Bathabatheni Njengomzekelo Abaprofeti BakaThixo
“Bathabatheni, bazalwana bam, abaprofeti ababethetha egameni leNkosi, babe ngumzekelo wokuva ubunzima, nowokunyamezela [“nowomonde,” NW].”—YAKOBI 5:10.
1. Yintoni enceda abakhonzi bakaYehova bavuye naxa betshutshiswa?
ABAKHONZI bakaYehova baphuphuma uvuyo phezu kwako nje ukudakumba okuxhaphakileyo ehlabathini lonke kule mihla yokugqibela. Oku kungenxa yokuba bayazi ukuba bakholisa uThixo. AmaNgqina kaYehova akwanyamezela intshutshiso nokuchaswa kobulungiseleli bawo basekuhleni ngenxa yokuba ayaqonda ukuba abandezeleka ngenxa yobulungisa. UYesu Kristu wabaxelela oku abalandeli bakhe: “Ninoyolo nina, xa bathe abantu baningcikiva, banitshutshisa, bathetha zonke izinto ezikhohlakeleyo ngani bexoka, ngenxa yam. Vuyani nigcobe kunene; ngokuba umvuzo wenu mkhulu emazulwini; kuba benjenjalo ukubatshutshisa abaprofeti ababekho phambi kwenu.” (Mateyu 5:10-12) Eneneni, nanini na abakhonzi bakaThixo bejamelana nokulingwa kokholo, bakugqala kuluvuyo.—Yakobi 1:2, 3.
2. Ngokutsho kukaYakobi 5:10, yintoni enokusinceda sibonise umonde?
2 Umfundi uYakobi wabhala: “Bathabatheni, bazalwana bam, abaprofeti ababethetha egameni leNkosi, babe ngumzekelo wokuva ubunzima, nowokunyamezela.” (Yakobi 5:10) UW. F. Arndt noF. W. Gingrich balichaza igama lesiGrike apha eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “umzekelo” (hy·poʹdeig·ma) ngokuthi “umzekelo, umfuziselo, isilinganiso, ngengqiqo elungileyo njengokuthile okushukumisela okanye okufanele kushukumisele ubani ekubeni akuxelise.” Njengokuba kuboniswa kuYohane 13:15, “oku kungaphezulu komzekelo nje oqhelekileyo. Ngumfanekiselo ochanileyo.” (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament) Ngoko ke, abakhonzi bakaYehova banamhlanje banokuthabatha abaprofeti bakhe abathembekileyo njengomzekelo ‘wokuva ubunzima’ nomzekelo ‘wokubonisa umonde.’ Yintoni enye esinokuyiqonda xa sihlolisisa ubomi babo? Ibe oku kunokusinceda njani kumsebenzi wethu wokushumayela?
Beva Ubunzima
3, 4. Umprofeti uAmosi wasabela njani xa wayechaswa nguAmatsiya?
3 Abaprofeti bakaYehova babesiva ubunzima okanye bephathwa kakubi ngokufuthi. Ngokomzekelo, ngenkulungwane yesithoba Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo umbingeleli uAmatsiya owayenqula ithole ngobungendawo wamchasa umprofeti uAmosi. Exoka uAmatsiya wathi uAmosi wayenzele uYarobheham II iyelenqe ngokuprofeta athi lo kumkani wayeya kubulawa ngekrele nangokuthi amaSirayeli ayeya kuthinjwa. Ngendelelo, uAmatsiya wamxelela oku uAmosi: “Mboni, hamba, urhole uye ezweni lakwaYuda, udle khona isonka sakho, uprofete khona; kodwa uze ungabi saphinda uprofete eBheteli, kuba yingcwele yokumkani khona, yindlu yakomkhulu leyo.” Engaphazanyiswanga koku kugculelwa, uAmosi waphendula: “Andimprofeti, andinyana wamprofeti; ndingumalusi weenkomo, ndingumbuthi weziqhamo zomthombe. Kuba uYehova wandithabatha ndisalusa umhlambi, uYehova wathi kum, Yiya uprofete kubantu bam amaSirayeli.”—Amosi 7:10-15.
