Qhubeka Uhamba NoNkulunkulu
“Qhubekani nihamba ngomoya futhi ngeke neze nifeze isifiso senyama.”—GALATHIYA 5:16.
1. (a) U-Enoke wahamba noNkulunkulu phakathi kwaziphi izimo futhi isikhathi eside kangakanani? (b) UNowa wahamba noNkulunkulu isikhathi eside kangakanani, futhi yimiphi imithwalo esindayo ayenayo?
IBHAYIBHELI lisitshela ukuthi u-Enoke ‘wayelokhu ehamba noNkulunkulu.’ Naphezu kwenkulumo eshaqisayo nokuziphatha kokungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu kwabantu ababekanye naye, waphikelela ekuhambeni noNkulunkulu kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe eneminyaka engu-365 ubudala. (Genesise 5:23, 24, qhathanisa ne-NW; Jude 14, 15.) NoNowa “wayehamba noNkulunkulu.” Wayenza kanjalo kuyilapho ekhulisa umkhaya wakhe, ebhekene nezwe elithonywe izingelosi eziyizihlubuki nenzalo yazo enobudlova, futhi enakekela yonke imininingwane eyayihilelekile ekwakheni umkhumbikazi owawumkhulu kunanoma yimuphi umkhumbi wezikhathi zasendulo. Waqhubeka ehamba noNkulunkulu ngemva kukaZamcolo, ngisho nalapho ukuhlubuka kuJehova kuphinda kubonakala eBabele. Yebo, uNowa waqhubeka ehamba noNkulunkulu kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe eneminyaka engu-950 ubudala.—Genesise 6:9; 9:29.
2. Kusho ukuthini ‘ukuhamba noNkulunkulu’?
2 Lapho iBhayibheli lithi lawa madoda okholo ‘ayehamba’ noNkulunkulu, lisebenzisa leli gama sakungathekisa. Lisho ukuthi u-Enoke noNowa baziphatha ngendlela eyayinikeza ubufakazi bokuba nokholo oluqinile kuNkulunkulu. Benza lokho uJehova ayebayala ngakho futhi baqondisa ukuphila kwabo ngokuvumelana nalokho ababekwazi ngaye ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe nabantu. (Qhathanisa neyesi-2 IziKronike 7:17.) Babengagcini ngokukwamukela engqondweni lokho uNkulunkulu ayekusho nayekwenza kodwa futhi babekwenza konke ayekufuna—hhayi nje okunye kwakho kodwa konke ngezinga ababengenza ngalo njengabantu abangaphelele. Ngokwesibonelo, uNowa wenza njengoba nje uNkulunkulu ayemyalile. (Genesise 6:22) UNowa wayengazihambeli phambili iziqondiso ayezinikwa, futhi wayengasaleli emuva ngokunganaki. Njengomuntu owayejabulela ukusondelana noJehova, ezizwa ekhululekile ukuthandaza kuNkulunkulu futhi ekwazisa ukuqondisa kwaphezulu, wayehamba noNkulunkulu. Ingabe wena wenze njalo?
Kuyinkambo Yokuphila Engaguquguquki
3. Yini ebaluleke kakhulu kubo bonke abayizinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezizinikezele nezibhapathiziwe?
3 Kuyajabulisa ukubona abantu beqala ukuhamba noNkulunkulu. Njengoba bethatha izinyathelo eziqondile ngokuvumelana nentando kaJehova, banikeza ubufakazi bokholo, okungekho muntu ongajabulisa uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwalo. (Heberu 11:6) Yeka indlela esijabula ngayo ngokuthi eminyakeni emihlanu edlule, ngokwesilinganiso, abantu abangaphezu kuka-330 000 baye bazinikezela kuJehova unyaka ngamunye futhi baziletha ukuba babhapathizwe emanzini! Kodwa kubalulekile futhi ngabo nangathi sonke ukuba siqhubeke sihamba noNkulunkulu.—Mathewu 24:13; IsAmbulo 2:10.
