Wayengubani uJohane uMbhapathizi? UJohane uMbhapathizi wayeyindoda, owakhethwa futhi wahlukaniswa nguNkulunkulu futhi akazange akhothamele abantu. UJohane uMbhapathizi wayeyindodana yompristi uZakariya no-Elisabethe, owayengowamadodakazi ka-Aroni. Abazali bakaJohane uMbhapathizi babelungile bobabili phambi kukaNkulunkulu futhi behamba ngokungasoleki ekulaleleni yonke imiyalo nezimiso zeNkosi.. Ngokusebenzisa kwabo ukulalela uNkulunkulu nemisebenzi yabo, babelungile phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Asisaphili esivumelwaneni esidala kodwa siphila eSivumelwaneni Esisha. Esivumelwaneni Esisha, abantu ngeke besakwazi ukwenziwa abalungileyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu ngemisebenzi yabo, kodwa kuphela ngokukholwa kuJesu Kristu ngomhlatshelo Wakhe nangegazi Lakhe. Nokho, lapho abantu sebelungile, ngokubaazalwe kabusha kuJesu Kristu futhi engaseyisoni, bayakuthela izithelo zokulunga kwabo. Lokhu kusho ukulalela uNkulunkulu nokuphila ngokwentando Yakhe; Imiyalo Yakhe, okungukuthi futhi Imiyalo kaJesu futhiIntando yakhe. Manje, ake sibheke ukuzalwa nokuphila kukaJohane uMbhapathizi.
Ukuvela kwengelosi uGabriyeli
U-Elisabeth wayeyinyumba futhi engakwazi ukuba nabantwana. Bobabili uZakariya no-Elisabeth base begugile. Ngokwemvelo yemvelo kwakungenakwenzeka ukuthi u-Elisabeth akhulelwe futhi athole umntwana. Kodwa akukho okungenzeki kuNkulunkulu!
Futhi kwenzeka, ukuthi ngenkathi uZakariya enza umsebenzi wobupristi phambi kukaNkulunkulu, wakhethwa ukuba ashise impepho. Lapho uZakariya engena ethempelini leNkosi futhi ngenkathi uZakariya eshisa impepho, ingelosi yeNkosi, UGabriyeli, wabonakala kuZakariya wema ngakwesokunene se-altare lempepho. Lapho uZakariya ebona ingelosi yeNkosi, wakhathazeka futhi ukwesaba kwamehlela. Kodwa uGabriyeli wamtshela, ukuze angesabi nokuthi umkhuleko kaZakariya wezwakala. UGabriyeli watshela uZakariya, ukuthi u-Elisabethe wayezazala indodana, ayiqambe ngokuthi uJohane, okusho umusa kaJehova.
Ingelosi uGabriyeli yaqhubeka yathi, ukuze abe nenjabulo nentokozo nokuthi abaningi bajabule ngokuzalwa kwakhe. Ngoba uJohane wayezakuba mkhulu phambi kweNkosi.
UJohn wayengaphuzi iwayini neziphuzo ezidakayo. Kodwa uJohane wayezagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele kwasesiswini sikanina, aphendule abantwana abanengi bakoIsrayeli eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo..
UJohane wayezohamba phambi Kwakhe ngomoya namandla ka-Eliya, ukuphendulela izinhliziyo zawoyise kubantwana, labangalaleliyo ekuhlakanipheni kwabalungileyo; ukulungisa isizwe esilungiselwe iNkosi (Luka 1:17).
Esikhundleni sokujabula ngemva kokuzwa amazwi engelosi uGabriyeli, UZakariya wawangabaza amazwi akhe. UZakariya akazange awakholelwe amazwi kaGabriyeli nesithembiso seNkosi. UZakariya nomkakhe base bebadala bobabili. Ngakho kwabonakala kungenakwenzeka kuZakariya, ukuthi bazakuba nomntwana ngakho uZakariya wacela isibonakaliso kuGabriyeli. Kodwa ukucela isibonakaliso kungokwesizukulwane esingathembekile; i Indoda endala yenyama (Mathewu 12:39). Ngenxa yokungakholwa kwakhe, UZakariya waba yisimungulu futhi wayengakwazi ukukhuluma kwaze kwafika usuku, ukuthi izinto, lokho uGabriyeli ayekhulume ngakho kwenzeka.
