UThixo Wamkela Zonke Iintlanga

KUHAMBO lwakhe lokuqala oluya eMali, uJohn wachukunyiswa bububele obufudumeleyo bukaMamadou nentsapho yakhe. Ngoxa wayehleli bhaxa phantsi esenza into engaqhelekanga yokutya esityeni esinye naloo mnini-khaya, wacinga eyona ndlela ifanelekileyo awayenokwabelana naye ngayo ngesona sipho sixabisekileyo—iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani eziseLizwini likaThixo, iBhayibhile. Nangona wayesazi isiFrentshi, ulwimi oluthethwa eMali, uJohn wazibuza enoba wayengakwazi kusini na ukunxibelelana naloo ntsapho yayinonqulo olwahluke ngokupheleleyo kolwakhe neyayicinga ngendlela eyahlukileyo kwindlela awayecinga ngayo.

Akumangalisi ke noko ukuba, uJohn wacinga ngengxelo yeBhayibhile ethetha ngesixeko saseBhabheli. Apho, uThixo waluduba ulwimi lwabo bantu babenemvukelo. (Genesis 11:1-9) Ngenxa yoko, abantu bathetha iilwimi ezahlukahlukeneyo, baba nonqulo neendlela zokucinga ezahlukahlukeneyo kwiindawo ezahlukahlukeneyo zomhlaba. Namhlanje, njengoko kuxhaphakile ukuba abantu bahambele okanye bafudukele kwezinye iindawo, abaninzi bahlangabezana nocelomngeni olufana nolo uJohn wahlangabezana nalo, kwanaselumelwaneni lwabo: Banokwabelana njani nabantu abanemvelaphi eyahlukileyo ngethemba abanalo elisekelwe eBhayibhileni?

Umzekelo Wamandulo

Njengabanye abaprofeti bamandulo kwaSirayeli, uYona waqala wathetha namaSirayeli. Waprofeta ngexesha ubukumkani obuwexukileyo bezizwe ezilishumi babubandakanyeke ngokuphandle kwizenzo zokungahlonel’ uThixo. (2 Kumkani 14:23-25) Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wendlela awasabela ngayo uYona xa enikwa uthumo olukhethekileyo lokuba ashiye ilizwe lakowabo aye eAsiriya aye kushumayela kubemi baseNinive, abantu ababenonqulo nendlela yokuphila eyahlukileyo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uYona wayengakwazi ukuluthetha kakuhle ulwimi olwaluthethwa ngabantu baseNinive. Enoba kuyintoni na, kuyabonakala ukuba uYona walufumanisa lunzima olu thumo, waza wabaleka.—Yona 1:1-3.

Ngokucacileyo, uYona kwakufuneka afunde ukuba uYehova uThixo akakhangeli imbonakalo kuphela yaye uyayigocagoca intliziyo. (1 Samuweli 16:7) Emva kokuba ehlangule uYona ngokungummangaliso ukuba angarhaxwa, uYehova wamyalela okwesihlandlo sesibini ukuba ashumayele kubemi baseNinive. UYona wathobela, yaye ngenxa yoko kwaguquka abantu abaliqela baseNinive. Sekunjalo, uYona wayengenambono ifanelekileyo. UYehova wamfundisa isifundo esamenza wabona ukuba kufuneka aguqule isimo sakhe sengqondo. UYehova wabuza uYona: “Andifanele na ndibe nosizi ngeNineve isixeko esikhulu, ekukho kuyo abantu abangaphezu kwekhulu elinamashumi amabini amawaka abangawaziyo konke konke umahluko phakathi kwesandla sabo sasekunene nesasekhohlo?” (Yona 4:5-11) Kuthekani ngathi namhlanje? Sinokubanceda njani abantu abanemvelaphi eyahlukileyo?

Ukwamkela AmaSamariya NabangengomaYuda

Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, uYesu wayalela abalandeli bakhe ukuba benze abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke. (Mateyu 28:19) Oku kwakungelula kubo. Abafundi bakaYesu babengamaYuda, yaye njengoYona, babeqhele ukuthetha kuphela nabantu abanemvelaphi namasiko afana nawabo. Ngokuzenzekelayo, babesenokuphenjelelwa nangumoya wobuhlanga owawuxhaphakile ngelo xesha. Noko ke, uYehova walathisa imicimbi ukuze ngokuthe ngcembe abakhonzi bakhe bakuqonde oko afuna bakwenze.

Inyathelo lokuqala yayikukuphelisa umoya wobuhlanga phakathi kwamaYuda namaSamariya. AmaYuda ayengenalwalamano namaSamariya. Ukanti, kangangezihlandlo eziliqela uYesu wahlahl’ indlela ukuze amaSamariya akwazi ukwamkela iindaba ezilungileyo. Wabonakalisa ukungakhethi ubuso ngokuthetha nomfazi ongumSamariya. (Yohane 4:7-26) Ngesinye isihlandlo, esenza umzekeliso womSamariya olungileyo, wabonisa umYuda owayelilungu lonqulo ukuba abantu abangengomaYuda bayakwazi ukubonakalisa uthando ngommelwane. (Luka 10:25-37) Lakufika ixesha lokuba uYehova angenise amaSamariya kwibandla lobuKristu, uFilipu, uPetros noYohane—ababengamaYuda bonke—bashumayela kubemi baseSamariya. Isigidimi sabo sabangela uvuyo olukhulu kweso sixeko.—IZenzo 8:4-8, 14-17.

Ukuba kwakunzima ngamaKristu angamaYuda ukuba awathande amaSamariya, lawo eneneni ayengezozalamane zamaYuda zisondeleyo, kumele ukuba kwakunzima nangakumbi ukuba athande abantu ababengengomaYuda, okanye abantu beeNtlanga, ababejongelwe phantsi nababethiyiwe ngamaYuda. Sekunjalo, emva kokufa kukaYesu, umsantsa owawuphakathi kwamaKristu angamaYuda nabeeNtlanga waphela. (Efese 2:13, 14) Ukuze ancede uPetros aqhelane neli lungiselelo litsha, uYehova wambonisa umbono waza wamxelela ukuba ‘makayeke ukuzibiza ngokuba ziyinqambi izinto uThixo aye wazihlambulula.’ Emva koko umoya kaYehova wamkhokelela kumntu weeNtlanga owayebizwa ngokuba nguKorneli. UPetros, akuyiqonda imbono kaThixo—yokuba le ndoda ingumntu weeNtlanga akafanele ukuyibiza ngokuba iyinqambi kuba uThixo uye wayihlambulula—waphefumlelwa ukuba athi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo ndiyaqonda ukuba uThixo akakhethi buso, kodwa kwiintlanga zonke umntu omoyikayo aze asebenze ubulungisa wamkelekile kuye.” (IZenzo 10:9-35) Hayi indlela awamangaliswa ngayo uPetros xa uThixo wambonisa ukuba umamkele uKorneli nentsapho yakhe ngokuthulula umoya oyingcwele phezu kwabo!

UPawulos—Isitya Esinyuliweyo Ezintlangeni

Ubulungiseleli bukaPawulos ngumzekelo obalaseleyo wendlela uYehova abalungisa ngayo abakhonzi bakhe ngokuthe ngcembe ukuba bathande baze bancede abantu bazo zonke iintlobo. Ngexesha lokuguquka kukaPawulos uYesu wathi uPawulos wayeza kukhonza njengesitya esinyuliweyo sokuthwala igama lakhe ezintlangeni. (IZenzo 9:15) Emva koko uPawulos waya kwelaseArabhiya, mhlawumbi ukuze acamngce ngenjongo yokuba uThixo amsebenzise ukuvakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo ezintlangeni.—Galati 1:15-17.

Ebudeni bohambo lwakhe lokuqala lobuvangeli basemazweni, uPawulos wabonisa inzondelelo yokushumayela kubantu ababengengomaYuda. (IZenzo 13:46-48) UYehova wawusikelela umsebenzi kaPawulos, nto leyo eyayibubungqina bokuba wayezenza izinto ngokuvisisana nelungiselelo likaYehova. UPawulos wabonisa ukuba wayeyiqonda ngokuzeleyo imbono kaYehova xa waba nenkalipho waza wakhalimela uPetros, owayebonakalisa umkhethe ngokungafuni ukunxulumana nabazalwana ababengengomaYuda.—Galati 2:11-14.

Obunye ubungqina obungakumbi bokuba uThixo wayesalathisa uPawulos kumsebenzi awayewenza ubonakala kuhambo lwakhe lwesibini lobuvangeli basemazweni xa umoya oyingcwele wathintela uPawulos ukuba angashumayeli eBhithiniya, eliphondo laseRoma. (IZenzo 16:7) Kuyabonakala ukuba yayingeloxesha lifanelekileyo. Noko ke, kamva abanye abantu baseBhithiniya baba ngamaKristu. (1 Petros 1:1) Embonweni, ummi waseMakedoni wabongoza uPawulos, esithi: “Welela ngapha eMakedoni uze usincede.” UPawulos wafikelela kwisigqibo sokuba ufanele ahambe ngenye indlela ukuze avakalise iindaba ezilungileyo kwiphondo laseRoma.—IZenzo 16:9, 10.

Ubuchule bukaPawulos bavavanywa ngamandla xa wayeshumayela kubantu baseAthene. Umthetho wamaGrike namaRoma wawungakuvumeli ukuba kufundiswe abantu ngoothixo basemzini namasiko amatsha onqulo. Uthando lukaPawulos ngabantu lwamshukumisela ukuba ayihlolisise ngenyameko inkqubo yabo yonqulo. EAthene, waphawula ukuba kwakukho isibingelelo esasinombhalo othi “Kongaziwayo uThixo.” Wakukhankanya oku xa wayenikela ubungqina. (IZenzo 17:22, 23) Enjani yona ukubalasela indlela awaqalisa ngayo isigidimi sakhe ngobubele nangentlonelo!

Hayi indlela amele ukuba wavuya ngayo uPawulos xa ecinga ngemiphumo yomsebenzi wakhe njengompostile weentlanga! Wanceda ekumiseleni amabandla ekwakukho kuwo amaKristu aliqela awayengengomaYuda emvelo, eKorinte, eFilipi, eTesalonika nakwiidolophu ezimbini zaseGalati. Wanceda amadoda nabafazi bokholo, njengoDamari, uDiyonisiyo, uSergiyo Pawulos noTito. Elinjani lona ilungelo lokubona abantu ababengamazi uYehova bengayazi neBhayibhile besamkela inyaniso yobuKristu! Ngokuphathelele indima awaba nayo ekuncedeni abantu ababengengomaYuda bazi inyaniso, uPawulos wathi: “Eneneni, ndakwenza usukelo lwam ukuba ndingazivakalisi iindaba ezilungileyo apho uKristu wayesele ekhankanyiwe, . . . kodwa, kanye njengoko kubhaliwe: ‘Abo kungenziwanga saziso kubo ngaye baya kubona, nabo bangevanga baya kuqonda.’” (Roma 15:20, 21) Ngaba sinokuba nesabelo ekuvakaliseni iindaba ezilungileyo kubantu abanemvelaphi eyahlukileyo kweyethu?

Ukunceda Bonke Abantu Bomhlaba

USolomon wathandaza kuYehova ngokuphathelele abantu ababengengawo amaSirayeli ababesiza kunqula etempileni eYerusalem. Wabongoza: “Kwanga ungeva usemazulwini, kwindawo ohlala kuyo emisiweyo, uze wenze ngokuvumelana nako konke oko akubizayo owasemzini; ukuze zonke izizwana zomhlaba zilazi igama.” (1 Kumkani 8:41-43) Amawaka abavakalisi boBukumkani abakumazwe amaninzi avakalelwa ngendlela efanayo. Adibana nabantu abafana nabemi baseNinive abo, ngokwengqiqo yokomoya, ‘bangawaziyo umahluko phakathi kwesandla sabo sasekunene nesasekhohlo.’ Yaye abashumayeli boBukumkani balangazelela ukuba nesabelo ekuzalisekiseni iziprofeto eziphathelele ukuhlanganiswa kwabanquli bokwenyaniso abavela kwiintlanga ezininzi ezahlukahlukeneyo.—Isaya 2:2, 3; Mika 4:1-3.

Kanye njengokuba abantu beNgqobhoko beye basamkela isigidimi seBhayibhile sethemba, nabantu abebengamalungu ezinye iinkonzo zonqulo bayasamkela. Kufanele kukuchaphazele njani oku ngokobuqu? Zihlolisise ngenyameko. Ukuba uvakalelwa kukuba umoya wobuhlanga wendele kuwe, zabalazela ukwahlukana nawo uze uhlakulele ukuba nothando.a Musa ukubachasa abantu uThixo afuna ukubamkela.—Yohane 3:16.

Yenza uphando kuqala ngaphambi kokuba uthethe nabantu abanemvelaphi eyahlukileyo. Qhelana neenkolelo zabo, izinto abazixhalabeleyo, indlela abacinga ngayo; uze emva koko ukhangele into onokuvumelana ngayo nabo. Bonakalisa ukulunga novelwano kwabanye. Ziphephe iimpikiswano, yiba bhetyebhetye yaye ube nesimo sengqondo esingqalileyo. (Luka 9:52-56) Ngokwenjenjalo, uya kuba ukholisa uYehova, “othanda ukuba zonke iintlobo zabantu zisindiswe zize zifikelele elwazini oluchanileyo lwenyaniso.”—1 Timoti 2:4.

Hayi indlela esivuya ngayo ngokuba nabantu abaneemvelaphi ezahlukahlukeneyo emabandleni ethu! (Isaya 56:6, 7) Hayi indlela ekubangel’ imincili ngayo namhlanje xa unganeli nje kukuva amagama afana noMandisa, uLwazi, uMonde noSipho kodwa uve amagama afana noMamadou, uJegan, uReza noChan! Enyanisweni, ‘sivulelwe umnyango omkhulu okhokelela emsebenzini.’ (1 Korinte 16:9) Ngamana singaxhakamfula amathuba avulekileyo phambi kwethu size sidlulisele isimemo esivela kuThixo wethu ongakhethi buso, uYehova, sokwamkela abantu bazo zonke iintlanga!

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 23]

UPawulos wayesabelana nabantu ngeendaba ezilungileyo kuyo yonk’ indawo ngokuziqhelanisa nazo zonke iimeko

. . . eAthene

. . . eFilipi

. . . ngoxa wayehambahamba