Isahluko 1
Isifiso Sokuthula Nokulondeka Emhlabeni Wonke
1, 2. Isiphi isidingo esikhulu sonke isintu esinaso, futhi ngani?
UKUTHULA nokulondeka kuyilokho esikufunayo lapha emhlabeni. Isidingo sesimo esifiseleka kanjalo asikaze sibe sikhulu kunokuba sinjalo namuhla. Lokhu akunjalo nje kuphela kithina njengabantu ngabanye kodwa futhi kunjalo kuwo wonke umkhaya wesintu embulungeni yonke.
2 Kungakho abantu abaphila kulesikhathi emhlabeni manje bephila esikhathini esingafani nesinye! Ungase ubuze, ‘Lokhu kungaba kanjani, ngoba manje sesingene shí esikhathini esesabeka kunazo zonke emlandweni wesintu, inkathi yezikhali zenuzi?’
3. (a) Yini okuthiwa iyisizathu sokuba izizwe zibe namabhomu enuzi? (b) Yini ukuzicabangela nje okuyibonisayo?
3 Okungenani kunezizwe eziyisishiyagalombili okubikwa ukuthi ziyakwazi ukukhiqiza ibhomu yenuzi. Futhi kulinganiselwa ukuthi amazwe angama-31 kungenzeka abe esenezikhali zenuzi ngonyaka ka-2000. Isizathu sazo sokuba zibe namabhomu ezinga eliphezulu kuthiwa singesokuzivikela, ukwethusa ezinye izizwe ezihlome ngokufanayo, ukwesaba ukuthi amanye angaziphindiselela ngenuzi. Ngokubheka isimo esinjalo sezindaba zezwe, ukuzicabangela nje kungabonisa ukuthi izizwe kumelwe zivume ukuphila ndawonye ngokwesabana.
4. Nakuba uMdali engazange ayivimbele imizamo yabantu yokufuna ukulondeka, iyiphi injongo anayo ngokuqondene nalokhu?
4 Nokho, ingabe kumane kuwukuthula nje okwenziwe umuntu esikufunayo, kanye nokulondeka okunganikezwa umuntu? Nakuba uMdali engazange ayivimbele imizamo yabantu yokuveza nokulondoloza ukuthula nokulondeka emhlabeni wonke, unendlela yakhe yedwa ephelele yokwanelisa isifiso sethu semvelo sokuthula nokulondeka. Unesikhathi sakhe esimisiwe sokususa bonke abaphazamisi bokulondeka kwalabo abafisa ukumkhulekela. Yeka ukuthi sijabula kanjani ngokwazi ukuthi isikhathi sakhe salokhu sesiseduze!
5. Umhubi ophefumlelwe wathini ngokuqondene nomhlaba, futhi iyini injongo yoMdali ngomuntu?
5 Ngemva kwezinkulungwane zeminyaka yomlando wesintu wezinxushunxushu, kumelwe kulindeleke ukuba kube nesifiso esijulile somhlaba wonke sokuthula nokulondeka. Umhlaba uye waba yindawo yomuntu yemvelo kusukela ekuqaleni kokuba khona kwabantu. Umhubi ophefumlelwe wathi: “Izulu liyizulu likaJehova, kepha umhlaba wawunika abantwana babantu.” (IHubo 115:16) Kusukela ekuqaleni nje, kwakuyinjongo yoMdali yothando ukuba umuntu ajabulele ukuphila okugcwele ekhaya lakhe eliwumhlaba ayelinikwe uNkulunkulu.
6. Kungayiphi indlela umuntu wokuqala nenzalo yakhe ababeyokwazi ngayo ukwenza njengoNkulunkulu?
6 Ngokomlando wendalo kuGenesise 2:7, “uNkulunkulu wambumba umuntu ngomhlabathi, waphefumulela emakhaleni akhe umoya wokuphila; umuntu waba-kanjalo umphefumulo ophilayo.” Asikho esinye isidalwa esiphilayo emhlabeni esasisezingeni lomuntu lokuphila noma isilinganiso somuntu sekhono—esasikwazi ukwenza njengoNkulunkulu ekusebenziseni ukubusa. Ngokungaphezulu, lokhu kubusa kwakungeke kugcine esidalweni sokuqala esingumuntu kodwa futhi kwakuyosetshenziswa futhi kujatshulelwe yinzalo yakhe.
