Ukuvuyisana Nabo Bahamba Ekukhanyeni
“Yizani size sihambe ekukhanyeni kukaYehova.”—ISAYA 2:5.
1, 2. (a) Kubaluleke kangakanani ukukhanya? (b) Kutheni sibaluleke kangaka isilumkiso sokuba ubumnyama buya kugubungela umhlaba?
UYEHOVA nguMthombo wokukhanya. IBhayibhile imbiza ngokuthi ‘nguMniki welanga lokukhanya kwemini, imimiselo yenyanga neenkwenkwezi zokukhanya kobusuku.’ (Yeremiya 31:35; INdumiso 8:3) NguLowo wenza ilanga, iziko elikhulu lenyukliya, elo livelisa amandla angummangaliso esibhakabhakeni, wambi awo akukukhanya nobushushu. Isuntswana elincinane kakhulu laloo mandla kukukhanya kwelanga esikufumanayo okulondoloza ubomi kulo mhlaba. Ngaphandle kokukhanya kwelanga, besingenakuphila. Umhlaba ubuya kuba sisijikelezi-langa esingenabomi.
2 Sicinga ngaloo ngongoma, sinokuyiqonda intsingiselo yoko kwachazwa ngumprofeti uIsaya. Wathi: “Khangela! ubumnyama buya kuwugubungela umhlaba, nesithokothoko amaqela eentlanga.” (Isaya 60:2) Kakade ke, oku akubhekiseli kubumnyama bokoqobo. UIsaya wayengathethi kuthi ngenye imini ilanga, inyanga neenkwenkwezi zaziya kuyeka ukukhanyisa. (INdumiso 89:36, 37; 136:7-9) Kunoko, wayethetha ngobumnyama bokomoya. Kodwa ubumnyama bokomoya buyabulala. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, asinakuphila ngaphandle kokukhanya kokomoya kanye njengoko singenakuphila ngaphandle kokukhanya kokoqobo.—Luka 1:79.
3. Ngokuphathelele amazwi kaIsaya, yintoni efanele yenziwe ngamaKristu?
3 Ngenxa yoku, kuyinto exhalabisayo ukuphawula ukuba amazwi kaIsaya, nangona azaliseka kuYuda wamandulo, anenzaliseko enkudlwana namhlanje. Ewe, kulo mhla wethu ihlabathi ligutyungelwe bubumnyama bokomoya. Kuloo meko iyingozi ngolo hlobo, ukukhanya kokomoya kubaluleke gqitha. Kungenxa yoko le nto amaKristu efanele anikele ingqalelo kwisibongozo sikaYesu esithi: “Malukhanye ngokunjalo ukhanyiselo lwenu phambi kwabantu.” (Mateyu 5:16) AmaKristu athembekileyo anokukhanyisa kubumnyama obugubungele abo balulamileyo, ngaloo ndlela ebanika ithuba lokuzuza ubomi.—Yohane 8:12.
Amaxesha Obumnyama KwaSirayeli
4. Azaliseka nini okwesihlandlo sokuqala amazwi esiprofeto sikaIsaya, kodwa yiyiphi imeko eyayisele ikho ngomhla wakhe?
4 Amazwi kaIsaya xa wayethetha ngobumnyama obugubungele umhlaba azaliseka okokuqala xa uYuda washiywa eyinkangala nabantu bakhe bethinjiwe eBhabhiloni. Noko ke, kwanangaphambi koko, ngomhla kaIsaya inkoliso yolo hlanga yayisele igutyungelwe bubumnyama bokomoya, sibakala eso esamshukumisela ukuba abongoze abantu bakowabo esithi: “Owu bantu bendlu kaYakobi, yizani size sihambe ekukhanyeni kukaYehova”!—Isaya 2:5; 5:20.
5, 6. Ngabaphi oothunywashe abafak’ isandla kubumnyama obabukho ngomhla kaIsaya?
