Abaprofeti Nookumkani

51—Imvuselelo YaseMoyeni

Ukufika kukaEzra eYerusalem kwaba kuhle kakhulu. Kwaye kukho intswelo enkulu yempembelelo yobukho bakhe. Ukufika kwakhe kwazisa ukuqina nethemba ezintliziyweni zabaninzi ekwakukudala besebenza phantsi kobunzima obuninzi. Kususela ekubuyenikweqela lokuqala phantsi kwenkokelo kaZerubhabheli noYoshuwa, ngaphezu kwamashumi asixhenxe eminyaka ngaphambili, kuninzi okwenziwayo. Itempile yagqitywa, iindonga zesixeko zasezilungiswe indawo ethile. Kwakuse kuninzi okwakungekagqitywa. AN 618.1

Phakathi kwabo babebuyele eYerusalem kwiminyaka engaphambili, babebaninzi abahlala benyanisekile kuThixo lonke ixesha bephila; kodwa iqela elikhulu labantwana nabantwana babantwana lalahlekwa ngumbono wobungcwele bomthetho kaThixo. Namanye kumadoda awayephathiswe umthwalo ayephila isono ekuhleni. Indlela yabo, kakhulukazi, yayiwatyhafisa amalinge okuhambisela phambili umsebenzi kaThixo, awayesenziwa ngabanye; ngalo lonkeixesha ukwaphulwa okuphandle komthetho kwakuvunyelwe ukuba kwenziwe kungathethiswa, intsikelelo yezulu ayizange ikwazi ukuhla phezu kwabantu. AN 618.2

Yayikukubonelela kukaThixo okwenza ukuba abo babuye noEzra baba namaxesha akhethekileyo okufuna uYehova. Amava ababesanda kudlula kuwo, kuhambo lwabo oluya eBhabheli, bengakhuselwanga benjalo naleliphi igunya lomntu, abafundisa izifundo ezityebe kakhulu. Abanye babekhule baqina elukholweni; bathi xa aba bexubana nabatyhafileyo nabangakhathaliyo eYerusalem, impembelelo yabo yaba negalelo elinamandla kuhlaziyo olwaluza kwenziwa kungekudala emva koko. AN 619.1

Ngosuku lwesine emva kokufika, iindyebo zesilivere negolide, kunye nezitya zenkonzo yasengcweleni, zanikelwa ngamagosa endyebo (oonondyebo) ezandleni zabaphathi betempile, phambi kwamangqina, nangokuchaneke ngqo. Zonke izinto zahlolwa “ngokwenani [na]ngokulinganiselwa.” Ezra 8:34. AN 619.2

Abantwana basekuthinjweni ababuya noEzra “basondeza amadini anyukayo kuThixo kaIsrayeli” ngenxa yesono nanjengomqondiso wombulelo nokubulela ngenkuselo yeengelosi ezingcwele ngexesha lohambo [lwabo]. “Bayinikela imithetho yokumkani kwiirhuluneli zokumkani, nakumabamba nganeno koMlambo; abo babenceda abantu nendlu kaThixo.” Iindima 35, 36. AN 619.3

Kwakamsinyane emva koko abanye kubathetheli bakwaIsrayeli beza kuEzra nesikhalazo esikhulu. Abanye “abantu bakwaIsrayeli, nababingeleli,nabaLevi”ukuza kuthiga ngoku,babeyityeshele imiyalelo engcwele kaYehova bada bendiselana nabantu ababajikelezileyo. “Bazizekele bona noonyana babo,” waxelelwa uEzra, “yazixuba imbewu engcwele nezizwe” zamazwe eentlanga; “ke kuqale isandla sabathetheli nabaphathi kobu bumenemene.” Ezra 9:1, 2. AN 620.1

Ekuveni kwakhe ngeembangi ezakhokelela ekuthinjweni kwaseBhabheli, uEzra wafumanisa ukuba ukreqo lukaIsrayeli lwalulandeka kakhulu ekuxubaneni kwabo nezizwe zeentlanga. Waqonda ukuba, ukuba babewuthobele umyalelo kaThixo wokuzigcina bahlukene nezizwe ezibajikelezileyo, babeya kusinda kwiintsizi nakumava ahlazisayo. Ngoku, wathi akuva ukuba, sezikhona izifundo zexesha eladlulayo, amadoda abalulekileyo aba nesibindi sokugqitha imithetho eyanikelwa ukuba ibe sisikhuselo ngasekukreqeni, intliziyo yakhe yachukumiseka ngaphakathi kwakhe. Wacinga ngokulunga kukaThixo ngokubanika kwakhona abantu baKhe indawo yokuma ezweni lokuzalwa kwabo, waza wonganyelwa yingqumbo yobulungisa nayintlungu ngenxa yokuswela kwabo umbulelo. “Ndathi ndakuliva elo lizwi,” uthi, “ndazikrazula iingubo zam, kwaneyokwaleka, ndazidlathula iinwele zam neendevu, ndahlala phantsi ndimangalisiwe. AN 620.2

“Ndahlanganisela kum bonke abagubha ngamazwi kaThixo kaIsrayeli ngenxa yobumenemene babafuduswayo ndahlala phantsi ndimangalisiwe, kwada kwalilixa lomnikelo wokudla wangokuhlwa.” Iindima 3, 4. AN 620.3

Ngexesha lombingelelo wangokuhlwa, uEzra wasukuma, waphinda wazikrazula iingubo zakhe nengubo yakhe yokwaleka, wawa ngamadolo wawuthulula umphefumlo wakhe ekuthandazeni eZulwini. Wazaneka izandla zakhe kuYehova, wadanduluka, wathi, “Thixo wam, ndidanile,ndineentloni, andinakubuphakamisela kuwe ubuso bam, Thixo wam; ngokuba ubugwenxa bethu bukhulile, baba phezu kweentloko zethu; netyala lethu likhulu, lesa emazulwini. AN 621.1

“Kususela kwimihla yoobawo,” waqhuba umthandazi, “sisetyaleni elikhulu unanamhla; ngenxa yobugwenxa bethu sanikelwa thina, nookumkani bethu, nababingeleli bethu, esandleni sookumkani bala mazwe, nasekreleni, nasekuthinjweni, nasekuphangweni, nasekudaneni kobuso, njengoko kunjalo namhla. Kaloku, ngokwephanyazo elincinane, kukho ubabalo oluvela kuYehova uThixo wethu, lokusishiyela abasindileyo, asinike isikhonkwane endaweni yengcwele yakhe, ukuze uThixo wethu awakhanyisele amehlo ethu, asisindise kancinane ebukhobokeni bethu. Ngokuba singamakhoboka; ke ebukhobokeni bethu akasishiyanga uThixo wethu; usithobele inceba phambi kokumkani basePersi, basisindisa, ukuba siphakamise indlu kaThixo wethu, silungise inxuwa layo, basishiyele uthango kwaYuda, naseYerusalem. AN 621.2

“Singathini na kaloku, Thixo wethu, emveni koko? Kuba siyishiyile imithetho yakho, owayiwisayo ngabakhonzi bakho abaprofeti. . . . Emveni kwako konke okusihleleyo, ngenxa yezenzo zethu ezibi, nangenxa yetyala lethu elikhulu (kanti wena, Thixo wethu, usiyekile, akwasohlwaya ngangobugwenxa bethu, wasinika abasindileyo abangakanana), singabuya siyaphule na imithetho yakho, sendiselane nezizwe ezinaloo masikizi? Akuyi kusifuthela ngomsindo side siphele na, ukuze kungabikho baseleyo, basindileyo? Yehova, Thixo kaIsrayeli, ulilungisa, ngokuba sisele singabasindileyo, njengoko kunjalo namhla. Uyabona, siphambi kwakho, sinalo ityala lethu, ngokuba akukho unokuma phambi kwakho ngenxa yoko.” Iindima 6-15. AN 621.3

Intlungu kaEzra namakholwane akhe ngobubi obathi ngokufihlakeleyo barhubuluza bangena phakathi kanye emsebenzini kaYehova, yenza kubekho inguquko. Abaninzi kwabo babonile bachukumiseka kakhulu. “Abantu batsho ngesililo esikhulu.” Ezra 10:1. Kangangoko babenako, baqala ukubuqonda ububi besono nobunyumnyezi abubona busiso uThixo. Babubona ubungcwele bomthetho owawuvakaliswe eSinayi, baza abaninzi bangcangcazela kukucinga ngokugqitha kwabo umthetho. AN 622.1

Omnye wabo babekho, uShekaniya igama, wavuma ukuba ayinyaniso onke amazwi awathethwa nguEzra. “Senze ubumenemene kuThixo wethu,” wavuma, “sazeka abafazi bezinye iintlanga ezizweni zelizwe eli; kodwa kusekho ithemba kumaIsrayeli ngale nto.” UShekaniya wacebisa ukuba bonke abenze ubumenemene benze umnqophiso noThixo wokusishiya isono sabo baze bavuzwe “ngokomyalelo.” “Vuka,” wayalela uEzra; “ngokuba le nto iphezu kwakho; singakuwe; yomelela, wenze.” “Wavuka uEzra, wabafungisa abathetheli bababingeleli, nababaLevi, nabamaIsrayeli bonke, ukuba benze ngokwelo lizwi.” Iindima 2-5. AN 622.2

Esi yayisisiqalo sohlaziyo olumangalisayo. Ngomonde nobuchule obungapheliyo, nokuqaphela ngononophelo amalungelo nokuhlala kakuhle kwabo bonke abantu abachaphazelekayo, uEzra namahlakani akhe bazama ukumkhokelela uIsrayeli ozohlwayayo endleleni elungileyo. Ngaphezu kwako konke okunye, uEzra wayeyititshala yomthetho; wathi xa eqwalasele ekuhloleni imeko nganye, wafuna ukubenza umdla abantu ngobungcwele balo mthetho neentsikelelo ezinokuzuzwa ngokuwuthobela. AN 622.3

Naphi na apho uEzra wasebenza khona, kwabakho imvuselelo ekufundweni kweziBhalo eziNgcwele. Abafundisi bakhethwa ukuba bafundise abantu; umthetho kaYehova waphakanyiswa wenziwa ukuba uhlonipheke. Iincwadi zabaprofeti zaphengululwa, zathi iindawo ezazixela ngenx’ engaphambili ngokufika kukaMesiya, zazisa ithemba nentuthuzelo kwiintliziyo ezininzi ezazilusizi zidiniwe. AN 623.1

Kwadlula ngaphezu kwamawaka amabini kususela ukuba uEzra “intliziyo yakhe wayeyibhekise ekuwufuneni umyalelo kaYehova, awenze” (Ezra 7:10), kodwa ukudlula kwexesha akuzange kuyinciphise impembelelo yomzekelo ongcwele. Kuzo zonke iinkulungwane, ingxelo yobomi bakhe yokuzinikela ikhuthazele abaninzi “ekuwufuneni umyalelo kaYehova, [ba]wenze.” AN 623.2

Iinjongo zikaEzra zaziphakamile zingcwele; kuko konke awayekwenza wayeqhutywa luthando lwemiphefumlo olunzulu. Uvelwano nobubele awabutyhilayo ngakwabo babonile, nokuba kungokuzithandela okanye ngokungazi, lumele ukuba lube sisifundo ngomzekelo kubo bonke abafuna ukuzisa uhlaziyo. Abakhonzi bakaThixo kufuneka baqine njengeliwa apho imithetho-siseko elungileyo ibandakanyeka khona; kanti ke, kuko konke, kufuneka babonakalalise uvelwano nokunyamezela. NjengoEzra, kufuneka babafundise abakreqi indlela yobomi ngokubala imithetho-siseko esisiseko sako konke ukwenza okulungileyo. AN 623.3

Kule mihla yehlabathi, xa uSathana efuna, ngezenzeleli eziyimfumba, ukumfamekisa amehlo amadoda namakhosikazi ngakumabango omthetho kaThixo, ayafuneka amadoda anokwenza ukuba babebaninzi “[aba]gubhela imithetho kaThixo.” Ezra 10:3. Kukho intswelo yabahlaziyi benene, abaya kukhombisa abakreqi kuMnikiwomthethobabafundise ukuba “umyalelo kaYehova ugqibelele, ubuyisa umphefumlo.” Indumiso 19:7. Ikho intswelo yamadoda angamagorha eziBhalweni, amadoda alizwi lawo ngalinye nesenzo sawo ngasinye aphakamisa imimiselo kaYehova, amadoda azondelele ukuqinisa ukholo. Abafundisi bayafuneka, ewe, kakhulu, abaya kukhuthaza iintliziyo ngentlonelo nokuthanda iziBhalo. AN 623.4

Ubugwenxa obuthe saa nobuxhaphakileyo namhlanje, bungathi ngokukhulu bubalelwe ekusileleni kokufundwa nokuthotyelwa kweziBhalo, kuba, xa ilizwi likaThixo liye labekwa bucala, amandla alo okunqanda iimvakalelo ezimbi zentliziyo yemveli ayaliwa. Abantu bahlwayela okwasenyameni baze, ngokwasenyameni, bavune inkohlakalo. AN 624.1

Ngokubekwa bucala kweBhayibhile, kubekho ukusuka emthethweni kaThixo. Imfundiso yokuba abantu bakhululwe ekuthobeleni imiyalelo engcwele, yethise amandla igunya lokunyanzeleka kokuziphatha, yavula amasango omsinga wobugwenxa emhlabeni. Ukungabi namthetho, ukurheletya, nenkohlakalo zizinto ezitshayela ngokwesikhukhula esigubungelayo. Kuyo yonke indawo kubonakala umona, ukucinga okubi, ukunyhwalaza, nobutshaba, ukuzenzisa, imbambano, ukungcatsha koko kungcwele kugciniweyo, ukuyekela inkanuko. Ucwangcwiso lonke lwemithetho-siseko yenkolo neemfundiso, ezimele ukuba sisiseko nodonga kubomi basekuhlaleni, konke kubonakala ngokwentsika egexayo, elindele ukuwa yenze iingxondorha. AN 624.2

Ngemihla yokugqibela yembali yeli lizwe, ilizwi elathetha eSinayi, lisathi, “Uze ungabi nathixo bambi ngaphandle kwam.” Eksodus 20:3. Umntu umise intando yakhe ngokuchasene nentando kaThixo, kodwa akasayi kuze alithulise ilizwi lomyalelo. Ingqondo yomntu ayinakuze iyiphephe imfanelo kwigunya elingasentla. Iinkcazo zeengcingane nezithelekelelo zingafumba zibe zininzi; abantu bangazama ukumisa isayensiukubaichasane nentyilelo,ngaloondlelaibe ityhalela kude umthetho kaThixo; kodwa, ngamandla aphindaphindiweyo, uyeza njalo umyalelo, “YiNkosi uThixo wakho oya kuqubuda kuyo, ukhonze yona yodwa.” Mateyu 4:10. AN 624.3

Ayikho into ekukwethisa amandla okanye ukuqinisa umthetho kaYehova. Njengoko wawunjalo, usenjalo. Ubuhleli unjalo, kwaye uya kuhlala unjalo, ungcwele, unobulungisa, ulungile, ugqibelele ngokwawo. Awunakuze urhoxiswe okanye uguqulwe. “Ukuwuhlonela” okanye “ukungawuhloneli” leyo yintetho yabantu. AN 625.1

Phakathi kwemithetho yabantu nemiyalelo kaYehova, iya kuba lapho imbambano enkulu yokugqibela kwimpikiswano phakathi kwenyaniso nemposiso. Iphezu kweli dabi esingena kulo ngoku—idabi elingekho phakathi kwamabandla alwela ukuba phezulu, kodwa phakathi kwenkolo yeBhayibhile neenkolo zentsomi nesithethe. Izenzeleli ezimanyana ukuchasa inyaniso ngoku ziyasebenza ngamandla. ILizwi likaThixo eliNgcwele, elanikelwa kuthi ngexabiso elikhulu kakhulu lokuphatheka kakubi nokuphalala kwegazi, lixatyiswa kancinane kakhulu [ngabantu]. Bambalwa abalamkela ngokwenene njengomgaqo wobomi. Ukungakholwa koyisangendlela eyoyikisayo, kungekho ehlabathini kuphela, kodwa nasebandleni. Baninzi abafikelele ekukhanyeleni iimfundiso ezizintsika kanye zenkolo yobuKristu. Iinyaniso ezinkulu zokudala njengoko zibekiwe ngababhali abaphefumlelweyo, ukuwa komntu [esonweni], ucamagushelo, ukuma ngonaphakade komthetho— zonke ezi zinto ezaliwa ngokuphandle liqela elikhulu lehlabathi elizibiza ngoKristu. Amawaka azigwagwisa ngolwazi lwawo, akubona kuluphawu lobuthakathaka ukubeka ithemba elipheleleyo eBhayibhileni, nobungqina bokuba kufundiwe xa kuchukushwa iziBhalo nokuziguqula ngokwasemoyeni nokuzichaza ngendlela ebonisa ukungabaluleki kwezona nyaniso zibalulekileyo. AN 625.2

AmaKristu kufuneka alungiselele oko kuza kuthi kungekudala kuvele emhlabeni kuyinto eyothusa kakhulu, kwaye oku kulungiselela kumele ukuba alwenze ngokufunda ngenkuthalo ilizwi likaThixo nokuzama ukulungelelanisa ubomi bawo kunye nemiyalelo yalo. Imiba emikhulu kanaphakade ifuna kuthi into engaphandle kwenkolo ecingelwayo, inkolo yamazwi neemilo zangaphandle, apho inyaniso igcinwe kwintendelezo yangaphandle. UThixo uthi makubekho imvuselelo nohlaziyo. Amazwi eBhayibhile, iBhayibhile kuphela, kufuneka kuviwe wona epulpitini. IBhayibhile ihluthwe amandla ayo, kwaye isiphumo sibonakala ekuthotyweni kwelizwi lobomi basemoyeni. Kwiintshumayelo ezininzi namhlanje, akukho okwakubonakala kubungcwele obuvusa isazela buzise ukuphila emphefumlweni. Abo bevayo abakwazi ukuthi, “Intliziyo yethu ibingavuthi na ngaphakathi kwethu xa ebethetha nathi endleleni, naxa ebesityhilela izibhalo?” Luka 24:32. Baninzi abakhala befuna uThixo ophilileyo, belangazelela ubukho obungcwele. Ilizwi likaThixo malithethwe lingene entliziyweni. Abo bave kuphela isithethe neengcamango kunye nezaci zabantu, mabeve ilizwi laLowo unakho ukuhlaziya umphefumlo kuse ebomini obungunaphakade. AN 626.1

Ukukhanya okukhulu kwabengezela kusuka kumanyange nabaprofeti. Izinto ezimangalisayo zathethwa ngeZiyon, uMzi kaThixo. Ngoko ke, uThixo uyile ukuba ukukhanya kuphume ngabalandeli baKhe namhlanje. Ukuba abangcwele beTestamente eNdala bathwala ubungqina bokunyaniseka obunokukhanya okungako, akumele na ukuba abo ukubengezela okukhanya okuqokelelekileyo kweenkulungwane, bathwale ubungqina obubaluleke ngaphezulu ngamandla enyaniso? Ubuqaqawuli beziprofeto buthulula ukukhanya kwazo endleleni yethu. AN 626.2

Umfuziselo uhlangene nesiqu ekufeni kukaNyana kaThixo. UKristu uvukile kwabafileyo, evakalisa phezu kwengcwaba elikrazukileyo, “Ndim uvuko, ndim ubomi.” Yohane 11:25. Uthume uMoya waKhe ehlabathini ukuba azise zonke izinto kwinkumbulo yethu. Ngommangaliso wamandla, uligcinile ilizwi laKhe elibhalwe kwizizukulwana. AN 627.1

AbaHlaziyi, okuthe ukuchasa kwabo kwasinika igama lobuProtestanti, beva ukuba uThixo ubabizele ukuba banike ihlabathi ukukhanya kwegospile; kwathi kumalinge okwenza oku, bakulungela ukuncama konke abanako, inkululeko yabo, kwanobomi ngokwabo. Phambi kwentshutshiso nokufa, igospile yavakaliswa kude nakufuphi. Ilizwi likaThixo lasiwa ebantwini; zonke iindidi, abaphezulu nabasezantsi, abazizityebi nabangamahlwempu, abafundileyo nabangafundanga, bonke bazifundela ngenzondelelo. Ingaba thina, kule mbambano yokugqibela, sithembekile na koko sikuphathisiweyo njengabaHlaziyi bokuqala njengoko babenjalo kweyabo [imbambano]? AN 627.2

“Vuthelani isigodlo eZiyon, ngcwalisani uzilo, memani ingqungquthela. Hlanganisani abantu, ngcwalisani ibandla, buthani amadoda amakhulu, hlanganisani iintsapho; . . . Mabalile ababingeleli, abalungiseleli bakaYehova, phakathi kwevaranda nesibingelelo, bathi, Yiba nenceba, Yehova,ebantwini bakho, ungalinikeli ilifa lakho ekungcikivweni.” “Buyelani kum ngentliziyo yenu yonke, nangokuzila, nangokulila, nangokumbambazela; nikrazule intliziyo yenu, ingabi ziingubo zenu, nibuyele kuYehova uThixo wenu; kuba unobabalo nemfesane, yena uzeka kade umsindo, unenceba enkulu, uyazohlwaya ngenxa yobubi. Ngubani na owaziyo? Mhlawumbi wobuya azohlwaye, ashiye intsikelelo ngasemva kwakhe?” Yoweli2:15-17, 12-14. AN 627.3