Ukulungisa Imicimbi Yakho NoThixo

“Nokuba izono zenu zide zavela zanjengengubo ebomvu, zoba mhlophe njengekhephu.”—ISAYA 1:18.

1, 2. (a) Ubunokucinga ntoni xa uthile esithi kuwe: “Khawuze, sibonisane”? (b) Kutheni singamele silindele ukwenza uthethathethwano noThixo?

UKUBA, ngenxa yempazamo okanye isenzo sokungabonisi bubele esiye saboniswa kwixa elidluleyo siye senza ukuba ningaginyani ncam nomnye umntu, ubuya kuwathanda njani la mazwi: ‘Khawukhe uze, sibonisane’? Eso ibiya kuba sisimemo sokuhlala phantsi ukuze kwenziwe uthethathethwano, oluhambisana nokuba ngamnye wenu avume iimpazamo zakhe nize nixolelane. Ngamnye wenu unokuvelisa eyakhe imbono, yaye ngoko unokuvuma ukuba ube nokuphazama okuthile okanye ukungaqondi okuthile.

² Kodwa ngaba ubunokucinga ukuba uMdali ebengathi ngokwaloo ngqiqo abongoze athi, “Khanize, khe sibonisane,” njengoko amazwi akuIsaya 1:18 efundeka ngolo hlobo kwiiBhayibhile ezininzi? Akunjalo konke konke. Akukho namnye kuthi obengalindela “ukuxoxa” (The New English Bible) okanye ukuthethathethana noYehova, ngokungathi bekunokufuneka uYehova avume impazamo yakhe aze acele uxolo. Noko ke, yintoni ekufuneka siyenzile ngokukaIsaya 1:18, ukuba sifuna ukuba seluxolweni noThixo?

3. Iyintoni intsingiselo efanelekileyo yegama lesiHebhere elithi maxa wambi liguqulelwe ngokuthi ‘ukubonisana’ okuthethwa ngako kuIsaya 1:18?

³ Igama lesiHebhere eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “sibonisane” ngokusisiseko lithetha “ukwenza isigqibo, ukuwis’ isigwebo, ukubonisa ubunjani bento.” Linengcamango engokwasemthethweni, ebonisa okungaphezulu kunabantu nje abaqiqa kunye. Kwakubandakanyeke ukwenza isigqibo.a (Genesis 31:37, 42; Yobhi 9:33; INdumiso 50:21; Isaya 2:4) IWilson’s Old Testament Word Studies inikela le ngcamango “ukuthi tye; ukuqiqa, ukubonisa oko kulungileyo nokuyinyaniso.” UThixo wayeyalela oku: “Khanize, silungise izinto” (The New American Bible) okanye, “sibonisane.”

4-6. Wayengubani uIsaya, yaye wakhonza nini njengomprofeti?

⁴ UYehova uThixo wasebenzisa umprofeti uIsaya ukuba adlulisele esi sigidimi sinamandla. Wayengubani ulsaya, yaye kutheni le nto isigidimi sakhe sasifanelekile kwimihla yakhe? Ngaphezu koko, sinokungenelwa njani thina kuso?

⁵ Xa kuthethwa ‘ngomprofeti,’ abaninzi namhlanje basenokuba nombono wetyendyana elithile elikholwe kakhulu elalivakalisa imbono yalo egqwethekileyo ngenyaniso. Abanye basenokucinga ngenkonde enezimbo ezingaqhelekanga ezenza umgwebi wezinto ezazisenzeka ngelo xesha. Hayi indlela eyayahluke ngayo koko indoda elungeleleneyo nenengqondo engulsaya, eyathi yasetyenziswa nguYehova uThixo ekubeni ibhale incwadi yeBhayibhile enegama lakhe!

