Asibheke kuGenesise 22:17-18. Lesi ngesinye isiqephu esakhulunywa nguNkulunkulu uJehova, lapho athi ku-Abrahama, “Ngiyakukubusisa nokukubusisa, futhi ngandise nokwandisa inzalo yakho ibe njengezinkanyezi zezulu, nanjengesihlabathi sasogwini lolwandle; futhi inzalo yakho iyothatha isango lezitha zayo; Futhi ngenzalo yakho zonke izizwe zomhlaba zizobusiswa, ngokuba ulilalele izwi Lami.” UNkulunkulu uJehova wabusisa u-Abrahama izikhathi ziningi ukuthi uzalo lwakhe lwaluyokwanda—lwande kuze kufike kuliphi izinga? Ezingeni okukhulunywe ngalo emBhalweni: “njengezinkanyezi zezulu nanjengesihlabathi sasogwini lolwandle.” Okungukuthi uNkulunkulu wayefisa ukunika u-Abrahama inzalo eningi njengezinkanyezi zezulu, futhi eningi njengesihlabathi sasogwini lo lwandle. UNkulunkulu wakhuluma lo mfanekiso, futhi kulo mfanekiso akunzima ukubona ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengeke amane anike u-Abrahama inkulungwane eyodwa, ezimbili noma ngisho izinkulungwane zezinkulungwane zenzalo, kodwa kwakuyinani elingabaleki, ezanele ukuthi zibe yizihlwele zezizwe, ngoba uNkulunkulu wayethembise u-Abrahama ukuthi wayezoba nguyise wezizwe eziningi. Futhi lelo nani lalinqunywe ngumuntu noma kwakunqume uNkulunkulu? Umuntu angalawula ukuthi uyoba nenzalo engakanani? Kuncike kuyena? Akuncikile ngisho kumuntu ukuthi unabazukulu abambalwa, ingasaphathwa eyabaningi “njengezinkanyezi zezulu nanjengesihlabathi sasogwini lolwandle.” Ubani ongafisi ukuthi uzalo lwakhe, lube luningi ngangezinkanyezi? Ngeshwa, izinto azenzeki njalo njengoba ufuna. Akukhathaleki ukuthi umuntu unekhono noma unolwazi olungakanani, akuncikile kinina: akekho ongama ngaphandle kwalokho okumiswe nguNkulunkulu. Noma ukuvumela kokungakanani, yilelo nani oyoba nalo; Uma uNkulunkulu ekunika okuncane, ngeke uze ube nokuningi, futhi uma uNkulunkulu ekunika okuningi, akusizi ukudinwa yinani lalokho onako. Akunjalo? Konke lokhu kuncike kuNkulunkulu, hhayi kumuntu! Umuntu uphethwe nguNkulunkulu, futhi akekho osala ngaphandle!

Lapho uNkulunkulu ethi “ngandise nokwandisa inzalo yakho,” lesi kwakuyisivumelwano uNkulunkulu asimisa no-Abrahama, futhi njengesivumelwano sothingo, sasiyofezeka naphakade, futhi kwabe kuyisithembiso uNkulunkulu ayesenze ku-Abrahama. UNkulunkulu kuphela ofanelekile futhi onekhono lokufeza lesi sithembiso. Akukhathaleki noma umuntu uyakukholwa, akukhathaleki noma umuntu uyakwemukela noma cha, futhi akukhathaleki ukuthi umuntu uyibuka kanjani, nokuthi uyithatha kanjani, konke lokhu kuzofezeka, ncamashi, njengokusho kwamazwi akhulunywe nguNkulunkulu. Amazwi kaNkulunkulu ngeke aguquke ngenxa yezinguquko entandweni noma emibonweni yomuntu, futhi ngeke kuze kuguqulwe yizinguquko kunoma imuphi umuntu, into noma yini. Zonke izinto zinganyamalala, kodwa amazwi kaNkulunkulu ahlala phakade. Kunalokho, usuku lapho zonke izinto ziyoshabalala, yilo kanye usuku lapho amazwi kaNkulunkulu eyogcwaliseka khona ngokuphelele, ngoba unguMdali, futhi unegunya loMdali, namandla oMdali, futhi ulawula zonke izinto kanye nawo wonke amandla okuphila; Uyakwazi ukwenza utho luvele lapho kungekho lutho khona, noma utho luphenduke ize, futhi ulawula ukuguqulwa kwezinto zonke zisuke ekuphileni ziye ekufeni, ngakho kuNkulunkulu, ayikho into elula njengokwandisa uzalo lomuntu, njengenganekwane, kodwa kuNkulunkulu, lokho anquma ukukwenza, futhi athembisa ukukwenza, akukhona ukucabanga okungesikho, noma inganekwane. Kunalokho, kuyiqiniso uNkulunkulu ayeselibonile, futhi elalizofezeka ngokuqinisekile. Ingabe niyakubona lokhu? Ingabe amaqiniso ayafakazela ukuthi uzalo luka-Abrahama lwaluluningi? Ingabe lwaluluningi “njengezinkanyezi zezulu nanjengesihlabathi sasogwini lolwandle” ezazishiwo nguNkulunkulu? Ngabe basabalala ezizweni nasezindaweni zonke, kuyo yonke indawo emhlabeni? Futhi yini eyafeza leli qiniso? Lafezwa igunya lamazwi kaNkulunkulu? Emakhulwini noma ezinkulungwaneni zezinkulungwane zeminyaka, amazwi kaNkulunkulu akhulunywa, amazwi kaNkulunkulu aqhubeka ukufezeka, futhi ayephenduka amaqiniso njalo njalo; lokhu kungamandla amazwi kaNkulunkulu, nobufakazi begunya likaNkulunkulu. Lapho uNkulunkulu edala konke lokhu ekuqaleni, uNkulunkulu wathi makube khona ukukhanya, futhi kwaba khona ukukhanya. Lokhu kwenzeka ngokushesha okukhulu, kwagcwaliseka ngesikhashana nje; umphumela wamazwi kaNkulunkulu wabonakala masinyane. Kokubili kwakungukubonakaliswa kwegunya likaNkulunkulu, kodwa lapho uNkulunkulu ebusisa u-Abrahama, wavumela umuntu ukuthi abone enye ingxenye yengqikithi yegunya likaNkulunkulu, futhi wavumela umuntu ukuthi abone ukuthi igunya likaNkulunkulu lalingelinganiswe nalutho. Nangaphezu kwalokho wavumela umuntu ukuthi abone enye ingxenye enhle futhi engeyoqobo yegunya lomdali

Athi angakhulunywa amazwi kaNkulunkulu, igunya likaNkulunkulu liqale ukulawula lo msebenzi, neqiniso elithenjiswe ngumlomo kaNkulunkulu liyaqala libe ngokukhona kancane kancane. Phakathi kwezinto zonke, izinguquko ziyaqala zenzeke ezintweni zonke ngenxa yalokhu, njengokuthi, ekufikeni kwentwasahlobo, utshani buphenduka bube buhlaza, izimbali ziyaqhakaza, amahlumela ayavela ezihlahleni, izinyoni ziyaqala zihlabelele, amahansi ayabuya, futhi namasimu aphithizele abantu.... Ngokufika kwentwasahlobo zonke izinto ziyavuseleleka, futhi lokhu yisenzo esimangalisayo soMdali. Uma uNkulunkulu efeza izithembiso Zakhe, zonke izinto ezulwini nasemhlabeni ziyaguquka futhi ziguquke ngokuhambisana nemicabango kaNkulunkulu—akekho osala ngaphandle. Uma isibophezelo noma isithembiso sikhulunywa umlomo kaNkulunkulu, zonke izinto zisebenzelana ukuze sifezeke, futhi zonke izidalwa ziyahlelwa futhi zilungiswe ngaphansi kokubusa koMdali, futhi zibambe iqhaza lazo elahlukene futhi zenze owazo umsebenzi. Lokhu ukubonakaliswa kwegunya likaNkulunkulu. Ubonani kulokhu? Ulazi kanjani igunya likaNkulunkulu? Kukhona umkhawulo wesikhathi? Kungashiwo ukuthi kuwubungako obuthile noma amandla athile? Kungalinganiswa ngezilinganiso zomuntu? Igunya likaNkulunkulu alilokhu licima likhanya, futhi alihambi libuye libuye futhi akekho ongalinganisa ukuthi likhulu kangakanani igunya Lakhe. Akukhathaleki ukuthi side kangakanani isikhathi esidlulayo, uma uNkulunkulu ebusisa umuntu, lesi sibusiso siyoqhubeka, futhi nokuqhubeka kwaso kufakazela igunya likaNkulunkulu elingelinganiswe nalutho, futhi lizovumela isintu ukuba sibone ukubuya kwamandla okuphila angenakucishwa oMdali, njalo njalo. Ukubonakaliswa kwegunya Lakhe, kungukuvezwa okuphelele kwamazwi omlomo Wakhe, futhi kukhonjiswa kuzo zonke izinto, nasesintwini. Okudlula lokho, yonke into efezwe yigunya Lakhe inhle ayinakuqhathaniswa nalutho, futhi ayinalo nelincane iphutha. Kungashiwo ukuthi imicabango Yakhe, amazwi Akhe, negunya Lakhe, kanye nawo wonke umsebenzi awufezayo, wonke uwumfanekiso omuhle futhi ongeke waqhathaniswa nalutho. Mayelana nezidalwa, ulimi lwesintu alukwazi ukuchaza ukubaluleka kwazo nesigqi sazo. Uma uNkulunkulu enza isithembiso kumuntu, noma kulapho ehlala khona, noma lokho akwenzayo, noma lapho evela khona ngaphambi noma emuva kokuthola isithembiso, noma ngabe zibe zinkulu kangakanani iziyaluyalu endaweni lapho ehlala khona, konke lokho kujwayelekile kuNkulunkulu njengemuva lesandla Sakhe. Noma ngabe side kangakanani isikhathi emuva kokuthi amazwi kaNkulunkulu ekhulunyiwe, Kuye kufana nokuthi aqeda kushiwo. Okungukuthi uNkulunkulu unamandla, futhi unegunya elikhulu, ngendlela yokuthi uyakwazi ukulandela, alawule futhi afeze isithembiso ngasinye asinika isintu, akukhathaleki ukuthi yisiphi isithembiso, akukhathalekile ukuthi kuzothatha isikhathi esingakanani ukuthi sifezeke ngokuphelele, futhi nangaphezu kwalokho, akukhathalekile ukuthi ibanzi kangakanani indima ezothinteka ukuze sifezeke—njengesibonelo, isikhathi, indawo, uhlanga, njalo njalo—lesi sethembiso sizofezeka, futhi sibonakale, futhi ngaphezu kwalokho, ukufezeka nokubonakaliswa kwaso ngeke kumkhandle Yena nakancane. Futhi lokhu kufakazela ukuthini? Ukuthi ububanzi begunya namandla kaNkulunkulu kwanele ukulawula umhlaba wonke jikelele, nesintu sonke. UNkulunkulu wadala ukukhanya, kodwa lokho akusho ukuthi uphethe ukukhanya kuphela, noma ukuthi uphethe amanzi kuphela ngoba wadala amanzi, nokuthi konke okunye akuxhumene noNkulunkulu. Lokhu akukhona ukungaqondisisi? Noma ukubusisa kukaNkulunkulu u-Abrahama, kwase kusukile ezingqondweni zabantu emuva kwamakhulu eminyaka, kuNkulunkulu leso sithembiso sasisafana. Sasiselokhu siqhubeka ukufezeka, futhi sasingakaze sime. Umuntu wayengazi futhi wayengakaze ezwe ukuthi uNkulunkulu wasebenzisa kanjani igunya Lakhe, izinto zonke zalungiswa zahlelwa kanjani, nokuthi zingaki izindaba ezimangalisayo ezenzeka phakathi kwezinto zonke zendalo kaNkulunkulu ngalesi sikhathi, kodwa isiqephu esimangalisayo ngasinye sokubonakaliswa kwegunya likaNkulunkulu nokwembulwa kwezenzo Zakhe kwadluliswa futhi kwaphakanyiswa phakathi kwezinto zonke, zonke izinto zavezwa zakhuluma ngezenzo ezimangalisayo zoMdali, futhi zonke izindaba ezikade ziphindaphindwa zobukhosi boMdali phezu kwezinto zonke, zizomenyezelwa ezidalweni zonke kuze kube phakade. Igunya uNkulunkulu abusa ngalo zonke izinto, kanye namandla kaNkulunkulu, kukhombisa zonke izinto ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona yonke indawo futhi ngezikhathi zonke. Uma usubonile ukuba yonke indawo kwegunya namandla kaNkulunkulu, uzobona ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona yonke indawo futhi zonke izikhathi. Igunya namandla kaNkulunkulu akuphoqwa yisikhathi, indawo, isikhala, noma imuphi umuntu noma into. Ububanzi begunya namandla kaNkulunkulu budlula imicabango yenhliziyo yomuntu, futhi akusoze kwaziwa umuntu ngokuphelele.

Abanye abantu bathanda ukuqonda nokubuka izinto ngamehlo engqondo, kodwa ingabe amehlo engqondo omuntu angamfikisa kuphi? Ingabe kungafika ngale kwalo mhlaba? Ingabe umuntu uyakwazi ukuqonda nokucabanga ajule ngokuba khona kwangempela nesiqiniseko ngegunya likaNkulunkulu? Ukuqonda nokucabanga okujulile komuntu ingabe kuyakwazi ukumvumela ukuthi athole ulwazi ngegunya likaNkulunkulu? Kungamenza umuntu ukuthi azise futhi athobele igunya kaNkulunkulu? Amaqiniso ayafakaza ukuthi ukuqonda nokucabanga ujule kuvela engqondweni yomuntu, futhi akusizi nakancane futhi akunalo usizo olwazini lomuntu ngegunya likaNkulunkulu. Emuva kokufunda izincwadi zesayensi eziqanjiwe, abanye bangakwazi ukubona ngamehlo engqondo inyanga, nokuthi izinkanyezi kufanele ukuba zinjani. Kepha lokhu akusho ukuthi umuntu unakho yini ukuqonda igunya likaNkulunkulu. Ukubona ngamehlo engqondo kuyilokho nje: ukubuka ngamehlo engqondo. Amaqiniso ngezinto, okungukuthi, ukuxhumana kwazo negunya likaNkulunkulu, akakwazi nakancane. Pho kusho ukuthini ukuthi uke wandizela enyangeni? Lokhu kuchaza ukuthi unokuqonda okunezingxenye eziningi ngegunya likaNkulunkulu? Kuyakhombisa ukuthi uyakwazi ukucabanga ububanzi begunya namandla kaNkulunkulu? Njengoba ukuqonda nokubuka ngamehlo engqondo komuntu kungakwazi ukumvumela ukuthi azi igunya likaNkulunkulu, kufanele umuntu enze njani? Indlela ehlakaniphe kakhulu ukuthi ungaqondi futhi ungabuki ngamehlo engqondo, okungukuthi umuntu akufanele ancike ekubukeni ngamehlo engqondo futhi athembele ekuqondeni, uma sekuza ekwazini igunya likaNkulunkulu. Yini engifisa ukuyisho kinina lapha? Ulwazi ngegunya likaNkulunkulu, amandla kaNkulunkulu, ubunjalo bukaNkulunkulu, kanye nengqikithi kaNkulunkulu angeke kufezeke ngokuthembela ekubukeni ngamehlo akho engqondo. Njengoba ungeke uthembele ekubukeni ngamehl0 engqondo ukuze wazi igunya likaNkulunkulu, iyiphi indlela ongathola ngayo ulwazi lweqiniso ngegunya likaNkulunkulu? Ngokudla nokuphuza amazwi kaNkulunkulu, ngobudlelwano nokuhlanganyela ndawonye, nangokuzwa amazwi kaNkulunkulu, uzoya ngokuya uba nokulizwa kanye nesiqiniseko ngegunya likaNkulunkulu, ngaleyo ndlela uyozuza ukuqonda okuza kancane kancane kanye nolwazi olwandayo njalo ngalo. Lena yiyo yodwa indlela yokuthola ulwazi ngegunya likaNkulunkulu; azikho izindlela ezinqamulelayo. Ukunicela ukuthi ningabuki ngamehlo engqondo akufani nokuthi ngithi hlalani nje niyethile nilinde ukubhujiswa, noma ukunivimba ukuthi nenze noma yini. Ukungasebenzisi ingqondo yakho ukucabanga nokubuka ngamehlo engqondo, kusho ukuthi ungasebenzisi ukucabanga ukuqonda, ukungasebenzisi ulwazi ukucwaninga, ukungasebenzisi isayensi njengesisekelo, kodwa kunalokho, ukunanela, ukuthola iqiniso, nokufakazela ukuthi uphethe ubukhosi phezulu kwesimiselo sakho, nokuthi amandla Akhe ngaso sonke isikhathi ayamfakazela ukuthi unguNkulunkulu weqiniso uqobo Lwakhe, ngamazwi kaNkulunkulu, ngeqiniso, ngakho konke ohlangabezana nakho empilweni. Yiyo kuphela indlela umuntu angathola ngayo ukuqonda uNkulunkulu. Abanye bathi bafisa ukuthola indlela elula yokufeza le nhloso, kodwa niyakwazi ukuyicabanga indlela enjalo? Ngiyakutshela, asikho isidingo sokucabanga: Azikho ezinye izindlela! Indlela ukuthi uqikelele futhi ubekezelele ukwazi nokuthola iqiniso ngokuthi uNkulunkulu unani futhi ungubani ngamazwi wonke awavezayo nangazo zonke izinto azenzayo. Yiyo kuphela indlela yokwazi uNkulunkulu. Ngoba konke uNkulunkulu anakho nayikho, nazo zonke izinto zikaNkulunkulu, akulona nje igobongo futhi akunalutho—kodwa kuyaphila.

Kucashunwe embhalweni othi “UNkulunkulu Uqobo Lwakhe, Oyingqayizivele I” encwadini ethi Izwi Livela Lisenyameni