INtlokoma KaYehova—Ixesha Lokuba Sigcobe

“Umnyaka niwungcwalise, umnyaka wamashumi omahlanu, nivakalise inkululeko ezweni kubemi balo bonke. Woba ngowentlokoma kuni . . . yoba ngcwele kuni . . . Nohlala kulo ilizwe nikholosile.”—LEVITIKUS 25:10-12, 18.

1. Nguwuphi umbhalo obonakala kwiNtsimbi Yenkululeko, yaye loo mazwi athatyathwe phi?

ENOBA uhlala phi, usenokuba wakhe wayiva iNtsimbi edumileyo Yenkululeko, ezinziswe ePhiladelphia, ePennsylvania, eUnited States. IThe World Book Encyclopedia ithi le ntsimbi “yakhaliswa ngoJulayi 8, 1776, nezinye iintsimbi zeetyalike, ukuze kuvakaliswe ukwamkelwa kweSibhengezo Sokuzimela Geqe. Amagama abhalwe kuyo athi, ‘Vakalisa Inkululeko kulo lonke ilizwe kubemi balo bonke,’ avela eBhayibhileni (Levitikus 25:10).”

2. Uvakalelwa njani ngethemba lenkululeko, kodwa ziziphi iingxaki ezisenokuvela ngayo?

² Inkululeko iyaqhubeka isiba nomtsalane omkhulu, ngaba ayinjalo? Mhlawumbi ubungalivuyela ithemba lenkululeko yokwenyaniso—ukukhululeka kwiingcamango zobuxoki, kwiingcinezelo zobupolitika, kwimiphumo edodobalisayo yokwaluphala nokugula, ephumela ekufeni. Ukuba kunjalo, unesizathu esilungileyo sokuba ugcobe, yaye kungekudala kobakho isizathu esikhulu ngakumbi. Usenokubuza uthi, ‘Inokwenzeka njani loo nto?’ kuba akukho rhulumente okwangoku osezise inkululeko epheleleyo, yaye kungekho nasazinzulu okanye ugqirha onokuthintela ukwaluphala, ukugula, nokufa okungumphumo. Kodwa, siyaphinda sithi, kukho isizinzi sokuba ugcobe ngenxa yenkululeko yokwenyaniso. Ukuze uqonde indlela enokubakho ngayo, qwalasela imvelaphi ebalulekileyo enokubandakanya wena—ngoku nakwixesha elizayo.

3. Yayiyintoni INtlokoma, yaye kwakusenzeka ntoni ebudeni baloo nyaka?

³ Isicatshulwa esikhutshwe ngasentla sisebenzisa igama elithi “INtlokoma.” INtlokoma yayilixesha lokugcinwa kweSabatha okungangonyaka wonke okwakusenziwa kwilizwe lakwaSirayeli. Lalilandela ungcelele lweminyaka esixhenxe yeSabatha ekwakulinywa ngayo eyayisithi xa iyonke igubungele iminyaka engama-49. Unyaka wama-50, oweNtlokoma, wawuyincopho yolu ngcelele lokugcinwa kweSabatha kwilizwe uYehova awayelinike abantu bakhe, ezalisekisa idinga awayelenze kusolusapho wabo uAbraham, “umhlobo kaYehova.” (Yakobi 2:23, NW; Isaya 41:8) Ngesihlandlo seNtlokoma, kwakuvakaliswa inkululeko kulo lonke ilizwe. Oku kwakuthetha ukukhululeka kwawo onke amaSirayeli awayezithengise ebukhobokeni ngenxa yamatyala. Enye imbalasane yeNtlokoma yayikukuba yonke imihlaba yelifa eyayithengisiwe (mhlawumbi ngenxa yokungabi namali) yayibuyiselwa.—Levitikus 25:1-54.

