Ukuqonda UJehova Akunikezile

“Abahlakaniphileyo babantu bayakuqondisa abaningi.”—DANIYELI 11:33.

 1, 2. (a) Ngisho noma amaIsrayeli ayebone umusa wothando kaNkulunkulu, kungani ahlubuka? (b) Yini okungaba yinzuzo ngathi ukuyenza? (Jeremiya 51:10)

ABANTU bakwaIsrayeli wasendulo babazi ukuthi uJehova wayewukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso. Babetsheliwe ngokusebenzelana kwakhe noyisemkhulu, futhi babezibonele ngawabo umusa wakhe wothando. Kodwa ezikhathini ezingaphezu kwesisodwa, benza ngendlela ebonisa okukhulu ukuntula ukuqonda. “Bahlubuka” kuJehova nakubameleli bakhe. Ngani? Ngoba ‘abakukhumbulanga’ lokho ayebenzele khona. (IHubo 106:7, 13) Kwakungekhona ukuthi babengazazi lezizinto; bahluleka ukuzindla ngazo ngokwazisa. Ngokomphumela, bazibonakalisa ‘befisa okubi.’—1 Korinte 10:6.

² Osukwini lwethu, indlela evelele uJehova aye wahlukanisa ngayo oFakazi bakhe njengabantu abahlukile iwukuqonda aye wakunikeza ngenhlangano yakhe ebonakalayo. Ukwazisa kwethu siqu ngendlela uJehova ahola ngayo abantu bakhe kungaqiniswa ngokubukeza ezinye zezibonelo zokuqonda okunjalo. Esinye salezi sihilela wona kanye umnyombo wenkolo yethu—ukuthi ungubani uNkulunkulu.

Ingabe UNkulunkulu UnguZiqu-zintathu?

 3. Yini eyenza izinceku zikaJehova, eminyakeni eyikhulu edlule, ukuba zibone iqiniso lokuthi uNkulunkulu ungubani? (1 Korinte 8:5, 6)

³ ELobukholwa liye labambelela ngokuqinile ekutheni labo abangayivumi inkolelo kaZiqu-zintathu bayizihlubuki. Kodwa esikhundleni sokuba zisatshiswe ngabantu, izinceku zikaJehova ziye zaqaphela ukuthi, akusiwo amasiko nezivumo zokholo zabantu abangaphefumlelwe, kodwa imiBhalo eNgcwele enikeza indinganiso yokubona okuyiqiniso. Bakhela phezu kwalesisekelo, emuva lé ngo-1882 labafundi beBhayibheli abazinikezele basho ngokucacile kuyiWatch Tower: “Abafundi bethu bayaqaphela ukuthi nakuba sikholelwa kuJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu, nakuMoya ongcwele, siyiphika njengengeyona engokomBhalo ngokuphelele, imfundiso yokuthi laba bangoNkulunkulu abathathu kumuntu oyedwa, noma njengoba abanye bekubeka, uNkulunkulu oyedwa kubantu abathathu.”—Johane 5:19; 14:28; 20:17.

 4. (a) Lapho bephenyisisa, yini abantu bakaJehova abayiqonda ngokuqondene nesisekelo semfundiso kaZiquzintathu nomphumela wemfundiso enjalo? (b) Kungani uJehova anikeza izinceku zakhe ukuqonda okunjalo?

