UJehova—Lowo Onobungqabavu Ngamandla
“Ngenxa yobuningi bamandla ashukumisayo, kwazise futhi unobungqabavu ngamandla, ayikho neyodwa kuzo entulekayo.”—ISAYA 40:26, NW.
1, 2. (a) Yimuphi umthombo wamandla ongokoqobo esithembele kuwo sonke? (b) Chaza ukuthi kungani uJehova enguMthombo oyinhloko wawo wonke amandla.
AMANDLA yinto iningi lethu eliyithatha kalula. Ngokwesibonelo, asivamile ukucabanga ngamandla kagesi asinika ukukhanya nokufudumala noma enza kube lula ukuvele sixhume noma yiziphi izinto zikagesi okungenzeka sinazo. Lapho amandla kagesi enqamuka ngokungalindelekile kuba yimá siqaphela ukuthi ngaphandle kwala mandla, amadolobha abantu abengeke asebenze. Ingxenye enkulu kagesi esithembele kuwo ivela emthonjeni wamandla othembeke kunayo yonke—ilanga.a Umzuzwana ngamunye leli ziko lishisa amafutha angamathani ayizigidi ezinhlanu, bese umhlaba uthola inala yamandla asekela ukuphila.
2 Avelaphi wonke la mandla elanga? Ubani owakha leli ziko lasemkhathini eliphehla amandla? NguJehova uNkulunkulu. Ebhekisela kuye, amaHubo 74:16 athi: “Nguwena owenza ukukhanya nelanga.” Yebo, uJehova unguMthombo oyinhloko wawo wonke amandla, njengoba nje futhi enguMthombo wakho konke ukuphila. (IHubo 36:9) Masingalokothi siwathathe kalula amandla akhe. Ngomprofethi u-Isaya, uJehova usikhumbuza ukuba sibheke phezulu ezintweni zasemkhathini, ezinjengelanga nezinkanyezi, bese sizindla ngokuthi zaba khona kanjani. “Phakamiselani amehlo enu phezulu nibone. Ngubani odale lezi zinto? YiLowo okhipha ibutho lazo ngisho nangesibalo, zonke azibize ngisho nangamagama. Ngenxa yobuningi bamandla ashukumisayo, kwazise futhi unobungqabavu ngamandla, ayikho neyodwa kuzo entulekayo.”—Isaya 40:26, NW; Jeremiya 32:17.
3. Sizuza kanjani ekubonakalisweni kwamandla kaJehova?
3 Njengoba uJehova enobungqabavu ngamandla, singaqiniseka ukuthi ilanga liyolokhu lisinika ukukhanya nokushisa ukuphila kwethu okuxhomeke kukho. Nokho, sincika emandleni kaNkulunkulu ngenxa yezidingo ezingaphezulu kakhulu kwezingokomzimba. Ukuhlengwa kwethu esonweni nasekufeni, ithemba lethu lekusasa nokuthembela kwethu kuJehova konke kuhlobene ngokungenakuhlukaniswa namandla awasebenzisayo. (IHubo 28:6-9; Isaya 50:2) IBhayibheli ligcwele izibonelo ezifakazela amandla kaJehova okudala nokuhlenga, okusindisa abantu bakhe nokubhubhisa izitha zakhe.
Amandla KaNkulunkulu Abonakala Endalweni
4. (a) Kwamthinta kanjani uDavide ukubuka isibhakabhaka ebusuku? (b) Izinto zasemkhathini zembulani ngokuphathelene namandla kaNkulunkulu?
4 Umphostoli uPawulu wachaza ukuthi ‘amandla angunaphakade [oMdali wethu] abonakala ngokucacile ezintweni azenzile.’ (Roma 1:20) Emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili, umhubi uDavide, owayengumalusi, kumelwe ukuba wayevamile ukubheka phezulu esibhakabhakeni ebusuku, abone ubuhle bomkhathi namandla oMenzi wawo. Wabhala: “Lapha ngibuka izulu lakho, umsebenzi weminwe yakho, inyanga nezinkanyezi ozimisileyo, umuntu uyini ukuba umkhumbule, nendodana yomuntu ukuba uyinake na?” (IHubo 8:3, 4) Naphezu kolwazi lwakhe olulinganiselwe mayelana nezinto zasemkhathini, uDavide wayeqonda ukuthi wayemncane kakhulu uma eqhathaniswa noMdali wendawo yonke ebanzi kangaka. Namuhla, izazi zezinkanyezi sezazi kakhulu ngobukhulu bendawo yonke namandla ayisekelayo. Ngokwesibonelo, zisitshela ukuthi umzuzwana ngamunye ilanga lethu likhipha amandla alingana nokuqhuma kwamathani ayizigidi ezingu-100 000 e-TNT.b Incane kakhulu ingxenye yalawo mandla efika emhlabeni; kodwa leyo ngxenye yanele ukusekela ukuphila kule planethi yethu. Noma kunjalo, ilanga lethu aliyona neze inkanyezi enamandla kunazo zonke emkhathini. Ezinye izinkanyezi ngomzuzu owodwa kuphela zikhipha amandla alingana nakhishwa yilanga usuku lonke. Cabanga-ke ngamandla anawo Lowo owadala lezo zinto zasemkhathini! Kwakufanelekile ukuba u-Elihu athi: “USomandla singemqonde; mkhulu ngamandla.”—Jobe 37:23.
