UYehova Uyawazalisekisa Amadinga Akhe Kwabathembekileyo
“Uthembekile lowo uthembisileyo.”—HEBHERE 10:23.
1, 2. Kutheni sinokuba nentembelo epheleleyo kumadinga kaYehova?
UYEHOVA ubongoza abakhonzi bakhe ukuba bazakhele yaye balondoloze ukholo oluqinileyo kuye nakumadinga akhe. Xa ubani enokholo olunjalo unokumthemba ngokupheleleyo uYehova ukuba uza kukwenza oko akuthembisileyo. ILizwi lakhe eliphefumlelweyo lithi: “Ufungile uYehova wemikhosi wathi, Inyaniso, njengoko ndicinge ngako, koba njalo; njengoko ndicebe ngako, koma ngolo hlobo.”—Isaya 14:24.
2 Amazwi athi, “Ufungile uYehova wemikhosi,” abonisa ukuba wenze isifungo esinzulu sokuzalisekisa amadinga akhe. Kungoko iLizwi lakhe linokuthi: “Kholosa ngoYehova ngentliziyo yakho yonke, ungayami okwakho ukuqonda. Uze umazi yena ezindleleni zakho zonke; wowulungelelanisa umendo wakho.” (IMizekeliso 3:5, 6) Xa sikholosa ngoYehova size sizivumele ukuba salathiswe bubulumko bakhe, alithandabuzeki elokuba umendo wethu wosikhokelela kubomi obungunaphakade, kuba ubulumko bukaThixo “bungumthi wobomi kwababambelela kubo.”—IMizekeliso 3:18; Yohane 17:3.
Ukholo Lokwenene Kumaxesha Amandulo
3. UNowa walubonakalisa njani ukholo kuYehova?
3 Ingxelo ephathelele izenzo zikaYehova kwabo banokholo lokwenene ibonisa indlela akufanelekela ngayo ukuthenjwa. Ngokomzekelo, kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-4400 eyadlulayo, uThixo waxelela uNowa ukuba ihlabathi lomhla wakhe laliza kutshatyalaliswa ngoMkhukula owawuza kugubungela umhlaba wonke. Wayalela uNowa ukuba akhe umkhombe omkhulu ukuze kulondolozwe ubomi babantu nobezilwanyana. Wenza ntoni uNowa? EyamaHebhere 11:7 isixelela oku: “Ngokholo uNowa, emva kokunikwa isilumkiso esingokobuthixo sezinto ezingekabonwa, wabonisa uloyiko lobuthixo waza wakha umkhombe wokusindisa indlu yakhe.” Kwakutheni ukuze uNowa abe nokholo kwinto eyayingazange yenzeke ngaphambili, into ‘eyayingekabonwa’? Kungenxa yokuba wayezazi kakuhle iinkqubano zikaThixo zangaphambili nentsapho yabantu kangangokuba wayesele esazi ukuba oko akuthethayo uThixo kuyenzeka. Ngoko uNowa wayeqinisekile ukuba uMkhukula wawuza kufika.—Genesis 6:9-22.
4, 5. Kwakutheni ukuze uAbraham amthembe ngokupheleleyo uYehova?
4 Omnye umzekelo wokholo lokwenene nguAbraham. Kwiminyaka emalunga nama-3900 eyadlulayo, uThixo wamyalela ukuba anyuse idini ngoIsake, ekuphela konyana amzeleyo ngomkakhe, uSara. (Genesis 22:1-10) Wasabela njani uAbraham? EyamaHebhere 11:17 ithi: “Ngokholo uAbraham, xa wavavanywayo, wafana ngathi wamnikela uIsake.” Noko ke, isithunywa sikaYehova samnqanda uAbraham ngomzuzu wokugqibela. (Genesis 22:11, 12) Phofu ke, wayengenwe yintoni uAbraham ukuze ade enze into elolo hlobo? Kungokuba, njengoko eyamaHebhere 11:19 isitsho, “wakubalela ekuthini uThixo wayekwazi ukumvusa [uIsake] kwanakwabafileyo.” Kodwa uAbraham wayenokuba nokholo njani kuvuko engazange abone mntu yaye kungekho nangxelo yokuba kwakha kwakho umntu ovuswayo ngaphambili?
