‘Ukukhanya Kubakhanyisele Abalungileyo’
“Ukukhanya kumkhanyisele olungileyo, nokujabula kwabanhliziyo ziqotho.”—IHubo 97:11, “NW”.
1. Iyini lento eyodwa ehlukanisa abalungileyo kwababi?
IYINI lento ehlukanisa abalungileyo kwababi, izinceku zeqiniso zikaJehova uNkulunkulu kwezisebugqilini besitha sikaNkulunkulu, uSathane uDeveli? Ngokungangabazeki kungebe ngenye ngaphandle kweqiniso lokuthi abalungileyo, izinceku zeqiniso zikaJehova uNkulunkulu, zijabulela ukukhanya. Ngempela, kuzona ‘ukukhanya kuyazikhanyisela.’ (IHubo 97:11) Kulapho ababi, bahamba ebunyameni. Yebo, “umkhondo wabalungileyo unjengokukhanya kokusa, okuqhubeka ngokukhanya njalo kuze kube-semini. Kodwa indlela yababi injengobumnyama obukhulu; abazi ukuthi bakhutshwa yini.”—IzAga 4:18, 19, New International Version.
2. Ukwanda kokukhanya emkhondweni wabalungileyo kungafanekiswa kanjani?
2 Phawula ukuthi ukukhanya kokukhanya emkhondweni wabalungileyo kuyaqhubeka. “Kuqhubeka ngokukhanya njalo.” Singakufanekisa lokhu ngomuntu ovuka entathakusa futhi ahambe ngezinyawo ukhalo olude. Angase abone isithunzana sendlu endaweni esekudeni, kodwa okokuqala akanakukwazi ukusho noma ubona inqolobane noma indlu. Kancane njengoba kuntwela ezansi futhi esondela angase abone ukuthi indlu. Emva kwesikhashana uyakwazi ukusho ukuthi indlu eyakhiwe ngezingodo, hhayi ngezitini. Khona-ke, kamuva, usengabona nombala wendlu, nokunye.
3. Iziphi izici eziphathelene nokwanda kokukhanya?
3 Okuhlangenwe nakho kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu bekufana ncimiji nalokho. Ngokubheka izinto ezithile ezazisazothatha isikhathi ngaphambi kokuqondakala futhi sinokukhanya okuncane ngendaba, ngokuvamile siye saba nombono wezinto ongaphelele, ngisho nongaqondile. Ezimweni ezinjalo kunokwenzeka kalula ukuthi siye sathonywa imibono ebesinayo ngaphambili. Kodwa njengoba ukukhanya kuqhubeka kukhanya futhi sisondela kakhulu ezehlakalweni, khona-ke ukuqonda kwethu ukusebenza kwezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu kucaca ngokwengeziwe. Iziprofetho ziyasikhanyela njengoba umoya oyingcwele kaJehova uzikhanyisa, futhi njengoba zigcwaliseka ezehlakalweni zezwe noma kokuhlangenwe nakho kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Ingabe lena akubanga yindlela uJehova uNkulunkulu aye wasebenzelana ngayo nezinceku zakhe kusukela ezikhathini zakuqala? Ngempela yiyo!
ISIBONELO SIKA-ABRAHAMA
4, 5. UNkulunkulu wayembula kanjani kancane kancane injongo yakhe kuAbrahama?
