Alukho Uxolo kubathunywa Bobuxoki!
“Abenzi bobubi baya kunqunyulwa; . . . Ke bona abalulamileyo baya kulidla ilifa ilizwe, baziyolise ngobuninzi boxolo.”—INDUMISO 37:9, 11.
1. Kutheni sifanele silindele ukubona abathunywa, abokwenene nabobuxoki, ‘kwixesha lokuphela’?
ABATHUNYWA—ngaba ngabobuxoki okanye ngabokwenene? Zazikho zombini ezi ndidi ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile. Kodwa kuthekani ngomhla wethu? KuDaniyeli 12:9, 10, sifunda ukuba isithunywa sasezulwini saxelela umprofeti kaThixo oku: “Kuba amazwi aya kuvalelwa, atywinwe kude kube lixesha lokuphela. Abaninzi baya kuzenza nyulu, bazenze mhlophe, banyibilikiswe; ke abangendawo baya kwenza okungendawo. Abangendawo bonke abayi kukuqonda oko, kodwa abanengqiqo baya kukuqonda.” Ngoku siphila kwelo “xesha lokuphela.” Ngaba siyawubona umahluko omkhulu ophakathi ‘kwabangendawo’ ‘nabanengqiqo’? Ngokuqinisekileyo siyawubona!
2. Uzaliseka njani uIsaya 57:20, 21 namhlanje?
2 Kwisahluko 57, indinyana yama-20 neyama-21, sifunda la mazwi omthunywa kaThixo uIsaya: “Abangendawo banjengolwandle oluvunjululweyo, ngokuba alunakuzola; amanzi alo avumbulula udaka nezibi. Alukho uxolo kwabangendawo, utsho uThixo wam.” Hayi indlela la mazwi alichaza kakuhle ngayo eli hlabathi njengoko lisondela kwinkulungwane yama-21! Bambi bade babuze, ‘Ngaba siya kuze sifike nje kuloo nkulungwane?’ Yintoni abaza kusixelela yona abathunywa abanengqiqo?
3. (a) Nguwuphi umahluko oboniswa yeyoku-1 kaYohane 5:19? (b) Bachazwa njani “abanengqiqo” kwiSityhilelo isahluko 7?
3 Umpostile uYohane wayenengqiqo evela kuThixo. Kweyoku-1 kaYohane 5:19, kuthiwa: “Siyazi ukuba siphuma kuThixo, kodwa ihlabathi liphela lilele emandleni alowo ungendawo.” AmaSirayeli okomoya ali-144 000, intsalela yawo eyaluphalayo esekunye nathi, ahlukile kweli hlabathi. Namhlanje le ntsalela ithelelwa ‘sisihlwele esikhulu, . . . esiphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe namaqela abantu neelwimi,’ ngoku esibalwa ngaphezu kwezigidi ezintlanu, nesikwanengqiqo. “Aba ngabo baphuma embandezelweni enkulu.” Yaye kutheni bevuzwa nje? Kungenxa yokuba nabo “baye bayihlamba imiwunduzo yabo baza bayenza mhlophe egazini leMvana” ngokukholelwa kwintlawulelo kaYesu. Njengabathunywa bokukhanya, nabo “banikela inkonzo engcwele kuye [uThixo] imini nobusuku.”—ISityhilelo 7:4, 9, 14, 15.
Abo Kufane Kuthiwe Ngabathunywa Boxolo
4. (a) Kutheni abo kufane kuthiwe ngabathunywa boxolo kwihlabathi likaSathana beza kusilela nje? (b) AmaEfese 4:18, 19 asebenza njani namhlanje?
