“Yiba Nesibindi Uqine Kakhulu”
“Yiba nesibindi uqine kakhulu . . . uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho unawe.”—JOSH. 1:7-9.
UNGAPHENDULA KANJANI?
U-Enoke noNowa basibonisa ngaziphi izindlela isibindi?
Abesifazane abathile basendulo baba kanjani isibonelo sokholo nesibindi?
Iziphi izibonelo zentsha enesibindi ezikuhlaba umxhwele?
1, 2. (a) Yini edingekayo ngezinye izikhathi ukuze siphishekele inkambo elungile ekuphileni? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani?
UKUBA NESIBINDI kuphambene nokwesaba, ukuba novalo nokuba igwala. Singase sicabange ngomuntu onesibindi njengonamandla, oyiqhawe nongesabi. Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi isibindi siyadingeka ukuze siphishekele inkambo elungile ekuphileni kwansuku zonke.
2 Abanye babantu esifunda ngabo eBhayibhelini babonisa ukungesabi ezimweni ezivivinya kakhulu. Abanye babonisa isibindi ezimweni ezivamile ezincekwini zikaJehova. Singafundani ezibonelweni eziseBhayibhelini ngokubonisa isibindi? Singasiqunga kanjani isibindi?
OFAKAZI ABANESIBINDI EZWENI ELINGAMESABI UNKULUNKULU
3. Yini eyabikezelwa u-Enoke ngabantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu?
3 Kwakudinga isibindi ukuba ufakazi kaJehova phakathi kwabantu ababi ababephila emhlabeni ngaphambi kukaZamcolo wosuku lukaNowa. Noma kunjalo, u-Enoke “owesikhombisa ohlwini kusukela ku-Adamu,” wamemezela ngokungesabi lesi sigijimi esiyisiprofetho: “Bheka! UJehova wafika namashumi akhe ezinkulungwane ezingcwele, ezokhipha isahlulelo kubo bonke, futhi ezobalahla ngecala bonke abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu ngenxa yazo zonke izenzo zabo zokungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu abazenza ngendlela yokungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu, nangenxa yezinto ezishaqisayo izoni ezingamhloniphi uNkulunkulu ezazikhuluma ngaye.” (Jude 14, 15) U-Enoke wasebenzisa inkathi edlule lapho esho lesi siprofetho ngoba sasiyogcwaliseka nakanjani. Nembala abantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu babhubha kuzamcolo wembulunga yonke!
4. UNowa “wahamba noNkulunkulu” naphezu kwaziphi izimo?
4 UZamcolo waba khona ngo-2370 B.C.E., eminyakeni engu-650 ngemva kwenkonzo ka-Enoke yokuprofetha. Phakathi naleso sikhathi, uNowa wazalwa, waba nomkhaya futhi wakha umkhumbi namadodana akhe. Izingelosi ezimbi zaziye zagqoka imizimba yenyama, zalala nabesifazane abahle futhi zazala amaNefili. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ububi babantu base budlangile futhi umhlaba ugcwele ubudlova. (Gen. 6:1-5, 9, 11) Naphezu kwalezo zimo, “uNowa wahamba noNkulunkulu weqiniso” futhi wafakaza ngesibindi ‘njengomshumayeli wokulunga.’ (Funda eyesi-2 Petru 2:4, 5.) Sidinga isibindi esifanayo kulezi zinsuku zokugcina.
BABONISA UKHOLO NESIBINDI
5. UMose walubonisa kanjani ukholo nesibindi?
5 UMose wayenesibindi nokholo oluyisibonelo. (Heb. 11:24-27) Kusukela ngo-1513 kuya ku-1473 B.C.E., uNkulunkulu wamsebenzisa ukuba ahole ama-Israyeli aphume eGibhithe futhi awaqondise ehlane. UMose wayezizwa engasifanelekeli lesi sabelo, kodwa wasamukela. (Eks. 6:12) Yena nomfowabo, u-Aroni, baya bephindelela kuFaro waseGibhithe ongumashiqela futhi bamemezela ngesibindi iziNhlupho Eziyishumi uJehova ahlaza ngazo onkulunkulu baseGibhithe, wakhulula abantu bakhe. (Eks., izahl. 7-12) UMose wabonisa ukholo nesibindi ngoba uNkulunkulu wayelokhu emsekela, njengoba nathi esisekela.—Dut. 33:27.
