibalulekileyo zibandakanya ukulunga kolongamo, okanye ulawulo oluphakamileyo, lukaYehova uThixo. UnguMongami Wendalo Iphela ngenxa yokuba enguMdali, enguThixo yaye enguSomandla. (Gen. 17:1; Eks. 6:3; ISityhi. 4:11) Ngaloo ndlela unelungelo lokuba alawule zonke izinto ezisemazulwini nezisemhlabeni. (1 Kron. 29:12, umbhalo osemazantsi weNW) Kodwa usoloko elusebenzisa ngothando ulongamo lwakhe. (Thelekisa uYeremiya 9:24.) Ngoko, yintoni afuna ukuba izidalwa zakhe ezikrelekrele ziyenze ngenxa yoku? Ufuna ukuba zimthande zize zibonise uxabiso ngolongamo lwakhe. (INdu. 84:10) Kanti, kumawaka eminyaka eyadlulayo ilungelo likaYehova lokongama lacelwa umngeni. Njani? Ngubani? IGenesis, incwadi yokuqala yeBhayibhile, iyasikhanyisela ngalo mbandela.

Inikela ingxelo yokuba uThixo wadala isibini sokuqala esingabantu, uAdam noEva, waza wasinika ikhaya elihle elingumyezo. Kwakhona wasiwisela lo myalelo: “Yonke imithi yomyezo ungayidla uyidle; ke wona umthi wokwazi okulungileyo nokubi uze ungawudli; kuba mhlana uthe wawudla, uya kufa.” (Gen. 2:16, 17) Wawuyintoni “umthi wokwazi okulungileyo nokubi,” yaye ukudla isiqhamo sawo kwakuya kubonisa ntoni?

Wawungumthi wokoqobo, kodwa uThixo wawusebenzisela injongo yokomfuziselo. Ngenxa yokuba wawubiza ngokuthi “umthi wokwazi okulungileyo nokubi” nangenxa yokuba wayalela ukuba isibini sokuqala esingabantu singadli kuwo, loo mthi ngokufanelekileyo wawufanekisela ilungelo likaThixo lokugqibela abantu “okulungileyo” (okumkholisayo uThixo) “nokubi” (okungamkholisiyo uThixo). Ngaloo ndlela ubukho balo mthi babuvavanya intlonelo yomntu ngolongamo lukaThixo. Okulusizi kukuba, isibini sokuqala esingabantu asizange simthobele uThixo ibe sadla kwisiqhamo esalelweyo. Asizange siluphumelele olu vavanyo lulula kodwa lunzulu lokuthobela nolokubonakalisa uxabiso.—Gen. 3:1-6.

Esi senzo sibonakala sisincinane sasikukuvukela ulongamo lukaYehova. Njani? Ukuqonda indlela thina bantu esenziwe ngayo kungundoqo ekuqondeni intsingiselo yoko kwenziwa nguAdam noEva. Xa uYehova wadala isibini sokuqala esingabantu, wasinika isipho esimangalisayo—inkululeko yokuzikhethela. Esongezelela kwesi sipho, uYehova wasinika amandla engqondo awayequka amandla okuqonda, okuqiqa nawokwenza izigqibo. (Heb. 5:14) Sasingafani neerobhothi ezingenangqondo; yaye sasingafani nezilwanyana, ngokuyintloko ezisebenza ngethuku. Noko ke, inkululeko yaso yayisikelwe umda, ilawulwa yimithetho kaThixo. (Thelekisa uYeremiya 10:23, 24.) UAdam noEva bakhetha ukudla kwisiqhamo esalelweyo. Ngaloo ndlela bayisebenzisa kakubi inkululeko yabo. Yintoni eyabakhokelela kweli khondo?

