Ifa Lethu Eliyigugu—Lisho Ukuthini Kuwe?
“Wozani, nina enibusiswe nguBaba, zuzani njengefa umbuso enawulungiselelwa kusukela ekusekelweni kwezwe.”—MATHEWU 25:34.
1. Yiziphi izinto abantu abaye bazizuza njengefa?
BONKE abantu banezinto abazizuze njengefa. Kwabanye ifa lingase lihlanganise ukuphila okunethezekile. Kwabanye liwukuphila kobumpofu. Kwezinye izimo, ngenxa yalokho okwazehlela noma ezakuzwa, izizukulwane zangaphambili zadlulisela ifa lenzondo enkulu ngolunye uhlanga. Nokho, sonke sinento esifana ngayo. Sonke sazuza ifa lesono kumuntu wokuqala u-Adamu. Lelo fa ligcina liholele ekufeni.—UmShumayeli 9:2, 10; Roma 5:12.
2, 3. Yiliphi ifa uJehova ekuqaleni alenza latholakala enzalweni ka-Adamu no-Eva, futhi kungani ingalitholanga?
2 NjengoBaba wasezulwini onothando, ekuqaleni uJehova wanika isintu ifa elihluke kakhulu—ukuphila okuphelele phakade ePharadesi. Abazali bethu bokuqala, u-Adamu no-Eva, banikwa isiqalo esiphelele nesingenasono. UJehova uNkulunkulu wanika isintu iplanethi enguMhlaba njengesipho. (IHubo 115:16) Walungiselela insimu yase-Edene njengesibonelo salokho imbulunga yonke eyayingaba yikho wayesenika abazali bethu bokuqala isabelo esihle ngokumangalisayo nesithakazelisayo. Kwakufanele bazale abantwana, banakekele umhlaba nazo zonke izitshalo nezilwane zawo ezinhlobonhlobo futhi banwebele imingcele yePharadesi embulungeni yonke. (Genesise 1:28; 2:8, 9, 15) Inzalo yabo yayiyoba nesandla kulokhu. Yeka ifa elimangalisayo ababeyokwazi ukulidlulisela kuyo!
3 Nokho, ukuze bakwazi ukujabulela konke lokhu, u-Adamu no-Eva nenzalo yabo kwakuyodingeka babe nobuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu. Babekweleta uJehova uthando nokulalela, kodwa u-Adamu no-Eva behluleka ukwazisa lokho uNkulunkulu ayebanike kona baphula umyalo wakhe. Balahlekelwa yikhaya labo eliyiPharadesi namathemba amahle uNkulunkulu ayebanike wona. Ngakho-ke, babengasenakuzidlulisela enzalweni yabo lezi zinto.—Genesise 2:16, 17; 3:1-24.
4. Singalithola kanjani ifa elalahlwa u-Adamu?
4 Ngesihe, uJehova wenza ilungiselelo lokuba inzalo ka-Adamu no-Eva ibe nethuba lokuthola ifa elalahlwa u-Adamu. Kanjani? Ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esimiswe, iNdodana yakhe uqobo, uJesu Kristu, yanikela ukuphila kwayo kobuntu okuphelele ngenxa yenzalo ka-Adamu. Ngale ndlela uKristu wayithenga yonke le nzalo. Nokho, ifa ayilitholi ngokuzenzakalelayo. Kudingeka ibe nokuma okwamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu, engakuthola ngokubonisa ukholo enanini elihlawulela izono lomhlatshelo kaJesu nangokubonisa lolo kholo ngokulalela. (Johane 3:16, 36; 1 Thimothewu 2:5, 6; Heberu 2:9; 5:9) Ingabe inkambo yakho yokuphila ibonisa ukwazisa ngalelo lungiselelo?
Ifa Eladluliselwa Ngo-Abrahama
5. U-Abrahama wakubonisa kanjani ukwazisa ngobuhlobo bakhe noJehova?
5 Njengoba efeza injongo yakhe ngomhlaba, uJehova wasebenzelana ngendlela ekhethekile no-Abrahama. Wayala leyo ndoda ethembekile ukuba ishiye izwe lakubo ithuthele ezweni uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe ayezoyibonisa lona. U-Abrahama walalela ngokuzithandela. Ngemva kokuba u-Abrahama efikile kulo, uNkulunkulu wathi lelo zwe laliyozuzwa yinzalo ka-Abrahama njengefa, hhayi u-Abrahama ngokwakhe. (Genesise 12:1, 2, 7) Wasabela kanjani u-Abrahama? Wayezimisele ukukhonza uJehova nomaphi nanganoma iyiphi indlela uNkulunkulu ayemqondisa ngayo ukuze inzalo yakhe ikwazi ukuthola ifa layo. U-Abrahama wakhonza uJehova iminyaka eyikhulu ezweni elingelona elakubo, kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe. (Genesise 12:4; 25:8-10) Ingabe wena wawuyokwenza lokho? UJehova wathi u-Abrahama ‘wayengothandiweyo’ wakhe.—Isaya 41:8.
