“Yimani Niqine Nibone Insindiso KaJehova”
“UJehova ungakimi; ngeke ngesabe. Umuntu wasemhlabeni angangenzani?” —IHUBO 118:6.
1. Yiziphi izenzakalo ezibalulekile isintu esizobhekana nazo?
NAMUHLA isintu sizobhekana nezenzakalo ezinkulu ezingakaze zibonwe. Ebikezela lokhu ngosuku lwethu, uJesu waxwayisa abalandeli bakhe: “Kuyoba khona usizi olukhulu olungakaze lube khona kusukela ekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube manje, cha, futhi olungasayikuphinde lube khona. Eqinisweni, ukube lezo zinsuku azifinyezwanga, akukho nyama ebiyosinda; kodwa ngenxa yabakhethiweyo lezo zinsuku ziyofinyezwa.”—Mathewu 24:21, 22.
2. Yini ebambe ukuqala kosizi olukhulu?
2 Amabutho asezulwini manje abambe lolo sizi olukhulu, nakuba abantu bengawaboni. Umphostoli uJohane waba nelungelo lokubona isizathu salokhu kubanjwa esambulweni asinikezwa uJesu. Lo mphostoli osekhulile usichaza kanje: “Ngabona izingelosi ezine zimi emagumbini amane omhlaba, zibambe imimoya emine yomhlaba zayiqinisa . . . Ngabona enye ingelosi inyuka ivela empumalanga, inophawu lukaNkulunkulu ophilayo; yamemeza ngezwi elikhulu ezingelosini ezine . . . ‘Ningawulimazi umhlaba noma ulwandle noma imithi, kuze kube yilapho sesizibeke uphawu izinceku zikaNkulunkulu wethu emabunzini azo.’”—IsAmbulo 7:1-3.
3. Siyoba yini isici sokuqala sosizi olukhulu?
3 Ukubekwa uphawu kokugcina ‘kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu wethu’ sekusondela ekupheleni. Izingelosi ezine sezimi ngomumo ukuze zidedele leyo mimoya ebhubhisayo. Lapho ziyidedela, yini eyokwenzeka kuqala? Ingelosi iyawuphendula lowo mbuzo: “IBhabhiloni umuzi omkhulu liyophonswa phansi ngokusheshayo, futhi ngeke liphinde litholakale.” (IsAmbulo 18:21) Yeka injabulo eyoba khona ezulwini lapho kwenzeka lokhu, lapho kubhujiswa umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga!—IsAmbulo 19:1, 2.
4. Yiziphi izenzakalo ezisazokwenzeka?
4 Zonke izizwe zomhlaba ziyobe sezihlangene ukuze zilwe nabantu bakaJehova. Ingabe ziyophumelela ukuqothula lawo maKristu athembekile? Kungase kubonakale sengathi ziyophumelela. Kodwa bheka! Amabutho asezulwini aholwa uKristu Jesu ayoqikelela ukuthi la mabutho angabantu ayaqothulwa. (IsAmbulo 19:19-21) Ekugcineni, uDeveli nezingelosi zakhe bayophonswa kwalasha bangabe besasebenza. Ngeke besadukisa muntu ngoba bayobe beboshwe iminyaka eyinkulungwane. Oh, yeka impumuzo eyotholwa isixuku esikhulu sabasindile!—IsAmbulo 7:9, 10, 14; 20:1-3.
5. Yini eyothokozisa labo abahlala beqotho kuJehova?
5 Maduzane sizozibona lezi zenzakalo ezimangalisayo nezesabisayo. Zonke zihlangene nokulwelwa kwelungelo likaJehova lokubusa, ubukhosi bakhe bendawo yonke. Cabanga nangalokhu: Uma sihlala siqotho kuJehova futhi simelela ubukhosi bakhe, siyoba nethuba lokuhlanganyela ekungcwelisweni kwegama likaJehova nasekugcwalisekeni kwenjongo yakhe. Yeka intokozo emangalisayo okuyoba yiyo!
