UJehova—UNkulunkulu Wenjongo
“Impela njengokulinganisa kwami kuyakuba-njalo, nanjengokunquma kwami kuyakuma kanjalo.”—ISAYA 14:24.
1, 2. Abaningi bathini ngenjongo yokuphila?
KUYO yonke indawo abantu bayabuza: “Iyini injongo yokuphila?” Umholi wezombangazwe waseNtshonalanga wathi: “Abantu abaningi kunanini ngaphambili bayabuza, ‘Singobani? Iyini injongo yethu?’” Lapho iphephandaba elithile lihlola intsha ngokuphathelene nendaba yalokho injongo yokuphila eyikho, lathola ukusabela okufana nalokhu: “Ukwenza noma yini efiswa yinhliziyo yakho.” “Ukuphilela ukwenza konke ongakwenza umzuzwana ngamunye.” “Ukuhlala uphilile unobungqabavu.” “Ukuzala abantwana, ujabule bese uyafa.” Abaningi babenomuzwa wokuthi lokhu kuphila kuwukuphela kwakho. Akukho namunye owakhuluma ngenjongo yokuphila emhlabeni ehlala isikhathi eside.
2 Isazi esiwumlandeli kaConfucius sathi: “Injongo eyinhloko yokuphila itholakala ebukhoneni bethu obuvamile bobuntu.” Ngokuvumelana nalokhu, abantu bebeyoqhubeka bezalwa, bashikashikeke iminyaka engu-70 noma engu-80, bese beyafa bangabe besaba khona phakade. Usosayensi wokuziphendukela kwemvelo wathi: “Singase silangazelele impendulo ‘engcono kakhulu’—kodwa ayikho etholakalayo.” Kulezizazi zokuziphendukela kwemvelo, ukuphila kuwukulwela ukusinda, okuphelela ekufeni. Amafilosofi anjalo anikeza umbono wokuphila ongenathemba.
3, 4. Izimo zezwe ziyithinta kanjani indlela abaningi ababheka ngayo ukuphila?
3 Abaningi bayangabaza ukuthi ukuphila kunenjongo lapho bebona ukuthi ukuba khona komuntu kuye kwagcwala usizi olukhulu kangaka. Esikhathini sethu, lapho bekufanele ukuba umuntu usefinyelele khona intuthuko yezezimboni neyezesayensi, abantu abangaba yizigidi eziyinkulungwane emhlabeni wonke bagulela ukufa nokuphila noma abondlekile. Izigidi zezingane ziyafa unyaka ngamunye ngenxa yalezimbangela. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lelikhulu lama-20 liye laba nokufa kwabantu okuphindwe izikhathi ezine ngenxa yempi kunokuba kuye kwaba njalo eminyakeni engamakhulu amane edlule ihlangene. Ubugebengu, ubudlova, ukusetshenziswa kabi kwezidakamizwa, ukuwohloka kwemikhaya, ingculaza nezinye izifo ezithathelwana ngobulili—uhlu lwezici ezimbi luyanda. Abaholi bezwe abanalo ikhambi lalezizinkinga.
4 Ngenxa yalezizimo, omunye umuntu washo lokho abaningi abakukholelwayo: “Ukuphila akunanjongo. Uma zonke lezizinto ezimbi zenzeka, khona-ke ukuphila akusho lutho.” Elinye ikhehla lathi: “Bengilokhu ngibuza ukuthi kungani ngilapha konke ukuphila kwami. Uma kunenjongo, angisenandaba.” Ngakho ngenxa yokuthi abaningi abazi ukuthi kungani uNkulunkulu evumela ukuhlupheka, izimo zezwe ezicindezelayo zibabangela ukuba bangabi nalo ithemba langempela lesikhathi esizayo.
5. Kungani izinkolo zalelizwe zenezela ekudidekeni ngokuphathelene nenjongo yokuphila?
5 Ngisho nabaholi benkolo bahlukene phakathi, futhi abaqiniseki ngenjongo yokuphila. Owayewumholi wesigaba sabefundisi base-St. Paul’s Cathedral eLondon wathi: “Kukho konke ukuphila kwami ngiye ngashikashikeka ukuze ngithole injongo yokuphila. . . . Ngihlulekile.” Yiqiniso, abefundisi abaningi bafundisa ukuthi lapho abalungile befa baya ezulwini kanti ababi baya esihogweni somlilo phakade. Kodwa lombono usashiya isintu siqhubeka sikhathazekile emhlabeni. Futhi uma kwakuyinjongo kaNkulunkulu ukuba abantu baphile ezulwini, kungani engazange nje abenze babe izidalwa zasezulwini kwasekuqaleni, njengoba enza izingelosi, ngaleyondlela aphephise abantu ekuhluphekeni okuningi kangaka? Ngakho ukudideka maqondana nenjongo yokuphila emhlabeni noma ukwenqaba ukukholelwa ukuthi kunayo injongo kuvamile.