5. Sithola buphi ubufakazi bamandla kaJehova emisebenzini yakhe?
5 Uma ‘siyiphenya imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu’ njengoba kwenza uDavide, sizobona ubufakazi bamandla akhe yonke indawo—emoyeni ovunguzayo nasemagagasini, ekudumeni kwezulu nasekubanikeni, emifuleni emikhulu nasezintabeni eziphakeme. (IHubo 111:2; Jobe 26:12-14) Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba uJehova akhumbuza uJobe, izilwane zifakazela amandla aKhe. Esinye sazo nguBehemoti, noma imvubu. UJehova watshela uJobe: “Amandla akhe asezinkalweni zakhe . . . Amathambo akhe anjengemibhob[h]o yethusi.” (Jobe 40:15-18) Amandla esabekayo enyathi ayaziwa kahle ezikhathini zeBhayibheli, futhi uDavide wathandazela ukuba asindiswe “emlonyeni wengonyama; nasezimpondweni zezinyathi.”—IHubo 22:21; Jobe 39:9-11.
6. Inkunzi ifanekiselani emiBhalweni, futhi ngani? (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.)
6 Ngenxa yamandla ayo, inkunzi isetshenziselwa ukufanekisela amandla kaJehova eBhayibhelini.c Umbono womphostoli uJohane wesihlalo sobukhosi sikaJehova ubonisa izidalwa ezine eziphilayo, esinye sazo esasinobuso obunjengobenkunzi. (IsAmbulo 4:6, 7) Ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi enye yezimfanelo ezine zikaJehova eziyinhloko ezifanekiselwa yila makherubi amandla. Ezinye ziwuthando, ukuhlakanipha nobulungisa. Njengoba amandla eyisici esibaluleke kangaka sobuntu bukaNkulunkulu, ukuwaqonda ngokucacile nendlela awasebenzisa ngayo kuyosisondeza eduze naye futhi kusisize silingise isibonelo sakhe ngokusebenzisa kahle noma yimaphi amandla esinawo.—Efesu 5:1.
“UJehova Wamabutho, Onamandla”
7. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi ubuhle buyobunqoba ububi?
7 EmiBhalweni, uJehova ubizwa ngokuthi “uNkulunkulu uSomandla,” isiqu esisikhumbuza ukuthi akufanele nanini siwathathe kalula amandla akhe noma singabaze ukuthi angazibhubhisa izitha zakhe. (Genesise 17:1; Eksodusi 6:3) Isimiso esibi sikaSathane singase sibonakale sigxilile, kodwa emehlweni kaJehova “izizwe zinjengethonsi kwasesitsheni, zibalwa njengothuli lwesilinganiso.” (Isaya 40:15) Ngenxa yamandla aphezulu anjalo, akukho kungabaza ngokuthi ubuhle buyobunqoba ububi. Ngalesi sikhathi okudlange kuso ububi, singathola induduzo ngokwazi ukuthi “uJehova wamabutho, Onamandla ka-Israyeli” uzobususa phakade.—Isaya 1:24, NW; IHubo 37:9, 10.
8. Yimaphi amabutho asezulwini alawulwa nguJehova, futhi yini esibonisa amandla anawo?
8 Amazwi athi “Jehova wamabutho [Jehova Sebawoti],” njengoba evela izikhathi ezingu-285 eBhayibhelini (lesiNgisi), angesinye isikhumbuzo samandla kaNkulunkulu. “Amabutho” okubhekiselwe kuwo lapha ayizidalwa ezingumoya ezilawulwa nguJehova. (IHubo 103:20, 21; 148:2) Ngobusuku obubodwa, eyodwa vó yalezi zingelosi yabulala amasosha ase-Asiriya angu-185 000 ayesongela iJerusalema. (2 AmaKhosi 19:35) Uma siwaqaphela amandla amabutho kaJehova asezulwini, ngeke sesatshiswe kalula abaphikisi. Umprofethi u-Elisha wayengakhathazekile lapho bevinjezelwe yibutho elalimfuna ngoba, ngokungafani nenceku yakhe, wayekwazi ukubona ngamehlo okholo ibutho elikhulu lempi yasezulwini elalingasohlangothini lwakhe.—2 AmaKhosi 6:15-17.
