“Ukuthula KukaNkulunkulu” Makulondoloze Inhliziyo Yakho
“UJehova makaphakamise ubuso bakhe phezu kwakho, akuphe ukuthula.”—NUMERI 6:26.
1. Ngokushesha ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, yini uPawulu ayibhalela uThimothewu, eyembulani?
NGONYAKA ka-65 C.E., umphostoli uPawulu wayeyisiboshwa eRoma. Nakuba ayezofa ngokushesha ngesihluku ebulawa umbulali ongumRoma, uPawulu wayenokuthula. Lokhu kubonakala emazwini awabhalela umngane wakhe osemusha uThimothewu, lapho ethi: “Ngikulwile ukulwa okuhle, ngiqedile ibanga, ngigcinile ukukholwa; sengibekelwe umqhele wokulunga eyakungipha wona ngalolosuku iNkosi, umahluleli olungileyo.”—2 Thimothewu 4:7, 8.
2. Yini eyayilondoloze inhliziyo kaPawulu kukho konke ukuphila kwakhe okugcwele izenzakalo, kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe?
2 UPawulu wayengakhululeka kanjani kangaka lapho ebhekene nokufa? Kwakungenxa yokuthi “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula ukuqonda konke” kwakulondoloze inhliziyo yakhe. (Filipi 4:7) Khona lokhu kuthula kwakumvikele kuyo yonke iminyaka egcwele izenzakalo kusukela ekuguqukeleni kwakhe ebuKristwini kwangaphambili. Kwakumsekele ekuhlaselweni izixuku, ekuboshweni, ekushayweni nasekukhandweni ngamatshe. Kwakumqinisile njengoba ayelwa nokuhlubuka kanye namathonya okuguqulela abanye ebuJudeni. Kwamsiza futhi ukuba abambane namandla angabonakali amademoni. Ngokusobala, kwamqinisa kwaze kwaba sekugcineni.—2 Korinte 10:4, 5; 11:21-27; Efesu 6:11, 12.
3. Yimiphi imibuzo ephakanyiswayo ngokuthula kukaNkulunkulu?
3 Yeka ukuthi uPawulu wathola lokhu kuthula kungamandla amakhulu kangakanani! Ingabe thina namuhla singakwazi ukuthi kuyini? Ingabe kuyosiza ekulondolozeni izinhliziyo zethu futhi kusiqinise njengoba ‘silwa ukulwa okuhle kokukholwa’ phakathi ‘nalezikhathi ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo’?—1 Thimothewu 6:12; 2 Thimothewu 3:1, NW.
Ukuthula NoNkulunkulu—Indlela Okwalahleka Ngayo
4. Yiziphi ezinye izincazelo zegama elithi “ukuthula” eBhayibhelini?
4 EBhayibhelini igama elithi “ukuthula” linezincazelo eziningi. Nazi ezinye zazo, njengoba zihlelwe kuyiNew International Dictionary of New Testament Theology: “Kulo lonke iT[estamente] E[lidala], igama elithi [sha-lohmˈ] (ukuthula) lihlanganisa inhlala-kahle ngomqondo obanzi kakhulu waleligama (AbAhl. 19:20); ukuchuma (IHu. 73:3, NW), ngisho noma kubhekiselwa kwabangamesabi uNkulunkulu; impilo engokomzimba (Isaya 57:18[, 19]; IHu. 38:3); ukwaneliseka . . . (Gen. 15:15 njll. ); ubudlelwane obuhle phakathi kwezizwe nabantu ( . . . AbAhl. 4:17; 1 IziKr. 12:17, 18); ukusindiswa ( . . . Jer. 29:11; qhath. noJer. 14:13).” Okubaluleke kakhulu ubuhlobo obunokuthula noJehova, ngaphandle kwabo noma yikuphi okunye ukuthula, ngaphansi kwezimo ezinhle, bungobesikhashana kuphela futhi bulinganiselwe.—2 Korinte 13:11.
5. Ukuthula kwendalo kaNkulunkulu kwaphazanyiswa kanjani ekuqaleni?
5 Ekuqaleni, yonke indalo yayinokuthula okuphelele noJehova. Ngesizathu esihle, uNkulunkulu wathi yonke imisebenzi yakhe yokudala yayimihle kakhulu. Ngempela, izingelosi zasezulwini zamemeza ngokuhalalisa lapho ziyibona. (Genesise 1:31; Jobe 38:4-7) Nokho, ngokudabukisayo lokho kuthula kwendawo yonke akuzange kuhlale. Konakala lapho isidalwa somoya manje esaziwa ngokuthi uSathane siyenga isidalwa esasisanda kudalwa kunazo zonke izidalwa ezihlakaniphile zikaNkulunkulu, uEva, ukuba singamlaleli uNkulunkulu. Umyeni kaEva, uAdamu, wamlandela, futhi ngenxa yalezihlubuki ezintathu sezizonke, kwaba khona ukungezwani endaweni yonke.—Genesise 3:1-6.