7. UAdamu wamthola kanjani umfazi, futhi wathini uma lesidalwa esiphelele silethwa kuye?
7 Ngalesosizathu, uMdali wanikeza uAdamu umfazi. Wayezoba unina wazo zonke izakhamuzi zomhlaba ezingabantu zesikhathi esizayo. Kungakho-ke, lapho enikezwa lesidalwa esiphelele, umuntu ayengathi: “Lo useyithambo lamathambo ami nenyama yenyama yami.” Ngakho-ke wambiza njengowesifazane wohlobo lomuntu, ’ish·shahʹ, okuyisimo sesifazane segama lesiHeberu elihunyushwe ngokuthi indoda, okungukuthi, ’ish.—Genesise 2:21-23.
8. Iziphi iziyalezo uMdali azinikeza abantu bokuqala ababili?
8 UMdali noBaba wasezulwini wathi kubantu ababili bokuqala: “Zalani, nande, nigcwalise umhlaba, niwunqobe.” (Genesise 1:28) Lenqubo yayingokuthile okusha ngokuphelele emlandweni wendalo ehlakaniphile. Izakhamuzi ezingokomoya zasemazulwini angabonakali azizange zibe khona ngenqubo yokuzalana.
9. IHubo 8:4, 5 likuchaza kanjani ukuhleleka kwezinto kwaphezulu?
9 Akumangalisi-ke ukuthi, ngesikhathi sokudalwa komhlaba, “izinkanyezi zokusa zahlabelela kanyekanye, nawo onke amadodana kaNkulunkulu ajabula.” (Jobe 38:7) Ngalesosikhathi, konke kwakunokuthula futhi kuzwana kuyo yonke indawo. Ehutsheni lesishiyagalombili, ethathekile ngendlela yaphezulu yokuhleleka kwezinto, umhubi uyababaza ngokuqondene nomuntu: “Waqhubeka futhi wamenza waba ngaphansi kancane kwabanjengonkulunkulu, wabe usumqhelisa ngenkazimulo nobukhosi.” (IHu 8 Amavesi 4, 5, NW) Ngokwalelihubo, uNkulunkulu wabeka zonke izinto lapha emhlabeni ngaphansi kwezinyawo zomuntu.
Ukuqala Kobukhosi Obuphikisayo
10. (a) Ngaphambi kokuba owesifazane akhulelwe umntwana wokuqala, yini eyenzeka? (b) Khona-ke yini eyayingabekelwa isintu?
10 Ngokumangalisayo, ngaphambi kokuba owesifazane akhulelwe umntwana wokuqala, kwaba khona ukuhlubuka enhlanganweni kaJehova uNkulunkulu yendawo yonke. Isimo sasingaholela ekumisweni kobukhosi obusha, ukubusa okusha okungaphezu kwemvelo, phezu kwabantu—uma abantu babengahlukaniswa futhi badediselwe kude nenhlangano kaJehova yendawo yonke. Kwakungase kumiswe ubukhosi obuphikisana nobakhe. Lokhu kwadinga ukuba kuqanjwe amanga okuqala, abeka uJehova uNkulunkulu esimweni okungeyiso.
11. Ngokubeka uJehova uNkulunkulu esimweni okungeyiso, yini isihlubuki sokuqala esaba yiyo?
11 Ukuqanjwa kwamanga okuqala kwenza lesihlubuki sokuqala esimelene noNkulunkulu saba ngumqambimanga wokuqala, udeveli wokuqala, noma umnyundeli. Ngokuphambene kakhulu naye, uJesu Kristu wathi: “Mina ngiyindlela, neqiniso, nokuphila.” (Johane 14:6) Kubaphikisi bakhe benkolo, uJesu wathi: “Nina ningabakayihlo uSathane, nithanda ukwenza izinkanuko zikayihlo. Yena wayengumbulali wabantu kwasekuqaleni, akemi eqinisweni, ngokuba iqiniso lingekho kuye. Nxa ekhuluma amanga, ukhuluma okungokwakhe, lokhu engumqambimanga noyise wawo.”—Johane 8:44.
12. (a) UDeveli wakubangela kanjani ukuba kuqanjwe amanga okuqala, futhi waba yini umphumela kuEva? (b) Waba yini umphumela lapho uAdamu edla isithelo esinqatshelwe?
