Bonke Mabamemezele Inkazimulo KaJehova
“Thanini inkazimulo nezikhwepha kungokukaJehova. Thanini ingekaJehova inkazimulo yegama lakhe.”—IHUBO 96:7, 8.
1, 2. Yini edumisa uJehova, futhi obani abanxuswa ukuba bangenele?
UDAVIDE, indodana kaJese, wakhula njengomfanyana ongumalusi ngaseBhetlehema. Yeka ukuthi kumelwe ukuba wayevame kanjani ukugqolozela amazulu andlalekile abenyezelayo ebusuku obucwathile ngesikhathi eluse imihlambi kayise kulawo madlelo ezimvu akhala ibhungane! Akungabazeki ukuthi wayekukhumbula ngokucacile lokho ngesikhathi, ephefumulelwe ngumoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, eloba futhi ehlabelela amazwi amtoti eHubo 19: “Amazulu amemezela inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu; umkhathi ulandisa ngomsebenzi wezandla zakhe. Umucu wako wokulinganisa uphumele kuwo wonke umhlaba, namazwi ako emkhawulweni wezwe elikhiqizayo.”—IHubo 19:1, 4.
2 Ngaphandle kwenkulumo, ngaphandle kwezwi, ngaphandle kwephimbo, amazulu kaJehova adalwe ngokwesabekayo amemezela inkazimulo yakhe, usuku ngalunye nobusuku ngabunye. Indalo ayilokothi iyeke ukumemezela inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, futhi kuyasithobisa ukuzindla ngalobu bufakazi obungenazwi njengoba buzibonakalisa kuwo “wonke umhlaba” ukuze bonke abakhileyo kuwo babubone. Nokho, ukufakaza kwendalo buthule akwanele. Abantu abathembekile banxuswa ukuba bangenele ngephimbo elizwakalayo. Umhubi ongashiwongo ngegama wakhuluma nabakhulekeli abathembekile ngala mazwi aphefumulelwe: “Thanini inkazimulo nezikhwepha kungokukaJehova. Thanini ingekaJehova inkazimulo yegama lakhe.” (IHubo 96:7, 8) Labo abanobuhlobo obuseduze noJehova basabela ngenjabulo kuleso sikhuthazo. Nokho, yini ehilelekile ekunikezeni uNkulunkulu inkazimulo?
3. Kungani abantu benikeza uNkulunkulu inkazimulo?
3 Kufuneka okungaphezu nje kwamazwi. Ama-Israyeli osuku luka-Isaya ayedumisa uNkulunkulu ngezindebe zawo, kodwa amaningi awo ayengeqotho. Ngo-Isaya, uJehova wathi: “Laba bantu basondelé ngomlomo wabo, futhi baye bangidumisa ngezindebe zabo nje kuphela, inhliziyo yabo bayidedisele kude nami.” (Isaya 29:13) Noma ikuphi ukudumisa kwabantu abanjalo kwakungasho lutho. Ukuze kusho okuthile, ukudumisa kumelwe kusuke enhliziyweni egcwele uthando ngoJehova nasekuyiqapheleni ngobuqotho inkazimulo yakhe eyingqayizivele. NguJehova kuphela onguMdali. UnguMninimandla onke, Olungileyo, isibonelo esiphelele sothando. Ungumthombo wensindiso yethu, uMbusi ofanele, futhi wonke umuntu ophila ezulwini nasemhlabeni kumelwe amthobele. (IsAmbulo 4:11; 19:1) Uma sizikholelwa ngempela lezi zinto, masimkhazimulise ngenhliziyo yethu yonke.
4. UJesu wakhipha ziphi iziyalezo mayelana nendlela yokukhazimulisa uNkulunkulu, futhi thina singazifeza kanjani?
4 UJesu Kristu wasitshela indlela yokukhazimulisa uNkulunkulu. Wathi: “UBaba uyakhazinyuliswa ngalokhu, ukuba niqhubeke nithela izithelo eziningi futhi nizibonakalise ningabafundi bami.” (Johane 15:8) Sizithela kanjani izithelo eziningi? Okokuqala, ngokuhlanganyela ngomphefumulo wonke ekushumayeleni ‘izindaba ezinhle zombuso,’ ngaleyo ndlela sizihlanganise nazo zonke izinto ezidaliwe ‘ekulandiseni’ ‘ngezimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu ezingabonakali.’ (Mathewu 24:14; Roma 1:20) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngale ndlela sonke siba nengxenye—ngokuqondile noma ngokungaqondile—ekwenzeni abafundi abasha abaluhlabelela luzwakale nakakhulu udumo lukaJehova uNkulunkulu. Okwesibili, sihlakulela izithelo ezivezwa umoya ongcwele kithina futhi sizame ukulingisa izimfanelo ezivelele zikaJehova uNkulunkulu. (Galathiya 5:22, 23; Efesu 5:1; Kolose 3:10) Ngenxa yalokho, ukuziphatha kwethu kwansuku zonke kukhazimulisa uNkulunkulu.
