1—“UThixo Unathi”

“Bambize ngegama elinguImanuweli, . . . uThixo unathi.” “Ukwaziwa kobuqaqawuli bukaThixo” bubonakala “ebusweni bukaYesu Kristu.” Kususela kwimihla yasephakadeni, iNkosi uYesu Kristu wayemnye noYise; waye “engumfanekiselo kaThixo,” umfanekiselo wobukhulu nobungangamsha baKhe, “ubengezelo lobuqaqawuli baKhe.” Yayikukuze abonakalalise obu buqaqawuli okwenza ukuba eze kulo mhlaba wethu. Kulo mhlaba umnyama sisono, weza kutyhila ukukhanya kothando lukaThixo,--abe “[ngu]Thixo unathi.” Kungoko kwaprofetwa kwathiwa ngaYe, “[Aze abizwe] ngegama elinguImanuweli.” ULw 19.1

Ngokuza kuhlala nathi, uYesu wayeza kutyhila uThixo ebantwini nakwiingelosi. WayeliLizwi likaThixo,--ingcinga kaThixo eyenziwa ukuba ivakale. Ekuthandazeleni kwaKhe abafundi baKhe uthi, “Ndabazisa igama lakho,“—“onemfesane, onobabalo, ozeka kade umsindo, omninzi ngenceba nenyaniso,“—“ukuze uthando ondithande ngalo lube kubo, nam ndibe kubo.” Le ntyilelo ayinikelwanga kuphela abantwana baKhe balapha emhlabeni. Eli lizwe lethu lincinane, liyincwadi efundwayo yeyunivesi. Injongo kaThixo emangalisayo yobabalo, imfihlelo yothando oluhlangulayo, ngumxholo wezinto “ezizinqwenelayo izithunywa zezulu ukuqondelakuzo,“kwayeziyakubasisifundo azokumaphakade amaphakade. Bonke, abahlangulweyo nabangazangebawe, bayakufumana emnqamlezweni kaKristu ulwazi kwanengoma yabo. Kuya kubonwa ukuba, ubuqaqawuli obubengezela ebusweni bukaYesu bubuqaqawuli bothando lokuzibingelela. Ngokukhanya okuphuma eKalvari, kuya kubonwa ukuba umthetho wothando lokuzincama ngumthetho wobomi bomhlaba nezulu; nokuba uthando “[olu]ngafuni okukokwalo”lumpompozaluphumaentliziywenikaThixo;nokuba, kuLowo unobulali uthobekileyo kubonakalaliswe isimilo saLowo uhleli ekukhanyeni, ekungekho namnye umntu unako ukumbona.ULw 19.2

Ekuqalekeni, uThixo wayetyhilwe kuyo yonke imisebenzi yendalo. YayinguKristu owaneka amazulu, wabeka iziseko zomhlaba. Yayisisandla saKhe esaxhoma amazwe esithubeni, senza iintyatyambo zasemadlelweni. “Ulozinzisa iintaba ngamandla akhe.” “Ulolwakhe ulwandle, nguyena walwenzayo.” Ndumiso 65:6; 95:5. NguYe owazalisa umhlaba ngobuhle, nomoya ngengoma. Kuzo zonke izinto ezisemhlabeni, emoyeni, nasesibhakabhakeni, wabhala isigidimi sothando lukaBawo. ULw 20.1

Ngoku isono siwonakalisile umsebenzi kaThixo ogqibeleleyo, kodwa ke loo mbhalo usahleli. Nangoku nje, zonke izinto ezidaliweyo zibabaza ubuqaqawuli bobukhulu obuncamisileyo baKhe. Akukho nanye into, ngaphandle kwentliziyo yomntu eno-mna, eziphilelayo. Akukho ntaka intinga iye esibhakabhakeni, kungekho silwanyana sihamba phezu komhlaba, ezingaxhasaniyo ekuphileni. Alikho igqabi ehlathini, okanye umcinga omncinane wengca, ongenamsebenzi wawo. Wonke umthi nalo lonke ityholo kunye negqabi, zizinto ezikhuphela ebomini izakhi [zempilo] ekungekho mntu nasilwanyana esinokuphila ngaphandle kwazo; kwaye umntu nesilwanyana, konke kunembuyekezo ebuyiselwa ebomini bomthi, netyholo kwanegqabi.Iintyatyambozikhuphela ivumba elimnandi, zivulele nobuhle bazo ukuba zibe yintsikelelo elizweni. Ilanga lithulula ukukhanya kwalo livuyise amawaka amazwe. Nalo ulwandle, olondla yonke imithombo nemisinga yamanzi, lwamkela imisinga ephuma kuwo wonke umhlaba, kodwa lwamkela ukuze lunike. Iinkungu ezinyuka ziphuma phezu kwalo, zibuya ziwe zingamathontsi amanzi phezu komhlaba, ukuze kubekho imveliso nokuninzi okutyatyambayo.ULw 20.2

