UYehova Utyhila Uzuko Lwakhe Kwabathobekileyo
“Umphumo wentobeko nokoyika uYehova bubutyebi, uzuko nobomi.”—IMIZEKELISO 22:4.
1, 2. (a) Incwadi yeZenzo ibonisa njani ukuba uStefano ‘wayeyindoda ezele lukholo nangumoya oyingcwele’? (b) Bubuphi ubungqina obubonisa ukuba uStefano wayethobekile?
USTEFANO ‘wayeyindoda ezele lukholo nomoya oyingcwele.’ Kwakhona ‘wayezele lubabalo namandla.’ Njengomnye wabafundi bakaYesu bokuqala, wayesenza imiqondiso emikhulu nemihlola ebantwini. Ngesinye isihlandlo, amadoda athile aphikisana naye, ‘ukanti akazange abe nakumelana nobulumko nomoya awayethetha ngawo.’ (IZenzo 6:5, 8-10) Ngokucacileyo uStefano wayelifunda ngenkuthalo iLizwi likaThixo, yaye walithethelela ngobuchule kwiinkokeli zonqulo zamaYuda zomhla wakhe. Ingxelo yakhe eneenkcukacha, ebhalwe kwiZenzo isahluko 7, ibonisa umdla onzulu awayenawo ekutyhilekeni kwenjongo kaThixo.
2 Ngokungafaniyo nezo nkokeli zonqulo, ezazizikhukumalisa ngenxa yesikhundla nolwazi ezazinalo, uStefano wayethobekile. (Mateyu 23:2-7; Yohane 7:49) Nangona wayezazi gqitha iZibhalo, wayekuvuyela gqitha ukunikwa umsebenzi ‘wokwaba ukutya ezitafileni’ ukuze abapostile banikele ixesha labo “emthandazweni nakubulungiseleli belizwi.” UStefano wayenegama elihle phakathi kwabazalwana kangangokuba wanyulwa ukuba abe phakathi kwamadoda avunyiweyo asixhenxe awayeza kusingatha umbandela wokwabiwa kokutya imihla ngemihla. Ngokuzithoba wawamkela lo msebenzi.—IZenzo 6:1-6.
3. UThixo wambonisa njani uStefano ubabalo olukhethekileyo?
3 UYehova wakuphawula ukuthobeka kukaStefano nomdla awayenawo kwizinto zokomoya nokugcina kwakhe ingqibelelo. Xa uStefano wayeshumayela kwisihlwele esasinolunya seenkokeli zamaYuda kwiSanhedrin, iintshaba zakhe ‘zabona ukuba ubuso bakhe babunjengobuso bengelosi.’ (IZenzo 6:15) Inkangeleko yakhe yayinjengaleyo yomthunywa kaThixo, enoxolo olufumaneka kuzuko lukaThixo, uYehova. Emva kokushumayela kukaStefano ngenkalipho kumalungu eSanhedrin, uThixo wabonakalisa kuye ubabalo lwakhe ngendlela ekhethekileyo. “Ezele ngumoya oyingcwele, wondela ezulwini waza walubona uzuko lukaThixo noYesu emi ngasekunene kukaThixo.” (IZenzo 7:55) KuStefano, lo mbono ukhethekileyo waqinisekisa isikhundla sikaYesu njengoNyana kaThixo noMesiya. Oku kwamomeleza uStefano owayethobekile kwaza kwamqinisekisa ukuba uYehova uyakholiswa nguye.
4. UYehova ulutyhila kubani uzuko lwakhe?
4 Kanye njengokuba kwaboniswa kumbono kaStefano, uYehova utyhila uzuko nenjongo yakhe kubantu abahlonel’ uThixo abathobekileyo nabaluxabisayo ulwalamano lwabo naye. IBhayibhile ithi: “Umphumo wentobeko nokoyika uYehova bubutyebi, uzuko nobomi.” (IMizekeliso 22:4) Ngoko ke, kubalulekile ukukuqonda ukuthobeka kokwenene, indlela esinokuyihlakulela ngayo le mfanelo ikhethekileyo nendlela esizuza ngayo ngokuyibonakalisa kuzo zonke iinkalo zobomi bethu.
