Ukuthembeka “EMbusweni WeNkosi Yethu NokaKristu Wayo”

“Ngiyakuthanda, Jehova, mandla ami. Kothembekileyo uyazibonakalisa uthembekile.”—IHubo 18:1, 25.

1. (a) UDavide wasabela kanjani ekwethembekeni kukaJehova? (b) Ikuphi ukuqaphela okwenziwa uDavide, kwaze kwaba yilapho esemdala?

NGOKUTHEMBEKA uJehova ngempela nguye owaphakamisela uDavide esihlalweni sobukhosi phezu kukaIsrayeli. Lokho kwakungonyaka ka-1070 B.C.E. Ngokwazisa lomusa wothando lwaphezulu, uDavide owayeyinkosi wayemvuma njalo uNkulunkulu njengeNkosi yakhe, iNkosi eNkulu phezu kukaIsrayeli. Ikakhulukazi ngokuqondene nomzukulu kaDavide okude uMesiya, uNkulunkulu wathi: “Nokho ngibekile inkosi yami eSiyoni, intaba yami engcwele.” (IHubo 2:6) Ngokuqaphela umbusi ongokoqobo wasezulwini, uDavide wathi: “Yizwa amazwi ami, Jehova, uqaphele ukuzindla kwami. Yizwa izwi lokukhala kwami, Nkosi yami, Nkulunkulu wami, ngokuba ngithandaza ku we. Jehova, ekuseni uyalizwa izwi lami.” (IHubo 5:1-3) Lapho esegugile, ubukhosi wabunikeza indodana yakhe uSolomoni, uDavide wathandaza phambi kwebandla lakwaIsrayeli wathi: “Ngowakho umbuso, Jehova; wena uphakeme, uyinhloko phezu kwakho konke. Ingcebo nenkazimulo kuvela kuwe, wena ubusa phezu kwakho konke.”—1 IziKronike 29:11, 12.

2. (a) Iyiphi impikiswano endala okumelwe siyivume namuhla? (b) Imuphi umbuzo obucayi okumelwe siwuphendule manje ngabanye?

² Leliqiniso elibaluleke kakhulu iNkosi uDavide eyalivuma obala esikhathini eside kangaka esidlule yilelo thina zidalwa ezingabantu, ezingewona amakhos’i, okumelwe silivume ngokufanayo ngaphandle kwamahloni. Ukubuswa kwendawo yonke, noma ubukhosi bukaJehova uNkulunkulu kuyindaba endala efundiswa eBhayibhelini elingcwele. Kuwudaba olusemthethweni waphezulu olubekwe phambi kwabo bonke abantu nezizwe ukuba benze isinqumo sokugcina. Kukuzo lezinsuku zokugcina lapho ukulungiswa kokugcina kwalempiklswano kumelwe kwenziwe phambi kwabo bonke ezulwini nasemhlabeni. Ukunqoba nokuphindisela kungokukaJehova, lapho ebonakalisa ngalé kokungabaza ubukhosi bakhe bendawo yonke. Umbuzo onzima obhekene nathi sonke uwukuthi ubani manje oyogcina ukuthembeka embusweni kaJehova? Ukuma kwethu manje kulendaba kuyosho ukuzuza kwethu ukuphila okuphakade noma ukuthola ukubhujiswa kwaphakade!

