Abaprofeti Bobuxoki Namhlanje

UYEREMIYA wayengumprofeti kaThixo eYerusalem ngexesha apho eso sixeko sasizaliswe lunqulo-zithixo, kukuziphatha kakubi, kukunganyaniseki nakukuphalazwa kwegazi elimsulwa. (Yeremiya 7:8-11) Yayingenguye kuphela owayeprofeta ngelo xesha, kodwa inkoliso yabanye yayikhonza iziqu zayo yaye inganyanisekanga. Ngayiphi indlela? UYehova uthi: “Kuthabathela kumprofeti kwesa kumbingeleli, bonke bephela benza ngobuxoki. Bakuphilisa kalula ukwaphuka kwentombi yabantu bam, besithi, Luxolo, luxolo; kungekho luxolo.”—Yeremiya 6:13, 14.

Abaprofeti bobuxoki babezama ukwenza kubonakale ngathi phezu kwako konke ukunganyaniseki okwakukho, izinto zazihamba ngendlela, yaye abantu babeseluxolweni noThixo; kodwa kwakungenjalo. Babelindwe ngumgwebo kaThixo, njengokuba uYeremiya ngokungenadyudyu wayevakalisa. Umprofeti wokwenyaniso uYeremiya, kungekhona abaprofeti bobuxoki, wathethelelwa xa iYerusalem yatshayelwa ngamajoni aseBhabhiloni ngowama-607 B.C.E., itempile yatshatyalaliswa, baza abantu babulawa okanye barholelwa ekuthinjweni kwiBhabhiloni ekude. Ibathwana leentsizana ezasalayo labhacela eYiputa.—Yeremiya 39:6-9; 43:4-7.

Babenze ntoni abaprofeti? “Yabonani, ndichasene nabaprofeti, utsho uYehova, abawebayo amazwi am elowo kummelwane wakhe.” (Yeremiya 23:30) Abaprofeti bobuxoki beba amandla nomphumo ongewawubekho ngokuphulaphula amazwi kaThixo ngokuthi bakhuthaze abantu ukuba baphulaphule ubuxoki kunesilumkiso sokwenyaniso esivela kuThixo. Babexela ezabo iingcamango, izinto abantu ababefuna ukuziva, kungekhona “izinto ezinkulu zikaThixo.” Isigidimi sikaYeremiya sasivela kuThixo ngokwenene, yaye ukuba amaSirayeli ayenze ngokuvisisana namazwi akhe, ngewayesindile. Abaprofeti bobuxoki ‘beba amazwi kaThixo’ baza bakhokelela abantu kwintlekele. Kwakunjengokuba uYesu wathethayo ngeenkokeli zonqulo ezingathembekanga zomhla wakhe esithi: “Ngabakhokeli beemfama abakwaziimfama; ke kaloku, xa sukuba imfama ikhokela imfama, zombini ziya kweyela emhadini.”—IZenzo 2:11; Mateyu 15:14.

Njengakumhla kaYeremiya, namhlanje bakho abaprofeti bobuxoki abazibanga bemela uThixo weBhayibhile; kodwa nabo beba amazwi kaThixo ngokushumayela izinto ezibaphambukisayo abantu koko uThixo akutshoyo ngokwenene eBhayibhileni. Ngayiphi indlela? Lo mbuzo masiwuphendule ngokuhlolisisa imfundiso esisiseko yeBhayibhile yoBukumkani, size sijonge ukuba bona bathini.

Inyaniso NgoBukumkani

UBukumkani bukaThixo babungumxholo ophambili wokufundisa kukaKristu, yaye bukhankanywa izihlandlo ezingaphezu kwekhulu kwiincwadi zeVangeli. Kwasekuqaleni kubulungiseleli bakhe, uYesu wathi: “Ndimelwe kukuba ndizishumayele iindaba ezilungileyo zobukumkani bukaThixo . . . ngokuba ndithunywe oko.” Abalandeli bakhe wabafundisa ukuba bathandaze bathi: “Mabufike ubukumkani bakho.”—Luka 4:43; 11:2.

Ngoko, buyintoni uBukumkani? Ngokutsho kweThe New Thayer’s Greek English Lexicon, igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “ubukumkani” eBhayibhileni okokuqala lithetha, “amandla obukhosi, ukuba ngukumkani, ukuba negunya, ulawulo” yaye okwesibini, “ummandla ongaphantsi kolawulo lokumkani.” Ngokusuka koku ngokusengqiqweni besiya kugqiba kwelokuba uBukumkani bukaThixo bungurhulumente wokoqobo olawulwa ngukumkani. Ngaba kunjalo?

