Ukuzala Abantwana Phakathi Kwabantu BakaNkulunkulu
“UJehova . . . makathasisele kulokhu eniyikho kayinkulungwane.”—DUTERONOMI 1:11.
1. IBhayibheli lithini ngokuzala abantwana?
“BHEKA, abantwana bayifa elivela kuJehova, isithelo sesisu singumvuzo. Njengemicibisholo esandleni seqhawe banjalo abantwana bobusha. Ibusisiwe indoda emgodla wayo ugcwele bona.” Sifunda kanjalo kuyiHubo 127:3-5. Yebo, ukuzala abantwana kuyilungelo elimangalisayo uMdali uJehova alinika abantu bokuqala ababili nenzalo yabo.—Genesise 1:28.
Ukuzala Abantwana KwaIsrayeli
2. Kungani imikhaya emikhulu yayifiseleka phakathi kwenzalo ka-Abrahama, uIsaka, noJakobe?
2 Imikhaya emikhulu yayibhekwa njengefiseleka kakhulu phakathi kwenzalo ka-Abrahama ngoIsaka noJakobe. Ngisho nabantwana ababezalwa abafazi besibili noma izancinza babebhekwa njengabasemthethweni. Kwakunjalo ngamanye amadodana kaJakobe, aba ngoyise bezizwe eziyi-12 zakwaIsrayeli. (Genesise 30:3-12; 49:16-21; qhathanisa neyesi-2 IziKronike 11:21.) Nakuba ilungiselelo lokuqala likaNkulunkulu lomshado lalingelokuthi indoda ibe nomfazi oyedwa, wasibekezelela isithembu nokuba nezancinza phakathi kwenzalo ka-Abrahama, futhi lokhu kwaholela ekwandeni okusheshayo enanini labantu. AmaIsrayeli kwakumelwe abe “ngangothuli lomhlabathi ngobuningi.” (2 IziKronike 1:9; Genesise 13:14-16) Phakathi kwalesosizwe, kwakuyokuza “inzalo” ethenjisiwe “izizwe zonke zomhlaba” ezaziyokwazi ukuzibusisa ngayo.—Genesise 22:17, 18; 28:14; Duteronomi 1:10, 11.
3. Sasiyini isimo kwaIsrayeli phakathi nokubusa kukaSolomoni?
3 Ngokusobala, kwaIsrayeli ukuzala abantwana kwakubhekwa njengophawu lwesibusiso sikaJehova. (IHubo 128:3, 4) Nokho, kufanele kuphawulwe ukuthi amazwi okuvula alesihloko, acashunwe kuyiHubo 127, abhalwa iNkosi uSolomoni, futhi isikhathi esiningi sokubusa kwalenkosi sasingesijabulisa ngokukhethekile kuIsrayeli. Ngaleyonkathi iBhayibheli lithi: “OJuda noIsrayeli babebaningi ngangesihlabathi solwandle ngobuningi, bedla, bephuza, bejabula. OJuda noIsrayeli bahlala belondekile, kwaba-yilowo nalowo phansi komvini wakhe nomkhiwane wakhe, kusukela kwaDani [enyakatho] kuze kube seBeri-Sheba [eningizimu], zonke izinsuku zikaSolomoni.”—1 AmaKhosi 4:20, 25.
Izikhathi Ezinzima Ngabantwana KwaIsrayeli
4, 5. (a) Kungani ukuzala abantwana kwaIsrayeli kwakungeyona imbangela yenjabulo ngaso sonke isikhathi? (b) Yiziphi izenzakalo ezidabukisayo ezenzeka okungenani ngezehlakalo ezimbili eJerusalema?
4 Kodwa kwakunezinye izikhathi emlandweni wakwaIsrayeli lapho ukuzala abantwana kwakungeyona neze injabulo. Ngesikhathi sokubhujiswa kokuqala kweJerusalema, umprofethi uJeremiya wabhala: “Amehlo ami ayaphela izinyembezi, . . . ngokuba izingane nabancelayo bayadangala ezigcawini zomuzi. . . . Abesifazane bayakudla yini izithelo zabo, izingane eziphathiweyo kahle, na?” “Izandla zabesifazane abahawukelayo zapheka izingane zabo.”—IsiLilo 2:11, 20; 4:10.
