Isibusiso SikaJehova Siyacebisa
“Isibusiso sikaJehova siyacebisa; akenezeli usizi kuso.”—IZAGA 10:22.
1-3. Nakuba abaningi bekhathazeka ngezinto ezibonakalayo, yiliphi iqiniso ngokuphathelene nengcebo yezinto ezibonakalayo okumelwe bonke baliqaphele?
ABANYE abantu abayeki ukukhuluma ngemali—noma ukuyiswela kwabo. Okungajabulisi kubo ukuthi eminyakeni yamuva baye baba nokuningi abaxoxa ngakho. Ngo-1992 ngisho namazwe acebile aseNtshonalanga ahlangabezana nokuwa komnotho, futhi izikhulu nezisebenzi ezivamile zazithola ziphelelwe umsebenzi. Abaningi babezibuza ukuthi bayoke baphinde bayibone yini inkathi yokuchuma okusimeme.
2 Ingabe akulungile ukukhathazeka ngenhlala-kahle yethu yezinto ezibonakalayo? Cha, ngezinga elithile kumane nje kungokwemvelo. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, kuneqiniso eliyisisekelo okumelwe siliqaphele ngengcebo. Ngokuyisisekelo, zonke izinto ezibonakalayo zivela kuMdali. ‘UnguNkulunkulu [weqiniso] uJehova owawendlala umhlaba nokuvela kuwo, nowanika abantu abakuwo ukuphefumula nomoya kwabahamba kuwo.’—Isaya 42:5.
3 Nakuba uJehova engamisi kusengaphambili ukuthi ubani oyoceba nokuthi ubani oyoba mpofu, sonke siyolandisa ngendlela esisebenzisa ngayo noma iyiphi ingxenye esinayo ‘yomhlaba nokuvela kuwo.’ Uma sisebenzisa ingcebo yethu ukuze sigqilaze abanye, siyolandisa kuJehova. Futhi noma ubani okhonza ingcebo kunokukhonza uJehova uyothola ukuthi “owethemba ingcebo yakhe uyakuwa.” (IzAga 11:28; Mathewu 6:24; 1 Thimothewu 6:9) Ukuchuma ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo okungahambisani nenhliziyo ethobela uJehova ekugcineni akubi nenzuzo.—UmShumayeli 2:3-11, 18, 19; Luka 16:9.
Ukuchuma Okubaluleke Kakhulu
4. Kungani ukuchuma okungokomoya kungcono kunenala yezinto ezibonakalayo?
4 Ngaphezu kokuchuma okungokwezinto ezibonakalayo, iBhayibheli likhuluma ngokuchuma okungokomoya. Ngokucacile lolu uhlobo olungcono kakhulu. (Mathewu 6:19-21) Ukuchuma okungokomoya kuhilela ubuhlobo obanelisayo noJehova obungahlala phakade. (UmShumayeli 7:12) Ngaphezu kwalokho, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezicebile ngokomoya azilahlekelwa izibusiso ezinempilo zezinto ezibonakalayo. Ezweni elisha, ingcebo engokomoya iyohlanganiswa nokuchuma ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo. Abathembekile bayojabulela ukulondeka ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo okungatholakali ngokuncintisana okucindezelayo noma ngokudela impilo nenjabulo, njengoba ngokuvamile kunjalo namuhla. (IHubo 72:16; IzAga 10:28; Isaya 25:6-8) Bayothola ukuthi ngazo zonke izindlela “isibusiso sikaJehova siyacebisa; akenezeli usizi kuso.”—IzAga 10:22.
5. Yisiphi isithembiso uJesu asinikeza ngokuphathelene nezinto ezibonakalayo?
5 Ngisho nanamuhla labo abazisa izinto ezingokomoya banomuzwa othile wokuthula ngokuqondene nezinto ezibonakalayo. Yiqiniso, bayasebenza ukuze bakhokhe izikweletu zabo futhi bondle imikhaya yabo. Mhlawumbe abanye bangase balahlekelwe imisebenzi yabo ngezikhathi zokuwa komnotho. Kodwa izinkinga ezinjalo azibaqedi amandla. Kunalokho, bakholelwa esithembisweni sikaJesu lapho ethi: “Ningakhathazeki nithi: Siyakudlani? noma: Siyakuphuzani? noma: Siyakwembathani na? . . . ingani uYihlo wasezulwini uyazi ukuthi niyakudinga konke lokhu. Kodwa funani kuqala umbuso kaNkulunkulu nokulunga kwakhe, khona konke lokhu kuyakwenezelwa nina.”—Mathewu 6:31-33.
