“Thandani Inyaniso Noxolo”!

“Kwafika ilizwi likaYehova wemikhosi kum, lisithi, . . . Thandani inyaniso noxolo.”—ZEKARIYA 8:18, 19.

1, 2. (a) Iqulethe ntoni ingxelo yoluntu ngokuphathelele uxolo? (b) Kutheni lungasayi kuze lubekho uxolo lokwenene kweli hlabathi?

“UXOLO aluzange lubekho ehlabathini. Ndaweni ithile—yaye ngokufuthi kwiindawo ezininzi ngaxeshanye—kusoloko kukho imfazwe.” Watsho njalo uNjingalwazi Milton Mayer weUniversity of Massachusetts, eUnited States. Enjani yona ukubang’ usizi indlela yokuchaza uluntu! Liyinyaniso elokuba, abantu bebelufuna uxolo. Abameli bezobupolitika bazame zonke iindlela zokululondoloza, ukususela kwiPax Romana yamaxesha amaRoma ukusa kumgaqo owawubizwa ngokuthi “Intshabalalo Eqinisekiswe Macala” ebudeni beMfazwe Yomlomo. Noko ke, yonke imigudu yabo ayizange iphumelele. Kunjengokuba uIsaya watshoyo kwiinkulungwane ezininzi ezadlulayo, “abathunywa boxolo balila ngokukrakra.” (Isaya 33:7) Kubangelwa yintoni oku?

² Kungenxa yokuba uxolo oluhlala luhleli lumele luphume kumthombo ongenayo intiyo nokubawa; lumele lusekelwe kwinyaniso. Uxolo alunakusekelwa kubuxoki. Kungenxa yoko uYehova wathi xa wayethembisa uSirayeli wamandulo ngokumhlaziya nangoxolo: “Yabonani, ndisingisa uxolo kuyo njengomlambo, nozuko lweentlanga njengesihlambo esikhukulayo.” (Isaya 66:12) Uthixo wale nkqubo yezinto, uSathana uMtyholi, “sisibulala-mntu,” umbulali, yaye “ulixoki, noyise wawo.” (Yohane 8:44; 2 Korinte 4:4) Ihlabathi elinothixo onjalo linokuze libe nalo njani uxolo?

3. Sisiphi isipho esimangalisayo uYehova asiphe abantu bakhe, nakuba bephila kwihlabathi elizaliswe ziinkathazo?

³ Noko ke, okumangalisayo kukuba, uYehova ubanika uxolo abantu bakhe kwanangoxa bephila kwihlabathi likaSathana elidlavulwe ziimfazwe. (Yohane 17:16) Ngenkulungwane yesithandathu ngaphambi kweXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, wasizalisekisa isithembiso sakhe esebenzisa uYeremiya waza walupha “uxolo nenyaniso” uhlanga lwakhe olukhethekileyo xa walubuyisela kwilizwe lalo. (Yeremiya 33:6) Yaye kule mihla yokugqibela, ubanike “uxolo nenyaniso” abantu bakhe ‘abakwilizwe’ labo, okanye kummandla wabo wokomoya osemhlabeni, nakuba beye batyhubela ixesha elinzima ngendlela engazange ibonwe kweli hlabathi ukuza kuthi ga ngoku. (Isaya 66:8; Mateyu 24:7-13; ISityhilelo 6:1-8) Njengoko siqhubeka nengxubusho yethu kaZekariya isahluko 8, siza kuluqonda ngakumbi olu xolo nenyaniso evela kuThixo size sibone ukuba ziintoni esimele sizenze ukuze sihlale silunandipha.

