Isahluko 8
Obani Abayosinda?
UKUSINDA ekubhujisweni kwezwe okuzayo ngeke kube ngenhlanhla, njengoba ngokuvamile kuba njalo ezimpini zabantu. Ngeke kuye ngokuthi umuntu uhlalaphi, noma ngokuphuthuma kwakhe ebalekela esikhoselweni sebhomu noma kwenye indawo yokuphepha ngokukhala kwenhlaba-mkhosi exwayisayo. Ukusinda kuyokuya ngomusa kaNkulunkulu kanye nokukhetha okwenziwa umuntu ngamunye ngaphambi kokuqala ‘kosizi olukhulu.’ Ungakwenza kanjani ukukhetha okuyokubeka phakathi kwabayosindela ukuphila emhlabeni oHlelweni Olusha lukaNkulunkulu olunokuthula, noluyipharadesi?—IsAmbulo 7:9, 10, 14, 15.
2 IBhayibheli alibikezeli nje kuphela ukuthi kuyoba khona abayosinda ekubhujisweni kwezwe okuzayo. Linikeza futhi nesibonelo sokusisiza ukuba sazi ukuthi bayoba luhlobo luni lwabantu. Njengoba uNkulunkulu ekwenza kube nokwenzeka ukusinda, ngokufanelekile nguyena obeka izimfuneko.
3 Ngokuhlakanipha nangokufanele uNkulunkulu uyoqiniseka ukuthi abayosinda bangabantu abayoba usizo oHlelweni Olusha, kungabi abayosebenzela ukululimaza. Uma evumela abantu ababi basinde, ngeke kube khona ukuthula nokulondeka kwabalungileyo. Amakhaya abo nokulondeka komuntu siqu kuyobe kusesengozini. Kodwa iBhayibheli liyathembisa: “Ababi bazakuchithwa, kepha abalindela uJehova bazakudla ifa lomhlaba.” Kuphela kungokusebenzisa kukaNkulunkulu leyondinganiso, njengoba ihlelwe kumaHubo 37:9-11, lapho abayosinda beyokwazi khona ‘ukuthokoza ngokuthula okukhulu.’ Indlela uNkulunkulu ayokwenza ngayo lokhu ibonakala ezimweni ezidlule lapho ububi babantu buphoqelela uNkulunkulu ukuba alethe imbubhiso.
Izibonelo Ezidlule Zokusinda
4 Edolobheni laseRoma namuhla kusekhona ikhothamo lekhulu lokuqala lesiKhathi Esivamile, iKhothamo likaThithu. Kulona kufanekiswe ukuthathwa kwempahla ethempelini laseJerusalema ngemva kwembubhiso ka-70 C.E. Ngakho leyombubhiso iyiqiniso elingokomlando. Okungokomlando ngokufanayo iqiniso lokuthi emashumini amaningi eminyaka ngaphambi kwaleyombubhiso uJesu Kristu wayebikezele kokubili ukuza kwayo nendlela abantu ababengasinda ngayo.
5 Abantu abangamaJuda babemfulathele uNkulunkulu balandela abantu nezimfundiso zenkolo ezenziwe ngabantu. (Mathewu 15:3-9) Bathembela kubabusi bezombangazwe abangabantu kunaseMbusweni kaNkulunkulu othenjisiwe. (Johane 19:15) Baze bafinyelela nasekubeni benqabe futhi balwe neqiniso elalimenyezelwa yiNdodana kaNkulunkulu nabaphostoli bayo. UJesu waxwayisa ngemiphumela inkambo enjalo eyayiyoyiletha.—Mathewu 23:37, 38; 24:1, 2.
6 Imiphumela yayinjengoba nje yayibikezelwe. Ngonyaka ka-66 C.E., amaJuda avukela iRoma. Ukuhlaselwa kokuqala kweJerusalema ngamaRoma kwalandelwa ukuhlehla kwawo okwakungalindelekile. Lokhu kwakuwuphawu nethuba ngalabo ababekholelwa kuJesu ukuba benze ayekushilo: Balekani—phumani emzini obhujiswayo nakuso sonke isifundazwe saseJudiya, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kusalani ngemuva. Abafundi boqobo bakaJesu benza lokho kanye. Khona-ke, ngonyaka ka-70 C.E., amaRoma abuya, futhi ngemva kokulivimbezela, alibhubhisa iJerusalema nalabo abangalalelanga. Ufakazi wokuzibonela, isazi-mlando esingumJuda uJosephus, uthi abantu abayi-1 100 000 eJerusalema babulawa yindlala, izifo, ukulwa kwezakhamuzi, noma inkemba yamaRoma. Kodwa amaKristu athatha isinyathelo esiqondile asinda.—Luka 19:28, 41-44; 21:20-24; Mathewu 24:15-18.