5 Khumbula ukuba, uSara wayeneminyaka engama-89 xa uThixo wabathembisa ngonyana. Isibeleko sikaSara sasingasenako ukuthwala usana—sinokutsho sithi, sasifile. (Genesis 18:9-14) UThixo wasiphilisa isibeleko sikaSara, ibe wazala uIsake. (Genesis 21:1-3) UAbraham wayesazi ukuba ekubeni uThixo wayesiphilisile isibeleko sikaSara esasifile, wayenako nokubuyisela uIsake ebomini xa kuyimfuneko. EyamaRoma 4:20, 21 ithetha yenjenje ngoAbraham: “Ngenxa yesithembiso sikaThixo akazange axengaxengiswe kukuswela ukholo, kodwa waba namandla ngalo ukholo lwakhe, emnika uzuko uThixo yaye eyiseke ngokuzeleyo ukuba oko akuthembisileyo wayekwazi kanjalo nokukwenza.”
6. UYoshuwa wayivakalisa njani intembelo yakhe kuYehova?
6 Kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-3400 eyadlulayo, xa uYoshuwa wayesele engaphaya kwekhulu leminyaka ubudala yaye sele ezibonele indlela uThixo akufanelekela ngayo ukuthenjwa, wabeka esi sizathu njengesimenza abe nentembelo: “Niyazi ngentliziyo yenu yonke, nangomphefumlo wenu wonke, ukuba akuwanga phantsi nalinye ilizwi emazwini onke alungileyo, abewathethile uYehova uThixo wenu ngani; onke enzekile kuni; akuwanga phantsi nalinye ilizwi kuwo.”—Yoshuwa 23:14.
7, 8. Liliphi ikhondo lokusindisa ubomi elalandelwa ngamaKristu athembekileyo ngenkulungwane yokuqala, yaye ngoba?
7 Malunga neminyaka eli-1900 eyadlulayo, uninzi lwabantu abathobekileyo lwabonakalisa ukholo lokwenene. Lwaphawula kwinzaliseko yeziprofeto zeBhayibhile ukuba uYesu wayenguMesiya lwaza lwazamkela iimfundiso zakhe. Ekubeni lwalunesiseko esiqinileyo sezibakala kunye neZibhalo zesiHebhere, lwakukholelwa oko uYesu wayekufundisa. Ngenxa yoko, xa uYesu wathi umgwebo kaThixo wawuza kulifikela elakwaYuda neYerusalem ngenxa yokungathembeki, lwamkholelwa. Yaye xa waluxelela oko lwalumele lukwenze ukuze lusindise ubomi balo, lwakwenza.
8 UYesu waxelela amakholwa ukuba xa iYerusalem ingqongwe yimikhosi, afanele asabe. Imikhosi yamaRoma yayifikela iYerusalem ngonyaka wama-66 C.E. Kodwa ke amaRoma emka ngesizathu esingaziwa mntu. Lowo yayingumqondiso kumaKristu wokuba aphum’ aphele kweso sixeko, kuba uYesu wayethe: “Xa niyibona iYerusalem ingqongwe yimikhosi emise iintente, nandule ke nazi ukuba ukuphanziswa kwayo kusondele. Mabandule ke abo bakwelakwaYuda baqalise ukusabela ezintabeni, nabo baphakathi kuyo mabemke, nabo bakwiindawo ezisemaphandleni mabangangeni kuyo.” (Luka 21:20, 21) Abo babenokholo lokwenene bayishiya iYerusalem nemimandla ekufutshane nayo baza basabela kwiindawo ezikhuselekileyo.
