Ityala Lenkundla Lendalo Iphela Elibandakanya Wena
“Sondezani iindawo enibambene ngazo, utsho uYehova; zimiseni iziganeko zenu.”—ISAYA 41:21.
1, 2. (a) Ngubani obandakanyekileyo kwelona tyala lasenkundleni libalulekileyo kwawakha axoxwa? (b) Yintoni le kubanjenwe ngayo?
UKUTYHUBELA imbali kuye kwaxoxwa amatyala enkundla amaninzi. Kula matyala, bekuziswa ngaphambili amangqina kuze kunikelwe ubungqina obuxhasa icala elithile. Inkoliso yala matyala ibibandakanya abantu ngabanye, ngoxa amanye ebechaphazela abantu abayinkungu nelanga. Kodwa onke loo matyala aba ngangabalulekanga xa ethelekiswa netyala lenkundla lendalo iphela elixoxwayo ngoku. Lelona tyala libaluleke kakhulu embalini. Imiphumo yalo iya kuchaphazela wonke umntu emhlabeni, enoba uyathanda ukubandakanyeka kulo okanye akathandi.
2 Usingaye kweli tyala ngoyena mntu uphakamileyo kwindalo iphela, uYehova uThixo, ‘odala izulu, alaneke; otwabulula umhlaba neziveliso zawo; onika abantu abaphezu kwawo ukuphefumla.’ (Isaya 42:5) Yintoni le kubanjenwe ngayo? Kubanjenwe ngobuthixo bakhe—ukulunga kolawulo lwakhe kwindalo iphela, kuquka umhlaba nabemi bawo. Oku kungabizwa ngokuba yimbambano yolongamo lwendalo iphela.
3. Yiyiphi imibuzo engundoqo kwimbambano yolongamo lwendalo iphela?
3 Oyena ndoqo wale mbambano yile mibuzo: Ngabaphi kubo bonke oothixo abanqulwayo abangqineke bethembeke ngokokude ubomi nekamva lakho uzibeke esichengeni ngenxa yabo? Ngabaphi abakhoyo ngokwenene, yaye ngabaphi abazizinto nje eziyilwe ngabantu? Ngaba ukho uThixo oyinyaniso, ophilayo nophakamileyo onokuhlangula uluntu kwimeko yalo ekhoyo nephelis’ ithemba aze ezise uhlobo olulungileyo lorhulumente oya kumisela uxolo, unqabiseko, impumelelo nempilo yokwenene?
4. Kunokuthiwani ngabo bavakalelwa kukuba ababandakanyekanga kwimbambano, ekubeni besithi sele bekholelwa kuThixo kakade?
4 Abantu abaninzi bavakalelwa kukuba ababandakanyekanga kwimbambano, ekubeni besithi sele bekholelwa kakade kuThixo. Kodwa ngaba banokububonisa ubungqina bokuba uthixo abamnqulayo ngenene unguThixo oyinyaniso, ukuba amadinga akhe anokuthenjwa nokuba ubomi babo bulawulwa ziinjongo nemithetho yakhe? Ukuba impendulo yabo bantu inguewe, ngoko bamele bakwazi nokuphendula le mibuzo: Kanye kanye buyintoni ubungqina bokuba kukho uThixo oyinyaniso omadinga akhe anokuthenjwa? Iyintoni injongo kaThixo ngoluntu nangomhlaba? Simi phi ngokocwangciso lukaThixo lwamaxesha, yaye yintoni efunjethwe likamva elikufuphi? Yintoni afuna siyenze ngokwabantu ngabanye ukuba siza kumphakamisa?
