Asebekhulile Bayisibusiso Kwabasebasha
“O Nkulunkulu, ungangishiyi, kuze kube ngisho nasekugugeni nasebumpungeni, ngize ngilandise ngengalo yakho esizukulwaneni, ngamandla akho kubo bonke abasazofika.”—IHUBO 71:18.
1, 2. Yini okufanele izinceku zikaNkulunkulu esezikhulile ziyiqaphele, futhi sizoxoxa ngani manje?
UMDALA webandla elithile eNtshonalanga Afrika wavakashela umzalwane ogcotshiwe osekhulile, wambuza impilo. Lo mzalwane waphendula, “Ngiyakwazi ukugijima, ngiyakwazi futhi ukugxuma ngisho nangomlenze owodwa,” esho ezama ukulingisa lokho ayekusho. Wanezela: “Kodwa angikwazi ukundiza.” Umdala wakuqonda okwakushiwo yilo mzalwane. ‘Engikwazi ukukwenza, ngiyakujabulela ukukwenza, kodwa lokho engingakwazi, angikwenzi.’ Manje lowo mdala owayevakashile useneminyaka engaphezu kwengu-80, futhi usawakhumbula amahlaya nobuqotho balowo mzalwane.
2 Izimfanelo zokwesaba uNkulunkulu eziboniswa umuntu osekhulile zingaba nethonya elihlala njalo kwabanye. Yiqiniso, ukukhula kukodwa akwenzi umuntu ahlakaniphe ngokuzenzakalelayo futhi abe nezimfanelo ezifana nezikaKristu. (UmShumayeli 4:13) IBhayibheli lithi: “Ubumpunga bungumqhele wobuhle lapho butholakala endleleni yokulunga.” (IzAga 16:31) Uma ungumuntu osekhulile, uyaqaphela yini ukuthi amazwi nezenzo zakho kungabazuzisa kangakanani abanye? Cabanga ngezinye zezibonelo eziseBhayibhelini ezibonisa izinga asebekhulile abaye baba ngalo isibusiso sangempela kwabasebasha.
Ukholo Olunemiphumela Ehamba Ibanga Elide
3. Ukwethembeka kukaNowa kuye kwabazuzisa kanjani bonke abaphilayo namuhla?
3 Ukholo nokungantengantengi kukaNowa kusazuzisa nanamuhla. UNowa wayesezohlanganisa iminyaka engu-600 ubudala lapho akha umkhumbi, eqoqa izilwane futhi eshumayela komakhelwane bakhe. (Genesise 7:6; 2 Petru 2:5) Ngenxa yokwesaba kwakhe uNkulunkulu, uNowa wasinda kuZamcolo omkhulu nomkhaya wakhe futhi waba ukhokho wabo bonke abantu abaphilayo namuhla. Yiqiniso, ngesikhathi sikaNowa abantu ngokuvamile babephila isikhathi eside. Noma kunjalo, ngisho nalapho esekhulile impela, uNowa wahlala ethembekile, futhi lokho kwaholela ezibusisweni ezinkulu. Kanjani?
4. Ukungantengantengi kukaNowa kuye kwazizuzisa kanjani izinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla?
4 UNowa wayesecela eminyakeni engu-800 ubudala lapho uNimrode eqala ukwakha uMbhoshongo WaseBhabhele edelela umyalo kaJehova ‘wokugcwalisa umhlaba.’ (Genesise 9:1; 11:1-9) Nokho, uNowa akazange ahlanganyele ekuvukeleni kukaNimrode. Ngakho, cishe ulimi lwakhe aluzange lushintshe lapho kuphithaniswa ulimi lwalabo ababevukela. Ukholo nokungantengantengi kukaNowa okwabonakala ekuphileni kwakhe konke, hhayi nje lapho esekhulile kuphela, kuyakufanelekela ngempela ukulingiswa izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zabo bonke ubudala.—Hebheru 11:7.
Ithonya Abangaba Nalo Ekhaya
5, 6. (a) Ngesikhathi u-Abrahama eneminyaka engu-75 ubudala, uJehova wamtshela ukuba enzeni? (b) U-Abrahama wasabela kanjani emyalweni kaNkulunkulu?
5 Ithonya asebekhulile abangaba nalo okholweni lwamalungu omndeni lingabonakala ekuphileni kwezinzalamizi zangemva kukaNowa. U-Abrahama wayeneminyaka engaba ngu-75 lapho uNkulunkulu ethi kuye: “Phuma ezweni lakini nasezihlotsheni zakho nasendlini kayihlo uye ezweni engizokutshengisa lona; ngizokwenza isizwe esikhulu ngawe futhi ngizokubusisa.”—Genesise 12:1, 2.
6 Cabanga nje utshelwa ukuba ushiye ikhaya, abangane, izwe lenkaba yakho nokulondeka kokuba phakathi komndeni uye ezweni ongalazi. Yilokho kanye u-Abrahama atshelwa ukuba akwenze. “Wahamba njengoba nje uJehova ayekhulumile kuye,” futhi ukuphila kwakhe konke wahlala ematendeni njengomfokazi ezweni laseKhanani futhi engahlali ndawonye. (Genesise 12:4; Hebheru 11:8, 9) Nakuba uJehova ayethe u-Abrahama wayeyoba “isizwe esikhulu,” inzalo yakhe yaba ningi sekukade afa. Umkakhe, uSara, waze wamzalela indodana eyodwa vó, u-Isaka, sekudlule iminyaka engu-25 begogobele ezweni lesithembiso. (Genesise 21:2, 5) Noma kunjalo, u-Abrahama akazange adikibale abese ebuyela emzini ayephume kuwo. Yeka isibonelo sokholo nokukhuthazela!
7. Ukukhuthazela kuka-Abrahama kwayithonya kanjani indodana yakhe u-Isaka, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela esintwini?
7 Ukukhuthazela kuka-Abrahama kwaba nethonya elikhulu endodaneni yakhe u-Isaka, eyachitha ukuphila kwayo konke—iminyaka engu-180—njengomfokazi ezweni laseKhanani. Ukukhuthazela kuka-Isaka kwakusekelwe okholweni ayenalo esithembisweni sikaNkulunkulu, ukholo olwagxiliswa abazali bakhe abase bekhulile futhi kamuva lwaqiniswa izwi uJehova alikhuluma kuye. (Genesise 26:2-5) Ukungantengantengi kuka-Isaka kwafeza indima ebalulekile ekugcwalisekeni kwesithembiso sikaJehova sokuthi ‘inzalo’ okwakuyobusiswa ngayo sonke isintu yayiyovela emndenini ka-Abrahama. Emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva, uJesu Kristu, ingxenye eyinhloko yaleyo ‘nzalo,’ wavulela bonke ababonisa ukholo kuye ithuba lokubuyisana noNkulunkulu nokuthola ukuphila okuphakade.—Galathiya 3:16; Johane 3:16.
8. UJakobe walubonisa kanjani ukholo oluqinile, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?
8 U-Isaka naye wasiza indodana yakhe uJakobe ukuba ibe nokholo oluqinile olwayiqinisa kwaze kwaba sekugugeni kwayo. UJakobe wayeneminyaka engu-97 ngesikhathi ebambana nengelosi ubusuku bonke efuna isibusiso. (Genesise 32:24-28) Ngaphambi kokuba afe eneminyaka engu-147, uJakobe wasebenzisa amandla akhe okugcina wabusisa ngayinye yamadodana akhe angu-12. (Genesise 47:28) Amazwi akhe ayisiprofetho alotshwe kuGenesise 49:1-28, aba yiqiniso futhi asagcwaliseka namanje.
9. Yini engase ishiwo ngethonya asebekhulile abavuthiwe ngokomoya abanalo emkhayeni?
9 Kusobala ukuthi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu eziqotho esezikhulile zingaba nethonya elihle emalungwini omkhaya. Imfundo engokomBhalo ehambisana nokuhlangenwe nakho kwasebekhulile kanye nesibonelo sabo sokukhuthazela kungenza lukhulu ekutheni osemusha uzokhula enokholo oluqinile noma cha. (IzAga 22:6) Asebekhulile akufanele nanini bakuthathe kalula ukuthi bangaba nethonya elinamandla elihle emkhayeni.
