Khuluma Izwi LikaNkulunkulu Ngesibindi
“Hamba uprofethe kubantu bami.”—AMOSE 7:15.
1, 2. Wayengubani u-Amose, futhi iBhayibheli lembulani ngaye?
NGENKATHI omunye ufakazi kaJehova esenkonzweni, wahlaselwa umpristi othile. Lo mpristi wamemeza: ‘Yeka ukushumayela! Phuma uphele kule ndawo!’ Wenze njani lo fakazi? Ingabe wayeka, noma waqhubeka ekhuluma izwi likaNkulunkulu ngesibindi? Ungathola ukuthi wenze njani ngoba lowo fakazi wakuloba encwadini ebizwa ngegama lakhe lokho okwenzeka. Leyo yincwadi yeBhayibheli ka-Amose. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba sizwe okwengeziwe ngokunqwamana kuka-Amose nompristi, ake sizwe ngesizinda sakhe.
2 Wayengubani u-Amose? Wayehlalaphi, nini? Izimpendulo zale mibuzo ziku-Amose 1:1, lapho sifunda khona: “Lawa ngamazwi ka-Amose, owayephakathi kwabafuyi bezimvu baseThekhowa, . . . ezinsukwini zika-Uziya inkosi yakwaJuda nasezinsukwini zikaJerobowamu indodana kaJowashi, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli.” U-Amose wayehlala kwaJuda. Umuzi wakubo kwakuyiThekhowa, engamakhilomitha angu-16 eningizimu yeJerusalema. Waphila ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lesi-9 B.C.E. lapho kubusa iNkosi u-Uziya kwaJuda futhi uJerobowamu II eyinkosi yombuso wakwa-Israyeli wezizwe eziyishumi. U-Amose wayefuye izimvu. Eqinisweni, u-Amose 7:14 uthi wayengeyena “umalusi” nje kuphela kodwa futhi ‘wayengumqhumbuzi wamakhiwane emisikhamori.’ Ngakho ngezikhathi zokuvuna wayesebenza emasimini. Wayeqhumbuza, noma ebhoboza, amakhiwane. Injongo yalokho yayiwukuba asheshe avuthwe. Kwakuwumsebenzi oyisidina lona.
“Hamba Uprofethe”
3. Ukwazi ngo-Amose kusisiza kanjani uma sizizwa singakufanelekeli ukushumayela?
3 Ngobuqotho, u-Amose uthi: “Ngangingeyena umprofethi, futhi ngingeyona nendodana yomprofethi.” (Amose 7:14) Wayengeyona indodana yomprofethi futhi engafundiswanga ukuba umprofethi. Noma kunjalo, kubo bonke abantu bakwaJuda, uJehova wakhetha u-Amose ukuba enze umsebenzi waKhe. Ngaleso sikhathi, uNkulunkulu akakhethanga inkosi enamandla, umpristi ofundile, noma isikhulu esicebile. Kusiqinisa idolo lokhu. Kungenzeka ukuthi asinazikhundla namfundo etheni. Kodwa ingabe lokho kufanele kusenze sizizwe singakufanelekeli ukushumayela izwi likaNkulunkulu? Phinde! UJehova angasihlomisa ukuze sikwazi ukumemezela umyalezo wakhe—ngisho nasemasimini alukhuni. Njengoba uJehova ahlomisa u-Amose, bonke abafisa ukukhuluma izwi likaNkulunkulu ngesibindi bayosizakala uma becabanga ngesibonelo salo mprofethi onesibindi.
4. Kungani kwakunzima ku-Amose ukuprofetha kwa-Israyeli?
4 UJehova wamyala u-Amose: “Hamba uprofethe kubantu bami u-Israyeli.” (Amose 7:15) Sasinzima leso sabelo. Ngaleso sikhathi, umbuso wakwa-Israyeli wezizwe eziyishumi wawunokuthula nokulondeka, futhi uchuma ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo. Abaningi ‘babenezindlu zasebusika nezasehlobo,’ ezazakhiwe ‘ngamatshe abizayo aqoshiwe,’ hhayi ngezitini ezivamile zodaka. Abanye babenefenisha kanokusho ehlotshiswe ngezinyo lendlovu futhi bephuza iwayini ‘lezivini ezifiselekayo.’ (Amose 3:15; 5:11) Ngenxa yalokho, abantu abaningi babengazi nokuthi lidumephi. Empeleni, insimu u-Amose ayethunywe kuyo kungenzeka yayifana naleyo abanye bethu abashumayela kuyo namuhla.
