Ukuhlakulela Ubungane Obuhle Kakhulu Ezulwini Nasemhlabeni
“Kepha wena-Israyeli nceku yami, wena-Jakobe engikukhethileyo, nzalo ka-Abrahama othandiweyo wami.”—ISAYA 41:8.
1. Yini ebangela ukuba ubungane boqobo bungahluleki?
YEKA ukuthi uyigugu kanjani umngane weqiniso! Kodwa siyini isisekelo sokuba nomngane woqobo? Yini eyisisekelo sobungane obuhlala njalo? Kungokuthile okungahluleki, okwenza umngane weqiniso angahluleki. Kuyini? Phela, kuyimfanelo eyashiwo umphostoli uPawulu lapho ethi, “Uthando alusoze lwaphela”!—1 Korinte 13:8.
2. Isenzo okususelwa kuso igama lesiGreki elithi “umngane” linayiphi incazelo ebalulekile?
2 EmiBhalweni yesiHeberu, ibizo elithi “uthando” lisuselwa esenzweni esisho “ukuthanda.” (Duteronomi 6:4, 5 qhathanisa noMathewu 22:37.) Futhi kuSeptuagint Version yesiGreki, isenzo esihunyushwe ngokuthi “kufanele uthande” embhalweni wesiHeberu singu-a·ga·panʹ. Nokho, kuleyonguqulo yakudala nasemiBhalweni yamaKristu yesiGreki ibizo elihunyushwe ngokuthi “umngane” alisekelwe kulesosenzo kodwa liyibizo lesiGreki uphiʹlos, elisuselwa esenzweni esisho “ukuthanda.” Ngakho, ngokwesiGreki sakuqala, uthando luboniswa kumngane noma phakathi kwabangane. Ngisho nangolimi lwesiNgisi igama elithi “umngane” lisuselwa esenzweni sesiNgisi sakudala esisho “ukuthanda.”
3. Uma kuqhathaniswa nothando lukaNkulunkulu ngesintu, abafundi bakaJesu babehlanganiswe yiluphi uhlobo lothando naye?
3 Isenzo sesiGreki okususelwa kuso igama elithi “umngane” khona-ke sibonisa umuzwa ofudumele nowothando kunothando oluboniswa yisenzo u-a·ga·panʹ, ovela embhalweni wesiGreki kuJohane 3:16, lapho uJesu ecashunwa ethi: “Ngokuba uNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangaka, waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi, kodwa abe-nokuphila okuphakade.” Kanjalo uthando (ngesiGreki, a·gaʹpe) ngasohlangothini lukaJehova uNkulunkululu lubanzi ngokwanele ukuba lungahlanganisa sonke isintu kungakhathaliseki ukuba nesono kwabantu. Kodwa iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa yatshela abaphostoli bayo abathembekile abayi-11 ukuthi babehlanganiswe nayo ngohlobo lothando olufudumele, nolukhulu ngokwengeziwe.
Uhlobo Lobungane Obuyigugu
4. Abafundi bakaJesu babeyoqhubeka ‘bengabahlobo’ bakhe ngokwenzani, futhi lokhu kwakuyobafaka kuluphi uthando?
4 UJesu watshela labobaphostoli ukuthi babeyoqhubeka ‘bengabahlobo’ [abangane] bakhe uma beqhubeka benza izinto ayebayale ukuba bazenze. Okubonisa ukuthi lokhu kwakuyohlanganisa uthando olukhethekile oluwumphumela wokwethembana, wathi: “Angisasho ukuthi niyizinceku, ngokuba inceku ayikwazi ukuthi inkosi yayo yenzani, kepha ngithé ningabahlobo nina, ngokuba konke engikuzwile kuBaba nginazisile khona.” (Johane 15:14, 15) Lapho esho lokho, uJesu wasebenzisa igama elithi phiʹlos komunye nomunye walabo baphostoli.
5. Ubungane okubhekiselwe kubo kuzAga 18:24 busekelwephi, futhi buqine kangakanani ubuhlobo obunjalo?
5 NgokwezAga 18:24, indoda ehlakaniphile ephefumlelwe yathi: “Umuntu wabangane uyazilimaza, kepha kukhona abangane ababambelela kuneselamani.” Ubungane obunjalo abusekelwe ebuhlotsheni benyama; busekelwe ekwaziseni ukubaluleka kweqiniso kwalowo ongumngane. Yebo, izihlobo zenyama zingahlukana ngenxa yezizathu eziningana zobugovu, kodwa umngane woqobo uyoqina futhi uyonamathela ebuhlotsheni bakhe kungakhathaliseki uvivinyo noma izimo ezinzima, noma izimo ezibuhlungu ezingase ziphakame.
6. Sikhunjuzwa ngobungane bukabani obuqinile, futhi kamuva uDavide wabubuyisela kanjani lobobungane?
6 Lapha singase sicabange ngoJonathani, indodana yeNkosi elahliwe uSawule, nangoDavide, lowo uJehova uNkulunkulu amkhetha futhi wamgcoba ukuba abe yinkosi yakwaIsrayeli. Ubungane babo baqhubeka kwaze kwaba sekufeni kukaJonathani enkundleni yempi. Lapho ezwa izindaba ezidabukisayo, uDavide walila njengoba kulotshwe kowesi-2 Samuweli 1:17-27. Ebonisa ukuthi ubuhlobo bakhe noJonathani babungobothando olujule kangakanani, uDavide wathi: “Ngidabukile ngawe-mfowethu Jonathani; wawumnandi kakhulu kimi; lwaluyisimangaliso kimi uthando lwakho, ludlula uthando lwabesifazane.” Ubungane obufana nalobo babungeke bukhohlakale futhi bungeke bungabuyiselwa. Babangela ukuba iNkosi uDavide ibonise umusa kuMefibosheti, indodana eyasinda kaJonathani.—2 Samuweli 9:1-10.
7. (a) Ingabe ubungane obunjengobukaDavide noJonathani abusekho, ikakhulu kulesikhathi ‘sesiphelo salelizwe’? (b) Yikuphi ukubonakaliswa kothando ubungane obunjalo obumfaka kubo umuntu, njengoba uJesu achaza kubaphostoli bakhe abathembekile?
7 Lolohlobo lobungane obuyigugu alukapheli emhlabeni. Namuhla, ‘esiphelweni salelizwe’ lapho ‘kuye kwaphola uthando lwabaningi,’ ukufudumala kobungane obunjalo bothando kuzwakala ngamandla phakathi kofakazi bakaJehova uNkulunkulu abazinikezele babhapathizwa abanikeza ubufakazi boMbuso bomhlaba wonke obabikezelwa uJesu. (Mathewu 24:3-14) Abangane bathambekele ekwembuleni izinto komunye ngenxa yokwethembana. Khumbula ukuthi lapho exoxa ebusuku nabaphostoli abayi-11 ababenaye, uJesu wathi: “Kepha ngithé ningabahlobo [abangane] nina, ngokuba konke engikuzwile kuBaba nginazisile khona.” (Johane 15:14, 15) Yebo, izinto ezingokomoya zeZwi likaNkulunkulu okumelwe zigcwaliseke noma zisetshenziswe zaziyokwembulwa ‘kubahlobo’ beqiniso abazelwe ngomoya beNkosi, uJesu Kristu kuqala. Khona-ke ‘labahlobo’ babeyoba nelungelo nomthwalo wemfanelo wokwembula lezozinto ezaziyimfihlo kuze kube yilesosikhathi kulabo abafuna ukungena ebuhlotsheni bobungane noJehova uNkulunkulu, okuvela kuye lezozinto eziyimfihlo.
8. UJehova ubuhlanganyela nobani ubungane, futhi uJesu wabhekisela kanjani esivumelwaneni esihilela ubungane obunjalo?
8 Yileyondlela uJehova aye waqhuba ngayo nabakhulekeli bakhe abazelwe ngomoya abafakwe esivumelwaneni sakhe esisha ngoMlamuleli, uJesu Kristu. Lapho emisa iSidlo seNkosi Sakusihlwa, uJesu wathi: “Lesisitsha siyisivumelwano esisha egazini lami elithululelwa nina.” (Luka 22:20) Lokhu kwakuvumelana namaHubo 25:14, athi: “Ubuhlobo [ubungane] bukaJehova bukubo abamesabayo; uyakubazisa isivumelwano sakhe.” Yeka ulwazi oluningi ngokweqile olunikezwa labo abenza ubuhlobo bobungane noJehova uNkulunkulu noMlamuleli wakhe, uJesu Kristu!