⁶ ‘UIsaya unyana ka-Amotsi’ wayehlala kwaYuda yaye wayekhonza uYehova ngokukhutheleyo “ngemihla yoUziya, noYotam, noAhazi, noHezekiya, ookumkani bakwaYuda”—ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-40. Ebonisa ukuthozama, uIsaya akazange achaze okuninzi ngaye siqu. Imbali ibonisa ukuba wayesisalamane sentsapho yobukhosi bakwaYuda. Siqinisekile ukuba wayeyindoda enentsapho emfazi wayo wayeyizalele oonyana ababini. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba emva kokuba efile loo mfazi, watshata kwakhona, esiba ngubawo womnye unyana, owachazwa esiprofetweni engulmanuweli.—Isaya 1:1; 7:3, 14; 8:3, 18.

7. Kutheni simele sibe nomdla nje kwisiprofeto sikalsaya?

⁷ Kukho izinto elifana ngazo ixesha awayephila ngalo uIsaya nelethu. Uye waphawula ukuba siphila kwixesha lokuxabana kwezizwe ngezizwe, okuye kwangumphumo wemfazwe nezisongelo zayo. Ngoxa iinkokeli zonqulo nezeepolitiki ezizibanga zinqula uThixo zizimisa njengemizekelo efanelwe kukulandelwa, mihla le iingxelo zamaphephancwadi zisibikela izinto ezilihlazo ezizenzayo kwimicimbi yemali nasekuziphatheni. Ngaba uThixo uzijonga njani iinkokeli ezinjalo, ngakumbi ezo zinxulumene neNgqobhoko? Yintoni elindele zona kunye nabo bazilandelayo? Kwincwadi kalsaya, sifumana amagqabaza obuthixo afaneleke ngokonakona kwiimeko ezilolo hlobo. Sikwafumana nesifundo sakhe ngamnye wethu njengoko ngokobuqu sizabalazela ukukhonza uThixo.

Umprofeti Owathunywa Kuhlanga Olunesono

8. Yintoni equlethwe yincwadi kalsaya, yaye yabhalwa ngayiphi indlela?

⁸ Xa ufunda incwadi kalsaya, uya kufumana izigidimi ezimalunga nesono sikaYuda neseYerusalem, iinkcukacha ezingembali yokuhlasela kweentshaba, ukubhengezwa kokuphanziswa kweentlanga eziselumelwaneni neziprofeto ezikhuthazayo zokubuyiselwa nokusindiswa kukaSirayeli. Oku kubhalwe ngendlela ecacileyo neqondakalayo. UGqr. I. Slotki uthi: “Abaphengululi bakothulel’ umnqwazi ukucaca kombono kaIsaya neenkcazelo zakhe ezakha umfanekiso-ngqondweni nezenza kube lula ukuthelekelela okwakusenzeka nokuthetha kwakhe ngendlela ekwekwayo, ngokusebenzisa imfano-siqalo, uphindaphindo lwezikhamiso nezivakalisi zakhe ezinezingqisho ezimnandi neziyondeleleneyo.” Makhe ikakhulu sihlolisise isigidimi sokuqala sikalsaya—esifumaneka Isakwisahluko 1.

9. Sazi ntoni mayela nokubhalwa kwesahluko 1 sencwadi kaIsaya yaye zazinjani iimeko ngoko?

⁹ Lo mprofeti akalichazi ngokuthe ngqo ixesha awasibhala ngalo esi sahluko. kuIsaya sabhalwa ngonyaka awafa ngawo uKumkani u-Uziya. Ngoko ukuba uIsaya wazibhala ngaphambilana kunoko izahluko zakhe zokuqala, zinokubonisa imeko ekwakuyiyo ebudeni bokulawula kukaUziya. Ngokusisiseko, u-Uziya (829-777 B.C.E.) “wenza okuthe tye emehlweni kaYehova,” ngoko uThixo walusikelela ngokulwenza luphumelele ulawulo lwakhe. Kanti, siyazi ukuba izinto zazingahambi kakuhle, kuba “abantu babesabingelela beqhumisela ezigangeni” ngaphambi kokuba uThixo ambethe ngeqhenqa u-Uziya (okanye, uAzariya) ngenxa yokuthi ngokuzikhukhumalisa aqhumisele etempileni. (2 Kronike 26:1-5, 16-23; 2 Kumkani 15:1-5) Ububi obungachazwanga obabusenzeka ngexesha likaUziya busenokuba bakhokelela kubo bonke ububi esifunda ngabo obenziwa ngumzukulwana wakhe onguKumkani uAhazi (762-745 B.C.E.), nobusenokuba koko uIsaya wayekuchaza. Kodwa okubaluleke ngakumbi kunexesha elingqalileyo esabhalwa ngalo Isaisahluko 1 koko kwashukumisela uThixo ukuba athi: ‘Masibonisaneni.’

