21—Kwizithili Ezikude

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiZenzo 16:7-40]

Ixesha lalifikile ukuba iindaba ezilungileyo zivakaliswe ngaphandle kwemida yeAsia Minor. Indlela yayilungiselela ukuba uPawulos nasebenza nabo bamele ukungena eYurophu. ETrowa, kwimida yolwandle iMediteranean, “kwabonakala umbono kuPawulos ebusuku. Kwema ndoda ithile yelaseMakedoni, imbongoza isithi, Wela uze kwelaseMakedoni, usisize.”IZ 211.1

Ubizo lwalunyanzelisa, lungakuvumeli ukulibazisa. “Akuwubona umbono lowo,” uthi uLuka, owayebakhaphile, uPawulos noSilas noTimoti kuhambo olwalusiya eYurophu, “safuna thina kwaoko ukuphuma siye kwelaseMakedoni, sigqibe kwelithi, iNkosi isibizele ukuba sibashumayeze iindaba ezilungileyo. Sindulukile ngoko ngomkhombe eTrowa, sathi ngqo ukuya eSamotraki, sathi ngengomso seza eNeyapoli; ukusuka apho, seza eFilipi, owona mzi wokuqala wecala elo lilelaseMakedoni, uyikoloni.”IZ 211.2

“Sathi ngomhla weSabatha,” uyaqhubeka uLuka, “saphuma saya ngaphandle komzi ngasemlanjeni, apho umthandazo ubusakwenziwa khona; sahlala phantsi, samana sithetha kubafazi ababebuthelene khona. Kwaye kuphulaphula intokazi ethile egama linguLidiya, umthengisi weengubo ezibomvu, womzi weTiyatira, emhlonelayo uThixo, entliziyo yayivulayo iNkosi.” ULidiya wayamkela inyaniso ngovuyo. Yena nendlu yakhe baguquka, babhaptizwa, waza wababongoza abapostile ukuba indlu yakhe bayenze ibe likhaya labo.IZ 212.1

Bathe xa abathunywa bomnqamlezo bejikeleza ngomsebenzi wabo wokufundisa, balandelwa yinkosikazi [isisicakakazi] ethile, enomoya wokuvumisa idanduluka, isithi, “Aba bantu bangabakhonzi bakaThixo Osenyangweni, bona basazisayo indlela yosindiso. Oko ke sakwenza sona imihla emininzi.”IZ 212.2

Lo mfazi wayesisithunywa sikaSathana ngendlela eyodwa kwaye yazizisela iinkosi zayo imali eninzi ngokuvumisa. Impembelelo yayo yakuqinisa ukuqubuda kwizithixo. USathana wayesazi ukuba ubukumkani bakhe bufikelwe, waza wabhenela kule ndlela ukuchaza ukusebenza kukaThixo, enethemba lokuxuba ubuqhophololo bakhe neenyaniso ezazifundiswa ngabo babevakalisa isigidimi seendaba ezilungileyo. Amazwi okuncoma awayethethwa ngulo mfazi ayeyingozi kwiindaba ezilungileyo, kuba ngawo, abaninzi bakhokelelwa kwinkolo ethi, amadoda awayethetha eqhutywa nguMoya kaThixo ayevuselelwe ngulo moya mnye wesi sithunywa sikaSathana.IZ 212.3

Kwaba lithuba abapostile beyinyamezele le nkcazo; kwaza, phantsi kwempembelelo kaMoya Oyingcwele, uPawulos wawuyalela umoya ongendawoukubaumshiye lo mfazi.UkuthulabakaThixonokuba idemon kwakhe ngokukhawuleza kwangqina ukuba abapostile babengabakhonzi ibavumile ukuba bangabo, yawuthobela umyalelo wabo.IZ 212.4

Wathi akuba ekhutshiwe kwigunya lomoya ongendawo wabuyiselwa ezingqondweni, lo mfazi wakhetha ukuba ngumlandeli kaKristu. Iinkosi zayo zakhathazeka zicinga ubuchule bobuqhinga bazo. Zabona ukuba liphele lonke ithemba lokuzuza imali ngemibono nokuvumisa kwalo mfazi nokuba ijelo lokungenisa imali liza koma ukuba bayavunyelwa abapostile ukuba baqhubeke nomsebenzi weendaba ezilungileyo.IZ 213.1

Baninzi nabanye esixekweni ababenomdla wokungenisa imali ngeendlela zokulahlekisa kukaSathana, baza aba, ngokoyika impembelelo yegunya elalinokuwuvala ngempumelelo umsebenzi wabo, benza isijwilil esikhulu bechasa abakhonzi bakaThixo ngelithi: “Aba bantu bayawukhathaza kakhulu umzi wethu, bengamaYuda; basifundisa amasiko ekungavumelekileyo ukuba siwamkele, nokuba siwenze, singamaRoma.”IZ 213.2

Sathi sakuba sixhokonxwe lugezo lwempambano, isihlwele sabavukela abapostile. Umoya wesiqhu woyisa waza wavunyelwa ngabasemagunyeni, abazikrazulayo iingubo zabapostile zokwaleka baza bayalela ukuba babethwe [ngonomadudwane]. “Bathi bakuba bebabethe imivumbo emininzi, babaphosa entolongweni, bamthethela umgcini wamabanjwa ukuba abagcine ngokunqabileyo; owathi, amkele umyalelo onjalo, wabaphosa kwengaphakathi intolongo, waziqinisa iinyawo zabo emithini.”IZ 213.3

Abapostile bangcungcutheka kakhulu ngenxa yendlela abashiywa beyiyo,kodwaabakhalazanga. Endaweniyaloonto, bathe bekwesimnyama isisele, bakhuthazana ngamazwi omthandazo bevuma iindumiso kuThixo kuba bekufanele ukuhlaziswa ngenxa yaKhe. Iintliziyo zabo zavuyiswa luthando olunzulu nolunyanisekileyo lomsebenzi woMhlanguli wabo. UPawulos wacinga intshutshiso awaba sisixhobo sokuyizisa kubafundi bakaKristu, yamvuyisa into yokuba amehlo akhe avulwa ukuba abone, intliziyo yakhe ibe nokuva, amandla eenyaniso zobuqaqawuli awayezidelile ekuqaleni.IZ 213.4

Ngokumangaliswa okukhulu, amanye amabanjwa eva ingxolo yomthandazo nokuvuma iphuma kwintolongo engaphakathi. Ayeqhelene nokuva imikhwazo neencwina, iziqalekiso nezithuko, ziphazamisa ukuzola kobusuku; kodwa awazange akhe eva amazwi okuthandaza nokudumisa ephuma kweso sisele simnyama. Oonogada namabanjwa bonke bamangaliswa babuzana ukuba anokuba angoobani la madoda athi, kubanda, elambile, ebethiwe, asakwazi ukuba novuyo.IZ 214.1

Ngelo xesha, abasemagunyeni olawulo babuyela emakhaya bezingomba izifuba kuba, ngamanyathelo akhawulezileyo nangqongqo, bakwazi ukudambisa ingxwabangxwaba. Endleleni bathi beva ezinye iingxelo ezingesimilo kunye nomsebenzi wala madoda bebewabethile bawavalela entolongweni. Babona umfazi owayekhululwe kwimpembelelo yongendawo babethwa yinguquko kwimbonakalo nakwisimilo sakhe. Kwixesha elidlulileyo wayesiphethe mantsantsa isixeko, ngoku wayethe cwaka ezolile. Bathi bakuziqaphela ukuba, nangaziphina iindlela, amadoda abasebenzene nawo alungile engenalo netyala, babe bewawisele isigwebo esiqatha somthetho wamaRoma, basuka banomsindo ngaphakathi kwabo bagqiba kwelokuba ngentsasa elandelayo baye kukhupha umyalelowokubabakhululwe abapostile ngendlela efihlakeleyo, bakhatshwe, baphume apho esixekweni, badlule kwingozi yobundlobongela besihlwele.IZ 214.2

Ngeli xesha abantu benomsindo befutha impindezelo, okanye bengabophuli bomthetho abangakhathaliyo kwimisebenzi efanelekileyo eluxanduva lwabo, uThixo Yena akakulibali ukuba nenceba kubakhonzi baKhe. Izulu lonke lalinomdla kubantu ababephatheke kakubi ngenxa kaKristu, zaze iingelosi zathunyelwa ukuba zityelele entolongweni. Iingcango zentolongo ezaziqanyangelwe ngendlela engathethekiyo zavulwa genge; amatyathanga nemixokelelwane yawa ezandleni nasezinyaweni zamabanjwa; yazaliswa intolongo kukukhanya okukhulu.IZ 215.1

Umgcini wamabanjwa wayeyivile emangalisiwe yimithandazo kunye neengoma zabapostile abaseluvalelweni. Ukungena kwabo, wayewaboile amanxeba awophayo nadumbileyo kanti yayikwanguye owenza ukuba babotshelwelwe ezintsikeni. Wayelindele ukuva kuphuma kubo izincwino ezibuhlungu neziqalekiso, kodwa endaweni yoko weva iingoma zovuyo nezokudumisa. Waya walala zisitsho ezi zandi ezindlebeni zakhe umgcini ntolongo, wada wavuswa yinyikima nokushukuma kweendonga zentolongo.IZ 215.2

Wesuka ngokothuka, wabona ummangaliso weengcango zentolongo ezivulekileyo, wahlaselwa kukoyika hleze kuthi kanti amabanjwa aqhawule emka. Wakhumbula ubungqongqo bomyalelo wokunikelwa kwakhe uPawulos noSilas ukuba abagcine kubusuku obudlulileyo, waqiniseka ukuba isohlwayo azakusinikwa sesokufa ngenxa yembonakalo yokuba akakhange athembeke. Wathi, ngobukrakra bomphefumlo wakhe, wacinga ukuba kulunge kanye ukuba afe ngokuzibulala ngesakhe isandla kunokuzinikela ekubulaweni okulihlazo. Walithirhuthuikrele, wathi xa athi makazibulale, uPawulos wathetha naye ngezwi elonwabileyo, “Ungazenzakalisi; kuba sikho sonke apha.” Wonke umntu wayesele esendaweni yakhe, bonke bebanjwe ligunya likaThixo elibe noxinzelelo ngebanjwa elinye.IZ 215.3

Uburhabaxa bendlela umgcini wamabanjwa awabaphatha ngayo abapostile abuzange buvuselele intiyo kubapostile. UPawulos noSilas babenomoya kaKristu, bengenawo umoya wempindezelo. Iintliziyo zabo, zizele luthando loMsindisi, zazingenayo indawo yobubi ngakubatshutshisi babo.IZ 216.1

Umgcini wamabanjwa walilahla phantsi ikrele lakhe, wabiza isibane, wakhawuleza wangena kwigumbi elingaphakathi. Wayenga angabona ukuba anjani na la madoda abuyekeza ngokulungileyo inkohlakalo awayephethwe ngayo. Akufika apho bakhoyo abapostile, wazilahla phambi kwabo wacela ukuba bamxolele. Wabakhuphela ngaphandle enkundleni wathi, “Zinkosi, ndimelwe kukuthini na ukuze ndisindiswe?”IZ 216.2

Umngcini wamabanjwa wangcangcazela akubona ingqumbo kaThixo ibonakaliswe ngenyikima; nokucinga ukuba amabanjwa aphuncuke emka waza yena walungela ukuzibulala; kodwa ngoku konke oko kubonakala kungeyonto xa kuthelekiswa noloyiko olutsha olungaqhelekanga olwazama-zamana nengqondo yakhe, nolangazelelo lwakhe okuzuza ukuzola engqondweni nolonwabo olwalubonakala kubafundi nangona babebulalekile bephethwe kakubi. Wathi akubakhangela, kwakho imbonakalo yokukhanya kwezulu; wazi ukuba uThixo uye wangenelela ngendlela emangalisayo ukubusindisa ubomi babo; kwaza kwathi qatha kuye engqondweni ngendlela enamandla awodwa amazwi omfazi owayezaliswe ngumoya, athi: “Aba bantu bangabakhonzi bakaThixo Osenyangweni, bona basazisayo indlela yosindiso.”IZ 216.3

Ngokuzithoba okukhulu, wabacela abapostile ukuba bambonise indlela yobomi. “Kholwa kuyo iNkosi uYesu Kristu, wosindiswa wena nendlu yakho.” [Batsho abapostile.] Umgcini wamabanjwa wawahlamba amanxeba abapostile, wabalungiselela, emva koko bambhaptiza, nayo yonke indlu yakhe. Impembelelo engcwalisayo yangena kwabo babekunye nabo [abapostile] entolongweni, zaza iingqondo zavulekela ekuziphulaphuleni iinyaniso ezazithethwa ngabapostile. Boyiseka kukuba uThixo okhonzwa ngaba bantu ubasindise ngommangaliso kubukhoboka.IZ 217.1

Abemi baseFilipi bothuswa kakhulu yinyikima, kwathi kwakusa xa abaphathi bentolongo baxelela abalawuli ngento eyehlileyo ebusuku, nabo bamangaliswa bathumela kumagosa amadindala ukuba abakhulule abapostile. Kungoko ke uPawulos wavakalisa esithi, “Basityabule ekuhleni singagwetywanga, si[nga]bantu [a]bangamaRoma; basiphosa entolongweni; ngoku basikhupha ngasese na? Nakanye; mabeze bona ngokwabo, basikhuphe.”IZ 217.2

Abapostile babengabemi baseRoma, kwaye kwakunxamnye nomthetho ukubetha umRoma, ngaphandle kwaxa enetyala elilelakhe engakhange anikwe ithuba lokuziphendulela. UPawulos noSilas babebanjwe esidlangalaleni, baza bala ukukhululwa ngasese kungakhange kubekho nkcazo ephuma kwabahlalela ityala.IZ 217.3

Lathi lakufika ilizwi kwabasemagunyeni, banokothuka kukoyika ukubaabapostilebangamangalakukumkani,kwangoko baya entolongweni, bangxengxeza kuPawulos nakuSilas ngokungabikho mthethweni nangenkohlakalo eyenziwe kubo, baza babakhupha ngokwabo entolongweni, bebacenga ukuba baphume basishiye isixeko. Abahlalela amatyala babeyoyika impembelelo yabapostile ebantwini, kwaye beloyika neGunya elangenelelayo ngakula madoda angenatyala.IZ 217.4

Bathi ngokuhamba ngomyalelo kaThixo, abapostile abanyanzelisa ukuba lapho bangadingeki khona. “Bephumile ke entolongweni baya kungena kwaLidiya, bathi, bebabonile abazalwana, babayala bemka.”IZ 218.1

Abapostile abazange bakuthabathe njengelize ukusebenza kwabo eFilipi. Bahlangana nenkulu inkcaso nentshutshiso; kodwa ngokungenelela kwezulu ngakubo, kunye nokuguquka komgcini wamabanjwa kunye nendlu yakhe, konke kwakuhlawulela ukuhlaziswa nokubulaleka abakunyamezelayo. Iindaba zokuvalelwa kwabo okungekho sikweni nokuhlangulwa kwabo ngokumangalisayo zizinto ezaziwa kuwo wonke loo mmandla, kwaza kwenza ukuba umsebenzi wabapostile uqapheleke kweli qela likhulu elalingayi kuze lifikelelwe.IZ 218.2

Ukusebenza kukaPawulos kwaba nesiphumo sokumiselwa kwebandla elaya likhula ngobulungu. Ukuzimisela nokuzinikela kwakhe, ngaphezu koko, intumekelelo yakhe yokuva ubuhlungu ngenxa kaKristu, kwaba nempembelelo enzulu nezinzileyo kwabaguqukayo. Bazixabisa iinyaniso abathi abapostile bancama okukhulu ngenxa yazo, baza bazinikela ngentliziyo yabo yonke emsebenzini woMhlanguli.IZ 218.3

Into yokuba eli bandla alizange lisinde entshutshisweniiyabonakala Encwadini kaPawulosawayibhalela bona. Uthi, “Ngokuba nababalwa ukuthi, ngenxa kaKristu, ninganeli kukholwa kuye; nababalwa nokuva ubunzima ngenxa yakhe, ninawo umzamo onjengalowo nawubonayo kum.” Kwakunjalo ukuma kwabo ngokuthe nkqi elukholweni ade athi, “Ndihlala ndibulela kuye uThixo wam, ekunikhumbuleni kwam konke (ekukhungeni kwam konke ndikhunga ngenxa yenu nonke, ndivuyile), ngenxa yobudlelane benu obubhekisele kuzo iindaba ezilungileyo, kususela kwimini yokuqala kude kube ngoku.” Filipi 1:29, 30, 3-5.IZ 219.1

Libi idabi eliphakathi kwemikhosi yokulungileyo neyobubi kwiindawo ezibalulekileyo apho babizelwa ukuba basebenze khona abathunywa benyaniso. “Ngokuba umzamo wethu asingowokuzamana negazi nenyama,” utsho uPawulos, “ngowokuzamana nazo izilawuli, nawo amagunya, nazo iziphatha-hlabathi zobumnyama balo eli phakade.” Efese 6:12. Kuya kude kuphele ixesha ihleli ikho imbambano phakathi kwebandla likaThixo kunye nabo baphantsi kolawulo lweengelosi ezikhohlakeleyo.IZ 219.2

AmaKristu okuqala ayekholisa ngokubizelwa ukuba aqubisane namagunya obumnyama ubuso ngobuso. Ngobuqhophololo nangentshutshiso utshaba lwaluzama ukubajika kukholo lwenene. Nangoku, xa isiphelo sezinto zonke zehlabathi sivela ngokukhawuleza, uSathana usebenzisa onke amalinge akhe ukuba alibambise ihlabathi. Uzama amacebo amaninzi okuzixakekisa iingqondo nokutsala ingqwalasela ukuba imke kwiinyaniso ezifunekayo ekusindisweni. Kuzo zonke izixeko izithunywa zakhe ziyabaqokelela ukuba babe yimibutho abo bazaliswe lulangazelelo lwesiphithiphithi novukelo, baze abantu bazaliswe lulangazelelo olungaphumi elwazini.IZ 219.3

Inkohlakalo ifikelela kwinqanaba eliphezulu engazange yalifikelela ngaphambili, kanti, ngelo xesha, abafundisi abaninzi beendaba ezilungileyo bakhwaza besithi, “Luxolo nokunqaba.” Noko kunjalo, abathunywa abanyanisekileyo bakaThixo bamele ukuthi chu babheke phambili bengenaloyiko koko besoyisa, bangaliyeki idabi kude kuthi wonke umphefumlo abanokufikelela kuwo usamkele isigidimi seli xesha.IZ 220.1