Ingabe ‘Uyoqhubeka Uphila’ Njengoba Kwenza UJeremiya?

1, 2. Kungani kunengqondo ukucabanga ngomuntu ngamunye nangomkhaya?

NGEMVA kokuba uJoshuwa enxuse ama-Israyeli ukuba akhethe ukuthi azokhonza bani, wathi: “Kepha mina nendlu yami, sizokhonza uJehova.” (Josh. 24:15) UJoshuwa wayezimisele ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu, futhi wayeqiniseka ukuthi nomkhaya wakhe uzoba qotho. Ngemva kwesikhathi eside, lapho sekusondele ukubhujiswa kweJerusalema, uJeremiya watshela iNkosi uZedekiya ukuthi uma icela umaluju kwabaseBhabhiloni, ‘yona nabendlu yayo ngokuqinisekile bayoqhubeka bephila.’ (Jer. 38:17) Isinqumo senkosi esiwubuwula sayilimaza yona, omkayo namadodana ayo. Yabona amadodana ayo ebulawa; yayisikhishwa amehlo yathunjelwa eBhabhiloni.—Jer. 38:18-23; 39:6, 7.

² Kuzo zombili lezi zingxenye ezibhalwe ngomalukeke, kubhekiselwa kumuntu oyedwa ngokuqondile. Kodwa kukhulunywa nangomkhaya wakhe. Kunengqondo lokho. Umuntu ngamunye omdala uyozilandisela kuNkulunkulu. Noma kunjalo, iningi lama-Israyeli lalingamalungu emikhaya. Umkhaya ubalulekile nakumaKristu. Siyakubona lokhu kwesikufunda eBhayibhelini nasemihlanganweni yobuKristu mayelana nomshado, ukukhulisa izingane nokuhlonipha amalungu omkhaya.—1 Kor. 7:36-39; 1 Thim. 5:8.

3, 4. Isimo sikaJeremiya sasihluke ngaziphi izindlela kwesabaningi, futhi kwamsiza kanjani lokho?

³ UJeremiya ‘waqhubeka ephila’ ngosuku lwakhe. Wasinda ekubhujisweni kweJerusalema, nakuba esakhe isimo sasihlukile kwesabaningi. (Jer. 21:9; 40:1-4) UNkulunkulu wayethe angashadi, angabi nabantwana futhi angahlanganyeli ezicini ezithile zokuphila kwamaJuda ezazivamile ngaleso sikhathi.—Funda uJeremiya 16:1-4.

⁴ Ngosuku lukaJeremiya nangokwesiko lakubo, kwakuyinto evamile ukushada nokuba nabantwana. Iningi lamadoda angamaJuda lashada laba nabantwana, ngaleyo ndlela izwe lokhokho laqhubeka lingelesizwe sabo nomndeni wabo.a (Dut. 7:14) Pho uJeremiya yena? Ngenxa yalokho okwakuseza, uNkulunkulu wathi makangahlanganyeli emibuthanweni evamile yokudabuka noma yenjabulo. Kwakungamelwe aduduze abashonelwe noma adle nabo ngemva komngcwabo; kungamelwe nokuba ahlanganyele ezintweni ezingasile zemishado yamaJuda. Kwase kuseduze ukuba amadili anjalo nokwethaba kuphele. (Jer. 7:33; 16:5-9) Inkambo kaJeremiya yenza isigijimi sakhe saba nesisindo, yagcizelela nobubi besahlulelo esasiza. Leyo nhlekelele yafika ekugcineni. Ungayicabanga indlela abazizwa ngayo labo abaphenduka amazimuzimu noma labo ababona abathandekayo babo beyizidumbu? (Funda uJeremiya 14:16; IsiL. 2:20.) Ngakho kwakungamelwe adatshukelwe uJeremiya owayengashadile. Nakuba ukuvinjezelwa kwezinyanga ezingu-18 nokubulawa kwabantu kwakuzoyicoboshisa yonke imikhaya, uJeremiya wayengeke alahlekelwe inkosikazi noma izingane.

 5. Iziqondiso ezikuJeremiya 16:5-9 ziwathinta kanjani amaKristu?

⁵ Kungashiwo yini ukuthi uJeremiya 16:5-9 usebenza kithi? Cha. AmaKristu akhuthazwa ukuba ‘aduduze labo abakunoma iluphi uhlobo losizi’ nokuba ‘ajabule nabantu abajabulayo.’ (2 Kor. 1:4; Roma 12:15) UJesu waya emshadweni futhi wanikela enjabulweni eyaba khona. Noma kunjalo, izinto ezizokwehlela lesi simiso sezinto zimbi ngendlela exakile. AmaKristu angaze ahlupheke nokuhlupheka futhi aswele. UJesu wagcizelela isidingo sokulungela ukwenza noma yini edingekayo ukuze sikhuthazele futhi sihlale sithembekile, njengoba kwenza abafowethu ababaleka eJudiya ngekhulu lokuqala. Ngakho ukungashadi, ukushada noma ukuba nabantwana kudinga ukuba kucatshangelwe ngokungathí sina.—Funda uMathewu 24:17, 18.

 6. Obani abangazuza ngokucabanga ngesiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu kuJeremiya?

⁶ Sifundani thina emyalweni kaNkulunkulu othi uJeremiya angashadi noma angabi nabantwana? Namuhla, amanye amaKristu aqotho awashadile noma awanabantwana. Yini angayifunda endabeni kaJeremiya? Futhi kungani ngisho namaKristu ashadile anezingane kufanele asinake lesi sici sokuphila kukaJeremiya?

 7. Umyalo wokuba uJeremiya angabi nangane kufanele usenze sicabangeni namuhla?

⁷ Okokuqala, khumbula ukuthi uJeremiya kwakufanele angabi nangane. UJesu akabayalanga abalandeli bakhe ukuba bangabi nangane. Noma kunjalo, kuyaphawuleka ukuthi wathi “maye” kwabesifazane abakhulelwe noma abancelisayo lapho kufika usizi eJerusalema ngo-66-70 C.E. Kwakuyoba isikhathi esinzima impela kubo. (Math. 24:19) Manje kuza usizi olukhulu nakakhulu. Ngenxa yalokho, amaKristu ashadile acabangela ukuba nabantwana kufanele acabangisise kanzulu. Awuvumi yini ukuthi kuya kuba nzima kakhulu ukuphila kulezi zikhathi ezibucayi? Abashadile bayavuma ukuthi kuye kwaba inselele enkulu ukukhulisa izingane ‘ezizoqhubeka ziphila’ zize zidlule kulesi simiso samanje. Nakuba umbhangqwana ngamunye kumelwe uzinqumele ukuthi uzoba nabo yini nabantwana, kuyafaneleka ukucabangela isimo sikaJeremiya. Kuthiwani-ke kodwa ngomyalo kaNkulunkulu wokuba angashadi kwakushada?

 8. Kungani singathi umshado awuyona imfuneko yokuthokozisa uNkulunkulu?

⁸ Lapho uNkulunkulu etshela uJeremiya ukuba angashadi, wayengeve emisa isimiso okumelwe silandelwe yizo zonke izinceku zakhe. Umshado uyinto enhle. UJehova wawusungula ngenjongo yokuba abantu bagcwalise umhlaba bathole nokwaneliseka nentokozo enkulu. (IzAga 5:18) Noma kunjalo, akubona bonke ababeshadile. Kungenzeka kwakunabathenwa ababezihlanganise nabantu bakaNkulunkulu ngesikhathi uJeremiya eprofetha.b Ngaphezu kwalokho, ungaqiniseka ukuthi babekhona abafelokazi nabafelwa. Ngakho uJeremiya wayengeyena yedwa umkhulekeli weqiniso owayengashadile. Yiqiniso, wayenaso isizathu sokungashadi, njengoba kunjalo nangamanye amaKristu namuhla.

 9. Yisiphi iseluleko esiphefumulelwe ngomshado okufanele sisicabangele ngokungathí sina?

⁹ AmaKristu amaningi ayashada, kodwa hhayi wonke. Uyazi ukuthi uJesu akazange ashade, futhi wathi abanye abafundi babeyoba nesiphiwo ‘sokukutholela indawo’ ukungashadi ezingqondweni nasezinhliziyweni zabo. Wakhuthaza labo abangakutholela indawo ukuba benze kanjalo. (Funda uMathewu 19:11, 12.) Ngakho-ke, kungafaneleka ukuba umuntu okhetha ukungashadi ukuze enze okwengeziwe enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu anconywe kunokuba agconwe. Kuyavunywa, amanye amaKristu ahlala engashadile isikhathi esithile ngenxa yezimo. Ngokwesibonelo, kungenzeka awakamtholi umKristu ofanelekayo angashada naye futhi kuyancomeka ukuthi azimisele ukubambelela endinganisweni kaNkulunkulu yokushada “kuphela eNkosini.” (1 Kor. 7:39) Kukhona nezinye futhi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezingabafelokazi nabafelwa, okwenza zingabi nabangane bomshado.c Akufanele nanini zilibale ukuthi sekuyisikhathi eside uNkulunkulu (noJesu) bebonisa ukuthi bayabakhathalela abantu abanjalo.—Jer. 22:3; funda eyoku-1 Korinte 7:8, 9.

10, 11. (a) Yini eyasiza uJeremiya ukuba aphumelele yize ayengashadile? (b) Okuhlangenwe nakho kwanamuhla kukufakazela kanjani ukuthi abantu abangashadile bangaba nokuphila okwanelisayo?

¹⁰ Njengoba uJeremiya ahlala engashadile, wayencike kuNkulunkulu ukuze amsekele. Kanjani? Khumbula phela ukuthi uJeremiya wayelijabulela izwi likaJehova. Lalingamnika amandla nesiqinisekiso phakathi namashumi eminyaka egxile enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wayeqikelela ukuthi uyakugwema ukuzimatanisa nabantu ababengamhleka ngoba engashadile. Wayenganqeni ‘ukuzihlalela yedwa’ kunokuba abe nabantu abanjalo.—Funda uJeremiya 15:17.

¹¹ AmaKristu amaningi angashadile—amadoda nabesifazane, abancane noma asebekhulile—alandela isibonelo esihle sikaJeremiya. Okuhlangenwe nakho kubonisa indlela okuwusizo ngayo ukuba matasa enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu ngokuhlanganyela ngokugcwele emisebenzini engokomoya eyakhayo. Ngokwesibonelo, uFakazi okhonza ebandleni lesiShayina uthi: “Ukuba iphayona kwenza ukuphila kwami kube nenjongo. Njengodade ongashadile, ngihlale ngimatasa futhi lokho kungisiza ukuba ngingabi nesizungu. Ekupheleni kosuku ngizizwa nganelisekile ngoba ngisuke ngibona ukuthi inkonzo yami ibasiza ngempela abantu. Lokhu kungijabulisa kakhulu.” Iphayona elineminyaka engu-38 lithi: “Ngicabanga ukuthi imfihlo yenjabulo iwukukwazi ukujabulela izinzuzo zanoma yisiphi isimo ozithola ukuso.” UmKristu ongashadile eningizimu Yurophu washo ngobuqotho: “Ukuphila kwami kungase kungabi yilokho engangikuhlelile ngempela, kodwa ngiyajabula futhi ngizoqhubeka ngijabule.”

12, 13. (a) Yimuphi umbono olinganiselayo ngokungashadi nokushada? (b) Ukuphila kukaPawulu neseluleko sakhe kugcizelelani ngokungashadi?

¹² Kungenzeka yini ukuthi uJeremiya waphawula ukuthi ukuphila kwakhe kwakungazange kube yilokho ayekuhlelile esakhula? Kungenzeka wayebonile ukuthi kwakunjalo nangabaningi ababeshada babe nabantwana. Nanka amazwi aphusile ashiwo iphayona laseSpain: “Ngazi abantu abashadile abajabule nabangajabule. Leli qiniso lingenza ngibone ukuthi injabulo yami ayincikile ekutheni ngizowuthola yini umshado noma cha.” Akungatshazwa, ukuphila kukaJeremiya—njengabanye abaningi—kufakazela ukuthi umuntu ongashadile angaphila ukuphila okumatasa, okwanelisayo nokujabulisayo. Umphostoli uPawulu ukuqinisekisa ngokwengeziwe lokhu, lapho ebhala: “Kubantu abangashadile nabafelokazi ngithi, kuhle ukuba bahlale benjengami.” (1 Kor. 7:8) Kungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu wayengumfelwa. Noma ngabe akunjalo, wayengashadile lapho efeza wonke lo msebenzi omkhulu kangaka enkonzweni yezithunywa zevangeli. (1 Kor. 9:5) Kuyafaneleka ukuphetha ngokuthi ukungashadi kwakhe kwaba yinzuzo, akunjalo? Kwasho “ukukhonza iNkosi njalo ngaphandle kokuthikamezeka,” ngaleyo ndlela wafeza okuningi okuhle.—1 Kor. 7:35.

¹³ UPawulu waphefumulelwa ukuba enezele okuthile: “Labo abashadayo bayoba nosizi enyameni yabo.” UNkulunkulu waqondisa uPawulu ukuba asho naleli qiniso elinamandla: “Uma umuntu ezinzile enhliziyweni yakhe . . . [ukuba] agcine ubumsulwa bakhe, uyokwenza kahle. Ngenxa yalokho, nalowo onikela ngobumsulwa bakhe emshadweni wenza kahle, kodwa lowo onganikeli ngabo emshadweni uyokwenza kangcono.” (1 Kor. 7:28, 37, 38) UJeremiya akazange awafunde lawo mazwi, kodwa inkambo yakhe phakathi namashumi eminyaka ifakazela ukuthi ukungashadi akumvimbeli umuntu ukuba aphile ukuphila okwanelisayo enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu. Eqinisweni, kungaba neqhaza elikhulu ekuphileni okunenjongo okugxile ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso. Nakuba iNkosi uZedekiya yayishadile, ayisilalelanga iseluleko sikaJeremiya bese ‘iqhubeka iphila’; kanti lo mprofethi owayengashadile walandela inkambo eyamvumela ukuba enze kanjalo.

14. Ubuhlobo bomkhaya ka-Akhwila noPawulu buqokomisani?

¹⁴ Njengoba kuphawuliwe ngaphambili, iningi lamadoda nabesifazane ngosuku lukaJeremiya lashada futhi laba nemikhaya. Kwakunjalo nangosuku lukaPawulu. Ngokungangabazeki, iningi lamaKristu anemikhaya lalingakwazi ukuhlanganyela enkonzweni yakwamanye amazwe njengoPawulu, kodwa kuningi elalingakwenza lapho lalihlala khona. Lokho kwakuhlanganisa nokuba isibusiso kubazalwane nodade abangashadile. Khumbula ukuthi ngesikhathi uPawulu efika eKorinte, u-Akhwila noPrisila bamamukela emzini wabo basebenza naye. Kodwa kwakunokwengeziwe. Kumelwe nakanjani ukuba ubungane umkhaya ka-Akhwila owawunabo noPawulu babuqabula. Cabanga ngokudla okumnandi ababekudla ndawonye nezinye izikhathi ezijabulisayo zokubungazana. Ingabe uJeremiya wazuza ebunganini obufanayo? Ukungashadi kwakhe wayekusebenzisela inkonzo kaNkulunkulu, kepha akufanele sicabange ukuthi wayengunkom’ idla yodwa. Wayengaba nobudlelwane obumnandi nemikhaya yezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezizinikele, njengokaBharuki, oka-Ebhedi-meleki nabanye.—Roma 16:3; funda izEnzo 18:1-3.

15. Imikhaya yamaKristu ingaba kanjani usizo olukhulu kumaKristu angashadile?

¹⁵ AmaKristu angashadile namuhla nawo ayazuza ebunganini obuhle obufana nalobo umkhaya ka-Akhwila owawunabo noPawulu. Uma unomkhaya, ingabe uyaqikelela ukuba nibe abangane nabantu abangashadile? Omunye udade wakhipha okusenhliziyweni yakhe: “Ngilishiyile izwe futhi anginasifiso sokuphindela kulo. Kepha ngisakudinga ukukhathalelwa nokuthandwa. Ngithandazela ukuba uJehova asilungiselele ukudla okungokomoya nesikhuthazo esengeziwe thina maKristu angashadile. Siyakudinga ukuqashelwa futhi akuthina sonke esifisa ukushada. Kodwa kubonakala sengathi asinakiwe. Yebo, singaya noma nini kuJehova, kodwa lapho sidinga ukuba nabantu, singaxoxa yini nomkhaya wethu ongokomoya?” Izinkulungwane zabafowethu nodade abangashadile zingaphendula ngokuthi yebo, zibe ziqinisile. Bayaxoxa nabanye abantu emabandleni abo. Abagcini ngokuba nabangane abalingana nabo kuphela. Bayathanda ukuba nabantu futhi bakha ubungane nabantu bobudala obuhlukahlukene, kuhlanganise nasebekhulile noma intsha emikhayeni yamaKristu emabandleni abo.

