Ukuhlakulela Ukwesaba UNkulunkulu
“Mesabe uJehova, udede ebubini.”—IZAGA 3:7.
1. Zabhalelwa bani izAga?
INCWADI yeBhayibheli yezAga iqukethe ingcebo yeseluleko esingokomoya. Okokuqala uJehova walungiselela lencwadi yesiqondiso ukuze ayale isizwe sakwa-Israyeli esingokoqobo. Namuhla, inikeza isizwe sakhe esingcwele samaKristu izaga ezihlakaniphile, “osekufikile [kuso] ukugcina kwezikhathi.”—1 Korinte 10:11; IzAga 1:1-5; 1 Petru 2:9.
2. Kungani isixwayiso esikuzAga 3:7 sifike ngesikhathi kakhulu namuhla?
2 Uma siphendukela encwadini yezAga 3:7, siyafunda: “Ungabi-ngohlakaniphileyo emehlweni akho; mesabe uJehova, udede ebubini.” Kusukela esikhathini sabazali bethu bokuqala, lapho iNyoka iyenga u-Eva ngesithembiso sokuthi ‘babezokwazi okuhle nokubi,’ ukuhlakanipha komuntu okuyize kuye kwahluleka ukwanelisa izidingo zesintu. (Genesise 3:4, 5; 1 Korinte 3:19, 20) Ayikho inkathi emlandweni lokhu okuye kwaba sobala kakhulu ngayo kunakulelikhulu lama-20—‘lezizinsuku zokugcina’ lapho isintu, sivuna izithelo zokucabanga kokuziphendukela kwemvelo okuphika ubukhona bukaNkulunkulu, sihlaselwa ubuhlanga, ubudlova, nalo lonke uhlobo lokuziphatha okubi. (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, 13; 2 Petru 3:3, 4) ‘Kuwukungahleleki kwezwe elisha’ lokho i-UN noma izinkolo zezwe eziwohlokayo ezingenakukwazi ukukulungisa.
3. Yiziphi izenzakalo ezaprofethelwa usuku lwethu?
3 IZwi likaNkulunkulu lesiprofetho lisazisa ukuthi imimoya engamademoni iphumele “emakhosini ezwe lonke uku[wa]hlanganisela ekulweni kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke . . . endaweni ethiwa ngesiHeberu iHarmagedoni.” (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16) Ngokushesha isenzo esesabekayo esivela kuJehova siyogubuzela lawomakhosi, noma ababusi. Kuyokuba njengovalo olwehlela abantu baseKhanani lapho uJoshuwa nama-Israyeli bezokhipha isahlulelo kubo. (Joshuwa 2:9-11) Kodwa namuhla yilowo ofanekiselwa uJoshuwa, uKristu Jesu—“iNkosi yamakhosi noMbusi wababusi”—‘oyakushaya izizwe futhi azibuse ngentonga yensimbi’ njengesibonakaliso ‘sentukuthelo yolaka lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke.’—IsAmbulo 19:15, 16.
4, 5. Obani abayothola insindiso, futhi ngani?
4 Obani abayothola insindiso ngalesosikhathi? Labo abayokhululwa, akuyikuba yilabo abayonqotshwa ukwesaba, kodwa bonke abaye bahlakulela ukwesaba uJehova okunenhlonipho. Kunokuba babe abahlakaniphile emehlweni abo, laba ‘badeda kokubi.’ Ngokuthobeka, bondla izingqondo zabo ngokuhle, ukuze okubi kungayitholi indawo emicabangweni yabo. Bakubheka njengokuyigugu ukuhlonipha okunempilo iNkosi ewuMbusi uJehova, “uMahluleli womhlaba wonke,” osezobhubhisa bonke abanamathela ebubini, njengoba nje abhubhisa abantu baseSodoma abonakele. (Genesise 18:25) Ngempela, kubantu bakaNkulunkulu “ukumesaba uJehova kungumthombo wokuphila, ukuze kudedwe ezingibeni zokufa.”—IzAga 14:27.
