Umbono KaNkulunkulu Ngokuhlanzeka Kokuziphatha

“NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho okufundisile okukusizayo; okuholile ngendlela omelwe ukuhamba ngayo.”—ISAYA 48:17.

1, 2. (a) Abantu ngokuvamile bakubheka kanjani ukuziphatha kobulili? (b) AmaKristu anamuphi umbono ngokuziphatha kobulili?

NAMUHLA, ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba, ukuziphatha sekubhekwa njengendaba yomuntu siqu. Abantu babheka ubuhlobo bobulili njengendlela yemvelo yokubonisana uthando abangayisebenzisa noma nini uma bethanda, hhayi njengento yabashadile kuphela. Banomuzwa wokuthi uma kungalimali muntu, akukho lutho olungalungile ngokuzinqumela ukuthi uzoziphatha kanjani. Ngokubona kwabo, abantu akufanele bahlulelwe endabeni yokuziphatha, ikakhulukazi kweyobulili.

² Labo asebemazi uJehova banombono ohlukile. Bazilandela ngenjabulo iziqondiso ezingokomBhalo ngoba bayamthanda uJehova futhi bafuna ukumjabulisa. Bayaqaphela ukuthi uJehova uyabathanda futhi unikeza isiqondiso esiyobazuzisa ngempela futhi sibenze bajabule. (Isaya 48:17) Njengoba uNkulunkulu enguMthombo wokuphila, kunengqondo ukuba babheke isiqondiso sakhe mayelana nendlela okufanele bayisebenzise ngayo imizimba yabo, ikakhulukazi kule ndaba ehlobene kangaka nokudlulisela ukuphila.

Isipho Esivela KuMdali Onothando

3. Yini abaningi kweLobukholwa abaye bayifundiswa ngobuhlobo bobulili, futhi iBhayibheli lifundisani esikhundleni salokho?

³ Ngokungafani nezwe lanamuhla, abanye kweLobukholwa baye bafundisa ukuthi ubuhlobo bobulili buyihlazo, buyisono nokuthi “isono sokuqala” ensimini yase-Edene kwakuwukuyengelwa kuka-Adamu ebulilini ngu-Eva. Umbono onjalo uphambene nalokho okushiwo  yimiBhalo ephefumulelwe. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kubiza abantu ababili bokuqala ngokuthi “u-Adamu nomkakhe.” (Genesise 2:25) UNkulunkulu wathi mababe nezingane, ethi: “Zalani, nande, nigcwalise umhlaba.” (Genesise 1:28) Kwakungeke kube nengqondo ukuba uNkulunkulu ayale u-Adamu no-Eva ukuba bazale izingane abese ebajezisela ukufeza lezo ziyalezo.—IHubo 19:8.

4. Kungani uNkulunkulu anika abantu amandla obulili?

⁴ Kulowo myalo owanikwa abazali bethu bokuqala futhi waphindwa kuNowa namadodana akhe, sibona injongo eyinhloko yobuhlobo bobulili: ukuzala izingane. (Genesise 9:1) Nokho, iZwi likaNkulunkulu libonisa ukuthi izinceku zakhe ezishadile azibophekile ukuba zihlanganyele ubuhlobo bobulili kuphela lapho zizama ukuthola izingane. Ubuhlobo obunjalo bunganelisa izidingo ezingokomzwelo nezingokomzimba futhi bunikeze abashadile injabulo. Buyindlela yokuba babonisane uthando olujulile.—Genesise 26:8, 9; IzAga 5:18, 19; 1 Korinte 7:3-5.

Imingcele Yaphezulu

5. Yimiphi imingcele uNkulunkulu aye wayibekela ubulili babantu?

⁵ Nakuba ubulili buyisipho esivela kuNkulunkulu, akufanele buhlanganyelwe ngaphandle kwemingcele. Lesi simiso sisebenza ngisho naphakathi kwabashadile. (Efesu 5:28-30; 1 Petru 3:1, 7) Ubuhlobo bobulili benqatshelwe ngaphandle komshado. IBhayibheli likubeka ngokucacile lokhu. EMthethweni uNkulunkulu awunika isizwe sakwa-Israyeli, kwathiwa: “Ungaphingi.” (Eksodusi 20:14) Kamuva, uJesu wahlanganisa “ubufebe” ‘nokuphinga’ kanye ‘nemicabango elimazayo’ esuka enhliziyweni ingcolise umuntu. (Marku 7:21, 22) Umphostoli uPawulu waphefumulelwa ukuba ayale amaKristu aseKorinte: “Balekelani ubufebe.” (1 Korinte 6:18) Encwadini ayeyibhalela amaHeberu, uPawulu wathi: “Umshado mawudunyiswe phakathi kwabo bonke, nombhede womshado ungabi nakungcola, ngoba uNkulunkulu uyokwahlulela izifebe neziphingi.”—Heberu 13:4.

6. EBhayibhelini, lihlanganisani igama elithi “ubufebe”?

⁶ Lisho ukuthini igama elithi “ubufebe”? Livela egameni lesiGreki elithi por·neiʹa, ngezinye izikhathi elisetshenziselwa ubuhlobo bobulili phakathi kwabantu abangashadile (ukuhlobonga). (1 Korinte 6:9) Kwezinye izindawo, njengakuMathewu 5:32 noMathewu 19:9, incazelo yaleli gama ibanzi kakhudlwana futhi libhekisela nasekuphingeni, ebuhlotsheni bobulili phakathi kwezihlobo zegazi nasekulaleni nesilwane. Nezinye izenzo zobulili phakathi kwabantu abangashadile, ezinjengobulili obuhilela umlomo noma indunu, kanye nokuwotawota izitho zobulili zomunye, nazo zingabizwa ngelithi por·neiʹa. IZwi likaNkulunkulu liyazilahla zonke izenzo ezinjalo—kungaba ngokuqondile noma ngokungaqondile.—Levitikusi 20:10, 13, 15, 16; Roma 1:24, 26, 27, 32. *

Ukuzuza Emithethweni KaNkulunkulu Yokuziphatha

7. Ukuhlala sihlanzekile ekuziphatheni kwethu kusizuzisa kanjani?

⁷ Ukulalela isiqondiso sikaJehova mayelana nokuziphatha kobulili kungaba yinselele kubantu abangaphelele. Isazi sefilosofi esidumile sekhulu le-12 esingumJuda, uMaimonides, sabhala: “Awukho umthetho owenqabelayo kuyiTorah [uMthetho KaMose] okunzima ukuwugcina njengowobuhlobo obenqatshelwe nowobuhlobo bobulili obungemthetho.” Nokho, uma sisilalela isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu, sizuza kakhulu. (Isaya 48:18) Ngokwesibonelo, ukulalela kule ndaba kusivikela ezifweni ezidluliselwa ngobulili, ezinye zazo ezingenakhambi futhi ezibulalayo. * Siyavikeleka ekukhulelweni ngaphandle komshado. Ukusebenzisa ukuhlakanipha kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kuyasiza nasekubeni sibe nonembeza ohlanzekile. Kukhulisa umuzwa wokuzihlonipha kwenze nabanye basihloniphe, kuhlanganise izihlobo zethu, esishade nabo, izingane zethu nabafowethu nodadewethu abangamaKristu. Kukhuthaza nesimo sengqondo esinempilo nesiqondile ngobulili, esiyoba nengxenye enjabulweni yomshado. Omunye owesifazane ongumKristu wabhala: “Iqiniso leZwi likaNkulunkulu liyisivikelo esingcono kakhulu esitholakalayo. Ngilinde ukuba ngishade, futhi lapho sengishadile ngiyoba neqholo lokutshela  indoda engumKristu engiyoshada nayo ukuthi ngiye ngahlala ngimsulwa.”

8. Yiziphi izindlela ukuziphatha kwethu okumsulwa okungase kuthuthukise ngazo ukukhulekela okumsulwa?

⁸ Ngokulondoloza ukuziphatha okumsulwa singenza lukhulu nasekususeni imibono eyiphutha mayelana nokukhulekela kweqiniso futhi sidonsele abantu kuNkulunkulu esimkhulekelayo. Umphostoli uPetru wabhala: “Londolozani ukuziphatha kwenu kukuhle phakathi kwezizwe, ukuze kuthi, entweni ezikhuluma kabi ngani kuyo njengokungathi ningabenzi bokubi, zikhazimulise uNkulunkulu ngosuku lokuhlola kwakhe.” (1 Petru 2:12) Ngisho noma labo abangamkhonzi uJehova bengakuqapheli noma bengavumelani nokuziphatha kwethu okumsulwa, singaqiniseka ukuthi uBaba wethu osezulwini uyayibona, uyayamukela futhi uyayijabulela nokuyijabulela imizamo yethu yokulandela isiqondiso sakhe.—IzAga 27:11; Heberu 4:13.

9. Kungani kufanele sisethembe isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu, yize singase singaziqondi ngokugcwele izizathu zakhe? Bonisa.

