Umnqumo Othelayo
“Kanjalo uIsrayeli wonke uyakusindiswa.”—ROMA 11:26.
1. Yini engashiwo ngemithi yeminqumo?
IMINQUMO yaziwa ngokuphila amakhulu eminyaka. Ngisho noma seyimidala, ngokuvamile isiyigobongo, isiqu ekugcineni siyafa; ngezinye izikhathi kuhlume iziqu ezintsha ezimpandeni, ziveze umuthi womnqumo omusha owodwa noma ngaphezulu. Uma lokho kuba njalo, kunomnqumo owatshalwa eminyakeni ecishe ibe izi-4 000 edlule osaphila futhi othela izithelo nanamuhla!
2. Kumaqondana nasiphi isithembiso uPawulu ekhuluma ngomnqumo, futhi ufanekiselani?
2 Encwadini yakhe kwabaseRoma, umphostoli uPawulu usebenzisa umnqumo njengomfanekiso wendlela emangalisayo uJehova agcwalisa ngayo ingxenye yesithembiso asenza noAbrahama emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili:
“Ngiyakukubusisa nokukubusisa, ngandise nokwandisa inzalo yakho, ibe ngangezinkanyezi zezulu nangangesihlabathi sasogwini lolwandle, inzalo yakho inqobe isango lezitha zayo, nangenzalo yakho ziyakubusiswa izizwe zonke zomhlaba, ngokuba ulalele izwi lami.”—Genesise 22:16-18.
Isivumelwano Sika-Abrahama
3, 4. (a) UAbrahama wayelubonakalise kanjani ukholo lwakhe? (b) Yini eyafanekiselwa ilesisigigaba?
3 UAbrahama wayesanda kubonisa ukuthi wayezimisele ukunikela ngoIsaka, okuwukuphela kwendodana yakhe ngomkakhe wokuqala, uSara. (Heberu 11:17-19; siza ufunde uGenesise 22:1-18.) Kusukela ezikhathini zakuqala amaKristu aye abona kulesisigigaba ukufanekiselwa kokunikela kukaJehova ngeNdodana yakhe futhi ayamukele ngovuko. Yebo, “uNkulunkulu walithanda izwe [lesintu] kangaka, waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi, kodwa abe-nokuphila okuphakade.”—Johane 3:16.
4 Ngakho kulomfanekiso ongokwesiprofetho uAbrahama wafanekisela uJehova uNkulunkulu, kanti uIsaka—insizwa eyayingamelana noyise owayeseneminyaka eyi-125 ubudala—wafanekisela uJesu Kristu, owadela ukuphila kwakhe kobuntu ngokuzithandela njengomhlatshelo wesihlengo.—Heberu 7:27; 10:12.
5. Maqondana nenzalo yesithembiso kaGenesise 3:15, yini eyambulwa esivumelwaneni sikaNkulunkulu sika-Abrahama?
5 Ngenxa yokholo olukhulu luka-Abrahama, uJehova wayenze naye ngaphambili isivumelwano esaqala ukusebenza ngo-1943 B.C.E. (Genesise 12:4, 7; Galathiya 3:17) Eminyakeni engama-50 kamuva, ngemva kokubona ukholo oluvivinyiwe luka-Abrahama, ngisho nangokuqondene noIsaka, uJehova wasiphinda futhi waselula lesisithembiso sesivumelwano, njengoba silotshwe kuGenesise isahluko 22. Lesisivumelwano sika-Abrahama esichazwe ngokugcwele sanikeza imininingwane maqondana nokugcwaliseka kwezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu ezimangalisayo. Sabonisa ukuthi inzalo yenkululeko eyathenjiswa e-Edene yayiyovela emhlabeni njengesizukulwane sika-Abrahama, nokuthi kuyoba inzalo eyandisiwe (inani eliqondile lingakavezwa ngalesosikhathi), ukuthi iyonqoba izitha zayo nokuthi, okokugcina, ngaleyonzalo zonke izizwe zomhlaba zaziyozitholela izibusiso.—Genesise 3:15.
Ukubona Inzalo Ka-Abrahama
6, 7. (a) NgokomBhalo, ubani oyiNzalo eyinhloko ka-Abrahama? (b) Sazi kanjani ukuthi kwakuzoba nenzalo yamuva ka-Abrahama? (c) Inani eliqondile lembulwa nini, futhi liyini?
6 Yonke imininingwane yalesosithembiso ingethakazelisayo kubantu abanokholo luka-Abrahama nabafuna ukubusiswa uJehova. (Roma 4:16) Ubani, ngokuyinhloko, owayeyinzalo ka-Abrahama, izizwe zonke zomhlaba ekugcineni ezaziyozibusisa ngayo? Umphostoli uPawulu ubonisa ukuthi leyoNzalo eyinhloko uKristu.—Galathiya 3:16.
7 Futhi, njengoba uJehova athembisa uAbrahama ukuthi uyoyandisa inzalo yakhe, ibaphi abantu ababeyoba ingxenye yamuva yenzalo ka-Abrahama? Obani ababeyoba “izindlalifa ngokwesithembiso,” “izindlalifa kanye” neNzalo eyinhloko, uKristu? (Galathiya 3:29; Roma 8:17) Eminyakeni eyizi-2 000 ngisho nenani lalabo ababeyokwenza le‘nzalo ka-Abrahama’ yamuva lalingaziwa ngabantu, njenge“zinkanyezi zezulu” noma “isihlabathi sasogwini lolwandle.” Khona-ke, ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala C.E., umphostoli uJohane wezwa “umumo wababekwa uphawu, izinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amane nane, ababekwa uphawu ezizweni zonke zabantwana bakwaIsrayeli.”—Genesise 22:17; IsAmbulo 7:4.
8. Iliphi ithuba elikhethekile lawomaJuda asokiwe aba nalo?
8 Nalapho, la“bantwana bakwaIsrayeli” abayizi-144 000 babeyokhethwa phakathi kobani futhi babekwe uphawu? Ukuba amaIsrayeli anele enyama ayelandele isivumelwano soMthetho njengomyalo ‘wokuwayisa kuKristu [iNzalo eyinhloko ka-Abrahama],’ ayeyokwakha wonke amalungu ayizi-144 000 enzalo yamuva ka-Abrahama futhi kanjalo abe ‘umbuso wabapristi nesizwe esingcwele,’ sokubusisa zonke izizwe zomhlaba. (Galathiya 3:24; Eksodusi 19:5, 6) Kodwa ingabe abanele bazibonakalisa bengabantwana beqiniso baka-Abrahama, “uyise wabo bonke abakholwayo”?—Roma 4:11.
9. UJohane uMbhapathizi wabonisa kanjani ukuthi inzalo engokomoya ka-Abrahama yayingenakwakhiwa amaJuda kuphela?
9 Ngisho nangaphambi kokuba uJesu aqale inkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni uJohane uMbhapathizi waxwayisa abaholi benkolo bobuJuda: “Ningacabangi ukuba ningasho phakathi kwenu ukuthi: Sinobaba uAbrahama; ngokuba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu angamvusela uAbrahama abantwana kulawamatshe. Izembe selibekiwe empandeni yemithi; ngakho yonke imithi engatheli izithelo ezinhle iyanqunywa, iphonswe emlilweni.” (Mathewu 3:9, 10) Ngesikhathi sikaPawulu indlela emangalisayo yokuhlakanipha uJehova ayeyovusela ngayo inani eligcwele lenzalo yamuva ka-Abrahama yase yembuliwe. (Roma 16:25-27) UPawulu ukuchaza ngokuningiliziwe lokhu encwadini yakhe kwabaseRoma.
Incwadi KaPawulu KwabaseRoma
10. Yini amaJuda enyama ayeyikholelwa ngokuyiphutha?
10 AmaJuda ayekuqaphela kakhulu ukuba kwawo abantu bakaNkulunkulu abakhethiwe. Maqondana namazwi athi “abantu abakhethiweyo,” iThe Concise Jewish Encyclopedia ithi: “Inkulumo echaza inkolelo yokuthi amaJuda anobuhlobo obuthile noNkulunkulu. Lomqondo usekelwe esivumelwaneni sika-Abrahama.” Eqhosha ngokuba yinzalo ka-Abrahama, amaJuda acabanga ukuthi ayeyinzalo zonke ezinye izizwe ezaziyobusiswa ngayo, nokuthi ayengazithethelela phambi kukaNkulunkulu ngemisebenzi eyenziwa ngaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho.—Johane 8:33, 39; Roma 9:31, 32; 10:3, 4; 11:7.
11, 12. (a) Ngesikhathi sokubhalela kukaPawulu abaseRoma, sasiyini isimo ebandleni laseRoma? (b) Kungani uPawulu abhalela amaKristu angamaJuda nangabeZizwe eRoma?
11 Kwakuphezu kwalesisizinda ukuthi umphostoli uPawulu wabhalela ibandla lamaKristu eRoma. Amanye amaJuda eRoma ayesengamaKristu, kodwa iningi lawo lalenqaba ukukholelwa kuJesu njengoMesiya. Ibandla lobuKristu eRoma lalakhiwe futhi amaKristu amaningi angewona amaJuda.
12 Ngezizathu ezihlukene kokubili amaJuda nabeZizwe babenemizwa yobukhulu—amaJuda ngenxa yokuthi ayevela ozalweni olungokwemvelo luka-Abrahama—abeZizwe ngenxa yokuthi babemukelwe emalungelweni akhethekile esivumelwano sika-Abrahama ngenxa yokuntula ukholo kwamaJuda angakholwayo. UPawulu wafuna ukubonisa amaKristu angamaJuda nangesiwo amaJuda ngokuzalwa ukuthi womabili amaqembu ayekweleta ukuma kwawo okulungile phambi kukaNkulunkulu ngokholo lwawo kuKristu kunemisebenzi. (Roma 3:21-27) Ekubhaleni incwadi yakhe, injongo kaPawulu kwakuwubunye bobuKristu nokukhiqiza, kube udumo kuJehova ngendlela emangalisayo aqhubeka ngayo ekugcwaliseni izithembiso zesivumelwano sika-Abrahama.
Isihlahla Somnqumo Esingokomfanekiso
13. Kungani uPawulu abonisa ukudabuka okukhulu, futhi yini ayifanekisa ngomnqumo otshaliwe?
13 Umphostoli uPawulu ubonisa ukudabuka kwakhe ngokuthi “asibo bonke abavela kuIsrayeli abangabakwaIsrayeli,” futhi uthi: “Nakuba beyinzalo ka-Abrahama, bonke abasibo abantwana [ingxenye yenzalo engokomoya ka-Abrahama].” Khona-ke uqhubeka echaza indlela uJehova ‘avusela ngayo uAbrahama abantwana.’ (Roma 9:1, 2, 6, 7) Ukuchaza indlela isivumelwano sika-Abrahama esiveza ngayo inani eligcwele lamalungu enzalo engokomoya yesithembiso, usebenzisa umfanekiso womuthi womnqumo otshalwe ngokukhethekile.—Siza ufunde amaRoma 11:13-26.
14. Ubani oyimpande yomnqumo ongokomfanekiso, futhi imiphi imibhalo ebonisa lokhu?
14 UPawulu ukhuluma ngempande ngaphambi kokukhuluma ngomuthi ngokwawo, futhi uthi “impande ingcwele.” (Roma 11:16) UJehova uNkulunkulu ungo“ngcwele.” (Hoseya 11:12) Ezindaweni eziningi ubizwa ngokuthi “ongcwele kaIsrayeli,” ikakhulukazi encwadini kaIsaya. (Isaya 10:20; 29:19; 60:9) Umphostoli uPetru ululeka amaKristu agcotshiwe, ngokuthi: “Kodwa njengowanibizayo engcwele, manibe-ngcwele nani ekuhambeni konke.” (1 Petru 1:15, 16) UJehova uNkulunkulu, uAbrahama Omkhulu, uyimpande yomnqumo ongokomfanekiso.
15. (a) Kungaziphi izindlela uJehova eyimpande kaIsrayeli ongokomoya? (b) Ubani oyisiqu somnqumo ongokomfanekiso? Ngani?
15 Njengoba uAbrahama inzalamizi ayeyimpande yesizwe sakwaIsrayeli, kanjalo uJehova unikeza ukuphila kuIsrayeli ongokomoya. Njengoba izizwe eziyi-12 zikaIsrayeli zavela kuAbrahama ngendodana yakhe uIsaka, ngoJakobe nezinzalamizi eziyi-12, izizwe eziyi-12 ezingokomfanekiso zikaIsrayeli ongokomoya zivela kuJehova ngoIsaka Omkhulu, uKristu Jesu. Yena, njengeNzalo eyinhloko ka-Abrahama, ufanekiselwa isiqu somnqumo. (Galathiya 3:16) UJehova, impande, uveza inani eligcwele lamalungu enzalo yamuva ngeNdodana yakhe, uKristu Jesu. (Galathiya 3:29) Kodwa uJehova uliveza ngayiphi indlela inani elifunekayo lamagatsha angokomfanekiso?
Amanye Amagatsha Agawulwa, Amanye Afakelwa
16. Iyini “imfihlakalo” eshiwo uPawulu kwabaseRoma 11:25 nakwabase-Efesu 3:3-6?
16 UPawulu uqhubeka achaze lelilungiselelo elimangalisayo. Uyabhala: “Ngokuba angithandi, bazalwane, ukuba ningayazi lemfihlakalo, funa nizishaye abahlakaniphileyo, ukuthi inxenye kaIsrayeli yehlelwe ngubulukhuni, kuze kungene abezizwe ngokupheleleyo; kanjalo [ngesiGreki, kai houʹtosa] uIsrayeli wonke uyakusindiswa.” (Roma 11:25, 26; qhathanisa nabase-Efesu 3:3-6.) UJehova wayeyo“vusela uAbrahama abantwana” ngokwamukela enzalweni yamuva ka-Abrahama inani elifunekayo, noma ‘inani eligcwele labantu beZizwe.’ Ngokubonisa ‘ukholo luka-Abrahama’ lelinani elilinganiselwe labangewona amaJuda lazibonakalisa lingamaJuda angokomoya, ingxenye kaIsrayeli ongokomoya, “uIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu.”—Roma 4:16; 2:28, 29; Galathiya 6:15, 16.
17. (a) Iyiphi indlela engavamile uPawulu ayichaza? (b) Obani abafanekiselwa ngamagatsha agawulwa nangamahlumela afakelwa omnqumo wasendle? (c) Ikuphi ukudalulwa lomfanekiso owakwenza kumaJuda ayeqhosha nayeziphakamisa?
17 UPawulu wafanekisela lokhu kugcwaliseka kwe“mfihlakalo” ngendlela engavamile yokulima. Indlela evamile iwukuxhumelela amahlumela esihlahla esitshaliwe esiqwini sasendle, okwenza ukuba sithele, njengoba uPawulu ayekwazi lokho. Watshela amaKristu angabeZizwe ukuthi a“fakelwa emnqumweni omuhle ngokuphambene nemvelo.” (Roma 11:24) Ngalendlela wafanisa abangewona amaJuda abamukelwa esivumelwaneni sika-Abrahama njengamahlumela, noma imixhantela, yomnqumo wasendle eyayizofakelwa esiqwini ‘somnqumo otshaliwe.’ Babeyongena esikhundleni samagatsha emvelo ayegawuliwe, lawa emelela amaJuda emvelo ayenqatshiwe ngenxa yokuntula kwawo ukholo. (Roma 11:17, 19, 20, 24) Lomfanekiso ongavamile wasebenza njengodalula ngokuqondile ukuqhosha nokuziphakamisa kwamaJuda angakholwa, acabangela abeZizwe njengamatshe angaphili noma angenakukwazi ukuveza isithelo esihle njengamagatsha omnqumo wasendle. Kwaqinisekisa ukuthi uJehova unamandla oku“vusela uAbrahama abantwana,” njengoba uJohane uMbhapathizi ayexwayisile ngaphambili.—Luka 3:8.
18. (a) Yini eyenzeka ngo-36 C.E., kodwa ingabe akhona amagatsha ayegawuliwe abuye afakelwa emthini oyisivumelwano sika-Abrahama? (b) UPawulu wabuthuthukisa kanjani ubunye phakathi kwebandla lobuKristu?
18 Nokho, amaKristu angewona amaJuda ‘afakelwa ngokuphambene nemvelo’ emthini oyisivumelwano sika-Abrahama njengengxenye yenzalo engokomoya ayengenasizathu sokuzizwa emakhulu kunamaJuda. UPawulu wachaza: “Nalabo [amaJuda] uma bengahlali ekungakholweni, bayakufakelwa, ngokuba uNkulunkulu unamandla okubafakela futhi.” (Roma 11:23) Insali encane yamaJuda emvelo amukela iNzalo eyinhloko yaba amagatsha angenakususwa omuthi ongokomfanekiso. (Roma 9:27; 11:5) Kodwa iningi lamaJuda lase linqunyiwe emthini oyisivumelwano sika-Abrahama ngo-36 C.E., ekupheleni kwesonto lama-70 leminyaka elabikezelwa uDaniyeli. (Daniyeli 9:27)b Ngemva kwalokho, nokho, amanye amaJuda ayesefakelwe futhi “emnqumweni wakubo” ngokukholwa kuMesiya, uJesu, iNzalo eyinhloko ka-Abrahama. (Roma 11:24; IzEnzo 13:5, 42, 43; 14:1) Ngokukhomba kulezizinto uPawulu wathuthukisa ubunye phakathi kwamaKristu agcotshiwe, ngoba wonke ayese‘ngabahlanganyeli empandeni yamafutha omnqumo’ ngo“bubele bukaNkulunkulu.”—Roma 11:17, 22.
Umnqumo Othela Ngokugcwele
19. Isivumelwano sika-Abrahama siye sayiveza kanjani kancane kancane inzalo engokomoya, okuphumele ekusindisweni kwawo “wonke uIsrayeli”?
19 Kuwo wonke amakhulu eminyaka, futhi ikakhulukazi kulengxenye ekahle yalesisikhathi sokuphela, amanye amaJuda nabangesiwo amaJuda bafakelwa emnqumweni ongokomfanekiso. Kanjalo isivumelwano sika-Abrahama siveza ‘inani eligcwele’ lamaJuda nabeZizwe abadingekayo ekugcwaliseni inzalo engokomoya. “Kanjalo uIsrayeli wonke uyakusindiswa,” hhayi uIsrayeli ongokwenyama, kodwa labo ‘abanguIsrayeli wangempela,’ amalungu ayizi-144 000 kaIsrayeli ongokomoya.—Roma 11:12, 25, 26; 9:6-8; IsAmbulo 7:4.
20, 21. (a) Ikuphi ukusabela ukugcwaliseka kwalengxenye ebaluleke kakhulu yesivumelwano sika-Abrahama okumelwe kukuveze kithi? (b) Yini ezohlolwa esihlokweni esilandelayo?
20 Indlela emangalisayo uJehova aye wagcwalisa ngayo lengxenye ebaluleke kakhulu yesivumelwano sika-Abrahama, ngokuveza isiqu nenani eligcwele lamagatsha alomuthi ongokomfanekiso imelwe isigcwalise ngokumangala. NjengoPawulu, siyababaza: “Yeka ukujula kwengcebo, nokuhlakanipha, nokwazi kukaNkulunkulu! Yeka izahlulelo zakhe ezingaphenyekiyo, nezindlela zakhe ezingaqondakaliyo! Ngokuba ngubani owawazi umqondo weNkosi na? Ngokuba ngubani owaba-ngumluleki wayo na? Noma ngubani owaqala ukuyipha ukuba kubuyiselwe kuye na? Ngokuba konke kuvela kuye, kukhona ngaye, kuya kuye; makube-kuye inkazimulo kuze kube-phakade. Amen.”—Roma 11:33-36.
21 Kodwa iziphi izifundo eziwusizo ezingatholakala kulomfanekiso womnqumo ofakelwe, kokubili ngamagatsha angokomfanekiso (amaKristu agcotshiwe) nabanye abangase babusiswe manje ngenzalo evezwe umuthi oyisivumelwano sika-Abrahama? Lezizici zizokhulunyelwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a “καὶ οὕτως = futhi kanjalo; hhayi ngokuphathelene nesikhathi.” (The Expositor’s Greek Testament) Qhathanisa neToday’s English Version (“futhi kungalendlela”), Authorized Version, Revised Standard Version neNew International Version (“ngakho-ke”). Labo abakholelwa ekuguqulweni ekugcineni nasekusindisweni kwaso sonke isizwe samaJuda benza ukai houʹtos asho ukuthi “khona-ke,” ngokubhekisela esikhathini. (Bheka amaRoma 11:26, The Jerusalem Bible.) Ukukhulumela okuningi ngeBhayibheli kweLobukholwa kunikeza lencazelo, ngisho nakuba kuphambene nakho konke okuboniswa uPawulu namaqiniso omlando, adlule nawanamuhla.—Qhathanisa namaRoma 2:28, 29; 9:1-6, 27; 10:1, 21; 11:5, 7-10, 14; IzEnzo 13:45, 46.
b Bheka isahluko 7 sencwadi “Let Your Kingdom Come,” enyatheliswe yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
Ingabe uwabambile lamaphuzu ayinhloko?
□ Iziphi izithembiso ezihlanganiswe esivumelwaneni sobu-Abrahama?
□ Obani abayinzalo eyinhloko neyamuva?
□ Bonisa izingxenye ezilandelayo zomuthi womnqumo ongokomfanekiso:
—impande
—isiqu
—amagatsha emvelo agawulwa
—amagatsha emvelo ayekwa emthini noma abuyiselwa
—amagatsha omnqumo wasendle axhunyelelwa
□ Iyini ‘imfihlakalo engcwele’ eshiwo uPawulu kumaRoma 11:25?
□ Kungani umuthi womnqumo ongokomfanekiso uthela ngokugcwele?
[Umdwebo/Isithombe esisekhasini 17]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi kumi kanjani, bheka encwadini)
UMUTHI WOMNQUMO ONGOKOMFANEKISO—Okufanekiselayo Nokwakufanekiselwa
AMAGATSHA
Izizwe eziyi-12 zakwaIsrayeli
AmaIsrayeli angokomoya ayizi-144 000 (inzalo yamuva)
ISIQU
UIsaka, uJakobe nezinzalamizi eyi-12
UMesiya uJesu (iNzalo eyinhloko)
IMPANDE
UAbrahama
UJehova