UJehova Wembula Inkazimulo Yakhe Kwabathobekileyo
“Umphumela wokuthobeka nokwesaba uJehova yingcebo nodumo nokuphila.”—IZAGA 22:4.
1, 2. (a) Incwadi yezEnzo ibonisa kanjani ukuthi uStefanu ‘wayeyindoda egcwele ukholo nomoya ongcwele’? (b) Yini efakazela ukuthi uStefanu wayethobekile?
USTEFANU ‘wayeyindoda egcwele ukholo nomoya ongcwele. Wayegcwele nomusa namandla.’ Njengomunye wabafundi bokuqala bakaJesu, wayenza izimangaliso ezinkulu nezibonakaliso phakathi kwabantu. Ngesinye isikhathi kwavuka abantu abathile bamphikisa, “kodwa abakwazanga ukuma baqine bamelane nokuhlakanipha nomoya ayekhuluma ngawo.” (IzEnzo 6:5, 8-10) Kuyacaca ukuthi uStefanu wayengumfundi okhuthele weZwi likaNkulunkulu, futhi walivikela ngamaphuzu anamandla phambi kwabaholi benkolo yobuJuda bosuku lwakhe. Ubufakazi bakhe obuningilizayo obusencwadini yezEnzo isahluko 7 bufakazela isithakazelo esijulile ayenaso ekwambulekeni kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu.
2 Ngokungafani nalabo baholi benkolo abazikhundla zabo nolwazi lwabo kwabenza bazizwa bebakhulu kunabantu abavamile, uStefanu yena wayethobekile. (Mathewu 23:2-7; Johane 7:49) Yize ayeyazi kahle imiBhalo, kwamenelisa kakhulu ukunikezwa isabelo ‘sokwaba ukudla ematafuleni’ ukuze abaphostoli bagxile “emthandazweni nasenkonzweni yezwi.” UStefanu wayenedumela elihle kubazalwane, ngakho wakhethwa waba omunye wamadoda angu-7 afakazelwa kahle ayezokwaba ukudla nsuku zonke. Wawamukela ngentobeko lo msebenzi.—IzEnzo 6:1-6.
3. UStefanu waboniswani ngendlela eyisimanga eveza umusa kaNkulunkulu ongafanelwe?
3 UJehova wasibona isimo sengqondo sokuthobeka sikaStefanu kanye nengokomoya lakhe nobuqotho bakhe. Lapho uStefanu efakaza esixukwini esinenzondo sabaholi benkolo yobuJuda kuyiSanhedrini, ababemphikisa “babona ukuthi ubuso bakhe babunjengobuso bengelosi.” (IzEnzo 6:15) Ubuso bakhe babunjengobesithunywa sikaNkulunkulu, bunokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu wenkazimulo, uJehova. Ngemva kokufakaza ngesibindi emalungwini eSanhedrini, uStefanu waboniswa ngendlela eyisimanga umusa kaNkulunkulu ongafanelwe. “Yena, egcwele umoya ongcwele, wagqolozela ezulwini wabona inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, noJesu emi ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu.” (IzEnzo 7:55) Lo mbono omangalisayo waqinisekisa uStefanu ngesikhundla sikaJesu njengeNdodana kaNkulunkulu noMesiya. Waqinisa uStefanu othobekile futhi wamenza wagculiseka ukuthi uJehova wayemsekela.
4. UJehova uyembulela bani inkazimulo yakhe?
4 Njengoba lo mbono owanikezwa uStefanu ubonisa, uJehova wembula inkazimulo yakhe nenjongo yakhe kubantu abamesabayo abathobekile nababazisayo ubuhlobo abanabo naye. “Umphumela wokuthobeka nokwesaba uJehova yingcebo nodumo nokuphila,” kusho iBhayibheli. (IzAga 22:4) Kusemqoka-ke ukuba siqonde ukuthi kuyini ukuthobeka kweqiniso, ukuthi singayihlakulela kanjani le mfanelo ebalulekile, nokuthi sizuza kanjani ngokuyibonisa kuyo yonke imikhakha yokuphila.
