‘Benza Njengoko’
“Ukumthanda uThixo kuko ukuthi, siyigcine imithetho yakhe.”—1 YOHANE 5:3.
1. Kunokuthiwani ngobunzulu bothando lukaThixo?
“UTHIXO ULUTHANDO.” Bonke abamaziyo uThixo nabathobela imithetho yakhe babuqonda ngakumbi ubunzulu bolo thando. “Uthando lulapha, ingekukuba samthandayo uThixo thina, ikukuba wasithandayo yena, wamthuma uNyana wakhe ukuba abe sisicamagushelo sezono zethu.” Ngokubonakalisa ukholo kwidini lentlawulelo elixabisekileyo likaYesu, ‘sihlala eluthandweni lukaThixo.’ (1 Yohane 4:8-10, 16) Ngaloo ndlela sisenokunandipha intabalala yeentsikelelo zokomoya ngoku nakwinkqubo yezinto ezayo, ubomi obungunaphakade.—Yohane 17:3; 1 Yohane 2:15, 17.
2. Abakhonzi bakaThixo baye bangenelwa njani ngokuthobela imithetho yakhe?
2 Ingxelo yeBhayibhile inemizekelo emininzi yabo bayigcinayo imithetho kaThixo baza basikelelwa ngokutyebileyo ngenxa yoko. Iquka amangqina angaphambi kwexesha lobuKristu, awabhala ngamanye awo umpostile uPawulos wenjenje: “Aba bonke bafa ngokokholo, bengawafumananga amadinga; besuka bawabona kude, bakholosa, bathakazela, bavuma ukuba bangabasemzini, balundwendwe emhlabeni.” (Hebhere 11:13) Kamva, abakhonzi bakaThixo abazinikeleyo abangamaKristu bangenelwa ‘kubabalo nenyaniso eyabakho ngoYesu Kristu.’ (Yohane 1:17) Ukutyhubela imbali yoluntu emalunga neminyaka engama-6 000, uYehova ebewavuza amangqina athembekileyo athobela imithetho yakhe, ‘engekho nzima’ kwaphela.—1 Yohane 5:2, 3.
Ngemihla KaNowa
3. UNowa wenza “njengoko” ngaziphi iindlela?
3 Ingxelo yeBhayibhile ithi: “Ngokholo uNowa, ehlatyelwe nguThixo ngazo izinto ebezingekabonwa, wathi ngokoyika uThixo wawakha umkhombe wokusindisa indlu yakhe, awathi ngalo waligweba ihlabathi, waba yindlalifa yobulungisa obungokokholo.” ‘Njengomvakalisi wobulungisa,’ uNowa wamthobela ngokupheleleyo uThixo, elumkisa ihlabathi elinogonyamelo langaphambi koMkhukula ngomgwebo kaThixo owawusemnyango. (Hebhere 11:7; 2 Petros 2:5) Xa wayesakha umkhombe, wayilandela ngenyameko imiyalelo kaThixo engendlela awayemele awakhe ngayo. Emva koko waqokelela izilwanyana ezazikhethiwe nokutya. “Wenza uNowa konke uThixo abemwisele umthetho ngako, wenza njengoko.”—Genesis 6:22.
4, 5. (a) Impembelelo embi iye yaluchaphazela njani uluntu ukuza kuthi ga kulo mhla? (b) Kutheni sifanele senze “njengoko” ekuthobeleni imiyalelo yobuthixo?
4 Kwafuneka ukuba uNowa nentsapho yakhe bajamelane nempembelelo embi yezithunywa zezulu ezingenantobelo. Aba nyana bakaThixo bazambathisa imizimba yenyama baza bazithabathela abafazi, bevelisa inzala engamabhastile enamandla angaphezu kwawemvelo eyayiluphethe kakubi uluntu. “Ihlabathi lalonakele ebusweni bukaThixo; ihlabathi lalizele lugonyamelo.” UYehova wehlisa uNogumbe ukuze asitshayele eso sizukulwana singendawo. (Genesis 6:4, 11-17; 7:1) Ukususela kumhla kaNowa izithunywa eziziidemon zawohluthwa amandla okuzambathisa imizimba yenyama. Sekunjalo, ‘ihlabathi liphela lisalele kongendawo,’ uSathana uMtyholi. (1 Yohane 5:19; ISityhilelo 12:9) Eprofeta, uYesu wafanisa eso sizukulwana sinemvukelo somhla kaNowa nesizukulwana soluntu esiye samchasa kwasekuqaliseni kokubonakala komqondiso ‘wokufika’ kwakhe ngowe-1914.—Mateyu 24:3, 34, 37-39; Luka 17:26, 27.
