Phulaphula Oko Umoya Ukutshoyo!
“Lowo unendlebe makakuve oko ukutshoyo umoya kuwo amabandla.”—ISITYHILELO 3:22.
1, 2. Sisiphi isiluleko esiphindaphindwe kwizigidimi zikaYesu ezazisiya kumabandla asixhenxe akhankanywe kwiSityhilelo?
ABAKHONZI bakaYehova bamele banikele ingqalelo kumazwi aphefumlelweyo kaYesu Kristu aya kumabandla asixhenxe akhankanywe kwincwadi yeBhayibhile yeSityhilelo. Eneneni, isigidimi ngasinye siqulethe esi siluleko: “Lowo unendlebe makakuve oko ukutshoyo umoya kuwo amabandla.”—ISityhilelo 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22.
2 Sele sifundile ngezigidimi zikaYesu eziya kwiingelosi, okanye abaveleli base-Efese, eSmirna nasePergamo. Sinokuzuza njani koko wakuthetha eqhutywa ngumoya oyingcwele kwamanye amabandla amane?
Kwingelosi YaseTiyatira
3. Yayiphi iTiyatira, yaye yayisaziwa ngayiphi imveliso?
3 “UNyana kaThixo” uyalincoma aze aliluleke eli bandla laseTiyatira. (Funda ISityhilelo 2:18-29.) ITiyatira (ngoku eyiAkhisar) yayakhiwe ngakuMlambo iGediz (iHermus yamandulo) osentshona yeAsia Minor. Esi sixeko sasidume ngezinto ezininzi zobugcisa. Abenzi balapho bedayi babesebenzisa ingcambu yesityalo ekuthiwa yimadder ukwenza idayi yalapho eyayidumile ebomvu okanye emfusa. ULidiya, owaba ngumKristu ebudeni bokutyelela kukaPawulos eFilipi eGrisi, ‘wayengumthengisi wezimfusa, wesixeko saseTiyatira.’—IZenzo 16:12-15.
4. Ibandla laseTiyatira lanconywa ngantoni?
4 UYesu uncoma ibandla laseTiyatira ngenxa yezenzo zalo ezintle, uthando, ukholo, unyamezelo nomsebenzi walo wokushumayela. Eneneni, ‘izenzo zabo zamva zingaphezulu kwezo zangaphambili.’ Noko ke, enoba sizenzele igama elihle asifanele singayikhathaleli indlela esiziphatha ngayo.
5-7. (a) Yayingubani “laa mfazi uIzebhele,” yaye yintoni eyayifanele yenziwe ngempembelelo awayenayo? (b) Isigidimi sikaKristu esiya kwibandla laseTiyatira sinceda abafazi abahlonel’ uThixo ukuba benze ntoni?
5 Ibandla laseTiyatira lalunyamezela unqulo-zithixo, iimfundiso zobuxoki nokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini. Kweli bandla kwakukho “laa mfazi uIzebhele”—mhlawumbi iqela labafazi ababesenza izinto njengoKumkanikazi ongendawo uIzebhele wezizwe ezilishumi zoBukumkani bakwaSirayeli. Abanye abaphengululi bathi ‘umprofetikazi’ waseTiyatira wazama ukulukuhla amaKristu ukuba anqule oothixo noothixokazi bombutho wezorhwebo baze babe nenxaxheba kwimibhiyozo eyayiquka ukutya okwakubingelelwe kwizithixo. Kwibandla lamaKristu namhlanje akumele kubekho umprofetikazi ozinyulileyo ofuna ukulawula abanye!
