Ukulondoloza Ukuphila Ngesikhathi Sendlala
1. Yisiphi isenzo sokuhlakanipha uJosefa asenza phakathi neminyaka yenala, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?
NGOKUSHESHA ngemva kokumiswa kwakhe njengomphathi wokudla, uJosefa wahamba lonke izwe laseGibithe. Wayesezihlele kahle izinto ngenkathi kuqala iminyaka yenala. Manje izwe lakhiqiza insada emkhiqizweni walo! UJosefa waqhubeka eqoqa ukudla emasimini omuzi ngamunye, wakugcina emzini. “Waqongelela amabele angangesihlabathi solwandle, okuningi kakhulu, waze wayeka ukubala, ngokuba kwakungenakubalwa.”—Genesise 41:46-49.
2. Yikuphi ukuzidela komuntu siqu okwenza abantu bakwazi ukuthola ukondliwa?
2 Iminyaka eyisikhombisa yenala yaphela, futhi indlala yaqala njengoba uJehova ayebikezele—indlala yayingekho eGibithe kuphela kodwa “emhlabeni wonke.” Lapho abantu baseGibithe abakhungethwe yindlala beqala ukukhalela isinkwa kuFaro, uFaro wabatshela: “Yanini kuJosefa; lokho anitshela khona, nikwenze.” UJosefa wathengisela abaseGibithe amabele yaze yaphela imali yabo. Khona-ke wabavumela ukuba bakhokhe ngemfuyo yabo. Ekugcineni, abantu beza kuJosefa, bethi: “Sithenge thina namazwe ethu ngokudla, sibe-yizinceku zikaFaro thina namazwe ethu.” Ngakho uJosefa wathengela uFaro lonke izwe labaseGibithe.—Genesise 41:53-57; 47:13-20.
Ilungiselelo Lokondliwa Ngokomoya
3. Yiliphi inxusa uJesu alibikezela elalizolungiselela ukudla ngesikhathi esifanele?
3 Njengoba nje amabele ayekhishwa uJosefa ayesho ukuphila kwabaseGibithe, kanjalo ukudla kwangempela okungokomoya kubalulekile ukuze kondle amaKristu aba yizinceku zikaJehova ngokuzinikezela kuYe ngoJosefa oMkhulu, uJesu Kristu. Phakathi nenkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni, uJesu wabikezela ukuthi abalandeli bezinyathelo zakhe abagcotshiwe babeyothwala umthwalo wemfanelo wokwaba lokhu kudla. Wabuza: “Pho, ngubani oyinceku ethembekileyo neqondayo, inkosi yayo eyimisile phezu kwabendlu yayo ukuba ibanike ukudla ngesikhathi sakho na? Ibusisiwe leyonceku okuyakuthi kufika inkosi yayo, iyifumane yenze njalo”—Mathewu 24:45, 46.
4. Ilungiselelo elenziwa isigaba ‘senceku’ namuhla lifanelana kanjani nalokho okwahlelwa osukwini lukaJosefa?
4 Insali ethembekile yale sigaba ‘senceku eqondayo’ namuhla yenza konke okungokomBhalo okusemandleni ayo ukuba iqiniseke ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova abazinikezele, kanye nabantu abathakazelayo ngaphandle ezweni, bayakuthola ukudla okungokomoya okusekela ukuphila. Lomsebenzi uqashelwa njengomsebenzi ongcwele futhi ufezwa njengenkonzo engcwele eya kuJehova. Ngaphezu kwalokho, “inceku” iye yahlela amabandla futhi yawanikeza izincwadi zeBhayibheli eziningi ukuze abe ‘nembewu’ yoMbuso eyanele yokusakazwa obala emasimini awo awabelwe. Lokhu kufanelana nosuku lukaJosefa, lapho eqoqela abantu emizini futhi engabanikezi nje kuphela amabele okondla bona siqu kodwa futhi nawokuwahlwanyela benombono wesivuno sesikhathi esizayo.—Genesise 47:21-25; Marku 4:14, 20; Mathewu 28:19, 20.
5. (a) Yikuphi ukunakekela okukhethekile “inceku” ekuletha ezidingweni zendlu ngesikhathi sosizi? (b) “Inala” yamalungiselelo angokomoya ngo-1986 ifana kanjani namalungiselelo angesikhathi sikaJosefa?
5 Ngisho nalapho umsebenzi wokushumayela obala uvinjelwe futhi oFakazi BakaJehova beshushiswa, “inceku ethembekileyo” ibheka lokhu kulungiselela ukudla okungokomoya njengomsebenzi ongcwele. (IzEnzo 5:29, 41, 42; 14:19-22) Lapho kuba nezinhlekelele, njengezibangelwa yiziphepho, izikhukhula, nokuzamazama komhlaba, “inceku” iyaqikelela ukuthi kokubili izidingo ezingokwenyama nezingokomoya zendlu kaNkulunkulu ziyalungiselelwa. Ngisho nalabo abasemakamu okuhlushwa baye bafinyelelwa njalo ngezincwadi. Imingcele yobuzwe ayivunyelwa ukuba ivimbe ukutholakala kokudla okungokomoya kulabo abakudingayo. Ukuqhubeka nokulungiselela ukudla kudinga isibindi, ukholo kuJehova, futhi ngokuvamile nokuhlakanipha okukhulu. Emhlabeni wonke phakathi no-1986 kuphela, “inceku” yakhiqiza kakhulu amaBhayibheli nezincwadi ezinoqwembe oluqinile eziyizi-43 958 303, kanye nomagazini abayizi-550 216 455—ngempela ‘okungangesihlabathi solwandle, okuningi kakhulu.’
Impindiselo, Isijeziso, Noma Umusa?
6, 7. (a) Indlala yaphumela kanjani ekuzimiseni kwabafowabo ngamzali-munye abayishumi phambi kukaJosefa? (b) Kungaziphi izindlela uJosefa manje ayesovivinyweni?
6 Ekugcineni indlala yafikaezweni laseKhanani. UJakobe wathumela eGibithe abafowabo bakaJosefa ngamzali-munye abayishumi ukuba bayothenga amabele. Kodwa akazange amthumeuBenjamini, okuwukuphela komfowabo kaJosefa ngokugewele, ngenxa yokwesaba, njengoba asho, ukuthi “angahle ehlelwa ngokubi.” Njengoba kunguJosefa owayethengisa, abafowabo beza kuye futhi bama phambi kwakhe. Nakuba bengamazanga umfowabo, uJosefa wabazi.—Genesise 42:1-7.
7 Manje uJosefa wakhumbula amaphupho akhe adlule aphathelene nabo. Kodwa yini ayezoyenza? Ingabe kumelwe aphindisele? Ngesikhathi sesidingo sabo esikhulu, ingabe kumelwe ayithethelele impatho ayithola kubo? Kuthiwani ngosizi olukhulu lukayise? Ingabe lokhu kumelwe kukhohlakale? Manje abafowabo bazizwa kanjani ngobubi obukhulu ababenza? UJosefa, ngokufanayo, wayesovivinyweni ngalendaba. Ingabe izenzo zakhe zaziyohambisana nesimo sengqondo uJosefa oMkhulu, uJesu Kristu, ayeyosibonisa kamuva, njengobasichazwe kweyoku-1 Petru 2:22, 23: “Ongenzanga isono, akufunyanwanga nankohliso emlonyeni wakhe; owathi ethukwa, akaphindisanga athuke; ehlushwa akasongelanga kepha wakunikela kuye owahlulela ngokulunga.”
8. Yini eyayizoqondisa uJosefa, eyayibonisani ngokuqondene noJesu nabafundi baKhe?
8 Njengoba uJosefa ayekubona ukusekela kukaJehova ekwenzekeni kwezenzakalo, wayezonakekela ukugcina imithetho nezimiso zikaNkulunkulu. Ngendlela efanayo, ngaso sonke isikhathi uJesu wayekushisekela ‘ukwenza intando kaYise’ njengoba ayenikeza ukuphila okuphakade ‘kubo bonke abanokholo kuye.’ (Johane 6:37-40) ‘Njengamanxusa kaKristu,’ abafundi bakhe abagcotshiwe nabo bafeza umsebenzi wabo ongcwele ‘ekukhulumeni kubantu amazwi onke alokhu kuphila.’—2 Korinte 5:20; IzEnzo 5:20.
9, 10. (a) Iyiphi inkambo uJosefa manje ayithatha, futhi ngani? (b) UJosefa walubonisa kanjani uzwela olufana nalolo uJesu ayezolubonisa?
9 UJosefa akazange azembule zisuka nje kubafowabo. Kunalokho, wakhuluma nabo ngokhahlo ngomhumushi, ethi: “Niyizinhloli!” Njengoba babekhulume ngomfowabo omncane, uJosefa wabayala ukuba babonakalise ukwethembeka kwabo ngokumletha eGibithe. UJosefa wabezwa bekhuluma bodwa ngokuphenduka bethi lokhu kuphenduka kwezenzakalo kumelwe ukuba kuphindisela ukuthengisa kwabo yena, uJosefa, ebugqilini. UJosefa waphendukela eceleni, wakhala. Nokho, wayala ukuba uSimeyoni aboshwe njengesibambiso baze babuye noBenjamini.—Genesise 42:9-24.
10 UJosefa wayengaphindiseli ububi obabenziwe kuye. Wayefuna ukuthola ukuthi ukuphenduka kwabo kwakungokweqiniso yini, kusuka ekujuleni kwezinhliziyo zabo, ukuze baboniswe umusa. (Malaki 3:7; Jakobe 4:8) Ngesimo sozwela, esifana naleso uJesu ayezosibonisa, uJosefa akazange nje kuphela agcwalise amasaka abo ngamabele kodwa futhi wababuyisela imali yabo emlonyeni wesaka lomunye nomunye wabo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wabapha umphako wendlela yabo.—Genesise 42:25-35; qhathanisa noMathewu 11:28-30.
11. (a) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, yini uJakobe aphoqeleleka ukuba ayenze, futhi kungani ekugcineni avuma? (b) EyabaseRoma 8:32 neyoku-1 Johane 4:10 isiqinisekisa kanjani ngokufanayo ngothando lukaNkulunkulu?
11 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, bakuqeda ukudla ababekuthenge eGibithe. UJakobe wacela amadodana ayisishiyagalolunye ukuba aphindele ayothenga okwengeziwe. Esikhathini esingaphambili, wayenxusile ngokuqondene noBenjamini, ethi: “Indodana yami ayiyikwehla nani, ngokuba umfowabo ufile, kusele yona yodwa; uma yehlelwa yingozi endleleni eniyihambayo, niyakwehlisela endaweni yabafileyo izimvi zami ngosizi.” Nokho, ngemva kokunxusa okuningi nokuzimisela kukaJuda ukulithwala yena icala ngoBenjamini, ngokungabaza uJakobe uyabavumela ukuba bahambe nomfana.—Genesise 42:36–43:14.
12, 13. (a) UJosefa walwenza kanjani uvivinyo lokwambula isimo senhliziyo sabafowabo? (b) Umphumela wamnikeza kanjani uJosefa isisekelo sokubonisa umusa?
