Hlakulela Ukuthobela Njengoko Isiphelo Sisondela
“Zize zithobele, yena [uShilo] izizwana.”—GENESIS 49:10.
1. (a) Ngaphambili, kwakudla ngokuthetha ntoni ukuthobela uYehova? (b) UYakobi waprofeta esithini ngokuthobela?
UKUTHOBELA uYehova kudla ngokuthetha ukuthobela abameli bakhe. Aba baquka iingelosi, oosolusapho, abagwebi, ababingeleli, abaprofeti nookumkani. Itrone yookumkani bakwaSirayeli yayide ibizwe ngokuba yitrone kaYehova. (1 Kronike 29:23) Noko ke, okulusizi kukuba abalawuli abaninzi bakwaSirayeli abazange bamthobele uThixo, bebangela intlekele kubo nakubantu ababebalawula. Kodwa uYehova akazange abashiye abantu ababenyaniseke kuye bengenathemba; wabathuthuzela ngethemba lokubamisela uKumkani ongenakonakala, ababeya kuvuya abantu abalungileyo ukumthobela. (Isaya 9:6, 7) Usolusapho uYakobi owayekukhuko lokufa waprofeta ngalo mlawuli uzayo esithi: “Intonga yobukhosi ayisayi kusuka kuYuda, nomsimelelo womyaleli phakathi kweenyawo zakhe, ade afike uShilo; zize zithobele yena izizwana.”—Genesis 49:10.
2. Lithetha ukuthini igama elithi “Shilo,” yaye ulawulo lwakhe luya kuquka ntoni?
2 “UShilo” ligama lesiHebhere elithetha “Lowo Unguye,” okanye “Lowo Izezakhe Izinto.” Ewe, uShilo uya kulifumana njengelifa igunya lokulawula, njengoko lifuziselwa yintonga yobukhosi, negunya lokuyalela, njengoko lifanekiselwa ngumsimelelo womyaleli. Ngaphezu koko, ulawulo lwakhe alusayi kuphelela nje kwinzala kaYakobi, kodwa zonke “izizwana.” Oku kuvisisana nesithembiso sikaYehova kuAbraham: “Imbewu yakho iya kulidla ilifa isango leentshaba zayo. Yaye ngokuqinisekileyo ziya kuzisikelela ngembewu yakho zonke iintlanga zomhlaba.” (Genesis 22:17, 18) UYehova waqinisekisa ukuba ngubani le “mbewu” ngowama-29 C.E. xa wathambisa uYesu waseNazarete ngomoya oyingcwele.—Luka 3:21-23, 34; Galati 3:16.
Ubukumkani Bokuqala BukaYesu
3. Luluphi ulawulo uYesu awalufumanayo xa wanyukela ezulwini?
3 Xa uYesu wanyukela ezulwini, akazange aqalise kwangoko ukulawula phezu kwezizwana zehlabathi. (INdumiso 110:1) Noko ke, wafumana “ubukumkani” nabantu aza kubalawula abamthobelayo. Umpostile uPawulos wabuchaza obo bukumkani xa wabhala esithi: “[UThixo] wasihlangula kwigunya lobumnyama waza wasifudusela [amaKristu athanjiswe ngomoya] kubukumkani boNyana wothando lwakhe.” (Kolose 1:13) Oku kuhlangulwa kwaqala ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E. xa umoya oyingcwele wathululwa kubalandeli bakaYesu abathembekileyo.—IZenzo 2:1-4; 1 Petros 2:9.
4. Abafundi bakaYesu bangaphambili bakubonisa njani ukuthobela, yaye uYesu uthi baliqela elinjani?
4 ‘Njengoonozakuzaku abasendaweni kaKristu,’ abafundi abathanjiswe ngomoya ngokuthobela baqalisa ukuhlanganisa abanye ababeya kuba “ngabemi kunye” nabo kobo bukumkani bokomoya. (2 Korinte 5:20; Efese 2:19; IZenzo 1:8) Ukongezelela, kuye kwafuneka ukuba aba ‘bamanyane engqondweni enye nasengcamangweni enye’ ukuze bamkelwe nguKumkani wabo uYesu Kristu. (1 Korinte 1:10) Njengeqela, babumba ‘ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi,’ okanye udidi lwegosa elithembekileyo.—Mateyu 24:45; Luka 12:42.