3. Iluphi usizi olwenzeka ngo-607 B.C.E., futhi kungani lokhu kungabonisanga ukungathembeki kukaJehova?

³ Nokho ingabe uJehova uNkulunkulu wawulahla umbuso wakhe emuva lé ngonyaka ka-607 B.C.E.? Kungani kuphakama umbuzo onje? Kungoba ngalowonyaka wavumela umbuso waseBabiloni ngaphansi kukaNebukadinesari ukuba ubhubhise kokubili iJerusalema nethempeli lalo futhi wachitha umbuso wamaJuda kwehle kuze kube manje. Kuyiqiniso, kodwa nokho uNkulunkulu ngaleyondlela akazange abulahle ubukhosi bakhe, noma ukubusa. Eqinisweni uYena owamemezela ukubhujiswa komuzi wobukhosi iJerusalema. Nokho lokhu kwakungesona isenzo sokungathembeki embusweni wakhe osizayo phezu kwabantu bakhe abakhethiwe. Wenza ngokwezimiso zesivumelwano asenza noIsrayeli futhi esanezela esivumelwaneni sasendulo sobuAbrahama. Ngalowonyaka ka-607 B.C.E. uJuda nensali kaIsrayeli babengabakhulu abaphuli besivumelwano. Ngakho uNkulunkulu wasebenzelana nabo ngokwezimiso zomthetho wesivumelwano esamelelwa uMose entabeni yaseSinayi.

INkosi ‘Emfanelo Ingeyayo’

4. Amazwi aphefumlelwe kaHezekeli 21:25-27 akubonisa kanjani ukuthembeka kukaJehova?

⁴ Ngokuqondene nenkosi yokugcina yakwaJuda eJerusalema, uNkulunkulu waphefumlela umprofethi wakhe uHezekeli (owayesethunjelwe eBabiloni kakade) ukuba athi: “Wenasikhulu sakwaIsrayeli, shinga elibulalayo, elilusuku lwakho lufike ngesikhathi sokuphela kokubi, isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Susa isigqoko, wethule umqhele; lokhu akuyikubayikho; phakamisa okuthobileyo, uthobise okuphakemeyo. Kuyakugumbuqelwa, kugumbuqelwe, kugumbuqelwe yimi; nalokho akuyikubakhona, aze afike yena omfanelo ingeyakhe, ngimnike khona.”—Hezekeli 21:25-27.

5. (a) Kungani ukonakalisa umbuso kwakuyoba okwesikhashana kuphela? (b) Lokhu kwaqinisekiswa kanjani eminyakeni engaphezu kwama-600 kamuva?

⁵ Ngokwalawomazwi iNkosi uJehova uNkulunkulu yayisenokuphatha okuqinile ezindabeni zombuso. Ukubhujiswa kombuso wakhe osizayo emhlabeni kwakuzoba okwesikhashana. Ngesikhathi sakhe esimisiwe omfanelo ingeyakhe ebukhosini bobuMesiya wayezokuza, khona-ke iNkosi uNkulunkulu uJehova imnike bona. Ukuphathwa okungokomthetho kobukhosi kwakumelwe kulinde kuze kube yilesosikhathi. Njengoba ilungelo lesivumelwano lalilokhu lisemkhayeni wobukhosi kaDavide, lowo owayezoza futhi nobukhosi bunikezwe yena kwakumelwe abe ngumzukulu wenkosi éthembekileyo uDavide. Kwakungenxa yokuthembeka kukaDavide ebuKhosini bukaJehova baphakade ukuthi lesisivumelwano senziwa naye ngombuso waphakade ohlwini lwendlu yakhe. (2 Samuweli 7:8-16) Ngaphezu kwamakhulu ayisithupha eminyaka kamuva, noma ngonyaka ka-2 B.C.E., ingelosi evela kuNkulunkulu yabonakala kowesifazane wozalo lwenkosi uDavide yamazisa ukuthi wayezoba unina wendlalifa ethenjisiwe kaDavide. Ingelosi yaqhubeka yathi: “INkosi uNkulunkulu uyakumnika isihlalo sobukhosi sikayise uDavide; uyakuba yinkosi yendlu kaJakobe kuze kubephakade nombuso wakhe awuyikubanakuphela.” Igama lakhe kwakuyothiwa uJesu.—Luka 1:32, 33; Mathewu 1:18-23.

6. (a) UJesu waba kanjani indlalifa efanelekile yombuso kaDavide? (b) Kungani lokhu kwaba okwengeziwe kunokuba umbuso wasemhlabeni?