IBhayibhile icacisa ukuba isidalwa somoya sikaThixo sasithabathe ikhondo langabom lokuchasana nelokumelana noThixo. Esi sidalwa, kamva esaziwa ngokuba nguSathana, sathetha e-Eden sisebenzisa inyoka saza samkhukulisa uEva saza sisebenzisa yena, sakhukulisa uAdam, ukuze angazithobi kulongamo lukaThixo. (ISityhi. 12:9) Ngokudla kuloo mthi, uAdam noEva bakhetha ukuzenzela izigqibo kunokulindela kuThixo, bebonisa ukuba babefuna ukuzigqibela ngoko kulungileyo nokubi.—Gen. 3:22.

Imbambano eyaphakanyiswayo ke yayiyile, Ngaba uYehova unalo ilungelo lokulawula uluntu, yaye ngaba ulongamo lwakhe ulusebenzisa ukuze kulungelwe abalawulwa bakhe? Le mbambano yabonakaliswa ngokucacileyo kumazwi eNyoka kuEva: “Utshilo na okunene uThixo ukuthi, Ze ningadli kuyo yonke imithi yomyezo?” Intsingiselo yoku yayikukuba uThixo ngokuphosakeleyo wayebandeza umfazi nendoda yakhe okuthile okulungileyo.—Gen. 3:1.

Imvukelo yase-Eden yaphakamisa enye imbambano: Ngaba abantu banokuthembeka kuThixo xa bevavanywa? Le mbambano yesibini yacaciswa kwiinkulungwane ezingama-24 kamva ngokuphathelele uYobhi othembekileyo. USathana, ‘owathethayo’ esebenzisa inyoka, wamcel’ umngeni ngokuphandle uYehova, esithi: “UYobhi lo ufumana emoyikela ilize na uThixo?” USathana wavakalisa isityholo esithi: “Akuthanga na wena wambiyela wamjikeleza, wayijikeleza indlu yakhe; wayijikeleza into yonke anayo ngeenxa zonke; wawusikelela umsebenzi wezandla zakhe, imfuyo yakhe yaligqiba ilizwe?” Ngaloo ndlela uSathana wayesithi ukuthembeka kukaYobhi kwakushukunyiswa kukuzingca. Kwakhona wavakalisa esi sityholo: “Ulusu ngenxa yolusu; konke anako umntu wokunika ngenxa yomphefumlo wakhe.” Ekubeni, njengokuba uYehova wayephawulile, ‘kwakungekho mntu unjengoYobhi ehlabathini,’ enyanisweni uSathana wayesithi wayenokuphambukisa nawuphi na umkhonzi kaThixo Kuye. (Yobhi 1:8-11; 2:4) Ngaloo ndlela ingqibelelo nokunyaniseka kwabo bonke abakhonzi bakaThixo kulongamo lwakhe kwakucelwa umngeni ngokungangqalanga.

Zakuba ziphakanyisiwe, ezi mbambano kwafuneka zizinziswe. Ukuhamba kwexesha—malunga neminyaka engama-6 000 ngoku—nokusilela ngokulusizi koorhulumente babantu kubonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba abantu bafanele babe phantsi kolongamo lukaThixo. Kodwa ngaba bayafuna? Ngaba bakho abantu abaya kubonisa ukuba balwamkela ngokusuk’ entliziyweni ulongamo lukaYehova lobulungisa? Ewe! UYehova unamangqina akhe! Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba siqwalasele ubungqina bawo, kuqala makhe sihlolisise oko kubandakanyekileyo ekubeni lingqina.

Oko Kuthethwa Kukuba Lingqina

Amagama olwimi lwantlandlolo aguqulelwe ngokuthi “ingqina” asenza sikuqonde oko kuthethwa kukungqinela uYehova. KwiZibhalo zesiHebhere, isibizo esiguqulelwe ngokuthi “ingqina” (ʽedh) sisuka kwisenzi (ʽudh) esithetha “ukubuya” okanye “ukuphinda, ukwenza kwakhona.” Ithetha ngesi sibizo (ʽedh), iTheological Wordbook of the Old Testament ithi: “Ingqina ngulowo, uthi ngokuphindaphinda, egxininisa aqinisekise ubungqina bakhe. Eli gama [ʽedh] liqhelekile kwisigama sasenkundleni.” IA Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language for Readers of English yongezelela ngokuthi: “Mhlawumbi intsingiselo yantlandlolo [yesenzi esithi ʽudh] yayisithi ‘waphindaphinda kwaye egxininisa esithi.’”

KwiZibhalo zamaKristu, amagama esiGrike aguqulelwe ngokuthi “ingqina” (marʹtys) nelithi “nikela ubungqina” (mar·ty·reʹo) ayekwanentsingiselo engokwasemthethweni, nangona ekuhambeni kwethuba aba nentsingiselo ebanzi. Ngokutsho kweTheological Dictionary of the New Testament, “ingcamango yokunikela ubungqina [isetyenziswa] ngengqiqo yokunikela ubungqina ngezibakala ezinokuqinisekiswa naleyo yokunikela ubungqina ngenyaniso, oko kukuthi, ukwazisa okanye ukuvuma iinkolelo zothile.” Ngoko ingqina livelisa izibakala elizazi ngokobuqu, okanye livakalisa iimbono okanye iinyaniso eleyisekileyo zizo.a

Ikhondo lokuthembeka lamaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala lanikela enye intsingiselo kwigama elithi “ingqina.” Amaninzi aloo maKristu okuqala anikela ubungqina ngaphantsi kwentshutshiso naxa ayejamelene nokufa. (IZe. 22:20; ISityhi. 2:13) Ngenxa yoko, malunga nenkulungwane yesibini yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi ingqina (marʹtys, elikwaphuma kulo igama elithi “martyr” [umfeli-nkolo]) laba nentsingiselo eyayisebenza kubantu ababekulungele “ukutywina ubunzulu bobungqina okanye uvumo lwabo ngokufa.” Babengabizwa ngokuba ngamangqina ngenxa yokufa kwabo; bafa ngenxa yokuba babengamangqina anyanisekileyo.

Ngoko, ayengoobani amangqina kaYehova okuqala? Ngoobani ababekulungele ukuvakalisa “ngokuphindaphindiweyo kwaye begxininisa”—ngamazwi nangendlela ababephila ngayo—ukuba uYehova unelungelo, ufanelekile ukuba nguMongami? Ngoobani ababekulungele ukugcina ingqibelelo kuThixo, kuse nasekufeni?

Amangqina KaYehova Okuqala

Umpostile uPawulos uthi: “Sinelifu [ngesiGrike, neʹphos, okuthetha ingqimba yelifu] elingakanana nje elisingqongileyo lamangqina.” (Heb. 12:1) Le ‘ngqimba yelifu’ yamangqina yaqalisa ukuyileka kungekudala emva kokuvukelwa kolongamo lukaThixo e-Eden.

KumaHebhere 11:4, uPawulos uchaza uAbheli njengengqina likaYehova lokuqala, esithi: “Ngokholo uAbheli wasondeza kuye uThixo umbingelelo ogqithileyo kunokaKayin, awangqinelwa ngawo ukuba ulilungisa, uThixo wayingqinelayo nje iminikelo yakhe; ngalo ke, efile nje, usathetha.” UAbheli waba lingqina likaYehova njani? Impendulo isekelwe kwisizathu sokuba umbingelelo ka-Abheli ‘wawungogqithileyo’ kunokaKayin.

Ngamanye amazwi, uAbheli wanikela umbingelelo ofanelekileyo ngentsusasenzo efanelekileyo waza wayixhasa ngemisebenzi elungileyo. Njengesipho sakhe, wanikela umbingelelo wegazi omela ubomi bamazibulo omhlambi wakhe—ngoxa uKayin wanikela imveliso engenabomi. (Gen. 4:3, 4) Umbingelelo kaKayin wawunganikelwanga ngentsusasenzo elukholo eyenza umbingelelo ka-Abheli wamkelela. UKayin kwakufuneka alungise indlela awayenqula ngayo. Kunoko, wabonisa isimo sakhe sentliziyo esibi ngokungasiphulaphuli isiluleko nesilumkiso sikaThixo nangokubulala uAbheli othembekileyo.—Gen. 4:6-8; 1 Yoh. 3:11, 12.

