35—Usindiso Kumayuda

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwabaseRoma]

Emva kokulibazisa okwakungaphepheki, ekugqibeleni uPawulos wafika eKorinte, indawo eyayinomboniso owawunomsebenzi owawuxhalabisa kakhulu ngaphambili, nowawudinga inkuthazo enkulu okwethuba elithile. Wafumanisa ukuba amaninzi kumakholwa ayesamthanda, njengowaba ngowokuqala ukuthwalela kubo ukukhanya kweendaba ezilungileyo. Wathi xa ebabulisa aba bafundi, waphawula iimpawu zokunyaniseka nenzondelelo yabo, wavuyiswa kakhulu kukubona ukuba umsebenzi wakhe eKorinte awuzange ube lilize.IZ 372.1

Amakholwa aseKorinte, awaka anengxaki yokulahlekwa ngumbono wobizo lwawo lwaphezulu kuKristu, aya akhula ekuqineni kwesimilo sobuKristu. Amazwi kunye nezenzo zabonakalisa amandla aguqulayo obabalo lukaThixo, baza ngoku bangumkhosi onamandla kokulungileyo kwiziko lobuhedeni nenkolo. Umoya wompostile ogugileyo nokhathazekileyo wafumana ukuphumla phakathi kwamaqabane akhe athandekayo kunye nabaguqukileyo abanyanisekileyo.IZ 372.2

Ngexesha lokuhlala kwakhe eKorinte, uPawulos wafumana ithuba lokukhangela phambili kwiindawo ezintsha neziphangaleleyo zokusebenza. Wacinga kakhulu ngohambo alucebayo lokuya eRoma. Elona themba lalimnandi kakhulu kuye nawona macebo awayewathanda, yayikukubona ukholo lwamaKristu luzinzile kwiziko elikhulu kwilizwe elalisaziwa ngoko. Ibandla lalise lisekiwe eRoma, baye abapostile befuna ukuqinisekisa ukusebenzisana kwamakholwa apho emsebenzini ekwakufuneka wenziwe eItali nakwamanye amazwe. Ukulungiselela indlela yokusebenza kwakhe phakathi kwaba bazalwana, awayengazani nabaninzi babo, wabathumela ileta exela ngenjongo yakhe yokutyelela eRoma kunye nethemba lakhe lokumisa ibhanile yomnqamlezo eSpeyini.IZ 373.1

Kwileta yakhe eya kwabaseRoma, uPawulos wabeka imithetho-siseko emikhulu yeendaba ezilungileyo. Wayicacisa indawoyena ame kuyo kwimibuzo eyayixake amabandla amaYuda nabeeNtlanga, watsho ebonisa ukuba amathemba namadinga awayengawamaYuda ngaphambili, ngoku ayenikelwe nakubo abeeNtlanga.IZ 373.2

Umpostile wayishumayela imfundiso yokugwetyelwa ngokholo kuKristu ngokucacileyo nangegunya. Wayenethemba lokuba namanye amabandla nawo aya kuncedakala yimfundiso awayeyithumele kumaKristu aseRoma; kodwa, Awu, ukukubona kwakhe kumfiliba ukunaba kwempembelelo yamazwi akhe! Kuzo zonke izizukulwaba inyaniso enkuluyokugwetyelwangokholoyemaiyibhakanayokukhokelelaIZ 373.3

aboni abaguqukayo kwindlela yobomi.Kokukukhayaokwahlakaza ubumnyama obabugubungele ingqondo kaLutere kwamtyhilela amandla egazi likaKristu elihlamba isono. Kona oku kukhanya kukhokele amawaka emiphefumlo enomthwalo wesono kwiThende loxolelo noxolo. Ngeleta eyabhalelwa ibandla eliseRoma, wonke umKristu unaso isizathu sokumbulela uThixo.IZ 373.4

Kule leta wayethetha ngokukhululekileyo ngomthwalo wakhe ngenxa yamaYuda. Kususela ekuguqukeni kwakhe, wayelangazelela ukubanceda abazalwana bakhe bamaYuda ukuba bazuze ukusiqonda ngokucacileyo isigidimi seendaba ezilungileyo. “Inkolelo yeyam intliziyo, nesikhungo sam kuye uThixo, ngenxa yamaIsrayeli,” watsho, “sesokuba asindiswe.”IZ 374.1

Lwalungelulo ulangazelelo olungento olu wayeluva umpostile. Wayecengana rhoqo noThixo ukuba asebenze ngenxa yamaIsrayeli kuba esilele ukumamkela uYesu waseNazarete njengoMesiya wedinga. “Ndithetha inyaniso ndikuKristu,” wawaqinisekisa amakholwa aseRoma, “andixoki, sibe nesazela sam sindingqinela ndiseMoyeni Oyingcwele, ukuba ndineentlungu kakhulu, nentuthumbo enkulu engapheliyo, entliziyweni yam. Kuba bendingade ndinqwenele ukusingelwa phantsi mna ngokwam, ndahlukaniswe naye uKristu, ngenxa yabazalwana bam, abayimizalwane yam ngokwenyama, abangamaIsrayeli bona; ekukokwabo ukwenziwa oonyana, nokuzukiswa, nokuphiwa iminqophiso, nokuwiswa komthetho, nenkonzo kaThixo, namadinga; abangababo ooyise; awaphuma kubo uKristu ngokwenyama, uThixo ongophezu konke, engowokubonwa kude kube ngunaphakade.”IZ 374.2

AmaYuda ayengabantu bakaThixo abanyuliweyo, ngabo, awayenenjongo yokusikelela lonke uhlanga [loluntu]. Phakathi kwabo, uThixo wanyusa abaprofeti abaninzi. Aba bakuxela ngenx’ engaphambili ukufika koMhlanguli owayeza kwaliwa aze abulawe ngabo babemelwe kukuba phambili ekumamkeleni njengOwayethenjisiwe.IZ 374.3

Umprofeti uIsaya, ekhangele phambili ezinkulungwaneni, wangqina ngokwaliwa komprofeti emva komprofeti, ekugqibeleni, noNyana kaThixo, phakathi kwabantwana bakaIsrayeli. Ebhekisa kwesi siprofeto, uPawulos wavakalisa esithi: “Ke yena u-Isaya akanqwanqwi; uthi, Ndifunyenwe ngababengandifuni, ndaba nokubonakala kwababengandibuzi. Ke ngokubhekisele kuIsrayeli uthi, Imini yonke izandla zam ndizolulele kubantu abangevayo, abaphikayo.”IZ 375.1

Nangona uIsrayeli wamalayo uNyana kaThixo, uThixo Yena akabalanga. Yiva uPawulos xa eqhubeka nentetho: “Ngoko ke ndithi, UThixo ubagibile na abantu bakhe? Nakanye! Kuba nam lo ndingumIsrayeli wasembewini ka-Abraham, wesizwe sikaBhenjamin. UThixo akabagibanga bona abantu bakhe, abebazi ngenxa engaphambili. Okanye aniyazi na indawo ethetha ngo-Eliya esibhalweni, ukumangalela kwakhe amaIsrayeli kuThixo, esithi, Nkosi, abaprofeti bakho ababulele, nezibingelelo zakho azichithile; mna ndisele ndedwa; afuna ke ubomi bam? Sisuka esikaThixo isihlabo sithini na kuye? Ndizishiyele amadoda angamawaka asixhenxe, angagobanga dolo kuBhahali wona. Ngokunjalo ke ngoko, nakweli xesha lakalokunje, kukho amasalela ngokonyulo lobabalo.”IZ 375.2

UIsrayeli ukhubekile wawa, kodwa oku akubenzanga ukuba bangakwazi ukuphakama kwakhona. Ukuphendula umbuzo othi, “Ingaba bawe ukuba bangabuyebavuke na?”umpostile uphendula athi, “Nakanye! Kuthe ngesiphoso sabo, usindiso lwafika kuzo iiNtlanga, ukuze zibakhweletise. Ukuba ke isiphoso sabo siba bubutyebi behlabathi, nokuncipha kwabo kuba bubutyebi beentlanga, yobeka phi na inzaliseko yabo? Kuba ndithetha kuni, zintlanga. Ekubeni okunene mna ndingumpostile weentlanga, ndiyaluzukisa ulungiselelo lwam; ukuba ndingade ndibakweletise abenyama yam, ndisindise inxenye yabo. Kuba xa ukulahlwa kwabo kuluxolelaniso lwehlabathi, koba yintoni na ukwamkelwa kwabo? Akububomi obuphuma kwabafileyo, yini na?”IZ 375.3

Yayiyinjongo kaThixo ukuba ubabalo lwaKhe lutyhilwe nakwabeeNtlanga njengakumaIsrayeli. Oku kwakubekwe ngokuphandle kwiziprofeto zeTestamente eNdala. Umpostile usebenzisa ezinye zezi ziprofeto kwingxoxo yakhe. “Khona akanagunya na umbumbi wodongwe ukwenza,” uyabuza, “ngadongwe lwambumba-nye, esinye isitya sibe sesembeko, nesinye sibe sesingenambeko? Hi, ukuba ke uThixo, ethanda ukubonakalalisa ingqumbo yakhe, nokwazisa amandla akhe, wathwala enokuzeka kade okukhulu izitya zengqumbo, zilungiselwe intshabalalo; ukuze abazise ubutyebi bozuko lwakhe ezityeni zenceba, abezilungisele uzuko ngenxa engaphambili; ezi wazibizayo, kwathina aba, kungekuwo amaYuda odwa, kukwiintlanga nazo? Njengokuba esithi nakwekaHoseya, Ndiya kubabiza abangebantu bam ngokuba ngabantu bam; nongathandiweyo, ngokuba ngothandiweyo. Kwakuya kuthi, apho kwabe kusithiwa kubo, Aningabantu bam nina, babizwe apho ngokuthi, Ningoonyana bakaThixo ophilileyo.” Bona uHoseya 1:10.IZ 376.1

Nangona uIsrayeliwayesilelenjengohlanga,kwakusaselephakathi kwabo iqela elikhulu lamasalela abantu abanokusindiswa. Ngexesha lokufika koMsindisi, kwakukho amadoda nabafazi abanyanisekileyo ababesamkele ngovuyo isigidimi sikaYohane umBhaptizi, baza bakhokelelwa ekuzifundeni ngokutsha iziprofeto ezazingoMesiya. Ukusekwa kwebandla lokuqala, lalinala malungu anyanisekileyo awaya amamkela uYesu waseNazarete njengalowo babekulangazelela ukufika kwaKhe. Ubhekisa kwesi sisalela uPawulos xa ebhala esithi, “Ukuba ke intlahlela ingcwele, ikwanjalo nentlama; ukuba ke ingcambu ingcwele, akwanjalo namasebe.”IZ 377.1

UPawulos ufanisa amasalela kaIsrayeli nomthi ohloniphekileyo womnquma, athe amanye amasebe awo asuswa. Uthelekisa iiNtlanga namasebe omnquma wasendle, amiliselwe kumthi ongunozala. “Ke ukuba inxenye yamasebe yaxhuzulwa, wathi ke wena, ungumnquma wasendle nje, wamiliselwa phakathi kwawo, waba lidlelane nengcambu nokutyeba komnquma: musa ukuwaqhayisela amasebe; ke ukuba uyawaqhayisela, yazi ukuba asinguwe oyithweleyo ingcambu; yingcambu ethwele wena. Uya kuthi ngoko, Axhuzulwa amasebe, ukuze mna ndimiliselwe. Utyaphile; axhuzulwa ngokungakholwa, ke wena umi ngokholo; musa ukukratsha, yoyika. Kuba, xa uThixo angawaconganga awasemvelweni amasebe, lumka hleze angakucongi nawe lo. Khawubone ke ububele nobukhali bukaThixo; ubukhali okunene kwabo bawayo; kodwa kuwe, ububele, ukuba uthe wahlala kobo bubele; okanye wogawulwa nawe lo.”IZ 377.2

Ngokungakholwa nokwala injongo yeZulu ngaye, uIsrayeli, njengohlanga,walahlekana noqhagamshelanonoThixo.Athe ngoko amasebe abe ahlulwe kumthi ongunozala, uThixo wawamilisela kwakhona kwinzala yenyaniso kaIsrayeli—amasalela ashiyeke enyanisekile kuThixo wooyise. Uthi umpostile xa ethetha ngala masebe ophulweyo, “Nabo ke, ukuba abathanga bahlale ekungakholweni, bomiliselwa; kuba uThixo unako ukubuya abamilisele.” Ubhalela abeeNtlanga athi, “Kuba wena, xa wagawulwa kumnquma ongowasendle ngokwemvelo, waza wamiliselwa ngokunxamnye nemvelo komhle umnquma: bobeka phi na aba bangamasebe ngokwemvelo, ukumiliselwa kwabo kowabo umnquma? Kuba andithandi, bazalwana, ukuba ningayazi le mfihlelo, ukuze ningabi ziingqondi ngokwenu: le yokuba ukuqaqadeka kuwahlele amaIsrayeli ngenxenye, ide ingene inzaliseko yazo iintlanga.IZ 377.3

“Aze ngokunjalo ke wonke uIsrayeli asindiswe, njengokuba kubhaliwe kwathiwa, Uya kuvela eZiyon uMhlanguli, akusonge kumke kwaYakobi ukungahloneli Thixo. Nguwo ke lo umnqophiso wam nabo, Xa ndithe ndazisusa izono zabo. Okunene ngokweendaba ezilungileyo, baziintshaba ngenxa yenu; kodwa ngokonyulo, ngabaziintanda ngenxa yoobawo. Kuba azinabuyambo izibabalo ezi, nobizo olu lukaThixo. Kuba njengokuba nani benifudula ningamvi uThixo, ngoku ke nenzelwe inceba kukungeva kwabo abo; kwangokunjalo, nabo ababanga namvo ngoku ukuze ngokwenzelwa kwenu inceba, benzelwenabo inceba. Kuba uThixo ubavalele ndawonye entsweleni-kuva bonke, ukuze abenzele inceba bonke.IZ 378.1

“Hayi, ubunzulu bobutyebi nobobulumko nobokwazi kukaThixo! Asikuko nokuba ayiphengululeki imigwebo yakhe, azilandeki iindlela zakhe! Kuba ngubani na oyazileyo ingqiqo yeNkosi? Ngubani na khona othe waba ngumcebisi wayo? Ngubani na khona owayinikayo ngenxa engaphambili, kwaza kwabuyekezwa kuye? Ngokuba ziphuma kuyo ke, zikho ngayo, zikholo yona, zonke ezo zinto. Malube kuyo uzuko, kude kube ngunaphakade.”IZ 378.2

UPawulos, ke ngoko, ubonisa ukuba uThixo ukwazi ngokupheleleyo ukuguqula iintliziyo, eyomYuda neyeNtlanga ngokufanayo, nokunika wonke okholwayo kuKristu iintsikelelo ezathenjiswa kuIsrayeli. Uphinda okwavakaliswa ngu-Isaya ngokubhekisele kubantu bakaThixo: “Nangona inani loonyana bakaIsrayeli lingangentlabathi yaselwandle, ngamasalela odwa aya kusindiswa; kuba elifeza ilizwi, aligqibe ngobulungisa; ngokuba iNkosi iya kwenza ilizwi layo phezu komhlaba, ilifinyeze. Kwanjengokuba uIsaya ebetshilo ngenxa engaphambili ukuthi, Ukuba iNkosi yemikhosi ibingasishiyelanga mbewu, ngesibe saba njengeSodom, ngesibe senziwa safana neGomora.”IZ 379.1

Ngexesha lokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem, itempile izindonga, amawaka amaYuda athengiswa ukuba akhonze esemakhamandeleni kumazwe abahedeni. Asasazeka phakathi kweentlanga njengobugoxo kunxweme olungasasebenziyo. Kwaba lishumi elinesibhozo ebhadula kumazwe ngamazwe ehlabathini, akaze anikwe ndawo ithuba lokubuyisela igugu lawo lakudala njengesizwe. Athi enziwe amakheswa, ethiyiwe, etshutshiswa, ukusuka kwinkulungwane kuye kwenye, axhamla ilifa lokuphatheka kabuhlungu.IZ 379.2

Nangona kwabhengezwa intshabalalo eyoyikekayo kumaYuda njengesizwe ngexesha lokwala kwawo uYesu waseNazarete, kwakukho kuwo kwizizukulwana ngezizukulwana, amadoda nabafazi abanesidima, abamoyikayouThixoawayebuva ubuhlungu ethe cwaka. UThixo wazithuthuzela iintliziyo zawo embandezelweni, kwaye eyibone ngovelwano imeko yawo embi. Wayiva imithandazo enentlungu yabo babemfuna ngentliziyo yonke efuna ukulazi ngendlela eyiyo ilizwi laKhe. Abanye bafunda ukubona uMesiya kaIsrayeli oyinyaniso kumNazarete othobekileyo owaliwayo wabethelelwa ngooyisemkhulu. Njengoko iingqondo zabo zakubambayo ukubaluleka kweziprofeto eziqhelekileyo ezazisithwe sisithethe nokuguqulwa ngendlela engeyiyo, iintliziyo zawo zazaliswa ngumbulelo kuThixo ngesipho esingathethekiyo awasinika wonke umntu onyula ukumamkela uKristu njengoMsindisi wakhe.IZ 379.3

Lolu didi awayebhekisa kulo u-Isaya kwisiprofeto sakhe xa athi, “Amasalela aya kusindiswa.” Ukususela kwimihla kaPawulosukuza kweli xesha, uThixo, ngoMoya waKhe Oyingcwele ubeebiza umYuda neNtlanga. “Akukho kukhetha buso bamntu kuThixo,” watsho uPawulos. Umpostile wazibala njengomelwe kukushumayela “kumaGrike kwanakumabharbhari,” kunye nakumaYuda, kodwa akazange alahlekwe ngumbono wethuba elihle awayenalo amaYuda ukudlula abanye “kuba ke, ukuqala, baphathiswa izihlabo zikaThixo.” “Iindaba ezilungileyo,” watsho, “zingamandla kaThixo okusindisa bonke abakholwayo, umYuda kuqala, kwanomGrike. Kuba ngazo kutyhilwa ubulungisa bukaThixo, buphuma elukholweni buse elukholweni, njengokuba kubhaliwe kwathiwa, Olilungisa ke uya kudla ubomi ngokokholo.” Zezi ndaba zilungileyo zikaKristu, ezisebenza ngokulinganayo kumYuda nomGrike, awavakalisa kwileta yakhe eya kumaRoma ukuba akanazintloni ngazo.IZ 380.1

Xa ezi ndaba zilungileyo zinikwe ngokupheleleyo kumaYuda, baninzi abayakumamkela uKristu njengoMesiya. Phakathikwabalungiseleli bamaKristu, bambalwa abaziva bebizelwe ukuba basebenze phakathi kwabantu abangamaYuda; kodwa isigidimi senceba nethemba kuKristu simele siye kwabo badlulwayo, nakwabanye.IZ 380.2

Ekupheleni kokuvakaliswa kweendaba ezilungileyo, xa kuza kufuneka kwenzelwe umsebenzi owodwa udidi lwabantu ababetyeshelwe ukuza kuthi ga kweli xesha, uThixo ulindele ukuba abathunywa baKhe babonise umdla owodwa kubantu abangamaYuda abafumaneka kuzo zonke iindawo emhlabeni. Xa kulungelelaniswa iTestamente eNdala neNtsha ekuchazeni injongo engunaphakade kaYehova, oko kuya kuba yintsasa yendalo entsha novuko lomphefumlo kumaYuda amaninzi. Aya kuthi xa embona uKristu wexesha leendaba ezilungileyo, ozotywe kwiphepha leziBhalo zeTestamente eNdala, bayibone indlela iTestamente eNtsha eyichaza ngayo eNdala, baya kuvuka ebuthongweni babo baze bamamkele uKristu njengoMsindisi wehlabathi. Abaninzi baya kuthi ngokholo bamamkela uKristu njengoMhlanguli wabo. Aya kuzaliseka kubo amazwi athi, “Ke bonke abamamkelayo wabanika igunya lokuba babe ngabantwana bakaThixo, abo ke bakholwayo kwigama lakhe.” Yohane 1:12.IZ 381.1

Phakathi kwamaYuda, bakho abanobugorha eziBhalweni, njengoSawule waseTarso, kwaye aba baya kuvakalisa ngamandla amangalisayo ukungaguquki komthetho kaThixo. UThixo kaIsrayeli uya kukuzisa oku ngemihla yethu. Ingalo yaKhe ayikho mfutshane ukuba ingasindisi. Xa abakhonzi baKhe bebasebenzela ngokholo abo babekade betyeshelwe, bedeliwe, usindiso lwaKhe luya kutyhileka.IZ 381.2

“Ngako oko utsho uYehova kwindlu kaYakobi, lowo wamkhululayo uAbraham, ukuthi, Ngoku uYakobi akayi kudana, ngoku ubuso bakhe abuyi kuba luthuthu. Ngokuba ekuboneni kwakhe, ekuboneni kwabantwana bakhe, isenzo sezandla zam phakathi kwabo, baya kulingcwalisa igama lam, bamngcwalise Oyingcwele kaYakobi, bangcangcazele phambi koThixo kaIsrayeli. Baya kukwazi ukuqonda abamoya undwendwayo, bayamkele imfundo abakrokrayo.” Isaya 29:22-24.IZ 382.1