5 Ngokusobala, izenzakalo ezifanayo ezidabukisayo zenzeka cishe emakhulwini ayisikhombisa eminyaka kamuva. Isazi-mlando esingumJuda uJosephus silandisa ukuthi ngesikhathi sokuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema ngo-70 C.E., abantwana babehlwitha ukudla emilonyeni yawoyise, futhi omama babethatha ukudla emilonyeni yabantwana ababeseyizinsana. Silandisa ngendlela owesifazane ongumJuda abulala ngayo ingane yakhe encelayo, wosa umzimba, futhi wadla ingxenye yawo. Ukuzala abantwana ezweni lakwaJuda eminyakeni yokugcina efinyelela ekukhishweni kwezahlulelo zikaJehova ngokumelene neJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E. nango-70 C.E. kwakungenakubizwa ngokuthi ukuzala abantwana okucatshangelwe kahle.
Ukuzala Abantwana Phakathi KwamaKristu Okuqala
6, 7. (a) Yimiphi imikhuba uJesu ayiqeda ngamaKristu? (b) UIsrayeli ongokomoya wayezokwanda ngayiphi indlela, futhi yini ebonisa lokhu?
6 Ukuzala abantwana kwakubhekwa kanjani phakathi kwamaKristu okuqala? Okokuqala kufanele kuqashelwe ukuthi uJesu wasiqeda isithembu kanye nokuba nezancinza phakathi kwabafundi bakhe. Wamisa kabusha indinganiso kaJehova yokuqala, ukuba nomfazi oyedwa, noma ukushada kwendoda eyodwa nomfazi oyedwa. (Mathewu 19:4-9) Nakuba uIsrayeli ongokwenyama anda ngokuzala abantwana, uIsrayeli ongokomoya wayezokwanda ngokwenziwa kwabafundi.—Mathewu 28:19, 20; IzEnzo 1:8.
7 Uma ukwanda kobuKristu kwakuzokwenzeka ikakhulukazi ngokuzala abantwana, uJesu wayengeke akhuthaze abafundi bakhe ukuba ‘bamukele’ ukungashadi “ngenxa yombuso wezulu.” (Mathewu 19:10-12) Umphostoli uPawulu wayengeke abhale: “Kanjalo nowendisa indodakazi yakhe, wenza kahle; kepha ongayendisiyo wenza kahle kakhulu.”—1 Korinte 7:38.
8. Yini ebonisa ukuthi abaningi bamaKristu okuqala babeshadile futhi benabantwana?
8 Nokho, lapho bekhuthaza ukungashadi ngenxa yokusekela izithakazelo zoMbuso, uJesu noma uPawulu abazange bakumise njengomthetho. Bobabili babona kusengaphambili ukuthi amanye amaKristu ayezoshada. Ngokuvamile, abanye bawo babeyoba nabantwana ngenxa nje yokuthi kufanelekile. ImiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki iqukethe izindimana eziningana ezanika amaKristu okuqala iseluleko esiqondile ngokukhulisa abantwana. (Efesu 6:1-4; Kolose 3:20, 21) Uma abadala noma izinceku ezikhonzayo babeshadile, kwakumelwe babe abazali abayisibonelo.—1 Thimothewu 3:4, 12.
9. Ngokukamphostoli uPawulu, abesifazane abathile abangamaKristu babeyovikeleka kanjani ngokuzala abantwana, kodwa yini ababeyoyidinga ngaphezu kwalokho?
9 Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala ngisho nanokuthi ukuba nabantwana kungaba isivikelo kwabanye abesifazane abangamaKristu. Ngokuqondene nokusiza abafelokazi abaswelayo ngezinto ezibonakalayo, wabhala lokhu: “Kepha abafelokazi abasha ubenqabe . . . Futhi-ke bafunda nokuvilapha, bezula izindlu ngezindlu, bengavilaphi kuphela, kepha behleba, bezigaxa ngokungekwabo, bekhuluma okungafanele. Ngakho-ke ngithanda ukuba abafelokazi abasha bagane, bazale abantwana, baphathe indlu yabo, bangasiniki isitha ithuba lokuthuka. Ngokuba nakalokhu abanye sebechezukele kuSathane.” Abesifazane abanjalo ‘babeyosindiswa ngokuzala abantwana, uma behlala ekukholweni nasothandweni nasebungcweleni kanye nokuqonda.’—1 Thimothewu 5:11-15; 2:15.