6 UKristu ‘wayesele eza kumphosa elukhukweni lokufa lo mfazi uIzebhele, nabo bahenyuza kunye naye kwimbandezelo enkulu, ngaphandle kokuba bayaguquka kwizenzo zakhe.’ Abaveleli abafanele bazivumele iimfundiso neempembelelo ezingendawo ezinjalo, yaye akukho mKristu ofanele ahenyuze ngokomoya nangokwenyama okanye anqule izithixo ukuze aqonde ukuba “izinto ezinzulu zikaSathana” zingendawo ngokwenene. Ukuba siyasiphulaphula isilumkiso sikaYesu, ‘siya kukubamba nkqi oko sinako,’ yaye asiyi kulawulwa sisono. Kuba bazigatya izenzo zokungahlonel’ uThixo, iinkanuko, neenjongo ezinjalo, abathanjiswa abavusiweyo bafumana “igunya phezu kweentlanga” yaye baya kuba noKristu xa ezitshabalalisa. Amabandla anamhlanje aneenkwenkwezi zokomfuziselo, yaye abathanjiswa baya kunikwa ‘ikhwezi eliqaqambileyo lokusa,’ uMyeni, uYesu Kristu, xa bevuselwa ezulwini.—ISityhilelo 22:16.
7 Ibandla laseTiyatira lalunyukiswa ukuba lingayinyamezeli impembelelo engendawo yabafazi abangabawexuki. Isigidimi sikaKristu esiphefumlelweyo ngokomoya esiya kweli bandla sinceda abafazi abahlonel’ uThixo ukuba bagcine isigxina abasimiselwe nguThixo namhlanje. Abazami ukuba negunya phezu kwamadoda yaye abalukuhli namnye umzalwana ukuba ahenyuze ngokomoya okanye ngokwenyama. (1 Timoti 2:12) Kunoko, abafazi abanjalo bamisela umzekelo kwimisebenzi emihle nakwinkonzo yabo yokudumisa uThixo. (INdumiso 68:11; 1 Petros 3:1-6) Ukuba ibandla liyakulondoloza oko linako—imfundiso nezenzo ezinyulu nenkonzo yoBukumkani exabisekileyo—uKristu uya kulisikelela, kunokuba alitshabalalise.
Kwingelosi YaseSardesi
8. (a) Yayiphi iSardesi, yaye ziziphi ezinye iinkcukacha ngayo? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze ibandla laseSardesi lifune uncedo?
8 Ibandla laseSardesi lalifuna uncedo olungxamisekileyo kuba lalifile ngokomoya. (Funda ISityhilelo 3:1-6.) ISardesi yayisisixeko esasichumile esikumgama onokuba ziikhilomitha ezingama-50 kumzantsi weTiyatira. Ezorhwebo, ukuchuma kwaloo mmandla, nokwenziwa kwamalaphu neekhaphethi zoboya kwasenza saba sisixeko esinobutyebi nesakha sahlala abantu abanokuba ngama-50 000. Ngokutsho kombhali-mbali uJosephus, iSardesi yayinabemi abaninzi abangamaYuda ngenkulungwane yokuqala ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Phakathi kwamabhodlo esi sixeko kukho indlu yesikhungu kunye netempile yothixokazi wase-Efese uArtemis.
9. Yintoni efanele yenziwe ukuba inkonzo yethu ikukuzalisa nje idinga?
9 UKristu wathi kwingelosi yebandla laseSardesi: “Ndiyazazi izenzo zakho, ukuba unegama lokuba uphilile, kodwa ufile.” Kuthekani ukuba saziwa njengabantu abaphilileyo ngokomoya kodwa asinaluxabiso ngamalungelo obuKristu yaye inkonzo yethu siyenza nje kuba sizalis’ idinga, yaye ‘sele siza kufa’ ngokomoya? Ngoko ke sifanele ‘siqhubeke sikhumbula indlela esisamkele ngayo nendlela esisive ngayo’ isigidimi soBukumkani, yaye sifanele sivuselele imigudu yethu kwinkonzo engcwele. Ngokuqinisekileyo sifanele siqalise ukuba nenxaxheba ngentliziyo iphela kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu. (Hebhere 10:24, 25) UKristu walumkisa ibandla laseSardesi esithi: “Ukuba akuvuki, ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kukufikela njengesela, yaye akusayi kulazi konke konke ilixa endokufikela ngalo.” Kuthekani ngomhla wethu? Kungekudala kuza kufuneka siphendule.
