“Insindiso IngekaJehova”

LAPHO kunesimo esibucayi ezweni noma izizwe zibhekene ngeziqu zamehlo, abantu balindela ukuthola isivikelo nokulondeka kohulumeni babo. Ohulumeni bona baqinisa izinhlelo ezihloselwe ukwandisa ukusekela komphakathi. Njengoba izinhlelo ezinjalo zikhuthaza ukushisekela izwe, nemikhosi yesizwe yenziwa ngendlela evusa usinga nangokuphindelela.

Esimweni esinjalo, ngokuvamile ukushisekela izwe kwenza abantu bazizwe bebumbene futhi benamandla; kungakhuthaza nomoya wokuzwana nokusizana njengomphakathi. Kodwa esinye isihloko se-New York Times Magazine sithi “ukushisekela izwe kuyingozi njenganoma yimuphi omunye umuzwa” ngoba “uma kuke kwavunyelwa kungadala inhlekelele.” Ukuboniswa kwako kungase kwenziwe ngezindlela eziphuca ezinye izakhamuzi inkululeko yazo kwezenhlalo nakwezenkolo. Ikakhulu kuba amaKristu eqiniso acindezelwa ukuba ayekethise izinkolelo zawo. Azisingatha kanjani izinto uma isimo esinjalo sigubuzela indawo akuyo? Iziphi izimiso zomBhalo eziwasiza ukuba asebenzise ukuqonda futhi ahlale eqotho kuNkulunkulu?

“Ungazikhothameli”

Ngezinye izikhathi, ukushayela ifulege lesizwe indesheni kuba yindlela ethandwayo yokubonisa imizwa yokushisekela izwe. Kodwa ngokuvamile amafulege aba nemifanekiso yezinto ezisezulwini, njengezinkanyezi, nezinye izinto ezisemhlabeni. UNkulunkulu waveza umuzwa wakhe ngokukhothamela izinto ezinjalo lapho eyala abantu bakhe ethi: “Ungazenzeli izithombe ezibaziweyo, namfanekiso wokusezulwini ngaphezulu, nowokusemhlabeni phansi, nowokusemanzini phansi komhlaba; ungazikhothameli, ungazikhonzi, ngokuba mina Jehova uNkulunkulu wakho nginguNkulunkulu onomhawu.”—Eksodusi 20:4, 5.

Ingabe ukuguqa phambi kwefulege elimelela uMbuso noma ukulishayela indesheni kuphambene nokuzinikela okukhethekile kuJehova? Ama-Israyeli asendulo ayenazo ‘iziboniso,’ noma amaduku, ayeqoqana ngakuzo ngezigaba zezizwe ezintathu lapho esehlane. (Numeri 2:1, 2) Lapho ikhulumela amagama esiHeberu asho amaduku anjalo, i-Cyclopedia kaMcClintock noStrong ithi: “Nokho, kula magama alikho eliveza umqondo esiwunikwa elithi ifulege.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, amaduku akwa-Israyeli ayengabhekwa njengangcwele, futhi kwakungekho micikilisho eyayihambisana nokusetshenziswa kwawo. Ayemane nje esetshenziswa njengophawu lokubonisa abantu lapho kumelwe bahlangane khona.

Imifanekiso yamakherubi etabernakele nasethempelini likaSolomoni yayimane nje ifanekisela amakherubi asezulwini. (Eksodusi 25:18; 26:1, 31, 33; 1 AmaKhosi 6:23, 28, 29; Heberu 9:23, 24) Okubonisa ukuthi le mifanekiso kwakungafanele ikhulekelwe ukuthi abantu abavamile babengayiboni nokuthi futhi izingelosi ngokwazo akumelwe zikhulekelwe.—Kolose 2:18; IsAmbulo 19:10; 22:8, 9.

Cabanga nangenyoka yethusi umprofethi uMose ayenza ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli esehlane. Lowo mfanekiso, noma isithombe, wawuwuphawu futhi uyisiprofetho. (Numeri 21:4-9; Johane 3:14, 15) Wawungakhulekelwa. Nokho, ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka  uMose afa, ama-Israyeli aqala ukwenza into engafanele, asikhulekela lesi sithombe, aze asishisela nempepho. Kungakho inkosi yakwaJuda uHezekiya yasiphihliza saba yizicucu.—2 AmaKhosi 18:1-4.

Ingabe amafulege amane nje ayizimpawu? Afanekiselani? Umlobi uJ. Paul Williams uthi: “Uphawu oluyinhloko ubuzwe obubonakala ngalo nento ekhulekelwayo ngokuyinhloko yifulege.” I-Encyclopedia Americana ithi: “Ifulege, njengesiphambano, lingcwele.” Ifulege liwuphawu loMbuso. Ngakho, ukulikhothamela noma ukulishayela indesheni kuyinkonzo yenkolo yokukhulekela uMbuso. Owenza isenzo esinjalo ubonisa ukuthi ulindele ukuthola insindiso eMbusweni futhi lokho akuvumelani nalokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngokukhonza izithombe.

ImiBhalo isho ngokucacile: “Insindiso ingekaJehova.” (IHubo 3:8) Insindiso ayitholakali ezinhlanganweni zabantu noma ezimpawini zazo. Umphostoli uPawulu wayala amaKristu ayekholwa nawo: “Bathandekayo bami, balekelani ukukhonza izithombe.” (1 Korinte 10:14) AmaKristu okuqala ayengawukhulekeli uMbuso. Encwadini ethi Those About to Die, uDaniel P. Mannix uthi: “AmaKristu akwenqaba ukuhlabela idlozi lombusi [wamaRoma]—okuthi akufane nokwenqaba ukushayela ifulege indesheni namuhla.” Kuyafana nangamaKristu eqiniso namuhla. Ukuze azinikele ngokukhethekile kuJehova, ayakugwema ukushayela ifulege lanoma isiphi isizwe indesheni. Ngokwenza kanjalo, abeka uNkulunkulu kuqala abe eqhubeka ehlonipha ohulumeni nababusi babo. Yebo, ayasiqaphela isibopho sawo sokuzithoba “emagunyeni aphakeme” ohulumeni. (Roma 13:1-7) Kodwa-ke, uyini umbono wemiBhalo ngokuhlabelela izingoma ezibonisa ukushisekela izwe, njengamaculo esizwe?

Ayini Amaculo Esizwe?

I-Encyclopedia Americana ithi: “Amaculo esizwe aveza imizwa yokushisekela izwe futhi ngokuvamile ahlanganisa nesicelo sokuba abantu noma ababusi babo baqondiswe futhi bavikelwe uNkulunkulu.” Empeleni, iculo lesizwe yihubo noma umthandazo owenzelwa isizwe. Cishe ngokuvamile liyisicelo sokuba isizwe sichume kwezomnotho futhi sihlale njalo. Ingabe amaKristu eqiniso kufanele ahlanganyele emithandazweni enjalo?

Umprofethi uJeremiya wayephila phakathi kwabantu ababethi bakhonza uNkulunkulu. Kodwa uJehova wathi kuye: “Ungakhulekeli laba bantu, ungabaphakamiseli ukukhala nomkhuleko, ungabanxuseli kimi, ngokuba angiyikuzwa.” (Jeremiya 7:16; 11:14; 14:11) Kungani uJeremiya anikwa lo myalo? Ngoba emphakathini wakubo kwakugcwele ukweba, ukubulala, ukuphinga, ukufunga amanga nokukhonza izithombe.—Jeremiya 7:9.

UJesu Kristu wabeka isibonelo lapho ethi: “Angenzi isicelo ngokuphathelene nezwe kodwa ngokuphathelene nalabo onginike bona.” (Johane 17:9) ImiBhalo ithi “lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi” futhi “liyadlula.” (Johane 2:17; 5:19) Unembeza wamaKristu eqiniso ungawavumela kanjani-ke ukuba athandazele ukuchuma nokuhlala njalo kwesimiso esinjalo?

Yiqiniso, akuwona wonke amaculo esizwe ahlanganisa nezicelo kuNkulunkulu. I-Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Okushiwo emaculweni esizwe kuyahlukahluka, kungaba imithandazo eyenzelwa inkosi, kungabhekisela ezimpini noma ekuvukeleni okubalulekile kwesizwe . . . noma kuveze imizwa yokushisekela izwe.” Kodwa ingabe labo abafuna ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu bangajatshuliswa yizimpi nokuvukela kwanoma yisiphi isizwe? U-Isaya wabikezela lokhu ngokuqondene nabakhulekeli beqiniso: “Bayakukhanda izinkemba zabo zibe ngamakhuba, nemikhonto yabo ibe ngocelemba.” (Isaya 2:4) Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Nakuba sihamba enyameni, asilwi impi ngokwalokho esiyikho enyameni. Ngoba izikhali zempi yethu azizona ezenyama.”—2 Korinte 10:3, 4.

Ngokuvamile amaculo esizwe azwakalisa ukuziqhayisa noma ukuziphakamisa kobuzwe.  Lesi simo sengqondo asisekelwa yimiBhalo. Enkulumweni yakhe e-Areyophagu, umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “[UJehova uNkulunkulu] wenza ngomuntu oyedwa zonke izizwe zabantu, ukuba zihlale kubo bonke ubuso bomhlaba.” (IzEnzo 17:26) Umphostoli uPetru wathi: “UNkulunkulu akakhethi, kodwa ezizweni zonke umuntu omesabayo futhi asebenze ukulunga uyamukeleka kuye.”—IzEnzo 10:34, 35.

