ELobukholwa Lidalulwa Njengomshoshozeli Wokukhulekela Kwamanga
“Yilesisizwe esingalilalelanga izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu waso, singamukelanga ukulaywa.”—JEREMIYA 7:28.
1, 2. UJeremiya wasabela kanjani esabelweni sakhe asinikwe uNkulunkulu?
“UMLILO wentshiseko yeqiniso wawuvutha ngaphakathi kwakhe; kwakunamandla ayemphoqelela ukuba akhulume iqiniso, asole kodwa futhi ancome.” Ngalawomazwi izazi ezimbili zamaHeberu zichaza indima kaJeremiya. Nakuba isabelo sakhe esivela kuNkulunkulu sasisabeka, wayazi ukuthi kwakumelwe afeze umthwalo wakhe wemfanelo esizweni sakwaJuda. Njengoba naye ngokwakhe akuveza: “Lokhu izwi likaNkulunkulu lenziwa ihlazo nenhlekiso kimi usuku lonke. Lapho ngithi: Angisayikumkhumbula, ngingasakhulumi egameni lakhe.” Yebo, ukucindezelwa nokushushiswa kwacishe kwaba kukhulu kakhulu kuye. Kodwa ingabe wayeka?—Jeremiya 20:8, 9a.
2 UJeremiya waqhubeka: “Kusenhliziyweni yami njengomlilo oshisayo, uvalelwe emathanjeni ami; ngikhathele ukubekezela, angikwazi.” (Jeremiya 20:9b) UJeremiya akazange akubalekele ukuthunywa kwakhe kokumemezela izahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu kuJuda.—Jeremiya 6:10, 11.
UJeremiya Wanamuhla
3. UJesu nabafundi babonisa siphi isimo ngesabelo sabo?
3 UJeremiya, uKristu Jesu, nabafundi abangamaKristu akuqala bamemezela ngesibindi isigijimi esingathandeki soMbuso kaNkulunkulu kumaJuda nakwabezizwe. Nakuba babeboshiwe ngaphambili ngenxa yokushumayela, uPetru nabanye abaphostoli babaphendula ngesibindi abamangaleli babo benkolo: “Simelwe ukulalela uNkulunkulu kunabantu.” Ngokuyaleza kwezikhulu zenkolo, bashaywa ngenxa yesibindi sabo. Basabela kanjani abaphostoli? “Abayekanga ukufundisa nokushumayela ivangeli ngoJesu Kristu imihla yonke ethempelini nasemakhaya.”—IzEnzo 5:29, 40-42; Mathewu 23:13-33.
4. Obani abaye balandela isibonelo sikaJeremiya ekhulwini leminyaka lama-20, futhi bakwenze kanjani lokhu?
4 Kanjalo amaKristu akuqala agcotshiwe enza njengoJeremiya. Nakuba ayebhekene nobunzima obucindezelayo nezitha zenkolo ezinenkani, azimemezela izahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu. Manje, obani kulelikhulu leminyaka lama-20 abaye balandela lesosibonelo? Obani abaye bamemezela obala nasendlini ngendlu izahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu kulesimiso sezinto futhi ikakhulukazi kweLobukholwa elifana neJerusalema? Ubufakazi obungokomlando bebulokhu bunqwabelana iminyaka engaphezu kwama-68 ukuba bubonise ukuthi isigaba sikaJeremiya sanamuhla besilokhu siyiqembu elincane kodwa elinesibindi lofakazi bakaJehova abagcotshiwe. Laba baye bandiswa futhi basizwa “isixuku esikhulu” esikhulayo sezigidi zabangane abavumayo kusukela ngo-1935, nabo abaziwa ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova. Ngazwi-linye, baye bafeza indima yabo kaJeremiya ngokusola inkolo yamanga njengogibe nesife sokuthola imali.—IsAmbulo 7:9, 10; 14:1-5.
