Ingabe Uthethelela Ngendlela UJehova Athethelela Ngayo?
“Uma nithethelela abantu iziphambeko zabo, noYihlo wasezulwini uyakunithethelela nani. Kepha uma ningathetheleli abantu iziphambeko zabo, noYihlo akayikunithethelela iziphambeko zenu.”—MATHEWU 6:14, 15.
1, 2. Hlobo luni lukaNkulunkulu esiludingayo, futhi ngani?
“UJEHOVA unobubele nesihawu; wephuza ukuthukuthela, kuvama umusa. Akathethi njalonjalo; akagcini intukuthelo yakhe kuze kube-phakade. Akasiphathi njengokufanele izono zethu, akasivuzi njengokwamacala ethu. Ngokuba njengokuphakama kwezulu phezu komhlaba unjalo umusa wakhe phezu kwabamesabayo. Njengokuba impumalanga yahlukene nentshonalanga, udedisile kangaka kithi iziphambeko zethu. Njengoyise ehawukela abantwana bakhe, kanjalo uJehova uyabahawukela abamesabayo. Ngokuba uyakwazi ukubunjwa kwethu; uyakhumbula ukuthi siluthuli.”—IHubo 103:8-14.
2 Njengoba sithabathwe esonweni futhi sazalelwa ebubini, nanjengoba sinokungapheleli esikuzuze njengefa njalo okuzama ukusithumbela emthethweni wesono, simdinga kakhulu uNkulunkulu ‘okhumbulayo ukuthi siluthuli.’ Eminyakeni engamakhulu amathathu ngemva kokuba uDavide echaze uJehova kahle kangaka encwadini yeHubo 103, omunye umlobi weBhayibheli, uMika, wababaza yena loNkulunkulu ngendlela ecishe ifane ngenxa yokuthethelela kwakhe komusa izono ezake zenziwa: “Yimuphi unkulunkulu ofana nawe; oxolela iphutha, othethelela icala, ongagcini intukuthelo kuze kube phakade kodwa ojabulela ukubonisa isihe? Sihawukele futhi, nyathela phansi amaphutha ethu, phonsa zonke izono zethu ekujuleni kolwandle.”—Mika 7:18, 19, The Jerusalem Bible.
3. Kusho ukuthini ukuthethelela?
3 EmiBhalweni YesiGreki, igama elihunyushwe ngokuthi “ukuthethelela” lisho “ukudedela.” Phawula ukuthi uDavide noMika, abacashunwe ngenhla, badlulisela incazelo efanayo ngamazwi akhangayo, achazayo. Ukuze siliqonde ngokugcwele izinga elimangalisayo lokuthethelela kukaJehova, ake sibukeze izibonelo ezimbalwa kweziningi zalo lapho elisebenzisa. Esokuqala sibonisa ukuthi ingqondo kaJehova ingaguqulelwa ekubeni ithethelele esikhundleni sokubhubhisa.
UMose Uyancenga—UJehova Uyalalela
4. Ama-Israyeli ayesasaba ukungena eZweni Lesithembiso ngemva kwakuphi ukubonakaliswa kwamandla kaJehova?
4 UJehova wakhipha isizwe sakwa-Israyeli ngokulondeka eGibithe futhi wasiletha ezweni ayesithembise lona ukuba libe izwe laso, kodwa senqaba ukuqhubeka, sesaba abantu nje baseKhanani. Ngemva kokuba sibonile uJehova esikhulula eGibithe ngezinhlupho eziyishumi ezibhubhisayo, evula intuba yokubaleka oLwandle Olubomvu, ebulala ibutho laseGibithe elalizama ukusilandela, enza isivumelwano soMthetho naso eNtabeni iSinayi esasenza saba isizwe sikaJehova esikhethiwe, futhi esinikeza imana evela ezulwini ngokuyisimangaliso nsuku zonke ukuze asondle, sasesaba ukungena eZweni Lesithembiso ngenxa yabantu baseKhanani ababeyimidondoshiya!—Numeri 14:1-4.
5. Izinhloli ezimbili ezithembekile zazama kanjani ukuqinisa u-Israyeli?
5 UMose no-Aroni bawa ngobuso babo bekhungathekile. UJoshuwa noKalebi, izinhloli ezimbili ezithembekile, bazama ukuqinisa u-Israyeli: ‘Izwe liyizwe elihle kakhulu, izwe elivame ubisi nezinyosi. Ningesabi abantu; uJehova unathi!’ Kunokuba bakhuthazwe yilawomazwi, abantu abathukile, abahlubukayo bazama ukukhanda uJoshuwa noKalebi ngamatshe.—Numeri 14:5-10.
6, 7. (a) Yini uJehova anquma ukuyenza lapho u-Israyeli enqaba ukungena eZweni Lesithembiso? (b) Kungani uMose amelana nokugweba kukaJehova u-Israyeli, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?
6 UJehova wathukuthela! “UJehova wayesekhuluma kuMose, wathi: Koze kube-nini lababantu bengidelela na? Koze kube-nini bengakholwa yimi ngezibonakaliso zonke engizenzile phakathi kwabo na? Ngiyakubashaya ngesifo, ngibaphuce ifa, ngikwenze isizwe esikhulu nesinamandla kunabo. UMose wathi kuJehova: Khona abaseGibithe bayakukuzwa, ngokuba wakhuphula lababantu ngamandla akho phakathi kwabo, babatshele abakhé kulelizwe; . . . Manje-ke uma ubulala lababantu njengomuntu munye, izizwe ezizwé udumo lwakho ziyakukhuluma zithi: Ngokuba uJehova ebengenamandla okungenisa abantu bakhe ezweni alifungela kubo, ngalokho ubabulele ehlane.”—Numeri 14:11-16.
7 UMose wanxusa intethelelo, ngenxa yegama likaJehova: “Ake uthethelele ububi balababantu ngokobukhulu bomusa wakho, njengalokho uyekele lababantu kusukela eGibithe kuze kube-manje. UJehova wathi: Yebo, ngiyakuthethelela njengezwi lakho.”—Numeri 14:19, 20.
Ukukhonza Izithombe KukaManase Nokuphinga KukaDavide
8. Hlobo luni lomlando iNkosi yakwaJuda uManase eyalwenza?
8 Isibonelo esivelele sokuthethelela kukaJehova yileso sikaManase, indodana yeNkosi elungile uHezekiya. UManase wayeneminyaka engu-12 lapho eqala ukubusa eJerusalema. Wakha izindawo eziphakemeyo, wamisela oBali ama-altare, wabaza izithixo, wakhulekela izinkanyezi zezulu, wenza imilingo nobuthakathi, wamisa izanusi nababikezeli benhlanhla, wabeka isithombe esibaziweyo ethempelini likaJehova, wenza ukuba amadodana akhe siqu adluliswe emlilweni eSigodini sikaHinomu. “Wenza okubi okuningi emehlweni kaJehova” futhi “wadukisa uJuda nabakhileyo eJerusalema, baze benza okubi kunabezizwe uJehova abachitha phambi kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.”—2 IziKronike 33:1-9.
9. UJehova wabuya kanjani olakeni lwakhe kuManase, kwaba namuphi umphumela?
9 Ekugcineni, uJehova waletha abase-Asiriya ukuba bamelane noJuda, futhi bambamba uManase bamusa e-Babele. “Lapho esekuhluphekeni, wanxusa kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe, wazithoba kakhulu phambi kukaNkulunkulu wawoyise. Wakhuleka kuye; wancengwa nguye, wezwa ukunxusa kwakhe, wambuyisela eJerusalema embusweni wakhe.” (2 IziKronike 33:11-13) UManase wayesesusa onkulunkulu bezizwe, izithombe, nama-altare futhi wakulahla ngaphandle komuzi. Waqala ukunikela imihlatshelo e-altare likaJehova futhi waqala ukukhuthaza uJuda ukuba akhonze uNkulunkulu weqiniso. Lokhu kwakuwukubonakaliswa okumangalisayo kokuzimisela kukaJehova ukuthethelela lapho ukuzithoba, umthandazo, nesenzo sokulungisa kuveza izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka!—2 IziKronike 33:15, 16.
10. UDavide wazama kanjani ukufihla isono sakhe nomka-Uriya?
10 Isono seNkosi uDavide sokuphinga nomka-Uriya umHeti saziwa kakhulu. Akazange aphinge naye nje kuphela, kodwa futhi waceba isu eliyinkimbinkimbi lokusifihla lapho ekhulelwa. Inkosi yanikeza u-Uriya isikhathi sokuphumula empini, elindele ukuba aye emzini wakhe futhi abe nobuhlobo bobulili nomkakhe. Kodwa, ehlonipha amasosha akanye nawo ophondweni lwempi, u-Uriya wenqaba. Khona-ke uDavide wammema ukuba azodla futhi wamdakisa, kodwa nakuba kunjalo u-Uriya akazange aye kumkakhe. UDavide wabe esethumela umbiko kujenene wakhe ukuba amise u-Uriya engxenyeni eshubile yempi, ukuze u-Uriya abulawe, okuyilokho okwenzeka.—2 Samuweli 11:2-25.
11. UDavide wenziwa kanjani ukuba aphenduke esonweni sakhe, kodwa yini abhekana nayo?
11 UJehova wathumela umprofethi wakhe uNathani kuDavide ukuba ayodalula isono senkosi. “UDavide wathi kuNathani: Ngonile kuJehova. UNathani wathi kuDavide: NoJehova ususile isono sakho; awuyikufa.” (2 Samuweli 12:13) UDavide wayehlushwa unembeza ngesono sakhe futhi wabonisa ukuphenduka kwakhe emthandazweni osuka enhliziyweni oya kuJehova: “Ngokuba awuwuthandi umhlatshelo; noma bengizakukunika umnikelo wokushiswa, ubungayikuthokoza ngawo. Iminikelo kaNkulunkulu ingumoya owaphukileyo; inhliziyo eyaphukileyo nedabukileyo, Nkulunkulu, awuyikuyidelela.” (IHubo 51:16, 17) UJehova akazange aweye umkhuleko kaDavide awenza ngenhliziyo edabukileyo. Nakuba kunjalo, uDavide wabhekana nesijeziso esinzima, ngokuvumelana namazwi kaJehova aphathelene nokuthethelela aku-Eksodusi 34:6, 7: “Ongayikuyekela onecala.”
Ukunikezela KukaSolomoni Ithempeli
12. Yini uSolomoni ayicela ngesikhathi sokunikezelwa kwethempeli, futhi uJehova wasabela kanjani?
12 Lapho uSolomoni eqeda ukwakha ithempeli likaJehova, wathi emkhulekweni wakhe wokulinikezela: “Kulalele ukunxusa kwenceku yakho nokwabantu bakho u-Israyeli abayakukukhuleka bebhekene nalendawo, ukuzwe usendaweni yakho yokuhlala ezulwini, nalapho usuzwile, uthethelele.” UJehova wasabela: “Uma ngivala izulu ukuba kungabikho-mvula, noma ngiyaleza isikhonyane ukuba sidle izwe, noma ngithuma isifo phakathi kwabantu bami, bazithobe abantu bami ababizwa ngegama lami, bakhuleke, bafune ubuso bami, baphenduke ezindleleni zabo ezimbi, ngiyakuzwa ezulwini, ngithethelele isono sabo, ngiphilise izwe labo.”—2 IziKronike 6:21; 7:13, 14.
13. Yini uHezekeli 33:13-16 ayibonisayo ngokuphathelene nendlela uJehova abheka ngayo umuntu?
13 Lapho uJehova ekubheka, ukwamukela ngokwalokho oyikho manje, hhayi lokho owawuyikho. Kuyoba njengoba uHezekeli 33:13-16 esho: “Lapho ngisho kolungileyo ukuthi uyakuphila nokuphila, yena abesethemba ekulungeni kwakhe kodwa, enze okubi, akuyikukhunjulwa nesisodwa sezenzo zakhe ezilungileyo, kepha uyakufela kokubi akwenzileyo. Lapho ngithi komubi: Uyakufa nokufa, yena abesephenduka kodwa esonweni sakhe, enze okufaneleyo nokulungileyo, yena lomubi abuyise isibambiso, akhokhe ayekuthathile, ahambe ngezimiso zokuphila, angenzi okubi, uyakuphila nokuphila, angafi. Akayikukhunjulelwa nesisodwa sezono zakhe azenzileyo; wenzile okufaneleyo nokulungileyo; uyakuphila nokuphila.”
