Ingabe Uyamenza UJehova Abe Isabelo Sakho?

“Qhubekani nifuna kuqala umbuso nokulunga kwakhe, khona-ke zonke lezi ezinye izinto niyozenezelelwa.”—MATH. 6:33.

1, 2. (a) “U-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu” okukhulunywa ngaye kweyabaseGalathiya 6:16 umelela obani? (b) Zimelela obani “izizwe eziyishumi nambili zakwa-Israyeli” okukhulunywa ngazo kuMathewu 19:28?

LAPHO ufunda igama elithi Israyeli eBhayibhelini, yini efikayo engqondweni yakho? Ingabe kufika indodana ka-Isaka uJakobe, kamuva eyethiwa ngokuthi u-Israyeli? Noma ingabe ucabanga ngenzalo yakhe, isizwe sakwa-Israyeli wasendulo? Uyafika yini u-Israyeli ongokomoya? Lapho igama elithi Israyeli lisetshenziswa ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso, ngokuvamile libhekisela “ku-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu,” abangu-144 000, abagcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele ukuba babe amakhosi nabapristi ezulwini. (Gal. 6:16; IsAm. 7:4; 21:12) Kodwa cabanga ngendlela ekhethekile okubhekiselwa ngayo ezizweni ezingu-12 zakwa-Israyeli kuMathewu 19:28.

² UJesu wathi: “Ekudalweni kabusha, lapho iNdodana yomuntu ihlala phansi esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi esikhazimulayo, nina eniye nangilandela nani ngokwenu niyohlala ezihlalweni zobukhosi eziyishumi nambili, nahlulele izizwe eziyishumi nambili zakwa-Israyeli.” Kuleli vesi, “izizwe eziyishumi nambili zakwa-Israyeli” ziyilabo abayokwahlulelwa abafundi bakaJesu abagcotshiwe futhi abasohlwini lokuthola ukuphila okuphakade ePharadesi emhlabeni. Bayozuza ezinkonzweni eziyokwenziwa abapristi abangu-144 000.

3, 4. Isiphi isibonelo esihle esiye sabekwa abagcotshiwe?

³ Njengabapristi namaLevi asendulo, abagcotshiwe babheka inkonzo yabo njengelungelo. (Num. 18:20) Abalindele ukunikwa indawo ethile emhlabeni njengefa. Kunalokho, babheke phambili ekubeni amakhosi nabapristi ezulwini kanye noJesu Kristu. Bayoqhubeka bekhonza uJehova kuleso sabelo, njengoba kuboniswe yilokho esikufunda encwadini yesAmbulo 4:10, 11 esitshela ngabagcotshiweyo besezikhundleni zabo zasezulwini.—Hez. 44:28.

⁴ Ngesikhathi besemhlabeni, abagcotshiwe baphila ngendlela enikeza ubufakazi bokuthi uJehova uyisabelo sabo. Ilungelo abalinikiwe lokukhonza uNkulunkulu liyinto ebaluleke kakhulu kubo. Babonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni wesihlengo kaKristu futhi bayaqhubeka bemlandela, ngaleyo ndlela ‘beqinisekisa ukubizwa nokukhethwa kwabo.’ (2 Pet. 1:10) Izimo namakhono abo akufani. Noma kunjalo, abasebenzisi noma ikuphi ukulinganiselwa abanakho njengezaba zokwenza okuncane kuphela enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu. Kunalokho, inkonzo kaNkulunkulu iza kuqala kubo, benza konke abangakwenza. Babekela labo abanethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi isibonelo esihle.