5 UIsaya waprofeta kwaYuda “ngemihla kaUziya, uYotham, uAhazi kunye noHezekiya, ookumkani bakwaYuda.” (Isaya 1:1) Eli yayilixesha leziphithiphithi zobupolitika, uhanahaniso kwezonqulo, ukunganyaniseki kwabagwebi nokucinezelwa kwamahlwempu. Kwanasebudeni bokulawula kookumkani abathembekileyo, njengoYotham, izibingelelo zoothixo bobuxoki zazibonakala kwiinduli ezininzi. Xa kwakulawula ookumkani abangathembekanga, imeko yayiba maxongo ngakumbi. Ngokomzekelo, uKumkani uAhazi owayengendawo, wada wanikela ngenzala yakhe kwisithethe sokubingelela kuthixo onguMoleki. Obunjani bona ubumnyama!—2 Kumkani 15:32-34; 16:2-4.
6 Kwakumnyama nasehlabathini lonke. UMowabhi, uEdom namaFilisiti ayengxange emideni yakwaYuda efun’ undikho. Ubukumkani obungasentla bakwaSirayeli, nangona babusisizalwana sakhe, babulutshaba olwaziwayo. Emantla, iSiriya yayisongela uxolo lwakwaYuda. Eyona nto yayiyingozi nangakumbi yayiyiAsiriya eyayikhohlakele, eyayisoloko ikhangela amathuba okwandisa igunya layo. Ebudeni bexesha lokuprofeta kukaIsaya, iAsiriya yaloyisa uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli yaye kwakukancinane nje ingamcim’ igama uYuda. Ngaxa lithile, iAsiriya yathimba zonke izixeko ezinqatyisiweyo zakwaYuda ngaphandle kweYerusalem.—Isaya 1:7, 8; 36:1.
7. Nguwuphi umendo owakhethwa nguSirayeli noYuda, yaye wasabela njani uYehova?
7 Abantu ababenze umnqophiso noThixo behlelwa ziintlekele ngenxa yokuba uSirayeli noYuda babenganyanisekanga kuye. Njengabo bakhankanywe kwincwadi yeMizekeliso, “bashiya umendo wokuthe tye ukuze bahambe ngeendlela zobumnyama.” (IMizekeliso 2:13) Ukanti, nangona uYehova wayenomsindo ngenxa yabantu bakhe, akazange abashiye ngokupheleleyo. Kunoko, wavelisa uIsaya nabanye abaprofeti ukuze banikele ukukhanya kokomoya kuhlanga olwalusafuna ukukhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka. Ukukhanya okwakunikelwa ngaba baprofeti kwakuxabiseke ngokwenene. Kwakunik’ ubomi.
Amaxesha Obumnyama Namhlanje
8, 9. Ngabaphi oothunywashe abafak’ isandla kubumnyama elikubo ihlabathi namhlanje?
8 Imeko yomhla kaIsaya ifana kakhulu nemeko yanamhlanje. Ngeli xesha lethu, iinkokeli ezingabantu ziye zamgatya uYehova noKumkani wakhe osetroneni, uYesu Kristu. (INdumiso 2:2, 3) Iinkokeli zonqulo zeNgqobhoko ziye zayikhohlisa imihlambi yazo. Ezo nkokeli zizibanga zikhonza uThixo, kodwa enyanisweni inkoliso yazo ixhasa oothixo beli hlabathi—ubuzwe, inkqubo yezomkhosi, ubutyebi nabantu abadumileyo—kungasathethwa ke ngeemfundiso zobuhedeni.
9 Kwiindawo ngeendawo, iinkonzo zeNgqobhoko ziye zabandakanyeka ezimfazweni nakukruthakruthwano lwamakhaya olubalasele ngokutshabalalisa ezinye iintlanga namanye amasikizi. Ngapha koko, kunokuba zimele indlela yokuziphatha esekelwe eBhayibhileni, iicawa ezininzi zilubetha ngoyaba okanye ziluxhase uqheliselo olufana nokuhenyuza nobufanasini. Ngenxa yoko kugatywa kwemilinganiselo yeBhayibhile, imihlambi yeNgqobhoko ifana naloo madoda athetha ngawo umdumisi wamandulo esithi: “Abazi, yaye abaqondi; baqhubeka behamba ebumnyameni.” (INdumiso 82:5) Enyanisweni, iNgqobhoko, njengoYuda wamandulo, ikwisithokothoko sobumnyama.—ISityhilelo 8:12.
