Hlakulela Ukulalela Njengoba Ukuphela Kusondela

“Nezizwe ziyakumlalela [“uShilo,” NW].”—GENESISE 49:10.

1. (a) Esikhathini esidlule, ukulalela uJehova ngokuvamile kwakushoni? (b) Yisiphi isiprofetho esiphathelene nokulalela esenziwa uJakobe?

EZIKHATHINI eziningi ukulalela uJehova kuye kwasho ukulalela abameleli bakhe. Abanye babo kuye kwaba yizingelosi, izinzalamizi, abahluleli, abapristi, abaprofethi namakhosi. Isihlalo sobukhosi samakhosi akwa-Israyeli sasibizwa nangokuthi isihlalo sobukhosi sikaJehova. (1 IziKronike 29:23) Nokho, ngokudabukisayo abaningi kubabusi bakwa-Israyeli abamlalelanga uNkulunkulu, bazilethela bona nabantu babo usizi. Kodwa uJehova akabashiyanga bengenathemba abaqotho bakhe; wabaduduza ngesithembiso sokuthi uyomisa iNkosi engenakonakaliswa, abalungile ababezokujabulela ukuyilalela. (Isaya 9:6, 7) Ekufeni kwayo, inzalamizi uJakobe yaprofetha ngalo mbusi wesikhathi esizayo, yathi: “Intonga yobukhosi ayiyikusuka kuJuda, nozime lokubusa phakathi kwezinyawo zakhe, aze afike [“uShilo,” NW]; nezizwe ziyakumlalela.”—Genesise 49:10.

2. Lisho ukuthini igama elithi “Shilo,” futhi ukubusa kwakhe kuyohlanganisani?

² Elithi “Shilo” yigama lesiHeberu elisho ukuthi “Lowo Okungokwakhe.” Yebo, uShilo wayeyozuza lonke ilungelo lokubusa, njengoba lifanekiselwa yintonga yobukhosi, namandla okulawula, njengoba efanekiselwa uzime lokubusa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukubusa kwakhe kwakuyohlanganisa nazo zonke ‘izizwe,’ hhayi  inzalo kaJakobe kuphela. Lokhu kuvumelana nesithembiso sikaJehova ku-Abrahama esithi: “Inzalo yakho inqobe isango lezitha zayo, nangenzalo yakho ziyakubusiswa izizwe zonke zomhlaba.” (Genesise 22:17, 18) UJehova wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi ingubani le “nzalo” ngo-29 C.E. lapho egcoba uJesu waseNazaretha ngomoya ongcwele.—Luka 3:21-23, 34; Galathiya 3:16.

Umbuso KaJesu Wokuqala

3. Yimuphi umbuso uJesu awuthola lapho enyukela ezulwini?

³ Lapho uJesu enyukela ezulwini, akazange ayithathe ngaso leso sikhathi intonga yokubusa phezu kwezizwe zomhlaba. (IHubo 110:1) Nokho, ukhona “umbuso” awuthola onezikhonzi ezimlalelayo. Umphostoli uPawulu wawuveza lowo mbuso lapho ebhala: “[UNkulunkulu] wasikhulula [thina maKristu agcotshwe ngomoya] egunyeni lobumnyama futhi wasidlulisela embusweni weNdodana yothando lwakhe.” (Kolose 1:13) Lokhu kukhululwa kwaqala ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E. lapho umoya ongcwele uthululelwa kubalandeli bakaJesu abathembekile.—IzEnzo 2:1-4; 1 Petru 2:9.

4. Abafundi bakaJesu bokuqala bakubonisa ngaziphi izindlela ukulalela kwabo, futhi uJesu wababiza ngani njengeqembu?

⁴ ‘Njengamanxusa abambele uKristu,’ abafundi abagcotshwe ngomoya balalela, baqala ukuqoqa abanye ababezoba “yizakhamuzi kanye” nabo kulowo mbuso ongokomoya. (2 Korinte 5:20; Efesu 2:19; IzEnzo 1:8) Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwakudingeka bahlale ‘behlangene ngokufanele emqondweni ofanayo nasendleleni efanayo yokucabanga’ ukuze bathole ukuvunyelwa yiNkosi yabo uJesu Kristu. (1 Korinte 1:10) Njengeqembu bakha “isigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo,” noma isigaba somphathi othembekile.—Mathewu 24:45; Luka 12:42.

