UJehova Uyindawo Yethu Yokuhlala

1, 2. Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ziye zazizwa kanjani ngesimiso sezinto samanje, futhi zinekhaya ngamuphi umqondo?

INGABE uzizwa unethezekile kuleli zwe lanamuhla? Uma kungenjalo, awuwedwa! Kuzo zonke izizukulwane, bonke abantu ababemthanda ngempela uJehova baye bazizwa njengezihambi, noma njengabafokazi kulesi simiso sezinto. Ngokwesibonelo, njengoba babesuka kwelinye ikamu beya kwelinye ezweni laseKhanani, abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu abathembekile “bavuma obala ukuthi bangabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana.”—Heb. 11:13.

² Ngokufanayo, abalandeli bakaKristu abagcotshiwe ‘abayizakhamuzi zasezulwini,’ bazibheka “njengabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana” kulesi simiso sezinto. (Fil. 3:20; 1 Pet. 2:11) “Ezinye izimvu” zikaKristu nazo ‘aziyona ingxenye yezwe, njengoba nje noJesu ayengeyona ingxenye yezwe.’ (Joh. 10:16; 17:16) Noma kunjalo, lokhu akusho ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu abanalo “ikhaya.” Empeleni, sijabulela isivikelo esitholakala ekhaya eliphephile nelinothando kunawo wonke, elibonwa ngamehlo okholo kuphela. UMose wabhala: “O Jehova, wena ubé yindawo yethu yokuhlala yangempela esizukulwaneni ngesizukulwane.”a (IHu. 90:1) UJehova wazibonakalisa kanjani ‘eyindawo yokuhlala yangempela’ ezincekwini zakhe ezithembekile zasendulo? ‘Uyindawo yokuhlala yangempela’ ngayiphi indlela kubantu ababizwa ngegama lakhe namuhla? Uyoba kanjani ukuphela kwendawo yokuhlala ephephile esikhathini esizayo?

 3. Isiphi isihloko, isifaniso nokufana kwezinto ezisemfanekisweni okumaHubo 90:1?

³ Njengemifanekiso eminingi eseBhayibhelini, umfanekiso okumaHubo 90:1 unesihloko, isifaniso nokufana kwezinto ezikuwo. Isihloko uJehova. Isifaniso indawo yokuhlala. Kuningi ukufana okukhona phakathi kukaJehova nendawo enjalo. Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova uyabavikela abantu bakhe. Lokhu kuvumelana neqiniso lokuthi uwukwenziwa samuntu kothando. (1 Joh. 4:8) Uphinde abe uNkulunkulu wokuthula, owenza ukuba izikhonzi zakhe ezithembekile ‘zihlale ngokulondeka.’ (IHu. 4:8) Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngendlela asebenzelana ngayo nezinzalamizi ezithembekile, kusukela ku-Abrahama.

4, 5. UNkulunkulu waba kanjani ‘yindawo yokuhlala yangempela’ ku-Abrahama?

⁴ Ngeke siyiqonde ngokuphelele indlela u-Abrahama, ngaleso sikhathi owayebizwa ngo-Abrama, azizwa ngayo lapho uJehova ethi kuye: “Phuma ezweni lakini nasezihlotsheni zakho . . . uye ezweni engizokutshengisa lona.” Uma kuwukuthi u-Abrahama waba nokukhathazeka, akungabazeki ukuthi kwaphela lapho uJehova esho amazwi alandelayo: “Ngizokwenza isizwe esikhulu ngawe futhi ngizokubusisa ngenze igama lakho libe likhulu . . . Ngiyobabusisa labo abakubusisayo, nalowo okuqalekisayo ngiyomqalekisa.”—Gen. 12:1-3.

⁵ Ngalawo mazwi, uJehova wakwenza kwaba umthwalo wakhe ukuba yindawo yokuhlala ephephile ku-Abrahama nenzalo yakhe. (Gen. 26:1-6) UJehova wasifeza isithembiso sakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, wavimba uFaro waseGibhithe neNkosi u-Abhimeleki yaseGerari ukuba bangamnukubezi uSara futhi bangambulali u-Abrahama. Wavikela u-Isaka noRebheka ngendlela efanayo. (Gen. 12:14-20; 20:1-14; 26:6-11) Siyafunda: “[UJehova] akavumelanga muntu ukuba abaphambe, kodwa wasola amakhosi ngenxa yabo, ethi: ‘Ningabathinti abagcotshiweyo bami, ningenzi lutho olubi kubaprofethi bami.’”—IHu. 105:14, 15.

