Indlela Yokusondela ‘KuMuzwi Womthandazo’

“O Muzwi womthandazo, impela abantu bayo yonke inyama bayokuza kuwe.”—IHUBO 65:2.

1. Yini eyenza abantu bahluke kwezinye izidalwa ezisemhlabeni, futhi lokhu kuvula ithuba lani?

KUZO zonke izinkulungwane zezidalwa eziphilayo emhlabeni, ngabantu kuphela abanekhono lokukhulekela uMdali. Yibo kuphela abasiqaphelayo isidingo sabo esingokomoya futhi babe nesifiso sokusanelisa. Lokhu kusivulela ithuba elimangalisayo lokuba nobuhlobo bomuntu siqu noBaba wethu osezulwini.

2. Isono saba namuphi umphumela omubi ebuhlotsheni bomuntu noMdali wakhe?

² UNkulunkulu wadala umuntu enekhono lokusondela kuMenzi wakhe. U-Adamu no-Eva badalwa bengenasono. Ngakho, babekwazi ukusondela kuNkulunkulu ngokukhululekile njengoba nje ingane isondela kuyise. Nokho, isono sabaphuca lelo lungelo elihle. U-Adamu no-Eva abazange bamlalele uNkulunkulu futhi balahlekelwa ubuhlobo obuseduze naye. (Genesise 3:8-13, 17-24) Ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi inzalo ka-Adamu engaphelele ayisakwazi ukukhulumisana noNkulunkulu? Cha, uJehova usayivumela ukuba isondele kuye kodwa kuphela uma ihlangabezana nemibandela ethile. Yimiphi leyo mibandela?

Izimfuneko Zokusondela KuNkulunkulu

3. Abantu abanesono kufanele basondele kanjani kuNkulunkulu, futhi isiphi isibonelo esibonisa lokhu?

³ Isenzakalo esihilela amadodana amabili ka-Adamu sisisiza sibone ukuthi yini uNkulunkulu ayifunayo kumuntu ongaphelele ofisa ukusondela kuYe. Bobabili uKhayini no-Abela benza imizamo yokusondela kuNkulunkulu ngokuletha imihlatshelo kuye. Umnikelo ka-Abela wamukeleka, kanti okaKhayini awuzange wamukeleke. (Genesise 4:3-5) Umahluko wawuyini? AmaHebheru 11:4 athi: “Ngokholo u-Abela wanikela kuNkulunkulu umhlatshelo obaluleke kakhulu kunokaKhayini, okuwukholo afakazelwa ngalo ukuthi wayelungile.” Kusobala-ke ukuthi ukholo luyimfuneko ekutholeni ukwamukelwa uNkulunkulu. Enye imfuneko ibonakala emazwini kaJehova kuKhayini: “Uma uphendukela ekwenzeni okuhle, ngeke yini kube khona ukuphakanyiswa?” Yebo, umzamo kaKhayini wokusondela kuNkulunkulu ngabe wamukelwa ukube waphenduka wenza okuhle. Nokho, wasenqaba iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu, wabulala u-Abela futhi wagcina eyisilahlwa. (Genesise 4:7-12) Ngakho, kwagcizelelwa kwasekuqaleni komlando womuntu ukuthi ukuze umuntu asondele kuNkulunkulu kubalulekile ukuba abe nokholo futhi enze imisebenzi emihle.

4. Yini okufanele siyiqaphele ngokuphathelene nokusondela kwethu kuNkulunkulu?

⁴ Uma sifuna ukusondela kuNkulunkulu kubalulekile ukuba sisiqaphele isimo sethu sokuba yizoni. Bonke abantu banesono, futhi isono siyasithiya ukuba singasondeli kuNkulunkulu. Umprofethi uJeremiya wabhala lokhu ngokuqondene nama-Israyeli: “Thina seqé umthetho . . . Uvimbile ngongqimba lwamafu ukuba kungasondelwa kuwe, ukuze umthandazo ungadluli.” (IsiLilo 3:42, 44) Noma kunjalo, kuwo wonke umlando womuntu uNkulunkulu uzibonise ekulungele ukwamukela imithandazo yalabo abeza kuye ngokholo nangesimo senhliziyo esifanele, begcina imiyalo yakhe. (IHubo 119:145) Obani abanye babo, futhi yini esingayifunda emithandazweni yabo?

