Lingisa Ukubekezela KukaJehova

“UJehova akephuzi ngokuqondene nesithembiso sakhe, . . . kodwa uyanibekezelela.”—2 PETRU 3:9.

1. Isiphi isipho esingenakuqhathaniswa uJehova asithembise abantu?

UJEHOVA usithembise isipho okungekho muntu omunye ongasithembisa sona. Lesi isipho esithandeka kakhulu futhi esiyigugu, sibe singenakutholakala ngamali nangakusetshenzelwa. Siwukuphila okuphakade—kwabaningi bethu, kuyoba ukuphila okungenasiphelo emhlabeni oyipharadesi. (Johane 3:16) Yeka indlela okuyojabulisa ngayo! Ziyobe zingasekho izinto ezibangela usizi olukhulu kangaka—umbango, ubudlova, ubuphofu, ubugebengu, ukugula ngisho nokufa. Abantu bayophila ngokuthula nangobunye obuphelele ngaphansi kokubusa kothando koMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Yeka indlela esililangazelela ngayo lelo Pharadesi!—Isaya 9:6, 7; IsAmbulo 21:4, 5.

2. Kungani uJehova engakasisusi isimiso sezinto sikaSathane?

² UJehova naye ubheke phambili esikhathini lapho eyoletha khona iPharadesi emhlabeni. Kakade, ungumthandi wokulunga nobulungisa. (IHubo 33:5) Akumjabulisi ukubuka izwe elingenandaba nezimiso zakhe zokulunga noma elizizondayo, izwe elingalishayi mkhuba igunya lakhe futhi elihlukumeza abantu bakhe. Noma kunjalo, kunezizathu ezizwakalayo zokuthi kungani engakasithathi isinyathelo sokususa isimiso sezinto sikaSathane esibi. Lezo zizathu zihlangene nezimpikiswano ezihilela ubukhosi bakhe. Lapho elungisa lezo zimpikiswano, uJehova ubonisa imfanelo ekhanga ngokukhethekile, imfanelo abantu abaningi abayintulayo namuhla—ukubekezela.

3. (a) Asho ukuthini amagama esiGreki nesiHebheru ahunyushwe ngokuthi “ukubekezela” eBhayibhelini? (b) Imiphi imibuzo esizoyicabangela manje?

³ Kunegama lesiGreki INguqulo Yezwe Elisha yesiNgisi elihumushe kathathu ngokuthi “ukubekezela.” Ngokwezwi nezwi lisho “ukuba nomoya omude,” ngakho ngokuvamile ilihumusha ngokuthi “ukubhekakade” kanti ilihumushe kanye ngokuthi “ukubonisa ukubekezela.” Amagama esiGreki nesiHebheru ahunyushwe ngelithi “ukubekezela” anomqondo wokuba nonembe nokwephuza ukuthukuthela. Kusizuzisa kanjani ukubekezela kukaJehova? Singafunda ziphi izifundo ekubekezeleni nasekukhuthazeleni kukaJehova nokwezinceku zakhe ezithembekile? Sazi kanjani ukuthi ukubekezela kukaJehova kunomkhawulo? Ake sibone.

Cabanga Ngokubekezela KukaJehova

4. Ngokuphathelene nokubekezela kukaJehova, yini umphostoli uPetru ayiloba?

⁴ Ngokuphathelene nokubekezela kukaJehova, umphostoli uPetru waloba: “Leli qiniso elilodwa malinganiphunyuki, bathandekayo, lokuthi usuku olulodwa kuJehova lunjengeminyaka eyinkulungwane neminyaka eyinkulungwane injengosuku olulodwa. UJehova akephuzi ngokuqondene nesithembiso sakhe, njengoba abanye abantu becabanga ukuthi uyephuza, kodwa uyanibekezelela ngoba akafisi ukuba kubhubhe namunye kodwa ufisa ukuba bonke baphenduke.” (2 Petru 3:8, 9) Siza uphawule amaphuzu amabili avezwe lapha angasisiza ukuba siqonde ukubekezela kukaJehova.

