Ungaphumelela Kungakhathaliseki Ukuthi Wakhuliswa Kanjani

UNICHOLAS wayethambekele ekuvukeleni kusukela esemncane. * Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ukungqubuzana ayenakho ngaphakathi kwamholela ekusebenziseni kabi izidakamizwa nasekudakweni. UNicholas uyachaza: “Ubaba wayewumlutha wotshwala, futhi wasihlupha kakhulu mina nodadewethu.”

Ngendlela ababebonakala ngayo, abazali bakaMalinda babengamalungu omphakathi asontayo ahloniphekile. Kodwa futhi babehileleke kakhulu ehlelweni elithile. “Eminye yemikhuba yehlelo labo yayihilela ukungixhaphaza futhi ingiphula umoya njengengane,” kubalisa uMalinda, manje oseneminyaka eyevile ku-30 ubudala. Uyanezela: “Umuzwa wokungabi nathemba nokungabi yinto yalutho owagxiliswa kimi wahlala njalo.”

Ubani ongaphika ukuthi kwabaningi isikhathi sabo sasebuntwaneni sonakaliswa ubudlova, ukuxhashazwa, ukunganakwa abazali nezinye izici ezilimazayo? Amanxeba osizi lwasebuntwaneni angase ajule. Kodwa ingabe leyo mizwa ebuhlungu kumelwe nakanjani iwaqede ngokuphelele amathuba okuba umuntu amukele iqiniso leZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi athole injabulo enkulu? Naphezu kwendlela abakhuliswa ngayo, ingabe uNicholas noMalinda bangaphumelela ekubeni abantu abaqotho? Ake uqale ucabange ngesibonelo senkosi yakwaJuda, uJosiya.

Isibonelo EsingokomBhalo

UJosiya wabusa uJuda iminyaka engu-31 ngekhulu lesikhombisa B.C.E. (659-629 B.C.E.) Lapho uJosiya ebekwa esihlalweni sobukhosi, ngemva kokubulawa kukayise, izinto zazizimbi kakhulu kwaJuda. KwaJuda naseJerusalema kwakugcwele abakhulekeli bakaBali nalabo ababefunga unkulunkulu oyinhloko wabakwa-Amoni, uMilkomu. UZefaniya, umprofethi kaNkulunkulu wangaleso sikhathi, wathi amakhosana akwaJuda ‘ayeyizingonyama ezibhongayo,’ abahluleli ‘beyizimpisi zokuhlwa.’ Ngenxa yalokho, ubudlova nokukhohlisa kwakudlangile ezweni. Abaningi babethi enhliziyweni yabo: “UJehova akenzi okuhle, akenzi nokubi.”—Zefaniya 1:3–2:3; 3:1-5.

Waba ngumbusi onjani uJosiya? Umlobi womlando weBhayibheli, u-Ezra, uyabhala: “[UJosiya] wenza okulungile emehlweni kaJehova, wahamba ngezindlela zikaDavide uyise, kachezukelanga ngakwesokunene nangakwesokhohlo.” (2 IziKronike 34:1, 2) Kunezinkomba zokuthi uJosiya waphumelela ekwenzeni okulungile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. Kodwa wayephuma emkhayeni onjani?

Wanakekelwa Noma Waxhashazwa Ebuntwaneni?

Lapho uJosiya ezalwa ngo-667 B.C.E., uyise, u-Amoni, wayeneminyaka engu-16 kuphela ubudala, futhi umkhulu wakhe uManase wayebusa kwaJuda. UManase wayengenye yamakhosi amabi kunawo wonke ake abusa uJuda. Wakhela uBali ama-altare, “wenza okubi okuningi emehlweni kaJehova.” Wadabulisa amadodana akhe emlilweni, wenza imilingo, wabhula, wagqugquzela imikhuba yokusebenzelana nemimoya wachitha negazi eliningi elingenacala. UManase wafaka nesithombe esibaziwe sesibonda esingcwele ayesenzile endlini kaJehova. Wayenga uJuda neJerusalema ukuba ‘benze okubi kunabezizwe uJehova abachitha phambi kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.’—2 IziKronike 33:1-9.