Babusiswa Ngokulalela “Umphathi” KaNkulunkulu

5. UJehova uye wabafundisa kanjani abantu bakhe kusukela endulo?

⁵ UJehova ubelokhu enika abantu bakhe abafundisi. Ngokwesibonelo, ngemva kokuba amaJuda ebuye eBabiloni, u-Ezra namanye amadoda afanelekayo awagcinanga nje ngokufundela abantu uMthetho kaNkulunkulu, kodwa ‘bawuchaza, belicacisa futhi belenza liqondwe’ iZwi likaNkulunkulu.—Nehemiya 8:8.

6, 7. Isigaba sesigqila siye sakulungiselela kanjani ngesikhathi sakho ukudla okungokomoya ngeNdikimba yaso Ebusayo, futhi kungani ukuzithoba esigabeni sesigqila kufaneleka?

⁶ Ekhulwini lokuqala, lapho kuvela indaba yokusoka ngo-49 C.E., indikimba ebusayo yaleso sigaba sokuqala  sesigqila yayicabangela ngomthandazo le ndaba, yafika esiphethweni esivumelana nemiBhalo. Lapho ikhipha isinqumo sayo ngencwadi, amabandla asilalela isiqondiso eyayisinikeza ajabulela isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu esicebile. (IzEnzo 15:6-15, 22-29; 16:4, 5) Nanamuhla, ngeNdikimba yaso Ebusayo, isigqila esikholekile siye sacacisa izindaba ezibalulekile njengokungathathi hlangothi kwamaKristu, ubungcwele begazi, ukusetshenziswa kwezidakamizwa nogwayi. (Isaya 2:4; IzEnzo 21:25; 2 Korinte 7:1) UJehova uye wababusisa abantu bakhe ngokulalela kwabo iZwi lakhe nesigqila esikholekile.

⁷ Ngokuthobela isigaba sesigqila, abantu bakaNkulunkulu babonisa ukuthobela kwabo neNkosi, uJesu Kristu. Ukuzithoba okunjalo kuye kwaba okubaluleke nakakhulu ezikhathini zanamuhla ngenxa yegunya likaJesu elenezelwe, njengoba kwabikezelwa esiprofethweni sikaJakobe esezokufa.

UShilo Uba Umbusi Ofanele Womhlaba

8. Igunya likaKristu landiswa kanjani futhi nini?

⁸ Isiprofetho sikaJakobe sabikezela ukuthi uShilo ‘wayezolalelwa yizizwe.’ Kusobala ukuthi uKristu wayengeke agcine ngokubusa u-Israyeli ongokomoya. Wayezobusa nobani? IsAmbulo 11:15 siyaphendula: “Umbuso wezwe ngempela uye waba umbuso weNkosi yethu nokaKristu wayo, futhi iyobusa njengenkosi kuze kube phakade naphakade.” IBhayibheli lembula ukuthi uJesu wamukela lelo gunya ekupheleni ‘kwezikhathi eziyisikhombisa’ okwakuprofethwe ngazo—“izikhathi ezimisiwe zezizwe”—ngo-1914. * (Daniyeli 4:16, 17; Luka 21:24) Ngalowo nyaka, kwaqala ‘ukuba khona’ kukaKristu okungabonakali njengeNkosi enguMesiya, kanye nesikhathi sakhe ‘sokubusa phakathi kwezitha zakhe.’—Mathewu 24:3; IHubo 110:2.

9. Yini uJesu ayenza lapho ethola uMbuso wakhe, futhi lokhu kubé naliphi ithonya esintwini, ikakhulu kubalandeli bakhe?

⁹ Isinyathelo sokuqala uJesu asithatha ngemva kokuthola amandla njengenkosi kwaba ukuphonsa “phansi emhlabeni” ubhongoza wokungalaleli—uSathane—namademoni akhe. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, le mimoya emibi iye yabangela isintu izinhlupheko ezingakaze zibe khona, ngaphezu kokudala izimo ezenza ukulalela uJehova kube nzima. (IsAmbulo 12:7-12; 2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Eqinisweni, okuyibona uSathane abafuna ngokuyinhloko empini yakhe engokomoya abagcotshiwe bakaJehova, “abagcina imiyalo kaNkulunkulu futhi benomsebenzi wokufakaza ngoJesu,” nabangane babo, “ezinye izimvu.”—IsAmbulo 12:17; Johane 10:16.

10. Ukugcwaliseka kwaziphi iziprofetho zeBhayibheli okusiqinisekisa ukuthi uSathane ngeke aphumelele empini yakhe namaKristu eqiniso?

