Isahluko 10

Oko UThixo Wafungela Ukukwenzela Uluntu—Ngoku Kusondele!

1, 2. (a) UThixo ufunga ngokwayiphi ingqiqo, ibe ngoba? (b) Uthini uThixo kuIsaya 45:23? (c) Ngawaphi amazwi athethwa ngumprofeti uIsaya esimele siwavume?

NGABA uThixo uyafunga? Ewe, uThixo uyafunga, kodwa akathuki, edubuleka ngomsindo aze aphulukane nokuzeyisa. Ukufunga kwakhe kusoloko kuqinisekisa oko akuvakalisa kuyinjongo yakhe. Kunikela isiqinisekiso esongezelelekileyo kwabo baza kuchatshazelwa koko. Ngenxa yoko, lonke uluntu lwenza kakuhle ukunikela ingqalelo kumazwi akhe akuIsaya 45:23: “Ndizifungile, ilizwi liphume emlonyeni ngobulungisa, aliyi kuguqulwa; lithe, Aya kuguqa kum onke amadolo, zifunge mna zonke iilwimi.”

² Namhlanje, ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-2 700 emva kweso siprofeto, ngaba seyisekile kukuba amazwi alo mprofeti kuIsaya 45:24 ayinyaniso: “KuYehova yedwa bubulungisa namandla, kuyiwa kuye; baya kudana bonke abavutha ngomsindo ngaye”? Ukuba kunjalo, ngoko sikwanokuvumelana namazwi kaIsaya alandelayo kwindinyana 25: “NgoYehova iya kugwetyelwa iqhayise yonke imbewu kaSirayeli.”

3, 4. (a) Kutheni uIsaya 45:25 engamele asibangele sicinge ngeRiphabliki yakwaSirayeli? (b) Ngaba uIsaya 45:23-25 uye wasilela nangayiphi na indlela, ibe kungani uphendula njalo nje?

³ Xa sifunda uIsaya 45:25, ngaba simele sicinge ngeRiphabliki yakwaSirayeli? Hayi! Loo maSirayeli uloyiso lwawo akatsho ukuba lubangelwe nguThixo weZibhalo zawo zesiHebhere ezingcwele. Ngentlonelo engafanelekanga ade akugatye ukubiza igama lakhe.

⁴ Ngokuthetha oku, ngaba sima ngelithi uIsaya 45:23-25 akazalisekanga kude kube ngulo nyaka? Hayi! Esi siprofeto asisilelanga ukuzaliseka ngexesha elimiselwe nguYehova. Ukusilela kwesiprofeto sakhe kuyinto engenakwenzeka kuye! Ilizwi lakhe asililo nje elithembekileyo nelinokuthenjwa kodwa lide libalasele ngakumbi xa uYehova esenza isifungo kulo, esongeza isifungo sakhe ukuze aqinisekise imicimbi.

UThixo Ulamla Ngesifungo

5. AmaHebhere 6:13-18 akucacisa njani ukulamla kukaThixo ngesifungo kwidinga lika-Abraham?

⁵ Ngokubhekisele koku, sifunda oku kumaHebhere 6:13-18: “Kuba wathi uThixo, akumbeka ngedinga uAbraham, ekubeni bekungekho namnye umkhulu kunaye angamfungayo, wazifunga yena, esithi, Inene, ndiya kuthi, ndisikelela, ndikusikelele; ndithi, ndisandisa, ndikwandise. Waza ngokunjalo, enokunyamezela, walifumanisa idinga. Kuba abantu okunene bafunga lowo umkhulu kubo, sithi kubo isifungo siphelise yonke impikiswano, sise engqinisekweni. Uthe ngoko uThixo, enga angathi ngokukhona kugqithiseleyo akubonakalalise kwiindlalifa zedinga ukungaguquleki kwecebo lakhe, wasuka walamla ngesifungo; ukuze kuthi, ngezinto ezimbini ezingenakuguquleka, angenako ukuxoka ngazo uThixo, sithi thina, basindileyo, sabamba ithemba elibekwe phambi kwethu, sibe novuselelo olunamandla.”

6. (a) Washukunyiswa yintoni uThixo ukuba afunge ngaye siqu ngokubhekisele kwidinga lakhe kuAbraham? (b) UYehova wayenokumsebenzisa njani ‘umhlobo’ wakhe?

⁶ Ngokuqhelekileyo, kubakho isizathu esinamandla esibangela ukufunga. Oko kunjalo ingakumbi xa inguThixo ofungayo, ngokuzithandela. Isizathu esinjalo kule meko sibonakala apho uYehova achazwa njengofungayo, ewe, efunga ngaye siqu. Idinga elalibotshwe ngesifungo elenziwa nguYehova kuAbraham, ‘umhlobo’ wakhe, lichaphazela thina sonke namhlanje. UYehova wayixabisa into yokuba uAbraham wenza ngokwesimemo sobuthixo waza washiya ilizwe lakowabo lokuzalwa waya kwilizwe uYehova awayeza kulinika inzala ka-Abraham ukuba libe lelayo. UYehova wayenokuthi ngokukhuselekileyo enze igama lalo ‘mhlobo’ libe likhulu ibe wayenokumsebenzisa ukusikelela abanye. UYehova wayenokuwathetha kakuhle la mazwi kuye: “Ndibasikelele abakusikelelayo, ndimtshabhise okuqalekisayo; zisikeleleke ngawe zonke izizwe zehlabathi.”—Genesis 12:3; Isaya 41:8.

7. (a) UThixo wambabala ngawuphi ummangaliso uAbraham xa umfazi wakhe wayeneminyaka engama-90 ubudala? (b) UAbraham walubonakalisa njani ukholo nentobelo yakhe ngendlela encamisileyo?

⁷ Xa umfazi ka-Abraham uSara wayeneminyaka engama-90 ubudala, edlule ngokupheleleyo kubudala bokuzala, uThixo ngommangaliso wambabala ngokuzalela uAbraham unyana wabo othandekayo, uIsake, nto leyo eyayiyimbonakaliso ebhekele phaya yedinga Lakhe elimangalisayo kuAbraham. UAbraham wazingqina ekulungele yaye ekuvuma ukunikela kwanalo nyana uxabisekileyo njengedini elingumntu ukuthobela umyalelo woThixo wakhe, uYehova. Le mbonakaliso incamisileyo yokholo nentobelo yamshukumisa uYehova kangangokuba wathi ‘kumhlobo’ wakhe, uAbraham:

8, 9. (a) UYehova wasabela njani koku kubonakalisa kuka-Abraham ukholo nentobelo? (b) UThixo wazenza wabopheleleka kubani?

⁸ “Ndizifungile, utsho uYehova, ngenxa enokuba uyenzile le nto, akwanqaba nonyana wakho, emnye kuwe: ukuba ndiya kukusikelela ndikusikelele; ndiya kuyandisa ndiyandise imbewu yakho njengeeenkwenkwezi zezulu, nanjengentlabathi eselunxwemeni lolwandle; imbewu yakho ilidle ilifa isango leentshaba zayo; zisikelelwe ngembewu yakho zonke iintlanga zehlabathi, ngenxa enokuba uliphulaphule ilizwi lam.”—Genesis 22:15-18.

⁹ Le yindawo yokuqala eBhayibhileni apho uYehova achazwa njengofungayo. Ngenxa yokuba wayengenakufunga ngomnye umntu ongaphezulu kunaye, wafunga ngaye, ebophelela isiqu sakhe kuso. Ngale ndlela wazenza akabopheleleka mntwini ngaphandle kokubopheleleka kuye siqu. Ukuphumeza kwakhe injongo yakhe ayivakalisileyo kumele ukuba ukwenzela ukuze kuzukiswe yena.

Ukusa Kuwuphi Umlinganiselo?

10. UThixo wawenza kudala kangakanani umnqophiso wakhe noAbraham, ibe ke ngoko nguwuphi umbuzo ophakamayo?

¹⁰ UAbraham wangena kwilizwe ledinga laseKanan phantse kwiminyaka engama-4 000 eyadlulayo. Ke ngoku, loo mnqophiso wenziwa ngowe-1943 B.C.E. uphunyezwe ukusa kuwuphi umlinganiselo?

