Yiba Nethemba Lokuthi UJehova Uyoyifeza Injongo Yakhe
“Abalungileyo bazakudla ifa lomhlaba, bahlale kuwo njalonjalo.”—IHUBO 37:29.
1. Iyini injongo kaJehova ngabantu nangalomhlaba?
LAPHO uJehova edala abazali bethu bokuqala, u-Adamu no-Eva, wabenza baphelela. Futhi wabadala ngendlela yokuba bakwazi ukuphila phakade kulomhlaba—uma babelalele imiyalo yakhe. (Genesise 1:26, 27; 2:17) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uNkulunkulu wababeka endaweni eyipharadesi. (Genesise 2:8, 9) UJehova wathi kubo: “Zalani, nande, nigcwalise umhlaba, niwunqobe.” (Genesise 1:28) Ngakho, ekugcineni inzalo yabo yayiyosakazekela emhlabeni wonke, futhi leplanethi yayiyoba ipharadesi eligcwaliswe uhlanga lwesintu oluphelele, olujabulayo. Yeka isiqalo esihle umkhaya wabantu owaba naso! “UNkulunkulu wabona konke akwenzileyo; bheka, kwakukuhle kakhulu.”—Genesise 1:31.
2. Yimiphi imibuzo ephakanyiswa yisimo sezindaba zabantu?
2 Nokho, isimo sezindaba zabantu esiye saba khona izinkulungwane zeminyaka asifani nakancane nenjongo kaNkulunkulu yasekuqaleni. Isintu sikude kakhulu nokuphelela futhi asijabuli neze. Izimo zezwe bezilokhu zicindezela, futhi njengoba kwaprofethwa, ziye zaba zimbi ngokuphawuleka kakhulu esikhathini sethu. (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, 13) Ngakho singaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi injongo kaNkulunkulu ngabantu iyofezeka esikhathini esizayo esiseduze? Ingabe kusazodlula isikhathi eside kukhona izimo ezicindezelayo eziqhubekayo?
Konakalaphi?
3. Kungani uJehova engazange akuphelise ngokushesha ukuhlubuka kwesintu?
3 Labo abanolwazi oluqondile lweZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumlelwe bayazi ukuthi kungani uJehova evumele lezizimo ezimbi emhlabeni. Bayazi futhi ukuthi yini azoyenza ngazo. Ngokusekelwe ekulandiseni kweBhayibheli, baye bafunda ukuthi abazali bethu bokuqala basisebenzisa kabi isipho esimangalisayo senkululeko yokuzikhethela uNkulunkulu ayesinikeze abantu. (Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Petru 2:16.) Ngokungafanele bakhetha inkambo yokuzibusa ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu. (Genesise, izahluko 2 no-3) Ukuhlubuka kwabo kwaphakamisa imibuzo engathi sína, enjengokuthi: Ingabe uMbusi Wendawo Yonke unalo ilungelo lokubusa abantu? Ingabe ukubusa kwakhe kungcono kakhulu kubo? Ingabe ukubusa komuntu kungaphumelela ngaphandle kokuqondisa kukaNkulunkulu? Indlela eqinisekile yokuthola izimpendulo kulemibuzo yayiwukuvumela ukuba kudlule amakhulu eminyaka yokubusa komuntu. Imiphumela yayiyobonisa ngaphandle kokungabaza ukuthi abantu bangaphumelela yini ngaphandle koMenzi wabo.
4, 5. (a) Uye waba yini umphumela wokwenqaba komuntu ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu? (b) Yini ngokungathandabuzeki eye yaboniswa ukuhamba kwesikhathi?
4 Lapho u-Adamu no-Eva beshiya uNkulunkulu, akabange esabasekela ekupheleleni. Ngaphandle kokusekela kwakhe, bawohloka. Umphumela waba ukungapheleli, ukuguga, futhi ekugcineni ukufa. Ngemithetho yofuzo, abazali bethu bokuqala badlulisela lezozici eziyingozi kuyo yonke inzalo yabo, kuhlanganise nathi. (Roma 5:12) Futhi kuthiwani ngomphumela wezinkulungwane zeminyaka yokubusa komuntu? Uye waba inhlekelele, njengoba nje umShumayeli 8:9 ekuqinisekisa: ‘Umuntu uye wabusa omunye kwaba-ngukulimala kwakhe.’
