Ukulunga Ngokushesha Kuzo Zonke Izizwe
“Uyakulandela ukulunga okuyikho ukuba uphile, ulidle izwe uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho akunika lona.”—DUTERONOMI 16:20.
1. Yayiyini injongo kaNkulunkulu yasekuqaleni ngomuntu, futhi wayengayigcwalisa kanjani kuphela?
INJONGO kaJehova uNkulunkulu ekudaleni indoda nomfazi kwakuwukuba umhlaba ugcwaliswe izidalwa eziphelele. Zonke zaziyomdumisa futhi zenze ingxenye yazo ekubuseni umhlaba. (Genesise 1:26-28) Njengoba umuntu enziwa ngomfanekiso nangomfuziselo kaNkulunkulu, wanikwa izimfanelo zokuhlakanipha, ukulunga, uthando, namandla. Umuntu wayeyogcwalisa injongo yoMenzi wakhe ngaye kuphela ngokusebenzisa lezimfanelo ngokulinganisela.
2. Kwakubaluleke kanjani ukuphishekela ukulunga kubantwana bakwaIsrayeli?
2 Njengoba kuphawuliwe esihlokweni esandulelayo, umuntu wayihlubuka indlela kaNkulunkulu yokwenza izinto futhi wagwetshelwa ukufa. Manje, ngenxa yokungapheleli, kwakungasenakwenzeka ngaye ukuba enze intando kaNkulunkulu yasekuqaleni ngesintu. Ukwehluleka komuntu ukubonisa ukulunga okuphelele kube isici esiphawulekayo kulokhu kwehluleka. Khona-ke, akumangalisi ukuthi uMose wakhumbuza abantwana bakwaIsrayeli: “Uyakulandela ukulunga okuyikho”! Ukuphila kwabo namandla abo okudla iZwe Lesithembiso kwakuxhomeke ekuphishekeleni kwabo ukulunga.—Duteronomi 16:20.
Isithunzi Sezinto Ezinhle Ezizayo
3. Kungani ukuhlola ukusebenzelana kukaJehova namaIsrayeli kubalulekile kithi namuhla?
3 Ukusebenzelana kukaJehova nesizwe sakwaIsrayeli kuqinisa ukuqiniseka kwethu ngokuthi ngempela uyokwenza kucace ukulunga kwakhe kuzo zonke izizwe ngeNceku yakhe ayikhethile, uJesu Kristu. Umphostoli uPawulu uchaza izinto ngalendlela: “Ngokuba konke okwalotshwa ngaphambili kwalotshelwa ukufundiswa kwethu, ukuze ngokubekezela nangenduduzo yemibhalo sibe-nethemba.” (Roma 15:4) Njengoba uNkulunkulu ‘ethanda ukulunga nokwahlulela,’ wafuna ukuba amaIsrayeli amlingise kukho konke ukusebenzelana kwawo. (IHubo 33:5) Lokhu kungabonakala ngokucacile ngokuhlola embalwa yemithetho engama-600 eyayinikezwe uIsrayeli.
4. Izinkinga eziphathelene namalungelo ezakhamuzi zazisingathwa kanjani ngaphansi koMthetho kaMose?
4 Zazingekho izinkinga eziphathelene namalungelo ezakhamuzi lapho uMthetho kaMose wawulandelwa. Ngokuqondene nendaba yomuntu ongesiye umIsrayeli owayeze ukuzohlala ezweni, uLevitikusi 19:34 uthi: “Umfokazi ogogobeleyo kini uyakubakini njengowokuzalwa ekhaya phakathi kwenu, umthande njengalokhu uzithanda wena.” Yeka ilungiselelo elilungile nelothando! Ngaphezu kwalokho, abahluleli nofakazi ngokufanayo bayalwa: “Ungafakazi ecaleni ngokulandela umbimbi, uphendukezele isahlulelo; nompofu awuyikumvuna ecaleni lakhe.” (Eksodusi 23:2, 3) Cabanga nje ngalokho—ukulunga kwenziwa kwabacebile nabampofu ngokufanayo!
5. Qhathanisa imithetho yobulelesi ngaphansi koMthetho kaMose neyanamuhla.
5 Ngaphansi koMthetho kaMose, imithetho yobulelesi yayiphakeme kakhulu kunemithetho esezincwadini zomthetho zezizwe namuhla. Ngokwesibonelo, isela lalingaboshwa ukuze kungathweswa umthwalo kubantu abasebenza kanzima abathobela uMthetho. Kwakumelwe lisebenze kanzima ukuze likhokhe okuphindwe kabili noma ngaphezulu kwalokho elikwebile. Ngakho owebelwe wayengalahlekelwa. Ake sithi isela linqabile ukusebenza ukuze likhokhe. Esimweni esinjalo, lalithengiselwa ebugqilini kuze kube yilapho selikhokhile. Uma laliqhubeka libonisa isimo senkani, lalibulawa. Ngalendlela kwakwenziwa ukulunga kowebelwe, futhi lokhu kwakuyisithiyo esinamandla kwabanye ababengase bathambekele ekwebeni. (Eksodusi 22:1, 3, 4, 7; Duteronomi 17:12) Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba ukuphila kungcwele emehlweni kaNkulunkulu, noma yimuphi umbulali wayebulawa. Lokhu kwakususa umuntu omubi, ongumbulali esizweni. Nokho, kwakuboniswa isihe kubabulali abangabulalanga ngenhloso.—Numeri 35:9-15, 22-29, 33.
6. Ukuhlola imithetho yakwaIsrayeli kusiholela kusiphi isiphetho?
6 Khona-ke, ubani ongaphika ukuthi ukulunga kwakuwuphawu lwakho konke ukusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu kokwahlulela nesizwe sakwaIsrayeli? Ngakho, yeka induduzo, yeka ithemba esigcwala lona uma sicabanga ngendlela isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu kuIsaya 42:1 esiyogcwaliseka ngayo ngoKristu Jesu! Lapho siyaqinisekiswa: “Uyakukhiphela izizwe ukwahlulela.”
Ukulunga Kulinganiswa Nesihe
7. Chaza ukusebenzelana kukaJehova kwesihe noIsrayeli.
7 Ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu kulinganiswa nesihe. Lokhu kwaboniswa ngokucacile lapho amaIsrayeli eqala ukuhlubuka ezindleleni zikaNkulunkulu ezilungile. Lalela incazelo kaMose yokubanakekela kukaJehova ngesihe phakathi neminyaka yabo engama-40 ehlane: “Wamfumana ezweni eliyihlane, naseqwatheni lomkhulungwane kwahlongasibi, wamzungeza, wamnakekela, wamgcina njengenhlamvu yeso lakhe. Njengokhozi olunyakazisa isidleke salo, lubhakuza phezu kwamazinyane alo, wawelula amaphiko akhe, wabathatha, wabathwala ngezimpaphe zakhe. UJehova yedwa wamhola.” (Duteronomi 32:10-12) Kamuva, lapho isizwe siba yizihlubuki, uJehova wancenga: “Ake nibuye ezindleleni zenu ezimbi nasezenzweni zenu ezimbi.”—Zakariya 1:4a.
8, 9. (a) UNkulunkulu wawabonisa ngezinga elingakanani amaJuda ukulunga kwakhe kwesihe? (b) Iyiphi inhlekelele ekugcineni eyawazuma, kodwa yini engashiwo ngendlela kaNkulunkulu yokusebenzelana nawo?
8 Isipho sikaJehova sesihe safinyelela kubantu abanganaki. Ngomprofethi uZakariya, uNkulunkulu wathi: “Kabalalelanga, kabangiqaphelanga.” (Zakariya 1:4b) Ngakho ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu kwesihe kwamshukumisela ukuba athumele iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba ibasize babuyele kuYe. UJohane uMbhapathizi wethula iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ngokuthi: “Bheka, iWundlu likaNkulunkulu elisusa izono zezwe.” (Johane 1:29) Eminyakeni eminingana, uJesu wafundisa amaJuda ngokungakhathali izindlela zikaNkulunkulu ezilungile, enza izimangaliso ezingenakubalwa ngaleyondlela ebonisa ukuthi wayenguMkhululi obikezelwe. (Luka 24:27; Johane 5:36) Kodwa abantu abalalelanga futhi abakholwanga. Ngakho, uJesu washukunyiselwa ukuba athi: “Jerusalema, Jerusalema, wena obulala abaprofethi nokhanda ngamatshe abathunyelwe kuwe, kukangaki ngithanda ukubuthela ndawonye abantwana bakho njengesikhukukazi sibuthela amazinyane aso phansi kwamaphiko aso, kepha anivumanga. Bhekani, indlu yenu isisala nani.”—Mathewu 23:37, 38.
9 UNkulunkulu wakubamba eminye iminyanga engama-37 ukukhishwa kwesahlulelo sakhe esinzima, kwaze kwaba ngo-70 C.E. Khona-ke wavumela amaRoma ukuba abhubhise iJerusalema futhi athumbe izinkulungwane zamaJuda. Uma sicabangela ukubheka-kade nokubekezela kukaJehova enkathini engamakhulu eminyaka, ubani ongahluleka ukubona uphawu lokulunga kukho konke ukusebenzelana kwakhe nendlu yakwaIsrayeli?
Ukulunga Kuzo Zonke Izizwe
10. Ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu kwadluliselwa kanjani kuzo zonke izizwe?
10 Ngemva kokwenqaba kukaIsrayeli uJesu, uJakobe wathi: ‘UNkulunkulu uhlele ekuqaleni ukuba athathele igama lakhe isizwe kubo abezizwe.’ (IzEnzo 15:14) ‘Lesisizwe,’ kuhlanganise nalawomaJuda ambalwa amukela uJesu njengoMesiya, njengeqembu sakha “uIsrayeli [ongokomoya] kaNkulunkulu” futhi sakhiwa abalandeli bakaJesu Kristu abazelwe ngomoya abayizi-144 000. (Galathiya 6:16; IsAmbulo 7:1-8; 14:1-5) Ikholwa lokuqala leZizwe elingasokiwe kwakunguKorneliyu. Lapho uKorneliyu nabendlu yakhe bamukela indlela kaNkulunkulu yensindiso, uPetru wathi: “Nembala ngiyabona ukuthi uNkulunkulu akabheki ubuso bamuntu, kodwa ezizweni zonke omesabayo nowenza ukulunga uyamukeleka kuye.” (IzEnzo 10:34, 35) UPawulu uyenaba ngokulunga kokungakhethi kukaJehova lapho ethi: “Akakho umJuda nomGreki, akakho oboshiweyo nokhululekileyo, akakho owesilisa nowesifazane, ngokuba nina nonke nimunye kuKristu Jesu. Kepha uma ningabakaKristu, seniyinzalo ka-Abrahama, niyizindlalifa ngokwesithembiso.”—Galathiya 3:28, 29.
11. Yisiphi isithembiso esanikezwa uAbrahama, futhi siyogcwaliswa kanjani?
11 Lapha sikhunjuzwa ngesithembiso esimangalisayo uJehova asenza kuAbrahama. Ngokusekelwe ekuvumeni kwaleyonzalamizi ukunikela ngendodana yayo ethandekayo uIsaka, uNkulunkulu wayitshela: “Njengokuba ukwenzile lokhu, ungagodlanga indodana yakho eyodwa, ngiyakukubusisa nokukubusisa, . . . nangenzalo yakho ziyakubusiswa izizwe zonke zomhlaba.” (Genesise 22:16-18) Siyogcwaliseka kanjani lesithembiso? “Inzalo ka-Abrahama,” eyakhiwa uJesu Kristu kanye nabalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe abayizi-144 000 abazibonakalisa bethembekile kuze kube sekufeni, bayobusa isintu besezulwini iminyaka eyinkulungwane. (IsAmbulo 2:10, 26; 20:6) Ngokuqondene nalesosikhathi esibusisekile, uJehova uyasiqinisekisa: “Umbuso uyakuba-mkhulu, ukuthula kungabi-nakuphela.” Ngani? Ngoba “umbuso” walowoMbuso wobuMesiya ‘uyosekelwa ngokwahlulela nangokulunga kuze kube phakade.’—Isaya 9:7.
