13 – Ubudlelwano bobulili obufanayo

Ngakho uNkulunkulu wamdala umuntu ngesimo sakhe, wamdala ngesimo sikaNkulunkulu; wadala owesilisa lowesifazana.

Ngalesisizatho indoda izadela uyise lonina imanyane lomkayo, bona babe nyamanye.

UJehova wasesithi kuye, “Insolo ngeSodoma leGomora inkulu kakhulu njalo isono sakhona siyesabeka okokuthi sengizakuya khona ngiyobona ingabe lokho abakwenzileyo kubi okulingana lensolo le esifikile kimi. Nxa kungenjalo, ngizakwazi.” Amadoda akhangela phambili aqonda eSodoma, kodwa u-Abhrahama wasala emi phambi kukaJehova. Yikho u-Abhrahama waya kuye wathi: “Uzakhucula abalungileyo kanye lababi na? Pho nxa kukhona abangamatshumi amahlanu kulelodolobho-ke? Ngempela uzawukhucula na ungalixoleli ngenxa yabangamatshumi amahlanu abalungileyo abakulo na? Akube khatshana lawe ukwenza into enjalo  —  ukubulala abalungileyo lababi. Kakube khatshana lawe lokho! Kambe uMahluleli womhlaba wonke kayikwenza okufaneleyo na?” UJehova wathi, “Uma ngifumana abangamatshumi amahlanu abalungileyo edolobheni laseSodoma, ngizalixolela lonke idolobho ngenxa yabo.” Yikho u-Abhrahama waphinda wakhuluma njalo wathi: “Njengoba sengibe lesibindi esingaka sokukhuluma loJehova, loba ngingasulutho mina, ngiluthuli nje lomlotha, pho uma inani labalungileyo lingaphansi ngabahlanu ematshumini amahlanu? Uzalibhubhisa idolobho lonke ngenxa yabantu abahlanu na?” Wathi, “Ngingafumana abangamatshumi amane lanhlanu kangiyikulibhubhisa.” Waphinda njalo wakhuluma laye wathi, “Nxa kufunyanwa amatshumi amane kuphelake?” Yena wathi, “Ngenxa yabangamatshumi amane kangizukukwenza.” Yikho wasesithi, “UJehova makangathukutheli, kodwa ake ngikhulume. Kungafunyanwa khona amatshumi amathathu-ke?” Waphendula wathi, “Kangizukukwenza ngingafumana khona amatshumi amathathu.” U-Abhrahama wathi, “Kambe njengoba ngibe lesibindi esingaka ngaze ngakhuluma loJehova, pho uma kufunyanwa abangamatshumi amabili khona kuphela-ke?” Wathi, “Ngenxa yabangamatshumi amabili kangiyikulibhubhisa.” Yikho wasesithi, “UJehova angathukutheli, kodwa ake ngikhulume kanye kuphela njalo. Kambe nxa kungafunywana itshumi lodwa-ke?” Waphendula wathi, “Ngenxa yabalitshumi kangiyikulibhubhisa.”

Izingilosi zombili zafika eSodoma kusihlwa, uLothi ehlezi esangweni ledolobho. Wathi ezibona wasukuma wazihlangabeza wathi mbo phansi ngobuso. Wathi, “Makhosi ami, ake liphambukele endlini yenceku yenu. Lingageza izinyawo zenu lilale khona anduba liqhubeke ngendlela yenu ekuseni.” Zaphendula zathi, “Hatshi, sizalala esigcawini phandle.” Kodwa waphikelela kakhulukazi zaze zahamba laye zangena endlini yakhe. Wazilungisela ukudla, wazenzela isinkwa esingelamvubelo, zadla. Zingakayilala, amadoda aqhamuka kuzo zonke izindawo zedolobho laseSodoma  —  amajaha lamaxhegu  —  bayihanqa indlu. Amemeza uLothi athi, “Angaphi amadoda afike kwakho lamuhla kusihlwa? Akhuphe eze lapha ngoba sifuna ukulala lawo.” ULothi waphuma wayakhuluma lawo wavala umnyango ngemuva kwakhe, wathi, “Hatshi, bangane bami. Lingayenzi into le embi kangaka. Khangelani, ngilamadodakazi amabili angakaze alale lendoda. Wothini ngiwalethe lapha kini lenze elikuthandayo ngawo. Kodwa lingenzi lutho kula amadoda ngoba angaphansi komthunzi wophahla lwami.” Aphendula athi, “Suka endleleni yethu.” Bathi njalo, “Umuntu lo weza lapha njengesizwe, kodwa khathesi usefuna ukuba ngumahluleli! Wena-ke sizakuthwalisa nzima kulawo.” Babelokhu beminyezela uLothi, bafuqela phambili bezama ukwephula isivalo. Kodwa amadoda lawo ayephakathi avula adonsela uLothi endlini avala isivalo. Yikho asewatshaya ngobuphofu amadoda ayesemnyango wendlu leyo, amajaha lamaxhegu, basebesehluleka ukubona umnyango.

Amadoda lawo amabili athi kuLothi, “Bakhona yini abanye olabo lapha abakhwenyana, amadodana kumbe amadodakazi, loba nje omunye edolobheni leli ongowakho? Bakhuphe lapha, ngokuba sizayibhubhisa indawo le. Insolo efika kuJehova ngalababantu inkulu kabi okokuthi useze wasithuma ukuthi silibhubhise.” Ngakho uLothi waphuma wayakhuluma labakhwenyana bakhe labo abasebethembise ukulobola amadodakazi akhe. Wathi, “Phangisani, phumani kulindawo, ngokuba uJehova usezalibhubhisa idolobho leli!” Kodwa abakhwenyana bakhe bacabanga ukuthi uyahlayaza. Kwathi emathathakusa izingilosi zakhuthaza uLothi zathi, “Phangisani! Thatha umkakho lamadodakazi akho womabili akhona lapha, ngoba lizaqabuka likhukhulwa nxa idolobho selijeziswa.” Wathi esatomatoma, amadoda amxhakalaza ngesandla kanye lesandla somkakhe lezamadodakazi akhe womabili abaholela ngaphandle kwedolobho bephephile, ngoba uJehova wayelomusa kubo. Bonela ukuthi bakhutshwe, omunye wazo wathi, “Balekani liqinise! Lingakhangeli emuva, njalo lingemi ndawo emagcekeni! Balekelani ezintabeni funa likhukhulwe!”

Yikho uJehova wasenisa umlilo wesolufa etshisayo phezu kweSodoma leGomora  —  uvela kuJehova usehla emazulwini.

Kodwa umkaLothi wakhangela emuva, waba yisiduli setshwayi.

“ ‘Ungalali lendoda njengendoda ilala lomfazi; lokhu kuyisinengiso. “ ‘Ungafebi lenyamazana uzingcolisa ngalokho. Owesifazana angafebi lenyamazana lokhu kuyisinengiso.

“ ‘Aluba indoda ilala lenye indoda ingathi ilala lomfazi, bobabili benze amanyala. Kababulawe. Bafanele ukufa.

Owesifazana angagqoki izigqoko zesilisa, lowesilisa angagqoki izigqoko zowesifazana, ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu uyanengeka ngalowo owenza lokho.

Waphendula wathi, “Kalikubalanga yini ukuthi ekuqaleni uMdali ‘wabenza baba yisilisa lesifazana,’ wathi, ‘Ngalesi isizatho indoda izatshiya uyise lonina ihlanganiswe lomkayo, kuthi laba ababili bazakuba yinyamanye?’ Ngakho kabasebabili, kodwa sebemunye. Ngakho lokho uNkulunkulu asekuhlanganisile akungehlukaniswa muntu.”

Kodwa ekuqaleni kwendalo uNkulunkulu ‘wabenza indoda lomfazi.’ Ngalesisizatho indoda izatshiya uyise lonina imanyane lomfazi wayo, kuthi labo bobabili babe nyamanye. Yikho kabasebabili, sebemunye. Ngakho, lokho uNkulunkulu asekuhlanganisile akungehlukaniswa muntu.”

Ngiyalitshela ukuthi ngaleyondlela kulokuthokoza phambi kwezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu ngesoni esisodwa nxa siphenduka.”

Yikho, phendukani, libuyele kuNkulunkulu, ukuze izono zenu zesulwe, ukuze kufike izikhathi zokuhlambulula okuvela eNkosini,

Ngakho uNkulunkulu wabanikela esonweni sezinkanuko zezinhliziyo zabo zokungesabi ukujeziselwa ubufebe bokuhlazisana imizimba yabo omunye lomunye. Benana iqiniso likaNkulunkulu ngamanga, badumisa bekhonza izinto ezadalwayo kuloMdali odunyiswa kuze kube nini lanini. Ameni. Ngenxa yalokhu, uNkulunkulu wabanikela ezinkanukweni ezilihlazo. Labesifazana bakibo benana ukuphathana kwemvelo ngokungasikho kwemvelo. Ngokufanayo abesilisa labo badela ukuphathana kwemvelo labesifazana batshiseka ngokukhanukana. Abesilisa benza izenzo ezilihlazo lamanye amadoda, bazilethela isijeziso esifanele ukuxhwala kwabo. Phezu kwalokho, njengoba bengazange bacabange ukuthi kufanele bagcine ukumazi uNkulunkulu, wabanikela engqondweni yokuxhwala, ukuba benze okungamelanga kwenziwe. Sebegcwele ngokonakala konke, ububi, lobuhaga kanye lokuxhwala. Bagcwale umhawu, lokubulala, lengxabano, lenkohliso kanye lolunya. Bangabanyeyi, labahlebi, labazonda uNkulunkulu, leziqholo, labazigqajayo kanye labazikhukhumezayo; baphemba izindlela zokwenza okubi; badelela abazali babo; kabalangqondo, kabalakholo, kabalazwelo balesihluku. Lanxa besazi isimiso esilungileyo sikaNkulunkulu sokuthi labo abenza izinto ezinje bafanele ukufa, kabaqhubeki nje kuphela besenza zona kanye lezizinto kodwa bayavumelana njalo lalabo abazenzayo.

