‘O Ukujula Kokuhlakanipha KukaNkulunkulu!’
“O ukujula kwengcebo nokuhlakanipha nolwazi lukaNkulunkulu! Yeka ukuthi zingezingaphenyeki kanjani izahlulelo zakhe nokuthi zingezingenakuthungathwa kanjani izindlela zakhe!”—ROMA 11:33.
1. Iliphi ilungelo elikhulu kunawo wonke elitholwa amaKristu abhapathiziwe?
ILIPHI ilungelo elikhulu kunawo wonke owake walithola? Ekuqaleni, ungase ucabange ngesabelo esithile owake wasithola noma ngokuhlonishwa owakuthola ngenxa yento ethile owayenza. Nokho, ilungelo elikhulu kunawo wonke esilitholayo njengamaKristu abhapathiziwe, ukuvunyelwa ukuba sibe nobuhlobo obuseduze nowukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova. Lokhu kusenzé ‘saziwa nguye.’—1 Kor. 8:3; Gal. 4:9.
2. Kungani ukwazi uJehova nokwaziwa nguye kuyilungelo elikhulu kangaka?
2 Kungani ukwazi uJehova nokwaziwa nguye kuyilungelo elikhulu kangaka? Kungenxa yokuthi akayena nje uMuntu omkhulu kunabo bonke endaweni yonke kodwa futhi unguMvikeli walabo abathandayo. Umprofethi uNahume waphefumulelwa ukuba abhale: “UJehova muhle, uyisiphephelo ngosuku lokucindezeleka. Futhi uyabazi labo abafuna isiphephelo kuye.” (Nah. 1:7; IHu. 1:6) Eqinisweni, wona kanye amathemba ethu okuphila okuphakade axhomeke ekwazini kwethu uNkulunkulu weqiniso neNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu.—Joh. 17:3.
3. Yini ehilelekile ekwazini uNkulunkulu?
3 Ukwazi uNkulunkulu kusho okungaphezu nje kokwazi igama lakhe siqu. Kumelwe simazi njengoMngane, siqonde akuthandayo nangakuthandi. Ukuphila kwethu ngokuvumelana nalolo lwazi nakho kufeza indima ebalulekile ekuboniseni ukuthi sesimazi ngokuseduze uNkulunkulu. (1 Joh. 2:4) Kodwa kunokunye futhi okudingekayo uma ngempela sifisa ukumazi uJehova. Kudingeka singazi kuphela lokho akwenzile kodwa nokuthi ukwenze kanjani futhi kungani ekwenze ngaleyo ndlela. Lapho siziqonda ngokwengeziwe izinjongo zikaJehova, sishukumiseleka ngokwengeziwe ukuba sibabaze ‘ukujula kokuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu.’—Roma 11:33.
UNkulunkulu Wenjongo
4, 5. (a) Ngokwendlela elisetshenziswe ngayo eBhayibhelini, igama elithi “injongo” libhekiselephi? (b) Bonisa indlela injongo engafinyelelwa ngayo ngezindlela ezingaphezu kweyodwa.
4 UJehova unguNkulunkulu wenjongo futhi iBhayibheli likhuluma ‘ngenjongo’ yakhe “engunaphakade.” (Efe. 3:10, 11) Isho ukuthini ngempela le nkulumo? Igama elithi “injongo,” ngokwendlela elisetshenziswe ngayo eBhayibhelini, libhekisela emgomweni othile oqondile ongase ufinyelelwe ngezindlela ezingaphezu kweyodwa.
5 Ngokwesibonelo, umuntu angase afise ukuya endaweni ethile. Umgomo noma injongo yakhe ukufika kuleyo ndawo. Angase akhethe ukuthi uzohamba ngani nokuthi uzosebenzisa yiphi indlela. Njengoba ehamba ngendlela ayikhethile, angase ahlangabezane nesimo sezulu abengasilindele, isiminyaminya emgwaqweni nemigwaqo evaliwe, kudingeke ukuba athathe enye indlela. Noma kunjalo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yiluphi ushintsho okudingeka alwenze, uzobe esawufinyelele umgomo wakhe lapho efika endaweni alibangise kuyo.
