Isahluko Sesikhombisa
Esikufundayo Ngokuvumela KukaNkulunkulu Ububi
1, 2. (a) Ukube uJehova wazibhubhisa ngokushesha izihlubuki e-Edene, lokho kwakuyosithinta kanjani? (b) Yimaphi amalungiselelo othando uJehova asenzele wona?
INZALAMIZI uJakobe yathi: “Ziyingcosana, zimbi izinsuku zeminyaka yokuhamba kwami.” (Genesise 47:9) Ngokufanayo, uJobe wathi “imihla [yomuntu] mifushane, igcwele ukuyaluza.” (Jobe 14:1) Njengabo, iningi lethu liye labhekana nezinkinga, ukungabi nabulungisa, ngisho nezinhlekelele. Nokho, asinakusola uNkulunkulu sithi akanabulungisa ngenxa yokuthi sazalelwa kulesi simo. Yiqiniso, asiphelele engqondweni nasemzimbeni futhi asinalo ikhaya eliyiPharadesi u-Adamu no-Eva ababenalo ekuqaleni. Kodwa kuthiwani ukube uJehova wayebabhubhise ngokushesha lapho behlubuka? Nakuba kwakungeke kube khona ukugula, usizi, noma ukufa, uhlanga lwesintu nalo lwalungeke lube khona. Sasingeke sizalwe. Ngesihe, uNkulunkulu wanikeza u-Adamu no-Eva ithuba lokuzala abantwana, nakuba bazuza ifa lokungapheleli. Futhi ngoKristu, uJehova wenza ilungiselelo lokuba sibuye sizuze lokho okwalahlwa ngu-Adamu—ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi.—Johane 10:10; Roma 5:12.
2 Yeka indlela okusikhuthaza ngayo ukulindela ukuphila phakade ezweni elisha eliyiPharadesi, lapho siyobe sikhululeke khona ekuguleni, osizini, ebuhlungwini nasekufeni, kanye nakubantu ababi! (IzAga 2:21, 22; IsAmbulo 21:4, 5) Kodwa ngokomlando weBhayibheli, sifunda ukuthi nakuba insindiso yethu ibaluleke kakhulu kithi nakuJehova, kunokuthile okubaluleke ngisho nakakhulu okuhilelekile.
Ngenxa Yegama Lakhe Eliphakeme
3. Yini ehilelekile ngokuphathelene nokugcwaliseka kwenjongo kaJehova ngomhlaba nesintu?
3 Igama likaNkulunkulu lihilelekile ekugcwalisekeni kwenjongo yakhe ngokuphathelene nomhlaba nesintu. Lelo gama, elithi Jehova, lisho ukuthi “Ubangela Ukuba Kube Khona.” Ngakho igama lakhe liveza idumela lakhe njengoMbusi Wendawo Yonke, uMsunguli Wezinjongo, noNkulunkulu weqiniso. Ngenxa yesikhundla sikaJehova, ukuthula nenhlalakahle yayo yonke indawo kuxhomeke ekutheni igama lakhe nalokho elikumelelayo kunikezwe inhlonipho ephelele nefanele futhi bonke bamthobele.
4. Injongo kaJehova ngomhlaba yayihlanganisani?
4 Ngemva kokudala u-Adamu no-Eva, uJehova wabanikeza isabelo okwakufanele basifeze. Wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi injongo yakhe yayingekhona nje ukuba babuse wonke umhlaba kuphela—ngokwenza kanjalo bandise imingcele yePharadesi—kodwa kwakuwukuba bawugcwalise ngenzalo yabo. (Genesise 1:28) Ingabe le njongo yayizobhuntsha ngenxa yesono sabo? Yeka ukuthi bekuyoba yisihlamba esingakanani egameni likaJehova ongumninimandla onke uma ayengahluleka ukufeza injongo yakhe ngalo mhlaba nesintu!
5. (a) Uma abantu bokuqala bedla emthini wokwazi okuhle nokubi, babeyofa nini? (b) UJehova waligcwalisa kanjani izwi lakhe elikuGenesise 2:17 ebe ehlonipha injongo yakhe ngomhlaba?