Ukusikelelwa Ngenxa Yokuthobela ‘Igosa’ LikaThixo
5. Ukususela kumaxesha amandulo, uYehova ubafundise njani abantu bakhe?
5 UYehova ebesoloko enabantu bokufundisa abantu bakhe. Ngokomzekelo, emva kokuba amaYuda ebuyile eBhabhiloni, uEzra neqela lamadoda awayefaneleka ayengafundeli nje kuphela abantu uMthetho kaThixo, ‘ayewucacisa ngokucokisekileyo’ loo mthetho, ‘echaza intsingiselo yawo; yaye ayeliqonda’ iLizwi likaThixo.—Nehemiya 8:8.
6, 7. Udidi lwekhoboka luye lwadlulisela njani ukutya kokomoya ngexesha elifanelekileyo lisebenzisa iQumrhu Elilawulayo, yaye kutheni kufanelekile ukuthobela udidi lwekhoboka?
6 Kwinkulungwane yokuqala, xa kwavela imbambano yolwaluko ngowama-49 C.E., iqumrhu elilawulayo lodidi lwelo khoboka langaphambili lawuqwalasela ngokunzulu lo mcimbi laza lafikelela kwisigqibo esihambisana neZibhalo. Xa lachaza isigqibo salo ngeleta, amabandla aluthobela ulwalathiso olwalunikelwe apho aze asikelelwa gqitha nguThixo. (IZenzo 15:6-15, 22-29; 16:4, 5) Ngokufanayo kumaxesha anamhlanje, ikhoboka elithembekileyo ngeQumrhu lalo Elilawulayo liye lazicacisa iimbambano ezibalulekileyo zamaKristu ezinjengobundilele, ubungcwele begazi nokusetyenziswa kweziyobisi necuba. (Isaya 2:4; IZenzo 21:25; 2 Korinte 7:1) UYehova uye wabasikelela abantu bakhe ngokuthobela iLizwi lakhe nekhoboka elithembekileyo.
7 Ngokuzithoba kudidi lwekhoboka, kwakhona abantu bakaThixo babonisa ukuzithoba eNkosini, uYesu Kristu. Ukuzithoba okunjalo kuye kwabaluleka nangakumbi kula maxesha sikuwo ngenxa yegunya likaYesu elandileyo, njengoko kwakuprofetwe nguYakobi ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe.
UShilo Uba Ngumlawuli Ofanelekileyo Womhlaba
8. Igunya likaKristu landiswa njani yaye nini?
8 Isiprofeto sikaYakobi sathi kwakuza kufuneka ‘izizwana zithobele’ uShilo. Ngokucacileyo, ulawulo lukaKristu lwaluya kudlulela ngaphaya koSirayeli wokomoya. Oko kwakuya kuthetha ntoni? ISityhilelo 11:15 siphendula sisithi: “Ubukumkani behlabathi buthe baba bubukumkani beNkosi yethu nobukaKristu.” IBhayibhile ityhila ukuba uYesu wafumana igunya ekupheleni ‘kwamaxesha asixhenxe’ esiprofeto—“amaxesha amisiweyo eentlanga”—ngowe-1914.a (Daniyeli 4:16, 17; Luka 21:24) Ngaloo nyaka, ‘ubukho’ bukaKristu obungabonakaliyo njengoKumkani onguMesiya baqalisa, ndawonye nexesha ‘lokuhamba esoyisa phakathi kweentshaba zakhe.’—Mateyu 24:3; INdumiso 110:2.
9. Yintoni uYesu awayenzayo xa wamkela uBukumkani bakhe, yaye oku kwabachaphazela njani abantu ngokungangqalanga, ingakumbi abafundi bakhe?