Ukuthobeka—Uphawu UThixo Alubonakalisayo
5, 6. (a) Kukuthini ukuthobeka? (b) UYehova ukubonakalise njani ukuthobeka? (c) Ukuthobeka kukaYehova kufanele kusichaphazele njani?
5 Kusenokubamangalisa abanye ukuba uYehova uThixo, oyena uphakamileyo nozukileyo kwindalo iphela, ungoyena uthobekileyo. UKumkani uDavide wathi kuYehova: “Uya kundinika ikhaka lakho losindiso, yaye isandla sakho sasekunene siya kundixhasa, ize eyakho intobeko indenze mkhulu.” (INdumiso 18:35) Echaza uYehova njengothobekileyo, uDavide usebenzisa igama elivela kwisiHebhere elithetha “ukuthotywa.” Phezu kwalo nje igama elithi “ukuthobeka,” amanye amagama anxulumene nalo ngala athi “intobeko,” “ukululama,” “ukuzehlisa.” Ngoko ke uYehova wabonakalisa ukuthobeka xa wazehlisa ukuze abe nolwalamano nomntu ongafezekanga uDavide waza wamsebenzisa njengokumkani ongummeli Wakhe. Njengokuba umbhalo osemantla kwiNdumiso 18 ubonisa, uYehova wamkhusela waza wamxhasa uDavide, emhlangula “entendeni yeentshaba zakhe zonke nasesandleni sikaSawule.” UDavide wayesazi ukuba nabuphi na ubukhulu okanye uzuko awayesenokuba unalo njengokumkani lwaluxhomekeke ekuzithobeni kukaYehova ngenxa yakhe. Ukukuqonda oku kwamnceda uDavide ukuze ahlale ethobekile.
6 Kuthekani ngathi? UYehova ukubone kufanelekile ukusifundisa inyaniso, yaye kusenokuba usijizeke ngamalungelo akhethekileyo enkonzo kwintlangano yakhe okanye usenokuba usisebenzise ngendlela ekhethekileyo ukuze siphumeze ukuthanda kwakhe. Sifanele sivakalelwe njani ngako konke oku? Akufanele kusenze sithobeke? Ngaba asifanele simbulele uYehova ngokuthobeka kwakhe size sikuphephe ukuziphakamisa, nto leyo ngokuqinisekileyo eya kukhokelela kwintlekele?—IMizekeliso 16:18; 29:23.
7, 8. (a) Ukuthobeka kukaYehova kwabonakala njani kwindlela asebenzisana ngayo noManase? (b) UYehova noManase basibekela wuphi umzekelo esifanele siwulandele ngokubonakalisa ukuthobeka?
7 UYehova akabonakalisanga nje kuphela ukuthobeka okugqithiseleyo ngokuba nolwalamano nabantu abangafezekanga kodwa kwakhona uye wabonakalisa ukukulungela ukubonakalisa inceba kwabo bathobekileyo engqondweni, nokubaphakamisa abo bazithobayo. (INdumiso 113:4-7) Ngokomzekelo, cinga ngoKumkani uManase wakwaYuda. Walisebenzisa kakubi ilungelo lakhe elizukileyo lokuba ngukumkani ngokukhuthaza unqulo lobuxoki yaye “wenza okubi emehlweni kaYehova ngokomlinganiselo omkhulu, ukuze amcaphukise.” (2 Kronike 33:6) Ekugqibeleni, uYehova wamohlwaya uManase ngokuvumela ukuba ubukhosi bakhe buthinjwe ngukumkani waseAsiriya. Esentolongweni, uManase “wambongoza uYehova uThixo wakhe waqhubeka ezithoba kakhulu,” kangangokuba uYehova wambuyisela etrone eYerusalem, yaye uManase “wamazi . . . uYehova ukuba unguThixo oyinyaniso.” (2 Kronike 33:11-13) Ewe, ekugqibeleni, ukuthobeka kukaManase kwamkholisa uYehova naye owabonakalisa ukuthobeka ngokumxolela nokuphinda ammise njengokumkani.