5 UJehova wayexwayise u-Adamu no-Eva ngokuthi uma bengalaleli bese bedla emthini wokwazi okuhle nokubi, babeyofa “ngosuku” abawudle ngalo. (Genesise 2:17, NW) Ngempela, uJehova wafuna ukuba balandise ngalo kanye usuku abenza ngalo isono futhi wakhipha isigwebo sokufa. Ngokombono kaNkulunkulu, u-Adamu no-Eva bafa ngalolo suku. Nokho, ukuze afeze injongo yakhe ngokuphathelene nomhlaba, uJehova wabavumela ukuba babe nomkhaya ngaphambi kokuba bafe. Noma kunjalo, njengoba kuNkulunkulu iminyaka eyinkulungwane ingaba njengosuku olulodwa, lapho u-Adamu efa eneminyaka engu-930, ‘usuku’ lwalungakapheli. (2 Petru 3:8; Genesise 5:3-5) Ngakho uJehova wayeqinisile ngokuphathelene nokuthi isigwebo sasiyophuma nini, futhi ukufa kwabo akuzange kuyibhuntshise injongo yakhe ngomhlaba. Kodwa sekuyisikhathi eside abantu abangaphelele, kuhlanganise nababi, bevunyelwe ukuba baphile.
6, 7. (a) Ngokuka-Eksodusi 9:15, 16, kungani uJehova evumela ababi ukuba baqhubeke bephila isikhathi esithile? (b) Endabeni kaFaro, amandla kaJehova abonakaliswa kanjani, futhi igama laKhe lenziwa laziwa kanjani? (c) Uyoba yini umphumela lapho lesi simiso esibi samanje siphela?
6 Lokho uJehova akusho kumbusi waseGibithe ngezinsuku zikaMose nakho kubonisa ukuthi kungani uNkulunkulu eye wavumela ububi ukuba buqhubeke. Lapho uFaro enqabela abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ukuba baphume eGibithe, uJehova akazange ambhubhise ngokushesha. Izwe lashaywa ngeziNhlupho Eziyishumi, ezabonisa amandla kaJehova ngendlela emangalisayo. Lapho exwayisa ngenhlupho yesikhombisa, uJehova watshela uFaro ukuthi wayengamchitha kalula ebusweni bomhlaba uFaro nabantu bakhe. “Kepha,” kusho uJehova, “ngikumise ngalokhu ukuba ngikubonise amandla ami, igama lami lishunyayelwe emhlabeni wonke.”—Eksodusi 9:15, 16.
7 Lapho uJehova ekhulula ama-Israyeli, ngempela igama lakhe laziwa kabanzi. (Joshuwa 2:1, 9-11) Namuhla, eminyakeni engaba ngu-3 500 kamuva, akukalibaleki lokho akwenza ngaleso sikhathi. Akuzange kumenyezelwe igama likaJehova kuphela kodwa kwasakazwa neqiniso ngokuphathelene naLowo obizwa ngalelo gama. Lokhu kwalwela idumela likaJehova njengoNkulunkulu ogcina izithembiso zakhe nolwela izinceku zakhe. (Joshuwa 23:14) Kwabonisa ukuthi ngenxa yokuthi ungumninimandla onke, akukho okungavimba injongo yakhe. (Isaya 14:24, 27) Ngakho-ke, singaqiniseka ngokuthi maduze uyolwela izinceku zakhe ezithembekile ngokubhubhisa sonke isimiso esibi sikaSathane. Akusoze kwalibaleka lokho kubonakaliswa kwamandla amakhulu nenkazimulo okuyoyiletha egameni likaJehova. Kuyoletha izinzuzo ezingenakuphela.—Hezekeli 38:23; IsAmbulo 19:1, 2.
‘O Ukujula Kokuhlakanipha KukaNkulunkulu!’
