IZwi LikaNkulunkulu Liphilile

Ingabe Izithombe Zingakusiza Ekukhonzeni UNkulunkulu?

KUYISIKO labantu abaningi ukusebenzisa izithombe ekukhulekeleni kwabo uNkulunkulu. Bangase bathi abasikhulekeli isithombe, kodwa ukusibona nokusithinta kuyabasiza ekukhulekeleni uNkulunkulu. Nokho, ingabe uNkulunkulu ufuna ukuba simkhonze ngosizo lwezithombe? Make sibone.

UNkulunkulu waqondisa abantu bakhe basendulo bakwaIsrayeli: “Ningayifundi indlela yabezizwe . . . Ngokuba imikhuba yabantu iyize, lokhu kugawulwa umuthi ehlathini; ngumsebenzi wesandla sesisebenzi ngembazo. Bawenza ube-muhle ngesiliva nangegolide.” Abantu babekholelwa ukuthi isithombe esinjalo noma isithixo sasiwusizo ekukhulekeleni uNkulunkulu. Nokho iBhayibheli liqhubeka lithi: “Izithombe ezinjalo zifana nesichuse ensimini yekhabe; azikwazi ukukhuluma; kumelwe zithwalwe ngoba azikwazi ukuhamba . . . azinakukwenzela okuhle.”—Jer. 10:2-5, Today’s English Version; Isaya 46:6, 7.

Ngokuvamile isithombe noma isithixo senziwa ngomfanekiso womuntu. Isithombe singase senziwe ngomuthi, ongase futhi usetshenziswe ekubaseni umlilo. IBhayibheli lapho likhuluma ngomuntu osebenzisa umuthi ngenxa yalezinjongo zombili lithi: “Ushisa inxenye yawo emlilweni; phezu kwalenxenye uyadla inyama, ose izoso, asuthe; . . . Ngokuseleyo kuwo uyakwenza unkulunkulu nesithombe; uyakhothamela kuso, akhuleke kuso, athandaze kuso, athi: Ngophule; ungunkulunkulu wami.”—Isaya 44:13-17.

Ingabe kunengqondo ngempela ukudumisa isithombe? IBhayibheli liyaphendula: “Abantu abanjalo [abenza okunjalo] bayiziwula abaqondi ukuthi benzani. Bavala amehlo abo nezingqondo eqinisweni. Umenzi wezithombe akanangqondo yokucabanga ukuthi ‘ingxenye yomuthi ngiyishisile. Ngabhaka isinkwa phezu kwamalahle, ngosa inyama ngayidla. Ngenxenye yomuthi ngenza isithombe. Manje ngikhulekela umbhuku womuthi!’ Kufana nje nokudla umlotha.”—Isaya 44:18-20, TEV; IHu. 115:4-8.

Ngakho-ke njengoba singase sikulindele, uJesu Kristu akazange asebenzise izithombe ekukhulekeleni. “UNkulunkulu unguMoya,” wachaza, “abakhuleka kuye bafanele ukukhuleka ngomoya nangeqiniso.” (Johane 4:24) Ngokwenza ngokuvumelana nalesiseluleko, akekho noyedwa wabalandeli bakuqala bakaJesu owasebenzisa isithombe njengosizo ekukhulekeleni. Eqinisweni, umphostoli wakhe uPawulu waloba: “Sihamba ngokukholwa, asihambi ngokubona.” (2 Kor. 5:7) Futhi umphostoli kaJesu uJohane waxwayisa: “Zilindeni ezithombeni.” (1 Johane 5:21) Kungani ungaqalazi ekhaya lakho futhi uzibuze ukuthi uyasilandela yini lesiseluleko?—Dut. 7:25.

[Izithombe ekhasini 26]

“Sibazwe ngembazo yombazi . . .”

“Izithombe ezinjalo zifana nesichuse ensimini yekhabe . . .”

“Ziyathwalwa ngoba azikwazi ukuhamba . . .”

[Izithombe ekhasini 27]

“Ngokuseleyo kwawo wenza umlilo . . . ngenye ingxenye wenza isithombe, asikhothamele futhi asikhonze.”