Ukuba Nesibindi Ngosizo Lokholo Nokwesaba UNkulunkulu
Ukuba Nesibindi Ngosizo Lokholo Nokwesaba UNkulunkulu
“Yiba nesibindi uqine . . . UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho unawe.”—JOSHUWA 1:9.
1, 2. (a) Ngokombono wabantu, ayengakanani amathuba okuba u-Israyeli anqobe abaseKhanani? (b) Isiphi isiqinisekiso uJoshuwa asinikezwa?
NGO-1473 B.C.E., isizwe sakwa-Israyeli sasimi ngomumo silungele ukungena eZweni Lesithembiso. UMose wakhumbuza isizwe ngezinselele esasiyobhekana nazo: “Namuhla uwela iJordani ukuze ungene futhi uphuce izizwe ezinkulu nezinamandla kunawe ifa lazo, imizi emikhulu nenezivikelo eziqinile ezifinyelela emazulwini, isizwe esinabantu abakhulu nabade, abantwana bama-Anaki, wena ngokwakho . . . oye wezwa kuthiwa, ‘Ubani ongema aqine phambi kwabantwana bama-Anaki?’” (Duteronomi 9:1, 2) Yebo, la maqhawe ayimidondoshiya ayaziwa kakhulu! Ngaphezu kwalokho, ezinye izizwe zaseKhanani zazinamabutho ahlome kakhulu, zinamahhashi nezinqola zempi ezazinamasikela ensimbi emasondweni.—AbaHluleli 4:13.
2 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, u-Israyeli wayekade eyisizwe esiyizigqila futhi wayesanda kuchitha iminyaka engu-40 ehlane. Ngakho, ngokombono wabantu, kwakungabonakala sengathi mancane amathuba okuba anqobe. Noma kunjalo, uMose wayenokholo; wayekwazi ‘ukubona’ uJehova ebahola. (Hebheru 11:27) UMose watshela lesi sizwe: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho uwela phambi kwakho. . . . Uzozibhuqa [izizwe zamaKhanani], futhi yena ngokwakhe uzozinqoba phambi kwakho.” (Duteronomi 9:3; IHubo 33:16, 17) Ngemva kokufa kukaMose, uJehova waqinisekisa uJoshuwa ukuthi uzomsekela, wathi: “Suka, uwele leli Jordani, wena naso sonke lesi sizwe, ungene ezweni engisinika lona, engilinika abantwana bakwa-Israyeli. Akekho oyokuma aqine phambi kwakho zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwakho. Ngizoba nawe njengoba nje ngaba noMose.”—Joshuwa 1:2, 5.
3. Yini eyasiza uJoshuwa ukuba abe nokholo nesibindi?
3 Ukuze uJehova amsekele futhi amqondise, uJoshuwa kwakumelwe afunde futhi azindle ngoMthetho kaNkulunkulu abese ephila ngawo. UJehova wathi: “Uma wenza kanjalo uyoyiphumelelisa indlela yakho futhi uyokwenza ngokuhlakanipha. Angikuyalanga yini? Yiba nesibindi uqine. Ungethuki noma wesabe, ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho unawe nomaphi lapho uya khona.” (Joshuwa 1:8, 9) Ngenxa yokuthi uJoshuwa walalela uNkulunkulu, waba nesibindi, waqina futhi waphumelela. Nokho, abaningi esizukulwaneni sakhe abazange balalele. Ngenxa yalokho, abaphumelelanga futhi bafela ehlane.
Isizwe Esingenalukholo Sintula Isibindi
4, 5. (a) Isimo sengqondo sezinhloli eziyishumi sasihluke kanjani kwesikaJoshuwa noKalebi? (b) UJehova wazizwa kanjani ngokuntula kwabantu ukholo?
4 Eminyakeni engu-40 ngaphambili lapho u-Israyeli esondela eKhanani okokuqala, uMose wathuma amadoda angu-12 ukuba ayohlola izwe. Ayishumi abuya enetwetwe. Akhala: “Bonke abantu esibabone kulo bangabantu abade ngokungavamile. Sabona lapho namaNefili; amadodana ka-Anaki, avela kumaNefili; kangangokuthi emehlweni ethu saba njengezintethe.” Ingabe “bonke abantu”—hhayi ama-Anaki kuphela—babeyimidondoshiya? Cha. Ingabe ama-Anaki ayeyinzalo yamaNefili aphila ngaphambi kukaZamcolo? Lutho neze! Noma kunjalo, ngenxa yalezi zinkulumo ezeqisayo, ikamu lonke lafikelwa ukwesaba. Abantu baze bafuna ukubuyela eGibhithe, izwe ababeyizigqila kulo!—Numeri 13:31–14:4.
5 Nokho, ababili kulezo zinhloli, uJoshuwa noKalebi, babemagange ukungena eZweni Lesithembiso. Bathi, abaseKhanani “bayisinkwa kithi. Isikhoselo sabo sisukile phezu kwabo, futhi uJehova unathi. Ningabesabi.” (Numeri 14:9) Ingabe kwakuwubuwula ngoJoshuwa noKalebi ukuba nethemba? Cha. Bona kanye nesizwe sonke babebonile lapho uJehova ethobisa iGibhithe elinamandla nonkulunkulu balo ngeziNhlupho Eziyishumi. Kamuva babona uJehova eminzisa uFaro nebutho lakhe oLwandle Olubomvu. (IHubo 136:15) Ngokusobala, zazingekho izaba zokwesaba okwaboniswa izinhloli eziyishumi kanye nalabo ezabathonya. Ebonisa indlela ayephatheke kabi ngayo ngalokhu, uJehova wathi: “Kuyoze kube nini bengabi nalukholo kimi naphezu kwazo zonke izibonakaliso engazenza phakathi kwabo?”—Numeri 14:11.
6. Isibindi sihlobene kanjani nokholo, futhi lokhu kubonakala kanjani ezikhathini zanamuhla?
6 UJehova wembula umnyombo wenkinga yalesi sizwe—ubugwala baso babubonisa ukuntula ukholo. Yebo, ukholo nesibindi kuhlobene eduze kakhulu, kangangokuthi umphostoli uJohane wayengabhala lokhu ngebandla lamaKristu nangengokomoya lalo: “Lokhu kungukunqoba okunqobe izwe, ukholo lwethu.” (1 Johane 5:4) Namuhla, ukholo olunjengolukaJoshuwa noKalebi lwenze ukuba oFakazi BakaJehova abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyisithupha, abasha nabadala, abantekenteke nabayimiqemane bakwazi ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso emhlabeni wonke. Asikho isitha esikwazile ukuthulisa leli butho elinamandla nelinesibindi.—Roma 8:31.
‘Ungahlehleli Emuva’
7. Kusho ukuthini ‘ukuhlehlela emuva’?
7 Izinceku zikaJehova namuhla zishumayela izindaba ezinhle ngesibindi ngoba zinomqondo ofanayo nowomphostoli uPawulu, owabhala: “Asilona uhlobo oluhlehlela emuva ekubhujisweni, kodwa siluhlobo olunokholo kube ukulondwa komphefumulo.” (Hebheru 10:39) ‘Ukuhlehlela emuva’ uPawulu akhuluma ngakho akusho ukufikelwa umuzwa wokwesaba wesikhashana, ngoba zikhona izikhathi lapho izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile eziningi eziye zafikelwa khona ukwesaba. (1 Samuweli 21:12; 1 AmaKhosi 19:1-4) Kunalokho, esinye isichazamazwi seBhayibheli sithi kusho, “ukuba madolonzima, ukuhoxa, ukwenqena ukuphatha iqiniso.” Sinezela ngokuthi inkulumo ethi, ‘ukuhlehlela emuva’ kungenzeka iyisingathekiso esisuselwa “ekwehliseni useyili womkhumbi,” okungase kusho “ukwehlisa ijubane” enkonzweni yakho kuNkulunkulu. Yebo, labo abanokholo oluqinile abakucabangi nakukucabanga ‘ukwehlisa ijubane’ lapho kufika ubunzima—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ushushiso, inkinga yempilo, noma olunye uvivinyo. Kunalokho, baphokophela phambili ekukhonzeni uJehova, beqaphela ukuthi ubakhathalela ngokujulile futhi uyakwazi ukulinganiselwa kwabo. (IHubo 55:22; 103:14) Ingabe unalolo hlobo lokholo?
8, 9. (a) UJehova waluqinisa kanjani ukholo lwamaKristu okuqala? (b) Yini esingayenza ukuze sakhe ukholo lwethu?
8 Ngesinye isikhathi abaphostoli baba nomuzwa wokuthi ukholo lwabo luyantula, ngakho bathi kuJesu: “Siphe ukholo olwengeziwe.” (Luka 17:5) Isicelo sabo esiqotho saphendulwa, ikakhulukazi ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., lapho umoya ongcwele othenjisiwe wehlela phezu kwabafundi futhi ubenza baliqonde ngokujulile iZwi likaNkulunkulu nenjongo yakhe. (Johane 14:26; IzEnzo 2:1-4) Njengoba ukholo lwabo lwase luqinisiwe, abafundi baqala umkhankaso wokushumayela owenza ukuba izindaba ezinhle zifinyelele kuyo “yonke indalo engaphansi kwezulu” naphezu kokushushiswa.—Kolose 1:23; IzEnzo 1:8; 28:22.
9 Ukuze sakhe ukholo lwethu futhi siphokophele phambili enkonzweni yethu, nathi kumelwe sitadishe futhi sizindle ngemiBhalo futhi sithandazele umoya ongcwele. Yilapho kuphela sigxilisa iqiniso likaNkulunkulu ezingqondweni nasezinhliziyweni zethu—njengoba kwenza uJoshuwa, uKalebi nabafundi abangamaKristu okuqala—lapho siyoba khona nokholo olusinika isibindi esisidingayo ukuze sikhuthazele empini yethu engokomoya futhi sinqobe.—Roma 10:17.
Kudingeka Okungaphezu Kokukholelwa KuNkulunkulu
10. Ukholo lweqiniso luhlanganisani?
10 Njengoba abagcini bobuqotho basendulo babonisa, ukholo olunika umuntu isibindi nokukhuthazela luhlanganisa okungaphezu nje kokukholelwa kuNkulunkulu. (Jakobe 2:19) Lufuna ukuba simazi uJehova njengomuntu futhi simethembe ngokugcwele. (IHubo 78:5-8; IzAga 3:5, 6) Lusho ukukholelwa ngenhliziyo yethu yonke ukuthi ukulalela imithetho nezimiso zikaNkulunkulu kungokwenzuzo yethu enkulu. (Isaya 48:17, 18) Ukholo luhilela nokuqiniseka ngokugcwele ukuthi uJehova uyozigcwalisa zonke izithembiso zakhe nokuthi uba “umvuzi walabo abamfuna ngobuqotho.”—Hebheru 11:1, 6; Isaya 55:11.
11. UJoshuwa noKalebi babusiswa ngayiphi indlela ngenxa yokholo nesibindi sabo?
11 Ukholo olunjalo alumi ndawonye. Luyakhula njengoba sisebenzisa iqiniso ekuphileni kwethu, ‘sinambitha’ izinzuzo, ‘sibona’ izimpendulo zemithandazo yethu futhi sibona nangezinye izindlela isiqondiso sikaJehova ekuphileni kwethu. (IHubo 34:8; 1 Johane 5:14, 15) Singaqiniseka ukuthi ukholo lukaJoshuwa nolukaKalebi lwajula lapho benambitha ubuhle bukaNkulunkulu. (Joshuwa 23:14) Cabangela amaphuzu alandelayo: Basinda ohambweni lwasehlane lweminyaka engu-40, njengoba nje uNkulunkulu ayebathembisile. (Numeri 14:27-30; 32:11, 12) Babamba iqhaza elikhulu ekunqotshweni kweKhanani okwathatha iminyaka eyisithupha. Okokugcina, babusiswa ngempilo enhle nende baze bathola namafa abo siqu. Yeka indlela uJehova abavuza ngayo labo abamkhonza ngokwethembeka nangesibindi!—Joshuwa 14:6, 9-14; 19:49, 50; 24:29.
12. UJehova ‘ulikhulisa kanjani izwi lakhe’?
12 Umusa wothando uNkulunkulu awubonisa uJoshuwa noKalebi usikhumbuza amazwi omhubi: “Ulikhulisile izwi lakho ngisho nangaphezu kwalo lonke igama lakho.” (IHubo 138:2) Lapho uJehova ephatha igama lakhe uma enza isithembiso esithile, ukugcwaliseka kwaleso sithembiso ‘kuyakhuliswa’ ngoba kuba ngaphezu kwanoma ikuphi umuntu akulindele. (Efesu 3:20) Yebo, uJehova akalokothi abadumaze labo ‘abajabula kakhulu’ ngaye.—IHubo 37:3, 4.
Umuntu ‘Owajabulisa UNkulunkulu’
13, 14. Kungani u-Enoke ayedinga ukholo nesibindi?
13 Singafunda okuningi ngokholo nangesibindi ngokucabangela isibonelo esabekwa omunye ufakazi wangaphambi kwezikhathi zobuKristu—u-Enoke. Cishe wayazi ukuthi ukholo nesibindi sakhe kwakuyovivinywa ngisho nangaphambi kokuba aqale ukuprofetha. Wazi kanjani? UJehova wayeshilo e-Edene ukuthi kwakuyoba khona ubutha noma inzondo phakathi kwalabo abakhonza uNkulunkulu nalabo abakhonza uSathane uDeveli. (Genesise 3:15) U-Enoke wayazi futhi ukuthi le nzondo yayibonakele ekuqaleni nje komlando wabantu lapho uKhayini ebulala umfowabo u-Abela. Ngempela, uyise, u-Adamu, waphila iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-310 ngemva kokuba u-Enoke ezelwe.—Genesise 5:3-18.
14 Nokho, naphezu kwala maqiniso, ngesibindi u-Enoke “waqhubeka ehamba noNkulunkulu weqiniso,” futhi wakhuluma ngokumelene ‘nezinto ezishaqisayo’ abantu ababezisho ngoJehova. (Genesise 5:22; Jude 14, 15) Kubonakala sengathi lokhu kumelela kwakhe iqiniso ngesibindi kwamenzela izitha eziningi, kwabeka ukuphila kwakhe engozini. Kule ndaba, uJehova wenza ukuba umprofethi wakhe angabhekani nobuhlungu bokufa. Ngemva kokuba uJehova eye wembulela u-Enoke “ukuthi wayemjabulisile,” ‘wamdlulisa’ emsusa esimweni sokuphila wamyisa kwesokufa, mhlawumbe phakathi nombono othile oyisiprofetho.—Hebheru 11:5, 13; Genesise 5:24.
15. Isiphi isibonelo esihle u-Enoke asibekela izinceku zikaJehova namuhla?
15 Ngemva nje kokukhuluma ngokudluliswa kuka-Enoke, uPawulu uphinde agcizelele ukubaluleka kokholo: “Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngaphandle kokholo akwenzeki ukumjabulisa [uNkulunkulu].” (Hebheru 11:6) Yebo, ukuba nokholo kwanika u-Enoke isibindi sokuhamba noJehova nesokumemezela isigijimi sesahlulelo sakhe ezweni elalingamesabi uNkulunkulu. Kulokhu, u-Enoke wasibekela isibonelo esihle. Sinomsebenzi ofanayo okumelwe siwenze ezweni eliphikisa ukukhulekela kweqiniso neligcwele zonke izinhlobo zobubi.—IHubo 92:7; Mathewu 24:14; IsAmbulo 12:17.
Isibindi Esibangelwa Ukwesaba UNkulunkulu
16, 17. Wayengubani u-Obadiya, futhi wazithola ekusiphi isimo?
16 Ngaphandle kokholo, kunenye imfanelo esinika isibindi—ukwesaba uNkulunkulu okunenhlonipho. Ake sicabangele isibonelo esivelele somuntu owayesaba uNkulunkulu owaphila ngosuku lomprofethi u-Eliya nolweNkosi u-Ahabi, eyayibusa umbuso wasenyakatho wakwa-Israyeli. Phakathi nokubusa kuka-Ahabi, umbuso wasenyakatho wawungcoliswe ukukhulekelwa kukaBhali ngezinga elalingakaze libonwe. Empeleni, abaprofethi bakaBhali abangu-450, nabaprofethi abangu-400 besigxobo esingcwele, esasiwuphawu lwesitho sobulili, ‘babedla etafuleni likaJezebeli’ umka-Ahabi.—1 AmaKhosi 16:30-33; 18:19.
17 Isitha sikaJehova esinonya, uJezebeli, sazama ukuqeda ukukhulekela kweqiniso ezweni. Sabulala abanye babaprofethi bakaJehova saze sazama ngisho nokubulala u-Eliya, owasinda ngokubalekela ngaphesheya kweJordani eqondiswa uNkulunkulu. (1 AmaKhosi 17:1-3; 18:13) Ngeso lengqondo, uyabona yini ukuthi kwakunzima kanjani ukusekela ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile embusweni wasenyakatho ngaleso sikhathi? Kwakunzima kangakanani-ke uma wawusebenza esigodlweni ngokwaso? Yileso isimo u-Obadiya, * owesaba uNkulunkulu, nowayengumphathi endlini ka-Ahabi, azithola ekuso.—1 AmaKhosi 18:3.
