Indlela Isihlengo Esisisindisa Ngayo
“Obonisa ukholo eNdodaneni unokuphila okuphakade; ongayilaleli iNdodana ngeke akubone ukuphila, kodwa ulaka lukaNkulunkulu luhlezi phezu kwakhe.”—JOH. 3:36.
1, 2. Isiphi esinye isizathu esenza ukuba i-Zion’s Watch Tower iqale ukunyatheliswa?
NGO-OCTOBER 1879, umagazini wesine we-Nqabayokulinda yesiNgisi wathi: “Akekho umfundi weBhayibheli ocophelelayo ongeke ahlatshwe umxhwele indlela ukufa kukaKristu okugcizelelwe ngayo.” Leso sihloko saphetha ngala mazwi anohlonze: “Masixwaye noma yini elulaza, noma echilizela eceleni ukufa kukaKristu njengomhlatshelo nenhlawulelo yesono.”—Funda eyoku-1 Johane 2:1, 2.
2 Esinye sezizathu esenza ukuba i-Zion’s Watch Tower iqale ukunyatheliswa ngo-July 1879 sasiwukuvikela imfundiso yeBhayibheli yesihlengo. Yanikeza “ukudla” okufike “ngesikhathi esifanele,” ngoba ngasekupheleni kwawo-1800, inani elikhulayo lababezibiza ngokuthi bangamaKristu laqala ukungabaza indlela ukufa kukaJesu okwakungaba ngayo isihlengo sezono zethu. (Math. 24:45) Ngaleso sikhathi, abaningi babeba izisulu zemfundiso yokuziphendukela kwemvelo, umbono ophikisana neqiniso lokuthi umuntu wayedalwe ephelele. Abagqugquzeli bemfundiso yokuziphendukela kwemvelo bafundisa ukuthi umuntu uyathuthuka ngokwemvelo futhi akasidingi isihlengo. Sifaneleka ngokukhethekile-ke iseluleko umphostoli uPawulu asinikeza uThimothewu: “Kuqaphe ophathiswe kona, uzifulathele izinkulumo ezingenangqondo ezingcolisa okungcwele, nokuphikisana ngalokho okubizwa ngokungeyikho ngokuthi ‘ulwazi.’ Ngokugabisa ngolwazi olunjalo abanye baye baphambuka okholweni.”—1 Thim. 6:20, 21.
3. Imiphi imibuzo esizoxoxa ngayo manje?
3 Akungabazeki ukuthi uzimisele ‘ukungaphambuki okholweni.’ Ukuze ukwazi ukwenza lokhu, kungaba kuhle ukucabangela le mibuzo: Kungani ngidinga isihlengo? Kwadingekani ukuze sikhokhwe? Ngingazuza kanjani kuleli lungiselelo eliyigugu elingangisindisa olakeni lukaNkulunkulu?
Ukusindiswa Olakeni LukaNkulunkulu
4, 5. Yini efakazela ukuthi ulaka lukaNkulunkulu luhlezi phezu kwesimiso sezinto esibi samanje?
4 IBhayibheli namaqiniso abuhlungu omlando abonisa ukuthi kusukela u-Adamu awela esonweni, ulaka lukaNkulunkulu ‘belulokhu luhlezi phezu’ kwesintu. (Joh. 3:36) Lokhu kusobala ngoba akekho umuntu oye wakwazi ukuphunyuka ekufeni. Ubukhosi bukaSathane oyimbangi kaNkulunkulu buye bahluleka ngokuphelele ukuvikela isintu ezinhlekeleleni eziqhubekayo, futhi awukho uhulumeni wabantu oye wakwazi ukwanelisa izidingo eziyisisekelo zazo zonke izakhamuzi zawo. (1 Joh. 5:19) Ngakho, isintu siyaqhubeka sihlushwa izimpi, ubugebengu nobubha.
5 Kusobala-ke ukuthi isibusiso sikaJehova asikho kulesi simiso sezinto esibi. UPawulu wathi “ulaka lukaNkulunkulu luyembulwa luvela ezulwini ngokumelene nakho konke ukungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu.” (Roma 1:18-20) Ngakho-ke, labo abangaphenduki endleleni yabo yokuphila yokungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu bayobhekana nemiphumela yokuziphatha kwabo. Namuhla, ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lumenyezelwa ngezigijimi zesahlulelo ezithululelwa ezweni likaSathane kuhle kwezinhlupho, futhi lokho kwaziswa kuvela kweziningi zezincwadi zethu ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini.—IsAm. 16:1.
6, 7. Imuphi umsebenzi oholwa amaKristu agcotshiwe, futhi iliphi ithuba elisavulekele abantu abayingxenye yezwe likaSathane?
6 Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi sekwephuzile ngabantu ukuba bagqashule ekubusweni uSathane futhi bazuze umusa kaNkulunkulu? Cha, ngoba umnyango wokubuyisana noJehova usavuleke gengelezi. AmaKristu agcotshiwe ‘angamanxusa abambele uKristu,’ ahola ekushumayeleni kubantu bazo zonke izizwe, ebancenga ukuba ‘babuyisane noNkulunkulu.’—2 Kor. 5:20, 21.
7 Umphostoli uPawulu wathi uJesu ‘usikhulula olakeni oluzayo.’ (1 Thes. 1:10) Lokho kubonakaliswa kokugcina kwentukuthelo kaJehova kuyoholela ekubhujisweni kwaphakade kwezoni ezingaphenduki. (2 Thes. 1:6-9) Obani abayosinda? IBhayibheli lithi: “Obonisa ukholo eNdodaneni unokuphila okuphakade; ongayilaleli iNdodana ngeke akubone ukuphila, kodwa ulaka lukaNkulunkulu luhlezi phezu kwakhe.” (Joh. 3:36) Yebo, bonke abaphilayo futhi ababonisa ukholo kuJesu nasesihlengweni bayosinda lapho lesi simiso siphela, bangayizwa imiphumela yosuku lokugcina lwentukuthelo kaNkulunkulu.
Indlela Isihlengo Esisebenza Ngayo
8. (a) Iliphi ithuba elihle u-Adamu no-Eva ababenalo? (b) UJehova wazibonisa kanjani enguNkulunkulu wobulungisa obuphelele?
8 U-Adamu no-Eva badalwa bephelele. Ukube baqhubeka belalela uNkulunkulu, umhlaba ngabe manje ugcwele abantwana babo abajabulayo abaphila kanye nabo ePharadesi. Kuyadabukisa nokho ukuthi abazali bethu bokuqala bephula ngamabomu umyalo kaNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yalokho, bagwetshelwa ukufa phakade futhi baxoshwa ePharadesi lokuqala. Ngesikhathi u-Adamu no-Eva beba nabantwana, isono sasesingenile kumuntu futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi baguga futhi bafa. Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi uJehova uyaligcina izwi lakhe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, unguNkulunkulu wobulungisa obuphelele. UJehova wayemxwayisile u-Adamu ukuthi uma ayengadla isithelo esinqatshelwe wayeyofa—futhi kwaba njalo.
9, 10. (a) Kungani inzalo ka-Adamu ifa? (b) Singakugwema kanjani ukufa phakade?
9 Njengoba siyinzalo ka-Adamu, sizuze ngefa umzimba ongaphelele othambekele esonweni futhi ogcina ngokufa. Ngokomfanekiso, sasisokhalweni luka-Adamu lapho ona. Ngakho, nathi sabandakanyeka esigwebweni sokufa asithola. Ukube uJehova ubeyoyihlehlisa inqubo yokufa singakakhokhwa isihlengo, ubeyobe enza ngokuphambene nezwi lakhe. Empeleni, uPawulu wayesikhulumela sonke lapho ethi: “Siyazi ukuthi uMthetho ungokomoya; kodwa mina ngingowenyama, ngithengiswe ngaphansi kwesono. Yeka mina muntu wosizi! Ubani oyongophula kulo mzimba othola lokhu kufa?”—Roma 7:14, 24.
10 UJehova uNkulunkulu kuphela owayengalungiselela isisekelo esingokomthetho ayengathethelela ngaso izono zethu ngokuvumelana nobulungisa futhi asikhulule esijezisweni sokufa okuphakade. Lokhu wakwenza ngokuthumela iNdodana yakhe ayithandayo isuka ezulwini ukuze izozalwa njengomuntu ophelele, owayenganikela ngokuphila kwakhe njengesihlengo sethu. Ngokungafani no-Adamu, uJesu wahlala ephelele. Ngempela, “akenzanga sono.” (1 Pet. 2:22) Ngakho, uJesu wayenethuba lokuzala abantu abaphelele. Kodwa, esikhundleni salokho, wavumela izitha zikaNkulunkulu ukuba zimbulale ukuze inzalo ka-Adamu enesono ibe abantwana bakhe bokutholwa futhi enze kube nokwenzeka ukuba labo ababonisa ukholo kuye bathole ukuphila okuphakade. ImiBhalo iyachaza: “Kukhona uNkulunkulu oyedwa, nomlamuleli oyedwa phakathi kukaNkulunkulu nabantu, umuntu, uKristu Jesu, owazinikela waba yisihlengo esihambelanayo sabo bonke.”—1 Thim. 2:5, 6.
11. (a) Izinzuzo zesihlengo zingafanekiswa kanjani? (b) Izinzuzo zesihlengo zihlanganisa nobani?
11 Indlela isihlengo esisebenza ngayo ingafaniswa nesimo sabantu ibhange elinenkohlakalo eliye labaphamba zonke izimali zabo ababezigcinile futhi bazithola besezikweletini. Kuwubulungisa ukuthi abanikazi balelo bhange baye bagwetshwe iminyaka eminingi ejele. Kodwa kuthiwani ngabantu abangenacala ababa izisulu? Njengoba bephundlwe yonke imali yabo, abanandlela yokuzifukula kulezi zimo ngaphandle uma umkhaya othile onomusa nocebile ulithenga lelo bhange bese ubuyisela zonke izimali ezazongiwe abantu abayizisulu, ngaleyo ndlela ubakhipha ezikweletini. Ngendlela efanayo, uJehova uNkulunkulu neNdodana yakhe baye bathenga inzalo ka-Adamu futhi basula isono sayo ngesisekelo segazi likaJesu elachitheka. Yingakho uJohane umBhapathizi ayengathi ngoJesu: “Bhekani, iWundlu likaNkulunkulu elisusa isono sezwe!” (Joh. 1:29) Izwe lesintu esizono zaso ziye zasuswa alihlanganisi abaphilayo kuphela kodwa nabafileyo.
Okwadingeka Ukuze Kukhokhwe Isihlengo
12, 13. Yini esingayifunda ekuvumeni kuka-Abrahama ukunikela ngo-Isaka?
12 Akunakwenzeka ngathi ukuba sikuqonde ngokuphelele lokho okwadingeka ukuze uBaba wethu osezulwini neNdodana yakhe ayithandayo bakhokhe isihlengo. Kodwa iBhayibheli lilandisa ngezenzakalo ezingasisiza ukuba sizindle ngale ndaba. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngendlela okumelwe ukuba u-Abrahama wazizwa ngayo lapho ethatha uhambo lwezinsuku ezintathu lokuya eMoriya ngokuvumelana nalo myalo kaNkulunkulu: “Ngicela uthathe indodana yakho, indodana yakho okuwukuphela kwayo oyithanda kakhulu, u-Isaka, uthathe uhambo oluya ezweni laseMoriya uyinikele lapho njengomnikelo wokushiswa kwenye yezintaba engizokubonisa yona.”—Gen. 22:2-4.
13 Ekugcineni, u-Abrahama wafika endaweni eyayibonisiwe. Cabanga ngobuhlungu obabusenhliziyweni yakhe lapho ebopha u-Isaka izandla nezinyawo futhi emlalisa e-altare elakhiwe nguye belu u-Abrahama. Yeka ukuthi kumelwe ukuba kwakubuhlungu kanjani kuye ukuphakamisa ummese ayezobulala ngawo indodana yakhe! Cabanga ngemizwa ka-Isaka njengoba elaliswe e-altare, elindele lobo buhlungu bokugwazwa ayezobuzwa njengoba ebulawa. Ingelosi kaJehova yamisa u-Abrahama ngaphambi nje kokuba amgwaze. Lokho u-Abrahama no-Isaka abakwenza ngaleso sikhathi kusisiza ukuba siqonde ubuhlungu uJehova okwadingeka ukuba abhekane nabo lapho evumela amanxusa kaSathane ukuba abulale iNdodana yakhe. Ukubambisana kuka-Isaka noyise kukufanekisela kahle ukuvuma kukaJesu ukuzwiswa ubuhlungu nokufa ngenxa yethu.—Heb. 11:17-19.
14. Isiphi isenzakalo ekuphileni kukaJakobe esisisiza ukuba siqonde lokho okwakudingeka ukuze kukhokhwe isihlengo?
14 Lokho okwakudingeka ukuze kukhokhwe isihlengo kungafanekiswa nangesenzakalo esenzeka ekuphileni kukaJakobe. Wayethanda uJosefa ngaphezu kwawo wonke amadodana akhe. Ngokudabukisayo, abafowabo bakaJosefa baba nomona ngaye futhi bamzonda. Noma kunjalo, uJosefa wavuma lapho uyise emthuma ukuba ayobheka ukuthi abafowabo babenjani. Ngaleso sikhathi, babelusa umhlambi wezimvu zikaJakobe endaweni eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba yikhulu ngasenyakatho yomuzi wakubo eHebroni. Cabanga ukuthi uJakobe wazizwa kanjani lapho amadodana akhe ebuya nengubo kaJosefa egcwele igazi! Wamemeza: “Yingubo ende yendodana yami! Kumelwe ukuba ishwabadelwe isilo esithile sasendle esinolaka! Nakanjani uJosefa udwenguliwe!” Lokhu kwamthinta kakhulu uJakobe kangangokuba walilela uJosefa izinsuku eziningi. (Gen. 37:33, 34) UJehova akasabeli ngendlela efana ncamashi neyabantu abangaphelele lapho kuvele izimo ezithile. Nokho, ukuzindla ngalesi senzakalo kungasisiza ukuba siqonde ngezinga elithile indlela okumelwe ukuba uNkulunkulu wazizwa ngayo lapho iNdodana yakhe ayeyithanda kakhulu iphathwa kabi futhi ibulawa ngonya njengomuntu emhlabeni.
Ukuzuza Esihlengweni
15, 16. (a) UJehova wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayesamukele isihlengo? (b) Wena uzuze kanjani esihlengweni?
15 UJehova uNkulunkulu wayivusa iNdodana yakhe ethembekileyo ngomzimba womoya okhazimulayo. (1 Pet. 3:18) UJesu ovusiwe wabonakala kubafundi bakhe izinsuku ezingu-40, waqinisa ukholo lwabo futhi wabalungiselela umsebenzi omkhulu wokushumayela owawubahlalele. Wabe esenyukela ezulwini. Wafike lapho wanikeza uNkulunkulu inani legazi lakhe elachitheka, ukuze lisetshenziselwe abalandeli bakhe beqiniso, ababonisa ukholo enanini lomhlatshelo wakhe wesihlengo. UJehova uNkulunkulu wabonisa ukuthi wayesamukele isihlengo sikaKristu ngokumthuma ukuba athululele umoya ongcwele phezu kwabafundi bakhe ababebuthene eJerusalema ngosuku lwePhentekoste lika-33 C.E.—IzE. 2:33.