9. NjengoJesu, kungani kufanele siqiniseke ngesivikelo saphezulu?
9 UJesu ngokufanayo wayekuqaphela ukusekela kwezingelosi lapho ebhekene nesixuku esasihlome ngezinkemba nemishiza ensimini yaseGetsemane. Ngemva kokutshela uPetru ukuba abuyisele inkemba yakhe endaweni yayo, uJesu wamtshela ukuthi, uma kudingeka, Yena wayengacela kuYise “amalegiyona ezingelosi angaphezu kwayishumi nambili.” (Mathewu 26:47, 52, 53) Uma siwaqonda ngendlela efanayo amabutho asezulwini asetshenziswa nguNkulunkulu, nathi siyothembela ngokuphelele ekusekelweni kwaphezulu. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Sizothini-ke kulezizinto? Uma uNkulunkulu engakithi, ubani oyomelana nathi?”—Roma 8:31.
10. UJehova usebenzisa amandla akhe ukuze azuzise obani?
10 Khona-ke, sinesizathu esihle sokuthembela esivikelweni sikaJehova. Ngaso sonke isikhathi amandla akhe uwasebenzisela okuhle futhi ngendlela evumelana nezinye izimfanelo zakhe—ubulungisa, ukuhlakanipha nothando. (Jobe 37:23; Jeremiya 10:12) Nakuba abantu abanethonya ngokuvamile bebahlukumeza abampofu nabathobekile ukuze kuzuze bona, uJehova ‘uvusa odingayo othulini’ futhi ‘unamandla okusindisa.’ (IHubo 113:5-7; Isaya 63:1) UMariya, unina kaJesu owayephansi futhi engazenzi ophakeme, waqonda ukuthi “Onamandla” usebenzisa amandla akhe ngaphandle kobugovu ngenxa yalabo abamesabayo, ethobisa abaqhoshayo futhi ephakamisa abathobekile.—Luka 1:46-53.
UJehova Uveza Amandla Akhe Ezincekwini Zakhe
11. Yibuphi ubufakazi bamandla kaNkulunkulu ama-Israyeli abubona ngonyaka ka-1513 B.C.E.?
11 Kaningana, uJehova wabonisa izinceku zakhe amandla akhe. Kwesinye salezo zenzakalo kwakuseNtabeni YaseSinayi ngo-1513 B.C.E. Ngalowo nyaka ama-Israyeli ayesebubonile kakade ubufakazi obuhlaba umxhwele bamandla kaNkulunkulu. Izinhlupho eziyishumi ezadala umonakalo zabonisa isandla esinamandla sikaJehova nobuze bonkulunkulu baseGibithe. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ukuwela uLwandle Olubomvu ngokuyisimangaliso nokubhujiswa kwebutho likaFaro kwanikeza ubufakazi obengeziwe bamandla aphezulu. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezintathu, phansi kweNtaba YaseSinayi, uJehova wamema ama-Israyeli ukuba abe ‘yimpahla yakhe ekhethekile kuzo zonke ezinye izizwe.’ Wona abe esethembisa: “Konke akukhulumileyo uJehova siyakukwenza.” (Eksodusi 19:5, 8, qhathanisa ne-NW.) UJehova wabe esebonakalisa amandla akhe ngokucacile. Phakathi nokuduma nokubanika nomsindo omkhulu wophondo, iNtaba YaseSinayi yashunqa futhi yazamazama. Abantu, bemi buqamama, besaba kakhulu. Kodwa uMose wabatshela ukuthi lesi senzakalo kufanele sibafundise ukwesaba uNkulunkulu, ukwesaba okwakuyobashukumisela ukuba balalele uNkulunkulu okuwukuphela kwakhe ongoweqiniso, uJehova.—Eksodusi 19:16-19; 20:18-20.
12, 13. Yiziphi izimo ezaholela u-Eliya ukuba ashiye isabelo sakhe, kodwa uJehova wamqinisa kanjani?
12 Ngemva kweminyaka engamakhulu ayisikhombisa, ngesikhathi sika-Eliya, eNtabeni YaseSinayi kwaphinde kwabonakaliswa amandla aphezulu. Lo mprofethi wayeseke wawabona amandla kaNkulunkulu esebenza. Ngenxa yokuhlubuka kwesizwe sakwa-Israyeli, uNkulunkulu ‘wavala izulu’ iminyaka emithathu nengxenye. (2 IziKronike 7:13) Phakathi nesomiso esadaleka, u-Eliya wondliwa amagwababa emfudlaneni iKeriti, futhi kamuva ufulawa namafutha omfelokazi okwase kukuncane kwenziwa ngokuyisimangaliso ukuba kuqhubeke kukhona ukuze lo mprofethi athole ukudla. UJehova waze wanikeza u-Eliya amandla okuvusa indodana yalo mfelokazi. Ekugcineni, esivivinyweni esishukumisayo sobuNkulunkulu eNtabeni YaseKarmeli, kwehla umlilo ezulwini washisa umhlatshelo ka-Eliya. (1 AmaKhosi 17:4-24; 18:36-40) Nokho, ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, u-Eliya wesaba futhi waphela amandla lapho uJezebeli esongela ukumbulala. (1 AmaKhosi 19:1-4) Wabaleka ezweni lakubo, ecabanga ukuthi wawusuphelile umsebenzi wakhe njengomprofethi. Ukuze amqinise futhi amqinisekise, ngomusa uJehova wambonisa amandla angokwaphezulu.
13 Esacashe emhumeni, u-Eliya wabona ukubonakaliswa okwethusayo kwezici ezintathu zamandla uJehova awalawulayo: isivunguvungu esinamandla, ukuzamazama komhlaba futhi ekugcineni, umlilo. Nokho, lapho uJehova ekhuluma no-Eliya, wakhuluma naye ‘ngezwi elincane elihashazayo.’ Wamnika umsebenzi owengeziwe ayezowenza futhi wamazisa ukuthi kwakusenabakhulekeli bakaJehova abangu-7 000 abathembekile ezweni. (1 AmaKhosi 19:9-18) Uma kwenzeka, njengo-Eliya, sizizwa sidangele ngenxa yokungabi bikho kwemiphumela enkonzweni yethu, singanxusa kuJehova “amandla angaphezu kwavamile”—amandla angasiqinisela ukuba siqhubeke sishumayela izindaba ezinhle singayekethisi.—2 Korinte 4:7.
Amandla KaJehova Asiqinisekisa Ngokugcwaliseka Kwezithembiso Zakhe
14. Igama likaJehova lembulani, futhi amandla akhe ahlobene kanjani negama lakhe?
14 Amandla kaJehova ahlobene eduze futhi negama lakhe nokufezeka kwentando yakhe. Igama eliyingqayizivele elithi Jehova, elisho ukuthi “Ubangela Ukuba Kube Khona,” lembula ukuthi uzibangela ukuba abe nguMgcwalisi wezithembiso. Akukho muntu nanto engavimbela uNkulunkulu ekufezeni izinjongo zakhe, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abagxeki bazibona zingenakwenzeka kangakanani. Njengoba uJesu ake watshela abaphostoli bakhe, “kuNkulunkulu zonke izinto zingenzeka.”—Mathewu 19:26.
15. U-Abrahama noSara bakhunjuzwa kanjani ukuthi akukho lutho olungenakwenzeka ngoJehova?
15 Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova wake wathembisa u-Abrahama noSara ukuthi wayeyokwenza inzalo yabo ibe yisizwe esikhulu. Nokho, bahlala bengenazingane iminyaka eminingi. Bobabili babebadala kakhulu lapho uJehova ebatshela ukuthi isithembiso sase sizogcwaliseka futhi uSara wahleka. Iphendula, ingelosi yathi: “Kukhona into emahlula uJehova na?” (Genesise 12:1-3; 17:4-8; 18:10-14) Ngemva kweminyaka engamakhulu amane, lapho ekugcineni uMose ebuthela inzalo ka-Abrahama, eyayisiyisizwe esikhulu, emathafeni akwaMowabi, wayikhumbuza ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayesifezile isithembiso sakhe. UMose wathi: “Lokhu ebethanda oyihlo wakhetha inzalo yabo emva kwabo, wakukhipha yena uqobo ngamandla akhe amakhulu eGibithe ukuba axoshe izizwe ezinkulu nezinamandla kunawe phambi kwakho, angenise wena, akunike izwe labo libe yifa lakho njenganamuhla.”—Duteronomi 4:37, 38.
16. Kungani abaSadusi benza iphutha lokuphika uvuko lwabafileyo?
16 Ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka, uJesu walahla abaSadusi, ababengakholelwa ovukweni. Kungani benqaba ukukholelwa isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sokuthi wayeyovusa abafileyo? UJesu wabatshela: “Aniyazi imiBhalo noma amandla kaNkulunkulu.” (Mathewu 22:29) ImiBhalo iyasiqinisekisa ukuthi ‘bonke abasemathuneni ayisikhumbuzo bayokuzwa izwi leNdodana yomuntu futhi baphume.’ (Johane 5:27-29) Uma sikwazi okushiwo yiBhayibheli ngovuko, ukuthembela kwethu emandleni kaNkulunkulu kuyosenza siqiniseke ukuthi abafileyo bayovuswa. UNkulunkulu “uyakugwinya ukufa kuze kube phakade; . . . ngokuba uJehova ukhulumile.”—Isaya 25:8.
17. Yiluphi usuku oluzayo okuyodingeka ukuthembela kuJehova ngokukhethekile ngalo?
17 Maduze nje, kuzofika isikhathi lapho sonke kuzodingeka sithembele ngokukhethekile emandleni kaNkulunkulu okusindisa. USathane uDeveli uzohlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu, abazobonakala bengavikelekile. (Hezekeli 38:14-16) UNkulunkulu uyobe esebonakalisa amandla akhe amakhulu ukuze asisize, futhi wonke umuntu kuyodingeka azi ukuthi unguJehova. (Hezekeli 38:21-23) Manje yisikhathi sokwakha ukholo lwethu nokwethembela kuNkulunkulu uMninimandla Onke ukuze singantengantengi ngaleso sikhathi esibucayi.
18. (a) Yiziphi izinzuzo esizithola ngokuzindla ngamandla kaJehova? (b) Yimuphi umbuzo ozocatshangelwa esihlokweni esilandelayo?
18 Ngaphandle kokungabaza, kunezizathu eziningi zokuzindla ngamandla kaJehova. Njengoba sihlola imisebenzi yakhe, ngokuthobeka sishukunyiselwa ukuba simdumise uMdali wethu Omkhulu futhi simbonge ngokuthi usebenzisa amandla akhe ngendlela ehlakaniphe nenothando kangaka. Asisoze sesatshiswa uma sithembela kuJehova wamabutho. Ukholo lwethu ezithembisweni zakhe ngeke luntengantenge. Nokho, khumbula ukuthi sidalwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho, nathi sinawo amandla—yize esezingeni elilinganiselwe. Singamlingisa kanjani uMdali wethu endleleni esisebenzisa ngayo amandla ethu? Lokhu kuzoxoxwa ngakho esihlokweni esilandelayo.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Kuyinkolelo eyamukelwa abaningi ukuthi amafutha namalahle—imithombo eyinhloko yamandla ezikhungweni zokuphehla ugesi—athola amandla awo elangeni.
b Ngokuphambene, ibhomu lenuzi elinamandla kunawo wonke elake lahlolwa linamandla alingana nokuqhuma kwamathani ayizigidi ezingu-57 e-TNT.
c Inyathi okukhulunywa ngayo eBhayibhelini cishe kwakuyi-aurochs (ngesiLatini i-urus). Eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ezimbili edlule, lezi zilwane zazitholakala eGaul (manje eyiFrance), futhi uJulius Caesar wabhala le ncazelo ngazo: “Ama-uri acishe abe ngangezindlovu ngobukhulu, kodwa ngomqondo, umbala nokuma, ayizinkunzi. Anamandla nejubane elikhulu: akukho muntu nasilwane esisindayo lapho esesibonile.”
Ungayiphendula Le Mibuzo?
• Indalo iwafakazela kanjani amandla kaJehova?
• Yimaphi amabutho uJehova angawasebenzisa ukuze asekele abantu bakhe?
• Yiziphi ezinye zezimo uJehova abonisa kuzo amandla akhe?
• Sinasiphi isiqinisekiso sokuthi uJehova uzozigcwalisa izithembiso zakhe?
[Izithombe ekhasini 10]
“Phakamiselani amehlo enu phezulu nibone. Ngubani odale lezi zinto?”
[Umthombo]
Photo by Malin, © IAC/RGO 1991
[Izithombe ekhasini 13]
Ukuzindla ngokubonakaliswa kwamandla kaJehova kwakha ukholo ezithembisweni zakhe