4. Yayivakaliswa nini iNtlokoma, yaye njani?

⁴ Xa kukho loo mvelaphi ke, unokusiqonda isizathu sokuba iNtlokoma ibe yayingunyaka wokubhiyozelwa kwenkululeko. Yayivakaliswa ngokuvuthelwa kwesigodlo ngoMhla Wokucamagusha.a Kunjengokuba uMoses wabhalayo kwiLevitikus 25:9, 10, lo esithi: “Usihambise isigodlo sokumema ngenyanga yesixhenxe, ngolweshumi enyangeni leyo; ngomhla wokucamagusha nosihambisa isigodlo ezweni lenu lonke; umnyaka niwungcwalise, umnyaka wamashumi omahlanu, nivakalise inkululeko ezweni kubemi balo bonke. Woba ngowentlokoma kuni, ukuba nibuyele elowo elifeni lakhe, nibuyele elowo emizalwaneni yakhe.” Ngowe-1473 B.C.E., uYoshuwa wakhokela amaSirayeli ukuwela uMlambo weYordan ukuya kwiLizwe Ledinga, apho babeya kugcina khona iNtlokoma.

Inkululeko Yokuqala Yavakaliswa

5. Ziziphi iinkalo zenkululeko nezeNtlokoma esiza kuziqwalasela?

⁵ Okuchazwe ngasentla kusengabonakala kuyimbali yamandulo engenakuthanani kangako nobomi bethu, ngokukodwa ukuba asingomaYuda. Noko ke, uYesu Kristu wasinika isizathu esibambekayo sokulindela iNtlokoma ezuke ngakumbi. Siso esibangela ukuba sibe nesiseko sokuvuyela inkululeko. Ukuze sisiqonde isizathu soko, kufuneka sibone indlela uYesu awathi ngeendlela ezimbini walungiselela ngayo inkululeko kwinkulungwane yokuqala. Siya kuthi ke siqwalasele indlela oku okungqamana ngayo neendidi ezimbini zenkululeko kwixesha lokuphila kwethu, kodwa inkululeko ekumlinganiselo ozuke ngakumbi nesinika isizathu esingakumbi sokugcoba.

6, 7. (a) Kukuvela kwantoni okumangalisayo uIsaya 61:1-7 awakuxela kwangaphambili? (b) Wabonisa njani uYesu ukuba isiprofeto sikaIsaya sasizalisekiswa?

⁶ Nangona engathethi ngokuthe ngqo ngonyaka weNtlokoma wamandulo, amazwi esiprofeto athetha ngenkululeko ezayo avakaliswa kuIsaya 61:1-7: “UMoya weNkosi uYehova uphezu kwam; ngenxa yokuba uYehova endithambisele ukuba ndishumayeze abalulamileyo iindaba ezilungileyo. Undithume ukubopha abantliziyo zaphukileyo, ukumemeza inkululeko kwabathinjiweyo, ukuvulwa kwamehlo kwabakhonkxiweyo; ukumemeza umnyaka wetarhu likaYehova, nomhla wempindezelo yoThixo wethu: ukuthuthuzela bonke abanesijwili . . . baya kuba novuyo olungunaphakade.” Kodwa esi siprofeto sasiya kuzaliseka njani yaye nini?

⁷ Emva kokwenziwa kwePasika ngonyaka wama-30 C.E., uYesu Kristu waya endlwini yesikhungu ngomhla weSabatha. Apho wafunda inxalenye yesiprofeto sikaIsaya waza wasibhekisela kuye. ULuka 4:16-21 uthi, ngokuyinxenye: “Akuba eyitwabulule incwadi leyo, wafumana indawo le kubhaIwe kuyo kwathiwa, UMoya weNkosi uphezu kwam, ethe ngenxa yoko yandithambisela ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kumahlwempu. Indithume ukuba ndiphilise abantliziyo ityumkileyo, ndivakalise inkululeko kubathinjwa, nokubuyiselwa kokubona kwabaziimfama, ndindulule abaqobekileyo bekhululekile, ndivakalise umnyaka owamkelekileyo weNkosi. . . . Waqala ke ukuthi kubo, Namhlanje esi sibhalo sizalisekile ezindlebeni zenu.”

8. (a) Yiyiphi inkululeko eyayitshayelela uYesu awayinikelayo? (b) Iboniswe njani kuYohane 9:1-34?

⁸ Iindaba ezilungileyo uYesu awazivakalisayo zanikela inkululeko yokomoya kumaYuda awayezamkela. Ngokuvulwa kwamehlo awo ukuba abone oko ngokwenene kwakuthethwa nokwakufunwa lunqulo lokwenyaniso, akhululwa kwiingcamango ezininzi eziphosakeleyo. (Mateyu 5:21-48) Le nkululeko yayixabiseke ngakumbi kunokuphilisa ngokwasemzimbeni uYesu awayekwenza. Ngenxa yoko, nangona uYesu wavula amehlo endoda eyazalwa iyimfama, eyona ngenelo yayihlal’ ihleli yabangelwa kukuba loo ndoda imamkele uYesu njengomprofeti ophuma kuThixo. Loo nkululeko intsha yaloo ndoda yahluka kwimeko yeenkokeli zonqulo ezazikhotyokiswe zizithethe naziinkolelo zazo eziphosakeleyo. (Yohane 9:1-34; Duteronomi 18:18; Mateyu 15:1-20) Kanti le yayiyinkululeko nje yokuqala okanye intshayelelo yayo. Kwanakwinkulungwane yokuqala, uYesu kwakufuneka afak’ isandla nangolunye uhlobo Iwenkululeko eyayifana neNtlokoma yoSirayeli wamandulo. Kutheni le nto kusengqiqweni nje ukuba sigqibe kwelo?

9. Kwanakwabo babekhululwe ngokomoya, hlobo luni lobukhoboka olwalusele?

⁹ Kwindoda ngaphambili eyayiyimfama uYesu wathi: “Mna ndizele ugwebo kweli hlabathi, ukuze abangaboniyo babone, bathi ababonayo babe ziimfama.” Wathi ke wabaxelela oku abaFarisi: “Ukuba beniziimfama, ngeningenasono; kungoku nithi, Siyabona; ke ngoko isono senu sihleli.” (Yohane 9:35-41) Ewe, isono esikhokelela ekufeni sasiseyingxaki enkulu, nanjengokuba sinjalo ngoku. (Roma 5:12) AmaYuda, kuquka abapostile, awangenelwayo kwinkululeko yokuqala, inkululeko yokomoya uYesu awayinikelayo, ahlala engabantu abangafezekanga. Aqhubeka engamakhoboka esono nawokufa okwakungumphumo. Ngaba uYesu wayenokukuguqula oko? Ngaba wayenganako? Yaye ukuba wayenganako, nini?

10. Yiyiphi inkululeko eyongezelelekileyo uYesu awathembisa ukuba wayengayilungiselela?

¹⁰ Ngaphambilana, uYesu wayethethe oku: “Ukuba nina nithe nahlala elizwini lam, noba ningabafundi bam, inyaniso. Naniya kuyazi inyaniso, yaye inyaniso iya kunikhulula.” Abaphulaphuli abangamaYuda baphendula ngelithi: “Thina siyimbewu kaAbraham; asizange sibe sebukhobokeni nakubani; utsho ngani na wena ukuthi, Noba ngabakhululekileyo?” UYesu waphendula esithi: “Inene, inene, ndithi kuni, Bonke abenza isono bangamakhoboka esono. Ikhoboka ke alihlali endlwini ngonaphakade; ngunyana ohlala ngonaphakade.” (Yohane 8:31-36) Ngoko ke, inzala kaAbraham engokwenyama yayingenakuwakhulula amaYuda kubukhoboka besono. UYesu wenza esi sibhengezo singokwembali mayela nenkululeko ukuze atsalel’ ingqalelo kwinto eyayisiza neyayiya kuba ngaphezulu kweyayifunyanwa ngamaSirayeli kuyo nayiphi na iNtlokoma.