6. (a) Yini u-Abrahama ayibonisa ngokuzimisela ukwenza indodana yakhe umhlatshelo? (b) Yiliphi ifa eliyigugu u-Abrahama ayengalidlulisela enzalweni yakhe?
6 Kwase kuphele iminyaka eminingi u-Abrahama elindele indodana, u-Isaka ayemthanda kakhulu. Ngokusobala lapho umfana esekhule waba yibhungu, uJehova wayala u-Abrahama ukuba amthathe umfana ayonikela ngaye njengomhlatshelo. U-Abrahama wayengazi ukuthi wayesezobonisa lokho uNkulunkulu uqobo ayezokwenza ngokunikela ngeNdodana yakhe njengesihlengo; nokho, walalela futhi wayesezonikela ngo-Isaka njengomhlatshelo lapho ingelosi kaJehova immisa. (Genesise 22:9-14) UJehova wayeseshilo kakade ukuthi izithembiso zakhe ku-Abrahama zaziyogcwaliseka ngo-Isaka. Ngakho, ngokusobala u-Abrahama wayenokholo lokuthi uNkulunkulu wayengamvusa u-Isaka kwabafileyo uma kudingeka, nakuba into enjalo yayingakaze yenziwe ngaphambili. (Genesise 17:15-18; Heberu 11:17-19) Ngenxa yokuthi u-Abrahama akagodlanga ngisho nendodana yakhe, uJehova wathi: “Ngenzalo yakho ziyakubusiswa izizwe zonke zomhlaba.” (Genesise 22:15-18) Lokhu kwabonisa ukuthi iNzalo okwakhulunywa ngayo kuGenesise 3:15, umkhululi onguMesiya, yayiyofika ngohlu lozalo luka-Abrahama. Yeka ifa eliyigugu ayezolidlulisela phambili!
7. U-Abrahama, u-Isaka noJakobe bakubonisa kanjani ukwazisa ifa labo?
7 U-Abrahama wayengazi ukuthi kwakusho ukuthini lokho uJehova ayekwenza ngaleso sikhathi; yayingazi nendodana yakhe u-Isaka nomzukulu wakhe uJakobe, ababa “izindlalifa kanye naye zaso kanye isithembiso esifanayo.” Kodwa bonke babethembele kuJehova. Abazibandakanyanga nanoma yimiphi imibuso yemizi eyayikulelo zwe ngoba babefuna okuthile okungcono—“umuzi onezisekelo zangempela, omakhi nomenzi walowomuzi uNkulunkulu.” (Heberu 11:8-10, 13-16) Kodwa akuyona yonke inzalo ka-Abrahama eyakwazisa ukuba yigugu kwefa elatholakala ngo-Abrahama.
Abanye Abalidelela Ifa
8. U-Esawu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayengakwazisi ukuba yigugu kwefa lakhe?
8 U-Esawu, indodana ka-Isaka endala, akabazisanga ubuzibulo bakhe. Wayengazazisi izinto ezingcwele. Ngakho ngolunye usuku lapho u-Esawu elambile, wadayisela umfowabo uJakobe ubuzibulo bakhe. Ngani? Ukuze athole isidlo esisodwa sesinkwa nesitshulu sikadali! (Genesise 25:29-34; Heberu 12:14-17) Isizwe okwakuyofezeka ngaso izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu ku-Abrahama savela ozalweni lukaJakobe, ogama lakhe uNkulunkulu walishintsha laba ngu-Israyeli. Yimaphi amathuba lelo fa ngokukhethekile elasivulela wona?
9. Ngenxa yefa layo elingokomoya, yikuphi ukukhululwa okwatholwa yinzalo kaJakobe, noma u-Israyeli?
9 Phakathi nenkathi yendlala, uJakobe nomkhaya wakhe bathuthela eGibithe. Lapho, banda baba baningi kakhulu, kodwa futhi baba yizigqila. Nokho, uJehova akasikhohlwanga isivumelwano sakhe no-Abrahama. Ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esimisiwe, wabakhulula abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ebugqilini wayesebazisa ukuthi wayezobangenisa ‘ezweni elichichima ubisi nezinyosi,’ izwe ayelithembise u-Abrahama.—Eksodusi 3:7, 8; Genesise 15:18-21.
10. ENtabeni YaseSinayi, yiziphi izenzakalo ezingavamile ezenzeka mayelana nefa labantwana bakwa-Israyeli?
10 Lapho abantwana bakwa-Israyeli besendleleni eya eZweni Lesithembiso, uJehova wababuthela eNtabeni YaseSinayi. Lapho, wathi kubo: “Uma nilalela nokulalela izwi lami, nigcine isivumelwano sami, niyakuba yigugu kimi kunazo zonke izizwe, ngokuba umhlaba wonke ungowami, nibe ngumbuso wabapristi kimi, nesizwe esingcwele.” (Eksodusi 19:5, 6) Ngemva kokuba abantu bekuvume ngokuzithandela lokhu, uJehova wabe esebanika uMthetho wakhe—into ayengayenzanga kunoma yisiphi esinye isizwe.—IHubo 147:19, 20.
11. Yiziphi ezinye zezinto eziyigugu ezazihlanganisiwe efeni elingokomoya labantwana bakwa-Israyeli?
11 Yeka ifa elingokomoya leso sizwe esisha esasinalo! Sasikhulekela okuwukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso. Sasikhululwe nguye eGibithe futhi saba ofakazi bokuzibonela bezenzakalo ezesabekayo lapho sinikezwa uMthetho eNtabeni YaseSinayi. Ifa laso lacetshiswa ngokwengeziwe lapho sithola “amazwi angcwele kaNkulunkulu” engeziwe ngabaprofethi. (Roma 3:1, 2) Samiswa nguJehova ukuba sibe ofakazi bakhe. (Isaya 43:10-12) INzalo enguMesiya yayizovela kuso lesi sizwe. UMthetho wabonisa ukuthi yayiyovela esikhathini esizayo, wawuyoyiveza ukuthi ingubani futhi kwakufanele usize lesi sizwe siqaphele ukuthi sasiyidinga. (Galathiya 3:19, 24) Ngaphezu kwalokho, sasiyonikwa ithuba lokukhonza kanye naleyo Nzalo enguMesiya njengombuso wabapristi nesizwe esingcwele.—Roma 9:4, 5.
12. Nakuba angena eZweni Lesithembiso, yini ama-Israyeli angayitholanga? Ngani?
12 Ngokuvumelana nesithembiso sakhe, uJehova waholela ama-Israyeli eZweni Lesithembiso. Kodwa njengoba umphostoli uPawulu achaza kamuva, ngenxa yokuntula kwawo ukholo, lelo zwe alizange libe ‘yindawo yokuphumula’ ngempela. Njengesizwe, awangenanga “ekuphumuleni kukaNkulunkulu” ngoba ahluleka ukuqonda injongo yosuku lukaNkulunkulu lokuphumula ahluleka nokusebenza ngokuvumelana nayo. Lolu suku lwaqala ngemva kokudalwa kuka-Adamu no-Eva.—Heberu 4:3-10.
13. Yini u-Israyeli njengesizwe alahlekelwa yiyo ngenxa yokwehluleka ukwazisa ifa lakhe elingokomoya?
13 U-Israyeli wemvelo ngabe wakha inani eligcwele lalabo ababeyohlanganyela noMesiya eMbusweni wakhe wasezulwini njengombuso wabapristi nesizwe esingcwele. Kodwa akalazisanga ilungelo lakhe eliyigugu. Yidlanzana kuphela lama-Israyeli emvelo elamukela uMesiya lapho efika. Ngenxa yalokho, kwaba yinani elincane kuphela elahlanganiswa embusweni wabapristi owawubikezelwe. U-Israyeli wemvelo waphucwa uMbuso ‘wanikwa isizwe esithela izithelo zawo.’ (Mathewu 21:43) Yisiphi leso sizwe?
Ifa Emazulwini
14, 15. (a) Ngemva kokufa kukaJesu, izizwe zaqala kanjani ukubusiswa ‘ngenzalo’ ka-Abrahama? (b) Amalungu ‘ka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu’ azuzani njengefa?
14 Isizwe esanikwa uMbuso ‘ngu-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu,’ u-Israyeli ongokomoya, owakhiwa abalandeli bakaJesu Kristu abangu-144 000 abazelwe ngomoya. (Galathiya 6:16; IsAmbulo 5:9, 10; 14:1-3) Abanye balabo abangu-144 000 babengamaJuda emvelo, kodwa iningi labo lalivela kwabeZizwe. Ngaleyo ndlela isithembiso sikaJehova ku-Abrahama, sokuthi ‘ngenzalo’ yakhe zonke izizwe zaziyobusiswa, saqala ukugcwaliseka. (IzEnzo 3:25, 26; Galathiya 3:8, 9) Kulokho kugcwaliseka kokuqala, abantu bezizwe bagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele futhi bamukelwa nguJehova uNkulunkulu njengamadodana angokomoya, abafowabo bakaJesu Kristu. Kanjalo, nabo baba yingxenye yesibili yaleyo “nzalo.”—Galathiya 3:28, 29.
