UYehova Uya Kubagweba Abangendawo
“Zilungiselele ukuhlangana noThixo wakho.”—AMOSI 4:12.
1, 2. Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba uThixo uya kubuphelisa ubungendawo?
NGABA uYehova uya kuze abuphelise ubungendawo nokubandezeleka emhlabeni? Njengokuba le nkulungwane yama-21 iqala, loo mbuzo usoloko unkenteza ezingqondweni zabantu. Kubonakala ngathi naphi na apho uya khona, abantu bajamelene nenkohlakalo. Hayi indlela esilinqwenela ngayo ihlabathi elingenalo ugonyamelo, ubugrogrisi nokuqhatha!
2 Iindaba ezimnandi kukuba sinokuqiniseka ngokupheleleyo ukuba uYehova uza kubuphelisa ubungendawo. Iimpawu zikaThixo ziyasiqinisekisa ukuba uya kubagweba abangendawo. UYehova unobulungisa yaye usesikweni. KwiNdumiso 33:5, iLizwi lakhe liyasixelela: “Uthanda ubulungisa nokusesikweni.” Enye indumiso ithi: “Umphefumlo [kaYehova] umthiyile ngokuqinisekileyo nabani na othanda ugonyamelo.” (INdumiso 11:5) Ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova, uThixo onamandla onke nobuthandayo ubulungisa nokusesikweni, akasayi kuyinyamezela ngonaphakade into ayithiyileyo.
3. Yintoni eza kugxininiswa kukusiqwalasela kwethu ngakumbi isiprofeto sika-Amosi?
3 Khawucinge ngesinye isizathu esibangela siqiniseke ukuba uYehova uya kubuphelisa ubungendawo. Ingxelo yezenzo zakhe zangaphambili iyakuqinisekisa oku. Imizekelo emangalisayo yendlela uYehova ebebaphatha ngayo abangendawo ifumaneka kwincwadi yeBhayibhile ka-Amosi. Ukusiqwalasela ngakumbi isiprofeto sika-Amosi kuya kugxininisa izinto ezintathu ngomgwebo kaThixo. Okokuqala, usoloko ufanelekile. Okwesibini, awunakuphepheka. Yaye okwesithathu, uYehova utshabalalisa kuphela abenzi bobubi kodwa ubonakalisa inceba kwabo baguqukayo nabo banotyekelo olufanelekileyo.—Roma 9:17-26.
Umgwebo KaThixo Usoloko Ufanelekile
4. UYehova wamthuma phi uAmosi, yaye ngayiphi injongo?
4 Ngemihla ka-Amosi, amaSirayeli ayesele ehlukene phakathi abubukumkani obubini. Obunye yayibubukumkani obusemazantsi bezizwe ezibini zakwaYuda. Obunye yayibubukumkani basemantla bezizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli. UYehova wathuma uAmosi ukuba aprofete, afuduke kwidolophu awazalelwa kuyo kwaYuda aye kwaSirayeli. Apho uAmosi wayeza kusetyenziswa nguThixo ukuba adlulisele umgwebo wakhe.
5. UAmosi waqala waprofeta ngokuchasene naziphi izizwe, yaye sisiphi isizathu esasibangela ukuba ziwufanele umgwebo kaThixo oqatha?
5 UAmosi akazange awuqalise umsebenzi wakhe ngokuvakalisa umgwebo kaYehova kubukumkani bakwaSirayeli basentla obunxaxhileyo. Kunoko, waqala ngokuvakalisa umgwebo kaThixo kwizizwe ezithandathu ezazimngqongile. Ezi zizwe yayiyiSiriya, amaFilisti, iTire, iEdom, ama-Amoni namaMowabhi. Kodwa ngaba ngokwenene zaziwufanele umgwebo oqatha kaThixo? Kunjalo kanye. Kaloku ezi, yayiziintshaba eziqaqadekileyo zabantu bakaYehova.
6. Sisiphi isizathu esasiza kubangela ukuba uThixo awazisele intlekele amaSiriya, amaFilisti neTire?
6 Ngokomzekelo, uYehova wawagweba amaSiriya ‘ngenxa yokuyibhula kwawo iGiliyadi.’ (Amosi 1:3) AmaSiriya ayithimba iGiliyadi—ummandla kaSirayeli ongasempuma koMlambo iYordan—aza abangxwelerha kanobom abantu bakaThixo. Kuthekani ngamaFilisti neTire? AmaFilisti ayenetyala lokuthimba amaSirayeli, okanye okuwenza amakhoboka, nokuwathengisa kumaEdom, amanye amaSirayeli athengwa ngabemi baseTire abarhweba ngamakhoboka. (Amosi 1:6, 9) Khawufan’ ucinge—ukuthengisa abantu bakaThixo njengamakhoboka! Akumangalisi ke ngoko kuba uYehova wayeza kuzisela intlekele amaSiriya, amaFilisti neTire.