12 Ngokukhuluma ngenyoka ensimini yase-Edene, noma ipharadesi lenjabulo, uDeveli wabangela ukuba kukhulunywe amanga okuqala kowesifazane wokuqala. Wazisholo ukuthi uMdali wakhe wayengumqambimanga, ngaleyondlela ephazamisa ukuthula kwengqondo kaEva. Wamenza waba nomuzwa wokungalondeki emqondweni wakhe wokungazi, ngakho wadla isithelo esinqatshelwe. Wanxenxa umyeni wakhe uAdamu, ukuba adle isithelo esinqatshelwe kanye naye ngaleyondlela ahlanganyele naye ekuhlubukeni kwakhe kuJehova uNkulunkulu. (Genesise 3:1-6) Abantu ababili abangalaleli balahlekelwa ukuthula kwabo noNkulunkulu futhi baxoshwa epharadesi lenjabulo bayophila esimweni sokungalondeki ngaphandle. EyabaseRoma 5:12 ichaza lesisimo esidabukisayo, ithi: “Isono sangena ezweni ngamuntu munye, nangesono kwangena ukufa, ngokunjalo ukufa kwafikela abantu bonke, lokhu bonke bonile.”
13. Ikuphi ukukhetha ngamunye wethu okumelwe akwenze namuhla?
13 Isimo sosuku lwethu sifuna ukuba senze ukukhetha okuqondile. Kuwukukhetha phakathi kobukhosi obuphikisayo bukaSathane uDeveli, “unkulunkulu walelizwe,” kanye nobukhosi bukaJehova, uNkulunkulu wendawo yonke oPhezukonke nonguMninimandla onke.—2 Korinte 4:4; IHubo 83:18.
Indlela Yokujabulela Ukuthula NoNkulunkulu
14. Ikuphi ukuthula nokulondeka esingaqala ukukujabulela ngisho kwamanje?
14 Ngendlela yokuzilimaza okubuhlungu, abantu abaningi abanaso isifiso sokwamukela noma sokukholelwa elungiselelweni likaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke ngabakhulekeli bakhe ukuba bajabulele ukuthula nokulondeka ngisho nakulesisimo esikhalisa kakhulu ezindabeni zesintu. Nokho, uJehova ‘unguNkulunkulu wokuthula,’ futhi kuyilungelo lethu elibusisekile ukuba manje singene ekuthuleni nokulondeka okungasoze kwahluleka. (Roma 16:20; Filipi 4:6, 7, 9) Kuwukuthula nokulondeka akunikeza ngisho kwamanje ezincekwini zakhe zasemhlabeni, inhlangano yakhe ebonakalayo, ekugcwalisekeni kwezithembiso zakhe ezinokwethenjwa. Kuwukuthula nokulondeka esingakujabulela kuphela ngokuzihlanganisa nenhlangano yakhe ebonakalayo emhlabeni.
15. Ingabe akunangqondo ukucabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu unenhlangano, futhi yini uJesu Kristu ayiqaphela?
15 Bekungeke kube okuhambisana nezimfundiso ezisobala zemiBhalo ukukholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu akanayo inhlangano, abantu abahlelekile, okuyiyona kuphela ayiqaphelayo. UJesu Kristu wayekuqaphela ukuthi uYise wasezulwini unenhlangano ebonakalayo. Kuze kube ngePentekoste lika-33 C.E., kwakuyinhlangano yamaJuda eyayisebuhlotsheni besivumelwano noJehova uNkulunkulu ngaphansi koMthetho kaMose.—Luka 16:16.
16. (a) UMose wayengumlamuleli phakathi kwawobani? (b) UMose oMkhulu, uJesu Kristu, unguMlamuleli phakathi kwawobani?
16 Njengoba nje isizwe sasendulo sakwaIsrayeli sasisebuhlotsheni besivumelwano noJehova uNkulunkulu ngomlamuleli uMose, ngokufanayo isizwe sikaIsrayeli ongokomoya “uIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu,” sinobuhlobo besivumelwano ngomlamuleli. (Galathiya 6:16) Kunjengoba umphostoli uPawulu abhalela isisebenzi esikanye naye esingumKristu: “Munye uNkulunkulu, munye nomlamuleli phakathi kukaNkulunkulu nabantu, umuntu uKristu Jesu.” (1 Thimothewu 2:5) Ingabe uMose wayengumlamuleli phakathi kukaJehova uNkulunkulu nabantu bonke? Cha, wayengumlamuleli phakathi kukaNkulunkulu ka-Abrahama, uIsaka, noJakobe nesizwe esiyinzalo yabo yenyama. Ngokufanayo, uMose oMkhulu, uJesu Kristu, akayena uMlamuleli phakathi kukaJehova uNkulunkulu naso sonke isintu. UnguMlamuleli phakathi kukaYise wasezulwini, uJehova uNkulunkulu, nesizwe sikaIsrayeli ongokomoya, esilinganiselwe emalungwini ayizi-144 000 kuphela. Lesisizwe esingokomoya sinjengomhlambi omncane wabantu bakaJehova abanjengezimvu.—Roma 9:6; IsAmbulo 7:4.