Ukuzalwa kukaJohane uMbhapathizi
U-Elisabethe wakhulelwa, wazala umntwana. Lapho ingane ukusoka ku ngosuku lwesishiyagalombili, ngokomthetho, babiza umntwana ngokuthi uZakariya. Kodwa u-Elisabethe wabatshela ukuthi bambize ngokuthi uJohane. Nokho, ngoba kwakungekho muntu emndenini ogama lakhe linguJohane, babuza uZakariya. UZakariya wabhala etafuleni ‘igama lakhe uJohane’ futhi ngokushesha uZakariya’ Ulimi lwathukululwa futhi uZakariya wakhuluma futhi wadumisa uNkulunkulu.
Ukwesaba kwehlela phezu kwabo bonke ababehlala nxazonke zabo. Futhi konke okwase kwenzekile, kwamenyezelwa kulo lonke izwe lezintaba laseJudiya. Abantu, owabezwa, wathi: “uzoba ngumntwana onjani lo!” Futhi isandla seNkosi sasinoJohane.
UZakariya wagcwala uMoya oNgcwele waprofetha:
“Makabongwe uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli; ngoba ubahambele, wabahlenga abantu bakhe, Futhi usivusele uphondo lwensindiso endlini kaDavide inceku yakhe; Njengoba Wakhuluma ngomlomo wabaprofethi baKhe abangcwele, ezikhona selokhu kwaqala umhlaba: Ukuze sisindiswe ezitheni zethu, nasesandleni sabo bonke abasizondayo; Ukuze enze umusa athembisa kokhokho bethu, nokukhumbula isivumelwano sakhe esingcwele; Isifungo asifunga kubaba wethu u-Abrahama, Ukuthi Uzosipha, ukuze sikhululwe esandleni sezitha zethu, simkhonze singesabi, ngobungcwele nokulunga phambi kwakhe, zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwethu.
Futhi wena, ingane, uzakuthiwa umprofethi woPhezukonke: ngoba uzakuhamba phambi kobuso beNkosi ukulungisa izindlela zayo; Ukunikeza ulwazi lokusindiswa kubantu bakhe ngokuxolelwa izono zabo, Ngomusa wesisa uNkulunkulu wethu; okusihambele ngalo ukusa kwaphezulu, Ukunika ukukhanya kwabahlezi ebumnyameni nasethunzini lokufa, ukuqondisa izinyawo zethu endleleni yokuthula” (Luka 1)
UJohane uMbhapathizi wakhulela ogwadule
UJohane uMbhapathizi akazange akhule phakathi kwabantu bakubo futhi akazange abe nobuntwana njengabafana abaningi bentanga yakhe. UJohane wahlukaniselwa uNkulunkulu ngomsebenzi Wakhe futhi wakhulela ezingwadule (Luka 1:80). Singaqagela nje ngeminyaka kaJohane lapho uHerode ekhipha umyalo wokuba kubulawe bonke abafana abaneminyaka engaphansi kwemibili (Mathewu 2:16).
Njengoba uJohane uMbhapathizi wayesemdala cishe ngezinyanga eziyisithupha kunoJesu, UJohn kungenzeka ukuthi wayemdala kuneminyaka emibili. Kodwa kungenzeka futhi ukuthi uJohane wayeneminyaka emibili futhi lokhu kwakuyisizathu, kungani u-Elisabeth noJohane beholelwa ezingwadule nguNkulunkulu, ukuvimbela uJohane ukuthi abulawe nguHerode.
Nakuba uJosefa noMariya baphindela kwa-Israyeli ngemva kokuhlala eGibhithe, UJohane wahlala ehlane wakhulela ehlane kwaze kwaba yilapho uJohane ethunywa nguNkulunkulu kubantu baKhe.
UJohane uMbhapathizi wayelungiselelwa uNkulunkulu ezingwadule, ngaphandle kokuthonywa nokungcoliswa amasiko nemikhuba yabantu bakwa-Israyeli. Ngokusho komhlaba, UJohn wayephila impilo enokuthula enesizungu, kodwa konke kwakuyingxenye Icebo likaNkulunkulu ngempilo yakhe.
