Qaphela Ungabi Nenhliziyo Ezidlayo
“UNkulunkulu umelana nabazidlayo.”—JAKOBE 4:6.
1. Nikeza isibonelo sokuziqhenya okufanelekayo.
SIKHONA yini isenzakalo esake sakwenza wazizwa uziqhenya? Iningi lethu lake laba nawo lowo muzwa omnandi. Ukufikelwa ukuziqhenya okuthile akukubi. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho abazali abangamaKristu befunda umbiko wesikole othi indodakazi yabo iziphethe kahle futhi ikhuthele, cishe bayamamatheka beneqholo ngalokho ekwenzile. Umphostoli uPawulu nabangane bakhe babeziqhenya ngebandla elisha ababesize ekulimiseni ngoba abazalwane balapho babekhuthazelela ushushiso ngokwethembeka.—1 Thesalonika 1:1, 6; 2:19, 20; 2 Thesalonika 1:1, 4.
2. Kungani ukuziqhenya ngokuvamile kungathandeki?
2 Ezibonelweni ezingenhla, singabona ukuthi ukuziqhenya kungase kusho umuzwa wokwenamela isenzo noma ukuba nento ethile. Nokho, ngokuvamile ukuziqhenya kubonisa ukuzazisa, ukuzibona ungcono kunabanye ngenxa yamakhono, ukubukeka, ingcebo, noma isikhundla sakho. Kuvame ukubonakala ngokukhukhumala, ukuthwala ilunda. Ukuziqhenya okunjalo kufanele sikuxwaye impela thina maKristu. Ngani? Ngoba sizalwa sithambekele ebugovwini, esakuthola ngofuzo kukhokho u-Adamu. (Genesise 8:21) Ngenxa yalokho, izinhliziyo zethu zingasidukisa kalula zisenze siziqhenye ngezizathu ezingafanele. Ngokwesibonelo, amaKristu kumelwe akugweme ukuziqhenya ngenxa yohlanga, ingcebo, imfundo, iziphiwo, noma lokho akufezayo emsebenzini uma eqhathaniswa nabanye. Ukuziqhenya ngezinto ezinjalo akufaneleki futhi akumjabulisi uJehova.—Jeremiya 9:23; IzEnzo 10:34, 35; 1 Korinte 4:7; Galathiya 5:26; 6:3, 4.
3. Kuyini ukuzidla, futhi uJesu wathini ngakho?
3 Kukhona esinye futhi isizathu sokugwema ukuziqhenya okungafanele. Uma sikuvumela kukhule ezinhliziyweni zethu, kungagcina kube ukuziqhenya kohlobo olunengeka kakhulu, olubizwa ngokuthi ukuzidla. Kuyini ukuzidla? Ngaphezu kokuzibona engcono kunabanye, umuntu ozidlayo ubabukela phansi labo ababheka njengabangelutho. (Luka 18:9; Johane 7:47-49) UJesu wabala “ukuzidla” phakathi kwezinto ezimbi ‘eziphuma enhliziyweni zimngcolise umuntu.’ (Marku 7:20-23) AmaKristu ayabona ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukugwema ukuba nenhliziyo ezidlayo.
4. Ukuhlola izibonelo zeBhayibheli zokuzidla kungasisiza kanjani?
4 Ukuhlola ukulandisa kweBhayibheli ngabantu ababezidla kungakusiza ukuba uyigweme le mfanelo. Ngaleyo ndlela, uyokwazi kangcono ukubona ukuziqhenya okungafanele okungenzeka unakho noma okungase kwakheke ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Lokhu kuyokusiza ukuba wenqabe imicabango noma imizwa engaholela enhliziyweni ezidlayo. Ngenxa yalokho, ngeke kukuhambele kabi lapho uNkulunkulu enza ngokuvumelana nesixwayiso sakhe: “Ngiyosusa kuwe abantu bakho abathabé ngokuzidla; futhi ngeke uphinde uzidle entabeni yami engcwele.”—Zefaniya 3:11.
UNkulunkulu Ubathathela Isinyathelo Abazidlayo
5, 6. UFaro wakubonisa kanjani ukuzidla, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?