5, 6. Yini esingayifunda endleleni u-Abrahama asondela ngayo kuNkulunkulu?

 ⁵ Omunye walabo bantu u-Abrahama. UNkulunkulu wayamukela indlela u-Abrahama asondela ngayo kuye, ngoba wambiza ngokuthi “umngane wami.” (Isaya 41:8) Yini esingayifunda endleleni u-Abrahama asondela ngayo kuNkulunkulu? Le nzalamizi ethembekile yabuza uJehova ngendlalifa, yathi: “Uyonginikani, njengoba ngingenamntwana?” (Genesise 15:2, 3; 17:18) Ngesinye isikhathi, yezwakalisa ukukhathazeka kwayo ngokuthi obani ababeyosinda lapho uNkulunkulu ahlulela ababi eSodoma naseGomora. (Genesise 18:23-33) U-Abrahama wanxusela nabanye. (Genesise 20:7, 17) Njengasendabeni ka-Abela, indlela u-Abrahama ayesondela ngayo kuNkulunkulu ngezinye izikhathi yayihlanganisa nokwenzela uJehova umnikelo.—Genesise 22:9-14.

⁶ Ngazo zonke lezi zikhathi, u-Abrahama wayezizwa ekhululekile ukukhuluma noJehova. Nokho, inkululeko yakhe yokukhuluma yayihambisana nombono wokuthobeka ngokuma kwakhe phambi koMdali wakhe. Phawula amazwi akhe enhlonipho kuGenesise 18:27: “Ngiyacela, bheka ngikwenzé umsebenzi wami ukukhuluma noJehova, kanti ngiluthuli nomlotha.” Yeka isimo sengqondo esihle okumelwe sisilingise!

7. Iziphi izindaba izinzalamizi ezazikhuluma noJehova ngomthandazo?

⁷ Izinzalamizi zathandaza kuJehova ngezindaba ezihlukahlukene, futhi imithandazo yazo yezwakala. UJakobe wenza umthandazo oyisifungo. Ngemva kokucela uNkulunkulu ukuba amsekele, wathembisa ngobuqotho: “Konke oyonginika khona nakanjani ngiyokunika okweshumi kwako.” (Genesise 28:20-22) Kamuva, lapho esezohlangana nomfowabo, uJakobe wanxusa uJehova ukuba amvikele: “Ngiyakuncenga, ngikhulule esandleni somfowethu, esandleni sika-Esawu, ngoba ngiyamesaba.” (Genesise 32:9-12) Inzalamizi uJobe yasondela kuJehova icelela umkhaya wayo, iwenzela imihlatshelo. Lapho abangane bakaJobe abathathu bekhulumé ngendlela engafanele, wabathandazela futhi “uJehova wabamukela ubuso bukaJobe.” (Jobe 1:5; 42:7-9) Lezi zindaba zenza sibone izinto esingakhuluma ngazo lapho sithandaza kuJehova. Sibona nokuthi uJehova ukulungele ukwamukela imithandazo yalabo abeza kuye ngendlela efanele.

