Thembeka Ezintweni Zonke
“Siyethemba ukuthi sinonembeza omuhle, sithanda ukuhamba kahle [“ngokwethembeka,” NW] ezintweni zonke.”—HEBERU 13:18.
1, 2. (a) Kwenzekeni ekwethembekeni esikhathini sethu? (b) Luhlobo luni lwabantu oluhileleke ekungethembekini?
ABANTU abadala bayasikhumbula isikhathi lapho, ezindaweni eziningi, abantu babengayihluthuleli iminyango yabo. Babengacabangi ngokwebela abanye noma ukubakhohlisa. Uma beboleke imali, babenomuzwa wesibopho sokwethembeka sokuyibuyisela. Futhi izwi labo ‘lalilihle njengegolide.’ Iqiniso, kwakukhona ukungethembeki, kodwa kwakungagcwele yonke indawo. Nokho, namuhla, ukweba, ukuqamba amanga, nokukhohlisa kuyinhlalayenza kuwo wonke umhlaba. Futhi izenzo eziningi zokungethembeki zivela kubantu okuthiwa bahloniphekile abahlala nabasebenza ezindaweni ezikahle, abagqoka kahle, mhlawumbe abanenkolo, futhi abazibheka njengezakhamuzi ezinhle. Ngempela, ukungethembeki kuye kwanda phakathi kweziphathimandla zikahulumeni nezebhizinisi.
2 Unyaka ngamunye eUnited States kubikwa ubugebengu obukhulu obungaphezu kwezigidi eziyi-11 obuhilela ukungethembeki. Futhi ukwehluleka ukubika yonke imali yentela kungaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingama-R640 unyaka ngamunye. EDolobheni laseNew York, cishe abantu abayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu bagwema ukukhokha imali yezitimela ezihamba ngaphansi—usuku ngalunye. Esinye isiphathimandla sathi ukuba bonke labakhohlisi bebengaboshwa, “bekuyodlula izinyanga eziningi izinkantolo zimatasa kakhulu.” EJapane ukuhlolwa kwabakhokhi bentela kwembula ukuthi amaphesenti angama-95 ayekhohlisa ekukhokheni intela, kuhlanganise namaphesenti angama-92 abameli. Ngenyanga eyodwa kwabanjwa abantu abangaphezu kwezi-16 000 begibele mahhala ezitimeleni.
3. Kuye kwachuma kanjani ukungethembeki emshadweni?
3 Nasekuphileni komshado ukungethembeki kuye kwanda. Eminyakeni ethile edlule ukuhlola kwembula ukuthi amaphesenti angama-30 abesifazane baseMelika “ahlanganyela ebuhlotsheni bobulili obungaphandle komshado.” Ekuhlolweni kwamuva nje kwabesifazane abashadile abangaphezu kwezinkulungwane eziyikhulu, abangamaphesenti angama-50 bavuma ukuthi “bake baba nobuhlobo bobulili obungaphandle komshado, okungenani kanye.” Ingqapheli yaphawula ukuthi cishe “amadoda ashadile angamaphesenti angama-90” akhohlisa ngokufanayo.
Ingxenye ‘Yezinsuku Zokugcina’
4. Kungani kungasimangalisi ukwanda kokungathembeki?
4 Akuzimangalisi izinceku zikaJehova ukuthi ukungethembeki kuye kwanda. Ziyazi ukuthi lokhu kuyingxenye yesibonakaliso salezi “zinsuku zokugcina.” IZwi likaNkulunkulu labikezela ukuthi esikhathini sethu abantu babeyoba ‘ngabazithandayo, nabathandimali, nabahlazisayo [“abangathembekile,” NW], nabangazithibi, nabangathandi okuhle, nabanesimo sokumesaba uNkulunkulu kepha amandla akho bewaphika, futhi beqhubekela phambili ebubini.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, 13) Iqembu lezazi lathi abantu emhlabeni “ngokwandayo babekela eceleni amasiko okuhle nokubi futhi bawushaya indiva unembeza.”