5. Indlela uJehova asibheka ngayo isikhathi ikuthinta kanjani akwenzayo?

⁵ Iphuzu lokuqala elokuthi uJehova akabheki isikhathi ngendlela thina esisibheka ngayo. KuLowo ohlala kuze kube phakade, iminyaka eyinkulungwane ifana nosuku olulodwa nje. Akaxinwa noma acindezelwe isikhathi, kodwa akephuzi ukuthatha isinyathelo. Njengoba ehlakaniphe  ngokungenamkhawulo, uJehova usazi ngokunembile isikhathi esihle kakhulu sokuthatha isinyathelo esizozuzisa bonke abahilelekile, futhi usilindele ngokubekezela leso sikhathi ukuba sifike. Nokho, akufanele siphethe ngokuthi uJehova akazwelani nanoma ikuphi ukuhlupheka izinceku zakhe ezingase zibhekane nakho phakathi nalesi sikhathi. UnguNkulunkulu ‘onobubele,’ owukwenziwa samuntu kothando. (Luka 1:78; 1 Johane 4:8) Uyakwazi ukuwulungisa ngokuphelele noma imuphi umonakalo okungenzeka udalekile ngokuvumela kwakhe ukuhlupheka okwesikhashana futhi angawulungisa ungaphinde ube khona.—IHubo 37:10.

6. Ikuphi okungafanele siphethe ngakho ngoNkulunkulu, futhi ngani?

⁶ Yiqiniso, akulula ukulinda into oyilangazelelayo. (IzAga 13:12) Ngakho, lapho abantu bengazigcwalisi ngokushesha izithembiso zabo, abanye bangase baphethe ngokuthi labo bantu abanaso isifiso sokuzigcwalisa. Yeka ukuthi kungaba ubuwula kanjani ukucabanga lokho ngoNkulunkulu! Uma singenza iphutha lokubheka ukubekezela kukaNkulunkulu njengokwephuza, kalula nje ukuhamba kwesikhathi kungasenza siqale ukungabaza nokudangala, futhi sibe sengozini yokozela ngokomoya. Okubi nakakhulu, singase sidukiswe yilabo uPetru axwayisa ngabo ngaphambili—abahleki bosulu, abangenalo ukholo. Abanjalo bakloloda bathi: “Kuphi lokhu kuba khona kwakhe okuthenjisiwe? Phela, kusukela osukwini okhokho bethu abalala ngalo, zonke izinto ziqhubeka ngokufana ncamashí nasekuqaleni kwendalo.”—2 Petru 3:4.

7. Ukubekezela kukaJehova kuhlobene kanjani nesifiso sakhe sokuba abantu baphenduke?

⁷ Iphuzu lesibili esilithola emazwini kaPetru elokuthi uJehova uyabekezela ngoba ufisa ukuba bonke baphenduke. UJehova uzobabhubhisa labo abaqinisa amakhanda benqabe ukushiya izindlela zabo ezimbi. Nokho, uNkulunkulu akajabuli ngokufa komubi. Kunalokho, ujatshuliswa ukubona abantu bephenduka, beshiya izindlela zabo ezimbi bese beqhubeka bephila. (Hezekeli 33:11) Ngenxa yalokho, uyabekezela futhi wenza ukuba kumenyezelwe izindaba ezinhle emhlabeni wonke ukuze abantu bathole ithuba elanele lokuphila.

8. Ukubekezela kukaNkulunkulu kubonakala kanjani ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe nesizwe sakwa-Israyeli?

⁸ Ukubekezela kukaNkulunkulu kubonakala nasekusebenzelaneni kwakhe nesizwe sakwa-Israyeli wasendulo. Wabekezelela ukungezwa kwaso amakhulu amaningi eminyaka. Ngabaprofethi bakhe, wasinxusa ngokuphindaphindiwe: “Buyani ezindleleni zenu ezimbi nigcine imiyalo yami, izimiso zami, ngokuvumelana  nawo wonke umthetho engayala ngawo okhokho benu nengiwuthumele kini ngezinceku zami abaprofethi.” Waba yini umphumela? Kuyadabukisa ukusho ukuthi lesi sizwe ‘asizange silalele.’—2 AmaKhosi 17:13, 14.

9. Ukubekezela kukaJesu kwakubonakalisa ngayiphi indlela okukaYise?

⁹ Ekugcineni, uJehova wathuma iNdodana yakhe, eyawanxusa ingaphezi amaJuda ukuba abuyisane noNkulunkulu. Ukubekezela kukaJesu kwakubonakalisa ngokuphelele okukaYise. Njengoba ayazi kahle ukuthi wayesezobulawa, uJesu wabalisa: “Jerusalema, Jerusalema, mbulali wabaprofethi nomkhandi ngamatshe walabo abathunyelwe kuye,—yeka ukuthi kukaningi kangakanani ngifuna ukubuthela abantwana bakho ndawonye, ngendlela isikhukukazi esibuthela ngayo amatshwele aso ndawonye ngaphansi kwamaphiko aso! Kodwa anifunanga.” (Mathewu 23:37) La mazwi abuhlungu akuwona awomahluleli ongenasihe ofisa ukujezisa othile, kodwa angawomngane onothando obabekezelelayo abantu. NjengoYise osezulwini, uJesu wayefuna ukuba lesi sizwe siphenduke sigweme isahlulelo esibi. Abanye basabela kahle ezixwayisweni zikaJesu futhi basinda esahlulelweni esesabekayo esafikela iJerusalema ngo-70 C.E.—Luka 21:20-22.

10. Ukubekezela kukaNkulunkulu kusizuzise kanjani?

¹⁰ Ukubekezela kukaNkulunkulu akuyona yini imfanelo ehlaba umxhwele? Naphezu kokungezwa kwabantu okukhulu, uJehova uye wanika ngamunye wethu, kanye nezigidi zabanye abantu, ithuba lokumazi nelokwamukela ithemba lensindiso. UPetru wabhalela amaKristu akanye nawo: “Bhekani ukubekezela kweNkosi yethu njengensindiso.” (2 Petru 3:15) Asibongi yini ngokuthi ukubekezela kukaJehova kuye kwavula indlela yokuba sisindiswe? Asikuthandazeli yini ukuba uJehova aqhubeke esibekezelela njengoba simkhonza usuku nosuku?—Mathewu 6:12.

11. Ukuqonda ukubekezela kukaJehova kuyosishukumisela ukuba senzeni?

¹¹ Ukusiqonda isizathu sokubekezela kukaJehova kusisiza ukuba siyilinde ngesineke insindiso azoyiletha, singalokothi siphethe ngokuthi uyephuza ukugcwalisa izithembiso zakhe. (IsiLilo 3:26) Njengoba siqhubeka sithandazela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ukuba uze, siyamethemba ukuthi uyasazi isikhathi esihle kakhulu sokuphendula lowo mthandazo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sishukumiseleka ukuba silingise uJehova ngokubonisa ukubekezela kwakhe endleleni esiphatha ngayo abafowethu nalabo esibashumayezayo. Nathi asifisi ukuba kubhubhe namunye kodwa singathanda ukubona abantu bephenduka futhi beba nethemba esinalo lokuphila okuphakade.—1 Thimothewu 2:3, 4.

Cabanga Ngokubekezela Kwabaprofethi

12, 13. Ngokuvumelana noJakobe 5:10, umprofethi u-Isaya waphumelela kanjani ekuboniseni ukubekezela?

¹² Ukucabanga ngokubekezela kukaJehova kusisiza ukuba siyazise le mfanelo futhi siyihlakulele. Akulula ngabantu abangaphelele ukuhlakulela ukubekezela, kodwa kungenzeka. Siyafunda ezincekwini zikaNkulunkulu zamandulo. Umfundi uJakobe waloba: “Bazalwane, thathani abaprofethi abakhuluma egameni likaJehova njengesibonelo sokukhuthazela ngaphansi kokubi nokubekezela.” (Jakobe 5:10) Kuyaduduza futhi kuyakhuthaza ukwazi ukuthi abanye baye babhekana ngokuphumelelayo nezimo esibhekene nazo.

¹³ Ngokwesibonelo, umprofethi u-Isaya wayekudinga ngempela ukubekezela esabelweni sakhe. UJehova wakubonisa lokho lapho emtshela: “Yana kulaba bantu uthi, ‘Yizwani ngokuphindaphindiwe, nina bantu, kodwa ningaqondi; nibone ngokuphindaphindiwe, kodwa ningalutholi ulwazi.’ Yenza inhliziyo yalaba bantu ibe lukhuni, wenze izindlebe zabo zingasabeli, unameke amehlo abo avaleke, ukuze bangaboni ngamehlo abo futhi bangezwa ngezindlebe zabo, nokuba inhliziyo yabo ingaqondi ukuze empeleni bangabuyi futhi bazitholele ukuphulukiswa.” (Isaya 6:9, 10) Naphezu kokungasabeli kwabantu, u-Isaya wazimemezela ngokubekezela izigijimi zikaJehova zesixwayiso iminyaka engengaphansi kwengu-46! Ngendlela efanayo, ukubekezela kuyosisiza ukuba sikhuthazele emsebenzini wethu wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle, ngisho noma abaningi bengazamukeli.

14, 15. Yini eyasiza uJeremiya ukuba abhekane nobunzima nokudangala ngokuphumelelayo?

 ¹⁴ Yiqiniso, njengoba abaprofethi befeza inkonzo yabo, kwakudingeka babhekane nokungaphezu kokungasabeli kwabantu; babephathwa kabi. UJeremiya wafakwa esitokisini, wavalelwa “etilongweni,” waphonswa nasemthonjeni. (Jeremiya 20:2; 37:15; 38:6) Wayehlukunyezwa yibo kanye abantu ayefisa ukubasiza. Noma kunjalo, uJeremiya akazange afukamele inzondo noma aziphindiselele. Wakhuthazela ngesineke amashumi eminyaka.

¹⁵ Ukushushiswa nokuhlekwa usulu akuzange kumvale umlomo uJeremiya, futhi akusivali imilomo nathi namuhla. Yebo, kungenzeka sidangale ngezinye izikhathi. NoJeremiya wadangala. Waloba: “Izwi likaJehova libé kimi yimbangela yokuhlanjalazwa neyokuklolodelwa usuku lonke. Ngathi: ‘Ngeke ngisakhuluma ngaye, futhi ngeke ngisakhuluma egameni lakhe.’” Kwabe sekwenzekani? Ingabe uJeremiya wayeka ukushumayela? Waqhubeka: “Enhliziyweni yami [izwi likaNkulunkulu laba] njengomlilo ovuthayo ovalelwe emathanjeni ami; futhi ngakhathala ukuzibamba, ngangingakwazi ukukukhuthazelela.” (Jeremiya 20:8, 9) Phawula ukuthi waphelelwa injabulo ayenayo lapho egxila ekuklolodelweni abantu. Lapho egxila ebuhleni nasekubalulekeni kwesigijimi ngokwaso, injabulo yakhe yavuseleleka. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova waba noJeremiya “njengonamandla owesabekayo,” emqinisa ukuba amemezele izwi laKhe ngentshiseko nangesibindi.—Jeremiya 20:11.

16. Singayilondoloza kanjani injabulo emsebenzini wethu wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle?

¹⁶ Ingabe umprofethi uJeremiya wathola injabulo emsebenzini wakhe? Nje! Wathi kuJehova: “Amazwi akho atholakala, ngawadla; izwi lakho kimi liba ngukwethaba nokujabula kwenhliziyo yami; ngoba igama lakho libizwé phezu kwami, Jehova.” (Jeremiya 15:16) UJeremiya walijabulela ilungelo ayenalo lokumelela uNkulunkulu weqiniso nokushumayela izwi laKhe. Nathi singalijabulela. Ngaphezu kwalokho, siyajabula njengoba nezingelosi zijabula ezulwini ngokuthi kuwo wonke umhlaba kunabantu abaningi kakhulu abamukela isigijimi soMbuso, baphenduke, futhi bangene endleleni eya ekuphileni okuphakade.—Luka 15:10.

‘Ukukhuthazela KukaJobe’

17, 18. UJobe wakhuthazela ngayiphi indlela, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?

¹⁷ Ngemva kokukhuluma ngabaprofethi basendulo, umfundi uJakobe wabhala: “Niye nezwa ngokukhuthazela kukaJobe futhi nabona umphumela uJehova awunikeza, ukuthi uJehova unothando futhi unesihe.” (Jakobe 5:11) Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe lapha ngokuthi “ukukhuthazela” linencazelo ethi ayifane neyegama uJakobe alisebenzise evesini elandulelayo elithi “ukubekezela.” Siveza umahluko phakathi kwala magama amabili, esinye isazi sabhala: “Elokuqala [elithi ukubekezela] lisho ukubekezela esikubonisa lapho abantu besiphatha kabi, elesibili [elithi ukukhuthazela] lisho ukuphikelela ngesibindi ngaphansi kwezimo ezisicindezelayo.”

¹⁸ UJobe wabhekana nokucindezeleka okukhulu. Walahlekelwa ngokwezomnotho, wafelwa izingane zakhe waphathwa nayisifo esibuhlungu.  Wabekezelela namanga okuthi uJehova wayemjezisa. UJobe akazange afele ngaphakathi lapho ehlupheka; wabalisa ngesimo sakhe waze wasikisela ngisho nokuthi wayelunge ngaphezu kukaNkulunkulu. (Jobe 35:2) Nokho, akazange alulahle ukholo, noma aphule ubuqotho bakhe. Akazange athuke uNkulunkulu njengoba uSathane ayethe uzokwenza kanjalo. (Jobe 1:11, 21) Waba yini umphumela? UJehova “wabusisa isiphetho sikaJobe kamuva ngaphezu kwesiqalo sakhe.” (Jobe 42:12) UJehova wenza uJobe waphinde waphila saka, wamnika ingcebo ephindwe kabili futhi wambusisa ngokuphila komkhaya okugculisayo nokujabulisayo enabathandekayo bakhe. Ukukhuthazela kukaJobe ngokwethembeka kwamsiza nokuba amqonde ngokwengeziwe uJehova.

19. Sifundani ekukhuthazeleni ngesineke kukaJobe?

¹⁹ Sifundani ekukhuthazeleni ngesineke kukaJobe? NjengoJobe, kungenzeka sihlushwe ukugula noma obunye ubunzima. Singase singaqondi ngokugcwele ukuthi kungani uJehova esivumela ukuba sibhekane nokulingwa okuthile. Nokho, singaqiniseka ngalokhu: Uma sihlala sithembekile, siyobusiswa. UJehova uyabavuza nakanjani labo abamfuna ngobuqotho. (Hebheru 11:6) UJesu wathi: “Lowo okhuthazele kwaze kwaba sekupheleni nguye oyosindiswa.”—Mathewu 10:22; 24:13.

“Usuku LukaJehova Luyofika”

20. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi usuku lukaJehova luzofika?

²⁰ Nakuba uJehova ebekezela, uphinde abe nobulungisa, ngakho akasoze abubekezelela phakade ububi. Ukubekezela kwakhe kunomkhawulo. UPetru waloba: ‘UNkulunkulu akazange ayeke ukujezisa izwe lasendulo.’ Nakuba uNowa nomkhaya wakhe balondolozwa, lelo zwe elingamesabi uNkulunkulu lakhukhulwa ngamanzi. UJehova wahlulela imizi yaseSodoma naseGomora, wayenza yaba umlotha. Lezi zahlulelo zibekela “abantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu isibonelo sezinto ezizayo.” Singaqiniseka ngalokhu: “Usuku lukaJehova luyofika.”—2 Petru 2:5, 6; 3:10.

21. Singakubonisa kanjani ukubekezela nokukhuthazela, futhi sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

²¹ Khona-ke masilingise ukubekezela kukaJehova ngokusiza abanye ukuba baphenduke ukuze basindiswe. Masilingise nabaprofethi ngokumemezela izindaba ezinhle ngesineke naphezu kokungasabeli kwabantu esibashumayezayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyosibusisa ngokucebile uma sikhuthazelela ukulingwa njengoJobe futhi silondoloza ubuqotho. Sinezizathu eziningi zokujabula enkonzweni yethu lapho sibona indlela uJehova ayibusise ngokucebe ngayo imizamo yabantu bakhe yokushumayela izindaba ezinhle kuwo wonke umhlaba. Sizokubona lokhu esihlokweni esilandelayo.

Usakhumbula?

• Kungani uJehova ebonisa ukubekezela?

• Sifundani ekubekezeleni kwabaprofethi?

• UJobe wakubonisa kanjani ukukhuthazela, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?

• Sazi kanjani ukuthi ukubekezela kukaJehova kunomkhawulo?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

Ukubekezela kukaJesu kwakubonakalisa ngokuphelele okukaYise

[Izithombe ekhasini 20]

UJehova wakuvuza kanjani ukubekezela kukaJeremiya?

[Izithombe ekhasini 21]

UJehova wakuvuza kanjani ukukhuthazela kukaJobe?