UManase wayemubi kangangokuba uJehova wabangela ukuba aboshwe ngamaketanga ayiswe  eBabiloni, okwakungumuzi wasebukhosini wenye yamakhosi ase-Asiriya. Esaboshiwe, uManase waphenduka, wazithoba, wancenga uJehova ukuba amthethelele. UNkulunkulu wasizwa isicelo sakhe somusa, wambuyisela ekubeni yinkosi eJerusalema. UManase wabe eseqala izinqubo zokulungisa izinto, ezaphumelela ngezinga elithile.—2 IziKronike 33:10-17.

Ububi bukaManase nokuphenduka kwakhe kamuva kwaba naliphi ithonya endodaneni yakhe, u-Amoni? Yaba yimbi kakhulu. Lapho uManase ephenduka, enza umzamo wokuhlanza isizwe asuse ukungcola ayekufakile, u-Amoni akasabelanga. Lapho ethatha isihlalo sobukhosi eneminyaka engu-22 ubudala, u-Amoni “wenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova njengalokho enzile uManase uyise.” Kunokuba azithobe phambi kukaJehova, ‘u-Amoni wenza amacala akhe aba maningi.’ (2 IziKronike 33:21-23) UJosiya wayeneminyaka eyisithupha kuphela ubudala lapho u-Amoni eba yinkosi yakwaJuda. Yeka ukuthi sasisibi kanjani isikhathi sikaJosiya sasebuntwaneni!

Ukubusa okubi kuka-Amoni kwaphela ngemva kweminyaka emibili lapho izinceku zakhe zimakhela uzungu, zimbulala. Nokho, abantu bezwe bababulala abakhi bozungu base bebeka indodana ka-Amoni, uJosiya, yaba yinkosi.—2 IziKronike 33:24, 25.

Naphezu kwezimo ezimbi zasebuntwaneni bakhe, uJosiya wenza okuhle emehlweni kaJehova. Ukubusa kwakhe kwaphumelela kangangokuthi iBhayibheli lithi: “Kwakungekho nkosi phambi kwakhe eyaphendukela kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yayo nangawo onke amandla ayo njengawo wonke umthetho kaMose, nangasemva kwakhe akuvelanga enjengaye.”—2 AmaKhosi 23:19-25.

Yeka ukuthi uJosiya uyisibonelo esikhuthaza kanjani kulabo okungenzeka kuye kwadingeka babekezelele ukuphila okumuncu besebencane! Yini esingayifunda esibonelweni sakhe? Yini eyasiza uJosiya ukuba akhethe inkambo efanele futhi ahlale kuyo?

 Funa Ukwazi UJehova

Ithonya elihle elalinamandla ekuphileni kukaJosiya esemncane kwakungelikayisemkhulu uManase owayephendukile. Ukuthi baba ndawonye isikhathi esingakanani laba bobabili nokuthi uJosiya wayemdala kangakanani lapho uManase elungisa izindlela zakhe, iBhayibheli alisho. Njengoba imikhaya yamaJuda yayisondelene, kungenzeka ukuthi uManase wazama ukusindisa umzukulu wakhe emathonyeni onakalisayo ayemzungezile ngokugxilisa enhliziyweni yomzukulu inhlonipho ethile ngoNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova, nezwi lakhe. Noma iyiphi imbewu yeqiniso uManase akwazi ukuyitshala enhliziyweni kaJosiya, mhlawumbe kanye namanye amathonya amahle, yagcina ithelile. Onyakeni wakhe wesishiyagalombili esesihlalweni sobukhosi sakwaJuda, uJosiya oneminyaka engu-15 ubudala wafuna ukwazi nokwenza intando kaJehova.—2 IziKronike 34:1-3.