5. Wonke amaKristu angamenza kanjani uJehova abe isabelo sawo, futhi kungani lokhu kungase kube inselele?

⁵ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinethemba lasezulwini noma lasemhlabeni, kumelwe ‘sizidele sithathe isigxobo sethu sokuhlushwa silandele uKristu njalo.’ (Math. 16:24) Izigidi zabantu abanethemba lokuphila ePharadesi emhlabeni zikhulekela uNkulunkulu futhi zilandela uKristu ngaleyo ndlela. Azaneliswa ukwenza okuncane nje lapho zinomuzwa wokuthi zingenza okwengeziwe. Abaningi baye bashukunyiselwa ukuba benze ukuphila kwabo kube lula futhi baba amaphayona. Abanye bayakwazi ukuphayona izinyanga ezithile njalo ngonyaka. Kanti abanye, nakuba bengakwazi ukuphayona, bayazikhandla enkonzweni. Abantu abanjalo banjengoMariya owayezinikele, owagcoba uJesu ngamafutha anamakha. UJesu wathi ngaye: “Wenze isenzo esihle kimi. . . . Wenze abengakwenza.” (Marku 14:6-8) Ukwenza konke esingakwenza kungase kungabi lula, ngoba siphila ezweni elibuswa uSathane. Nokho, siyazikhandla futhi sethembela kuJehova. Cabanga ngendlela esikwenza ngayo lokhu ezicini ezine.

Ukufuna Kuqala UMbuso KaNkulunkulu

6. (a) Abantu abaningi babonisa kanjani ukuthi isabelo sabo sikulokhu kuphila kuphela? (b) Kungani kungcono ukuba nesimo sengqondo sikaDavide?

⁶ UJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bafune kuqala uMbuso nokulunga kukaNkulunkulu. Abantu bezwe bathambekele ekufuneni izithakazelo zabo kuqala, njengoba kwenza “[abantu] balesi simiso sezinto, abasabelo sabo sikulokhu kuphila.” (Funda iHubo 17:1, 13-15.) Njengoba bengenandaba noMdali wabo, abaningi bazinikele ekwenzeni ukuphila kwabo kube ntofontofo, ekubeni nomkhaya nasekushiyeleni izingane zabo ifa. Isabelo sabo sikulokhu kuphila kuphela. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uDavide wayekhathalela ukuba azenzele “igama” elihle noJehova, njengoba nje indodana yakhe kamuva yatusa ukuba sonke senze kanjalo. (UmSh. 7:1) Njengo-Asafa, uDavide wabona ukuthi ukuba uMngane kaJehova kwakungcono kakhulu kunokubeka izithakazelo zakhe kuqala ekuphileni. Wakujabulela ukuhamba noNkulunkulu. Esikhathini sethu, amaKristu amaningi aye abeka imisebenzi engokomoya ngaphambi kwemisebenzi yawo yokuziphilisa.

7. Isiphi isibusiso omunye umzalwane asithola ngokubeka kuqala uMbuso?

⁷ Cabanga ngoJean-Claude waseCentral African Republic. Ungumdala oshadile onezingane ezintathu. Kunzima ukuthola umsebenzi kulelo zwe futhi iningi labantu bakhona lingenza noma yini ukuze lingaphelelwa umsebenzi. Ngolunye usuku, imenenja ehlela izikhathi zomsebenzi yatshela uJean-Claude ukuba aqale ukusebenza ebusuku—angene ngo-6:30 ntambama futhi asebenze izinsuku ezingu-7 ngesonto. UJean-Claude wayichazela ukuthi ngaphandle kokondla umkhaya wakhe ngezinto ezibonakalayo, kwakudingeka awunakekele nangokomoya. Wayitshela nokuthi wayenomthwalo wemfanelo wokusiza ibandla. Yasabela kanjani? Yathi: “Uma ube nenhlanhla yokuthola umsebenzi, kumelwe ukhohlwe yizo zonke ezinye izinto, kuhlanganise nomkakho, izingane nezinkinga zakho. Kumelwe unikele ukuphila kwakho emsebenzini—hhayi kwenye into. Yisho-ke ukuthi ukhethani: inkolo yakho noma umsebenzi.” Wena wawuyokwenzenjani? UJean-Claude waqaphela ukuthi uma ayengaphelelwa umsebenzi, uNkulunkulu wayezomnakekela. Wayesazoba nokuningi kokukwenza enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu, futhi uJehova wayezomsiza ekunakekeleni umkhaya wakhe ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo. Ngakho, waya emhlanganweni webandla olandelayo waphakathi nesonto. Ngemva kwalokho, walungiselela ukuya emsebenzini, engaqiniseki ukuthi usazokwemukeleka yini. Ngaso leso sikhathi, wathola ucingo olwalumtshela ukuthi leyo menenja yayisixoshiwe, kodwa yena wayengakaphelelwa umsebenzi wakhe.