5. Kwenzekani lapho isimo esifana nesosuku lwethu sisembusweni wakwaIsrayeli wezizwe eziyishumi?
5 Isimo emhlabeni namuhla sedlulele kunalokho esasiyikho ngesikhathi sangaphambi nje kokuba uJehova ehlise isahlulelo sakhe embusweni wezizwe eziyishumi zakwaIsrayeli wasendulo. UHoseya 4:1-3 uthi ngalesosikhathi: “UJehova unokuphikisana nabakhileyo ezweni, lokhu kungekho-qiniso, namusa, nakumazi uNkulunkulu ezweni. Kukhona ukufunga nokuqamba amanga, nokubulala, nokweba, nokuphinga; bayafohla, izingazi zilandele izingazi. Ngalokho izwe liyakudabuka, bonke abakhe kulo badangale [“bashabalale,” NW].” Isahlulelo sikaJehova esibuhlungu sakhishwa ngo-740 B.C.E. lapho evumela iAsiriya ukuba linqobe iIsrayeli nekomkhulu lalo iSamariya futhi lidingise izakhamuzi zalo.
6. Kungani uNkulunkulu eyokwehlisa isahlulelo kulesimiso samanje, futhi siqiniseke kangakanani lesosahlulelo?
6 Ngokufanayo, uJehova “unokuphikisana” nalelizwe elingathembekile. ImiBhalo ikwenza kucace ukuthi uJehova uselahlulele futhi ‘liyoshabalala’ ekubhujisweni. “Izulu nomhlaba okukhona manje kubekelelwe umlilo ngalo lona lelizwi, kulindele usuku lokwahlulela nolokubhubha kwabantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu.” (2 Petru 3:7) Ukugcwaliseka kwalokhu kuqiniseke kangangokuthi iZwi likaNkulunkulu likhuluma ngakho njengokungathi sekwenzekile kakade: “Bheka, iNkosi [“uJehova,” NW] iyakufika nabangcwele bayo abayizigidigidi, ukuze yahlulele bonke, ijezise bonke abangamesabi uNkulunkulu ngenxa yemisebenzi yonke yabo yokungahloniphi uNkulunkulu abadelela ngayo.”—Juda 14, 15.
7. Kuze kube yilapho uJehova ephelisa lelizwe elonakele, izinceku zakhe zibhekene naziphi izinselele?
7 Nokho, izinceku lukaNkulunkulu kumelwe zihlale kulelizwe elingathembekile kuze kube yilapho elibhubhisa. Nakuba amaKristu ‘esezweni,’ njengoba uJesu asho, ‘awasiwo awezwe.’ (Johane 17:11-14) Ngakho, nsuku zonke kudingeka enze izahlulelo zokuziphatha ezihilela ukwethembeka. Lokhu kuhlanganisa izimo emsebenzini, esikoleni, emkhayeni, noma nabangane. Kuzo zonke izinselele zonembeza wazo oqeqeshwe ngeBhayibheli, izinceku zikaJehova zifuna ukuzizwa njengomphostoli uPawulu lapho ethi: “Siyethemba ukuthi sinonembeza omuhle, sithanda ukuhamba kahle ezintweni zonke.”—Heberu 13:18.
Akuyona Nje ‘Inkambiso Engcono Kakhulu’
8. Kungani ukwethembeka kuyinkambiso yezinceku zikaJehova?
8 NgesiNgisi kuye kwathiwa ‘ukwethembeka kuyinkambiso engcono kakhulu,’ okusho ukuthi ukwethembeka kuletha imiphumela enenzuzo. Kodwa ngamaKristu, kuhilela okungaphezu kwalokho. Ngawo, ukwethembeka kuwukuphela kwenkambiso. Njengoba eyizinceku zikaJehova, anesibopho sokungalingisi ukungathembeki kwalelizwe elilahliwe—nganoma isiphi isizathu. Kunalokho, kumelwe enze yonke imisebenzi yawo ngokuvumelana nemithetho kaNkulunkulu. Futhi imithetho yakhe ayiguqukile kulokhu.
9. UMthetho kaJehova kuIsrayeli wasendulo wakugcizelela kanjani ukwethembeka?
9 Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova wathi kuIsrayeli wasendulo: “Ungaphingi. Ungebi. Ungafakazi amanga ngomakhelwane wakho. Ungafisi . . . nokunye okomakhelwane wakho.” (Eksodusi 20:14-17) Ngokufanayo, uLevitikusi 19:11, 12 uthi: “Ningebi, ningakhohlisani, ningaqambelani amanga. Ningafungeli igama lami amanga, uze uhlambalaze igama likaNkulunkulu; nginguJehova.”