6. Ngenxa yezenzakalo ezethusayo eziseduze, yini esizoyicabangela?
6 Ingabe sizilungele lezo zenzakalo ezinkulu? Sinalo yini ukholo emandleni kaJehova okusindisa? Ingabe siyaqiniseka ukuthi uyosisiza ngesikhathi esifanele nangendlela engcono kakhulu? Lapho siphendula imibuzo ethinta umuntu ngamunye njengale, singakhumbula lokho umphostoli uPawulu akutshela amaKristu ayekanye nawo eRoma: “Zonke izinto ezalotshwa esikhathini esingaphambili zalotshelwa ukuba kufundiswe thina, ukuze kuthi ngokukhuthazela kwethu nangenduduzo evela emiBhalweni sibe nethemba.” (Roma 15:4) Phakathi kwezinto ezalotshelwa ukuba kufundiswe thina ezisinikeza induduzo nethemba, kukhona nokulandisa kokukhulula kukaJehova ama-Israyeli esandleni sensimbi sabacindezeli bawo baseGibhithe. Ukuhlolisisa lezo zenzakalo ezivusa amadlingozi zangesikhathi uJehova ejika izinto ukuze akhulule abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, kufanele kube isikhuthazo esikhulu kithi, njengoba sibheke phambili osizini olukhulu olusondela ngokushesha.
UJehova Uhlenga Abantu Bakhe
7. Ngo-1513 B.C.E., yisiphi isimo esishubile esiphakamayo eGibhithe?
7 Unyaka u-1513 B.C.E. UJehova usebashayile kakade abaseGibhithe ngezishayo ezingu-9. Ngemva kwesokugcina kulezo, uFaro uxosha uMose ngala mazwi: “Suka phambi kwami! Qaphela! Ungazami ukuphinde ubone ubuso bami futhi, ngoba mhla ubona ubuso bami uyokufa.” UMose uyaphendula: “Yileyo ndlela okhulume ngayo. Ngeke ngizame ukuphinde ngibubone futhi ubuso bakho.”—Eksodusi 10:28, 29.
8. Iziphi iziyalezo ezinikezwa ama-Israyeli ukuze asinde, futhi uba yini umphumela?
8 Manje uJehova wembulela uMose ukuthi uzoletha isishayo sokugcina kuFaro nakubo bonke abaseGibhithe. Ngomhla ka-14 ku-Abibi (Nisani), wonke amazibulo abaseGibhithe nawo wonke amazibulo ezilwane azokufa. Kodwa imikhaya engama-Israyeli ingasinda ngokulandela ngokucophelela iziyalezo uNkulunkulu azinikeze uMose. Kumelwe ifafaze igazi lemvu yeduna ezinsikeni ezimbili zomnyango nasekhothameni lezindlu zayo futhi ihlale ngaphakathi ezindlini. Kwenzekani ngalobo busuku? Masizwe uMose esitshela: “Kwathi phakathi kwamabili uJehova washaya wonke amazibulo ezweni laseGibhithe.” UFaro uthatha isinyathelo ngaso leso sikhathi. Ubiza uMose no-Aroni, abatshele: “Sukani, phumani phakathi kwabantu bami, . . . nihambe, niyokhonza uJehova, njengoba nishilo.” Nebala ama-Israyeli ayahamba, cishe angaphezu kwezigidi ezintathu kanye ‘neqembu elikhulu eliyingxubevange’ elingabaliwe labangewona ama-Israyeli.—Eksodusi 12:1-7, 29, 31, 37, 38.
9. UNkulunkulu uwakhipha ngayiphi indlela ama-Israyeli eGibhithe, futhi ngani?
9 Indlela eseduze kuma-Israyeli iwukuba ahambe ngasoLwandle LwaseMedithera adabule ezweni lamaFilisti. Kepha yizwe lesitha leli. Ngakho, cishe ukuze avikele abantu bakhe empini, uJehova ubahambisa ngendlela yasehlane loLwandle Olubomvu. Nakuba kuyizigidi zabantu ezisendleleni, lesi akusona isixuku esingahlelekile. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kuthi: “Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhuphuka ezweni laseGibhithe behlelelwe impi.”—Eksodusi 13:17, 18.
