Isahluko Sesithoba
UYehova Usifundisa Ukuze Singenelwe
1.Abantu abalumkileyo basabela njani kumazwi kaYehova?
XA UYEHOVA ethetha, abo balumkileyo baphulaphula ngentlonelo enzulu baze bawathobele amazwi akhe. Yonke into ayithethayo uYehova iyingenelo kuthi, yaye unomdla wokwenene kwintlalo-ntle yethu. Ngokomzekelo, hayi indlela ekukhuthaza ngayo ukuqwalasela indlela uYehova athetha ngayo nabantu bakhe bamandulo bomnqophiso, esithi: “Owu ukuba nje kuphela okunene ubunganikela ingqalelo kwimiyalelo yam!” (Isaya 48:18) Ubungqina esinabo bokubaluleka kweemfundiso zikaThixo bufanele busishukumisele ekubeni simphulaphule size silandele ukhokelo lwakhe. Ingxelo yesiprofeto esizalisekileyo iphelisa nawaphi na amathandabuzo ngokuphathelele ukuzimisela kukaYehova ukuzalisekisa izithembiso zakhe.
2. Abhalelwa bani amazwi akuIsaya 48, yaye ngoobani abanye abanokungenelwa kuwo?
2 Ngokucacileyo amazwi akwisahluko sama-48 sencwadi kaIsaya abhalelwa amaYuda awayeza kuthinjelwa eBhabhiloni. Ukongezelela, la mazwi anesigidimi angenakusibetha ngoyaba amaKristu anamhlanje. KuIsaya isahluko 47, iBhayibhile ixele kwangaphambili ngokuwa kweBhabhiloni. Ngoku uYehova uchaza oko acinga ukukwenzela amaYuda asekuthinjweni kweso sixeko. UYehova ubuhlungu ngenxa yohanahaniso lwabantu bakhe abanyuliweyo nokwala kwabo ukukholelwa kwizithembiso zakhe. Sekunjalo, ufuna ukubafundisa ukuze bangenelwe. Ubona kwangaphambili ixesha lokusulungekiswa kwabo ekuthi emva kwalo kubuyiselwe intsalela ethembekileyo elizweni layo.
3. Yintoni eyayiphosakele ngonqulo lwamaYuda?
3 Hayi indlela abaphambuke kakhulu ngayo abantu bakaYehova kunqulo olunyulu! Utshayelela ngamazwi abuhlungu uIsaya, esithi: “Yivani oku, ndlu kaYakobi, nina nizibiza ngegama likaSirayeli nabo baphume kuwo amanzi akwaYuda, nina bafunga ngegama likaYehova nabo bakhankanya uThixo kaSirayeli, kungekhona ngenyaniso nangobulungisa. Kuba bazibize ngokuba ngabesixeko esingcwele, yaye bazixhase ngoThixo kaSirayeli, ogama lakhe linguYehova wemikhosi.” (Isaya 48:1, 2) Okunjani kona ukuhanahanisa! Ngokucacileyo ‘ukufunga kwabo ngegama likaYehova’ kuyinkwalambisa. (Zefaniya 1:5) Ngaphambi kokuthinjelwa kwawo eBhabhiloni, amaYuda ayemnqula uYehova ‘kwisixeko esingcwele,’ eYerusalem. Kodwa ayenganquli ngokunyanisekileyo. Iintliziyo zawo zazikude lee noThixo, yaye ayenganquli “ngenyaniso nangobulungisa.” Ayengenalo ukholo olufana noloobawomkhulu bawo.—Malaki 3:7.
4. Lunqulo olunjani olumkholisayo uYehova?
4 La mazwi kaYehova asikhumbuza ukuba unqulo alufanele lube lolwenkwalambisa. Lumele lusuke entliziyweni. Inkonzo yenkwalambisa—mhlawumbi eyenzelwa nje ukukholisa okanye ukuzithandisa ngabanye—ayilulo ‘uzinikelo lobuthixo.’ (2 Petros 3:11) Ukuzibiza komntu ngokuba ungumKristu akulwenzi unqulo lwakhe lwamkeleke kuThixo. (2 Timoti 3:5) Ukubuvuma ubukho bukaYehova kubalulekile, kodwa oko kusisiqalo nje kuphela. UYehova ufuna unqulo lomphefumlo uphela nolushukunyiswa luthando noxabiso olunzulu.—Kolose 3:23.