10. UbuKristu bukugcizelela kanjani ukwethembeka?
10 Imithetho enjalo iye yaphindwa ngenxa yamaKristu. Ngakho, iZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Kepha kanazi yini ukuthi abangalungile abayikulidla ifa lombuso kaNkulunkulu na? Ningadukiswa. Nazifebe, nabakhonza isithombe, naziphingi, nazihlobongi, nabesilisa abalalanayo, namasela, nabahahayo, nazidakwa, nazithuki, nabaphangi abayikulidla ifa lombuso kaNkulunkulu;” futhi ngisho nanoma obani “abenza amanga.” (1 Korinte 6:9, 10; IsAmbulo 22:15) Bonke abafuna ukuphila esimisweni esisha sikaNkulunkulu kumelwe babonise izimfanelo zakhe, enye yazo iwukuthi “uNkulunkulu ongaqambi amanga.” (Thithu 1:2; Heberu 6:18) Ukungethembeki kuvela kuSathane, “uyise wamanga.”—Johane 8:44, NW.
11, 12. (a) Kungani kumelwe sikufunde manje ukwethembeka? (b) Kungani sizizwa silondekile enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu ebonakalayo?
11 Njengoba ‘emhlabeni omusha’ kaNkulunkulu othenjisiwe ‘kuyoba khona ukulunga,’ ‘abakhileyo bezwe bayofunda ukulunga.’ (2 Petru 3:13; Isaya 26:9) Kungakho isibalo esikhula ngokushesha sezakhamuzi ezilindelekile zomhlaba oyiPharadesi manje ‘zifundiswa ngezindlela zikaJehova,’ kuhlanganise neyokwethembeka. (Isaya 2:3, 4) Ngakho, iZwi likaNkulunkulu liyaseluleka: “Ningaqambelani amanga, lokhu nikhumulé umuntu omdala kanye nezenzo zakhe.” (Kolose 3:9) Lithi futhi: “Owebayo angabe eseba, kepha kunalokho akhuthale asebenze okuhle ngezandla zakhe, ukuze abe-nokokwabela osweleyo.”—Efesu 4:28.
12 Ngakho izinceku zikaJehova kumelwe zithembeke ezintweni zonke. Njengoba kuyileyo indlela wonke umuntu okuyomelwe abe yiyo esimisweni esisha, kuyindlela abantu bakaNkulunkulu okumelwe babe yiyo manje. Futhi yeka indlela okuyinjabulo ngayo ukuhlanganyela nomphakathi wezizwe zonke wezigidi zabantu abahlakulela ukwethembeka! Yeka indlela esizizwa silondeke ngayo kulelipharadesi elingokomoya eliwumkhiqizo womoya ongcwele onamandla kaNkulunkulu, “uNkulunkulu [awu]nikile labo abamlalelayo.” (IzEnzo 5:32) Qhathanisa lokhu nomoya omubi ongena kulelizwe elingaphansi ‘kukankulunkulu walelizwe,’ uSathane uDeveli.—2 Korinte 4:4; Galathiya 5:19-24.
Abanye Bayakuqaphela Ukwethembeka
13, 14. Abanye baye bathini ngokwethembeka kwabantu bakaJehova?
13 Ngokuvamile abanye bayakuqaphela ukwethembeka kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, iphephandaba laseItaly iIl Piccolo lakhipha incwadi eyayivela komunye wabafundi balo eyayithi: “Ngifisa ukubonga intokazi eyathi inguFakazi kaJehova futhi yanginikeza ubufakazi bokwethembeka okuyisibonelo ngokungibuyisela imali enkulu engangiyilahlile, ngokusebenzisa leliphephandaba.” EUnited States, iThe Indianapolis Star yabhala ngombhangqwana ongoFakazi owathola ama-R10 260 futhi wawabuyisela kumniniwo. Iphepha labonisa ukuthi umbhangqwana “wawungangabazi ngalokho okwakumelwe ukwenze.” Ngani? Wathi: “Sasingenakuyigcina. SingoFakazi BakaJehova.”
14 Lapho uFakazi waseMissouri ethola u-R24 360 futhi ewuyisa emaphoyiseni, iphephandaba lacaphuna isiphathimandla sithi: “Kuyaqabukela impela ukuba othile athole loluhlobo lwemali futhi alubuyisele. Akekho engimkhumbulayo owake wenza kanjalo ngaphambili. Kwamangalisa ngempela.” Isihloko saphawula ukuthi uFakazi “akazange neze ahlakulele umqondo wokugcina lemali.” Isiphathimandla esasisemsebenzini sathi uFakazi “wayevuselele ukukholelwa kwaso ekutheni basekhona abantu abathembekile phakathi kwesintu.” UFakazi waphendula: “Thina sisonke siziqhenya ngokwethembeka kuzo zonke izici.”
15, 16. Ikuphi okuhlangenwe nakho okubonisa ukuthi abanye bayakuqaphela ukwethembeka ngisho nasezintweni ezincane?
15 Akukhona nje kuphela ezintweni ezinkulu okumelwe sethembeke kuzo. Ukwethembeka kudingekile nasezintweni ezincane. (Luka 16:10) Ngokwesibonelo, lapho umkhaya woFakazi uhleli ehhotela laseFlorida, indodana yabo yathatha isikhwama somcamelo ngephutha, icabanga ukuthi ivesti layo. Umkhaya wasibuyisela ehhotela ngeposi, futhi umphathi wehhotela wabhala: “Sithanda ukunibonga kakhulu ngokwethembeka kwenu. Nakuba cishe ukusibuyisela kwenu isikhwama somcamelo kwakuyisenzo senu sansuku zonke enisijwayele ebuntwini benu, kithi kwakungokuthile kokutuswa.” Ngokufanayo, lapho umbhangqwana ongoFakazi uthatha ngephutha ipeni ehhotela laseGeorgia futhi ulibuyisela, umphathi wabhala: “Manginibonge ngokuthatha isikhathi senu nibuyisela ipeni enalifaka ngengozi empahleni yenu. Kungokuqabulayo ukwamukela izincwadi ezinjengaleyo enayithumela zivela kubantu abathembekile nabanakekela kangaka!”
16 Umfana onguFakazi owayefunda ibanga lesikhombisa wayedlala ibaseball esikoleni. Wake wahileleka emdlalweni ongabonisanga kahle ukuthi kwakumelwe aphume yini noma cha, kodwa yena wayazi ukuthi kwakumelwe “aphume.” Abangakubo bazama ukusho ukuthi “kwakungamelwe aphume.” Kodwa umdlali wakwelinye iqembu wathi kwakunendlela eyodwa eqinisekile yokuthola iqiniso. Wathi: “Buzani yena ukuthi kumelwe aphume yini noma cha. UnguFakazi, futhi oFakazi abawaqambi amanga.” Abanye babeye bakuqaphela ukuziphatha okuhle komfana ezindabeni zansuku zonke. Iqiniso, ngokuphila ngokwezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu, ngisho “emlonyeni wezingane” kungaphuma indumiso eya kuJehova.—Mathewu 21:16.
17, 18. Yimuphi umphumela omuhle izimiso zikaJehova ngokuqondene nokwethembeka ezingaba nawo kubantu abanezinhliziyo ezinhle?
17 ENigeria, umyeni womunye uFakazi wayemelene kakhulu nokuya kwakhe emhlanganweni wesifunda. Ngakho wamlandelela khona futhi wazama ukuphazamisa. Ngemva kwesimiso, indoda yathi: “Manje ngizoke nginihlole nina boFakazi.” Lapho kungekho muntu owayeqaphele, yakhipha imali ephaketheni layo, yayibeka uphawu, yayishwabanisa, yayisiyilahla phansi. Kamuva, yakhala ngokuthi ilahlekelwe imali. Nokho, yatshelwa ukuba ingakhathazeki ngoba izotholakala. Yaphindela lapho yayilahle khona imali, kodwa yayingasekho. Yathi, “Nakho-ke, ngaze nganibamba ukuthi niyantshontsha!” Khona-ke bayitshela ukuthi imali ayinakuba bikho lapho kodwa iyiswe eMnyango Wokulahlekile Kwatholwa. Ngempela imali enophawu yayikulowomyango futhi yabuyiselwa kuyo. Lokhu okuhlangenwe nakho kwayikhuthaza ukuba ihlole lokho umkakhe ayekukholelwa, futhi namuhla ungomunye woFakazi BakaJehova.
