Bayajabula Labo Abasebenzisa Amandla Ngokufanele!
“UJehova wephuza ukuthukuthela, mkhulu ngamandla, akenzi onecala abe-msulwa.”—NAHUME 1:3.
1. Kungani ukuba komuntu nohlobo oluthile lwamandla kungesona isisekelo sokuqhosha?
KUNEZINHLOBO eziningi zamandla abantu abahlakaniphile abangazisebenzisa ngendlela efanele. Ngenxa yamakhono emvelo noma ngenxa yezimo, singase sibe nohlobo oluthile lwamandla. Kodwa ingabe lokho kuyisizathu sokuqhosha? Lutho neze. Yini esiyifundayo kuJeremiya 9:23? “Ohlakaniphileyo makangazibongi ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe, neqhawe malingazibongi ngobuqhawe balo, nocebileyo makangazibongi ngengcebo yakhe.” Kungani kungafanele? Umphostoli uPawulu unikeza impendulo enhle kweyoku-1 Korinte 4:7: “Ngokuba ngubani okhetha wena na? Unantoni ongayamukeliswanga na? Kepha uma uyamukelisiwe, uzibongelani kungathi awuyamukeliswanga na?”
2. Kungani kumelwe siqaphe ngokusebenzisa amandla?
2 Kungani kumelwe siqaphele ukusebenzisa kabi noma imaphi amandla esingase sibe nawo? Ngoba “imicabango yomuntu mibi kwasebusheni bakhe.” (Genesise 8:21) Njengoba sonke sinalokhu kuthambekela kobugovu esakuzuza njengefa, sidinga ukuqaphela ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuba sisebenzise noma imaphi amandla esinawo ngokufanele. Imbongi ethile yake yaveza lomqondo: “Ayikho ingcebo enganakekelwa. Awekho amandla angenalo ugibe lobuqili obufihlekile.” Yebo, ngenxa yokungapheleli esakuzuza njengefa, ngaso sonke isikhathi kunokuthambekela kokusebenzisa amandla ngobugovu.
UJehova—Unamandla, Kodwa Futhi Uhlakaniphile Futhi Ulungile
3. Luhlobo luni lwamandla uJehova analo?
3 Akekho omunye ngaphandle koMdali, uJehova uNkulunkulu, osibekela isibonelo esihle, yebo, esiphelele, ngokusebenzisa amandla. Akanawo amawala kodwa wephuza ukuthukuthela ngisho nalapho kunesidingo sokuba abonakalise amandla akhe ngokungenamusa. (Nahume 1:3) Akekho onamandla amakhulu kunoNkulunkulu, kungaleso sizathu sibhekisela kuye njengoMuntu onamandla onke, uMuntu onamandla angaphezu kwakho konke. Usisebenzisa ngokufanele kuye isiqu esithi “uSomandla.” (Genesise 17:1) Akukhona nje kuphela ukuthi unamandla aphelele ngokomqondo wokuba namandla angenakulinganiswa, kodwa futhi unamandla aphakeme ngokuthi unegunya lonke ngenxa yesikhundla sakhe njengeNkosi eBusayo yendawo yonke, ayidala. Kungakho kungekho ongacabanga ‘ukuvimbela isandla sakhe, noma athi kuye: “Wenzani na?”’—Daniyeli 4:35.
4. Kungani kuyinkambo yokuhlakanipha ukwesaba uJehova?
4 Ngenxa yeqiniso lokuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu ungumninimandla onke, kuyinkambo yokuhlakanipha ngathi ukuba sesabe ukumenyelisa. Yebo, ‘ukuqala kokuhlakanipha kungukumesaba uJehova, nokumazi oNgcwele kungukuqonda.” (IzAga 9:10) UPawulu uyasixwayisa ukuba singavuseli uJehova uNkulunkulu ulaka ngokuhlanganyela kunoma iluphi uhlobo lokukhonza izithombe ngoba ‘ayinamandla kunaye.’ Ngempela kunjalo! (1 Korinte 10:22) Nokho, bonke abaphula ngamabomu imiyalo kaNkulunkulu yokulunga benza sengathi banamandla kunoJehova! Amazwi kaPawulu aqhubekayo agcizelela leliphuzu: “UNkulunkulu wethu ungumlilo oqothulayo.”—Heberu 12:29.
5. Kungani kungamelwe sibe nokumesaba okukhulu uJehova ngenxa yokuba kwakhe namandla onke?
5 Lamaqiniso ayengase asibangele ukuba sigcwaliswe ukwesaba okukhulu noma ingebhe ukuba uJehova uNkulunkulu ubengalinganiseli kahle ngokuphelele amandla akhe amakhulu nezinye izici zakhe ezinhle ezintathu: Ukuhlakanipha, ukwahlulela ngokulunga, nothando. Ukusebenzisa kwakhe amandla ngendlela engenamusa ngokuvamile kuvumelana, noma kufanelana, nalezimfanelo. Ngokwesibonelo, uZamcolo wosuku lukaNowa ngokuqinisekile wawuwukubonakaliswa okukhulu kwamandla kaJehova. Nokho ingabe ukusebenzisa kukaNkulunkulu amandla kwakungalungile noma kungenaluthando? Lutho neze! Isintu sasonakalisile indlela yaso kangangokuba uNkulunkulu wadabuka enhliziyweni ngalokho akubona. (Genesise 6:5-11) Njengoba labobantu ababi abaphila ngaphambi kukaZamcolo babesebenzisa kabi izibusiso zikaNkulunkulu, wenza ngokufanele ngokubaqothula emhlabeni, ikakhulukazi njengoba babengasinaki isixwayiso ‘somshumayeli wokulunga,’ uNowa.—2 Petru 2:5.
6. Yini eboniswa ukusebenzelana kukaJehova neSodoma neGomora?
6 Lapho izakhamuzi zaseSodoma naseGomora zizibonakalisa ziyizonakali ezinkulu, ngokusebenzisa kabi izibusiso ezazizijabulela esandleni sikaJehova, njengengxenye yesintu, wamemezela ukuthi lezozakhamuzi kwakumelwe zibhujiswe. Ngenxa yokucabangela umngane wakhe uAbrahama, uJehova watshela leyondoda yokholo ngenjongo yaKhe ngokuqondene neSodoma neGomora. UAbrahama wabonakala ecabanga ukuthi lokhu kwakuyoba ukusebenzisa kabi amandla okukhulu, ngakho wabuza uJehova: “Umahluleli womhlaba wonke ubengayikwenza ukulunga na?” Nokho, uAbrahama wayengaqondi. Ekugcineni, kwakumelwe avume ukuthi isimemezelo sikaJehova ngokuqinisekile sasilungile, ngoba kwakungenakufunyanwa ngisho nemiphefumulo eyishumi elungile kuleyomizi yomibili. Ngokuqinisekile lokhu kubonisa indlela uJehova uNkulunkulu anakekela ngayo ekusebenziseni amandla akhe ngokulunga.—Genesise 18:17-33; Isaya 41:8.
7. Kungani uFaro afanelwa ukuthola ukubonakaliswa okungenamusa kwamandla kaJehova?
7 Kamuva, lapho isikhathi sokuba akhiphe amaIsrayeli ebugqilini obungafanele baseGibithe sifika, uJehova wanikeza uFaro ithuba lokuba asebenzelane naye. Lokhu kwakungenakumlimaza uFaro nabantu bakhe. Kodwa leyonkosi yenqaba ngokuzikhukhumeza nangenkani ukuvumelana nesicelo sikaJehova. Ngakho-ke uNkulunkulu wanikeza uFaro izibonakaliso ezilandelanayo zamandla akhe ngeziNhlupho Eziyishumi zaseGibithe. (Eksodusi 9:16) Ngemva kokuba uFaro esevumele amaIsrayeli ahamba, ngenkani waqhubeka ebekela uJehova inselele ngokulandela amaIsrayeli. Ngakho-ke, uJehova wawasebenzisa ngokufanele amandla akhe amakhulu ngokukhukhula uFaro namabutho akhe empi oLwandle Olubomvu. (IHubo 136:15) Esenzakalweni ngasinye, phawula ukuthi, uJehova wasebenzisa futhi amandla amakhulu ukuba alondoloze izinceku zakhe ezithembekile: UNowa nomkhaya wakhe, uLoti namadodakazi akhe amabili, nesizwe sakwaIsrayeli.—Genesise 19:16.
