(UGenesise 18:26) Futhi iNKOSI yathi, Uma eSodoma ngithola abangamashumi amahlanu abalungileyo ngaphakathi kwedolobha, khona-ke ngizohawukela yonke le ndawo ngenxa yabo.
(UGenesise 18:29) Waphinda futhi wakhuluma kuye, wathi, Mhlawumbe kungenzeka kutholakale abangamashumi amane khona. Wayesethi, angeke ngikwenze.
(UGenesise 18:30) Wathi futhi kuye, Mhlawumbe kungenzeka kutholakale abangamashumi amathathu khona. Waye sethi, angeke ngikwenze.
(UGenesise 18:31) Waye sethi, Mhlawumbe kungenzeka kutholakale abangamashumi amabili khona. Waye sethi, angeke ngiyibhubhise.
(UGenesise 18:32) Waye sethi, Mhlawumbe kungenzeka kutholakale abayishumi khona. Waye sethi, angeke ngiyibhubhise.
Lawa amavesi ambalwa engiwakhethe eBhayibhelini. Awaphelele. Uma nifuna ukuwabona, ningazifundela wona eBhayibhelini; ukuze ngonge isikhathi, ngikhiphe ingxenye evela emiBhalweni. Lapha ngikhethe kuphela amazwi awumgogodla nemisho, ngashiya imisho eminingi engahlobene kangako nathi namuhla. Kuwo wonke la mavesi nendaba esixoxa ngayo, umgomo wethu awubandakanyi imininingwane mayelana nalezi zindaba, nokuziphatha komuntu kuzo; kunalokho, sikhuluma kuphela ngemicabango kaNkulunkulu nemibono yangaleso sikhathi. Emicabangweni nasemibonweni kaNkulunkulu, sizobona isimo sikaNkulunkulu, futhi kukho konke uNkulunkulu akwenza, sizobona uNkulunkulu Uqobo Lwakhe—futhi kulokhu sizowufeza umgomo wethu.
UNkulunkulu Unendaba Kuphela Nalabo Abakwazi Ukulalela Amazwi Akhe Nokulandela Imiyalo Yakhe
Amazwi angenhla aqukethe into ewumgogodla: izinombolo. Okokuqala, uJehova uthe uma ethola abangamashumi amahlanu abalungile emzini, khona-ke uyoyekela indawo yonke ngenxa yabo, okusho ukuthi, wayengeke awubhubhise umuzi. Ngakho ingabe babekhona abangamashumi amahlanu abalungile eSodoma? Babengekho. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, wathini u-Abrahama kuNkulunkulu? Wathi, mhlawumbe kutholakala abangamashumi amane khona? UNkulunkulu wathi, ngeke ngiwubhubhise. Ngemva kwalokho, u-Abrahama wathi, mhlawumbe kutholakala abangamashumi amathathu khona? UNkulunkulu wathi, ngeke ngikwenze. Mhlawumbe abangamashumi amabili? Ngeke ngikwenze. Abayishumi? Ngeke ngikwenze lokho. Ingabe kwakunabayishumi abalungile emzini? Babengelona ishumi—kodwa wayeyedwa. Wayengubani lona oyedwa? KwakunguLoti. Ngaleso sikhathi, wayeyedwa umuntu owayelungile eSodoma, kodwa ingabe uNkulunkulu wayeqinisa kakhulu uma kuziwa kuleli nani? Cha, kwakungenjalo! Ngakho lapho umuntu elokhu ethi, “Kuthiwani ngabangamashumi amane?” “Kuthiwani ngabangamamashumi amathathu?” kuze kube yilapho ethi khona “Kuthiwani ngabayishumi?” UNkulunkulu wathi, “Ngisho noma kunabayishumi kuphela, ngeke ngiwubhubhise umuzi; ngiyowusindisa, ngithethelele abanye abantu ngaphandle kwabayishumi.” Abayishumi babeyodabukisa ngokwanele, kodwa empeleni alibanga bikho ngisho nalelo nani labantu abalungile eSodoma. Ngakho uyabona ukuthi emehlweni kaNkulunkulu, isono nokukhohlakala kwabantu bendawo kwahamba kwaze kwafika ezingeni lokuthi uNkulunkulu kwakungasekho angakwenza ngaphandle kokubabhubhisa. Wayeqonde ukuthini uNkulunkulu lapho ethi ngeke awubhubhise umuzi uma kunabangamashumi amahlanu abalungile? La manani ayengabalulekile kuNkulunkulu. Okwakubalulekile ukuthi umuzi unabo yini abantu abalungile ayebafuna noma cha. Uma umuzi wawunomuntu oyedwa olungile, uNkulunkulu wayengeke avume ukuthi balimale lapho ebhubhisa umuzi. Lokhu kusho ukuthi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayezowubhubhisa umuzi noma cha, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwakunabalungile abangakanani kuwo, kuNkulunkulu lo muzi owonayo wawuqalekisiwe, futhi kufanele ubhujiswe, kufanele unyamalale emehlweni kaNkulunkulu, kusale abalungile. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi iminyaka ithini, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi umuntu ukusiphi isigaba sokukhula, umbono kaNkulunkulu awushintshi: Uyabuzonda ububi, unendaba nabalungile emehlweni Akhe. Lo mbono ocacile kaNkulunkulu uphinde ube isambulo sangempela sesiqu sikaNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yokuthi kwakunomuntu oyedwa emzini, uNkulunkulu akabange esanqikaza. Umphumela waba ukuthi iSodoma lalizobhujiswa. Nibonani kulokhu? Kuleyo nkathi, uNkulunkulu wayengeke awubhubhise umuzi uma kuwo kunabangamashumi amahlanu abalungile, noma kunabayishumi, okusho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayezonquma ukubathethelela noma abe nesineke ngabantu, noma enze umsebenzi Wakhe wokuqondisa, ngenxa yabambalwa ababemkhonza. UNkulunkulu ubeke okuningi ezenzweni ezilungile zomuntu, kulabo abakwazi ukumkhonza, nakulabo abakwazi ukwenza okuhle phambi Kwakhe.
UNkulunkulu Unomusa Omkhulu Kulabo Abakhathalelayo, Futhi Unenzondo Enkulu Kulabo Abazondayo
Ekulandiseni kweBhayibheli, ingabe zazikhona izinceku zikaNkulunkulu eziyishumi eSodoma? Cha, zazingekho! Ingabe kwakufanele ukuthi umuzi uchithwe uNkulunkulu? Kwakunomuntu oyedwa kuphela emzini—uLoti—wamukela izithunywa zikaNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yalokho kwakunenceku kaNkulunkulu eyodwa kuphela emzini, ngakho uNkulunkulu akukho ayengakwenza ngaphandle kokusindisa uLoti futhi abhubhise umuzi waseSodoma. Lokhu okuphakathi kuka-Abrahama noNkulunkulu kungase kubonakale kulula, kodwa kuqhakambisa into ebaluleke kakhulu: Kunemiyalo ezenzweni zikaNkulunkulu, futhi ngaphambi kokuthi enze izinqumo uzochitha isikhathi ebuka futhi ehlolisisa; singakafiki isikhathi esifanele, asikho isinqumo azosenza futhi azikho iziphetho azofinyelela kuzo. Lokhu okuphakathi kuka-Abrahama noNkulunkulu kusibonisa ukuthi isinqumo sikaNkulunkulu sokubhubhisa iSodoma kwakungekhona ukushiyeka, ngoba uNkulunkulu wayazi ukuthi umuzi wawungenabo abalungile abangamashumi amane, noma abangamashumi amathathu, noma abangamashumi amabili. Babengekho ngisho abayishumi. Okuwukuphela komuntu olungile emuzini kwakunguLoti. Konke okwenzeka eSodoma nezimo zalo kwakubonwa nguNkulunkulu, futhi kuNkulunkulu kwakuvame njengenhlanekela yesandla Sakhe. Ngakho, isinqumo Sakhe sasingeke sibe nephutha. Ngokuphambene, uma kuqhathaniswa namandla amakhulu kaNkulunkulu, umuntu undikindiki, uyisiwula futhi akanaki, akaziboni izinto ngeso elibanzi. Yilokhu esikubona phakathi kuka-Abrahama noNkulunkulu. UNkulunkulu ubelokhu ehambisa phambili isimo Sakhe kusukela ekuqaleni kuze kube namuhla. Ngakho, lapha sikhona isimo sikaNkulunkulu okufanele sisibone. Izinombolo zilula, futhi azivezi lutho, kodwa lapha sibonakala kakhulu isimo sikaNkulunkulu. UNkulunkulu wayengeke awubhubhise umuzi ngenxa yabangamashumi amahlanu abalungile. Ingabe lokhu kungenxa yomusa kaNkulunkulu? Ingabe kungenxa yothando Lwakhe nokubekezela? Ingabe nake nalubona lolu hlangothi lwesimo sikaNkulunkulu? Ngisho noma kwakunabalungile abayishumi kuphela, uNkulunkulu wayengeke awubhubhise umuzi ngenxa yabayishumi abalungile. Ingabe lokhu akukhona ukubekezela nothando lukaNkulunkulu? Ngenxa yomusa kaNkulunkulu, ukubekezela, nokukhathalela abalungile, wayengeke awubhubhise umuzi. Lokhu kwakuwukubekezela kukaNkulunkulu. Ekupheleni, imuphi umphumela esiwubonayo? Lapho u-Abrahama ethi, “Mhlawumbe kungenzeka kutholakale abayishumi khona,” uNkulunkulu wathi, “angeke ngiyibhubhise.” Ngemva kwalokho, u-Abrahama akashongo lutho—ngoba eSodoma babengekho abayishumi ayebuza ngabo, futhi kwakungekho okunye ayengakusho, futhi ngaleso sikhathi waqonda ukuthi kungani uNkulunkulu anquma ukubhubhisa iSodoma. Kulokhu, yisiphi isimo sikaNkulunkulu enisibonayo? Nhloboni yesinqumo uNkulunkulu asenza? Lokhu kusho ukuthi, uma umuzi wawungenabo abalungile abayishumi, uNkulunkulu wayengakuvumeli ukuba khona kwawo, futhi wayewubhubhisa. Ingabe lolu akulona ulaka lukaNkulunkulu? Ingabe lolu laka lumelela isimo sikaNkulunkulu? Ingabe lesi simo siyisambulo sesiqu sikaNkulunkulu esingcwele? Ingabe siyisambulo sokulunga kwesiqu sikaNkulunkulu, umuntu okungamele asithukuthelise? Eseqinisekise ukuthi abekho abayishumi abalungile eSodoma, uNkulunkulu wayezimisele ukubhubhisa umuzi, futhi wayezobajezisa kakhulu abantu abasemzini, ngoba bamelana noNkulunkulu, nokuthi babekhohlakele.
Kungani sihlaziye lezi zingxenye ngale ndlela? Kungenxa yokuthi le misho embalwa isiveza ngokugcwele isimo sikaNkulunkulu somusa omkhulu nolaka. Ngesikhathi esifanayo nokukubheka njengegugu ukulunga, ukuba nomusa kubo, ukubabekezelela, nokubanakekela, kwakunenzondo enkulu enhliziyweni kaNkulunkulu ngabo bonke abaseSodoma ababekhohlakele. Ingabe lokhu kwakungewona umusa nentukuthelo enkulu? UNkulunkulu wawubhubhisa ngayiphi indlela umuzi? Ngomlilo. Kungani awubhubhisa esebenzisa umlilo? Lapho ubona into ishiswa umlilo, noma lapho usuzoshiswa okuthile, uzizwa kanjani ngakho? Kungani ufuna ukuyishisa? Ingabe ubona ukuthi awusayidingi, ukuthi awusafuni ukuphinde uyibone? Ingabe ufuna ukuyishiya? Ukusebenzisa kukaNkulunkulu umlilo ukulaxaza, nenzondo, nokuthi wayengasafisi ukubona iSodoma. Lena into eyenza uNkulunkulu waqothula iSodoma ngomlilo. Lokhu kusetshenziswa komlilo kuveza indlela uNkulunkulu ayethukuthele ngayo. Umusa nokubekezela kukaNkulunkulu kukhona ngempela, kodwa ubungcwele nokulunga kukaNkulunkulu lapho eveza intukuthelo Yakhe kubonisa umuntu nolunye uhlangothi lukaNkulunkulu lokuthi akacasulwa. Lapho umuntu ekwazi ngokugcwele ukulalela imiyalo kaNkulunkulu futhi enze ngokuvumelana nezimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu uyoba nomusa omkhulu kubantu; lapho abantu begcwele inkohlakalo, inzondo, nobutha Ngaye, uNkulunkulu uthukuthela kakhulu. Uthukuthela kakhulu kangakanani? Ulaka Lwakhe luyoqhubeka kuze kube yilapho uNkulunkulu engasaboni abantu bemphika futhi bengasekho phambi kwamehlo Akhe. Luyophela lapho kuphela ulaka lukaNkulunkulu. Ngamanye amazwi, akunandaba ukuthi umuntu ungubani, uma izinhliziyo zabo ziqhelelene noNkulunkulu, futhi zimfulathele uNkulunkulu, zingabuyi, khona-ke akunandaba ukuthi imizamo nezifiso zalabo bantu kube yini, bafisa ukukhonza nokulandela nokulalela uNkulunkulu emzimbeni nasemicabangweni yabo, ngokushesha nje ngemva kokuthi izinhliziyo zabo zifulathele uNkulunkulu, ulaka lukaNkulunkulu luyophuma ngokushesha. Kuyoba njengokungathi lapho uNkulunkulu ekhipha ulaka Lwakhe olukhulu, enike umuntu amathuba amaningi, uma eselukhiphile iyobe ingasekho indlela yokulubuyisela emuva, futhi akasoze aba nomusa noma abekezelele umuntu onjalo. Lolu olunye uhlangothi lwesimo sikaNkulunkulu olungabubekezeleli ububi. Lapha, kubonakala kwamukeleka kubantu ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyobhubhisa umuzi, ngoba emehlweni kaNkulunkulu, umuzi ogcwele isono wawungeke uqhubeke ukhona, kwakubalulekile ukuthi ubhujiswe uNkulunkulu. Kodwa kulokho okwenzeka ngaphambi nangemva kokubhujiswa kweSodoma, sisibona ngokuphelele isimo sikaNkulunkulu. Uyabekezela futhi unobubele ezintweni ezinomusa, nezinhle; bese kuthi ezintweni ezingcolile, ezinesono, nezikhohlakele, uthukuthela kakhulu ngezinga lokuthi akabe esakwazi ukubamba ulaka Lwakhe. Lezi izimpawu eziyinhloko nezibalulekile zesimo sikaNkulunkulu, ngaphezu kwalokho, zembulwe uNkulunkulu kusukela ekuqaleni kuze kube sekugcineni: umusa omkhulu nentukuthelo enkulu. Abaningi benu lapha babone okuthile ngomusa kaNkulunkulu, kodwa bancane kakhulu kini abaphawule intukuthelo kaNkulunkulu. Umusa kaNkulunkulu nothando Lwakhe kungabonakala kuwo wonke umuntu; okusho ukuthi, uNkulunkulu ubelokhu ebonisa wonke umuntu umusa omkhulu. Kodwa akuvamile—noma kungathiwa akukaze kwenzeke—ukuthi uNkulunkulu athukuthelele kakhulu abantu abathile noma ingxenye yabantu kini namuhla. Khululekani! Kungekudala, ulaka lukaNkulunkulu luzobonakala kuwo wonke umuntu, kodwa manje akukabi isikhathi. Kungani kunjalo? Ngenxa yokuthi lapho uNkulunkulu eqhubeka ethukuthelele othile, okusho ukuthi lapho eveza intukuthelo Yakhe kubo, lokho kusho ukuthi kusuke sekuyisikhathi angamthandi futhi amchitha ngaso lowo muntu, akakuthandi ukuba khona kwabo futhi ngeke akubekezelele; ngokushesha nje ngemva kokuveza intukuthelo Yakhe kubo, bayoshabalala. Namuhla, umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu awukafinyeleli lapho. Akekho kini oyokwazi ukumelana nolaka lukaNkulunkulu. Niyabona ukuthi manje, uNkulunkulu nonke unibonisa umusa omkhulu, futhi ima nisazobona intukuthelo Yakhe. Uma kunalabo abangakaqiniseki, ningacela ukuba intukuthelo kaNkulunkulu yehlele kini, ukuze nibone ukuthi uNkulunkulu unayo noma cha intukuthelo, futhi nibone ukuthi sikhona isimo Sakhe esingenakucasulwa. Ningalokotha?
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