7 Isimo esifanayo sasikade sikhona cishe emakhulwini eminyaka ayisikhombisa ngaphambili lapho uNkulunkulu evumela amabutho aseBabiloni ngaphansi kweNkosi uNebukadinesari (II) ukuba achithe isizwe sakwaIsrayeli. Leyombubhiso, nayo ingumlando obhaliwe. Eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambili, uNkulunkulu ngabaprofethi bakhe wayexwayise abantu abahlubukayo ukuthi inkambo yabo yayiholela enhlekeleleni. “Buyani, buyani ezindleleni zenu ezimbi; niyakufelani?” uNkulunkulu ebanxusa. (Hezekeli 33:11) Abaningi abazange babe nokholo kulesosixwayiso, ngisho nalapho amabutho aseBabiloni evimbezela iJerusalema, lawomaIsrayeli ayesalokhu enethemba lokuthi akukho mbubhiso eyayizofika. Kodwa yafika njengoba nje kwakubikezelwe. Nokho uNkulunkulu waqiniseka ukuthi labo ababebonise ukholo lwabo ngokulalela bayalondolozwa.—Jeremiya 39:15-18; Zefaniya 2:2, 3.
8 Emuva kakhulu emlandweni wesintu sithola ukubonakaliswa kokuqala kwesibonelo saphezulu sokusinda. Akuhilelanga nje kuphela ukubhujiswa kwesizwe kodwa okomhlaba. Nalokho futhi kuyiqiniso elingokomlando, kuhilela uZamcolo wembulunga yonke phakathi neminyaka 2370/2369 B.C.E., ezinsukwini zikaNowa. Mayelana nezimo ezazikhona ngaphambi kwalokho kubhujiswa komhlaba, iBhayibheli lithi: “Kepha uJehova wabona ukuthi ububi bomuntu bukhulu emhlabeni nokuthi zonke izizindlo zemicabango yenhliziyo yakhe zimbi njalo. Umhlaba wawonakele ebusweni bukaJehova; umhlaba wagcwala ubudlwangudlwangu.”—Genesise 6:5, 11.
9 Ububi nobudlova baphoqelela uNkulunkulu ukuba athathe isinyathelo. UNowa nomkhaya wakhe kuphela ababonisa ukholo nokulalela. Ngenxa yokubazwela, nokuba alondoloze ukwahlulela ngokulunga nokulunga emhlabeni, uJehova uNkulunkulu ‘akaliyekanga izwe lamandulo . . . elingamesabi uNkulunkulu.’ Umphumela waba ukuthi “izwe elalikhona labhubha ngokukhukhula kwamanzi.”—2 Petru 2:5; 3:5-7.
10 Nokho uNowa nomkhaya wakhe basinda. Ngani? Okokuqala, abazange bahambisane nalelozwe “elingamesabi uNkulunkulu” ekungalungini kwalo. Abazange bazivumele ukuba balitshaziswe yizinto ezivamile zokuphila, ukudla, ukuphuza, nokuganana, kangangokuba babe buthuntu mayelana nentando kaNkulunkulu noma bangasizwa isixwayiso sakhe. UNowa “wayehamba noNkulunkulu” ngokulunga. Lokhu kwakungasho ukuthi yena nomkhaya wakhe babemane bagwema okulimazayo. Kunalokho, bathatha isinyathelo esiqondile sokwenza okulungileyo. Babekukholelwa ngempela okwashiwo uNkulunkulu, futhi bakubonisa ngokwakha umkhumbi omkhulu oyizitezi ezintathu owawungaphezu kwamamitha ayi-122 (amafidi angama-400) ubude. Futhi uNowa wathatha isinyathelo esiqondile ngokuba “umshumayeli wokulunga,” etshela abanye ngezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu, ekhuthaza indlela yokulunga.—Genesise 6:9, 13-16; Mathewu 24:37-39; Heberu 11:7.
11 Labantu abayisishiyagalombili basinda ngenxa yokholo lwabo nemisebenzi yabo eyayisuka okholweni. UJesu nabaphostoli bakhe babhekisela kulokho kubhujiswa kwezwe njengokuyisiprofetho salokho okubhekene nabantu ‘kulesikhathi sokuphela.’ Ngakho-ke kusobala ukuthi nathi kumelwe sizehlukanise nezwe eliphikelele ekubhujisweni, njengoba nje kwenza uNowa nomkhaya wakhe. Nathi kumelwe siphile ngokuvumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu. Asinakumane nje siqondiswe izindinganiso zethu siqu kodwa silindele ukusinda. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Kukhona indlela eqondile phambi komuntu, kepha ukuphela kwayo kuyizindlela zokufa.” (IzAga 16:25) Akunakwenzeka futhi ukuba noma yikuphi ukubonakala kwangaphandle kokuzenza olungileyo kulethe ukusinda. Ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu ubona okusenhliziyweni.—IzAga 24:12; Luka 16:15.
Lokho UJehova Akufunayo Ezinhliziyweni Zabantu
12 Abaningi abajabuli ngezimo zanamuhla, futhi bakubonisa ngokukhononda, ukubhikisha, futhi kwamanye amazwe ngokuvukela kobudlova. Abaningi bamelene nezintela eziphakeme nezindleko ezikhuphukayo zokuphila. Bayakhala ngengozi yobugebengu. Ukwesaba kubenza bafune ushintsho. Kodwa, ingabe lokhu kwanele ekuqinisekiseni ukusindela kwabo oHlelweni Olusha lukaNkulunkulu? Cha, akwanele. Ngani?
13 Ngoba umuntu angase angathokozi ngalezizimo kodwa abe nobugovu. Angase aze avumelane nezinhlobo ezithile zokungathembeki nokuziphatha okubi—uma nje yena ngokwakhe zingamlimazi. Nokho, abantu abanezinhliziyo eziqotho babheka izinto ngokuhlukile. Lapho betadisha iBhayibheli bayabona ukuthi izimo ezimbi zimane ziwubufakazi obubonakalayo bokugula kwangempela kwezwe. Bayabona ukuthi okubangela lezimpawu ukuntuleka kokukhathalela ngokwazi nangokwenza intando kaJehova nokuphila ngezindinganiso zakhe zokulunga. Ngakho-ke, okubangela usizi kakhulu akukhona ukungaphathwa kahle ngokwezenhlalo, ubugebengu, ukungcola, noma ukusongela kwempi. Kunalokho, abantu abanjalo abaqotho balusizi ikakhulukazi ngokubona igama likaNkulunkulu lihlanjalazwa inkambo yesintu eyonakele. Futhi balusizi ngokuthi abanye, hhayi nje bona kuphela, bahlupheka kakhulu ngenxa yalokho.
14 Ukuze sisinde ekubhujisweni kwezwe okuzayo, kumelwe sibe njengalabo abasindiswa lapho iBabiloni libhubhisa iJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E., abantu abachazwa ngokuthi “babubula bekhala ngazo zonke izinengiso” ezazenziwa kulowomuzi. (Hezekeli 9:4) Izimo ‘zazinyanyeka’ ngezindlela eziningi. Ngokwesibonelo, abampofu babecindezelwa, abanye benziwa izigqila ngokungemthetho ngabanye abantu bakubo. (Jeremiya 34:13-16) Isimo sokuziphatha sombuso wakwaJuda sase sonakele ngisho nangaphezu kwesombuso wasenyakatho wakwaIsrayeli, lowo ngaphambili owawuchazwe ngumprofethi uHoseya ngokuthi: “Kukhona ukufunga nokuqamba amanga, nokubulala, nokweba . . . izingazi zilandele izingazi.” (Hoseya 4:2; Hezekeli 16:2, 51)) Kuphela yilabo ababezizwa belusizi enhliziyweni ngenxa yokungalungi okunjalo nokungahloniphi okwakubonisa ngoNkulunkulu ‘abaphawulelwa ukusinda.’—Hezekeli 9:3-6.
15 Nakuba abaningi namuhla bengathanda ukujabulela ukuphila emhlabeni phakade ngokuthula, ukuchuma, nokunethezeka, abafuni ukwenza izinguquko endleleni yabo yokuphila lezo ezingalethwa ukufunda nokulandela isibonelo seBhayibheli sokuphila okulungileyo. Ngaphakathi kubo, abanalo ngempela uthando lokulungileyo noma lokukhathalela okuqotho ngabanye abantu. Njengoba uHlelo Olusha lukaNkulunkulu luyoveza umphakathi omusha “okukhona kuwo ukulunga,” izindaba ezinhle ngalo zithakazelisa kuphela kulabo abathanda ukulunga. Abanye banomuzwa wokuthi ziyabalahla.—2 Petru 3:13; 2 Korinte 2:14-17.
Lokho Ongakwenza Manje
16 UJehova uyolondoloza labo kuphela abafuna ngobuqotho ukuphila ngaphansi kokubusa kwakhe okulungileyo. Ngeke aphoqelele muntu ukuba ngalesosikhathi aphile ngaphansi kwezimo yena ngokwakhe angazifuni. Ngakho-ke, labo abayolondolozwa kuyofuneka babonise ukukwamukela kweqiniso ukubusa kwakhe kwaphezulu manje. Baba ‘ngabaphawulelwe’ ukusinda ngokwembatha ‘ubuntu obusha’ bobuKristu, futhi bavumelanise ukuphila kwabo nezindlela zikaNkulunkulu futhi banikeze ubufakazi bokuthi bangabafundi beNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Ngalokho ‘bakhetha ukuphila’ nezibusiso, hhayi ukufa. (Kolose 3:5-10; Duteronomi 30:15, 16, 19) Yikuphi oyokukhetha?
17 Ukukhetha kwakho kuhilela ukuzithoba kuNkulunkulu ngokumkhulekela. UJesu wathi: “Isikhathi siyeza, sesikhona namanje, lapho abakhulekayo abaqinisileyo beyakukhuleka kuBaba ngomoya nangeqiniso; ngokuba uBaba ufuna abakhuleka kuye abanjalo.” (Johane 4:23) Ngakho-ke ukusinda ekubhujisweni kwezwe okuzayo kudinga ukuba umuntu alahle konke ukukhulekela kwamanga futhi ahlanganyele ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso. Futhi, abayosinda ngeke batholakale phakathi kwalabo abathembela eZizweni Ezihlangene noma kwezinye izinhlangano zezombangazwe, ngoba lezi ziyingxenye yezwe eliyobhujiswa.—IsAmbulo 17:11; 18:17-21.
18 Kunezibusiso ezingapheli ezilindele labo abathatha inkambo eholela ekusindeni. Manje cabangela ezinye zezinto ezinhle uNkulunkulu azithembisa labo abakholelwa eZwini lakhe futhi babonise lolokholo ngesinyathelo esiqondile.
[Imibuzo Yesifundo]
1. (a) Ukusindela komuntu oHlelweni Olusha lukaNkulunkulu olunokuthula kuyokuya ngani? (b) IsAmbulo isahluko 7 sibachaza kanjani labo abayosindela ukuphila emhlabeni oyipharadesi?
2. Ubani obeka izimfuneko zokusinda, futhi zitholakalaphi?
3. Ukuze kube nokuthula nokulondeka, kungani kudingekile ngababi ukuba bachithwe?
4-6. (a) Yini efakazela ukuthi ukubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-70 C.E. kuyiqiniso elingokomlando? (b) Kungani leyombubhiso yafika? (c) Yini eyenza kwaba nokwenzeka ngabafundi bakaJesu ukuba basinde?
7. Yini abantu okwakudingeka bayenze ukuze basinde ngesikhathi iBabiloni lichitha isizwe sakwaIsrayeli?
8-10. (a) Kungani uJehova aletha imbubhiso yezwe ezinsukwini zikaNowa? (b) Kungani uNowa nomkhaya wakhe basindiswa?
11. Njengoba kuboniswe yilezibonelo ezixwayisayo, yini okumelwe siyenze uma sifuna ukusinda ekubhujisweni kwezwe okuzayo?
12, 13. (a) Yiziphi izimo ezibangela abantu abaningi bafune ushintsho? (b) Kungani lokhu kunganele ekuqinisekiseni ukusindela kwabo oHlelweni Olusha lukaNkulunkulu? (c) Ukuze sibe kwabayosinda, ukuba lusizi kwethu ngezimo ezimbi ezikhona kumelwe kushukunyiswe yini?
14. Obani ‘ababephawulelwe’ ukusinda ngesikhathi sokubhujiswa kweJerusalema yiBabiloni?
15. Yini ebamba abanye abantu ekubeni benze ushintsho oludingekile ukuze basinde ekubhujisweni kwezwe okuzayo?
16-18. (a) Umuntu uba kanjani ‘ophawulelwe’ ukusinda? (b) Yisiphi isinyathelo okumelwe asithathe, ngokuqondene nokukhulekela kwamanga, bese kuba ngokuqondene nokukhulekela kweqiniso? (c) Kumelwe azibheke kanjani izinhlangano zezombangazwe ezinjenge-UN?
[Isithombe ekhasini 87]
“Isixuku esikhulu” siyosinda ekubhujisweni kwezwe ukuze siphile emhlabeni oHlelweni Olusha lukaNkulunkulu