Ewe, kunjalo, yaye loo Kumkani nguYesu Kristu ngokwakhe. Ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaYesu isithunywa sezulu uGabriyeli sathi kuMariya: “Yena uya kuba mkhulu, abizwe ngokuba nguNyana wOsenyangweni; iNkosi uThixo iya kumnika itrone kaDavide, uyise.” (Luka 1:32) Ukufumana kukaYesu itrone kungqina ukuba unguKumkani, uMlawuli waseburhulumenteni. Okunye okungqina ukuba uBukumkani buburhulumente bokoqobo sisiprofeto sikaIsaya esithi: “Sizalelwe umntwana, sinikwe unyana: urhulumente uya kuba sesixhantini sakhe . . . Ukwanda koburhulumente noxolo lwakhe akusayi kuphela.”—Isaya 9:6, 7, King James Version.

Ulawula phi uYesu? EYerusalem? Hayi. Umprofeti uDaniyeli wabona umbono kaYesu efumana uBukumkani, yaye embonweni wakhe uYesu usezulwini. (Daniyeli 7:13, 14) Oku kuyavumelana nendlela uYesu awathetha ngayo ngoBukumkani. Ngokufuthi wayebubiza ngokuthi “ubukumkani bamazulu.” (Mateyu 10:7; 11:11, 12) Kwakhona kuyavumelana namazwi uYesu awawathetha kuPilato xa uYesu wayesematyaleni phambi kwakhe: “Ubukumkani bam asibubo obeli hlabathi; ukuba bebububo obeli hlabathi ubukumkani bam, amakhonza am ange ezama, ukuze ndinganikelwa kumaYuda; ngoku ke ubukumkani bam asibobalapha.” (Yohane 18:36) Ngaba umfundisi wakho ukufundisile ukuba uBukumkani bukaYesu bungurhulumente wokwenene, olawula esezulwini? Okanye ngaba ukufundise ukuba uBukumkani yinto nje esentliziyweni? Ukuba kunjalo, ebesiba amazwi kaThixo kuwe.

Urhulumente woBukumkani uhlobene njani nazo zonke iintlobo ezahlukahlukeneyo zoorhulumente babantu? Ngokutsho kweThe Encyclopedia of Religion, ehlelwe nguMircea Eliade, uMhlaziyi uMartin Luther, xa wayexubusha ngoBukumkani, wathi: “Uburhulumente basemhlabeni . . . bukwanokubizwa ngokuba buBukumkani bukaThixo.” Bambi bafundisa ukuba abantu, ngemigudu yabo, banokubenza oorhulumente babantu baphantse bafane noBukumkani bukaThixo. Ngowe-1983 iBhunga Leecawa Lehlabathi lathi: “Njengokuba singqinela umnqweno wethu wokwenyaniso woxolo ngezenzo ezithile, uMoya kaThixo unokusebenzisa imigudu yethu engephi ukuze wenze izikumkani zeli hlabathi ziphantse zifane nobukumkani bukaThixo.”

Noko ke, phawula ukuba kuMthandazo weNkosi (“uBawo Wethu Osezulwini”), uYesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathandazele ukuba uBukumkani bukaThixo bufike yaye kuphela kusemva koko awabaxelela ukuba bathandaze bathi: “Makwenziwe ukuthanda kwakho [kukaThixo] nasemhlabeni, njengokuba kusenziwa emazulwini.” (Mateyu 6:10) Ngamanye amazwi, abantu abenzi ukuba uBukumkani bufike ngokwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. Kukufika koBukumkani okubangela ukuba ukuthanda kukaThixo kwenziwe emhlabeni. Njani?

Khawuphulaphule oko kutshiwo sisiprofeto sikaDaniyeli isahluko 2, indinyana 44: “Ngemihla yabo kumkani [abalawuli abangabantu ngexesha lesiphelo], uThixo wamazulu uya kumisa ubukumkani obungayi konakala naphakade. . . . Buya kuzicola buzigqibe zonke ezo zikumkani.” Akumangalisi ke ukuba abe uYesu wathi uBukumkani bakhe asibubo obeli hlabathi! Kunoko, uBukumkani buza kuzitshabalalisa izikumkani, oorhulumente, zalo mhlaba buze ke buzithabathele indawo ekulawuleni uluntu. Njengorhulumente woluntu ovela kuThixo, buya kuthi ke buqinisekise ukuba ukuthanda kukaThixo kuyenziwa emhlabeni.