Imiphumo Yokuswela Ukholo
9, 10. (a) Iinkokeli zonqulo zakubonakalisa njani ukuswela ukholo kuYesu? (b) Yaba yintoni imiphumo yokuswela kwazo ukholo?
9 Benza ntoni abo babengenalo ukholo lokwenene? Abazange balixhakamfule ithuba elavelayo lokusaba. Babecinga ukuba iinkokeli zabo zazinokubasindisa. Ukanti, ezo nkokeli kunye nabalandeli bazo babezibonele ukuba uYesu unguMesiya. Ngoko kutheni bengazange bakwamkele oko wayekuthetha? Kwakungenxa yeentliziyo zabo ezingendawo. Oku kwabhenceka elubala ngaphambilana xa babebona imiqodi yabantu abaqhelekileyo ithontelana kuYesu emva kokuba evuse uLazaro. UYohane 11:47, 48 uyabalisa: “Ababingeleli abaziintloko nabaFarisi bahlanganisela ndawonye iSanhedrin [inkundla ephakamileyo yamaYuda] baza baqalisa ukuthi: ‘Yintoni na emasiyenze, ngenxa yokuba lo mntu [uYesu] wenza imiqondiso emininzi? Ukuba siyamyeka ngale ndlela, bonke baya kukholwa kuye, ibe amaRoma aya kuza aze athabathe kokubini indawo yethu nohlanga lwethu.’” Indinyana yama-53 ithi: “Ngoko ke ukususela ngaloo mini kuse phambili baceba ukumbulala.”
10 Onjani ukuba mhle ummangaliso owawenziwe nguYesu—ukubuyisa uLazaro kwabafileyo! Kodwa iinkokeli zonqulo zazifuna uYesu acinyw’ igama ngenxa yaloo nto kanye. Ubungendawo bazo obucacileyo baya budandalaza nangakumbi xa “ababingeleli abaziintloko babhunga . . . ukubulala kwanoLazaro, kuba ngenxa yakhe abaninzi kumaYuda babesiya apho baze bakholwe kuYesu.” (Yohane 12:10, 11) ULazaro wayesandul’ ukuvuswa kwabafileyo, kodwa aba babingeleli babefuna ukumbuyisela kwakhona! Babengakhathalele kuthanda kukaThixo okanye impilontle yabantu. Babengoohlohl’ esakhe, bexhalabele izikhundla namalungelo abo. “Babethanda uzuko lwabantu ngakumbi kwanakunozuko lukaThixo.” (Yohane 12:43) Kodwa isikhuni sabuya nomkhwezeli ngenxa yokuswela kwabo ukholo. Ngonyaka wama-70 C.E., imikhosi yamaRoma yagaleleka kwakhona yaza yatshabalalisa indawo yabo kunye nohlanga lwabo, kwanabaninzi kubo.
Ukubonakaliswa Kokholo Kwixesha Lethu
11. Ukholo lokwenene lubonakaliswe njani ebutsheni bale nkulungwane?
11 Kule nkulungwane, aye ayinkungu nelanga amadoda namabhinqa anokholo lokwenene. Ngokomzekelo, emva phayaa ebutsheni beminyaka yee-1900, uluntu ngokubanzi lwalukhangele phambili kwikamva elinoxolo nenkqubela. Kwelinye icala, abo babenokholo kuYehova babevakalisa ukuba uluntu lwalusondela kwelona xesha lizaliswe ziinkathazo embalini. Oko kwakuxelwe kwangaphambili liLizwi likaThixo kuMateyu isahluko 24, kweyesi-2 kuTimoti isahluko 3, nakwezinye iincwadi. Oko kwakuthethwa ngabo bantu bokholo kwenzeka ngokwenene, kuqalisa ngowe-1914 ngeMfazwe Yehlabathi I. Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo ihlabathi lalifunze ‘kwimihla yokugqibela eyayinamaxesha amanqam ekunzima ukuqhubana nawo’ eyayixelwe kwangaphambili. (2 Timoti 3:1) Yintoni eyenza abakhonzi bakaYehova bayazi kwangoko inyaniso ephathelele iimeko zehlabathi ngoxa abanye abantu yayibasithele? Kungokuba, njengoYoshuwa, babenokholo lokuba akukho nalinye kumazwi kaYehova elaliya kuwa phantsi.