18 Encwadini eyayibhalelwe indlunkulu yomhlaba yoFakazi BakaJehova eNew York, owesifazane ongeyena uFakazi wathi wayefuna ukuxoxa ngesenzakalo esenzeka endodakazini yakhe esikoleni. Ngelinye ilanga indodakazi yakhe yebelwa itomu elibizayo lehhashi. Eminyakeni emibili kamuva, indodakazi yathola incwadi eyayithi: “Lili Othandekayo, Nanti itomu lakho owebelwa lona eminyakeni embalwa edlule. Lathathwa yimi, kodwa manje sengingomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, futhi unembeza wami omusha awunakungivumela ukuba ngiqhubeke ngiligcinile. Ngixolisa kakhulu. Siza ungithethelele.” Yebo, labo abafuna ukukhonza uJehova kumelwe bahlakulele ‘unembeza omuhle, njengoba bethanda ukuhamba kahle ezintweni zonke.’—Heberu 13:18.
Ukugcina Inhlangano Ihlanzekile
19. (a) Uma umKristu enza isenzo sokungethembeki, yini okumelwe ayenze? (b) Uma abambalwa phakathi kwethu bephikelela ezenzweni zokungethembeki, kuyokwenzekani kubo, futhi ngani?
19 Uma inceku kaNkulunkulu ngephutha yenza isenzo sokungathembeki, khona-ke kumelwe isheshe ukulungisa isimo ngemva nje kokusiqaphela noma kokulethwa ekunakekeleni kwayo. Futhi uma abambalwa phakathi kwethu belahlekelwa ukwazisa kwabo izimiso zeBhayibheli futhi bephikelela emikhubeni yokungathembeki, ngeke bavunyelwe ukungcolisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Bayokhishwa ekuhlanganyeleni. (1 Korinte 5:11-13) Kulokhu singathembela osizweni olungokwasezulwini, ngoba uJesu wabikezela: “INdodana yomuntu iyakuthuma izingelosi zayo, zibuthe, zikhiphe embusweni wayo konke okukhubekisayo nabenza okubi . . . Khona abalungileyo bayakukhanya njengelanga embusweni kaYise wabo.”—Mathewu 13:41-43.
20, 21. (a) Kungani singamema ngesibindi abathobekileyo ukuba bakhulekele uJehova kanye nathi? (b) Isiphi isici sokwethembeka okuyoxoxwa ngaso esihlokweni esilandelayo?
20 Ngaleyondlela, inhlangano kaJehova igcinwa ihlanzekile. Ngenxa yalokho, ‘ikhanya’ njengesibani kubantu abanezinhliziyo eziqotho. Kungakho sisho ngesibindi kwabathobekileyo bomhlaba: “Wozani sikhuphukele entabeni kaJehova [endaweni noma esikhundleni esiphakanyisiwe sokukhulekela kweqiniso] . . . uyakusifundisa izindlela zakhe, sihambe emikhondweni yakhe.”—Mika 4:2.
21 Yebo, njengoba izinceku zikaJehova kumelwe zithembeke ezintweni zonke, lokhu kuhlanganisa izindaba zamabhizinisi nabanye oFakazi. Ngokufanayo, nalapha kungaphakama izinselele zokwethembeka. Ziyini ezinye zazo? Singabhekana kanjani nazo? Isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngalesici sokwethembeka.
Imibuzo Yokubukeza
◻ Kwenzekeni ekwethembekeni esikhathini sethu? Ngani?
◻ Lithini iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngesidingo sokwethembeka?
◻ Kungani kumelwe sihlakulele ukwethembeka ngisho nangaphambi kwesimiso esisha?
◻ Ikuphi okuhlangenwe nakho okubonisa ukubaluleka kokwethembeka?
◻ Isiphi isiqinisekiso esinaso sokuthi ukwethembeka kuyolondolozwa phakathi kwethu?
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Kwamanje, izakhamuzi ezilindelekile zesimiso esisha sikaNkulunkulu zifundiswa izindlela zikaJehova zokwethembeka