10. Kwanakwimeko enjengaleyo yaseSardesi, injani imeko yamaKristu athile?
10 Kwanakwimeko enjengeyaseSardesi, kusenokubakho abathile ‘abangazenzanga inqambi izambatho zabo zangaphezulu nabanokuhamba noKristu ngezimhlophe, ngenxa yokuba befanelekile.’ Bahlala bebonakala ukuba bangamaKristu, bengadyobhekanga, bengenabala lokuziphatha okanye lonqulo kweli hlabathi. (Yakobi 1:27) Ngenxa yoko, uYesu ‘akasayi kuze awacime amagama abo kwincwadi yobomi, kodwa uya kubavuma phambi koYise naphambi kweengelosi.’ Ekubeni luvakaliswe lufanelekile ukuba luhambe noKristu, udidi lomtshakazi wakhe olungabathanjiswa luya kunxiba ilinen eqaqambileyo, ecocekileyo necikizekileyo, nto leyo efuzisela izenzo ezilungileyo zabo bangcwele bakaThixo. (ISityhilelo 19:8) Ilungelo elihle lenkonzo abaya kulixhamla ezulwini libakhuthaza ukuba baloyise eli hlabathi. Kwakhona abo baya kuphila emhlabeni ngonaphakade nabo balindelwe ziintsikelelo. Namagama abo abhalwe encwadini yobomi.
11. Yintoni esifanele siyenze ukuba siyozela ngokomoya?
11 Akukho namnye kuthi ofuna ukuba kwimeko embi ngokomoya njengaleyo yebandla laseSardesi. Kodwa kuthekani ukuba sifumanisa ukuba siyozela ngokomoya? Sifanele sibhinqe omfutshane. Mhlawumbi sitsalelwa kwiindlela ezingendawo okanye asiyi kuzo zonke iintlanganiso okanye siyekelele umxakatho kwinkonzo yasentsimini. Masithandaze kuYehova ngokuzingisileyo ukuze sicele uncedo. (Filipi 4:6, 7, 13) Ukufunda iBhayibhile usuku ngalunye nokufundisisa iZibhalo neempapasho ‘zegosa elithembekileyo’ kuya kusinceda sihlale siphaphile ngokomoya. (Luka 12:42-44) Siya kwandula ke sifane nabo baseSardesi abamkelwa nguKristu, yaye siya kuba lukhuthazo kwamanye amakholwa.
Kwingelosi YaseFiladelfi
12. Ubunokuyichaza njani imeko yonqulo kwiFiladelfi yamandulo?
12 UYesu walincoma ibandla laseFiladelfi. (Funda ISityhilelo 3:7-13.) IFiladelfi (ngoku eyiAlesehir) yayiyindawo echumileyo nekwakuveliswa kuyo iwayini kwintshona yeAsia Minor. Eneneni, isithixo salapho esasiphambili, yayinguDionysus, uthixo wewayini. Kubonakala ukuba amaYuda aseFiladelfi azama kodwa akakwazi ukweyisela amaKristu angamaYuda ukuba agcine izithethe ezithile zoMthetho kaMoses okanye abuyele kuzo.
13. UKristu uye wasisebenzisa njani “isitshixo sikaDavide”?
13 UKristu ‘unesitshixo sikaDavide,’ yaye ngenxa yoko unikwe lonke igunya kwimicimbi yoBukumkani nokulawula indlu yokholo. (Isaya 22:22; Luka 1:32) UYesu wasebenzisa eso sitshixo ukuze avulele amaKristu aseFiladelfi yamandulo nawakwezinye iindawo amathuba namalungelo oBukumkani. Ukususela ngowe-1919 uye wavulela ‘igosa elithembekileyo’ “umnyango omkhulu” okhokelela kumsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani ongenakuvalwa nguye nabani na ochasayo. (1 Korinte 16:9; Kolose 4:2-4) Kakade ke, umnyango okhokelela kumalungelo oBukumkani uye wavalwa kwabo “bendlu yesikhungu kaSathana,” kuba abangawo amaSirayeli okomoya.