7. Isizwe sakwaEdom, sakwa-Amoni nesakwaMowabhi zazalamana njani noSirayeli, kodwa ezi zizwe zawaphatha njani amaSirayeli?
7 AmaEdom, ama-Amoni namaMowabhi ayenento ethile afana ngayo noSirayeli. Zontathu ezi zizwe zazizizalamane zamaSirayeli. AmaEdom ayeyinzala ka-Abraham ngewele likaYakobi, uEsawu. Ngoko ke, ngandlel’ ithile, ayezizalamane zamaSirayeli. Ama-Amoni namaMowabhi ayeyinzala ka-Abraham ngomtshana wakhe uLote. Kodwa ngaba amaEdom, ama-Amoni namaMowabhi ayeziphatha kakuhle ezi zalamane zawo zingamaSirayeli? Akunjalo! UEdom wamxabela ngokungenalusini “umntakwabo,” yaye ama-Amoni awaphatha ngenkohlakalo amaSirayeli angabathinjwa. (Amosi 1:11, 13) Nangona uAmosi engayikhankanyi ngokungqalileyo indlela amaMowabhi abaphatha kakubi ngayo abantu bakaThixo, amaMowabhi ayenengxelo ende yokumchasa uSirayeli. Ezi zizwe zithathu zizizalamane zaziza kohlwaywa ngokuqatha. UYehova wayeza kuzitshabalalisa ngomlilo.
Umgwebo KaThixo Awunakuphepheka
8. Kwakutheni ukuze umgwebo kaThixo ngokuchasene nezizwe ezithandathu kufuphi nakwaSirayeli wawungenakuphepheka?
8 Alithandabuzeki elokuba, izizwe ezithandathu ekuthethwe ngazo ngaphambilana kwisiprofeto sika-Amosi zazifanele ukugwetywa nguThixo. Ngapha koko, zazingenakukwazi ukuwuphepha. Ukususela kuAmosi isahluko 1, indinyana 3, ukusa kwisahluko 2, indinyana 1, izihlandlo ezithandathu uYehova uthi: “Andiyi kukubuyisa oku.” Ngokuvisisana nelizwi lakhe, akazange asibuyise isandla sakhe ekugwebeni ezo zizwe. Imbali ingqina ukuba ngasinye kuzo sajamelana nentlekele. Kaloku, ubuncinane ezine kuzo—amaFilisti, amaMowabhi, ama-Amoni namaEdom—ekugqibeleni zatshabalala ngokupheleleyo!
9. Babefanelwe yintoni abemi bakwaYuda, yaye ngoba?
9 Emva koku isiprofeto sika-Amosi sijoliswe kwisizwe sesixhenxe—ummandla wakokwabo kwaYuda. Abo babemphulaphule kubukumkani basentla kwaSirayeli basenokuba babothukile kukumva uAmosi evakalisa ukugwetywa kobukumkani bakwaYuda. Kwakutheni ukuze abemi bakwaYuda bafanelwe ngumgwebo oqatha? KuAmosi 2:4 kuthiwa: “Ngenxa yokuwugatya kwabo umthetho kaYehova.” UYehova akazange akujonge njengento encinane ukugatywa ngabom koMthetho wakhe. Ngokutsho kuka-Amosi 2:5 waxela kusengaphambili esithi: “Ndiza kuthumela umlilo kwaYuda, yaye umele uziqwenge iinqaba zokuhlala zaseYerusalem.”
10. Kwakutheni ukuze uYuda angakwazi ukuyiphepha intlekele?
10 UYuda ongathembekanga wayengenakuyiphepha intlekele ezayo. Esitsho okwesixhenxe, uYehova wathi: “Andiyi kukubuyisa oku.” (Amosi 2:4) UYuda wafumana isohlwayo esasixelwe ngaphambili xa wayethinjwe ngamaBhabhiloni ngowama-607 B.C.E. Kwakhona sibona ukuba abo bangendawo, abanakuwubaleka umgwebo kaThixo.
11-13. UAmosi waprofeta ngokuyintloko ngokuchasene nasiphi isizwe, yaye yingcinezelo enjani eyayikho apho?