6. Ukulahlekelwa ukuthula noNkulunkulu kwaphumelaphi ngesintu?
6 Ukulahleka kokuba nokuthula noNkulunkulu kwasho inhlekelele ngoAdamu noEva, manje abaqala ukuwohloka kancane kancane emzimbeni okwaphumela ekufeni kwabo. Esikhundleni sokujabulela ukuthula ePharadesi, uAdamu kwadingeka asebenze kanzima ngomhlabathi ongalungisiwe ngaphandle kwe-Edene ukuze ondle umkhaya wakhe owandayo. Kunokuba ngokwaneliseka abe umama wohlanga lwesintu oluphelele, uEva waveza inzalo engaphelele ngobuhlungu nangokuhlupheka. Ukulahleka kokuba nokuthula noNkulunkulu kwaholela emoneni nasebudloveni phakathi kwabantu. UKayini wabulala umfowabo uAbela, futhi ngesikhathi sikaZamcolo, umhlaba wonke wawugcwele ubudlova. (Genesise 3:7–4:16; 5:5; 6:11, 12) Lapho abazali bethu bokuqala befa, ngokuqinisekile abazange baye emathuneni abo banelisekile, “ngokuthula,” njengoba kwenza uAbrahama emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka kamuva.—Genesise 15:15.
7. (a) Yisiphi isiprofetho esashiwo uNkulunkulu esakhomba ekubuyiselweni kokuthula okuphelele? (b) Isitha sikaNkulunkulu uSathane saba nethonya elingakanani?
7 Ngemva kokulahlekelwa kuka-Adamu noEva ukuthula, sithola kukhulunywa ngobutha ngokokuqala ngqá eBhayibhelini. UNkulunkulu wakhuluma noSathane wathi: “Ngizakubeka ubutha phakathi kwakho nowesifazane, naphakathi [kwembewu yakho nembewu yakhe, NW]. Yona iyakuchoboza ikhanda lakho, wena uyakulimaza isithende sayo.” (Genesise 3:15) Njengoba isikhathi sasiqhubeka, ithonya likaSathane lakhula laze lafika ezingeni lokuba umphostoli uJohane athi: ‘Izwe lonke lisemandleni omubi.” (1 Johane 5:19, NW) Izwe elingaphansi kukaSathane ngokuqinisekile alinakho ukuthula noNkulunkulu. Khona-ke, ngokufanelekile umfundi uJakobe waxwayisa amaKristu: “Anazi yini ukuthi ukuthanda izwe kungubutha kuNkulunkulu na?”—Jakobe 4:4.
Babenokuthula Ezweni Elinobutha
8, 9. Ngemva kokuba uAdamu onile, abantu babengaba kanjani nokuthula noNkulunkulu?
8 Emuva e-Edene, lapho uNkulunkulu ngokokuqala ngqá ekhuluma ngegama elithi “ubutha,” wabuye wabikezela indlela ukuthula okuphelele okwakuyobuyiselwa ngayo endalweni. Imbewu ethenjisiwe yowesifazane kaNkulunkulu yayiyochoboza ikhanda lomonakalisi wokuthula wokuqala. Kusukela e-Edene kuqhubeke, labo ababonisa ukholo kulesosithembiso bajabulela ubuhlobo obunokuthula noNkulunkulu. NgoAbrahama, lokhu kwaqhubeka kwaze kwaba ubungane.—2 IziKronike 20:7; Jakobe 2:23.
9 Esikhathini sikaMose, uJehova wabenza baba yisizwe abantwana bakaIsrayeli, umzukulu ka-Abrahama. Wanikeza lesisizwe ukuthula kwakhe, njengoba kubonakala esibusisweni uAroni, umpristi omkhulu, asisho kubo: “UJehova makakubusise, akulondoloze; uJehova makakhanyise ubuso bakhe phezu kwakho, abe-nomusa kuwe; uJehova makaphakamise ubuso bakhe phezu kwakho, akuphe ukuthula.” (Numeri 6:24-26) Ukuthula kukaJehova kwakuyoletha izinzuzo ezicebile, kodwa kwanikezwa ngaphansi kombandela othile.
