Ukwethembeka—Kunentengo Engakanani?
“Kothembekileyo uyazibonakalisa uthembekile.”—IHUBO 18:25.
1, 2. (a) Kuyini ukwethembeka, futhi izici zako zikuthinta kanjani ukuphila kwethu? (b) Kungani kukuhle ukuphendukela kuJehova njengeSibonelo sethu esivelele?
UKWETHEMBEKA, imfanelo, uthando, isibopho, ukukholeka. Yini lamagama afana ngayo? Ayizinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zokwethembeka. Ukwethembeka kuyimfanelo yokwesaba uNkulunkulu evela ekuzinikeleni okusuka enhliziyweni. Nokho, kubantu abaningi namuhla ukwethembeka akusho lutho. Ukwethembeka kumngane womshado, izibopho emalungwini amadala omkhaya, ukukholeka kwesisebenzi kumqashi waso—konke kwenzeka ngokwethukela futhi ngokuvamile akunakwa. Futhi kwenzekani lapho kufanele ukhethe ukuthi uthembeke kubani? Muva nje, eNgilandi, lapho umgcini wamabhuku ezimali etshela abahloli bezintela iqiniso ngezimali zenkampani, walahlekelwa umsebenzi.
2 Kulula ukukhuluma nje ngokwethembeka, kodwa ukwethembeka kwangempela kumelwe kusekelwe yisenzo esingahileli ukuhlehla kokwesaba. Njengabantu abangaphelele, sivame ukwehluleka kulokhu. Ngakho kuhle ukuba sicabangele isibonelo salowo okuthembeka kwakhe akunakungatshazwa ngokuphumelelayo, uJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe.
Kubekwa Isibonelo Sokwethembeka
3. UJehova wazibonakalisa kanjani ethembekile enjongweni yakhe eshiwo kuGenesise 3:15?
3 Lapho uAdamu ona, uJehova waveza ngokucacile injongo yakhe yokuhlenga umkhaya wesintu owawungakazalwa. Isisekelo salesisenzo sasiwuthando lwakhe ngendalo yakhe engabantu. (Johane 3:16) Ngesikhathi esifanele, uJesu Kristu, imbewu yesithembiso eyabikezelwa kuGenesise 3:15, yaba umhlatshelo wesihlengo, futhi kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba uJehova ahoxise isithembiso sakhe ayesishilo. Ngokwamukela umhlatshelo kaJesu, ukholo lwethu ngeke luholele ekudumazekeni.—Roma 9:33.
4. UJehova wazibonakalisa kanjani ethembekile kuJesu, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?
4 Ukwethembeka kukaJehova kuJesu kwayiqinisa kakhulu iNdodana phakathi nesikhathi sayo isemhlabeni. UJesu wayazi ukuthi kumelwe abhekane nokufa, futhi wayezimisele ngokuqinile ukuhlala ethembekile kuNkulunkulu wakhe kuze kube sekupheleni. Ulwazi olugcwele ngokwengeziwe ngokuba khona kwakhe kwangaphambi kobuntu walwembulelwa ekubhapathizweni kwakhe nokugcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele. Ngobusuku bokukhashelwa kwakhe, wathandazela ukubuyiselwa kuYise wasezulwini, ‘enkazimulweni ayenayo eduze kukaJehova izwe lingakabikho.’ (Johane 17:5) Lokhu kwakuyokwenzeka kanjani? Kuphela ngokungashiyi kukaJehova iNdodana yakhe ethembekile ethuneni ukuba ibone ukubola. UJehova wamvusa ekufeni wamvusela ekuphileni kokungafi, ngaleyondlela egcwalisa isithembiso esingokwesiprofetho esilotshwe kumaHubo 16:10: “Awuyikunikela umphefumulo wami endaweni yabafileyo.”—IzEnzo 2:24-31; 13:35; IsAmbulo 1:18.
