Isahluko Samashumi Amabini Anesine

UYehova Uzenzela Igama Elihle

Isaya 63:1-14

1, 2. (a) Nguwuphi umdla wobuqu amaKristu anawo ‘kwimini kaYehova’ ezayo? (b) Yiyiphi inkalo ebalulekileyo ebandakanyekileyo ekufikeni kwemini kaYehova?

 PHANTSE malunga namawaka amabini eminyaka, amaKristu ebesoloko ‘elindile yaye ekhumbula ubukho bemini kaYehova.’ (2 Petros 3:12; Tito 2:13) Siyaqonda ukuba akungxamele ukufika kwaloo mini. Kaloku, iza kuba sisiqalo sokukhululeka kwawo kwiinkxwaleko zokungafezeki. (Roma 8:22) Kwakhona iza kuphelisa iingcinezelo zala “maxesha amanqam ekunzima ukujamelana nawo.”—2 Timoti 3:1.

² Noko ke, nangona imini kaYehova iza kuwazisela inkululeko amalungisa, kodwa iza kubatshabalalisa “abo bangamaziyo uThixo nabo bangazithobeliyo iindaba ezilungileyo ezingeNkosi yethu uYesu.” (2 Tesalonika 1:7, 8) Oku kuyothusa noko. Ngaba ngokwenene uThixo uza kubatshabalalisa abangendawo ukuze nje akhulule abantu bakhe kwingcinezelo? Isahluko sama-63 sikaIsaya sibonisa ukuba kukho inkalo ebaluleke ngakumbi ebandakanyekileyo koku, ukungcwaliswa kwegama likaThixo.

Ukugaleleka Komphumi-mkhosi Owoyisayo

3, 4. (a) Ungayichaza ngokuthini intshayelelo yesiprofeto sikaIsaya isahluko 63? (b) Ngubani lowo uIsaya ambona esinge eYerusalem, yaye abanye abaphengululi baye bamchaza ngokuthini?

³ KuIsaya isahluko 62, sifunda ngokukhululwa kwamaYuda  ekuthinjweni kwaseBhabhiloni nokubuyiselwa kwawo elizweni lawo. Ngokuzenzekelayo, kuphakama umbuzo othi: Ngaba le ntsalela yamaYuda ebuyisiweyo imele yoyike ukuphanziswa kwakhona zezinye iintlanga ezinobutshaba? Umbono kaIsaya uyaluphelisa olo loyiko lwawo. Esi siprofeto sitshayelela ngokuthi: “Ngubani na lo uzayo evela kwaEdom, lo unezambatho ezinemibala eqaqambileyo evela eBhotsera, lo ubekekileyo ngesinxibo sakhe, uhamba ngamandla amakhulu?”—Isaya 63:1a.

⁴ UIsaya ubona umphumi-mkhosi onamandla nowoyisayo, esinge eYerusalem. Izambatho zakhe ezibalaseleyo zibonisa ukuba ungowolona didi luphezulu. Uvela ngakwicala lesona sixeko sidumileyo kwaEdom, iBhotsera, nto leyo ebonisa ukuba uye waloyisa elo lizwe linobutshaba. Umele ukuba ungubani lo mphumi-mkhosi? Bambi abaphengululi bathi nguYesu Kristu. Abanye bakholelwa ukuba wayeyinkokeli yasemkhosini yamaYuda uJudas Maccabaeus. Noko ke, yena ngokwakhe lo mphumi-mkhosi uyazichaza xa ephendula lo mbuzo ungasentla ngokuthi: “Ndim, Lowo uthetha ngobulungisa, Lowo uphuphuma ngamandla okusindisa.”—Isaya 63:1b.

 5. Ngubani lo mphumi-mkhosi ubonwa nguIsaya, yaye kutheni uphendula ngolo hlobo nje?

⁵ Alithandabuzeki elokuba lo mphumi-mkhosi nguYehova uThixo uqobo. Kwezinye iindawo uchazwa ‘njengonamandla amakhulu’ ‘nothetha oko kububulungisa.’ (Isaya 40:26; 45:19, 23) Izambatho ezibalaseleyo zalo mphumi-mkhosi zisikhumbuza amazwi omdumisi, athi: “Owu Yehova Thixo wam, ungqineke umkhulu kakhulu. Wambethe isidima nobungangamsha.” (INdumiso 104:1) Nangona uYehova enguThixo wothando, iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba unxiba isambatho somphumi-mkhosi xa kuyimfuneko.—Isaya 34:2; 1 Yohane 4:16.