Ukuxela Kwangaphambili Izinto Ezintsha
5. Ziziphi ezinye ‘zezinto zokuqala’ azixele kwangaphambili uYehova?
5 Mhlawumbi loo maYuda aseBhabhiloni afuna ukukhe akhunjuzwe. Ngenxa yoko, uYehova uyawakhumbuza kwakhona ukuba unguThixo wesiprofeto sokwenyaniso, esithi: “Izinto zokuqala ndizixelile ukususela ngelo xesha, ziphuma emlonyeni wam, ndaqhubeka ndizivakalisa. Ndazenza ngesiquphe, zabakho.” (Isaya 48:3) “Izinto zokuqala” zizinto uThixo asele ezenzile, njengokukhulula amaSirayeli eYiputa nokuwanika iLizwe Lesithembiso njengelifa. (Genesis 13:14, 15; 15:13, 14) Iziprofeto ezinjalo ziphuma emlonyeni kaThixo; ngoko zezobuthixo. UThixo uyabachazela abantu imimiselo yakhe, yaye oko bakuvayo kufanele kubashukumisele ekubeni bamthobele. (Duteronomi 28:15) Ukuphumeza ngesiquphe oko akuxele kwangaphambili. Into yokuba uYehova enguSomandla isisiqinisekiso sokuba injongo yakhe iza kuzaliseka.—Yoshuwa 21:45; 23:14.
6. AmaYuda aye aba ‘nenkani yaye avukela’ ukusa kuwuphi umlinganiselo?
6 Abantu bakaYehova baye ‘baba neenkani baza bavukela.’ (INdumiso 78:8) Ubaxelela ngokuphandle esithi: “Ulukhuni . . . nentamo yakho yimisipha yentsimbi nebunzi lakho lubhedu.” (Isaya 48:4) Njengesinyithi, amaYuda akanikezeli lula—antamo-lukhuni. Eso sesinye sezizathu zokuba uYehova awatyhilele izinto ngaphambi kokuba zenzeke. Kungenjalo, abantu bakhe bebeya kuthi ngezinto azenzileyo uYehova: “Isithixo sam sizenzile, nomfanekiso wam oqingqiweyo nomfanekiso wam otyhidiweyo uziyalele.” (Isaya 48:5) Ngaba oko akutshoyo ngoku uYehova kuza kuba nawo nawuphi na umphumo kula maYuda angathembekanga? UThixo uthi kuwo: “Uvile. Kubone konke. Ke nina, aniyi kukuxela na oku? Ndikuvise izinto ezintsha ukususela kwixesha langoku, kwanezinto ezifihliweyo, obungazazi. Kwixesha langoku zimele zidalwe, kungekhona ngelo xesha kwanezinto ongazivanga ngaphambi kwanamhlanje, ukuze ungathi, ‘Khangela! Bendisele ndizazi.’”—Isaya 48:6, 7.
7. Yintoni amaYuda asekuthinjweni ekuza kufuneka ayivume, yaye anokulindela ntoni?
7 Kusekude ngaphambili uIsaya wabhala ngokuwa kweBhabhiloni okwaxelwa kwangaphambili. Ngoku amaYuda athinjelwe eBhabhiloni ayalelwa ukuba akhangele phambili ekuzalisekeni kweso siprofeto. Ngaba anokuyikhanyela into yokuba uYehova unguThixo ozizalisekisayo iziprofeto zakhe? Yaye ekubeni abemi bakwaYuda bebonile yaye bevile ukuba uYehova unguThixo wenyaniso, abamele na nabo bayivakalise le nyaniso kwabanye? Ilizwi likaYehova lityhila izinto ezingekenzeki, njengokoyisa kukaKoreshi iBhabhiloni nokukhululwa kwamaYuda. (Isaya 48:14-16) Ezi ziganeko zikhwankqisayo zisuke zenzeka nje ngokungalindelekanga. Akukho bani ubenokuzibona kwangaphambili kuphela nje ngokuhlolisisa iimeko zehlabathi. Zithe gqi ngokungathi zivela nje esithubeni. Ngubani obangele ezi ziganeko? Ekubeni uYehova ezixele kuma-200 eminyaka ngaphambili, impendulo izicacele.
8. Ziziphi izinto ezintsha anethemba lazo amaKristu namhlanje, yaye kutheni enentembelo epheleleyo ekuzalisekeni kwelizwi likaYehova lesiprofeto?
8 Ukongezelela, uYehova uliphumeza ilizwi lakhe ngexesha lakhe. Ukuzaliseka kweziprofeto zakhe kungqina ubuThixo bakhe kungekuphela nje kumaYuda amandulo kodwa kwanakumaKristu anamhlanje. Ingxelo yeziprofeto, okanye “izinto zokuqala,” eziliqela eziye zazaliseka kwixesha elidluleyo, isisiqinisekiso sokuba ziza kuzaliseka izinto ezintsha ezithenjiswe nguYehova, ‘njengembandezelo enkulu,’ ukusinda ‘kwesihlwele esikhulu’ kuloo mbandezelo, ‘umhlaba omtsha,’ nokunye okuninzi. (ISityhilelo 7:9, 14, 15; 21:4, 5; 2 Petros 3:13) Eso siqinisekiso siyabashukumisa abantliziyo zilungileyo namhlanje ukuba bathethe ngaye ngenzondelelo. Bavakalelwa ngendlela efanayo neyomdumisi, owathi: “Iindaba ezilungileyo ndizixelile ebandleni elikhulu. Khangela! Imilebe yam andiyithinteli.”—INdumiso 40:9.
UYehova Uyazeyisa
9. Uhlanga lukaSirayeli ‘lunxaxhe njani ukususela kwasesiswini’?
9 Ukungazikholelwa kwamaYuda iziprofeto zikaYehova kuwenze akazithobela izilumkiso zakhe. Kungako nje ehlabela mgama esithi kuwo: “Ngaphezu koko, akuvanga, akwazanga, nendlebe yakho ayivulekanga ukususela ngelo xesha. Kuba ndazi kakuhle ukuba ubusenza ngobuqhophololo, yaye ububizwa ngokuba ‘ungonxaxhayo ukususela kwasesiswini.’” (Isaya 48:8) UYuda uye wazivala iindlebe zakhe ukuze angaweva amazwi avuyisayo kaYehova. (Isaya 29:10) Izenzo zaba bantu bakaThixo bomnqophiso zibonisa ukuba olu hlanga ‘lunxaxhile ukususela kwasesiswini.’ Ukususela ekuzalweni kwalo nasebudeni bayo yonke imbali yalo, uhlanga lukaSirayeli beluvukela. Ukunxaxha nobuqhophololo kungumkhwa wangabom, akuzozono nje ezenziwa manqapha-nqapha.—INdumiso 95:10; Malaki 2:11.
10. Siyintoni isizathu sokuba uYehova azibambe?
10 Ngaba kuphele lonke ithemba? Akunjalo. Nangona uYuda ebevukela yaye enobuqhophololo, uYehova usoloko enyanisekile yaye ethembekile. Ukuze azukise igama lakhe elikhulu, uza kukubamba ukuthululwa komsindo wakhe. Uthi: “Ngenxa yegama lam ndiya kuwunqanda umsindo wam, nangenxa yendumiso yam ndiya kuzithintela ngakuwe ukuze unganqunyulwa.” (Isaya 48:9) Onjani wona umahluko! Abantu bakaYehova, uSirayeli noYuda, bebengathembekanga kuye. Kodwa uYehova uza kulingcwalisa igama lakhe, enze ngendlela eya kulidumisa yaye ilizukise. Ngenxa yoko, akayi kubanqumla abantu bakhe abanyuliweyo.—Yoweli 2:13, 14.