10. Ebudeni bolawulo lukaKumkani uAhazi, yintoni eyayixhaphakile kwaYuda, ingakumbi kwiinkokeli zakhona?

¹⁰ Ethetha ngokuphandle uIsaya wavakalisa oku: “Hayi, luhlanga lonayo, bantu banobugwenxa, mbewu yabenza ububi, nyana bonakalisayo! Bamshiyile uYehova, bamgibile oyiNgcwele kaSirayeli, babuyela emva. . .  Yonke intloko iyafa, yonke intliziyo inobulwelwe; kuthabathele enkwalini yonyawo, kwesa entloko, akukho ndawo iphilileyo.” (Isaya 1:4-6) Unyaka we-16 wokulawula kukaKumkani uAhazi wabalasela ngonqulo lwezithixo olwesameleyo. “Wabatshisa oonyana bakhe [njengedini] ngomlilo, ngokwamasikizi eentlanga . . . wabingelela waqhumisela ezigangeni, nasezindulini, naphantsi kwemithi yonke eluhlaza.” (2 Kronike 28:1-4; 2 Kumkani 16:3, 4) Okungekho sikweni, ukunyoba nokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini yayizizinto ezixhaphakileyo ezazisenziwa ngabathetheli, ababekufanelekele ngakumbi ukuba ngabalawuli beSodom yamandulo. (Isaya 1:10, 21-23; Genesis 18:20, 21) Ngokuqinisekileyo, uThixo wayengenakukholiswa ngabo. Yaye abantu babenokuqhuba njani ekubeni babekhokelwa ziinkokeli ezinjalo?

11. Sifanele simqonde njani uIsaya 1:29, 30?

¹¹ Umprofeti uIsaya wabonisa imeko eyayimbi ngokulusizi ababekuyo abantu ngokuchaza imithi engcwele nemiyezo apho abantu babebingelela kwizithixo khona yaye beqhumisela koothixo babahedeni. Le “miterebhinti” yayiya kuba ngunobangela wosizi. (Isaya 1:29; 65:3) Ekwekwa abo banquli bezithixo ngokubafanisa nemithi leyo, uIsaya wabhala oku: “Niya kuba njengomterebhinti omagqabi omayo, nanjengomyezo ongenamanzi.” (Isaya 1:30) Ewe, abantu ababemshiya uYehova babeza “kupheliswa.” Babeza kufana nengxubuwa (amasuntswana eflakisi anokutsha msinyane), nezithixo zabo zaziya kuba yintlantsi—kuze kokubini kutshiswe kuphele.—Isaya 1:28, 31.

12, 13. Ziziphi izinto elifana ngazo ixesha lethu nelikalsaya?

¹² Ngoku makhe sithelekise oko nemeko yanamhlanje. Kwithuba elingangenyanga, ingxelo yephephancwadi eUnited States ibike oku: Ilungu eliphambili kugqatso lonyulo lomongameli liye larhoxa ngokuba lizive lihlazekile ngenxa yeengxelo zokuba ‘lithanda iilokhwe’; umfundisi odumileyo waye wabuyiselwa emva kokuvuma isono sakhe sokukrexeza nesityholo sokuba lifanasini, ukutshintshisana ngabafazi nokusebenzisa kakubi iminikelo yecawa ngokuthenga abantu ukuba bangadizi amahlebo akhe. (‘Kubikwa ukuba ukususela ngowe-1984 uye wasebenzisa [i-9,2 sezigidi zeerandi] ekuhlawuleni abo baye bamfihla.’ ITime, kaMeyi 11, 1987) Kunyaka ophelileyo, umphathi wemonki waseRein eOstriya ‘wagxothwa waza watyholwa ngokusafaza i-12 lezigidi zeerandi ekwakheni indlu ekuhlaliwa kuyo xa kuphunywe ingqina nakumatheko awayewenzela amalungu entsapho eyayifudula iyeyasebukhosini namabhinqa aselula awayephuma kwiintsapho ezingabalulekanga kangako.’ Mhlawumbi nawe usenokuba neminye imizekelo yeenkokeli ezinjalo. Ucinga ukuba uThixo uzijonga njani?

