Uyisakhamuzi Noma Ungowezizwe, UNkulunkulu Uyakwamukela!
“Wazenza izizwe zonke ngagazi linye ukuba zakhe ebusweni bonke bomhlaba.”—IZENZO 17:26.
1. Ibuphi ubunzima obukhona ezindaweni eziningi namuhla mayelana nokwamukelwa kwabantu bezinye izizinda?
IMIBIKO yamaphephandaba ibonisa ukuthi emazweni amaningi kunokukhathazeka okukhulayo ngabezizwe, izifiki, nababaleki. Izigidi zisha amashushu ngokuthutha ezingxenyeni zaseAsia, eAfrika, eYurophu, naseMelika. Mhlawumbe zifuna ukukhululeka ebumpofwini obucindezelayo, impi yombango, noma ushushiso. Kodwa ingabe zamukelekile kwezinye izindawo? Umagazini iTime wathi: “Njengoba inhlanganisela yezinhlanga zaseYurophu iqala ukushintsha, amanye amazwe athola ukuthi awawavumeli kangako amasiko abezizwe njengoba ayeke acabanga.” Ngababaleki abangu-18 000 000 “abangafunwa,” iTime yathi: “Inselele abayibeka ezizweni ezizinzile ngeke iphele.”
2, 3. (a) Isiphi isiqinisekiso esiqabulayo esinikezwa iBhayibheli mayelana nokwamukelwa? (b) Kungani singazuza ekuhloleni lokho imiBhalo ekushoyo ngokusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu nabantu?
2 Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani mayelana nalendaba, iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wamukela abantu bazo zonke izizwe—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi umuntu uyisakhamuzi esingumsinsi wokuzimilela, isifiki, noma umbaleki. (IzEnzo 10:34, 35) Abanye bangabuza, ‘Kodwa ningakusho kanjani lokho? UNkulunkulu akazange yini akhethe uIsrayeli wasendulo kuphela njengabantu bakhe, elahla abanye?’
3 Nokho, ake sibone indlela uNkulunkulu asebenzelana ngayo nabantu basendulo. Singahlola futhi iziprofetho ezithile ezihlobene namalungelo atholakalayo kubakhulekeli beqiniso namuhla. Ukubukeza lokhu kwaziswa okungokwesiprofetho kungembula ukuqonda okugcwele ongase ukuthole kukhuthaza kakhulu. Futhi kubonisa indlela uNkulunkulu angasebenzelana ngayo nabantu ngabanye ‘bazo zonke izizwe, nemindeni, nabantu, nezilimi’ ngemva kosizi olukhulu.—IsAmbulo 7:9, 14-17.
“Ziyakubusiswa Izizwe Zonke”
4. Inkinga yobuzwe yaqala kanjani, kodwa iziphi izinyathelo uNkulunkulu azithatha?
4 Ngemva kukaZamcolo, umkhaya kaNowa waveza sonke isintu, futhi wonke wawungabakhulekeli beqiniso. Kodwa lobobunye bashintsha ngokushesha. Kungakadluli isikhathi eside, abanye abantu, bengayinaki intando kaNkulunkulu, baqala ukwakha umbhoshongo. Lokhu kwaholela ekubeni isintu sihlukane sibe amaqembu ezilimi aba abantu abahlakazekile nezizwe. (Genesise 11:1-9) Noma kunjalo, ukukhulekela kweqiniso kwaqhubeka ngohlu lozalo olwaholela kuAbrahama. UNkulunkulu wabusisa uAbrahama othembekile futhi wathembisa ukuthi inzalo yakhe yayiyoba isizwe esikhulu. (Genesise 12:1-3) Lesosizwe sasinguIsrayeli wasendulo.