⁴ Labathandi beqiniso leBhayibheli babephenyisisile futhi bebone imisuka yenkolelo kaZiqu-zintathu ezinkolweni ezingezona ezobuKristu. Ngokuhlolisisa imiBhalo, baqaphela futhi ukuthi lapho amavesi athile eBhayibheli ebonakala esekela imiqondo kaZiqu-zintathu, lokhu kwakungenxa yemibono esontekile yabahumushi, hhayi ngenxa yalokho okwakusemibhalweni yesandla emidala yolimi lokuqala. Baqaphela ukuthi lemfundiso ebonakala sengathi idumisa uJesu eqinisweni iphikisana nezimfundiso zakhe futhi ilulaza uJehova. Ngakho, umagazini weWatch Tower okubhekiselwe kuyo ngenhla wathi: “Kusifanele njengabafuni beqiniso, ukuba sithembeke kithina ngokwethu naseZwini likaBaba wethu, elikwaziyo ukusihlakaniphisa ngempela. Ngakho-ke, njengoba singawanaki amasiko nezivumo zokholo zabantu abangaphefumlelwe nezimiso ezonakele, masibambelele ngokuqinile emazwini anengqondo esiwamukele eNkosini yethu nakubaPhostoli.” Ngenxa yokuthi babelithanda ngempela iqiniso futhi benganaki nje kuphela amavesi eBhayibheli ambalwa abawathandayo kodwa lonke iZwi likaNkulunkulu, uJehova wabanikeza ukuqonda okwabahlukanisa ngokungenakungatshazwa neLobukholwa.—2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17; bheka iNew World Translation Reference Bible, ikhasi 1580, ingxenye 6B.

Indawo Efanele Yegama LikaNkulunkulu

 5. Yini ebibangela ukuthambekela kokushiya igama likaNkulunkulu siqu ezinguqulweni zeBhayibheli? (IsAmbulo 22:18, 19)

⁵ Cabangela isibonelo sesibili: Lapho izinguqulo zeBhayibheli ngokwandayo zilifihla noma zilishiya ngokuphelele igama likaNkulunkulu siqu, iWatch Tower Society yakugcizelela kakhulu kunanini ngaphambili ukubaluleka kwalelogama. ELobukholwa laphikisa ngokuthi ukususwa kwegama elithi Jehova kwakuyokwenza ukuba iVangeli lithandeke kakhudlwana emhlabeni wonke, kodwa izinceku zikaJehova ezigcotshiwe zaqonda ukuthi ubani owayegqugquzele lelicebo lokususa emiBhalweni eNgcwele igama elibaluleke kunawo wonke. (Qhathanisa noJeremiya 23:27.) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu baqaphela ukuthi lokhu kwakushoshozelwe uDeveli ukuze igama likaNkulunkulu weqiniso lisuswe enkumbulweni yabantu.

 6. Ngokuphambene nenkambo yeLobukholwa, yini izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zeqiniso ezayenza ukuze zikhulise igama lakhe? (IzEnzo 15:14)

⁶ Ngokuphambene nendlela eyayiphishekelwa eLobukholwa, kusukela onyakeni wokuqala ngqá wokunyatheliswa kwayo (1879), iWatch Tower yaqokomisa igama laphezulu, elithi JEHOVA. Ngo-1926 lomagazini waba nesihloko esithi “Ubani Oyodumisa UJehova?” (IHubo 135:21) Ngo-1931 abaFundi BeBhayibheli behlangene neWatch Tower Society bamukela igama elithi oFakazi BakaJehova. (Isaya 43:10-12) Futhi bafinyelela ekuqondeni ngokugcwele ukubaluleka okukhulu kokungcweliswa kwegama likaJehova. (Isaya 12:4, 5) Ngo-1944 baqala ukunyathelisa iBhayibheli iAmerican Standard Version, elinegama elithi Jehova izikhathi ezingaphezu kuka-6 800. Nokho, ngokuphathelene nokunyatheliswa kweBhayibheli, kusukela ngo-1950, okuvelele kakhulu kuye kwaba ukukhiqizwa kweNew World Translation. Inikeza igama laphezulu indawo yalo elifanele kokubili emiBhalweni yesiHeberu nasemiBhalweni yamaKristu YesiGreki.

 7. Ukugcizelela okwabekwa egameni likaNkulunkulu nakho konke okuhlangene nalo kuye kwabazuzisa kanjani abantu abaningi?

⁷ Ngaleyondlela ukugcizelela okuye kwabekwa egameni likaNkulunkulu siqu kuye kwajabulisa izigidi zabathandi bokulunga embulungeni yonke. Kuye kwabasiza ukuba baqonde uNkulunkulu weqiniso njengoMuntu. Futhi njengoba beye bafinyelela ekwazini izindlela zakhe, baye bakwazi ukuziphatha ngokuqapha, noma ngokuqonda.—Mika 4:2, 5.

