Siyohamba Ngegama LikaJehova UNkulunkulu Wethu
“Thina, siyohamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube nini nanini, yebo kuze kube phakade.”—MIKA 4:5.
1. Ngokuqondene nokuziphatha, sasinjani isimo osukwini lukaNowa, futhi yena wayehluke kanjani?
UMUNTU wokuqala iBhayibheli elithi wahamba noNkulunkulu u-Enoke. Owesibili uNowa. Umlando uyasitshela: “UNowa wayeyindoda elungile. Akabanga naphutha phakathi kwabantu besikhathi sakhe. UNowa wahamba noNkulunkulu weqiniso.” (Genesise 6:9) Ngesikhathi sikaNowa, isintu sisonke sase siphambukile ekukhulekeleni okuhlanzekile. Lesi simo esasivele sisibi sashubiswa izingelosi ezingathembekile ezenza ngokuphambene nemvelo yazo zahlangana nabesifazane zaveza inzalo eyabizwa ngokuthi amaNefili, “abantu abanamandla,” noma “amadoda odumo,” angalezo zinsuku. Shono umhlaba wagcwala ubudlova! (Genesise 6:2, 4, 11) Noma kunjalo, uNowa akabanga naphutha futhi waba “umshumayeli wokulunga.” (2 Petru 2:5) Lapho uNkulunkulu emyala ukuba akhe umkhumbi ukuze kulondolozwe ukuphila, uNowa walalela “wenza njengakho konke uNkulunkulu ayemyale ngakho. Wenza kanjalo nje.” (Genesise 6:22) Ngempela, uNowa wahamba noNkulunkulu.
2, 3. Isiphi isibonelo esihle uNowa asibekela sona thina namuhla?
2 UPawulu wabala noNowa ohlwini lofakazi abathembekile lapho ebhala: “Ngokholo uNowa, ngemva kokunikwa isixwayiso saphezulu sezinto ezingakabonwa, wabonisa ukwesaba kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu wakha umkhumbi wokusindisa indlu yakhe; futhi ngalolu kholo walahla izwe, waba yindlalifa yokulunga okuvumelana nokholo.” (Hebheru 11:7) Yeka isibonelo esivelele! Eqiniseka ukuthi amazwi kaJehova ayeyogcwaliseka, uNowa wasebenzisa isikhathi, amandla nezinye izinto zakhe ukuze afeze imiyalo kaNkulunkulu. Ngendlela efanayo, abaningi nanamuhla bafulathela amathuba aleli zwe bese besebenzisa isikhathi, amandla nezinye izinto zabo ekulaleleni imiyalo kaJehova. Ukholo lwabo luyaphawuleka futhi luyoholela ekusindisweni kwabo nokwabanye.—Luka 16:9; 1 Thimothewu 4:16.
3 Kumelwe ukuba kwakungelula ngoNowa nomkhaya wakhe ukubonisa ukholo, njengoba kwakungelula nango-Enoke, ukhokho kaNowa, okukhulunywe ngaye esihlokweni esandulele. Abakhulekeli beqiniso babeyidlanzana ngosuku lukaNowa njengoba kwakunjalo nasosukwini luka-Enoke—bangu-8 kuphela abantu abazibonakalisa bethembekile futhi basinda kuZamcolo. UNowa washumayela ukulunga ezweni elinobudlova futhi elaliziphethe kabi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, yena nomkhaya wakhe babematasa bakha umkhumbi omkhulu wokhuni belungiselela uzamcolo owawuzofikela umhlaba wonke, nakuba uzamcolo onjalo wawungakaze ubonwe muntu ngaphambili. Kumelwe ukuba lokho kwabonakala kuyinto eyinqaba kubantu.
4. Iliphi iphutha elenziwa abantu besikhathi sikaNowa uJesu aliqokomisa?
4 Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi lapho uJesu ebhekisela ezinsukwini zikaNowa, akazange akhulume ngobudlova, inkolo yamanga, noma ukuziphatha okubi—naphezu kokuba kwakunyantisa. Iphutha uJesu aliqokomisa kwaba ukwenqaba kwabantu ukunaka isixwayiso. Wathi ‘babedla, bephuza, amadoda eshada nabesifazane bendiswa, kwaze kwaba usuku uNowa angena ngalo emkhunjini.’ Ukudla, ukuphuza, ukushada, ukwendiswa—yini eyayingalungile ngalokho? Babephila ukuphila nje “okuvamile”! Kodwa kwakuza uzamcolo, futhi uNowa wayeshumayela ukulunga. Amazwi akhe nokuziphatha kwakhe kufanele ngabe kwabenza baxwaya. Noma kunjalo ‘abanakanga kwaze kwafika uzamcolo, wabakhukhula bonke.’—Mathewu 24:38, 39.
5. Iziphi izimfanelo uNowa nomkhaya wakhe ababezidinga?
5 Uma sibheka emuva ngalezo zikhathi, sibona ukuhlakanipha kwenkambo kaNowa. Nokho, ezinsukwini zangaphambi kukaZamcolo, kwakudingeka isibindi ukuze uhluke kwabanye abantu. Kwakudingeka uNowa nomkhaya wakhe babe nokholo oluqinile ukuze bakhe umkhumbi omkhulu futhi bawugcwalise ngazo zonke izinhlobo zezilwane. Bakhona yini abanye kuleyo miphefumulo embalwa ethembekile okungenzeka ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi babefisa sengathi bangangahluka kakhulu, baziphilele ukuphila “okuvamile”? Ngisho noma kungenzeka ukuthi imicabango enjalo yabafikela, abazange babe buthaka ebuqothweni babo. Ngemva kweminyaka eminingi impela—eminingi kunaleyo noma ubani kithi okuzodingeka ayibekezelele kulesi simiso sezinto—ukholo lukaNowa lwamsindisa kulowo Zamcolo. Nokho, uJehova wakhipha isahlulelo kubo bonke labo ababephila ukuphila “okuvamile” futhi bangakunaka okwakushiwo izikhathi ababephila kuzo.
Isintu Sihlushwa Ubudlova Futhi
6. Ngemva kukaZamcolo, isiphi isimo esasisekhona?
6 Ngemva kokuba amanzi kaZamcolo esebohlile, isintu saqala kabusha. Nokho, abantu babesalokhu bengaphelele, futhi “ukuthambekela kwenhliziyo yomuntu” kwaqhubeka ‘kukubi kusukela ebusheni bakhe kuqhubeke.’ (Genesise 8:21) Ngaphezu kwalokho, nakuba amademoni ayengasakwazi ukugqoka imizimba yabantu, ayesasebenza impela. Izwe lesintu esingamesabi uNkulunkulu lasheshe lazibonakalisa ukuthi “lisemandleni omubi,” futhi njenganamuhla, abakhulekeli beqiniso kwakudingeka balwe “namaqhinga kaDeveli.”—1 Johane 5:19; Efesu 6:11, 12.
7. Ubudlova badlondlobala kanjani ezweni langemva kukaZamcolo?
7 Okungenani kusukela ngesikhathi sikaNimrode, umhlaba wangemva kukaZamcolo waphinde wagcwala ubudlova. Ngenxa yokwanda kwabantu nokuthuthuka kwezobuchwepheshe, lobo budlova buye badlondlobala ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Eminyakeni yangaphambili, kwakusetshenziswa umkhonto, inkemba, umnsalo nomcibisholo, kanye nezinqola zempi zamahhashi. Ezikhathini ezalandela kwangena ombayimbayi, izinhlokohlela zezibhamu nezikhali eziyinkimbinkimbi zeminyaka yangasekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20. NgeMpi Yezwe I kwabonakala izikhali ezethusa nakakhulu, njengezindiza zempi, izinqola zempi ezingosondonzima, imikhumbi-ngwenya, nesisi esinobuthi. Kuleyo mpi, lezi zikhali zabulala izigidi zabantu. Ingabe kwakuyinto engalindelekile? Lutho.
8. IsAmbulo 6:1-4 siye sagcwaliseka kanjani?
8 Ngonyaka ka-1914, uJesu wabekwa esihlalweni sobukhosi njengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini, futhi kwaqala ‘usuku lweNkosi.’ (IsAmbulo 1:10) Embonweni owabhalwa encwadini yesAmbulo, uJesu ubonakala njengeNkosi enqobayo egibele ihhashi elimhlophe. Ulandelwa abanye abagibeli bamahhashi, ngamunye emelela uhlupho oluhlukile esintwini. Omunye wabo ugibele ihhashi elinombala onjengomlilo, futhi wanikwa “ukususa ukuthula emhlabeni ukuze babulalane; wanikwa nenkemba enkulu.” (IsAmbulo 6:1-4) Leli hhashi nomgibeli walo bafanekisela impi, futhi inkemba enkulu ifanekisela ukubhubhisa okwakungakaze kubonwe kwezimpi zanamuhla nezikhali zazo ezinamandla. Lezo zikhali namuhla zihlanganisa izikhali zenuzi, ngasinye esingabhubhisa amashumi ezinkulungwane zabantu; amarokhethi akwazi ukujikijela lezo zikhali ezindaweni eziqhele ngezinkulungwane zamakhilomitha; kanye nezikhali eziyinkimbinkimbi zamakhemikhali nezamagciwane ezibhubhisa uyaca.
Siyazinaka Izixwayiso ZikaJehova
9. Izwe lanamuhla liqhathaniseka kanjani nalelo elalikhona ngaphambi kukaZamcolo?
9 Ezinsukwini zikaNowa, uJehova wabhubhisa isintu ngenxa yobudlova obedlulele babantu ababi belekelelwa amaNefili. Kuthiwani namuhla? Ingabe bungcono ubudlova emhlabeni uma kuqhathaniswa nangaleso sikhathi? Lutho! Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengasosukwini lukaNowa, abantu namuhla baziqhubekela nemisebenzi yabo, bezama ukuphila ukuphila “okuvamile,” benqaba ukunaka izixwayiso ezikhishwayo. (Luka 17:26, 27) Ngakho-ke, sikhona yini isizathu sokungabaza ukuthi uJehova uzophinde futhi asibhubhise isintu? Asikho.
10. (a) Isiphi isixwayiso esinikezwa ngokuphindaphindiwe esiprofethweni seBhayibheli? (b) Yini ewukuphela kwenkambo ehlakaniphile namuhla?
10 Emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambi kukaZamcolo, u-Enoke waprofetha ngembubhiso okumelwe ifike osukwini lwethu. (Jude 14, 15) UJesu naye wakhuluma ‘ngosizi olukhulu’ oluzayo. (Mathewu 24:21) Abanye abaprofethi nabo baxwayisa ngaleso sikhathi. (Hezekeli 38:18-23; Daniyeli 12:1; Joweli 2:31, 32) Encwadini yesAmbulo nakhona sifunda ngencazelo ecacile yaleyo mbubhiso yokugcina. (IsAmbulo 19:11-21) Njengabantu ngabanye, silingisa uNowa futhi singabashumayeli bokulunga abakhuthele. Siyazinaka izixwayiso zikaJehova futhi ngothando sisiza omakhelwane bethu ukuba benze okufanayo. Ngakho, njengoNowa, sihamba noNkulunkulu. Ngempela, kubalulekile ukuba wonke umuntu ofisa ukuphila aqhubeke ehamba noNkulunkulu. Singakwenza kanjani lokhu naphezu kwezingcindezi esibhekana nazo usuku ngalunye? Kudingeka sihlakulele ukholo oluqinile lokuthi injongo kaNkulunkulu izogcwaliseka.—Hebheru 11:6.
Qhubeka Uhamba NoNkulunkulu Ezikhathini Zeziyaluyalu
11. Siwalingisa ngayiphi indlela amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala?
11 Ekhulwini lokuqala, amaKristu agcotshiwe kwakhulunywa ngawo ngokuthi ‘ayengawaleyo Ndlela.’ (IzEnzo 9:2) Yonke indlela yawo yokuphila yayigxile okholweni lwawo kuJehova nakuJesu Kristu. Ahamba endleleni iNkosi yawo eyayihambe ngayo. Namuhla, amaKristu athembekile enza okufanayo.
12. Kwenzekani ngemva kokuba uJesu esuthise isixuku ngokuyisimangaliso?
12 Ukuthi ukholo lubalulekile kubonakala esenzakalweni esenzeka phakathi nenkonzo kaJesu. Ngesinye isikhathi, uJesu wasuthisa ngokuyisimangaliso isixuku samadoda angaba ngu-5 000. Lokhu kwabamangaza abantu futhi kwabajabulisa. Nokho, phawula okwabe sekwenzeka. Siyafunda: “Lapho abantu bebona izibonakaliso ayezenza, bathi: ‘Ngokuqinisekile lo ungumprofethi owayezofika ezweni.’ Ngakho-ke, uJesu azi ukuthi base bezokuza bambambe ukuze bambeke inkosi, waphinde wasuka waya entabeni eyedwa.” (Johane 6:10-15) Wahamba ngalobo busuku waya kwenye indawo. Ukwenqaba kukaJesu ukwamukela ubukhosi kumelwe ukuba kwabadumaza abaningi. Kakade, wayezibonakalise ehlakaniphe ngokwanele ukuthi angaba inkosi futhi ezibonakalise enamandla okwanelisa izidingo zabantu ezingokwenyama. Nokho, kwakungakabi isikhathi sikaJehova sokuba abuse njengeNkosi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uMbuso kaJesu wawuyoba sezulwini, hhayi emhlabeni.
13, 14. Imuphi umbono abaningi abazibonisa benawo, futhi ukholo lwabo lwavivinywa kanjani?
13 Noma kunjalo, izixuku zazimisela ukulandela uJesu futhi zamthola, “phesheya kolwandle” ngokusho kukaJohane. Kungani zamlandela nakuba ayeyigwemile imizamo yazo yokumenza inkosi? Abaningi kuzo babonisa ukuthi babenombono ongokwenyama, bakhuluma bangagwegwesa ngamalungiselelo angokwenyama uJehova ayewenzile ehlane osukwini lukaMose. Babesikisela ukuthi uJesu kwakufanele aqhubeke nokubondla ngokwenyama. UJesu, ebona izisusa zabo ezimbi, waqala ukubafundisa amaqiniso angokomoya ayengabasiza ukuba balungise ukucabanga kwabo. (Johane 6:17, 24, 25, 30, 31, 35-40) Besabela kulokhu, abanye bakhononda ngaye, ikakhulukazi lapho enza lo mfanekiso: “Ngiqinisile impela ngithi kini, Ngaphandle kokuba nidle inyama yeNdodana yomuntu niphuze igazi layo, aninakho ukuphila kini ngaphakathi. Lowo odla inyama yami, aphuze igazi lami unokuphila okuphakade, ngiyomvusa ngosuku lokugcina.”—Johane 6:53, 54.
14 Imifanekiso kaJesu ngokuvamile yayishukumisela abantu ukuba babonise ukuthi babekufuna ngempela yini ukuhamba noNkulunkulu. Kwenzeka okufanayo nakulo mfanekiso. Wabacasula kakhulu abaningi. Siyafunda: “Abaningi kubafundi bakhe, lapho bezwa lokhu, bathi: ‘Le nkulumo iyashaqisa; ubani ongayilalela na?’” UJesu waqhubeka ebachazela ukuthi kwakufanele babheke incazelo engokomoya yamazwi akhe. Wathi: “Ngumoya onikeza ukuphila; inyama ayinalo nhlobo usizo. Amazwi engiwakhulume kini angumoya futhi awukuphila.” Noma kunjalo, abaningi abathandanga ukulalela, futhi ukulandisa kuyasibikela: “Ngenxa yalokhu abaningi kubafundi bakhe bahamba baya ezintweni ababezishiye emuva futhi ababange besahamba naye.”—Johane 6:60, 63, 66.
15. Imuphi umbono ofanele abanye babalandeli bakaJesu ababenawo?
15 Noma kunjalo, akubona bonke abafundi bakaJesu abasabela ngaleyo ndlela. Yiqiniso ukuthi abafundi abaqotho babengakuqondi ngokugcwele lokho uJesu ayekusho. Noma kunjalo, baqhubeka bemethemba ngokuqinile. UPetru, omunye walabo bafundi abaqotho, wezwakalisa imizwa yabo bonke abasala lapho ethi: “Nkosi, ubani esizoya kuye? Nguwe onamazwi okuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 6:68) Yeka isimo sengqondo esihle kangaka, futhi yeka isibonelo esihle!
16. Singase sivivinywe kanjani, futhi imuphi umbono ofanele okufanele siwuhlakulele?
16 Nathi namuhla singavivinywa ngendlela labo bafundi bokuqala abavivinywa ngayo. Mhlawumbe thina singadunyazwa ukuthi izithembiso zikaJehova azigcwaliseki ngokushesha njengoba thina besingathanda. Singaba nomuzwa wokuthi izincazelo zemiBhalo ezincwadini zethu ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini aziqondakali kalula. Singase sidunyazwe ukuziphatha komunye umKristu esikanye naye. Kungaba okufanele yini ukuba siyeke ukuhamba noNkulunkulu ngenxa yalezi zizathu noma ezinye ezifana nazo? Lutho! Abafundi abashiya uJesu bazibonisa ukuthi babecabanga ngendlela engokwenyama. Kumelwe sigweme ukwenza into efanayo.
“Asilona Uhlobo Oluhlehlela Emuva”
17. Yini engasisiza ukuba siqhubeke sihamba noNkulunkulu?
17 Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Yonke imiBhalo iphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu.” (2 Thimothewu 3:16) EBhayibhelini, uJehova usitshela ngokucacile: “Nansi indlela. Hambani ngayo.” (Isaya 30:21) Ukulalela iZwi likaNkulunkulu kusisiza ukuba ‘siqaphelisise indlela esihamba ngayo.’ (Efesu 5:15) Ukutadisha iBhayibheli nokuzindla ngalokho esikufundayo kusisiza ukuba ‘siqhubeke sihamba eqinisweni.’ (3 Johane 3) Ngempela, njengoba nje uJesu asho, “ngumoya onikeza ukuphila; inyama ayinalo nhlobo usizo.” Ukuphela kwesiqondiso esinokwethenjelwa esingaqondisa ngaso izinyathelo zethu, isiqondiso esingokomoya, esitholakala ngeZwi likaJehova, ngomoya wakhe nangenhlangano yakhe.
18. (a) Yini abanye abayenza ngobuwula? (b) Ukholo olunjani esiluhlakulelayo?
18 Namuhla, labo abakhonondiswa ukuba nombono ongokwenyama noma ukungafezeki kwababekulindele ngokuvamile baphendukela ekusebenziseni leli zwe ngokugcwele. Belahlekelwa umbono wabo wokuphuthuma, abasiboni isidingo ‘sokuhlala belindile,’ futhi bakhetha ukuphishekela imigomo yobugovu esikhundleni sokubeka izithakazelo zoMbuso kuqala. (Mathewu 24:42) Ukuhamba ngaleyo ndlela kuwubuwula obuphindiwe. Phawula amazwi omphostoli uPawulu: “Asilona uhlobo oluhlehlela emuva ekubhujisweni, kodwa siluhlobo olunokholo kube ukulondwa komphefumulo.” (Hebheru 10:39) Njengo-Enoke noNowa, siphila ezikhathini zeziyaluyalu, kodwa sinelungelo njengabo lokuhamba noNkulunkulu. Ngokuhamba noNkulunkulu, sinethemba eliqinisekile lokuthi sizozibona izithembiso zikaJehova zigcwaliseka, ububi buqedwa, nezwe elisha lilethwa. Yeka ukuthi leli ithemba elimangalisa kangakanani!
19. UMika uyichaza kanjani inkambo yabakhulekeli beqiniso?
19 Umprofethi ophefumulelwe uMika wathi izizwe zomhlaba ‘zaziyohamba yileso naleso ngegama likankulunkulu waso.’ Wabe esekhuluma ngaye nangabanye abakhulekeli abathembekile wathi: “Thina, siyohamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube nini nanini, yebo kuze kube phakade.” (Mika 4:5) Uma ukuzimisela kwakho kufana nokukaMika, hlala usondelene noJehova kungakhathaliseki ukuthi izikhathi ziba neziyaluyalu kangakanani. (Jakobe 4:8) Kwangathi kungaba isifiso esiqotho somuntu ngamunye kithi ukuhamba noJehova uNkulunkulu wethu manje kuze kube nini nanini, yebo kuze kube phakade!
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Ikuphi ukufana okukhona phakathi kosuku lukaNowa nolwethu?
• Iyiphi inkambo eyalandelwa uNowa nomkhaya wakhe, futhi singalulingisa kanjani ukholo lwabo?
• Abanye babalandeli bakaJesu bazibonisa benamuphi umbono ongalungile?
• AmaKristu eqiniso azimisele ukwenzani?
[Izithombe ekhasini 20]
Njengasosukwini lukaNowa, abantu namuhla babambeke emisebenzini yabo yansuku zonke
[Isithombe ekhasini 21]
Njengabamemezeli boMbuso, “asilona uhlobo oluhlehlela emuva”