12. Izibusiso zesivumelwano sika-Abrahama kakade sezijatshulelwa ngezinga elingakanani?
12 Kodwa asikho isidingo sokulinda kuze kuqale ukuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane kukaJesu Kristu ukuze ujabulele izibusiso zesivumelwano sika-Abrahama. Lezibusiso seziyajatshulelwa kakade “isixuku esikhulu” sabantu ‘abavela kuzo zonke izizwe, nemindeni, nabantu, nezilimi.’ ‘Ngokuhlanza’ ngokomfanekiso ‘izingubo zabo zibe-mhlophe egazini leWundlu,’ uJesu Kristu, baye baba ngabalungile phambi kukaJehova. NjengoAbrahama, baye baba abangane bakaJehova! Ngempela ukulunga kuwuphawu lwendlela kaJehova yokusindiswa kwezigidi ezivela kuzo zonke izizwe.—IsAmbulo 7:9, 14.
Ingabe Uyasabela Ezindleleni ZikaNkulunkulu Ezilungile?
13, 14. (a) Yikuphi ukuzihlola kwenhliziyo komuntu siqu sonke okufanele sikwenze? (b) Singakubonisa kanjani ukubonga kwethu kuJehova?
13 Ingabe inhliziyo yakho iye yathintwa futhi yashukunyiswa ngokujulile indlela kaNkulunkulu yokulunga nothando ekunikeleni ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa njengesihlengo ngenxa yakho? Cabanga ngendlela uAbrahama azizwa ngayo lapho uJehova emcela ukuba anikele ngendodana yakhe, leyo ayeyithanda kangaka! Kodwa imizwa kaNkulunkulu ijule ngaphezu kwalokho. Cabanga ngendlela azizwa ngayo lapho iNdodana yakhe ethandekayo ihlupheka ngenxa yokuhlaziswa, inhlamba yababedlula ngendlela, nobuhlungu obukhulu basesigxotsheni sokuhlushwa. Cabanga ngokusabela kukaJehova ekukhaleni kukaJesu: “Nkulunkulu wami, Nkulunkulu wami, ungishiyeleni na?” (Mathewu 27:39, 46) Noma kunjalo, ukulunga kwakufuna ukuba uJehova uNkulunkulu avumele iNdodana yakhe ukuba ife ngendlela enjalo ukuze ibonise ubuqotho bayo ekulweleni ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokuvumela iNdodana yakhe ukuba ife, uJehova wasivulela indlela yokusindiswa.
14 Khona-ke, ngokuqinisekile ukubonga kwethu uJehova neNdodana yakhe kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba sivume obala: “Insindiso ngekaNkulunkulu wethu . . . neyeWundlu.” (IsAmbulo 7:10) Ngalendlela, ngokusabela kwethu ngokuvumayo, sibonisa ukuthi siyawakholelwa amazwi kaMose: “Zonke izindlela [zikaJehova] zingukulunga.” (Duteronomi 32:4) Yeka injabulo okumelwe siyilethe enhliziyweni kaJehova neyeNdodana yakhe njengoba sivuma bese siphishekela izindlela zikaNkulunkulu ezilungile zokusindiswa komuntu!
15. Abaluleke ngani kithi amazwi kaJesu kuNikodemu?
15 Asijabuli yini ngokuthi esikholwa kanye nabo bangawo-1870 bama beqinile endabeni yomhlatshelo wesihlengo? Asijabuli yini ngokuthi thina namuhla singamalungu enhlangano ezimisele ngokufanayo ukubambelela endleleni kaNkulunkulu elungile neyothando yokusindiswa komuntu? Uma sijabula, khona-ke kufanele sikunakekele ngokukhethekile lokho uJesu akutshela uNikodemu: “UNkulunkulu kayithumelanga iNdodana ezweni ukuba yahlulele izwe, kodwa ukuba izwe lisindiswe ngayo. Okholwa yiyo kahlulelwa; . . . Kepha owenza [okuyiqiniso] uyeza ekukhanyeni, ukuze imisebenzi yakhe ibonakaliswe ukuthi yenziwe [yavumelana] noNkulunkulu.” Ukuze sisinde esahlulelweni sikaNkulunkulu esinzima, kumelwe sibonakalise ukholo lwethu eNdodaneni ngokwenza ‘imisebenzi evumelana noNkulunkulu.’—Johane 3:17, 18, 21, qhathanisa neNW.
16. Abafundi bakaJesu bangamkhazimulisa kanjani uBaba wasezulwini?
16 UJesu wathi: “UBaba uyakhazimuliswa ngalokhu ukuba nithele izithelo eziningi, nibe-ngabafundi bami. Uma nigcina imiyalo yami, niyakuhlala othandweni lwami, njengalokho mina ngigcinile imiyalo kaBaba ngihlala othandweni lwakhe.” (Johane 15:8, 10) Yimiphi eminye yalemiyalo? Omunye utholakala kuJohane 13:34, 35, lapho uJesu atshela khona abafundi bakhe: “Ngininika umyalo omusha wokuba nithandane; . . . Ngalokho bonke bayakukwazi ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma nithandana.” Isithelo sothando siyabonakala phakathi koFakazi BakaJehova. UJesu futhi wayala: “Ngalokho hambani nenze izizwe zonke abafundi, nibabhapathize egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelikaMoya oNgcwele, nibafundise ukugcina konke enginiyale ngakho.” (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Ingabe wena ngokwakho uyayenza ‘lemisebenzi evumelana noNkulunkulu’?
17. Imuphi umphumela obonisa ukuthi umsebenzi wokushumayela nokufundisa uwukubonakaliswa kokulunga kukaJehova?
17 Ukulunga kwendlela kaJehova ekuvumeleni abalandeli bakaJesu ukuba benze lemisebenzi yokushumayela nokufundisa kuba sobala uma sicabangela lokho okwafezwa oFakazi BakaJehova onyakeni owodwa kuphela. Phakathi no-1988, kwaba nabamemezeli abasha ababhapathiziwe abayizi-239 268! Ingabe lokhu akuyijabulisi yini inhliziyo yakho?
UNkulunkulu Wokulunga Uzothatha Isinyathelo Ngokushesha
18. Yimiphi imibuzo engaphakanyiswa uma kubhekwa ukushushiswa kwabantu bakaJehova?
18 Umsebenzi wokufakaza awuzange uqhutshwe ngaphandle kokuphikiswa. UJesu watshela abafundi bakhe: “Uma bengizingele mina, nani bayakunizingela.” (Johane 15:20) Umlando wosuku lwanamuhla woFakazi BakaJehova ufakazela ukuba yiqiniso kwalawomazwi. OFakazi baye babhekana nokuvinjelwa, ukuboshwa, ukushaywa, ngisho nokuhlushwa emazweni ngamazwe. Siphinda futhi sikhumbula amazwi kaHabakuki angokwesiprofetho: “Ngalokho umthetho ubabuthakathaka, nokwahlulela akuphumi kuze kube-nini.” Ngakho, ngezinye izikhathi, ngisho nabantu bakaJehova bangase bafune ukubuza: ‘Kungani uJehova ebukela abakhohlisayo? Uthulelani lapho omubi egwinya olungileyo kunaye?’—Habakuki 1:4, 13.
19. Yimuphi umfanekiso uJesu awunikeza osisiza ukuba siqonde izinto ngombono kukaNkulunkulu?
19 UJesu wanikeza umfanekiso osiza ekuphenduleni imibuzo enjalo futhi osenza sibone izinto ngendlela kaNkulunkulu. KuLuka 17:22-37, uJesu wachaza izimo zobudlova ezaziyophawula ukuphela kwalesimiso sezinto. Wathi zaziyofana nalezo ezandulela uZamcolo ngosuku lukaNowa nokubhujiswa kweSodoma neGomora ezinsukwini zikaLoti. Khona-ke, njengoba kuchazwe kuLuka 18:1-5, uJesu waphendukela kubafundi bakhe “wabalandisa umfanekiso wokuthi bamelwe ukukhuleka njalo, bangadangali.” UJesu wakhuluma ngomfelokazi owayempofu kakhulu ‘nomahluleli othile’ owayesesimweni sokwanelisa izidingo zakhe. Umfelokazi wayelokhu encenga: “Ngizwele esitheni sami.” Ngenxa yokuphikelela kwakhe, ekugcineni umahluleli ‘wamzwela.’
