UJehova Uyayizonda Inkambo Yokukhohlisa
‘Ningakhohlisani.’—MALAKI 2:10.
1. Yini uNkulunkulu ayifunayo kithi ukuze sithole ukuphila okuphakade?
UYAKUFUNA ukuphila okuphakade? Uma ukholelwa kulelo themba njengoba lithenjiswe eBhayibhelini, cishe uzothi, ‘Akubuzwa.’ Kodwa uma ufisa ukuba uNkulunkulu akubonise umusa ngokukunika ukuphila okungenasiphelo ezweni lakhe elisha, kuzodingeka uhlangabezane nezimfuneko zakhe. (UmShumayeli 12:13; Johane 17:3) Ingabe kuwukweqisa ukulindela ukuba abantu abangaphelele benze kanjalo? Cha, ngoba uJehova usho la mazwi akhuthazayo: “Ngifuna uthando, hhayi umhlatshelo; [ngifuna] ukumazi uNkulunkulu kuneminikelo yokushiswa.” (Hoseya 6:6) Ngakho ngisho nabantu abanamaphutha bangahlangabezana nezimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu.
2. Ama-Israyeli amaningi amkhohlisa kanjani uJehova?
2 Nokho, akuwona wonke umuntu ofunayo ukwenza intando kaJehova. UHoseya wembula ukuthi ngisho nama-Israyeli amaningi ayengafuni ukuyenza. Njengesizwe, ayevumile ukungena esivumelwaneni sokulalela imithetho kaNkulunkulu. (Eksodusi 24:1-8) Nokho, kungakabiphi ‘eqa isivumelwano’ ngokwephula imithetho yakhe. Ngakho, uJehova wathi lawo ma-Israyeli ‘ayemkhohlisa.’ (Hoseya 6:7) Baningi nabanye abantu abaye benza kanjalo kusukela ngaleso sikhathi. Kodwa uJehova uyayizonda inkambo yokukhohlisa, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kukhohliswa yena noma labo abamthandayo nabamkhonzayo.
3. Yini ezohlaziywa kulesi sifundo?
3 UHoseya wayengekuphela komprofethi owaqokomisa umbono kaNkulunkulu ngokuphathelene nokukhohlisa, umbono okufanele siwuqaphele uma sinethemba lokuthola ukuphila okujabulisayo. Esihlokweni esandulele, siqale ukuhlaziya ingxenye enkulu yesigijimi sesiprofetho sikaMalaki, saqala ngesahluko sokuqala sencwadi yakhe. Manje ake sibheke isahluko sesibili saleyo ncwadi, sibone indlela oqokonyiswa ngayo ngokwengeziwe umbono kaNkulunkulu ngokukhohlisa. Nakuba uMalaki ayekhuluma ngesimo abantu bakaNkulunkulu ababekuso ngemva kwamashumi athile eminyaka bebuyé ebugqilini eBabiloni, leso sahluko sesibili sibaluleke ngempela kithi.
Abapristi Abanecala
4. Yisiphi isixwayiso uJehova asinika abapristi?
4 Isahluko 2 siqala ngamazwi kaJehova esola abapristi bamaJuda ngenxa yokuchezuka ezindleleni zakhe zokulunga. Uma bengasinaki iseluleko sakhe futhi balungise izindlela zabo, bayokwehlelwa yimiphumela emibi nakanjani. Phawula amavesi amabili aqalayo: “‘Lo myalo ungowenu bapristi. Uma ningezwa, uma ningakubeki enhliziyweni ukunika igama lami udumo,’ usho uJehova Sebawoti, ‘ngiyakuthuma kini isiqalekiso, ngiqalekise izibusiso zenu.’” Ukube abapristi babefundise abantu imithetho kaNkulunkulu futhi bayigcina, babeyobusiswa. Kodwa ngenxa yokungayinaki intando kaNkulunkulu, babezokwehlelwa yisiqalekiso. Ngisho nezibusiso ezazishiwo yilaba bapristi zaziyophenduka iziqalekiso.
5, 6. (a) Kungani abapristi babenecala elikhulu? (b) UJehova wakuzwakalisa kanjani ukungabashayi mkhuba kwakhe abapristi?
