Uthando Njenge“sibopho Sobunye” Lubonakala Lu“phelele”
1. Kungayiphi indlela uJehova angaqhathaniswa ngayo noMkhandi, futhi kungayiphi indlela imikhaya yonke yethiwa ngaye?
UMKHANDI omkhulu kunabo bonke endaweni yonke, uJehova uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke, angakhanda “isibopho sobunye” esiyoqina kuze kube phakade. Izibopho zemikhaya, ngisho naleyo esemhlabeni, zingaqina kakhulu; futhi uJehova uNkulunkulu ukhulunyelwa njengo“Yise, eyethiwa ngaye imindeni yonke ezulwini nasemhlabeni.” (Efesu 3:14, 15) Kusukela kuZamcolo wembulunga wezinsuku zenzalamizi uNowa wonke umkhaya wesintu uye waba abazukulu baleyondoda ethembekile uNkulunkulu ayibheka njengefanele ukulondolozwa nomkhaya wayo kulowozamcolo owasibekela izwe lonke. Ngenxa yalokhu, wonke umkhaya wesintu osemhlabeni manje ukweleta uNowa nge“gama” lawo, okungukuthi, ukukwazi kwawo ukuphila ukuze ube negama. Esikhathini esidlule, uJehova uNkulunkulu uyena owanikeza abantu emhlabeni amagama athile, kodwa akazange anikeze imikhaya yabantu amagama athile ngokuqondile. Nokho iyamkweleta ngenxa yamagama ayo, ngoba yayingenakuba khona njengomkhaya onegama ukuba kwakungengenxa yakhe njengoMniki-kuphila wendawo yonke.—Genesise 5:1, 2, 32.
2. Isihlubuki emkhayeni kaNkulunkulu saba kanjani ubaba womkhaya, ngakho-ke imuphi umbuzo okungokufanelekile ukuba ngamunye wethu azibuze wona?
2 Kuye kwaba khona ukwambuka emkhayeni wendawo yonke kaBaba wasezulwini. Lokhu kwabangelwa imbuka elikhulu kunomuntu elahlubuka emkhayeni kaNkulunkulu wezingelosi emazulwini, imbuka elabizwa ngokuthi uSathane uDeveli. Ngokubuthela abalandeli ohlangothini lwalo emazulwini, laba ubaba, kodwa amalungu omkhaya walo awahlanganiswa uthando. Ngesinye isikhathi, uJesu Kristu, ilungu elithembeke ngokuvelele lomkhaya kaJehova wendawo yonke, wathi kubaphikisi bakhe bohlu lobuJuda: “Uma uNkulunkulu ebenguYihlo beniyakungithanda mina, ngoba ngafika ngivela kuNkulunkulu; . . . nina ningabakayihlo uSathane, nithanda ukwenza izinkanuko zikayihlo. Yena wayengumbulali wabantu kwasekuqaleni, akemi eqinisweni, ngokuba iqiniso lingekho kuye. Nxa ekhuluma amanga, ukhuluma okungokwakhe, lokhu engumqambimanga noyise wawo.” (Johane 8:42, 44) Maqondana nalokhu umuntu ngamunye namuhla angazibuza: Ngokwalendinganiso, ubani ongu“baba” kimi?
3. Isimo sikaSathane kusukela eMpini Yezwe I sehluke kanjani kuleso esingaphambi kwalenkathi, futhi imuphi umthandazo ngokukhethekile odinga ukuphendulwa yibo bonke abanamathela enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu?
