Qapha Inhliziyo Ekhohlisayo

1, 2. Kungani kunzima ukwazi isimo sangempela senhliziyo yethu engokomfanekiso?

UNGENZENJANI uma ngelinye ilanga ekuseni usalele, uzwa uhlatshwa ubuhlungu esifubeni, uphelelwa umoya? Ungase ucabange, ‘Kungenzeka yini ukuthi ngihlaselwa isifo senhliziyo?’ Ukumane uphike ngeke kukusize. Kungase kudingeke uthathe isinyathelo ngokushesha. Ngakho ungase ushayele i-ambulense ucingo ukuze uthole usizo lodokotela. Udokotela angase akuxilonge ngokucophelela, mhlawumbe ahlole ukuthi inhliziyo yakho ishaya kahle yini. Ukuhlonza isifo nokuselapha kungenza umehluko phakathi kokufa nokuphila.

² Kuthiwani ngenhliziyo yethu engokomfanekiso? Kungase kube nzima ukwazi isimo sayo sangempela. Ngani? EBhayibhelini siyafunda: “Inhliziyo ikhohlisa ngaphezu kwanoma yini enye futhi yenza ngokuphelelwa yithemba. Ubani ongase ayazi?” (Jer. 17:9) Ngakho inhliziyo yethu ingasikhohlisa, isenze sicabange ukuthi asinankinga ngokomoya kuyilapho abanye bengase babone izimpawu eziyingozi bese bekhathazeka. Kungani singakhohliseka? Ukuthambekela kwethu kwesono kungasilimaza ngoba uSathane nalesi simiso sezinto basenza singasiboni isimo sangempela senhliziyo yethu. Mayelana nokuhlola inhliziyo yethu, singafunda kuJeremiya nakubantu bakwaJuda bangosuku lwakhe.

3. Yini engonkulunkulu kubantu abaningi?

³ Iningi labantu baseJudiya labonisa ukuthi izinhliziyo zalo zazilimele ngokomoya. Lashiya owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso lakhonza onkulunkulu baseKhanani, langashaywa nawunembeza. UJehova wabekela labo bakhulekeli inselele: “Baphi onkulunkulu bakho ozenzele bona? Mabavuke uma bekwazi ukukusindisa ngesikhathi senhlekelele yakho. Ngoba onkulunkulu bakho sebengangesibalo semizi yakho.” (Jer. 2:28) Thina asizibheki neze njengabakhulekeli bezithombe. Nokho, lapho esinye isichazamazwi sichaza igama elithi “unkulunkulu,” sithi: “Umuntu noma into ebaluleke kakhulu kuwe.” Abantu abaningi emhlabeni babeka umsebenzi wabo, impilo, umkhaya ngisho nezilwane abazifuyile kuqala ekuphileni kwabo. Abanye babheka ezemidlalo, izilomo, ezobuchwepheshe, ukuvakasha noma amasiko abo njengezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu. Abanye baphishekela lezi zinto, benane ngazo ubuhlobo babo noMdali. Ingabe lokhu kungenzeka kumaKristu eqiniso, njengoba kwenzeka kubantu bakwaJuda osukwini lukaJeremiya?

IZINHLIZIYO EZIMBI ZINGAKHOHLISA

4. Babeqotho kangakanani abantu abasho la mazwi: “Liphi izwi likaJehova? Sicela ukuba lingeniswe”?

⁴ Cishe kuzokuthakazelisa ukuthola ukuthi kwakwenzenjani ngesikhathi uJeremiya ethi inhliziyo yenza ngokuphelelwa ithemba. Wayeqaphela ukuthi abantu babethi: “Liphi izwi likaJehova? Sicela ukuba lingeniswe.” (Jer. 17:15) Kodwa ingabe babeqotho? Leso sahluko sikaJeremiya sivula ngala mazwi: “Isono sikaJuda silotshwe phansi ngothi lokuloba lwensimbi. Siqoshwe ngesihloko sedayimane esibhebheni senhliziyo yakhe.” Inkinga eyinhloko yayiwukuthi labo bantu baseJudiya ‘babebeka ithemba labo kumuntu wasemhlabeni, benza inyama ibe yingalo yabo, futhi inhliziyo yabo ifulathela uJehova.’ Nokho, abambalwa babengenjalo, babethembele kuNkulunkulu, belindele ukuba abaqondise futhi ababusise.—Jer. 17:1, 5, 7.