Iingelosi zozuko zonwatyiswa kukupha; zinika uthando nenkathalo zingadinwa kwimiphefumlo ewileyo nengalunganga. Izidalwa zasezulwini zicengacengana neentliziyo zabantu; zizisa kweli hlabathi limnyama ukukhanya okuphuma kwiinkundla zaphezulu; ngokulungiselela ngobunono nangomonde, zithi zichukumise umoya wabantu, ukuze zizise abo balahlekileyo kulwalamano noKristu, lwalamano olo nazo ezingakwaziyo ukulwazi.ULw 21.1

Ukusuka kuko konke okubonakala kwizinga elisezantsi, uThixo simbona kuYesu. Sithi sakukhangela kuYesu sibone ukuba luvuyo olukhulu lukaThixo ukupha. “Andenzi nto ngokwam,” watsho uKristu; “[ngu]Bawo ophilileyo [o]wandithumayo, ndibe nam ndiphilile ngenxa enoBawo.” “andifuni luzuko lwam,” kodwa “uzuko lowandithumayo.” Yohane 8:28; 6:57; 8:50; 7:18. Kula mazwi kuqulathwe umthetho-siseko omkhulu ongumthetho wobomi wendalo yonke. Zonke izinto uKristu wazifumana kuThixo, kodwa wazithabatha ukuze anikele [ngazo]. Ngokunjalo kwiinkundla zasezulwini, ekusebenzeleni kwaKhe zonke izidalwa: ngoNyana othandekayo, ubomi bukaBawo bumpompozela kuzo zonke; buthi ngoNyana bubuyele kwakhona, ngendumiso nenkonzo yovuyo, umsinga wothando, konke kubuyele kwiThende lako konke. Ngoko ke, ngoKristu umjikelezo wobubele bokuncedana uyaphelela, umele isimilo soMniki omkhulu, umthetho wobomi.ULw 21.2

Lo mthetho waphulwa ezulwini apho kanye. Isono saqala ngokuzifunela. UKhwezi, ikherubhi egqubuthelayo, wanqwenela ukuba ngophambili ezulwini. Wafuna ukulawula izidalwa zasezulwini, wafuna ukuzisusa kuMdaliwazo,nokuba azuzelekuyeintloniphoyazo. Ngenxa yoko, wathetha okugwenxa ngoThixo esithi [uThixo] unqwenela ukuziphakamisa. Wazama ukwambesa uMdali onothando ngeempawu zakhe [yena Khwezi] ezikhohlakeleyo. Wazikhohlisa ngolo hlobo iingelosi. Wabakhohlisa ngolo hlobo abantu. Wabakhokelela ukuba balithandabuze ilizwi likaThixo, bangakuthembi ukulunga kwaKhe. Kwathi kuba uThixo enguThixo wobulungisa nobungangamsha obukhulu, uSathana wabenza [iingelosi nabantu] ukuba bambone [uThixo] njengongqwabalala nongaxoleliyo. Ngaloo ndlela wabatsala abantu ukuba bahlangane naye ekuvukeleni uThixo, kwaza kwathi zinzi intlekele yobumnyama phezu komhlaba.ULw 22.1