5. Kungani sonke singakhuthazeka ngokusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu noAbrahama?
5 Nokho, uJehova wayengabakhipheli ngaphandle abantu abangeyena uIsrayeli, ngoba injongo yakhe yanwebeka ukuze ihlanganise sonke isintu. Lokhu sikubona ngokusobala kulokho uNkulunkulu akuthembisa uAbrahama: “[Ngembewu, NW] yakho ziyakubusiswa izizwe zonke zomhlaba, ngokuba ulalele izwi lami.” (Genesise 22:18) Nokho, emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka uNkulunkulu wasebenzelana noIsrayeli ngendlela ekhethekile, enikeza isimiso soMthetho sesizwe sonke, elungiselela ukuba abapristi benze imihlatshelo ethempelini lakhe, futhi elungiselela iZwe Lesithembiso ukuba uIsrayeli ahlale kulo.
6. Amalungiselelo uNkulunkulu awenzela uIsrayeli ayeyobazuzisa kanjani bonke?
6 Umthetho kaNkulunkulu kuIsrayeli wawulungele abantu bazo zonke izizwe ngoba ukuba nesono kwabantu wakuveza obala, ubonisa isidingo somhlatshelo ophelele wokuhlawulela izono zabantu unomphela. (Galathiya 3:19; Heberu 7:26-28; 9:9; 10:1-12) Nokho, isiphi isiqinisekiso esasikhona sokuthi iMbewu ka-Abrahama—leyo zonke izizwe ezaziyobusiswa ngayo—yayiyofika futhi ihlangabezane nezimfuneko? UMthetho kaIsrayeli wasiza nalapha. Wenqabela ukuganiselana namaKhanani, abantu ababenedumela elibi lemikhuba namasiko onakele, njengomkhuba wokushisa abantwana bephila. (Levitikusi 18:6-24; 20:2, 3; Duteronomi 12:29-31; 18:9-12) UNkulunkulu wayala ukuba ashatshalaliswe kanye nemikhuba yawo. Lokhu kwakuzoba ngokwenzuzo ehlala njalo yabo bonke, kuhlanganise nomfokazi ogogobeleyo, njengoba kwakuyosiza ekugcineni uhlu lozalo lweMbewu lungonakalisiwe.—Levitikusi 18:24-28; Duteronomi 7:1-5; 9:5; 20:15-18.
7. Isiphi isibonakaliso sokuqala esasikhona sokuthi uNkulunkulu wayebamukela abafokazi?
7 Ngisho nangesikhathi uMthetho usasebenza futhi uNkulunkulu esabheka uIsrayeli njengokhethekile, wabonisa isihe kwabangewona amaIsrayeli. Ukuzimisela kwakhe ukwenza kanjalo kwakubonakaliswe lapho uIsrayeli ephuma ebugqilini baseGibithe eya ezweni lakhe siqu. “Kwenyuka nabo ingxubevange yabantu.” (Eksodusi 12:38) Uprofesa C. F. Keil uchaza labo ngokuthi “uquqaba lwabezizwe . . . inhlanganisela, noma isixuku sabantu bezizwe ezihlukahlukene.” (Levitikusi 24:10; Numeri 11:4) Cishe abaningi babo babengabaseGibithe abamukela uNkulunkulu weqiniso.
Ukwamukelwa Kwabezizwe
8. AbaseGibeyoni bayithola kanjani indawo phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu?
8 Njengoba uIsrayeli ayenza ngokuvumelana nomyalo kaNkulunkulu wokuqeda izizwe ezingcolile eZweni Lesithembiso, wavikela iqembu elilodwa labezizwe, abaseGibeyoni, ababehlala enyakatho yeJerusalema. Bathumela kuJoshuwa amanxusa ayezifihlile ukuthi angobani, ezocela ukuthula futhi akuzuza. Lapho icebo labo lidaluleka, uJoshuwa wayala ngokuthi abaseGibeyoni babeyokhonza ‘njengabagawuli bemithi nabakhi bamanzi kuyo inhlangano nakulo ialtare likaJehova.’ (Joshuwa 9:3-27) Nanamuhla izifiki eziningi zamukela izikhundla eziphansi zenkonzo ukuze zibe yingxenye yabantu abasha.