UAbheli wabonakalisa ukholo abazali bakhe ababengenalo. Ngekhondo lakhe lokuthembeka, wayazisa inkolelo yakhe yokuba ulongamo lukaYehova lolobulungisa yaye lufanelekile. Ebudeni bexesha elinokuba yiminyaka elikhulu awaliphilayo, uAbheli wabonisa ukuba umntu unako ukuthembeka kuThixo ukusa ekutywineni ubungqina bakhe ngokufa. Yaye igazi lika-Abheli ‘lisathetha,’ kuba ingxelo ephefumlelweyo yokufel’ ukholo kwakhe yalondolozwa eBhayibhileni ukwenzela izizukulwana ezizayo!

Malunga neenkulungwane ezintlanu emva kokufa kuka-Abheli, uEnoki waqalisa ‘ukuhamba noThixo,’ esukela ikhondo elivisisana nemilinganiselo kaYehova yokulungileyo nokubi. (Gen. 5:24) Ngelo xesha, ukungathotyelwa kolongamo lukaThixo kwakukhokelele ekubeni imikhwa yokungahloneli Thixo isasazeke phakathi koluntu. UEnoki wayeyisekile kukuba uMongami Ophakamileyo wayeya kuthabatha inyathelo elithile ngokuchasene nabantu abangahloneli Thixo, yaye umoya kaThixo wamshukumisela ukuba avakalise ukutshatyalaliswa kwabo okwakuza kwenzeka kwixesha elizayo. (Yuda 14, 15) UEnoki wahlala elingqina elithembekileyo de kwasa ekufeni, kuba uYehova “wamfudusa,” kubonakala ukuba embalekisa ekubulaweni ngogonyamelo ziintshaba zakhe. (Heb. 11:5) Ngaloo ndlela igama likaEnoki linokuqukwa kuludwe olude ‘lwelifu elikhulu lamangqina’ amaxesha angaphambi kobuKristu.

Umoya wokungahloneli Thixo waqhubeka ukho kwimicimbi yabantu. Ebudeni bexesha lokuphila kukaNowa, owazalwa malunga neminyaka engama-70 emva kokufa kukaEnoki, oonyana bakaThixo abazizithunywa zezulu beza emhlabeni, ekucaca ukuba bazambathisa imizimba yabantu, baza bahlalisana nabafazi abahle. Inzala yabo yayisaziwa ngokuba ziiNgxilimbela; yayizizigebenga phakathi kwabantu. (Gen. 6:1-4) Waba yintoni umphumo wolu manyano lungelolwamvelo lwezidalwa zomoya kunye nabantu nowolo hlanga lwamabhastile olwaveliswa lulo? Ingxelo ephefumlelweyo inikela impendulo: “Wabona uThixo ukuba ububi babantu bandile ehlabathini, konke ukuyila kweengcinga zentliziyo yabo kubububi bodwa imihla yonke. UThixo walikhangela ihlabathi, nalo, lonakele! Ngokuba yonke inyama ibiyonakalisile indlela yayo ehlabathini.” (Gen. 6:5, 12) Hayi indlela ekulusizi ngayo ukuba ihlabathi, isihlalo seenyawo zikaThixo, libe ‘lalizele lugonyamelo.’—Gen. 6:13; Isa. 66:1.

Ngokwahlukileyo koku, “uNowa waye eyindoda elilungisa,” eyazingqina ‘igqibelele, ezizukulwaneni zayo.’ (Gen. 6:9) Wabonakalisa ukuzithoba kwakhe kulongamo lukaThixo ngokwenza njengoko uThixo abemwisele umthetho ngako.’ (Gen. 6:22) Eshukunyiswa lukholo, “wawakha umkhombe wokusindisa indlu yakhe.” (Heb. 11:7) Kodwa uNowa wayengengomakhi nje kuphela; ‘njengomshumayeli [okanye umvakalisi] wobulungisa,’ walumkisa ngentshabalaliso eyayisondela. (2 Pet. 2:5, NW) Noko ke, phezu kwako nje ukushumayela kukaNowa ngokungafihlisi, eso sizukulwana singendawo ‘asizange siqonde, de wafika unogumbe, wasikhukulisa sonke.’—Mat. 24:37-39.