3 Ekuhlubukeni kwakhe uSathane uDeveli wakhishwa emkhayeni wendawo yonke kaJehova uNkulunkulu, futhi kamuva kwalandela amademoni akhe ngaphansi kwakhe njengoyise. Ensimini yase-Edene waziveza esintwini njengoMlingi, futhi wavunyelwa, ngisho nangemva kwalokho, ukuba ehle enyuka emhlabeni emkhankasweni wakhe wobubi nokumelana neqiniso. (Jobe 1:7; 2:2) Kodwa manje, kusukela “empini” eyabikezelwa ngemva kokuzalwa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu emazulwini, ngemva kwe“zikhathi zabezizwe ezimisiwe” ngo-1914, uSathane uDeveli namademoni akhe baye bakhishwa emazulwini ekuthintaneni okuseduze nezingelosi zasezulwini futhi behliselwa emhlabeni. Abasenakuphinde bangene emazulwini ezingelosi. Ngakho-ke singayiqonda intukuthelo uSathane anayo ngenhlangano kaJehova yendawo yonke namalungu ayo athembekile. (IsAmbulo 12:1-12; Luka 21:24) Ngakho-ke, lesi isikhathi esifaneleke kakhulu somthandazo wothando womphostoli uPawulu, njengoba ulotshwe kwabaseKolose 1:2, ukuba uphendulwe ngenxa yabanamathela enhlanganweni kaJehova abasemhlabeni manje, okungukuthi: “Makube-kini umusa nokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu.” Lomthandazo wokuthula phakathi kwabo awunakugcwaliseka uma bungekho ubunye phakathi kwabo. Ukuthula kufuna ukuvumelana kwangaphakathi phakathi kwenhlangano ebonakalayo kaNkulunkulu onikeza ukuthula, yebo ukunamathelana kwamalungu enhlangano.
4. OFakazi BakaJehova ababumbene bambonga ngenxa yani, futhi kudingeka baqhubeke behamba kuphi?
4 Ngenxa yobunye obungokwenhlangano nokuthula okuwumphumela okwehlukanisa inhlangano yoFakazi BakaJehova ezweni lonke namuhla bangenza lokho amalungu ebandla laseKolose atshelwa ukuba akwenze, “nibonga uYise owanenza nifanele isabelo sefa labangcwele ekukhanyeni.” (Kolose 1:12) Sidinga ukuqhubeka sihamba ekukhanyeni okwandayo, futhi kulezi“nsuku zokugcina” zesimiso esidala sezinto kumelwe kwenziwe umzamo okhethekile ukuze sizigcine sifanelekele ukukhanyiselwa okuqhubekayo nanoma yini eyoba yifa lethu esimisweni esisha.—2 Thimothewu 3:1.
Ukuhlanganiswa ‘Njengomhlambi Owodwa’
5. OFakazi BakaJehova namuhla baye bakhishwa kuphi naphezu kwazo zonke izici ezibonakala zinamandla okwehlukanisa, futhi kungani ‘umhlambi owodwa’ ‘kaMalusi oyedwa’ uye wahlala ubumbene?
5 Namuhla oFakazi BakaJehova batholakala bevela emikhayeni yesintu eminingi njengoba kwakunjalo ngamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala. Ngenxa yalokho, bavela kuzo zonke izinhlanga zesintu, kuyo yonke imibala yesikhumba nezindlela zokuphila. Lezizinto eziphawulekayo ngabe ziye zasebenza njengesici esihlukanisayo phakathi koFakazi BakaJehova. Kodwa akunjalo! Bayakuqaphela ukuthi naphezu kobuhlanga, ibala, ulimi, ubuzwe nezinga lenhlalo, bonke banomthombo owodwa ofanayo wokuphila nokukhanyiselwa kweqiniso. Phakathi koFakazi BakaJehova balolusuku kukhona insali yamaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya enamathemba asezulwini ne“sixuku esikhulu” salabo uMalusi Omkhulu, uJesu Kristu, ababiza ngokuthi “ezinye izimvu” zakhe. (Johane 10:16; IsAmbulo 7:9-17; Mathewu 25:31-46) Nokho, ukubikezela kukaJesu Kristu okuhlanganisa isikhathi eside akukahluleki, ngisho nakuba kwathi: “Kube-mhlambi munye nomalusi munye.” UMalusi Omuhle uye wabonisa ikhono lakhe ekugcineni bonke abalandeli bakhe abanjengezimvu abathanda ukuthula nothando ‘bemhlambi munye,’ naphezu komehluko wamathemba abo esikhathi esizayo. Bonke ngobunye bathanda owabo “umalusi oyedwa,” owanikela ngothando ukuphila kwakhe kobuntu ngenxa yabo bonke. futhi bathembekile kuye.
6. Kungani insali enethemba lasezulwini ingakugodlanga ukumemezela amaqiniso eBhayibheli amaqondana ‘nezinye izimvu’?
6 “Iqiniso” leBhayibheli lelo zonke izimvu zanamuhla ezilithanda kakhulu lisho okuningi ngethemba lePharadesi nge“sixuku esikhulu” esikhula njalo se“zinye izimvu” zikamalusi. Ngakho-ke, njengabathandi balo lonke “iqiniso” leZwi likaNkulunkulu, insali engokomoya ayinawo umona kangangokuba igodle noma yini eyinzuzo kwe“zinye izimvu” kodwa ngothando iye yasakaza ezweni lonke lelothemba elihle lasemhlabeni, ikakhulukazi kusukela ngonyaka ka-1935. Insali iyazi ukuthi manje iphila ‘ezikhathini zokubuyiselwa kwakho konke uNkulunkulu akhuluma ngakho ngomlomo wabaprofethi bakhe abangcwele, kusukela kwaphakade.’ (IzEnzo 3:21) Ensalini ukwembulwa kwaleliqiniso kuye kwaba ingxenye ye“sabelo sefa labangcwele ekukhanyeni.” Kusukela ekuqaleni kokukhishwa kwalomagazini, INqabayokulinda ngoJuly ka-1879, uye waba ithuluzi lokuvuselela lelithemba elihle kakhulu lePharadesi esintwini esihlengiwe. Ezinye izincwadi zeWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society ziye zahlangana zonke ukuze ziqinise futhi ziqinisekise lelothemba “isixuku esikhulu” se“zinye izimvu” ezilijabulela kakhulu namuhla, nokwazisa kothando ngensali.
7. Ngo-1935, iliphi ithemba ngaphandle kwelayo insali egcotshiwe eyaliveza ngothando, futhi kungani yavumela ukubhapathizwa kwalabo abanaleli elinye ithemba?
7 Kuze kube sentwasahlobo ka-1935 oFakazi BakaJehova abazinikezele nababhapathiziwe babejabulela ngokholo lweqiniso ‘ithemba elilodwa’ elabekwa phambi kwabo kwabase-Efesu 4:4-6, ngamazwi alandelayo: “Munye umzimba, munye uMoya, njengalokho nabizelwa ethembeni linye lokubizwa kwenu; yinye iNkosi, yinye inkolo, munye umbhapathizo; munye uNkulunkulu, uYise wabo bonke.” Kodwa kulowonyaka okhumbulekayo ka-1935, emhlanganweni owaqhutshwa eWashington D.C., “isixuku esikhulu,” njengoba sivezwe ngombono kusAmbulo 7:9-17, sabonakaliswa njengesakhiwa ‘ezinye izimvu’ zikaMalusi Omuhle zikaJohane 10:16. Insali egcotshiwe esanamathele “ethembeni linye” eliyiqiniso yajabula kakhulu ngalokhu kukhanya okuthuthukayo ngemiBhalo eNgcwele futhi yazimisela ukuhlanganyela ngomphefumulo wonke ekubutheni “ezinye izimvu.” Ayibanga nomuzwa wokuthi “ezinye izimvu” zazizithathela amalungelo ‘obhapathizweni olulodwa’ ngokucwiliswa emanzini, ngoba ubhapathizo lwezinjalo “ezinye izimvu” lwalufana kakhulu nokubonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwazo kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngoKristu njengoba lwalunjalo nolwensali egcotshiwe. Uthando ezazilwembethe manje lwenaba lwamukela ‘ezinye izimvu’ ezithandekayo zikaMalusi wazo.