6. UJehova ukubonise kanjani ukuzivumelanisa nezimo ukuze afeze injongo yakhe?
6 UJehova naye uye wabonisa ukuzivumelanisa nezimo okukhulu ekufezeni injongo yakhe yaphakade. Ecabangela inkululeko yokuzikhethela ayinike izidalwa zakhe ezihlakaniphile, ulwenza ngokushesha ushintsho endleleni afeza ngayo injongo yakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, ake sicabangele indlela uJehova ayifeza ngayo injongo yakhe ngokuphathelene neNzalo ethenjisiwe. Ekuqaleni, uJehova watshela umbhangqwana wokuqala: “Zalani nande nigcwalise umhlaba niwunqobe.” (Gen. 1:28) Ingabe ukuhlubuka kwase-Edene kwayibhuntshisa leyo njongo ayeyishilo? Lutho neze! UJehova wasabela ngokushesha kuleso simo esase sivelile ngokusebenzisa enye “indlela” ukuze afeze injongo yakhe. Wabikezela ngokuvela ‘kwenzalo’ eyayiyolungisa umonakalo owawenziwe yilezo zihlubuki.—Gen. 3:15; Heb. 2:14-17; 1 Joh. 3:8.
7. Sifundani endleleni uJehova azichaza ngayo ku-Eksodusi 3:14?
7 Ikhono likaJehova lokuzivumelanisa nezimo ezintsha lapho eqhubeka efeza injongo yakhe livumelana nendlela azichaza ngayo. Lapho uMose ebuza uJehova ngezithiyo ezazingase zibe khona esabelweni ayemnike sona, uJehova wamqinisekisa: “‘Ngiyoba yilokho engiyoba yikho.’ Futhi wanezela: ‘Yilokhu ozokusho kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli, “Ungiyoba yikho ungithumé kini.”’” (Eks. 3:14) Yebo, uJehova uyakwazi ukuba yinoma yini okudingeka abe yiyo ukuze afeze injongo yakhe ngokugcwele! Lokhu kucaciswe kahle kakhulu umphostoli uPawulu esahlukweni 11 sencwadi yamaRoma. Kuleso sahluko wakhuluma ngomnqumo ongokomfanekiso. Ukuhlola lo mfanekiso kuyojulisa ukwazisa kwethu ngokujula kokuhlakanipha kukaJehova, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinethemba lokuya ezulwini noma lokuzuza ukuphila okuphakade lapha emhlabeni.
Injongo KaNkulunkulu NgeNzalo Ebikezelwe
8, 9. (a) Imaphi amaqiniso amane ayisisekelo azosisiza ukuba siqonde umfanekiso womuthi womnqumo? (b) Impendulo yamuphi umbuzo ebonisa indlela uJehova azivumelanisa ngayo nezimo lapho efeza injongo yakhe?
8 Ngaphambi kokuba siqonde umfanekiso womuthi womnqumo, kudingeka sazi amaqiniso amane aphathelene nokufezeka kwenjongo kaJehova ngenzalo ebikezelwe. Elokuqala, uJehova wathembisa u-Abrahama ukuthi “zonke izizwe zomhlaba ngokuqinisekile [zaziyozibusisa]” ngenzalo yakhe. (Gen. 22:17, 18) Elesibili, isizwe sakwa-Israyeli esavela ku-Abrahama sanikezwa ithuba lokuveza “umbuso wabapristi.” (Eks. 19:5, 6) Elesithathu, lapho iningi lama-Israyeli angokwemvelo lenqaba uMesiya, uJehova wathatha ezinye izinyathelo zokuveza “umbuso wabapristi.” (Math. 21:43; Roma 9:27-29) Elokugcina, nakuba uJesu eyingxenye eyinhloko yenzalo ka-Abrahama, kunabanye abanikwa ilungelo lokuba ingxenye yaleyo nzalo.—Gal. 3:16, 29.
9 Sakhela kula maqiniso amane ayisisekelo, encwadini yesAmbulo sifunda ukuthi bangu-144 000 abantu abayobusa noJesu njengamakhosi nabapristi ezulwini. (IsAm. 14:1-4) Labo kuphinde kubhekiselwe kubo ngokuthi “abantwana bakwa-Israyeli.” (IsAm. 7:4-8) Kodwa, ingabe bonke abangu-144 000 bangama-Israyeli noma amaJuda emvelo? Impendulo yalo mbuzo yembula indlela uJehova azivumelanisa ngayo nezimo ukuze agcwalise injongo yakhe. Manje ake sibone ukuthi incwadi umphostoli uPawulu ayibhalela abaseRoma isisiza kanjani ukuba sithole impendulo.