Ngemva komhla kaNowa, uYehova wayenamangqina phakathi koosolusapho basemva koMkhukula. UAbraham, uIsake, uYakobi noYosefu bakhankanywa njengenxalenye yokuqala yelifu lamangqina angaphambi kwexesha lobuKristu. (Heb. 11:8-22; 12:1) Bakubonakalisa ukuluxhasa kwabo ulongamo lukaYehova, oku bekwenza ngokugcina ingqibelelo. (Gen. 18:18, 19) Ngaloo ndlela baba negalelo ekungcwalisweni kwegama likaYehova. Kunokufuna unqabiseko kubukumkani obuthile basemhlabeni, “bavuma ukuba bangabasemzini, balundwendwe emhlabeni,” ngokholo ‘belinde umzi lo uneziseko, ungcibi, umbangi wawo, inguThixo.’ (Heb. 11:10, 13) Bamamkela uYehova njengoMlawuli wabo, beqinisa ithemba labo kuBukumkani basezulwini obuthenjisiweyo njengembonakaliso yolongamo lwakhe olufanelekileyo.

Ngenkulungwane ye-16 B.C.E., inzala ka-Abraham yayingamakhoboka afuna ukukhululwa kubukhoboka baseYiputa. Kwakungelo xesha awathi uMoses nomnakwabo uAron baba ngabantu ababalaseleyo ‘kumlo woothixo.’ Baya kuFaro baza badlulisela esi sigidimi sikaYehova: “Bandulule abantu bam.” Kodwa uFaro onekratshi wayenza lukhuni intliziyo yakhe; wayengafuni ukuphulukana nohlanga olukhulu lwabasebenzi abangamakhoboka. Waphendula wathi, “Ngubani na uYehova, ukuba ndiphulaphule izwi lakhe, lokuba ndindulule uSirayeli? Andimazi uYehova, kananjalo andiyi kumndulula uSirayeli.” (Eks. 5:1, 2) Ngokusabela ngendelelo ngolo hlobo, uFaro, owayegqalwa njengothixo ophilayo, wala ukuyamkela into yokuba uYehova unguThixo.

Ekubeni kwakuphakanyiswe imbambano yobuthixo, ngoku uYehova waqalisa ukungqina ukuba unguThixo wokwenyaniso. UFaro, esebenzisa izazi zakhe zobugqi, wahlanganisa bonke oothixo baseYiputa ukuze basebenzise amandla abo ngokuchasene namandla kaYehova. Kodwa uYehova wathumela izibetho ezilishumi, ngasinye sazo sivakaliswa nguMoses noAron, ukuze abonise igunya lakhe phezu kwezinto nezidalwa ezisemhlabeni kwanokongama kwakhe kunoothixo baseYiputa. (Eks. 9:13-16; 12:12) Emva kwesibetho seshumi, uYehova wawakhupha amaSirayeli eYiputa “ngesithe nkqi isandla.”—Eks. 13:9.

UMoses, ‘owayelulamile kunabantu bonke,’ kwafuneka abe nenkalipho nokholo ukuze akwazi ukuya kuFaro, kungekhona isihlandlo esinye, kodwa ezininzi. (Num. 12:3) Noko ke, uMoses akazange asenze singabi namandla isigidimi uYehova awayemyalele ukuba asidlulisele kuFaro. Kwanesisongelo sokufa sasingenakumenza angasivakalisi eso sigidimi! (Eks. 10:28, 29; Heb. 11:27) UMoses wayelingqina ngokupheleleyo; “ngokuphindaphindiweyo yaye egxininisa” wanikela ubungqina bokuba uYehova unguThixo.

