ILizwi LikaYehova Alinakuze Lisilele
“Akusilelanga nalinye ilizwi kuwo onke amazwi alungileyo uYehova uThixo wenu awathethileyo kuni. Onke abe yinyaniso fcum.”—YOSHUWA 23:14.
1. Yayingubani uYoshuwa yaye yintoni awayenzayo ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe?
WAYENGUMPHATHI mkhosi onamandla nongoyiki ngokoyikiswa, eyindoda yokholo nengqibelelo. Wayelihlakani likaMoses, nguYehova ngenkqu owamkhethayo ukuba akhokele uhlala lwakwaSirayeli ukusuka kwinkqantosi eyoyikekayo yasentlango ukusa kwilizwe elibaleka ubisi nobusi. Njengokuba wayejonge kwantsonga nyawana, uYoshuwa, indoda eyayihlonelwa kakhulu, yanikela udlwabevu lwentetho eyayingumyolelo kumadoda amakhulu akwaSirayeli. Ngokuqinisekileyo, loo ntetho yomeleza ukholo lwabo babephulaphule. Kanti nawe inokukomeleza.
2, 3. Xa uYoshuwa wayenikela intetho kumadoda amakhulu akwaSirayeli, yayinjani imeko kuhlanga luphela, yaye wathini?
2 Makube ngathi wawulapho, njengokuba iBhayibhile isinika lo mfanekiso ngqondweni: “Kwathi kwiintsuku ezininzi emva kokuba uYehova emnikile uSirayeli ukuphumla ezintshabeni zakhe zonke macala onke, xa uYoshuwa wayesele emdala neentsuku zihambile kuye, uYoshuwa wabiza uSirayeli wonke, amadoda akhe amakhulu neentloko zakhe nabagwebi bakhe namagosa akhe, waza wathi kubo: ‘Ke mna, ndimdala, neentsuku zihambile kum.’”—Yoshuwa 23:1, 2.
3 UYoshuwa wayekufuphi neminyaka eli-110 ubudala, wabona iminyaka eyayibangel’ imincili kwimbali yabantu bakaThixo. Wazibonela ngawakhe amehlo izenzo zikaThixo ezikhulu waza wabona ukuzaliseka kwezithembiso zikaYehova. Ngoko ke, wayengathethi ngondiva xa wayesithi: “Niyazi kakuhle ngeentliziyo zenu zonke nangemiphefumlo yenu yonke ukuba akusilelanga nalinye ilizwi kuwo onke amazwi alungileyo uYehova uThixo wenu awathethileyo kuni. Onke abe yinyaniso kuni. Akusilelanga nalinye ilizwi kuwo.”—Yoshuwa 23:14.
4. Ziziphi izithembiso uYehova awazinika amaSirayeli?
4 Ngawaphi amazwi kaYehova awazibonela ngawakhe amehlo uYoshuwa ezaliseka? Siza kuqwalasela izithembiso ezithathu uYehova awazinika uSirayeli. Okokuqala, uYehova wayeza kubahlangula ebukhobokeni. Okwesibini, wayeza kubakhusela. Okwesithathu, wayeza kubanyamekela. UYehova wenze izithembiso ezifanayo nakubantu bakhe abaphila namhlanje, siye sakubona ukuzaliseka kwazo kweli xesha lethu. Ngaphambi kokuba sithethe ngezenzo zikaYehova zemihla yethu, makhe siqwalasele izenzo zakhe kwimihla kaYoshuwa.
UYehova Uhlangula Abantu Bakhe
5, 6. UYehova wawasindisa njani amaSirayeli eYiputa, yaye oku kwakubonisa ntoni?
