Lingisa UJehova, UNkulunkulu Wethu Ongakhethi

“Akukho ukukhetha kuNkulunkulu.”—ROMA 2:11.

1, 2. (a) Yayiyini injongo kaJehova mayelana nabaseKhanani bebonke? (b) Yini uJehova ayenza, futhi lokhu kuphakamisa miphi imibuzo?

EKANISE emaThafeni akwaMowabi ngo-1473 B.C.E., ama-Israyeli alalelisisa uMose. Ayesazobhekana nenselele ngaphesheya koMfula iJordani. UMose wamemezela injongo kaJehova yokuba u-Israyeli anqobe izizwe eziyisikhombisa ezinamandla zaseKhanani eZweni Lesithembiso. Yeka indlela ayeqinisekisa ngayo amazwi kaMose: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngokuqinisekile uyozinikela kuwe, wena kumelwe uzihlule”! U-Israyeli kwakumelwe angenzi sivumelwano nazo, futhi zazingafanelwe musa.—Duteronomi 1:1; 7:1, 2.

² Nokho, uJehova wasindisa umkhaya owodwa emzini wokuqala u-Israyeli awuhlasela. UNkulunkulu wavikela nabantu bakweminye imizana emine. Kungani kwaba njalo? Izenzakalo ezimangalisayo ezihlobene nokusinda kwalaba bantu baseKhanani zisifundisani ngoJehova? Futhi singamlingisa kanjani?

Ukusabela Kwabo Lapho Bezwa Ngodumo LukaJehova

3, 4. Izindaba zokunqoba kwama-Israyeli zaba naliphi ithonya kubantu baseKhanani?

³ Phakathi neminyaka engu-40 u-Israyeli esehlane, engakangeni eZweni Lesithembiso, uJehova wabavikela futhi wabalwela abantu bakhe. Eningizimu yeZwe Lesithembiso, u-Israyeli wayebhekene nenkosi yaseKhanani u-Aradi. Ngosizo lukaJehova ama-Israyeli ayinqoba le nkosi nabantu bayo eHorma. (Numeri 21:1-3) Kamuva, u-Israyeli wagwegwa izwe lakwa-Edomi wakhuphuka elibangise enyakatho-mpumalanga yoLwandle Olufile. Kule ndawo, eyayikade ihlalwa uMowabi, kwase kunama-Amori. Inkosi yama-Amori uSihoni yenqaba ukuvumela u-Israyeli anqamule ezweni layo. Yatholana phezulu eJahazi, ngokusobala esenyakatho yeSigodi Sesifufula Sase-Arinoni, lapho uSihoni afela khona. (Numeri 21:23, 24; Duteronomi 2:30-33) Enhla enyakatho, u-Ogi wayebusa amanye ama-Amori eBhashani. Nakuba u-Ogi ayeyisiqhwaga, wayengenakumelana noJehova. U-Ogi wafa e-Edireyi. (Numeri 21:33-35; Duteronomi 3:1-3, 11) Izindaba zalokhu kunqoba nezoFuduko luka-Israyeli eGibhithe zabathinta kakhulu abantu baseKhanani.a

⁴ Lapho u-Israyeli eqala ukungena eKhanani ngemva kokuwela iJordani, wakanisa eGiligali. (Joshuwa 4:9-19) Budebuduze kwakunomuzi waseJeriko obiyelwe ngodonga. Lokho umKhanani onguRahabi akuzwa ngezenzo zikaJehova kwamshukumisela ukuba athathe isinyathelo sokholo. Ngenxa yalokho, lapho uJehova eletha imbubhiso eJeriko, wamsindisa yena nababesendlini yakhe.—Joshuwa 2:1-13; 6:17, 18; Jakobe 2:25.

5. Yini eyenza abaseGibheyoni benza ngokukhalipha?

⁵ U-Israyeli wabe esekhuphuka esigodini esingasemfuleni waya emagqumeni amaphakathi nezwe. Elandela isiqondiso sikaJehova, uJoshuwa waqamekela umuzi wase-Ayi. (Joshuwa, isahluko 8) Imibiko yokuceka okwalandela yenza amakhosi amaningi aseKhanani ahlangana aviva. (Joshuwa 9:1, 2) Izakhamuzi zaseGibheyoni, umuzi wamaHivi oseduze, zasabela ngokuhlukile. UJoshuwa 9:4 uthi: “Bona, ngokusuka kubo, benza ngokukhalipha.” NjengoRahabi, zazizwile ngokukhulula kukaJehova abantu bakhe ngesikhathi soFuduko nalapho benqoba uSihoni no-Ogi. (Joshuwa 9:6-10) AbaseGibheyoni babona ukuthi ukulwa ngeke kubasize. Ngakho iGibheyoni nemizana emithathu eseduze—iKefira, iBheyeroti neKiriyati-jeyarimi—bathumela kuJoshuwa eGiligali ithimba elazishaya elivela ezweni elikude. Leli cebo laphumelela. UJoshuwa wenza isivumelwano nabo, kwaba ukusinda kwabo. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu uJoshuwa nama-Israyeli bathola ukuthi babekhohlisiwe. Nokho, babefunge ngoJehova kuleso sivumelwano, ngakho basigcina. (Joshuwa 9:16-19) Ingabe uJehova wavumelana nalokhu?

6. UJehova wasibheka kanjani isivumelwano uJoshuwa asenza nabaseGibheyoni?

⁶ AbaseGibheyoni bavunyelwa ukuba bathezele ama-Israyeli izinkuni bawakhelele namanzi, futhi bakwenzele ngisho ‘ne-altare likaJehova’ etabernakele. (Joshuwa 9:21-27) Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho amakhosi amahlanu ama-Amori namabutho awo esongela abaseGibheyoni, uJehova wangenela ngokuyisimangaliso. Isichotho sabulala abaningi esitheni kunababulawa amabutho kaJoshuwa. UJehova waphendula ngisho nesicelo sikaJoshuwa sokuba ilanga nenyanga kume ukuze bakwazi ukucoboshisa isitha. “Alukho usuku oluye lwaba njengalolo, ngaphambi kwalo noma ngemva kwalo,” kusho uJoshuwa, “ngokuba uJehova alalele izwi lomuntu, ngoba uJehova ngokwakhe wayemlwela u-Israyeli.”—Joshuwa 10:1-14.

7. Iliphi iqiniso elavunywa uPetru elabonakala kwabathile baseKhanani?

⁷ UmKhanani onguRahabi nomkhaya wakubo kanye nabaseGibheyoni, babemesaba uJehova futhi bathatha isinyathelo esivumelana nako. Okwenzeka kubo kulibonisa ngokucacile iqiniso elashiwo kamuva umphostoli uPetru ongumKristu: “UNkulunkulu akakhethi, kodwa ezizweni zonke umuntu omesabayo futhi enze ukulunga uyamukeleka kuye.”—IzEnzo 10:34, 35.

Ukusebenzelana No-Abrahama No-Israyeli

8, 9. Ukungakhethi kukaJehova kubonakala kanjani ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe no-Abrahama nesizwe sakwa-Israyeli?

⁸ Umfundi uJakobe wabhekisela emseni kaNkulunkulu ongafanelwe lapho esebenzelana no-Abrahama nenzalo yakhe. Akubona ubuzwe buka-Abrahama, kodwa ukholo lwakhe olwamenza waba “umngane kaJehova.” (Jakobe 2:23) Ukholo luka-Abrahama nothando lwakhe ngoJehova kwalethela izizukulwane zakhe izibusiso. (2 IziKronike 20:7) UJehova wathembisa u-Abrahama: “Ngokuqinisekile ngiyokubusisa futhi ngokuqinisekile ngiyoyandisa inzalo yakho ibe ngangezinkanyezi zamazulu nangangesihlabathi esisogwini lolwandle.” Kodwa phawula isithembiso esisevesini elilandelayo: “Ngenzalo yakho zonke izizwe zomhlaba ngokuqinisekile ziyobusiswa.”—Genesise 22:17, 18; Roma 4:1-8.

⁹ Engakhethi nakancane, uJehova wabonisa ngokusebenzelana kwakhe no-Israyeli lokho angakwenzela labo abamlalelayo. Ukusebenzelana okunjalo kuyisibonelo sendlela uJehova abonisa ngayo izinceku zakhe ezithembekile uthando oluqotho. Nakuba u-Israyeli ‘ayeyimpahla ekhethekile’ kaJehova, lokhu akuzenzanga ezinye izizwe zangawuthola umusa kaNkulunkulu. (Eksodusi 19:5; Duteronomi 7:6-8) Yiqiniso, uJehova wayemthenge ebugqilini eGibhithe u-Israyeli, ngenxa yalokho wathi: “Ngazé nina kuphela kuyo yonke imindeni esemhlabeni.” Kodwa ngomprofethi u-Amose nabanye, uJehova wanikeza nabantu bazo “zonke izizwe” ithemba elimangalisayo.—Amose 3:2; 9:11, 12; Isaya 2:2-4.

UJesu, UMfundisi Ongakhethi

10. UJesu wamlingisa kanjani uYise ekuboniseni ukungakhethi?

¹⁰ Phakathi nenkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni, uJesu, omfuze wangamshiya uYise, walingisa ukungakhethi kukaJehova. (Hebheru 1:3) Ayekukhathalela ngokuyinhloko ngaleso sikhathi kwakuwukuthola ‘izimvu ezilahlekile zendlu ka-Israyeli.’ Nokho, akazange akugweme ukushumayela kowesifazane ongumSamariya emthonjeni wamanzi. (Mathewu 15:24; Johane 4:7-30) Wenza nesimangaliso ecelwé isikhulu sebutho, ngokusobala esasingeyena umJuda. (Luka 7:1-10) Lokho kwanezela ekuboniseni kwakhe ngezenzo uthando lwakhe ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Nabafundi bakaJesu bashumayela yonke indawo. Kwacaca ukuthi umbandela wokuthola isibusiso sikaJehova kwakungebona ubuzwe, kodwa kwakuyisimo sengqondo. Abantu abathobekile, abanhliziyo-ziqotho ababelambele iqiniso babesabela ezindabeni ezinhle zoMbuso. Ngokuphambene, abaqhoshayo nabazidlayo babemeya uJesu nomyalezo wakhe. UJesu wathi: “Ngikudumisa obala, Baba, Nkosi yezulu nomhlaba, ngoba uzifihle ngokucophelela lezi zinto kwabahlakaniphileyo nakongqondongqondo, wazambulela izingane. Yebo, Baba, ngoba kwaba yindlela oyamukelayo ukwenza kanjalo.” (Luka 10:21) Lapho sisebenzelana nabanye ngothando nangokholo, asikhethi, ngokwazi ukuthi yile ndlela uJehova ayamukelayo.

11. Ukungakhethi kwabonakaliswa kanjani ebandleni lobuKristu lokuqala?

¹¹ Ebandleni lobuKristu lokuqala, amaJuda nabangewona amaJuda babelingana. UPawulu wachaza: “[Makube] yinkazimulo nodumo nokuthula kuwo wonke umuntu owenza okuhle, kumJuda kuqala nakumGreki futhi. Ngoba akukho ukukhetha kuNkulunkulu.”b (Roma 2:10, 11) Okwakunquma ukuthi abantu bayazuza yini emseni kaJehova ongafanelwe kwakungebona ubuzwe babo, kodwa kwakuyindlela abasabela ngayo lapho bezwa ngoJehova nangamathemba anikezwa yisihlengo seNdodana yakhe, uJesu. (Johane 3:16, 36) UPawulu wabhala: “UmJuda akuyena lowo onguye ngaphandle, nokusoka akukhona lokho okungaphandle enyameni. Kodwa umJuda yilowo onguye ngaphakathi, nokusoka kwakhe yilokho kwenhliziyo ngomoya, hhayi ngesimiso esilotshiwe.” Esebenzisa igama elithi “umJuda” (okusho ukuthi obabazekayo noma onodumo) ngendlela enomqondo okabili, uPawulu wabe esenezela: “Udumo lwakhe lowo aluveli kubantu, kodwa luvela kuNkulunkulu.” (Roma 2:28, 29) UJehova udumisa abantu ngokungakhethi. Thina-ke?

12. IsAmbulo 7:9 sinikeza liphi ithemba, futhi silinikeza obani?

¹² Kamuva, embonweni, umphostoli uJohane wabona amaKristu agcotshiwe athembekile eyisizwe esingokomoya sabangu-144 000, “ababekwa uphawu kuzo zonke izizwe zabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.” Ngemva kwawo, uJohane wabona “isixuku esikhulu . . . siphuma kuzo zonke izizwe nezinhlanga nabantu nezilimi, simi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi naphambi kweWundlu, sigqoke izembatho ezimhlophe; kukhona amagatsha esundu ezandleni zaso.” (IsAmbulo 7:4, 9) Ngakho, akukho sizwe noma ulimi olushiywa ngaphandle ebandleni lobuKristu lanamuhla. Abantu bazo zonke izizinda banethemba lokusinda “osizini olukhulu” oluzayo nokuphuza “emithonjeni yamanzi okuphila” ezweni elisha.—IsAmbulo 7:14-17.

Imiphumela Emihle

13-15. (a) Singakunqoba kanjani ukuhluka kohlanga namasiko-mpilo? (b) Yisho izibonelo zezinzuzo zokubonisa ubungane.

¹³ UJehova usazi kahle, njengobaba onothando owazi izingane zakhe. Ngokufanayo, lapho siqonda abanye ngokubonisa isithakazelo ngesiko-mpilo nemvelaphi yabo, ukungafani kuvele kungasho lutho. Ukucwasana ngobuzwe kuyanyamalala, kuqine izibopho zobungane nothando. Ubunye buyathuthuka. (1 Korinte 9:19-23) Lokhu kubonakala kahle emsebenzini wezithunywa zevangeli ezikhonza kwamanye amazwe. Zibonisa isithakazelo somuntu siqu kubantu bendawo, ngenxa yalokho zisheshe ukuba ingxenye yebandla lendawo.—Filipi 2:4.

¹⁴ Imiphumela emihle yokungakhethi ibonakala emazweni amaningi. U-Aklilu waseTopiya, wazithola enesizungu enhloko-dolobha yaseBrithani, iLondon. Okwenza wazizwa enesizungu kakhulu kwaba yilokho okwabonakala kuye kuwukungabi nabungane kwabantu kubantu bakwamanye amazwe, okuyinto ekhona emadolobheni amaningi amakhulu eYurophu namuhla. Yeka umehluko u-Aklilu awuzwa lapho eya emhlanganweni wamaKristu eHholo LoMbuso LoFakazi BakaJehova! Ababekhona bamamukela kahle, ngesikhashana nje wazizwa esekhaya. Wathuthuka ngokushesha ekwaziseni uMdali ngokujulile. Kungakabiphi wayesefuna amathuba okuhlanganyela ekusakazeni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kwabanye kuleyo ndawo. Ngelinye ilanga lapho owayeshumayela no-Aklilu embuza ukuthi unamiphi imigomo manje ekuphileni, u-Aklilu waphendula ngokushesha wathi ufisa sengathi ngelinye ilanga angaba sebandleni elikhuluma ulimi lwakubo, isi-Amharic. Lapho abadala bebandla lendawo elikhuluma isiNgisi bezwa lokhu, bahlela ukuba kunikezwe inkulumo yeningi yeBhayibheli ngolimi luka-Aklilu lwendabuko. Kwaba khona inqwaba yabantu bokufika nabendawo ababemenyiwe bezosekela umhlangano weningi wokuqala wesi-Amharic eBrithani. Namuhla, abaseTopiya nabanye kuleyo ndawo bamunye ebandleni elichumayo. Abaningi lapho baye bathola ukuthi akukho lutho olubavimbayo ukuba bathathe uhlangothi lukaJehova nokubonisa lokhu ngobhapathizo lobuKristu.—IzEnzo 8:26-36.

¹⁵ Izici zobuntu nezizinda kuyahlukahluka. Azisona isilinganiso sokuba ngcono noma sokuba phansi kunabanye; zimane ziwukungafani. Lapho kubukelwa ubhapathizo lwezinceku zikaJehova ezazisanda kuzinikezela esiqhingini saseMalta, ukugxumagxuma kwenjabulo koFakazi bendawo kwahambisana nezinyembezi zenjabulo ezazigeleza emehlweni ezivakashi zaseBrithani. Womabili amaqembu elabaseMalta nelabaseBrithani ayebonisa imizwa yawo, kodwa ngezindlela ezingafani, futhi uthando lwawo olunamandla ngoJehova lwaqinisa izibopho zobungane bobuKristu.—IHubo 133:1; Kolose 3:14.

Ukunqoba Ukucwasa

16-18. Xoxa indaba ebonisa indlela ukucwasa okungase kunqotshwe ngayo ebandleni lobuKristu.

¹⁶ Njengoba uthando lwethu ngoJehova nangabafowethu abangamaKristu lujula, sikwazi ukumlingisa ngokuseduze nakakhulu uJehova endleleni esibheka ngayo abanye. Noma ikuphi ukucwasa okungenzeka sasinako ngezizwe, izinhlanga, noma amasiko-mpilo athile kunganqotshwa. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngendaba ka-Albert owayeseButhweni LaseBrithani eMpini Yezwe II wayesebanjwa amaJapane lapho kunqotshwa iSingapore ngo-1942. Kamuva wachitha iminyaka engaba mithathu esebenza ‘kujantshi wokufa,’ eduze kwalokho okwabizwa ngokuthi ibhuloho loMfula iKwai. Lapho ededelwa seyiphelile impi, wayengamakhilogremu angu-32 isisindo, ephuke umhlathi nekhala, ephethwe isihudo segazi, imibandamu, nomalaleveva. Izinkulungwane zezinye iziboshwa zazisesimweni esibi kunalokho; eziningi zazifile. Ngenxa yezinto ezinyantisayo u-Albert ayezibonile nezazenziwe kuye, wagoduka ngo-1945 engumuntu othukuthele, engafuni lutho oluthi Nkulunkulu noma inkolo.

¹⁷ Umka-Albert, u-Irene, waba ngomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Ukuze ajabulise yena, u-Albert waya emihlanganweni embalwa yebandla lendawo loFakazi BakaJehova. UmKristu osemusha owayesenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele okuthiwa uPaul wavakashela u-Albert ukuze atadishe naye iBhayibheli. Ngokushesha u-Albert waqaphela ukuthi uJehova ubheka umuntu ngamunye ngokwalokho okusenhliziyweni yakhe. Wanikezela ukuphila kwakhe kuJehova wabhapathizwa.

¹⁸ Kamuva uPaul wathuthela eLondon, wafunda isiJapane, wahlanganyela ebandleni elikhuluma isiJapane. Lapho esikisela ukuthatha oFakazi abangamaJapane ababevakashile abayise ebandleni lakubo elidala, abazalwane balapho bakhumbula ukuthi u-Albert ubacwase kakhulu abantu baseJapane. Kusukela ebuyele eBrithani, u-Albert wayekugwema ukuhlangana nanoma ubani ovela eJapane, ngakho abazalwane bazibuza ukuthi uzosisingatha kanjani isimo. Kwakungadingeki bakhathazeke—u-Albert wazamukela ngothando lobuzalwane olungenamibandela izivakashi.—1 Petru 3:8, 9.

“Yanulekani”

19. Isiphi iseluleko somphostoli uPawulu esingasisiza uma sinokuthambekela kokukhetha?

¹⁹ Inkosi ehlakaniphile uSolomoni yabhala: “Ukukhetha akukuhle.” (IzAga 28:21) Kulula ukuzizwa sisondelene nalabo esibazi kahle. Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi asibonisi sithakazelo esitheni kulabo esingabazi kahle. Ukukhetha okunjalo akuyifanele inceku kaJehova. Ngokuqinisekile, sonke kungaba kuhle silandele iseluleko esicacile sikaPawulu sokuba ‘sanuleke’—yebo, sanuleke othandweni lwethu ngamaKristu esikanye nawo anezizinda ezihlukile.—2 Korinte 6:13.

20. Iziphi izici zokuphila okufanele silingise kuzo uJehova, uNkulunkulu wethu ongakhethi?

²⁰ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinelungelo lobizo lwasezulwini noma ithemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni, ukungakhethi kwethu kusenza sikwazi ukujabulela ubunye bomhlambi owodwa kaMalusi oyedwa. (Efesu 4:4, 5, 16) Ukuzama ukulingisa uJehova, uNkulunkulu wethu ongakhethi, kungasisiza enkonzweni yethu yobuKristu, ekhaya, nasemabandleni, empeleni, kuzo zonke izici zokuphila. Kanjani? Isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngale ndaba.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

• UJehova wakubonisa kanjani ukungakhethi kuRahabi nakwabaseGibheyoni?

• UJesu wakubonisa kanjani ukungakhethi lapho efundisa?

• Yini engasisiza sinqobe ukucwasa abanye ngenxa yesiko-mpilo nangenxa yohlanga?

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

Lapho u-Israyeli eqala ukunqoba iKhanani

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

UJesu akakugwemanga ukushumayela kowesifazane ongumSamariya

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Umhlangano weningi wesi-Amharic eBrithani

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Uthando luka-Albert ngoJehova lwamsiza ekunqobeni ukucwasa