Umuthi Womnqumo Okhephuzelayo Endlini KaNkulunkulu

EZWENI lakwa-Israyeli, kunomuthi ongafi. Ngisho noma ugawuliwe, kungakabiphi izimpande zawo ziveza amahlumela. Futhi lapho usuvuniwe, umniniwo ujabulela inala yamafutha angasetshenziselwa ukupheka, ukukhanyisa, inhlanzeko nokuziqhola.

Ngokwendaba yasendulo engokomfanekiso esencwadini yeBhayibheli yabAhluleli, “imithi yake yaya ukuzigcobela inkosi.” Yakhetha muphi umuthi wehlathi? Yakhetha wona kanye umnqumo oqinile nothelayo.—AbAhluleli 9:8.

Eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-3 500 edlule, umprofethi uMose wachaza izwe lakwa-Israyeli ngokuthi ‘izwe elihle, izwe leminqumo.’ (Duteronomi 8:7, 8) Ngisho nanamuhla, imithi yomnqumo ithé chithi saka kusukela ezansi kweNtaba iHermoni enyakatho ukuya emaphethelweni eBeri Sheba eningizimu. Isahlobise iThafa LaseSharoni elingasogwini, amawa amangelengele aseSamariya kanye nezigodi ezivundile zaseGalile.

Abalobi beBhayibheli babevame ukusebenzisa umuthi womnqumo ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso. Izici zalo muthi zazisetshenziselwa ukubonisa isihe sikaNkulunkulu, isithembiso sovuko nokuphila komkhaya okujabulisayo. Ukubhekisisa umnqumo kuyosisiza ukuba siyiqonde le miBhalo ebhekisela kuwo futhi kuyojulisa ukwazisa kwethu ngalo muthi oyingqayizivele ohlanganyela nayo yonke enye indalo ekudumiseni uMenzi wayo.—IHubo 148:7, 9.

Umuthi Womnqumo Oyisihlekehleke

Umuthi womnqumo awukhangi kangako lapho uwubona okokuqala. Awumude njengeminye yemisedari yaseLebanoni eqinile. Ukhuni lwawo alubizi njengemisayipuresi, futhi lapho uqhakazile awukhangi njengokuqhakaza komuthi womalimondi. (IsiHlabelelo seziHlabelelo 1:17; Amose 2:9) Ingxenye ebaluleke kunazo zonke yomuthi womnqumo ayibonakali—ingaphansi komhlaba. Izimpande zawo ezinde kakhulu, ezingase zifinyelele amamitha ayisithupha ngaphansi komhlaba futhi zenabe kakhulu, ziyisizathu esiyinhloko esenza lo muthi uthele futhi ungafi.

Izimpande ezinjalo zenza imithi yeminqumo esemagqumeni anamatshe ikwazi ukumelana nesomiso kuyilapho imithi esezigodini isifile ngenxa yokoma. Izimpande ziwenza ukwazi ukuqhubeka uthela iminqumo amakhulu eminyaka, ngisho noma isiqu sawo esizingoxingoxi singase sibonakale silungele ukuba kubaswe ngaso nje. Lo muthi owenile udinga nje indawo ozokhulela kuyo nenhlabathi  enomoya ukuze uphefumule, engenalo ukhula nezinye izimila ezingase zibe nezilokazane eziyingozi. Uma kuhlangatshezwane nalezi zimfuneko ezilula, umuthi owodwa uyokhiqiza amalitha afinyelela ku-57 amafutha ngonyaka.

Akungabazeki ukuthi ama-Israyeli ayewuthanda umnqumo ngenxa yamafutha awo ayigugu. Izibani ezinentambo emunca amafutha omnqumo zazikhanyisa amakhaya awo. (Levitikusi 24:2) Amafutha omnqumo ayebalulekile ekuphekeni. Ayevikela isikhumba elangeni futhi ama-Israyeli ayenza ngawo insipho yokuwasha. Izivuno eziyinhloko zezwe kwakungokusanhlamvu, iwayini nomnqumo. Ngakho, ukungatheli komnqumo kwakungaba inhlekelele emkhayeni wama-Israyeli.—Duteronomi 7:13; Habakuki 3:17.

Nokho, amafutha omnqumo ayevame ukuba inala. UMose wathi iZwe Lesithembiso ‘laliyizwe leminqumo’ cishe ngenxa yokuthi umnqumo wawuwumuthi owawutshalwa kakhulu kuleyo ndawo. Isazi sezemvelo sangekhulu le-19 uH. B. Tristram sachaza umnqumo ngokuthi “omunye wemithi eyisici sezwe.” Ngenxa yokubaluleka nokuba inala kwamafutha omnqumo, aba ngisho nayindlela yokuhwebelana ewusizo phakathi kwamazwe kuso sonke isifunda saseMediterranean. UJesu Kristu ngokwakhe wakhuluma ngesikweletu esabalwa saba “izilinganiso zebhathi eziyikhulu zamafutha omnqumo.”—Luka 16:5, 6.

“Njengezithombo Zomnqumo”

Lo muthi womnqumo owusizo uzifanekisela kahle izibusiso zaphezulu. Yayingavuzwa kanjani indoda eyesaba uNkulunkulu? Umhubi wahlabelela: “Umkakho uyakuba njengomnqumo othelayo phakathi kwendlu yakho, abantwana bakho babe njengezithombo zomnqumo, bezungeza itafula lakho.” (IHubo 128:3) Ziyini lezi ‘zithombo zomnqumo,’ futhi kungani umhubi eziqhathanisa nabantwana?

Umuthi womnqumo awuvamile ngenxa yokuthi izimila ezintsha ziqhubeka zihluma ekugcineni kwesiqu sawo. * Lapho isiqu esiyinhloko singasatheli ngendlela esasithela ngayo ngenxa yokuguga, abalimi bangase bavumele ukuba amahlumela amaningana amasha akhule aze abe ingxenye eyinhloko yomuthi. Ngemva kwesikhathi, umuthi wokuqala uyobe usuneziqu ezintathu noma ezine ezisencane, ezikhephuzelayo eziwuzungeze kuhle kwezingane ezihlezi zizungeze itafula. Lawo mahlumela asempandeni eyodwa, futhi ahlanganyela ekukhiqizeni isivuno esihle seminqumo.

Lesi sici somuthi womnqumo siyifanekisela kahle indlela amadodana namadodakazi angakhula ngayo eqinile okholweni, ngenxa yezimpande ezingokomoya eziqinile zabazali bawo. Njengoba lezo zingane zikhula, nazo ziba nengxenye ekukhiqizeni izithelo nasekusekeleni abazali bazo, abakujabulelayo ukubona izingane zabo zikhonza uJehova kanye nabo.—IzAga 15:20.

“Kukhona Ithemba Emthini”

Ubaba osekhulile okhonza uJehova uyakujabulela ukuba nezingane ezihlonipha uNkulunkulu. Kodwa lezi zingane ziyalila lapho uyise ekugcineni ‘ehamba ngendlela yomhlaba wonke.’ (1 AmaKhosi 2:2) Ukuze lisisize sibhekane nosizi olunjalo lomkhaya, iBhayibheli liyasiqinisekisa ukuthi kuyoba novuko.—Johane 5: 28, 29; 11:25.

UJobe, uyise wezingane eziningi, wayebuqaphela kahle ubufushane bokuphila komuntu. Wabufanisa nembali ebuna ngokushesha. (Jobe 1:2; 14:1, 2) UJobe wafisa ukufa njengendlela yokubalekela ubuhlungu ayebuzwa, ebheka ithuna njengendawo yokucasha leyo angakwazi ukuphinde abuye kuyo. UJobe wabuza: “Uma umuntu efa, uyakubuye aphile na?” Wabe esephendula ngokuqiniseka: “Bengiyakulinda zonke izinsuku zomshikashika wami, kuze kufike ukumuka kwami. Ubuyakubiza, mina ngiphendule; ubuyakulangazelela umsebenzi wezandla zakho.”—Jobe 14:13-15.

UJobe wayifanekisa kanjani inkolelo ayenayo yokuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyombiza ethuneni? Wasebenzisa umuthi, onencazelo ekwenza kusolakale kakhulu ukuthi wayekhuluma ngomnqumo. UJobe wathi: “Kukhona ithemba emthini: uma unqunywa, ungabuye uhlume.” (Jobe 14:7) Umuthi womnqumo ungase ugawulwe, kodwa lokho akuwubulali. Ungafa kuphela uma ungasishulwa. Uma izimpande  zingathintekile, lowo muthi uyobuye uhlume ngomfutho ovuselelwe.

Ngisho noma isomiso eside singabunisa umuthi omdala womnqumo, isiqu esomile singabuye siphile. “Noma impande yawo iguga emhlabathini, nesiphunzi sawo sifela othulini, ngephunga lamanzi uyakuhluma, uveze izingatsha njengesithombo.” (Jobe 14:8, 9) UJobe wayehlala ezweni elomile elinezintuli, cishe lapho aye wabona iziqu eziningi ezindala zomnqumo ezazibonakala zomile futhi zingasaphili. Nokho, lapho kufika izimvula, leyo mithi ‘efile’ yayibuye iphile futhi kuvele isiqu esisha ezimpandeni zaso njengokungathi ‘isithombo.’ Leli khono eliphawulekayo lokuhlumelela laholela esinye isazi sezitshalo saseTunisia ukuba sithi: “Ungasho ukuthi imithi yeminqumo ayifi.”

Njengoba nje umlimi elangazelela ukubona imithi yeminqumo ihluma futhi, noJehova uyakulangazelela ukuvusa izinceku zakhe ezithembekile. Ubheke phambili esikhathini lapho abantu abathembekile njengo-Abrahama noSara, u-Isaka noRebeka, nabaningi abanye beyobuyiselwa ekuphileni. (Mathewu 22:31, 32) Yeka indlela okuyoba kuhle ngayo ukwamukela abafileyo nokubabona bephinda bephila ukuphila okuphelele nokunezithelo!

Umuthi Womnqumo Ongokomfanekiso

Isihe sikaNkulunkulu sibonakala ekubeni kwakhe ongakhethi kanye naselungiselelweni lakhe lovuko. Umphostoli uPawulu wasebenzisa umuthi womnqumo ukuze abonise indlela uJehova abonisa ngayo isihe kubantu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bangolwaluphi uhlanga noma isizinda. Kwase kungamakhulu eminyaka amaJuda eziqhenya ngokuba abantu bakaNkulunkulu abakhethiwe, “inzalo ka-Abrahama.”—Johane 8:33; Luka 3:8.

Ukuzalelwa esizweni samaJuda kwakungeyona ngempela imfuneko ukuze umuntu amukeleke ngokwaphezulu. Nokho, abafundi bakaJesu bokuqala babengamaJuda bonke, futhi babenelungelo lokuba abantu bokuqala ukukhethwa uNkulunkulu ukuba babe ingxenye yenzalo ethenjisiwe ka-Abrahama. (Genesise 22:18; Galathiya 3:29) UPawulu wafanisa laba bafundi abangamaJuda namagatsha omuthi womnqumo ongokomfanekiso.

Iningi lamaJuda angokwemvelo lamenqaba uJesu, lazenza langakufanelekela ukuba amalungu angesikhathi esizayo ‘omhlambi omncane,’ noma ‘u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.’ (Luka 12:32; Galathiya 6:16) Ngakho laba baba njengamagatsha omnqumo angokomfanekiso anqunyiwe. Obani ababeyothatha indawo yabo? Ngonyaka ka-36 C.E., abeZizwe bakhethwa ukuba babe ingxenye yenzalo ka-Abrahama. Kwakusengathi uJehova wayexhumelele amagatsha omnqumo wasendle emthini womnqumo wasengadini. Labo abayokwakha inzalo ethenjisiwe ka-Abrahama babeyohlanganisa abantu bezizwe. Manje amaKristu abeZizwe ayengaba ‘abahlanganyeli bempande yokukhuluphala yomnqumo.’—Roma 11:17.

Kumlimi, ukuxhumelela igatsha lomnqumo wasendle emthini womnqumo wasengadini kwakuyinto engacatshangwa nakucatshangwa ‘nephambene nemvelo.’ (Roma 11:24) Incwadi ethi The Land and the Book, iyachaza: “Xhumelela [umuthi] omuhle kokwasendle, njengoba kusho ama-Arabia, uyonqoba okwasendle, kodwa awunakukwenza ngempumelelo okuphambene nalokho.” AmaKristu angamaJuda nawo amangala lapho uJehova “ngokokuqala [ephendulela] ukunaka kwakhe ezizweni ukuba athathe kuzo isizwe segama  lakhe.” (IzEnzo 10:44-48; 15:14) Nokho, lokhu kwaba uphawu olucacile lokuthi ukufezeka kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu kwakungaxhomekile kunoma isiphi isizwe. Cha, ngoba “ezizweni zonke umuntu omesabayo futhi asebenze ukulunga uyamukeleka kuye.”—IzEnzo 10:35.

UPawulu wabonisa ukuthi njengoba “amagatsha” omuthi womnqumo angamaJuda angathembekile ayenqunyiwe, kwakungenzeka okufanayo nanganoma ubani omunye ongaqhubeki esemseni kaJehova ngenxa yokuziqhenya nokungalaleli. (Roma 11:19, 20) Lokhu kukubonisa ngokuqinisekile ukuthi akufanele nanini uthathwe kalula umusa kaNkulunkulu ongafanele.—2 Korinte 6:1.

Ukugcoba Ngamafutha

ImiBhalo ikhuluma ngokusetshenziswa kwamafutha omnqumo ngendlela engokoqobo nengokomfanekiso. Endulo, amanxeba nemihuzuko ‘kwakuthanjiswa ngamafutha’ ukuze kusheshe kuphole. (Isaya 1:6) Ngokomunye wemifanekiso kaJesu, umSamariya olungileyo wathela amafutha omnqumo newayini emanxebeni endoda ayithola emgwaqweni oya eJeriko.—Luka 10:34.

Ukugcoba ikhanda ngamafutha kuyaqabula futhi kuzolise. (IHubo 141:5) Futhi lapho abadala abangamaKristu besingatha izindaba zobuthakathaka obungokomoya, bangase ‘bagcobe ilungu lebandla ngamafutha egameni likaJehova.’ (Jakobe 5:14) Iseluleko sothando esingokomBhalo sabadala kanye nomthandazo osuka enhliziyweni wokuthandazela lowo abakholwa naye ogulayo ngokomoya kufaniswa namafutha omnqumo aqabulayo. Ngokuthakazelisayo, ngokwesiHeberu samaciko, indoda ekahle ngezinye izikhathi kuthiwa ‘ingamafutha omnqumo angaxutshiwe.’

‘Umnqumo Okhephuzelayo Endlini KaNkulunkulu’

Uma kucatshangelwa amaphuzu angenhla, akumangalisi ukuthi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zingafaniswa nemithi yeminqumo. UDavide wayefisa ukuba “njengomnqumo oluhlaza endlini kaNkulunkulu.” (IHubo 52:8) Njengoba nje imikhaya yakwa-Israyeli yayivame ukuba nemithi yeminqumo ezungeze amakhaya ayo, ngokufanayo noDavide wayefisa ukuba seduze noJehova futhi athele izithelo kube ludumo kuNkulunkulu.—IHubo 52:9.

Lapho usathembekile kuJehova, umbuso wakwaJuda wezizwana ezimbili ‘wawunjengomnqumo okhephuzelayo obukekayo, onezithelo ezinhle.’ (Jeremiya 11:15, 16, qhathanisa ne-NW.) Kodwa abantu bakwaJuda balahlekelwa yilokho kuma kwabo okuyilungelo lapho ‘bala ukuzwa amazwi kaJehova futhi belandela abanye onkulunkulu.’—Jeremiya 11:10.

Ukuze sibe umuthi womnqumo okhephuzelayo endlini kaNkulunkulu, kumelwe silalele uJehova futhi sizimisele ukwamukela isiyalo ‘asithena’ ngaso ukuze sithele izithelo zobuKristu ezengeziwe. (Heberu 12:5, 6) Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba nje umuthi womnqumo ongokwemvelo udinga izimpande ezinde ukuze usinde phakathi nesikhathi sesomiso, kudingeka siqinise izimpande zethu ezingokomoya ukuze zikhuthazelele uvivinyo noshushiso.—Mathewu 13:21; Kolose 2:6, 7.

Umuthi womnqumo umfanekisela kahle umKristu othembekile, ongase angaziwa ezweni kodwa owaziwa uNkulunkulu. Uma umuntu onjalo engafa kulesi simiso, uyophinde aphile ezweni elisha elizayo.—2 Korinte 6:9; 2 Petru 3:13.

Umuthi womnqumo ongenakufa, oqhubeka uthela izithelo njalo ngonyaka usikhumbuza ngesithembiso sikaNkulunkulu esithi: “Izinsuku zabantu bami ziyakuba njengezinsuku zomuthi, nomsebenzi wezandla zabakhethiweyo bami uyakugugela kubo.” (Isaya 65:22) Leso sithembiso esingokwesiprofetho siyogcwaliseka ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu.—2 Petru 3:13.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

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Isiqu somuthi wasendulo esizingoxingoxi esatholwa eJávea, eSifundeni Sase-Alicante, eSpain

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Isixhobo semithi yomnqumo eSifundeni SaseGranada, eSpain

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Umuthi womnqumo wasendulo ngaphandle kwezindonga zaseJerusalema

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IBhayibheli likhuluma ngokuxhunyelelwa kwamagatsha emthini womnqumo

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Lo muthi womnqumo omdala uzungezwe amahlumela amagatsha asemancane