Ukuthobeka—Imfanelo KaNkulunkulu
5, 6. (a) Kuyini ukuthobeka? (b) UJehova ukubonise kanjani ukuthobeka? (c) Kufanele kusithinte kanjani ukuthobeka kukaJehova?
5 Kungase kubamangaze abanye ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu, okunguyena ophakeme nokhazimula ukubedlula bonke ezulwini nasemhlabeni, uyisibonelo esikhulu kunazo zonke sokuthobeka. INkosi uDavide yathi kuJehova: “Uyonginika isihlangu sakho sensindiso, isandla sakho sokunene siyongisekela, futhi ukuthobeka kwakho kuyongenza ngibe mkhulu.” (IHubo 18:35) Lapho echaza uJehova ngokuthi uthobekile, uDavide wasebenzisa igama lesiHebheru elimsuka walo usho ukuthi “-khothamisiwe.” Ngaphandle kwegama elithi “ukuthobeka,” amanye amagama ahlobene naleli ahlanganisa elithi “ubumnene” nelithi “ukuzehlisa.” Ngakho uJehova wabonisa ukuthobeka lapho ezibeka phansi ukuze asebenzelane nomuntu ongaphelele uDavide futhi amsebenzise njengenkosi emmelele. Njengoba amazwi abhalwe ekuqaleni kweHubo 18 ebonisa, uJehova wamvikela futhi wamsekela uDavide, wamkhulula “entendeni yesandla sazo zonke izitha zakhe nasesandleni sikaSawule.” Kanti uDavide naye wayazi ukuthi noma ibuphi ubukhulu noma inkazimulo ayengase ayithole njengenkosi, yayixhomeke ekuzithobeni kukaJehova amenzele okuthile. Ukuqaphela lokhu kwamsiza uDavide wahlala ethobekile.
6 Thina-ke? UJehova ukubone kufaneleka ukusifundisa iqiniso, futhi kungenzeka ukuthi usinikeze amalungelo enkonzo akhethekile ngenhlangano yakhe, noma kungenzeka ukuthi uye wasisebenzisa ngandlela-thile ukuze afeze intando yakhe. Kufanele sizizwe kanjani ngakho konke lokhu? Akufanele yini kusenze sithobeke? Akufanele yini sikubonge ukuthobeka kukaJehova sigweme ukuzikhukhumeza, okuyinto nakanjani eyosidonsela amanzi ngomsele?—IzAga 16:18; 29:23.
7, 8. (a) Ukuthobeka kukaJehova kwabonakala kanjani ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe noManase? (b) UJehova noManase basibekela ngayiphi indlela isibonelo sokusilandela ekuboniseni ukuthobeka?
7 UJehova akagcinanga nje ngokubonisa ukuthobeka okukhulu ngokusebenzelana nabantu abangaphelele kodwa utshengise nokuthi uzimisele ukubabonisa isihe abathobekile engqondweni, aze ngisho abakhuphule noma abaphakamise abazithobayo. (IHubo 113:4-7) Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngenkosi yakwaJuda uManase. Wasisebenzisa kabi isikhundla sakhe esihloniphekile sokuba inkosi, wakhuthaza ukukhulekela kwamanga futhi “wenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova ngezinga elikhulu, emcasula.” (2 IziKronike 33:6) Ekugcineni, uJehova wamjezisa uManase ngokuvumela inkosi yase-Asiriya ukuba imsuse esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi. Esejele, uManase “wamncenga uJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe waqhubeka ezithoba kakhulu,” uJehova wambuyisela esihlalweni sobukhosi eJerusalema, futhi uManase “wazi ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso.” (2 IziKronike 33:11-13) Yebo, ekugcineni isimo sengqondo sokuthobeka sikaManase samjabulisa uJehova, owabe esembonisa ukuthi uthobekile ngokumthethelela nokumbuyisela ekubeni inkosi.
