Ebirimu
1
Omuringo gw’Okushomamu Zaaburi —Muzimbeezi (Dec) 30–Biruuru (Jan) 5
4
2
Twegyese Okushaba—Biruuru (Jan) 6–12
12
3
The Lord Reigns—Biruuru (Jan) 13–19
20
4
The Lord Hears and Delivers—Biruuru (Jan) 20–26
28
5
Singing the Lord’s Song in a Strange Land
—Biruuru (Jan) 27–Kaatambuga (Feb) 2
36
6
I Will Arise—Kaatambuga (Feb) 3–9
44
7
Your Mercy Reaches Unto the Heavens—Kaatambuga (Feb) 10–16
8
Wisdom for Righteous Living—Kaatambuga (Feb) 17–23
60
9
Blessed Is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord
—Kaatambuga (Feb) 24–Katumba (March) 1
68
10
Lessons of the Past—Katumba (March) 2–8
76
11
Longing for God in Zion—Katumba (March) 9–15
84
12
Worship That Never Ends—Katumba (March) 16–22
92
13
Wait on the Lord—Katumba (March) 23–29
100
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1
52
Zaaburi:
Ahu Ruhanga
n’Aantu
Barikubuganira
Bakahikaanisa
Emitima
Zaaburi n’eshaara hamwe n’eby’ebyoshongoro bya Baiburi eby’omuhendo
mwingi. Zaaburi egi erimu okusiima, okushemererwa, obusaasi, hamwe n’okucuramirirwa;
eyaagambirwe nari eyaayeshogoirwe omu kihama nari bwatu na bantu ba buriijo, abagabe,
abeevugi, abanyamurwa; eyaarugire omu bahikiriire n’omu basiisi abarikwetiisa, eizire
neekora nk’ekitabo ky’eshaara kandi nk’ekitabo ky’ebyeshongoro omu busingye
bw’abaikiriza.
Omugasho gw’ekitabo kya Zaaburi ogw’omutaano n’ogw’okugira ngu ebindi
ebiri omu Baiburi byaba nibitugambira, yo Zaaburi neeba neetugambirira kandi
erikugamba hamwe naitwe. Zaaburi n’obukomooko bw’emigisha, amatsiko,
okugaruka butsya, kandi niyo mpabuzi omu kureetera omuntu yaayecaaka akeemanya
hamwe n’omu kushuuruura amaani ga Ruhanga, neejuna ogwo orikutaka arikwiha aha
mutima, kandi emureetera okwehayo butsya ahari Ruhanga. N’ahabw’ekyo
tikirikutangaaza kushanga ngu abantu baingi nibashanga Zaaburi erikuteebana
n’emiteekateekyere yaabo hamwe n’ebibarikurabamu reero batyo bakagitwara
nk’ekitabo ky’eshaara zaabo. Luther naagambisa amaani ahari Zaaburi ati: “Ni nkahi
ahu omuntu yaakutunga ebigambo by’omuhendo ebirikworeka okushemererwa yaaba
atabiihire muri Zaaburi z’okuhimbisa nari ez’okusiima? Omurizo noobaasa kureeba
omu mitima y’abahikiriire oshusha oti oriyo nooreeba aha musiri gwa rukundo
erikushemeza, nari oshusha oti oriyo nooreeba omu iguru. Nari ni nkahi ahu omuntu
yaakushanga ebigambo by’obusaasi ebirikucumita ebirikworeka amaganya yaaba
atabyihire muri Zaaburi z’okutonzya? Omuri ezi nooreeba omu mitima y’abahikiriire
oshusha oti oriyo nooreeba ahari rufu nari geehena, omwirima n’okuburabuzibwa
nibyo birikuba biijwire omu kuhindukahinduka kw’ebiicuucu by’ekiniga kya
Ruhanga. N’ahabw’ekyo kyanguhi kwetegyereza ahabw’enki Ekitabo kya Zaaburi
kirikusingayo kukundwa abarikwera. Buri muntu weena omu mbeera zoona naabaasa
kutunga Zaaburi ezirikuteebana n’ebyetengo bye, ezi arikuhurira orikushusha oti
zikateebwamu ahabwe. Tihaine kitabo ekindi eki yaakubaasa kutungamu ebigambo
ebirikushusha bityo nari ebirikubihita.”
2
— Martin Luther, Martin Luther: Selections From His Writings, ed. John Dillenberger (New
York: Anchor Books, 1962),pp. 39, 40.
Kwenda kutunga amaani ga Zaaburi agarikugaruza butsya omuntu, nitwetwa
kweshongoro hamwe n’okushaba Zaaburi ezi nk’oku abaikiriza abaatubandiize
baakozire, abakoziise Zaaburi okuhayo okuhimbisa kwabo, eshaara zaabo, okwatura,
okutonzya, hamwe n’okusiima Ruhanga Rukira-boonaahabw’embabazi ze
n’oburingaaniza.
Mbwenushi, nitwetenga kushoma Zaaburi?
N’k’ebyahandiikirwe ebindi, Zaaburi zikahandiikwa
kworeka ebyabaireho, ebirikukwata ahari Ruhanga, hamwe
n’ebiriho ebirikureebwa. Omurimo gw’okushoma Zaaburi
n’okureeta ensi erikushangwa omuri ezo Zaaburi
tukagihikaanisa n’abantu aba hati. Nituteekwa kukimanya
ngu n’obu Zaaburi ziri eshaara z’abantu ba Ruhanga kandi
eshaara ezi Yesu yaashabire obu aba ari aha omu mubiri,
Zaaburi n’eshaara ezirikukwata ahari Yesu. Nizo
zirikushuuruurira omuntu Ruhanga. Ogundi murimo
gw’okushoma Zaaburi, n’okwegyera ahari ezo Zaaburi
byona ebi Ruhanga yaakozire, ebi arikukora, kandi n’ebi
arikorera ensi omuri Yesu Kristo.
N’obu Zaaburi eraabe eri ekitabo ky’ebyevugo 150, ekitabo nikibaasa okutaba
ekijabiriire nk’oku kirikureebeka. Zaaburi niyo erikuhamya orugyendo
rw’omwoyo orurimu baingi omu baana ba Ruhanga. Orugyendo oru nirutandikana
n’okwikiriza okuteirweho n’amaani kandi okurinzirwe obutegyeki bwa Ruhanga
kandi ahu ekirungi kirikwihurwa ebihembo nan’ekibi kikafubirwa. Twaba
nitugumizamu n’eky’okwega kyaitu, nitwija kureeba ekirikubaho ensi y’okwikiriza
ey’obuteeka ku erikurwanisibwa ekatiinisirizibwa ekibi. Ruhanaga naakitegyeka?
Abaikiriza nibeeshongorera Ruhanga bata omu nsi etari yaabo?
Ekyeetengo kandi okushaba kwaitu n’okureeba ngu Zaaburi zaatuha amaani
omu rugyendo rw’amagara gaitu, kandi ngu kurabira omurizo twabaasa kubugana
Ruhanga burizooba, tukahikaanisa emitima, okuhitsya aha kiro obu turireebana
na Yesu Kristo.
Dragoslava Santrac, PhD omu ndagaano enkuru, niwe arikushwijuma Encyclopediaof
Seventh-day Adventists ahari General Conference ekitebe kikuru ky’Abadiventi omu nsi
yoona. Niwe ahandiikire volume ya Zaaburi 76–150 eya Seventh-day Ad- ventist
International Bible Commentary.
3
*Muzimbeezi (Dec) 30—Biruuru (Jan) 5
Omuringo gw’Okushomamu Zaaburi
SABATO OMU IHANGWE
Eby’Okushoma ahabwa sabiiti Egi: 1 Busi. 16:7; Neh. 12:8; Zab.
25:1–5; Zab. 33:1–3; Rom. 8:26, 27; Zab. 82:8; Zab. 121:7.
Omushororongo gw’Okwijuka: “Yaabagira ati: Ebi nibyo
bigambo byangye ebi naabagambiire nkiri hamwe naimwe, ngu
byona bishemereire kuhikiirizibwa ebyampandiikirweho omu
biragiro bya Musa n'omu bya baanabi n'omuri zaaburi. Atyo
yaashuuruura obwengye bwabo, ngu bashoborokyerwe
Ebyahandiikirwe” (Luka24:44, 45).
Zaaburi zitweire ziri ekitabo ky’eshaara n’ebyeshongoro aha
Bayudaaya n’Abakristaayo kumara emyaka mingi. Kandi n’obu
Zaaburi ezi ziraabe ziri ez’abo abaazihimbiire Ruhanga, tibo
zaakomookireho kureka zikakomooka ahari Ruhanga, owaabareteire
kuzihandiika.
N’amazima, Mukama akabareetera kuzihandiika, enshonga
ahabw’enki, nk’okukiri omu byahandiikirwe byona (2 Pet. 1:21),
Ruhanga omuri Zaaburi naagamba naitwe kurabira omu bairu
be hamwe n’omu Mowoyo Orikwera. Yesu, entumwa, hamwe
n’abahandiiki b’endagaano ensya bakakozesa Zaaburi kandi
bazigambaho nk’ebyahandiikirwe (Mako 12:10; Yohaana 10:34,
35; Yohaana 13:18). Buzima nazo n’Ekigamabo kya Ruhanga nk’oku Okutandika
n’Abarooma biri Ekigambo kye.
Zaaburi zihandiikirwe abahandiiki ba Israeli eya ira batari bamwe na
bamwe omu kwevuga kw’ekiyudaaya, n’ahabw’ekyo, Zaaburi ezi
nizooreka ensi ey’obwire obwo, n’obu obutumwa bwazo buraabe
nibukwata aha nsi yoona. Okwikiriza Zaaburi nk’Ekigambo kya
Ruhanga kandi n’okuta omutima aha bi abahandiiki baazo barikugamba
aha byafaayo, ahari Ruhanga hamwe n’ahaby’okuramya, ni kikuru omu
kwetegyereza obutumwa bwazo oburikuraba omu myaka enkumi
n’enkumi kuhikira kimwe omu bunaku obuturimu hati.
* Yega eky’okwega kya sabiiti egi okweteguurira Sabato ya Biruuru (Jan) 6.
4
Muzimbeezi (Dec) 31
Zaaburi Omu Ndamya Y’Israeli eya Ira
Shoma 1 Busingye 16:7, Nehemia 12:8, Zaaburi 18:1, Zaaburi 30:1,
Zaaburi 92:1, Zaaburi 95:2, Zaaburi 105:2, Abakolosai 3:16, and
Yakobo 5:13. Ni bintu ki ebyabaireho ebyaretsireho okuhandiikwa
kwa Zaaburi ezi? Abantu ba Ruhanga bakakozesa ryari Zaaburi?
________________________________________________________
Zaaburi zikahimbwa kukozesibwa omu kuramya kw’okwehereera
hamwe n’okw’okweteerana. Zikaba zeeshongorwa nk’ebyeshongoro
omu kuramya, nk’okukirikuragiirwa amateeka g’eby’okweshongora
agarikworeka ebishemereire kuteerwa (Zab. 61:1), amaraka (Zab. 9:1),
hamwe n’abarikweshongoza (Zab.8:1).
Omuri Baiburi ey’Oruheburaayo, omutwe gw’Ekitabo kya Zaaburi
tehilim, “okuhimbisa,” nigworeka omugasho gwakyo omukuru—
omugasho ogu n’okuhimbisa Ruhanga. Omutwe gw’Ekitabo kya
Zaaburi omu Rungyereza nigwihwa omu Rugriika Zaaburialmoi,
ekigambo ekirikushangwa omu nvunuura y’Orugriika eyaakozirwe
kuruga omu Baiburi y’Oruheburaayo (Omu kyaasha kya kabiri n’ekya
kashatu Yesu aherize kutemba).
Zaaburi
zikaba
ziteihwa
mu
kuramya
kwa
Israeli.
Eky’okureeberaho, zikaba zikozesibwa omu kuhonga hekalu, omu
magyenyi g’ediini, omu kunyigimba, hamwe n’omu kuta ahansi
eshanduukye y’endagaano omuri Yerusalemu.
“The Songs of Ascents” (Zaaburi 120−134), ebirikumanywa
nk’ebyeshongoro by’orugyendo, bikaba byeshongorwa omu rugyendo
rw’okuza Yerusalemu omu magyenyi makuru ashatu aga buri mwaka (Okur.
23:14–17). “Egyptian Hallel” (Zaaburi 113−118) hamwe na “Great
Hallel” (Zaaburi 136) zikaba zeeshongorwa aha magyenyi ashatu aga
buri mwaka, oteiremu n’obugyenyi bw’okuboneka kw’okwezi hamwe
n’obw’okuhonga hekalu. Egyptian Hallel ekaba etunga omwanya
gw’omutaano omu bugyenyi bw’okuhingurwaho. Zaaburi 113 and 114
zikaba zeeshongorwa aha kutandika kw’okurya ebyokurya
by’okuhingurwaho reero Zaaburi 115−118 zo zeeshongorwa aha
muheru (Mat. 26:30). “Daily Hallel” (Zaaburi 145−150) ekaba
ekozesibwa omu kushaba kwa burizooba omu kushaba kw’akasheeshe
omuri sinagoogi.
Zaaburi zikaba zitakoresibwa bantu omu kuramya kwonka, kureka zikaba
zibahabura n’oku bashemereire kuramiza Ruhanga omu ihema. Yesu akashaba
arikukoresa ebigambo bya Zaaburi 22 (Mat. 27:46). Zaaburi zikagirira
omugasho muhango ekanisa eyaabandize nayo. (Kol. 3:16, Bef. 5:19).
N’obu itwe tutarikuramiza Ruhanga omu ihema ery’emsi nka
bari, tukaabaasa tuta kukoresa Zaaburi omu kuramya kwaitu,
yaaba omu kwehereera nari omu kuteerana n’abandi?
5
Biruuru (Jan) 1
Bugabugana Abahimbi ba Zaaburi
Omugabe Daudi, ou eiziina rye ririkushangwa omu mitwe mingi ya
Zaaburi, akaba naayejumbira omu kutebeekanisa gye endamya
y’Abaisraeli. Akaba naayetwa “Omuhimbi wa Zaaburi omurungi owa
Israeli” (2 Sam. 23:1). Endagaano ensya neehamya oku Daudi
yaahandiikire Zaaburi nyingi (Mat. 22:43–45; Byak. 2:25–29, 34, 35;
Byak. 4:25; Rom. 4:6–8). Zaaburi nyingi zikahimbwa abeeshongozi
b’omuri hekalu abaabaire nabo bari Abaleevi: eky’okureeberaho,
Zaaburi 50 na Zaaburi 73−83 n’eza Asafu; Zaaburi 42, Zaaburi 44−47,
Zaaburi 49, Zaaburi 84,Zaaburi 85, na Zaaburi 88 n’eza batabani ba
Koora; Zaaburi 88 n’eya Hemani Omuezerahi; kandi Zaaburi 89 n’eya
Esaani Omuezerahi. Kuhingura ahari abo, ni Sulemaani (Zaaburi 72,
Zaaburi 127) hamwe na Musa (Zaaburi 90) haine Zaaburi ezi
yaahandiikire.
Shoma Zaaburi 25:1–5; Zaaburi 42:1; Zaaburi 75:1; Zaaburi 77:1;
Zaaburi 84:1, 2; Zaaburi 88:1–3; na Zaaburi 89:1. Zaaburi ezi
nizishuuruura ki aha bi abahandiiki baazo baabaire nibarabamu?
_________________________________________________________
Omwoyo Orikwera akakoresa Abahimbi ba Zaaburi kandi yaakoresa
etalanta zaabo omu kwikiriza. Abahimbi ba Zaaburi bakaba bari abantu
abarikwehayo
omu
mazima
kandi
baine
n’okwikiriza
okutarikunyiganyiga kwonka nabwo abatarikutiinwa ebirikumaramu
amaani hamwe n’okwohibwa nk’oku naitwe turi. N’obu ziraabe
zaahandiikirwe kare na kare, Zaaburi buzima nizireebekamu bimwe
ebiturikurabamu erizooba. “Okushaba kwangye kukuhikyeho; Otegye
okutu okutaka kwangye; Ahakuba omutima gwangye gwijwire enaku,
n’amagara gangye gari haihi kushuuma okuzimu” (Zaaburi. 88:2, 3).
Oku n’okutaka kw’omuntu w’ekyaasha eki nk’oku kwabaire kuri
okutaka kw’omuntu ow’emyaka 3,000 ehingwire.
Zaaburi ezimwe nizigamba aha bizibu; azindi aha kushemererwa.
Abahimbi ba Zaaburi bakatakira Ruhanga ngu abajune kandi baareeba
embabazi ze ezi baabaire batashemereire. Bakaha Ruhanga ekitiinisa
ahabw’obwesigwa bwe na rukundo, kandi baahiga okuguma
nibeehayo ahariwe batarikuruha. N’ahabw’ekyo Zaaburi n’obujurizi
oburikuhamya okucungura kwa Ruhanga kandi nizo bumanyiso
bw’embabazi ze hamwe n’amatsiko. Zaaburi nizooreka okuraganisa
kw’obwaruhanga ahari abo boona, omu kwikiriza, abarikwakiira
ekiconco ky’okusaasirwa hamwe n’amagara matsya. Baitu obwo omu
mwanya nigwo gumwe, tizirikugyezaho kushwekyerera, kushereka
nari kutagamba aha bizibu n’aha kubonabona okukanyire omu nsi
eyaagwire.
Tukaabaasa tuta kutunga amatsiko n’okuhuumurizibwa haza
turikumanya ngu n’abantu abeesigwa, nk’abahimbi ba Zaaburi,
bakategana munonga n’ebitu ebi turikutegana nabyo?
6
Biruuru (Jan) 2
Ekyeshongoro ky’Obwire Bwona
Shoma Zaaburi 3, Zaaburi 33:1–3, na Zaaburi 109:6–15. N’embaju
zingahi ez’ebi abantu barikurabamu ezirikworekwa omuri Zaaburi
ezi?
Zaaburi nizireetera abaikiriza kumanya byona ebi omuntu arikurabamu,
kandi zooreka ngu abaikiriza nibabaasa kuramya Ruhanga obwire bwona
obw’amagara gaabo. Omuri zo nitureeba ebi:
(1) Ebyeshongoro ebirikutunguura Ruhanga ahabw’ekitiinisa kye, n’amaani
ge omu buhangi, obutegyeki bwe nk’omugabe, okucwakwe kw’orubanja,
hamwe n’obwesigwa bwe. (2) Zaaburi z’okusiima ezirikworeka okusiima
okurikuruga aha mutima ahabw’emigisha ya Ruhanga ehinguriine. (3)
Ez’okutonzya ezirikushuka amaganya ahari Ruhanga ngu areeteho
okucungurwa kuruga omu buremeezi. (4)Zaaburi z’obwengye ezirikuheereza
engyenderwaho z’okutuura amagara g’okuhikiirira. (5) Zaaburi z’obukama
ezirikworekyereza ahari Kristo, Omugabe Rugambwa kandi Omucunguzi
w’abantu ba Ruhanga. (6) Zaaburi z’ebyafaayo ezirikwijutsya ebyabaireho bya
Israeli kandi zikagaruka zikooreka obwesigwa bwa Ruhanga hamwe n’obuteesigwa
bwa Israeli kwenda ngu zeegyese obusingye oburikukurataho okutagarukamu enshobi
nizo zimwe, kureka babaase kwesiga Ruhanga n’okuguma bari abeesigwa aha
ndagaano Ye.
Empandiika ya Zaaburi neeyoreka amaani ag’omutaano kwenda kukwata
ebiteekateeko by’abashomi. N’obu empandiika yaazo obumwe erikuburira omu
nvunuura, nitubaasa nabwo, omu Runyankore-Rukiga rwaitu, kugira oku
twakiihayo. The poetry of the Zaaburi demonstrates distinctive power to capture
the attention of Shomaers. Though some of these poetic devices are lost in
translation, we can still, in our native language, appreciate many of them.
1. Okushushana: Eki kirimu okugaitirana ebigambo n’ebiteekateeko
ebirikuteebateebana. Okushushana, nikihwera omu kwetegyereza amakuru
g’obucweka oburikuteebana. Eky’okureeberaho, Singiza Mukama iwe magara
gangye! N byona ebiri omuriinye bisingize eiziina rye eririkwera!” (Zaaburi.
103:1). Omu Kushushana oku, “magara gangye” ni “Byona ebiri omuriinye,”
ekirikumanyisa amagara goona.
2. Ebishushani: Eki nikikoresa orurimi orurikureetera omuntu yaakoresa
obwonko bwe okureeba, okuhurira, okukaga, okuroza, hamwe n’okukwata aha
kintu (ebi byona birikukorwa obwonko bwe). Eky’okureeberaho, Obuhungiro
bwa Ruhanga nibworekwa aha nka “amapapa gaawe” (Zaaburi. 17:8).
3. Merism expresses totality by a pair of contrasting parts. “I have cried day
and night before thee” denotes crying without ceasing (Zaaburi. 88:1, emphasis
supplied).
4. Okuzaanisa Ebigambo: Oku n’okukozesa amaraka g’ebigambo
okureetaho okazaano k’ebigambo akarikuba kainemu obutumwa bw’omwoyo.
