Yakha Ukuthembela KuJehova—Ngokutadisha IZwi Lakhe Ngenkuthalo
“Bekani inhliziyo yenu kuwo onke amazwi engiwafakazela kini namuhla, . . . Ngokuba akusiyo into eyize kini; lokho kungukuphila kwenu.”—DUTERONOMI 32:46, 47.
1, 2. (a) Yiliphi ithemba elaliphambi kwamaIsrayeli njengoba ayekanise emathafeni akwaMowabi? (b) Isiphi isikhuthazo uMose asinikeza isizwe?
UKUGOGOBALA kwawo isikhathi eside ehlane kwase kusondele esiphelweni sakho. Umfula ogwingcizayo iJordani kuphela manje owawuhlukanisa isizwe neZwe Lesithembiso okwase kuyisikhathi eside lilindelwe. Nokho, kumholi wesizwe, uMose, ithemba lamaIsrayeli lokungena kulelozwe lavusa imicabango ejulile. Wayesayikhumbula indlela isizwe esake sakhubeka ngayo ngaphambili ngenxa yokuntula kwaso ukuthembela kuJehova futhi kanjalo senqatshelwa ukungena eKhanani.—Numeri 13:25–14:30.
2 Ngakho uMose wahlanganisa isizwe emathafeni andlalekile akwaMowabi. Ngemva kokubukeza umlando wesizwe sabo nokuphindaphinda uMthetho kaNkulunkulu, uMose wanikeza lokho okuye kwabizwa ngokuthi inkulumo yakhe ezedlula zonke. Ngolimi lobuciko olusankondlo, wanxusa amaIsrayeli ukuba athembele futhi alalele uJehova, ‘uNkulunkulu wokuthembeka ongenakonakala; olungile oqotho yena.’ Ekuphetheni, uMose wakhuthaza: “Bekani inhliziyo yenu kuwo onke amazwi engiwafakazela kini namuhla, eniyakuyala ngawo abantwana benu ukuba baqaphele ukuwenza amazwi onke alomthetho. Ngokuba akusiyo into eyize kini; lokho kungukuphila kwenu.”—Duteronomi 32:4, 46, 47.
‘Ukubeka Izinhliziyo Zabo’ EZwini LikaNkulunkulu
3, 4. (a) Ikuphi lapho amaIsrayeli kwakumelwe ‘abeke izinhliziyo zawo’ khona, futhi lokhu kwakuhilelani? (b) Izizukulwane zakamuva zasisebenzisa kanjani iseluleko sikaMose?
3 UMose wayala amaIsrayeli ukuba ‘angabeki izinhliziyo zawo’ ehutsheni lakhe elivusa amadlingozi kuphela, kodwa nakuyo yonke imibhalo engcwele. Kwakudingeka ‘alalelisise kahle’ (Knox), ‘aqiniseke ukuthi ayalalela’ (Today’s English Version), noma ‘azindle’ (The Living Bible) ngoMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Ayeyokwazi ‘ukuyala abantwana bawo ukuba baqaphele ukuwenza amazwi onke alomthetho’ kuphela ngokuba wona ngokwawo ajwayelane nawo ngokuphelele. KuDuteronomi 6:6-8, uMose wabhala: “Lawamazwi engikuyala ngawo namuhla ayakuba-senhliziyweni yakho, ubafundise impela wona abantwana bakho, . . . uyakuwabopha abe-luphawu esandleni sakho, abe-yisikhumbuzo phakathi kwamehlo akho.”
4 Umhlaziyi weBhayibheli uW. H. Davey usitshela ngendlela ezikhathini zakamuva, lamazwi “abhekwa ngayo amaJuda ngendlela engokoqobo, futhi isiqondiso ayesiqukethe saphendulelwa ekusetshenziselweni ukukholelwa ezeni. Amavesi athile . . . ayelotshwe esikhumbeni, futhi ayeboshwa engalweni noma esiphongweni ngesikhathi sokuthandaza.” Amabhokisana ahlotshisiwe aqukethe imiBhalo, noma amafilakteriyu, ayegqokwa ngesikhathi sikaJesu futhi asasetshenziswa amahlelo athile obuJuda nanamuhla. (Mathewu 23:5) Kodwa, kunezela uDavey: “Abantu ngobuwula babo babezanelisa ngokuphatha ikhophi yamazwi omthetho kuphela esikhundleni sokuba babonise ekuphileni kwabo ukugcina umyalo eyayiwuqukethe.”