 6. U-Isaka watshela uJakobe ukuba enzeni, futhi kungenzeka ukuthi wazizwa kanjani uJakobe?

⁶ Labo baprofethi babehlanganisa nomzukulu ka-Abrahama uJakobe. Lapho kufika isikhathi sokuba uJakobe aganwe, u-Isaka, uyise, wathi kuye: “Ungamthathi umfazi emadodakazini aseKhanani. Suka uye ePhadani-aramu endlini kaBhetuweli uyise kanyoko uzithathele khona umfazi emadodakazini kaLabani.” (Gen. 28:1, 2) UJakobe wamlalela ngaphandle kokulibala. Washiya ukulondeka ayekuthola emndenini wakubo, owawuhlala eKhanani, wahamba yedwa amakhulu amakhilomitha elibangise eHarana. (Gen. 28:10) Mhlawumbe wayezibuza: ‘Ngizohamba isikhathi esingakanani? Ingabe umalume uyongamukela ngentokozo futhi anginike umfazi owesaba uNkulunkulu?’ Uma kuwukuthi kwamkhathaza lokho uJakobe, akungabazeki ukuthi kwaphela lapho efika eLuzi, indawo eqhelelene neBheri-sheba ngamakhilomitha angaba yikhulu. Yini eyenzeka eLuzi?

 7. Esebenzisa iphupho, uNkulunkulu wamqinisekisa kanjani uJakobe?

⁷ ELuzi, uJehova wabonakala kuJakobe ngephupho, wathi: “Bheka nginawe futhi ngizokugcina kuyo yonke indlela oyihambayo futhi ngiyokubuyisela kuleli zwe, ngoba ngeke ngikushiye kuze kube yilapho sengikwenzile konke engikukhulume kuwe.” (Gen. 28:15) Yeka ukuthi lawo mazwi anomusa amqinisekisa futhi amduduza kanjani uJakobe! Ake umbone ngeso lengqondo ehamba, emagange ukubona indlela uNkulunkulu ayeyosigcwalisa ngayo isithembiso saKhe. Uma ushiye ikhaya mhlawumbe wayokhonza kwelinye izwe, cishe uyayiqonda imizwelo kaJakobe. Nokho, akungabazeki ukuthi ububonile ubufakazi bendlela uJehova akunakekela ngayo.

8, 9. UJehova waba kanjani ‘indawo yokuhlala yangempela’ kuJakobe, futhi yini esingayifunda kulokhu?

⁸ Lapho uJakobe efika eHarana, umalume wakhe uLabani wamamukela ngentokozo futhi kamuva wamnika uLeya noRaheli ukuba babe ngabafazi bakhe. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uLabani wazama ukuxhaphaza uJakobe, eshintsha umholo wakhe izikhathi eziyishumi! (Gen. 31:41, 42) Noma kunjalo, uJakobe wakukhuthazelela lokho kungabi nabulungisa, eqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uzoqhubeka emnakekela—futhi wamnakekela! Ngempela, ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu etshela uJakobe ukuba abuyele eKhanani, le nzalamizi ‘yayisinemihlambi emikhulu nezincekukazi nezinceku namakamela nezimbongolo.’ (Gen. 30:43) Enokwazisa okukhulu, uJakobe wathandaza: “Angiwufanelekele wonke lo musa wothando nakho konke lokhu kuthembeka okubonise encekwini yakho, ngoba ngawela leli Jordani ngiphethe udondolo kuphela kodwa manje sengibe amakamu amabili.”—Gen. 32:10.

⁹ Yebo, yeka ukuthi uyiqiniso kanjani umthandazo kaMose wokuzindla: “O Jehova, wena ubé yindawo yethu yokuhlala yangempela esizukulwaneni ngesizukulwane”! (IHu. 90:1) Lawo mazwi asebenza ngendlela efanayo nanamuhla, ngoba uJehova, ‘okungekho kuye ukushintshashintsha kokuphenduka kwethunzi,’ uyaqhubeka eyindawo yokuhlala efudumele nephephile kwabathembekile bakhe. (Jak. 1:17) Ake sihlole ukuthi ngayiphi indlela.

10. Kungani singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uyaqhubeka eyindawo yokuhlala ephephile yezinceku zakhe?

¹⁰ Ake sithi ungufakazi enkantolo ngokumelene nenhlangano yezigelekeqe esebenza emhlabeni wonke. Umholi wayo ungungqondongqondo, unamandla futhi ungumqambimanga nombulali ongenanembeza. Ubungazizwa kanjani lapho usuphuma enkantolo? Ubungazizwa uphephile? Lutho neze! Ngempela, ubungaba nesizathu esihle sokucela ukuvikelwa. Lokhu kumane nje kufanekisela isimo sezinceku zikaJehova, ezimfakazela ngesibindi futhi zembule isitha sakhe esikhulu nesinonya, uSathane! (Funda isAmbulo 12:17.) Kodwa ingabe uSathane ukwazile ukubathulisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu? Lutho! Empeleni, siyaqhubeka sichuma ngokomoya—okuyinto enencazelo eyodwa kuphela: UJehova useyinqaba yethu, ‘indawo yethu yokuhlala yangempela,’ ikakhulukazi phakathi nalezi zinsuku zokugcina. (Funda u-Isaya 54:14, 17.) Kodwa, nakuba kunjalo uJehova ngeke abe yindawo yethu yokuhlala ephephile uma sivumela uSathane ukuba asikhiphe endaweni yethu yokuhlala.

11. Isiphi isifundo esingasifunda ezinzalamizini?

¹¹ Ake siphinde sifunde esinye isifundo ezinzalamizini. Nakuba zazihlala eKhanani, zahlala zihlukile kubantu bakuleyo ndawo futhi zikuzonda ukuziphatha kwabo okubi nobubi babo. (Gen. 27:46) Zazingamadoda aphila ngezimiso, ayengathembele ohlwini olude lwezinto okufanele nokungafanele azenze. Lokho ezazikwazi ngoJehova nangobuntu bakhe kwakwanele. Ngenxa yokuthi wayeyindawo yazo yokuhlala, zazingafuni neze ukusondela ezweni. Kunalokho, zaziqhelelanisa kakhulu nalo. Yeka isibonelo esihle kithi! Ingabe ulwela ukulingisa izinzalamizi ezithembekile ngendlela okhetha ngayo abangane nezokuzijabulisa? Ngokudabukisayo, abanye ngaphakathi kwebandla lobuKristu ngokwezinga elithile babonisa izimpawu zokuthi bazizwa benethezekile kuleli zwe likaSathane. Uma uzizwa ngaleyo ndlela ngisho nangezinga elincane, thandaza ngale ndaba. Khumbula, leli zwe elikaSathane. Libonisa umoya wakhe wenzondo nowobugovu.—2 Kor. 4:4; Efe. 2:1, 2.

12. (a) UJehova ubanakekela kanjani abendlu yakhe engokomoya? (b) Uzizwa kanjani ngala malungiselelo?

¹² Ukuze silwe namacebo kaSathane, kufanele siwasebenzise ngokugcwele amalungiselelo angokomoya uJehova awenzela abendlu yakhe yokholo nalabo abamenza indawo yabo yokuhlala. La malungiselelo ahlanganisa imihlangano yobuKristu, ukukhulekela komkhaya, ‘nezipho ezingabantu’—abelusi abamiswe uNkulunkulu ukuba basiduduze futhi basisekele njengoba sibhekana nezinselele zokuphila. (Efe. 4:8-12) UMfoweth’ uGeorge Gangas, owayeyilungu leNdikimba Ebusayo iminyaka eminingi, wabhala: “Lapho ngiphakathi [kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu] ngizizwa ngisekhaya nginomndeni wami, ngisepharadesi elingokomoya.” Ingabe uzizwa ngendlela efanayo?

13. Isiphi isifundo esibalulekile esingasithola kumaHebheru 11:13?

¹³ Enye imfanelo yezinzalamizi okufanele siyilingise ukuzimisela kwazo ukuhluka kubantu ababezizungezile. Njengoba kubonisiwe esigabeni sokuqala, ‘zavuma obala ukuthi zingabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana ezweni.’ (Heb. 11:13) Ingabe uzimisele ukuhluka? Kuyavunywa, ukwenza kanjalo akulula ngaso sonke isikhathi. Kodwa ngosizo lukaNkulunkulu nokusekelwa amaKristu okanye nawo, ungaphumelela. Khumbula, awuwedwa. Bonke abafuna ukukhonza uJehova basempini! (Efe. 6:12) Noma kunjalo, lena impi esingayinqoba uma sithembela kuJehova futhi simenze indawo yethu yokuhlala ephephile.

14. Izinceku zikaJehova zazilindele muphi “umuzi”?

¹⁴ Okunye okubalulekile yilokhu: Lingisa u-Abrahama ngokugcina amehlo akho esemvuzweni. (2 Kor. 4:18) Umphostoli uPawulu waloba ukuthi u-Abrahama “wayelindele umuzi onezisekelo zangempela, omakhi nomenzi wawo nguNkulunkulu.” (Heb. 11:10) Lowo “muzi” waba uMbuso kaMesiya. U-Abrahama kwadingeka awulindele lowo “muzi.” Ngomqondo othile, thina akudingeki siwulindele. Uyabusa manje ezulwini. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ubufakazi obandayo bubonisa ukuthi maduzane uzobusa umhlaba ngokuphelele. Ingabe lowo Mbuso ungokoqobo kuwe? Ingabe uyayithinta indlela obheka ngayo ukuphila, obheka ngayo leli zwe nohlela ngayo izinto eziza kuqala ekuphileni kwakho?—Funda eyesi-2 Petru 3:11, 12.