11. (a) Ukuba lilungu leZizwe Ezimanyeneyo kweRiphabliki yakwaSirayeli kubonisa ntoni, ibe ngayiphi imiphumo? (b) Ngaba inzala yokwemvelo ka-Abraham iyahlangabezana neemfuneko zokuba ‘yimbewu’ ethenjisiweyo?

¹¹ Namhlanje, kukho iRiphabliki yakwaSirayeli kuMbindi Mpuma. Ngokuzithandela kwayo, ililungu leZizwe Ezimanyeneyo. IZizwe Ezimanyeneyo zichasa uBukumkani bukaYehova uThixo ‘ngembewu’ ethenjisiweyo ka-Abraham ibe ke ziza kutshatyalaliswa “emfazweni yaloo mini inkulu kaThixo, uSomandla,” eArmagedon. Onke amalungu eZizwe Ezimanyeneyo, kuquka iRiphabliki yakwaSirayeli, aya kutshatyalaliswa angabikho. Okungonwabisiyo kukuba, inzala ka-Abraham yokwenyama neyokwemvelo ayihlangabezani neemfuneko zokuba ‘yimbewu’ ethenjisiweyo enguMesiya ekuya kuthi ngayo uYehova uThixo asikelele lonke uluntu.—ISityhilelo 16:14-16.

12, 13. (a) Ngokungafaniyo nokhokho wakhe uDavide, kutheni le nto “uMthetheli woxolo” engenakulawula eyedwa nje? (b) Ngaba amaKristu athanjisiweyo kwafuneka alinde de uBukumkani bumiswe ngowe-1914 ukuze afumane intsikelelo ethenjisiweyo, ibe sazi njani?

¹² Xa kucaciswa izinto kakuhle ukuze wonk’ umntu aqonde kungathiwa, uMesiya othenjisiweyo akalawuli kuMbindi Mpuma, kwiYerusalem yasemhlabeni ukuzalisekisa umnqophiso ka-Abraham. Ngokungafaniyo nokhokho wakhe uDavide wamandulo, uMesiya ‘nonguMthetheli Woxolo’ akanakulawula eyedwa. Wathembisa ngelokuba elulawulweni lwakhe wayeza kunxulumana nabapostile bakhe abathembekileyo abali-12 nabanye abafundi bakhe abazelwe ngomoya abali-144 000. (ISityhilelo 7:1-8; 14:1-4) Kusekho intsalela yabafundi abanjalo emhlabeni. Yintoni abayenzelweyo ekuhambiseleni phambili inzaliseko yomnqophiso ka-Abraham uThixo awawufungelayo? Omnye owayesisinxulumani esiphambili esasinethemba lokuba kobo Bukumkani, umpostile uPawulos, wabhala oku kumaGalati 3:8: “Isibhalo, sibona ke ngenxa engaphambili ukuba uThixo uyazigwebela iintlanga ngokwaselukholweni, sazishumayela ngenxa engaphambili iindaba ezilungileyo kuAbraham, sisithi, Ziya kusikelelelwa kuwe zonke iintlanga.”

¹³ AmaKristu awayekhethwe phakathi kweentlanga akuzange kube yimfuneko ukuba alinde de kube semva kokumiswa koBukumkani ngowe-1914 ukuze afumane intsikelelo ethenjisiweyo, kuba umpostile uPawulos wahambisa wathi: “Ngoko ke abaselukholweni bayasikelelwa ndawonye noAbraham okholwayo.” (Galati 3:9) UPawulos wayengumKristu ibe wayesikelelwa, yaye kwakunjalo nangawo onke amanye amaKristu azelwe ngomoya omhla wakhe.a Ngokukwanjalo namhlanje, intsalela, ebunjwe ngamaKristu azelwe ngomoya anamathela ekubonakaliseni ukholo kuMesiya ‘njengembewu’ eyintloko ka-Abraham eza kusikelela lonke uluntu, ifumana intsikelelo ethenjisiweyo.

