UJehova UnguNkulunkulu Obhekakade

“NguJehova! NguNkulunkulu ogcwele isihe, onomusa, ophuza ukuthukuthela, novame ubumnene.”—EKSODUSI 34:6.

1, 2. (a) Obani esikhathini esidlule abazuza emfanelweni kaJehova yokubhekakade? (b) Ungakuchaza kanjani “ukubhekakade”?

ABANTU besikhathi sikaNowa, ama-Israyeli ayehamba noMose ehlane, amaJuda ayephila lapho uJesu esemhlabeni—bonke babephila ngaphansi kwezimo ezingafani. Kodwa bonke bazuza emfanelweni kaJehova efanayo yomusa—ukubhekakade. Kwabanye, yasindisa ukuphila kwabo. Ukubhekakade kukaJehova kungasindisa nokwethu ukuphila.

² Kuyini ukubhekakade? UJehova ukubonisa nini, futhi ngasiphi isizathu? “Ukubhekakade” kudlulisela umqondo wokukhuthazelela ngesineke ukoniwa noma ukucasulwa, kuhlangene nokwenqaba ukulahla ithemba lentuthuko ebuhlotsheni obuphazamisekile. Ngakho-ke, le mfanelo inenjongo. Ikhathalela ngokukhethekile inhlalakahle yalowo obangela isimo esingathandeki. Nokho, ukuba obhekakade akusho ukushalazela ukona. Lapho injongo yokubhekakade isifezekile noma lapho kungasekho okungafezwa ukubekezelela isimo, ukubhekakade kuyaphela.

3. Iyini injongo yokubhekakade kukaJehova, futhi kuyophela nini?

³ Nakuba abantu bengase babe ababhekakade, uJehova uyisibonelo esivelele sale mfanelo. Eminyakeni yangemva kokuba isono siphazamise ubuhlobo phakathi kukaJehova nendalo yakhe engabantu, uMdali wethu uye wabonisa ukukhuthazela ngesineke walungiselela nendlela yokuba abantu abaphendukayo bathuthukise ubuhlobo babo naye. (2 Petru 3:9; 1 Johane 4:10) Kodwa lapho ukubhekakade kwakhe sekuyifinyelele injongo yako, uNkulunkulu uyobathathela isinyathelo abenzi bokubi bangamabomu, aqede lesi simiso sezinto.—2 Petru 3:7.

Kuyavumelana Nezimfanelo ZikaNkulunkulu Eziyinhloko

4. (a) Umqondo wokubhekakade uvezwe kanjani emiBhalweni YesiHeberu? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.) (b) Umprofethi uNahume umchaza kanjani uJehova, futhi lokhu kwembulani ngokubhekakade kukaJehova?

⁴ EmiBhalweni YesiHeberu, umqondo wokubhekakade uvezwe ngamagama amabili esiHeberu ngokwezwi nezwi asho “ubude bamakhala,” ahunyushwa ngokuthi “ukwephuza ukuthukuthela” kuyi-New World Translation. * Lapho ekhuluma ngokubhekakade kukaNkulunkulu, umprofethi uNahume wathi: “UJehova wephuza ukuthukuthela, mkhulu ngamandla, akenzi onecala abe msulwa.” (Nahume 1:3) Ngakho, ukubhekakade kukaJehova akulona uphawu lobuthakathaka futhi kunemingcele. Ukuthi uNkulunkulu ongumninimandla onke uyephuza ukuthukuthela kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo unamandla amakhulu kubonisa ukuthi ukubhekakade kwakhe kuwumphumela wokuzibamba ngenhloso. Unamandla okujezisa, kodwa ngamabomu akajezisi ngokushesha ukuze anikeze owonayo ithuba lokuphenduka. (Hezekeli 18:31, 32) Ngakho-ke, ukubhekakade kukaJehova kuwukubonakaliswa kothando lwakhe, futhi kubonisa ukuhlakanipha kwakhe ekusebenziseni amandla akhe.

5. Ukubhekakade kukaJehova kuvumelana kanjani nobulungisa bakhe?

 ⁵ Ukubhekakade kukaJehova kuyavumelana futhi nobulungisa nokulunga kwakhe. Wazembula kuMose ‘njengoNkulunkulu ogcwele isihe, onomusa, ophuza ukuthukuthela [noma, obhekakade], novame ubumnene neqiniso.’ (Eksodusi 34:6) Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, uMose wahlabelela edumisa uJehova: “Zonke izindlela zakhe zingukulunga; unguNkulunkulu wokuthembeka ongenakonakala; ulungile, uqotho yena.” (Duteronomi 32:4) Yebo, isihe, ukubhekakade, ubulungisa nobuqotho bukaJehova konke kusebenzisana ngokuvumelana.

Ukubhekakade KukaJehova Ngaphambi KweSikhukhula

6. Yibuphi ubufakazi obuphawulekayo bokubhekakade uJehova aye wakubonisa enzalweni ka-Adamu no-Eva?

⁶ Ukuvukela kuka-Adamu no-Eva e-Edene kwabunqamula unomphela ubuhlobo babo obuyigugu noMdali wabo onothando, uJehova. (Genesise 3:8-13, 23, 24) Lokhu kuhlukaniswa kwathonya inzalo yabo, eyazuza njengefa isono, ukungapheleli nokufa. (Roma 5:17-19) Nakuba umbhangqwana wokuqala ongabantu wawuyizoni zangamabomu, uJehova wawuvumela ukuba ube nezingane. Kamuva, ngothando wenza ilungiselelo lokuba inzalo ka-Adamu no-Eva ikwazi ukubuyisana naye. (Johane 3:16, 36) Umphostoli uPawulu wachaza: “UNkulunkulu utusa uthando lwakhe siqu kithi ngoba, ngesikhathi siseyizoni, uKristu wasifela. Ngakho-ke, njengoba kuye kwathiwa silungile ngegazi lakhe manje, siyosindiswa nakakhulu ngaye olakeni. Ngoba uma, lapho siseyizitha, sabuyisana noNkulunkulu ngokufa kweNdodana yakhe, siyosindiswa ngokuphila kwayo nakakhulu njengoba sesibuyisene.”—Roma 5:8-10.

7. UJehova wakubonisa kanjani ukubhekakade ngaphambi kweSikhukhula, futhi kungani ukubhujiswa kwesizukulwane sangaphambi kweSikhukhula kwakufaneleka ngokugcwele?

⁷ Ukubhekakade kukaJehova kwabonakala esikhathini sikaNowa. Kusasele iminyaka engaphezu kweyikhulu ngaphambi kweSikhukhula, “uNkulunkulu wabona ukuthi umhlaba wonakele, ngokuba inyama yonke yayonakalisile indlela yayo emhlabeni.” (Genesise 6:12) Nokho, okwesikhathi esilinganiselwe, uJehova wabonisa isintu ukubhekakade. Wathi: “UMoya wami awuyikubusa njalo kumuntu, njengokuba eyinyama nje; izinsuku zakhe ziyakuba yiminyaka eyikhulu namashumi amabili.” (Genesise 6:3) Leyo minyaka engu-120 yanika uNowa othembekile isikhathi sokuba nomkhaya nesokwakha umkhumbi—lapho esetsheliwe ngesinqumo sikaNkulunkulu—futhi axwayise abantu besikhathi sakhe ngeSikhukhula esasiza. Umphostoli uPetru wabhala: ‘Ukubekezela  kukaNkulunkulu [imfanelo ehlobene nokubhekakade] kwalinda ezinsukwini zikaNowa, ngesikhathi kusakhiwa umkhumbi, okwathi ngawo abantu abambalwa, okungukuthi, imiphefumulo eyisishiyagalombili, bathwalwa ngokuphepha emanzini.’ (1 Petru 3:20) Yiqiniso, labo ababengaphandle komkhaya kaNowa ‘abakunakanga’ ukushumayela kwakhe. (Mathewu 24:38, 39) Kodwa ngokuyala uNowa ukuba akhe umkhumbi futhi abe “umshumayeli wokulunga” mhlawumbe amashumi amaningana eminyaka, uJehova wanika abantu besikhathi sikaNowa ithuba elanele lokuphenduka ezindleleni zabo zobudlova, bakhonze Yena. (2 Petru 2:5; Heberu 11:7) Ukubhujiswa kwaleso sizukulwane esibi ekugcineni kwakufaneleka ngokugcwele.

