Isibusiso SikaJehova ‘Ezweni’ Lethu

“[Kuyakuphila] konke, lapho umfula ufika khona.”—HEZEKELI 47:9.

 1, 2. (a) Abaluleke kangakanani amanzi? (b) Afanekiselani amanzi omfula embonweni kaHezekeli?

AMANZI awuketshezi olumangalisayo. Zonke izinto eziphilayo zincike kuwo. Akekho noyedwa kithi ongaphila isikhathi eside ngaphandle kwawo. Sincike kuwo futhi nasekuhlanzeni, njengoba amanzi engakhuculula futhi ahlanze ukungcola. Ngakho sigeza ngawo, siwashe ngawo izingubo zethu size sigeze ngisho nokudla ngawo. Ukwenza kanjalo kungase kusindise ukuphila kwethu.

² IBhayibheli lisebenzisa amanzi ukuze lifanekisele amalungiselelo kaJehova okuphila angokomoya. (Jeremiya 2: 13; Johane 4:7-15) La malungiselelo ahlanganisa ukuhlanzwa kwabantu bakhe ngomhlatshelo kaKristu wesihlengo nolwazi ngoNkulunkulu olutholakala eZwini lakhe. (Efesu 5:25-27) Embonweni kaHezekeli wethempeli, umfula oyisimangaliso ogeleza uvela ethempelini ufanekisela izibusiso ezinjalo ezinikeza ukuphila. Kodwa lowo mfula ugeleza nini, futhi usho ukuthini kithi namuhla?

Umfula Uyageleza Ezweni Elibuyiselwe

 3. Wabonani uHezekeli, njengoba kulotshwe kuHezekeli 47:2-12?

³ Njengoba babengabathunjwa eBabiloni, abantu besizwe sikaHezekeli babewadinga ngempela amalungiselelo kaJehova. Yeka-ke ukuthi kwamkhuthaza kangakanani uHezekeli ukubona umsele wamanzi uphuma endlini engcwele futhi ugelezela ngaphandle kwethempeli elisembonweni! Ingelosi ilinganisa lo mfula njalo ngemva kwebanga eliyizingalo eziyinkulungwane. Uya ujula usuka emaqakaleni unyukele emadolweni uye okhalweni uze ube umfula okudingeka ukuba umuntu abhukude lapho engene kuwo. Lo mfula uletha ukuphila ubangele nokuvunda. (Hezekeli 47:2-11) UHezekeli uyatshelwa: “Ngasemfuleni osebeni lwawo ngalapha nangalapha kuyakumila yonke imithi edliwayo.” (Hezekeli 47:12a) Njengoba lo mfula ungena oLwandle Olufile—amanzi angenazo izinto eziphilayo—kuvela ukuphila! Kugcwala izinhlanzi. Kuba nebhizinisi lezinhlanzi elichumayo.

 4, 5. Isiprofetho sikaJoweli esiphathelene nomfula sifana ngani nesikaHezekeli, futhi kungani lokhu kubalulekile?

⁴ Lesi siprofetho esithakazelisayo kungenzeka sakhumbuza abadingiswa abangamaJuda esinye isiprofetho esasilotshwe emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili: “Kuyakuvela umthombo endlini kaJehova oyakunisela isigodi saseShithimi.”a (Joweli 3:18) Isiprofetho sikaJoweli, njengesikaHezekeli, sibikezela ukuthi umfula wawuyogeleza uvela endlini kaNkulunkulu, ithempeli, futhi uphilise indawo ewugwadule.

⁵ Sekuyisikhathi eside INqabayokulinda ibonisa ukuthi isiprofetho sikaJoweli siyagcwaliseka esikhathini sethu.b Khona-ke, ngokuqinisekile kungokufanayo nangombono kaHezekeli ofanayo. Ezweni elibuyiselwe labantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla, njengakwa-Israyeli wasendulo, izibusiso zikaJehova ziye zageleza ngempela.