¹³ Kubantu ngokubanzi, ukuqhekeka ecaweni kuyinto eyandayo. Bambi unqulo sele belucekisa okanye bengasafuni kuva nto ngalo. Ngokomzekelo kubemi baseNgilani kuphela sisi-3 ekhulwini sabemi abasahamba icawa emiselwe ngokusemthethweni. Kwelinye icala, sifumana abantu abakholwe ngokugqithiseleyo. Oku kungqinwa kukwanda kweecawa zomoya, nokuthabatheka kwamalungu azo aqhutywa yimvakalelo yokuba “asindisiwe,” athetha ngeelwimi, okanye abona abagulayo “bephiliswa.” Izihlwele zithontelana kwizindlu zokunqula zithembe ukubona imimangaliso. Bambi benza amadini njengezenzo zokubonisa “ukholo,” njengokukhasa ngamadolo ophayo ukuya kubona iNtombi Enyulu yaseGuadalupe [isiXeko saseMexico]. Iphephandaba elithile lathi: “Le Ntombi Inyulu ijongwa njengeyona nto ibalulekileyo ngamaKatolika aseMexico, ngoxa kubabukeli ubukho bayo nenzondelelo enqulwa ngayo zisenokubonakala ziyingxubevange ebalaseleyo yobuKristu nobuhedeni.”

Yintoni Onokuyenza Ukuze Akholiswe Nguwe?

14. UYehova wakwenza kwacaca njani ngoIsaya ukuba Akabamkeli bonke abo bazibanga benqula Yena?

¹⁴ UYehova uThixo akasishiyi sididekile mayela nendlela abajonga ngayo abo bazibanga bekwicala lakhe kodwa bengayi “kumnqula uBawo ngomoya nangenyaniso.” (Yohane 4:23) Ukuba uhlanga oluthile, iqela lonqulo, okanye umntu akenzi ngokuvisisana nemilinganiselo kaThixo ecacisiweyo, naziphi na izinto azenzayo ezibonisa ukuba uyanqula zililize. Ngokomzekelo, kuSirayeli wamandulo imisitho namadini angokonqulo ayezizinto ezaziyinxalenye eyimfuneko yonqulo lwawo oluyinyaniso. (Levitikus, isahluko 1-7, nesama-23) Kanti uIsaya wacacisa imbono kaThixo—ukungakholiswa kwakhe ngaloo maYuda awayengathembekanga nawayegcina ezo zinto. UThixo wathi: “Ekoluleni kwenu izandla zenu, ndiya kuwafihla amehlo am kuni; nokuba nandise ukuthandaza, andiyi kuva.” (Isaya 1:11-15) Kunjalo kanye nanamhlanje. UThixo ufuna imithandazo nezenzo ezilungileyo ezisuka entliziyweni, kunokubhiyozela nje amatheko angokonqulo okanye izivumo zokholo nemithandazo ecengcelezwayo.

15. Kutheni le nto uIsaya 1:18 esinika isizathu sokuba nethemba, yaye athetha ukuthini amazwi athi ‘khanize silungise imicimbi’?

¹⁵ Ukwazi oko kusenza sibe nethemba. Abantu banokwenza ukuba uThixo akholwe ngabo. Njani? UIsaya wabongoza wathi: “Zihlambeni, ziqaqambiseni; susani ububi beentlondi zenu phambi kwamehlo am; yekani ukwenza ububi; fundani ukwenza okulungileyo.” Kusenjalo uIsaya wadlulisela lo myalelo kaThixo: “Khanize silungise imicimbi NW.” Ngoko uYehova wayengabizi ntlanganiso phakathi kwabantu abalinganayo ababenokuthi bahlale phantsi bathethathethane. UThixo wayekwazi okulungileyo, okanye okuthe tye. Naku awayekumisela: Nayiphi na ingqulelo ekufuneka yenziwe imele yenziwe ngabantu, ekufuneka baphile ngokuvisisana nemilinganiselo yakhe yobulungisa nesesikweni. Oko kunjalo nanamhlanje. Inguqulelo iyinto enokwenzeka, ethi iphumele ekuzuzeni inkoliseko kaThixo. Kwanothile obenekhondo elibi ngokwenene usenokwenza inguqulelo. UIsaya wabhala oku: “Nokuba izono zenu zide zavela zanjengengubo ebomvu, zoba mhlophe njengekhephu.”—Isaya 1:16-18.

16. Bambi baye bathini bakuva icebiso elisekelwe eBhayibhileni mayela nesenzo esibi?

¹⁶ Noko ke, bambi batyekele ekubeni basiphawule isiluleko esinjalo kodwa bacinge ukuba sisebenza kwabanye. Ngokucacileyo, abaninzi ngomhla kaIsaya bakwenza oko. Enyanisweni, mntu ngamnye ufanele azihlolisise yena. Ukuba umKristu unetyala lesono esinzulu, mhlawumbi ngokuxoka, ngokuqhatha, ngokuziphatha kakubi ngokwesini, okanye ngezinye iziphoso ezinzulu, kubalulekile ukuba aguquke aze enze imisebenzi efanele inguquko. (IZenzo 26:20) Iyancomeka into yokuba, bambi baye basebenzela ‘ukulungisa imicimbi yabo noYehova.’ Ngokomzekelo, IMboniselo ka-Aprili 15, 1985, yaxubusha ngombandela wokulungiswa kweziphoso ezisenokuba zazingabonwa ngabanye abantu kodwa zibonwa nguThixo. (Mateyu 6:6; Filipi 4:13) Kwakhankanywa izinto ezintathu esinokuziqwalasela: Ukwamkela utofelo-gazi ngokufihlakeleyo, ukuphulula amaphambili nokusebenzisa kakubi utywala. Emva kokuhlolisisa lo mbandela, abafundi balo abaninzi babhala iileta zombulelo; bavuma ukuba babezenza ezo ziphoso, kodwa baye bashukunyiselwa ekubeni baguquke baze benze inguqulelo.

17. Kwanokuba asenzi zono zinzulu, uIsaya 1:18 unokusebenza njani kuthi yaye unokusinceda njani?

¹⁷ Kakade ke, inkoliso yamaKristu ehlolisisa lo mbandela ayinatyala lakuqhelisela ihambo embi. Sekunjalo, isigidimi sikaIsaya simele sisishukumisele ekubeni sihlolisise iintliziyo zethu. Ngaba kukho nto ebesingathanda ukuyilungisa noThixo? Into eyayibalulekile kwisigidimi sikaIsaya yayiyintshukumisa elungileyo. Ngokubhekisele kumthandazo, uthile usenokuzibuza athi: ‘Ngaba imithandazo yam isuka entliziyweni, yaye ngaba ndizama kangangoko ndinako ukuvisisanisa izenzo zam nemithandazo yam?’ Bambi abaye bazihlolisisa ngaloo ndlela baye babona iindawo abanokuphucula kuzo. Babethandazele ulwazi olungakumbi ngokuthanda kukaThixo, ukanti bechitha ixesha elincinane ekufundeni iBhayibhile neempapasho zamaKristu. Abanye babesithi bathandazela ukuba nesabelo esingakumbi kubulungiseleli, kodwa babesukela uhlobo lobomi olwalungabavumeli ukuba bafumane imali engaphantsi kwabayifumanayo ngokuthi banciphise ixesha abalichithela kumsebenzi wempangelo. Okanye ngaba uye wathandazela ukuba uThixo asikelele umsebenzi wakho wokwenza abafundi? Ngoko, uzama kangakanani ukuba ube ngofundisa ngokunempumelelo ngakumbi? Ngaba ngokunyanisekileyo uye wakwandisa ukwenza kwakho amabuyelo yaye ukuvuma ukuncama ixesha lakho ekuqhubeleni abanye izifundo zeBhayibhile rhoqo? Ukuzibhokoxa ngokuvisisana nemithandazo yakho kuya kubonisa ukuba ukufuna ngokunyanisekileyo ukuba uThixo akuphulaphule.