‘Usizi Enyameni’
10. Yisiphi iseluleko esihlukile uPawulu asinikeza abafelokazi encwadini yakhe yokuqala eya kwabaseKorinte?
10 Nokho, kungokuphawulekayo ukuthi encwadini yakhe yokuqala eya kwabaseKorinte, umphostoli ofanayo, uPawulu, wasikisela ikhambi elihlukile ngabafelokazi. Wagunyaza iseluleko sakhe ngokushada, ebonisa ukuthi wayesinikeze “ngemvume.” Wabhala: “Kepha ngithi kwabangaganiwe nakubafelokazi: Kuhle kubona, uma behlala benjengami. Kepha uma bengenakuzibamba, mabaganane, ngokuba kuhle ukuganana kunokusha. Kepha [umfelokazi] unenhlanhla ngokubona kwami, uma ehlala njengalokhu enjalo; ngithi nami nginoMoya kaNkulunkulu.”—1 Korinte 7:6, 8, 9, 40.
11. (a) Labo abashadayo babezohlangabezana nani, futhi izikhombo eziseceleni zeyoku-1 Korinte 7:28 ziyikhanyisa kanjani lendaba? (b) UPawulu wayesho ukuthini lapho ethi, “benginiphephisa”?
11 UPawulu wachaza: “Nentombi uma igana, kayoni; kepha abanjalo bayakuba-nosizi enyameni; kepha mina benginiphephisa.” (1 Korinte 7:28) Ngokuphathelene “nosizi” olunjalo “enyameni,” izikhombo eziseceleni zeNew World Translation zisibhekisela kuGenesise 3:16, lapho sifunda khona ukuthi: “Wathi [uJehova] kowesifazane: Ngizakukubangela ubuhlungu obukhulu ekukhulelweni kwakho; uyakubeletha abantwana ngobuhlungu. Ukunxanela kwakho kuyakuba-sendodeni yakho; yona iyakukubusa.” Ngaphezu kobunzima obungavela emshadweni, ‘usizi enyameni’ labo abashadayo ababeyohlangabezana nalo, ngokungangabazeki luhlanganisa izinkinga eziphathelene nokuzala abantwana. Nakuba uPawulu engakunqabelanga ukushada noma ukuzala abantwana, ngokusobala wazizwa ebophekile ukuba axwayise amaKristu akanye nawo ukuthi okunjalo kwakungaletha izinkinga nezithikamezo ezingawaphazamisa enkonzweni yawo kuJehova.
“Isikhathi Sesinciphile”
12. Yisiphi isiyalo umphostoli uPawulu asinikeza amaKristu ashadile, futhi ngasiphi isizathu?
12 Ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka C.E., amaKristu ayengakhululekile ukuba aphile ukuphila kwawo njengabantu bezwe. Isimo sawo sasiyothinta ngisho nokuphila kwawo kwasemshadweni. UPawulu wabhala: “Ngisho lokhu kodwa, bazalwane, ukuthi isikhathi sesinciphile; ngakho emva kwalokhu abanabafazi mababe-njengabangenabo, . . . nabasebenzisa lelizwe babe-njengabangalisebenzisi, ngokuba isimo salelizwe siyadlula. Kepha ngifuna ukuba ningabi-nakukhathazeka. . . . Ngisho lokhu ukuba kube-lusizo kinina; akusikho ukuba nginigaxe ngentambo kepha ukuba nihambe ngokufaneleyo, nibambelele eNkosini ngokungaphazameki.”—1 Korinte 7:29-35.
13. ‘Isikhathi sasinciphe’ ngamuphi umqondo ngamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala leminyaka?
13 Isazi seBhayibheli uFrédéric Godet wabhala: “Nakuba abangakholwayo bebheka lelizwe njengelizohlala phakade ngokuqinisekile, ngaphambi kwamehlo omKristu ngaso sonke isikhathi kuneqiniso elikhulu elilangazelelwayo, iParousia [ukuba-khona kukaKristu].” UKristu wayenikeze abafundi bakhe isibonakaliso “sokuba-khona” kwakhe, futhi wayebaxwayisile: “Ngakho-ke lindani, ngokuba anazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu iyakufika ngaluphi usuku.” (Mathewu 24:3, 42, NW) Isikhathi esisele ‘sancipha’ ngendlela yokuthi lawomaKristu ekhulu lokuqala leminyaka kwakumelwe aphile ngokulindela njalo ukuza kukaKristu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ayengazi ukuthi sasingakanani isikhathi esasiwasalele wona ngamanye ngaphambi kokuba ‘isikhathi nethuba’ kulethe ukuphila kwawo esiphethweni sakho, kuqeda onke amathuba okuba ‘enze kuqiniseke ukubizwa kwawo.’—UmShumayeli 9:11; 2 Petru 1:10.
14. (a) UMathewu 24:19 kumelwe aqondwe kanjani? (b) Kukanjani isixwayiso sikaJesu sasiphuthuma ngokwengeziwe njengoba unyaka ka-66 C.E. wawusondela?
14 NgamaKristu aseJudiya naseJerusalema, isidingo ‘sokulinda’ sasingesibaluleke kakhulu. Lapho uJesu enikeza isixwayiso sokubhujiswa kwesibili kweJerusalema, wathi: “Maye kwabakhulelweyo nabancelisayo ngalezozinsuku!” (Mathewu 24:19) Yiqiniso, uJesu akazange atshele amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala leminyaka ukuthi kwakufanele angabi nabantwana. Wamane washo iqiniso elingokwesiprofetho, ebonisa ukuthi lapho uphawu lokubhujiswa okuseduze kweJerusalema luvela; ukubaleka ngokushesha kwakuyoba lukhuni kakhulu ngabesifazane abakhulelweyo noma labo abanabantwana abancane. (Luka 19:41-44; 21:20-23) Nokho, njengoba isiyaluyalu sasikhula phakathi kwamaJuda aseJudiya eminyakeni eyandulela u-66 C.E., ngokungangabazeki isixwayiso sikaJesu safika ezingqondweni zamaKristu futhi sathonya isimo sawo mayelana nokuzala abantwana ngalezo zikhathi zenkathazo.
Ukuzala Abantwana Namuhla
15, 16. (a) Kungayiphi indlela “isikhathi sesinciphile” ngamaKristu aphila namuhla? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo amaKristu okufanele azibuze yona?
15 AmaKristu kufanele akubheke kanjani ukushada nokuzala abantwana namuhla, ‘kulesikhathi sokugcina’? (Daniyeli 12:4) Kuyiqiniso kakhulu kunanini ngaphambili ukuthi “isimo salelizwe siyadlula,” noma, njengoba enye inguqulo ikubeka, “uhlelo lwamanje lwezinto luyadlula ngokushesha.”—1 Korinte 7:31, Phillips.
16 Manje, ngokungafani nanini ngaphambili, “isikhathi sesinciphile.” Yebo, isikhathi esilinganiselwe kuphela esisalele abantu bakaJehova ukuba baqedele umsebenzi abanike wona ukuba bawenze, okuwukuthi: “Lelivangeli lombuso liyakushunyayelwa ezweni lonke, kube-ngubufakazi ezizweni zonke, andukuba kufike ukuphela.” (Mathewu 24:14) Lowomsebenzi kumelwe ufezwe ngaphambi kokuba isiphelo sifike. Ngakho-ke, kufanelekile ngamaKristu ukuba azibuze ukuthi ukushada noma, uma eshadile, ukuba nabantwana kuyoyithinta kanjani ingxenye yawo kulowomsebenzi obalulekile.
Isibonelo Sasendulo
17. (a) Yimuphi umsebenzi uNowa namadodana akhe amathathu okwakumelwe bawufeze ngaphambi kukaZamcolo, futhi ngokusobala wathatha isikhathi eside kangakanani? (b) Cishe kungaziphi izizathu amadodana kaNowa nabafazi bawo abagwema ngazo ukuba nabantwana ngesikhathi esandulela uZamcolo?
