Ukuphila Ngokholo Ezithembisweni ZikaNkulunkulu
“NginguNkulunkulu, akakho onjengami, engimemezela ngaphambili okuyakuza, nasendulo izinto ezingakenziwa.”—ISAYA 46:9, 10.
1, 2. Yimiphi eminye yemibono ehlukahlukene ngokuhileleka kukaNkulunkulu ezindabeni zasemhlabeni?
UNKULUNKULU uhileleke kangakanani ezindabeni zasemhlabeni? Imibono iyahlukahluka. Omunye uthi akahilelekile nhlobo. Ngemva kokusidala, akabange esazimisela noma esakwazi ukuthatha isinyathelo esithile sokusisiza. Ngokwalo mbono, uNkulunkulu ufana nobaba ogibelisa indodana yakhe ebhayisekilini elisha, alimise kahle, abese elidudula kancane njengoba indodana yakhe yehla ngomgwaqo. Ngemva kwalokho, ubaba uyazihambela. Umfana useyedwa; angase awe noma angawi. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani, le ndaba ayisahlangene nobaba.
2 Omunye umbono uthi uNkulunkulu uqondisa zonke izici zokuphila kwethu ngenkuthalo nokuthi uhileleke ngokuqondile kukho konke okwenzeka kuyo yonke indalo yakhe. Nokho, uma kunjalo, abanye bangaphetha ngokuthi uNkulunkulu akabangeli izinto ezinhle kuphela ezenzekayo kodwa nobugebengu nezinhlekelele ezikhathaza isintu. Ukwazi iqiniso ngokusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu nathi kuzosisiza sazi ukuthi yini okumelwe siyilindele kuye. Kuzoqinisa nokholo lwethu ekutheni izithembiso zakhe zizogcwaliseka nakanjani.—Heberu 11:1.
3. (a) Sazi kanjani ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu wenjongo? (b) Kungani kuthiwa uJehova ‘wenza’ noma alolonge injongo yakhe?
3 Okusemqoka kule ndaba yokuhileleka kukaNkulunkulu ezindabeni zesintu yiqiniso lokuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu wenjongo. Lokho kubonakala ngokucacile egameni lakhe. Elithi “Jehova” lisho ukuthi “Ubangela Ukuba Kube Khona.” Ngesenzo esiqhubekayo, uJehova uzenza uMgcwalisi wezithembiso zakhe zonke. Ngenxa yalokho, kuthiwa uJehova ‘wenza,’ noma alolonge, injongo yakhe ephathelene nezenzakalo nezenzo zesikhathi esizayo. (2 AmaKhosi 19:25; Isaya 46:11, NW) La magama avela egameni lesiHeberu elithi ya·tsarʹ, elihlobene negama elisho “umbumbi.” (Jeremiya 18:4) Njengoba umbumbi oyiciko engalolonga isigaxa sobumba sibe ivazi enhle, noJehova angalolonga, noma aqondise izinto, ukuze afeze intando yakhe.—Efesu 1:11.
4. UNkulunkulu wawulungisa kanjani umhlaba ukuze abantu bahlale kuwo?
4 Ngokwesibonelo, uNkulunkulu wayejonge ukuba umhlaba ube indawo enhle kakhulu ehlala abantu abaphelele nabalalelayo. (Isaya 45:18) Kusasele isikhathi adale indoda nowesifazane wokuqala, uJehova wabenzela amalungiselelo othando. Izahluko zokuqala zencwadi kaGenesise zichaza indlela uJehova amisa ngayo imini nobusuku, izwe nolwandle. Wabe esedala uhlaza nezilwane. Lokhu kulungiswa komhlaba ukuze uhlalwe abantu, kwathatha izinkulungwane eziningi zeminyaka. Lo msebenzi waphothulwa ngempumelelo. Indoda nowesifazane wokuqala baqala ukuphila e-Edene, ipharadesi elijabulisayo elalinakho konke ukuze bajabulele ukuphila. (Genesise 1:31) Ngakho uJehova wayehileleke ngokuqondile ezindabeni zasemhlabeni, imisebenzi yakhe eyilolonga ngokuqhubekayo ukuze ifeze injongo yakhe ephakeme. Ingabe ukwanda komkhaya wesintu kwayishintsha indlela ayehileleke ngayo?
UJehova Ubeka Imingcele Ekusebenzelaneni Kwakhe Nabantu
5, 6. Kungani uNkulunkulu ebeka imingcele ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe nabantu?
