Thembela KuJehova
“Thembela kuJehova, ulonde indlela yakhe; uzakukuphakamisa, udle ifa lomhlaba, ubukele lapho ababi bechithwa khona.”—IHUBO 37:34, NW.
1, 2. Isintu sibonakala simi kuphi, futhi iZizwe Ezihlangene zihileleke kanjani?
NGOKWENHLAKANIPHO, umkhaya wesintu uye wafinyelela izinga lawo eliphambili kakhulu lentuthuko. Ngenxa yomzamo wawo, ekugcineni uye wafinyelela inkathi yenuzi. Amandla eathomu abonakala ekwazi ukuveza amandla amakhulu futhi kanjalo enze kutholakale izinto ezinkulu embulungeni yonke. Ngokuhlekisayo, aye futhi avula indlela yokulimala okukhulu ohlangeni lwabantu.
2 Yini evimba ukuzibhubhisa komkhaya wesintu ekuqothuleni kwenuzi? Kungase kubonakale kuyiZizwe Ezihlangene, eziqhosha ngezizwe ezingamalunga eziyi-159 ezinezinhlobo eziningi zohulumeni. Ngokwezombangazwe, labohulumeni abavumelani, ngamunye ukholelwa ukuthi uhlobo lwawo lokubusa luphakeme, yebo, lungolungcono kakhulu. Ngakho-ke, kuyo ngokwayo, iUN iyindikimba ephikisanayo. Kugcwele ukuqhosha kobuzwe nesifiso sokuzibusa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izizwe eziningi ziye zakulahla ukukholelwa kuNkulunkulu, ziba eziphika uNkulunkulu.
3. Wehluke kanjani umbono weLobukholwa ngoNkulunkulu kulowo uNkulunkulu anawo?
3 Igama elithi eLobukholwa lisasebenza ezizweni ezingafuni ukubhekwa njengezingenankulunkulu kodwa ezizisholo ukuthi zikholelwa kuJesu Kristu ‘nakuNkulunkulu uYise’ osenhlanganiseleni yeziqu ezintathu noJesu kanye ‘nomoya ongcwele’ owenziwe samuntu. Amalungu kaZiqu-zintathu kuthiwa ayalingana. Kodwa uYise kaJesu wenza ukuba umprofethi uIsaya abhale lamazwi okubonakalisa: “NginguJehova; Yilo igama lami; angiyikunika omunye inkazimulo yami, nezithombe ezibaziweyo udumo lwami.” (Isaya 42:8) LoJehova, noma uYahweh (The Jerusalem Bible), uye wazenzela umlando ongenakuqhathaniswa.
4. IZizwe Ezihlangene zidukisa isintu kukuphi?
4 Ngendlela engazisizi nakancane, iZizwe Ezihlangene ziye zenqaba ukunikeza igama likaNkulunkulu inhlonipho nokuqashelwa okulifanele. Azisikhuthazi isintu, manje esibhekene nesimo saso esibi, ukuba sithembele kumnikazi walelogama. Kodwa, Lowo ubizwa ngokufanelekile ngokuthi “uNkulunkulu wethemba,” njengoba eye wabeka isisekelo sethemba okuwukuphela kwalo isintu esingalijabulela. (Roma 15:13, King James Version) Ithemba alinikezayo liye laqinisa futhi lasekela amadoda nabesifazane abaningi.
Ekuqaleni—Ithemba!
5. Sabekwa nini isisekelo sethemba?
5 Isisekelo sokujabulela lelothemba sabekwa ekuqaleni emlandweni womkhaya wesintu. Yebo, sabekwa ngokushesha ngaphambi kokuxoshwa kwabazali bethu bokuqala ekhaya labo eliyinsimu yase-Edene eMpumalanga ePhakathi. Umlando obhalwe ngolimi lwesiHeberu ngaleyonsimu, noma iPharadesi, asuwiyo insumansumane, awusiyo inganekwane yabantu abaphambuka ekukhulekeleni uMdali wabo.—Genesise 2:7–3:24.
6. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba isintu sidinge ithemba?
6 Eminyakeni engaphezu kwezi-4 000 kamuva, umphostoli uPawulu ongumKristu waphefumlelwa ukuba abhale: “Isono sangena ezweni ngamuntu munye, nangesono kwangena ukufa, ngokunjalo ukufa kwafikela abantu bonke, lokhu bonke bonile.” (Roma 5:12) Komunye wemibhalo yakhe, waveza umuntu oyedwa onecala: “Njengalokhu kuAdamu bonke bayafa, ngokunjalo futhi kuKristu bonke bayakuphiliswa.” (1 Korinte 15:22) Udokotela obizwa ngokuthi uLuka, esahlukweni sesithathu seVangeli lakhe, walandelela uhlu lozalo lukaJesu ukubuyela emuva kuAdamu, lowo, ngaphambi kokukhishwa e-Edene, owezwa isigijimi sikaJehova sethemba.—Luka 3:23-38.
7. Iyiphi into ekhuthazayo uNkulunkulu ayenza lapho uAdamu esaphila?
7 Ngokwemvelo, kufanele ufune ukwazi okuqukethwe yilesosigijimi. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba usifunde, qaphela iqiniso lokuthi esikhathini eside uJehova ube ngumniki wethemba. Ekuqaleni uAdamu wayeyindodana kaNkulunkulu yasemhlabeni, futhi uNkulunkulu wamvumela ukuba azale abantwana. Uma ungabona kusengaphambili isimo esibi, ungase ufune ukukhuthaza noma ukunika abantwana bakho ithemba. UNkulunkulu wenza okufanayo. Ngemva kokuba uAdamu ezwe amazwi kaNkulunkulu okulahlwa eshiwo kuye siqu, wezwa amazwi ethemba ngenzalo yakhe.
8. UGenesise 3:15 wasinikeza kanjani isisekelo sethemba?
8 Kwakuyimaphi lawomazwi avela kuloNkulunkulu onikeza ithemba? ‘Enyokeni’ eyayihilelekile esonweni sika-Adamu, uNkulunkulu wathi: “Ngizakubeka ubutha phakathi kwakho nowesifazane, naphakathi kwenzalo yakho nenzalo yakhe. Yona iyakuchoboza ikhanda lakho, wena uyakulimaza isithende sayo.” (Genesise 3:14, 15) Ungase umangale ukuthi kungashiwo kanjani ukuthi lawomazwi akhulisa ithemba. Okokuqala, sifunda ukuthi ‘inyoka’ yayizochotshozwa ikhanda.
9. Yayiwubani “inyoka” okubhekiselwe kuyo kuGenesise 3:14, 15?
9 KusAmbulo 12:9 kubhaliwe: “Wayesephonswa phansi udrako omkhulu, inyoka endala ethiwa uMhlebi noSathane, odukisa izwe lonke, waphonswa phansi emhlabeni, nezingelosi zakhe zaphonswa kanye naye.” Yebo, ‘inyoka’ eyayihileleke e-Edene yayingesiye omunye ngaphandle kwesidalwa somoya esaziwa njengoSathane uDeveli. Leyonyoka engokomfanekiso ayizange nje kuphela ibe nezingelosi ezulwini kodwa iye yaba “nenzalo” lapha emhlabeni, ‘inzalo’ eyobhujiswa kanye nayo ngesikhathi esifanele.
10. UJesu wakuqinisekisa kanjani ukuvezwa ‘kwenyoka’?
10 Eqinisekisa lokhu kuvezwa kukaDeveli ‘njengenyoka’ eyabangela ukuwa kwabazali bethu bokuqala, uJesu Kristu wathi kubaholi benkolo bamaJuda ekhulwini lokuqala: “Nina ningabakayihlo uSathane, nithanda ukwenza izinkanuko zikayihlo. Yena wayengumbulali wabantu kwasekuqaleni, akemi eqinisweni . . . Nxa ekhuluma amanga, ukhuluma okungokwakhe, lokhu engumqambimanga noyise wawo.” (Johane 8:44) UJesu futhi wabiza labobaphikisi benkolo ngokuthi ‘bayinzalo yamabululu.’—Mathewu 12:34; 23:33.
Ithemba Lagcinwa Liphila
11. Yisiphi isizathu esengenziwe sethemba uGenesise 3:15 asinikeza?
11 Eqinisweni isithembiso saphezulu sokuchotshozwa kwekhanda lenyoka engokomfanekiso sabeka ithemba elifudumeza inhliziyo phambi kwawo wonke umkhaya wabantu owawusazoba khona. Singabona ukuthi kungani ngokuhlola ezinye izingxenye zikaGenesise 3:15. Kuphawulwe “inzalo” yowesifazane. Ukuthi ingubani ‘leyonzalo’ kwakufihlakele isikhathi eside. Kodwa kwakusobala ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wayezobeka ubutha phakathi ‘kwaleyonzalo’ engakavezwa nenyoka engokomfanekiso “nenzalo” yayo emelene noNkulunkulu. Ukunqoba kwakuthenjisiwe, yebo, kuqinisekisiwe, ‘ngenzalo yowesifazane’! Ukunqoba kwayo kwabekwa njengethemba phambi kwesintu. Ngakho amalungu omkhaya wesintu ayengalindela ukuza ‘kwaleyonzalo yowesifazane.’
12. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ikuphi okwengeziwe okwembulwa ‘ngenzalo yowesifazane’?
12 Emakhulwini eminyaka, uNkulunkulu wembula ukuthi ‘lenzalo’ kwakuyiNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, eyathunywa emhlabeni ukuba ibe nguMesiya futhi inikele ngokuphila kwayo kube ngumhlatshelo wesihlengo. (Genesise 22:17, 18; Galathiya 3:16; 1 Johane 2:2; IsAmbulo 5:9, 10) Ngenxa yalesizathu ithemba loFakazi BakaJehova alikho eZizweni Ezihlangene. LikuJesu Kristu ophilayo, uMkhulumeli Oyinhloko kaJehova uNkulunkulu. Singaqiniseka ngokuthi uKristu uyaphila, njengoba avuka kwabafileyo ukuze ahlale ngakwesokunene sikaJehova ezulwini. Njengoba uPawulu esho: “Uma singabathembela kuKristu kulokhukuphila [ukuphila okuhlanganisa ikhulu lethu leminyaka lama-20] kuphela, singabokukhalelwa kunabantu bonke. Kepha kalokhu uKristu uvusiwe kwabafileyo, engulibo lwabaleleyo.” (1 Korinte 15:19, 20) Njengoba kuye kwaboniswa kaningi ngokweBhayibheli emakhasini alomagazini, namuhla uJesu Kristu umisiwe njengeNkosi yasezulwini.—IsAmbulo 11:15.
13, 14. OFakazi BakaJehova bathembela kuphi, futhi yini abayenzayo ngakho?
13 Yiqiniso, uJesu akazange athathele uJehova indawo njengethemba lesintu. IHubo 37:34 lisalokhu lisebenza: “Thembela kuJehova, ulonde indlela yakhe; uzakukuphakamisa, udle ifa lomhlaba, ubukele lapho ababi bechithwa khona.” Kusadingekile ukuqhubeka sethemba uJehova nokukhuthaza bonke abantu ukuba bayeke ukwethemba izinhlangano ezenziwe abantu.
14 Ngokuvumelana naleliqiniso, oFakazi BakaJehova bakhuthele emazweni ayi-208, beshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. Abanakuyekiswa ukwenza kanjalo. Izinhlangano zezombangazwe, zisizwa futhi zikhuthazwa izinhlangano zenkolo, azinalo ilungelo laphezulu lokuzama ukubayekisa. Singaqhubeka sibe ngoFakazi BakaJehova futhi sithembele kuye, njengoba kwenza uDavide waseBetlehema, owabhala:
15. Hlobo luni lwethemba iNkosi uDavide eyaba nalo kuJehova?
15 “UJehova ungumalusi wami; angiyikuswela. Ungilalisa emadlelweni aluhlaza; ungiholela emanzini okuthula. Ulondoloza umphefumulo wami: Ungihola ezindleleni zokulunga ngenxa yegama lakhe. Yebo, noma ngihamba esigodini sethunzi lokufa, angiyikwesaba okubi; ngoba wena unami; intonga yakho nodondolo lwakho, kuyangiduduza. Ulungisa itafula lami phambi kwami phambi kwezitha zami: Ugcoba ikhanda lami ngamafutha; indebe yami iyachichima. Ngempela ubuhle nomusa wothando kuyongilandela zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwami; futhi ngiyohlala endlini kaJehova kuze kube-phakade.”—IHubo 23, American Standard Version.
16. Kungani kungathiwa uJesu wayenombono ofanayo nokaDavide?
16 INkosi uDavide yayingumalusi kaJehova ongokomoya wezizwe zakwaIsrayeli wasendulo, futhi wavula indlela yokuba iJerusalema libe yinhloko-dolobha yesizwe, lapho indodana yakhe uSolomoni yabusa khona iminyaka engama-40. Ngesizathu esihle, uJesu Kristu kwakhulunywa ngaye ‘njengeNdodana kaDavide.’ (Luka 1:31; 18:39; 20:41) Uma uDavide athembela kuJehova uNkulunkulu, umzukulu wakhe wasemhlabeni uJesu Kristu wayeyokwenza ngokufanayo. Futhi wenze njalo.
17. Kunabuphi ubufakazi bokuthi uJesu wayethembele kuJehova?
17 Njengobufakazi bokuthi umzukulu kaDavide odume kakhulu, uJesu Kristu, walandela iseluleko seHubo 37:34 lapho ephefumula okokugcina esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa, uJesu wathi: “Baba, ezandleni zakho ngiyawubeka umoya wami.” (Luka 23:46) Wayecaphuna futhi egcwalisa amazwi kaDavide akuyiHubo 31:5, abhekiselwe kuNkulunkulu: “Ngibeka umoya wami esandleni sakho.” Ithemba likaJesu alidunyazwanga, njengoba kwaba njalo ngeleNkosi uDavide. UKristu wavuswa kwabafileyo ngosuku lwesithathu. Ezinsukwini ezingamashumi amane kamuva wabuyela kuYise wasezulwini. Ekupheleni kweZikhathi Zabezizwe ngo-1914, uJehova wayiphakamisa iNdodana yakhe ukuba ibe uMbusi womhlaba.
Isikhathi Sethemba Manje
18. Kungani namuhla kuyisikhathi esifanele sethemba?
18 Namuhla, njengoba unyaka omusha wezi-6014 A.M. (oNyakeni Womhlaba) uqhubela umkhaya wesintu esikhathini esizayo, yiliphi ithemba elingajatshulelwa umkhaya wesintu? Lowombuzo ubaluleke kakhulu manje ngoba sisenkathini yangemva kweBayibheli cishe ngeminyaka eyi-1 900. Sekuyisikhathi eside uDavide abhala iHubo 37:34.
19. Yini uJehova ayenzela uJesu, esinikeza ithemba?
19 UJehova uNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke owavusa uJesu kwabafileyo, unendima enkulu kakhulu ngaye kunaleyo eyenziwa abantu abanombono omfushane. Ngokuvusa nangokubeka iNdodana yakhe ngakwesokunene sakhe ezulwini, uJehova uNkulunkulu unesizathu esengeziwe sokuba sibheke kuYe ngethemba elingahluleki, ithemba lethu lokugcina. Kungasho ukuphila kwethu okuphakade ngenjabulo, njengoba umlobi ophefumlelwe uPawulu esho: “Ethembeni sisindisiwe.”—Roma 8:24.
20. Kungani singathi uJehova usalokhu ‘enguNkulunkulu wethemba’?
20 Umphostoli uyaqhubeka athi: “Kepha ithemba elibonwayo alisilo ithemba; ngokuba lokhu umuntu akubonayo usakwethembelani na? Kodwa uma sithemba lokho esingakuboniyo, siyakulindela ngokubekezela.” (Roma 8:24, 25) Ngakho lelothemba lokuqala lisalokhu likhona, yebo, lisondela ekugcwalisekeni okukhazimulayo ohlangeni lwesintu. (2 Petru 3:13; IsAmbulo 21:4, 5) Ngaso kanye isizathu sokuthi liyithemba laso sonke isintu, lifanelwe ukwenziwa laziwe kubo bonke. Lona umqondo ‘kaNkulunkulu wethu wethemba.’
21, 22. Yini esingalindela ukuba izizwe ziyenze esikhathini esizayo esiseduze?
21 Manje kunanini isikhathi sakhe sokuba lomqondo wenziwe. Ngisho nasesikhathini sethu lapho ezinye izizwe zeUN ziye zafinyelela ubuchwepheshe bawo kanye umongo wazo zonke izinto, abaholi balemibuso abasiboni isidingo sokushiyela ukuxazululwa kwezinkinga kothile ohlakaniphe kakhulu.—Qhathanisa noGenesise 11:6.
22 Ngokungafani nanini ngaphambili, inkolo evamile iyahlaselwa futhi ayikwazi ukuphunyula. Ithonya layo elihlukanisayo kumelwe lisuswe. IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi izingxenye ezibusayo ziyobonisa ubukhulu bazo futhi zizahlukanise nezinkolo ezincike kuzo ebezizama isikhathi eside kangaka ukumunca konke ezingakuthola esimisweni sezwe sezinto. Khona-ke, akumangalisi ukuthi ingxenye yezombangazwe iyothatha lenkambo. Ngokwabo ukubheka, impumelelo kulokhu kuhlasela kwabo inkolo iyobonisa ukuthi akukho-Nkulunkulu ofanelwe ukukhulekelwa nokukhonzwa. Isibonakaliso esingokwesiprofetho siwukuthi bayobe sebephendukela kofakazi bakaNkulunkulu, abasele. Bayolindela ukunqoba okulula kunakho konke phezu koFakazi BakaJehova njengesiphetho somkhankaso wabo ngokumelene noNkulunkulu.—IsAmbulo 17:12-17; Hezekeli 38:10-23.
23, 24. UJehova uyosabela kanjani ekuhlaseleni kwezizwe abantu bakhe?
23 Nokho, ekugcineni bayokwazi ukwehlulwa okuyihlazo okumelwe kufikele lowo olokotha alwisane noJehova wemikhosi, ongakaze ahlulwe empini. Lokho kuyokwenza kucace ngokungaphazami ukuthi bebekhonza izinjongo zomphikisi oyinhloko kaNkulunkulu oyedwa weqiniso, okungukuthi, “inyoka,” uSathane, “unkulunkulu walelizwe.”—2 Korinte 4:4.
24 Yeka ukuthotshiswa lokhu okuyokusho ngabo! Lokho abebethemba ukukubonisa kuyobonakala kuyindelelo enkulu, bebangela yena kanye uNkulunkulu wezulu nomhlaba ukuba abonise intukuthelo yokulunga. Esintwini esingelutho wayengathi: “Ngokuba imicabango yami ayisiyo imicabango yenu, nezindlela zenu azisizo izindlela zami, usho uJehova. Ngokuba njengamazulu ephakeme kunomhlaba, kanjalo izindlela zami ziphakeme kunezindlela zenu, nemicabango yami kunemicabango yenu. Ngokuba njengokwehla kwemvula neqhwa ezulwini, kungabuyeli khona, kepha kuwunethisa umhlaba, kuwenze ukuba uthele, uhlume, unike ohlwanyelayo inhlwanyelo nodlayo isinkwa, liyakuba-njalo izwi lami eliphuma emlonyeni wami: aliyikubuyela-ze kimi, lingakafezi lokhu engikufunayo, liphumelele kulokhu engilithumele kukho.”—Isaya 55:8-11.
25. Khona-ke, kungani manje sinesizathu esihle sokubheka kuJehova ‘njengoNkulunkulu wethu wethemba’?
25 LoMdali womuntu uye wafaka enhliziyweni yomuntu uzwela olunamandla, njengalolo yena ngokwakhe analo. “Ngokuba usho kanje uJehova-Sebawoti ongithumile ukulanda inkazimulo yakhe ezizweni ezaziniphanga—ngokuba othinta nina uthinta inhlamvu yeso lakhe.” (Zakariya 2:8) Ngakho-ke oFakazi BakaJehova kuyodingeka bathembele kuJehova. Uyogcwalisa lelothemba kube ukukhazinyuliswa okukhulu kobukhosi bakhe bendawo yonke. Uyobonakalisa ngokungenakuphikiswa ukuthi unguNkulunkulu ophakeme, umninimandla onke, ophakade, oye wagcwalisa amathemba aphakeme ezidalwa zakhe kulo lonke izulu nakuwo wonke umhlaba. Haleluya!—IHubo 150:6.
Ubungaphedula Kanjani?
◻ Kungani ithemba lezizwe lingelidukisayo?
◻ UNkulunkulu wasilungiselela kanjani isisekelo sethemba kuGenesise 3:15?
◻ Sasiyini isimo sikaJesu ngokuqondene neHubo 37:34?
◻ Kungani manje sinesizathu sethemba?
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
Njengezimvu zilandela umalusi wazo, kanjalo uDavide walindela futhi wathemba uJehova
[Umthombo]
Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.