12. Liliphi idinga likaYehova abalithemba ngokupheleleyo abakhonzi bakhe namhlanje?
12 Namhlanje, abakhonzi bakaYehova abakholose ngaye, babalwa kufutshane nezigidi ezithandathu ehlabathini lonke. Bazi ngokusuka kubungqina bokuzaliseka kwelizwi likaThixo lesiprofeto ukuba kungekudala uza kuyiphelisa le nkqubo yezinto inogonyamelo nokuziphatha okubi. Ngoko baqinisekile ukuba akusentsuku zatywala babone ukuzaliseka kweyoku-1kaYohane 2:17, ethi: “Ihlabathi liyadlula yaye kunjalo nangomnqweno walo, kodwa lowo wenza ukuthanda kukaThixo uhleli ngonaphakade.” Abakhonzi bakaYehova bamthemba ngokupheleleyo ukuba uya kulizalisekisa elo dinga.
13. Unokumthemba kangakanani uYehova?
13 Unokumthemba kangakanani uYehova? Unokumthemba ngokupheleleyo nangomzimb’ ongenaxhala! Kwanokuba unokuphulukana nobomi bakho ngoku ngenxa yokumkhonza, uza kukubuyekeza ngobomi obuzuke ngakumbi ngexesha lovuko. UYesu uyasiqinisekisa: “Liyeza ilixa ekuya kuthi ngalo bonke abo bakumangcwaba enkumbulo [oko kukuthi, kwinkumbulo kaThixo] balive ilizwi lakhe baze baphume.” (Yohane 5:28, 29) Ngaba ukho ugqirha, inkokeli yezobupolitika, isazinzulu, usomashishini okanye nawuphi na omnye umntu omaziyo onokwenza oko? Imbali ithi unotshe. NguYehova onako, ibe uza kukwenza oko!
Ikamva Eliqaqambileyo Kwabathembekileyo
14. Liliphi ikamva elihle elithenjiswa liLizwi likaThixo kwabathembekileyo?
14 UYesu wabonisa indlela eliqiniseke ngayo ihlabathi elitsha phantsi koBukumkani bukaThixo basezulwini, esithi: “Banoyolo abo banomoya wobulali, ekubeni beya kuwudla ilifa umhlaba.” (Mateyu 5:5) Oko kwaqinisekisa idinga likaThixo elifumaneka kwiNdumiso 37:29 elithi: “Amalungisa aya kulidla ilifa ilizwe, ahlale kulo ngonaphakade.” Yaye ngaphambi nje kokufa kukaYesu, xa umenzi wobubi othile wavakalisa ukuba nokholo kuye, uYesu wathi kuloo ndoda: “Uya kuba nam eParadesi.” (Luka 23:43) Ewe, njengoKumkani woBukumkani bukaThixo, uYesu uya kuqinisekisa ukuba le ndoda ivuselwa kubomi basemhlabeni ize ijizekwe ngethuba lokuphila ngonaphakade kuloo Paradesi. Namhlanje, abo banokholo kuBukumkani bukaYehova nabo banokukhangela phambili ekuphileni eParadesi xa ‘[uThixo] eya kuzisula zonke iinyembezi emehlweni abo, yaye ukufa kungasayi kubakho, kungayi kubakho nakukhedama nasikhalo nantlungu kwakhona.’—ISityhilelo 21:4.
15, 16. Kutheni ubomi buza kuzaliswa luxolo kwihlabathi elitsha?