5. Abantu bakubo kaJeremiya basabela ngaziphi izindlela esiqondisweni sikaJehova?

⁵ Isimo sezinhliziyo zabaningi sembulwa indlela abasabela ngayo kulokho okwashiwo uNkulunkulu. (Funda uJeremiya 17:21, 22.) Ngokwesibonelo, iSabatha kwakungelokuphumula emisebenzini evamile nethuba lokuhlanganyela emisebenzini engokomoya. Abantu bakubo kaJeremiya kwakungafanele baqhube ibhizinisi noma baye ezindaweni ezithile ngeSabatha. Kodwa indlela abenza ngayo yaveza isimo senhliziyo yabo. “Abazange balalele noma bathambekise indlebe yabo, kunalokho bayenza lukhuni intamo yabo ukuze bangezwa futhi bangamukeli siyalo.” Nakuba babewazi umthetho kaNkulunkulu, babenowabo umbono—babenezinto ababefuna ukuzenza bona ngeSabatha.—Jer. 17:23; Isaya 58:13.

6, 7. (a) Yini umKristu angase ngobuwula ayicabange naphezu kweseluleko esivela esigabeni senceku ethembekile namuhla? (b) Ukuba khona kwethu emihlanganweni kungase kuthinteke kanjani?

⁶ Namuhla asikho ngaphansi komthetho weSabatha. Noma kunjalo, sithola isifundo esiyisixwayiso endleleni labo bantu abasabela ngayo, beveza isimo senhliziyo yabo. (Kol. 2:16) Ukuze senze intando kaNkulunkulu, siziyekile izifiso zobugovu noma zezwe. Siyaqaphela ukuthi kungaba ubuwula kanjani ukuzikhethela thina indlela elula yokujabulisa uNkulunkulu. Futhi cishe baningi esibaziyo abaye bagxila ekwenzeni intando kaNkulunkulu, bathola ukuthi kuyabaqabula, kubanike impumuzo ngempela. Singadukiswa kanjani-ke thina?

⁷ UmKristu angase enze iphutha acabange ukuthi inhliziyo yakhe ngeke imkhohlise, njengoba abaningi ngosuku lukaJeremiya babecabanga kanjalo. Ngokwesibonelo, indoda ingase ithi, ‘Kumelwe ngingawuyeki umsebenzi ukuze ngisekele umkhaya wami,’ kube kufanele. Kuthiwani uma lokho kuyenza icabange, ‘Kudingeka ngithole imfundo yokwenezela ukuze ngithole noma ngilondoloze umsebenzi okahle’? Nalokho kungabonakala kunengqondo, kuyenze iphethe ngokuthi, ‘Izikhathi zishintshile futhi ukuze uziphilise namuhla kudingeka uthole imfundo yasekolishi noma yaseyunivesithi ukuze ungalahlekelwa umsebenzi.’ Yeka indlela okungaba lula ngayo ngomuntu ukuba aqale ukusibukela phansi iseluleko esihlakaniphile nesilinganiselayo sesigaba senceku ethembekile neqondayo ngemfundo yokwenezela, bese eqala ukulahlekelwa imihlangano! Kule ndaba, abanye baye bathonywa kancane kancane ukucabanga nemibono yezwe. (Efe. 2:2, 3) IBhayibheli lisixwayisa kufanele: “Ningalivumeli izwe elinizungezile linifake ngenkani efolomeni lalo.”—Roma 12:2, Phillips.a

8. (a) UmKristu angase aqhoshe ngani? (b) Kungani kudingeka okungaphezu kokwazi amaqiniso ngoNkulunkulu nemisebenzi yakhe?

⁸ Yiqiniso, ngekhulu lokuqala amanye amaKristu ayecebile futhi cishe edumile. Akhona amaKristu anjalo nasesikhathini sethu. Kufanele azizwe kanjani ngalokho akufezile, futhi thina kufanele siwabheke kanjani? UJehova wanikeza impendulo ngoJeremiya. (Funda uJeremiya 9:23, 24.) Kunokuba umuntu azishaye isifuba ngezinto azifezile, uyobe uhlakaniphile uma eqaphela ukuthi ukwazi uMbusi Wendawo Yonke yikona okubaluleke kunanoma yini enye. (1 Kor. 1:31) Nokho, kusho ukuthini ukuba nokuqonda nolwazi ngoJehova? Ngosuku lukaJeremiya, abantu babelazi igama likaNkulunkulu. Babekwazi nalokho akwenza lapho esindisa okhokho babo oLwandle Olubomvu, lapho bengena eZweni Lesithembiso, ngezikhathi zabaHluleli naphakathi nokubusa kwamakhosi athembekile. Yize kunjalo, babengamazi ngempela uJehova noma abalubonisanga ukholo lwangempela kuye. Kodwa babethi: “Ngihlalé ngimsulwa. Ngokuqinisekile, intukuthelo [kaNkulunkulu] isukile kimi.”—Jer. 2:35.

INDLELA ASIBUMBA NGAYO UJEHOVA

9. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi inhliziyo ingashintsha, futhi ingashintsha kanjani?

⁹ AmaJuda uJeremiya awatshela isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu kwakudingeka ashintshe izinhliziyo zawo. Ayengakwenza lokho ngoba uNkulunkulu wathi ngalawo ayeyobuya ekuthunjweni: “Ngiyobanika inhliziyo yokungazi mina, ukuthi nginguJehova; bayoba ngabantu bami, mina ngiyoba nguNkulunkulu wabo, ngoba bayobuyela kimi.” (Jer. 24:7) Nanamuhla lungenzeka lolo shintsho. Ngaphezu kwalokho, iningi lethu lingasithuthukisa isimo senhliziyo yethu engokomoya. Zintathu izinto ezidingekayo: isifundo esijulile somuntu siqu seZwi likaNkulunkulu, ukuqonda indlela uNkulunkulu akuthinta ngayo ukuphila kwethu nokusebenzisa lokho esikufundile ngaye. Ngokungafani nabantu bangosuku lukaJeremiya, kufanele sifune ukuba izinhliziyo zethu zihlolwe uMhloli Omkhulu wezinhliziyo. Futhi singazihlolela ezethu izinhliziyo sisebenzisa iBhayibheli nangokuqaphela lokho uJehova asenzele kona. (IHu. 17:3) Yeka ukuthi kuhlakaniphe kanjani ukwenza kanjalo!

10, 11. (a) Kungani uJeremiya aya kobona umbumbi? (b) Yini enquma indlela uJehova abumba ngayo abantu?

¹⁰ USathane ufuna ukushintsha abantu abenze bafane bonke, kodwa uNkulunkulu yena usibumba ecabanga ngomuntu ngamunye. Lokhu sikubona kokuhlangenwe nakho kukaJeremiya. Ngelinye ilanga uNkulunkulu wathi kuye makaye endlini yombumbi. Umbumbi wayesebenza esondweni lakhe, kodwa lapho isitsha ayesenza sonakala, wamane wabumba esinye ngalolo bumba olwalusathambile. (Funda uJeremiya 18:1-4.) Kungani uJeremiya atshelwa ukuba abuke lokhu, futhi singafundani kulokho?

¹¹ UJehova wayefuna ukubonisa uJeremiya no-Israyeli ukuthi unegunya lokulolonga abantu nezizwe zibe yilokho Yena akufunayo. UNkulunkulu uluphatha kanjani ubumba? Ngokungafani nababumbi abangabantu, uJehova akenzi maphutha; akawoni umsebenzi wezandla zakhe. Indlela abantu abasabela ngayo ekubunjweni uJehova iyona enquma ukuthi wenzani ngabo.—Funda uJeremiya 18:6-10.

12. (a) UJehoyakimi wasabela kanjani emizamweni kaJehova yokumbumba? (b) Ufunda siphi isifundo endabeni kaJehoyakimi?

¹² UJehova ubabumba kanjani-ke abantu ngabanye? Ngokuyinhloko, namuhla usebenzisa iBhayibheli. Njengoba umuntu efunda futhi esabela eZwini likaNkulunkulu, wembula uhlobo lomuntu ayilo bese uNkulunkulu ekwazi ukumbumba. Manje asicabangele isibonelo seNkosi uJehoyakimi, sibone indlela abantu ngosuku lukaJeremiya okungenzeka babebunjwa ngayo ezindabeni zokuphila kwansuku zonke. UMthetho wawuthe umuntu ‘akumelwe aphambe isisebenzi,’ kodwa le nkosi yenza lokho kanye, yaxhaphaza ama-Israyeli akubo ngokuwakhisa “indlu enkulu” ngeholo elincane. (Dut. 24:14; Jer. 22:13, 14, 17) UNkulunkulu wazama ukumbumba uJehoyakimi ngeZwi laKhe ayelithumela ngabaprofethi. Noma kunjalo, le nkosi yalandela ukuthambekela kwenhliziyo yayo ekhohlisayo. Yathi, “Ngeke ngilalele” futhi yaqhubeka nenkambo eyayiyithathe ebusheni bayo. Ngenxa yalokho, uNkulunkulu wathi: “[UJehoyakimi] uyongcwatshwa ngendlela okungcwatshwa ngayo imbongolo yeduna, ngokuhudulwa nangokutshingwa kude.” (Jer. 22:19, 21) Yeka indlela okungaba ubuwula ngayo ngathi ukuba sithi: ‘Mina nginjena nje’! Namuhla, uNkulunkulu akathumeli abaprofethi abanjengoJeremiya, kodwa uyasiqondisa. Isigaba senceku ethembekile neqondayo siyasisiza ukuba sibone izimiso zeBhayibheli futhi sizisebenzise. Zingase zithinte izici zokuphila kwansuku zonke, njengokugqoka nokuzilungisa noma umculo nomdanso owenziwa emishadweni noma kweminye imibuthano yokuzijabulisa. Siyolivumela yini iZwi likaNkulunkulu lisibumbe?

13, 14. (a) Kungani abanikazi bezigqila eJerusalema bavuma ukukhulula izigqila zabo ezingamaHebheru? (b) Yini eyabonisa isimo sangempela sezinhliziyo zabanikazi bezigqila?

¹³ Cabanga ngesinye isibonelo. AbaseBhabhiloni babeka uZedekiya ukuba abuse kwaJuda njengenkosi ekhonza ngaphansi kwabo. Kunokuba uZedekiya alalele iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu ngoJeremiya, wadlubulunda. (Jer. 27:8, 12) Ngakho abaseBhabhiloni bavimbezela iJerusalema. Le nkosi nezikhulu zayo baba nomuzwa wokuthi kufanele benze okuthile okushiwo uMthetho ukuze bathole umusa kaNkulunkulu. Njengoba ayazi ukuthi izigqila ezingamaHebheru kufanele zikhululwe ngonyaka wesikhombisa wobugqila bazo, uZedekiya wenza isivumelwano sokuzikhulula. (Eks. 21:2; Jer. 34:14) Yebo, njengoba manje iJerusalema lase livinjezelwe izitha, kwaba yima abantu bebona kufaneleka ukuba bakhulule izigqila zabo!—Funda uJeremiya 34:8-10.

¹⁴ Kamuva, kwafika ibutho lempi laseGibhithe lizolekelela iJerusalema, okwenza abaseBhabhiloni bahoxa. (Jer. 37:5) Babezokwenzenjani labo ababekhulule izigqila zabo? Baziphoqa ukuba zibuyele ebugqilini. (Jer. 34:11) Iphuzu liwukuthi ngesikhathi esengozini, amaJuda abonakala ezilalela izimiso zaphezulu, njengokungathi lokho kwakuzogqiba ukuziphatha kwawo kwangaphambili. Kodwa lapho ingozi ingasekho, abuyela ezindleleni zawo zangaphambili. Naphezu kokushaya sengathi ayasamukela isimiso soMthetho, izenzo zawo zakamuva zembula ukuthi izinhliziyo zawo zazingafuni ukuhambisana nesiqondiso esiseZwini likaNkulunkulu, zingafuni siwabumbe.

VUMELA UJEHOVA AKUBUMBE

15. Ungathanda ukuba uJehova akubumbe ngezinga elingakanani? Bonisa.

¹⁵ Ngosizo lwebandla likaJehova elisemhlabeni wonke, singathola izimiso zeBhayibheli ezisebenza ngokuqondile esimweni esithile. Ngokwesibonelo, singase siyazi indlela okumelwe sisabele ngayo uma kubonakala sengathi umfowethu uyasicasula. (Efe. 4:32) Singase sivume ukuthi iseluleko seBhayibheli silungile futhi sihlakaniphile. Kodwa siyoba luhlobo luni lobumba? Siyomvumela ngempela yini uJehova asibumbe? Uma inhliziyo yethu ibumbeka, siyoshintsha sibe ngcono; uMbumbi Omkhulu uyosibumba sibe isitsha esifanelekela ukuba asisebenzise. (Funda amaRoma 9:20, 21; 2 Thimothewu 2:20, 21.) Kunokuba sibonise isimo senhliziyo esifana nesikaJehoyakimi noma sabanikazi bezigqila bangosuku lukaZedekiya, kufanele sivume ukuba uJehova asibumbele injongo enodumo.

16. Yiliphi iqiniso elibalulekile uJeremiya ayelazi?

¹⁶ Ngisho noJeremiya wabunjwa uNkulunkulu. Sasinjani isimo sakhe sengqondo? Ungasibona kulokho akusho: “Akukona okomuntu ohambayo ngisho nokuqondisa isinyathelo sakhe.” Wabe esenxusa: “Ngiqondise, Jehova.” (Jer. 10:23, 24) Basha, ingabe nizomlingisa uJeremiya? Cishe ziningi izinqumo okusamelwe nizenze. Enye intsha ifuna ‘ukuziqondisela izinyathelo zayo.’ Ingabe nizosifuna isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu lapho nenza izinqumo? Ingabe nani, njengoJeremiya, nizovuma ngokuthobeka ukuthi abantu bazibonisile ukuthi abakwazi ukuqondisa izinyathelo zabo? Khumbulani: Uma nisifuna isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu, uzonibumba.

17-19. (a) Kungani uJeremiya ahamba ibanga elide eya e-Ewufrathe? (b) Kwakungavivinywa kanjani ukulalela kukaJeremiya? (c) Yini eyafezwa ngalokho uJeremiya akwenza ngebhande?