6. Uma iziphathimandla zezwe zisipheka ngemibuzo, siyokwazi kanjani ukunikeza ubufakazi ngesibindi?
6 Sidinga isibindi esifana nesikaMose, ngoba uJesu wathi: “Niyohudulelwa phambi kwababusi namakhosi ngenxa yami, ngenjongo yobufakazi kubo nasezizweni. Nokho, lapho beninikela, ningakhathazeki ngokuthi niyokhuluma kanjani noma ngokuthi niyothini; ngoba lokho eniyokukhuluma niyokunikwa ngalo lelo hora; ngoba akunina nje enikhulumayo, kodwa ngumoya kaYihlo okhuluma ngani.” (Math. 10:18-20) Uma iziphathimandla zezwe zisipheka ngemibuzo, umoya kaJehova uyosenza sikwazi ukunikeza ubufakazi ngesibindi, ngokholo nangenhlonipho.—Funda uLuka 12:11, 12.
7. Kungani uJoshuwa aba nesibindi futhi waphumelela?
7 Ukufunda uMthetho kaNkulunkulu njalo kwakha ukholo nesibindi kuJoshuwa, owalandela uMose. Ngo-1473 B.C.E., u-Israyeli wayeselungele ukungena eZweni Lesithembiso. UNkulunkulu wayala uJoshuwa: “Yiba nesibindi uqine kakhulu.” Uma enza ngokuvumelana noMthetho, uJoshuwa wayeyokwenza ngokuhlakanipha futhi aphumelele. Watshelwa: “Ungethuki noma wesabe, ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho unawe nomaphi lapho uya khona.” (Josh. 1:7-9) Yeka ukuthi lawo mazwi kumelwe ukuba amqinisa kanjani uJoshuwa! Ngokuqinisekile uNkulunkulu wayenaye, ngoba ingxenye enkulu yeZwe Lesithembiso yanqotshwa ngeminyaka eyisithupha kuphela—ngo-1467 B.C.E.
ABESIFAZANE ABANGAMAQHAWE
8. URahabi usibekela siphi isibonelo sokholo nesibindi?
8 Phakathi namakhulu eminyaka, abesifazane abaningi babonisa isibindi njengabakhulekeli bakaJehova abangamaqhawe. Ngokwesibonelo, uRahabi, owesifazane waseJeriko owayeyisifebe, wabonisa ukholo kuNkulunkulu, ngesibindi wafihla izinhloli ezimbili ezazithunywe uJoshuwa, futhi wadukisa izikhonzi zenkosi yalowo muzi. Yena nabendlu yakhe basinda lapho ama-Israyeli ethatha iJeriko. URahabi wawuyeka umsebenzi wakhe omubi, wakhulekela uJehova ngokwethembeka, futhi waba ukhokhokazi kaMesiya. (Josh. 2:1-6; 6:22, 23; Math. 1:1, 5) Yeka indlela abusiswa ngayo ngenxa yokholo nesibindi sakhe!
9. UDebora, uBharaki noJayeli basibonisa kanjani isibindi?
9 Ngemva kokufa kukaJoshuwa cishe ngo-1450 B.C.E., kwamiswa abahluleli kwa-Israyeli. Inkosi yaseKhanani, uJabini, yayisicindezele ama-Israyeli iminyaka engu-20 lapho uNkulunkulu enza umprofethikazi uDebora ukuba ashukumise umaHluleli uBharaki ukuba athathe isinyathelo. UBharaki wabuthela amadoda angu-10 000 eNtabeni iThabori futhi walungela ukulwa nebutho likaJabini elaliholwa induna yempi uSisera, eyangena esigodini sesifufula saseKishoni nebutho layo elalinezinqola zempi ezingu-900. Lapho ama-Israyeli eya ethafeni elalikuleso sigodi, uNkulunkulu wanisa isikhukhula esashintsha inkundla yempi yaba ubishi futhi izinqola zabaseKhanani zabhajwa. Ibutho likaBharaki lanqoba futhi “lonke ikamu likaSisera lawa ngosiko lwenkemba.” USisera wabalekela etendeni likaJayeli, kodwa uJayeli wambulala esalele. Ngokuvumelana namazwi kaDebora ayisiprofetho awasho kuBharaki, “ubuhle” balokhu kunqoba baya kowesifazane, uJayeli. Ngenxa yokuthi uDebora, uBharaki noJayeli babonisa isibindi, u-Israyeli ‘akabanga naso esinye isiphazamiso iminyaka engamashumi amane.’ (AbaHl. 4:1-9, 14-22; 5:20, 21, 31) Amadoda nabesifazane abaningi abesaba uNkulunkulu baye babonisa ukholo nesibindi esifanayo.
AMAZWI ETHU ANGANIKA ABANYE ISIBINDI
10. Kungani kungathiwa amazwi ethu anganika abanye isibindi?
10 Lokho esikushoyo kunganika abakhulekeli bakaJehova esikanye nabo isibindi. Ngekhulu leshumi nanye B.C.E., iNkosi uDavide yatshela indodana yayo uSolomoni: “Yiba nesibindi uqine futhi uthathe isinyathelo. Ungesabi noma wethuke, ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu wami, unawe. Ngeke akulahla noma akushiya uze uqedwe wonke umsebenzi wenkonzo yendlu kaJehova.” (1 IziKr. 28:20) USolomoni waba nesibindi futhi wakhela uJehova ithempeli elihle kakhulu eJerusalema.
11. Amazwi intombazanyana engumIsrayeli eyawasho ngesibindi akuthinta kanjani ukuphila komunye umuntu?
11 Ngekhulu leshumi B.C.E., amazwi intombazanyana engumIsrayeli eyawasho ngesibindi aba isibusiso kothile onochoko. Yayithunjwe iviyo labaphangi futhi yaba incekukazi yenduna yempi yaseSiriya eyayinochoko, uNahamani. Njengoba yayazi ngezimangaliso uJehova ayezenze ngo-Elisha, yatshela umkaNahamani ukuthi uma umyeni wakhe engaya kwa-Israyeli, umprofethi kaNkulunkulu wayeyomphulukisa. UNahamani waya kwa-Israyeli, waphulukiswa ngokuyisimangaliso futhi waba umkhulekeli kaJehova. (2 AmaKh. 5:1-3, 10-17) Uma ungosemusha othanda uNkulunkulu njengaleyo ntombazanyana, uJehova angakunika isibindi sokufakaza kothisha, kofunda nabo nakwabanye.
12. Amazwi eNkosi uHezekiya azithinta kanjani izikhonzi zayo?
12 Amazwi akhethwe kahle anganika abanye isibindi ezikhathini ezibucayi. Lapho ama-Asiriya eyolwa neJerusalema ngekhulu lesishiyagalombili B.C.E., iNkosi uHezekiya yatshela izikhonzi zayo: “Yibani nesibindi niqine. Ningesabi noma nethuke ngenxa yenkosi yase-Asiriya nangenxa yaso sonke lesi sixuku esinayo; ngoba abanathi baningi kakhulu kunalabo abanayo. Yona inengalo yenyama, kodwa thina sinoJehova uNkulunkulu wethu oyosisiza futhi alwe izimpi zethu.” Abantu basabela kanjani kulawo mazwi? Phela, “babe sebeziqinisa ngamazwi kaHezekiya”! (2 IziKr. 32:7, 8) Amazwi afanayo angase enze ukuba thina namanye amaKristu siqunge isibindi lapho sizingelwa abashushisi.