8 Ukuzimisela kukaJehova ukuthethelela nesimo sengqondo sokuphenduka sikaManase kusinikeza izifundo ezibalulekile ngokuthobeka. Kufanele sikhumbule zikhathi zonke ukuthi indlela esiphatha ngayo abantu okungenzeka basonile nesimo sengqondo esisibonisayo uma sonile, kungathinta indlela uJehova asebenzelana ngayo nathi. Uma sizithethelela ngenhliziyo ekhululekile iziphosiso zabanye futhi ngokuthobeka sivume amaphutha ethu, singabheka kuJehova ukuba asibonise isihe.—Mathewu 5:23, 24; 6:12.
Inkazimulo Yaphezulu Yembulelwa Abathobekileyo
9. Ingabe ukuthobeka kuwuphawu lobuthakathaka? Chaza.
9 Nokho, ukuthobeka nezimfanelo ezihlobene nako akufanele kubhekwe ngokungeyikho njengokuwuphawu lobuthakathaka noma isijwayezi sokuvuna ububi. Njengoba imiBhalo Engcwele isho, uJehova uthobekile, kodwa uyayiveza intukuthelo elungile namandla amakhulu uma kuphakama isidingo. Ngenxa yokuthobeka kwakhe, uJehova ubabonisa umusa noma ubabheka njengababalulekile labo abathobekile engqondweni, kanti uyaziqhelisa kwabaqhoshayo. (IHubo 138:6) UJehova ubonise kanjani ukuthi uzibheka njengezibalulekile izinceku zakhe ezithobekile?
10. Yini uJehova ayembulela abathobekileyo njengoba kuboniswe kweyoku-1 Korinte 2:6-10?
10 Ngesikhathi sakhe esifanele nangomzila wakhe awukhethile wokuxhumana nathi, uJehova uye wembulela abathobekileyo imininingwane ephathelene nokufezeka kwenjongo yakhe. Lezi zinto ezikhazimulayo zihlala zifihlekile kubantu okuthi ngokuqhosha bathembele ekuhlakanipheni noma ekucabangeni kwabantu, noma babambelele kukho ngenkani. (1 Korinte 2:6-10) Kodwa abathobekileyo bona, ngenxa yokuthi banikezwe ukuqonda okunembile injongo kaJehova, bashukunyiselwa ukuba badumise uJehova ngoba bayazisa ngisho nangokwengeziwe inkazimulo yakhe ebabazekayo.
11. Ekhulwini lokuqala, abathile babonisa kanjani ukuthi abathobekile, futhi kwabalimaza kanjani?
11 Ekhulwini lokuqala, abaningi, kuhlanganise nabathile ababethi bangamaKristu, babonisa ukuthi abathobekile futhi kwabakhuba loko umphostoli uPawulu abembulela kona ngenjongo kaNkulunkulu. UPawulu waba “umphostoli ezizweni,” kodwa kwakungengenxa yobuzwe bakhe, imfundo, ubudala, noma umlando omude wemisebenzi yakhe emihle. (Roma 11:13) Abantu ababheka izinto ngeso lenyama bavame ukubheka lezi zinto njengokuyizona ezinquma ukuthi ubani uJehova okufanele amsebenzise njengethuluzi lakhe. (1 Korinte 1:26-29; 3:1; Kolose 2:18) Nokho, uPawulu wayekhethwe uJehova ngokuvumelana nomusa waKhe wothando nenjongo elungile. (1 Korinte 15:8-10) Labo uPawulu abachaza ngokuthi “abaphostoli abahle kakhulu,” kanye nabanye abaphikisi, benqaba ukwamukela uPawulu nencazelo yakhe yemiBhalo. Ukuntula kwabo ukuthobeka kwabavimbela ukuthola ulwazi nokuqonda indlela ekhazimulayo uJehova afeza ngayo injongo yakhe. Sengathi singelokothe seye noma sahlulele labo uJehova akhetha ukubasebenzisela ukufeza intando yakhe.—2 Korinte 11:4-6.
12. Isibonelo sikaMose sibonisa kanjani ukuthi uJehova ubabonisa umusa abathobekileyo?
12 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ziningi izibonelo zeBhayibheli eziqokomisa indlela abathobekileyo ababoniswa ngayo umusa ngokuvezelwa amazwibela enkazimulo kaNkulunkulu. UMose, ‘owayemnene ukubadlula kude’ bonke abantu, wabona inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu futhi wasondelana kakhulu naye. (Numeri 12:3) Ngezindlela eziningi, uMdali wambonisa umusa omkhulu lo muntu othobekile, owachitha iminyaka engu-40 engumalusi ophansi, cishe eminingi yayo ayichitha eNhlonhlweni Yase-Arabhiya. (Eksodusi 6:12, 30) Esekelwa uJehova, uMose waba usomlomo wesizwe sakwa-Israyeli nomhleli waso oyinhloko. Waxoxa noNkulunkulu. Embonweni wabona “ukubonakala kukaJehova.” (Numeri 12:7, 8; Eksodusi 24:10, 11) Labo abayiqaphela le nceku ethobekile nommeleli kaNkulunkulu nabo babusiswa. Ngokufanayo, nathi siyobusiswa uma siqaphela futhi silalela umprofethi omkhulu kunoMose, uJesu, kanye ‘nenceku ethembekileyo neqondayo’ ayimisile.—Mathewu 24:45, 46; IzEnzo 3:22.
13. Inkazimulo kaJehova yembulwa kanjani kubelusi abathobekile ekhulwini lokuqala?
13 ‘Inkazimulo kaJehova yabenyezelela’ obani ngesimemezelo sengelosi sezindaba ezinhle zokuzalwa ‘koMsindisi, onguKristu iNkosi’? Kwakungebona abaholi benkolo abaqhoshayo noma abantu abaqavile abanezikhundla, kodwa kwakungabelusi abathobekile ‘ababehlala ngaphandle belinda imihlambi yabo ebusuku.’ (Luka 2:8-11) Laba bantu babengathandisiseki kahle ngenxa yesizinda sabo nomsebenzi wabo. Yize kunjalo, yibona uJehova abaqaphela nakhetha ukubatshela kuqala ngokuzalwa kukaMesiya. Yebo, uJehova wembula inkazimulo yakhe kwabathobekileyo nabamesabayo.
14. Yiziphi izibusiso ezivela kuNkulunkulu ezitholwa abathobekileyo?
14 Zisifundisani lezi zibonelo? Zisibonisa ukuthi uJehova ubabonisa umusa abathobekileyo futhi abembulele ulwazi nokuqonda injongo yakhe. Ukhetha abantu abangase banganakeki emehlweni abantu abathile asebenzise bona njengethuluzi lokudlulisela injongo yakhe ekhazimulayo kwabanye. Lokhu kufanele kusenze siqhubeke sibheke kuJehova, eZwini lakhe eliyisiprofetho, nasenhlanganweni yakhe ukuze sithole isiqondiso. Singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyohlale ezitshela izinceku zakhe ngokwembulwa kwenjongo yakhe ekhazimulayo. Umprofethi u-Amose wathi: “INkosi EnguMbusi uJehova ngeke yenze utho ngaphandle kokuba iyambulile imfihlo yayo ezincekwini zayo, abaprofethi.”—Amose 3:7.
Hlakulela Ukuthobeka, Uthole Umusa KaNkulunkulu
15. Kungani kumelwe sisebenzele ukuhlala sithobekile, futhi kuqokonyiswe kanjani lokhu endabeni yenkosi yakwa-Israyeli uSawulu?