Ukugeleza Okukhulu Kwezibusiso

 6. Ukufafazwa kwegazi e-altare embonweni kufanele ukuba kwawakhumbuzani amaJuda?

⁶ Uyini umthombo wezibusiso ezehlela kubantu bakaNkulunkulu ababuyiselwe? Phawula ukuthi amanzi ageleza evela ethempelini likaNkulunkulu. Ngokufanayo namuhla, izibusiso zivela kuJehova esebenzisa ithempeli lakhe elikhulu elingokomoya—ilungiselelo lokukhulekela okuhlanzekile. Umbono kaHezekeli unezela isici esithile esibalulekile. Egcekeni elingaphakathi, umfula ugeleza udlule ngase-altare, eningizimu yalo. (Hezekeli 47:1) I-altare lisenkabeni yethempeli embonweni. UJehova ulichaza ngokucophelela kuHezekeli futhi ayale ukuba lifafazwe ngegazi lomhlatshelo. (Hezekeli 43:13-18, 20) Lelo altare lalisho okukhulu kuwo wonke ama-Israyeli. Isivumelwano sawo noJehova sasenziwe sasebenza esikhathini eside ngaphambili lapho uMose efafaza igazi phezu kwe-altare ngaphansi kweNtaba iSinayi. (Eksodusi 24:4-8) Ukufafazwa kwe-altare elisembonweni ngegazi kufanele ukuba kwawakhumbuza ukuthi lapho esebuyele ezweni lakubo elibuyiselwe, ayeyothola izibusiso zikaJehova uma nje ehlonipha isivumelwano asenza naye.—Duteronomi 28:1-14.

 7. Lisho ukuthini kumaKristu namuhla i-altare elingokomfanekiso?

⁷ Ngokufanayo, abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla babusiswa ngesivumelwano—isivumelwano esingcono, isivumelwano esisha. (Jeremiya 31:31-34) Naso senziwa sasebenza kudala ngegazi likaJesu Kristu. (Heberu 9:15-20) Namuhla, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi siphakathi kwabagcotshiwe, abangabahlanganyeli kuleso sivumelwano, noma siphakathi ‘kwezinye izimvu,’ ezizuzayo kuso, leli altare elingokomfanekiso lisho okukhulu kithi. Lifanekisela intando kaNkulunkulu ngokuphathelene nomhlatshelo kaKristu. (Johane 10:16; Heberu 10:10) Njengoba ne-altare elingokomfanekiso lisenkabeni yethempeli elingokomoya, umhlatshelo kaKristu wesihlengo uyinsika yokukhulekela okuhlanzekile. Uyisisekelo sokuthethelelwa kwezono zethu kanjalo uyisisekelo sawo wonke amathemba ethu esikhathi esizayo. (1 Johane 2:2) Ngakho, silwela ukuphila ngomthetho ohlangene nesivumelwano esisha, “umthetho kaKristu.” (Galathiya 6:2) Uma nje senza lokho, siyozuza emalungiselelweni kaJehova okuphila.

 8. (a) Yini eyayingekho egcekeni elingaphakathi ethempelini elisembonweni? (b) Abapristi basethempelini elisembonweni babegezaphi?

⁸ Enye inzuzo enjalo iwukuma okuhlanzekile phambi kukaJehova. Ethempelini elisembonweni, igceke elingaphakathi alinakho okuthile okwakuvelele kakhulu egcekeni letabernakele nasethempelini likaSolomoni—umcengezi omkhulu, kamuva owabizwa ngokuthi ulwandle, abapristi ababegeza kuwo. (Eksodusi 30:18-21; 2 IziKronike 4:2-6) Abapristi embonweni kaHezekeli wethempeli babengageza kuphi? Babegeza kuwo lowo mfula oyisimangaliso onqamula egcekeni elingaphakathi! Yebo, uJehova wayeyobabusisa ngendlela yokuba bajabulele ukuma okuhlanzekile noma okungcwele.