Ithonya Abangaba Nalo Kwabanye Abakhulekeli
10. Yini uJosefa ‘ayiyala ngokuphathelene namathambo akhe,’ futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?
10 Asebekhulile bangaba nanethonya elihle kulabo abakholwa nabo. Isikhulile, indodana kaJakobe uJosefa yenza isicelo esilula esibonisa ukholo esaba nethonya elikhulu ezigidini zabakhulekeli beqiniso abaphila ngemva kwayo. Yayineminyaka engu-110 lapho ‘iyala ngokuphathelene namathambo ayo,’ ukuthi kwakumelwe ama-Israyeli ahambe nawo lapho ekugcineni ephuma eGibhithe. (Hebheru 11:22; Genesise 50:25) Lowo myalo waqinisa ithemba lama-Israyeli phakathi neminyaka eminingi yokugqilazwa kanzima ngemva kokufa kukaJosefa, uwanikeza isiqinisekiso sokuthi ayeyogcina ekhululiwe.
11. Cishe uMose osekhulile waba naliphi ithonya kuJoshuwa?
11 UMose ungomunye wabantu abaqiniswa yileso senzo sikaJosefa sokholo. Lapho uMose eneminyaka engu-80, waba nelungelo lokuthwala amathambo kaJosefa aphume nawo ezweni laseGibhithe. (Eksodusi 13:19) Cishe wamazi ngaleso sikhathi uJoshuwa, owayemncane kakhulu kunaye. UJoshuwa waba isikhonzi sikaMose iminyaka engu-40 eyalandela. (Numeri 11:28) Wahamba noMose lapho eya eNtabeni iSinayi futhi wamhlangabeza lapho ehla entabeni ephethe izibhebhe zobuFakazi. (Eksodusi 24:12-18; 32:15-17) Yeka insada yezeluleko ezivuthiwe nokuhlakanipha okumelwe ukuthi uJoshuwa wayekuthola kuMose!
12. UJoshuwa waba kanjani ithonya elihle esizweni sakwa-Israyeli ukuphila kwakhe konke?
12 UJoshuwa naye wakhuthaza isizwe sakwa-Israyeli ukuphila kwakhe konke. Incwadi yabaHluleli 2:7 iyasitshela: “Abantu baqhubeka bekhonza uJehova zonke izinsuku zikaJoshuwa nazo zonke izinsuku zamadoda amadala aqhubeka ephila ngemva kukaJoshuwa nayeboné wonke umsebenzi kaJehova omkhulu awenzela u-Israyeli.” Nokho, ngemva kokufa kukaJoshuwa namanye amadoda amadala, kwaqala inkathi yeminyaka engu-300 yokushintshashintsha ukukhulekela kweqiniso nokwamanga eyaholela ezinsukwini zomprofethi uSamuweli.
USamuweli ‘Wenza Ukulunga’
13. USamuweli ‘wakwenza kanjani ukulunga’?
13 IBhayibheli alisho ukuthi uSamuweli wayeneminyaka emingaki lapho efa, kodwa izenzakalo ezisencwadini kaSamuweli Wokuqala zenzeka phakathi neminyaka engu-102, futhi uSamuweli wazibona eziningi zazo. KumaHebheru 11:32, 33 sifunda ukuthi abahluleli nabaprofethi abaqotho “benza ukulunga.” Yebo, uSamuweli wathonya abanye kubantu besikhathi sakhe ukuba bagweme futhi bayeke ukwenza okubi. (1 Samuweli 7:2-4) Ngaziphi izindlela? Waba qotho kuJehova ukuphila kwakhe konke. (1 Samuweli 12:2-5) Wayengesabi ukunikeza ngisho nenkosi iseluleko esiqinile. (1 Samuweli 15:16-29) Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho uSamuweli ‘esegugile futhi empunga,’ waba isibonelo esihle sokuthandazela abanye. Wathi ‘kuyinto engacabangeki ukuba one kuJehova ngokuyeka ukuthandazela’ ama-Israyeli akubo.—1 Samuweli 12:2, 23.
