‘Khetha Ukuphila Ukuze Uqhubeke Uphila’

“Ngibeke ukuphila nokufa phambi kwakho, isibusiso nesiqalekiso; kumelwe ukhethe ukuphila ukuze uqhubeke uphila.”—DUTERONOMI 30:19.

1, 2. Umuntu wadalwa ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu ngaziphi izindlela?

“MASENZE umuntu ngomfanekiso wethu, afane nathi.” Lawo mazwi kaNkulunkulu alotshwe esahlukweni sokuqala seBhayibheli. Khona-ke, uGenesise 1:26, 27 ubika ukuthi “uNkulunkulu wabe esemdala umuntu ngomfanekiso wakhe, wamdala ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu.” Ngakho, umuntu wokuqala wayehlukile kuzo zonke ezinye izidalwa emhlabeni. Wayefana noMdali wakhe, ekwazi ukubonisa izimfanelo ezinjengezikaNkulunkulu ekucabangeni, ekuboniseni uthando, ubulungisa, ukuhlakanipha namandla. Wayenonembeza owawuzomsiza enze izinqumo ezaziyomzuzisa futhi zithokozise uMzali wakhe osezulwini. (Roma 2:15) Ngamafuphi, u-Adamu wayenenkululeko yokuzikhethela. Eqaphela indlela indodana yakhe yasemhlabeni eyenziwe ngayo, uJehova washo lokhu ngalo mklamo wakhe: “Bheka! [muhle] kakhulu.”—Genesise 1:31; IHubo 95:6.

² Njengoba siyinzalo ka-Adamu, nathi senziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu, sifana naye. Nokho, ingabe ngempela sikhululekile ukuba sizikhethele esifuna ukukwenza? Nakuba uJehova enamandla okwazi kusengaphambili okuzokwenzeka, akasinqumeli kusengaphambili ukuthi yini ngabanye esiyoyenza noma ukuthi isiphetho sethu siyoba yini. Akalokothi avumele abantwana bakhe basemhlabeni ukuba babuswe ukunqunyelwa kusengaphambili. Ukuze siqonde ukubaluleka kokusebenzisa inkululeko yethu  yokuzikhethela ukuze senze izinqumo ezifanele, asiqale ngokuthola isifundo esizweni sakwa-Israyeli.—Roma 15:4.

Inkululeko Yokuzikhethela Kuma-Israyeli

3. Wawuthini umyalo wokuqala weMiyalo Eyishumi, futhi ama-Israyeli athembekile akhetha kanjani ukuwulalela?

³ UJehova wathi kuma-Israyeli: “NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, owakukhipha ezweni laseGibhithe, endlini yezigqila.” (Duteronomi 5:6) Ngo-1513 B.C.E., isizwe sakwa-Israyeli sakhululwa ngokuyisimangaliso ebugqilini baseGibhithe futhi sasingenasizathu sokuwangabaza lawo mazwi. Emyalweni wokuqala weMiyalo Eyishumi, uJehova washo la mazwi esebenzisa umkhulumeli wakhe uMose: “Akumelwe ube nabanye onkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami.” (Eksodusi 20:1, 3) Ngaleso sikhathi, isizwe sakwa-Israyeli sakhetha ukulalela. Sazinikela ngokuzithandela ukuba sihloniphe uJehova kuphela.—Eksodusi 20:5; Numeri 25:11.

4. (a) UMose wawakhethisani ama-Israyeli? (b) Ikuphi ukukhetha esingakwenza namuhla?

⁴ Eminyakeni engaba ngu-40 kamuva, uMose wakhumbuza esinye isizukulwane sama-Israyeli ngamazwi aqatha ngokukhetha okwakumelwe sikwenze. Wathi: “Ngimisa amazulu nomhlaba njengofakazi ngokumelene nani namuhla, bokuthi ngibeke ukuphila nokufa phambi kwakho, isibusiso nesiqalekiso; kumelwe ukhethe ukuphila ukuze uqhubeke uphila, wena nenzalo yakho.” (Duteronomi 30:19) Nathi namuhla singakhetha. Yebo, singakhetha ukukhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka sinombono wokuphila okuphakade, noma sikhethe ukungamlaleli futhi sibhekane nemiphumela yalokho. Cabanga ngezibonelo ezimbili zabantu abenza ukukhetha okungafani.

5, 6. Ikuphi ukukhetha uJoshuwa akwenza, futhi waba yini umphumela?

⁵ Ngo-1473 B.C.E., uJoshuwa wahola ama-Israyeli wawangenisa eZweni Lesithembiso. Emazwini anamandla akhuthazayo awasho ngaphambi kokuba afe, uJoshuwa wancenga sonke isizwe: “Manje uma kukubi emehlweni enu ukukhonza uJehova, zikhetheleni namuhla ukuthi nizokhonza bani, noma onkulunkulu ababebakhonza okhokho benu ababengaphesheya koMfula noma onkulunkulu bama-Amori enihlala ezweni labo.” Khona-ke ekhulumela umkhaya wakhe, waqhubeka: “Mina nendlu yami, sizokhonza uJehova.”—Joshuwa 24:15.

⁶ Ngaphambili, uJehova wayenxuse uJoshuwa ukuba aqine futhi abe nesibindi, emyala ukuba angaphambuki ekulaleleni uMthetho waKhe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokufunda incwadi yoMthetho ngezwi eliphansi ubusuku nemini, uJoshuwa wayeyokwazi ukwenza indlela yakhe iphumelele. (Joshuwa 1:7, 8) Nembala waphumelela. Ukukhetha kukaJoshuwa kwamlethela izibusiso. UJoshuwa wathi: “Asikho nesisodwa isithembiso esaphutha kuzo zonke izithembiso ezinhle uJehova ayezenzile endlini ka-Israyeli; zagcwaliseka zonke.”—Joshuwa 21:45.

7. Ngosuku luka-Isaya, ikuphi ukukhetha ama-Israyeli athile akwenza, futhi kwaba namiphi imiphumela?

⁷ Ngokuphambene, cabangela isimo esaba khona kwa-Israyeli eminyakeni engaba ngu-700 kamuva. Ngaleso sikhathi, ama-Israyeli amaningi ayelandela imikhuba yamaqaba. Ngokwesibonelo, ngosuku lokugcina lonyaka, abantu babebuthana benze idili kube nezibiliboco ezinhlobonhlobo newayini elimnandi. Kwakungewona umbuthano nje womndeni. Kwakuwumkhosi wenkolo owawudumisa onkulunkulu ababili bamaqaba. Umprofethi u-Isaya waloba umbono kaNkulunkulu ngalesi senzo sokungathembeki: “Nina niyilabo abamshiyayo uJehova, abayikhohlwayo intaba yami engcwele, labo abahlelela unkulunkulu weNhlanhla itafula futhi abagcwalisela unkulunkulu weSimiselo iwayini elixutshiwe.” Babekholelwa ukuthi isivuno sonyaka sasixhomeke ekujabuliseni “unkulunkulu weNhlanhla” ‘nonkulunkulu weSimiselo,’ hhayi esibusisweni sikaJehova. Nokho, empeleni inkambo yabo yokuhlubuka nokukhetha abakwenza ngamabomu kwasenza safaneleka isiphetho sabo. UJehova wathi: “Ngizonimisela inkemba, futhi nina nonke ngothi lwenu niyokhothama ukuze nihlatshwe; ngenxa yokuthi ngabiza, kodwa anizange niphendule; ngakhuluma, kodwa anizange nilalele; futhi naqhubeka nenza okwakukubi emehlweni ami, nakhetha  into engingajabuli ngayo.” (Isaya 65:11, 12) Ukukhetha kwabo okungahlakaniphile kwabalethela imbubhiso futhi onkulunkulu babo, oweSimiselo noweNhlanhla, abakwazanga ukuyivimbela.

Ukwenza Ukukhetha Okufanele

8. NgokukaDuteronomi 30:20, ukwenza ukukhetha okufanele kuhilelani?

⁸ Lapho uMose enxusa u-Israyeli ukuba akhethe ukuphila, wakhuluma ngezinyathelo ezintathu okwakufanele azithathe: “Ngokuthanda uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ngokulalela izwi lakhe nangokunamathela kuye.” (Duteronomi 30:20) Ake sihlole isinyathelo ngasinye ukuze sikwazi ukwenza ukukhetha okufanele.

9. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyamthanda uJehova?

