Chapter 8
Abasindayo Abavela Kuzo Zonke Izizwe
1. Isiphi isithembiso esenziwa kuAbrahama esibonisa ukuthi kungenzeka ngoNkulunkulu ukuvumela “imindeni yonke” yesintu?
UJEHOVA unesithakazelo sothando kubantu bazo zonke izizwe nemindeni. Uye wenza ilungiselelo ukuze yonke imikhaya yomhlaba ijabulele ukuvunyelwa nguye nesibusiso sakhe. KuAbrama (uAbrahama), umzukulu wendodana kaNowa uShemi, uJehova wathi: “Phuma ezweni lakini, nasezihlotsheni zakho, nasendlini kayihlo, uye ezweni engiyakukukhombisa lona. Ngiyakukwenza isizwe esikhulu, ngikubusise, ngenze igama lakho libe-likhulu, wena ube-yisibusiso. Ngiyakubabusisa abakubusisayo, nokuqalekisayo ngiyakumqalekisa; imindeni yonke yomhlaba iyakubusiswa kuwe.” (Genesise 12:1-3; IzEnzo 7:2-4) “Imindeni yonke yomhlaba”—lokho kuhlanganisa thina namhlanje, kungakhathaliseki isizwe esiphuma kuso noma ulimi esilukhulumayo.—IHubo 65:2.
2. (a) NjengoAbrahama, iyiphi imfanelo esiyidingayo? (b) Njengoba kuboniswe kumaHeberu 11:8-10, uAbrahama wabunikeza kanjani ubufakazi balemfanelo?
2 Lowo uJehova aphawula kuye lesithembiso kwakuyindoda yokholo, njengoba nathi kumelwe sibe nokholo uma siyohlanganyela ezibusisweni zikaNkulunkulu ezithenjiswe lapha. (Jakobe 2:23; Heberu 11:6) Ukholo luka-Abrahama lwalungeyona nje inkolelo engenamsebenzi kodwa lwaluhambisana nesenzo. Lwambangela ukuba aphume eMesophothamiya aye ezweni elikude ayengakaze alibone ngaphambili. “Ngokukholwa waba-ngumfokazi ezweni lesithembiso kwangathi ngelezizwe,” engazihlanganisi nanowodwa wemibuso yomuzi lapho. “Ngokuba wayebheké umuzi [uMbuso kaNkulunkulu] onezisekelo, omakhi nomenzi wawo nguNkulunkulu.”—Heberu 11:8-10.
3. Ikuphi ukuvivinywa kokholo uAbrahama abhekana nakho ngokuqondene noIsaka?
3 Lapho uAbrahama efinyelela ubudala beminyaka eyi-100 nomkakhe uSara enengama-90, uJehova wababusisa ngokuyisimangaliso ngendodana, uIsaka. Ngokuqondene nalendodana, uAbrahama wabhekana nokuvivinywa kokholo nokulalela kwakhe uNkulunkulu. UJehova wayala uAbrahama ukuba athathe uIsaka, manje owayeseyinsizwa, aye naye ezweni laseMoriya anikele ngaye njengomnikelo wokushiswa. Enokholo emandleni kaNkulunkulu okubuyisela indodana yakhe ekuphileni ngovuko, uAbrahama walalela. (Heberu 11:17-19) UIsaka, ngokuthobela uyise, wayeseboshiwe kakade phezu kwealtare futhi uAbrahama ephethe ummese ayezombulala ngawo lapho ingelosi kaJehova ingenela. Loluvivinyo lwase lufinyelele lapho kwakubonakala khona ukuthi uAbrahama akanakumgodlela lutho uNkulunkulu. Ngakho uNkulunkulu waqinisekisa isivumelwano sakhe noAbrahama, njengoba iBhayibheli liphawula:
4. Ngalesosikhathi, isiphi isithembiso esibalulekile esiqhubekayo uNkulunkulu asenza ngokuqondene nabantu bazo zonke izizwe?
4 “Ngizifungile, usho uJehova, ukuthi njengokuba ukwenzile lokhu, ungagodlanga indodana yakho eyodwa, ngiyakukubusisa nokukubusisa, ngandise nokwandisa inzalo yakho, ibe ngangezinkanyezi zezulu nangangesihlabathi sasogwini lolwandle, inzalo yakho inqobe isango lezitha zayo, nangenzalo yakho ziyakubusiswa izizwe zonke zomhlaba, ngokuba ulalele izwi lami.”—Genesise 22:15-18.
5. (a) Yini eyafanekiselwa ukuzama kuka-Abrahama ukunikela ngoIsaka? (b) Ekugcwalisekeni kukaGenesise 12:3, abantu ‘bamqalekisa’ kanjani uAbrahama oMkhulu, futhi uba yini umphumela? (c) ‘Singambusisa’ kanjani?
5 Uma sibona ukuthi uAbrahama oMkhulu nguJehova nokuthi uIsaka wafanekisela uJesu Kristu, singaqala ukubona ukuthi lezizenzakalo zibaluleke kangakanani kithina siqu. Eqinisweni, indlela esenza ngayo ngakuJehova uNkulunkulu enquma ikusasa lethu. Ithemba lokuphila okuphakade lingafezeka kithi ngoba uNkulunkulu eqinisweni wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa njengomhlatshelo wezono zethu, njengoba kwaboniswa ukuzama kuka-Abrahama ukunikela uIsaka. (Johane 3:16) Noma ubani ophikelela ‘ngokuqalekisa’ uJehova, emdelela noma ezenza ize izinjongo zakhe zothando, ungaphansi kokuqalekiswa okuyosho ukubhujiswa kwakhe kwaphakade. (Qhathanisa no-1 Samuweli 3:12-14; 2:12.) Kodwa uma singabantu abanokwazisa, ‘siyombusisa’ uAbrahama oMkhulu. Kanjani? Ngokuvuma ngokukhululekile ukuthi zonke izinto ezinhle zivela kuJehova, kuhlanganise nesipho sokuphila esingasifanele esisithola ngeNdodana yakhe. Futhi siyotshela abanye ngobuhle bukaJehova nangezimfanelo ezimangalisayo zobukhosi bakhe. (Jakobe 1:17; IHubo 145:7-13) Ngalendlela sizibeka elungelweni lokwamukela izibusiso ezivela kuye phakade.
“INZALO” ETHENJISIWE KA-ABRAHAMA
6. (a) Ubani ‘oyinzalo’ eyinhloko ka-Abrahama? (b) Singasithola kanjani isibusiso esiza ngaye?
6 Njengengxenye yelungiselelo lakhe lokubusisa isintu, kwakuyinjongo kaJehova ukuba nohulumeni wasezulwini olungileyo. UJesu Kristu wazalwa njengomzukulu ka-Abrahama, ‘njengenzalo’ yakhe ebaluleke kakhulu, futhi uyena uJehova aye wamnikeza ubukhosi. (Galathiya 3:16; Mathewu 1:1) Ngakho-ke njengoba kuboniswe ngesifungo sikaNkulunkulu kuAbrahama, abantu bazo zonke izizwe zomhlaba bayobusiswa ngoJesu Kristu. Ingabe wenza lokho okudingekayo ukuze uzitholele lesosibusiso? Ngokwesibonelo, ingabe inkambo yakho yokuphila ibonisa ukuthi uyaqaphela ukuthi ubaluleke kangakanani kuwena umhlatshelo wokuphila kukaJesu? Ingabe ngempela uzithoba ngaphansi kwegunya lakhe njengeNkosi?—Johane 3:36; IzEnzo 4:12.
7. (a) Obani abanye abahlanganiswe ‘enzalweni’ ka-Abrahama? (b) Sazi kanjani ukuthi akubona bonke abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka abayokuya ezulwini?
7 Umphostoli uJohane wanikezwa umbono wangaphambili ongokwesiprofetho wezenzakalo zasezulwini lapho abona khona abanye behlanganyela noJesu Kristu eNtabeni yasezulwini iSiyoni. Nabo futhi, bayingxenye ‘yenzalo ka-abrahama.’ Njengoba kuphawulwe kusAmbulo 14:1-5, “bathengwa ebantwini” futhi inani labo liyizi-144 000. (Galathiya 3:26-29) Bahlanganisa obani? IBhayibheli likwenza kukhanye ngokusobala ukuthi akukaze kube yinjongo kaNkulunkulu ukuyisa abantu abalungileyo ezulwini. (Mathewu 11:11; IzEnzo 2:34; IHubo 37:29) Ilungelo elihle lokuhlanganyela noKristu eMbusweni wasezulwini ligcina kuphela ‘kwabomhlambi omncane’ wabayoba amakhosi nabapristi kanye naye iminyaka eyinkulungwane.—Luka 12:32; IsAmbulo 5:9, 10; 20:6.
8. Ukukhethwa ‘komhlambi omncane’ kwaqala nini, futhi kuqhubeka isikhathi eside kangakanani?
8 Ukukhethwa ‘kwalowomhlambi omncane’ kwenziwa kanjani? Isimemo somusa sokuhlanganyela eMbusweni wasezulwini okokuqala sanikezwa amaIsrayeli emvelo. Kodwa ngenxa yokuntula kwawo ukholo, awazange aligcwalise inani lezi-144 000. Ngakho-ke amaSamariya, futhi kamuva, abantu bazo zonke izizwe, bamenywa. (IzEnzo 1:8) Abokuqala bezindlalifa kanye noKristu bagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele ngePentekoste lika-33 C.E. Ukukhethwa kwaleliqembu kuqhubeka kuze kube yilapho izi-144 000 sezibekwe uphawu nguNkulunkulu njengezamukelekayo. Khona-ke ukunakekela kuqondiswa ekuhlanganiseni abantu abayophila emhlabeni njengezikhonzi ezinokwazisa zikahulumeni wasezulwini.
9. (a) Iziphi izinkulumo eziseBhayibhelini ezisebenza kulesigaba sasezulwini? (b) Obani abafanekiselwa ngamaIsrayeli emvelo?
9 Labo abayizindlalifa zoMbuso wasezulwini noKristu kubhekiselwa kubo emiBhalweni ngokuthi “abakhethiweyo,” “abangcwele,” abantu ‘abagcotshwe nguNkulunkulu.’ (2 Thimothewu 2:10; 1 Korinte 6:1, 2; 2 Korinte 1:21) Bachazwa futhi njengeqembu ngokuthi “umlobokazi” kaKristu. (IsAmbulo 21:2, 9; Efesu 5:22-32) Uma bebhekwa ngokweminye imibono, babizwa ngokuthi ‘abafowabo’ bakaKristu, “izindlalifa kanye noKristu” nokuthi “abantwana” bakaNkulunkulu. (Heberu 2:10, 11; Roma 8:15-17; Efesu 1:5) Kungakhathaliseki ubuzwe babo, uma kukhulunywa ngokomoya, ‘bawuIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu.’ (Galathiya 6:16; Roma 2:28, 29; 9:6-8) Lapho uJehova enqamula isivumelwano sakhe soMthetho noIsrayeli wenyama, wafaka uIsrayeli womoya esivumelwaneni esisha kanye naye. Kodwa ukusebenzelana kwakhe noIsrayeli wenyama ngesikhathi usengaphansi koMthetho kwabeka isibonelo sezinto ezazisazokuza. (Heberu 10:1) Khona-ke, ubani owafanekiselwa isizwe sikaIsrayeli wenyama, esakhethwa uNkulunkulu ngokuthi ‘siyigugu kuye’? Amaqiniso akhomba kuIsrayeli ongokomoya, lowo uNkulunkulu amkhethele ukubusa noKristu ezulwini. (Qhathanisa uEksodusi 19:5, 6 no-1 Petru 1:3, 4 no-2:9.) Bekanye noKristu benza ilungiselelo okuyodluliselwa ngalo izibusiso kubo bonke abalalelayo phakathi kwesintu. Ukuqaphela lokhu kuyisihluthulelo sokuqonda iBhayibheli.
LABO ABABUSISWA “NGENZALO”
10. Obani abafanekiselwa abakhulekeli bakaJehova ababengewona amaIsrayeli?
10 Phakathi nesikhathi lapho uNkulunkulu esebenzelana ngendlela ekhethekile nesizwe sakwaIsrayeli, wenza futhi amalungiselelo othando abantu ababengesibo abalesosizwe kodwa abazinhliziyo zabo zazibashukumisela ukuba bahlanganyele ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso kanye namaIsrayeli. Bakhulunyelwa ngokuphawulekayo embhalweni weBhayibheli. Ingabe nabo futhi, babefanekisela abathile namuhla? Yebo, ngempela. Ngezindlela eziningi bafanekisela labo abangeyena uIsrayeli ongokomoya kodwa abanethemba elimangalisayo lokuphila okuphakade njengezikhonzi zasemhlabeni zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Laba yibo uNkulunkulu akhuluma ngabo kuAbrahama, ethi “izizwe zonke zomhlaba” ziyobusiswa “ngenzalo” yakhe.—Genesise 22:18; Duteronomi 32:43.
