UJehova—Amandla Ethu
“UJah Jehova ungamandla ami nengalo yami.”—ISAYA 12:2, NW.
1. (a) Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova behluke kangaka? (b) UIsaya 12:2 ukuveza kanjani lokho uJehova aye wakwenzela abantu bakhe?
INGABE uba khona emihlanganweni eHholo LoMbuso loFakazi BakaJehova? Lapho ubona abantu abahluke kakhulu kunoma ibaphi abanye! Bangobani labantu, futhi kungani behlukile? Singabantu bakaNkulunkulu, futhi sihlukile ngoba siphethe igama elihle kakhulu kunamagama onke—lelo loMdali okhazimulayo wazo zonke izimangaliso zendawo yonke esizungezile. Igama lakhe liphezu kwethu. Sihlangana ngenjabulo egameni lakhe ukuze sihlanganyele ukudla okukhethekile okungokomoya akulungiselela “ngesikhathi sakho” ngenhlangano yakhe. (Luka 12:42) NjengoFakazi BakaJehova, ngokubonga siphakamisa igama lakhe elingenakulinganiswa ngamazwi kaIsaya isahluko 12, ivesi 2, NW, afundeka kanje: “Bheka! uNkulunkulu uyinsindiso yami. Ngiyokwethemba futhi ngingesabi; ngoba uJah Jehova ungamandla ami nengalo yami, futhi waba-yinsindiso yami.” UNkulunkulu wethu uye wasihlenga ezilingweni eziningi. Manje insindiso yethu yamanqamu iyasondela—futhi isesandleni sikaJah Jehova!
2. (a) Amazwi athi “uJah Jehova” avela kangaki eBhayibhelini, futhi kuphi? (b) Yiziphi ezinye izindlela igama elithi “ingalo” kuIsaya 12:2, elingafundwa ngazo, futhi kungani nazo zifanelekile?
2 Lamazwi athi “uJah Jehova,” okuwukuphindwa kabili kwegama laphezulu, avela kabili kuphela eBhayibhelini, lapha nakuIsaya 26:4. Ngisho nabahumushi beKing James Version bakubona kufanelekile ukuba balihumushe ngokuthi “INKOSI UJEHOVA.” Ngokombhalo waphansi weNew World Translation Reference Bible, ezinye izindlela igama elithi “ingalo” elikuIsaya 12:2 elingafundwa ngazo ziwukuthi “ihubo” nokuthi “indumiso.” Yeka ukuthi kuyiqiniso kanjani ukuthi umninimandla onke uJah Jehova, onikeza abakhulekeli bakhe amandla ashukumisayo, ufanelwe yizingoma zethu ezingamahubo endumiso!—Isaya 40:28-31.
3. (a) UJah Jehova uye wavula indlela yani, futhi ngesisekelo sani? (b) Amazwi kaPawulu kwabaseRoma 11:33-36 anamuphi umphumela koFakazi BakaJehova?
3 Amandla kaJehova alinganiswa nokuhlakanipha kwakhe, ukwahlulela ngokulunga, nothando. Ekusebenziseni lezimfanelo zaphezulu, uJah Jehova uye wavula indlela yokusindiswa kwesintu esikholwayo ngesisekelo somhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo. Ngokuqondene nalokhu, umphostoli uPawulu wababaza: “Yeka ukujula kwengcebo, nokuhlakanipha, nokwazi kukaNkulunkulu! Yeka izahlulelo zakhe ezingaphenyekiyo, nezindlela zakhe ezingaqondakaliyo! Ngokuba ngubani owawazi umqondo weNkosi na? Nokuba ngubani owaba-ngumluleki wayo na? Noma ngubani owaqala ukuyipha ukuba kubuyiselwe kuye na? Ngokuba konke kuvela kuye, kukhona ngaye, kuya kuye; makube-kuye inkazimulo kuze kube-phakade. Amen.” (Roma 11:33-36) Ngakho-ke, yeka ukuthi kufaneleka kanjani ukuthi sibambelela ngokuqinile kuJah Jehova futhi simemezele siqinise ukwencika kwethu okuphelele nokuthembela kuye njengoNkulunkulu wethu umninimandla onke neNkosi enguMbusi!—Qhathanisa namaHeberu 3:14.