4. Nakuba abonisa ukholo oluthile, kungani iningi lama-Israyeli aphuma eGibithe lingangenanga eZweni Lesithembiso?
4 Osukwini lukaMose, kwakudinga ukholo ngomkhaya womIsrayeli ukuba ugubhe iPhasika eGibithe futhi ufafaze igazi ezinsikeni zomnyango nasekhothamweni lomnyango wendlu yawo. (Eksodusi 12:1-28) Nokho, ukholo lwabaningi lwantengantenga lapho bebona ibutho likaFaro lisezithendeni zabo oLwandle Olubomvu. (Eksodusi 14:9-12) IHubo 106:12 libonisa ukuthi lapho sebewele ngokuphepha emhlabathini owomile olwandle futhi babona amanzi adlwanguzayo ebhubhisa ibutho laseGibithe, baphinda “bakholwa ngamazwi [kaJehova].” Nokho, ngemva kwesikhashana ehlane, ama-Israyeli aqala ukukhononda ngamanzi okuphuza, ukudla, nokwenganyelwa kwawo. Umbiko ongemuhle wezinhloli eziyishumi kweziyishumi nambili ezazivela eZweni Lesithembiso, wawenza esaba. Ngaphansi kwalezo zimo, njengoba iHubo 106:24 lisho, ‘ayengakholwa yizwi likaNkulunkulu.’ Afuna ukubuyela emuva eGibithe. (Numeri 14:1-4) Noma yiluphi ukholo ayenalo lwalubonakala kuphela lapho ebona ukubonakaliswa kwamandla aphezulu okungaphezu kokwemvelo. Awazange aqhubeke ehamba noNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yalokho, lawo ma-Israyeli awazange angene eZweni Lesithembiso.—IHubo 95:10, 11.
5. Eyesi-2 Korinte 13:5 nezAga 3:5, 6 zihlobene kanjani nokuhamba noNkulunkulu?
5 IBhayibheli liyasiyala: “Qhubekani nivivinya ukuthi nisokholweni yini, qhubekani nihlola lokho nina ngokwenu eniyikho.” (2 Korinte 13:5) Ukuba “sokholweni” kusho ukunamathela endikimbeni yezinkolelo zobuKristu. Lokhu kubalulekile ukuze siphumelele ekuhambeni noNkulunkulu zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwethu. Ukuze sihambe noNkulunkulu, kumelwe futhi sibonise imfanelo yokholo, sithembele ngokugcwele kuJehova. (IzAga 3:5, 6) Kunezicupho nezingibe eziningi ezingabamba labo abangenzi kanjalo. Yiziphi ezinye zazo?
Gwema Ugibe Lokuzethemba
6. Yini wonke amaKristu ayaziyo ngobufebe nokuphinga, futhi azizwa kanjani ngalezi zono?
6 Wonke umuntu oye watadisha iBhayibheli, wanikezela ukuphila kwakhe kuJehova, futhi wabhapathizwa uyazi ukuthi iZwi likaNkulunkulu liyabulahla ubufebe nokuphinga. (1 Thesalonika 4:1-3; Heberu 13:4) Abanjalo bayavuma ukuthi lokhu kufanele. Bazimisela ukuphila ngokuvumelana nakho. Nokho, ukuziphatha okubi kobulili kuyaqhubeka kungolunye lwezingibe zikaSathane eziphumelela kakhulu. Ngani?
7. EmaThafeni akwaMowabi, amadoda angama-Israyeli ahileleka kanjani ekuziphatheni ayazi ukuthi akulungile?
7 Labo abahileleka ekuziphatheni okubi okunjalo kungenzeka ekuqaleni basuke bengakuhlelile ukwenza kanjalo. Mhlawumbe kwakunjalo nangama-Israyeli emaThafeni akwaMowabi. Emadodeni akwa-Israyeli ayesekhathele ukuphila kwasehlane, abesifazane bakwaMowabi nabakwaMidiyani abawayenga kungenzeka baqale babonakala benobungane nomoya wokungenisa izihambi. Kodwa kwenzekani lapho ama-Israyeli amukela izimemo zokuba nobudlelwane nabantu ababekhonza uBali, hhayi uJehova, abantu ababevumela amadodakazi abo (ngisho nasemikhayeni evelele) ukuba abe nobuhlobo bobulili namadoda angashadile nawo? Lapho amadoda asekamu lakwa-Israyeli eqala ukubheka ubudlelwane obunjalo njengobufiselekayo, ahungelwa ekubeni enze izinto ayazi ukuthi azilungile, futhi lokhu kwawalahlekisela ukuphila kwawo.—Numeri 22:1; 25:1-15; 31:16; IsAmbulo 2:14.
8. Osukwini lwethu, yini engase iholele umKristu ekuziphatheni okubi kobulili?
8 Yini engase ibangele umuntu ukuba awele ogibeni olufanayo osukwini lwethu? Nakuba engase abazi ububi bokuziphatha okubi kobulili, uma engayiboni ingozi yokuzethemba, angase azivumele ukuba abe sesimweni lapho ukuyengelwa ekoneni kunqoba khona ukucabanga kwakhe.—IzAga 7:6-9, 21, 22; 14:16.