5. Yiziphi ezinye izenzo zokwethembeka ezihlangene nezithembiso zikaJehova kuJesu?
5 Ngemva kokuvuka kwakhe, uJesu naye wayazi ukuthi wayengathembela emazwini kaJehova ‘okwenza izitha zakhe zibe yisenabelo sezinyawo zakhe.’ (IHubo 110:1) Lesosikhathi safika ngo-1914, ekupheleni ‘kwezikhathi zabezizwe,’ ngokumiswa koMbuso emazulwini. Ukunyuselwa kukaJesu okwakuthenjisiwe ngaphezu kwezitha zakhe kwaqala ngokuxoshwa kukaSathane namademoni akhe ezulwini. Kuyofinyelela umvuthwandaba lapho befakwa kwalasha iminyaka eyinkulungwane futhi “amakhosi omhlaba, nezimpi zawo” esebhujisiwe.—Luka 21:24; IsAmbulo 12:7-12; 19:19; 20:1-3.
6. Yiliphi ithemba eliqinisekile uNkulunkulu alidlulisela kithi, futhi singakubonisa kanjani ukwazisa kwethu ngalo?
6 Umhubi wanxusa: “Lindela uJehova, ulonde indlela yakhe; uzakukuphakamisa, udle ifa lomhlaba.” (IHubo 37:34) Singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyoqhubeka egcina izwi lakhe, futhi phakathi nokuphela kwalelizwe elibi, uyosindisa amadoda, abesifazane, nabantwana ‘abalonda indlela yakhe.’ Lawomazwi ngesiHeberu sokuqala aveza umqondo wakho kokubili inkuthalo nokwethembeka ekukhonzeni uJehova. Ngakho-ke, manje akusesona isikhathi sokukhathala noma sokudela amalungelo enkonzo adluliselwe kithi. Lesi isikhathi sokuzikhandla enkonzweni yokwethembeka kaNkulunkulu wethu noMbuso wakhe. (Isaya 35:3, 4) Kunezibonelo ezinhle zokusikhuthaza. Ake sicabangele ezinye zazo.
Izinzalamizi Zibonakalisa Ukwethembeka
7, 8. (a) Yiziphi izabelo zomsebenzi uJehova azidlulisela kuNowa nomkhaya wakhe? (b) Indlu kaNowa yabonakalisa kanjani ukuthi iyasifanelekela isivikelo sikaNkulunkulu ngesikhathi sikazamcolo womhlaba wonke?
7 Lapho uJehova ehlosa ukubhubhisa umphakathi wesintu owonakele ngozamcolo wamanzi, wenza isivumelwano nenhloko yomkhaya wezinzalamizi uNowa ngenjongo yokulondoloza umkhaya wakhe nokuqhubeka kokuphila kulomhlaba. (Genesise 6:18) UNowa wayelijabulela ithemba lesivikelo saphezulu, kodwa yena nomkhaya wakhe kwakumelwe babonakalise ukuthi bayasifanelekela. Kanjani? Ngokwenza lokho uJehova ayekuyalile. Okokuqala babhekana nomsebenzi omkhulu wokwakha umkhumbi. Lapho usuphelile, uNowa kwakumelwe awugcwalise ngezinhlobo ezimelele zonke izilwane nangokudla okwanele okwakuzobasekela isikhathi eside. Kodwa kwakungapheleli lapho. Phakathi nesikhathi esandisiwe sokulungiselela, uNowa wayenza konke okwakusemandleni akhe emsebenzini wokushumayela owawungakaze wenziwe, exwayisa ngesahlulelo saphezulu esasizofika.—Genesise, izahluko 6 no-7; 2 Petru 2:5.