Labo UJehova Abenza Abangane Bakhe
9. Ingabe kuwukugabadela ngathi ukucabanga ukuthi uJehova uyokwenza izidalwa ezingabantu abangane bakhe, futhi imiphi imibhalo yeBhayibheli esingayinikeza ukuze sifakazele impendulo yethu?
9 Oh, kodwa ingabe ngempela singamenza uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke uMninimandla onke uMngane wethu? Ingabe ngempela uye wazithoba kwaze kwaba sezingeni lokuba abe uMngane wethu? Akukhona ukugabadela ukucabanga kanjalo. Encwadini eyabhalelwa amaIsrayeli angokomoya ngaphambi kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-70 C.E., uJakobe wabhala: “Kwagcwaliseka umbhalo othi: Kepha uAbrahama wakholwa nguNkulunkulu, kwabalelwa kuye ukuthi kungukulunga, wabizwa ngokuthi umhlobo kaNkulunkulu.” (Jakobe 1:1; 2:23; Genesise 15:6; Galathiya 6:16) Komunye “umbhalo” wesiHeberu uJakobe abhekisela kuwo sifunda lesicelo esenziwa kuNkulunkulu yiNkosi uJehoshafati lapho ukulondeka kweJerusalema kusongelwa ngokuhlaselwa okukhulu: “Awuxoshanga yini, Nkulunkulu wethu, abakhileyo kulelizwe phambi kwabantu bakho uIsrayeli, wanika lona inzalo ka-Abrahama umngane wakho [“isithandwa sakho,” New World Translation], kuze kube-phakade, na?” (2 IziKronike 20:7) Lapha singaphawula ukuthi igama eliyisisekelo lesiHeberu elihunyushwe ngokuthi “umngane” lisho “isithandwa.” Ngokungenakuphikwa, uAbrahama wayemthanda uJehova uNkulunkulu owamkhipha eUri lamaKaledi wamletha eZweni leSithembiso. Njengesithandwa esinjalo, uAbrahama wayengumuntu uJehova ayengamenza umngane wakhe, noma amfake ebuhlotsheni baKhe.
10. KuIsaya 41:8, ubani owazikhulumela ngalendaba yobungane, futhi kungezisekelo zasiphi isimo ngakuJehova uAbrahama anikwa isikhundla esikhethekile noNkulunkulu?
10 Nokho, kuIsaya 41:8 uJehova wazikhulumela ngokwakhe washo lamazwi akhuthazayo ezizukulwaneni zika-Abrahama njengesizwe: “Kepha wena-Israyeli, nceku yami, wena-Jakobe engikukhethileyo, nzalo ka-Abrahama othandiweyo wami.” UNkulunkulu oPhezukonke wabazisa lobungane noAbrahama ngokumenza abe ukhokho odumile kaJesu Kristu, uMsindisi waso sonke isintu, kuhlanganise noAbrahama ngokwakhe. Lomzukulu ka-Abrahama wayengaphezu kokuba umngane kaJehova uNkulunkulu, ngoba uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu ethandiweyo.—Johane 3:16.
11. Kungani ubungane noJehova kumelwe buvivinywe?
11 Kukho konke lokhu, singafinyelela kusiphi isiphetho? Kwesokuthi kungenzeka ngezidalwa ezingabantu lapha ‘esenabelweni’ sezinyawo zikaJehova ukuba zibe abangane bakhe. (Isaya 66:1) Kuyiqiniso, ubungane bethu obuyigugu naye kulelizwe elidala buyovivinywa, ngoba uSathane uDeveli, “unkulunkulu walelizwe,” uyozama ukubuqeda.—2 Korinte 4:4.