ELobukholwa—Kungani LiyiJerusalema Lanamuhla?
5. ELobukholwa lifana ngaziphi izindlela neJerusalema lamandulo?
5 ‘Kodwa,’ umuntu angabuza, ‘sikutholaphi ukufana phakathi kweJerusalema lasendulo neLobukholwa?’ Ngenxa yesimo sengqondo nezimo okufanayo okukhona kweLobukholwa eliziqhenyayo namuhla. Lithembela ‘emizini’ yalo ‘engcwele’ nasemathempelini, njengeRoma, iJerusalema, iCanterbury, iFatima, iGuadalupe, neZaragoza, uma sibala embalwa kuphela. Liyathanda ukudumisa izindlu zalo zamasonto ezinkulu, izakhiwo ezingcwele zenkolo, amathempeli, namasonto, liqhosha ngobudala bazo nangokuklanywa kwazo, sengathi lokhu kulinikeza ukuma okukhethekile noNkulunkulu. Lize lisho nanokuthi izakhiwo zalo zenkolo zakhelwa ‘udumo kuNkulunkulu.’ Nokho, zingaki kulezi zakhiwo eqinisweni ezinegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu? Ngokuphambene, umuntu ukhunjuzwa njalo ngabaklami abaziklama, izingcweti nababazi bamatshe abazihlobisa, ofata abacebile abazikhokhela, noma “osanta” ezinikezelwe kubo. Ukuthembela kweLobukholwa ezintweni ezindala nasemasikweni kudukile njengoba kwakunjalo ngokuthembela kukaJuda ethempelini lakhe elingcwele.—Jeremiya 7:4.
6. Ukusola kukaJesu abefundisi bamaJuda kusebenza kanjani kubefundisi beLobukholwa?
6 Ngokuvumelana nokusola kukaJeremiya abapristi nabaprofethi bamaJuda, yini engashiwo ngabaholi benkolo beLobukholwa namuhla? Enokungagunci okufana nokukaJeremiya, uJesu wachaza isimo sabefundisi bamaJuda esifanela abefundisi beLobukholwa kuze kube namuhla: “Abakwenzi lokho abakufundisayo . . . Konke abakwenzayo kwenzelwa ukuba babukwe . . . njengokufuna ukuhlala endaweni ehloniphekile emadilini nasezihlalweni eziphambili emasinagogeni.” (Mathewu 23:3-7, The Jerusalem Bible) Yeka ukuthi kukaningi kangakanani sibona abefundisi abadumile nabashumayeli bebusisa imihlangano yezombangazwe neyobuzwe nemihlangano yokuthula ngokuba khona kwabo—futhi behlanganyela ukugqama ezindabeni nabezombangazwe!
7. (a) Abanye abashumayeli bazidukisa kanjani izixuku? (b) Iyiphi inselele abefundisi abaye bayigwema?
7 Manje, enkathini yethelevishini, sinabashumayeli bakumaTV abasebenzisa leyondlela yokusakaza ngazo zonke izinhlobo zobuqili obuvusa imizwelo namasu athonya ingqondo ukuze bakhohlise izixuku futhi baphundle amakhukhu omhlambi. Yeka ukuthi kufaneleka kanjani ukusola kukaJeremiya ngisho namanje, eminyakeni ecishe ibe yizi-2 600 kamuva! “Ngokuba kusukela kwabancane babo kuya kwabakhulu babo bayaphanga impango bonke, nabaprofethi nabapristi bonke baqamba amanga.” Ngesikhathi esifanayo, akekho noyedwa kubo ofuna ukwamukela inselele yenkonzo yobuKristu beqiniso, yokubhekana nabantu ubuso nobuso, endlini ngendlu. OFakazi BakaJehova kuphela—isigaba sikaJeremiya esigcotshiwe ‘nesixuku esikhulu’—abaye bawamukela lowomthwalo wemfanelo.—Jeremiya 6:13; IzEnzo 20:20, 21.
Ingabe ELobukholwa Lisindisiwe?
8. Kungani eLobukholwa likholelwa ukuthi alinakufinyelelwa iArmagedoni?
8 Abashumayeli abafanayo bakuTV bakhohlisa umphakathi ukuba ube nomuzwa wokulondeka kwenkohliso ngokusebenzisa kwabo ngokungakhethi iziqubulo nemfundiso yenkolo ‘yokuzalwa ngokusha’ neyokuthi “uma ususindisiwe, ususindiswe phakade.” Izigidi zabantu cishe bazo zonke izinkolo namahlelo eLobukholwa baye baholelwa ukuba bakholelwe ukuthi ‘bazelwe ngokusha’ futhi ‘basindisiwe.’ Abezombangazwe abangenamahloni nabo basho wona lawomazwi ngokwenama. Yebo, abashumayeli babo abathandekayo babatshela ukuthi basekuthuleni noNkulunkulu ngoba ‘basindisiwe’—futhi lokhu kushiwo naphezu kokwahlukana kwabo ngokwenkolo, ngokwezombangazwe, nangokobuzwe! Futhi abantu bayakuthanda lokho, njengoba benza osukwini lukaJeremiya! (Jeremiya 5:31; 14:14) Bacabanga ukuthi abanakufinyelelwa isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu seArmagedoni.—Jeremiya 6:14; 23:17; 1 Korinte 1:10; IsAmbulo 16:14, 16.
9. (a) Kusebenza kobani ngempela “ukuzalwa ngokusha”? (b) IBhayibheli lithini ngomphefumulo? (Kuyo yomibili lemibuzo, nikeza ukusekela okwengeziwe okuvela encwadini Ukubonisana NgemiBhalo.)
9 Nokho, ukutadisha ngokunakekela iZwi likaNkulunkulu nezimfundiso zikaKristu kubonisa ukuthi inani elilinganiselwe kuphela elihlanganyela ilungelo lokuzalwa ngokusha, ukuzalwa ‘ngamanzi nangomoya,’ ukuba kanjalo lihlanganyele ukubusa noKristu. (Johane 3:3-5; Roma 8:16, 17; IsAmbulo 14:1-3) “Isixuku esikhulu” samaKristu eqiniso namuhla asidingi ukuzalwa ngokusha, njengoba ithemba laso lokuphila okuphakade lingelasemhlabeni, hhayi ezulwini. (2 Petru 3:13; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4) Ngaphezu kwalokho, isifundiso seLobukholwa sisekelwe emfundisweni yamanga—yokuthi umuntu unomphefumulo ongafi odinga ukusindiswa. Ayisekelwa ndawo imfundiso enjalo eBhayibhelini, eqinisweni ethathwe kuyifilosofi yasendulo yamaGreki.a
Alithokozi EZwini Noma Egameni Lakhe
10. Abaningi kubefundisi balibheka kanjani iBhayibheli?
10 Kukhona futhi okunye ukufana phakathi kweJerusalema lasendulo neLobukholwa lanamuhla. UJeremiya wathi: “Bheka, izwi likaNkulunkulu seliyihlazo kubo, abathokozi ngalo.” (Jeremiya 6:10) Abefundisi bakhetha ukucaphuna izazi zefilosofi nososayensi, kunokucaphuna iZwi likaJehova. Abaningi banamahloni ngeBhayibheli; baze balijivaze ezifundweni zabo zokuhlaziya iBhayibheli.’ Bathi liyizinganekwane nezinsumansumane ezenziwe zaba incwadi enhle efundwayo. (Jeremiya 7:28) Futhi uma kuziwa egameni loMlobi walo, bayalidelela. Sinabuphi ubufakazi ngalokhu kugomela?