‘Bonani Insindiso KaJehova’
10. Kungani uNkulunkulu ethi u-Israyeli akakanise phambi kwePhihahiroti?
10 Manje sekwenzeka into engalindelekile. UJehova uthi kuMose: “Khuluma nabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, uthi kufanele baphenduke bakanise phambi kwePhihahiroti phakathi kweMigidoli nolwandle ngaphambi kweBhali-zefoni.” Njengoba silandela lezi ziqondiso, lesi sixuku esikhulu sizithola sesibhajwe phakathi kwezintaba noLwandle Olubomvu. Kubonakala sengathi sesifike kwangqingetshe. Kodwa uJehova uyakwazi akwenzayo. Uthi kuMose: “Ngizoyiyeka impela inhliziyo kaFaro ibe yisijaka, nakanjani uzowasukela futhi mina ngizozitholela inkazimulo ngoFaro nangawo wonke amabutho akhe empi; abaseGibhithe bazokwazi ngokuqinisekile ukuthi nginguJehova.”—Eksodusi 14:1-4.
11. (a) Wenzani uFaro, futhi ama-Israyeli asabela kanjani? (b) Uthini uMose lapho u-Israyeli emkhalela?
11 UFaro, enomuzwa wokuthi wenze iphutha ngokuvumela ama-Israyeli ahambe eGibhithe, uyawasukela nezinqola zempi zekhethelo ezingu-600. Njengoba ibutho laseGibhithe liqhamuka, ama-Israyeli angenwa amanzi emadolweni bese ekhalela uMose: “Yingoba zingekho yini izindawo zokungcwaba eGibhithe uze usilethe lapha ukuba sifele ehlane?” Eqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uzobasindisa, uMose uyaphendula: “Ningesabi. Yimani niqine nibone insindiso kaJehova, azonenzela yona namuhla. . . . UJehova ngokwakhe uzonilwela, nina nizothula.”—Eksodusi 14:5-14.
12. UJehova ubahlenga kanjani abantu bakhe?
12 Njengoba uMose ayeshilo ukuthi uJehova uzowalwela ama-Israyeli, manje sekungenela amabutho anamandla angaphezu kwavamile. Ingelosi kaJehova yenza isimangaliso, isusa insika yefu ebihola ikamu lama-Israyeli iliyise ngemuva kwalo. Nakuba yenza kube mnyama kwabaseGibhithe, le nsika iyawakhanyisela ama-Israyeli. (Eksodusi 13:21, 22; 14:19, 20) Elalela umyalo kaNkulunkulu, uMose manje welula isandla sakhe. Ukulandisa kuyaqhubeka: “UJehova waqala ukuhlehlisa ulwandle ngomoya wasempumalanga onamandla ubusuku bonke . . . Ekugcineni abantwana bakwa-Israyeli badabula ulwandle emhlabathini owomileyo, amanzi ewudonga kwesokunene sabo nakwesobunxele sabo.” AbaseGibhithe bayabajaha, kodwa uJehova ungasohlangothini lwabantu bakhe. Uphithizelisa ikamu labaseGibhithe, bese etshela uMose: “Yelulela isandla sakho phezu kolwandle, ukuze amanzi abuyele phezu kwabaseGibhithe, izinqola zabo zempi namabutho abo amahhashi.” Amabutho kaFaro abhujiswa wonke, akusali nelokubika isosha!—Eksodusi 14:21-28; IHubo 136:15.
Funda Ekusindisweni Kuka-Israyeli
13. Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli benzani ngemva kokukhululwa kwabo?