Wabonisa U-Israyeli Ukubhekakade Okuyisibonelo

8. Ukubhekakade kukaJehova esizweni sakwa-Israyeli kwabonakala kanjani?

⁸ Ukubhekakade kukaJehova ku-Israyeli kwaqhubeka isikhathi eside kakhulu kuneminyaka engu-120. Kuyo yonke iminyaka engaphezu kuka-1 500 yomlando wawo njengesizwe sikaNkulunkulu esikhethiwe, zazimbalwa izikhathi lapho ama-Israyeli ayengakuvivinyi ngokuphelele ukubhekakade kukaNkulunkulu. Kusaphele amasonto nje ekhululwe ngokuyisimangaliso eGibithe, aphendukela ekukhulekeleni izithombe, abonisa ukungamhloniphi nakancane uMsindisi wawo. (Eksodusi 32:4; IHubo 106:21) Phakathi namashumi eminyaka alandela, ama-Israyeli akhononda ngokudla uJehova ayewalungiselela kona ngokuyisimangaliso ehlane, akhononda ngoMose no-Aroni, akhuluma kabi ngoJehova futhi afeba namaqaba, aze ahlanganyela ekukhulekeleni uBali imbala. (Numeri 11:4-6; 14:2-4; 21:5; 25:1-3; 1 Korinte 10:6-11) UJehova wayengababhubhisa kufanele abantu bakhe, kodwa kunalokho wabonisa ukubhekakade.—Numeri 14:11-21.

9. UJehova wazibonakalisa kanjani enguNkulunkulu obhekakade ngesikhathi sabaHluleli nangesikhathi sokubusa kwamakhosi?

⁹ Ngesikhathi sabaHluleli, ama-Israyeli awela kaningi ekukhonzeni izithombe. Lapho enza kanjalo, uJehova wayewayekela ezitheni zawo. Kodwa lapho ephenduka ecela usizo kuye, wabonisa ukubhekakade, wavusa abahluleli ukuba bawakhulule. (AbAhluleli 2:17, 18) Phakathi nenkathi ende yokubusa kwamakhosi, ambalwa amakhosi abonisa ukuzinikela kuJehova kuphela. Ngisho nangaphansi kwamakhosi athembekile, abantu babevame ukuxubanisa ukukhulekela kweqiniso nokwamanga. Lapho uJehova evusa abaprofethi ukuba baxwayise ngokungathembeki, abantu ngokuvamile babekhetha ukulalela abapristi abakhohlakele nabaprofethi bamanga. (Jeremiya 5:31; 25:4-7) Empeleni, ama-Israyeli abashushisa abaprofethi bakaJehova abathembekile aze ababulala abanye babo. (2 IziKronike 24:20, 21; IzEnzo 7:51, 52) Noma kunjalo, uJehova waqhubeka ebonisa ukubhekakade.—2 IziKronike 36:15.

Ukubhekakade KukaJehova Akuphelanga

10. Ukubhekakade kukaJehova kwafika nini emkhawulweni?

¹⁰ Nokho, umlando ubonisa ukuthi ukubhekakade kukaNkulunkulu kunomkhawulo. Ngo-740  B.C.E., wavumela abase-Asiriya ukuba bagumbuqele umbuso wakwa-Israyeli wezizwe eziyishumi, badingise izakhamuzi zawo. (2 AmaKhosi 17:5, 6) Futhi ekupheleni kwekhulu leminyaka elalandela, wavumela abaseBabiloni ukuba bahlasele umbuso wakwaJuda wezizwe ezimbili babhubhise iJerusalema nethempeli lalo.—2 IziKronike 36:16-19.

11. UJehova wakubonisa kanjani ukubhekakade ngisho nalapho ekhipha isahlulelo?

¹¹ Nokho, ngisho nalapho ekhipha izahlulelo zakhe ku-Israyeli noJuda, uJehova akakhohlwanga ukuba obhekakade. Ngomprofethi wakhe uJeremiya, uJehova wabikezela ukubuyiselwa kwesizwe sakhe esikhethiwe. Wathi: “Lapho iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa isiphelile eBabele, ngiyakunihambela, ngiqinise phezu kwenu izwi lami elihle ngokunibuyisela kule ndawo. Ngiyakufunyanwa yinina . . . Ngibuyise ukuthunjwa kwenu, nginibuthe ezizweni zonke nasezindaweni zonke lapho nginixoshele khona.”—Jeremiya 29:10, 14.

12. Kwabonakala kanjani ukuthi ukubuyela kwensali yamaJuda kwaJuda kwakuqondiswe nguNkulunkulu ngenjongo yokufika kukaMesiya?

¹² Insali yamaJuda ayedingisiwe yabuyela ngempela kwaJuda, yavuselela ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova ethempelini elakhiwe kabusha eJerusalema. Ekufezekeni kwezinjongo zikaJehova, le nsali yayiyoba “njengamazolo avela kuJehova,” aletha ukuqabuleka nokuchuma. Yayiyoba nesibindi futhi ibe namandla “njengengonyama phakathi kwezilwane zasehlathini.” (Mika 5:7, 8) Le nkulumo yakamuva kungenzeka yagcwaliseka ngenkathi yamaMaccabee lapho amaJuda ayengaphansi komndeni wakwaMaccabee exosha izitha zawo eZweni Lesithembiso futhi enikezela kabusha ithempeli elalingcolisiwe. Kanjalo izwe nethempeli kwalondolozwa ukuze nenye insali ethembekile ikwazi ukwamukela iNdodana kaNkulunkulu lapho ivela njengoMesiya.—Daniyeli 9:25; Luka 1:13-17, 67-79; 3:15, 21, 22.

