Isiphetho Esizayo ‘Sencwadi Yezimpi ZikaJehova’
“Kuthiwa eNcwadini yeziMpi zikaJehova.”—NUMERI 21:14.
1, 2. Yisiphi isenzakalo sasendulo uJehova abonisa kuso abaseGibithe ukuthi unguNkulunkulu oyiqhawe, futhi wakwenza kanjani?
ABANTU banamuhla abakuqondi ngokugcwele ukuthi uNkulunkulu weBhayibheli, uJehova, uyiqhawe, indoda yempi. Leliqiniso labonakaliswa lapho ekhulula abantu bakhe bezikhathi zamandulo ekucindezelweni eGibithe. UFaro wayeshoshozelwe isitha esingabonakali salabobantu, uSathane iDeveli, ukuba azame ukubabulala. Manje, lapho eqaphela ukuthi yini eyayimlahlekela ngokuvumela amaIsrayeli ahambe, uFaro nempi yakhe bawasukela.
2 Nokho, uFaro akazange akuqonde ukuthi uNkulunkulu wamaIsrayeli angaba uNkulunkulu oyiqhawe ukuze akhulule abantu baKhe. Njengoba leyompi yaseGibithe yayithutheleka ingena emhlabathini owomile woLwandle Olubomvu ijaha ngomoya wokuziphindiselela, uNkulunkulu wamaIsrayeli asengozini wathatha isinyathelo wabaminzisa labo bagibeli bezinqola nabamahhashi, ebangela amanzi ayenqwabelene emaceleni ukuba atheleke emhubheni owawuvulekele amaIsrayeli ngokuyisimangaliso.—Eksodusi 14:14, 24-28.
3. Engomeni yawo yokunqoba, amaIsrayeli aveza uJehova ewuhlobo luni lukaNkulunkulu, kodwa iliphi iqiniso izizwe zanamuhla ezingalinaki?
3 Elondekile ogwini olusempumalanga loLwandle Olubomvu, amaIsrayeli athokozile ahlabelela ingoma yokunqoba, edumisa uMkhululi wawo wasezulwini: “Ngizakuhlabelela kuJehova, ngokuba uphakeme kakhulu; ihashi nenkweli yalo ukuphonsé elwandle. UJehova ungamandla ami nehubo lami; waba-yinsindiso kimi; unguNkulunkulu wami: ngizakumdumisa, noNkulunkulu kababa: ngizakumphakamisa. UJehova uyindoda yempi; nguJehova igama lakhe. Izinqola zikaFaro nempi yakhe ukuphonsé elwandle; izinduna zakhe ezikhethiweyo zaminza eLwandle oluBomvu.” (Eksodusi 15:1-4) Lapho oLwandle Olubomvu, uJehova waba yiqhawe elinamandla lokwenza izenzo ezingumbukwane. Izizwe zomhlaba ziye zangalinaka leliqiniso.
4, 5. Lezozizwe zakwaIsrayeli ezingu-12 ezithokozile zavela kumuphi ukhokho oyedwa, futhi lona waba ngumngane kabani ngenxa yayiphi imfanelo?
4 Umprofethi uMose, owahola ekuhlatshelelweni kwaleyongoma ephefumlelwe, wakhuluma ngoJehova ngokuthi ‘uNkulunkulu kababa.’ UmHeberu uAbrahama wayenguyisemkhulu ovelele wesizwe sakwaIsrayeli. Kwavela kuye izizwe ezingu-12 zakwaIsrayeli ngoIsaka nangoJakobe nangamadodana angu-12 kaJakobe. UAbrahama waba umkhulekeli oyisibonelo kaJehova uNkulunkulu. Wayeyindoda enokholo oluqine kangangokuthi lapho uJehova embiza ukuba ashiye ikhaya lakhe eUri lamaKhaledi, wasuka ngaphandle kokungabaza waya ezweni uJehova ayezomtshengisa lona, eqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyosigcwalisa isithembiso saKhe sokumnika lona yena nenzalo yakhe.
5 Ngenxa yokholo luka-Abrahama olumangalisayo, uJehova wathembisa ukunika uAbrahama “imbewu” noma inzalo, imindeni yonke yomhlaba, kuhlanganise nemindeni yanamuhla eyayiyozibusisa ngayo. (Genesise 12:2, 3; 22:17, 18) UAbrahama walethwa ebuhlotsheni obuseduze noNkulunkulu wakhe kangangokuthi waziwa ngokuthi “umhlobo kaNkulunkulu,” uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe ebiza lenzalamizi ethembekile ngokuthi “othandiweyo wami.”—Jakobe 2:23; Isaya 41:8.
