Khumbula UMdali Wakho!
“Khumbula uMdali wakho . . . zingakafiki izinsuku ezimbi.”—UMSHUMAYELI 12:1.
1. Intsha ezinikezele kuNkulunkulu kufanele ifune ukubusebenzisa kanjani ubusha namandla ayo?
UJEHOVA unikeza izinceku zakhe amandla okwenza intando yakhe. (Isaya 40:28-31) Lokhu kunjalo kungakhathaliseki ubudala bazo. Kodwa intsha ezinikezele kuNkulunkulu kufanele ifune ngokukhethekile ukusebenzisa ubusha namandla ayo ngokuhlakanipha. Ngakho-ke, iyasilalela iseluleko ‘soMshumayeli,’ inkosi yakwa-Israyeli wasendulo uSolomoni. Yanxusa: “Futhi khumbula uMdali wakho emihleni yobusha bakho, zingakafiki izinsuku ezimbi, ingakasondeli iminyaka osho ngayo ukuthi: ‘Angithokozi ngayo.’”—UmShumayeli 1:1; 12:1.
2. Kufanele zenzeni izingane zamaKristu azinikezele?
2 Isiyalo sikaSolomoni sokukhumbula uMdali ebusheni saqale sabhekiswa ezinsizweni nasezintombini zakwa-Israyeli. Zazizalelwe esizweni esizinikezele kuJehova. Kuthiwani ngezingane zamaKristu azinikezele namuhla? Ngokuqinisekile, kufanele zimkhumbule uMdali wazo. Uma zenza kanjalo, ziyomdumisa futhi zizizuzise nazo uqobo.—Isaya 48:17, 18.
Izibonelo Ezinhle Zesikhathi Esidlule
3. Yiziphi izibonelo ezabekwa uJosefa, uSamuweli noDavide?
3 Intsha eningi okukhulunywa ngayo eBhayibhelini yabeka izibonelo ezinhle ngokukhumbula uMdali wayo. Kusukela isencane, indodana kaJakobe, uJosefa, yamkhumbula uMdali wayo. Lapho umkaPotifari elinga uJosefa ukuba aziphathe kabi naye ngokobulili, uJosefa wenqaba ngokuqinile futhi wathi: “Ngingenza kanjani lobo bubi obungaka, ngone kuNkulunkulu na?” (Genesise 39:9) UmLevi onguSamuweli akagcinanga ngokukhumbula uMdali wakhe lapho esemncane kodwa nakukho konke ukuphila kwakhe. (1 Samuweli 1:22-28; 2:18; 3:1-5) UDavide osemncane waseBethlehema ngokuqinisekile wayemkhumbula uMdali wakhe. Ukwethembela kwakhe kuNkulunkulu kwaba sobala lapho ebhekana nomdondoshiya ongumFilisti uGoliyati futhi ethi: “Wena uza kimi nenkemba, nomkhonto, nengcula, kepha mina ngiza kuwe ngegama likaJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu wempi ka-Israyeli oyeyisile. Namuhla uJehova uyakukunikela esandleni sami; ngiyakukubulala, ngisuse ikhanda lakho kuwe, . . . ukuze umhlaba wonke wazi ukuthi kukhona uNkulunkulu kwa-Israyeli, yazi yonke le nhlangano ukuthi uJehova akasindisi ngenkemba nangomkhonto; ngokuba ukulwa kungokukaJehova; uyakuninikela esandleni sethu.” Ngesikhashana, uGoliyati wayesedindilizile, futhi amaFilisti abaleka.—1 Samuweli 17:45-51.
4. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi intombazane yakwa-Israyeli eyayithunjelwe eSiriya kanye nenkosi esencane uJosiya babemkhumbula uMdali wethu? (b) UJesu owayeneminyaka engu-12 ubudala wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayemkhumbula uMdali wakhe?