9. Isibonelo sikaRahabi nomkhaya wakubo sikhuthaza kanjani maqondana nabezizwe kwaIsrayeli?
9 Kungase kukukhuthaze ukwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu akamukelanga amaqembu abezizwe kuphela emuva ngalesosikhathi; nabantu ngabanye babemukelekile futhi. Namuhla ezinye izizwe zamukela kuphela izifiki ezinesikhundla esiphakeme emphakathini, umcebo ezingawufaka, noma imfundo ephakeme. Akunjalo ngoJehova, njengoba sibona esenzakalweni esenzeka ngaphambidlana nje kwesigameko nabaseGibeyoni. Sasihilela umKhanani owayengenaso nakancane isikhundla esiphakeme emphakathini. IBhayibheli limbiza ngokuthi “uRahabi isifebe.” Ngenxa yokholo lwakhe kuNkulunkulu weqiniso, yena nabakubo bakhululwa lapho iJeriko liwa. Nakuba uRahabi ayengowezizwe, amaIsrayeli amemukela. Wayeyisibonelo sokholo okufanele sisilingise. (Heberu 11:30, 31, 39, 40; Joshuwa 2:1-21; 6:1-25) Waba ngisho nawukhokhokazi kaMesiya.—Mathewu 1:5, 16.
10. Ukwamukelwa kwabezizwe kwaIsrayeli kwakuxhomeke kukuphi?
10 Abangewona amaIsrayeli babemukelwa eZweni Lesithembiso kuye ngomzamo wabo wokuthokozisa uNkulunkulu weqiniso. AmaIsrayeli atshelwa ukuba angabi nobudlelwano, ikakhulukazi ngokwenkolo, nalabo ababengamkhonzi uJehova. (Joshuwa 23:6, 7, 12, 13; 1 AmaKhosi 11:1-8; IzAga 6:23-28) Noma kunjalo izihambi eziningi ezazingewona amaIsrayeli zayilalela imithetho eyisisekelo. Abanye baze baba ngisho nangamaproselithe asokiwe, futhi uJehova wabemukela ngokugcwele njengamalungu ebandla lakhe.—Levitikusi 20:2; 24:22; Numeri 15:14-16; IzEnzo 8:27.a
11, 12. (a) AmaIsrayeli kwakumelwe abaphathe kanjani abakhulekeli babezizwe? (b) Kungani kungase kudingeke sithuthuke ekulandeleni isibonelo sikaJehova?
11 UNkulunkulu waqondisa amaIsrayeli ukuba alingise isimo sakhe sengqondo ngakubakhulekeli bezizwe: “Umfokazi ogogobeleyo kini uyakuba-kini njengowokuzalwa ekhaya phakathi kwenu, umthande njengalokhu uzithanda wena, ngokuba naningabafokazi ezweni laseGibithe.” (Levitikusi 19:33, 34; Duteronomi 1:16; 10:12-19) Lokhu kusinika isifundo, ngisho nakuba singekho ngaphansi koMthetho. Kulula ukuwela ogibeni lobandlululo nenzondo ngalabo bolunye uhlanga, isizwe, noma impucuko. Ngakho senza kahle ngokubuza: ‘Ingabe ngiyazama ukuhlukana nobandlululo olunjalo, ngilandela isibonelo sikaJehova?’
12 AmaIsrayeli ayenobufakazi obubonakalayo bokwamukelwa uNkulunkulu. INkosi uSolomoni yathandaza: “Owezizwe ongesiye owabantu bakho uIsrayeli, lapho evela ezweni elikude ngenxa yegama lakho . . . ebeseza ukukhuleka kulendlu, mawuzwe wena ezulwini . . . ukuze bonke abantu bomhlaba bazi igama lakho, bakwesabe.”—1 AmaKhosi 8:41-43; 2 IziKronike 6:32, 33.
