Funa UYehova, Umgocagoci Weentliziyo
“Ndifuneni, niqhubeke niphila.”—AMOSI 5:4.
1, 2. Zithetha ukuthini iZibhalo xa zithi uYehova “ubona oko ikuko intliziyo?”
UYEHOVA UTHIXO wathi kumprofeti uSamuweli: “Umntu nje ubona okubonakalayo emehlweni; kodwa uYehova yena, ubona oko ikuko intliziyo.” (1 Samuweli 16:7) UYehova ‘ubona njani oko ikuko intliziyo’?
2 EZibhalweni, intliziyo idla ngokusetyenziswa ukufuzisela oko umntu akuko ngaphakathi—iminqweno, iingcinga, iimvakalelo nezinto azithandayo. Ngoko ke, xa iBhayibhile isithi uThixo ubona intliziyo, ithetha ukuba ujonga ngaphaya koko kubonakalayo aze anikele ingqalelo kwinto umntu ayiyo ngaphakathi.
UThixo Ugocagoca USirayeli
3, 4. Ngokutsho kuka-Amosi 6:4-6, iimeko zazinjani kubukumkani bezizwe ezilishumi zikaSirayeli?
3 Njengoko umGocagoci weentliziyo wayeqwalasela izizwe ezilishumi zobukumkani bukaSirayeli ngemihla ka-Amosi, wabona ntoni? UAmos 6:4-6 uthetha ngamadoda ‘alala ezingqengqelweni zeempondo zeendlovu nanabileyo emandlalweni wawo.’ La madoda ‘ayesidla iinkunzi zeegusha emhlambini namathole eenkunzi zeenkomo phakathi kwamathole atyetyisiweyo.’ Aba bantu ‘babeziyilele izixhobo zengoma’ yaye ‘babesela ngezitya zewayini.’
4 Ekuqaleni, oku kusenokubonakala ngathi sisihlandlo esivuyisayo. Zithe zava kwizindlu zazo ezilungiswe kakuhle, izityebi zazisitya izibili-boco zize zisele ezona ziselo zisemgangathweni yaye zazonwatyiswa ngezona zixhobo zomculo ziphambili. Zazinazo ‘nezingqengqelo zeempondo zeendlovu.’ Abembi bezinto zakudala bafumene iimpondo zeendlovu ezikrolwe kakuhle eSamariya, isixeko esilikomkhulu lobukumkani bukaSirayeli. (1 Kumkani 10:22) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba inkoliso yazo yayikrolelwe kwimpahla yendlu yaye iindonga zendlu zifulelwe ngazo.
5. Yintoni eyayingamkholisi uThixo ngamaSirayeli omhla ka-Amosi?
5 Ngaba uYehova uThixo wayengakholiswa yinto yokuba amaSirayeli ayephila tofo-tofo, esitya ukutya okunencasa, esela iwayini emnandi, aze aphulaphule umculo omyoli? Akunjalo! Kaloku, ezi zinto zivela kuye ukuze abantu bazinandiphe. (1 Timoti 6:17) Into eyayingamkholisi uYehova yayiyiminqweno yabantu emibi, ubungendawo beentliziyo zabo, nokungamhloneli kwabo uThixo nokungabonakalisi uthando kwamanye amaSirayeli.
6. Yayinjani imeko yokomoya kaSirayeli ngexesha lika-Amosi?
6 Kwakuza kwenzeka into ababengayilindelanga abo ‘babenabe emandlalweni, besidla iinkunzi zeegusha emhlambini yaye besela ngezitya zewayini, yaye beziyilela izixhobo zengoma.’ Loo madoda abuzwa: “Niyayikhupha na engqondweni yenu imini yentlekele?” Abo bantu babefanele ukuba banxunguphele gqitha zizinto ezazisenzeka kwaSirayeli, kodwa abazange “baguliswe sisihelegu sakwaYosefu.” (Amosi 6:3-6) Ekhangela ngaphaya kwenkqubela yezoqoqosho yesi sizwe, uThixo wabona ukuba uYosefu—okanye uSirayeli—wayejamelene nentlekele ngokomoya. Sekunjalo, abantu babexakeke zizinto zabo zemihla ngemihla bengakhathali. Abantu abaninzi namhlanje banesimo sengqondo esifanayo. Basenokuvuma ukuba siphila kumaxesha anzima, kodwa logama nje kungekho nto ibachaphazela ngokobuqu, abanamsebenzi neengxaki zabanye yaye abanamdla kwizinto zokomoya.
USirayeli—Isizwe Esiwohlokayo
7. Yintoni eyayiza kwenzeka ukuba abantu bakwaSirayeli babengaziphulaphuli izilumkiso zikaThixo?
7 Incwadi ka-Amosi isinika umfanekiso wesizwe esiwohlokayo, nangona ngaphandle kubonakala kungenjalo. Ngenxa yokuba aba bantu bengavumi ukusiphulaphula isilumkiso sikaThixo baze balungise isimo sabo sengqondo, uYehova uya kubanikela kwiintshaba zabo. Ama-Asiriya aza kubaqweqwedisa ebasusa kwizingqengqelo zabo zeempondo zeendlovu abase ekuthinjweni. Abasayi kuphinda bagcobh’ ebhotolweni!
8. Kwenzeka njani ukuze uSirayeli abe kwimeko embi ngokomoya?
8 Kwakwenzeke ntoni ukuze amaSirayeli abe kule meko? Ingxaki yaqala ngowama-997 B.C.E., xa unyana kaKumkani uSolomon, uRehobhowam wangena ezihlangwini zikayise zaza izizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli zahlukana nesizwe sakwaYuda nesakwaBenjamin. Ukumkani wokuqala wobukumkani bezizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli yayinguYerobhoham, “unyana kaNebhati.” (1 Kumkani 11:26) UYerobhoham wabenza abantu belizwe lakhe bacinga ukuba kukude gqitha eYerusalem ukuya kunqula uYehova. Noko ke, enyanisweni wayengenamdla kwimpilo-ntle yaba bantu. Kunoko, wayetheng’ emithiyo. (1 Kumkani 12:26) UYerobhoham wayesoyika ukuba xa amaSirayeli eqhubeka esiya etempileni eYerusalem kwimisitho yaminyaka le ezukisa uYehova, ekugqibeleni ayeza kufuna ukuxhasa ubukumkani bakwaYuda. Ukuze athintele oku, uYerobhoham wenza amathole amabini egolide, elinye walimisa kwaDan elinye eBheteli. Ngenxa yoku, kubukumkani bakwaSirayeli kwanqulwa ithole njengonqulo lukaRhulumente.—2 Kronike 11:13-15.
9, 10. (a) Yiyiphi imisitho yonqulo eyamiselwa nguKumkani uYerobhoham I? (b) UThixo wayijonga njani imithendeleko eyayisenziwa kwaSirayeli ngemihla kaKumkani uYerobhoham II?
9 UYerobhoham wazama ukulwenza luhlonelwe olu nqulo. Wamisela imithendeleko eyayifana nqwa nemisitho eyayiqhutywa eYerusalem. Kweyoku-1 yooKumkani 12:32, siyafunda: “UYerobhoham wenza umthendeleko ngenyanga yesibhozo ngosuku lweshumi elinesihlanu lwenyanga, njengomthendeleko owawukwaYuda, ukuze enze umnikelo esibingelelweni awayesenze eBheteli.”
10 UYehova akazange ayamkele imisitho enjalo yonqulo lobuxoki. Wakwenza kwacaca oko kwixesha elingaphezu kwenkulungwane kamva ngoAmosi ebudeni bokulawula kukaYerobhoham II, owaba ngukumkani wezizwe ezilishumi zobukumkani bukaSirayeli malunga nowama-844 B.C.E. (Amosi 1:1) Ngokutsho kuka-Amosi 5:21-24, uThixo wathi: “Ndiyithiyile, ndiyigatyile imithendeleko yenu, kwaye andiyi kulinandipha ivumba leendibano zenu ezingcwele. Kodwa ukuba ninikela kum iminikelo etshiswa kuphele, andiyi kukholiswa nayiloo minikelo yenu esisipho, ndingayi kukhangela nakuloo mibingelelo yenu yobudlelane yamathole atyetyisiweyo. Yishenxise kum le ngxokozelo yeengoma zakho; nokukhenkceza kwemirhubhe yakho ndingakuva. Makugaleleke okusesikweni kanye njengamanzi, nobulungisa njengomsinga ongatshiyo.”
Izinto Ezifanayo Namhlanje
11, 12. Lufana njani unqulo lukaSirayeli wamandulo nolo lweNgqobhoko?
11 Ngokucacileyo, uYehova wazigocagoca iintliziyo zabo babenenxaxheba kwimithendeleko kaSirayeli waza akayamkela imisitho neminikelo yabo. Ngokufanayo namhlanje, uThixo akayamkeli imibhiyozo yobuhedeni yeNgqobhoko, njengeKrismesi neIsta. Kubanquli bakaYehova, akukho budlelane phakathi kokulunga nokuchas’ umthetho, ukukhanya akuhambisani nobumnyama.—2 Korinte 6:14-16.
12 Zikho nezinye izinto ezisenokuphawulwa ezifanayo kunqulo lwamaSirayeli noko kwakusenziwa kwiNgqobhoko. Nangona abathile abathi bangamaKristu beyamkela inyaniso efumaneka kwiLizwi likaThixo, indlela abantu beNgqobhoko abamnqula ngayo uThixo ayibonisi ukuba bamthanda ngokunyanisekileyo. Ukuba bebenjalo, bebeya kuzabalazela ukumnqula uYehova “ngomoya nenyaniso” kuba leyo yindlela afuna ukunqulwa ngayo. (Yohane 4:24) Ngaphezu koko, kwiNgqobhoko ‘akugaleleki okusesikweni kanye njengamanzi, nobulungisa njengomsinga ongatshiyo.’ Kunoko, imigaqo kaThixo yokuziphatha ijongwa njengengabalulekanga. Kuyamkelwa ukuhenyuza nezinye izono ezinzulu kangangokuba kude kutshatiswe namafanasini!
“Nithande Okulungileyo”
13. Kutheni sifanele siwathobele amazwi afumaneka kuAmosi 5:15?
13 Kwabo balangazelela ukunqula uYehova ngendlela eyamkelekileyo, uthi: “Thiyani okubi, nithande okulungileyo.” (Amosi 5:15) Ukuthanda nokuthiya ziimvakalelo ezinamandla eziphuma kwintliziyo yokomfuziselo. Ekubeni intliziyo inenkohliso, sifanele senze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuyilondoloza. (IMizekeliso 4:23; Yeremiya 17:9) Ukuba sivumela intliziyo yethu ifukame iminqweno emibi, sisenokuzibona sesithanda into embi yaye siyithiyile leyo ilungileyo. Ukuba loo minqweno siyayifeza ngokuqhubeka sisenza into esisono, enoba singanenzondelelo kangakanani na ekukhonzeni uThixo, akayi kukholiswa sithi. Ngoko ke masithandazele uncedo lukaThixo ukuze ‘sithiye okubi, sithande okulungileyo.’
14, 15. (a) KwaSirayeli, ngoobani ababephakathi kwabo babesenza okulungileyo, yaye abanye babo babephathwa njani? (b) Sinokubakhuthaza njani abo bakwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo namhlanje?
14 Asingawo onke amaSirayeli awayesenza okubi emehlweni kaYehova. Ngokomzekelo, uHoseya noAmosi ‘babekuthanda okulungileyo’ yaye bamkhonza uThixo ngokuthembeka njengabaprofeti. Abanye benza izifungo njengamaNaziri. Ngalo lonke ixesha bengamaNaziri, babengayisebenzisi imveliso yomdiliya, ingakumbi iwayini. (Numeri 6:1-4) Amanye amaSirayeli akujonga njani ukuzincama kwalawo ayesenza okulungileyo? Impendulo eyothusayo kuloo mbuzo ibonisa indlela olwalusele lonakele ngayo olu hlanga ngokomoya. KuAmosi 2:12 kuthiwa: “Kodwa nanika amaNaziri iwayini ukuba asele, nabaprofeti nababekela umyalelo, nisithi: ‘Nize ningaprofeti.’”
15 Emva kokubona umzekelo wokuthembeka kwamaNaziri nabaprofeti, loo maSirayeli ayefanele abe neentloni aze azame ukuguqula iindlela zawo. Kunoko, ngolunya azama ukubadimaza abo banyanisekileyo ukuba bangamzukisi uThixo. Singaze siphembelele amaKristu angoovulindlela, abavangeli basemazweni, abaveleli abahambahambayo okanye amalungu entsapho yaseBheteli ukuba bayeke kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo ukuze nje baphile oko kubizwa ngokuba bubomi obuqhelekileyo. Kunoko, masibakhuthaze ukuba baqhubeke besenza lo msebenzi mhle!
16. Yintoni eyawenza amaSirayeli akwimeko entle kwimihla kaMoses kunokuba kwakunjalo ngexesha lika-Amosi?
16 Nangona amaSirayeli amaninzi ayenezinto eziphathekayo ezininzi ngemihla ka-Amosi, ‘ayengezizo izityebi kuThixo.’ (Luka 12:13-21) Ooyisemkhulu batya kuphela imana entlango iminyaka engama-40. Babengatyi iinkunzi zeenkomo ezityetyisiweyo okanye bathi tywa kwizingqengqelo zeempondo zendlovu. Ngenxa yoko, uMoses wabaxelela esithi: “Kuba uYehova uThixo wakho ukusikelele kuzo zonke izenzo zesandla sakho. . . . Kule minyaka engamashumi amane uYehova uThixo wakho ebenawe. Akuswelanga nto.” (Duteronomi 2:7) Ewe, amaSirayeli entlango ayesoloko enako ngokwenene oko kwakuyimfuneko. Phezu kwako konke, uThixo wayewathanda, ewakhusela yaye ewasikelela!
17. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova awakhokelele amaSirayeli amandulo kwiLizwe Lesithembiso?
17 UYehova wabakhumbuza abo babephila ngexesha lika-Amosi ukuba Yena wabangenisa ookhokho babo kwiLizwe Lesithembiso waza wabanceda ukuba bagxothe zonke iintshaba zabo. (Amosi 2:9, 10) Kodwa kwakutheni ukuze uThixo awakhuphe loo maSirayeli angaphambili eYiputa aze awakhokelele kwilizwe lesithembiso? Ngaba wayefuna ukuba aphile ubomi obutofo-tofo aze amlibale uMdali wawo? Akunjalo! Kunoko, wakwenza oku ukuze akwazi ukumnqula ekhululekile yaye ecocekile ngokomoya. Kodwa abemi bezizwe ezilishumi zobukumkani bakwaSirayeli abazange bakuthiye okubi bathande okulungileyo. Kunoko, babezukisa imifanekiso eqingqiweyo, kungekhona uYehova uThixo. Elinjani lona ihlazo!
UYehova Uyawaphendulisa
18. UYehova usikhulule ngokomoya ngayiphi injongo?
18 UThixo wayengayi kuyiqwabazel’ iliso indlela elihlazo amaSirayeli ayeziphethe ngayo. Wakwenza kwacaca oku xa wathi: “Ndiya kuniphendulisa ngazo zonke iziphoso zenu.” (Amosi 3:2) Loo mazwi afanele asenze sicinge nzulu ngokukhululwa kwethu ebukhobokeni beYiputa yanamhlanje, le nkqubo yezinto ingendawo. UYehova akasikhululanga ngokomoya ukuze siphile ngendlela yokuzingca. Kunoko, ukwenze oku ukuze simzukise ngokusuka entliziyweni singabantu abakhululekileyo nabamnqula ngokuhlambulukileyo. Yaye sonke siya kuphendula ngendlela esiyisebenzisa ngayo inkululeko esiyifumene kuThixo.—Roma 14:12.
19. Ngokutsho kuka-Amosi 4:4, 5, yintoni eyayithandwa yinkoliso yamaSirayeli?
19 Okulusizi kukuba, inkoliso yamaSirayeli yasityeshela isigidimi esinamandla esavakaliswa nguAmosi. Lo mprofeti wayibhenca intliziyo yawo eyayigula ngokomoya ngamazwi abhalwe kuAmosi 4:4, 5 athi: “Yizani eBheteli nize ninxaxhe. EGiligali nxaxhani ngokufuthi, . . . kuba leyo yindlela enithanda ngayo, nina nyana bakaSirayeli.” AmaSirayeli akazange ahlakulele ukuba neminqweno emihle. Akazange azilondoloze iintliziyo zawo. Ngenxa yoko, inkoliso yawo yaqalisa ukuthanda okubi yaze yakuthiya okulungileyo. Abo bantu babeqaqadekile nababenqula ithole abazange baguquke. UYehova wayeza kubaphendulisa, yaye babeza kufela ezonweni zabo!
20. Ubani unokuphila njani ngokuvisisana neka-Amosi 5:4?
20 Kumele ukuba kwakungelula nakubani na owayehlala kwaSirayeli ngaloo mihla ukuhlala enyanisekile kuYehova. Akulula ukungahambi nomndilili njengokuba sisazi sonke njengamaKristu, enoba sikhulile okanye siselula. Kanti, ukumthanda uThixo nokunqwenela ukumkholisa kwawakhuthaza amanye amaSirayeli ukuba amnqule ngokunyanisekileyo. UYehova wawakhuthaza ngamazwi abhalwe kuAmosi 5:4: “Ndifuneni, niqhubeke niphila.” Namhlanje, ngokufanayo uThixo ubonakalisa inceba kwabo baguqukayo baze bamfune ngokungenisa ulwazi oluchanileyo ngeLizwi lakhe baze benze ukuthanda kwakhe. Akulula ukuphila ngale ndlela, kodwa ukwenjenjalo kukhokelela kubomi obungunaphakade.—Yohane 17:3.
Ukuchuma Nakuba Sikwixesha Lendlala Engokomoya
21. Yiyiphi indlala abajamelene nayo abo bangekho kunqulo lokwenyaniso?
21 Izinto zaziza kubahambela njani abo bangaluxhasanga unqulo lokwenyaniso? Babeya kuba kweyona ndlala imbi—indlala yokomoya! “‘Kuza imihla,’ itsho iNkosi enguMongami uYehova, ‘yaye ndiza kuthumela indlala elizweni, kungekhona indlala yesonka, kungekhona ukunxanelwa amanzi, kodwa kube kokokuva amazwi kaYehova.’” (Amosi 8:11) INgqobhoko ithwaxwa yindlala enjalo ngokomoya. Kodwa abantu abanyanisekileyo phakathi kwayo bayakubona ukuchuma kokomoya kwabantu bakaThixo yaye bayathontelana ukuza kwintlangano kaYehova. Umahluko kwimeko yeNgqobhoko nemeko yamaKristu okwenyaniso iboniswa ngokucacileyo ngamazwi kaYehova athi: “Khangelani! Abakhonzi bam baya kudla, kodwa nina niya kulamba. Khangelani! Abakhonzi bam baya kusela, kodwa nina niya kunxanwa. Khangelani! Abakhonzi bam baya kuba nemihlali, kodwa nina niya kudana.”—Isaya 65:13.
22. Kutheni sinesizathu sokuvuya?
22 Njengabakhonzi bakaYehova, ngaba siyazixabisa iintsikelelo esinazo ngokomoya? Xa sifunda iBhayibhile neencwadi zamaKristu naxa sikwiintlanganiso zethu, kwiindibano ezinkulu nezincinane, siziva sifun’ ukudanduluka luvuyo ngenxa yokuchwayita kwentliziyo. Siyakuvuyela ukuba nolwazi olucacileyo lweLizwi likaThixo, kuquka isiprofeto esiphefumlelwe nguThixo sika-Amosi.
23. Yintoni enanditshwa ngabo bazukisa uThixo?
23 Kubo bonke abantu abathanda uThixo nabafuna ukumzukisa, isiprofeto sika-Amosi sinesigidimi sethemba. Enoba zinjani na iimeko zethu zezoqoqosho ngoku okanye sijamelene naluphi na uvavanyo kweli hlabathi lineengxaki, thina esithanda uThixo sifumana iintsikelelo ezivela kuThixo nokona kutya kunencasa kokomoya. (IMizekeliso 10:22; Mateyu 24:45-47) Ngamana sonke, singamzukisa uThixo, osilungiselela zonke izinto ngokuyintabalala. Kwanga singazimisela ukumzukisa ngokunyanisekileyo ngonaphakade. Eli iya kuba lilungelo lethu lokufuna uYehova, umGocagoci weentliziyo.
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
• Zazinjani iimeko kwaSirayeli ngemihla ka-Amosi?
• Izinto ezazisenzeka kubukumkani bezizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli zifana njani nezo zenzeka namhlanje?
• Yiyiphi indlala ekhoyo ngoku, yaye ngoobani abangachatshazelwayo yiyo?
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 21]
AmaSirayeli amaninzi ayephila tofo-tofo kodwa ayengachumanga ngokomoya
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]
Khuthaza abakhonzi bexesha elizeleyo ukuba baqhubeke nomsebenzi wabo omhle
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 24, 25]
Abantu bakaYehova abonwabileyo abathwaxwa yindlala yokomoya