 9. Abagcotshiwe nabesixuku esikhulu bangaba kanjani nokuma okuhle namuhla?

⁹ Ngokufanayo namuhla, abagcotshiwe baye babusiswa ngokuma okuhlanzekile phambi kukaJehova. UJehova ubabheka njengabangcwele, ethi balungile. (Roma 5:1, 2) Kuthiwani ‘ngesixuku esikhulu,’ esifanekiselwa yizizwana ezingezona ezobupristi? Sikhulekela egcekeni elingaphandle, futhi wona kanye lowo mfula ugeleza nakuleyo ngxenye yethempeli elisembonweni. Khona-ke, yeka ukuthi kufaneleka kanjani ukuthi umphostoli uJohane wabona isixuku esikhulu simbethe izingubo ezimhlophe, ezihlanzekile njengoba sikhulekela egcekeni lethempeli elingokomoya! (IsAmbulo 7:9-14) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi siye saphathwa kanjani kuleli lizwe elonakele, singaqiniseka ukuthi uma nje sibonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni kaKristu wesihlengo, uJehova usibheka njengesihlanzekile nesimsulwa. Silubonisa kanjani ukholo? Ngokulandela ezinyathelweni zikaJesu, sibe nethemba eliphelele emhlatshelweni wesihlengo.—1 Petru 2:21.

10, 11. Yisiphi isici esibalulekile samanzi angokomfanekiso, futhi lokhu kuhlobana kanjani nokukhula komfula ngokumangalisayo?

¹⁰ Njengoba sekushiwo kakade, kunesinye isici esibalulekile salawa manzi angokomfanekiso—ulwazi. Kwa-Israyeli obuyiselwe, uJehova wabusisa abantu bakhe ngemfundo engokomBhalo esebenzisa abapristi. (Hezekeli 44:23) Ngendlela efanayo, uJehova uye wabusisa abantu bakhe namuhla ngemfundo eningi yeZwi lakhe leqiniso, esebenzisa “ubupristi bobukhosi.” (1 Petru 2:9) Ulwazi ngoJehova uNkulunkulu, ngezinjongo zakhe ngesintu, futhi ikakhulukazi ngoJesu Kristu noMbuso KaMesiya luye lwatholakala ngobuningi kulezi zinsuku zokugcina. Yeka indlela okukuhle ngayo ukuthola lo mfula ojule kangaka wokuqabuleka okungokomoya!—Daniyeli 12:4.

¹¹ Njengoba nje umfula ingelosi eyawulinganisa wawuya ujula, kanjalo nezibusiso ezinikeza ukuphila ezigeleza zivela kuJehova ziye zanda ngokuphawulekayo ukuze kunakekelwe inqwaba yabantu abangena ezweni lethu elingokomoya elibusisiwe. Esinye isiprofetho sokubuyiselwa sabikezela: “Omncane uyakuba yinkulungwane, ophansi abe yisizwe esinamandla; mina nginguJehova, ngiyakukusheshisa ngesikhathi sakho.” (Isaya 60:22) Lawa mazwi aye agcwaliseka—izigidi ziye zeza zithutheleka zizohlanganyela nathi ekukhulekeleni okuhlanzekile! UJehova uye wenza ukuba bonke abaphendukela kuye bathole “amanzi” amaningi. (IsAmbulo 22:17) Uyaqikelela ukuthi inhlangano yakhe yasemhlabeni isakaza amaBhayibheli nezincwadi zeBhayibheli kuwo wonke umhlaba, ngamakhulu ezilimi. Ngokufanayo, imihlangano yamaKristu emincane nemikhulu iye yahlelwa emhlabeni wonke ukuze bonke bathole amanzi eqiniso acwebile. Amalungiselelo anjalo abathinta kanjani abantu?

Amanzi Aletha Ukuphila!

12. (a) Kungani imithi embonweni kaHezekeli ikwazi ukuthela ngendlela ethela ngayo? (b) Imelelani le mithi ethelayo phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina?

¹² Umfula osembonweni kaHezekeli uletha ukuphila nempilo. Lapho uHezekeli ezwa ngemithi eyayizomila ngasemfuleni, uyatshelwa: ‘Amaqabunga ayo awayikubuna, nezithelo zayo aziyikuphela; izithelo zayo ziyakuba ngukudla, amaqabunga ayo abe ngawokuphilisa.’ Kungani le mithi ithela ngale ndlela emangalisayo? ‘Ngoba amanzi ayo avela endlini engcwele.’ (Hezekeli 47:12b) Le mithi engokomfanekiso ifanekisela wonke amalungiselelo kaNkulunkulu okubuyisela isintu ekupheleleni ngesisekelo somhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo. Emhlabeni manje, insali egcotshiwe iyahola ekulungiseleleni ukudla okungokomoya nokuphilisa. Ngemva kokuba bonke abangu-144 000 sebethole umvuzo wabo wasezulwini, izinzuzo zenkonzo yabo yobupristi njengababusi abakanye noKristu ziyodlulela esikhathini esizayo, ekugcineni ziholele ekunqotshweni ngokuphelele kokufa okweza ngo-Adamu.—IsAmbulo 5:9, 10; 21:2-4.

13. Yikuphi ukwelapha okuye kwenziwa phakathi nesikhathi sethu?

¹³ Lo mfula wasembonweni ugelezela oLwandle Olufile olungenakho ukuphila futhi uphilisa konke ofinyelela kukho. Lolu lwandle lumelela isimo sokufa ngokomoya. Kodwa “konke okuphilayo okuswebezelayo [kuyaphila] ezindaweni zonke lapho ifika khona leyo mifula emibili.” (Hezekeli 47:9) Ngokufanayo, ezinsukwini zokugcina, nomaphi lapho amanzi okuphila efinyelele khona, abantu baye baphila ngokomoya. Abokuqala abavuselelwa ngaleyo ndlela kwakuyinsali egcotshiwe, emuva ngo-1919. Yavuka ngokomoya isuka esimweni esinjengokufa, sokungenzi lutho. (Hezekeli 37:1-14; IsAmbulo 11:3, 7-12) Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, lawo manzi abalulekile aye afinyelela nakwabanye ababefile ngokomoya, futhi laba baye baphila bakha isixuku esikhulu sezinye izimvu esanda njalo, esithanda uJehova futhi esimkhonzayo. Maduze, leli lungiselelo liyodluliselwa nasezixukwini zabavusiwe.

14. Lifanekiselani namuhla ibhizinisi lokudoba elichuma ogwini loLwandle Olufile?

¹⁴ Ukuphaphama ngokomoya kuveza izithelo. Lokhu kuboniswa ibhizinisi lezinhlanzi elichumayo ogwini lolwandle olwalufile ngaphambili. UJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe: “Ngizonenza abadobi babantu.” (Mathewu 4:19) Ezinsukwini zokugcina, umsebenzi wokudoba waqala ngokubuthwa kwensali yabagcotshiwe, kodwa awuphelelanga lapho. Amanzi anikeza ukuphila avela ethempelini likaJehova elingokomoya, kuhlanganise nesibusiso solwazi olunembile, kuthinta abantu bazo zonke izizwe. Kuzo zonke izindawo lowo mfula oye wafinyelela kuzo, kuye kwaba nokuphila okungokomoya.

15. Yini ebonisa ukuthi akuwona wonke umuntu oyowamukela amalungiselelo kaNkulunkulu okuphila, futhi uyini umphumela kwabanjalo?

¹⁵ Yiqiniso, akubona bonke abawamukelayo umyalezo wokuphila manje; futhi akubona bonke abayovuswa phakathi nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane abayokwenza kanjalo. (Isaya 65:20; IsAmbulo 21:8) Ingelosi ithi ezinye izingxenye zolwandle aziphiliswa. Lezi zindawo ezingamaxhaphozi, ezingaphili ‘zinikelwa zibe ngusawoti.’ (Hezekeli 47:11) Ngokuphathelene nabantu bosuku lwethu, akubona bonke abanikwa amanzi kaJehova anikeza ukuphila abawamukelayo. (Isaya 6:10) E-Armagedoni, bonke labo abaye bakhetha ukuhlala esimweni sokufa nokugula okungokomoya bayonikelwa babe usawoti, okuwukuthi, bayobhujiswa phakade. (IsAmbulo 19:11-21) Nokho, labo ababelokhu bewaphuza ngokwethembeka lawa manzi bangaba nethemba lokusinda futhi babone ukugcwaliseka kokugcina kwalesi siprofetho.

Umfula Ugeleza EPharadesi

16. Ukugcwaliseka kokugcina kombono kaHezekeli kuyokwenzeka nini futhi kanjani?

¹⁶ Njengezinye iziprofetho zokubuyiselwa, umbono kaHezekeli wethempeli ugcwaliseka okokugcina phakathi neMinyaka Eyinkulungwane. Ngaleso sikhathi isigaba sabapristi siyobe singasekho lapha emhlabeni. “Bayoba abapristi bakaNkulunkulu nabakaKristu, futhi bayobusa njengamakhosi naye [ezulwini] leyominyaka eyinkulungwane.” (IsAmbulo 20:6) Laba bapristi basezulwini bayohlanganyela noKristu ekusebenziseni izinzuzo eziphelele zomhlatshelo kaKristu wesihlengo. Kanjalo, isintu esilungile siyosindiswa, sibuyiselwe ekupheleleni!—Johane 3:17.

17, 18. (a) Umfula ophilisayo uchazwe kanjani kusAmbulo 22:1, 2, futhi sinini isikhathi esiyinhloko sokusebenza kwalowo mbono? (b) EPharadesi, kungani umfula wamanzi okuphila uyoba nesikhathi sokwanda okukhulu?

¹⁷ Eqinisweni, umfula owabonwa uHezekeli uyogeleza amanzi okuphila anamandla kakhulu ngaleso sikhathi. Yileso isikhathi esiyinhloko sokusebenza kwesiprofetho esilotshwe kusAmbulo 22:1, 2: “Yangibonisa umfula wamanzi okuphila, ucwebe njengekristalu, ugeleza uvela esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu neseWundlu wehla maphakathi nendlela yawo ebanzi. Futhi ngakuloluhlangothi lomfula nangakuloluyahlangothi kwakukhona imithi yokuphila ithela izivuno eziyishumi nambili zezithelo, ithela izithelo zawo inyanga ngayinye. Futhi amaqabunga emithi ayengawokwelapha izizwe.”

¹⁸ Phakathi neMinyaka Eyinkulungwane, zonke izifo—ezomzimba, ezengqondo nezingokomzwelo—ziyokwelashwa. Lokhu kufanekiselwa kahle ‘ukwelashwa kwezizwe’ ngemithi engokomfanekiso. Ngenxa yamalungiselelo kaKristu nabangu-144 000, “abakhé khona abayikusho ukuthi: ‘Ngiyagula.’” (Isaya 33:24) Futhi umfula uyoqala ukwanda kakhulu. Kuyofanele ube banzi futhi ujule ukuze uphuzise izigidi, mhlawumbe izinkulungwane zezigidi zabantu abavusiwe abayophuza lawo manzi ahlanzekile okuphila. Umfula osembonweni waphilisa uLwandle Olufile, uletha ukuphila noma kuphi lapho kugelezela khona amanzi awo. EPharadesi, amadoda nabesifazane bayophila ngomqondo ophelele, bephulukisiwe ekufeni okwazuzwa ku-Adamu uma bebonisa ukholo ezinzuzweni zomhlatshelo abazinikezwayo. IsAmbulo 20:12 sibikezela ukuthi ngalezo zinsuku kuyovulwa “imiqulu,” eyonikeza ukukhanya kokuqonda okwengeziwe abafileyo abayovuswa abayozuza kuyo. Ngokudabukisayo, abanye bayokwenqaba ukwelashwa, ngisho nasePharadesi. Lezi zihlubuki yizona ‘eziyonikelwa zibe ngusawoti’ wokubhujiswa okuphakade.—IsAmbulo 20:15.