15 Ukuze sithole umusa waphezulu ongapheli, kumelwe sihlale sithobekile. Ukuthi umuntu uke wathobeka akusho ukuthi uyohlale ethobekile. Kungenzeka ukuba umuntu ayeke ukuthobeka abese eqhosha futhi azithwale, okuyizinto ezibangela ukugabadela nenhlekelele. Yilokho kanye akwenza uSawulu, owaba owokuqala ukugcotshwa njengenkosi yakwa-Israyeli. Lapho ekhethwa ekuqaleni, wazizwa ‘emncane emehlweni akhe.’ (1 Samuweli 15:17) Nokho, kwathi esabuse iminyaka emibili nje kuphela, wenza isenzo sokugabadela. Wadelela ilungiselelo likaJehova lokunikela ngemihlatshelo ngomprofethi uSamuweli futhi wabeka izaba zokuzibambela mathupha. (1 Samuweli 13:1, 8-14) Lokhu kwakuyisiqalo sohide lwezigameko ezakuveza obala ukuthi akathobekile. Umphumela waba ukulahlekelwa umoya nomusa kaNkulunkulu, ekugcineni okwaholela ekufeni kwakhe okuyihlazo. (1 Samuweli 15:3-19, 26; 28:6; 31:4) Isifundo sisobala: Kumelwe sisebenzele ukuhlala sithobekile futhi silwe nemizwa yokuzigqaja, ngokwenza kanjalo sigweme noma yiziphi izenzo zokugabadela eziphumela ekulahlekelweni umusa kaJehova.
16. Ukucabangisisa ngobuhlobo bethu noJehova nabantu esiphila nabo kungasisiza kanjani ukuba sihlakulele ukuthobeka?
16 Nakuba ukuthobeka kungabaliwe ezithelweni zomoya kaNkulunkulu, kuyimfanelo kaNkulunkulu okumelwe ihlakulelwe. (Galathiya 5:22, 23; Kolose 3:10, 12) Njengoba kuhilela isimo sengqondo—okusho ukuthi indlela esizibheka ngayo thina nabanye—ukuhlakulela ukuthobeka kudinga sizimisele senze umzamo. Ukucabanga nzulu nokuzindla ngobuhlobo bethu noJehova nabantu esiphila nabo kungasisiza sihlale sithobekile. KuNkulunkulu, yonke inyama engaphelele injengotshani obuluhlaza obukhula isikhashana bese buyoma bubune. Abantu banjengezintethe eqeleni. (Isaya 40:6, 7, 22) Ingabe udwani lunaso isizathu sokuqhosha ngenxa nje yokuthi luthé ukuba lujana kunezinye izindwani? Intethe inaso yini isizathu sokugabisa ngekhono layo ngoba nje ikwazi ukuqhashela kujana kunezinye izintethe? Akunangqondo nje kwakukucabanga lokho. Ngakho, umphostoli uPawulu wakhumbuza amaKristu ayekanye naye: “Ubani okwenza uhluke komunye? Ngempela, yini onayo ongazange uyamukele? Uma ngempela uyamukele, kungani uziqhayisa njengokungathi awuzange uyamukele?” (1 Korinte 4:7) Ukucabangisisa ngemibhalo yeBhayibheli enjengalena kungasisiza ukuba sihlakulele ukuthobeka futhi sikubonise.
17. Yini eyasiza umprofethi uDaniyeli ukuba ahlakulele ukuthobeka, futhi yini engasisiza ukuba senze okufanayo?
17 Umprofethi ongumHebheru uDaniyeli kwathiwa ‘ungumuntu ofiseleka kakhulu’ emehlweni kaNkulunkulu ngenxa ‘yokuzithoba’ kwakhe, okusho ukuthi, ngenxa yokuthobeka kwakhe. (Daniyeli 10:11, 12) Yini eyasiza uDaniyeli ukuba ahlakulele ukuthobeka? Okokuqala, wabonisa ukuthembela kuJehova okungantengi, eya kuye njalo ngomthandazo. (Daniyeli 6:10, 11) Okunye futhi, uDaniyeli wayengumfundi weZwi likaNkulunkulu okhuthele nonezisusa ezifanele, okwamsiza ukuba agcine ingqondo yakhe isenjongweni kaNkulunkulu ekhazimulayo. Wayezimisele nokuvuma ukushiyeka kwakhe siqu, hhayi okwabantu bakubo kuphela. Futhi wayenesithakazelo esiqotho sokuqhakambisa ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu, hhayi okwakhe. (Daniyeli 9:2, 5, 7) Ingabe singafunda esibonelweni esihle kakhulu sikaDaniyeli, sizame ukuhlakulela ukuthobeka nokukubonisa kuyo yonke imikhakha yokuphila kwethu?
18. Iyiphi inkazimulo elindele labo ababonisa ukuthobeka namuhla?
18 “Umphumela wokuthobeka nokwesaba uJehova yingcebo nodumo nokuphila,” kusho izAga 22:4. Yebo, uJehova ubabonisa umusa abathobekileyo futhi umphumela udumo nokuphila. Lapho umhubi u-Asafa esecishe wayishiya phansi inkonzo yakhe kuNkulunkulu kodwa uJehova wabuye wakulungisa ukucabanga kwakhe, wavuma ngokuthobeka: “Uyongihola ngeseluleko sakho, kamuva uyongithatha ungiyise ngisho nasenkazimulweni.” (IHubo 73:24) Kuthiwani ngathi namuhla? Iyiphi inkazimulo elindele labo ababonisa ukuthobeka? Ngalé kokuba nobuhlobo obukhethekile nobubusisekile noJehova, bangabheka phambili ekuboneni kugcwaliseka la mazwi aphefumulelwe eNkosi uDavide: “Abamnene bayodla ifa lomhlaba, futhi ngempela bayothola injabulo enkulu ngokuchichima kokuthula.” Ikusasa elikhazimulayo isibili!—IHubo 37:11.
Uyakhumbula?
• Kukanjani uStefanu eyisibonelo somuntu othobekile uJehova amembulela inkazimulo yaKhe?
• UJehova uNkulunkulu ukubonise ngaziphi izindlela ukuthobeka?
• Yiziphi izibonelo ezibonisa ukuthi uJehova wembula inkazimulo yakhe kwabathobekileyo?
• Isibonelo sikaDaniyeli singasisiza kanjani ukuba sihlakulele ukuthobeka?
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 12]
Wayenezinkolelo Eziqinile Nokho Ethobekile
Emhlanganweni wabaFundi BeBhayibheli (namuhla abaziwa ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova) owawungo-1919 eCedar Point, e-Ohio, e-U.S.A., uJ. F. Rutherford owayeneminyaka engu-50, owayengamele umsebenzi ngaleso sikhathi, wakuthokozela ukuvolontiyela ukuthwalela ababeze emhlanganweni izimpahla, abaphelezele abayise emagumbini abo. Ngosuku lokugcina lomhlangano, wazivus’ usinga izethameli ezingu-7 000 ngala mazwi: “Ningamanxusa eNkosi yamakhosi noMbusi wababusi, nimemezela kubantu . . . umbuso okhazimulayo weNkosi yethu.” Nakuba uMfoweth’ uRutherford ayenezinkolelo eziqinile, aziwa ngokukhuluma angancengi futhi engayekethisi ezintweni ayekholelwa ukuthi ziyiqiniso, wayethobeke ngokungazenzisi phambi kukaNkulunkulu, evame ukukubonisa lokho emithandazweni yakhe ekukhulekeleni kwasekuseni eBethel.
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
UStefanu, owayeyazi kahle imiBhalo, ngokuthobeka waba ukudla
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
Isimo sengqondo sikaManase sokuthobeka samjabulisa uJehova
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
Yini eyenza uDaniyeli waba “umuntu ofiseleka kakhulu”?