11. Yikuphi ukwehlukana okukhona phakathi kweLobukholwa noJeremiya ekusebenziseni kwabo igama likaNkulunkulu?
11 Nakuba itetragrammaton yesiHeberu (יהוה) ivela cishe izikhathi eziyizi-7 000 emiBhalweni YesiHeberu, igama elithi “Jehova,” noma “Yahweh,” liye lathathelwa isikhundla emaBhayibhelini amaningi esiNgisi yisiqu esingaqondakali esithi “NKOSI.” Ngokwesibonelo, lelogama lakhishwa ngokuphelele ezinguqulweni zamanje zeBhayibheli zolimi lwesiBhunu. Inguqulo yeSipanish kaFranquesa-Solé yalisebenzisa leligama enguqulweni yalo yokuqala. Lapho kukhishwa inguqulo ebukeziwe, igama laphezulu laselinyamalele, lithathelwe isikhundla isiqu esithi Señor (Nkosi). Futhi ngisho nalapho izinguqulo zeLobukholwa ziqukethe igama likaNkulunkulu, abefundisi balisebenzisa ngokwethukela. Nokho, uJeremiya wasebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu elimehlukanisayo izikhathi ezingama-726 esigijimini sakhe esiyisiprofetho!b
“INkosikazi Yezulu” Nokukhonza Izithombe
12-14. (a) Yimuphi umsebenzi wentshiseko imikhaya yamaJuda eyayihileleke kuwo? (b) UJehova wakubheka kanjani ukukhulekela kwayo?
12 Sithola okunye ukufana njengoba sihlola isigijimi sikaJeremiya esiya eJerusalema. Lapho uJehova etshela umprofethi wakhe ukuba angabathandazeli abantu, wasisho isizathu. “Awuboni ukuthi benzani emizini yakwaJuda nasezitaladini zaseJerusalema na? Abantwana batheza izinkuni, oyise baphemba umlilo, abesifazane baxova inhlama.” Futhi owani lomsebenzi wentshiseko umkhaya wonke owawuhileleke kuwo? “Ukuba benzele inkosikazi yezulu amaqebelengwane”!—Jeremiya 7:16-18; 44:15, 19.
13 Enye incwadi yokuchasisa yamaJuda ithi: “Inkolo ‘yenkosikazi yezulu’ yayiphishekelwa ngentshiseko futhi obala.” Ngokungakholeki, isizwe sakwaJuda sasikhonza izithombe, sikhulekela unkulunkulukazi wamaqaba, ngokunokwenzeka uIshtar, unkulunkulukazi wenzalo waseBabiloni, unkulunkulu wesithathu kaZiqu-zintathu ophakeme waseBabiloni. Mhlawumbe ‘lenkosikazi’ efanayo kungenzeka yayingunkulunkulukazi wamaKhanani, uAshitaroti.—1 AmaKhosi 11:5, 33.
14 Ngaphezu kokukhulekela lonkulunkulukazi, sasizihilela kokunye futhi ukukhonza izithombe. UJehova wasilahla ngenxa yalokho, ethi: “Bangicunuleleni ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo nangokuyize kwabezizwe na?” Isahlulelo saqhubeka: “Bengalilalelanga izwi lami, bengahambanga ngalo, kepha belandela inkani yezinhliziyo zabo nawoBali abakufundiswa ngoyise.” (Jeremiya 8:19; 9:13, 14) Ingabe eLobukholwa liye lawela ogibeni olufanayo?
15. (a) Yisiphi isimo ngokuqondene nokukhonza izithombe esisithola kweLobukholwa namuhla? Nikeza izibonelo zendawo yakini. (b) Yisiphi isimo amaKristu eqiniso asithathayo ngoMariya? (Bheka futhi incwadi Ukubonisana NgemiBhalo amakhasi 349-56.)
15 Vakashela noma yiliphi isonto—lobuProthestani, lobuKatolika noma lobuOrthodox—futhi okungenani uzothola imifanekiso yesiphambano. Kodwa ezindaweni zamaKatolika nobuOrthodox, kunemifanekiso “kaMariya oNgcwele ohlala njalo eyincasakazi, uNina KaNkulunkulu Weqiniso” osezindaweni ezihlukahlukene futhi omiswe ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene ezingenakubalwa.c Noma yisiphi isiqu esiphakeme kakhulu sinqwatshelwaniswa kuye, kuhlanganise nesithi “iNkosikazi yezulu” nesithi “iNkosikazi yendawo yonke”!d Ngakolunye uhlangothi, isigaba sikaJeremiya, nakuba simhlonipha uMariya njengonina kaJesu nanjengekholwa eligcotshiwe, siye salandela ngokucophelela iseluleko somphostoli: “Zilindeni ezithombeni.”—1 Johane 5:21; Jeremiya 10:14.
UZiqu-Zintathu Uthatha Indawo YoMbusi Oyedwa OYiNkosi UJehova
16. Iyiphi imfundiso eyavulela ukuhlonipha uMariya indawo, futhi kanjani?
16 ‘Kodwa,’ ungabuza, ‘kwaqala kanjani lokhu kukhulekela nokuhlonipha uMariya?’ Kungenxa yesinye isenzo sesonto lezihlubuki zakuqala ukuze lidonse abakhulekeli abangamaqaba. Umqondo wonkulunkulu abathathu koyedwa wawukholelwa kakhulu ezweni lamaqaba. AmaRoma asendulo ayenamathempeli anamaqoqo ezindlu ezintathu zokukhulekela “ezinikezelwe konkulunkulu abathathu koyedwa ababehlanganiswa ezinkolelweni nasekukhulekeleni. Kwakungokufanayo nangethempeli likaJupiter Optimus Maximus eThempelini Elikhulu, elalinikezelwe kunkulunkulu wabathathu koyedwa weThempeli Elikhulu uJupiter-Juno-Minerva.”e
17, 18. (a) Yini eye yaqedwa, kanjalo ivumela imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu ukuba ichume? (b) Nikeza amaphuzu engeziwe asencwadini Ukubonisana NgemiBhalo.
17 Ukuze kuthuthukiswe imfundiso eyayifufusa ‘kaZiqu-zintathu Ongcwele Kakhulu’ ekhulwini leminyaka lesithathu nelesine, kwakudingeka ngeSonto lamaKatolika ukuba liqede umqondo wamaHeberu ovezwe obala emazwini kaJeremiya: “Akakho onjengawe-Jehova; umkhulu, igama lakho likhulu ngobuqhawe. Kepha uJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso, unguNkulunkulu ophilileyo neNkosi yaphakade.” UJesu waqinisekisa lowomqondo lapho ecaphuna emazwini kaMose: “Yizwa wena Israyeli, uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu unguJehova oyedwa.”—Jeremiya 10:6, 10; Marku 12:29, NW; Duteronomi 6:4.
18 Ngokusizwa inkolelo-ze yamaJuda yokungaliphimisi igama elithi “Yahweh,” noma “Jehova,” ukusetshenziswa kwegama likaNkulunkulu kwalahlwa eLobukholwa elihlubukayo. Lokhu kwavula isikhala esingokwenkolo esingagcwaliswa ‘uZiqu-zintathu Ongcwele.’f
19. (a) Ube yini umphumela wokwamukela kweLobukholwa uZiqu-zintathu? (b) Yikuphi ukukhohlisa okwaphendukelwa kukho ukuze kuqiniswe indaba kaZiqu-zintathu?
19 Kanjalo, eLobukholwa liye lakhetha ‘ukulandela omunye unkulunkulu,’ unkulunkulu onguziqu-zintathu, owayengaziwa ngokuphelele kumaJuda nakuKristu nakumaKristu eqiniso. Futhi ukuze bagxilise lemfihlakalo yabathathu koyedwa abahumushi beLobukholwa baze ngisho baphendukela ekukhohliseni eBhayibhelini labo iKing James Version.g Ngokuqhubekayo, njengomphumela onengqondo wemfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu, ingxenye enkulu yeLobukholwa iye yawela futhi ekukhulekeleni noma ekuhlonipheni “iNkosikazi” yayo “yeZulu.”—Jeremiya 7:17, 18; New International Version.
Abefundisi Bashoshozela Ushushiso
20, 21. Iyiphi inkambo eye yalandelwa abefundisi beLobukholwa, futhi yimiphi imibuzo efanelekayo manje?
20 Sinombono walokho okwandulelayo, umbuzo kaJeremiya uyafaneleka kubefundisi beLobukholwa: “Ningasho kanjani, nithi: Sihlakaniphile, umthetho kaJehova unathi, na? Impela bheka, uthi lokuloba lwamanga lwababhali lusebenzile okwamanga . . . bheka, balilahlile izwi likaJehova, banokuhlakanipha kuni na?” (Jeremiya 8:8, 9) Baye bamenqaba uJehova nabameleli bakhe, ofakazi bakhe. Njengoba nje abapristi nabaprofethi bashushisa uJeremiya, kanjalo nabefundisi beLobukholwa babangela okuningi kokushushiswa konya koFakazi BakaJehova kulo lonke lelikhulu leminyaka.
21 Kodwa kungani beye bashoshozela lokhu kushushiswa? Benzeni oFakazi evusa ulaka lwabefundisi futhi ehlokoza umlilo wabo? Isihloko sokugcina kuloluchungechunge sizohlola leyomibuzo neminye ehlobene nayo.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Ukuze uthole ukucatshangelwa okuningiliziwe kwalamaphuzu, bheka amakhasi 332-36, 111-15, 381-82 encwadini Ukubonisana NgemiBhalo, ekhishwe yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
b Ukuze uthole ukwaziswa okwengeziwe ngokufihlwa kwegama laphezulu, bheka incwajana engangomagazini enamakhasi angama-32 ethi IGama Laphezulu Eliyohlala Phakade, ekhishwe yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
c The Image of Guadalupe—Myth or Miracle?, ebhalwe nguJody Brant Smith, ikhasi 6.
d The Glories of Mary, ebhalwe nguAlphonsus de Liguori, ikhasi 424.
e Las Grandes Religiones Ilustradas (Izinkolo Ezinkulu Ziyachazwa), ikhasi 408.
f Ukuze ufunde ngemfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu, bheka incwadi Ukubonisana NgemiBhalo, amakhasi 416-38.
g Eyoku-1 Johane 5:7 iyisenezelo esingamanga, futhi uMathewu 24:36, ongenawo amazwi athi “naNdodana,” uwukweqa ngenjongo yokukhohlisa. Bheka umbhalo waphansi ekhasini 803 kuyiThe Emphatic Diaglott, ekhishwe yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., neThe Codex Sinaiticus and The Codex Alexandrinus, ikhasi 27, ekhishwe yiTrustees of the British Museum.
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
◻ Isigaba sikaJeremiya wanamuhla siye sabonakala kanjani?
◻ Yikuphi okunye kokufana phakathi kweJerusalema lamandulo neLobukholwa?
◻ Abefundisi babakhohlise kanjani abantu ukuba bakholelwe ukuthi banokuthula noNkulunkulu?
◻ Yikuphi ukuyekelela nokukhonza izithombe okuye kwaba ngokoqobo kweLobukholwa?
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Ngo-1938 oFakazi babeyisola inkolo yamanga
[Izithombe ekhasini 17]
ELobukholwa lithembele ezakhiweni zalo zenkolo ezidunyiswa ngobudala bazo njengoba namaJuda athembela ethempelini
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Abashumayeli beLobukholwa bakumaTV bakhohlisa izigidi zabantu ukuba bakholelwe ukuthi “basindisiwe” noma “bazelwe ngokusha”