Obani Abalandela Ukukhanya Kwezwe?
“Nikhanya njengezinkanyiso ezweni.”—FILIPI 2:15.
1. IBhayibheli lithini ngezinkanyiso mbumbulu ezingokwenkolo?
IBHAYIBHELI lichaza uJesu ngokucacile ‘njengokukhanya okukhulu,’ “ukukhanya kwezwe.” (Isaya 9:2; Johane 8:12) Nokho, uma kuqhathaniswa bambalwa kakhulu abamlandela ngesikhathi esemhlabeni. Iningi lakhetha ukulandela izinkanyiso mbumbulu, eqinisweni, ezazingabaphathi bobumnyama. Ngalaba iZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Abanjalo bangabaphostoli bamanga, izisebenzi ezikhohlisayo, beziguqula abaphostoli bakaKristu. Akumangalisi, ngokuba uSathane uqobo uziguqula ingelosi yokukhanya. Ngakho akuyinto enkulu, uma nezikhonzi zakhe ziziguqula izikhonzi zokulunga ezikuphela kwazo kuyakuba njengokwemisebenzi yazo.”—2 Korinte 11:13-15.
2. UJesu wathi sasiyoba yini isisekelo sokwahlulela abantu?
2 Ngakho, akubona bonke abantu abafuna ukukhanya, ngisho noma kukuhle kanjalo. UJesu wathi: “Ukwahlulela kuyilokhu ukuba ukukhanya kufikile ezweni, kepha abantu bathanda ubumnyama kunokukhanya, ngokuba imisebenzi yabo ibimibi. Ngokuba yilowo nalowo owenza okubi uzonda ukukhanya, akezi ekukhanyeni ukuba imisebenzi yakhe ingasolwa.”—Johane 3:19, 20.
Abathandi Bobumnyama
3, 4. Abaholi benkolo bosuku lukaJesu babonisa kanjani ukuthi babengafuni ukulandela ukukhanya?
3 Cabanga indlela lokho okwaba yiqiniso ngayo ngesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni. UNkulunkulu wayenikeze uJesu amandla okuba enze izimangaliso ezivusa amadlingozi njengendlela yokufakazela ukuthi wayenguMesiya. Ngokwesibonelo, ngosuku lweSabatha, wavula amehlo endoda eyayizelwe iyimpumputhe. Yeka isenzo esimangalisayo sesihe! Yeka indlela lendoda eyakwazisa ngayo lokho! Yakwazi ukubona ngokokuqala ngqá! Nokho, basabela kanjani abaholi benkolo? UJohane 9:16 uyalandisa: “Abanye kubaFarisi bathi [ngoJesu]: Lona kaveli kuNkulunkulu, lokhu engagcini isabatha.” Yeka indlela ezaziphendukezelwe ngayo izinhliziyo zabo! Lapha kwakwenzeke ukuphulukisa okuyisimangaliso, kodwa kunokuba bazwakalise injabulo ngendoda eyayikade iyimpumputhe nokwazisa ngomuntu owayeyiphulukisile, bamlahla uJesu! Ngokwenza kanjalo, ngokungangabazeki bona ngokumelene nokubonakaliswa komoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, isono esingathetheleleki.—Mathewu 12:31, 32.
4 Kamuva, lapho labo bazenzisi bebuza lendoda eyayiyimpumputhe ngoJesu, lendoda yathi: “Lokhu kuyisimangaliso ukuthi nina anazi lapho evela khona, ingani uvulé amehlo ami. Siyazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu akazizwa izoni, kodwa uma umuntu emesaba uNkulunkulu, ayenze intando yakhe, uyamuzwa lowo. Selokhu kwathini akuzange kuzwakale ukuthi ukhona owavula amehlo ozelwe eyimpumputhe. Uma lo [uJesu] ebengaveli kuNkulunkulu, ubengenakwenza-lutho.” Basabela kanjani abaholi benkolo? “Baphendula, bathi kuye: Wena wazalwa ezonweni ngokwempela, wena usifundisa thina na? Base bemkhiphela phandle.” Yeka indlela ababentula ngayo uzwela! Izinhliziyo zabo zazilukhuni njengetshe. Ngakho uJesu wabatshela ukuthi nakuba babekwazi ukubona ngamehlo abo enyama, babeyizimpumputhe ngokomoya.—Johane 9:30-41.
5, 6. Yikuphi abaholi benkolo bekhulu lokuqala abakwenza okwabonisa ukuthi babebuthanda ubumnyama?
5 Ukuthi labazenzisi benkolo babona umoya kaNkulunkulu kubonakala kalula kwesinye isenzakalo, lapho uJesu evusa uLazaru kwabafileyo. Ngenxa yalesosimangaliso, abantu abaningi abavamile bakholwa nguJesu. Nokho, phawula ukuthi abaholi benkolo benzani. “Abapristi abakhulu nabaFarisi base bemema umphakathi, bathi: Siyakwenze-njani na? Lomuntu wenza izibonakaliso eziningi; uma simyeka njalo, bazakukholwa nguye bonke; amaRoma ayakufika, asamuke indawo nesizwe.” (Johane 11:47, 48) Babekhathazeka ngezikhundla zabo nokuvelela. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi umphumela wawuyoba yini babefuna ukujabulisa amaRoma, hhayi uNkulunkulu. Ngakho, benzani? “Kusukela kulolosuku baceba ukuba bambulale [uJesu].”—Johane 11:53.
6 Ingabe kwakuyilokho kuphela? Cha. Abakwenza ngokulandelayo kubonisa indlela ababebuthanda ngayo ubumnyama: “Abapristi abakhulu benza icebo lokuba babulale noLazaru, ngokuba ngenxa yakhe abaningi babaJuda bamuka bakholwa nguJesu.” (Johane 12:10, 11) Yeka ukonakala okungakholeki! Nakuba konke lokhu babekwenzela ukuvikela izikhundla zabo, kwenzekani? Kuso kanye lesosizukulwane, bavukela amaRoma, abaphendukela ngo-70 C.E. futhi aphanga izindawo zabo, isizwe sabo, nokuphila kwabo ngokufanayo!—Isaya 5:20; Luka 19:41-44.
Uzwela LukaJesu
7. Kungani abathandi beqiniso babethutheleka kuJesu?
7 Kungokufanayo nasesikhathini sethu, akubona bonke abafuna ukukhanyiselwa okungokomoya. Kodwa labo abalithandayo iqiniso bayafuna ukuza ekukhanyeni. Bafuna uNkulunkulu njengoMbusi wabo, futhi baphendukela kuJesu ngentshiseko, owathunyelwa uNkulunkulu ukuba achaze ukuthi ukukhanya kuyini, futhi bayamlandela. Yilokho abantu abathobekile abakwenza ngesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni. Bathutheleka kuye. Ngisho nabaFarisi kwadingeka bakuvume lokho. Bakhononda: “Izwe lonke liyamlandela.” (Johane 12:19) Abantu abanjengezimvu babemthanda uJesu ngoba wayengafani nabaholi benkolo abanobugovu, abazidlayo, ababehahela amandla, uJesu athi ngabo: “Babopha imithwalo enzima, bayibeke emahlombe abantu; kepha bona abavumi ukuyifukula ngomunwe wabo. Kepha imisebenzi yonke yabo bayenza ukuba babonwe ngabantu.”—Mathewu 23:4, 5.
8. Ngokuphambene nabazenzisi benkolo, yisiphi isimo sengqondo uJesu ayenaso?
8 Ngokuphambene, phawula isimo sengqondo sikaJesu sokuba nozwela: “Kepha ebona izixuku waba-nesihe ngazo, ngokuba zazikhathazekile, zihlakazekile njengezimvu ezingenamalusi.” (Mathewu 9:36) Futhi wenzani ngakho? Wathi kulabo ababexhashazwé isimiso sikaSathane: “Zanini kimi nina nonke enikhatheleyo nenisindwayo, mina ngizakuniphumuza. Bekani ijoka lami phezu kwenu, nifunde kimi, ngokuba ngimnene, ngithobile ngenhliziyo; khona imiphefumulo yenu iyakufumana impumuzo. Ngokuba ijoka lami lihle, nomthwalo wami ulula.” (Mathewu 11:28-30) UJesu wenza lokho okwakubikezelwe ngaye ku-Isaya 61:1, 2, ofundeka kanje: “UJehova ungigcobile ukuba ngishumayele izindaba ezinhle kwabathotshisiweyo; ungithumele ukubopha abanhliziyo ezaphukileyo, nokumemezela ukukhululwa kwabathunjwa nokuvulelwa kweziboshwa itilongo, ngimemezele umnyaka womusa kaJehova nosuku lokuphindisela lukaNkulunkulu wethu, ngiduduze bonke abalilayo.”
Ukuqoqa Abaphathi Bokukhanya
9. Yiziphi izenzakalo ezibalulekile ezenzeka ngo-1914?
9 Ngemva kokwenyukela kwakhe ezulwini, uJesu kwakufanele alinde kuze kufike isikhathi sokuba uNkulunkulu amnikeze amandla oMbuso. Khona-ke wayeyokwahlukanisa “izimvu” ‘ezimbuzini.’ (Mathewu 25:31-33; IHubo 110:1, 2) Lesosikhathi safika lapho ‘izinsuku zokugcina’ ziqala ngo-1914. (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) UJesu, enikezwe amandla njengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini, waqala ukuqoqela ngakwesokunene sakhe somusa labo ababefuna ukulandela ukukhanya. Ngemva kweMpi Yezwe I, lowomsebenzi wokuqoqa waqhubeka ngomfutho owandisiwe.
10. Yimuphi umbuzo ongase ubuzwe ngalabo uJesu abasebenzisayo emsebenzini wokuqoqa?
10 Ngaphansi kokuhola kukaKristu Jesu, lomsebenzi wokuqoqa uye wavuzwa ngempumelelo enkulu. Emlandweni akukaze kube khona abantu abaningi kangaka abavela ezizweni zonke abaqoqelwe ndawonye ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso okukhanyiselwe. Futhi obani namuhla abalandela ukukhanya okuvela kuNkulunkulu nakuKristu? Obani abenza lokho eyabaseFilipi 2:15 ekushoyo, ‘ukukhanya njengezinkanyiso ezweni,’ abamema abanye ukuba ‘beze bathabathe amanzi okuphila ngesihle’?—IsAmbulo 22:17.
11. Siyini isimo seLobukholwa ngokuphathelene nokukhanya okungokomoya?
11 Ingabe eLobukholwa liyakwenza lokho? ELobukholwa, nezinkolo zalo ezidala ukwahlukana, ngokuqinisekile alikhanyi njengenkanyiso. Eqinisweni, abefundisi banjengabaholi benkolo bosuku lukaJesu. Abakubonakalisi ukukhanya kweqiniso okuvela kuNkulunkulu nakuKristu. Eminyakeni engu-33 edlule, umagazini i-Theology Today wathi: “Ngokudabukisayo kumelwe kuvunywe ukuthi lokhu kukhanya akukhanyi eSontweni ngokuthe bhá. . . . ISonto liye lathambekela ekubeni lifane ngokwengeziwe nemiphakathi elizungezile. Kunokuba libe ukukhanya kwezwe limane liwukubonakaliswa kokukhanya okukhanya ezweni ngokwalo.” Futhi isimo seLobukholwa sibi ngisho nakakhulu namuhla. Lokho okubizwa ngokuthi ukukhanya okuvela ezweni elikubonakalisayo, empeleni kuwubumnyama ngoba yilokho kuphela uSathane nezwe lakhe abangakunikeza. Cha, akukho ukukhanya kweqiniso okuvela ezinkolweni zeLobukholwa ezingqubuzanayo nezingezezwe ngokuphelele.
12. Obani abakha inhlangano yeqiniso ephethe ukukhanya namuhla?
12 Kungashiwo ngesibindi ukuthi umphakathi wezwe elisha woFakazi BakaJehova uyinhlangano yeqiniso, yabaphathi bokukhanya namuhla. Ngobunye, wonke amalungu ayo—abesilisa, abesifazane, nabancane ngokufanayo—enza ukukhanya kwawo okuvela kuJehova nakuKristu kukhanye phambi kwaso sonke isintu. Ngonyaka odlule, cishe emabandleni angu-70 000 oFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni wonke, abaphathi bokukhanya abangaphezu kwezigidi ezine ngenkuthalo babetshela abanye ngoNkulunkulu nangezinjongo zakhe. Futhi unyaka ngamunye manje, sibona ukuqoqwa okukhulu okuqhubekayo kwabantu nabo abafuna ukukhanyiselwa ngokomoya. Amakhulu ezinkulungwane ayabhapathizwa ngemva kokutadisha iBhayibheli nokufinyelela ulwazi oluqondile lweqiniso. Yiqiniso, uNkulunkulu ‘uthanda ukuba abantu bonke basindiswe, bafinyelele ekulazini iqiniso.’—1 Thimothewu 2:4.
13. Singakuqhathanisa nani ukukhanya okuvela kuJehova?
13 Singase siqhathanise ukukhanyiselwa manje okuvela kuJehova nalokho okwenzeka lapho abantu bakaNkulunkulu bezikhathi zasendulo beshiya iGibithe: “UJehova wahamba phambi kwabo emini ngensika yefu eyobahola endleleni, nasebusuku ngensika yomlilo eyobakhanyisela ukuba bahambe imini nobusuku.” (Eksodusi 13:21, 22) Ifu emini nomlilo ebusuku okwakuvela kuNkulunkulu kwakuyiziqondiso ezinokwethenjelwa. Zazinokwethenjelwa njengelanga uNkulunkulu alidalela ukuba lisinikeze ukukhanya kwasemini. Ngakho, ngokufanayo, nathi singathembela kuJehova ukuba ngokomoya aqhubeke ebakhanyisela indlela abafuni beqiniso kulezinsuku ezimbi zokugcina. IzAga 4:18 ziyasiqinisekisa: “Umkhondo wabalungileyo unjengokukhanya kokusa okuqhubeka ngokukhanya njalo kuze kube-semini.”
Ukubonakalisa Ukukhanya KoMbuso
14. Kumelwe ube yini umgomo oyinhloko wabaphathi bokukhanya?
14 Njengoba uJehova enguMthombo wokukhanyiselwa, futhi uKristu ewuMbonakalisi oyiNhloko walokho kukhanya, abalandeli bakaJesu kumelwe nabo bakubonakalise. Wathi ngabo: “Nina ningukukhanya kwezwe. . . . Makukhanye ukukhanya kwenu phambi kwabantu ukuba babone imisebenzi yenu emihle, badumise uYihlo osezulwini.” (Mathewu 5:14, 16) Futhi sasithini isihloko esiyinhloko salokhu kukhanya abalandeli bakhe okwakufanele bakwenze kukhanye phambi kwesintu? Yini ababezoyifundisa kulomvuthwandaba womlando wezwe? UJesu akashongo ukuthi abalandeli bakhe babeyoshumayela ngombuso wezwe wentando yeningi, ubushiqela, ukuhlangana kweSonto noMbuso, noma nganoma yimuphi omunye umbono wezwe. Kunalokho, kuMathewu 24:14 wabikezela ukuthi naphezu kokuphikiswa komhlaba wonke, “lelivangeli lombuso [laliyoshunyayelwa] ezweni lonke, kube-ngubufakazi ezizweni zonke, andukuba kufike ukuphela.” Ngakho, abaphathi bokukhanya namuhla batshela abanye ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, oyoletha izwe likaSathane ekupheleni kwalo futhi ulethe izwe elisha lokulunga.—1 Petru 2:9.
15. Labo abafuna ukukhanya bayophendukelaphi?
15 Labo abathanda ukukhanya ngeke baphambukiswe yizinto lelizwe elizifunayo kanye nemigomo yalo. Zonke lezozinto kanye nemigomo kuyoshabalala ngokushesha, njengoba lelizwe lisondela ekupheleni kwalo. Kunalokho, abathandi bokulunga bayofuna ukuphendukela ezindabeni ezinhle ezimenyezelwa yilabo abenza ukukhanya koMbuso kaNkulunkulu kukhanye emagumbini akude omhlaba. Laba yilabo ababikezelwa kusAmbulo 7:9, 10, esithi: “Ngabona, bheka-ke, isixuku esikhulu ebesingenakubalwa-muntu, sivela kuzo zonke izizwe, nemindeni, nabantu, nezilimi, simi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi [sikaNkulunkulu] naphambi kweWundlu [uKristu] . . . samemeza ngezwi elikhulu, sithi: Insindiso ngekaNkulunkulu wethu ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi neyeWundlu.” Ivesi 14 lithi: “Laba yibo abaphuma osizini olukhulu.” Yebo, basinda ekupheleni kwalelizwe bangene emhlabeni omusha ongenakuphela ngaphansi koMbuso kaNkulunkulu.
Umhlaba Omusha Okhanyiselwe
16. Yini eyokwenzeka ezweni likaSathane ngosizi olukhulu?
16 Umhlaba omusha uyobe uzungezwe ukukhanya kweqiniso okukhazimulayo. Ngempela, cabanga ukuthi isimo siyobe sinjani ngemva kokuba uNkulunkulu elethe lesimiso sezinto ekupheleni kwaso. USathane, amademoni akhe, kanye nezimiso zakhe zezombangazwe, ezentengiselwano, kanye nezenkolo ziyobe zingasekho—zonke ngothi lwazo! Sonke isimiso sikaSathane senkulumo-ze naso siyobe singasekho. Ngakho, ngemva kosizi olukhulu, ngeke kuphinde kunyatheliswe nanelilodwa iphephandaba, umagazini, incwadi, incwajana noma ipheshana okusekela lelizwe elonakele. Ngeke abe khona amathonya onakalisayo asakazwa eziteshini zezwe zethelevishini noma zemisakazo. Yonke indawo ezungezile yezwe likaSathane elinoshevu iyobe isusiwe ngokugadla okukodwa okunamandla!—Mathewu 24:21; IsAmbulo 7:14; 16:14-16; 19:11-21.
17, 18. Ungasichaza kanjani isimo esingokomoya ngemva kokuphela kwezwe likaSathane?
17 Yeka impumuzo enkulu lokho okuyoba yiyo! Kusukela ngalolosuku kuqhubeke, isintu siyothonywa kuphela ukukhanya okuhlanzekile, okuvuselelayo okuvela kuJehova noMbuso wakhe. U-Isaya 54:13 uyabikezela: “Bonke abantwana bakho bayakuba-ngabafundi bakaJehova, nokuthula kwabantwana bakho kuyakuba-kukhulu.” Lapho ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu kubusa phezu kwawo wonke umhlaba, isithembiso sakhe siwukuthi, njengoba u-Isaya 26:9 esho, “abakhileyo bezwe bafunda ukulunga.”
18 Ngokushesha, sonke isimo sengqondo nesingokomoya siyoshintsha sibe ngcono. Kuyovama izinto ezakhayo esikhundleni sezinto ezicindezelayo, zokuziphatha okubi ezisakazekile manje. Wonke umuntu oyobe ephila ngalesosikhathi uyofundiswa iqiniso ngoNkulunkulu nangezinjongo zakhe. Ngomqondo ophelele, isiprofetho esiku-Isaya 11:9 siyogcwaliseka, esithi: “Umhlaba uyakugcwala ukumazi uJehova njengamanzi asibekela ulwandle.”
Kuyaphuthuma Ukulandela Ukukhanya
19, 20. Kungani labo abafuna ukulandela ukukhanya kudingeka bahlale beqaphile?
19 Manje, eminyakeni yokugcina yalesimiso esibi, kuyaphuthuma ukulandela ukukhanya kwezwe. Futhi kufanele siqaphe, ngoba kunempi enzima evivwayo yokusiyekisa ukuhamba ekukhanyeni. Lokhu kuphikisa kuvela emandleni obumnyama—kuSathane, amademoni akhe, kanye nenhlangano yakhe yasemhlabeni. Kungakho umphostoli uPetru exwayisa: “Qondani, nilinde. Isitha senu, uSathane, siyahamba njengebhubesi elibhodlayo sifuna esingamgwinya.”—1 Petru 5:8.
20 USathane uyobeka noma yiziphi izithiyo endleleni yalabo abathola ukukhanya, ngoba ufuna baqhubeke besebumnyameni. Kungase kube ukucindezela okuvela ezihlotsheni noma kubangane besikhathi esidlule abamelene neqiniso. Kungenzeka kube ukungabaza iBhayibheli ngenxa yokuphuphuthekiswa komuntu izimfundiso zenkolo yamanga noma inkulumo-ze yabantu abangenalukholo abakholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu akekho futhi akaziwa. Kungase kube ukuthambekela komuntu siqu okunesono okwenza kube nzima ukuba aphile ngokwezimfuneko zaphezulu.
21. Yisiphi isinyathelo okufanele sithathwe yibo bonke abafuna ukuphila ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu?
21 Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yiziphi izithiyo ezingase zibe khona, ingabe uyafuna ukujabulela ukuphila ezweni elisha elingenabo ubumpofu, ubugebengu, ukungabi nabulungisa, kanye nempi? Ingabe uyafuna ukujabulela impilo ephelele kanye nokuphila okuphakade epharadesi emhlabeni? Khona-ke yamukela futhi ulandele uJesu njengokukhanya kwezwe futhi ulalele isigijimi salabo ababambelela “ezwini lokuphila” ‘nabakhanya njengezinkanyiso ezweni.’—Filipi 2:15, 16.
Ubungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Abaholi benkolo babonisa kanjani ukuthi bangabathandi bobumnyama?
◻ Yisiphi isimo sengqondo uJesu ayenaso kubantu?
◻ Ukuqoqwa kwabaphathi bokukhanya kuye kwaqhubeka kanjani?
◻ Yiziphi izinguquko ezibalulekile ezizokwenzeka ngokushesha?
◻ Kungani kuphuthuma ukulandela ukukhanya kwezwe namuhla?
[Isithombe ekhasini 14, 15]
AbaFarisi abanhliziyo zilukhuni bayikhiphela phandle indoda uJesu ayivula amehlo