Emva kokukhululwa ngolo hlobo eYiputa ngowe-1513 B.C.E., uMoses ­wabhala incwadi yeGenesis. Ngaloo ndlela kwaqalisa imbali entsha—imbali yokubhalwa kweBhayibhile. Ekubeni kubonakala ukuba nguMoses owabhala incwadi kaYobhi, wayenolwazi oluthile ngembambano ekhoyo phakathi koThixo noSathana. Kodwa njengokuba ukubhalwa kweBhayibhile kwakuhambela phambili, iimbambano ezibandakanya ulongamo lukaThixo nengqibelelo yomntu zaziza kubhalwa ngokucacileyo; ngaloo ndlela, bonke ababandakanyekileyo babenokuzazi ngokupheleleyo iimbambano ezibandakanyekileyo. Kwangaxeshanye, ngowe-1513 B.C.E., uYehova wabeka isiseko sokuvelisa uhlanga lwamangqina.

Uhlanga Lwamangqina

Ngenyanga yesithathu emva kokuba amaSirayeli eyishiyile iYiputa, uYehova wawangenisa kulwalamano lomnqophiso olukhethekileyo kunye naye, ewenza abe “yinqobo” kuye. (Eks. 19:5, 6) Esebenzisa uMoses, ngoku waqhubana nawo njengohlanga, ewafaka phantsi korhulumente ongokobuthixo osekelwe kumnqophiso woMthetho njengomgaqo-siseko wohlanga lwawo. (Isa. 33:22) Ayengabantu bakaYehova abanyuliweyo, abalungelelaniselwe ukumela yena njengeNkosi yabo enguMongami.

Noko ke, kwiinkulungwane ezalandelayo, olu hlanga aluzange luhlale luzithoba kulongamo lukaYehova. Emva kokuba efikile kwiLizwe Ledinga, maxa wambi amaSirayeli awela ekunquleni oothixo beentlanga abaziidemon. Ngenxa yokungamthobeli kwawo njengonelungelo lokuba nguMongami, uYehova wawayekela athinjwa, yaye ngaloo ndlela kwabonakala ukuba oothixo beentlanga babenamandla kunoYehova. (Isa. 42:18-25) Kodwa ngenkulungwane yesibhozo Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, uYehova wabacel’ umngeni ngokuphandle oothixo beentlanga ukuze ayilungise loo ngcamango iphosakeleyo aze azinzise imbambano yokuba, Ngubani na uThixo wokwenyaniso?

Esebenzisa umprofeti uIsaya, uYehova wavakalisa olu celomngeni: “Ngubani na kuni [thixo beentlanga] onokukuxela oko [aprofete ngokuchanileyo]? Mabasivise izinto zangaphambili [oko kukuthi, izinto ezisezayo], mabamise [njengoothixo] amangqina abo, bagwetyelwe; mabeve ke abantu [beentlanga], bathi, Yinyaniso.” (Isa. 43:9) Ewe, oothixo beentlanga mabamise amangqina anokungqina ngeziprofeto zoothixo bawo athi, “Yinyaniso!” Kodwa akukho namnye kwabo thixo owayenokumisa amangqina amandla abo okuba ngoothixo!

UYehova wawacacisela amaSirayeli imbopheleleko yawo ekuzinzisweni kwembambano yokuba, Ngubani na uThixo wokwenyaniso? Wathi: “Ningamangqina am, . . . ningumkhonzi wam endimnyulileyo; ukuze nazi, nikholwe ndim, niqonde ukuba ndim; phambi kwam akubunjwanga thixo, nasemva kwam akuyi kubakho namnye. Mna ke, mna ndinguYehova, akukho msindisi ingendim. Mna ndixelile, ndasindisa, ndabonisa, kungekho thixo wumbi kuni; ningamangqina am, . . . ndinguThixo.”—Isa. 43:10-12.

Ngoko abantu bakaYehova amaSirayeli babebumba uhlanga lwamangqina. Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo babenokunikela ubungqina kulongamo lukaYehova olulungileyo nolufanelekileyo. Ngenxa yamava abo exesha elidluleyo, ngolweyiseko babenokuvakalisa ukuba uYehova unguMkhululi Omkhulu wabantu bakhe yaye unguThixo weziprofeto eziyinyaniso.

