Wondliwa Kuliphi Itafula?
“Ningelihlanganyele itafula [likaJehova, NW] kanye netafula lamademoni.”—1 KORINTE 10:21.
1. Yimaphi amatafula esiwadekelwe, futhi isiphi isixwayiso umphostoli uPawulu asinikezayo ngokuphathelene nawo?
LAMAZWI aphefumlelwe kamphostoli uPawulu abonisa ukuthi amatafula amabili angokomfanekiso adekelwe isintu. Itafula ngalinye libonakala ngohlobo lokudla okungokomfanekiso olubekwe phezu kwalo, futhi sonke sidla kwelinye lawo. Nokho, uma sifisa ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu, asinakondliwa etafuleni lakhe ngesikhathi esifanayo sibe sinambitha nasetafuleni lamademoni. Umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa: “Lokho okuhlatshwa ngabezizwe bakuhlabela amademoni, kabakuhlabeli uNkulunkulu. Kepha angithandi ukuba nibe-nenhlanganyelo namademoni. Ningesiphuze isitsha seNkosi kanye nesitsha samademoni; ningelihlanganyele itafula [likaJehova] kanye netafula lamademoni.”—1 Korinte 10:20, 21.
2. (a) Yiliphi itafula likaJehova elalikhona ezinsukwini zika-Israyeli wasendulo, futhi obani ababehlanganyela emihlatshelweni yenhlanganyelo? (b) Kusho ukuthini ukuhlanganyela etafuleni likaJehova namuhla?
2 Amazwi kaPawulu asikhumbuza imihlatshelo yenhlanganyelo ama-Israyeli asendulo ayeyinikela ngaphansi koMthetho kaJehova. I-altare likaNkulunkulu lalibizwa ngokuthi itafula, futhi umuntu owayeletha isilwane ukuba senziwe umhlatshelo kwakuthiwa unenhlanganyelo noJehova nabapristi. Kanjani? Okokuqala, uJehova wayehlanganyela emhlatshelweni ngenxa yokuthi igazi lalifafazwa ngaphezu kwe-altare lakhe futhi amafutha ayeshiswa amalangabi angaphansi. Okwesibili, umpristi wayehlanganyela ngokuthi yena (nomkhaya wakhe) babedla isifuba esithosiwe nomlenze wangakwesokunene wesilwane esasenziwe umhlatshelo. Futhi okwesithathu, owayenikela wayehlanganyela ngokudla yonke inyama esele. (Levitikusi 7:11-36, qhathanisa ne-NW.) Namuhla, ukudla etafuleni likaJehova kusho ukuthi simnikeza uhlobo lokukhulekela alufunayo, njengoba uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe babeka isibonelo. Ukuze senze lokhu, kumelwe sizondle ngokomoya ngalokho uJehova akunikezayo ngeZwi nangenhlangano yakhe. Ama-Israyeli, ayejabulela inhlanganyelo ekhethekile noJehova etafuleni lakhe, ayenqatshelwe ukwenzela amademoni imihlatshelo etafuleni lawo. Ama-Israyeli angokomoya nabangane bawo ‘bezinye izimvu’ bangaphansi kokwenqatshelwa kwaphezulu okufanayo.—Johane 10:16.
3. Umuntu angaba kanjani necala lokuhlanganyela etafuleni lamademoni osukwini lwethu?
3 Umuntu angaba kanjani necala lokuhlanganyela etafuleni lamademoni osukwini lwethu? Ngokukhonza izithakazelo zanoma yini emelene noJehova. Itafula lamademoni lihlanganisa yonke inkulumo-ze yobudemoni, eklanyelwe ukusidukisa nokusichezukisa kuJehova. Ubani obengathanda ukondla inhliziyo nengqondo yakhe ngoshevu onjalo? AmaKristu eqiniso ayenqaba ukuhlanganyela emihlatshelweni abantu abaningi namuhla abayinikela konkulunkulu bempi nabengcebo.—Mathewu 6:24.
Ukugwema ‘Itafula Lamademoni’
4. Yimuphi umbuzo sonke esibhekene nawo, futhi kungani singenakuthanda ukudla etafuleni lamademoni ngamabomu?
4 Umbuzo sonke esibhekene nawo uwukuthi, Ngondliwa kuliphi itafula? Asinakulibalekela iqiniso lokuthi sinesibopho sokudla kwelilodwa lalamatafula. (Qhathanisa noMathewu 12:30.) Asinakufuna ukuhlanganyela etafuleni lamademoni ngamabomu. Ukwenza lokho kungasilahlekisela ukuvunyelwa kowukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso nophilayo, uJehova. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukuhlanganyela ukudla etafuleni likaJehova kuphela kuholela ekuphileni kwethu okuphakade ngenjabulo! (Johane 17:3) Kunesisho esithi zibanjwa kwezikudlayo. Khona-ke, noma ubani ofuna ukuzigcina ephile kahle ngokomzimba nangokwengqondo kufanele aqaphele akudlayo. Njengoba nje ukudla okungenamsoco okunamafutha amaningi, nakuba kulungiselelwe ngendlela econsisa amathe kwafakwa nezinongo, kunganikeli empilweni yethu engokomzimba eqhubekayo, ngokunjalo inkulumo-ze yalelizwe edidiyelwe nemibono yobudemoni iwukudla okungenamsoco okungokomfanekiso okuyokonakalisa izingqondo zethu.
5. Singakugwema kanjani ukungenisa izimfundiso zamademoni namuhla?
5 Umphostoli uPawulu wabikezela ukuthi phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina, abantu babeyodukiswa ‘izifundiso zamademoni.’ (1 Thimothewu 4:1) Izimfundiso ezinjalo zamademoni azitholakali nje kuphela ezinkolelweni zamanga ezingokwenkolo kodwa futhi zimenyezelwa kabanzi nangezinye izindlela. Ngokwesibonelo, kudingeka sihlaziye futhi sicabangele ngokucophelela ukuthi yiziphi izincwadi nomagazini thina nabantwana bethu esibafundayo, yiziphi izinhlelo zethelevishini, imidlalo namabhayisikobho esikubukelayo. (IzAga 14:15) Uma sizilibazisa ngokufunda indaba eqanjiwe, ingabe iqokomisa ubudlova obungenangqondo, ubulili obungemthetho, noma imikhuba yemilingo? Uma sifunda indaba engokoqobo ukuze siyalwe, ingabe ikhuthaza ifilosofi noma indlela yokuphila ‘engenjengekaKristu’? (Kolose 2:8) Ingabe kunikezwa ukucabangela okuyize, noma kusekelwa ukuhileleka emizabalazweni yezwe engokwenhlalo? Ingabe ikhuthaza ukuzimisela ukuceba kakhulu? (1 Thimothewu 6:9) Ingabe iyincwadi eveza ngobuqili izimfundiso ezihlukanisayo ezingenjengezikaKristu? Uma impendulo inguyebo futhi siqhubeka sifunda noma sibukela izinto ezinjalo, sizifaka engozini yokondliwa etafuleni lamademoni. Namuhla, kunamakhulu ezinkulungwane ezincwadi ezikhuthaza amafilosofi ezwe ezibonakala zikhanyiselwe kakhulu futhi zamukelwa kabanzi. (UmShumayeli 12:12) Kodwa akukho lutho lwalenkulumo-ze olusha ngempela; ayizuzisi futhi ayilethi bungcono kumuntu, ifana nsé nalokho uSathane ngobuqili akutshela u-Eva ukuthi kwakuyomlethela ubungcono.—2 Korinte 11:3.
6. Lapho uSathane esimema ukuba sinambithe ukudla kwakhe okungenamsoco kobudemoni, kufanele sisabele kanjani?
6 Ngakho-ke, lapho uSathane esimema ukuba sinambithe ukudla kwakhe okungenamsoco kobudemoni, kufanele sisabele kanjani? Njengoba uJesu enza lapho elingwa uSathane ukuba aguqule amatshe abe isinkwa. UJesu waphendula: “Kulotshiwe ukuthi: Akusinkwa sodwa umuntu ayakuphila ngaso kodwa ngamazwi onke aphuma emlonyeni kaNkulunkulu.” Futhi lapho uDeveli ethembisa ukunika uJesu “imibuso yonke yezwe nenkazimulo yayo” uma ayengaziwisa phansi futhi enze isenzo sokukhulekela kuSathane, uJesu waphendula: “Suka, Sathane, ngokuba kulotshiwe ukuthi: Wokhuleka eNkosini uNkulunkulu wakho, umkhonze yena yedwa.”—Mathewu 4:3, 4, 8-10.
7. Kungani sizikhohlisa uma sicabanga ukuthi singondliwa ngokuphumelelayo kokubili etafuleni likaJehova nasetafuleni lamademoni?
7 Itafula likaJehova netafula elidekwe izitha zakhe ezingamademoni awasoze nanini adlelana! Oh, yebo, kuye kwazanywa ngaphambili. Khumbula ama-Israyeli asendulo ezinsukwini zomprofethi u-Eliya. Abantu babethi bakhulekela uJehova, kodwa babekholelwa ukuthi abanye onkulunkulu, abanjengoBali, babethembisa ukuchuma. U-Eliya waya kubantu wayesethi: “Koze kube-nini nimanqikanqika phakathi kwezinhlangothi ezimbili na? Uma uJehova enguNkulunkulu, mlandeleni yena, kepha uma kunguBali, mlandeleni yena.” Ngokungenakuphikwa, ama-Israyeli ayexhugela “okokuqala ngomlenze owodwa bese kuba ngomunye.” (1 AmaKhosi 18:21; The Jerusalem Bible) U-Eliya wabekela abapristi bakaBali inselele yokufakazela ubunkulunkulu bonkulunkulu babo. UNkulunkulu owayengehlisela umlilo ovela ezulwini phezu komhlatshelo wayeyofakazela ukuthi unguNkulunkulu weqiniso. Naphezu komzamo omkhulu, abapristi bakaBali bahluleka. Khona-ke u-Eliya wamane wathandaza: “Jehova, ngiphendule ukuba lababantu bazi ukuthi wena-Jehova unguNkulunkulu.” Ngokushesha umlilo ovela kuJehova ezulwini wehlela phansi futhi washisa umnikelo wesilwane owawumanzisiwe. Beshukunyiswa ukubonakaliswa okuqinisekisayo kobuNkulunkulu bukaJehova, abantu balalela u-Eliya futhi babulala bonke abaprofethi bakaBali abangu-450. (1 AmaKhosi 18:24-40) Ngakho namuhla, kumelwe siqaphele uJehova njengonguNkulunkulu weqiniso futhi senze isinqumo esiwujuqu sokuphendukela ekondliweni etafuleni lakhe kuphela uma singakenzi kanjalo kakade.
‘Isigqila Esithembekile’ Siphakela Itafula LikaJehova
8. Yisiphi isigqila uJesu abikezela ukuthi wayeyosisebenzisa ukuze ondle abafundi bakhe ngokomoya phakathi nokuba khona kwakhe, futhi lesosigqila sibonakala kanjani?
8 INkosi uJesu Kristu yabikezela ukuthi phakathi nokuba khona kwayo ‘isigqila esithembekile nesiqaphile’ sasiyolungiselela abafundi bayo ukudla okungokomoya: ‘Siyajabula lesosigqila, okuyakuthi kufika inkosi yaso, isifumane senze njalo. Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Iyakusimisa phezu kwakho konke enakho.’ (Mathewu 24:45-47, NW) Lesisigqila siye sabonakala singeyena umuntu oyedwa, kodwa siyisigaba samaKristu azinikezele, agcotshiwe. Lesisigaba siye sabeka etafuleni likaJehova ukudla okungokomoya okuhle kakhulu kwakho kokubili insali egcotshiwe ‘nesixuku esikhulu.’ Manje njengoba singaphezu kwezigidi ezine, isixuku esikhulu siye sathatha ukuma kwaso nensali egcotshiwe ngenxa yobukhosi bukaJehova uNkulunkulu bendawo yonke nangenxa yoMbuso wakhe ayongcwelisa ngawo igama lakhe elingcwele.—IsAmbulo 7:9-17.
9. Yiliphi ithuluzi ebelilokhu lisetshenziswa isigaba sesigqila ukuze silungiselele oFakazi BakaJehova ukudla okungokomoya, futhi idili labo elingokomoya lachazwa kanjani ngokwesiprofetho?
9 Lesisigaba sesigqila esithembekile besilokhu sisebenzisa i-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society ukuze silungiselele ukudla okungokomoya kwabo bonke oFakazi BakaJehova. Nakuba eLobukholwa naso sonke lesimiso sezinto kulamba ngenxa yokuntuleka kokudla okungokomoya okunikeza ukuphila, abantu bakaJehova basedilini. (Amose 8:11) Lokhu kugcwalisa isiprofetho esiku-Isaya 25:6: “UJehova-Sebawoti uyakwenzela abantu bonke idili lokukhulupheleyo kulentaba, idili lewayini elinenhlese, okukhulupheleyo okunomnkantsha, iwayini elinenhlese elicwengekileyo.” Njengoba amavesi 7 no-8 ebonisa, lelidili liyoqhubeka kuze kube phakade. Yeka isibusiso okuyiso kubo bonke abasenhlanganweni kaJehova ebonakalayo manje, futhi yeka isibusiso okuyoqhubeka kuyiso esikhathini esizayo!
Qaphela Ukudla Okunoshevu Okusetafuleni Lamademoni
10. (a) Hlobo luni lokudla olwabiwa isigaba sesigqila esibi, futhi siyini isisusa saso? (b) Isigaba sesigqila esibi siziphatha kanjani izigqila ezazikanye naso?
10 Ukudla okusetafuleni lamademoni kunoshevu. Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela ukudla okwabiwa isigaba sesigqila esibi nezihlubuki. Akunamsoco noma akwakhi; akunayo impilo. Akunakuba njalo, ngoba izihlubuki ziyekile ukondliwa etafuleni likaJehova. Ngenxa yalokho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yibuphi ubuntu obusha ezazinabo bunyamalele. Azishukunyiswa umoya ongcwele, kodwa inzondo enkulu. Zihlala zicabanga ngomgomo owodwa kuphela—ukushaya ababeyizigqila kanye nazo, njengoba uJesu abikezela.—Mathewu 24:48, 49.
11. Yini eyabhalwa uC. T. Russell ngokuphathelene nokukhetha komuntu uhlobo lokudla okungokomoya, futhi wabachaza kanjani labo abashiya itafula likaJehova?
11 Ngokwesibonelo, emuva ngo-1909, owayengumongameli we-Watch Tower Society, uC. T. Russell, wabhala ngalabo abashiya itafula likaJehova base beqala ukuphatha kabi ababeyizigqila kanye nabo. I-Watch Tower ka-October 1, 1909, yathi: “Kunokuba bazithuthukise noma bakhe ukholo nezithelo zomoya kwabanye, bonke abazihlukanisa neNhlangano nemisebenzi yayo babonakala benza okuphambene—bazama ukonakalisa iNjongo abake bayikhonza, futhi, bekhangwa okuthile, kancane kancane banqotshwa ukukhohlwa, bezilimaza ngokwabo nabanye abanomoya wombango ofanayo. . . . Uma abanye becabanga ukuthi bangathola ukudla okuhle noma okungcono kwamanye amatafula, noma ukuthi bangaveza okuhle noma okungcono ngokwabo—laba mabathathe inkambo yabo. . . . Kodwa nakuba singabavimbeli abanye ukuba baye nomaphi nasezindaweni zonke ukuze bathole ukudla nokukhanya okuyobanelisa, ngokumangalisayo, labo ababa abaphikisi bethu bathatha inkambo ehluke kakhulu. Kunokuba bathi ngomqondo womuntu wezwe, ‘Ngithole okuthile okungcono; salani kahle!’ laba babonisa intukuthelo, isibhongo, inzondo, ingxabano, ‘imisebenzi yenyama nekadeveli’ ngezinga okungekho muntu wezwe esimaziyo owake wakubonisa ngalo. Babonakala bengenwe ubuhlanya, isifo sobuSathane sokusangana [amarabi]. Abanye babo bayasihlasela bese bethi yithina esibahlaselayo. Bakulungele ukusho nokubhala amanga anyanyekayo nokuzehlisa ngokokuziphatha ukuze benze amanyala.”
12. (a) Izihlubuki zizishaya kanjani izigqila ezazikanye nazo? (b) Kungani ukuzondla ngezincwadi zezihlubuki ngenxa yelukuluku lokufuna ukwazi kuyingozi?
12 Yebo, izihlubuki zikhipha izincwadi ezihlanekezelayo, ezinamaqiniso angaphelele, nezinamanga aluhlaza cwé. Zize ngisho ziphazamise imihlangano yoFakazi, zizama ukucupha abangaqaphile. Ngakho, kuyoba yinto eyingozi ukuvumela ilukuluku lethu lokufuna ukwazi lisishukumisele ekubeni sizondle ngezincwadi ezinjalo noma silalele inkulumo yazo engcolile! Nakuba singase singazicabangeli njengeziyingozi kithi siqu, ingozi isekhona. Ngani? Phakathi kokunye, ezinye zezincwadi zezihlubuki ziveza amanga ‘ngamazwi amnandi’ ‘nangamazwi obuqili.’ (Roma 16:17, 18; 2 Petru 2:3) Akukhona yini lokhu obungakulindela etafuleni lamademoni? Nakuba izihlubuki zingase futhi zinikeze amaqiniso athile, ngokuvamile lamaqiniso ayakhishwa emongweni wendaba ngenjongo yokususa abanye etafuleni likaJehova. Zonke izincwadi zazo zimane zigxeke nje futhi zibhidlize! Azinalutho olwakhayo.
13, 14. Ziyini izithelo zezihlubuki nenkulumo-ze yazo?
13 UJesu wathi: “Niyakubazi ngezithelo zabo.” (Mathewu 7:16) Manje-ke, ziyini izithelo zezihlubuki nezincwadi zazo? Inkulumo-ze yazo iphawuleka ngezinto ezine. (1) Ukuhlakanipha kobuqili. Eyabase-Efesu 4:14 ithi: ‘banobuqili obunamacebo okudukisa.’ (2) Ukuhlakanipha kokuqhosha. (3) Ukuntuleka kothando. (4) Ukungathembeki ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene. Lezi yizo kanye izithako zokudla okusetafuleni lamademoni, konke okuklanyelwe ukululaza ukholo lwabantu bakaJehova.
14 Kunesinye isici futhi. Ziye zabuyelaphi izihlubuki? Ezimweni eziningi, ziye zangena futhi ebumnyameni beLobukholwa nezimfundiso zalo, njengenkolelo yokuthi wonke amaKristu aya ezulwini. Ngaphezu kwalokho, eziningi azisakuthathi ukuma okuqinile okungokomBhalo ngokuphathelene negazi, ukungathathi hlangothi, nesidingo sokufakaza ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Nokho, thina siye sagqashula ebumnyameni beBabiloni Elikhulu, futhi asifuni neze ukubuyela kubo. (IsAmbulo 18:2, 4) Njengezinceku ezithembekile zikaJehova, kungani singase sifune ngisho nokuyithi shazí inkulumo-ze ekhishwa yilabenqabi betafula likaJehova manje abashaya ngamazwi labo abasisizayo ukuba singenise “amazwi aphilayo”?—2 Thimothewu 1:13.
15. Yisiphi isimiso seBhayibheli esisisiza ukuba sithathe inkambo yokuhlakanipha lapho sizwa ngokumangalela okwenziwa izihlubuki?
15 Abanye bangase babe nelukuluku lokufuna ukwazi ngokuphathelene nokumangalela okwenziwa izihlubuki. Kodwa kufanele silalele isimiso esikuDuteronomi 12:30, 31. Lapha uJehova, esebenzisa uMose, waxwayisa ama-Israyeli ngalokho okwakufanele akugweme lapho esesuse izakhamuzi ezingamaqaba zaseZweni Lesithembiso. “Xwaya ukuba ungacushwa ukuzilandela sezichithiwe phambi kwakho, ungabuzi ngawonkulunkulu bazo, uthi: Lezizizwe zikhonza kanjani onkulunkulu bazo na? Nami ngiyakwenza kanjalo. Awuyikwenze njalo kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakho.” Yebo, uJehova uNkulunkulu uyazi ukuthi ilukuluku lomuntu lokufuna ukwazi lisebenza kanjani. Khumbula u-Eva, nomkaLoti! (Luka 17:32; 1 Thimothewu 2:14) Masingalokothi neze silalele lokho izihlubuki ezikushoyo noma ezikwenzayo. Kunalokho, masibe matasa sakhe abantu futhi sizondle ngokwethembeka etafuleni likaJehova!
Itafula LikaJehova Kuphela Eliyosala
16. (a) Yini ezokwenzeka ngokushesha kuSathane, amademoni akhe, netafula elingokomfanekiso lapho izizwe zomhlaba bezondliwa khona? (b) Yini eyokwenzeka kubo bonke abantu abaqhubeka bondliwa etafuleni lamademoni?
16 Ngokushesha, usizi olukhulu luzogqashuka ngokungazelele, ludlulele ngokushesha emvuthwandaba “ekulweni kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke.” (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16) Luyofinyelela umvuthwandaba lapho uJehova ebhubhisa lesimiso sezinto netafula elingokomfanekiso lapho izizwe zomhlaba bezondliwa khona. Futhi uJehova uyogumbuqela yonke inhlangano ebonakalayo kaSathane uDeveli noquqaba lwayo lwamademoni. Labo abaye baqhubeka bondliwa etafuleni elingokomoya likaSathane, itafula lamademoni, bayophoqeleka ukuba baye esidlweni esingokoqobo, cha, hhayi njengabayohlanganyela ekudleni, kodwa njengabayoba isidlo—ekubhujisweni kwabo!—Bheka uHezekeli 39:4; IsAmbulo 19:17, 18.
17. Yiziphi izibusiso eziza kulabo abondliwa etafuleni likaJehova kuphela?
17 Itafula likaJehova kuphela eliyosala. Labo abondliwa kulo ngokwazisa bayolondolozwa futhi bayoba nelungelo lokudla kulo phakade. Abasayikuphinde basongelwe indlala yanoma iluphi uhlobo. (IHubo 67:6; 72:16) Benempilo ephelele bayokhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu ePharadesi! Ekugcineni amazwi ashukumisayo esAmbulo 21:4 ayogcwaliseka ngokukhazimulayo: “Azesule izinyembezi zonke emehlweni abo; ukufa akusayikuba-khona; nokudabuka, nokukhala, nobuhlungu akusayikuba-khona; ngokuba okokuqala kudlulile.” Njengoba ukuphikiswa kuyobe sekuyinto yesikhathi esidlule, ubukhosi bukaJehova uNkulunkulu bendawo yonke buyoqashelwa kuyo yonke indawo phakade naphakade njengoba umusa waphezulu ongapheli uthululelwa esintwini esihlengiwe esiyobe sisemhlabeni oyiPharadesi. Ukuze sizuze lomvuzo, sonke masizimisele ukuhlanganyela etafuleni likaJehova kuphela, elichichima ukudla okungokomoya okungcono kakhulu!
Ubungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Singakugwema kanjani ukudukiswa izimfundiso zobudemoni?
◻ Kungani singenakondliwa ngokuphumelelayo kokubili etafuleni likaJehova nasetafuleni lamademoni?
◻ Hlobo luni lokudla olwabiwa izihlubuki?
◻ Kungani kuyingozi ukuba nelukuluku lokufuna ukwazi ngamacala esiwabekwa izihlubuki?
◻ Ziyini izithelo zezihlubuki?
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
Itafula likaJehova lichichima ukudla okungokomoya okungcono kakhulu