5 Ukuhamba kwesikhathi kuye kwabonisa ngokungathandabuzeki ukuthi abantu abanalo ikhono lokuqondisa izindaba zabo ngokuphumelelayo ngaphandle koMdali wabo. Umlobi weBhayibheli ophefumlelwe uJeremiya wamemezela: “Ngiyazi, Jehova, ukuthi indlela yomuntu ayikuye uqobo; akukuyo indoda ukuba ihambe, iqondise izinyathelo zayo.”—Jeremiya 10:23; Duteronomi 32:4, 5; UmShumayeli 7:29.
Injongo KaNkulunkulu Ayizange Ishintshe
6, 7. (a) Ingabe izinkulungwane zeminyaka yomlando ziye zayishintsha injongo kaJehova? (b) Yini ehlanganiswe enjongweni kaJehova?
6 Ingabe ukudlula kwezinkulungwane zeminyaka yomlando womuntu—ogcwele ububi nokuhlupheka—kuye kwayishintsha injongo kaNkulunkulu? IZwi lakhe lithi: “Usho kanje uJehova, owalidala izulu, onguNkulunkulu, owawubumba umhlaba, wawenza, wawumisa, engawudalelanga ize, wawubumba ukuba kuhlalwe kuwo.” (Isaya 45:18) Ngakho uNkulunkulu wabumba umhlaba ukuba uhlalwe abantu, futhi lokho kuseyinjongo yakhe.
7 UJehova akazange nje adale umhlaba ukuba kuhlalwe kuwo kodwa futhi wayehlose ukuba ube ipharadesi elijatshulelwa abantu abaphelele, abajabulayo. Yingakho iBhayibheli labikezela ukuthi kuyoba “nomhlaba omusha,” umphakathi wabantu omusha, lapho ‘kuyoba khona ukulunga.’ (2 Petru 3:13) Futhi kusAmbulo 21:4, iZwi likaNkulunkulu lisitshela ukuthi ezweni lakhe elisha, ‘uyokwesula izinyembezi zonke emehlweni esintu; ukufa akusayikuba-khona; nokudabuka, nokukhala, nobuhlungu akusayikuba-khona.’ Kungalezozizathu uJesu ayengakhuluma ngalelozwe elisha elizayo emhlabeni ‘njengeParadesi.’—Luka 23:43.
8. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyoyigcwalisa injongo yakhe?
8 Njengoba uJehova ewuMdali wendawo yonke onawo wonke amandla nokuhlakanipha, akekho ongabhuntshisa injongo yakhe. “UJehova-Sebawoti ufungile, wathi: Impela njengokulinganisa kwami kuyakuba-njalo, nanjengokunquma kwami kuyakuma kanjalo.” (Isaya 14:24) Ngakho, lapho uNkulunkulu ethi uyokwenza lomhlaba ube ipharadesi elihlalwa abantu abaphelele, yilokho okuyokwenzeka. UJesu wathi: “Babusisiwe abamnene, ngokuba bayakudla ifa lomhlaba.” (Mathewu 5:5; qhathanisa neHubo 37:29.) Singaqiniseka ukuthi lesosithembiso siyogcwaliseka. Eqinisweni, singakudela ukuphila kwethu ngenxa yaso.
Babethemba UJehova
9. Yini u-Abrahama ayenza eyabonisa ukuthembela kwakhe kuJehova?
9 Kuwo wonke umlando abantu abaningi abesaba uNkulunkulu baye badela ukuphila kwabo ngenxa yenjongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba ngoba babeqiniseka ukuthi uyoyigcwalisa. Nakuba kungenzeka ukuthi ulwazi lwabo lwalulinganiselwe, bamethemba uNkulunkulu futhi bakhela ukuphila kwabo ekwenzeni intando yakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, kwakuno-Abrahama, owayephila eminyakeni engaba ngu-2 000 ngaphambi kokuba uJesu eze emhlabeni—kudala ngaphambi kokuba kuqalwe ukulotshwa kweBhayibheli. Wayenethemba lokuthi uJehova uyozigcwalisa izithembiso zaKhe. Cishe u-Abrahama wafunda ngoMdali kukhokho wakhe othembekile uShemi, owafundiswa uNowa. Ngakho lapho uNkulunkulu etshela u-Abrahama ukuba aphume e-Uri lamaKaledi elichumile aye ezweni elingavamile neliyingozi laseKhanani, leyonzalamizi yayazi ukuthi yayingamethemba uJehova, ngakho-ke yahamba. (Heberu 11:8) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJehova wayitshela: “Ngiyakukwenza isizwe esikhulu.”—Genesise 12:2.
10, 11. Kungani u-Abrahama ayezimisele ukunikela ngendodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, u-Isaka?
10 Kwenzekani ngemva kokuba u-Abrahama ezele u-Isaka? UJehova wabonisa u-Abrahama ukuthi inzalo yakhe eyayiyoba isizwe esikhulu yayiyovela ngo-Isaka. (Genesise 21:12) Ngakho, kumelwe ukuba kwabonakala kungavumelani ngempela lapho uJehova evivinya ukholo luka-Abrahama, emtshela ukuba anikele ngendodana yakhe u-Isaka. (Genesise 22:2) Nokho, ethembele ngokugcwele kuJehova, u-Abrahama wathatha izinyathelo zokwenza ngokuvumelana nalokho, eqinisweni ethatha ummese wakhe ukuze abulale u-Isaka. Ngomzuzu wokugcina, uNkulunkulu wathumela ingelosi ukuba inqande u-Abrahama.—Genesise 22:9-14.
11 Kungani u-Abrahama ayelalela kangaka? AmaHeberu 11:17-19 embula ukuthi: “Ngokukholwa uAbrahama evivinywa wanikela ngoIsaka, yebo, yena owayamukele izithembiso, wanikela ngozelwe yedwa wakhe, okwathiwa kuye: Inzalo yakho iyakubizwa ngoIsaka, ethi uNkulunkulu unamandla okuvusa nakwabafileyo; ngokulinganisa wabuye wamthola futhi evela khona.” EyabaseRoma 4:20, 21 ithi ngokufanayo: “[U-Abrahama] akangabazanga ngesithembiso sikaNkulunkulu ngokungakholwa, . . . eqinisekile ukuthi lokho [uNkulunkulu] akwethembisile unamandla nokukwenza.”
12. U-Abrahama wavuzwa kanjani ngenxa yokholo lwakhe?
12 U-Abrahama akavuzwanga nje ngenxa yokholo lwakhe ngokulondolozwa kuka-Isaka nangokuba “isizwe esikhulu” sivele ngaye kodwa futhi nangenye indlela. UNkulunkulu watshela u-Abrahama: “Nangenzalo yakho ziyakubusiswa izizwe zonke zomhlaba, ngokuba ulalele izwi lami.” (Genesise 22:18) Kanjani? INkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini yayiyoza ngohlu lozalo luka-Abrahama. LowoMbuso wawuyochoboza uqede lelizwe elibi elingaphansi kukaSathane. (Daniyeli 2:44; Roma 16:20; IsAmbulo 19:11-21) Khona-ke, emhlabeni ohlanziwe ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso, iPharadesi liyonwetshelwa embulungeni yonke, futhi ‘ezizweni zonke’ abantu abenza intando kaNkulunkulu bayojabulela impilo nokuphila okuphelele phakade. (1 Johane 2:15-17) Nakuba u-Abrahama ayenolwazi olulinganiselwe lwalowoMbuso, wamethemba uNkulunkulu futhi wabheka phambili ekumisweni kwawo.—Heberu 11:10.
13, 14. Kungani uJobe athemba uNkulunkulu?
13 Emakhulwini eminyaka ambalwa kamuva, kwaba noJobe, owayephila phakathi kwekhulu le-17 nele-16 B.C.E. endaweni manje ebizwa ngokuthi i-Arabia. Naye futhi waphila ngaphambi kokuba iBhayibheli liqale ukulotshwa. UJobe “wayengenasici elungile, wayemesaba uNkulunkulu, wabalekela okubi.” (Jobe 1:1) Lapho uSathane eshaya uJobe ngesifo esinyanyekayo esibuhlungu, leyondoda ethembekile ‘ayikhulumanga nazwi linye lokona’ kukho konke ukuhlupheka kwayo. (Jobe 2:10, The New English Bible) UJobe wathemba uNkulunkulu. Futhi nakuba ayengayazi imininingwane yokuthi kungani ayehlupheka kangaka, wadela ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa kaNkulunkulu nezithembiso zaKhe.
14 UJobe wayazi ukuthi nakuba ayengafa, ngolunye usuku uNkulunkulu wayengambuyisela ekuphileni ngovuko. Wabonisa lelithemba lapho ethi kuJehova uNkulunkulu: “Sengathi ungangifihla endaweni yabafileyo, . . . unginqumele isikhathi, ungikhumbule. Uma umuntu efa, uyakubuye aphile na? . . . Ubuyakubiza, mina ngiphendule.” (Jobe 14:13-15) Nakuba ayesezinhlungwini ezinkulu, uJobe wabonisa ukholo ebukhosini bukaJehova, ethi: “Angiyikuzaphuca ukuphelela kwami ngize ngife.”—Jobe 27:5.
15. UDavide wakubonisa kanjani ukuthembela kwakhe enjongweni kaJehova?
15 Emakhulwini ayisithupha eminyaka ngemva kukaJobe naseminyakeni engaba inkulungwane ngaphambi kokuza kukaJesu emhlabeni, uDavide wabonisa ukuthembela kwakhe ezweni elisha. Wathi kumahubo: “Abalindela uJehova bazakudla ifa lomhlaba. Kusengumzuzwana, omubi angabe esabakho . . . Kepha abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu. Abalungileyo bazakudla ifa lomhlaba, bahlale kuwo njalonjalo.” Ngenxa yethemba lakhe elingantengi, uDavide wanxusa: “Themba kuJehova, . . . zithokozise ngoJehova, yikhona ezakukunika okufiswa yinhliziyo yakho.”—IHubo 37:3, 4, 9-11, 29.
16. Yiliphi ithemba ‘ifu elikhulu lofakazi’ elinalo?
16 Kuwo wonke amakhulu eminyaka, amadoda nabesifazane abathembekile baye baba nalelithemba elifanayo lokuphila phakade emhlabeni. Eqinisweni, baye baba ‘ifu elikhulu lawofakazi’ eladela ukuphila kwalo ngokoqobo ngenxa yezithembiso zikaJehova. Abaningi balabofakazi bakaJehova basendulo bahlushwa futhi babulawa ngenxa yokholo lwabo, “ukuze bathole ukuvuka okuhle.” Kanjani? Ezweni elisha, uNkulunkulu uyobavuza ngovuko oluhle nethemba lokuphila okuphakade.—Johane 5:28, 29; Heberu 11:35; 12:1.
OFakazi AbangamaKristu Bathembela KuNkulunkulu
17. AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala amethemba ngokuqine kangakanani uJehova?
17 Ekhulwini lokuqala C.E., uJehova wembulela ibandla lamaKristu elalisanda kumiswa imininingwane eyengeziwe ngoMbuso nokubusa kwawo emhlabeni. Ngokwesibonelo, umoya wakhe waphefumlela umphostoli uJohane ukuba abhale ukuthi inani lababezohlanganyela noJesu Kristu eMbusweni wasezulwini lalizoba ngu-144 000. Laba babezoba izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile ‘ezithengwe ebantwini.’ (IsAmbulo 7:4; 14:1-4) Babezobusa umhlaba “njengamakhosi” kanye noKristu ezulwini. (IsAmbulo 20:4-6, NW) LawomaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayethembele ngokuqinile ekutheni uJehova uzoyigcwalisa injongo yakhe ngoMbuso wasezulwini nendawo yawo ebuswayo yasemhlabeni kangangokuba ayezimisele ukufela ukholo lwawo. Amaningi awo enza lokho kanye.
18. OFakazi BakaJehova namuhla babalingisa kanjani abafowabo basendulo?
18 Namuhla, oFakazi bakaJehova abacishe babe izigidi ezinhlanu bathembela kuNkulunkulu ngendlela efanayo njengoba kwenza abafowabo ababephila emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka ngaphambi kwabo. LaboFakazi bosuku lwanamuhla nabo baye badela ukuphila kwabo ngenxa yezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu. Baye banikezela ukuphila kwabo kuye futhi baneBhayibheli eliphelele ukuze baqinise ukholo lwabo. (2 Thimothewu 3:14-17) LaboFakazi bakaJehova bosuku lwanamuhla balingisa abalandeli bakaJesu bekhulu lokuqala abamemezela ukuthi ‘babeyolalela uNkulunkulu kunabantu.’ (IzEnzo 5:29) Kulelikhulu abaningi balaboFakazi abangamaKristu baye bashushiswa ngonya. Abanye baye babulawa ngisho nokubulawa ngenxa yokholo lwabo. Abanye baye bafa ngenxa yokugula, ingozi, noma ukuguga. Nokho, njengofakazi abathembekile besikhathi esidlule, baye bathembela kuNkulunkulu ngoba bebazi ukuthi uyobabuyisela ekuphileni ezweni lakhe elisha ngovuko.—Johane 5:28, 29; IzEnzo 24:15; IsAmbulo 20:12, 13.