Ingcebo Engokomoya Namuhla
6, 7. (a) Chaza ezinye izici zokuchuma okungokomoya kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu. (b) Yisiphi isiprofetho esigcwalisekayo namuhla, futhi lokhu kuphakamisa miphi imibuzo?
6 Ngakho, abantu bakaJehova baye bakhetha ukubeka uMbuso kuqala ekuphileni kwabo, futhi yeka indlela ababusiswe ngayo! Bajabulela impumelelo enkulu emsebenzini wabo wokwenza abafundi. (Isaya 60:22) Bafundiswa uJehova, bejabulela ukugeleza okungapheli kwezinto ezinhle ezingokomoya ezilungiselelwa ‘ngenceku ethembekileyo neqondayo.’ (Mathewu 24:45-47; Isaya 54:13) Ngaphezu kwalokho, umoya kaJehova uphezu kwabo, ubalolongela ukuba babe ubuzalwane obujabulisayo bezizwe zonke.—IHubo 133:1; Marku 10:29, 30.
7 Lokhu ngempela kuwukuchuma okungokomoya, okuthile okungenakuthengwa ngemali. Kuwukugcwaliseka okumangalisayo kwesithembiso sikaJehova: “Ngenisani konke okweshumi endlini yengcebo ukuba kube-ngukudla endlini yami, ningivivinye ngalokhu, usho uJehova-Sebawoti, uma ngingayikunivulela amafasitele asezulwini, nginithululele isibusiso kunokwaneleyo.” (Malaki 3:10) Thina namuhla siye sasibona lesithembiso sigcwaliseka. Nokho, kungani uJehova, uMthombo wayo yonke ingcebo, ecela ukuba izinceku zakhe zilethe ingxenye yeshumi, noma okweshumi? Ubani ozuzayo kokweshumi? Ukuze uphendule lemibuzo, cabangela isizathu esenza ukuba uJehova akhulume lamazwi ngoMalaki ekhulwini lesihlanu leminyaka B.C.E.
Okweshumi Neminikelo
8. NgokoMthetho wesivumelwano, ukuchuma kukaIsrayeli ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo kwakuyoxhomekaphi?
8 Esikhathini sikaMalaki abantu bakaNkulunkulu babengachumi. Kungani? Ngokwengxenye kwakuphathelene neminikelo nokweshumi. Emuva ngalesosikhathi, uIsrayeli wayengaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho kaMose. Lapho uJehova enza lesosivumelwano, wathembisa ukuthi uma uIsrayeli egcina ingxenye yakhe kuso, wayeyombusisa ngokomoya nangokwezinto ezibonakalayo. Empeleni, ukuchuma kukaIsrayeli kwakuxhomeke ekwethembekeni kwakhe.—Duteronomi 28:1-19.
9. Ezinsukwini zikaIsrayeli wasendulo, kungani uJehova ayefuna ukuba uIsrayeli akhokhe okweshumi futhi alethe iminikelo?
9 Ingxenye yesibopho sikaIsrayeli ngaphansi koMthetho kwakuwukuletha iminikelo ethempelini nokukhokha okweshumi. Eminye yeminikelo yayishiswa yonke ealtare likaJehova, kuyilapho eminye ihlukaniselwa abapristi nalabo ababenza umhlatshelo, izingxenye ezikhethekile zinikelwa kuJehova. (Levitikusi 1:3-9; 7:1-15) Ngokuphathelene nokweshumi, uMose watshela amaIsrayeli: “Nokweshumi konke kwezwe, okwembewu yezwe noma okwezithelo zemithi, kungokukaJehova; kungcwele kuJehova.” (Levitikusi 27:30) Okweshumi kwakunikezwa izisebenzi ezingamaLevi etabernakele futhi kamuva ethempelini. Nawo, amaLevi angebona abapristi ayeyonikela kubapristi bozalo luka-Aroni okweshumi kwalokho ayekwamukele. (Numeri 18:21-29) Kungani uJehova afuna ukuba uIsrayeli akhokhe okweshumi? Okokuqala, ukuze abonise ngendlela engokoqobo ukwazisa kwakhe ubuhle bukaJehova. Futhi okwesibili, ukuze abe nengxenye ekusekeleni amaLevi, ngalokho ayengagxila ezibophweni zawo, kuhlanganise nokufundisa ngoMthetho. (2 IziKronike 17:7-9) Ngalendlela ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile nakho kwakusekelwa, futhi bonke babezuza.