6. Nakuba ayengumfokazi onokuthula eZweni Lesithembiso, uAbrahama waba kanjani yisilwi esithembela kuJehova?
6 Nakuba ayehambahamba njengomfokazi eZweni Lesithembiso, uAbrahama wabonisa ukuthi wayengenza njengesilwi, iqhawe. Ngesinye isikhathi amakhosi amane avela ngaphandle ahlasela iZwe Lesithembiso futhi athumba umshana ka-Abrahama uLoti nomkhaya kaLoti. UAbrahama, eshukunyiswa ubuhlobo obuqinile begazi, wahlomisa ezingu-318 zezinceku zakhe zesilisa, futhi ngosizo oluvela kubasizi bakhe abathathu, uAnere, uEshikoli noMamre, wazisukela izigcwelegcwele. Ebahlasela ngokuzuma ebusuku, uAbrahama neviyo lakhe wabehlula abahlaseli, nakuba babeyimpi enkulu kakhulu kunabo. ‘Kwabulawa amakhosi.’ (Heberu 7:1; Genesise 14:13-17) UAbrahama wasindisa uLoti nomkhaya wakhe futhi wakuthola konke okwakwebiwe.
7-9. (a) Imuphi umpristi uAbrahama amvakashela, futhi wathola siphi isibusiso? (b) UAbrahama wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayefuna ukucetshiswa uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke kuphela? (c) Njengoba kwaqinisekiswa uMelkisedeki, ubani owenza ukuba uAbrahama anqobe empini?
7 UAbrahama waqaphela ukuthi izenzo zakhe zempi zaziphumelele kuphela ngenxa yosizo lukaJehova uNkulunkulu, futhi ohambweni lwakhe eya ekhaya enqobile, wakwazi ukulivuma obala leloqiniso. Wayazi ukuthi umpristi ogunyaziwe kaNkulunkulu wakhe wayesemzini waseSalema. Ngakho waya kulowomuzi. Ingxenye yokugcina kaGenesise isahluko 14 isazisa ngalokho okwabe sekwenzeka:
8 “UMelkisedeki inkosi yaseSalema waletha isinkwa newayini; wayengumpristi kaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke. Wambusisa wathi: UAbrama makabusiswe nguNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, umdali wezulu nomhlaba. Makabongwe uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke oniké izitha zakho esandleni sakho. UAbrama wamnika okweshumi kwakho konke. Inkosi yaseSodoma yathi kuAbrama: Ngiphe abantu, uzithathele impahla. Kepha uAbrama wathi enkosini yaseSodoma: Ngiyaphakamisela isandla sami kuJehova, uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, umdali wezulu nomhlaba, ngithi angiyikuthatha umucwana nomchilo wezicathulo nokunye okwakho ukuba ungasho ukuthi: Ngimcebisile uAbrama, kuphela lokho ezikudlile izinceku, nesabelo samadoda ayehamba nami; oAnere, noEshikoli, noMamre, mabathathe isabelo sabo.”—Genesise 14:18-24.
9 Njengoba lamavesi ebonisa, uMelkisedeki, umpristi wasebukhosini wasemzini waseSalema, waqinisekisa ukukholelwa kuka-Abrahama kokuthi kwakunguNkulunkulu oPhezukonke omlwele yena nempi yakhe futhi wamenza ukuba anqobe. INkosi enguMpristi uMelkisedeki ayizange ilulaze ingxenye kaJehova kulendaba.
Incwadi Yezimpi ZikaJehova
10. Iyiphi impi yokuqala eshiwo eBhayibhelini, futhi kungani yayimane nje iyisiqalo sezimpi zikaJehova zokunqoba?
10 Incazelo ekuGenesise 14 yokuhlaselwa kweZwe Lesithembiso nokunqoba kuka-Abrahama abahlaseli abahlomile iyindawo yokuqala okukhulunywa kuyo ngempi emiBhalweni Engcwele. Kanjalo, emakhulwini eminyaka angaphezu kwamane ngaphambi kwesenzo sakhe esimangalisayo oLwandle Olubomvu, uJehova wazibonakalisa eyiqhawe, “indoda yempi.” Nokho, lokho kwakumane nje kuyisiqalo. Kwakusazolandela ukunqoba okukhulu kakhulu nokungenakuqhathaniswa, kuhlanganise nokokugcina ‘ekupheleni kwalesimiso sezinto.’—Mathewu 24:3, qhathanisa neNW.