13 Lokhu kukhululwa okuyisimangaliso kwabathinta kanjani abasindile? UMose nabantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahaya ingoma ngokusuka enhliziyweni, bedumisa uJehova! Bahlabelela: “Mangihlabelelele uJehova, ngoba uye waphakama kakhulu. . . . UJehova uyobusa njengenkosi kuze kube nini nanini, kuze kube phakade.” (Eksodusi 15:1, 18) Yebo, into abayicabanga kuqala ukuba baphakamise uNkulunkulu. Kulesi sigameko, uJehova wayebubonisile ubukhosi bakhe.
14. (a) Singafundani ngoJehova kokwehlela u-Israyeli? (b) Sithini isihloko sonyaka ka-2008?
14 Yiziphi izifundo, induduzo nethemba esilithola kulezi zenzakalo ezivusa amadlingozi? Ngokuqinisekile singabona ukuthi uJehova ululungele noma iluphi uvivinyo abantu bakhe okudingeka badlule kulo. Unamandla okuxazulula noma isiphi isimo abangabhekana naso. ULwandle Olubomvu alubanga isithiyo ku-Israyeli lapho uJehova ebangela ukuba kuvunguze umoya onamandla wasempumalanga. Wakwazi futhi nokwenza lona lolo Lwandle Olubomvu lwaba ithuna lamabutho kaFaro. Uma sicabanga ngalokhu, singananela amazwi omhubi owathi: “UJehova ungakimi; ngeke ngesabe. Umuntu wasemhlabeni angangenzani?” (IHubo 118:6) Singathola nenduduzo emazwini kaPawulu alotshwe kweyabaseRoma 8:31: “Uma uNkulunkulu engakithi, ubani oyomelana nathi?” Yeka indlela asiqinisa idolo ngayo la mazwi aphefumulelwe! Aqeda noma ikuphi ukwesaba nokungabaza esingase sibe nako, asigcwalise ngethemba. Yeka indlela okufaneleka ngayo-ke ukuba isihloko sonyaka ka-2008 sithi: “Yimani niqine nibone insindiso kaJehova”!—Eksodusi 14:13.
15. Kwakubaluleke kangakanani ukulalela lapho u-Israyeli ekhululwa eGibhithe, futhi kubaluleke kangakanani namuhla?
15 Yini enye esingayifunda oFudukweni luka-Israyeli eGibhithe? Ukuthi kumelwe silalele uJehova kunoma yini athi asiyenze. Ama-Israyeli alalela ngokwenza ngokuvumelana neziqondiso eziningiliziwe zokulungiselela iPhasika. Alalela, ahlala ezindlini zawo ngobusuku bukaNisani 14. Lapho ekugcineni elishiya elaseGibhithe, kwadingeka aphume “ehlelelwe impi.” (Eksodusi 13:18) Namuhla, kubaluleke kakhulu ukuba silandele isiqondiso esisithola ‘ngenceku ethembekileyo neqondayo.’ (Mathewu 24:45) Kumelwe sililalelisise izwi likaNkulunkulu elingemva kwethu, elithi: “‘Nansi indlela. Hambani ngayo,’ uma kwenzeka niya ngakwesokunene noma niya ngakwesobunxele.” (Isaya 30:21) Njengoba sisondela ekugqashukeni kosizi olukhulu, kungenzeka sithole iziqondiso ezithile eziningiliziwe. Ukudlula kwethu siphephile kulezo zinsuku ezinzima kuyoxhomeka ekuhambisaneni kwethu nezinye izinceku zikaJehova eziqotho.
