Isahluko Sesithupha

Impikiswano Okufanele Sibhekane Nayo Sonke

 1, 2. (a) Iyiphi impikiswano eyaphakanyiswa nguSathane e-Edene? (b) Lokho akusho kwayiveza kanjani leyo mpikiswano?

UHILELEKÉ empikiswaneni ebaluleke kunazo zonke isintu esake sabhekana nazo. Ukuthi ungakuluphi uhlangothi kuyonquma ikusasa lakho laphakade. Le mpikiswano yaphakama lapho kuqala ukuhlubuka e-Edene. Ngaleso sikhathi, uSathane wabuza u-Eva: “Ngempela uNkulunkulu ushilo yini ukuthi: ‘Ningadli emithini yasensimini,’ na?” Ephendula, u-Eva wathi uNkulunkulu wayethé ngezithelo zomuthi owodwa: “Ningazidli . . . ukuba ningafi.” USathane wabe esemangalela uJehova ngokuqondile ngokuthi uqamba amanga, ethi ukuphila kuka-Eva nokuka-Adamu kwakungaxhomekile ekulaleleni uNkulunkulu. USathane wathi uNkulunkulu wayegodlela izidalwa zakhe okuthile okuhle—ikhono lokuzibekela izindinganiso ekuphileni. USathane wagomela: “UNkulunkulu uyazi ukuthi mhla nizidla, kuyakuvuleka amehlo enu, nibe njengoNkulunkulu, nikwazi okuhle nokubi.”—Genesise 3:1-5.

² Eqinisweni, ayekusho uSathane ukuthi abantu babengaphila kangcono uma bezenzela izinqumo kunokuba balalele imithetho kaNkulunkulu. Ngokwenza kanjalo wayibekela inselele indlela kaNkulunkulu yokubusa. Lokhu kwaphakamisa impikiswano ebaluleke kakhulu yobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu bendawo yonke, okuwukuthi, ilungelo lakhe lokubusa. Kwaphakama lo mbuzo: Yikuphi okulungele abantu, indlela kaJehova yokubusa noma ukuzibusa ngaphandle kwakhe? UJehova wayengababhubhisa ngokuphazima kweso o-Adamu no-Eva, kodwa lokho kwakungeke kuyixazulule ngokwanelisayo le mpikiswano yobukhosi. Ngokuvumela umphakathi wesintu ukuba uqhubeke uphila isikhathi eside, uNkulunkulu wayengabonisa ngokucacile ukuthi ukuzibusa ngaphandle kwakhe nemithetho yakhe kwakuzoba namiphi imiphumela.

 3. Iyiphi impikiswano yesibili eyaphakanyiswa nguSathane?

³ Ukuhlasela kukaSathane ilungelo likaJehova lokubusa akuzange kugcine ngalokho okwenzeka e-Edene. Wangabaza ubuqotho babanye abantu kuJehova. Lokhu kwaba yimpikiswano yesibili ehlobene eduze neyokuqala. Inselele yakhe yahlanganisa kokubili inzalo ka-Adamu no-Eva kanye nawo wonke amadodana kaNkulunkulu omoya, ngisho neNdodana kaJehova ethandekayo eyizibulo. Ngokwesibonelo, ezinsukwini zikaJobe, uSathane wagomela ngokuthi labo abakhonza uJehova babengakwenzi ngoba bethanda uNkulunkulu nendlela abusa ngayo, kodwa babekwenza ngenxa yezizathu zobugovu. Waveza ukuthi uma bebhekana nobunzima, bonke babeyonqotshwa yizifiso zobugovu.—Jobe 2:1-6; IsAmbulo 12:10.

Lokho Okuye Kwafakazelwa Umlando

 4, 5. Yini eye yafakazelwa umlando ngokuqondisa komuntu izinyathelo zakhe?

⁴ Iphuzu elisemqoka kule mpikiswano yobukhosi yileli: UNkulunkulu wayengabadalelanga abantu ukuba baphile ngokuzibusa ngaphandle kwakhe kodwa baphumelele. Ukuze bazuze, wabenza bathembela emithethweni yakhe elungile. Umprofethi uJeremiya wavuma: “Ngiyazi, Jehova, ukuthi indlela yomuntu ayikuye uqobo; akukuyo indoda ukuba ihambe, iqondise izinyathelo zayo. Ngilaye, Jehova.” (Jeremiya 10:23, 24) Ngakho iZwi likaNkulunkulu liyakhuthaza: “Themba kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, ungenciki kokwakho ukuqonda.” (IzAga 3:5) Njengoba nje uNkulunkulu enza ukuba isintu sibuswe yimithetho yakhe yemvelo ukuze siqhubeke siphila, wamisa nemithetho yokuziphatha, eyayiyoletha umphakathi onobunye uma igcinwa.