5. Banokufaniswa noobani abantu xa bengavelisi bungqina obuxhasa ukukholelwa kwabo kuThixo?
5 Inkoliso yabantu ethi iyakholelwa kuThixo ayikwazi ukuyiphendula ngokuchanileyo le mibuzo. Abo banjalo banokufaniswa nabo bathi kwinkulungwane yokuqala bazibabaza bekholelwa kuThixo kodwa yabe imisebenzi yabo iphikisana nebango labo. ILizwi likaThixo lithi ngabo: “Bayavuma ukuba bayamazi uThixo; kanti ngayo imisebenzi bayamkhanyela.” Ewe, “ukholo, ingekho imisebenzi, lufile.” (Tito 1:16; Yakobi 2:26) Kungoko abo bathi bayakholelwa kuThixo kodwa babe bengenabo ubungqina obubambekayo bokukuxhasa oko bengahlukanga nangayiphi na indlela kubantu beenkulungwane ezadlulayo ababekholelwa koothixo bobuxoki ekulithuba ngoku bengasanqulwa.
Amatyala Athi Axoxwa
6, 7. (a) Chaza unqulo lwamaYiputa amandulo. (b) AmaSirayeli ayebandakanyeke njani kwimbambano eyayiphakathi koYehova noothixo baseYiputa?
6 Umzekelo woku yayilityala elaxoxwa malunga neminyaka eli-1 500 ngaphambi kweXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo ngokunxamnye noothixo beYiputa yamandulo. AmaYiputa ayenqula oothixo abaninzi, kuquka izilwanyana ezinjengenkunzi yenkomo, ikati, imazi yenkomo, ingwenya, ukhetshe, isele, udyakalashe, ingonyama, inyoka, ixhalanga, ingcuka nezinye. Inkoliso yezi zilwanyana yayijongwa njengemifanekiso kathixo okanye uthixokazi, yaye ukubulala ngabom esinye kwakuzisa isigwebo sokufa. Imizimba yezilwanyana ezingcwele yayiqholwa ize ingcwatywe ngokubekekileyo.
7 Ngokuchasene nabo bonke abo thixo kwakukho uThixo owayenqulwa nguSirayeli wamandulo, uYehova. Ummeli wakhe, uMoses, wathunywa ukuba aye kuxelela uFaro akhulule abantu bakaYehova, ngelo xesha ababesebukhobokeni, ekubeni uYehova wayebathembise ngenkululeko. (Eksodus 3:6-10) Kodwa uFaro wavakalisa oku: “Ngubani na uYehova, ukuba ndiphulaphule izwi lakhe, lokuba ndindulule uSirayeli? Andimazi uYehova, kananjalo andiyi kumndulula uSirayeli.” (Eksodus 5:2) UFaro waziva enentembelo yokuba oothixo baseYiputa babephakamile kunoYehova.
8, 9. (a) UYehova wabonisa njani ukuba wayongamile koothixo baseYiputa? (b) Ngenxa yoko kwathi kwenzeka, yintoni enokuthethwa ngoothixo baseYiputa?
8 Ngubani owayeza kungqineka enguThixo oyinyaniso owayekwazi ukuzalisekisa amadinga akhe aze akwazi nokukhusela abantu bakhe? Impendulo yayiza kubakho kamsinya. UYehova waxela kwangaphambili oku: “Ndenze izigwebo koothixo bonke baseYiputa.” (Eksodus 12:12) Ngaba wasizalisekisa eso siprofeto? Ewe wasizalisekisa! UYehova wezisa izibetho ezilishumi ezitshabalalisayo ezazenzelwe ukubatshayela kuthi tu oothixo baseYiputa. Akukho namnye kwabo thixo owayenokukhusela amaYiputa. Yaye isibetho seshumi sasibaluleke ngokungakumbi, kuba sabulala amazibulo amaYiputa, kuquka nelikaFaro. Esi sasiyintlekele eyayijoliswe kuthixo wawo omkhulu uRa (Amon-Ra), ekubeni abalawuli baseYiputa babezigqala bengoothixo, oonyana bakaRa. KumaYiputa, ukufa kwezibulo likaFaro kwathetha ukufa kukathixo.