11 Umprofeti uAmosi usandul’ ukuvakalisa umgwebo kaYehova kwizizwe ezisixhenxe. Nabani na owayecinga ukuba uAmosi wayegqibile ukuprofeta, wayephazama. Kwakusekukude ukuba agqibe! Wayethunywe ukuba avakalise isigidimi esibukhali somgwebo kubukumkani basentla bakwaSirayeli. Yaye uSirayeli wayefanelwe ngumgwebo oqatha kaThixo ngenxa yokuziphatha kakubi nokuqaqadeka kokomoya kwesi sizwe.
12 Ukuprofeta kuka-Amosi kwayibhenca ingcinezelo eyayixhaphakile kubukumkani bakwaSirayeli. Ngokuphathelele oku, uAmosi 2:6, 7 ufundeka ngale ndlela: “Utsho uYehova ukuthi, ‘Ngenxa yokuvukela kathathu kukaSirayeli, nangenxa yokuba kukane, andiyi kukubuyisa oku, ngenxa yokuthengisa kwabo ilungisa ngesilivere, nehlwempu ngexabiso leembadada ezimbini. Balangazelela uthuli lomhlaba kwintloko yabantu abasweleyo; nendlela yabantu abalulamileyo bayayijika; umntu noyise baye kwintombi enye, ngenjongo yokuhlambela igama lam elingcwele.’”
13 Amalungisa ayethengiswa “ngesilivere,” ekusenokuthetha ukuba abagwebi babesamkela isilivere njengesinyobo ukuze bagwebe abantu abangenatyala. Amahlwempu awayenamatyala kubantu abathile ayethengiswa ebukhobokeni ngexabiso “leembadada ezimbini,” mhlawumbi ngenxa yetyala nje elincinane. Abantu abakhohlakeleyo ‘babelangazelela,’ ukubabona abantu abasweleyo bedangele kangangokuba bazigalele ngomhlaba entloko ukubonisa ukuba banxunguphele, bazilile okanye bahlazekile. Ukonakala kwakuxhaphake kangangokuba “abantu abalulamileyo” babengenathemba lakuphathwa ngokusesikweni.
14. Ngoobani ababephathwa kakubi kwizizwe ezilishumi zobukumkani bakwaSirayeli?
14 Phawula ukuba ngoobani ababephathwa kakubi. Yayingamalungisa, amahlwempu, abasweleyo nabalulamileyo belo lizwe. UMthetho kaYehova womnqophiso namaSirayeli wawuyalela ukuba kubonakaliswe uvelwano kubantu abangenanto nabasweleyo. Phofu ke, kubantu abanjalo ababehlala kubukumkani bezizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli, izinto zazimbi gqitha.
“Zilungiselele Ukuhlangana Nothixo Wakho”
15, 16. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze amaSirayeli alunyukiswe kuthiwe, “Zilungiselele ukuhlangana noThixo wakho”? (b) UAmosi 9:1, 2 ubonisa njani ukuba abantu abangendawo abasayi kukusaba ukuphunyezwa komgwebo kaThixo? (c) Kwenzeka ntoni kubukumkani bezizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli ngowama-740 B.C.E.?
15 Ekubeni ukuziphatha okubi nezinye izono zazixhaphakile kwaSirayeli, umprofeti uAmosi wayenesizathu esihle sokusilumkisa esi sizwe sinemvukelo: “Zilungiselele ukuhlangana noThixo wakho.” (Amosi 4:12) USirayeli ongathembekanga akasayi kusinda kumgwebo kaThixo ozayo kuba okwesibhozo, uYehova wathi: “Andiyi kukubuyisa oku.” (Amosi 2:6) Ethetha ngabantu abangendawo ababenokuzama ukuzimela, uThixo wathi: “Akukho bani usabayo kubo uya kusaba kakuhle, kungekho nabani obalekayo kubo uya kukwazi ukubaleka. Ukuba bemba bahlele eShiyol, isandla sam siya kubathabatha apho; nokuba bayenyuka baye emazulwini, ndiya kubahlisa apho.”—Amosi 9:1, 2.
16 Abangendawo abanakukusaba ukuphunyezwa komgwebo kaYehova kubo ngokumba baze “bahlele eShiyol,” ngokufuziselayo benze imizamo yokuzimela emathunjini omhlaba. Bengasayi kuwusaba umgwebo kaThixo enoba “bayenyuka baye emazulwini,” okuthetha ukuthi, bazama ukuya kuzimela phezulu ezintabeni. Isilumkiso sikaYehova sasicacile: Akukho ndawo umntu anokuzimela kuyo yena angamfumani. Ngenxa yemilinganiselo kaThixo yokusesikweni, ubukumkani bakwaSirayeli babufanele buphendule ngenxa yezenzo zabo ezingendawo. Yaye elo xesha lafika. Ngowama-740 B.C.E.—iminyaka enokuba ngama-60 emva kokuba uAmosi ebhale isiprofeto sakhe—ubukumkani bakwaSirayeli boyiswa ngama-Asiriya.