 6. Kutheni uYehova eqala aye kulwa noEdom?

 ⁶ Kodwa kutheni uYehova eqala aye kulwa noEdom? AmaEdom kudala eziintshaba zabantu bakaThixo bomnqophiso, butshaba obo obususela emva phayaa kukhokho wawo uEsawu. (Genesis 25:24-34; Numeri 20:14-21) Ubunzulu bale ntiyo yamaEdom kuYuda babonakala ngokukhethekileyo xa ayevuyisana namajoni aseBhabhiloni ekuphanziseni kwawo iYerusalem. (INdumiso 137:7) UYehova ubugqala ubutshaba obunjalo njengobujoliswe kuye siqu. Kungako nje ezimisele ukuziphindezelela kuEdom!—Isaya 34:5-15; Yeremiya 49:7-22.

 7. (a) Sazaliseka njani ekuqaleni isiprofeto esingokuphanziswa kukaEdom? (b) Ufanekisela ntoni uEdom?

⁷ Ngoko lo mbono kaIsaya ulukhuthazo olukhulu kumaYuda abuyela eYerusalem. Uwaqinisekisa ngokukhuseleka kwawo ekhayeni lawo elitsha. Eneneni, ngemihla yomprofeti uMalaki, uThixo wazenza iintaba zikaEdom “inkangala ephanzileyo nelifa lakhe laba leloodyakalashe basentlango.” (Malaki 1:3) Ngoko, ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba esi siprofeto sikaIsaya sazaliseka ngokupheleleyo ngomhla kaMalaki? Akunjalo, kuba uEdom waphinda wazakha ezo ndawo ziphanzileyo, yaye uMalaki waqhubeka ebhekisa kuEdom ngokuthi “ngummandla wobungendawo” nangokuthi “ngabantu uYehova abaqalekisileyo ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo.” a (Malaki 1:4, 5) Noko ke, ngokwesiprofeto uEdom akapheleliselwanga kwinzala kaEsawu. Ufanekisela zonke iintlanga eziziintshaba zabanquli bakaYehova. Iintlanga zeNgqobhoko zinkqenkqeza phambili kule nkalo. Yintoni eza kwenzeka kulo Edom wanamhlanje?

 Isixovulelo Sewayini

8, 9. (a) Nguwuphi umsebenzi abandakanyeka kuwo umphumi-mkhosi obonwa nguIsaya? (b) Sinyathelwa nini yaye njani isixovulelo sewayini sokomfuziselo?

⁸ UIsaya umbuza athi lo mphumi-mkhosi: “Kutheni na sabomvu isinxibo sakho, nezambatho zakho zanjengezalowo uxovula isixovulelo sewayini?” UYehova uphendula athi: “Umkhumbi wewayini ndiwunyathele ndedwa, ngoxa kwakungekho mntu ukunye nam kwizizwana. Ndazixovula ndinomsindo, yaye ndazinyathela ngobushushu bam. Negazi lazo elitsazayo lazitshiza izambatho zam, yaye ndisingcolise sonke isinxibo sam.”—Isaya 63:2, 3.

⁹ La mazwi abukhali achaza ubutyadidi begazi. Kwanezambatho zikaThixo ezixabisekileyo zichatshazelwe ligazi, njengezambatho zomntu onyathela isixovulelo sewayini! Ukusetyenziswa kwebinzana elithi isixovulelo sewayini kubonisa ukubuthelwa ndawonye kweentshaba zikaYehova uThixo ukuze azitshabalalise. Siza kunyathelwa nini esi sixovulelo sewayini sokomfuziselo? Isiprofeto sikaYoweli nesompostile uYohane nazo ziyathetha ngesixovulelo sewayini sokomfuziselo. Isixovulelo sewayini sezo ziprofeto siza kunyathelwa xa uYehova enyathela iintshaba zakhe ngentshabalalo yeArmagedon. (Yoweli 3:13; ISityhilelo 14:18-20; 16:16) Naso isixovulelo sewayini sesiprofeto sikaIsaya sibhekisela kwakwelo xesha linye.

10. Kutheni uYehova esithi usinyathela yedwa isixovulelo sewayini?

¹⁰ Noko ke, kutheni uYehova esithi usinyathela yedwa isixovulelo sewayini, kungekho mntu umncedayo kwizizwana? Kanti asingoYesu Kristu na, ummeli kaThixo, oza kukhokela ekunyatheleni isixovulelo sewayini? (ISityhilelo 19:11-16) Kunjalo, kodwa apha uYehova ubhekisela ebantwini, kungekhona kwizidalwa zomoya. Uthi akakho umntu onokuwufanelekela umsebenzi wokubhangisa abalandeli bakaSathana emhlabeni. (Isaya 59:15, 16) Loo msebenzi ushiyelwa  kuThixo uSomandla ukuba abanyathele ngomsindo, de ababhangise ngokupheleleyo.

11. (a) Siyintoni isizathu sokuzisa kukaYehova “imini yempindezelo”? (b) Babengoobani ‘abahlawulelweyo’ mandulo, yaye bangoobani namhlanje?

¹¹ Ngokubhekele phaya uYehova uchaza isizathu sokuba awenze ngokwakhe lo msebenzi, esithi: “Imini yempindezelo isentliziyweni yam, nonyaka wabo ndibahlawuleleyo ufikile.” (Isaya 63:4) b NguYehova kuphela onelungelo lokubaphindezela abo bonzakalisa abantu bakhe. (Duteronomi 32:35) Mandulo ‘abo bahlawulelweyo’ yayingamaYuda awayecinezelwa ngamaBhabhiloni. (Isaya 35:10; 43:1; 48:20) Namhlanje bayintsalela ethanjisiweyo. (ISityhilelo 12:17) NjengamaYuda amandulo, nayo iye yahlawulelwa ukuze ikhululwe ekuthinjweni konqulo. Yaye kanye njengaloo maYuda, nabo aba bathanjisiweyo, kunye namaqabane abo “ezinye izimvu,” baye baba zizisulu zokutshutshiswa nokuchaswa. (Yohane 10:16) Ngoko isiprofeto sikaIsaya siyawaqinisekisa la maKristu anamhlanje ukuba uThixo uza kuwahlangula ngexesha Lakhe elimiselweyo.

12, 13. (a) Kutheni kungekho mntu umncedayo uYehova? (b) Ingalo kaYehova isindisa njani, yaye umsindo wakhe umxhasa njani?

¹² UYehova uhlabela mgama esithi: “Ndaqhubeka ndikhangela, kodwa kwakungekho mncedi; yaye ndaqalisa ukuzibonakalisa ndikhwankqisiwe, kodwa kwakungekho bani unikela inkxaso. Ngoko ingalo yam yandisindisa, nomsindo wam wandixhasa. Ndazinyathela izizwana ngomsindo, kwaye ndabanxilisa ngobushushu bam ndaza ndalihlisela emhlabeni igazi labo elitsazayo.”—Isaya 63:5, 6.

¹³ Akukho mntu unokufuna ukuzukiswa ngokunceda uYehova ngemini yakhe enkulu yempindezelo. Phofu ke  akuyomfuneko kakade ukuba uYehova axhaswe ngabantu ekuphumezeni ukuthanda kwakhe. c Ingalo yakhe eyomelele ngokungathethekiyo iwanele loo msebenzi. (INdumiso 44:3; 98:1; Yeremiya 27:5) Ngaphezu koko, umsindo wakhe uyamxhasa. Njani? Ngohlobo lokuba umsindo kaThixo awubangelwa ziimvakalelo ezingalawulekiyo kodwa ukukucaphuka kobulungisa. Ekubeni uYehova esoloko enamathela kwimigaqo yobulungisa, umsindo wakhe uyamxhasa uze umshukumisele ekubeni ‘alihlisele emhlabeni igazi elitsazayo’ leentshaba zakhe, ngokuthi azithobe yaye azoyise.—INdumiso 75:8; Isaya 25:10; 26:5.

Ububele Bothando BukaThixo

14. Ziziphi izikhumbuzo ezifanelekileyo azinikelayo ngoku uIsaya?

¹⁴ Mandulo, amaYuda akhawuleza aphelelwa luxabiso ngezinto uYehova awenzela zona. Ngoko ke, ngokufanelekileyo uIsaya uwakhumbuza ngesizathu sokuba uYehova awenzele ezo zinto. UIsaya uthi: “Ndiya kukhankanya ububele bothando bukaYehova, iindumiso zikaYehova, ngako konke oko uYehova asenzele kona, kwanobuninzi bokulunga kwakhe kwindlu kaSirayeli asenzele yona ngokweenceba zakhe nangokobuninzi bobubele bakhe bothando. Waza wahlabela mgama wathi: ‘Ngokuqinisekileyo bangabantu bam, oonyana abangayi kuba bubuxoki.’ Ngoko waba nguMsindisi wabo. Ebudeni bokubandezeleka kwabo konke wabandezeleka. Yaye umthunywa wakhe wobuqu wabasindisa. Ngothando lwakhe nangemfesane yakhe wabahlawulela, waza waqalisa ukubaphakamisa nokubathwala yonke imihla yakudala.”—Isaya 63:7-9.

15. UYehova wabubonisa njani yaye ngasiphi isizathu ububele bothando kwinzala ka-Abraham eYiputa?

 ¹⁵ Onjani wona ukubalasela umzekelo awumiselayo uYehova wokubonakalisa ububele bothando, okanye uthando olunyanisekileyo! (INdumiso 36:7; 62:12) UYehova wamthanda uAbraham. (Mika 7:20) Wamthembisa loo solusapho ukuba zaziza kusikeleleka ngembewu, okanye inzala yakhe, zonke iintlanga zomhlaba. (Genesis 22:17, 18) UYehova wanamathela kweso sithembiso, ebonisa ukulunga okukhulu kwindlu kaSirayeli. Esona sasibalasele kwizenzo zakhe zokunyaniseka yaba kukuhlangula kwakhe inzala ka-Abraham kubukhoboka baseYiputa.—Eksodus 14:30.

16. (a) Wayenayiphi imbono uYehova ekwenzeni kwakhe umnqophiso noSirayeli? (b) UThixo uqhubana njani nabantu bakhe?

¹⁶ Emva kokumhlangula kwakhe uSirayeli, uYehova wamsa kwiNtaba yeSinayi waza wenza esi sithembiso kuye: “Ukuba nithe nalithobela okunene ilizwi lam, nawugcina ngenene umnqophiso wam, ngokuqinisekileyo noba yinqobo kum . . . Yaye niya kuba bubukumkani kum nababingeleli nohlanga olungcwele.” (Eksodus 19:5, 6) Ngaba uYehova wayebakhohlisa ngokwenza esi sithembiso? Akunjalo, kuba uIsaya uchaza ukuba uYehova wathi kuye: “Ngokuqinisekileyo bangabantu bam, oonyana abangayi kuba bubuxoki.” Omnye umphengululi uthi: “Igama elithi ‘ngokuqinisekileyo’ alibhekiseli kulongamo lwakhe okanye ekuqinisekeni kwakhe ngoko kuza kwenzeka kwixesha elizayo: kodwa libhekisela ekubeni nethemba nentembelo yothando kubo.” Ewe, uYehova wayeneenjongo ezintle ngokwenza lo mnqophiso, efuna ngokunyanisekileyo ukuba abantu bakhe baphumelele. Phezu kwazo nje iintsilelo zabo, waba nentembelo kubo. Hayi indlela ekuchulumancisa ngayo ukunqula uThixo obathemba ngolo hlobo abanquli bakhe! Abadala namhlanje baya kubomeleza ngakumbi abo baphathiswe bona xa bebonisa intembelo  efanayo ekulungeni kwabantu bakaThixo.—2 Tesalonika 3:4; Hebhere 6:9, 10.

17. (a) Bubuphi ubungqina awabunikelayo uYehova bokuwathanda kwakhe amaSirayeli? (b) Yiyiphi intembelo esinokuba nayo namhlanje?

¹⁷ Sekunjalo, umdumisi uthi ngokuphathelele amaSirayeli: “Bamlibala uThixo uMsindisi wabo, uMenzi wezinto ezinkulu eYiputa.” (INdumiso 106:21) Ukungathobeli nobuntamo-lukhuni bawo babusoloko buwangenisa ezinkathazweni. (Duteronomi 9:6) Ngaba uYehova wayeka ukuwenzela ububele bothando? Akunjalo, kuba uIsaya uthi “ebudeni bokubandezeleka kwabo konke wabandezeleka.” Olunjani lona uvelwano analo uYehova! Njengaye nawuphi na ubawo onothando, kwamvisa ubuhlungu uThixo ukubona abantwana bakhe bebandezeleka, kwanaxa ukubandezeleka kwabo kwakubangelwa bubuyatha babo. Njengoko kwakuxelwe kwangaphambili wathi ngothando wathumela “umthunywa wakhe wobuqu,” ekusenokwenzeka ukuba yayinguYesu ngaphambi kokuphila kwakhe njengomntu, ukuba abakhokelele kwiLizwe Lesithembiso. (Eksodus 23:20) Ngaloo ndlela uYehova waluphakamisa olo hlanga waza waluthwala, ‘kanye njengomntu othwala unyana wakhe.’ (Duteronomi 1:31; INdumiso 106:10) Nanamhlanje sinokuba nentembelo yokuba uYehova uyakwazi ukubandezeleka kwethu yaye uyavelana nathi xa singena ezinkathazweni. Ngentembelo ‘sinokuliphosela kuye lonke ixhala lethu, kuba usikhathalele.’—1 Petros 5:7.

UThixo Uba Lutshaba

18. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova abe lutshaba lwabantu bakhe?

¹⁸ Noko ke, asifanele sibuthabathe lula ububele bukaThixo bothando. UIsaya uhlabela mgama esithi: “Bona bavukela baza bawenza buhlungu umoya wakhe oyingcwele. Ke kaloku watshintsha waba lutshaba lwabo; yena walwa imfazwe nabo.” (Isaya 63:10) UYehova walumkisa  ngokuthi nangona enguThixo onenceba nobabalo, ‘akasayi kumenza msulwa ofanelwe sisohlwayo.’ (Eksodus 34:6, 7) AmaSirayeli azibizela ngokwawo isohlwayo ngokuthi abe nomoya wemvukelo. UMoses wawakhumbuza wathi: “Musa ukukulibala ukumcaphukisa kwakho uYehova uThixo wakho entlango. Ukususela ngomhla owaphuma ngawo ezweni laseYiputa kwada kwaba sekungeneni kwakho kule ndawo, namvukela uYehova.” (Duteronomi 9:7) Awenza buhlungu umoya kaThixo, ngokuthi angawuvumeli ukuba usebenze kuwo. (Efese 4:30) Amnyanzela uYehova ukuba abe lutshaba lwawo.—Levitikus 26:17; Duteronomi 28:63.

19, 20. Ziziphi izinto azikhumbulayo amaYuda, yaye ngoba?

¹⁹ Ekuthwaxweni kwawo ziinkxwaleko, wambi amaYuda akhumbula ixesha elidluleyo. UIsaya uthi: “Lowo waqalisa ukukhumbula imihla yakudala, uMoses umkhonzi wakhe: ‘Uphi na Lowo wabanyusayo elwandle kunye nabalusi bomhlambi wakhe? Uphi na Lowo wabeka phakathi kwakhe umoya Wakhe oyingcwele? Lowo uhambisa ingalo Yakhe entle ngasesandleni sasekunene sikaMoses; Lowo wahlukanisa amanzi phambi kwabo ukuze azenzele igama elihlala ngokungenammiselo; Lowo wenza ukuba bahambe emanzini enzonzobila khon’ ukuze, njengehashe entlango, bangakhubeki? Kanye njengoko isilo sisihla siye kwithafa elisentlanjeni, wona kanye umoya kaYehova wabenza baphumla.’”—Isaya 63:11-14a. d

²⁰ Ewe, ngenxa yokuthwaxwa yimiphumo yokungathobeli, amaYuda akhumbula imihla yaxa uYehova wayenguMhlanguli wawo, engelulo utshaba lwawo. Akhumbula  indlela “abalusi” bawo, uMoses noAron, abawakhokela ngayo ngokukhuselekileyo ukuwela uLwandle Olubomvu. (INdumiso 77:20; Isaya 51:10) Akhumbula ixesha laxa kunokuwenza buhlungu umoya kaThixo, ayekhokelwa nguwo ngolwalathiso olwanikwa uMoses namanye amadoda amakhulu awayemiselwe ngomoya. (Numeri 11:16, 17) Kwakhona akhumbula ukubona kwawo ‘ingalo entle’ yamandla kaYehova iwahlangula ngokusebenzisa uMoses! Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uThixo wawakhupha kwintlango enkulu neyoyikekayo waza wawakhokelela kwilizwe eliqukuqela ubisi nobusi—indawo yokuphumla. (Duteronomi 1:19; Yoshuwa 5:6; 22:4) Kodwa ngoku amaSirayeli ayabandezeleka ngenxa yokuphulukana kwawo nolwalamano oluhle kunye noThixo!

“Uzenzele Igama Elihle”

21. (a) Liliphi ilungelo elikhulu awayeza kuba nalo uSirayeli ngokuphathelele igama likaThixo? (b) Sasiyintoni isizathu esiyintloko sokukhulula kukaThixo inzala ka-Abraham eYiputa?

²¹ Sekunjalo, ukulahlekelwa kwamaSirayeli zizinto eziphathekayo akuyonto xa kuthelekiswa nelungelo aye aphulukana nalo, lokuba nenxaxheba ekuzukisweni kwegama likaThixo. UMoses wawathembisa amaSirayeli wathi: “UYehova wokumisa njengesizwana esingcwele kuye, kanye njengoko wakufungelayo, xa uthe wayigcina imiyalelo kaYehova uThixo wakho, wahamba ngeendlela zakhe. Ziya kubona zonke izizwana zomhlaba ukuba igama likaYehova libizwe phezu kwakho, zikoyike.” (Duteronomi 28:9, 10) Xa uYehova wayilwelayo inzala ka-Abraham, wayihlangula kubukhoboka baseYiputa, wayengenzeli nje kuphela ukuze inandiphe ubomi obutofotofo. Wayesenzela injongo ebaluleke ngakumbi—igama lakhe. Wayefuna ukuqinisekisa ukuba igama lakhe ‘livakaliswa emhlabeni wonke.’ (Eksodus 9:15, 16) Yaye xa uThixo wamenzela inceba uSirayeli owayevukela entlango, wayenesizathu esingaphezu nje kokuba  novelwano. UYehova ngokwakhe wathi: “Ndenjenjalo ngenxa yegama lam ukuze lingahlanjelwa phambi kwamehlo eentlanga.”—Hezekile 20:8-10.

22. (a) Kutheni uThixo eza kuphinda abalwele abantu bakhe kwixesha elizayo? (b) Ukulithanda kwethu igama likaThixo kuzichaphazela njani izenzo zethu?

²² Hayi indlela onamandla ngayo umqukumbelo wesi siprofeto sikaIsaya! Uthi: “Ngaloo ndlela wabakhokela abantu bakho ukuze uzenzele igama elihle.” (Isaya 63:14b) Ngoku sicacile isizathu sokuba uYehova azilwele ngenkalipho izilangazelelo zabantu bakhe. Injongo kukuze azenzele igama elihle. Ngaloo ndlela esi siprofeto sikaIsaya sisisikhumbuzo esinamandla sokuba ukuthwala igama likaYehova kulilungelo eloyikekayo nembopheleleko enkulu. AmaKristu okwenyaniso namhlanje alithanda igama likaYehova ngaphezu kobomi bawo. (Isaya 56:6; Hebhere 6:10) Ayakugatya ukwenza nantoni na enokuzisa ugculelo kwelo gama lingcwele. Abonisa uxabiso ngothando olunyanisekileyo lukaThixo ngokuthi ahlale enyanisekile kuye. Yaye ngenxa yokulithanda kwawo igama elihle likaYehova, ayilindele ngolangazelelo imini yokunyathela kwakhe iintshaba zakhe kwisixovulelo sewayini somsindo wakhe—kungekuphela ngenxa yokuba oko kuza kuba yingenelo kuwo kodwa ngenxa yokuba kuza kukhokelela ekuzukisweni kwegama loThixo amthandayo.—Mateyu 6:9.

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UYehova wayebathembe gqitha abantu bakhe