12. NjengoJobe wasezweni laseUzi, yini okumelwe sizimisele ukuyenza ngobungane bethu noPhezukonke?
12 Cabangela indaba yaleyondoda evelele yezikhathi zasendulo okuthiwa uJobe, leyo umfundi ongumKristu uJakobe athi ngayo: “Bhekani, babusisiwe abakhuthazelayo; nizwile ngokukhuthazela kukaJobe, nibonile impetho yeNkosi ukuthi iNkosi inesihe esikhulu nesihawu.” (Jakobe 5:11) UJobe wayengeyena umuntu oyinganekwane kodwa wayengokoqobo ehlala ezweni laseUzi. UDeveli wangabaza imfanelo ehlala njalo yobungane bukaJobe noNkulunkulu, futhi uJehova wavumela uSathane ukuba alinge uJobe kanzima. Ngezinhlekelele ezibuhlungu aziletha phezu kukaJobe, uSathane wazama ukumenza alahle uJehova. Kodwa uJobe wenqaba ukusekela uDeveli ngokulahla uNkulunkulu, okwakuyophumela ekufeni kukaJobe esohlangothini lukaSathane lwempikiswano yobukhosi bendawo yonke. Ngokuphambene nalokho, uJobe wabonakalisa uSathane uDeveli njengomqambimanga. Lapho esemhlabeni, uJesu Kristu wafakazela into efanayo. Kodwa kuthiwani ngathi namuhla? Labo abazisa ubungane noJehova bazimisele ukusekela uhlangothi lwakhe lwempikiswano ethinta indawo yonke. Futhi bayokwenza kanjalo kuze kube yilapho uSathane namademoni akhe ekugcineni befakwa kwalasha futhi bavalwe imilomo ngaphambi kokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane kukaJesu Kristu.—IsAmbulo 20:1-4.
13. Ubungane noJehova uNkulunkulu neNdodana ezelwe yodwa buphakeme kangakanani, futhi iyiphi indlela okumelwe siyiphishekele ukuze singabhekwa ‘njengeziphingi’ ngokomfanekiso?
13 Abukho ubungane obukhona obudlula ubungane noNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, uJehova. Ubungane neNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa bungobesibili. Ubuhlobo bobungane obunjalo nabo busho ukuphila okuphakade enjabulweni engenamingcele ngathi. Bakufuna ngokufanele ukuzinikela okuphelele kithi. Ngeke sizihlanganise nalelizwe elidala elilahliwe futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo sihlakulele ubungane babo. Ngomqondo ongokomoya, asifuni akubhekwa njengeziphingi, ngokukaJakobe 4:4, obeka indaba ngokusobala athi: “Ziphingi, anazi yini ukuthi ukuthanda izwe kungubutha kuNkulunkulu na? Ngakho lowo othanda ukuba-ngumhlobo wezwe, umi eyisitha sikaNkulunkulu.” Lawomazwi ayeqondiswe kumaIsrayeli angokomoya ekhulu lokuqala C.E., kodwa futhi ayasebenza koFakazi BakaJehova abaphila kulelizwe lekhulu lama-20, noma isimiso sezinto.
Gwema Ubungane Obuphelayo
14. Ngokuqondene nobungane, oFakazi BakaJehova bakugwema kanjani ukuba nokuhlangenwe nakho okwabikezelwa kuZakariya 13:4-6?
14 Ngenxa yokungazenzi abangane balelizwe elidala elonakele, elinobudlova, oFakazi BakaJehova bamelelwa kabi, baphathwa kabi, futhi bashushiswe. Kwakungokufanayo nangofakazi omkhulu kaJehova owake waba semhlabeni, uJesu Kristu, futhi abangcono kunaye. (IsAmbulo 1:5; 3:14) Ngenxa yokuthi ngokwethembeka bafanelanisa ukucabanga kwabo neZwi loMngane wabo omuhle kakhulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu, baye basindiswa kokuhlangenwe nakho okuchazwe ngokwesiprofetho kuZakariya 13:4-6, lapho kubhalwe ukuthi: “Kuyakuthi ngalolosuku abaprofethi babe-namahloni, kube-yilowo nalowo ngombono wakhe ekuprofetheni kwakhe, bangembathi ingubo yoboya ukuyokhohlisa; kepha uyakuthi: Angisiye umprofethi, ngingumlimi womhlabathi, ngokuba umuntu wangithenga ebusheni bami. Uma sekuthiwa kuye: Iyini leyomivimbo esezandleni zakho na? uyakuthi: Engashaywa ngayo endlini yabathandiweyo [abangane, KJ] bami.”
15. Kungani abefundisi beLobukholwa begqoka imijiva ekhethekile emiphakathini, futhi baye babenza nobani ubungane bobugovu?
