Basabela Ngokungenabugovu Othandweni LukaNkulunkulu
“Mababonge uJehova ngomusa wakhe nezimangaliso zakhe kubo bonke abantwana babantu.”—IHUBO 107:8.
1. Umphostoli uJohane uyigcizelela kanjani imfanelo yothando encwadini yakhe yokuqala?
“UNKULUNKULU uluthando.” Yeka ukuthi lamazwi asho okukhulu kangakanani! Akumangalisi ukuthi umphostoli uJohane wakubona kudingekile ukuba awaphinde encwadini yakhe yokuqala. (1 Johane 4:8, 16) Akukhona nje kuphela ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu uluthando kodwa uwuthando olusemzimbeni, noma ukwenziwa samuntu kwalo.
2. UNkulunkulu walubonisa ngaziphi izindlela uthando lapho edala indoda nowesifazane futhi ebalungiselela okokubondla?
2 Cabanga ngothando uNkulunkulu alubonisa ngendlela asidala ngayo. Amazwi kaDavide okwazisa afaneleka kakhulu. Njengomhubi ophefumlelwe, wathi: “Ngiyakukubonga, ngokuba ngenziwa ngokwesabekayo nangokumangalisayo.” (IHubo 139:14) Ukuze siphile ngempilo enhle nenjabulo, uNkulunkulu wenza ukuba sithole injabulo engenakulinganiswa ngezinzwa zethu eziyisihlanu—eyokubona, ukuzwa, ukunambitha, ukuhogela, nokuthinta. Yeka ubuhle esibubonayo endalweni esizungeze nxazonke! Yeka ukuthi zimangalisa kanjani izitshalo nezilwane eziningi futhi ezinhlobonhlobo, kungasakhulunywa ngobuhle bezimo nezici zabantu! UNkulunkulu futhi wenza ukuba sithole izinhlobonhlobo ezimnandi kakhulu zezithelo, imifino, nokunye ukudla. (IHubo 104:13-16) Ngesizathu esihle, umphostoli uPawulu wakhumbuza izakhamuzi zaseListra yasendulo ukuthi uNkulunkulu “akayekanga ukuzifakazela ngokwenza okuhle, waninika imvula yasezulwini nezikhathi zenala, egcwalisa izinhliziyo zenu ngokuhle nangokujabula.”—IzEnzo 14:17.
3. Yimaphi amakhono amangalisayo uNkulunkulu asiphe wona?
3 Cabanga futhi ngazo zonke izibusiso ezihlangene nokuphila komkhaya okujabulisayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, cabanga ngayo yonke injabulo okungenzeka sibe nayo ngenxa yamakhono ethu angokwengqondo nangokomzwelo: ukubona izinto ngeso lengqondo, ukucabanga ngezizathu zezinto, inkumbulo, unembeza, futhi ikakhulukazi nekhono lokukhulekela—konke okusenza siphakame kakhulu kunezilwane; futhi akumelwe singayinaki injabulo umculo ongasinikeza yona. Lezi nezinye izipho eziningi ziwukubonakaliswa kothando lukaNkulunkulu ngathi.