5 Indlela uJehova akubheka ngayo ukuzidla ungayibona nakulokho akwenza kubabusi ababenamandla njengoFaro. Akungabazeki ukuthi uFaro wayenenhliziyo ezidlayo. Njengoba ayezibona ewunkulunkulu okufanele akhulekelwe, wayezidelela izigqila zakhe ezingama-Israyeli. Cabanga ngempendulo yakhe lapho ecelwa ukuba avumele u-Israyeli aye ehlane ‘ayogubhela uJehova umkhosi.’ Ngokuzidla, uFaro wathi: “Ungubani uJehova, ukuba ngilalele izwi lakhe ngimukise u-Israyeli?”—Eksodusi 5:1, 2.
6 Ngemva kokuba uFaro ethole izinhlupho eziyisithupha, uJehova wathi kuMose makabuze lo mbusi waseGibhithe: “Ingabe usaqhubeka uqhoshela abantu bami ngokungabamukisi?” (Eksodusi 9:17) UMose wabe esesho uhlupho lwesikhombisa—isichotho esacekela phansi izwe. Esewadedele ama-Israyeli ukuba ahambe ngemva kwenhlupho yeshumi, uFaro washintsha umqondo, wawajaha. Ekugcineni, uFaro namabutho akhe bavaleleka oLwandle Olubomvu. Cabanga okumelwe ukuba kwabafikela ezingqondweni lapho amanzi esondela! Waba yini umphumela wokuzidla kukaFaro? Amabutho akhe ekhethelo athi: “Masibaleke singalokothi sithintane no-Israyeli, ngoba ngokuqinisekile uJehova uyamlwela kwabaseGibhithe.”—Eksodusi 14:25.
7. Ababusi baseBhabhiloni bakubonisa kanjani ukuzidla?
7 Kukhona nabanye ababusi ababezidla uJehova abathobisa. Omunye wabo uSaneheribi, inkosi yase-Asiriya. (Isaya 36:1-4, 20; 37:36-38) I-Asiriya yagcina inqotshwe abaseBhabhiloni, kodwa amakhosi amabili aseBhabhiloni ayezidla nawo athotshiswa. Khumbula idili leNkosi uBhelishazari, lapho yena nezimenywa zakhe zasebukhosini baphuza khona iwayini ngezitsha ezazithathwe ethempelini likaJehova, bedumisa onkulunkulu baseBhabhiloni. Kungazelelwe, kwabonakala iminwe yomuntu ibhala umyalezo odongeni. Lapho umprofethi uDaniyeli ecelwa ukuba achaze lo mbhalo oyimpica-badala, wakhumbuza uBhelishazari: “UNkulunkulu oPhezukonke wanika uNebukhadinezari uyihlo umbuso . . . Kodwa lapho inhliziyo yakhe izidla . . . , wehliswa esihlalweni sobukhosi sombuso wakhe, nesithunzi sakhe sasuswa kuye. . . . Wena-ke, ndodana yakhe Bhelishazari, awuzange uyithobise inhliziyo yakho, nakuba ubukwazi konke lokhu.” (Daniyeli 5:3, 18, 20, 22) Ngabo lobo busuku, iBhabhiloni lanqotshwa amabutho amaMede NamaPheresiya, uBhelishazari wabulawa.—Daniyeli 5:30, 31.
8. UJehova wabenzani abantu abathile ababezidla?
8 Cabanga nangamanye amadoda ayezidla, ayedelela abantu bakaJehova: umdondoshiya ongumFilisti uGoliyati, undunankulu wasePheresiya uHamani neNkosi uHerode Agripha, eyayibusa isifundazwe saseJudiya. Ngenxa yokuzidla kwawo lawo madoda amathathu, uNkulunkulu wabangela ukuba afe ngezindlela ezihlazisayo. (1 Samuweli 17:42-51; Esteri 3:5, 6; 7:10; IzEnzo 12:1-3, 21-23) Lokho uJehova akwenza kulawo madoda azidlayo kugcizelela leli qiniso: “Ukuziqhenya kwandulela ukuphahlazeka, nomoya ozidlayo wandulela ukukhubeka.” (IzAga 16:18) Impela, kuyacaca ukuthi “uNkulunkulu umelana nabazidlayo.”—Jakobe 4:6.