INtlokoma YamaKristu lyaqalisa

11. Kutheni le nto umdla wethu kwiNtlokoma yamaKristu utsoliswe kunyaka wama-33 C.E.?

¹¹ AmaYuda akazange aqonde ukuba iNtlokoma yomnqophiso woMthetho kaMoses yayifuzisela iNtlokoma enkulu ngakumbi. (Kolose 2:17; Efese 2:14, 15) Le Ntlokoma yamaKristu iquka “inyaniso” enokukhulula abantu—nyaniso leyo esekelwe kuNyana, uYesu Kristu. (Yohane 1:17) Le Ntlokoma inkulu ngakumbi eyayinokuzisa ukukhululeka kwanasesonweni nakwimiphumo yaso yaqalisa nini ukubhiyozelwa? Kwakusentwasahlobo yowama-33 C.E., ngomhla wePentekoste. Kwakuziintsuku ezilishumi emva kokunyukela kukaYesu ezulwini ukuya kunikela kuYehova okuzuzwe lidini lakhe.—Hebhere 9:24-28.

12, 13. Kwenzeka ntoni emva kokufa kukaYesu eyathi yezisa amava angaqhelekanga kubafundi bakhe?

¹² Ngaphambi koYesu, akukho sidalwa singumntu esakhe savuswa kwabafileyo ukuze siqhubeke siphila ngonaphakade. (Roma 6:9-11) Kunoko, bonke balala ekufeni yaye babeya kuqhubeka belele de kube lixesha elililo lokuvuswa kwentsapho engabantu. Ngokuvuswa kwakhe ngamandla kaThixo, uYesu Kristu waba koko iZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo zikubiza ngokuthi, “yintlahlela yabalele ukufa.”—1 Korinte 15:20.

¹³ Kwiintsuku ezingamashumi amahlanu emva kokuvuswa kwakhe, kwabakho ubungqina bokuba uYesu Kristu ovusiweyo wayenyukele emazulwini yaye wayefikelele kubukho bukaYehova uThixo enexabiso ledini lakhe elifezekileyo yaye wayelisebenzisile ukuze kungenelwe uluntu. Oku kwakungomhla wePentekoste yowama-33 C.E. Bethobela imiyalelo kaYesu, abafundi abanokuba li-120 bahlanganisana kunye eYerusalem. Wathi ke uKristu wathululela umoya oyingcwele kwaba bafundi, ezalisekisa uYoweli 2:28, 29. Iilwimi ezazingathi zezomlilo zawela phezu kweentloko zabo, yaye baqalisa ukuthetha ngeelwimi zasemzini. (IZenzo 2:16-21, 33) Obu yayibubungqina bokuba uYesu Kristu ovusiweyo wayenyukele emazulwini yaye efikelele kuThixo enexabiso ledini lakhe loluntu elifezekileyo lokulisebenzisela ukuze kungenelwe uluntu.

14. (a) Yayinjani imeko yabafundi bakaKristu ngokuphathelele iminqophiso? (b) Umnqophiso omtsha wawuquka yiphi intsikelelo ebalaseleyo?

¹⁴ Yaba yintoni imiphumo kwabo bafundi? Phakathi kwezinye izinto, bakhululwa kumnqophiso woMthetho kaMoses, uThixo awayewenze nohlanga loSirayeli wokwemvelo kodwa ngoku awayewuphelisile, ewubethelela kumthi kaYesu wentuthumbo. (Kolose 2:13, 14; Galati 3:13) Loo mnqophiso wathatyathelw’ indawo ngumnqophiso omtsha, owawungenziwa nohlanga loSirayeli wokwemvelo, kodwa owawusenziwa ‘nohlanga’ olutsha loSirayeli wokomoya. (Hebhere 8:6-13; Galati 6:16) Lo mnqophiso mtsha, owaxelwa kwangaphambili kuYeremiya 31:31-34, walungiselelwa ngomlamli omkhulu kunomprofeti wamandulo uMoses. Ngenxa yokuba nomdla kwinkululeko, ngokukhethekileyo sifanele siphawule enye imbalasane yalo mnqophiso mtsha. Umpostile uPawulos watsalel’ ingqalelo kuyo, ebhala oku: “Nangu wona umnqophiso, endiya kuwenza nabo emva kwaloo mihla, . . . Izono zabo nokuchasa umthetho kwabo ndingabi sakukhumbula. Ke apho uxolelo lwezo zinto lukhona, akusekho mnikelo ngenxa yesono.”—Hebhere 10:16-18.

15. Kutheni le nto sinokuthi ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E. iNtlokoma yamaKristu yaqalisa kwabathanjisiweyo? (Roma 6:6, 16-18)

¹⁵ UYesu wayesalatha koku kukhululeka esonweni xa wathi: “Ukuba uNyana uthe wanikhulula, noba nikhululekile inene.” (Yohane 8:36) Khawufan’ ucinge—ukukhululeka esonweni kwenziwe kwaba nokwenzeka ngesizinzi sedini likaKristu! Ukususela ngomhla wePentekoste, uThixo wabavakalisa abakholwayo bengamalungisa waza wabamkela njengoonyana bokomoya abanethemba lokulawula noKristu ezulwini. UPawulos ucacisa ngelithi: “Kuba anamkelanga moya wabukhoboka, ukuba nibuye noyike; namkele umoya wokwenziwa oonyana . . . Ukuba ke singabantwana, sikwaziindlalifa; iindlalifa zikaThixo, iindlalifa ke kunye noKristu.” (Roma 8:15-17) Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, iNtlokoma yamaKristu yayiqalisile kumaKristu athanjisiweyo.

16. Ziziphi iintsikelelo nethemba elongezelelekileyo elalibandakanyekile kwabo babebhiyozela iNtlokoma yamaKristu?

¹⁶ Ngoko ngaloo mhla wePentekoste yonyaka wama-33 C.E., kwaqalisa ukubakho kohlanga olutsha loSirayeli wokomoya. Lwalwenziwe ngabantu abazono zabo zazixolelwe ngesizinzi segazi likaKristu elilidini. (Roma 5:1, 2; Efese 1:7) Ngubani kuthi onokusikhanyela isibakala sokuba loo malungu okuqala oSirayeli wokomoya awathatyathelwa kumnqophiso omtsha afumana inkululeko emangalisayo ngokuxolelwa kwezono zawo? UThixo wawenza aba ‘sisizukulwana esinyuliweyo, isibingeleli esibukumkani, uhlanga olungcwele, abantu abayinqobo ukuze [bona] bavakalise isidima salowo wababizayo ukuba baphume ebumnyameni, bangene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okungummangaliso.’ (1 Petros. 2:9) Liyinyaniso elokuba, imizimba yabo yokwenyama yayingekafezeki yaye babengafa ekuhambeni kwexesha. Kanti, ngoku ekubeni uThixo ebavakalise bengamalungisa yaye ebamkele njengoonyana bokomoya, ukufa kwabo kwasenyameni ‘kwakuyinkululo’ nje eyayibangela ukuba bavuselwe ‘kubukumkani basezulwini’ bukaKristu.—2 Timoti 4:6, 18.

17, 18. Kutheni le nto inkululeko yeNtlokoma yamaKristu yayixabiseke ngakumbi kunenkululeko eyayitshayelela uYesu awayeyivakalisile?