¹⁰ Nokho, uSathane ngeke aphumelele ngoba lolu ‘usuku lweNkosi,’ futhi ayikho into engavimbela uJesu ukuba ‘aphelelise ukunqoba kwakhe.’ (IsAmbulo 1:10; 6:2) Ngokwesibonelo,  uzoqiniseka ukuthi ukubekwa uphawu kwama-Israyeli angokomoya angu-144 000 kuyaphothulwa. Uzovikela ‘nesixuku esikhulu, okungekho muntu owakwazi ukusibala, esiphuma kuzo zonke izizwe nezizwana nabantu nezilimi.’ (IsAmbulo 7:1-4, 9, 14-16) Nokho, ngokungafani nabangane baso abagcotshiwe, sona siyoba yizikhonzi zikaJesu ezilalelayo emhlabeni. (Daniyeli 7:13, 14) Khona kanye ukuba khona kwaso emhlabeni kunikeza ubufakazi obubonakalayo kwamanje bokuthi ngempela uShilo unguMbusi ‘wombuso wezwe.’—IsAmbulo 11:15.

Manje Yisikhathi ‘Sokulalela Izindaba Ezinhle’

11, 12. (a) Obani okuwukuphela kwabo abayosinda ekupheleni kwesimiso sezinto samanje? (b) Labo abahogela “umoya wezwe” baba naziphi izici zobuntu?

¹¹ Bonke abafuna ukuphila okuphakade kumelwe bafunde ukulalela, ngoba iBhayibheli lisho ngokucacile ukuthi “labo abangamazi uNkulunkulu [nalabo] abangazilaleli izindaba ezinhle ezimayelana neNkosi yethu uJesu” ngeke basinde ngosuku lukaNkulunkulu lwempindiselo. (2 Thesalonika 1:8) Nokho, isimo esibi samanje nomoya waso wokuvukela imithetho nezimiso zeBhayibheli kwenza ukuba ukulalela izindaba ezinhle kube yinselele.

¹² IBhayibheli libiza lo moya wokwedelela uNkulunkulu ngokuthi “umoya wezwe.” (1 Korinte 2:12) Echaza umphumela wawo kubantu, umphostoli uPawulu wabhalela amaKristu ase-Efesu ekhulu lokuqala, wathi: “[Nake] nahamba . . . ngokwesimiso sezinto salelizwe, ngokombusi wegunya lomoya, umoya manje osebenza emadodaneni okungalaleli. Yebo, phakathi kwawo nathi sonke sake saziphatha ngokuvumelana nezifiso zenyama yethu, senza izinto ezithandwa yinyama nemicabango, futhi ngokwemvelo sasingabantwana bolaka njengoba nje benjalo bonke abanye.”—Efesu 2:2, 3.

13. AmaKristu angamelana kanjani nomoya wezwe ngokuphumelelayo futhi kube namiphi imiphumela emihle?

¹³ Ngokujabulisayo, amaKristu ase-Efesu awaqhubekanga eyizigqila zalowo moya wokungalaleli. Kunalokho, aba abantwana bakaNkulunkulu abalalelayo ngokuthobela umoya wakhe, avuna izithelo zawo eziyinala nezinhle. (Galathiya 5:22, 23) Nanamuhla, umoya kaNkulunkulu—oyithonya elinamandla kunawo wonke endaweni yonke—usiza izigidi ukuba zilalele uJehova, okwenza zibe “nesiqinisekiso esigcwele sethemba kuze kube sekupheleni.”—Heberu 6:11; Zakariya 4:6.

14. UJesu wawaqaphelisa kanjani wonke amaKristu aphila ezinsukwini zokugcina ngezinto ezaziyovivinya ukulalela kwawo?

¹⁴ Khumbula futhi ukuthi sisekelwa uShilo onamandla, yena noYise abangeke bavumele sitha—esiyidemoni noma esingumuntu—sivivivinye ukulalela kwethu ngaphezu kwamandla ethu. (1 Korinte 10:13) Eqinisweni, ukuze asisize empini yethu engokomoya, uJesu wachaza izinkinga eziningana esasiyobhekana nazo kulezi zinsuku zokugcina. Lokhu wakwenza ngezincwadi eziyisikhombisa, azinika umphostoli uJohane embonweni. (IsAmbulo 1:10, 11) Yiqiniso ukuthi zaziqukethe iseluleko esibalulekile kumaKristu ngaleso sikhathi, kodwa ngokuyinhloko zisebenza “osukwini lweNkosi,” kusukela ngo-1914. Kuyafaneleka-ke ukuba siyinake le miyalezo! *

Gwema Ukuzithela Ngabandayo, Ukuziphatha Okubi Nokuthanda Izinto Ezibonakalayo

15. Kungani kufanele siqaphele inkinga ibandla lase-Efesu elalinayo, futhi singakwenza kanjani lokho? (2 Petru 1:5-8)

¹⁵ Incwadi kaJesu yokuqala yayiya ebandleni lase-Efesu. Ngemva kokulitusa leli bandla ngokukhuthazela kwalo, uJesu wathi: “Noma kunjalo, nginalokhu ngawe, ukuthi ulushiyile uthando owawunalo ekuqaleni.” (IsAmbulo 2:1-4) Namuhla, namanye amaKristu ayekade eshiseka awasenalo uthando oluvuthayo ayenalo ngoNkulunkulu. Ukuphelelwa uthando okunjalo kungabenza buthaka ubuhlobo  bomuntu noNkulunkulu futhi kumelwe kuthathelwe izinyathelo ngokushesha. Lungavuselelwa kanjani lolo thando? Ngesifundo seBhayibheli esenziwa njalo, ukuba khona njalo emihlanganweni nangokuthandaza nokuzindla njalo. (1 Johane 5:3) Yiqiniso, lokhu kudinga “umzamo wenkuthalo,” kodwa uyafaneleka impela. (2 Petru 1:5-8) Uma lapho uzihlola ngokwethembeka uthola ukuthi uthando lwakho selupholile, lungisa isimo ngokushesha, ulalele isiyalo sikaJesu esithi: “Khumbula lokho owe kukho, futhi uphenduke, wenze izenzo zangaphambili.”—IsAmbulo 2:5.

16. Yimaphi amathonya ayingozi ngokomoya ayekhona ebandleni lasePhergamu nelaseThiyathira, futhi kungani lokho uJesu akusho kuwo kufaneleka namuhla?

¹⁶ AmaKristu asePhergamu nawaseThiyathira atuswa ngenxa yobuqotho, ukukhuthazela nentshiseko yawo. (IsAmbulo 2:12, 13, 18, 19) Nokho ayethonywe abathile ababebonisa umoya omubi kaBalami noJezabeli, abonakalisa u-Israyeli wasendulo ngokuziphatha okubi kobulili nokukhulekela uBali. (Numeri 31:16; 1 AmaKhosi 16:30, 31; IsAmbulo 2:14, 16, 20-23) Kuthiwani ngesikhathi sethu—‘usuku lweNkosi’? Ingabe akhona lawo mathonya amabi? Yebo, ngoba ukuziphatha okubi kuyimbangela eyinhloko yokususwa ekuhlanganyeleni kubantu bakaNkulunkulu. Akuve kubalulekile-ke ukuba sigweme bonke abantu—ngaphakathi nangaphandle kwebandla—abayithonya elonakalisayo ekuziphatheni! (1 Korinte 5:9-11; 15:33) Labo abafuna ukuba izikhonzi zikaShilo ezilalelayo bayogwema nokuzijabulisa okungabazekayo nezithombe zobulili ezingcolile ezisezincwadini nakuyi-Internet.—Amose 5:15; Mathewu 5:28, 29.

17. Umbono nesimo sengqondo sabaseSardesi nabaseLawodikeya kwakuhluke kanjani endleleni uJesu ayebona ngayo isimo sabo esingokomoya?

¹⁷ Ngaphandle kwabambalwa, ibandla laseSardesi alizange lituswe neze. ‘Lalinegama’ lokuthi, noma lalibonakala sengathi, liyaphila, kodwa lalizithele ngabandayo ngokomoya kangangokuthi uJesu wathi ‘lifile.’ Ukulalela izindaba ezinhle kwase kuwukugcina icala nje. Ububi obungaka! (IsAmbulo 3:1-3) Ibandla laseLawodikeya lalisesimweni esifuze leso. Lalinothile ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo, lithi, “Ngicebile,” kodwa kuKristu ‘lalingelosizi nelokudatshukelwa, limpofu, liyimpumputhe futhi lihamba-ze.’—IsAmbulo 3:14-17.

18. Singakugwema kanjani ukubhekwa uNkulunkulu njengabasivivi ngokomoya?

¹⁸ Namuhla, abanye ababengamaKristu athembekile nabo baye balandela inkambo efanayo  yokungalaleli. Mhlawumbe baye bavumela umoya wezwe wathuntubeza umuzwa wokuphuthuma ekuphileni kwabo, base beba sivivi ngokuqondene nokutadisha iBhayibheli, ukuthandaza, imihlangano yobuKristu nenkonzo yasensimini. (2 Petru 3:3, 4, 11, 12) Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukuba abanjalo balalele uKristu ngokuqongelela ingcebo engokomoya—yebo, ‘bathenge [kuKristu] igolide elicwengisiswe ngomlilo’! (IsAmbulo 3:18) Ingcebo enjalo yangempela ihlanganisa ‘nokuceba emisebenzini emihle, ube nesandla esivulekile, ulungele ukwabelana izinto nabanye.’ Ngokuqongelela le ngcebo eyigugu ngempela, ‘sizibekelela ngokulondekile isisekelo esihle sesikhathi esizayo, ukuze sibambisise ukuphila kwangempela.’—1 Thimothewu 6:17-19.

Batuswa Ngokulalela Kwabo

19. UJesu wawatusa futhi wawakhuthaza wathini amaKristu aseSmirna nawaseFiladelfiya?

¹⁹ Ibandla laseSmirna nelaseFiladelfiya ayeyizibonelo ezivelele zokulalela, ngoba izincwadi zikaJesu eziya kuwo zazingenawo amazwi okusola. Wathi kwabaseSmirna: “Ngiyalwazi usizi nobumpofu bakho—kodwa ucebile.” (IsAmbulo 2:9) Yeka ukuthi babehluke kangakanani kwabaseLawodikeya ababeqhosha ngengcebo yabo yezwe kodwa empeleni bempofu! Yiqiniso, uDeveli wayengakujabuleli ukubona umuntu obonisa ukwethembeka nolalela uKristu. Ngakho uJesu waxwayisa: “Ungazesabi izinto osuzohlupheka ngazo. Bheka! UDeveli uzoqhubeka ephonsa abanye benu etilongweni ukuze nifakwe ovivinyweni ngokugcwele, nokuba nibe nosizi izinsuku eziyishumi. Zibonakalise ukholekile kuze kube ngisho nasekufeni, futhi ngiyokunika umqhele wokuphila.” (IsAmbulo 2:10) NabaseFiladelfiya uJesu wabatusa, wathi: “Uligcinile izwi lami [noma, ungilalele] futhi awuzange uzibonakalise ungathembekile egameni lami. Ngiyeza masinyane. Qhubeka ukubambe ngokuqinile lokho onakho, ukuze kungabikho muntu othatha umqhele wakho.”—IsAmbulo 3:8, 11.

20. Namuhla izigidi ziligcine kanjani izwi likaJesu, futhi ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo?

²⁰ “Osukwini lweNkosi,” olwaqala ngo-1914, insali ethembekile nabangane bayo bezinye izimvu, asebebalelwa ezigidini, nabo baligcinile izwi likaJesu ngokuhlanganyela ngentshiseko enkonzweni nangokugcina ubuqotho babo. Njengabafowabo bangekhulu lokuqala, abanye baye bahlupheka ngenxa yokulalela uKristu, baze bagqunywa emajele nasemakamu okuhlushwa. Abanye bagcine izwi likaJesu ngokugcina ‘iso lilihle,’ naphezu kokuba bezungezwe ukuhaha nabantu abacebile. (Mathewu 6:22, 23) Yebo, kuzo zonke izimo, ngokulalela kwawo, amaKristu eqiniso ayaqhubeka ethokozisa inhliziyo kaJehova.—IzAga 27:11.

21. (a) Isigaba sesigqila sizoqhubeka sifeza siphi isibopho esingokomoya? (b) Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyafuna ngempela ukulalela uShilo?

²¹ Njengoba sisondela osizini olukhulu, “isigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo” sisalokhu sizimisele ukungayekethisi ekulaleleni kwaso iNkosi, uKristu. Lokhu kuhlanganisa nokulungiselela abendlu kaNkulunkulu ukudla okungokomoya ngesikhathi sakho. Ngakho masiqhubeke siyazisa inhlangano kaJehova emangalisayo engokwasezulwini nalokho ekunikezayo. Ngale ndlela sibonisa ukuthobela kwethu uShilo, oyozinika umvuzo wokuphila okuphakade zonke izikhonzi zakhe ezilalelayo.—Mathewu 24:45-47; 25:40; Johane 5:22-24.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Uyakhumbula?

• UJesu wayezoba nayiphi indima njengoba kwakubikezelwe esiprofethweni esashiwo uJakobe esezokufa?

• Simqaphela kanjani uJesu njengoShilo, futhi yimuphi umoya okumelwe siwugweme?

• Izincwadi eziya emabandleni ayisikhombisa esAmbulo zinasiphi iseluleko esisebenzayo namuhla?

• Singabalingisa ngaziphi izindlela labo ababesemabandleni asendulo, iSmirna neFiladelfiya?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Izithombe ekhasini 18]

UJehova uyababusisa abantu bakhe ngenxa yokulalela “umphathi” othembekile

[Isithombe ekhasini 19]

Ithonya likaSathane lenza ukulalela uNkulunkulu kube nzima

[Izithombe ekhasini 21]

Ubuhlobo obuqinile noJehova busisiza ukuba simlalele