4. (a) Kungani umprofethi uIsaya ayenesizathu esihle sokuthi, ‘Ngizokwethemba angiyikwesaba’? (b) Kungani abantu bakaJehova benesizathu esihle sokwethembela kuJah Jehova kulelikhulu lama-20 leminyaka?
4 UIsaya wayenesizathu esihle sokuthi, ‘ngizokwethemba angiyikwesaba.’ Kamuva lomprofethi wajwayelana kangcono nezenzo zikaJehova zokusindisa. Wayengufakazi wokuzibonela lapho uJehova egcwalisa izwi laKhe ngokuthobisa iAsiriya nenkosi yalo ekhukhumele, uSaneheribi. Ngobusuku obubodwa, amabutho ama-Asiriya ayizi-185 000 abulawa yingelosi eyodwa kuphela eyayithunywe uNkulunkulu wethu umninimandla onke, uJehova! Lokho kusindisa okumangalisayo kwenzeka ngenxa yokuthi iNkosi uHezekiya nawo wonke amaJuda babethembela ngokuphelele kuJah Jehova. (Isaya 37:6, 7, 21, 36-38) Kulelikhulu lama-20 leminyaka, uJehova futhi uye wakhulula abantu bakhe ekucindezelweni, ekuvinjelweni, ekushushisweni, nasemakamu okuhlushwa. Njengalawoma-Asiriya akhukhumele esikhathi sikaIsaya, umbusi wamaNazi uAdolf Hitler wathuka oFakazi BakaJehova, ngesinye isikhathi ehlekisa ngabo ethi, “Lamatshwele azoqothulwa eJalimane!” Kodwa kwaba uHitler namaNazi akhe abaqothulwa. Futhi manje idlanzana loFakazi baseJalimane elathembela kuJehova liye landa laba ngaphezu kwezi-121 200!—IHubo 27:1, 2; Roma 8:31, 37.
5. Amazwi kaIsaya 12:3-5 asebenza kanjani kubantu abathembela kuNkulunkulu namuhla?
5 Nomaphi lapho kuphakama ukushushiswa, abantu abathembela kuJehova baqatshulwa futhi baqiniswe ukuphuza emanzini eqiniso anikeza ukuphila. Kunjengoba nje umprofethi kaNkulunkulu asho kuIsaya 12:3-5: “Ngalokho niyakukha amanzi ngokujabula emithonjeni yensindiso. Niyakusho ngalolosuku ukuthi: Bongani uJehova, nibize igama lakhe, nizazise izenzo zakhe phakathi kwezizwe, nimemezele ukuthi igama lakhe liphakeme. Hlabelelani kuJehova, ngokuba wenzile izinto ezinkulu; lokhu makwazeke emhlabeni wonke.” Sengathi singaqhubeka siphuza kakhulu iqiniso loMbuso futhi ngokubonga sidumise igama leNkosi yethu enguMbusi wendawo yonke, uJehova. Ngokuthembela ngokuphelele kuJehova, ‘masishumayele izwi, siqinise, noma kuyisikhathi noma kungesiso.’ (2 Thimothewu 4:2) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abaphikisi bangenzani, uJah Jehova uyosiqondisa ngothando endleleni yensindiso!
“Imizi Yezizwe Ezinonya”
6, 7. (a) Ngokuvumelana noIsaya 25:1, abakhulekeli bakaJehova kumelwe bamkhazimulise ngenxa yani? (b) UIsaya 25:2, 3 uwuchaza kanjani umuzi othile? (c) Ngokunokwenzeka umprofethi ubhekisela kumuphi umuzi, futhi ngani?
6 Manje masivule kuIsaya isahluko 25. Evesini 1 siyafunda: “Jehova, unguNkulunkulu wami; ngiyakukuphakamisa, ngidumise igama lakho, ngokuba wenzile izimangaliso, namasu asendulo, nokuthembeka, neqiniso.” Abakhulekeli bakaJehova abamethembayo bayamkhazimulisa ngenxa yemisebenzi emangalisayo ayenzile phakathi kwabo. Kodwa uIsaya ube eseveza umehluko omkhulu, ngokuthi kuJehova: “Ngokuba wenzile umuzi waba-yinqwaba, nomuzi obiyelweyo waba-yincithakalo; indlu yamakhosi abafokazi ayiseyiwo umuzi, ayisayikwakhiwa futhi kuze kube-phakade. . . . Imizi yezizwe ezinonya zikwesabe [Jehova.]”—Isaya 25:2, 3.
7 Yimuphi lomuzi ononya ongabizwanga ngegama? Kungenzeka ukuthi uIsaya wayebhekisela kumuzi waseAri, inhloko-dolobha yakwaMowabi, ngaso sonke isikhathi eyayiyisitha sabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Kodwa umongo walendaba lapha ubonakala ufanelekela kangcono elinye igatsha lenhlangano kaSathane—isitha esikhulu iBabiloni. Ngesikhathi esifanele, iBabiloni lalizobhubhisa izwe lakwaJuda neJerusalema, lidilize indlu kaJehova yokukhulekela, futhi lithathe abasindile libathumbe. UIsaya ucaphuna inkosi yaseBabiloni njengezikhukhumezayo: “Ngiyakukhuphukela ezulwini, ngiphakamise isihlalo sami sobukhosi phezu kwezinkanyezi zikaNkulunkulu, ngihlale entabeni yomhlangano . . . Ngizenze ngibe ngangoPhezukonke.” Kodwa uJehova wayezophakamisa uKoresi wasePheresiya ukuba anqume iBabiloni futhi abuyisele abantu bakaNkulunkulu ezweni labo. Njengoba kwaprofethwa, inxiwa leBabiloni lamandulo lamane nje lashiywa ‘liyinqwaba’ “nencithakalo.”—Isaya 14:12-14; 13:17-22.
8, 9. (a) Yiliphi elinye iBabiloni abakhulekeli bakaJehova okumelwe babhekane nalo, futhi lavela kanjani? (b) UIsaya ulichaza kanjani, futhi kungani leligama lifanelekile?
8 Nokho, eminyakeni engaphezu kwezi-2 500 ngemva kokugumbuqelwa kweBabiloni, abakhulekeli bakaJehova kusafanele babhekane nelinye iBabiloni—“iBabiloni Elikhulu, unina wezifebe nowamanyala omhlaba.” (IsAmbulo 17:5) Lingumbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. Lathola umsuka walo ngokushesha ngemva kukaZamcolo wosuku lukaNowa, lapho uNimrode akha iBabiloni lokuqala, elaba isiqalo samahlelo enkolo yamanga. Ngemva kokuba uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe bemise ubuKristu, izihlubuki zangcolisa iqiniso leBhayibheli ngokuletha “izimfundiso zamademoni” zobuqaba zaseBabiloni, futhi kwazalwa isimiso senkolo seLobukholwa. (1 Thimothewu 4:1) LobuKristu bokuzenzisa buye baba ingxenye eyinhloko ‘yeBabiloni Elikhulu,’ elinabela kuwo wonke umhlaba kuzo zonke izizwe zesintu. UIsaya ubuchaza ngokuthi “imizi yezizwe ezinonya.”
9 Eminyakeni engaphezu kwezinkulungwane ezine, kusukela ekusungulweni kweBabiloni lakuqala kuze kube manje, omashiqela abanonya baye basebenzisa abefundisi abanonya njengezincelebana zokucindezela nokulawula abantu abaphansi. Ngakho-ke, “lapho umuntu ebusa omunye kube-ngukulimala kwakhe.” (UmShumayeli 8:9) UJesu waba nozwela ngezixuku ‘ngoba zazikhathazekile, zihlakazwe’ ngabelusi abanjalo benkolo yamanga. Namuhla, iqembu elisoleka kakhulu livezwe ‘njengomuntu ongenamthetho,’ owakhiwa abafundisi beLobukholwa abaziphakamisile, abaye bahola ekuphikiseni nasekushushiseni oFakazi BakaJehova.—Mathewu 9:36; 2 Thesalonika 2:3, 4.
10. (a) Ngokuvumelana noIsaya 25:3, ‘imizi yezizwe ezinonya’ yaphoqeleleka kanjani ukuba ikhazimulise uJehova, futhi imesabe? (b) KuIsaya 25:4, 5, uIsaya ukhuluma kanjani ngoJehova, kokubili ngokuphathelene “nompofu” “nabanonya”?
10 Ngonyaka ka-1919 uJehova wakhulula abantu bakhe beqiniso ekulawulweni “iBabiloni Elikhulu.” ‘Leyomizi yezizwe ezinonya’ yaphoqeleleka ukuba ikhazimulise uJehova ngenxa yokuthi kwadingeka ukuba ngobuhlungu ibone “izimangaliso” azenza lapho ebuyisela abakhulekeli bakhe emsebenzini wenkuthalo. Abaholi benkolo yamanga baphoqelekile futhi ukuba besabe uJehova, ngokucabangela lokho okubalindele ngaphambili. Emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka, abefundisi abanonya baye baziphakamisa ngaphezu kwabantukazana. Kodwa manje uIsaya ukhuluma ngoJehova, ethi: “Ngokuba ubuyinqaba kwabampofu, inqaba kwabaswelayo ekucindezelweni kwabo, isiphephelo esivunguvungwini, umthunzi ekubaleleni, ngokuba umoya waba-nonya unjengesivunguvungu odongeni, nanjengokushisa endaweni eyomileyo. Uyathobisa umsindo wabafokazi; njengokubalela ngomthunzi wefu, kanjalo ihubo labanonya liyakudanjiswa.”—Isaya 25:4, 5.
Ayikho Ingoma Yenjabulo “EBabiloni”!
11. Kungani ingekho ingoma yenjabulo kuyo yonke indawo yombuso “weBabiloni Elikhulu,” futhi lokhu kwaboniswa kanjani embuthanweni wezinkolo zezwe lonke eAssisi, eItaly?
11 Ngempela, lokho kuyisimo esikhona namuhla kuyo yonke indawo yokubusa ‘kweBabiloni Elikhulu.’ Akutholakali ngoma yenjabulo lapho. Abaholi balo benkolo badidekile ngokuthi yibaphi onkulunkulu okumelwe babakhulekele. Lokhu kwavezwa ngokukhanyayo embuthanweni wezinkolo zonke eAssisi, eItaly, ngo-October 27, 1986. Lapho, ngokuvumelana noNyaka Wokuthula Womhlaba Wonke Wezizwe Ezihlangene, uPapa uJohn Paul II wahlanganisa abaholi bezinkolo eziholayo ‘zeBabiloni Elikhulu.’ Bonke bathandazela ukuthula, ezinye izindela zamaBuddha zithandaza isikhathi eside esingangamahora ayi-12 ngosuku olulodwa. Kodwa babethandaza kubani? KuMariya? Noma kuZiqu-zintathu ongcwele weLobukholwa? Noma kuZiqu-zintathu wamaHindu? Noma konkulunkulu abayizinkulungwane bobuBuddha? Noma kuAllah? Noma kulesiya silwanyana esiphansi, impungushe, leso esikhulekelwa amalungu enkolo yobuShinto? Noma ingabe imithandazo eyamukelwa kakhulu kwakuyileyo yeNdiya laseMelika lesizwe samaCrow? Kwabikwa ukuthi ‘lalikhazimula ngokuhloba kwasekhanda okubabazekayo,’ lapho lokhela inqawe yalo yokuthula futhi lisholo imithandazo yalo “entuthwini eyayishunqa njengempepho emoyeni obandayo.”
12. Yimaphi amazwi kaMika noIsaya labo baholi benkolo abangavumelani nawo?
12 Iqiniso liwukuthi: Akekho noyedwa kulabo baholi benkolo, kusukela kuDalai Lama wobuBuddha kuya ‘kuMhlonishwa’ uMethodius weSonto LobuOrthodox lamaGreki, ovumelana namazwi eBhayibheli akuMika 4:5: “Kepha thina siyakuhamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube-phakade naphakade.” Abavumelani neqiniso lamazwi aphefumlelwe kaIsaya isahluko 42, amavesi 5 no-8: “Usho kanje uNkulunkulu uJehova owadala izulu, waleneka, nowawendlala umhlaba nokuvela kuwo, nowanika abantu abakuwo ukuphefumula nomoya kwabahamba kuwo, uthi: NginguJehova; yilo igama lami; angiyikunika omunye inkazimulo yami, nezithombe ezibaziweyo udumo lwami.”
13. Yini ngempela eyenzeka eAssisi, futhi lokhu kwalahlwa ngayiphi indlela uJesu lapho esemhlabeni?
13 EAssisi, umgidingo wokukhangisa, izembatho ezibahlukanisayo, nemithandazo ethemelezayo kwakuyindlela yokubukisa okukhulu kwasobala. Yilokho iNdodana kaJehova uJesu eyakulahla ngesikhathi ilapha emhlabeni. Yathi ngabaholi benkolo bosuku lwayo: “Kepha imisebenzi yonke yabo bayenza ukuba babonwe ngabantu,” futhi wabatshela ngokungagwegwesi, ethi: “Maye kinina-babhali, nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nivalela abantu umbuso wezulu! Ngokuba aningeni nina, nabangenayo anibavumeli ukungena.” (Mathewu 23:5, 13; bheka futhi noMathewu 6:1-8.) Akukhona ukubonakala kwangaphandle noma indawo yokukhulekela okubalulekile kuNkulunkulu. Njengoba uJesu asho: “UNkulunkulu unguMoya; abakhuleka kuye bafanele ukukhuleka ngomoya nangeqiniso.”—Johane 4:21, 24.
Umthombo Weqiniso Wokuthula
14. (a) Kungani imithandazo yokuthula yezinkolo zomhlaba ingeyokuzenzisa? (b) Siyini isahlulelo saphezulu senkolo yeLobukholwa?
14 Ebheka ukudideka okusezinkolweni zezwe, ingabe ukhona ongaba ongenalwazi kangangokuba angacabanga ukuthi imithandazo yabaholi benkolo ingaletha ukuthula komhlaba? Baye bakhuleka ngobuzenzisi emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka, kuyilapho ngesikhathi esifanayo behlanganyela ngokugcwele ezimpini zezizwe, iZimpi Zenkolo, nokushushisa konya. Umprofethi kaJehova wabuza: “UmKushe angasiguqula isikhumba sakhe, nengwe amabala ayo, na? Khona ningenza okuhle nina enifundiswe ukwenza okubi.” (Jeremiya 13:23) Njengengxenye evelele ‘yeBabiloni Elikhulu’—umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga—inkolo yeLobukholwa ngokukhethekile iye yalinganiswa ngezilinganiso zaphezulu futhi ngokudabukisayo yafunyanwa iswela. Ilahliwe!—Jeremiya 2:34, 35, 37; 5:29-31; Daniyeli 5:27.
15. UJehova uyokuletha kanjani ukuthula okuhlala njalo, futhi kungani labo abathembela kuye bawukhonza kanjani umthombo wokuthula?
15 UJehova, “uNkulunkulu wokuthula,” uyoletha ukuthula okuhlala njalo ngokubhubhisa bonke abanecala legazi futhi agcwalise umhlaba ngabantu abathanda iqiniso nokulunga ngempela. (Filipi 4:9) NgokweNkosi uDavide, abathobekileyo ‘abathemba kuJehova benze okulungileyo’ ‘abazakulidla ifa lomhlaba’ futhi “bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu.” (IHubo 37:3, 11) Labo ‘abathembela kuJehova ngaso sonke isikhathi futhi benze okulungile’ bakhonza umthombo wokuthula ngendlela labo abanikeza imithandazo eyingxubevange konkulunkulu abangqubuzanayo, ezithombeni, nasemifanekisweni abangeke benze ngayo.—IHubo 115:2-8; Isaya 44:14-20.
16. UJehova ubalungiselela liphi idili abathobekileyo abaqoqelwa ngaphandle ‘kwemizi yezizwe ezinonya’?
16 Yeka umehluko okhona phakathi kwemithandazo namathemba abantu bakaNkulunkulu naleyo yabasekeli ‘beBabiloni Elikhulu’! Yeka ukuthi sikwazisa kahle kanjani ukuthi “ihubo labanonya liyakudanjiswa”! (Isaya 25:5) Kodwa ekhuluma ngabathobekileyo abaqoqwayo baphume “emizini yezizwe ezinonya,” uIsaya uqhubeka athi: “UJehova-Sebawoti uyakwenzela abantu bonke idili lokukhulupheleyo kulentaba, idili lewayini elinenhlese, . . . elicwengekileyo.” (Isaya 25:6) Idili elingokomoya namuhla elihlanganyelwa yilabo abafinyelela ekukhulekeleni uJehova lanelisa ngokuthokozisayo, idili isibili! Izinhliziyo zethu ziqiniselwa ukuba zikhuthazele futhi injabulo yethu iyachichima njengoba sikhonza uJehova ngentshiseko silindele ukuzalwa kabusha ngokomoya nedili lezinto ezinhle uJehova azithembisile ngomhlaba omusha.—IHubo 104:1, 14, 15; Mathewu 19:28.
17. Yiziphi “izimangaliso” uJehova azozenza, ziyoletha yiphi injabulo?
17 Ngokushesha, uJah Jehova uzokwenza “izimangaliso” hhayi ngokuqeda “iBabiloni Elikhulu” kuphela kodwa futhi “nomgubuzelo” wokulahlwa ogubuzela isintu ngenxa yesono sika-Adamu. (Isaya 25:7) Yebo, ngesisekelo somhlatshelo kaJesu, uNkulunkulu wethu uyogcwalisa isiprofetho sikaIsaya 25:8: “Uyakugwinya ukufa kuze kube-phakade; iNkosi uJehova iyakwesula izinyembezi zonke ebusweni bonke, isuse amahloni abantu bakhe emhlabeni wonke, ngokuba uJehova ukhulumile.” Yeka injabulo yokubona isono sika-Adamu nokufa kususiwe futhi nokwamukela abathandekayo njengoba bebuya ezidladleni zokufa! Yeka intokozo yokwazi ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova abathembekile bayobe benikeze impendulo ephelele kuMsoli omkhulu, uSathane uDeveli! (IzAga 27:11) Ngeke kusaba khona oyoletha isihlamba kubo, ngoba bonke bayoba benqobile ngobuqotho babo. “Ngokuthembeka neqiniso,” uJehova ngokwakhe uyobe efeze zonke izinto aziprofethile—‘amasu akhe asendulo.’ Wonke umhlaba uyoba usuyipharadesi lokulunga, ugcwaliswe abantu abalungileyo. Ithemba elihle ngempela!
18. Naphezu kokucindezeleka, yini esizimisele ukuyenza ngokuvumelana noIsaya 25:9?
18 Ukuthembela kwethu kuJehova ngaso sonke isikhathi phakathi nalezinsuku zobumnyama kuyoba nomvuzo wakho oqinisekile. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yikuphi ukucindezelwa okumelwe silwe nakho ekuphileni kwethu kwansuku zonke—kungaba sekondleni imikhaya yethu, ekubambeleleni ngokuqinile ezimisweni zeBhayibheli esikoleni, noma ekunikezeni ubufakazi ensimini elukhuni—masithembele ngaso sonke isikhathi kuJehova. Ukulondoloza kwethu ubuhlobo obuseduze noJehova ‘njengalowo ozwayo imikhuleko’ kuyosiqinisekisela usindiso. (IHubo 65:2) Ngakho-ke, masizimiseleni ukuhlala phakathi kwalabo abathi, emazwini kaIsaya 25:9: “Bheka lo unguNkulunkulu wethu; simhlalele, uyakusisindisa; lo unguJehova; simhlalele; siyakujabula sithokoze ngensindiso yakhe.”
Imibuzo Yokubukeza
◻ Kukanjani uJah Jehova engamandla ethu?
◻ Iyini “imizi yezizwe ezinonya”?
◻ ‘Umuzi wezizwe ezinonya’ uye waphoqeleleka kanjani ukuba ukhazimulise futhi wesabe uJehova?
◻ Yini ebonisa ukuthi ayikho ingoma yenjabulo “eBabiloni Elikhulu”?
◻ Yiziphi “izimangaliso” uJehova asazozenzela abantu bakhe?