4 Noko ke, kuthekani ngabo kufane kuthiwe ngabathunywa boxolo kwinkqubo yehlabathi likaSathana? KuIsaya isahluko 33, indinyana 7, sifunda oku: “Yabona, iinjengele zabo ziyakhala ngaphandle; abathunywa boxolo balila ngokukrakra.” Hayi indlela oku okuyinyaniso ngayo kwabo bahla benyuka kumakomkhulu ehlabathi, bezama ukuzisa uxolo! Hayi indlela ef’ amanqe ngayo loo nto! Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba banyanga iimpawu zezigulo zehlabathi kunokuba banyange oonobangela bazo. Okokuqala, abazi ukuba uSathana ukho, ochazwa ngumpostile uPawulos ‘njengothixo wale nkqubo yezinto.’ (2 Korinte 4:4) USathana uye wahlwayela imbewu yobungendawo ebantwini, ibe umphumo ube kukuba inkoliso yabo, kuquka uninzi lwabalawuli, ngoku ifanelwe yinkcazelo ekumaEfese 4:18, 19 ethi: “Zisebumnyameni ngengqondo, yaye zahlukanisiwe nobomi bukaThixo, ngenxa yokungazi okukuzo, ngenxa yokuqaqadeka kweentliziyo zazo. Zingasaziva konke konke ngokokuziphatha, zizinikele kwihambo evakalala ukuze zisebenze ukungahlambuluki kwalo lonke uhlobo zibawa.”
5. (a) Kutheni abameli abangabantu besilela ukuba ngabaxolelanisi? (b) Sisiphi isigidimi esithuthuzelayo esidluliselwa yiNdumiso 37?
5 Abakho abameli abangabantu abangafezekanga abanokuncothula ezintliziyweni zabantu ukubawa, ukuzingca, nentiyo egqubayo namhlanje. NguMdali wethu, iNkosi enguMongami uYehova, kuphela onokukwenza oko! Ukongezelela koko, ngabalulamileyo kuphela, iqaqobana elithile eluntwini, abakulungeleyo ukuthobela ulwalathiso lwakhe. Umphumo kwaba nakwabangendawo behlabathi uchazwa kwiNdumiso 37:9-11: “Abenzi bobubi baya kunqunyulwa; ke bona abamthembayo uYehova, baya kulidla ilifa ilizwe. Kusaya kuba mzuzwana, angabikho ongendawo . . . Ke bona abalulamileyo baya kulidla ilifa ilizwe, baziyolise ngobuninzi boxolo.”
6, 7. Yiyiphi ingxelo yeenkonzo zehlabathi ebonisa ukuba ziye zasilela ukuba ngabathunywa boxolo?
6 Ngoko ke, ngaba abathunywa boxolo banokufunyanwa phakathi kweenkonzo zeli hlabathi ligulayo? Kaloku, lunjani unqulo namhlanje? Imbali ibonisa ukuba unqulo luye lwaba nesabelo, ewe, lwada lwangunobangela wenkoliso yokuphalazwa kwegazi ukutyhubela iinkulungwane. Ngokomzekelo, inikela ingxelo ngombhodamo kwelo lalisakuba yiYugoslavia, iChristian Century yeveki ka-Agasti 30, 1995, yathi: “KwiBosnia elawulwa ngamaSerb, abefundisi bahlala kwizihlalo ezingaphambili kuzenzele wepalamente, ibe baphambili nasemadabini, apho kusikelelwa amaqela omkhosi nezixhobo ngaphambi kokuba kuliwe.”
7 Umsebenzi wabavangeli beNgqobhoko othabathe inkulungwane eAfrika awukhange ube nomphumo omhle, njengoko kubonakala eRwanda, ilizwe elaziwa ngokuba nama-80 ekhulwini amaKatolika. IThe New York Times kaJulayi 7, 1995, yanikela le ngxelo: “IGolias, iphephancwadi lamaKatolika eliphangaleleyo, elingelilo elonqulo elipapashwa eLyons [eFransi], liceba ukubabiza ngamagama abefundisi abangakumbi abangama-27 noonongendi abane baseRwanda elithi babulala okanye bakhuthaza ukubulawa kwabantu eRwanda kunyaka ophelileyo.” IAfrican Rights, intlangano yamalungelo abantu yaseLondon, yagqabaza yenjenje: “Nangona ziyinkuku esikw’ umlomo, iicawa zimele ziphendule ngenxa yokubandakanyeka kwabanye babefundisi, oo-pastor noonongendi bazo koko kutshatyalaliswa kohlanga.” Oku kufana nemeko ethile kwaSirayeli xa umthunywa wokwenene kaYehova uYeremiya wathetha ‘ngokudana’ kukaSirayeli, kunye nabalawuli bakhe, nababingeleli bakhe, nabaprofeti bakhe, esithi: “Emasondweni akho kufumaneka igazi lemiphefumlo yamahlwempu amsulwa.”—Yeremiya 2:26, 34.