4 Umoya kaYehova wanika uAmosi amandla okuprofeta ngenkalipho. Khawufan’ ucinge ukuba uAmatsiya wasabela njani xa uAmosi wathi: “Live ilizwi likaYehova. Uthi wena, Akuyi kuprofeta kumaSirayeli, akuyi kuwisa ntetho kwindlu kaIsake. Ngako oko, utsho uYehova ukuthi, Umfazi wakho uya kuhenyuza phakathi komzi, bawe likrele oonyana bakho neentombi zakho; umhlaba wakho wabiwe ngolutya, ke wena ufele emhlabeni oyinqambi; amaSirayeli aya kuthinjwa, afuduswe emke elizweni lawo.” Ezo ziprofeto zenzeka. (Amosi 7:16, 17) Hayi indlela amele ukuba wothuka ngayo loo mwexuki uAmatsiya!
5. Imeko yabakhonzi bakaYehova banamhlanje ifana njani naleyo yomprofeti uAmosi?
5 Oku kuyafana nemeko yabantu bakaYehova namhlanje. Siva ububi njengabo bavakalisa izigidimi zikaThixo, yaye abantu abaninzi bathetha ngendelelo ngomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Liyinyaniso elokuba igunya lethu lokushumayela aliphumi kwisikolo sezifundo zakwalizwi. Kunoko, umoya oyingcwele kaYehova usishukumisela ukuba sivakalise iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. Asisiguquli yaye asisingxengi isigidimi sikaThixo. Kunoko, njengoAmosi, ngokuthobeka siyasivakalisa kungakhathaliseki ukuba injani na intsabelo yabo basivayo.—2 Korinte 2:15-17.
Babonisa Umonde
6, 7. (a) Yintoni eyayibalasele ngokuprofeta kukaIsaya? (b) Abakhonzi bakaYehova banamhlanje benza njengoIsaya njani?
6 Abaprofeti bakaThixo babonisa umonde. Ngokomzekelo, uIsaya, owayekhonza njengomprofeti kaYehova ngenkulungwane yesibhozo Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, wabonisa umonde. UThixo wamxelela oku: “Yiya, uthi kubo aba bantu, ‘Yivani izihlandlo ngezihlandlo, nina bantu, kodwa ningaqondi; yaye bonani izihlandlo ngezihlandlo, kodwa ningalufumani ulwazi.’ Yityebise intliziyo yaba bantu, neendlebe zabo zenze zithi nkqi, namehlo abo uwavingce, ukuze bangaboni ngamehlo abo yaye nangeendlebe zabo bangeva, ukuze bangaqondi ngentliziyo yabo nokuze bangabuyi baze baphiliswe.” (Isaya 6:9, 10) Abantu basabela ngolo hlobo ngokwenene. Kodwa ngaba oku kwambangela wayeka uIsaya? Hayi. Kunoko, ngomonde nangenzondelelo wazivakalisa izigidimi zikaYehova ezilumkisayo. Indlela alungelelaniswe ngayo ngesiHebhere la mazwi kaThixo asandul’ ukucatshulwa ixhasa ingcamango “yokuqhubeka ithuba elide” kwamazwi alo mprofeti, abantu abaweva “izihlandlo ngezihlandlo.”—Gesenius’ Hebrew Grammar.
7 Namhlanje abaninzi basabela kwiindaba ezilungileyo kanye njengokuba abantu basabelayo kumazwi kaYehova awayedluliselwa nguIsaya. Noko ke, njengaloo mprofeti uthembekileyo, nathi sisiphindaphinda “izihlandlo ngezihlandlo” isigidimi soBukumkani. Senjenjalo ngenzondelelo yaye ngomonde siyazingisa ngenxa yokuba oku kukuthanda kukaYehova.
“Benjenjalo”
8, 9. Umprofeti kaYehova uMoses ungumzekelo omhle ngaziphi iindlela?
8 Umprofeti uMoses wayengumzekelo ekubonakaliseni umonde nokuthobela. Wakhetha ukuma ngakumaSirayeli awayesebukhobokeni, kodwa kwafuneka alilinde ngomonde ixesha lokukhululwa kwawo. Wahlala kwaMidiyan iminyaka engama-40 de uThixo wamsebenzisa ukukhupha abantu bakwaSirayeli ebukhobokeni. Xa uMoses nomntakwabo uAron babephambi komlawuli waseYiputa, ngokuthobeka bathetha baza benza oko uThixo wayebayalele kona. Enyanisweni, “benjenjalo.”—Eksodus 7:1-6; Hebhere 11:24-29.
9 Ngomonde uMoses wawanyamezela amaSirayeli iminyaka engama-40 enzima entlango. Kwakhona ngokuthobela walandela ulwalathiso lukaThixo ngokwakhiwa komnquba wamaSirayeli nangokwenziwa kwezinye izinto ezazisetyenziswa ekunquleni uYehova. Lo mprofeti wayilandela ngokusondeleyo imiyalelo kaThixo kangangokuba sifunda oku: “Wenza ke uMoses; njengako konke uYehova abemwisele umthetho ngako, wenjenjalo.” (Eksodus 40:16) Ekuphumezeni ubulungiseleli bethu sisebenzisana nentlangano kaYehova, masikhumbule intobelo kaMoses size sisebenzise isiluleko sompostile uPawulos ‘sokubathobela abo basikhokelayo.’—Hebhere 13:17.
Babenesimo Sengqondo Esikhuthazayo
10, 11. (a) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba umprofeti uHoseya wayenembono ekhuthazayo? (b) Sinokusigcina njani isimo sengqondo esikhuthazayo xa sityelela abantu kwimimandla esikuyo?
10 Abaprofeti kwakufuneka babe nesimo sengqondo esikhuthazayo njengokuba babedlulisela izigidimi zomgwebo kwaneziprofeto ezazibonisa inkxalabo kaThixo yothando ngabathembekileyo ababesasazeke kwaSirayeli. Oku kwakunjalo ngoHoseya, owayengumprofeti iminyaka engaphezu kwama-59. Ngendlela ekhuthazayo, waqhubeka edlulisela izigidimi zikaYehova waza waqukumbela incwadi yakhe yesiprofeto ngala mazwi: “Ngubani na olumkileyo, aziqonde ezo zinto? Ngubani na onengqondo, azazi? Ngokuba zithe tye iindlela zikaYehova; ahamba ngazo amalungisa; ke bona abakreqi baya kukhubeka kuzo.” (Hoseya 14:9) Logama nje uYehova esasivumele sinikele ubungqina, masibe nesimo sengqondo esikhuthazayo size siqhubeke sikhangela abo ngobulumko baya kulwamkela ubabalo lukaThixo.
11 Ukuze sifune ‘abafanelekileyo,’ kufuneka sizingise size siyijonge ngendlela ekhuthazayo imicimbi. (Mateyu 10:11) Ngokomzekelo, ukuba silahle izitshixo zethu, sisenokubuyela emva size sikhangele kwiindawo ezahlukahlukeneyo ebesikuzo. Sisenokuzifumana kuphela emva kokuba oku sikwenze ngokuphindaphindiweyo. Masizingise ngokufanayo xa sikhangela abantu abafana nezimvu. Hayi indlela esivuya ngayo xa besabela kwiindaba ezilungileyo kwimimandla esetyenzwa ngokufuthi! Yaye hayi indlela esivuya ngayo kuba uThixo ewusikelela umsebenzi wethu kumazwe ubulungiseleli bethu basekuhleni obabubekelwe imiqathango kuwo ngaphambili!—Galati 6:10.
Imithombo Yokhuthazo
12. Sisiphi isiprofeto sikaYoweli esizalisekayo kule nkulungwane yama-20, yaye njani?
12 Amazwi abaprofeti bakaYehova anokusikhuthaza kakhulu kubulungiseleli bethu. Ngokomzekelo, khawuqwalasele isiprofeto sikaYoweli. Sinezigidimi zomgwebo ezazijoliswe kumaSirayeli awexukileyo nakwabanye ngenkulungwane yesithoba Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Ukanti, uYoweli wakwaphefumlelwa ukuba aprofete athi: “Kuya kuthi emveni kokuba njalo, [mna Yehova] ndithulule uMoya wam phezu kwenyama yonke, baprofete oonyana benu neentombi zenu; amadoda enu amakhulu aphuphe amaphupha, amadodana enu abone imibono. Kwanaphezu kwabakhonzi naphezu kwabakhonzazana ndothulula uMoya wam ngaloo mihla.” (Yoweli 2:28, 29) Oku kwaba njalo ngabalandeli bakaYesu ukususela ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E. ukusa phambili. Yaye hayi indlela esizaliseka ngokuzuke ngayo esi siprofeto njengoko sibona kule nkulungwane yama-20! Namhlanje sinezigidi ‘eziprofetayo,’ okanye ezivakalisa isigidimi sikaYehova—phakathi kwazo kukho abangaphezu kwama-600 000 abakwinkonzo yobuvulindlela yexesha elizeleyo.
13, 14. Yintoni enokunceda amaKristu aselula afumane uvuyo kubulungiseleli basentsimini?
13 Abavakalisi boBukumkani abaninzi ngabantu abaselula. Akusoloko kulula ngabo ukuthetha nabantu abadala ngeBhayibhile. Maxa wambi abakhonzi bakaYehova abaselula baxelelwa oku: ‘Nidlala ngexesha lenu ngoku kushumayela,’ yaye ‘zininzi izinto engenizenza.’ Ngobuchule amaNgqina kaYehova aselula asenokuphendula ngokuthi alusizi ukwazi ukuba loo mntu uvakalelwa ngaloo ndlela. Omnye umshumayeli weendaba ezilungileyo oselula ukufumanisa kuluncedo ukongezelela athi: “Ndivakalelwa kukuba ndingenelwa ngokwenene ngokuthetha nabantu abadala abafana nawe, ibe ndiyakunandipha.” Kakade ke, ngokuqinisekileyo ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo akuyonkcitha xesha. Ubomi babantu busengozini. NgoYoweli, uThixo wahlabela mgama wathi: “Bothi bonke abasukuba benqula igama likaYehova, basinde.”—Yoweli 2:32.
14 Abantwana abahamba nabazali babo kumsebenzi wokushumayela bayalwamkela uncedo lwabazali ekuzibekeleni usukelo lobuqu. Kancinane kancinane abo bantwana benza inkqubela ukusuka ekufundeni isibhalo baye ekucaciseni ithemba labo elisekelwe eBhayibhileni nasekunikeleni uncwadi olufanelekileyo kubantu abanomdla. Njengoko bebona inkqubela yabo nentsikelelo kaYehova, abavakalisi boBukumkani abaselula bafumana uvuyo olukhulu ekushumayeleni iindaba ezilungileyo.—INdumiso 110:3; 148:12, 13.
Inzondelelo Nesimo Sengqondo Sokulinda
15. Umzekelo kaHezekile unokusinceda njani sivuselele inzondelelo yethu ngomsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani?
15 Abaprofeti bakaThixo babekwangumzekelo ekubonakaliseni inzondelelo nesimo sengqondo sokulinda—mpawu ezo ezifunekayo kubulungiseleli bethu namhlanje. Xa safunda inyaniso eLizwini likaThixo okokuqala, kusenokwenzeka ukuba sasivutha yinzondelelo eyasishukumisela ekuthetheni ngokungafihlisi. Kodwa kusenokwenzeka ukuba sekudlule iminyaka ukususela ngoko, ibe sisenokuba siwugubungele ngokufuthi ummandla esinikela ubungqina kuwo. Basenokuba bambalwa ngoku abantu abasamkelayo isigidimi soBukumkani. Ngaba oku kuyithothisile inzondelelo yethu? Ukuba kunjalo, khawucinge ngomprofeti uHezekile, ogama lakhe lithetha ukuba “UThixo Uyomeleza.” Nangona uHezekile wayejamelene nabantu abantliziyo ziqinileyo kwaSirayeli mandulo, uThixo wamomeleza waza ngokufuziselayo ibunzi lakhe walenza laqina ngaphezu kwenyengane. Ngaloo ndlela, uHezekile wakwazi ukuqhubeka nobulungiseleli bakhe kangangeminyaka emininzi gqitha enokuba abantu babephulaphula okanye bengaphulaphuli. Umzekelo wakhe ubonisa ukuba sinokwenza okufanayo, ibe unokusinceda sivuselele inzondelelo yethu ngomsebenzi wokushumayela.—Hezekile 3:8, 9; 2 Timoti 4:5.
16. Sisiphi isimo sengqondo awayenaso uMika esifanele sisihlakulele?
16 Omnye ophawulekayo ngomonde awayenawo nguMika, owayeprofeta ngenkulungwane yesibhozo Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Wabhala: “Mna ke ndiya kuqwalasela kuYehova; ndiya kulindela kuThixo wokusindiswa kwam; uya kundiva uThixo wam.” (Mika 7:7) Intembelo kaMika yayisekelwe kukholo lwakhe oluqinileyo. Njengomprofeti uIsaya, uMika wayesazi ukuba oko uYehova wayenenjongo yako ngokuqinisekileyo wayeya kukwenza. Nathi siyakwazi oku. (Isaya 55:11) Ngoko ke masihlakulele isimo sengqondo sokulinda ngokuphathelele ukuzaliseka kwamadinga kaThixo. Yaye masishumayele iindaba ezilungileyo ngenzondelelo, kwanakwimimandla apho abantu bangabonakalisi mdla kangako kwisigidimi soBukumkani.—Tito 2:14; Yakobi 5:7-10.
Ukubonisa Umonde Namhlanje
17, 18. Yiyiphi imizekelo yamandulo neyanamhlanje enokusinceda sibonise umonde?
17 Bambi kubaprofeti bakaYehova bazingisa kwizabelo zabo kangangeminyaka kodwa abazange bakubone ukuzaliseka kweziprofeto zabo. Sekunjalo, ukuzingisa kwabo ngomonde, ngokufuthi ngoxa bephethwe kakubi, kusinceda siqonde ukuba sinokubuzalisekisa ubulungiseleli bethu. Sikwanokungenelwa kumzekelo wabathanjiswa abathembekileyo kumashumi eminyaka okuqala ale nkulungwane yama-20. Nangona amathemba abo okuya ezulwini engazange azaliseke ngokukhawuleza njengoko babelindele, abazange bavumele ukudana ngenxa yoko kwakubonakala ngathi kukulibazisa kuthothise inzondelelo yabo yokwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo njengoko wayekutyhile kubo.