Umhlaba waba mnyama ngenxa yokungamqondi kakuhle uThixo. Ukuze amathunzi obumnyama asuswe, nokuze ilizwe libuyiselwe kuThixo, kwakufuneka amandla enkohliso kaSathana aphulwe. Oku kwakungenakwenziwa ngamandla. Ukusetyenziswa kwamandla kuchasene nendlela yolawulo lukaThixo; ulangazelela kuphela inkonzo yothando; lwaye uthando aluyalelwa; aluzuzwa ngamandla okanye ngegunya. Kungothando kuphela eluthi uthando luvuswe. Ukumazi uThixo kukumthanda; isimilo saKhe kufuneka sibonakalaliswe sichasene nesimilo sikaSathana. Lo msebenzi unokwenziwa nguMntu omnye kuphela kuyo yonke indalo [iyunivesi]. NguLowo kuphela okwaziyo ukuphakama nobunzulu bothando lukaThixo onokulazisa. Phezu kobumnyama belizwe kumele kuphume iLanga loBulungisa, “linophiliso emaphikweni alo.” Mal. 4:2.ULw 22.2

Icebo lokuhlangulwa kwethu asinto yacingwa sekusemva, elicebo elacingwa emva kokuba kuwe uAdam. Laba kukutyhilwa “kwemfihlelo ebifihlwe kwasephakadeni.” Roma 16:25. Yayikukutyhilwa kwemithetho-siseko eyathi kwasephakadeni yasisiseko setrone kaThixo. Kususela kwasekuqaleni, uThixo noKristu bazi ngokreqo lukaSathana, nangokuwa komntu ngenxa yamandla okukreqa kwakhe. UThixo akazange acebe ukuba isono sibekho, kodwa wakubona kwangaphambili ukubakho kwaso, waza wenza umsindleko wokuqubisana nobubi bokungena kwaso. Lwalulukhulu kakhulu uthando lwaKhe kwilizwe, kangangokuba wanqophisa ngokunikela uNyana waKhe ekuphela kwamzeleyo, “Ukuze bonke abakholwayo kuye bangatshabalalil, koko babe nobomi obungunaphakade.” Yohane 3:16.ULw 22.3

UKhwezi wathi, “Ndiyinyuse itrone yam ibe ngaphezu kweenkwenkwezi zikaThixo; . . . ndizifanise nOsenyanweni.” Isa. 14:13, 14. Yena uKristu, “esebumeni bukaThixo, akathi ukulingana kwakhe oku noThixo kulixhoba; usuke wazihluba, wathabatha ubume bomkhonzi, enziwe wafana nabantu.” Filipi 2:6, 7.ULw 22.4

Lo yayingumbingelelo wokuzithandela. UYesu wayenokuhlala ecaleni kukaYise. Wayenokusuka abugcine ubuqaqawuli bezulu, nentlonipho yeengelosi. Wasuka wakhetha ukubuyisela intonga yokulawula ezandleni zikaYise, ahle etroneni yezwe lonke (iyunivesi), ukuze azise ukukhanya kwabasebumnyameni, nobomi kwabatshabalalayo.ULw 22.5

Kusondele kwiminyaka engamawaka amabini eyadlulayo, elathi ilizwi elibaluleke ngokufihlakeleyo, lavakala ezulwini, liphuma etroneni kaThixo, lisithi, “Yabona, ndiyeza.” “Akuthandanga mbingelelo, namnikelo wakudla, ke undilungisele umzimba. . . . Yabona, ndiyeza (Encwadini esongwayo kubhalwe ngam), ndiza kwenza ukuthanda kwakho, Thixo.” Heb. 10:5-7. Kula mazwi, kwavakaliswa ukuzalisekiswa kwenjongo eyayifihliwe kususela kwiinkulungwane zasephakadeni. UKristu wayekufuphi ukuba atyelele ilizwe lethu, azalwe engumntu. Uthi, “Undilungisele umzimba.” Ukuba wayebonakale enobuqaqawuli awaye enabo ekunye noYise ngaphambi kokuba kubekho umhlaba, sasingayi kukwazi ukuma phambi kokukhanya kobukho baKhe. Ukuze sikwazi ukubukhangela size singatshatyalaliswa, ukubonakalaliswa kobuqaqawuli baKhe kwagqunywa. UbuThixo baKhe bagqutyuthelwa ngobuntu,--ubuqaqawuli obungenako ukubonwa bukwimo yomntu ebonakalayo. ULw 23.1

Le njongo inkulu yayibonakaliswe ngemifanekiso nemifuziselo. Ityholo elivuthayo, apho uKristu wavela kuMoses, lalityhila uThixo. Umfuziselo owakhethwayo ukuba uveze uThixo yayilityholo eliphantsi, elalibukeka lingenamtsalane. Eli tyholo laliquke Lowo ungenamda. UThixo, omninzi kakhulu ngenceba, wambathisa ubuqaqawuli baKhe ngolona hlobo luthobekileyo, ukuze uMoses akwazi ukulukhangela aze aphile. Ngokunjalo nakwintsika yelifu emini nentsika yomlilo ebusuku, uThixo wathetha noIsrayeli, etyhila intando yaKhe ebantwini, ebanika ubabalo lwaKhe. Ubuqaqawuli bukaThixo bacinezelwa, ubungangamsha baKhe bagqunywa, ukuze umntu onobuthakathaka, oyinto edlulayo, akwazi ukubukhangela. Kwafuneka, ke ngoko, ukuba uKristu eze “[eno]mzimba wokuthobeka kwethu” (Filipi 3:21), “wafana nabantu.” Emehlweni ehlabathi, wayengenabuhle bokwenza ukuba bamnqwenele; kanti ke wayenguThixo ongumntu, ukukhanya kwezulu nomhlaba. Ubuqaqawuli baKhe babusithiwe, ubukhulu nobungangamsha baKhe babufihliwe, ukuze abatsalele kuYe abantu abaselusizini nabalingiweyo.ULw 23.2

UThixo wayalela uMoses ngoIsrayeli, wathi, “Bandenzele indawo engcwele, ndihlale phakathi kwabo” (Eks. 25:8), wahlala [uThixo] engcweleni phakathi kwabantu baKhe. Kuko konke ukubhadula okudinisayo, ubukho baKhe kwakunabo. Ngokunjalo, uKristu wayimisa itempile yakhe phakathi komnquba wobuntu bethu. Wamisa intente yaKhe ecaleni kweentente zabantu, ukuze ahlale phakathi kwethu, asenze siqhelane nesimilo saKhe esingcwele nobomi baKheobungcwele. “ULizwi waba yinyama,wahlalaphakathi kwethu, sabubona ubuqaqawuli bakhe, ubuqaqawuli kanye bowokuphela kwamzeleyo uYise, ezele lubabalo nayinyaniso.” Yohane 1:14. ULw 23.3

Kususela ukuba uYesu weza kuhlala phakathi kwethu, siyazi ukuba uThixo uqhelene nezilingo zethu, neentlungu zethu. Wonke unyana nentombi ka-Adam unakho ukuqonda ukuba uMdali wethu ungumhlobo waboni. Kuyo yonke imfundiso yobabalo, sonke isithembiso sovuyo, sonke isenzo sothando, nakuko konke okungcwele okunomtsalane okunikwe ngobomi boMsindisi emhlabeni, sibona ukuba “uThixo unathi.”ULw 24.1

USathana uwubeka umthetho kaThixo njengomthetho womona. Uthi, asingekhe sibe nakho ukuyigcina imiyalelo yawo. Ukuwa kwabazali bethu bokuqala, nayo yonke intlekele eyaba sisiphumo sako, uyibeka phezu koMdali, ekhokelela abantu ukuba bambone uThixo njengembangi yesono, nokuphatheka kakubi kunye nokufa. Kwakufuneka uYesu etyhile le nkohliso. Njengomnye wethu, wayeza kunika umzekelo wokuthobela. Kwakungenxa yoku, ukuze athabathele kuYe indalo yethu, aze adlule kumava ethu. “Wafanelwa kukuba afane nabazalwana bakhe ngezinto zonke.” Heb. 2:17. Ukuba bekuya kufuneka sithwele nantoni uYesu angazange ayithwale, ngale ndawo nje iyodwa, uSathana ebeya kuthi, amandla kaThixo awasanelanga thina. Ngenxa yoko, uYesu “[wahendwa] ngeento zonke, ngokokufana nathi.” Heb. 4:15. Walunyamezela lonke uvavanyo esingaphantsi kwalo thina. Akazange asebenzisele kuYe amandla esingenakho ukuwanikwa ngesisa. Engumntu, wahlangana nokulingwa, woyisa ngamandla awawanikwa nguThixo. “Uthi, “Ukwenza okulikholo kuwe, Thixo wam, ndikunanzile; nomyalelo wakho usezibilinini zam ngaphakathi.” Ndumiso 40:8. Xa wayejikeleza esenza okulungileyo, ephilisa bonke ababandezelwe nguSathana, wasenza sacaca isimilo somthetho kaThixo nemveli yokusebenza kwaKhe. Ubomi baKhe bungqina ukuba sinako nathi ukuwuthobela umthetho kaThixo. ULw 24.2

Ngobuntu baKhe, uKristu wachukumisa ubuntu; ngobuThixo baKhe, ubambelele etroneni kaThixo. NjengoNyana womntu, wasinika umzekelo wokuthobela; njengoNyana kaThixo, usinika amandla okuthobela. “YayinguKristu owathi kwityholo elivuthayo kwintaba iHorebhe wathetha noMoses, esithi, NDINGUYE ENDINGUYE. . . . wotsho koonyana bakaIsrayeli ukuthi, uNDINGUYE undithumile kuni.” Eks. 3:14. Esi yayisisibhambathiso sokuhlangulwa kukaIsrayeli. Ngoko ke, xa wayefika “enziwe wafana nabantu,” wazazisa ukuba unguNDINGUYE. UMntwana waseBhetelehem, onobulali nothobekileyo, unguThixo othe “wabonakalaliswa esenyameni.” 1 Tim. 3:16. Uthi kuthi, “Ndim uMalusi olungileyo.” “NdimiSonka esiphilileyo.”“Ndim iNdlela, ndim iNyaniso, ndim uBomi.”“Linikwe mna lonke igunya emazulwini nasehlabathini.” 10:11; 6:51; 14:6; Mat. 28:18. Ndim isiqinisekiso sazo zonke izithembiso. Ndim; musani ukoyika. “UThixo unathi” usisibambiso esimi endaweni yokuhlawulelwa ngokuthengwa kwethu esonweni, isiqinisekiso samandla ethu okuthobela umthetho wezulu.ULw 24.3

Ngokuthoba athabathele kuYe ubuntu, uKristu watyhila isimilo esichasene nesimilo sikaSathana. Waya wehla ngaphezulu kwindlela yokuthotyelwa phantsi. “Ngemo efunyenwe enjengomntu, wazithoba, waba ngolulamileyo, wada wesa ekufeni, ukufa ke kwasemnqamlezweni.” Filipu 2:8. Njengokuba umbingeleli omkhulu wayebeka bucala ingubo embetshembetshe yobubingeleli, asebenze enxibe ingubo yelinen emhlophe yombingeleli oqhelekileyo, ngokunjalo uKristu wathabatha imo yomkhonzi, wanikela umbingelelo, Yena engumbingeleli, ikwanguYe nexhoba. “Uhlatywe ngenxa yezikreqo zethu, watyunyuzwa ngenxa yezenzo zethu ezigwenxa; ubetho lokuba sibe noxolo thina lube luphezu kwakhe.” Isa. 53:5.ULw 25.1

UKristu waphathwa ngendlela ekufaneleke siphathwe ngayo, ukuze thina siphathwe ngendlela efanele Yena. Wagwetywa ngenxa yezono zethu, awayengenanxaxheba kuzo, ukuze sikwazi ukugwetyelwa ngobulungisa baKhe, esingenanxaxheba kubo. Wafa ukufa okukokwethu, ukuze sizuze ubomi obabubobaKhe. “Siphiliswe ngemivumbo yakhe.”ULw 25.2

Ngobomi bokufa kwaKhe, uKristu wazuza okungaphezulu kokuhlangula nje kwintshabalalo eyabakho ngenxa yesono. Yaye iyinjongo kaSathana ukuzisa ukwahlukana okungunaphakade phakathi kukaThixo nomntu; kodwa kuKristu siye samanyana ngakumbi noThixo kunokuba kwakuya kubanjalo ukuba sasingawanga. Ekuthabatheni imo yethu, uMsindisi waziqamangela eluntwini ngeqhina elingasayi kuze liqhawuke. Kuya kuba semaphakadeni ehleli eqhagamshelene nathi. “UThixo wenjenje ukulithanda kwaKhe ihlabathi, ude wancama uNyana waKhe ekuphela kwamzeleyo.” Yohane. 3:16. Akamnikelanga kuphela ukuba athwale izono zethu, nokuba afe engumbingelelo wethu; wamnikela kuhlanga oluwileyo. Ukusiqinisekisa ngentethelelo yaKhe engenakuguqulwa yoxolo, uThixo wanikela uNyana waKhe ekuphela kwamzeleyo ukuba abemnye nosapho loluntu, ahlale enendalo yaKhe yomntu ngonaphakade. Esi sisibhambathiso uThixo aya kusizalisekisa elizwini laKhe. “Sizalelwe umntwana, sinikwe unyana; ukuthethelela kusesixhantini sakhe.” UThixo wamkele indalo yomntu emntwini onguNyana waKhe, waza wayithwalela yona leyo kwelona liphezulu izulu. Ngu“Nyana womntu” ohleli etroneni yeyunivesi. Ngu“Nyana womntu” ogama laKhe liya kubizwa ngokuthi, “nguMmangaliso, nguMcebisi, nguThixo oligorha, nguSonini-nanini, nguMthetheli woxolo.” Isa. 9:6. UNDINGUYE ngumahluleli phakathi koThixo noluntu, ebeke isandla saKhe phezu kwabo bobabini. Lowo “ongcwele, ongenabubi, ongenabala, owahlukileyo kubo aboni,” akanazoiintloni ukusibiza ngokuthi singabazalwana Heb. 7:26; 2:11.KuKristu, iintsapho -- olwasemhlabeninolwasezuIwini--ziqamangelene kunye. UKristu ozukisiweyo ungumzalwana wethu. Izulu lakhelwe eluntwini, noluntu lugoniwe esifubeni sothando olungenaMda.ULw 25.3

Ngabantu baKhe uThixo uthi, baya kuba “ngamatye esithsaba, abengezela emhlabeni wakhe. Kuba kungakanani na ukulunga kwabo, bungakanani na ubuhle babo!” Zekariya 9:16, 17. Ukuphakanyiswa kwabathengwe ngokuhlawulelwa kuya kuba bubungqina bukanaphakade benceba kaThixo. “Ubutyebi obuncamisileyo bobabalo lwakhe,” uya kububonakalalisa “emaphakadeni azayo, ngokusenzela ububele ngoKristu Yesu.” “Ukuze [ngabo] oozilawuli noomagunya, abakwezasemazulwini iindawo, babaziswe . . .ubulumko bukaThixo, obuziintlobo ezininzi, ngokokwengqibo yakhe yasephakadeni, awayenzayo kuKristu Yesu, iNkosi yethu.” Efese 2:7; 3:10, 11.ULw 26.1

Ngomsebenzi kaKristu wokuhlangula, ulawulo lukaThixo lumi lugwetyelwe. USomandla waziwa njengoThixo wothando. Izityholo zikaSathana ziphikisiwe, saye isimilo sakhe sityhilekile. Uvukelo alusayi kuphinda luvuke. Isono asisayi kuze siphinde singene kwindalo yonke. Koba semaphakadeni konke kukhuselekile ekuvukeleni. Ngothando lokuzincama, abemi bomhlaba nezulu bamanyene noMdali wabo ngembophelelo zobunye obungenakuze bahlulwe.ULw 26.2

Umsebenzi wokuhlangula uya kufezwa. Endaweni apho isono sathi sanda, ubabalo lukaThixo lwanda ngakumbi. Umhlaba ngokwawo, indawo kanye uSathana ayibanga njengeyakhe, ayiyi kwanela ukuhlangulwa, koko iya kuphakanyiswa. Eli lizwana lethu, eliphantsi kwesiqalekiso sesono, nelilichaphazana nje elincinane elimnyama kwindalo yaKhe enobukhulu kakhulu, iya kuphakanyiswa ngaphezu kwawo onke amanye amazwe ayo yonke indalo kaThixo. Apha, apho uNyana kaThixo wahlala phakathi koluntu; apho uKumkani wozuko wahlala waphatheka kakubi, wafa,--kulapho, xa ezenza zonke izinto zibe ntsha, umnquba kaThixo uya kuba nabantu, “uya kuhlala nabo [emnqubeni], bona babe ngabantu bakhe, Yena uThixo abe nabo, enguThixo wabo.” Kuthi kumaphakade angenasiphelo, xa abahlangulweyo behamba ekukhanyeni kweNkosi, baya kuyidumisa ngesipho sayo esingathethekiyo,-- uImanuweli, “uThixo unathi.”ULw 26.3