Ukuzithoba Kokwesaba UNkulunkulu—Kumelwe Kwenziwe Ubani Futhi Ngani?

“Ngiyazi, Jehova, ukuthi indlela yomuntu ayikuye uqobo; akukuyo indoda ukuba ihambe, iqondise izinyathelo zayo.”—JEREMIYA 10:23.

1. Yiziphi izinhlobo zokukhululeka eziye zaziswa kabanzi?

PHAKATHI kwemibhalo yomuntu eqashelwa kakhulu kukhona i-Declaration of Independence, leyo amakoloni angu-13 aseBrithani eNyakatho Melika amemezela ngayo ukukhululeka kwawo ezweni elingumama wawo, iBrithani, ngekhulu le-18 leminyaka. Ayefuna inkululeko, futhi ukuphuma phansi kokubuswa elinye izwe nenkululeko kwakuhambisana. Ukuzibusa ngokwezombangazwe nangokwezomnotho kungaba inzuzo enkulu. Ezikhathini zamuva amazwe athile aseMpumalanga Yurophu aye afinyelela ukuzibusa kwezombangazwe. Nokho, kumelwe kuvunywe ukuthi kulawomazwe ukuzibusa okunjalo kuye kwaletha izinkinga eziningi ezingathi sina.

2, 3. (a) Yiluphi uhlobo lokuzibusa olungafiseleki? (b) Leliqiniso lakhanyiswa kanjani ngokunamandla ekuqaleni?

² Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi izinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zokuzibusa zingase zifiseleke kangakanani, kunohlobo olulodwa lokuzibusa olungafiseleki. Yiluphi lolo? Ukuzibusa ngaphandle koMenzi womuntu, uJehova uNkulunkulu. Lokho akusona isibusiso kodwa kuyisiqalekiso. Ngani? Ngoba umuntu wayengenzelwanga ukuba azibuse ngaphandle koMenzi wakhe, njengoba amazwi omprofethi uJeremiya acashunwe ngenhla ebonisa ngokufanele. Ngamanye amazwi, umuntu wayenzelwe ukuba azithobe kuMenzi wakhe. Ukuzithoba kuMdali wethu kusho ukumlalela.

³ Leloqiniso lakhanyiswa ngokunamandla kumbhangqwana wokuqala wabantu ngomyalo kaJehova kuwo njengoba ulotshwe kuGenesise 2:16, 17: “Ungadla kuyo yonke imithi yensimu ngokuthanda kwakho, kepha ungadli kuwo umuthi wokwazi okuhle nokubi, ngokuba mhla udla kuwo uyakufa nokufa.” Ukwenqaba ukuzithoba kuMenzi wakhe kwalethela u-Adamu kanye nayo yonke inzalo yakhe isono, ukuhlupheka, nokufa.—Genesise 3:19; Roma 5:12.

4, 5. (a) Yini eye yaba umphumela wokwenqaba kwabantu ukuzithoba kuNkulunkulu? (b) Yimuphi umthetho wezimiso zokuhle ongenakubalekelwa?

⁴ Ukwenqaba kwabantu ukuzithoba kuMenzi wabo akuhlakaniphile futhi akulungile ngokwezimiso zokuhle. Ezweni kuye kwaphumela ekungabini namthetho okusakazekile, ubugebengu, ubudlova, nokuziphatha okubi ngokobulili nezithelo zako zezifo ezithathelwana ngobulili. Ngaphandle kwalokho, ubhadane Iwanamuhla lobugebengu bentsha alubangelwa yini ngokuyinhloko ukwenqaba kwentsha ukuzithoba kuJehova, kanye nakubazali bayo nasemithethweni yezwe? Lomoya wokuzibusa ubonakala endleleni engavamile neyobudlabha abantu abaningi abagqoka ngayo nasolimini olungcolile abalusebenzisayo.

⁵ Kodwa akukho muntu ongabalekela umthetho woMdali wezimiso zokuhle ongenakuguquka, othi: “Ningaduki; uNkulunkulu akahlekwa. Ngokuba lokho akuhlwanyelayo umuntu, lokho wokuvuna. Ngokuba ohlwanyelela inyama yakhe  uyakuvuna ukubhubha kuyo inyama.”—Galathiya 6:7, 8.

6, 7. Iyini imbangela yokuqala yokwenqaba ukuzithoba, njengoba kuboniswa yiziphi izibonelo?

⁶ Iyini imbangela eyisisekelo yakho konke lokwenqaba ukuzithoba? Kalula nje, iwubugovu nokuqhosha. Kungakho u-Eva, owesifazane wokuqala, azivumela ukuba akhohliswe yinyoka futhi wadla isithelo esasenqatshelwe. Ukuba wayethobekile, isilingo sokufuna ukuba njengoNkulunkulu—azinqumele okuhle nokubi—sasingeke simkhange. Futhi ukuba wayengenabugovu, wayengeke afune okuthile okwakwenqatshelwe ngokuqondile uMenzi wakhe, uJehova uNkulunkulu.—Genesise 2:16, 17.

⁷ Ngokushesha ngemva kokona kukaAdamu no-Eva, ukuqhosha nobugovu kwabangela uKayini ukuba abulale umfowabo u-Abela. Futhi, ubugovu babangela izingelosi ezithile ukuba zenze ngokuzibusa, zishiya isikhundla sazo sokuqala futhi zithatha imizimba yenyama ukuze zijabulele injabulo yenyama. Ukuqhosha nobugovu kwashukumisa uNimrode futhi kuye kwaba isici sababusi abaningi bezwe namuhla kusukela esikhathini sakhe.—Genesise 3:6, 7; 4:6-8; 1 Johane 3:12; Juda 6.

Okwenza Ukuba UJehova UNkulunkulu Simkwelete Ukuzithoba

8-11. Yiziphi izizathu ezine ezinamandla zokubonisa kwethu ukuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu?

⁸ Kungani sikweleta uMenzi wethu, uJehova uNkulunkulu, ukuzithoba? Okokuqala kungenxa yokuthi unguMbusi Wendawo Yonke. Lonke igunya lingelakhe ngokufanelekile. UnguMahluleli wethu, uMniki-mthetho, neNkosi yethu. (Isaya 33:22) Kuye kwalotshwa ngokufanelekile ngaye: “Konke kwambuliwe kusobala emehlweni akhe esiyakuzilanda kuye.”—Heberu 4:13.

⁹ Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba uMenzi wethu engumninimandla onke, akekho ongamelana naye ngokuphumelelayo; akekho ongasishaya  indiva isibopho sakhe sokuzithoba kuYe. Ngokushesha, labo abenqabayo bayobhujiswa njengoba kwenzeka kuFaro wasendulo nanjengoba kuyokwenzeka kuSathane uDeveli ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifanele.—IHubo 136:1, 11-15; IsAmbulo 11:17; 20:10, 14.

¹⁰ Ukuzithoba kuyisibopho sazo zonke izidalwa ezihlakaniphile ngoba zikhona ngenjongo yokukhonza uMenzi wazo. IsAmbulo 4:11 siyamemezela: “Ufanele wena-Nkosi yethu noNkulunkulu wethu ukwamukela inkazimulo nodumo namandla, ngokuba nguwena owadala izinto zonke, nangenxa yentando yakho zabakhona, zadalwa.” UnguMbumbi Omkhulu, futhi wenza izitsha ezingabantu ukuba zifeze injongo yakhe.—Isaya 29:16; 64:8.

¹¹ Akumelwe singalinaki iqiniso lokuthi uMenzi wethu uhlakaniphe ngokuphelele, ngakho uyakwazi okungcono kakhulu ngathi. (Roma 11:33) Imithetho yakhe ‘ingokwenzuzo yethu.’ (Duteronomi 10:12, 13, qhathanisa neNW) Ngaphezu kwakho konke, “uNkulunkulu uluthando,” ngakho usifunela okungcono kakhulu kuphela. Yeka izizathu eziningi eziphoqayo esinazo zokuzithoba kuMenzi wethu, uJehova uNkulunkulu!—1 Johane 4:8.

UJesu Kristu, Isibonelo Esiphelele Sokuzithoba Kokwesaba UNkulunkulu

12, 13. (a) UJesu Kristu wakubonisa kanjani ukuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu? (b) Yimaphi amazwi kaJesu abonisa isimo sakhe sengqondo sokuzithoba?

¹² Ngokuqinisekile, iNdodana kaJehova ezelwe yodwa, uJesu Kristu, isinikeza isibonelo esiphelele sokuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Umphostoli uPawulu uyakuveza lokhu kweyabaseFilipi 2:6-8: “[UJesu] owathi enesimo sikaNkulunkulu, akaze asho ukuthi kuyinto yokuphangwa ukulingana noNkulunkulu, kepha wazidela ethabatha isimo senceku, enziwe ngomfanekiso wabantu; wathi efunyenwe enjengomuntu ngesimilo, [waqhubeka] wazithobisa, elalela kwaze kwaba sekufeni, yebo, ekufeni [kwesigxobo sokuhlushwa, NW].” Lapho esemhlabeni, uJesu washo ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuthi akazange enze lutho ngokusu ka kuye; akazange enze izinto ngokuzibusa, kodwa ngaso sonke isikhathi wazithoba kuYise wasezulwini.

¹³ KuJohane 5:19, 30 siyafunda: “UJesu . . . wathi kubo; Ngiqinisile, ngiqinisile ngithi kini: INdodana ingenze-lutho ngokwayo, kuphela lokho ebona uYise ekwenza, ngokuba lokho akwenzayo yena, neNdodana iyakwenza kanjalo. Mina ngingenze-lutho ngokwami; ngahlulela njengalokho engikuzwayo; ukwahlulela kwami kulungile, ngokuba ngingafuni eyami intando kepha intando yongithumileyo.” Ngendlela efanayo, wathandaza ngokuphindaphindiwe ngobusuku akhashelwa ngabo: “Kungabi-njengokuba ngithanda mina, kodwa njengokuba uthanda wena.”—Mathewu 26:39, 42, 44; bheka noJohane 7:28; 8:28, 42.

Izibonelo Zasendulo Zokuzithoba Kokwesaba UNkulunkulu

14. Kungaziphi izindlela uNowa abonisa ukuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu?

¹⁴ Phakathi kwezibonelo zokuqala zabantu ababonakalisa ukuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu kwakunguNowa. Wabonisa ukuzithoba kwakhe ngezindlela ezintathu. Okokuqala, ngokuba umuntu olungileyo, omsulwa esizukulwaneni sakhe, ohamba noNkulunkulu weqiniso. (Genesise 6:9) Okwesibili, ngokwakha umkhumbi. “Wenze njalo; njengalokho uNkulunkulu emyalile wakwenza.” (Genesise 6:22) Okwesithathu, ngokuxwayisa ngoZamcolo owawuza ‘njengomshumayeli wokulunga.’—2 Petru 2:5.

15, 16. (a) Yisiphi isibonelo esihle esabekwa uAbrahama ngokuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu? (b) USara wakubonisa kanjani ukuzithoba?

¹⁵ U-Abrahama wayengesinye isibonelo esivelele sokuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Wabonisa ukuzithoba ngokulalela umyalo kaNkulunkulu: “Phuma ezweni lakini.” (Genenise 12:1) Lokho kwakusho ukushiya indawo yakhe ethokomele yaseUri (eyayingelona idolobha elingabalulekile, njengoba kuboniswa yilokho okutholwe yisayensi yemivubukulo) ukuze azule njengomhambuma iminyaka eyikhulu ezweni ayisihambi kulo. U-Abrahama wabonisa  ukuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu ngokukhethekile ngokuhlangabezana novivinyo olukhulu lokuba anikele ngokuzithandela ngendodana yakhe u-Isaka.—Genesise 22:1-12.

¹⁶ Umka-Abrahama uSara, usinikeza esinye isibonelo esihle sokuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Akungabazeki ukuthi ukuzulazula ezweni angalijwayele kwamlethela ukuphazamiseka okuningi, kodwa akukho lapho sifunda khona ngokukhononda kwakhe. Wabeka isibonelo esihle sokuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu ezikhathini ezimbili lapho u-Abrahama ethi wayengudadewabo phambi kwababusi abangamaqaba. Kuzo zombili lezikhathi wabambisana no-Abrahama, ngisho nakuba acishe waba yilungu lesithembu sabo ngenxa yalokhu. Okufakazela ukuzithoba kwakhe kokwesaba uNkulunkulu yindlela yakhe yokuba ngaphakathi kuye, abhekisele kumyeni wakhe, u-Abrahama, ngokuthi ‘nkosi yami,’ ebonisa ukuthi lokho kwakuyisimo senhliziyo yakhe esiqotho.—Genesise 12:11-20; 18:12; 20:2-18; 1 Petru 3:6.

17. Kungani kungathiwa u-lsaka wabonisa ukuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu okuyisibonelo?

¹⁷ Masingasibukeli phansi isibonelo sokuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu esabekwa yindodana ka-Abrahama u-Isaka. Isiko lamaJuda libonisa ukuthi u-Isaka wayeneminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-25 ubudala lapho uJehova eyala uyise, u-Abrahama, ukuba anikele ngaye njengomhlatshelo. Ukuba u-Isaka wayefuna, wayengamelana kalula noyise, owayeneminyaka eyikhulu ngaphezu kwakhe. Kodwa akazange. Nakuba u-Isaka ayemangala ngokungabikho kwesilwane sokwenza umhlatshelo, ngokuthobeka wavumela uyise ukuba ambeke phezu kwe-altare futhi ambophe izandla nezinyawo ukuze avikele noma anqande noma yikuphi ukudlubulunda okuzenzekelayo okwakungase kwenzeke uma kwakusetshenziswe ummese wokunquma.—Genesise 22:7-9.

18. UMose wakubonisa kanjani ukuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu?

¹⁸ Eminyakeni eminingi kamuva, uMose wasibekela isibonelo esihle sokuthobeka kokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Lokho ngokuqinisekile kuboniswa ukuchazwa kwakhe ‘njengomnene kunabo bonke abantu ababesebusweni bomhlaba.’ (Numeri 12:3) Ukufeza kwakhe imiyalo kaJehova ngokulalela, iminyaka engu-40 ehlane, ngisho nakuba ayeqondisa abantu abahlubukayo ababebalelwa ezigidini ezimbili noma ezintathu, kusafakazela ukuzithoba kwakhe kokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Ngakho ukulandisa kuthi “wenze njalo uMose; njengakho konke uJehova amyale ngakho, wenze njalo-ke.”—Eksodusi 40:16.

19. Wobe wakubonisa ngaziphi izinkulumo ukuzithoba kwakhe kuJehova?

¹⁹ Wobe ungomunye umuntu ovelele owasibekela isibonelo esihle kakhulu sokuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Ngemva kokuba uJehova evumele uSathane ukuba aqothule yonke impahla kaJobe, abulale abantwana bakhe, futhi kamuva amshaye “ngamathumba amabi, kusukela ematheni onyawo kuze kufike okhakhayini,” umkaJobe wathi kuye: “Usabambelela ekupheleleni kwakho na? Thuka uNkulunkulu, ufe.” Nakuba kunjalo, uJobe wabonisa ukuzithoba kwakhe kokwesaba uNkulunkulu ngokuba athi kuye: “Ukhuluma njengalokhu owesifazane oyisiwula ekhuluma. Siyakwamukela okuhle kuphela kuNkulunkulu, singamukeli nokubi, na?” (Jobe 2:7-10) Amazwi akhe alotshwe kuJobe 13:15 abonisa isimo sengqondo esifanayo: “Noma ebengangibulala, bengingelinde? (NW)” Nakuba uJobe, empeleni, ayekhathalela kakhulu ukuzithethelela ngokwakhe, akumelwe singakunaki ukuthi ekugcineni uJehova wathi komunye walabo okwakuthiwa bangabaduduzi bakhe: “Intukuthelo yami iyavuthela wena nabangane bakho ababili, ngokuba anikhulumanga okulungileyo ngami njengenceku yami uJobe.” Ngokungangabazeki, uJobe usinikeza isibonelo esihle sokuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu.—Jobe 42:7.

20. Iziphi izindlela uDavide abonisa ngazo ukuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu?

²⁰ Kukhona nesinye isibonelo emiBhalweni YesiHeberu esingasiphawula, esikaDavide. Lapho iNkosi uSawule izingela uDavide njengokungathi wayeyisilwane, uDavide wathola  amathuba amabili okuqeda izinkathazo zakhe ngokubulala uSawule. Nokho, ukuzithoba kukaDavide kokwesaba uNkulunkulu kwamvimbela ekwenzeni kanjalo. Amazwi akhe alotshwe kweyoku-1 Samuweli 24:6: “Makubekude nami, Jehova, ukuba ngenze okunjalo kuyo inkosi yami, ogcotshiweyo kaJehova, ngelule isandla sami kuye, lokhu engogcotshiweyo kaJehova.” (Bheka neyoku-1 Samuweli 26:9-11.) Ngendlela efanayo wabonisa ukuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu ngokwamukela ukusolwa lapho enze amaphutha noma onile.—2 Samuweli 12:13; 24:17; 1 IziKronike 15:13.

Isibonelo SikaPawulu Sokuzithoba

21-23. Kungaziphi izikhathi ezihlukahlukene umphostoli uPawulu abonisa ukuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu?

²¹ EmiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki, umphostoli uPawulu usibekela isibonelo esivelele sokuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Walingisa iNkosi yakhe, uJesu Kristu kulokhu, njengoba enza kuzo zonke ezinye izici zenkonzo yakhe yobuphostoli. (1 Korinte 11:1) Nakuba uJehova uNkulunkulu amsebenzisa ngokunamandla kakhulu kunanoma yimuphi omunye wabaphostoli, uPawulu akazange enze izinto ngokuzibusa. ULuka usitshela ukuthi lapho kuphakama umbuzo ngokuqondene nokuthi abeZizwe ababephendukile kwakudingeka yini ukuba basokwe, “[abazalwane eAntiyokiya] bahlela ukuba uPawulu noBarnaba nabathile kubo bakhuphukele eJerusalema kubaphostoli namalunga ngaleyondaba.”—IzEnzo 15:2.

²² Ngokuphathelene nomsebenzi kaPawulu wezithunywa zevangeli, siyatshelwa kweyabaseGalathiya 2:9: “Bathi ukubona umusa engiwuphiweyo, oJakobe noKhefase noJohane, ababaziswa ngokuthi bayizinsika, banika mina noBarnaba isandla sokunene sokuhlangana ukuba thina siye kwabezizwe, kepha bona baye kwabasokayo.” Kunokuba enze izinto ngokuzibusa, uPawulu wafuna isiqondiso.

 ²³ Ngokufanayo, ngesikhathi agcina ngaso uPawulu ukuba seJerusalema, wamukela iseluleko esanikezwa abadala lapho esiphathelene nokuya ethempelini nokulandela inqubo yoMthetho ukuze bonke babone ukuthi wayengesona isihlubuki ngokoMthetho kaMose. Njengoba ukwenza kwakhe kanjalo kwabonakala kuphetha ngenhlekelele ngokuba isixuku simvukele, ingabe ukuzithoba kwakhe kulabo badala kwakuyiphutha? Lutho neze, njengoba kuboniswa yilokho esikufunda kuzEnzo 23:11: “Ngobusuku obulandelayo iNkosi yema ngakuye, yathi: Yima isibindi; njengalokho ufakaze ngami eJerusalema, ngokunjalo umelwe ukufakaza naseRoma.”

24. Yiziphi izici ezengeziwe zokuzithoba okuzoxoxwa ngazo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

²⁴ Ngempela, imiBhalo isinikeza izizathu ezinamandla zokuzithoba kwethu nezibonelo ezishukumisayo zalabo ababonisa ukuzithoba okunjalo. Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizocabangela izindawo ezihlukahlukene esingazithoba kuzo kuJehova uNkulunkulu, usizo ekwenzeni kwethu kanjalo, nemivuzo ewumphumela.

Ubungaphendula Kanjani?

□ Yiluphi uhlobo lokuzibusa olungafiseleki?

□ Iyini imbangela eyisisekelo yokwenqaba ukuzithoba?

□ Kungenxa ycziphi izizathu sikweleta uJehova ukuzithoba?

□ Yiziphi-izibonelo ezinhle zokuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu ezinikezwa yimiBhalo?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

UNimrode, umbusi wokuqala ngemva kukazamcolo owamelana nokuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

UNowa, isibonelo esimsulwa sokuzithoba kokwesaba uNkulunkulu.—Genesise 6:14, 22