5. Iziphi izinto ezingenabulungisa ezazenziwa amanye ama-Israyeli?
5 Kwakungekubi ukuthi ama-Israyeli ayenezinto ezibonakalayo. Kodwa amanye ayeyithola ngobuqili le ngcebo engaka. Izicebi ‘zaziphamba abantu abaphansi, zicindezela nabampofu.’ (Amose 4:1) Abathengisi abanemali, abahluleli nabapristi babebopha uzungu lokuqhwaga izinto zabampofu. Manje ake sibuyele emuva siyobuka izinto ezazenziwa yilaba bantu.
Ukuphulwa KoMthetho KaNkulunkulu
6. Abathengisi abangama-Israyeli babebaxhaphaza kanjani abanye?
6 Siqala emakethe. Lapho, abathengisi abangathembekile babenza ‘i-efa libe lincane neshekeli libe likhulu,’ baze bathengise “amakhoba nje” bathi okusanhlamvu. (Amose 8:5, 6) Laba bathengisi babeqola amakhasimende ngobungako balokho ababekuthengisa, ngentengo emba eqolo, kanti nezinto ababezithengisa zazingezinhle. Kwakuthi lapho abathengisi sebebaphundlile abampofu, bese laba bantu abazihluphekelayo kudingeka bazithengise njengezigqila. Ngemva kwalokho, abathengisi babebathenga “ngentengo yebhangqa lezimbadada.” (Amose 8:6) Cabanga nje! Labo bathengisi abangamagovu babebheka ama-Israyeli akubo njengalingana nentengo yezicathulo! Yeka ukwedelelwa okubuhlungu kwabampofu, futhi yeka ukwephulwa ingcaca koMthetho kaNkulunkulu! Noma kunjalo, bona laba bathengisi babegcina ‘isabatha.’ (Amose 8:5) Yebo, babekholwa ngegama nje kuphela.
7. Yini eyayenza abathengisi bakwa-Israyeli bakwazi ukuphula uMthetho kaNkulunkulu?
7 Kwakwenziwa yini ukuba abathengisi bakwazi ukuwuphula bangajezi uMthetho kaNkulunkulu, othi: “Kumelwe uthande omunye umuntu njengoba uzithanda wena”? (Levitikusi 19:18) Kwakwenziwa ukuthi abantu okwakufanele ngabe benza uMthetho usebenze—abahluleli—babemdibi munye nabo ebubini. Esangweni lomuzi, lapho kwakuqulwa khona amacala, abahluleli ‘babethatha imvala-mlomo, futhi bechiliza abantu abampofu.’ Kunokuba babavikele abampofu, abahluleli babefunjathiswa bese bevuma ukuba kudlalwe ngabo. (Amose 5:10, 12) Ngakho, abahluleli nabo babengenandaba noMthetho kaNkulunkulu.
8. Ikuphi ukuziphatha abapristi ababi ababekushalazela?
8 Abapristi bakwa-Israyeli bona babenzani? Ukuze sithole, masiye kwenye indawo. Bheka nje izono abapristi ababeziyeka zenziwe ‘endlini yonkulunkulu babo’! Esebenzisa u-Amose, uNkulunkulu wathi: “Umuntu noyise bayé entombazaneni efanayo, ngenjongo yokungcolisa igama lami elingcwele.” (Amose 2:7, 8) Cabanga nje! Ubaba ongumIsrayeli nendodana yakhe babelala nesifebe esifanayo sasethempelini. Futhi labo bapristi ababi babekushalazela ukuziphatha okubi okunjalo!—Levitikusi 19:29; Duteronomi 5:18; 23:17.
9, 10. Ama-Israyeli ayephula miphi imiyalo yoMthetho kaNkulunkulu, futhi lokho kufana nani namuhla?
9 Ekhuluma ngokunye ukuziphatha okuyisono, uJehova wathi: ‘Bazelula phezu kwezingubo ezithathwe njengesibambiso eceleni kwawo wonke ama-altare; futhi baphuza iwayini lalabo abahlawulisiwe endlini yonkulunkulu babo.’ (Amose 2:8) Yebo, abapristi nabantu bebonke babengawunaki umthetho oku-Eksodusi 22:26, 27, othi ingubo ethathwe njengesibambiso kwakumelwe ibuyiswe lingakashoni ilanga. Esikhundleni salokho, babenabalala kuyo bezitika bedlela futhi bephuzela onkulunkulu bamanga. Futhi imali ababeyithatha kwabampofu babethenga ngayo iwayini abazoliphuza emikhosini yenkolo yamanga. Yeka indlela abase bechezuke kakhulu ngayo endleleni yokukhulekela okumsulwa!