13. Ngisho nangemva kokuba amaJuda ebulele iNdodana yakhe, uJehova waqhubeka kanjani ewabonisa ukubhekakade?

¹³ Ngisho nangemva kokuba amaJuda ebulele iNdodana yakhe, uJehova waqhubeka ewabonisa ukubhekakade isikhathi esengeziwe esiyiminyaka emithathu nengxenye, wanika wona wodwa ithuba lokubizelwa ekubeni yingxenye yenzalo ka-Abrahama engokomoya. (Daniyeli 9:27) * Ngaphambi nangemva kuka-36 C.E., amaJuda athile alwamukela lolu bizo, kanjalo, njengoba uPawulu asho kamuva, “kwavela . . . insali ngokokukhetha okungenxa yomusa ongafanelwe.”—Roma 11:5.

14. (a) Ngo-36 C.E., obani abanikwa ilungelo lokuba yingxenye yenzalo ka-Abrahama engokomoya? (b) UPawulu wayiveza kanjani imizwa yakhe ngendlela uJehova akhetha ngayo amalungu ka-Israyeli ongokomoya?

¹⁴ Ngo-36 C.E., ilungelo lokuba yingxenye yenzalo ka-Abrahama engokomoya ladluliselwa ngokokuqala kulabo ababengewona amaJuda bengewona namaproselithe. Noma yibaphi ababesabela babethola nomusa kaJehova ongafanelwe nokubhekakade kwakhe. (Galathiya 3:26-29; Efesu 2:4-7) Ebonga ngokujulile ngokuhlakanipha  nenjongo kaJehova, okuyizizathu zokubhekakade kwakhe kwesihe aveza ngakho inani eliphelele lalabo ababizelwe ukuphelelisa u-Israyeli ongokomoya, uPawulu wababaza: “O ukujula kwengcebo nokuhlakanipha nolwazi lukaNkulunkulu! Yeka ukuthi zingezingaphenyeki kanjani izahlulelo zakhe nokuthi zingezingenakuthungathwa kanjani izindlela zakhe!”—Roma 11:25, 26, 33; Galathiya 6:15, 16.

Unokubhekakade Ngenxa Yegama Lakhe

15. Siyini isizathu esiyinhloko sokubhekakade kwaphezulu, futhi iyiphi impikiswano eyayidinga isikhathi ukuze ixazululwe?

¹⁵ Kungani uJehova ebonisa ukubhekakade? Ngokuyinhloko ukuze akhulise igama lakhe elingcwele, alwele nobukhosi bakhe. (1 Samuweli 12:20-22) Impikiswano uSathane ayiphakamisa mayelana nendlela uJehova asebenzisa ngayo ubukhosi baKhe yayidinga isikhathi ukuze ixazululwe ngokwanelisayo phambi kwayo yonke indalo. (Jobe 1:9-11; 42:2, 5, 6) Ngakho, lapho abantu bakhe becindezelwe eGibithe, uJehova watshela uFaro: “Ngikumise ngalokhu ukuba ngikubonise amandla ami, igama lami lishunyayelwe emhlabeni wonke.”—Eksodusi 9:16.

16. (a) Ukubhekakade kukaJehova kwénza kanjani ukuba kwenzeke ukulungiselela isizwe segama lakhe? (b) Igama likaJehova liyongcweliswa kanjani futhi ubukhosi bakhe bulwelwe kanjani?

¹⁶ Amazwi uJehova awasho kuFaro acashunwa lapho umphostoli uPawulu echaza indima yokubhekakade kukaNkulunkulu ekukhazinyulisweni kwegama laKhe elingcwele. UPawulu wabe esebhala: “Manje, uma uNkulunkulu, nakuba ethanda ukubonisa ulaka lwakhe nokwenza amandla akhe aziwe, azibekezelela ngokubhekakade okukhulu izitsha zolaka ezenziwe zafanelwa ukubhujiswa, ukuze enze yaziwe ingcebo yenkazimulo yakhe ezitsheni zesihe, azilungiselela inkazimulo kusengaphambili, okuwukuthi, thina, asibiza hhayi kumaJuda kuphela kodwa nakwabezizwe, pho kunani? Kunjengoba esho nakwekaHoseya: ‘Labo abangebona abantu bami ngizobabiza ngokuthi “abantu bami.”’” (Roma 9:17, 22-25) Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova wabonisa ukubhekakade, wakwazi ukuthatha ezizweni “isizwe segama lakhe.” (IzEnzo 15:14) Ngaphansi kweNhloko yabo, uJesu Kristu, laba “abangcwele” bayizindlalifa zoMbuso uJehova ayowusebenzisa ukuze angcwelise igama laKhe eliphakeme alwele nobukhosi  baKhe.—Daniyeli 2:44; 7:13, 14, 27; IsAmbulo 4:9-11; 5:9, 10.