5. Kwakuyini ukusetshenziswa okufanele kwamazwi kaMose akuDuteronomi 6:6-8?
5 Cha, kwakungadingekile ukuba uMthetho kaNkulunkulu uhlale ezandleni zabo ezingokoqobo noma eziphongweni kodwa ‘ezinhliziyweni zabo.’ Ngokuzuza hhayi kuphela ulwazi kodwa ukwazisa okujulile ngawo, lowoMthetho wawuyohlala ukhunjulwa ngaso sonke isikhathi, njengokungathi ulotshwe esibhebheni phambi kwamehlo abo noma uboshelwe ezandleni zabo.
Amalungiselelo Okufunda UMthetho KaNkulunkulu
6, 7. (a) Yimaphi amalungiselelo uJehova awenza ukuze ajwayeze amaIsrayeli uMthetho kaMose? (b) Kwakungase kwenzeke kanjani futhi ukuba abantu bakaNkulunkulu ezikhathini zamandulo bafundiswe ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu?
6 Nokho, amaIsrayeli ayengakwazi kanjani ukufunda imiyalo engaba ama-600 yoMthetho? Akungabazeki ukuthi amakhophi awo ayengatholakali kalula ekuqaleni. Owayezoba inkosi yakwaIsrayeli kwakudingeka ‘azilobele impinda yalomthetho encwadini . . . ayifunde zonke izinsuku zokuhamba kwakhe ukuba afunde ukumesaba uJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe, agcine onke amazwi omthetho wakhe.’ (Duteronomi 17:18, 19) UNkulunkulu wenza ilungiselelo lokuba uMthetho ufundwe njalo ngemva kweminyaka eyisikhombisa eMkhosini wamaDokodo. (Duteronomi 31:10-13) Nakuba ngokungangabazeki umkhosi onjalo wawusikhuphula isimo esingokomoya, wawenziwa ngokwethukela kakhulu ukuba unganikeza ulwazi olujulile.
7 UJehova futhi walungiselela isizwe sakwaLevi ukuba ‘sifundise uJakobe izahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu noIsrayeli umthetho kaNkulunkulu.’ (Duteronomi 33:8, 10; qhathanisa noMalaki 2:7.) Ngezinye izikhathi, amaLevi enza imikhankaso yokufundisa eyayikhonza sonke isizwe. (2 IziKronike 17:7-9; Nehemiya 8:7-9) Kubonakala sengathi, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, okungenani izingxenye zeZwi likaNkulunkulu zazitholakala futhi kubo bonke abantu.a Ngakho, umhubi wayengabhala: “Ubusisiwe umuntu . . . okuthokoza kwakhe kusemthethweni kaJehova, ozindla ngomthetho wakhe imini nobusuku.” (IHubo 1:1, 2) Ngakho isikhuthazo sikaMose sokuba ‘babeke izinhliziyo zabo eZwini likaNkulunkulu’ sasifana nomyalo wokutadisha iBhayibheli ngenkuthalo.
‘Ukubeka Izinhliziyo Zethu’ EZwini LikaNkulunkulu Namuhla
8. AmaIsrayeli asilalela ngezinga elingakanani isikhuthazo sikaMose, futhi kwaba namiphi imiphumela?
8 UIsrayeli wahluleka ukulalela isikhuthazo sikaMose. Lapho ekugcineni isizwe simisa isimiso saso sokuba nenkosi, ngokusobala amakhosi aso amaningi ahluleka ‘ukuzilobela impinda yalomthetho futhi ayifunde zonke izinsuku zokuhamba kwawo.’ Ngekhulu lesikhombisa leminyaka B.C.E., ezinsukwini zeNkosi uJosiya, “incwadi yomthetho” yayisilahlekile. (2 AmaKhosi 22:8-13) Akungabazeki ukuthi isibonelo esibi sabaholi besizwe sasheshisa ukucwila kwesizwe ekuhlubukeni. Ngokuvumelana nesixwayiso sikaMose, isizwe sehlelwa inhlekelele ngo-607 B.C.E.—Duteronomi 28:15-37; 32:23-35.