¹⁷ Isabelo sikaJeremiya sasihilela nokulalela isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu. Ukube wawunguJeremiya, wawuyozilalela yini iziqondiso ezinjalo? UJehova wake watshela uJeremiya ukuba athathe ibhande lelineni aligqoke. Ngemva kwalokho uNkulunkulu wamyala ukuba aye e-Ewufrathe. Bheka ibalazwe, uzobona ukuthi leli banga lalingamakhilomitha angaba ngu-500. Uma efika khona, uJeremiya kwakufanele alifihle emfantwini wedwala abese ehamba yonke leyo ndlela abuyele eJerusalema. Kamuva uNkulunkulu wathi akaphindele emuva ayolilanda lelo bhande. (Funda uJeremiya 13:1-9.) Kumelwe ukuba uJeremiya wahamba ibanga elingaba amakhilomitha angu-1 900 sekukonke. Abagxeki beBhayibheli abakholwa neze ukuthi wayengahamba ibanga elide kangaka, ehamba izinyanga.b (Ezra 7:9) Noma kunjalo, yilokho uNkulunkulu akusho futhi yilokho uJeremiya akwenza.

¹⁸ Mbone ngeso lengqondo lo mprofethi eqombola izintaba zaseJudiya aze ayonqamula ehlane elingase-Ewufrathe, kuye ngokuthi ukhetha ukuhamba ngakuphi. Uyofihla ibhande lelineni njalo belu! Kumelwe ukuba omakhelwane bakhe babezibuza ukuthi kazi uyephi njengoba ayehambe isikhathi eside. Wabuya engasaligqokile ibhande lelineni. UNkulunkulu wayesethi makaphinde ahambe lonke lelo banga elide ayolanda lelo bhande, manje elase libolile futhi ‘lingasafanelekele lutho.’ Cabanga ukuthi kwakungaba lula kanjani ngaye ukuba athi: ‘Ngeke ngilunge. Kuzongisiza ngani lokhu.’ Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi wayebunjwe uNkulunkulu, akashongo kanjalo. Kunokuba akhononde, wenza njengoba ayethunyiwe!

¹⁹ Kwaba ngemva kohambo lwesibili lapho uNkulunkulu akuchaza khona konke lokhu. Lokho uJeremiya akwenza kwamenza walungela ukumemezela isigijimi esinamandla: “Lesi sizwe esibi esenqaba ukulalela amazwi ami, esihamba enkanini yenhliziyo yaso futhi esiqhubeka silandela abanye onkulunkulu ukuze sibakhonze futhi sibakhothamele, naso siyoba njengaleli bhande elingasafanelekele lutho.” (Jer. 13:10) Yeka indlela ehlaba umxhwele uJehova afundisa ngayo abantu bakhe! Ukulalela kukaJeremiya uJehova ngokusuka enhliziyweni, entweni eyayibonakala iwubala, kwafeza indima ebalulekile emizamweni yaKhe yokufinyelela izinhliziyo zabantu.—Jer. 13:11.

20. Kungani ukulalela kwakho kungabadida abanye, kodwa yini ongaqiniseka ngayo?

²⁰ AmaKristu namuhla awacelwa ukuba ahambe amakhilomitha amaningi ukuze uNkulunkulu awafundise isifundo esithile. Nokho, kungenzeka yini ukuthi inkambo yobuKristu oyilandelayo ingenza omakhelwane noma abantu obajwayele badideke noma baze bakugxeke? Kungase kube yinto ephathelene nokugqoka nokuzilungisa kwakho, uhlobo lwemfundo oyikhethayo, umsebenzi okhetha ukuwenza, noma ngisho umbono wakho ngophuzo oludakayo. Ingabe uyozimisela ukulandela isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu njengoJeremiya? Izinqumo ozenza ngenxa yokuvumela inhliziyo yakho ukuba ibunjwe uNkulunkulu zingase ziholele ekubeni unikeze ubufakazi obuhle. Noma kungabanga njalo, ukulalela isiqondiso sikaJehova esiseZwini lakhe nokwamukela isiyalo esisinikezwa isigaba senceku ethembekile kuhloselwe ukuba kukusize phakade. Kunokuba ulawulwe inhliziyo ekhohlisayo, ungaba njengoJeremiya. Ngakho-ke, zimisele ukuvumela uNkulunkulu akubumbe; mvumele akwenze ube isitsha esinodumo azosisebenzisa njalo.