4 Omunye omusha owakhumbula uMdali kwakuyintombazane engumIsrayeli eyayithunjiwe. Yanikeza ubufakazi obuhle enkosikazini yenduna yempi yaseSiriya, uNahamani, kangangokuthi yaya kumprofethi kaNkulunkulu, yelashwa uchoko, futhi yaba umkhulekeli kaJehova. (2 AmaKhosi 5:1-19) Inkosi esencane uJosiya yagqugquzela ukukhulekelwa okuhlanzekile kukaJehova ngesibindi. (2 AmaKhosi 22:1–23:25) Kodwa isibonelo esihle kunazo zonke somuntu owakhumbula uMdali wakhe esemncane ngesikaJesu waseNazaretha. Cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka lapho eneminyaka engu-12 ubudala. Abazali bakhe bahamba naye baya ePhasikeni eJerusalema. Endleleni ebuyayo, baphawula ukuthi uJesu wayengekho; ngakho baphindela emuva bayomfuna. Ngosuku lwesithathu, bamthola exoxa ngezindaba ezingokomBhalo nabafundisi ethempelini. Ephendula umbuzo kanina owayekhathazekile, uJesu wabuza: “Kungani kuye kwadingeka ukuba nihambe ningifuna? Beningazi yini ukuthi kumelwe ngibe sendlini kaBaba?” (Luka 2:49) Kwakumzuzisa uJesu ukuthola ukwaziswa okubalulekile ngokomoya ethempelini, ‘indlu kaYise.’ Namuhla, iHholo LoMbuso LoFakazi BakaJehova liyindawo enhle kakhulu yokuthola ulwazi olunembile ngoMdali wethu.
Mkhumbule Manje UJehova!
5. Ungakusho kanjani ngamazwi akho lokho okwashiwo uMshumayeli njengoba kulotshwe kumShumayeli 12:1?
5 Umkhulekeli kaJehova okhonza ngenhliziyo yonke ufisa ukuqala inkonzo yaKhe ngokushesha ngangokunokwenzeka kanye nokukhonza uNkulunkulu kukho konke ukuphila kwakhe. Nokho, liyini ikusasa lomuntu ochitha ubusha bakhe ezeni ngenxa yokungamkhumbuli uMdali? Ephefumulelwe ngokwaphezulu, uMshumayeli uthi: “Futhi khumbula uMdali wakho emihleni yobusha bakho, zingakafiki izinsuku ezimbi, ingakasondeli iminyaka osho ngayo ukuthi: ‘Angithokozi ngayo.’”—UmShumayeli 12:1.
6. Kunabuphi ubufakazi bokuthi uSimeyoni no-Ana abase begugile bamkhumbula uMdali wabo?
6 Akekho ozijabulelayo “izinsuku ezimbi” zokuguga. Kodwa asebekhulile abakhumbula uNkulunkulu bayajabula. Ngokwesibonelo, uSimeyoni owayesegugile wathatha usana olunguJesu ethempelini walugona wayesesho ngenjabulo ethi: “Manje, Nkosi EnguMbusi, uyasiyeka isigqila sakho ukuba sihambe sikhululekile ngokuthula ngokwesimemezelo sakho; ngoba amehlo ami ayibonile indlela yakho yokusindisa oyilungiselele emehlweni abo bonke abantu, ukukhanya kokususa umgubuzelo ezizweni nenkazimulo yabantu bakho u-Israyeli.” (Luka 2:25-32) U-Ana owayeseneminyaka engu-84 ubudala naye wayemkhumbula uMdali wakhe. Wayeba khona njalo ethempelini futhi wayekhona lapho usana olunguJesu lulethwa khona. “Ngalo kanye lelohora wasondela futhi waqala ukubuyisela ukubonga kuNkulunkulu nokukhuluma ngomntwana kubo bonke labo ababelindele ukukhululwa kweJerusalema.”—Luka 2:36-38.
7. Bakusiphi isimo labo asebeye baguga bekhonza uNkulunkulu?
7 OFakazi BakaJehova banamuhla asebeye baguga bekhonza uNkulunkulu bangase babe nezinhlungu ngenxa yokuhamba kweminyaka futhi balinganiselwe. Nokho, yeka indlela abajabula ngayo, futhi yeka indlela esiyazisa ngayo inkonzo yabo yokwethembeka! ‘Banenjabulo kaJehova,’ ngoba bayazi ukuthi uye wathatha izintambo ngokungenakunqotshwa mayelana nalo mhlaba futhi wamisa uJesu Kristu njengeNkosi yasezulwini enamandla. (Nehemiya 8:10) Manje yisikhathi sokuba abasha nabadala balalele lesi siyalo: “Nani zinsizwa nezintombi, nani maxhegu nabafana. Mabadumise igama likaJehova, ngokuba ngelakhe igama lodwa eliphakeme; inkazimulo yakhe iphezu komhlaba nezulu.”—IHubo 148:12, 13.
8, 9. (a) Obani “izinsuku ezimbi” ezingenamvuzo kubo, futhi kungani kunjalo? (b) Ungamchaza kanjani umShumayeli 12:2?