5 Kungani abapristi babenecala elikhulu? Ivesi 7 linikeza uphawu olusobala: “Izindebe zompristi ziyakugcina ukwazi, kufunwe umthetho emlonyeni wakhe, ngokuba uyisithunywa sikaJehova Sebawoti.” Eminyakeni engaphezu kweyinkulungwane ngaphambili, imithetho kaNkulunkulu eyayinikwe u-Israyeli ngoMose yayithe abapristi banomthwalo wemfanelo ‘wokufundisa abantwana bakwa-Israyeli zonke izimiso uJehova ayezikhulumile.’ (Levitikusi 10:11) Ngokudabukisayo, kamuva umlobi weyesi-2 IziKronike 15:3 wabika: “Kwakuyizinsuku eziningi u-Israyeli engenaye uNkulunkulu oqinisileyo, [“nampristi,” NW] ofundisayo, namthetho.”
6 Ngesikhathi sikaMalaki, ngekhulu lesihlanu B.C.E., isimo sabapristi sasisalokhu sinjalo. Babengabafundisi abantu uMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho labo bapristi kwakudingeka balandise. Phawula amazwi anamandla uJehova awasho kubo. UMalaki 2:3 uthi: ‘Ngiyakuthela umquba ebusweni benu, umquba wemikhosi yenu.’ Yeka isijeziso! Umswani wezilwane zomhlatshelo kwakufanele ukhishelwe ngaphandle kwekamu ushiswe. (Levitikusi 16:27) Kodwa lapho uJehova ebatshela ukuthi esikhundleni salokho wayezobathela ngawo ebusweni lowo mswani, kubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi wayengayishayi mkhuba futhi eyenqaba imihlatshelo yabo kanye nalabo ababeyenza.
7. Kungani uJehova abathukuthelela abafundisi boMthetho?
7 Emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambi kwesikhathi sikaMalaki, uJehova wayabele amaLevi ukuba anakekele itabernakele, kamuva nethempeli nenkonzo engcwele. Ayengabafundisi esizweni sakwa-Israyeli. Ukufeza isabelo sawo kwakuzowalethela ukuphila nokuthula wona kanye naso sonke isizwe. (Numeri 3:5-8) Nokho, amaLevi aphelelwa ukwesaba uNkulunkulu ayenakho ekuqaleni. Ngakho, uJehova wathi kuwo: ‘Nichezukile endleleni, nikhubekisile abaningi emthethweni, nisonakalisile isivumelwano sikaLevi, anizigcinanga izindlela zami.’ (Malaki 2:8, 9) Ngokungafundisi iqiniso nangokubeka isibonelo esibi, abapristi badukisa ama-Israyeli amaningi, ngakho uJehova wabathukuthelela kufanele.
Ukugcina Izindinganiso ZikaNkulunkulu
8. Ingabe kuwukweqisa ukulindela ukuba abantu bagcine izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu? Chaza.
8 Masingacabangi ukuthi labo bapristi kwakufanele baboniswe uzwela futhi bathethelelwe ngoba babengabantu nje abangaphelele, bengenakukwazi ukugcina izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu. Iqiniso liwukuthi abantu bangayigcina imiyalo kaNkulunkulu, ngoba uJehova akalindeli ukuba benze izinto abangenakukwazi ukuzenza. Mhlawumbe babekhona abanye abapristi ababezigcina izindinganiso zikaJehova ngaleso sikhathi, futhi akukho kungabaza ngalowo owenza kanjalo kamuva—uJesu, ‘umpristi ophakeme’ omkhulu. (Heberu 3:1) Kwashiwo kufanele ngaye ukuthi: “Umthetho weqiniso wawusemlonyeni wakhe, nobubi babungatholwa ezindebeni zakhe; wahamba nami ngokuthula nangobuqotho, wabuyisa abaningi ebubini.”—Malaki 2:6.