⁶ Ngokuzalwa kwakhe emzini omkhulu kaDavide, iBethlehema, uJesu iNdodana kaNkulunkulu evela ezulwini waba yindlalifa yemvelo yesithembiso sesivumelwano sombuso uNkulunkulu asenza nokhokho wakhe uDavide. Ilungelo lasembusweni laba ngelakhe ngokomthetho nangozalo. Kodwa lapho uJesu ebhapathizwa futhi egcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, uYise wasezulwini, lowombuso waba ngaphezu ko kuba nje uhulumeni wasemhlabeni phezu kwendlu kaJakobe noma uIsrayeli. Ngalesosikhathi wazalwa ngomoya kaYise wasezulwini kanjalo waba yiNdodana kaNkulunkulu engokomoya egcinelwe ukuphila kwasezulwini. Njengonjalo wayegcotshwe ngomoya kaNkulunkulu futhi kanjalo waba uMesiya, igama elisho ukuthi oGcotshiweyo.—IzEnzo 4:27; 10:38; Isaya 61:1-3.

7. (a) Kungani uJesu engawutholanga umbuso wobuMesiya ngokushesha? (b) Okwangalesosikhathi, ibuphi ubukhosi abalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe ababeyobuqaphela?

⁷ Njengoba manje umbuso wawungowasezulwini, uNkulunkulu akamnikanga wona ngesikhathi esemhlabeni, futhi hhayi masinyane emva kokwenyukela emuva ezulwini. Nakuba ayeqashelwa njengeNkosi phezu kwebandla lakhe elingokomoya labafundi abagcotshiwe emhlabeni, ukunikwa kwakhe umbuso wobuMesiya kwakuzolinda kuze kube sekupheleni kwalokho uJesu ngokwakhe akubiza ngokuthi “izikhathi zabeZizwe,” noma “izikhathi ezimisiwe zabeZizwe.”—Kolose 1:13; Luka 21:24; qhathanisa neAuthorized Version.

8. (a) Iyiphi inkathi ehlanganiswa ‘isikhathi esimisiwe sabeZizwe,’ futhi iziphi izehlakalo ezinengqondo ezaphawula isiphelo sayo? (b) “Isibonakaliso” siye saba kanjani esihlaba umxhwele, futhi siye saba yini isici esivelele?

⁸ Lezo“zikhathi ezimisiwe” zase ziqalile kakade ngonyaka ka-607 B.C.E. ngokubhujiswa kokuqala kweJerusalema ngabaseBabiloni, okwalandelwa ukuchithwa okupheleleyo kwezwe laseJudiya. Ngokwencwadi yesiprofetho kaDaniyeli, isahluko4, lezo“zikhathi” zaziyoba isikhombisa, zifinyelele ingqikithi yeminyaka eyizi-2 520. Ngakho-ke, njengoba zaqala ekuchithweni okuphelele kweJerusalema nezwe lakwaJuda nelakwaBenjamini ekuqaleni kwentwasahlobo ka-607 B.C.E., zazifanele ukuphela entwasahlobo ka-1914 C.E. Ngokufanelekileyo, iMpi Yezwe I yagqashuka ngasekupheleni kuka-1914 C.E. Ngaleyondlela lesisiprofetho uJesu asisho ngokumayelana ne“sibonakaliso” esiphawula “ukuphela kwalesisimiso sezinto” saqala ukugcwaliseka. (Mathewu izahluko 24, 25; Marku isahluko 13; Luka isahluko 21) Kusukela lapho “isibonakaliso” esabikezelwa siye saya sikhanya futhi sithinta izinhliziyo ngokwedlulele. Ebonisa okuzoba yisici esiqhamile sale“sibonakaliso” uJesu wathi: “Lelivangeli lombuso liyakushunyayelwa ezweni lonke, kube ubufakazi ezizweni zonke, andukuba kufike ukuphela.”—Mathewu 24:14.

9, 10. (a) Maqondana nempikiswano yokwethembeka, manje sekufike yiphi inkathi? (b) Izidalwa zasezulwini ezlngathembekile zakhishwa kanjani, futhi namuphi umphumela emhlabeni wethu?

⁹ Ah, yebo, lesikhathi sase sifikile ekugcineni ukuba umbuso wobuDavide unikezwe iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ekhazinyulisiwe ezulwini, njengoba kwakuyiyo kuphela ‘emfanelo ingeyayo’ kuwo ngokomthetho omkhulu kaNkulunkulu. Lokhu kwaholela ekulweni kwasezulwini. Kungani kunjalo?