8. Kungasiphi isizathu esihle uJehova enza kuSaneheribi ngendlela enza ngayo?
8 Emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva, ngesikhathi seNkosi uHezekiya, uJehova uNkulunkulu wabonisa amandla akhe amakhulu ngendlela emangalisayo nelunge kakhulu lapho inkosi yaseAsiriya uSaneheribi esongela iJerusalema. Abantu bakaJehova, neNkosi uHezekiya esaba uNkulunkulu nethembekile njengenhloko yabo, bacela usizo kuYe. Babemkhonza ngokwethembeka, ngakho uNkulunkulu wabalwela. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, inxusa lenkosi uSaneheribi, lakhuluma ngokuqhosha: ‘Ningamlaleli uHezekiya, ningamvumeli aniyenge ngokunithembisa ukuthi uJehova uyakunophula. Abanye onkulunkulu bezinye izizwe bake bakwazi yini ukophula abantu babo esandleni sikaSaneheribi? Njengoba kwakungekho kulabonkulunkulu owakwazi ukwenza kanjalo, kungani nicabanga ukuthi uJehova uyokwazi ukunophula?’ (Isaya 36:13-20) Ngenxa yokuqhosha okunjalo, uNkulunkulu kwakumelwe nje asebenzise amandla amakhulu, ebangela amasosha ayizi-185 000 ukuba afe ngobusuku obubodwa, ebonisa ngokuqinisekile ukuthi, ukhona umehluko phakathi konkulunkulu bezizwe noJehova.
9. Yiziphi ezinye izibonelo ezingacashunwa ezibonisa ukuthi uJehova uyayinakekela indlela asebenzisa ngayo amandla?
9 Cabangela ezinye izibonelo ezimbalwa kweziningi ezinganikezwa. Lapho uJehova eshaya uMiriyamu ngochoko, lokho kwakuwukubonakaliswa kwamandla akhe okulunge nokuhlakaniphe ngokuphelele. UMiriyamu wayefanelwe isijeziso esinjalo ngenxa yokukhuluma ngokugabadela ngomfowabo uMose, okhethiweyo kaNkulunkulu. (Numeri 12:1-15) Kungokufanayo nalapho iNkosi u-Uziya ngokwedelela ingena endaweni yethempeli engcwele futhi ngokugabadela inikela ngempepho ealtare legolide, ngokuzikhukhumeza inqaba ukukhuzwa ngabapristi abangamaLevi. UJehova wabonisa amandla akhe ngokushaya ngokufanelekile inkosi ngochoko. (2 IziKronike 26:16-21) Ngisho nanjengoba izono zabo zazingalingani, kwakunjalo nangesijeziso sikaJehova kubo: Uchoko lukaMiriyamu lwalungolwesikhashana, kodwa u-Uziya wafa enochoko. Kanjalo-ke singabona ukuthi ngaso sonke isikhathi uJehova uqikelela ukuba asebenzise amandla akhe ngendlela yokuhlakanipha nokulunga, njengoba ekwazi ukulondoloza abathembekile abamthandayo futhi abhubhise ababi.—IHubo 145:20.
Isibonelo SikaJesu Kristu
10, 11. Yiziphi izenzakalo ezibonisa ukuthi uJesu wayekukhathalela ukusebenzisa amandla ngokufanele?
10 Ngokuqinisekile iNdodana kaNkulunkulu yayingumlingisi omuhle kaYise ekusebenziseni amandla. Esinye sezenzakalo zokuqala sasingesikhathi uSathane ephikisana naye ngesidumbu sikaMose. Kalula nje uLizwi wayengamjezisa kanzima uSathane. Kunalokho, uLizwi wazishaya ongenamandla, ukuze avumele ukusola kuvele kuJehova ngokwakhe.—Juda 8, 9.
11 Isilingo sokuqala ngqá uSathane asiletha kuJesu ehlane sasihlobene nalendaba yokusebenzisa kabi amandla. USathane walinga uJesu ukuba asebenzise amandla akhe angaphezu kwawemvelo ngenjongo yobugovu, ukuba aguqule amatshe abe ukudla. Lesi kwakuyisilingo ngempela ngoba uJesu wayengazange adle izinsuku ezingama-40, futhi “walamba.” USathane waletha lesilingo ngendlela yokucupha uJesu ukuba athathe inkambo yobugovu, ngoba waqala ngokuthi, “UMA uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, yisho ukuba kwamatshe abe-yizinkwa.” Ngokungangabazeki wethemba ukuthi uJesu wayeyosabela ngokuthi, ‘phela, yebo ngiyindodana kaNkulunkulu, futhi ukuze ngikufakazele lokho ngizoguqula lamatshe abe yisinkwa.’ Kunokuba alingelwe noma acushelwe ukuba enze ngobugovu noma ngobuwula, uJesu waphendula: “Kulotshiwe ukuthi: Akusinkwa sodwa umuntu ayakuphila ngaso kodwa ngamazwi onke aphuma emlonyeni kaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 4:1-4) Akazange akunake ukusikisela okungabazisayo kokuthi wayeyindodana kaNkulunkulu noma cha, futhi wenqaba isilingo sokusebenzisa kabi amandla uNkulunkulu ayemnikeze wona.
12. Ngokuqhubekayo uJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayengahaheli amandla?
12 Kamuva, ngemva kokuba uJesu Kristu esuthise amadoda ayizi-5 000 ngaphandle kwabesifazane nabantwana abaningi, amaJuda afuna ukumbeka inkosi. Ukuba wayekwamukele lokho ababekusho, lokho kwakuyoba ukusebenzisa kabi amandla anawo okuba athonye abantu ngezimangaliso zakhe. Wayazi ukuthi kwakumelwe azigcine engathathi-hlangothi ngakwezombangazwe zezwe futhi alindele ukuba uJehova uNkulunkulu amnikeze ubukhosi. (Johane 6:1-15) Nokho kamuva, lapho isixuku sizombopha, wayengacela amalegiyona ezingelosi ayi-12 futhi ngaleyondlela avimbele ukuboshwa kwakhe. Nokho, lokho kwakuyoba ukusebenzisa kabi amandla, ngoba kwakuyintando kaYise ukuba azithobe.—Mathewu 26:39, 53.
Abanye Abangazange Basebenzise Kabi Amandla
13, 14. (a) Isiphi isibonelo esihle uGideyoni asibeka, esibonisa ukuthi wayengahaheli amandla? (b) USawule wasibeka kanjani isibonelo esihle lapho eqala ukuba yinkosi?
13 Phakathi kwabantu abangaphelele abenqaba ukusebenzisa kabi amandla, uMahluleli uGideyoni kumelwe abalwe. Ngemva kokwephula uIsrayeli esandleni samaMidiyani, abantu bafuna ukumenza inkosi yabo. UGideyoni wenqaba, esho ngokufanele: “Angiyikunibusa, nendodana yami ayiyikunibusa; nguJehova oyakunibusa.” Yebo, ukuzithoba akubonisa ekuqaleni komsebenzi wakhe njengomahluleli kwakusekhona. Futhi ukusabela kukaGideyoni kwakubonisa indlela uJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe azizwa ngayo ngokuba kukaIsrayeli nenkosi engumuntu. Singakubona lokho ekusabeleni kukaNkulunkulu ekufuneni kukaIsrayeli inkosi ngesikhathi somprofethi uSamuweli.—AbAhluleli 8:23; 6:12-16; 1 Samuweli 8:7.
14 Nokho, lapho inkosi isikhethiwe, ekuqaleni uSawule wabeka isibonelo esihle sokuzithiba ekusebenziseni amandla. Abantu abathile ababi bathi: “Uyakusisindisa kanjani lowo na? Bamdelela . . . Kepha wathula.” Wayengenza ngokungacabangi, ngamandla akhe obukhosi, kodwa akazange akwenze. Ngokufanayo, ngemva kokuba uSawule enqobe ama-Amoni, abantu bakhe abathile bacabanga ukuthi lesi kwakuyoba isikhathi esihle sokuphindisela labo ababedelele uSawule. Ngakho bathi kuye: “Ngubani oshilo ukuthi uSawule uyakuba-yinkosi phezu kwethu na? Lethani labobantu ukuba sibabulale.” Nokho, uSawule wayengenawo lowomqondo ngokuphelele. Waphikisa: “Akuyikubulawa-muntu namuhla, ngokuba namuhla uJehova usebenzile ukusindiswa kwaIsrayeli.” Singabona ukuthi ngempela uSawule waqala kahle nangokuzithoba. (1 Samuweli 9:21; 10:20-23, 27; 11:12, 13) Yeka ukuthi kudabukisa kanjani ukuthi waqala ukusebenzisa kabi amandla akhe ebukhosi futhi ngalokho waba nesiphetho esibi!—1 Samuweli 28:6; 31:3-6.
15, 16. (a) Ibuphi ubufakazi uMahluleli uSamuweli akwazi ukubunikeza ngokusebenzisa kwakhe amandla okwahlulela? (b) Isiphi isibonelo esifanayo esanikezwa yiNkosi uDavide?
15 USamuweli, umprofethi wahlulela futhi uIsrayeli, wabeka isibonelo esihle. UNkulunkulu wamsebenzisa ngokunamandla kusukela ebusheni bakhe kuya phambili. USamuweli wabahlulela ngokulunga abantu bakhe futhi wenza ukuba bophulwe. Ingabe wake wasisebenzisa kabi isikhundla sakhe ngezinzuzo zobugovu? Lutho neze! Enkulumweni yakhe yokuvalelisa wathi kubantu: “Bhekani, ngilalele izwi lenu kukho konke enikushiloyo kimi, ngibekile inkosi phezu kwenu . . . Bhekani, ngilapha: fakazani ngami phambi kukaJehova naphambi kogcotshiweyo wakhe ukuthi ngithathe inkabi kabani, ngithathe imbongolo kabani, ngikhohlisile ubani, ngicindezele ubani, ngamukele umvuzo esandleni sikabani ukuba ngifihle amehlo ami ngawo na?” Abantu bakhe kwakumelwe bavume ukuthi inkambo kaSamuweli yayingenansolo kukho konke lokhu. Akazange asebenzise kabi amandla esikhundleni sakhe sokwahlulela.—1 Samuweli 12:1-5.
16 Futhi akumelwe singasinaki isibonelo esihle esabekwa uDavide. Izikhathi ezimbili iNkosi uSawule yayisesandleni sakhe futhi wayengayibulala. UDavide wayengathi: ‘USawule uphumile ukungibulala, ngakho-ke kuzofa yena noma mina.’ Noma wayengase ngobugovu athi: ‘Njengoba uSamuweli engigcobile ukuba ngibe yinkosi yakwaIsrayeli yesikhathi esizayo, lena yinto eyokwenzeka ekugcineni. Kungani kungabi manje?’ Cha, uDavide walinda ngokubekezela kwaze kwaba yilapho kufika isikhathi sikaJehova sokumnika umbuso. (1 Samuweli 24:1-22; 26:1-25) Nokho, kungokudabukisayo ukuthi, ngemva kokuba uDavide eseyinkosi, wasebenzisa kabi amandla akhe izikhathi ezimbili: ngokubangela ukufa kukaUriya nangokubala ibutho likaIsrayeli.—2 Samuweli 11:15; 24:2-4, 12-14.
17. UPawulu wakubonisa kanjani ukuthi akakaze ahahe nokuthi akazange asebenzise kabi amandla akhe?
17 Phakathi kwabalandeli bakaJesu Kristu, umphostoli uPawulu wabeka isibonelo esihle kulokhu. Wayengafuna ukusekelwa okuvela emabandleni ayewakhonza. Kodwa akazange akusebenzise kabi lokhu. Watshela abadala base-Efesu: “Angifisanga-siliva lamuntu, nagolide, nangubo; nina niyazi ukuthi lezizandla zasebenzela izinswelo zami nezababenami.” (IzEnzo 20:33, 34) Lapho ebhalela ibandla laseKorinte, umphostoli wagcizelela ngokunamandla ngisho nangokwengeziwe kuleliphuzu. (1 Korinte 9:1-18) Wayenegunya lokuyeka umsebenzi wokuziphilisa, ngoba ngubani owake wasebenza njengesosha ngezindleko zakhe? Akazange yini uMose asho ukuthi mayingafakwa isifonyo inkambi ibhula amabele? “Kepha,” kuchaza uPawulu “mina angisebenzisanga-lutho lwalezozinto.” Wawuyini umvuzo wakhe? “Uyilokho ukuba nxa ngishumayela ivangeli, ngikwenze ukuba ivangeli lingabizi-lutho, ukuze ngingasebenzisi ilungelo lami enginalo evangelini.”
18. (a) Kumelwe sizizwe kanjani ngokusebenzisa kahle kukaJehova amandla? (b) Kungani kungathiwa bayajabula labo abamlingisayo kulokhu?
18 Ngokuqinisekile kungathiwa, ‘Bayajabula bonke labo abangasebenzisi kabi amandla.’ Yeka igama elihle uJehova uNkulunkulu analo ngenxa yokuba isibonelo esihle kanjalo, evumela amandla akhe amakhulu ukuba ahlale elinganiselwe ngezinye izici zakhe eziwukuhlakanipha, ukwahlulela ngokulunga, nothando! Ngakho, singenanela umhubi uDavide: “Mbonge uJehova, mphefumulo wami; konke okuphakathi kwami makubonge igama lakhe elingcwele.” (IHubo 103:1) Ngempela bayajabula bonke abaye balandela isibonelo sikaJehova ekusebenziseni kahle amandla. Lezibonelo esiye sazicabangela ezivela emiBhalweni zifakazela ukuthi ngisho nakuba singabantu abangaphelele, nathi, ngokufanayo, singawasebenzisa ngokufanele amandla esinawo. Ngokwenza kanjalo, asinakuba nonembeza omsulwa kuphela kodwa futhi nokuvunyelwa uNkulunkulu nenhlonipho yomakhelwane bethu.
Uyakhumbula?
◻ Kungani iseluleko esiqondene nokusebenzisa kabi amandla sidingeka?
◻ Iziphi izibonelo ezibonisa ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu usebenzisa amandla ngokufanele?
◻ Kungani kungathiwa uJesu wayenakekela ukuba angasebenzisi kabi amandla?
◻ Yibaphi abantu abasemiBhalweni yesiHeberu ababonisa ukuthi babangawasebenzisi kabi amandla?
◻ Umphostoli uPawulu wazibonakalisa kanjani eyisibonelo ekusebenziseni amandla?
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
Izimfanelo zikaJehova eziyinhloko zilinganiselwe kahle ngokuphelele
Uthando Amandla Ukwahlulela Ngokulunga Ukuhlakanipha
[Izithombe ekhasini 10]
UNkulunkulu wabonisa amandla akhe ngokulunga:
ngoZamcolo
eSodoma naseGomora
oLwandle Olubomvu