9. Amakhosi aseThire aba kanjani amambuka?
9 Ngokuphambene nababusi ababezidla baseGibhithe, e-Asiriya naseBhabhiloni, inkosi yaseThire yabasiza abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngesinye isikhathi. Lapho kubusa iNkosi uDavide neNkosi uSolomoni, inkosi yaseThire yanikela ngezisebenzi eziyizingcweti nangezinto zokwakha izindlu zasebukhosini nethempeli likaNkulunkulu. (2 Samuweli 5:11; 2 IziKronike 2:11-16) Ngokudabukisayo, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amakhosi aseThire abajikela abantu bakaJehova. Kwabangelwa yini lokho?—IHubo 83:3-7; Joweli 3:4-6; Amose 1:9, 10.
“Inhliziyo Yakho Yazidla”
10, 11. (a) Ubani ongase afaniswe namakhosi aseThire? (b) Yini eyashintsha isimo sengqondo abaseThire ababenaso ngo-Israyeli?
10 UJehova waphefumulela umprofethi wakhe uHezekeli ukuba adalule futhi alahle uhlanga lwamakhosi aseThire. Lowo myalezo owawubhekiswe ‘enkosini yaseThire’ unamazwi afanela uhlanga lwamakhosi aseThire noSathane, imbuka lokuqala, ‘ongazange ame aqine eqinisweni.’ (Hezekeli 28:12; Johane 8:44) USathane wayeyisidalwa somoya esiqotho enhlanganweni kaJehova yamadodana asezulwini. Esebenzisa uHezekeli, uJehova uNkulunkulu wabonisa imbangela eyisisekelo yokwambuka kohlanga lwamakhosi aseThire nokukaSathane:
11 “Wawuse-Edene, insimu kaNkulunkulu. Wonke amatshe ayigugu ayeyisembatho sakho . . . Uyikherubi eligcotshiwe elisibekelayo . . . Wawungenaphutha ezindleleni zakho kusukela ngosuku lokudalwa kwakho kwaze kwatholakala ukungalungi kuwe. Ngenxa yobuningi bempahla yakho ethengiswayo bakugcwalisa ngobudlova ngaphakathi, waqala ukona. . . . Ngizokubhubhisa, kherubi elisibekelayo . . . Inhliziyo yakho yazidla ngenxa yobuhle bakho. Wachitha ukuhlakanipha kwakho ngenxa yobukhazikhazi bakho.” (Hezekeli 28:13-17) Yebo, ukuzidla kwenza amakhosi aseThire aba nobudlova kubantu bakaJehova. IThire laba isikhungo sezentengiselwano esicebe kakhulu futhi laduma ngemikhiqizo yalo emihle. (Isaya 23:8, 9) Amakhosi aseThire aziphakamisa, aqala ukucindezela abantu bakaNkulunkulu.
12. Yini eyaholela enkambweni kaSathane yokukhohlisa, futhi yini aqhubeka eyenza?
12 Ngokufanayo, isidalwa somoya esaba uSathane sasinokuhlakanipha okwakudingeka ukuze sifeze noma isiphi isabelo esasisinikwa uNkulunkulu. Esikhundleni sokuba sibe nomuzwa wokubonga, ‘sakhukhumala’ saqala ukwedelela indlela uNkulunkulu abusa ngayo. (1 Thimothewu 3:6) Sazibona siphakeme kangangokuthi saqala ukufisa ukukhulekelwa u-Adamu no-Eva. Kwakheka isifiso esibi, sazala isono. (Jakobe 1:14, 15) USathane wayenga u-Eva ukuba adle isithelo somuthi okuwukuphela kwawo uNkulunkulu ayewenqabele. USathane wabe esemsebenzisa ukuze enze no-Adamu adle isithelo esenqatshelwe. (Genesise 3:1-6) Kanjalo, umbhangqwana wokuqala wavukela ilungelo likaNkulunkulu lokuwubusa, waba abakhulekeli bakaSathane. Ukuzidla kwakhe akunamingcele. Uye wazama ukuyenga zonke izidalwa ezihlakaniphile ezulwini nasemhlabeni, kuhlanganise noJesu Kristu, ukuba zifulathele ubukhosi bukaJehova zikhulekele yena.—Mathewu 4:8-10; IsAmbulo 12:3, 4, 9.
13. Ukuzidla kuye kwaba namiphi imiphumela?
13 Ngakho, ungabona ukuthi ukuzidla kuvela kuSathane; kuyimbangela eyisisekelo yesono, ukuhlupheka nokukhohlakala okukhona namuhla emhlabeni. Njengoba ‘engunkulunkulu walesi simiso sezinto,’ uSathane uyaqhubeka ekhuthaza imizwa engafanele yokuziqhenya nokuzidla. (2 Korinte 4:4) Uyazi ukuthi isikhathi simphelele, ngakho ulwa namaKristu eqiniso. Umgomo wakhe ukuwahlubula kuNkulunkulu, abe azithandayo, azazisayo nazidlayo. IBhayibheli labikezela ukuthi izici zobugovu ezinjalo zaziyovama kulezi ‘zinsuku zokugcina.’—2 Thimothewu 3:1, 2; IsAmbulo 12:12, 17.
14. Isiphi isimiso uJehova asebenzelana ngaso nezidalwa zakhe ezihlakaniphile?
14 UJesu Kristu wayidalula ngesibindi imiphumela emibi yokuzidla kukaSathane. Okungenani kathathu, phambi kwezitha ezazizibona zilungile, uJesu waveza isimiso uJehova asebenzelana nabantu ngaso: “Wonke umuntu oziphakamisayo uyothotshiswa, kodwa lowo ozithobayo uyophakanyiswa.”—Luka 14:11; 18:14; Mathewu 23:12.
Qaphela Inhliziyo Yakho Ingazidli
15, 16. Yini eyenza uHagari wazidla?
15 Kungenzeka uphawulile ukuthi izibonelo zokuzidla ezishiwo ngenhla ezabantu abavelele. Ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi abantu abavamile bona abanakho ukuthambekela kokuzidla? Lutho neze. Cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka emzini ka-Abrahama. Le nzalamizi yayingenandodana eyayizoba indlalifa yayo, futhi umkayo, uSara, wayesemdala kakhulu ukuba angathola abantwana. Kwakuyisiko ukuba indoda esesimweni sika-Abrahama ithathe inkosikazi yesibili iyizalele izingane. UNkulunkulu wayeyivumela imishado enjalo ngoba kwakungakabi isikhathi sokubuyisela indinganiso yakhe yomshado yasekuqaleni phakathi kwabakhulekeli beqiniso.—Mathewu 19:3-9.
16 Lapho umkakhe emncenga, u-Abrahama wavuma ukuba uHagari, incekukazi kaSara engumGibhithe, abazalele umntwana owayengaba indlalifa. UHagari wakhulelwa, engumfazi wesibili ka-Abrahama. Kwakufanele abonge kakhulu ngesikhundla esihloniphekile ayesinikeziwe. Esikhundleni salokho, wavumela inhliziyo yakhe ukuba izidle. IBhayibheli liyalandisa: “Lapho eqaphela ukuthi ukhulelwe, indlovukazi yakhe yaqala ukudeleleka emehlweni akhe.” Leso simo sengqondo sabangela ukungezwani okukhulu emzini ka-Abrahama kangangokuthi uSara wamxosha uHagari. Kodwa le nkinga yayingalungiseka. Ingelosi kaNkulunkulu yeluleka uHagari: “Buyela endlovukazini yakho uzithobe ngaphansi kwesandla sayo.” (Genesise 16:4, 9) Ngokusobala, uHagari wasilalela lesi seluleko, walungisa isimo sakhe sengqondo ngoSara, waba ukhokho wabantu abaningi.
17, 18. Kungani sonke kudingeka sikuxwaye ukuzidla?
17 Indaba kaHagari ibonisa ukuthi lapho izimo zomuntu ziba ngconywana, angase aqale ukuzidla. Isifundo siwukuthi ngisho nomKristu oye wakhonza uNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo enhle angaqala ukuzidla lapho ethola ingcebo noma igunya. Leso simo sengqondo singakheka nalapho abanye bemncoma ngempumelelo, ukuhlakanipha noma ngamakhono akhe. Yebo, umKristu kufanele aqaphele, angakuvumeli ukuzidla kwakheke enhliziyweni yakhe. Kufanele aqaphele ngokukhethekile uma ephumelela noma ethola umthwalo wemfanelo owengeziwe.
18 Isizathu esinamandla kakhulu sokugwema ukuzidla yindlela uNkulunkulu ayibheka ngayo le mfanelo. IZwi lakhe lithi: “Amehlo azidlayo nenhliziyo ezikhukhumezayo, isibani sababi, kuyisono.” (IzAga 21:4) Ngokuthakazelisayo, iBhayibheli liwaxwayisa ngokukhethekile amaKristu “acebile esimisweni samanje sezinto” ukuba “angaqhoshi,” noma abe azidlayo. (1 Thimothewu 6:17; Duteronomi 8:11-17) AmaKristu angacebile kufanele agweme ukuba ‘neso elinomona,’ futhi kufanele akhumbule ukuthi ukuzidla kungakheka kunoma ubani—ocebile noma ompofu.—Marku 7:21-23; Jakobe 4:5.
19. U-Uziya walona kanjani idumela lakhe elihle?
19 Ukuzidla, kanye nezinye izimfanelo ezimbi, kungonakalisa ubuhlobo obuhle noJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngo-Uziya inkosi, lapho esanda kuqala ukubusa: “Wayelokhu enza okulungile emehlweni kaJehova . . . Waqhubeka ethambekele ekufuneni uNkulunkulu . . . ; futhi, ezinsukwini zokufuna kwakhe uJehova, uNkulunkulu weqiniso wamenza wachuma.” (2 IziKronike 26:4, 5) Nokho, ngokudabukisayo, iNkosi u-Uziya yalona idumela layo elihle, ngoba ‘inhliziyo yayo yazidla kwaze kwaba seqophelweni lokubangela incithakalo.’ Yazibona iphakeme kangangokuthi yangena ethempelini ukuze inikele ngempepho. Lapho abapristi bemxwayisa ukuba angasenzi lesi senzo sokugabadela, “u-Uziya wafutheka.” Ngenxa yalokho, uJehova wamshaya ngochoko, futhi wafa engamjabulisi uNkulunkulu.—2 IziKronike 26:16-21.
20. (a) Yini eyacishe yonakalisa idumela elihle leNkosi uHezekiya? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?
20 Qhathanisa lokhu nesibonelo seNkosi uHezekiya. Idumela elihle lale nkosi lake lacishe lonakala ngoba ‘inhliziyo yayo yazidla.’ Ngokujabulisayo, “uHezekiya wazithoba kulokho kuzidla kwenhliziyo yakhe,” waphinde wamukeleka kuNkulunkulu. (2 IziKronike 32:25, 26) Phawula ukuthi into eyasiza uHezekiya ekuzidleni kwakhe imfanelo yokuthobeka. Yebo, ukuthobeka kuphambene nokuzidla. Ngakho-ke, esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizoxoxa ngokuthi singakuhlakulela futhi sikulondoloze kanjani ukuthobeka kobuKristu.
21. Yini amaKristu athobekile angabheka phambili kuyo?
21 Nokho, masingayikhohlwa imiphumela emibi ebangelwe ukuzidla. Njengoba ‘uNkulunkulu emelana nabazidlayo,’ masizimisele ngokuqinile ukulwa nemizwa yokuziqhenya okungafanele. Njengoba sizama ukuba amaKristu athobekile, singabheka phambili ekusindeni osukwini olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu, lapho abazidlayo beyosuswa emhlabeni nemiphumela abayibangele. Ngaleso sikhathi, “ukuzidla komuntu wasemhlabeni kuyokhothama, nokuqhosha kwabantu kuyoba phansi; nguJehova yedwa oyophakanyiswa ngalolo suku.”—Isaya 2:17.
Amaphuzu Okuzindla
• Ungamchaza kanjani umuntu ozidlayo?
• Kuvelaphi ukuzidla?
• Yini engabangela ukuba umuntu azidle?
• Kungani kumelwe sikuxwaye ukuzidla?
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
Ukuzidla kukaFaro kwaholela ekubeni athotshiswe
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
Isimo sikaHagari esase singconywana samenza wazidla
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
UHezekiya wazithoba, waphinde wamukeleka kuNkulunkulu