¹⁷ Inyathelo lokuqala okanye elentshayelelo lokukhulula amaYuda akholwayo kwiingcamango nakuqheliselo oluphosakeleyo lalixabiseke gqitha. Noko ke, siye sabona ukuba uYesu wadlulela ngaphaya kwaloo nkululeko yokomoya. Ukususela ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E. kuse phambili, wakhulula abantu abakholwayo “emthethweni wesono nokufa.” (Roma 8:1, 2) Yaqala ngaloo ndlela ke iNtlokoma yamaKristu athanjisiweyo. Ngokwenyaniso yayiyinkululeko exabiseke ngakumbi, kuba yayiquka ithemba lobomi ezulwini njengeendlalifa ezingamadlelane noKristu.

¹⁸ Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku siye saqwalasela iinkalo ezimbini zenkululeko yamaKristu kwinkulungwane yokuqala, ezo ngokungenakukhanyeleka zazisisizinzi sokugcoba. Ibe amakholwa enkulungwane yokuqala agcoba. (IZenzo 13:44-52; 16:34; 1 Korinte 13:6; Filipi 4:4) Oko kwakunjalo ngokukhethekileyo mayela nesabelo sawo seNtlokoma yamaKristu, eyawavulela indlela yokufumana iintsikelelo ezingunaphakade emazulwini.—1 Petros 1:3-6; 4:13, 14.

19. Yiyiphi imibuzo esalela amaKristu angazaIwanga ngomoya, ibe yintoni ebonisa ukuba aya kuba nenxaxheba kwinkululeko elungiselelwa nguThixo?

¹⁹ Noko ke, inkoliso yamaKristu okwenyaniso namhlanje ingena ndawoni kule meko, ekubeni ingavakaliswanga ingamalungisa azuza ubomi yaye ingathanjiswanga ngomoya oyingcwele? Kukho isizathu esingokweZibhalo sokukhangela inkululeko yabo engomlinganiselo omkhulu njengenxalenye yeNtlokoma yamaKristu. Khumbula IZenzo 3:20, 21: “[UYesu] lowo kumele okunene ukuba amazulu amamkele, kude kufike amaxesha okubuyiswa kweento zonke, awawathethayo uThixo ngomlomo wabo bonke abaprofeti bakhe abangcwele, kususela kunaphakade.” (Thelekisa IZenzo 17:31.) Kwakumba ofanayo, uYohane, umpostile othanjisiweyo owayesele enandipha iNtlokoma yamaKristu, wabhala oku ngoYesu Kristu: “Usisicamagushelo sezono zethu; engesazethu zodwa, usiso nesehlabathi liphela.” (1 Yohane 2:2) Ngaba oko kuthetha ukuba amaKristu amaninzi anyanisekileyo namhlanje angenathemba lasezulwini anokugcoba kwinkululeko yamaKristu? Ngaba oko kuya kwenzeka nje kwixesha elizayo, okanye ngaba sele sinesizathu sokugcoba? Sinokukuqonda oko ngokuhlolisisa iinkalo zenkululeko yamaKristu neNtlokoma enentsingiselo ekhethekileyo kubanquli bokwenyaniso namhlanje.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Zithini Izimvo Zakho?

◻ Ziziphi iingenelo ezazisiziswa yiNtlokoma kuSirayeli wamandulo?

◻ UYesu wayivakalisa njani inkululeko yokuqala, ibe yayiquka ntoni?

◻ INtlokoma yamaKristu yaqalisa nini, ibe siyintoni isizinzi sokufikelela kweso sigqibo?

◻ Kutheni le nto sinesizathu sokukhangela phambili kwinkululeko equka izigidi zamaKristu angathanjiswanga ngomoya?

[Amagama acatshuliweyo akwiphepha 18]

“Ke wona umendo wamalungisa unjengokukhanya komso, okuya kuba mhlophe ngokuba mhlophe, kude kube semini enkulu.” (IMizekeliso 4:18) Ngokuvisisana naloo mgaqo, eli nqaku nelilandelayo anikela ingcaciso ebhekele phaya nephuculiweyo ngeNtlokoma.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]

UYesu uvakalisa inkululeko ngowama-30 C.E.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]

INtlokoma yamaKristu iqalisa ngowama-33 C.E.