UThixo Akagwebi Nabani Na
17, 18. KuAmosi isahluko 9 kutyhilwa ntoni ngenceba kaThixo?
17 Isiprofeto sika-Amosi sisincedile sibone ukuba umgwebo kaThixo usoloko ufanelekile yaye awunakuphepheka. Kodwa incwadi ka-Amosi ikwabonisa ukuba umgwebo kaYehova awufikeli nabani na. UThixo usenokubafumana abangendawo aze abagwebe enoba bazimele phi. Kwakhona usenokubafumana abaguqukayo nabalungileyo—abo akhetha ukubonakalisa inceba kubo. Oku kubalaseliswe kakuhle kwisahluko sokugqibela sencwadi ka-Amosi.
18 Ngokutsho kuka-Amosi isahluko 9, indinyana 8, uYehova wathi: “Andiyi kuyibhubhisa ngokupheleleyo indlu kaYakobi.” Njengokuba kuphawuliwe kwindinyana 13 ukusa kweye-15, uYehova wathembisa ukuba uya “kubabuyisa abathinjiweyo” kubantu bakhe. Baya kwenzelwa inceba baze bahlale benqabisekile yaye izinto zibahambele kakuhle. UYehova wathembisa esithi: ‘Umlimi okunene uya kumfikelela umvuni.’ Khawufan’ ucinge—isivuno siya kuba sininzi kangangokuba esinye siya kuba singekaqokelelwa xa kufika ixesha lokulima nelokutyala imbewu!
19. Kwenzeka ntoni kwintsalela kaSirayeli nekaYuda?
19 Kusenokuthiwa umgwebo kaYehova ngokuchasene nabangendawo kuYuda nakuSirayeli wawungafikeli nabani na kuba abaguqukayo nabanotyekelo oluhle baboniswa inceba. Kuzaliseka isiprofeto sokubuyiselwa esichazwe kuAmosi isahluko 9, intsalela kaSirayeli nekaYuda eyaguqukayo yabuya ekuthinjweni yiBhabhiloni ngowama-537 B.C.E. Ibuyele kwilizwe layo elithandayo, intsalela yabuyisela unqulo olunyulu. Inqabisekile, yaphinda yazakha izindlu zayo yatyala nezidiliya nezitiya.
Umgwebo KaYehova Oqatha Uya Kufika!
20. Ukuqwalasela kwethu imigwebo eyavakaliswa nguAmosi kufanele kusiqinisekise ngantoni?
20 Ukuqwalasela kwethu amazwi kaThixo omgwebo wakhe avakaliswa nguAmosi kufanele kusiqinisekise ukuba uYehova uya kubuphelisa ubungendawo ngomhla wethu. Kutheni sinokukukholelwa nje oku? Okokuqala, le mizekelo yendlela kaThixo yokuqhubana nabantu abangendawo ngaphambili ibonisa into aza kuyenza kumhla wethu. Okwesibini, ukuphunyezwa komgwebo kaThixo kubukumkani bukaSirayeli obuwexukileyo kwenza siqiniseke ukuba uThixo uya kuyitshabalalisa iNgqobhoko, eyona nxalenye ebekek’ ityala ‘yeBhabhiloni Enkulu,’ ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki.—ISityhilelo 18:2.
21. Kutheni iNgqobhoko ifanelwe ngumgwebo kaThixo oqatha?
21 Alithandabuzeki elokuba iNgqobhoko ifanelwe ngumgwebo kaThixo oqatha. Ibonwa nanguthathatha indlela exhwaleke ngayo ngokomoya nangokuziphatha. Umgwebo kaYehova ngokuchasene neNgqobhoko—nehlabathi likaSathana liphela—ufanelekile. Kwakhona awunakuphepheka, kuba xa lifikile ixesha lokuphunyezwa komgwebo wakhe, aya kusebenza amazwi ka-Amosi isahluko 9, indinyana 1, athi: “Akukho bani usabayo kubo uya kusaba kakuhle, kungekho nabani obalekayo kubo uya kukwazi ukubaleka.” Ewe, enoba abangendawo bangazimela phi, uYehova uya kubafumana.