“Izandla Zenu Mazomelele”

4. UZekariya wawakhuthaza ukuba enze ntoni amaSirayeli ukuze afumane uxolo?

⁴ Okwesihlandlo sesithandathu kuZekariya isahluko 8, siva isigidimi esichulumancisayo esivela kuYehova: “Utsho uYehova wemikhosi ukuthi, Izandla zenu mazomelele, nina bawevayo la mazwi ngale mihla, ephuma emlonyeni wabaprofeti, ababekho mhlenikweni yasekwayo indlu kaYehova wemikhosi, itempile, ukuze yakhiwe. Ngokuba phambi kwaloo mihla bekungekho mvuzo wabantu, nomvuzo weenkomo ubungekho; nophumayo nongenayo ebengenaluxolo, ngenxa yombandezeli. Ndabenza bonke ukuba umntu achasane nommelwane wakhe.”—Zekariya 8:9, 10.

5, 6. (a) Yaba njani imeko kwaSirayeli, ngenxa yokudimazeka kwamaSirayeli? (b) UYehova wawathembisa yiphi inguqulelo amaSirayeli ukuba ayebeka unqulo lwakhe kwindawo yokuqala?

⁵ UZekariya wawathetha la mazwi ngoxa kwakuphindwa kusakhiwa itempile eYerusalem. Ngaphambili, amaSirayeli awayebuye evela eBhabhiloni adimazeka aza awuyeka umsebenzi wokwakha itempile. Ngenxa yokukhathalela ukuphila kwawo tofotofo, uYehova akazange awasikelele aze awanike uxolo. Nangona ayelima yaye ezinyamekela izidiliya zawo, akazange afumane siqhamo. (Hagayi 1:3-6) Kwakubonakala ngathi ayesebenza aze ‘angafumani mvuzo.’

⁶ Ngoku ekubeni itempile yayisakhiwa kwakhona, uZekariya wawakhuthaza amaYuda ukuba “omelele,” ngenkalipho abeke unqulo lukaYehova kwindawo yokuqala. Kwakuza kwenzeka ntoni xa enze njalo? “Ngoku ke andiyi kuba njengokwemihla yamandulo kumasalela aba bantu; utsho uYehova wemikhosi. Kobakho imbewu yoxolo; umdiliya wonika isiqhamo sawo, nelizwe linike indyebo yalo, nezulu linike umbethe walo; zonke ezo zinto ndizidlise ilifa amasalela abantu. Kothi, njengoko benilutshabhiso ezintlangeni, ndlu kaYuda, nani ndlu kaSirayeli, ndenjenjalo ukunisindisa, nibe yintsikelelo; musani ukoyika, mazomelele izandla zenu.” (Zekariya 8:11-13) Ukuba uSirayeli wayesebenza ngokuzimisela, wayeya kuphumelela. Ngaphambilana, xa iintlanga zazifuna ukwenza umzekelo woko sikuko isiqalekiso, zazinokwalatha kuSirayeli. Ngoku uSirayeli wayeza kuba ngumzekelo wentsikelelo. Esinjani sona ukuba sihle isizathu ‘sokomeleza izandla zabo’!

7. (a) Ziziphi iinguqulelo ezichulumancisayo eziye zafunyanwa ngabantu bakaYehova, ukuza kuthi ga kunyaka wenkonzo we-1995? (b) Xa ukhangela ingxelo yonyaka, ngawaphi amazwe obona ukuba anengxelo entle yabavakalisi, oovulindlela nesilinganiso seeyure?

⁷ Kuthekani namhlanje? Kwiminyaka yangaphambi kowe-1919, ngandlel’ ithile abantu bakaYehova babengenayo kangako inzondelelo. Abazange babe ngoondilele ngokupheleleyo kwimfazwe yehlabathi yokuqala, yaye babenotyekelo lokulandela umntu kunokulandela uKumkani wabo, uYesu Kristu. Ngenxa yoko, bambi badinyazwa yinkcaso eyayivela ngaphakathi nangaphandle kwentlangano. Ngoko, ngowe-1919, ngoncedo lukaYehova izandla zabo zomelezwa. (Zekariya 4:6) UYehova wabanika uxolo, yaye baphumelela gqitha. Oku kunokubonwa kwingxelo yabo yeminyaka engama-75 edlulileyo, ukuza kuthi ga kunyaka wenkonzo we-1995. Njengeqela labantu, amaNgqina kaYehova ayabuphepha ubuhlanga, ubuzwe, ikhethe, nabo bonke abanye oonobangela bentiyo. (1 Yohane 3:14-18) Akhonza uYehova ngenzondelelo esuka entliziyweni kwitempile yakhe yokomoya. (Hebhere 13:15; ISityhilelo 7:15) Kunyaka ophelileyo kuphela, achithe ngaphezu kwewaka lesigidi seeyure ethetha nabanye ngoYise wasezulwini! Nyanga nganye, ebeqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile ezizi-4 865 060. Ngokwesilinganiso, ama-663 521 aba nesabelo kwinkonzo yobuvulindlela nyanga nganye. Xa abefundisi beNgqobhoko befuna ukunikela umzekelo wabantu ababonisa ihlombe lokwenene kunqulo lwabo, maxa wambi balatha kumaNgqina kaYehova.

8. AmaKristu anokungenelwa njani ngokobuqu ‘kwimbewu yoxolo’?

⁸ Ngenxa yenzondelelo yabo, uYehova ubanika “imbewu yoxolo” abantu bakhe. Mntu ngamnye oyihlakulelayo loo mbewu uya kubona uxolo lukhula entliziyweni yakhe nasebomini bakhe. Wonke umKristu okholwayo ofuna ukuba seluxolweni noYehova namanye amaKristu unesabelo kwinyaniso noxolo lwabantu ababizwa ngegama likaYehova. (1 Petros 3:11; thelekisa uYakobi 3:18.) Ngaba oko akuchulumancisi?

“Musani Ukoyika”

9. UYehova wathembisa ukuba wayeza kwenza yiphi inguqulelo kwindlela awayeqhubana ngayo nabantu bakhe?

⁹ Ngoku sifunda isigidimi sesixhenxe esivela kuYehova. Sithini? “Utsho uYehova wemikhosi ukuthi, Njengoko ndankqangiyelayo ukwenza ububi kuni, oko ooyihlo bandenza ndaba noburhalarhume, utsho uYehova wemikhosi, andazohlwaya ke: ngokunjalo ndibuye ndankqangiyela ngale mihla ukwenza okulungileyo kwiYerusalem, nakwindlu kaYuda; musani ukoyika.”—Zekariya 8:14, 15.

10. Bubuphi ubungqina obubonisa ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova akakhange oyike?

¹⁰ Nakuba abantu bakaYehova babechithachithekile ngengqiqo yokomoya ebudeni bemfazwe yehlabathi yokuqala, ezintliziyweni zabo babefuna ukwenza okulungileyo. Ngoko, emva kokubohlwaya, uYehova, waqhubana nabo ngendlela eyahlukileyo. (Malaki 3:2-4) Namhlanje, xa sikhangela emva simbulela ngeentliziyo ezipheleleyo ngoko akwenzileyo. Liyinene elokuba, siye ‘sathiywa ziintlanga zonke.’ (Mateyu 24:9) Abaninzi baye bavalelwa ezintolongweni, yaye abanye bade bafa ngenxa yokholo lwabo. Ngokufuthi sijamelana nokuphathwa kakubi okanye inkcaso. Kodwa asoyiki. Siyazi ukuba uYehova unamandla kunayo nayiphi na inkcaso, ebonakalayo okanye engabonakaliyo. (Isaya 40:15; Efese 6:10-13) Asisayi kuyeka ukulandela amazwi athi: “Thembela kuYehova; yomelela, ikhaliphe intliziyo yakho.”—INdumiso 27:14.

“Thethani Inyaniso Elowo Kummelwane Wakhe”

11, 12. Yintoni esifanele siyikhumbule ukuba sifuna ukuzixhamla ngokuzeleyo iintsikelelo uYehova azinika abantu bakhe?

¹¹ Ukuze sizixhamle ngokuzeleyo iintsikelelo ezivela kuYehova, kukho izinto ekufuneka sizikhumbule. UZekariya uthi: “Nanzi iindawo enothi nizenze zona: Thethani inyaniso elowo kummelwane wakhe; gwebani ngenyaniso nangesigwebo soxolo emasangweni enu. Musani ukucinga okubi, elowo ngommelwane wakhe entliziyweni yakhe; ningathandi ukufunga ngobuxoki; ngokuba konke oko; koko ndikuthiyileyo; utsho uYehova.”—Zekariya 8:16, 17.

¹² UYehova usibongoza ukuba sithethe inyaniso. (Efese 4:15, 25) Akayiphulaphuli imithandazo yabo baceba ukwenzakalisa abanye, abafihla inyaniso ngenxa yokuzingca, okanye abafunga ubuxoki. (IMizekeliso 28:9) Ekubeni eluthiyile uwexuko, ufuna sibambelele kwinyaniso yeBhayibhile. (INdumiso 25:5; 2 Yohane 9-11) Ngaphezu koko, njengamadoda amakhulu awayehlala kumasango esixeko kwaSirayeli, abadala abakwikomiti egwebayo bafanele bazisekele kwiinyaniso zeBhayibhile iziluleko nezigqibo zabo, kungekhona kwiingcamango zobuqu. (Yohane 17:17) UYehova ufuna ukuba bafune ‘isigwebo soxolo,’ njengabalusi abangamaKristu, bazame ukubuyisela uxolo phakathi kwemihlambi eyalanayo nokunceda aboni abaguqukayo baxolelane noThixo kwakhona. (Yakobi 5:14, 15; Yuda 23) Kwangaxeshanye, balondoloza uxolo phakathi kwebandla, ngokubagxotha ngenkalipho abo baphazamisa olo xolo ngokuqhubeka besenza ububi ngabom.—1 Korinte 6:9, 10.

“Imihlali, Nemivuyo”

13. (a) Ziziphi iinguqulelo eziphathelele ukuzila ukudla awaprofeta ngazo uZekariya? (b) Kukuphi ukuzila ukudla okwakusenziwa kwaSirayeli?

¹³ Ngoku, siva isigidimi esibalulekileyo sesibhozo: “Utsho uYehova wemikhosi ukuthi, Uzilo lweyesine inyanga, nozilo lweyesihlanu, nozilo lweyesixhenxe, nozilo lweyeshumi, luya kuba yimihlali, nemivuyo, namaxesha amisiweyo okuchwayitha, kwindlu kaYuda; ke thandani inyaniso noxolo.” (Zekariya 8:19) Ngaphantsi koMthetho kaMoses, amaSirayeli ayezila ukudla ngoMhla Wocamagusho ebonakalisa ukuba buhlungu ngezono zawo. (Levitikus 16:29-31) Kubonakala ukuba ukuzila ukudla izihlandlo ezine okuchazwa nguZekariya, kwakusenziwa ukuzilela iziganeko ezibuhlungu ezinokuthanani nokoyiswa nokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem. (2 Kumkani 25:1-4, 8, 9, 22-26) Noko ke, itempile yayisakhiwa kwakhona ngelo xesha yaye iYerusalem yayisiba nabemi kwakhona. Ukuzila kwakuthatyathelw’ indawo yimivuyo, yaye ukuzila ukudla kwakunokuba ngamaxesha okuchwayita.

14, 15. (a) ISikhumbuzo sasikubangela njani ukuvuya okukhulu, yaye kufanele kusikhumbuze ntoni oku? (b) Ngokutsho kwengxelo yonyaka, ngawaphi amazwe anengxelo ebalaseleyo yababekho kwiSikhumbuzo?

¹⁴ Namhlanje, asikwenzi ukuzila ukudla okukhankanywe nguZekariya okanye ukuzila ukudla okwakufuneka phantsi koMthetho. Ekubeni uYesu wanikela ubomi bakhe ngenxa yezono zethu, sinandipha iintsikelelo zoMhla Wocamagusho omkhulu ngakumbi. Izono zethu zigutyungelwa, kungekhona nje ngokuyinxenye, kodwa ngokupheleleyo. (Hebhere 9:6-14) Silandela umyalelo woMbingeleli Omkhulu wasezulwini, uYesu Kristu, senza iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe njengekuphela kwesihlandlo sonqulo esisikhumbulayo kwikhalenda yamaKristu. (Luka 22:19, 20) Ngaba asibi ‘nemihlali yaye sivuye’ xa sihlanganisana kunye nyaka ngamnye ebudeni beso sikhumbuzo?