4 Cabanga ngoAbrahama, indoda yokholo uNkulunkulu ayibiza ngokuthi umngane wakhe. (Isaya 41:8; Jakobe 2:23) Naphezu kobuhlobo bakhe obuseduze noJehova uNkulunkulu, akazange ekuqaleni abe nokuqonda okuphelele ngezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu. Singakubona lokhu ezehlakalweni eziningana ekuphileni kuka-Abrahama—ukuqonda kwakhe kwathuthuka kancane kancane. UNkulunkulu wambiza ukuba ashiye izwe lakubo, emtshela ukuthi wayezokwenza isizwe esikhulu ngaYe nokuthi yonke imindeni yomhlaba yayiyozibusisa ngaye. Kodwa uAbrahama akayazanga yonke imininingwane; sifunda ukuthi walalela nakuba “engazi lapho eya khona.” (Heberu 11:8) Futhi, nakuba uNkulunkulu amthembisa ukuthi inzalo yakhe yayizonikezwa izwe, uAbrahama akazanga ukuthi lokho kwakuyokwenzeka kanjani. Waze wabonisa nokukhathalela ngokuthi inceku yakhe uEliyazare yayingase idle ifa lendlu yakhe. Khona-ke uJehova wenza izinto zacaca, ngokutshela uAbrahama: “Kepha oyakuphuma ezibilinini zakho uyakudla ifa lakho.” (Genesise 12:1-3; 15:2-4) Njengoba umka-Abrahama, uSara, wayeyinyumba, wamcela ukuba alale nencekukazi yakhe, uHagari, owamzalela uIshmayeli. Kamuva uNkulunkulu wachaza kuAbrahama ukuthi indlalifa yesithembiso yayiyovela ngoSara.—Genesise 17:15-17.
5 Ngakho singabona ukuthi, nakuba yonke into uJehova ayembula ngokuqondile kuAbrahama yayiqiniso, kodwa uAbrahama akazange aqonde ngokuqondile indlela uNkulunkulu ayezofeza ngayo lenjongo. Futhi, waqhubeka ekholwa futhi elindela uJehova, ukuze amukele ukukhanyiselwa okwengeziwe njengoba isikhathi sasiqhubeka. Ngokufanayo, lapho uJehova emyala ukuba anikele ngendodana yakhe uIsaka njengomhlatshelo entabeni iMoriya, uAbrahama akayazanga ngokuqondile indlela lendaba eyayiyofezwa ngayo. Kodwa wayekholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyoveza inzalo ngoIsaka ngisho noma uNkulunkulu wayezovusa uIsaka kwabafileyo.—Heberu 11:17-19.
UDANIYELI NABANYE ABAPROFETHI
6, 7. (a) Yimaphi amazwi kaDaniyeli abonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wembula izinto kuphela ngesikhathi saKhe esifanele? (b) Ibuphi ubufakazi umphostoli uPetru abunikezayo ngokuvumelana nalokhu?
6 Phakathi kwabaprofethi abaningi uJehova ababonisa umusa ngezambulo eziqondile kwakunguDaniyeli, “umuntu othandekayo” kuNkulunkulu. (Daniyeli 10:11, 19) UJehova wamnikeza umbiko oqondile kakhulu ngokuqondene nesikhathi sakhe siqu nezikhathi ezizayo; kodwa uDaniyeli akazange akuqonde konke okwakuhilelekile. Ngokuqondene neminye imibono ayibona, wathi: “Ngakuzwa, kepha angiqondanga.” Lapho ecela ukuba achasiselwe ngokwengeziwe watshelwa: “Hamba, Daniyeli, ngokuba amazwi avalelwe, anamathelisiwe kuze kube-sesikhathini sokugcina.” (Daniyeli 12:8, 9) Ngokufanayo, uJehova uNkulunkulu waqhubeka embula amaqiniso amaningi ezincekwini zakhe ezingabaprofethi. Nokho kwakunezinto eziningi abangaziqondanga.
7 Kungakho umphostoli uPetru abhala: “Ngayo leyonsindiso babefunisisa bephenyisisa abaprofethi ababeprofetha ngomusa obuzakuza kinina, bephenya ukuthi yisiphi nokuba sinjani isikhathi asikhombayo uMoya kaKristu owayekubo, efakaza ngaphambili ngezinhlupheko eziqondene noKristu nangenkazimulo eyakulandela zona; abambulelwe ukuba bangazikhonzi bona kepha nina ngalezozinto enishunyayezwa zona manje.” Eqinisweni, ngisho nezingelosi zazingenakho ukuqonda okugcwele nokupheleleyo ngendlela izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu ezazizofezwa ngayo.—1 Petru 1:10-12.
8. Umbuzo kaJohane umBhapathizi wabonisa kanjani ukuthi ukuqonda kwakhe kwakungaphelele?
8 Owokugcina walabaprofethi kwakunguJohane umBhaphathizi. UNkulunkulu wamsebenzisa ukuba alungise indlela ngaphambi kukaKristu, uJesu. (Luka 1:16, 17, 76-79) UJohane wathola umusa omkhulu ngokwamukela isibonakaliso esivela kuNkulunkulu esasiphawula uMesiya, nangokumethula kuIsrayeli. (Johane 1:26-36) Nakuba kunjalo, uJohane akayiqondanga ngokukhanyayo yonke imininingwane ephathelene nokufika kokuqala kukaJesu. Lokhu kungase kubonwe eqinisweni lokuthi lapho uJohane ayesejele wathuma abafundi bakhe kuJesu nalombuzo: “Wena unguye ozayo, noma sobheka omunye na?” Umbuzo kaJohane wawungewona amazwi abonisa ukuntula ukholo kodwa isifiso sokuqinisekiswa ngokuqondé ngokwengeziwe. Impendulo kaJesu, eyayikhomba emisebenzini yakhe, ngokungathandabuzeki yamduduza uJohane.—Mathewu 11:2-6.
UJESU NABAPHOSTOLI BAKHE
9. Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJesu wayengenakho ukuqonda okuphelele ngezinjongo zikaYise?
9 UNkulunkulu wembula intando yakhe ezincekwini zakhe kuphela ngesikhathi sakhe esifaneleyo, futhi lokhu kwasebenza ngisho nakuJesu Kristu. Ngokungangabazeki uJesu wathola ulwazi oluqondile lapho ayenoYise wakhe ezulwini. Kodwa naye ngokwakhe akazanga ukuthi isiphelo salesimiso sethu sezinto sasiyofika nini. Kungakho avuma: “Kepha lolosuku nalelohora akakho owazilutho ngalo nazingelosi zasezulwini, naNdodana, nguBaba kuphela.”—Mathewu 24:36.
10, 11. (a) Isiphi isiphetho esiyiphutha abafundi bakaJesu abasifinyelela ngokuqondene noMbuso? (b) Kungani uJesu alinganisela ayekutshela abaphostoli bakhe ngokuqondene nesikhathi esizayo, ngokufanayo futhi nangezinye izindaba?
10 UJesu ngokwakhe wenza ngokuvumelana nesimiso esibekwe kuzAga 4:18 ekusebenzelaneni nabafundi bakhe. Wabatshela okuningi ngoMbuso: ukuthi wayezohamba nokuthi wayeyobuya emva kwesikhathi eside abese ebathatha baye ekhaya kuye ezulwini. Naphezu kwakho konke lokhu, nokho, abaphostoli bakhe babebambelele emqondweni wokuthi umbuso wobuMesiya kwakuyoba umbuso kaDavide obuyiselwe eJerusalema. Kungakho babuza uJesu ovusiwe: “Nkosi, usawubuyisela umbuso kuIsrayeli ngalesisikhathi na?” UJesu wabatshela ukuthi kwakusenezinto ezithile ababengenakuziqonda ngalesosikhathi, ethi: “Akusikho okwenu ukwazi izikhathi noma imizuzu uBaba akumisele ngamandla akhe.”—IzEnzo 1:6, 7.
11 Ukuthi kunesikhathi esifanele sokuthola ukuqonda izici ezithile zezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu kuyakhanya emazwini kaJesu kubaphostoli bakhe: “Ngisenokuningi kokunitshela, kodwa ningekuthwale manje.” (Johane 16:12) Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu unikeza izinceku zakhe ukuqonda intando yakhe ngokwamandla azo okuqonda nokusebenzisa lokho kuqonda. Kuyiqiniso, uJesu watshela abaphostoli bakhe ukuthi umoya kaNkulunkulu wawuyobaqondisa “kulo lonke iqiniso.” (Johane 16:13) Kodwa ingabe uJesu wayesho ukuthi kusukela osukwini abamukela ngalo umoya oyingcwele babeyobona lonke iqiniso, bangabe besadinga ukuthola ukuqonda okwengeziwe kamuva? Amaqiniso abonisa ukuthi lokhu kwakungenjalo.
UKWAMUKELWA KWABEZIZWE
12, 13. (a) Ikuphi ukwazisa okukhanyayo abalandeli bakaJesu abakuthola ngePentekoste, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela kubo? (b) Nakuba uJesu wayebayale ukuba benze abafundi kuzo zonke izizwe, baqala nini ukwenza kanjalo, futhi kungani kwakungokokuqala ngalesosikhathi?
12 Ngosuku lwePentekoste lika-33 C.E. abafundi bawamukela umoya oyingcwele futhi kanye nawo bathola ukwazisa okukhanyayo ngokwengeziwe kweqiniso elimayelana nokuvuswa kukaJesu, ukwenyukela kwakhe ezulwini nokubaluleka kombuso kaNkulunkulu. Lolulwazi lwabagcwalisa ngentshiseko yokuba batshele abanye “izindaba ezinhle.” Ngisho nakuba uJesu wayethe kwakumelwe benze abafundi kuzo zonke izizwe, ekuqaleni balinganisela ukushumayela kwabo kumaJuda, kumaproselite angewona amaJuda kwase kuthi, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, nakumaSamariya. Babengakuqondi ukuthi kwakumelwe baye kwabeZizwe abangasokiwe. (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Akungabazeki ukuthi uJehova wakubamba ukukhanyisela okunjalo, ngoba isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli sasishilo ukuthi uMesiya wayeyogcina isivumelwano namaJuda sisebenza kuze kuphele amasonto angamashumi ayisikhombisa.—Daniyeli 9:24-27.
13 Lapho lelo“sonto” liphela ngo-36 C.E., uJehova uNkulunkulu wathatha isinyathelo ngokuqondile ekwambuleni “izindaba ezinhle” kubantu bezizwe. UPetru ngokuqinisekile wayedinga usizo ukuze alungise ukucabanga kwakhe ngaphambi kokungena ekhaya loweZizwe ongasokiwe owayecatshangelwa ukuthi wayengcolile ngokoMthetho. Kwadingeka ukuba ayalwe ngesikhathi ehlelwe isiyezi: “Lokho akuhlambulile uNkulunkulu, ungasho wena ukuthi kubi.” Ngakho uPetru nabanye abaphostoli kwase kufanele bashintshe umbono wabo ngalendaba. UPetru wenza kanjalo futhi wasetshenziswa uNkulunkulu ukuba amemezele kwabeZizwe ukuthi indlela eya embusweni kaNkunkulu wasezulwini yayivulekile.—IzEnzo 10:9-43.
14. Ikuphi ukukhanya amaKristu okuqala akwemukela eminyakeni yamuva ngokuqondene nezimfuneko zomthetho kaMose?
14 Kodwa, eminyakeni eyi-13 kamuva, ukusoka kwakuseyindaba amanye amaKristu ayephikisana ngayo. Kwadingeka ukuba uPawulu nabanye abafundi ukuba baye eJerusalema ukuze balungise lendaba nabaphostoli nabanye abadala, ngalesosikhathi ababakha indikimba ebusayo yamabandla obuKristu. Lendikimba yezwa okwashiwo uPetru ngokuphenduka kukaKorneliyu, nangobufakazi bukaPawulu ngemisebenzi yamandla kaNkulunkulu ayeyenzile ngokuqondene nenkonzo kaPawulu kwabeZizwe. Khona-ke bacabangela okushiwo yiZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumlelwe ngalendaba. Ngosizo lomoya oyingcwele bafinyelela esiphethweni esiqondile, okungukuthi, nakuba izimiso ezithile zokuziphatha zazidinga, kwakungekho sidingo sokuba abeZizwe basokwe futhi bagcine umthetho kaMose ukuze babe amaKristu.—IzEnzo 15:1–16:5.
15, 16. (a) Imaphi amazwi kaPawulu abonisa ukuthi waqaphela ukuthi ukwambulwa kweqiniso kwakuqhubeka? (b) Ibuphi ubufakazi obufanayo umphostoli uPetru abunikeza?
15 Cishe eminyakeni eyisithupha emva kwalomhlangano, uPawulu wabhala incwadi yakhe yokuqala eya kwabaseKorinte, athi kuyo ngokuqondene namaKristu azelwe ngomoya esikhathi sakhe: “Ngokuba sazi inxenye, siprofetha inxenye. Kepha nxa sekufikile okupheleleyo, lokho okuyinxenye kuyakukhawuka. Ngokuba manje sibona esibukweni kalufifi; kepha lapho sobukana ubuso nobuso; manje ngazi inxenye kepha lapho ngiyakwazi ngokuphelele, njengokuba kade ngaziwa ngokuphelele.” Ngakho ngisho nakulelizinga amaKristu azelwe ngomoya, kuhlanganise nomphostoli uPawulu uqobo, babengaholelwanga ngumoya oyingcwele olwazini oluphelele lwalo lonke iqiniso. Ulwazi lwabo lwaluseyingxenye kuphela, ngokwezinga lokuqonda uNkulunkulu ayebanikeze khona kuze kube yilesosikhathi. Kodwa lwalwanele izidingo ababenazo ngalesosikhathi.—1 Korinte 13:9, 10, 12.
16 Eminyakeni eyisishiyagalolunye ngemva kokuba uPawulu wayelobe lokhu okungenhla, noma cishe ngonyaka ka-64 C.E., yini uPetru ayibhalela amaKristu akanye naye? Ngemva kokuxoxa ngokushintshelwa kwesinye isimo akubona okwaqinisa ngoJesu ukuthi uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, waqhubeka wathi: “Sesinalo izwi lesiprofetho eliqinisekile kakhulu, enenza kahle ukuliqaphela kungathi liyisibani esikhanyayo endaweni emnyama kuze kuse, ikhwezi liphumele ezinhliziyweni zenu.” (2 Petru 1:16-21) Ngakho amaKristu ayesadinga ukuhlola imiBhalo, anikeze ukunakekela okukhulu ezwini lesiprofetho, elalizoba njengesibani esikhanya endaweni emnyama. Lokhu kumelwe aqhubeke ekwenza kuze kube sesikhathini lapho amaKristu agcotshiwe esethola umvuzo wawo ekwambulweni okukhazimulayo kukaJesu Kristu.
17. (a) Ngokukhishwa kwencwadi yesAmbulo, imaphi amaqiniso amasha aziwa amaKristu? (b) Ukukhanya okwengeziwe kulencwadi kwakufanele kukhanye nini?
17 Eminyakeni engama-32 ngemva kokuba uPetru ebhale incwadi yakhe yesibili, noma eminyakeni engama-63 ngemva kwePentekoste lika-33 C.E., umphostoli uJohane wamukela futhi wabhala uhide lwemibono eyenza incwadi yesAmbulo. Kulemibono amaqiniso amaningana ngokuqondene nezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu embulwa kumaKristu azelwe ngomoya ngokokuqala ngqa. Ngokwesibonelo, kanjalo afunda ukuthi abesilisa nabesifazane abayizi-144 000 babeyohlengwa kuzo zonke izizwe babe izindlalifa kanye noJesu Kristu ezulwini futhi babuse njengamakhosi, abapristi nabahluleli embusweni wobuMesiya isikhathi esiyiminyaka eyizi-1 000. (IsAmbulo, izahluko 7, 14 no-20) Kodwa ngisho namaKristu alesosikhathi sakuqala ayengenalo ulwazi oluphelele. Abafundi beZwi likaNkulunkulu namuhla bangabona ukuthi imibono yesAmbulo, nakuba yayingefundisayo futhi ingekhuthazayo kumaKristu osuku lukaJohane, inokubaluleka okukhethekile kulabo abaphila o‘sukwini lweNkosi’ esiphila kulo manje. (IsAmbulo 1:10) Kanjalo isAmbulo 5:1-14 sichaza ngemifanekiso incwadi, enezimpawu ezinamathelisiwe okumelwe zisuswe ukuze incwadi ivuleke. Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi esikhathini sokugcwaliseka kweziprofetho zesAmbulo kumelwe kube khona ukwambulwa kolwazi nokuqonda kancane kancane njengoba uphawu ngalunye luvulwa ngesikhathi salo.
18. Khona-ke, uJehova uNkulunkulu wawembula kanjani amaqiniso ezincekwini zakhe ezikhathini zasendulo naphakathi nekhulu lokuqala?
18 Ngakho singabona ukuthi, kokubili ngokuqondene nezinceku ezithembekile zikaJehova ezikhathini ezingaphambi kobuKristu nebandla lamaKristu agcotshiwe ekhulu lokuqala leSikhathi sethu Esivamile, ngokungakhethi bonke babenolwazi nokuqonda okungaphelele. Kwakumelwe baqhubeke bethuthuka, belungisa ukuqonda kwabo njengoba beqaphela futhi bebona kancane kancane ukusebenza kwezinjongo zikaJehova. Kubona, umkhondo wabalungileyo ngempela uye waba njengokukhanya “okuqhubekayo ngokukhanya njalo kuze kube semini.” (IzAga 4:18) Njengoba ukukhanya kuqhubeka, bayakhula olwazini, bebona ngokugcwele impela amaqiniso amahle uJehova aqhubeka ebambulela wona.
19. Wathini uNkulunkulu kumprofethi uDaniyeli ngokuqondene nolwazi nokuqonda “esikhathini sokugcina”?
19 Kodwa kuthiwani ngezinceku zikaJehova kulesisikhathi sokuphela? Ingelosi yayitshele uDaniyeli: “Kepha wena-Daniyeli, gcina amazwi, unamathelise incwadi kuze kube-sesikhathini sokugcina; abaningi bayakwehla benyuka [eZwini likaNkulunkulu], [ngenxa yalokho] ukwazi kube-kuningi.” (Daniyeli 12:4) Dan 12 Evesini le-10, kuphawulwe ngokuqhubekayo ngokuqondene nezinceku zikaNkulunkulu: “Abaningi bayakuzihlanza, bazenze-mhlophe, bacwengisiswe, kepha ababi bayakwenza kabi, kodwa akayikuqonda noyedwa omubi; nokho abahlakaniphileyo bayakuqonda.” Ingabe lokhu kukhanyiselwa kwakuyofika konke ngesikhathi esisodwa? Ukuze zibizwe ‘njengabahlakaniphileyo’ ingabe kwakuyodingeka ukuba izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zibe nolwazi olunemininingwane nokuqonda okupheleleyo, ukuze zingadingi, ngezinye izikhathi, ukuba zenze noma ikuphi ukulungisa izinguquko emibonweni yazo ngezimfundiso ezithile noma ngezinye izinto? Lemibuzo neminye izocatshangelwa ezihlokweni ezilandelayo.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 20]
Ukusebenzelana kukaJehova nezinceku zakhe ezikhathini ezedlule kubonisa ukuthi ukuqondwa kwezinjongo zakhe ngokuvamile kuza kancane kancane.
UAbrahama akazanga ukuthi isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu ngokuqondene ne“nzalo” sasiyofezwa kanjani.
UDaniyeli akawuqondanga umphumela wokugcina weziprofetho zakhe.
UJohane umBhapathizi, owethula uMesiya, kamuva wacela ukuba akhanyiselwe noma omunye wayeza yini.
UJesu ngokwakhe akalwazanga usuku nehora lo“sizi olukhulu.”
Abaphostoli kwakumelwe bafunde ngokuthuthukayo ukuthi umbuso ungowasezulwini nokuthi abeZizwe nabo, bangase badle ifa lawo
Kwakungokwamukela incwadi yesAmbulo kuphela ukuthi amaKristu okuqala afunda ukuthi ukubusa kukaKristu kwakuyoba iminyaka eyi-1 000 ubude nokuthi wayezoba nezindlalifa eziyizi-144 000.
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
Ohambweni lwasentathakusa izinto ziya zicaca njengoba umuntu esondela kuzo futhi nanjengoba ubumnyama bushintshela ekukhanyeni kancane kancane