14. (a) UYesu walithembisa ntoni ibandla laseFiladelfi? (b) Yintoni eya kusinceda singawi “ngelixa lovavanyo”?
14 UYesu wathembisa amaKristu aseFiladelfi yamandulo esithi: “Ngenxa yokuba uligcinile ilizwi elingonyamezelo lwam, nam ndiya kukugcina ngelixa lovavanyo, eliza kuwufikela umhlaba omiweyo uphela.” Ukushumayela kufuna unyamezelo olwabonakaliswa nguYesu. Akazange anikezele kutshaba kodwa waqhubeka esenza ukuthanda kukaYise. Ngoko ke, uKristu wavuselwa kubomi bokungafi ezulwini. Ukuba sibambelela ngokuqinileyo kwisigqibo sethu sokukhonza uYehova yaye sixhasa uBukumkani ngokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo, asiyi kuwa xa ngoku silingwa, “ngelixa lovavanyo.” Siya kuqhubeka ‘sikubambe nkqi oko sinako’ sikufumene kuKristu ngokuzabalazela ukwandisa impahla yakhe yoBukumkani. Ngokwenjenjalo abathanjiswa baya kufumana isithsaba esixabisekileyo sasezulwini aze amaqabane abo anyanisekileyo afumane ubomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni.
15. Yintoni efunekayo kwabo baya kuba ‘ziintsika kwitempile kaThixo’?
15 UKristu wongezelela esithi: “Lowo woyisayo—ndiya kumenza intsika kwitempile yoThixo wam, . . . ndize ndilibhale kuye igama loThixo wam negama lesixeko soThixo wam, iYerusalem entsha ehla iphuma ezulwini kuThixo wam, nelo gama litsha lilelam.” Abaveleli abathanjisiweyo bafanele babambelele kunqulo lokwenyaniso. Bamele bahlale befanelekile njengamalungu ‘eYerusalem entsha’ ngokushumayela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo baze bahlale becocekile ngokomoya. Oku kubalulekile ukuba bafuna ukuba ziintsika kwitempile yasezulwini ezukileyo yaye bafuna ukuthwala igama lesixeko sikaThixo njengabemi basezulwini baze babe negama likaKristu njengomtshakazi wakhe. Kwakhona iindlebe zabo zimele ‘zikuve oko ukutshoyo umoya kuwo amabandla.’
Kwingelosi YaseLawodike
16. Yintoni esiyaziyo ngeLawodike?
16 UKristu waliluleka eli bandla lizithembe gqitha laseLawodike. (Funda ISityhilelo 3:14-22.) ILawodike, sisixeko esikwiikhilomitha ezinokuba li-150 empuma ye-Efese kwisiphambuka sorhwebo olukhulu kwintlambo echumileyo yoMlambo iLycus, ekwakuveliswa kuso izinto ezininzi nekwakugcinwa kuso imali. Iimpahla zoboya obumnyama balo mmandla zazithandwa gqitha. Ekubeni isikolo soogqirha sodumo sasilapho, kusenokwenzeka ukuba iyeza lamehlo ekuthiwa ngumgubo waseFrigiya lalenziwe eLawodike. UAsclepius, uthixo wamayeza, wayengomnye wezithixo eziyintloko zale dolophu. Kubonakala ukuba eLawodike kwakukho amaYuda amaninzi, yaye amanye ngathi ayezizityebi.
