Abanye abantu banakho ukukhanyiseleka okuncane ngamazwi kaNkulunkulu, akekho kubo owethemba imizwa yakhe; besaba kanzulu ukuwela ekubeni nombono ophambene. Ngalokho, bebehlala beguquguquka phakathi kwenjabulo nosizi. Kuyemukeleka ukusho ukuthi izimpilo zabantu bonke zigcwele ukulila; ukuqhubela lokhu phambili, kukhona ukuhlanzwa ezimpilweni zansuku zonke zabo bonke abantu, nakuba kunjalo ngingasho ukuthi akukho noyedwa okuzuzayo ukukhululwa komoya usuku nosuku, futhi kungathi kunezintaba ezintathu ezinkulu ezicindezela amakhanda abo. Akukho noyedwa onenjabulo empilweni nojabulile sonke isikhathi—futhi ngisho lapho bejabule kancane, bazame ukubukeka bebahle. Ezinhliziyweni zabo, abantu babona sengathi kunento engaqedelwanga. Ngalokho, abaqinile ezinhliziyweni zabo; empilweni, izinto zizwakala zingenalutho futhi zingamukeleki, uma kuyiwa ekukholweni nguNkulunkulu, bamatasatasa futhi abanasikhathi, kungenjalo abanaso isikhathi sokudla nokuphuza amazwi kaNkulunkulu noma abayazi indlela yokudla nokuphuza amazwi kaNkulunkulu ngokufanele. Akekho onokuthula, nocacelwayo, noqinile enhliziyweni. Kungathi njalo bahlala phansi kwesibhakabhaka esembozwe ngamafu, kungathi bahlala endaweni engenawo umoya wokuphila, futhi lokhu sekuholele empilweni enokudideka. UNkulunkulu ukhuluma njalo aqondise ebuntekentekeni babantu, Ubashaya endaweni ababuthaka kuyo—anikaze yini nilibone ngokucacile iphimbo akhulume ngalo ngezikhathi zonke? UNkulunkulu akakaze abanike abantu ithuba lokuphenduka ezonweni zabo, futhi wenza bonke abantu bahlale “enyangeni” engenawo umoya wokuphila. Kusukela ekuqaleni kuze kube namuhla, ngaphandle, amazwi kaNkulunkulu embule imvelo yomuntu, nokho akekho oyibonile ngokucacile ingqikithi yala mazwi. Kubukeka sengathi ukwambula ingqikithi yomuntu, kuyabenza abantu ukuba bazazi bona uqobo bese ngalokho bemazi uNkulunkulu, nokho akuyona indlela eyingqikithi lena. Iphimbo kanye nokujula kakhulu kwamazwi kaNkulunkulu kuveza umahluko phakathi kukaNkulunkulu nomuntu. Emizweni yabo, lokhu kwenza abantu ukuthi bakholwe bengaqwashile ukuthi akufinyeleleki futhi akusondelwa kuNkulunkulu; uNkulunkulu ukubeka konke obala, futhi kubukeka kungathi akukho noyedwa okwazi ukubuyisela ubuhlobo phakathi kukaNkulunkulu nomuntu bube njengoba babunjalo ekuqaleni. Akulukhuni ukubona ukuthi injongo yakho konke okushiwo nguNkulunkulu ngukusebenzisa amazwi “ukuwisa” bonke abantu, ukuze kuphumelele umsebenzi Wakhe. Lezi yizinyathelo zomsebenzi kaNkulunkulu. Nokho lokhu akukhona abakholwa yikho ezingqondweni zabo abantu. Bona bakholwa ngukuthi umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu sewusondela ovuthondabeni, usondela emphumeleni obonakala ngokusobala wokunqoba udrako omkhulu obomvu, okungukuthi, ukwenza amabandla akhule, kube kungekho noyedwa onemicabango ngoNkulunkulu osesimweni somuntu, kungenjalo bonke abantu babe bemazi uNkulunkulu. Nokho make sifunde okushiwo nguNkulunkulu: “Emiqondweni yabantu, uNkulunkulu unguNkulunkulu, akulula ukuphinda baxhumane Naye, kanti umuntu ngumuntu … ngaleso sizathu futhi, bazithoba njalo benesineke phambi Kwami; bengakwazi ukusebenzisana Nami, ngokuthi baneziqalo eziningi.” Ukusukela kulokhu kuyabonakala ukuthi, ngaphandle kokuthi uNkulunkulu uthini nokuthi umuntu wenzani, abantu abamazi nhlobo uNkulunkulu; ngenxa yeqhaza lengqikithi yabo, noma ngabe kunani, ekugcineni, abanakumazi uNkulunkulu. Ngakho, umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu uyophethwa lapho abantu