Kubantu, uNkulunkulu mkhulu kakhulu, unokuningi kakhulu, umangalisa kakhulu, akaqondakali kakhulu; emehlweni abo, amazwi kaNkulunkulu aphakeme kakhulu, futhi avela njengomsebenzi wobuciko womhlaba omkhulu. Kodwa, ngenxa yokuthi abantu banokwehluleka okuningi, nemiqondo yabo ayihlakaniphile kakhulu, futhi, ngaphezu kwalokho, ngenxa yokuthi amandla abo okwamukela mancane kakhulu, noma ngabe uNkulunkulu ukhuluma ngokucace kangakanani, balokhu behleli nje benganyakazi, sengathi bagula ngengqondo. Lapho belambile, abaqondi ukuthi kufanele badle, lapho bomile, abaqondi ukuthi kufanele baphuze; balokhu bememeza beklabalasa, sengathi kunobunzima obungachazeki ekujuleni kwemimoya yabo, kodwa abakwazi ukukhuluma ngabo. Ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu edala isintu, inhloso yakhe kwakuwukuthi umuntu aphile ubuntu obejwayelekile futhi amukele amazwi kaNkulunkulu ngokuhambisana nomuzwa wakhe wemvelo. Kodwa ngoba, khona ekuqaleni impela, umuntu wanqotshwa wukulingwa uSathane, namuhla usalokhu engenakwazi ukubona amasu anenkohliso asetshenziswe nguSathane eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane, phezu kwalokho akanawo amandla okwazi ngokugcwele amazwi kaNkulunkulu—konke lokhu sekuholele esimweni samanje. Ngokwendlela izinto eziyiyo namuhla, abantu basaphila engozini yokulingwa uSathane, ngalokho bahlala bengenakho ukuwazisa okumsulwa amazwi kaNkulunkulu. Ezimweni zabantu abejwayelekile abukho ubugwegwe noma inkohliso, abantu banobudlelwano obejwayelakile nabanye, abazimeli bodwa, nezimpilo zabo azihambeli phansi noma zihlehlele emuva. Kanjalo futhi, uNkulunkulu uyaphakanyiswa phezu kwabo bonke, amazwi Akhe asabalala angene kubantu, abantu bahlala ngokuthula nabanye, futhi, ngaphansi kwesandla nokuvikelwa nguNkulunkulu, umhlaba ugcwaliswa ukuzwana, ngaphandle kokugxambukela kukaSathane, nenkazimulo kaNkulunkulu inokubaluleka okukhulu phakathi kwabantu. Abantu abanje bafana nezingelosi: bamsulwa, bayaphila, abakhonondi neze ngoNkulunkulu, banikela wonke amandla abo kuphela enkazimulweni kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni. Manje sekuyisikhathi sobusuku obumnyama, bonke bayaphuthaza bayacinga, ubusuku obumnyama bhuqe benza kushwaqe izinwele emakhanda abo futhi abakwazi ukwenza okunye ngaphandle kokuqhaqhazela; uma belalelisisa, ukuvunguza kwegagasi negagasi lomoya wasenyakatho-ntshonalanga kuba sengathi kuphelezelwa ukukhala nokulila komuntu. Abantu balusizi futhi bakhalela isiphetho sabo. Kungani befunda amazwi kaNkulunkulu kodwa bangakwazi ukuwaqonda? Kusengathi izimpilo zabo zisonqenqemeni lokuphela kwethemba, sengathi ukufa sekuzobehlela maduze, sengathi usuku lwabo lokugcina seluphambi kwamehlo abo. Lezi zimo ezinosizi zingomzuzu kanye lapho izingelosi ezingamachoboka zimemeza uNkulunkulu, zixoxa ngobunzima bazo ngokukhala okunosizi ngokulandelana kwako. Kungalesi sizathu izingelosi ezisebenza phakathi kwamadodana nabantu bakaNkulunkulu zingeke ziphinde zehlele phezu kwabantu; lokhu kungukubalekela ukuthi zizithole sezibambeke ekusetshenzisweni nguSathane ngenkathi zisenyameni, zingakwazi ukuzikhipha, ngakho zisebenza kuphela emhlabeni womoya ongabonakali kumuntu. Ngalokho, uma uNkulunkulu ethi “lapho ngenyukela esihlalweni sobukhosi enhliziyweni yomuntu kuyoba mhla amadodana nabantu Bami bebusa emhlabeni,” uqondise lapho izingelosi emhlabeni zithokozela isibusiso sokukhonza uNkulunkulu ezulwini. Ngoba umuntu ungukuvezwa kwemimoya yezingelosi, uNkulunkulu usho lokhu kumuntu, ukuba semhlabeni kuyafana nokuba sezulwini, ukukhonza kwakhe uNkulunkulu emhlabeni kufana nokukhonza kwezingelosi uNkulunkulu ezulwini ngokuqondile—kanjalo futhi, ezinsukwini zakhe emhlabeni, umuntu uthokozela izibusiso zezulu lesithathu. Yilokhu empeleni okushiwo kula mazwi.

Kunomqondo omningi kakhulu ofihlwe emazwini kaNkulunkulu. Amazwi athi “uma usuku selufikile, abantu bayongazi ekujuleni kwezinhliziyo zabo, futhi bayohlala bengikhumbula njalo emicabangweni yabo” aqondiswe emoyeni womuntu. Ngenxa yobuthaka bezingelosi, zihlala zincike kuNkulunkulu kuzo zonke izinto, futhi bezilokhu zixhumene noNkulunkulu futhi zimthanda kakhulu uNkulunkulu. Kodwa ngenxa yokuphazanyiswa uSathane, azikwazi ukuzisiza, azikwazi ukuzilawula, zifisa ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kodwa azinamandla okumthanda ngazo zonke izinhliziyo zazo, ngakho zizwa ubuhlungu. Kungesikhathi umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu ufika eqophelweni elithile lapho izifiso zalezi zingelosi zokuthanda uNkulunkulu ngokweqiniso zifezeka khona, okungakho uNkulunkulu akhuluma lawo mazwi. Imvelo yezingelosi ingukuthanda, ukwazisa, ukulalela uNkulunkulu, kodwa bezingenamandla okufeza lokhu emhlabeni, bezingenakho abezingakwenza ngaphandle kokubekezela kuze kube yisikhathi samanje. Ningabuka umhlaba namuhla: Kukhona uNkulunkulu ezinhliziyweni zabo bonke abantu, kodwa abantu abakwazi ukusho ukuthi uNkulunkulu osezinhliziyweni zabo unguNkulunkulu weqiniso noma unkulunkulu wamanga, futhi noma bemthanda lo Nkulunkulu wabo, abakwazi ukumthanda ngokweqiniso uNkulunkulu, okusho ukuthi abakwazi ukuzilawula. Ubuso obubi bomuntu obembulwe nguNkulunkulu bungubuso obuyiqiniso bukaSathane endaweni yomoya. Umuntu wayeqale emsulwa, engenasono, kanjalo-ke konke ukonakala, nokuziphatha okubi komuntu kuyizenzo zikaSathane endaweni yomoya, futhi kungumlando oyiqiniso wokwenzeka endaweni yomoya. “Namhlanje, abantu sebenolwazi, sebecabanga ukuthi bangahamba bachanase phambi Kwami, bese behleka bencokola Nami ngaphandle kokuncane ukuzithiba, bese bekhuluma Nami sengathi ngilingana nabo. Namanje umuntu akakangazi, usakholelwa wukuthi ngobunjalo sicishe sifane, ukuthi siyinyama negazi futhi sobabili sihlala emhlabeni wabantu.” Yilokhu uSathane asekwenzile enhliziyweni yomuntu. USathane usebenzisa imicabango namehlo enyama abantu ukuphikisa uNkulunkulu, kodwa ngaphandle kokunanaza uNkulunkulu utshela umuntu ngalezi zehlakalo ukuze umuntu agweme inhlekelele lapha. Ubuthakathaka obubulalayo babo bonke abantu busekuthini babona kuphela “umzimba wegazi nenyama futhi abawunakile uMoya kaNkulunkulu.” Yilesi isisekelo sengxenye eyodwa yokuheha kukaSathane umuntu. Abantu bakholwa ukuthi nguMoya okule nyama kuphela ongabizwa ngokuthi nguNkulunkulu. Akekho okholwa ukuthi namuhla, uMoya usube yinyama wavela ngempela phambi kwamehlo abo; abantu babona uNkulunkulu njengezingxenye ezimbili—“ingubo nenyama”—akekho obuka uNkulunkulu njengokuba senyameni koMoya, akekho obona ukuthi ingqikithi yenyama iyisimo sikaNkulunkulu. Emicabangweni yabantu, uNkulunkulu ujwayeleke ngokukhethekile, kodwa bayazi yini ukuthi kulokhu kujwayeleka kucashe ingxenye eyodwa yokubaluleka okujulile kukaNkulunkulu?

Ngenkathi uNkulunkulu eqala ukumboza wonke umhlaba, kwaba mnyama bhuqe, kwathi ngenkathi abantu belele, uNkulunkulu wathatha leli thuba ukwehlela phakathi kwabantu, waqala ngokusemthethweni ukukhiphela uMoya kuwo wonke amagumbi omhlaba, eqala umsebenzi wokusindisa isintu. Kungashiwo ukuthi ngenkathi uNkulunkulu eqala ukuthatha isimo senyama, uNkulunkulu wasebenza mathupha emhlabeni. Kwase kuqala umsebenzi woMoya, kwaphinde kwaqala ngokomthetho wonke umsebenzi emhlabeni. Eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ezimbili, uMoya kaNkulunkulu ususebenze kuwo wonke umhlaba. Abantu abakwazi futhi abakuzwa lokhu, kodwa ezinsukwini zokugcina, ngesikhathi le nkathi isizophela, uNkulunkulu usehlele emhlabeni ukuzosebenza mathupha. Lokhu kuyisibusiso salabo abazalwa ngezinsuku zokugcina, abakwaziyo ukuzibonela umfanekiso kaNkulunkulu ophila enyameni. “Ngenkathi ubuso bonke bokujula budungekile, phakathi kwabantu, ngaqala ukunambitha ukubaba komhlaba. Umoya Wami uhamba emhlabeni wonke ubheka izinhliziyo zabo bonke abantu, nokho nalapho, ngiyakwazi ukunqoba isintu ngisenyameni Yami.” Kunje ukusebenzisana ngokuzwana phakathi kukaNkulunkulu osezulwini noNkulunkulu osemhlabeni. Ekugcineni, emicabangweni yabo, abantu bazokholwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu osemhlabeni unguNkulunkulu osezulwini, ukuthi amazulu nomhlaba nakho konke okukukho kwadalwa nguNkulunkulu osemhlabeni, ukuthi umuntu ulawulwa nguNkulunkuku osemhlabeni, ukuthi uNkulunkulu osemhlabeni wenza umsebenzi ezulwini nasemhlabeni, nokuthi uNkulunkulu osezulwini usevelile esenyameni. Lokhu kuyinhloso nqangi kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni, ngakho, lesi sigaba siyiqophelo eliphezulu kakhulu lomsebenzi esikhathini senyama, futhi wenziwa ebunkulunkulwini, bese senza bonke abantu ukuthi bakholwe ngokweqiniso. Lapho abantu bethungatha ngokwengeziwe uNkulunkulu emicabangweni yabo, bakuzwa ngokwengeziwe ukuthi uNkulunkulu osemhlabeni akayena owangempela. Ngalokho, uNkulunkulu uthi abantu bafuna uNkulunkulu phakathi kwamazwi angenalutho nasezimfundisweni. Lapho abantu bazi ngokwengeziwe uNkulunkulu emicabangweni yabo, bakhula ngokwengeziwe ekhonweni lokukhuluma la mazwi nezimfundiso, futhi bathandeke ngokwengeziwe; lapho abantu bekhuluma ngokwengeziwe amazwi nezimfundiso, baya ngokuya beqhela kuNkulunkulu, bese kwanda ukungabi namandla okwazi ingqikithi yomuntu, futhi uma bekhula ekungalalelini uNkulunkulu, baya ngokuya beqhela kokufunwa nguNkulunkulu. Okufunwa nguNkulunkulu kumuntu akukho ngaphezulu kwemvelo njengoba abantu becabanga, kodwa akekho oseke wayiqonda ngempela intando kaNkulunkulu, kungakho uNkulunkulu ethi, “abantu abaningi bangifuna kuphela esibhakabhakeni esingenamkhawulo, noma olwandle olugubhayo noma echibini elithule, noma phakathi kwezincwadi ezingenalutho nezimfundiso.” Lapho izimfuneko uNkulunkulu ezenza kumuntu zanda, umuntu uzwa ngokwengeziwe ukuthi uNkulunkulu akafinyeleleki, bese ekholelwa ngokwengeziwe ekutheni uNkulunkulu mkhulu. Ngale ndlela, emiqondweni yabo, onke amazwi akhulunywa umlomo kaNkulunkulu awatholwa ngumuntu, okushiya uNkulunkulu engenakwenza okunye ngaphandle kokuzenzela mathupha; umuntu, ngaleso sikhathi, akanaso nesincane isifiso sokusebenzisana noNkulunkulu, bese eqhubeka nje nokugebisa ikhanda lakhe avume izono zakhe, ezama ukuthoba nokulalela. Kanjalo-ke, ngaphandle kokubona, abantu bangena enkolweni entsha, emkhosini wenkolo oqhele kakhulu kunasemabandleni enkolo. Lokhu kudinga ukuthi abantu babuyele ezimweni ezejwayelekile ngokuguqula isimo sabo esibi sibe yisimo esihle; uma kungenjalo, umuntu uyohlala ebambeke ngokujulile njalo nje.

Kungani uNkulunkulu egxila ekuchazeni kaningi izintaba namanzi emazwini Akhe? Ingabe kukhona umqondo ocashile kula mazwi? UNkulunkulu akagcini ngokuvumela umuntu ukuthi abone izenzo Zakhe enyameni Yakhe, kodwa futhi uvumela umuntu ukuba aqonde amandla Akhe emkhathini. Ngale ndlela, ngesikhathi esifanayo nokukholwa ngaphandle kokungabaza ukuthi lona nguNkulunkulu osenyameni, abantu babuye bazi izenzo zikaNkulunkulu ongokoqobo, ngale ndlela uNkulunkulu osemhlabeni uthunyelwa ezulwini, bese kuthi uNkulunkulu osezulwini athunyelwe phansi emhlabeni, emva kokuba abantu sebekwazi ngokugcwele ukubona konke uNkulunkulu ayikho nokuthola ulwazi oluthe xaxa lokuba namandla onke kukaNkulunkulu. Ukwanda kokuphumelela kukaNkulunkulu ukunqoba isintu esenyameni bese ephuma enyameni ukuze ahambe ngaphezulu nakuwo wonke umhlaba, lapho abantu bebona ngokwengeziwe izenzo zikaNkulunkulu phezu kwesisekelo sokubona uNkulunkulu ongokoqobo, ngalokho bazi ubuqiniso bomsebenzi kaNkulunkulu kuwo wonke umhlaba, ongewona owokukhohlisa kodwa owangempela, khona-ke bazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu ongokoqobo wanamuhla uyisimo somzimba woMoya, kodwa hhayi uhlobo lomzimba oyinyama ofana nowomuntu. Ngalokhu uNkulunkulu uthi, “Kepha uma ngiqala ngidedela ulaka Lwami, izintaba ziqhekeka ngokushesha, umhlaba uyazamaza ngokushesha, amanzi oma nke ngokushesha, bese umuntu ngokushesha ehlelwe yizinhlekelele.” Lapho abantu befunda amazwi kaNkulunkulu, bawasondelanisa nenyama kaNkulunkulu, futhi ngalokho, umsebenzi namazwi endaweni yomoya kukhomba ngqo kuNkulunkulu osenyameni, okuwukhulisayo umsebenzi wawo. Lapho uNkulunkulu ekhuluma kuvame ukusuka ezulwini kuya emhlabeni, bese kuphinda kusuka emhlabeni kuya ezulwini, kushiya bonke abantu bengakwazi ukuqonda isisusa nomsuka wamazwi kaNkulunkulu. “Uma ngiphakathi kwamazulu, akukaze kwenzeke ukuthi izinkanyezi zitatazeliswe wubukhona Bami. Kunalokho, zibeka izinhliziyo zazo ekusebenzeleni Mina.” Sinjalo-ke isimo ezulwini. UNkulunkulu uhlela konke ngendlela ezulwini lesithathu, nazo zonke izisebenzi enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu zenzela uNkulunkulu umsebenzi wazo. Azikaze zenze lutho ngokungalaleli uNkulunkulu, ngakho azingenwa yingebhe uNkulunkulu akhuluma ngayo, kodwa, esikhundleni salokho zifaka izinhliziyo zazo emsebenzini wazo, akukho noma yikuphi ukuphazamiseka, ngakho zonke izingelosi ziphila ekukhanyeni kukaNkulunkulu. Ngaso leso sikhathi, ngenxa yokungalaleli kwabo, nangenxa yokuthi abamazi uNkulunkulu, abantu emhlabeni bonke baphila ebumnyameni, futhi lapho bephikisa uNkulunkulu ngokwengeziwe, baphila ngokwengeziwe ebumnyameni. Uma uNkulunkulu ethi, “Uma amazulu ekhanya kakhulu, lokho kusho ukuthi umhlaba ongaphansi kwawo uya ngokuya uba mnyama kakhulu,” uqondise endleleni usuku lukaNkulunkulu olusondela ngayo kuso sonke isintu. Kanjalo-ke, umsebenzi wokuba matasa kukaNkulunkulu kweminyaka engama-6000 ezulwini lesithathu usuzofezwa masinyane. Zonke izinto emhlabeni sezingene esahlukweni sokugcina, futhi sezizonqunywa esandleni sikaNkulunkulu. Ukuqhubekela phambili kwabantu bengena esikhathini sezinsuku zokugcina kusho ukuthi baya ngokuya bekwazi ukunambitha ukonakala emhlabeni womuntu; ukungena kakhudlwana esikhathini sezinsuku zokugcina kusho ukwazi kwabo ukududa inyama yabo; kukhona nabaningi abafisa ukuphendula isimo esilusizi somhlaba, kodwa balahlekelwa yithemba phakathi kokudonsa umoya kokukhathazeka ngenxa yezenzo zikaNkulunkulu. Kanjalo, uma abantu bezwa ukufudumala kwentwasahlobo, uNkulunkulu wemboza amehlo abo, bese bentanta emagagasini agubhayo, kungekho noyedwa kubona okwazi ukufinyelela esikebheni sokuphepha esikude. Ngenxa yokuthi abantu banobuthakathaka bokuzalwa, uNkulunkulu uthi akekho kubona ongaguqula izinto. Lapho abantu belahlekelwa yithemba, uNkulunkulu uqala ukukhuluma nomhlaba wonke, uqala asindise isintu, bese kuba semuva kwalokhu lapho abantu bejabulela impilo entsha efika uma izinto seziguquliwe. Abantu banamuhla basesigabeni sokuzikhohlisa. Ngenxa yokuthi umgwaqo ophambi kwabo awunabahambi futhi awucacile, nekusasa “alinamkhawulo” futhi “alinamngcele,” abantu bale nkathi abanasifiso sokulwa, futhi bangachitha izinsuku zabo njengenyoni iHanhao.^[a] Akekho oseke walandela impilo ngokuzimisela, walandela ulwazi lokuphila komuntu; esikhundleni salokho balinde usuku lapho uMsindisi osezulwini uyokwehla ngokuphazima kweso ezoguqula isimo somhlaba esilusizi, okuyoba semuva kwakho lapho beyozimisela khona emizamweni yabo yokuphila. Sinjalo-ke isimo esiyiqiniso saso sonke isintu nesomqondo wabo bonke abantu.

Namuhla, uNkulunkulu ubikezela ngempilo yomuntu yakusasa entsha ngokwesimo somqondo wakhe ngalesi sikhathi, okuwukulokoza kokukhanya uNkulunkulu akhuluma ngakho. Okubikezelwa uNkulunkulu yilokho okuyogcina kufezwe nguNkulunkulu, futhi kuyizithelo zokunqoba kukaNkulunkulu uSathane. “Ngihamba ngaphezu kwabo bonke abantu kanti ngibuka yonke indawo. Akukho nakunye okubukeka kukudala, kanti akekho umuntu osenjengalokhu ayeyikho. Ngiphumula esihlalweni sobukhosi, ngincika phezu komhlaba wonkana….” Lokhu kungumphumela womsebenzi wamanje kaNkulunkulu. Bonke abantu abakhethwe uNkulunkulu babuyela esimweni sabo sasekuqaleni, ngenxa yaso izingelosi, esezihlupheke iminyaka engaka ziyakhululwa, njengoba uNkulunkulu ethi, “sinobuso obufana nobalowo ongcwele osenhliziyweni yomuntu,” Ngoba izingelosi zisebenza emhlabeni futhi zikhonza uNkulunkulu emhlabeni, izulu lilethwa emhlabeni, nomhlaba uphakanyiselwa ezulwini. Ngakho, umuntu uyisixhumanisi esixhumanisa izulu nomhlaba; izulu nomhlaba akusaqhelelene, akusahlukanisiwe, kodwa kuxhunyanisiwe kwaba kunye. Emhlabeni wonke, nguNkulunkulu nomuntu kuphela abakhona. Akukho luthuli nakungcola, futhi zonke izinto zenziwa zibe zintsha, njengezinyane elincane lilele otshanini obuluhlaza ngaphansi kwesibhakabhaka, lithokozela wonke umusa kaNkulunkulu. Futhi kungenxa yokufika kohlaza lapho umphefumulo wempilo ukhanya khona, ngoba uNkulunkulu uza emhlabeni ukuzohlala nomuntu kuze kube phakade, njengoba kwashiwo ngomlomo kaNkulunkulu ukuthi “ngingahlala ngokuthula ngaphakathi eSiyoni futhi.” Lokhu kuwuphawu lokwehlulwa kukaSathane, wusuku lokuphumula kukaNkulunkulu, futhi lolu suku luyophakanyiswa lumenyezelwe yibo bonke abantu, luphinde lukhunjulwe yibo bonke abantu. Lapho uNkulunkulu ephumule esihlalweni sobukhosi yisikhathi futhi uNkulunkulu aqeda ngaso umsebenzi Wakhe emhlabeni, futhi yiwona kanye umzuzu lapho zonke izimfihlakalo zikaNkulunkulu zivezwa khona kubantu; uNkulunkulu nomuntu bayohlala benokuzwana njalo, bengaqhelelene—lezi yizigcawu ezinhle zombuso!

Ezimfihlakalweni kufihlwe izimfihlakalo, futhi amazwi kaNkulunkulu ajule ngempela futhi awaqondakali.

Imibhalo yaphansi:

a. indaba yenyoni iHanhao iyefana nenganekwane ka-Aesop yentuthwane nentethe. Inyoni iHanhao ikhetha ukulala kunokwakha isidleke ngenkathi isimo sezulu sisafudumele – phezu kwezexwayiso eziningi zikamakhelwane wayo, igwababa. Lapho kufika ubusika, inyoni iyagodola ize ife.