8. Kutheni kunokutshiwo ukuba uYeremiya wayengumthunywa woxolo?
8 Ngokufuthi uYeremiya ebebizwa ngokuba ngumprofeti wentshabalalo, kodwa usenokubizwa ngokuba ngumthunywa kaThixo woxolo. Wathetha ngoxolo ngokufuthi njengoIsaya owayengaphambi kwakhe. UYehova wasebenzisa uYeremiya ukuvakalisa umgwebo kwiYerusalem, esithi: “Lo mzi waba sisisulu somsindo wam nobushushu bam, kususela kwimini owakhiwa ngayo, kude kube yile mini; ukuze ndiwususe ebusweni bam, ngenxa yobubi bonke boonyana bakaSirayeli noonyana bakaYuda, ababenzileyo ukuba bandiqumbise, bona, nookumkani babo, nabaprofeti babo, namadoda akwaYuda, nabemi baseYerusalem.” (Yeremiya 32:31, 32) Oku kwakufuzisela umgwebo kaYehova kubalawuli nabefundisi beNgqobhoko namhlanje. Ukuze kubekho uxolo lokwenene, aba baphembeleli bobubi nogonyamelo bamele bashenxiswe! Ngokuqinisekileyo abangabo abathunywa boxolo.
Ngaba IZizwe Ezimanyeneyo Zingumxolelanisi?
9. IZizwe Ezimanyeneyo ziye zazibanga zingumthunywa woxolo njani?
9 Ngaba iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo azinakuba ngumthunywa woxolo wokwenene? Ngapha koko, ingabula-zigcawu yoxwebhu lwezivumelwano zazo, elamiswa ngoJuni 1945, kwiintsuku nje ezingama-41 ngaphambi kokuba iHiroshima itshatyalaliswe yibhombu yeathom, yachaza injongo yazo ngokuthi: “kukusindisa izizukulwana ezilandelayo kubhubhane wemfazwe.” Abangama-50 ababeza kuba ngamalungu eZizwe Ezimanyeneyo babeza “kusebenza ngaxhathalinye ekugcineni uxolo nonqabiseko lwezizwe ngezizwe.” Namhlanje iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo zinamalungu amele iintlanga ezili-185, onke azibanga ezinikele kwinjongo efanayo.
10, 11. (a) Iinkokeli zonqulo ziye zayivakalisa njani inkxaso kwiZizwe Ezimanyeneyo? (b) Oopopu baye bazimela kakubi njani “iiNdaba Ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo”?
10 IZizwe Ezimanyeneyo ziye zadunyiswa gqitha ukutyhubela iminyaka, ngokukodwa ziinkokeli zonqulo. NgoAprili 11, 1963, uPopu John XXIII watyobela incwadi eyayisiya koobhishopu eyayinomxholo othi “Pacem in Terris” (Uxolo Emhlabeni) awabhala kuyo esithi: “Kungumnqweno wethu osuka entliziyweni ukuba intlangano yeZizwe Ezimanyeneyo—iikomiti zayo kunye noko ikusebenzelayo—ikwazi ukuyenza imisebenzi emikhulu nebalulekileyo emelwe ukuyenza.” Kamva, ngoJuni 1965, iinkokeli zonqulo, ekuthiwa zazimela isiqingatha sabemi behlabathi, zabhiyozela ukugqiba iminyaka engama-20 kweZizwe Ezimanyeneyo eSan Francisco. Kwakhona ngowe-1965, xa uPopu Paul VI wayetyelele iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo wazichaza ngokuthi “lithemba lokugqibela lemvisiswano noxolo.” Ngowe-1986, uPopu John Paul II wasebenzisana nokukhuthazwa koNyaka Woxolo Wezizwe Ngezizwe WeZizwe Ezimanyeneyo.
11 Kwakhona, ebudeni botyelelo lwakhe ngo-Oktobha 1995, upopu wavakalisa oku: “Namhlanje sibhiyozela iiNdaba Ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo.” Kodwa ngaba ngokwenene ungumthunywa kaThixo weendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani? Ethetha ngeengxaki zehlabathi, walek’ umsundulo esithi: “Njengoko sijamelene nolu celomngeni lungaqhelekanga, singathini ukusilela ukugqala indima yeNtlangano yeZizwe Ezimanyeneyo?” Upopu ukhetha iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo kunoBukumkani bukaThixo.
Izizathu ‘Zokulila Ngokukrakra’
12, 13. (a) IZizwe Ezimanyeneyo ziye zakwenza njani oko kuchazwe kuYeremiya 6:14? (b) Kutheni iinkokeli zeZizwe Ezimanyeneyo ziqukwa kwinkcazelo ekuIsaya 33:7?
12 Ukubhiyozelwa kokugqiba iminyaka engama-50 kweZizwe Ezimanyeneyo kwasilela ukuvelisa naliphi na ithemba “loxolo emhlabeni.” Esinye isizathu sachazwa ngumbhali othile kwiThe Toronto Star yaseKhanada, owabhala wathi: “IZizwe Ezimanyeneyo ziyingonyama engenamazinyo, egqumayo xa ijongene nenkohlakalo yabantu, kodwa ilinde amalungu ayo ukuba ayifake amazinyo emboleko ngaphambi kokuba ilume.” Ngokufuthi ayilumi kangako ibe iluma emva kwexesha. Abathunywa boxolo abakule nkqubo ikhoyo yehlabathi, yaye ngokukodwa abo bakwiNgqobhoko, bebephindaphinda amazwi akuYeremiya 6:14: “Bazama ukukuphilisa lula ukwaphuka [kwabantu, NW] bam, besithi, Luxolo, luxolo; kungekho luxolo.”
13 Oososiba-jikelele abalandelelanayo beZizwe Ezimanyeneyo baye bazibhokoxa, ibe alithandabuzeki elokuba bebekwenza oko ngokunyaniseka, ukuze benze iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo ziphumelele. Kodwa ukruthakruthwano oluzingisileyo oluphakathi kwamalungu angama-185 aneenjongo ezingafaniyo ngendlela yokuphelisa imfazwe, yokuqulunqa inkqubo yawo, neyokusingatha imicimbi yemali luye lwangumqobo kwithemba lokuphumelela. Kwingxelo yakhe yonyaka yowe-1995, owayengusosiba-jikelele ngoko wabhala ngokuphela “kokuxhalabela intlekele yenyukliya yomhlaba” njengokuhlahl’ indlela ukuze “iintlanga zisebenze ngaxhathalinye ekuziseni inkqubela kwezoqoqosho nakwintlalo yabantu bonke.” Kodwa wongezelela esithi: “Okubuhlungu kukuba, ingxelo yemicimbi yehlabathi kwiminyaka embalwa edluleyo iye ubukhulu becala yangqubana gqitha nolo lindelo luhle.” Ngokwenene, abo bathi bangabathunywa boxolo ‘balila ngokukrakra.’
14. (a) Kutheni kunokutshiwo ukuba iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo ziswele imali nemilinganiselo yokuziphatha? (b) Uzaliseka njani uYeremiya 8:15?