8 “Izinsuku ezimbi” zokuguga azinamvuzo—mhlawumbe zicindezela kakhulu—kulabo abangamshayi mkhuba uMdali wabo futhi abangaziqondi izinjongo zakhe ezikhazimulayo. Abanakho ukuqonda okungokomoya okungabasiza ukuba babhekane nezinselele zokuguga nosizi oluye lwehlela isintu kusukela uSathane axoshwa ezulwini. (IsAmbulo 12:7-12) Ngakho, uMshumayeli usinxusa ukuba sikhumbule uMdali wethu “lingakabi mnyama ilanga, nokukhanya, nenyanga, nezinkanyezi, namafu engakabuyi emva kwemvula.” (UmShumayeli 12:2) Asho ukuthini la mazwi?
9 USolomoni ufanisa isikhathi sobusha nehlobo lasePalestina lapho ilanga, inyanga nezinkanyezi kukhanya esibhakabhakeni esicwathile. Ngaleso sikhathi izinto zisuke ziqhakazile. Nokho, lapho umuntu esegugile, izinsuku zakhe zinjengenkathi yasebusika ebandayo nenezimvula, eletha izikhukhula zezinkathazo zilandelana. (Jobe 14:1) Yeka ukuthi bekungaba okudabukisa kanjani ukwazi ngoMdali kodwa singamkhonzi esikhathini sasehlobo sokuphila! Ebusika obuwukuguga ekuphileni, izinto ziyagqwala, ikakhulukazi kulabo abaye bayeka amathuba okukhonza uJehova besebasha ngenxa yokuhileleka eminakweni eyize. Nokho, kungakhathaliseki ubudala bethu, ‘masilandele uJehova ngokuphelele,’ njengoba kwenza uKalebi owayethembekile, umngane owayeqotho womprofethi uMose.—Joshuwa 14:6-9.
Imiphumela Yokuhamba Kweminyaka
10. Yini emelelwa (a) “abalindi bendlu”? (b) “amadoda anamandla”?
10 USolomoni ube esekhuluma ngezinkinga “ngalolo suku lapho abalindi bendlu beyakuthuthumela, amadoda anamandla agobe, abasilikazi bayeke ngokuba beyingcosana, abalunguza emafasiteleni bafiphazelwe.” (UmShumayeli 12:3) ‘Indlu’ isho umzimba womuntu. (Mathewu 12:43-45; 2 Korinte 5:1-8) “Abalindi” bayo yizingalo nezandla, ezivikela umzimba futhi zinakekele izidingo zawo. Lapho umuntu esegugile ngokuvamile ziyaqhaqhazela ngenxa yobuthakathaka, ukwethuka nedumbe. “Amadoda anamandla”—imilenze—asuke engasezona izinsika eziqinile kodwa esebuthakathaka futhi esegobile, izinyawo sezihudulwa nje. Nokho, awujabuli yini ukubona amakholwa esikanye nawo asekhulile esemihlanganweni yobuKristu?
11. Ngokomfanekiso, obani “abasilikazi” kanye ‘nabalunguza emafasiteleni’?
11 “Abasilikazi bayeke ngokuba beyingcosana”—kanjani? Amazinyo kungenzeka aseye abola noma aphuma, kwasala ambalwa uma esekhona. Ukugaya ukudla okuqinile sekunzima noma akusenzeki nhlobo. “Abalunguza emafasiteleni”—amehlo kanye nezici zobuchopho esibona ngazo—sebefiphazekile, uma kungekhona ukuthi sebenqundeke ngokuphelele.
12. (a) Kushiwo ngamuphi umqondo ukuthi “iminyango ivalwe esitaladini”? (b) Ucabangani ngabamemezeli boMbuso asebekhulile?
12 UMshumayeli uyaqhubeka: “Iminyango ivalwe esitaladini, lapho umsindo wokusila uncipha, umuntu avuke ngezwi lenyoni, izintombi zonke zokuhlabelela zithuliswe.” (UmShumayeli 12:4) Iminyango emibili yomlomo—izindebe—ayisavuleki kangako, noma ayisavuleki nhlobo ukuze isho okungaphakathi ‘endlini,’ noma emzimbeni, walabo asebekhulile abangamkhonzi uNkulunkulu. Akukho lutho olukhishelwa “esitaladini” esiwukuphila kwabantu okuvamile. Nokho, kuthiwani ngabamemezeli boMbuso abashisekayo asebekhulile? (Jobe 41:14) Kungenzeka bayacothoza lapho beya endlini ngendlu futhi abanye mhlawumbe bakhuluma kanzima, kodwa ngokuqinisekile bayamdumisa uJah!—IHubo 113:1.