UNkulunkulu Wenjongo
6, 7. Yini iBhayibheli elisitshela yona ngoMbusi Wendawo Yonke?
6 Nokho, incwadi eye yasakazwa kabanzi emlandweni, iBhayibheli Elingcwele, isitshela ukuthi uJehova, uMbusi wendawo yonke, uwuNkulunkulu wenjongo. Isitshela ukuthi unenjongo ehlala njalo, eqinisweni, yaphakade ngesintu emhlabeni. Futhi lapho uJehova enenjongo yokuthile, kuyokwenzeka nakanjani. Njengoba nje imvula ibangela ukuba imbewu ihlume, kusho uNkulunkulu, “liyakuba-njalo izwi lami eliphuma emlonyeni wami: aliyikubuyela-ze kimi, lingakafezi lokhu engikufunayo, liphumelele kulokhu engilithumele kukho.” (Isaya 55:10, 11) Noma yini uJehova athi uyoyenza ‘iyakuma kanjalo.’—Isaya 14:24.
7 Thina bantu singathembela ngokuphelele ekutheni uMninimandla onke uyozigcina izithembiso zakhe, ngoba uNkulunkulu ‘akawaqambi amanga.’ (Thithu 1:2; Heberu 6:18) Lapho esitshela ukuthi uyokwenza okuthile, izwi lakhe liyisiqinisekiso sokuthi kuyokwenzeka nakanjani. Kufana nosekwenzekile. Uyamemezela: “NginguNkulunkulu, akakho omunye, yebo, nginguNkulunkulu, akakho onjengami, engimemezela ngaphambili okuyakuza, nasendulo izinto ezingakenziwa, ngokuthi: Icebo lami liyakuma, ngiyakwenza yonke intando yami . . . ngikhulumile, ngiyakukufikisa; nginqumile, ngiyakukwenza.”—Isaya 46:9-11.
8. Ingabe labo abafuna ukwazi uNkulunkulu ngobuqotho bangamfumana?
8 Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova ‘akathandi ukuba kubhubhe namunye, kodwa ukuba bonke beze ekuphendukeni.’ (2 Petru 3:9) Ngenxa yalokhu, akathandi ukuba kube khona ongazi lutho ngaye. Umprofethi ogama lakhe lingu-Azariya wathi: “Uma nimfuna [uNkulunkulu], uyakufunyanwa yinina; kepha uma nimshiya, uyakunishiya nani.” (2 IziKronike 15:1, 2) Ngakho, labo ngobuqotho abafuna ukwazi uNkulunkulu nezinjongo zakhe bangenza kanjalo ngokuqiniseka uma benza umzamo wokumfuna.
9, 10. (a) Yini eye yalungiselelwa labo abafuna ukwazi uNkulunkulu? (b) Ukufuna eZwini likaNkulunkulu kusibangela ukuba senzeni?
9 Bamfune kuphi? Kulabo abamfuna ngempela uNkulunkulu, uye walungiselela iZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli. Ngomoya wakhe ongcwele, wona kanye amandla ayisiphekupheku awasebenzisa ekudaleni indawo yonke, uNkulunkulu waqondisa amadoda athembekile ukuba abhale lokho okudingeka ukuba sikwazi ngezinjongo zakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, ngokuphathelene nesiprofetho seBhayibheli, umphostoli uPetru wathi: “Akuzange kuvezwe isiprofetho ngentando yomuntu, kepha abantu beqhutshwa nguMoya oNgcwele bakhuluma okukaNkulunkulu.” (2 Petru 1:21) Ngokufanayo, umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Yonke imibhalo iphefumulelwe nguNkulunkulu ilungele ukufundisa, nokusola, nokuqondisa, nokuyala ekulungeni, ukuze umuntu kaNkulunkulu [afaneleke ngokugcwele, ayihlomele ngokuphelele, NW] yonke imisebenzi emihle.”—2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17; 1 Thesalonika 2:13.
10 Phawula ukuthi iZwi likaNkulunkulu alisenzi ukuba sihlonyiswe ngokwengxenye noma ngokungaphelele, kodwa lisenza ‘sifaneleke ngokugcwele, sihlonyiswe ngokuphelele.’ Lenza umuntu aqiniseke ukuthi ungubani uNkulunkulu, ziyini izinjongo zakhe, nokuthi yini ayidingayo ezincekwini zakhe. Lokhu kungalindelwa encwadini eyabhalwa uNkulunkulu. Futhi iwukuphela komthombo esingafuna kuwo ukuze sithole ulwazi oluqondile ngoNkulunkulu. (IzAga 2:1-5; Johane 17:3) Ngokwenza kanjalo, ngeke “sisaba-yizingane, sishukunyiswa okwamaza, sipheshulwa yimimoya yonke yezifundiso ngenkohliso yabantu, ngobuqili obunamacebo okudukisa.” (Efesu 4:13, 14) Umhubi waveza isimo sengqondo esifanele: “Izwi lakho [likaNkulunkulu] liyisibani ezinyaweni zami nokukhanya endleleni yami.”—IHubo 119:105.
Zembulwa Ngokuqhubekayo
11. UJehova uzembule kanjani izinjongo zakhe esintwini?
11 Khona kanye ekuqaleni komkhaya wabantu, uJehova wembula izinjongo zakhe ngalomhlaba nabantu abahlala kuwo. (Genesise 1:26-30) Kodwa lapho abazali bethu bokuqala benqaba ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu, isintu sawela ebumnyameni obungokomoya nokufa. (Roma 5:12) Nokho, uJehova wayazi ukuthi kwakuyoba nalabo ababeyofuna ukumkhonza. Ngakho-ke, phakathi namakhulu amaningi eminyaka, uye wembulela izinceku zakhe ezithembekile izinjongo zakhe ngokuqhubekayo. Ezinye zalezo akhuluma nazo kwakungu-Enoke (Genesise 5:24; Juda 14, 15), uNowa (Genesise 6:9, 13), u-Abrahama (Genesise 12:1-3) noMose (Eksodusi 31:18; 34:27, 28). Umprofethi kaNkulunkulu u-Amose wabhala: “INkosi uJehova ayenzi-lutho, ingayambulanga imfihlakalo yayo ezincekwini zayo abaprofethi.”—Amose 3:7; Daniyeli 2:27, 28.
12. UJesu wakuletha kanjani ukukhanya okwengeziwe ngezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu?
12 Lapho iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu, isemhlabeni eminyakeni engu-4 000 ngemva kokuhlubuka e-Edene, imininingwane eminingi yezinjongo zikaJehova yembulwa. Lokhu kwakunjalo ikakhulukazi ngokuphathelene nenjongo kaNkulunkulu yokumisa uMbuso ongokwasezulwini ozobusa emhlabeni. (Daniyeli 2:44) UJesu wenza lowoMbuso waba isihloko sokufundisa kwakhe. (Mathewu 4:17; 6:10) Yena nabafundi bakhe bafundisa ukuthi ngaphansi kwalowoMbuso, injongo kaNkulunkulu yokuqala ngomhlaba nangesintu yayiyogcwaliseka. Umhlaba wawuzoguqulwa wenziwe ipharadesi elihlalwa abantu abaphelele, abazophila phakade. (IHubo 37:29; Mathewu 5:5; Luka 23:43; 2 Petru 3:13; IsAmbulo 21:4) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu nabafundi bakhe babonisa lokho okwakuyokwenzeka kulelozwe elisha ngezimangaliso uNkulunkulu abanika amandla okuzenza.—Mathewu 10:1, 8; 15:30, 31; Johane 11:25-44.
13. Ngokuphathelene nokusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu nesintu, yiluphi ushintsho olwenzeka ngePentekoste lika-33 C.E.?
13 NgePentekoste lika-33 C.E., ezinsukwini ezingu-50 ngemva kokuvuswa kukaJesu, umoya kaNkulunkulu wathululelwa ebandleni labalandeli bakaKristu. Langena esikhundleni sika-Israyeli ongathembekile njengabantu besivumelwano sikaJehova. (Mathewu 21:43; 27:51; IzEnzo 2:1-4) Ukuthululwa komoya ongcwele ngalesosikhathi kwakuwubufakazi bokuthi kusukela ngalesosikhathi kuqhubeke, uNkulunkulu wayeyokwembula amaqiniso ngezinjongo zakhe ngalelinxusa lakhe elisha. (Efesu 3:10) Phakathi nekhulu lokuqala C.E., kwasungulwa ukuhlelwa okungokwenhlangano kwebandla lobuKristu.—1 Korinte 12:27-31; Efesu 4:11, 12.
14. Abafuni beqiniso bangalibona kanjani ibandla lamaKristu eqiniso?
14 Namuhla, abafuni beqiniso bangalibona ibandla lamaKristu eqiniso ngokubonakalisa kwalo okunganqamuki imfanelo evelele kaNkulunkulu, uthando. (1 Johane 4:8, 16) Ngempela, uthando lobuzalwane luwuphawu oluhlukanisayo lobuKristu bangempela. UJesu wathi: “Ngalokho bonke bayakukwazi ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma nithandana.” “Yiló umyalo wami wokuba nithandane, njengalokho nginithandile.” (Johane 13:35; 15:12) Futhi uJesu wakhumbuza izilaleli zakhe: “Ningabahlobo bami, uma nenza lokhu enginiyala ngakho.” (Johane 15:14) Ngakho izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zeqiniso yilabo abaphila ngokuvumelana nomthetho wothando. Abakhulumi nje kuphela ngalo, ngoba ‘ukukholwa ngaphandle kwemisebenzi kufile.’—Jakobe 2:26.
Ukukhanyiselwa
15. Yini izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezingaqiniseka ngayo?
15 UJesu wabikezela ukuthi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ibandla lamaKristu eqiniso laliyokhanyiselwa ngokwengeziwe ngokuphathelene nezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu. Wathembisa abalandeli bakhe: “UMduduzi, uMoya oNgcwele, uBaba ayakumthumela egameni lami uyakunifundisa konke.” (Johane 14:26) UJesu wathi futhi: “Bhekani, mina nginani izinsuku zonke kuze kube-sekupheleni kwezwe.” (Mathewu 28:20) Ngakho, ukukhanyiselwa ngokuphathelene neqiniso ngoNkulunkulu nezinjongo zakhe kuyanda phakathi kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu. Yebo, “umkhondo wabalungileyo unjengokukhanya kokusa okuqhubeka ngokukhanya njalo kuze kube-semini.”—IzAga 4:18.
16. Ukukhanyiselwa kwethu okungokomoya kusitshelani ngokuphathelene nokuthi sikuyiphi inkathi maqondana nezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu?
16 Namuhla, lokho kukhanya okungokomoya kukhanya kakhulu kunanini ngaphambili, ngoba sisesikhathini lapho iziprofetho eziningi zeBhayibheli zigcwaliseka khona noma zisondela ekugcwalisekeni. Leziprofetho zisibonisa ukuthi siphila “ezinsukwini zokugcina” zalesimiso sezinto esibi. Lena inkathi ebizwa ngokuthi “isiphelo sesimiso sezinto”; iyolandelwa izwe elisha likaNkulunkulu. (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, 13; Mathewu 24:3-13, NW) Njengoba kwabikezelwa uDaniyeli, ngokushesha uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ongokwasezulwini “uyakuchoboza, uqede yonke lemibuso [ekhona], wona uqobo ume phakade.”—Daniyeli 2:44.
17, 18. Yiziphi iziprofetho ezibalulekile ezigcwalisekayo manje?
17 Phakathi kweziprofetho ezigcwalisekayo manje yileso esilotshwe evesini 14 likaMathewu isahluko 24. UJesu wathi lapho: “Lelivangeli lombuso liyakushunyayelwa ezweni lonke, kube-ngubufakazi ezizweni zonke, andukuba kufike ukuphela.” Emhlabeni jikelele, lowomsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso wenziwa izigidi zoFakazi BakaJehova. Futhi amakhulu ezinkulungwane abantu azihlanganisa nabo minyaka yonke. Lokhu kuvumelana nesiprofetho esiku-Isaya 2:2, 3, esithi “ngezinsuku ezizayo” zalelizwe elibi, abantu abavela ezizweni eziningi bayoza ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso kukaJehova, futhi ‘uyakubafundisa izindlela zakhe, bahambe emikhondweni yakhe.’
18 Lababantu abasanda kuhlanganyela bathutheleka ekukhulekeleni kukaJehova “njengefu,” njengoba kwabikezelwa ku-Isaya isahluko 60, ivesi 8. Ivesi 22 liyenezela: “Omncane uyakuba-yinkulungwane, ophansi abe-yisizwe esinamandla; mina nginguJehova, ngiyakukusheshisa ngesikhathi sakho.” Ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi lesosikhathi simanje. Futhi abasanda kuhlanganyela bangaqiniseka ukuthi ngokuhlanganyela noFakazi BakaJehova, baye bazihlanganisa nebandla lamaKristu eqiniso.
19. Kungani sithi abasanda kuhlanganyela abazihlanganisa noFakazi BakaJehova beza ebandleni lamaKristu eqiniso?
19 Kungani lokhu singase sikusho ngokuqiniseka? Ngoba lababantu abasanda kuhlanganyela, kanye nezigidi esezisenhlanganweni kaJehova kakade, baye banikezela ukuphila kwabo kuNkulunkulu futhi benza intando yakhe. Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukuphila ngokuvumelana nomthetho wothando lokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Njengobunye bobufakazi balokhu, lamaKristu aye ‘akhanda izinkemba zawo zaba amakhuba, nemikhonto yawo yaba-ngocelemba futhi awasakufundi ukulwa.’ (Isaya 2:4) Bonke oFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni wonke baye benza lokhu ngoba babonakalisa uthando. Lokhu kusho ukuthi ngeke balokothe bathathe izikhali zempi ukuze balwe bodwa noma balwe nanoma ubani omunye. Kulokhu bayingqayizivele—ngokungafani nezinkolo zezwe. (Johane 13:34, 35; 1 Johane 3:10-12, 15) Abahileleki ebuzweni obuhlukanisayo, ngoba bakha ubuzalwane bomhlaba wonke obuqiniswe uthando, ‘isibopho sokuphelela.’—Kolose 3:14; Mathewu 23:8; 1 Johane 4:20, 21.
Abaningi Bakhetha Ukungazi
20, 21. Kungani iningi lesintu lisebumnyameni obungokomoya? (2 Korinte 4:4; 1 Johane 5:19)
20 Njengoba ukukhanya okungokomoya phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu kukhanya ngokwengeziwe, iningi lomphakathi womhlaba lingena shí ebumnyameni obungokomoya kunanini ngaphambili. Alimazi uJehova noma izinjongo zakhe. Umprofethi kaNkulunkulu wachaza lesikhathi lapho ethi: “Bheka, ubumnyama buyasibekela umhlaba, nesigayegaye abantu.” (Isaya 60:2) Lokhu kuyenzeka ngoba abantu ababonisi isithakazelo esiqotho ekufundeni ngoNkulunkulu, futhi abasibonisi isifiso sokuzama ukumjabulisa. UJesu wathi: “Ukwahlulela kuyilokhu ukuba ukukhanya kufikile ezweni, kepha abantu bathanda ubumnyama kunokukhanya, ngokuba imisebenzi yabo ibimibi. Ngokuba yilowo nalowo owenza okubi uzonda ukukhanya, akezi ekukhanyeni ukuba imisebenzi yakhe ingasolwa.”—Johane 3:19, 20.
21 Abantu abanjalo abanaso isithakazelo esiqotho sokufuna ukwazi intando kaNkulunkulu. Kunalokho, bagxilisa ukuphila kwabo ekwenzeni intando yabo. Ngokungayinaki intando kaNkulunkulu, bazibeka esimweni esibucayi, ngoba iZwi lakhe liyamemezela: “Ophendula indlebe yakhe ekuzweni umthetho, nomkhuleko wakhe uyisinengiso.” (IzAga 28:9) Bayobhekana nemiphumela yenkambo yabo abayikhethile. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ningaduki; uNkulunkulu akahlekwa. Ngokuba lokho akuhlwanyelayo umuntu, lokho wokuvuna.”—Galathiya 6:7.
22. Uquqaba lwabantu olufuna ukwazi uNkulunkulu lwenzani manje?
22 Nokho, kunoquqaba lwabantu olufuna ukwazi intando kaNkulunkulu, olumfuna ngobuqotho, futhi olusondezwa kuye. “Sondelani kuNkulunkulu, khona uyakusondela kinina,” kusho uJakobe 4:8. Kwabanjalo uJesu wathi: “Owenza iqiniso uyeza ekukhanyeni, ukuze imisebenzi yakhe ibonakaliswe ukuthi yenziwe kuNkulunkulu.” (Johane 3:21) Yeka ikusasa elimangalisayo uNkulunkulu alihlosele labo abeza ekukhanyeni! Isihloko sethu esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngamathemba avusa amadlingozi.
Ubungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Abaningi bathini ngokuphathelene nenjongo yokuphila?
◻ UJehova uzembula kanjani njengoNkulunkulu wenjongo?
◻ Yikuphi ukukhanyiselwa okukhulu okwenzeka ekhulwini lokuqala C.E.?
◻ Lingabonwa kanjani ibandla lamaKristu eqiniso namuhla?