9. Obani abaye basakaza iqiniso ngokwethembeka esikhathini sethu?
9 Ngokufanayo, abafowabo bakaKristu abagcotshiwe abanethemba lasezulwini sebeneminyaka engaphezu kweyikhulu bekhonza ‘njengobupristi obungcwele, ukuze banikele imihlatshelo engokomoya eyamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu.’ (1 Petru 2:5) Baye bahola ekusakazeni amaqiniso eBhayibheli kwabanye. Njengoba uye wafunda amaqiniso abawafundisayo, awuzange yini uzibonele mathupha ukuthi umthetho weqiniso usemlonyeni wabo? Baye basiza ekubuyiseni abaningi emaphutheni angokwenkolo, kangangokuthi manje sekunabayizigidi emhlabeni wonke abaye bafunda amaqiniso eBhayibheli futhi abanethemba lokuphila okuphakade. Nabo laba banelungelo lokufundisa ezinye izigidi umthetho weqiniso.—Johane 10:16; IsAmbulo 7:9.
Isizathu Sokuqapha
10. Kungani kufanele siqaphele?
10 Nokho, kufanele siqaphele. Singase sizigeje izifundo ezivezwa kuMalaki 2:1-9. Ingabe thina ngabanye siyaqaphela ukuba kungatholakali bubi ezindebeni zethu? Ngokwesibonelo, ingabe amalungu emikhaya yethu angakwethemba ngempela lokho esikushoyo? Bangasethemba yini abazalwane nodade ebandleni? Kungaba lula ukuhlakulela umkhuba wokulalisa ulimi kodwa sibe sidukisa abanye ngamabomu. Noma umuntu angase eqise noma afihle imininingwane ethile endabeni yebhizinisi. Ingabe uJehova ngeke akubone lokho? Futhi uma silandela imikhuba enjalo, ingabe ubengayamukela imihlatshelo yokudumisa ekhishwa yizindebe zethu?
11. Obani ngokukhethekile okudingeka baqaphe?
11 Kulabo abanelungelo lokufundisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu emabandleni namuhla, uMalaki 2:7 kufanele abe yisixwayiso. Uthi izindebe zabo “ziyakugcina ukwazi, kufunwe umthetho emlonyeni” wabo. Abafundisi abanjalo banomthwalo wemfanelo osindayo, ngoba uJakobe 3:1 ubonisa ukuthi ‘bayokwamukela isahlulelo esinzima ngokwengeziwe.’ Nakuba kufanele bafundise ngomdlandla nangentshiseko, imfundiso yabo kumelwe isekelwe ngokuqinile eZwini likaNkulunkulu elilotshiwe nasekwazisweni okutholakala ngenhlangano kaJehova. Ngaleyo ndlela ‘bayokufanelekela ngokwanele ukufundisa abanye.’ Ngakho, bayelulekwa: “Yenza konke okusemandleni akho ukuba uzethule wamukeleka kuNkulunkulu, isisebenzi okungekho lutho esingaba namahloni ngakho, esiphatha izwi leqiniso ngokufanele.”—2 Thimothewu 2:2, 15.
12. Yini okudingeka bayiqaphele labo abafundisayo?
12 Uma singaqaphele, singalingeka ukuba sifake lokho okuthandwa yithina noma imibono yethu ekufundiseni kwethu. Lokho kungaba yingozi kakhulu kumuntu othambekele ekuncikeni kwezakhe iziphetho ngisho nalapho ziphikisa lokho okufundiswa yinhlangano kaJehova. Kodwa uMalaki isahluko 2 ubonisa ukuthi kufanele silindele ukuba abafundisi bebandla banamathele olwazini oluvela kuNkulunkulu, hhayi emibonweni yabo, engakhubekisa izimvu. UJesu wathi: “Noma ubani okhubekisa oyedwa kulaba abancane ababeka ukholo kimina, kuzuzisa ngokwengeziwe kuye ukuba kugaxwe entanyeni yakhe itshe lokugaya elinjengalelo eliphendulwa imbongolo acwiliswe olwandle olubanzi, oluvulekile.”—Mathewu 18:6.
Ukushada Nongakholwa
13, 14. Iyiphi enye yezinkambo zokukhohlisa uMalaki ayiqokomisa?