8 Ukukulungela kukaYehova ukumxolela uManase owayeguqukile kusifundisa lukhulu ngokuthobeka. Sifanele sihlale sikhumbula ukuba indlela esibaphatha ngayo abo baye basona nesimo sengqondo esisibonakalisayo xa sonile isenokuchaphazela indlela uYehova asiphatha ngayo. Ukuba sikulungele ukuzixolela iziphoso zabanye size ngokuzithoba sizivume iimpazamo zethu, sinokulindela ukuba uYehova asenzele inceba.—Mateyu 5:23, 24; 6:12.
Uzuko LukaThixo Lutyhilelwe Abathobekileyo
9. Ngaba ukuthobeka kubonisa ubuthathaka? Cacisa.
9 Noko ke, ukuthobeka nezinye iimpawu ezihambisana nako azifanele zijongwe ngendlela ephosakeleyo njengobuthathaka okanye ukubuqwabazel’ iliso ububi. Njengokuba iZibhalo Ezingcwele zibonisa, uYehova uthobekile, ukanti ubonakalisa ingqumbo yobulungisa namandla amakhulu xa iimeko zifuna enjenjalo. Ngenxa yokuthobeka kwakhe, uYehova unikela ingqalelo ekhethekileyo kwabo bathobekileyo, ngoxa ebathiyile abo banekratshi. (INdumiso 138:6) UYehova uyinikele njani ingqalelo ekhethekileyo kubakhonzi bakhe abathobekileyo?
10. Yintoni uYehova ayityhilela abathobekileyo, njengokuba kuboniswe kweyoku-1 yabaseKorinte 2:6-10?
10 Ngexesha lakhe elimisiweyo, esebenzisa ijelo lakhe lonxibelelwano, uYehova uye wakutyhila ukuzaliseka kweenjongo zakhe ngokweenkcukacha kwabo bathobekileyo. Ezi zinto zizukileyo zisafihlekile kwabo bathi ngekratshi okanye ngeenkani babambelele kubulumko okanye kwiingcamango zabantu. (1 Korinte 2:6-10) Kodwa abathobekileyo, ukufumana kwabo ulwazi oluchanileyo ngenjongo kaYehova kubenza bazukise uYehova kuba baluxabisa ngakumbi uzuko lwakhe.
11. Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, abanye bakubonakalisa njani ukungabi nawo umoya wokuthobeka, yaye oku kwaba yingozi njani kubo?
11 Kwinkulungwane yokuqala, abaninzi, kuquka nabathile ababezibiza ngokuba bangamaKristu, babonakalisa ukungathobeki yaye bakhutyekiswa koko umpostile uPawulos wakutyhila kubo ngokuphathelele injongo kaThixo. UPawulos waba “ngumpostile weentlanga,” kodwa kungekhona ngenxa yohlanga awayelulo, imfundo, ubudala, okanye ingxelo ende yemisebenzi emihle awayenzayo. (Roma 11:13) Ngokuqhelekileyo, abantu abacinga ngokwenyama bazigqala ezi zinto njengezizathu zokuba uYehova asebenzise ubani njengesixhobo sakhe. (1 Korinte 1:26-29; 3:1; Kolose 2:18) Noko ke, uPawulos wayenyulwe nguYehova, ngokuvumelana nobubele Bakhe bothando nenjongo yakhe yobulungisa. (1 Korinte 15:8-10) Abo uPawulos abachaza ‘njengabapostile abaziincamisa,’ nabanye ababemchasa, abazange bamamkele uPawulos nendlela awayeqiqa ngayo ngeZibhalo. Ukungabi nawo kwabo umoya wokuthobeka kwabenza abalufumana ulwazi nokuziqonda iindlela ezizukileyo uYehova ayifeza ngayo injongo yakhe. Ngamana singangaze sibajongele phantsi okanye sibagwebe abo uYehova akhetha ukubasebenzisa ukufeza ukuthanda kwakhe.—2 Korinte 11:4-6.
12. Umzekelo kaMoses ubonisa njani ukuba uYehova ukholiswa ngabo bathobekileyo?
12 Kwelinye icala, kukho imizekelo emininzi yeBhayibhile ebalaselisa indlela abajizekwa ngayo ngozuko lukaThixo abo bathobekileyo. UMoses, ‘oyena mntu ululamileyo’ kubo bonke abantu, walubona uzuko lukaThixo waza wanolwalamano olusenyongweni naye. (Numeri 12:3) Le ndoda ithobekileyo, eyachitha iminyaka engama-40 njengomalusi othobekileyo, mhlawumbi inkoliso yayo kuSingasiqithi weArabhiya, wababalwa nguMdali ngeendlela ezininzi. (Eksodus 6:12, 30) Exhaswa nguYehova, uMoses waba sisithethi nomlungelelanisi oyintloko wohlanga lwakwaSirayeli. Wayethetha umlomo nomlomo noThixo. Embonweni, wabona “imbonakalo kaYehova.” (Numeri 12:7, 8; Eksodus 24:10, 11) Abo bamamkela lo mkhonzi nommeli kaThixo othobekileyo basikelelwa. Ngokufanayo, siya kusikelelwa ukuba siyamamkela size simthobele umprofeti omkhulu kunoMoses, uYesu, kuquka “ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi” elinyulwe nguye.—Mateyu 24:45, 46; IZenzo 3:22.
13. Uzuko lukaYehova lwatyhilwa njani kubalusi abathobekileyo ngenkulungwane yokuqala?
13 ‘Ubuqaqawuli bukaYehova bakhazimla’ koobani yaye ingelosi yazivakalisa koobani iindaba ezilungileyo ezingokuzalwa ‘koMsindisi, onguKristu iNkosi’? Abuzange bukhazimle kwiinkokeli zonqulo ezazizikhukumalisa okanye kubantu ababalulekileyo abakwizikhundla eziphakamileyo kodwa kubalusi abathobekileyo “ababehlala ezindle yaye belinde imihlambi yabo ebusuku.” (Luka 2:8-11) Aba bantu babengaphakanyiselwanga phezulu ngenxa yobuchule okanye umsebenzi abawenzayo. Ukanti, uYehova wanikel’ ingqalelo kubo yaye wakhetha ukubaxelela kuqala ngokuzalwa kukaMesiya. Ewe, uYehova utyhila uzuko lwakhe kwabathobekileyo nakwabo bahlonel’ uThixo.
14. UThixo ubasikelela ngantoni abo bathobekileyo?
14 Le mizekelo isifundisa ntoni? Isibonisa ukuba uYehova ubabala abathobekileyo aze abatyhilele ulwazi nokuyiqonda injongo yakhe. Ukhetha abantu abangajongelwe ntweni ngabantu aze abasebenzise njengejelo lakhe lokudlulisela iinjongo zakhe ezizukileyo kwabanye. Oku kufanele kusikhuthaze ukuba sisoloko silindele kuYehova, kwiLizwi lakhe elisisiprofeto nakwintlangano yakhe ukuze sifumane ulwalathiso. Sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uya kusoloko ebaxelela abakhonzi bakhe abathobekileyo iinjongo zakhe ezizukileyo. Umprofeti uAmosi wathi: “INkosi enguMongami uYehova ayiyi kwenza nto ngaphandle kokuba iwutyhilile umcimbi wayo oyimfihlo kubakhonzi bayo abaprofeti.”—Amosi 3:7.
Hlakulela Umoya Wokuthobeka Uze Uzuze Inkoliseko KaThixo
15. Kutheni sifanele sihlale sithobekile, yaye oku kubalaseliswa njani kwimeko kaKumkani uSawule wakwaSirayeli?
15 Ukuze sizuze inkoliseko kaThixo ngonaphakade, simele sihlale sithobekile. Umntu othobekileyo akuthethi kuthi uya kuhlala ethobekile. Ubani usenokuphelelwa ngumoya wokuthobeka aze aqalise ukuba nekratshi nokuzingca, nto leyo ekhokelela ekukhukumaleni nakwintlekele. USawule, owokuqala ukuthanjiswa njengokumkani wakwaSirayeli, wenza kanye oko. Xa ekuqaleni wakhethwa, waziva ‘emncinane emehlweni akhe.’ (1 Samuweli 15:17) Noko ke, emva kokulawula iminyaka emibini kuphela, wazikhukumalisa. Walityeshela ilungiselelo likaYehova lokunikela imibingelelo ngomprofeti uSamuweli, yaye wayila amaqhinga okuzithabathela ezandleni zakhe izinto. (1 Samuweli 13:1, 8-14) Oku yayikukuqalisa kweziganeko eziliqela ngokucacileyo ezabonisa ukuba wayengathobekanga. Oku kwaphumela ekubeni alahlekelwe ngumoya kaThixo nenkoliseko yakhe, waza ekugqibeleni wafa ngokulihlazo. (1 Samuweli 15:3-19, 26; 28:6; 31:4) Isifundo esicacileyo sesi: Sifanele sikuhlakulele ukuhlala sithobekile yaye sithobela size sizame ukulwa nomoya wokuziva sibalulekile, ngaloo ndlela siziphephe izenzo zokuziphakamisa ezinokusibangela singamkelwa nguYehova.
16. Ukucingisisa ngolwalamano lwethu noYehova namanye amakholwa kunokusinceda njani sihlakulele ukuthobeka?
16 Nangona ukuthobeka kungabalwanga njengesinye seziqhamo zomoya kaThixo, olu luphawu lobuthixo esimele siluhlakulele. (Galati 5:22, 23; Kolose 3:10, 12) Ekubeni lubandakanya isimo sengqondo—okuthetha ukuthi, indlela thina esizijonga ngayo nendlela esibajonga ngayo abanye—ukuhlakulela ukuthobeka kufuna umgudu obonakalayo. Ukucingisisa nokucamngca ngolwalamano lwethu noYehova namanye amakholwa kunokusinceda sihlale sithobekile. Emehlweni kaThixo, yonke inyama engafezekanga injengengca eluhlaza ekhula okwexeshana, ize yome yaye ibune. Abantu banjengeentethe endle. (Isaya 40:6, 7, 22) Ngaba igqabi elinye lengca linesizathu sokuzikhukumalisa kuba nje lilide kancinane kunamanye amagqabi? Ngaba intethe inokuziqhayisa kuba nje ikwazi ukutsibela kude nje kancinane kunezinye iintethe? Kukungabhadli ukucinga ngolo hlobo. Ngenxa yeso sizathu, umpostile uPawulos wawakhumbuza amanye amaKristu esithi: “Ngubani na okwenza wahluke komnye? Eneneni, yintoni na onayo ongayamkeliswanga? Ukuba, eneneni wamkelisiwe, uqhayiselani ngokungathi akwamkeliswanga?” (1 Korinte 4:7) Ukucinga ngeendinyana zeBhayibhile ezinjengezi kunokusinceda sihlakulele size sibonakalise ukuthobeka.
17. Yintoni eyanceda umprofeti uDaniyeli ukuba ahlakulele ukuthobeka, yaye yintoni enokusinceda ukuze senze okufanayo?
17 Umprofeti ongumHebhere uDaniyeli kwathiwa ‘uyindoda enqweneleka kakhulu’ emehlweni kaThixo ngenxa ‘yokuzithoba’ kwakhe, nto leyo ethetha ukuba wayethobekile. (Daniyeli 10:11, 12) Yintoni eyamnceda uDaniyeli ukuze ahlakulele umoya wokuthobeka? Okokuqala, wabonakalisa ukuthembela ngokungagungqiyo kuYehova, ethandaza kuye rhoqo. (Daniyeli 6:10, 11) Ukongezelela, uDaniyeli wayengumfundi okhutheleyo nonenzondelelo weLizwi likaThixo, nto leyo eyamnceda ukuze ahlale ecinga ngenjongo kaThixo ezukileyo. Kwakhona wayekulungele ukuzivuma iimpazamo zakhe, kungekuphela nje ezo zabantu bakokwabo. Yaye wayezimisele ukuhambisela phambili ubulungisa bukaThixo, ingebubo obakhe. (Daniyeli 9:2, 5, 7) Ngaba sinokufunda kumzekelo kaDaniyeli obalaseleyo size sizabalazele ukubonakalisa ukuthobeka kuzo zonke iinkalo zobomi bethu?
18. Luluphi uzuko oluya kufunyanwa ngabo babonakalisa ukuthobeka?
18 IMizekeliso 22:4 ithi: “Umphumo wentobeko nokoyika uYehova bubutyebi, uzuko nobomi.” Ewe, uYehova ukholiswa ngabo bathobekileyo, yaye oku kuphumela kuzuko nobomi. Emva kokuba uAsafu waphantse wawutyeshela ngokupheleleyo umsebenzi awayewunikwe nguThixo kodwa waza uYehova wayilungisa indlela awayecinga ngayo, lo mdumisi ngokuthobeka wavuma esithi: “Uya kundikhokela ngecebo lakho, emva koko uya kundithabatha undinike uzuko.” (INdumiso 73:24) Kuthekani namhlanje? Luluphi uzuko olulindele abo babonakalisa ukuthobeka? Ukongezelela ekuzuzeni ubabalo nolwalamano oluhle noYehova, basenokukhangela phambili ekuboneni ukuzaliseka kwamazwi kaKumkani uDavide aphefumlelweyo athi: “Abalulamileyo baya kuwudla ilifa umhlaba, baziyolise ngokugqibeleleyo ngobuninzi boxolo.” Ngokwenene eli iya kuba likamva elizukileyo!—INdumiso 37:11.
Ngaba Uyakhumbula?
• UStefano ungumzekelo njani womntu othobekileyo uYehova awamtyhilela uzuko Lwakhe?
• UYehova uThixo ukubonakalise ngaziphi iindlela ukuthobeka?
• Yiyiphi imizekelo ebonisa ukuba uYehova utyhila uzuko lwakhe kwabathobekileyo?
• Umzekelo kaDaniyeli unokusinceda njani ukuze sihlakulele ukuthobeka?
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 12]
Womelele Ukanti Uthobekile
Ngowe-1919 eCedar Point, eOhio, eUnited States, kwindibano yaBafundi beBhayibhile (namhlanje ababizwa ngokuba ngamaNgqina kaYehova), uJ. F. Rutherford owayeneminyaka engama-50 ubudala, owayesongamela umsebenzi, wakuvuyela ukuphathisa abantu imithwalo yabo, ebonisa abantu abeze endibanweni iindawo zabo zokuhlala. Kusuku lokugqibela lwalo ndibano, wabachukumisa abantu ababephulaphule abangama-7 000 ngamazwi athi: “Ningabameli boKumkani wookumkani neNkosi yeenkosi, nivakalisa kubantu . . . ubukumkani obuzukileyo beNkosi yethu.” Nangona uMzalwan’ uRutherford wayeqinisekile ngeenkolelo zakhe, esaziwa ngokugadlela nokungalalanisi kwinto ayikholelwa iyinyaniso, kwakhona wayethobeke ngokunyanisekileyo phambi koThixo, nto leyo eyayiqhele ukubonakala kwimithandazo yakhe kunqulo lwasekuseni eBheteli.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]
UStefano, owayezazi gqitha iZibhalo, ngokuzithoba wayesaba ukutya
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
Ukuzithoba kukaManase kwamkholisa uYehova
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 12]
Yintoni eyamenza uDaniyeli ‘wayindoda enqweneleka gqitha’?