12 Lapho uJosefa ebona ukuthi uBenjamini wayefikile nabafowabo, wabamemela endlini yakhe, lapho enza khona idili. UBenjamini wamnikeza isabelo esiphindwe kahlanu kunesabelo somuntu ngamunye kwabanye. Khona-ke uJosefa wabavivinya okokugcina abafowabo. Nalapha, wabuyisela yonke imali yabo emasakeni abo, kodwa indebe yakhe yesiliva ekhethekile yafakwa emlonyeni wesaka likaBenjamini. Ngemva kokuhamba, uJosefa wathuma umlindi wendlu yakhe ukuba abathwese icala lokweba futhi aphequlule amasaka abo afune indebe yakhe. Lapho itholakala esakeni likaBenjamini, abafowabo badabula izingubo zabo. Baphindiselwa emuva beyobhekana noJosefa. UJuda wanxusela umusa ngozwela, ezenza atholakalele ukuba yisigqila esikhundleni sikaBenjamini ukuze umfana aphindiselwe kuyise.—Genesise 43:15–44:34.
13 Eqiniseka manje ngokuguquka kwenhliziyo yabafowabo, uJosefa wayengasenakuyilawula imizwelo yakhe. Ngemva kokuyala wonke umuntu ukuba aphume, uJosefa wathi: “NginguJosefa umfowenu enathengisa ngaye eGibithe. Manje ningabibuhlungu, ningazithukutheleli ukuthi nathengisa ngami lapha, ngokuba uNkulunkulu wangithuma phambi kwenu ukulondoloza impilo . . . ukunilondoloza, nibeyinsali emhlabeni, nisindiswe kubengukukhululwa okukhulu.” Wayesethi kubafowabo: “Sheshani nikhuphuke, niye kubaba, nithi kuye: . . . Yehla, uze kimi, ungalibali. Uyakuhlala ezweni laseGosheni, . . . ngikondlele khona, ngokuba kuseyiminyaka eyisihlanu yendlala, funa uswele, wena nomuzi wakho, nakho konke onakho.”—Genesise 45:4-15.
14. Yiziphi izindaba ezijabulisayo ezayiswa kuJakobe?
14 Lapho uFaro ezwa izindaba eziphathelene nabafowabo bakaJosefa, watshela uJosefa ukuba alungiselele izinqola zasezweni laseGibithe ukuba zilethe uyise nawo wonke umkhaya wakhe eGibithe ngoba izwe elihle kunalo lonke lalizoba ngelabo. Ezwa konke okwakwenzekile, uJakobe wavuselelwa emoyeni futhi wathi: “Kwanele; uJosefa indodana yami usekhona; ngizakuhamba ngimbone ngingakafi.”—Genesise 45:16-28.
Inala Yokudla Okungokomoya
15. Sibheka kubani manje ngokondliwa okungokomoya, futhi singaqinisekiswa kanjani ngenala?
15 Konke lokhu kusho ukuthini kithi namuhla? Njengoba silokhu sisiqaphela isidingo sethu esingokomoya, sibheka kuLowo omkhulu kakhulu kunoFaro onomusa wesikhathi sikaJosefa. YiNkosi eBusayo uJehova osisekelayo nosiqondisayo kulezinsuku ezinobumnyama zezwe elilambele iqiniso leBhayibheli. Siye sazikhandla ezithakazelwe ni zoMbuso wakhe, ngo mqondo ongokomfanekiso, siletha okweshumi esinakho endlini yengcebo. Yeka indlela aye wawavula ngayo “amafasitele asezulwini,” esithululela isibusiso “kunokwaneleyo”!—Malaki 3:10.
16. (a) Kukuphi kuphela lapho kungatholakala khona “ukudla” okulondoloza ukuphila namuhla? (b) Kuye kwandiswa kanjani ukuhlwanyelwa ‘kwamabele’ ngenxa yesintu esilambile?