10. Kukhanya njani ukukhanya ebumnyameni namhlanje, yaye bangenelwa njani abalulamileyo?
10 Phakathi kobo bumnyama, uYehova ubangela ukuba ukukhanya kuqaqambe ngenxa yabalulamileyo. Ukuze enze oko, usebenzisa abakhonzi bakhe abathanjisiweyo emhlabeni, ‘ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi,’ yaye aba ‘bakhanya njengezikhanyiso ehlabathini.’ (Mateyu 24:45; Filipi 2:15) Olo didi lwekhoboka, luxhaswa ngamaqabane alo ‘ezinye izimvu’ ezizizigidi, lubonisa ukukhanya okusekelwe kwiLizwi likaThixo, iBhayibhile. (Yohane 10:16) Kweli hlabathi linobumnyama, oko kukhanya kunika abo balulamileyo ithemba, kubancede ukuba babe nolwalamano noThixo, yaye kubanceda ukuba baphephe imigibe yokomoya. Kuxabisekile, kunika ubomi.
“Ndiyalibonga Igama Lakho”
11. Yiyiphi inkcazelo uYehova awayenza yafumaneka ngomhla kaIsaya?
11 Ngemihla yobumnyama awayephila ngayo uIsaya nangemihla eyayimnyama ngakumbi emva koko xa amaBhabhiloni athabathela uhlanga lukaYehova ekuthinjweni, luluphi ukhokelo olwanikelwa nguYehova? Ngaphandle kokunikela ukhokelo ngendlela yokuziphatha, wacacisa kwangaphambili indlela awayeya kuzalisekisa ngayo iinjongo zakhe ngokuphathelele abantu bakhe. Ngokomzekelo, phawula iziprofeto ezingummangaliso ezifumaneka kuIsaya isahluko 25 ukusa kwesama-27. Amazwi akwezi zahluko abonisa indlela uYehova awayeyisingatha ngayo imicimbi ngelo xesha nendlela ayisingatha ngayo namhlanje.
12. Ngawaphi amazwi achukumisayo awathethwa nguIsaya?
12 Okokuqala, uIsaya uthi: “Owu Yehova, unguThixo wam. Ndiyakuphakamisa, ndiyalibonga igama lakho.” Hayi indlela achukumisa ngayo loo mazwi endumiso! Kodwa yintoni eyashukumisela lo mprofeti ukuba enze umthandazo onjalo? Isibakala esiphambili sityhilwe kwisiqingatha sesibini sale ndinyana, apho sifunda oku: “Kuba [uYehova] wenze izinto ezimangalisayo, amacebo ukususela kumaxesha angaphambili, ukuthembeka, ukukholoseka.”—Isaya 25:1.
13. (a) Luluphi ulwazi olwenza uIsaya ukuba abe noxabiso olungakumbi ngoYehova? (b) Sinokufunda njani kumzekelo kaIsaya?
13 Ngomhla kaIsaya, uYehova wayenzele uSirayeli izinto ezininzi ezintle, yaye ezi zinto zabhalwa. Ngokucacileyo uIsaya wayeqhelene nale mibhalo. Ngokomzekelo, wayesazi ukuba uYehova wakhupha abantu bakhe kubukhoboka baseYiputa waza wabasindisa kwingqumbo yomkhosi kaFaro kuLwandle Olubomvu. Wayesazi ukuba uYehova wakhokela abantu bakhe entlango waza wabasa kwiLizwe Lesithembiso. (INdumiso 136:1, 10-26) Ezo ngxelo zembali zibonisa ukuba uYehova nguThixo onokuthenjwa nokunokukholoswa ngaye. “Iinjongo” zakhe—zonke izinto anenjongo yokuzenza—ziyaphumelela. Ulwazi oluchanileyo oluvela kuThixo lwamomeleza uIsaya ukuba aqhubeke ehamba ekukhanyeni. Ngaloo ndlela, wayengumzekelo omhle kakhulu kuthi. Ukuba silifundisisa ngenyameko iLizwi likaThixo elibhaliweyo size silisebenzise ebomini bethu, nathi siya kuhlala sisekukhanyeni.—INdumiso 119:105; 2 Korinte 4:6.