15 Makhe sibe nomfanekiso-ngqondweni welo hlabathi litsha. Khawube nombono wethu sele siphila apho. Zisuka nje, sesiphawula ukuba kuyo yonke indawo kukho abantu abonwabileyo abahlala kunye ngoxolo lokwenene. Baphila phantsi kweemeko ezifana nezichazwe kuIsaya 14:7: “Liphumle, lizolile ihlabathi lonke; bayagqabhuka bamemelele.” Kutheni besenjenjalo nje? Phakathi kwezinye izizathu, phawula ukuba iminyango yezindlu zabo ayinamaqhaga. Akayomfuneko, kuba akukho lwaphulo-mthetho okanye ugonyamelo. Kunjengokuba iLizwi likaThixo lathi kuza kuba njalo: “Baya kuhlala elowo phantsi komdiliya wakhe, naphantsi komkhiwane wakhe, kungabikho uboyikisayo.”—Mika 4:4.
16 Neemfazwe azisekho, kuba kweli hlabathi litsha, imfazwe ibhangisiwe. Zonke izixhobo zokulwa ziguqulwe zaba zizixhobo zoxolo. UIsaya 2:4 uye wazaliseka ngengqiqo epheleleyo: “Ziwakhande amakrele azo abe ngamakhuba, nezikhali zazo zibe zizitshetshe zeediliya; uhlanga lungaphakamiseli uhlanga ikrele, nezizwe zingaphindi zifunde ukulwa.” Phofu ke, yinto ebesiyilindele kakade leyo! Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba uninzi lwabemi behlabathi elitsha lufunde ukwenjenjalo ngoxa belukhonza uThixo kwihlabathi elidala.
17. Ziziphi iimeko ekuza kuphilwa phantsi kwazo kulawulo loBukumkani bukaThixo?
17 Enye into oyiphawulayo kukuba akukho mntu uhlwempuzekileyo. Akukho mntu uhlala kwityotyombe elimdaka okanye onxibe amajacu okanye ongenakhaya. Wonk’ ubani unekhaya elitofotofo nomzi ogcinwe kakuhle otyalwe imithi neentyatyambo eziyokozelayo. (Isaya 35:1, 2; 65:21, 22; Hezekile 34:27) Kwaye akukho ndlala kuba uThixo ulizalisekisile idinga lakhe lokuba kuya kubakho intabalala yokutya kubo bonke: “Kubekho intabalala yengqolowa ezweni, ise encotsheni yentaba.” (INdumiso 72:16) Ewe, phantsi kolwalathiso loBukumkani bukaThixo, iparadesi ezukileyo inwenwela emhlabeni wonke, ngokuvisisana nenjongo kaThixo yantlandlolo e-Eden.—Genesis 2:8.
18. Kwihlabathi elitsha, ziziphi izinto ezingasayi kuba sisisongelo eluntwini?
18 Kwakhona ubambe ongezantsi njengoko ubona indlela wonke umntu anamandla ngayo. Oku kungenxa yokuba ngoku banemizimba neengqondo ezifezekileyo. Akusekho sigulo, intlungu okanye ukufa. Akukho mntu uhamba ngesitulo esinamavili sabagulayo okanye olele ngandletyana-nye esibhedlele. Soze uphinde uzibone zonke ezo zinto. (Isaya 33:24; 35:5, 6) Ewe, akukho silwanyana siniphilisa ubomi bentshontsho, kuba amandla kaThixo azenze zaseluxolweni!—Isaya 11:6-8; 65:25; Hezekile 34:25.
19. Kutheni yonke imihla yehlabathi elitsha iza kuba ‘yeyolisayo’?
19 Elinjani ukuthandeka ibutho labantu elibunjwe ngabemi abathembekileyo beli hlabathi litsha! Amandla nobugcisa babo kunye nobuncwane bomhlaba zisetyenziselwa iinjongo ezintle, kungekhona ezenzakalisayo; zisetyenziselwa ukubambisana nabanye, kungekhona ukukhuphisana nabo. Kwaye wonke umntu odibana naye unokumthemba kuba, njengoko uThixo wathembisayo, bonke abantu “baya kuba ngabafundi bakaYehova.” (Isaya 54:13) Ekubeni wonk’ ubani elawulwa yimithetho kaThixo, umhlaba ‘uzaliswe kukwazi uYehova, njengamanzi egubungele ulwandle.’ (Isaya 11:9) Enyanisweni, yonke imihla kweli hlabathi litsha injengokuba INdumiso 37:11 iyichaza, ‘iyayolisa.’
Ukuqinisekiswa Kwekamva Elonwabisayo
20. Yintoni esimele siyenze ukuze sibe nekamva elizaliswe luxolo?
20 Yintoni esimele siyenze ukuze sibe yinxalenye yelo kamva lonwabisayo? UIsaya 55:6 uyasixelela: “Funani uYehova esenokufunyanwa; mbizeni esekufuphi.” Kwaye njengoko sifuna, isimo sethu sengqondo simele sifane neso sichazwe kwiNdumiso 143:9: “Ndifundise ukwenza ikholo lakho, ngokuba unguThixo wam.” Abo benjenjalo banokuhamba ngemizimba ekhululekileyo phambi koYehova betyhubela le mihla yokugqibela baze bakhangele phambili kwikamva elihle. “Gcina ogqibeleleyo, ukhangele othe tye; ngokuba izivela-mva zezomntu woxolo. Ke bona abangendawo batshatyalaliswa kuphele; izivela-mva zongendawo ziyanqanyulwa.”—INdumiso 37:37, 38.
21, 22. Yintoni uThixo ayiyilayo namhlanje, yaye uludlulisela njani uqeqesho?
21 Sithetha nje uYehova umema abo bafuna ukwenza ukuthanda kwakhe kuzo zonke iintlanga. Uyabaxonxa ukuze bakhe isiseko sebutho lakhe lomhlaba omtsha, njengoko isiprofeto seBhayibhile saxela kwangaphambili sisithi: “Ekupheleni kwemihla [ixesha esiphila kulo ngoku] . . . Kuya kuhamba izizwe ezininzi, zithi, Yizani, sinyuke siye entabeni kaYehova [unqulo lwakhe lokwenyaniso oluveleleyo] . . . asiyalele iindlela zakhe, sihambe ngomendo wakhe.”—Isaya 2:2, 3.
22 ISityhilelo 7:9 sichaza aba bantu ngokuthi ‘sisihlwele esikhulu esiphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe namaqela abantu neelwimi.’ Indinyana ye-14 ithi: “Aba ngabo baphuma embandezelweni enkulu,” abasinde kwisiphelo sale nkqubo ikhoyo yezinto. Esi siseko siluqilima sehlabathi elitsha ngoku siphantse sibe zizigidi ezithandathu, yaye kusekho abaninzi abasebatsha ababa yinxalenye yaso minyaka le. Bonke aba bakhonzi bathembekileyo bakaYehova baqeqeshelwa ukuphila kwihlabathi lakhe elitsha. Bafunda izinto zokomoya nobunye ubugcisa abaza kubusebenzisa ukuguqula lo mhlaba ube yiparadesi. Kwaye banentembelo epheleleyo yokuba iParadesi iya kubakho ngenxa yokuba “uthembekile lowo uthembisileyo.”—Hebhere 10:23.
Iingongoma Zempinda
◻ Yiyiphi imiphumo eyabangelwa kukuswela ukholo ngenkulungwane yokuqala?
◻ UThixo banokumthemba kangakanani abakhonzi bakhe?
◻ Liyintoni ikamva labathembekileyo?
◻ Yintoni esimele siyenze ukuze siqiniseke ngokuba nekamva elonwabisayo kwihlabathi likaThixo elitsha?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]
Sithetha nje uYehova wakha isiseko sebutho lomhlaba omtsha