5 Namhlanje, njengakumhla kaNowa, uSathana uzama ukulonakalisa uluntu nesi sijikelezi-langa sethu. (ISityhilelo 11:15-18) Ngenxa yoko, kungxamisekile ukuba sithobele lo myalelo uphefumlelweyo: “Xhobani sonke isikrweqe sikaThixo, ukuze nibe nako ukumisa nibuchase ubuqhinga boMtyholi.” (Efese 6:11) Ngaloo ndlela, kuyasomeleza ukufunda iLizwi likaThixo nokulisebenzisa ebomini bethu. Ngaphezu koko, sinentlangano kaYehova esinyamekelayo, ‘nomkhonzi wayo othembekileyo noqondayo’ othanjisiweyo nabadala bayo abanothando, abasikhokela ngomonde kwindlela esifanele sihambe ngayo. Sinomsebenzi wokushumayela emhlabeni wonke esimele siwuphumeze. (Mateyu 24:14, 45-47) Ngokufanayo noNowa, owayithobela ngenyameko imiyalelo yobuthixo, ngamana nathi singahlala sisenza “njengoko.”
UMoses—Eyona Ndoda Ilulamileyo
6, 7. (a) Yintoni awayikhethayo uMoses neyamenza wavuzwa? (b) Nguwuphi umzekelo wenkalipho awasishiyela wona uMoses?
6 Khawucinge ngenye indoda yokholo—uMoses. Ngewayenandiphe ubomi obutofotofo esebenzisa ubunewunewu baseYiputa. Kodwa wakhetha “ukuba aphathwe kakubi, ndawonye nabantu bakaThixo, kunokuba axhamle izono okomzuzwana.” Njengomkhonzi owayethunywe nguYehova, “wayekhangele ukwamkela umvuzo [yaye] wakrota, wanga uyambona lowo ungenakubonwa.”—Hebhere 11:23-28.
7 KwiNumeri 12:3, sifunda oku: “Indoda le inguMoses ibilulamile kunene kunabantu bonke abasemhlabeni.” Ngokwahlukileyo koko, uFaro waseYiputa wayeziphethe njengoyena mntu unekratshi emhlabeni. Xa uYehova wayalela uMoses noAron ukuba bavakalise umgwebo wakhe kuFaro, basabela njani? Sixelelwa oku: “Wenza ke uMoses noAron; ngoko uYehova wabawisela umthetho ngako, benjenjalo.” (Eksodus 7:4-7) Onjani wona umzekelo wenkalipho abasimisela wona njengoko sivakalisa imigwebo kaThixo namhlanje!
8. AmaSirayeli kwafuneka “enjenjalo” ngayiphi indlela, yaye uvuyo awalufumana ngenxa yoko luya kufana njani nolo luza kubakho kungekudala?
8 Ngaba amaSirayeli amxhasa ngokunyanisekileyo uMoses? Emva kokuthwaxa iYiputa ngezibetho ezisithoba kwezilishumi, uYehova wanika amaSirayeli imiyalelo eneenkcukacha ephathelele ukubhiyozela iPasika. “Bathoba abantu, baqubuda. Bahamba oonyana bakaSirayeli, baya kwenza; njengoko uYehova wabawisela umthetho uMoses noAron, benjenjalo.” (Eksodus 12:27, 28) Ezinzulwini zobusuku ngaloo mini ingenakulibaleka, ngoNisan 14, 1513 B.C.E., isithunywa sikaThixo sawabulala onke amazibulo aseYiputa kodwa sedlula kumakhaya amaSirayeli. Kwakutheni ukuze amazibulo amaSirayeli asindiswe? Kwakungenxa yokukhuselwa ligazi lemvu yePasika, awayeliqabe emigubasini yawo. Ayenze njengoko uYehova wayemwisele umthetho ngako uMoses noAron. Ewe, “benjenjalo.” (Eksodus 12:50, 51) KuLwandle Olubomvu, uYehova wenza omnye ummangaliso ngokusindisa abantu bakhe abanentobelo ngoxa etshabalalisa uFaro nomkhosi wakhe onamandla. Hayi indlela awavuya ngayo amaSirayeli! Ngokufanayo namhlanje, abaninzi abaye bayithobela imithetho kaYehova baya kukuvuyela ukuba ngamangqina okuzibonela ukuzithethelela kwakhe eArmagedon.—Eksodus 15:1, 2; ISityhilelo 15:3, 4.