Isixeko Sitshatyalalisiwe
14. Yintoni eprofetwayo ngesixeko, yaye kusenokwenzeka ukuba yayisisiphi esi sixeko?
14 Umzekelo wenjongo kaThixo ufumaneka kuIsaya 25:2, apho sifunda oku: “Isixeko usenze saba yimfumba yamatye, idolophu enqatyisiweyo yaba linxuwa eliwohlokayo, inqaba yokuhlala yabasemzini ayabi sosixeko, esingayi kubuya sakhiwe ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo.” Sisiphi esi sixeko? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uIsaya wayethetha ngokuprofetayo ngeBhabhiloni. Eneneni, lafika ixesha lokuba iBhabhiloni ibe yimfumba nje yamatye.
15. Sisiphi “isixeko esikhulu” sanamhlanje, yaye yintoni eya kwenzeka kuso?
15 Ngaba sikho namhlanje isixeko esifana nesi sixeko sachazwa nguIsaya? Ewe. Incwadi yeSityhilelo ithetha ‘ngesixeko esikhulu esinobukumkani phezu kookumkani bomhlaba.’ (ISityhilelo 17:18) Eso sixeko sikhulu ‘yiBhabhiloni Enkulu,’ ubukhosi bonqulo lobuxoki behlabathi liphela. (ISityhilelo 17:5) Namhlanje, inxalenye ephambili yeBhabhiloni Enkulu yiNgqobhoko, leyo abefundisi bayo batshotsha phambili ekuchaseni umsebenzi wabantu bakaYehova wokushumayela ngoBukumkani. (Mateyu 24:14) Noko ke, njengeBhabhiloni yamandulo, iBhabhiloni Enkulu iya kutshatyalaliswa kungekudala ingaze iphinde ibekho.
16, 17. Iintshaba zikaYehova ziye zamzukisa njani kumaxesha amandulo nawanamhlanje?
16 Yintoni enye uIsaya aprofeta ngayo ngokuphathelele “idolophu enqatyisiweyo”? Ethetha noYehova, uIsaya uthi: ‘Abo basisizwana esomeleleyo baya kukuzukisa; idolophu yeentlanga ezingoozwilakhe, ziya kukoyika.’ (Isaya 25:3) Sasiza kumzukisa njani uYehova esi sixeko sikhohlakeleyo, “idolophu yeentlanga ezingoozwilakhe”? Kaloku, khumbula oko kwenzeka koyena kumkani waseBhabhiloni wayenamandla, uNebhukadenetsare. Emva kwamava axhokonxa iingcinga abonisa ubuthathaka bakhe, wanyanzeleka ukuba abuvume ubukhulu bukaYehova namandla Akhe amakhulu. (Daniyeli 4:34, 35) Xa uYehova ebonisa amandla akhe, kwaneentshaba zakhe ziyanyanzeleka ukuba ziyivume imisebenzi yakhe yamandla, nangona zimathidala.
17 Ngaba iBhabhiloni Enkulu yakha yanyanzeleka ukuba iyivume imisebenzi kaYehova yamandla? Ewe. Ebudeni bemfazwe yehlabathi yokuqala, abakhonzi bakaYehova abathanjisiweyo babeshumayela phantsi kokubandezeleka. Ngowe-1918 bathinjwa ngokomoya xa amagosa aphambili eWatch Tower Society avalelwa entolongweni. Umsebenzi wokushumayela olungelelanisiweyo waphantse wayekwa. Kwandula ke, ngowe-1919, uYehova wababuyisela waza wabanika amandla kwakhona ngomoya wakhe, yaye ngenxa yoko baqalisa ukuzalisekisa uthumo lokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kuwo wonke umhlaba omiweyo. (Marko 13:10) Konke oku kwaprofetwa ngako kwincwadi yeSityhilelo, nomphumo okwaba nawo kubachasi babo. Aba “bothuka baza bamzukisa uThixo wezulu.” (ISityhilelo 11:3, 7, 11-13) Akuthethi kuthi bonke baguquka, kodwa kwanyanzeleka ukuba bawugqale umsebenzi wamandla kaYehova ngesi sihlandlo, kanye njengoko uIsaya waprofetayo.