5 Ngalolusuku lokwahlulela kwaphezulu, bonke abazinikela ngokugcwele kuJehova ngokwesaba ukumdumaza bayoliqaphela iqiniso elishiwo ngokomfanekiso kuzAga 3:8: “Lokho [ukwesaba uJehova] kuyakuba-yimpilo emzimbeni wakho nokuhlunyelelwa kwamathambo akho.”
Ukudumisa UJehova
6. Yini okufanele isishukumisele ukuba silalele izAga 3:9?
6 Ukwesaba kwethu uJehova okunokwazisa, kanye nothando olujulile ngaye, kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba silalele izAga 3:9: “Dumisa uJehova ngempahla yakho, nangolibo lwazo zonke izithelo zakho.” Asiphoqelelwa ukuba sidumise uJehova ngeminikelo yethu. Lena kufanele yenziwe ngokuzithandela, njengoba kuboniswe izikhathi ezingu-12 ku-Eksodusi 35:29 kuya kuDuteronomi 23:23 ngokuphathelene nemihlatshelo kwa-Israyeli wasendulo. Lolulibo oluya kuJehova kufanele lube izipho ezingcono kakhulu esingaphana ngazo, ngokuqaphela ubuhle nomusa wothando esiye sawujabulela uvela kuye. (IHubo 23:6) Kufanele lubonise isinqumo sethu ‘sokufuna kuqala umbuso . . . nokulunga kwakhe.’ (Mathewu 6:33) Futhi yini eba umphumela wokudumisa uJehova ngezinto zethu eziyigugu? “Izinqolobane zakho zigcwale ngobuningi, nezikhamo zakho zichichime ngewayini elisha.”—IzAga 3:10.
7. Yiluphi ulibo okufanele silunikele kuJehova, futhi uyoba yini umphumela?
7 Indlela kaJehova eyinhloko yokusibusisa ingokomoya. (Malaki 3:10) Ngakho, ulibo esilunikela kuye ngokuyinhloko kufanele lube olungokomoya. Kufanele sisebenzise isikhathi, amandla, nobungqabavu bethu ekwenzeni intando yakhe. Kamuva lokhu kuyosicebisa ngendlela efanayo naleyo ukwenza lomsebenzi okwaba “ukudla” okuqinisa ngayo kuJesu. (Johane 4:34) Izinqolobane zethu ezingokomoya ziyogcwala, futhi injabulo yethu, efanekiselwa yiwayini elisha, iyochichima. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba sithandazela ukudla okungokwenyama okwanele usuku ngalunye, singanikela njalo ngokuphana ngesinakho ekusekeleni umsebenzi woMbuso womhlaba wonke. (Mathewu 6:11) Konke esinakho, kuhlanganise nezinto ezibonakalayo, kweza kithi kuvela kuBaba wethu wasezulwini onothando. Uyothulula izibusiso ezengeziwe, ngokwezinga esizisebenzisa ngalo lezizinto eziyigugu ekumdumiseni.—IzAga 11:4; 1 Korinte 4:7.
Ukusola Kothando
8, 9. Kufanele sikubheke kanjani ukusolwa nokuyalwa?
8 Emavesini 11 no-12, izAga isahluko 3 ziphinde zikhulume ngobuhlobo obujabulisayo phakathi kukababa nendodana obukhona emikhayeni eyesaba uNkulunkulu, naphakathi kukaJehova nabantwana bakhe abangokomoya abathandekayo abasemhlabeni. Siyafunda: “Ndodana yami, ungadeleli ukulaya kukaJehova, ungakhathazeki ngokusola kwakhe. Ngokuba uJehova uyamlaya amthandayo, njengoyise indodana ayithandayo.” Abantu bezwe bayakuzonda ukusolwa. Abantu bakaJehova kufanele bakwamukele. Umphostoli uPawulu wacaphuna lamazwi encwadini yezAga, ethi: “Ndodana yami, ungadeleli ukulaya kweNkosi, uphele amandla, nxa usolwa yiyo, ngokuba iNkosi iyamlaya emthandayo . . . Ukulaya konke okwamanje kungathi akusikho okwentokozo, kepha kungokosizi, kodwa ngasemuva kuyabathelela isithelo esihle sokulunga labo abahlakahliswé yikho.”—Heberu 12:5, 6, 11.
