Ukulunga Kuphakamisa Isizwe
NGEMVA kokuba seline izinsuku eziningi, yeka ukuthi kujabulisa kanjani ukuvuka ekuseni ubone ilanga libalele esibhakabhakeni esicwathile! Umhlaba uye waqabuleka, futhi manje izitshalo zingakhula ngobuningi. UJehova uNkulunkulu wake wasebenzisa umfanekiso onjalo ukuze abonise izibusiso zokubusa kokulunga. Wathi eNkosini uDavide: “Obusa abantu ngokulunga, abuse ngokumesaba uNkulunkulu, unjengokukhanya kwasekuseni ekuphumeni kwelanga, isasa elingenamafu, lapho kuvela ekukhanyeni uhlaza emhlabathini emva kwemvula.”—2 Samuweli 23:3, 4.
Lamazwi kaNkulunkulu abonakala eyiqiniso phakathi nokubusa kokulunga kwendodana kaDavide, iNkosi uSolomoni. IBhayibheli liyabika: “OJuda noIsrayeli bahlala belondekile, kwaba-yilowo nalowo phansi komvini wakhe nomkhiwane wakhe, kusukela kwaDani kuze kube-seBeri-Sheba, zonke izinsuku zikaSolomoni.”—1 AmaKhosi 4:25.
U-Israyeli wasendulo wayeyisizwe sikaNkulunkulu esikhethiwe. Wasinikeza imithetho yakhe wabe esesitshela ukuthi uma silalela izwi lakhe, ‘wayezosiphakamisa phezu kwazo zonke izizwe.’ (Duteronomi 28:1) U-Israyeli akazange aphakanyiswe ukulunga kwakhe siqu kodwa waphakanyiswa ukulunga kukaJehova. Imiyalo uNkulunkulu amnikeza yona yayiyidlula kude imithetho yezizwe ezazimzungezile. Njengesizwe, wayengaphelele njengazo zonke lezo zizwe. Ngakho, ukuphakama kwakhe ngaphezu kwezizwe kwabangelwa uMthetho kaJehova ophakeme nokunamathela kwakhe ngokuqinile kuwo. Lapho elalela imithetho kaJehova, wayejabulela umusa nesibusiso sakhe. INkosi uSolomoni yaba nokuhlangenwe nakho kwalokhu phakathi nokubusa kwayo. Yayingase ithi: “Ukulunga kuyaphakamisa isizwe, kepha,” ixwayisa, “ukona kuyihlazo kubantu.”—IzAga 14:34.
Ngokudabukisayo, ngenxa yokuphindaphinda izenzo zokungalaleli, isizwe sakwa-Israyeli sehliswa. Sonke lesi sizwe sabhekana nehlazo. Ekugcineni lokhu kwaholela ekubeni senqatshwe ngokuphelele ukuze kukhethwe isizwe esisha esingokomoya.—Mathewu 21:43.
U-Israyeli Ongokomoya
Emhlanganweni wendikimba ebusayo yamaKristu eJerusalema, uJakobe, umJuda wemvelo, engaphansi kokuphefumulelwa wathi uNkulunkulu ‘wayephendulele ukunaka kwakhe ezizweni ukuba athathe kuzo isizwe segama lakhe.’ (IzEnzo 15:14) Umphostoli uPawulu wabiza lesi sizwe esisha samaKristu ngokuthi ‘u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.’ (Galathiya 6:16) Ngokuqondene nenjongo yokubizwa kwaso, uPetru wabhala: “‘Niluhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubupristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, isizwe sokuba yimpahla ekhethekile, ukuze nimemezele kabanzi ubuhle’ balowo owanibiza ukuba niphume ebumnyameni ningene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo.” (1 Petru 2:9) Njengoba sasiyisizwe sikaNkulunkulu esikhethiwe, kwakumelwe sikhanye njengezinkanyiso ezweni. Ukulunga kukaJehova kwakuyosiphakamisa.—Filipi 2:15.
Ukukhethwa kwalama-Israyeli angokomoya kungafaniswa nomsebenzi wokumba amadayimane. Lapho itshe lensimbi elinamadayimane amaningi livunjululwa, lingaba namadayimane anesisindo esiyi-carat elilodwa kuphela (amamiligremu angu-200) endaweni ngayinye enomhlabathi ongamathani amathathu. Indlela yokuhlukanisa amadayimane eyake yasetshenziswa yayihilela ukuhlanganisa itshe lensimbi elinamadayimane namanzi bese lihanjiswa phezu kwetafula elinamafutha. Amadayimane awahlangani namanzi, futhi anamathela emafutheni kuyilapho izinto ezingafuneki zihamba namanzi. Kuleli qophelo amadayimane ayesemaholo. Nokho, lapho esesikiwe futhi acwebezeliswa, ayebanika nhlangothi zonke.
Njengamadayimane angahlangani namanzi angeyona ingxenye yokuwazungezile, abantu bakaJehova baye bahlukaniswa nezwe. (Johane 17:16) Lapho bedonselwa ekukhanyeni okokuqala, kungenzeka babengakhazimuli. Kodwa iZwi nomoya kaJehova kwakha ubuntu obusha ngaphakathi kubona, bese bekhanya njengezinkanyiso kulelizwe. Bayaphakanyiswa futhi babanike ukukhanya okukhazimulayo kweqiniso loMbuso nhlangothi zonke ngenxa yokulunga kukaJehova, hhayi okwabo siqu.
Nokho, kusukela ngasengxenyeni yokugcina yekhulu lokuqala C.E., ukuhlubuka kwangena ngesinyenyela emabandleni futhi kwathinta abaningi. Labo okwakuthiwa amaKristu baxubana nezizwe zomhlaba futhi ababange besahlukaniseka ezweni elalibazungezile.
Namuhla insali ekholekile ka-Israyeli ongokomoya iye yabuyiselwa emuseni kaJehova. Iye yazihlukanisa nezwe futhi iye yazihlanza “kukho konke ukungcola kwenyama nokomoya.” (2 Korinte 7:1) Njengoba ihlanzekile futhi iqotho phambi kukaJehova, isekela ukulunga kwakhe. Lokhu kuye kwayiphakamisa kwayibeka esikhundleni esiphakeme somusa ngaphezu kwezizwe zomhlaba. Ngokushumayela kwayo ngentshiseko izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso, isixuku esikhulu sezizwe zonke siye sadonselwa kuJehova futhi siye saba ingxenye yabantu bakhe.—IsAmbulo 7:9, 10.
Izwe Liyawubona Umehluko
Ngezinye izikhathi iziphathimandla zezwe ziyakuncoma ukuziphatha kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu. Esikhathini esithile esidlule, umphathi wamaphoyisa ezokuphepha wasePretoria Show Grounds, eNingizimu Afrika, wakhuluma ngokuziphatha koFakazi BakaJehova bazo zonke izinhlanga, abasebenzisa leyo ndawo ukuze baqhube imihlangano yabo yaminyaka yonke. Phakathi kwezinye izinto, wabhala: “Bonke abantu babeziphethe kahle futhi banjalo, bangabantu abakhulumisana kahle, isimo sengqondo abasibonisile ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ezidlule—konke kufakazela izinga eliphakeme lokuziphatha lamalungu enhlangano yenu, nokuthi onke aphila ndawonye njengomkhaya owodwa ojabulayo.”
Abantu bakaJehova bangaba nengxenye ekulungeni kwesizwe sakhe hhayi emibuthanweni enjalo emikhulu kuphela kodwa nasekuphileni kwabo kwangasese. Ngokwesibonelo, igatsha le-Watch Tower Society eNingizimu Afrika lathola incwadi evela kowesifazane othile waseGoli, ethi: “Ngesonto elidlule isikhwama sami semali sasiphezu kwemoto yami lapho ngishayela. Sawa kuJan Smuts Avenue sabe sesicoshwa kanye nakho konke okwakuphakathi kuso ilungu lebandla lenu, uMnu. R—, owangishayela ucingo futhi wangibuyisela sona. . . . Ngikwazisa kakhulu lokhu kwethembeka osekuye kwaba yivelakancane kulezi zikhathi zamanje futhi ngiyalincoma ibandla lenu ngokumisa izimiso amalungu enu anamathelayo kuzo.”
Yebo, ngokunamathela ezimisweni zikaJehova zokulunga, abantu bakhe benziwa bavelele njengabahlukile ezweni. Ngenxa yokuthi laba bantu babonisa ukulunga kukaJehova, abantu abanhliziyo ziqotho badonselekela ebandleni lobuKristu. Kungokwemvelo ukukhangwa okuthile okuhlanzekile nokumsulwa. Ngokwesibonelo, umuntu othile ongaziwa wake weza emhlanganweni woFakazi BakaJehova eZurich, eSwitzerland, futhi wathi ufuna ukuba ilungu lebandla. Wachaza ukuthi udadewabo wayesusiwe ekuhlanganyeleni ngenxa yokuziphatha okubi wabe esenezela ngokuthi wayefuna ukuzihlanganisa nenhlangano “engakubekezeleli ukuziphatha okubi.” Ngisho ne-New Catholic Encyclopedia iyavuma ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova baziwa ‘njengelinye lamaqembu aziphatha kahle kakhulu emhlabeni.’
Nakuba ukulunga kuphakamisa, isono singaletha isihlamba egameni elihle lomuntu, ikakhulukazi uma ububi obungathi sína buba obaziwayo emphakathini. Ngezinye izikhathi ibandla lobuKristu kudingeka lithwale ihlazo lapho amalungu ngamanye enza isono esingathi sína. Kuyaqondakala ukuthi amalungu ebandla athembekile angalivikela igama elihle lebandla ngokubonisa ukuthi umenzi wobubi uye wayalwa ngendlela enesihe, okungukuthi, ngokuvumelana nezimiso ezingokomBhalo. Uma othile enza isono futhi engaphenduki, uyokhishwa ebandleni—asuswe ekuhlanganyeleni.—1 Korinte 5:9-13.
Isizathu Sokuba Abathile Basuswe Ekuhlanganyeleni
Nakuba unyaka ngamunye izinkulungwane ezithile zisuswa ekuhlanganyeleni nebandla lobuKristu, zingamaphesenti ambalwa nje kuphela oFakazi abacishe babe izigidi ezinhlanu emhlabeni. Kungani kufanele kuthathwe isinyathelo esinqala kanjalo ngokumelene nanoma ubani ebandleni lobuKristu? Uhlobo lobubi lungesinye sezici ezinqumayo. Kodwa isici esibaluleke kakhulu ukuthi umenzi wobubi uphenduka ngempela yini ebubini obungathi sína abenzile. Uma eye wathinteka ngempela enhliziyweni, waphendukela kuJehova ngomthandazo osuka enhliziyweni, ecela intethelelo ngesono asenze kuYe, futhi wafuna usizo lwamadoda anomthwalo wemfanelo ebandleni, angase asizwe ukuba aphinde azuze umusa kaNkulunkulu futhi aqhubeke eyingxenye yebandla.—IzAga 28:13; Jakobe 5:14, 15.
Lapho umntwana onobuhlobo obuhle, obunempilo noyise enze okuthile okuphatha kabi uyise, bobabili kufanele basheshe ukubuyisela lobo buhlobo obuyigugu. Ngokufanayo, lapho sinikezela ukuphila kwethu kuJehova, siba nobuhlobo obuyigugu kakhulu naye. Ngakho, uma senza okuthile okumphatha kabi, kufanele sithathe isinyathelo ngokushesha sifune ukubuyisela lobo buhlobo noBaba wethu waseZulwini.
Ngokujabulisayo, abanye ababesusiwe ekuhlanganyeleni baye bakhumbula umfanekiso wendodana esaphazayo. Lapho, uJehova ufaniswa noBaba onothando okulungele ukwamukela isoni esiphendukayo uma leso soni siguquka futhi sifuna intethelelo kaNkulunkulu. (Luka 15:11-24) Ukuphenduka okuqotho, okusuka enhliziyweni nokufulathela okubi kuye kwaba indlela yokubuyela emuseni kaJehova nasebandleni lobuKristu. Abanye abenzi bobubi abaphendukayo abaye bazizwa bechotshozwe umthwalo wesono sabo baye bashukumiseleka ukuba baphenduke futhi bathathe izinyathelo zokubuyela esimweni esinothando sebandla lobuKristu. Ngaleyo ndlela baye bawazisa amazwi kaJehova aku-Isaya 57:15.
Ukuze avimbele abantu ukuba babuyele ekukhathaleleni kothando kukaJehova, uSathane angathanda ukwenza sengathi akukho ukuthethelelwa ngezono ezenziwe. Kodwa umhlatshelo wesihlengo kaKristu Jesu wanele ukuba umboze izono zanoma ubani ophendukayo—yebo, ngisho nesono esizuzwe njengefa ‘salo lonke izwe.’ (1 Johane 2:1, 2) Okuwukuphela kwesono isihlengo esingasimbozi esokona umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, okunjengokuvukela ngamabomu ukusebenza komoya ongcwele, njengesono esingathi sína sikaJuda Iskariyothe nezababhali nabaFarisi abaningi.—Mathewu 12:24, 31, 32; 23:13, 33; Johane 17:12.
Ukusekela Ukulunga KukaJehova
Selokhu insali yama-Israyeli angokomoya yabuyiselwa emuseni kaJehova ngo-1919, iye yaqhubeka iphakama ngokwengeziwe ezweni eliyizungezile. Lokhu akubangelwa yinoma yibuphi ubuhle ngasohlangothini lwayo kodwa kubangelwa ukuzimisela kwayo ukuzithoba emithethweni nasezindinganisweni zikaJehova. Ngenxa yalokhu, izigidi ‘zezinye izimvu’ zikaKristu ziye zadonseleka ukuba zizihlanganise nalo-Israyeli ongokomoya njengabangane abathembekile. (Johane 10:16) Laba bantu baletha inkazimulo nodumo kuJehova ezweni elidediselwe kude nezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga. Kunjengoba nje umagazini waseNingizimu Afrika okuthiwa i-Personality wake waphawula: “OFakazi BakaJehova babonakala bechichima izimfanelo ezinhle futhi becishe bangabi nazo ezimbi.”
Ukuze kulondolozwe lesi simo esiphakeme ezweni elingamhloniphi uNkulunkulu, ilungu ngalinye lebandla lobuKristu kudingeka liphile ukuphila okuhlanzekile, okuqondile phambi kukaJehova. EBhayibhelini, inhlangano kaJehova yasezulwini ifanekiswa ngezinto ezihlanzekile. Ibonakala njengowesifazane omuhle ovunule ngelanga futhi enenyanga ngaphansi kwezinyawo zakhe. (IsAmbulo 12:1) IJerusalema Elisha lichazwe njengomuzi ongcwele, obukeka kahle. (IsAmbulo 21:2) Amalungu athembekile omlobokazi kaKristu anikwe ‘ilineni elikhanyayo, elihlanzekile, nelicolekileyo.’ (IsAmbulo 19:8) Labo besixuku esikhulu babonakala ‘begqoke izivatho ezimhlophe.’ (IsAmbulo 7:9) Abantu abathambekele ekulungeni iyabakhanga inhlangano ehlanzekile. Ngokuphambene, inhlangano kaSathane ayihlanzekile. Isimiso sakhe esingokwenkolo sivezwe njengesifebe, futhi labo abangaphandle komuzi ongcwele bachazwe njengabangcolile, abangahlanzekile.—IsAmbulo 17:1; 22:15.
Abalungileyo bathenjiswe ukuphila okumi phakade. Iqembu labantu abasekela ukulunga kukaJehova linethemba lokusinda ekupheleni kwalesi simiso sezinto. “Ongilalelayo uyakuhlala elondekile, agcineke, angabi-naluvalo ngokubi,” kuthembisa uNkulunkulu kuzAga 1:33.
Yeka indlela okuyojabulisa ngayo lapho uSolomoni Omkhulu, uKristu Jesu, ebusa phezu kwalowo mhlaba omusha ngokulunga, ngokwesaba uJehova! (2 Petru 3:13) Kuyoba njengokukhanya kwasekuseni ekuphumeni kwelanga, ukusa okucwathile. Bonke abakhe emhlabeni bayohlala ngokulondeka, kube njengokungathi ngamunye wabo uhlezi ngaphansi kwesihlahla sakhe somvini nesomkhiwane. Umphakathi wabantu olungile uyokwenza umhlaba ube muhle futhi ufeze indima yawo efanele endaweni yonke kuphumele ekudunyisweni okumi phakade kukaNkulunkulu wethu, uJehova.—Mika 4:3, 4; bheka no-Isaya 65:17-19, 25.
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 26]
Garo Nalbandian