Abantu Abahlala Kunye ‘Elizweni’ Elibuyiselweyo
“Ke nina ukubizwa kwenu, kuya kuthiwa ningababingeleli bakaYehova; kuya kuthiwa kuni, ningabalungiseleli boThixo wethu.”—ISAYA 61:6.
1, 2. (a) Yayinjani imeko yabantu abaguqukele ebuYudeni kwaSirayeli? (b) Nguwuphi umoya oboniswe ngamalungu ‘esihlwele esikhulu’ kumaxesha anamhlanje?
KUMAXESHA amandulo, ngoxa uSirayeli wayethembekile wayelingqina kwihlabathi ukuze kuzukiswe uYehova. (Isaya 41:8, 9; 43:10) Abantu basemzini abaninzi basabela baza bamnqula uYehova ngokumanyene nabantu Bakhe abanyuliweyo. Enyanisweni, bathetha kuSirayeli oko kwathethwa nguRute kuNahomi: “Abantu bakowenu baya kuba ngabantu bam, uThixo wakho abe nguThixo wam.” (Rute 1:16) Bazithobela izinto ezazifunwa ngumnqophiso woMthetho, amadoda ayesaluka. (Eksodus 12:43-48) Wambi amabhinqa atshata namaSirayeli. URahabhi waseYeriko noRute umMowabhikazi baba ngookhokhokazi bakaYesu Kristu. (Mateyu 1:5) Abantu abanjalo abaguqukele ebuYudeni babeyinxalenye yebandla lakwaSirayeli.—Duteronomi 23:7, 8.
2 Ngokufana nabantu abaguqukele ebuYudeni kwaSirayeli, namhlanje “isihlwele esikhulu” siye sathi kwintsalela ethanjisiweyo: “Siya kuhamba nani, ngokuba sivile ukuba uThixo unani.” (ISityhilelo 7:9; Zekariya 8:23) Siyaqonda ukuba la maKristu athanjisiweyo ‘angumkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo’ kaYehova, yaye sisebenza nawo ngokusondele gqitha kangangokuba abathanjiswa ‘nesihlwele esikhulu’ ‘bamhlambi mnye, nomalusi mnye.’ (Mateyu 24:45-47; Yohane 10:16) Kuya kwenzeka ntoni kwisihlwele esikhulu xa bonke abazalwana baso abathanjisiweyo befumana umvuzo wabo wasezulwini? Simele singabi naloyiko. Ukutyhubela le “mihla yokugqibela,” uYehova ubelungiselela elo xesha.—2 Timoti 3:1.
“Ilizwe” Lokomoya
3. Yintoni ‘amazulu amatsha’ aprofete ngawo uPetros, yaye amiselwa nini?
3 Umpostile uPetros waprofeta ngelungiselelo lokulawula lasezulwini amaKristu athanjisiweyo ali-144 000 ayinxalenye yalo. Wathi: “Thina ke ngokwedinga lakhe silinde elitsha izulu, nomtsha umhlaba, apho kumi ubulungisa.” (2 Petros 3:13) ‘Izulu elitsha’ lasekwa ngowe-1914, xa uKristu wabekwa etroneni njengoKumkani eBukumkanini basezulwini. Kodwa kuthekani ‘ngomhlaba omtsha’?
4. (a) Sisiphi isiganeko esingalindelekanga esenzeka ngowe-1919? (b) Luluphi ‘uhlanga olwazalwa ngasihlandlo sinye,’ yaye liliphi ‘ilizwe elazalwayo’?