Isizathu sokuba uBukumkani buthabathe isenzo esingqongqo ngolo hlobo sicaca xa siqwalasela ukuba ngubani na olawula eli hlabathi. Umpostile uYohane wabhala wathi: “Ihlabathi liphela lilele kongendawo.” (1 Yohane 5:19) “Ongendawo” nguSathana uMtyholi, uPawulos awambiza ngokuthi “uthixo weli phakade.” (2 Korinte 4:4) Akunakuze kwenzeke ukuba amaziko akwihlabathi uSathana uMtyholi anguthixo walo afaniswe noBukumkani bukaThixo.

Esi sesinye isizathu esabangela ukuba uYesu angabandakanyeki kwezobupolitika. Xa oothandizwe bamaYuda bazama ukumenza ukumkani, wabaphepha. (Yohane 6:15) Njengokuba sesibonile, ngokuphandle wamxelela oku uPilato: “Ubukumkani bam asibubo obeli hlabathi.” Yaye ngokuvisisana noku, wathi ngabalandeli bakhe: “Abangabo abehlabathi, njengokuba nam ndingenguye owehlabathi.” (Yohane 17:16) Ngoko ke, iinkokeli zonqulo ezifundisa ukuba ukuphuculwa kwale nkqubo yezinto kukhawulezisa ukuza koBukumkani bukaThixo nezikhuthaza imihlambi yazo ukuba isebenzele ukufikelela olo sukelo zingabaprofeti bobuxoki. Ziyaweba amandla nomphumo obuya kubakho ngenxa yoko iBhayibhile ikutshoyo ngokwenene.

Kutheni Kubalulekile?

Ngaba le yingxoxo nje yobukrelekrele? Nakanye. Iimfundiso eziphosakeleyo ngoBukumkani bukaThixo ziye zalahlekisa abantu abaninzi yaye zide zachaphazela nembali. Ngokomzekelo, incwadi ethi Théo, intyilazwi yamaRoma Katolika, ithi: “Abantu bakaThixo bahambela phambili besondela kuBukumkani bukaThixo uKristu abuseke emhlabeni . . . Icawa iyimbewu yobu Bukumkani.” Ukufaniswa kweCawa yamaKatolika noBukumkani bukaThixo kwanika icawa amandla amakhulu koorhulumente ebudeni bamaXesha Aphakathi aweyeneenkolelo. Nanamhlanje, amagunya ecawa ayazama ukuphembelela imicimbi yehlabathi, esebenzisana nezinye iinkqubo zobupolitika yaye ephikisana nezinye.

Omnye umphengululi wavakalisa enye imbono exhaphakileyo namhlanje xa wathi: “Indlela yemvukelo bubukumkani kuba imvukelo kukuhlangana kwabantu kubuntu obutsha, okuphenjelelwa ngumqondiso wobuthixo onikelwe ngendoda yenyaniso—uYesu . . . uGandhi . . . namadodana akwaBerrigan.” Ukufundisa ukuba uBukumkani bukaThixo bunokuziswa ngokuzibandakanya kwezobupolitika nokutyeshela izibakala zokwenene ngoBukumkani kuye kwakhokelela ekubeni iinkokeli zonqulo zizigqatsele izikhundla zezobupolitika. Kuye kwakhokelela ekubeni abanye bazibandakanye kwimilo yamakhaya bade bathabathe inxaxheba kwiimfazwe zobugrogrisi. Akukho nanye kwezi evisisanayo nenyaniso yokuba uBukumkani abuyonxalenye yeli hlabathi. Yaye iinkokeli zonqulo ezithe gxwa kangaka kwezobupolitika asingetsho tu ukuba aziyonxalenye yehlabathi, njengokuba uYesu wathi kwakuya kuba njalo ngabafundi bakhe bokwenyaniso. Abo bafundisa ukuba uBukumkani bukaThixo bunokufunyanwa ngezenzo zobupolitika ngabaprofeti bobuxoki. Beba amazwi kaThixo ebantwini.