16 Laba balandeli bakaKristu abagcotshiwe baqala masinyane ukunxusa abantu bakubo ukuba babalekele ulaka lukaNkulunkulu ngokubhapathizwa egameni likaJesu Kristu ukuze bathethelelwe izono. (Funda izEnzo 2:38-40.) Kusukela ngalolo suku olwaqopha umlando kuze kube manje, izigidi zabantu abavela kuzo zonke izizwe ziye zadonselwa ebuhlotsheni noNkulunkulu ngesisekelo sokholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu wesihlengo. (Joh. 6:44) Manje, kudingeka sicabangele eminye imibuzo emibili: Ukhona yini kithi owanikwa ithemba lokuphila okuphakade ngenxa yemisebenzi yakhe siqu emihle? Lapho sesilinikeziwe leli themba elihle kangaka, kungenzeka yini ukuba lisilahlekele?
17. Kufanele ulibheke kanjani ilungelo elimangalisayo lokuba umngane kaNkulunkulu?
17 Akekho noyedwa osifanelekelayo isihlengo. Kodwa ngokubonisa ukholo kuso, izigidi namuhla zingabangane bakaNkulunkulu futhi zinethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. Nokho, ukuba abangane bakaNkulunkulu akuqinisekisi ukuthi siyohlale siyibo. Ukuze sibalekele usuku oluzayo lolaka lukaNkulunkulu, kumelwe siqhubeke sibonisa ukwazisa okujulile “ngesihlengo esakhokhwa uKristu Jesu.”—Roma 3:24; funda eyabaseFilipi 2:12.
Qhubeka Ubonisa Ukholo Esihlengweni
18. Kuhlanganisani ukubonisa ukholo esihlengweni?
18 UmBhalo kaJohane 3:36 lesi sihloko esisekelwe kuwo, ubonisa ukuthi ukuba nokholo eNkosini uJesu Kristu kuhlanganisa nokuyilalela. Ukwazisa isihlengo kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba siphile ngokuvumelana nezimfundiso zikaJesu, ezihlanganisa nalokho akufundisa ngokuziphatha. (Marku 7:21-23) “Ulaka lukaNkulunkulu luyeza” kubo bonke abangaphenduki emikhubeni enjengobufebe, ukuntela okuyichilo “nokungcola kwazo zonke izinhlobo,” okuhlanganisa nokuphikelela ubuka izithombe ezingcolile zobulili.—Efe. 5:3-6.
19. Iziphi izindlela esingabonisa ngazo ukholo lwethu esihlengweni?
19 Ukwazisa kwethu isihlengo kufanele kusigcine simatasa “ezenzweni zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.” (2 Pet. 3:11) Masibekele eceleni isikhathi esanele sokuthandaza njalo ngokusuka enhliziyweni, sesifundo somuntu siqu, sokuya emihlanganweni, sokukhulekela komkhaya nesokuhlanganyela ngentshiseko emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso. Kwangathi ‘singekhohlwe nokwenza okuhle nokupha abanye izinto, ngoba uNkulunkulu ujatshuliswa yimihlatshelo enjalo.’—Heb. 13:15, 16.
20. Isiphi isibusiso bonke abaqhubeka bebonisa ukholo esihlengweni abangalindela ukusithola esikhathini esizayo?
20 Lapho ulaka lukaJehova luvuthela lesi simiso sezinto esibi, yeka ukuthi siyojabula kanjani ngokuthi siye sabonisa ukholo esihlengweni futhi saqhubeka sibonisa ukwazisa kwethu ngaso! Ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu elithenjisiwe, siyolazisa phakade leli lungiselelo elimangalisayo elasisindisa olakeni lukaNkulunkulu.—Funda uJohane 3:16; IsAmbulo 7:9, 10, 13, 14.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Kungani sidinga isihlengo?
• Kwadingekani ukuze kukhokhwe isihlengo?
• Iziphi izinzuzo ezitholakala ngesihlengo?
• Silubonisa kanjani ukholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu wesihlengo?
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Umnyango wokubuyisana noJehova uvuleke gengelezi
[Izithombe ekhasini 15]
Ukuzindla ngalezi zenzakalo ezihilela u-Abrahama, u-Isaka noJakobe kungasisiza ukuba siqonde lokho okwadingeka ukuze kukhokhwe isihlengo