Ngenxa yokuqonda kwabo iBhayibheli, abaningi bazikhethela bona ukugwema ukushayela ifulege indesheni nokucula amaculo abonisa ukushisekela izwe. Kodwa aziphatha kanjani lapho ebhekana nalezi zimo?

Ukungahlanganyeli Ngenhlonipho

Emzamweni wokuqinisa ubunye bombuso wakhe, uNebukadinesari inkosi yaseBabiloni lasendulo wabeka isithombe esikhulu segolide ethafeni laseDura. Wabe esehlela umkhosi wokumiswa kwaso amemela kuwo izikhulu, ababusi, izinduna, abahluleli nezinye izicukuthwane. Lapho kuzwakala umculo, bonke ababebuthene kwakumelwe bakhothame bakhulekele lesi sithombe. Phakathi kwalabo okwakumelwe babe khona kwakungamaHeberu amathathu asemasha—uShadiraki, uMeshaki no-Abedi Nego. Abonisa kanjani ukuthi ayengahlanganyeli kulo mkhosi wenkolo? Kwathi lapho kuqala umculo nalabo ababehlangene beguqa phambi kwesithombe, la maHeberu amathathu aqhubeka emile.—Daniyeli 3:1-12.

Namuhla, ngokuvamile amafulege ashayelwa indesheni ngokwelula ingalo noma ngokuthintisa isandla esiphongweni noma ngokusibeka enhliziyweni. Ngezinye izikhathi, kuba nendlela ekhethekile yokuma. Kwamanye amazwe, kulindeleke ukuba izingane esikoleni ziguqe futhi ziqabule ifulege. Ngokuma athule lapho abanye beshayela ifulege indesheni, amaKristu eqiniso akwenza kube sobala ukuthi ayizibukeli ezinenhlonipho.

Kuthiwani uma umkhosi wokukhulekela ifulege wenziwa ngendlela yokuthi ukuma nje kukodwa kuwubufakazi bokuthi umuntu uyahlanganyela? Ngokwesibonelo, ake sithi  umfundi oyedwa ukhethwa ukuba ashayele ifulege indesheni ngaphandle lapho limi khona emelele isikole sonke ngenkathi abanye abafundi kulindeleke ukuba bame ngezinyawo ekilasini. Kulokhu, ukuma nje ngokwakho kubonisa ukuvumelana nalokho umfundi akwenza ngaphandle njengoba emelele ikilasi ekushayeleni ifulege indesheni. Ukuma nganoma iyiphi indlela kungabe sekusho ukuhlanganyela kulowo mkhosi. Uma kunjalo, labo abafisa ukumane nje babe yizibukeli ezinenhlonipho bayoqhubeka behlezi phansi bethule. Kuthiwani uma lo mkhosi uqala ikilasi livele limile? Kulokhu, ukuqhubeka komuntu emile ngeke kubonise ukuthi uyahlanganyela.

Ake sithi awucelwa ukuba ushayele ifulege indesheni kodwa ucelwa ukuba ulibambe nje, kungaba sembukisweni noma ekilasini noma kwenye indawo ukuze abanye bashaye indesheni. Lokhu kungasho ukuthi ungene shí kulo mkhosi, esikhundleni ‘sokubalekela ukukhonza izithombe,’ njengoba imiBhalo iyala. Kuyinto efanayo nokumasha emibukisweni yokushisekela izwe. Ngenxa yokuthi ukwenza kanjalo kungasho ukusekela lokho okuhlonishwayo ngalowo mbukiso, amaKristu eqiniso ayenqaba ngenxa kanembeza.

Lapho kudlalwa iculo lesizwe, ngokuvamile ukuze umuntu abonise ukuthi uyavumelana nalo kudingeka ame nje kuphela. Ezimweni ezinjalo amaKristu aqhubeka ehlezi phansi. Nokho, uma iculo lesizwe lidlala evele emile, asikho isidingo sokuhlala phansi ngokukhethekile. Akukhona ukuthi akhethe ukuma ngoba kudlala iculo lesizwe. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uma wonke umuntu kulindeleke ukuba asukume acule, ukusukuma nje ngoba umKristu ehlonipha, kodwa angaculi, ngeke kusho ukuvumelana namazwi eculo.

“Yibani Nonembeza Omuhle”

Ngemva kokuchaza ukungabi nalusizo kwezinto ezikhulekelwayo ezenziwe abantu, umhubi wathi: “Abazenzayo bayafana nazo, bonke abazethembayo.” (IHubo 115:4-8) Kusobala-ke  ukuthi, abakhulekeli bakaJehova abanakusebenza lapho kwenziwa khona izinto ezikhulekelwayo, kuhlanganise namafulege esizwe. (1 Johane 5:21) Kungase kuvele nezinye izimo emsebenzini lapho amaKristu engabonisa khona ngenhlonipho ukuthi awalikhulekeli ifulege noma lokho elikumelele, kodwa akhulekela uJehova kuphela.