9. Yiziphi izixwayiso ezingokomBhalo ezingasilonda ekuziphatheni okubi?
9 Ngendlela engagwegwesi, iZwi likaNkulunkulu lisixwayisa ukuba singaduki sicabange ukuthi siqine kangangokuthi ukuzihlanganisa nababi ngeke kusonakalise. Lokho kuhlanganisa nokubukela izinhlelo zethelevishini ezibonisa ukuphila kwabantu abaziphethe kabi nokubuka amaphephabhuku avusa inkanuko. (1 Korinte 10:11, 12; 15:33) Ngisho nokuzihlanganisa nesikholwa nabo ezimweni ezingafanele kungaholela ezinkingeni ezingathi sína. Ukukhangana phakathi kwabobulili obungafani kunamandla. Ngakho ngokukhathalela kothando inhlangano kaJehova iye yaxwayisa ngokuba nodwa ningabonwa muntu nomuntu wobulili obuhlukile eningashadile naye futhi ongesona isihlobo esiseduze. Ukuze siqhubeke sihamba noNkulunkulu, kudingeka sigweme ugibe lokuzethemba futhi silalele iseluleko esiyisixwayiso asinika sona.—IHubo 85:8.
Ukungavumeli Ukulawulwa Ukwesaba Abantu
10. “Ukwesaba abantu” kulubeka kanjani ugibe?
10 Enye ingozi ivezwe kuzAga 29:25, ezithi: “Ukwesaba abantu kubeka ugibe.” Ugibe lomzingeli ngokuvamile luba nesihibe esinsinya intamo yesilwane noma izintambo ezithandela izinyawo zaso. (Jobe 18:8-11) Ngokufanayo ukwesaba abantu kungacinanisa amandla omuntu okukhuluma ngokukhululekile nokuba aziphathe ngendlela ejabulisa uNkulunkulu. Isifiso sokujabulisa abanye singesemvelo, futhi ukukushaya indiva lokho abanye abakucabangayo akubona ubuKristu. Kodwa ukulinganisela kuyadingeka. Lapho ukukhathazeka ngendlela abanye abantu abangase basabele ngayo kubangela umuntu ukuba enze lokho uNkulunkulu akwenqabelayo noma ukuba angakwenzi lokho iZwi likaNkulunkulu elikuyalayo, lowo muntu uye wabanjwa ugibe.
11. (a) Yini eyovikela umuntu ukuba angavumeli ukwesaba abantu kumlawule? (b) UJehova uye wazisiza kanjani izinceku zakhe ezazilwisana nokwesaba abantu?
11 Ukuvikeleka ogibeni olunjalo akuxhomekile esimweni sengqondo somuntu esingokwemvelo, kodwa ‘ekwethembeni uJehova.’ (IzAga 29:25b) Ngokwethembela kuNkulunkulu, ngisho nomuntu onamahloni ngokwemvelo angaba nesibindi futhi aqine. Uma nje sisephakathi kwezingcindezi zalesi simiso sezinto sikaSathane, kuyodingeka siqaphele ugibe lokwesaba abantu. Nakuba umprofethi u-Eliya ayenomlando omuhle wenkonzo yesibindi, lapho uJezabeli esongela ukumbulala, wabaleka ngokwesaba. (1 AmaKhosi 19:2-18) Engaphansi kokucindezela, umphostoli uPetru waphika ukuthi uyamazi uJesu Kristu ngenxa yokwesaba, futhi eminyakeni ethile kamuva wavumela ukwesaba ukuba kumbangele ukuba aziphathe ngendlela ephambene nokholo lwakhe. (Marku 14:66-71; Galathiya 2:11, 12) Nokho, bobabili u-Eliya noPetru bamukela usizo olungokomoya, ngokwethembela kuJehova, baqhubeka bekhonza uNkulunkulu ngokwamukelekayo.
12. Yiziphi izibonelo zanamuhla ezibonisa indlela abantu abaye basizwa ngayo ukuba bagweme ukuvumela ukwesaba kubabangele ukuba bayeke ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu?
12 Eziningi zezinceku zikaJehova osukwini lwethu nazo ziye zafunda indlela yokunqoba ugibe lokwesaba. UFakazi osemusha eGuyana wavuma: “Esikoleni impi yokumelana nokucindezela kontanga inamandla.” Kodwa wanezela: “Lunjalo nokholo lwami kuJehova.” Lapho uthisha wakhe ehlekisa ngaye phambi kwekilasi lonke ngenxa yokholo lwakhe, wathandaza buthule kuJehova. Kamuva, ngasese, wanikeza ubufakazi ngokuhlakanipha kulothisha. Ngenkathi ivakashele indawo yakubo eBenin, insizwa eyayifunda izimfuneko zikaJehova yanquma ukulahla isithombe uyise ayeyibazele sona. Lensizwa yayazi ukuthi lesi sithombe asiphili, ngakho yayingasesabi, kodwa futhi yayazi ukuthi abantu abathukuthele bendawo babengase bafune ukuyibulala. Yathandaza kuJehova, yayisithatha lesi sithombe ebusuku yayosilahla ehlathini. (Qhathanisa nabAhluleli 6:27-31.) Lapho owesifazane othile eDominican Republic eqala ukukhonza uJehova, umyeni wakhe wathi akakhethe phakathi kwakhe noJehova. Lendoda yamsongela ngesahlukaniso. Ingabe ukwesaba kwakuyomenza alahle ukholo lwakhe? Waphendula: “Ukube bekuhileleke ukungathembeki, bengizoba namahloni, kodwa anginamahloni ngokukhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu!” Waqhubeka ehamba noNkulunkulu, futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi umyeni wakhe wahlanganyela naye ekwenzeni intando kaJehova. Ngokwethembela okuphelele kuBaba wethu wasezulwini, nathi singagwema ukuvumela ukwesaba abantu kusibangele ukuba siyeke ukwenza lokho esaziyo ukuthi kuyomjabulisa uJehova.
Gwema Ukululaza Iseluleko
13. Yiluphi ugibe esixwayiswa ngalo kweyoku-1 Thimothewu 6:9?
13 Nakuba ezinye izingibe ezisetshenziswa abazingeli ziklanyelwe ukubamba noma isiphi isilwane esizama ukudlula endaweni ethile, ezinye izingibe ziyenga izilwane ngokudla okubonakala kukhanga. Kubantu abaningi, ingcebo injalo. (Mathewu 13:22) Kweyoku-1 Thimothewu 6:8, 9, iBhayibheli lisikhuthaza ukuba saneliswe okokuzisekela nokokuzimboza. Libe selixwayisa: “Labo abazimisele ngokuceba bawela esilingweni nasogibeni nasezifisweni eziningi ezingenangqondo nezilimazayo, eziphonsa abantu embubhisweni nasencithakalweni.”
14. (a) Yini engase ivimbele umuntu ekulaleleni iseluleko sokwaneliswa okokuzisekela nokokuzimboza? (b) Ukuchaza ingcebo ngendlela enganembile kungambangela kanjani umuntu ukuba alulaze isixwayiso esikweyoku-1 Thimothewu 6:9? (c) “Isifiso samehlo” singabenza kanjani abanye bangaluboni ugibe oluphambi kwabo?
14 Naphezu kwalesi sixwayiso, abaningi babanjwa ugibe ngoba abasisebenzisi kubo lesi seluleko. Ngani? Kungenzeka yini ukuthi ukuzazisa kubabangela ukuba baphikelele bephila ukuphila okudinga okungaphezu ‘kokokuzisekela nokokuzimboza’ iBhayibheli elisinxusa ukuba saneliswe yikho? Ingabe mhlawumbe bayasilulaza lesi sixwayiso seBhayibheli ngoba bachaza ingcebo ngokuthi yilokho abantu abacebe kakhulu abanakho? IBhayibheli limane liqhathanise ukuzimisela ukuceba nokwaneliswa okokuzisekela nokokuzimboza. (Qhathanisa neyamaHeberu 13:5.) Ingabe “isifiso samehlo”—isifiso sokuba nezinto abazibonayo, ngisho nalapho kusho ukudela izinto ezingokomoya—sibabangela ukuba ukukhulekela kweqiniso bakugudluzele endaweni yesibili? (1 Johane 2:15-17; Hagayi 1:2-8) Yeka ukuthi bajabula kangakanani labo abasilalela ngempela iseluleko seBhayibheli bahambe noNkulunkulu ngokwenza ukukhonza uJehova kube yinto esemqoka ekuphileni kwabo!
Ukubhekana Ngokuphumelelayo Nezinkathazo Zokuphila
15. Yiziphi izimo ngokuqondakalayo ezibangela ukukhathazeka kwabaningi babantu bakaJehova, futhi yiluphi ugibe okumelwe siluqaphele lapho singaphansi kokucindezeleka okunjalo?
15 Okuvame kakhulu kunokuzimisela ukuceba, kuwukukhathazeka ngokuthola izinto eziyizidingo zokuphila. Eziningi zezinceku zikaJehova ziphila ngezimpahla ezimbalwa nje. Zisebenza kanzima amahora amaningi ukuze zithole ngisho nezembatho eziyisisekelo, indawo yokuba imikhaya yazo ifihle kuyo ikhanda, nokudla okungatheni kosuku. Ezinye zishikashikana nezinkinga ngenxa yokugula noma ukuguga kwazo noma kwamalungu omkhaya. Yeka indlela obekungaba lula ngayo ukuvumela izimo ezinjalo ziminyanise uthando lwezinto ezingokomoya luphume ekuphileni kwazo!—Mathewu 13:22.
16. UJehova usisiza kanjani ukuba sibhekane nezingcindezi zokuphila?
16 Ngothando, uJehova usitshela ngempumuzo eyotholakala ngaphansi koMbuso wobuMesiya. (IHubo 72:1-4, 16; Isaya 25:7, 8) Futhi usisiza ukuba sibhekane nezingcindezi zokuphila manje ngokusinika iseluleko sokuthi singawugcina kanjani umbono oqondile wezinto eziza kuqala. (Mathewu 4:4; 6:25-34) Ngomlando wendlela asiza ngayo izinceku zakhe ezikhathini ezidlule, uJehova uyasiqinisekisa. (Jeremiya 37:21; Jakobe 5:11) Uyasiqinisa ngolwazi lokuthi, kungakhathaliseki usizi olusifikelayo, uthando lwakhe ngezinceku zakhe ezithembekile aluguquki. (Roma 8:35-39) Kulabo abathembela kuJehova, uthi: “Angisoze ngakushiya noma ngakulahla nganoma iyiphi indlela.”—Heberu 13:5.
17. Nikeza izibonelo zokuthi abantu ababhekene nosizi olunzima baye bakwazi kanjani ukuqhubeka behamba noNkulunkulu.
17 Eqiniswe yilolu lwazi, amaKristu eqiniso aqhubeka ehamba noNkulunkulu kunokuba aphambukele ezindleleni zezwe. Inkolelo yezwe evamile kwabampofu emazweni amaningi eyokuthi ukuthatha into yomuntu onokuningi ukuze wondle umkhaya wakho akukhona ukweba. Kodwa labo abahamba ngokholo bayawenqaba lowo mbono. Bazisa ukwamukelwa uNkulunkulu ngaphezu kwakho konke okunye futhi babheke kuye ukuba avuze ukuziphatha kwabo okuqotho. (IzAga 30:8, 9; 1 Korinte 10:13; Heberu 13:18) Umfelokazi othile eNdiya wathola ukuthi ukuzimisela ukusebenza, okuhambisana nokucabanga izinto ezintsha, kwamsiza ukuba abhekane nesimo. Kunokuba athukutheliswe isimo sokuphila kwakhe, wayeqaphela ukuthi, uma ebeka uMbuso kaNkulunkulu nokulunga kwakhe kuqala ekuphileni kwakhe, uJehova wayeyoyibusisa imizamo yakhe yokuzitholela yena nendodana yakhe izinto eziyizidingo. (Mathewu 6:33, 34) Izinkulungwane eziningi emhlabeni wonke zibonisa ukuthi uJehova uyisiphephelo nenqaba yazo, kungakhathaliseki usizi ezingase zibhekane nalo. (IHubo 91:2) Ingabe kunjalo ngawe?
18. Siyini isihluthulelo sokugwema izingibe zezwe likaSathane?
18 Uma nje sisaphila esimisweni sezinto samanje, kuyoba nezingibe okufanele sizigweme. (1 Johane 5:19) IBhayibheli liyaziveza futhi lisibonise indlela yokuzigwema. Labo abamthanda ngempela uJehova futhi abakwesaba ngokunempilo ukumdumaza bangabhekana ngokuphumelelayo nezingibe ezinjalo. Uma ‘beqhubeka behamba ngomoya,’ ngeke bakuvumele ukunqotshwa izindlela zezwe. (Galathiya 5:16-25) Bonke labo abagxilisa ukuphila kwabo ebuhlotsheni babo noJehova ngempela, banethemba elihle lokuhamba noNkulunkulu, bajabulele ukusondelana naye phakade.—IHubo 25:14.
Ithini Impendulo Yakho?
◻ Ukuzethemba kungaba kanjani ugibe?
◻ Yini engasilonda ekulawulweni ukwesaba umuntu?
◻ Yini engase isibangele ukuba sihluleke ukusebenzisa iseluleko esiphathelene nengozi yokuphishekela ingcebo?
◻ Yini engasenza sikwazi ukugwema ukubanjwa ugibe lwezinkathazo zokuphila?
[Izithombe ekhasini 16 ,17]
Abaningi bayaqhubeka behamba noNkulunkulu kukho konke ukuphila