9 Isenzo sikaYesu sokuqala emva kokuba efumene igunya lobukumkani kwafuneka alahlele phandle umntu owaziwa ngokungathobeli—uSathana—kunye needemoni zakhe “phantsi emhlabeni.” Ukususela ngoko, le mimoya ingendawo ibangele iintlekele ezininzi ebantwini, phezu kwazo nje iimeko ezibangela kube nzima ukuthobela uYehova. (ISityhilelo 12:7-12; 2 Timoti 3:1-5) Enyanisweni, amaxhoba kaSathana ayintloko emfazwe yakhe yokomoya aquka abathanjisiweyo bakaYehova, “abagcina imiyalelo kaThixo nabanomsebenzi wokungqinela uYesu,” namaqabane abo ‘azezinye izimvu.’—ISityhilelo 12:17; Yohane 10:16.
10. Yinzaliseko yaziphi iziprofeto zeBhayibhile engqina ukuba uSathana ukatyile kumlo wakhe nxamnye namaKristu okwenyaniso?
10 Noko ke, uSathana ukatyile, ngoba le ‘yimini yeNkosi,’ yaye akukho nto enokuthintela uYesu ukuba “akuphelelise ukoyisa kwakhe.” (ISityhilelo 1:10; 6:2) Ngokomzekelo, uya kuqiniseka ukuba uyabatywina abali-144 000 abanguSirayeli wokomoya. Kwakhona uya kusikhusela “isihlwele esikhulu, ekungekho mntu wakwaziyo ukusibala, siphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe nezizwana neelwimi.” (ISityhilelo 7:1-4, 9, 14-16) Noko ke, ngokungafaniyo namaqabane aso athanjisiweyo, aba baya kuba ngabantu abathobelayo abaya kulawulwa nguYesu. (Daniyeli 7:13, 14) Kwaubukho baso namhlanje emhlabeni kububungqina obubambekayo bokuba uShilo ngokwenene unguMlawuli ‘wobukumkani behlabathi.’—ISityhilelo 11:15.
Ngoku Lixesha ‘Lokuthobela Iindaba Ezilungileyo’
11, 12. (a) Ngoobani kuphela abaya kusinda ekupheleni kwale nkqubo yezinto? (b) Ziziphi iimpawu zobuntu ezibonakaliswa ngabo barhogela “umoya wehlabathi”?
11 Bonke abafuna ubomi obungunaphakade bafanele bafunde ukuthobela, kuba iBhayibhile ngokucacileyo ithi “abo bangamaziyo uThixo nabo bangazithobeliyo iindaba ezilungileyo ezingeNkosi yethu uYesu” abayi kusinda kwimini kaThixo yempindezelo. (2 Tesalonika 1:8) Noko ke, le nkqubo ikhoyo ingendawo nomoya wayo wokuvukela imithetho nemigaqo yeBhayibhile yenza ukuba kube nzima ukuthobela iindaba ezilungileyo.
12 IBhayibhile ichaza lo moya wokuvukela uThixo ‘njengomoya wehlabathi.’ (1 Korinte 2:12) Echaza oko ukwenzayo ebantwini, umpostile uPawulos wabhalela amaKristu ase-Efese enkulungwane yokuqala esithi: “Enanikhe ngaxesha lithile nahamba kuzo ngokwenkqubo yezinto yeli hlabathi, ngokomlawuli wegunya lomoya, moya lowo ngoku osebenza koonyana bokungathobeli. Ewe, sonke ngaxesha lithile sasikhe saziphatha ngokuvisisana neminqweno yenyama yethu siphakathi kwabo, sisenza izinto ezithandwa yinyama naziingcamango, yaye ngokwemvelo sasingabantwana bengqumbo njengabanye.”—Efese 2:2, 3.
13. AmaKristu anokuwuxhathisa njani umoya wehlabathi ngokuphumelelayo, yaye oku kunokuba nayiphi imiphumo emihle?
13 Okuvuyisayo kukuba, amaKristu ase-Efese akazange ahlale engamakhoboka aloo moya wokungathobeli. Kunoko, aba ngabantwana abathobelayo bakaThixo ngokuthobela umoya wakhe baza bazuza isiqhamo esininzi nesinempilo. (Galati 5:22, 23) Ngokufanayo namhlanje, umoya kaThixo—owona moya unamandla emhlabeni wonke—unceda izigidi ukuba zithobele uYehova, ukuze ‘ziqiniseke ngokupheleleyo ngethemba lazo kude kuse ekupheleni.’—Hebhere 6:11; Zekariya 4:6.
14. UYesu wawalumkisa njani onke amaKristu aphila kwimihla yokugqibela ngezinto ezithile ezaziya kuvavanya ukuthobela kwawo?
14 Kwakhona, khumbula ukuba uShilo usixhasa ngamandla, yaye yena noYise abayi kuvumela iintshaba—iidemon okanye abantu—zivavanye ukuthobela kwethu ngaphezu koko sinokukuthwala. (1 Korinte 10:13) Enyanisweni, ukusinceda kwimfazwe yethu yokomoya, uYesu wachaza iingxaki ezithile eziliqela esiya kujamelana nazo ebudeni bale mihla yokugqibela. Oko wakwenza ngeeleta ezisixhenxe, awazidlulisela kumpostile uYohane ngombono. (ISityhilelo 1:10, 11) Ngokuqinisekileyo, zaziqulethe isiluleko esibalulekileyo kumaKristu elo xesha, kodwa ikakhulu zisebenza ‘kwimini yeNkosi,’ esusela ngowe-1914. Ngoko ke, kufanelekile ukuba sinikele ingqalelo kuloo mazwi!b
Kuphephe Ukungakhathali, Ukuziphatha Okubi, Nokuthanda Izinto Eziphathekayo
15. Kutheni simele siyiphaphele ingxaki elaba nayo ibandla lase-Efese, yaye sisenokukwenza njani oko? (2 Petros 1:5-8)
15 Ileta yokuqala kaYesu yayisiya kwibandla lase-Efese. Emva kokulincoma eli bandla ngokunyamezela, uYesu wathi: “Noko ke, ndinale nto ngakuwe, yokuba uye walushiya uthando owawunalo kuqala.” (ISityhilelo 2:1-4) Namhlanje, amaKristu athile awayenenzondelelo ngaphambili ngokufanayo aye aphelelwa luthando olushushu ngoThixo awayenalo. Oku kusenokulwenza buthathaka ulwalamano ubani analo noThixo yaye oko kufanele kulungiswe ngokukhawuleza. Uthando olunjalo lunokuvuselelwa njani? Ngofundisiso oluthe rhoqo lweBhayibhile, ngokuya kwiintlanganiso, ukuthandaza, nokucamngca. (1 Yohane 5:3) Liyinyaniso elokuba, oku kufuna “umgudu wenyameko,” kodwa ngokuqinisekileyo asisayi kuzisola. (2 Petros 1:5-8) Ukuba ukuzihlolisisa kobuqu okunyanisekileyo kutyhila ukuba uthando lwakho lupholile, ngoko yilungise loo meko ngokukhawuleza, uthobela isibongozo sikaYesu esithi: “Khumbula apho uwe usuka khona, uze uguquke wenze izenzo zangaphambili.”—ISityhilelo 2:5.
16. Ziziphi iimpembelelo eziyingozi ngokomoya ezazikho kwibandla lasePergamo nelaseTiyatira, yaye kutheni amazwi kaYesu awayesiya kuwo efanelekile namhlanje?