Kalazi yini ukuthi abaxhwalileyo kabayikudla ilifa lombuso kaNkulunkulu? Lingakhohliswa. Akulazifebe ezixhwalileyo loba abakhonza izithombe loba iziphingi loba amawule esilisa loba abesilisa abaphinganayo loba amasela loba izihwaba loba izidakwa loba abanyeyayo loba amaqili azakudla ilifa lombuso kaNkulunkulu. Njalo lokho yikho abanye benu ababe yikho. Kodwa selageziswa, selangcweliswa, selalungiswa ngebizo leNkosi uJesu Khristu langoMoya kaNkulunkulu wethu.

Siyakwazi lokuthi umthetho kawenzelwanga abantu abalungileyo, kodwa wenzelwa abeqa imithetho labahlamuki, abangamaziyo uNkulunkulu labayizoni, abangengcwele labangakholwayo; wenzelwa ababulala oyise labonina, lababulali, lezifebe, kanye lezixhwali, abathengisa izigqili labaqamba amanga kanye labafungela amanga  —  kanye lokunye okuphambene lemfundiso eqotho

Ngoba uma uNkulunkulu engaziyekelanga izingilosi ekwenzeni kwazo isono, kodwa wazisa egehena, wazifaka emigodini emnyama ukuba zigcinelwe ukwahlulelwa; uma engayekelanga umhlaba wasendulo lapho aletha uzamcolo ebantwini bawo ababengamesabi uNkulunkulu, kodwa wamvikela uNowa, umtshumayeli wokulunga, labanye abayisikhombisa; uma watshabalalisa amadolobho aseSodoma leGomora ngokuwatshisa abe ngumlotha, wawenza aba yisibonelo salokho okuzakwenzakala kwabangamesabiyo uNkulunkulu; njalo uma wahlenga uLothi, umuntu olungileyo, owayekhathazekile ngokuphila okungcolileyo kwabantu ababengelamthetho (ngoba lowomuntu olungileyo, owayehlala phakathi kwabo izinsuku zonke, wayehlutshwa yizenzo zabo ezimbi ayezibona layezizwa)  — uma lokhu kunjalo, uNkulunkulu uyakwazi ukuhlenga abantu abamesabayo ekulingweni kanye lokugcinela abangalunganga usuku lokwahlulela, eqhubeka ngokujeziswa kwabo. Lokhu kuliqiniso ikakhulu kulabo abalandela izinkanuko zokonakala ezemvelo yabo yesono njalo beseyisa umthetho. Ngesibindi lokuzikhukhumeza, abantu laba kabakwesabi ukuhlambaza izidalwa zasezulwini;

INkosi kayiphuzi ukugcwalisa isithembiso sayo, njengokuqedisiswa ngabanye ngokuphuza. Iyalibekezelela, ingafuni ukuba lamunye abhubhe, kodwa ukuba umuntu wonke aphenduke.

Lezingilosi ezingagcinanga izikhundla zazo zamandla kodwa zadela ikhaya lazo  —  lezi wazigcina ebumnyameni, zibotshwe ngamaketane angaqamukiyo zilindele ukwahlulelwa ngoSuku olukhulu. Ngokunjalo, iSodoma leGomora lamadolobho aseduzane azinikela ekuxhwaleni kobufebe lokonakala. Ayisibonelo salabo abezwa isijeziso somlilo wanini lanini. Ngokunjalo, abaphuphi laba bangcolisa imizimba yabo, baphike ukukhokhelwa, bachothoze lezidalwa zasezulwini.

Kodwa amagwala, labangakholwayo, labaxhwalileyo, lababulali leziphingi, labathakathi, labakhonza izithombe labo bonke abaqamba amanga  —  indawo yabo izakuba sechibini lomlilo wesolufa ovuthayo. Lokhu yikufa kwesibili.”