10 Ama-Israyeli ayengenamahloni okwephula imiyalo emibili emikhulu yoMthetho—ukuthanda uJehova nokuthanda abanye abantu. Ngenxa yalokho, uNkulunkulu wathuma u-Amose ukuba ayowatshela ukuthi anecala lokungathembeki. Namuhla, izizwe zomhlaba, kanye nezeLobukholwa, zonakele njengo-Israyeli wasendulo. Lapho abanye bechuma, abaningi basala bengenamali futhi belimele ngokomzwelo ngenxa yokukhohlakala kwabaphathi bezinkampane ezinkulu abangamaqili nabaholi bezombusazwe nabenkolo yamanga. Kodwa uJehova uyabakhathalela abahluphekayo abathatha izinyathelo zokumfuna. Yingakho ethume izinceku zakhe zanamuhla ukuba zenze umsebenzi ofana noka-Amose—zishumayele izwi laKhe ngesibindi.
11. Yini esingayifunda esibonelweni sika-Amose?
11 Ngenxa yokufana komsebenzi wethu noka-Amose, sizozuza impela uma sixoxa ngesibonelo sakhe. Empeleni, u-Amose usibonisa ukuthi (1) yimuphi umyalezo okufanele siwushumayele, (2) kufanele sishumayele kanjani, nokuthi (3) kungani abaphikisi bengenakuwumisa umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Ake sihlole ngalinye lala maphuzu.
Indlela Esingamlingisa Ngayo U-Amose
12, 13. UJehova wawabonisa kanjani ama-Israyeli ukuthi akazijabuleli izinto azenzayo, futhi wona enze njani?
12 NjengoFakazi BakaJehova, enkonzweni yethu yobuKristu sigxila emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokwenza abafundi. (Mathewu 28:19, 20; Marku 13:10) Noma kunjalo, sishumayela nangezixwayiso zikaNkulunkulu, njengoba nje u-Amose amemezela ukuthi uJehova wayezoletha isahlulelo esibi kwababi. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Amose 4:6-11, ubonisa ukuthi uJehova wamxwayisa kaningi u-Israyeli ngokuthi wenza izinto ezingamjabulisi. Wamenza ‘waswela isinkwa, wamgodlela imvula,’ wamshaya “ngokuhanguka nangokukhunta,” futhi wamthumela “isifo esiwumshayabhuqe.” Ingabe lokhu kwamenza waphenduka u-Israyeli? UNkulunkulu wathi: “Anibuyelanga kimi.” Yebo, ama-Israyeli amenqaba ephindelela uJehova.
13 UJehova wawajezisa ama-Israyeli angaphenduki. Kodwa aqale athola isixwayiso esisasiprofetho. Ngokuvumelana nalokho, uNkulunkulu wathi: “INkosi EnguMbusi uJehova ngeke yenze utho ngaphandle kokuba iyambulile imfihlo yayo ezincekwini zayo, abaprofethi.” (Amose 3:7) UNkulunkulu wayemambulele uNowa ukuthi kwakuza uZamcolo futhi wamyala ukuba akhiphe isixwayiso. Ngokufanayo, uJehova watshela u-Amose ukuba akhiphe isixwayiso sokugcina. Kuyadabukisa ukuthi u-Israyeli akawunakanga lowo myalezo kaNkulunkulu futhi wangasithatha isinyathelo esifanele.