‘Igwiba Kwisisweli’
18, 19. (a) Kutheni iintshaba ziye zasilela ukwaphula ingqibelelo yabantu bakaYehova? (b) Kutheni “uncuthu lwengoma lwabo bangoozwilabo” luya kuxinezeleka?
18 Ngoku ephethulela ingqalelo yakhe kwindlela yobubele uYehova abaphatha ngayo abo bahamba ekukhanyeni, uIsaya uthi kuYehova: “Kuba uye waba ligwiba kwisisweli, igwiba kolihlwempu ekubandezelekeni anako, indawo yokusabela esiphangweni, umthunzi ebushushwini, xa ukufutha kwabo bangoozwilabo kunjengesiphango eludongeni. Njengobushushu kwilizwe elingumqwebedu, ingxolo yabasemzini uyayoyisa, ubushushu bethunzi lelifu. Uncuthu lwengoma lwabo bangoozwilabo luxinezelelekile.”—Isaya 25:4, 5.
19 Ukususela ngowe-1919, abo bangoozwilakhe baye bazama yonke into ukuze baphule ingqibelelo yabanquli bokwenyaniso, kodwa baye batsho phantsi. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba uYehova uligwiba nendawo yokusabela yabantu bakhe. Ulungiselela umthunzi opholileyo kubushushu bentshutshiso aze eme njengodonga oluqinileyo nxamnye nenkcaso efana nesiphango. Thina sihamba ekukhanyeni kukaThixo ngentembelo sikhangele phambili kwixesha laxa ‘uncuthu lwengoma lwabo bangoozwilabo luya kuxinezeleka.’ Ewe, silindele ngentumekelelo imini eziya kube zingekho ngayo iintshaba zikaYehova.
20, 21. Sisiphi isidlo esilungiselelwe nguYehova, yaye eso sidlo siya kuquka ntoni kwihlabathi elitsha?
20 UYehova akaneli nje ukubakhusela abakhonzi bakhe. Uyabalungiselela njengoYise onothando. Emva kokuba ekhulule abantu bakhe kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu ngowe-1919, wabenzela isidlo soloyiso, intabalala yokutya kokomoya. Oku kwaxelwa kwangaphambili kuIsaya 25:6, apho sifunda oku: “Ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova wemikhosi uya kwenzela zonke izizwana, kule ntaba, isidlo sokutya okuneoli eninzi, isidlo sewayini egcinwe ngeentsipho, sokutya okuneoli eninzi okuzaliswe ngumongo, sewayini egcinwe ngeentsipho, yahluzwa.” Hayi indlela esisikelelwe ngayo ngokuba nesabelo kweso sidlo! (Mateyu 4:4) Ngokwenene ‘itafile kaYehova’ izele kukutya okumnandi. (1 Korinte 10:21) ‘Ngekhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi,’ sinikwe yonke into esiyisweleyo ngokomoya.
21 Yaye kukho okungakumbi kwesi sidlo silungiselelwe nguThixo. Isidlo sokomoya esisinandiphayo ngoku sisikhumbuza ngentabalala yokutya kokoqobo okuya kufumaneka kwihlabathi elitsha elithenjiswe nguThixo. Ngelo xesha, “isidlo sokutya okuneoli eninzi” siya kuquka ukutya kokoqobo okuyintabalala. Akukho bani uya kulamba ngokoqobo okanye ngokomoya. Esinjani sona isiqabu kwabo bathandekayo bathembekileyo abo babandezelekayo ngoku ngenxa ‘yokunqongophala kokutya’ okwaxelwa kwangaphambili okuyinxalenye ‘yomqondiso’ wobukho bukaYesu! (Mateyu 24:3, 7) Kubo, amazwi omdumisi ayintuthuzelo ngokwenene. Wathi: “Kuya kubakho ukudla okuziinkozo okuninzi emhlabeni; encotsheni yeentaba kuya kubakho ukuphuphuma.”—INdumiso 72:16.
22, 23. (a) Nguwuphi ‘umsebenzi olukiweyo,’ okanye ‘isigubungelo,’ esiya kushenxiswa, yaye njani? (b) ‘Ungcikivo lwabantu bakaYehova’ luya kushenxiswa njani?
22 Phulaphula isithembiso esimangalisa nangakumbi. Ethelekisa isono nokufa ‘nomsebenzi olukiweyo,’ okanye ‘isigubungelo,’ uIsaya uthi: “Kule ntaba ngokuqinisekileyo [uYehova] uya kuginya ubuso besigubungelo esigubungela zonke izizwana, nomsebenzi olukiweyo ogubungela zonke iintlanga.” (Isaya 25:7) Khawufan’ ucinge! Isono nokufa, ebezicinezele uluntu njengengubo efuthaniselayo, ziya kuphela. Hayi indlela esilulangazelela ngayo usuku xa iingenelo zedini lentlawulelo likaYesu ziya kube zisebenza ngokuzeleyo kuluntu oluthobelayo noluthembekileyo!—ISityhilelo 21:3, 4.
23 Ebhekisela kwelo xesha lizukileyo, umprofeti ophefumlelweyo uyasiqinisekisa esithi: “Okunene [uThixo] uya kuginya ukufa ngonaphakade, yaye iNkosi enguMongami uYehova ngokuqinisekileyo iya kosula iinyembezi ebusweni bonke. Nongcikivo lwabantu bakhe uya kulususa emhlabeni wonke, kuba uYehova uthethile.” (Isaya 25:8) Akukho bani uya kufa ngendlela eqhelekileyo okanye akhale ngenxa yokulahlekelwa ngumntu amthandayo. Olunjani ukuba yintsikelelo lona utshintsho! Ngaphezu koko, ayikho indawo apha emhlabeni ekuya kuvakala kuyo ungcikivo nokusasazwa kobuxoki ngoThixo nabakhonzi bakhe abaye bakunyamezela ixesha elide kangaka. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba uYehova uya kushenxisa umthombo wako—uyise wobuxoki, uSathana uMtyholi, kunye nayo yonke imbewu kaSathana.—Yohane 8:44.
24. Abo bahamba ekukhanyeni basabela njani kwimisebenzi kaYehova yamandla ayenza ngenxa yabo?
24 Xa becinga ngeembonakaliso ezinjalo zamandla kaYehova, abo bahamba ekukhanyeni bashukunyiselwa ukuba badanduluke bathi: “Khangela! Lo nguThixo wethu. Besithembele kuye, ibe uya kusisindisa. Lo nguYehova. Besithembele kuye. Masivuye sibe nemihlali ngosindiso lwakhe.” (Isaya 25:9) Kungekudala, uluntu olungamalungisa luya kuba nesizathu esivakalayo sokuba nemihlali. Ubumnyama buya kususwa ngokupheleleyo, yaye abathembekileyo baya kukhanyiselwa kukukhanya kukaYehova ukusa emaphakadeni. Ngaba likho ithemba elizuke ngaphezu kwelo? Nakanye!
Ngaba Unokuchaza?
• Kutheni kubalulekile namhlanje ukuhamba ekukhanyeni?
• Kwakutheni ukuze uIsaya alibonge igama likaYehova?
• Kutheni iintshaba zingenakuze ziyaphule ingqibelelo yabantu bakaThixo?
• Ziziphi iintsikelelo ezityebileyo ezilindele abo bahamba ekukhanyeni?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 12, 13]
Abemi bakwaYuda babebingelela ngabantwana babo kuMoleki
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 15]
Ukwazi izenzo zikaYehova zamandla kwashukumisela uIsaya ukuba abonge igama likaYehova
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]
Amalungisa aya kukhanyiselwa kukukhanya kukaYehova ngonaphakade