Kusho Ukuthini Ukuba Oqotho?

AMAHASID angamaJuda ekhulu lesibili B.C.E. ayezibheka njengaqotho ngempela. Igama lawo livela kwelithi cha·sidhʹ okuyigama lesiHeberu eliyisisekelo elisho “oqotho.” Lithathwe ebizweni elithi cheʹsedh, elivame ukuhunyushwa ngokuthi “umusa wothando,” “uthando oluqotho,” “umusa,” “ukulunga,” nangokuthi “isihe.” Ngokwe-Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, i-cheʹsedh “ihilela izenzo, ukuhlalisana kahle nabantu, ihlala njalo [futhi] ayigcini ngokubonisa isimo sengqondo sobuntu, kodwa [ibonisa] nesenzo esibangelwa yileso simo sengqondo. Iyisenzo esilondoloza noma sichumise ukuphila. Iwukungenela ukuze usize othile obhekene nokuhlupheka noma usizi. Iwukubonakaliswa kobungane.”

Ngokusobala, ezilimini eziningi alikho igama elilodwa elingadlulisela umqondo ogcwele waleli gama lesiHeberu ngendlela elisetshenziswa ngayo eBhayibhelini. Kunoma yikuphi, ngomqondo weBhayibheli ubuqotho busho okungaphezu kokunamathela ngokwethembeka ezibophweni. Buhlanganisa nomqondo wokunamathela ngothando kanye nokuthathwa kwesinyathelo esiqondile ukuze kuzuziswe abanye. Ukuze siqonde lokho okushiwo ubuqotho beqiniso, ake sibheke indlela uJehova abubonisa ngayo ku-Abrahama, kuMose, kuDavide, esizweni sakwa-Israyeli nasesintwini sisonke.

UJehova Wabonisa Ubuqotho

UJehova watshela umngane wakhe u-Abrahama: “Ngiyisihlangu sakho.” (Genesise 15:1; Isaya 41:8) Lawa kwakungewona amazwi nje. UJehova wamvikela futhi wamsindisa u-Abrahama nendlu yakhe kuFaro naku-Abimeleki. Wamsiza u-Abrahama ukuba ahlenge uLoti emakhosini amane ayebumbene. UJehova wabuyisela amandla okuzala ka-Abrahama owayeseneminyaka eyikhulu nakaSara owayeseneminyaka engu-90 ukuze kufike iNzalo ethenjisiwe ngabo. UJehova wayekhuluma njalo no-Abrahama ngemibono, amaphupho nezithunywa eziyizingelosi. Empeleni, uJehova wabonisa ubuqotho ku-Abrahama esaphila nalapho esashona kudala. Amakhulu amaningi eminyaka, uJehova wagcina izithembiso zakhe ezizukulwaneni zika-Abrahama, isizwe sakwa-Israyeli, naphezu kokunhlanhlatha kwaso. Ubuhlobo bukaJehova no-Abrahama babuwukubonakaliswa kwalokho ubuqotho beqiniso obuyikho—uthando oluboniswa ngezenzo.—Genesise, izahluko 12 kuya ku-25.

Kuthiwa “uJehova wa[ye]khuluma kuMose ubuso nobuso, njengalokhu umuntu ekhuluma nomhlobo wakhe.” (Eksodusi 33:11, omalukeke sizenzele.) Yebo, uMose wayenobuhlobo obuseduze noJehova ukwedlula noma yimuphi omunye umprofethi ngaphambi kukaJesu Kristu. UJehova wabubonisa kanjani ubuqotho kuMose?

Njengendoda eneminyaka engu-40 ubudala enamandla nekhono, uMose wagabadela wazama  ukukhulula isizwe sakubo. Kodwa kwakungakabi yisikhathi. Kwadingeka abaleke ukuze asindise ukuphila kwakhe. Welusa izimvu iminyaka engu-40 kwaMidiyani. (IzEnzo 7:23-30) Nokho, uJehova akamlahlanga. Lapho sekuyisikhathi esifanele, uMose wabuyiswa ukuze azohola u-Israyeli amkhiphe eGibithe.

Ngokufanayo, uJehova wabonisa ubuqotho kuDavide, inkosi yesibili yakwa-Israyeli edumile. Lapho uDavide esemncane, uJehova watshela umprofethi uSamuweli: “Suka umgcobe, ngokuba lona nguye.” Kusukela lapho, uJehova wamvikela futhi wamqondisa ngobuqotho uDavide lapho ekhula njengenkosi yakwa-Israyeli yesikhathi esizayo. UJehova wamophula “ozisheni lwengonyama nasozisheni lwebhere” nasesandleni sesiqhwaga esingumFilisti uGoliyati. Wenza uDavide wanqoba izitha eziningi zika-Israyeli, futhi uJehova wasindisa uDavide emkhontweni kaSawule owayenomona nenzondo.—1 Samuweli 16:12; 17:37; 18:11; 19:10.

Yebo, uDavide wayengeyena umuntu ophelele. Empeleni, wona kakhulu. Nokho, kunokuba amlahle, uJehova wabonisa uthando oluqotho kuDavide owayephenduke ngokujulile. Kukho konke ukuphila kukaDavide, uJehova wathatha isinyathelo ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuze alondoloze futhi achumise ukuphila. Wangenela ukuze asize ososizini. Umusa wothando ngempela!—2 Samuweli 11:1–12:25; 24:1-17.

Isizwe sakwa-Israyeli sisonke sangena ebuhlotsheni obukhethekile bokuzinikezela kuJehova lapho samukela isivumelwano sakhe soMthetho KaMose eNtabeni YaseSinayi. (Eksodusi 19:3-8) Ngakho, u-Israyeli uvezwa esebuhlotsheni obunjengomshado noJehova. Kwathiwa ku-Israyeli: “UJehova ukubizile njengomfazi.” Futhi uJehova wathi kuye: “Ngomusa ongapheliyo ngiyakukuhawukela.” (Isaya 54:6, 8) UJehova wabubonisa kanjani ubuqotho kulobu buhlobo obukhethekile?

UJehova wathatha izinyathelo zokunakekela izidingo zama-Israyeli nokuqinisa isibopho sawo naye. Wawakhulula eGibithe, wawahlela aba yisizwe, wawangenisa ‘ezweni elichichima ubisi nezinyosi.’ (Eksodusi 3:8) Wanikeza imfundo engokomoya yasikhathi sonke ngabapristi, amaLevi nohide lwabaprofethi nezithunywa. (2 IziKronike 17:7-9; Nehemiya 8:7-9; Jeremiya 7:25) Lapho isizwe siphendukela ekukhonzeni abanye onkulunkulu, uJehova wayesiqondisa. Lapho siphenduka, wayesithethelela. Kuyavunywa, isizwe sakwa-Israyeli ‘sasingumfazi’ ohluphayo. Nokho, uJehova akazange ajahe ukusilahla. Ngenxa yezithembiso zakhe ku-Abrahama, wanamathela kuma-Israyeli kwaze kwaba yilapho sezifezekile izinjongo zaKhe mayelana nawo. (Duteronomi 7:7-9) Yeka isibonelo esihle kakhulu kubantu abashadile namuhla!

UJehova ubonisa ubuqotho nasesintwini sisonke ngokunikeza izinto eziyisidingo eziyisisekelo zokuphila zabo bonke abantu, abalungile nabangalungile. (Mathewu 5:45; IzEnzo 17:25) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uye walungiselela umhlatshelo wesihlengo weNdodana yakhe ukuze sonke isintu sibe nethuba lokukhululwa ebugqilini besono nokufa futhi sibe namathemba amahle kakhulu okuphila okuphakade okuphelele ePharadesi. (Mathewu 20:28; Johane 3:16) Ilungiselelo lesihlengo  laba yisenzo esizidlula zonke sokulondoloza nokuchumisa ukuphila. Sasiyikho ngempela “ukungenela ukuze usize othile obhekene nokuhlupheka noma usizi.”

Fakazela Ubuqotho Bakho Ngezenzo Eziqondile

Njengoba busho okufanayo nomusa wothando, ubuqotho bunanomqondo onamandla wokusebenza kabili. Uma uboniswa umusa wothando, kungalindeleka ukuba nawe wenze okufanayo. Ubuqotho bubongwa ngokuba qotho. Ukuthi uDavide wayekuqonda lokho okusikiselwa yigama elithi cheʹsedh kusobala emazwini akhe: “Ngiyakukhuleka phambi kwethempeli lakho elingcwele, ngibonge igama lakho.” Ngani? “Ngenxa yomusa wakho neqiniso lakho.” (IHubo 138:2) Njengoba ayethola umusa wothando kaJehova, kusobala ukuthi uDavide washukumiseleka ukuba amkhulekele futhi amdumise. Ngakho, njengoba sizindla ngendlela uJehova asibonisa ngayo umusa wothando, asishukumiseleki yini ukuba nathi simbonise wona? Ngokwesibonelo, uma igama likaJehova lihlanjalazwa, ingabe ukukhathalela kwakho idumela lakhe kuyakushukumisela ukuba ukhulume umvikele?

Yilokho okwenzeka komunye umKristu owayesanda kuqala ukuhlanganyela yena nomkakhe lapho besemngcwabeni wesihlobo esasishone engozini yesithuthuthu. Kwakungeyona inkonzo engokwenkolo, futhi ababekhona babevunyelwe ukubeka amazwi athile ngomufi. Esinye isikhulumi sagxeka uNkulunkulu ngokushona kwale nsizwa kungakabi yisikhathi, sithi, ‘UNkulunkulu ubemfuna ezulwini, wayesemthatha.’ Umfowethu ongumKristu akuvumanga athule. Wasukuma waya endaweni yesikhulumi, yize ayengaphethe Bhayibheli naluhlaka. Wabuza: “Nicabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke onesihe nesihawu uyasijabulela yini isimo esinjengalesi?” Wabe esebeka inkulumo engalungiselelwe eyimizuzu eyishumi ecaphuna imiBhalo echaza ukuthi kungani sifa, yini uNkulunkulu ayenzile ukuze ahlenge isintu ekufeni, kanye nethemba elimangalisayo lokuvuselwa ekuphileni okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. Abantu abangaphezu kwekhulu ababekhona bashaya ihlombe elide. Kamuva, lo mzalwane wakhumbula: “Ngazizwa nginenjabulo yangaphakathi engangingakaze ngiyizwe. Ngambonga uJehova ngokungifundisa ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe nangokunginika ithuba lokuba ngivikele igama lakhe elingcwele.”

Ukuba qotho kuJehova kuhlanganisa nokuba qotho eZwini lakhe, iBhayibheli. Ngani? Ngoba ngeBhayibheli, uJehova usifundisa indlela yokuphila. Imithetho nezimiso ezikulo ziyiziqondiso zokuphila ezinhle nezizuzisa kunazo zonke. (Isaya 48:17) Ungavumeli ukucindezelwa abanye noma ubuthakathaka bakho bukwenze uchezuke ekunamatheleni emithethweni kaJehova. Hlala uqotho eZwini likaNkulunkulu.

Ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu kuhilela nokuba qotho enhlanganweni yakhe. Phakathi neminyaka edlule, kuye kwaba nokuqondisa nokulungiswa okudingekile ekuqondeni kwethu imibhalo ethile. Iqiniso liwukuthi abekho abondliwa kahle njengathi ngokomoya. (Mathewu 24:45-47) Ngokungangabazeki, uJehova uye wanamathela enhlanganweni yakhe yanamuhla. Asinakwenza yini thina okufanayo? U-A. H. Macmillan wakwenza. Ngaphambi nje kokufa kwakhe, wathi: “Ngiye ngabona inhlangano kaJehova ikhula isuka esiqalweni esiphansi, lapho ngizinikezela kuNkulunkulu ngineminyaka engu-23 ubudala ngo-September 1900, yaze yaba umphakathi womhlaba wonke wabantu abajabule abamemezela amaqiniso akhe ngentshiseko. . . . Ngiqiniseka kunanini ngaphambili, njengoba ngibona inkonzo yami kuNkulunkulu emhlabeni isondela esiphelweni, ukuthi uJehova uye wabaqondisa abantu bakhe futhi wabanika ngesikhathi esifanele kona kanye lokho abebekudinga.” UMfoweth’ uMacmillan wakhonza ngobuqotho nangokwethembeka iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-66, kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe ngo-August 26, 1966. Wayeyisibonelo esihle sokuba qotho enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu ebonakalayo.

 Ngaphezu kokuba qotho enhlanganweni, ingabe siyoba qotho komunye nomunye? Lapho sibhekene nosongo olukhulu loshushiso olunonya, siyohlala yini siqotho kubafowethu nodadewethu? Phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, abafowethu eNetherlands babeka isibonelo esihle sobuqotho. Umdala waseBandleni LaseGroningen, uKlaas de Vries, waphenywa amaGestapo amaNazi ngonya nangesihluku, wavalelwa yedwa izinsuku ezingu-12 enikwa isinkwa namanzi kuphela, wayesephinda ephenywa ngemibuzo. Ekhonjwe ngevolovolo futhi esongelwa ngokufa, wanikwa imizuzu emibili ukuba asho ukuthi abazalwane abanomthwalo wemfanelo bakuphi, anikeze neminye imininingwane ebalulekile. Ukuphela kwento uKlaas ayeyisho kwakuwukuthi: “Ngeke nginitshele lutho. . . . Ngeke ngibe yimbuka.” Wasongelwa kathathu ngevolovolo. Ekugcineni amaGestapo adela, amthumela kwelinye ijele uKlaas. Akalokothanga adalule abafowabo.

Ingabe ubuqotho bethu buyofinyelela esihlotsheni sethu esiseduze kunazo zonke—umngane wethu womshado? Njengoba noJehova abuhlonipha ubuhlobo bakhe besivumelwano nesizwe sakwa-Israyeli, ingabe siqotho ezifungweni zethu zomshado? Ngaphezu kokunamathela ngokugxilile kuye, zikhandle ekwakheni nasekulondolozeni ubuhlobo obuseduze nomngane wakho womshado. Thatha izinyathelo zokwenza umshado wenu ulondeke. Yibani nesikhathi nindawonye, khulumani ngokukhululekile ningafihlelani lutho, sekelanani nikhuthazane, lalelanani, hlekani ndawonye, khalani ndawonye, dlalani ndawonye, sebenzelani ukufinyelela imigomo yenu nobabili ndawonye, jabulisanani, yibani abangane. Qaphani ngokukhethekile ukuba ningabi nemizwa yothando ngabanye abantu. Nakuba kulungile futhi kufaneleka ukujwayelana nokuba nobuhlobo obuseduze nabanye ongashadile nabo, imizwa yothando kufanele igcine kumngane wakho womshado. Ungavumeli muntu omunye angene phakathi kwakho nomngane wakho womshado.—IzAga 5:15-20.

Hlala uqotho kubangane nasemkhayeni okholwayo. Njengoba iminyaka ihamba, ungabalibali. Thintana nabo, ubabhalele, ubashayele ucingo, ubavakashele. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani kuwe ekuphileni, zama ukungabadumazi. Benze bajabule ngokuthi bazana nawe noma ngokuthi bahlobene nawe. Ukuba qotho kubo kuyokugcina uzimisele ukumelela okulungile futhi kuyokukhuthaza.—Esteri 4:6-16.

Yebo, ubuqotho beqiniso buhilela ukuthatha izinyathelo eziqondile ukuze ulondoloze ubuhlobo obuyigugu. Yenza ongakwenza ukuze uphindisele ngomusa wothando kuJehova. Lingisa ubuqotho bukaJehova ekusebenzelaneni kwakho nebandla lobuKristu, umngane wakho womshado, umkhaya wakho nabangane bakho. Memezela ubuhle bukaJehova ngobuqotho komakhelwane bakho. Umhubi wayesho ngako impela lapho ethi: “Ngiyakuhlabelela ngomusa kaJehova kuze kube phakade, ngomlomo wami ngazise izizukulwane ngezizukulwane ukuthembeka kwakho.” (IHubo 89:1) Ingabe asizizwa sidonsekela kuNkulunkulu onjalo? “Umusa wakhe umi phakade” ngempela.—IHubo 100:5.

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

U-A. H. Macmillan