Ukuphila Ngokuba Nokholo Kumadinga KaThixo
“NdinguThixo, akukho wumbi; ndinguThixo, akukho namnye unjengam; ukuxelayo kwasekuqaleni okungasemva, nakwabamandulo okungekenzeki.”—ISAYA 46:9, 10.
1, 2. Ziziphi ezinye zeembono zabantu ezingafaniyo ngokubandakanyeka kukaThixo kwimicimbi yomhlaba?
UTHIXO ubandakanyeke kangakanani kwimicimbi yomhlaba? Iimbono zabantu ziyahluka kulo mba. Abanye bathi akazikhathazi nakancinane oku ngayo. Emva kokuba edale izinto, kunokwenzeka ukuba akafuni okanye ke akakwazi kusinceda. Ngokutsho kwabo, uThixo unjengobawo okhwelisa umntwana wakhe kwibhayisekile entsha, ayibambe ime, aze ayityhale ukuze unyana wakhe anyawuze ukuhlisa isitrato. Emva koko, lo bawo uzihambela iindlela zakhe. Loo nkwenkwe iza kuzibonela; enoba iyawa, okanye ayiwi. Enoba yintoni na eyenzekayo, lo bawo akasangeni ndawo ngoku.
2 Abanye bathi uThixo ungene nzulu ekwalathiseni zonke iinkalo zobomi bethu yaye nguye unobangela wazo zonke iziganeko ezenzeka kuyo yonke indalo yakhe. Noko ke, ukuba kunjalo, abanye baya kufikelela kwisigqibo sokuba uThixo akangonobangela wezinto ezintle kuphela kodwa ukwangunozala wolwaphulo-mthetho neentlekele ezithwaxa uluntu. Ukwazi inyaniso ngeenkqubano zikaThixo kuya kusinceda sazi oko sinokukulindela kuye. Kwakhona kuya komeleza ukholo lwethu kwinzaliseko eqinisekileyo yamadinga akhe.—Hebhere 11:1.
3. (a) Sazi njani ukuba uYehova nguThixo onenjongo? (b) Kutheni uYehova echazwa ‘njengozibumbayo’ aze ‘aziyile’ iinjongo zakhe?
3 Oyena ndoqo kumbandela wokubandakanyeka kukaThixo kwimicimbi yabantu sisibakala sokuba uYehova nguThixo onenjongo. Loo nto uyibona kwakwigama eli lakhe. Igama elithi “Yehova” lithetha “Obangela Kubekho.” Ngokuthe ngcembe, uYehova uzibangela ukuba abe nguMzalisekisi wawo onke amadinga akhe. Elokuqwela, kuthiwa uYehova ‘uyayibumba,’ okanye ayiyile injongo yakhe engeziganeko okanye engezenzo zexesha elizayo. (2 Kumkani 19:25; Isaya 46:11) La magama asuka kwigama lesiHebhere elithi ya·tsarʹ, eliyelele kwigama elithetha “umbumbi.” (Yeremiya 18:4) Kanye njengokuba umbumbi onesandla enokubumba udongwe lube yivazi entle, uYehova unako ukuxonxa, okanye alungelelanise, izinto ukuze ziphumeze ukuthanda kwakhe.—Efese 1:11.
4. UThixo wawulungisa njani umhlaba ukuze umiwe ngabantu?
4 Ngokomzekelo, injongo kaThixo yayikukuba umhlaba ube yindawo entle eyayiza kumiwa ngabantu abafezekileyo nabathobelayo. (Isaya 45:18) Kwakudala ngaphambi kokuba adale indoda nomfazi wokuqala, uYehova wabalungiselela ngothando. Izahluko zokuqala zencwadi yeGenesis zichaza indlela uYehova awayidala ngayo imini nobusuku, umhlaba nolwandle. Emva koko wadala uhlaza nezilwanyana. Oku kulungiswa komhlaba ukuze umiwe ngabantu kwathabatha amawaka amaninzi eminyaka. Loo msebenzi wenziwa waza wagqitywa. Indoda nomfazi wokuqala baqalisa ukuphila e-Eden, kwiparadesi ethandekayo eyayinazo zonke izinto zokubenza banandiphe ubomi. (Genesis 1:31) Ngaloo ndlela, uYehova wabandakanyeka ngokungqalileyo kwimicimbi yomhlaba, eyiyila ngokuthe ngcembe imisebenzi yakhe ukuze iphumeze iinjongo zakhe eziphakamileyo. Ngaba warhoxa kwimicimbi yomhlaba yakwanda intsapho yabantu?
UYehova Uyibekela Imida Indlela Aqhubana Ngayo Nabantu
5, 6. Kutheni uThixo eyibekela imida indlela aqhubana ngayo nabantu?
5 Nangona enawo amandla okwenjenjalo, uYehova akalathisi aze alawule kwanto nje eyenziwa ngabantu. Unezizathu zokungenjinjalo. Esinye sazo kukuba abantu badalwa ngokomfanekiselo kaThixo, banenkululeko yokuzikhethela, bakhululekile ukuba bahambe ngabayibonayo. UYehova akasinyanzeli ukuba senze oko asiyalela ukuba sikwenze; singengabo kananjalo oonodoli. (Duteronomi 30:19, 20; Yoshuwa 24:15) Nangona eza kusiphendulisa ngezinto esizenzayo, uThixo uye ngothando wasinika umlinganiselo othile wenkululeko ukuze sizigqibele ngendlela esibuphila ngayo ubomi bethu.—Roma 14:12; Hebhere 4:13.
6 Esinye sezizathu zokuba uThixo angalathisi yonke into eyenzekayo sinento yokwenza nembambano eyadalwa nguSathana e-Eden. USathana walucel’ umngeni ulongamo lukaThixo. Wathembisa uEva ngento eyayibonakala ngathi lithuba lokuqhawula amakhamandela—ithuba yena nomyeni wakhe, uAdam, abalamkela ngezandla zozibini. (Genesis 3:1-6) Kuthe kwakuba njalo, uThixo wavumela abantu ukuba bazilawule kangangethuba elithile ukuze kubonwe enoba ucelomngeni lukaSathana lwalunesihlahla kusini na. Ngenxa yoko, akunakutyholwa uThixo ngezinto ezimbi ezenziwa ngabantu namhlanje. UMoses wabhala ngabantu abanemvukelo esithi: “Sizonakalisile kuye—singenyana bakhe [uThixo], sisiphako sabo.”—Duteronomi 32:5.
7. Yintoni injongo kaYehova ngomhlaba nangoluntu?
7 Noko ke, ngoxa ebavumele abantu ukuba bazikhethele yaye baziv’ amandla ngokuzilawula ngaphandle kwakhe, uYehova akasonganga zandla nje kwimicimbi yehlabathi, nto leyo ebinokusenza siphelelwe lithemba lokuba uya kuze awazalisekise amadinga akhe. Nangona uAdam noEva bavukela ulongamo lukaThixo, uYehova akazange ayiguqule injongo yakhe enothando ngomhlaba nangoluntu. Akayi kusilela ekuguquleni umhlaba ukuba ube yiparadesi emiwe ngabantu abafezekileyo, abathobekileyo nabonwabileyo. (Luka 23:42, 43) Ukusuka kwiGenesis ukusa kwiSityhilelo, ingxelo yeBhayibhile iye ngokuthe ngcembe yachaza indlela uYehova aye wasebenza ngayo ukuphumeza loo njongo.