18. Yini eyenza u-Obadiya waba umkhulekeli ovelele kaJehova?
18 Akungatshazwa ukuthi u-Obadiya wayecophelela futhi eqaphile ekukhulekeleni kwakhe uJehova. Noma kunjalo, akazange ayekethise. Eqinisweni, eyoku-1 AmaKhosi 18:3 isitshela lokhu: “U-Obadiya wayezibonakalisé engumuntu omesaba kakhulu uJehova.” Yebo, indlela u-Obadiya ayemesaba ngayo uNkulunkulu yayivelele! Lokhu kwesaba okunempilo kwamnika isibindi esiphawulekayo, njengoba kwabonakala masinyane ngemva kokuba uJezebeli ebulale abaprofethi bakaJehova.
19. U-Obadiya wenzani eyayibonisa ukuthi unesibindi?
19 Siyafunda: “Kwathi lapho uJezebeli enquma abaprofethi bakaJehova, u-Obadiya wathatha abaprofethi abayikhulu wabagcina befihlwé emhumeni ngamashumi amahlanu, futhi wabanika isinkwa namanzi.” (1 AmaKhosi 18:4) Njengoba ungase ucabange, ukondla amadoda ayikhulu ngasese kwakuwumsebenzi oyingozi kakhulu. Kwakungadingeki ukuba u-Obadiya agweme kuphela ukubanjwa u-Ahabi noJezebeli, kodwa kwakudingeka agweme nokubonwa abaprofethi bamanga abangu-850 ababegqigqa esigodlweni. Ngaphandle kwalokho, akungabazeki ukuthi abaningi babanye abakhulekeli bamanga ababesezweni, kusukela kubantukazana kuye ezikhulwini, babeyosebenzisa noma iliphi ithuba lokumceba u-Obadiya ukuze bathandeke enkosini nasendlovukazini. Noma kunjalo, u-Obadiya wazinakekela ngesibindi izidingo zabaprofethi bakaJehova bekhona bonke labo bakhulekeli bezithombe. Yeka ukuthi ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kungaba namandla kangakanani!
20. Ukwesaba kuka-Obadiya uNkulunkulu kwamsiza kanjani, futhi isibonelo sakhe sikusiza kanjani?
20 Ngenxa yokuthi u-Obadiya wabonisa isibindi ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu, kusobala ukuthi uJehova wamvikela ezitheni zakhe. IzAga 29:25 zithi: “Ukwesaba abantu kubeka ugibe, kodwa othembela kuJehova uyovikelwa.” U-Obadiya wayengumuntu njengathi; wayekwesaba ukubanjwa nokubulawa njengoba nje nathi sasiyokwesaba. (1 AmaKhosi 18:7-9, 12) Noma kunjalo, ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kwamnika isibindi sokunqoba noma ikuphi ukwesaba umuntu okungenzeka ukuthi wayenakho. U-Obadiya uyisibonelo esihle kithi sonke, ikakhulukazi kulabo abakhulekela uJehova besengozini yokulahlekelwa inkululeko yabo noma ngisho nawukuphila kwabo. (Mathewu 24:9) Yebo, kwangathi sonke singalwela ukukhonza uJehova “ngokwesaba kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu nangokuthuthumela.”—Hebheru 12:28.
21. Yini ezocatshangelwa esihlokweni esilandelayo?
21 Ukholo nokwesaba uNkulunkulu akuzona ukuphela kwezimfanelo ezakha isibindi. Uthando lungaba amandla angaphezulu nakakhulu. UPawulu wabhala: “UNkulunkulu akasinikanga umoya wobugwala, kodwa owamandla nowothando nowokuhluzeka kwengqondo.” (2 Thimothewu 1:7) Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizobona indlela uthando olungasisiza ngayo ukuba sikhonze uJehova ngesibindi phakathi nalezi zinsuku zokugcina ezibucayi.—2 Thimothewu 3:1.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
^ par. 17 Akuyena u-Obadiya umprofethi.
Ingabe Ungaphendula?
• Yini eyasiza uJoshuwa noKalebi ukuba babe nesibindi?
• Ukholo lweqiniso luhlanganisani?
• Kungani u-Enoke ayengesabi lapho ememezela isigijimi sesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu?
• Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kusinika kanjani isibindi?
[Imibuzo Yesifundo]
[Isithombe ekhasini 16, 17]
UJehova wayala uJoshuwa: “Yiba nesibindi uqine”
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
U-Obadiya wanakekela futhi wavikela abaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
U-Enoke wakhuluma izwi likaNkulunkulu ngesibindi