Injabulo Yabahamba Ekukhanyeni
“[Wozani] sihambe ekukhanyeni kukaJehova.”—ISAYA 2:5.
1, 2. (a) Kubaluleke kangakanani ukukhanya? (b) Kungani sinohlonze kangaka isixwayiso sokuthi ubumnyama babuyosibekela umhlaba?
UJEHOVA unguMthombo wokukhanya. IBhayibheli lithi ‘ubeka ilanga libe ngukukhanya emini, nezimiso zenyanga nezezinkanyezi zokuba zibe ngukukhanya ebusuku.’ (Jeremiya 31:35; IHubo 8:3) Yebo, nguYe owadala ilanga lethu, empeleni eliyiziko elikhulukazi elincibilikisa ama-nucleus, likhiphele emkhathini amandla amakhulu, amanye awukukhanya nokushisa. Ingxenyana encane yalawo mandla efika kithi njengokukhanya isekela ukuphila kulo mhlaba. Ngaphandle kokukhanya kwelanga, ngabe asikho. Umhlaba ubuyoba iplanethi engenalutho oluphilayo.
2 Sinalokho engqondweni, singabuqonda ubunzulu besimo esachazwa ngumprofethi u-Isaya. Wathi: “Bheka, ubumnyama buyasibekela umhlaba, nesigayegaye abantu.” (Isaya 60:2) Yebo, lokhu akubhekisele ebumnyameni ngomqondo ongokoqobo. U-Isaya wayengaqondile ukuthi ngolunye usuku ilanga, inyanga nezinkanyezi kuyoyeka ukukhanya. (IHubo 89:36, 37; 136:7-9) Kunalokho, wayekhuluma ngobumnyama obungokomoya. Kodwa ubumnyama obungokomoya buyabulala. Asinakuphila isikhathi esitheni ngaphandle kokukhanya okungokomoya njengoba nje singenakuphila ngaphandle kokukhanya okungokoqobo.—Luka 1:79.
3. Yini okufanele amaKristu ayenze njengoba ecabanga ngamazwi ka-Isaya?
3 Ngenxa yalokhu, kubalulekile ukuphawula ukuthi nakuba agcwaliseka kuJuda wasendulo, amazwi ka-Isaya agcwaliseka ngendlela ebaluleke nakakhulu namuhla. Yebo, esikhathini sethu izwe ligubuzelwe ubumnyama obungokomoya. Esimweni esiyingozi kanjalo, ukukhanya okungokomoya kubaluleke kakhulu. Yingakho amaKristu enza kahle ngokulalela ukunxusa kukaJesu: “Ukukhanya kwenu makukhanye phambi kwabantu.” (Mathewu 5:16) AmaKristu athembekile angabakhanyisela abathobekile abasebumnyameni, kanjalo abanike ithuba lokuzuza ukuphila.—Johane 8:12.
Izikhathi Zobumnyama Kwa-Israyeli
4. Amazwi ka-Isaya ayisiprofetho agcwaliseka nini ngempela, kodwa yisiphi isimo esase sikhona kakade nangosuku lwakhe?
4 Amazwi ka-Isaya mayelana nobumnyama obusibekela umhlaba agcwaliseka okokuqala lapho elakwaJuda liyincithakalo futhi abantu balo bedingiselwe eBabiloni. Nokho, ngisho nangaphambi kwalokho, ngosuku luka-Isaya ingxenye enkulu yesizwe yayisigubuzelwe ubumnyama obungokomoya, okwamshukumisela ukuba anxuse abantu bakubo: “Wena ndlu kaJakobe, woza sihambe ekukhanyeni kukaJehova”!—Isaya 2:5; 5:20.
5, 6. Yiziphi izici ezaba nomthelela ebumnyameni bosuku luka-Isaya?
5 U-Isaya waprofetha kwaJuda “emihleni ka-Uziya, noJothamu, no-Ahazi, noHezekiya, amakhosi akwaJuda.” (Isaya 1:1) Kwakuyisikhathi seziyaluyalu zezombusazwe, ukuzenzisa kwenkolo, ukonakala kwabahluleli nokucindezelwa kwabampofu. Ngisho nalapho kubusa amakhosi athembekile, anjengoJothamu, kwakukhona ama-altare onkulunkulu bamanga emagqumeni amaningi. Lapho kubusa amakhosi angathembekile, izinto zazizimbi nakakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, inkosi embi u-Ahazi yaze yanikela nangezingane zayo emhlatshelweni oyisiko kunkulunkulu uMoloki. Kwakuwubumnyama bangempela!—2 AmaKhosi 15:32-34; 16:2-4.
6 Isimo sasisibi nasezizweni zonke. AbakwaMowabi, elakwa-Edomi neFilistiya babeyingozi emingceleni yakwaJuda. Umbuso wakwa-Israyeli osenyakatho wawusuyisitha esaziwayo, yize wawuyisihlobo segazi. Kude lé enyakatho, iSiriya lalisongela ukuthula kukaJuda. Okwakuyingozi nakakhulu kwakuyi-Asiriya elinonya, elalihlale ligaqele amathuba okwandisa umbuso walo. Ngesikhathi sokuprofetha kuka-Isaya, i-Asiriya lanqoba u-Israyeli, lacishe lacoboshisa noJuda. I-Asiriya lake lanqoba yonke imizi yakwaJuda kwasala iJerusalema.—Isaya 1:7, 8; 36:1.
7. Iyiphi inkambo eyakhethwa u-Israyeli noJuda, futhi uJehova wasabela kanjani?
7 Abantu besivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu babhekana nezinhlekelele ezinjalo ngenxa yokuthi u-Israyeli noJuda babengathembekile kuye. Njengalabo okukhulunywa ngabo encwadini yezAga, ‘babeshiya imikhondo yobuqotho, ukuze bahambe ngezindlela zobumnyama.’ (IzAga 2:13) Nakuba uJehova ayebathukuthelele abantu bakhe, akabashiyanga ngokuphelele. Kunalokho wamisa u-Isaya nabanye abaprofethi ukuba balethe ukukhanya okungokomoya kunoma yibaphi esizweni ababesafuna ukukhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka. Ukukhanya okwalethwa yilaba baprofethi kwakuyigugu ngempela. Kwakunikeza ukuphila.
Izikhathi Zobumnyama Namuhla
8, 9. Yiziphi izici eziwumthelela ebumnyameni bezwe namuhla?
8 Isimo sosuku luka-Isaya sifana kakhulu nezimo zanamuhla. Esikhathini sethu, abaholi babantu baye bafulathela uJehova neNkosi yakhe esesihlalweni sobukhosi, uJesu Kristu. (IHubo 2:2, 3) Abaholi benkolo beLobukholwa bayikhohlisile imihlambi yabo. Laba baholi bathi bakhonza uNkulunkulu, kodwa empeleni iningi labo lithuthukisa onkulunkulu baleli zwe—ubuzwe, izimpi, ingcebo nabantu abavelele—ingasaphathwa eyokufundisa izimfundiso zobuqaba.
9 Ezindaweni eziningi, izinkolo zeLobukholwa ziye zahileleka ezimpini zamazwe nezemibango ezihambisana nokuqothulwa kwezinhlanga nezinye izinto ezishaqisayo. Futhi kunokuba asekele izimiso zokuziphatha zeBhayibheli, amasonto amaningi ayayishalazela noma ayisekela ngokuqondile imikhuba yokuziphatha okubi njengobufebe nobungqingili. Ngenxa yalokho kulahlwa kwezindinganiso zeBhayibheli, imihlambi yeLobukholwa injengalabo bantu umhubi wasendulo akhuluma ngabo: “Abanakwazi, abanakuqonda, bahamba ebumnyameni.” (IHubo 82:5) NjengoJuda wasendulo, eLobukholwa lisebumnyameni obukhulu ngempela.—IsAmbulo 8:12.
10. Ukukhanya kukhanya kanjani ebumnyameni namuhla, futhi abathobekileyo bazuza kanjani?
10 Kubo bonke lobu bumnyama, uJehova wenza ukukhanya kukhanyisele abathobekileyo. Ukuze enze lokhu, usebenzisa izinceku zakhe ezigcotshiwe ezisemhlabeni, “isigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo,” futhi ‘zikhanya njengezinkanyiso ezweni.’ (Mathewu 24:45; Filipi 2:15; 12:3) Leso sigaba sesigqila, esisekelwa yizigidi zozakwabo ‘bezinye izimvu,’ sikhipha ukukhanya okungokomoya okusekelwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli. (Johane 10:16) Kuleli zwe elimnyama, lokho kukhanya kunika abathobekileyo ithemba, kubasize babe nobuhlobo noNkulunkulu futhi bakwazi ukugwema izingibe ezingokomoya. Kuyigugu, kunikeza ukuphila.
‘Ngiyalidumisa Igama Lakho’
11. Yikuphi ukwaziswa uJehova akunikeza osukwini luka-Isaya?
11 Yisiphi isiqondiso uJehova asinikeza ezinsukwini zobumnyama u-Isaya ayephila kuzo nasezinsukwini zobumnyama obukhulu nakakhulu ezalandela lapho abaseBabiloni bethumba isizwe sikaJehova? Ngaphezu kokunikeza isiqondiso sokuziphatha, wachaza ngokucacile kusengaphambili ukuthi wayeyozifeza kanjani izinjongo zakhe mayelana nabantu bakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngeziprofetho ezinhle eziku-Isaya izahluko 25 kuya ku-27. Amazwi akulezi zahluko abonisa indlela uJehova asingatha ngayo izinto emuva ngaleso sikhathi nendlela azisingatha ngayo namuhla.
12. Yimaphi amazwi asuka enhliziyweni u-Isaya awashoyo?
12 U-Isaya uqala ngokuthi: “Jehova, unguNkulunkulu wami; ngiyakukuphakamisa, ngidumise igama lakho.” Yeka amazwi okudumisa asuka enhliziyweni! Kodwa yini eyashukumisela umprofethi ukuba athandaze kanjena? Isici esiyinhloko sembulwe engxenyeni yesibili yaleli vesi, lapho sifunda khona: “Ngokuba [wena Jehova] wenzile izimangaliso, namasu asendulo, nokuthembeka, neqiniso.”—Isaya 25:1.
13. (a) Yiluphi ulwazi olwenza u-Isaya wamazisa nakakhulu uJehova? (b) Singafunda kanjani esibonelweni sika-Isaya?
13 Osukwini luka-Isaya, uJehova wayesenzele u-Israyeli izinto eziningi ezinhle kakhulu, futhi zazibhalwe phansi. Kuyabonakala ukuthi u-Isaya wayeyazi le mibhalo. Ngokwesibonelo, wayazi ukuthi uJehova wayekhiphe abantu bakhe ebugqilini eGibithe wabasindisa nasolakeni lwempi kaFaro oLwandle Olubomvu. Wayazi ukuthi uJehova wahola abantu bakhe ehlane wayobafaka eZweni Lesithembiso. (IHubo 136:1, 10-26) Ukulandisa okungokomlando okunjengalokhu kwabonisa ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu uthembekile futhi unokwethenjelwa. “Amasu” akhe—zonke izinto eziyizinjongo zakhe—ziyenzeka. Ulwazi olunembile oluvela phezulu lwaqinisa u-Isaya ukuba aqhubeke ehamba ekukhanyeni. Kanjalo, waba yisibonelo esihle kithi. Uma silitadisha ngokucophelela iZwi likaNkulunkulu elilotshiwe futhi silisebenzise ekuphileni kwethu, nathi siyohlala ekukhanyeni.—IHubo 119:105; 2 Korinte 4:6.
Ukubhujiswa Komuzi
14. Kuprofethwa kuthiweni ngomuzi othile, futhi cishe kwakuyimuphi lo muzi?
14 Isibonelo senjongo kaNkulunkulu sitholakala ku-Isaya 25:2, lapho sifunda khona ukuthi: “Wenzile umuzi waba yinqwaba, nomuzi obiyelweyo waba yincithakalo; indlu yamakhosi abafokazi ayiseyiwo umuzi, ayisayikwakhiwa futhi kuze kube phakade.” Uyini lo muzi? Kungenzeka ukuthi u-Isaya wayeprofetha ngeBabiloni. Safika ngempela isikhathi iBabiloni elaba ngaso yinqwaba yamatshe.
15. Yimuphi “umuzi omkhulu” okhona namuhla, futhi kuzokwenzekani kuwo?
15 Ingabe umuzi u-Isaya akhuluma ngawo unawo umfuziselo namuhla? Yebo. Incwadi yesAmbulo ikhuluma ‘ngomuzi omkhulu onombuso phezu kwamakhosi omhlaba.’ (IsAmbulo 17:18) Lowo muzi omkhulu ‘yiBabiloni Elikhulu,’ umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. (IsAmbulo 17:5) Namuhla, ingxenye eyinhloko yeBabiloni Elikhulu eLobukholwa, elinabefundisi abangongqá phambili ekuphikiseni umsebenzi wabantu bakaJehova wokushumayela ngoMbuso. (Mathewu 24:14) Nokho, njengeBabiloni lasendulo, iBabiloni Elikhulu lizobhujiswa maduze, lingaphinde libe khona.
16, 17. Izitha zikaJehova zamkhazimulisa kanjani ezikhathini zasendulo nezanamuhla?
16 Yini enye u-Isaya ayiprofethayo ‘ngomuzi obiyelweyo’? Ekhuluma noJehova, u-Isaya uthi: “Abantu abanamandla bayakukudumisa, imizi yezizwe ezinonya zikwesabe.” (Isaya 25:3) Lo muzi onenzondo, ‘umuzi wezizwe ezinonya’ wawuyomkhazimulisa kanjani uJehova? Khumbula okwenzeka enkosini yaseBabiloni enamandla kunawo wonke, uNebukadinesari. Ngemva kwesenzakalo esisangulukisayo esabonisa ubuthakathaka bakhe, waphoqeleka ukuba avume ubukhulu bukaJehova namandla aKhe. (Daniyeli 4:34, 35) Lapho uJehova esebenzisa amandla akhe, ngisho nezitha zakhe ziyaphoqeleka ukuba ziyivume imisebenzi yakhe yamandla, yize zingathandi.
17 Ingabe iBabiloni Elikhulu lake laphoqeleka ukuba livume imisebenzi kaJehova yamandla? Yebo. Phakathi nempi yezwe yokuqala, izinceku zikaJehova ezigcotshiwe zazishumayela zisosizini. Ngo-1918 zathunjwa ngokomoya lapho kuboshwa izikhulu eziholayo ze-Watch Tower Society. Umsebenzi wokushumayela okuhleliwe wama. Kwabe sekuthi ngo-1919, uJehova wababuyisela futhi wabavuselela ngomoya wakhe, base beqala ukufeza umsebenzi wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle kuwo wonke umhlaba owakhiwe. (Marku 13:10) Konke lokhu kwakuprofethiwe encwadini yesAmbulo, njengoba wawuprofethiwe nomphumela wako ezitheni zabo. Lezi zitha ‘zethuka futhi zanika uNkulunkulu wezulu inkazimulo.’ (IsAmbulo 11:3, 7, 11-13) Aziphendukanga zonke, kodwa zaphoqeleka ukuba ziqaphele umsebenzi wamandla kaJehova kulesi senzakalo, njengoba nje u-Isaya ayebikezele.
“Inqaba Kwabampofu”
18, 19. (a) Kungani abaphikisi beye bahluleka ukuphula ubuqotho babantu bakaJehova? (b) ‘Ihubo labanonya liyothuliswa’ kanjani?
18 Ephendukela ekusebenzelaneni kukaJehova ngomusa nalabo abahamba ekukhanyeni, u-Isaya uthi manje kuJehova: “Ubuyinqaba kwabampofu, inqaba kwabaswelayo ekucindezelweni kwabo, isiphephelo esivunguvungwini, umthunzi ekubaleleni, ngokuba umoya wabanonya unjengesivunguvungu odongeni, nanjengokushisa endaweni eyomileyo. Uyathobisa umsindo wabafokazi; njengokubalela ngomthunzi wefu, kanjalo ihubo labanonya [“liyakuthuliswa,” NW].”—Isaya 25:4, 5.
19 Kusukela ngo-1919, omashiqela baye bazama konke abangakwenza ukuze baphule ubuqotho babakhulekeli beqiniso, kodwa bahluleka. Ngani? Ngoba uJehova uyinqaba nesiphephelo sabantu bakhe. Unikeza umthunzi opholile ekushiseni okuvuthayo koshushiso futhi uba njengodonga oluqinile esiphephweni sokuphikiswa. Thina esihamba ekukhanyeni kukaNkulunkulu sibheke phambili ngokuqiniseka esikhathini ‘okuyothuliswa’ ngaso “ihubo labanonya.” Yebo, silubheke ngabomvu usuku eziyoqedwa ngalo izitha zikaJehova.
20, 21. Yiliphi idili uJehova alilungiselelayo, futhi liyohlanganisani lelo dili ezweni elisha?
20 UJehova wenza okungaphezu kokuvikela izinceku zakhe. Uyazondla njengoYise onothando. Ngemva kokukhulula abantu bakhe eBabiloni Elikhulu ngo-1919, wabenzela idili lokunqoba, insada yokudla okungokomoya. Lokhu kwabikezelwa ku-Isaya 25:6, lapho sifunda khona ukuthi: “UJehova Sebawoti uyakwenzela abantu bonke idili lokukhulupheleyo kule ntaba, idili lewayini elinenhlese, okukhulupheleyo okunomnkantsha, iwayini elinenhlese elicwengekileyo.” Yeka indlela esibusiswe ngayo ngokudla kulelo dili! (Mathewu 4:4) Ngempela ‘itafula likaJehova’ ligcwele izinto ezimnandi ezidliwayo. (1 Korinte 10:21) ‘Ngesigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo,’ sinikwa konke esikudingayo ngomqondo ongokomoya.
21 Kunokwengeziwe kuleli dili elilungiselelwe phezulu. Idili elingokomoya esilijabulela manje lisikhumbuza insada yokudla okungokwenyama okuyotholakala ezweni elisha uNkulunkulu alithembisile. Ngaleso sikhathi, “idili lokukhulupheleyo” liyohlanganisa inala yokudla okungokwenyama. Akekho oyolamba ngomqondo ongokwenyama noma ongokomoya ngaleso sikhathi. Yeka impumuzo okuyoba yiyo kwabathembekile esibathandayo abahluphekayo manje ngenxa ‘yokuswelakala kokudla’ okwabikezelwa, okuyingxenye ‘yesibonakaliso’ sokuba khona kukaJesu! (Mathewu 24:3, 7) Ayabaduduza ngempela amazwi omhubi. Wathi: “Kuyakuba khona inala kakolweni ezweni esiqongweni sezintaba.”—IHubo 72:16.
22, 23. (a) Yimuphi ‘umgubuzelo,’ noma ‘isimbozo,’ esiyosuswa, futhi kanjani? (b) ‘Amahloni abantu bakaJehova’ ayosuswa kanjani?
22 Manje lalela isithembiso esihle nakakhulu. Efanisa isono nokufa “nomgubuzelo,” noma ‘isimbozo,’ u-Isaya uthi: “[UJehova] uyakuchitha kule ntaba ingaphandle lesimbozo esimboza abantu bonke, nomgubuzelo ogubuzela zonke izizwe.” (Isaya 25:7) Cabanga nje! Isono nokufa, obekulokhu kucindezele isintu kuhle kwengubo yokulala ekuncisha umoya, ngeke kusaba khona. Yeka indlela esilulangazelela ngayo usuku okuyothi ngalo, izinzuzo zomhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo zisebenze ngokugcwele esintwini esilalelayo nesithembekileyo!—IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.
23 Ekhuluma ngaleso sikhathi esihle, umprofethi ophefumulelwe uyasiqinisekisa: “[UNkulunkulu] uyakugwinya ukufa kuze kube phakade; iNkosi uJehova iyakwesula izinyembezi ebusweni bonke, isuse amahloni abantu bakhe emhlabeni wonke, ngokuba uJehova ukhulumile.” (Isaya 25:8) Akekho oyofa ukufa okungokwemvelo noma oyokhala ngoba elahlekelwe othandekayo. Yeka ushintsho olubusisekile! Ngaphezu kwalokho, akukho ndawo emhlabeni okuyozwakala kuyo isihlamba nenkulumo-ze engamanga uNkulunkulu nezinceku zakhe asebeyibekezelele isikhathi eside kangaka. Ngani? Ngoba uJehova uyosusa umthombo wako—uyise wamanga, uSathane uDeveli, kanye nayo yonke inzalo kaSathane.—Johane 8:44.
24. Labo abahamba ekukhanyeni basabela kanjani emisebenzini yamandla uJehova abenzela yona?
24 Lapho bezindla ngalokho kubonakaliswa kwamandla kaJehova, labo abahamba ekukhanyeni bashukumiseleka ukuba bathi: “Bheka, lo unguNkulunkulu wethu; simhlalele, uyakusisindisa; lo unguJehova; simhlalele; siyakujabula, sithokoze ngensindiso yakhe.” (Isaya 25:9) Maduze nje, isintu esilungile sizothokoza kufanele. Ubumnyama buyosuswa ngokuphelele, futhi abathembekile babe sekukhanyeni kukaJehova phakade. Ingabe likhona ithemba elihle kunaleli? Lutho neze!
Ungachaza?
• Kungani kubalulekile namuhla ukuhamba ekukhanyeni?
• Kungani u-Isaya adumisa igama likaJehova?
• Kungani izitha zingasoze zabuphula ubuqotho babantu bakaNkulunkulu?
• Yiziphi izibusiso ezicebile eziyotholwa yilabo abahamba ekukhanyeni?
[Isithombe ekhasini 12, 13]
Izakhamuzi zakwaJuda zanikela ngezingane njengomhlatshelo kuMoloki
[Izithombe ekhasini 15]
Ukwazi izenzo zikaJehova zamandla kwashukumisela u-Isaya ukuba adumise igama likaJehova
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Abalungile bayoba sekukhanyeni kukaJehova phakade