13 Kusukela evesini 10 kuqhubeke, uMalaki isahluko 2 ukuqokomisa ngisho nangokucace kakhudlwana ukukhohlisa. UMalaki ugxila ezinkambweni ezimbili ezihlobene, asebenzisa kuzo ngokuphindaphindiwe igama elithi “ukukhohlisa.” Okokuqala, phawula ukuthi uMalaki uqala iseluleko sakhe ngale mibuzo: “Asinaye ubaba munye thina sonke? Asidalwanga nguNkulunkulu munye na? Sikhohlisanelani, kube yilowo nomfowabo, sisingcolisa isivumelwano sawobaba na?” Ivesi 11 libe selinezela ukuthi inkambo yokukhohlisa ka-Israyeli ifana nokungcolisa “indlu engcwele kaJehova.” Babenzani lena eyayiyimbi kangaka? Lelo vesi liveza inkambo eyodwa engalungile: ‘Babeganwe yindodakazi kankulunkulu wabezizwe.’
14 Ngamanye amazwi, ama-Israyeli athile, ayeyingxenye yesizwe esizinikezele kuJehova, ayeshade nabantu abangamkhulekeli. Umongo usisiza sibone ukuthi kungani lokho kwakukubi kangaka. Ivesi 10 lithi babenobaba munye. Lokhu kwakungabhekiseli kuJakobe (kamuva okwathiwa u-Israyeli), u-Abrahama, noma u-Adamu. UMalaki 1:6 ubonisa ukuthi uJehova wayeyilowo ‘baba munye.’ Isizwe sakwa-Israyeli sasinobuhlobo naye, sinengxenye esivumelwaneni esenziwa nawoyisemkhulu. Omunye wemithetho yaleso sivumelwano wawuthi: “Ungaganiselani nazo, ungayiniki indodana yakhe indodakazi yakho, ungathatheli indodana yakho indodakazi yakhe.”—Duteronomi 7:3.
15. (a) Abanye bangase bazame ukukuthethelela kanjani ukushada kwabo nongakholwa? (b) UJehova uthini ngomshado?
15 Abanye namuhla bangase bathi: ‘Umuntu engimthandayo mina ukahle kakhulu. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, cishe uzokwamukela ukukhulekela kweqiniso.’ Ukucabanga okunjalo kuqinisekisa isixwayiso esiphefumulelwe: “Inhliziyo iyakhohlisa ngaphezu kwakho konke, futhi imbi.” (Jeremiya 17:9) Umbono kaNkulunkulu ngokushada nomuntu ongakholwa uvezwe kuMalaki 2:12: “UJehova makanqume kumuntu owenza lokhu.” Ngakho, amaKristu ayalwa ukuba ashade “kuphela eNkosini.” (1 Korinte 7:39) Ngaphansi kwelungiselelo lobuKristu, ikholwa ‘alinqunywa’ ngenxa yokushada nongakholwa. Noma kunjalo, uma lowo ongakholwa eqhubeka engakholwa, kuyokwenzekani kuye lapho uNkulunkulu eqeda lesi simiso sezinto maduze?—IHubo 37:37, 38.
Ukuphatha Kabi Umngane Womshado
16, 17. Iyiphi inkambo yokukhohlisa eyathathwa abathile?
16 UMalaki ube esekhuluma ngokukhohlisa kwesibili: ukuphatha kabi umngane womshado, ikakhulu ngokumlahla ngokungafanele. Ivesi 14 lesahluko 2 lithi: “UJehova wayengufakazi phakathi kwakho nomfazi wobusha bakho omkhohlisile wena, noma engumngane wakho nomfazi wesivumelwano sakho.” Ngokukhohlisa omkawo, amadoda angamaJuda enza ukuba i-altare likaJehova ‘lisitshekelwe izinyembezi.’ (Malaki 2:13) Lawo madoda ayefaka isehlukaniso ngezizathu ezingamukeleki, eshiya ngokungafanele abafazi bobusha bawo, mhlawumbe ukuze ashade nabesifazane abasebasha noma abangamaqaba. Futhi abapristi abonakele babekuvumela lokho! Nokho, uMalaki 2:16 uthi: “‘Ngiyazonda ukwahlukana,’ usho uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.” Kamuva, uJesu wabonisa ukuthi ukuziphatha okubi kuwukuphela kwesizathu sesehlukaniso esingakhulula ongenacala ukuba aphinde ashade.—Mathewu 19:9.
