Abantu Abakhulileyo—Intsikelelo Kulutsha
“Owu Thixo, musa ukundishiya ndide ndibe mdala ndibe nezimvi, de ndixelele izizukulwana ngengalo yakho, kubo bonke abo baza kuza, ngamandla akho.”—INDUMISO 71:18.
1, 2. Yintoni abafanele bayiqonde abakhonzi bakaThixo abalupheleyo, yaye yintoni esiza kuyiqwalasela ngoku?
UMDALA ongumKristu waseNtshona Afrika watyelela umzalwana othanjisiweyo owalupheleyo waza wambuza, “Injan’ impilo?” Lo mzalwana waphendula, “ndiyakwazi ukubaleka, ukutsibatsiba, ukuxhuma ngomlenze omnye,” ngelo xesha ezama ukuzenza zonke ezi zinto ukungqina amazwi akhe. Wongezelela wathi: “Kodwa andikwazi ukubhabha.” Lo mdala wayiqonda into awayefun’ ukuyithetha. ‘Into endikwaziyo ukuyenza, ndiyakuvuyela ukuyenza, kodwa into endikwaziyo ukuyenza, andiyenzi.’ Lo mdala owayetyelele loo ngwevu, ngoku uneminyaka engaphezu kwama-80 ubudala, yaye usawakhumbula amazwi ahlekisayo nokuthembeka komzalwana awayemtyelele.
2 Iimpawu zokuhlonel’ uthixo eziboniswa ngumntu okhulileyo zisenokuhlala ixesha elide ezingqondweni zabanye. Phofu ke, asibobudala kuphela obenza ubani abe sisilumko aze abe neempawu ezinjengezikaKristu. (INtshumayeli 4:13) IBhayibhile ithi: “Isithsaba sokuhomba zizimvi xa sifunyanwa endleleni yobulungisa.” (IMizekeliso 16:31) Ukuba ungumntu osele ekhulile, ngaba uyayiqonda indlela amazwi nezenzo zakho ezinokuba luncedo ngayo kwabanye? Makhe siqwalasele abantu abathile abalupheleyo ekuthethwe ngabo eBhayibhileni, ababonisa indlela abaye bayintsikelelo ngayo kubantu abaselula.
Ukholo Oluhlala Luhleli
3. Ukuthembeka kukaNowa kubachaphazela njani bonke abantu abaphilayo namhlanje?
3 Ukholo nokuthembeka kukaNowa kwaba nemivuzo esisayixhamlayo nanamhlanje. UNowa wayeseza kugqiba iminyaka engama-600 ubudala xa wakha umkhombe, waqokelela izilwanyana, waza washumayela kubamelwane bakhe. (Genesis 7:6; 2 Petros 2:5) Ngenxa yokuhlonela kwakhe uThixo, uNowa, kuquka intsapho yakhe, wasinda kuMkhukula waza wangukhokho wabo bonke abantu abaphilayo emhlabeni namhlanje. Liyinyaniso elokuba, ngexesha likaNowa abantu babephila ixesha elide. Noko ke, naxa wayesele aluphele, uNowa wahlala ethembekile, yaye oko kwamzisela iintsikelelo ezininzi. Njani?
4. Ukuthembeka kukaNowa kubancede njani abafundi beBhayibhile namhlanje?
4 UNowa wayeneminyaka enokuba ngama-800 ubudala xa uNimrod waqalisa ukwakha iNqaba yaseBhabheli nto leyo eyayichasene nomthetho kaYehova owawusithi “niwuzalise umhlaba.” (Genesis 9:1; 11:1-9) Noko ke, uNowa akazange abe nanxaxheba kwimvukelo kaNimrod. Ngenxa yoko, kusenokwenzeka ukuba ulwimi awayeluthetha aluzange lutshintshwe xa kwadutywa intetho yabavukeli. Ukholo nokuthembeka kukaNowa, iimpawu ezingazange zibonakale ekwaluphaleni kwakhe kuphela kodwa nasebudeni bexesha elide awayephila ngalo, zifanele zixeliswe ngabo bonke abakhonzi bakaThixo enoba badala kangakanani na.—Hebhere 11:7.