“Umbuso Wabapristi”
10. Iliphi ithuba elikhethekile elalinikezwe isizwe sakwa-Israyeli?
10 Njengoba kuboniswe ekuqaleni kwalesi sihloko, yisizwe sakwa-Israyeli ngokukhethekile esasinikezwe ithuba lokuveza amalungu akha “umbuso wabapristi nesizwe esingcwele.” (Funda amaRoma 9:4, 5.) Kodwa kwakuyokwenzekani lapho kufika iNzalo ethenjisiwe? Isizwe sakwa-Israyeli wemvelo sasiyokwazi yini ukuveza isibalo esigcwele sama-Israyeli angokomoya angu-144 000 ayeyoba ingxenye yesibili yenzalo ka-Abrahama?
11, 12. (a) Kwaqala nini ukukhethwa kwalabo ababeyokwakha uMbuso wasezulwini, futhi iningi lamaJuda ayephila ngaleso sikhathi lasabela kanjani? (b) UJehova wasiphelelisa kanjani “isibalo esigcwele” salabo ababezoba inzalo ka-Abrahama?
11 Funda amaRoma 11:7-10. Njengesizwe, amaJuda ekhulu lokuqala amenqaba uJesu. Ngakho ithuba lokuveza inzalo ka-Abrahama alibange lisaba elawo kuphela. Nokho, lapho ukukhethwa kwalabo ababezokwakha “umbuso wabapristi” wasezulwini kuqala ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., kunamaJuda athile anhliziyo ziqotho asamukela isimemo. Njengoba ayeyizinkulungwane ezimbalwa, ayefana ‘nensali’ nje uma eqhathaniswa naso sonke isizwe samaJuda.—Roma 11:5.
12 Nokho, uJehova wayeyosiphelelisa kanjani “isibalo esigcwele” salabo ababeyoba inzalo ka-Abrahama? (Roma 11:12, 25) Phawula impendulo esiyinikezwa umphostoli uPawulu: “Akunjengokungathi izwi likaNkulunkulu lihlulekile. Ngoba akubona bonke abavela ku-Israyeli [wemvelo] ‘abangu-Israyeli’ ngempela. Futhi akubona bonke abangabantwana [abayingxenye yenzalo ka-Abrahama] ngenxa yokuba beyinzalo ka-Abrahama . . . Okungukuthi, abangabantwana enyameni ababona ngempela abantwana bakaNkulunkulu, kodwa abangabantwana ngesithembiso yibo ababalwa njengenzalo.” (Roma 9:6-8) Ngakho, kwakungadingeki ukuba nakanjani umuntu abe owozalo luka-Abrahama ekugcwalisekeni kwenjongo kaJehova ephathelene nenzalo.
Umuthi Womnqumo Ongokomfanekiso
13. Yini emelelwa (a) umuthi womnqumo, (b) impande yawo, (c) isiqu sawo (d) namagatsha awo?
13 Umphostoli uPawulu uqhubeka afanise labo ababa ingxenye yenzalo ka-Abrahama namagatsha asemthini womnqumo ongokomfanekiso.a (Roma 11:21) Lo muthi womnqumo otshaliwe umelela ukugcwaliseka kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu ngokuphathelene nesivumelwano sika-Abrahama. Impande yalo muthi ingcwele futhi imelela uJehova njengoba kunguye onika u-Israyeli ongokomoya ukuphila. (Isaya 10:20; Roma 11:16) Isiqu sawo simelela uJesu njengengxenye eyinhloko yenzalo ka-Abrahama. Amagatsha ewonke amelela “isibalo esigcwele” salabo abahlanganiswe engxenyeni yesibili yenzalo ka-Abrahama.
14, 15. Obani ‘abaphulwa’ emthini womnqumo otshaliwe, futhi obani abaxhunyelelwa kuwo?
14 Emfanekisweni womuthi womnqumo, amaJuda emvelo enqaba uJesu afaniswa namagatsha omnqumo aye ‘aphulwa.’ (Roma 11:17) Kanjalo alahlekelwa ithuba lokuba ingxenye yenzalo ka-Abrahama. Kodwa obani ababezongena esikhundleni sawo? Ngokombono wamaJuda emvelo ayeziqhayisa ngokuba kwawo awozalo luka-Abrahama, impendulo yalo mbuzo yayingase ingamukeleki. Kodwa uJohane uMbhapathizi wayesewaxwayisile ngokuthi uma uJehova ethanda, wayengavusela u-Abrahama abantwana khona kanye ematsheni.—Luka 3:8.