5 Xa amaSirayeli adanduluka kuYehova ngenxa yobukhoboka baseYiputa, wawaphulaphula. (Eksodus 2:23-25) Kwityholo elalisitsha, uYehova wathi kuMoses: “Ndihlile ke ukuze ndibahlangule [abantu bam] esandleni samaYiputa ndize ndibanyuse baphume kwelo lizwe, baye ezweni elilungileyo neliphangaleleyo, ezweni eliqukuqela ubisi nobusi.” (Eksodus 3:8) Kumele ukuba kwakuchulumancisa ngokwenene ukubona uYehova ezalisekisa esi sithembiso! Xa uFaro wam’ entla engafuni nokuva ngokuhamba kwamaSirayeli eYiputa, uMoses wamxelela ukuba uThixo wayeza kuguqula amanzi omNayile abe ligazi. Ilizwi likaYehova alizange liwe phantsi. Amanzi oMlambo umNayile aguquka aba ligazi. Kwafa iintlanzi yaye namanzi alo mlambo ayengenakuselwa. (Eksodus 7:14-21) UFaro waqin’ enyaleni yaye uYehova wongezelela ngezibetho ezilithoba, echaza sibetho ngasinye kusengaphambili. (Eksodus, isahluko 8-12) Emva kokuba isibetho seshumi sibulele onk’ amazibulo aseYiputa, uFaro wayalela amaSirayeli ukuba aphum’ aphele eYiputa—aphum’ aphela ke nawo!—Eksodus 12:29-32.
6 Ukuwasindisa ngolu hlobo amaSirayeli, kwavulela ithuba uYehova ukuba awakhethe njengohlanga lwakhe oluyinqobo. Olu sindiso lwabonisa ukuba uYehova unguMzalisekisi wezithembiso, nokuba akanakuze asilele. Lwabonisa ukongama kukaYehova ngaphezu kwezithixo zeentlanga. Ukufunda ngolu sindiso komeleza ukholo lwethu. Khawufan’ ucinge nje indlela ekwakuyiyo! UYoshuwa wazibonela ukuba uYehova ‘Ngoyena Uphakamileyo phezu komhlaba wonke.’—INdumiso 83:18.
UYehova Ukhusela Abantu Bakhe
7. UYehova wawakhusela njani amaSirayeli kumkhosi kaFaro?
7 Kuthekani ngesithembiso sesibini—esokuba uYehova wayeza kubakhusela abantu bakhe? Esi sithembiso sacaca mhlophe xa uYehova wawasindisa eYiputa naxa wawangenisa kwiLizwe Ledinga. Khumbula kaloku ukuba, uFaro wawasukela amaSirayeli ngomkhosi oxhobe wafa amacala neenqwelo zokulwa. Umele ukuba wayengaziva kukuzithemba, ngakumbi xa wabona amaSirayeli ekhangeleka ngathi ayevalelekile phakathi kweentaba nolwandle! Ngoko ke, uThixo wangenelela kwaza kwezinzi ilifu phakathi kweenkampu ezimbini. Kwicala lamaYiputa kwakukho isithokothoko sobumnyama; kwicala lamaSirayeli kukho ukukhanya. Ngoxa ilifu lashiya amaYiputa eme nematha, uMoses wolula intonga yakhe aza amanzi oLwandle Olubomvu avuleka, evulela indlela amaSirayeli ukuze asinde nokuze amaYiputa angene zwabha emgibeni. UYehova watshabalalisa umkhosi kaFaro onamandla, ekhusela abantu Bakhe ekucinywen’ igama.—Eksodus 14:19-28.
8. Akhuselwa njani amaSirayeli (a) entlango (b) naxa bangena kwiLizwe Lesithembiso?
8 Emva kokuwela uLwandle Olubomvu, amaSirayeli afathula kwilizwe elichazwe ngokuba “yintlango enkulu neyoyikekayo, eneenyoka ezinobuhlungu noonomadudwane nebaleleyo kwaye ingenamanzi.” (Duteronomi 8:15) Nalapho uYehova wabakhusela abantu bakhe. Kuthekani ngokungena kwabo kwiLizwe Ledinga? Bachaswa ngokukrakra yimikhosi enamandla yamaKanan. Kodwa uYehova wathi kuYoshuwa: “Sukuma, uwele iYordan le, wena naso sonke esi sizwana, niye kwilizwe endibanika lona oonyana bakaSirayeli. Akukho bani uya kuma ngokuqinileyo phambi kwakho yonke imihla yobomi bakho. Kanye njengoko ndaba noMoses nawe ndiya kuba nawe. Andiyi kukulahla okanye ndikushiye ngokupheleleyo.” (Yoshuwa 1:2, 5) Loo mazwi kaYehova akazange asilele. Kwisithuba nje esinokuba yiminyaka emithandathu, uYoshuwa woyisa ookumkani abangama-31 waza wathimba inxalenye enkulu yeLizwe Ledinga. (Yoshuwa 12:7-24) Kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba oyise ngale ndlela ukuba wayengakhuselwanga nguYehova.
