Ingabe Kunzima Kakhulu Lokho UJehova Akufuna Kithi?
“UJehova ufunani kuwe, kungabi ngukwenza ukulunga kuphela nokuthanda umusa, uhambe noNkulunkulu wakho ngokuthobeka, na?”—MIKA 6:8.
1. Yini mhlawumbe eyenza abathile bangamkhonzi uJehova?
UJEHOVA ufuna okuthile kubantu bakhe. Kodwa ngemva kokufunda la mazwi angenhla acashunwe esiprofethweni sikaMika, ungase uphethe ngokuthi izimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu zinengqondo. Nokho, abaningi abamkhonzi uMdali wethu Omkhulu, futhi abanye ababemkhonza sebeyekile. Kungani? Yingoba bacabanga ukuthi kunzima kakhulu lokho uNkulunkulu akufuna kithi. Ingabe kunjalo? Noma, kungenzeka yini ukuthi inkinga yisimo sengqondo somuntu ngalokho uJehova akufunayo? Isenzakalo esithile esingokomlando sisenza siyiqonde le ndaba.
2. Wayengubani uNahamani, futhi yini umprofethi kaJehova amtshela ukuba ayenze?
2 Isikhulu sebutho laseSiriya uNahamani sasinochoko, kodwa satshelwa ukuthi kwa-Israyeli kwakukhona umprofethi kaJehova owayengaselapha. Ngakho uNahamani nezinceku zakhe baya kwa-Israyeli, bahamba baze bayofika ekhaya lomprofethi kaNkulunkulu u-Elisha. Kunokuba aphume kwakhe ayobingelela isivakashi sakhe esiphakeme, u-Elisha wathumela inceku ukuba iyothi kuNahamani: “Hamba ugeze kasikhombisa eJordani; kuyakuthi inyama ibuyele kuwe, uhlambuluke.”—2 AmaKhosi 5:10.
3. Kungani uNahamani aqale wenqaba ukwenza lokho okwakushiwo uJehova?
3 Uma uNahamani ayengakwenza okwakushiwo umprofethi kaNkulunkulu, wayeyokwelapheka esifweni esenyanyekayo. Ngakho-ke, ingabe kwakunzima kakhulu lokho uJehova ayekufuna kuye? Cha, akunjalo. Nokho, uNahamani wayengazimisele ukwenza lokho uJehova ayekufuna. Wenqaba wathi: “O-Abana noFariphari, imifula yaseDamaseku, abangcono kunawo onke amanzi akwa-Israyeli na? Ngingegeze kuyo yini, ngihlambuluke, na?” Ngemva kwalokho, uNahamani wahamba ethukuthele.—2 AmaKhosi 5:12.
4, 5. (a) Waba yini umvuzo wokulalela kukaNahamani, futhi wasabela kanjani lapho ewuthola? (b) Yini esesizoyihlola manje?
4 Yayiyini ngempela inkinga kaNahamani? Kwakungekhona ukuthi kwakunzima kakhulu ukwenza okwakushiwo. Ngesu, izinceku zikaNahamani zathi: “Uma umprofethi ebekhulume kuwe into enkulu, ngabe ungayenzanga na? Kakhulu kangakanani, uma ethi kuwe: ‘Geza, uhlambuluke,’ na?” (2 AmaKhosi 5:13) Inkinga kwakuyisimo sengqondo sikaNahamani. Wayenomuzwa wokuthi wayengahlonishwanga ngendlela emfanele nokuthi wayetshelwe ukuba enze into okusobala ukuthi wayeyibheka njengengasebenzi neyayizomehlisa. Nokho, uNahamani wasabela eselulekweni sezinceku zakhe esasinikezwe ngesu, wazicwilisa eMfuleni iJordani kasikhombisa. Cabanga injabulo aba nayo lapho ‘inyama yakhe ibuya iba njengenyama yomntwana omncane, ehlambuluka’! Wagcwala umuzwa wokubonga. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uNahamani wathi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, wayengeke esakhulekela omunye unkulunkulu ngaphandle kukaJehova.—2 AmaKhosi 5:14-17.
5 Kuwo wonke umlando wesintu, uJehova uye wafuna ukuba abantu bahlangabezane nezimfuneko ezihlukahlukene. Sikumema ukuba uhlole ezinye zazo. Njengoba uzihlola, zibuze ukuthi wena wawuyosabela kanjani ukube uJehova wayefuna ukuba wenze lezo zinto. Kamuva, sizohlola lokho uJehova akufuna kithi namuhla.
Lokho UJehova Akufuna Ezikhathini Ezidlule
6. Yini abantu ababili bokuqala abayalwa ukuba bayenze, futhi wena wawuyosabela kanjani kulezo ziyalezo?
6 UJehova wayala abantu ababili bokuqala, u-Adamu no-Eva, ukuba bakhulise izingane, banqobe umhlaba futhi babuse izilwane. Le ndoda nomkayo babusiswa nangodedangendlale wekhaya elisapaki. (Genesise 1:27, 28; 2:9-15) Kodwa kwakukhona umngcele. Kwakungafanele badle emthini othile, owodwa phakathi kwemithi eminingi eyayithela izithelo ensimini yase-Edene. (Genesise 2:16, 17) Lokho kwakungeyona imfuneko enzima kakhulu, akunjalo? Wawungeke yini wena ukujabulele ukufeza isabelo esinjalo, unethemba lokuphila phakade unempilo ephelele? Ngisho noma kuvela umlingi kuleyo nsimu, wawungeke yini ukwenqabe akushoyo? Futhi awuvumi yini ukuthi uJehova wayenelungelo lokubeka umngcele owodwa nje olula?—Genesise 3:1-5.
7. (a) Yisiphi isabelo uNowa anikwa sona, futhi yikuphi ukuphikiswa abhekana nakho? (b) Ukubheka kanjani lokho uJehova afuna uNowa ukuba akwenze?
7 Kamuva, uJehova watshela uNowa ukuba akhe umkhumbi wokusindisa ukuphila esikhukhuleni sembulunga yonke. Njengoba lo mkhumbi wawumkhulu kakhulu, lo msebenzi wawungelula futhi cishe wawenziwa naphezu kokuhlekwa usulu nokuphikiswa okukhulu. Nokho, yeka ilungelo okwaba yilo kuNowa ukuba akwazi ukusindisa umndeni wakhe, ingasaphathwa eyenqwaba yezilwane! (Genesise 6:1-8, 14-16; Heberu 11:7; 2 Petru 2:5) Ukube wawunikwe isabelo esinjalo, ingabe wawuyozikhandla ukuze usifeze? Noma ingabe wawuyophetha ngokuthi kunzima kakhulu lokho uJehova akufuna kuwe?
8. Yini u-Abrahama atshelwa ukuba ayenze, futhi yini eyafanekiselwa lapho elalela?
8 UNkulunkulu watshela u-Abrahama ukuba enze into engelula neze, wathi: “Thatha manje indodana yakho eyodwa oyithandayo, u-Isaka, uye ezweni laseMoriya, unikele khona ngaye abe ngumnikelo wokushiswa.” (Genesise 22:2) Njengoba uJehova ayethembise ukuthi u-Isaka, owayengenangane ngaleso sikhathi, wayeyoba nenzalo, ukholo luka-Abrahama emandleni kaNkulunkulu okuvusela u-Isaka ekuphileni lwavivinyeka. Lapho u-Abrahama ezama ukwenza umhlatshelo ngo-Isaka, uNkulunkulu wayilondoloza le nsizwa. Lesi senzakalo sabonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyonikela ngeNdodana yakhe uqobo ngenxa yesintu futhi wayeyoyivusa kamuva.—Genesise 17:19; 22:9-18; Johane 3:16; IzEnzo 2:23, 24, 29-32; Heberu 11:17-19.
9. Kungani singenakusho ukuthi lokho uJehova ayefuna ukuba u-Abrahama akwenze kwakunzima kakhulu?
9 Abanye bangase bacabange ukuthi kwakunzima kakhulu lokho uJehova uNkulunkulu ayekufuna ku-Abrahama. Kodwa ingabe kunjalo? Ingabe ngempela kuwukungabi nothando uma uMdali wethu, okwaziyo ukuvusa abafileyo, efuna ukuba simlalele yize lokho kungase kuphumele ekubeni silale isikhashana ekufeni? UJesu Kristu nabalandeli bakhe bokuqala babengacabangi kanjalo. Babezimisele ukuhlushwa ngokomzimba, ngisho nokufa imbala, ukuze benze intando kaNkulunkulu. (Johane 10:11, 17, 18; IzEnzo 5:40-42; 21:13) Uma izimo zifuna kanjalo, ingabe wena ungavuma ukwenza okufanayo? Cabanga ngezinye zezinto uJehova ayezifuna kulabo ababevuma ukuba ngabantu bakhe.
Umthetho UJehova Awunika U-Israyeli
10. Obani abathembisa ukwenza konke uJehova ayefuna bakwenze, futhi wabanikani?
10 Inzalo ka-Abrahama ngendodana yakhe u-Isaka nomzukulu wakhe uJakobe, noma u-Israyeli, yanda yaba yisizwe sakwa-Israyeli. UJehova wawakhulula ebugqilini baseGibithe ama-Israyeli. (Genesise 32:28; 46:1-3; 2 Samuweli 7:23, 24) Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, athembisa ukwenza noma yini uNkulunkulu ayefuna ayenze. Athi: “Konke akukhulumileyo uJehova siyakukwenza.” (Eksodusi 19:8) Ngokuvumelana nesifiso sama-Israyeli sokubuswa nguye, uJehova wenzela lesi sizwe imithetho engaphezu kuka-600, kuhlanganise neMiyalo Eyishumi. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, le mithetho kaNkulunkulu, eyayidluliselwe ngoMose, yaziwa ngokuthi nje uMthetho.—Ezra 7:6; Luka 10:25-27; Johane 1:17.
11. Yayiyini enye yezinjongo zoMthetho, futhi yimiphi eminye yemithetho emincane eyafeza leyo njongo?
11 Enye yezinjongo zoMthetho kwakuwukuvikela ama-Israyeli ngokuwanika imithetho emihle elawula izinto ezinjengokuziphatha ngokobulili, ezebhizinisi nokunakekelwa kwabantwana. (Eksodusi 20:14; Levitikusi 18:6-18, 22-24; 19:35, 36; Duteronomi 6:6-9) Kwamiswa imithetho ephathelene nendlela yokuphatha abanye abantu kanye nezilwane zakho. (Levitikusi 19:18; Duteronomi 22:4, 10) Izimfuneko ezaziphathelene nemikhosi yaminyaka yonke nokuhlangana ndawonye ngenjongo yokukhulekela zazisiza ekuvikeleni lesi sizwe ngokomoya.—Levitikusi 23:1-43; Duteronomi 31:10-13.
12. Yayiyini injongo eyinhloko yoMthetho?
12 Injongo eyinhloko yoMthetho yashiwo umphostoli uPawulu, owabhala: “Wanezelwa ukuze wenze ukweqa umthetho kubonakale, kuze kufike imbewu [enguKristu] okwakwenziwe kuyo isithembiso.” (Galathiya 3:19) UMthetho wawukhumbuza ama-Israyeli ukuthi awaphelele. Khona-ke, kwakunengqondo ukuthi ayedinga umhlatshelo ophelele owawungazisusa ngokuphelele izono zawo. (Heberu 10:1-4) Ngakho uMthetho wawuhloselwe ukulungiselela abantu ukuba bamukele uJesu, owayenguMesiya, noma uKristu. UPawulu wabhala: “UMthetho uye waba umfundisi wethu oholela kuKristu, ukuze kuthiwe silungile ngenxa yokholo.”—Galathiya 3:24.
Ingabe Umthetho KaJehova Wawungumthwalo Osindayo?
13. (a) Abantu abangaphelele babewubheka kanjani uMthetho, futhi ngani? (b) Ingabe uMthetho wawungumthwalo osindayo ngempela?
13 Nakuba uMthetho ‘wawungcwele, ulungile futhi umuhle,’ abaningi babewubheka njengowumthwalo osindayo. (Roma 7:12) Ngenxa yokuthi uMthetho wawuphelele, ama-Israyeli ayengenakulifinyelela izinga lawo eliphakeme. (IHubo 19:7) Yingakho umphostoli uPetru awubiza ngokuthi “ijoka okhokho bethu nathi esingakwazanga ukulithwala.” (IzEnzo 15:10) Yiqiniso, uMthetho ngokwawo wawungewona umthwalo osindayo, futhi ukuwulalela kwakubazuzisa abantu.
14. Yiziphi izibonelo ezimbalwa ezibonisa ukuthi uMthetho wawufeza injongo eyayizuzisa kakhulu kuma-Israyeli?
14 Ngaphansi koMthetho, ngokwesibonelo, isela lalingaboshwa, kodwa kwakudingeka lisebenze ukuze likhokhe ebelikwebile sekuphindwe kabili. Kanjalo ontshontshelwe wayengalahlekelwa, futhi abantu abasebenza ngokuzikhandla babengabi nomthwalo wokusekela isimiso samajele. (Eksodusi 22:1, 3, 4, 7) Ukudla okungaphephile kwakwenqatshelwe. Uma ingaphekiwe kahle, inyama yengulube ingaba nesifo i-trichinosis, kanti ekanogwaja ingaba ne-tularemia. (Levitikusi 11:4-12) Ngokufanayo, uMthetho wawuyisivikelo lapho wenqabela ukuthinta isidumbu. Uma umuntu ayethinte isidumbu, kwakufuneka ageze futhi ahlanze izingubo zakhe. (Levitikusi 11:31-36; Numeri 19:11-22) Indle kwakufuneka igqitshwe, kuvikelwe abantu ekusakazekeni kwamagciwane, odokotela abazé bathola emakhulwini amuva nje ukuthi akhona.—Duteronomi 23:13.
15. Yini eyaba umthwalo osindayo kuma-Israyeli?
15 UMthetho wawungafuni okunzima kakhulu kubantu. Kodwa akunakushiwo okufanayo ngabantu ababezibeka esikhundleni sokuba abachazi boMthetho. Ngokuphathelene nemithetho abayibeka, i-Dictionary of the Bible, ehlelwe nguJames Hastings, iyaphawula: “Umyalo weBhayibheli ngamunye wawubiyelwa ngoxhaxha lwemitheshwana. . . . Ngaleyo ndlela kwakwenziwa umzamo wokwenza uMthetho uhlanganise zonke izimo umuntu angase azicabange, futhi ngendlela engenasihe kwazanywa ukulawula konke ukuziphatha komuntu ngemithetho eqinile. . . . Unembeza wawucindezelwa; amandla aphilayo ezwi laPhezulu athenwa futhi ambozwa ngenqwaba yemithetho yokubukisa.”
16. UJesu wathini ngemithetho namasiko abaholi benkolo ayewumthwalo osindayo?
16 UJesu Kristu wabalahla abaholi benkolo ababebeka inqwaba yemithetho, wathi: “Babopha imithwalo esindayo bayibeke phezu kwamahlombe abantu, kodwa bona ngokwabo abathandi ukuyinyakazisa nangomunwe wabo.” (Mathewu 23:2, 4) Wathi imithetho namasiko abo okwenziwe abantu nokusindayo, kuhlanganise nokuzihlanza okunemicikilisho, kwakulenza “ize izwi likaNkulunkulu.” (Marku 7:1-13; Mathewu 23:13, 24-26) Nokho, ngisho nangaphambi kokuba uJesu eze emhlabeni, abafundisi benkolo kwa-Israyeli babekuhlanekezela lokho uJehova akufunayo ngempela.
Lokho UJehova Akufuna Ngempela
17. Kungani uJehova ayengayijabuleli iminikelo yokushiswa yama-Israyeli ayengenalukholo?
17 Ngomprofethi u-Isaya, uJehova wathi: “Ngisuthile ngeminikelo yokushiswa yezinqama nangeyamanoni amathole akhuluphalisiweyo; negazi lezinkunzi nelamawundlu nelezimpongo angithokozi ngalo.” (Isaya 1:10, 11) Kungani uNkulunkulu ayengayijabuleli iminikelo okwakunguye owayeyale ukuba yenziwe eMthethweni? (Levitikusi 1:1–4:35) Yingoba abantu babengamhloniphi. Ngakho-ke, bayalwa: “Gezani, nihlanzeke, nisuse ububi bezenzo zenu phambi kwamehlo ami, niyeke ukwenza okubi. Fundani ukwenza okuhle, nifune ukwahlulela, niqondise abacindezeli, nahlulele izintandane, nimele umfelokazi.” (Isaya 1:16, 17) Ingabe lokhu akusisizi ukuba siqonde ukuthi yini uJehova ayifunayo ezincekwini zakhe?
18. Yini uJehova ayeyifuna ngempela kuma-Israyeli?
18 UJesu wabonisa lokho uNkulunkulu akufuna ngempela. Wenza kanjalo lapho ebuzwa umbuzo othi, “Yimuphi umyalo omkhulu kunayo yonke eMthethweni?” UJesu waphendula wathi: “‘Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke nangomphefumulo wakho wonke nangengqondo yakho yonke.’ Lona umyalo omkhulu kunayo yonke nowokuqala. Owesibili, onjengawo, yilo, ‘Kumelwe uthande umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.’ Kulemiyalo emibili kulenga wonke uMthetho, nabaProfethi.” (Mathewu 22:36-40; Levitikusi 19:18; Duteronomi 6:4-6) Umprofethi uMose waveza iphuzu elifanayo lapho ebuza: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ufunani kuwe ngaphandle kokuba umesabe uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, uhambe ngezindlela zakhe zonke, umthande, umkhonze uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho, ugcine imiyalo kaJehova nezimiso zakhe?”—Duteronomi 10:12, 13; 15:7, 8.
19. Ama-Israyeli azama kanjani ukubonakala engcwele, kodwa uJehova wathini kuwo?
19 Naphezu kokona kwawo, ama-Israyeli ayefuna ukubonakala engcwele. Nakuba uMthetho wawufuna kuzilwe ngoSuku Lokubuyisana lwaminyaka yonke kuphela, aqala ukuzila njalo. (Levitikusi 16:30, 31) Kodwa uJehova wawasola, ethi: “Akusikho lokhu kuzila engikukhethileyo yini: ukuthukulula izibopho zobubi nokuxegisa imichilo yejoka; ukukhulula abacindezelwayo nokwaphula onke amajoka na? Akusikho ukwabela abalambileyo isinkwa sakho, nokuyisa abampofu nemihambima ekhaya lakho, nokwembesa ohamba ze, lapho umbonayo, nokungazisithezi kwaba yinyama yakho, na?”—Isaya 58:3-7.
20. Yini uJesu abakhuza kuyo abazenzisi benkolo?
20 Lawo ma-Israyeli ayezibona elungile ayenenkinga efuze eyabazenzisi abangokwenkolo, uJesu athi kubo: “Ninikela okukodwa eshumini kweminti nedile nekhumini, kodwa anizinakanga izindaba zoMthetho ezinesisindo esikhudlwana, okuwukuthi, ubulungisa nesihe nokukholeka. Lezizinto kwakuyisibopho ukuzenza, kodwa hhayi ukuba ningazinaki lezi ezinye izinto.” (Mathewu 23:23; Levitikusi 27:30) Ingabe la mazwi kaJesu awasisizi ukuba siqonde lokho uJehova akufuna ngempela kithi?