17 UJesu wafanisa isikhathi “sokufika kweNdodana yomuntu” ‘nemihla kaNowa.’ (Mathewu 24:37) UNowa namadodana akhe amathathu babenomsebenzi okhethekile okwakumelwe bawufeze ngaphambi kukaZamcolo. Wawuhlanganisa ukwakha umkhumbi omkhulu nokushumayela. (Genesise 6:13-16; 2 Petru 2:5) Lapho uJehova enikeza iziyalezo zokwakha umkhumbi, ngokusobala amadodana kaNowa ayeseshadile kakade. (Genesise 6:18) Asazi ngokuthe ngqó ukuthi kwathatha isikhathi eside kangakanani ukwakha umkhumbi, kodwa kubonakala kungokunokwenzeka ukuthi kwathatha amashumi amaningana eminyaka. Ngokuthakazelisayo, phakathi naso sonke lesikhathi esandulela uZamcolo, amadodana kaNowa nabafazi bawo abazange babe nabantwana. Umphostoli uPetru uphawula ngokuqondile ukuthi ‘abasindiswa . . . bayisishiyagalombili ngawo amanzi,’ okuwukuthi imibhangqwana emine eshadile kodwa engenabantwana. (1 Petru 3:20) Ukuhlala kwamadodana engenabantwana ngokunokwenzeka kwakungenxa yezizathu ezimbili. Esokuqala, enombono wembubhiso eyayisondela ngoZamcolo wamanzi, ayenomsebenzi awumiselwe ngokwaphezulu ukuba awenze owawudinga konke ukunakekela kwawo. Esesibili, ngokungangabazeki azizwa engenasithakazelo sokuletha abantwana ezweni lapho “ububi bomuntu [babu]bukhulu emhlabeni nokuthi zonke izizindlo zemicabango yenhliziyo yakhe [zazi]zimbi njalo,” izwe ‘elaligcwele ubudlwangudlwangu.’—Genesise 6:5, 13.
18. Nakuba yayingabeki umthetho okumelwe ulandelwe, inkambo eyathathwa amadodana kaNowa nabafazi bawo ikunikeza kanjani lokho okumelwe kuzindlwe ngakho?
18 Lokhu akusho ukuthi inkambo yesenzo eyathathwa amadodana kaNowa nabafazi bawo ngaphambi kukaZamcolo yayihloselwe ukumisa umthetho ngemibhangqwana eshadile ephila namuhla. Nokho, njengoba uJesu aqhathanisa usuku lukaNowa nesikhathi esiphila kuso manje, isibonelo sabo singasinikeza okuthile kokuzindla ngakho.
“Izikhathi Ezinzima”
19. (a) Izikhathi zethu ziqhathaniseka kanjani nosuku lukaNowa? (b) UPawulu wabikezelani ‘ngezinsuku zokugcina,’ futhi isiprofetho sakhe sikuthinta kanjani ukuba nabantwana?
19 NjengoNowa nomkhaya wakhe, nathi futhi siphila “ezweni elingamesabi uNkulunkulu.” (2 Petru 2:5) Njengabo, siphila “ezinsukwini zokugcina,” zesimiso sezinto esibi esizobhujiswa ngokushesha. Umphostoli uPawulu waprofetha ukuthi “izinsuku zokugcina” zesimiso sikaSathane zaziyoletha “izikhathi ezinzima.” Ebonisa ukuthi ukukhulisa abantwana kwakuyoba enye yezinto ezinzima ngomuntu ukubhekana nayo, wenezela ngokuthi abantwana babeyoba ‘abangalaleli abazali.’ Waphawula ukuthi abantu ngokuvamile, kuhlanganise nabantwana nabevé eminyakeni eyishumi nambili, babeyoba “abangabongiyo, nabahlazisayo, nabengenaluthando.” (2 Thimothewu 3:1-3) Nakuba uPawulu lapha wayeprofetha ngezimo phakathi kwabantu bezwe, ngokusobala izimo ezinjalo ezikhona zaziyokwenza ukukhulisa abantwana kube nzima ngokuqhubekayo ngamaKristu, njengoba abaningi sebebonile.
20. Yini ezocatshangelwa esihlokweni esilandelayo?
20 Konke lokhu okwandulelayo kubonisa ukuthi kudingekile ukuba nombono olinganiselwe ngokuzala abantwana. Nakuba kungaletha izinjabulo eziningi, kungaletha futhi nobuhlungu benhliziyo obuningi. Kunezici ezinhle nezimbi. Ezinye zazo zizocatshangelwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.
Amaphuzu Okubukeza
◻ Kungani imikhaya emikhulu yayifiseleka kwaIsrayeli?
◻ Yini ebonisa ukuthi zazikhona izikhathi lapho ukuzala abantwana kwaletha ubuhlungu benhliziyo kumaJuda?
◻ UIsrayeli ongokomoya wayeyokwanda kanjani ngenani?
◻ Kukanjani ‘isikhathi sasinciphile’ ngamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala leminyaka?
◻ Cishe yiziphi izizathu ezikhona zokuthi amadodana kaNowa nabafazi bawo bahlale bengenabantwana ngaphambi kukaZamcolo, futhi kuthiwani ngesimo sanamuhla?
[Isithombe ekhasini 21]
Ukubaleka ngokushesha eJerusalema kwakuyobanzima kakhulu ngalabo abanabantwana abancane