4. Yikuphi ukubonakaliswa kothando lukaNkulunkulu abantu abaye bakubona kusukela ekuphambukeni kwabazali babo bokuqala?
4 Akukho kungabaza ukuthi uAdamu noEva bathola injabulo ephindiwe esimweni sabo sokuphelela ensimini yase-Edene. (Genesise 2:7-9, 22, 23) Kodwa lapho behluleka ukusabela ngokungenabugovu kubo bonke lobufakazi bothando lwaphezulu ababelujabulela, ingabe uNkulunkulu walulahla uhlanga lwesintu? Lutho neze! Ngokushesha wenza ilungiselelo lokulungisa wonke amaphutha awumphumela wesiphambeko sabazali bethu bokuqala. (Genesise 3:15) UJehova futhi wabonisa uthando ngokubabekezelela ngesineke abantwana baka-Adamu abangaphelele. (Roma 5:12) Isikhathi eside kangakanani? Phela, cishe iminyaka engu-6 000 kuze kube manje! Ikakhulukazi uNkulunkulu uye wabonisa uthando ekusebenzelaneni nezinceku zakhe. Ayiqiniso lamazwi: “NguJehova! NguJehova! NguNkulunkulu ogcwele isihe, onomusa, ophuza ukuthukuthela, novamé ubumnene neqiniso, ogcinela abayizinkulungwane umusa, othethelela ububi neziphambeko nezono.”—Eksodusi 34:6, 7.
5. UJehova wasibonisa kanjani isineke sothando lapho esebenzelana nesizwe sakwaIsrayeli?
5 Yebo, sasisikhulu ngempela isineke uJehova uNkulunkulu asibonisa ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe namaIsrayeli kusukela ngesikhathi lapho ewazala njengesizwe phansi kweNtaba yaseSinayi kwaze kwaba yilapho ukuba ntamo-lukhuni kwawo kumphoqelela ukuba awalahle ngokuphelele. Njengoba sifunda kwezesi-2 IziKronike 36:15, 16: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise wathuma kubo ngezandla zezithunywa zakhe, ethuma njalonjalo, ngokuba wahawukela abantu bakhe nendawo yakhe yokuhlala; kepha baziklolodela izithunywa zikaNkulunkulu, bawadelela amazwi akhe, babaphatha kabi abaprofethi bakhe, yaze yavuka intukuthelo kaJehova ngabantu bakhe, kwaze kwangabakho ukwelashwa.” Kodwa babekhona labo abasabela ngokungenabugovu othandweni lukaJehova uNkulunkulu. Ukuze sibone indlela abakwenza ngayo, manje ake sihlole ukuphila kwabanye balabantu. Lokhu kuzobeka isisekelo sokubonisa indlela thina ngokwethu esingasabela ngayo othandweni lukaJehova ngezindlela ezingokoqobo kakhulu.
Indlela UMose Asabela Ngayo Ngokungenabugovu
6. Isibonelo sikaMose sasivelele ngaziphi izindlela, futhi kukuziphi izikhundla alujabulela kuzo uthando lukaNkulunkulu?
6 UMose wayeyisibonelo esivelele somuntu owasabela ngokungenabugovu othandweni lukaNkulunkulu. Yeka amathuba ayebekwe phambi kukaMose njengendodana yokutholwa yendodakazi kaFaro! Kodwa wakhetha “ukuphathwa kabi kanye nabantu bakaNkulunkulu kunokuba athokoze isikhashana esonweni, ethi ukuthukwa ngenxa kaKristu kuyimfuyo enkulu kunengcebo yaseGibithe.” (Heberu 11:25, 26) Ngesinye isikhathi, uMose wayefuna ukukhulula abafowabo, amaIsrayeli, ebugqilini baseGibithe. Kodwa abazange bayiqaphele imizamo yakhe, futhi kwakungakabi isikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifanele sokukhululwa kwabo. (IzEnzo 7:23-29) Nokho, emashumini eminyaka kamuva ngenxa yokholo lukaMose nesifiso sakhe esingenabugovu sokusiza abafowabo, uJehova wamnika amandla okwenza izimangaliso eziningi nokukhonza amaIsrayeli iminyaka engu-40 njengomprofethi waKhe, umahluleli, umniki-mthetho, nomlamuleli. Ekulezikhundla, uMose wabona izimo eziningi zothando lukaJehova ngaye nangamaIsrayeli ayekanye nawo.
7. UMose wasabela kanjani ekubonakalisweni kothando lukaNkulunkulu?
7 UMose wasabela kanjani othandweni lukaNkulunkulu nasemuseni wakhe ongamfanele? Ingabe ‘wawamukelel’ ize umusa kaNkulunkulu’? (2 Korinte 6:1) Phinde! UMose wasabela ngokungenabugovu ekubonakalisweni kothando lukaJehova kuye ngokuba abe oncike kuNkulunkulu ngokuphelele. Wabheka kuJehova ngazo zonke izikhathi futhi wayenobuhlobo obuseduze noMenzi wakhe. Yeka indlela uNkulunkulu akhuluma kahle ngayo ngoMose lapho esola uAroni noMiriyamu ngokugxeka umfowabo! Yebo, uJehova wakhuluma noMose “umlomo nomlomo” futhi wamvumela ukuba abone “isimo sikaJehova.” (Numeri 12:6-8) Naphezu kwamalungelo amaningi kaMose, waqhubeka engumuntu othobeke kunabo bonke futhi wafeza imiyalo kaJehova “njengakho konke uJehova amyalé ngakho.”—Eksodusi 40:16; Numeri 12:3, NW.
8. UMose wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayenamathele kuNkulunkulu ngempela?
8 UMose futhi wabonisa ukuthi wayenamathele ngokungenabugovu kuNkulunkulu ngokukhathalela akubonisa ngegama likaJehova, idumela, nokukhulekela okuhlanzekile. Ngakho, ezikhathini ezimbili uMose wancenga uJehova ngokuphumelelayo ukuba elulele umusa kuIsrayeli ngenxa yokuthi kwakuhileleke igama likaJehova. (Eksodusi 32:11-14; Numeri 14:13-19) Lapho amaIsrayeli ehileleka ekukhulekeleni ithole okuwukukhulekela isithombe, uMose wabonisa ukushisekela ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile ngokumemeza: “AbakaJehova mabeze kimi.” Ngemva kwalokho, uMose nalabo ababenaye babulala abangu-3 000 balabakhulekeli bezithombe. Khona-ke, iminyaka engu-40 wabekezelela abantu abakhonondayo nabahlubukayo. Ngokuqinisekile akungabazeki ukuthi uMose wasabela ngokungenabugovu ekubonakalisweni kothando lukaNkulunkulu, esibekela isibonelo esihle namuhla.—Eksodusi 32:26-28; Duteronomi 34:7, 10-12.
Ukusabela Okuhle KukaDavide
9. (a) UDavide wasabela kanjani othandweni lukaJehova uNkulunkulu? (b) NjengoDavide, singamdumisa kanjani uJehova ngezinto eziyigugu?
9 Omunye umuntu ovelele eBhayibhelini owabeka isibonelo esihle sokusabela ngokungenabugovu othandweni lukaNkulunkulu kwakungumhubi uDavide, inkosi yesibili yakwaIsrayeli. Intshiseko yakhe ngegama likaJehova yamshukumisela ukuba alwe noGoliyati umdondoshiya ongumFilisti owayegcona, lowo uNkulunkulu enza ukuba uDavide amnqobe. (1 Samuweli 17:45-51) Leyontshiseko efanayo yaqhubela uDavide ukuba alethe umphongolo wesivumelwano eJerusalema. (2 Samuweli 6:12-19) Futhi isifiso sikaDavide sokwakhela uJehova ithempeli sasingekhona yini okunye ukubonakaliswa kwentshiseko yakhe nokwazisa ngothando nokulunga kukaNkulunkulu? Yebo kunjalo. Ukuncishwa lelolungelo akuzange kuvimbele uDavide ekuwulungiseleleni lomsebenzi nasekudumiseni uJehova ngokunikela ngokwakhe siqu ngegolide, isiliva, nangamatshe ayigugu enani elikhulu kakhulu. (2 Samuweli 7:1-13; 1 IziKronike 29:2-5) Ukusabela okungenabugovu okufanayo othandweni lukaNkulunkulu kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba ‘sidumise uJehova ngempahla yethu’ ngokusebenzisa izinto zethu ezibonakalayo ekuqhubekiseleni phambili izithakazelo zoMbuso.—IzAga 3:9, 10; Mathewu 6:33.
10. Kungayiphi indlela inkambo kaDavide ikufanelekela ukulingiswa?
10 Nakuba uDavide enza amaphutha angathi sína, kukho konke ukuphila kwakhe wazibonisa ‘engowamukelekayo enhliziyweni kaJehova.’ (1 Samuweli 13:14; IzEnzo 13:22) Amahubo akhe agcwele amazwi okwazisa ngothando lukaNkulunkulu. I-International Standard Bible Encyclopædia ithi uDavide “wayechichima kakhulu ngokubonga kunanoma ubani omunye ophawulwe emiBhalweni Engcwele.” Umhubi uAsafa wathi uNkulunkulu ‘wakhetha uDavide inceku yakhe, wamthabatha ezibayeni zezimvu. . . . Wamthabatha ukuba abeluse abantu bakhe uJakobe, nefa lakhe uIsrayeli. Njalo wabelusa ngobuqotho benhliziyo yakhe.’ (IHubo 78:70-72) Ngempela, inkambo kaDavide iyileyo okufanele siyilingise.
UJesu Kristu, UMbeki-Sibonelo Wethu Ophelele
11, 12. UJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayenamathele kuNkulunkulu ngempela?
11 Yebo, uJesu Kristu uyisibonelo esihle kakhulu esingokomBhalo somuntu owasabela ngokungenabugovu othandweni lukaNkulunkulu. Lokhu kwashukumisela uJesu ukuba enzeni? Okokuqala, washukunyiselwa ukuba anike uJehova ukuzinikela okuphelele. Akungabazeki ukuthi uJesu wayenamathele kuNkulunkulu ngokuphelele. Ukwazisa ngothando nokulunga kukaYise wasezulwini kwamshukumisela ukuba abe umuntu ongokomoya ngempela. Wayenobuhlobo obuseduze noNkulunkulu. UJesu wayengumuntu womthandazo, futhi wayekuthanda ukukhuluma noYise wasezulwini. Ngokuphindaphindiwe, sifunda ukuthi uKristu wayethandaza. Ngesinye isikhathi wasebenzisa ubusuku bonke ethandaza. (Luka 3:21, 22; 6:12; 11:1; Johane 17:1-26) Esabela othandweni lukaNkulunkulu, uJesu waphilela iqiniso lokuthi ‘umuntu akaphili ngesinkwa sodwa, kodwa nangamazwi onke aphuma emlonyeni kaNkulunkulu.’ Eqinisweni, ukwenza intando kaYise kwakuwukudla kwakhe. (Mathewu 4:4; Johane 4:34) Akufanele yini sisabele ngokufanayo othandweni lukaNkulunkulu, simnike ukuzinikezela kwethu okuphelele?
12 Esabela ngokungenabugovu othandweni lukaNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu ngaso sonke isikhathi waqondisa ukunakekela kuNkulunkulu wakhe noYise. Lapho othile ebiza uJesu ngokuthi “Mfundisi omuhle,” wenqaba futhi wathi: “Kakho omuhle, munye kuphela, uNkulunkulu.” (Luka 18:18,19) UJesu ngokuphindaphindiwe wagcizelela ukuthi akanakwenza lutho ngokwakhe. Akakaze aphunyukwe ithuba lokukhulisa igama likaYise, futhi ngokufaneleke kakhulu waqalisa umthandazo wakhe oyisibonelo ngalesicelo: “Malingcweliswe igama lakho.” Wathandaza: “Baba, khazimulisa igama lakho.” Futhi ngaphambi nje kokuba afe, uKristu wathi kuYise: “Ngikukhazimulisile emhlabeni, ngifezé umsebenzi ongiphé wona ukuba ngiwenze.” (Mathewu 6:9; Johane 12:28; 17:4) Ngokuqinisekile, lapho sisabela othandweni lukaNkulunkulu, kufanele sifune ukukhazimulisa uJehova, sithandazele ukungcweliswa kwegama lakhe elingcwele.
13. Uthando lukaNkulunkulu lwashukumisela uJesu ukuba enzeni?
13 Manje, siza uphawule indlela yesibili ukusabela ngokungenabugovu othandweni lukaNkulunkulu okwashukumisa ngayo uJesu. Kwambangela ukuba athande ukulunga futhi azonde ububi, njengoba kwabikezelwa kumaHubo 45:7. (Heberu 1:9) ‘Wayengcwele, engenacala, engenabala, ehlukanisiwe nezoni.’ (Heberu 7:26) UJesu wabekela abaphikisi bakhe abanenzondo inselele yokuba bambeke icala lokwenza isono, kodwa abakwazanga ukwenza kanjalo. (Johane 8:46) Ezikhathini ezimbili, inzondo yakhe ngobubi yambangela ukuba ahlanze ithempeli kwabenkolo abahahayo. (Mathewu 21:12, 13; Johane 2:13-17) Futhi yeka ukuthi uJesu wabasola ngendlela ehlaba kangakanani abaholi benkolo abangabazenzisi, ebatshela ngisho nokuthi babengabakaDeveli!—Mathewu 6:2, 5, 16; 15:7-9; 23:13-32; Johane 8:44.
14. Esabela othandweni lukaJehova, uJesu wasebenzelana kanjani nabafundi bakhe?
14 Enye futhi indlela uthando lukaJehova olwashukumisa ngayo uJesu ingabonakala ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe nabaphostoli bakhe nabanye abafundi. Yeka ukuthi wayenothando, isineke, nokubekezela okungakanani ngabo! Kumelwe ukuba bamvivinya kakhulu ngombango wabo, bephikisana kwaze kwaba sebusukwini bokugcina bokukhashelwa kwakhe ngokuthi ubani owayemkhulu kunabo bonke. (Luka 22:24-27) Nokho, uJesu njalo wazibonisa emnene futhi ethobile ngenhliziyo. (Mathewu 11:28-30) Iqiniso, uJuda wamkhaphela uJesu, uPetru wamphika izikhathi ezintathu, futhi abanye abaphostoli babaleka lapho isixuku siza sizombopha. Kodwa akakaze athukuthele noma acasuke. Sazi kanjani? Nokho, lapho ehlangana futhi nabaphostoli ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe, uJesu akazange abasole ngendlela entinyelayo ngenxa yokuvumela kwabo ukunqotshwa ukwesaba. Kunalokho, wabaduduza futhi wabaqinisela inkonzo yoMbuso eyengeziwe.—Johane 20:19-23.
15. UJesu wazikhonza kanjani ngokungenabugovu izidingo zabantu ezingokwenyama?
15 Ake sicabangele enye futhi indlela uJesu Kristu asabela ngayo ngokungenabugovu othandweni lukaNkulunkulu. Wenza kanjalo ngokuzinikela njengomhlatshelo ngenxa yabanye, kwaze kwaba sekufeni okuhlazisayo nokubuhlungu esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa. (Filipi 2:5-8) UJesu wakhonza izidingo zabantu ezingokwenyama ngokusuthisa izixuku ngokumangalisayo nangokwenza ukuphulukisa okuningi. (Mathewu 14:14-22; 15:32-39) Ngaso sonke isikhathi wayebeka izithakazelo zabanye kuqala kunezakhe. Kungakho ayengathi: “Izimpungushe zinemigodi, nezinyoni zezulu zinezidleke, kepha iNdodana yomuntu kayinandawo, lapho ingacamelisa khona ikhanda.” (Mathewu 8:20) UJesu wayeshesha ukuzwa ukusebenza komoya kaNkulunkulu njengoba wawugeleza usuka kuye uphulukisa ngokuyisimangaliso. Kodwa akazange azame ukuzuza ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo ngokusebenzisa amandla anjalo angaphezu kwawemvelo, njengalapho owesifazane owayenomopho iminyaka engu-12 ngokholo ethinta ingubo kaJesu yangaphandle futhi waphulukiswa. (Marku 5:25-34) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu akazange alokothe asebenzise amandla angaphezu kwawemvelo ngokwenzuzo yakhe siqu.—Qhathanisa noMathewu 4:2-4.