Ukunikela Ubungqina NgoMesiya

Phezu kwabo nje ubungqina obuyintabalala ‘bengqimba yelifu’ lamangqina exesha langaphambi kobuKristu, iimbambano ezibandakanya uThixo zazingekazinziswa ngokupheleleyo. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba ngexesha elimiswe nguThixo, emva kokuba kuboniswe ngokucacileyo ukuba ulawulo lukaYehova luyafuneka ebantwini yaye abanakulawula ngokuphumelelayo bebodwa, uYehova umele aphumeze umgwebo kubo bonke abangavumiyo ukulithobela igunya lakhe elifanelekileyo. Ngaphezu koko, iimbambano ezaphakanyiswayo zifikelela ngaphaya kommandla wabantu. Ekubeni isithunywa sezulu savukelayo e-Eden, kwaphakama imbambano engengqibelelo kulongamo lukaThixo yaza yabandakanya izidalwa zikaThixo zasezulwini. Ngenxa yoko, uYehova waceba ukuba unyana ongumoya eze emhlabeni apho uSathana wayokufumana ithuba lokumvavanya ngokupheleleyo. Loo nyana ungumoya wayeya kunikwa ithuba lokuyizinzisa, ngokugqibeleleyo, imbambano yokuba, Ngaba nabani na wayeya kuthembeka kuThixo phantsi kwalo naluphi na uvavanyo anokulufumana? Esakuba ekungqine ngaloo ndlela ukunyaniseka kwakhe, lo nyana kaThixo wayeya kunikwa amandla njengomthetheleli obalaseleyo kaYehova, oya kutshabalalisa abangendawo aze ayizalisekise ngokupheleleyo injongo kaThixo yantlandlolo ngomhlaba.

Kodwa wayeya kubonwa njani lowo? E-Eden, uYehova wayethembise “imbewu” eyayiya kutyumza intloko yoTshaba olunjengenyoka ize ithethelele ulongamo lukaThixo. (Gen. 3:15) Ngabaprofeti abangamaHebhere, uYehova wanikela iinkcukacha ezininzi ngaloo “mbewu” inguMesiya—imvelaphi nemisebenzi yayo, kwanexesha eyayiya kufika ngalo.—Gen. 12:1-3; 22:15-18; 49:10; 2 Sam. 7:12-16; Isa. 7:14; Dan. 9:24-27; Mika 5:2.

Phakathi kwinkulungwane yesihlanu Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, zisakuba zigqityiwe iZibhalo zesiHebhere, iziprofeto zazisele zibhaliwe, zilindele ukufika kukaMesiya ukuze azizalisekise. Isigidimi seli ngqina—enyanisweni, elona ngqina likaThixo libalaseleyo—siza kuqwalaselwa kwisahluko esilandelayo.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Blurb on page 11]

Abantu banokukhetha ukungenelwa kulongamo lukaYehova. Kodwa kuqala bamele beve ngalo

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 13]

UAbheli wayelingqina likaYehova lokuqala

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 14]

UEnoki wanikela ubungqina ngomgwebo kaThixo kubantu abangahloneli Thixo

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 17]

UYehova wacacisela uhlanga luphela ngembopheleleko yalo yokuba ngamangqina akhe

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 18]

“Ningamangqina am, . . . ndinguThixo”

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Iziganeko ezenzeka e-Eden, zaphakamisa iimbambano ezibalulekileyo: Ngaba ulongamo lukaYehova lolobulungisa? Ngaba izidalwa zakhe ziya kuthembeka kuye?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

UNowa wayengumshumayeli wobulungisa ngaphambi kokuba uThixo atshabalalise ihlabathi ngonogumbe

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16, 17]

UMoses noAron banikela ubungqina ngamandla kuFaro ngokuphathelele ilungelo likaYehova lokuba nguThixo