13. UMshumayeli uzichaza kanjani ezinye izinkinga zasebekhulile, kodwa kwenzekani kumaKristu asekhulile?
13 Umsindo wokusila uyancipha njengoba ukudla sekuhlafunwa ngezinsini. Embhedeni walo, ikhehla alisalali buthongo obutheni. Liphazanyiswa ngisho nawukutshiyoza kwenyoni. Zimbalwa izingoma elizihlabelelayo, futhi alisaculi ngomdlandla. “Izintombi zonke zokuhlabelela”—iphimbo lokucula—“zithulisiwe.” Umuntu osegugile akasawuzwa kahle umculo nokuhlabelela kwabanye. Nokho, asebekhulile abagcotshiwe kanye nababambisene nabo, abanye babo nabo asebekhulile, bayaqhubeka bekhamuluka bedumisa uNkulunkulu ngezingoma emihlanganweni yobuKristu. Yeka indlela esijabula ngayo ukuba nabo phakathi kwethu, bedumisa uJehova ebandleni!—IHubo 149:1.
14. Yikuphi ukwesaba okuhlupha asebegugile?
14 Yeka indlela okudabukisa ngayo ukuphila kwabantu asebekhulile, ikakhulukazi labo abaye bamshaya indiva uMdali! UMshumayeli uthi: “Nalapho abantu besaba imimango izesabiso zibe sendleleni, umalimondi ukhahlele, intethe itotobe, izithelo zesihlahla sekaphari zingabe zisaba namandla, ngokuba umuntu useya endlini yakhe ephakade, nabalilayo bazulazula esitaladini.” (UmShumayeli 12:5) Lapho besendaweni ephakeme, abaningi asebegugile besaba ukuwa. Ngisho nokubheka phezulu entweni ephakeme kungase kubenze babe nenzululwane. Lapho kumelwe baphume baye emigwaqweni ephithizelayo, bafikelwa ukwesaba njengoba becabanga ngokulimala noma ukuhlaselwa abaphangi.
15. Kushiwo ngamuphi umqondo ukuthi “umalimondi ukhahlele,” futhi intethe ‘itotoba’ kanjani?
15 Ekhehleni, ‘umalimondi uyakhahlela,’ ngokusobala okubhekisela ekushintsheni kwezinwele zalo zibe mpunga bese ziba mhlophe okwesithwathwa. Lezi zinwele ezimpunga ziwa njengezimbali ezimhlophe zesihlahla somalimondi. Njengoba ‘etotoba,’ mhlawumbe esekhokhoba futhi izingalo sezizilengela noma izandla zibambelele okhalweni nezindololwane zibheke phezulu, ubukeka njengentethe. Nokho, uma ekhona kithi obukeka kanjalo, abanye mabaqaphele ukuthi sisebuthweni likaJehova elinamandla nelisheshayo lesikhonyane!—Bheka INqabayokulinda ka-May 1, 1998, amakhasi 8-13.
16. (a) Kusikiselani ‘ukungabi namandla kwekaphari’? (b) Iyini ‘indlu yomuntu ephakade,’ futhi yiziphi izimpawu zokufa okusondelayo ezibonakalayo?
16 Umuntu osekhulile akasakuhaheli kangako ukudla, ngisho noma ukudla okubekwe phambi kwakhe kuhlwabusa njengekaphari (caper berry). Sekuyisikhathi eside lezi zithelo zisetshenziselwa ukwakha isithakazelo sokudla. ‘Ukungabi namandla kwekaphari’ kubhekisela ekutheni lapho ikhehla liphelelwa yisithakazelo sokudla, ngisho nalesi sithelo asibe sisakwazi ukuphemba isifiso salo sokudla. Izinto ezinjalo zibonisa ukuthi usesondele “endlini yakhe ephakade,” ithuna. Liyoba yikhaya lakhe phakade uma engazange amkhumbule uMdali wakhe futhi eye waphishekela inkambo embi kangangokuthi uNkulunkulu ngeke amkhumbule ovukweni. Izimpawu zokufa okusondelayo zibonakala ekuqumeni nasekububuleni okuphuma eminyango yomlomo wakhe.
17. Ligqabuka kanjani “igoda lesiliva,” futhi yini okungenzeka imelelwa “ukhamba lwegolide”?
17 Sinxuswa ukuba sikhumbule uMdali wethu “lingakagqabuki igoda lesiliva, nokhamba lwegolide lungakaphahlazwa, nembiza ingakafi ngasemthonjeni, nesondo lingakaphuki ngasemgodini wamanzi.” (UmShumayeli 12:6) “Igoda lesiliva” kungase kube umfunkulu. Umuntu uyafa nakanjani lapho lo mzila omangalisayo wemiyalezo eya ebuchosheni ulimele futhi ungasenakulungiseka. “Ukhamba lwegolide” lungase lubhekisele ebuchosheni, obusogebhezini olunjengokhamba, oluxhumene nomfunkulu. Njengoba bunjengegolide ngokubaluleka, ukufekela kobuchopho kusho ukufa.