Ngoba ukube uJohane wayekhulele phakathi kwabantu, mhlawumbe ngabe ucabange imikhuba nemisebenzi yabo, ababeyizono emehlweni kaNkulunkulu, njengokujwayelekile. Kodwa ngoba uJehova wamfundisa ekuthuleni ezingwadule, ahlukaniswe nabantu, wayezinikele ngokuphelele kuNkulunkulu. UJohane wafunda konke ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, wakhula waba namandla emoyeni.
UJohane wayelungiselelwa enkangala, ukuze alungisele abantu bakaNkulunkulu Ukuza KoMesiya uJesu
UJohane uMbhapathizi washumayela umbhapathizo wokuphenduka nokuthethelelwa kwezono
Lapho isikhathi sesifikile, izwi leNkosi lafika kuJohane ehlane. UJohane uMbhapathizi walilalela izwi leNkosi, wahamba ezweni lonke laseJordani, ukushumayela ubhapathizo lokuphenduka kanye lokuthethelelwa kwezono, ngokwamazwi, ezaprofethwa ngumprofethi uIsaya (Isaya 40:3-5). Ngokushumayela umbhabhadiso wokuphenduka nokubhekana nabantu ngezono zabo, ukuze basuse izono zabo, walungiselela abantu bakaNkulunkulu Ukuza KukaJesu Kristu.
UJohane wayeholwa nguMoya oNgcwele, esikhundleni sokuholwa yizinzwa zakhe. Ngoba akabonanga ngamehlo akhe enyama, wabhekana nabantu ngaphandle kokwenza umehluko. UJohane waletha imisebenzi yobumnyama ekukhanyeni.
UJohane waba lesibindi wakhuluma ngegunya elinjalo, ukuthi kwakufanele bamlalele. Abaningi bamlalela uJohane, wambuza, okwakumele bakwenze, uJohane waphendula imibuzo yabo (Luka 3:10-14)
UJohane uMbhapathizi akazange ashumayele ngobumnene, ivangeli elikhuthazayo elithokozisa umuntu. Akazange ashumayele lokho abantu ababefuna ukukuzwa, kodwa uJohane uMbhabhathizi watshumayela iqiniso likaNkulunkulu; ivangeli likaNkulunkulu, ngakho-ke uJohane uMbhapathizi washumayela iziqondiso futhi wajezisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu.
Abantu bamangala ukuthi uJohane uMbhapathizi wayenguKristu yini, kodwa uJohane wabaphendula, ukuthi wayengesuye uKristu. Ngoba wabhapathiza ngamanzi kuphela (ukuphenduka). Nokho, uKristu, Ubani owayezofika, angaba namandla kunaye, futhi uJohane wayengeke afaneleke ukuthukulula imichilo yezicathulo zakhe. Nakuba uJohane ebhapathiza ngamanzi, uKristu wayeyobhapathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele nangomlilo (Luka 3:15-7 (Funda futhi: ‘Kuyini ukubhabhadiswa ngomlilo?‘))
UJohane uMbhapathizi akazange akhothamele abantu futhi akazange ayekethise
UJohane wayeyindoda enesibindi futhi ekhuluma amazwi kaNkulunkulu ngegunya. Akazange esatshiswe abantu futhi akenzi noma yimuphi umehluko phakathi kwabantu, kodwa uJohane uMbhabhathizi wayephatha wonke umuntu ngokulinganayo. Wenza intando kaNkulunkulu yaziwe kubo bonke abantu futhi wabatshela lokho okwakumelwe bakwenze nalokho okwakungafanele bakwenze. Iqiniso, ukuthi uJohane akenzi noma yimuphi umehluko phakathi kwabantu akuzange kubonakale eqinisweni kuphela, ukuthi wabhekana futhi wakhuluma ngemisebenzi emibi (izono) labaFarisi labaSadusi, kodwa futhi nemisebenzi emibi kaHerode.