14, 15. Asebekhulile namuhla bangamlingisa kanjani uSamuweli endabeni yomthandazo?
14 Konke lokhu kuqokomisa indlela ebalulekile asebekhulile abangaba ngayo nethonya elihle kwezinye izinceku zikaJehova. Naphezu kokuthiywa impilo noma ezinye izimo, asebekhulile ngeminyaka bangabathandazela abanye. Nina esenikhulile, niyaqonda yini ukuthi imithandazo yethu ilizuzisa kangakanani ibandla? Ngenxa yokholo lwenu egazini likaKristu elachitheka, ninobuhlobo obuhle noJehova, futhi ngenxa yomlando wenu wokukhuthazela, ninokholo ‘oluvivinyiwe.’ (Jakobe 1:3; 1 Petru 1:7) Nakhu okungamelwe nikukhohlwe nanini: “Ukunxusa komuntu olungileyo, lapho kusebenza, kunamandla amakhulu.”—Jakobe 5:16.
15 Imithandazo yenu iyadingeka ekusekeleni umsebenzi kaJehova ophathelene noMbuso. Abanye abafowethu basemajele ngenxa yokungathathi-hlangothi njengamaKristu. Abanye baye baba izisulu zezinhlekelele zemvelo, izimpi nemibango. Kanti kunabathile emabandleni ethu ababhekene nezilingo noma ukuphikiswa. (Mathewu 10:35, 36) Abaholayo emsebenzini wokushumayela nasekwengameleni amabandla nabo bayidinga njalo imithandazo yenu. (Efesu 6:18, 19; Kolose 4:2, 3) Yeka ukuthi kuhle kanjani ukuba nibafake emithandazweni yenu, njengoba kwenza u-Ephafra!—Kolose 4:12.
Ukufundisa Isizukulwane Esizayo
16, 17. Yini eyabikezelwa kumaHubo 71:18, futhi lokhu kuye kwagcwaliseka kanjani?
16 ‘Abezinye izimvu’ abanethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni baye bathola ukuqeqeshwa abakudingayo ngokuhlanganyela nabathembekile ‘bomhlambi omncane’ abanobizo lwasezulwini. (Luka 12:32; Johane 10:16) Lokhu kwabikezelwa kumaHubo 71:18, afundeka kanje: “O Nkulunkulu, ungangishiyi, kuze kube ngisho nasekugugeni nasebumpungeni, ngize ngilandise ngengalo yakho esizukulwaneni, ngamandla akho kubo bonke abasazofika.” Abagcotshwe ngomoya bebelokhu bemagange ukuqeqesha abangane babo bezinye izimvu ukuze bakwazi ukusingatha imithwalo yemfanelo eyengeziwe ngaphambi kokubashiya sebeyokhazinyuliswa kanye noJesu Kristu.
17 Isimiso esikumaHubo 71:18 esikhuluma ngokufundisa “abasazofika” singasebenza nakwezinye izimvu eziye zafundiswa abagcotshiwe bakaNkulunkulu. UJehova uye waphathisa asebekhulile ilungelo lokufakaza ngaye kulabo manje abamukela ukukhulekela kweqiniso. (Joweli 1:2, 3) Ezinye izimvu zizizwa zibusisekile ngalokho eziye zakufundiswa abagcotshiwe futhi zishukumiseleka ukuba imfundo yazo engokomBhalo ziyihlanganyele nabanye abanesifiso sokukhonza uJehova.—IsAmbulo 7:9, 10.
18, 19. (a) Ikuphi ukwaziswa okuyigugu izinceku zikaJehova eziningi esezikhulile ezingasinika kona? (b) Yini amaKristu asekhulile okufanele aqiniseke ngayo?