16. UJesu wasikhonza ngaziphi izindlela isidingo sabantu esingokomoya?
16 Nakuba uJesu ngokungenabugovu anakekela izidingo ezingokwenyama zabantu ngokuphulukisa izifo zabo nangokubasuthisa ngokuyisimangaliso, okwakumshukumisa ngokuyinhloko enkonzweni yakhe yasemhlabeni kwakuwukushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, ukufundisa, nokwenza abafundi. Naphezu kwakho konke ukuphulukisa okumangalisayo akwenza, akazange aziwe ngokuthi uDokotela Omkhulu noma uMenzi Wezimangaliso kodwa waziwa ngokuthi uMfundisi Omuhle. (Mathewu 4:23, 24; Marku 10:17) UJesu wabhekisela kuye ngokwakhe ngokuthi uMfundisi, njengoba kwenza abafundi bakhe ngisho nezitha zakhe. (Mathewu 22:16; 26:18; Marku 9:38) Futhi, yeka amaqiniso awafundisa, njengaseNtshumayelweni yakhe Yasentabeni! (Mathewu 5:1–7:29) Yeka ukuthi imifanekiso yakhe yayifaneleka kanjani, futhi yeka ukuthi yayihlaba umxhwele kangakanani imizekeliso yakhe engokwesiprofetho nezinye iziprofetho! Akumangalisi ukuthi amabutho ayethunywe ukuba ayobopha uJesu ngesinye isikhathi akuthola kunzima ukumbamba!—Johane 7:45, 46.
17. (a) UJesu wasinikeza kanjani isibonelo esiphelele sothando? (b) Kuzoxoxwa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?
17 Ngokungangabazeki, uJesu Kristu wasibekela isibonelo esiphelele sokusabela ngokungenabugovu ekubonakaliseni kukaNkulunkulu uthando kithi. UJesu wanika uYise wasezulwini indawo yokuqala ekuphileni kwakhe nasothandweni lwakhe lomzwelo. Ngempela wathanda ukulunga, wasebenzelana nabaphostoli bakhe nabanye abafundi ngothando, futhi wasebenzisa ukuphila kwakhe ekhonza izidingo zabantu ezingokomoya nezingokwenyama. Ekugcineni, uJesu waphelelisa inkonzo yakhe ngokunikela ngokuphila kwakhe njengesihlengo. (Mathewu 20:28) Kodwa kuthiwani ngathi? Iqiniso, asiphelele, njengoMose noDavide. Nokho, njengoba isihloko esilandelayo sibonisa, kunezindlela ezingokoqobo esingalingisa ngazo uMbeki-Sibonelo wethu ekusabeleni ngokungenabugovu ekubonakalisweni kothando lukaNkulunkulu.
Ubungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Kungani kungathiwa “uNkulunkulu uluthando”?
◻ UMose wasabela kanjani ekubonakalisweni kothando lukaNkulunkulu?
◻ UDavide wasabela ngaziphi izindlela othandweni lukaJehova uNkulunkulu?
◻ UJesu wabeka siphi isibonelo ekusabeleni othandweni lukaNkulunkulu?
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
Ingabe uyazi ukuthi uMose wasabela kanjani othandweni lukaNkulunkulu?
[Izithombe ekhasini 12, 13]
UJesu wasabela othandweni lukaNkulunkulu ngokusiza abanye ngokomoya nangokwenyama nangokunikela ngokuphila kwakhe njengesihlengo