UJohane uMbhapathizi akazange akhothamele abantu futhi akazange ayekethise futhi akazange akhulume amazwi ayezojabulisa uHerode umtetrarki.. Kodwa uJohane uMbhapathizi wahlala elalela uNkulunkulu futhi wabonisa uthando lwakhe ngoNkulunkulu ngokuhlala ethembekile Kuye nangokugcina imiyalo yaKhe, ezimele Intando yakhe. Ngakho uJohane uMbhapathizi wamsola uHerode ngokuphinga kwakhe noHerodiya; umkamfowabo, langemisebenzi yonke emibi uHerodi ayeyenzile. UHerode akazange ajabule ngokusola kukaJohane uMbhapathizi ngakho uHerode wavalela uJohane uMbhapathizi ejele..
Ngenkathi uJohane uMbhapathizi esetilongweni, Abafundi bakaJohane uMbhabhathizi beza kuJohane bamtshela zonke izinto ngoJesu Kristu. Lapho uJohane uMbhapathizi ezwa zonke izinto, abamtshela khona, UJohane uMbhapathizi wabiza abafundi bakhe ababili wabathuma kuJesu ukuba bayombuza, uma Wayenguye, ababezofika noma ukuthi babheke omunye.
UJohane uMbhapathizi wafakaza ngoJesu futhi ngenkathi uJohane ebhapathiza uJesu wayengufakazi weqiniso lokuthi uMoya oNgcwele wehlela phezu kukaJesu nokuthi izwi likaNkulunkulu lavela ezulwini futhi lafakaza ukuthi uJesu Kristu uyiNdodana Yakhe. (Maka 1:9-13). Kepha naphezu kwazo zonke lezi zinto, UJohane uMbhapathizi wathuma abafundi bakhe kuJesu ukuba bayombuza.
UJesu waphendula abafundi bakaJohane ukuthi kwakumele bamtshele, zonke izinto, ababekubonile. Ngoba UJesu waphulukisa eziningi zobuthakathaka babo, izinhlupho, nemimoya emibi, futhi kwabaningi abayizimpumputhe wabapha ukubona (Luka 7:18-23)
Kungani uJohane uMbhapathizi wayemkhulu kunabo bonke abaprofethi?
UJesu wafakaza ngoJohane uMbhapathizi phambi kwesixuku futhi watshela abantu ukuthi phakathi kwalabo, abazalwa ngabesifazane kwakungekho mprofethi omkhulu kunoJohane uMbhapathizi, kodwa ukuthi yena, ongaba ngumncinyane embusweni kaNkulunkulu uzakuba mkhulu kuloJohane (Luka 7:28).
Wayesho ukuthini uJesu ngokuthi uJohane uMbhapathizi umkhulu kunabo bonke abaprofethi? UJesu wayesho, ukuthi uJohane wayemkhulu kunabo bonke abaprofethi nakubantu bonke, abazalwa ngabesifazane, futhi wayengowesizukulwane somuntu owile; Indalo endala futhi wahlala eSivumelwaneni Esidala. Ngoba nakuba uJohane uMbhapathizi wayegcwaliswe ngoMoya oNgcwele, UJohane wayesengowesizukulwane esidala somuntu owile. Kodwa noma ubani, ongaba ngubani azalwe kabusha kuJesu Kristu ngakho-ke wayeyozalwa nguNkulunkulu futhi adluliselwe embusweni wobumnyama ayiswe eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu, naphezu kwesikhundla sakhe, abe mkhulu kunoJohane uMbhapathizi.
UJohane washumayela ivangeli likaNkulunkulu, okuyiqiniso likaNkulunkulu kubantu futhi akazange akhothamele abantu. Futhi ngenxa yeqiniso uJohane uMbhapathizi alishumayelayo nangenxa yokuthi uJohane uMbhapathizi akazange akhothamele abantu., kuhlanganise noHerode, futhi akazange ayekethise, UJohane uMbhapathizi wathunjwa wafakwa etilongweni.
Wafa kanjani uJohane uMbhapathizi? UHerodiya wayemzonda uJohane uMbhapathizi, ngoba uJohane wayenecala ngokungakutholi ayekufuna, okunguHerodi umlamu wakhe. Futhi ngenxa kaHerodiya’ inzondo, UJohane uMbhapathizi wanqunywa ikhanda.
Ukwethembeka kukaJohane uMbhapathizi kanye ukulalela uNkulunkulu wamlahlekisela ngokuphila kwakhe, njengabanye abaningi.
UJohane uMbhapathizi wayengayithandi impilo yakhe futhi wayenikele ukuphila kwakhe kuNkulunkulu. Wayengafuni ukuthandwa nokwamukelwa yizwe, kodwa wayefuna ukuthandwa uNkulunkulu. UJohane wayethanda uNkulunkulu ngaphezu kwakho konke. UJohane wabonisa uthando lwakhe ngoNkulunkulu, ngokugcina imiyalo yakhe nangokushumayela ubizo lokuphenduka nokuthethelelwa kwezono.
UNkulunkulu wayehlukanise uJohane uMbhapathizi futhi wamehlukanisa nezwe, ukulungiselela abantu Bakhe ukufika kweNdodana yakhe uJesu. Futhi yingakho, UJohane watshumayela umbhabhadiso wokuphenduka, ukuthethelelwa kwezono, futhi wayala wonke umuntu ukuba asuse izono zabo ezimpilweni zabo.
Izwe seliphenduke isigodi sokufa
Siphila eminyakeni yobudala, lapho izwe seliphenduke isigodi sokufa, lapho kwande isono khona. Abantu abaningi benza lokho abafuna ukukwenza, esikhundleni sokwenza lokho uNkulunkulu abatshela ukuba bakwenze. Abalaleli Imiyalo Yakhe, okungukuthi futhi Imiyalo kaJesu, futhi ungaphili ngokwentando Yakhe. Abaningi bacabanga ukuthi banobuhlobo noNkulunkulu, kodwa iqiniso lokuthi bayenqaba imiyalo yaKhe lifakazela okuphambene. Ngoba uma umuntu ngempela uthanda uNkulunkulu ngaphezu kwakho konke, khona-ke umuntu uyokwenza okujabulisa uNkulunkulu, esikhundleni sokujabulisa 'uqobo'.
Kufana ncamashí nesikhathi sikaNowa, lapho bonke abantu bedla, phuza, babesidla, bezithokozisa, bezicabangela bona nje.
Ngenkathi uNowa walalela amazwi kaNkulunkulu futhi wakha umkhumbi, ukuze alungiselele ukufika kwemvula, abantu babengenaso iso kuye. Abazange bamlalele uNowa, kodwa babematasa kakhulu ngezimpilo zabo kanye nemisebenzi yabo yansuku zonke. Kwaze kwafika isiphetho, lehla imvula.
Ngesikhathi uNowa nomndeni wakhe kanye nezilwane basinda emkhunjini, abantu nezinye izilwane zaminza emanzini. Akekho owayefuna ukulalela uNowa, owayengumshumayeli wokulunga, kodwa babenaso kuphela nesithakazelo kubo, nokugcwalisa izinkanuko nezifiso yenyama yabo (Funda futhi: ‘Yiziphi izici eziyisikhombisa zezinsuku zikaNowa?‘)
Ngeke kuthathe isikhathi eside ngaphambili UJesu uyabuya. Futhi nakuba amakholwa amaningi ecula ngokuza Kwakhe futhi akhulekele ukuza Kwakhe, abaningi baphila sengathi uJesu akasoze abuya.
Kodwa uNkulunkulu ufuna abantu bakhe bakulungele ukufika kukaJesu. Futhi yingakho uNkulunkulu elungiselela abantu baKhe, njengoba nje uNkulunkulu enza ngesikhathi sikaJohane uMbhapathizi ngenkathi uJohane elungiselela abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukufika kukaJesu Kristu.
Manje, konke kuncike ekutheni amakholwa anesibindi ngokwanele yini ukukhombisa uthando lwawo kuJesu Kristu noNkulunkulu uBaba, ngokuhlala elalela iZwi laKhe, nangokugcina imiyalo yaKhe, nokubhekana nalabo, abangabezwe, kuhlanganise nalabo abasontayo, kodwa ningabezwe futhi niqhubeke niphila esonweni, ngezono zabo futhi babize ukuze baphenduke nokususwa kwesono. Ukuze, ngeke balahleke kodwa bayosindiswa futhi bathole ukuphila okuphakade. Ungavumeli ukuphela kufane nangesikhathi sikaNowa lapho abambalwa kuphela abasindiswa ngokulalela kwabo uNkulunkulu..
‘Yibani usawoti womhlaba’
