Chapter 2
Izimpikiswano Ezinquma Ikusasa Lethu
1. (a) Iziphi izimpikiswano zamanje ezibusa ukucabanga kwabantu abaningi, futhi balibhekaphi ikhambi? (b) Yini ngokuvamile abahluleka ukuyicabangela?
EMINYAKENI yamuva izimpikiswano ezishisayo ezihilela ikusasa lethu ziye zaphonswa phezu kwethu ngokulandelana okusheshayo. Izimo zingezohlobo lokuthi abantu yonke indawo bakufuna ngamehlo amnyama ukukhululeka. Mhlawumbe bakholelwa kuNkulunkulu, kodwa kubona kungase kubonakale sengathi, ukuze isimo lapha emhlabeni sithuthuke, abantu ngokwabo okumelwe basithuthukise. Abanye bazama ukukwenza ngohulumeni abakhona noma ngokubhikisha kweningi ngenxa yezinqumo zalabohulumeni. Abanye bakholelwa ukuthi ukuvukela kuwukuphela kwendlela. Banomuzwa wokuthi ukushintsha imithetho, ukushintsha ababusi noma ngisho wonke uhulumeni ngempela kungazithuthukisa izimo. Kodwa amaqiniso abonisani? Ngemva kokuzama izinkulungwane zeminyaka, abantu abazange baveze ngisho noyedwa uhulumeni oye waletha ukwahlulela kokungakhethi, ukulondeka kweqiniso nenjabulo ehlala njalo kubo bonke abangaphansi kwawo. Yini ebangela lokhu?
2. Kungani izimo emhlabeni zizimbi kangaka?
2 Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi izinhloso zabantu abasegunyeni zingaba qotho kanjani, bonke ohulumeni babantu baqondiswa amandla angaphezu kokuphatha kwabantu abasezikhundleni. Baqondiswa obani? Omoya abangaphezu kwabantu, uSathane uDeveli namademoni akhe. Kuyiqiniso, abantu abaningi bakuhleka usulu ukukholelwa kubantu abanjalo bomoya. Kodwa uJesu Kristu akazange. Wayesazi isizinda sikaSathane futhi wakhuluma ngaye ngokuthi “umbusi walelizwe.” (Johane 12:31) Ngolimi olungokomfanekiso, iBhayibheli lifanisa isimiso salembulunga sezombangazwe njengesilo sasendle futhi lembula ukuthi “udrako [uSathane] wasinika amandla akhe, nesihlalo sakhe sobukhosi, nokubusa okukhulu.” (IsAmbulo 13:1, 2; qhathanisa noDaniyeli 7:2-8, 12, 23-26.) Futhi ngokuqondene nosuku lwethu iBhayibheli labikezela, “maye kuwe-mhlaba . . . ngokuba uSathane wehlele kini.” (IsAmbulo 12:12) Akukho okunye okungashiwo ngokwanelisayo ukuthi kuyimbangela yenxushunxushu umphakathi wesintu oye waphonswa kuyo. Kodwa kwenzeka kanjani? Singenze njani ukuze sikhululeke?
IMPIKISWANO YOBUKHOSI
3. UGenesise 2:16, 17 ubonisani ngokuqondene nobuhlobo obufanelekile besintu noNkulunkulu?
3 Izahluko zokuvula zeBhayibheli zisazisa ukuthi lapho uJehova uNkulunkulu edala abantu bokuqala ababili, oAdamu noEva, wababeka ensimini yase-Edene, wabayala ngobuhlobo babo naye. WayenguYise, uMondli wabo ophanayo, futhi enguMbusi weNdawo Yonke. Ngokwenzuzo yabo, babedinga ukuqaphela ukuthi ukuqhubeka kwabo bephila kwakuxhomeke ekulaleleni kwabo uNkulunkulu.—Genesise 2:16, 17; qhathanisa nezEnzo 17:24, 25.
4. (a) USathane wavelaphi? (b) Isiphi isifiso esibi asivumela ukuba sikhule?
4 Ngalesosikhathi yonke indalo yayiphelele. Ngokungafani nezilwane, izingelosi nabantu babenamandla okuzikhethela. Kodwa ngokushesha ngemva kokudalwa komuntu enye yezingelosi, isebenzisa kabi amandla amangalisayo okuzenzela izinqumo, yahlubuka ebukhosini bukaJehova. Ngalendlela yazenza isitha, noma umphikisi, okuyiyona ncazelo yegama elithi Sathane. (Qhathanisa uJakobe 1:14, 15; IsAmbulo 12:9.) Eqhutshwa isifiso, uSathane wafuna ukuhunga abantu bokuqala ababili basuke kuJehova uNkulunkulu abalethe ngaphansi kwethonya lakhe. Uma ebabheka waba nombono womhlaba ogcwele abantu abadumisa yena njengonkulunkulu wabo. (Qhathanisa uIsaya 14:12-14; Luka 4:5-7.) Umlando walokho okwenzeka e-Edene awuyona nje inganekwane. UJesu Kristu wabhekisela kuwo njengeqiniso elingokomlando.—Mathewu 19:4, 5.
5. (a) Iziphi izimpikiswano ezaphakanyiswa e-Edene? (b) Obani ezibathintayo?
5 UJesu wathi ngoDeveli: “Akemi eqinisweni . . . Ungumqambimanga noyise wawo.” (Johane 8:44) Amanga okuqala kaDeveli alotshiwe wawaqamba kuEva lapho engabaza ukuba neqiniso kukaNkulunkulu. Wakhuthaza ukwenqatshwa komthetho kaNkulunkulu wagomela ngokuthi kuyoba yinzuzo ngomuntu ngamunye ukuzimisela ezakhe izindinganiso ekuphileni. (Genesise 3:1-5; qhathanisa noJeremiya 10:23.) Ngaleyondlela ubukhosi bukaJehova babekelwa inselele lapho e-Edene. Njengoba izenzakalo zamuva zabonisa, ubuqotho ngakuNkulunkulu bazo zonke izidalwa zakhe ezihlakaniphile nabo bangatshazwa. Ingabe zazikhonza uNkulunkulu ngenxa yokumthanda ngempela, noma zazingahehwa yini ukuba zimfulathele? (Jobe 1:7-12; 2:3-5; Luka 22:31) Lezimpikiswano zaziyothinta wonke umuntu ezulwini nasemhlabeni. Isiphi isinyathelo esathathwa uMbusi weNdawo Yonke?
6. Kungani uJehova engazibhubhisanga ngokushesha izihlubuki?
6 Esikhundleni sokubhubhisa izihlubuki ngokushesha, uJehova ngokuhlakanipha wavumela isikhathi esithile ukuba lezimpikiswano zixazululelwe iphakade. Lokhu uNkulunkulu wakwenza, hhayi ngoba kukhona ayefuna ukuqiniseka ngakho ngokwakhe, kodwa ukuze avumele izidalwa ezinamandla okuzikhethela ukuba zizibonele imiphumela emibi evezwa ukuhlubuka ebukhosini bakhe, nokuba azinikeze ithuba lokubonisa ukuthi zona ngokwazo zimi kuphi kulezizinto ezibalulekile. Lapho lezimpikiswano sezixazululiwe, akunakuphinde futhi noma ubani avunyelwe aphazamise ukuthula.
7. (a) Ohulumeni babantu baqala kanjani? (b) Luhlobo luni lomlando abaye bazenzela lona?
7 UJehova uNkulunkulu, njengoMdali wesintu, wayenguMbusi waso ofanelekile futhi. (IsAmbulo 4:11) Nokho, ngemva kwesikhathi, uSathane namademoni akhe baqala ukuvusela abantu isifiso, hhayi nje kuphela esokuzimisela izindinganiso zabo ngokuqondene nokuhle nokubi, kodwa futhi esokubusa abanye abantu. UNimrode wayengowokuqala ukuba azimise njengenkosi, ebusa phezu kwemizi yaseMesophothamiya. “Wayeyiphisi elinamandla [kokubili lezilwane nelabantu] ebusweni bukaJehova.” (Genesise 10:8-12) Kusukela ezinsukwini zikaNimrode kwehle kuze kube manje, kuye kwazanywa zonke izinhlobo ezingacatshangwa zohulumeni babantu. Kodwa umlando uwonke, njengoba noma imuphi umfundi wezomlando azi, uye waba owomonakalo nokuchitheka kwegazi.—UmShumayeli 8:9.
8. Kungani uJesu enqaba ukuhileleka ezimisweni zezwe zezombangazwe?
8 Ngesikhathi uJesu Kristu esemhlabeni, uSathane wazama ukufaka ngisho naye ngaphansi kwethonya lakhe. Wathi kuJesu angamupha “imibuso yonke yezwe” uma enza isenzo esisodwa nje sokumkhulekela. UJesu wenqaba. (Luka 4:1-13) Kamuva abantu bafuna ukumenza inkosi, kodwa uJesu wamonyuka. (Johane 6:15) Wayazi ukuthi isimiso sezombangazwe sezwe sinjani, futhi waqaphela ukuthi kwakungeyona intando kaNkulunkulu ngaye ukuzama ukusithuthukisa.
9. (a) Ukuze kuxazululwe izinkinga zesintu, yini okumelwe yenziwe engenziwa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuphela? (b) Uyini lowoMbuso?
9 UJesu wabonisa ukwethembeka okuphelele kuJehova, uNkulunkulu wakhe noYise. Wayezithanda izindlela zikaYise futhi njalo enza izinto ezimthokozisayo. (Johane 8:29) Wayazi ukuthi ikhambi ezinkingeni zesintu laliyokuza ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, uhulumeni woqobo owawuzobusa usezulwini unikeze ukuqondisa okulungileyo nokothando okudingwa yisintu. YiloMbuso kuphela owawungasusa ithonya likaSathane namademoni akhe. Yiwona kuphela owawungahlanganisa abantu bazo zonke izizwe nezinhlanga babe umkhaya owodwa wembulunga yonke ohlala ngokuthula. Yiwona kuphela owawungakhulula isintu ebugqilini besono nokufa. Yiwona kuphela owawungaletha injabulo ehlala njalo esintwini. LoMbuso awulona ilungiselelo elithile elimiswe abezombangazwe labusiswa abefundisi. AmaKristu eqiniso awasebenzisi izikhali zempi ukuthuthukisa izithakazelo zawo. Uwuhulumeni kaNkulunkulu ngokwakhe, oneNkosi ephelele yasezulwini ebekwe uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe esihlalweni sobukhosi. Lona yilowoMbuso uJesu ashumayela ngawo nalowo afundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bawuthandazele.—Daniyeli 2:44; IsAmbulo 20:1, 2; 21:3, 4.
YILUPHI UHLANGOTHI OYOLUKHETHA?
10. (a) Iyiphi impikiswano enkulu ngamunye wethu okumelwe abhekane nayo? (b) Yini okumelwe ngabe siyayenza ngayo?
10 Impikiswano okumelwe ubhekane nayo yile: Ingabe uyaqaphela yini ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu, uMdali wendawo yonke, unguMbusi wayo ofanelekile, uMbusi wayo oPhakeme? Ingabe uye wazinika isikhathi sokufunda ngenjongo yakhe nezimfuneko zakhe njengoba zivela eBhayibhelini? Ngenxa yenhlonipho ngesikhundla sakhe nokwazisa ngezindlela zakhe, ingabe uzibonakalisa umlalela ngothando?—IHubo 24:1, 10; Johane 17:3; 1 Johane 5:3.
