Izenzo Ezimbili Ezinkulu Kakhulu Zothando Ezake Zenziwa
“UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangaka, waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi, kodwa abe-nokuphila okuphakade.”—JOHANE 3:16.
1. Asho ukuthini amazwi athi “uNkulunkulu uluthando”?
“UNKULUNKULU uluthando.” Umphostoli uJohane wayiphinda kabili leyonkulumo. (1 Johane 4:8, 16) Yebo, uJehova uNkulunkulu ubonisa uthando hhayi nje ngendlela yokuthi uhlakaniphile, ulungile, futhi unamandla; UYILO uthando. Uluthando olwenziwe samuntu. Ungase uzibuze: ‘Ngiyazi yini ukuthi kungani lokho kuyiqiniso? Ingabe ngingamnikeza umuntu incazelo esobala, esekelwe ubufakazi noma izibonelo ebonisa ukuthi uluthando? Futhi kunaliphi ithonya ekuphileni nasemisebenzini yami?’
2. Iziphi izenzo ezibonakalayo zothando lwakhe uNkulunkulu aye wazenza?
2 Yeka uthando uJehova uNkulunkulu aye walubonisa izidalwa zakhe ezingabantu emhlabeni! Cabanga ngobuhle obuphelele nomsebenzi wamehlo ethu, isimangaliso samathambo ethu aqinile, amandla emisipha yethu, namandla enzwa yethu yokuthinta. Sinesizathu sokunanela imizwa yomhubi: “Ngiyakukubonga, ngokuba ngenziwa ngokwesabekayo nangokumangalisayo.” Futhi, cabanga ngezintaba ezinhle, imifudlana ethulile yamanzi acwebile, amasimu ezimbali zasentwasahlobo, nokushona kwelanga okukhazimulayo. “Jehova, yeka ubuningi bemisebenzi yakho; yonke uyenzile ngokuhlakanipha; umhlaba ugcwele izidalwa zakho.”—IHubo 139:14; 104:24.
3, 4. Iziphi izibonelo imiBhalo yesiHeberu ezinikezayo ngezenzo zothando zikaNkulunkulu?
3 Izenzo zothando zikaNkulunkulu aziphelanga lapho izidalwa zakhe zokuqala ezingabantu zihlubuka. Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova wabonisa uthando ngokuvumela lowombhangqwana ukuba uveze inzalo eyayingazuza elungiselelweni likaJehova ‘ngenzalo’ yakhe yesithembiso. (Genesise 3:15) Kamuva, wenza uNowa walungiselela umkhumbi wokusindisa uhlanga lwesintu nezinye izidalwa zasemhlabeni. (Genesise 6:13-21) Khona-ke wabonisa uthando olukhulu ngoAbrahama, owaziwa njengomngane kaJehova. (Genesise 18:19; Isaya 41:8) Ngokukhulula inzalo ka-Abrahama ebugqilini baseGibithe, uNkulunkulu wenza esinye isenzo sothando lwakhe, njengoba sifunda kuDuteronomi 7:8: “Ngokuba uJehova enithanda . . . uJehova unikhiphile ngesandla esinamandla.”
4 Nakuba amaIsrayeli aqhubeka ebonisa ukungabongi futhi ehlubuka ngokuphindaphindiwe, uNkulunkulu akazange awalahle ngokuphelele. Kunalokho, wawancenga ngothando: “Buyani ezindleleni zenu ezimbi; niyakufelani nina-ndlu yakwaIsrayeli na?” (Hezekeli 33:11) Nokho, ngisho nakuba uJehova eluthando olwenziwe samuntu, ulungile futhi uhlakaniphile. Khona-ke safika isikhathi lapho abantu bakhe abahlubukayo bafinyelela khona umngcele wokubekezela kwakhe! Bafika ephuzwini lapho ‘kwakungasekho khona ukwelashwa,’ ngakho wabayeka bathunjelwa eBabiloni. (2 IziKronike 36:15, 16) Ngisho nalapho uthando lukaNkulunkulu alunqamukanga unomphela. Waqiniseka ngokuthi ngemva kweminyaka engama-70 insali yawo iyavunyelwa ukubuyela ezweni layo. Siza ufunde iHubo 126 futhi ubone kulo indlela ababuya abazizwa ngayo ngakho.
Ukulungiselela Isenzo Sakhe Sothando Esikhulu Kakhulu!
5. Kungani kungathiwa ukuthumela iNdodana yakhe emhlabeni kwakuyisenzo sikaNkulunkulu sothando?
5 Kamuva emlandweni safika isikhathi sokuba uJehova enze isenzo esikhulu kakhulu sothando lwakhe. Ngempela kwakuwuthando lokuzidela. Elungiselela lokhu, uNkulunkulu wenza ukuphila kweNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa kwagudluzwa ekuphileni kwasezulwini okungokomoya kwaya esibelethweni sencasakazi engumJuda uMariya. (Mathewu 1:20-23; Luka 1:26-35) Cabanga ngobuhlobo obukhethekile obabukhona phakathi kukaJehova neNdodana yakhe. Ngokuqondene nokuba khona kukaJesu kwangaphambi kokuba umuntu siyafunda lapho evezwe khona njengokuhlakanipha okwenziwe samuntu: “Nganginaye [uNkulunkulu] ngiyingcweti yomsebenzi, ngiyintokozo yakhe imihla ngemihla, ngijabula phambi kwakhe isikhathi sonke.” (IzAga 8:30, 31) Ngakho awunakuvuma yini ukuthi khona kanye ukuba iNdodana yaKhe ezelwe yodwa ishiye indawo yaKhe kwakuwukuzidela ngoJehova?
6. Isiphi isithakazelo sikababa okumelwe ukuba uJehova waba naso ekuphileni kukaJesu esemncane?
6 Ngokungangabazeki, uJehova wabukela ngesithakazelo esijulile nesikhulu ukukhula kweNdodana yakhe kusukela ekukhulelweni kobuntu kuya phambili. Umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu wagubuzela uMariya ukuze kungabikho lutho olulimaza umbungu okhulayo. UJehova waqiniseka ngokuthi uJosefa noMariya babeya eBetlehema beyobalwa ukuze uJesu azalwe lapho ekugcwalisekeni kukaMika 5:2. Ngengelosi, uNkulunkulu waxwayisa uJosefa ngecebo leNkosi uHerode lokubulala, ebangela uJosefa nomkhaya wakhe babalekele eGibithe kwaze kwaba sekufeni kukaHerode. (Mathewu 2:13-15) Kumelwe ukuba uNkulunkulu waqhubeka nesithakazelo sakhe entuthukweni kaJesu. Yeka injabulo okwakuyiyo ngoNkulunkulu ukubukela uJesu oneminyaka eyi-12 emangaza abafundisi nabanye ethempelini ngemibuzo nezimpendulo!—Luka 2:42-47.
7. Iziphi izenzo ezintathu ezafakazela isithakazelo sikaNkulunkulu enkonzweni kaJesu?
7 Eminyakeni eyishumi nesishiyagalombili kamuva uJehova wayebukela lapho uJesu eza kuJohane uMbhapathizi ukuba acwiliswe. Khona-ke ngenjabulo wathumela umoya wakhe ongcwele kuJesu futhi wathi: “Lo uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo engithokozile ngayo.” (Mathewu 3:17) Noma imuphi ubaba ongumKristu angacabanga ngendlela okwakungamjabulisa ngayo uNkulunkulu ukulandelela inkonzo kaJesu futhi abone indlela aletha ngayo lonke udumo kuYise wasezulwini. Ngesinye isikhathi uJesu wahamba nabaphostoli abathile waya entabeni ephakeme. Lapho uJehova wabangela uKristu wakhazimula ngokukhazimula okungaphezu kokwemvelo, futhi uYise wathi: “Lo uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo engithokozile ngayo; yizweni.” (Mathewu 17:5) UJehova wenza izwi lakhe lezwakala okwesithathu ekuphenduleni ukunxusa kukaJesu kokuba uNkulunkulu akhazimulise igama lakhe. UJehova wathi: “Ngilikhazimulisile, ngobuye ngilikhazimulise.” Ngokusobala lokhu ngokuyinhloko kwashiwo ngokwenzuzo kaJesu, ngoba abanye ababenaye bacabanga ukuthi ingelosi yayikhulumile, kuyilapho abanye bacabanga ukuthi laliduma.—Johane 12:28, 29.
8. Uzizwa kanjani ngothando lukaNkulunkulu?
8 Uye waphetha ngokuthini kulokhu kubukezwa okufushane kwe zenzo zikaNkulunkulu eNdodaneni yakhe nesithakazelo sakhe kuyo? Kumelwe kube sobala ukuthi uJehova uyithanda kakhulu iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa. Unalokhu engqondweni, futhi uqaphela indlela cishe noma imuphi umzali ongumuntu ayengazizwa ngayo ngomntwana okuwukuphela kwakhe, cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka kamuva—ukufa kukaJesu okuwumhlatshelo.
Isenzo Esikhulu Kakhulu Sothando
9, 10. Kwakuyisiphi isenzo esikhulu kakhulu sikaNkulunkulu sothando esintwini, esigcizelela buphi ubufakazi obungokomBhalo?
9 IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi uBaba wethu wasezulwini unozwela. KuIsaya 63:9 siyafunda ngokuqondene nabantu bakhe uIsrayeli: “Ezinhluphekweni zabo zonke wahlupheka naye, ingelosi yobuso bakhe yabasindisa; ngothando lwakhe nangokuhawukela kwakhe wabahlenga, wabanqukula, wabathwala zonke izinsuku zakuqala.’ Yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba kwakuwusizi ngayo ngoJehova ukuzwa nokubona “ukudazuluka okukhulu, nezinyembezi” zikaJesu. (Heberu 5:7) UJesu wathandaza ngaleyondlela ensimini yaseGetsemane. Wenziwa isiboshwa, wabhekana nokuvivinywa kokwenziwa inhlekisa, washaywa futhi wajivazwa, futhi kwafakwa umqhele wameva ekhanda lakhe. Khumbula, uYise onothando wayekubona konke lokhu. Wambona futhi uJesu eqhuzuka lapho ethwele isigxobo sokuhlushwa futhi wabukela lapho ekugcineni iNdodana yakhe ibethelwa kulesosigxobo. Masingakhohlwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengakuvimbela lokhu kuhlupheka kweNdodana yakhe ethandekayo. Nokho uJehova wavumela uJesu wahlupheka kangaka. Njengoba uNkulunkulu enemizwa, akungabazeki ukuthi ukuba kwakhe ufakazi walezenzakalo kwabangela ubuhlungu obukhulu kunanoma ibuphi ake wabuzwa noma ayoke abuzwe.
10 Ngokucabangela konke lokhu okungenhla, singabona ukuthi abaluleke kangakanani amazwi kaJesu kuNikodemu: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangaka, waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi, kodwa abe-nokuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 3:16) Amazwi kaJohane, umphostoli kaJesu othandekayo, nawo anokubaluleka okufanayo: “Uthando lukaNkulunkulu lwabonakaliswa kithi ngalokho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wathumela ezweni iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa . . . ibe-yinhlawulo ngezono zethu.”—1 Johane 4:9, 10.
11. Umphostoli uPawulu usiqokomisa kanjani isenzo esikhulu kakhulu sikaNkulunkulu sothando?
11 Khona-ke, ungaqonda ukuthi kungani umphostoli uPawulu, kwabaseRoma 5:6-8, agcizelela uthando olukhulu lukaJehova uNkulunkulu ngalamazwi: “Sisebuthakathaka, uKristu wafela abangamesabi uNkulunkulu ngesikhathi esifaneleyo; ngokuba cishe kungenzeki ukuba umuntu afele olungileyo, kodwa mhlawumbe kungase kube-khona ongaba-nesibindi sokufela omuhle; kepha uNkulunkulu uyabonakalisa ukusithanda kwakhe ngalokhu ukuthi, siseyizoni, uKristu wasifela.” Ngokuqinisekile, ngokuvumela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba ize emhlabeni, ihlupheke, futhi ife ukufa okubuhlungu kakhulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu wenza isenzo esikhulu kakhulu sothando.
Isenzo Sesibili Esikhulu Kakhulu
12, 13. (a) Kungayiphi indlela isenzo sikaJesu sothando sasivelele? (b) UPawulu ukudonsela kanjani ukunakekela othandweni olukhulu lukaJesu?
12 Ungase ubuze, ‘Sasiyini esinye isenzo esikhulu kakhulu sothando?’ UJesu Kristu wathi: “Akakho onothando olukhulu kunalolo lokuba adele ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yabahlobo bakhe.” (Johane 15:13) Iqiniso, kuwo wonke umlando wesintu, kuye kwaba nabathile abaye badela ukuphila kwabo ngenxa yabanye. Kodwa okwabo kwakuwukuphila okulinganiselwe; ngokushesha babezofa. Nokho, uJesu Kristu wayengumuntu ophelele onelungelo lokuphila. Wayengabhekene nokufa okuzuzwe njengefa njengoba kwakunjalo futhi kusenjalo ngaso sonke isintu; futhi akekho owayengathatha ngenkani ukuphila kukaJesu ngaphandle kwemvume yakhe. (Johane 10:18; Heberu 7:26) Khumbula amazwi akhe: “Ingabe uthi ngingecele kuBaba angithumele manje amalegiyona ezingelosi adlula ishumi nambili na?”—Mathewu 26:53; Johane 10:17, 18.
13 Singalwazisa futhi uthando oluhilelekile kulokho uJesu akwenza ngokubheka isici esilandelayo: Wayeshiye ukuphila okukhazimulayo njengesidalwa somoya emazulwini lapho ayekade ephila khona njengomngane oseduze nesisebenzi esikanye noMbusi wendawo yonke neNkosi yaphakade. Nalapha, ngenxa yothando olungenabuvogu, uJesu wenza njengoba umphostoli uPawulu esitshela: “Owathi enesimo sikaNkulunkulu, akaze asho ukuthi kuyinto yokuphangwa ukulingana noNkulunkulu, kepha wazidela ethabatha isimo senceku, enziwe ngomfanekiso wabantu; wathi efunyenwe enjengomuntu ngesimilo, wazithobisa, elalela kwaze kwabasekufeni, yebo, ekufeni kwesiphambano.”—Filipu 2:6-8.
14. Umprofethi uIsaya wakufakazela kanjani ukubonakaliswa okukhulu kothando lukaJesu?
14 Ingabe leso kwakungesona isenzo sothando? Ngempela kwakuyiso—okuwukuphela kwaso eselama esikaJehova uNkulunkulu, uYise wasezulwini. Amazwi angokwesiprofetho kaIsaya isahluko 53 afakazela kubo bonke ukuthi uJesu wakhuthazela: “Yayideleliwe, yashiywa ngabantu, umuntu wobuhlungu owazi ukugula. . . . Kepha yazithwala izifo zethu, yabetshatha ubuhlungu bethu, kodwa thina sathi ijezisiwe, ishaywé nguNkulunkulu, ihlushiwe. Yebo, yalinyazwa ngenxa yeziphambeko zethu, yachotshozwa ngobubi bethu. . . . nangemivimbo yayo siphilisiwe thina. . . . Yawuthulula umphefumulo wayo ekufeni.”—Isaya 53:3-5, 12.
15, 16. Kungabonakala kumaphi amazwi kaJesu ukuthi kwakuwukuzidela ngaye?
15 Ngenxa yakho konke lokho okwakuhlangene nokufa kwakhe, uJesu wathandaza ensimini yaseGetsemane: “Baba, uma kungenzeka, akudlule kimi lesisitsha; nokho kungabi-njengokuba ngithanda mina, kodwa njengokuba uthanda wena.” (Mathewu 26:39) Wayecelani uJesu lapho esho lawomazwi ? Ingabe wayefuna ukuhoxa ekubeni “iWundlu likaNkulunkulu elisusa izono zezwe”? (Johane 1:29) Akunakusho neze lokho, ngoba sonke le sikhathi uJesu wayekade etshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi wayezohlupheka afe, ebonisa ngisho nohlobo lokufa ayeyofa ngalo. (Mathewu 16:21; Johane 3:14) Ngakho kumelwe ukuba uJesu wayenokunye engqondweni lapho ethandaza kanjalo.
16 Akungabazeki ukuthi uJesu wayekhathazekile ngecala lokuhlambalaza ayebona ukuthi wayeyothweswa lona, icala elibi kunanoma iliphi okwakungenzeka umJuda abe nalo. Kungani ayekhathazekile ngokumangalelwa ngamanga? Ngoba ukufa kwakhe ngaphansi kwalesosimo kwakuyoletha isihlamba kuYise wasezulwini. Yebo, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu engenasici, eyayikuthanda kangaka ukulunga futhi ibuzonda ububi neyayize emhlabeni ukuze ikhazimulise igama likaYise, manje yayisizobulawa abantu bakaNkulunkulu njengomhlambalazi kaJehova uNkulunkulu.—Heberu 1:9; Johane 17:4.
17. Kungani uhlobo lokufa uJesu ayebhekene nalo lwabonakala luwuvivinyo olukhulu kuye?
17 Ekuqaleni kwenkonzo yakhe uJesu wayethé: “Kepha nginombhapathizo engizakubhapathizwa ngawo; ngikhathazekile kanjani, uze ufezeke.” (Luka 12:50) Manje kwase kusemvuthwandaba walolubhapathizo. Ngokusobala kungakho izinyembezi zakhe zaba njengamathonsi egazi lapho ethandaza. (Luka 22:44) Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwakunomthwalo omkhulu owawusemahlombe akhe ngalobobusuku, umthwalo ongaphezu kwamandla ethu ukuba siwuqonde. Wayazi ukuthi kwakumelwe azibonakalise ethembekile ngoba uma wayehluleka, yeka imbibizane lokhu okwakuzoba yiyo kuJehova! USathane wayezothi wayeqinisile futhi uJehova uNkulunkulu wayenamanga. Kodwa yeka imbibizane eyatholwa uSathane uDeveli ngoba uJesu wazibonakalisa ethembekile kwaze kwaba sekufeni! Ngaleyondlela wabonakalisa uSathane ewumqambimanga ohlazisayo, omkhulu, nowesabekayo.—IzAga 27:11.
18. Kungani uJesu ayengaphansi kobunzima obukhulu ngalobobusuku?
18 UJehova uNkulunkulu wayenethemba elinjalo ekuthembekeni kweNdodana yakhe kangangokuthi wabikezela ukuthi uJesu wayeyozibonakalisa ethembekile. (Isaya 53:9-12) Nokho uJesu wayazi futhi ukuthi umthwalo wokugcina ubuqotho wawuphezu kwakhe. Wayengase ahluleke. Wayengase one. (Luka 12:50) Ukuphila kwakhe okuphakade nalokho kwalo lonke uhlanga lwesintu kwakusengozini ngalobobusuku. Yeka ubunzima obesabekayo lokho okumelwe ukuba kwaba yikho! Ukuba uJesu wayebe buthakathaka futhi wona, wayengeke acele umusa ngesisekelo somhlatshelo womunye, njengoba thina zidalwa ezingaphelele singenza.
19. Yini uJesu ayifeza ngenkambo yakhe engenabugovu?
19 Ngokuqinisekile, ukukhuthazela kukaJesu ngoNisan 14, 33 C.E. kwakuyisenzo esikhulu kakhulu sothando olungenabugovu olwake lwenziwa yinoma imuphi umuntu, olwelama olukaJehova uNkulunkulu kuphela. Futhi yeka izinto ezinhle asifezela zona ngokufa kwakhe! Ngokufa kwakhe waba “iWundlu likaNkulunkulu elisusa izono zezwe.’ (Johane 1:29) Wavula indlela yokuba abayizi-144 000 babalandeli bezinyathelo zakhe babe amakhosi nabapristi futhi babuse naye iminyaka eyinkulungwane. (IsAmbulo 20:4, 6) Ngaphezu kwalokho, “isixuku esikhulu” ‘sezinye izimvu’ namuhla siyazuza emhlatshelweni kaKristu futhi singathemba ukusinda ekupheleni kwalesimiso esidala sezinto. Laba bayoba abokuqala abayojabulela izibusiso zepharadesi lasemhlabeni. Futhi akungabazeki ukuthi kuyoba nezinkulungwane zezigidi zabantu abayovuswa njengomphumela walokho uJesu akwenza. Futhi, bayoba nethuba lokujabulela ukuphila okungapheli ePharadesi lasemhlabeni. (IsAmbulo 7:9-14; Johane 10:16; 5:28, 29) Ngempela, “noma izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu ziziningi kangakanani, kuyena zinguyebo,” okungukuthi, kuJesu Kristu.—2 Korinte 1:20.
20. Kumelwe sisabele kanjani ezenzweni ezimbili ezinkulu kakhulu zothando ngoJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu?
20 Ngokuqinisekile kungokufaneleke ngempela ukuba sibonise ukwazisa ngakho konke lokho uJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu abaye basenzela khona ngokusibonisa lezizenzo zothando ezinkulu kunazo zonke. Sibakweleta ukwazisa okunjalo, futhi ukuze sizuze ngempela ngokugcwele, kumelwe sibonise ukwazisa okunjalo. Isihloko esilandelayo sizobonisa ezinye zezindlela ezingcono kakhulu esingenza ngazo lokhu.
Uyakhumbula?
◻ Ikuphi ukubonakaliswa kothando lukaNkulunkulu sonke isintu esi ngakubona?
◻ Singazi kanjani ukuthi uJehova wahlupheka lapho ebona iNdodana yakhe ihlupheka?
◻ Ukufa kukaJesu ngenxa yabantu kwakuhluke kanjani kokwabanye okungenzeka baye badela ukuphila kwabo?
◻ Kumelwe sithinteke kanjani ngothando esaluboniswa uJehova noJesu?