Akuyena Nje Umalusi ‘Womhlambi Omncane’ Kuphela
17. (a) UJehova uNkulunkulu uye wamabela ukuba abe yini uJesu Kristu? (b) UJesu wathini kulabo abazodla ifa loMbuso wasezulwini?
17 KumaHubo 23:1, iNkosi uDavide yakwaIsrayeli wasendulo yaphefumlelwa ukuba ithi: “UJehova ungumalusi wami, angiyikuswela.” UJehova, uMalusi oMkhulu, uye wabela uJesu Kristu ukuba abe “umalusi omuhle.” (Johane 10:11) KuLuka 12:32, uJesu wakhuluma nalabo anguMalusi oMuhle kubo: “Ungesabi, mhlambi omncane; ngokuba kwathandeka kuYihlo ukuninika umbuso.”
18. (a) Obani namuhla abafana namaNethini nabantwana bezinceku zikaSolomoni ezazingewona amaIsrayeli? (b) Obani abahlanganyela nabo eduze?
18 Ezikhathini zasendulo, kwakunabangewona amaJuda, njengamaNethini nabantwana bezinceku zikaSolomoni ezazingewona amaIsrayeli, ababehlanganyela nesizwe sakwaIsrayeli. (Ezra 2:43-58; 8:17-20) Ngokufanayo namuhla, kunabesilisa nabesifazane abazinikezele ngokuphelele kuNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu kodwa abangewona amaIsrayeli angokomoya. Nokho, bahlanganyela nensali kaIsrayeli ongokomoya ngenxa yokuzinikezela kwabo kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu, “owazinikela abe-yinhlawulo yabo bonke.” (1 Thimothewu 2:6) Namuhla, laba bangaphezulu kakhulu kwamaIsrayeli angokomoya ayizi-144 000, okuyiwona ayodla ifa loMbuso wasezulwini.
19. Yini uJesu Kristu ayisho eyayibonisa ukuthi ngeke nje abe nguMalusi ‘womhlambi omncane’ kuphela?
19 Ngaleyondlela uJesu Kristu wayeyokwabelwa, ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifanele, ukuba abe nguMalusi phezu komhlambi omkhulu kakhulu wabanjengezimvu owawuyongena efeni lasemhlabeni ngaye. Laba yibo ayecabanga ngabo uma ethi: “Nezinye izimvu nginazo ezingesizo ezalesisibaya; nalezo ngimelwe ukuziletha; ziyakuzwa izwi lami, kube-mhlambi munye nomalusi munye.” Ecabanga ngalezi “ezinye izimvu,” umphostoli uJohane wabhala futhi ngoJesu: “Yena uyinhlawulo ngezono zethu, kungengezethu zodwa kodwa nangezezwe lonke.”—Johane 10:16; 1 Johane 2:2.
20. (a) Inani ‘lezinye izimvu’ liqhathaniseka kanjani nalelo labasele ‘bomhlambi omncane’? (b) Ukunakekela okunjengokukamalusi kukaMalusi oMuhle kusho ukuthini ngabo?
20 Namuhla, cishe kunabayizi-9 000 abathi bangamalungu ensali ‘yomhlambi omncane’ wezimvu ezingokomoya. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, kunezigidi zabazinikezele abahlanganyela nensali egcotshiwe ekulandeleni ezinyathelweni zikaMalusi oMuhle, uJesu Kristu. Batholakala emazweni angaphezu kwama-200 emhlabeni wonke. Ukunakekela okunjengokukamalusi kwaloMalusi oMuhle kusho ukuthini kubo bonke? Kusho ukujabulela ukuthula nokulondeka! Ukuba kwakungekho ukuthula phakathi kwabo, kwakungeke kube nobunye obusuka enhliziyweni nokubambisana okungenakwehlukana phakathi kwabo. Ukuba babengenakho ukukhathalelana kothando komunye nomunye ngokuqondene nezithakazelo ezingokomoya, babengeke babe nokulondeka abakujabulelayo. Ngaleyondlela, isifiso sabo sokuthula nokulondeka emhlabeni wonke sesiqalile ukugcwaliseka ngisho kwamanje.
[Isithombe ekhasini 4, 5]
UMdali unendlela yakhe ephelele yokwanelisa isifiso somuntu sokuthula nokulondeka