Omuri Zaaburi 96:4, 5 ebigambo by’Oruheburaayo ebi, ’elohim, “baaruhanga,”
hamwe na ’elilim, “ebishushani ebiramibwa,” nibihangaho akazaano
k’ebigambo okwenda kwihayo obutumwa ngu baaruhanga b’amahanga n’obu
baraabe nibareebeka kuba nka ’elohim, “baaruhanga,” kwonka nibaba bari
’elilim, “ebishushani nyabushushani.”
Eky’aha muheru, ekigambo “selah” nikireetaho okwemereraho kakye,
kirikureetera omuntu kwemerezaho kakye n’okuteekateeka aha butumwa
7
bw’ekicweka kimwe kya Zaaburi nari okuhindura aha kintu eki arikukoresa omu
kweshongora (Zaaburi. 61:4).
8
Biruuru (Jan) 3
Eshaara Ezebembeirwe Omwoyo Orikwera
Shoma 2 Samueli 23:1, 2 n’Abarooma 8:26, 27. Ebyahandiikirwe ebi
nibitwegyesa ki aha kushaba?
Zaaburi n’eshaara hamwe n’ebyeshongoro by’Abaisraeli ebirimu
obwaruhanga, n’ahabw’ekyo eiraka eriri omuri Zaaburi, n’erya
Ruhanga erijwangiremu n’ery’abantu be. Zaaburi ezi zirimu
okubugabugana na Ruhanga okw’emiringo mingi okurikureebwa
n’amaisho.
Abahandiiki ba Zaaburi nibagamba na Ruhanga barikumweyeteerera
bati, “Ruhanga wangye,” “Ai Mukama,” hamwe na “omugabe wangye”
(Zaaburi. 5:2, Zaaburi. 84:3). Kaingi abahandiiki ba Zaaburi nibatakira
Mukama bati, “tega amatu” (Zaaburi. 5:1), “hurira okushaba kwangye”
(Zaaburi. 39:12), “reeba” (Zaaburi. 25:18),“orahukye kungarukamu”
(Zaaburi. 102:2), hamwe na “ojune amagara gangye” (Zaaburi. 6:4).
Ebi n’ebirikworeka gye okushaba kw’omuntu ahari Ruhanga.
Oburungi oburikutangaaza hamwe n’okweta kwa Zaaburi nk’eshaara
kandi nk’okuhimbisa biri omu kugira ngu Zaaburi n’Ekigambo kya
Ruhanga ekiri omu muringo gw’eshaara z’amaani hamwe
n’okuhimbisa kw’abaikiriza. N’ahabw’ekyo Zaaburi niziha abaana ba
Ruhanga akaire k’okuhikaana haihi, nk’oku kirikushoboororwa omu
Barooma 8:26, 27: “Oku nikwo Omwoyo atuhwera omu bweremwa
bwaitu; ahakuba titumanya kushaba nk’oku kitushemereire, kwonka
Omwoyo we wenka atutonganirira n’okutsinda oku omuntu
atakaabaasa kugamba. Kandi ogwo ocaaka emitima y’abantu, amanya
ebi Omwoyo ateekateeka, ku atonaganira abarikwera, nk’oku Ruhanga
akunda.”
Na Yesu kaingi akaba akoresa Zaaburi, nk’omuri Luka 20:42, 43, obu
akoresa Zaaburi 110:1—“ ‘Ahakuba Daudi we omu kitabo kya Zaaburi
naagira ati: “Mukama akagambira Mukama wangye ati, /‘Shutama aha
rubaju rwangye rwa buryo, / Okuhitsya obu ndigira abazigu baawe
akatebe k’ebigyere byawe’ ” ’ ”.
N’obu Zaaburi zimwe zaakomookire nari zirikugamba aha byafaayo
hamwe n’ebi abahandiiki baazo baarabiremu bo nkabo, nangwa n’ebi
Issraeli yaarabiremu nk’eihanga, oburingwa bw’eby’omwoyo bya
Zaaburi nibugamba aha bintu byingi ebirikubaho omu magara
g’omuntu kandi buhika n’omu bantu b’emiringo yoona, ediini,
enganda, hamwe n’ahu abashaija n’abakazi barikukoma. Omu bugufu,
waaba n’obushoma Zaaburi, noija kuzishanga nizooreka amatsiko,
okuhimbisa, obwoba, ekiniga, hamwe n’obusaasi, ebintu ebi abantu
barikuhikwaho buri hamwe, omu buri busingye, ti kya nshonga
embeera zaabo. Nizigamba naitwe twena omu rurimi
rw’ebirikutuhikaho rwonyini.
Yesu okukozesa Zaaburi kishemereire kutugambira ki aha
mugasho ogu zirikubaasa kugira omu by’okwikiriza kwaitu?
9
Biruuru (Jan) 4
Ensi y’Omuri Zaaburi
Shoma Zaaburi 16:8; Zaaburi 44:8; Zaaburi 46:1; Zaaburi 47:1, 7; Zaaburi
57:2; Zaaburi 62:8; Zaaburi 82:8; hamwe na Zaaburi 121:7. Ni mwanya ki
ogu Ruhanga aine omu magara g’Abahandiiki ba Zaaburi?
Entima ya byona ebiri omu nsi ya Zaaburi ni Ruhanga; kurabira omu kushaba
n’omukuhimbisa, ensi ya Zaaburi neesherura okuhayo eby’amagara byona
ahari Ruhanga. Ruhanga niwe Muhangi Rugambwa, Omugabe kandi
Omuramuzi w’ensi egi. Naaheereza abaana be ebintu byona. N’ahabw’ekyo,
n’owokwesigwa obunaku bwona. Abantu ba Ruhanga ku barikureebeka
nk’abaaremwa, nangwa n’abazigu ba Ruhanga nibabuuza ngu “ ‘Ruhanga
waanyu arahi?’ ” (Zaaburi. 42:10). Nk’oku Mukama ari Ruhanga otuuraho
kandi otaremwa ahabw’abantu be, n’ahabw’ekyo abantu ba Ruhanga bataaha
baine Ruhanga omu maisho gaabo. Zaaburi neeyoreka obunaku obu abantu
boona hamwe n’obuhangi bwona birikwija kuramya Ruhanga (Zaaburi. 47:1,
Zaaburi. 64:9).
Ruhanga okuba entima y’amagara nikihindura okuramya entima. Okuramya
okw’obunaku bwa Zaaburi nikutaanira kimwe n’okuramya kw’obunaku obu,
ahakuba okuramya omu nsi eya Baiburi kukaba kwejumbirwamu abantu boona.
N’ahabw’ekyo, buri kimwe ekyaabaire kibaho, yaaba kibi nari kirungi, kikaba
kireetwa omu maisho ga uhanga omu kuramya. Ruhanga naahurira
omweshongozi wa Zaaburi, buri mwanya gwona ogu arikuba arimu, kandi
amugarukamu omu bunaku obuhikire (Zaaburi. 3:4, Zaaburi. 18:6, Zaaburi.
20:6).
Omweshongozi naamanya ngu obutaaho bwa Ruhanga buri omu iguru, kandi
omu mwanya nigwo gumwe, Ruhanga ari n’omuri Sayuuni, omu butaaho oburi
omu bantu be. Omu mwanya nigwo gumwe Ruhanga ari hare kandi haihi, ari
buri hamwe, kandi ari omu hekalu ye (Zaaburi. 11:4), ayesherekire (Zaaburi.
10:1) kandi asangiirwe (Zaaburi. 41:12). Omuri Zaaburi ebirikukwata ahari
Ruhanga nibyorekyerwa hamwe. Abahimbi ba Zaaburi bakaba nibeetegyereza
ngu okuba haihi kwa Ruhanga hamwe n’okuba hare kwe byombi bikaba
bitarikutaanisibwa. (Zaaburi. 24:7–10). Abahimbi ba Zaaburi bakaba
nibeetegyereza empindahinduka y’eby’omowyo egumire. Okumanya kwabo
ngu Ruhanga ariho kandi ngu ni murungi, omuri buri kintu eki baabaire
nibabugana, nikyo kyabaire kigumya amatsiko gaabo obwo bategyereize
obuhwezi bwa Ruhanga, baitu obwo kandi ku yaabaire acwamu kububaha. The
Zaaburiists understood the dynamics of this spiritual tension.
Zaaburi zikaatuhwera tuta okwetegyereza ngu titukaabaasa
kukomera Ruhanga aha kubaho kwaitu kwonka?Ni bicweka ki
by’amagara gaawe ebi oriyo noosheruriramu okureetera
Ruhanga yaaguma hare naiwe?
10
Biruuru (Jan) 5
Eby’okwongyera Kuteekateekaho: Shoma Ellen G. White,
“The Temple and Its Dedication,” pp. 35–50, omuri Prophets and Kings; “The
Benefits of Music,” pp. 291, 292, o muri Messages to Young People.
Ekitabo kya Zaaburi kirimu Zaaburi ezirikuhika 150, ezirikubaganisibwa
omu bitabo bitaano: Ekitabo 1 (Zaaburi 1−41), Ekitabo 2 (Zaaburi 42−72),
Ekitabo 3 (Zaaburi 73−89), Ekitabo 4 (Zaaburi 90−106), hamwe n’ekitabo 5
(Zaaburi 107−150). Okubaganisamu Zaaburi omu bitabo bitaano n’omucwe
gw’ekiyudaaya ogwa ira ogurikushushana n’okubaganisibwa kw’ebitabo
bitaano ebirikubanza omu Baiburi.
Ekitabo kya Zaaburi nikiheereza obuhame bwa Zaaburi ezaabaire ziriho:
Zaaburi za Koora (Zaaburi 42−49, 84, 85, 87, 88),eza Asafu (Zaaburi 73−83), the
Songs of the Ascents (Zaaburi120−134), and the hamwe na zZaaburi za Hallelujah
(Zaaburi 111−118, 146−150). Zaaburi72:20 neeha obujurizi ahari Zaaburi nkye eza
Daudi.
N’obu Zaaburi nyingi ziraabe nizeetererwa obweire bwa Daudi hamwe
n’obugabe bwe (n’ekyasha kya ikumi), okurundaana Zaaburi kukagumizamu
n’omu byasha ebyakurateireho: omu bweire obu obugabe bwabaire
bwebaganeisemu, omu bukwatwa, hamwe n’omu bunaku bwa bwanyima
y’obukwatwa. Nikyetegyerezibwa ngu abahandiiki b’Abayudaaya ahansi
y’obwebembezi bwa Ezra bakagaitira hamwe Zaaburi nkye ezaabaire ziriho
bazita omu kitabo kimwe obu baabaire nibakoraaha kutandikaho obuheereza
bwa hekalu ensya.
Eky’okugira ngu abahandiiki nibo baarundaanire Zaaburi tikirikwihaho
obwaruhanga bwazo. Abahandiiki, nk’aba abahaahandiikire Zaaburi, bakaba
bari abaheereza ba Ruhanga abarikutaho omutima, kandi omurimo gwabo
gukaba nigwebemberwa Ruhanga (Ezra 7:6, 10). Obwaruhanga hamwe
n’obuntu oburi omuri Zaaburi nibushushanisibwa n’obwaruhanga hamwe
n’obuntu bwa Mukama Yesu. “Kwonka Baiburi, n’amazima gaayo agarikuruga
ahari Ruhanga kandi agarikuheebwayo omu rurimi oru abantu
barikwetegyereza gye, neeshuruura okwegaita kw’obwaruhanga hamwe
n’obuntu. Eki kikaba kiri omuri Kristo, owabaire ari Omwana wa Ruhanga
kandi ari omwana w’omuntu. N’ahabw’ekyo, kihikire kyaba nikigambwa ahari
Baiburi, nk’oku kyabaire kiri ahari Kristo, ngu “Kigambo ogwo yaaba omuntu,
yaatuura naitwe.’ ”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 8.
Ebibuuzo by’Okugaaniiraho:
➊ Nikimanyisa ki ngu Zaaburi n’eshaara hamwe n’ebyeshongoro ebirimu
obwaruhanga hamwe n’obuntu? Ekiteekateeko eki, n’obu kiraabe kigumire
kukyetegyereza, nikituhwera kita okureeba oku Ruhanga arikwenda ngu
atuhikye haihi?
➋ Omu kibiina, gamba aha bunaku obu waashanga ekintu omuri
Zaaburi ekirikugamba aha mbeera yaawe yonyini. Ni kuhumurizibwa ki
nari ni matsiko ki agu watungire mu?
1
1
I N S I D
Story
e
Finding Jesus in a Holy Book
By ANDReW McCHesNey
12
Paul went from home to home to meet people in a European city. With
him, he carried a Bible and the holy book of another major world religion.
One day, a man opened the door. His breath smelled of cigarette smoke.
“I would very much like to give you a gift today,” Paul said.
“What kind of gift?” the man asked.
“I have this Bible,” Paul said.
“I don’t want a Bible,” the man said. “I belong to another religion. You
are a Christian.”
“I have the holy book of your religion, too,” Paul said.
The man was surprised. He seemed interested. “OK, Shoma something
to me but only from my holy book, not from the Bible,” he said.
Paul opened the holy book and Shoma about Jesus. The man’s surprise
grew.“Is this the same Jesus as in the Bible?” he asked.
Over the next few weeks, he studied four lessons about Jesus from his
holy book. The man saw that the book does not talk about Jesus being crucified. He saw that the book predicts Jesus will come again. He saw that both
people from his religion and Christians were waiting for Jesus to return.
When Paul arrived for the fifth lesson, the man wasn’t home.
A year passed, and one Sabbath the man showed up at Paul’s church.
“I want to come to this church,” he said. “Can I?”
It was Paul’s turn to be surprised.
“I want to follow Christ,” the man said.
After that, the man came every Sabbath. He said his holy book left him
feeling empty. It offered no Savior for his sins. He longed to be baptized.
“Jesus says the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit,” Paul said. “Do you
want to be free of cigarettes? Jesus said, ‘If the Son makes you free, you
shall be free indeed’ [John 8:36, NKJV]. You have to choose Jesus or cigarettes. You can throw away your cigarettes today if you choose.”
The man looked scared. “It isn’t possible!” he blurted out. But then he
reached into his pocket and threw a cigarette pack into a trash can.
“Jesus, give me victory over cigarettes,” he prayed. “I want to be free.”
Late that night, he called Paul. “This is terrible,” he said. “I feel awful. I
cannot live without cigarettes.”
The two men prayed together on the phone. God heard the prayer and
gave the man victory. He has not smoked in the four and a half years since
then. Today, he is an outreach leader for the church.
“He loves people,” Paul told Adventist Mission. He is waiting eagerly for
Jesus to return.
Thank you for your support of Adventist Mission, whose Global Mission Centers help
train people to share the good news of salvation with precious people from other world
religions. For more information, visit globalmissioncenters.org.
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spShoma the gospel worldwide. Shoma new stories daily at AdventistMission.org.
11

Biruuru (Jan) 6–12
Twegyese Okushaba
SABATO OMU IHANGWE
Eby’okushoma ahabwa saabiiti egi: Zaaburi. 105:5, Kol.
3:16, Yakobo 5:13, Zaaburi 44, Zaaburi 22, Zaaburi 13, Zaaburi.
60:1–5.
Omushororongo gw’Okwijuka: “Yesu akaba ari omu mwanya
gumwe naashaba; ku yaaherize, omwe aha beegi be yaamugira ati: Mukama
waitu, twegyese okushaba, nk'oku Yohaana yaayegyeise abeegi be. ” (Luka
11:1).
nyikiriza erikugira ngu eshaara etarimu kwegyesibwa ei
omuntu arikwehangahangiraho niyo shaara ehikire neerebeka
kuba ekanyire omu Bakristaayo bamwe. N’obu kiri kityo,
abeegi ba Yesu bakagarukwamu gye obu baashabire Yesu ngu
abeegyese oku bashemereire kushaba.
Ruhanga akata ekitabo ky’eshaara, niyo Zaaburi, aha ntima ya Baiburi,
ti kutworeka oku abantu aba ira baabaire bashaba kyonka, kureka
n’okutwegyesa oku twakubaasa kushaba erizooba.
Kurugira kimwe omu myaka eya ira, Zaaburi ziijire nizigorora
eshaara z’abantu ba Ruhanga, nangwa n’eza Yesu oziteiremu (1 Bus.
16:7, 9; Neh. 12:8; Mat. 27:46; Bef. 5:19). Saabiiti egi nitwaija kureeba
aha murimo ogu Zaaburi yaabaire eine omu kuhwera abantu ba Ruhanga
okutambura orugyendo rwabo kandi n’okukura omu kakwate kaabo na
Ruhanga. Tushemereire kwijuka ngu Zaaburi n’eshaara kandi
nk’eshaara ti z’omuhendo ahabw’obwaruhanga oburimu kyonka kureka
n’ahabw’emiringo ei zirikubaasa kutungisa n’okugarura butsya omuntu
hamwe n’okushaba kw’abantu boona.
Okushaba Zaaburi kihwereire abaikiriza baingi okutaho n’okubaisaho
amagara g’okushaba aga burizooba.
Saabiiti egi nitwaija kugumizamu nitureeba ahari Zaaburi, na
munonga omu bunaku obu ebintu birikuba bitarikutugyendera gye.
E
* Yega eky’okwega kya saabiiti egi okweteguurira Sabato ya Biruuru (Jan) 13
12
Biruuru (Jan) 7
Okwongyera Kukoresa Zaaburi omu Kushaba
Shoma Zaaburi 105:5, Abakolosai 3:16, na Yakobo 5:13. Zaaburi ziine
mwanya ki omu by’okuramya kw’omwikiriza?
Omuringo ogwanguhi ogw’okumanyiiza Zaaburi amagara gaawe ga burizooba
n’okuguma nooyehayo okuzishoma burizooba, orikutandikana na Zaaburi 1,
reero okagumizamu n’oku zirikukuratana. Ogundi omuringo n’ogw’okushoma
Zaaburi ezirikuteebana n’eby’orikurabamu, okubiri byona: hariho Zaaburi
z’okutonzua, ez’okutonzya kw’orweteereine, ez’okusiima, ebyeshongoro,
ez’okwesaasiza, ez’obwengye (okusherura obwengye bwa Ruhanga n’obuhabuzi
bwe), ez’ebyafaayo, ez’ekiniga, hamwe na Zaaburi z’orugyendo. Omu
by’okwega by’ameezi ashatu aga, nitwaija kuba nitureeba ahari Zaaburi nyingi
kandi twegye ahari ezi Zaaburi omu buryo obuzirimu.
Mbwenu hati tushome tuta Zaaburi?
Banza oshome Zaaburi, ogiteho omutima, na bwanyima oshabe.
Okuteekateeka munonga ahari Zaaburi kirimu okuta omutima ahari bingi ebi
zirikugambaho: omuringo ogu abahimbi ba Zaaburi barikugamba na Ruhanga
hamwe n’enshonga ahabwenki okushaba kurikwetengwa. Ta omutima aha ku
embeera yaawe erikushushana n’ebi abahimbi ba Zaaburi baabaire nibarabamu
hamwe n’oku Zaaburi erikubaasa kukuhwera kwatura ebi orikurabamu. Noija
kutangaarira oku orikwija kweshanga orikubaasa kushushana na byona ebi
orikushomamu.
Haagira ekintu ekyakukora aha mutima omuri Zaaburi, taho omutima, oreebe
yaaba Zaaburi egyo eriyo neetereeza amatsiko gaawe agagwire ahari ekyo eki
orikurabamu ekikugumiire. Haagira ekyakuteganisa omuri Zaaburi, taho
omutima oreebe yaaba kiriyo nikiteereza amatsiko gaawe agagwire ahari ebyo
ebi orikurabamu. Reebera obutumwa bwa Zaaburi omu mushana gwa Kristo
n’omurimo gwe hamwe n’amatsiko ag’omurimo garikutuheereza. Nk’oku
turikumanya nari nk’oku tushemereire kukimanya, nikikira kuhwera
okureebera buri kimwe omu Baiburi omu mushana gwa Kristo n’omusharaba.
Ekindi, ronda ebigyendererwa by’okushaba ebisya ebi Zaaburi erikuheereza,
kandi oteekateekye aha migasho yaabyo ahariiwe, aha kanisa yaawe, n’aha nsi
yoona. Shaba Ruhanga ate Ekigambo kye omu mutima gwawe n’omu
biteekateeko byawe. Zaaburi yaaba neeteebateebana n’ebi omuntu weena ou
orikumanya arikurabamu, mweshengyerereze ahai Ruhanga. Enshonga eri ngu
Zaaburi nizikwata aha bintu bingi omu magara, n’ahabw’ekyo nitubaasa
kugasirwa ebi turikushoma n’okuta omu mutima ebi Zaaburi ezi
zirikutugambira.
Nikimanyisa ki ngu “Ekigambo kya Kristo kigume omuriimwe
kikanye” (Kol. 3:16)? Ahabw’enki okushoma Baiburi riri
eitembezo ry’okubanza kandi erikuru eririkwetengwa kuhika
ahari ekyo?
13
Biruuru (Jan) 8
Obwesigye omu Bunaku bw’Akabi
Abakristaayo boona nibamanya, kandi nibaraba omu bunaku bw’amaganya
n’okubonabona, obunaku obu barikwebuurizamu yaaba Mukama aine eki ariyo
naakora, nari ahabw’enki naikiriza ebintu nk’ebi kubabaho. N’abahandiiki ba
Zaaburi bonyine bakaraba omu bintu nk’ebyo. Kandi kurabira omu kuhwerwa
Omwoyo Orikwera bakabaasa kuhandiika ebi baarabiremu.
