‘Zenzeleni Abahlobo Ngengcebo Engalungile’
“Zenzeleni nina abahlobo [ngengcebo engalungile, NW] . . . Othembekile kokuncinyane uthembekile nakokukhulu.”—LUKA 16:9, 10.
1. UMose nabantwana bakwa-Israyeli bamdumisa ka-njani uJehova ngemva kokuphuma kwabo eGibithe?
USINDISWÉ ngokuyisimangaliso—yeka okuhlangenwe nakho okuqinisa ukholo! Akekho omunye umuntu okungase kuthiwe wabangela ukuphuma kuka-Israyeli eGibithe ngaphandle kukaJehova, uMninimandla onke. Akumangalisi ukuthi uMose nama-Israyeli bahlabelela: “UJehova ungamandla ami nehubo lami; waba-yinsindiso kimi; unguNkulunkulu wami: ngizakumdumisa, noNkulunkulu kababa: ngizakumphakamisa.”—Eksodusi 15:1, 2; Duteronomi 29:2.
2. Yini abantu bakaJehova abahamba nayo lapho bephuma eGibithe?
2 Yeka ukuthi inkululeko u-Israyeli ayesanda kuyithola yayihluke kanjani esimweni sakhe eGibithe! Manje wayengakhulekela uJehova ngaphandle kwesithiyo. Futhi akazange ashiye iGibithe engenalutho. UMose uyalandisa: “Abantwana bakwaIsrayeli . . . bacela kwabaseGibithe izinto zesiliva, nezinto zegolide, nezingubo. UJehova wabenzela abantu umusa emehlweni abaseGibithe, babapha lokho abakucelayo. Babaphundla abaseGibithe.” (Eksodusi 12:35, 36) Kodwa wayisebenzisa kanjani lengcebo yaseGibithe? Ingabe yaphumela ‘ekuphakamiseni uJehova’? Yini esiyifunda esibonelweni sakhe?—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Korinte 10:11.
“Umnikelo KaJehova”
3. Ukusebenzisa kuka-Israyeli igolide ekukhulekeleni kwamanga kwabangela ukuba uJehova asabele kanjani?
3 Phakathi nokuhlala kukaMose izinsuku ezingu-40 eNtabeni iSinayi ukuze amukele imiyalo kaNkulunkulu eya ku-Israyeli, abantu ababelindé ngezansi baphelelwa isineke. Njengoba babekhumula amacici abo egolide, baqondisa u-Aroni ukuba abenzele umfanekiso ukuze bawukhulekele. U-Aroni wabuye wabakhela i-altare, futhi ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo, banikela lapho ngemihlatshelo. Ingabe lokhu kusetshenziswa kwegolide labo kwabenza bathandwa uMkhululi wabo? Lutho neze! “Ngalokho ngiyeke,” kumemezela uJehova kuMose, “ukuba ulaka lwami lubavuthele, ngibaqede.” UJehova walondoloza lesisizwe ngenxa nje yokunxusa kukaMose, nakuba abaphehli bodweshu bawa ngesishayo esivela kuNkulunkulu.—Eksodusi 32:1-6, 10-14, 30-35.
4. Wawuyini “umnikelo kaJehova,” futhi obani abawunikela?
4 Kamuva, u-Israyeli wathola ithuba lokusebenzisa ingcebo ayenayo ngendlela eyamjabulisa uJehova. Waqoqa “umnikelo kaJehova.”a Igolide, isiliva, ithusi, intambo eluhlaza, izinto eziyizinhlobonhlobo ezifakwe imibalabala, izikhumba zezinqama, izikhumba zamatahasi, nomuthi womtholo kwakuphakathi kweminikelo yokwakha neyokulungiselela itabernakele. Ukulandisa kugxilisa ukunakekela kwethu esimweni sengqondo sonikelayo. “Bonke abanenhliziyo ethandayo mabawulethe, ube-ngumnikelo kaJehova.” (Eksodusi 35:5-9) U-Israyeli wasabela kakhulu. Ngakho, itabernakele laliyisakhiwo ‘sobuhle nokuphakama okukhulu kakhulu,’ uma sicaphuna amazwi esinye isazi.
Iminikelo Yethempeli
5, 6. Ngokuphathelene nethempeli, uDavide wayisebenzisa kanjani ingcebo yakhe, futhi abanye basabela kanjani?
5 Nakuba iNkosi uSolomoni yakwa-Israyeli yaqondisa ukwakhiwa kwendlu eyayiyohlala njalo yokukhulekelwa kukaJehova, uDavide, uyise, wayenze amalungiselelo amakhulu ayo. UDavide waqoqa inani elikhulu legolide, isiliva, ithusi, insimbi, imithi, namatshe ayigugu. UDavide watshela abantu bakhe: “Njengokuba ngiyenamela indlu kaNkulunkulu wami, nginengcebo yegolide nesiliva, ngiyanika indlu kaNkulunkulu wami yona phezu kwakho konke engikulungisele indlu engcwele, amathalenta ayizinkulungwane ezintathu egolide . . . namathalenta ayizinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa esiliva elicwengekileyo ukunameka ngalo izindonga zezindlu.” UDavide wakhuthaza abanye ukuba nabo baphane. Ukusabela kwakukukhulu kakhulu: igolide, isiliva, ithusi, insimbi, namatshe ayigugu okwengeziwe. “Ngenhliziyo epheleleyo,” abantu ‘banikela kuJehova.’—1 IziKronike 22:5; 29:1-9.
6 Ngaleminikelo yokuzithandela, ama-Israyeli abonisa ukwazisa okujulile ngokukhulekelwa kukaJehova. UDavide wathandaza ngokuzithoba: “Ngingubani mina, nabantu bami bayini ukuba sibe-namandla okunikela ngenhliziyo engaka na?” Ngani? “Ngokuba konke kuvela kuwe, nokuvela esandleni sakho lokhu sikuniké wena. . . . Mina-ke ngobuqotho benhliziyo yami nginikele ngokuthokoza zonke lezizinto.”—1 IziKronike 29:14, 17.
7. Isiphi isifundo esiyisixwayiso esisifunda osukwini luka-Amose?
7 Nokho, izizwe zakwa-Israyeli zahluleka ukugcina ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova kuza kuqala ezingqondweni nasezinhliziyweni zazo. Ngekhulu lesishiyagalolunye B.C.E., u-Israyeli ohlukene phakathi wayenecala lokunganaki ngokomoya. Ngokuphathelene nombuso wasenyakatho wezizwe eziyishumi zakwa-Israyeli, uJehova wamemezela ngo-Amose: “Wo kwabazinzileyo eSiyoni, nabalondekile entabeni yaseSamariya.” Wabachaza njengabantu ‘abalele emibhedeni yophondo lwendlovu, abacambalele ezinkukhweni zabo; abadla amawundlu omhlambi namathole avela phakathi kwesibaya; abaphuza imikhele yewayini.’ Kodwa ingcebo yabo yayingesona isivikelo. UNkulunkulu waxwayisa: “Sebeyakuthunjwa phakathi kwabokuqala abathunjwayo, kusuke ukuxokozela kwabacambalalayo.” Ngo-740 B.C.E., u-Israyeli wahlushwa yi-Asiriya. (Amose 6:1, 4, 6, 7) Futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi umbuso waseningizimu wakwaJuda nawo waba isisulu sokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo.—Jeremiya 5:26-29.
Ukusetshenziswa Okufanele Kwengcebo Ezikhathini ZobuKristu
8. Isiphi isibonelo esihle uJosefa noMariya abasinikezayo ngokuphathelene nokusebenzisa ingcebo?
8 Ngokuphambene, isimo sezinceku zikaNkulunkulu sokuba mpofu ngandlela-thile ezikhathini zakamuva asizange sizivimbele ekuboniseni intshiseko ngokukhulekela kweqiniso. Cabanga ngoMariya noJosefa. Belalela umyalo kaKesari Awugustu, bathatha uhambo oluya edolobheni lakubo, iBetlehema. (Luka 2:4, 5) UJesu wazalelwa lapho. Ezinsukwini ezingu-40 kamuva, uJosefa noMariya bavakashela ithempeli eJerusalema elaliseduze ukuze bayonikela ngomnikelo omisiwe wokuhlanjululwa. Okubonisa ukuthi babempofu, uMariya wanikela ngezinyoni ezimbili ezincane. Yena noma uJosefa abazange babeke izaba zokuba mpofu. Kunalokho, ngokulalela basebenzisa ingcebo yabo elinganiselwe.—Levitikusi 12:8; Luka 2:22-24.
9-11. (a) Amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 22:21 anikeza siphi isiqondiso ngokuphathelene nendlela okufanele sisebenzise ngayo imali? (b) Kungani umnikelo omncane womfelokazi ungazange unikelelwe ize?
9 Kamuva, abaFarisi nabalandeli beqembu likaHerode bazama ukuhila uJesu, bethi: “Ngakho sitshele, uthini wena? Kuvunyelwe ukuthela kuKesari noma qha?” Impendulo kaJesu yaveza ukuqonda kwakhe. Ebhekisela ohlamvwini lwemali abamnikeza lona, uJesu wabuza: “Ngokabani lomfanekiso nalombhalo na?” Baphendula: “NgokaKesari.” Ngokuhlakanipha waphetha: “Ngakho-ke nikani uKesari okukaKesari noNkulunkulu okukaNkulunkulu.” (Mathewu 22:17-21) UJesu wayazi ukuthi igunya elikhiphé loluhlamvu lwemali lalilindele ukuba kukhokhwe izintela. Kodwa lapho wasiza abalandeli nezitha zakhe ngokufanayo ukuba baqaphele ukuthi umKristu weqiniso wenza futhi nomzamo wokunika ‘uNkulunkulu okukaNkulunkulu.’ Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukusebenzisa komuntu izinto zakhe ezibonakalayo ngendlela efanele.
10 Isenzakalo uJesu asibona ethempelini siyakubonisa lokhu. Wayesanda kulahla ababhali abahahayo ‘ababedla izindlu zabafelokazi.’ ULuka uyabika: “Kwathi ebheka, wabona abacebileyo bebeka iminikelo yabo emphongolweni womnikelo. [UJesu] wabona nomfelokazi othile ompofu ebeka khona amafadingi amabili; wathi: Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Lomfelokazi ompofu ubeké okuningi kunabo bonke. Ngokuba bonke laba babeka eminikelweni kokuchichimileyo kwabo, kepha yena ebumpofini bakhe ubeké konke abephila ngakho.” (Luka 20:46, 47; 21:1-4) Abanye abantu bathi ithempeli lalihlotshiswe ngamatshe ayigugu. UJesu waphendula: “Kuyakufika izinsuku, lapho kungayikushiywa kulokhu enikubonayo itshe phezu kwetshe elingayikudilizelwa phansi.” (Luka 21:5, 6) Ingabe lowomnikelo omncane womfelokazi wawuyize? Ngokuqinisekile akunjalo. Wasekela ilungiselelo uJehova ayelimisile ngalesosikhathi.
11 UJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe beqiniso: “Akukho-nceku engakhonza amakhosi amabili, ngokuba kokunye iyakuzonda enye, ithande enye, noma ibambelele kwenye, iyeyise enye. Ningeze nakhonza uNkulunkulu [nengcebo, NW].” (Luka 16:13) Ngakho, singakubonisa kanjani ukulinganisela okufanele ekusebenziseni ingcebo yethu engokwezimali?
Abaphathi Abathembekile
12-14. (a) AmaKristu angabaphathi bayiphi ingcebo? (b) Kungaziphi izindlela ezivelele abantu bakaJehova namuhla abafeza ngazo ngokwethembeka ubuphathi babo? (c) Ivelaphi imali yokusekela umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu namuhla?
12 Lapho sinikezela ukuphila kwethu kuJehova, eqinisweni sithi konke esinakho, yonke ingcebo yethu, kungokwakhe. Khona-ke, kufanele sikusebenzise kanjani esinakho? Lapho ekhuluma ngenkonzo yobuKristu ebandleni, uMfoweth’ uC. T. Russell, umongameli wokuqala we-Watch Tower Society, wabhala: “Ngamunye kufanele azibheke njengomiswe iNkosi ukuba abe umphathi wesikhathi sakhe siqu, ithonya, imali, nokunye, futhi ngamunye kufanele afune ukusebenzisa lamakhono ngokusemandleni akhe, kukhazinyuliswe iNkosi.”—The New Creation, ikhasi 345.
13 “Kufuneka kubaphathi ukuba umuntu afu-nyanwe ekholekile,” kusho eyoku-1 Korinte 4:2. Njengenhlangano yomhlaba wonke, oFakazi BakaJehova balwela ukuphila ngokuvumelana naleyoncazelo, besebenzisa isikhathi sabo esiningi kangangokunokwenzeka enkonzweni yobuKristu, ngokucophelela behlakulela amakhono abo okufundisa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amaqembu ezisebenzi zokuzithandela ngaphansi kokuqondisa kwamaKomiti Okwakha Ezifunda anikela ngokuzithandela ngesikhathi, amandla, namakhono ukuze akhe amahholo amahle emihlangano asetshenziswa ekukhulekeleni. UJehova uyajabula ngakho konke lokhu.
14 Ivelaphi imali yokusekela lomsebenzi omkhulu wokushumayela nowokwakha? Kwabanhliziyo-zivumayo, njengoba nje kwakunjalo ezinsukwini zokwakhiwa kwetabernakele. Ingabe sinayo yini ingxenye ngabanye? Ingabe indlela esisebenzisa ngayo ingcebo yethu engokwezimali ibonisa ukuthi inkonzo kaJehova ibaluleke ukwedlula konke kithi? Ezindabeni zezimali, masibe abaphathi abathembekile.
Isimiso Sokuphana
15, 16. (a) AmaKristu osuku lukaPawulu akubonisa kanjani ukuphana? (b) Kufanele siyibheke kanjani lengxoxo yethu?
15 Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala ngomoya wokuphana wamaKristu aseMakedoniya nase-Akhaya. (Roma 15:26) Nakuba ayehlupheka ngokwawo, anikela ngokunganqikazi ukuze asize abafowabo. UPawulu wakhuthaza amaKristu aseKorinte ngokufanayo ukuba aphane, anikele ngezinsalela zawo ukuze aqede ukuntula kwabanye. Akekho owayengasola uPawulu ngokufanele ngokuthi wayengumphangi. Wabhala: “Ohlwanyela ingcosana uyakuvuna ingcosana, nohlwanyela kakhulu uyakuvuna kakhulu. Yilowo nalowo anikele njengalokho azikhethele khona enhliziyweni, kungabi-ngokudabuka nangokucindezelwa, ngokuba uNkulunkulu uyamthanda onikelayo ethokoza.”—2 Korinte 8:1-3, 14; 9:5-7, 13.
16 Iminikelo yomusa enikelwa abafowethu nabantu abathakazelayo ngenxa yomsebenzi woMbuso owenziwa emhlabeni wonke namuhla inikeza ubufakazi bokuthi balazisa kakhulu kangakanani lelilungelo. Kodwa, njengoba uPawulu akhumbuza abaseKorinte, senza kahle ukucabangela lengxoxo njengesikhumbuzo.
17. Isiphi isimiso sokupha uPawulu asikhuthaza, futhi ingabe singasetshenziswa namuhla?
17 UPawulu wanxusa abazalwane ukuba balandele isimiso esithile ekupheni kwabo. Wathi: “Ngosuku lokuqala lweviki akube-yilowo nalowo azibekelele eqongelela njengenhlanhla yakhe.” (1 Korinte 16:1, 2) Lokho kungasebenza njengesibonelo kithi nasezinganeni zethu ekunikeleni kwethu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sikwenza ngebandla noma ngokuqondile ehhovisi legatsha le-Watch Tower Society eliseduze. Umbhangqwana oyizithunywa zevangeli owabelwe ukushumayela edolobheni elithile laseMpumalanga Afrika wamema abathakazelayo ukuba bahlanganyele nawo esifundweni seBhayibheli. Ekupheleni kwalomhlangano wokuqala, izithunywa zevangeli zafaka ngokuhlakanipha izinhlamvu zemali ezithile ebhokisini elaliphawulwe ukuthi “Iminikelo yomsebenzi woMbuso.” Abanye ababekhona benza ngendlela efanayo. Kamuva, ngemva kokuba lababantu abasanda kuthakazela behlelwe baba ibandla lobuKristu, umbonisi wesifunda wabahambela futhi waphawula ngokunikela kwabo njalo.—IHubo 50:10, 14, 23.
18. Singabasiza kanjani abafowethu abasosizini?
18 Sinelungelo futhi lokusebenzisa ingcebo yethu ekusizeni izisulu zezinhlekelele ezingokwemvelo nalabo abahlala ezindaweni ezicekelwe phansi impi. Yeka indlela esavukwa ngayo amadlingozi lapho sifunda ngamalungiselelo osizo athunyelwa eMpumalanga Yurophu njengoba isiyaluyalu esingokomnotho nesingokombangazwe sasigasela kuleyongxenye yezwe! Iminikelo yezimpahla nemali yabonisa ukuphana nobunye kwabafowethu namaKristu antulayo.b—2 Korinte 8:13, 14.
19. Iziphi izinto eziwusizo esingazenza ukuze sisize labo abasenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele?
19 Siwazisa kakhulu umsebenzi wabafowethu abahlanganyela enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele njengamaphayona, ababonisi abajikelezayo, izithunywa zevangeli, nezisebenzi zokuzithandela zaseBethel, akunjalo? Uma izimo zethu zisivumela, singase sikwazi ukubanikeza usizo lwezinto ezibonakalayo ngokuqondile. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho umbonisi wesifunda evakashela ibandla lakini, ungase ukwazi ukumlungiselela indawo yokuhlala, ukudla, noma usizo lwezindleko zakhe zokuhamba. Akwenzeki ukuba ukupha okunjalo kungaqashelwa uBaba wethu wasezulwini, ofuna ukuba izinceku zakhe zikhathalelwe. (IHubo 37:25) Eminyakeni ethile edlule, umzalwane othile owayekwazi ukuphana ngokudla okulula kuphela wamemela umbonisi ojikelezayo nomkakhe emzini wakhe. Lapho lombhangqwana usuhamba uya enkonzweni yasensimini yakusihlwa, lomzalwane wanikeza izivakashi zakhe imvilophu. Ngaphakathi kwakunemali eyiphepha (elingana neRandi elilodwa) kanye nalamazwi ayebhalwe epheshaneni: “Niyozithengela inkomishi yetiye noma igalani likaphethilomu.” Yeka ukwazisa okuhle okwaboniswa ngalendlela ethobekile!
20. Iliphi ilungelo nomthwalo wemfanelo esingafuni ukuwushaya indiva?
20 Ngokomoya, abantu bakaJehova babusisiwe! Sijabulela amadili angokomoya emihlanganweni yethu emikhulu neyesigodi, lapho sithola khona izincwadi ezintsha, ukufundiswa okuhle, neseluleko esiwusizo. Ngezinhliziyo ezigcwele ukwazisa ngezibusiso zethu ezingokomoya, asilikhohlwa ilungelo nomthwalo wethu wemfanelo wokunikela ngezimali ezizosetshenziselwa ukuthuthukisa izithakazelo zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni wonke.
‘Zenzeleni Abahlobo Ngengcebo Engalungile’
21, 22. Yini ezokwenzeka ngokushesha ‘engcebweni engalungile,’ okudinga ukuba senzeni njengamanje?
21 Ngempela, kunezindlela eziningi esingabonisa ngazo ukuthi ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova kuza kuqala ekuphileni kwethu, futhi indlela ebaluleke kakhulu yokubonisa lokhu ihilela ukulalela kwethu iseluleko sikaJesu: “Zenzeleni nina abahlobo [ngengcebo engalungile], ukuze kuthi, nxa kuphelile, banamukele ezindlini eziphakade.”—Luka 16:9.
22 Phawula ukuthi uJesu wakhuluma ngokuphela kwengcebo engalungile. Yebo, kuyofika usuku lapho imali yalesisimiso sezinto iyoba engenalusizo. UHezekeli waprofetha: “Bayakuphonsa isiliva labo ezitaladini, igolide labo libe-yinto engcolileyo, isiliva labo negolide labo kungabi-namandla okubophula ngosuku lwentukuthelo kaJehova.” (Hezekeli 7:19) Kuze kube yilapho lokhu kwenzeka, kumelwe sibonise ukuhlakanipha nokuqonda ngendlela esisebenzisa ngayo ingcebo yethu yezinto ezibonakalayo. Ngakho asinakubheka emuva ngokuzisola ngenxa yokwehluleka kwethu ukulalela iseluleko sikaJesu: “Uma beningathembeki [kokwengcebo engalungile], ubani oyakuniphathisa okuyikhonakhona na? . . . Ningeze nakhonza uNkulunkulu [nengcebo].”—Luka 16:11-13, qhathanisa ne-NW.
23. Yini okufanele siyisebenzise ngokuhlakanipha, futhi uyoba yini umvuzo wethu?
23 Khona-ke, sonke ngokwethembeka masilalele lezizikhumbuzo zokwenza ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova kuze kuqala ekuphileni kwethu nokuyisebenzisa ngokuhlakanipha yonke ingcebo yethu. Kanjalo singalondoloza ubuhlobo bethu noJehova noJesu, abathembisa ukuthi lapho imali iphela bayosamukela ‘ezindlini zaphakade,’ sinamathemba okuphila okuphakade eMbusweni wasezulwini noma emhlabeni oyipharadesi.—Luka 16:9.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Igama lesiHeberu elihunyushwe ngokuthi “umnikelo” livela esenzweni ngokwezwi nezwi esisho ukuthi “phakama; phakanyiswa; phakamisa.”
b Bheka ethi OFakazi BakaJehova—Abamemezeli BoMbuso KaNkulunkulu, amakhasi 307-15, eyakhishwa ngo-1993 yi-Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
Uyakhumbula?
◻ U-Israyeli wasabela kanjani esimemweni sikaJehova sokunikelela ukwakhiwa kwetabernakele?
◻ Kungani umnikelo womfelokazi wawungelona ize?
◻ Imuphi umthwalo wemfanelo amaKristu anawo ngendlela asebenzisa ngayo ingcebo yawo?
◻ Singakugwema kanjani ukuzisola ngokusebenzisa kwethu imali?
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
Nakuba wawumncane, umnikelo womfelokazi wawungelona ize
[Izithombe ekhasini 16, 17]
Iminikelo yethu isekela umsebenzi woMbuso owenziwa emhlabeni wonke