Lithethe Ilizwi LikaThixo Ngenkalipho

“Yiya, uprofete kubantu bam.”—AMOSI 7:15.

1, 2. Yayingubani uAmosi, yaye iBhayibhile ityhila ntoni ngaye?

NJENGOKUBA elinye ingqina likaYehova lalishumayela, omnye umbingeleli weza kulo. Lo mbingeleli wankqangaza esithi: ‘Yeka ukushumayela! Hamba kule ndawo!’ Lenza ntoni eli ngqina? Ngaba lanikezela laza lahamba, okanye ngaba laqhubeka lithetha ilizwi likaThixo ngenkalipho? Usenokukufumanisa oko kuba elo ngqina layibhala loo ngxelo kwincwadi ebizwa ngegama lalo. Leyo yincwadi yeBhayibhile ka-Amosi. Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuba sifunde ngokubhekele phaya ngesi siganeko, makhe sifunde ngemvelaphi ka-Amosi.

² Yayingubani uAmosi? Wayephila nini yaye wayehlala phi? Impendulo siyifumana kuAmosi 1:1, apho sifunda oku: “Amazwi ka-Amosi, owayephakathi kwabafuyi beegusha baseTekowa, . . . ngemihla kaUziya ukumkani wakwaYuda nangemihla kaYerobhoham unyana kaYowashe, ukumkani wakwaSirayeli.” UAmosi wayehlala kwaYuda. Wazalelwa kwidolophu yaseTekowa, kwiikhilomitha ezili-16 ngezantsi kweYerusalem. Wayephila ekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesithoba ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo xa kwaYuda kwakulawula uKumkani u-Uziya yaye uYerobhoham II engukumkani wezizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli. UAmosi wayengumfuyi weegusha. Enyanisweni, uAmosi 7:14 uthi ‘wayengengomalusi’ nje kuphela kodwa “nomtheni wamakhiwane emithi yesikamore.” Ngoko ke wayechitha ixesha elithile lonyaka engumvuni. Wayethena amakhiwane. Oku kwakusenziwa ukuze amakhiwane avuthwe msinya. Lo yayingumsebenzi onzima.

“Yiya, Uprofete”

3. Ukufunda ngoAmosi kusinceda njani xa siziva singafanelekanga ukushumayela?

³ Ethetha ngokuphandle, uAmosi wathi: “Ndandingengomprofeti, ndingenguye nonyana womprofeti.” (Amosi 7:14) Akazange azalwe engunyana womprofeti engazange aqeqeshelwe nokuba nguye. Noko ke, kubo bonke abantu bakwaYuda, uYehova wakhetha uAmosi ukuba enze lo msebenzi Wakhe. Ngelo xesha, uThixo akazange anyule ukumkani onamandla, umbingeleli ofundileyo okanye inkosana esisityebi. Oku kusifundisa okuthile okusomelezayo. Sisenokuba asinawonga lithile ekuhlaleni okanye asifundanga kangako. Kodwa ngaba oko kufanele kusenze sizive singafanelekanga ukushumayela ilizwi likaThixo? Akunjalo! UYehova usenokusixhobisa ukuba sishumayele isigidimi sakhe—nakwimimandla ekunzima ukushumayela kuyo. Ekubeni uYehova wenza kanye oko kuAmosi, kuya kuba luncedo nakubani na ofuna ukushumayela ilizwi likaThixo ngenkalipho ukuqwalasela umzekelo owabekwa nguloo mprofeti ukhaliphileyo.

4. Kwakutheni ukuze kube nzima kuAmosi ukuprofeta kwaSirayeli?

⁴ UYehova wamyalela uAmosi esithi: “Yiya, uprofete kubantu bam amaSirayeli.” (Amosi 7:15) Esi yayisisabelo esinzima. Ngelo xesha, izizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli zaziseluxolweni, zinqabisekile yaye zime kakuhle ngokwezinto eziphathekayo. Abaninzi kuzo babezakhele ‘izindlu zasebusika’ kunye ‘nezasehlotyeni,’ ingezizo nje izindlu zezitena zodaka, kodwa ezenziwe ‘ngamatye aqingqiweyo.’ Abanye babenempahla yendlu enophondo lwendlovu yaye babesela iwayini evela ‘kwizidiliya ezinqwenelekayo.’ (Amosi 3:15; 5:11) Ngenxa yoko, abantu abaninzi babenelisekile. Enyanisweni, intsimi uAmosi awayeshumayela kuyo isenokuba iyafana naleyo abanye bethu abashumayela kuyo namhlanje.

5. Ziziphi izinto ezingendawo ezazisenziwa ngamaSirayeli athile?

⁵ Kwakungeyonto imbi ngamaSirayeli ukuba abe nezinto eziphathekayo. Noko ke, wambi amaSirayeli ayebufumana ubutyebi ngeendlela zokungathembeki. Izityebi ‘zaziqhatha izisweli’ yaye “zityumza amahlwempu.” (Amosi 4:1) Abarhwebi abazizityebi, abagwebi, nababingeleli babesenza iyelenqe lokuqhatha amahlwempu. Ngoku makhe sibuyele kwelo xesha ngeliso lengqondo size sibone into eyayisenziwa ngala madoda.

Ukwaphulwa KoMthetho KaThixo

6. Abarhwebi abangamaSirayeli babebaxhaphaza njani abanye?

⁶ Kuqala makhe siye kwindawo yentengiso. Apho abarhwebi abangathembekanga ‘babenciphisa iefa’ baze ‘bakhulise ishekele’ yaye babede bathengise “umdlungu” njengokudla okuziinkozo. (Amosi 8:5, 6) Abarhwebi babebaqhatha abo beze kuthenga ngokubathengisela ukutya okuncinane ngexabiso eliphakamileyo, yaye babebathengisela umdlungu. Emva kokuba amahlwempu eqhathwe de aphelelwa yimali, kwakufuneka azithengise njengamakhoboka. Babesandula ke abarhwebi bawathenge “ngexabiso leembadada ezimbini.” (Amosi 8:6) Khawufan’ ucinge! Abo barhwebi banyolukileyo babewagqala amanye amaSirayeli njengangenaxabiso elingaphezu kweleembadada! Hayi indlela ayehlaziswa ngayo amahlwempu, nendlela owawusaphulwa ngayo uMthetho kaThixo! Sekunjalo, aba barhwebi babegcina ‘isabatha.’ (Amosi 8:5) Ewe, babengamakholwa nje omlomo.

7. Yintoni eyayibangela ukuba kube lula ngabarhwebi bakwaSirayeli ukuba bawaphule uMthetho kaThixo?

⁷ Abarhwebi babewaphula njani uMthetho kaThixo othi: “Uze ulithande idlelane lakho njengawe siqu” baze bangohlwaywa? (Levitikus 19:18) Babewaphula kuba abo babefanele bakhuthaze abantu ukuba bagcine uMthetho—abagwebi—babesenza iyelenqe kunye nabo. Esangweni lesixeko, apho ayechotshelwa khona amatyala, abagwebi ‘babethabatha imali yokuval’ umlomo, bewajikisa amahlwempu.’ Kunokuwakhusela amahlwempu, abagwebi babewaqhatha ngenxa yokwamkela isinyobo. (Amosi 5:10, 12) Ngoko ke nabagwebi babewutyeshela uMthetho kaThixo.

8. Bubuphi ububi ababebuqwabazel’ iliso ababingeleli abangendawo?

⁸ Ngelo xesha, yiyiphi indima ababenayo ababingeleli bakwaSirayeli? Ukuze sifumanise oku, sifanele sicinge ngesinye isixeko. Khawubone izono ababingeleli abazivumelayo “endlwini yoothixo babo”! Esebenzisa uAmosi, uThixo wathi: “Umntu noyise baye kwintombi enye, ngenjongo yokuhlambela igama lam elingcwele.” (Amosi 2:7, 8) Khawufan’ ucinge! Indoda engumSirayeli nonyana wayo baziphatha kakubi ngokwesini nonongogo omnye wasetempileni. Yaye abo babingeleli bangendawo babekuqwabazel’ iliso oko kungcola!—Levitikus 19:29; Duteronomi 5:18; 23:17.

9, 10. AmaSirayeli ayebekeka njani ityala lokwaphula uMthetho kaThixo, yaye oku kunokuthelekiswa nantoni namhlanje?

⁹ Ethetha ngezinye izono, uYehova wathi: “Banaba phezu kwezambatho ezithinjwe njengesibambiso ngasezibingelelweni zonke; basela iwayini yabo bahlawulisiweyo endlwini yoothixo babo.” (Amosi 2:8) Ewe, ababingeleli nabantu ngokubanzi bawutyeshela umthetho obhalwe kwiEksodus 22:26, 27, owawusithi isambatho esasithatyathwe njengesibambiso kwakufuneka sibuyiswe ngaphambi kokuba kuhlwe. Kunoko, babesisebenzisa njengengubo yokwandlala ngoxa besitya yaye besela, bebingelela koothixo bobuxoki. Yaye ngemali ababeyihlawulisa amahlwempu, babethenga iwayini ababeyisela ngoxa bebhiyozela oothixo bobuxoki. Babephambuke ngokupheleleyo kwindlela yonqulo lokwenyaniso!

¹⁰ AmaSirayeli eyeyityeshela ngokuziintloni imiyalelo emibini ebalulekileyo kuMthetho eyile—ukuthanda uYehova nedlelane lawo. Ngenxa yoko, uThixo wathumela uAmosi ukuba aye kuwakhalimela ngenxa yokungathembeki kwawo. Namhlanje, iintlanga zehlabathi, kuquka nezo zeNgqobhoko, zibonakala zonakele njengoSirayeli wamandulo. Ngoxa abanye abantu bephumelela, abanye bangamahlwempu yaye banxunguphele ngenxa yobubi obenziwa ziinkokeli ezingendawo zezorhwebo, ezobupolitika nezonqulo lobuxoki. Kodwa uYehova uxhalabile ngenxa yabo babandezelekayo nabamfunayo. Ngoko ke, uthume abakhonzi bakhe banamhlanje ukuze benze umsebenzi onjengoka-Amosi—ukushumayela ilizwi Lakhe ngenkalipho.

11. Yintoni esinokuyifunda kumzekelo ka-Amosi?

¹¹ Ngenxa yokufana okukhoyo phakathi komsebenzi wethu nalowo ka-Amosi, siya kuzuza gqitha ngokuqwalasela umzekelo wakhe. Enyanisweni, uAmosi usibonisa (1) into esifanele siyishumayele, (2) indlela esifanele sishumayele ngayo, (3) nesizathu sokuba abo basichasileyo bengenakuwunqumamisa umsebenzi wokushumayela. Makhe siqwalasele ezi ngongoma ibe nye ngexesha.

Indlela Esinokumxelisa Ngayo uAmosi

12, 13. UYehova wabonisa njani ukuba akakholiswa ngamaSirayeli, yaye asabela njani?

¹² NjengamaNgqina kaYehova, ubuKristu bethu busekelwe ekushumayeleni ngoBukumkani nokwenza abafundi. (Mateyu 28:19, 20; Marko 13:10) Sekunjalo, sidlulisela izilumkiso zikaThixo, kanye njengokuba uAmosi wavakalisa ukuba uYehova uya kubagweba ngokuqatha abangendawo. Ngokomzekelo, kuAmosi 4:6-11 kuboniswa ukuba uYehova ngokuphindaphindiweyo wakwenza kwacaca ukungakholiswa kwakhe ngamaSirayeli. Wawenza ‘aswela isonka,’ ‘wayithintela imvula,’ ‘wawabetha ngembalela nesihumba,’ waza wawathumelela “indyikitya yokufa.” Ngaba oku kwawenza aguquka amaSirayeli? UThixo wathi: “Anibuyelanga kum.” Enyanisweni, ngokuphindaphindiweyo amaSirayeli amgatya uYehova.

¹³ UYehova wawohlwaya amaSirayeli angaguqukiyo. Noko ke, okokuqala, wawalumkisa ngesiprofeto. Ngokuvumelana noku, uThixo wathi: “INkosi enguMongami uYehova ayiyi kwenza nto ngaphandle kokuba iwutyhilile umcimbi wayo oyimfihlo kubakhonzi bayo abaprofeti.” (Amosi 3:7) UThixo wambonisa uNowa ukuba kuza uMkhukula waza wamyalela ukuba alumkise abantu. Ngokufanayo, uYehova wamxelela uAmosi ukuba abalumkise okokugqibela abantu. Okubuhlungu kukuba, uSirayeli akazange asiphulaphule eso sigidimi sikaThixo waza akalithabatha inyathelo elifanelekileyo.

14. Ixesha lika-Amosi lifana ngantoni nomhla wethu?

¹⁴ Ngokuqinisekileyo uya kuvuma ukuba ixesha lika-Amosi lifana nqwa nomhla wethu. UYesu Kristu waprofeta esithi ngexesha lesiphelo kuya kubakho iintlekele ezininzi. Kwakhona waprofeta nangokushunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke. (Mateyu 24:3-14) Noko ke, njengakumhla ka-Amosi, inkoliso yabantu abanikeli ngqalelo kwimiqondiso yamaxesha nakwisigidimi soBukumkani. Kubantu abanjalo, kuya kwenzeka into efana naleyo yenzeka kuloo maSirayeli angazange aguquke. UYehova wawalumkisa esithi: “Zilungiselele ukuhlangana noThixo wakho.” (Amosi 4:12) Ahlangana noThixo ngokugwetya ngokuqatha xa oyiswa ngama-Asiriya. Namhlanje, eli hlabathi lingahloneli Thixo liya “kuhlangana noThixo” eArmagedon. (ISityhilelo 16:14, 16) Sekunjalo, logama nje uYehova esenomonde, sibongoza abantu abaninzi kangangoko kunokwenzeka sisithi: “Funani uYehova, niqhubeke niphila.”—Amosi 5:6.

Ukujamelana Nenkcaso NjengoAmosi

15-17. (a) Yayingubani uAmatsiya, yaye wasabela njani kumazwi athethwa nguAmosi? (b) UAmatsiya wamtyhola esithini uAmosi?

¹⁵ Sinokumxelisa uAmosi kungekuphela nje ngento esiyishumayelayo kodwa nangendlela esishumayela ngayo. Oku kubalaseliswe kwisahluko 7, apho kuthethwa ngombingeleli okhankanywe ekuqaleni kweli nqaku. Lo ‘nguAmatsiya umbingeleli waseBheteli.’ (Amosi 7:10) Isixeko saseBheteli yayisisazulu sonqulo lukaSirayeli owexukileyo, olwaluquka ukunqulwa kwethole. Ngoko ke uAmatsiya wayengumbingeleli wonqulo lukaRhulumente walapho. Yintoni awayenzayo xa uAmosi wayeshumayela ngenkalipho?

¹⁶ UAmatsiya wathi kuAmosi: “Wena mboni, hamba, baleka uye kwilizwe lakwaYuda, udle isonka apho, uprofete khona. Kodwa eBheteli ungabi saprofeta ngokubhekele phaya, kuba yingcwele kakumkani leyo kwaye yindlu yobukumkani.” (Amosi 7:12, 13) Eneneni, uAmatsiya wathi: ‘Hamba, uye kushumayela kokwenu! Thina sinecawa yethu.’ Kwakhona wazama ukuba urhulumente awuvale umsebenzi owawusenziwa nguAmosi, esithi kuKumkani uYerobhoham II: “UAmosi ukwenzele iyelenqe kanye ngaphakathi endlwini kaSirayeli.” (Amosi 7:10) Ewe, uAmatsiya wamtyhola uAmosi ngokuvukel’ urhulumente! Wathi kukumkani: “Utsho uAmosi ukuthi, ‘UYerobhoham uya kufa likrele; yena ke uSirayeli, nakanjani na uya kuya ekuthinjweni emke emhlabeni wakhe.’”—Amosi 7:11.

¹⁷ Ngaloo mazwi, uAmatsiya wayethetha ubuxoki obuphindaphindeneyo. Wathi: “Utsho uAmosi ukuthi.” Kanti, uAmosi akazange athi esi siprofeto sivela kuye. Kunoko, wayesoloko esithi: “Utsho uYehova ukuthi.” (Amosi 1:3) Kwakhona uAmosi wamangalelwa ngokuthi: “UYerobhoham uya kufa likrele.” Noko ke, njengoko kubhaliwe kuAmosi 7:9, uAmosi wayeprofete esithi: “[Mna Yehova] ndiza kuyivukela indlu kaYerobhoham ngekrele. UThixo waxela kusengaphambili ukuba “indlu” kaYerobhoham, inzala yakhe iya kwehlelwa yintlekele. Kwakhona, uAmatsiya wathi uAmosi uthe: “USirayeli, nakanjani na uya kuya ekuthinjweni.” Kodwa uAmosi wayeprofete esithi nawaphi na amaSirayeli abuyela kuThixo aya kusikelelwa. Ngokucacileyo, uAmatsiya wayigqwetha inyaniso ngenjongo yokuba urhulumente awuvale umsebenzi wokushumayela owawusenziwa nguAmosi.

18. Zifana njani iindlela ezisetyenziswa ngabefundisi namhlanje nezo zazisetyenziswa nguAmatsiya?

¹⁸ Ngaba ukuphawulile ukufana okukhoyo phakathi kweendlela ezazisetyenziswa nguAmatsiya nezo zisetyenziswa ngabo bachase abantu bakaYehova namhlanje? Kanye njengokuba uAmatsiya wazama ukumval’ umlomo uAmosi, ngokunjalo abefundisi abathile, neenkokeli ezithile zonqulo namhlanje zizama ukuwuvala umsebenzi wokushumayela owenziwa ngabakhonzi bakaYehova. UAmatsiya exoka watyhola uAmosi ngokuvukel’ urhulumente. Ngokufanayo namhlanje, abanye abefundisi bexoka batyhola amaNgqina kaYehova ngokuba yingozi kurhulumente. Kanye njengokuba uAmatsiya wacela uncedo kukumkani ukuze alwe noAmosi, nabefundisi badla ngokufuna uncedo koogxa babo bobupolitika ukuze babaxhase ekutshutshiseni amaNgqina kaYehova.

Abo Basichasayo Abanakusiyekisa Ukushumayela

19, 20. Wenza ntoni uAmosi xa wayechaswa nguAmatsiya?

¹⁹ Yintoni uAmosi awayenzayo xa wayechaswa nguAmatsiya? UAmos waqala wabuza umbingeleli esithi: “Utsho na wena ukuthi: ‘Uze ungaprofeti ngokunxamnye noSirayeli’?” Ngokuqinisekileyo, lo mprofeti kaThixo wathetha amazwi awayengafuni ukuweva uAmatsiya. (Amosi 7:16, 17) UAmosi akazange oyike. Lo ngumzekelo omhle gqitha kuthi. Asisayi kuze singamthobeli uThixo kumbandela wokuthetha ngeLizwi lakhe, nakumazwe ooAmatsiya banamhlanje abasitshutshisa ngenkohlakalo. NjengoAmosi, siqhubeka sivakalisa sisithi: “Utsho uYehova ukuthi.” Abo basichasayo abasayi kusiyekisa ukushumayela, kuba “isandla sikaYehova” sikunye nathi.—IZenzo 11:19-21.

²⁰ UAmatsiya wayefanele aqonde ukuba ukusongela kwakhe kulilize. Wayesele esichazile uAmosi isizathu sokuba kungekho mntu emhlabeni owayenokumenza ayeke ukuthetha—yaye leyo yingongoma yesithathu esiza kuthetha ngayo. Ngokutsho kuka-Amosi 3:3-8, uAmosi wasebenzisa uthotho lwemibuzo nemizekeliso ukubonisa ukuba kungaqhuma kubasiwe. Emva koko wathi: “Ingonyama igqumile! Ngubani na ongayi koyika? INkosi enguMongami uYehova ithethile! Ngubani na ongayi kuprofeta?” Ngamanye amazwi, uAmosi wabaxelela oku abo babemphulaphule: ‘Kanye njengokuba ungenakungoyiki xa usiva ingonyama igquma, ngoko ke andikwazi kuyeka ukushumayela ilizwi likaThixo, ekubeni ndimvile uYehova endiyalela ukuba ndenjenjalo.’ Ukumhlonela ngokunzulu uYehova kwamnyanzela uAmosi ukuba athethe ngenkalipho.

21. Thina sisabela njani kumyalelo wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo?

²¹ Nathi siyamva uYehova esiyalela ukuba sishumayele. Sisabela njani? NjengoAmosi nabalandeli bakaYesu bamandulo, uYehova uya kusinceda silithethe ngenkalipho ilizwi Lakhe. (IZenzo 4:23-31) Intshutshiso ebangelwa ngabo basichasayo okanye ukungakhathali kwabo sishumayela kubo akusayi kusenza siyeke ukushumayela. Ebonakalisa inzondelelo enjengeka-Amosi, amaNgqina kaYehova emhlabeni wonke aziva enyanzelekile ukuvakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo ngenkalipho. Sinembopheleleko yokulumkisa abantu ngomgwebo kaYehova ozayo. Yintoni eza kwenzeka kuloo mgwebo? Loo mbuzo uza kuphendulwa kwinqaku elilandelayo.

Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?

• UAmosi wawuphumeza phantsi kwaziphi iimeko umyalelo kaThixo?

• NjengoAmosi, yintoni esifanele siyishumayele?

• Sifanele sishumayele sinasiphi isimo sengqondo?

• Kutheni abo basichasayo bengakwazi ukusenza siyeke ukushumayela?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

UThixo wakhetha uAmosi, umtheni wamakhiwane, ukuba enze umsebenzi Wakhe

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 13]

NjengoAmosi, ngaba uvakalisa isigidimi sikaYehova ngenkalipho?