5 Nakuba enamandla okwenza kanjalo, uJehova akalawuli noma aqondise zonke izinto ezenziwa abantu. Kunezizathu zalokhu. Esinye siwukuthi abantu badalwa ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu, beyizidalwa ezinenkululeko yokuzikhethela. UJehova akasiphoqi ukuba senze akufunayo; futhi asibona opopayi. (Duteronomi 30:19, 20; Joshuwa 24:15) Nakuba esenza silandise ngezenzo zethu, ngothando, uNkulunkulu uye wasinikeza inkululeko enkulu ukuze sizinqumele ukuthi siyokuphila kanjani ukuphila kwethu.—Roma 14:12; Heberu 4:13.
6 Esinye isizathu esenza uNkulunkulu angalawuli yonke into eyenzekayo sihlobene nempikiswano eyaphakanyiswa uSathane e-Edene. USathane wabubekela inselele ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu. Wavulela u-Eva lokho okwabonakala kuyithuba lokuzibusa—ithuba yena nomyeni wakhe, u-Adamu, abalamukela. (Genesise 3:1-6) Esabela kulokho, uNkulunkulu uye wavumela abantu ukuba bazibuse isikhathi esithile ukuze bafakazele ukuthi inselele kaSathane yayifaneleka yini. Ngakho, akunakusolwa uNkulunkulu ngezinto ezingalungile abantu abazenzayo namuhla. UMose wabhala ngabantu abahlubukayo: “Bonile kuye; abasibo abantwana [bakaNkulunkulu], kuyisici sabo.”—Duteronomi 32:5.
7. Iyini injongo kaJehova ngomhlaba nesintu?
7 Nokho, nakuba evumela ukuzikhethela nokuzibusa, uJehova akayeki ukungenela ezindabeni zasemhlabeni, obekungasishiya singenathemba lokuthi uyozigcwalisa izithembiso zakhe. Nakuba u-Adamu no-Eva bavukela ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu, uJehova akazange ayishintshe injongo yakhe yothando ngomhlaba nesintu. Nakanjani uyowuguqula umhlaba ube ipharadesi okuyohlala kulo abantu abaphelele, abalalelayo nabajabulayo. (Luka 23:42, 43) Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kusuka kuGenesise kuya kusAmbulo, kuchaza indlela uJehova abelokhu esebenza ngayo ukuze afeze leyo njongo.
UNkulunkulu Uthatha Isinyathelo Ukuze Afeze Intando Yakhe
8. Yini eyayihilelekile ekuyiseni ama-Israyeli eZweni Lesithembiso?
8 Ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe nesizwe sakwa-Israyeli, uNkulunkulu wabonisa ukuthi uyoyifeza injongo yakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova waqinisekisa uMose ukuthi wayeyokhulula ama-Israyeli eGibithe awayise eZweni Lesithembiso, izwe elichichima ubisi nezinyosi. (Eksodusi 3:8) Lesi kwakuyisimemezelo esibalulekile nesiqinisa idolo. Sasizohilela ukukhulula lawo ma-Israyeli—ayecela ezigidini ezintathu esehlangene nababehamba nawo—esizweni esinamandla esasingafuni nakuzwa ngokuhamba kwawo. (Eksodusi 3:19) Ezweni ayeyiswa kulo kwakuhlala izizwe ezinamandla ezazingeke zifune nakuzwa ngokufika kwawo. (Duteronomi 7:1) Phakathi nendawo kwakunehlane lapho ama-Israyeli ayezodinga khona ukudla namanzi. Lesi kwakuyisimo esenza uJehova wabonisa amandla akhe amakhulu nokuba kwakhe uNkulunkulu.—Levitikusi 25:38.
9, 10. (a) Kungani uJoshuwa akwazi ukufakazela ukuthi izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu zinokwethenjelwa? (b) Kubaluleke kangakanani ukuqiniseka ngokuthi uNkulunkulu uyakwazi ukuvuza abakholekileyo bakhe?