13. Kungani uNkulunkulu enza ilungiselelo lokushintsha ukusebenzelana kwakhe noIsrayeli?
13 Ngenkathi uJehova esasebenzisa isizwe sakwaIsrayeli njengabantu bakhe futhi ngaleyondlela evikela uhlu lozalo lukaMesiya, uNkulunkulu wabikezela ushintsho oluphawulekayo. Ngaphambidlana, ngenkathi uIsrayeli evuma ukuba sesivumelwaneni soMthetho, uNkulunkulu wathembisa ukuthi wayengaba umthombo ‘wombuso wabapristi nesizwe esingcwele.’ (Eksodusi 19:5, 6) Kodwa uIsrayeli wabonisa ukungathembeki amakhulu amaningi eminyaka. Ngakho uJehova wabikezela ukuthi wayeyokwenza isivumelwano esisha okwakuyothi ngaphansi kwaso labo abakha ‘indlu kaIsrayeli’ bathethelelwe iziphambeko nezono zabo. (Jeremiya 31:33, 34) Lesosivumelwano esisha salindela uMesiya, omhlatshelo wakhe wawuyobahlanza ngempela abaningi esonweni.—Isaya 53:5-7, 10-12.
AmaIsrayeli Ezulwini
14. Yimuphi “uIsrayeli” omusha owemukelwa uJehova, futhi kanjani?
14 ImiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki isisiza ukuba siqonde indlela konke lokhu okwafezwa ngayo. UJesu wayenguMesiya, okufa kwakhe kwagcwalisa uMthetho futhi kwabeka isisekelo sokuthethelelwa izono ngokuphelele. Ukuze athole leyonzuzo, umuntu kwakungadingeki ukuba abe umJuda osokwe enyameni. Cha. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala ukuthi esivumelwaneni esisha, “umJuda yilowo onguye ngaphakathi, nokusoka kungokwenhliziyo, ngomoya kungengegama.” (Roma 2:28, 29; 7:6) Labo ababonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu bathola intethelelo, futhi uNkulunkulu wabamukela ‘njengabangamaJuda ngomoya,’ akha isizwe esingokomoya esibizwa ngokuthi “uIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu.”—Galathiya 6:16.
15. Kungani ubuzwe obungokwenyama bungesona isici sokuba ingxenye kaIsrayeli ongokomoya?
15 Yebo, ukwamukelwa kuIsrayeli ongokomoya kwakungaxhomekile esizindeni esithile esingokobuzwe noma ubuhlanga. Abanye, njengabaphostoli bakaJesu, babengamaJuda emvelo. Abanye, njengenduna yempi engumRoma uKorneliyu, babengabeZizwe abangasokiwe. (IzEnzo 10:34, 35, 44-48) UPawulu washo lokhu ngokunembile ngoIsrayeli ongokomoya: “[Akukho] mGreki namJuda, ukusoka nokungasoki, owezizwe noma umSkithe, isigqila noma okhululekileyo.” (Kolose 3:11) Labo abagcotshwe ngoMoya kaNkulunkulu baba ‘uhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubupristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, abantu abazuziweyo.’—1 Petru 2:9; qhathanisa noEksodusi 19:5, 6.
16, 17. (a) Iyiphi indima amaIsrayeli angokomoya anayo enjongweni kaNkulunkulu? (b) Kungani kufanelekile ukucabangela labo abangesiye uIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu?
16 Iliphi ikusasa amaIsrayeli angokomoya analo enjongweni kaNkulunkulu? UJesu waphendula: “Ungesabi, mhlambi omncane; ngokuba kwathandeka kuYihlo ukuninika umbuso.” (Luka 12:32) Abagcotshiwe, ‘abangabombuso wasezulwini,’ bayoba izindlalifa kanye neWundlu ekubuseni koMbuso walo. (Filipi 3:20; Johane 14:2, 3; IsAmbulo 5:9, 10) IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi laba ‘babekwe uphawu kubantwana bakwaIsrayeli’ futhi “bathengwa ebantwini, babe-lulibo kuNkulunkulu nakulo iWundlu.” Bangu-144 000. Nokho, ngemva kokulandisa ngalelinani elibekwa uphawu, uJohane uveza iqembu elihlukile—“isixuku esikhulu ebesingenakubalwa-muntu, sivela kuzo zonke izizwe, nemindeni, nabantu, nezilimi.”—IsAmbulo 7:4, 9; 14:1-4.