10. Kwenzekani lapho uIsrayeli ehluleka ukuletha okweshumi neminikelo?
10 Nakuba okweshumi neminikelo kamuva kwakusetshenziswa kakhulu amaLevi, empeleni kwakuyizipho eziya kuJehova futhi ngenxa yalokho kwakumelwe kube sezingeni eliphezulu, okumfanele. (Levitikusi 22:21-25) Kwakwenzekani lapho amaIsrayeli ehluleka ukuletha okweshumi noma lapho eletha iminikelo esezingeni eliphansi? Sasingekho isijeziso esasibhalwe eMthethweni, kodwa yayikhona imiphumela. UJehova wayegodla isibusiso sakhe, futhi amaLevi, engasenakho ukusekelwa ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo, ayeshiya imisebenzi yawo yasethempelini ukuze azondle. Ngakho, wonke uIsrayeli wayehlupheka.
“Bekani Izinhliziyo Zenu Ezindleleni Zenu”
11, 12. (a) Yini eyaba umphumela lapho uIsrayeli edebesela ukugcina uMthetho? (b) Yimuphi umsebenzi uJehova awunika uIsrayeli lapho ebabuyisa bevela eBabiloni?
11 Phakathi nomlando kaIsrayeli, abanye babeyisibonelo ekuzameni ukugcina uMthetho, kuhlanganise nokukhokha okweshumi. (2 IziKronike 31:2-16) Nokho, ngokuvamile, isizwe sasidebesela. Ngokuphindaphindiwe saphula isivumelwano esasisenze noJehova, kwaze kwaba yilapho ekugcineni esivumela ukuba sinqontshwe, futhi ngo-607 B.C.E., sidingiselwe eBabiloni.—2 IziKronike 36:15-21.
12 Leso kwakuyisijeziso esinzima, kodwa ngemva kweminyaka engu-70 uJehova wabuyisela abantu bakhe ezweni labo. Eziningi zeziprofetho zePharadesi ezikuIsaya zaziyoba nokugcwaliseka kwazo kokuqala ngemva kwalokho kubuya. (Isaya 35:1, 2; 52:1-9; 65:17-19) Nokho isizathu esiyinhloko sokuba uJehova abuyise abantu bakhe, kwakungekhona ukuba bakhe ipharadesi lasemhlabeni, kodwa kwakuwukuba bakhe kabusha ithempeli futhi babuyisele ukukhulekela kweqiniso. (Ezra 1:2, 3) Uma uIsrayeli wayelalele uJehova, izinzuzo zezinto ezibonakalayo zaziyolandela, futhi isibusiso sikaJehova sasiyomenza acebe kokubili ngokomoya nangokwezinto ezibonakalayo. Ngokufanelekile, ngokushesha nje lapho efika ezweni lawo ngo-537 B.C.E., amaJuda akha ialtare eJerusalema futhi aqala umsebenzi wokwakha ithempeli. Nokho, ahlangabezana nokuphikiswa okunamandla futhi ayeka. (Ezra 4:1-4, 23) Ngenxa yalokho, uIsrayeli akazange asijabulele isibusiso sikaJehova.
13, 14. (a) Yini eyalandela lapho uIsrayeli ehluleka ukwakha kabusha ithempeli? (b) Ekugcineni ithempeli lakhiwa kanjani kabusha, kodwa yimaphi amaphutha kaIsrayeli engeziwe abikwayo?
13 Ngonyaka ka-520 B.C.E., uJehova wavusa abaprofethi uHagayi noZakariya ukuba banxuse uIsrayeli ukuba abuyele emsebenzini wokwakha ithempeli. UHagayi wabonisa ukuthi isizwe sasibhekene nobunzima ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo futhi lokhu wakuhlobanisa nokuntula kwaso intshiseko ngendlu kaJehova. Wathi: “Usho kanje uJehova-Sebawoti, uthi, Bekani [izinhliziyo zenu ezindleleni zenu]. Nihlwanyela okuningi, ningenisa okuyingcosana; niyadla, kepha anisuthi; niyaphuza, kepha ananeliswa; niyembatha, kepha akakho ofudumalayo; ozuza imali uyizuzela isikhwama esibhobokileyo. Usho kanje uJehova-Sebawoti, uthi Bekani [izinhliziyo zenu ezindleleni zenu]. Khuphukelani entabeni, nilethe imithi, nakhe indlu; ngiyakuyenamela, ngikhazimuliswe.”—Hagayi 1:5-8, qhathanisa neNW.
14 Ekhuthazwe uHagayi noZakariya, amaIsrayeli abeka izinhliziyo zawo ezindleleni zawo, futhi ithempeli lakhiwa. Nokho, eminyakeni engaba ngu-60 kamuva uNehemiya wavakashela eJerusalema futhi wathola ukuthi uIsrayeli wayesephinde wadebesela uMthetho kaJehova. Wakulungisa lokhu. Kodwa ekuvakasheni kwesibili, wathola ukuthi izinto zase zonakele futhi. Uyabika: “Ngase ngazi ukuthi amaLevi awanikwanga izabelo zawo; amaLevi nabahlabeleli abenza umsebenzi babebalekele, kwaba-yilowo nalowo ensimini yakhe.” (Nehemiya 13:10) Lenkinga yalungiswa, futhi “wonke uJuda wayeseletha okweshumi kwamabele, nokwewayini, nokwamafutha engcebeni.”—Nehemiya 13:12.
Ukuphanga UJehova
15, 16. Kungenxa yakuphi ukushiyeka uJehova asola uIsrayeli, esebenzisa uMalaki?
15 Cishe ukuprofetha kukaMalaki kwakungalenkathi efanayo yesikhathi, futhi lomprofethi usitshela okwengeziwe ngokungathembeki kukaIsrayeli. Ubhala amazwi kaJehova kuIsrayeli: “Uma nginguyise, kuphi ukudunyiswa kwami? Uma ngiyinkosi, kuphi ukwesatshwa kwami? usho uJehova-Sebawoti kinina-bapristi enilidelela igama lami.” Yini eyayonakele? UJehova uyachaza: “Lapho ninikela ngesilwane esiyimpumputhe sibe-ngumhlatshelo, [nithi] akukubi. . . . Lapho ninikela ngesilwane esiqhugayo nesigulayo, [nithi] akukubi.”—Malaki 1:6-8.
16 Ngokucacile, uMalaki ubonisa ukuthi nakuba amaIsrayeli ayeletha iminikelo, izinga layo eliphansi labonisa indelelo engathi sína. UMalaki wabuye wabhala: “Kusukela emihleni yawoyihlo nichezukile ezimisweni zami, anizigcinanga. Buyelani kimi, ngiyakubuyela kini, usho uJehova-Sebawoti.” AmaIsrayeli azibuza ukuthi yini ngokuqondile okwakumelwe ayenze, ngakho abuza: “Siyakubuyela kanjani?” UJehova waphendula: “Umuntu angaphanga uNkulunkulu na? Nokho niyangiphanga.” UIsrayeli wayengamphanga kanjani uJehova, uMthombo wayo yonke ingcebo? UJehova waphendula: “Ngokweshumi nangeminikelo.” (Malaki 3:7, 8) Yebo, ngokwehluleka ukuletha okweshumi neminikelo, uIsrayeli wayephanga uJehova!
17. Okweshumi neminikelo kwafeza yiphi injongo kwaIsrayeli, futhi yisiphi isithembiso uJehova asenza ngokuphathelene nokweshumi?
17 Lesizinda esingokomlando sibonisa ukubaluleka kokweshumi neminikelo kwaIsrayeli. Kwakuwukubonakaliswa kokwazisa kulowo ophayo. Futhi kwakusiza ekusekeleni ukukhulekela kweqiniso ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo. Ngakho, uJehova waqhubeka ekhuthaza uIsrayeli: “Ngenisani konke okweshumi endlini yengcebo.” Ebonisa lokho okwakuyolandela uma benza kanjalo, uJehova wathembisa: ‘Ngiyakunithululela isibusiso kunokwaneleyo.’ (Malaki 3:10) Isibusiso sikaJehova sasiyobacebisa.
Ukwahlulelwa “INkosi Yeqiniso”
18. (a) UJehova uxwayisa ngokuza kukabani? (b) Kwenzeka nini ukuza ethempelini, obani ababehilelekile, futhi waba yini umphumela ngoIsrayeli?
18 UJehova waxwayisa futhi ngoMalaki ukuthi wayeyokuza ezokwahlulela abantu bakhe. “Bhekani, ngiyathuma isithunywa sami; siyakulungisa indlela phambi kwami. INkosi [“yeqiniso,” NW] eniyifunayo iyakufika ngokuzumayo ethempelini layo; nesithunywa sesivumelwano enithokoza ngaso, bheka, siyeza.” (Malaki 3:1) Kwenzeka nini ukuza ethempelini okwakuthenjisiwe? KuMathewu 11:10, uJesu wacaphuna isiprofetho sikaMalaki sesithunywa esasiyolungisa indlela futhi wasisebenzisa kuJohane uMbhapathizi. (Malaki 4:5; Mathewu 11:14) Ngakho ngo-29 C.E., isikhathi sokwahlulela sase sifikile! Ubani owayeyisithunywa sesibili, isithunywa sesivumelwano esasizohamba noJehova, “iNkosi yeqiniso,” ukuya ethempelini? UJesu ngokwakhe, futhi ezikhathini ezimbili weza ethempelini laseJerusalema futhi walihlanza ngendlela emangalisayo, exosha abashintshi bemali abangathembekile. (Marku 11:15-17; Johane 2:14-17) Ngokuphathelene nalesikhathi sokwahlulela sekhulu lokuqala, uJehova wabuza ngokwesiprofetho: “Ngubani ongathwala usuku lokufika kwaso? Ngubani oyakuma ekubonakaleni kwaso na?” (Malaki 3:2) Eqinisweni, uIsrayeli akazange ame. Wahlolwa, watholakala entula, futhi ngo-33 C.E., walahlwa njengesizwe sikaJehova esikhethiwe.—Mathewu 23:37-39.
19. Insali yabuyela ngayiphi indlela kuJehova ekhulwini lokuqala, futhi yisiphi isibusiso eyasithola?
19 Nokho, uMalaki wabuye wabhala: ‘[UJehova] uyakuhlala ecwengisisa ehlanza isiliva, ahlambulule amadodana kaLevi, awahlanze njengegolide nesiliva, aze anikele ngeminikelo kuJehova ngokulunga.” (Malaki 3:3) Ngokuvumelana nalokhu, nakuba iningi lalabo ababethi bakhonza uJehova ekhulwini lokuqala baxoshwa, abanye bahlanzwa futhi beza kuJehova, benikela imihlatshelo eyamukelekayo. Obani? Yilabo ababesabele kuJesu, isithunywa sesivumelwano. NgePentekoste lika-33 C.E., abangu-120 balaba abasabelayo babehlangene ndawonye ekamelweni eliphezulu eJerusalema. Beqiniswe umoya ongcwele, baqala ukwenza umnikelo wesipho ngokulunga, futhi ngokushesha amanani abo akhula. Ngokushesha, basakazekela kuwo wonke uMbuso waseRoma. (IzEnzo 2:41; 4:4; 5:14) Ngaleyondlela, insali yabuyela kuJehova.—Malaki 3:7.
20. Lapho iJerusalema nethempeli kubhujiswa, kwenzekani kuIsrayeli omusha kaNkulunkulu?
20 Lensali kaIsrayeli, eyahlanganisa nabeZizwe abaxhunyelelwa esiqwini sikaIsrayeli, ngenkulumo engokomfanekiso, ‘yayinguIsrayeli’ omusha ‘kaNkulunkulu,’ isizwe esakhiwe amaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya. (Galathiya 6:16; Roma 11:17) Ngo-70 C.E., ‘usuku oluvutha njengeziko’ lwafika phezu kukaIsrayeli ongokwenyama lapho iJerusalema nethempeli lalo kubhujiswa amabutho amaRoma. (Malaki 4:1; Luka 19:41-44) Kwenzekani kuIsrayeli ongokomoya kaNkulunkulu? UJehova ‘wabahawukela, njengalokhu umuntu ehawukela indodana yakhe emkhonzayo.’ (Malaki 3:17) Ibandla lamaKristu agcotshiwe lalalela isixwayiso sikaJesu esingokwesiprofetho. (Mathewu 24:15, 16) Asinda, futhi isibusiso sikaJehova saqhubeka siwacebisa ngokomoya.
21. Yimiphi imibuzo esele ngoMalaki 3:1 no 10?
21 Yeka ukulwelwa kukaJehova! Nokho, uMalaki 3:1 ugcwaliseka kanjani namuhla? Futhi umKristu kumelwe asabele kanjani esikhuthazweni esikuMalaki 3:10 sokuletha konke okweshumi endlini yengcebo? Lokhu kuzoxoxwa ngakho esihlokweni esilandelayo.
Ungachaza?
◻ Ngokuyisisekelo, ubani uMthombo wayo yonke ingcebo?
◻ Kungani ukuchuma okungokomoya kungcono kunengcebo yezinto ezibonakalayo?
◻ Kwafeza yiphi injongo okweshumi neminikelo kwaIsrayeli?
◻ UJehova, “iNkosi yeqiniso,” weza nini ethempelini ezokwahlulela uIsrayeli, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?
◻ Obani ababuyela kuJehova ngemva kokuba efike ethempelini lakhe ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka C.E.?
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
Isithunywa sesivumelwano, uJesu, simelele uJehova, seza ethempelini sizokwahlulela ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka C.E.