¹⁵ Kunyaka ophelileyo, izi-13 147 201 zazihlanganisene ukuze zenze iSikhumbuzo, kwakuze ama-858 284 angakumbi kunowe-1994. Enjani yona indimbane! Yiba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wovuyo olwalukho kumabandla amaNgqina kaYehova angama-78 620 njengoko abantu abaninzi ngokungaqhelekanga babethontelana kwiiHolo zoBukumkani ukuze benze esi sikhumbuzo. Ngokuqinisekileyo, bonke ababekho bashukunyiselwa ukuba “bathande inyaniso noxolo” njengoko bekhumbula ukufa kwaLowo ‘uyindlela, inyaniso nobomi’ nolawulayo ngoku ‘njengoMthetheli Woxolo’ omkhulu kaYehova! (Yohane 14:6; Isaya 9:6) Eso sikhumbuzo sasinentsingiselo ekhethekileyo kwabo babesenza kumazwe athwaxwa ngumbhodamo neemfazwe. Bambi kubazalwana bethu baye bafumana ubuhlungu obungathethekiyo ebudeni bowe-1995. Sekunjalo, ‘uxolo lukaThixo, olugqithisele kuko konke ukuqonda, luye lwazigcina iintliziyo zabo neengqiqo zabo kuKristu Yesu.’—Filipi 4:7.

‘Masimbongoze UYehova’

16, 17. Abantu bazo zonke iintlanga ‘banokumbongoza njani uYehova’?

¹⁶ Noko ke, zazivela phi ezo zigidi zazikho kwiSikhumbuzo? Isigidimi sikaYehova sesithoba siyachaza: “Utsho uYehova wemikhosi ukuthi, Kusaya kuza izizwe, nabemi bemizi emininzi. Baya kuhamba abemi bomnye baye komnye, bathi, Masihambe siye kumbongoza uYehova, simquqele uYehova wemikhosi; bathi abo, Siya kuhamba nathi. Izizwe ezininzi neentlanga ezinamandla ziya kuza kumquqela uYehova wemikhosi eYerusalem, zimbongoze uYehova.”—Zekariya 8:20-22.

¹⁷ Abantu abebekho kwiSikhumbuzo babefuna ‘ukumquqela uYehova wemikhosi.’ Inkoliso yabo ibingabakhonzi bakhe abazahluleleyo nababhaptiziweyo. Ezinye izigidi ebezikho bezingekalifikeleli elo nqanaba. Kwamanye amazwe, inani labebekho kwiSikhumbuzo beliliphinda kane okanye kahlanu inani labavakalisi boBukumkani. Le nyambalala yabanomdla ifuna ukuncedwa ukuze iqhubeke isenza inkqubela. Masibafundise ukuluxabisa ulwazi lokuba uYesu wafela izono zethu yaye ngoku ulawula kuBukumkani bukaThixo. (1 Korinte 5:7, 8; ISityhilelo 11:15) Yaye masibakhuthaze ukuba bazahlulele kuYehova uThixo yaye bazithobe kuKumkani wakhe ammisileyo. Ngokwenza njalo baya kuba ‘babongoza uYehova.’—INdumiso 116:18, 19; Filipi 2:12, 13.

“Amadoda Alishumi Asezilwimini Zonke Zeentlanga”

18, 19. (a) Njengenzaliseko kaZekariya 8:23, ngubani omela “umYuda” namhlanje? (b) Ngoobani namhlanje abamela “amadoda alishumi” athi “abambe esondweni lengubo yendoda engumYuda”?

¹⁸ Okwesihlandlo sokugqibela kwisahluko sesibhozo kwekaZekariya, sifunda oku: “Utsho uYehova wemikhosi ukuthi.” Sithini isigidimi sikaYehova sokugqibela? “Ngezo mini aya kuthi abambe amadoda alishumi asezilwimini zonke zeentlanga, abambe esondweni lengubo yendoda engumYuda, athi, Siya kuhamba nani, ngokuba sivile ukuba uThixo unani.” (Zekariya 8:23) Ngomhla kaZekariya, uSirayeli wokwemvelo wayeluhlanga lukaThixo olunyuliweyo. Noko ke, ngenkulungwane yokuqala, uSirayeli wamchasa uMesiya kaYehova. Ngenxa yoko, uThixo wethu wanyula “umYuda”—uSirayeli omtsha—njengabantu bakhe abakhethekileyo, ‘uSirayeli kaThixo’ obunjwe ngamaYuda okomoya. (Galati 6:16; Yohane 1:11; Roma 2:28, 29) Inani lawo elipheleleyo laliza kuba li-144 000, elikhethwe eluntwini ukuze lilawule noYesu kuBukumkani bakhe basezulwini.—ISityhilelo 14:1, 4.

¹⁹ Inkoliso yabo bayila i-144 000 sele ife ithembekile yaza yaya kufumana umvuzo wayo wasezulwini. (1 Korinte 15:51, 52; ISityhilelo 6:9-11) Iqaqobana lisasele apha emhlabeni yaye liyakuvuyela ukubona ukuba “amadoda alishumi” akhetha ukulandela “umYuda” ngenene ‘asisihlwele esikhulu esiphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga, nezizwe, nabantu neelwimi.’—ISityhilelo 7:9; Isaya 2:2, 3; 60:4-10, 22.

20, 21. Ekubeni isiphelo seli hlabathi sisondela, sinokuhlala njani siseluxolweni noYehova?

²⁰ Njengoko isiphelo seli hlabathi singabuyi mva, iNgqobhoko ifana neYerusalem ngemihla kaYeremiya: “Sithembe uxolo, akwabakho nto ilungileyo; sithembe ixesha lokuphiliswa, nanko ikukudandatheka.” (Yeremiya 14:19) Olo dandatheko luya kufikelela incopho xa iintlanga zijikela unqulo lobuxoki zize zilutshabalalise ngenkohlakalo. Ngokukhawuleza emva koko, iintlanga ziya kutshatyalaliswa kwimfazwe kaThixo yokugqibela, iArmagedon. (Mateyu 24:29, 30; ISityhilelo 16:14, 16; 17:16-18; 19:11-21) Esinjani sona isaqunge esiya kubakho ngelo xesha!

²¹ Kuko konke oko, uYehova uya kubakhusela abo bayithandayo inyaniso nabahlakulela “imbewu yoxolo.” (Zekariya 8:12; Zefaniya 2:3) Ngoko, masihlale kwilizwe labantu bakhe size sikhuseleke, simdumisa ekuhleni ngenzondelelo yaye sinceda abaninzi kangangoko kunokwenzeka ‘babongoze uYehova.’ Ukuba senjenjalo, siya kuhlala siseluxolweni noYehova. Ewe, “uYehova uya kubanika abantu bakhe amandla; uYehova uya kubasikelela abantu bakhe ngoxolo.”—INdumiso 29:11.

Ngaba Ungacacisa?

◻ Abantu bakaThixo ‘bazomeleza njani izandla zabo’ ngomhla kaZekariya? Bazomeleza njani namhlanje?

◻ Sisabela njani kwintshutshiso, kwinkcaso nokuphathwa kakubi?

◻ Yintoni ebandakanyekileyo ‘ekuthetheni kwethu inyaniso elowo nommelwane wakhe’?

◻ Umntu ‘unokumbongoza njani uYehova’?

◻ Sisiphi isizathu esibalulekileyo sokuvuya ngokuzaliseka kukaZekariya 8:23?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Kunyaka ophelileyo, amaNgqina kaYehova achithe iiyure ezili-1 150 353 444 ethetha nabantu ngoBukumkani bukaThixo