11. Kutheni uThixo engayi kuvumela ukuba abantu bakhe batshatyalaliswe ngokupheleleyo?
11 Abo bantliziyo zilungileyo kula maYuda asekuthinjweni baye bashukunyiswa sisiluleko sikaThixo baza bazimisela ukuzithobela iimfundiso zakhe. Baye bakhuthazwa kakhulu sisibhengezo esithi: “Khangela! Ndikusulungekisile, kodwa kungekhona ngohlobo lwesilivere. Ndikunyulile ezikweni lokunyibilikisa lenkxwaleko. Ngenxa yam, ngenxa yam ndiya kusebenza, kuba ubani angaziyeka njani na ahlanjelwe? Yaye andiyi kulunika nabani na ongomnye uzuko lwam.” (Isaya 48:10, 11) Izilingo eziqatha—‘ezinjengeziko lenkxwaleko’—aye uYehova wazivumela ukuba zifikele abantu bakhe ziye zabavavanya zaza zabasulungekisa, zityhila oko kusezintliziyweni zabo. Kwenzeka into efanayo kwiinkulungwane ezidluleyo xa uMoses wathi kookhokho babo: ‘UYehova uThixo wakho uye wakuhambisa kule minyaka ingamashumi amane entlango, ukuba akuthobe, akuvavanye ukuze akwazi okusentliziyweni yakho.’ (Duteronomi 8:2) Phezu kwako nje ukuvukela kolo hlanga, uYehova akazange alutshabalalise ngelo xesha, yaye akayi kulutshabalalisa ngokupheleleyo ngoku. Ngaloo ndlela igama nozuko lwakhe ziya kuhlala zihleli. Ukuba abantu bakhe bebeya kutshatyalaliswa ngamaBhabhiloni, ebeya kuba akawuzalisekisanga umnqophiso wakhe negama lakhe beliya kuhlanjelwa. Bekuya kubonakala ngathi uThixo kaSirayeli akanawo amandla okusindisa abantu bakhe.—Hezekile 20:9.
12. Asulungekiswa njani amaKristu okwenyaniso ebudeni bemfazwe yehlabathi yokuqala?
12 Nakumaxesha anamhlanje, kuye kwafuneka ukuba abantu bakaYehova basulungekiswe. Emva phayaa ekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yama-20, abaninzi beqela elincinane laBafundi BeBhayibhile babemkhonza uThixo benomnqweno onyanisekileyo wokufuna ukumkholisa, kodwa abanye babeneentshukumisa eziphosakeleyo, njengomnqweno wokufuna udumo. Ngaphambi kokuba elo qela lincinane lizalisekise isiprofeto sexesha lesiphelo sokushunyayelwa kweendaba ezilungileyo ehlabathini lonke, lalifanele lihlanjululwe. (Mateyu 24:14) Umprofeti uMalaki waprofeta ngokwenziwa kwawo kanye loo msebenzi wokusulungekisa ekuzeni kukaYehova etempileni yakhe. (Malaki 3:1-4) Amazwi akhe azaliseka ngowe-1918. AmaKristu okwenyaniso aye avavanywa ngokuqatha ebudeni bemfazwe yehlabathi yokuqala yaye olo vavanyo lwaphumela ekuthini avalelwe entolongweni uJoseph F. Rutherford, owayengumongameli weWatch Tower Society ngoko, kunye namanye amagosa ayo aphambili. Loo maKristu anyanisekileyo ancedwa yiloo nkqubo yokusulungekisa. Emva kwaloo Mfazwe Yehlabathi I azimisela ngakumbi kunangaphambili ukukhonza uThixo wawo omkhulu ngayo nayiphi na indlela yena afuna ngayo.
13. Baye basabela njani abantu bakaYehova kwintshutshiso ukutyhubela iminyaka ukususela kwimfazwe yehlabathi yokuqala?
13 Ukususela ngaloo mihla, amaNgqina kaYehova aye ngokuphindaphindiweyo atshutshiswa ngenkohlakalo. Oku akuwenzanga alithandabuza ilizwi loMdali wawo. Kunoko, aye awathabatha nzulu amazwi umpostile uPetros awawabhekisa kumaKristu awayetshutshiswa ngomhla wakhe, esithi: “[Niva] ubuhlungu ngenxa yezilingo ezahlukahlukeneyo, ukuze umlinganiselo ovavanyiweyo wokholo lwenu . . . ufunyanwe ungunobangela wendumiso nozuko nembeko ekutyhilekeni kukaYesu Kristu.” (1 Petros 1:6, 7) Intshutshiso eqatha ayiyitshitshisi ingqibelelo yamaKristu okwenyaniso. Kunoko, ibhenca ukusulungeka kweentshukumisa zawo. Yongeza umlinganiselo ovavanyiweyo elukholweni lwawo kuze kubonakale ubunzulu bozinikelo nothando lwawo.—IMizekeliso 17:3.
‘Ndingowokuqala, Ndingowokugqibela’
14. (a) UYehova ‘ungowokuqala’ ‘nowokugqibela’ ngayiphi indlela? (b) Yiyiphi imisebenzi yamandla aye wayenza uYehova ‘ngesandla’ sakhe?
14 Ngoku uYehova ubabongoza ngokufudumeleyo abantu bakhe bomnqophiso, esithi: “Phulaphula kum, Yakobi, nawe Sirayeli obiziweyo wam. IkwaNdim. Ndingowokuqala. Ngaphezu koko, ndingowokugqibela. Ngaphezu koko, isandla sam sabeka isiseko somhlaba, yaye isandla sam sasekunene solula amazulu. Ndiyazibiza, ukuze zime kunye.” (Isaya 48:12, 13) Ngokungafaniyo nabantu, uThixo ukho ngonaphakade yaye akatshintshi. (Malaki 3:6) KwiSityhilelo, uYehova uvakalisa esithi: “NdinguAlfa no-Omega, owokuqala nowokugqibela, isiqalo nesiphelo.” (ISityhilelo 22:13) Akuzange kubekho Thixo ungusomandla phambi kukaYehova yaye akuyi kubakho namnye emva kwakhe. Ungoyena Uphakamileyo nonguNaphakade, uMdali. ‘Ngesandla’ sakhe, okanye ngamandla akhe, wenza umhlaba nesibhakabhaka esineenkwenkwezi. (Yobhi 38:4; INdumiso 102:25) Xa ebiza indalo yakhe, iyema ilungele ukumkhonza.—INdumiso 147:4.
15. UYehova ‘umthande’ ngayiphi indlela uKoreshi yaye oko kuphumele entwenini?
15 Kudluliselwa isimemo esibalulekileyo kumaYuda nakwabangengomaYuda, esithi: “Qokelelanani ndawonye, nonke, nize nive. Ngubani na phakathi kwabo oxele ezi zinto? UYehova umthandile. Uya kwenza oko kumyolisayo eBhabhiloni, nengalo yakhe iya kuba phezu kwamaKhaledi. Mna—mna ndithethile. Ngaphezu koko, ndimbizile. Ndimzisile, ibe iya kwenziwa iphumelele indlela yakhe.” (Isaya 48:14, 15) NguYehova kuphela onamandla onke nokwaziyo ukuzixela ngokuchanileyo iziganeko ngaphambi kokuba zenzeke. Akukho namnye phakathi “kwabo,” oothixo abangento, okwaziyo ukuzixela ezi zinto. NguYehova, kungekhona izithixo, ‘omthandileyo’ uKoreshi—oko kukuthi, uYehova uye wamkhetha ngenxa yenjongo ekhethekileyo. (Isaya 41:2; 44:28; 45:1, 13; 46:11) Wakubona kwangaphambili ukubalasela kukaKoreshi ehlabathini waza wamkhetha njengalowo uza koyisa iBhabhiloni kwixesha elizayo.
16, 17. (a) Kutheni kunokuthiwa uThixo akazichazanga emfihlekweni iziprofeto zakhe? (b) UYehova uzipapashe njani iinjongo zakhe namhlanje?
16 Ngelizwi elibongozayo, uYehova uhlabela mgama esithi: “Sondelani kum. Yivani oku. Ukususela ekuqaleni andithethanga emfihlekweni konke konke. Ukususela kwixesha lokwenzeka kwako bendikho.” (Isaya 48:16a) Iziprofeto zikaYehova azichazwanga emfihlekweni okanye zityhilwe kwabambalwa kuphela. Abaprofeti bakaYehova babezithetha ngokuphandle izigidimi zikaThixo. (Isaya 61:1) Bakuvakalisa ekuhleni ukuthanda kukaThixo. Ngokomzekelo, iziganeko ezinokuthanani noKoreshi zazingeyonto intsha neyayingaziwa nguThixo. Kwiminyaka engama-200 ngaphambili, uThixo wazixela ekuhleni esebenzisa uIsaya.
17 Ngokufanayo namhlanje, uYehova akazifihli iinjongo zakhe. Izigidi zabantu kumakhulukhulu amazwe neziqithi zolwandle zivakalisa kwizindlu nezindlu, ezitratweni, naphi na apho zinokufikelela khona, isilumkiso sokusondela kwesiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto neendaba ezilungileyo zeentsikelelo eziza kuziswa buBukumkani bukaThixo. Eneneni, uYehova nguThixo ozichazayo iinjongo zakhe.
‘Nikelani Ingqalelo Kwimiyalelo Yam!’
18. Uyintoni umnqweno kaYehova ngabantu bakhe?
18 Eqhutywa ngumoya kaYehova, umprofeti uvakalisa esithi: “INkosi enguMongami uYehova indithumile, wona kanye umoya wayo. Utsho uYehova, uMhlawuleli wakho, Lowo Ungcwele kaSirayeli, ukuthi: ‘Mna, Yehova, ndinguThixo wakho, Lowo ukufundisa okuyingenelo kuwe, Lowo ukubangela unyathele endleleni ofanele uhambe ngayo.’” (Isaya 48:16b, 17) La mazwi othando abonisa inyameko kaYehova afanele aluqinisekise uhlanga lukaSirayeli ukuba uThixo uza kuluhlangula eBhabhiloni. UnguMhlawuleli walo. (Isaya 54:5) UYehova unomnqweno osuk’ entliziyweni wokuba amaSirayeli ahlaziye ulwalamano lwawo kunye naye aze anikele ingqalelo kwimiyalelo yakhe. Unqulo lokwenyaniso lusekelwe ekuthobeleni imiyalelo kaThixo. AmaSirayeli akanakukwazi ukuhamba ngokuthe tye ngaphandle kokuba afundiswe ‘indlela afanele ahambe ngayo.’
19. Sisiphi isibongozo esichukumis’ intliziyo asenzayo uYehova?
19 Umnqweno kaYehova wokuba abantu bakhe baphephe intlekele baze banandiphe ubomi uvakaliswe kakuhle ngokuthi: “Owu ukuba nje kuphela okunene ubunganikela ingqalelo kwimiyalelo yam! Ngoko uxolo lwakho beluya kuba njengomlambo, nobulungisa bakho njengamaza olwandle.” (Isaya 48:18) Esinjani sona ukuchukumis’ intliziyo isibongozo asenzayo uMdali ongusomandla! (Duteronomi 5:29; INdumiso 81:13) Kunokuba aye ekuthinjweni, amaSirayeli anokunandipha uxolo oluninzi njengamanzi aqukuqelela emlanjeni. (INdumiso 119:165) Izenzo zawo zobulungisa zinokuba zininzi njengamaza olwandle. (Amosi 5:24) Njengoko enomdla wokwenene kumaSirayeli, uYehova uyawabongoza, ewabonisa ngothando indlela afanele ahambe ngayo. Owu, akwaba nje ebenokuphulaphula!
20. (a) Uyintoni umnqweno kaThixo ngoSirayeli phezu kwako nje ukuvukela kwakhe? (b) Yintoni esiyifundayo ngoYehova ngokuqwalasela indlela aqhubana ngayo nabantu bakhe? (Bona ibhokisi ekwiphepha 133.)
20 Ziziphi iintsikelelo ebeya kuzifumana uSirayeli ukuba ebeguqukile? UYehova uthi: “Inzala yakho ibiya kuba njengentlabathi, kwanabo baphuma ezibilinini zakho. Belingayi kunqunyulwa okanye litshabalale igama labo phambi kwam.” (Isaya 48:19) UYehova ukhumbuza abantu bakhe besithembiso sakhe ukuba imbewu ka-Abraham yayiza kuba ninzi, “njengeenkwenkwezi zasemazulwini nanjengentlabathi eselunxwemeni lolwandle.” (Genesis 22:17; 32:12) Noko ke, le nzala ka-Abraham iye yavukela, ngenxa yoko ayinalo ilungelo lokufumana iintsikelelo zeso sithembiso. Eneneni, imbali yayo imbi kangangokuba ngokoMthetho kaYehova, ibifanele kukucinyw’ igama njengohlanga. (Duteronomi 28:45) Sekunjalo, uYehova akanqweneli kubatshabalalisa abantu bakhe, yaye akafuni kubashiya ngokupheleleyo.
