UJehova Uyisiphephelo Sethu
“Ngokuba uthi: Jehova, uyisiphephelo sami; . . . awuyikwehlelwa ngokubi.”—IHUBO 91:9, 10.
1. Kungani singase sithi uJehova uyisiphephelo sethu?
UJEHOVA uyisiphephelo sangempela sabantu bakhe. Uma sizinikele ngokuphelele kuye, singase ‘sicindezelwe ngazo zonke izindlela, kodwa singaminyani kangangokuthi singakwazi nokunyakaza; sisambatheke, kodwa singabi abangenayo nhlobo indlela yokuphuma; sishushiswe, kodwa singashiywa dengwane; siphonswe phansi, kodwa singabhujiswa.’ Ngani? Ngoba uJehova usinika “amandla angaphezu kwavamile.” (2 Korinte 4:7-9) Yebo, uBaba wethu osezulwini uyasisiza ukuba siphishekele ukuphila kokumhlonipha, futhi kuhle silalele amazwi omhubi: “Ngokuba uthi: Jehova, uyisiphephelo sami; oPhezukonke umenzile abe yinqaba yakho. Awuyikwehlelwa ngokubi.”—IHubo 91:9, 10.
2. Yini esingayisho ngeHubo 91 nalokho elikuthembisayo?
2 Lawo mazwi eHubo 91 kungenzeka abhalwa nguMose. Umbhalo ongenhla kweHubo 90 uthi laqanjwa nguye, futhi iHubo 91 lilandela kungashiwongo ukuthi sekunomunye umlobi. Mhlawumbe iHubo 91 lalihlatshelelwa ngokudedelana; kungenzeka kwakuqale kucule umuntu oyedwa (91:1, 2), bese kwenanela ikwaya (91:3-8). Mhlawumbe ngemva kwalokho kwakuphinda kube ngumuntu oyedwa (91:9a), lenanele iqembu (91:9b-13). Amazwi okugcina (91:14-16) kungenzeka ayeculwa ngumuntu oyedwa. Noma ngabe yikuphi, iHubo 91 lithembisa isigaba samaKristu agcotshiwe ukulondeka okungokomoya, linikeze isiqinisekiso esifanayo nakubangane baso abazinikezele bebonke.a Ake sihlole leli hubo ngombono wazo zonke lezi zinceku zikaJehova.
Ukulondeka ‘Ekusithekeni KukaNkulunkulu’
3. (a) Kukuphi “ekusithekeni koPhezukonke”? (b) Sitholani ‘ngokuhlala emthunzini kaSomandla’?
3 Umhubi uhlabelela athi: “Yena owakhile ekusithekeni koPhezukonke nohlezi emthunzini kaSomandla uthi kuJehova: ‘Uyisiphephelo sami nenqaba yami noNkulunkulu wami engimethembayo.’” (IHubo 91:1, 2) “Ekusithekeni koPhezukonke” kusendaweni engokomfanekiso eyisivikelo kithi, ikakhulu kwabagcotshiwe, uDeveli abafuna ngokukhethekile. (IsAmbulo 12:15-17) Ubeyosibhubhisa sonke ukube bekungengenxa yesivikelo esisitholayo njengoba sihlala noNkulunkulu njengezivakashi ezingokomoya. ‘Ngokuhlala emthunzini kaSomandla,’ siba semthunzini kaNkulunkulu oyisivikelo. (IHubo 15:1, 2; 121:5) Asikho isiphephelo esiphephe ngaphezu kweNkosi yethu enguMbusi, uJehova, noma inqaba enamandla ngaphezu kwakhe.—IzAga 18:10.
4. Yiziphi izinto ezisetshenziswa ‘umcuphi’ onguSathane, futhi siphunyuka kanjani?
4 Umhubi uyanezela: “Yena [uJehova] uyakukhipha ogibeni lomcuphi nasobhadaneni [“olubangela izinhlupheko,” NW].” (IHubo 91:3) Umcuphi wezinyoni wakwa-Israyeli wasendulo ngokuvamile wayezibamba ngezithiyo noma ngezicupho izinyoni. Phakathi kwezithiyo ‘zomcuphi’ onguSathane kunenhlangano yakhe embi ‘namaqhinga’ akhe. (Efesu 6:11) Kunezicupho ezifihlekile ezibekwe endleleni yethu ukuze siyengelwe ebubini futhi sife ngokomoya. (IHubo 142:3) Nokho, ngenxa yokuthi siye sakulahla ukungalungi, ‘umphefumulo wethu unjengenyoni ephunyuka ogibeni.’ (IHubo 124:7, 8) Yeka indlela esingabonga ngayo ngokuthi uJehova uyasikhulula ‘kumcuphi’ omubi!—Mathewu 6:13.
5, 6. Yiluphi ‘ubhadane’ oluye lwabangela “izinhlupheko,” kodwa kungani lungabanqobi abantu bakaJehova?
5 Umhubi ukhuluma ‘ngobhadane olubangela izinhlupheko.’ Njengesifo esithathelwanayo esiwubhadane, kukhona okuthile okubangela “izinhlupheko” emkhayeni wesintu nakubasekeli bobukhosi bukaJehova. Mayelana nalokhu, isazi-mlando u-Arnold Toynbee sabhala: “Kusukela ekupheleni kweMpi Yezwe II ukushisekela ubuzwe kuye kwaliphinda kabili inani lemibuso yezifunda engozibuse . . . Isimo sengqondo sabantu samanje siya sibangela ukuhlukana nakakhulu.”
6 Kuwo wonke amakhulu eminyaka, ababusi abathile baye babhebhethekisa imibango yezizwe zomhlaba edala ukuhlukana. Baye bafuna nokuhlonishwa noma ukuba kuhlonishwe izithombe nezimpawu ezithile. Kodwa uJehova akakaze avumele abantu bakhe abathembekile ukuba banqotshwe ‘ubhadane’ olunjalo. (Daniyeli 3:1, 2, 20-27; 6:7-10, 16-22) Njengobuzalwane obunothando bomhlaba wonke, sizinikela kuJehova kuphela, singathathi hlangothi ngokuvumelana nemiBhalo futhi sivuma ngokungakhethi ukuthi “ezizweni zonke umuntu omesabayo [uNkulunkulu] futhi asebenze ukulunga uyamukeleka kuye.” (IzEnzo 10:34, 35; Eksodusi 20:4-6; Johane 13:34, 35; 17:16; 1 Petru 5:8, 9) Nakuba njengamaKristu sibhekana ‘nezinhlupheko’ eziwushushiso, siyajabula futhi silondekile “ekusithekeni koPhezukonke.”
7. UJehova usivikela kanjani “ngezimpaphe zakhe”?
7 Njengoba uJehova eyisiphephelo sethu, ayasiduduza la mazwi: “Ngezimpaphe zakhe uyakukusibekela, uphephele phansi kwamaphiko akhe. [“Ukuba neqiniso kwakhe kuyoba isihlangu esikhulu nodonga lwesivikelo,” NW].” (IHubo 91:4) UNkulunkulu uyasivikela, njengenyoni endiza ngaphezu kwamaphuphu ayo iwavikela. (Isaya 31:5) ‘Ngezimpaphe zakhe uyasisibekela.’ Inyoni imboza amaphuphu ayo ngamaphiko, iwavikele ezilwaneni ezidla ezinye izilwane. Njengamaphuphu, siphephile ngaphansi kwamaphiko kaJehova angokomfanekiso ngoba siphephele enhlanganweni yakhe yobuKristu beqiniso.—Ruthe 2:12; IHubo 5:1, 11.
8. “Ukuba neqiniso” kukaJehova kuyisihlangu esikhulu nodonga lwesivikelo ngamuphi umqondo?