9 Ngezenzo zamandla eziningi, uNkulunkulu wahola ama-Israyeli aphuma eGibithe. Esokuqala, walethela isizwe saseGibithe izinhlupho eziyishumi ezibhubhisayo. Wabe esehlukanisa uLwandle Olubomvu, okwenza ama-Israyeli akwazi ukubaleka, kwathi ibutho laseGibithe elaliwaxosha lafa. (IHubo 78:12, 13, 43-51) Ngemva kwalokho, wanakekela ama-Israyeli phakathi neminyaka engu-40 esehlane, wawondla ngemana, wawanika amanzi, waze waqikelela nokuthi izingubo zawo azigugi nezinyawo zawo azivuvukali. (Duteronomi 8:3, 4) Ngemva kokuba ama-Israyeli engenile eZweni Lesithembiso, uJehova wawahola azinqoba izitha zawo. UJoshuwa, owayenokholo oluqinile ezithembisweni zikaJehova, wazibonela ngawakhe zonke lezi zinto. Ngakho, wayengasho eqiniseka emadodeni amadala osuku lwakhe: “Niyazi ezinhliziyweni zenu zonke nasemiphefumulweni yenu yonke ukuthi akuphuthanga nento eyodwa kuzo zonke izinto ezinhle azikhuluma uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ngani; kwenziwa konke kini, akuphuthanga nento eyodwa kukho.”—Joshuwa 23:14.
10 NjengoJoshuwa wasendulo, amaKristu namuhla aqiniseka ngokuphelele ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzimisele futhi uyakwazi ukuthatha isinyathelo sokusiza labo abamkhonzayo. Lokhu kuqiniseka kuyingxenye ebalulekile yokholo lwethu. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ngaphandle kokholo akwenzeki ukumjabulisa kahle ngoba lowo osondela kuNkulunkulu kumelwe akholelwe ukuthi . . . uba umvuzi walabo abamfuna ngobuqotho.”—Heberu 11:6.
UNkulunkulu Ubona Ikusasa Kusengaphambili
11. Yiziphi izici ezenza uNkulunkulu akwazi ukugcwalisa izithembiso zakhe?
11 Sesibonile ukuthi nakuba uNkulunkulu evumela inkululeko yokuzikhethela nokuzibusa kwabantu, unamandla nesifiso sokuthatha isinyathelo ukuze afeze injongo yakhe. Nokho, kunesinye isici esiqinisekisa ukuthi izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu ziyogcwaliseka. UJehova angalibona kusengaphambili ikusasa. (Isaya 42:9) Ngomprofethi wakhe, uNkulunkulu wathi: “Khumbulani izinto zakuqala zamandulo, ngokuba nginguNkulunkulu, akakho omunye, yebo, nginguNkulunkulu, akakho onjengami, engimemezela ngaphambili okuyakuza, nasendulo izinto ezingakenziwa, ngokuthi: Icebo lami liyakuma, ngiyakwenza yonke intando yami.” (Isaya 46:9, 10) Umlimi ongumakad’ ebona uyazi ukuthi kumelwe atshale nini futhi kuphi, kodwa kusengenzeka kube nokungaqiniseki ngokuthi izinto ziyohamba kanjani. Nokho, “iNkosi yaphakade” inolwazi olunembile lokubona kahle kusengaphambili ukuthi kufanele isithathe nini futhi kuphi isinyathelo ukuze ifeze injongo yayo.—1 Thimothewu 1:17.
12. UJehova wakusebenzisa ngandlelani ukwazi kwakhe kusengaphambili ezinsukwini zikaNowa?
12 Cabangela indlela uNkulunkulu akusebenzisa ngayo ukwazi kwakhe kusengaphambili ezinsukwini zikaNowa. Ngenxa yobubi obabusakazekile bugcwele umhlaba, uNkulunkulu wanquma ukusiqeda isintu esingalaleli. Wabeka isikhathi ayezokwenza ngaso lokhu, wayezokwenza ngemva kweminyaka engu-120. (Genesise 6:3) Ngesikhathi ebeka leyo nkathi eqondile, uJehova akacabangelanga ukubhujiswa kwababi kuphela, into ayengayenza noma nini. Uhlelo lukaJehova lwesikhathi lwahlanganisa nokulondolozwa kwabalungileyo. (Qhathanisa noGenesise 5:29.) Ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe, uNkulunkulu wayazi kusengaphambili ukuthi wayezowukhipha nini umsebenzi owawuzoholela kuleso siphetho. Wanika uNowa ukwaziswa okunemininingwane eyayidingeka. UNowa wayezokwakha umkhumbi “wokusindisa indlu yakhe,” futhi ababi babezobhujiswa ngozamcolo wembulunga yonke.—Heberu 11:7; Genesise 6:13, 14, 18, 19.
Umsebenzi Omkhulu Kakhulu Wokwakha
13, 14. Kungani ukwakha umkhumbi kwakuyisabelo esiyinselele?
13 Cabangela lesi sabelo ngokombono kaNowa. Ngenxa yokuthi uNowa wayengumuntu kaNkulunkulu, wayazi ukuthi uJehova angababhubhisa abangamesabi uNkulunkulu. Kodwa, kungakenzeki lokho, kwakunomsebenzi okwakumelwe wenziwe—umsebenzi owawudinga ukholo. Ukwakhiwa komkhumbi kwakuzoba umsebenzi omkhulu kakhulu. UNkulunkulu wayeshilo ukuthi wawuzoba mkhulu kangakanani umkhumbi. Wawuzoba mkhulu kunezinye izinkundla zemidlalo zesimanje futhi uphakame kangangesakhiwo esinezitezi ezinhlanu. (Genesise 6:15) Abakhi babezobe bengenakho okuhlangenwe nakho futhi bembalwa. Babezobe bengenawo amathuluzi aphambili nemishini ekhona namuhla. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba ayengenalo ikhono likaJehova lokwazi ikusasa kusengaphambili, yayingekho indlela yokuba uNowa azi izimo ezaziyovela eminyakeni elandelayo ezazingase zisize noma zithiye umsebenzi wokwakha. Cishe uNowa wacabanga imibuzo eminingi. Zazizotholakala kanjani izinto zokwakha? Izilwane wayezoziqoqa kanjani? Luhlobo luni lokudla olwaluzodingeka futhi kube kungakanani? Wawuzofika nini ngempela lo Zamcolo owawubikezelwe?
14 Kwakukhona nezinkinga zezenhlalo. Ububi babuthe bhé. AmaNefili anamandla—inzalo exubile yezingelosi ezimbi nabesifazane—yagcwalisa umhlaba ngobudlova. (Genesise 6:1-4, 13) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukwakha umkhumbi kwakungeke kube umsebenzi owawungenziwa ngasese. Abantu babezobuza ukuthi uNowa wenzani, futhi wayezobatshela. (2 Petru 2:5) Ingabe kwakufanele kulindeleke ukuba bakushayele izandla? Lutho! Eminyakeni ethile ngaphambili, u-Enoke othembekile wayememezele ukubhujiswa kwababi. Isigijimi sakhe asithandekanga kangangokuba uNkulunkulu “wamthabatha,” noma wanqamula ukuphila kwakhe, cishe ukuze avimbele izitha zaKhe zingambulali. (Genesise 5:24; Heberu 11:5; Jude 14, 15) UNowa kwakungadingeki nje amemezele isigijimi esingathandwa ngokufanayo kodwa kwakumelwe akhe nomkhumbi. Njengoba lowo mkhumbi wawakhiwa, wawuyoba isikhumbuzo esinamandla sokukholeka kukaNowa phakathi kwabantu ababi besikhathi sakhe!
15. Kungani uNowa ayeqiniseka ukuthi angawenza umsebenzi ayewabelwe?
15 UNowa wayazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke wayewusekela futhi ewubusisa lo msebenzi. Wawungavelanga yini kuJehova ngokwakhe lo msebenzi? UJehova wayeqinisekise uNowa ukuthi yena nomkhaya wakhe babeyongena emkhunjini oqediwe futhi balondolozwe bephila eSikhukhuleni sembulunga yonke. UNkulunkulu waze wagcizelela nokuthi lokho kwakuzokwenzeka nakanjani ngokwenza isivumelwano. (Genesise 6:18, 19) Cishe uNowa waqaphela ukuthi uJehova wayekucabangele futhi wakuhlola konke okwakuhilelekile ngaphambi kokumabela lo msebenzi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uNowa wayazi ukuthi uJehova unawo amandla okungenela ukuze amsize lapho kudingeka. Ngakho ukholo lukaNowa lwamshukumisela esenzweni. Njengenzalo yakhe u-Abrahama, uNowa “wayeqiniseka ngokugcwele ukuthi lokho [uNkulunkulu] ayekuthembisile uyakwazi futhi nokukwenza.”—Roma 4:21.
16. Njengoba ukwakhiwa komkhumbi kwakuqhubeka, ukholo lukaNowa lwaqiniswa kanjani?
16 Njengoba iminyaka yayidlula nomkhumbi uqhubeka wakhiwa, ukholo lukaNowa lwaqina. Zaxazululwa izinkinga zokwakha nezokuhlela. Ubunzima banqotshwa. Akukho kuphikisa okwakungavimba lo msebenzi. Umkhaya kaNowa wathola ukusekela nesivikelo sikaJehova. Njengoba uNowa ayeqhubekela phambili, ‘isimo esivivinyiwe sokholo lwakhe saveza ukukhuthazela.’ (Jakobe 1:2-4) Ekugcineni, umkhumbi waphela, uZamcolo wafika, futhi uNowa nomkhaya wakhe basinda. UNowa wabona ukugcwaliseka kwezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu, njengoba noJoshuwa akubona kamuva. Ukholo lukaNowa lwavuzwa.