⁹ Ukholo kuNkulunkulu luhilela ukuqiniseka ukuthi wazi okungcono kakhulu ngathi, ngisho noma singaziqondi ngokugcwele zonke izizathu ezenza asiqondise ngendlela asiqondisa ngayo. Cabanga ngesibonelo esiseMthethweni KaMose. Omunye umthetho ngokuphathelene namakamu empi wawuthi indle mayigqitshwe ngaphandle kwekamu. (Duteronomi 23:13, 14) Mhlawumbe ama-Israyeli ayezibuza ngalesi siqondiso; amanye kungenzeka ayecabanga ukuthi sasingadingeki. Nokho, kusukela ngaleso sikhathi isayensi yezokwelapha isiye yaqaphela ukuthi lo mthetho wawugcina amanzi ehlanzekile futhi uvimbela nezifo eziningi ezithwalwa yizinambuzane. Ngokufanayo, kunezizathu ezingokomoya, ezingokwenhlalo, ezingokomzwelo, ezingokwenyama nezingokwengqondo ezenza uNkulunkulu athi ubuhlobo bobulili mabugcine embhedeni womshado. Manje ake sihlole izibonelo ezimbalwa eziseBhayibhelini zalabo abalondoloza ukuhlanzeka kokuziphatha.

UJosefa Wabusiswa Ngenxa Yokuziphatha Kwakhe

10. Ubani owazama ukuyengela uJosefa ebulilini, futhi uJosefa waphendula kanjani?

¹⁰ Cishe ujwayelene nesibonelo esiseBhayibhelini sikaJosefa, indodana kaJakobe. Lapho eneminyaka engu-17, wazithola eyisigqila sikaPotifaro, induna yabalindi bakaFaro waseGibithe. UJehova wambusisa uJosefa, futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wabekwa phezu kwayo yonke indlu kaPotifaro. Lapho efinyelela iminyaka yawo-20, uJosefa “waba nomzimba omi kahle futhi waba muhle.” Wakhanga umkaPotifaro, owazama ukumyengela ebulilini. UJosefa wasicacisa isimo sakhe, echaza ukuthi ukuvuma kwakungeke nje kube ukungathembeki enkosini yakhe kodwa futhi kwakuyoba ‘ukona kuNkulunkulu.’ Kungani uJosefa acabanga ngale ndlela?—Genesise 39:1-9, qhathanisa ne-NW.

11, 12. Nakuba kwakungekho mthetho waphezulu olotshiwe owenqabela ubufebe nokuphinga, kumelwe ukuba kungani uJosefa acabanga ngendlela acabanga ngayo?

 ¹¹ Kusobala ukuthi isinqumo sikaJosefa sasingasekelwe ekwesabeni ukubanjwa ngabantu. Umkhaya wakubo kaJosefa wawuhlala kude, futhi uyise wayecabanga ukuthi ufile. Uma uJosefa ehlanganyela ekuziphatheni okubi kobulili, umkhaya wakubo wawungasoze wazi. Cishe isono esinjalo wayengasifihlela noPotifaro nezinceku zakhe, ngoba kwakuba nezikhathi lapho babengabi khona endlini. (Genesise 39:11) Nokho, uJosefa wayazi ukuthi ukuziphatha okunjalo wayengenakukufihlela uNkulunkulu.

¹² Kumelwe ukuba uJosefa wacabanga ngalokho ayekwazi ngoJehova. Ngokungangabazeki wayekwazi lokho uJehova ayekushilo ensimini yase-Edene: “Ngalokho indoda iyakushiya uyise nonina, inamathele kumkayo; bayakuba nyamanye.” (Genesise 2:24) Ngaphezu kwalokho, cishe uJosefa wayekwazi lokho uJehova ayekutshele inkosi yamaFilisti eyayizimisele ukuyengela ebulilini ukhokhokazi kaJosefa uSara. UJehova wathi kuleyo nkosi: “Bheka, uyafa ngenxa yowesifazane omthathileyo; uganile endodeni. . . . Futhi ngakuvimba ukuba ungoni kimi; ngalokho angikuvumelanga ukuba umthinte.” (Genesise 20:3, 6) Ngakho nakuba uJehova ayengakawunikezi umthetho olotshiwe, imizwa yakhe ngomshado yayicacile. Umuzwa kaJosefa wokuziphatha nesifiso sakhe sokujabulisa uJehova, kwamenza wenqaba ukuziphatha kabi.

13. Yini okungenzeka yenza kungenzeki ngoJosefa ukugwema umkaPotifaro?

¹³ Nokho, umkaPotifaro waphikelela, enxusa uJosefa “izinsuku ngezinsuku” ukuba alale naye. Kungani uJosefa engazange avele amgweme? Phela, njengesigqila, wayenemisebenzi okwakumelwe ayenze futhi engenakwenza lutho ukuze ashintshe isimo sakhe. Ubufakazi bemivubukulo busikisela ukuthi izindlu zaseGibithe zazakhiwe ngendlela eyayenza kudingeke unqamule ekamelweni elikhulu ukuze ufike kwawokugcina izimpahla. Ngakho, kungenzeka yayingekho indlela yokuba uJosefa agweme umkaPotifaro.—Genesise 39:10.

14. (a) Kwenzekani kuJosefa ngemva kokuba ebalekele umkaPotifaro? (b) UJehova wambusisa kanjani uJosefa ngenxa yokwethembeka kwakhe?

¹⁴ Lwafika usuku lapho bebodwa endlini. UmkaPotifaro wabamba uJosefa wathi: “Lala nami.” UJosefa wabaleka. Ezizwa kabi ngenxa yokwenqatshwa, umkaPotifaro wambheca ngokuthi wayezama ukumdlwengula. Waba yini umphumela? Ingabe uJehova wamvuza ngokushesha uJosefa ngenkambo yakhe yobuqotho? Cha. UJosefa wafakwa etilongweni waboshwa ngozankosi. (Genesise 39:12-20; IHubo 105:18) UJehova wakubona lokhu kungabi nabulungisa futhi ekugcineni wamkhipha uJosefa etilongweni wamphakamisa ngokumfaka esigodlweni. Waba nesikhundla esiphakeme esidlulwa esisodwa kuphela eGibithe futhi wabusiswa ngenkosikazi nezingane. (Genesise 41:14, 15, 39-45, 50-52) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukulandisa ngobuqotho bukaJosefa kwalotshwa eminyakeni engu-3 500 edlule ukuze kuhlolwe yizinceku zikaNkulunkulu kusukela ngaleso sikhathi. Yeka izibusiso ezimangalisayo zokunamathela emithethweni kaNkulunkulu yokulunga! Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, singase singaziboni njalo izinzuzo ezisheshayo zokulondoloza ubuqotho bokuziphatha, kodwa singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyabona futhi uyosibusisa ngesikhathi esifanele.—2 IziKronike 16:9.

‘Isivumelwano SikaJobe Namehlo Akhe’

15. Sasiyini ‘isivumelwano sikaJobe namehlo akhe’?

¹⁵ Omunye umgcini wobuqotho kwakunguJobe.  Phakathi nokulingwa akulethelwa nguDeveli, uJobe wabukeza ukuphila kwakhe futhi wathi uzimisele ukubhekana nokujeziswa okunzima uma, phakathi kokunye, ayephule isimiso sikaJehova sokuziphatha kobulili. UJobe wathi: “Ngenza isivumelwano namehlo ami: ngingabuka kanjani intombi na?” (Jobe 31:1) Ngalokhu, uJobe wayesho ukuthi ekuzimiseleni kwakhe ukugcina ubuqotho kuNkulunkulu, wayenqume ukugwema ngisho nokubuka owesifazane ngokumkhanuka. Yiqiniso, wayebabona abesifazane ekuphileni kwansuku zonke futhi kungenzeka wayebasiza uma bedinga usizo. Kodwa wayengeke ambuke ngomqondo wokuba nezinhloso zothando. Ngaphambi kokuba ukulingwa kwakhe kuqale, wayeyindoda ecebe kakhulu, ‘emkhulu kunabo bonke abantu basempumalanga.’ (Jobe 1:3) Nokho, akazange asebenzise amandla engcebo ukuze akhange abesifazane abaningi. Ngokusobala, akakaze acabange nokucabanga ngethemba lokuthi kwakungenzeka abe nobuhlobo bobulili nabesifazane abasebasha.

16. (a) Kungani uJobe eyisibonelo esihle kumaKristu ashadile? (b) Ukuziphatha kwamadoda osuku lukaMalaki kwakuhluke kanjani kokukaJobe, futhi kuthiwani namuhla?

¹⁶ Ngakho, ezikhathini ezimnandi nakwezinzima, uJobe wabonisa ubuqotho bokuziphatha. UJehova wakubona lokhu futhi wambusisa ngokucebile. (Jobe 1:10; 42:12) Yeka isibonelo esihle uJobe ayiso kumaKristu ashadile, kokubili awesilisa nawesifazane! Yingakho uJehova ayemthanda kangaka! Ngokuphambene, ukuziphatha kwabaningi namuhla kufana kakhulu nalokho okwenzeka osukwini lukaMalaki. Lowo mprofethi walahla indlela amadoda amaningi ayeshiya ngayo omkayo, ngokuvamile ukuze ashade nabesifazane abasebasha. I-altare likaJehova laligcwele izinyembezi zamakhosikazi ashiyiwe, futhi uNkulunkulu wabasola labo ‘ababekhohlise’ omkabo ngale ndlela.—Malaki 2:13-16.

Owesifazane Osemusha Omsulwa

17. UmShulamiti wayefana kanjani ‘nensimu ehluthulelweyo’?

¹⁷ Umgcini wobuqotho wesithathu kwakuyintombi engumShulamiti. Njengoba yayisencane futhi iyinhle, ayigcinanga ngokukhanga umfana ongumalusi kodwa yakhanga nenkosi ecebile yakwa-Israyeli, uSolomoni. Kuyo yonke indaba emnandi elandiswe esiHlabelelweni seziHlabelelo, umShulamiti wahlala emsulwa, kanjalo wahlonishwa yilabo ayephakathi kwabo. USolomoni, nakuba le ntombi ingamvumanga, waphefumulelwa ukuba abhale indaba yayo. Umalusi eyayimthanda naye wakuhlonipha ukuziphatha kwayo okumsulwa. Ngesinye isikhathi wathi ‘yayinjengensimu ehluthulelweyo.’ (IsiHlabelelo 4:12) Kwa-Israyeli wasendulo, amasimu amahle ayeba nemifino emihle enhlobonhlobo, izimbali ezinephunga elimnandi nezihlahla ezinde. Amasimu anjalo ayevame ukubiyelwa ngothango noma udonga futhi kwakungenwa kuwo ngesango elihluthulelwayo kuphela. (Isaya 5:5) Kumalusi, ubumsulwa bokuziphatha komShulamiti nokuthandeka kwakhe kwakunjengensimu enjalo enobuhle obuyivelakancane. Wayemsulwa ngokuphelele. Imizwa yakhe yothando yayiyojatshulelwa ngumyeni wakhe wesikhathi esizayo kuphela.

18. Ukulandisa okuphathelene noJosefa, uJobe nomShulamiti kusikhumbuzani?

 ¹⁸ UmShulamiti uyisibonelo esihle kakhulu kwabesifazane abangamaKristu namuhla ngesimilo sakhe. UJehova wabubona futhi wabazisa ubumsulwa bentombazane engumShulamiti futhi wayibusisa njengoba nje abusisa uJosefa noJobe. Izenzo zabo zobuqotho zilotshwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu ukuze kuqondiswe thina. Nakuba imizamo yethu yokugcina ubuqotho namuhla ingangeni eBhayibhelini, uJehova ‘unencwadi yokukhumbula’ labo abafuna ukwenza intando yakhe. Masingalokothi sikhohlwe ukuthi uJehova ‘uyaqaphela’ futhi ajabule njengoba sizama ngobuqotho ukuhlala sihlanzekile ekuziphatheni kwethu.—Malaki 3:16.

19. (a) Kufanele sikubheke kanjani ukuhlanzeka kokuziphatha? (b) Kuzoxoxwa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁹ Nakuba labo abangenalukholo bengase basihleke usulu, siyakujabulela ukulalela uMdali wethu onothando. Sinezindinganiso eziphakeme zokuziphatha, izindinganiso zokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu. Kufanele siziqhenye ngalokhu, sikwazise. Ngokulondoloza ukuziphatha okuhlanzekile, singajabulela isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu futhi singalondoloza ithemba eligqamile lezibusiso ezingenakuphela zesikhathi esizayo. Nokho, ngomqondo ongokoqobo, yini esingayenza ukuze sihlale sihlanzekile ekuziphatheni kwethu? Isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngalo mbuzo obalulekile.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ungachaza?

• IBhayibheli lifundisani ngobuhlobo bobulili?

• Lihlanganisani igama elithi “ubufebe” eBhayibhelini?

• Kusizuzisa kanjani ukuhlala sihlanzekile ngokokuziphatha?

• Kungani uJosefa, uJobe nentombi engumShulamiti beyizibonelo ezinhle kumaKristu namuhla?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

UJosefa wakubalekela ukuziphatha okubi

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

Intombazane engumShulamiti ‘yayinjengensimu ehluthulelweyo’

[Isithombe ekhasini 11]

UJobe wayenzé ‘isivumelwano namehlo akhe’