8 Sethembele ‘ekubeni neqiniso,’ noma ekwethembekeni. Kunjengesihlangu esikhulu sasendulo, ngokuvamile esasima njengesicabha futhi sibe sikhulu ngokwanele ukuvikela umzimba wonke womuntu. (IHubo 5:12) Ukwethembela esivikelweni esinjalo kuyasikhulula ekwesabeni. (Genesise 15:1; IHubo 84:11) Njengokholo lwethu, ukuba neqiniso kukaNkulunkulu kuyisihlangu esikhulu esisivikelayo, esivimba izikhali ezivuthayo zikaSathane futhi siphebeze amagalelo esitha. (Efesu 6:16) Futhi kuwudonga oluqinile lwesivikelo, esima sigxilile ngemva kwalo.
‘Asiyikwesaba’
9. Kungani ubusuku bungase bube yisikhathi esesabekayo, kodwa kungani singesabi?
9 Ngenxa yesivikelo sikaNkulunkulu, umhubi uthi: “Awuyikwesaba ivuso lasebusuku, nomcibisholo ondizayo emini, nobhadane oluhamba ebumnyameni, nesifo esibhubhisayo emini enkulu.” (IHubo 91:5, 6) Njengoba izenzo eziningi ezimbi zenziwa ebumnyameni ebusuku, ubusuku bungaba yisikhathi esesabekayo. Ebumnyameni obungokomoya obugubuzele umhlaba manje, izitha zethu ngokuvamile ziphendukela ezenzweni ezicashile lapho zizama ukonakalisa ingokomoya lethu nokusiyekisa umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Kodwa ‘asilesabi ivuso lasebusuku’ ngoba uJehova uyasilonda.—IHubo 64:1, 2; 121:4; Isaya 60:2.
10. (a) Kubonakala sengathi ubhekiselephi ‘umcibisholo ondiza emini,’ futhi sisabela kanjani kuwo? (b) Lunjani ‘ubhadane oluhamba ebumnyameni,’ futhi kungani singalwesabi?
10 ‘Umcibisholo ondiza emini’ kubonakala sengathi ubhekisele ekuhlaselweni ngamazwi. (IHubo 64:3-5; 94:20) Njengoba siphikelela ekuvezeni lokho okuyiqiniso, lokho kuphikiswa okuyingcaca kwenkonzo yethu engcwele kuphelela ezeni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, asilwesabi ‘ubhadane oluhamba ebumnyameni.’ Lolu ubhadane olungokomfanekiso oluvela ebumnyameni baleli zwe eligulayo ngokuziphatha nangokwenkolo, elisemandleni kaSathane. (1 Johane 5:19) Ludala isimo esibulalayo sengqondo nenhliziyo, sishiye abantu besebumnyameni mayelana noJehova, izinjongo zakhe namalungiselelo akhe othando. (1 Thimothewu 6:4) Asesabi kulobu bumnyama, ngoba sijabulela ukukhanya okukhulu okungokomoya.—IHubo 43:3.
11. Kwenzekani kulabo abathola ‘isifo esibhubhisayo emini enkulu’?
11 “Nesifo esibhubhisayo emini enkulu” asisesabisi. Inkulumo ethi “emini enkulu” ingase isho lokho okubizwa ngokuthi ukukhanyiselwa kwezwe. Labo abanqotshwa yimibono yalo yokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo bayafa ngokomoya. (1 Thimothewu 6:20, 21) Njengoba simemezela isigijimi soMbuso ngesibindi, asesabi zitha zethu, ngoba uJehova unguMvikeli wethu.—IHubo 64:1; IzAga 3:25, 26.
12. Izinkulungwane ‘ziwa’ eceleni kobani, futhi kanjani?
12 Umhubi uyaqhubeka: “Bayakuwa abayizinkulungwane ngaseceleni kwakho, nabayizinkulungwane eziyishumi ngakwesokunene sakho, kepha akuyikufinyelela kuwe. Uyakubuka nje ngamehlo akho, ubone ukuphindiselwa kwababi.” (IHubo 91:7, 8) Ngenxa yokuhluleka ukwenza uJehova isiphephelo sabo, abaningi ‘bayawa’ bafe ngokomoya ‘ngaseceleni kwethu.’ Kunjengokungathi kuye kwawa “abayizinkulungwane eziyishumi ngakwesokunene” sama-Israyeli angokomoya anamuhla. (Galathiya 6:16) Kodwa kungakhathaliseki ukuthi singamaKristu agcotshiwe noma singabangane bawo abazinikezele, silondekile “ekusithekeni” kukaNkulunkulu. ‘Sibuka nje ngamehlo sibone ukuphindiselwa kwababi,’ abavuna izinkinga kwezentengiselwano, ezenkolo nangezinye izindlela.—Galathiya 6:7.
‘Asiyikwehlelwa Ngokubi’
13. Yikuphi okubi okungasehleli, futhi ngani?
13 Nakuba ukulondeka kunyamalala kuleli zwe, thina sibeka uNkulunkulu kuqala, futhi la mazwi omhubi asimisa isibindi: “Ngokuba uthi: Jehova, uyisiphephelo sami; oPhezukonke umenzile abe yinqaba yakho. Awuyikwehlelwa ngokubi, nesifo asiyikusondela etendeni lakho.” (IHubo 91:9, 10) Yebo, uJehova uyisiphephelo sethu. Nokho, uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke simenza abe ‘nayinqaba yethu’ esithola kuyo ukuphepha. Sidumisa uJehova njengeNkosi EnguMbusi, ‘siphephele’ kuye njengoMthombo wokulondeka kwethu futhi simemezele izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso wakhe. (Mathewu 24:14) Ngakho-ke, ‘asiyikwehlelwa ngokubi’—akukho lutho olubi oluyosehlela kulokhu okubalwe ngaphambili kuleli hubo. Yize kusehlela kanye nabanye okubi okunjengokuzamazama komhlaba, iziphepho, izikhukhula, indlala nezimpi, lokhu akulubulali ukholo lwethu noma kususe ukulondeka kwethu okungokomoya.
14. Njengezinceku zikaJehova, kungani izifo ezibulalayo zingasithinti?
14 AmaKristu agcotshiwe anjengezakhamuzi ezingabafokazi ezihlala ematendeni, ezihlukile kulesi simiso sezinto. (1 Petru 2:11) ‘Nesifo asisondeli etendeni labo.’ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ithemba lethu lingelasezulwini noma emhlabeni, asiyona ingxenye yezwe, futhi azisithonyi izifo ezibulalayo ngokomoya ezinjengokuziphatha kwalo okubi, ukuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, inkolo yamanga nokukhulekela “isilo sasendle” ‘nomfanekiso’ waso, iZizwe Ezihlangene.—IsAmbulo 9:20, 21; 13:1-18; Johane 17:16.
15. Yiziphi izici esithola kuzo usizo lwezingelosi?
15 Mayelana nesivikelo esisijabulelayo, umhubi uyanezela: “[UJehova] uyakuyaleza izingelosi zakhe ngawe, zikulondoloze ezindleleni zakho zonke. Ziyakukuthwala ngezandla, ungaqhuzuki ngonyawo lwakho etsheni.” (IHubo 91:11, 12) Izingelosi zinikwe amandla okusivikela. (2 AmaKhosi 6:17; IHubo 34:7-9; 104:4; Mathewu 26:53; Luka 1:19) Ziyasilonda ‘ezindleleni zethu zonke.’ (Mathewu 18:10) Njengabamemezeli boMbuso, siqondiswa futhi sivikelwe yizingelosi, singaqhuzuki ngokomoya. (IsAmbulo 14:6, 7) Ngisho ‘namatshe’ anjengokuvinjelwa komsebenzi wethu awasiqhuzuli bese silahlekelwa umusa waphezulu.
16. Ukuhlasela ‘kwebhongo lengonyama’ ‘nokwebululu’ kuhlukene kanjani, futhi sisabela kanjani kukho?
16 Umhubi uyaqhubeka: “Uyakunyathela [“ibhongo lengonyama,” NW] nebululu, unyathele phansi ibhongo lengonyama nodrako.” (IHubo 91:13) Njengoba nje ibhongo lengonyama lihlasela ngokuqondile ngendlela esobala, ezinye zezitha zethu zibonisa obala ukuthi ziphikisana nathi ngokushaya imithetho eklanyelwe ukuvimba umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Kodwa sihlaselwa nangokungalindelekile njengebululu elihlasela lisendaweni ecashile. Ngezinye izikhathi abefundisi basihlasela becashile besebenzisa abashayi bemithetho, amajaji nabanye. Kodwa ngokusekela kukaJehova, sifuna ukulungisa izinto ngokuthula ezinkantolo, kanjalo ‘sivikele futhi simise izindaba ezinhle ngokomthetho.’—Filipi 1:7; IHubo 94:14, 20-22.
17. Silinyathela kanjani phansi “ibhongo lengonyama”?
17 Umhubi ukhuluma ngokunyathela phansi “ibhongo lengonyama nodrako.” Ibhongo lengonyama lingaba nolaka kakhulu, futhi udrako uyisilwane esikhulu. (Isaya 31:4) Nokho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lingaba nolaka kangakanani ibhongo lengonyama lapho lihlasela ngokuqondile, silinyathela phansi ngokomfanekiso ngokulalela uNkulunkulu kunabantu noma izinhlangano ezinjengezingonyama. (IzEnzo 5:29) Ngakho ‘ingonyama’ ewusongo ayisilimazi ngokomoya.
18. Elithi “udrako” lisikhumbuza bani, futhi yini okudingeka siyenze uma sihlaselwa?
18 Elithi “udrako” evesini 13 lisikhumbuza “udrako omkhulu, inyoka yokuqala, lowo obizwa ngokuthi uDeveli noSathane.” (IsAmbulo 12:7-9; Genesise 3:15) Unjengesilwane esikhulu esikwazi ukubaqaza nokuginga ukudla kwaso. (Jeremiya 51:34) Lapho uSathane ezama ukuzithandela kithi, asibaqaze ngezingcindezi zaleli zwe futhi asiginge, masiphunyule futhi simnyathele lo “drako.” (1 Petru 5:8) Insali egcotshiwe kumelwe ikwenze lokhu ukuze ihlanganyele ekugcwalisekeni kweyamaRoma 16:20.
UJehova—Umthombo Wensindiso Yethu
19. Kungani siphephela kuJehova?
19 Mayelana nomkhulekeli weqiniso, umhubi umelela uNkulunkulu ethi: “Ngenxa yokuba enamathele kimi, ngakho ngiyamkhulula; ngiyamphakamisa ngokuba elazi igama lami.” (IHubo 91:14) Inkulumo ethi “ngiyamphakamisa” ngokwezwi nezwi isho ukuthi, “ngiyombeka phezulu,” okungukuthi, endaweni engafinyeleleki. Siphephela kuJehova njengabakhulekeli bakhe ikakhulu ngenxa yokuthi ‘sinamathele kuye.’ (Marku 12:29, 30; 1 Johane 4:19) UNkulunkulu ube ‘esesikhulula’ ezitheni zethu. Ngeke neze siqothulwe emhlabeni. Kunalokho, siyosindiswa ngoba siyalazi igama laphezulu futhi silibiza ngokholo. (Roma 10:11-13) Futhi sizimisele ‘ukuhamba egameni likaJehova kuze kube phakade.’—Mika 4:5; Isaya 43:10-12.