17 Abanye bangase babuze: ‘Kuthiwani ngezigidi ezingeyona ingxenye kaIsrayeli ongokomoya, njengalabo abangase badlule osizini olukhulu njengalesosixuku esikhulu? Iyiphi indima abanayo namuhla ngokuhlobene nabambalwa abasasele bakaIsrayeli ongokomoya?’b
Abezizwe Eziprofethweni
18. Yini eyaholela ekubuyeni kukaIsrayeli ekuthunjweni kwaseBabiloni?
18 Uma siphindela emuva esikhathini lapho uIsrayeli engaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho kodwa engathembeki kuso, sithola ukuthi uNkulunkulu wanquma ukuvumela abaseBabiloni ukuba bamchithe uIsrayeli. Ngo-607 B.C.E., uIsrayeli wathunjwa iminyaka engu-70. Khona-ke uNkulunkulu wasihlenga lesosizwe. Ngaphansi kobuholi boMbusi uZerubabele, insali kaIsrayeli ongokwemvelo yaphindela ezweni lakubo. Ababusi bamaMede namaPheresiya, ababechithe iBabiloni, baze babasiza nokubasiza ngamalungiselelo athile labathunjwa ababebuyela emuva. Incwadi kaIsaya yabikezela ngalezenzakalo. (Isaya 1:1-9; 3:1-26; 14:1-5; 44:21-28; 47:1-4) Futhi uEzra usinikeza imininingwane engokomlando ngalokho kubuya.—Ezra 1:1-11; 2:1, 2.
19. Ngokuvumelana nokubuya kukaIsrayeli, kwakunayiphi inkomba engokwesiprofetho yokuthi abezizwe babeyohileleka?
19 Nokho, lapho ebikezela ngokuhlengwa nokubuya kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu, uIsaya washo lesiprofetho esimangalisayo: “Izizwe ziyakuhamba ekukhanyeni kwakho, namakhosi ekukhazimuleni kokuphuma kwakho.” (Isaya 59:20; 60:3) Lokhu kusho okungaphezu kokuthi abezizwe ngabanye babemukelekile, ngokuvumelana nomthandazo kaSolomoni. UIsaya wayekhomba oshintshweni olungavamile lwesimo. “Izizwe” zaziyokhonza nabantwana bakwaIsrayeli: “Abezizwe bayakuzakha izingange zakho, amakhosi abo akukhonze; noma ngakushaya ngentukuthelo yami, sengiyakuhawukela ngomusa wami.”—Isaya 60:10.
20, 21. (a) Ezikhathini zanamuhla sithola kuphi ukufana ekubuyeni kukaIsrayeli ekuthunjweni? (b) ‘Amadodana namadodakazi’ anezelwa kanjani kamuva kuIsrayeli ongokomoya?
20 Ngezici eziningi, ukuya nokubuya kukaIsrayeli ekuthunjweni kunokufana okuthile ezikhathini zanamuhla noIsrayeli ongokomoya. Ngaphambi kweMpi Yezwe I, insali yamaKristu agcotshiwe yayingahambisani ngokugcwele nentando kaNkulunkulu; yayisabambelele kweminye imibono nemikhuba eyayithathwe emasontweni eLobukholwa. Khona-ke, phakathi nokudideka kwangesikhathi sempi futhi ngokwengxenye ngenxa yokushoshozela kwabefundisi, abaholayo phakathi kwensali kaIsrayeli ongokomoya baboshwa ngokungemthetho. Ngemva kwempi, ngo-1919 C.E., labo abagcotshiwe ababesejele elingokoqobo bakhululwa futhi amacala abo asulwa. Lokhu kwafakazela ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu babekhululiwe ekuthunjweni yiBabiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe lonke wenkolo yamanga. Abantu bakhe baphuma bakha futhi bahlala epharadesi elingokomoya.—Isaya 35:1-7; 65:13, 14.
21 Lokhu kwakubonisiwe encazelweni kaIsaya: “Babuthana bonke, beza kuwe; amadodana akho ayakuvela kude, namadodakazi akho ayakuphathwa ngezingalo. Khona uyakubona, ukhazimule; inhliziyo yakho iyakugquma, yanuleke, ngokuba ingcebo yolwandle iyakuphendulelwa kuwe, nemfuyo yezizwe iyakuza kuwe.” (Isaya 60:4, 5) Emashumini eminyaka alandela, ‘amadodana namadodakazi’ aqhubeka engena, egcotshwa ngomoya ukuba agcwalise izindawo zokugcina kuIsrayeli ongokomoya.
22. “Abezizwe” baye basebenza kanjani ngokubambisana namaIsrayeli angokomoya?
22 Kuthiwani ‘ngabezizwe abayokwakha izingange zakho’? Nalokhu kuye kwenzeka esikhathini sethu. Njengoba ukubizwa kwabangu-144 000 kwakuya ekupheleni, isixuku esikhulu esivela kuzo zonke izizwe saqala ukuthutheleka ekukhulekeleni kanye noIsrayeli ongokomoya. Laba abasha banethemba elisekelwe eBhayibhelini lokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. Nakuba isiphetho senkonzo yabo yokwethembeka siyokwehluka, bakujabulela ukusiza insali egcotshiwe ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso.—Mathewu 24:14.
23. “Abezizwe” baye babasiza ngezinga elingakanani abagcotshiwe?
23 Namuhla, abangaphezu kuka-4 000 000 ‘abangabezizwe,’ bekanye nensali yalabo ‘abangabombuso wasezulwini,’ babonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwabo kuJehova. Abaningi babo, amadoda nabesifazane, abadala nabancane, bakhonza enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele njengamaphayona. Kwamaningi emabandleni angu-66 000, abezizwe abanjalo bathwele imithwalo yemfanelo njengabadala nezinceku ezikhonzayo. Insali iyajabula ngalokhu, ibona ukugcwaliseka kwamazwi kaIsaya: “Abezizwe bayakumela ukwalusa imihlambi yenu, abafokazi babe-ngabalimi benu nabaphathi bezivini zenu.”—Isaya 61:5.
24. Kungani singakhuthazeka ngokusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu noIsrayeli kanye nabanye esikhathini esidlule?
24 Ngakho kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uyisakhamuzi, isifiki, noma umbaleki, kunoma yisiphi isizwe emhlabeni unethuba elihle kakhulu lokuba owezizwe ongokomoya lowo uMninimandla onke amemukela ngokufudumele. Ukwamukelwa nguye kuhlanganisa nokuba sethubeni lokujabulela amalungelo enkonzweni yakhe manje nasesikhathini esizayo esiyoba khona phakade.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Ukuze uthole umehluko phakathi “komfokazi ogogobeleyo,” (alien resident) “ohlala kwelinye izwe,” (settler) “umfokazi,” (stranger) kanye “nowezizwe” (foreigner), bheka i-Insight on the Scriptures, uMqulu 1, amakhasi 72-5, 849-51, ekhishwa yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
b Abangaphezu kuka-10 600 000 baba khona esikhumbuzweni saminyaka yonke seSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa esagujwa oFakazi BakaJehova ngo-1991, kodwa bangu-8 850 kuphela abathi bangabensali kaIsrayeli ongokomoya.
Ingabe Ukuphawulile Lokhu?
◻ UNkulunkulu walinikeza kanjani ithemba lokuthi abantu bazo zonke izizwe babeyokwamukelwa nguYe?
◻ Yini ebonisa ukuthi abanye abantu ngaphandle kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu abakhethekile, uIsrayeli, babengaya kuYe?
◻ Esiprofethweni, uNkulunkulu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi abezizwe babeyozihlanganisa noIsrayeli?
◻ Yini eye yafana nokubuya kukaIsrayeli ekuthunjweni eBabiloni, futhi “abezizwe” baye bahileleka kanjani?
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
INkosi uSolomoni yakhuleka ngabezizwe ababeyokhulekela uJehova