¹⁰ Nokho, ngenxa yokuthi iNkosi yobuMesiya yaqala ukubusa ngalesosikhathi, sase sifikile isikhathi sokuba ichithe ezulwini bonke abaphikisana nombuso omusha, okungukuthi, uSathane uDeveli nempi yakhe yamademoni. Laba baphonswa phansi emhlabeni, lapho isimiso sezinto esiphethwe amademoni namanje sisamile. Anjalo amandla ama bi ezingelosi avinjelwe phakade emazulwini kaNkulunkulu lapho kuhlala khona izingelosi zakhe ezithembekileyo. Lezozingelosi ezingamambuka ezaphonswa phansi ziyoqhubeka zigcinwe endaweni yobumnyama kuze kube yilapho zibanjwa ziboshwa ngokuphelele kwalasha iminyaka eyinkulungwane. “Ukulwa ezulwini” nomphumela wakho kuchazwe ngokwesiprofetho IsAm esahlukweni se-12 kusAmbulo. Ngemva kokuba sebechithiwe ezulwini, kwezwakala ukuhuba kokunqoba kwezingelosi: “Kalokhu insindiso nobukhosi ngokukaNkulunkulu wethu, nombuso ngokaKristu [uMesiya] wakhe, ngokuba uphonswé phansi ummangaleli wabazalwane bethu obamangalela phambi kukaNkulunkulu wethu imini nobusuku.” (IsAmbulo 12:10) Kwakusho ukuthini lokhu kwabakhileyo embulungeni yomhlaba? Kwakugcizelela umaye kuso sonke isintu emhlabeni!

Isikhathi Sokwahlulelwa Kwabathembekileyo

11, 12. (a) Iluphi uvivinyo maqondana nokwethembeka olwenzekayo manje? (b) Ukushumayela ngoMbuso kuhileleke kanjani? (c) Kukanjani lesi kuyisikhathi sokuvuna, futhi kunokwenzeka izingelosi zisetshenziswa kanjani?

¹¹ Phakathi nalesisikhathi sika“maye kuwe-mhlaba nakuwelulwandle, ngokuba uSathane wehlele kini enolaka olukhulu, azi ukuthi isikhathi sakhe sifushane,” bekuyisikhathi sokuvivinywa kokwethembeka​—ukuthembeka esimisweni esibi sezinto sikaDeveli noma ukuthembeka embusweni kaNkulunkulu manje osumisiwe emazulwini ezandleni zikaJesu Kristu. (IsAmbulo 12:12) Kuyisikhathi lapho bonke abathi bangabafundi bakaKristu kumelwe bahlulelwe ukuze kubonakale ukujula kokwethembeka kwabo kulowombuso omisiwe. Ingabe bayoba abashumayeli abashisekayo bezindaba ezinhle zalowombuso “ezweni lonke, kube ubufakazi ezizweni zonke”? Lesisikhathi soshintsho sifaniswa futhi nesikhathi sokuvuna ngenjongo yokuhlukanisa amaKristu eqiniso kwawamanga. Njengoba nje uJesu aprofetha emfanekisweni wakhe wamabele nokhula: “Ukuvuna kungukuphela kwezwe; nabavuni yizingelosi.” (Mathewu 13:39) Izingelosi ezinjalo kusenokwenzeka yizo ezisetshenziswa yiNkosi uJehova ukuba zifeze umyalo wakhe njengoba ubekwe kumaHubo 50:5: “Buthelani kimi [abathembekileyo, NW] abangcwele bami, abenza isivumelwano nami ngomhlatshelo.”

¹² KumaKristu okuzisholo ahluleka ukuphumelela ovivinyweni lokwethembeka eMbusweni, uNkulunkulu uthi: “Yini ukuba ushumayele izimiso zami, uphathe isivumelwano sami ngomlomo wakho?”—AmaHubo 50:16.