9. Ngawaphi amalungelo anamhlanje awafanekiselwa kukwenza “njengoko” kwamaSirayeli ngokuphathelele umnquba?
9 Xa uYehova wayalela amaSirayeli ukuba enze umnikelo aze akhe umnquba entlango, abantu bakuxhasa ngokupheleleyo oko ngokuzithandela. Emva koko, uMoses nabo babesebenza naye ngokuzithandela, bawenza umsebenzi wokwakha ngokuvisisana neeplani ezazivela kuYehova. “Wagqitywa ke wonke umsebenzi womnquba wentente yokuhlangana. Benza oonyana bakaSirayeli njengako konke uYehova ebemwisele umthetho ngako uMoses, benjenjalo.” Ngokufanayo, ekusungulweni kobubingeleli, “wenza ke uMoses; njengako konke uYehova abemwisele umthetho ngako, wenjenjalo.” (Eksodus 39:32; 40:16) Kumaxesha anamhlanje, sinethuba lokuwuxhasa ngeentliziyo ezipheleleyo umsebenzi wokushumayela namalungiselelo olwando loBukumkani. Ngaloo ndlela, kulilungelo kuthi ukumanyana enkwenzeni “njengoko.”
UYoshuwa—Wayenenkalipho Yaye Enamandla Kakhulu
10, 11. (a) Yintoni eyaxhobisela uYoshuwa ukuphumelela? (b) Sinokomelezwa njani ukuze sihlangabezane nezilingo zanamhlanje?
10 Xa uMoses wamisela uYoshuwa ukuba akhokelele amaSirayeli kwilizwe ledinga, kumele ukuba iLizwi likaYehova eliphefumlelweyo elibhalwe phantsi lalifumaneka kwiincwadi zikaMoses ezintlanu, kwindumiso enye okanye ezimbini nakwincwadi kaYobhi kuphela. UMoses wayeyalele uYoshuwa ukuba abahlanganise abantu xa befikile kwiLizwe Ledinga aze ‘awulese lo myalelo phambi kwamaSirayeli onke ezindlebeni zawo.’ (Duteronomi 31:10-12) Ngaphezu koko, uYehova wamyalela oku uYoshuwa: “Ize ingesuki incwadi yalo myalelo emlonyeni wakho; uze ucinge ngayo imini nobusuku, ukuze ugcine, ukwenze konke okubhaliweyo kuyo; ngokuba woba nokuphumelela ngendlela yakho oko, ukwenze ngengqiqo oko.”—Yoshuwa 1:8.
11 Ukufunda “incwadi” kaYehova imihla ngemihla kwaxhobisela uYoshuwa ukusingatha izilingo ezazingaphambili, kanye njengokuba ukufunda iLizwi likaYehova, iBhayibhile, kuwomeleza amaNgqina Akhe anamhlanje ukuba ahlangabezane nezilingo zale “mihla yokugqibela” inomngcipheko. (2 Timoti 3:1) Ekubeni singqongwe lihlabathi elinogonyamelo, nathi masisithabathe nzulu isiluleko sikaThixo awasinika uYoshuwa: “[Yomelela], ukhaliphe. Musa ukunkwantya, ungaqhiphuki umbilini; ngokuba uYehova uThixo wakho unawe, apho sukuba usiya khona.” (Yoshuwa 1:9) Emva kokoyisa iKanan, izizwe zakwaSirayeli zavuzwa ngokutyebileyo xa zafumana ilifa lazo. “Njengoko uYehova wamwiselayo uMoses umthetho, benjenjalo oonyana bakaSirayeli.” (Yoshuwa 14:5) Sonke thina balifundayo iLizwi likaThixo size silisebenzise ebomini bethu namhlanje, ngentobelo sisenza “njengoko,” silindelwe ngumvuzo ofanayo.
Ookumkani—Ababethembekile Nababengenantobelo
12. (a) Nguwuphi umyalelo owawunikwe ookumkani bakwaSirayeli? (b) Waba yintoni umphumo wokungathobeli kookumkani?
12 Kuthekani ngookumkani bakwaSirayeli? UYehova wayefuna oku kukumkani: “Wothi, xenikweni athe wahlala etroneni yobukumkani bakhe, azibhalele impinda yombhalo yalo myalelo encwadini, ethabatha kwephambi kwababingeleli abaLevi. Yoba ngakuye alese kuyo imihla yonke yobomi bakhe, ukuze afunde ukumoyika uYehova uThixo wakho, nokuwagcina onke amazwi alo myalelo nale mimiselo, ukuba awenze.” (Duteronomi 17:18, 19) Ngaba ookumkani bakwaSirayeli bawuthobela loo myalelo? Ubukhulu becala, basilela ngokulihlazo, ngenxa yoko bafumana iziqalekiso ezazixelwe kwangaphambili kwiDuteronomi 28:15-68. Ekugqibeleni, uSirayeli wachithachitheka “ethabathela esiphelweni sehlabathi, ase esiphelweni sehlabathi.”
13. Sinokungenelwa njani ngokubonakalisa uthando ngeLizwi likaYehova, njengoDavide?
13 Noko ke, uDavide—ukumkani wokuqala owayethembekile kwaSirayeli—wabonakalisa ukuzinikela ngokukhethekileyo kuYehova. Wazingqina ‘elithole lengonyama yakwaYuda,’ efanekisela uKristu Yesu, “iNgonyama yesizwe sakwaYuda, iNgcambu kaDavide” eyoyisayo. (Genesis 49:8, 9; ISityhilelo 5:5) Wayewafumana phi amandla uDavide? Wayelixabisa ngokunzulu iLizwi likaYehova elibhaliweyo yaye wayephila ngokuvisisana nalo. KwiNdumiso 19, “umhobe kaDavide,” sifunda oku: “Umyalelo kaYehova ugqibelele.” Emva kokubhekisela kwizikhumbuzo, imiyalelo, imithetho nezigwebo zikaYehova, uDavide uhlabela mgama athi: “Zinokunqweneleka kunegolide zona, nakunengcwengiweyo eninzi; zimnandi kunobusi, kunencindi yobusi. Zikwamkhanyisela umkhonzi wakho; ekuzigcineni mkhulu umvuzo.” (INdumiso 19:7-11) Ukuba ukufunda iLizwi likaYehova imihla ngemihla nokucamngca ngalo kwakunomvuzo kwiminyaka engama-3 000 eyadlulayo, hayi indlela okunomvuzo ngayo oku namhlanje!—INdumiso 1:1-3; 13:6; 119:72, 97, 111.
14. Ikhondo likaSolomon libonisa njani ukuba kufuneka okungakumbi kunolwazi?
14 Sekunjalo, akwanele ukuba nolwazi nje kuphela. Kubalulekile nokuba abakhonzi bakaThixo benze ngokuvisisana nolo lwazi, balusebenzise ngokuvisisana nokuthanda kukaThixo—ewe, benze “njengoko.” Oku kunokubonwa kwimeko yonyana kaDavide uSolomon, owakhethwa nguYehova “ukuba ahlale etroneni yobukumkani bukaYehova kumaSirayeli.” USolomon wafumana isabelo sokwakha itempile, esebenzisa iiplani ezazifunyenwe nguDavide “ngokuphefumlelwa.” (NW) (1 Kronike 28:5, 11-13) USolomon wayeza kuwuphumeza njani lo msebenzi ungaka? Ephendula umthandazo wakhe, uYehova wamnika ubulumko nolwazi. Ngokusebenzisa ezi zinto, nangokunamathela kwiiplani ezazivela kuThixo, uSolomon wakwazi ukuyakha loo ndlu intle kunene, eyazaliswa bubuqaqawuli bukaYehova. (2 Kronike 7:2, 3) Noko ke, kamva, uSolomon wasilela. Ngayiphi indlela? Umthetho kaYehova owawubhekiswe kookumkani bakwaSirayeli wawusithi: “Makangazandiseli bafazi, ize ityeke intliziyo yakhe.” (Duteronomi 17:17) Ukanti uSolomon waba “nabafazi abamakhulu asixhenxe, amakhosikazi; namakhulu amathathu amashweshwe; abafazi bakhe . . . bayityekisela intliziyo yakhe ekulandeleni thixo bambi.” Ebudaleni bakhe, uSolomon wayeka ukwenza “njengoko.”—1 Kumkani 11:3, 4; Nehemiya 13:26.