21. Ziziphi iintsikelelo esinokuzinandipha namhlanje ukuba sifuna ukuyalelwa nguYehova?
21 Imigaqo ebalaseliswa kule ngxelo iyasebenza kubanquli bakaYehova namhlanje. UYehova unguMthombo wobomi, yaye wazi bhetele kunaye nabani na ongomnye ngendlela esifanele sibusebenzise ngayo ubomi bethu. (INdumiso 36:9) Usinike imigaqo, kungekhona ngenjongo yokusivimba ulonwabo, kodwa ukuze singenelwe. AmaKristu okwenyaniso asabela ngokuthi afune ukuyalelwa nguYehova. (Mika 4:2) Imiyalelo yakhe ikhusela imeko yethu yokomoya nolwalamano lwethu kunye naye, yaye iyasikhusela nakwimpembelelo eyonakalisayo kaSathana. Xa siyiqonda imigaqo ekwimithetho kaThixo, siyabona ukuba uYehova usifundisa ukuze sincedakale. Siyaqonda ukuba “ayinzima imiyalelo yakhe.” Yaye asiyi kunqunyulwa.—1 Yohane 2:17; 5:3.
“Hambani, Niphume EBhabhiloni!”
22. Yintoni amaYuda athembekileyo abongozwa ukuba ayenze, yaye yintoni aqinisekiswa ngayo?
22 Xa iBhabhiloni isiwa, ngaba aya kubakho amaYuda anentliziyo elungileyo? Ngaba aya kukuvuyela ukuwahlangula kukaThixo, aze abuyele elizweni lawo, abuyisele unqulo olunyulu? Kunjalo kanye. Amazwi alandelayo kaYehova abonisa indlela aqiniseke ngayo ukuba oku kuza kwenzeka. “Hambani, niphume eBhabhiloni! Balekani nimke kumaKhaledi. Xelani kwanangesandi sentswahla yovuyo, kuvakaliseni oku. Kwenzeni kuye nasesiphelweni somhlaba. Yithini: ‘UYehova umhlawulele umkhonzi wakhe uYakobi. Kwaye abazange banxanwe xa wayebahambisa nkqu nakwiindawo eziphanzileyo. Wabatsitsisela amanzi eliweni, wacanda iliwa ukuze kumpompoze amanzi.’” (Isaya 48:20, 21) Abantu bakaYehova babongozwa ngesiprofeto ukuba baphume ngokukhawuleza eBhabhiloni. (Yeremiya 50:8) Ukuhlawulelwa kwabo kumele kuvakaliswe ukusa eziphelweni zomhlaba. (Yeremiya 31:10) Emva kokuphuma kwabo eYiputa, uYehova wazinyamekela iintswelo zabantu bakhe njengoko babehamba entlango. Ngokufanayo, uza kubanyamekela abantu bakhe njengoko bephuma eBhabhiloni begoduka.—Duteronomi 8:15, 16.
23. Ngoobani abangayi kulunandipha uxolo lukaThixo?
23 Kukho omnye umgaqo obalulekileyo amaYuda amele awukhumbule ngokuphathelele izenzo zikaYehova zokusindisa. Abo bangamalungisa basenokubandezeleka ngenxa yezono zabo, kodwa abayi kutshatyalaliswa. Noko ke, kwahlukile ngabo bangengomalungisa. “‘Akukho luxolo kwabo babi,’ utsho uYehova.” (Isaya 48:22) Aboni abangaguqukiyo abayi kulufumana uxolo uThixo alugcinele abo bamthandayo. Abantu abangendawo okanye abangakholwayo abasayi kusindiswa. Kodwa ngabo bakholwayo kuphela. (Tito 1:15, 16; ISityhilelo 22:14, 15) UThixo akanaluxolo nabangendawo.