13, 14. (a) Ungasichaza kanjani “isivumelwano” seHubo 50:5, 16? (b) Kukuziphi izivumelwano ezimbili amaKristu agcotshiwe okumelwe ‘athembeke kuzo’?

¹³ “Isivumelwano” okubhekiselwe kuso kulamavesi angenhla (IHu 50:5, 16) akusona esomuntu siqu esenziwe abangcwele ngomhlatshelo womuntu siqu owenziwa othile. Kunalokho, siyisivumelwano sesizwe. Isivumelwano soMthetho kaMose esenziwa nesizwe sakwaIsrayeli eNtabeni iSinayi eArabiya sasetshenziswa ngokwesiprofetho ukumelela isivumelwano esisha esenziwa “nesizwe esingcwele” sikaIsrayeli ongokomoya uMose oMkhulu, uJesu Kristu, njengomlamuleli. (Jeremiya 31:31-34) Ngobusuku bePhasika lika-33 C.E. uJesu wamisa iSidlo SeNkosi sakusihlwa noma iNdlakusihlwa futhi wathi: “Lesisitsha siyisivumelwano esisha egazini lami elithululelwa nina.” (Luka 22:20) Ngakho-ke isivumelwano esisha saqiniswa ngegazi lomhlatshelo njengoba lathululwa ekufeni kukaJesu Kristu. “Abangcwele [abathembekileyo, NW] labo uJesu abaletha esivumelwaneni esisha ubaletha “esivumelwaneni . . . sombuso.” (Luka 22:28-30; Mathewu 26:29; Marku 14:25; IHubo 116:15) Bese kulandelani?

¹⁴ AmaKristu alethwa esivumelwaneni esisha, okuyi“sivumelwano . . . ngomhlatshelo,” akumelwe athembeke kuso kuphela kodwa futhi athembeke “esivumelwaneni . . . sombuso.” Laba bangamaIsrayeli angokomoya, “uIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu.”—Galathiya 6:16.

15. Kungaziphi izindlela okumelwe amaIsrayeli angokomoya azibonakalise ‘ethembeke’ ngazo?

¹⁵ “Kulesisiphelo sesimiso sezinto,” kunensali yanjalo amaIsrayeli angokomoya esekhona emhlabeni. Bona ngokukhethekile bafanelekile ukwenza ngokuvumelana neziprofetho zikaJesu: “Lelivangeli lombuso liyoshunyayelwa ezweni lonke, kubengubufakazi ezizweni zonke.” (Mathewu 24:14) Abanakusibalekela lesisibopho, uma befuna ukuthembeka “embusweni weNkosi [uJehova] nokaKristu wayo.” (IsAmbulo 11:15) Abanakuba yingxenye yalesisimiso esibi sezinto kanye nezombangazwe zaso, nobugovu baso bezentengiselwano nenkolo yamanga. AmaKristu agcotshiwe akhuleka ngokusuka enhliziyweni umthandazo iNkosi yawo eyawafundisa wona: “Baba wethu osezulwini, malingcweliswe igama lakho; mawufike umbuso wakho; mayenziwe intando yakho emhlabeni njengasezulwini.” (Mathewu 6:9, 10) Esikhundleni sokuba bazigaxe kwezombangazwe zalesisimiso sezinto esihlukeneyo, bamelwe benze ngokungachezuki lokho iNkosi yabo, “iNkosi yamakhosi, noMbusi wababusi,” akusho: “Kodwa funani kuqala umbuso kaNkulunkulu nokulunga kwakhe, khona konke lokhu kuyakwenezelwa nina.” (IsAmbulo 19:16; Mathewu 6:33) Kungaleyondlela kuphela abangakwazi ngayo ukuzibonakalisa ‘bengabathembekile’ bengabakaIsrayeli ongokomoya lowo ‘oye wenza isivumelwano noJehova uNkulunkulu ngomhlatshelo,’ umhlatshelo kaJesu owaba umkhulumeli wesivumelwano esisha.