Ukubhekakade KukaJehova Kuphumela Ensindisweni

17, 18. (a) UJehova singamgxeka kanjani singahlosile ngokubonisa kwakhe ukubhekakade? (b) Sikhuthazwa ukuba sikubheke kanjani ukubhekakade kukaJehova?

¹⁷ Kusukela enhlekeleleni yasekuqaleni yokuwela kwesintu esonweni kuze kube manje, uJehova uye wazibonakalisa enguNkulunkulu obhekakade. Ukubhekakade kwakhe ngaphambi kweSikhukhula kwanikeza isikhathi sokuba kunikezwe isixwayiso esanele, kwakhiwe nethuluzi lensindiso. Kodwa ukubekezela kwakhe kwafika ekugcineni, sase sifika iSikhukhula. Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, uJehova ubonisa ukubhekakade okukhulu, futhi sekuqhubeke isikhathi eside kunalokho okungenzeka abaningi babekulindele. Nokho, leso akusona isizathu sokulahla ithemba. Ukwenza kanjalo kungaba njengokugxeka uNkulunkulu ngokubhekakade kwakhe. UPawulu wabuza: “Ingabe uyayidelela ingcebo yomusa nonembe nokubhekakade kwakhe, ngoba ungazi ukuthi imfanelo kaNkulunkulu yomusa izama ukukuholela ekuphendukeni?”—Roma 2:4.

¹⁸ Akekho kithi olaziyo izinga eligcwele esikudinga ngalo ukubhekakade kukaNkulunkulu ukuze kuqinisekwe ukuthi siyamukeleka kuye ukuba sithole insindiso. UPawulu usinxusa ukuba ‘siqhubeke sikhandlekela ukusindiswa kwethu siqu ngokwesaba nangokuthuthumela.’ (Filipi 2:12) Umphostoli uPetru wabhalela amaKristu ayekanye nawo: “UJehova akephuzi ngokuqondene nesithembiso sakhe, njengoba abanye abantu becabangela ukwephuza, kodwa uyanibekezelela ngoba akafisi ukuba noma ubani abhujiswe kodwa ufisa ukuba bonke bafinyelele ekuphendukeni.”—2 Petru 3:9.

19. Singakusebenzisa kanjani ngokuyinzuzo ukubhekakade kukaJehova?

¹⁹ Ngakho, masingaphelelwa yisineke ngenxa yendlela kaJehova yokusingatha izinto. Kunalokho, masilalele iseluleko sikaPetru esiqhubekayo, ‘sibheke ukubekezela kweNkosi yethu njengensindiso.’ Insindiso kabani? Eyethu neyabanye abaningi okusadingeka bezwe “izindaba ezinhle zombuso.” (2 Petru 3:15; Mathewu 24:14) Lokhu kuyosisiza ukuba siwazise umusa ocebile wokubhekakade kukaJehova futhi kusishukumisele ukuba nathi sibe ababhekakade ekusebenzelaneni kwethu nabanye.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ungachaza?

• Lisho ukuthini igama elithi “ukubhekakade” eBhayibhelini?

• UJehova wakubonisa kanjani ukubhekakade kwakhe ngaphambi kweSikhukhula, ngemva kokuthunjwa eBabiloni, nangekhulu lokuqala C.E.?

• Yiziphi izizathu ezibalulekile eziye zenza uJehova wabonisa ukubhekakade?

• Kufanele sikubheke kanjani ukubhekakade kukaJehova?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

Ukubhekakade kukaJehova ngaphambi kweSikhukhula kwanika abantu ithuba elanele lokuphenduka

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

Ngemva kokuwa kweBabiloni, amaJuda azuza emfanelweni kaJehova yokubhekakade

[Isithombe ekhasini 11]

Ekhulwini lokuqala, amaJuda nabangemaJuda bazuza emfanelweni kaJehova yokubhekakade

[Izithombe ekhasini 12]

AmaKristu namuhla akusebenzisa ngokunenzuzo ukubhekakade kukaJehova