bezibona bengamadodana esihogo. Asikho isidingo sokuthi uNkulunkulu ulaka Lwakhe kubantu, noma abalahle ngecala ngokuqondile, noma ukuba abagwebe ngokubabulala ekugcineni ukuze aphethe konke ukuphatha Kwakhe. Umane akhulume ngokunganaki ngesivinini Sakhe, kube sengathi kwenzeke ngengozi ukupheleliswa komsebenzi Wakhe, kube santo eyenziwe ngempumelelo ngesikhathi Sakhe sokungenzi lutho nangaphandle kokujuluka. Uma kuvelelwa ngaphandle, kubukeka kuphuthuma okomsebenzi kaNkulunkulu—kepha uNkulunkulu akakenzi lutho, akenzi lutho ngaphandle kokukhuluma. Umsebenzi okhona phakathi kwamabandla awulingani nowasesikhathini esedlule: uNkulunkulu akanezeli abantu, noma abaxoshe, noma ababeke obala—umsebenzi onjalo mncane ngokwedlulele. Kubukeka sengathi uNkulunkulu akanawo umqondo wokwenza umsebenzi onjalo. Umane asho okuncane kulokho okudingeka akusho, emva kwalokho aphenduke anyamalale angabe esatholakala—ngokwemvelo, okuyisigcawu sokupheleliswa kwamazwi Akhe. Uma kufika lesi sikhathi, bonke abantu bazophaphama ebuthongweni. Umuntu ulale izinkulungwane zeminyaka, ubelele ubuthongo obujule ngokwedlulele sonke isikhathi. Eminyakeni eminingi, abantu bebephuthuma lapha nalaphaya emaphusheni, futhi baze bakhale emaphushen abo, bengakwazi ukukhuluma ngokungabikho kobulungiswa ezinhliziyweni zabo. Ngalokho, “bezwe usizi oluncane ezinhliziyweni zabo”—kodwa ngenkathi bevuka, bazothola amaqiniso empela, bamemeze bathi: “Kanti yilokhu okwenzekayo!” Ngalokho kuyashiwo ukuthi “Namuhla, iningi labantu lisalele ubuthongo obujulile. Kuphela uma sekukhala iculo lombuso kuyoba yilapho bevula khona amehlo anobuthongo bezwe nosizi okuncane ezinhliziyweni zabo.”

Awukho umoya womuntu oke wakhululwa, akukaze kwenzeke ukuthi kube nomoya womuntu ongakhathazeki nojabule. Lapho umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu uphelile, imimoya yabantu izokhululwa, ngokuba ngamunye uzobe uhlukaniswe ngokohlobo lwawo, ngakho bonke bazoqina ezinhliziyweni zabo. Kusengathi abantu basohambeni olukude nezinhliziyo zabo ziyaqina uma bebuyela ekhaya. Ngokufika kwabo ekhaya, abantu ngeke besezwa ukuthi umhlaba kawunalutho futhi awubaphathi kahle, kodwa bazohlala benokuthula emakhaya abo. Ziyakuba njalo izimo kuso sonke isintu. Ngalokhu uNkulunkulu uthi abantu “abakaze bakwazi ukuzikhulula ekuboshweni nguSathane.” Akekho noyedwa okwazi ukuzihlangula kulesi simo ngenkathi esenyameni. Okwamanje, masibeke eceleni okushiwo nguNkulunkulu ngezinhlobonhlobo zezimo zangempela zomuntu, sikhulume kuphela ngezimfihlakalo uNkulunkulu asazoziveza kumuntu. “Ezikhathini ezingebalwe abantu bangibuke ngamehlo anombhinqo, kwasengathi umzimba Wami wembozwe ngameva futhi awuthandeki kubo, ngakho abantu bayangenyanya, futhi bakholwa ukuthi kanginakho ukubaluleka.” Ngokuphambene, ngokwengqikithi, ubunjalo bomuntu buyavezwa emazwini kaNkulunkulu: uvela embozwe yizinungu, akukho lutho olujabulisayo ngaye, ngakho inzondo kaNkulunkulu yomuntu iyakhula, ngokuba umuntu akalutho kuphela uyinhloli eyembozwe ngameva ongenalutho olujabulisayo ngaye. Ngamagama angajulile, la mazwi abonakala echaza imibono yomuntu ngoNkulunkulu—kodwa empeleni, kuvela kuNkulunkulu isithombe somuntu “emfanekisweni” wakhe. La mazwi ayindlela kaNkulunkulu yokwehlukanisa umuntu, kube sengathi uNkulunkulu uzothela isivikelo somfanekiso womuntu; ngakho, umfanekiso womuntu ugqamile emkhathini wonke, umangaza ngisho nabo abantu. Kusukela ngenkathi uNkulunkulu eqala ukukhuluma, ubebeka amabutho Akhe elungisela impi enkulu Yakhe nomuntu. Ufana nosolwazi wezibalo eyunivesithi ethulela umuntu amaqiniso, nalokho okufakazelwa amaqiniso awabalayo—ubufakazi kanye nobufakazi obuphikisayo—kuyabenza bonke abantu bakholwe ngokugcwele. Lena yinjongo yamazwi kaNkulunkulu, futhi kungenxa yalokhu ukuba uNkulunkulu ephonsa la mazwi axakayo kumuntu: “Nginguye, sekukonke, ongenakubaluleka enhliziyweni yomuntu, Ngiyimpahla engabalulekile ekhaya.” Emva kokufunda la mazwi, abantu abakwazi kwenza lutho ngaphandle kokusho umkhuleko ezinhliziyweni zabo, bese bekuqonda ukukweleta kwabo uNkulunkulu, okwenza bazilahle bona ngecala, okwenza bakholwe ukuthi umuntu kumele afe, futhi akanakho nokuncane ukuba nokubaluleka. UNkulunkulu uthi, “kungenxa yalokhu ukuthi ngizithola ngikulesi simo engikuso namhlanje,” okungukuthi, lapho kuxhumana nezimo zempela zanamuhla, kwenza abantu bazilahle. Akulona na iqiniso leli? Uma bewenziwe ukuthi uzazi wena, ngabe amazwi afana nalawa athi “Ngimelwe ngempela ukufa!” angaphuma emlonyeni wakho? Zinjalo izimo zangempela zomuntu, futhi akufanele lokhu kulokhu kucatshangwa kakhulu—yisibonelo nje esishaya emhlolweni.

Ngomqondo owodwa, uma uNkulunkulu ecela uxolo nokubekezela kumuntu, abantu babona ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyahlekisa ngabo, ngakolunye uhlangothi, bayakubona ukuba ngamahlubuka kwabo—balindele ukubona uNkulunkulu ezikhandla kakhulu ngenxa yomuntu. Ngaphandle kwalokho, uma ekhuluma ngemiqondo yabantu, uNkulunkulu uthi akayena uchwepheshe ngobuhlakani bokuphila komuntu noma ulimi lomuntu. Ngalokho, kolunye uhlangothi lokhu kwenza abantu baqhathanise uNkulunkulu ongokoqobo nala mazwi, ngakolunye, bayayibona inhloso kaNkulunkulu emazwini Akhe—uNkulunkulu uyababhuqa, ngokuba bayakuqonda ukuthi uNkulunkulu wembula ubuso bomuntu bangempela, akukhona futhi ukuthi utshela abantu ngezimo zangempela zikaNkulunkulu. Umqondo wemvelo wamazwi uxutshwe nombhinqo, ukuhlekisa, insini, kanye nenzondo kumuntu. Kungathi, kukho konke akwenzayo, umuntu wephula umthetho uyagwazelwa; abantu bayizifebe, kodwa uma uNkulunkulu evula umlomo Wakhe ukuba akhulume, bayaqhaqhazela ngenxa yokwesaba, ngokunzulu besaba ukuthi lizodalulwa ngokuphelele iqiniso ngabo, libashiye benamahloni ngokwedlulele ukuthi bangabhekana nanoma ngubani. Kodwa amaqiniso ngamaqiniso. UNkulunkulu akayeki ukukhuluma ngenxa “yokuphenduka” komuntu; lapho abantu behlazeka futhi bephoxeka ngokwengeziwe ngaphezu kokungashiwo ngamazwi, uNkulunkulu ububuka ngeso elivuthayo ngokwengeziwe ubuso babo. Amazwi aphuma emlonyeni Wakhe abuveza obala bonke ububi bezenzo zomuntu—yilokhu kuphela okuwukuba ngubulungiswa nokungathathi uhlangothi, lokhu kubizwa ngeQingtian,^[a] lokhu okungukwahlulela okuvela yinkantolo ephakeme yabantu. Ngakho, uma abantu befunda amazwi kaNkulunkulu, bashaywa yisifo senhliziyo masinya, kukhuphuke umfutho wegazi, kube sengathi baphethwe yisifo senhliziyo esibi, kungathi ukopha ebuchosheni sekusondele ukuthumela emuva epharadesi lasentshonalanga ukuyohlangana nokhokho babo—baziphatha kanje uma befunda amazwi kaNkulunkulu. Umuntu uba buthakathaka ngenxa yeminyaka yokusebenza kanzima, agule ngaphakathi nangaphandle, bonke ubuyena buyagula, kusukela enhliziyweni kuya emithanjeni yegazi, emathunjini amakhulu, emathunjini amancane, esiswini, emaphashini, ezinsweni, njalo-njalo. Akukho emzimbeni wonke wakhe okunempilo. Ngakho, umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu awufinyeleli ezingeni elingatholwa ngumuntu, kodwa lenza abantu bazazi bona. Ngenxa yokuthi umzimba womuntu unamagciwane, futhi ngoba usekhulile, usuku lwakhe lokufa luyasondela, futhi akukho ukuphindela emuva. Nokho lena yingxenye nje yendaba; umqondo wangaphakathi usazokwambulwa, ngokuba umthombo wokugula komuntu uyafunwa. Eqinisweni, isikhathi lapho wonke umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu uphethwa akusona isikhathi lapho umsebenzi Wakhe uyobe sewuphelile emhlabeni, ngoba lapho kuqedwa lesi sinyathelo somsebenzi, ngeke ibe khona indlela yokufeza umsebenzi wenyama esikhathini esizayo, futhi uMoya kaNkulunkulu kuyodingeka uwuqedele. Ngakho, uNkulunkulu uthi, “Lapho ngivula ngokusemthethweni umqulu yisikhathi lapho abantu emhlabeni nasezulwini besolwa khona, isikhathi lapho umsebenzi Wami ufinyelela khona ovuthondabeni, lapho abantu emhlabeni wonke bebhekene nokulingwa,” Isikhathi lapho umsebenzi enyameni usuphelile akukhona lapho umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu ufika ovuthondabeni—uvuthondaba lwalesi sikhathi lusho kuphela umsebenzi wangalesi sigaba, futhi akulona uvuthondaba lwalo lonke uhlelo lokuphatha. Ngalokho, izidingo zikaNkulunkulu ngomuntu kaziphakeme. Ucela nje abantu ukuthi bamazi, ngalokho esebenzela isigaba esilandelayo, lapho intando kaNkulunkulu izobe isifeziwe khona. Njengoba umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu uguquka, nesigaba “somsebenzi wabantu” siyaguquka. Namuhla yisigaba somsebenzi kaNkulunkulu wasemhlabeni, futhi ngalokho kumele basebenze emazingeni aphansi. Ngokuzayo, kuzodingeka ukuthi kuphathwe isizwe, ngakho bazofakwa “eKomidini Elikhulu.” Uma bevakashela phesheya, kuzodingeka babhekane nezinqubo zokuwela. Ezikhathini ezinjalo bazobe bephesheya, bekude namakhaya abo—kodwa lokhu kuzobe kuyizidingo zomsebenzi kaNkulunkulu. Njengoba abantu sebeshilo bathi, “Sizodela izimpilo zethu ngenxa kaNkulunkulu uma kudingeka”—akuyona lena indlela ezohanjwa ngesikhathi esizayo? Ngubani oke wayijabulela impilo enjalo? Umuntu angahamba aye yonke indawo, avakashele phesheya, ethule umhlahlandlela emakhaya, azihlanganise nabantu abajwayelekile, futhi angakhuluma ngezindaba ezibalulekile zesizwe namalungu ezinhlangano eziphakeme; futhi uma sekudingeka, bayizwe bona uqobo impilo yasesihogweni, emva kwalokho bangakwazi ukubuye bajabulele izibusiso zasezulwini—akuzona izibusiso zomuntu lezi? Ngubani oke waqhathaniseka noNkulunkulu? Ngubani owake wahambela izizwe zonke? Eqinisweni, abantu bebeyowaqonda kancane amanye amazwi kaNkulunkulu ngaphandle kokuhlahlelwa indlela kanye nokuchazelwa—ukuthi nje abanakho ukukholwa kubo, okwelule umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu kwaze kwaba namuhla. Ngokuthi abantu bantula kakhulu—njengoba uNkulunkulu asho wathi, “abanalutho”—umsebenzi wanamuhla unobunzima obukhulu kubo; yini enye, ubuntekenteke babo, ngokwemvelo, kuvale umlomo kaNkulunkulu—akukhona na ukuthi lezi zinto yizo uqobo ezivimbele umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu? Awukakuboni lokhu na? Kukhona incazelo ecashile kukho konke okushiwo nguNkulunkulu. Lapho uNkulunkulu ekhuluma, ukhuluma udaba lwamanje, njengendaba ewumfanekiso wonke amazwi awashoyo anomlayezo ojulile. La mazwi alula aqukethe incazelo ejulile, futhi ngalokho achaza imibuzo ebalulekile—akukhona amahle ngakho amazwi kaNkulunkulu lokhu? Uyakwazi lokhu na?

Imibhalo yaphansi:

a. Qingtian: Leli gama lisetshenziswa libhekiswe kumahluleli onokulunga ngesikhathi sababusi baseShayina.