8, 9. Singabalingisa ngamuphi umqondo abapristi namaLevi ekwenzeni uJehova abe isabelo sethu?

⁸ Abanye abake baba sengcupheni yokuphelelwa umsebenzi kungenzeka bazibuza, ‘Ngizowufeza kanjani umthwalo wami wemfanelo wokondla umkhaya wami?’ (1 Thim. 5:8) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi wake wabhekana nenselele efanayo noma cha, cishe okuhlangenwe nakho kwakho kwenza uqiniseke ukuthi ngeke udumazeke uma uNkulunkulu eyisabelo sakho futhi ulazisa kakhulu ilungelo lokumkhonza. Lapho uJesu etshela abafundi bakhe ukuba bafune kuqala umbuso, wabaqinisekisa: “Zonke lezi ezinye izinto”—ezinjengokudla, iziphuzo noma okokugqoka—“niyozenezelelwa.”—Math. 6:33.

⁹ Cabanga ngamaLevi, angazange anikwe izwe eliyifa lawo. Njengoba ngokuyinhloko ayekhathalela ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile, kwakudingeka ancike kuJehova ukuze aphile, owawatshela: “Yimi isabelo sakho.” (Num. 18:20) Nakuba singakhonzi ethempelini elingokoqobo njengabapristi namaLevi, singasilingisa isimo sawo sengqondo, siqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uzosinakekela. Ukuthembela kwethu emandleni kaNkulunkulu okusinakekela kuba okubaluleke ngokwengeziwe njengoba siya singena shi ezinsukwini zokugcina.—IsAm. 13:17.

Ukufuna Kuqala Ukulunga KukaNkulunkulu

10, 11. Abanye baye bathembela kanjani kuJehova ngokuphathelene nomsebenzi? Nikeza isibonelo.

¹⁰ UJesu wanxusa abafundi bakhe nokuba ‘baqhubeke befuna kuqala ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu.’ (Math. 6:33) Lokhu kusho ukubeka indinganiso kaJehova yokulungile nokungalungile ngaphambi kwalokho okuyinkambiso yabantu. (Funda u-Isaya 55:8, 9.) Ungase ukhumbule ukuthi esikhathini esidlule, abantu abaningi babetshala ugwayi noma bedayisa imikhiqizo kagwayi, beqeqesha abantu empini, benza futhi bedayisa izikhali. Ngemva kokuba befunde iqiniso, abaningi bakhetha ukuyishintsha imisebenzi yabo futhi bafanelekela ukubhapathizwa.—Isaya 2:4; 2 Kor. 7:1; Gal. 5:14.

¹¹ U-Andrew uyisibonelo salokhu. Lapho yena nomkakhe befunda ngoJehova, banquma ukumkhonza. U-Andrew wayeziqhenya kakhulu ngomsebenzi wakhe kodwa wawuyeka. Ngani? Ngoba wayesebenzela inhlangano echemile kwezombusazwe futhi wayezimisele ukubeka ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu kuqala. Lapho u-Andrew ewuyeka lowo msebenzi, wayenezingane ezimbili, engenandlela yokungenisa imali, kanti imadlana ayenayo yayingabaqhuba izinyanga ezimbalwa nje. Ngokombono womuntu, kwakungase kubonakale sengathi wayengenalo ‘ifa.’ Wafuna omunye umsebenzi ethembele kuNkulunkulu. Lapho becabanga ngokwenzeka ngaleso sikhathi, yena nomkhaya wakhe bangakufakazela ukuthi isandla sikaJehova asisifushane. (Isaya 59:1) Ngokugcina ukuphila kwabo kulula, u-Andrew nomkakhe bakwazi ngisho nokuba nelungelo lokungenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Uthi: “Kuye kwaba nezikhathi lapho sasikhathazeka khona ngemali, indawo yokuhlala, impilo ngisho nangokukhula. Kodwa ngaso sonke isikhathi uJehova uye waba nathi. . . . Singakusho singangabazi nakancane ukuthi ukukhonza uJehova, kuyinto enhle nenomvuzo kunazo zonke umuntu angazenza.”a—UmSh. 12:13.

12. Iyiphi imfanelo edingekayo ukuze sibeke izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu kuqala? Nikeza izibonelo zasebandleni.

¹² UJesu watshela abafundi bakhe: “Uma ninokholo olulingana nohlamvu lwesinaphi, niyothi kule ntaba, ‘Suka lapha uye laphaya,’ isuke, futhi akukho lutho olungeke lwenzeke kini.” (Math. 17:20) Ungazibeka yini izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu kuqala uma lokho bekuyoholela ebunzimeni obuthile? Uma ungaqiniseki ukuthi ungakwazi, xoxa namanye amalungu ebandla. Akungabazeki ukuthi uyokuthola kuqabula ngokomoya ukuzwa okuhlangenwe nakho kwawo.

Ukwazisa Amalungiselelo KaJehova Angokomoya

13. Lapho sizikhandla enkonzweni kaJehova, yini esingayilindela ngokuphathelene namalungiselelo angokomoya?

¹³ Uma ulazisa ilungelo lakho lokukhonza uJehova, ungaqiniseka ukuthi uzokunakekela ngezidingo ezingokwenyama nezingokomoya, njengoba nje anakekela amaLevi. Cabanga ngoDavide. Nakuba ayesemhumeni, wayengancika kuNkulunkulu ukuba amnakekele. Nathi singancika kuJehova ngisho nalapho izinto zingathembisi. Khumbula ukuthi u-Asafa waze waqonda isimo esasimcindezela lapho eya “endlini engcwele enkulu kaNkulunkulu.” (IHu. 73:17) Ngokufanayo, kudingeka sicele usizo kuNkulunkulu, uMthombo wokudla kwethu okungokomoya. Ngokwenzenjalo, siyobe sibonisa ukwazisa ngelungelo esinalo lokukhonza uNkulunkulu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sibhekene naziphi izimo. Ngaleyo ndlela senza uJehova abe isabelo sethu.

14, 15. Kufanele sisabele kanjani lapho imiBhalo ethile ikhanyiswa ngokwengeziwe, futhi ngani?

¹⁴ Usabela kanjani lapho uJehova, uMthombo wokukhanya okungokomoya, ekhanyisa ‘izinto ezijulile’ eziseBhayibhelini? (1 Kor. 2:10-13) Sinesibonelo esihle kakhulu endleleni umphostoli uPetru asabela ngayo lapho uJesu etshela izilaleli zaKhe: “Ngaphandle kokuba nidle inyama yeNdodana yomuntu niphuze igazi layo, aninakho ukuphila kini ngaphakathi.” Becabanga ukuthi wayesho ukuthi kufanele bakwenze ngokoqobo lokhu, abafundi abaningi bathi: “Le nkulumo iyashaqisa; ubani ongayilalela na?” Ngenxa yalokhu, “bahamba baya ezintweni ababezishiye emuva.” Kodwa uPetru wathi: “Nkosi, ubani esizoya kuye? Nguwe onamazwi okuphila okuphakade.”—Joh. 6:53, 60, 66, 68.

¹⁵ UPetru wayengakuqondi ngokugcwele lokho uJesu ayekusho ngokudla inyama yakhe nokuphuza igazi laKhe. Kodwa lo mphostoli wathembela kuNkulunkulu ukuba abanike ukukhanyiselwa okungokomoya. Lapho sikhanyiselwa indaba ethile ngokwengeziwe, ingabe uyazama ukuqonda izizathu ezingokomBhalo zalolo shintsho? (IzAga 4:18) AbaseBhereya bangekhulu lokuqala bamukela izwi “ngengqondo enokulangazela okukhulu, behlola ngokucophelela imiBhalo nsuku zonke.” (IzE. 17:11) Uma ulingisa isibonelo sabo uyojulisa ukwazisa kwakho ngelungelo onalo lokukhonza uJehova, ukumenza abe isabelo sakho.