20. Umfanekiso kaJesu usiphathele siphi isifundo?
20 Sifundani thina namuhla? Eqhathanisa lowomahluleli ongalungile noJehova, uJesu wathi: “Yizwani okushiwo ngumahluleli ongalungile. UNkulunkulu kayikubezwela yini abakhethiweyo bakhe abakhala kuye imini nobusuku, ababekezelele, na? Ngithi kini: Uzakubezwela masinyane.”—Luka 18:6-8a.
21. Kufanele sizibheke futhi sizisingathe kanjani izinkinga zethu zomuntu siqu?
21 Ngaso sonke isikhathi khumbula ukuthi uma kuziwa ezinkingeni zethu zomuntu siqu, noma yikuphi okubonakala kuwukulibala ekuphendulweni kwezicelo zethu akungenxa yokungathandi kukaNkulunkulu. (2 Petru 3:9) Uma sihlupheka ngenxa yokushushiswa okuthile noma ukungalungi njengalowomfelokazi, singaba nokholo lokuthi uNkulunkulu uyoqiniseka ngokuthi ukulunga kuyenziwa ekugcineni. Singalubonisa kanjani ukholo olunjalo? Ngokuthandaza singaphezi nangokusekela imithandazo yethu ngokugcina inkambo yokwethembeka. (Mathewu 10:22; 1 Thesalonika 5:17) Ngokwethembeka kwethu, siyobonisa ukuthi lukhona ukholo emhlabeni, ukuthi bakhona abathandi bokulunga beqiniso, nokuthi siphakathi kwabo.—Luka 18:8b.
“Yenanelani Abantu Bakhe Nina Zizwe”
22. UMose wayiphetha ngamaphi amazwi okunqoba ingoma yakhe?
22 Emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka adlule, uMose waphetha ingoma yakhe ngalamazwi okunqoba: “Yenanelani abantu bakhe ninazizwe, ngokuba uyakuphindisela igazi lezinceku zakhe, abuyisele impindiselo kwabamelene naye, enzele izwi lakhe nabantu bakhe ukubuyisana.” (Duteronomi 32:43) Usuku lukaJehova lwempindiselo lusondela njalo. Yeka ukuthi sibonga kanjani ngokuthi usasebenzisa ukubekezela kanye nokulunga!
23. Yimuphi umphumela ojabulisayo olindele labo abahlanganyela enjabulweni yabantu bakaNkulunkulu?
23 Indlela isavulekile kulabo abakuzo zonke izizwe “ukuba beze ekuphendukeni,” kodwa asikho isikhathi sokuchithwa. UPetru waxwayisa: “Usuku lweNkosi luyakufika njengesela.” (2 Petru 3:9, 10) Ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu kudinga ukuba lesimiso esibi sibhujiswe ngokushesha. Lapho sibhujiswa, sengathi singatholakala siphakathi kwalabo abaye basabela obizweni olujabulisayo: “Yenanelani abantu bakhe nina-zizwe.” Yebo, sengathi singaba phakathi kwalabo abajabulayo abaye babona ukuthi ukulunga kuwuphawu lwazo zonke izindlela zikaNkulunkulu!
Ubungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Kungani uMthetho kaMose kufanele uqinise ukholo lwethu ekulungeni kukaNkulunkulu?
◻ Yini okufanele isishukumisele ukuba sisabele ezindleleni zikaNkulunkulu ezilungile?
◻ UNkulunkulu angakhazinyuliswa kanjani?
◻ Namuhla, injabulo yeqiniso ingatholakala kuphi kuphela?
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
“Nembala ngiyabona ukuthi uNkulunkulu akabheki ubuso bamuntu, kodwa ezizweni zonke omesabayo nowenza ukulunga uyamukeleka kuye.”—IzEnzo 10:34, 35
[Isithombe ekhasini 28]
UNkulunkulu uyokwenza ukuba ukulunga kwenziwe kwabakhethiweyo bakhe abakhala kuye