17. Kwakutheni ukuze abantu baseLawodike balulekwe?
17 Ethetha nebandla laseLawodike ‘ngengelosi’ yalo, uYesu wathetha ngegunya ‘njengengqina elithembekileyo neliyinyaniso, isiqalo sendalo kaThixo.’ (Kolose 1:13-16) Abantu baseLawodike balulekwa ngenxa yokuba ‘bengabandi okanye bengeshushu’ ngokomoya. Kuba babedikidiki, uKristu wayeza kubahlanza emlonyeni wakhe. Kumele ukuba akuzange kube nzima kubo ukuqonda loo ngongoma. IHierapolis eyayikufuphi yayinemithombo eshushu, yona iKolose inamanzi abandayo. Noko ke, ekubeni amanzi awayesiya eLawodike ngombhobho ayehamba umgama omde, kubonakala ukuba ayefika kweso sixeko sel’ edikidiki. Endleleni, ayedluliswa ngomsele. Kufuphi neLawodike, ayenqumla kumatye agqojoziweyo awayedityaniswe ngesamente.
18, 19. AmaKristu anamhlanje anokuncedwa njani njengalawo aseLawodike?
18 Abantu abanjengabaseLawodike namhlanje abakho shushu ngendlela efudumezayo yaye ababandi ngendlela ehlaziyayo. Njengamanzi adikidiki, baya kutshicwa! UYesu akafuni ukuba babe ngabathetheli bakhe, njengabathanjiswa ‘abangoonozakuzaku abasendaweni kaKristu.’ (2 Korinte 5:20) Ngaphandle kokuba bayaguquka, baya kulahlekelwa lilungelo labo njengabavakalisi boBukumkani. Abantu baseLawodike bafuna ubutyebi basemhlabeni yaye ‘babengazi ukuba baludwayi, balusizana, bangamahlwempu, neemfama kwaye bahamba ze.’ Ukuze bashenxise ubuhlwempu babo bokomoya, ubumfama, nokuhamba ze, abo banjengabo namhlanje bafanele bathenge kuKristu ‘igolide esulungekisiweyo’ yokholo oluvavanyiweyo, ‘izambatho zangaphezulu ezimhlophe’ zobulungisa, “nentambiso yamehlo” ukuze babone kakuhle ngokomoya. Abaveleli abangamaKristu bayakuvuyela ukubanceda babone iintswelo zabo zokomoya ukuze babe “zizityebi elukholweni.” (Yakobi 2:5; Mateyu 5:3) Ngaphezu koko, abaveleli bafanele babancede ukuba baqabe ‘intambiso yamehlo’ yokomoya—ukuba bamkele baze basebenzise oko kufundiswa nguYesu, isiluleko, umzekelo nesimo sakhe sengqondo. Eli yeza liphelisa “inkanuko yenyama nenkanuko yamehlo nokuqhayisa ngezinto zobu bomi.”—1 Yohane 2:15-17.
19 UYesu uyabaluleka aze abaqeqeshe abo abathandayo. Abaveleli abalathiswa nguye bamele ngobulali benze okufanayo. (IZenzo 20:28, 29) Abantu baseLawodike babefanele babe ‘nenzondelelo baze baguquke,’ benze iinguqulelo kwindlela abacinga nabaphila ngayo. Ngoko ke, ngaba abanye kuthi baye baziqhelisa indlela yokuphila eyenza ukukhonza uThixo kube kwindawo yesibini ebomini babo? Ngoko ke ‘masithenge isithambiso samehlo kuYesu’ ukuze sikwazi ukubona ukubaluleka kokubufuna ngenzondelelo uBukumkani kuqala.—Mateyu 6:33.
20, 21. Ngoobani abamvulelayo uYesu xa ‘enkqonkqoza’ namhlanje, yaye bathenjiswa ntoni?
20 UKristu uthi: “Khangela! Ndimi emnyango ndiyankqonkqoza. Ukuba nabani na uva ilizwi lam aze avule ucango, ndiza kungena endlwini yakhe ndize ndithabathe isidlo sangokuhlwa kunye naye aze enjenjalo naye kunye nam.” UYesu wayedla ngokufundisa ngezinto ezingokomoya xa esesidlweni. (Luka 5:29-39; 7:36-50; 14:1-24) Ngoku unkqonkqoza kumnyango webandla elinjengelaseLawodike. Ngaba amalungu alo aya kumvulela, avuselele uthando lwawo ngaye, amamkele phakathi kwawo aze amvumele ukuba awafundise? Ukuba kunjalo, uKristu uya kudla nawo, nto leyo eya kuwazuzisa gqitha ngokomoya.
21 Namhlanje “ezinye izimvu” ngokufuziselayo zivulela uYesu, yaye isenzo esinjalo sikhokelela kubomi obungunaphakade. (Yohane 10:16; Mateyu 25:34-40, 46) Mthanjiswa ngamnye owoyisayo, uKristu uya kumnika ilungelo ‘lokuhlala naye phantsi kwitrone yakhe kwanjengoko naye esoyisa waza wahlala phantsi noYise kwitrone Yakhe.’ Ewe, abathanjiswa abaye boyisa, uYesu ubathembisa umvuzo omkhulu wokuhlala kunye naye etroneni kwisandla sasekunene sikaYise ezulwini. Yaye ezinye izimvu ezoyisayo zikhangele phambili kumhlaba omhle phantsi kolawulo loBukumkani.
Oko Kusisifundo Kuthi Sonke
22, 23. (a) Anokuzuza njani onke amaKristu kumazwi kaYesu aya kumabandla asixhenxe? (b) Yintoni esimele sizimisele ukuyenza?
22 Alithandabuzeki elokuba onke amaKristu anokuzuza lukhulu kumazwi kaYesu awayesiya kumabandla asixhenxe aseAsia Minor. Ngokomzekelo, ephawula ukuba uKristu wayencoma xa kwakufanelekile, abadala abangamaKristu abanothando nabo bayabancoma abantu abathile namabandla aqhuba kakuhle ngokomoya. Xa kukho ubuthathaka obuthile, abadala bayawanceda amanye amakholwa ukuba asebenzise ulwalathiso lweZibhalo. Sonke sinokuqhubeka sizuza kwiinkalo ezahlukahlukeneyo zesiluleko sikaKristu awasinikela kumabandla asixhenxe, lo gama nje sisisebenzisa ngomthandazo yaye singazilazili.a
23 Le mihla yokugqibela asiloxesha lokuzithemba ngokugqithiseleyo, lokuthanda izinto eziphathekayo, okanye nantoni na enokwenza inkonzo yethu kuThixo ibe nje kukuzalisa idinga. Ngoko ke onke amabandla makahlale ekhanya ngokuqaqambileyo njengeziphatho zezibane uYesu azibeka kwiindawo zazo. NjengamaKristu athembekileyo, ngamana singasoloko sizabalazela ukunikela ingqalelo xa uKristu ethetha size siphulaphule oko umoya ukutshoyo. Siya kwandula ke sibe novuyo olungenasiphelo njengabathwali bokukhanya nto leyo ezukisa uYehova.
[Umbhalo osemazantsi]
a Kwakhona ISityhilelo 2:1–3:22 sicaciswa kwisahluko 7 ukusa kwese-13 kwincwadi ethi ISityhilelo—Incopho Yaso Ezukileyo Isondele!, epapashwe ngamaNgqina kaYehova.
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
• Wayengubani “laa mfazi uIzebhele,” yaye kutheni abafazi abahlonel’ uThixo bengafanele bamxelise?
• Yayinjani imeko yebandla laseSardesi, yaye yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze siphephe ukufana namaKristu amaninzi awayehlala apho?
• UYesu walithembisa ntoni ibandla laseFiladelfi, yaye oko kusebenza njani namhlanje?
• Kwakutheni ukuze abantu baseLawodike balulekwe, kodwa athenjiswa ntoni amaKristu anenzondelelo?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]
Simele siziphephe iindlela ezingendawo ‘zalaa mfazi uIzebhele’
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 18]
UYesu uvulele abalandeli bakhe ‘umnyango omkhulu’ okhokelela kumalungelo oBukumkani
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]
Ngaba uyamvulela uYesu uze umphulaphule?