10, 11. KuIsrayeli, ukuthula noNkulunkulu kwakuphansi kwamuphi umbandela, futhi kwakuyophumelaphi?
10 UJehova watshela lesisizwe: “Uma nihamba ngezimiso zami, nigcine imiyalo yami, niyenze, ngiyakuninika imvula ngesikhathi sayo, izwe lithele ukudla kwalo, imithi yasendle ithele izithelo zayo. Ngiyakunika ukuthula ezweni, nilale phansi ningesatshiswa-muntu; ngiyakuqothula izilwane ezimbi ezweni, nenkemba ayiyikudabula ezweni lakini. Ngiyakuhamba phakathi kwenu, ngibe-nguNkulunkulu wenu, nibe-ngabantu bami.” (Levitikusi 26:3, 4, 6, 12) UIsrayeli wayengajabulela ukuthula ngoba wayelondekile ezitheni zakhe, enenala yezinto ezibonakalayo, futhi enobuhlobo obuseduze noJehova. Kodwa lokhu kwakuyoxhomeka ekubambeleleni kwakhe eMthethweni kaJehova.—IHubo 119:165.
11 Kuwo wonke umlando walesisizwe, lawomaIsrayeli akuzama ngokwethembeka ukugcina izimiso zikaJehova akujabulela ngempela ukuthula naye, futhi lokho ngokuvamile kwakuletha ezinye izibusiso eziningi. Phakathi neminyaka yokuqala yokubusa kweNkosi uSolomoni, ukuba nokuthula noNkulunkulu kwaletha ukuchuma ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo kanye nokuphumula ekulweni nomakhelwane bakaIsrayeli. Lichaza lesosikhathi, iBhayibheli lithi: “OJuda noIsrayeli bahlala belondekile, kwaba-yilowo nalowo phansi komvini wakhe nomkhiwane wakhe, kusukela kwaDani kuze kube-seBeri-Sheba, zonke izinsuku zikaSolomoni.” (1 AmaKhosi 4:25) Ngisho nalapho kuqubuka izimpi emazweni angomakhelwane, amaIsrayeli athembekile aqhubeka enokuthula okwakubaluleke ngempela, ukuthula noNkulunkulu. Ngakho, iNkosi uDavide, iqhawe elaziwayo, yabhala: “Ngizakucambalala ngokuthula, ngilale ubuthongo, ngokuba wena-Jehova wedwa ungihlalisa ngokulondeka.”—IHubo 4:8.
Isisekelo Esingcono Sokuthula
12. UIsrayeli ekugcineni wakulahla kanjani ukuthula noNkulunkulu?
12 Ekugcineni, iMbewu eyayizobuyisela ukuthula okuphelele yafika ingumuntu uJesu, futhi ekuzalweni kwakhe izingelosi zahlabelela: “Udumo kuNkulunkulu kweliphezulu, nokuthula emhlabeni kubantu abathokozelwa nguye.” (Luka 2:14) UJesu wavela kwaIsrayeli, kodwa naphezu kokuba ngaphansi kwesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, lesosizwe njengeqembu samenqaba futhi samnikela kumaRoma ukuba abulawe. Ngokushesha ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uJesu walikhalela iJerusalema, ethi: “Sengathi nga wazi nawe ngalolusuku okokuthula. Kepha kalokhu kufihlakele emehlweni akho.” (Luka 19:42; Johane 1:11) Ngenxa yokwenqaba uJesu, uIsrayeli walahlekelwa ukuthula kwakhe noNkulunkulu ngokuphelele.
13. Iyiphi indlela entsha uJehova ayimisela umuntu ukuba athole ngayo ukuthula naYe?
13 Nokho, izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu azizange zibhuntshiswe. UJesu wavuswa kwabafile, futhi wanikela kuNkulunkulu inani lokuphila kwakhe okuphelele njengesihlengo ngenxa yabantu abanezinhliziyo ezilungile. (Heberu 9:11-14) Umhlatshelo kaJesu waba indlela entsha nengcono ngesintu—kokubili amaIsrayeli angokwemvelo nabeZizwe—ukuba sithole ukuthula noNkulunkulu. UPawulu wathi encwadini yakhe eya kumaKristu aseRoma: “Sathola ukubuyisana noNkulunkulu ngokufa kweNdodana yakhe siseyizitha.” (Roma 5:10) Ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka, labo abenza ukuthula ngalendlela bagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele ukuze babe amadodana kaNkulunkulu okutholwa futhi babe amalungu esizwe esisha esingokomoya esithiwa “uIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu.”—Galathiya 6:16; Johane 1:12, 13; 2 Korinte 1:21, 22; 1 Petru 2:9.