13. Isiphi isibonelo sesibindi esisithola ku-Obadiya, inceku yeNkosi u-Ahabi?
13 Ngezinye izikhathi isibindi siboniswa ngezenzo, hhayi ngamazwi. Ngekhulu leshumi B.C.E., u-Obadiya, inceku yeNkosi u-Ahabi, ngesibindi wafihla abaprofethi bakaJehova abayikhulu “emhumeni ngamashumi amahlanu” ukuze bangabulawa ngokomyalo wendlovukazi embi uJezebeli. (1 AmaKh. 18:4) Njengo-Obadiya owayesaba uNkulunkulu, izinceku zikaJehova eziningi ezithembekile zanamuhla ziye zawavikela ngesibindi amakholwa ezikanye nawo ngokunganikezi abashushisi ukwaziswa okuphathelene nawo.
U-ESTERI—INDLOVUKAZI ENESIBINDI
14, 15. INdlovukazi u-Esteri yalubonisa kanjani ukholo nesibindi, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?
14 Indlovukazi, u-Esteri, yabonisa ukholo nesibindi esikhulu lapho uHamani okhohlakele enza icebo lokuqothula lonke uhlanga lwamaJuda ayehlala ezindaweni ezazibuswa uMbuso WasePheresiya ngekhulu lesihlanu B.C.E. Yingakho amaJuda alila, azila futhi ngokungangabazeki athandaza ngezinhliziyo zawo zonke! (Est. 4:1-3) INdlovukazi u-Esteri yacindezeleka kakhulu. UMoridekayi, indodana yomfowabo kayise, wayithumelela ikhophi yomthetho eyayigunyaza lokhu kucekwa kwesizwe futhi wayiyala ukuba iye enkosini iyocelela amaJuda akubo umusa. Kodwa noma ubani owayeya enkosini engabizwanga wayebulawa.—Est. 4:4-11.
15 Nokho, uMoridekayi watshela u-Esteri: ‘Uma uthula, ukukhululwa kuyovela kwenye indawo. Kodwa kwazi bani ukuthi utholé isithunzi sasebukhosini ngenxa yesikhathi esinjengalesi?’ U-Esteri wanxusa uMoridekayi ukuba abuthele amaJuda eShushani futhi bamzilele. Wathi: “Ngizozila ukudla ngokufanayo, futhi ngemva kwalokho ngizongena enkosini, okungekhona okuvunyelwe ngokomthetho; futhi uma kumelwe ngibhubhe, ngizobhubha.” (Est. 4:12-17) U-Esteri wabonisa isibindi ngalokho akwenza, futhi incwadi ebizwa ngegama lakhe ibonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wabakhulula abantu bakhe. Osukwini lwethu, amaKristu agcotshiwe nabangane bawo abazinikezele babonisa isibindi esifanayo lapho bevivinywa—futhi ‘uMuzwi womthandazo’ uhlale engasohlangothini lwabo.—Funda amaHubo 65:2; 118:6.
“YIMANI ISIBINDI”
16. Isiphi isibonelo uJesu asibekela intsha yethu?
16 Kwesinye isenzakalo sangekhulu lokuqala C.E., uJesu owayeneminyaka engu-12 watholakala ethempelini, “ehlezi phakathi kwabafundisi ebalalele futhi ebabuza.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, “bonke ababemlalele babelokhu bemangele ngenxa yokuqonda kwakhe nezimpendulo zakhe.” (Luka 2:41-50) Nakuba ayemncane, uJesu wayenokholo nesibindi esidingekayo sokubuza abafundisi abadala ethempelini. Ukukhumbula isibonelo sikaJesu kuyosiza intsha ebandleni lobuKristu ukuba iwasebenzise ngokugcwele amathuba ‘okuvikela phambi kwabo bonke abafuna ngenkani isizathu sethemba layo.’—1 Petru 3:15.
17. Kungani uJesu akhuthaza abafundi bakhe ukuba ‘bame isibindi,’ futhi kungani nathi kudingeka sibe nesibindi?
17 UJesu wanxusa abanye ukuba ‘bame isibindi.’ (Mathewu 9:2, 22) Watshela abafundi bakhe: “Bhekani! Ihora liyeza, impela selifikile, lapho nizohlakazwa khona, ngamunye aye endlini yakhe futhi nizongishiya ngedwa; kodwa nokho angingedwa, ngoba uBaba unami. Ngiye ngasho lezi zinto kini ukuze nibe nokuthula ngami. Ezweni nilusizi, kodwa yimani isibindi! Mina ngilinqobile izwe.” (Johane 16:32, 33) Njengabalandeli bakaJesu bokuqala, izwe liyasizonda, kodwa masingafani nalo. Ukuzindla ngenkambo yesibindi yeNdodana kaNkulunkulu kungasinikeza isibindi sokuhlale singangcolisiwe yileli zwe. Yalinqoba izwe, nathi singalinqoba.—Joh. 17:16; Jak. 1:27.
“YIBA NESIBINDI!”
18, 19. Umphostoli uPawulu walubonisa kanjani ukholo nesibindi?
18 Umphostoli uPawulu wakhuthazelela uvivinyo oluningi. Kwesinye isenzakalo, amasosha aseRoma amkhulula lapho amaJuda aseJerusalema esesho ukumdwengula. Phakathi nalobo busuku, “iNkosi yema ngakuye yathi: ‘Yiba nesibindi! Ngoba njengoba ubufakaza ngokungashwampuluzi ngezinto eziphathelene nami eJerusalema, kanjalo kumelwe ufakaze futhi naseRoma.’” (IzE. 23:11) UPawulu wenza lokho kanye.
19 UPawulu wabasola ngesibindi ‘abaphostoli abahle kakhulu,’ ababefuna ukonakalisa ibandla laseKorinte. (2 Kor. 11:5; 12:11) Ngokungefani nabo, wayenobufakazi bobuphostoli—ukuboshwa, ukushaywa, uhambo oluyingozi, ezinye izingozi, ukulamba, ukoma nokungalali ebusuku, kanye nokukhathazeka ngokujulile ngamanye amakholwa. (Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 11:23-28.) Yeka umlando wokholo nesibindi—wonke owubufakazi bamandla avela kuNkulunkulu!
20, 21. (a) Nikeza isibonelo esibonisa ukuthi kumelwe siqhubeke siqunga isibindi. (b) Kukuziphi izimo lapho kungase kudingeke khona ukubonisa isibindi, futhi yini esingaqiniseka ngayo?
20 Akuwona wonke amaKristu ayobhekana noshushiso olunzima. Nokho, wonke kudingeka aqunge isibindi ukuze abhekane nezinselele zokuphila. Ngokwesibonelo: Insizwa ethile eBrazil yayiyilungu leqembu lezigilamkhuba. Ngemva kokutadisha iBhayibheli, yabona ukuthi kudingeka yenze ushintsho, kodwa ngokuvamile noma ubani owayeshiya lelo qembu wayebulawa. Yathandaza, futhi yabonisa umholi weqembu ngemiBhalo ukuthi kungani yayingeke isaqhubeka iseqenjini. Yadedelwa ngaphandle kokulinyazwa futhi yaba ummemezeli woMbuso.
21 Isibindi siyadingeka ukuze sishumayele izindaba ezinhle. Intsha engamaKristu kudingeka ibe nesibindi ukuze igcine ubuqotho esikoleni. Kungase kudinge isibindi ukucela isikhathi emsebenzini wokuziphilisa ukuze ube khona kuwo wonke umhlangano wesigodi. Ngeke saqeda ukubala izinto ezidinga isibindi. Nokho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sibhekana naziphi izinselele, uJehova uyoyizwa ‘imithandazo yethu yokholo.’ (Jak. 5:15) Ngokuqinisekile, angasinika umoya wakhe ongcwele ukuze ‘sibe nesibindi futhi siqine kakhulu’!
[Isithombe ekhasini 11]
U-Enoke washumayela ngesibindi ezweni elingamesabi uNkulunkulu
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
UJayeli wayenesibindi futhi enamandla