15. UYosiya wenza njani “njengoko”?
15 Babekho ookumkani abambalwa ababenentobelo kwaYuda, owokugqibela kubo yayinguYosiya. Ngonyaka wama-648 B.C.E., waqalisa ukuluphelisa unqulo-zithixo elizweni nokuhlaziya itempile kaYehova. Umbingeleli omkhulu wayifumana apho “incwadi yomyalelo kaYehova, eyabhalwa ngesandla sikaMoses.” Wayenza ntoni uYosiya le ncwadi? “Wenyuka ukumkani waya endlwini kaYehova, namadoda onke akwaYuda, nabemi baseYerusalem, nababingeleli, nabaLevi, nabantu bonke, kwathabathela komkhulu kwesa komncinane. Wawalesela ezindlebeni zabo onke amazwi encwadi yomnqophiso, eyafunyanwa endlwini kaYehova. Wema ukumkani phezu kwendawo yakhe ephakamileyo, wenza umnqophiso phambi koYehova wokulandela uYehova nokugcina imithetho yakhe, nezingqino zakhe, nemimiselo yakhe, ngentliziyo yakhe yonke, nangomphefumlo wakhe wonke, ukuba enze amazwi aloo mnqophiso abhaliweyo kule ncwadi.” (2 Kronike 34:14, 30, 31) Ewe, uYosiya “wenza njengoko.” Ngenxa yekhondo lakhe lokuthembeka, isigwebo sikaYehova kuYuda ongathembekanga sahlehliswa de kwayimihla yoonyana bakhe abangenantobelo.
Ukuphila NgokweLizwi LikaThixo
16, 17. (a) Simele silandele emanyathelweni kaYesu kweziphi iinkalo? (b) Ngabaphi abanye abakhonzi bakaThixo abathembekileyo abayimizekelo kuthi?
16 Kubo bonke abantu abakha baphila, owona mzekelo mhle wokucamngca ngeLizwi likaThixo nokuphila ngokuvisisana nalo yiNkosi uYesu Kristu. ILizwi likaThixo lalifana nokutya kuye. (Yohane 4:34) Wabaxelela oku abaphulaphuli bakhe: “UNyana akanakwenza nto ngokwakhe, engathanga abone uYise eyenza; kuba izinto asukuba ezenza yena, ezo uyazenza uNyana kwangokunjalo.” (Yohane 5:19, 30; 7:28; 8:28, 42) UYesu “wenza njengoko,” evakalisa oku: “Ndihle emazulwini, ndingaze kwenza ukuthanda kwam; ndize kwenza ukuthanda kwalowo wandithumayo.” (Yohane 6:38) Thina maNgqina kaYehova azahluleleyo sikhuthazwa ukuba senze “njengoko” ngokulandela emanyathelweni kaYesu.—Luka 9:23; 14:27; 1 Petros 2:21.
17 Ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo kwakusoloko kusiza kuqala engqondweni kaYesu. Wayelazi kakuhle iLizwi likaThixo yaye ngaloo ndlela wayekulungele ukunikela iimpendulo ngokusuka eZibhalweni. (Mateyu 4:1-11; 12:24-31) Ngokuhlala silinikela ingqalelo iLizwi likaThixo, nathi ‘sinokufaneleka, siwuxhobele wonke umsebenzi olungileyo.’ (2 Timoti 3:16, 17) Masilandele umzekelo wabakhonzi bakaYehova abathembekileyo bamandulo nabalandela emva kwabo yaye ngaphezu kwako konke silandele oweNkosi yethu, uYesu Kristu, owathi: “Ukuze liqonde ihlabathi ukuba ndiyamthanda uBawo, ndenza njengoko uBawo andiwisele umthetho.” (Yohane 14:31) Ngamana nathi singabonakalisa uthando esinalo ngoThixo ngokuqhubeka sisenza “njengoko.”—Marko 12:29-31.
18. Yintoni efanele isishukumisele ekubeni “ngabenzi belizwi,” yaye kuza kuxutyushwa ntoni kwinqaku elilandelayo?
18 Njengoko sicamngca ngekhondo lentobelo yabakhonzi bakaThixo bamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, ngaba oko akusikhuthazi ukuba siphumeze inkonzo engcwele ebudeni beentsuku zokugqibela zale nkqubo kaSathana engendawo? (Roma 15:4-6) Ngenene sifanele sishukunyiselwe ukuba sibe “ngabenzi belizwi” ngokupheleleyo, njengoko kuza kuxutyushwa kwinqaku elilandelayo.—Yakobi 1:22.
Uyakhumbula Na?
◻ Lufanele luthethe ntoni kuthi ‘uthando lukaThixo’?
◻ Sifunda ntoni kumzekelo kaNowa, uMoses noYoshuwa?
◻ Ookumkani bakwaSirayeli balithobela kangakanani “ilizwi” likaThixo?
◻ UYesu unguMzekelo wethu njani ekwenzeni “njengoko”?
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 15]
UNowa, uMoses noYoshuwa ‘benza njengoko’