14, 15. Chaza ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu, futhi uchaze ukuthi kuwavikela kanjani amaKristu ngisho nalapho eyizisulu zobutha bukaSathane.
14 LamaIsrayeli amasha angokomoya ayeyoba izisulu zobutha obuvela kuSathane nasezweni lakhe. (Johane 17:14) Nokho, ayeyoba “nokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba na-kuKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.” (2 Thimothewu 1:2) UJesu wawatshela: “Lokho ngikukhulumé kini ukuba nibe-nokuthula kimi. Ezweni niyakuba-lusizi, kepha yimani isibindi, mina ngilinqobile izwe.”—Johane 16:33.
15 Lokhu ukuthula okwasiza uPawulu namaKristu ayekanye naye ukuba bakhuthazele naphezu kwabo bonke ubunzima ababebhekene nabo. Kubonisa ubuhlobo obunokuthula nobuvumelanayo noNkulunkulu obenziwa bube nokwenzeka ngomhlatshelo kaJesu. Kunikeza lowo onakho ukuthula kwengqondo okujulile njengoba eqala ukuqaphela ukukhathalela kukaJehova. Umntwana ogonwe ezingalweni zikayise ezinothando unomuzwa ofanayo wokuthula, ukuqiniseka kokungangabazi kokuthi ubhekwe othile omnakekelayo. UPawulu wakhuthaza abaseFilipi: “Ningakhathazeki ngalutho, kepha kukho konke izicelo zenu mazaziwe nguNkulunkulu ngokukhuleka nokunxusa kanye nokubonga. Ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula ukuqonda konke kuyakulondoloza izinhliziyo zenu nemicabango yenu kuKristu Jesu.”—Filipi 4:6, 7.
16. Ukuba nokuthula noNkulunkulu kwabuthinta kanjani ubudlelwane bamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala leminyaka phakathi komunye nomunye?
16 Omunye umphumela wokulahlekelwa komuntu ukuthula noNkulunkulu waba yinzondo nokungezwani. NgamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala leminyaka, ukuthola ukuthula noNkulunkulu kwaphumela kokuphambene kakhulu nalokho: ukuthula nobunye phakathi kwawo, lokho uPawulu akubiza ngokuthi ‘isibopho sokuthula.’ (Efesu 4:3) ‘Aba-nhliziyonye, abanokuthula, futhi uNkulunkulu wothando nokuthula wayenawo.’ Ngaphezu kwalokho, ashumayela “ivangeli lokuthula” ngokuyisisekelo, elaliyizindaba ezinhle zokusindiswa ‘kwamadodana okuthula,’ labo abasabelayo ezindabeni ezinhle.—2 Korinte 13:11; IzEnzo 10:36; Luka 10:5, 6.
Isivumelwano Sokuthula
17. Yini uNkulunkulu ayenze nabantu bakhe osukwini lwethu?
17 Ingabe ukuthula okunjalo kungatholakala namuhla? Yebo, kungatholakala. Kusukela ekumisweni koMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngaphansi kukaJesu Kristu okhazinyulisiwe ngo-1914, uJehova uye wabuthela ndawonye insali kaIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu eyikhipha kulelizwe futhi enza isivumelwano sokuthula kanye nayo. Kanjalo wagcwalisa isithembiso sakhe asenza ngomprofethi uHezekeli: “Ngiyakwenza isivumelwano sokuthula nabo, sibe-yisivumelwano esiphakade nabo; ngiyakubamisa ngibandise, ngibeke indlu yami engcwele phakathi kwabo kuze kube-phakade.” (Hezekeli 37:26) UJehova wenza lesivumelwano namaKristu agcotshiwe okwathi, njengabafowabo bekhulu lokuqala leminyaka, abonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu. Ehlanziwe ekungcoleni okungokomoya, aye azinikezela kuYise wasezulwini futhi alwela ukulandela imiyalo yakhe, ngendlela ephawuleka kakhulu ngokuhola ekushunyayelweni kwezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu omisiwe okwenziwa emhlabeni wonke.—Mathewu 24:14.
18. Abanye phakathi kwezizwe baye basabela kanjani lapho beqonda ukuthi igama likaNkulunkulu likuIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu?
18 Lesiprofetho siyaqhubeka: “Itabernakele lami liyakuba-phezu kwabo; ngiyakuba-nguNkulunkulu wabo, bona babe-ngabantu bami. Izizwe ziyakwazi ukuthi mina-Jehova ngiyangcwelisa uIsrayeli.” (Hezekeli 37:27, 28) Ngokuvumelana nalokhu, amakhulu ezinkulungwane, yebo, izigidi, ezivela ‘ezizweni’ ziye zaqaphela ukuthi igama likaJehova likuIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu. (Zakariya 8:23) Zivela kuzo zonke izizwe, ziye zabuthana ukuze zikhonze uJehova kanye nalesosizwe esingokomoya, zakha “isixuku esikhulu” esabonwa kusengaphambili encwadini yesAmbulo. Njengoba ziye ‘zahlanza izingubo zazo zazenza zaba-mhlophe egazini leWundlu,’ ziyosinda osizini olukhulu zingene ezweni elisha elinokuthula.—IsAmbulo 7:9, 14.
19. Yikuphi ukuthula abantu bakaNkulunkulu abakujabulelayo namuhla?
19 Ndawonye, uIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu nesixuku esikhulu bajabulela ukuthula okungokomoya okufana nokuthula okwakujatshulelwa uIsrayeli ngaphansi kweNkosi uSolomoni. Ngabo, uMika waprofetha: “[Ba]yakukhanda izinkemba za[bo] zibe-ngamakhuba, imikhonto ya[bo] ibe-ngocelemba; isizwe asiyikuphakamisela isizwe inkemba, zingabe zisafunda ululwa. Bayakuhlala, kube-yilowo nalowo phansi komvini wakhe naphansi komkhiwane wakhe; akakho oyakubesabisa.” (Mika 4:3, 4; Isaya 2:2-4) Ngokuvumelana nalokhu, baye balahla impi nombango, ngokomfanekiso bekhanda izinkemba zabo bezenza amakhuba nemikhonto yabo beyenza ocelemba. Kanjalo, bajabulela ubuzalwane obunokuthula kuwo wonke umphakathi wabo wezizwe zonke, kungakhathaliseki ubuzwe babo, ulimi, uhlanga, noma isizinda esingokwenhlalo. Futhi bayakujabulela ukuqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova ubaqapha ngokuvikelayo. ‘Akekho obesabisayo.’ Ngempela, ‘uJehova uye wanika abantu bakhe amandla; uJehova uye wabusisa abantu bakhe ngokuthula.’—IHubo 29:11.
20, 21. (a) Kungani kumelwe sisebenzele ukulondoloza ukuthula kwethu noNkulunkulu? (b) Yini esingayisho ngemizamo kaSathane yokonakalisa ukuthula kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu?
20 Nokho, njengasekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka C.E. ukuthula kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu kuye kwabangela ubutha bukaSathane. Njengoba eye wakhishwa ezulwini ngemva kokumiswa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngo-1914, uSathane kusukela ngalesosikhathi walwa “nabasele bembewu [yowesifazane.]” (IsAmbulo 12:17, NW) Ngisho nasosukwini lwakhe, uPawulu waxwayisa: “Asibambene negazi nenyama, kodwa sibambene . . . [no]moya bobubi emkhathini.” (Efesu 6:12) Njengoba uSathane manje evalelwe emhlabeni, lesosixwayiso siyaphuthuma.
21 USathane uye wasebenzisa wonke amacebo angawasebenzisa emzamweni wakhe wokuchitha ukuthula kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu, kodwa uye wahluleka. Emuva ngo-1919, babengafinyeleli ngisho naku-10 000 abantu ababelwela ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka. Namuhla, kunabangaphezu kwezigidi ezine abanqoba izwe ngokholo lwabo. (1 Johane 5:4) Ngalaba, ukuthula noNkulunkulu nokuthula phakathi komunye nomunye kuyinto engokoqobo, ngisho nanjengoba bekhuthazelela ubutha bukaSathane nembewu yakhe. Kodwa lapho sibheka lobubutha, futhi sicabangela ukungapheleli kwethu siqu kanye ‘nezikhathi ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo’ esiphila kuzo, kumelwe sisebenze ngenkuthalo ukuze silondoloze ukuthula kwethu. (2 Thimothewu 3:1, NW) Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizobona ukuthi lokhu kuhilelani.
Ingabe Ungachaza?
Kungani umuntu ekuqaleni alahlekelwa ukuthula noNkulunkulu?
KuIsrayeli, ukuthula noNkulunkulu kwakungaphansi kwamuphi umbandela?
Ukuthula noNkulunkulu kusekelwephi namuhla?
Kuyini “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu” okulondoloza izinhliziyo zethu?
Yiziphi izibusiso ezengeziwe esizijabulelayo uma sinokuthula noNkulunkulu?