17 Cabangisisa ngamazwi kaMalaki, ubone indlela ayithinta ngayo inhliziyo nomzwelo. Ukhuluma ‘ngomngane wakho nomfazi wesivumelwano sakho.’ Indoda ngayinye ethintekayo yayishade nomkhulekeli wakubo, owesifazane ongumIsrayeli, eyamkhetha njengomngane othandekayo, ezobambisana naye ekuphileni. Nakuba kungenzeka babeshade besebasha bobabili, ukuhamba kwesikhathi nokukhula ngeminyaka kwakungasisuli isivumelwano somshado ababesenzile.
18. Iseluleko sikaMalaki mayelana nokukhohlisa sisebenza ngaziphi izindlela namuhla?
18 Iseluleko mayelana nalezo zinto sisebenza ngokufanayo nanamuhla. Kuyadabukisa ukuthi abanye abasishayi mkhuba isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu sokushada eNkosini kuphela. Kubuhlungu nokuthi abanye abaqhubeki besebenzela ukugcina umshado wabo uqinile. Kunalokho, babeka izaba baphishekele inkambo uNkulunkulu ayizondayo ngokufaka isehlukaniso esingavumelani nemiBhalo ukuze bashade nomunye umuntu. Ngokwenza izinto ezinjalo, ‘bamkhathazile uJehova.’ Ngesikhathi sikaMalaki, labo ababengasinaki iseluleko saphezulu babenanesibindi sokubheka imibono kaJehova njengengafaneleki. Kwakunjengokungathi bathi: “Uphi uNkulunkulu wokwahlulela na?” Yeka ukucabanga okusontekile! Masingaweli kulolo gibe.—Malaki 2:17.
19. Amadoda namakhosikazi bangawuthola kanjani umoya kaNkulunkulu?
19 Okujabulisayo ukuthi uMalaki uveza ukuthi amanye amadoda ayengabakhohlisi omkawo. ‘Kwakusele kuwo umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu.’ (Ivesi 15) Kuyajabulisa ukuthi inhlangano kaNkulunkulu namuhla inenqwaba yamadoda anjalo ‘anika omkawo udumo.’ (1 Petru 3:7) Awabaxhaphazi omkawo ngokomzimba noma ngamazwi, awabacindezeli ngemikhuba yobulili elulazayo, futhi awabalulazi omkawo ngokuzama ukukhanga abanye besifazane noma ngokubuka izithombe zobulili ezingcolile. Inhlangano kaJehova ibusisiwe nangokuba nenqwaba yamakhosikazi angamaKristu athembekile aqotho kuNkulunkulu nasemithethweni yakhe. Wonke amadoda nabafazi abanjalo bayakwazi lokho uNkulunkulu akuzondayo, futhi ukucabanga nezenzo zabo kuyavumelana nalokho abakwaziyo. Qhubeka unjengabo, ‘ulalela uNkulunkulu njengombusi’ futhi ubusiswe ngomoya wakhe ongcwele.—IzEnzo 5:29.
20. Kusondela isikhathi sani esintwini sonke?
20 Maduze uJehova uzokwahlulela lonke leli zwe. Wonke umuntu kuyodingeka alandise kuye ngezinkolelo nezenzo zakhe. “Ngamunye wethu uyozilandisela kuNkulunkulu.” (Roma 14:12) Ngakho umbuzo othakazelisayo manje uwukuthi: Obani abayosinda osukwini lukaJehova? Isihloko sesithathu, esingesokugcina kulolu chungechunge, sizoxoxa ngaleyo ndaba.
Ungachaza?
• UJehova wabasola ngenxa yasiphi isizathu esiyisisekelo abapristi kwa-Israyeli?
• Kungani sithi izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu aziphakeme kakhulu ukuba abantu bazigcine?
• Kungani kufanele siqaphele ekufundiseni kwethu namuhla?
• Yiziphi izinkambo ezimbili uJehova azilahla ngokukhethekile?
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
Ngesikhathi sikaMalaki abapristi basolwa ngokungazigcini izindlela zikaJehova
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Kumelwe siqaphele ukuba sifundise izindlela zikaJehova, singagqugquzeli izinto ezithandwa yithina
[Izithombe ekhasini 18]
UJehova wawalahla ama-Israyeli ayelahle omkawo ngezizathu eziwubala ashada nabesifazane abangamaqaba
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
AmaKristu namuhla ayasihlonipha isivumelwano sawo somshado