UJehova Uyawusekela Umsebenzi
17. Isikhathi sethu sifana ngaziphi izindlela nezinsuku zikaNowa?
17 UJesu wabikezela ukuthi usuku lwethu lwaluyofana nezinsuku zikaNowa. UNkulunkulu uphinde wanquma ukubhubhisa ababi futhi ubeke isikhathi okuzokwenzeka ngaso lokhu. (Mathewu 24:36-39) Uye walungiselela nokulondolozwa kwabalungileyo. Njengoba uNowa kwakumelwe akhe umkhumbi, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla kumelwe zimemezele izinjongo zikaJehova, zifundise iZwi lakhe futhi zenze abafundi.—Mathewu 28:19.
18, 19. Sazi kanjani ukuthi uJehova uyakusekela ukushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle?
18 Ukube uJehova wayengeve enoNowa ukuze amsekele futhi amqinise, wawungeke wakhiwe umkhumbi. (Qhathanisa neHubo 127:1.) Ngokufanayo, ngaphandle kokusekela kukaJehova, ubuKristu beqiniso cishe bebungeke businde, ingasaphathwa eyokuchuma. Wakuqaphela lokhu uGamaliyeli, umFarisi ohlonishwayo nomfundisi woMthetho, ngekhulu lokuqala. Lapho iSanhedrini yamaJuda ifuna ukuqeda abaphostoli, waxwayisa leyo nkantolo: “Ningabaphazamisi lababantu, kodwa bayekeni; (ngoba, uma leliqhinga noma lomsebenzi uvela kubantu, uyogumbuqelwa; kodwa uma uvela kuNkulunkulu, ngeke nikwazi ukubagumbuqela.)”—IzEnzo 5:38, 39.
19 Ukuphumelela komsebenzi wokushumayela, kokubili ekhulwini lokuqala nanamuhla, kuye kwafakazela ukuthi lo msebenzi awuveli kubantu, kodwa kuNkulunkulu. Isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngezinye zezimo nezenzakalo ezimnandi eziye zasiza ekwenzeni lo msebenzi waphumelela ngezinga elikhulu kangaka.
Ungalokothi Uyeke!
20. Obani abasisekelayo lapho sishumayela izindaba ezinhle?
20 Nakuba siphila ‘ezikhathini ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo,’ singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uphethe izintambo ngokuphelele. Uyabasekela futhi abaqinise abantu bakhe njengoba besebenzela ukuba baqede ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle ngaphambi kokufika kwesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esimisiwe sokuqeda lesi simiso esibi sezinto. (2 Thimothewu 3:1; Mathewu 24:14) UJehova usimema ukuba sibe “yizisebenzi ezikanye” naye. (1 Korinte 3:9) Siqinisekiswa nangokuthi uKristu Jesu unathi kulo msebenzi nokuthi singathembela ekusekeleni nasekuqondiseni kwezingelosi.—Mathewu 28:20; IsAmbulo 14:6.
21. Iyiphi inkolelo okungafanele nhlobo siyiyeke?
21 Ngenxa yokuthi uNowa nomkhaya wakhe babonisa ukholo ezithembisweni zikaJehova, basindiswa esikhukhuleni samanzi. Labo ababonisa ukholo olufanayo namuhla bayosindiswa badlule “osizini olukhulu” oluzayo. (IsAmbulo 7:14) Siphila ezikhathini ezivusa amadlingozi ngempela. Kunezenzakalo ezibalulekile ezisazokwenzeka! Maduze nje, uNkulunkulu uzothatha isinyathelo sokuletha amazulu amasha akhazimulayo nomhlaba omusha okuzohlala kuwo ukulunga. (2 Petru 3:13) Ungalokothi nhlobo uyiyeke inkolelo yakho yokuthi noma yini uNkulunkulu ayishoyo, uyakwazi nokuyenza.—Roma 4:21.
Amaphuzu Okukhunjulwa
◻ Kungani uJehova engalawuli zonke izici zemisebenzi eyenziwa umuntu?
◻ Ikhono likaJehova lokufeza injongo yakhe labonakala kanjani ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe no-Israyeli?
◻ Ikhono likaJehova lokubona ikusasa labonakaliswa kanjani osukwini lukaNowa?
◻ Sengathi singaba nayiphi inkolelo ngezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu?