“Ukwethembeka EMbusweni”—Kusho Ukuthini Kuwe?

“YAZI lokhu, ukuthi ezinsukwini zokugcina kuzakuvela izikhathi ezinzima. Ngokuba abantu bazakuba . . . abangathembekile.” (2 Thimothewu 3:1, 2, NW) Akekho ongaphika ukuthi namuhla sibona ukugcwaliseka kwalamazwi angokwesiprofetho. Kunomoya wokungathembeki okhulayo njalo, osuvamile ezindaweni zonke zomhlaba. Ukhona kuwo wonke amazinga omphakathi wesintu, ushwabadela ubuhlobo obuhle phakathi kwabantu, kwemikhaya, komakhelwane nezizwe ezifanayo. Ungenye yezinto ‘ezinzima,’ ebonisa ‘izinsuku zokugcina’ zalesimiso sezinto sezwe lamanje.

Kodwa yeka indlela owawehluke ngayo ngokuqabulayo umoya owawukhona yonke indawo nesigijimi esasiqokomisa amakhulu emiHlangano yoFakazi BakaJehova yesiGodi yo“Kwethembeka EMbusweni” phakathi nonyaka ophelile! Isihloko so“Kwethembeka EMbusweni” sasihambisana ngokuqondile namazwi kaDavide: “Abangcwele bakho [Jehova] bakubonge. Ngenkazimulo yombuso wakho bayakhuluma.” (IHubo 145:10, 11) Okwenzeka kulemibuthano emikhulu ehlanganisa izinhlanga emhlabeni wonke kufakazela ngokuqinisekile ukuthi namuhla kusenabaningi abaphilayo abangahambisani nalezizimo zezwe zokungathembeki. Esikhundleni salokho, bafuna ukubonisa ukwethembeka kukho konke ukusebenzelana kwabo nabanye abantu, futhi ikakhulukazi bafuna ukuhlala bethembekile ‘eMbusweni weNkosi yethu [uJehova] nokaKristu wayo.’—IsAmbulo 11:15.

Ingabe waba nalo ilungelo lokuba khona komunye walemihlangano? Sithemba ukuthi wawukhona. Uma kunjalo, wathinteka kanjani ngezinkulumo eziningi, okuhlangenwe nakho ekuphileni namadrama eBhayibheli avusa amadlingozi lawo aboniswa? Ingabe waba nawo umuzwa wokujula kobuhlobo bakho noJehova nokwazisa okukhulayo ngakho konke lokho ukuzinikezela kwakho okukushoyo kuye nokukuhilelayo? Ingabe uMbuso kaNkulunkulu waba ongokoqobo kakhulu kuwe? Ngezwi elilodwa—Ukwethembeka eMbusweni kusho ukuthini kuwe manje?

Ngokwenzuzo yabo bonke abafundi bethu ake sihlole incazelo eyinhloko yesihloko sesimiso namanye amaphuzu avezwa. Lokhu kuzokwenza kukhanye ezingqondweni zethu injongo yayo yonke lemihlangano futhi kuzobonisa indlela umbuzo woKwethembeka eMbusweni okumelwe uthinte ngayo zonke izici zokuphila kwethu.

KUYINI UKWETHEMBEKA?

Igama elithi “ukwethembeka” lihunyushwe ebizweni lesiHeberu elithi hheʹsedh. Lihlobene nomusa ozinamathelisa ngokuzithandela entweni futhi ungayiyeki kuze kube ilapho injongo yawo ngokuqondene naleyonto isifezekile. Lena imfanelo emangalisayo uNkulunkulu ayibonisa njalo ezinjongweni nasezincekwini zakhe. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, uJehova uthembekile ebukhosini bakhe obulungileyo. Isikhathi sesifikile ngobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu ukuba buboniswe kulomhlaba ngoMbuso wobuMesiya obekwe ezandleni zeNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu, nababusi abakanye naye abayizi-144 000 nabapristi. LoMbuso ungokuthile uJehova anamathele kukho futhi angenakukulahla kuze kube ilapho ‘zonke izizwe ziza futhi zikhuleke phambi kwakhe.’—IsAmbulo 15:4.

Khona-ke, akumangalisi, ukuthi ukwethembeka kukaJehova kuqondiswe ngokukhethekile kubo bonke abathandaza ngobuqotho: “Mawufike uMbuso wakho.” (Mathewu 6:10) Lesi kwakuyisici sokuthembeka kobuKristu esagcizelelwa ngokukhethekile emihlanganweni. Ingabe ungazibona ngokwakho njengesikhonzi soMbuso kaNkulunkulu? Isikhonzi esithembekile? Esiyohlala sinamathele kuJehova, eNdodaneni yakhe nakwezinye izikhonzi ezithembekile nabamemezeli boMbuso? (Mathewu 22:37; 1 Petru 4:8) Uma lena kuyindlela ozizwa ngayo, uma lokhu kuyisinqumo sakho, khona-ke sewuwutholile umoya nencazelo yegama elithi Ukwethembeka eMbusweni. Ungajabula ngokwazi ukuthi “kowethembekileyo [uJehova] uyazibonakalisa ethembekile.”—2 Samuweli 22:26.

Njengoba manje uyisikhonzi sombuso woqobo ngempela, umbuso kaNkulunkulu, khona-ke kumelwe ukulungele ukuba uzithobe ngokwethembeka futhi ulalele yonke imithetho nezimiso zalohulumeni wasezulwini. Sibekelwe khona konke eZwini likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli. Kusebenza kuzo zonke izici ekuphileni komKristu: emkhayeni, emsebenzini wokushumayela komuntu njengesikhonzi sezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, ebandleni lobuKristu nasesimweni somuntu siqu esivamile ngokuqondene nelungiselelo lasezulwini emhlabeni wonke lelo uJehova manje alisebenzisa kulomhlaba. Lezizici zozine zokuphila komKristu kwakhulunywa ngazo ngaphansi kwezihloko ezithi Usuku Lomkhaya, Usuku Lwenkonzo Yasensimini, Usuku Lwebandla noSuku LoMbuso. Make sithi ukuxoxa kafushane ngasinye salezi ngokulandelana ukuze siqiniseke ukuthi siyawuqonda umqondo obanzi woKwethembeka eMbusweni, futhi ngalokho sithole usizo ekuphenduleni umbuzo womuntu siqu: Kusho Ukuthini Kimi?

USUKU LOMKHAYA

Bazali—abantwana benu bembulani ngani? Yini engeyokuqala ekuphileni kwenu? Ingabe yizithakazelo zoMbuso noma izinto ezibonakalayo? Izimpendulo emibuzweni enjalo ehlolayo zihlangene nokwethembeka kwenu kuJehova. Uma nihlwanyela ukwethembeka embusweni kaNkulunkulu emntwaneni wenu, ningase nivune ukwethembeka. (Qhathanisa 2 Korinte 9:6.) Ningakwenza kanjani lokhu? Ngokutadisha njalo iZwi likaNkulunkulu nomkhaya wenu. Zindlani nabantwana benu ngesizathu sokuba iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu sibe esihle kakhulu. Vakashani nabo. Yenzani izinto ndawonye njengomkhaya. Gcinani izindlela zokukhulumisana zivulekile. Ibandla lingasiza, kodwa alinakuthatha indawo yenu njengomzali okhuthele. (Efesu 6:4) Ningalokothi niyeke ukuzama ukugxilisa Ukwethembeka eMbusweni kubantwana benu!

Bantwana—Bambisanani futhi nilalele abazali benu nabadala ebandleni. Gwemani zonke izinhlobo zokuziphatha okubi nolimi olungcolile. Lokho kuwukwethembeka kubazali benu, ebandleni nakuJehova. Uyini umgomo wenu ekuphileni? Uwukuthuthukisa izimfanelo ezinhle ezingokomoya? Uwukuhlanganyela njalo enkonzweni? Uwukuba khona njalo emihlanganweni? Uwukuthuthukisa ubuhlobo benu noJehova? Uwukuba iphayona, isithunywa sevangeli, isisebenzi saseBethel? Uma lena kuyimigomo yakho, uyobe ubonisa ukuqeqesha kwabazali abathembekile futhi uzibonisa ngokwakho ukuba isikhonzi esithembekile soMbuso kaNkulunkulu.

USUKU LWENKONZO YASENSIMINI

UJesu wathi: “Kodwa okhuthazelayo kuze kube sekupheleni nguyena oyakusindiswa.” (Mathewu 24:13) Ukugcina imigomo engokomoya engqondweni kusisiza sonke ukuba sikhuthazele. Lemigomo ihlanganisa ukuvuthwa kobuKristu namalungelo athuthukisiwe enkonzo, ikakhulukazi inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Ababonisi nabazali ngokufanayo bangenza okukhulu ekukhuthazeni abadala nabancane ukuba bafinyelele lelilungelo elihle lenkonzo futhi kanjalo ‘bafune umbuso kaNkulunkulu kuqala ekuphileni kwabo.’ (Mathewu 6:33) Lokhu futhi, kuwukwethembeka embusweni kaNkulunkulu. Namuhla, isimemo esibizela esenzweni sithi: Phambili, Nina Zikhonzi ZoMbuso! Ngempela, zonke izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu kumelwe zibheke phambili futhi ziphikelele phambili, kanjalo zilandele isibonelo sikaJehova noJesu Kristu.

USUKU LWEBANDLA

“Umbonisi umelwe abe . . . othembekile.” (Thithu 1:7, 8, NW) Othembekile kuphi? KuJehova nasezimisweni zakhe ezilungileyo, kuKristu nase‘ncekwini yakhe eqondayo’ naselungiselelweni lebandla.—Mathewu 24:45-47; 1 Thesalonika 2:10; IsAmbulo 1:12-17; Efesu 1:22, 23.

Ingabe ungumbonisi? Khona-ke landela isibonelo sikaJesu. Wazinikela ngokuzidela. Ukwenza umsebenzi kaJehova kwakuyinto enkulu ekuphileni kwakhe. Intshiseko yakhe yaboniswa futhi ekuthandeni kwakhe ukulunga nasekuzondeni ububi.—1 Petru 2:21; Heberu 1:9.

Siyini isimo sakho ngokuqondene neziqondiso ezivela ‘encekwini ethembekileyo neqondayo’? Ukwethembeka kumelwe kukushukumise ukuba ‘ukulungele ukulalela.’ (Jakobe 3:17) Ngaso sonke isikhathi zama ukubamba umoya wolwazi olukhishwe isigaba se“nceku.” Khona-ke yedlulisela lokhu ebandleni. Abazalwane badinga isibonelo sakho sokwethembeka njengoba ubambisana nayo yonke indikimba yabadala. Badinga ukusekela kwakho enkonzweni nakuwo wonke amalungiselelo ebandla. Ukwethembeka kwakho kuyovuzwa ngokuqinisekile njengakuDavide. (IHubo 18:1-3, 25) Uyoba nonembeza ohlanzekile, ukuthula kwengqondo nebandla eliqinile, elihlangene ngokwethembeka.

USUKU LOMBUSO

“Ngokuba uNkulunkulu akasiye owesiyaluyalu kepha ngowokuthula.” (1 Korinte 14:33) UJehova uNkulunkulu uyayazi indlela yokulungisa izinto ukuze yonke into ebuswa imithetho yakhe ibe sendaweni yayo. Indalo yakhe iyalifakazela leliqiniso. Akumangalisi, nokho, ukuthi uJehova ngaso sonke isikhathi uye waba nesithakazelo ngokuthula nokuhleleka kwabakhulekeli bakhe beqiniso emhlabeni. Isibonelo esihle salokhu nemiphumela yakho enenzuzo kutholakala eviyweni elincane likaGideyoni lamabutho angama-300 ahlanganyela ekunqobeni okukhulu okungokwasezulwini izitha zawo. Kungani aphumelela? Kungenxa yokulalela ngokwethembeka nokuhambisana ngokuphelele neziyalo ezingokwasezulwini ezazinikezwe ngomholi wabo wempi. “Bonke babemi yilowo nalowo endaweni yakhe,” siyatshelwa. (AbAhluleli 7:19-21) Yeka isibonelo esimangalisayo sabakhulekeli beqiniso namuhla! Esikhundleni sokuqhubekela phambili ngokwemiqondo yethu siqu nezindlela, masizithobe ngokuzithandela elungiselelweni elingokwasezulwini, siqaphela ilungiselelo uJehova aqondisa ngalo abantu bakhe.

UJEHOVA UYABALONDOLOZA ABATHEMBEKILEYO BAKHE

Lawa amanye amaphuzu asemqoka avezwa emihlanganweni yo“Kwethembeka EMbusweni,” akhanyisela bonke ababekhona ukuthi “umbuso . . . weNkosi yethu nokaKristu wayo” unethonya elinamandla kakhulu ekuphileni kwabo bonke abakhulekeli beqiniso namuhla. (IsAmbulo 11:15) Mukhulu ngempela umvuzo wamanje wabo bonke abazibonisa bethembekile embusweni kaNkulunkulu. IzAga 2:8 ziyabaqinisekisa: “[UJehova] uyalondoloza imikhondo yabathembekileyo bakhe.” OFakazi BakaJehova bayakukholelwa lokhu. Ngesibindi bazimisele manje ukuqhubeka njengabamemezeli abathembekile boMbuso kaNkulunkulu.

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 12]

Idrama Yomhlangano: UJEHOVA UVUZA ABATHEMBEKILEYO BAKHE

Inkosi yokuqala kwaIsrayeli, uSawule, ayilalelanga—ayilindanga uJehova, yenza izinto ngendlela yayo. Ngakho uJehova wagcoba uDavide njengeNkosi kodwa wamuyeka uSawule esesihlwalweni sobukhosi. (1 Samuweli 13:9-14; 15:13-23; 16:11-23) USawule waba nomona ngoDavide wafuna ukumbulala.

Kwakuyoba njani ukwethembeka kwakho kuJehova ngaphansi kwezimo ezivivinya kanjalo? Ingabe wawuyolindela uJehova noma wawuyozama ukulungisa izinto ngendlela yakho siqu?

“USawule wafuna ukumbhujela uDavide ngomkhonto odongeni, kepha wanyelela ebusweni bukaSawule, wagwaza ngomkhonto odongeni.”—1 Samuweli 19:10.

USawule waqhubeka nokuzingela uDavide namadoda ayizi-3 000. USawule ngokwakhe wangena emhumeni owawucashe uDavide namadoda akhe. UDavide wakhuthazwa ukuba abulale uSawule, kodwa wathi: “Makube-kude nami, Jehova, ukuba ngenze okunjalo kuyo inkosi yami . . . lokhu engogcotshiweyo kaJehova.”—1 Samuweli 24:4, 6.

USawule wafa elwa namaFilisti. Kamuva, “amalungu akwaIsrayeli . . . amgcoba uDavide abe-inkosi kwaIsrayeli.”—2 Samuweli 5:1-3.

UDavide wayeyisibonelo sokwethembeka kuNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova. Akazange agijime ngaphambi kwaKhe, ukuba enze izinto ngendlela yakhe siqu. UJehova wambiza ngokuthi “umuntu ongowenhliziyo yami, oyakwenza konke engikuthandayo.”—IzEnzo 13:22.

Ingabe uJehova uzosho okufanayo ngawe? Ingabe uzomlindela ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuba athathe isinyathelo? Ingabe uyokwethembeka kuJehova, kwabagcotshiweyo bakhe abavumeleyo nasenhlanganweni yakhe engokwasezulwini nasemalungiselelweni ayo? Uma kunjalo, khona-ke uJehova uyokuvuza njengoba enza kuDavide.

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 13]

Idrama Yomhlangano: QAPHELA IZINKULUMO ZOKUHLUBUKA

Abantwana bakwaIsrayeli babevumile: “Konke akukhulumileyo uJehova siyakukwenza.” (Eksodusi 19:1-5, 8) Nokho, ukukhononda nokusola ngokumelene noMose kwavela enkanjini. Kwakuholwa uKora, uDathani noAbiramu. Bathonya abanye futhi ngokushesha abaningi base bemelene ngokuphelele noJehova.

Wawuyosabela kanjani kuleyonkulumo yokuhlubuka? Ingabe ukholo lwakho encekwini kaJehova uMose lwaluyohlala luqinile njengolukaKalebi noJoshuwa?

Umuntu owatheza izinkuni ngeSabatha walethwa phambi kukaMose. UJehova wathi makabulawe, ngoba kwakuwukwephula umthetho kaNkulunkulu—kwakungesiyo ‘into encane.’—Numeri 15:32-36.

“Inhlangano yonke yathi mabakhandwe ngamatshe” oJoshuwa noKalebi ngoba, emadodeni ayi-12 ayethunyelwe ukuyohlola iKhanani, yibo kuphela ababonisa ukholo lokuthi uJehova uyonikeza amaIsrayeli izwe.—Numeri 13:25–14:10.

UJehova wayala uAroni, noKora nabanye abangama-250, ukuba bashise impepho. Umlilo wehla futhi waziqothula izihlubuki. Futhi, uJehova wabangela ukuba umhlaba ugwinye uDathani noAbiramu nemizi yabo nomuzi kaKora. (Numeri 16:32, 35) Kanjalo waxazulula impikiswano yokumiswa okungokwasezulwini.

Ukuhlubuka kungase kuqale njengento encane—ngokusola isinqumo sabadala noma ilungiselelo elithile le“nceku ethembekileyo neqondayo.” Kodwa kungase kuholele ekuphikiseni ngokusobala. UJuda uyaxwayisa: “Maye kubo, ngokuba babhubha ekuphikeni kukaKora!” Kungcono kakhulu ukuthatha iseluleko sikaJuda esiqhubekayo: “Kepha nina-bathandekayo, . . . nizigcine othandweni lukaNkulunkulu.”—Juda 11, 20, 21.

[Isithombe ekhasini 11]

Labazali abajabulayo bamadodana amabili asemancane babephakathi kwabanye abayizi-744 ababhapathizwa eBelmont Park kulelihlobo. Babhapathizwa kanye kanye, bebonisa ngokusobala ukwethembeka kwabo kuJehova nakuJesu Kristu