9. Isimo samaKristu namuhla sifana kanjani naleso samaIsrayeli asendulo?
9 NjengamaIsrayeli asendulo, amaKristu namuhla ami emngceleni wezwe lesithembiso—izwe elisha likaNkulunkulu lokulunga. (2 Petru 3:13) Izenzakalo ezishaqisayo seziqala ukuvela: ukumenyezelwa ‘kokuthula nokulondeka,’ ukuwa ‘kweBabiloni Elikhulu,’ ukuhlasela ‘kukaGogi wakwamaGogi.’ Lezizenzakalo ziyovivinya ukuthembela kwethu kuJehova. Ngakho-ke kuyaphuthuma ukuba ‘sibeke izinhliziyo zethu eZwini likaNkulunkulu’ manje!—1 Thesalonika 5:3; IsAmbulo, isahluko 18; Hezekeli, isahluko 38.
10. Kungani abanye bengase badebesele esifundweni somuntu siqu?
10 Nokho, ukwenza kanjalo, kungaba inselele yangempela ‘kulezikhathi ezinzima.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1) Umsebenzi wokuziphilisa, ukukhulisa abantwana, isikole, nemithwalo yemfanelo yebandla konke kungadinga isikhathi sethu esiningi. Ngenxa yalokho, singase sithambekele ekuzithetheleleni futhi sidebesele ekutadisheni kwethu iBhayibheli, siphetha ngokuthi ‘ngenza okwanele ukuba ngiqhubeke.’ Nokho, iBhayibheli likhuthaza amaKristu ukuba: Ànakekele lezozinto, ame kuzo.’ (1 Thimothewu 4:15, 16) Manje ake sicabangele ezinye izizathu ezinamandla zokwenza kanjalo.
Ukuqinisa Ubuhlobo Bethu NoNkulunkulu
11, 12. (a) Ukuzuza ukumazi ngokuseduze uNkulunkulu kwamthinta kanjani uJobe? (b) Kungani umbono wethu ungaba ocace kakhulu kunasosukwini lukaJobe?
11 UJobe wayengumuntu ‘owesaba uNkulunkulu, ebalekela okubi.’ Kodwa ngemva kokuba uJehova ezambule ngokwengeziwe esivunguvungwini, uJobe wayengathi: “Ngangizwile ngawe ngokuzwa kwezindlebe, kepha manje iso lami liyakubona.” (Jobe 1:1; 42:5) Ingabe nathi namuhla ‘singambona’ uNkulunkulu, okungukuthi, sidlulele ngale kokumjwayela kuphela, sizazi kahle izici eziningi zobuntu bakhe? Ngokuqinisekile singambona! Ngamakhasi eBhayibheli, uJehova uye wembula okuningi ngaye kunalokho okwakwaziwa uJobe.
12 Sinombono okhanya kakhudlwana wokujula kothando lukaNkulunkulu, sazi ukuthi “walithanda izwe kangaka, waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa.” (Johane 3:16) Ngeziprofetho zeBhayibheli, sithola umbono ngemisebenzi kaNkulunkulu—kuze kube sekupheleni kweMinyaka Eyinkulungwane! (IsAmbulo, izahluko 18-22) Sinombhalo ogciniwe wokusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu nebandla lobuKristu: ukuqoqa kwakhe abeZizwe, ukumisa kwakhe “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” ukuze yondle abantu bakhe, ukubiza kwakhe “isixuku esikhulu” esinethemba lokuphila phakade ePharadesi emhlabeni. (Mathewu 24:45; IsAmbulo 7:9, 14-17; Efesu 3:3-6) Ngemva kokulunguza ezintweni ezijulile zikaNkulunkulu nokuzindla ngemisebenzi yakhe emangalisayo asenzele yona, asinakwenza okunye ngaphandle kokubabaza: “Yeka ukujula kwengcebo, nokuhlakanipha, nokwazi kukaNkulunkulu!”—Roma 11:33.