Ukushada Kuphela ENkosini

16. UNkulunkulu angaba kanjani isabelo sethu ngokuphathelene nomyalo okweyoku-1 Korinte 7:39?

¹⁶ Esinye isici amaKristu okudingeka ahlale ekhumbula izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu kuso ukusebenzisa isiqondiso esiseBhayibhelini sokushada “kuphela eNkosini.” (1 Kor. 7:39) Abaningi baye bakhetha ukuhlala bengashadile kunokuba basishaye indiva lesi seluleko esivela kuNkulunkulu. Ngomusa uNkulunkulu uyabanakekela abanjalo. Yini uDavide ayenza lapho ezizwa enesizungu futhi kubonakala sengathi ngeke aluthole ndawo usizo? Wathi: “Ngaqhubeka ngithulula ukukhathazeka kwami phambi [kukaNkulunkulu]. Ngalandisa ngokucindezeleka kwami phambi kwakhe, lapho umoya wami ufikelwa isinxi ngaphakathi kimi.” (IHu. 142:1-3) Kungenzeka ukuthi umprofethi uJeremiya, owakhonza uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka amashumi amaningi eminyaka engashadile, waba nemizwa efanayo. Ungase uthande ukutadisha ngesibonelo sakhe njengoba kuxoxwa ngaso esahlukweni 8 sencwadi ethi UNkulunkulu Ukhuluma Nathi NgoJeremiya.

17. Udade othile ongashadile ubhekana kanjani neziqubu zokuba nesizungu?

¹⁷ Udade othile wase-United States wathi: “Angikaze nginqume ukuhlale ngingashadile. Ngingathanda ukushada uma ngingathola umuntu ofanelekayo. Umama akayena uFakazi futhi uye wazama ukungithonya ukuba ngishade nanoma ubani ofikayo. Ngambuza ukuthi wayefuna yini ukuba necala uma umshado wami uchitheka. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, wabona ukuthi nganginomsebenzi ozinzile, ngikwazi ukuzinakekela futhi ngijabule. Wayeka ukungicindezela.” Ngezinye izikhathi lo dade uzizwa enesizungu. Uthi: “Ngalezo zikhathi, ngizama ukuthululela kuJehova isifuba sami. Akwenzeki angilahle.” Yini eye yamsiza ukuba athembele kuJehova? Uthi: “Umthandazo ungisiza ukuba ngizwe ukuthi uJehova ungokoqobo kimi nokuthi uhlale enami. OPhezukonke endaweni yonke ulalele, ngakho ngingahlale kanjani ngizizwa ngingelutho futhi ngingajabule?” Eqiniseka ukuthi “kukhona injabulo eyengeziwe ekupheni kunasekwamukeleni,” uthi: “Ngizama ukuzidela ngisize abanye, ngingalindeli ukuba bangibuyisele ngokuthile. Lapho ngizibuza, ‘Ngingamsiza kanjani lo muntu?’ Ngiba nenjabulo yangaphakathi.” (IzE. 20:35) Yebo, uye wenza uJehova waba isabelo sakhe futhi uyalijabulela ilungelo analo lokumkhonza.

18. Kungamuphi umqondo uJehova engakwenza ube isabelo sakhe?

¹⁸ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ubhekene nasiphi isimo, ungamenza uNkulunkulu abe isabelo sakho. Njengoba wenza lokho, uyoba phakathi kwabantu bakhe abajabule. (2 Kor. 6:16, 17) Lokho kungaholela ekubeni ube isabelo sikaJehova, njengoba kwaba njalo ngabanye esikhathini esidlule. (Funda uDuteronomi 32:9, 10.) Njengoba nje u-Israyeli aba isabelo sikaNkulunkulu phakathi kwezizwe, nawe angakwenza ube ngowakhe futhi akunakekele ngothando.—IHu. 17:8.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

Ungamenza kanjani uJehova abe isabelo sakho

• ngokufuna kuqala uMbuso kaNkulunkulu nokulunga kwakhe?

• ngokubonisa ukwazisa ngokudla okungokomoya?

• ngokugcina umyalo kaNkulunkulu wokushada kuphela eNkosini?

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 13]

UJehova uba isabelo sethu lapho senza inkonzo yakhe ibe into esiyikhathalela ngokuyinhloko

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Isibonelo sikaJeremiya siyakhuthaza