18. Kungani simele sicinge ngokulungisa imicimbi yethu noThixo?

¹⁸ Kuyinto efaneleke gqitha ukuba ngamnye wethu azabalazele ‘ukulungisa’ kuzo zonke iinkalo zobomi bethu noThixo, uMdali wethu. Phawula indlela uIsaya awawuqiqa ngayo lo mbandela: “Inkomo iyamazi umniniyo, ne-esile liyawazi umkhombe wesitali senkosi yalo; ke yena uSirayeli akazi, abantu bam abaqiqi.” (Isaya 1:3) Akukho namnye kuthi obengathanda ukuchazwa engowegqithwa yinkomo okanye liesile ngokwazi okanye ukuxabisa izinto. Noko ke, loo nkcazelo ibiya kufaneleka ukuba besivakalelwa kukuba akukho mfuneko yakuzabalazela ukufunda ngoMniki-bomi wethu nangemithetho yakhe size ke ngokunyanisekileyo sizabalazele ukuphila ngokuvisisana nayo.

19. Laliyintoni ithemba elandlalwa nguIsaya kwabo babelungisa imicimbi yabo noThixo, yaye kuthetha ntoni oku kuthi?

¹⁹ UIsaya wabachazela abantu bakowabo isizathu sokuba nethemba ngekamva. Wathi babenokuguquka baze babe nyulu phambi koYehova. Babenokuba njengengubo engqombela njengebala elibomvu eyayinokuthi ibe mhlophe njengoboya begusha okanye njengekhephu eligubungele incopho yeNtaba iHermon. (Isaya 1:18; INdumiso 51:7; Daniyeli 7:9; ISityhilelo 19:8) Kwanokuba inkoliso yabo kolo hlanga ayizange iguquke, yaza ngaloo ndlela yanikelwa ekreleni nasekuthinjweni, intsalela ethembekileyo yabuyiswa. Ngokufanayo, nathi sinokwenza uThixo akholiswe sithi, mhlawumbi ngoncedo lwabaveleli abanenkxalabo, abakhonza ebandleni ‘njengabagwebi nabacebisi abanothando.’ (Isaya 1:20, 24-27; 1 Petros 5:2-4; Galati 6:1, 2) Ngoko qiniseka ukuba unokuyilungisa imicimbi yakho noThixo. Okanye, ukuba sele uyizuzile kakade inkoliseko kaThixo, usenokomeleza ulwalamano lwakho naye. Ngenene akunakuze uthi uzibhokoxele ilize.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Iingongoma Zempinda

◻ Kwakuthethwa ukuthiwani ngomyalelo ‘wokuza ukuze kulungiswe imicimbi’ noThixo?

◻ Lifana njani ixesha awayephila ngalo uIsaya nelethu?

◻ UIsaya wabonisa ukuba yintoni ekwakufuneka mntu ngamnye eyenzile ukuze akholiseke kuThixo?

◻ Ngaphandle kwezono ezinzulu, kukuziphi iinkalo ekusenokufuneka ukuba kuzo silungise imicimbi noThixo?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Amageduka eNtaba iHermon ekulele kuwo ikhephu, akhangele kumzantsi-ntshona phesheya kwamantla eNtlambo yaseYordan kwiinduli zaseGalili

[Inkcazelo]

Photos, pages 10, 31: Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]

UIsaya wathi ‘iesile liyawazi umkhombe wesitali senkosi yalo.’ Sifunda ntoni koku?