19. (a) Ukwabiwa kwezwe kuyogcwaliseka kanjani ePharadesi? (b) Yisiphi isici sasePharadesi esifanekiselwa umuzi? (c) Kusho ukuthini ukuba komuzi sendaweni eqhelelene nethempeli?

¹⁹ Ngaleso sikhathi ukuhlukaniswa kwezwe lombono kaHezekeli nakho kuyogcwaliseka okokugcina. UHezekeli wabona izwe lihlukaniswa kahle; ngokufanayo, umKristu ngamunye okholekile angaqiniseka ukuthi uyoba nendawo, ifa lakhe, ePharadesi. Ngokunokwenzeka, isifiso sokuba nomuzi othi wena ongahlala kuwo futhi uwunakekele siyogcwaliseka ngendlela efanele. (Isaya 65:21; 1 Korinte 14:33) Umuzi uHezekeli awubona ulifanekisela kahle ilungiselelo lokuphatha uJehova alihlosele umhlaba omusha. Isigaba sabapristi abagcotshiwe siyobe singasekho ngokoqobo phakathi kwesintu. Umbono usikisela lokho ngokuveza umuzi usendaweni ‘engengcwele’ eqhelile ethempelini. (Hezekeli 48:15) Lapho abangu-144 000 bebusa noKristu ezulwini, iNkosi ngeke isale ingenabo abameleli emhlabeni. Izikhonzi zayo ezingabantu ziyozuza kakhulu esiqondisweni sothando sesigaba sesikhulu. Nokho, ihlalankosi langempela ngeke libe semhlabeni, kodwa liyoba sezulwini. Wonke umuntu emhlabeni, kuhlanganise nesigaba sesikhulu, uyoba ngaphansi koMbuso KaMesiya.—Daniyeli 2:44; 7:14, 18, 22.

20, 21. (a) Kungani igama lomuzi lifaneleka? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo okufanele sizibuze yona ngenxa yokuqonda umbono kaHezekeli?

²⁰ Phawula amazwi okugcina esiprofetho sikaHezekeli: “Igama lomuzi kusukela kulolu suku liyakuthiwa UJEHOVA ULAPHA.” (Hezekeli 48:35) Lo muzi awakhelwe ukunikeza abantu amandla noma ithonya; futhi awakhelwe ukusebenzela noma iyiphi intando yomuntu. Uwumuzi kaJehova, oyohlale ubonisa indlela acabanga ngayo nendlela yakhe enothando, necabangelayo. (Jakobe 3:17) Lokhu kusinikeza isiqinisekiso esiyisikhuthazo sokuthi uJehova uyobusisa umphakathi wesintu ‘womhlaba omusha’ kuze kube phakade naphakade.—2 Petru 3:13.

²¹ Ingabe alivusi amadlingozi ithemba eliphambi kwethu? Khona-ke, kuyafaneleka ukuba ngamunye wethu azibuze: ‘Ngisabela kanjani ezibusisweni ezimangalisayo ezembulwa embonweni kaHezekeli? Ingabe ngiwusekela ngokukholeka umsebenzi owenziwa ababonisi abanothando, kuhlanganise nabensali egcotshiwe kanye nalabo abayoba amalungu esigaba sesikhulu? Ingabe ngiye ngenza ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile kwaba isici esiyinhloko ekuphileni kwami? Ingabe ngiwasebenzisa ngokugcwele amanzi okuphila ageleza ngobuningi kangaka namuhla?’ Kwangathi ngamunye wethu angaqhubeka enza kanjalo futhi ajatshuliswe amalungiselelo kaJehova kuze kube phakade!

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

◻ Afanekiselani amanzi ageleza evela ethempelini?

◻ Yikuphi ukwelapha uJehova aye wakwenza ngomfula ongokomfanekiso, futhi kungani umfula uye wakhula?

◻ Imithi esosebeni lomfula ifanekiselani?

◻ Umuzi uyofanekiselani phakathi nokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, futhi kungani igama lomuzi lifaneleka?

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

Umfula wokuphila umelela ilungiselelo likaNkulunkulu lokusindisa