8. Uthando lukabani ezinsukwini zikaIsrayeli wasendulo, olungaqhathaniswa nothando olukhona phakathi kwezigaba ezimbili ‘zomhlambi owodwa’?
8 Ukuthandana kuye kwathuthuka futhi kwajula phakathi kwabo bonke abafana nezimvu ‘bomhlambi owodwa’ ngaphansi kukaDavide Omkhulu, uJesu Kristu. Lesi sibopho esihlanganisayo sothando sihambelana nalolothando olwalungenakunqanyulwa, olwalungenakufa lwenkosi ekhethiwe negcotshiwe uDavide wesizwe sakwaJuda kuJonathani onothando olungenabugovu, indodana yenkosi eyayibusa ngalesosikhathi uSawule. (2 Samuweli 1:25-27) Kafushane nje ngaphambi kokwehlukana kwabo kokugcina, “uJonathani waphinda wamfungisa [uDavide] ukumthanda kwakhe, ngokuba wamthanda njengokuba ethanda umphefumulo wakhe.” (1 Samuweli 20:17) Lapho ezwa ngokufa kukaJonathani noyise empini, uDavide washukunyiselwa ukuba ahube isililo futhi umvuthwandaba waso wawufinyelela ngalamazwi: “Ngidabukile ngawe-mfowethu; wawumnandi kakhulu kimi; lwaluyisimangaliso kimi uthando lwakho, ludlula uthando lwabesifazane.” (2 Samuweli 1:26) Ukuthandana kwabo ‘kwakuyisibopho esiphelele sobunye.’ Ukufa kuphela okwabahlukanisa.
9. “Ezinye izimvu” lapho zazifanekiselwa ubani, futhi labo bezigaba ezimbili bayokwehlukana kanjani ekugcineni, kodwa kunganciphi ukuthandana kwabo?
9 UJonathani wafanekisela “ezinye izimvu” zanamuhla. Ngosuku oluthile lwesikhathi esizayo ngemva ‘kwempi yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke’ eHarmagedoni isigaba sikaJonathani esisindile siyokwehlukaniswa nensali yesigaba sikaDavide. (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16) Lokhu kuyoba kuphela ngenxa yokuthi insali ethandekayo iyothathwa ngokufa ‘ihlwithelwe,’ njengokungathi ‘emafwini ukuze ihlangane neNkosi emoyeni,’ ngokuvuselwa kwayo ngokuphazima kweso emoyeni ivela ekufeni. (1 Thesalonika 4:17) Iyoqhubeka ithanda “ezinye izimvu” ezisele emhlabeni. Eqinisweni, uthando lwayo ngalesosikhathi luyoboniswa ngamandla ngokwengeziwe!
“Okukhulu Kulokho Luthando”
10, 11. Kungani ukholo nethemba kungekukhulu njengothando, njengoba kuphawulwe kweyo-1 Korinte 13:13?
10 Lokhu kusikhumbuza amazwi kaPawulu ekuphetheni incazelo yakhe enhle kakhulu kweyo-1 Korinte 13, athi: “Manje-ke kumi ukukholwa, nokwethemba, nothando, lokho kokuthathu; kepha okukhulu kulokho luthando.” (1 Korinte 13:13) Kukanjani lokho? Nokho, cabangela okokuqala lokho okushiwo kumaHeberu 11:1: “Kepha ukukholwa kungukuqiniseka ngezinto ezithenjwayo, kuyiqiniso ngezinto ezingabonwayo.” Khona-ke ngokuqinisekile, ithemba ngezinto ezinjalo lingelesikhathi lapho ‘zingakabonwa.’ Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela uAbrahama. Wabonisa ukholo kuJehova uNkulunkulu nasekhonweni laKhe lokuvusa abafileyo. Ngakho-ke walinda ngokuqiniseka izinto ayengaziboni ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe. Ngakho-ke oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla ngenxa yokholo oluqinile kuYe, bathemba izinto ezingakabonwa ngakho-ke bayazilinda. Lapho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi bezibona ‘izinto ezithenjwayo,’ ukholo lwabo nethemba ngezinto ezinjalo luyaphela, lapho sezigcwalisekile. Lokhu kuboniswa yilokho uPawulu akusho ngokuqhubekayo kumaRoma 8:24, 25, lapho sifunda khona ukuthi:
11 “Ngokuba ethembeni nisindisiwe; kepha ithemba elibonwayo alisilo ithemba; ngokuba lokho umuntu akubonayo usakwethembelani na? Kodwa uma sithemba lokho esingakuboniyo, siyakulindela ngokubekezela.”
12. Kungayiphi indlela oFakazi BakaJehova beye babona ‘ukubuyiselwa kwazo zonke izinto,’ njengoba kuphawulwe kuzEnzo 3:21, futhi-ke ekuhambeni kwesikhathi iziphi izimfanelo eziyokhawuka kodwa iyiphi imfanelo engenakukhawuka?
12 Ngokufanayo, kusukela onyakeni ongemva kwempi ka-1919 oFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni baye bakubona ‘ukubuyiselwa kwazo zonke izinto uNkulunkulu azikhuluma ngomlomo wabaprofethi bakhe abangcwele basendulo.’ Baye babona inhlangano kaJehova ebonakalayo ilulama ekugadleni okubulalayo kweMpi Yezwe I futhi ibuye yakhiwa. Isibuye ikhulekela uJehova uNkulunkulu epharadesi elingokomoya lapha emhlabeni. (Isaya, isahluko 35) Baye bakhululwa eBabiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. (IsAmbulo 18:1-4) Izinto eziningi ezabikezelwa kusAmbulo, incwadi yokugcina yeBhayibheli, ziye zagcwaliseka noma ziyagcwaliseka. Ngakho-ke ukholo nethemba okusekelwe kolunjalo ukholo olungokweBhayibheli kufeza injongo yakho, futhi lapho injongo yakho isifezwe ngokugcwele, kuyokhawuka. Ah, yebo, kodwa kuthiwani ngothando? Lusekhona futhi luyohlala lukhona. Lapho izwe lisesimweni sokwehlukana nokusezweni sekuzoncibilika ngenxa yokushisa okukhulu, “isibopho sobunye” esisekelwe othandweni oluvela kuNkulunkulu asibi buthakathaka. Sisengesiphelele kuNkulunkulu nasenhlanganweni evunyelwa nguye naphakathi kwensali ‘yomhlambi omncane’ ne“sixuku esikhulu” esamukelekile ‘sezinye izimvu.’ Sibonakala ‘siphelele.’ Uthando ‘njengesibopho’ luyisithelo somoya kaNkulunkulu.
13. Kungani uthando lungasoze lwafa?
13 UNkulunkulu uluthando olwenziwe samuntu; futhi njengoba uNkulunkulu engenakufa, uthando alusoze lwafa. Kushiwo ngokuqondile ukuthi, “uNkulunkulu uluthando.”
14. Iliphi iqiniso elingabuye liphawulwe maqondana namandla ahlanganisayo othando?
14 Maqondana namandla ahlanganisayo othando, iqiniso eliphefumlelwe eliphawulwe kweyo-1 Johane 4:8, 16 lingaphindaphindwa futhi likhuliswe: “UNkulunkulu uluthando, nohlala othandweni uhlala kuNkulunkulu, noNkulunkulu uhlala kuye.”
15. Lapho edala umuntu, uNkulunkulu washukunyiswa yini, futhi kungani umuntu engawazisa futhi asabele ngokufanelekile kulawo mandla ashukumisayo?
15 Ngokufanelekile, lapho uNkulunkulu edala isidalwa sokuqala emhlabeni, washukunyiswa uthando ukuba enze lokhu. Njengoba uGenesise 1:27 ebika ngalokhu: “UNkulunkulu wamdala umuntu ngomfanekiso wakhe; wamdala ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu.” Akusho ukuthi umuntu wokuqala wayenomzimba ofana nokaNkulunkulu, kodwa ukuthi waphiwa izimfanelo ezifana nezikaNkulunkulu ngokwakhe, lezizimfanelo ezingokwengqondo, ezingokomoya nezenhliziyo zimehlukanisa nezidalwa zohlobo oluphansi emhlabeni. Ngenxa yalesisizathu lesisidalwa esingumuntu esinalesiphiwo sasingalwazisa uthando loMdali waso ngaso futhi sasingasabela kulolothando ngendlela efanelekile, njengendodana kuyise. Kwakukhona isibopho somkhaya phakathi kwabo esenziwa saba esingokoqobo ngokukhulumisana njalo naphezu kweqiniso lokuthi uYise wayengabonakali endodaneni yasemhlabeni, njengoba kungekho muntu ongabona uNkulunkulu futhi aphile. Leliqiniso uNkulunkulu waliphawula kamuva kuMose: “Akukho-muntu ongangibona, aphile.” (Eksodusi 33:20) Lomthetho awushintshwanga, ngoba eminyakeni engaphezu kwamakhulu ayishumi nesihlanu kamuva umphostoli uJohane walobela amaKristu ayekanye nawo: “Akakho oké wabona uNkulunkulu; iNdodana ezelwe yodwa esesifubeni sikaYise iyona embonakalisile.”—Johane 1:18.
16. UJohane nabafundi abakanye naye basabela kanjani othandweni lobubaba lukaNkulunkulu, futhi ‘isibopho sothando’ sazibonakalisa sinjani maqondana nensali egcotshiwe ‘nezinye izimvu’?
16 NjengeNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa, umphostoli uJohane wayesebuhlotsheni bomkhaya noJehova uNkulunkulu neNdodana yakhe, “iNdodana ezelwe yodwa,” uJesu Kristu. UJohane namaKristu ayekanye nawo basabela othandweni lobubaba lukaNkulunkulu ngothando lukababa nendodana. Lolothando ‘lwaluyisibopho sobunye’ phakathi kwabo noYise ongabonakali wasezulwini. Futhi lwahlanganisa ndawonye abazelwe ngomoya njengamadodana angokomoya kaNkulunkulu nanjengabafowabo nodadewabo abangamaKristu. Njengoba sihlola leso‘sibopho sobunye’ namuhla siyabona ukuthi siye saba ‘esiphelele,’ ngoba amalungu ensali egcotshiwe aye ahlangana ndawonye ngokungenakwehlukaniswa njengabakhulekeli ababambisene nofakazi bakaJehova uNkulunkulu. Loluthando lubagcina emkhayeni kaNkulunkulu nasebuzalwaneni bobuKristu. Ngokuphawulekayo, abakhonza kanye nabo ethempeleni likaNkulunkulu, “isixuku esikhulu” ‘sezinye izimvu’ zikaKristu, babonisa olufanayo uthando olungenakucinywa oluhlanganisa oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla ndawonye ngokuphelele. Sengathi kungaba isinqumo sethu ukuhlanganyela ukholo lukamphostoli uPawulu lokuthi “nanto enye edaliweyo akuyikuba-namandla okusahlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu olukuKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.”—Roma 8:38, 39.
Ungayiphendula Kanjani Lemibuzo?
□ Kukanjani yonke imikhaya yethiwa ngoNkulunkulu?
□ Leloqiniso kumelwe libathinte kanjani bonke abasebandleni lobuKristu?
□ UJonathani wayefanekisela obani?
□ Kungani uthando lulukhulu kunokholo nethemba?
□ Uthando lusihlanganisa kanjani kuNkulunkulu?
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Uthando olujulile phakathi kukaDavide noJonathani lwafanekisela uthando phakathi kwabagcotshiwe “nezinye izimvu”