14. Isikhathi sika-Amose sifana ngani nesethu?
14 Cishe uzovuma ukuthi isikhathi sika-Amose sifana kakhulu nesethu. UJesu Kristu waprofetha ukuthi phakathi nesikhathi sokuphela kwakuyokwenzeka izinhlekelele eziningi. Wabikezela nangomsebenzi wokushumayela emhlabeni wonke. (Mathewu 24:3-14) Nokho, njengasesikhathini sika-Amose, iningi labantu namuhla lisishaya indiva isibonakaliso salezi zikhathi nesigijimi soMbuso. Abantu abanjalo bayothola isiphetho esatholwa ama-Israyeli angaphenduki. UJehova wawaxwayisa: “Lungela ukuhlangabezana noNkulunkulu wakho.” (Amose 4:12) Áhlangabezana noNkulunkulu ngokuthola isahlulelo sakhe esibi lapho ibutho lase-Asiriya liwanqoba. Namuhla, leli zwe elingamhloniphi uNkulunkulu ‘liyohlangabezana noNkulunkulu’ e-Armagedoni. (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16) Kodwa uma nje uJehova esaqhubeka ebekezela, sinxusa abantu abaningi ngangokunokwenzeka: “Funani uJehova, niqhubeke niphila.”—Amose 5:6.
Ukubhekana Nokuphikiswa Njengo-Amose
15-17. (a) Wayengubani u-Amaziya, futhi wenze njani lapho ezwa izimemezelo zika-Amose? (b) U-Amaziya wathini ngo-Amose?
15 Ngaphezu kokumlingisa ngalokho esikushumayelayo, u-Amose singamlingisa nangendlela esishumayela ngayo. Kubonakala kahle lokho esahlukweni 7, lapho sifunda khona ngompristi esikhulume ngaye ekuqaleni kwengxoxo yethu. ‘Wayengu-Amaziya umpristi waseBhethele.’ (Amose 7:10) Umuzi waseBhethele wawuyisizinda senkolo yama-Israyeli ayizihlubuki, eyayihlanganisa nokukhulekela ithole. Ngakho u-Amaziya wayengumpristi wenkolo yoMbuso. Wasabela kanjani ekushumayeleni kuka-Amose ngesibindi?
16 U-Amaziya wathi ku-Amose: “O mboni wemibono, hamba, ubalekele ezweni lakwaJuda, udle isinkwa lapho, yilapho lapho ungaprofetha khona. Kodwa eBhethele ungabe usaprofetha khona, ngoba liyindlu engcwele yenkosi futhi liyindlu yombuso.” (Amose 7:12, 13) Ngamanye amazwi, u-Amaziya wayethi: ‘Goduka! Sinenkolo yethu thina.’ Wazama nokwenza ukuba uhulumeni uvimbele umsebenzi ka-Amose, ethi eNkosini uJerobowamu II: “U-Amose ukwakhele uzungu khona kanye ngaphakathi kwendlu ka-Israyeli.” (Amose 7:10) Yebo, u-Amaziya wayethi u-Amose uyimbuka! Wathi enkosini: “Yilokhu u-Amose akushilo, ‘UJerobowamu uyofa ngenkemba; kanti u-Israyeli nakanjani uyoya ekudingisweni asuke ezweni lakhe.’”—Amose 7:11.
17 Kulawo mazwi, u-Amaziya washo izinto ezintathu ezingamanga. Wathi: “Yilokhu u-Amose akushilo.” Kodwa u-Amose wayengakaze athi lesi siprofetho sivela kuye. Kunalokho, njalo wayethi: “Yilokhu uJehova akushilo.” (Amose 1:3) U-Amose wabekwa necala lokuthi wathi: “UJerobowamu uyofa ngenkemba.” Kodwa, njengoba kusho u-Amose 7:9, u-Amose wayeprofethile: “[Mina Jehova] ngiyovukela indlu kaJerobowamu ngenkemba.” UNkulunkulu wayebikezele leyo nhlekelele ‘endlini’ kaJerobowamu, enzalweni yakhe. U-Amaziya wathi futhi u-Amose uthe: ‘Nakanjani u-Israyeli uyokuya ekudingisweni.’ Kodwa u-Amose wayeprofethe nokuthi ama-Israyeli abuyela kuNkulunkulu ayezothola izibusiso. Kuyacaca ukuthi u-Amaziya wasebenzisa amaqiniso angaphelele nasontiwe ukuze azame ukwenza ukuba umsebenzi ka-Amose wokushumayela uvinjelwe ngokomthetho.