8. Yiziphi izici uPawulu asinxusa ukuba sizicabangele?
8 Encwadini ayibhalela abaseRoma, umphostoli uPawulu uphakamisa lo mbuzo: “Ingabe kukhona ukungabi nabulungisa kuNkulunkulu?” Uphendula ngokuqiniseka: “Kwangathi kungelokothe kube njalo lokho!” Ube esegcizelela isihe sikaNkulunkulu abhekisele nakulokho uJehova akusho mayelana nokuvumela uFaro ukuba aphile isikhathi esithile. UPawulu ubonisa nokuthi thina bantu sinjengobumba ezandleni zombumbi. Ube esethi: “Manje, uma uNkulunkulu, nakuba ethanda ukubonisa ulaka lwakhe nokwenza amandla akhe aziwe, azibekezelela ngokubhekakade okukhulu izitsha zolaka ezenziwe zafanelwa ukubhujiswa, ukuze enze yaziwe ingcebo yenkazimulo yakhe ezitsheni zesihe, azilungiselela inkazimulo kusengaphambili, okuwukuthi, thina, asibiza hhayi kumaJuda kuphela kodwa nakwabezizwe, pho kunani?”—Roma 9:14-24.
9. (a) Obani ‘abayizitsha zolaka ezenziwe zafanelwa ukubhujiswa’? (b) Kungani uJehova eye wabonisa ukubekezela okukhulu kubaphikisi bakhe, futhi umphumela wokugcina uyobazuzisa kanjani labo abamthandayo?
9 Kusukela esikhathini sokuhlubuka kwase-Edene, noma obani abaye baphikisa uJehova nemithetho yakhe baye baba “izitsha zolaka ezenziwe zafanelwa ukubhujiswa.” Phakathi naso sonke isikhathi kusukela lapho, uJehova uye wabonisa ukubekezela. Ababi baye badelela izindlela zakhe, bashushisa izinceku zakhe, baze babulala ngisho neNdodana yakhe. Ngokuzithiba okukhulu, uJehova uye wavumela isikhathi esanele ukuze yonke indalo iyibone ngokugcwele imiphumela eyinhlekelele yokuhlubuka kuNkulunkulu nokuzibusa kwabantu ngaphandle kwakhe. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ukufa kukaJesu kwavula indlela yokukhulula isintu esilalelayo ‘nokubhidliza imisebenzi kaDeveli.’—1 Johane 3:8; Heberu 2:14, 15.
10. Kungani uJehova eye wabekezelela ababi kule minyaka engu-1 900 edlule?
10 Phakathi neminyaka engaphezu kuka-1 900 kusukela uJesu avuswa, uJehova uye waqhubeka ebekezelela “izitsha zolaka,” ebambe ukubhujiswa kwazo. Ngani? Phakathi kokunye, ngenxa yokuthi ubelungiselela labo abayohlanganiswa noJesu Kristu eMbusweni wakhe wasezulwini. Inani labo lingu-144 000, futhi ‘bayizitsha zesihe’ umphostoli uPawulu akhuluma ngazo. Ekuqaleni, kwamenywa abantu phakathi kwamaJuda ukuba bakhe lesi sigaba sasezulwini. Kamuva, uNkulunkulu wamema abantu beZizwe. UJehova akabaphoqi ukuba bamkhonze. Kodwa phakathi kwalabo abalamukela ngokwazisa ilungiselelo lakhe lothando, wanika abanye ilungelo lokuba ababusi kanye neNdodana yakhe eMbusweni wasezulwini. Ukulungiselelwa kwaleso sigaba sasezulwini sekusondela ekupheleni.—Luka 22:29; IsAmbulo 14:1-4.
11. (a) Yiliphi iqembu manje elizuzayo ngokubhekakade kukaJehova? (b) Abafileyo bayozuza kanjani?
11 Kodwa kuthiwani ngabazokwakha emhlabeni? Ukubhekakade kukaJehova kuye kwavula nethuba lokubuthelwa ndawonye ‘kwesixuku esikhulu’ esivela kuzo zonke izizwe. Manje sibalelwa ezigidini. UJehova uye wathembisa ukuthi lesi sigaba sasemhlabeni siyosinda ekupheleni kwalesi simiso futhi sibe nethemba lokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 10; IHubo 37:29; Johane 10:16) Ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifanele, izixuku zabafileyo ziyovuswa futhi zinikezwe ithuba lokuba yizikhonzi zasemhlabeni zoMbuso wasezulwini. IZwi likaNkulunkulu liyabikezela kuzEnzo 24:15: “Luyoba khona uvuko kokubili olwabalungileyo nabangalungile.”—Johane 5:28, 29.