16 AmaKristu asePergamo nawaseTiyatira anconywa ngengqibelelo, ngonyamezelo nangenzondelelo yawo. (ISityhilelo 2:12, 13, 18, 19) Sekunjalo, ayephenjelelwa ngabathile ababebonakalisa umoya ongendawo kaBhalam noJezebhele, abathi ngokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini nangokunqula uBhahali baba nempembelelo embi kuSirayeli wamandulo. (Numeri 31:16; 1 Kumkani 16:30, 31; ISityhilelo 2:14, 16, 20-23) Kodwa kuthekani kumhla wethu—“imini yeNkosi”? Ngaba iimpembelelo ezinjalo nezimbi zisabonakala? Ewe, kuba ukuziphatha okubi sesona sizathu esiyintloko sokususwa kubudlelane kwabantu bakaThixo. Ngoko ke, kubalulekile ukuba siphephe ukunxulumana nabo bonke abantu—ngaphakathi okanye ngaphandle kwebandla—abayimpembelelo embi ngokuziphatha! (1 Korinte 5:9-11; 15:33) Abo bafuna ukuba ngabantu abathobelayo abalawulwa nguShilo, kwakhona baya kukuphepha ukuzonwabisa okuthandabuzisayo kwakunye nemifanekiso engamanyala eshicilelweyo nekwi-Internet.—Amosi 5:15; Mateyu 5:28, 29.
17. Imbono nesimo sengqondo sabantu baseSardesi nabaseLawodike ngemeko yabo yokomoya sasahluke njani kweso sikaYesu?
17 Ngaphandle kwabathile abambalwa, ibandla laseSardesi alizange linconywe kwaukunconywa. ‘Lalinegama,’ okanye libonakala ngokungathi liphilile, kodwa lalihlaselwe ngumoya wokungazikhathaleli izinto zokomoya kangangokuba uYesu wathi ‘lalifile.’ Babezithobela nje iindaba ezilungileyo ukuzalisa idinga. Hayi indlela awayefaneleke ngayo la mazwi kubo! (ISityhilelo 3:1-3) Ibandla laseLawodike nalo lalikwimeko efanayo. Laliqhayisa ngobutyebi, lisithi, “ndisisityebi,” sekunjalo kuKristu ‘lwaluludwayi nosizana nehlwempu nemfama kwaye luhamba ze.’—ISityhilelo 3:14-17.
18. Sinokukuphepha njani ukuba dikidiki ngokomoya emehlweni kaThixo?
18 Namhlanje, bambi ababengamaKristu athembekileyo nabo baye balandela umzekelo ofanayo wokungathobeli. Mhlawumbi baye bavumela umoya wehlabathi wabenza baphelelwa ngumoya wongxamiseko, ngaloo ndlela beqalisa ukuba dikidiki ngokomoya ngokuphathelele ufundisiso lweBhayibhile, umthandazo, iintlanganiso zamaKristu nobulungiseleli. (2 Petros 3:3, 4, 11, 12) Hayi indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba abanjalo bathobele uKristu ngokuzibekela ubutyebi bokomoya—ewe, ‘bathenge kuKristu igolide esulungekiswe ngomlilo’! (ISityhilelo 3:18) Ubutyebi bokwenene obunjalo buquka ‘ukutyeba emisebenzini emihle, ukungagogotyi lutho, nokulungela ukwabelana nabanye.’ Ngokuzibekela ezi zinto zixabiseke ngokwenene, ‘siziqwebela isiseko esihle nesikhuselekileyo sekamva, esikhokelela kubomi benene.’—1 Timoti 6:17-19.
Banconywa Ngokuthobela Kwabo
19. UYesu wawancoma waza wawalumkisa esithini amaKristu aseSmirna nawaseFiladelfi?
19 Ibandla laseSmirna nelaseFiladelfi aba yimizekelo ebalaseleyo yokuthobela, kuba iileta zikaYesu ezazisiya kuwo zazingenasiluleko. Kwabo baseSmirna, wathi: “Ndiyayazi imbandezelo nobuhlwempu bakho—kodwa usisityebi.” (ISityhilelo 2:9) Hayi indlela ababehluke ngayo kwabaseLawodike, ababeqhayisa ngobutyebi behlabathi kodwa ngokwenene bengamahlwempu! Kakade ke, uMtyholi wayengavuyiswa kukubona nabani na obonakalisa ukuthembeka nokuthobela uKristu. Ngenxa yoko, uYesu walumkisa esithi: “Musa ukuzoyika izinto osele uza kubandezeleka ngazo. Khangela! UMtyholi uya kuhlala ephosa bambi benu entolongweni ukuze nivavanywe ngokupheleleyo, nokuze nibe nembandezelo imihla elishumi. Zingqine uthembekile kude kuse ekufeni, mna ke ndokunika isithsaba sobomi.” (ISityhilelo 2:10) Ngokufanayo, uYesu wabancoma abo baseFiladelfi esithi: “Waligcina ilizwi lam [okanye, wandithobela], akwalikhanyela igama lam. Ndiyeza ngokukhawuleza. Qhubeka ukubambe nkqi oko unako, ukuze kungabikho nabani na onokusithabatha isithsaba sakho.”—ISityhilelo 3:8, 11.