14. Yini ephawulekayo ngokuthethelela kukaJehova?
14 Ukuthethelela uJehova uNkulunkulu asinikeza khona kunesici esiphawulekayo, okunzima ngezidalwa ezingabantu ukuba zisihlanganise lapho zithethelelana—uyathethelela futhi akhohlwe. Abanye abantu bangase bathi, ‘ngingakuthethelela lokho okwenzile, kodwa ngeke (noma angisoze) ngikhohlwe.’ Ngokuphambene, phawula lokho uJehova athi uyokwenza: “Ngiyakuthethelela ububi babo, nesono sabo angisayikusikhumbula.”—Jeremiya 31:34.
15. Imuphi umlando wokuthethelela uJehova anawo?
15 UJehova ubelokhu ethethelela abakhulekeli bakhe emhlabeni izinkulungwane zeminyaka. Ubelokhu ethethelela izono abazenza beqaphela kanye nezinye eziningi abanzenza bengaqaphele. Ilungiselelo lakhe lesihe, ukubekezela, nokuthethelela belilokhu likhona njalo. U-Isaya 55:7 uthi: “Omubi makashiye indlela yakhe, nomuntu owenza okubi imicabango yakhe, abuyele kuJehova, uyakuba-nomusa kuye, yebo, abuyele kuNkulunkulu wethu, ngokuba uyakwenza ukuthethelela kube-kukhulu.”
Ukuthethelela EmiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki
16. Kungani singase sithi ukubonisa kukaJesu ukuthethelela kuyavumelana nokukaJehova?
16 Ukulandisa okuphathelene nokuthethelela kukaNkulunkulu kuningi emiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki. UJesu ukhuluma ngakho kaningi, ebonisa ukuthi uyavumelana nomqondo kaJehova kulendaba. Ukucabanga kukaJesu kuvela kuJehova, ubonakalisa uJehova, uwukumelelwa kobuntu bukaJehova uqobo okuyikho isibili; ukubona yena kuwukubona uJehova.—Johane 12:45-50; 14:9; Heberu 1:3.
17. UJesu wakufanekisa kanjani ukuthethelela kukaJehova ‘kakhulu’?
17 Ukuthi uJehova uthethelela kakhulu kuboniswa komunye wemifanekiso kaJesu, lowo ophathelene nenkosi eyathethelela inceku isikweleti samathalenta angu-10 000 (imali engaba ngu-R120 000 000). Kodwa lapho leyonceku yehluleka ukuthethelela inceku ekanye nayo isikweleti sodenariyu abayikhulu (imali engaba ngu-R220), inkosi yathukuthela yagan’ unwabu. “Nceku embi, lonke lelocala ngikuthethelele lona ngokuba wangincenga; nga ungayihawukelanga yini inceku ekanye nawe, njengokuba nami ngikuhawukele, na? Inkosi yayo yathukuthela, yayinikela kubaphathi betilongo, ize ikhokhe lonke icala layo.” Khona-ke uJesu wabonisa ukusebenza kwalamazwi: “Kanjalo naye uBaba osezulwini uyakwenza kini, uma ningathetheleli ngezinhliziyo zenu kube-yilowo nalowo umfowabo.”—Mathewu 18:23-35.