Ingabe Umphefumulo Womuntu Awufi?

 8. Ekuqaleni komlando wabo wosuku lwanamuhla, yini oFakazi BakaJehova abayifunda ngomphefumulo nangesimo sabafileyo?

⁸ Manje, isibonelo sesithathu: Ekuqaleni komlando wanamuhla wezinceku zikaJehova, uthando ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu lwavula amehlo azo ukuba zibone amanye amaqiniso abalulekile. Eminyakeni engaphezu kwekhulu edlule, “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” yakuqonda ngokuyikho ukuthi umphefumulo awuwona umoya ohlakaniphile nophumayo ohlala ngaphakathi kubantu kodwa ungumuntu ngokwakhe. (Mathewu 24:45-47) Ngo-1880, iWatch Tower yahlaziya amagama olimi lokuqala ahunyushwa ngokuguqula izinhlamvu ngokuthi Sheoli nokuthi Hayidese eBhayibhelini futhi yaphetha ngokuthi lawa asho ithuna. Yaveza futhi ukuthi abantu abaya eGehena bayabhujiswa, abahlushwa.—Bheka neNew World Translation Reference Bible, amakhasi 1573-5.

 9. Ngo-1894, yini iWatch Tower eyayiveza ngokuqondene nomsuka wemfundiso yokuthi ngokwemvelo imiphefumulo yabantu ayifi?

⁹ Ngo-1894 iWatch Tower yaphakamisa umbuzo, “Khona-ke wavelaphi umbono ovamile wokuthi bonke abantu banokungafi, abazalwa nakho, okwemvelo?” Ngokuqonda, yaphendula: “Lapho sihlola amakhasi omlando, sithola ukuthi, nakuba imfundiso yokungafi komuntu ingafundiswa ngofakazi bakaNkulunkulu abaphefumlelwe, iyiwonamongo wazo zonke izinkolo zobuhedeni. . . . Ngakho-ke, akulona iqiniso ukuthi uSocrates noPlato babengabokuqala ukufundisa leyomfundiso: yayinomfundisi wokuqala ngaphambi kwabo, futhi onekhono ngokwengeziwe. Nokho, bona bayilolonga lemfundiso . . . bayenza ifilosofi, kanjalo bayenza yaheha ngokwengeziwe futhi yamukeleka esigabeni esiphucukile sosuku lwabo nangemva kwalokho. Umbhalo ogciniwe wokuqala walemfundiso engamanga utholakala emlandweni omdala kunayo yonke owaziwa umuntu—iBhayibheli. Umfundisi wamanga kwakunguSathane.”a

10. Imiphi imiphumela emibi eye yavela emangeni enkolo ngomphefumulo nangesimo sabafileyo, kodwa yini eye yenziwa ukuze kusizwe abantu abacabangayo?

¹⁰ Ngokusakaza amanga okuthi bonke abantu banomphefumulo ongafi nokuthi ababi bayohlushwa phakade esihogweni somlilo, uSathane uye wamelela kabi futhi wahlambalaza igama likaNkulunkulu. Umhleli wokuqala weWatch Tower, uC. T. Russell, wakuqaphela lokho. Wabona abantu abahlakaniphile benqaba umqondo wokuhlushwa phakade, kodwa ngokudabukisayo, benqaba neBhayibheli ngoba becabanga ukuthi lalingumthombo waleyomfundiso engenangqondo. Ukuze asuse inkungu yangeNkathi Yobumnyama ezingqondweni zabantu abacabangayo, njengoba akubeka, uMzalwan’ uRussell wanikeza inkulumo yeningi ephawulekayo ethi “Ukuya Nokubuya Esihogweni! Obani Abalapho.”

11. (a) Lapho ukusebenzisa imimoya kuvelela, isiphi isixwayiso esakhishwa isigaba ‘senceku ethembekile’? (b) Obani abaye bazuziswa yilesixwayiso, futhi kanjani?