Impembelelo Entsatsheni
5, 6. (a) UAbraham waxelelwa ukuba enze ntoni nguYehova xa wayeneminyaka engama-75 ubudala? (b) Wasabela njani uAbraham kumyalelo kaThixo?
5 Impembelelo abantu abakhulileyo abanokuba nayo kukholo lweentsapho zabo inokubonwa kubomi boosolusapho abaphila emva kukaNowa. UAbraham wayeneminyaka enokuba ngama-75 ubudala xa uThixo wathi kuye: “Hamba umke ezweni lakowenu nakwizalamane zakho nasendlwini kayihlo, uye ezweni endiya kukubonisa lona; yaye ndiya kukwenza ube luhlanga olukhulu ndize ndikusikelele, ndilenze libe likhulu igama lakho; ube yintsikelelo.”—Genesis 12:1, 2.
6 Khawube nomfanekiso wakho uxelelwa ukuba ushiye ikhaya, abahlobo, ilizwe lakho lokuzalwa nokuziva ukhuselekile phakathi kwezalamane zakho uye kwilizwe ongalaziyo. Yiloo nto kanye uAbraham awaxelelwa ukuba ayenze. “Wahamba . . . kanye njengoko wathethayo uYehova kuye,” yaye bonke ubomi bakhe, wayehlala ezintenteni njengomphambukeli kwilizwe lakwaKanan. (Genesis 12:4; Hebhere 11:8, 9) Nangona uYehova wayethe uAbraham uya kuba “luhlanga olukhulu,” wafa ngaphambi kokuba inzala yakhe ibe ninzi. USara, umfazi wakhe, wamzalela nje unyana omnye, uIsake, emva kokuba uAbraham ephambukele kwiLizwe Lesithembiso iminyaka engama-25. (Genesis 21:2, 5) Sekunjalo, uAbraham akazange aphelelwe ngumonde aze abuyele kwilizwe lakowabo. Lo ngumzekelo wokwenene wokholo nokunyamezela!
7. Ukunyamezela kuka-Abraham kwamchaphazela njani unyana wakhe uIsake, yaye oku kwaba nayiphi imiphumo ebantwini?
7 Ukunyamezela kuka-Abraham kwamchukumisa gqitha unyana wakhe uIsake, owachitha ubomi bakhe bonke—iminyaka eli-180—engumphambukeli kwilizwe lakwaKanan. UIsake wanyamezela ngenxa yokholo awayenalo kwizithembiso zikaThixo, ukholo olwabethelelwa kuye ngabazali bakhe ababesele baluphele nolwagxininiswa ngamazwi awathethwa kuye nguYehova. (Genesis 26:2-5) Ukuthembeka kukaIsake kwaba negalelo elikhulu ekuzalisekeni kwesithembiso sikaYehova sokuba “imbewu” olwaluya kusikelelwa ngayo lonke uluntu, yayiya kuvela kwinzala ka-Abraham. Kumakhulu eminyaka kamva, uYesu Kristu, inxalenye eyintloko ‘yembewu,’ wavula indlela yokuba nabani na obonakalisa ukholo kuye axolelaniswe noThixo aze afumane ubomi obungunaphakade.—Galati 3:16; Yohane 3:16.
8. UYakobi walubonakalisa njani ukholo olomeleleyo, yaye oku kwaba nayiphi imiphumo?
8 Naye uIsake, wamnceda unyana wakhe uYakobi ukuba abe nokholo olomeleleyo olwamgcina wade waluphala. UYakobi wayeneminyaka engama-97 xa wasukuzana nengelosi ubusuku bonke ecela intsikelelo. (Genesis 32:24-28) Ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe eneminyaka eli-147 ubudala, uYakobi wayenamandla ngokwaneleyo ukuba asikelele ngamnye koonyana bakhe abali-12. (Genesis 47:28) Amazwi asisiprofeto awawathethayo, ngoku abhalwe kwiGenesis 49:1-28, azaliseka yaye asazaliseka nanamhlanje.
9. Yintoni enokuthethwa ngempembelelo abantu abakhulileyo abanokuba nayo kwiintsapho zabo?
9 Ngokucacileyo, abakhonzi bakaThixo abathembekileyo nabalupheleyo banokuba yimpembelelo entle kumalungu eentsapho zabo. Imfundiso yeZibhalo, amacebiso nomzekelo wonyamezelo, konke oko kunokuba negalelo enoba umntu oselula uya kukhula enokholo olomeleleyo kusini na. (IMizekeliso 22:6) Abantu abakhulileyo abafanele bayijongele phantsi impembelelo entle abanokuba nayo kwiintsapho zabo.
Impembelelo Kwamanye Amakholwa
10. Nguwuphi ‘umyalelo owanikelwa nguYosefu ngokuphathelele amathambo akhe,’ yaye oko kwaba nawuphi umphumo?
10 Abantu abakhulileyo banokuba yimpembelelo entle nakwamanye amakholwa. Unyana kaYakobi uYosefu wenza isenzo nje esinye sokholo ekwaluphaleni kwakhe esachukumisa abanquli bokwenyaniso abaninzi abaphila emva kwakhe. Wayeneminyaka eli-110 xa “wanikela umyalelo ngokuphathelele amathambo akhe,” waza wathi, xa amaSirayeli efuduka eYiputa, ayefanele ahambe namathambo akhe. (Hebhere 11:22; Genesis 50:25) Loo myalelo wawanik’ ithemba amaSirayeli ngeminyaka enzima yobukhoboka eyalandela emva kokufa kukaYosefu, uwaqinisekisa ukuba ekugqibeleni ayeya kufumana inkululeko.
11. Yiyiphi impembelelo ekunokwenzeka ukuba uMoses owayesaluphele waba nayo kuYoshuwa?
11 UMoses ngomnye kubantu abakhuthazwa ngamazwi kaYosefu okholo. Xa uMoses wayeneminyaka engama-80 ubudala, waba nelungelo lokuthwala amathambo kaYosefu ukusuka eYiputa. (Eksodus 13:19) Malunga nelo xesha, wadibana noYoshuwa, owayemncinane gqitha kunaye. Kwiminyaka engama-40 eyalandelayo, uYoshuwa waba ngumlungiseleli kaMoses. (Numeri 11:28) Wahamba noMoses xa wayenyuka kwiNtaba iSinayi yaye wamkhawulela xa wayesihla entabeni ephethe amacwecwe oMthetho. (Eksodus 24:12-18; 32:15-17) UYoshuwa wafumana amacebiso amaninzi obulumko kuMoses owayesele aluphele!
12. UYoshuwa waba yimpembelelo entle njani kuhlanga lwakwaSirayeli wade waluphala?
12 Naye uYoshuwa walukhuthaza gqitha uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli ngoxa wayesaphila. Kwincwadi yaBagwebi 2:7 sixelelwa oku: “Yaye abantu baqhubeka bekhonza uYehova yonke imihla kaYoshuwa nayo yonke imihla yamadoda amakhulu awayolulayo imihla yawo emva koYoshuwa nawayeyibonile yonke imisebenzi emikhulu uYehova awayenzela uSirayeli.” Noko ke, wathi akufa uYoshuwa namanye amadoda asele ekhulile, kwaqalisa iminyaka engama-300 xa kwakungekho mahluko phakathi konqulo lokwenyaniso nelobuxoki, nto leyo eyaqhubeka kwade kwayimihla kaSamuweli umprofeti.
USamuweli ‘Uphumeza Ubulungisa’
13. Yintoni uSamuweli ayenzayo ‘ukuphumeza ubulungisa’?
13 IBhayibhile ayisixeleli ukuba uSamuweli wayemdala kangakanani na ukufa kwakhe, kodwa okubhalwe kwincwadi Yokuqala kaSamuweli kwenzeka kwiminyaka enokuba li-102, yaye ngalo lonke elo xesha uSamuweli wayesadl’ amazimba. Kwincwadi yamaHebhere 11:32, 33, sifunda ukuba abagwebi nabaprofeti abalungileyo ‘baphumeza ubulungisa.’ Ewe, uSamuweli wabakhuthaza abantu ababephila ngexesha lakhe ukuba bayeke ukwenza ububi. (1 Samuweli 7:2-4) Wabakhuthaza njani? Wathembeka kuYehova lonke ixesha lokuphila kwakhe. (1 Samuweli 12:2-5) Wayengoyiki ukudlulisela isiluleko esiqatha nakukumkani. (1 Samuweli 15:16-29) Ukongezelela, akuba uSamuweli ‘emdala yaye eyingwevu,’ waba ngumzekelo omhle wokuthandazela abanye. Wathi, “makube lee kum, ukuba ndone kuYehova ngokuyeka ukuthandazela” abazalwana bakhe amaSirayeli.—1 Samuweli 12:2, 23.