15 Ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uJesu wethula kulabo ababeyoba amalungu angamaJuda aleso sizwe esisha isivumelwano esisha, esasiyosebenza ngegazi lakhe siqu. Ngesisekelo sokholo lwabo kulowo mhlatshelo oqinisayo, labo abangeniswa kuleso sivumelwano babeyokwenziwa ‘baphelele ngokungapheliyo.’ (Heberu 10:14-18) ‘Kwakungathiwa balungile’ futhi bathethelelwe izono zabo. (1 Korinte 6:11) Ngakho, ngalowo mqondo banjengoba u-Adamu ayenjalo ngaphambi kokuba one. Nokho, laba ngeke baphile epharadesi lasemhlabeni. UJesu wayeyobalungisela indawo ezulwini. (Johane 14:2, 3) Badela amathemba abo asemhlabeni ukuze babe ‘nefa eligcinelwe bona ezulwini.’ (1 Petru 1:4) Benzani khona? UJesu wachaza: “ngenza isivumelwano nani . . . sombuso.”—Luka 22:29.
16. Yisiphi isabelo senkonzo esihle ngokumangalisayo esilinde amaKristu agcotshiwe?
16 Phakathi kwezinye izinto abayozenza besemazulwini, labo abayobusa noKristu bayosiza ekususeni yonke iminonjana yokuvukela ubukhosi bukaJehova emhlabeni. (IsAmbulo 2:26, 27) Njengengxenye yesibili yenzalo ka-Abrahama engokomoya, bayohlanganyela ekuletheleni abantu bazo zonke izizwe isibusiso sokuphila okuphelele. (Roma 8:17-21) Yeka ifa eliyigugu abanalo!—Efesu 1:16-18.
17. AmaKristu agcotshiwe ajabulela ziphi izici zefa lapho esesemhlabeni?
17 Kodwa ifa labalandeli bakaJesu abagcotshiwe alilona lonke elesikhathi esizayo. UJesu wabasiza ukuba bazi uJehova, owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, ngendlela okungekho muntu owayengakwenza ngayo. (Mathewu 11:27; Johane 17:3, 26) Ngezwi nangesibonelo, wabafundisa lokho okushiwo ‘ukwethembela kuJehova’ nokuthi kuhilelani ukulalela uJehova. (Heberu 2:13; 5:7-9) UJesu wabanika ulwazi lweqiniso mayelana nenjongo kaNkulunkulu futhi wabaqinisekisa ukuthi umoya ongcwele wawuyobaholela ekubeni bayiqonde ngokugcwele nangokwengeziwe. (Johane 14:24-26) Wagcizelela ezingqondweni nasezinhliziyweni zabo ukubaluleka koMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 6:10, 33) UJesu wabanika nesabelo sokufakaza nokwenza abantu babe abafundi eJerusalema, eJudiya, eSamariya nasezindaweni eziqhele kakhulu zomhlaba.—Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20; IzEnzo 1:8.
Ifa Eliyigugu Lesixuku Esikhulu
18. Isithembiso sikaJehova sokuthi zonke izizwe ziyobusiswa “ngenzalo” ka-Abrahama sigcwaliseka kanjani namuhla?
18 Cishe inani eligcwele lika-Israyeli ongokomoya, lowo “mhlambi omncane” wezindlalifa zoMbuso, selikhethiwe. (Luka 12:32) Sekungamashumi eminyaka manje uJehova eqondisa ukunaka ekubuthweni kwesixuku esikhulu sabanye abavela kuzo zonke izizwe. Kanjalo, isithembiso sikaJehova ku-Abrahama sokuthi zonke izizwe zaziyobusiswa “ngenzalo” yakhe sigcwaliseka ngezinga elikhulu. Ngenjabulo, laba ababusisiwe nabo banikela inkonzo engcwele kuJehova futhi bayaqaphela ukuthi insindiso yabo ixhomeke okholweni lwabo eWundlwini likaNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 10) Ingabe uye wasamukela isimemo somusa sikaJehova sokuba yingxenye yalelo qembu elijabulayo?
