Chapter 19
“Sizwile Ukuthi UNkulunkulu Unani”
“SIYAKUHAMBA nani, ngokuba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.” Yilokho iBhayibheli elabikezela ukuthi abantu bazo zonke izizwe babeyokusho osukwini lwethu. (Zakariya 8:23) Futhi ungubani loNkulunkulu isiprofetho sikaZakariya esibhekisela kuye? Sishiywa singenakungabaza. Kulencwadi yeBhayibheli eyodwa encane uma kuqhathaniswa, igama lakhe siqu livela izikhathi eziyi-135. LinguJEHOVA!
2 Yena ngokwakhe wathi ngegama lakhe siqu, elithi Jehova: “Yileli eliyigama lami kuze kube-phakade, lesi siyisikhumbuzo sami ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane.” (Eksodusi 3:15) Ukubaluleka kwalelogama kuboniswa iqiniso lokuthi livela cishe izikhathi eziyizi-7 000 embhalweni ophelele weBhayibheli wesiHeberu—ngaphezulu kakhulu kwengqikithi ehlangene yeziqu ezinjengezithi Nkosi nesithi Nkulunkulu. Njengoba kwabikezelwa, ‘kulezinsuku zokugcina’ lelogama liye lahlanganiswa ngokuvelele neqembu elilodwa labantu.
“SIYAKUHAMBA NANI”
3 Ngokuqondene nalokhu, umprofethi uZakariya, ngesikhathi sokwakhiwa futhi kwethempeli likaJehova eJerusalema lasendulo, waphefumlelwa uNkulunkulu ukuba alobe: “Usho kanje uJehova-Sebawoti, uthi: Kusezakufika izizwe nabakhé emizini eminingi, bahambe abakhileyo komunye, baye komunye, bathi: Masiye impela ukunxusa ebusweni bukaJehova, simfune uJehova-Sebawoti; nami ngiyakuhamba. Kuyakufika abantu abaningi nezizwe ezinamandla ukufuna uJehova-Sebawoti eJerusalema nokunxusa ebusweni bukaJehova. Usho kanje uJehova-Sebawoti, uthi: Ngalezozinsuku amadoda ayishumi azo zonke izilimi zabezizwe ayakubamba umphetho womuntu wakwaJuda ngokuthi: Siyakuhamba nani, ngokuba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.”—Zakariya 8:20-23.
4 Ukugcwaliseka okulinganiselwe kwalesiprofetho ngokuqondene nethempeli elalibuye lakhiwa eJerusalema, kusukela ezinsukwini zikaZerubabele, kwakhomba phambili ekugcwalisekeni okukhulu osukwini lwethu. Ngokuqondene nabaphi abantu? Ngokuqinisekile kwakungenakuba okunengqondo ngalabo ‘abafuna uJehova’ ukuphendukela kubantu okuthi ngokukholelwa ezeni benqabe ngisho nokuliphimisela igama likaNkulunkulu, njengoba kwenza amaJuda emvelo anamathela ekukhulekeleni kwawo kwesiko. Bengenakuphendukela futhi kweLobukholwa, elilingisa isiko lobuJuda lokugwema ukusebenzisa igama laphezulu. Abantu bosuku lwethu abaphendukeli eJerusalema lasemhlabeni ukuba bakhulekele uJehova. Njengoba uJesu abikezela, uNkulunkulu walishiya ithempeli lakhe lapho, futhi labhujiswa ngo-70 C.E., lingasenakuphinde lakhiwe futhi kuze kube namuhla. Kunoma imuphi umuntu onengqondo lokhu kubonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu akekho kumaIsrayeli angewona amaKristu.—Mathewu 23:37, 38; qhathanisa no-1 AmaKhosi 9:8, 9.
5 “IJerusalema” namuhla elimelela uJehova lichazwe kumaHeberu 12:22 ngokuthi “emzini kaNkulunkulu ophilayo, iJerusalema lasezulwini.” Njengoba neJerusalema lasendulo laliwuphawu olubonakalayo lobukhosi bukaJehova, “iJerusalema lasezulwini” liwuMbuso kaNkulunkulu wobuMesiya lowo uJesu Kristu abekwa esihlalweni sobukhosi sawo njengeNkosi ekupheleni kweZikhathi zabeZizwe ngo-1914. (1 IziKronike 29:23; Luka 21:24) Lowohulumeni unabameleli lapha emhlabeni, labo abawumemezela ngokwethembeka njengokuphela kwethemba eliqinisekile lesintu. Abangabokuqala ukumemezela ukuthi uMbuso wawumisiwe ngo-1914 kwakungabasele ‘bomhlambi omncane.’ Laba ‘bawuIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu,’ uma kukhulunywa ngokomoya. ‘BangamaJuda’ angokomoya lawo uZakariya aprofetha ngawo. (Luka 12:32; Galathiya 6:16; Roma 2:28, 29) Kusukela ngo-1931, ngenxa yothando lwabo ngoNkulunkulu nokwazisa kwabo umthwalo wemfanelo wokwenza kwaziwe ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso uMninimandla onke, baye bamukela igama lokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova.—Isaya 43:10-12.
BABONAKALA KANJANI?
6 Ngenxa yeqiniso lokuthi lamaJuda angokomoya aye agcwalisa umthwalo wawo wemfanelo njengoFakazi BakaJehova ngokwethembeka, izigidi zabantu abaqotho emhlabeni wonke ziye zasizwa ukuba ‘zifune uJehova.’ Ziye zaqaphela ukuthi uJehova ngempela unalabantu ababizwa ngegama lakhe. Yini ebaqinisekisa ngalokhu? Izinto eziningi, phakathi kwazo kunalezi ezivelele:
(1) Izinkolelo zoFakazi BakaJehova zonke zisekelwe eBhayibhelini—hhayi nje kuphela emibhalweni ethile engayodwa kodwa kulo lonke iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Esikhundleni sokufundisa izinto ezisuka kubo, oFakazi BakaJehova baphendula imibuzo ngokukhomba okushiwo yiBhayibheli. Badumisa uJehova ngokwenza ukuba azikhulumele ngokwakhe. (Qhathanisa noJohane 7:16-18.)
(2) IBhayibheli liphawula ukuthi uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe wayeyothathela “igama lakhe isizwe kubo abezizwe.” (IzEnzo 15:14) Bona ngokwabo babeyobiza egameni lakhe futhi bazikhandle ekubeni balenze laziwe emhlabeni wonke. (Isaya 12:4, 5) Emhlabeni wonke, oFakazi BakaJehova bangabantu abahlanganiswa ngokuvelele negama likaNkulunkulu ngokwakhe, elithi Jehova.
(3) OFakazi BakaJehova banenala yokudla okungokomoya okwanelisayo. Abakufundayo emiBhalweni nomphumela lokhu okunawo embonweni wabo ngokuphila kubenza babe abantu abajabulayo, ngokuphambene nezwe ngokuvamile. Yilokhu uJehova athi kwakuyoba njalo ngezinceku zakhe. (Isaya 65:13, 14; qhathanisa noMathewu 4:4.)
(4) OFakazi BakaJehova basebenzisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu ukuba babeke izindinganiso zabo zokuziphatha nokuba liqondise izinqumo zabo ezindabeni zansuku zonke zokuphila—emikhayeni yabo, emsebenzini, esikoleni, ekukhetheni ukuzilibazisa, ekuboneni imikhuba okumelwe igwenywe, ekunqumeni imisebenzi enenzuzo okumelwe yenziwe. UJehova wathembisa ukuthi “uyakuqondisa imikhondo” yalabo abenza lokhu. (IzAga 3:5, 6)
(5) Ukwenganyelwa kwamabandla oFakazi BakaJehova kufana nalokho kwebandla likaNkulunkulu lekhulu lokuqala, lapho abadala babeyizibonelo zomhlambi kanye nezisebenzi zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu esikhundleni sokuba babe yiqembu labefundisi eliphakanyiswayo. (1 Petru 5:2, 3; 2 Korinte 1:24)
(6) OFakazi BakaJehova abahileleki ezindabeni zezombangazwe zalelizwe kodwa benza umsebenzi iBhayibheli eliwubekela amaKristu eqiniso, okungukuthi, ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuwo wonke umhlaba kube ubufakazi ngaphambi kokuba ukuphela kufike. (Mathewu 24:14; qhathanisa noJohane 17:16; 18:36.)
(7) OFakazi BakaJehova bathandana ngempela, njengoba uJesu athi abafundi bakhe beqiniso babeyokwenza kanjalo. Ibala lesikhumba, imvelaphi yohlanga, izimo ezingokomnotho, ubuzwe, ulimi—akukho kulokhu okubangela ukuba omunye abukele phansi omunye. Naphezu kokungapheleli kobuntu, bonke bamunye njengabazalwane bomhlaba wonke, futhi ngalokhu lonke udumo baluyisa kuNkulunkulu. (Johane 13:35; qhathanisa nezEnzo 10:34, 35.)
(8) NjengamaKristu akuqala, oFakazi BakaJehova ezikhathini zanamuhla bayaqhubeka bekhonza uNkulunkulu naphezu kokushushiswa. Ngokuthembela kuNkulunkulu, abaphindiseli kubaphikisi. Njengoba kwakunjalo esikhathini esidlule, uNkulunkulu uye wazibonakalisa enezinceku zakhe ukuba azikhulule. (Jeremiya 1:8; Isaya 54:17)
7 Lezi kumane kungezimbalwa nje zezizathu ezenza ukuba, njengoba kwabikezelwa, “amadoda ayishumi azo zonke izilimi zabezizwe” asho ngokuqiniseka koqobo ensalini yezindlalifa zoMbuso ukuthi: “Siyakuhamba nani, ngokuba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.” (Zakariya 8:23) ImiBhalo isebenzisa “ishumi” ukuba limelele ukuphelela ngokuqondene nezindaba zasemhlabeni, ngakho ‘lamadoda ayishumi’ amelela bonke abathatha ukukhulekela kweqiniso manje ngokuhambisana ‘nabafowabo’ bakaKristu abagcotshwe ngomoya. Abamane nje bahlanganyele nensali emihlanganweni yayo kodwa bazibonakalisa njengabakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu wabo, uJehova. Banikezela ukuphila kwabo kuye ngoJesu Kristu futhi bakubonakalise lokhu ngobhapathizo lwamanzi, ngaleyondlela bebonisa ukuthi bafuna “ukuzihlanganisa noJehova.” Babe sebehlanganyela ngenjabulo emsebenzini owenziwa emhlabeni wonke ngofakazi bakhe.—Zakariya 2:11; Isaya 61:5, 6.
IZIBONELO EZIFANELE UKULINGISWA
8 Abanye abathatha lesinyathelo bafana nenkosikazi yaseSheba ezinsukwini zikaSolomoni. Ikude ‘yezwa ngodumo lukaSolomoni ngegama likaJehova.’ Yona ngokwayo yayingakaze ikhulume noSolomoni futhi ingakaze ibe sethempelini likaJehova eJerusalema. Yayingabaza ukuthi konke eyayikuzwa kwakukuhle njengoba yayikuzwile. Kodwa yenza umzawo wokuba izitholele, yahamba cishe amakhilomitha ayizi-2 250 ngekamela ukuze ithole lokho. Yathola izimpendulo “ezindabeni zayo zonke,” yayisithi: “Yayiqinisile indaba engayizwa.” Akukho eyayingakusho ngaphandle kokuphetha ngokuthi uJehova uyabathanda abakhulekeli bakhe. (1 AmaKhosi 10:1-9) Abanye abebengabavelele ezweni baye balingisa isibonelo sayo namuhla, nabaningi abasezimweni eziphansi baye benza okufanayo. Babona ubufakazi bokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova ababheki kumuntu ngaphandle kukaJesu Kristu, uSolomoni oMkhulu, njengeNkosi yabo. Izimpendulo abazinikezwa zivela eZwini likaNkulunkulu zanelisa izingqondo zabo nezinhliziyo, bese bezizwa beshukunyiswa ukuba bahlanganyele ngamazwi abo ekubusiseni uJehova.—Qhathanisa noLuka 11:31.
9 Abanye banjengoRahabi waseJeriko, owazizwa eqinisekile kakade ngenxa yemibiko ayithola ukuthi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli “unguNkulunkulu ezulwini phezulu nasemhlabeni phansi.” (Joshuwa 2:11) Lapho izinhloli zakwaIsrayeli zingena ezweni, wazamukela, wazifihla wafaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini ukuze azivikele. Wayenokholo futhi wanikeza ubufakazi balo ngemisebenzi yakhe, ema ngakubantu bakaJehova. (Heberu 11:31; Jakobe 2:25) Ngokunakekela walandela iziyalezo ayezinikeziwe ukuze alondolozwe. URahabi futhi wabonisa ukukhathalela kothando ngoyise nonina, abafowabo nodadewabo, ebavulela indlela yokuba basinde uma belalela izimfuneko zokusinda. (Joshuwa 2:12, 13, 18, 19) Ngenxa yalokho yena nomkhaya wakhe basinda lapho iJeriko nezakhamuzi zalo ezikhulekela uBali kubhujiswa. (Joshuwa 6:22, 23) Lokhu kunokubaluleka okukhulu osukwini lwethu. Kubonisa ukuthi uJehova uyobasindisa abantu abafana noRahabi. Yini ebabonisa njengabanjengaye? Baba nokholo kuJehova, bazihlanganise namalungu kaIsrayeli ongokomoya, balandele eduzane ukuqondiswa okunikezwa ngalelilungiselelo futhi ngobuqotho bazame ukusiza amalungu emikhaya aseduze nezinye izihlobo ukuba zibone ukuhlakanipha kokwenza okufanayo.
10 Yebo, okuyikhona okukhanga ngempela, okudonsa abantu bazo zonke izizwe ukuze bahlanganyele noFakazi BakaJehova, uJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe. IZwi lakhe liyakhanga kubo. Isithelo somoya wakhe ekuphileni kwezinceku zakhe siyabakhanga. Njengoba bejwayelana kahle nezimfanelo zakhe nokusebenzelana kwakhe nesintu, balangazelela isikhathi lapho igama likaNkulunkulu liyolwelwa kukho konke ukuhlanjalazwa okunqwatshelwe kulo nguSathane nabantu abangenalukholo. Nabo ngokwabo bazama ukuphatha izindaba zabo ngendlela eyothokozisa kuMdali wabo neyoshukumisa abanye ukuba bamdumise. (1 Petru 2:12) Ngezinhliziyo zabo zonke bathandaza njengoba uJesu afundisa abafundi bakhe: “Baba wethu osezulwini, malingcweliswe igama lakho; mawufike umbuso wakho; mayenziwe intando yakho emhlabeni njengasezulwini.” (Mathewu 6:9, 10) Futhi, ngokuvumelana nomthandazo wabo, bayisa inkonzo engcwele kuNkulunkulu ngobunye obuphelele nalabo abanikeza ubufakazi obusobala bokuthi ‘bangabantu begama [likaJehova].’
[Imibuzo Yesifundo]
1, 2. (a) UZakariya 8:23 ubikezelani ngosuku lwethu? (b) Ungubani uNkulunkulu okubhekiselwe kuye lapha, futhi iBhayibheli liligcizelela kanjani igama lakhe siqu?
3. Njengoba kwabikezelwa kuZakariya 8:20-23, (a) obani ababeyofuna uJehova? (b) ngokuzihlanganisa nobani?
4. Kungani lesiprofetho singasebenzi ebuJudeni noma kweLobukholwa?
5. ImiBhalo ikuchaza kanjani okulandelayo, (a) “iJerusalema” elimelela uJehova namuhla? (b) “umuntu wakwaJuda” uZakariya aprofetha ngaye?
6. (a) Yini eye yaqinisekisa izigidi zabantu ngokuqondene nabantu uNkulunkulu anabo namuhla? (Cabangela iphuzu elilodwa ngesikhathi; funda imibhalo.) (b) Imaphi amaphuzu aye akuthinta kakhulu wena siqu?
7. (a) Angobani “amadoda ayishumi”? (b) Abunikeza kanjani ubufakazi bokuthi uJehova ngempela unguNkulunkulu wawo?
8. (a) Yini eyabangela inkosikazi yaseSheba ukuba iye eJerusalema? (b) Yini eyayenza uma ifika khona, kwaba namuphi umphumela? (c) Kukanjani kuye kwaba nabantu abanjengayo osukwini lwethu? (IHubo 2:10-12)
9. (a) Isimo sikaRahabi sasihluke kanjani kuleso senkosikazi yaseSheba? (b) Yini ephawulekayo ngezenzakalo ezaholela ekulondolozweni kukaRahabi nomkhaya wakubo? (c) Yini ababonakala ngayo abantu abanjengoRahabi namuhla?
10. (a) Njengoba isiprofetho sikaZakariya sibonisa, yini ngempela ekhanga abantu ukuba bahlanganyele noFakazi BakaJehova? (b) Singabonisa kanjani, ngesimo sethu nangezenzo, ukuthi uthando lukaJehova ngempela lugcwele ezinhliziyweni zethu?