UYehova Unyamekela Abantu Bakhe
9, 10. UYehova wabanyamekela njani abantu bakhe entlango?
9 Khawucinge ngoku ngesithembiso sesithathu—uYehova uyakuba nyamekela abantu bakhe. Emva nje kokuba ewasindisile amaSirayeli esandleni samaYiputa, uThixo wawathembisa oku: “Ndiya kuninisela isonka esivela emazulwini; yaye bamele baphume abantu, ngamnye abuthe isabelo sakhe semini.” Kanye ngokwamazwi akhe, uYehova wenza ‘kwana isonke esivela ezulwini.’ “Bathi bakuyibona oonyana bakaSirayeli, bathi omnye komnye: ‘Yintoni le?’” Yayiyimana, isonka uYehova awayebathembise sona.—Eksodus 16:4, 13-15.
10 Kangangeminyaka engama-40 entlango, uYehova wawanyamekela amaSirayeli, ewanika ukutya namanzi. Waqiniseka ukuba iimbadada zawo zazingonakali nokuba iinyawo zawo zazingadumbi. (Duteronomi 8:3, 4) UYoshuwa wazibonela ngawakhe amehlo konke oku. UYehova wahlangula, wakhusela waza wabanyamekela abantu bakhe, kanye njengokuba wayethembisile.
Ukuhlangulwa Namhlanje
11. Kwenzeka ntoni eBrooklyn, eNew York, ngowe-1914, yaye kwafika liphi ixesha?
11 Kuthekani ngemihla yethu? Ngentsasa yangoLwesihlanu, ngo-Oktobha 2,1914, uCharles Taze Russell, nowayekhokela umsebenzi waBafundi BeBhayibhile ngelo xesha, wangena kwigumbi lokutyela kwiBheteli yaseBrooklyn, eNew York. Echulumancile wathi: “Bhotani nonke. Amaxesha eentlanga aphelile; liphelile ixesha lookumkani bazo. Kwakhona, lallfikile ixesha lokuba uYehova, uMongami wendalo iphela, angenelele ngokuphathelele abantu bakhe. Ibe wangenelela!
12. Yiyiphi intlangulo eyavela ngowe-1919, yaye kwaba nawuphi umphumo oko?
12 Kwiminyaka emihlanu kamva, uYehova wahlangula abantu bakhe ‘kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu,’ ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki. (ISityhilelo 18:2) Bambalwa kuthi abazibonela ngamehlo ukuzaliseka kwaloo ntlangulo. Kodwa, imiphumo yaloo ntlangulo yaziwa nanguthathatha. UYehova waluvuselela unqulo lokwenyaniso yaye wahlanganisa abo babefuna ukumnqula. Oku kwachazwa ngomprofeti ulsaya kwathiwa: “Kuya kuthi ke ekupheleni kwemihla intaba yendlu kaYehova imiselwe ngokuqinileyo encotsheni yeentaba, ize ngokuqinisekileyo ivelele ngaphezu kweenduli; kwaye ziya kuba ngumsinga ukuya kuyo zonke iintlanga.”—Isaya 2:2.
13. Luluphi ulwando olubonileyo phakathi kwabantu bakaYehova?
13 Amazwi kalsaya akazange asilele. Ngowe-1919, intsalela yabathanjiswa yaqalisa ukushumayela ngenkalipho yaye oko kwabeka unqulo lokwenyaniso lukaThixo kwincopho yeentaba. Ngeminyaka yee-1930, kwacaca ukuba kwakuqokelelwa “ezinye izimvu.” (Yohane 10:16) Kwafika kuqala amawaka, kwafika amakhulu amawaka, ibe ngoku babalelwa kwizigidi abantu abamela unqulo olunyulu! Kumbono kaYohane, bachazwa ngokuba “sisihlwele esikhulu, ekungekho mntu wakwaziyo ukusibala, siphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe nezizwana neelwimi.” (ISityhilelo 7:9) Yintoni osele uyibonile ebudeni bobomi bakho? Lalingakanani inani lamaNgqina kaYehova xa wawufunda inyaniso? Namhlanje, abantu abakhonza uYehova bangaphezulu kwe-6 700 000. Ngokuhlangula abantu bakhe kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu, uYehova wavulel’ indlela ulwando oluchulumancisayo esilubonayo ngoku ehlabathini lonke.
14. Yiyiphi intlangulo esiyilindeleyo?
14 Isekho enye indlela uYehova aza kusihlangula ngayo—indlela eya kuquka wonk’ umntu onyathela kweli gada. Ebonakalisa amandla akhe, uYehova uya kubatshayela tu bonke abamchasayo, aze ahlangule abantu bakhe, ebakhokelela kwihlabathi elitsha elinobulungisa. Yiba nombono, kuphela ubungendawo yaye kuqala elona xesha lizukileyo kwimbali yoluntu!—ISityhilelo 21:1-4.
Indlela Asikhusela Ngayo UYehova Namhlanje
15. Kutheni kufanele uYehova asikhusele kumhla wethu?
15 Njengokuba sele sibonile, amaSirayeli exesha likaYoshuwa kwafuneka akhuselwe nguYehova. Ngaba kukho nto yahlukileyo kule mihla? Nakanye! UYesu walumkisa abalandeli bakhe ngale ndlela: “Baya kwandula ke abantu baninikele ekubandezelweni, banibulale, nithiywe ziintlanga zonke ngenxa yegama lam.” (Mateyu 24:9) Kwiminyaka edluleyo, amaNgqina kaYehova kumazwe amaninzi aye anyamezela inkcaso ekrakra aza atshutshiswa ngokungenalusini. Kodwa uYehova uzingqine ekunye nabantu bakhe. (Roma 8:31) ILizwi Lakhe lisiqinisekisa ukuba akukho nanye into—‘nasiphi na isixhobo esiyilwe nxamnye nathi’—siya kubambezela umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela nokufundisa ngoBukumkani.—Isaya 54:17.
16. Bubuphi ubugqina bokuba uYehova ukhusela abantu bakhe?
16 Nakuba bethiyiwe lihlabathi, abantu bakaYehova bayanda. AmaNgqina kaYehova akho kumazwe angama-236—ubungqina bokuba uYehova ukunye nathi ukuze asikhusele kwabo bafuna ukusicim’ igama okanye basival’ umlomo. Ngaba zikho iinkokeli zobupolitika nezonqulo ozikhumbulayo ebudeni bokudla kwakho amazimba eziye zabatshutshisa ngokukrakra abantu bakaThixo? Kwenzeke ntoni kwezo nkokeli? Ziphi ngoku sithethayo? Ezinye zathi shwaka, kanye njengoFaro kwimihla kaMoses noYoshuwa. Kuthekani ngabakhonzi bakaThixo namhlanje abate begcine ingqibelelo yabo? Bakhuselekile kwinkumbulo kaYehova. Ayikho enye indawo enokukhuseleka ngaphezu kwaleyo. Licacile elokuba, kumba wokhuseleko, amazwi kaYehova angqineke eyinyaniso.
