Kutheni Abantu Abalungileyo Bebandezeleka?
YAYINGUNYAKA we-1914, yaye ihlabathi lalithe bhukuqu emfazweni. Ngequbuliso kwabakho isifo seentwala (typhus) kwinkampu yamabanjwa emfazwe eSerbia. Kodwa eso yayisisiqalelo nje. Esi sifo soyikekayo sanwenwela nakubantu ababengalwi emfazweni saza sabulala abantu abali-150 000 ngeenyanga nje ezintandathu. Ebudeni bexesha lemfazwe nelemvukelo eyenzeka eRashiya kamva, izigidi ezithathu zabulawa sisifo seentwala. Kusenokufaneleka ukuba ugqibe kwelokuba abantu abaninzi abalungileyo namalungu eentsapho zabo awayephantsi kwelifu elimnyama ayephakathi kwaloo maxhoba.
Lo ngumzekelo nje omnye weentlekele ezehlela uluntu. Nawe ngokwakho usenokuba ukhe wayiva intlungu ebakho xa abathandekayo besiba ngamaxhoba ezifo, eengozi, nawohlobo oluthile lweentlekele. Kunokwenzeka ukuba uyakhathazeka xa umntu olungileyo ebandezelekile ngenxa yesifo esinganyangekiyo. Mhlawumbi ukhathazeka kakhulu xa umntu olungileyo—mhlawumbi indoda esebenzela intsapho yayo nzima—esifa ngengozi. Intlungu yabo bagutyungelwe lilifu elimnyama inokwenza intliziyo yakho ibe buhlungu.
Abaninzi bavakalelwa kukuba umntu olungileyo ufanele avuzwe ngokungabandezeleki. Bambi bade bakujonge ukubandezeleka njengobungqina bokuba lowo ulixhoba lako ungumenzi wobubi. Le yindlela awaqiqa ngayo amadoda amathathu awayephila kwiminyaka engama-3 600 eyadlulayo. Ayengogxa bendoda elungileyo egama linguYobhi. Makhe sibuyele kumhla wabo njengoko siqalisa ukufuna impendulo yombuzo othi, Kutheni abantu abalungileyo bebandezeleka?
Ukubandezeleka KukaYobhi
Xa abo kwakuthiwa ngabahlobo bakaYobhi bamtyelelayo, wayebandezeleke ngokungathethekiyo yintlungu nasisifo. Wayephantsi kwelifu elimnyama ngenxa yabantwana bakhe abalishumi yaye wayephulukene nazo zonke izinto zakhe eziphathekayo. Abantu ababefudula bemhlonela uYobhi bamcekisa. Kwanomfazi wakhe wamjikela waza wammela ngelokuba aqalekise uThixo aze afe.—Yobhi 1:1–2:13; 19:13-19.
Kangangeentsuku ezisixhenxe nobusuku bazo, iindwendwe zikaYobhi zabukela ukubandezeleka kwakhe zithe cwaka. Emva koko omnye wazo wamtyhola ngehambo engendawo ekusenokwenzeka ukuba wayesohlwayelwa yona. Indoda egama linguElifazi yathi: “Khawukhumbule, ngubani na owakha wadaka, emsulwa? Kuphi na apho ke bathi shwaka khona abathe tye? Ngokubona endibone ngako, abalima inkohlakalo, nabahlwayela ububi, bavuna kwabona. Badaka ngokuphefumla kukaThixo, baphela ngumoya womsindo wakhe.”—Yobhi 4:7-9.
Ngoko uElifazi wema ngelokuba uThixo wayesohlwaya uYobhi ngenxa yezono zakhe. Nanamhlanje, bambi bema ngelithi iintlekele uThixo uzenzele ukohlwaya abantu abenza izinto ezimbi. Kodwa uYehova wayengamohlwayi uYobhi ngenxa yokuba enze izinto ezingalunganga. Oku sikwazi kuba kamva uThixo waxelela uElifazi oku: “Umsindo wam uyavutha kuwe, nakubamelwane bakho bobabini; kuba anithethanga nto iyiyo ngam, njengomkhonzi wam uYobhi.”—Yobhi 42:7.
UThixo Akabekek’ Ityala
Namhlanje, izigidi—ngokuqinisekileyo kuquka abantu abaninzi abalungileyo—zihlwempuzekile yaye zithwaxwa yindlala. Bambi baqumba baqalekise baze babeke ityala kuThixo ngenxa yokubandezeleka kwabo. Kodwa akanatyala ngenxa yendlala. Enyanisweni, nguYe onika uluntu ukutya.—INdumiso 65:9.
Ukuzingca, ukubawa nezinye iimeko ezibangelwa ngabantu zisenokuthintela ukusiwa kokutya ebantwini abalambayo. Imfazwe iphakathi kwezinye izinto ezibangela indlala. Ngokomzekelo, iThe World Book Encyclopedia ithi: “Imfazwe isenokubangela indlala ukuba abalimi abaninzi bashiya amasimi abo baze baye emkhosini. Kwezinye iimeko, umkhosi ubangela indlala ngabom ukuze utshaba lulambe luze lunikezele. Umkhosi utshabalalisa ukutya okugciniweyo nezilimo ezikhulayo uze uvale indlela yokusa ukutya elutshabeni. Imikhosi yathintela ukuthunyelwa kokutya ukuba kuye kufika kummandla weBiafra ebudeni beMfazwe Yamakhaya yaseNigeria (1967-70). Kwabakho indlala, yaye mhlawumbi ngabemi baseBiafra abangaphezu kwesigidi ezithathu abathwaxwa yindlala.”
Bambi batyhola uThixo ingakumbi ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi II, xa abantu abaninzi abalungileyo babandezeleka baza bafa. Ukanti, abantu bophula umthetho kaThixo ngokuthiyana nangokulwa. Xa uYesu Kristu wabuzwayo ukuba nguwuphi na owona mthetho “uphambili,” waphendula wathi: “Owona ungaphambili kuyo yonke imithetho ngulo: Yiva, Sirayeli, iNkosi uThixo wethu yiNkosi inye; uze uyithande ke iNkosi uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela, nangomphefumlo wakho uphela, nangengqondo yakho iphela, nangamandla akho ephela. Nowesibini ke ufana nawo; nangu: Uze umthande ummelwane wakho njengoko uzithanda ngako. Akukho mthetho wumbi mkhulu kunale.”—Marko 12:28-31.
Xa abantu besaphula imithetho kaThixo ngokubandakanyeka ekuxheleni abantu abaninzi, ngaba kukho nabani na onokuthi ngokufanelekileyo abeke ityala kuThixo xa umphumo unokuba kukubandezeleka? Ukuba umzali uxelela abantwana bakhe ukuba bangalwi baze bangasikhathaleli eso siluleko sakhe silungileyo, ngaba unokubekek’ ityala xa besenzakala? Umzali akabekek’ ityala njengokuba noThixo engabekek’ ityala ngokubandezeleka kwabantu xa betyeshela imithetho yakhe.
Nangona ukwaphulwa kwemithetho kaYehova kusenokubangela ukubandezeleka, iBhayibhile ayibonisi ukuba iintlekele eziqhelekileyo uThixo uzenzele ukohlwaya abantu abangendawo. Xa isibini sokuqala esingabantu sonayo, saziphulukanisa nentsikelelo nenkuselo yakhe ekhethekileyo. Ngaphandle kwakwiimeko ekubandakanyeke izenzo zobuthixo kuzo ukuze kuphunyezwe iinjongo zikaYehova, izinto eziye zehlela uluntu umhla nezolo bezilawulwa ngulo mgaqo weZibhalo: “Ukugidima asikokwabanamendu, imfazwe asiyeyamagorha; kananjalo isonka asisesezilumko; kananjalo ubutyebi asibobanengqiqo; kananjalo ubabalo asilolwabanokwazi; ngokuba bonke bephela bafikelwa lixesha nasisihlo.”—INtshumayeli 9:11.
Abalungileyo Nabangalunganga Bayabandezeleka
Eneneni, abantu abalungileyo nabangalunganga bayabandezeleka ngenxa yesono abasizuz’ ilifa nokungafezeki. (Roma 5:12) Ngokomzekelo, abantu abalungileyo nabangendawo ngokufanayo baba nezifo ezibuhlungu. UmKristu othembekileyo uTimoti wabandezeleka ngenxa ‘yobulwelwe bakhe obufuthi.’ (1 Timoti 5:23) Xa umpostile uPawulos wakhankanya “uviko enyameni” yakhe, kusenokuba wayebhekisela kwimbandezelo ethile yasenyameni. (2 Korinte 12:7-9) Kwanakubakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo, uThixo akabushenxisi ngoku ubuthathaka okanye ukwasuleleka ngokulula kwizifo okwazuzw’ ilifa.
Abantu abahlonel’ uThixo basenokubandezeleka nangenxa yokujonga phosakeleyo okanye maxa wambi ngokusilela ukusebenzisa isiluleko seZibhalo. Ngokomzekelo: Ubani ongamthobeliyo uThixo aze atshate nongakholwayo usenokubandezeleka ngenxa yeengxaki zomtshato engekwazile ukuziphepha. (Duteronomi 7:3, 4; 1 Korinte 7:39) Ukuba umKristu akatyi ngendlela efanelekileyo yaye akaphumli ngokwaneleyo, usenokubandezeleka ngenxa yokonakalisa impilo yakhe.
Sisenokubandezeleka ngokweemvakalelo ukuba sinikezela kubuthathaka size sibandakanyeke kwihambo ephosakeleyo. Ukukrexeza kukaKumkani uDavide noBhatsheba kwamzisela ukubandezeleka okukhulu. (INdumiso 51) Ngoxa wayezama ukufihla isenzo sakhe esiphosakeleyo, wabandezeleka ngokunzulu. Wathi, “Ndithi ndakuthi cwaka, aluphale amathambo am ngokubhonga kwam imihla yonke. . . . Baguquka ubumanzi bam, baba kukubalela kwasehlotyeni.” (INdumiso 32:3, 4) Ukubandezeleka ngenxa yesono sakhe kwawanciphisa amandla kaDavide njengokuba umthi usenokuphelelwa kukufuma okuwugcina uphilile ngexesha lembalela okanye ngemini eshushu yehlobo. Kuyabonakala ukuba wayebandezeleke engqondweni nasemzimbeni. Kodwa INdumiso 32 ibonisa ukuba ukubandezeleka okunjalo kunokupheliswa kukuvuma komntu isono aguquke aze axolelwe nguThixo.—IMizekeliso 28:13.
Ngokufuthi abantu abangalunganga bayabandezeleka ngenxa yehambo yabo evakalala, kungekhona ngenxa yokohlwaywa nguThixo. UHerode omkhulu wacinezelwa sisifo ngenxa yemikhwa yakhe engendawo. Umbhali-mbali ongumYuda uJosephus wathi, kwiintsuku zakhe zokugqibela, uHerode “wabandezelwa yintuthumbo eyoyikekayo. Wayelangazelela kakhulu ukuzonwaya, amathumbu akhe ayenezilonda, yaye amalungu akhe afihlakeleyo abola aza aphuma iimpethu. Watsho wancama ezama ukuthomalalisa ukukhefuzela nokuxhuzula kwakhe kumthombo onamanzi ashushu eCallirrhoe. . . . UHerode wayekwintlungu engathethekiyo kangangokuba wazama ukuzihlaba, kodwa wanqandwa ngumza wakhe.”—Josephus: The Essential Writings, eguqulelwe yaza yahlelwa nguPaul L. Maier.
Ukunamathela kwimithetho kaThixo kukhusela kwizinto ezinjalo ezinjengezifo ezidluliselwa ngesini. Sekunjalo, kutheni abantu abalungileyo bebonakala bebandezeleka gqitha?
Isizathu Sokubandezeleka Kwabantu Abahlonela UThixo
Isizathu esiyintloko sokubandezeleka kwabantu abahlonel’ uThixo sikukuba bangamalungisa. Oku kuboniswe kwimeko yonyana kasolusapho uYakobi ogama linguYosefu. Nangona umkaPotifare waqhubeka ecela uYosefu ukuba alale naye, wabuza: “Ndingathini na ke ukwenza obu bubi bukhulu kangaka, ndone kuThixo?” (Genesis 39:9) Oku kwakhokelela ekuvalelweni kwakhe entolongweni ngokungekho sikweni, waza uYosefu wabandezeleka ngenxa yokuba wayelilungisa.
Kodwa kutheni uThixo evumela ukubandezeleka kubakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo? Impendulo ikwimbambano eyaphakanyiswa sisithunywa esinemvukelo uSathana uMtyholi. Le mbambano ibandakanya ingqibelelo kuThixo. Sazi njani? Kuba oku kwabonakaliswa kwimeko yendoda elilungisa uYobhi, ekhankanywe ngaphambilana.
Kwintlanganiso eyayisemazulwini yoonyana bakaThixo abazizithunywa zezulu, uYehova wabuza kuSathana wenjenje: “Umgqalile na kodwa umkhonzi wam uYobhi; ukuba akukho unjengaye ehlabathini, indoda egqibeleleyo, ethe tye, emoyikayo uThixo, etyekayo ebubini?” Impendulo kaSathana yangqina ukuba kwakukho imbambano yokuba abantu babeya kuyigcina kusini na ingqibelelo kuYehova xa bevavanywa. USathana waba nebango lokuba uYobhi wayemkhonza uThixo ngenxa yokumsikelela kwakhe ngezinto eziphathekayo kungekhona ngenxa yothando. Ngoko uSathana wathi: “Khawuse isandla sakho ngoku, uchukumise into yonke [uYobhi] anayo, ukuba akayi kukulahla na nawe lo, akwenze oku ebusweni bakho.” UYehova waphendula wathi: “Yabona, konke anako kusesandleni sakho; ke kuye ngokwakhe musa ukusa sandla sakho.”—Yobhi 1:6-12.
Phezu kwazo zonke izinto uSathana awaba nokuzenza, uYobhi wagcina ikhondo lobulungisa waza wazingqina emkhonza uThixo ngenxa yothando. Eneneni, uYobhi wabaxelela oku abo babemtyhola: “Makube lee kum ukuthi, niyalungisa; Ndoda ndiphume umphefumlo, ndingayisusi kum ingqibelelo yam.” (Yobhi 27:5) Ewe, abagcini bengqibelelo abanjalo bebesoloko bekulungele ukubandezeleka ngenxa yobulungisa. (1 Petros 4:14-16) IBhayibhile isixelela ngabaninzi abaye banothando olungagungqiyo ngoThixo yaye baye baba ngamalungisa ukuze bamzukise baze bangqine ibango likaSathana lokuba unokutyekisa bonke abantu ekunquleni uYehova libubuxoki. Wonke ubani obandezelekayo ngenxa yokugcina ingqibelelo kuThixo unokonwaba kuba engqina uMtyholi elixoki yaye evuyisa intliziyo kaYehova.—IMizekeliso 27:11.
UThixo ukukhathalele ukubandezeleka kwabakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo. Umdumisi uDavide wathi: “UYehova ungumxhasi wabo bonke abawayo, ngumphakamisi wabo bonke abagobileyo.” (INdumiso 145:14) Abo bazahlulele kuYehova basenokungabi namandla aneleyo okunyamezela iimbandezelo neentshutshiso abajamelana nazo ebomini njengabantu bakhe. Kodwa uThixo uyabomeleza yaye uyabaxhasa aze abanike ubulumko obufunekayo ukuze banyamezele zonke iimvavanyo. (INdumiso 121:1-3; Yakobi 1:5, 6) Ukuba abatshutshisi banokubulala abanye babakhonzi bakaYehova abathembekileyo, banethemba lovuko elivela kuThixo. (Yohane 5:28, 29; IZenzo 24:15) Sekunjalo, uThixo uyabavuza ngenxa yokuba beye babandezeleka abo bamthandayo. Wakuphelisa ukubandezeleka kukaYobhi waza wayisikelela ngokuyintabalala loo ndoda ilungileyo. Yaye sinokuba nentembelo yokuba uYehova akayi kubalahla abantu bakhe kumhla wethu.—Yobhi 42:12-16; INdumiso 94:14.
Kungekudala—Ukubandezeleka Kuza Kuphela!
Ngoko, wonke ubani uyabandezeleka ngenxa yokungafezeki esakuzuz’ ilifa nokuphila kule nkqubo ingendawo yezinto. Abantu abahlonel’ uThixo bakwanokulindela ukubandezeleka ngenxa yokugcina ingqibelelo kuYehova. (2 Timoti 3:12) Kodwa banokuvuya, kuba kungekudala uThixo uya kuphelisa iinyembezi, ukufa, isijwili, ukukhala neentlungu. Ngokuphathelele oku, umpostile uYohane wabhala:
“Ndabona izulu elitsha, nomhlaba omtsha; kuba elokuqala izulu nowokuqala umhlaba udlule, nolwandle alusekho. Ndaza mna, Yohane, ndawubona umzi ongcwele, iYerusalem entsha, usihla uvela kuThixo, uphuma emazulwini, ulungisiwe njengomtshakazi ehonjiselwe indoda yakhe. Ndeva izwi elikhulu liphuma emazulwini, lisithi: Yabona, umnquba lo kaThixo unabantu; Uya kuhlala nabo emnqubeni, Bona babe ngabantu bakhe, Yena uThixo abe nabo, enguThixo wabo; Azisule uThixo zonke iinyembezi emehlweni abo, kungabi sabakho kufa, kungabi sabakho nasijwili, nakukhala, nantlungu; Ngokuba izinto zokuqala zigqithile. Waza lowo uhleli phezu kwetrone wathi, Uyabona, izinto zonke ndizenza ntsha. Athi kum, Bhala; ngokuba lawo ngamazwi ayinyaniso, athembekileyo.”—ISityhilelo 21:1-5.
Ngokufanayo, umpostile uPetros wathi: “Thina ke ngokwedinga lakhe [uYehova uThixo] silinde elitsha izulu, nomtsha umhlaba, apho kumi ubulungisa.” (2 Petros 3:13) Anjani wona ukuzuka amathemba esiwalindeleyo! Unokuba nelungelo lokuzuza ubomi kwiparadisi esemhlabeni. (Luka 23:43) Ngoko ke, musa ukuvumela iimbandezelo zanamhlanje zikwenze buhlungu. Kunoko, khangela kwikamva ngentembelo. Thembela kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo elisemnyango. Hamba ngekhondo elamkelekileyo kuYehova uThixo, yaye unokuphila ngonaphakade kwihlabathi elingenako ukubandezeleka.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 4]
Nangona uYobhi wabandezelekayo, wahamba ngekhondo elamkelekileyo kuThixo
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]
Unokuphila kwihlabathi elingenako ukubandezeleka
[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 3]
Collier’s Photographic History of the European War