13. ‘Singamfuna’ kanjani ‘uNkulunkulu,’ futhi ziyini izinzuzo zokwenza kanjalo?
13 Umhubi wathi: “Ngikufunile ngenhliziyo yami yonke.” Singenza okufanayo ngokucabangela izindaba ezingokomBhalo nsuku zonke; kufeza okukhulu ekuqiniseni ubuhlobo bethu noJehova. Ukutadisha ngenkuthalo nakho kuyasiza ekwenzeni indlela yethu ibe ‘eqondisiwe ukuze sigcine izimiso zikaNkulunkulu.’—IHubo 119:5, 10.
Isifundo Sisiza Ukuba Sivikele Ukholo Lwethu
14. Bonisa inzuzo yokuba ‘abakulungele ukuphendula’ ngethemba lethu lobuKristu.
14 “Anginifuni nina boFakazi endlini yami!” kusho enye indoda yaseGhana koFakazi ababili abahambela ekhaya layo. Yaqhubeka isola oFakazi ‘ngokungamukeli ukumpontshelwa kwegazi nokungakhulekeli ifulege lesizwe.’ Ngokuvamile sihlangabezana nokuphikiswa okunjalo enkonzweni yasensimini. Yeka isihlamba—nokuthotshiswa—obekungaba yikho ukuba besingakwazi ‘ukubaphendula bonke abasibuza isizathu sethemba elikithi’! (1 Petru 3:15) Ngenhlanhla, laboFakazi babekwazi ukusebenzisa iBhayibheli ngokuphumelelayo ekuchazeni umbono ofanele ngegazi nangendlela umKristu alinganisela ngayo inhlonipho ngezifanekiselo zobuzwe nokugwema ukukhulekela izithombe. Waba yini umphumela? Lendoda yahlatshwa umxhwele ngezimpendulo zabo eziqondile. Namuhla, bobabili yona nomkayo bangoFakazi ababhapathiziwe.
15. Isifundo somuntu siqu sisihlomisela kanjani inkonzo yethu?
15 UPawulu uyanxusa: “Khuthalela ukuba uziveze uthembekile kuNkulunkulu, isisebenzi esingenamahloni, esiqondisa kahle izwi leqiniso.” Isifundo somuntu siqu ngeke sisisize ukuba sihlale endleleni yeqiniso kuphela, kodwa futhi ukuba sibe ‘abaphumelela ngokugcwele, abahlonyiswe ngokuphelele’ ukuba sisize abanye benze okufanayo.—2 Thimothewu 2:15; 3:17, qhathanisa neNW.
Ukumelana Nezingibe ZikaSathane
16. Ziyini ezinye zezingibe zikaSathane abantu bakaJehova ababhekene nazo?
16 Namuhla, ezokukhangisa zisihlasela ngezinto ezikhanga “inkanuko yenyama, nenkanuko yamehlo, nokuzigabisa ngalokhukuphila.” (1 Johane 2:16) Ukuziphatha okubi ngo-’ kobulili kuyadunyiswa imithombo yezindaba futhi ngokuvamile kugqugquzelwa ngenkuthalo yilabo esisebenza nabo nesifunda nabo. Izincwadi zezihlubuki ezikhuthaza ukuvukela zingase zithunyelwe emakhaya ethu singazicelanga. Abanye abazalwane lapho isifiso sabo sokwazi sivusiwe, baye bazifunda izincwadi ezinjalo ezihlazisayo—konakalisa ukholo lwabo. Futhi ‘kunomoya’ wobugovu ongokwenyama “osasebenza kubantwana bokungalaleli.” Yeka ukuthi kulula kanjani ukuba sonakaliswe yiwo futhi singenwe umoya ophambene wokugxeka!—Efesu 2:2.
17, 18. Isifundo somuntu siqu singasivimbela kanjani ‘ukuba singakhukhulwa’?
