Ukwalusa Ngomusa Izimvu ZikaJehova Eziyigugu

ABADALA babelalele ngokunakekela okukhulu. Babehambe cishe amakhilomitha angu-50 besuka e-Efesu beya eMilethu ukuze bathole iziyalo kumphostoli uPawulu. Manje babedabukile ngokuzwa ukuthi babembona okokugcina. Ngakho babazi ukuthi amazwi ayezolandela ayeyoba ngabaluleke kakhulu: “Ziqapheleni nina nomhlambi wonke anibeké kuwo uMoya oNgcwele ukuba nibe-ngababonisi bokwalusa ibandla likaNkulunkulu azizuzele lona ngegazi lakhe.”—IzEnzo 20:25, 28, 38.

Ukubhekisela kukaPawulu kafushane kubelusi ngokuqinisekile kwadlulisela ukwaziswa okuyigugu kulabo badala base-Efesu. Babejwayelene nomsebenzi wokwalusa izimvu ezindaweni zasemaphandleni ezazibazungezile. Babejwayelene futhi nezinkulumo eziningi ezibhekisela kubelusi emiBhalweni YesiHeberu. Futhi babazi ukuthi uJehova ngokwakhe wayezifanisa noMalusi wabantu bakhe.—Isaya 40:10, 11.

UPawulu wababiza ngokuthi “ababonisi” abaphakathi ‘komhlambi,’ nangokuthi ‘abelusi bebandla.’ Njengoba igama elithi “ababonisi” libonisa lokho isabelo sabo esiyikho, igama elithi ‘umalusi’ lichaza indlela okumelwe bafeze ngayo lokho kwengamela. Yebo, ababonisi kwakumelwe banakekele ilungu ngalinye lebandla ngendlela yothando efanayo naleyo umalusi anganakekela ngayo umhlambi wakhe wezimvu.

Namuhla, bambalwa abadala abanokuhlangenwe nakho kwabo mathupha kokwalusa izimvu ezingokoqobo. Kodwa iBhayibheli libhekisela izikhathi eziningi kakhulu kokubili ezimvwini nakubelusi, ikakhulukazi ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso, kangangokuba amazwi kaPawulu anethonya elinganqunyelwe sikhathi. Futhi kuningi okungase kufundwe ekulandiseni okuphathelene nabelusi labo uNkulunkulu ababonisa umusa ezikhathini zasendulo. Izibonelo zabo eziphawulekayo zingasiza abadala banamuhla ukuba babone ukuthi yiziphi izimfanelo okudingeka bazihlakulele ukuze baluse ibandla likaNkulunkulu.

Umalusi Onesibindi UDavide

Lapho sicabanga ngabelusi bangezikhathi zeBhayibheli, cishe sizokhumbula uDavide, ngoba ekuqaleni wayengumalusi wezimvu. Esinye sezifundo zokuqala esizifunda ekuphileni kukaDavide ukuthi ukuba umalusi akusona isikhundla sokuvelela. Eqinisweni, lapho umprofethi uSamuweli efika ezogcoba indodana kaJese ukuba ibe inkosi yakwa-Israyeli yesikhathi esizayo, ekuqaleni uDavide  osemusha washaywa indiva ngokuphelele. Kwaba kuphela ngemva kokuba uJehova ebanqabile abafowabo abayisikhombisa abadala kunaye lapho kwakhulunywa khona ngoDavide, owayesemadlelweni “alusa izimvu.” (1 Samuweli 16:10, 11) Nakuba kunjalo, iminyaka uDavide ayichitha engumalusi yamlungiselela umsebenzi obizelayo wokwalusa isizwe sakwa-Israyeli. ‘[UJehova] wakhetha uDavide inceku yakhe, wamthabatha ezibayeni zezimvu ukuba abeluse abantu bakhe uJakobe,’ kusho iHubo 78:70, 71. Ngokufanelekile, uDavide wabhala iHubo lama-23 elihle nelidumile, eliqala ngalamazwi: “UJehova ungumalusi wami.”

NjengoDavide, abadala ebandleni lobuKristu kufanele bakhonze njengabelusi abangaphansi abathobekile futhi bangafuni ukuvelela okungafanele. Njengoba umphostoli uPawulu abhalela uThimothewu, labo abalwela ukufanelekela lomthwalo wemfanelo wokwalusa ‘banxanela umsebenzi omuhle,’ hhayi ukuvelela.—1 Thimothewu 3:1.

Nakuba umsebenzi kaDavide wokuba umalusi ongokoqobo wawuphansi, ngezinye izikhathi wawudinga isibindi esikhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho ngesinye isikhathi izimvu zomhlambi kayise zazithathwe ibhubesi nangesinye isikhathi zithathwe ibhele, ngesibindi uDavide wabhekana nazo futhi wazibulala lezilwane. (1 Samuweli 17:34-36) Lokhu kwakuwukuboniswa kwesibindi okumangalisayo uma umuntu ecabanga ngokuthi ibhubesi lingabulala izilwane ezinkulu kakhulu kunalo. Futhi ibhele elinsundu laseSiriya elalivame ukuhlala ePalestina, elinesisindo esingamakhilogremu angaba ngu-140, lingabulala inyamazane okuthiwa iphiva ngegalelo elilodwa lesidladla salo esinamandla.

Ukukhathalela kukaDavide kwesibindi izimvu zikayise kuyisibonelo esihle kubelusi ebandleni lobuKristu. Umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa abadala base-Efesu ‘ngezimpisi ezihahayo ezazingezukuwuhawukela umhlambi.’ (IzEnzo 20:29) Nasezikhathini zanamuhla, kuyoba khona izikhathi lapho abelusi abangamaKristu kuyodingeka babonise isibindi ukuze bavikele inhlala-kahle engokomoya yezimvu zikaJehova.

Nakuba izimvu kufanele zivikelwe ngesibindi, kufanele futhi ziphathwe ngomusa omkhulu, ekulingiseni umalusi onothando uDavide noMalusi Omuhle, uJesu Kristu. (Johane 10:11) Njengoba bazi ukuthi umhlambi ungokaJehova, abadala akufanele neze babe nokhahlo ezimvwini, ‘bezenza amakhosi phezu kwamabandla ababelwe wona.’—1 Petru 5:2, 3; Mathewu 11:28-30; 20:25-27.

Ukulandisa

Inzalamizi uJakobe yayingomunye umalusi owayedumile. Yazibheka yona siqu njengenomthwalo wemfanelo wemvu ngayinye eyayabelwe ukuba iyinakekele. Wayeyinakekele ngokwethembeka imihlambi yomukhwe wakhe, uLabani, kangangokuthi ngemva kweminyaka engu-20 emkhonza, uJakobe wayengathi: “Izimvukazi zakho nezimbuzikazi zakho aziphunzanga; izinqama zomhlambi wakho angizidlanga. Ezidweshulwé yizilo ngangingaziyisi kuwe; kwalahlekelwa mina; wazibiza esandleni sami, noma zebiwe emini noma zebiwe ebusuku.”—Genesise 31:38, 39.

Ababonisi abangamaKristu babonisa ngisho nokukhathalela okwengeziwe ngezimvu lezo uMalusi wemiphefumulo yethu, uJehova uNkulunkulu, ‘azizuzele zona ngegazi [leNdodana] yakhe.’ (IzEnzo 20:28; 1 Petru 2:25; 5:4) UPawulu wagcizelela lomthwalo wemfanelo obalulekile lapho ekhumbuza amaKristu angamaHeberu ukuthi amadoda aholayo ebandleni ‘alinda imiphefumulo yenu njengazakulandiswa ngayo.’—Heberu 13:17.

Isibonelo sikaJakobe futhi sibonisa ukuthi umsebenzi womalusi awunaso isikhathi esinqunyiwe. Ungumsebenzi wemini nobusuku futhi ngokuvamile udinga ukuzidela. Watshela uLabani: “Nganginjalo; emini ngaqedwa ngukushisa, ebusuku ngamakhaza; ubuthongo bami babalekela amehlo ami.”—Genesise 31:40.

Lokhu ngokuqinisekile kunjalo ngabadala abaningi abangamaKristu abanothando namuhla,  njengoba okuhlangenwe nakho okulandelayo kubonisa. Umzalwane othile wamukelwa egunjini labagula kakhulu esibhedlela ngemva kokuba ukuhlinzwa kwesimila ebuchosheni kubangele izinkinga. Umkhaya wakhe wahlela ukuba ube seduze naye esibhedlela ubusuku nemini. Ukuze anikeze ukusekela nesikhuthazo esidingekayo, omunye wabadala bebandla lendawo washintsha isimiso sakhe esimgcina ematasa ukuze akwazi ukuhambela lendoda egulayo nomkhaya wayo nsuku zonke. Nokho, ngenxa yesimiso sokwelapha ngokucophelela sasesibhedlela, kwakungenzeki njalo ukuba amhambele emini. Lokhu kwasho ukuthi ngokuvamile lomdala kwakumelwe abe sesibhedlela sekusebusuku kakhulu. Kodwa waya khona ngokuthokoza njalo ebusuku. “Ngaqaphela ukuthi kwakuyodingeka ngifike ngesikhathi esifanelana nesiguli, hhayi esivumelana nami,” kusho lomdala. Lapho lomzalwane eseluleme ngokwanelisayo ukuba angadluliselwa kwelinye igumbi lalesibhedlela, lomdala waqhubeka enza ukuhambela kwakhe kwansuku zonke okuyisikhuthazo.

Lokho Okwafundwa UMose Lapho Engumalusi

IBhayibheli lichaza uMose ngokuthi “wayemnene kunabo bonke abantu ababesebusweni bomhlaba.” (Numeri 12:3) Nokho, umlando ogciniwe ubonisa ukuthi akuzange kube njalo ngaso sonke isikhathi. Lapho eseyinsizwa, wabulala umGibithe ngenxa yokushaya ongum-Israyeli akanye naye. (Eksodusi 2:11, 12) Lesi kwakungesona neze isenzo somuntu omnene! Nakuba kunjalo, kamuva uNkulunkulu wayezosebenzisa uMose ukuba ahole isizwe esiyizigidi phakathi nehlane esiyisa eZweni Lesithembiso. Khona-ke, ngokusobala uMose wayedinga ukuqeqeshwa okwengeziwe.

Nakuba uMose kakade ayesekutholile ukuqeqeshwa okungokwezwe ‘ekuhlakanipheni konke kwabaseGibithe,’ wayesadinga okuningi ukuze akwazi ukwalusa umhlambi kaJehova. (IzEnzo 7:22) Lokhu kuqeqeshwa okwengeziwe kwakungase kube ngayiphi indlela? Phela, uNkulunkulu wavumela uMose ukuba asebenze njengomalusi ophansi ezweni lakwaMidiyani iminyaka engu-40. Njengoba ayenakekela imihlambi yomukhwe wakhe, uJetro, uMose wahlakulela izimfanelo ezinhle ezinjengokubekezela, ukuthobeka, ukubhekakade, ubumnene, nokuzithiba. Futhi wafunda nokulindela uJehova. Yebo, ukunakekela izimvu ezingokoqobo kwahlomisela uMose ukuba abe umalusi ofanelekayo wesizwe sakwa-Israyeli.—Eksodusi 2:15–3:1; IzEnzo 7:29, 30.

Ingabe lezi akuzona yini izimfanelo umdala azidingayo ukuze anakekele abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla? Yizona, ngoba uPawulu wakhumbuza uThimothewu ukuthi “inceku kaKristu . . . mayibe-mnene kubo bonke, inesu lokufundisa, ibekezela, ibalaya ngomoya omnene abamelene nayo.”—2 Thimothewu 2:24, 25.

Kungase kube nezikhathi lapho umdala ezizwa edumele ngoba enobunzima ekuhlakuleleni lezimfanelo ngokugcwele. Nakuba kunjalo, akufanele aphele amandla. NjengoMose, kungase kuthathe isikhathi eside ukuhlakulela ngokugcwele izimfanelo ezidingekayo ukuze umuntu abe umalusi omuhle. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi umzamo onjalo oqotho uyovuzwa.—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Petru 5:10.

Uma ungumdala, mhlawumbe awusetshenziswa ngokugcwele njengabanye. Akunakuba yini ukuthi, njengoMose, uJehova ukuvumela ukuba uhlakulele ngokugcwele izimfanelo ezithile ezibalulekile? Ungalokothi ukhohlwe ukuthi uJehova ‘uyakukhathalela.’ Nokho, kufanele futhi sikhumbule isidingo ‘sokwembatha ukuthobeka, sithobelane, ngokuba uNkulunkulu umelana nabazidlayo, kepha abathobekileyo ubapha umusa.’ (1 Petru 5:5-7) Uma usebenza ngokuzikhandla futhi wamukela ukuqeqesha akuvumelayo uJehova, ungaba ngosetshenziswa kakhulu nguye, njengoMose.

Zonke Izimvu ZikaJehova Ziyigugu

Abelusi abanokwethenjelwa, abanothando basezikhathini zeBhayibheli babenomuzwa womthwalo wemfanelo ngemvu ngayinye. Kufanele  kube njalo nangabelusi abangokomoya. Lokhu kucacile emazwini kaPawulu: ‘Qaphelani wonke umhlambi.’ (IzEnzo 20:28) Obani abangase bahlanganiswe kuwo ‘wonke lomhlambi’?

UJesu wanikeza umfanekiso wendoda ethile eyayinezimvu eziyikhulu kodwa ngokushesha yahamba yayofuna enye eyayilahlekile ukuze iyibuyisele emhlanjini. (Mathewu 18:12-14; Luka 15:3-7) Umbonisi kufanele abe nokukhathalela okufanayo ngelungu ngalinye lebandla. Ukungakhuthali enkonzweni noma ekubeni khona emihlanganweni yobuKristu akusho ukuthi imvu ayiseyona ingxenye yomhlambi. Ihlala iyingxenye yawo ‘wonke umhlambi’ lowo abadala okumelwe ‘balandise ngawo’ kuJehova.

Indikimba ethile yabadala yakhathazeka kakhulu ngokuthi abanye ababehlanganyela nebandla base bekhukhulekele ekupholeni. Kwabhalwa uhlu lwalaba, futhi kwenziwa umzamo okhethekile wokubahambela nokubasiza ukuba babuyele esibayeni sezimvu zikaJehova. Yeka indlela abambonga ngayo uNkulunkulu laba badala ngokuthi esikhathini esiyiminyaka emibili nengxenye, bakwazi ukusiza abantu abangaphezu kuka-30 ukuba baphinde bakhuthale enkonzweni kaJehova. Omunye walabo abasizwa kanjalo wayesephole cishe iminyaka engu-17!

Ukubaluleka kwalomthwalo wemfanelo kugcizelelwa ngokuqhubekayo kubabonisi yiphuzu lokuthi izimvu ‘zazuzwa ngegazi [leNdodana, NW] kaNkulunkulu.’ (IzEnzo 20:28) Alikho inani elingaphezu kwaleli elalingakhokhelwa lezimvu eziyigugu. Futhi cabanga ngaso sonke isikhathi nomzamo okuchithwa enkonzweni kufunwa futhi kusizwa umuntu ngamunye onjengemvu! Ingabe akufanele yini kwenziwe umzamo ofanayo ukuze bonke bagcinwe bengaphakathi kwesibaya sezimvu sikaNkulunkulu? Ngokuqinisekile, zonke izimvu ebandleni ziyigugu.

Ngisho nalapho ilungu lomhlambi lihileleka ekwenzeni ububi obungathi sína, umthwalo wemfanelo wabadala awuguquki. Bayaqhubeka bengabelusi abakhathalelayo, bezama ngomusa nangobumnene ukusindisa umenzi wobubi uma kungenzeka. (Galathiya 6:1, 2) Ngokudabukisayo, ezimweni ezithile kuba sobala ukuthi ilungu elithile lebandla lintula ukuzisola kokwesaba uNkulunkulu ngezono ezingathi sína eliye lazenza. Khona-ke abelusi abanothando banomthwalo wemfanelo ongokomBhalo wokuvikela lengxenye yomhlambi esasele kulelithonya elonakalisayo.—1 Korinte 5:3-7, 11-13.

Nakuba kunjalo, uJehova uNkulunkulu ubeka isibonelo esiphelele sokubonisa isihe ezimvwini ezidukayo. UMalusi wethu onesihawu uthi: “Ngiyakufuna ezilahlekileyo, ngibuyise ezixoshiweyo, ngibophe ezaphukileyo, ngiqinise ezigulayo.” (Hezekeli 34:15, 16; Jeremiya 31:10) Ekulingiseni lesibonelo esihle kakhulu, abelusi abangokomoya banamuhla baye benzelwa ilungiselelo lothando lokuhambela abantu abasusiwe ekuhlanganyeleni, manje abangase basabele lapho bebasiza. Lemizamo yesihe yokubuyisa izimvu ezinjalo ezilahlekile iye yathela izithelo ezinhle. Omunye udade owabuyiselwa ekuhlanganyeleni wathi: “Lapho abadala bengihambela, kwakuyisikhuthazo engangisidinga ukuze ngibuye.”

Ngaphandle kokungabaza amazwi kaPawulu kubadala base-Efesu eMilethu ayebaluleke kakhulu—kubona nakubabonisi banamuhla. Ukubhekisela kwakhe kubelusi kwakuyisikhumbuzo ngezimfanelo ezithakazelisayo okufanele zibonakale kubabonisi—izimfanelo ezinjengokuthobeka nesibindi, njengoba zabonakaliswa umalusi oyinkosi uDavide; umuzwa womuntu siqu womthwalo wemfanelo nokunakekela kokuvikela, okwabonakala enkonzweni kaJakobe yasemini nobusuku; kanye nokuzimisela ukwamukela ukuqeqeshwa okwengeziwe ngokubekezela, njengoba kwaboniswa nguMose. Ngempela, lezibonelo zeBhayibheli ziyosiza abadala bebandla ekuhlakuleleni nasekubonakaliseni lezimfanelo ezidingekayo ukuze ngomusa ‘beluse ibandla likaNkulunkulu azizuzele lona ngegazi [leNdodana] yakhe.’