UThixo Uyakuphumeza Ukuthanda Kwakhe
8. Yintoni eyayibandakanyekile ekungeniseni amaSirayeli kwiLizwe Ledinga?
8 Indlela uThixo awayeqhubana ngayo nohlanga lwakwaSirayeli ibonisa ukuba uyayiphumeza injongo yakhe. Ngokomzekelo, uYehova waqinisekisa uMoses ukuba wayeza kuwahlangula amaSirayeli eYiputa aze awase kwiLizwe Ledinga, ilizwe elibaleka amasi nobusi. (Eksodus 3:8) Esi yayisisibhengezo esibalulekileyo nesiqinisekisayo. Sasiza kubandakanya ukukhulula loo maSirayeli—xa edibene noogxa bawo awayebalwa kufutshane nezigidi ezithathu—kuhlanga olwalunamandla olwalungafuni nokuva ngokumka kwawo. (Eksodus 3:19) Ilizwe awayesisiwa kulo lalimiwe ziintlanga ezinamandla ezaziya kukuchasa kume ngazo ukufika kwawo apho. (Duteronomi 7:1) Indlela esinge apho yayiyintlango ibe amaSirayeli ayeza kuswela ukutya namanzi. Le meko yavumela uYehova ukuba abonakalise amandla akhe awongamileyo yaye azibonakalise ukuba unguThixo.—Levitikus 25:38.
9, 10. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uYoshuwa angqine ukuba amadinga kaThixo ayenokuthenjwa? (b) Kubaluleke kangakanani ukuba sibe nentembelo kumandla kaThixo okubavuza abo bathembekileyo kuye?
9 UThixo wawakhupha amaSirayeli eYiputa esebenzisa udederhu lwezenzo ezibonakalisa amandla. Okokuqala, wehlisa izibetho ezilishumi ezitshabalalisayo kuhlanga lwamaYiputa. Emva koko, wahlula amanzi oLwandle Olubomvu, evumela amaSirayeli ukuba asabe ngoxa amaYiputa awayewasukela atshabalalayo. (INdumiso 78:12, 13, 43-51) Ukusuka apho, wawanyamekela amaSirayeli ebudeni beminyaka engama-40 esentlango, ewondla ngemana, ewanika amanzi, kwaye eqiniseka ukuba iingubo zawo azigugi yaye neenyawo zawo azidumbi. (Duteronomi 8:3, 4) Akuba efikile amaSirayeli kwiLizwe Ledinga, uYehova wawanceda ukuze oyise iintshaba zawo. UYoshuwa, owayenokholo olunamandla kumadinga kaYehova, wazibonela ngamehlo akhe zonke ezo zinto. Ngenxa yoko, wakwazi ukuthetha eqinisekile namadoda amakhulu omhla wakhe esithi: “Niyazi ngentliziyo yenu yonke, nangomphefumlo wenu wonke, ukuba akuwanga phantsi nalinye ilizwi emazwini onke alungileyo, abewathethile uYehova uThixo wenu ngani; onke enzekile kuni.”—Yoshuwa 23:14.
10 NjengoYoshuwa wamandulo, amaKristu namhlanje aqiniseke ngokupheleleyo ukuba uThixo ukulungele yaye unako ukubanceda abo bamkhonzayo. Le mbono iyinkalo ebalulekileyo yokholo lwethu. Umpostile uPawulos wabhala: “Ngaphandle kokholo akunakwenzeka ukumkholisa kakuhle, kuba lowo uzayo kuThixo umele akholwe ukuba . . . uba ngumvuzi wabo bamfuna ngokunyamekileyo.”—Hebhere 11:6.
UThixo Ulibona Kusengaphambili Ikamva
11. Ngabaphi oothunywashe abenza uThixo akwazi ukuzalisekisa amadinga akhe?
11 Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, sele sibonile ukuba ngoxa uThixo evumela inkululeko yokuzikhethela kunye nolawulo oluzimeleyo lwabantu, unawo amandla kwaye ukulungele ukuthabatha amanyathelo okuphumeza injongo yakhe. Kodwa ke, ukho omnye uthunywashe oba negalelo kwinzaliseko eqinisekileyo yamadinga kaThixo. UYehova uyakwazi ukulibona kusengaphambili ikamva. (Isaya 42:9) Esebenzisa umprofeti wakhe, uThixo wathi: “Khumbulani izinto zangaphambili, zasephakadeni, okokuba ndinguThixo, akukho wumbi; ndinguThixo, akukho namnye unjengam; ukuxelayo kwasekuqaleni okungasemva, nakwabamandulo okungekenzeki, ndisithi, Icebo lam liya kuma, ndikwenze konke ukuthanda kwam.” (Isaya 46:9, 10) Njengokuba umfama oligqala elazi ixesha kunye nendawo amele ayityale kuyo imbewu, usenokungazazi ezinye izinto eziza kuqhubeka. Noko ke, “uKumkani kanaphakade” unako ukulazi ngokuchanileyo kusengaphambili ixesha kunye nendawo afanele athabathe amanyathelo kuyo ukuze aphumeze injongo yakhe.—1 Timoti 1:17.
12. Yiyiphi indlela uYehova awakusebenzisa ngayo ukuzazi kwangaphambili kwakhe izinto ngemihla kaNowa?
12 Khawubone nje indlela uThixo awakusebenzisa ngayo ukwazi kwakhe izinto kusengaphambili ngomhla kaNowa. Ngenxa yobubi obabugqugqisile emhlabeni, uThixo wazimisela ukulutshabalalisa uluntu olungathobeliyo. Wamisela ixesha awayeza kukwenza ngalo oku, kwiminyaka engama-120 ngaphambi kokuba kwenzeke. (Genesis 6:3) Xa wayemisela elo xesha, uYehova akazange acinge ngokutshabalalisa abangendawo kuphela, nto leyo awayenokuyenza nanini na. Ucwangciso lwamaxesha lukaYehova lwalwenzelwe nokuze kulondolozwe abangamalungisa. (Thelekisa iGenesis 5:29.) Ngobulumko bakhe, uThixo walazi kusengaphambili ixesha awayemele ayalele ngalo ukuba kwenziwe umsebenzi owawuza kuphumeza loo njongo. Wanika uNowa iinkcukacha ezaneleyo ngawo. UNowa wayemele akhe umkhombe “wokusindisa indlu yakhe,” kwaye abangendawo babemele batshatyalaliswe ngonogumbe wehlabathi lonke.—Hebhere 11:7; Genesis 6:13, 14, 18, 19.
Umsebenzi Omkhulu Wokwakha
13, 14. Kutheni ukwakha umkhombe kwakusisabelo esilucelomngeni?
13 Khawuqwalasele esi sabelo ngokwembono kaNowa. Ekubeni uNowa wayeyindoda ehlonela uThixo, wayesazi ukuba uYehova wayenako ukubatshabalalisa abantu abangamhloneliyo. Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuba yenzeke loo nto, kukho umsebenzi owawumele wenziwe—umsebenzi owawufuna ukholo. Ukwakhiwa komkhombe kwakungumsebenzi omkhulu. UThixo wayeyichazile imilinganiselo yawo. Lo mkhombe wawuza kuba mkhulu kunamanye amabala emidlalo ale mihla kwaye wawuza kulingana nesakhiwo esinemigangatho emihlanu ukuphakama. (Genesis 6:15) Abakhi babengenamava kwaye bembalwa. Babengenazo izixhobo zokusebenza zala maxesha. Ngaphezu koko, ekubeni wayengafani noYehova ngokwazi izinto kusengaphambili, uNowa wayengazazi izinto ezaziza kwenzeka ukutyhubela loo minyaka ezazinokunceda okanye zixabe kuloo msebenzi wokwakha. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uNowa wayezibuza imibuzo emininzi. Zazinokuqokelelwa njani izinto zokwakha? Ziqokelelwe njani zona izilwanyana? Kukutya okunjani yaye okungakanani okwakuza kuba yimfuneko? Wayeza kubakho nini kanye kanye lo Nogumbe uxelwe kusengaphambili?
14 Kuphinde ke kubekho iingxaki zasekuhlaleni. Ubungendawo babusaphul’ izikeyi. Iingxilimbela ezingamaNefili—inzala engumxube weengelosi ezingendawo namabhinqa—zazizalise umhlaba ngogonyamelo. (Genesis 6:1-4, 13) Ngaphezu koko, umsebenzi wokwakha umkhombe wawungenakufihlwa. Abantu babeza kubuza uNowa ukuba wenza ntoni na, ibe wayeza kubaxelela. (2 Petros 2:5) Ngaba kwakunokulindelwa ukuba bakholiswe yiloo nto? Unotshe! Kwiminyaka ethile ngaphambilana, uEnoki owayethembekile wavakalisa ukuba abangendawo babeza kutshatyalaliswa. Isigidimi sakhe asizange sithandwe kangangokuba uThixo “wamthabatha,” okanye wabenza bufutshane ubomi bakhe, ekubonakala ukuba wayesenzela ukuba angagetyengwa ziintshaba Zakhe. (Genesis 5:24; Hebhere 11:5; Yude 14, 15) UNowa wayengamele avakalise isigidimi esifanayo esingathandekiyo nje kuphela, kodwa wayekwamele akhe umkhombe. Njengoko loo mkhombe wawusakhiwa, wawuza kuba sisikhumbuzo esinamandla sokuba uNowa wayethembekile phakathi kwabo bantu bangendawo ababephila ngomhla wakheOK for X!
15. Yintoni eyenza uNowa waqiniseka ukuba wayenokusiphumeza isabelo sakhe?
15 UNowa wayesazi ukuba loo msebenzi wawuxhaswa yaye usikelelwa nguThixo uSomandla. YayingengoYehova na owayemabele loo msebenzi? UYehova wayemqinisekisile uNowa ukuba yena nentsapho yakhe babeza kungena kumkhombe ogqityiweyo baze balondolozwe kuloo Mkhukula wehlabathi lonke. UThixo wada wakubethelela ukuqiniseka kwaloo nto ngokwenza isivumelwano esinyanisekileyo. (Genesis 6:18, 19) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uNowa waqonda ukuba uYehova wayibona kusengaphambili waza wazibala iindleko zayo yonke into eyayibandakanyekile ngaphambi kokuba amnike eso sabelo. Ngaphezu koko, uNowa wayesazi ukuba uYehova wayenawo amandla okungenelela ukuze amncede xa elufuna uncedo lwakhe. Ngoko ukholo lukaNowa lwamenza wathabatha amanyathelo. NjengoAbraham owayekumnombo wakhe, uNowa ‘wayeyiseke ngokuzeleyo ukuba oko uThixo akuthembisileyo wayekwazi kanjalo nokukwenza.’—Roma 4:21.
16. Njengoko umsebenzi wokwakha umkhombe wawuqhubeka, ukholo lukaNowa lomelezwa njani?
16 Njengoko kwakudlula iminyaka yaye nomkhombe uya ubonakala, ukholo lukaNowa lomelezwa. Iingxaki zokwakha nezinye zaconjululwa. Iimvavanyo zoyiswa. Kwakungekho nto inokuxaba phambi kwaloo msebenzi. Intsapho kaNowa yayibona inkxaso nenkuselo kaYehova. Njengoko uNowa wayeqhubela phambili, ‘umlinganiselo ovavanyiweyo wokholo lwakhe wasebenza unyamezelo.’ (Yakobi 1:2-4) Ekugqibeleni, umkhombe wagqitywa, uMkhukula wagaleleka, kwaye uNowa nentsapho yakhe basinda. UNowa wayibona inzaliseko yamadinga kaThixo, nanjengoko kwaba njalo nakuYoshuwa kamva. Ukholo lukaNowa lwavuzwa.
UYehova Uyawuxhasa Umsebenzi
17. Ixesha esiphila kulo lifana njani nemihla kaNowa?
17 UYesu waxela kwangaphambili ukuba umhla wethu wawuza kufana nemihla kaNowa. Nanamhlanje uThixo uzimisele ukubatshabalalisa abangendawo kwaye umisele ixesha okuza kwenzeka ngalo oku. (Mateyu 24:36-39) Kwakhona uye wenza amalungiselelo okuba kulondolozwe amalungisa. Ngoxa kwafuneka uNowa akhe umkhombe, abakhonzi bakaThixo namhlanje bamele bavakalise iinjongo zikaYehova, bafundise iLizwi lakhe, baze benze abafundi.—Mateyu 28:19.
18, 19. Sazi njani ukuba ukushunyayelwa kweendaba ezilungileyo kuxhaswa nguYehova?
18 Ukuba uYehova wayengamxhasanga waza wamgcina uNowa, ngewawungazange wakhiwe umkhombe. (Thelekisa INdumiso 127:1.) Ngokufanayo, ngaphandle kwenkxaso kaYehova, bekungenakufane kwenzeke ukuba amaKristu okwenyaniso abekho, singasathethi ke ngokwenza inkqubela. Oku kwabonwa nguGamaliyeli, umFarisi kunye nomfundisi woMthetho owayehlonelwa gqitha wenkulungwane yokuqala. Xa iSanhedrin yamaYuda yayifuna ukubacim’ igama abapostile, wayilumkisa loo nkundla esithi: “Musani ukugxuphuleka kwaba bantu, kodwa bayekeni; (ngenxa yokuba, ukuba eli cebo okanye lo msebenzi ngowabantu, uya kuqethulwa; kodwa ukuba ngokaThixo, aniyi kukwazi ukubaqethula.)”—IZenzo 5:38, 39.
19 Impumelelo oye wanayo umsebenzi wokushumayela, kokubini ngenkulungwane yokuqala nanamhlanje, iye yangqina ukuba lo asingomsebenzi wabantu, kunoko ngokaThixo. Inqaku elilandelayo liza kuxubusha ezinye zeemeko neziganeko ezichulumancisayo eziye zawenza wanempumelelo ngomlinganiselo omkhulu lo msebenzi.
Ungaze Unikezele!
20. Ngoobani abasixhasayo njengoko sishumayela iindaba ezilungileyo?
20 Nangona siphila ‘kumaxesha amanqam ekunzima ukuqhubana nawo,’ sinokuqiniseka ukuba imicimbi isezandleni zikaYehova ngokupheleleyo. Uyabaxhasa kwaye uyabagcina abantu bakhe njengoko besiya ngasekuwusongeni umsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo ngaphambi kokuba lifike ixesha likaThixo lokuphelisa le nkqubo ingendawo yezinto. (2 Timoti 3:1; Mateyu 24:14) UYehova uyasimema ukuba sibe “ngabasebenzi abangamadlelane” naye. (1 Korinte 3:9) Kwakhona siyaqinisekiswa ukuba uKristu uYesu ukunye nathi kulo msebenzi nokuba sinokuthembela kwinkxaso nakulwalathiso lweengelosi.—Mateyu 28:20; ISityhilelo 14:6.
21. Liliphi ithemba esingafanele sililahle?
21 Ngenxa yokuba uNowa nentsapho yakhe baba nokholo kumadinga kaYehova, basinda kuloo mkhukula. Abo banokholo olufanayo namhlanje baya kusinda ‘kwimbandezelo enkulu’ ezayo. (ISityhilelo 7:14) Siphila kumaxesha abangel’ imincili ngokwenene. Kukho iziganeko ezibalulekileyo eziza kwenzeka kungekudala! Kungekudala, uThixo uza kuthabatha amanyathelo ukuze amisele amazulu amatsha azukileyo nomhlaba omtsha ekumi kuwo ubulungisa. (2 Petros 3:13) Ungaze nangomnye umzuzu uphelelwe lithemba koko uThixo akuthethayo, kaloku ukwanawo namandla okukuphumeza.—Roma 4:21.
Iingongoma Ezimele Zikhunjulwe
◻ Kutheni uYehova engalawuli zonke iinkcukacha zoko kwenziwa ngabantu?
◻ Amandla kaYehova okuphumeza injongo yakhe abonakala njani kwindlela awayeqhubana ngayo namaSirayeli?
◻ Amandla kaYehova okubona izinto kusengaphambili abonakaliswa njani ngomhla kaNowa?
◻ Yiyiphi intembelo esinokuba nayo kumadinga kaThixo?