Ingabe Uzilungiselele Ukusinda?

“Ngena emkhunjini, wena nayo yonke indlu yakho, ngoba nguwe engikubone ulungile phambi kwami phakathi kwalesi sizukulwane.”—GENESISE 7:1.

1. Iliphi ilungiselelo lokusindisa ukuphila uJehova alenza ezinsukwini zikaNowa?

EZINSUKWINI zikaNowa, uJehova ‘waletha uzamcolo phezu kwezwe labantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu,’ kodwa wenza nelungiselelo lokusindisa ukuphila. (2 Petru 2:5) UNkulunkulu weqiniso wanikeza uNowa olungileyo iziyalezo ezicacile mayelana nendlela yokwakha umkhumbi ukuze kusindiswe ukuphila kuZamcolo wembulunga yonke. (Genesise 6:14-16) UNowa wenza lokho ebesingakulindela encekwini kaJehova elalelayo, “wenza njengakho konke uNkulunkulu ayemyale ngakho.” Yebo, “wenza kanjalo nje.” Nokuthi sikhona nje namuhla, ngokwengxenye kungenxa yokulalela kukaNowa.—Genesise 6:22.

2, 3. (a) Abantu besikhathi sikaNowa basabela kanjani emsebenzini wakhe? (b) UNowa wayeqiniseka ngani lapho engena emkhunjini?

² Ukwakha umkhumbi kwakungelula neze. Abantu abaningi cishe kwabamangaza okwakwenziwa uNowa nomkhaya wakhe. Nokho, lokho akuzange kubenze bakholwe ukuthi babeyosinda kuphela uma bengena emkhunjini. Ekugcineni, ukubekezelela kukaNkulunkulu lelo zwe elibi kwaphela.—Genesise 6:3; 1 Petru 3:20.

³ Ngemva kwamashumi eminyaka uNowa nomkhaya wakhe besebenza kanzima, uJehova watshela uNowa: “Ngena emkhunjini, wena nayo yonke indlu yakho, ngoba nguwe engikubone ulungile phambi kwami phakathi kwalesi sizukulwane.” Eqiniseka ngamazwi kaJehova futhi enokholo kuwo, “uNowa wangena emkhunjini, namadodana akhe nomkakhe nabafazi bamadodana akhe kanye naye.” UJehova wavala umnyango ukuze avikele abakhulekeli bakhe. Lapho uZamcolo ufika, umkhumbi waba ilungiselelo likaNkulunkulu elinokwethenjelwa lokusindisa ukuphila.—Genesise 7:1, 7, 10, 16.

Izimo Zanamuhla Ezifana Nezosuku LukaNowa

4, 5. (a) UJesu wasifanisa nani isikhathi sokuba khona kwakhe? (b) Iziphi izimo zosuku lukaNowa ezifana nezolwethu?

⁴ “Njengoba nje zazinjalo izinsuku zikaNowa, kuyoba njalo nokuba khona kweNdodana yomuntu.” (Mathewu 24:37) Ngala mazwi, uJesu wabonisa ukuthi isikhathi sokuba khona kwakhe okungabonakali sasiyofana nezinsuku zikaNowa, futhi siye safana nazo ngempela. Kuye kwamenyezelwa kubantu bazo zonke izizwe umyalezo oyisixwayiso ofana nokaNowa, ikakhulu kusukela ngo-1919. Iningi liye lasabela njengabantu bezinsuku zikaNowa.

⁵ NgoZamcolo, uJehova wabhubhisa izwe ‘elaligcwele ubudlova.’ (Genesise 6:13) Kwakucacela noma ubani ukuthi uNowa nomkakhe babengahlanganyeli kulobo budlova. Kunalokho, babeziqhubekela ngokuthula nomsebenzi wokwakha umkhumbi. Nakulokhu sibona ukufana okuthile nalokho okwenzeka osukwini lwethu. Abantu abaqotho manje ‘bayawubona umehluko phakathi kolungileyo nomubi, phakathi kokhonza uNkulunkulu nongazange amkhonze.’ (Malaki 3:18) Ukwethembeka, umusa, ukuthula nokukhuthala okuboniswa oFakazi BakaJehova kwenza  abantu abababhekile, abangenalubandlululo, babahloniphe abantu bakaNkulunkulu futhi lezi zimfanelo zibenza bahluke ezweni. OFakazi bayabenqaba bonke ubudlova futhi bavumela ukuqondiswa umoya kaJehova. Yingakho bebusiswe ngokuthula futhi bephishekela inkambo yokulunga.—Isaya 60:17.

6, 7. (a) Yini abantu bosuku lukaNowa abangazange bayiqonde, futhi abantu banamuhla bafana kanjani nabo? (b) Iziphi izibonelo ezibonisa ukuthi ngokuvamile abantu bayabona ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bahlukile?

⁶ Abantu besikhathi sikaNowa abazange baqonde ukuthi uNowa wayesekelwa uNkulunkulu futhi wayelandela isiqondiso saKhe. Ngakho, bakuthatha kalula ukushumayela kwakhe, bangasilalela isixwayiso sakhe. Kuthiwani namuhla? Nakuba abaningi ubahlaba umxhwele umsebenzi nokuziphatha koFakazi BakaJehova, iningi lizithatha kalula izindaba ezinhle nezixwayiso zeBhayibheli. Omakhelwane, abaqashi, noma izihlobo bangase bancome izimfanelo ezinhle zamaKristu eqiniso kodwa bese bethi, “Kuhlupha nje ukuthi bangoFakazi BakaJehova!” Laba bantu abaqapheli ukuthi oFakazi banalezo zimfanelo ezinhle ezinjengothando, ukuthula, umusa, ubuhle, ubumnene nokuzithiba ngoba beholwa umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu. (Galathiya 5:22-25) Lokhu kufanele kwenze abantu basikholelwe isigijimi soFakazi BakaJehova.

⁷ Ngokwesibonelo, eRussia, oFakazi BakaJehova babakha iHholo LoMbuso. Indoda ethile yama, yathi kwesinye sezisebenzi: “Kwaze kwangavama lokhu—kuyakhiwa kodwa akukho muntu obhemayo, okhuluma ngokhahlo nodakiwe! Kungenzeka yini mhlawumbe ukuthi ungomunye woFakazi BakaJehova?” Isisebenzi sayibuza, “Uma bengingase ngithi cha, ubungangikholwa?” Le ndoda yaphendula ngokushesha, “Empeleni bengingeke.” Kwelinye idolobha khona eRussia, umphathi-dolobha wahlabeka umxhwele kakhulu lapho ebona oFakazi bakha iHholo labo LoMbuso elisha. Wathi nakuba ake aba nombono wokuthi zonke izinkolo ziyafana, ngemva kokubona izenzo zoFakazi BakaJehova zokuzidela okuqotho, wayengasenawo lowo mbono. Lezi yizibonelo ezimbili nje ezibonisa ukuthi abantu bakaJehova bahlukile kulabo abanganamatheli ezindinganisweni zeBhayibheli.

8. Ukusinda kwethu ekupheleni kwaleli zwe elibi kuxhomekephi?

⁸ Ngasekupheleni ‘kwezwe lasendulo’ elabhujiswa ngoZamcolo, uNowa ‘wayengumshumayeli wokulunga’ othembekile. (2 Petru 2:5) Kulezi zinsuku zokugcina zalesi simiso sezinto, abantu bakaJehova benza izindinganiso zakhe zokulunga zaziwe futhi bamemezela izindaba ezinhle zokuthi abantu bangasinda  bangene ezweni elisha. (2 Petru 3:9-13) Njengoba nje uNowa nomkhaya wakhe owesaba uNkulunkulu basindiswa ngomkhumbi, nanamuhla ukusinda kwabantu kuxhomeke okholweni, ekuzihlanganiseni nasekunamatheleni kwabo engxenyeni yasemhlabeni yenhlangano kaJehova yendawo yonke.

Kudingeka Ukholo Ukuze Umuntu Asinde

9, 10. Kungani ukholo lubalulekile ukuze sisinde ekupheleni kwesimiso sezinto sikaSathane?

⁹ Umuntu kumelwe enzeni ukuze asinde ekubhujisweni okuseduze kwaleli zwe elisemandleni kaSathane? (1 Johane 5:19) Okokuqala, kumelwe abone ukuthi udinga isivikelo. Ngemva kwalokho, kumelwe asisebenzise leso sivikelo. Abantu bosuku lukaNowa babeziphilela ngendlela evamile bengaboni sidingo sokuvikelwa enhlekeleleni eyayiseduze. Kukhona nokunye ababekuntula—ukholo kuNkulunkulu.

¹⁰ Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uNowa nomkhaya wakhe basibona isidingo sokuvikelwa nokusindiswa, futhi babenokholo kuMbusi Wendawo Yonke, uJehova uNkulunkulu. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ngaphandle kokholo akwenzeki ukumjabulisa [uJehova] ngoba lowo oza kuNkulunkulu kumelwe akholelwe ukuthi ukhona nokuthi uba umvuzi walabo abamfuna ngobuqotho.” UPawulu wanezela: “Ngokholo uNowa, ngemva kokunikwa isixwayiso saphezulu sezinto ezingakabonwa, wabonisa ukwesaba kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu wakha umkhumbi wokusindisa indlu yakhe; futhi ngalolu kholo walahla izwe, waba yindlalifa yokulunga okuvumelana nokholo.”—Hebheru 11:6, 7.

11. Yini esingayifunda endleleni uJehova alungiselela ngayo isivikelo ezikhathini ezidlule?

¹¹ Ukuze sisinde ekupheleni kwalesi simiso sezinto esibi, kumelwe senze okungaphezu kokukholelwa ukuthi lesi simiso sizobhujiswa. Kumelwe sibonise nokholo, siwasebenzise ngokugcwele amalungiselelo kaNkulunkulu okusindisa ukuphila. Yebo, kudingeka sibonise ukholo emhlatshelweni wesihlengo weNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu. (Johane 3:16, 36) Nokho, kuhle sikhumbule ukuthi abantu abasinda kuZamcolo yilabo kuphela ababengaphakathi emkhunjini kaNowa. Ngokufanayo, imizi yesiphephelo yakwa-Israyeli wasendulo yayivikela umbulali ongahlosile uma kuphela ebalekela kuwo umuzi abese ehlala ngaphakathi kuze kufe umpristi ophakeme. (Numeri 35:11-32) Enhluphweni yeshumi eyehlela iGibhithe ngosuku lukaMose, amazibulo abaseGibhithe afa, kodwa awama-Israyeli asinda. Ngani? UJehova wayeyale uMose: “Elinye igazi  [lewundlu lePhasika] kumelwe [ama-Israyeli alibhece] ezinsikeni zombili zomnyango nasekhothameni lomnyango wezindlu [azolidlela] kuzo. . . . Akekho noyedwa kini okufanele aphume ngomnyango wendlu yakhe kuze kuse.” (Eksodusi 12:7, 22) Iliphi nje izibulo lama-Israyeli elalingalokotha lingazinaki lezo ziyalezo ezivela kuNkulunkulu ngokuphumela ngaphandle kwendlu ebhecwe ngegazi ezinsikeni zombili zomnyango nasekhothameni?

12. Imuphi umbuzo okufanele ngamunye wethu azibuze wona, futhi ngani?

¹² Ngakho-ke sinesizathu sokucabangisisa ngesimo sethu ngabanye. Ingabe singaphakathi ngempela elungiselelweni likaJehova lesivikelo esingokomoya? Lapho kugadla usizi olukhulu, kuyokwehla izinyembezi zenjabulo nokubonga kulabo abaye basifuna leso sivikelo. Kwabanye, kuyoba izinyembezi zokudabuka nokuzisola kuphela.

Ukulungisa Okuqhubekayo Kusilungiselela Ukusinda

13. (a) Izinguquko ezenziwe enhlanganweni ziye zasiza ngani? (b) Chaza ezinye zezinguquko eziye zenziwa kancane kancane.

¹³ Kancane kancane, uJehova uye wenza izinguquko engxenyeni esemhlabeni yenhlangano yakhe. Lezi zinguquko ziye zalenza laba lihle, lagxila futhi laqina ilungiselelo lakhe lokusivikela ngokomoya. Kusukela ngawo-1870 kuya ku-1932, abadala nezinceku ezikhonzayo babemiswa ngokuvotelwa amalungu ebandla. Ngo-1932, esikhundleni sabadala abakhethwayo kwaba nekomiti yenkonzo eyayikhethwa ibandla ukuze isize umqondisi wenkonzo omisiwe. Ngo-1938, kwenziwa amalungiselelo okuba zonke izinceku ebandleni zimiswe ngendela engokwasezulwini. Ngaphansi kokuqondisa kweNdikimba Ebusayo YoFakazi BakaJehova, kusukela ngo-1972 abafanelekayo bayatuswa futhi uma bamukeleka, amabandla athole izincwadi ezibamisa njengababonisi nezinceku ezikhonzayo ngendlela engokwasezulwini. Phakathi neminyaka edlule, indima yeNdikimba Ebusayo iye yakhula futhi kuye kwenziwa izinguquko ukuze umsebenzi wayo ube lula.

14. Isiphi isimiso sokuqeqesha esaqala ngo-1959?

¹⁴ Ngo-1950, ngemva kokuhlolisiswa kweHubo 45:16 kwaqalwa isimiso sokuqeqesha okuqhubekayo. Lo mBhalo uthi: “Esikhundleni sokhokho bakho kuyoba khona amadodana akho, oyowamisa njengezikhulu emhlabeni wonke.” Abadala abaholayo manje emabandleni baqeqeshelwa imisebenzi engokwasezulwini yamanje neyangemva kwe-Armagedoni. (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16) Ngo-1959 kwaqalwa iSikole Senkonzo SoMbuso. Ngaleso sikhathi, kwakunezifundo ezithatha inyanga ngokuyinhloko ezazenzelwe izinceku zamabandla, njengoba ababonisi abengamele babebizwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi. Kulesi sikole manje kufundiswa bonke ababonisi nezinceku ezikhonzayo. Laba bazalwane babe sebehola ekuqeqesheni oFakazi BakaJehova ngabanye emabandleni abo. Ngakho, wonke umuntu uyasizwa ngokomoya ukuze aphumelele ngokwengeziwe enkonzweni yakhe njengommemezeli wezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso.—Marku 13:10.

15. Iziphi izindlela ezimbili okugcinwa ngazo ibandla lobuKristu limsulwa?

¹⁵ Abantu abafuna ukuba ingxenye yebandla  lobuKristu kumelwe bahlangabezane nezimfuneko ezithile. Kunengqondo ukuba abahleki bosulu banamuhla bangamukelwa, njengoba nje nabasendulo bengavunyelwanga emkhunjini kaNowa. (2 Petru 3:3-7) Ikakhulu kusukela ngo-1952, oFakazi BakaJehova baye balisekela ngokwengeziwe ilungiselelo elisiza ekuvikeleni ibandla—ukususa ekuhlanganyeleni izoni ezingaphenduki. Yebo, abenzi bokubi abaphenduke ngempela basizwa ngothando ukuba ‘benzele izinyawo zabo izindlela eziqondileyo.’—Hebheru 12:12, 13; IzAga 28:13; Galathiya 6:1.

16. Abantu bakaJehova bakusiphi isimo ngokomoya?

¹⁶ Ukuchuma kwabantu bakaJehova ngokomoya akuyona into emangazayo noma eyenzeka ngengozi. Ngomprofethi u-Isaya, uJehova wathi: “Bhekani! Izinceku zami ziyokudla, kodwa nina niyolamba. Bhekani! Izinceku zami ziyophuza, kodwa nina niyokoma. Bhekani! Izinceku zami ziyojabula, kodwa nina niyoba namahloni. Bhekani! Izinceku zami ziyokhamuluka ngenjabulo ngenxa yesimo esihle senhliziyo, kodwa nina niyokhala ngenxa yobuhlungu benhliziyo futhi niyohewula ngenxa yokwaphuka umoya okukhulu.” (Isaya 65:13, 14) UJehova uyaqhubeka esinika inala yokudla okungokomoya okufika ngesikhathi nokunempilo, okusigcina siqinile ngokomoya.—Mathewu 24:45.

Zilungiselele Ukusinda

17. Yini eyosisiza ukuba sizilungiselele ukusinda?

¹⁷ Manje kunanini ngaphambili yisikhathi sokuba “sicabangelane ukuze sivuselelane uthando nemisebenzi emihle, singakuyeki ukuhlangana kwethu ndawonye, njengoba kungumkhuba wabanye, kodwa sikhuthazane.” (Hebheru 10:23-25) Ukuhlala sikhuthele futhi sinamathele eduze kwelinye lamabandla oFakazi BakaJehova angaphezu kuka-98 000 kuyosisiza ukuba sizilungiselele ukusinda. Siyosekelwa esikholwa nabo njengoba silwela ukubonisa “ubuntu obusha” futhi sizama ngenhliziyo yonke ukusiza abanye bazi ngelungiselelo likaJehova lokusindisa ukuphila.—Efesu 4:22-24; Kolose 3:9, 10; 1 Thimothewu 4:16.

18. Kungani uzimisele ukuhlala useduze nebandla lobuKristu?

¹⁸ USathane nezwe lakhe elibi bashabashekela ukusihunga basikhiphe ebandleni lobuKristu. Nokho, singahlala siyingxenye yalo futhi singasinda ekupheleni kwalesi simiso sezinto esibi. Kwangathi uthando ngoJehova nokubonga ngamalungiselelo akhe othando kungasishukumisela ukuba sizimisele kunanini ngaphambili ukubhuntshisa imizamo kaSathane. Ukuzindla ngezibusiso esizijabulelayo namuhla kuyosenza sizimisele ngokwengeziwe. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngezinye zalezi zibusiso.

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

• Izikhathi zethu zifana kanjani nosuku lukaNowa?

• Iyiphi imfanelo edingekayo ukuze umuntu asinde?

• Ikuphi ukulungisa okuqhubekayo okuye kwaqinisa ilungiselelo likaJehova lokusivikela?

• Ngamunye wethu angazilungiselela kanjani ukusinda?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 22]

Abantu besikhathi sikaNowa abazange bamnake uNowa

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

Kuyazuzisa ukuzinaka izixwayiso zikaNkulunkulu

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

ISikole Senkonzo SoMbuso sifeza yiphi indima?

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

Manje yisikhathi sokuhlala siseduze nebandla lobuKristu