19. Yiliphi ifa ababheke kulo labo bezizwe ababusiswayo manje?
19 Yiliphi ifa eliyigugu uJehova alinika labo abangebona abomhlambi omncane? Cha, akulona ifa emazulwini. Yifa u-Adamu ayengase alidlulisele enzalweni yakhe—ithemba lokuphila okuphelele phakade epharadesi eliyogubuzela imbulunga yonke kancane kancane. Kuyoba umhlaba lapho ‘ukufa kungeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu kungeke kusaba khona.’ (IsAmbulo 21:4) Lisho kuwe-ke iZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelwe ukuthi: “Themba kuJehova, wenze okulungileyo; hlala ezweni, uzondle ngokukholeka; zithokozise ngoJehova, yikhona ezakukunika okufiswa yinhliziyo yakho. Kusengumzuzwana, omubi angabe esabakho . . . Kepha abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu. Abalungileyo bazakudla ifa lomhlaba, bahlale kuwo njalonjalo.”—IHubo 37:3, 4, 10, 11, 29.
20. “Ezinye izimvu” ziyijabulela kanjani ingxenye enkulu yefa lamaKristu agcotshiwe?
20 “Ezinye izimvu” zikaJesu zinefa endaweni esemhlabeni yoMbuso wasezulwini. (Johane 10:16a) Nakuba zingeke zibe semazulwini, ingxenye enkulu yefa elingokomoya elijatshulelwa abagcotshiweyo idluliselwa kubo. Ezinye izimvu ziye zavulelwa ithuba lokuqonda izithembiso eziyigugu eziseZwini likaNkulunkulu ngendikimba yabagcotshiweyo iyonke, “isigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo.” (Mathewu 24:45-47; 25:34) Abagcotshiweyo nezinye izimvu bazi futhi bakhulekele ndawonye okuwukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova. (Johane 17:20, 21) Babonga uNkulunkulu ndawonye ngenani elihlawulela izono lomhlatshelo kaJesu. Bakhonza ndawonye njengomhlambi owodwa ngaphansi kukaMalusi oyedwa, uJesu Kristu. (Johane 10:16b) Bonke bayingxenye yobuzalwane obubodwa obunothando bomhlaba wonke. Bahlanganyela ilungelo lokuba oFakazi BakaJehova naboMbuso wakhe. Yebo, uma uyinceku kaJehova ezinikezele yabhapathizwa, konke lokhu kuhlanganisiwe efeni lakho elingokomoya.
21, 22. Singabonisa kanjani sonke ukuthi siyalazisa ifa lethu elingokomoya?
21 Liyigugu kangakanani kuwe leli fa elingokomoya? Ingabe ulazisa ngokwanele ukuba wenze ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu kube yinto ebaluleke kunazo zonke ekuphileni kwakho? Njengobufakazi balokho, uyasilalela yini iseluleko seZwi lakhe nenhlangano yakhe sokuba khona njalo kuyo yonke imihlangano yebandla lobuKristu? (Heberu 10:24, 25) Ingabe lelo fa liyigugu kuwe kangangokuthi uyaqhubeka ukhonza uNkulunkulu naphezu kobunzima? Ingabe ukulazisa kwakho kunamandla ngokwanele ukuba kukuqinisele ukumelana nanoma yiziphi izilingo zokuphishekela inkambo engase ikulahlekisele lona?
22 Kwangathi sonke singalazisa ifa elingokomoya uNkulunkulu asinike lona. Njengoba sigcina amehlo ethu egxilile ePharadesi elizayo, masihlanganyele ngokugcwele emalungelweni angokomoya uJehova asinika wona manje. Ngokugxilisa ukuphila kwethu ngempela ebuhlotsheni bethu noJehova, singanikeza ubufakazi obukholisayo bendlela eliyigugu ngayo ngempela kithi ifa lethu esilinikwe nguNkulunkulu. Kwangathi singaba phakathi kwalabo abathi: “Ngiyakukuphakamisa wena Nkulunkulu wami, Nkosi, ngilituse igama lakho phakade naphakade.”—IHubo 145:1.
Ungachaza Kanjani?
• Ukube u-Adamu wayethembekile kuNkulunkulu, yiliphi ifa ayeyolidlulisela kithi?
• Inzalo ka-Abrahama yaliphatha kanjani ifa elaliphambi kwayo?
• Yini ehlanganisiwe efeni labalandeli bakaKristu abagcotshiwe?
• Liyini ifa lesixuku esikhulu, futhi singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyalazisa ngempela?
[Izithombe ekhasini 20]
Inzalo ka-Abrahama yathola isithembiso sefa eliyigugu
[Izithombe ekhasini 23]
Ingabe uyalazisa ifa lakho elingokomoya?