18. Umbono kaPetru ngokuthethelela wawehluke kanjani kokaJesu?
18 Ngaphambi nje kokuba uJesu anikeze lomfanekiso ongenhla, uPetru weza kuJesu wayesebuza: “Nkosi, umfowethu uyakungona kangaki, ngimthethelela, na? Kuze kube-kasikhombisa na?” UPetru wayecabanga ukuthi wayenomusa kakhulu. Nakuba ababhali nabaFarisi babebeke isilinganiso ngokuphathelene nokuthethelela, uJesu wathi kuPetru: “Angisho kuwe ukuthi kuze kube-kasikhombisa kodwa kuze kube-kamashumi ayisikhombisa aphindwe kasikhombisa.” (Mathewu 18:21, 22) Izikhathi eziyisikhombisa zazingenakulanela usuku olulodwa, njengoba uJesu athi: “Xwayani nina. Uma umfowenu ona, mkhuze; uma ephenduka, mthethelele. Noma ekonela kasikhombisa ngosuku, abuyele kuwe kasikhombisa, ethi: Ngiyaphenduka, womthethelela.” (Luka 17:3, 4) Lapho uJehova ethethelela, akagcini umbhalo wezono zethu—okuyinto esijabulisayo.
19. Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze sithole intethelelo kaJehova?
19 Uma siphenduka ngentobeko futhi sivuma izono zethu, uJehova uzimisele ukusabela ngenxa yethu: “Uma sizivuma izono zethu, uthembekile, ulungile ukuba asithethelele izono, asihlambulule kukho konke ukungalungi.”—1 Johane 1:9.
20. Ikuphi ukuzimisela ukuthethelela isono okwaboniswa uStefanu?
20 Umlandeli kaJesu uStefanu, ngomoya ophawulekayo wokuthethelela, wamemeza enxusa njengoba isixuku esithukuthele sasimkhanda ngamatshe: “Nkosi Jesu, yamukela umoya wami. Wayeseguqa phansi, wamemeza ngezwi elikhulu, wathi: Nkosi, ungababaleli lesisono. Eseshilo lokho walala ubuthongo.”—IzEnzo 7:59, 60.
21. Kungani ukuzimisela kukaJesu ukuthethelela amasosha amaRoma kwakumangalisa kangaka?
21 UJesu wabeka isibonelo esimangalisa ngisho nangokwengeziwe sokuzimisela ukuthethelela. Izitha zakhe zazimbophile, zamqulisa ngokungemthetho, zamlahla ngecala, zamenza inhlekisa, zamkhafulela ngamathe, zambhaxabula ngesiswebhu esinemicu eminingi cishe eyayinezingcezu zamathambo nezinsinjana ezazifakwe kuyo, futhi ekugcineni zamshiya ebethelwe esigxotsheni amahora amaningi. AmaRoma ayehileleke kokuningi kwalokhu. Nokho, njengoba uJesu ayefa kulesosigxobo sokuhlushwa, wathi kuYise wasezulwini ngokuphathelene namasosha ayembethele: “Baba, bathethelele, ngokuba abakwazi abakwenzayo.”—Luka 23:34.
22. Imaphi amazwi eNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni okumelwe sizame ukuwasebenzisa?
22 ENtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni, uJesu wayethé: “Thandani izitha zenu, nibabusise abaniqalekisayo.” Lesosimiso wasilalela ngokwakhe kwaze kwaba sekupheleni kwenkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni. Ingabe lokho kubizela kakhulu kithi, esilwisana nobuthakathaka benyama yethu ebuthaka? Okungenani kufanele sizame ukusebenzisa amazwi uJesu awafundisa abalandeli bakhe ngemva kokubanikeza umthandazo oyisibonelo: “Uma nithethelela abantu iziphambeko zabo, noYihlo wasezulwini uyakunithethelela nani. Kepha uma ningathetheleli abantu iziphambeko zabo, noYihlo akayikunithethelela iziphambeko zenu.” (Mathewu 5:44; 6:14, 15) Uma sithethelela ngendlela uJehova athethelela ngayo, siyothethelela futhi sikhohlwe.
Uyakhumbula?
◻ UJehova uzisingatha kanjani izono zethu, futhi ngani?
◻ Kungani uManase abuyiselwa ebukhosini bakhe?
◻ Isiphi isici esiphawulekayo sokuthethelela kukaJehova okunzima ngabantu ukuba basilingise?
◻ Kungani ukuzimisela kukaJesu ukuthethelela kwakumangalisa kangaka?
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
UNathani wasiza uDavide ukuba abone isidingo sentethelelo kaNkulunkulu