“Ezinye Izimvu” Ezithembekile

16. Amavesi asembhalweni aphawulwe lapha asikhomba kanjani esinye isigaba esithembekile sesixuku esikhulu?

¹⁶ Ukuthembeka okufanayo kumelwe kubonakaliswe namuhla yilesosigaba sabantu abazinikezele ababhapathiziwe abafanekiselwa yi“ngxubevange yabantu” abaphuma eGibithe namaIsrayeli futhi ababekhona lapho kwenziwa isivumelwano soMthetho eNtabeni yaseSinayi. (Eksodusi 12:38; Numeri 11:4) Laba bahambelana “nesixuku esikhulu” umphostoli uJohane asichaza kusAmbulo 7:9-17. Emfanekisweni kaJesu wezimvu nezimbuzi bafanekiselwa futhi “izimvu” ezenza okuhle kubafowabo benkosi uJesu Kristu abangokomoya, kusukela aqala ukubusa ngo-1914.—Mathewu 24:3; 25:31-46.

17. (a) Le“sixuku esikhulu” siyingxenye yani, futhi siba ‘mhlambi munye’ nobani? (b) ‘Singazibusisa ngokuqinisekile ngokwaso’ kanjani? (Genesise 22:15-18)

¹⁷ Abathembekileyo abanjalo ngabe“zinye izimvu” uJesu athi azisizo “ezalesisibaya [sobuAbrahama.]” lapho “umhlambi omncane” wezi-144 000 uzithola ukhona. Nokho lesi“sixuku esikhulu” sabathembekileyo siba “mhlambimunye” nalabo abakuleso“sibaya” ngokuba basondezwe eduze nalabo bezindlalifa zombuso kaBaba wabo osezulwini. (Johane 10:16; Luka 12:32) Ukuze babe“mhlambimunye” nalabo “aba thembekileyo” abasesivumelwaneni esisha noJehova uNkulunkulu ngomhlatshelo kaKristu, kumelwe nabo babonise ukuthembeka kwabo embusweni weNkosi yethu uJehova nokaKristu wayo.

18. (a) Uyini umvuzo wamanje walabo abazibonakalisa bethembekile? (b) Singakubonisa kanjani ukwazisa ukwethembeka kukaJehova kithi?

¹⁸ Mkhulu umvuzo wamanje wabo bonke ababonakalisa ukuthembeka. UDavide inkosi yasendulo, egcwele ukwazisa ngoJehova uNkulunkulu iNkosi yasezuIwini, wathi: “Kothembekileyo uzibonakalisa uthembekile.” (AmaHubo 18:25; 2 Samuweli 22:26) Futhi uDavide wathi: “Ngokuba uJehova uthanda ukulunga, akabashiyi abangcwele bakhe.” (AmaHubo 37:28) IzAga 2:8 ziyasiqinisekisa: “Elondoloza imikhondo yabathembekileyo bakhe.” Awu, yebo, uJehova ungoyinhloko yokwethembeka, futhi noKristu wakhe umlingisa ngokupheleleyo kulemfanelo. Ekwaziseni kwethu ukuthembeka kukaNkulunkulu kithi ngoKristu, kwangathi kulolusuku lokwahlulela, singabonakalisa ukuthembeka kwethu okungazamazami kuJehova nasembusweni wakhe omiswe ngoJesu, iNdodana yakhe ethembeke kakhulu!

UKUBUKEZA, UKUTHEMBEKA KUBONISWA KANJANI​—

□ Ekuvumeni kukaDavide uJehova njengeNkosi?

□ Ekukhipheni kukaJehova isahlulelo eJerusalema elingalaleli?

□ Ekunikezeni kukaNkulunkulu umbuso wobuDavide eNdodaneni yakhe ngo-1914?

□ Ekulweni kweNkosi yobuMesiya ezulwini?

□ Emsebenzini wensali egcotshiwe namuhla?

□ Ekusekeleni insali okwenziwa “isixuku esikhulu”

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Onke amabutho ezingelosi angagcinanga ukuthembeka embusweni kaNkulunkulu akhishwa ezulwini lapho iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ethembekile iqala ukubusa

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Ukuthembeka eMbusweni kudinga ukuba umuntu abe umshumayeli wawo oshisekayo kwabanye