22. Ziziphi iingongoma ezikhanyiswa kweyesi-2 kwabaseTesalonika 1:6-8 ngokuphathelele umgwebo kaThixo?
22 Umgwebo kaThixo usoloko ufanelekile, ungenakuphepheka yaye awufikeli bonke abantu. Oku kusenokubonwa kumazwi ompostile uPawulos athi: “Kububulungisa kuye uThixo ukubabuyekeza ngembandezelo abo banibandezelayo, aze nina babandezelwayo, anikhulule kunye nathi ekutyhilekeni kweNkosi uYesu ivela ezulwini kunye neengelosi zayo ezinamandla isemlilweni odangazelayo, ibaphindezela abo bangamaziyo uThixo nabo bangazithobeliyo iindaba ezilungileyo ezingeNkosi yethu.” (2 Tesalonika 1:6-8) “Kububulungisa kuye uThixo” ukubuyekeza abo bafanelwe ngumgwebo oqatha ngenxa yokutshutshisa abathanjiswa bakhe. Loo mgwebo awusayi kuphepheka, kuba abangendawo abayi kusinda ‘ekutyhilekeni kweNkosi uYesu ineengelosi zakhe ezinamandla isemlilweni odangazelayo.’ Umgwebo kaThixo awusayi kufikela bonke abantu kuba uYesu uya kuphindezela ‘kwabo bangamaziyo uThixo nabo bangazithobeliyo iindaba ezilungileyo.’ Yaye ukuphunyezwa komgwebo kaThixo kuya kubathuthuzela abo bahlonela uThixo abaye babandezeleka.
Ithemba Labalungileyo
23. Liliphi ithemba nentuthuzelo efumaneka kwincwadi ka-Amosi?
23 Isiprofeto sika-Amosi sinesigidimi esihle gqitha sethemba nentuthuzelo kwabo banotyekelo olufanelekileyo. Njengokuba kwaxelwa ngaphambili kwincwadi ka-Amosi, uYehova akazange abatshabalalise ngokupheleleyo abantu bakhe bamandulo. Ekugqibeleni wabahlanganisa abathinjwa bakaSirayeli nabakaYuda, ebabuyisela kwilizwe labo ebasikelela ngonqabiseko olukhulu nempumelelo. Oku kuthetha ntoni kumhla wethu? Kuyasiqinisekisa ukuba ebudeni bokuphunyezwa komgwebo kaThixo, uYehova uya kubafumana enoba sebezimele phi abangendawo yaye uya kubafumana nabo athanda ukubenzela inceba enoba bahlala kwiyiphi indawo emhlabeni.
24. Abakhonzi bakaYehova banamhlanje basikelelwe njani?
24 Ngoxa silindele ixesha lokuba uYehova agwebe abangendawo, yintoni eyenzeka kuthi njengabakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo? Kaloku, uYehova usisikelela ngempumelelo enkulu ngokomoya! Sikunqulo olungenabuxoki nokuqhatha okukhoyo kwiimfundiso zobuxoki zeNgqobhoko. Kwakhona uYehova usisikelele ngokutya kokomoya okuyintabalala. Noko ke, masikhumbule ukuba ezi ntsikelelo zingaka zivela kuYehova zihamba nembopheleleko enkulu. UThixo ufuna silumkise abanye ngomgwebo ozayo. Sinqwenela ukwenza konke esinako ukuze sifumane abo “banotyekelo olufanelekileyo ngobomi obungunaphakade.” (IZenzo 13:48) Ewe, ngumnqweno wethu ukunceda abaninzi kangangoko kunokwenzeka ukuba nabo bazuze kule ntabalala yokomoya esiyinandiphayo ngoku. Yaye sifuna ukuba nabo basinde xa kungekudala uThixo egweba abangendawo. Phofu ke, ukuze sizuze kwezi ntsikelelo, sifanele sibe nesimo esifanelekileyo sentliziyo. Njengokuba siza kubona kwinqaku elilandelayo, nako oku kubalaselisiwe kwisiprofeto sika-Amosi.
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
• Isiprofeto sika-Amosi sibonisa njani ukuba imigwebo kaYehova eqatha isoloko ifanelekile?
• Bubuphi ubungqina obunikelwa nguAmosi obubonisa ukuba umgwebo kaThixo awunakuphepheka?
• Incwadi ka-Amosi ibonisa njani ukuba umgwebo kaThixo awufikeli nabani na?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16, 17]
Ubukumkani bakwaSirayeli abuzange businde kumgwebo kaThixo
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]
Ngowama-537 B.C.E., intsalela kaSirayeli nekaYuda yabuya ekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni