31—Ithemba Leentlanga

Ngalo lonke ixesha lokusebenza kwakhe, uIsaya wayethwele isigidimi esicacileyo ngenjongo kaThixo ngeentlanga. Abanye abaprofeti babethethile ngecebo lezulu, kodwa ulwimi lwalungasoloko luqondwa. UIsaya, wanikwa ukuba ayicacise ngokupheleleyo inyaniso yokuba, phakathi kukaSirayeli kaThixo kwakuza kubakho abaninzi ababengayi kuba yinzala ka-Abraham ngokwenyama. Le mfundiso yayingahambelani nolwazi ngoThixo lwexesha lakhe, ukanti wazivakalisa engenaloyiko izigidimi awazinikwayo nguThixo waza wazisa ithemba kwabaninzi abantliziyo zazilangazelela ukufumana iintsikelelo zasemoyeni ezazithenjiswe kwimbewu ka-Abraham.AN 367.1

Umpostile waseziNtlangeni, kwileta yakhe eya kumakholwa aseRoma, utsalela ingqondo kolu phawu lwemfundiso kaIsaya. “Ade atsho nokutsho uIsaya ukuthi: ‘Ndifunyenwe ngabo babengandifuni, ndabonakala kwabo babengabuzisi ngam.’” Roma 10:20 [IBHAYIBHILE]. AmaSirayeli ayebonakala engenakho okanye engakulungelanga ukuyiqonda injongo kaThixo ngabentlanga. Kanti ke, yayiyiyo kanye le njongo eyenza ukuba babe ngabantu ababekelwe bucala baza benziwa basisizwe esizimeleyo phakathi kwezizwe zomhlaba. UAbraham, uyise, ekwanikwa yena kuqala isithembiso somnqophiso, wabizelwa ukuba aphume kubantu bakhe, aye kwimimandla ekude, ukuze abe ngumthwali wokukhanya okuya ezintlangeni. Nangona isithembiso kuye sasiquka inzala eninzi ngokwentlabathi yaselwandle, kwakungajonge ekubeni ibe yinto yabo bodwa kuba engumakhi wesizwe esikhulu ezweni laseKanan. Umnqophiso kaThixo wawuhlanganisa zonke izizwe zomhlaba. “Ndikusikelele,” watsho uYehova, “ndilikhulise igama lakho, ube yintsikelelo; ndibasikelele abakusikelelayo, ndimtshabhise okuqalekisayo; zisikeleleke ngawe zonke izizwe zehlabathi.”Genesis 12:2, 3.AN 367.2

Ekuhlaziyweni komnqophiso kanye phambi kokuzalwa kukaIsake, injongo kaThixo yaphinda yaciciswa. “Zisikelelwe ngaye iintlanga zonke zehlabathi,” eso yayisisiqinisekiso sikaYehova ngomntwana wesithembiso. Genesis 18:18. Kwathi kamva, undwendwe lwasezulwini lwaphinda lwavakalisa kwakhona, “Zisikelelwe ngembewu yakho zonke iintlanga zehlabathi,” Genesis 22:18.AN 368.1

Amabango alo mnqophiso abandakanya konke ayeqhelekile kubantwana baka-Abraham nakubantwana babantwana bakhe. Yayikukwenzela ukuba amaSirayeli abe yintsikelelo ezizweni, ukuze igama likaThixo laziswe “ehlabathini lonke” (Eksodus 9:16), okwabangela ukuba akhululwe ebukhobokeni baseYiputa. Ukuba babethobele kokufunwa nguThixo, babeza kubekwa phambili kuzo zonke izizwe ebulumkweni nakwingqiqo; kodwa oku kuba phezulu kwakuza kufikelelwa kugcinwe kuphela khon’ ukuze kuthi ngawo [amaIsrayeli] injongo kaThixo ngazo “zonke iintlanga zehlabathi” ibe nokuzaliseka.AN 368.2

Ukubonelela kukaThixo okumangalisayo okwakuhlangene nokuhlangulwa kukaIsrayeli kwimbophelelo yaseYiputa kunye nokuthabathela kubo iZwe leDinga kwazikhokelela iintlanga ukuba zivume ukuba uThixo kaIsrayeli ungoyena Mlawuli Mkhulu. “[Ayakwazi] amaYiputa,” satsho isithembiso, “ekusoluleni kwam isandla sam phezu kweYiputa, ukuba ndinguYehova; ndibakhuphe oonyana bakaIsrayeli phakathi kwawo.” Eksodus 7:5. NoFaro ngokwakhe lo wayeziphakamisile, wanyanzeleka ukuba awavume amandla kaYehova. “Sukani . . . niye kumkhonza uYehova,” wabakhuthaza uMoses noAron, “. . . nam ndinisikelele.” Eksodus 12:31, 32.AN 369.1

Imikhosi kaIsrayeli eyayibheka phambili yafumanisa ukuba ukwazi kokusebenza kukaThixo wamaHebhere kwakuhamba phambi kwabo, nokuba abanye phakathi kweentlanga babefunda ukuba nguYe kuphela onguThixo wenene. KwiYeriko eyayikhohlakele, ubungqina bomfazi oyintlanga bathi, “UYehova uThixo wenu nguye uThixo emazulwini, nasehlabathini phantsi apha.” Yoshuwa 2:11. Ukumazi uYehova okwaya kwamfikela, kwaba kukusindiswa kwakhe. Ngokholo “uRahabhi akatshabalalanga nabo bangevayo.” Hebhere 11:31. Ukuguquka kwakhe kwakungeyiyo imeko eyodwa yenceba kaThixo ngakubanquli bezithixo abalivumayo igunya laKhe elingcwele. Phakathi kwelizwe elinezizwe eziliqela—amaGibheyon—abushiya ubuhedeni bawo azimanya noIsrayeli, axhamla iintsikelelo zomnqophiso.AN 369.2

Akukho kwahluka ngabuzwe, ngabuhlanga, okanye ngenkolo, okuqatshelwa nguThixo.UnguMenzi wabo bonke abantu. Bonke abantu ngabosapho olunye ngokudalwa, kwaye bonke banye ngokuthengwa. UKristu weza kudiliza udonga lokwahlula, ukuvula genge onke amagumbi eentendelezo zetempile, ukuze wonke umphefumlo ube nokufikelela ngokukhululekileyo kuThixo. Uthando lwaKhe lubanzi kakhulu, luphelele kakhulu, kangangokuba lugqobhoza lungene kuyo yonke indawo. Lususa impembelelo kaSathana kwabo bebefudula belahlekiswe zinkohliso zakhe, lubabeke apho banokufikelela lula kwitrone kaThixo, trone leyo irhangqwe ngumnyama wesithembiso. KuKristu akukho mYuda namGrike, okhonkxiweyo nokhululekileyo.AN 370.1

Kwiminyaka eyalandela ukumiwa kweZwe leDinga, iminqweno yesisa sikaYehova sokusindisa iintlanga yayingasaziwa, kwaza kwanyanzeleka ukuba alibeke ngokutsha icebo laKhe. Umdumisi waphefumlelwa ukuba avume, “Ziya kukhumbula zibuyele kuYehova zonke iziphelo zehlabathi, iqubude phambi kwakhe yonke imizalwane yeentlanga.” “Kovela amanono eYiputa; uKushi wozolulela msinya izandla zakhe kuThixo.” “Ziya kuloyika iintlanga igama likaYehova nookumkani bonke behlabathi ubuqaqawuli bakho.” “Oko kuya kubhalelwa isizukulwana esizayo, abantu abaza kudalwa badumise uYehova. Ngokuba uqondele, esendaweni yakhe ephezulu engcweleni; wondela ehlabathini esemazulwini uYehova, ukuba akuve ukugcuma kwabakhonkxiweyo, abakhulule oonyana bokufa; bancokole eZiyon ngegama likaYehova, ngendumiso yakhe eYerusalem; ekubuthelaneni kwezizwe ndawonye, nezikumkani, ukuba zikhonze uYehova.” Iindumiso 22:27; 68:31; 102:15, 18-22.AN 370.2

Ukuba uIsrayeli wayenyanisekile koko wayekugcinisiwe, zonke izizwe zomhlaba ngezaxhamla kwiintsikelelo zakhe. Iintliziyo zabo kwakunikelwe kubo ulwazi lwenyaniso esindisayo, azizange zichukunyiswe zizidingo zabo babe jikelezwe ngabo. Kwathi ngokulahleka kwenjongo kaThixo, iintlanga zabonwa njengabo babengaphandle kothango lwenceba yaKhe. Ukukhanya kwenyaniso kwabanjwa, kwaza kwalawula ubumnyama. Izizwe zagutyungelwa sisigqubuthelo sokungazi; uthando lukaThixo lwaziwa kancinane; isiphoso nenkolelo zandlondlobala.AN 371.1

Yayinjalo ke imeko awahlangana nayo uIsaya xa wayebizelwa emsebenzini wokuprofeta; kodwa akazange atyhafe, kuba ezindlebeni zakhe kwakukhala ingoma yoloyiso yeengelosi ezirhangqe itrone kaThixo, “Buzalise ihlabathi lonke ubuqaqawuli bakhe.” Isaya 6:3. Ukholo lwakhe lwaya lomelezwa yimibono yoloyiso lwebandla likaThixo, xa “ilizwe liya kuzala kukwazi uYehova, njengamanzi egubungele ulwandle.” Isaya 11:9. “Umphambili wesigqubuthelo esizigqubutheleyo izizwe, nesigubungelo esizigubungeleyo zonke iintlanga,” ekugqibeleni, ziya kutshatyalaliswa. Isaya 25:7. UMoya kaThixo uya kuthululwa phezu kwayo yonke inyama. Abo balamba banxanelwe ubulungisa babeya kubalwa phakathi kwamaIsrayeli kaThixo. “Baya kuhluma phakathi kotyani, njengemingcunube engasemisingeni yamanzi.” Watsho umprofeti. “Omnye uya kuthi, NdingokaYehova; nomnye uya kunqula igama likaYakobi; kwanomnye uya kuzibhala ngesandla sakhe kuYehova, alihloniphe igama likaIsrayeli.” Isaya 44:4, 5.AN 371.2

Umprofetiwatyhilelwa ukuyila kwesisa sikaThixongokusasaza uYuda ongakwazi ukuzohlwaya phakathi kwezizwe zomhlaba. “Abantu bam baya kulazi igama lam;” watsho uYehova; “ngako oko baya kwazi ukuba ndinguye lowo uthi, Ndingokhoyo.” Isaya 52:6. Yayingengabo kuphela ababeya kufunda isifundo sokuthobela nokuthembela; kwiindawo abathinjelwe kuzo babeza kudlulisela kwabanye ukumazi uThixo ophilileyo. Abaninzi phakathi koonyana basemzini babeza kufunda ukumthanda [uThixo] njengoMdali noMhlanguli wabo; baqale ukuyigcina iSabatha yaKhe engcwele njengesikhumbuzo samandla aKhe okudala; aze athi “[eyi]hlubile ingalo yakhe engcwele emehlweni eentlanga zonke,” ukuba ahlangule abantu baKhe ebukhobokeni, “zonke iziphelo zehlabathi” zilubone usindiso lukaThixo. Indima 10. Abaninzi kwaba baya baguquka besuka ebuhedenini babengathanda ukuzimanya ngokupheleleyo namaIsrayeli baza bahambe nayo ukubuyela kwaYuda. Akukho noyedwa kwaba owayeya kuthi, UYehova uya kundahlula kube kanye ebantwini bakhe” (Isaya 56:3), kuba ilizwi likaThixo ngomprofeti waKhe kwabo babeya kuzinikela kuYe baze bawugcine umthetho waKhe, lalisithi, kwakufuneka ukususela apho, babalwe phakathi kukaIsrayeli wasemoyeni—ibandla laKhe elisemhlabeni.AN 372.1

“Ke oonyana bolunye uhlanga, abanamathele kuYehova, ukuze balungiselele kuye, balithande igama likaYehova, ukuba babe ngabakhonzi kuye, bonke abayigcinayo iSabatha bangayihlambeli, ababambelela emnqophisweni wam: ndobazisa entabeni yam engcwele, ndibavuyise endlwini yam yokuthandaza; amadini abo anyukayo nemibingelelo yabo yokholiseka esibingelelweni sam; kuba indluyamkuya kuthiwa yindlu yokuthandaza ezizweni zonke. Itsho iNkosi uYehova ukuthi, ndisaya kubutha nabanye ngaphaya kwakhe, ngaphaya kwababuthiweyo bakhe.” Iindima 6-8.AN 372.2

Umprofeti wavunyelwa ukuba akhangele phambili kwiinkulungwane, kwixesha lokufika kukaMesiya wesithembiso. Kuqala, wabona kuphela “imbandezelo nobumnyama, [nokuthiwa] ncithi yingcutheko.” Isaya 8:22. Abaninzi ababelangazelela ukukhanya kwenyaniso babelahlekiswa ngabafundisi bobuxoki ukuba bamkele iinkinga ezididayo zeentlobo zobuThixo, kodwa zingezi nobungcwele benyaniso ebomini obuphilwayo. Kwakubonakala kungekho themba; kodwa, kwathi kungekudala waguquka umbono, kwavela phambi kwamehlo omprofeti umbono omangalisayo. Wabona iLanga loBulungisa liphuma linempiliso emaphikweni alo; wathi esadideke kukuwubuka, wadanduluka: “Kambe ke akuyi kuhlala kumnyama kwabo bebesezinkxwalekweni. Kwilixa lamandulo elakwaZebhulon nelakwaNafetali lalidelekile, kambe ke kwilixa elizayo lo mmandla uya kuzuza udumo; nditsho ukusuka kulwandle lwasempuma ujikele uwele iJordan, uye kuthi gaa ngeGalili yeentlanga. Abantu ababemfamza ebumnyameni ngoku bakufumene ukukhanya; kwabo babehamba ebumnyameni kubo uthe qheke umsobomvu.” Isaya 9:1, 2, (IBHAYIBHILE).AN 373.1

Oku kuKhanya kwehlabathi kunobuqaqawuli kuya kuzisa usindiso kwizizwe, iintlanga, iilwimi nabantu. Ngomsebenzi ophambi kwaKo, umprofeti weva uYise ongunaphakade esithi: “Kuyinto elula ukuba ube ngumkhonzi kum wokumisa izizwe zakwaYakobi, ubuyise abalondolozwa bakaIsrayeli; kananjalo ndiya kukwenza isikhanyiso seentlanga, ukuba ubelusindiso lwam, ude uzeeziphelweni zehlabathi.” “Ngexeshaelamkelekileyo ndikuphendule, ndakunceda ngemini yosindiso. Ndiya kukubumba, ndikunike ukuba ube ngumnqophiso wabantu, ukuba ulimise ilizwe ukuba uwabe amafa angamanxuwa; uthi kubabanjwa, Phumani; kwabasemnyameni, Velani.” “Yabona, aba baya kuvela kude; yabona, aba baya kuvela kwelasentla naselwandle, aba bavele ezweni lamaSini.” Isaya 49:6, 8, 9, 12.AN 373.2

Ekhangele phambili kwizizukulwana ezizayo, umprofeti wabona ukuzaliseka okuphathekayo kwezi zithembiso ziqaqambileyo. Wabona abathwali beendaba ezilungileyo zosindiso besinga eziphelweni zomhlaba, kuzo zonke izizwe, neentlanga nabantu. Wayiva iNkosi isithi, ngebandla lesigidimi, “Yabonani, ndisingisa uxolo kuyo njengomlambo, nozuko lweentlanga njengesihlambo esikhukulayo;” waza weva umyalelo, “Yenze banzi indawo yentente yakho, uwatwabulule amalengalenga eminquba yakho, ungathinteli; zolule izintya zakho uziqinisele izikhonkwane zakho. Kuba uya kutyhobozela ekunene nasekhohlo, imbewu yakho izidle ilifa iintlanga.” Isaya 66:12; 54:2, 3.AN 374.1

UYehova wamxelela umprofeti ukuba uya kuthumela amangqina aKhe “ezintlangeni ezingooTarshishe, noPuli, noLudi, . . . ezingooTubhali noYavan, eziqithini ezikude.” Isaya 66:19.AN 374.2

“Hayi, ukuba zintle kwazo ezintabeni
Iinyawo zabashumayela iindaba ezimnandi,
Zabavakalisa uxolo,
Zabashumayela iindaba ezilungileyo,
Zabavakalisa usindiso;
Zabathi kwiZiyon, Uyalawula uThixo wakho!AN 374.3

Isaya 52:7.

Umprofeti waliva ilizwi likaThixo libiza ibandla laKhe ukuba lize kumsebenzi elibekelwe wona, ukuze kulungiswe indlela yokungenisa ubukumkani baKhe obungunaphakade. Isigidimi sasicace ngokungenakuphazanywa:AN 375.1

“Suk’ ume ukhanye, kuba kufikile ukukhanya kwakho,
Nobuqaqawuli bukaYehova buthe chapha kuwe.
“Ngokuba, uyabona, ubumnyama buwugubungele
umhlaba,
Isithokothoko sizigubungele izizwe;
Ke, kuwe uYehova uthe chapha,
Ubuqaqawuli bakhe bubonakele phezu kwakho.
Ziya kuhamba iintlanga zize ekukhanyeni kwakho,
Ookumkani beze ebumhlotsheni bokuthi chapha
kwakho.

“Phakamisa amehlo akho ngeenxa zonke, ubone;
Bonke bephela bayahlanganisana, baza kuwe;
Oonyana bakho bavela kude,
Neentombi zakho zibelekwe ephangweni.”

“Oonyana bolunye uhlanga baya kuzakha iindonga
zakho,
Ookumkani babo bakulungiselele;
Kuba ndikubethe ndinoburhalarhume,
Kodwa ndaba nemfesane kuwe ndinetarhu;
Ohlala evuliwe amasango akho
Imini nobusuku, akayi kuvalwa;
Ukuze bungeniswe kuwe ubutyebi beentlanga,
Nookumkani bazo beqhutywa.”

“Bhekani kum nisindiswe, nonke ziphelo zehlabathi;
Ngokuba ndinguThixo, akukho wumbi.”AN 375.2

Isaya 60:1-4, 10, 11; 45:22.

Ezi ziprofeto zemvuselelo enkulu ngexesha lobumnyama obungqingqwa, namhlanje ziyazaliseka ngokuhambela phambili komsebenzi kumaziko ovangelo efikelela kude kwiindawo ezisebumnyameni zehlabathi. Amaqela abavangeli kumazwe angazani noThixo afaniswa, ngumprofeti, neebhanile ezimisiweyo ukuze zikhokele abo bazingela ukukhanya kwenyaniso.AN 375.3

“Kuya kuthi ngaloo mini,” uthi uIsaya, “ihlumelo likaYese, elimele ukuba yibhanile yezizwe, iintlanga ziquqele kulo; nendawo yokuphumla kwalo ibe bubuqaqawuli. Kuya kuthi ngaloo mini, iNkosi isiphindise okwesibini isandla sayo sokuwathenga amasalela abantu bayo. . . . izinyusele ibhanile iintlanga, ibahlanganise abagxothiweyo bakwaIsrayeli, izibuthe iintsali zakwaYuda emasondweni omane ehlabathi.” Isaya 11:10-12.AN 376.1

Imini yokuhlangulwa isondele. “UYehova amehlo akhe asingasinga ehlabathini lonke, ukuba azomelezele abantliziyo ziphelele kuye.” 2 IZikronike 16:9. Phakathi kwezizwe, abantu neelwimi, ubona amadoda nabafazi abathandazela ukukhanya nolwazi. Imiphefumlo yabo ayanelisekanga; kudala besondliwa ngothuthu. Khangela kuIsaya 44:20. Utshaba lwabo bonkeubulungisa lubakhuphe endleleni; bayampampatha ebumnyameni ngokwabazimfama. Bona banyanisekile entliziyweni kwaye balangazelela ukufunda indlela engcono. Nangona besebunzulwini bobuhedeni, bengazi nto ngomthetho obhaliweyo kaThixo kwanoNyana waKhe uYesu, babonakalise ngeendlela ezininzi ukusebenza kwamandla eZulu engqondweni nasesimilweni.AN 376.2

Ngamanye amaxesha, abo bangenalwazi ngoThixo ngaphandle koko bakufumene phantsi kokusebenza kobabalo lwezulu, baba nobubele kubakhonzi baKhe, babakhusele, bebeka obabo ubomi engozini. UMoya Oyingcwele utyala ubabalo lukaKristu entliziyweni yabaninzi abayifuna ngokunyanisekileyo inyaniso, ayikhulise imfesane ngokuchasene nendalo yabo, nangokuchasene nengqeqesho yabo yangaphambili. “[U]khanyiso . . . olubakhanyiselayo abantu bonke, [abeza] ehlabathini” (Yohane 1:9), kuyabengezela emphefumlweni wakhe; kwaye, ukuba oku kuKhanya kuye kwathotyelwa, kuya kuzikhokelela iinyawo zakhe ebukumkanini bukaThixo. Umprofeti uMika wathi: “Ndihleli ebumnyameni nje, uYehova uya kuba kukukhanya kum. . . . Uya kundikhuphela ekukhanyeni; ndiya kububona ubulungisa bakhe.” Mika 7:8, 9.AN 377.1

Icebo losindiso lezulu libanzi ngokwaneleyo ukuba liwole ihlabathi lonke. UThixo ulangazelela ukuphefumlela kuluntu oluthobileyoimpefumlo yobomi. Akasayi kuvumela namnye umphefumlo ukuba udaniswe, lowo unyanisekileyo ekulangazeleleni okungaphezulu nokubalulekileyo kunayo nayiphi into enokunikwa lihlabathi. Uthe rhoqo ethumela iingelosi zaKhe kwabo bathi, nangona bejikelezwe zezona meko zityhafisayo, bathandaze ngokholo befuna amandla angaphezu kwabo ukuba abathabathe abazisele ukuhlangulwa noxolo. Ngeendlela ezininzi, uThixo uya kuzityhila kubo aze abahlanganise nokubonelela kwaKhe okuya kukwakha kubo ukuthembelakuLowo ozinikelele ukuba abe yintlawulelo yabo bonke, “ukuze . . . bayame ngoThixo, bangazilibali izenzo ezincamisayo zikaThixo, bayilondoloze imithetho yakhe.” Indumiso 78:7.AN 378.1

“Anokuthatyathwa na amaxhoba kwigorha, basinde na abathinjiweyo bengamalungisa?” “utsho uYehova ukuthi, Nabathinjwe ligorha baya kuthatyathwa, namaxhoba omngcangcazelisi aya kusinda.” Isaya 49:24, 25. “Baya kubuya umva, badane bedanile, abakholosa ngemifanekiso eqingqiweyo, abathi kwetyhidiweyo, Ningoothixo bethu.” Isaya 42:17.AN 378.2

“Hayi, uyolo lwalowo uluncedo lunguThixo kaYakobi, lwalowo ulinde kuYehova uThixo wakhe!” Indumiso 146:5. “Buyelani enqabeni, babanjwandini banethemba!” Zekariya 9:12. Kubo bonke abanyanisekileyo emazweni eentlanga—“abathe tye” emehlweni eZulu—“baphunyelwa kukukhanya ebumnyameni.” Indumiso 112:4. UThixo uthethile: Ndozihambisa iimfama ngendlela ezingayaziyo, ndizinyathelise kwiingqushu ezingazaziyo; ubumnyama ndibenza ukukhanya phambi kwazo, iindawo ezimagqagala zibe zithabazi. Zizo ezo izinto endiya kuzenza, ndingazishiyi.” Isaya 42:16.AN 378.3