Isahluko 18
Ukwethembeka Enhlanganweni KaNkulunkulu Ebonakalayo Namuhla
1, 2. Kumelwe uqondwe kanjani umbhalo weHubo 50:5?
KUMAHUBO 16:10 kulotshwe ukuthi: “Awuyikunikela umphefumulo wami endaweni yabafileyo; awuyikuvuma ukuba ongcwele wakho abone ukubola.” Futhi kumaHubo 50:5 kulotshwe ukuthi: “Buthelani kimi abangcwele bami abenza isivumelwano nami ngomhlatshelo.” Ingabe labo abenza isivumelwano sikaJehova yibo ababa ‘umhlatshelo’? Cha, laba abathembekileyo abazinikeli bona ngabanye ‘njengomhlatshelo,’ benikela ngemizimba yabo yenyama ukuze benze isivumelwano noNkulunkulu.
2 Khona-ke, senziwa kanjani isivumelwano? “Ngomhlatshelo” ‘wothembekileyo’ omphefumulo wakhe ungashiywanga endaweni yabafileyo kodwa owavuswa kwabafileyo. Umphostoli uPetru wasebenzisa amazwi eHubo 16:10 kuJesu Kristu futhi waqhubeka wathi: “[UDavide] ebona kusephambili, wakhuluma ngokuvuka kukaKristu ukuthi akashiywanga eHayidese, nenyama yakhe ayibonanga ukubola. UJesu lo uNkulunkulu wamvusa.”—IzEnzo 2:25, 27, 31, 32.
3. Obani ababuthwa ngokomyalo weHubo 50:5, futhi kungani kumelwe bashukunyiselwe ukuzibonakalisa bethembekile kuNkulunkulu?
3 LoJesu ovusiwe unguMlamuleli wesivumelwano esisha, futhi isivumelwano esisha senziwa sisebenze ngesisekelo somhlatshelo wakhe. (Heberu 9:15, 17) Ngakho obani okumelwe babuthwe ngokomyalo wamaHubo 50:5? Bangabafundi bakaJesu abasesivumelwaneni esisha ngenxa yomhlatshelo wakhe. Ngendlela yokubonga kuJehova ngalomhlatshelo ongenakulinganiswa, kumelwe bashukunyiselwe ukuba bazibonakalise bethembekile kuye.
4, 5. (a) Yikuphi ukuphumelela uSathane uDeveli aba nakho phakathi nempi yezwe yokuqala emizamweni yakhe yokuqeda inhlangano kaJehova ebonakalayo? (b) Yathuthelwaphi indlunkulu yeNhlangano, futhi ngani? (c) Ngokomfuziselo wanamuhla weHubo 137:1, sasiyini isimo esingokomzwelo, noma ukuthambekela, sensali ethembekile lapho icabanga ngesimo sokukhubazeka kwenhlangano kaNkulunkulu?
4 Lapho uMbuso kaJehova umiswa emazulwini ngo-1914, izizwe zawuthukuthelela lowoMbuso ngokulwa empini yezwe yokuqala, futhi uNkulunkulu wakuvumela lokhu. (IHubo 2:1, 2) USathane uDeveli wazama ukusebenzisa leyompi yezwe ukuze aqede ingxenye ebonakalayo yenhlangano kaJehova. Waphumelela ukwenza ukuba umongameli weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society aboshwe etilongweni lamazwe eAtlanta, eGeorgia. Abanye abameleli beNhlangano abayisikhombisa baboshwa kanye naye.
5 Ngenxa yokushushiswa, indlunkulu yeNhlangano eBrooklyn, eNew York, yathuthelwa esakhiweni esasiqashwe ePittsburgh, ePennsylvania. Lokhu kwenzelwa ukuba kuqhutshekwe kukhishwa umagazini iWatch Tower. Ukukhazinyuliswa kwasezulwini kwabathembekileyo kwakulindelwe ngokushesha. Kodwa labo bensali babekhala lapho becabanga ngesimo sokucindezeleka, nokukhubazeka kwenhlangano kaJehova.—IHubo 137:1.
Ukwethembeka Phakathi Nesikhathi Sokuboshwa
6-8. Phakathi nokuboshwa kwakhe, umongameli weNhlangano, uJ. F. Rutherford, wakubonisa kanjani ukwethembeka enhlanganweni kaJehova?