9 Yebo, ukusolwa nokuyalwa kuyingxenye edingekile yokuqeqeshwa kwethu sonke ngabanye, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sikuthola kuvela kubazali, ngebandla lobuKristu, noma njengoba sizindla ngemiBhalo phakathi nesifundo sethu somuntu siqu. Ukulalela iseluleko kuyindaba yokuphila nokufa ngathi, njengoba nezAga 4:1, 13 zisho: “Zwanini, madodana ami, ukulaya kukayise, nilalele, ukuze nazi ukuqonda. Bambelela ekulayweni, ungakuyeki; kulonde, ngokuba kungukuphila kwakho.”
Injabulo Enkulu Kunazo Zonke
10, 11. Yiziphi ezinye izici zamazwi ajabulisayo akuzAga 3:13-18?
10 Yeka ukuthi manje kulandela amazwi amahle kanjani, ngempela, ‘amazwi enamisayo nafanele eqiniso’! (UmShumayeli 12:10) Lamazwi kaSolomoni aphefumlelwe achaza injabulo yeqiniso. Amazwi okufanele siwalobe ezinhliziyweni zethu. Siyafunda:
11 “Ubusisiwe umuntu othola ukuhlakanipha nomuntu ozuza ingqondo, ngokuba inzuzo yakho inhle kunenzuzo yesiliva, nokutholakalayo kukho kunegolide. Kuyigugu kunamarubi, nakho konke ongakufisa akunakulinganiswa nakho. Ubude bezinsuku busesandleni sakho sokunene, nakwesokhohlo kukhona ingcebo nodumo. Izindlela zakho ziyizindlela zokumnandi; yonke imikhondo yakho ingukuthula. Kungumuthi wokuphila kwabakubambayo, nababambelela kukho babusisiwe.”—IzAga 3:13-18.
12. Kufanele kusizuzise kanjani ukuhlakanipha nokuqonda?
12 Ukuhlakanipha—yeka indlela lokhu okushiwo kaningi ngayo encwadini yezAga, izikhathi ezingu-46 sekukonke! “Ukuqala kokuhlakanipha kungukumesaba uJehova.” Lokhu ukuhlakanipha kokwesaba uNkulunkulu, okungokoqobo okusekelwe olwazini lweZwi likaNkulunkulu okwenza abantu bakhe bathathe inkambo elondekile phakathi neziphepho eziyingozi eziyaluza ezweni likaSathane. (IzAga 9:10) Ukuqonda, okubhekiselwa kukho izikhathi ezingu-19 encwadini yezAga, kuhambisana nokuhlakanipha, kusisiza ukuba silwisane namacebo kaSathane. Ukuze sifeze izenzo zaso zobuqili, iSitha esikhulu sisizwa okuhlangenwe nakho kwaso kwezinkulungwane zeminyaka. Kodwa thina sinokubaluleke kakhulu ukudlula okuhlangenwe nakho kwaso njengomfundisi—ukuqonda kokwesaba uNkulunkulu, ikhono lokuhlukanisa phakathi kokulungile nokungalungile nokukhetha indlela eqondile okumelwe sihambe ngayo. Yilokho uJehova asifundisa khona ngeZwi lakhe.—IzAga 2:10-13; Efesu 6:11.
13. Yini engasivikela ngezikhathi ezinzima ezingokomnotho, futhi kanjani?
13 Izinkinga ezingokomnotho ezweni lanamuhla ziyisandulela sokugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho esikuHezekeli 7:19: “Bayakuphonsa isiliva labo ezitaladini, igolide labo libe-yinto engcolileyo, isiliva labo negolide labo kungabi-namandla okubophula ngosuku lwentukuthelo kaJehova.” Yonke ingcebo yezinto ezibonakalayo emhlabeni ayiqhathaniseki ngisho nakancane namandla asindisayo okuhlakanipha nokuqonda. Ngesinye isikhathi iNkosi ehlakaniphile uSolomoni yathi: “Kusemthunzini wokuhlakanipha njengasemthunzini wemali, kepha inzuzo yokwazi ingeyokuba ukuhlakanipha kulondoloza ukuphila kwalowo onakho.” (UmShumayeli 7:12) Bayajabula ngempela bonke namuhla abahamba ezindleleni zobuhle zikaJehova futhi ngokuhlakanipha abakhetha “ubude bezinsuku,” ukuphila okuphakade okuyisipho sikaNkulunkulu kubo bonke ababonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu wesihlengo!—IzAga 3:16; Johane 3:16; 17:3.
Ukuhlakulela Ukuhlakanipha Kweqiniso
14. Kungaziphi izindlela uJehova aye wabonisa ngazo ukuhlakanipha okuyisibonelo?
14 Kufanelekile ukuba thina bantu, abadalwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu, silwele ukuhlakulela ukuhlakanipha nokuqonda, izimfanelo uJehova ngokwakhe azibonisa lapho enza imisebenzi yakhe emangalisayo yokudala. “UJehova wasekela umhlaba ngokuhlakanipha; wamisa amazulu ngokuqonda.” (IzAga 3:19, 20) Waqhubeka nokudala izidalwa eziphilayo, hhayi ngenqubo eyimfihlo engachazeki yokuziphendukela kwemvelo, kodwa ngezenzo eziqondile zokudala, ngasinye ‘ngokohlobo lwaso’ nangenjongo ehlakaniphile. (Genesise 1:25) Lapho ekugcineni umuntu edalwa enokuhlakanipha namakhono aphakeme kakhulu kunawezilwane, ukuhalalisela kwamadodana kaNkulunkulu ayizingelosi kumelwe ukuba kwezwakala kuphindelela emazulwini. (Qhathanisa noJobe 38:1, 4, 7.) Ukubona kukaJehova kusengaphambili okunokuqonda, ukuhlakanipha kwakhe, nothando lwakhe kubonakala ngokusobala kuyo yonke imisebenzi yakhe yasemhlabeni.—IHubo 104:24.
15. (a) Kungani kunganele ukumane sihlakulele ukuhlakanipha? (b) IzAga 3:25, 26 kufanele zivuse liphi ithemba kithi?
15 Akudingeki nje kuphela ukuba sihlakulele izimfanelo zikaJehova zokuhlakanipha nokuqonda kodwa futhi ukuba sinamathele kuzo, singayekethisi nakancane ekutadisheni kwethu iZwi lakhe. Uyasiyala: “Ndodana yami, lokho makungasuki emehlweni akho, ugcine ukuhlakanipha namasu, kube-ngukuphila emphefumulweni wakho nomusa entanyeni yakho.” (IzAga 3:21, 22) Ngakho singahamba ngokulondeka nangokuthula kwengqondo, ngisho nasekusondeleni njengesela kosuku ‘lokubhujiswa okuzumayo’ okuyofikela izwe likaSathane. (1 Thesalonika 5:2, 3) Phakathi nosizi olukhulu ngokwalo, ‘awuyikwethu[s]wa luvalo oluzumayo nokuchithwa kwababi, lapho kufika, ngokuba uJehova uyakuba-yithemba lakho, agcine unyawo lwakho ukuba lungabhajwa.’—IzAga 3:23-26.
Uthando Lokwenza Okuhle
16. Yisiphi isenzo esidingekayo kumaKristu ngaphandle kokushiseka enkonzweni?
16 Lezi izinsuku zokubonisa intshiseko ekushumayeleni lezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kube ubufakazi ezizweni zonke. Kodwa lomsebenzi wokufakaza kumelwe uhambisane nomunye umsebenzi wobuKristu, njengoba uchazwe kuzAga 3:27, 28: “Ungagodleli abaninikho okuhle, lapho kusemandleni esandla sakho ukukwenza. Ungasho kumakhelwane wakho ukuthi: Hamba, ubuye, ngiyakukunika kusasa, lapho kukhona kuwe.” (Qhathanisa noJakobe 2:14-17.) Njengoba ingxenye enkulu yezwe ikhungethwe ubumpofu nendlala, kuye kwaba nobizo oluphuthumayo lokuba sisize abantu esiphila nabo, ikakhulukazi abazalwane bethu abangokomoya. Baye basabela kanjani oFakazi BakaJehova?
17-19. (a) Yisiphi isidingo esiphuthumayo okwahlangatshezwana naso ngo-1993, futhi kwaba nakuphi ukusabela? (b) Yini ebonisa ukuthi abazalwane bethu abaswele ‘bayanqoba nokunqoba’?
17 Cabangela isibonelo esisodwa: Phakathi nonyaka odlule, ubizo oluphuthumayo losizo lwavela ezweni elaliyiYugoslavia. Abazalwane emazweni angomakhelwane basabela ngokumangalisayo. Phakathi nezinyanga ezibandayo zangobusika obudlule, uhide lwezinqola ezigadiwe ezilethe usizo lakwazi ukungena endaweni ekhungethwe yimpi, luthuthela izincwadi ezisanda kukhululwa, izembatho ezifudumele, ukudla, nemithi kuya koFakazi abaswele. Ngesinye isikhathi, abazalwane benza isicelo semvume yokungena kwelinye izwe ukuze bangenise amathani angu-15 amalungiselelo osizo, kodwa lapho bethola lemvume, kwakungeyamathani angu-30! Ngokushesha oFakazi BakaJehova e-Austria bathumela amanye amaloli amathathu. Sekukonke, amathani angu-25 afinyelela endaweni eyayihlosiwe. Yeka indlela abazalwane bethu ababejabule ngayo ngokwamukela lamalungiselelo ayinsada angokomoya nangokwenyama!
18 Basabela kanjani labo abawamukela? Ekuqaleni kwalonyaka, omunye umdala wabhala: “Abazalwane nodade eSarajevo bayaphila futhi banempilo, futhi okubaluleke kakhulu, sisaqinile ngokomoya ukuze sikhuthazelele lempi yobuhlanya. Isimo sasinzima kakhulu ngokuphathelene nokudla. Kwangathi uJehova anganibusisa futhi anivuze ngemizamo enisenzele yona. Iziphathimandla zibahlonipha ngokukhethekile oFakazi BakaJehova ngenxa yendlela yabo yokuphila eyisibonelo nangenxa yokuhlonipha kwabo iziphathimandla. Siyabonga futhi ngokudla okungokomoya enisilethele khona.”—Qhathanisa neHubo 145:18.
19 Labazalwane abasengozini baye babonisa ukwazisa futhi ngenkonzo yabo yasensimini yentshiseko. Omakhelwane abaningi beza kubo bazocela izifundo zeBhayibheli zasemakhaya. Edolobheni laseTuzla, lapho kwathunyelwa khona amathani amahlanu okudla kosizo, abamemezeli abangu-40 babika isilinganiso samahora angu-25 ummemezeli ngamunye enkonzweni ngenyanga, bebonisa ukuwasekela okuhle amaphayona ayisishiyagalolunye ebandleni. Baba nenani eliphawulekayo labangu-243 lababa khona eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaJesu. Labazalwane abathandekayo ngempela ‘bayanqoba nokunqoba ngowasithandayo.’—Roma 8:37.
20. Yikuphi “ukulingana” okuye kwenzeka ezweni elaliyiSoviet Union?
20 Umoya wokuphana owaboniswa ngohide lwezinqola ezigadiwe zokudla kosizo nezembatho ezifudumele okwathunyelwa ezweni elaliyiSoviet Union uye wafaniswa futhi nentshiseko yabazalwane lapho. Ngokwesibonelo, eMoscow ababa khona eSikhumbuzweni kulonyaka babengu-7 549, uma kuqhathaniswa nabangu-3 500 ngonyaka odlule. Phakathi nenkathi efanayo, amabandla kulelodolobha anda kusukela kwangu-12 kuya kwangu-16. Kulo lonke izwe elaliyiSoviet Union (ngaphandle kweBaltic States), ukwanda emabandleni kwakungamaphesenti angu-14, kubamemezeli boMbuso kwakungamaphesenti angu-25, futhi kumaphayona kwakungamaphesenti angu-74. Yeka umoya wentshiseko nokuzidela! Kusikhumbuza ngekhulu lokuqala lapho kwakukhona “ukulingana.” AmaKristu ayenezinto ezingokomoya nezingokwenyama enza izipho zothando kulabo ababesezindaweni ezintulayo, kuyilapho intshiseko yalaba ababehluphekile yayilethela abanikelayo injabulo nesikhuthazo.—2 Korinte 8:14.
Zonda Okubi!
21. Baqhathaniswa kanjani abahlakaniphileyo nabayiziwula emazwini okuphetha ezAga isahluko 3?
21 Isahluko sesithathu sezAga ngokulandelayo siveza uchungechunge lokuqhathanisa, siphetha ngalesiyalo: “Ungabi-namhawu ngomuntu oyisidlwangudlwangu, ungakhethi neyodwa yezindlela zakhe, ngokuba ophambeneyo uyisinengiso kuJehova, kepha abaqotho bayisifuba sakhe. Isiqalekiso sikaJehova sisendlini yababi, kepha uyabusisa ikhaya labalungileyo. Izideleli uyazidelela, kepha abathobekileyo ubapha umusa. Abahlakaniphileyo bayakudla ifa lodumo, kepha iziwula ziyakuphiwa ihlazo.”—IzAga 3:29-35.
22. (a) Singakugwema kanjani ukubalwa neziwula? (b) Yini ezondwa abaahlakaniphileyo, futhi yini abayihlakulelayo, kube namuphi umvuzo?
22 Singakugwema kanjani ukubalwa neziwula? Kumelwe sifunde ukuzonda okubi, yebo, senyanye lokho uJehova akwenyanyayo—zonke izindlela ezikhohlisayo zalelizwe elinobudlova nelichitha igazi. (Bheka nezAga 6:16-19.) Ngokuphambene, kumelwe sihlakulele okuhle—ubuqotho, ukulunga, nobumnene—ukuze ngokuzithoba nangokwesaba uJehova sizuze ‘ingcebo, nodumo, nokuphila.’ (IzAga 22:4) Lokhu kuyoba umvuzo wethu sonke esisisebenzisa ngokuthembeka lesiyalo: “Themba kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho.”
Uthini?
◻ Usebenza kanjani namuhla umbhalo oyisihluthulelo walesifundo?
◻ Singamdumisa kanjani uJehova?
◻ Kungani kungafanele silulaze ukuyalwa?
◻ Ingatholakalaphi injabulo enkulu kunazo zonke?
◻ Singakuthanda kanjani okuhle futhi sizonde okubi?
[Izithombe ekhasini 18]
Labo abanikela ngokungcono kakhulu kwabo njengomhlatshelo kuJehova bayobusiswa ngokucebile