14 Umxholo wenqaku eliphambili kwiThe Orange County Register yaseKhalifoniya wawufundeka ngolu hlobo: “IZizwe Ezimanyeneyo Ziphelelwe Yimali, Nayimilinganiselo Yokuziphatha.” Eli nqaku lathi phakathi kowe-1945 nowe-1990, kubekho iimfazwe ezingama-80, ezisube ubomi babantu abazizigidi ezingama-30. Lacaphula umbhali wenkupho yeReader’s Digest kaOktobha 1995 “ochaza iinkqubo zomkhosi weZizwe Ezimanyeneyo njengezibalasele ngokuba ‘nabaphathi-mikhosi abangenabuchule, amajoni angaqeqeshekanga, ubuhlobo nabahlaseli, ukusilela ukuthintela inkohlakalo ibe maxa wambi nokufak’ isandla ebubini.’ Ngaphezu koko, ‘umlinganiselo wenkcitho, ubuqhinga, nokuxhaphaza ungaphaya kwengqondo.’ ” Kwicandelo elinomxholo othi “IZizwe Ezimanyeneyo Kunyaka Wazo Wama-50,” iThe New York Times yayinomxholo ongaphandle othi “Ukungaphathwa Kakuhle Nokuchithwa Kwemali Kutshabalalisa Iinjongo Ezintle ZeZizwe Ezimanyeneyo.” IThe Times yaseLondon, eNgilani, yayinenqaku eliphambili elalinamazwi athi “Zibuthathaka Nangona Zineminyaka Engamashumi Amahlanu—iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo zifuna ukwenziswa umthambo ukuze zibuyele kwimeko yazo.” Enyanisweni, kunjengoko sifunda kuYeremiya isahluko 8, indinyana 15: “Besithembe uxolo, akwabakho nto ilungileyo: Besithembe ixesha lokuphiliswa, nanko ikukudandatheka.” Kwaye isisongelo sembubhiso yenyukliya sisalutyityimbisel’ umnwe uluntu. Kuyacaca ukuba, iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo azinguye umthunywa woxolo ofunwa luluntu.
15. IBhabhiloni yamandulo nonqulo oluyinzala yayo izingqine njani iyetshabalalisayo nedengayo?
15 Uya kuba yintoni umphumo wayo yonke le nquleqhu? ILizwi likaYehova lesiprofeto licace mhlophe. Okokuqala, yintoni olujamelene nayo unqulo lobuxoki lwehlabathi ngokufuthi oluye lwanobuhlobo ngokugqith’ emgceni neZizwe Ezimanyeneyo? Luzalwa ngukhokho omnye wonqulo-zithixo, iBhabhiloni yamandulo. Ngokufanelekileyo, ISityhilelo 17:5 siluchaza ngokuba ‘yiBhabhiloni Enkulu, unina wamahenyukazi nowezinto ezilizothe zomhlaba.’ UYeremiya wachaza intshabalalo yalo mhanahanisi oyintlanganisela. Njengehenyukazi, luye lwahenda abezobupolitika behlabathi, lwadumisa iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo lwaza lwaba nolwalamano olungekho mthethweni namalungu azo angamagunya ezobupolitika. Luye lwanenxaxheba ephambili kwiimfazwe zasembalini. Ethetha ngemfazwe yonqulo eIndiya omnye umhlalutyi wathi: “UKarl Marx wachaza unqulo njengesiyobisi i-opium ebantwini. Kodwa loo mazwi awanakuba achanile namhlanje kuba i-opium iyabadangalisa abantu, ibenza badenge. Kunoko, unqulo lufana ne-crack cocaine. Lubangela ugonyamelo oloyikekayo yaye lungamandla atshabalalisa kakhulu.” Loo mbhali naye usatsho ecaleni. Unqulo lobuxoki luyadenga yaye luyatshabalalisa.
16. Kutheni abantu abantliziyo zinyanisekileyo ngoku befanele basabe kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu? (Bona neSityhilelo 18:4, 5.)