19, 20. Yini esiyiqaphelayo ngesiprofetho seBhayibheli sosuku lwethu?
19 OFakazi BakaJehova bayaqonda ukuthi ukuthathwa kwabo ezizweni zonke ukuze bakhe ubuzalwane bomhlaba wonke kwabikezelwa kudala esiprofethweni seBhayibheli. (Isaya 2:2-4; IsAmbulo 7:4, 9-17) Futhi uJehova ubathume ukuba benze umsebenzi wokushumayela emhlabeni wonke ukuze nabanye abasenezinhliziyo eziqotho abahlanganisele emuseni nasesivikelweni sakhe. (IzAga 18:10; Mathewu 24:14; Roma 10:13) Bonke laba bathembela ngokuphelele kuJehova, njengoba bazi ukuthi ngokushesha uzoletha izwe lakhe elisha elimangalisayo.—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Korinte 15:58; Heberu 6:10.
20 Iziprofetho zeBhayibheli zibonisa ukuthi izwe likaSathane belisezinsukwini zalo zokugcina iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-80 manje, kusukela onyakeni wenguquko ka-1914. Lelizwe lisondela ekupheleni kwalo. (Roma 16:20; 2 Korinte 4:4; 2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Ngakho-ke oFakazi BakaJehova banesibindi nokuzimisela ngoba bayaqaphela ukuthi ngokushesha uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uzolawula zonke izindaba zomhlaba ngokuphelele. Ngokuphelisa lelizwe lamanje elibi nangokuletha izwe lakhe elisha lokulunga, uNkulunkulu uzosusa ngokuphelele isimo esibi esiye saba khona emhlabeni emakhulwini amaningi kangaka eminyaka.—IzAga 2:21, 22.
21. Kungani singajabula naphezu kwezinkathazo zamanje?
21 Khona-ke, kulo lonke iphakade, uNkulunkulu uyobonisa ukusikhathalela kwakhe okukhulu ngokusithululela izibusiso ezinkulu ngokungenakuqhathaniswa nanoma yikuphi ukulimala esiye sakuthola esikhathini esidlule. Kunezinto eziningi ezinhle eziyokwenzeka kithi ezweni elisha kangangokuba izinkathazo zethu zangesikhathi esidlule ziyofiphala enkumbulweni. Yeka indlela okududuza ngayo ukwazi ukuthi ngalesosikhathi uJehova ‘uyovula isandla sakhe, asuthise ukufisa kwakho konke okuphilayo.’—IHubo 145:16; Isaya 65:17, 18.
22. Kungani kufanele sithembele kuJehova?
22 Ezweni elisha, isintu esithembekile siyobona ukugcwaliseka kweyabaseRoma 8:21: “Nakho okudaliweyo kuyakukhululwa ebugqileni bokubhubha, kube-ngukukhululeka kwenkazimulo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.” Bayobona lomkhuleko uJesu awufundisa abalandeli bakhe ugcwaliseka: “Mawufike umbuso wakho; mayenziwe intando yakho emhlabeni njengasezulwini.” (Mathewu 6:10) Ngakho thembela ngokuphelele kuJehova ngoba isithembiso sakhe esiqinisekile siwukuthi: “Abalungileyo bazakudla ifa lomhlaba, bahlale kuwo njalonjalo.”—IHubo 37:29.
Ubungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Iyini injongo kaJehova ngabantu nangalomhlaba?
◻ Kungani uNkulunkulu eye wavumela izimo ezimbi emhlabeni?
◻ Abantu abathembekile basendulo bakubonisa kanjani ukuthembela kwabo kuJehova?
◻ Kungani izinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla zithembela kuJehova?
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
UNkulunkulu wadala abantu ukuba baphile phakade ngenjabulo emhlabeni oyipharadesi
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
U-Abrahama wathembela ekhonweni likaJehova lokuvusa abafile