18. Iyini ‘imbiza engasemthonjeni’ engokomfanekiso futhi kwenzekani lapho isiphukile?
18 ‘Imbiza engasemthonjeni’ yinhliziyo, ethola amathantala egazi bese iwakhipha futhi ukuze ajikeleze emzimbeni. Ekufeni, inhliziyo iba njengembiza ephukile, efele emthonjeni ngoba ayisakwazi ukwamukela, ukumumatha nokufutha igazi elibalulekile ekondlekeni nasekuqabulekeni komzimba. “Isondo eliphukile ngasemgodini wamanzi” alibe lisaphenduka, kunqamuke ukujikeleza kwegazi elisekela ukuphila. Ngakho uJehova wembulela uSolomoni ngokujikeleza kwegazi ngaphambili kakhulu kokuba uDkt. William Harvey wekhulu le-17 abonise ukuthi liyajikeleza.
19. Amazwi omShumayeli 12:7 asebenza kanjani lapho umuntu efa?
19 UMshumayeli wanezela: “Uthuli lubuyele emhlabathini, njengokuba lwalunjalo, umoya ubuyele kuNkulunkulu owawunikayo.” (UmShumayeli 12:7) Njengoba “isondo” seliphukile, umzimba womuntu, owawakhiwe ngothuli lomhlabathi kwasekuqaleni, ubuyela othulini. (Genesise 2:7; 3:19) Umphefumulo uyafa ngoba umoya, noma amandla okuphila, owanikezwa nguNkulunkulu ubuyela kuMdali wethu futhi uhlale kuye.—Hezekeli 18:4, 20; Jakobe 2:26.
Banaliphi Ikusasa Abakhumbulayo?
20. UMose wayecelani lapho esho umthandazo okumaHubo 90:12?
20 USolomoni wabonisa ngendlela ephumelela kakhulu indlela okubaluleke ngayo ukukhumbula uMdali wethu. Ngokuqinisekile, ukuphila okufushane nokunezinkathazo akukhona ukuphela kwento abangayilindela labo abakhumbula uJehova futhi benze intando yakhe ngenhliziyo yonke. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bancane noma badala, banesimo sengqondo esifanayo nesikaMose, owathandaza: “Sifundise, Nkosi, ukubala izinsuku zethu, sizuze inhliziyo enokuhlakanipha.” Lo mprofethi kaNkulunkulu othobekile wayefisa ngobuqotho ukuba uJehova ambonise, noma amfundise, yena nabantu bakwa-Israyeli ukubonisa ukuhlakanipha ngokuzazisa ‘izinsuku zeminyaka yabo’ futhi bazisebenzise ngendlela ayamukelayo uNkulunkulu.—IHubo 90:10, 12.
21. Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze sibale izinsuku zethu ngendlela eyokhazimulisa uJehova?
21 Intsha engamaKristu ngokukhethekile kufanele izimisele ukulalela iseluleko soMshumayeli sokukhumbula uMdali. Yeka amathuba amangalisayo enawo okunikela inkonzo engcwele kuNkulunkulu! Nokho, kungakhathaliseki ubudala bethu, uma sifunda ukubala izinsuku zethu ngendlela ekhazimulisa uJehova kulesi ‘sikhathi sokuphela,’ singase sikwazi ukuqhubeka sizibala phakade. (Daniyeli 12:4; Johane 17:3) Yiqiniso, ukuze senze kanjalo kumelwe sikhumbule uMdali wethu. Kumelwe futhi sifeze isibopho sethu esiphelele kuNkulunkulu.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Kungani intsha inxuswa ukuba ikhumbule uMdali wayo?
◻ Yiziphi ezinye izibonelo ezingokomBhalo zalabo abakhumbula uMdali wabo?
◻ Yimiphi eminye yemiphumela yokuguga echazwa uSolomoni?
◻ Banaliphi ikusasa labo abakhumbula uJehova?
[Izithombe ekhasini 15]
UDavide, intombazane yakwa-Israyeli eyayithunjiwe, u-Ana noSimeyoni bamkhumbula uJehova
[Izithombe ekhasini 16]
OFakazi BakaJehova asebekhulile banikela inkonzo engcwele ngokujabula kuMdali wethu