14. (a) AmaKristu athanjisiweyo aye asikelelwa njani ngokukhethekileyo ngokomnqophiso ka-Abraham? (b) Oku kumthethelele ngayiphi indlela uYehova?

¹⁴ Ngokuzahlulela kuYehova nokufuzisela ukuzahlulela ngokubhaptizwa emanzini aze ke azalwe ngomoya kaThixo abe kwimeko yokomoya, la maKristu aye aba ngoonyana bokomoya baka-Abraham Omkhulu, uYehova uThixo. Kwakhona aye aba ngamadlelane amanyene noYesu Kristu, uIsake Omkhulu. (Roma 8:17) Eneneni asikelelwe ngokukhethekileyo ngokomnqophiso ka-Abraham. UYehova ebephumeza oko wafungela ukukwenza, ngaloo ndlela ezithethelela njengothetha inyaniso, Lowo ukwazi ngokugqibeleleyo ukuphumeza oko akufunge ngokupheleleyo ukukwenza ngegama lakhe.

15. Umpostile uPawulos uthi liyintoni ilungu ngalinye lentsalela yamaKristu azelwe ngomoya?

¹⁵ Lungu ngalinye lentsalela yamaKristu azelwe ngomoya lingumYuda ngokomoya. Kunjengokuba umpostile uPawulos wathi: “UmYuda asingulowo unguye ngokwangaphandle, nolwaluko asilulo olo lwangaphandle enyameni; umYuda ngulowo wasemfihlekweni, nolwaluko lolwentliziyo ngomoya, kungengantetho.”—Roma 2:28, 29.

16. AmaYuda okomoya abumba luphi udidi olwaxelwa kwangaphambili kuZekariya 8:23?

¹⁶ Koku ‘kupheliswa kwephakade eli,’ loo maKristu azelwe ngomoya, angamaYuda ngaphakathi ngolwaluko lweentliziyo zawo, abumba udidi lwamaYuda olwaxelwa kwangaphambili kuZekariya 8:23, apho kubhalwe kwathiwa: “Utsho uYehova wemikhosi ukuthi, Ngezo mini aya kuthi abambe amadoda alishumi asezilwimini zonke zeentlanga, abambe esondweni lengubo yendoda engumYuda, athi, Siya kuhamba nani [bantundini, NW], ngokuba sivile ukuba uThixo unani.”

17. (a) Ngoobani abamelwa ‘ngamadoda alishumi’ afuna ukunqula uYehova nentsalela yanamhla yamaYuda okomoya? (b) Ngokunxulumana namaYuda okomoya ekunquleni uYehova, yintoni enanditshwa ngamalungu “ezinye izimvu” ngoku?

¹⁷ ‘Abantu’ loo “madoda alishumi” afuna ukuhamba nabo ukuya kunqulo lukaYehova uThixo yintsalela yanamhla yabo bangamaYuda okomoya, udidi olubumba ‘umkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo’ kaMateyu 24:45-47. Ekubeni ishumi limela ukuphelela kohlobo lwezinto zasemhlabeni, “amadoda alishumi asezilwimini zonke zeentlanga” ebeya kumela zonke izimvu zokomfuziselo ezaxelwa kwangaphambili kuMateyu 25:32-46. Olu ludidi ‘lwezimvu ezizezinye’ uYesu awathi wayeya kuzinxulumanisa nentsalela ebumvu ukuze ziyile kunye nayo ‘umhlambi omnye’ onyanyekelwa ‘ngumalusi omnye.’ (Yohane 10:16) Ngale ndlela zizingcamla kwangaphambili iintsikelelo zomnqophiso ka-Abraham eziza ‘ngembewu’ ka-Abraham Omkhulu, uYehova uThixo. Ngoko, ngokuqinisekileyo, oko uThixo wafungela ukukwenzela lonke uluntu kusondele!

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 89]

IBhayibhile yaxela kwangaphambili ukuba abantu abaphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga babeya kunxulumana noSirayeli wokomoya