¹¹ Leyo kwakuyinkathi lapho ukusetshenziswa kwemimoya kwakuqala ukuvelela khona. Kodwa ngokuqonda uJehova uNkulunkulu akwenza kwatholakala ngeZwi lakhe, isigaba ‘senceku ethembekile’ saqonda ukuthi lemimoya okuthiwa eyabafileyo abantu ababekhuluma nayo kwakungamademoni. Izizathu ezinamandla ezingokomBhalo zanikezwa ezinkulumweni zeningi nasezincwadini ukuze kuvulwe amehlo abanhliziyoziqotho ukuze babone ingozi yokuhileleka emikhubeni yokusebenzisa imimoya. (Duteronomi 18:10-12; Isaya 8:19) Ngokomphumela walokhu kuqonda uJehova ayekunikeze izinceku zakhe, izinkulungwane eziningi zabantu embulungeni yonke ziye zakhululwa ekwesabeni abafileyo, ekusebenziseni imimoya, nasemasikweni ahlazisayo ahlangene nokusebenzisa imimoya.

Ukuziphatha KobuKristu Ezweni Elinesiyaluyalu

12, 13. (a) Chaza uDaniyeli 11:32, 33. (b) Yimaphi amanye amaqiniso eBhayibheli ayisisekelo anikeza isisekelo sokuqonda okunikezwa ‘ngabahlakaniphileyo’?

¹² Umprofethi uDaniyeli wabonisa ukuthi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zaziyobonisa ukuqonda ngokuphathelene nenye indaba yesine, eyimpikiswano ebalulekile—ukungathathi-hlangothi. Ngemva kokuchaza ngokuningiliziwe ukulwa phakathi kwamaqembu ezwe avelele ezombangazwe, uDaniyeli 11:32, 33 uthi: “Iyakonakalisa ngokuthopha abaphatha kabi isivumelwano.” Okungukuthi, inkosi yasenyakatho engumashiqela iholela ekuhlubukeni labo abathi bangamaKristu kodwa abathanda izwe, abafuna ukuvunyelwa yilo, kanjalo baphathe ngendelelo isivumelwano sikaJehova soMbuso uJesu ayobusa kuwo umhlaba wonke. “Kepha,” kuqhubeka uDaniyeli, “abantu abamazi uNkulunkulu wabo bayakuba namandla, baphikelele. Abahlakaniphileyo babantu bayakuqondisa abaningi.”

¹³ Ukuqonda okudingekayo ukuze sibhekane ngokuhlakanipha nezimo ngokuvamile eziyaluzelayo ezisizungezile kusekelwe ekwaziseni amaqiniso eBhayibheli ayisisekelo. Ngokuqondiswa uJehova, isigaba ‘senceku ethembekile’ siye sawaqonda lamaqiniso. Elinye lawo iqiniso lokuthi, njengoba uJesu abonisa, umbusi ongabonakali walelizwe uSathane uDeveli. (Luka 4:5-8; Johane 12:31) Ngokuvumelana naleliqiniso, eyoku-1 Johane 5:19 inezela ngokuthi akuyona nje ingxenye eyodwa kodwa “izwe lonke [sonke isintu esingaphandle kwebandla lobuKristu] limi ebubini.” (IsAmbulo 12:9) Njengoba uJesu athi abalandeli bakhe ‘babengeyikuba yingxenye yezwe,’ lokhu kusho ngabo ukungathathihlangothi kobuKristu.—Johane 17:16.

14. (a) Ukunakekela kwezinceku zikaJehova kwaqondiswa kuziphi izindaba ezazifike ngesikhathi ngo-1939 nango-1941? (b) Ukuqonda okunjalo kuye kwabasiza kanjani oFakazi BakaJehova ukuba benze ngokuhlakanipha?