16. Yini esingayifunda endleleni uNkulunkulu ajika ngayo izinto ngenkathi ekhulula ama-Israyeli?
16 Khumbula nokuthi uJehova wabeka ama-Israyeli esimweni ayebonakala ebhajiwe kuso, kuyizintaba ngapha noLwandle Olubomvu ngapha. Kwakubonakala kungesona neze isinyathelo esihlakaniphile leso. Kodwa uJehova wayazi ukuthi wenzani, futhi ekugcineni lokho kwaletha udumo kuye, kwasindisa nabantu bakhe. Namuhla, kungase kungasikhanyeli kahle ukuthi kungani izinto ezithile enhlanganweni zenziwa ngendlela ethile, kodwa singasethemba ngempela isiqondiso sikaJehova esiza ngomzila wakhe othembekile wokuxhumana nathi. Ngezinye izikhathi, izitha zethu zingase zibonakale zinqoba. Ngomqondo wethu olinganiselwe, singase singakwazi ukukubona konke okuhilelekile. Kepha uJehova uyakwazi ukujika izinto ngesikhathi okuyisona sona, njengoba nje enza lapho ekhulula abantwana bakwa-Israyeli.—IzAga 3:5.
Methembe UJehova
17. Kungani singasethemba ngokuphelele isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu?
17 Ungayicabanga indlela ama-Israyeli ayeqina idolo ngayo isikhathi ngasinye lapho ecabanga ngaleya nsika yefu emini nensika yomlilo ebusuku? Yayiwubufakazi bokuthi “ingelosi kaNkulunkulu weqiniso” iqondisa uhambo lwawo. (Eksodusi 13:21, 22; 14:19) Namuhla, singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova unabantu bakhe ukuze abaqondise, abavikele futhi abakhulule. Singasikholelwa lesi sithembiso: “[UJehova] ngeke abashiye abaqotho bakhe. Ngokuqinisekile bayoqashwa kuze kube nini nanini.” (IHubo 37:28) Masingalokothi sizikhohlwe leziya zidalwa ezinamandla eziyizingelosi ezisekela izinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla. Sisekelwa yizo, singakwazi ‘ukuma siqine sibone insindiso kaJehova.’—Eksodusi 14:13.
18. Kungani kudingeka ‘sigqoke zonke izembatho zempi ezivela kuNkulunkulu’?
18 Yini eyosisiza sonke ukuba ‘sime siqine’ endleleni yeqiniso? Ukugqoka izembatho zempi ezichazwa uPawulu encwadini ayibhalela abase-Efesu. Phawula ukuthi umphostoli usiyala ukuba ‘sigqoke zonke izembatho zempi ezivela kuNkulunkulu.’ Ingabe sizigqoke zonke izembatho zempi ezingokomoya? Kulo nyaka ozayo, kuzoba kuhle ukuba ngamunye wethu azihlole ukuze aqiniseke ukuthi uzigqoke zonke izembatho zempi nokuthi ziyamlingana. Isitha sethu, uSathane uDeveli, uyabazi ubuthakathaka bethu, futhi uzama ukusibamba lapho singaqaphile noma asihlasele lapho sibuthaka khona. “Sibambene” nebutho lemimoya emibi. Noma kunjalo, ngamandla kaJehova, singanqoba!—Efesu 6:11-18; IzAga 27:11.
19. Uma sikhuthazela, yini esingase sibe nelungelo lokuyenza?
19 UJesu wathi kubalandeli bakhe: “Ngokukhuthazela kwenu niyozuza imiphefumulo yenu.” (Luka 21:19) Kwangathi singaba phakathi kwalabo ababukhuthazelela ngokwethembeka noma yibuphi ubunzima abangahlangabezana nabo futhi kanjalo sibe nelungelo, ngomusa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu, ‘lokuma siqine sibone insindiso kaJehova.’
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Yiziphi izenzakalo ezivusa amadlingozi eziseduze?
• UJehova wawabonisa kanjani amandla akhe okusindisa ngo-1513 B.C.E.?
• Yini ozimisele ukuyenza esikhathini esizayo?
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni 20]
Isihloko sonyaka ka-2008 siyothi: “Yimani niqine nibone insindiso kaJehova.” —Eksodusi 14:13.
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
“Zonke izinto ezalotshwa esikhathini esingaphambili zalotshelwa ukuba kufundiswe thina”
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Inkani kaFaro yaletha inhlekelele phezu kweGibhithe
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
U-Israyeli wayesinda lapho enza konke uJehova ayemyala ngakho