17 Yiqiniso, abambalwa bazifaka ngokwabo ezingibeni zikaSathane. Eqinisweni, ngokudebeselela isifundo somuntu siqu, njengomkhumbi othukululwe ezindophini zawo, ‘bakhukhulwa’ kancane kancane futhi babe izisulu zokuqala zokuhlasela kukaSathane. (Heberu 2:1) Ngokwesibonelo, omunye umzalwane osemusha, wahileleka ekuziphatheni okubi nentombazane esikoleni. “Ngathola ukuthi,” uyakhumbula, “imbangela eyinhloko yayiwukuthi ngangilamba ngokomoya. Ngangingenaso isifundo somuntu siqu. Yingakho ngingakwazanga ukumelana nesilingo.” Isimiso sesifundo somuntu siqu samsiza umzalwane ukuba aqine ngokomoya.
18 USathane uzimisele ukuba abhubhise abantu bakaNkulunkulu abaningi ngangokunokwenzeka. Ngokondla ingqondo yethu ngaso sonke isikhathi ngezinto ezinhle ezivela eZwini likaNkulunkulu nasencekwini yakhe ethembekile, singakugwema ukubanjwa ogibeni. (Filipi 4:8) Izikhumbuzo zokugwema ukuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, ukuziphatha okubi kobulili, ukucabanga kwezihlubuki, nombono ophambene zitholakala ngobuningi eBhayibhelini nasezincwadini zeWatch Tower Society. Uma ngempela siziqaphelisisa, asiyikukhukhulwa.
Amalungiselelo Avela Enhlanganweni KaJehova Okusisiza
19. Umthenwa wase-Etiyopiya ubonisani ngesidingo sethu sesiqondiso esingokomoya?
19 Ukutadisha kuwumsebenzi onzima. Ngakho-ke singabonga ngokuthi inhlangano kaJehova isinikeza usizo olwengeziwe. Eminyakeni yamuva abanye baye bathi abantu ngabanye kufanele bavunyelwe ukuba bachaze iBhayibheli ngokwabo. Nokho, umthenwa wase-Etiyopiya, wasivuma obala isidingo sakhe sesiqondiso esingokomoya. Njengeproselithe elisokiwe, ngokungangabazeki kakade wayesenolwazi oluphawulekayo lweBhayibheli. Iqiniso lokuthi wayengazama ukutadisha okuthile okujulile njengesiprofetho sika-Isaya 53 liyakubonisa lokhu. Nokho, lapho ebuzwa ukuthi wayekuqonda lokho ayekufunda, wavuma: “Ngingakwazi kanjani, uma kungekho ongiholayo na?”—IzEnzo 8:26-33.
20. (a) Yimaphi amanye amalungiselelo inhlangano kaJehova eye yasilungiselela wona ukuze isize esifundweni somuntu siqu seBhayibheli? (b) Uzizwa kanjani ngamalungiselelo anjalo?
20 Namuhla abantu bakaJehova ngokufanayo badinga isiqondiso esingokomoya. Njengoba befisela ‘ukukhuluma zwilinye’ uma kuziwa ezindabeni ezingokomoya, bayalwamukela usizo olunikezwa inhlangano kaJehova—futhi yeka usizo oluhle kangaka okuyilo! (1 Korinte 1:10) Sinokwaziswa okugeleza ngokunganqamuki ngomagazini INqabayokulinda nePhaphama! Sinezincwadi eziningi nezincwajana ezingangomagazini ezihlanganisa uhide olude lwezihloko zeBhayibheli. Abafundi abakhuluma isiNgisi babusiswe ngokukhethekile ngokuba neWatch Tower Publications Index 1930-1985, ithuluzi elingasiza umuntu ukuba ‘afune ukuhlakanipha njengesiliva nanjengamagugu afihliweyo.’—IzAga 2:2-4.
21. (a) Umphostoli uPawulu wasibonisa kanjani isithakazelo esifundweni somuntu siqu? (b) Kuyini okunye ukusikisela okwenza isifundo somuntu siqu sibe lula?