¹⁴ Ngakho-ke, kwakungesikhathi esifanele ukuthi njengoba amafu empi yezwe II egqunqa eYurophu, impikiswano yokungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu iqokonyiswe kuNqabayokulinda yesiNgisi kaNovember 1, 1939. Okuhlobene nalendaba elinye iqiniso eliyisisekelo—ukubaluleka kwempikiswano yokubuswa kwendawo yonke nendima yoMbuso wobuMesiya ekuxazululeni lempikiswano. Ngokufanelekile, ngo-1941 lempikiswano yaqokonyiswa enkulumweni eyanikezwa emhlanganweni wesigodi woFakazi BakaJehova eSt. Louis, Missouri, eU.S.A., nangonyaka owalandela encwadini iThe New World. Yeka isivikelo ukuqonda kwaphezulu okunjalo okuye kwasinikeza izinceku zikaJehova kulelizwe elihlukene nelilwayo! Nakuba izimiso zenkolo zeLobukholwa ziye zahlukana ngoba ziye zazivumela ukuba zigaxele ezingxabanweni zamazwe nasezinhlanganweni zobushokobezi zokuketula ohulumeni, oFakazi BakaJehova kuwo wonke amazwe baye baqhubeka ngobunye bezinikela ekumemezeleni uMbuso kaNkulunkulu njengowukuphela kwethemba lesintu. Baye baqhubeka bematasa emsebenzini osindisa ukuphila uJesu Kristu awubikezela lapho ethi: “Lelivangeli lombuso liyakushunyayelwa ezweni lonke, kube ngubufakazi ezizweni zonke, andukuba kufike ukuphela.”—Mathewu 24:14.

Ukugcwaliseka Kweziprofetho ZeBhayibheli

15. Kungani izinceku zikaJehova ziye zaba nokuqonda?

¹⁵ Kungani izinceku zikaJehova ziye zaba nokuqonda okunjena? Ngoba zithembela ngokugcwele eZwini likaNkulunkulu elilotshiwe, ziyalithobela, futhi umoya kaJehova uphezu kwazo. Lokho futhi kuye kwazenza zakwazi ukuqonda iziprofetho zeBhayibheli ezibalulekile, futhi leli iphuzu lesihlanu esizolicabangela.

16, 17. (a) Kungani ngezinye izikhathi iminyaka esetshenziswa oFakazi BakaJehova yehluka kuleyo enikezwa izazimlando zezwe? (b) OFakazi BakaJehova baye bazuza kanjani ekuthembeleni kwabo eBhayibhelini ngokuqondene nonyaka kaArtaxerxes wama-20 nesikhathi sokubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngabaseBabiloni?

¹⁶ Izazimlando zezwe zithembele ekuchasiseni kwazo izibhebhe ngezinye izikhathi eziyizingcezu ezavubukulwa abavubukuli, ziye zaphetha ngokuthi u-464 B.C.E. kwakuwunyaka wokuqala wokubusa kuka-Artaxerxes Longimanus nokuthi u-604 B.C.E. kwakuwunyaka wokuqala wobukhosi bukaNebukadinesari II. Uma lokho bekuyiqiniso, unyaka wama-20 ka-Artaxerxes wawuyoqala ngo-445 B.C.E., futhi unyaka wokubhujiswa kweJerusalema abaseBabiloni (ngonyaka we-18 wokubusa kukaNebukadinesari) wawuyoba u-587 B.C.E. Kodwa uma umfundi weBhayibheli esebenzisa leyominyaka lapho ebala ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho, uyomane adideke.