16. Yiziphi izinto ezilula ongase uzenze ukuze uqabule amaKristu angashadile ebandleni lakini?

¹⁶ Ngokuhlela kusengaphambili, ungabenza abantu abangashadile baqabuleke ngokubafaka nabo ngezikhathi ezithile ezintweni ezenziwa umkhaya wakho, njengokuKhulekela Komkhaya kwakusihlwa. Ukumemela umzalwane noma udade ongashadile kwakho ukuze ajabulele ukudla kungasho okungaphezu kakhulu kwepuleti lokudla okumnandi. Ungamsukela yini umcele ukuba nisebenze ndawonye enkonzweni? Kuthiwani ngokumema umKristu ongashadile ukuba asebenze nomkhaya wakho eHholo LoMbuso noma niye kothenga naye ngezikhathi ezithile? Eminye imikhaya iye yamema umfelokazi, umfelwa, noma iphayona elingashadile ukuba lihambe nayo lapho iya emihlanganweni noma eholidini. Izikhathi ezinjalo ziye zabaqabula bonke.

17-19. (a) Kungani izingane zidinga ukulinganisela okunothando lapho zihlela ukunakekelwa kwabazali asebekhulile noma ababuthaka? (b) Yisiphi isifundo esiwusizo esingasifunda kokwenziwa uJesu mayelana nokunakekelwa kukanina?

¹⁷ Esinye isici sokucatshangelwa ngokuqondene nabafowethu nodade abangashadile siphathelene nokunakekela abazali asebekhulile. Ngosuku lukaJesu, amaJuda athile aqavile ayekubalekela ngobuqili ukunakekela oyise nonina. Ayethi ukufeza izibopho ezingokwenkolo ayezibekele zona kuza kuqala kunezibopho zikaNkulunkulu ngabazali bawo. (Marku 7:9-13) Akufanele kube njalo emikhayeni yamaKristu.—1 Thim. 5:3-8.

¹⁸ Kodwa kuthiwani uma abazali asebekhulile benezingane eziningi ezingamaKristu? Uma kukhona engashadile, ingabe iyona-ke osekufanele nakanjani inakekele abazali? Udade waseJapane uyabhala: “Ngingathanda ukushada, kodwa ngoba nginomthwalo wemfanelo wokunakekela abazali bami, angikwazi. Ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyakuqonda ukucindezeleka okubangelwa ukunakekela abazali nobuhlungu benhliziyo obuzwiwa abantu abangashadile.” Kungenzeka yini ukuthi lo dade unabafowabo nodadewabo abashadile abanqume ukuthi uyena okumelwe anakekele abazali, kodwa bengaxoxanga naye? Ezimweni ezinjena, kuyaphawuleka ukuthi noJeremiya wayenabafowabo ababengamphathi kahle.—Funda uJeremiya 12:6.

¹⁹ UJehova uyabaqonda abantu abangashadile futhi uyabazwela labo ababhekene nezimo ezivivinyayo. (IHu. 103:11-14) Noma kunjalo, abazali asebekhulile noma ababuthaka bangabazali bazo zonke izingane zabo, ababona abazali bezingane ezingashadile kuphela. Yiqiniso, ezinye kungenzeka sezishadile futhi sezinezazo izingane. Kodwa lokho akusiqedi isibopho sokuthanda abazali bazo, kungazikhululi futhi esibophweni sazo sobuKristu sokusiza lapho abazali bedinga ukunakekelwa. Siyakhumbula ukuthi ngisho nalapho uJesu esezokufa esigxotsheni, wasikhumbula isibopho sakhe wayesehlela ukuba unina anakekelwe. (Joh. 19:25-27) IBhayibheli alinikezi mininingwane ngokuhlukaniselana imisebenzi yokunakekela abazali asebekhulile noma ababuthaka; lingasikiseli nokuthi izingane ezingashadile yizona ezinomthwalo othé xaxa wokunakekela abazali ngoba nje zingashadile. Bonke abahilelekile kudingeka babonelelane futhi bacabangelane lapho bedingida le ndaba ebucayi, bakhumbule isibonelo esabekwa uJesu sokunakekela unina.

20. Uzizwa kanjani ngobudlelwane nabangashadile ebandleni lakini?

²⁰ UJeremiya waphefumulelwa ukuba abikezele: “Ngeke besafundisa yilowo nalowo umngane wakhe nalowo nalowo umfowabo, bethi, ‘Yazini uJehova!’ ngoba bonke bayongazi.” (Jer. 31:34) Ngokwesimiso saleli vesi, kakade siyabujabulela ubungane obuhle kanjalo ebandleni lobuKristu, kuhlanganise nobungane nabafowethu nodadewethu abangashadile. Ngokungangabazeki, sonke sifuna ukuba abaqabulanayo nalaba abangashadile nokubabona ‘beqhubeka bephila.’