20. Namhlanje, izigidi ziye zaligcina njani ilizwi likaYesu, yaye phantsi kwaziphi iimeko?
20 ‘Ngemini yeNkosi,’ ukususela ngowe-1914, intsalela ethembekileyo namaqabane ayo ezinye izimvu, ngoku ezifikelela kwizigidi, nabo baye baligcina ilizwi likaYesu ngokushumayela ngenzondelelo nangokubambelela ngokuqinileyo kwingqibelelo yabo. Njengabazalwana babo benkulungwane yokuqala, bambi baye babandezeleka ngokuthobela uKristu, bade bavalelwa ezintolongweni nakwiinkampu zoxinaniso. Bambi baye baligcina ilizwi likaYesu ngokugcina ‘iliso lingenakumbi,’ nangona bengqongwe bubutyebi nokubawa. (Mateyu 6:22, 23) Ewe, kuzo zonke iindawo naphantsi kwazo naziphi na iimeko, amaKristu okwenyaniso, ngokuthobela kwawo, aqhubeka evuyisa intliziyo kaYehova.—IMizekeliso 27:11.
21. (a) Yiyiphi imbopheleleko yokomoya udidi lwekhoboka oluya kuqhubeka luyizalisekisa? (b) Sinokubonakalisa njani ukuba sikufuna ngokwenene ukumthobela uShilo?
21 Njengoko sisondela kwimbandezelo enkulu, “ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi” alizimisele ukungayithobeli nangayiphi na indlela iNkosi, uKristu. Oku kuquka ukulungiselela abendlu kaThixo ukutya kokomoya ngexesha elifanelekileyo. Ngoko ke masiqhubeke sibonakalisa uxabiso ngentlangano kaYehova yobuthixo ebalaseleyo noko ikulungiselelayo. Ngokwenjenjalo, sibonakalisa intobelo yethu kuShilo, oya kubavuza ngobomi obungunaphakade bonke abo bathobelayo aya kubalawula.—Mateyu 24:45-47; 25:40; Yohane 5:22-24.
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a Ukuze ufumane inkcazelo ‘ngamaxesha asixhenxe,’ bona isahluko 10 sencwadi ethi Ulwazi Olukhokelela Kubomi Obungunaphakade, epapashwe ngamaNgqina kaYehova.
b Ukuze ufumane inkcazelo eneenkcukacha ngazo zonke iileta ezisixhenxe, bona incwadi ethi ISityhilelo—Incopho Yaso Ezukileyo Isemnyango!, epapashwe ngamaNgqina kaYehova, ukususela kwiphepha 33.
Ngaba Usakhumbula?
• Yiyiphi indima uYesu awayeza kuba nayo njengoko yachazwa kwisiprofeto sikaYakobi xa wayekukhuko lokufa?
• Simamkela njani uYesu njengoShilo, yaye nguwuphi umoya esimele siwuphephe?
• Sisiphi isiluleko esifanelekileyo nakumhla wethu esifumaneka kwiileta eziya kumabandla asixhenxe eSityhilelo?
• Ziziphi iindlela esinokuxelisa ngazo abo babekwibandla laseSmirna nelaseFiladelfi mandulo?
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 18]
UYehova usikelela abantu bakhe ngokuthobela ‘igosa’ lakhe elithembekileyo
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 19]
Impembelelo kaSathana yenza kube nzima ukuthobela uThixo
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 21]
Ulwalamano olomeleleyo noYehova lusinceda ukuba simthobele