15 Sekungamakhulu eminyaka manje, abefundisi beLobukholwa beye bagqoka ‘izingubo zoboya’ ngenjongo yokudonsela ukunakekela eziqwini zabo zenkolo nangenjongo yokuzidumisa yokuzehlukanisa emalungwini amabandla abo abawabiza ngokuthi “abantu abavamile.” Lokhu labefundisi bayakwenza, nakuba kungekho nobuncane ubufakazi obubonisa ukuthi uJesu Kristu nabaphostoli bakhe nabavangeli abathuma babembatha imijiva ukuze badonsele ukunakekela eziqwini zabo nasekuzikhuliseni. Manje singene shí ‘esiphelweni sezwe’ esaqala ekupheleni ‘kwezikhathi ezimisiwe zabezizwe,’ noma ‘eZikhathini Zabezizwe,’ ngonyaka ka-1914. (Mathewu 24:3; Luka 21:24) Sekuyisikhathi eside abefundisi bezama ukuba abangane abangcono bezentengiselwano, ezempi, kanye nabezombangazwe balelizwe. Lokhu baye bakwenzela izinzuzo zabo zobugovu futhi ngaphandle kwanoma yikuphi ukuthinteka kukanembeza. Kodwa ubungane babo bobugovu baloluhlobo bungobesikhashana!
16. (a) Ngokwesiprofetho seBhayibheli, yini “abangane” bezwe ngokushesha abazoyenza esigabeni sabefundisi? (b) Nakuba besesikhundleni esisha, ikuphi okuhlangenwe nakho kokugcina abefundisi abangeke bakubalekele?
16 Abefundisi nabantu babo ngokufanayo bazithola besesikhathini esingokwesayensi. Ubuhlobo nezwe busebunzimeni obukhulu ngaphansi kokucindezela kwalezikhathi. Abefundisi, naphezu kwesikhundla sabo sokuzisholo kuNkulunkulu wasezulwini, abazange bathole musa kuye ngenxa yokuhleleka kwezinto ngokwezentengiselwano, ezempi nezombangazwe futhi abasizi ngalutho esimweni sezwe esiqhubeka siba sibi. Ngokushesha, ‘abangane’ babo bezwe bazokwenziwa babone ukuthi abefundisi abalona usizo, yebo, bawumthwalo kubo, banamanga ekuprofetheni kwabo ngezikhathi ezingcono ngezinto ezibonakalayo ngaphandle kosizo loMbuso kaJehova ngoKristu. Ngempela, labo ‘bangane’ bezwe ekugcineni bayoshukunyiselwa ukuba baveze ukulahlekelwa kwabo yithemba, ukunengwa kwabo, yebo, inzondo yabo. Bayobhubhisa abefundisi ngobudlova noma okungenani babaphuce imijiva yabo yeziqu futhi babehlisele esimweni esiphansi, esivamile, njengoba kuchazwe kuZakariya 13:4-6. Kodwa lolushintsho lwesikhundla ngeke lubasindise ekubhujisweni kanye neBabiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, njengoba kubikezelwe kusAmbulo, izahluko 17 no-18. ‘Abangane’ bezwe babefundisi bayobadumaza ngokuphelele.
17. Yibuphi ubungane okufanele buhlakulelwe, futhi isikhathi esingakanani?
17 Ngenxa yakho konke lokhu, yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukugwema ubungane bobugovu bohlobo olungalungile! Kodwa yeka ukuthi bumelwe bube yigugu kangakanani kithi ubungane obuhle kakhulu endaweni yonke! Bukufanelekele ukuba sibuhlakulele phakade.
Iyini Imibono Yakho?
◻ Abafundi bakaJesu bayoqhubeka bengabangane bakhe kuphela ngokwenzani?
◻ Sazi kanjani ukuthi abantu bangajabulela ubungane noJehova, futhi obani abavumela ukuba babe abangane naye?
◻ Kungani ubungane noNkulunkulu kumelwe buvivinywe?
◻ Maqondana nobungane, oFakazi BakaJehova bakugwema kanjani okuhlangenwe nakho okwabikezelwa kuZakariya 13:4-6?
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
UDavide noJonathani bajabulela ubungane obuyigugu, obufudumele. Nawe ungabujabulela
[Isithombe ekhasini 11]
UAbrahama ‘wayengumhlobo kaJehova.’ Ingabe nawe unguye?