18—Ubusuku Bokulwa
[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiGenesis 32 nama-33.]
Nangona uYakobi wayishiya iPadan-aram ngokuthobela umyalelo wezulu, wayengekho msulwa ekuthingazeni akucinga ngendlela awayihambayo njengembacu kwiminyaka emashumi mabini eyadlulayo. Isono sakhe sokukhohlisa uyise sasisoloko sihleli phambi kwakhe. Wayesazi ukuba ukubhaca kwakhe ukuya kude kwakusisiphumo esitsolileyo seso sono, wajika-jikana nezi zinto imini nobusuku, ukuthwaxwa sisazela esimgwebayo esasilwenza lusizi kakhulu uhambo lwakhe. Zathi zakubonakala zisekude iinduli zelizwe lakowabo, intliziyo yenyange yachukumiseka kakhulu. Konke okwexesha eladlulayo kwabonakala gca engqondweni yakhe. Kwafika kunye nokukhumbula kwakhe isono sakhe, ukuthandwa kwakhe nguThixo, nezithembiso zezulu zokumnceda nokumkhokela.ANa 195.1
Wathi xa esondela ekupheleni kohambo lwakhe, ukucinga ngo-Esawu, kwamzisela okuninzi kakhulu okumalelayo (ukuba abheke phambili). Emva kokusaba kukaYakobi, uEsawu wazithabatha njengekuphela kwakhe indlalifa yezinto zikayise. Iindaba zokubuya kukaYakobi zaziya kuvuselela uloyiko lokuba wayebuyela ukuza kubanga ilifa. Wayekulungele ngoku uEsawu ukumenzakalisa kakhulu umntakwabo, ukuba kunganjalo, nokuba anyanzeleke ukuba abe nobubhovubhovu ngakuye, kungekuphela ngokulangazelela impindezelo, kodwa ukuze azuze ngaphandle kokuphazanyiswa bonke ubutyebi ekukudala ebujonge njengobakhe.ANa 195.2
Waphinda uYehova wamnika uYakobi umqondiso wenkathalo yezulu. Xa wayehamba esihla esuka kwiNtaba yeGiliyadi, imikhosi emibini yeengelosi zezulu yayikhangeleka imjikelezile ngasemva nangaphambili, ibheka phambili neqela lakhe, ngokungathi ijonge ukubakhusela. UYakobi wakhumbula umbono waseBheteli wakudala, waza umthwalo wentliziyo yakhe waya usiba lula ngokuba lula ngenxa yalo mqondiso wokuba abathunywa bezulu ababemphathele ithemba nokuqina ekusabeni kwakhe ukusuka eKanan, babeya kuba ngabakhuseli bakhe ekubuyeni kwakhe. Wathi, “Ngumkhosi kaThixo lo; wathi igama laloo ndawo yiMahanayim.”—“imikhosi emibini,” okanye, iinkampu.”ANa 195.3
Kunjalo, uYakobi waziva enento ekufuneka eyenzile ukuqinisekisa ukukhuseleka kwakhe. Ngoko ke, abathunywabephethe wathumela abathunywa bephethe umbuliso wokuxolisa kumntakwabo. Wabayalela awona mazwi kanye ekufuneka bawathethe kuEsawu. Kwakuxeliwe kwaphambi kokuzalwa kwaba bazalwana babini ukuba, omkhulu uya kukhonza omncinane, kuthi, ngenxa yokuba, ukukukhumbula oku kungangunobangela wobukrakra, uYakobi wabaxelela abakhonzi ukuba bathi bathunywe “enkosini yam uEsawu;” xa befike phambi kwakhe, bathethe ngenkosi yabo [uYakobi) ngokuthi “umkhonzi wakho uYakobi;” baze balususe uloyiko lokuba, ubuya eyimbacu ehluphekileyo, ukuza kubanga ilifa likayise, wabanika uYakobi ubuchule bokuxela, ngesigidimi sakhe ukuba, “Ndineenkomo, nama-esile, nempahla emfutshane, nabakhonzi, nabakhonzazana; ndithumele ukuxelela inkosi yam, ukuze indibabale.”ANa 196.1
Abakhonzi babuya neendaba zokuba uEsawu uyeza namakhulu amane amadoda, kwaye kungeko mpendulo inikiweyo kwisigidimi sobuhlobo. Kwakhangeleka ukuba uza efuna impindezelo. Kwabakho ukoyika enkampini. “Woyika Kunene uYakobi.” Wayengakwazi ukubuya umva, esoyika nokubheka phambili. Iqela lakhe, lingaxhobanga, lingakhuselekanga, lingekho konke kwimo yokuba lingangena edabini. Ngoko ke, walahlula langamabutho amabini, ukuze ukuba elinye liya hlaselwa, elinye libe nethuba lokusinda. Wathumela kwintabalala yemihlambi yakhe izipho eziya kuEsawu, zinesigidimi sothando. Wenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukucamagushela isiphoso kumntakwabo nokujika ingozi eyayisiza, waza ngokuzithoba nokuguquka wathandazela ukukhuselwa lizulu: “Buyela ezweni lakowenu, kwelokuzalwa kwakho; ndokuphatha kakuhle. Andiyilingene inceba yonke nenyaniso yonke oyenzileyo kumkhonzi wakho; kuba ndayiwela le Yordan, ndinentonga yam yodwa, kodwa ngoku ndimfuduka-mbini. Khawundihlangule esandleni somkhuluwa wam, esandleni sikaEsawu; ngokuba ndiyamoyika, hleze afike andibulale, unina ndawonye nabantwana.”ANa 196.2
Babefikile ngoku kumlambo iYabhoki, kwathi kwakufika ubusuku, uYakobi wathumela usapho lwakhe ngaphesheya komfula, wasala yena ngasemva eyedwa. Wayegqibe ukuba achithe ubusuku ethandaza, waza walangazelela ukuba yedwa noThixo. UThixo wayenako ukuyithambisa intliziyo kaEsawu. LalikuYe kuphela ithemba lenyange.ANa 196.3
Yayingummandla osithukuthezi oneentaba, indawo yokubutha kwezilwanyana zasendle, nendawo yokuncathama kwezigebenga nababulali. Eyedwa, engakhuselekanga, uYakobi wathoba emhlabeni, enoxinzelelo olukhulu. Kwakusezinzulwini zobusuku. Bonke abo babesenza ubomi bube mnandi kuye babekude, bejongene nengozi nokufa. Eyona nto yayikrakra kuzo zonke, yayikukucinga ukuba kwakungenxa yokuba yayisisono sakhe esazisa le ntlekele kubantu abamsulwa. Ekhala ngokwenene, esezinyembezini, wanyusa umthandazo phambi kukaThixo. Ngequbuliso, kwabekwa isandla esinamandla phezu kwakhe. Wacinga ukuba utshaba lwalufuna ubomi bakhe, waza wazama ukuzikhulula kwisandla somhlaselayo. Ebumnyameni, eso sibini salwela ukoyisa. Kwakungekho lizwi lithethwayo, kodwa uYakobi wawakhupha onke amandla akhe, akayiyekelela nomzuzwana imizamo yakhe. Ngeli xesha alwela ubomi bakhe, ingqondo yobutyala bakhe yawucinezela umphefumlo wakhe; izono zakhe zenyuka phambi kwakhe, ukuba zimvalele ngaphandle kuThixo. Noko kunjalo, sefikelele kwiqondo lokugqibela kwinkathazo yakhe, wakhumbula izithembiso zikaThixo, intliziyo yakhe yonke yaphumela ekutarhuziseleni inceba yaKhe. Ukuzamana kwaqhuba phantse kwathi qheke ukusa, xa ongaziwayo wabeka umnwe ethangeni likaYakobi, waza (uYakobi) walimala ngoko nangoko. Inyange laya lasiqonda ngoku isimilo salowo ulwa nalo. Lazi ukuba libe lisedabini nesithunywa sezulu, nokuba yiyo le nto amandla akhe asondele kwawangasentla engaluzuzanga uloyiso. YayinguKristu, “iNgelosi yomnqophiso,” eyazityhila kuYakobi. Inyange ngoku lalilimele libuhlungu ngeyona ntlungu yakha yankulu, kodwa alizange likuyeke ukubamba kwalo. Eguquka, ophukile, watshela kuyo iNgelosi, “walila, watarhuzisa [kuyo]” (Hoseya 12:4), ecengela intsikelelo. Kwakufuneka afumane ingqinisekiso yokuba uxolelwe. Intlungu yasemzimbeni yayinganelanga ukuyisusa ingqondo yakhe kule njongo. Ukuzimisela kwakhe kwaya kukhula ngokuqina, ukholo lwakhe lwaya lunyaniseka lukwazingisa, kwada kwasekugqibeleni. Ukuba oku yayikukuzithemba nokuziqhayisa okunokuzicingela, uYakobi ngewabulawa ngokukhawuleza; kodwa okwakhe kwaba sisiqinisekiso salowo uvuma ukungafaneleki kwakhe, kodwa ethembela ekunyanisekeni kukaThixo owugcinayo umnqophiso.ANa 197.1
UYakobi “wazamazamana naso isithunywa, wafeza.” Hoseya 12:4. Ngokuthobeka, ukuguquka, ukuzinikela, lo unokufa, umoni ozele sisono, woyisa iNgangalala yezulu. Wakuqinisa ukubamba kwakhe okungcangcazelayo amadinga kaThixo, yaza intliziyo yoThando olungenasiphelo, ayakwazi ukutshikilela isicengo somoni.ANa 197.2
Imposiso eyakhokelela kwisono sikaYakobi ekuzuzeni ubundlalifa ngobuqhetseba, ngeli xesha yabekwa yacaca phambi kwakhe. Wayengathembelanga kwizithembiso zikaThixo, kodwa wazama ngawakhe amalinge ukuzisa into uThixo awayenokuyenza ngelaKhe ixesha nangeyaKhe indlela. Njengobungqina bokuba uxolelwe, igama lakhe latshintshwa kwelo lalisisikhumbuzo sesono sakhe, ukuba libe lelivuyisana noloyiso lwakhe. “Igama lakho,” yatsho ingelosi, “akusayi kuba sathiwa nguYakobi; [umqhathi], kuyakuthiwa unguIsrayeli, ngokuba ulwe noThixo nabantu, weyisa.”ANa 198.1
UYakobi wayeyifumene intsikelelo eyayilangazelelwa ngumphefumlo wakhe. Isono sakhe njengogweqe nomkhohlisi sasixolelwe. Intlekele ebomini bakhe yayidlule. Ukuthandabuza, ukudideka, nobuhlungu bokuzisola zizinto ezazibenze krakra ubukho bakhe, kodwa konke oko ngoku kwakuguqukile; lwaye lumnandi uxolo lokuxolelaniswa noThixo. UYakobi wayengasakoyiki ukuhlangana nomntwakwabo. UThixo owayesixolele isono sakhe, wayenako ukuyisebenza nayo intliziyo kaEsawu ukuba ikwamkele ukuzithoba kwakhe kunye nenguquko yakhe.ANa 198.2
Ngexesha uYakobi wayebambene neNgelosi, omnye umthunywa wasezulwini wayethunyelwe kuEsawu. Ephupheni, uEsawu wabona umntakwabo ebhacile wemka endlwini kayise iminyaka engamashumi amabini; wayibona intlungu yakhe ekufikeni umama wakhe sewafayo; wambona erhangqwe yimikhosi kaThixo. Eli phupha lachazwa nguEsawu kumasoldati akhe, enomyalelo wokuba angamenzakalisi uYakobi, kuba uThixo kayise waye enaye.ANa 198.3
Amaqela amabini, ekugqibeleni, akhangelana, inkosi yentlango ikhokela amadoda ayo emfazwe, yena uYakobi nabafazi bakhe kunye nabantwana, bephahlwe ngabelusi nabakhonzazana, belandelwa yimiqodi yemihlambi kunye namaqela eenkomo. Layame phezu kwentonga yalo yokwalusa, inyange (uYakobi) lahambela phambili ukuba lihlangabeze ibutho lamasoldati. Wayexwebile, eqhwalela ngenxa yedabi awayesanda kusuka kulo, wahamba kancinane kabuhlungu, emana ukuma kwinyathelo ngalinye; kodwa imbonakalo yakhe yathi phaka luvuyo noxolo.ANa 198.4
Akusibona esi sigulana siqhwalelayo, “Wagidima uEsawu emkhawulela, wamwola, wawa entanyeni yakhe, wamanga; basitsho isililo.” Athi akuwubona lo mboniso, neentliziyo zamasoldati kaEsawu akrwada zachukumiseka. Nangona wayewaxelele iphupha lakhe, awazange akwazi ukuyichaza inguquko eyafikela umphathi wawo. Nangona ayekubona ukuxhwaleka kwenyange, ayibona kancinane into yokuba, obu buthakathaka benziwa yangamandla kuye.ANa 198.5
Kwimbandezelo yakhe yasebusuku ngaseYabhoki, xa intshabalalo yayikhangelekaiphambikwakhe, uYakobiwayefundisweindlela olulilize ngayo uncedo lomntu, nokungazinzi ntweni kwako konke ukuthembela kumandla omntu. Wabona kuba uncedo lwakhekufuneka luvele kuphela kuLowo wamona kakhulu. Engenaluncedo, engafanelekanga, wabanga isithembiso senceba kaThixo kumoni oguqukayo. Eso sithembiso, saye sisisiqinisekiso sokuba uThixo uya kumxolela amamkele. Izulu nomhlaba lingadlula ngokukhawuleza kunokuba elo lizwi lisilele; kwaye lilo eli elamxhasa kwidabi eloyikekayo.ANa 201.1
Amava kaYakobi ngobo busuku bokubambana nentlungu amele ukulingwa abaza kungena kuko abantu bakaThixo kanye phambi kokuba uKristu abuye okwesibini. Umprofeti uYeremiya, embonweni ongcwele, ekhangele kude kweli xesha, wathi, “Sive izwi eligubhisayo; lelinkwantyisayo, asililo eloxolo. . . . ubuso bonke busuke baluthuthu? Athi ke ukuba mkhulu loo mhla! Akukho unjengawo; lixesha lembandezelo kuYakobi; ke uya kusindiswa kuyo.” Yeremiya 30:5-7.ANa 201.2
Akuwuyeka uKristu umsebenzi waKhe njengoMmeli wabantu, eli xesha lembandezelo liya kuqala. Ityala lawo wonke umphefumlo liya kuba ligqityiwe, lingabi sabakho igazi lokucamagushela ukuba lihlambe esonweni. Xa uYesu esishiya isikhundla saKhe njengomthetheli phambi kukaThixo, isaziso esindilisekileyo siya kwenziwa, “Lowo ungalungisiyo, makaselehlala engalungisi; lowo uyinyhukunyhuku, makaselehlala eyinyhukunyhuku; nolilungisa makaselehlala elungisa; nongcwele makaselehlala ezingcwalisile.” IsiTyhilelo 22:11. Ngelo xesha uMoya kaThixo obambileyo uya kususwa emhlabeni. Njengoko uYakobi wayesoyika ukufa ngenxa yomsindo womntakwabo, ngokunjalo abantu bakaThixo baya kuba sengozini yabantu abakhohlakeleyo abaya kuba befuna ukubatshabalalisa. Kuya kuthi, njengoko inyange labambana (neNgelosi) ubusuku bonke lifuna ukuhlangulwa kwisandla sikaEsawu, ngokunjalo, amalungisa aya kukhala kuThixo imini nobusuku ukuba ahlangulwe kwiintshaba eziwangqongileyo.ANa 201.3
USathana wamtyhola uYakobi phambi kweengelosi zikaThixo, ebanga ilungelo lokumtshabalalisa ngenxa yesono sakhe; wangena kuEsawu ukuba amkhawulele; kwaza kwathi ngexesha lobusuku obude bokubambana kwenyange; uSathana wazama ukumnyanzela ngengqondo yobutyala bakhe, khon’ ukuze amtyhafise, akuqhawule ukubambelela kwakhe kuThixo. Wathi, xa kuxinzelelo lwakhe ebambene neNgelosi, wenza umthandazo esezinyembezini, uMthunywa wasezulwini, ukuluvavanya ukholo lwakhe, wamkhumbuza ngesono sakhe, wazama ukuzisindisa kuye. Sekunjalo, uYakobi akazange agxotheke. Wayefunde ukubauThixounenceba, wazawazilahlela phezu kwenceba yaKhe. Wakhomba emva ekuguqukeni kwakhe kwisono sakhe, wacela ukukhululwa. Xa wayehlolisisa ubomi bakhe ngokutsha, waphantsa wancama; kodwa waqinisa ukuyibamba iNgelosi, ekhala ngenene, enentlungu, wasinyanzelisa isicelo sakhe, wada woyisa.ANa 201.4
Aya kuba njalo amava abantu bakaThixo kwidabi labo lokugqibela namagunya obubi. UThixo uya kuluvavanya ukholo lwabo, ukunyameka kwabo, ukuthembela kwabo kumandla aKhe okubahlangula. USathana uya kuzama ukuboyikisa ngengcinga ethi iimeko zabo azinakuncedwa; nezono zabo zikhulu kakhulu ukuba zingafumana ukuxolelwa. Baya kuba nembono enzulu yokusilela kwabo, bathe bakuqwalasela ngokutsha ubomi babo, asuke aphele amathemba abo. Noko kunjalo, ukukhumbula ubukhulu benceba kaThixo, kunye nokuguquka kwabo ngokwenene, baya kuwabanga amadinga awenziwa ngoKristu kwabo bangaboni abangenako ukuzinceda, nabaguqukayo. Ukholo lwabo aluyi kuwa phantsi kuba imithandazo yabo ingaphendulwa kwakamsinyane. Baya kubambana namandla kaThixo, njengoko uYakobi wabambana neNgelosi, luze ulwimi lomphefumlo wabo uthi, “Andiyi kukuyeka, ungathanga undisikelele.”ANa 202.1
Ukuba ngaphambi koko uYakobi wayengaguqukanga kwisono sakhe sokufumana ubundlalifa ngamaqhinga, uThixo wayengayi kuwuva umthandazo wakhe aze athi ngenceba abugcine ubomi bakhe. Kungoko ngexesha lembandezelo, ukuba abantu bakaThixo banezono ezingavunywanga ezithi zivele phambi kwabo ngexesha bethwaxwa luloyiko nomvandedwa, baya koyiswa; ukudana kuya kuluqhawula ukholo lwabo, bangabi naso isibindi sokucenga uThixo ukuba abahlangule. Kanti ke, bekuya kuthi ngexesha bekuva kukukhulu ukungafaneleki kwabo, babe bengenazo iimposiso ekufuneka bezityhilile. Izono zabo ziya kuba zicinyiwe ngegazi elicamagushelayo likaKristu, bangabuye bazikhumbule.ANa 202.2
USathana ukhokela abaninzi ukuba bakholelwe ukuba uThixo akayi kukukhathalela ukunganyaniseki kwabo kwimicimbi emincinane yobomi; kodwa uYehova ubonisa ekuphatheni kwaKhe uYakobi ukuba ayikho indlela yokuba abuvumele okanye abunyamezele ububi. Bonke abazama ukuzithethelela okanye ukuzifihla izono zabo, bavumele ukuba zihlale ezincwadini zezulu, zingavunywanga zaxolelwa, baya koyiswa nguSathana. Okona kuphezulu ukuzibiza kwabo, nokona siphakame kakhulu isikhundla sabo abasibambileyo, kokona imbi kakhulu indlela yabo emehlweni kaThixo, nokona kuqinisekile ukoyisa komchasi omkhulu.ANa 202.3
Kanti ke kwimbali kaYakobi, sikho isiqinisekiso sokuba uThixo akasayi kubalahlaabobayebakhohliselwa esonweni, kodwababuyela kuYe benenguquko yenene. Kwaye kungokholo lokuzinikela nokuthembela awathi uYakobi wazuza oko wayesilele ukukuzuza ngedabi lamandla akhe. Ngoko uThixo wamfundisa umkhonzi waKhe ukuba, ngamandla nobabalo lwezulu kuphela olunokumnika intsikelelo awayeyinqwenela. Kuya kubanjalo nakwabo baphila kwimihla yokugqibela. Xa berhangqwa ziingozi, bephelelwe lithemba emphefumlweni, kufuneka baxhomekeke kuphela kubuhle bocamagushelo. Akukhonto sinokuzenzela yona. Kuko konke ukungafaneleki okungenamsebenzi kwethu, kufuneka sithembele kubuhle boMsindisi owabethelelwayo wabuya wavuka. Akakho oya kutshabalala esenza oku. Udederhu lwemifanekiso olude nolumnyama lokwaphula kwethu umthetho luphambi kwamehlo Ongenasiphelo. Ingxelo iphelele; akukho nasinye kwiziphoso zethu esilityelweyo. Noko kunjalo, Lowo waphulaphula izikhalo zabakhonzi baKhe bakudala, uya kuyiva imithandazo yokholo azixolele izikreqo zethu. Uthembisile, kwaye uya kulizalisekisa ilizwi laKhe.ANa 203.1
UYakobi woyisa kuba wayezingisile ezimisele. Amava akhe angqina amandla okubaluleka komthandazo. Kungoku ekufuneka sifunde isifundo somthandazo oweyisayo, ukholo olungoyisakaliyo. Uloyiso olukhulu kwibandla likaKristu okanye kumKristu ngamnye asilulo oluzuzwa ngetalente okanye imfundo, ngobutyebi okanye ngokuthandwa ngabantu. Lolo loyiso luzuzwa ekuthetheni noThixo kwigumbi elisekhusini, ngokholo olunyanisekileyo nolucenga ngentlungu oluye lubambelele kwingalo eyomeleleyo yamandla.ANa 203.2
Abo bangenayo intumekelelo yokusishiya sonke isono baze bafune ngenyameko intsikelelo kaThixo, abasayi kuyifumana. Bonke abo baya kubambelela kwizithembiso zikaThixo njengoko wenzayo uYakobi, baze banyaniseke bazondelele njengaye, baya kuphumelela. “Ke yena akayi kukha abalungise na abanyulwa bakhe, abakhala kuye imini nobusuku, noko azeka kade umsindo ngabo? Uya kubalungisa, abakhulule kamsinya.” Luka 18:7, 8.ANa 203.3