Ngaphansi Kwesivumelwano SoMthetho

8. Ngaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho, izindaba zabantu zaziyiswa kanjani kuJehova?

⁸ UJehova wakhulula isizwe sakwa-Israyeli eGibhithe, wasinika isivumelwano soMthetho. UMthetho wawufuna ukuba kusondelwe kuNkulunkulu ngelungiselelo labapristi abamisiwe. AmaLevi athile ayabelwe ukusebenza njengabapristi ngokwenzuzo yabantu. Lapho  kuvela izindaba ezithinta isizwe, ummeleli wabantu—ngezinye izikhathi inkosi noma umprofethi—wayethula udaba kuNkulunkulu ngomthandazo. (1 Samuweli 8:21, 22; 14:36-41; Jeremiya 42:1-3) Ngokwesibonelo, lapho kunikezelwa ithempeli, iNkosi uSolomoni yakhuluma noJehova ngomthandazo othinta inhliziyo. NoJehova wabonisa ukuthi uyawamukela umthandazo kaSolomoni ngokugcwalisa ithempeli ngenkazimulo yaKhe waphinde washo la mazwi: “Nezindlebe zami [ziyolalela] umthandazo kule ndawo.”—2 IziKronike 6:12–7:3, 15.

9. Yini eyayidingeka ukuze kusondelwe kuJehova ngendlela efanele endlini engcwele?

⁹ EMthethweni owanikezwa u-Israyeli, uJehova wahlanganisa nalokho okwakufuneka ukuze abantu bamukeleke lapho besondela kuye endlini engcwele. Yini eyayifuneka? Ngaphezu kokunikela imihlatshelo yezilwane, njalo ekuseni nakusihlwa kwakudingeka ukuba umpristi ophakeme ashise impepho enamakha phambi kukaJehova. Kamuva, nabapristi abangaphansi kompristi ophakeme bayenza le nkonzo, ngaphandle kwangoSuku Lokuhlawulelwa. Uma abapristi babengayenzi le nkonzo ebonisa inhlonipho, uJehova wayengeke ajabule ngenkonzo yabo.—Eksodusi 30:7, 8; 2 IziKronike 13:11.

10, 11. Ibuphi ubufakazi esinabo bokuthi uJehova wayeyamukela imithandazo yabantu ngabanye?

¹⁰ Kwa-Israyeli wasendulo, ingabe kwakusondelwa kuNkulunkulu ngabameleli abamisiwe kuphela? Cha, imiBhalo ibonisa ukuthi uJehova wayekujabulela nokwamukela imithandazo yabantu ngabanye. Emthandazweni wakhe wokunikezela ithempeli, uSolomoni wancenga uJehova: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yimuphi umthandazo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yisiphi isicelo somusa esingase senziwe yinoma yimuphi umuntu noma yibo bonke abantu bakho u-Israyeli, . . . lapho empeleni elulela izintende zezandla zakhe ngakule ndlu, khona-ke kwangathi ungezwa wena usemazulwini.” (2 IziKronike 6:29, 30) Ukulandisa kukaLuka kusitshela ukuthi ngesikhathi uZakariya, uyise kaJohane uMbhapathizi, enikela impepho endlini engcwele, uquqaba lwabakhulekeli bakaJehova ababengebona abapristi “lwaluthandaza ngaphandle.” Ngokusobala, kwase kuwumkhuba ukuba abantu babuthane ngaphandle kwendlu engcwele bathandaze ngesikhathi kunikelwa impepho kuJehova e-altare legolide.—Luka 1:8-10.

¹¹ Ngakho, lapho abantu besondela kuJehova ngendlela efanele, wayekujabulela ukwamukela izicelo zabo ezazilethwa yilabo ababemelela isizwe sisonke nezabantu ngabanye ababefuna ukuzikhulumela ngokwabo. Namuhla asisekho ngaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho. Noma kunjalo, singathola izifundo ezithile ezibalulekile ngomthandazo ezindleleni ama-Israyeli asendulo ayesondela ngazo kuNkulunkulu.

Ngaphansi Kwelungiselelo LobuKristu

12. Iliphi ilungiselelo lokusondela kuJehova elenzelwe amaKristu?

¹² Manje siphila ngaphansi kwelungiselelo lobuKristu. Alisekho ithempeli elingokoqobo elinabapristi abamelele bonke abantu bakaNkulunkulu noma esingabheka ngakulo lapho sithandaza kuNkulunkulu. Noma kunjalo, uJehova usenalo ilungiselelo lokuba sisondele kuye. Iliphi? Ngesikhathi uKristu egcotshwa ngo-29 C.E.  futhi emiswa njengomPristi Ophakeme, kwasungulwa ithempeli elingokomoya. * Leli thempeli elingokomoya laliyilungiselelo elisha lokusondela kuJehova ngokumkhulekela ngesisekelo somhlatshelo ohlawulelayo kaJesu Kristu.—Hebheru 9:11, 12.

13. Ngokuphathelene nomthandazo, ikuphi ukufana okukhona phakathi kwethempeli elaliseJerusalema nethempeli elingokomoya?

¹³ Izici eziningi zethempeli elaliseJerusalema ziwafanekisela kahle amalungiselelo ethempeli elingokomoya, kuhlanganise nalawo ahlobene nomthandazo. (Hebheru 9:1-10) Ngokwesibonelo, yini eyayimelelwa impepho eyayinikelwa ekuseni nakusihlwa e-altare lempepho egumbini eliNgcwele lethempeli? Ngokwencwadi yesAmbulo, “impepho isho imithandazo yabangcwele.” (IsAmbulo 5:8; 8:3, 4) UDavide waphefumulelwa ukuba alobe: “Kwangathi umthandazo wami ungalungiswa njengempepho phambi kwakho.” (IHubo 141:2) Ngakho, elungiselelweni lobuKristu, impepho enuka kamnandi iyimelela kahle imithandazo nezindumiso ezamukelekayo kuJehova.—1 Thesalonika 3:10.

14, 15. Yini engase ishiwo ngokusondela kuJehova (a) kwamaKristu agcotshiwe? (b) ‘kwabezinye izimvu’?

¹⁴ Obani abangase basondele kuNkulunkulu kuleli thempeli elingokomoya? Ethempelini elingokoqobo, abapristi namaLevi babenelungelo lokukhonza egcekeni elingaphakathi, kodwa abapristi kuphela ababengangena eNgcwele. AmaKristu agcotshiwe anethemba lasezulwini ajabulela isimo esingokomoya esiyingqayizivele esafanekiselwa igceke elingaphakathi kanye neNgcwele, esibenza bakwazi ukunikela imithandazo nezindumiso kuNkulunkulu.

¹⁵ Kuthiwani ngalabo abanethemba lasemhlabeni, “ezinye izimvu”? (Johane 10:16) Umprofethi u-Isaya wabonisa ukuthi “engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku” abantu bezizwe eziningi babeyoza bezokhulekela uJehova. (Isaya 2:2, 3) Wabhala nokuthi “abezinye izizwe” babeyozihlanganisa noJehova. Ebonisa ukuzimisela kwakhe ukubamukela ukuba basondele kuye, uNkulunkulu wathi: “[Ngiyobenza] bajabule ngaphakathi kwendlu yami yomthandazo.” (Isaya 56:6, 7) IsAmbulo 7:9-15 sisinikeza imininingwane eyengeziwe ngoba sikhuluma ‘ngesixuku esikhulu’ esiphuma kuzo “zonke izizwe” esibuthana ukuze sikhulekele futhi sithandaze kuNkulunkulu “imini nobusuku” njengoba simi egcekeni elingaphandle lethempeli elingokomoya. Yeka ukuthi kududuza kanjani ukwazi ukuthi zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla zingasondela kuye ngokukhululekile ziqiniseka ngokugcwele ukuthi uyazizwa!

Imithandazo Enjani Eyamukelekayo?

16. Yini esingayifunda ngomthandazo kumaKristu okuqala?

¹⁶ AmaKristu okuqala ayengabantu abazinikele emthandazweni. Iziphi izinto ayezithandazela? Abadala abangamaKristu bacela isiqondiso sokukhetha amadoda ayengaphathiswa imithwalo yemfanelo yokuqondisa. (IzEnzo 1:24, 25; 6:5, 6) U-Ephafra wathandazela amanye amakholwa akanye nawo. (Kolose 4:12) Amalungu ebandla eJerusalema athandazela uPetru lapho  eboshiwe. (IzEnzo 12:5) AmaKristu okuqala acela uNkulunkulu ukuba awanike isibindi lapho ebhekene nokuphikiswa, ethi: “Jehova, naka izinsongo zabo, unike izinceku zakho ukuba ziqhubeke zikhuluma izwi lakho ngaso sonke isibindi.” (IzEnzo 4:23-30) Umfundi uJakobe wakhuthaza amaKristu ukuba athandaze acele ukuhlakanipha kuNkulunkulu lapho elingwa. (Jakobe 1:5) Uyazifaka yini izindaba ezinjalo ezicelweni ozenza kuJehova?

17. Imithandazo yobani uJehova ayamukelayo?

¹⁷ Akuyona yonke imithandazo uNkulunkulu ayamukelayo. Khona-ke, singathandaza kanjani sinesiqiniseko sokuthi imithandazo yethu iyokwamukeleka? Abantu abathembekile uNkulunkulu abalalela ezikhathini zangaphambili baya kuye ngobuqotho nangesimo esifanele senhliziyo. Babonisa ukholo futhi balufakazela ngemisebenzi emihle. Singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyobalalela namuhla labo abasondela kuye ngendlela efanayo.

18. Ukuze imithandazo yawo izwiwe, iyiphi imfuneko amaKristu okumelwe ahlangabezane nayo?

¹⁸ Kunenye futhi imfuneko edingekayo. Umphostoli uPawulu wayichaza: “Ngaye . . . sisondela kuBaba ngomoya munye.” Wayekhuluma ngobani lapho ethi, “ngaye”? Wayekhuluma ngoJesu Kristu. (Efesu 2:13, 18) Yebo, singaba nenkululeko yokusondela kuBaba ngoJesu kuphela.—Johane 14:6; 15:16; 16:23, 24.

19. (a) Kunini lapho umnikelo wempepho kwa-Israyeli waba into enyanyekayo kuJehova? (b) Singaqinisekisa kanjani ukuthi imithandazo yethu injengempepho enephunga elimnandi kuJehova?

¹⁹ Njengoba sekuphawuliwe, impepho eyayinikelwa abapristi abangama-Israyeli imelela imithandazo eyamukelekayo yezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile. Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi iminikelo yempepho yama-Israyeli yayinengeka kuJehova. Yilokho okwenzeka lapho ama-Israyeli eshisa impepho ethempelini kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo ekhothamela izithombe. (Hezekeli 8:10, 11) Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, imithandazo yalabo abathi bakhonza uJehova bebe benza izinto ezingqubuzana nemithetho yakhe iba njengephunga elibi kuye. (IzAga 15:8) Ngakho-ke, masiqhubeke sizigcina sihlanzekile kuzo zonke izici zokuphila kwethu ukuze imithandazo yethu ibe njengempepho enephunga elimnandi kuNkulunkulu. UJehova uyayijabulela imithandazo yalabo abahamba ezindleleni zakhe ezilungile. (Johane 9:31) Nokho, kusenemibuzo esadinga ukuphendulwa. Kufanele sithandaze kanjani? Iziphi izinto esingazithandazela? UNkulunkulu uyiphendula kanjani imithandazo yethu? Le mibuzo neminye izocatshangelwa esihlokweni sethu esilandelayo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ungachaza?

• Abantu abangaphelele bangasondela kanjani kuNkulunkulu ngendlela ayamukelayo?

• Singazilingisa kanjani izinzalamizi lapho sithandaza?

• Yini esiyifundayo emithandazweni yamaKristu okuqala?

• Kunini lapho imithandazo yethu iba njengempepho enephunga elimnandi kuNkulunkulu?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Kungani uNkulunkulu amukela umnikelo ka-Abela kodwa akangawamukela okaKhayini?

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

“Ngiluthuli nomlotha”

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

“Nakanjani ngiyokunika okweshumi kwako”

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Ingabe imithandazo yakho injengempepho enephunga elimnandi kuJehova?