⁹ Ngokuthanda uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu: Sikhetha ukukhonza uJehova ngoba simthanda. Njengoba sikhumbula izibonelo eziyisixwayiso zangesikhathi sama-Israyeli, simelana nazo zonke izilingo zokuziphatha okubi futhi sigweme izindlela zokuphila ezingasenza singene shí ogibeni lwaleli zwe lokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo. (1 Korinte 10:11; 1 Thimothewu 6:6-10) Sinamathela kuJehova futhi sigcine iziqondiso zakhe. (Joshuwa 23:8; IHubo 119:5, 8) Ngaphambi kokuba ama-Israyeli angene eZweni Lesithembiso, uMose wawanxusa: “Bhekani, nginifundisile iziqondiso nezinqumo zokwahlulela, njengoba nje uJehova uNkulunkulu wami engiyalile, ukuze nenze ngaleyo ndlela phakathi kwezwe eniyolithatha. Kumelwe nizigcine futhi nizenze, ngoba kuwukuhlakanipha nokuqonda kini phambi kwamehlo ezizwe eziyozwa ngazo zonke lezi ziqondiso.” (Duteronomi 4:5, 6) Manje yisikhathi sokubonisa ukuthi siyamthanda uJehova ngokubeka intando yakhe kuqala ekuphileni kwethu. Ngokuqinisekile siyobusiswa uma sikhetha ukwenza kanjalo.—Mathewu 6:33.

10-12. Sifundani ngokucabangela lokho okwenzeka ezinsukwini zikaNowa?

¹⁰ Ngokulalela izwi likaNkulunkulu: UNowa ‘wayengumshumayeli wokulunga.’ (2 Petru 2:5) Cishe bonke abantu bangaphambi kukaZamcolo babexinekile, ngakho ‘abazinakanga’ izixwayiso zikaNowa. Waba yini umphumela? “Kwafika uzamcolo, wabakhukhula bonke.” UJesu waxwayisa ukuthi kwakuyokwenzeka okufanayo nasosukwini lwethu, phakathi “nokuba khona kweNdodana yomuntu.” Okwenzeka ngosuku lukaNowa kuyisixwayiso esinamandla kubantu banamuhla abakhetha ukungasinaki isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu.—Mathewu 24:39.

¹¹ Labo abazihleka usulu izixwayiso zaphezulu ezikhishwa izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zanamuhla kufanele bazi ukuthi ukungazilaleli izixwayiso kuyosho ukuthini. Ekhuluma ngalabo bahleki bosulu, umphostoli uPetru wathi: “Ngokwesifiso sabo, leli qiniso liyabaphunyuka, lokuthi ayekhona amazulu kusukela kudala nomhlaba omi ubumbene uvelé emanzini futhi uphakathi kwamanzi ngezwi likaNkulunkulu; ngawo izwe langaleso sikhathi labhujiswa lapho limbozwa amanzi. Kodwa ngezwi elifanayo amazulu nomhlaba okukhona manje abekelwe umlilo futhi ayagcinwa kuze kube sosukwini lokwahlulelwa nolokubhujiswa kwabantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu.”—2 Petru 3:3-7.

¹² Qhathanisa lokhu nokukhetha uNowa nabendlu yakhe abakwenza. “Ngokholo uNowa, ngemva kokunikwa isixwayiso saphezulu sezinto ezingakabonwa, wabonisa ukwesaba kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu wakha umkhumbi.” Ukulalela kwakhe isixwayiso kwabasindisa abendlu yakhe. (Hebheru 11:7) Kwangathi singazibonakalisa sishesha ekuzweni isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu bese sibonisa ukulalela ngokusinaka.—Jakobe 1:19, 22-25.

13, 14. (a) Kungani kubalulekile ‘ukunamathela kuJehova’? (b) Kufanele simvumele kanjani uJehova, “uMbumbi wethu” ukuba asilolonge?

¹³ Ngokunamathela kuJehova: ‘Ukukhetha ukuphila ukuze siqhubeke siphila,’ akusho ukuthi kumelwe sigcine ngokuthanda uJehova futhi simlalele, kodwa kumelwe futhi ‘sinamathele kuye,’ okungukuthi siphikelele ekwenzeni intando yakhe. UJesu wathi: “Ngokukhuthazela kwenu niyozuza imiphefumulo yenu.” (Luka 21:19) Empeleni, ukukhetha esikwenzayo kule ndaba kwembula lokho okusenhliziyweni yethu. IzAga 28:14 zithi: “Uyajabula umuntu ozwa ingebhe njalo, kodwa oyenza lukhuni inhliziyo yakhe uyowela enhlekeleleni.” UFaro waseGibhithe  lasendulo wayeyisibonelo salokhu. Njengoba inhlupho ngayinye eziNhluphweni Eziyishumi yayehlela iGibhithe, uFaro wayeyenza lukhuni inhliziyo yakhe esikhundleni sokubonisa ukwesaba uNkulunkulu. UJehova akazange aphoqe uFaro ukuba angalaleli kodwa wamvumela lowo mbusi oqhoshayo ukuba azikhethele. Kunoma ikuphi, intando kaJehova yafezeka, njengoba umphostoli uPawulu achaza ngokuqondene nombono kaJehova ngoFaro: “Ngenxa yaso kanye lesi sizathu ngikuyekile ukuba uqhubeke ukhona, ukuze ngibonise amandla ami ngawe, futhi ukuze igama lami limenyezelwe emhlabeni wonke.”—Roma 9:17.

¹⁴ Emakhulwini eminyaka ngemva kokukhululwa kwama-Israyeli esandleni sikaFaro, umprofethi u-Isaya wathi: “O Jehova, wena unguBaba wethu. Thina siwubumba, wena unguMbumbi wethu; thina sonke siwumsebenzi wesandla sakho.” (Isaya 64:8) Njengoba sivumela uJehova ukuba asilolonge ngesifundo somuntu siqu nangokusebenzisa iZwi lakhe, kancane kancane sigqoka ubuntu obusha. Siba abantu abamnene nabalolongeka ngokwengeziwe, okwenza kube lula ngathi ukunamathela ngobuqotho kuJehova ngoba sifuna ngokusuka enhliziyweni ukumthokozisa.—Efesu 4:23, 24; Kolose 3:8-10.

‘Kumelwe Uzenze Zaziwe’

15. NgokukaDuteronomi 4:9, uMose wakhumbuza u-Israyeli ngamuphi umthwalo wemfanelo okabili?

¹⁵ Nakhu uMose akusho esizweni sakwa-Israyeli esasibuthene silungele ukungena eZweni Lesithembiso: “Kuphela ziqaphele futhi unakekele kahle umphefumulo wakho, ukuze ungazikhohlwa izinto amehlo akho azibonile futhi zingamuki enhliziyweni yakho zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwakho; futhi kumelwe uzazise abantwana bakho nabazukulu bakho.” (Duteronomi 4:9) Ukuze bathole isibusiso sikaJehova futhi bachume ezweni abase bezolithatha, abantu kwakudingeka bafeze umthwalo wemfanelo okabili phambi kukaJehova uNkulunkulu wabo. Kwakungafanele bazikhohlwe izinto ezimangalisayo uJehova ayezenze phambi kwamehlo abo, futhi kwakumelwe bazifundise izizukulwane eziseza. Njengabantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla, kumelwe senze okufanayo uma sifuna ‘ukukhetha ukuphila futhi siqhubeke siphila.’ Yini esiyibone ngamehlo ethu uJehova asenzele yona?

16, 17. (a) Yini eye yafezwa izithunywa zevangeli eziqeqeshwe eGileyadi emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso? (b) Iziphi izibonelo ozaziyo zabantu abangazange banciphise intshiseko yabo?

¹⁶ Kusivusa amadlingozi ukubona indlela uJehova awubusise ngayo umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela nokwenza abafundi. Selokhu kwavulwa i-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead ngo-1943, izithunywa zevangeli ziye zahola emsebenzini wokwenza abafundi emazweni amaningi. Kuze kube manje, abokuqala ukuthweswa iziqu kulesi sikole basashumayela ngoMbuso ngentshiseko, ngisho noma sebekhulile futhi abanye sebehlushwa nayimpilo. Omunye oyisibonelo esihle salokhu uMary Olson, owathweswa iziqu eGileyadi ngo-1944. Uye wakhonza njengesithunywa sevangeli—waqala e-Uruguay, wabe eseya eColombia, manje usePuerto Rico. Nakuba eselinganiselwa yizinkinga zempilo ngenxa yokuguga, uDade Olson usashumayela ngentshiseko. Esebenzisa ulwazi lwakhe lweSpanishi, uhlela isikhathi isonto ngalinye ukuze asebenze nabamemezeli  bebandla lakubo enkonzweni yasensimini.

¹⁷ UNancy Porter, manje ongumfelokazi, owathweswa iziqu eSikoleni SaseGileyadi ngo-1947, usakhonza eBahamas. Ungesinye isithunywa sevangeli esihlala simatasa emsebenzini wokushumayela. “Ukufundisa abanye iqiniso leBhayibheli kuye kwangilethela injabulo ngokukhethekile,” kubika uDade Porter endabeni yokuphila kwakhe. * “Kungenza ngibe nesimiso esingokomoya esihlelekile esiye senza ukuphila kwami kwaba nesiqondiso futhi kwazinza.” Lapho uDade Porter nezinye izinceku ezithembekile bebheka emuva, abakukhohlwa lokho uJehova akwenzile. Kuthiwani ngathi? Ingabe siyayazisa indlela uJehova awubusise ngayo umsebenzi woMbuso endaweni yakithi?—IHubo 68:11.

18. Singafundani ezindabeni zokuphila zezithunywa zevangeli?

¹⁸ Siyajabula ngalokho lab’ omakadebona abaye bakufeza nabasakufeza. Ukufunda izindaba zabo zokuphila kuwumthombo wesikhuthazo kithi ngoba lapho sibona lokho uJehova akwenzele lezi zinceku zakhe ezithembekile, sizimisela nakakhulu ukumkhonza. Ingabe uyazifunda njalo lezi zindaba ezivusa amadlingozi ezikhishwa INqabayokulinda bese uzindla ngazo?

19. Abazali abangamaKristu bangazisebenzisa kahle kanjani izindaba zokuphila ezikuyi-Nqabayokulinda?

¹⁹ UMose wakhumbuza u-Israyeli ukuthi kwakungamelwe azikhohlwe zonke izinto uJehova ayemenzele zona nokuthi lezi zinto kwakungafanele zisuke enhliziyweni yakhe zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwakhe. Wabe esenezela nesinye isinyathelo: “Kumelwe uzazise abantwana bakho nabazukulu bakho.” (Duteronomi 4:9) Izindaba zokuphila zikhanga ngokukhethekile. Izingane ezisakhula zidinga izibonelo ezinhle. Odade abangashadile bangafunda esibonelweni sokwethembeka sodade asebekhulile abazindaba zabo zokuphila zilandiswe kuyiNqabayokulinda. Abazalwane nodade bathola amathuba engeziwe okuba matasa ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle ngokukhonza ensimini ekhuluma olunye ulimi ezweni lakubo. Bazali abangamaKristu, kungani ningasebenzisi okuhlangenwe nakho kwezithunywa zevangeli zaseGileyadi ezithembekile nokwabanye ukuze nikhuthaze izingane zenu ukuba zikhethe ukusebenzisa ukuphila kwazo enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele?

20. Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze ‘sikhethe ukuphila’?

²⁰ Khona-ke, ngamunye wethu ‘angakukhetha’ kanjani “ukuphila”? Ngokusebenzisa isipho esimangalisayo senkululeko yokuzikhethela ukuze sibonise uJehova ukuthi siyamthanda nangokuqhubeka senza okusemandleni ethu enkonzweni yakhe uma nje esasinike lelo thuba. Njengoba uMose asho, uJehova “ungukuphila kwakho nobude bezinsuku zakho.”—Duteronomi 30:19, 20.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ingabe Usakhumbula?

• Ufundeni ezibonelweni zabantu abenza ukukhetha okungafani esiye sazicabangela?

• Iziphi izinyathelo okumelwe sizithathe ukuze ‘sikhethe ukuphila’?

• Imuphi umthwalo wemfanelo okabili esikhuthazwa ukuba siwufeze?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

“Ngibeke ukuphila nokufa phambi kwakho”

[Isithombe ekhasini 29]

Ukulalela izwi likaNkulunkulu kwasindisa uNowa nomkhaya wakhe

[Isithombe ekhasini 30]

UMary Olson

[Isithombe ekhasini 30]

UNancy Porter