Kwabanye abantu, ukuphela komuntu owayebaxhumanisa nezinto ezingokomoya besebancane kwakuyisihlobo esiqhelile, umuntu othile abamjwayele, noma umakhelwane. Nokho, uma inakekelwe, imbewu etshalwe ngaleyo ndlela ingathela kamuva. UMalinda, okukhulunywe ngaye ngaphambili, wayenomakhelwane onomusa owayenjengomkhulu kuye, owayeletha omagazini INqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama! njalo kubo. Emkhumbula ngothando, uthi: “Okwakungihlaba umxhwele kakhulu ngomakhelwane wethu kwakuwukuthi wayengawagubhi amaholide. Lokhu kwakubalulekile kimi ngoba iHalloween namanye amaholide kwakuyizikhathi zemikhuba ethile yokukhulekela ehlelweni labazali bami.” Ngemva kweminyaka eyishumi, lapho umngane kaMalinda emmemela emhlanganweni wobuKristu eHholo LoMbuso loFakazi BakaJehova, wakhumbula umakhelwane wakhe, wasamukela kalula isimemo. Lokho kwamsiza wafuna iqiniso.

Zithobe Phambi KukaNkulunkulu

Lapho uJosiya ebusa kwaba nezinqubo eziphawulekayo zokulungisa izinto ngokwenkolo ezweni lakwaJuda. Ngemva komkhankaso weminyaka eyisithupha wokulwa nokukhonzwa kwezithombe nowokuhlanza elakwaJuda, uJosiya waqala ukulungisa indlu kaJehova. Lapho umsebenzi usaqhubeka, umPristi Ophakeme uHilikiya wathola into ebaluleke kakhulu! Wathola ikhophi yokuqala ‘yencwadi yomthetho kaJehova.’ Enikwe nguHilikiya le ncwadi emangalisayo eyayitholakele, unobhala uShafani wabikela inkosi okwakwenzekile. Ingabe lokho kwamenza waqhosha uJosiya owayeneminyaka engu-25 ubudala?—2 IziKronike 34:3-18.

U-Ezra uyabhala: “Kwathi lapho inkosi isizwile amazwi omthetho, yaziklebhula izingubo zayo.” Lokhu kwakubonakalisa ukudabuka okusuka enhliziyweni ngoba yayiqaphela ukuthi okhokho bayo babengayigcinanga yonke imiyalo kaNkulunkulu. Uphawu lokuthobeka ngempela! Ngokushesha inkosi yathumela amadoda amahlanu ukuba ayobuza kuJehova ngomprofethikazi uHulida. La madoda abuyisa umbiko othi: ‘Kuzofika inhlekelele ngenxa yokungalalelwa koMthetho kaJehova. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi wena Nkosi uJosiya uzithobile, uyongcwatshwa ngokuthula, ungayiboni leyo nhlekelele.’ (2 IziKronike 34:19-28) Isimo sengqondo sikaJosiya sasimjabulisa uJehova.

Kungakhatheliseki ukuthi siyini isizinda sethu, nathi singazithoba phambi kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova, sibonise isimo sengqondo sokuphenduka kuye naseZwini lakhe, iBhayibheli. UNicholas, okukhulunywe ngaye ekuqaleni, wakwenza lokhu. Uthi: “Nakuba ukuphila kwami kwakonakele ngenxa yokusebenzisa kabi izidakamizwa nokudakwa, nganginesithakazelo eBhayibhelini futhi ngilangazelela ukuba nenjongo ekuphileni. Ekugcineni, ngahlangana noFakazi BakaJehova, ngashintsha ukuphila kwami, ngamukela iqiniso.” Yebo, singaba nesimo sengqondo senhlonipho ngoNkulunkulu neZwi lakhe kungakhathaliseki isimo esikuso.

Zuza Elungiselelweni LikaJehova

UJosiya wayebahlonipha ngokujulile nabaprofethi bakaJehova. Wayengagcini ngokubuza kumprofethikazi uHulida kodwa futhi wathonywa kakhulu nangabanye abaprofethi bangesikhathi sakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, uJeremiya noZefaniya babematasa bememezela izigijimi ezilahla ukukhonzwa kwezithombe okwakwenziwa kwaJuda. Yeka ukuthi ukunaka isigijimi sabo  kumelwe ukuba kwamnika amandla kangakanani uJosiya lapho esemkhankasweni wokulwa nokukhulekela kwamanga!—Jeremiya 1:1, 2; 3:6-10; Zefaniya 1:1-6.

“Inkosi,” uJesu Kristu, iye yabeka indikimba yabalandeli bayo abagcotshiwe—“isigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo”—ukuba ilungiselele ukudla okungokomoya ngesikhathi esifanele. (Mathewu 24:45-47) Ngezincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini nelungiselelo lebandla, isigaba sesigqila sisiqaphelisa izinzuzo zokulalela iseluleko seBhayibheli, sinikeze nokusikisela okusebenzayo mayelana nokusebenzisa leso seluleko ekuphileni kwethu kwansuku zonke. Yeka ukuthi kufaneleka kanjani ukuba silisebenzise ilungiselelo likaJehova lokusisiza sinqobe noma yiziphi izimo zengqondo ezingezinhle ezigxilile! Kusukela ebuntwaneni, uNicholas wayengakufuni nakancane ukuphathwa. Ngisho nalapho esefunde iqiniso leZwi likaNkulunkulu, lobu buthakathaka bamvimba ukuba akhonze uJehova ngokugcwele kakhudlwana. Ukushintsha lesi simo sengqondo akubanga lula neze kuye. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi waphumelela. Kanjani? UNicholas uyachaza: “Ngosizo lwabadala ababili ababesiqonda isimo sami, ngayivuma inkinga yami, ngaqala ukusebenzisa iseluleko sabo sothando esingokomBhalo.” Uyanezela: “Nakuba ngezinye izikhathi ngifikelwa ukucasuka, sengiyakwazi ukulawula ukuvukela kwami.”

NoMalinda uye afune amacebiso abadala lapho enza izinqumo ezibalulekile ekuphileni kwakhe. Maqondana nokubhekana nomuzwa wokuphelelwa yithemba nowokungabi yinto yalutho owasukela ebuntwaneni bakhe, akuthola kuwusizo ngokukhethekile yizihloko ezihlukahlukene ze-Nqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama! Uthi: “Ngezinye izikhathi, esihlokweni esithile kuba nesigaba noma nje umusho—iqatha elincane—elingithintayo. Eminyakeni engaba ngu-9 edlule, ngaqala ukugcina izihloko ezinjalo efayilini ukuze ngikwazi ukuzibheka ngokushesha.” Manje, amafayili akhe amathathu anezihloko ezingaba ngu-400!

Cha, akudingeki abantu bahlushwe unomphela ukuphila okumuncu kwasekhaya. Ngosizo lukaJehova bangaphumelela ngokomoya. Njengoba nje ukukhuliswa kahle kungaqinisekisi ukuthi umuntu uyokwethembeka, ukukhula kabuhlungu akumvimbi umuntu ekubeni esabe uNkulunkulu.

Ngemva kokutholakala kwencwadi yoMthetho lapho kulungiswa ithempeli, uJosiya ‘wenza isivumelwano phambi kukaJehova ukumlandela uJehova nokumlalela ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakhe nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakhe.’ (2 IziKronike 34:31) Futhi akasukanga esinqumweni sakhe kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe. UMalinda noNicholas nabo bazimisele ukuhlala bethembekile kuJehova uNkulunkulu, baphumelele ekubeni abantu abaqotho. Kwangathi nawe ungazimisela ukuhlala useduze noNkulunkulu, umkhonze ngokwethembeka. Ungaqiniseka ukuthi uyophumelela, ngoba uJehova uyathembisa: “Ungesabi, ngokuba mina nginawe; ungapheli amandla, ngokuba mina nginguNkulunkulu wakho; ngiyakuqinisa, futhi ngiyakusiza, yebo, ngiyakusekela ngesandla sokunene sokulunga kwami.”—Isaya 41:10, 13.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Izithombe ekhasini 26]

Nakuba akhuliswa kabi, uJosiya wafuna ukwazi uJehova futhi waphumelela ekuphileni

[Isithombe ekhasini 28]

Abadala bangakusiza ukuba unqobe ukuthambekela kobuntu okugxilile

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“INqabayokulinda” ne-“Phaphama!” kungakusiza ukuba ulondoloze ubuqotho bakho