9 Noko ke, akuzange kufe nalinye izibulo kumaSirayeli, njengoko ayekhuselwe nguYehova. Kwakhona, uThixo wanika abantu bakhe inkululeko awayebathembise yona. Yaye njengesithonga sokugqibela koothixo bobuxoki baseYiputa, uFaro nomkhosi wakhe—owawuphelele wonke—batshatyalaliswa kuLwandle Olubomvu. Ngaloo ndlela, uYehova wangqineka enguThixo oyinyaniso. Amadinga akhe azalisekiswa, yaye abanquli bakhe bakhuselwa. (Eksodus 14:21-31) Kwelinye icala, oothixo baseYiputa babengenamandla okunceda abanquli babo. Ngokwenene abo thixo babengaphili konke konke kodwa babezizinto nje ezaziyilwe ngabantu.
10. Yiyiphi imbambano eyayijongene nabanquli bakaYehova neAsiriya?
10 Elinye ityala elibandakanya ubuthixo laxoxwa kwiinkulungwane ezinokuba sibhozo kamva, ngexesha likaKumkani uHezekiya.a Abanquli bakaYehova babesongelwa liGunya leHlabathi elikhohlakeleyo lama-Asiriya elaloyise zonke iintlanga ezazilijikelezile. Ngoku lakufuna ngenkani ukunikezela kweYerusalem, isixeko ekwakwakhiwe kuso ‘itrone kaYehova,’ eyayimela unqulo lwakhe emhlabeni. (1 Kronike 29:23) Ukumkani wamaYuda, uHezekiya, wayesazi kakuhle ukuba ama-Asiriya ‘ayeziphanzisile zonke ezo ntlanga yaye ayebanikele oothixo bazo emlilweni kuba babengethixo, babengumsebenzi wezandla zomntu.’—Isaya 37:18, 19.
11. UYehova wabasindisa njani abanquli bakhe, yaye oku kwabonisa ntoni?
11 Ngoko uHezekiya othembekileyo wathandaza kuYehova, ecela inkuselo yakhe. UYehova wathembisa ukuba akukho nasinye isixhobo sama-Asiriya esasiya kutshabalalisa iYerusalem. (Isaya 37:33) Kanye njengokuba kwakutshiwo kweso siprofeto, akuzange kubekho nasinye esenjenjalo. Endaweni yoko, “kwaphuma ke isithunywa sikaYehova, saxabela emkhosini wama-Asiriya ikhulu elinamanci asibhozo anesihlanu amawaka.” Emva kolo loyiso lutshabalalisayo, ukumkani waseAsiriya, uSaneribhe, warhoxa. Kamva, xa wayesanqula uthixo wakhe uNiseroki, oonyana bakhe bambulala. (Isaya 37:36-38) Ngaloo ndlela uYehova waphinda wangqineka enguThixo wesiprofeto sokwenyaniso onokubahlangula abanquli bakhe. Oothixo baseAsiriya nabezinye iintlanga eziyijikelezileyo bangqineka bengabobuxoki, bengaphili, bengakwazi ukukhusela abalandeli babo.
12. Kungayiphi indlela awathi uBheleshatsare wahlekisa ngoYehova?
12 Malunga neenkulungwane ezimbini kamva, uThixo wavumela abantu bakhe, ababeye abathembeka kuye, ukuba bathinjwe lelinye igunya lehlabathi elalandelayo, iBhabhiloni. Eyona nto lalibalasele ngayo yayiyinkungu nelanga yoothixo, oothixokazi neetempile zonqulo. Kodwa ngokuqhayisa nokuziphakamisa, ukumkani wamaBhabhiloni uBheleshatsare wahlekisa ngoYehova. Kwisibhadlalala sesidlo, wathumela ukuba kuziswe izitya ezingcwele ezazithinjwe etempileni eYerusalem. “Wasela ngazo ukumkani nezikhulu zakhe, namakhosikazi akhe, namashweshwe akhe. Basela iwayini, babancoma oothixo begolide, nabesilivere, nabobhedu, nabesinyithi, nabemithi, nabamatye.”—Daniyeli 5:1-4.