11. Iyini ‘iNcwadi yeziMpi zikaJehova,’ kodwa yikuphi kwenye indawo lapho kukhona khona inqwaba yokulandisa ngezenzo zakhe empini?
11 Ngokwalokho okushiwo kuNumeri 21:14, kwabhalwa ‘incwadi yeziMpi zikaJehova.’ Lombhalo ogciniwe othembekile, noma umlando wezimpi zikaNkulunkulu elwela abantu bakhe, mhlawumbe waqala kulempi ayilwela uAbrahama othembekile. UMose wayazi ngalencwadi kodwa akasinikezi mininingwane eyengeziwe ngayo. Ngakho, asitshelwa ngazo zonke izindlela uJehova azibonakalisa ngazo eyiqhawe phakathi nenkathi ehlanganiswa yileyoncwadi yeziMpi zikaJehova. Nokho, kusukela kukhulunywe ngaleyoncwadi kwabhalwa ingxenye enkulu yeBhayibheli Elingcwele, futhi lena isinikeza ukulandisa okuningi kwezenzo zikaNkulunkulu ezimangalisayo zempi.
UMelkisedeki Omkhulu—Iqhawe
12. UMelkisedeki wafanekisela siphi isiKhulu sikaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, futhi iliphi iHubo elaqanjwa uDavide elibhekisele kulona njengompristi neqhawe?
12 Ngemva kokuba uAbrahama ehlule uKedorlawomere namakhosi ayehlangene naye, uMelkisedeki wambusisa. INkosi enguMpristi uMelkisedeki yafanekisela ngokwesiprofetho Lowo owayeyoba uMpristi Omkhulu kaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke neqhawe elinamandla elisekelwa uNkulunkulu oPhakeme. IHubo 110, elaqanjwa yinkosi eyiqhawe uDavide ngaphansi kokuphefumlelwa, libhekisela kulona omkhulu kunoMelkisedeki waseSalema lapho lithi: “Intonga yamandla akho uJehova uyakuyelula eseSiyoni; busa wena phakathi kwezitha zakho. UJehova ufungile engayikuguquka, wathi: Wena ungumpristi kuze kube-phakade ngendlela kaMelkisedeki. INkosi ingakwesokunene sakho; iyakuchoboza amakhosi ngosuku lwentukuthelo yayo.”—IHubo 110:2, 4, 5.
13. KumaHeberu izahluko 7 no-8, uvezwa njengowubani Lona omkhulu kunoMelkisedeki wakudala, futhi Lona wangena kuyiphi indawo ephakeme naluhlobo luni lomhlatshelo?
13 Umlobi ophefumlelwe wencwadi yamaHeberu wembula ukuthi ungubani Lona lawomazwi ayebhekiselwe kuye ngempela lapho ethi: “UJesu eyisigijimi sokusandulela wangena khona, esewaba-ngumpristi omkhulu kuze kube-phakade ngokokuma kukaMelkisedeki.” (Heberu 6:20) Esahlukweni esilandelayo sencwadi yamaHeberu, kuchazwa ubukhulu bukaMelkisedeki wakudala. Nokho, ubukhulu bakhe bobupristi budlulwa obaLowo ayemfanekisela, uJesu Kristu ovusiwe, okhazinyulisiwe, owangena endaweni engcwele lapho kukhona uJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe nenani lomhlatshelo elikhulu kakhulu kunanoma yini iNkosi enguMpristi uMelkisedeki waseSalema eyayingayinikela.—Heberu 7:1–8:2.
14. Ingabe uMelkisedeki Omkhulu uye wabagunyaza abefundisi beLobukholwa ukuba bahlanganyele ezimpini zezizwe okuthiwa ezobuKristu?
14 Umpristi wasebukhosini uMelkisedeki wabusisa iqhawe, uAbrahama onqobile. Kodwa kuthiwani ngoMelkisedeki Omkhulu, uMqalisi wobuKristu beqiniso? Abefundisi beLobukholwa bathi bamelela uJesu Kristu ngokubusisa amabutho ezizwe okuthiwa ezobuKristu nangokuwathandazela. Kodwa ingabe umPristi Omkhulu kaJehova ezulwini uye wabasekela abefundisi beLobukholwa kulokhu? Ingabe ngaleyondlela uye walamukela icala lakho konke ukuchitheka kwegazi okuye kwaqhubeka phakathi nenkathi ethiwa iNkathi YobuKristu, kuhlanganise negazi elachithwa eMpini Yezwe I neye-II? Lutho neze! Akakaze nanini agunyaze abafundi bakhe beqiniso ukuba bazenze ingxenye yalelizwe nokuba bahlanganyele ezimpini zalo ezichitha igazi.