Ngokwesibonelo, umqashi angase acele isisebenzi ukuba sikhuphule noma sehlise ifulege elixhonywe esakhiweni. Ukuthi umuntu uyakwenza yini lokho noma cha kuya ngokuthi yena uzibheka kanjani izimo. Uma ukulikhuphula noma ukulehlisa kuyingxenye yomkhosi okhethekile, kunabantu abamile noma abalishayela indesheni, khona-ke leso senzo singasho ukuhlanganyela kulowo mkhosi.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uma kungekho mkhosi ohambisana nokukhuphula noma ukwehlisa ifulege, izenzo ezinjalo zifana nokwenza imisebenzi enjengokusilungisa leso sakhiwo, ukuvula nokukhiya iminyango kanye nokuvula nokuvala amafasitela. Ezimweni ezinjalo, ifulege limane nje liwuphawu loMbuso, futhi ukuthi umuntu uyolikhuphula noma alehlise njengomunye wemisebenzi evamile yisinqumo sakhe siqu ngokuvumelana nonembeza wakhe oqeqeshwe yiBhayibheli. (Galathiya 6:5) Unembeza womunye umuntu ungamshukumisela ukuba acele kumphathi wakhe ukuba kube ngesinye isisebenzi esehlisa noma sikhuphule ifulege. Omunye umKristu angase athi owakhe unembeza uyamvumela uma nje kungekho mkhosi ohilelekile. Noma ngabe umuntu unquma ukwenza kuphi, abakhulekeli beqiniso kufanele ‘babe nonembeza omuhle’ phambi kukaNkulunkulu.—1 Petru 3:16.

Akukho mBhalo ovimbela ukusebenza noma ukuba sezakhiweni zomphakathi, njengamahhovisi kamasipala nasezikoleni lapho kukhona khona ifulege lesizwe. Izitembu zeposi, izinombolo zezimoto nezinye izinto zikahulumeni zingaba nomfanekiso wefulege. Ukusebenzisa izinto ezinjalo kukodwa akumenzi umuntu abe umhlanganyeli ezenzweni zokukhulekela. Okubalulekile lapha akukona ukuba khona kwefulege noma umfanekiso walo, kodwa yilokho umuntu akwenza kulo.

Ngokuvamile kuye kubekwe amafulege emafasiteleni, eminyango, ezimotweni, emadeskini noma kwezinye izinto. Kuye kuthengiswe nezingubo zokugqoka ezinemifanekiso yefulege. Kwamanye amazwe akuvunyelwe ukugqoka izinto ezinjalo. Ngisho noma ukwenza kanjalo kungawephuli umthetho, bekungabonisani ngesimo somuntu ngokuqondene nezwe? Ekhuluma ngabalandeli bakhe uJesu Kristu wathi: “Abayona ingxenye yezwe, njengoba nje nami ngingeyona ingxenye yezwe.” (Johane 17:16) Okungamelwe kunganakwa yindlela isenzo esinjalo esingabathinta ngayo esikholwa nabo. Ingabe kungalimaza unembeza wabanye? Kungakwenza yini buthaka ukuzimisela kwabo ukuhlala beqinile okholweni? UPawulu weluleka amaKristu wathi: “Niqiniseke ngezinto ezibaluleke ngokwengeziwe, ukuze ningabi nasici futhi ningakhubekisi abanye.”—Filipi 1:10.

“Sibe Mnene Kubo Bonke”

Njengoba izimo zezwe ziya ziba zimbi kulezi “zikhathi ezibucayi” cishe imizwa yokushisekela izwe izoba namandla. (2 Thimothewu 3:1) Kwangathi labo abathanda uNkulunkulu bangeze bakhohlwa ukuthi insindiso ingekaJehova kuphela. Uyakufanelekela ukukhulekelwa okukhethekile. Lapho betshelwa ukuba benze okuthile okungavumelani nentando kaJehova, abaphostoli bakaJesu bathi: “Kumelwe silalele uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.”—IzEnzo 5:29.

Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Isigqila seNkosi akudingeki silwe, kodwa kudingeka sibe mnene kubo bonke.” (2 Thimothewu 2:24) Ngakho, umKristu ngamunye ulwela ukuba nokuthula, ukuhlonipha nokuba mnene njengoba ethembela kunembeza wakhe oqeqeshwe ngeBhayibheli lapho enza isinqumo mayelana nokushayela ifulege indesheni nokucula amaculo esizwe.

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Eqinile kodwa ehlonipha, amaHeberu amathathu akhetha ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

Kufanele umKristu enzenjani lapho kunomkhosi wokushisekela izwe?