13. Yintoni awayithethayo uYehova kuBheleshatsare ngoDaniyeli?
13 Oku yayikukumthuka ngokungqalileyo uYehova, ukumcela umngeni egameni loothixo baseBhabhiloni. Wandula ke uYehova wabangela umprofeti wakhe uDaniyeli ukuba anikele ubungqina ngokungafihlisiyo kuKumkani uBheleshatsare nakubo bonke ababekho esidlweni. UDaniyeli wakuphakamisa ukuba nguthixo kukaYehova waza waxelela uKumkani uBheleshatsare oku: “Akuyithobanga intliziyo yakho . . . Uziphakamisile ngaphezu kweNkosi yamazulu . . . Wancoma oothixo besilivere, nabegolide, nabobhedu, nabesinyithi, nabemithi, nabamatye, abangaboniyo, abangevayo, abangaziyo. Ke uThixo lowo, kusesandleni sakhe ukuphefumla kwakho, onazo zonke iindlela zakho, akumbekanga.”—Daniyeli 5:22, 23.
14. UYehova wabonisa njani ukuba wayenguThixo oyinyaniso?
14 Wandula ke uDaniyeli wadlulisela isigidimi sikaYehova, esasisesi: UKumkani UBheleshatsare onekratshi neBhabhiloni babeza kubhukuqwa ngamaMedi namaPersi kwangobo busuku! (Daniyeli 5:24-27) Ngaba esi siprofeto senzeka? Ewe senzeka. “Kwangobo busuku wabulawa uBheleshatsare ukumkani wamaKaledi. UDariyo, umMedi, wabuthabatha ubukumkani.” (Daniyeli 5:30, 31) Kwakhona, njengoko kwaba njalo ngeYiputa neAsiriya, uYehova wangqineka enguThixo oyinyaniso, uThixo owazalisekisayo amadinga akhe. Abakhonzi bakaThixo bangenelwa, kuba bakhululwa ekuthinjweni baza babuyela kwilizwe labo lokuzalwa. Abo bazingisayo ekulandeleni oothixo bobuxoki batshabalala.
Iziprofeto Malunga Nexesha Lethu
15. (a) Yiyiphi imbalasane inkoliso yeziprofeto zeBhayibhile ezinayo? (b) Kukuyiphi enye into esikwabhekisela kuyo xa sisebenzisa igama elithi “thixo”?
15 Umprofeti uIsaya waphefumlelwa ukuba abhale iziprofeto ezathi zazaliseka emva kumaxesha amandulo. Kodwa ngokufuthi kwisiprofeto seBhayibhile, kubakho enye inzaliseko enkudlwana enokuthanani nexesha lethu. Oku kwaba njalo ngezinto ezininzi awathi uIsaya wazibhala. Inxalenye yesigidimi sakhe yayiqulethe iziprofeto ezingokucel’ umngeni kwanamhla kukaYehova iintlanga noothixo bazo. Yaye ngegama elithi “oothixo” sibhekisela kungekuphela nje koothixo abanqulwa ngokungqalileyo ngabantu kulo lonke ihlabathi, kuquka iintlanga zanamhlanje ezibizwa ngokuba zezabahedeni, kodwa kwanakwezo zinto zifanelekele ingcaciso yelo gama. Enye ingcaciso yesichazi-magama yegama elithi “thixo” ithi: “Yinto elawula inkalo ethile okanye inxalenye yezinto eziphilayo; umntu okanye into exatyiswe kakhulu.”
16. Ngabaphi oothixo abanqulwa ngabantu beentlanga, kuquka iNgqobhoko, namhlanje?
16 Namhlanje izinto ezijongwa njengoothixo ziquka izigidi zoothixo abanqulwa ngamaHindu, nabo banqulwa ngamaBhuda, ngamaShinto, ngabantu abakholelwa ekungafini komphefumlo nabezinye iinkonzo. Zikwaquka nothixo ozizinto eziphathekayo, zinto ezo ezixatyiswe kakhulu ngabantu abaninzi emhlabeni, ezona zinto zibaphembelelayo ebomini babo. Zikwaquka noothixo abangamandla omkhosi nenzululwazi ezithi iintlanga zijonge kubo ukuze zifumane unqabiseko nosindiso. Kwakhona, abantu abaninzi kwanakwiNgqobhoko abathi bakholelwa kuThixo abakholosi ngokwenene ngaye okanye abamkhonzi ngokunyanisekileyo, kodwa endaweni yoko bakholosa baze bakhonze abantu okanye izinto njengezinto abamele banyaniseke kuzo ngokuyintloko.
17. Yalatha phi inzaliseko enkudlwana yesigidimi sikaIsaya?
17 Kwixesha lethu inzaliseko enkudlwana yesigidimi sikaIsaya ibhekiswe kubo bonke “oothixo” abanjalo. UYehova uxelela zonke izizwe ukuba zihlanganisane zize “zithethe.” Uzicel’ umngeni ngelithi: “Masiqubisane ematyaleni.” (Isaya 41:1) Namhlanje, siphila kwixesha ‘lokuthethwa kwamatyala’ eli hlabathi. ‘Likwimihla yalo yokugqibela’ njengoko yaxelwa kwangaphambili kweyesi-2 kuTimoti 3:1-5 nakuMateyu 24:1-14. Ngeli xesha uYehova ucel’ umngeni oothixo beentlanga ukuba balixele kwangaphambili ngokuchanileyo ikamva baze ngaloo ndlela bazingqine ukuba bangoothixo. Ukwabacel’ umngeni ukuba bakhusele abaxhasi babo ukuba banako. Uthi kubo, “Sondezani iindawo enibambene ngazo, . . . zimiseni iziganeko zenu . . . basixelele okuza kuhla.”—Isaya 41:21, 22.
18. UThixo usomandla uzichaza njani, yaye yintoni ayithembisa abanquli bakhe?
18 UThixo usomandla uzichaza ukuba ungubani ngokuthi: “NdinguYehova, lilo elo igama lam; andiluniki omnye uzuko lwam, nendumiso yam andiyiniki imifanekiso eqingqiweyo.” (Isaya 42:8) Yaye uxelela abo bamphakamisayo oku: “Musa ukoyika, kuba ndinawe mna; musa ukubhekabheka, kuba ndinguThixo wakho; ndikukhaliphisile, ewe, ndikuncedile.” Ubathembisa oku: “Baya kudana bahlazeke bonke abavutha umsindo ngawe; aya kuba yinto engento, adake amadoda abambana nawe.” “Zonke izixhobo ezikhandelwa ukulwa nawe aziyi kuba nampumelelo . . . Lilo eli ilifa labakhonzi bakaYehova.”—Isaya 41:10, 11; 54:17.
19, 20. (a) UIsaya ubonisa njani ukuba kukho ixesha elimisiweyo lokuba uYehova azinzise imicimbi? (b) Ngoobani abaveliswa nguYehova kule ‘mihla yokugqibela,’ yaye bammela njani?
19 Kangangexesha elide, iinkulungwane, uYehova uye wazivumela iintlanga ukuba zihambe ngeendlela zazo. Noko ke, lifikile ixesha lakhe elimisiweyo lokuzinzisa imicimbi emhlabeni. Ngoko uvakalisa oku: “Kususela kwakude ndithe quthu, ndathi tu, ndazibamba.” Kodwa ngoku, “uYehova uya kuphuma njengegorha, uya kuxhoxha ikhwele njengendoda yokulwa; uya kuduma, ewe, uya kunkqangaza; uya kuba ligorha ezintshabeni zakhe.” (Isaya 42:13, 14) Kwisiprofeto sikaIsaya nakwezabanye ababhali beBhayibhile, nakwezo zikaYesu, uYehova uxela kwangaphambili ngokuzivelisela kwakhe abantu kule ‘mihla yokugqibela’ abaya kuthi ngenzondelelo bamngqinele, ngokungathi bangamangqina kwityala lasenkundleni.
20 Abantu abaveliswa nguYehova ukuze bamkhonze banikela ubungqina bokuba unguThixo oyinyaniso, uMsindisi wabanquli bakhe noMtshabalalisi woothixo bobuxoki nabaxhasi babo. Namhlanje abantu bakaYehova ‘bavuma indumiso yakhe kwaseziphelweni zehlabathi, kuzo zonke iintlanga nakwiziqithi, ezincotsheni zeentaba.’ (Isaya 42:10-12) Oku kuzalisekisa nesinye isiprofeto sikaIsaya esaxela kwangaphambili oku: “Kuya kuthi ekupheleni kwemihla [kweli xesha lethu], intaba yendlu kaYehova [unqulo lwakhe lokwenyaniso] ivelele ezincotsheni zazo iintaba, izongamele iinduli [yongamele zonke ezinye iintlobo zonqulo], zibe ngumsinga ukuya kuyo [abantu abaphuma kuzo] zonke iintlanga.” Yaye zibongoza abanye ukuba benze ntoni? Zibongoza abo bantliziyo zinyanisekileyo oku: “Yizani, sinyuke siye entabeni kaYehova, . . . asiyalele iindlela zakhe, sihambe ngomendo wakhe.”—Isaya 2:2-4.
21. Yiyiphi imibuzo ephakanyiswa kukucel’ umngeni kukaYehova oothixo beentlanga?
21 Ngaloo ndlela, ngokungathi uxelela bonke abeze enkundleni, uYehova uthi: “Nonke zintlanga, buthelanani ndawonye, zihlangane izizwe. . . . Mabamise amangqina abo, bagwetyelwe; mabeve ke abantu, bathi, Yinyaniso.” (Isaya 43:9) Olu lucelomngeni olungqalileyo olubhekiswa koothixo beentlanga. Ngaba nawuphi na kubo unokuxela oko kufunjethwe likamva? Ngaba babekwazi ukwenza oku kwixa elidlulileyo? Ngaba banokufumana nabani na onokubangqinela ngokubonisa ubungqina obubambekayo bokuba oothixo abanjalo bayinyaniso, bakufanelekele ukuba sinyaniseke kubo? Yiyiphi ingxelo eye yaveliswa ngoothixo beentlanga nabalandeli babo kwixesha lethu? Ngaba ibilunge ngakumbi kunaleyo yaveliswa ngoothixo bamaYiputa, bama-Asiriya, nabamaBhabhiloni amandulo? Kwelinye icala, ngaba abo bangqinela uYehova bavelise ubungqina obubambekayo bokuba uYehova unguThixo oyinyaniso, okuphela kwaLowo ufanelwe kukunqulwa? Inqaku elilandelayo liya kuthetha ngale mibandela.
[Umbhalo osemazantsi]
a Inkupho kaJanuwari 15 yeMboniselo yaxubusha ngendlela uYehova awamvuza ngayo uHezekiya ngenxa yokukholosa kwakhe Ngaye. Ezo ziganeko zibalaseleyo zazikwabandakanya ubuthixo.
Imibuzo Yempinda
◻ Iyintoni imbambano yolongamo lwendalo iphela?
◻ Ngabaphi oothixo beentlanga ababandakanyekileyo kule mbambano namhlanje?
◻ Nguwuphi umphumo wamatyala amathathu obonisa ukongama kukaYehova koothixo bobuxoki?
◻ UIsaya ubonisa njani ukuba uYehova uya kuyizinzisa imicimbi kumhla wethu?
◻ Yiyiphi imibuzo efuna ukuphendulwa mayela nabaxhasi bazo zonke iinkonzo namhlanje?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 11]
Oothixo baseYiputa babengenamandla xa bethelekiswa noThixo oyinyaniso, uYehova
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 12]
Oothixo baseAsiriya nabaxhasi babo bafumana intlekele etshabalalisayo eyayivela kuThixo oyinyaniso
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]
UDaniyeli wadlulisela isigidimi sikaYehova kubanquli boothixo bobuxoki baseBhabhiloni