Amanzi Aphuphumayo Ukuze Adlulisele Ukuphila Okuphakade
“Noma ubani ophuza la manzi engizomnika wona akasoze oma, kodwa amanzi engizomnika wona, ngaphakathi kuye ayoba umthombo wamanzi ophuphumayo ukuze udlulisele ukuphila okuphakade.”—JOHANE 4:14.
“KUNGAZELELWE, ngale kwesiyingi senyanga, . . . kuvela igugu elikhazimulayo eliluhlaza nokumhlophe, isiyingi esikhanyayo esintekenteke esisitshekelwe umgubuzelo owembuleka kancane kancane, olokhu ukhuphuka njengepharele elincane olwandle olujiyile lwesigayegaye.”—U-Edgar Mitchel, isazi sezinkanyezi, echaza umhlaba njengoba ewubona esemkhathini.
Yini eyenza unozungezilanga wethu ube nombala okhazimula kangaka owenza lesi sazi sashukumiseleka ukuba siqambe inkondlo? Amanzi asibekele cishe izingxenye ezintathu kwezine zobuso bomhlaba. Empeleni, amanzi awagcini nje ngokwenza unozungezilanga wethu abe muhle; asiza nasekugcineni izilwane ziphila. Eqinisweni, cishe amaphesenti angu-65 omzimba wabantu akhiwa amanzi. Ngakho, lapho ikhuluma ngamanzi, i-Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Abalulekile ekuphileni, anengxenye cishe kuzo zonke izinqubo ezenzeka ezitshalweni nasezilwaneni.”
Ngenxa yesimiso esiphumelelayo sokuvuselela izinto, amanzi akhona emhlabeni awadingi ukulokhu enezelwa. I-World Book Encyclopedia iyachaza: “Cishe wonke amaconsi amanzi esiwasebenzisayo aphelela olwandle. Lapho, ayahwamuka ngenxa yokushisa kwelanga. Abe esebuyela emhlabeni njengemvula. Amanzi asetshenziswa ngokuphindaphindiwe. Awapheli neze.” Eminyakeni engaba ngu-3 000 edlule, iBhayibheli lachaza le nqubo ephawulekayo: “Zonke izifufula zasebusika ziphuma ziye olwandle, kodwa nokho ulwandle alugcwele. Endaweni lapho izifufula zasebusika ziya khona, zibuyela khona futhi ukuze ziphinde ziphume khona.” Yeka ukuthi umangalisa kangakanani umjikelezo wamanzi womhlaba!—UmShumayeli 1:7.
Ngenxa yokubaluleka kwamanzi ekuphileni nendlela emangalisayo esiwathola ngayo, akufanele simangale uma sithola ukuthi kukhulunywa ngawo izikhathi ezingu-700 eBhayibhelini. IBhayibheli livame ukusebenzisa amandla angavamile amanzi—okuhlanza nokusekela ukuphila—ukuze lifanekisele izindinganiso ezingokomoya.—Isaya 58:11; Johane 4:14.
Amandla EBhayibheli Okuhlanza
Ngenxa yokugeza njalo ngamanzi, ama-Israyeli ayephawuleka ngokuhlanzeka okungokomzimba. Kwakuyisiko ukugeza izinyawo lapho umuntu engena endlini eyokudla. (Luka 7:44) Ngaphezu kokugeza imizimba yawo nokuhlanza izinto zawo, ama-Israyeli ayesebenzisa amanzi nasekuzigcineni ehlanzekile ezindabeni zokukhulekela. Abapristi abakhonza etabernakele kwakufanele bageze futhi bawashe izingubo zabo njalo. (Eksodusi 30:18-21) Kamuva, ethempelini laseJerusalema, uSolomoni wenza “ulwandle olubunjiwe” lwethusi olwaluvame ukumumatha amalitha angu-44 000 amanzi, ayanele ukufinyelela izinga lenhlanzeko elalidingeka ngaphansi koMthetho kaNkulunkulu. (2 IziKronike 4:2, 6) Ukusetshenziswa kwamanzi ngale ndlela kuwathinta kanjani amaKristu namuhla?