18. Izindlela ezasetshenziswa u-Amaziya zifana ngani nalezo ezisetshenziswa abefundisi namuhla?
18 Uyabona yini ukuthi zifana kanjani izindlela ezasetshenziswa u-Amaziya nalezo ezisetshenziswa abaphikisi babantu bakaJehova namuhla? Njengoba nje u-Amaziya azama ukuthulisa u-Amose, kanjalo nabanye abapristi, ababhishobhi nabefundisi banamuhla bazama ukuvimba umsebenzi wokushumayela wezinceku zikaJehova. U-Amaziya waqambela u-Amose amanga wathi uyimbuka. Namuhla, abanye abefundisi nabo baqambela oFakazi BakaJehova amanga bathi basongela ukulondeka kwezwe. Futhi njengoba nje u-Amaziya alufuna enkosini usizo lokulwa no-Amose, nabefundisi bavame ukulufuna ezinhlanganweni zezombusazwe usizo lapho beshushisa oFakazi BakaJehova.
Abaphikisi Ngeke Bawumise Umsebenzi Wethu Wokushumayela
19, 20. U-Amose wenze njani lapho ephikiswa u-Amaziya?
19 Wasabela kanjani u-Amose ekuphikiseni kuka-Amaziya? Okokuqala, u-Amose wabuza lo mpristi: “Ingabe wena uthi: ‘Ungaprofethi ngokumelene no-Israyeli’?” Ngaphandle kokunqikaza, lo mprofethi kaNkulunkulu onesibindi wabe esekhuluma amazwi u-Amaziya ayengafuni neze ukuwezwa. (Amose 7:16, 17) U-Amose wayengesabi. Yeka isibonelo esihle! Ngokuqondene nokukhuluma izwi likaNkulunkulu, ngeke singamlaleli uNkulunkulu wethu, ngisho nasemazweni o-Amaziya banamuhla abagqugquzela kuwo ukuba sishushiswe ngesihluku. Njengo-Amose, siyaqhubeka simemezela: “Yilokhu uJehova akushilo.” Futhi abaphikisi abasoze bawumisa umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela, ngoba “isandla sikaJehova” sinathi.—IzEnzo 11:19-21.
20 U-Amaziya kwakufanele azi ukuthi izinsongo zakhe zaziyoba yize. U-Amose wayesechazile ukuthi kungani kungekho muntu emhlabeni ongamyekisa ukukhuluma—futhi leli yiphuzu lesithathu esizoxoxa ngalo. Ngokuka-Amose 3:3-8, u-Amose wabuza imibuzo eminingi wanikeza nemifanekiso ebonisa ukuthi yonke into eyenzekayo inembangela. Wabe esechaza ukuthi kusebenza kanjani lokho: “Kukhona ingonyama ebhongile! Ubani ongeke esabe? INkosi EnguMbusi uJehova ngokwayo ikhulumile! Ubani ongeke aprofethe?” Ngamanye amazwi, u-Amose wayethi ezilalelini zakhe: ‘Njengoba nje ningenakuhlala nje ningesabi lapho nizwa ingonyama ibhonga, nami anginakuhlala ngingalishumayeli izwi likaNkulunkulu sengizwe umyalo kaJehova wokuba ngishumayele.’ Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu, noma ukumhlonipha ngokujulile uJehova, kwamenza wakhuluma ngesibindi u-Amose.
21. Sisabela kanjani emyalweni kaNkulunkulu wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle?
21 Nathi siyawuzwa umyalo kaJehova wokuba sishumayele. Sisabela kanjani thina? Njengo-Amose nanjengabalandeli bakaJesu bokuqala, ngosizo lukaJehova sikhuluma izwi laKhe ngesibindi. (IzEnzo 4:23-31) Ushushiso olugqugquzelwa abaphikisi nokunganaki kwabantu esibashumayezayo ngeke kusithulise. Njengoba bebonisa intshiseko enjengeka-Amose, oFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni wonke bashukumiseleka ukuba baqhubeke bememezela izindaba ezinhle ngesibindi. Sinomthwalo wemfanelo wokuxwayisa abantu ngesahlulelo sikaJehova esizayo. Sihlanganisani leso sahlulelo? Lowo mbuzo uzophendulwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• U-Amose wawufeza ezimweni ezinjani umsebenzi ayewunikwe uNkulunkulu?
• Njengo-Amose, yini okufanele siyishumayele?
• Umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela kufanele siwenze sinasiphi isimo sengqondo?
• Kungani abaphikisi bengenakuwumisa umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela?
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
UNkulunkulu wakhetha u-Amose, umqhumbuzi wamakhiwane, ukuba enze umsebenzi waKhe
[Izithombe ekhasini 13]
Njengo-Amose, ingabe usimemezela ngesibindi isigijimi sikaJehova?