Yenza UJehova Abe Ithemba Lakho
“Themba kuJehova, wenze okulungileyo; . . . zithokozise ngoJehova.”—IHUBO 37:3, 4.
1, 2. (a) Kwenzekani kulabo abangazange bathembele kuJehova ekhulwini leminyaka lokuqala, nakulabo abathembela kuye? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo engabuzwa ngokuphathelene nenkolo esikhathini sethu?
EKHULWINI lokuqala leminyaka leSikhathi sethu Esivamile, abaholi benkolo bamaJuda babethi bakhulekela uNkulunkulu. Kodwa abazange bathembele kuye. Baphula imiyalo yakhe futhi bashushisa abameleli bakhe. (Mathewu 15:3; Johane 15:20) Ngenxa yalokho, ‘indlu yabo yashiywa’ uJehova. (Mathewu 23:38) Ngo-70 C.E., amabutho amaRoma abhubhisa iJerusalema nethempeli lalo, kwalahleka ukuphila okuningi kwabaholi benkolo nabalandeli babo. Kodwa labo ababethembela kuJehova bavikelwa, ngoba babelalele izixwayiso zabakhulumeli bakhe futhi babalekela endaweni ephephile.—Mathewu 24:15-22; Luka 21:20-24.
2 Kulezinsuku zokugcina zalesimiso sezinto, ingabe izinkolo zalelizwe zithembela kuNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova? Ingabe ziyayilalela imiyalo yakhe futhi zenza intando yakhe, noma ingabe zilingisa abaholi benkolo bekhulu lokuqala uNkulunkulu abalahla? Yiziphi ezinkolweni zanamuhla ezingalindela ukuvikelwa uJehova ngoba ‘zithemba kuJehova futhi zenza okulungileyo’?—IHubo 37:3.
Luphi Uthando Lobuzalwane?
3. Kungani imizamo yenkolo yokuletha ukuthula iye yahluleka?
3 Esikhathini esingeside esidlule, uPapa John Paul II waxwayisa ngokuthi “ukuqhubeka kwaso sonke isintu siphila kubhekene nezinsongo ezinkulu.” Wagcizelela ukuthi “lezo zinsongo kungahlangatshezwana nazo kangcono kakhulu ngemizamo ehlangene phakathi kwamaqembu enkolo ahlukene.” Wathi, kuyintando kaNkulunkulu ukuba abaholi benkolo “basebenze ndawonye” ukuze balethe “ukuthula nokubuyisana.” Nokho, uma lokho kuyintando kaNkulunkulu, khona-ke kungani uNkulunkulu engazange ayibusise imizamo yamakhulu eminyaka eqondene nalokhu? Akenzanga kanjalo ngoba lezinkolo azizange zithembele endleleni kaJehova yokuletha ukuthula ngoMbuso wakhe wasezulwini. (Mathewu 6:9, 10) Esikhundleni salokho, ziye zasekela ezombangazwe nezimpi zezizwe. Ngenxa yalokhu, ngesikhathi sempi, abantu benkolo besinye isizwe baye babulala abantu benkolo besinye isizwe, bebulala ngisho nanabantu benkolo yabo. UmKatolika wabulala umKatolika, umProthestani wabulala umProthestani, futhi nezinye izinkolo ziye zenza okufanayo. Kodwa ingabe abazalwane beqiniso bayabulalana kuyilapho bethi bakhonza uNkulunkulu?
4. Yini uJesu athi iyindinganiso yenkolo yeqiniso, futhi kungani lokhu ‘kwakungumyalo omusha’?
4 UJesu wabeka indinganiso yenkolo yeqiniso lapho ethi kubalandeli bakhe: “Ngininika umyalo omusha wokuba nithandane; njengalokho nginithandile, nani nithandane. Ngalokho bonke bayakukwazi ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma nithandana.” (Johane 13:34, 35) Ngakho labo abaqhuba inkolo yeqiniso kumelwe bathandane. Lona ‘kwakungumyalo omusha’ ngoba uJesu wathi: “Njengalokho nginithandile, nani nithandane.” Wayezimisele ukuba adele ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yabalandeli bakhe. Nabo kwakumelwe bazimisele ukwenza okufanayo—cha, bangasusi ukuphila kwabakholwa nabo, kodwa badele ukuphila kwabo uma kudingekile. Lokho kwakukusha, ngoba uMthetho kaMose wawungazange ukudinge okunjalo.
5. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lisigcizelela kanjani ngokunamandla isidingo sothando nobunye phakathi kwabakhulekeli bakhe beqiniso?
5 IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Uma umuntu esho ukuthi: Ngiyamthanda uNkulunkulu, kepha ezonda umzalwane wakhe, ungumqambimanga; ngokuba ongathandi umzalwane wakhe ambonileyo angemthande uNkulunkulu angambonanga. Yebo, lomyalo sinawo, uvela kuNkulunkulu, wokuthi othanda uNkulunkulu makathande nomzalwane wakhe.” (1 Johane 4:20, 21) Ngaloluthando, labo abathembela kuJehova balondoloza ubunye bangempela bomhlaba wonke. Umphostoli uPawulu, kweyoku-1 Korinte 1:10, uthi: “Ngiyanincenga, bazalwane, ngegama leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ukuba nikhulume-zwilinye nonke, kungabikho ukwahlukana phakathi kwenu, kodwa nipheleliswe emqondweni munye nasekuboneni kunye.”—Bheka futhi eyoku-1 Johane 3:10-12.
6. Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova bengase basho ukuthi ‘abanacala egazini labo bonke’?
6 IThe World Book Encyclopedia ithi abantu abayizigidi ezingama-55 bafa eMpini Yezwe II. Babulawa ngabantu bazo zonke izinkolo ezinkulu ngaphandle koFakazi BakaJehova. Akukho nokukodwa kwalokho kufa okwabangelwa ufakazi kaJehova, ngoba balalela umyalo wokuthandana futhi benqaba ukuhlanganyela ezimpini zezizwe. Nakuba ofakazi abaningi babulawelwa ukholo ngenxa yokungathathi-hlangothi kwabo, babengasho njengoba kwasho umphostoli uPawulu: “Anginacala egazini labo bonke.”—IzEnzo 20:26.
7, 8. Abanye abantu bamasonto balivuma kanjani icala labo legazi?
7 Umfundisi ongumKatolika wamabutho ezindiza ajikijela amabhomu eathomu eJapane ngo-1945 muva nje waphawula: “Eminyakeni eyi-1 700 edlule isonto belenza impi ihlonipheke. Belihungela abantu ekukholelweni ukuthi iwumsebenzi ohloniphekile wobuKristu. Lokhu akulona iqiniso. Besikhohliswa. . . . Ivangeli leMpi Yokulunga liyivangeli uJesu angazange alifundise. . . . Akukho lutho ekuphileni noma ekufundiseni kukaJesu okungasikisela ukuthi nakuba kungokungafanelekile ukushisa abantu ngamabhomu acitshwayo enuzi, nokho kungokufanelekile ukushisa abantu ngenapalm noma isiciba-mlilo.”
8 ICatholic Herald yaseLondon yathi: “AmaKristu okuqala . . . amkholelwa uJesu futhi enqaba ukuba abuthelwe empini yamaRoma ngisho nalapho isijeziso sasiwukufa. Ingabe wonke umlando wawuyoba ohlukile uma iSonto lalinamathele esimweni salo sokuqala? . . . Uma amasonto anamuhla abengavela nomqondo ohlangene wokulahla impi . . . , obekungasho ukuthi wonke amalungu ayoboshwa unembeza ukuba, njengamaKristu, enqabe impi ngokukanembeza, nakanjani bekungaba khona ukuthula. Kodwa siyazi ukuthi lokhu akusoze kwenzeka.”
9. Kungani siphetha ngokuthi uJehova uzishiyile izinkolo zalelizwe?
9 Kanjalo, izinkolo zalelizwe ziye zayekethisa emithethweni kaNkulunkulu ngendlela ephumela ekufeni. Azimethembi njengoba nje kwenza abaFarisi. “Bavuma ukuthi bayamazi uNkulunkulu, kepha bayamphika ngemisebenzi yabo bengabenyanyekayo, nabangalaleliyo, nasemisebenzini yonke emihle kabasizi-lutho.” (Thithu 1:16) Ngenxa yalokho, uNkulunkulu uzilahlile izinkolo zalelizwe ngokuqiniseké njengoba ashiya inkolo yobuJuda yobuzenzisi ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka.—Mathewu 15:9, 14.
Ukusinda Ngokuthembela KuJehova
10, 11. Yenzani iNkosi uHezekiya lapho iAsiriya lifuna ngenkani ukuba iJerusalema lizinikele kulo, futhi owayekhulumela uSaneheribi wayedelela bani?
10 Ungathembeli ezindleleni zabantu zokuxazulula izinkinga zalelizwe. Kunalokho, thembela kuLowo ongazigcwalisa izithembiso zakhe. (Joshuwa 23:14) Ngokwesibonelo, phawula okwenzeka ekhulwini leminyaka lesishiyagalombili ngaphambi kukaKristu, ezinsukwini zeNkosi yakwaJuda uHezekiya. IBhayibheli lithi ngaye: “Wenza okulungile emehlweni kaJehova.” (2 AmaKhosi 18:3) Phakathi nokubusa kwakhe, umbuso wezwe onamandla waseAsiriya wahlasela iJerusalema. Umkhulumeli wenkosi yaseAsiriya uSaneheribi wafuna ngenkani ukuba iJerusalema lizinikele, ethi: “Isho kanje inkosi, ithi: Maningakhohliswa nguHezekiya, ngokuba akayikuba-namandla okunophula esandleni sami; futhi uHezekiya makanganenzi nethembe uJehova.”—2 AmaKhosi 18:29, 30.
11 Wenzani uHezekiya? IBhayibheli lithi: “UHezekiya wakhuleka phambi kukaJehova, wathi: Jehova Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli ohlezi phezu kwamakherubi, wena unguNkulunkulu, wena wedwa, wemibuso yonke yomhlaba, wena wenzile izulu nomhlaba. Beka, Jehova, indlebe yakho, uzwe; vula amehlo akho, Jehova, ubone, uzwe amazwi kaSaneheribi athumé ukweyisa ngawo uNkulunkulu ophilayo. . . . Manje, Jehova Nkulunkulu wethu, ake usisindise esandleni sakhe ukuba yonke imibuso yomhlaba yazi ukuthi wena-Jehova unguNkulunkulu, yebo, wena wedwa.”—2 AmaKhosi 19:15-19.
12. UJehova wawuphendula kanjani umkhuleko kaHezekiya?
12 UJehova wawuzwa lomthandazo wathumela umprofethi uIsaya ukuba atshele uHezekiya ukuthi: “Usho kanje uJehova ngenkosi yaseAsiriya, uthi: Ayiyikungena kulomuzi, ayiyikucibishela-mcibisholo khona; ayiyikubhekisa kuwo isihlangu, ayiyikunqwabela iduli ngakuwo.” Ingabe uHezekiya wayezobhekana neAsiriya ngempi? Cha, kwakudingeka athembele kuJehova, futhi wenza kanjalo. Waba yini umphumela? “Kwaphuma ingelosi kaJehova, yabulala ekamu labaseAsiriya abayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi ayisishiyagalombili nanhlanu.” USaneheribi ngokwakhe wakhokha ngokweyisa uJehova nezinceku zikaJehova, ngoba kamuva wabulawa amadodana akhe siqu. Njengokusho kwezwi likaJehova, asikho nesisodwa isikhali esamelana neJerusalema.—2 AmaKhosi 19:32-37.
13, 14. Kungokwasiphi isisekelo abantu abavela kuzo zonke izizwe beyosinda ekupheleni kwalesimiso sezinto samanje?
13 Osukwini lwethu kuzokwenzeka into efanayo. Labo abathembela kuJehova bayosinda ekweyiseni kwalelizwe nasekupheleni kwalo. “Nabalaziyo igama lakho bayakwethemba wena; ngokuba wena-Jehova awubashiyi abakufunayo.” (IHubo 9:10) Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba uJehova abhubhise lelizwe elinecala legazi, umema abanhliziyo-ziqotho ukuba beze kuye ukuze balondeke. Laba bakha “isixuku esikhulu” esivela kuzo zonke izizwe, ‘esiphuma osizini olukhulu.’ Basinda ekupheleni kwalesimiso ngoba bathembela kuJehova futhi bamkhonza “imini nobusuku.”—IsAmbulo 7:9-15.
