‘Nkulunkulu, Thuma Ukukhanya Kwakho’

“Thuma ukukhanya kwakho neqiniso lakho, kungihole.”—IHUBO 43:3.

1. UJehova uzembula kanjani izinjongo zakhe?

UJEHOVA akeve ecabangela endleleni enza ngayo izinceku zakhe zazi izinjongo zakhe. Kunokuba embule lonke iqiniso kanyekanye njengokubanika okuxhophayo, usikhanyisela kancane kancane. Uhambo lwethu endleleni yokuphila lungase lufaniswe nolomuntu othatha uhambo olude. Uqala kusesekuseni kakhulu, engaboni lutho. Njengoba ilanga liqala ukuphakama kancane emkhathizwe, lo muntu uyakwazi ukuhlukanisa phakathi kwezinto ezimbalwa azibonayo. Ezinye uzibona kalufifi. Kodwa njengoba ilanga liqhubeka liphakama, ukwazi ukubona nakude. Kunjalo nangokukhanya okungokomoya  uNkulunkulu akunikezayo. Usivumela ukuba siqonde izinto ezimbalwa ngesikhathi. INdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu, yanikeza ukuqonda okungokomoya ngendlela efanayo. Ake sihlole indlela uJehova akhanyisela ngayo abantu bakhe ezikhathini zasendulo nendlela abakhanyisela ngayo namuhla.

2. UJehova wayekunikeza kanjani ukukhanya ezikhathini zangaphambi kobuKristu?

² Abaqambi beHubo 43 cishe kwakungamadodana kaKora. Njengoba ayengamaLevi, ayenelungelo lokufundisa abantu uMthetho kaNkulunkulu. (Malaki 2:7) Yiqiniso, nguJehova owayenguMfundisi wabo Omkhulu, futhi babethembele kuye njengoMthombo wakho konke ukuhlakanipha. (Isaya 30:20) Lo mhubi wathandaza: “Nkulunkulu . . . thuma ukukhanya kwakho neqiniso lakho, kungihole.” (IHubo 43:1, 3) Uma nje ama-Israyeli ayesathembekile kuye, uJehova wayewafundisa izindlela zakhe. Ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka, uJehova wawanika ukukhanya neqiniso elimangalisa kakhulu. Wenza kanjalo lapho ethumela iNdodana yakhe emhlabeni.

3. Ukufundisa kukaJesu kwawavivinya kanjani amaJuda?

³ Lapho isiyindoda enguJesu Kristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ‘yayiwukukhanya kwezwe.’ (Johane 8:12) Yafundisa abantu “izinto eziningi ngemifanekiso”—izinto ezintsha. (Marku 4:2) Yatshela uPontiyu Pilatu: “Umbuso wami awuyona ingxenye yalelizwe.” (Johane 18:36) Lowo kwakuwumqondo omusha kumuntu ongumRoma nakumaJuda ayeshisekela izwe lawo, ngoba ayecabanga ukuthi uMesiya wayeyogoba uphondo loMbuso WamaRoma, abuyisele u-Israyeli enkazimulweni yakhe yangaphambili. UJesu wayebonakalisa ukukhanya okuvela kuJehova, kodwa amazwi akhe awabajabulisanga ababusi abangamaJuda, ‘ababethanda inkazimulo yabantu ngisho nangaphezu kwenkazimulo kaNkulunkulu.’ (Johane 12:42, 43) Abantu abaningi bakhetha ukunamathela emasikweni abo asungulwe abantu kunokwamukela ukukhanya okungokomoya neqiniso elivela kuNkulunkulu.—IHubo 43:3; Mathewu 13:15.

4. Sazi kanjani ukuthi abafundi bakaJesu babeyoqhubeka bekhula ekuqondeni?

⁴ Nokho, abesilisa nabesifazane abambalwa abanhliziyo ziqotho balamukela ngenjabulo iqiniso elalifundiswa nguJesu. Bathuthuka kancane kancane ekuqondeni izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu. Nokho, njengoba ukuphila kwasemhlabeni koMfundisi wabo kwakuya kusondela esiphelweni, babesenokuningi okwakumelwe bakufunde. UJesu wabatshela: “Nginezinto eziningi okusamelwe ngizisho kini, kodwa anikwazi ukuzithwala njengamanje.” (Johane 16:12) Yebo, abafundi babeyoqhubeka bekhula ekuqondeni iqiniso likaNkulunkulu.

Ukukhanya Kuyaqhubeka Kukhanya

5. Yimuphi umbuzo owaphakama ekhulwini lokuqala, futhi obani ababenomthwalo wemfanelo wokuwuxazulula?

⁵ Ngemva kokufa nokuvuswa kukaJesu, ukukhanya okuvela kuNkulunkulu kwakhanya kakhulu kunakuqala. Embonweni owabonwa nguPetru, uJehova wembula ukuthi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi abeZizwe abangasokile babengaba abalandeli bakaKristu. (IzEnzo 10:9-17) Leso kwakuyisambulo esimangalisayo! Nokho, kamuva kwaphakama umbuzo: Ingabe uJehova wayefuna ukuba abeZizwe abanjalo basokwe ngemva kokuba bebe ngamaKristu? Lowo mbuzo wawungaphendulwanga embonweni, futhi le ndaba yasusa impikiswano eshubile phakathi kwamaKristu. Kwakudingeka ixazululwe, ngalé kwalokho ubunye babo obuyigugu babungonakala. Ngakho-ke, eJerusalema, “abaphostoli namadoda amadala babuthana ndawonye ukuze bayihlole lendaba.”—IzEnzo 15:1, 2, 6.

6. Iyiphi inqubo eyalandelwa abaphostoli namadoda amadala lapho behlola indaba yokusoka?

⁶ Labo ababekulowo mhlangano babengayithola kanjani intando kaNkulunkulu ngabeZizwe abangamakholwa? UJehova akathumelanga ingelosi ukuba iyokwengamela lezo zingxoxo, futhi akazange abanike umbono labo ababekhona. Noma kunjalo, abaphostoli namadoda amadala abashiywanga bengenasiqondiso ngokuphelele. Bahlola ubufakazi obabuvela kumaKristu athile angamaJuda ayebone indlela uNkulunkulu ayeqale ngayo ukusebenzelana nabantu bezizwe, ngokuthulula umoya wakhe ongcwele phezu kwabeZizwe abangasokile. Bahlola nemiBhalo ukuze bathole isiqondiso. Ngenxa yalokho,  umfundi uJakobe wenza isiphakamiso esisekelwe embhalweni onikeza ukuqonda. Lapho bezindla ngobufakazi, intando kaNkulunkulu yacaca. Labo bantu bezizwe kwakungadingeki ukuba basokwe ukuze bamukelwe nguJehova. Abaphostoli namadoda amadala abachithanga sikhathi, basibhala phansi lesi sinqumo ukuze amaKristu ababekanye nawo aqondiswe yiso.—IzEnzo 15:12-29; 16:4.

7. Kungani singase sithi amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayethuthuka?

⁷ Ngokungafani nabaholi benkolo abangamaJuda, ababenamathela emasikweni oyise, iningi lamaKristu angamaJuda lajabula lapho lithola lokhu kuqonda okusha okumangalisayo kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu ngokuphathelene nabantu bezizwe, nakuba ukukwamukela kwakudinga ukushintsha umbono ngokuphathelene nabeZizwe bebonke. UJehova wawubusisa umoya wokuthobeka wala maKristu, futhi “amabandla aqhubeka eqiniswa okholweni futhi anda ngesibalo usuku nosuku.”—IzEnzo 15:31; 16:5.

8. (a) Sazi kanjani ukuthi ngemva kokuphela kwekhulu lokuqala kwakungalindeleka ukukhanya okwengeziwe? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo efanelekile esizoyihlola?

⁸ Ukukhanya okungokomoya kwaqhubeka kukhanya kulo lonke ikhulu lokuqala. Kodwa uJehova akazange awembulele zonke izici zezinjongo zakhe amaKristu okuqala. Umphostoli uPawulu watshela amakholwa ayekanye nawo ekhulu lokuqala: “Manje sibona kalufifi ngesibuko sensimbi.” (1 Korinte 13:12) Isibuko esinjalo sasingabonisi kahle. Khona-ke, ekuqaleni ukuqondwa kokukhanya okungokomoya kwakuyolinganiselwa. Ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli, ukukhanya kwaba lufifi okwesikhashana, kodwa ezikhathini zamuva ulwazi lwemiBhalo luye lwaba yinala. (Daniyeli 12:4) UJehova ubakhanyisela kanjani abantu bakhe namuhla? Futhi kufanele sisabele kanjani lapho andisa ukuqonda kwethu imiBhalo?

Ukukhanya Kuya Kugqama

9. Iyiphi indlela yokutadisha iBhayibheli eyingqayizivele nephumelelayo eyayisetshenziswa abaFundi BeBhayibheli bokuqala?

⁹ Ezikhathini zanamuhla, ukukhanya kokuqala kwangempela kwaqala ukubonakala ngemva kwawo-1875 lapho iqembu labesilisa nabesifazane abangamaKristu liqala ukutadisha imiBhalo ngobuqotho. Lasungula indlela ewusizo yokutadisha iBhayibheli. Othile wayebuza umbuzo; bese iqembu lihlaziya yonke imiBhalo ehlobene nawo. Lapho ivesi elithile leBhayibheli libonakala liphikisa elinye, la maKristu aqotho ayezama ukuwavumelanisa. Ngokungafani nabaholi benkolo bangaleso sikhathi, abaFundi BeBhayibheli (njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babaziwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi) banquma ukuba kube yimiBhalo  Engcwele eyisiqondiso sabo, hhayi isiko noma izimfundiso zabantu. Ngemva kokuhlola bonke ubufakazi bemiBhalo obutholakalayo, babebhala izinqumo abazifinyelele. Ngaleyo ndlela bakwazi ukuqonda ngokucacile izimfundiso eziningi zeBhayibheli eziyisisekelo.

10. UCharles Taze Russell wabhala ziphi izinsiza kufunda zeBhayibheli eziwusizo?

¹⁰ UCharles Taze Russell wayengovelele phakathi kwabaFundi BeBhayibheli. Wabhala uchungechunge lwezinsiza-kufunda zeBhayibheli eziyisithupha ezinesihloko esithi Studies in the Scriptures. UMfoweth’ uRussell wayehlose ukubhala umqulu wesikhombisa, owawuyochaza incwadi yeBhayibheli kaHezekeli neyesAmbulo. Wathi: “Uma nje ngike ngasithola isihluthulelo, ngizobhala uMqulu Wesikhombisa.” Nokho, wanezela: “Uma iNkosi isinika omunye isihluthulelo, angawubhala.”

11. Kunakuphi ukuhlobana phakathi kohlelo lwezikhathi nokuqonda kwethu izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu?

¹¹ La mazwi andulele kaC. T. Russell abonisa isici esibalulekile ekuphumeleleni kwethu ukuqonda izindima ezithile zeBhayibheli—uhlelo lwezikhathi. UMfoweth’ uRussell wayazi ukuthi wayengenakukuphoqa ukukhanya ukuba kukhanyise incwadi yesAmbulo njengoba nje nomhambi engenakulinxenxa ilanga ukuba liphume ngaphambi kwesikhathi salo esimisiwe.

Kwembuliwe—Kodwa Ngesikhathi SikaNkulunkulu Esifanele

12. (a) Siqondwa kahle nini isiprofetho seBhayibheli? (b) Yisiphi isibonelo esibonisa ukuthi ukukwazi kwethu ukuqonda isiprofetho seBhayibheli kuxhomeke ohlelweni lukaNkulunkulu lwezikhathi? (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.)

¹² Njengoba nje abaphostoli baqonda iziprofetho eziningi eziphathelene noMesiya ngemva kokufa nokuvuka kukaJesu, amaKristu namuhla aqonda iziprofetho zeBhayibheli ngokucacile ngemva kokuba zigcwalisekile. (Luka 24:15, 27; IzEnzo 1:15-21; 4:26, 27) IsAmbulo siyincwadi yeziprofetho, ngakho kufanele silindele ukuyiqonda ngokucace kakhulu njengoba izenzakalo esizichazayo zenzeka. Ngokwesibonelo, uC. T. Russell wayengenakuyiqonda ngokucacile incazelo yesilo sasendle esibomvu esingokomfanekiso okukhulunywa ngaso kusAmbulo 17:9-11, ngoba izinhlangano ezimelelwa yileso silo, okuyiNhlangano Yezizwe neZizwe Ezihlangene, zazingekho ngisho nokuba khona kwaze kwaba ngemva kokufa kwakhe. *

13. Kwenzekani ngezinye izikhathi lapho kukhanyiswa indaba ethile yeBhayibheli?

¹³ Lapho amaKristu akuqala ezwa ukuthi abeZizwe abangasokile babengaba amakholwa kanye nabo, lolu shintsho lwaphakamisa omunye umbuzo ophathelene nesidingo sokuba abantu bezizwe basokwe. Lokhu kwenza abaphostoli namadoda amadala ukuba bayihlole kabusha yonke indaba yokusoka. Kungokufanayo nanamuhla. Ukukhanya okukhazimulayo endabeni ethile yeBhayibheli ngezinye izikhathi kuholela ekutheni izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezigcotshiwe, ‘isigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo,’ ziphinde zizihlole kabusha izihloko ezihlobanayo, njengoba isibonelo samuva esilandelayo sibonisa.—Mathewu 24:45.

14-16. Ukulungiswa kombono wethu mayelana nethempeli elingokomoya kwakuthinta kanjani ukuqonda kwethu uHezekeli izahluko 40 kuya ku-48?

¹⁴ Ngo-1971, kwanikezwa incazelo yesiprofetho sikaHezekeli encwadini ethi “The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah”—How? Isahluko esithile saleyo ncwadi sachaza kafushane umbono kaHezekeli wethempeli. (Hezekeli, izahluko 40 kuya ku-48) Ngaleso sikhathi, kwagxilwa ekutheni umbono kaHezekeli wethempeli wawuyogcwaliseka kanjani ezweni elisha.—2 Petru 3:13.

¹⁵ Nokho, izihloko ezimbili ezanyatheliswa kuyi-Nqabayokulinda ka-July 1, 1973, zathinta ukuqonda kwethu umbono kaHezekeli. Zaxoxa ngethempeli elikhulu elingokomoya elichazwa umphostoli uPawulu kumaHeberu isahluko 10.  Le Nqabayokulinda yachaza ukuthi indawo eNgcwele negceke langaphakathi lethempeli elingokomoya kubhekisela esimweni sabagcotshiwe besesemhlabeni. Lapho izahluko 40 kuya ku-48 zikaHezekeli ziphinda zihlaziywa eminyakeni ethile kamuva, kwaqondwa ukuthi njengoba nje nethempeli elingokomoya lisebenza namuhla, nethempeli elabonwa uHezekeli embonweni kumelwe ukuthi liyasebenza namuhla. Kanjani?

¹⁶ Embonweni kaHezekeli, abapristi babonakala behla benyuka emagcekeni ethempeli njengoba bekhonza izizwe ezingezona ezobupristi. Laba bapristi bamelela ngokucacile “ubupristi bobukhosi,” izinceku zikaJehova ezigcotshiwe. (1 Petru 2:9) Nokho, ngeke bakhonze egcekeni elisemhlabeni lethempeli phakathi nakho konke ukuBusa Kweminyaka EyiNkulungwane kukaKristu. (IsAmbulo 20:4) Phakathi nengxenye enkulu yaleso sikhathi, uma kungesona sonke, abagcotshiwe bayobe bekhonza uNkulunkulu eNgcwelengcwele yethempeli elingokomoya, “ezulwini ngokwalo.” (Heberu 9:24) Njengoba abapristi bebonakala behla benyuka emagcekeni ethempeli lombono kaHezekeli, lowo mbono kumelwe ukuba uyagcwaliseka namuhla njengoba abanye abagcotshiwe besesemhlabeni. Ngaleyo ndlela, lo magazini ka-March 1, 1999, wanikeza umbono olungisiwe ngale ndaba. Ngakho, kuze kube sekupheleni kwekhulu lama-20, ukukhanya okungokomoya kuye kwanikezwa ngesiprofetho sikaHezekeli.

Zimisele Ukulungisa Umbono Wakho

17. Yikuphi ukulungisa oye wakwenza embonweni wakho kusukela wazi iqiniso, futhi lokho kukusize kanjani?

¹⁷ Noma ubani ofisa ukuthola ulwazi lweqiniso kumelwe azimisele ‘ukuthumba yonke imicabango ukuze ayenze ilalele uKristu.’ (2 Korinte 10:5) Akulula lokho ngaso sonke isikhathi, ikakhulukazi uma imibono igxilile. Ngokwesibonelo, ngaphambi kokufunda iqiniso, kungenzeka wawujabulela ukugubha amaholide athile angokwenkolo nomkhaya wakho. Ngemva kokuba usuqale ukufunda iBhayibheli, waqaphela ukuthi empeleni le mikhosi inomsuka wobuqaba. Kungenzeka ekuqaleni wawungabaza ukusebenzisa lokho okufundile. Nokho ekugcineni, uthando ngoNkulunkulu lwaba namandla kunomuzwa ongokwenkolo futhi wayeka ukugubha imikhosi engamjabulisi uNkulunkulu. Akasibusisanga yini isinqumo sakho uJehova?—Qhathanisa namaHeberu 11:25.

18. Kumelwe sizizwe kanjani lapho ukuqonda kwethu amaqiniso eBhayibheli kucaciswa?

¹⁸ Siyazuza njalo ngokwenza izinto ngendlela kaNkulunkulu. (Isaya 48:17, 18) Ngakho, lapho umbono wethu ngendima ethile yeBhayibheli ucaciswa, masijabule ngokuthuthuka kweqiniso! Ngempela, ukuqhubeka sikhanyiselwa kufakazela ukuthi sisendleleni okuyiyonayona. ‘Kuwumkhondo wabalungileyo onjengokukhanya kokusa okuqhubeka ngokukhanya njalo kuze kube semini.’ (IzAga 4:18) Kuyiqiniso ukuthi okwamanje ezinye izici zezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu sizibona ‘kalufifi.’ Kodwa lapho isikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifanele sifika, sizobona bonke ubuhle beqiniso, uma nje siye sagcina izinyawo zethu zinamathele ‘emkhondweni.’ Okwamanje kwangathi singathaba ngamaqiniso uJehova aye wawenza akhanya, silindele ukukhanyiselwa lawo angakaqondwa ngokucacile.

19. Iyiphi enye indlela esingabonisa ngayo ukuthi siyalithanda iqiniso?

¹⁹ Singalubonisa kanjani ngokoqobo uthando lwethu ngokukhanya? Enye indlela iwukufunda iZwi likaNkulunkulu njalo—nsuku zonke uma kungenzeka. Ingabe unesimiso sasikhathi sonke  sokufunda iBhayibheli? Omagazini INqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama! nabo basondla ngokuningi ukudla okungokomoya okunomsoco esingakujabulela. Cabangela futhi izincwadi, izincwajana nokunye okuye kwenzelwa inzuzo yethu. Kuthiwani ngemibiko ekhuthazayo ngemisebenzi yokushumayela ngoMbuso ekhishwa e-Ncwadini Yonyaka YoFakazi BakaJehova?

20. Ukukhanya neqiniso okuvela kuJehova kuhlobene kanjani nokuba khona emihlanganweni yobuKristu?

²⁰ Yebo, uJehova uye wawuphendula ngendlela emangalisayo umthandazo okumaHubo 43:3. Ekupheleni kwalelo vesi siyafunda: “[Ukukhanya kwakho neqiniso lakho makungihole], kungiyise entabeni yakho engcwele nasezindlini zakho.” Ingabe uye ukulindele ngokulangazela ukukhonza uJehova nezixuku zabanye? Ukufundiswa okungokomoya esikuthola emihlanganweni yethu kuyindlela ebalulekile uJehova asikhanyisela ngayo namuhla. Yini esingayenza ukuze sikhulise ukwazisa kwethu imihlangano yobuKristu? Sikumema ukuba ucabangele le ndaba ngomthandazo esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ungaphendula?

• Kungani uJehova embula izinjongo zakhe kancane kancane?

• Bayixazulula kanjani abaphostoli namadoda amadala eJerusalema indaba yokusoka?

• AbaFundi BeBhayibheli bakuqala basebenzisa yiphi indlela yokutadisha iBhayibheli, futhi yayihluke ngani?

• Bonisa ukuthi ukukhanya okungokomoya kwembulwa kanjani ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifanele.

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 12]

UCharles Taze Russell wayazi ukuthi ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifanele ukukhanya kwakuyokhanyisa incwadi yesAmbulo