¹⁷ OFakazi BakaJehova bebelokhu benesithakazelo kulokho okutholwa abavubukuli njengoba lokhu kuhlobene neBhayibheli. Nokho, lapho incazelo yalezinto ezitholiwe iphikisana nezinkulumo ezicacile eziseBhayibhelini, samukela ngokuqiniseka lokho imiBhalo eNgcwele ekushoyo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi izindaba ezihlobene nokubalwa kwezikhathi noma nanoma iyiphi enye indaba. Ngokomphumela, izinceku zikaJehova kade zaqaphela ukuthi inkathi yesikhathi engokwesiprofetho eyaqala ngonyaka wama-20 ka-Artaxerxes kwakumelwe ibalwe kusukela ku-455 B.C.E. nokuthi kanjalo uDaniyeli 9:24-27 wakhomba ngokunembile onyakeni ka-29 C.E. njengoyisikhathi sokugcotshwa kukaJesu njengoMesiya.b Ngesizathu esifanayo, ziye zaqaphela ukuthi isiprofetho esikuDaniyeli isahluko 4 mayelana ‘nezikhathi eziyisikhombisa’ saqala ukubalwa ngo-607-606 B.C.E. nokuthi sakhomba ngokuqondile ku-1914 C.E. njengonyaka uKristu abekwa ngawo esihlalweni sobukhosi ezulwini njengeNkosi ebusayo nalowo lelizwe elangena ngawo esikhathini salo sokuphela.c Kodwa babengeke bakuqonde lokugcwaliseka kweziprofetho okuvusa amadlingozi ukuba bantengantenga ekuthembeleni kwabo ekuphefumulelweni kwemiBhalo eNgcwele. Ngakho, ukuqonda abaye bakubonisa bekulokhu kuhlobene ngokuqondile nokuthembela kwabo eZwini likaNkulunkulu.

18. UIsaya 65:13, 14 uthembisani ngokuqondene nesimo esingokomoya sezinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile?

¹⁸ Eqhathanisa isimo esingokomoya sezinceku zakhe ezithembekile nesabantu namaqembu ayechilizela imiBhalo eceleni kalula ukuze amukele noma yini ethandwayo ngalesikhathi, uJehova uthi: “Bhekani, izinceku zami ziyakudla, kepha nina niyakulamba; bhekani, izinceku zami ziyakuphuza, kepha nina niyakoma; bhekani, izinceku zami ziyakuthokoza, kepha nina niyakujabha; bhekani, izinceku zami ziyakujabula ngokwenama kwenhliziyo, kepha nina niyakuhewula ngokwaphuka komoya, nikhale ngobuhlungu benhliziyo.”—Isaya 65:13, 14.

19. (a) Ngokuyinhloko, kungayiphi indlela ‘inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo’ enikeza ngayo izincazelo zemiBhalo? (b) Hlobo luni lwesimiso sokutadisha oluyosenza sikwazi ukuzuza ngokugcwele ekudleni okungokomoya?

¹⁹ Njengoba lokhu kubukeza okufushane okungokomlando sekubonisile, ‘inceku’ kaJehova “ethembekileyo neqondayo” iye yasinikeza izincazelo zamaqiniso abalulekile angokomBhalo ngeNqabayokulinda. INqabayokulinda iyithuluzi eliyinhloko elisetshenziswa isigaba ‘senceku’ ukuze Babe ukudla okungokomoya. Ingabe uzuza ngokugcwele kuyo? Ingabe uyawufunda umagazini ngamunye, futhi ingabe isimiso sakho sokutadisha sihlanganisa nokubheka imiBhalo ekhonjiwe kodwa engacashuniwe? Ingabe futhi ukwenza umkhuba ukuzindla ngalokho okutadishile, wakha ukwazisa ngakho, ucabangela indlela okufanele kuthinte ngayo isimo sakho sengqondo, izifiso zakho, imisebenzi yakho yansuku zonke, imigomo yakho ekuphileni? Ukwenza kwakho kanjalo kungaba isici esikhulu ekwenzeni kwakho izinqumo ezisekelwe ekuqondeni koqobo okunguJehova yedwa oye wakunikeza.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Yini Ayikhumbulayo?

◻ Ingabe uNkulunkulu unguZiqu-zintathu, futhi kungani uphendula kanjalo?

◻ lyiphi indawo efanelekile yegama IikaNkulunkulu?

◻ Ingabe umphefumulo womuntu awufi?

◻ Ikuphi ukuqonda uJehova aye wakunikeza ngokuziphatha kobuKristu ezweni elinesiyaluyalu?

◻ OFakazi BakaJehova baye bathola kuphi ukuqonda ngokuphathelene nokugcwaliseka kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli?

[Izithombe ekhasini 18]

NgeNqabayokulinda, “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” inikeza ukuqonda ngokuqondene nencazelo yemiBhalo nokusebenza kwayo osukwini Iwethu