14, 15. Abantu abakhulileyo namhlanje banokumxelisa njani uSamuweli xa bethandaza?
14 Konke oku kubalaselisa indlela abantu abalupheleyo abanokuba yimpembelelo entle ngayo kwabanye abakhonzi bakaYehova. Phezu kwazo nje iingxaki ezinokubangelwa yimpilo okanye ezinye iimeko, abo sele bekhulile ngeminyaka banokuthandazela abanye. Zingwevu, ngaba niyaqonda indlela eyinzuzo ngayo imithandazo yenu ebandleni? Ngenxa yokholo lwenu kwigazi likaKristu elaphalalayo, namkelekile kuYehova, yaye ngenxa yokunyamezela kwenu, ukholo lwenu ‘luvavanyiwe.’ (Yakobi 1:3; 1 Petros 1:7) Ningaze nilibale ukuba “isikhungo somntu olilungisa, xa sisebenza, sinamandla amakhulu.”—Yakobi 5:16.
15 Imithandazo yenu iyafuneka ukuze kuxhaswe umsebenzi woBukumkani bukaYehova. Abanye kubazalwana bethu basentolongweni ngenxa yokungabi nanxaxheba kwezobupolitika. Abanye bathwaxwa ziintlekele zemvelo, iimfazwe nezidube-dube. Kanti abanye, kanye kumabandla ethu, bajamelene nezilingo okanye inkcaso. (Mateyu 10:35, 36) Abo bakhokelayo kumsebenzi wokushumayela nabaveleli bamabandla bayakuxabisa ukuthandazelwa nini ngokuthe rhoqo. (Efese 6:18, 19; Kolose 4:2, 3) Kungakuhle gqitha ukuba ningawakhankanya amany’ amakholwa emithandazweni yenu, njengokuba wenzayo uEpafra.—Kolose 4:12.
Ukufundisa Isizukulwana Esizayo
16, 17. Yintoni ekwaprofetwa ngayo kwiNdumiso 71:18, yaye oku kwazaliseka njani?
16 ‘Ezinye izimvu,’ abo banethemba lokuphila emhlabeni baye bazuza uqeqesho olufunekayo ngokunxulumana nabathembekileyo ‘bomhlambi mncinane,’ abo baza kuphila ezulwini. (Luka 12:32; Yohane 10:16) Oku kwaprofetwa kwiNdumiso 71:18, efundeka ngale ndlela: “Owu Thixo, musa ukundishiya ndide ndibe mdala ndibe nezimvi, de ndixelele izizukulwana ngengalo yakho, kubo bonke abo baza kuza, ngamandla akho.” Abo bathanjiswe ngomoya kaThixo bebekulangazelela ukuqeqesha amaqabane abo azezinye izimvu ukuze asingathe iimbopheleleko ezongezelelekileyo ngaphambi kokubashiya ukuze baye kuzukiswa kunye noYesu Kristu.
17 Amazwi akwiNdumiso 71:18 abhekiswa ‘kwabo baza kuza’ ayasebenza nakwezinye izimvu, eziqeqeshwe ngabathanjiswa bakaThixo. UYehova ujizeke abasele bekhulile ngelungelo lokunikela ubungqina ngaye kwabo ngoku bamkela unqulo lokwenyaniso. (Yoweli 1:2, 3) Abezinye izimvu baziva besikelelwe ngoko bakufundileyo kubathanjiswa yaye baziva benyanzelekile ukudlulisela imfundiso yeZibhalo kwabanye abanqwenela ukukhonza uYehova.—ISityhilelo 7:9, 10.
18, 19. (a) Yiyiphi inkcazelo ebalulekileyo enokudluliselwa ngabakhonzi abaninzi bakaYehova abakhulileyo? (b) AmaKristu alupheleyo afanele aqiniseke ngantoni?
18 Abakhonzi bakaYehova abakhulileyo, abathanjiswa nabezinye izimvu, baye babona izinto ezibalulekileyo embalini. Bambalwa abasaphilayo ngoku abazibonela ngawab’ amehlo ukuboniswa kwe-“Photo-Drama of Creation” okokuqala. Abanye babebazi ngokoqobo abazalwana ababekhokela abavalelwa entolongweni ngowe-1918. Abanye babengabasasazi kwiziko likanomathotholo leWatchtower, iWBBR. Abaninzi basenokubalisa ngexesha lokuchotshelwa kwamatyala aphathelele inkululeko yonqulo yamaNgqina kaYehova kwezona nkundla ziphakamileyo. Kanti abanye bahlala bethembekile kunqulo lokwenyaniso ngoxa babehlala kumazwe awayelawulwa ngoozwilakhe. Ewe, ezi ngwevu neengwevukazi zinokukuchubela ngokwanda kolwazi lwenyaniso. IBhayibhile isikhuthaza ukuba sizuze kula mava maninzi kangaka.—Duteronomi 32:7.
19 AmaKristu akhulileyo akhuthazwa ukuba abe yimizekelo emihle kwabaselula. (Tito 2:2-4) Mhlawumbi kungokunje akusayiboni indlela okunempembelo ngayo ukunyamezela, imithandazo neziluleko zakho kwabanye. UNowa, uAbraham, uYosefu, uMoses nabanye, babengayazi indlela okwakuya kuba lukhuthazo ngayo ukuthembeka kwabo kwizizukulwana ezizayo. Kanti, ukholo nokulondoloza kwabo ingqibelelo kulukhuthazo gqitha kwabanye; kunjalo ke nangawe.
20. Ziziphi iintsikelelo eziya kufunyanwa ngabo balondoloza ithemba labo liqinile kude kube sekupheleni?
20 Enoba usinde ‘kwimbandezelo enkulu’ okanye uvusiwe, kuya kukuvuyisa gqitha ukufumana “ubomi benene”! (Mateyu 24:21; 1 Timoti 6:19) Khawucinge ngexesha loLawulo lukaKristu Lweminyaka Eliwaka xa uYehova eya kuyishenxisa imiphumo yokwaluphala. Kunokuba imizimba yethu iqhubeke iwohloka, suku ngalunye iya kuhlaziyeka—siya kuba namandla angakumbi, amehlo neendlebe zethu zibe bukhali size sikhangeleke sibahle ngakumbi! (Yobhi 33:25; Isaya 35:5, 6) Abo basikelelwe ngobomi kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo baya kuhlala bebatsha xa kuthelekiswa nexesha elingenasiphelo abaza kuliphila. (Isaya 65:22) Ngoko ke, ngamana sonke singahlala sinethemba eliqinileyo kude kube sekupheleni size siqhubeke sikhonza uYehova ngomphefumlo uphela. Sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uya kuzizalisekisa izithembiso zakhe yaye uya kwenza okukugqwesa lee oko sikulindeleyo.—INdumiso 37:4; 145:16.
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
• Ukuthembeka kukaNowa owalupheleyo kwaba yintsikelelo njani kulo lonke uluntu?
• Ukholo loosolusapho lwayichaphazela njani inzala yabo?
• UYosefu, uMoses, uYoshuwa noSamuweli bawomeleza njani amany’ amakholwa ngoxa babebadala?
• Liliphi ilifa iingwevu neengwevukazi ezinokulidlulisela kwabanye?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
Ukunyamezela kuka-Abraham kwaba nempembelelo entle kuIsake
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]
Isiluleko sikaMoses esasibonisa ukuqola samkhuthaza uYoshuwa
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]
Ukuthandazela kwakho abanye kunokufeza lukhulu
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 30]
Abantu abaselula bayazuza ngokuphulaphula iingwevu neengwevukazi ezithembekileyo