21. Umprofethi uMika wakufingqa kanjani lokho uJehova akufunayo nangakufuni kithi?
21 Ukuze acacise ukuthi yini uJehova ayifunayo nangayifuni kithi, umprofethi kaNkulunkulu uMika wabuza: “Ngiyakusondela kuJehova nginantoni, ngikhothame kuNkulunkulu ophezulu, na? Ngiyakufika ngiphethe iminikelo yokushiswa, nginamathole amnyaka munye, na? UJehova uyakwenamela izinkulungwane zezinqama nezinkulungwane eziyishumi zemifula yamafutha na? Ngiyakunika izibulo lami ngenxa yesiphambeko sami, isithelo sesisu sami ngenxa yesono senhliziyo yami, na? Ukutshelile, muntu, okuhle; uJehova ufunani kuwe, kungabi ngukwenza ukulunga kuphela nokuthanda umusa, uhambe noNkulunkulu wakho ngokuthobeka, na?”—Mika 6:6-8.
22. Yini uJehova ayeyifuna ngokukhethekile kulabo ababengaphansi koMthetho?
22 Ngakho-ke, yini uJehova ayeyifuna ngokukhethekile kulabo ababengaphansi koMthetho? Yiqiniso, kwakufanele bamthande uJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Wonke uMthetho umi ugcwalisekile ezwini elilodwa, elithi: ‘Kumelwe uthande umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.’” (Galathiya 5:14) Ngokufanayo, umphostoli uPawulu watshela amaKristu eRoma: “Lowo othanda omunye umuntu uwugcwalisile umthetho. . . . Uthando luwukugcwaliswa komthetho.”—Roma 13:8-10.
Akunzima Kakhulu
23, 24. (a) Kungani kungafanele nanini kube yinto enzima kakhulu kithi ukwenza lokho uJehova akufunayo? (b) Yini esizoyihlola ngokulandelayo?
23 Akusihlabi yini umxhwele ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu onothando, ocabangelayo nonesihe kangaka? INdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, uJesu Kristu, yezela emhlabeni ukuzokhazimulisa uthando lukaNkulunkulu—yazise abantu ukuthi bayigugu kangakanani kuJehova. Ebonisa uthando lukaNkulunkulu, uJesu wathi ngokuphathelene nawondlunkulu abangelutho: “Ngeke kuwele namunye wabo phansi uYihlo engazi.” Ngakho waphetha ngokuthi: “Ningesabi: nina nibaluleke ukudlula ondlunkulu abaningi.” (Mathewu 10:29-31) Ngokuqinisekile, akufanele kube yinto enzima kakhulu kithi ukwenza noma yini efunwa uNkulunkulu onothando kanjalo!
24 Nokho, yini uJehova ayifuna kithi namuhla? Futhi kungani abanye bebonakala sengathi bacabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu ufuna okunzima kakhulu? Ngokuhlola le mibuzo, kufanele sikwazi ukubona ukuthi kungani kuyilungelo elimangalisayo ukwenza noma yini uJehova ayifunayo.
Ungaphendula?
◻ Kungani abanye bengase benqabe ukukhonza uJehova?
◻ Izimfuneko zikaJehova ziye zahlukahluka kanjani kuyo yonke iminyaka edlule?
◻ UMthetho wawufeza ziphi izinjongo?
◻ Kungani lokho uJehova akufuna kithi kungekhona okunzima kakhulu?
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Imithetho eyenziwe abantu, njengokuzihlanza okunemicikilisho, iye yenza ukukhulekela kwaba umthwalo osindayo