24. Yintoni evuyise abantu bakaThixo kumaxesha anamhlanje?
24 Ngowama-537 B.C.E., ukuvuleka kwethuba lokuyishiya iBhabhiloni kwawavuyisa kakhulu amaSirayeli athembekileyo. Nangowe-1919 ukukhululwa kwabantu bakaThixo ekuthinjweni kwaseBhabhiloni kwabavuyisa. (ISityhilelo 11:11, 12) Babezaliswe lithemba, yaye balixhakamfula elo thuba ukuze bandise umsebenzi wabo. Enyanisweni, kwafuneka likhaliphile elo qela lincinane lamaKristu ukuze likwazi ukusebenzisa amathuba amatsha okushumayela kwihlabathi elinobutshaba. Kodwa ngoncedo lukaYehova, lazibhokoxa ngamandla emsebenzini wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. Imbali ingqina ukuba uYehova walisikelela.
25. Kutheni kubalulekile ukunikela ingqalelo kwimimiselo kaThixo yobulungisa?
25 Le nxalenye yesiprofeto sikaIsaya igxininisa ukuba uYehova usifundisa ukuze singenelwe. Kubaluleke kakhulu ukunikela ingqalelo kwimimiselo kaThixo yobulungisa. (ISityhilelo 15:2-4) Ukuba sizikhumbuza ngobulumko nangothando lukaThixo, oko kuya kusinceda sivumelane noko uYehova athi kulungile. Yonke imiyalelo yakhe iyingenelo kuthi.—Isaya 48:17, 18.
[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 133]
UThixo USomandla Uyazibamba
“Ndiya kuwunqanda umsindo wam . . . ndiya kuzithintela,” watsho njalo uYehova kumaSirayeli awexukileyo. (Isaya 48:9) Amazwi anjengala ayasinceda sibone ukuba uThixo umisela umzekelo ogqibeleleyo wokuba singaze silisebenzise kakubi igunya. Liyinyaniso elokuba akukho bani unamandla kunoThixo. Kungenxa yoko le nto sibhekisela kuye njengaLowo unamandla onke, uMnini-mandla onke. Ngokufanelekileyo uzibiza ngokuba ‘unguSomandla.’ (Genesis 17:1) Akapheleli nje ngokuba namandla angenasiphelo kodwa ukwanegunya elipheleleyo ngenxa yesigxina sakhe njengeNkosi enguMongami wendalo iphela. Kungako nje kungekho bani unokuba nobuganga bokuthintela isandla sakhe okanye athi kuye, “Yintoni le uyenzileyo?”—Daniyeli 4:35.
Noko ke, uThixo uzeka kade umsindo kwanaxa kukho imfuneko yokubonakalisa amandla akhe kwiintshaba zakhe. (Nahum 1:3) UYehova uyakwazi ‘ukuwunqanda umsindo wakhe’ yaye uchazwa ngokufanelekileyo ‘njengozeka kade umsindo’ kuba luthando—kungekhona umsindo—oluluphawu lwakhe olubalaseleyo. Umsindo wakhe, usoloko ungowobulungisa, usoloko usesikweni, usoloko ulawuleka.—Eksodus 34:6; 1 Yohane 4:8.
Kutheni uYehova ezenza izinto ngale ndlela? Kungokuba ulungelelanisa ngokugqibeleleyo amandla akhe amakhulu kunye nezinye iimpawu zakhe ezintathu ezibalaseleyo—ubulumko, okusesikweni nothando. Usoloko ewabonakalisa amandla akhe ngokuvisisana nezi mpawu.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 122]
Isigidimi sikaIsaya sohlaziyo siwanika ithemba elikhulu amaYuda athembekileyo asekuthinjweni
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 124]
AmaYuda ayenotyekelo lokudumisa izithixo ngezenzo zikaYehova
1. UIshtar 2. Umfanekiso ogciniweyo wezitena owawukuDonga Olusekungeneni eBhabhiloni 3. Igongqongqo elifanekisela uMarduk
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 127]
‘Iziko lenkxwaleko’ linokutyhila enoba simkhonza uYehova ngeentshukumisa ezimsulwa okanye akunjalo kusini na
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 128]
AmaKristu okwenyaniso aye ajamelana neyona ntshutshiso iqatha