11. Kungani ukukhetha inkambo ehlukile kungalethi injabulo?
11 Ingabe abantu abakhetha enye inkambo bajabula kangcono? Yini eye yaba umphumela wokugomela kukaSathane kokuthi abantu bayozuza ngokuzibusa ngokwabo kunokuba belalela uNkulunkulu? Ukwenqaba ukuvuma ukuthi uNkulunkulu ungumnikazi womhlaba nokuthi sonke isintu, njengenzalo yabantu ababili bokuqala, kwakuqondwe ukuba sibe njengabantwana bandawonye kuye kwaphumela ekubulaweni okungenani kwezigidi ezingama-99 zamadoda, abesifazane nabantwana ezimpini kulelikhulu leminyaka lilodwa. Ukwehluleka ukusebenzisa izindinganiso zeBhayibheli zokuziphatha kuye kwaveza ukuwohloka kwemikhaya, imiqedazwe yezifo zokubhajwa, ukuwohloka kwempilo ngenxa yezidakamizwa, nobugebengu bobudlova. Ngisho nabantu abasindayo ekubulaweni ubudlova babhekene nokufa ngenxa yesono esazuzwa kuAdamu. Bonke ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi abantu bazilimaza ngokwabo nalabo ababazungezile uma bengazinaki izimfuneko zokuhlakanipha nezothando zoMdali. (Roma 5:12; qhathanisa noIsaya 48:17, 18.) Ngokuqinisekile lokho akulona uhlobo lokuphila olufunayo. Ungakhetha okuthile okungcono kakhulu.
12. (a) Isiphi isimemo esifudumele iBhayibheli elisidlulisela kithi? (b) Njengoba sisebenzisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngokuqhubekayo ekuphileni kwethu, yini esiyohlangabezana nayo?
12 Ngokunxusa okufudumele, iBhayibheli linalesimemo: “Yizwani nibone ukuthi uJehova muhle; ubusisiwe lowomuntu ophephela kuye.” (IHubo 34:8) Ukuze wenze lokho, kumelwe umazi uJehova bese usebenzisa iseluleko sakhe. Njengoba wenza kanjalo, ukuphila kwakho kuyoba nenjongo. Esikhundleni sokubhozomela amathutshana angelutho enjabulo angase akusize okwesikhashana ukuba ukhohlwe izinkinga kodwa ngokuvamile okuletha ubuhlungu kamuva, uyofunda indlela yokubhekana ngokuphumelelayo nezinkinga zokuphila nendlela yokuba nenjabulo ehlala njalo. (IzAga 3:5, 6; 4:10-13; 1:30-33) Uyoba futhi namathemba okuhlanganyela ezibusisweni ezimangalisayo eziyokuza ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Uma lolu kuwuhlobo lokuphila olulangazelelayo, kubalulekile ukuba uthathe isinyathelo manje. Ngani?
ZONKE IZIZWE ZIPHIKELELE EARMAGEDONI
13. Kungani kubalulekile ukuthatha ukuma okuqinile ngasohlangothini lukaJehova manje?
13 UJehova ngeke ababekezelele phakade abantu nezinhlangano ezilandela ukuhola kukaSathane ngamabomu noma ngokunganaki. Ngeke zivunyelwe ukuba ziqhubeke zingawunaki umthetho kaNkulunkulu, zisebenzisa kabi umhlaba futhi zona ukuphila kwabanye. Zilindwe usuku lokulandisa iBhayibheli elilubiza ngokuthi “usuku olukhulu lukaJehova.”—Zefaniya 1:2, 3, 14-18.
14. Izizwe zonke manje zihlanganiselwa kuphi?
14 Ekwembuleni izenzakalo ezaziyokwenzeka ezinsukwini zokugcina zesimiso samanje sezinto, uJesu Kristu wembula ukuthi “omoya bamademoni” babeyokuya “emakhosini ezwe lonke ukubahlanganisela ekulweni kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke.” Njengoba lesosambulo sabonisa, ‘abahlanganisela endaweni ethiwa ngesiHeberu iHarmagedoni [noma, iArmagedoni].’ Lokho kuhlanganisa sekuyaqhubeka manje!—IsAmbulo 16:14, 16.
15, 16. (a) Yini iArmagedoni? (b) Kungani idingekile?
15 IArmagedoni iBhayibheli elikhuluma ngayo ayikhona okuthile okungase kugwenywe ngokuvimbela izikhali zenyukliya. Ukuxoxisana kwezizwe ngeke kuyihlehlise. Leligama ngokusobala lithathwa kwelomuzi wasendulo waseMegido, kodwa kunokwengeziwe okuhilelekile kunendawo yaseMpumalanga ePhakathi. Ngokugqugquzelwa “umbusi walelizwe” ongabonakali, zonke izizwe, kungakhathaliseki imibono yazo ehlukahlukene yezombangazwe, zihlanganiselwa esimweni somhlaba wonke esibonisa ukumelana kwazo noJehova uNkulunkulu. ‘Amakhosi ezwe lonke,’ nabo bonke abalandeli bawo, enziwa ukuba athathe ukuma kwawo. Ngokushesha ngaphambi kweArmagedoni ukuphikisa kwawo uMbuso kaNkulunkulu nabo bonke abawumemezelayo kuzoqina emhlabeni wonke. Kungakhathaliseki noma ayakuvuma ukuba khona kukaSathane noma cha, “izwe lonke limi ebubini,” njengoba iZwi likaNkulunkulu lisho. Lonke izwe elibi nabo bonke abathembela kulo, yebo, bonke abalingisa izindlela zalo, kumelwe bahambe nalo.—1 Johane 5:19; 2:15-17.
16 Lonke lelizwe ligcwele ukonakala. Akuzona nje izigebengu ezaziwayo kuphela kodwa ngisho nezakhamuzi ezivamile zibonisa ukungawunaki kokwedelela umthetho nokungabakhathaleli abanye abantu nempahla yabo. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, bayenqaba ukwenza lokho uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe akushoyo eZwini lakhe, iBhayibheli. Ababuhloniphi ubukhosi bakhe. Kungokudingekile ngoNkulunkulu ukuba athathe isinyathelo ukuze ahlanze igama lakhe esihlambeni esiye salethwa kulo, futhi alungiselele indlela yokwenza umhlaba ube yiPharadesi lapho abathandi bokulunga beyokwazi ukujabulela khona injabulo yoqobo nokulondeka.
17. (a) Iyoba nkulu kangakanani lembubhiso? (b) Ubani oyobe eqondisa umphumela?
17 Uma imbubhiso ifika, ngeke kube nakungabaza ukuthi ivela kuJehova. Incithakalo iyogcwala imbulunga yonke. Izizwe ziyokwazi ukuthi uJehova othatha isinyathelo lapho amabutho akhe okubhubhisa esesebenza. Lapho amagunya ohulumeni ephela, abantu bayophendukelana bodwa. Indodana kaNkulunkulu iyoqondisa umphumela isezulwini.—IsAmbulo 6:16, 17; 19:11-13; Zakariya 14:13.
18. Obani abayosinda?
18 Ngokungafani nemiphumela yempi yenyukliya elwiwa ngabantu, lembubhiso ngeke ibe engakhethi. Kodwa obani abayosinda? Ingabe kuyoba yibo bonke abathi bangabenkolo yohlobo oluthile, noma mhlawumbe bonke abathi bangamaKristu? UJesu ubiza “bonke” abanjalo ngokuthi “abenzi bokubi.” (Mathewu 7:21-23) Abayosindela ‘emhlabeni omusha’ kuyoba yilabo kuphela abaye bahlakulela ubuhlobo obuseduze noJehova neNdodana yakhe eyiNkosi, uKristu Jesu. Ngendlela yabo yokuphila nokufakaza ngoMbuso, bayobe bebonisile ukuthi ngempela ‘bayamazi uNkulunkulu’ nokuthi ‘balalela ivangeli leNkosi yethu uJesu.’ Ingabe wena uzibonakalisa ungumuntu onjalo?—2 Thesalonika 1:8; Johane 17:3; Zefaniya 2:2, 3.