14 Laba baphendula ubizo manje olukhishwa ngamandla akhulayo emhlabeni wonke, njengoba kwabikezelwa kuIsaya 2:2, 3: “Kuyakuthi ngezinsuku ezizayo intaba yendlu kaJehova [ukukhulekelwa kwakhe kweqiniso] iqiniswe . . . Abantu abaningi bayakuhamba, bathi: Wozani sikhuphukele entabeni kaJehova . . . uyakusifundisa izindlela zakhe, sihambe emikhondweni yakhe.” Ivesi 4 lithi: “Bayakukhanda izinkemba zabo zibe-ngamakhuba, nemikhonto yabo ibe-ngocelemba; isizwe asiyikuphakamisela isizwe inkemba, zingabe zisafunda ukulwa.”
15. Obani abagcwalisa isiprofetho sikaIsaya 2:2-4, futhi kanjani?
15 Obani, esikhathini sethu, ‘abakhanda izinkemba zabo zibe-ngamakhuba’? Obani ‘abangasayifundi impi’? Obani abanothando olunganqamuki kanye nobunye ngabazalwane babo nodade kuwo wonke umhlaba? Obani abathembela kuJehova ngempela futhi abamema abanye ukuba benze okufanayo? Amaqiniso esikhathi sethu abonisa ukuthi impendulo kungaba ukuthi: OFakazi BakaJehova. NjengoHezekiya, bathembela kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yabo futhi bakubonisa ngokugcina imiyalo yakhe.
Ikusasa Elikhanyayo
16, 17. Yiliphi ikusasa elikhanyayo uJehova alinikeza labo abathembela kuye?
16 Kulabo abathembela kuye, uJehova unikeza ikusasa elikhanya kakhulu ongalicabanga lapho esikhundleni somphakathi walelizwe omdala efaka owakhe omusha. Ezweni elisha lapha emhlabeni, ngeke kusaba khona ukwesaba noma ukungathembani, ngeke kusaba khona ubumpofu, ukwahlulela ngokungalungile, noma ubugebengu. Abantu abasayikubulawa ezimpini noma ngokukhishwa kwezisu. IsAmbulo 21:4, sithembisa ngisho nokuthi “ukufa akusayikuba-khona; nokudabuka, nokukhala, nobuhlungu akusayikuba-khona.”
17 Ngemva kwesikhathi, umhlaba uyoba ipharadesi njengoba uJesu athembisa. (Luka 23:43) Futhi njengoba ngisho nokufa kuyopheliswa, labo abathembela kuJehova bayokwazi ukuphila phakade ePharadesi. UMika 4:4 uyogcwaliseka ngokuphelele: “Bayakuhlala, kube-yilowo nalowo phansi komvini wakhe naphansi komkhiwane wakhe; akakho oyakubesabisa.” Cabanga nje uhlala emphakathini lapho wonke umuntu ohlangana naye kuyoba othile ongamethemba! Kungani kuyoba njalo? Ngoba, njengoba uIsaya 54:13 esho: “Bonke abantwana bakho bayakuba-ngabafundi bakaJehova, nokuthula kwabantwana bakho kuyakuba-kukhulu.”
18. Yiziphi izinzuzo labo abathembela kuJehova abazivuna ngisho namanje?
18 Nokho, ngisho namanje izigidi zoFakazi BakaJehova kuwo wonke umhlaba zivuna izinzuzo ngokuthembela kuJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, ngenxa yokulalela imithetho kaJehova nezimiso, izinceku zikaJehova zikhululekile emdlavuzeni wamaphaphu odalwa ukubhema ugwayi. Ngenxa yokuhlala phakathi kwabantu abanokuziphatha okuhlanzekile, ngokuvamile abekho engozini yokungenwa isibhadalala somhlaba wonke sezifo ezithathelwana ngobulili, kuhlanganise nengculaza (AIDS). Ukungasebenzisi kabi kwabo imilaliso kubavikela kakhulu ezifweni ezilimaza ingqondo nezibulalayo, abantu abaningi abasebenzisa imilaliso abanazo. Futhi njengoba bengakuvumi ukumpontshelwa igazi, bagwema izifo ezibulalayo ezidluliselwa ngegazi, kuhlanganise nesifo sokusha kwesibindi, esibulala noma silimaze phakade abantu abampontshelwa igazi abayizinkulungwane eziyishumi unyaka ngamunye eUnited States iyodwa.
19. UJehova uyobasindisa kanjani labo abamkhonzayo ngisho noma bengafa manje?
19 Ngisho noma abanye balabo manje abathembela kuJehova bangafa ngenxa yokuguga, ukugula, noma ingozi, uJehova uyobasindisa. Uyobahlenga ngovuko. Ngakho, umphostoli uPawulu wasikhuthaza ukuba “singazethembi thina, kodwa sethembe uNkulunkulu ovusa abafileyo.”—2 Korinte 1:9.
UJehova Usekela Izinceku Zakhe
20, 21. (a) Yikuphi ukuphikiswa esingakulindela, njengoba kuboniswe yilokho okwenzeka kuJesu? (b) UJehova ubalwela kanjani abantu bakhe, njengoba enza kuJesu?
20 Khumbula ukuthi “izwe lonke lisemandleni omubi,” uSathane uDeveli. (1 Johane 5:19, NW) Ngakho uma uthembela kuNkulunkulu, uyophikiswa uSathane nezwe lakhe. Bayozama ukulimaza ukuthembela kwakho ngokukuhleka usulu noma ngokukushushisa, njengoba kwakunjalo ngoJesu. Ngemva kokuba esebethelwe esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa, “abadlulayo bamhlambalaza benikina amakhanda abo, bathi: . . . uma uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, [yehla esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa, NW]. Kanjalo nabapristi abakhulu bambhinqa kanye nababhali namalunga, bathi: Wasindisa abanye, angezisindise yena; . . . Wethembile uNkulunkulu; makamkhulule manje, uma emthanda.”—Mathewu 27:39-43.
21 Ezinsukwini ezintathu kamuva, ngempela uNkulunkulu wamsindisa uJesu ngokumvusa kwabafileyo. Nokho, lesosizukulwane sabahleki bosulu, sabulawa noma sagqilazwa ngamabutho amaRoma. Njengoba uKristu njengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini eyokwengamela uvuko, uma labo bahleki bosulu bebuya kwabafileyo, kuyodingeka bazithobe kuLowo abamhleka usulu eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ezimbili edlule! Yebo, uJehova uyazilwela izinceku zakhe, ezithi: “Ngiyethemba kuNkulunkulu, angiyikwesaba; umuntu angangenzani na?”—IHubo 56:11.
22. Uthini uJehova ngokuqondene nalabo abathembela kuye, nalabo abangathembeli kuye?
22 Ngokuqondene nezinceku zakhe, uJehova uthi: “Ubusisiwe umuntu othemba kuJehova, nothemba lakhe linguJehova. Ngokuba uyakuba-njengomuthi otshalwé ngasemanzini, ozenabisa izimpande zawo ngasemfuleni, ongesabi lapho kufika ukushisa, amaqabunga awo abe-luhlaza, angabi-naluvalo ngomnyaka wesigagadu, anganqamuki ukuthela izithelo.” Kodwa uJehova uthi futhi: “Uqalekisiwe umuntu othemba kubantu, ayenze inyama ibe-yingalo yakhe, nonhliziyo yakhe isuka kuJehova. Uyakuba-njengesihlahla esiyize ehlane, angaboni ukuthi kuyeza okuhle.”—Jeremiya 17:5-8.
23. Kumelwe senzeni uma sifuna ukuphila okuphakade?
23 Ngakho, kulezinsuku ezibucayi, “themba kuJehova, wenze okulungileyo; hlala ezweni, uzondle ngokukholeka; zithokozise ngoJehova, yikhona ezakukunika okufiswa yinhliziyo yakho.” (IHubo 37:3, 4) Sengathi izicelo zakho ezigcwalisiwe zingahlanganisa nesipho sokuphila okuphakade ezweni elisha lokulunga, elithenjiswa nguNkulunkulu esithembela kuye.
Imibuzo Yokubukeza
◻ Iyiphi indinganiso okumelwe iqashelwe yilabo abathembela kuJehova?
◻ Ingabe izinkolo zalelizwe zifundisa ukuthembela kuJehova?
◻ Ukuthembela kweNkosi uHezekiya kuJehova kwalwelwa kanjani?
◻ Osukwini lwethu, sigcwaliseka kanjani isiprofetho sikaIsaya 2:2-4?
◻ Yiliphi ikusasa eliyozuzwa yilabo abathembela kuJehova?
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Umkhulumeli wenkosi yaseAsiriya wadelela uJehova futhi wafuna ngenkani ukuba iJerusalema lizinikele
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Ezweni elisha, labo abathembela kuJehova bayojabulela ukuthula nokulondeka okuphelele