UYehova Uyabanyamekela Abantu Bakhe Namhlanje
17. Wanikela siphi isithembiso uYehova ngokuphathelele ukutya kokomoya?
17 UYehova wanyamekela abantu bakhe entlango yaye usabanyamekela nangoku. Sondliwa “likhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi” ngokomoya. (Mateyu 24:45) Sifumana ulwazi lwenyaniso obelugcinwe luyimfihlo kangangeenkulungwane. Ingelosi yathi kuDaniyeli: “Wagcine eyimfihlelo la mazwi, uyitywine incwadi leyo, kude kube lixesha lesiphelo. Abaninzi baya kuphengulula, yaye ulwazi lokwenyaniso luya kuba luninzi.”—Daniyeli 12:4.
18. Kutheni sinokuthi ulwazi lokwenyaniso luyintabalala namhlanje?
18 Namhlanje siphila kanye kwimihla yokugqibela yaye ulwazi lokwenyaniso luyintabalala. Ehlabathini lonke, umoya oyingcwele uye wakhokelela abathandi benyaniso kulwazi oluchanileyo olungoThixo oyinyaniso neenjongo zakhe. Baninzi abantu abaneeBhayibhile namhlanje yaye zikho ngonina iincwadi zokunceda abantu baqonde ezi nyaniso zixabisekileyo ziseBhayibhileni. Thatha ngokomzekelo okuqulethwe yincwadi ethi Yintoni Ngokwenene Efundiswa YiBhayibhile?a Inemixholo ethi: “Yiyiphi Inyaniso Ngokuphathelele UThixo?,” “Baphi Abafileyo?,” “Buyintoni UBukumkani BukaThixo?,” nothi “Kutheni UThixo Evumele Ukubandezeleka?” Kudala le mibuzo iyintsumantsumane eluntwini. Ngoku iimpendulo ziyafumaneka. Nkqu nasemva kweenkulungwane zokungazi nezeemfundiso eziwexukileyo zeNgqobhoko, iLizwi likaThixo, liye lalondoloza abo balangazelela ukukhonza uYehova.
19. Ziziphi izithembiso oye wazibona zizaliseka yaye ufikelele kwesiphi isigqibo?
19 Ngokuqinisekileyo, oko siye sakubona ngamehlo ethu, sinokuthi ngako: “Akusilelanga nalinye ilizwi kuwo onke amazwi alungileyo uYehova uThixo wenu awathethileyo kuni. Onke abe yinyaniso kuni. Akusilelanga nalinye ilizwi kuwo.” (Yoshuwa 23:14) UYehova uye wahlangula, wakhusela waza wabanyamekela abakhonzi bakhe. Ngaba kukho nasiphi na isithembiso aye akasizalisekisa ngexesha alityumbe ngokwakhe? Yinto engenakwenzeka leyo. Bubulumko ukukholosa ngeLizwi likaThixo.
20. Kutheni sifanele sikhangele kwikamva ngentembelo?
20 Kuthekani ngekamva? UYehova usixelela ukuba uninzi lwethu lunokuba nethemba lokuphila kumhlaba olungisiweyo waba yiparadesi entle. Imbinana kuthi inethemba lokulawula kunye noKristu ezulwini. Lingakhathaliseki ithemba esinalo, sonke sinesizathu esivakalayo sokuhlala sithembekile njengokuba uYoshuwa wenzayo. Iyeza imini apho ithemba lethu liya kuzaliseka. Ngaloo mini, siya kukhangela ngasemva kumazwi onke ezithembiso azenzileyo uYehova, size nathi sithi: “Onke abe yinyaniso.”
[Umbhalo osemazantsi]
a Ipapashwe ngamaNgqina kaYehova.
Ngaba Unokucacisa?
• Ziziphi izithembiso zikaYehova awazibona zizaliseka uYoshuwa?
• Ziziphi izithembiso zikaThixo ozibone zizaliseka?
• Yintoni esimele siqiniseke ngayo malunga nelizwi likaThixo?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]
UYehova wangenelela ukuze ahlangule abantu bakhe
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]
UYehova wabakhusela njani abantu bakhe kuLwandle Olubomvu?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]
Uye wabanyamekela njani abantu bakhe entlango?
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 25]
UYehova ubakhathalele abantu bakhe namhlanje