11. (a) Ikuphi okwakhulunywa ngaleliqembu ekunikezelweni kwethempeli likaSolomoni? (b) ‘Abezizwe’ ‘bazihlanganisa kanjani noJehova’ osukwini lwethu, njengoba kwabikezelwa kuIsaya 56:6, 7?
11 Bekulokhu kuyinjongo kaNkulunkulu njalo ukuba sonke isintu sibe munye ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso. Ngokufanelekile, ekunikezelweni kwethempeli elalakhiwe uSolomoni eJerusalema, inkosi yakhulekela ukuba uJehova ezwe umthandazo wabezizwe ababefuna ukumkhulekela ngokwamukelekayo kanye namaIsrayeli. (2 IziKronike 6:32, 33) Futhi, kuIsaya 56:6, 7, uNkulunkulu wathembisa: “Nabezizwe abazihlanganisa noJehova ukumkhonza uJehova nokulithanda igama likaJehova ukuba babe-yizinceku zakhe . . . nabo ngiyakubayisa entabeni yami engcwele, ngibathokozise endlini yami yokukhuleka; . . . ngokuba indlu yami iyakubizwa ngokuthi indlu yokukhuleka phakathi kwabantu bonke.” Bebonisa umoya ovezwe lapha “abezizwe” banamuhla manje bayabuthana bevela kuzo zonke izizwe, hhayi nje njengezibukeli, kodwa njengabantu “abazihlanganisa noJehova.” Lokhu bakwenza ngokunikezela ukuphila kwabo kuye, bakubonise lokhu ngokucwiliswa emanzini bese bekhonza ngendlela ebonisa uthando lwabo ‘ngegama likaJehova’ nakho konke elikumelele.—Mathewu 28:19, 20.
12. UMthetho kaMose ubonisa kanjani noma labo abanethemba lokuba yizikhonzi zasemhlabeni zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu kumelwe bahambisane nezindinganiso eziphakeme ezisebenza kuIsrayeli ongokomoya?
12 Akukhona ukuthi kufuneka ukuthembeka okuncane kubona kunalabo abangamaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya. Ngaphansi koMthetho kaMose, uJehova wayefuna ukuba “umfokazi ogogobeleyo” owayethatha ukukhulekela kweqiniso ahambisane nomthetho ofanayo owawubopha umIsrayeli. (Numeri 15:15, 16) Ubuhlobo phakathi kwabo babungebona nje obokubekezelelana kodwa obothando loqobo. (Levitikusi 19:34) Ngokufanayo, labo abafanekiselwa abafokazi abagogobeleyo bafuna ukuletha ukuphila kwabo ekuvumelaneni okuphelele nezimfuneko zikaJehova futhi bakhonze ngobunye bothando nabaseleyo bakaIsrayeli ongokomoya.—Isaya 61:5.
13. Imiphi imininingwane ekuIsaya 2:1-4 okumelwe siyithathe ngokungathi sína uma sifuna ukusindela ‘emhlabeni omusha’?
13 Ngomprofethi wakhe uIsaya, uJehova wachaza isixuku esishisekayo sabantu abavela “ezizweni zonke” namuhla abathutheleka endlini yokukhulekelwa kukaJehova ngabantu bonke. Wabikezela: “Abaningi bayakuhamba, bathi: Wozani sikhuphukele entabeni kaJehova endlini kaNkulunkulu kaJakobe; uyakusifundisa izindlela zakhe, sihambe emikhondweni yakhe.” Ngenxa yalokho baye ‘bakhanda izinkemba zabo zaba ngamakhuba,’ ngisho naphakathi kwezwe eligcwele iziyaluyalu, ‘abasafundi ukulwa.’ (Isaya 2:1-4) Ingabe nawe uzibona ukulesosixuku esijabulayo? Ingabe uyahlanganyela esifisweni saso sokufunda ngezimfuneko zikaJehova, ukuzisebenzisa ekuphileni kwakho nokuba uyeke ukuthembela ezikhalini zempi? UNkulunkulu uye wathembisa ukuthi isixuku esikhulu esilandelela lenkambo ‘siyophuma osizini olukhulu’ njengesisindela kowakhe “umhlaba omusha” onokuthula.—IsAmbulo 7:9, 10, 14; IHubo 46:8, 9.