16 Ngoko ke, bamele benze ntoni abantu abantliziyo zinyanisekileyo? Umthunywa kaThixo uYeremiya uyasiphendula: “Sabani niphume eBhabheli, nisize elowo umphefumlo wakhe; . . . ngokuba eli lixesha lempindezelo kuYehova.” Siyavuya kuba izigidi ziye zasaba kwiindonga zeBhabhiloni Enkulu, ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki. Ngaba ungomnye wazo? Ngoko unokuyiqonda kakuhle impembelelo yeBhabhiloni Enkulu kwiintlanga zomhlaba: “Zasela iintlanga ewayinini yayo. Ngako oko ziyageza iintlanga.”—Yeremiya 51:6, 7.
17. Nguwuphi umgwebo esekumbovu ukuba ufikele iBhabhiloni Enkulu, ibe kuya kwenzeka ntoni emva koko?
17 Kungekudala, uYehova uza kushukumisela amalungu ‘agezayo’ eZizwe Ezimanyeneyo ukuba ajikele unqulo lobuxoki, njengoko ISityhilelo 17:16 sichaza: “Aba baya kulithiya ihenyukazi ibe baya kulenza liphanziswe lize libe ze, kwaye baya kuzidla iinxalenye zenyama yalo baze balitshise ngokupheleleyo ngomlilo.” Oku kuya kuphawula ukuqalisa kwembandezelo enkulu ekuthethwa ngayo kuMateyu 24:21 ize yona ifikelele incopho yayo eArmagedon, imfazwe yemini enkulu kaThixo uSomandla. NjengeBhabhiloni yamandulo, iBhabhiloni Enkulu iza kufumana umgwebo ovakaliswe kuYeremiya 51:13, 25: “Wena uhleliyo phezu kwamanzi amaninzi, ubuncwane bakho buninzi; kufikile ukuphela kwakho, isilinganiselo senzuzo yakho embi. Yabona, ndikuchasile, ntaba yokonakalisa, utsho uYehova, elonakalisileyo lonke ihlabathi; ndiya kolula isandla sam phezu kwakho, ndikuqengqe uhle ezingxondorheni, ndikwenze intaba etshisiweyo.” Iintlanga ezonakeleyo, ezingoophuma-silwe ziya kulandela unqulo lobuxoki ukuya entshabalalweni njengoko imini yempindezelo kaYehova ifikelela nakuzo.
18. UIsaya 48:22 ufanele azaliseke nini yaye njani?
18 Kweyoku-1 kwabaseTesalonika 5:3, kuthethwa oku ngabangendawo: “Xa sukuba besithi: ‘Uxolo nonqabiseko!’ iza kwandula ke intshabalalo yequbuliso ibafikele ngephanyazo kanye njengenimba yenkxwaleko kumfazi omithiyo; yaye abasayi kuze nangayiphi na indlela babaleke.” Aba ngabo uIsaya wathi ngabo: “Yabona . . . abathunywa boxolo balila ngokukrakra.” (Isaya 33:7) Ngokwenene, njengoko sifunda kuIsaya 48:22, “akukho luxolo kwabangendawo, utsho uYehova.” Kodwa liliphi ikamva abajongene nalo abathunywa boxolo lobuthixo? Inqaku lethu elilandelayo liza kusixelela.
Imibuzo Yempinda
◻ Ngawaphi amazwi anamandla abaye abaprofeti bakaThixo babhenca ngawo abathunywa bobuxoki?
◻ Kutheni abameli abangabantu besilela ukuzama ukuzisa uxolo oluhlala luhleli?
◻ Abathunywa bokwenene boxolo bahluke njani kubameli beZizwe Ezimanyeneyo?
◻ Bamele benze ntoni abanobulali ukuze baziyolise ngoxolo oluthenjiswe nguYehova?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]
UIsaya, uYeremiya noDaniyeli bonke baxela kwangaphambili ngemigudu engephi yabantu yokuzisa uxolo
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]
“Ihlabathi lonke lilele emandleni alowo ungendawo.”—Umpostile uYohane
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]
“Basebumnyameni ngengqondo.”—Umpostile uPawulos