18 Kangangeminyaka, abaninzi kula maKristu babesasaza rhoqo IMboniselo nolindixesha oliqabane layo, uVukani!, (ngaphambili owayebizwa ngokuthi The Golden Age yaye kamva Consolation). Ngenzondelelo babenikela ebantwini aba lindixesha baxabisekileyo ezitratweni nasemakhayeni abo koko namhlanje sikubiza ngokuba yimizila yamaphephancwadi. Omnye udade owalupheleyo nowagqiba ikhondo lakhe lasemhlabeni wakhunjulwa ngokukhawuleza ngabantu ababeqhele ukudlula ngendlela bambone enikela ubungqina esitratweni. Obunjani bona ubungqina awabunikelayo ebudeni beminyaka yakhe emininzi yokukhonza ngokuthembeka, njengoko kuboniswa ngamagqabaza oxabiso abo babebubukele ubulungiseleli bakhe basekuhleni! Njengomvakalisi woBukumkani, ngaba uyinikela rhoqo IMboniselo noVukani! kwabo udibana nabo kubulungiseleli bakho?
19. AmaHebhere 6:10-12 asikhuthaza njani?
19 Kwakhona, khawucinge ngomonde nenkonzo yokuthembeka yabazalwana abakhonza njengamalungu eQumrhu Elilawulayo lamaNgqina kaYehova. Abaliqela kubo ngoku bangaphezu kweminyaka engamashumi asibhozo okanye asithoba, kodwa basengabavakalisi boBukumkani abanyamekela izabelo zabo ngenzondelelo. (Hebhere 13:7) Yaye kuthekani ngabanye abakhulileyo abanethemba lasezulwini kwanabathile phakathi ‘kwezinye izimvu’ abakhulileyo ngeminyaka? (Yohane 10:16) Banokuqiniseka ukuba uThixo akanantswela-bulungisa kangangokuba awulibale umsebenzi wabo nothando abalubonisayo egameni lakhe. Kunye namanye amakholwa aselula, ngamana amaNgqina kaYehova akhulileyo angatyhalela phambili ekwenzeni konke anako, ebonisa ukholo nomonde enkonzweni kaThixo. (Hebhere 6:10-12) Ngoko, enoba kungovuko, njengabaprofeti bakudala, okanye kungokusinda ‘kwimbandezelo enkulu’ esondelayo, baya kuvuna umvuzo otyebileyo wobomi obungunaphakade.—Mateyu 24:21.
20. (a) Ufunde ntoni ‘kumzekelo’ wabaprofeti? (b) Umonde ofana nowabaprofeti unokusinceda njani?
20 Onjani wona ukuba mhle umzekelo abaprofeti bakaThixo abasishiyele wona! Ngenxa yokuba banyamezela ukubandezeleka, baba nomonde, yaye babonisa nezinye iimpawu zokuhlonela uThixo, bafumana ilungelo lokuthetha egameni likaYehova. NjengamaNgqina akhe anamhlanje, masibe njengabo yaye sizimisele njengomprofeti uHabhakuki, owathi: “Ndiya kuma emboniselweni yam, ndizibeke phezu kwenqaba, ndibonisele, ukuba ndiyibone into aya kuyithetha kum [uThixo].” (Habhakuki 2:1) Masizimisele ngokufanayo njengokuba sibonakalisa umonde yaye ngovuyo siqhubeka sivakalisa ekuhleni igama elibalaseleyo loMdali wethu Ozukileyo, uYehova!—Nehemiya 8:10; Roma 10:10.
Uzibambile Na Ezi Ngongoma?
◻ Umprofeti uAmosi wamisela wuphi umzekelo wenkalipho?
◻ Umprofeti uMoses wayengumzekelo omhle ngaziphi iindlela?
◻ AmaNgqina kaYehova anamhlanje anokwenza njengoAmosi noIsaya njani?
◻ Abalungiseleli abangamaKristu banokufunda ntoni kwihambo kaHoseya noYoweli?
◻ Sinokungenelwa njani kumzekelo kaHezekile noMika?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]
Phezu kwayo nje inkcaso ka-Amatsiya ekrakra, umoya kaYehova wanika uAmosi amandla okuprofeta ngenkalipho
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]
Abathanjiswa abathembekileyo bamisele umzekelo omhle ngokubonakalisa umonde enkonzweni kaYehova