“Kuwo Wonke Umhlaba”
5. Chaza indlela uPawulu awugcizelela ngayo umthwalo wemfanelo wamaKristu wokukhazimulisa uNkulunkulu ngokuxoxa nabanye ngokholo lwawo.
5 Encwadini yakhe eya kumaRoma, uPawulu wagcizelela umthwalo wemfanelo wamaKristu wokukhazimulisa uNkulunkulu ngokuxoxa nabanye ngokholo lwawo. Umyalezo oyinhloko wencwadi yamaRoma uwukuthi yilabo kuphela ababonisa ukholo kuJesu Kristu abangasinda. Esahlukweni 10 sencwadi yakhe, uPawulu wabonisa ukuthi u-Israyeli wemvelo wangosuku lwakhe wayesazama ukufinyelela ukuma okulungile ngokulandela uMthetho KaMose, kuyilapho “uKristu [aye]yisiphetho soMthetho.” Ngakho, uPawulu uthi: “Uma ulivuma obala lelo zwi ‘elisemlonyeni wakho siqu,’ ukuthi uJesu uyiNkosi, futhi ubonisa ukholo enhliziyweni yakho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wamvusa kwabafileyo, uyosindiswa.” Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, “[ubulokhu ungekho] umahluko phakathi komJuda nomGreki, ngoba kukhona iNkosi efanayo phezu kwabo bonke, ecebile kubo bonke abayibizayo. Ngoba ‘wonke umuntu obiza igama likaJehova uyosindiswa.’”—Roma 10:4, 9-13.
6. UPawulu walisebenzisa kanjani iHubo 19:4?
6 UPawulu ube esebuza ngokunengqondo: “Bayombiza kanjani lowo abangabanga nokholo kuye? Bayoba kanjani nokholo kulowo abangezwanga ngaye? Bayozwa kanjani kungekho oshumayelayo?” (Roma 10:14) Ngo-Israyeli, uPawulu uthi: “Abazange bazilalele bonke izindaba ezinhle.” Kungani u-Israyeli engalalelanga? Ukungasabeli kwakhe kwakubangelwa ukuntula ukholo, hhayi ukuthi wayengenalo ithuba. UPawulu uyakubonisa lokhu ngokucaphuna iHubo 19:4 bese elisebenzisa emsebenzini wamaKristu wokushumayela kunokuba alisebenzise ebufakazini bendalo obungenazwi. Uthi: “Phela, eqinisweni, ‘izwi labo laphumela kuwo wonke umhlaba, namazwi abo emikhawulweni yomhlaba owakhiwe.’” (Roma 10:16, 18) Yebo, njengoba nje indalo engaphili imkhazimulisa uJehova, amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ashumayela izindaba ezinhle zensindiso kuyo yonke indawo futhi ngaleyo ndlela adumisa uNkulunkulu kuwo “wonke umhlaba.” Encwadini yakhe eya kwabaseKolose, uPawulu wachaza nokuthi izindaba ezinhle zase zenabe kangakanani. Wathi izindaba ezinhle zase zishunyayelwe “kuyo yonke indalo engaphansi kwezulu.”—Kolose 1:23.
OFakazi Abashisekayo
7. NgokukaJesu, amaKristu anamuphi umthwalo wemfanelo?
7 Kungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu wabhala incwadi yakhe eya kwabaseKolose eminyakeni ethi ayibe ngu-27 ngemva kokufa kukaJesu Kristu. Kwakungenzeka kanjani ukuba umsebenzi wokushumayela unabe uze ufike eKolose ngesikhathi esifushane kangako? Kwenzeka ngoba amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayeshiseka, futhi uJehova wayibusisa intshiseko yawo. UJesu wayekubikezele ukuthi abalandeli bakhe babeyoba abashumayeli abakhuthele lapho ethi: “Izindaba ezinhle kumelwe zishunyayelwe ezizweni zonke kuqala.” (Marku 13:10) Kuleso siprofetho, uJesu wanezela umyalo olotshwe emavesini okugcina eVangeli likaMathewu: “Hambani niyokwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi, nibabhapathize egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelomoya ongcwele, nibafundise ukugcina konke enginiyale ngakho.” (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Ngokushesha ngemva kokunyukela kukaJesu ezulwini, abalandeli bakhe baqala ukuwagcwalisa lawo mazwi.
8, 9. NgokwezEnzo, amaKristu asabela kanjani emiyalweni kaJesu?
8 Ngemva kokuthululwa komoya ongcwele ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., into yokuqala eyenziwa abalandeli bakaJesu abaqotho kwakuwukuyoshumayela, betshela izixuku eJerusalema “ngezinto ezinhle kakhulu zikaNkulunkulu.” Ukushumayela kwabo kwaphumelela kakhulu, futhi kwabhapathizwa “imiphefumulo ecishe ibe yizinkulungwane ezintathu.” Abafundi baqhubeka bedumisa uNkulunkulu obala nangetshiseko, kwaba nemiphumela emihle.—IzEnzo 2:4, 11, 41, 46, 47.
9 Ngokushesha imisebenzi yalawo maKristu yafika ezindlebeni zabaholi benkolo. Bekhathazwa ukungagunci kukaPetru noJohane, bayala laba baphostoli ababili ukuba bayeke ukushumayela. Abaphostoli baphendula: “Ngeke siyeke ukukhuluma ngezinto esizibonile nesizizwile.” Ngemva kokusongelwa base bekhululwa, oPetru noJohane babuyela kubafowabo, futhi bonke bahlangana ekuthandazeni kuJehova. Ngesibindi bacela uJehova: “Unike izinceku zakho ukuba ziqhubeke zikhuluma izwi lakho ngaso sonke isibindi.”—IzEnzo 4:13, 20, 29.
10. Ikuphi ukuphikiswa okwaqala ukuzibonakalisa, futhi amaKristu eqiniso asabela kanjani?
10 Lowo mthandazo wawuvumelana nentando kaJehova, njengoba kwacaca esikhathini esingengakanani kamuva. Abaphostoli baboshwa, kamuva ingelosi yabakhulula ngokuyisimangaliso. Ingelosi yabatshela: “Hambani, futhi lapho senimile ethempelini, niqhubeke nikhuluma kubantu wonke amazwi aphathelene nalokhu kuphila.” (IzEnzo 5:18-20) Ngenxa yokuthi abaphostoli balalela, uJehova waqhubeka ebabusisa. Ngakho, “nsuku zonke ethempelini nasendlini ngendlu baqhubeka ngaphandle kokuyekethisa, befundisa futhi bememezela izindaba ezinhle ngoKristu, uJesu.” (IzEnzo 5:42) Ngokusobala, ukuphikiswa okunzima akukwazanga neze ukuyekisa abalandeli bakaJesu ukunikeza uNkulunkulu inkazimulo obala.
11. Sasiyini isimo sengqondo samaKristu okuqala ngomsebenzi wokushumayela?
11 Ngokushesha uStefanu waboshwa futhi wakhandwa ngamatshe waze wafa. Ukubulawa kwakhe kokhela ukushushiswa okunzima eJerusalema, futhi bonke abafundi ngaphandle kwabaphostoli baphoqeleka ukuba bahlakazekele emazweni. Ingabe ukushushiswa kwabadikibalisa? Lutho neze. Siyafunda: “Labo ababehlakazekile badabula izwe bememezela izindaba ezinhle zezwi.” (IzEnzo 8:1, 4) Leyo ntshiseko yokumemezela inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu yayilokhu ibonakele njalo. KuzEnzo isahluko 9, sifunda ukuthi umFarisi, uSawulu waseTarsu, lapho esendleleni elibangise eDamaseku ukuyoqala ukushushiswa kwabafundi bakaJesu kuleyo ndawo, wabona umbono kaJesu futhi washaywa ngobumpumputhe. EDamaseku, u-Ananiya wabelapha ngokuyisimangaliso ubumpumputhe bukaSawulu. Iyiphi into yokuqala uSawulu—kamuva owaziwa njengomphostoli uPawulu—ayenza? Ukulandisa kuthi: “Masinyane waqala ukushumayela emasinagogeni ngoJesu, ukuthi Lo uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.”—IzEnzo 9:20.
Wonke Umuntu Wayeshumayela
12, 13. (a) Ngokwezazi-mlando, yini eyayiphawuleka ngebandla lobuKristu lokuqala? (b) Incwadi yezEnzo namazwi kaPawulu kuvumelana kanjani nalokho okushiwo izazi-mlando?
12 Kwaziwa kabanzi ukuthi wonke umuntu ebandleni lamaKristu lokuqala wayehlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela. UPhilip Schaff wabhala ngamaKristu angalezo zinsuku: “Ibandla ngalinye laliyiqembu labashumayeli, nekholwa ngalinye elingumKristu lingumshumayeli.” (History of the Christian Church) UW. S. Williams uthi: “Ubufakazi buthi wonke amaKristu eBandla lasendulo, ikakhulu lawo ayenesiphiwo esingavamile [iziphiwo zomoya], ayeshumayela ivangeli.” (The Glorious Ministry of the Laity) Ugcizelela nokuthi: “UJesu Kristu wayengahlosile neze ukuba ukushumayela kube yilungelo lezigaba ezithile zenkonzo kuphela.” U-Even Celsus, isitha sobuKristu sasendulo, wabhala: “Izisebenzi zoboya bezimvu, abakhandi bezicathulo, abashuki besikhumba, nabantu abangafundile nabaphansi ukwedlula bonke, babengabashumayeli bevangeli abashisekayo.”
13 Ukunemba kwalezo zinkulumo kubonakala emlandweni osencwadini yezEnzo. NgePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., ngemva kokuthululwa komoya ongcwele, bonke abafundi, abesilisa nabesifazane, bazimemezela obala izinto ezinhle kakhulu zikaNkulunkulu. Ngemva kokushushiswa okwenzeka ngemva kokubulawa kukaStefanu, wonke amaKristu ayesakazekele emazweni azinabisa kabanzi izindaba ezinhle. Eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-28 kamuva, uPawulu wayebhalela wonke amaKristu angamaHebheru, hhayi iqenjana nje labefundisi, lapho ethi: “Ngaye masinikele ngaso sonke isikhathi kuNkulunkulu umhlatshelo wokudumisa, okuwukuthi, isithelo sezindebe ezivuma obala igama lakhe.” (Hebheru 13:15) Echaza umbono wakhe siqu ngomsebenzi wokushumayela, uPawulu wathi: “Manje, uma mina ngimemezela izindaba ezinhle, akusona isizathu sokuba ngiziqhayise, ngoba kubekwé isidingo phezu kwami. Empeleni, maye kimi uma ngingazimemezelanga izindaba ezinhle!” (1 Korinte 9:16) Ngokusobala, wonke amaKristu ayethembekile ekhulwini lokuqala ayezizwa ngaleyo ndlela.
14. Buyini ubuhlobo phakathi kokholo nokushumayela?
14 Ngempela, umKristu oqotho kumelwe ahlanganyele emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoba awunakuhlukaniswa nokholo. UPawulu wathi: “Ngenhliziyo umuntu ubonisa ukholo kube ngukulunga, kodwa ngomlomo umuntu uvuma obala kube yinsindiso.” (Roma 10:10) Ingabe yiqembu elincane kuphela ebandleni—njengesigaba sabefundisi—elibonisa ukholo, futhi ngenxa yalokho elinomthwalo wemfanelo wokushumayela? Cha, akunjalo neze! Wonke amaKristu eqiniso ahlakulela ukholo oluphilayo eNkosini uJesu Kristu futhi ashukunyiselwa ukuba aluvume obala lolo kholo. Ngale kwalokho, ukholo lwawo lufile. (Jakobe 2:26) Ngenxa yokuthi ekhulwini lokuqala C.E., wonke amaKristu aqotho abonisa ukholo lwawo ngale ndlela, ukudunyiswa okukhulu kwegama likaJehova kwezwakala.
15, 16. Nikeza izibonelo ezibonisa ukuthi umsebenzi wokushumayela waqhubeka naphezu kwezinkinga.
15 Ekhulwini lokuqala, uJehova wababusisa abantu bakhe ngokwanda naphezu kwezinkinga zangaphakathi nezangaphandle kwebandla. Ngokwesibonelo, izEnzo isahluko 6 zilandisa ngokungaboni ngaso linye phakathi kwababephendukile ababekhuluma isiHebheru nalabo ababekhuluma isiGreki. Leyo nkinga yasingathwa abaphostoli. Ngenxa yalokho, siyafunda: “Izwi likaNkulunkulu laqhubeka landa, isibalo sabafundi saqhubeka siphindaphindeka kakhulu eJerusalema; futhi isixuku esikhulu sabapristi salalela ukholo.”—IzEnzo 6:7.
16 Kamuva, kwaqala izingxabano zezombusazwe phakathi kweNkosi uHerode Agripha yaseJudiya nabantu baseThire naseSidoni. Izakhamuzi zakulezo zindawo zanxusa ukuthula kuHerode zimthopha, yena waphendula ngokubeka inkulumo yeningi. Isixuku esasibuthene saqala ukukhala: “Yizwi likankulunkulu, akulona elomuntu!” Ngaso leso sikhathi ingelosi kaJehova yamshaya uHerode Agripha, wafa “ngoba enganikanga uNkulunkulu inkazimulo.” (IzEnzo 12:20-23) Yeka indlela abathuka ngayo labo abathemba labo lalikubabusi abangabantu! (IHubo 146:3, 4) Nokho, amaKristu aqhubeka ekhazimulisa uJehova. Ngenxa yalokho, “izwi likaJehova laqhubeka likhula futhi lisakazeka” naphezu kwalokho kungazinzi kwezombusazwe.—IzEnzo 12:24.
Isimo Sangaleso Sikhathi Nesamanje
17. Ekhulwini lokuqala, yini inani labantu elalanda elahlanganyela ekuyenzeni?
17 Yebo, ibandla lobuKristu lomhlaba wonke ekhulwini lokuqala lalakhiwa abadumisi bakaJehova uNkulunkulu abashisekayo nabakhuthele. Wonke amaKristu aqotho ahlanganyela ekunabiseni izindaba ezinhle. Amanye ahlangana nabantu abasabela kahle futhi, njengoba uJesu asho, abafundisa ukulalela konke ayewayale ngakho. (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Umphumela waba ukwanda kwebandla, futhi baya banda abantu abahlanganyela neNkosi uDavide yasendulo ekunikezeni uJehova udumo. Bonke benanela la mazwi aphefumulelwe: “O Jehova Nkulunkulu wami, ngiyakudumisa ngayo yonke inhliziyo yami, ngizolikhazimulisa igama lakho kuze kube nini nanini, ngoba umusa wakho wothando mkhulu kimi.”—IHubo 86:12, 13.
18. (a) Uyini umahluko phakathi kwebandla lamaKristu lokuqala neLobukholwa namuhla? (b) Kuzoxoxwa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?
18 Ngenxa yalokhu, amazwi kaprofesa wemfundiso yenkolo, u-Allison A. Trites ashukumisa ingqondo. Eqhathanisa eLobukholwa lanamuhla nobuKristu bangekhulu lokuqala, wathi: “Amasonto namuhla ngokuvamile akhula ngokuzalana (lapho izingane zomkhaya osesontweni lendawo zenza isivumo sokholo) noma ngokuthutha (lapho ilungu elisha lithumela ubulungu balo kwelinye isonto lendawo). Nokho, ukukhula okushiwo kuzEnzo kwakuwukukhula ngokuphenduka, ngoba ibandla lalisawuqala nje umsebenzi walo.” Ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi ubuKristu beqiniso abusakhuli ngendlela uJesu athi kufanele bukhule ngayo? Cha, akunjalo. AmaKristu eqiniso namuhla asalokhu eshiseka njengamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ekunikezeni uNkulunkulu udumo. Sizokubona lokhu esihlokweni esilandelayo.
Ungachaza?
• Simkhazimulisa ngaziphi izindlela uNkulunkulu?
• UPawulu walisebenzisa kanjani iHubo 19:4?
• Buyini ubuhlobo phakathi kokholo nokushumayela?
• Yini eyayiphawuleka ngebandla lobuKristu langekhulu lokuqala?
[Isithombe ekhasini 8, 9]
Amazulu alokhu efakazela inkazimulo kaJehova
[Umthombo]
Courtesy of Anglo-Australian Observatory, photograph by David Malin
[Izithombe ekhasini 10]
Umsebenzi wokushumayela nomthandazo kuhlobene eduze