15 Yini-ke uJehova ayenza ukuze agcwalise injongo yakhe? UPawulu uchaza ukuthi amagatsha omuthi womnqumo wasendle axhunyelelwa emthini womnqumo otshaliwe ukuze athathe indawo yalawo aphuliwe. (Funda amaRoma 11:17, 18.) Ngakho, amaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya ezizwe, njengamanye ayesebandleni laseRoma, axhunyelelwa ngokomfanekiso kulo muthi womnqumo ongokomfanekiso. Ngale ndlela, aba ingxenye yenzalo ka-Abrahama. Ekuqaleni ayenjengamagatsha omuthi womnqumo wasendle, engenalo nelincane ithuba lokuba ingxenye yalesi sivumelwano esikhethekile. Kodwa uJehova wawavulela indlela yokuba abe amaJuda angokomoya.—Roma 2:28, 29.
16. Umphostoli uPetru wakuchaza kanjani ukwakheka kwesizwe esisha esingokomoya?
16 Umphostoli uPetru uchaza lesi simo ngale ndlela: “Ngakho-ke, [uJesu Kristu] uyigugu kini [ama-Israyeli angokomoya ahlanganisa namaKristu avela kwabeZizwe], ngoba ningamakholwa; kodwa kulabo abangakholwa, ‘itshe elifanayo elaliwa abakhi seliyinhloko yegumbi,’ ‘netshe lokukhubekisa nedwala lokucasula.’ . . . Kodwa ‘niluhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubupristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, isizwe esiyimpahla ekhethekile, ukuze nimemezele kabanzi ubuhle’ balowo owanibiza ukuba niphume ebumnyameni ningene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo. Ngoba kade ningesona isizwe, kodwa manje seniyisizwe sikaNkulunkulu; naningabangaboniswanga isihe, kodwa manje seningababoniswe isihe.”—1 Pet. 2:7-10.
17. Lokho uJehova akwenza ‘kwakuphambene kanjani nemvelo’?
17 UJehova wenza into abaningi ababeyoyibheka njengengalindelekile neze. UPawulu uchaza lokho okwenzeka ‘njengokuphambene nemvelo.’ (Roma 11:24) Kwenzeka kanjani lokhu? Phela bekungabonakala kungajwayelekile futhi empeleni kuphambene nemvelo, ukuxhumelela igatsha lomuthi wasendle emthini otshaliwe; nokho, yilokho kanye abanye abalimi ababekwenza ekhulwini lokuqala.b Ngendlela ethi ayifane, uJehova wenza into engajwayelekile. Ngokombono wamaJuda, abeZizwe babengenakukwazi ukuveza izithelo ezamukelekayo. Nokho, uJehova wenza bona labo bantu baba ingxenye ‘yesizwe’ esaveza izithelo zoMbuso. (Math. 21:43) Kwaqala ngokugcotshwa kukaKorneliyu—oweZizwe wokuqala ongasokile owaphenduka—ngo-36 C.E., ukuba abangemaJuda abangasokile bavulelwe ithuba lokuba baxhunyelelwe kulo muthi womnqumo ongokomfanekiso.—IzE. 10:44-48.c
18. Iliphi ithuba amaJuda emvelo aba nalo ngemva kuka-36 C.E.?
18 Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi ngemva kuka-36 C.E., amaJuda emvelo ayengasenalo nhlobo ithuba lokuba ingxenye yenzalo ka-Abrahama? Akunjalo. UPawulu uyachaza: “Nabo [amaJuda emvelo] futhi, uma bengahlali ekuntuleni kwabo ukholo, bayoxhunyelelwa; ngoba uNkulunkulu uyakwazi ukuphinde abaxhumelele. Ngoba uma wena wanqunywa emnqumweni wasendle ngokwemvelo waxhunyelelwa emnqumweni otshaliwe, okuyinto ephambene nemvelo, yeka ukuthi laba abangabemvelo bayoxhunyelelwa kangakanani-ke emnqumweni wabo siqu!”d—Roma 11:23, 24.
“Wonke U-Israyeli Uyosindiswa”
19, 20. Yini uJehova ayifezayo efanekiselwe umuthi womnqumo ongokomfanekiso?
19 Yebo, injongo kaJehova ngokuqondene ‘no-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu’ igcwaliseka ngendlela emangalisayo. (Gal. 6:16) Njengoba uPawulu asho, “wonke u-Israyeli uyosindiswa.” (Roma 11:26) Ngesikhathi sikaJehova esifanele, “wonke u-Israyeli”—okungukuthi, isibalo esiphelele sama-Israyeli angokomoya—siyokhonza njengamakhosi nabapristi ezulwini. Akukho lutho olungabhuntshisa injongo kaJehova!
20 Njengoba kwabikezelwa, inzalo ka-Abrahama—uJesu Kristu kanye nabangu-144- 000—iyoletha izibusiso “kubantu bezizwe.” (Roma 11:12; Gen. 22:18) Ngale ndlela, bonke abantu bakaNkulunkulu bayazuza kuleli lungiselelo. Ngempela, njengoba sicabanga ngokufezeka kwenjongo kaJehova yaphakade, sivele sikhexe “ukujula kwengcebo nokuhlakanipha nolwazi lukaNkulunkulu.”—Roma 11:33.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Kusobala ukuthi awukho umuthi womnqumo ofana nsé no-Israyeli noma owumfuziselo wakhe. Nakuba u-Israyeli wemvelo awaveza amakhosi nabapristi, lesi sizwe asizange sibe umbuso wabapristi. Umthetho wawuwavimbela amakhosi akwa-Israyeli ukuba abe abapristi. Ngakho-ke, u-Israyeli wemvelo akazange abe njengomuthi womnqumo owumfuziselo. UPawulu ucacisa indlela injongo kaNkulunkulu yokuveza “umbuso wabapristi” egcwaliseka ngayo ngokuqondene no-Israyeli ongokomoya. Le ncazelo ithuthukisa lokho okwakhishwa kuyi-Nqabayokulinda ka-February 1, 1984 amakhasi 13-18 [NgesiNgisi, eka-August 15, 1983, amakhasi 14-19.].
b Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Kungani Kuxhunyelelwa Amagatsha Omnqumo Wasendle?”
c Lokhu kwenzeka lapho kuphela ithuba elathatha iminyaka emithathu nengxenye elalinikwe amaJuda emvelo lokuba ingxenye yesizwe esisha esingokomoya. Lesi senzakalo sabikezelwa esiprofethweni esiphathelene namasonto eminyaka angu-70.—Dan. 9:27.
d Olimini lokuqala lapha kumaRoma 11:24 kusetshenziswe isiphongozo sesiGreki esihunyushwe ngokuthi “otshaliwe” ukuze kuboniswe ukuthi lo muthi ‘wawumuhle, umuhle kakhulu’ noma “wawuyifanelekela kahle injongo yawo.” Sisetshenziselwa ikakhulu izinto ezigcwalisa injongo ezenzelwe yona.
Uyakhumbula?
• Sifundani ngoJehova endleleni agcwalisa ngayo injongo yakhe?
• KumaRoma isahluko 11, yini emelelwa . . .
umuthi womnqumo?
impande yawo?
isiqu sawo?
amagatsha awo?
• Kungani inqubo yokuxhumelela ‘yayiphambene nemvelo’?
[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 24]
Kungani Kuxhunyelelwa Amagatsha Omnqumo Wasendle?
▪ ULucius Junius Moderatus Columella wayeyibutho elingumRoma nomlimi owaphila ekhulwini lokuqala C.E. Waziwa kakhulu ngezincwadi ezingu-12 aziloba ngokuphila kwasemaphandleni nokulima.
Encwadini yakhe yesihlanu, ucaphuna lesi saga sasendulo: “Olima insimu yeminqumo, ucela ukuba imnike izithelo; oyivundisayo, unxusa izithelo; oyithenayo, uyiphoqa ukuba ithele izithelo.”
Ngemva kokuchaza imithi ephilayo kodwa engatheli zithelo, utusa le nqubo elandelayo: “Kuyisu elihle ukuyibhola ngethuluzi lokubhola bese uxhumelela ngokuqinile kuleyo mbobo ihlumela eliluhlaza elithathwe emnqumweni wasendle; umphumela uba ukuthi lowo muthi ube usuthela, kube njengokungathi uvundisiwe ngalelo hlumela elithelayo.”
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
Uyawuqonda umfanekiso womuthi womnqumo ongokomfanekiso?