20. Njengoba iHubo 91 liphetha, yini uJehova ayithembisa inceku yakhe ethembekile?
20 Njengoba liphetha iHubo 91, uJehova uthi ngenceku yakhe ethembekile: “Uyakungibiza, ngimphendule; ngiyakuba naye esosizini, ngimkhulule, ngimdumise. Ngiyakumsuthisa ngobude bezinsuku, ngimbonise insindiso yami.” (IHubo 91:15, 16) Lapho sibiza uNkulunkulu ngomthandazo ngokuvumelana nentando yakhe, uyasiphendula. (1 Johane 5:13-15) Kakade sesidlule ezinsizini eziningi ngenxa yobutha obugqugquzelwa nguSathane. Kodwa amazwi athi “ngiyakuba naye esosizini” asenza silungele ukulingwa okuseza futhi asiqinisekise ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyosisekela lapho lesi simiso esibi sibhujiswa.
21. Abagcotshiwe sebekhazinyuliswe kanjani kakade?
21 Naphezu kokuphikisa kukaSathane kolaka, insali yabagcotshiwe abaphakathi kwethu iyokhazinyuliswa ezulwini ngesikhathi sikaJehova esifanele—ngemva ‘kobude bezinsuku’ besemhlabeni. Nokho, ukuhlenga kukaNkulunkulu okumangalisayo sekuyilethile kakade inkazimulo engokomoya kwabagcotshiwe. Futhi yeka ilungelo abanalo lokuhola njengoFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni kulezi zinsuku zokugcina! (Isaya 43:10-12) Ukuhlenga kukaJehova abantu bakhe okukhulu kunakho konke kuyokwenzeka empini yakhe enkulu ye-Armagedoni lapho elwela ubukhosi bakhe futhi engcwelisa igama lakhe.—IHubo 83:18; Hezekeli 38:23; IsAmbulo 16:14, 16.
22. Obani ‘abayobona insindiso kaJehova’?
22 Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi singamaKristu agcotshiwe noma abangane bawo abazinikezele, sibheka kuNkulunkulu ukuze sithole insindiso. Phakathi ‘nosuku olukhulu nolwesabekayo lukaJehova,’ labo abamkhonza ngobuqotho uNkulunkulu bayosindiswa. (Joweli 2:30-32) Labo phakathi kwethu abayokwakha “isixuku esikhulu” sabayosindela ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu futhi baqhubeke bethembekile ovivinyweni lokugcina ‘bayosuthiswa nguye ngobude bezinsuku’—ukuphila okungenakuphela. Uyovusa nezixuku. (IsAmbulo 7:9; 20:7-15) UJehova uyokujabulela kakhulu ngempela ‘ukusibonisa insindiso’ ngoJesu Kristu. (IHubo 3:8) Njengoba sinamathemba amahle kangaka, masiqhubeke sibheke kuNkulunkulu ukuba asisize sibale izinsuku zethu ngendlela emkhazimulisayo. Ngamazwi nangezenzo zethu, masiqhubeke sibonisa ukuthi uJehova uyisiphephelo sethu.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Abalobi bemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki abakhulumanga ngeHubo 91 njengelineziprofetho eziphathelene noMesiya. Kodwa uJehova wayeyisiphephelo nenqaba endodeni enguJesu Kristu, njengoba nje eyiso nakubalandeli bakaJesu abagcotshiwe nakubangane babo abazinikezele bebonke kulesi ‘sikhathi sokugcina.’—Daniyeli 12:4.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Kukuphi “ekusithekeni koPhezukonke”?
• Kungani singesabi?
• Kungamuphi umqondo ‘singayikwehlelwa ngokubi’?
• Kungani singase sithi uJehova ungumthombo wensindiso yethu?
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Uyazi yini ukuthi ubuqotho bukaJehova buyisihlangu esikhulu kanjani kithi?
[Izithombe ekhasini 18]
UJehova usiza izinceku zakhe ukuba zenze inkonzo yazo naphezu kokuhlaselwa okungalindelekile nokuphikiswa okusobala
[Umthombo]
Cobra: A. N. Jagannatha Rao, Trustee, Madras Snake Park Trust