18 Izinceku zikaJehova esezikhulile, ezigcotshiwe nezezinye izimvu, zisixhumanisa nezenzakalo ezingokomlando ezibalulekile. Kunezimbalwa ezisaphila ezazikhona lapho i-“Photo-Drama of Creation” iqala ukuboniswa. Ezinye zazibazi mathupha abazalwane ababehola ababoshwa ngo-1918. Ezinye zaba nengxenye ekusakazeni esiteshini somsakazo se-Watchtower, i-WBBR. Eziningi zingalandisa ngesikhathi lapho kwakulwiwa amacala ayehilela inkululeko engokwenkolo yoFakazi BakaJehova ezinkantolo eziphakeme. Ezinye zamelela ukukhulekela kweqiniso ngokuqinile ngaphansi kwemibuso yomashiqela. Yebo, asebekhulile bangalandisa ngendlela ukuqonda kweqiniso okuye kwembulwa ngayo ngokuqhubekayo. IBhayibheli lisikhuthaza ukuba sizuze kule nsada yezenzakalo abadlula kuzo.—Duteronomi 32:7.
19 AmaKristu asekhulile akhuthazwa ukuba abe izibonelo ezinhle kwabasebasha. (Thithu 2:2-4) Kungenzeka ukuthi awuboni manje ukuthi ukukhuthazela kwakho, imithandazo nezeluleko zakho zibathinta kanjani abanye. UNowa, u-Abrahama, uJosefa, uMose nabanye akunakwenzeka ukuthi babazi ukuthi ukwethembeka kwabo kwakuyoba nethonya elikhulu kangakanani ezizukulwaneni ezazizolandela. Nokho, ifa lokholo nokwethembeka abasishiyela lona laba nethonya elikhulu; nelakho lingaba nethonya elifanayo.
20. Iziphi izibusiso ezilindele labo abaligcina liqinile ithemba labo kuze kube sekugcineni?
20 Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uyolondolozwa ‘osizini olukhulu’ noma uyobuyiselwa ekuphileni ngovuko, yeka ukuthi kuyothokozisa kangakanani ukujabulela “ukuphila kwangempela”! (Mathewu 24:21; 1 Thimothewu 6:19) Sibone ngeso lengqondo isikhathi sokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane lapho uJehova eyohlehlisa khona imiphumela yokuguga. Kunokuba imizimba yethu iqhubeke iwohloka, usuku ngalunye lapho sivuka iyobe isesimweni esingcono—siyobe sinamandla engeziwe, sibona kakhudlwana, sizwa kangconywana futhi sibukeka kangcono! (Jobe 33:25; Isaya 35:5, 6) Labo abayothola isibusiso sokuphila ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu bayohlale bebasha uma kuqhathaniswa nephakade abasazoliphila. (Isaya 65:22) Ngakho-ke, kwangathi sonke singaligcina liqinile ithemba lethu kuze kube sekugcineni futhi siqhubeke sikhonza uJehova ngomphefumulo wonke. Singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyokufeza konke akwethembisile nokuthi lokho ayokwenza kuyoba ngaphezu kakhulu kwesikulindele.—IHubo 37:4; 145:16.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Ukungantengantengi kukaNowa osekhulile kwaphumela kanjani ezibusisweni zaso sonke isintu?
• Ukholo lwezinzalamizi lwaba namuphi umphumela enzalweni yazo?
• Lapho sebekhulile, uJosefa, uMose, uJoshuwa noSamuweli babaqinisa kanjani abakhulekeli ababekanye nabo?
• Iliphi ifa asebekhulile abangalishiyela abanye?
[Isithombe ekhasini 26]
Ukukhuthazela kuka-Abrahama kwaba nethonya elikhulu ku-Isaka
[Isithombe ekhasini 28]
Iseluleko sikaMose esivuthiwe samkhuthaza uJoshuwa
[Isithombe ekhasini 29]
Ukuthandazela kwenu abanye kungafeza lukhulu
[Isithombe ekhasini 30]
Abasebasha bayazuza ngokulalela asebekhulile abathembekile