UNkulunkulu Oyiqhawe Uzenzela Igama Elimangalisayo
15, 16. Yini uJehova azenzela yona lapho elwela abantu bakhe ukuze abakhulule eGibithe?
15 UNehemiya 9:10 ubhekisela ekukhululeni kukaJehova izizwe ezingu-12 zakwaIsrayeli eGibithe, ethi: “Wenza izibonakaliso nezimangaliso kuFaro nasezincekwini zakhe zonke, nakubo bonke abantu bezwe lakhe, ngokuba wazi ukuthi babebaqholoshela [abantwana bakwaIsrayeli], wazenzela igama, njengalokhu kunjalo nanamuhla.”—Qhathanisa noEksodusi 14:18.
16 Umprofethi uIsaya ubhekisela emfanelweni yaleligama lapho ekhuluma ngoJehova ‘njengaLowo owenza ingalo yaKhe emangalisayo ihambe ngakwesokunene sikaMose, Lowo owahlukanisa amanzi phambi kwabo ukuba azenzele igama eliphakade.’ Futhi lapho ebhekisela kuJehova, uthi: “Wahola kanjalo abantu bakho ukuba uzenzele igama elimangalisayo.” (Isaya 63:12-14) Enxusa uJehova ukuba aphinde amelele abantu bakhe, uDaniyeli wambiza ngokuthi “owakhipha abantu bakho ezweni laseGibithe ngesandla esinamandla, wazenzela igama njenganamuhla.”—Daniyeli 9:15; Jeremiya 32:20.
17. Ubani uJehova ayomthuma ukuba alwe egameni lakhe, futhi ngaleyondlela yini ayoyibonisa zonke izizwe namuhla?
17 Ngesikhathi esifanele, uJehova uNkulunkulu uyothuma uJesu Kristu, uMelkisedeki Omkhulu, njengeqhawe elinamandla. Ngaye, uJehova uyozenzela igama elidlula noma yini yasesikhathini esidlule njengoba kuchazwe encwadini yeziMpi zikaJehova noma emiBhalweni YesiHeberu yeBhayibheli Elingcwele. Esahlukweni sokugcina sencwadi yesibili ukusuka ekugcineni kwemiBhalo YesiHeberu, kubikezelwa ukuhlaselwa kweJerusalema yizizwe zonke. Khona-ke, ngokukaZakariya 14:3, “uJehova uyakuphuma, alwe nalabobezizwe njengasosukwini lwempi yakhe ngosuku lokulwa.” Ngalendlela uNkulunkulu weBhayibheli uyozibonisa zonke izizwe zanamuhla ukuthi usenguye lowoNkulunkulu oyiqhawe ayenguye ezinsukwini zikaIsrayeli wasendulo.
18, 19. Iliphi iJerusalema eliyoba isisulu sokuhlaselwa yizizwe zonke?
18 Leli ithemba elisephambi kwethu. Kodwa iliphi iJerusalema eliyohlaselwa kanjalo yizizwe zonke? Lesiprofetho asigcwalisekanga eJerusalema losuku lukaZakariya. Lowomuzi wabhujiswa amabutho aseRoma ngo-70 C.E. Nokho, iJerusalema laphinde lakhiwa, futhi namuhla libhekwa eLobukholwa nayisizwe sakwaIsrayeli esingokwenyama njengelingcwele. Ngempi yezinsuku eziyisithupha ka-1967, uIsrayeli ongokwenyama walithatha lonke iJerusalema lasemhlabeni elakhiwe kabusha. Nokho, akukho ngisho nobuncane ubufakazi bokuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu waba nengxenye ekulweni ngalesosikhathi. INkosi yakhe ebekwe esihlalweni sobukhosi, uJesu Kristu, ayibusi eJerusalema lasemhlabeni, futhi alisewona “umuzi wenkosi enkulu,” okungukuthi, kaJehova.—Mathewu 5:35.
19 Cha, lenhloko-dolobha engokomthetho yelungu leZizwe Ezihlangene elingamaJuda ayilona iJerusalema elishiwo esiprofethweni sikaZakariya. Kunalokho, uZakariya ubhekisela eJerusalema esifunda ngalo encwadini yamaHeberu. Lapho, uPawulu ukhuluma namaKristu agcotshiwe futhi uthi: “Nizé entabeni yaseSiyoni nasemzini kaNkulunkulu ophilayo, iJerusalema lasezulwini, nasezigidigidini zezingelosi.” (Heberu 12:22) LeliJerusalema lasezulwini alikhona okunye ngaphandle koMbuso kaNkulunkulu wobuMesiya, emhlabeni namuhla omelelwe iqembu elincane lamaKristu agcotshiwe anethemba lokuba ababusi kanye noJesu Kristu kulowoMbuso. Laba bayoba izisulu zokuhlaselwa okuprofethwe ngakho.
20. Imaphi amazwi iNkosi uHezekiya eyawasho kubantu bayo abasongelwayo ukuze ibaqinise, futhi oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla baziqinisa ngamazwi ayiphi iNkosi enkulu kunoHezekiya?
20 Nokho, laba kanye nesixuku esikhulu samaKristu esinethemba lasemhlabeni esiye savela kuzo zonke izizwe ukuba sihlanganyele nabo ekukhulekeleni okumsulwa abadingi ukwesaba umphumela walokhu kuhlasela. Lapho kufika amabutho asabisayo kaSaneheribi, inkosi yaseAsiriya, ezohlasela iJerusalema ngesikhathi sokubusa kweNkosi uHezekiya, amaIsrayeli asengozini anikwa umbono ozolisayo wesimo lapho iNkosi uHezekiya ithi kuwo: “Okunaye yingalo yenyama; okunathi nguJehova uNkulunkulu wethu ukuba asisize, alwe izimpi zethu.” Umphumela waba ukuthi “abantu [baziqinisa ngamazwi, NW] kaHezekiya inkosi yakwaJuda.” (2 IziKronike 32:8) OFakazi BakaJehova banamuhla, lapho besongelwa izizwe zalesimiso sezwe, bangaziqinisa ngamazwi afanayo avela enkosini enkulu kunoHezekiya, uJesu Kristu.
21. (a) Kungani amazwi kaJahaziyeli eyokhunjulwa ekuhlaselweni okuzayo kweJerusalema lasezulwini? (b) Uyoba yini umphumela wempi ezolwiwa?
21 Ngalesosikhathi, ayokhunjulwa amazwi anika ukholo kaJahaziyeli umLevi: “Akusikho okwenu ukulwa kulempi; zihleleni, nime, nibone ukunisindisa kukaJehova, nina-Juda neJerusalema; ningesabi, ningapheli amandla; phumelani kubo kusasa, ngokuba uJehova unani.” (2 IziKronike 20:17) Yebo, kuso sonke lesosikhathi esiyingozi, uJehova uyoba nabantu bakhe. Ukuphepha nokulondeka kwabo kuyoxhomeka ekubalweleni kwakhe. Futhi uyolwa, ngeNkosi yakhe eyiqhawe, uJesu Kristu! Kube namuphi umphumela? Ukubhujiswa okuphelele kwenhlangano kaDeveli ebonakalayo emhlabeni.—IsAmbulo 19:11-21.
22. (a) Sizoba yini isiphetho sokunqoba sencwadi yeziMpi zikaJehova, futhi ngalokho yini uJehova ayozenzela yona? (b) Ukunqoba kwakhe kuyoshukumisa abathandi begama likaJehova ukuba benzeni?
22 Yeka igama elimangalisayo uNkulunkulu ayozenzela lona ngokunqoba kwakhe okusabekayo ‘kulempi yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke’ eHarmagedoni! (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16) Kuyoba sengathi kunezelwa isahluko esisha encwadini yeziMpi zikaJehova. Kuyoba isiphetho sokunqoba, isiphetho esihle ngokuqondene nalesimiso sezinto. Yonke incwadi iyobonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke akakaze anqotshwe empini. Yeka ukuthi abathandi begama likaJehova bayomdumisa ngenjabulo engakanani ngemva kwalokho! Khona-ke, ngempela amazwi evesi lokugcina lencwadi yamaHubo ayofezwa ngendlela ebabazekayo: “Konke okuphefumulayo makudumise uJehova. Haleluya!”—IHubo 150:6.
Imibuzo Yokubukeza
◻ Yini abantu banamuhla abangayiqondi ngoNkulunkulu weBhayibheli, uJehova?
◻ Iyiphi impi uAbrahama ayilwa, futhi ubani owamenza ukuba anqobe?
◻ Iyini ‘iNcwadi yeziMpi zikaJehova’?
◻ Sizoba yini isiphetho ‘seNcwadi yeziMpi zikaJehova,’ futhi uyoba yini umphumela waso?