Babalwa Njengabakufanelekele Ukuthola UMbuso
“Lokhu kuwubufakazi besahlulelo esilungileyo sikaNkulunkulu, okuholela ekubeni nibalwe njengabawufanelekele umbuso kaNkulunkulu.”—2 THES. 1:5.
1, 2. Iyini injongo kaNkulunkulu ngokuqondene nokwahlulela, futhi ubani oyosetshenziswa ekwahluleleni?
UMPHOSTOLI UPAWULU wayese-Athene cishe ngonyaka ka-50 C.E. Ecasulwe ukwanda kokukhonza izithombe akubona lapho, washukumiseleka ukuba anikeze ubufakazi obuhle kakhulu. Waphetha amazwi akhe ngesimemezelo okumelwe ukuba senza izilaleli zakhe ezingamaqaba zalalelisisa. Wathi: “Manje [uNkulunkulu] utshela isintu ukuba sonke kuyo yonke indawo siphenduke. Ngoba umise usuku ajonge ukwahlulela ngalo umhlaba owakhiwe ngokulunga ngomuntu ammisile, futhi unikeze isiqinisekiso kubo bonke abantu njengoba eye wamvusa kwabafileyo.”—IzE. 17:30, 31.
2 Yeka indlela okusangulukisa ngayo ukucabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu umise usuku ayokwahlulela ngalo isintu! Enkulumweni ayibeka e-Athene, uPawulu akamgagulanga umuntu owayezosetshenziswa kulokho kwahlulela, kodwa siyazi ukuthi nguJesu Kristu ovusiwe. Ukwahlulelwa nguJesu kuyosho ukuphila noma ukufa.
3. Kungani uJehova enza isivumelwano no-Abrahama, futhi ubani onendima ekhethekile ekugcwalisekeni kwaso?
3 Lolo Suku Lokwahlulela luyoba iminyaka eyinkulungwane. Emelela uJehova, uJesu uyokwengamela lolo suku njengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, kodwa uyobe engeyedwa. UJehova ukhetha nabanye esintwini ukuba babuse noJesu futhi bahlulele phakathi nalolo suku oluyiminyaka eyinkulungwane. (Qhathanisa noLuka 22:29, 30.) Eminyakeni engaba ngu-4 000 edlule, uJehova wabeka isisekelo salolo Suku Lokwahlulela lapho enza isivumelwano nenceku yakhe ethembekile u-Abrahama. (Funda uGenesise 22:17, 18.) Ngokusobala, leso sivumelwano saqala ukusebenza ngo-1943 B.C.E. Yiqiniso, u-Abrahama wayengenakukwazi ukuqonda ngokugcwele ukuthi leso sivumelwano sasiyosho ukuthini esintwini. Nokho, thina namuhla siyaqonda ukuthi ngokwalokho okwashiwo kuso, inzalo ka-Abrahama inendima ekhethekile ekugcwalisekeni kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu yokwahlulela isintu.
4, 5. (a) Ubani oyingxenye eyinhloko yenzalo ka-Abrahama, futhi wathini ngoMbuso? (b) Lavuleka nini ithemba lokuba yingxenye yelungiselelo loMbuso?
4 Ingxenye eyinhloko yenzalo ka-Abrahama kwaba uJesu owagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele ngo-29 C.E. futhi waba uMesiya othenjisiwe, noma uKristu. (Gal. 3:16) Ngemva nje kwalokho, uJesu wayezochitha iminyaka emithathu nengxenye eshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso esizweni samaJuda. Ngemva kokuboshwa kukaJohane uMbhapathizi, uJesu wabonisa ukuthi abanye babengaba nethemba lokuhlanganyela kulowo Mbuso lapho ethi: “Kusukela ezinsukwini zikaJohane uMbhapathizi kuze kube manje umbuso wamazulu uwumgomo abantu abaphikelelé kuwo, futhi labo abaphikelela phambili bayawuqhwaga.”—Math. 11:12.
5 Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi ngaphambi nje kokukhuluma ngalabo ‘ababeyoqhwaga’ uMbuso wamazulu, uJesu wathi: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, Phakathi kwabazelwe ngabesifazane akuzange kuvezwe omkhulu kunoJohane uMbhapathizi; kodwa umuntu ongomncane kunabanye embusweni wamazulu mkhulu kunaye.” (Math. 11:11) Kungani kwakunjalo? Kungoba ithemba lokuba ingxenye yelungiselelo loMbuso alizange libavulekele ngokugcwele abathembekile kwaze kwaba yilapho kuthululwa umoya ongcwele ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E. Ngaleso sikhathi, uJohane uMbhapathizi wayesefile.—IzE. 2:1-4.
Inzalo Ka-Abrahama Kuthiwa Ilungile
6, 7. (a) Inzalo ka-Abrahama yayizoba “ngangezinkanyezi zamazulu” ngayiphi indlela? (b) U-Abrahama wathola siphi isibusiso, futhi inzalo yakhe ithola siphi isibusiso esifanayo?
6 U-Abrahama watshelwa ukuthi inzalo yakhe yayiyokwanda ibe “ngangezinkanyezi zamazulu” nangangesihlabathi esisogwini lolwandle. (Gen. 13:16; 22:17) Ngamanye amazwi, ngesikhathi sika-Abrahama, kwakungenakwenzeka ngabantu ukwazi ukuthi babeyoba bangaki ababeyokwakha le nzalo. Nokho, inani eliqondile lenzalo yakhe engokomoya lagcina lembuliwe. Ngaphandle kukaJesu, laliyoba ngu-144 000.—IsAm. 7:4; 14:1.
7 Ngokuqondene nokholo luka-Abrahama, iZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “[U-Abrahama] waba nokholo kuJehova; wayesekubalela kuye njengokulunga.” (Gen. 15:5, 6) Yiqiniso, akekho umuntu olunge ngokuphelele. (Jak. 3:2) Noma kunjalo, ngenxa yokholo luka-Abrahama oluvelele, uJehova wasebenzelana naye njengokungathi wayelungile waze wambiza ngomngane wakhe. (Isaya 41:8) Labo abakha inzalo engokomoya ka-Abrahama kanye noJesu nabo kuye kwathiwa balungile, futhi lokhu kubenza bathole izibusiso ezinkulu kunezatholwa u-Abrahama.
8. Iziphi izibusiso eziyotholwa amalungu enzalo ka-Abrahama?
8 AmaKristu agcotshiwe kuthiwa alungile ngoba abonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu wesihlengo. (Roma 3:24, 28) Emehlweni kaJehova, akhululiwe esonweni futhi angagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele ukuba abe amadodana kaNkulunkulu omoya, abafowabo bakaJesu Kristu. (Joh. 1:12, 13) Angena esivumelwaneni esisha, akhe isizwe esisha, “u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.” (Gal. 6:16; Luka 22:20) Yeka ukuthi konke lokho kuyilungelo elimangalisa kangakanani! Ngenxa yalezi zinto uNkulunkulu azenzela amaKristu agcotshiwe, ithemba lawo akulona elokuphila phakade emhlabeni. Ayalidela lelo themba lasemhlabeni ngenxa yenjabulo engachazeki yokuba noJesu phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela futhi abuse naye emazulwini.—Funda amaRoma 8:17.
9, 10. (a) Kwakunini lapho amaKristu egcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele okokuqala, futhi ayezobhekana nani? (b) Iluphi usizo amaKristu agcotshiwe aluthola?
9 NgePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., iqembu labantu abathembekile lanikezwa ithuba lokuba phakathi kwalabo abayobusa noJesu phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela. Abafundi bakaJesu abangaba ngu-120 babhapathizwa ngomoya ongcwele, ngaleyo ndlela baba amaKristu okuqala agcotshiwe. Nokho, lokho kwakumane kuyisiqalo kubo. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, kwakudingeka babonise ubuqotho babo kuJehova naphezu kwalo lonke uvivinyo uSathane ayezobalethela lona. Kwakudingeka bathembeke kuze kube sekufeni ukuze bathole umqhele wokuphila ezulwini.—IsAm. 2:10.
10 Ukuze lokho kufezeke, uJehova wanikeza amaKristu agcotshiwe isiyalo nesikhuthazo ayesidinga esebenzisa iZwi lakhe nebandla lobuKristu. Ngokwesibonelo, umphostoli uPawulu wabhalela amaKristu agcotshiwe aseThesalonika: “Njengoba kwenza ubaba kubantwana bakhe, saqhubeka . . . sikhuthaza ngamunye wenu, siniduduza futhi sifakaza kini, ukuze niqhubeke nihamba ngokufanele uNkulunkulu onibizela embusweni nasenkazimulweni yakhe.”—1 Thes. 2:11, 12.
11. Imuphi umbhalo ogciniwe uJehova awulungiselela amalungu ‘ka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu’?
11 Phakathi namashumi eminyaka kusukela kwakhethwa amalungu okuqala ebandla lamaKristu agcotshiwe, uJehova wakubona kufaneleka ukuba kube nombhalo ogciniwe wenkonzo kaJesu yasemhlabeni nowokusebenzelana kwaKhe namaKristu agcotshiwe ekhulu lokuqala kuhlanganise nezeluleko awanika zona. Kanjalo uJehova wanezela imiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki ephefumulelwe emiBhalweni YesiHebheru ephefumulelwe eyayisikhona kakade. ImiBhalo YesiHebheru yayibhalelwe kuqala isizwe sama-Israyeli angokwemvelo ngesikhathi sisenobuhlobo obukhethekile noNkulunkulu. ImiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki yayibhalelwe “u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu” ngokuyinhloko, labo abagcotshwe njengabafowabo bakaKristu nanjengamadodana kaNkulunkulu angokomoya. Yiqiniso, lokho akusikiseli neze ukuthi abangewona ama-Israyeli babengenakuzuza kakhulu ngokutadisha imiBhalo YesiHebheru. Ngokufanayo, amaKristu angagcotshiwe ngomoya ongcwele athola izinzuzo ezingenakuqhathaniswa ngokutadisha nangokuphila ngokuvumelana neseluleko esitholakala emiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki.—Funda eyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:15-17.
12. UPawulu wawakhumbuzani amaKristu agcotshiwe?
12 AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala kwathiwa alungile futhi agcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele ukuze akwazi ukuthola ifa lawo lasezulwini. Ukugcotshwa kwawo akuzange kuwenze amakhosi phezu kwamanye amaKristu agcotshiwe lapho esesemhlabeni. Kubonakala sengathi amanye amaKristu okuqala alikhohlwa leli qiniso, aqala ukuzifunela ukuvelela okungafanele phakathi kwabafowabo ebandleni. Ngenxa yalokho, uPawulu washukumiseleka ukuba abuze: “Nina seniyasutha kakade, akunjalo? Senicebile kakade, akunjalo? Seniqalile ukubusa njengamakhosi ngaphandle kwethu, akunjalo? Futhi impela ngifisa sengathi ngabe seniqalile ukubusa njengamakhosi, ukuze nathi sibuse njengamakhosi kanye nani.” (1 Kor. 4:8) Ngakho, uPawulu wakhumbuza abagcotshiwe bosuku lwakhe: “Akukhona ukuthi singamakhosi phezu kokholo lwenu, kodwa siyizisebenzi ezikanye nani ukuze nijabule.”—2 Kor. 1:24.
Ukuphelelisa Inani Elabikezelwa
13. Ukukhethwa kwabagcotshiwe kwaqhubeka kanjani ngemva kuka-33 C.E.?
13 AmaKristu agcotshiwe angu-144 000 awazange akhethwe wonke ngekhulu lokuqala. Ukukhethwa kwawo kwaqhubeka phakathi nayo yonke inkathi yabaphostoli. Ngemva kwalokho kubonakala kwakhethwa ambalwa. Nokho, kwakulokhu kuqhubeka emakhulwini eminyaka eyalandela kuze kube sezikhathini zanamuhla. (Math. 28:20) Ekugcineni, ngemva kokuba uJesu eqale ukubusa ngo-1914, abuye akhethwa ngobuningi.
14, 15. Yini eye yenzeka esikhathini sethu ngokuqondene nokukhethwa kwabagcotshiwe?
14 Okokuqala, uJesu wahlanza amazulu, wasusa bonke ababephikisa ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu. (Funda isAmbulo 12:10, 12.) Wabe esegxila ekubutheni abaseleyo ababezoba amalungu kahulumeni kaNkulunkulu ukuze aphelelise inani elingu-144 000. Kubonakala sengathi maphakathi nawo-1930 lowo msebenzi wawusuya ngasekupheleni futhi abaningi balabo ababesabela emsebenzini wokushumayela babengenaso isifiso sokuya ezulwini. Umoya wawungafakazelani nabo ukuthi bangamadodana kaNkulunkulu. (Qhathanisa namaRoma 8:16.) Kunalokho, babezibheka ‘njengabezinye izimvu’ ezinethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. (Joh. 10:16) Ngakho, ngemva kuka-1935, umsebenzi wokushumayela wagxila ekubutheni “isixuku esikhulu” umphostoli uJohane asibona embonweni nesasiyosinda “osizini olukhulu.”—IsAm. 7:9, 10, 14.
15 Noma kunjalo, phakathi neminyaka kusukela ngawo-1930, kunabambalwa abaye bakhethelwa ukuyophila ezulwini. Kungani beye bakhethwa? Kwezinye izimo kungenzeka ukuthi babevala izikhala zabathile ababekhethiwe abangazange bathembeke. (Qhathanisa nesAmbulo 3:16.) UPawulu waze wakhuluma nangabathile ayebazi ababeshiye iqiniso. (Fil. 3:17-19) Obani uJehova ayezobakhetha ukuze bavale lezo zikhala? Nguye onqumayo. Noma kunjalo, kubonakala kunengqondo ukuthi wayengeke akhethe abasanda kuguquka, kodwa wayezokhetha abantu abase bebonise ubuqotho babo ngezinga elithile—njengabafundi uJesu akhuluma nabo lapho esungula umkhosi weSikhumbuzo.a—Luka 22:28.
16. Yini esiyazisayo ngokuqondene nabagcotshiwe, futhi yini esingaqiniseka ngayo?
16 Nokho, kubonakala sengathi akubona bonke abaye bakhethelwa ukuyophila ezulwini kusukela ngawo-1930 abavala izikhala zalabo abaye bawa okholweni. Kubonakala uJehova eye waqinisekisa ukuthi siyohlala sinamaKristu agcotshiwe phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina zalesi simiso sezinto kuze kube yilapho kubhujiswa “iBhabhiloni Elikhulu.”b (IsAm. 17:5) Singaqiniseka ukuthi inani eliphelele lamalungu angu-144 000 liyophelela ngesikhathi sikaJehova esifanele nokuthi ekugcineni wonke ayohlala ezikhundleni zawo kuhulumeni woMbuso. Singalikholelwa neZwi eliyisiprofetho lokuthi isixuku esikhulu esilokhu sanda sizoqhubeka sizibonakalisa sithembekile njengeqembu. Maduze ‘sizophuma osizini olukhulu’ oluzofikela izwe likaSathane, singene ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu ngenjabulo.
Uhulumeni KaNkulunkulu Wasezulwini Usucishe Uphelele!
17. Ngokweyoku-1 Thesalonika 4:15-17 nesAmbulo 6:9-11, yini eye yenzeka kumaKristu agcotshiwe afa ethembekile?
17 Kusukela ngo-33 C.E., amashumi ezinkulungwane zamaKristu agcotshiwe aye abonisa ukholo oluqinile futhi akhuthazela ngokwethembeka kwaze kwaba sekufeni. Aseye abalwa njengakufanelekele ukuthola uMbuso futhi aye avuzwa ngokufanele—ngokusobala kusukela ngasekuqaleni kokuba khona kukaKristu.—Funda eyoku-1 Thesalonika 4:15-17; IsAmbulo 6:9-11.
18. (a) Yini abagcotshiwe abasesemhlabeni abaqiniseka ngayo? (b) Abezinye izimvu bababheka kanjani abafowabo abangamaKristu agcotshiwe?
18 Abagcotshiwe abasesemhlabeni baqiniseka ngokugcwele ukuthi uma behlala bethembekile, maduze bazothola umvuzo wenkambo yabo yokwethembeka. Lapho zicabanga ngokholo lwabafowabo abagcotshiwe, izigidi zezinye izimvu zivumelana namazwi omphostoli uPawulu owasho lokhu ngabazalwane abagcotshiwe eThesalonika: “Nathi ngokwethu siyaziqhenya ngani phakathi kwamabandla kaNkulunkulu ngenxa yokukhuthazela nokholo lwenu kukho konke ukushushiswa kwenu nezinsizi enizibekezelelayo. Lokhu kuwubufakazi besahlulelo esilungileyo sikaNkulunkulu, okuholela ekubeni nibalwe njengabawufanelekele umbuso kaNkulunkulu, okuyiwona empeleni enihlupheka ngenxa yawo.” (2 Thes. 1:3-5) Lapho ilungu lokugcina labagcotshiwe liqeda inkambo yalo yasemhlabeni, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lokho kuyoba nini, uhulumeni kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini uyophelela. Yeka ukuthi lokho kuyojabulisa kangakanani—ezulwini nasemhlabeni!
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Bheka INqabayokulinda ka-March 1, 1992, ikhasi 20, isigaba 17.
b Bheka isihloko esithi “Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi” kuyi-Nqabayokulinda ka-May 1, 2007.
Ungachaza?
• Yini uNkulunkulu ayembulela u-Abrahama eyayihlobene noSuku Lokwahlulela?
• Kungani u-Abrahama kwathiwa ulungile?
• Kulabo benzalo ka-Abrahama ukuthiwa kwabo balungile kuholelaphi?
• Yini wonke amaKristu aqiniseka ngayo?
[Isithombe ekhasini 20]
UJesu wakhuthaza abalandeli bakhe ukuba balwele ukufinyelela uMbuso
[Isithombe ekhasini 21]
NgePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., uJehova waqala ukukhetha ingxenye yesibili yenzalo ka-Abrahama
[Izithombe ekhasini 23]
Ezinye izimvu ziyakwazisa ukuthi amaKristu agcotshiwe alokhu enazo phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina