‘Nyula Ubomi Ukuze Uphile’

“Ndibeke phambi kwakho ubomi nokufa, intsikelelo nesiqalekiso; nyula ke ubomi ukuze uphile.”—DUTERONOMI 30:19.

1, 2. Umntu wenziwa ngokomfanekiso kaThixo ngayiphi indlela?

“MASENZE umntu ngokomfanekiso wethu, ngokufana nathi.” La ngamazwi kaThixo akwisahluko sokuqala seBhayibhile. Ngokuvisisana nawo, iGenesis 1:26, 27 ithi: “UThixo wamdala umntu ngokomfanekiso wakhe, wamdala ngokomfanekiso kaThixo.” Ngoko ke, umntu wokuqala wayahlukile kuyo yonke enye indalo esemhlabeni. Wayefana noMdali wakhe, ekwazi ukuxelisa uThixo ngokuqiqa, ukubonisa uthando, okusesikweni, ubulumko namandla. Wayenesazela esimncedayo ukwenza izigqibo ezifanelekileyo aze akholise uMzali wakhe wasezulwini. (Roma 2:15) Ngelizwi elinye, uAdam wayenikwe ilungelo lokuzikhethela. Ekhangela unyana wakhe wasemhlabeni amdalileyo, uYehova wathi ngomsebenzi wakhe: ‘Khangela! ulunge gqitha.’—Genesis 1:31; INdumiso 95:6.

² Njengenzala ka-Adam, nathi senziwe ngomfanekiso kaThixo ngokufana naye. Kodwa, ngaba sinalo ngokwenene thina ilungelo lokuzikhethela oko simele sikwenze? Nakuba uYehova enamandla okwazi oko kuya kwenzeka kusengaphambili, akakumiseli kusengaphambili oko kuya kwenziwa ngumntu ngamnye okanye isiphelo sakhe. Akaze akuvumele kwenzeke oku kubantwana bakhe basemhlabeni. Ukuze siqonde ukubaluleka kokusebenzisa kwethu ilungelo lokwenza izigqibo ezifanelekileyo, makhe siqale sifunde isifundo koko kwenzeka kuhlanga lakwaSirayeli.—Roma 15:4.

AmaSirayeli Ayenenkululeko Yokuzikhethela

3. Wawusithini umthetho wokuqala kwiMithetho Elishumi, ibe amaSirayeli athembekileyo enza njani ukuze awuthobele?

³ UYehova wathi kumaSirayeli: “NdinguYehova uThixo wakho, owakukhuphayo ezweni laseYiputa, endlwini yamakhoboka.” (Duteronomi 5:6) Ngowe-1513 B.C.E., uhlanga lwamaSirayeli lwahlangulwa ngendlela engummangaliso kubukhoboka baseYiputa ngoko lwalungenakuwathandabuza loo mazwi. Esebenzisa uMoses isithethi sakhe, uYehova wathi kumthetho wokuqala kwiMithetho Elishumi: “Uze ungabi nathixo bambi ngokuchasene nam.” (Eksodus 20:1, 3) Ngeso sihlandlo, isizwe sakwaSirayeli sakhetha ukumthobela. Ngokuzithandela sazinikela ngokupheleleyo kuYehova.—Eksodus 20:5; Numeri 25:11.

4. (a) Luluphi ukhetho olwabekwa nguMoses phambi koSirayeli? (b) Luluphi ukhetho olumele lwenziwe sithi namhlanje?

⁴ Malunga neminyaka engama-40 kamva, uMoses wakhumbuza esinye isizukulwana samaSirayeli ngokhetho esasimele silwenze. Wathi: “Ndimisela amazulu nehlabathi namhlanje njengamangqina am okuba, ndibeke phambi kwakho ubomi nokufa, intsikelelo nesiqalekiso; nyula ke ubomi ukuze uphile, wena nenzala yakho.” (Duteronomi 30:19) Nathi namhlanje simele senze ukhetho. Ewe, simele sizenzele isigqibo sokukhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka ngonaphakade, okanye sikhethe ukungamthobeli size sivune imiphumo yoko. Khawucinge nje ngemizekelo yabantu ababini abakhetha iindlela ezahlukeneyo.

5, 6. Luluphi ukhetho olwenziwa nguYoshuwa, ibe lwaba nayiphi imiphumo?

⁵ Ngowe-1473 B.C.E., uYoshuwa wakhokela amaSirayeli waya kuwafaka kwiLizwe Lesithembiso. Kumazwi anamandla awawathetha ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uYoshuwa wacenga lonke olo hlanga wathi: “Ke kaloku ukuba kubi emehlweni enu ukukhonza uYehova, zikhetheleni namhlanje ukuba ngubani na eniya kumkhonza, enoba ngoothixo ababekhonzwa ngookhokho benu ababengaphesheya koMlambo okanye oothixo bama-Amori enihleli ezweni lawo.” Wandula ke ethetha ngentsapho yakhe wathi: “Ke mna nendlu yam, siya kukhonza uYehova.”—Yoshuwa 24:15.

⁶ Ngaphambili, uYehova wabongoza uYoshuwa ukuba abe nesibindi omelele, emfundisa ukuba angayeki ukuthobela uMthetho kaThixo. Ngokufunda incwadi yoMthetho ngesandi esiphantsi imini nobusuku, uYoshuwa wayeya kuyenza iphumelele indlela yakhe. (Yoshuwa 1:7, 8) Ibe kwaba njalo ngokwenene. Ukhetho lukaYoshuwa lwamzisela iintsikelelo. Wathi: “Akukho sithembiso sasilelayo kuzo zonke izithembiso ezilungileyo uYehova awayezenzile kwindlu kaSirayeli; zonke zaba yinyaniso.”—Yoshuwa 21:45.

7. Ngomhla kaIsaya, luluphi ukhetho olwenziwa ngamaSirayeli athile, ibe lwaba nemiphumo enjani?

⁷ Ngokwahlukileyo kuYoshuwa, cinga ngemeko kaSirayeli kwiminyaka engama-700 emva koko. Ngelo xesha, amaSirayeli amaninzi ayelandela amasiko obuhedeni. Ngokomzekelo, kusuku lokugqibela lonyaka ayengqonga itafile aze azibethe ngezimuncumuncu newayini engayiwayo. Le yayingeyombutho nje eqhelekileyo yentsapho. Yayingumbhiyozo wonqulo kuhlonelwa izithixo ezibini zabahedeni. Umprofeti uIsaya wabhala echaza imbono kaThixo ngesi senzo sokungathembeki: “Nina ningabo bamshiyayo uYehova, abo bayilibalayo intaba yam engcwele, abo bamisela ngolungelelwano uthixo weThamsanqa itafile nabo bazalisela uthixo weSihlo iwayini ephithikeziweyo.” AmaSirayeli ayekholelwa ukuba isivuno sawo sasixhomekeke kungekhona kwintsikelelo kaYehova, kunoko ekukholiseni “uthixo weThamsanqa” ‘nothixo weSihlo.’ Noko ke, inyaniso kukuba, imvukelo nokhetho lwawo zaliqinisekisa ikamva lawo elimfiliba. UYehova wathi: “Ndiza kunimisela ikrele, yaye nonke niya kuqubuda ekuxhelweni; ngenxa yokuba ndabiza, anaphendula; ndathetha, anaphulaphula; naqhubeka nisenza okubi emehlweni am, nanyula nento endingayoliswanga yiyo.” (Isaya 65:11, 12) Ukhetho lwawo lobuyatha lwawazisela intlekele, ibe oothixo beSihlo neThamsanqa babengenakuwakhusela koko.

Ukwenza Ukhetho Olufanelekileyo

8. Ngokutsho kweDuteronomi 30:20, yintoni ebandakanyekileyo ekwenzeni ukhetho olufanelekileyo?

⁸ Xa uMoses wayebongoza amaSirayeli ukuba akhethe ubomi, wawabonisa amanyathelo amathathu amele awathabathe wathi: “Ngokuthi umthande uYehova uThixo wakho, uliphulaphule ilizwi lakhe, unamathele kuye.” (Duteronomi 30:20) Makhe siqwalasele ngalinye kula manyathelo ukuze sikulungele ukwenza ukhetho olufanelekileyo.

9. Singabonisa njani ukuba siyamthanda uYehova?

⁹ Ngokuthanda uYehova uThixo wethu: Sikhetha ukukhonza uYehova kuba simthanda. Ngokuthobela imizekelo esisilumkiso yexesha lamaSirayeli, sixhathisa zonke izilingo zokuziphatha okubi size siphephe ubomi obunokusenza siphenjelelwe kukuthanda izinto eziphathekayo zehlabathi. (1 Korinte 10:11; 1 Timoti 6:6-10) Sinamathela kuYehova size sigcine imimiselo yakhe. (Yoshuwa 23:8; INdumiso 119:5, 8) Ngaphambi kokuba amaSirayeli angene kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, uMoses wawabongoza wathi: “Yabona, ndinifundise imimiselo nezigwebo, kanye njengoko ndayalelwayo nguYehova uThixo wam, ukuze nenze ngaloo ndlela phakathi kwelizwe eniya kulo ukuba nilidle ilifa. Yigcineni ke nize niyenze, kuba oku kububulumko kuni nokuqonda kuni phambi kwamehlo ezizwana eziya kuva ngayo yonke le mimiselo.” (Duteronomi 4:5, 6) Ngoku lixesha lokubonisa ukuba siyamthanda uYehova ngokubeka ukuthanda kwakhe kwindawo yokuqala kubomi bethu. Uya kusisikelela ngokwenene xa sikhetha ukwenjenjalo.—Mateyu 6:33.

10-12. Sifunda ntoni xa siqwalasela oko kwenzeka ngemihla kaNowa?

¹⁰ Ngokuphulaphula ilizwi likaThixo: UNowa ‘wayengumshumayeli wobulungisa.’ (2 Petros 2:5) Phantse bonke abantu ababephila ngaphambi koMkhukula baphazamiseka kwaye “abazange banikele ngqalelo” kwizilumkiso zikaNowa. Yaba yintoni imiphumo yoko? “Wafika umkhukula waza wabatshayela bonke.” UYesu walumkisa ukuba kulo mhla wethu, ebudeni ‘bobukho boNyana womntu,’ kuya kwenzeka okufanayo. Oko kwenzeka ngomhla kaNowa kusisilumkiso kubantu banamhlanje abakhetha ukungamthobeli uThixo.—Mateyu 24:39.

¹¹ Abo bahlekisa ngezilumkiso ezivakaliswa ngabakhonzi bakaThixo namhlanje bamele baqonde ukuba injani imiphumo yokungazithobeli. Ethetha ngabo bagculeli, umpostile uPetros wathi: “Ngenxa yeminqweno yabo, abasiqondi isibakala sokuba, amazulu awabakho kwakudala, kunye nomhlaba oyimbumba ephuma emanzini nomi phakathi kwamanzi, ezo zinto zibekho ngelizwi likaThixo; yaye kwangalo ihlabathi langoko latshatyalaliswa xa lakhukuliswa ngamanzi kanogumbe. Kodwa kwangelo lizwi linye amazulu nomhlaba wangoku, zombini ziqwetyelwe umlilo yaye zibekelwe imini yomgwebo neyentshabalalo yabantu abangenabuthixo.”—2 Petros 3:3-7.

¹² Yena uNowa nendlu yakhe benza ukhetho olwahlukileyo kwabo bantu. “Ngokholo uNowa, emva kokunikwa isilumkiso sobuthixo sezinto ezingekabonwa, wabonisa uloyiko lobuthixo waza wakha umkhombe.” Ukuthobela kwakhe isilumkiso kwasindisa indlu yakhe. (Hebhere 11:7) Kwanga singakhawuleza ukuva isigidimi sikaThixo size ngokuthobeka sisithobele.—Yakobi 1:19, 22-25.

13, 14. (a) Kutheni kubalulekile nje ukuba ‘sinamathele kuYehova’? (b) Sinokumvumela njani uYehova, “uMbumbi wethu,” ukuze asibumbe?

¹³ Ngokunamathela kuYehova: ‘Ukukhetha ubomi ukuze siphile,’ akuthethi kuthi simele sithande uYehova size simphulaphule nje kuphela kodwa kuthetha nokuba simele ‘sinamathele’ kuye, sizondelele ukwenza ukuthanda kwakhe. UYesu wathi: “Ngokunyamezela kwenu niya kuyizuza imiphefumlo yenu.” (Luka 21:19) Enyanisweni, ukhetho lwethu kule nkalo lutyhila oko kusentliziyweni yethu. IMizekeliso 28:14 ithi: “Unoyolo umntu onkwantya rhoqo, kodwa oyenza lukhuni intliziyo yakhe uya kuwela kwintlekele.” Umzekelo womntu owayenza lukhuni intliziyo yakhe nguFaro weYiputa yamandulo. Njengoko iYiputa yayisehlelwa sisibetho ngasinye kwezilishumi, uFaro waya esiba neenkani ngakumbi kunokuba oyike uThixo. UYehova akazange amnyanzele uFaro ukuba angamthobeli kodwa wamyeka wahamba ngayibonayo. Enoba kwakunjani, ukuthanda kukaYehova kwaphunyezwa, njengoko umpostile uPawulos wachazayo ngokuphathelele imbono awayenayo uYehova ngoFaro: “Ndikuyekile ukuba uhlale, ukuze ndiwabonakalise ngawe amandla am, nokuze igama lam livakaliswe kuwo wonke umhlaba.”—Roma 9:17.

¹⁴ Kwiinkulungwane emva kokuba uSirayeli ekhululwe ezandleni zikaFaro, umprofeti uIsaya wathi: “Yehova, wena unguBawo. Siludongwe, yaye wena unguMbumbi wethu; thina sonke singumsebenzi wesandla sakho.” (Isaya 64:8) Ngokuvumela uYehova asibumbe xa sisenza ufundisiso lobuqu size sithobele iLizwi lakhe, sithi ngcembe sisambatha ubuntu obutsha. Siya silulama ngakumbi size sibe bhetyebhetye, nto leyo eyenza kubelula ukuthembeka kuYehova kuba sikufuna ngokunyanisekileyo ukumkholisa.—Efese 4:23, 24; Kolose 3:8-10.

“Uze Uzazise”

15. Ngokutsho kweDuteronomi 4:9, yiyiphi imbopheleleko entlu-mbini uMoses awayikhumbuza amaSirayeli?

¹⁵ Kwindimbane yesizwe sakwaSirayeli esasisele sisemgubasini weLizwe Lesithembiso, uMoses wathi: “Kuphela nje zilumkele yaye uwunyamekele kakuhle umphefumlo wakho, ukuze ungazilibali izinto azibonileyo amehlo akho nokuze zingemki entliziyweni yakho yonke imihla yobomi bakho; yaye uze uzazise oonyana bakho nabazukulwana bakho.” (Duteronomi 4:9) Ukuze asikelelwe nguYehova aze aphumelele kwelo lizwe ayeza kulifumana, amaSirayeli kwakufuneka afeze imbopheleleko entlu-mbini kuYehova uThixo wawo. Ayemele angazilibali izinto ezimangalisayo awazenzayo uYehova phambi kwawo, ibe ayemele azifundise nezizukulwana zawo. Njengabantu bakaThixo namhlanje simele sizeke mzekweni ukuba sifuna ‘ukukhetha ubomi size siphile.’ Yintoni esiyibonileyo thina aye wasenzela yona uYehova?

16, 17. (a) Yintoni eye yafezwa ngabavangeli basemazweni kumsebenzi wokushumayela woBukumkani? (b) Yiyiphi imizekelo oyaziyo yabantu abaye baqhubeka benenzondelelo kulo msebenzi?

¹⁶ Sivuyiswa gqitha kukubona indlela uYehova aye wawusikelela ngayo umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela nokwenza abafundi. Kususela oko kwavulwa iSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi ngowe-1943, abavangeli basemazweni baye batyhalela phambili nomsebenzi wokwenza abafundi kumazwe amaninzi. Nanamhlanje, abo baphumelela kwesi sikolo basenenzondelelo ekushumayeleni ngoBukumkani, nakuba sele iminyaka ihambile nabanye bekhathazwa yimpilo. Omnye umzekelo omhle ngokaMary Olson, owaphumelela kwesi sikolo ngowe-1944. Waya kushumayela okokuqala eUruguay, waya eKholombiya, ibe ngoku usePuerto Rico. Nakuba ekhathazwa kukwaluphala, loo dade usatsha ziintambo ngokushumayela. Ekubeni esazi isiSpanish, veki nganye ulungiselela ukuhamba nabavakalisi balapho ukuya kushumayela.

¹⁷ UNancy Porter, ngoku ongumhlolokazi, nowaphumelela kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi ngowe-1947, usakhonza eBahamas. Ngumvangeli wasemazweni osemaxhaphetshu kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Kwibali lobomi bakhe lo dade uthi: “Ukufundisa abanye inyaniso yeBhayibhile kuye kwangumthombo okhethekileyo wovuyo. Kundenza ndibe nocwangciso lwezinto zokomoya oluye lwandenza ndalungelelana ndaza ndazinza ebomini.”a Xa yena nabanye abakhonzi abathembekileyo bekhangela ngasemva, abakulibali oko uYehova aye wakwenza. Kuthekani ngathi? Ngaba siba nombulelo xa sibona indlela uYehova aye wawusikelela ngayo umsebenzi woBukumkani kwindawo esihlala kuyo?—INdumiso 68:11.

18. Yintoni esinokuyizuza ngokufunda amabali obomi babavangeli basemazweni?

¹⁸ Asiwuvali umlomo koko kuye kwafezwa ngaba diza-dala bemkhwahlaza, nakoko basaqhubeka bekwenza. Ukufunda amabali abo obomi kuyasomeleza kuba xa sibona oko uYehova aye wabenzela kona, sitsho sifune ukumkhonza ngakumbi. Ngaba uhlala uzifunda ezi ngxelo zibangel’ umdla zipapashwa kwiMboniselo uze ucamngce ngazo?

19. Abazali abangamaKristu banokuwasebenzisa njani ngendlela efanelekileyo amabali obomi akwiMboniselo?

¹⁹ UMoses wakhumbuza amaSirayeli ukuba angaze azilibale zonke izinto awawenzela zona uYehova nokuba ezo zinto azimele ziphume ezintliziyweni zawo yonke imihla yobomi bawo. Emva koko wathi: “Uze uzazise oonyana bakho nabazukulwana bakho.” (Duteronomi 4:9) Amabali obomi bokwenene abangela umdla ngokukhethekileyo. Abaselula abasakhulayo bafuna imizekelo emihle. Oodade abangatshatanga banokuzuza lukhulu kwimizekelo yoodade abadala abathembekileyo ekubaliswa ngobomi babo kwiMboniselo. Ukukhonza kwintsimi yolwimi lwasemzini kumazwe abo kunceda oodade nabazalwana babe namathuba angakumbi okuba maxhaphetshu kukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. Bazali abangamaKristu, kutheni ningasebenzisi amava abavangeli basemazweni abathembekileyo abaphuma eGiliyadi neyabanye ukuze nikhuthaze abantwana bethu bakhethe inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo ebomini?

20. Yintoni esimele siyenze ukuze ‘sikhethe ubomi’?

²⁰ Yintoni ke enokwenziwa ngumntu ngamnye kuthi ukuze ‘akhethe ubomi’? Simele sisebenzise isiphiwo esimangalisayo sokuzikhethela ukuze sibonise uYehova ukuba siyamthanda size senze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze simkhonze logama nje sinako. UMoses wathi: “Ngokuba [uYehova] ububomi bakho nokolulwa kwemihla yakho.”—Duteronomi 30:19, 20.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Uyakhumbula Na?

• Uye wafunda ntoni kule ngxubusho yemizekelo yabantu abenza ukhetho olwahlukeneyo?

• Ngawaphi amanyathelo esimele siwathabathe ukuze ‘sikhethe ubomi’?

• Yiyiphi imbopheleleko entlu-mbini esibongozwa ukuba siyiphumeze?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

“Ndibeke phambi kwakho ubomi nokufa”

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]

Ukuphulaphula ilizwi likaThixo kwasindisa uNowa nentsapho yakhe

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 30]

UMary Olson

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 30]

UNancy Porter