12. (a) Yini esiyifundile ngoJehova ngokubekezelela kwakhe ububi? (b) Wena uzizwa kanjani ngendlela uJehova aye wazisingatha ngayo lezi zindaba?
12 Ingabe kukhona ukungabi nabulungisa kukho konke lokhu? Cha, ngoba ngokubamba ukubhujiswa kwababi, noma “izitsha zolaka,” uNkulunkulu ubonisa ububele kwabanye, ngokuvumelana nenjongo yakhe. Lokhu kubonisa indlela anesihe nanothando ngayo. Futhi, njengoba siye saba nethuba lokubona ukugcwaliseka kwenjongo yakhe, nathi sifunda okuningi ngoJehova. Ziyasikhexisa izici ezihlukahlukene zobuntu bakhe ezembulekayo—ubulungisa bakhe, isihe, ukubhekakade, nokuhlakanipha kwakhe okuhlukahlukene. Ukuyisingatha kukaJehova ngokuhlakanipha impikiswano yobukhosi bendawo yonke—ilungelo lakhe lokubusa—kuyohlala kuwubufakazi baphakade beqiniso lokuthi indlela yakhe yokubusa idl’ ubhedu. Sivumelana nomphostoli uPawulu, sithi: “O ukujula kwengcebo nokuhlakanipha nolwazi lukaNkulunkulu! Yeka ukuthi zingezingaphenyeki kanjani izahlulelo zakhe nokuthi zingezingenakuthungathwa kanjani izindlela zakhe!”—Roma 11:33.
Ithuba Lokubonisa Ukuzinikela Kwethu
13. Lapho sihlupheka, yiliphi ithuba elisivulekelayo, futhi yini eyosisiza ukuba sisabele ngokuhlakanipha?
13 Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu eziningi zibhekene nezimo ezibangela ukuhlupheka. Ziyaqhubeka zihlupheka ngenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu akakababhubhisi ababi futhi alethe ukuvuselelwa kwesintu okwabikezelwa. Ingabe lokhu kufanele kusithukuthelise? Noma ingabe singabheka izimo ezinjalo njengethuba lokuhlanganyela ekuboniseni ukuthi uDeveli ungumqambimanga? Singaqiniswa ukuba senze kanjalo uma sikhumbula lokhu kunxusa: “Ndodana yami, hlakanipha, uthokozise inhliziyo yami ukuba ngiphendule ongisolayo.” (IzAga 27:11) USathane, ogcona uJehova, wagomela ngokuthi uma abantu belahlekelwa yizinto ezibonakalayo noma begula ngokomzimba, bayosola uNkulunkulu, baze bamethuke. (Jobe 1:9-11; 2:4, 5) Sithokozisa inhliziyo kaJehova uma sibonisa ukuthi ngeke sikwenze lokho, ngokuba qotho kuye lapho sibhekene nobunzima.
14. Uma sithembela kuJehova lapho sibhekene nokuvivinywa, singathola ziphi izinzuzo?
14 Uma sithembela kuJehova lapho sibhekene nokuvivinywa, singahlakulela izimfanelo eziyigugu. Ngokwesibonelo, ngenxa yezinto uJesu ahlupheka ngazo, “wafunda ukulalela” ngendlela ayengayazi nhlobo ngaphambili. Nathi singafunda ekuvivinyweni kwethu ngoba singahlakulela ukubhekakade, ukukhuthazela nokwazisa ngokujulile izindlela zikaJehova ezilungile.—Heberu 5:8, 9; 12:11; Jakobe 1:2-4.
15. Lapho sikhuthazelela ubunzima ngesineke, abanye bangazuza kanjani?
15 Abanye bayokuqaphela esikwenzayo. Ngenxa yalokho esibhekana nakho ngoba sithanda ukulunga, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi abanye babo bangase baqaphele ukuthi obani abangamaKristu eqiniso namuhla. Futhi ngokuzihlanganisa nathi ekukhulekeleni, bangaba sethubeni lokuthola izibusiso zokuphila okuphakade. (Mathewu 25:34-36, 40, 46) UJehova neNdodana yakhe bafuna ukuba abantu babe nalelo thuba.
16. Indlela esibubheka ngayo ubunzima esikubo ihlobene kanjani nendaba yobunye?
16 Yeka indlela okuhle ngayo uma sibheka ngisho nezimo ezinzima njengamathuba okubonisa ukuzinikela kwethu kuJehova kanye nokuhlanganyela ekufezeni intando yakhe! Ukwenza kwethu kanjalo kunganikeza ubufakazi bokuthi ngempela siphishekela ubunye noNkulunkulu noKristu. Ethandazela wonke amaKristu eqiniso kuJehova, uJesu wathi: “Angenzi isicelo ngokuphathelene nalaba [abafundi bakhe abaseduze] kuphela, kodwa nangokuphathelene nalabo ababeka ukholo kimi ngezwi labo; ukuze bonke babe munye, njengoba nje wena, Baba, usebunyeni nami futhi nami ngisebunyeni nawe, ukuba nabo babe sebunyeni nathi.”—Johane 17:20, 21.
17. Yini esingaqiniseka ngayo uma siqotho kuJehova?
17 Uma siqotho kuJehova, uyosivuza ngomusa. IZwi lakhe lithi: “Yibani ngabagxilile, abangenakunyakaziswa, ngaso sonke isikhathi ninokuningi kokukwenza emsebenzini weNkosi, nazi ukuthi umshikashika wenu awulona ize eNkosini.” (1 Korinte 15:58) Lithi futhi: “UNkulunkulu akayena ongalungile ukuba akhohlwe umsebenzi wenu nothando enalubonisa kulo igama lakhe.” (Heberu 6:10) UJakobe 5:11 uthi: “Bhekani! Sithi bayajabula labo abaye bakhuthazela. Niye nezwa ngokukhuthazela kukaJobe futhi nabona umphumela uJehova awunikeza, ukuthi uJehova unesisa kakhulu ekusondelaneni ngokomzwelo futhi unesihe.” Waba yini umphumela kuJobe? “UJehova wabusisa ukugcina kukaJobe kunokuqala kwakhe.” (Jobe 42:10-16) Yebo, uJehova ‘ungumvuzi walabo abamfuna ngobuqotho.’ (Heberu 11:6) Yeka umvuzo esiwulindele—ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi!
18. Yini eyokwenzeka ekugcineni ngezinkumbulo ezibuhlungu esinazo?
18 Ukubusa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuyolungisa wonke umonakalo owehlele umkhaya wesintu ezinkulungwaneni ezidlule zeminyaka. Injabulo yangaleso sikhathi iyokwedlula kude konke ukuhlupheka esibhekene nakho manje. Ngeke sikhathazwe yizinkumbulo ezimbi zokuhlupheka kwakuqala. Imicabango eyakhayo nemisebenzi abantu abayoyenza ekuphileni kwansuku zonke ezweni elisha iyoqhubeka isusa izinkumbulo ezibuhlungu. UJehova uthi: “Ngiyadala izulu elisha [uhulumeni omusha woMbuso wasezulwini obusa isintu] nomhlaba omusha [umphakathi wesintu olungile]; izinto zakuqala aziyikukhunjulwa, zingene enhliziyweni. Kepha jabulani, nethabe kuze kube phakade ngengikudalayo.” Yebo, ezweni elisha likaJehova, abalungileyo bayokwazi ukuthi: “Wonke umhlaba uyaphumula, usenokuthula; baqhumuka ngokuhlabelela.”—Isaya 14:7; 65:17, 18.
Ingxoxo Yokubukeza
• Nakuba evumela ububi, uJehova uye wayibonisa kanjani ngokufanele inhlonipho enkulu ngegama lakhe?
• Ukubekezelela kukaNkulunkulu “izitsha zolaka” kuye kwenza kanjani ukuba isihe sakhe sifinyelele nakithi?
• Yini okufanele sizame ukuyiqonda ezimweni ezisilethela ukuhlupheka?
[Izithombe ekhasini 67]
UJehova “wabusisa ukugcina kukaJobe kunokuqala kwakhe”