Umphostoli uPawulu wachaza ukuthi uJesu wayehlanze ibandla lobuKristu “ngamanzi esebenzisa izwi.” Njengamanzi ageza umzimba, iqiniso leZwi likaNkulunkulu linamandla okuhlanza ngokokuziphatha nangokomoya. Lokhu kuhlanzwa kwenza abalandeli bakaKristu ‘babe ngcwele futhi bangabi nasici.’ (Efesu 5:25-27) Ngakho, bonke abafuna ukwamukelwa kuNkulunkulu kumelwe balwele ukuzigcina ‘bengenasici futhi besekuthuleni’ ngokokuziphatha nangokomoya. (2 Petru 3:11, 14) IZwi likaNkulunkulu libasiza kanjani ukuba benze lokhu?
Labo abafuna ukuthokozisa uJehova uNkulunkulu baphuza amanzi angokomoya ngokufunda iBhayibheli njalo. Lapho ulwazi abalutholayo luthinta izingqondo nezinhliziyo zabo, lokhu kubenza babe nesifiso esinamandla sokwenza lokho iBhayibheli elithi bakwenze: “Maniguqulwe ngokushintsha ingqondo yenu, ukuze nizitholele ngokwenu okuyintando kaNkulunkulu enhle neyamukelekayo nepheleleyo.”—Roma 12:2.
Ulwazi olunembile lwentando kaNkulunkulu lusiza abantu abanjalo ukuba babone amabala nezici ekuziphatheni nasekucabangeni kwabo. Njengoba besebenzisa izimiso zeBhayibheli ekuphileni kwabo ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, iZwi likaNkulunkulu, njengamanzi, liyobasiza ukuba ‘bagezwe bahlanzeke’ ngisho nasezonweni ezinkulu.—1 Korinte 6:9-11.
Insizwa ethile eSpain yalwenza kanjalo lolu shintsho. U-Alfonso uyachaza: “Lapho ngineminyaka engu-18, ngangingajabule ekuphileni.” Wayewumlutha wezidakamizwa nesela eliyingozi. “Ngangizizwa ngingcolile ngenxa yendlela engangiwuphatha ngayo umzimba wami nabanye abantu.
“Esikoleni, ngabona intokazi ethile ewuntanga eyayibukeka ihlanzekile futhi imsulwa okwakuyenza ivelele phakathi kwabanye abafundi. Isibonelo sayo sangenza ngaba nesifiso sokuphila ukuphila okuhlanzekile njengayo. Yasikisela ukuba ngiye emhlanganweni woFakazi BakaJehova, engaya kuwo. Ngokushesha ngaqala ukufunda iBhayibheli nokwakha ubungane noNkulunkulu. Phakathi nesikhathi esingangonyaka, ngahlanza ukuphila kwami futhi ngabhapathizwa njengoFakazi. Lolu shintsho olukhulu lwenza abazali abaningi bangakithi beza kimi bangicela ukuba ngisize izingane zabo ezaziyimilutha yezidakamizwa.”
Amanzi Aletha Ukuphila Okuphakade
UJesu wake watshela owesifazane ongumSamariya owayezokukha amanzi emthonjeni kaJakobe “ngamanzi aphilayo.” Wathi: “Noma ubani ophuza la manzi engizomnika wona akasoze oma, kodwa amanzi engizomnika wona, ngaphakathi kuye ayoba umthombo wamanzi ophuphumayo ukuze udlulisele ukuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 4:10, 14) Amazwi kaJesu abonisa ukuthi “amanzi aphilayo” amelela amalungiselelo kaNkulunkulu okuphila, achazwa eZwini lakhe, iBhayibheli. Anikeza abantu ithuba lokuphila phakade. Isici esibalulekile sala manzi angokomfanekiso umhlatshelo wesihlengo kaKristu Jesu. UJesu wachaza: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu obonisa ukholo kuyo angabhubhi kodwa abe nokuphila okuphakade.”—Johane 3:16.
U-Alfonso, okukhulunywe ngaye ekuqaleni, usewazisa kakhulu “amanzi aphilayo” avela kuNkulunkulu. Ekhuluma ngalabo abaqhubeka bephila ngobugebengu nezidakamizwa, uthi: “Umfowethu ushonile, kanye nabo bonke ababengabangane bami. Ulwazi lweZwi likaNkulunkulu lwangophula ekubhekaneni nesimo esifanayo. Ngenxa yamalungiselelo kaJehova angokomoya, ngiyaphila.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngenxa yalokho akufunde eZwini likaNkulunkulu, u-Alfonso ubheke phambili ekujabuleleni ukuphila okungapheli emhlabeni omusha othenjiswe nguNkulunkulu.—2 Petru 3:13.
Isimemo Sabo Bonke
Encwadini yokugcina yeBhayibheli, sithola incazelo ‘yomfula wamanzi okuphila, ocwebe njengekristalu, ogeleza uvela esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu neseWundlu.’ (IsAmbulo 22:1) Lo mfula umelela amalungiselelo kaNkulunkulu ayogcina ebuyisele ukuphila kwabantu ekupheleleni okwakujatshulelwa u-Adamu no-Eva ekuqaleni komlando wesintu.
Ngemva kokuchaza lowo mfula, ukulandisa kuyaqhubeka kuchaza lesi simemo: “Noma ubani owomile makeze; nanoma ubani othandayo makathathe amanzi okuphila ngesihle.” (IsAmbulo 22:17) Namuhla, leso simemo simenyezelwa emhlabeni wonke. Unyaka ngamunye, oFakazi BakaJehova emazweni angaphezu kuka-235 bachitha amahora angaphezu kwezigidi eziyinkulungwane besiza abantu bangenise ulwazi lweBhayibheli olunikeza ukuphila.
Ingabe uwomele la manzi okuphila? Ngokuphuza la manzi acwebe njengekristalu, okuwukuthi, ngokufunda nokusebenzisa amalungiselelo oMdali wethu, nawe ungaba phakathi kwalabo ‘abazibekelela ngokulondekile isisekelo esihle sesikhathi esizayo, ukuze babambisise ukuphila kwangempela.’—1 Thimothewu 6:19.
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 14]
Njengamanzi ageza umzimba, izwi likaNkulunkulu linamandla okuhlanza ngokokuziphatha nangokomoya
[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 15]
UKUTHOLAKALA KWAMANZI NGEZIKHATHI ZEBHAYIBHELI
Ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli, abantu babenza imizamo emikhulu yokuthola imithombo yamanzi ahlanzekile. U-Abrahama no-Isaka bemba imithombo eduze naseBheri-sheba ukuze baqiniseke ukuthi banamanzi anele okusetshenziswa imikhaya yabo nemfuyo.—Genesise 21:30, 31; 26:18.
Imithombo engajulile yayivame ukoma phakathi nehlobo elide elishisayo. Ukuze umthombo ube namanzi anokwethenjelwa, kwakufanele ujule. (IzAga 20:5) Omunye umthombo eLakishi ujule ngamamitha angu-44. Omunye oseGibheyoni, ujule ngamamitha angaphezu kuka-25 futhi ungamamitha angu-11 ububanzi. Ukumba lowo mthombo kwakudinga ukuba kususwe amathani angaba ngu-3 000 amadwala. Owesifazane ongumSamariya oweza ezokukha amanzi emthonjeni kaJakobe watshela uJesu: “Umthombo ujulile.” Cishe amanzi kuleyo ndawo ayejule ngamamitha angaba ngu-23 ngaphansi komhlaba.—Johane 4:11.
Amathangi okugcina amanzi ngaphansi komhlaba ayengomunye umthombo wamanzi eMpumalanga Ephakathi yamandulo. La mathangi agqitshwe ngaphansi komhlaba ayeqoqa amanzi emvula eyayina kusukela ngo-October kuya ku-April. Kwakumbiwa imisele emagqumeni ukuze amanzi agelezele kula mathangi. Ama-Israyeli ayemba imithombo emikhulu yokugcina amanzi.—2 IziKronike 26:10.
Ukukha amanzi kule mithombo kwakuwumsebenzi onzima, futhi kusenjalo namanje. Abesifazane abanjengoRebheka namadodakazi kaJetiro babenza umsebenzi obalulekile wokukha amanzi nsuku zonke ayesebenza ekhaya nasekuphuziseni imfuyo.—Genesise 24:15-20; Eksodusi 2:16.
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
U-Alfonso namuhla, etshela othile ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu