Icala LeNkantolo Yendawo Yonke Elikuhilelayo
“Lethani indaba yenu, usho uJehova, nisondeze izizathu zenu.”—ISAYA 41:21.
1, 2. (a) Ubani ohilelekile ecaleni lenkantolo elibucayi kakhulu kunawo wonke athethwa? (b) Yini eyimpikiswano?
KUWO wonke umlando kuye kwaba namacala enkantolo angenakubalwa. Kulawa, ofakazi baye balethwa nobufakazi banikezwa ukuze bumelane nohlangothi olulodwa noma olunye. Iningi lalamacala liye lahlanganisa abantu ngabanye, lapho amanye aye ahilela amanani amakhulu abantu. Kodwa wonke amacala anjalo aba yize uma eqhathaniswa necala lenkantolo yendawo yonke elithethwayo manje. Liyicala lenkantolo elibucayi kakhulu kunawo wonke emlandweni. Imiphumela yalo izothinta wonke umuntu emhlabeni, ekhetha ukuba ahileleke noma cha.
2 Umuntu osemqoka kulelicala ungumuntu ophakeme kakhulu endaweni yonke, uJehova uNkulunkulu, “owadala izulu, waleneka, nowawendlala umhlaba nokuvela kuwo, nowanika abantu abakuwo ukuphefumula.” (Isaya 42:5) Yini eyimpikiswano? Ubunkulunkulu bakhe buyimpikiswano—ukulunga kokubusa kwakhe endaweni yonke, kuhlanganise nomhlaba nabakhileyo kuwo. Lokhu kungabizwa ngokuthi impikiswano yokubusa kwendawo yonke.
3. Yimiphi imibuzo ebalulekile kulempikiswano yokubuswa kwendawo yonke?
3 Okubalulekile kulempikiswano yilemibuzo: “Yibaphi kubo bonke onkulunkulu abakhulekelwayo abaye bazibonakalisa bethembeke kangangokuba ungabeka ukuphila kwakho nekusasa lakho kubo? Yibaphi abaye babakhona ngokoqobo, futhi yibaphi abaye nje baba abaqanjwe abantu? Ingabe ukhona uNkulunkulu weqiniso, ophilayo, nophakeme ongakhulula isintu esimweni saso sokuphelelwa yithemba futhi alethe uhlobo olufanele lukahulumeni oyosiqinisekisa ngokuthula kweqiniso, ukulondeka, inhlala-kahle, nempilo?
4. Kungathiwani ngalabo abanomuzwa wokuthi ayikho impikiswano, njengoba bethi kakade bakholelwa kuNkulunkulu?
4 Abantu abaningi banomuzwa wokuthi abanayo impikiswano, njengoba bethi kakade bakholelwa kuNkulunkulu. Kodwa ingabe banganikeza ubufakazi bokuthi unkulunkulu abamkhulekelayo ngempela unguNkulunkulu weqiniso, ukuthi izithembiso zakhe zithembekile, nokuthi izinjongo zakhe nemithetho kuqondisa ukuphila kwabo? Uma abantu abanjalo bephendula ngoyebo, khona-ke, kumelwe bakwazi futhi ukuphendula nalemibuzo: Buyini ngempela ubufakazi obubonisa ukuthi ukhona uNkulunkulu weqiniso ozithembiso zakhe zithembekile? Iyini injongo kaNkulunkulu ngabantu nomhlaba? Sikuphi manje nohlelo lwesikhathi lukaNkulunkulu, futhi ikusasa eliseduze liphetheni? Yini afuna ukuba siyenze thina ngabanye uma sizommelela?
5. Abantu bangafaniswa nobani uma bengavezi ubufakazi bokusekela ukukholelwa kwabo kuNkulunkulu?
5 Abantu abaningi abathi bakholelwa kuNkulunkulu abakwazi ukuphendula lemibuzo ngokuqiniseka. Abanjalo bangafaniswa nalabo abazisholo ukuthi bakholelwa kuNkulunkulu ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka kodwa abamisebenzi yabo yayiphikisa ukuzisholo kwabo. Ngabo iZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Bavuma ukuthi bayamazi uNkulunkulu, kepha bayamphika ngemisebenzi yabo.” Yebo, “ukukholwa ngaphandle kwemisebenzi kufile.” (Thithu 1:16; Jakobe 2:26) Ngakho, labo abathi bakholelwa kuNkulunkulu kodwa bangakwazi ukuveza ubufakazi obuqinile bokusekela lokho abahlukile neze kubantu bamakhulu eminyaka adlule ababekholelwa konkulunkulu bamanga abaye banyamalala kusukela lapho njengezinto ezikhulekelwayo.
Amacala Ayizibonelo
6, 7. (a) Chaza inkolo yabaseGibithe lamandulo. (b) AmaIsrayeli ahlanganiswa kanjani empikiswaneni phakathi kukaJehova nonkulunkulu baseGibithe?
6 Isibonelo salokhu sasiyicala lokumangalelwa konkulunkulu baseGibithe lasendulo eminyakeni ecishe ibe yi-1 500 ngaphambi kweSikhathi sethu Esivamile. AbaseGibithe babekhulekela onkulunkulu abaningi, kuhlanganise nezilwane ezinjengenkunzi yenkomo, ikati, inkomazi, ingwenya, ukhozi, ixoxo, impungushe, ibhubesi, inyoka, inqe, nempisi. Eziningi zalezilwane zazicatshangelwa ukuthi zithathe umzimba kankulunkulu noma unkulunkulukazi, futhi ukubulala ngamabomu esinye salezi kwakuyosho isijeziso sokufa. Izilwane ezingcwele zazomiswa ukuze zingaboli futhi zenzelwe imingcwabo emikhulu.
7 UNkulunkulu owayekhulekelwa uIsrayeli wasendulo, uJehova, wayengafani nabo bonke labonkulunkulu. Ummeleli wakhe, uMose, wathunywa ukuba ayocela uFaro ukuba akhulule abantu bakaJehova, ababesebugqilini ngaleso sikhathi, njengoba uJehova ayebathembise inkululeko. (Eksodusi 3:6-10) Kodwa uFaro wathi: “Ngubani uJehova ukuba ngilalele izwi lakhe, ngimyeke uIsrayeli ukuba ahambe na? Angimazi uJehova, futhi angiyikumvumela uIsrayeli ukuba ahambe.” (Eksodusi 5:2) UFaro wayeqiniseka ukuthi onkulunkulu baseGibithe babephakeme kunoJehova.
8, 9. (a) UJehova wakubonakalisa kanjani ukuphakama kwakhe phezu konkulunkulu baseGibithe? (b) Sinombono walokho okwenzeka, yini okumelwe ishiwo ngonkulunkulu baseGibithe?
8 Ubani owayezobonakala enguNkulunkulu weqiniso ozokwazi ukugcina izithembiso zakhe futhi akwazi ukuvikela abantu bakhe? Impendulo yayizokuza ngokushesha. UJehova wabikezela: “Ngenze izahlulelo kuzo zonke izithixo zaseGibithe.” (Eksodusi 12:12) Ingabe wasigcwalisa lesosiprofetho? Yebo! UJehova waletha izinhlupheko eziyishumi ezibhubhisayo ezazicetshelwe ukuba zithobise onkulunkulu baseGibithe. Akekho noyedwa kulabonkulunkulu owakwazi ukuvikela abaseGibithe. Futhi inhlupheko yeshumi yayingebaluleke ngokukhethekile, ngoba yabulala amazibulo aseGibithe, kuhlanganise nelikaFaro. Lokhu kwakuyigalelo eliqondile kunkulunkulu wabo omkhulu uRa (uAmoni-Ra), njengoba ababusi baseGibithe babezicabangela ukuthi bangonkulunkulu, amadodana kaRa. KwabaseGibithe, ukufa kwezibulo likaFaro kwasho ukufa kukankulunkulu.
9 Nokho, alikho nelilodwa izibulo lamaIsrayeli elabulawa, njengoba babenesivikelo sikaJehova. Futhi, uNkulunkulu wanika abantu bakhe inkululeko ayebathembise yona. Futhi njengegalelo lokugcina konkulunkulu bamanga baseGibithe, uFaro nempi yakhe—nabo bonke ababo—babhujiswa oLwandle Olubomvu. Ngakho, uJehova wabonakala enguNkulunkulu weqiniso. Izithembiso zakhe kwaba yizo ezagcwaliswa, futhi kwaba abakhulekeli bakhe abavikelwa. (Eksodusi 14:21-31) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, onkulunkulu baseGibithe babengenawo amandla okusiza abakhulekeli babo. Labonkulunkulu babengazange babekhona nhlobo kodwa babeqanjwe abantu.
10. Iyiphi impikiswano eyayiphambi kwabakhulekeli bakaJehova neAsiriya?
10 Elinye icala elalihilela ubunkulunkulu lavela emakhulwini ayisishiyagalombili eminyaka kamuva, esikhathini seNkosi uHezekiya.a Abakhulekeli bakaJehova babesongelwa uMbuso Wezwe wobudlova waseAsiriya owawunqobe zonke izizwe ezazisendleleni yawo. Manje waphoqelela iJerusalema, umuzi ‘owawunesihlalo sobukhosi sikaJehova,’ elimelele ukukhulekela kwakhe kwasemhlabeni ukuba licele umaluju. (1 IziKronike 29:23) Inkosi yakwaJuda, uHezekiya, yakuvuma ukuthi ama-Asiriya ‘ayechithe izizwe zonke futhi alahla onkulunkulu bazo emlilweni, ngokuba babengesibo onkulunkulu, babengumsebenzi wezandla zomuntu kuphela.’—Isaya 37:18, 19.
11. UJehova wabasindisa kanjani abakhulekeli bakhe, futhi lokhu kubonisani?
11 UHezekiya othembekile wayesethandaza kuJehova, ecela isivikelo sakhe. UJehova wathembisa ukuthi asikho nesisodwa isikhali sama-Asiriya esasizogalela iJerusalema. (Isaya 37:33) Ngokuvumelana nalesosiprofetho, asikho nesisodwa esenza kanjalo. Kunalokho, “kwaphuma ingelosi kaJehova, yabulala ekamu labaseAsiriya abayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi ayisishiyagalombili nanhlanu.” Ngemva kwalokho kwehlulwa okucobayo, inkosi yaseAsiriya, uSaneheribi, yahlehlela emuva. Kamuva, lapho ikhulekela unkulunkulu wayo uNisiroki, amadodana ayo ayibulala. (Isaya 37:36-38) Kanjalo uJehova futhi wabonakala enguNkulunkulu wesiprofetho seqiniso ongakhulula abakhulekeli bakhe. Onkulunkulu baseAsiriya nezizwe ezilizungezile babonakala benamanga, bengekho, bengakwazi ukuvikela abalandeli babo.
12. UBelishasari wamklolodela ngayiphi indlela uJehova?
12 Emakhulwini amabili eminyaka kamuva, uNkulunkulu wavumela abantu bakhe, abaye bangathembeka kuye, ukuba bathunjwe umbuso wezwe olandelayo, iBabiloni. Isici salo esiyinhloko sasingonkulunkulu balo abaningi, onkulunkulukazi, namathempeli okukhulekela. Kodwa lapho isesimweni sokuqhosha, inkosi yaseBabiloni uBelishasari yaklolodela uJehova. Edilini elikhulu, yayaleza ukuba kulethwe izitsha ezingcwele ezazithunjwe ethempelini laseJerusalema. “Inkosi nezikhulu zayo, nawomkayo, nezancinza zayo baphuza ngazo. Baphuza iwayini, batusa onkulunkulu begolide, nesiliva, nabethusi, nabensimbi, nabomuthi, nabetshe.”—Daniyeli 5:1-4.
13. UJehova wabangela uDaniyeli ukuba akhulumeni kuBelishasari?
13 Lokhu kwakuwukweyisa uJehova ngokuqondile, ukumcela inselele egameni lawonkulunkulu baseBabiloni. UJehova wayesethumela umprofethi wakhe uDaniyeli ukuba afakaze ngesibindi eNkosini uBelishasari nakubo bonke ababekhona edilini. UDaniyeli waphakamisa ubunkulunkulu bukaJehova futhi watshela iNkosi uBelishasari: “Awuthobanga inhliziyo yakho . . . Kepha uziphakamisile eNkosini yasezulwini, . . . utusile wena onkulunkulu besiliva, nabegolide, nabethusi, nabensimbi, nabomuthi, nabetshe abangaboni, abangezwa, abangazi; kodwa uNkulunkulu omphefumulo wakho usesandleni sakhe, nokungezakhe zonke izindlela zakho awumdumisanga.”—Daniyeli 5:22, 23.
14. UJehova wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayenguNkulunkulu weqiniso?
14 UDaniyeli wayesedlulisa isigijimi sikaJehova, esasithi: Inkosi ezidlayo uBelishasari neBabiloni kwakuyogumbuqelwa amaMede namaPheresiya ngabo kanye lobobusuku! (Daniyeli 5:24-27) Ingabe lesiprofetho safezeka? Yebo. “Ngalobobusuku uBelishasari inkosi yamaKaledi wabulawa. UDariyu umMede wamukela umbuso.” (Daniyeli 5:30, 31) NjengeGibithe neAsiriya, uJehova, waphinda wabonakala enguNkulunkulu weqiniso, uNkulunkulu ogcwalisa izithembiso zakhe. Izinceku zikaJehova zazuza, ngoba zakhululwa ekuthunjweni futhi zabuyela ezweni lenkaba yazo. Labo abaphikelela ekulandeleni onkulunkulu bamanga bavelelwa yinhlekelele.
Iziprofetho Zesikhathi Sethu
15. (a) Yisiphi isici iziprofetho eziningi zeBhayibheli ezinaso? (b) Kuyini futhi okunye esibhekisela kukho lapho sisebenzisa igama elithi “unkulunkulu”?
15 Umprofethi uIsaya waphefumlelwa ukuba alobe iziprofetho ezathola ukugcwaliseka kwazo emuva ezikhathini zasendulo. Kodwa ngokuvamile esiprofethweni seBhayibheli, kunokunye ukugcwaliseka okukhulu okuphathelene nesikhathi sethu. Lokhu kwakungokufanayo ngezinto eziningi uIsaya aziloba. Ingxenye yesigijimi sakhe yayiqukethe iziprofetho ezimayelana nenselele kaJehova yosuku lwanamuhla kuzo zonke izizwe nakonkulunkulu bazo. Futhi ngegama elithi “onkulunkulu” asibhekiseli kuphela konkulunkulu abakhulekelwa abantu ngokuqondile kuzo zonke izingxenye zomhlaba, kuhlanganise nezizwe ezibizwa ngokuthi ezobuqaba namuhla, kodwa futhi nakulezo zinto ezifanela incazelo yalelogama. Enye incazelo yesichazamazwi yegama elithi “unkulunkulu” ithi: “Umuntu olawula isici esithile noma ingxenye yezinto ezingokoqobo; umuntu noma into enokubaluleka okuphakeme.”
16. Yibaphi onkulunkulu abantu bezizwe, kuhlanganise neLobukholwa, ababakhulekelayo namuhla?
16 Labo ababhekwa njengonkulunkulu namuhla bahlanganisa izigidi zawonkulunkulu ezikhulekelwa amaHindu, kuhlanganise nalabo abakhulekelwa amaBuddha, amaShinto, abakholelwa kokudaliweyo, nabamanye amaqembu enkolo. Kuhlanganisa futhi nonkulunkulu wezinto ezibonakalayo, okuyinto enokubaluleka okuphakeme ngabantu abaningi emhlabeni, isisusa esisemqoka ekuphileni kwabo. Kuhlanganisa futhi nawonkulunkulu bamandla empi nesayensi okuyilokho izizwe ezibheka kukho ukuze zithole ukulondeka nensindiso. Futhi, abantu abaningi ngisho nakweLobukholwa abathi bakholelwa kuNkulunkulu abathembeli ngempela kuye noma bamkhonze ngokwethembeka, kodwa esikhundleni salokho bathemba futhi bakhonze abantu noma izinto njengalezo okumelwe ukuthembeka kwabo kuyiswe kuzo kuqala.
17. Ukugcwaliseka okukhulu kwesigijimi sikaIsaya kuqondiswe kobani?
17 Ukugcwaliseka okukhulu kwesigijimi esikuIsaya kuqondiswe kubo bonke onkulunkulu abanjalo besikhathi sethu. UJehova utshela amaqembu ezizwe ukuba aqoqane futhi “akhulume.” Uwacela inselele: ‘Asisondelane ekwahluleleni.’ (Isaya 41:1) Namuhla, siphila esikhathini ‘sokwahlulelwa’ kwalelizwe. ‘Lisezinsukwini zalo zokugcina’ njengoba kubikezelwe kweyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:1-5 noMathewu 24:1-14. Okwamanje uJehova ucela inselele konkulunkulu bezizwe ukuba babikezele ikusasa ngokushaya emhloleni futhi ngaleyondlela babonakale ukuthi bangonkulunkulu. Ubacela inselele futhi yokuba bavikele abalandeli babo uma bengakwenza. Uthi: “Lethani indaba yenu, nisondeze izizathu zenu . . . basitshele okuyokwenzeka.”—Isaya 41:21, 22.
18. UNkulunkulu umninimandla onke uzibonakalisa ngayiphi indlela, futhi yini ayithembisa abakhulekeli bakhe?
18 UNkulunkulu umninimandla onke uyazisho ukuthi ungubani: “NginguJehova, yilo igama lami; angiyikunika omunye inkazimulo yami, nezithombe ezibaziweyo udumo lwami.” (Isaya 42:8) Futhi utshela labo abammelelayo: “Ungesabi, ngokuba mina nginawe; ungapheli amandla, ngokuba mina nginguNkulunkulu wakho; ngiyakuqinisa, futhi ngiyakusiza.” Uyabathembisa: “Bonke abafuthekela wena bayakuba-namahloni, bajabhe; abamelene nawe bayakuba-njengento engelutho, babhubhe.” “Asikho isikhali esenzelwa wena esiyakuphumelela . . . Lokhu kuyifa lezinceku zikaJehova.”—Isaya 41:10, 11; 54:17.
19, 20. (a) UIsaya ubonisa kanjani ukuthi kunesikhathi esinqunyiwe sokuba uJehova alungise izindaba? (b) Obani uJehova abalethayo phakathi ‘nalezinsuku zokugcina,’ futhi bammelela ngayiphi indlela?
19 Ngesikhathi eside, ngamakhulu eminyaka, uJehova wayekela izizwe zahamba ngezindlela zazo. Nokho, isikhathi sakhe esinqunyiwe sokuba alungise izindaba emhlabeni sesifikile. Ngakho uthi: “Sekuyisikhathi eside ngithulile, ngathula ngazibamba.” Kodwa manje, “uJehova uyaphuma njengeqhawe; njengendoda yempi uyavusa ukushisekela kwakhe; uyakhala, yebo, uyabangalasa, enze ubuqhawe phezu kwezitha zakhe.” (Isaya 42:13, 14) Eziprofethweni zikaIsaya nabanye abalobi beBhayibheli, nalezo zikaJesu, uJehova ubikezela ngokuveza kwakhe abantu ‘ngalezinsuku zokugcina’ ukuba bamfakazele ngentshiseko, sengathi bangofakazi ecaleni lenkantolo.
20 Abantu uJehova abaletha ukuba bamkhonze banikeza ubufakazi bokuthi unguNkulunkulu weqiniso, uMsindisi wabakhulekeli bakhe noMbhubhisi wawonkulunkulu bamanga nabalandeli babo. Abantu bakaJehova namuhla ‘bahuba izindumiso zakhe kusukela emikhawulweni yomhlaba, kusukela ezizweni zonke naseziqhingini, kusukela eziqongweni zezintaba.’ (Isaya 42:10-12) Lokhu kugcwalisa futhi esinye isiprofetho sikaIsaya esabikezela ukuthi: “Kuyakuthi ngezinsuku ezizayo [esikhathini sethu] intaba yendlu kaJehova [ukukhulekelwa kwakhe kweqiniso] iqiniswe esiqongweni sezintaba, iphakame kunamagquma [ngaphezu kwazo zonke izinhlobo zokukhulekela], nezizwe [abantu abaphuma kuzo] ziyakugobhozela khona.” Futhi yini abakhuthaza abanye ukuba bayenze? Banxusa abanhliziyo-ziqotho: “Wozani sikhuphukele entabeni kaJehova . . . uyakusifundisa izindlela zakhe, sihambe emikhondweni yakhe.”—Isaya 2:2-4.
21. Yimiphi imibuzo ephakanyiswa inselele kaJehova konkulunkulu babezizwe?
21 Ngakho, ekhuluma sengathi usenkantolo, uJehova uthi: “Izizwe zonke mazibuthelwe ndawonye, abantu bonke babuthane; . . . mabalethe ofakazi babo ukuba balungisiswe, bezwe, bathi: Kuyiqiniso.” (Isaya 43:9) Lena yinselele eqondile konkulunkulu bezizwe. Ingabe ukhona omunye wabo ongabikezela ukuthi liyini ikusasa? Ingabe babekwazi ukwenza lokhu esikhathini esidlule? Ingabe bangathola othile wokubafakazela onobufakazi obuqinile bokuthi onkulunkulu abanjalo baye babonakala beneqiniso, befanelwe ukwethembeka kwethu? Yimuphi umlando oqoshiwe onkulunkulu bezizwe, nabalandeli babo, abaye bawuveza esikhathini sethu? Ingabe wawungcono kunalowo onkulunkulu babaseGibithe lasendulo, bama-Asiriya, nabaseBabiloni abawuveza? Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ingabe labo abafakazela uJehova baye baveza ubufakazi obuqinile bokuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso, nguYe kuphela ofanelwe ukukhulekelwa kwethu? Isihloko esilandelayo sizokhuluma ngalezindaba.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Umagazini kaJanuary 15, weNqabayokulinda wakhuluma ngendlela uJehova avuza ngayo ukuthembela kukaHezekiya kuYe. Lezo zenzakalo ezisadrama zazihilela futhi ubunkulunkulu.
Imibuzo Yokubukeza
◻ Iyini impikiswano yokubuswa kwendawo yonke?
◻ Yibaphi onkulunkulu babezizwe abahilelekile kulempikiswano namuhla?
◻ Yimuphi umphumela wamacala amathathu ayizibonelo obonisa ukuphakama kukaJehova phezu konkulunkulu bamanga?
◻ UIsaya ubonisa kanjani ukuthi uJehova uzolungisa izindaba osukwini lwethu?
◻ Yimiphi imibuzo edinga ukuphendulwa mayelana nabalandeli bazo zonke izinkolo namuhla?
[Isithombe ekhasini 11]
Onkulunkulu baseGibithe babengenamandla phambi kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
Onkulunkulu baseAsiriya nabalandeli babo bathola igalelo elicobayo elivela kuNkulunkulu weqiniso
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
UDaniyeli wadlulisela isigijimi sikaJehova kubakhulekeli bawonkulunkulu bamanga baseBabiloni