‘Izakhamuzi Zesikhashana’ Ezweni Elibi

‘Ngokholo bonke laba, bavuma obala ukuthi bangabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana ezweni.’—HEB. 11:13.

1. Wathini uJesu ngesimo sabalandeli bakhe ngokuphathelene nezwe?

 UJESU wathi ngabafundi bakhe: “Basezweni.” Kodwa wabe esechaza: “[Abayona] ingxenye yezwe, njengoba nje nami ngingeyona ingxenye yezwe.” (Joh. 17:11, 14) Ngaleyo ndlela, wasibonisa ngokucacile isimo sabalandeli bakhe beqiniso mayelana ‘nalesi simiso sezinto,’ esinkulunkulu waso nguSathane. (2 Kor. 4:4) Nakuba behlala kuleli zwe elibi, babengeke babe ingxenye yalo. Isimo sabo kulesi simiso sasiyoba ‘njengesabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana.’—1 Pet. 2:11.

Baphila ‘Njengezakhamuzi Zesikhashana’

2, 3. Kungani kungase kuthiwe u-Enoke, uNowa, u-Abrahama noSara baphila ‘njengabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana ezweni’?

² Selokhu kwathi nhlo, izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile bezilokhu zihlukile kubantu  bezwe elingamesabi uNkulunkulu ezaziphila phakathi kwabo. Ngaphambi kukaZamcolo, u-Enoke noNowa ‘bahamba noNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ (Gen. 5:22-24; 6:9) Bobabili bamemezela ngesibindi izahlulelo zikaJehova ngokumelene nezwe likaSathane elibi. (Funda eyesi-2 Petru 2:5; Jude 14, 15.) Ngenxa yokuhamba kwabo noNkulunkulu ezweni elingamesabi, u-Enoke kwathiwa ‘wajabulisa uNkulunkulu,’ futhi uNowa kwathiwa “akabanga naphutha phakathi kwabantu besikhathi sakhe.”—Heb. 11:5; Gen. 6:9.

³ Becelwa uNkulunkulu, u-Abrahama noSara badela ukuphila okunethezekile kwasemzini wase-Uri lamaKhaledi futhi bamukela inselele yokuhlala njengonozulane ezweni abangalazi. (Gen. 11:27, 28; 12:1) Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ngokholo u-Abrahama, lapho ebizwa, walalela ngokuphuma aye endaweni ayemiselwe ukuyamukela njengefa; waphuma, nakuba ayengazi ukuthi uyaphi. Ngokholo wagogobala ezweni lesithembiso njengokungathi kusezweni lesinye isizwe, futhi wahlala ematendeni no-Isaka noJakobe, izindlalifa kanye naye zesithembiso esifanayo.” (Heb. 11:8, 9) Ekhuluma ngezinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile ezinjalo, uPawulu wathi: “Bonke laba bafa benokholo, nakuba bengakutholanga ukugcwaliseka kwezithembiso, kodwa bazibona zikude, bazamukela futhi bavuma obala ukuthi bangabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana ezweni.”—Heb. 11:13.

Isixwayiso Kuma-Israyeli

4. Isiphi isixwayiso esanikezwa ama-Israyeli ngaphambi kokuba ahlale ezweni lawo?

⁴ Inzalo ka-Abrahama, ama-Israyeli, yanda futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi yahlelwa yaba isizwe esaba nesimiso somthetho nezwe laso. (Gen. 48:4; Dut. 6:1) Ama-Israyeli kwakungafanele nanini akhohlwe ukuthi uMnikazi wangempela wezwe lawo kwakunguJehova. (Lev. 25:23) Ayefana nabantu abaqashile abanesibopho sokuhlonipha izifiso zoMnikazi wendawo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwakufanele akhumbule ukuthi “umuntu akaphili ngesinkwa sodwa”; kwakungafanele avumele ukuchuma ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo kuwenze akhohlwe uJehova. (Dut. 8:1-3) Ngaphambi kokuba angene akhe ezweni lawo, anikwa lesi sixwayiso: “Kuyothi lapho uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ekungenisa ezweni afunga kokhokho bakho, u-Abrahama, u-Isaka, noJakobe ukukunika lona, imizi emikhulu nebukekayo ongayakhanga, nezindlu ezigcwele zonke izinto ezinhle ezingagcwaliswanga nguwe, nemithombo embiwe ongayimbanga, izivini neminqumo ongakutshalanga, futhi uyobe usudle waneliseka, uqaphele ukuba ungamkhohlwa uJehova.”—Dut. 6:10-12.

5. Kungani uJehova alahla u-Israyeli, futhi wawudlulisela kusiphi isizwe esisha umusa wakhe?

⁵ Kwakunesizathu sokunikeza lesi sixwayiso. Ngosuku lukaNehemiya, iqembu lamaLevi laba namahloni lapho likhumbula lokho okwenzeka ngemva kokuba ama-Israyeli ethathe iZwe Lesithembiso. Ngemva kokuba ama-Israyeli engene ezindlini ezithokomele futhi esenokudla newayini eliningi, “adla aneliseka futhi akhuluphala.” Avukela uNkulunkulu, aze abulala nabaprofethi ayebathumele ukuba bawaxwayise. Ngakho-ke, uJehova wawanikela ezitheni zawo. (Funda uNehemiya 9:25-27; Hos. 13:6-9) Kamuva, ngesikhathi ebuswa amaRoma, amaJuda angenalo ukholo avukela aze abulala uMesiya owayethenjisiwe! UJehova wawalahla, wasusa umusa wakhe kuwo futhi wawudlulisela esizweni esisha, u-Israyeli ongokomoya.—Math. 21:43; IzE. 7:51, 52; Gal. 6:16.

“Aniyona Ingxenye Yezwe”

6, 7. (a) Ungakuchaza kanjani lokho uJesu akusho ngesimo sabalandeli bakhe ngokuphathelene nezwe? (b) Kungani amaKristu eqiniso kwakungafanele abe ingxenye yesimiso sikaSathane?

⁶ Njengoba kubonisiwe ekuqaleni kwalesi sihloko, iNhloko yebandla lobuKristu, uJesu Kristu, yakwenza kwacaca ukuthi abalandeli bayo babeyohluka ezweni, isimiso sezinto sikaSathane esibi. Ngaphambi nje kokuba afe, uJesu watshela abafundi bakhe: “Uma beniyingxenye  yezwe, izwe belizothanda okungokwalo. Manje ngenxa yokuthi aniyona ingxenye yezwe, kodwa nginikhethile kuleli zwe, ngenxa yalokhu izwe liyanizonda.”—Joh. 15:19.

⁷ Njengoba ubuKristu babanda, ingabe amaKristu kwakufanele azivumelanise nezwe, alandele imikhuba yalo futhi abe ingxenye yalo? Cha. Nomaphi lapho ayehlala khona, kwakufanele ahlale ehlukile esimisweni sikaSathane. Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-30 uKristu afa, umphostoli uPetru wabhalela amaKristu ayehlala ezingxenyeni ezahlukahlukene zombuso wamaRoma: “Bathandekayo, ngininxusa njengabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana ukuba niqhubeke nideda ezifisweni zenyama, okuyizo kanye ezilwa nomphefumulo. Gcinani ukuziphatha kwenu kukuhle phakathi kwezizwe.”—1 Pet. 1:1; 2:11, 12.

8. Esinye isazimlando sabuchaza kanjani ubuhlobo bamaKristu okuqala nezwe?

⁸ Siqinisekisa ukuthi amaKristu okuqala ayeziphatha ‘njengabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana’ ngesikhathi sombuso wamaRoma, isazimlando uKenneth Scott Latourette sabhala: “Kuyinto eyaziwayo emlandweni ukuthi ubuKristu phakathi neminyaka yabo yokuqala engamakhulu amathathu babhekana noshushiso olungapheli futhi olwaluvame ukuba nonya . . . Ayemangalelwa ngezinto ezihlukene. Ngenxa yokuthi ayenqaba ukuhlanganyela emikhosini yobuqaba, amaKristu ayebhekwa njengangakholelwa kuNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yokungahileleki ezintweni eziningi ezazenziwa umphakathi—imikhosi yobuqaba, ezokuzijabulisa zomphakathi amaKristu ayezibheka njengezicwile ezinkolelweni nasemikhubeni yobuqaba nasekuziphatheni okubi—ayechwenswa kuthiwa azonda abantu.”

Ukungalisebenzisi Ngokugcwele Izwe

9. NjengamaKristu eqiniso, sibonisa kanjani ukuthi ‘asibazondi abantu’?

⁹ Kuthiwani namuhla? Ngokuphathelene ‘nalesi simiso sezinto esibi samanje,’ nathi silondoloza ukuma okufana nokwamaKristu okuqala. (Gal. 1:4) Ngenxa yalokhu, abaningi abasiqondi futhi abanye bayasizonda. Kodwa, ngokuqinisekile ‘asibazondi abantu.’ Ngenxa yokuthi siyabathanda abantu esiphila nabo, singena indlu ngendlu, senza wonke umzamo wokuxhumana nomuntu ngamunye ‘ngezindaba ezinhle zombuso kaNkulunkulu.’ (Math. 22:39; 24:14) Senza lokhu ngoba siyaqiniseka ukuthi uMbuso kaJehova oyobe usemahlombe  kaKristu maduze uzoqeda ukubusa kwabantu abangaphelele, esikhundleni sako ulethe isimiso esisha sezinto sokulunga.—Dan. 2:44; 2 Pet. 3:13.

10, 11. (a) Silisebenzisa kanjani izwe ngokusesilinganisweni? (b) Iziphi ezinye izindlela amaKristu aphapheme akugwema ngazo ukusebenzisa izwe ngokugcwele?

¹⁰ Ngenxa yokuthi ukuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto sekuseduze, njengezinceku zikaJehova siyaqaphela ukuthi lesi akusona isikhathi sokuzinza kuleli zwe elifayo. Silalela amazwi omphostoli uPawulu: “Ngiyakusho lokhu, bazalwane, ukuthi isikhathi esesisele sinciphile. Kusukela manje labo . . . abathengayo babe njengalabo abangenakho, nalabo abasebenzisa izwe babe njengalabo abangalisebenzisi ngokugcwele; ngoba isimo saleli zwe siyashintsha.” (1 Kor. 7:29-31) Kodwa amaKristu namuhla alisebenzisa kanjani izwe? Akwenza lokhu ngokusebenzisa ezobuchwepheshe zanamuhla nezindlela zokuxhumana ukuze asakaze ulwazi lweBhayibheli emhlabeni wonke ngezilimi eziningi. Asebenzisa izwe ngokusesilinganisweni ukuze aphile. Athenga izimpahla ezidingekayo futhi azuze ezinkonzweni ezinikezwa yizwe. Nokho, ayakugwema ukusebenzisa izwe ngokugcwele ngokugcina izinto zezwe nomsebenzi kusendaweni efanele.—Funda eyoku-1 Thimothewu 6:9, 10.

¹¹ AmaKristu aphapheme ayakugwema ukusebenzisa izwe ngokugcwele endabeni yemfundo ephakeme. Abantu abaningi kuleli zwe bacabanga ukuthi awukwazi ukufinyelela ukuphila okunethezekile nokucokeme ngaphandle kwemfundo ephakeme. Kodwa thina maKristu siphila njengezakhamuzi zesikhashana futhi siphishekela imigomo ehlukile. Siyakugwema ‘ukunaka izinto eziphakeme.’ (Roma 12:16; Jer. 45:5) Ngenxa yokuthi singabalandeli bakaJesu, silalela isixwayiso sakhe: “Hlalani nivulé amehlo futhi niqaphe yonke inhlobo yokuhaha, ngoba ngisho nalapho umuntu enensada ukuphila kwakhe akuveli ezintweni anazo.” (Luka 12:15) Ngenxa yalokho, amaKristu asemasha akhuthazwa ukuba aphishekele imigomo engokomoya, athole imfundo eyanele ukuba nje akwazi ukunakekela izidingo zawo eziyisisekelo ebe egxile ekuzilungiseleleni ukukhonza uJehova ‘ngayo yonke inhliziyo yawo nangawo wonke umphefumulo wawo nangawo onke amandla awo nangayo yonke ingqondo yawo.’ (Luka 10:27) Ngokwenza lokho, angaba “acebile kuNkulunkulu.”—Luka 12:21; funda uMathewu 6:19-21.

Gwema Ukusindwa Izinkathazo Zokuphila

12, 13. Ukulalela kwethu amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 6:31-33 kusihlukanisa kanjani kubantu abasezweni?

¹² Izinceku zikaJehova zihlukile kubantu abasezweni endleleni ezibheka ngayo izinto ezibonakalayo. Ngokuqondene nalokhu, uJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe: “Ningalokothi nikhathazeke nithi, ‘Sizodlani?’ noma, ‘Sizophuzani?’ noma, ‘Sizogqokani?’ Ngoba konke lokhu kuyizinto izizwe eziziphishekela ngokulangazela. UYihlo wasezulwini uyazi ukuthi niyazidinga zonke lezi zinto. Ngakho, qhubekani nifuna kuqala umbuso nokulunga kwakhe, khona-ke zonke lezi ezinye izinto niyozenezelelwa.” (Math. 6:31-33) Abaningi esikholwa nabo baye bazibonela ngawabo ukuthi uBaba wethu osezulwini uyabanikeza izinto abazidingayo.

¹³ “Ukumesaba uNkulunkulu kanye nokwaneliswa kuyinzuzo enkulu.” (1 Thim. 6:6, iBhayibheli lesiZulu elivamile) Lona umbono ohluke kakhulu kowabantu baleli zwe lanamuhla. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho abantu abasha beshada, iningi labo lilindela ukuba ‘nayo yonke into’ ngokushesha—umuzi noma ifulethi eligcwele impahla yasendlini ebizayo, imoto enhle nezinto zobuchwepheshe zamuva. Nokho, amaKristu aphila njengezakhamuzi zesikhashana awazivumeli izifiso zawo zeqele ngalé kwalokho okunengqondo nangakufinyelela. Akuve kuncomeka ukuthi amaningi adela ukunethezeka okuthile kwezinto ezibonakalayo ukuze achithe isikhathi esengeziwe namandla enkonzweni kaJehova njengabamemezeli boMbuso abashisekayo. Amanye akhonza  njengamaphayona, izikhonzi zaseBethel, abajikelezi noma njengezithunywa zevangeli. Yeka ukuthi sonke siyazisa kangakanani inkonzo yomphefumulo wonke yabakhulekeli bakaJehova esikanye nabo!

14. Isiphi isifundo esingasithola emfanekisweni kaJesu womhlwanyeli?

¹⁴ Emfanekisweni wakhe womhlwanyeli, uJesu wathi “izinkathazo zalesi simiso sezinto namandla engcebo okukhohlisa” kungaliminyanisa izwi likaNkulunkulu ezinhliziyweni zethu, kusenze singatheli. (Math. 13:22) Ukwaneliswa ukuphila njengezakhamuzi zesikhashana kulesi simiso sezinto kusisiza ukuba sigweme ukuwela kulolu gibe. Empeleni, kusenza sikwazi ukugcina iso lethu “lilihle,” noma ligxilile, libheke endaweni eyodwa okungukuthi eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu nasekubekeni izithakazelo zawo kuqala ekuphileni kwethu.—Math. 6:22.

“Izwe Liyadlula”

15. Imaphi amazwi omphostoli uJohane alawula umbono nokuziphatha kwamaKristu eqiniso kuleli zwe?

¹⁵ Isizathu esiyinhloko esenza ukuba njengamaKristu eqiniso sizibheke “njengabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana” kuleli zwe, ukuqiniseka kwethu ukuthi izinsuku zalo sezibaliwe. (1 Pet. 2:11; 2 Pet. 3:7) Lo mbono ulawula lokho esikukhethayo ekuphileni, izifiso zethu nesikuphishekelayo. Umphostoli uJohane weluleka amakholwa akanye nawo ukuba angalithandi izwe noma izinto ezisezweni ngoba “izwe liyadlula, kanjalo nesifiso salo, kodwa lowo owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade.”—1 Joh. 2:15-17.

16. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi uNkulunkulu usenze sahluka?

¹⁶ Ama-Israyeli atshelwa ukuthi uma elalela uJehova, ayeyoba “impahla [yakhe] ekhethekile kuzo zonke ezinye izizwe.” (Eks. 19:5) Lapho esathembekile, ama-Israyeli ayehlukile kuzo zonke izizwe endleleni ayekhulekela nayephila ngayo. Nanamuhla, uJehova uye wazihlukanisela abantu abahluke ngokuphawulekayo kubantu bezwe likaSathane. UThithu 2:11-14 usitshela lokhu: “[Lahlani] ukungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu nezifiso zezwe futhi . . . [niphile] ngokuhluzeka kwengqondo nokulunga nangokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu phakathi nalesi simiso samanje sezinto, kuyilapho silindele ithemba elijabulisayo nokubonakaliswa okukhazimulayo kukaNkulunkulu omkhulu nokoMsindisi wethu, uKristu Jesu, owazinikela ngenxa yethu ukuze asikhulule kuyo yonke inhlobo yokweqa umthetho futhi azihlanzele isizwe okungesakhe kuphela, esishisekela imisebenzi emihle.” Lesi “sizwe” sakhiwa amaKristu agcotshiwe nezigidi ‘zezinye izimvu’ zikaJesu eziwalekelelayo neziwasekelayo.—Joh. 10:16.

17. Kungani abagcotshiweyo nabangane babo bengeke bazisole ngokuthi baye baphila njengezakhamuzi zesikhashana kuleli zwe elibi?

¹⁷ “Ithemba elijabulisayo” labagcotshiwe liwukubusa noKristu ezulwini. (IsAm. 5:10) Lapho ithemba labezinye izimvu lokuphila phakade emhlabeni ligcwaliseka, ngeke besaba izakhamuzi zesikhashana ezweni elibi. Bayoba namakhaya amahle nenala yokudla nokuphuzwayo. (IHu. 37:10, 11; Isaya 25:6; 65:21, 22) Ngokungefani nama-Israyeli, ngeke bakhohlwe ukuthi konke lokhu kuvela kuJehova, “uNkulunkulu wawo wonke umhlaba.” (Isaya 54:5) Abagcotshiweyo nabezinye izimvu ngeke bazisole ngokuthi baye baphila njengezakhamuzi zesikhashana kuleli zwe elibi.

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

• Amadoda okholo asendulo aphila kanjani njengezakhamuzi zesikhashana?

• AmaKristu okuqala aziphatha kanjani ngokuphathelene nezwe?

• AmaKristu eqiniso alisebenzisa kanjani izwe ngokusesilinganisweni?

• Kungani singeke sazisola ngokuthi siye saphila njengezakhamuzi zesikhashana kuleli zwe elibi?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

AmaKristu okuqala ayekugwema ukuzijabulisa okunobudlova nokunokuziphatha okubi