UJehova Uyababusisa Futhi Abavikele Abalalelayo

“Ongilalelayo uyakuhlala elondekile, agcineke, angabi naluvalo ngokubi.”—IZAGA 1:33.

1, 2. Kungani kubalulekile ukulalela uNkulunkulu? Fanekisa.

AMATSHWELE aphuzi, avukuzelayo amatasa aqhwanda otshanini efuna ukudla, awamnakile nhlobo uheshe ondiza phezulu. Kungazelelwe, isikhukhukazi siyakhala siwaxwayisa, sivule amaphiko. Amatshwele agijimela kuso, ngokuphazima kweso asecashe ngaphansi kwamaphiko aso. Uheshe uyajokola. * Siyini isifundo kulokhu? Ukulalela kusindisa ukuphila!

² Lesi sifundo sibaluleke ngokukhethekile kumaKristu namuhla, ngoba uSathane wenza konke angakwenza ukuze abambe abantu bakaNkulunkulu. (IsAmbulo 12:9, 12, 17) Umgomo wakhe ukucekela phansi ingokomoya lethu ukuze silahlekelwe umusa kaJehova nethemba lokuphila okuphakade. (1 Petru 5:8) Nokho, uma sihlala siseduze noNkulunkulu futhi sisabela ngokushesha esiqondisweni esisithola ngeZwi nangenhlangano yakhe, singaqiniseka ukuthi uyosivikela. Umhubi wabhala: “Ngezimpaphe zakhe uyakukusibekela, uphephele phansi kwamaphiko akhe; ukuthembeka kwakhe kuyisihlangu nehawu.”—IHubo 91:4.

Isizwe Esingalaleli Siyabanjwa

3. Waba yini umphumela wokuqhubeka kuka-Israyeli engalaleli?

³ Lapho isizwe sakwa-Israyeli simlalela uJehova, sasizuza njalo ekusiqapheni kwakhe. Nokho, abantu bamshiya kaningi uMenzi wabo balandela onkulunkulu bokhuni netshe—“izinto eziyize ezingenakusiza nezingenakophula.” (1 Samuweli 12:21) Ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka alokhu kuvukela, sonke isizwe sase sihlubuke kangangokuthi lalingasekho ithemba. Ngakho uJesu wakhala: “Jerusalema, Jerusalema, umbulali wabaprofethi nomkhandi ngamatshe walabo abathunyelwe kuye,—yeka ukuthi kukaningi kangakanani ngifuna ukubuthela abantwana bakho ndawonye, ngendlela isikhukukazi esibuthela ndawonye ngayo amatshwele aso ngaphansi kwamaphiko aso! Kodwa anifunanga. Bhekani! indlu yenu ishiywa nani.”—Mathewu 23:37, 38.

4. Kwabonakala kanjani ngo-70 C.E. ukuthi uJehova wayelilahlile iJerusalema?

⁴ Ukuthi uJehova wayemlahlile u-Israyeli owayehlubukile kwabonakala kabuhlungu ngo-70 C.E. Ngalowo nyaka amabutho amaRoma, ephakamise amafulege awo anesithombe sokhozi, ehlela phezu kweJerusalema alalisa uyaca. Ngaleso sikhathi umuzi wawugcwele ababezogubha iPhasika. Imihlatshelo yabo eminingi ayibazuzelanga umusa kaNkulunkulu. Leso kwakuyisikhumbuzo esibuhlungu samazwi uSamuweli awasho eNkosini uSawule  eyayingalalelanga: “UJehova uyenamela yini iminikelo yokushiswa nemihlatshelo, njengalokhu enamele ukulalelwa kwezwi likaJehova, na? Bheka, ukulalela kuhle kunomhlatshelo, nokuqaphela kuhle kunamanoni ezinqama.”—1 Samuweli 15:22.

5. UJehova ufuna ukulalela okunjani, futhi sazi ngani ukuthi ukulalela okunjalo kungenzeka?

⁵ Nakuba uJehova ekufuna kangaka ukulalela, ukwazi kahle ukulinganiselwa kwabantu abangaphelele. (IHubo 130:3, 4) Akufunayo yinhliziyo eqotho nokulalela okusekelwe okholweni, othandweni, nasekwesabeni ukumdumaza. (Duteronomi 10:12, 13; IzAga 16:6; Isaya 43:10; Mika 6:8; Roma 6:17) Ukuthi ukulalela okunjalo kungenzeka kwaboniswa ‘ifu elikhulu lofakazi bangezikhathi zangaphambi kobuKristu,’ abagcina ubuqotho bebhekene nokulingwa okukhulu, ngisho nokufa. (Heberu 11:36, 37; 12:1) Abeve bayithokozisa inhliziyo kaJehova labo fakazi! (IzAga 27:11) Nokho, abanye babethembekile ekuqaleni kodwa abaqhubekanga belalela. Omunye walaba uJowashi inkosi yakwaJuda wasendulo.

Inkosi Eyoniwa Abangane Ababi

6, 7. UJowashi wayeyinkosi enjani uJehoyada esaphila?

⁶ INkosi uJowashi yasinda ngokulambisa isewusana emzamweni wokuyibulala. Lapho uJowashi eba neminyaka eyisikhombisa ubudala, ngesibindi uJehoyada umPristi Ophakeme wamkhipha lapho ayefihlwe khona wambeka inkosi. Ngenxa yokuthi uJehoyada owayesaba uNkulunkulu wayenjengobaba kuJowashi futhi engumeluleki wakhe, lo mbusi osemncane “wenza okulungile emehlweni kaJehova zonke izinsuku zikaJehoyada umpristi.”—2 IziKronike 22:10–23:1, 11; 24:1, 2.

⁷ Izenzo ezinhle zikaJowashi zahlanganisa nokuvuselela ithempeli likaJehova—into ‘eyayisenhliziyweni kaJowashi.’ Wakhumbuza umPristi Ophakeme uJehoyada ngesidingo sokuba kuqoqwe kwaJuda naseJerusalema “intela kaMose” yethempeli ukuze lilungiswe. Kusobala ukuthi uJehoyada wayekwazile ukukhuthaza le nkosi esencane ukuba itadishe futhi ilalele uMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yalokho, ukulungiswa kwethempeli nokwenziwa kwezitsha zalo kwaphela ngokushesha.—2 IziKronike 24:4, 6, 13, 14; Duteronomi 17:18.

8. (a) Yini ngokuyinhloko eyabangela ukuwa kukaJowashi ngokomoya? (b) Inkosi yagcina yenzeni ngenxa yokungalaleli kwayo?

⁸ Ngokudabukisayo, uJowashi akaqhubekanga emlalela uJehova. Ngani? IZwi likaNkulunkulu liyasitshela: “Emva kokufa kukaJehoyada kwafika izikhulu zakwaJuda, zakhuleka enkosini; khona inkosi yazilalela. Bayishiya indlu kaJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise, bakhonza o-Ashera nezithombe; uJuda neJerusalema kwehlelwa yintukuthelo ngaleli cala labo.” Ithonya elibi lezikhulu zakwaJuda lenza inkosi yangabalalela nabaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu, okwakukhona phakathi kwabo uZakariya indodana kaJehoyada owamsola ngesibindi uJowashi kanye nabantu ngokungalaleli kwabo. Kunokuba aphenduke, uJowashi wamkhanda ngamatshe wambulala. Yeka ukuthi uJowashi wayesengumuntu onesihluku nongalaleli kanjani—ngenxa nje yokuthi wavumela ithonya labangane ababi!—2 IziKronike 24:17-22; 1 Korinte 15:33.

9. Isigcino sikaJowashi nezikhulu zakhe sibugcizelela kanjani ubuwula bokungalaleli?

 ⁹ Njengoba ayesemlahlile uJehova, kwamhambela kanjani uJowashi nezikhulu zakhe? Ibutho labaseSiriya—‘iviyo elincane nje labantu’—lahlasela uJuda ‘labhubhisa zonke izikhulu zabantu.’ Laba bahlaseli baphoqelela nokuba inkosi ibanike zonke izinto zayo siqu kuhlanganise negolide nesiliva lasendlini engcwele. Nakuba uJowashi asinda, wasala engasenamandla futhi enezifo. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ezinye zezinceku zakhe zamakhela uzungu zambulala. (2 IziKronike 24:23-25; 2 AmaKhosi 12:17, 18) Yeka ukuthi ayeyiqiniso kanjani amazwi kaJehova ku-Israyeli: ‘Uma ungalilaleli izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ukuba uqaphele ukwenza yonke imiyalo yakhe nezimiso zakhe, lezi ziqalekiso ziyokwehlela, zikufice’!—Duteronomi 28:15.

Unobhala Wasindiswa Ukulalela

10, 11. (a) Kungani kusiza ukucabanga ngeseluleko sikaJehova kuBaruki? (b) UJehova wameluleka wathini uBaruki?

¹⁰ Ingabe ngezinye izikhathi kukwenza udangale ukuthi bambalwa abantu ababonisa isithakazelo ezindabeni ezinhle kulabo ohlangana nabo enkonzweni yobuKristu? Kuke kwenzeke yini uzizwe uhala lapho ubona abantu abami kahle nendlela yabo yokuphila yokuzitika? Uma kunjalo, cabanga ngoBaruki, unobhala kaJeremiya, nangeseluleko sothando uJehova amnika sona.

¹¹ Lapho uBaruki ebhala umlayezo oyisiprofetho uJehova wakhuluma ngaye uBaruki. Ngani? Ngoba uBaruki wayeseqale ukuzidabukela nokufisa okungcono kunelungelo elikhethekile lokukhonza uNkulunkulu. Ebona lolu shintsho esimweni sengqondo sikaBaruki, uJehova wamnika iseluleko esicacile kodwa somusa, ethi: “Uyazifunela izinto ezinkulu na? Ungazifuni, ngokuba bheka, ngiyakwehlisela inyama yonke okubi, . . . ngikunike ukuphila kwakho kube yimpango ezindaweni zonke lapho uya khona.”—Jeremiya 36:4; 45:5.

12. Kungani kufanele sikugweme ukuzifunela “izinto ezinkulu” kulesi simiso sezinto?

¹² Kula mazwi kaJehova kuBaruki uyakuzwa yini ukuyikhathalela kwaKhe okujulile le ndoda ekahle, eyayimkhonze ngokwethembeka okungaka nangesibindi kanye noJeremiya? Nanamuhla uJehova ubakhathalela ngokujulile labo abalingeka ukuba bayofuna lokho abacabanga ukuthi amadlelo aluhlaza kulesi simiso sezinto. Ngokujabulisayo, njengoBaruki, abaningi abanjalo baye basabela lapho besizwa abafowabo abangokomoya abavuthiwe. (Luka 15:4-7) Yebo, kwangathi sonke singabona ukuthi abanalo ikusasa labo abazifunela “izinto ezinkulu” kulesi simiso. Akukona nje kuphela ukuthi abanjalo abayitholi injabulo yangempela, kodwa okubi nakakhulu, ngokushesha bazodlula naleli zwe nazo zonke izifiso zalo zobugovu.—Mathewu 6:19, 20; 1 Johane 2:15-17.

13. Indaba kaBaruki isifundisa siphi isifundo ngokuthobeka?

¹³ Indaba kaBaruki isifundisa nesifundo esihle ngokuthobeka. Phawula ukuthi uJehova akazange ameluleke ngokuqondile uBaruki kodwa wakhuluma ngoJeremiya, okungenzeka uBaruki wayekwazi kahle ukungapheleli kwakhe nezici zakhe zobuntu ezingathandeki. (Jeremiya 45:1, 2) Noma kunjalo, uBaruki akanqotshwanga ukuqhosha; ngokuthobeka wabona ukuthi sivelaphi lesi seluleko—kuJehova. (2 IziKronike 26:3, 4, 16; IzAga 18:12; 19:20) Ngakho uma ‘sithatha isinyathelo okungesona ngaphambi kokuba siqaphele,’ futhi sithola iseluleko esisidingayo sivela eZwini likaNkulunkulu, masilingise ukuvuthwa, ukuqonda okungokomoya nokuthobeka kukaBaruki.—Galathiya 6:1.

14. Kungani kuzuzisa ngathi ukubalalela labo abaholayo phakathi kwethu?

¹⁴ Isimo sethu esinjalo sokuthobeka sisiza nalabo abasinikeza iseluleko. AmaHeberu 13:17 athi: “Lalelani labo abaholayo phakathi kwenu futhi nizithobe, ngoba baqapha imiphefumulo yenu njengabayolandisa; ukuze lokhu bakwenze ngenjabulo hhayi ngokububula,  ngoba lokhu bekuyonilimaza.” Yeka ukuthi abadala bavame kangakanani ukuthandaza kuJehova ngobuqotho becela isibindi, ukuhlakanipha nekhono lokungacunuli okuyizinto ezidingekayo ukuze bafeze le ngxenye enzima yomsebenzi wabo wokwalusa! ‘Masiwaqaphele amadoda alolohlobo.’—1 Korinte 16:18.

15. (a) UJeremiya wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayemethemba uBaruki? (b) UBaruki wavuzwa kanjani ngokulalela kwakhe ngokuthobeka?

¹⁵ Kusobala ukuthi uBaruki wakulungisa ukucabanga kwakhe, ngoba ngokulandelayo uJeremiya wamnika isabelo esinzima kakhulu—ukuba aye ethempelini ayofunda ngokuzwakalayo wona kanye lo myalezo wesahlulelo ayewubhale njengoba wawushiwo uJeremiya. Ingabe uBaruki walalela? Yebo, wenza “njengakho konke uJeremiya umprofethi amyala ngakho.” Empeleni lowo myalezo waze wawufundela izikhulu zaseJerusalema, okwakudinga isibindi ngempela. (Jeremiya 36:1-6, 8, 14, 15) Eminyakeni engaba ngu-18 kamuva, lapho umuzi uthathwa abaseBabiloni, cabanga nje ukuthi kumelwe ukuba uBaruki wabonga kanjani ngokusindiswa ngoba elalele isixwayiso sikaJehova wayeka ukuzifunela “izinto ezinkulu”!—Jeremiya 39:1, 2, 11, 12; 43:6.

Ukulalela Ngenkathi Yokuvinjezelwa Kwasindisa Ukuphila

16. UJehova wawabonisa kanjani isihawu amaJuda eJerusalema lapho abaseBabiloni belivimbezele ngo-607 B.C.E.?

¹⁶ Lapho iJerusalema libhujiswa ngo-607 B.C.E., saphinde sabonakala isihawu sikaNkulunkulu kulabo abalalelayo. Lapho ukuvinjezelwa sekukubi kakhulu, uJehova wathi kumaJuda: “Bheka, ngibeka phambi kwakho indlela yokuphila nendlela yokufa. Osala kulo muzi uyakufa ngenkemba, nangendlala, nangesifo, kepha ophumayo, aye kumaKaledi anivimbezelayo, uyakuphila, ukuphila kwakhe kube yimpango yakhe.” (Jeremiya 21:8, 9) Nakuba izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema kwakuzifanele ukubhujiswa, uJehova wabahawukela labo ababemlalela, ngisho nangaleso sikhathi esibucayi, ihora lokugcina. *

17. (a) Ukulalela kukaJeremiya kwavivinyeka ngaziphi izindlela ezimbili lapho uJehova emyala ukuba atshele amaJuda avinjezelwe ukuba “ahlubukele kumaKaledi”? (b) Singazuza kanjani esibonelweni sikaJeremiya sokulalela ngesibindi?

¹⁷ Ukutshela amaJuda ukuba acele umaluju kwakuvivinya nokulalela kukaJeremiya. Okokuqala, wayelishisekela igama likaNkulunkulu. Wayengafuni ukuba lihlanjalazwe yizitha ezazizothi zisizwé onkulunkulu bazo abangaphili ukuba zinqobe. (Jeremiya 50:2, 11; IsiLilo 2:16) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJeremiya wayazi ukuthi ngokutshela abantu ukuba bacele umaluju, wayebeka ukuphila kwakhe engozini enkulu, ngoba abaningi babeyothatha akushoyo njengokwambuka. Nokho, akabanga yigwala; elalela wakhuluma  amazwi kaJehova. NjengoJeremiya, nathi simemezela umyalezo ongathandwa. Yiwo lowo myalezo uJesu ayezondelwa wona. (Isaya 53:3; Mathewu 24:9) Ngakho ‘masingabesabi abantu,’ kodwa njengoJeremiya, masilalele uJehova ngesibindi, simethembe ngokuphelele.—IzAga 29:25.

Ukulalela Lapho Kuhlasela UGogi

18. Izinceku zikaJehova ziyobhekana nakuphi ukuvivinyeka kokulalela esikhathini esizayo?

¹⁸ Maduze, sonke isimiso sikaSathane esikhohlakele sizobhujiswa ‘osizini olukhulu’ olungakaze lube khona. (Mathewu 24:21) Akungabazeki ukuthi ngaphambi kwaleso sikhathi naphakathi naso, ukholo nokulalela kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu kuyovivinyeka kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, iBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi uSathane, ‘enguGogi wasezweni lakwaMagogi,’ uyozilahla amathambo ehlasela izinceku zikaJehova, evivisa amabutho achazwa ngokuthi “iviyo elikhulu . . . njengefu lokusibekela izwe.” (Hezekeli 38:2, 14-16) Njengoba beyobe bembalwa futhi bengahlomile, abantu bakaNkulunkulu bayothembela ‘ezimpapheni’ zikaJehova, azivulayo ukuze avikele abalalelayo.

19, 20. (a) Kungani kwakubalulekile ukuba ama-Israyeli alalele lapho esoLwandle Olubomvu? (b) Ukuzindla okuhambisana nomthandazo ngendaba yasoLwandle Olubomvu kungasisiza kanjani namuhla?

¹⁹ Lesi simo sisikhumbuza ngokuFuduka kuka-Israyeli esuka eGibithe. Ngemva kokushaya abaseGibithe ngezinhlupho eziyishumi ezicekela phansi, uJehova akabaholanga abantu bakhe ngendlela enqamulelayo eya eZweni Lesithembiso, kodwa wabaholela oLwandle Olubomvu, lapho babengavalelwa kalula khona futhi bahlaselwe. Ngokwezempi, lesi kwakuyisinyathelo esiholela enhlekeleleni. Ukube wawulapho, wawuyokulalela yini lokho uJehova ayekusho ngoMose, wehlele oLwandle Olubomvu ngokuqiniseka ube wazi ukuthi iZwe Lesithembiso lalingekho ngalapho kuyiwa khona?—Eksodusi 14:1-4.

²⁰ Njengoba siqhubeka sifunda ku-Eksodusi isahluko 14, sibona indlela uJehova asindisa ngayo abantu bakhe ngamandla ababazekayo. Yeka indlela ukulandisa okunjalo okungaluqinisa ngayo ukholo lwethu lapho sizinika isikhathi sokutadisha futhi sizindle ngakho! (2 Petru 2:9) Ukholo oluqinile lube selusiqinisa ukuba silalele uJehova, ngisho nalapho izimfuneko zakhe zibonakala zingavumelani nendlela yabantu yokucabanga. (IzAga 3:5, 6) Ngakho zibuze, ‘Ingabe ngiyazikhandla ekwakheni ukholo lwami ngokutadisha iBhayibheli ngenkuthalo, ngomthandazo, ngokuzindla nangokuhlangana njalo nabantu bakaNkulunkulu?’—Heberu 10:24, 25; 12:1-3.

Ukulalela Kwakha Ithemba

21. Yiziphi izibusiso zamanje nezesikhathi esizayo ezizotholwa yilabo abalalela uJehova?

²¹ Labo abenza ukulalela uJehova kube yindlela yabo yokuphila bayakubona ngisho namanje ukugcwaliseka kwezAga 1:33 ezithi: “Ongilalelayo uyakuhlala elondekile, agcineke, angabi naluvalo ngokubi.” La mazwi aduduzayo ayosebenza ngokumangalisa ngempela ngosuku lukaJehova oluzayo lwempindiselo!  Eqinisweni uJesu wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Njengoba lezizinto ziqala ukwenzeka, yimani niqonde futhi niphakamise amakhanda enu, ngoba ukukhululwa kwenu kuyasondela.” (Luka 21:28) Kusobala ukuthi yilabo kuphela abalalela uNkulunkulu abayoba nesibindi sokulalela la mazwi.—Mathewu 7:21.

22. (a) Abantu bakaJehova banasiphi isizathu sokuba nesibindi? (b) Yini okuzoxoxwa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

²² Esinye isizathu sokuba nesibindi ukuthi “iNkosi uJehova ayenzi lutho, ingayambulanga imfihlakalo yayo ezincekwini zayo abaprofethi.” (Amose 3:7) Namuhla, uJehova akasakhulumi ngabaprofethi njengakuqala; esikhundleni salokho uthume isigaba sesigqila esikholekile ukuba sinike abendlu yakhe ukudla ngesikhathi sakho. (Mathewu 24:45-47) Ngakho, kubaluleke kakhulu ukuba sisilalele leso “sigqila.” Njengoba isihloko esilandelayo sizobonisa, ukulalela okunjalo kubonisa isimo sethu sengqondo ngoJesu, inkosi yalesi “sigqila.” NguYe ‘izizwe eziyakumlalela.’—Genesise 49:10.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Uyakhumbula?

• Waba yini umphumela wokuqhubeka kuka-Israyeli engalaleli?

• INkosi uJowashi yathonywa kanjani abangane bayo, isencane nalapho isikhulile?

• Yiziphi izifundo esingazifunda kuBaruki?

• Kungani abantu bakaJehova abalalelayo bengenasizathu sokwesaba njengoba lesi simiso sisondela ekupheleni?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

Eqondiswa uJehoyada, uJowashi osemncane wamlalela uJehova

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Abangane ababi babangela ukuba uJowashi abulale umprofethi kaNkulunkulu

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Wawuyomlalela yini uJehova ubone amandla akhe okusindisa ayisimangaliso?