8 IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi “uNowa wenze njalo; njengalokho uNkulunkulu emyalile wakwenza.” (Genesise 6:22; 7:5) UNowa nomkhaya wakhe bazibonakalisa bethembekile ekufezeni izabelo zabo. Umoya wabo wokuzidela wabonisa ukuthi isikhathi sabo sasetshenziswa ngokunenzuzo, kodwa umsebenzi wawunzima futhi ukushumayela kulukhuni. Ngokungazali kwabo abantwana ngaphambi kukaZamcolo, amadodana kaNowa nawomkawo basizakala ukuba bagxile emsebenzini abawabelwe nokuba bahlele kahle umsebenzi wabo. LowoZamcolo owawubhubhisa waletha ukuphela okufanele ezweni elibi. UNowa, umkakhe, namadodana abo amathathu nomalokazana abathathu kuphela abasinda. Singajabula ngokuthi babethembekile kuNkulunkulu neziqondiso zakhe, njengoba ngamunye wethu evela ngokuqondile kuNowa ngoShemi, ngoHamu, noma ngoJafete.—Genesise 5:32; 1 Petru 3:20.
9. (a) Kukanjani ukuvivinya kukaJehova uAbrahama kwakuwukuvivinywa kokwethembeka kwakhe? (b) UIsaka wakubonisa kanjani ukwethembeka kulokhu?
9 Lapho uAbrahama elungiselela ukunikela uIsaka njengomhlatshelo, wayelalela ngokwethembeka umyalo kaJehova. Yeka ukuvivinywa kokwethembeka kwakhe lokho okwakuyikho! Nokho, uJehova wabamba isandla sika-Abrahama, ethi: “Ngiyazi manje ukuthi uyamesaba uNkulunkulu, lokhu ungagodlanga kimi nandodana eyodwa yakho.” Nokho, senza kahle ngokucabanga ngalokho okwandulela lokho. Phakathi nohambo lwezinsuku ezintathu oluya eNtabeni yaseMoriya, ngokuqinisekile uAbrahama wayenesikhathi esanele sokucabangisisa ngakho futhi ashintshe ingqondo yakhe. Kuthiwani ngoIsaka, owathwala izinkuni zomhlatshelo nowavuma ukuba aboshwe izandla nezinyawo? Akazange antengantenge ekwethembekeni kwakhe kuyise, uAbrahama, noma angabaze indima okwakumelwe ayifeze, ngisho nakuba kwakubonakala ukuthi inkambo yakhe yokwethembeka yayizomlahlekisela ukuphila kwakhe.—Genesise 22:1-18; Heberu 11:17.
Ukwethembeka KobuKristu
10, 11. Yiziphi izibonelo zokwethembeka amaKristu okuqala azinikezayo?
10 Ngaso sonke isikhathi uJehova uye wenza ngokwethembeka kwangempela. “Yibani-ngabalingisa uNkulunkulu,” kunxusa umphostoli uPawulu. (Efesu 5:1, 2) Njengoba kwasabela izinzalamizi, namaKristu kwakuyomelwe asabele kanjalo. AmaKristu okuqala abeka izibonelo ezinhle ekukhulekeleni kokwethembeka, njengoba okuhlangenwe nakho okulandelayo kubonisa.
11 Umbusi wamaRoma uConstantius I, uyise woMbusi uConstantine, ngokusobala wayenenhlonipho ejulile ngabalandeli bakaJesu Kristu. Ukuze ahlole ukwethembeka kwamaKristu asendlini yakhe yobukhosi, wawatshela ukuthi ayeyoqhubeka emsebenzela kuphela uma evuma ukuhlabela izithombe. Atshelwa ukuthi ukwenqaba kwakuyoholela ekuxoshweni kwawo nasekuziphindiseleleni kwakhe. Ngalelisu elilula, uConstantius wayefuna ukubona labo ababengeke bahlehle ekwethembekeni kwabo. Labo abazibonakalisa bethembekile kuNkulunkulu nasezimisweni zakhe bagcinwa enkonzweni yombusi, abanye baze baba abeluleki abathenjwayo. Labo abangazange bathembeke emyalweni kaNkulunkulu baxoshwa ngokuhlazisayo.
12. Ababonisi abangamaKristu kumelwe bakubonakalise kanjani ukwethembeka, futhi kungani lokhu kubalulekile ngenhlala-kahle yebandla?
12 Nakuba ukwethembeka kumelwe kube isici sokuphila kwawo wonke amaKristu, kubalwe ngokukhethekile kuThithu 1:8, (NW) ohlwini lwezimfanelo ezidingekayo ukuze indoda ibe umbonisi ongumKristu. UWilliam Barclay uthi elithi hoʹsi·os, igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe lapha ngokuthi “ukwethembeka,” lichaza “indoda ethobela imithetho yaphakade eyayikhona nekhona ngaphambi kwanoma yimiphi imithetho eyenziwe umuntu.” Kubalulekile ukuba abadala bathathe isimo esinjalo sokulalela imithetho kaNkulunkulu. Lesibonelo esifanele siyosiza ibandla ukuba likhule futhi liqine ngokwanele ukuba lihlangabezane nalo lonke uvivinyo nokucindezeleka okungase kulisongele njengendikimba noma amalungu alo ngamanye. (1 Petru 5:3) Abadala abamisiwe banomthwalo wemfanelo omkhulu emhlanjini wokuba bangalokothi bahlehle ekwethembekeni kwabo kuJehova, ngoba ibandla liyalwa ukuba ‘lilingise ukukholwa kwabo.’—Heberu 13:7.
Ukwethembeka—Kunentengo Engakanani?
13. Sisho ukuthini isaga esithi “Bonke abantu banentengo yabo,” futhi yiziphi izibonelo ezibonakala zikufakazela lokhu?
13 Esithi “Bonke abantu banentengo yabo” yisaga sikaSir Robert Walpole, undunankulu waseBrithani wekhulu le-18 leminyaka. Sibeka kahle ngamafuphi iqiniso lokuthi kuwo wonke umlando ukwethembeka ngokuvamile kuye kwathengiswa ngenzuzo yobugovu. Cabangela umhumushi weBhayibheli uWilliam Tyndale, owamukela ngephutha uHenry Phillips njengomngane othembekile. Ngo-1535 uPhillips wakhaphela ngokungathembeki uTyndale ezitheni zakhe, okwaholela ekuboshweni okusheshayo kukaTyndale nokufa kwakhe ngaphambi kwesikhathi. Esinye isazi-mlando sithi uPhillips, mhlawumbe owayeyinxusa lenkosi yamaNgisi noma lamaKatolika angamaNgisi, “wakhokhelwa kahle ngomsebenzi wakhe kaJuda.” Yebo, isazi-mlando sasibhekisela kuJuda Iskariyothe, owamukela izinhlamvu ezingu-30 zesiliva njengentengo yokukhaphela uJesu Kristu. Nokho, ngalezibonelo akumelwe siphethe ngokuthi “intengo” yokwethembeka komuntu iyimali ngaso sonke isikhathi. Akunjalo.
14. Ukwethembeka kukaJosefa kuJehova kwavivinywa kanjani, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?
14 Lapho umkaPotifari encenga uJosefa ukuba ‘alale [naye],’ ukwethembeka kwakhe kuJehova kwavivinywa. Wayezokwenzenjani? Njengoba ingqondo yakhe yayiziqonda kakade izimiso ezazihilelekile, uJosefa wabaleka endlini, ezimisele ngokuthi wayengeke alokothe ‘enze lobobubi obungaka, one kuNkulunkulu.’ Ithuba lenjabulo yobulili lalingeke linqobe ukwethembeka kukaJosefa kuNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova.—Genesise 39:7-9.
15. UAbisalomu wakubonakalisa kanjani ukungathembeki, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?
15 Nokho, kunezinye izingozi; isifiso sokuvelela singakululaza ukwethembeka. Kwakuyileso isisusa sokuvukela kuka-Abisalomu uyise, iNkosi uDavide. Ngokuceba nangokuqhatha amasu, uAbisalomu wafuna ukuzenzela ugazi kubantu. Ekugcineni, wavusa impi ukuba ihlasele abasekeli bakayise. Ukufa kwakhe esandleni sikaJowabe kwaphelisa ukungathembeki kuka-Abisalomu kuyise, uDavide, kodwa yeka intengo ayikhokha ngokuzama ukugumbuqela ilungiselelo elingokwasezulwini!—2 Samuweli 15:1-12; 18:6-17.
Ukwethembeka Okungethengwe Ngantengo
16. Yini eyesi-2 Korinte 11:3 eyembulayo ngezisusa zikaSathane?
16 Nakuba uSathane ethi wonke umuntu unenkokhelo yakhe, futhi lokhu kwaba njalo ngoAbisalomu, akubanga njalo ngoJosefa, futhi akukaze kube njalo ngabakhulekeli bakaJehova abathembekile. Nokho, uSathane uyosinika noma yini ukuze asenze siphule ukwethembeka kwethu kuMdali wethu. Umphostoli uPawulu wabonisa uvalo lwakhe lokuthi “njengalokho inyoka yamkhohlisa uEva ngobuqili bayo,” ukucabanga kwethu kungase konakaliswe, kusiholele ekubeni sihlehle ekwethembekeni kwethu kuJehova nasekumkhulekeleni.—2 Korinte 11:3.
17. Abanye baye bawathengisa ngani amalungelo ayigugu enkonzo?
17 Kufanelekile ukuba sizibuze: ‘Ingabe ikhona intengo engingayamukela ngithengise ngelungelo lami lokukhulekela uMdali wami ngokwethembeka?’ Kuyiqiniso elidabukisayo ukuthi, ngokungafani noJosefa, abanye ababeyizinceku zikaJehova ezizinikezele balithengisa ngentengo ephansi kakhulu. Ngisho nabanye abadala baye bathengisa ngamalungelo abo ayigugu enkonzo engcwele ngenxa yenjabulo yesikhashana yokwanelisa inkanuko yokuziphatha okubi. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bangabadala noma cha, abaningi balabo abenza lokhu baye balahlekelwa ubunye bomkhaya unomphelo, uthando nenhlonipho yebandla, nokuvunyelwa uJehova—Yena kanye umuntu onganikeza amandla okulondoloza ukwethembeka nokumelana nanoma yisiphi isilingo esivela kuSathane.—Isaya 12:2; Filipi 4:13.
18. Kungani kubalulekile ukulalela isixwayiso esikweyoku-1 Thimothewu 6:9, 10?
18 Abanye, ngokuzimisela okunesifiso sokuvelela sokuqhubeka neminako yezwe, baye “bazigwaza ngeminjunju eminingi,” naphezu kwezixwayiso zeBhayibheli ezicacile. (1 Thimothewu 6:9, 10) UDema, umKristu uPawulu akhuluma ngaye, walahlekelwa ngenxa yalokhu, okwesikhashana noma phakade. (2 Thimothewu 4:10) Ukwethembeka kuJehova akusoze kwayekethiswa ingabi bikho imiphumela elimazayo. “UNkulunkulu akahlekwa. Ngokuba lokho akuhlwanyelayo umuntu, lokho wokuvuna.”—Galathiya 6:7.
19, 20. (a) Yiziphi ezinye zezingozi ezihlobene nokubukela ithelevishini ngokweqile? (b) Yisiphi isibonelo omunye umkhaya woFakazi oye wasibeka?
19 Ngezinye izikhathi intengo yako ivela ngendlela ewubuqili kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, umbiko ovela eUnited States uthi imikhaya eminingi ichitha cishe ingxenye yamahora ayo esuke iphapheme ngawo ekhaya ibukela ithelevishini, intsha ilutheké ngokukhethekile. Uma umKristu ubengondla ingqondo yakhe ngokuyinhloko ngethelevishini, nobulili bayo nobudlova, ngokushesha ubeyozilulaza izimiso zakhe zobuKristu. Lokho bekungaholela kalula ekubeni angathembeki, ahlukaniswe noNkulunkulu. Ukuzihlanganisa nabangane ababi kanjalo kuyakonakalisa ukuziphatha okuhle. (1 Korinte 15:33) Akumelwe sikhohlwe ukuthi imiBhalo isiyala ukuba sizinike isikhathi sokutadisha nokuzindla ngeZwi likaJehova. Ingabe isikhathi esiningi osichitha uphumule phambi kwethelevishini siyilokho obungenana ngakho ngokufanelekile isikhathi ebesingasetshenziselwa ukuzuza ulwazi oluholela ekuphileni okuphakade njengomkhulekeli othembekile kaJehova? Abaningi abathola ulwazi lweqiniso namuhla kuye kwadingeka benze ushintsho olukhulu ekucabangeni kwabo kulokhu.—1 Thimothewu 4:15, 16; 2 Thimothewu 2:15.
20 UTakashi ungusomabhizinisi waseJapane ohlala eNgilandi. Wayevame ukuchitha amahora amathathu noma amane ubusuku obuningi ebukela ithelevishini nabantwana bakhe. Ngemva kokuba yena nomkakhe bebhapathiziwe eminyakeni emithathu edlule, wanquma ukuthi isifundo seBhayibheli somuntu siqu nesomkhaya kumelwe size kuqala. Ngokunciphisa ukubukela kwakhe ithelevishini kwaba imizuzu engu-15 noma engu-30 kuphela ngokwesilinganiso ngosuku, wenza ukuhola okuhle emkhayeni. Nakuba uTakashi kumelwe atadishe esebenzisa amaBhayibheli amabili, elilodwa lesiNgisi futhi elinye elesiJapane, ukukhula kwakhe ngokomoya kuye kwashesha, futhi manje ukhonza njengenceku ekhonzayo ebandleni elikhuluma isiNgisi. Umkakhe uyiphayona elisizayo. “Ukuze ngilondoloze isimo esingokomoya sabafana bethu ababili abancane,” esho, “usuku ngalunye ngigada ngokucophelela futhi lokho mina nomkami esibavumela ukuba bakubuke kuyithelevishini.” Ukuzithiba okunjalo kuyavuza.
21. Yini esiyaziyo ngamacebo kaSathane, futhi singazilonda kanjani?
21 Nakhu esingaqiniseka ngakho: USathane uyabazi ubuthakathaka bethu, mhlawumbe kangcono kunokuba thina ngokwethu sibazi. Uyokwenza konke okusemandleni akhe njengoba ezama ukusenza sihlehle noma ukwenza ukwethembeka kwethu kuJehova kube buthakathaka. (Qhathanisa noMathewu 4:8, 9.) Khona-ke, singazilonda kanjani? Ngokuhlala sikhumbula njalo ukuzinikezela kwethu nangokujabulela ukuthuthukisa amakhono njengoba sikhonza izidingo zabanye ezingokomoya. Njengezinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile, kumelwe sihlale simatasa enkonzweni yakhe futhi ngazo zonke izikhathi siqondiswe yiZwi lakhe elingcwele. Lokhu kuyosisiza ekuzimiseleni kwethu okuqinile kokuthi akukho nkokhelo uSathane angasithembisa yona eyosigudluza ekwethembekeni kuNkulunkulu.—IHubo 119:14-16.
Uphendula Kanjani?
◻ UJehova noJesu baye bakubo-nakalisa kanjani ukwethembeka?
◻ Yiziphi ezinye zezibonelo ezingokweBhayibheli zokwethembeka?
◻ Yini uSathane angasithembisa yona noma azame ukuyenza?
◻ Singaziqinisa kanjani ukuba sihlale sithembekile ekukhulekeleni kwethu uJehova?