6 Ebonisa ukwethembeka enhlanganweni kaJehova phakathi nesikhathi sokuboshwa kwakhe, umongameli weWatch Tower Society, uJ. F. Rutherford, ngoDecember 25, 1918, wabhala incwadi ekhethekile eyayiya kuJ. A. Bohnet, inceku kaJehova ethembekile kanye naye. Yathunyelwa kuye ehhovisi leNhlangano ePittsburgh. URutherford wabhala okulandelayo:
7 “Ngenxa yokuthi ngenqaba ukuvumelana neBabiloni, kodwa ngazama ngokwethembeka ukukhonza iNkosi yami, ngisejele, okuyinto engiyibongayo. . . . Ngempela ngingakhetha ukwamukelwa yiyo ngibe sejele, kunokuba ngivumelane noma nginqotshwe yiSilo ngikhululeke bese ngihalaliselwa yilo lonke izwe. Kungokuhlangenwe nakho okubusisiwe, nokuhle ukuhlupheka ngenxa yenkonzo yokwethembeka eNkosini. EMbusweni siyokwazisa ngaphezu kwakho konke ukwamukelwa uBaba. Lokhu kumelwe kube yinto emqoka engqondweni yabo bonke abantwana bakaNkulunkulu. Silangazelela ubunye obuyosenza sibe muNye lapho. Ngiyajabula, nokho ngilangazelela ukuphinde nginibone nonke. Umhlangano omkhulu nowumhlangano waminyaka yonke uyasondela. Kwangathi umoya kaKristu ungagcwala ezinhliziyweni zabo bonke abayoba khona . . .
8 “Kusenokuningi kokwenziwa. Kuyoba umusa omkhulu ukuhlanganyela kukho. Yilabo kuphela abamthanda kakhulu abathembekile futhi abayoba nalelolungelo. . . . Ngaphambi kwalolosuku olujabulisayo kumelwe kunikezwe ubufakazi bentshiseko. . . . Izindlela namakhono amadala ngeke kuhlangabezane nezimfuneko, kodwa iNkosi iyolungiselela ngendlela yaYo enhle. . . . Ngiyajabula ukuthi lokhu okuhlangenwe nakho kwasejele kwabekelwa thina kunoMzalwane uRussell. Angikaze ngaphambili ngikwenyanye kangaka ukungalungi ngithande ukulunga futhi ngilangazelele ukusiza abanye. . . . Ukunqoba kweSiyoni kuseduze.”
Inhlangano KaNkulunkulu ‘Intokozo Yabo Enkulu’
9. Isiphi isimo sengqondo somhubi abameleli beNhlangano ababeboshiwe abasibonisa?
9 Nakuba izinceku zikaJehova emhlabeni zathathwa njengabantu abangathembekile, abangamambuka, nabangalishisekeli izwe labo, azizange ziyenqabe inhlangano kaJehova. Zenqaba ukuhlehla ngaphansi kwalokho kucindezelwa. Kunalokho zingalahlekelwa ukusebenzisa isandla sazo sokunene noma zibe yizimungulu kunokukhohlwa inhlangano kaNkulunkulu futhi zingabe zisayenza ibe ‘intokozo yazo enkulu.’—IHubo 137:5, 6.
10, 11. (a) Yini insali ethembekile eyayithandazela, futhi yimaphi amazwi omhubi eyawenanela ngokuqondene ne-Edomi? (b) Yini izitha zenhlangano kaJehova ebonakalayo ezakwazi ukuyenza, futhi yini lezozitha ezazingayilindele?
10 Izitha zikaJehova zasijabulela ngonya isinyathelo sokumelana nabameleli basemhlabeni benhlangano yakhe yendawo yonke. Kodwa izinceku zikaJehova zathandazela ukuba usuku lwakhe lwempindiselo lufike ngenxa yaso sonke lesihlamba esasibekwa enhlanganweni yakhe. Zenanela amazwi ashiwo umhubi ebhekisela e-Edomi lasendulo: “Khumbula, Jehova, usuku lweJerusalema, ngenxa yabantwana bakwaEdomi abathi: Dilizani, dilizani, kuze kube-sesisekelweni salo.” (IHubo 137:7; Galathiya 4:26) Ah, yebo, uJehova uyithanda kakhulu inhlangano yakhe enjengomfazi kangangokuthi ngeke akukhohlwe lokho okushiwo nokwenziwa yilabo abayingxenye yenhlangano kaDeveli kwabathembekileyo benhlangano yakhe yasemhlabeni.
11 Ngokubheka isimo sabo sangaphandle ngalesosikhathi, labo bezombangazwe ababezwelana neBabiloni Elikhulu bayidiliza inhlangano kaJehova ebonakalayo ‘kwaze kwaba sesisekelweni sayo.’ Babengakulindele ukuyibona ivuka othulini iba inhlangano yomhlaba wonke eyiyo namuhla.
Injabulo Yomphindiseli Wakhe
12. (a) Ubani owabonakala engumkhululi wabantu bakaJehova ababethunjelwe eBabiloni lasendulo, futhi ingabe iHubo 137:8, 9 libhekisela kuye ngomqondo ogcwele? (b) Lamavesi abikezelani ngomphindiseli wenhlangano kaNkulunkulu yasemhlabeni?
12 UJehova wasebenzisa umbusi wasePheresiya uKoresi ukuba akhulule abantu bakhe embusweni wezwe wasendulo iBabiloni. Kodwa ngomqondo ogcwele, akuyena uKoresi okukhulunywa ngaye emazwini okugcina eHubo 137, elibhekisela eBabiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga: “Ndodakazi yaseBabele, wena oyakubhujiswa, ubusisiwe [“uyajabula,” NW] oyakuphindisela kuwe izenzo zakho owazenza kithina. Ubusisiwe [“uyajabula,” NW] oyakubamba abancane bakho, abaphahlaze edwaleni.”—IHubo 137:8, 9.
13, 14. Kungani ‘ojabulayo’ weHubo 137:8, 9 engenakubhekisela emibusweni yezombangazwe ebhubhisa iBabiloni Elikhulu?
13 Ubani ‘oyojabula’? Ingabe ‘ojabulayo’ umelele “izimpondo eziyishumi” ezingokomfanekiso ezisekhanda ‘lesilo,’ okugibele kuso isimiso senkolo esidala esiyisifebe esesinesikhathi eside siziqhayisa? Cha, ngoba ababhubhisi bezombangazwe bombuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga abawubhubhiseli ukuvula indlela yokukhulekelwa okuhlanzekile kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso. Abakwenzi ngenxa yenkazimulo kaNkulunkulu weBhayibheli. Khona-ke, abanjalo bangaba kanjani ngempela ‘ojabulayo’ owashiwo umhubi?
14 Imibuso yezombangazwe yalelizwe ayifezi lomsebenzi wokumelana nenkolo ngenxa yothando ngabakhulekeli bakaJehova. Ngani? Ngoba oFakazi BakaJehova bayoyivimbela ekukhiqizeni kwayo izwe elingamesabi ngokuphelele uNkulunkulu. Ngakho imibuso yezombangazwe imane ingamathuluzi asetshenziswa uNkulunkulu woFakazi ekufezeni injongo yakhe siqu.—IsAmbulo 17:17.
15. Ubani ngempela oshukumisa imibuso yezombangazwe, futhi ngokusebenzisa bani?
15 Ngakho, nakuba lemibuso yezombangazwe ingasetshenziswa ngokuqondile ekubhubhiseni umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, ngempela uJehova uNkulunkulu oyishukumisayo. Kanjani? Usebenzisa iNdodana yakhe ebusayo, uKoresi oMkhulu, uJesu Kristu. Ngakho, uJesu Kristu esemandleni oMbuso uyena ‘ojabulayo’ owabikezelwa umhubi!
16. UJehova ubabhubhisa kanjani “abancane” beBabiloni?
16 Nakuba uJehova eyobalondoloza abathembekileyo bakhe, ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso, uyobamba bonke “abancane” benkolo besimiso semfundiso yamanga esinjengesifebe abaphahlaze kulokho okuya kubonakala ‘njengedwala’—uMbuso ongahlehli kaJehova uNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu.
17. (a) NgokukaIsaya 61:1, 2, yini uJesu ayezoyimemezela ngemva kokugcotshwa ngomoya kaNkulunkulu? (b) Lokho kumenyezelwa kufezwa kanjani namuhla?
17 Ngesikhathi esemhlabeni, uJesu akagcotshwanga ngomoya woMsekeli wakhe waphezulu ukuba ‘amemezele umnyaka womusa kaJehova’ kuphela kodwa futhi ukuba amemezele “nosuku lokuphindisela lukaNkulunkulu wethu.” (Isaya 61:1, 2; Luka 4:16-21) Esikhathini sethu, phakathi ‘nezinsuku zokugcina’ zalesimiso sezinto, uJehova wenza ukuba izinceku zakhe ezithembekile zimemezele “usuku lokuphindisela lukaNkulunkulu wethu” kuwo wonke umhlaba owakhiwe ngenjongo yokuxwayisa zonke izizwe. Kulokhu kumemezela kuye kwahlanganyela nensali “isixuku esikhulu” esikhulayo sabafundi bakaJesu Kristu abanjengezimvu, njengoba sabonakala embonweni kusAmbulo 7:9-17.
18. Abathembekileyo bakaNkulunkulu bayohlanganyela kuyiphi injabulo?
18 Bonke laba, insali ‘nesixuku esikhulu,’ baye balalela umyalo wengelosi wesAmbulo 18:4. Baye baphuma eBabiloni Elikhulu. Kungani isinyathelo esinjalo siphuthuma? Ngoba kumelwe babaleke eBabiloni Elikhulu ngaphambi kokuba “abancane” balo benkolo baphahlazwe futhi babhujiswe ‘yisilo’ ‘nezimpondo zaso eziyishumi’ ngaphambi nje kweHarmagedoni. Laba abathembekileyo bayohlanganyela enjabulweni kaKoresi oMkhulu, uJesu Kristu. Bayohlanganyela namazulu ngokuthi: “Haleluya! Insindiso, nenkazimulo, namandla ngokukaNkulunkulu wethu, ngokuba ziqinisile, zilungile izahlulelo zakhe; ngokuba [“usahlulele,” NW] isifebe esikhulu esonakalisa umhlaba ngobufebe baso.”—IsAmbulo 19:1, 2; qhathanisa noJeremiya 51:8-11.
19. Insali ethembekile manje ijabulela yiphi injabulo, futhi iyiphi injabulo enkulu kunaleyo eyilindele?
19 Kusukela ngo-1919 uJehova uye wenzela abantu bakhe “izinto ezinkulu.” (IHubo 126:1-3) Ngenxa yalokhu kuphakanyiswa kwamandla akhe okukhulula, okubonisa ukuthi ‘unguNkulunkulu othembekileyo,’ zisajabula izinhliziyo zensali ekhululiwe. (Duteronomi 7:9) Ijabula kakhulu, kodwa isalindelwe injabulo enkulu kunaleyo. Lokhu kuyoba lapho ihlanganyela enjabulweni kaKoresi oMkhulu, iNkosi eNkulu ebusayo, uJesu Kristu, ngesikhathi ephahlaza bonke “abancane” benhlangano kaDeveli.
20. Obani abanye abahlanganyela enjabulweni yensali egcotshiwe, futhi ngani?
20 Izigidi zababekade ‘beyizithunjwa’ zeBabiloni Elikhulu kakade sebeye basizwa ukuba babaleke kuleyonhlangano yenkolo emiselwe ukubhujiswa ngaphambi kokubhujiswa kwayo kobudlova. Lokhu kuye kwenza kwaba ‘nesixuku esikhulu’ ‘sezinye izimvu.’ Emhlabeni wonke, isibalo saso manje sesingaphezu kwezi-3 000 000, futhi asaziwa isibalo sabasazosindiswa ekubhujisweni kombuso womhlaba wonke wenkolo yamanga. Ngokwethembeka enhlanganweni kaJehova, sihlanganyela enjabulweni yensali ngokuhlanganyela nayo ekumemezeleni usuku lukaJehova lwempindiselo eBabiloni Elikhulu elingokwenkolo.
21. Kumelwe sibe yini isimo sethu sengqondo ngaseBabiloni Elikhulu nezithunjwa zalo?
21 Khona-ke, masingazihlanganisi nalowombuso wenkolo yamanga. Masingaphindeli kuwo kulezinsuku zokuwa kwawo. Kwangathi singaqhubeka sisiza izithunjwa eziningi ngangokunokwenzeka zeBabiloni Elikhulu ukuba ziphume kulesosimiso esimiselwe ukubhujiswa ngaphambi kokuba uKoresi oMkhulu azuze ukunqoba kwakhe okujabulisayo.