4 Ngowe-1919, uYehova wakhulula intsalela ethanjisiweyo kubukhoboka beBhabhiloni Enkulu. (ISityhilelo 18:4) Iinkokeli zeNgqobhoko zazingasilindelanga kwaphela esi siganeko siphawulekayo. Ngokuphathelele sona, iBhayibhile ithi: “Ngubani na okhe weva kunjalo? Ngubani na okhe wabona izinto ezinjalo? Kuya kuzalwa ilizwe ngamininye na? Kuzalwa uhlanga ngasihlandlo sinye na?” (Isaya 66:8) Xa ibandla labathanjiswa labonakala ngequbuliso phambi kweentlanga njengabantu abakhululekileyo, ngokwenene uhlanga ‘lwazalwa ngasihlandlo sinye.’ Noko ke, laliyintoni “ilizwe”? Ngengqiqo ethile, ngokomoya lifana nelizwe lakwaSirayeli wamandulo. Lingummandla oxakekileyo onikwe “uhlanga” olusandul’ ukuzalwa, indawo iziprofeto ezikwincwadi kaIsaya ezithetha ngeParadisi ezizaliseka kuyo ngokomoya namhlanje. (Isaya 32:16-20; 35:1-7; thelekisa amaHebhere 12:12-14.) Nokuba umKristu uphi na, ukwelo “lizwe.”
5. Sisiphi isiseko esabakho ngowe-1919? Cacisa.
5 Oku kunxulumana njani ‘nomhlaba omtsha’ awaprofeta ngawo uPetros? Kaloku, olo “hlanga” lutsha, olwazalwa ngowe-1919 ‘elizweni’ elibuyiselweyo, lwaluya kwanda lube yintlangano yasehlabathini lonke ebunjwe ngabadumisi bakaYehova abathanjisiweyo nabangathanjiswanga. Le ntlangano iya kusinda eArmagedon ingene kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo. Ngale ndlela olo hlanga lunokugqalwa njengesiseko sebutho labantu elinobulungisa, ihlabathi elitsha, eliya kuqhubeka likho emva kokutshatyalaliswa kwehlabathi likaSathana.a Phakathi kwiminyaka yee-1930, abathanjiswa, njengeqela, babehlanganiselwe elizweni elibuyiselweyo. Ukususela ngelo xesha, kuye kwagxininiswa ekuhlanganiseni isihlwele esikhulu sezinye izimvu, namhlanje esimalunga nezigidi ezihlanu. (ISityhilelo 14:15, 16) Ngaba eli “lizwe” linabemi abaninzi ngokugqithiseleyo? Akunjalo, imida yalo inokwandiswa kangangoko kuyimfuneko. (Isaya 26:15) Eneneni, kuyavuyisa ukubona abemi balo besanda njengoko intsalela ethanjisiweyo izalisa “ilizwe” “ngeziqhamo”—ukutya kokomoya okuyimpilo nokunika amandla. (Isaya 27:6) Kodwa ezinye izimvu zinasiphi isikhundla ‘elizweni’ elibuyiselweyo labantu bakaThixo?
Abantu Basemzini Bakhuthele ‘Elizweni’
6. Abantu basemzini bebekhuthele kangakanani ‘elizweni’ labantu bakaThixo?
6 Kanye njengokuba abantu abaguqukele ebuYudeni kwilizwe lakwaSirayeli babethobela uMthetho kaMoses, isihlwele esikhulu namhlanje ‘kwilizwe’ elibuyiselweyo sithobela imithetho kaYehova. Ekubeni sifundiswe ngabazalwana baso abathanjisiweyo, siyaluphepha ngokupheleleyo unqulo lobuxoki yaye igazi siligqala lingcwele. (IZenzo 15:19, 20; Galati 5:19, 20; Kolose 3:5) Siyamthanda uYehova ngentliziyo, ngengqondo, ngomphefumlo nangamandla aso ephela yaye siyabathanda abamelwane baso njengokuba sizithanda. (Mateyu 22:37; Yakobi 2:8) KwaSirayeli wamandulo abantu abaguqukele ebuYudeni bancedisa ekwakheni itempile kaSolomon baza baxhasa ukubuyiselwa konqulo lokwenyaniso. (1 Kronike 22:2; 2 Kronike 15:8-14; 30:25) Namhlanje, isihlwele esikhulu naso sinesabelo kwimisebenzi yokwakha. Ngokomzekelo, sinceda ekwakheni amabandla neziphaluka, singasathethi ke ngeminye imisebenzi yokwakha izakhiwo zokoqobo, njengokwakha iiHolo zoBukumkani, iiHolo zeNdibano nezakhiwo zamasebe.
7. Kwenzeka ntoni kwiYerusalem yasemva kokuthinjwa xa kwakungekho baLevi baneleyo bokukhonza etempileni?
7 Ngowe-537 B.C.E., xa amaSirayeli abuya ekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni, aqalisa inkonzo yokulungiselela kwindawo ekwakuza kwakhiwa kuyo itempile. Noko ke, abaLevi ababuyayo babengebaninzi kangako. Ngenxa yoko, amaNethini—abaphambukeli abalukileyo ngaphambili ababencedisa abaLevi—anikwa amalungelo ongezelelekileyo kwinkonzo yasetempileni. Noko ke, ayengalingani nababingeleli abathanjisiweyo abayinzala ka-Aron.b—Ezra 7:24; 8:15-20; Nehemiya 3:22-26.
8, 9. Ebudeni bemihla yokugqibela ezinye izimvu ziye zanesabelo esingakumbi njani ekunikeleni inkonzo engcwele?
8 AmaKristu athanjisiweyo namhlanje aye alandela lo mzekelo. Njengokuba ‘ixesha lokuphela’ lihambela phambili, abaseleyo kubathanjiswa baye bancipha ngokuncipha ‘elizweni’ labantu bakaThixo. (Daniyeli 12:9; ISityhilelo 12:17) Ngenxa yoku, isihlwele esikhulu ngoku senza umsebenzi omkhulu wokunikela “inkonzo engcwele.” (ISityhilelo 7:15, NW) Silandela ukhokelo lwabazalwana baso abathanjisiweyo, ‘sinyusa kuye uThixo umbingelelo wendumiso, oko kukuthi, isiqhamo somlomo olivumayo igama lakhe.’ ‘Asikulibali ukwenza okuhle nobudlelane,’ kuba siyazi ukuba ‘imibingelelo enjalo uyakholiswa kakuhle yiyo uThixo.’—Hebhere 13:15, 16.
9 Ngaphezu koko, ekubeni isihlwele esikhulu sisanda ngamakhulu amawaka nyaka ngamnye, kukho imfuneko eyandayo yokuvelela. Ngaxa lithile oku kwakusingathwa ngamaKristu athanjisiweyo kuphela. Ngoku, ukuvelelwa kwenkoliso yamabandla, neziphaluka, izithili, namasebe, kuye kwayimfuneko ukuba kunikelwe kwezinye izimvu. Ngowe-1992 abambalwa kwaba banikwa ilungelo lokubakho kwiintlanganiso zeekomiti zeQumrhu Elilawulayo baze bakhonze njengabancedisi abangenzi zigqibo. Sekunjalo, ezinye izimvu zihlala zinyanisekile kumaKristu athanjisiweyo ezikhonza nawo yaye ziziva zinelungelo ngokuwaxhasa njengomkhonzi kaYehova othembekileyo noqondayo.—Mateyu 25:34-40.
“Njengenkosana”
10, 11. Belandela umzekelo wamanye amaFilisti, abantu abathile ababeziintshaba zabantu bakaThixo baye baguquka njani? Oku kuye kwanawuphi umphumo?
10 Indlela umkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo aye wazisebenzisa ngayo ezinye izimvu kwizikhundla zembopheleleko yaprofetwa kuZekariya 9:6, 7. Apho sifunda oku: “Ndinqumle iqhayiya lamaFilisti. Ndolisusa igazi lemibingelelo yawo emlonyeni wawo, nezinto zawo ezinezothe emazinyweni awo; kwanawo aya kusalela uThixo wethu, abe njengenkosana kwaYuda, ne-Ekron ibe njengomYebhusi.”c AmaFilisti ayezintshaba ezinkulu zabantu bakaYehova, njengokuba ihlabathi likaSathana linjalo namhlanje. (1 Yohane 5:19) Kanye njengokuba amaFilisti ekugqibeleni abulawa njengabantu, ngoko eli hlabathi, nenkqubo yalo yezonqulo, yezobupolitika neyezorhwebo, kungekudala liza kujamelana nomsindo kaYehova otshabalalisayo.—ISityhilelo 18:21; 19:19-21.
11 Noko ke, ngokutsho kwamazwi kaZekariya, amanye amaFilisti aguquka, yaye oku kwakufanekisela ukuba abantu abathile behlabathi namhlanje babengayi kuhlala beziintshaba zikaYehova. Babeya kuyeka ukunqula izithixo zonqulo nezithethe zalo ezilisikizi namadini alizothe baze bacoceke emehlweni kaYehova. Kumhla wethu ‘amaFilisti’ aguquke ngolo hlobo afumaneka kwisihlwele esikhulu.
12. Kumaxesha anamhlanje, ‘iEkron’ iye yaba “njengomYebhusi” njani?
12 Ngokutsho kwesi siprofeto, isixeko samaFilisti esiphambili iEkron sasiya kuba “njengomYebhusi.” AmaYebhusi nawo ayeziintshaba zamaSirayeli. Ayelawula eYerusalem de uDavide wayoyisa. Sekunjalo, kubonakala ukuba abanye babo basinda kwiimfazwe ezazisiliwa namaSirayeli baguqukela ebuYudeni. Bakhonza elizweni lakwaSirayeli njengamakhoboka yaye bade banelungelo lokusebenza ekwakhiweni kwetempile. (2 Samuweli 5:4-9; 2 Kronike 8:1-18) Namhlanje, “amaEkron” aguqukela ekunquleni uYehova nawo anamalungelo enkonzo ‘elizweni’ ngaphantsi kokuvelelwa ngumkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo.
13. Yayingoobani iinkosana kwihlabathi lamandulo?
13 UZekariya uthi umFilisti wayeya kuba njengenkosana kwaYuda. Igama lesiHebhere elithi ʼal·luphʹ, eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “nkosana,” lithetha “inkokeli yewaka” (okanye, “umphathi wamajoni aliwaka”). Eso yayisisikhundla esiphezulu kakhulu. Kubonakala ukuba uhlanga lwamandulo lwakwaEdom lwaluneenkosana ezili-13 kuphela. (Genesis 36:15-19) Igama elithi “nkosana” alisetyenziswa kakhulu xa kuthethwa ngamaSirayeli, kodwa ibinzana elithi ‘intloko (okanye, umthetheli) yewaka’ libonakala ngokuphindaphindiweyo. Xa uMoses wahlanganisa abameli bohlanga lwakwaSirayeli, wathetha ‘neentloko zamawaka akwaSirayeli.’d Kwakukho ezili-12, kubonakala ukuba nguMoses kuphela owayekwisikhundla esingaphezulu kwesazo. (Numeri 1:4-16) Ngokufanayo, emkhosini, yinjengele okanye ukumkani kuphela owayekwisikhundla esingaphezulu kwesabathetheli-waka.—2 Samuweli 18:1, 2; 2 Kronike 25:5.
14. Namhlanje ‘umFilisti’ uye wanjengenkosana njani?
14 UZekariya akazange aprofete athi umFilisti oguqukileyo wayeya kuba yinkosana kwaSirayeli. Oko kwakungayi kufaneleka, kuba wayengengomSirayeli wemvelo. Kodwa wayeya kuba njengayo inkosana, ekwisikhundla segunya esifana nesenkosana. Yaye kuye kwenzeka ngolo hlobo. Njengoko intsalela yamaKristu athanjisiweyo incipha ngenani yaye abaninzi kwabo baphilayo besikelwa umda bubudala, ngokungathi kunjalo, ezinye izimvu eziqeqeshwe kakuhle ziyanceda xa kukho imfuneko. Azifuni kuthabatha indawo yabazalwana bazo abathanjisiweyo. Kodwa umkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo uzinika igunya xa kukho imfuneko ‘elizweni’ ukuze intlangano kaThixo iqhubele phambili ngendlela elungeleleneyo. Inkqubo yokuqhubela phambili enjalo ibonakala nakwesinye isiprofeto.
Ababingeleli Nabalimi
15. (a) Kwinzaliseko kaIsaya 61:5, 6, ngoobani ‘ababingeleli bakaYehova,’ yaye bakhonza nini kwesi sikhundla ngengqiqo epheleleyo? (b) Ngoobani “abasemzini” abenza umsebenzi kaSirayeli wokulima, yaye—ngengqiqo yokomoya—lo msebenzi ubandakanya ntoni?
15 UIsaya 61:5, 6 ufundeka ngolu hlobo: “Baya kuma abasemzini, baluse imihlambi yenu, oonyana bezinye iintlanga babe ngabalimi bomhlaba wenu, nabezidiliya zenu. Ke nina ukubizwa kwenu, kuya kuthiwa ningababingeleli bakaYehova; kuya kuthiwa kuni, ningabalungiseleli boThixo wethu; niya kudla ubutyebi beentlanga, nindolose ninozuko lwazo.” Namhlanje, ‘ababingeleli bakaYehova’ ngamaKristu athanjisiweyo. Ngengqiqo epheleleyo, aya kukhonza ‘njengababingeleli bakaYehova, abalungiseleli boThixo wethu,’ eBukumkanini basezulwini. (ISityhilelo 4:9-11) Ngoobani “abasemzini” abanembopheleleko yomsebenzi wokulima? Aba zezinye izimvu, ezihlala ‘elizweni’ loSirayeli kaThixo. Nguwuphi umsebenzi wokwalusa, ukulima, nowokulungisa izidiliya eziwunikiweyo? Ngengqiqo ebalulekileyo yokomoya, le misebenzi inxulumene nokunceda, ukondla nokuvuna abantu.—Isaya 5:7; Mateyu 9:37, 38; 1 Korinte 3:9; 1 Petros 5:2.
16. Ekugqibeleni ngoobani abaya kusingatha wonke umsebenzi ‘elizweni’ labantu bakaThixo?
16 Ngoku, ambalwa amaSirayeli okomoya asemhlabeni anesabelo ekwaluseni, ekulimeni nasekulungiseni izidiliya ngokomoya. Xa lonke ibandla labathanjiswa ekugqibeleni limanyene noKristu, wonke lo msebenzi uya kushiyelwa kwezinye izimvu. Kwanabantu abavelelayo ‘elizweni’ ngelo xesha baya kuba zezinye izimvu ezifanelekayo, kwincwadi kaHezekile ezichazwa njengodidi lwezikhulu.—Hezekile, isahluko 45, 46.e
“Ilizwe” Lihlala Likho
17. Ngawaphi amalungiselelo ebesenziwa nguYehova ukutyhubela le mihla yokugqibela?
17 Ewe, isihlwele esikhulu simele singabi naloyiko! UYehova usilungiselele ngokwaneleyo. Eyona nto ibalulekileyo ibisenzeka emhlabeni ebudeni bale mihla yokugqibela kukuhlanganiswa nokutywinwa kwabathanjiswa. (ISityhilelo 7:3) Noko ke, ngoxa bekusenzeka oku, uYehova uye wamanyanisa ezinye izimvu kunye nabo kwilizwe lokomoya elibuyiselweyo. Apho ziye zondliwa ngokomoya zaza zaqeqeshelwa ukuphila ngendlela yobuKristu. Ngaphezu koko, ziye zafundiswa kakuhle ngenkonzo engcwele, kuquka ukuvelela. Ngenxa yoku zinombulelo ngokunzulu kuYehova nakubazalwana bazo abathanjisiweyo.
18. Ezinye izimvu ziya kuhlala zinyanisekile ‘elizweni’ loSirayeli wokomoya ukutyhubela ziphi iziganeko?
18 Xa uGogi wakwaMagogi ehlasela okokugqibela abantu bakaThixo, ezinye izimvu ziya kubambelela ngokuqinileyo kwintsalela ethanjisiweyo “ezweni lamaphandle.” Ezinye izimvu ziya kuba zisahlala kwelo “lizwe,” ukusinda kwazo xa kutshatyalaliswa iintlanga zize zingene kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo. (Hezekile 38:11; 39:12, 13; Daniyeli 12:1; ISityhilelo 7:9, 14) Ukuba ziyaqhubeka zithembekile, akusayi kufuneka ziyishiye loo ndawo intle.—Isaya 11:9.
19, 20. (a) Kwihlabathi elitsha, abemi ‘belizwe’ baya kunandipha kuphi ukuvelelwa okuzukileyo? (b) Yintoni esikhangele phambili kuyo ngolangazelelo olukhulu?
19 USirayeli wamandulo wayelawulwa ngookumkani abangabantu yaye wayenababingeleli abangabaLevi. Kwihlabathi elitsha, amaKristu aya kuvelelwa ngendlela ezuke ngakumbi. Phantsi koYehova uThixo, aya kulawulwa nguMbingeleli Omkhulu noKumkani obalaseleyo, uYesu Kristu, nababingeleli nookumkani abanxulumene naye abali-144 000—abanye babo ababebazi ngaphambili njengabazalwana noodade abangamaKristu emhlabeni. (ISityhilelo 21:1) Abemi abathembekileyo belizwe lokomoya baya kuhlala emhlabeni obuyiselweyo wayiparadisi yokoqobo, bevuyiswa ziintsikelelo eziphilisayo eziza kubo ngeYerusalem Entsha.—Isaya 32:1; ISityhilelo 21:2; 22:1, 2.
20 Njengoko inqwelo yokulwa kaYehova yasezulwini ezukileyo isiya phambili ngokungenakuthintelwa ukuze kuzaliseke iinjongo zakhe, sonke sikhangele phambili ngolangazelelo olukhulu ekuzaliseni indima esiyabelweyo. (Hezekile 1:1-28) Xa ezo njongo ekugqibeleni zizaliseka, cinga uvuyo oluya kubakho xa kubhiyozelwa ukungcwaliswa kukaYehova ngoloyiso! Umhobe oculwa ngamandla obhalwe kwiSityhilelo 5:13 ngelo xesha uya kuculwa yindalo iphela: “Kulowo uhleli etroneni, nakuyo iMvana, makubekho ukubongwa, nembeko, nozuko, namandla, kuse emaphakadeni asemaphakadeni”! Enoba siya kuba sisezulwini okanye emhlabeni, ngaba asikulangazeleli ukuba kuloo ndawo, sithelela ngamazwi ethu kule ngoma yokudumisa ibalaseleyo?
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a Bona incwadi ethi “New Heavens and a New Earth,” epapashwe ngowe-1953 yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., iphepha 322-3.
b Ukuze ufumane ingxubusho epheleleyo, bona inqaku elithi “Ilungiselelo LikaYehova, ‘Abanikelweyo’” kwinkupho yeMboniselo, ka-Aprili 15, 1992.
c Bona incwadi ethi Paradise Restored to Mankind—By Theocracy!, eyapapashwa ngowe-1972 yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., iphepha 264-9.
d Igama lesiHebhere: raʼ·shehʹ ʼal·phehʹ Yis·ra·ʼelʹ, liguqulelwe ngokuthi khi·liʹar·khoi Is·ra·elʹ “abaphathi bamajoni aliwaka akwaSirayeli” kwiSeptuagint.
e Bona incwadi ethi “The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah”—How?, epapashwe ngowe-1971 yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., iphepha 401-7.
Uphendula Njani?
◻ Liliphi “ilizwe” elabuyiselwa ngowe-1919, yaye lazaliswa njani ngabemi?
◻ Ezinye izimvu ziye zanikwa njani iimbopheleleko ezingakumbi ‘elizweni’ labantu bakaThixo ababuyiselweyo?
◻ Kungayiphi indlela anokuthi amalungu esihlwele esikhulu abe “njengomYebhusi”? “njengenkosana kwaYuda”?
◻ Ezinye izimvu ezithembekileyo ziya kuhlala ixesha elingakanani ‘elizweni’?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]
UmFilisti wanamhlanje uya kuba “njengenkosana kwaYuda”
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 24]
Abathanjiswa nezinye izimvu bakhonza kunye elizweni lokomoya