⁵ Ngokusobala, uNkulunkulu wayazi ukuthi umkhaya wesintu wawungeke uphumelele ukuzibusa ngaphandle kokubusa kwakhe. Bezama ngokuyize ukuzibusa ngaphandle kokubusa kukaNkulunkulu, abantu baye bamisa izimiso ezihlukahlukene zezombangazwe, zezomnotho nezenkolo. Ukungavumelani okunjalo kuye kwenza abantu baxabana njalo, okuye kwaletha ubudlova, impi nokufa. ‘Umuntu uye wabusa omunye kwaba ngukulimala kwakhe.’ (UmShumayeli 8:9) Yilokho kanye okuye kwenzeka phakathi nawo wonke umlando womuntu. Njengoba kwabikezelwa eZwini likaNkulunkulu, abantu ababi nabakhohlisi baye baqhubeka ‘besuka kokubi baya kokubi kakhulu.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:13) Ekhulwini lama-20, lapho isintu siye safinyelela intuthuko enkulu kwezesayensi nezezimboni, kwaba nezinhlekelele ezimbi kakhulu kunanini ngaphambili. Amazwi kaJeremiya 10:23 aye afakazelwa ngokucacile—abantu babengadalelwanga ukuqondisa izinyathelo zabo.

 6. UNkulunkulu uzokuxazulula kanjani maduzane ukuzibusa kwabantu ngaphandle kwakhe?

⁶ Imiphumela elusizi yesikhathi eside yokuhlubuka kuNkulunkulu iye yabonisa ngokungenakuphikwa ukuthi ukubusa kwabantu akusoze kwaphumelela. Ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu kuphela okuyindlela eya enjabulweni, ebunyeni, empilweni nasekuphileni. Futhi iZwi likaNkulunkulu libonisa ukuthi sekuzophela ukubekezelela kukaJehova ukuzibusa kwabantu. (Mathewu 24:3-14; 2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Maduzane, uzongenela ezindabeni zesintu ukuze abuse umhlaba. Isiprofetho seBhayibheli sithi: “Ezinsukwini zalawo makhosi [imibuso yabantu ekhona manje] uNkulunkulu wasezulwini uyakumisa umbuso [ezulwini] ongasoze wachithwa nobukhosi bawo bungayikushiyelwa kwabanye abantu [abantu abasoze baphinde babuse umhlaba], kepha uyakuchoboza, uqede yonke le mibuso [yosuku lwanamuhla], wona uqobo ume phakade.”—Daniyeli 2:44.

Ukusindela Ezweni Elisha LikaNkulunkulu

 7. Lapho ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu kuqeda ukubusa komuntu, obani abayosinda?

⁷ Lapho ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu kuqeda ukubusa komuntu, obani abayosinda? IBhayibheli liyaphendula: “Abaqotho [labo abasekela ilungelo likaNkulunkulu lokubusa] bayakuhlala ezweni, abapheleleyo basale kulo. Kepha ababi [labo abangalisekeli ilungelo likaNkulunkulu lokubusa] bayakunqunywa ezweni.” (IzAga 2:21, 22) Ngokufanayo, umhubi wathi: “[Kusengumzuzwana], omubi angabe esabakho . . . Abalungileyo bazakudla ifa lomhlaba, bahlale kuwo njalonjalo.”—IHubo 37:10, 29.

 8. UNkulunkulu uyobulwela kanjani ngokuphelele ubukhosi bakhe?

⁸ Lapho isimiso sikaSathane sesibhujisiwe, uNkulunkulu uyoletha izwe lakhe elisha, eliyobuqeda nyá ubudlova obubhubhisayo, izimpi, ubumpofu, ukuhlupheka, ukugula nokufa okuye kwahlukumeza isintu izinkulungwane zeminyaka. IBhayibheli lizichaza kahle izibusiso eziyotholwa yisintu esilalelayo: “[UNkulunkulu] uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni aso, futhi ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlulile.” (IsAmbulo 21:3, 4) Ngohulumeni wakhe woMbuso wasezulwini ophethwe nguKristu, uNkulunkulu uyolilwela ngokuphelele ilungelo laKhe lokuba uMbusi wethu Ophakeme.—Roma 16:20; 2 Petru 3:10-13; IsAmbulo 20:1-6.

Indlela Ábayisingatha Ngayo Le Mpikiswano

 9. (a) Labo abaye bahlala beqotho kuJehova baye balibheka kanjani izwi lakhe? (b) UNowa wabubonisa kanjani ubuqotho bakhe, futhi singazuza kanjani esibonelweni sakhe?

⁹ Phakathi nawo wonke umlando, kuye kwaba namadoda nabesifazane bokholo abaye babonisa ubuqotho babo kuJehova njengoMbusi. Babazi ukuthi ukuphila kwabo kwakuxhomeke ekumlaleleni nasekumthobeleni. UNowa wayenjalo. Ngakho uNkulunkulu wathi kuNowa: “Ukuphela kwenyama yonke kufikile phambi kwami . . . Yakha umkhumbi.” UNowa wasithobela isiqondiso sikaJehova. Naphezu kokuba babexwayisiwe, abanye abantu bangalolo suku baqhubeka nokuphila kwabo njengokungathi kwakungeke kwenzeke lutho olungavamile. Kodwa uNowa wakha umkhumbi omkhulu futhi waba matasa eshumayela kwabanye ngezindlela zikaJehova ezilungile. Ukulandisa kuqhubeka kuthi: “UNowa wenze njalo; njengalokho uNkulunkulu emyalile wakwenza.”—Genesise 6:13-22; Heberu 11:7; 2 Petru 2:5.

10. (a) U-Abrahama noSara babusekela kanjani ubukhosi bukaJehova? (b) Singazuza kanjani esibonelweni sika-Abrahama noSara?

¹⁰ U-Abrahama noSara nabo babeyizibonelo ezinhle zokusekela ubukhosi bukaJehova, benza konke ayebayale ngakho. Babehlala e-Uri lamaKaledi, umuzi owawuchumile. Kodwa lapho uJehova etshela u-Abrahama ukuba aye kwelinye izwe ayengalazi, u-Abrahama ‘wasuka, njengalokho uJehova emtshelile.’ Akungabazeki ukuthi uSara wayephila ngokunethezeka—enomuzi wakhe, abangane nezihlobo. Kodwa-ke, wazithoba kuJehova nakumyeni wakhe, waya ezweni laseKhanani, nakuba ayengazi ukuthi wayezobhekana nezimo ezinjani lapho.—Genesise 11:31–12:4; IzEnzo 7:2-4.

11. (a) UMose wasekela ubukhosi bukaJehova ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo? (b) Singazuza kanjani esibonelweni sikaMose?

¹¹ UMose wayengomunye umuntu owasekela ubukhosi bukaJehova. Lokhu wakwenza ngaphansi kwezimo ezinzima kakhulu—ebhekene ngqó nolaka lukaFaro waseGibithe. UMose wayengazethembi. Ngokuphambene nalokho, wayelingabaza ikhono lakhe lokukhuluma ngokuqephuza. Kodwa walalela uJehova. Esekelwa nguJehova futhi esizwa ngumfowabo, u-Aroni, uMose wamtshela ngokuphindaphindiwe uFaro olukhuni amazwi kaJehova. Ngisho nabanye abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babemgxeka kabuhlungu uMose. Kodwa, ngobuqotho uMose wenza konke lokho uJehova ayemyale ngakho, futhi ngaye, u-Israyeli wakhululwa eGibithe.—Eksodusi 7:6; 12:50, 51; Heberu 11:24-27.

12. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi ukuba qotho kuJehova kuhilela okungaphezu nje kokwenza lokho uNkulunkulu akulobe phansi ngokuqondile? (b) Ukuqonda ubuqotho obunjalo kungasisiza kanjani ekusebenziseni eyoku-1 Johane 2:15?

¹² Labo ababeqotho kuJehova abazange bacabange ukuthi kwakudingeka ukuba balalele lokho uNkulunkulu ayekulobe phansi kuphela. Lapho umkaPotifari ezama ukuyenga uJosefa ukuba aphinge naye, wawungekho umyalo obhalwe phansi ovela kuNkulunkulu owawenqabela ukuphinga. Nokho, uJosefa wayazi ngelungiselelo lomshado uJehova alisungula e-Edene. Wayazi ukuthi ukuba nobuhlobo bobulili nomfazi wenye indoda kwakungeke kumjabulise uNkulunkulu. UJosefa wayengafuni ukubona ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayezomvumela ukuba afane nabaseGibithe ngezinga elingakanani. Wasekela izindlela zikaJehova ngokuzindla ngokusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu nesintu wayesekusebenzisa ngokucophelela lokho ayeqonda ukuthi kuyintando kaNkulunkulu.—Genesise 39:7-12; IHubo 77:11, 12.

13. UDeveli wabonakala kanjani engumqambimanga ngokuphathelene (a) noJobe? (b) namaHeberu amathathu?

¹³ Ngisho nalapho bengaphansi kokuvivinywa okunzima, labo abamazi ngempela uJehova abamhlubuki. USathane wamangalela uJobe ngokuthi uma elahlekelwa yimpahla yakhe eningi noma egula ebangwa nezibi, ngisho naye—yena kanye lowo Jobe uNkulunkulu ayekhulume kahle ngaye—wayeyomlahla uNkulunkulu. Kodwa uJobe wabonisa ukuthi uDeveli ungumqambimanga, ngisho noma uJobe ngokwakhe ayengazi ukuthi kungani ekhungethwe yizinhlekelele. (Jobe 2:9, 10) Emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva, esazama ukufakazela amazwi akhe, uSathane wabangela inkosi yaseBabiloni eyayithukuthele ukuba isongele amaHeberu amathathu asemasha ngokufa esithandweni somlilo uma engakhothami akhulekele isithombe esasimiswe yinkosi. Ephoqelekile ukuba akhethe phakathi kokulalela umyalo wenkosi nokulalela umthetho kaJehova owenqabela ukukhonza izithombe, la maHeberu akwenza kwacaca ukuthi ayekhulekela uJehova nokuthi wayenguMbusi wawo Ophakeme. Ukuthembeka kuNkulunkulu kwakuyigugu kuwo ngaphezu kokuphila kwawo kwangaleso sikhathi!—Daniyeli 3:14-18.

14. Kungenzeka kanjani ukuba thina njengabantu abangaphelele sibonise ukuthi siqotho ngempela kuJehova?

¹⁴ Ngokwalezi zibonelo, ingabe kufanele siphethe ngokuthi ukuze umuntu abe qotho kuJehova, kufanele aphelele noma ukuthi umuntu owenza iphutha usehluleke ngokuphelele? Lutho neze! IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi uMose wayeshiyeka. Nakuba kwakungamthokozisi uJehova, akazange amlahle uMose. Abaphostoli bakaJesu Kristu nabo babenobuthakathaka babo. Ecabangela ukungapheleli kwethu esikuzuze njengefa, uJehova uyathokoza uma singayishalazeli ngamabomu intando yakhe kunoma isiphi isici. Uma sihileleka ekwenzeni okubi ngenxa yobuthakathaka, kubalulekile ukuba siphenduke ngobuqotho futhi singalenzi umkhuba lelo phutha. Ngale ndlela sibonisa ukuthi siyakuthanda ngempela lokho uJehova athi kuhle futhi siyakuzonda lokho asibonisa kona ukuthi kubi. Ngesisekelo sokholo lwethu enanini elihlawulela izono lomhlatshelo kaJesu, singajabulela ukuma okuhlanzekile phambi kukaNkulunkulu.—Amose 5:15; IzEnzo 3:19; Heberu 9:14.

15. (a) Phakathi kwabo bonke abantu, ubani owalondoloza ubuqotho obuphelele kuNkulunkulu, futhi lokhu kwafakazelani? (b) Kusisiza kanjani lokho uJesu akwenza?

¹⁵ Nokho, kungenzeka yini ukuthi ukuthobela ubukhosi bukaJehova ngokuphelele kuyinto abantu abangenakuyenza? Impendulo yalo mbuzo ‘yayinjengemfihlo engcwele’ iminyaka engaba ngu-4 000. (1 Thimothewu 3:16) Nakuba adalwa ephelele, u-Adamu akasibekanga isibonelo esiphelele sokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu. Ngakho ubani owayengenza kanjalo? Ngokuqinisekile kwakungekho namunye enzalweni yakhe enesono. Okuwukuphela komuntu owenza kanjalo kwakunguJesu Kristu. (Heberu 4:15) Lokho uJesu akwenza kwafakazela ukuthi u-Adamu, owayesesimweni esingcono kakhulu, wayengabulondoloza ubuqotho obuphelele uma ayefuna. Iphutha lalingewona umsebenzi wendalo kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho-ke, uJesu Kristu uyisibonelo esifuna ukusilingisa hhayi nje ekuthobeleni umthetho waphezulu kuphela kodwa nasekuzinikeleni kwethu kuJehova, uMbusi Wendawo Yonke.—Duteronomi 32:4, 5.

Thina Siphendula Ngokuthini?

16. Kungani kumelwe sihlale siyiqaphile indlela esibubheka ngayo ubukhosi bukaJehova?

¹⁶ Ngamunye wethu namuhla kufanele abhekane nempikiswano yobukhosi bendawo yonke. Uma siye savuma obala ukuthi singasohlangothini lukaJehova, uSathane uyasihlasela. Usicindezela ngazo zonke izindlela futhi uyoqhubeka enza kanjalo kuze kube sekupheleni kwesimiso sakhe sezinto esibi. Akumelwe siyekethise. (1 Petru 5:8) Ukuziphatha kwethu kubonisa ukuthi simi kuphi empikiswaneni ebalulekile yobukhosi bukaJehova nasempikiswaneni yesibili yokugcina ubuqotho kuNkulunkulu lapho sivivinywa. Asinakulokotha sibheke ukuziphatha ngokungathembeki njengento engelutho ngenxa nje yokuthi kuyinto evamile ezweni. Ukugcina ubuqotho kudinga ukuba sizame ukusebenzisa izindlela zikaJehova ezilungile kuzo zonke izindaba zokuphila.

17. Uyini umsuka wokuqamba amanga nokweba okufanele usenze sikugweme?

¹⁷ Ngokwesibonelo, asinakumlingisa uSathane, ‘uyise wamanga.’ (Johane 8:44) Kumelwe sibe neqiniso kukho konke ukusebenzelana kwethu nabanye abantu. Kulesi simiso sikaSathane, ngokuvamile intsha ayibatsheli iqiniso abazali bayo. Kodwa intsha engamaKristu iyakugwema lokhu, kanjalo ifakazela ukuthi uSathane unamanga uma ethi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bangabulahla ubuqotho babo uma bevivinywa. (Jobe 1:9-11; IzAga 6:16-19) Kukhona nemikhuba yebhizinisi engase ihlobanise umuntu “noyise wamanga” esikhundleni sokumhlobanisa noNkulunkulu weqiniso. Siyayigwema leyo mikhuba. (Mika 6:11, 12) Ukweba nako akunakuthethelelwa, ngisho noma umuntu eswele, noma ecebile umuntu amebelayo. (IzAga 6:30, 31; 1 Petru 4:15) Ngisho noma kuwumkhuba ovamile endaweni esihlala kuyo noma kukuncane lokho esikuthathayo, ukweba kusangqubuzana nemithetho kaNkulunkulu.—Luka 16:10; Roma 12:2; Efesu 4:28.

18. (a) Ekupheleni kokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, yiluphi uvivinyo isintu sonke esiyobhekana nalo? (b) Yimuphi umkhuba okufanele siwuhlakulele kwamanje?

¹⁸ Phakathi nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, uSathane namademoni akhe bayobe bekwalasha, bangabi nethonya phezu kwesintu. Yeka impumuzo lokho okuyoba yiyo! Kodwa ngemva kwaleyo minyaka eyinkulungwane, bayokhululwa isikhashana. USathane kanye nalabo abamlandelayo bayocindezela labo abaphakathi kwesintu esibuyiselwe abagcina ubuqotho babo kuNkulunkulu. (IsAmbulo 20:7-10) Uma siyoba nelungelo lokuphila ngaleso sikhathi, siyoyisingatha kanjani impikiswano yobukhosi bendawo yonke? Njengoba sonke isintu siyobe sesiphelele ngaleso sikhathi, noma yisiphi isenzo sokuntula ubuqotho siyobe senziwe ngamabomu futhi siyoletha imbubhiso yaphakade. Yeka indlela okubaluleke ngayo ukuhlakulela umkhuba wokuthobela noma yisiphi isiqondiso uJehova asinika sona kwamanje, ngeZwi lakhe noma ngenhlangano yakhe! Ngokwenza kanjalo, sibonisa ukuzinikela kwethu okuqotho kuye njengoMbusi Wendawo Yonke.

Ingxoxo Yokubukeza

• Iyiphi impikiswano enkulu okufanele sibhekane nayo sonke? Sahileleka kanjani thina?

• Yini ephawulekayo ngezindlela amadoda nabesifazane basendulo ababonisa ngazo ubuqotho babo kuJehova?

• Kungani kubalulekile ukuba sidumise uJehova ngokuziphatha kwethu nsuku zonke?