15. Liyini ikusasa lalabo abathembele kuleli zwe?

¹⁵ Njengoba izwe likaSathane lisondela ekupheleni, ‘imihelo yalo yokucindezeleka’ izoba buhlungu nakakhulu. (Math. 24:7, 8) Izinto zizoba zimbi nakakhulu phakathi nosizi olukhulu. Izingqala-sizinda ziyowa futhi abantu bayoba nengebhe ngenxa yokuphila kwabo. (Hab. 3:16, 17) Bezama ukuzisindisa, ‘bayozifihla emihumeni nasemadwaleni asezintabeni.’ (IsAm. 6:15-17) Kodwa imihume yangempela kanye nezinhlangano zezombusazwe nezezentengiselwano ezifana nezintaba ngeke zikwazi ukubavikela.

16. Kufanele silibheke kanjani ibandla lobuKristu, futhi ngani?

¹⁶ Nokho, abantu bakaJehova bayoqhubeka bejabulela isivikelo ‘sendawo yabo yokuhlala yangempela,’ uJehova uNkulunkulu. Njengomprofethi uHabakuki, ‘bayokwethaba ngoJehova ngokwakhe.’ ‘Bayojabula ngoNkulunkulu wensindiso yabo.’ (Hab. 3:18) UJehova uyoba ‘yindawo yokuhlala yangempela’ ngaziphi izindlela phakathi naleso sikhathi sosizi? Kuzobonakala ngaleso sikhathi. Kodwa nakhu esingaqiniseka ngakho: Njengama-Israyeli ngesikhathi sokuFuduka, “isixuku esikhulu” siyoqhubeka sihlelekile, siphaphamele isiqondiso saphezulu. (IsAm. 7:9; funda u-Eksodusi 13:18.) Leso siqondiso siyofika ngokwelungiselelo laphezulu, mhlawumbe kusetshenziswa ilungiselelo lebandla. Empeleni, izinkulungwane eziningi zamabandla kuwo wonke umhlaba kubonakala sengathi zihlobene ‘namakamelo angaphakathi’ esivikelo abikezelwa ku-Isaya 26:20. (Funda.) Ingabe uyayazisa imihlangano yebandla? Ingabe usabela ngokushesha esiqondisweni uJehova asikhipha ngelungiselelo lebandla?—Heb. 13:17.

17. UJehova ‘uyindawo yokuhlala yangempela’ ngayiphi indlela ngisho nasezincekwini zakhe eziqotho esezafa?

¹⁷ Ngisho nalabo abangase bafe bethembekile ngaphambi kokuqala kosizi olukhulu bahlala bephephile kuJehova, ‘indawo yabo yokuhlala yangempela.’ Kanjani? Ngemva kokuba sekudlule isikhathi eside izinzalamizi ezithembekile zafa, uJehova wathi kuMose: “NginguNkulunkulu . . . ka-Abrahama, uNkulunkulu ka-Isaka noNkulunkulu kaJakobe.” (Eks. 3:6) Ngemva kokucaphuna la mazwi, uJesu wanezela: “UnguNkulunkulu, wabaphilayo, akayena owabafileyo, ngoba bonke bayaphila kuye.” (Luka 20:38) Yebo, kuJehova abaqotho bakhe abaye bafa bethembekile, kunjengokungathi basaphila; ukuvuswa kwabo kuqinisekisiwe.—UmSh. 7:1.

18. Ezweni elisha, uJehova uyoba kanjani ‘yindawo yokuhlala yangempela’ kubantu bakhe ngendlela ekhethekile?

¹⁸ Ezweni elisha eliseduze, uJehova uyoba ‘indawo yokuhlala yangempela’ kubantu bakhe nangomunye umqondo. IsAmbulo 21:3 sithi: “Bheka! Itende likaNkulunkulu likanye nabantu, uyohlala nabo.” UJehova uyoqale ahlale nabantu bakhe emhlabeni esebenzisa uKristu Jesu njengommeleli wakhe. Ekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane, uJesu uyobuyisela uMbuso kuYise, eseyifeze ngokuphelele injongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba. (1 Kor. 15:28) Ngemva kwalokho, isintu esesenziwe saphelela ngeke sisamdinga uJesu njengomlamuleli waso; uJehova uyoba naso. Yeka ukuthi silindelwe ikusasa eliqhakaze kanjani! Okwamanje, masilwele ukulingisa izizukulwane zasendulo ezithembekile ngokuba senze uJehova abe “indawo yethu yokuhlala yangempela.”