21 Ingabe uzuza ngokugcwele ezincwadini zeNhlangano ngokuzisebenzisa ekutadisheni nasekwenzeni ukucwaninga? Noma ingabe izincwadi ezinjalo zimane nje zihlobisa amashalofu ethu ezincwadi? Ngokuthakazelisayo, umphostoli uPawulu wake wayaleza uThimothewu ukuba ‘amphathele . . . izincwadi, ikakhulukazi ezesikhumba’ eze nazo kuye eRoma; ngokusobala, uPawulu wayebhekisela ezingxenyeni zemiBhalo YesiHeberu. (2 Thimothewu 4:13) Ngokungangabazeki wayefuna ukuba abe nazo eduze ukuze kube lula ukutadisha nokwenza ukucwaninga. Uma ungakenzi kanjalo, kungani ungaqali manje ukuqoqa umtapo wakho womuntu siqu wezincwadi ezingokwasezulwini ukuze nawe futhi ukwazi ukucwaninga? Gcina izincwadi ezinjalo lapho zingatholakala kalula khona, zihlelekile, zicocekile, futhi zihlanzekile. Khetha indawo yokutadisha ethulile futhi enokukhanya okwanele. Hlela izikhathi ezivamile zesifundo somuntu siqu.
22. Kungani ‘ukubeka izinhliziyo zethu eZwini likaNkulunkulu’ kubaluleke kakhulu namuhla kunanini ngaphambili?
22 NjengamaIsrayeli ayekanise emathafeni avundile akwaMowabi, simi onqenqemeni lwezwe elisha. Kunanini ngaphambili, sidinga ukutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngenkuthalo, futhi ‘sithengisise isikhathi’ sokutadisha, mhlawumbe sidele ezinye izithakazelo, njengokubukela ithelevishini. (Efesu 5:16) “Langazelelani ubisi olungokomoya olungenakonakala,” kunxusa uPetru, “ukuze nikhule ngalo” hhayi kuphela ukukhulela ekuvuthweni kodwa “kube ngukusindiswa.” (1 Petru 2:2; qhathanisa namaHeberu 5:12-14.) Ukuphila kwethu kuhilelekile. Ngakho melana nanoma ikuphi ukuthambekela kokudebesela esifundweni somuntu siqu. Sisebenzise njengendlela yokujulisa uthando lwakho kuNkulunkulu nokuthembela kwakho kuye; futhi kuyindlela yokukhulisa ukwazisa kwakho ngenhlangano ayisebenzisayo ukuze isisize. Yebo, ‘beka inhliziyo yakho’ eZwini likaNkulunkulu, ngenkuthalo, ngaso sonke isikhathi. “Akusiyo into eyize kini; lokho kungukuphila kwenu.”
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Izingcezu eziphukileyo zobumba, noma izindengezi, zazisetshenziswa ngokuvamile ezikhathini zeBhayibheli njengezinto zokubhalela ezingabizi. IThe International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1986) ithi: “Izindengezi zazingase zisetshenziswe ngisho nangabantu abampofu kakhulu, ababengeke bakwazi ukuthenga noma yini enye abangabhalela kuyo.” Akwaziwa ukuthi amaIsrayeli asendulo ayezisebenzisa ngezinga elingakanani izindengezi ekulobeni amavesi eBhayibheli. Nokho, ngokuthakazelisayo, izindengezi zekhulu lesikhombisa leminyaka C.E. ezinamavesi eBhayibheli ziye zatholakala eGibithe, okusikisela enye yezindlela abantu abavamile ababezithola ngayo izingxenye zeBhayibheli.
Amaphuzu Okubukeza
◻ Kungani uMose akhuthaza amaIsrayeli ukuba ‘abeke izinhliziyo zawo eZwini likaNkulunkulu,’ futhi ayezokwenza kanjani lokho?
◻ Isifundo somuntu siqu sibuqinisa kanjani ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu futhi sisisize ukuba sivikele ukholo lwethu?
◻ Iyiphi indima isifundo somuntu siqu esinayo ekumelaneni kwethu nezingibe zikaSathane?
◻ Inhlangano kaJehova iye yalungiselela maphi amalungiselelo okwenza ukutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu kube lula?
[Isithombe ekhasini 11]
Kunokuba abhale umthetho kaNkulunkulu ezinhliziyweni zawo, amaJuda abopha amabhokisana aqukethe imibhalo