Ukuba iinkokeli zonqulo kwiNgqobhoko bezifundisa oko iBhayibhile ikutshoyo ngokwenene, imihlambi yazo ngeyisazi ukuba uBukumkani bukaThixo ngokwenene buya kuzicombulula iingxaki ezinjengobuhlwempu, izifo, ucalucalulo lobuhlanga nengcinezelo. Kodwa oku kuya kwenziwa ngexesha likaThixo elifanelekileyo nangendlela kaThixo. Akuyi kuba ngeenguqu kwiinkqubo zobupolitika, eziya kuphela xa uBukumkani bufika. Ukuba aba befundisi bebengabaprofeti bokwenyaniso, ngebeyifundisile imihlambi yabo ukuba ngoxa ilinde ukuba uBukumkani bukaThixo benze okuthile, banokufumana uncedo lokwenene, oluvela kuThixo nolusebenzisekayo lokucombulula iingxaki ezibangelwe kukungabikho kokusesikweni kweli hlabathi.

Ekugqibeleni, ngebeyifundisile imihlambi yabo ukuba iimeko eziya zisiba mandundu emhlabeni ezibangela unxunguphalo olungaka kwaprofetwa ngazo eBhayibhileni yaye zingumqondiso wokuba ukufika koBukumkani kusondele. Ewe, uBukumkani bukaThixo kungekudala buza kungenelela buze buwathabathel’ indawo amaziko obupolitika akhoyo. Hayi intsikelelo oko okuya kuba yiyo!—Mateyu 24:21, 22, 36-39; 2 Petros 3:7; ISityhilelo 19:11-21.

Uluntu Ngaphantsi KoBukumkani BukaThixo

Ukufika koBukumkani bukaThixo kuya kuthetha ntoni kuluntu? Kaloku, ngaba unokuzithelekelela ntsasa nganye uvuka usemandleni? Akukho mntu umaziyo ugulayo okanye ufayo. Kwanabathandekayo bakho abafileyo babuyiselwe kuwe ngovuko. (Isaya 35:5, 6; Yohane 5:28, 29) Akusekho zingxaki zezoqoqosho ezibangelwa lushishino lokuzingca okanye ziinkqubo zezoqoqosho ezingalinganiyo. Unelakho ikhaya elitofotofo nomhlaba omkhulu wokulima konke okufunayo ukuze wondle intsapho. (Isaya 65:21-23) Unokuya naphi na nanini na emini nasebusuku ungenaloyiko lakuhlaselwa. Iimfazwe azisekho—akukho nto isongela unqabiseko lwakho. Wonke umntu ukunqwenelela okona kulungileyo. Abangendawo abasekho. Kugquba uthando nobulungisa. Ngaba unokulithelekelela ixesha elinjalo? Eli lihlabathi eliya kuziswa buBukumkani.—INdumiso 37:10, 11; 85:10-13; Mika 4:3, 4.

Ngaba eli liphupha nje lamabhongo? Hayi. Funda izibhalo eziboniswe kwisiqendu esandulelayo, yaye uya kufumanisa ukuba yonke into ethethwayo apho ibonakalisa izithembiso eziqinisekileyo zikaThixo. Ukuba akukaze ucaciselwe ngokuchane ngolu hlobo ngoko uBukumkani bukaThixo bunako ukukwenza yaye buya kukwenzela uluntu, makube ke uthile uye waweba amazwi kaThixo kuwe.

Okuvuyisayo kukuba akuyomfuneko ukuba kuqhubeke kunjalo. UYesu wathi kumhla wethu “ezi ndaba zilungileyo zobukumkani ziya kuvakaliswa kulo elimiweyo liphela, zibe bubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga; kwandule ke ukufika ukuphela.” (Mateyu 24:14) Iphephancwadi olifundayo ngoku liyinxalenye yaloo msebenzi wokushumayela. Sikukhuthaza ukuba ukuphephe ukukhohliswa ngabaprofeti bobuxoki. Khangela nzulu eLizwini likaThixo ukuze ufumane inyaniso ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. Uze ke, uzithobe kobo Bukumkani, obulilungiselelo loMalusi Omkhulu, uYehova uThixo. Enyanisweni, bukuphela kwethemba loluntu, yaye nakanjani na liya kuzaliseka.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 5]

ULuther wafundisa ukuba urhulumente wabantu wayenokugqalwa njengoBukumkani bukaThixo

[Inkcazelo]

Courtesy of the Trustees of the British Museum

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

NjengoMalusi onothando, uYehova ngoBukumkani bakhe uya kuzisa iimeko ekungekho mntu unokuzizisa