Isahluko 9
Ukubambelela Ngokuqinileyo Kwigama LikaYesu
IPERGAMO
1. Liliphi ibandla elifumana isigidimi sikaYesu esilandelayo, yaye loo maKristu ayehlala kwisixeko esinjani?
XA SIHAMBA umgama ongama-80 eekhilomitha ukuya kumntla sigudle unxweme ukusuka eSmirna size ke sihambe ama-24 eekhilomitha kummandla ongaphakathi emhlabeni sinqumla intili yoMlambo iCaicus, sifika ePergamo, ngoku ebizwa ngokuba yiBergama. Esi sixeko sasidume ngetempile yaso kaZeyus, okanye uJupiter. Ngeminyaka yee-1800, abembi bezinto zakudala bathwala isibingelelo saloo tempile basisa kwiMyuziyam esePergamo eBerlin, kwelaseJamani, apho sinokubukelwa khona kunye nenyambalala yemifanekiso eqingqiweyo nekroliweyo yoothixo babahedeni. Sisiphi isigidimi iNkosi uYesu eyayinokusithumela kwibandla elaliphakathi kwalo lonke olo nqulo-zithixo?
2. UYesu uzichaza njani, ibe yintoni intsingiselo yokuba ‘nekrele elintlangothi-mbini’ kwakhe?
2 Okokuqala, uYesu uyazichaza, esithi: “Ingelosi yebandla elisePergamo yibhalele uthi: Utsho lowo unekrele elide elintlangothi-mbini, elibukhali.” (ISityhilelo 2:12) UYesu apha uphinda indlela achazwe ngayo kwiSityhilelo 1:16. NjengoMgwebi noMtshabalalisi, uya kubatshabalalisa abo batshutshisa abafundi bakhe. Hayi indlela esithuthuzela ngayo eso siqinisekiso! Noko ke, ngokuphathelele umgwebo, nabo basebandleni balunyukiswa ngelokuba uYehova, esebenzisa lo ‘mthunywa womnqophiso’ unguYesu Kristu, ‘uya kuba lingqina elikhawulezayo’ nxamnye nabo bonke abathi bangamaKristu abaqhelisela unqulo-zithixo, ukuziphatha okubi, ukuxoka nokunganyaniseki, nabangabanyamekeliyo abasweleyo. (Malaki 3:1, 5; Hebhere 13:1-3) Isiluleko nesohlwayo sikaThixo esinikelwa nguYesu simele sithotyelwe!
3. Luluphi unqulo lobuxoki olwalukho ePergamo, yaye kunokutshiwo njani ukuba “itrone kaSathana” yayilapho?
3 Ngoku uYesu uxelela ibandla esithi: “Ndiyazi apho uhleli khona, oko kukuthi, apho ikhoyo itrone kaSathana.” (ISityhilelo 2:13a) Ngokwenyaniso, loo maKristu ayengqongwe lunqulo lukaSathana. Ngaphandle kwetempile kaZeyus, kwakukho indawo ekwakunqulelwa kuyo uAesculapius, uthixo wokuphilisa. Kwakhona iPergamo yayisaziwa njengeziko lehlelo elalinqula umlawuli. Igama lesiHebhere eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “Sathana” lithetha “uMxhathisi,” yaye “itrone” yakhe imela ulawulo lwakhe lwehlabathi oluvunyelwe nguThixo okwexesha elithile. (Yobhi 1:6, umbhalo osemazantsi weNW eneembekiselo) Ukwanda kokunqulwa kwezithixo ePergamo kwabonisa ukuba “itrone” kaSathana yayixhaswa ngokupheleleyo kweso sixeko. Hayi indlela amele ukuba uSathana wacaphuka ngayo kuba amaKristu alapho engazange aqubude kuye ngokuzibandakanya kunqulo lolo hlanga!
4. (a) UYesu uwancoma njani amaKristu asePergamo? (b) Ummeli waseRoma uPliny wambhalela esithini uMlawuli uTrajan ngokubhekisele kwindlela awayewaphatha ngayo amaKristu? (c) Phezu kwayo nje ingozi awayejamelene nayo, liliphi ikhondo ahamba ngalo amaKristu asePergamo?
4 Ewe, “itrone kaSathana” ilapho kanye ePergamo. UYesu uyaqhubeka esithi: “Ukanti uhlala ulibambe nkqi igama lam, yaye akuzange ulukhanyele ukholo lwakho kum kwanangemihla ka-Antipas, ingqina lam, lowo uthembekileyo, owabulawa ekunye nani, apho ahleli khona uSathana.” (ISityhilelo 2:13b) Hayi indlela achukumisa ngayo la mazwi okuncoma! Alithandabuzeki elokuba ukufela ukholo kuka-Antipas kwabangelwa kukungavumi kwakhe ukuhambisana noqheliselo lobudemon nokunqulwa komlawuli wamaRoma. Kungekudala emva kokuba uYohane efumene esi siprofeto, uPliny Omncinane, owayengummeli osondeleyo woMlawuli uTrajan waseRoma, wabhalela uTrajan waza wamcacisela inkqubo yakhe yokohlwaya abantu abatyholwa ngokuba ngamaKristu—nkqubo leyo umlawuli awayamkelayo. UPliny wathi abo babekukhanyela ukuba ngamaKristu babekhululwa xa “bendilandela ekuthandazeni koothixo, banikele isiqhumiso newayini kumfanekiso wakho [Trajan] . . . baze, ukongezelela, baqalekise uKristu.” Nabaphi na ababefunyaniswa bengamaKristu babebulawa. Nakubeni ayejongene nengozi enjalo, amaKristu asePergamo akazange alukhanyele ukholo lwawo. ‘Abambelela ngokuqinileyo kwigama likaYesu’ kuba aqhubeka ehlonela isigxina sakhe esiphakamileyo njengoMthetheleli noMgwebi omiselwe nguYehova. Ngokunyanisekileyo, alandela emanyathelweni kaYesu njengamangqina oBukumkani.
5. (a) Yintoni namhlanje efanekisela ukunqulwa komlawuli eye yabangela iimvavanyo eziqatha kumaKristu kweli xesha siphila kulo? (b) Luluphi uncedo oluye lwalungiselelwa yiMboniselo kumaKristu?
5 Ngezihlandlo ezahlukahlukeneyo, uYesu wathi uSathana ulawula eli hlabathi lingendawo, kodwa ngenxa yengqibelelo kaYesu, uSathana wayengenandlela yakubambelela kuye. (Mateyu 4:8-11; Yohane 14:30) Kweli xesha siphila kulo, iintlanga ezinamandla, ngokuphawulekayo “ukumkani wasemntla” ‘nokumkani wasemzantsi,’ bezilwela ukulawula ihlabathi. (Daniyeli 11:40) Namhlanje kukhuthazwa umoya wokuthand’ izwe, yaye ihlabathi lizaliswe ngumoya wobuhlanga ofanekisela ukunqulwa komlawuli. Amanqaku akhuthaza ukungathabathi cala akwiMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaNovemba 1, 1939, ekaJuni 1, 1980, nekaSeptemba 1, 1986 aye ayichaza ngokucacileyo imfundiso yeBhayibhile ngale mbambano, enikela ulwalathiso kwabo bangamaKristu abafuna ukuhamba egameni likaYehova baze boyise ihlabathi, njengoko uYesu wenjenjalo ngenkalipho.—Mika 4:1, 3, 5; Yohane 16:33; 17:4, 6, 26; 18:36, 37; IZenzo 5:29.
6. NjengoAntipas, amaNgqina kaYehova aye ema ngokuqinileyo njani kumaxesha anamhlanje?
6 Isiluleko esinjalo besifuneka ngokungxamisekileyo. Ejongene nomoya ongekho ngqiqweni wokuthand’ izwe, amaNgqina kaYehova, angabathanjiswa namaqabane awo, kuye kwafuneka eme ngokuqinileyo elukholweni. KwelaseUnited States, amakhulu abantwana nabafundisi-ntsapho bagxothwa ezikolweni ngenxa yokuba abazange bayikhahlele indwe yelo lizwe, ngoxa kwelaseJamani amaNgqina ayetshutshiswa ngokukhohlakeleyo ngenxa yokungavumi ukukhahlela indwe. Njengoko sele kuphawuliwe, amaNazi kaHitler abulala amawakawaka abakhonzi bakaYehova abanyanisekileyo kuba bengazange bavume ukuba nesabelo kolo nqulo-zithixo olwalusenziwa sisizwe. Ngeminyaka yee-1930, ebudeni bemihla yokubalasela kokunqulwa komlawuli waseJapan onguShinto, abalungiseleli ababini abangoovulindlela bahlwayela imbewu eninzi yoBukumkani kwiTaiwan eyayiphantsi kweJapan. Abalawuli bomkhosi babaphosa entolongweni, apho omnye wabo wafela khona ngenxa yokuphathwa ngenkohlakalo. Omnye wakhululwa, waza emva koko wadutyulwa emqolo—ngaloo ndlela engqineka enguAntipas wale mihla. Kwamanye amazwe ukunqulwa kwezinto ezimela uhlanga nokuzinikela ngokupheleleyo kuRhulumente kusanyanzeliswa nanamhlanje. AmaNgqina amaninzi aselula aye avalelwa ezintolongweni, ibe amaninzi aye abulawa ngenxa yokungathabathi cala. Ukuba ungoselula ojongene neembambano ezinjalo, fundisisa iLizwi likaThixo mihla le ukuze ‘ube nokholo olugcina umphefumlo uphila,’ ukhangele phambili ekuzuzeni ubomi obungunaphakade.—Hebhere 10:39–11:1; Mateyu 10:28-31.
7. Abantwana baseIndiya bajamelana njani nembambano yokunqula izinto ezimela uhlanga, kwaza oko kwaphumela entwenini?
7 Abantwana abasezikolweni baye bajamelana neembambano ezifanayo. Ngowe-1985, kwilizwana laseKerala, eIndiya, abantwana abathathu abaselula abangamaNgqina kaYehova bala ukulalanisa kukholo lwabo olusekelwe eBhayibhileni, bengavumi ukucula umhobe wesizwe. Bema ngentlonelo ngoxa abanye babecula, kodwa sekunjalo bagxothwa esikolweni. Uyise waba bantwana wabhena ngenxa yesi senzo wada waya kufikelela kwiNkundla Ephakamileyo yaseIndiya, apho iijaji ezimbini zabafumanisa bengenatyala, ngenkalipho zisithi: “Isithethe sethu sifundisa unyamezelo; ingcamango yethu isifundisa unyamezelo; umgaqo-siseko wethu uqhelisela unyamezelo; masingalusingeli phantsi olu nyamezelo.” Xa eli tyala lapapashwa kumaphephandaba abemi beli lizwe, ngelo xesha ababesisinye kwisihlanu sabemi bomhlaba, batsho bazi ukuba kukho amaKristu anqula uThixo oyinyaniso onguYehova kwilizwe labo, yaye ayimela ngokunyanisekileyo imigaqo yeBhayibhile.
Iimpembelelo Ezonakalisayo
8. Sisiphi isiluleko uYesu akufumanisa kuyimfuneko ukusinika amaKristu asePergamo?
8 Ewe, amaKristu asePergamo ayengabagcini bengqibelelo. UYesu uthi: “Noko ke, ndinezinto ezimbalwa nxamnye nawe.” Yintoni le ayenzileyo ebangela ukuba afanelwe sisiluleko? UYesu uyasixelela esithi: “Unabo abo babambelele nkqi kwimfundiso kaBhileham, owafundisa uBhalaki ukubeka isikhubekiso phambi koonyana bakaSirayeli, ukutya izinto ezibingelelwe kwizithixo nokuhenyuza.”—ISityhilelo 2:14.
9. Wayengubani uBhileham, yaye icebiso lakhe lasibeka njani “isikhubekiso phambi koonyana bakaSirayeli”?
9 Ngomhla kaMoses, uKumkani uBhalaki wakwaMowabhi wayethenge uBhileham, umprofeti ongengomSirayeli owayesazi okuthile ngeendlela zikaYehova, ukuba aqalekise uSirayeli. UYehova wamthintela uBhileham, emnyanzelela ukuba asikelele amaSirayeli aze aqalekise iintshaba zawo. UBhileham wamcenga uBhalaki owayecaphukile ngenxa yoko ngokucebisa ukuba kuhlaselwe ngendlela echulwe ngakumbi, esithi: Abafazi bakwaMowabhi mabalukuhle amadoda akwaSirayeli ukuba aziphathe kakubi ngokugqithiseleyo ngokwesini aze anqule uthixo wobuxoki uBhahali wasePehore! Eli cebo lasebenza. Umsindo kaYehova wobulungisa wavutha, njengoko wathumela isibetho esabulala abangama-24 000 kuloo maSirayeli ahenyuzayo—sibetho eso esathintelwa kuphela xa umbingeleli uFinehasi wathabatha inyathelo elingqalileyo lokushenxisa ubungendawo kwaSirayeli.—Numeri 24:10, 11; 25:1-3, 6-9; 31:16.
10. Yiyiphi imiqobo eye yathwethwela ebandleni lasePergamo, yaye kutheni kusenokuba loo maKristu aye avakalelwa kukuba uThixo akayi kuzinanza izono zawo?
10 Ngoku, ngomhla kaYohane, ngaba kukho imiqobo efana naleyo yasePergamo? Ewe ikho! Ukuziphatha okubi nokunqula izithixo kuthwethwele ebandleni. Loo maKristu akazithobelanga izilumkiso zikaThixo ezinikelwe ngompostile uPawulos. (1 Korinte 10:6-11) Ekubeni enyamezele intshutshiso, mhlawumbi anoluvo lokuba uYehova uza kungazinanzi izono zawo zokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini. Ngoko uYesu ulenza licace elokuba amele akhwebuke kubungendawo obunjalo.
11. (a) AmaKristu amele alumkele ntoni, yaye yiyiphi ingcinga amele ayiphephe? (b) Ukutyhubela iminyaka, bangaphi abaye basuswa kubudlelane ebandleni lamaKristu, yaye uninzi lwabo lususwe ngenxa yantoni?
11 Ngokufanayo namhlanje, amaKristu amele akulumkele ‘ukubujika ububele obungasifanelanga boThixo wethu bube sisingxengxezo sehambo evakalala.’ (Yude 4) Kunyanzelekile ukuba sikuthiye okubi size ‘siyiqobe imizimba yethu’ ukuze silandele ikhondo elifanele amaKristu. (1 Korinte 9:27; INdumiso 97:10; Roma 8:6) Asimele sicinge ukuba ukuzondelela inkonzo kaThixo nokugcina ingqibelelo phantsi kwentshutshiso kusinika imvume yokubandakanyeka kwihambo yokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini. Ukutyhubela iminyaka, aboni abaye basuswa kubudlelane ebandleni lamaKristu, uninzi lwabo ngenxa yokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini, baye bafikelela kumashumi amawaka. Kweminye iminyaka kuye kwakho abangakumbi kunabo babulawa kuSirayeli wamandulo ngenxa kaBhahali wasePehore. Ngamana singahlala silumkile ukuze singaze sifane nabo!—Roma 11:20; 1 Korinte 10:12.
12. Njengabakhonzi bakaThixo bamaxesha angaphambili, yiyiphi imigaqo esebenzayo kumaKristu namhlanje?
12 Kwakhona uYesu ululeka amaKristu asePergamo ngenxa yokuba ‘esitya izinto ezibingelelwe kwizithixo.’ Kwakuya kuquka ntoni oku? Ngenxa yamazwi kaPawulos aya kwabaseKorinte, mhlawumbi abathile babeyisebenzisa kakubi inkululeko yabo yobuKristu yaye beziphazamisa ngabom izazela zabanye. Noko ke, kusenokwenzeka ukuba babenenxaxheba ngandlel’ ithile kwimigidi yokoqobo yokunqulwa kwezithixo. (1 Korinte 8:4-13; 10:25-30) Namhlanje amaKristu athembekileyo amele abonakalise uthando lokungazingci ekusebenziseni kwawo inkululeko yobuKristu, akulumkele ukukhubekisa abanye. Ngokuqinisekileyo, amele aphephe iintlobo zanamhla zokunqulwa kwezithixo, ezinjengokunqula abadlali bodumo abakumabonwakude, kwimifanekiso eshukumayo nakwezemidlalo, okanye ukunqula imali nezisu zabo!—Mateyu 6:24; Filipi 1:9, 10; 3:17-19.
Waphephe Amahlelo!
13. Sisiphi isohlwayo uYesu asinika amaKristu asePergamo, yaye kutheni siwafanele?
13 UYesu uwohlwaya ngokubhekele phaya amaKristu asePergamo, esithi: “Ngokunjalo nawe, unabo abo babambelele nkqi kwimfundiso yehlelo lamaNikolawo.” (ISityhilelo 2:15) Ngaphambili, uYesu uwancomile amaEfese ngokuthiya kwawo izenzo zeli hlelo. Kodwa amaKristu asePergamo kwafuneka elulekiwe ngokuvumela imfundiso yamahlelo ebandleni. Kufuneka sibambelele ngokuqinileyo kwimilinganiselo yobuKristu ukuze silondoloze umanyano uYesu awaluthandazelayo kuYohane 17:20-23. Bamele ‘babongozwe ngemfundiso ephilileyo baze bohlwaywe abo baphikisayo.’—Tito 1:9.
14. (a) Ukususela kwimihla yangaphambili, ibandla lamaKristu kwafuneka lilwe noobani ibe umpostile uPawulos wabachaza njani? (b) Ngawaphi amazwi kaYesu amele athotyelwe nguye nabani na oye watyekela ekulandeleni iqela eliqhekekayo?
14 Ukususela kwimihla yangaphambili, ibandla lamaKristu kwafuneka lilwe nabawexuki abanekratshi, abathi ngamazwi abo alalanisayo nangenkohliso ‘bahlukanise baze bakhubekise ngokuchaseneyo nemfundiso’ elungiselelwe ngejelo likaYehova. (Roma 16:17, 18) Umpostile uPawulos walumkisa ngesi sisongelo phantse kuzo zonke iincwadi zakhe.a Kumaxesha anamhla, ekuthe ebudeni bawo uYesu wabuyisela ibandla lokwenyaniso kubunyulu nakumanyano lobuKristu, ingozi yamahlelo isekho. Ngenxa yoko, nabani na oye watyekela ekulandeleni iqela eliqhekekayo lize liyile ihlelo, umele aphulaphule amazwi alandelayo kaYesu: “Guquka. Ukuba akwenjinjalo, ndiya kuza kuwe ngokukhawuleza, ndilwe imfazwe nabo ngekrele elide lomlomo wam.”—ISityhilelo 2:16.
15. Amahlelo aqalisa njani?
15 Amahlelo aqalisa njani? Mhlawumbi umntu ozenza umfundisi uhlwayela amathandabuzo, ephikisa inyaniso ethile yeBhayibhile (enjengokuba sikwimihla yokugqibela), lize ke iqela eliqhekekayo limlandele. (2 Timoti 3:1; 2 Petros 3:3, 4) Omnye usenokugxeka indlela uYehova athi mawenziwe ngayo umsebenzi wakhe esithi akukho Zibhalweni yaye akuyomfuneko ukuvakalisa isigidimi soBukumkani kwindlu ngendlu. Ukuba nesabelo kwinkonzo enjalo ngokulandela umzekelo kaYesu nowabapostile bakhe bekuya kubagcina aba bantu bethobekile; kodwa bona bakhetha ukuqhekeka nokungazibhokoxi emsebenzini, mhlawumbi befunda iBhayibhile kuphela ngamathuba athile njengeqela. (Mateyu 10:7, 11-13; IZenzo 5:42; 20:20, 21) Abanjalo baneengcamango zabo ngeSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaYesu, ngomyalelo weZibhalo wokuzinxwema egazini, ngokubhiyozelwa kweeholide nangokusetyenziswa kwecuba. Ngaphezu koko, balisingela phantsi igama likaYehova; kungekudala babuyela kwiindlela zeBhabhiloni Enkulu ezinomoya kavula-zibhuqe. Okude kwakubi ngakumbi kukuba, bambi bashukunyiswa nguSathana ukuba bajikele ‘amakhoboka angamadlelane abo,’ awayekade engabazalwana babo.—Mateyu 24:49; IZenzo 15:29; ISityhilelo 17:5.
16. (a) Kutheni le nto abo baxengaxengayo ngenxa yempembelelo yabawexuki bemele baguquke ngokukhawuleza? (b) Kuya kwenzeka ntoni kwabo bangavumiyo ukuguquka?
16 Nabani na oxengaxengayo ngenxa yempembelelo yabawexuki umele angaphozisi maseko ekuphulaphuleni ikhwelo elihlatywa nguYesu lokuguquka! Impembelelo yabawexuki imele ichaswe njengetyhefu kanye eyiyo! Isekelwe kumona nakwintiyo, ichasene neenyaniso zobulungisa, ezinyulu nezithandekayo uYesu ondla ngazo ibandla lakhe. (Luka 12:42; Filipi 1:15, 16; 4:8, 9) Abo bangavumiyo ukuguquka, iNkosi uYesu ngenene ‘ilwa imfazwe nabo ngekrele elide lomlomo wayo.’ Ihluza abantu bayo ukuze ilondoloze umanyano eyaluthandazelayo ebudeni bobusuku bokugqibela ikunye nabafundi bayo emhlabeni. (Yohane 17:20-23, 26) Ekubeni abawexuki bengasamkeli isiluleko sothando noncedo olunikelwa ziinkwenkwezi ezikwisandla sakhe sokunene, uYesu uyabagweba aze abohlwaye “ngokona kuqatha kakhulu,” ebaphosa “ebumnyameni ngaphandle.” Bayasuswa kubudlelane ukuze bangabi ligwele phakathi kwabantu bakaThixo.—Mateyu 24:48-51; 25:30; 1 Korinte 5:6, 9, 13; ISityhilelo 1:16.
‘Imana Efihlakeleyo Nengqalutye Emhlophe’
17. Nguwuphi umvuzo oza kufunyanwa ngamaKristu athanjisiweyo ‘oyisayo,’ yaye amaKristu asePergamo ayemele enze ntoni ukuze oyise?
17 Abo baphulaphula isiluleko sikaYesu esanikelwa ngolwalathiso lomoya oyingcwele kaYehova, baza kufumana umvuzo ozukileyo. Khawuphulaphule! “Lowo unendlebe makakuve oko ukutshoyo umoya kuwo amabandla: Lowo woyisayo ndiya kumnika inxalenye yemana efihlakeleyo, ndize ndimnike ingqalutye emhlophe, ekubhalwe kuyo igama elitsha ekungekho bani ulaziyo ngaphandle kwalowo ulamkelayo.” (ISityhilelo 2:17) Ngaloo ndlela, amaKristu asePergamo, njengamaKristu aseSmirna, akhuthazwa ukuba ‘oyise.’ Ukuze aphumelele loo maKristu asePergamo, apho ikhoyo itrone kaSathana, amele akuphephe ukunqula izithixo. Amele ahlukane nokuziphatha okubi, ukwenziwa kwamahlelo nowexuko olwalunxibelelene noBhalaki, uBhileham nehlelo lamaNikolawo. Ngokwenjenjalo, la maKristu athanjisiweyo aya kumenyelwa ukudla ‘imana efihlakeleyo.’ Kuthetha ntoni oku?
18, 19. (a) Yayiyintoni imana uYehova awayilungiselela amaSirayeli? (b) Yiyiphi imana eyayifihlakele? (c) Uyintoni umfuziselo wokudla imana efihlakeleyo?
18 Ngomhla kaMoses, uYehova walungiselela imana yokulondoloza amaSirayeli ebudeni bokuhamba kwawo entlango. Loo mana yayingafihlakalanga, kuba ntsasa nganye—ngaphandle kwangeSabatha—yayibakho ngokungummangaliso, njengamahlwantsi eqabaka agubungele umhlaba. Eli yayililungiselelo lobuthixo lokugcina amaSirayeli ephila. Njengesikhumbuzo, uYehova wayalela uMoses ukuba agcine esinye sesi ‘sonka’ kwisitya segolide phakathi kwityeya engcwele yomnqophiso ukutyhubela “izizukulwana [zikaSirayeli].”—Eksodus 16:14, 15, 23, 26, 33; Hebhere 9:3, 4.
19 Onjani wona ukufaneleka umfuziselo! Le mana yayifihlakele kwigumbi lomnquba leYona Ngcwele, apho isibane esingummangaliso esasijinga phezu kwesigqubuthelo seTyeya sasifuzisela ubukho bukaYehova. (Eksodus 26:34) Akukho bani wayevunyelwe ukuba angene kuloo ndawo ingcwele ukuze adle imana efihlakeleyo. Noko ke, uYesu wathi abalandeli bakhe abathanjisiweyo aboyisayo babeya kudla ‘imana efihlakeleyo.’ NjengoKristu ngaphambi kwabo, bangena, “kungekhona kwindawo engcwele eyenziwe ngezandla, engumfanekiso weyokwenene, kodwa ezulwini ngokwalo.” (Hebhere 9:12, 24) Ekuvukeni kwabo, baba nokungonakali nokungafi—ilungiselelo elimangalisayo likaYehova, elifuziselwa kukunikwa kwabo ‘imana efihlakeleyo’ engenakutshabalala. Hayi indlela elinelungelo ngayo elo qela lincinane labantu aboyisileyo!—1 Korinte 15:53-57.
20, 21. (a) Kufuzisela ntoni ukunikwa kwamaKristu athanjisiweyo ingqalutye emhlophe? (b) Ekubeni kukho iingqalutye ezimhlophe ezili-144 000 kuphela, isihlwele esikhulu sinaliphi ithemba?
20 Aba bantu bakwafumana “ingqalutye emhlophe.” Kwiinkundla zamaRoma, ilitye eliyingqalutye lalisetyenziselwa ukudlulisela isigwebo.b Ingqalutye emhlophe yayithetha ukuvakaliswa ungenatyala, ngoxa ingqalutye emnyama yayithetha ukugwetywa, ngokuqhelekileyo ukugwetyelwa ukufa. Ukunika kukaYesu amaKristu asePergamo “ingqalutye emhlophe” kwakuya kubonisa ukuba wayewavakalisa emsulwa, enyulu, yaye ecocekile. Kodwa amazwi kaYesu asenokuba nentsingiselo ebhekele phaya. Kumaxesha amaRoma, la matye engqalutye ayekwasetyenziswa njengamatikiti okungena kwiindawo ezibalulekileyo. Ngoko ingqalutye emhlophe isenokubonisa into ekhetheke kunene kumKristu othanjisiweyo nowoyisileyo—ukungeniswa kwakhe kwindawo ebekekileyo ezulwini kumtshato weMvana. Ngoko kulungiselelwe iingqalutye ezili-144 000 kuphela.—ISityhilelo 14:1; 19:7-9.
21 Ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba uphoswe kwesinomhlwa ukuba ungomnye wesihlwele esikhulu sabanquli abangamaqabane? Akunjalo konke konke! Ngoxa ungayifumani ingqalutye emhlophe yokungena ezulwini, ukuba uyanyamezela, usenokuphumela ngaphaya kwembandezelo enkulu ukuze ube nenxaxheba kumsebenzi ovuyisayo wokubuyisela iParadesi emhlabeni. Abaya kuba nesabelo kunye nawe koku iya kuba ngabathembekileyo abavusiweyo abasusela kumaxesha angaphambi kobuKristu nabo bezinye izimvu abaye bafa kutshanje. Ekugqibeleni, bonke abanye abafi abahlawulelweyo baya kubabalwa ngokuvuselwa ebomini kumhlaba oyiparadesi.—INdumiso 45:16; Yohane 10:16; ISityhilelo 7:9, 14.
22, 23. Iyintoni intsingiselo yegama elibhalwe kwingqalutye enikwa amaKristu athanjisiweyo, yaye oku kumele kube naluphi ukhuthazo?
22 Liyintoni igama elitsha elibhalwe kule ngqalutye? Igama yinto yokufanisa umntu nokumahlula kwabanye. La maKristu athanjisiweyo afumana ingqalutye emva kokuba egqibe ikhondo lawo lasemhlabeni njengaboyisi. Ngoko, licacile elokuba igama elibhalwe kule ngqalutye linento yokwenza nelungelo lawo lokumanyana noYesu ezulwini—isigxina esithandeka ngokwenene senkonzo yasebukhosini esiza kuxatyiswa size sivuyelwe ngokupheleleyo kuphela ngabo babudl’ ilifa uBukumkani basezulwini. Ngenxa yoko, ligama okanye sisigxina, ‘ekungekho bani usaziyo ngaphandle kwalowo usamkelayo.’—Thelekisa iSityhilelo 3:12.
23 Enjani into ukukhuthaza kudidi lukaYohane ukuba luphulaphule “oko ukutshoyo umoya kuwo amabandla” luze lukusebenzise! Yaye hayi indlela okulukhuthazo ngayo oku kwisihlwele esikhulu, ukuba sikhonze ngokuthembekileyo kunye nalo ngoxa siphila emhlabeni yaye sisabelana nalo ekwaziseni uBukumkani bukaYehova!
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a Bona neyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 3:3, 4, 18, 19; 2 Korinte 11:13; Galati 4:9; Efese 4:14, 15; Filipi 3:18, 19; Kolose 2:8; 1 Tesalonika 3:5; 2 Tesalonika 2:1-3; 1 Timoti 6:3-5; 2 Timoti 2:17; 4:3, 4; Tito 1:13, 14; 3:10; Hebhere 10:26, 27.
b Bona iZenzo 26:10 nombhalo osemazantsi weNW eneembekiselo.
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 43]
Ezi zinto zibubungqina bokuxhaphaka konqulo lwabahedeni zibonakaliswe kwiMyuziyam yasePergamo eBerlin
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 45]
Inxalenye yemana yayifihlakele kwityeya yomnqophiso. Ukunikwa imana efihlakeleyo yokomfuziselo kuthetha ukuba abathanjiswa aboyisayo bazuza ukungafi
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 45]
Ingqalutye emhlophe yeyabo bamkelwa kumtshato weMvana