Ukusindiswa Kwalabo Abakhetha Ukukhanya
“UJehova ungukukhanya kwami nensindiso yami; ngizakwesaba bani na?”—IHUBO 27:1.
1. Yimaphi amalungiselelo anika ukuphila uJehova awenzayo?
UJEHOVA unguMthombo wokukhanya kwelanga okwenza kube nokuphila emhlabeni. (Genesise 1:2, 14) Futhi unguMdali wokukhanya okungokomoya, okuxosha ubumnyama obubulalayo bezwe likaSathane. (Isaya 60:2; 2 Korinte 4:6; Efesu 5:8-11; 6:12) Labo abakhetha ukukhanya bangasho kanye nomhubi: “UJehova ungukukhanya kwami nensindiso yami; ngizakwesaba bani na?” (IHubo 27:1a) Nokho, njengoba kwenzeka esikhathini sikaJesu, labo abakhetha ubumnyama kumelwe balindele isahlulelo esibi.—Johane 1:9-11; 3:19-21, 36.
2. Kwenzekani ezikhathini zasendulo kulabo abakwenqaba ukukhanya kukaJehova nakulabo ababelalela izwi lakhe?
2 Ezinsukwini zika-Isaya, iningi labantu besivumelwano sikaJehova lakwenqaba ukukhanya. Ngenxa yalokho, u-Isaya wabona ukubhujiswa kombuso wasenyakatho wesizwe sakwa-Israyeli. Futhi ngo-607 B.C.E., iJerusalema nethempeli lalo kwabhujiswa, izakhamuzi zakwaJuda zadingiswa. Nokho, labo ababelalela izwi likaJehova banikwa amandla okumelana nokuhlubuka kwangalezo zinsuku. Mayelana no-607 B.C.E., uJehova wathembisa ukuthi labo ababemlalela babeyosinda. (Jeremiya 21:8, 9) Namuhla, thina esithanda ukukhanya singafunda lukhulu kulokho okwenzeka ngaleso sikhathi.—Efesu 5:5.
Injabulo Yalabo Abasekukhanyeni
3. Namuhla, ubani esingathembela kuye, yisiphi “isizwe esilungileyo” esisithandayo, futhi yimuphi “umuzi onamandla” leso “sizwe” esinawo?
3 “Umuzi onamandla sinawo; [uNkulunkulu] uyasimisela insindiso ibe yizingange nezindonga. Vulani amasango ukuba isizwe esilungileyo esigcina iqiniso singene.” (Isaya 26:1, 2) Lawa kwakungamazwi okwethaba ashiwo abantu ababethembela kuJehova. AmaJuda athembekile osuku luka-Isaya ayethembele kuJehova njengowukuphela koMthombo wangempela wokulondeka, hhayi konkulunkulu bamanga bomakhelwane bawo. Namuhla, nathi sithembele kuye. Ngaphezu kwalokho, siyasithanda ‘isizwe sikaJehova esilungileyo’—‘u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.’ (Galathiya 6:16; Mathewu 21:43) NoJehova uyasithanda lesi zwe ngenxa yokuziphatha kwaso ngokwethembeka. Ngenxa yesibusiso sakhe, u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu ‘unomuzi onamandla,’ inhlangano esamuzi ewusekelayo newuvikelayo.
4. Yisiphi isimo sengqondo esiyobe senza kahle ukusihlakulela?
4 Labo abakulo “muzi” bazi kahle ukuthi “inhliziyo eqinileyo [uJehova] uyayilinda ngokuthula okupheleleyo, ngokuba yethemba [kuJehova].” UJehova uyabasekela labo abathambekele ekuthembeleni kuye futhi abazivumelanisa nezimiso zakhe zokulunga. Ngakho, abathembekile bakwaJuda bakulalela ukunxusa kuka-Isaya: “Thembani kuJehova kuze kube phakade, ngokuba uJehova, yebo, uJehova uyidwala elingunaphakade.” (Isaya 26:3, 4; IHubo 9:10; 37:3; IzAga 3:5) Labo abanaleso simo sengqondo bathembela “kuJehova” njengowukuphela kweDwala elilondekile. Bathola ‘ukuthula okupheleleyo’ kuye.—Filipi 1:2; 4:6, 7.
Ukuthotshiswa Kwezitha ZikaNkulunkulu
5, 6. (a) Lathotshiswa kanjani iBabiloni lasendulo? (b) “IBabiloni Elikhulu” lona lathotshiswa kanjani?
5 Kuthiwani uma labo abathembela kuJehova beba sosizini? Akudingeki besabe. UJehova uyazivumela izinto ezinjalo okwesikhashana, kodwa ekugcineni uletha impumuzo, bese labo ababangela lolo sizi bebhekana nesahlulelo sakhe. (2 Thesalonika 1:4-7; 2 Thimothewu 1:8-10) Cabanga ‘ngomuzi’ othile “ophakemeyo.” U-Isaya uthi: “[UJehova] uthobisile ababehlezi phezulu, umuzi ophakemeyo; uyawubhidliza, uyawubhidliza kuze kube semhlabathini, awusondeze nasothulini. Unyawo luyakuwunyathela phansi, izinyawo zabaswelayo, izinyathelo zabampofu.” (Isaya 26:5, 6) Umuzi ophakemeyo okukhulunywa ngawo lapha kungenzeka yiBabiloni. Lowo muzi wabahlupha ngempela abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Kodwa kwenzekani ngeBabiloni? Ngo-539 B.C.E., lanqotshwa amaMede namaPheresiya. Yeka ukuthotshiswa!
6 Osukwini lwethu, amazwi ka-Isaya ayisiprofetho akuchaza kahle lokho okuye kwenzeka ‘eBabiloni Elikhulu’ kusukela ngo-1919. Ngalowo nyaka, lowo muzi ophakemeyo wawa ngendlela ethobisayo lapho uphoqeleka ukuba udedele abantu bakaJehova ekuthunjweni okungokomoya. (IsAmbulo 14:8) Okwenzeka ngokulandelayo kwakuthobisa nakakhulu. Lelo qembu elincane lamaKristu lajika ‘lamnyathela phansi’ owayekade elithumbile. Ngo-1922 laqala ukumemezela isiphelo esizayo seLobukholwa, lamemezela ukukhala okune kwamacilongo ezingelosi ezikusAmbulo 8:7-12 nawomaye abathathu ababikezelwe kusAmbulo 9:1-11:15.
“Indlela Yabalungileyo Iqondile”
7. Bathola siphi isiqondiso labo abaphendukela ekukhanyeni kukaJehova, bathembela kubani futhi yini abayazisayo?
7 UJehova ubanika insindiso labo abaphendukela ekukhanyeni kwakhe, futhi uyabaqondisa endleleni yabo, njengoba u-Isaya ebonisa ngokulandelayo: “Indlela yabalungileyo iqondile, umkhondo wabaqotho ulungile, uyawenza ukuba ulingane. Yebo, ezindleleni zezahlulelo zakho, Jehova, sikuhlalele. Umphefumulo uyalangazelela igama lakho nesikhumbuzo sakho.” (Isaya 26:7, 8) UJehova unguNkulunkulu olungile, futhi labo abamkhulekelayo kumelwe bagcine izindinganiso zakhe zokulunga. Lapho bezigcina, uJehova uyabaqondisa, ahlelembe indlela yabo. Ngokulalela isiqondiso sakhe, laba abathobekile babonisa ukuthi bathembela kuJehova futhi balazisa ngenhliziyo yonke igama lakhe—‘isikhumbuzo’ sakhe.—Eksodusi 3:15.
8. Yisiphi isimo sengqondo esiyisibonelo esaboniswa ngu-Isaya?
8 Kwayena u-Isaya wayelazisa igama likaJehova. Lokho kubonakala emazwini akhe alandelayo: “Ngomphefumulo wami ngikulangazelela ebusuku, yebo, ngomoya wami ophakathi kwami ngiyakufunisisa, ngokuba lapho izahlulelo zakho zisemhlabeni, abakhileyo bezwe bafunda ukulunga.” (Isaya 26:9) U-Isaya wayelangazelela uJehova ‘ngomphefumulo wakhe’—isiqu sakhe sonke. Ake umcabange lo mprofethi ethandaza kuJehova ebusuku kuthule, eveza imicabango yakhe ejulile futhi efuna isiqondiso sikaJehova ngobuqotho. Yeka isibonelo esihle! Ngaphezu kwalokho, u-Isaya wafunda ukulunga ezahlulelweni zikaJehova. Kulokhu, usikhumbuza isidingo sokuhlala siqaphile ukuze siqonde intando kaJehova.
Abanye Bakhetha Ubumnyama
9, 10. Yiziphi izenzo zomusa uJehova azenzela isizwe sakhe esingathembekile, kodwa sasabela kanjani?
9 UJehova wabonisa uJuda umusa omkhulu wothando, kodwa ngokudabukisayo akuwona wonke umuntu owasabela. Izikhathi eziningi, iningi lalikhetha ukuvukela nokuhlubuka esikhundleni sokukhanya kweqiniso likaJehova. U-Isaya wathi: “Uma omubi ephiwa umusa, akafundi ukulunga; ezweni lobuqotho uyakwenza ukonakala, angaboni ukuphakama kukaJehova.”—Isaya 26:10.
10 Osukwini luka-Isaya, lapho isandla sikaJehova sivikele uJuda ezitheni zakhe, iningi lenqaba ukukuqaphela lokhu. Lapho esibusisa ngokuthula kwakhe, isizwe asibonisanga kubonga. Ngakho, uJehova wasiyeka ukuba sikhonze “amanye amakhosi,” wagcina evumele ukuba amaJuda athunjelwe eBabiloni ngo-607 B.C.E. (Isaya 26:11-13) Noma kunjalo, insali yesizwe yagcina ibuyele ezweni layo, isihlanziwe.
11, 12. (a) Abathumbi bakaJuda babenaliphi ikusasa? (b) Ngo-1919, laba njani ikusasa lababekade bethumbe izinceku zikaJehova ezigcotshiwe?
11 Kuthiwani ngabathumbi bakaJuda? U-Isaya uyaphendula esiprofethweni: “Bafile; ngeke baphile. Abasenamandla ekufeni, ngeke bavuke. Ngakho-ke ubanakile ukuze ubabhuqe ubhubhise konke ukuphathwa kwegama labo.” (Isaya 26:14, NW) Yebo, ngemva kokuwa kwalo ngo-539 B.C.E., iBabiloni lase linqunyelwe isikhathi. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, lo muzi wawungeke usaba khona. Wawuyobe ‘ungasenamandla ekufeni,’ futhi umbuso wawo omkhulu ube umlando nje. Yeka isixwayiso kulabo abathembele kwabanamandla baleli zwe!
12 Izici ezithile zalesi siprofetho zagcwaliseka lapho uNkulunkulu evumela izinceku zakhe ezigcotshiwe ukuba zithunjwe ngokomoya ngo-1918, wayesezikhulula ngo-1919. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, ikusasa lababekade bezithumbile, ngokuyinhloko eLobukholwa, lafiphala. Kodwa izibusiso ezazizotholwa abantu bakaJehova zazicebile ngempela.
“Wandisa Isizwe”
13, 14. Yiziphi izibusiso ezicebile eziye zajatshulelwa yizinceku zikaJehova ezigcotshiwe kusukela ngo-1919?
13 UNkulunkulu wabusisa umoya wokuphenduka wezinceku zakhe ezigcotshiwe ngo-1919 futhi wazandisa. Kwaqale kwagxilwa ekuqoqweni kwamalungu okugcina ka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu, kwabe sekuqala ukuqoqwa ‘kwesixuku esikhulu’ ‘sezinye izimvu.’ (IsAmbulo 7:9; Johane 10:16) Lezi zibusiso zabikezelwa esiprofethweni sika-Isaya: “Wandisa isizwe, Jehova, wandisa isizwe, wadunyiswa, wavula yonke imikhawulo yezwe. Jehova, besekuhluphekeni bakuhambela, bazethula ngemikhuleko lapho belaywa nguwe.”—Isaya 26:15, 16.
14 Namuhla, imingcele ka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu iye yanwebekela emhlabeni wonke, futhi isixuku esikhulu esiye sanezelwa sesingaba yizigidi eziyisithupha ezenza umsebenzi wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle ngentshiseko. (Mathewu 24:14) Yeka isibusiso esivela kuJehova! Yeka nenkazimulo lokhu okuyiletha egameni lakhe! Namuhla lelo gama lizwakala emazweni angaphezu kuka-235—okuwukugcwaliseka okuhle kakhulu kwesithembiso sakhe.
15. Yiluphi uvuko olungokomfanekiso olwenzeka ngo-1919?
15 UJuda wayedinga usizo lukaJehova ukuze aphume ekuthunjweni eBabiloni. Wayengenakuziphumela ngokwakhe. (Isaya 26:17, 18) Ngokufanayo, ukukhululwa kuka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu ngo-1919 kwakuwubufakazi bokusekelwa nguJehova. Kwakungenakwenzeka ngaphandle kwakhe. Futhi ushintsho esimweni sakhe lwalumangaza kangangokuthi u-Isaya ulufanisa novuko: “Abafileyo bakho bayakubuye baphile, izidumbu zabo zivuke. Phaphamani, nijabule nina enihlala othulini, ngokuba amazolo akho angamazolo okukhanya, nomhlaba uyakubakhipha abafileyo.” (Isaya 26:19; IsAmbulo 11:7-11) Yebo, abavusiwe babeyoba nezingane ezingokomoya!
Ukuvikelwa Ezikhathini Eziyingozi
16, 17. (a) Ngo-539 B.C.E., yini amaJuda okwakudingeka ayenze ukuze asinde ekuweni kweBabiloni? (b) Ayini ‘amakamelo’ namuhla, futhi asizuzisa kanjani?
16 Izinceku zikaJehova zisidinga njalo isivikelo sakhe. Nokho, maduze nje uzokwelulela isandla sakhe okokugcina ezweni likaSathane, futhi abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu bazodinga usizo lwakhe ngendlela abangakaze baludinge ngayo. (1 Johane 5:19) Mayelana naleso sikhathi esiyingozi, uJehova uyasixwayisa: “Wozani, bantu bami, ningene emakamelweni enu, nizivalele iminyango, nicashe ngokuphazima kweso, kuze kudlule ulaka. Ngokuba bhekani, uJehova uyaphuma endaweni yakhe ukuba ahambele ububi babakhileyo emhlabeni; umhlaba uyakubonakalisa igazi lawo, ungabe usabasibekela ababuleweyo babo.” (Isaya 26:20, 21; Zefaniya 1:14) Lesi sixwayiso sabonisa amaJuda amaningi indlela ayengasinda ngayo ekuweni kweBabiloni ngo-539 B.C.E. Lawo asilalela ayeyohlala emizini yawo, aphephe emasosheni anqobayo ayesemigwaqweni.
17 Namuhla, kungenzeka ‘amakamelo’ alesi siprofetho cishe asho amashumi ezinkulungwane zamabandla abantu bakaJehova emhlabeni wonke. Amabandla anjalo ayisivikelo kwamanje, indawo amaKristu athola kuyo ukulondeka phakathi kwabafowabo, enakekelwe abadala ngothando. (Isaya 32:1, 2; Heberu 10:24, 25) Lokhu kuyiqiniso ikakhulu uma kucatshangwa ngokuba seduze kokuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto lapho ukusinda kuzoxhomeka ekulaleleni.—Zefaniya 2:3.
18. UJehova ‘uzombulala’ kanjani maduze nje “udrako oselwandle”?
18 Mayelana naleso sikhathi, u-Isaya uyaprofetha: “Ngalolo suku uJehova uyakuhambela ngenkemba yakhe elukhuni enkulu nenamandla uLeviyathani, inyoka esheshayo, uLeviyathani, inyoka ethandelayo, abulale udrako oselwandle.” (Isaya 27:1) Uyini “uLeviyathani” wanamuhla? Kungenzeka ‘yinyoka yokuqala,’ uSathane uqobo, nesimiso sakhe sezinto esibi asisebenzisela ukulwa no-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu. (IsAmbulo 12:9, 10, 17; 13:14, 16, 17) Ngo-1919, uLeviyathani waphunyukwa abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uzoshabalala ngokuphelele. (IsAmbulo 19:19-21; 20:1-3, 10) Ngakho, uJehova ‘uyobulala udrako oselwandle.’ Okwamanje, akukho lutho uLeviyathani angase aluzame kubantu bakaJehova oluyoba nempumelelo ehlala njalo. (Isaya 54:17) Yeka indlela okududuza ngayo ukuqinisekiswa ngalokho!
“Isivini Esinxanelekayo”
19. Siyini isimo sensali namuhla?
19 Njengoba kukhona konke lokhu kukhanya okuvela kuJehova, asinaso yini isizathu sokujabula? Yebo, sinaso! U-Isaya uyichaza kahle injabulo yabantu bakaJehova lapho ebhala: “Ngalolo suku kuyakuba khona isivini esinxanelekayo. ‘Hlabelelani ngaso. Mina Jehova ngingumlindi waso, ngiyakusinisela njalo; funa soniwe, ngiyakusilinda ubusuku nemini.’” (Isaya 27:2, 3) UJehova uye wasinakekela “isivini” sakhe, insali ka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu, nawozakwabo abazikhandlayo. (Johane 15:1-8) Umphumela uye waba yizithelo eziletha inkazimulo egameni lakhe nezibangela injabulo enkulu ezincekwini zakhe ezisemhlabeni.
20. UJehova ulivikela kanjani ibandla lobuKristu?
20 Singajabula kakhulu ngokuthi intukuthelo kaJehova yangaphambili ngenxa yezinceku zakhe ezigcotshiwe—eyabangela ukuba azivumele zithunjwe ngokomoya ngo-1918—isidlulile. UJehova uqobo uthi: “Ukufutheka akukho kimi; sengathi kungaba khona amakhakhasi nameva! Bengiyakuwasukela ngokulwa, ngiwashise kanyekanye, noma abambelele emandleni ami ukuba enze ukuthula nami, enzelane ukuthula nami.” (Isaya 27:4, 5) Ukuze aqiniseke ukuthi izivini zakhe ziyaqhubeka zithela inala ‘yesivini esinxanelekayo,’ uJehova ucoboshisa noma yiliphi ithonya elinjengokhula elingase lizonakalise. Ngakho, makungabi namuntu ofaka engozini inhlalakahle yebandla lobuKristu! Sonke ‘masibambelele emandleni kaJehova,’ sifune umusa nesivikelo sakhe. Ngokwenza kanjalo, senza ukuthula noNkulunkulu—into ebaluleke kangangokuba u-Isaya ukhuluma kabili ngayo.—IHubo 85:1, 2, 8; Roma 5:1.
21. Ubuso bomhlaba buye bagcwala kanjani ‘izithelo’?
21 Izibusiso ziyaqhubeka: “Ngezinsuku ezizayo uJakobe uyakugxila, u-Israyeli akhahlele, aqhakaze, bagcwalise ubuso bomhlaba ngezithelo.” (Isaya 27:6) Leli vesi liye lagcwaliseka kusukela ngo-1919, okunikeza ubufakazi obuhle kakhulu bamandla kaJehova. AmaKristu agcotshiwe aye agcwalisa umhlaba “ngezithelo,” ukudla okungokomoya okunomsoco. Ezweni elonakele, azilondoloza ngenjabulo izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu eziphakeme. Futhi uJehova uyaqhubeka ewabusisa ngokwanda. Ngenxa yalokho, izigidi zawozakwabo, ezinye izimvu, ‘zinikela inkonzo engcwele kuNkulunkulu imini nobusuku.’ (IsAmbulo 7:15) Kwangathi singelokothe silahlekelwe umbono welungelo elikhulu lokudla ‘izithelo’ nokwabelana ngazo nabanye!
22. Yiziphi izibusiso ezitholwa yilabo abamukela ukukhanya?
22 Kulezi zikhathi ezibucayi, lapho ubumnyama busibekele umhlaba nesigayegaye sigubuzele izizwe, asibongi yini ngokuthi uJehova unika abantu bakhe ukukhanya okungokomoya? (Isaya 60:2; Roma 2:19; 13:12) Kubo bonke abakwamukelayo, ukukhanya okunjalo kusho ukuthula kwengqondo nenjabulo manje, ngisho nokuphila okuphakade esikhathini esizayo. Khona-ke, ngesizathu esihle, thina esithanda ukukhanya sidumisa uJehova ngokusuka enhliziyweni, sisho kanye nomhubi: “UJehova uyinqaba yokuphila kwami; ngizakuba novalo ngobani na? Lindela uJehova, uqine, inhliziyo yakho ime isibindi; yebo, lindela uJehova.”—IHubo 27:1b, 14.
Uyakhumbula?
• Banaliphi ikusasa labo abacindezela abantu bakaJehova?
• Yikuphi ukwanda okuprofethwe ngako ku-Isaya?
• Yimaphi ‘amakamelo’ okufanele sihlale sikuwo, futhi ngani?
• Kungani isimo sabantu bakaJehova siletha udumo kuye?
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 22]
INCWADI ENTSHA
Ingxenye enkulu yokwaziswa okuxoxwe ngako kulezi zihloko ezimbili ezifundwayo kwanikezwa kwenye yezinkulumo zesimiso somhlangano wesigodi ka-2000/2001. Ekupheleni kwaleyo nkulumo, kwakhululwa incwadi entsha enesihloko esithi Isiprofetho Sika-Isaya—Ukukhanya Kuso Sonke Isintu I. Le ncwadi enamakhasi angu-416 ixoxa ngevesi ngalinye lezahluko zokuqala ezingu-40 zencwadi ka-Isaya.
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Abalungile kuphela abavunyelwa ukungena ‘emzini onamandla’ kaJehova, inhlangano yakhe
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
U-Isaya wayefuna uJehova “ebusuku”
[Isithombe ekhasini 21]
UJehova uvikela “isivini” sakhe, asenze sithele