16 Ngakwesokunene sikaJehova kunoMphathi wakhe Wokudla, manje oyiNkosi esesihlalweni sobukhosi, uJesu okhazinyulisiwe. (IzEnzo 2:34-36) Njengoba kwakudingeka ukuba abantu bazithengise njengezigqila ukuze baphile, kanjalo bonke namuhla abafuna ukuqhubeka bephila kumelwe beze kuJesu, babe abalandeli bakhe abazinikezele kuNkulunkulu. (Luka 9:23, 24) Njengoba uJakobe aqondisa amadodana akhe ukuba aye kuJosefa ukuze athole ukudla, kanjalo uJehova uqondisa abantu abaphendukayo eNdodaneni yakhe ethandekayo, uJesu Kristu. (Johane 6:44, 48-51) UJesu uqoqela abalandeli bakhe emabandleni anjengomuzi—angaphezu kwezi-52 000 kuwo wonke umhlaba namuhla—lapho bondliwa khona ngenala yokudla okungokomoya futhi benikezwa insada ‘yamabele,’ ‘njengembewu’ yokuhlwanyelwa ensimini. (Genesise 47:23, 24; Mathewu 13:4-9, 18-23) LaboFakazi BakaJehova bayizisebenzi ezizimisele! Abaningi ngokwengeziwe babo bangenele ngokuzithandela inkonzo yamaphayona esikhathi esigcwele, njengoba abaningi babo abayizi-595 896, okuyinani eliphakeme, bahlanganyela kulomsebenzi oyilungelo ngenyanga eyodwa ngonyaka odlule. Lokhu kwenza isilinganiso samaphayona angaphezu kwe-11 ebandleni ngalinye!
17. Yikuphi okunye ukulandisa okungokwesiprofetho okufana nokuhlanganiswa kukaJosefa nabafowabo ngamzali-munye abayishumi?
17 Kungokuphawulekayo ukuthi bonke abafowabo bakaJosefa ngamzali-munye abayishumi, manje abase bephendukile ezimweni nasezenzweni zesikhathi esidlule, bahlanganiswa naye eGibithe, lelo, kanye neSodoma elifanekisela izwe uJesu abethelwa kulo. (IsAmbulo 11:8) Lokhu kusikhumbuza ngoZakariya 8:20-23, ogcina ngokuveza “amadoda ayishumi” athi, “Siyakuhamba nani [bantu],” okungukuthi, nabantu bakaJehova abagcotshiwe, abansali yabo isakhonza lapha emhlabeni.
18. Umusa okhethekile uBenjamini awuboniswa ufuziselani ezikhathini zanamuhla?
18 Nokho, kuthiwani ngokuwukuphela komfowabo kaJosefa ngokugcwele, uBenjamini, okubelethwa kwakhe okunzima kwalahlekisela umkaJakobe othandekayo uRaheli ukuphila? UJosefa, ngokungangabazeki owaba nomuzwa wobungane obuseduze nalendodana kanina, wamthanda ngokukhethekile uBenjamini. Akungabazeki ukuthi lesi isizathu esenza uBenjamini wathola isabelo esiphindwe kahlanu lapho bonke abafowabo abayi-12 behlanganiswa okokuqala edilini lendlu kaJosefa. UBenjamini akafanekiseli yini kahle insali yoFakazi abagcotshiwe namuhla, abaningi balabo abaphilayo abaqoqelwa ngasohlangothini lweNkosi kusukela ngo-1919? Ngempela lesigaba ‘sikaBenjamini’ siye sathola isabelo esikhethekile kuJehova, njengoba ‘umoya wakhe ufakaza kanye nomoya wabo.’ (Roma 8:16) Ngokufanayo, laba baye bavivinywa ubuqotho babo lapho “izimvu” zeNkosi zibakhonza.—Mathewu 25:34-40.
19. Yimuphi umfuziselo obonakalayo phakathi kokuthuthela kwendlu kaIsrayeli eGosheni nokuqoqwa kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla?
19 Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi, lapho uFaro ehlela ukuthuthela uJakobe nendlu yakhe eGibithe, bonke “abantu” besilisa abahlala lapho babengama-70, okuyisibalo esiphindaphinda u-7 no-10. (Genesise 46:26, 27) Lezibalo ezimbili zisetshenziswa ngoku nenjongo emiBhalweni, njengoba ngokuvamile u“7” ebonisa ukuphelela kwasezulwini futhi u“10” ebonisa ukuphelela kwasemhlabeni. (IsAmbulo 1:4, 12, 16; 2:10; 17:12) Lokhu kuyafanelana nesimo namuhla, lapho singalindela khona ukuthi uJehova uzoqoqela ‘ezweni’ lakhe, ipharadesi elingokomoya esijabula kulo manje, bonke abomkhaya wakhe woFakazi. (Qhathanisa neyabase-Efesu 1:10.) “INkosi [uJehova] iyabazi abangabayo,” futhi ngisho kwamanje ibahlalisa “ezweni elihle kunalo lonke,” njengoba iGosheni lalinjalo embusweni kaFaro.—Genesise 47:5, 6; 2 Thimothewu 2:19.
20. Naphezu kwendlala engokomoya namuhla, kungani kumelwe sijabule?
20 Osukwini lukaJosefa, iminyaka yendlala yalandela iminyaka yenala. Namuhla, kwenzeka kanye kanye. Ngokuphambene nendlala engokomoya ezweni elingaphandle komusa kaJehova, kunenala yokudla okungokomoya endaweni kaJehova yokukhulekela. (Isaya 25:6-9; IsAmbulo 7:16, 17) Yebo, njengoba kunendlala yokuzwa amazwi kaJehova kweLobukholwa, njengoba uAmose abikezela, izwi likaJehova liyaphuma eJerusalema lasezulwini. Yeka indlela lokho okusenza sijabule ngayo!—Amose 8:11; Isaya 2:2, 3; 65:17, 18.
21. (a) Iliphi ilungelo elikhulu esilijabulelayo namuhla? (b) Yini okumelwe sibonge ngayo, futhi singakubonisa kanjani ukubonga kwethu?
21 Namuhla, ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaJosefa oMkhulu, uJesu Kristu, sinelungelo elikhulu lokuqoqelwa emabandleni anjengomuzi. Lapho singajabulela idili lenala yokudla okuhle okungokomoya futhi sihlwanyele izimbewu zeqiniso sisakaze nezindaba ezinhle zokuthi ukudla okungokomoya kuyatholakala. Lokhu sikwenza ngenxa yenzuzo yabo bonke abamukela izindlela namalungiselelo uMbusi oyiNkosi, u,Jehova awalungiselele ngothando. Yeka indlela esingabonga ngayo kuNkulunkulu wethu ngesipho seNdodana yakhe, uJosefa oMkhulu, okhonza njengoMphathi ohlakaniphile wokudla okungokomoya! Nguye othunywe nguJehova ukuba abe uMlondolozi wokuphila ngesikhathi sendlala engokomoya. Kwangathi ngamunye wethu angabonisa inkuthalo ekunikeleni inkonzo engcwele ngokulandela isibonelo sakhe nangaphansi kobuholi bakhe!
Uyawubona Umfuziselo?
◻ UJosefa wafana kanjani noJesu njengoMphathi Wokudla?
◻ Yini edrameni kaJosefa efana nokuba yizinceku zikaNkulunkulu ngokuzinikezela?
◻ Iyiphi imfanelo uJosefa noJesu abayi bonisa eyisibonelo kithi namuhla?
◻ Njengasosukwini lukaJosefa, yiliphi ilungiselelo elihle lokwabiwa kokudla elikhona namuhla?
◻ Ukucabangela kwethu ledrama kumelwe kusishukumisele ukwenzani?
[Izithombe ekhasini 16, 17]
Ezweni elikhugethwe yindlala engokomoya, uJosefa oMkhulu ulungiselela inala ngabo bonke abeza kuye ngokholo
Njangoba abafowabo ngamzali-munye abayishumi babonisa ukuzithoba kuJosefa, isixuku esikhulu manje siqaphela uKristu
Njengabantu abangama-70 bendlu kaJakobe, isibalo esiphelele ‘sezimvu’ zikaJehova sifika “ezweni” elihle—ipharadesi elingokomoya esilijabulelayo manje
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
UKristu uye wasibonisa umusa okhethekile isigaba sosuku lwanamuhla sikaBenjamini, sithola inala ‘yokudla ngesikhathi sakho’