Shoma Zaaburi 44. Zaaburi egi neetugambira ki, kandi ahabw’enki
kiri eky’omugasho aha baikiriza omu busingye bwona?
Okutooranwa kwa Zaaburi omu kuramya kw’omukanisa nikukira kuba
nikworeka oku turikuba nitwehurira hamwe n’ebigambo byaitu omu kushaba
kw’orweteereine. Eki nikibaasa kuba akamanyiso k’obutabaasa bwaitu
kugumya ebintu bibi ebirikutubaho omu magara. N’obu turaabe obumwe
nitwehurira orikushusha oti Ruhanga tarikututwariza omu buringaaniza omu
bunaku bw’okubonabona, tikirikutureebekyera gye kworeka ebiteekateeko
byaitu omu kushaba okwa rwatu nangwa n’obu kwakuba omu kushaba
okw’omubonano.
Okwezigaziga oku nikubaasa kutureetera twahusha enshonga nkuru
y’okuramya. Okuremwa kwaturira Ruhanga emibonano y’emitima yaitu omu
kushaba nikikira kutusiga omu bukwatwa bw’emiteekateekyere yaitu. Eki
nakyo nikitwaihaho obumanzi n’obwesigye twaba turi omu maisho ga
Ruhanga. Okushaba Zaaburi nikituha obuhame ngu, ku turikushaba kandi
tukaramya, titushemereire kwehakana nari kushereka ebi turikurabamu.
Eky’okureeberaho, Zaaburi 44, neebaasa kuhwera abarikuramya kubaasa
kugamba bataine bwoba oku barabire omu kubonabonesibwa kandi
batarikusigayo kintu kyona. Okukoresa Zaaburi omu kushaba nikihwera abantu
okutunga obugabe bw’ogamba nk’okubarikwenda omu kushaba. Zaaburi
nizituha ebigambo ebi tutakaabaasa kubona n’obu kwakuba okugyezaho
kugamba. “Emitima yaitu teragarukire nyima, N'ebigyere byaitu
tibirateishukire muhanda gwawe. Ebyakukureeteire okutuhendagurira omu
maaya g'emishega, N'okutushweka ekibunda ky'okufa.” (Zaaburi. 44:18, 19).
Reeba, n’obu kiri kityo, oku Zaaburi erikutandika. Omuhandiiki ariyo
naagamba oku Ruhanga omu bunaku obw’enyima yaakoreire abantu be ebintu
bikuru. Kandi obwo, omuhandiiki ariyo naayoreka oku aikwesiga Ruhanga
baitu butari “buta bwangye” (Zaaburi. 44:6).
Oihireho eki, oburemeezi nibukiija aha bantu ba Ruhanga. Ebirikureetaho
okucura n’okutonzya ni biringwa kandi nibisaasa. Kwonka hoona n’omuri
ekyo, omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi naagumizamu kweta Ruhanga ati, “Imuka
otuhwere. Otucungure ahabw'embabazi zaawe!” (Zaaburi. 44:26). Eki
nikimanyisa ngu, n’ahagati y’oburemeezi, naamanya ngu Ruhanga ariho kandi
ngu aine rukundo.
Okuranzyaho enyima, obu okubaho kwa Ruhanga kwabaire
nikureebwa, nikukuyamba kuta okutuura omu bunaku obu oburemeezi
burikukureetera wateekateeka ngu Ruhanga ari hare naiwe?
14
Biruuru (Jan) 9
Zaaburi y’Okuganya
Okushaba orikukoresa Zaaburi nikihingura aha kuhwera abarikuba
nibaramya okwatura eshaara zaabo n’obusingye. Zaaburi nizireebuuza ebi
barikurabamu kurugiirira aha kurenga kwa Ruhanga kandi zireetaho
okugarukwamu kurabira omu kureetaho amatsiko n’okuhamibwa ku Ruhanga
kwo buzima ariho.
Shoma Zaaburi 22. Tukaabaasa kwega ki omuri Zaaburi egi aha kugira
amatsiko omuri Ruhanga twaba turi omu kubonabona kwingi?
Ebigambo by’okutonzya ebiri omuri Zaaburi 22:1 nibibaasa kuhwera abantu
abarikubonabona okubaasa kwatura obusaasi bwabo hamwe n’oku
barikwehurira batsigirweho: “Ruhanga wangye, Ruhanga wangye, n'enki
ekyakuntsigisaho? Ahabw'enki ori hare, otarikumpwera, kandi otarikuhurira
bigambo by'okutsinda kwangye?”
Nikwo kiri ebigambo ebi bikizire kuhurirwa omu Bakristaayo ahakuba nibyo
bigambo bimwe ebi Yesu we wenyini yaagambire ari aha musharaba,
okutworeka oku Zaaburi zaabaire ziri entima y’amagara ga Kristo (reeba Mat.
27:46).
Kwonka n’obu kiri kityo, n’ahagati y’okubonabona hamwe n’ebigyezo,
ebigambo ebi nabyo nibyaturwa: “Ndyagambira ab'eishe-emwe eiziina ryawe;
Nkuhimbisize ahagati omu mutwe gw'abantu.” (Zaaburi. 22:22).
Ekirikumanyisa ngu, n’obu ebigambo ebi biraabe bitarikuteebateebana
n’embeera mbi ez’omuhandiiki yaabaire arimu, omuhandiiki ogu akaba ariyo
naayoreka okwikiriza oku aine omuri Ruhanga kandi arikurangirira ngu, n’obu
haakubaho ki, naateekwa kumuhimbisa.
Enshonga eri ngu, omu kutuheereza ebigambo by’okushaba, Zaaburi
nizitwegyesa okurenzya amaisho ebi turikurabamu kandi, ahabw’okwikiriza,
turanzye omu bunaku obu turikwija kugarurwa busya ahabw’embabazi za
Ruhanga.
Okushaba Zaaburi n’ahabw’ekyo nikuhisya abarikuramya omu myanya
misya ey’omwoyo ey’ahaiguru. Zaaburi nizibaasisa abarikuramya
okushoboorora oku barikwehurira n’oku barikwetegyereza, kwonka
tibarikurekwa omu mbeera ezi barikuba barimu. Abarikuramya nibeebemberwa
omu kureka emitwaro yaabo y’obuhuruzi, okuhwa amaani, ekiniga, hamwe
n’okuganya omu maisho ga Ruhanga kandi n’okumutamu obwesigye omu
mbeera zoona.
Okutambura kuruga omu kutonzya kuza omu kuhimbisa okurikureebwa
omuri Zaaburi nyingi nikwetengwa ahabw’okugarurwa busya omu by’omwoyo
oku abaikiriza barikubugabugana baaba batungire embabazi za Ruhanga
hamwe n’okuhuumurizibwa omu kushaba.
Tukaabaasa kwega tuta okurenzya amaisho ebigyezo
ebirikutuhikaho kandi, tukata obwesigye omu burungi bwa
Ruhanga, omuri buri kimwe eki turikubugabugana hati?
15
Biruuru (Jan) 10
Kuruga omu Maganya Kuza omu Matsiko
Twena nitubaasa kuba twaratungireho obunaku obu orikushusha oti Ruhanga
akaba aturi hare. N’oha, obumwe n’obumwe, otakateekateekaga ati: Eki
nikibaho kita?
Abahandiiki ba Zaaburi, abantu nk’itwe, nabo bakahikwaho ebintu nibyo
bimwe. N’amazima obumwe ebibi byaitu nibyo birikutuhisyaho okugyezibwa,
kandi n’obumwe ebigyezo ebi bishusha ebitarimu buringaaniza, oshusha oti
titushemereire ebyo ebirikutuhikaho. Otarikuraba omu bintu nk’ebyo n’oha?
Shoma Zaaburi 13. Ni mpinduka ki eibiri ez’omubiri ezi orikubaasa
kutaanisa omuri Zaaburi egi? Ni kucwamu ki oku orikuteekateeka ngu
nikwo kwaretsireho empinduka omu mireebere y’omuhandiiki wa
Zaaburi egi?
“MUKAMA, oryahitsya hi okuunyebwa obutwire bwona? Oryahitsya hi
okuunyima amaisho?” (Zaaburi. 13:1). Ekibuuzo ekindi, n’oha
otarikukwatwaho ebibuuzo ebi, n’obu biraabe nibireebeka bigwire? (Ruhanga
yareebirwe omuntu weena omur’itwe?
Zaaburi 13, n’ahabw’ekyo, neetworeka omuringo gw’okwangiramu
enshobe erikukira kukorwa bingi—ey’okwetaho omutima n’aha buremeezi
bwaitu omu kushaba. Zaaburi neebaasa kukurakuranisa okushaba kwaitu
kurabira omu kutwebembera kwongyera kuhamya obwesigwa n’obutahinduka
oburi omu nkoragana ya Ruhanga n’abantu be.
Buzima, n’obu Zaaburi eraabe neetandikana okutonzya n’okwetomboita,
tikwo erikuhendera. Kandi ekyo nikyo kikuru.
Zaaburi neetwebembera kweshariramu okwesiga amaani g’okujuna kwa
Ruhanga (Zaaburi. 13:5), kugira ngu okutiina kwaitu n’okwemereza omutima
(Zaaburi. 13:1–4) bibaase kugyenda nibimarwaho okujuna kwa Ruhanga, tutyo
tutandike kwehuriramu empinduka kuruga omu kutonzya kuza omu kuhimbisa,
kuruga omu maganya kuza omu matsiko (Zaaburi. 13:5, 6).
N’obu kiri kityo, okufa gagarukamu ebigambo bya Zaaburi otabandize
kwetegyereza amakuru gabyo goona tikirikwija kureetaho okugaruka busya
okurikuba kugyendereirwe omu kubikoresa. Twaba nitushaba Zaaburi,
tushemereire kusherura Omwoyo Orikwera okutuhwera okutwaza omu
muringo ogurikuragiirwa Zaaburi egyo. Zaaburi n’Ekigambo kya Ruhanga omu
emicwe n’ebikorwa by’abaikiriza birikuhindukira, baitu kutari kumanya
kwonka. Ahabw’embabazi za Ruhanga, okuraganisa okuri omuri Zaaburi
nikureebwa omu magara g’abaikiriza. Eki nikimanyisa ngu nitwikiriza
Ekigambo kya Ruhanga okutuhindura nk’oku okukunda kwa Ruhanga kuri
kandi n’okutunywanisa na Kristo, owayorekire gye okukunda kwa Ruhanga,
nk’omwana wa Ruhanga owazairwe omu mubiri, kandi owaashabire na
Zaaburi.
Ebigyezo byawe bikaabaasa bita kukwiriza haihi na Ruhanga?
Ahabw’enki waaba otafiireyo birikubaasa kukwiriza hare
nawe?
16
Biruuru (Jan) 11
Otugarure Omu Buteeka
Shoma Zaaburi 60:1–5. Ni mu mbeera ki ezi ori kuteekateeka ngu egi
Zaaburi neehindukamu eshaara erikwetengwa? Tukaabaasa
kugasirwa ki omuri Zaaburi y’okutonzya nangwa n’obu twakuba
turi omu bunaku obw’okushemererwa?
Zaaburi z’okutonzya nizeetegyerezibwa nk’eshaara z’abantu
abarikutuura omu bunaku obugumire, oba mu mubiri, omu
biteekateeko, omu mwoyo. Nari omuri byonshatu.
N’obu kiri kityo, eki tikirikumanyisa ngu tushemereire kunagira
kimwe ezi Zaaburi, nangwa n’omu bunaku oburungi. Obumwe
n’obumwe ebigambo bya Zaaburi nibibaasa kutateebana n’ebi ogwo
orikuramya arikurabamu. Eki nikimanyisa ngu Zaaburi z’okutonzya
nizibaasa kugasira abo abatari mu maganya.
Eky’okubanza, nizitumanyisa ngu okubonabona n’ekintu ekirikuhika
aha bantu boona, abahikiriire n’abasiisi. Zaaburi nizituhamiza ngu
Ruhanga akiturinzire kandi ngu naatuha amaani n’ebigarukwamu omu
bunaku bw’akabi. N’omuri egi Zaaburi, nangwa n’ahagati y’akabi
(“Otetemize ensi” Zaaburi. 60:2), omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi egi
naayoreka amatsiko agu aine omu kucungura kwa Ruhanga.
Ekya kabiri, Zaaburi z’okutonzya nizitwegyesa okugirira esaasi
abarikubonabona. Twaba nitworeka Ruhanga okushemererwa kwaitu
hamwe n’okusiima omu rwatu, tugume twijukye n’abo abataine
migisha nk’ei twaine. N’amazima, nitubaasa kuba twaine ebintu birungi
hati, kwonka n’oha otarikumanya abantu abatwehinguririize abariyo
nibabonabonera kimwe? Okushaba Zaaburi nk’egi nikibaasa kutuhwera
okuteebwa abo abarikuraba omu bunaku obugumire. Zaaburi egi
eshemereire kutukwasa esaasi hamwe n’ekyetengo ky’okuheereza abo
abarikubonabona nk’oku Kristo yaakozire.
“Ensi egi n’enju mpango y’obuhurizi, kwonka Kristo akaija kukiza
abarwaire, n’okurangirira embohe za Sitaane eby’okurekurwa.
Omuriwe hakaba harimu amagara n’amaani. Akaha amagara ge
abarwaire, abarikubonabonesibwa, n’abaabaire bariho baadaimoni.
Tihaine n’omwe owaizire ahariwe kutunga okukizibwa ou yaabingire.
Akaba naakimanya ngu abo abaabaire nibashaba okukizibwa bakaba
beeretsireho oburwaire; kwonka nabwo tarangire kubakiza. Kandi
oburungi bwa Kristo ku bwabaire butaaha omuri bo, bakaba bashinjwa
omu mitima, na baingi bakizibwa endwara ez’omwoyo n’ez’omubiri.
Engiri ekiine amaani nigo gamwe, mbwenu ahabw’enki itwe eri izooba
tutakireeba maani nigo gamwe? Ellen G. White, Welfare Ministry, pp.
24, 25.
N’oha hati ou orikumanya otarikwetenga eshaara zaawe zonka,
kureka n’obuheereza bwawe?
17
Biruuru (Jan) 12
Eby’okwongyera Kuteekateekaho: Shoma Zaaburi 42:8
hamwe na Ellen G. White, “Poetryand Song,” pp. 159–168, omu
Education. Eshaara n’ekyeshongoro biine kakwate ki omuri ebi
bihandiiko ebyahandikisiibwe Omwoyo Orikwera?
Ellen G. White naashoboorora Zaaburi ya Daudi ey’okweteisa (reeba
Zaaburi 51) oku orurimi rw’omwoyo gwe hamwe n’eshaara,
birikworeka obuhangwa bw’okushaasha ahabw’ekibi (Reeba Steps to
Christ, pp. 24, 25). Naatiisaho omutima abaikiriza okukwata omu
mutwe ebihandiikirwe omuri Zaaburi egi nk’omuringo gw’okwetamu
okumanya ngu Ruhanga ariho omu magara gaabo kandi agaruka
ayoreka ekikorwa kya Yesu eky’okwimusya eiraka rye arikukoresa
Zaaburi omu bwire bw’okwohibwa hamwe n’okutiina kuhango.
Naagaruka agira ati: “Ebigambo by’ekyeshongoro ekirikwera ka
nibikira kushumurura omu mutima enshuro z’okwetiisa hamwe
n’okwikiriza, z’amatsiko na rukundo hamwe n’okushemrerwa!
…N’amazima, ebyeshongoro bingi n’eshaara.” —Education, pp. 162–
168.
Ku turikushaba kandi tukeeshongora Zaaburi, nitutooreza
okuremeraho, obumanzi, okwongyera kugira amaani hamwe
n’amatsiko, eby’abahandiiki ba Zaaburi. Nizitutaisaho amaani
kugumizamu orugyendo rwaitu rw’omwoyo n’okutuhuumuriza ngu
tituri twenka. Abantu abandi, nk’oku nkaitwe turi, barabire omu bunaku
bw’omwirima kwonka baasingura ahabw’embabazi za Ruhanga. Omu
muringo nigwo gumwe, Zaaburi nizitwiguraho kakye amaisho kureeba
oku Kristo arikututonganirira, nk’oku atuura naatushabira (Baheb.
7:25).
Okukoresa Zaaburi omu kushaba n’okuramya nikireetera abaikiriza
okumanya ebi abantu barabamu byona kandi kyegyesa abarikuramya
okweshushaniriza embeera nk’ezo omu kuramya. Zaaburi n’eshaara
kandi n’ebyeshonggoro ebirimu obwaruhanga hamwe n’obuntu.
Ahabw’enshonga egyo, okukoresa Zaaburi omu kuramya obutoosha
nikihisya abaikiriza aha ntima y’okukunda kwa Ruhanga hamwe
n’embabazi ze nyingi ezirikukiza.
Ebibuuzo by’Okugaaniiraho:
➊ Ahabw’enki okushaba okutarimu kwegyesibwa gutari gwo
muringo gwonka ogu tushemereire kushabamu? Amagara gaitu
g’okushaba gakaagasirwa gata omuri Zaaburi, eshaara za
Baiburi?
➋ Zaaburi zikaakuza zita okushaba kwaitu kw’orweteereine?
Yoreka emwe aha miringo ei ekanisa yaawe erikubaasa kutaho
okukoresa Zaaburi omu kuramya?
❸ Zaaburi neeyoreka ki aha kuguma kw’orugyendo
rw’okwikiriza hamwe n’aha maani g’embabazi za Ruhanga
ezirikukiza?
18
I N S I D
tory
S
e
Cry of Radostin’s Heart
By ANDReW McCHesNey
Radostin disliked his life. His friends did not exert a good influence over
him. He dabbled in illegal drugs and petty crime. The constant cry of his
heart was, “I want to change, I want to change, I want to change.”
Growing older, Radostin got married and had two sons. Times were tough,
and he left his homeland of Bulgaria in search of work. As he worked in
Western Europe, he made new friends. He longed for truth. He wished that
his new friends would reveal the truth to him. Now, the constant cry of his
heart was, “How can people who know the real truth find me?”
After some time, he moved again in search of a better job. But in six
weeks, he hit rock bottom. He found himself living in a small, rented room
with no money and no food. He was very, very hungry.
In desperation, his heart cried out to God one night.
“God, help me,” he said, praying for the first time in his life. “Send me
someone.”
In the morning, someone knocked on his door. It was a man in a suit. In
his hand was a Bible. Radostin understood that God had sent the man in
answer to his prayer.
The man, Paul, brought food for Radostin to eat. He invited him to church.
Radostin went and was surprised. He had never been to a house of worship
where he sensed God’s love. His heart was touched, and he wept.
Returning to Bulgaria, he told his family repeatedly about meeting God
and experiencing His love at Paul’s church. He longed to return to the church,
but he wasn’t sure that his wife would agree to even move. Like himself, she
had been raised in another world religion.
He prayed, “God, if it is Your will, if You are God, help. If Paul’s church is
Your true church, send my family and me there. I want to have a complete
change in my life.”
One day, Radostin’s wife abruptly announced, “I don’t want to live in
Bulgaria. I want to live in the city of Paul’s church.”
With those words, Radostin realized that it was God’s will for his family to
move. He also realized that his wife wanted to know God. The family moved.
Today, Radostin is an active member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
and goes to Paul’s church every Sabbath.
Times still can be tough, but he is no longer worried. “We don’t pray for
God to give us everything, but we pray that He will protect us from evil,”
he told Adventist Mission. “We ask that He helZaaburi us to live through
trials.”
He has no doubt that God hears his prayers. “I was not a good person as
a young man,” he said. “But, praise God, He really has changed my heart!”
Thank you for your support of Adventist Mission, whose Global Mission Centers help people
better understand how to share the good news of salvation with precious people from other
world religions. For more information, visit globalmissioncenters.org.
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spShoma the gospel worldwide. Shoma new stories daily at AdventistMission.org.
20
19
*Biruuru (Jan) 13–19
Mukama ari aha Ngoma
SABATO OMU IHANGWE
Eby’okushoma ahabwa saabiiti egi: Zaaburi 8, Zaaburi
100, Zaaburi 97, Zaaburi 75, Zaaburi. 105:7−10, Abagalatia. 3:26–
29, Zaaburi. 25:10.
Omushororongo gw’Okwijuka: “Mukama ari aha ngoma,
ajwaire ekitiinisa; The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the
LORD is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the
world is established, firm and secure” (Zaaburi 93:1).
z
aaburi nizooreka gye enyikiriza erikukora nk’omusingi, nibwo
butegyeki bwa Ruhanga obukuru. Mukama akahanga kandi
naabiisaho buri kiyaahangire kyona.
Niwe Mugabe Rugambwa ow’ensi yoona, kandi naategyekyesa
oburingaaniza n’okuhikiirira. Ebiragiro bye n’ebiyaatiireho ni birungi
kandi nibiha amagara abo abarikubirinda. Mukama n’omuramuzi
w’oburingaaniza orikurinda ensi omu buteeka, kandi ekyo naakikora
arikusiima abahikiriire kandi arikubonerereza abasiisi, kwonka omu bwire
bwe, ti mu bwaitu.
Endagaano ya Ruhanga n’Abaisraeli neekora ekicweka kihanngo
omu kurinda ensi ahakuba neeranga okujuna kwa Mukama. Mukama
akatoorana Israeli okuba obuhunguzi bwe obw’obuguzi bwingi, obwo
arikubataanisa n’amahanga agandi okuba abantu be. Ruhanga
n’omwesigwa aha ndagaano ye kandi naagumizamu kurinda obutsyo
bwe atarikweta ha buteesigwa bwabo nangwa n’obu baakwenda
kumurwanisa.
Obutegyeki bwa Mukama nikyo burikurekyera ensi ehami kandi
erinzirwe gye. Abahandiiki ba Zaaburi nibenda ngu omushomi waazo
ayetegyereze amazima aga amakuru. Ensi egi nk’akaju kaabo,
abahandiiki aba nibasherura okuhamira ahari Ruhanga n’okumuheereza
n’okwehayo kwabo kwona.
* Yega eby’okwega bya saabiiti egi okwetegurira Sabato ya Biruuru (Jan) 20.
20
Biruuru (Jan) 14
Mukama Niwe Yaatuhangire
Shoma Zaaburi 8 na Zaaburi 100. Ruhanga n’abantu niboorekwa
bata omuri ezi Zaaburi. Zaaburi ezi nizishuuruura ki aha micwe ya
Ruhanga?
Obuhangi nibuzaana ekicweka kihango omuri ezi Zaaburi,
burikutunguura obukuru bwa Ruhanga. Eiguru, eriri “emirimo
y’emikono ye” ryoreka ekitiinisa kye n’amaani ge. (Zaaburi. 19:1−4,
Zaaburi. 97:6). Eiziina rya Ruhanga ni rirungi omu nsi yoona (Zaaburi.
8:1, 9). Mukama akahanga ebintu byona; Taine butandikiro (Zaaburi.
93:2) n’obu bwakuba obugarukiro (Zaaburi. 102:25−27). Agumaho
ebiro byona kandi naakira baaruhanga b’amahanga, ebishushani
nyabushushani “ebikozirwe emikono y’abantu” (Zaaburi. 115:4),
tihaine ekirengire ahari ekyo. Ebishushani ebiramibwa “bigira
emikono, tibikwata” (Zaaburi. 115:7); kwonka we Mukama, “ensa
z’ensi ziri omu mukono gwe, n’emitwe y’enshozi nayo n’eye…
n’engaro ze zikabumba ensi” (Zaaburi. 95:4, 5).
Zaaburi nyingi nizooreka oku amaani ga Ruhanga garikukira
ag’obuhangwa,
agu
amahanga
agandi
gaikiriize
ngu
n’ag’obwaruhanga. (reebera ahari Zaaburi 29, Zaaburi 93, na Zaaburi
104). Zaaburi ezi nizongyera kuhamya ngu Ruhanga naategyeka
obuhangi bwona kandi ngu naakira byona omu maani n’omu kitiinisa.
Zaaburi 100:3 neeyoreka kimwe aha birikuramibwa—nikwo
kwegamira okubaasa kwaitu, erikutwijusya ngu Ruhanga “niwe
yaatuhangire,” t’itwe twayehangire.
Obuhangi nibugaruka buhamya rukundo ya Ruhanga. Buri kimwe
niwe yaakihangire kandi niwe abiisaho amagara (Zaaburi. 95:7,
Zaaburi. 147:4−9). Nizitworeka oku Ruhanga atarahangire bantu kwonka,
kureka ku yaahindwire Israeli eya ira “abantu be, kandi entaama z’omu iriisizo
rye” (Zaaburi. 100:3). Okugira ngu “abantu be” hamwe na “entaama
ze” nikyoreka ekyetengo kya Ruhanga eky’okuhikaana n’abantu be.
Omuhangi wenka niwe arikubaasa kuha omugisha n’okureetera
abantu kukanya, n’ahabw’ekyo, niwe wenka oshemereire kuramibwa
n’okwesigwa. Zaaburi nyingi nizeeta buri kirikwisya kyona, ensi
yoona, enyanja, na byona ebirimu okuteerera Mukama akaari
k’okushemererwa.
Ekitiinisa kya Ruhanga nikireeberwa omu buhangi, n’omu buhangi
bw’ensi egi eyaagwire, kandi Zaaburi nizitworeka Ruhanga wenka ku
niwe ashemereire kuramibwa.
“Omuntu ni kintu ki Iwe kumwijuka? Narishi omwana w’omuntu Iwe
kumutaayaayira?” (Ps. 8:4). Ruhanga n’omutwariza ota nk’omuhangi
waawe? Ruhanga ku araabe naabaasa kweta buri nyonyoozi omu iziina,
iwe noogira ngu naakufaho kirikwingana ki?
21
Biruuru (Jan) 15
Mukama ari aha Ngoma
Ruhanga nk’omuhangi hamwe na Ruhanga nk’omutegyeki n’ebintu
bibiri ebikomereine hamwe ebitarikutaanisibwa. Okurangirira ngu
“Mukama ari aha ngoma” nikigambwa n’amaani omuri Zaaburi 93:1,
Zaaburi 96:10, Zaaburi 97:1, na Zaaburi 99:1, kwonka okurangaanwa
kwakyo nikubuga omu kitabo kya Zaaburi kyona.
Ruhanga ajwaire ekitiinisa, obukuru, n’amaani (Zaaburi. 93:1,
Zaaburi. 104:1). Ayetoroirwe ebicu n’omwirima (Zaaburi. 97:2)
kwonka ayesangiire “okumurinkana nk’ekijwaro” (Zaaburi. 104:2).
Ebishushani ebi nibitunguura amaani g’omugabe n’ekitiinisa kye kandi
nibikozesibwa n’obwegyendesereza kworeka amaani ga Ruhanga
ag’omutaano, agatarikubaasa kwetegyerezibwa muntu weena.
Shoma Zaaburi 97. Ni bintu ki ebirikworekwa aha butegyeki bwa Mukama?
(Zaaburi.97:2, 10). Obukama bw’obutegyeki bwe burahi? (Zaaburi. 97:1, 5, 9).
Obutegyeki bwa Mukama nibworekyerwa omu mirimo ye
ey’obuhangi. (Zaaburi. 96:5),omu kujuna kwe (Zaaburi. 98:2), n’omu
rubanja (Zaaburi. 96:10). Mukama naategyeka ensi yoona (Zaaburi.
47:6−9).
Obukama
bwa
Ruhanga
n’obutahwaho,
obutarikushushanisibwa omu maani n’omu kitiinisa (Zaaburi. 45:6;
Zaaburi. 93:1, 2; Zaaburi. 103:19). Obutegyeki bwa Mukama
n’obw’embabazi, oburingaaniza, hamwe n’okuhikiiriira, kandi
nibureetaho obusingye n’obutebeekana omu nsi ei yaahangire (Zaaburi.
98:3, Zaaburi. 99:4). Obutegyeki bwa Ruhanga nibugaita abarikuramya
ab’omu iguru n’ab’omu nsi omu kuhimbisa Ruhanga (Zaaburi.
103:20−22, Zaaburi 148). Zaaburi nyingi nizooreka abantu boona
barikuta omu butegyeki bwa Ruhanga ekitiinisa (Zaaburi. 96:10,
Zaaburi. 97:1, Zaaburi. 99:1, Zaaburi. 145:11–13).
Kwonka ti boona ngu nibakora eki hati, n’obu baakuba abategyeki
b’ensi. Obutegyeki bwa Mukama nibuguma nibujemerwa abasiisi,
abarikwanga kandi bakajuma Ruhanga kandi bakabonabonesa n’abantu
be (Zaaburi. 14:1, Zaaburi. 74:3−22). N’obu baraabe nibeebuuza bingi
aha butungi bw’abasiisi n’oku Ruhanga arikubagumisiririza,
abahandiiki ba Zaaburi nibagumizamu n’okwesiga obutegyeki bwa
Ruhanga kandi bagumizamu beegamiire emicwere ya Ruhanga
ey’oburyo (Zaaburi. 68:21, Zaaburi. 73:17−20). Ahabw’okwikiriza
abantu ba Ruhanga nibashemerererwa omu kwemeka obukama bwa
Ruhanga kurabira omu buheereza bwa Kristo obw’okucungura kandi
bategyereza okuza omu bukama obwo aha kwija kwa Kristo omurundi
gwa kabiri (Mat. 12:26−28,1 Kor. 15:20–28).
“Imwe abakunda Mukama, mwangye obubi!” (Zab. 97:10). Ahabw’enki
okukunda Ruhanga kwaitu kushemreire kutwangisa obubi? Ebi bibiri
biine kakwate ki?
22
Biruuru (Jan) 16
Ruhanga niwe Mucwi w’Emanja
Shoma Zaaburi 75. Ahabw’enki okweraata kw’ababi kuri okwa busha?
Nk’Omugabe Rugambwa, Mukama niwe ataho ebiragiro (Zaaburi.
99:7) kandi akacwa n’emanja (Zaaburi. 98:9, Zaaburi. 97:2). Ababi
nibakunda kutiinisiriza obuteeka obu Ruhanga yaataireho omu nsi,
kwonka Mukama aryacwera ensi orubanja kandi amareho obutegyeki
bw’ekibi (Zaaburi. 75:8−10, Zaaburi. 96:13).
Omuri Zaaburi 75, ebishushani bingi nibyoreka okucwekyerezibwa
kw’ababi okutaryemerezibwa. Ekishushani ky’ekikopo ekirimu viinyo
erikutukura (Zaaburi. 75:8) nikyoreka oburemeezi bw’ekiniga kya
Ruhanga (Yer. 25:15, Kush. 14:10). Okutema amahembe g’ababi
nikyoreka omuheru gw’amaani gaabo n’obutegyeki bwabo, kwonka
amahembe g’abahikiriire garyatunguurwa. (Zaaburi. 75:10). Ruhanga
naatoorana obunaku obuhikire (Zaaburi. 75:2) (obu aryeteeraho)
okucweramu orubanja. Okucwa orubanja oku okw’ekitiinisa
kuryabaho aha kiro ky’emperu (Zaaburi. 96:13, 1 Kor. 15:23−26).
Mukama naashwijuma emitima y’abantu be nk’ekicweka
ky’orubanja. Shoma Zaaburi 14:2. N’ekiijusyo ky’Okutandika 6:5, 8.
Ebyahandiikirwe byombi nibyoreka ngu Ruhanga aryabanza ashwijume
amagara g’abantu, atyo aihemu weena ou aribaasa kujuna, habone kubaho
okucwa orubanja. Okucwa orubanja oku obumwe nikwetwa “okucondooza
kw’orubanja,” obu Ruhanga arikutonganirira abahikiriire kandi akacwamu
muheru y’ababi.
Nikikora kita?
Eky’okubanza, Ruhanga naiha abantu be omu babi (Zaaburi. 97:10,
Zaaburi. 146:9) atyo ajweka abacureezi okujunwa (Zaaburi. 149:4).
Ekya kabiri, ababi abatarikwetiisa nibacwekyererezibwa kimwe (Zaaburi.
97:3). Zaaburi ezimwe nizishoboorora oku ebirwaniso by’abantu
bitaine mugasho gwona omu kurwanisa omucwi w’emanja
ow’obwaruhanga. (Zaaburi. 76:3–6). Mukama ni Ruhanga
orikusaasira, n’obu araabe naatura abantu ebibi byabo (Zaaburi. 99:8).
Abantu ba Ruhanga boona, ti babi bonka, nibaija kwetonganaho omu
ahari Ruhanga (Zaaburi. 50:4, Zaaburi. 135:14).
Zaaburi neegamba aha kintu nikyo kimwe ekirikugambwaho omu
bihandiiko ebindi ebiri omu baiburi, ngu orubanja rwa Ruhanga
nirutandikira aha bantu ba Ruhanga, rutyo rubona kuhika aha nsi yoona
(Eky’Eb. 32:36, 1 Pet. 4:17). Omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi naatakira Ruhanga
kumucwera orubanja kwonka naayegamira okuhikiirira kwa Ruhanga omu
kumutonganirira (Zab.7:8−11;Zab. 139:23, 24).
Zaaburi nizitweta kushemerererwa okutegyereza okucwa emanja kwa
Ruhanga (Zab. 67:4, Zab. 96:10−13, Zab. 98:4−9). Okucwa orubanja kwa
Ruhanga nikuhinduka kuta amakuru marungi ahari abo abashwekirwe eshagama
ya Kristo?
23
Biruuru (Jan) 17
Endagaano Okuguma Neijukwa
Ekimaasho ky’okucwa orubanja kwa Ruhanga nikireetaho ekibuuza kikuru:
Abantu ba Ruhanga bakaagira bata obusingye na Ruhanga hamwe
n’obwesigye ngu nibaija kujunwa aha kiro ky’orubanja? Shoma Zaaburi
94:14, Zaaburi 105:7−10, Dan. 7:22.
Abantu ba Ruhanga barinzirwe gye ahakuba Ruhanga akata obutaaho
bwe omuri Sayuuni (Zab. 76:1, 2) kandi akataho endagaano ye etahwaho
n’abantu be nk’eitungo rye ery’obuguzi bwingi (Zab. 94:14, Zab.
105:8–10). Ruhanga tarikukoma aha kuraganisa ngu taritsigaho bantu
be ab’endagaano—naakora n’amaani okubarindira gye omuriwe.
Naasaasira ebibi byabo (Zab. 103:3); Naahabura, aha omugisha, kandi
aha amaani abantu be (Zab. 25:8−11, Zaaburi. 29:11, Zab. 105:24).
Emicwere ya Ruhanga eriho okureeta abantu omu kuhikiirira kandi
n’okworeka ngu Ruhanga naabafaho (Zab. 94:8–15).
Zaaburi 105 yoona neeyoreka obwesigwa bwa Ruhanga aha ndagaano ye
omu byafaayo bya Israeli. Omuri byona ebyabaireho, birungi nari bibi,
Ruhanga akaba aba ari nabo. Akeebembera Yosefu buhooro arikuza Misiri,
kandi kurabira omuri we yaajuna abantu be hamwe n’amahanga agandi
agaabaire gabaherereire omu bunaku bw’enjara y’amaani (Zab. 105:16−24).
Ruhanga akaimusya Musa kwiha abantu be omu bukwatwa bwa Misiri, eki
yaakozire n’obumanyiso n’eby’okutangaaza aha bwabo (Zab. 105:25−38).
Mukama akaha abantu be ensi eyaaraganisiibwe (Zab. 105:11, 44)
kandi yaaguma naabarinda (Zab. 105:12−15). Akabakanyisa (Zab.
105:24), yaabaiha aha mirimo ebarengire (Zab. 105:37, 38), kandi yaaguma
naagarukamu okwetenga kwabo kwa buri izooba (Zab. 105:39−41). Ahatari
kubangaanisa Mukama naarinda abantu be omuri byona ebi barikuba
barimu—amazima agu abahandiiki ba Zaaburi baabaire batarikwenda
abantu ba Ruhanga kwebwa.
Ruhanga ku arikwijuka endagaano ye, nikiba nikihingura aha
kwijuka ahakuba haine ekirikukorwa (Kut. 8:1, 1 Sam. 1:19, Zab. 98:3,
Zab. 105:42–44). Omu muringo nigwo gumwe, abantu baayetwa
kwijuka ebi Ruhanga yaakozire ebirikutangaaza hamwe n’emicwere ye
y’orubanja, nikimanyisa ngu abantu bashemereire kutuura amagara
agarikuhaisa Ruhanga ekitiinisa.
24
Omu ndagaano egi, okwetwa kwa Israeli okukuru n’okw’okuguma bari
abeesigwa aha ndagaano barikurinda ebiragiro bya Ruhanga. (Zab. 78:5−7,
Zab. 105:45). Abantu ba Ruhanga nibeetwa kuba baakareebi ba Ruhanga omu
mahanga agandi ahakuba Mukama naayenda amahanga goona kwegaita aha
bantu be Abaisraeli (Zab. 105:1, 2). N’ahabw’ekyo ensi erinzirwe gye omu
ndagaano ya Ruhanga ow’obushoboorozi bwona kandi oijwire embabazi (Zab.
89:28−34).
N’enki eki twaine omuri Yesu, ekirikworeka ahabw’enki okuraganisa
oku okwakozirwe ahabwa Israeli eya ira kurikubaasa hati kuhikiirira
omuri itwe?
Biruuru (Jan) 18
Ebi Waahamize n’Eby’okweisgwa
Shoma Zaaburi 19:7; Zaaburi 93:5; Zaaburi 119:165; Zaaburi 1:2, 6;
Zaaburi 18:30;na Zaaburi 25:10. Ni kaguha ki akarikugaitirana
ebyahandiikirwe ebi byona?
Obukuru bwa Mukama omu nsi nk’Omuhangi Omukuru, Omugabe,
kandi Omucwi w’Emanja bwine amakuru g’eby’ediini agu ebi Mukama
yaahamize birikwegamira. Ebi Mukama yaahamize (omu Ruheburaayo
‘edut, “decree,” “ekiragiro”) nikyoreka ebiragiro n’ebyateirweho ebi
Mukama arikutegyekyesa amagara g’abantu be omu by’ediini
n’eby’emituurire (Kur. 32:15). N’eby’okwesigwa (Zab. 93:5),
ebirikworeka okuhama n’okuhangaara kw’ekitebe kya Ruhanga
hamwe n’ensi ei Ruhanga yaahangire kandi arikureeberera (Zab. 93:1,
2). Ekigambo ky’Oruheburaayo ekyavunwirwe nka “eby’okwesigwa”
(Ekigambo ky’orunyankore-rukiga amiina nikiruga omu kigambo
ekyo) nikyoreka okwesigwa, obwesigwa, hamwe n’okuhama (2 Sam.
7:16, 1 Eky’Obu. 17:23). Ebiragiro bya Ruhanga tibihinduka kandi
tibicwekyerezibwa.
Ruhanga naahiga okuguma naarinda okuraganisa n’ebiragiro bye biri
eby’ekitiinisa. Obwesigwa bwa Ruhanga n’obw’okwesigwa omu
kuhamya emicwe y’obutegyeki bwe etahinduka kandi nibutiisaho
abantu omutima okwesiga n’okworobera Ruhanga.
Omu mwanya nigwo gumwe, okuburwa obwesigwa omu nsi
nibushoboororwa gye onk’okutengyesibwa kw’omusingi gw’ensi (Zab.
18:7, Isa. 24:18–21). Ebiragiro bya Ruhanga nibihabura abantu
omuhanda gw’amagara g’okuhikiirira agarikubaasa kuraba gye omu
rubanja rwa Ruhanga. N’ahabw’ekyo abahikiriire tibabaasa
kutengyesibwa, ahakuba batsimbire emizi omu biragiro bya Ruhanga,
ebirikubaha okuhama n’oburinzi, kandi n’emitima yaabo ehamiire
kimwe (Ekigambo ky’Oruheburaayo kun, nikimanyisa “hama,”
“rindwa gye”) omuri Mukama (Zab. 112:1, 6, 7). Abarinda ebiragiro
bya Mukama tihaine ekirikubateeza ntsibo (Zab. 119:165),
ekirikworeka oburinzi n’obuhabuzi bya Ruhanga omu magara (Zab.
1:2, 3, 6).
Ekigambo kya Ruhanga nikigambwaho nk’etabaaza emurikira
ebigyere by’omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi, kandi nikimurinda enaama
z’omuzigu (Zab. 119:105, 110). Obusingye bwingi obwinwe abo
abarikurinda ebiragiro bya Ruhanga (Zab. 119:165), tiburikumanyisa ngu
ebihikiirizi nibyija kuhweraho kimwe (Zab. 119:161). Okwihaho
nikimanyisa okuguma omu kubaho kwa Ruhanga n’okuguma oine
akakwate karungi nawe.
Ni mu miringo ki ei okurinda ebiragiro bya Ruhanga
n’ebiyaahamize kukurinzire omu magara gaawe?Aha rubaju
25
orundi, okubihenda kwawe kukuhikizeho buremeezi ki?
Biruuru (Jan) 19
Eby’okwongyera Kuteekateekaho: Shoma Zaaburi 86:5, 15;
Ellen G. White, “God’s Love for Man,” pp. 9–15, omuri Steps to Christ.
Amazima aga ngu Ruhanga ni rukundo nigatuhwera gata kwetegyereza
emiringo mingi ei Ruhanga arikushoboororwamu hamwe n’ebikorwa
bye omuri Zaaburi?
Eky’okwega kya saabiiti egi nikita esira aha birikushoboorora
Ruhanga n’emirimo ye ebikuru, ebibiisizeho ensi ekaguma ehami kandi
erinzirwegye. Abahanadiiki ba Zaaburi nibagamba na Ruhanga,
omuhangi, omugabe, omuramuzi, omujuni ow’endagaano, kandi omuhi
w’ebiragiro. Emirimo ya Ruhanga endiijo ei Ruhanga arikukora
neeyorekyerwa omu maziina ga Ruhanaga gatari gamwe na gamwe,
agarimu nka Omuriisa (Zab. 23:1, Zab. 80:1), Orukiri rw’okujunwa (Zab.
95:1), hamwe na Tataitwe (Zab. 68:5, Zab. 89:26). Omu nsi nitubaasa
khurira turinzirwe gye, n’obu twakuba turi ahagati y’akabi k’orugamba
oruhango, ahakuba Ruhanaga n’omwesigwa omuri byona ebi arikukora
n’ebo arikugamba. N’obu ebimaashao ebi biraabe bihangusiibwe,
nibigamba aha ku Ruhanaga arikweyoreka omu miringo mingi omuri
Zaaburi.
Ku turikugumizamu nitwega Zaaburi, n’eky’omugasho kwijuka
kugyegyera omu kyererezi kya rukundo ya Ruhanga, embabazi ze hamwe
n’omu nteekateeka ye y’okujuna n’okugaruza busya ensi. “Oku
turikweyongyera kwega aha micwe y’obwaruhanga omu kyererezi
ky’omusharaba, nikwo turikweyongyera kureeba embabazi, okutwaza
gye, hamwe n’okusaasira byona hamwe bijwangiremu oburingaaniza
n’obuteeka, kandi nikwo turikweyongyera kwetegyereza bingi
ebirikuhamya rukundo eteine bugarukiro hamwe n’embabazi ezirengire
ez’omukazi aha mwana we omugomi.”—Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ,
p. 15. Omuri Zaaburi, abantu nibahikwaho orubanja rwa Ruhanga ahabw’obugomi
bwabo, kwonka nibagumizamu nibatakira Ruhanga ahakuba nibamanya ngu ekiniga
kya Ruhanaga n’eky’akaanya bwanya, kwonka embabazi ze zigumaho ebiro byona
(Zaaburi. 103:8).
Discussion Questions:
➊ Ahabw’enki okwetegyereza ngu orugamba oruhango ruriho kandi ngu
ruri buri hamwe kiri kikuru omu kutwetegyereresa ngu n’obu Ruhanga
arrabe ari omutegyeki kandi ow’obushoboorozi bwona, hoona nabwo
hakiriho okuganya n’obonabona omu nsi yeitu? Ahabw’enki enshonga
y’orugamba oruhango eri ey’omugasho ahari itwe?
2. Okwikiririza omuri Ruhanga nk’omuhangi nikikuza kita
okuturikwemanya n’oku turikukwatanisa n’ebihangirwe ebindi?
Nihabahoki abantu baateera amabega amazima ago (Zab.106:35−42)?
❸ Ebishushani ebiramibwa bikaba biine kizibu ki omu bunaku bwa Zaaburi?
(Zab. 115:4−8)? Kandishi eby’omubiro ebi? Ahabw’enki biri eby’akabi omu
rugyendo rwaitu na Mukama?
➍ Abantu ba Ruhanga bashemereire bata kukimanya ngu orubanja
rwa Ruhanga nibo rurikubandizaho? Ruhanga naacwera ata abantu be
Rubanja kandi kuhisya ryari?
26
tory
S
“I Fought and Won”
I N S I D
e
By ANDReW McCHesNey
Pedro was shocked at the greeting that he got when he returned from
church services in Mozambique.
“Don’t go back to the Seventh-day Adventist church,” his sister said. “It’s
not a good church because it has false prophets. If you go again, you can’t
live here anymore.”
Worrisome thoughts filled Pedro’s head. Family problems in his hometown, Beira, had forced him to move 700 miles (1,140 kilometers) to his
sister’s house in Mozambique’s capital, Maputo. Because he was new to
town, he had missed a few worship services as he searched for an Adventist
church. Now he had found a church, worshiped there for the first time, and
returned home to find that his sister didn’t want him to go again.
Pedro prayed and kept going to church.
His sister stopped sharing her food with Pedro. She hoped that hunger would
cause him to change his mind. But church members gave him food to eat.
Pedro thanked God for His care and kept going to church.
One Sabbath morning, as he was preparing to leave for church, his sister
told him not to return.
“Are you still refusing to listen and insisting on going to your church?”
she asked. “You don’t want to live here anymore because you don’t want to
comply with the house rules.”
Pedro was sad but not discouraged. He realized that he wasn’t caught in
a conflict with his sister but in a spiritual struggle between Jesus and Satan.
He remembered Paul’s words in Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness
in the heavenly places” (NKJV).
He went to church and asked the pastor and church members to pray for
him. When he returned home later that day, he was kicked out.
A friend allowed Pedro to stay with him for two nights. Then a church
member gave Pedro a job as the caretaker of his house in exchange for room
and board.
Today, Pedro still works as a house caretaker, he is free to worship God
every Sabbath, and he believes that God is working on his sister’s heart. Their
friendship has been restored, and she no longer insists that he stop going to
church on Sabbath. Pedro hopes that one day she will accept the whole Bible
truth and learn to appreciate the inspired writings of Ellen White.
“I put on the armor of God,” he said. “I fought and won, and ‘I can do all
things through Christ who strengthens me’ ” (Philippians 4:13).
Thank you for your Sabbath School mission offerings that help spShoma the good news
ofJesus’ soon coming in Africa and around the world.
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spShoma the gospel worldwide. Shoma new stories daily at AdventistMission.org.
28
27
*Biruuru (Jan) 20–26
Mukama Ahurira kandi
Ajuna
SABATO O M U IHANGWE
Eby’okushoma ahabwa saabiiti egi: Zaaburi. 139:1–18; Zaaburi 121;
Zaaburi.17:8; Mat. 23:37; 1 Eky’Obu. 10:1–4; Baheb. 4:15, 16.
Omushororongo gw’Okwijuka: “Abahikiriire ku bataka,
MUKAMA ahurira, Abajuna omu nnaku zaabo zoona.” (Zaaburi
34:17).
Z
aaburi niziguma nizigarukamu amazima ngu Mukama
Ow’amahe, owahangire eiguru n’ensi kandi obibiisaho,
naagaruka ayeyoreka nka Ruhanga wa buri muntu
orikutandikaho kandi akabaisaho akakwate ke n’abantu be.
Ruhanga ari haihi n’abantu be hamwe n’obuhangi bwe, obw’omu
iguru n’obw’omu nsi (Zab. 73:23, 25). N’obu araabe yaahamize
“ekitebe kye ky’obukama omu iguru” (Zab. 103:19) kandi
arikugyendera “aha bicu” (Zab. 68:4), kwonka nabwo “ari haihi na
boona abamutakira, boona abamutakira omu mazima” (Zab. 145:18).
Zaaburi neehamya amazima ngu Mukama ni Ruhanga ohuriire,
orikukorera bikuru abo boona abamutakira (Zab. 55:16–22). Zaaburi
ziine amakuru ahabw’okugira ngu zikahandikisibwa Ruhanga ohuriire
kandi niwe zirikugambaho, ohurira okushaba kandi akakugarukamu.
Tushemereire kwijuka ngu omuringo ogu twakubaasa kuganyirwa
omu kuba haihi kwa Mukama, naitwe okutuura amagara g’okwikiririza
omuriwe hamwe n’okworobera ebiragiro bye. Oihireho okwikiriza
n’okworoba, tihariho ekindi kyona eki arikubaasa kwikiriza, nk’oku
byona bishuurwirwe omu byafaayo bya Israeli.
* Yega eky’okwega kya saabiiti egi okweteguurira Sabato ya, Biruuru (Jan) 27.
28
Biruuru (Jan) 21
Ekyemerero Kyangye Tikirakusherekirwe
Shoma Zaaburi 139:1–18. Ebigambo ebyo nibishuurura bita amaani
ga Ruhanga (Zaaburi. 139:1−6), okubaho kwe (Zaaburi. 139:7−12),
hamwe n’oburungi bwe (Zaaburi. 139:13−18)? Obukuru bwa
Ruhanga nibugambaki aha kuraganisa kwe?
Orabaire ori aho okenda kuhwera omuntu kwonka okaburwa oburyo? Omu
muringo nigwo gumwe, abantu bamwe naiwe baragyerizeho kukuhwera
kwonka baaremwa kwetegyereza ebyetengo byawe. Ruhanga tari nk’abantu
abarikukirayo kutukunda n’okutwendeza ebirungi, we naatumanya gye n’ebi
turikurabamu byona, kandi naamanya n’oku yaakubaasa kutuhwera.
N’ahabw’ekyo okuraganisa kwe kw’okutuhwera n’okutucungura, ti bigambo
bugambo, kureka n’okuraganisa okuhami buzima.
Oku Ruhanga yaamanyire omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi egi n’okw’okutangaaza
kandi okw’omutaano kuhika n’aha kugira ngu enda ya nyina terabaasize
kumushereka Ruhanga (Zab. 139:13, 15). Obwengye bw’obwaruhanga
nibuhika omu bunaku bwona (Zab. 139:2), nibuhika omunda omu muntu (Zab.
139:2, 4), buhika n’omu myanya yoona (Zab. 139:3)—bukamanya okubaho
kwona okw’omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi egi. Obwengye bwa Ruhanga
oburikutangaaza nibukomooka omu kuhanga kwe hamwe n’omu mukago gwe
n’abantu kandi bureeberwa omu muringo ogu ari kubafaho.
Amazima aga agarikutangaaza agarikugamba aha muringo ogu Ruhanga
arikutumanyamu tigashemereire kututiinisa, kureka gashemereire kutuhisya
omu mikono ya Yesu n’aha kiyaatukoreire aha musharaba. Ahakuba
ahabw’okwikiriza omuri Yesu, tubaasize kuheebwa okuhikiirira kwe,
“Okuhikiirira kwa Ruhanga” wenyine (Abarooma. 3:5, 21).
Okubaho kwa Ruhanga nikugambwaho kuba nikuhika n’okuzimu (sheol,
“ekituuro”) hamwe n’omu “mwirima” (Zab. 139:8, 11, 12), emyanya
etarikugambwaho okuba obutaaho bwa Ruhanga (Zaaburi. 56:13). Okubaho
kwe nikugaruka kugambwaho nk’okugurukisa “amapapa g’akasheeshe”
(burugwa-izooba) kuhika “aha muheru gw’enyanja” (burengyerwa-izooba)
(Zab. 139:9). Ebishushani ebi byona nibyoreka ngu tihariho omwanya omu nsi
zoona ahu turikubaasa kweshereka Ruhanga. N’obu Ruhanga arabe atari
ekicweka ky’ensi nk’oku bamwe barikwikiriza, ari haihi nayo yoona ti
habw’okugira ngu akagihanga kwonka kureka n’okugira ngu niwe
arikugireeberera. (reeba Baheb. 1:3).
Ahabw’okutumanya gye twena, Ruhanga naabaasa kutuhwera n’okutugarura
busya. Okumanya busya obukuru bwe niikireetera omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi egi
okuhimbisa n’amatsiko masya. Naayakiira okwetegyereza okw’obwaruhanga
omu magara ge okurikubaasa kwihiramu kimwe kyona ekirikutegenisa
akakwate ke na Ruhanga.
Bamwe nibatiinisibwa okumanya ngu Ruhanga naabamanyaho
bingi, oteiremu n’ebihama by’omwirima. Ahabw’enki engiri gari
29
amatsiko gonka agu twaine?
Biruuru (Jan) 22
Obuhame bw’Okufayo kwa Ruhanga
Shoma Zaaburi 40:1–3, Zaaburi 50:15, Zaaburi 55:22, na Zaaburi
121. Ruhanga naataaha ata omu bi turikukora buri izooba?
Ruhanga naayeyoreka omu byahandiikirwe nka Ruhanga ohuriire
orikukorera bikuru abo abarikumutakira. Aha muhandiiki wa Zaaburi,
“Mukama niwe ntaho amaisho obutoosha (Zab. 16:8). N’habw’ekyo
naayesiga Ruhanga kandi amutakira (Zab. 7:1, Zab. 9:10). Mukam
aaryamuhurira n’obu arimutakira ari hare “okuzimu” (Zab. 130:1, 2),
ekirikworeka ngu tihariho kintu kyona omu magara g’omuntu
ekirikubaasa kutahikwaho butegyeki bwa Ruhanga. Nikyo okutaka
kw’omuhandiiki ogu kwijwire amatsiko, n’obu araabe naayenderaho
okugarukwamu.
Ebyo bikiri aho, Zaaburi 121, neejaguza amaani g’Omuhangi omu
magara g’omuntu omwesigwa. Amaani aga garimu ebi:
1. “Tariikiriza kigyere kyawe kutsimbuka” (Zab. 121:3). Ekigyere
nikikoresibwa omu Baiburi kumanyisa orugyendo rw’amagara
g’omuntu (Zab. 66:9, Zab. 119:105, Enf. 3:23). Ekigambo
ky’Oruheburaayo “okutsimbuka” nikishoboorora oburinzi obu
Ruhanga arikuha ensi (Zab. 93:1) hamwe na Sayuuni (Zab. 125:1).
2. Ekishushani kya Mukama nk’omurinzi wa Israeli otarikuhungira
nari kugwejegyera nikishoboorora oku Ruhanga ataaha naataho
omutima obutoosha okurinda abaana be (Zab. 121:3, 4).
3. Mukama niwe “ky’okwesangira” (Zab. 121:5, 6) nikitwijusya
enyomyo y’ekicu omu bunaku bw’okuruga (Kur. 13:21, 22). Omu
muringo nigwo gumwe, Mukama naarinda abantu be omu by’omubiri
n’omu by’omwoyo.
4. Ruhanga ari aha mukono gwabo gwa buryo (Zab. 121:5).
Omukono gwa buryo nigujwekyera omukono gw’omuntu ogw’amaani,
ogu arikukoresa emirimo (Zab. 74:11, Zab. 89:13). Aha nikimanyisa
okuba haihi kwa Ruhanga hamwe n’emigisha ye (Zab. 16:8, Zab. 109:31,Zab.
110:5).
5. Oburinzi bwa Ruhanga ahabwa bantu be nibworekwa gye omuri
Zaaburi 121:6–8. Ruhanga naija kurinda abaana be akabi koona. Izooba
n’okwezi tibiribakora kubi. Ruhanga aryabarinda omu magyenda
n’omu magaruka. Ebi byona nibyoreka okufayo kwa Ruhanga
okutahwaho. Omu nitwihamu ki? Omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi egi akeesiga
okufayo okuri omuri rukundo ya Ruhanga. Naitwe tushemereire kukora
nikyo kimwe.
Ni miringo ki ei orikubaasa kureeberamu okufayo kwa
Ruhanga? Okaakwatanisa ota na Ruhanga okumubaasisa
kukukoreramu n’okukukorera.
30
Biruuru (Jan) 23
Mukama n’Obuhungiro omu Kabi
Shoma Zaaburi 17:7–9, Zaaburi 31:1–3, na Zaaburi 91:2–7.
Omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi naakora ki omu bunaku bw’akabi?
Omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi naabugana oburemeezi bw’ekika kingi,
atyo omuri bwo, akubuukira Mukama, obuhungiro bwe omu kabi
koona. Okwesiga n’okucwamu oyekundiire okumanya obutegyeki bwa
Ruhanga omu magara g’omuntu omu mbeera zoona. Obwesigye bwa
butarikubaasa kukora omu bunaku bw’akabi, nibuba butarikubaasa
kukora ahandi hoona.
Obujurizi bw’omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi, “Aryagira MUKAMA ati:
Niiwe buhungiro bwangye, kandi orugo rwangye orugumire, Ruhanga
wangye ou ndikwesiga.” (Zaaburi. 91:2), nibukomooka omu
biyaarabiremu na Ruhanga ebirikugumya okwikiriza kwe hati ahabwa
nyensya. Omuhandiiki ogu naayeta Ruhanga Rukira-boona kandi
Ow’obubushoboorozi bwona (Zab. 91:1, 2), obwo arikwijuka obukuru
bwa Ruhanga we obuhingureine.
Omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi naagaruka agamba aha burinzi obu omuntu
arikubaasa kutunga omuri Ruhanga: “Omwanya gw’omubonano”
(“obuhungiro” or “obweshereko”), “shadow” (Zab. 91:1),
“obuhungiro,” “orugo orugumire” (Zab. 91:2), “amapapa,” “engabo,”
“akagabo” (Zab. 91:4), kandi “obutaaho” (Zab. 91:9). Ebishushani ebi
nibijwekyera obutaaho oburinzirwe gye omu by’emituurire y’omu
bunaku bw’omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi egi. Nikyetengyesa omuntu
okuteekateeka aha mushana ogurikwosya munonga omu kicweka
ky’ensi egyo kugira ngu abaase kusiima ekiicuucu (nari ekubunda) nari
okwijuka obunaku bw’entaro omu byafaayo bya Israeli kwenda
kumanya omuhendo oguri omu burinzi oburikuruga omu ngabo nari
orugo orugumire.
Shoma Zaaburi 17:8 na Matayo 23:37. Ni kishushani ki
ekirikukozesibwa aha, kandi nikishuuruura ki?
Kimwe aha bishushani ebirikworeka akakwate akahami
n’ekirikugamba aha kuba “ahansi y’ekibunda ky’amapapa gaawe”
(Zab. 17:8, Zab. 57:1, Zab. 63:7).Ekishushani eki nikyoreka obugwagye
hamwe n’okuhamibwa oburinzi bw’enyonyi ebumbatira obwana
bwayo. Mukama nashushanisibwa n’empungu erikubumbatira obwana
bwayo n’amapapa gaayo. (Kur. 19:4, Eky’Eb. 32:11) kandi nk’enkoko
erindira obwana bwayo ahansi y’amapapa gaayo (Mat. 23:37).
Nitutwaza tuta omu bunaku obu ekigwererezi kirikubaho,
31
tukshusha abatarikureeba oburinzi bwa Mukama? Ahabw’enki
ebi ebirikushaashabitarikumanyisa ngu Mukama atwebirwe?
Biruuru (Jan) 24
Omurwanirizi kandi Omucunguzi
Shoma 1 Abakorinso 10:1–4. Paulo naashoboorora ata ekitebyo ky’Okuruga?
Ni by’okwega ki eby’omwoyo ebi arikusherura kwegyesezamu?
Shoma Zaaburi 114. Okucungurwa kw’Abaisraeli kuruga Misiri
nikushoboororwa kuta aha?
Enshoboorora y’oku Ruhanga yaacungwire abaana be kuruga omu
buhuuku bwa Misiri erikworekwa omuri Zaaburi 114 kan’ey’amaani. Omu
ndagaano enkuru yoona hamwe n’ensya, okucungurwa kw’Abasraeli
kuruga Misiri kakareebwa nk’akabonero k’amaani ga Ruhanga kujuna
abantu be. Paulo omu mishororongo egi omuri 1 Abakorinso naakora ekyo
kyonyini, arikureeba ekitebyo kyona nk’ekishushani, akabonero
k’okujunwa omuri Yesu Kristo.
Zaaburi 114 neegaruka eyoreka obucunguzi bw’obwaruhanga kurabira
omu bushooboorozi bwa Ruhanga nk’Omuhangi ori ahaiguru y’amaani
g’obuhangwa, omuringo nigwo gumwe ogu yaajuniiremu abantu be omu
Kuruga. Enyanja, omugyera Yorudaani, emishozi hamwe n’otushozi, byona
nibijwekyera amaani g’obuhangi n’abantu agaarwaniise Abaisraeli omu
muhanda barikuza omu nsi ya Kanani. (Eky’Eb. 1:44, Yosh. 3:14−17).
Kwonka ebyo byona Ruhanga akabikiza obushoboorozi.
Nangwa, ahari baingi aha baana ba Ruhanga omu myanya yoona,
omuhanda ogurikuza omuri Yerusalemu ey’omu iguru gwijwiremu akabi
kaigi. Zaaburi nizibaha amaani okurenzya amaisho enshozi ezibari omu
maisho, batyo bareeba Omuhangi w’eiguru n’ensi (Zab. 121:1).
Omwoyo wa Zaaburi 114 naareebwa obu Yesu yaacureeza eihunga
ry’enyaja hamwe n’obu arangirira ngu ekanisa teine kyeshemereire kutiina
ahakuba asingwire ensi (Mat. 8:23−27, Yoh. 16:33).
Ebikorwa bya Mukama ahabw’abantu be bishemereire kureetera ensi
kutetema omu maisho ge. (Zab. 114:7). Okutetema kushemereire
kwetegyerezibwa nk’okumanya Ruhanga n’okumuramya baitu kutari
kwitwa obwoba (Zab. 96:9, Zab. 99:1). Abaikiriza tibaine ki barikutiina
Ruhanga yaaba ari aha rubaju rwabo.
Ni buremeezi ki obu turikukira kubugabugana nk’abaikiriza,
kandi tukaayega tuta okwesiga amaani ga Mukama okuturinda
okutamarwaho oburemeezi obu oburikutuhikaho nk’oku
bwabaire buhika aha bahandiiki ba Zaaburi
32
Biruuru (Jan) 25
Obuhwezi Kuruga omu Ihema
Shoma Zaaburi 3:4; Zaaburi 14:7; Zaaburi 20:1–3; Zaaburi 27:5;
Zaaburi 36:8; Zaaburi 61:4; na Zaaburi 68:5, 35. Obuhwezi
niburuga hi omu byahandiikirwe ebi?
Ekimaasho ky’obuhungiro bw’eby’omwoyo n’eby’omubiri hamwe
n’obuhwezi nikiijira omu by’ihema. Ihema n’omwanya gw’obuhwezi,
oburinzi hamwe n’okujunwa. Ihema niryo riha obutaaho ogwo oine
amaganya. Ruhanga naarwanirira efuuzi n’efaakazi kandi aha abantu
be amaani arikwema omu ihema rye. Ahabw’okugira ngu “Ruhanga
ayakire, naayema omuri Sayuuni, Ahu oburungi obutaine kamogo
buba” (Zab. 50:2), emicwere ya Ruhanga ey’oburyo neerangirirwa, kandi
n’emigisha ya Mukama egyenda omu maisho (Zab. 84:4, Zab. 128:5, Zab.
134:3).
Obuhungiro omuri omu ihema nibukirira hare oburinzi oburi omu
mwanya ogwarabaire omu nsi ahakuba Ruhanga we wenyini naataaha
omu ihema. Okubaho kwa Ruhanga, ti hekalu nk’ekyombeko
ekigumire, nikuha oburinzi. Omu muringo nigwo gumwe, Sayuuni
nk’orushozi orurikutuurwaho Ruhanga, neekirira hare emishozi endiijo
yoona n’obu omuri rwe rwabaire ruri akashozi akaringaaniire. (Zab.
68:15, 16; Isa. 2:2).
“Ahakuba titwine munyamurwa omukuru otarikubaasa
kusaasira hamwe naitwe omu bweremwa bwaitu, kureka twine
owaayohiibwe omu miringo yoona nkaitwe, kwonka We atashiishe.
N'ahabw'ekyo ka twirire haihi n'ekitebe ky'embabazi tutaine
bwoba, tubone kuheebwa okusaasirwa, n'okugirirwa embabazi
z'okutuhwera ahu turaazeetengyere hoona” (Baheb. 4:15, 16).
Ni mu miringo ki ei egi emishororongo erikuteebateebana
n’eby’omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi arikugamba ah’ihema?
Oburikwera bw’ihema rya Ruhanga nibugyemesereza omuhandiiki
wa Zaaburi okumanya ngu abntu boona n’abasiisi kandi
abatashemereire migisha ya Ruhanga, kandi naagira ngu okucungurwa
nikwegamira obwesigwa bwa Ruhanga hamwe n’embabazi ze zonka
(Zab. 143:2, 9–12). Omur’itwe tiharimu karungi koona omu maisho ga
Ruhanga. Abantu ku barikugiraho akakwate kahikire na Ruhanga
kurabira omu kweteisa hamwe n’okwikiriza embabazi za Ruhanga
n’okusaasira kwe, obwo nibwo barikubaasa kutakira Ruhanga
kubacungura. Ihema rikaba nirijwekyera okujunwa okuri omuri Yesu.
33
Biruuru (Jan) 26
Eby’okwongyera Kuteekateekaho: Shoma Ellen G. White,
“The Night of Wrestling,” pp. 195–203, omuri Patriarchs and
Prophets. Tukaayega ki omu bi Yakobo yaarabiremu aha nshonga
y’amaani agari omu kushaba okw’okuremeraho hamwe n’okwesiga
Ruhanga okurikureebwa?
Zaaburi nizihamya okwikiriza kwaitu omuri Ruhanga, ori
obuhungiro obutaremwa ahari abo abarikuta amagara gaabo omu ngaro
ze ez’amaani. “Ruhanga naija kukorera bikuru abo abarikumwesiga.
Enshonga ahabw’enki abantu be abarikumwetererwa baine amaani
makye n’okugira ngu nibeesiga munonga obwengye bwabo, banga
kuha Mukama omwanya kworeka amaani ge ahabwabo. Naija kuhwera
abaana be omuri kugumirwa kwona baitu obwo baaba
nibamwikiririzamu kimwe kandi barikumworobera omu bwesigwa.”—
Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 493.
Kandi obwo, Zaaburi ezimwe nizireetaho okugumirwa, ekizirikugamba
kyamara kwanga kuteebana n’ebiturikurabamu. Omu bunaku na munonga
nk’obu, twine kwega kuta obwesigye omu burungi bwa Ruhanga, nk’oku
bwayerokirwe aha musharaba. Kandi obumwe n’obumwe, Zaaburi ezimwe
nizibaasa kukoresibwa kutuha amatsiko gagwire. Eki Yesu yaagarukiremu
Sitaane yaamara kukozesa kubi Zaaaburi 91:11, 12 nikitworeka ngu
okwesiga Ruhanga tikishemereire kuteeranisibwa n’okumwoha. (Mat.
4:5−7) nari okushaba Ruhanga kukora ekyo ekirikutaana n’okukunda
kwe.
“Obusinguzi obukuru aha kanisa ya Kristo nari aha
mukristaayo nk’omuntu ti obwo oburikuruga omu ntalanta nari omu
bwegyese, tiburikuruga mu butungi nari omu kukundwa abantu.
N’obwo oburikutungwa kuruga omu kwehereera na Ruhanga, obu
okwikiriza okutarikunyinyiga kurikuba kuhamiire aha mukono gwa
Ruhanga ogw’amaani.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p.
203.
Ebibuuzo by’Okugaaniiraho:
➊ Omu kibiina, gaaniira aha kigarukwamu ky’ekibuuzo ky’aha
muheru omu ky’okwega kya Kyakashatu (Tue) aha nshonga
y’okwesiga Ruhanga ahagati y’okugumirwa n’obu ebintu
birikuba bishobiire kimwe. Omuntu akaayetegyereza ata ebintu
ebi kandi n’oku birikuhika aha bantu, n’obu hariho okuraganisa
oburinzi kwingi kwa Ruhanga omuri Zaaburi? Teekateeka
n’ahari eki: Omuhandiki wa Zaaaburi owahandiikire
okuraganisa okwo, tarahikirweho oburemeezi nari arikumanaya
abantu abandi abahikirweho nibyo bimwe?
➋ Tukaabaasa tuta kwesigira kimwe Ruhanga omu mbeera
zoona (reebera ahari Zab. 91:14; Zab. 143:8, 10; na Zab. 145:18–
20)? N’enki ekyakutureetera kunaga obumanzi obu?
Ahabw’enki okwesiga Mukama omu bunaku burungi kiri
kikuru kwegyeraho okumwesiga n’omu bunaku obugumire?
34
I N S I D
Story
e
Prayer Answered in Perth
By JOe PeOLA
Margaret and her husband, Levana, were sitting one morning in their living room in Perth, Australia, after returning the previous night from a trip
to Papua New Guinea, located some 2,000 miles (4,500 kilometers) away.
Margaret was reflecting quietly on her father’s parting words at the airport. After praying with her, he had said, “Margaret, Jesus is coming back
very soon. When you arrive at your home in Perth, my God will be at your
door the next day.”
Not far from Margaret and Levana’s home, literature evangelist Jo Laing
and several friends were praying at a Seventh-day Adventist church. They
were praying for divine appointments as they prepared to head out for a day
of canvassing.
A couple hours later, Jo knocked on the door of Margaret and Levana’s
home. The home looked no different from the other houses on the street.
Levana opened the door and politely looked through the cookbook that
Jo showed him. But he didn’t express any real interest in the book. Then Jo
gave him a copy of Ellen White’s The Great Controversy and began telling
him about it.
Levana flipped through several pages and called to his wife.
“Do we have this book?” he asked.
Margaret came to the door and confirmed that they did have the book.
She turned to Jo and explained that she was a former Seventh-day Adventist.
The words tumbled from her mouth.
“We just came home from Papua New Guinea last night,” she said. “The
last thing that my dad said to me was that he would be praying for God to
show up at my house.”
It was a hot day in Perth—109.5 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius).
But Jo felt goosebumZaaburi on her arms. She and Margaret looked at
each other with big smiles and marveled at how God had answered the
prayer ofMargaret’s father.
“Wouldn’t it be great if I could come to your church and share this story?”
Margaret said.
“It would,” Jo agreed, and the two exchanged phone numbers.
A few weeks later, Margaret stood with tears in her eyes at Bickley
Seventh-day Adventist Church and told her story of how God had found a
lost, straying lamb.
God used a woman with a copy of The Great Controversy in Australia to
answer a father’s passionate prayer in Papua New Guinea.
Join the Seventh-day Adventist world church in the mass promotion and distribution of
The Great Controversy in 2023 and 2024. Visit greatcontroversyproject.org for more
information or ask your pastor.
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spShoma the gospel worldwide. Shoma new stories daily at AdventistMission.org.
36
35
*Biruuru (Jan) 27–Kaatambuga (Feb) 2
Okweshongorera Ekyeshongoro kya Mukama
OMU
NSI ETARI YAITU
SABATO OMU IHANGWE
Eby’okushoma ahabwa saabiti egi: Zaaburi. 79:5–13,
Zaaburi. 88:3–12,Zaaburi. 69:1–3, Zaaburi. 22:1, Zaaburi 77,
Zaaburi. 73:1–20, 1 Pet. 1:17.
Omushororongo gw’Okwijuka: “Nitubaasa tuta
kweshongora ekyeshongoro kya MUKAMA Omu ihanga eritari
ryaitu?” (Zaaburi 137:4).
T
iturikwetenga kubanza twashoma ekitabo kya Zaaburi kuhika
hare kujumbura ngu Zaaburi nizigambirwa omu nsi
eyaasiisikaire, ey’ekibi, obubi, okubonabona, nan’okufa.
Obuhangi obutebeekeine oburikwebemberwa Mukama ow’amahe
hamwe n’ebiragiro bye eby’okuhikiirira nibutiinisirizibwa ekibi.
Nk’oku ekibi kirikweyongyera kushiisha ensi, ensi nikwo eyeyongiire
kuba “eihanga ritari ryaitu” aha bantu ba Ruhanga. Eki nikireetera
omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi oburemeezi: Omuntu akaatuura ata
n’okwikiriza omu nsi etari ye?
Nk’oku twamazire kureeba, abahandiiki ba Zaaburi nibamanya
obukuru bwa Ruhanga n’amaani ge, nangwa n’emicwere ye ey’oburyo.
Nibamanya ngu Ruhanga agumaho ebiro byona kandi ngu niwe
buhungiro obutahwaho kandi obuhwezi omu bwire bw’akabi.
Ahabw’enshonga egi, abahandiiki aba obumwe nibateganisibwa (n’oha
otarikuteganisibwa?) okubura kwa Ruhanga n’okweyongyera
kw’obubi omu maisho ga Ruhanga omurungi kandi Mukama
Ow’obushoboorozi bwona. Obuhangwa bwa Zaaburi nk’eshaara
oburikubuzabuza nibworekyerwa omu muringo ogw’abahandiiki baazo
barikugamba aha kuhunama kwa Ruhanga. Omu bugufu, abahandiiki
aba nibagamba aha kubura kwa Ruhanga hamwe n’aha kubaho kwe.
* Yega eky’okwega kya saabiiti egi okweteguurira Sabato ya, Kaatambuga (Feb) 3.
36
Biruuru (Jan) 28
Ebiro by’Obubi
Shoma Zaaburi 74:18–22 na Zaaburi 79:5–13. N’enki ekiri omu kabi aha?
Omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi naasherura okukwata aha rugamba
oruhango oruri ahagati ya Ruhanga n’amaani g’omubi, kandi naayoreka
okugumisiriza kwa Ruhanga okuteine bugarukiro, hamwe n’obwengye
bwe n’amaani ebiteine bukomo.
Oburemeezi bw’obubi oburi omuri Zaaburi egi n’obwa eby’ediini;
nibugamba aha bibuuzo ebirikukwata ahari Ruhanga. Ahabw’enshonga
egyo, okucwekyerera kwa Yerusalemu hamwe na hekalu nikureebwa
nk’orukwe rw’obwaruhanga ahakuba kukaha omugisha abakafiiri
okurogota ahari Ruhanga. Obuhunguzi bwa Ruhanga (abantu ba Israeli)
n’akamanyiso k’okutoorana kwe kw’obwaruhanga hamwe n’endagaano
(Eky’Eb. 4:32−38; Eky’Eb. 32:8, 9) etarihwaho. Eky’obuhunguzi bwa
Ruhanga eki kirimu amakuru mingi agarikukwata aha biro by’aha mperu,
ahakuba izooba rimwe amahanga goona garyahinduka obuhunguzi bwa
Ruhanga kandi gamuheereze. Enshonga ey’okugira ngu amahanaga
gakagota obuhunguzi bwa Ruhanga neeta aha rutezo okuraganisa
kw’obwaruhanga.
Ahatari kubuuza, omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi naakyetegyereza ngu ebibi
by’abantu nibyo bishiishire omukago gw’endagaano yaabo na Ruhanga
kandi bikabahisyaho oburemeezi bwona (Zab. 79:8, 9). Okubaho
kw’abantu nikwegamira okubaho kw’embabazi za Ruhanga hamwe
n’okuruzibwa busya kw’akakwate k’endagaano kurabira omu
kurihiirira ekibi. Mukama ni “Ruhanga w’okujunwa kwaitu,”
ekirikushuuruura obwesigwa bwa Ruhanga aha kuraganisa kwe
kw’endegaano (Zab. 79:9).
N’obu kiri kityo, eky’omugasho okukira okugaruzibwa busya
kw’eby’obuguzi bya Israeli n’oburinzi bw’emicwe ya Ruhanga omu nsi
(Zab. 79:9). Ebibi by’amahanga byabura kufubirwa, nikiija kushusha oti
Ruhanga ahwire amaani ge (Zab. 74:18–23, Zab. 83:16–18, Zab. 106:47).
Ruhanga ku araajune abantu be nibwo eiziina rye ririkwija kwezibwa
n’okutunguurwa.
Nk’oku kiri eri izooba, omucwe nigwo gumwe gukaba guriho kuruga
enyima. Ebibi byaitu, okugaruka enyima kwaitu, obubi bwaitu,
nibitumaraho ekitiinisa, kandi t’itwe twenka, kureka nibiihiraho kimwe
Ruhanga ekitiinisa ou eiziina rye turikugyenda nitweyeterera. Enshobi
zaitu nizihisya akabi kahango k’eby’omwoyo aha bwakareebi bwaitu
hamwe n’omurimo gwaitu. Ni bangahi abeegaitsire omu kwikiriza
kwaitu ahabw’ebikorwa by’abo abarikweyeterera eiziina rya Kristo?
“Ekitiinisa kya Ruhanga, ekitiinisa kya Kristo, kyejumbiire omu
kushemeza emicwe y’abantu be.”—Ellen G. White, The Desireof
Ages, p. 671. Amazima aga amakuru noogetegyereza ota kandi
37
kishemereire kumanyisa ki omu magara gaawe amakritaayo
Biruuru (Jan) 29
Aha Rwigi rwa Rufu
Shoma Zaaburi 41:1–4; Zaaburi 88:3–12; na Zaaburi 102:3–5, 11, 23,
24. Ebyahandiikirwe ebi nibishoboorora ki aha by’abantu
barikurabamu? Ni miringo ki ei oinemu akazaare nabyo?
Eshaara ezi ez’okujunwa kuruga omu ndwara n’okufa nizooreka ngu
abaana ba Ruhanga nabo nibahikwaho okubonabona kw’ensi egi. Zaaburi ezi
nizooreka ebigumire ebi omuhandiiki wazo yaarabiremu. Taine maani,
naahongahonga nk’obuyantsi, tarikubaasa kurya, naabarirwa hamwe
n’abarikushuuma omu kiina, anagirwe nk’abaitsirwe abari omu kituuro,
naanugwa banywani be, naabonabona kandi ari omu nnaku nyigi. Amagufa
ge gatunukire.
Omuri Zaaburi nyingi noshusha oti Mukama aikiriize akabi kubaho
ahabw’obugomi bw’Abaisraeli. Omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi nayoreka ngu
ekibi ikibaasa kureeta endwara; n’ahabw’ekyo, naagamba aha
kusaasirwa otakakiziibwe (Zab. 41:3, 4). N’obu biri bityo, Zaaburi
ezimwe nka Zaaburi 88 na Zaaburi 102, nizooreka ngu okubonabona
kw’abahikiriire n’okurikuhika aha bantu boona, n’obu kiraabe nikigumira
baingi kukyetegyereza.
Omuri Zaaburi 88, Ruhanga naajunaanwa okuta omuhandiiki ogu aha
rutezo rwa rufu (Zab. 88:6–8). Yetegyereze oreebe ongu n’obu araabe
naayetomboita n’ebigambo bigumire, okutonzya kwe n’ekikorwa
ky’okwikiriza, ahakuba Ruhanga omu bushoboorozi bwe bwingi ku araabe
yaikiriize akabi kubaho, naabaasa kujuna amagara g’omwana we.
Aha ncwamba za rufu, omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi naijuka ebikuru ebi
Ruhanga akora, embabazi ze za rukundo, obwesigwa, hamwe
n’okuhikiirira kwe (Zab. 88:10–12). Oihireho okuteekateeka kwe ngu
Ruhanga niwe amuhutaarize, omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi ogu naaremera
ahari Ruhanga. N’obu ariyo naabonabona, tarikwehakana rukundo ya
Ruhanga kandi naamanya ngu Ruhanga niwe kujunwa kwe kwonka.
Ebigambo bye nibyoreka ngu tarikumanya kobonabona kwonka
kureka aine naayetegyereza n’embabazi za Ruhanga kandi ngu
byombiri tibirikufa garuganaho.
Omu bugufu, okwikiriza kwa Ruhanga ngu habeho okubonabona
hamwe n’okujuna kwe byombi nibyoreka obushoboorozi bwe bwingi.
Okukimanya ngu Ruhanga naategyeka byona nikiha amatsiko.
Kuturikushoma Zaaburi 88 omu kyererezi ky’okubonabona kwa Kristo,
nitutangaarira obwingi bwa rukundo ye, eyaamureeteire kwikiriza
akaraba omu rwigi rwa rufu ahabw’abantu.
Teekateeka ahari Yesu aha musharaba n’aha ku yaabonabwine
ahabw’ekibi. Ekyo, eky’okugira ngu Ruhanga kurabira omuri
Kristo akabonabona kukira itwe twena, kishemereire kutuhwera
kita kurinda okwikiriza kwaitu n’omu bunaku bw’okubonabona
kwingi hamwen’okugyezibwa?
38
Biruuru (Jan) 30
Ruhanga arahi?
Shoma Zaaburi 42:1–3, Zaaburi 63:1, Zaaburi 69:1–3, na Zaaburi 102:1−7.
N’enki ekirikuhisya obusaasi bwingi aha muhandiiki wa Zaburi?
Omuhandiki wa Zaaburi ebi yaabaire naarabamu nk’omuntu hamwe
n’eby’ekyanga kye tibyo byonka ebyabaire nibimuteganisa, kureka
ekyabaire nikisingayo n’okumuteganisa ni Ruhanga kureebeka
nk’otarikuta mutima aha buremeezi bw’abaheereza be. Okubura kwa
Ruhanga nikushaasha nk’eiriho omu nsi eyomangatiine. (Zab. 42:1–3,
Zab. 63:1) hamwe n’okuganya (Zab. 102:2−4). Omuhandiiki ogu
naahurira airiziibwe hare na Ruhanga kandi naayeshushanisa n’enyonyi
eziri zonka ati “Ndi nk'ekihuhurabahuta ky'omu ihamba, nari
nk'ekihihizi ekituura omu matongo. Ndaara nintonzya nk'enyonyi
etundamire aha mutwe gw'enju” (Zaaburi. 102:6, 7).
Okukozesa ekigambo eihamba nikyoreka okuba hare na Ruhanga.
Ekinyonyi “etundamire aha mutwe gw'enju” neeba eri aheeru
y’ekyashuri kyayo, ahu eshemereire kuba ehuumuriire. Omuhandiiki
wa Zaaburi naatakira Ruhanga “nyemi okuzimu” orikushusha ngu
arengyeirweho amaizi ariyo naatobera “omu byondo bingi” (Zab. 69:1–
3, Zab. 130:1). Ebishushani ebi nibyoreka embeera erikubonabonesa
etarikubaasa kurugwamu, oihireho obuhwezi bwa Ruhanga.
Shoma Zaaburi 10:12, Zaaburi 22:1, Zaaburi 27:9, na Zaaburi
39:12. Omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi naatwariza ata okubura kwa
Ruhanga?
Nikitangaaza abahandiiki ba Zaaburi kusharamu kwanga kuhunamira
okuhunama kwa Ruhanga. Nibaikiririza omu kushaba batainemu
kubanganisa kwona ahakuba okushaba nikuhika ahari Ruhanga ohuriire
kandi omunyambabazi. Ruhanga naaba akiriho, n’obu akuba
atarikureebeka eshaaha egyo. Akiri Ruhanga owabahuriire ira,
n’ahabw’ekyo na hati nibaikiriza ngu naabahurira.
Obu Ruhanga arikuba ahunami nikireetera abahandiiki ba Zaaburi
okweshwijuma n’okushera Ruhanga, kwonka omu kwatura ebibi
n’omu kushaba n’obucureezi. Nibakimanya ngu Ruhanga takaabaasa
kuguma ahunami. Zaaburi nizooreka ngu empurizagana na Ruhanga
eshemereire kugumaho ti nshonga eby’omuntu arikurabamu.
Nitwega ki aha ku omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi arikutwaza Ruhanga
yaaba atarikureebeka? Nootwaza ota Ruhanga yaaba naareebeka
nk’ohunami? N’enki ekyemereizeho okwikiriza kwawe?
39
Biruuru (Jan) 31
Okuraganisa Kwe Kuremirwe Ebiro Byona?
Shoma Zaaburi 77. Omuhandiiki ngu ariyo naaraba omuri ki?
Zaaburi 77 neetandikana n’okushaba Ruhanga obuhwezi okurimu okutongyeza
okwijuka eby’enyima ebirikusaasa. (Zab. 77:1–6).Amagara g’omuhandiiki goona
nigareetwa ahari Ruhanga n’okutsinda. Naayanga kuhuumurizibwa
n’okuhuumuriza kwona okutarikuruga hari Ruhanga.
N’obu kiri kityo, okwijuka Ruhanga nikireebeka kirikukanyisa obusaasi bwe.
“Naijuka Ruhanga kandi naatsinda” (Zab. 77:3). Oruheburaayo hamah,
“okutsinda,” nikikira kumanyisa okuhooreera kw’amaizi agaamara kutabuka
(Zab. 46:3). Omu muringo nigwo gumwe, amagara g’omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi
egi gacuramiriirwe munonga.
Okwijuka Ruhanga nikireeta kita okuhuurira ocuramiriirwe? Ebibuuzo bingi
ebirikuteganisa nibimureetera kutamanya ekirikumureetera obusaasi (Zab.
77:7–9): Ruhanga ahindukire? Ruhanga naabaasa kurya omu ndagaano ye
orukwe?
Omutaano muhango ahagati y’ebikorwa bya Ruhanga eby’okujuna omu
bunaku obw’enyima hamwe n’okubura kwe omu bunaku obwa hati nibireetera
omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi kuhuurira Ruhanga amutsigireho. Ruhanga ku araabe
ahindukire, hati aho omuhandiiki ogu naaba ataine matsiko, ekintu eki
arikufukaana nakyo ngu arekye kuteekateeka.
Ebyo bikiri aho, omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi ogu tarikubyama ahakuba Ruhanga
tarikumwikiriza kugwejegyera (Zab. 77:4). Eki nikiijusya abandi bantu omu Baiburi
abu okutagwejegyera kwabo kwakozesiibwe Ruhanga okutwara omu maisho
ebigyendererwa bye (Kut. 41:1−8, Esit 6:1,Dan. 2:1−3). Okuburwa oturo ekiro
kyona nikireetera omuhandiiki ogu okwijuka eby’okujuna ebi Mukama yaakozire
enyima kwonka n’okwehayo kusya (Zab. 77:5, 10).
Okuhamibwa oku omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi arikutunga kuruga ahari Ruhanga
tikurikumushobororera ebirikukwata aha bi arikurabamu nk’omuntu kureka
nikuhamya obwesigwa bwa Ruhanga n’okwesigwa kwe (nka Yobu).
Omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi ogu naagarurwamu amaani kutegyerereza Mukama
omu kwikiriza, arikukimanya ngu ni Ruhanga niwe omwe owakozire
eby’okutangaaza ebyimaho omuri Israeli (Zab. 77:11–18). Omuhandiiki
naagaruka akimanya ngu “ahi waarabire tihaareebwa (Zaaburi. 77:19),
arikwijuka obuhabuzi bwa Ruhanga, n’omu mbeera ez’okubaho kwa Ruhanga
kutarikureebwa n’amaisho. Omuhandiiki ogu naahamya ngu obumwe Ruhanga
naabaho kandi obundi abura, n’ahabw’ekyo naahimbisa enkora ya Ruhanga
erikutangaaza etarikubaasa kushoboororwa muntu weena.
Teekateeka aha bunaku obw’enyima, obu Mukama yaabaire
naakorera omu magara gaawe. Amazima ago gakaakuhwera
gata kuraba omuri ekyo eki orikubugana hati?
40
Kaatambuga (Feb) 1
Kugira ngu Abahikiriire Batakora Kubi
Shoma Zaab 37:1, 8; Zaab 49:5–7; Zaab 94:3–7; na Zaab 125:3.
Ni kurwana ki oku omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi arikurabamu?
Zaaburi ezi nizitongyeza obutungi bw’ababi n’oku eki kirikuteganisa
abahikiriire. Ababi tibarikukoma aha kutunga kwonka, kureka
nibarengaho bagaya na Ruhanga butunu kandi babonabonesa n’abandi.
Ekirikuteganisa kiri ngu “enkoni y’obubi” (Zaab. 125:3) yaaba eriyo
neetegyeka ensi, “enkoni y’okuhikiirira” (Zaab. 45:6) neerebeka
nk’erikuremwa. Ahabw’enki, mbwenu, tutarikuhanika tukakora ebibi
nk’abandi boona?
Shoma Zaaburi 73:1–20, 27. N’enkiekirikurabya omuhandiiki wa
Zaaburi omuri kabi aka? Omuheru gw’abo abarikwesiga ebintu
ebirikwana ni guuha? Reeba na 1 Pet. 1:17.
Omuhandiiki omuri Zaaburi 73 ku yaagumire ataire omutima aha bubi
oburi omu nsi, tarabaasize kureebera gye ebintu ahu Ruhanga yaabaire
naabireebera. Oburemeezi obu obutungi bw’ababi bwamuretsireho bukaba
buri bwingi munonga; akaba naikiriza ngu okuhajaana kwe aha mugasho
gw’okwikiriza kukaba kwegamiire ebirikureebwa.
N’obu kiri kityo, Zaaburi 73 neeyoreka ngu “ebintu ebi nibijumirira abo
abarikwanga omushororongo gw’okubanza omuri egi Zaaburi: “Buzimazima
Ruhanga ni murungi aha Baisiraeli n'aha baine emitima eshemeire!’”—
Johannes Bugenhagen, Reformation Commentary on Scripture (Downers
Grove, IL:InterVarsity Press, 2018), p. 11.
Omuhandiiki natwarwa omu ihema, omwanya gw’obutegyeki bwa
Ruhanga obw’obushoborooozi bwona, kandi okwo akaijukibwayo ngu
“eri izooba” n’akacweka kamwe konka ahari bingi, kandi ngu
ateekteeke ha “mperu’ obu ababi baricwerwa orubanja. Omuhandiiki
og okwetegyereza amazima aga omu ihema hamwe n’okwatura enshobi
ze ez’enyima nikyoreka ebirikureebwa nibyetegyererezibwa omu
mwyo baitu ti mu bwengye bw’abantu.
Okuraganisa kwa Ruhanga ngu aryacwera ensi egi orubanja,
arucwere n’ababi boona, nikukuha kuta okuhurira oine
obusingye obwo orikureeba obubi oburikugyenda omu maisho
hati butarikukorwaho nk’oku kishemereire?
41
Kaatambuga (Feb) 2
Eby’okwongyera Kuteekateekaho: Shoma Zaaburi 56; Ellen
G. White, “Rejoicing in theLord,” pp. 115–126, in SteZaaburi to Christ.
Nk’abahandiiki ba Zaaburi, abantu ba Ruhanga obwire bwona
nibebuuza obutoosha oku barayeshongore ekyeshongoro kya Mukama
omu nsi etari yaabo. Okwikiriza kwaitu omu butegyeki bwa Mukama
obw’amaani nikuteganisibwa, nangwa n’obumwe kuteganisibwa
munonga, tutyo twebuuza yaaba Ruhanga buzima ariho nari aine
amaani nari ari murungi nk’oku ebyahandiikirwe birikugamba.
Okwikiriza kwa Baiburi obutoosha kurimu okubanganisa hamwe
n’ekihika ky’okutegyereza nk’oku kurimu okugira obumanzi hamwe
n’okuhamya.
Obumwe
okubangaanisa
hamwe
n’ekihika
ky’okutegyereza nibireebeka bitarikwemerwa, na munonga ahagati
y’akabi hamwe n’obu Ruhanga arikuba naashusha otariho. Kwonka
okubangaanisa tikushmereire kuba ahari Ruhanga n’akakye nari ahari
rukunde ye, emicwe y’okuhikiirira hamwe n’obwesigwa bwe.
Abahandiiki ba Zaaburi jibabaasa kubangaanisa ahari nyentsya,
kwonka nibaguma nibeesiga rukundo ya Ruhanga etaremwa hamwe
n’obwesigwa bwe (Zaab. 36:5–10; Zaab. 89:2, 8).
Naitwe, tushemereire kukuratira eky’okureeberaho nikyo kimwe.
“Ragiira amaani gaawe goona gahangye amaisho ahaiguru, ti hansi aha
buremeezi bu oine; obwo nibwo otarikwija kutengyesibwa. Noija
kureeba Yesu enyima y’ekicu, arikugorora omukono gwe kukuhwera;
kandi eki oine kukora kyonka n’okumuha omukono gwawe omu
kwikiriza kukye oku oine Ku oraagume oine obwesigye, kurabira omu
kwikiriza Yesu, noija kugira amatsiko.”— Ellen G. White, Testimonies
for the Church, vol. 5, pp. 578, 579.
Ruhanga yaaba atrikureebwa tikirikumanyisa ngu okushaba
kurereerwe. Omu mwanya gw’ekyo, abahndiiki ba Zaaburi bakaba
bakozesa akagisha aka okweshwijuma, baijuka eby’emababazi ebi
Ruhanga yaabakoreire enyimaho, batyo basherura Ruhanga barikwatura
n’okushaba omu bucureezi (Zaab. 77:10–12, Zaab. 89:46−52).
“Okwikiriza nikuhama kwaba nikurwanisibwa okubangaanisa
n’ebirikukuhakanisa. Ebirikuruga omuri eki ni bikuru okukira eruuru
z’ebeeyi nyingi.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3,
p. 555.
Ebibuuzo by’Okugaaniiraho:
➊ Abahandiiki ba Zaaburi bakatiinisibw a bata omu bwire
bw’akabi? Aha birikutiinisa nk’ebyo ni biiha ebikuhikireho?
Noogumya ota okwikiriza kwawe omu bunaku nk’obu?
➋ Ni nkahi ahi tushemreire kwiha ebigarukwamu okwikiriza kwaitu
omuri Ruhanga kwamara kugyezibwa ebyosyo nari abantu abu
okubonabona kwabo kubareeteire okwebuuza aha burungi bwa
Ruhanga n’amaani ge?
❸ Okaagarukamu ota ekibuuzo ekirikukwata aha bubi oburi omu nsi
eyaahangirwe kandi erikureebererwa Ruhanga oine amaani na
rukundo? Ekimaasho ky’orugamba oruhango nikihweraho kita
okugarukamu ekibuuzo nk’ekyo?
42
I N S I D
Story
e
Giving Up on God: Part 1
By ANDReW McCHesNey
Five-year-old Sekule was frightened by Grandmother’s warnings about
hell. “You must be good,” Grandmother said. “If you aren’t good, you’ll end
up in hell.”
“What do you mean ‘end up in hell’?” the boy asked.
“You will end up in eternal flames if you lie or steal,” she said. “You will
feel the flames for all eternity.”
Grandmother’s words ignited great fear in the young boy’s heart. He was
confused. On the one hand, she said God is love. On the other, she said
that if Sekule lied, he would end up in hell. Sekule was afraid because he
couldn’t help but lie sometimes.
The boy didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t turn to his parents. They
were not Christian in then-communist Montenegro. Grandmother was the
only Christian whom he knew in his village.
One day, when no one was looking, he hid behind a bush and scolded
God. “I don’t know why people say You are love,” he said. “You aren’t love
but a monster. Why did You create me to end up in flames? Am I supposed
to be faithful and not lie and do bad things? I can’t believe in You, and I
won’t believe in You. You are a monster.”
Sekule was finished with God. He was only 5 and had no interest in God.
Nine years later, at the age of 14, Sekule was sent away to a boarding
high school in Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Among the
700 boys at the school, he was the only one from Montenegro. Sensing
that he faced an uphill battle as an outsider, he resorted to fighting to
gain acceptance with his classmates. He fought nearly every day. If
someone even touched one of his ears—and they were a temptation to
touch because they stuck out like teacup handles—he attacked viciously.
One fight left him with a knife scar on a hand. Sekule also was a bully.
When a younger boy received a food package from home, Sekule
dangled him outside a dorm window by the ankles until he handed over
the package.
After three years of fighting, a desire grew in Sekule to know truth. He
wondered whether Grandmother had told him the truth about God. But
what was truth? Sarajevo had several main religions: Islam, Orthodoxy,
Catholicism, and Judaism. Sekule wondered, If God is One, why are there
so many religions? He decided to become familiar with all religions to find
the truth.
SeKuLe SeKuLIć is an affluent entrepreneur and faithful Seventh-day Adventist in
Montenegro. Shoma more of his story next week. Thank you for your Sabbath School
mis-sion offerings that help spShoma the good news of Jesus’ soon coming in
Montenegro andaround the world.
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spShoma the gospel worldwide. Shoma new stories daily at AdventistMission.org.
44
43
*Kaatambuga (Feb) 3–9
Mbwenu ka Nyimukye
SABATO IHANGWE
Eby’okushoma ahabwa saabiiti egi: Zaab. 18:3–18, Zaab. 41:1–3,
Eky’Eb.15:7–11, Zaab 82, Zaab. 96:6–10, Zaab. 99:1–4, Rom. 8:34.
Omushororongo
gw’Okwijuka: “‘Ahabw'okunyagwa
kw'abooro, n'ahabw'okutsinda kw'abakyene, Mbwenu ka
nyimukye, nikwo MUKAMA arikugira, Mmute omu mwanya
gw'obusingye ogu atuura naayetenga.” (Zaaburi 12:5).
O
busingye bwaitu tibwo bwonka omu ekibi, obutaringaaniza,
hamwe n’okubonabonesibwa biri. N’abahandiiki ba Zaaburi
bakatuura omu bunaku nibwo bumwe nk’obu.
N’ahabw’ekyo ti nshnga ekindi kyona ei ziri, omuri Zaaburi Ruhanga
naahakanisa okunyangaraza n’okubonabonesa ebiri omu nsi, omu nsi
yeitu, hamwen’egyo ey’abahandiiki aba.
Yeego, Mukama naagumisiriza kandi arindira ekiniga kye omu
kumisiriza kwe kwingi, atarikwenda muntu weena kuhwerekyerera
kureka ngu ayeteise ahindure emitwarize ye (2 Pet. 3:9–15). Kandi
n’obu obunaku bwa Mukama obw’okukoreramu buraabe
butarikuteebateebana n’ebby’abantu barikuteekateeka, ekiro kya
Ruhanga kucwa orubanja kiriyo nikiija (Zab. 96:13, Zab. 98:9).
Ekirikwetengwa n’okumwesiga kyonka, n’omu kuraganisa kwe,
okuhisya obu ekiro ekyo kiriija.
Omuhangi wenka ou ekitebe kye kyemekire aha kuhikiirira
n’oburingaaniza (Zab. 89:14, Zab. 97:2), omu micwere ye niwe
arikubaasa
kuha
ensi
okutebeekana
hamwe
n’obutungi.
Okucw’orubanja kw’obwaruhanga kurimu ebintu bibiri ebirimu
okucungura abarikwitwa kubi hamwe n’okucwekyerezibwa kw’ababi
(Zaaburi. 7:6−17).
Eki nikyo turaganisiibwe, kandi eki, izooba rimwe nikyo kiriija—
kwonka omu bwire bwe, butari bwaitu, enshonga ei omuhandiiki wa
Zaaburi erikutaho esira.
* Yega eky’okwega kya saabiiti egi okweteguurira Sabato ya Kaatambuga (Feb) 10.
44
Kaatambuga (Feb) 4
he Majestic Warrior
Shoma Zaaburi 18:3–18; Zaaburi 76:3–9, 12; na Zaaburi 144:5–7.
Mukama naashuuruurwa ata omu mishororongo egi? Ebishushani
ebi nibishuuruura ki aha kweteekateeka kwa Ruhanga okucungura
abantu be?
Ebyeshongoro ebi nibihimbisa Mukama ahabw’amaani ge
agarikutangaaza agarikukira ag’ihe ry’omuzigu goona agarikutiinisa
abantu be. Nibishuuruura Ruhanga omu kitiinisa kye nk’Omurwani
kandi Omucwi w’emanja.Ekishushani kya Ruhanga nk’omurwani
kikanyire omuri Zaaburi kandi nikyoreka okugarukamu kw’ahonaaho
oku arikugarukamu okutaka n’okubonabona kw’abantu be.
“Mukama yaahindira omu iguru,/ Rukira-boona yaagamba n’eiraka
rye,/ Haija orubaare n’amakara agarikwaka;/ Yaarasha emyambi ye,
yaabataataanisa,/ Niyo mirabyo ye mingi yaababinga./ Obwo nibwo
emikura y’amaizi yaareebwa,/ N’emisingi y’ensi ekashuuruula
ahabw’okukabuka kwawe ai Mukama,/ Ahabw’okuhuuha kw’amaani
okw’omwitsyo gw’omu nyindo zaawe” (Zaaburi. 18:13–15).
Okumariirira hamwe n’obuhango bw’okukora kwa Ruhanga
kushemereire kubingira kimwe okubangaanisa kwona aha kufayo kwa
Ruhanga okw’amaani hamwe n’embabazi ze ahari abo
abarikubonabona nari okubangaanisa aha ku arikubaasa kusingura
omubi. Ekiitu n’okumutegyereza akakikora. Aha muheru, n’obu abantu
ba Ruhanga, nka Daudi, baarwanireho engamba, okucungurwa kwabo
tikurarugire mu bantu. Omu ngamba ze nyingi arikurwanisa abazigu
b’abantu baRuhanga, Omugabe Daudi akasingiza Ruhanga nk’omwe
wenka owaaretsireho obusinguzi. Kikaba nikibaasa kwanguha Daudi
okuba niwe yaasiimwa ahabw’ekyo, ahabw’obusinguzi bwe bwingi,
kwonka ekyo tikyo kyabaire kimuri omu biteekateeko. Akaba
baamanya ahu obukomooko bw’amaani ge buri.
N’obu Daudi araabe naagira ngu Mukama naatendeka engaro ze
ahabw’orugamba (Zab. 18:34), omuri Zaaburi yoona tihaine hu
orikumushanga arikwesiga obukugu bwe. Omu mwanya gw’ekyo,
Mukama naarwanirira Daudi kandi amucungura (Zab. 18:47, 48).
Omuri Zaaburi, Omugabe Daudi, owabaire naamanywa
nk’omurwani omusinguzi, naakoresa omurimo gwe nk’omweshongozi
rugambwa, atyo ahimbisa Mukama nk’omucunguzi kandi orikubaisaho
abantu be (Zab. 144:10−15). Okuhimbisa n’okushaba nibyo bukomooko
bw’amaani ga Daudi, agarikukirira hare ekirwaniso kyona. Ruhanga wenka
ashemereire kwesigwa n’okuramibwa.
Buri kiconco kyona eki oine hamwe n’obumanyi n’obusinguzi
omu magara gaawe, ahabw’enki orikuteekwa kwijuka
obukomooko bwabyo byona? N’ohikwaho kabi ki waamara
45
kwebwa obukomooko obwo?
Kaatambuga (Feb) 5
Oburingaaniza ah’Abarikuhatwa
Shoma Zab 9:18, Zab 12:5, Zab 40:17, Zab 113:7, Zab 146:6−10, na Zab
41:1–3. Aha twineho butumwa ki nangwa n’eri izooba?
Ruhanga naayoreka okufayo n’okukwatwaho ngu habeho
oburingaaniza ahabw’ebibiina by’abantu ebirikunyangarazibwa,
ebirimu nk’abooro, abakyene, obarikuhatwa, abataine b’eishebo,
abafaakazi, abaafeereirwe bakazi baabo, hamwe n’empungi.
Nk’ebiragiro n’ebya baanabi, Zaaburi enshonga egyo nayo neegiihayo
gye (Kur. 22:21–27, Isa. 3:13–15).
Zaaburi nyingi nizikuzesa “abooro n’abakyene” kandi zeetantara
okugamba ah’abarikuhatwa omu nshonga z’eby’eihanga n’ediini. Eki
nikikorwa kwenda kworeka okufayo kwa Ruhanga aha bantu boona
omu nsi zoona.
Okugamba ngu “abooro n’abakyene” tikirikukoma aha kukyena
ebintu, kureka nikihika n’aha kuteebaasa n’okubura kihwera. Ebigambo
ebyo nibigamba aha mbabazi za Ruhanga, kandi nibishuuruura
enteekateeka ngu orikubonabona naaba ari wenka ataine
w’okumuhwera ondiijo kureka Ruhanga. “Okugira ngu “abooro
n’abakyene” nikigaruka kyoreka okumara aha mutimakw’omuntu,
okuba ow’amazima, hamwe na rukundo ei arikuba ainiire Ruhanga
omumkwatura ngu obwesigye bwe bwona ni Ruhanga kandi akangira
kimwe okweteekateekaho nk’orikwemariirira.
Ebyo bikiri aho, okuta omutima aha bataine, (Zab. 41:1–3) nikyoreka
obwesigwa bw’abantu ahari Ruhanga. Ebikorwa bibi ebyabaire
bikorwa aha bataine kihwera omu bunaku bwa Baiburi bikaba biba biri
ebibi bihango munonga (Eky’Eb. 15:7–11). Zaaburi nizitiisa abantu
abeesigwa kwimusya amaraka gaabo bakajumiirira okuhatwa kwona.
Zaaburi nizigaruka zooreka okukiri ekya busha okutwara abantu
nk’obukomooko bw’obwengye n’oburinzi. Abantu ba Ruhanga
nibateekwa kwangira okwohiwa kwona okurikubateekateekyesa ngu
nibabaasa kutunga okujunwa kurabira omu beebembezi hamwe
n’amadiini, na munonga byaba nibitaana n’emihanda ya Ruhanga.
Omu mbababzi ze, Mukama waitu akeebarira hamwe n’abooro obwo
arikuhinduka omworo ngu kurabira omu bworo bwe baingi babaase
kuhinduka abantungi (2 Kor. 8:9). Obutungi bwa Kristo burimu
okukomoororwa kuruga omu kuhatwa kwona okurikureetwa ekibi,
kandi naaturaganisa amagara agatahwahoomu bukama bwa Ruhanga
(Kush. 21:4). Yesu naahikiiriza okuraganisa kwa Zaaburi nk’omucwi
w’emanja ow’obwaruhanga, orikwija kucwera orubanja buri kuhata
kwona okurikukorwa ah’abataine kihwera, obariiremu n’okutabakorera
ekibashemereire (Mat. 25:31–46).
Nituteekateeka kiri kwingana ki aha “booro n’abakyene” kandi
nitubakorera birikwingana ki?
46
Kaatambuga (Feb) 6
Muryahisyahi Okucwa Emanja Zitari z’Oburyo?
Ruhanga ahaire abeebembezi ba Isiraeli obushoboorozi
bw’okureetahooburingaaniza omuri Israeli (Zab. 72:1−7, 12−14).
Abagabe ba Isiraeli bakaba bari ab’okukozesa obushoboorozi bwabo
nk’oku Ruhanga yaabaire naayenda. Omuramwa omukuru
gw’abeebembezi gushemereire kuba guri okureetaho obusingye
n’oburingaaniza omu nsi kandi n’okurwanirira abatarikwebaasa. Obwo
nibwo ensi n’abntu barikwija kuba gye. Ahakuba ekitebe ky’omugabe
kihamibwa okuhikiirira kwa Ruhanga, ti maani g’abantu.
Shoma Zaaburi 82. Nihabaho ki abeebembezi baaruga aha
buringaaniza bakatandika kunyangaraza abantu abu
bashemereire kurinda?
________________________________________________________
Omuri Zaaburi 82, Ruhanga naarangirira orubanja aha baramuzi babi
ba Israeli. “Baaruhanga” (Zab. 82:1, 6) tibari baaruhanga b’abakafiiri
kandi ti baamaraika ahakuba tibarahairwe murimo gw’okureetaho
oburingaaniza
n’ahabw’ekyo
tibakaacwerwa
rubanja
rw’okutakihikiiriza. Emishango erikworekwa omuri Zaaburi 82:2−4
neeshusha ebiragiro eikumi, erikugamba ahari “baaruhanga”
nk’abeebembezi b’Israeli (Eky’Eb. 1:16−18, Eky’Eb. 16:18−20,
Yoh.10:33–35). Ruhanga naabuuza “abaana b’abantu” yaaba nibcwa
emanja omu buringaaniza, kandi okufubirwa kwabo kurangiriirwe
ahakuba bashangire batahikiriire. Abeebembezi nibabandagira omu
mwirima bataine bwengye (Zab. 82:5) ahakuba bagayire ebiragiro bya
Ruhanga, ebiri ekyererezi (Zab. 119:105).
Ebyahandiikirwe nibihamya ngu Mukama niwe Ruhanga wenka.
Ruhanga naabaganaho obwebembezi bwe bw’ensi n’abeebembezi
nk’abajwekyerwa be (Bar. 13:1). Kwonka ni kangahi obu abeebembezi
aba, omu byafaayo nangwa na hati, banagireho obujunanizibwa bwabo
obu baahairwe?
Zaaburi 82 neeyanika obuhabe bw’abeebembezi abamwe
erikubakabukira ahabw’okweteekateekaho nka baaruhanga abari
ahaiguru y’abandi bantu. N’obu Ruhanga yaahaire abeebembezi ba
Isiraeli kwetwa “abaana ba Rukira-boona” kandi n’okumujwekyera,
Ruhanga naabeeta abeebembezi enkozi z’ebibi. Ruhanga naabiijusya
ngu tibariguaho ebiro byona ngu kandi nabo nabanaanwa kworobera
ebiragiro nk’abandi boona. Tihaine ori ahaiguru y’ebiragiro bya
Ruhanga. (Zab. 82:6–8).
Ruhanga aryacwera ensi yoona orubanja; N’abantu ba Ruhanga nabo
baryaha embariirira omu maisho ga Ruhanga. Abeebembezi hamwe
n’abantu bashemereire kutooreza eky’okureeberaho kya Ruhanga
nk’omuramuzi omukuru, kandi bamutemu obwesigye.
Oine bushoboorozi ki aha bandi? Obushoboorozi obwo oriyo
noobukozesa ota omu buringaaniza? Kiteho omutima
47
Kaatambuga (Feb) 7
Shuka Ekiniga Kyawe
Shoma Zab 58:6–8; Zab 69:22–28; Zab 83:9–17; Zab 94:1, 2; and Zab
137:7–9. Ni biteekateeko ki ebirikushuuruurwa omuri ezi Zaaburi?
N’oha omucwi w’emanja omuri ezi Zaaburi?
________________________________________________________
Zaaburi ezimwe nizeeshengyereza Ruhanga kuhoora enziga aha
bantu n’amahanga abarikuteekateeka kuhisya akabi nari abaamazire
kuhisya akabi aha bahandiiki aba nari aha bantu baabo. Zaaburi ezi
nizibaasa
kureebeka
zirikuteganisa
ahabw’omuringo
ogu
zihandiikirwemu hamwe n’okuzirikureebeka zirikuhakanisa eki
Baiburi erikugamba ngu tukunde abazigu baitu. (Mat. 5:44).
Kwonka oku omuhandiiki arikunuga okuhatwa ni kirungi.
Nikimanyisa ngu abahandiiki aba bakatwara enshonga z’ekihikire
n’ekigwire nk’ekintu kikuru kukira abantu abandi. Naafayo, na munonga
ti ha bibi ebirikumukorwaho byonka kureka n’ebirikukorwa aha bandi.
N’obu kiri kityo, tihariho ahi omuhandiiki arikwegambaho
nk’orikuhoora enzigu. Omu mwanya gw’ekyo, okuhoora enzigu
naakurekyera Mukama. Zaaburi nizituma haija emikyeeno y’endagaano
(Eky’Eb. 27:9−16) kandi zireetera Ruhanga yaakora nk’oku
yaaraganiise.
Zaaburi niziragura aha rubanja rwa Ruhanga oruriyo nirwija; ti shaara
z’omuhandiiki kwonka. Zaaburi 137 neegamba aha kurangirira
kw’orubanja ahari Babulooni, nk’oku birikureebwa omuri baanabi.
Okucwekyerera oku abantu ba Babulooni baahikize aha bantu b’amahanga
agandi nabo kukaba nikwija kubahikaho. Zaaburi nizirabura ngu ekibi
tikiribura kufubirwa.
Okuhoora enzigu kwa Ruhanga nikupimisibwa oburingaaniza
n’emababazi. Abaana ba Ruhanga nibeetwa kushabira abazigu baabo
n’okugira amatsiko aha kuhinduka kwabo. (Zab. 83:18, Jer. 29:7).
N’obu kiri kityo, twaba nitusherura okuteekateekyera Zaaburi ezi omuri
rukundo ya Baiburi ey’okukunda abazigu baitu, nituteekwa
kwegyendesereza okutatwara ebirikusaasa ebirimu nk’akantu kakye.
Ruhanga naareeba okubonabona kw’abaana be kandi abahamiza ngu “Okufa
kw’abarikwera ba Mukama n’okw’obuguzi bwingi omu maisho ge
(Zab.116:15). Okucwa orubanja kw’obwaruhanga nikureetera abantu ba
Ruhanga okwimusya amaraka gaabo kurwanisa obubi bwona hamwe
n’okusherura okwija kw’obukama bwa Ruhanga omu bwijwire bwakwo.
Zaaburi nizigaruka ziha abarikubonabona obugambiro, zirikubamanyisa ngu
Ruhanga naamanya okubonabona kwabo kandi ngu eizooba rimwe
oburingaaniza buryabaho.
N’oha, obumwe n’obumwe, otarikugira ebiteekateeko by’okuhoora
enzigo ahari abo abarikuba bamukozire kubi nari bakozire kubi
abakundwa be? Zaaburi zikaakuhwera zita okutereeza enteekateeka
nk’ezo?
48
Kaatambuga (Feb) 8
Mukama Okucwa Orubanja hamwe n’Ihema
Shoma Zaaburi 96:6–10; Zaaburi 99:1–4; and Zaaburi 132:7–9, 13–
18. Ruhanga aryacwera nkahi orubanja kandi ekigarukwamu
kyawe kitwiniire ki? Ihema nirituhwera rita okumanya oku
Ruhanga aritwariza ekibi?
Okucwa orubanja kwa Ruhanga kwine akakwate kahango n’ihema.
Omu Ihema nimwo okwetegyereza kw’oburemeezi bw’ekibi
okw’omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi kwagaruriirwe busya (Zab. 73:17–20).
Ihema rikateebwaho nk’omwanya gw’okucweramu emanja nk’oku
kirikworekwa omu kucwamu kwa Urimu (Kub. 27:21) hamwe
n’eky’aha kifuba ekyabaire kijwarwa omunyamurwa omukuru (Kur.
28:15, 28–30). Zaaburi nyingi nizooreka Ruhanga ari aha kitebe kye
ayeteekateekire kucwera ensi orubanja ahabw’ekibi kyaayo n’obubi
oburimu.
Ah’ihema, enteekateeka y’okujunwa ekashuuruurwa. Omu bakafiire,
ekibi kikaba kyetegyerezibwa nk’eibara ry’omubiri eririkwetenga
okwihwaho obukoryo bw’emigyenzo. Omu muringo ogw’omutaano,
Baiburi neegamba aha kibi nk’okuhenda ebiragiro bya Ruhanga ikumi.
Oburikwera bwa Ruhanga nibumanyisa ngu naakunda oburingaaniza
n’okuhikiirira. Abantu ba Ruhanga nabo bashemereire kurwanirira
oburingaaniza n’okuhikiirira kandi baramye Ruhanga omu burikwera
bwe. Okukora ekyo, nibateekwa kurinda ebiragiro bya Ruhanga,
ebirikworeka oburikwera bwe.
Nikyo ihema ririkubeera omwanya gw’okusaasirirwamu ebibi
n’okugarurwa busya kw’okuhikiirira nk’okukirikworekwa nan’entebe
y’ekitebe kya Ruhanga ey’embabazi hamwe na “ebitambo
by’okuhikiirira” (Eky’Eb. 33:19, Zab. 4:5).
Kwonka kandi, “Ruhanga orikusaasira” naatura enkozi z’ebibi
ezitarikweteisa ebibi byabo (Zab. 99:8). Omugasho gw’ihema
nk’omwanya gw’okucweramu orubanja, nigureeberwa omu burikwera
bwa Ruhanga kuguma nibwijukwa hamwe n’omukwenda ngu abantu
batuure amagara g’okuhikiirira nk’oku endagaano ya Ruhanga
erikwetengyesa.
Okucwa orubanja kwa Mukama nikurugiramu ohikiriire okutuura
amagara marungi n’okusingura omubi (Zab. 132:13–18). Ihema
rikareetaho okutegyereza Mukama nk’omucwi w’emanja n’ekihika
kingi, na munonga aha Kiro ky’Okurihiirira. Zaaburi omu muringo
nigwo gumwe nizihamya eky’okwija kw’Omucwi w’emanja okuri
haihi (Zab. 96:13, Zab. 98:9), niwe Yesu Kristo, omu ihema ery’omu
iguru(Kush. 11:15–19).
Shoma Romans 8:34. Omushorongo ogu nigutworeka guta ngu eki
Kristo ariyo naakra hati omu ihema ery’omu iguru n’amakuru marungi
aha bantu be?
49
Kaatambuga (Feb) 9
Eby’okwongyera Kuteekateekaho: Shoma Ellen G. White,
“The Beatitudes,” pp. 6–13,29–35, in Thoughts From the Mount of
Blessing.
Zaaburi nijumiirira okutafayo kw’abantu kurwanisa obutaringaaniza.
Eki tikiri kityo kwenda ngu habeho okuhoora enzigu, kureka ngu eiziina
rya Ruhanga rihimbisibwe. N’ahabw’ekyo kiryaba kihikire abahikiriire
kushemererwa ku barireeba ekiniga kya Ruhanga aha babi ahakuba
omu muringo ogu eiziina rya Ruhanga hamwe n’oburingaaniza bwe
biryaba bigarukireho omu nsi (Zab. 58:10, 11). Zaaburi nizitiisaho
abantu omutima kwimusya amaraka bakajumiirira ebikorwa bibi kandi
bakasherura n’okwija kw’obukama bwa Ruahnga omu bwijwire
bwakwo.
Omuri
Zaaburi,
nituhamibwa
okuhuumurizibwa
n’okucungurwa kw’obwaruhanga. Mukama aryaimuka!
Yesu
akagira
ngu
“‘abantu
ku
baribajuma,
ku
baribahiiga,…mushemererwe, mwesiime.” Kandi akagambira abaabaire
bamuhurikiriize ahari baanabi abaabire nibagamba omu iziina rya
Mukama, nka “eky’okureeberaho ky’okubonabona n’okugumisiriza.”
Yakobo 5:10. Abeeli, Omukristaayo w’okubanza omu baana ba Adamu,
akafa nk’omujurizi. Enoka akagyenda na Ruhanga, kandi ensi
teramumanyire. Noha akajumwa ngu n’omubeihi kandi empabe. ‘Abandi
bakashekyererwa, abandi bakaashwa, abandi baakomwa n’enjegyere,
bateebwa omu bihome.’ ‘Abandi bakateerwa ez’okubiita, batarikwenda
kurekurwa; ngu babone kuheebwa okuzooka okurikukira oburungi.’
Abaheburaayo 11:36, 35.”—Ellen G.White, Thoughts From the Mount
of Blessing, p. 33.
Ebibuuzo by’Okugaaniiraho:
➊ Abw’okugira nbu ebibi ebiri omu nsi nibireetera omuntu
kubangaanisa aha kutegyeka kwa Ruhanga, tukaakuza tuta
okwikiriza kwaitu kutarikutengyesibwa kukaguma kuhami
nanngwa n’omukwohibwa? Tugume tuhamiire ahari ki
okurindira okwikiriza kwaitu omuri rukundo ya Ruhanga
n’oburngi bwe n’amaani ge? Omusharaba gwine kutugambira ki
ahari Ruhanga n’emicwe ye?
➋
Ahabw’enki
kirikugasha
okutatwara
by’abantu
(abeebembezi, amadiini, n’amitamburire y’abantu) nk’obwengye
nari nk’ebirikubaasa kumaraho obutaringaaniza oburi omu nsi
kureka tukaguma tuhamiire aha kigambo kya Ruhanga n’okucwa
kwe kw’emanja?
❸ Amazima aga ngu ihema niryo icwero ry’emanja rya Ruhanga
nigatugasira ki?
➍ Tukaayetegyereza tuta ebigambo bya Zaaburi ezimwe
ebigangaire? Ebigambo ebyo nibituhwera bita kweshushaniriza
n’obuntu bw’abo abaazihandiikire?
50
I N S I D
Story
e
Invited to Church: Part 2
By ANDReW McCHesNey
Seventeen-year-old Sekule wanted to know truth as a high school
student in Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, so, he started to
visit various houses of worship. But he didn’t find satisfactory answers
to his questions about why a God of love would burn someone in hell for
eternity. So, Sekule resolved to find the truth on his own by Shomaing
theNew Testament.
When he returned to his home village in Montenegro that summer, he
Shoma one Bible book a day. On the first day, he Shoma the 28 chapters
of Matthew. The next day, he Shoma Mark. Then he Shoma Luke, John,
Acts, andRomans. He Shoma only one book a day, even when he came to
such smallerepistles as Titus and Philemon.
Some answers to his questions about God emerged in his Shomaing of
the New Testament. But he longed for more information. He visited several more houses of worship. But he didn’t visit a Seventh-day Adventist
church. He had heard that Adventists celebrated “Sweet Sabbaths” every
week, a time when they engaged in sexual relations with each other. He
thought, They’re crazy. They cannot have the truth.
Failing to find answers in the many houses of worship that he visited, he
decided that God probably did not exist. He stopped Shomaing the Bible.
Then a high school teacher saw Sekule’s Bible. She was an Adventist,
and she saw the Bible as faculty members conducted ran- dom searches
of dormitory rooms to see whether boys were hiding alcohol or drugs.
“You have a Bible!” she said.
“Yes,” Sekule said.
“What have you learned?”
“Many things.”
She quizzed him about Daniel, and Sekule, who had a good memory,
provided clear answers.
“You actually understand!” she exclaimed. “You’re the first person whom
I’ve met who understands. You must come to the Seventh-day Adventist
church.”
Sekule didn’t dare refuse. She was his teacher. He feared that she would
lower his grade if he didn’t go.
“OK, I’ll go,” he said.
But he lied. He had no plans to go to church.
SeKuLe SeKuLIć is an affluent entrepreneur and faithful Seventh-day Adventist in
Montenegro. Shoma more of his story next week. Thank you for your Sabbath School
mis-sion offerings that help spShoma the good news of Jesus’ soon coming in
Montenegro andaround the world.
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spShoma the gospel worldwide. Shoma new stories daily at AdventistMission.org.
52
51
*Kaatambuga (Feb) 10–16
Embabazi Zaawe Nizihika omu
Iguru
SABATO OMU IHANGWE
Eby’okushoma ahabwa saabiiti egi: Zaaburi 136,
Zaaburi 51, Zaaburi 130, Zaaburi 113, Zaaburi 123.
Omushororongo gw’Okwijuka: “Ai Mukama, ndyakusiima
omu bantu, ndyayeshongora eby’okukuhimbisa omu mahanga.
Ahakuba embabazi zawe ni nyingi, nizihika omu iguru,
n’okwesigwa kwawe kuhika omu bicu” (Zaaburi 57:9, 10).
A
bahandiiki ba Zaaburi nibamanya ngu n’abooro omu mitima
kandi ngu tibaine karungi koona ak’okureeta omu maisho ga
Ruhanga; ekirikumanyisa ngu omuribo tiharimu karungi koona
ahabwabo ak’okurreeta omu maisho g’ekitebe kya Ruhanga
ekirikwera. (Zab. 40:17).
Nibakyetegyereza, nk’oku naitwe turikukyetegyereza, ngu nibetenga
embabazi za Ruhanga. Omu bugufu, nibetenga engiri. Zaaburi
nizikyoreka gye ngu abantu nibatungwa embabazi za Ruhanga.
Eky’omugisha, embabazi za Ruhanga tizihwaho, nk’okukirikureebwa
omu buhangi hamwe n’omu byafaayuo by’abantu (Zaaburi 136). Omu
maisho ga Ruhanga otahwaho, amagara g’abantu nigahunduura
nk’obunyatsi, kwonka naabagirira embabazi aguma naabaha amaani
(Zab. 103:3, 5, 15), kandi omuriwe nibaraganisibwa amagara
agatahwaho.
Okuhuumura kw’abantu n’okugira ngu Ruhanga n’omwesigwa aha
ndagaano ye. Okushaba kw’abantu, ti nshonga omu kwehayo obumwe
n’obumwe, nikukira kuba kwijwiremu amatsiko ahakuba nikuba
nikworekyerera ahari Tataitwe ow’omu iguru ow’embabazi. (Zab.
103:13, Zab. 68:5, Zab. 89:26). Okugirirwa emababzi busya hamwe
n’okukundwa nikubaha amaani g’okuramya n’okuheereza Ruhanga
wenka.
* Yega eky’okwega kya saabiiti egi okwetuugira Sabato ya Kaatambuga (Feb) 17.
52
Kaatambuga (Feb) 11
Embabazi Ze n’ez’Ebiro Byona
Shoma Zaaburi 136. Ni kiteekateeko ki ekikanyire omuri Zaaburi
egi? Omuhandiiki waayo naiha nkahi obuhame bw’ekiteekateeko
eki?
Zaaburi 136 neeteisaho abantu omutima okuhimbisa Mukama
ahabw’embabazi ze nk’oku zirikworekyerwa omu buhangi (Zab.
136:4−9) hamwe n’omu byafaayo by’Isiraeli (Zab. 136:10−22).
“Embabazi” (Omu Ruheburaayo khesed, “rukundo ehami”) nizooreka
oburungi bwa Ruhanga hamwe n’obwesigwa bwe aha buhangi bwe n’aha
ndagaano ye na Isiraeli. Zaaburi neeyoreka ngu amaani ga Ruhanga
agarikutangaaza gari omuri rukundo ye etahinduka.
Mukama ni “Ruhanga Nyamuhanga” kandi “Mukama w’abakama,”
haza ogu n’omuguutuuro gw’ekiheburaayo ogurikumanyisa “Ruhanga
Omukuru Rugambwa” (Zab. 136:1–3), tikugira ngu hariho baaruhanga
abandi kureka nikimanyisa ngu niwe Ruhanga wenka.
Emirimo ya Mukama ey’amaani, etarikubaasa kukorwa ndoijo, niyo
erikuhamya obutegyeki bwe ahatari kuhakanisibwa (Zab. 136:4).
Ruhanga akahanga iguru, ensi, n’ebiri omu iguru byona, ebirikuamibwa
abatamanya Ruhanga (Eky’Eb. 4:19). Zaaburi zo kwonka nizimariraho
kimwe obushoboorozi bwa baaruhanga b’abakafiire na buri kintu
aky’omuntu agiramu obwesigye. Ebyo byona n’ebihangirwe.
N’ebyahangirwe —omutaano guri ngu tibikaabaasa kuba Muhangi.
Ekishushani ky’engaro za Mukama ez’amaani hamwe n’omukono
ogubangire (Zab. 136:12) nibyoreka okukora kw’amaani ga Ruhanga
hamwe n’obuhango bw’emababazi ze ezitaine bukomo
Embabazi za Ruhanga omu buhangi n’omu byafaayo zishemereire
kureetera abantu kumwesiga n’okuguma bari abeesigwa aha ndagaano
ye. Ekitongyerero eki “Ahakuba embabazi ze n’ez’ebiro byona”
nikigarukwamu emirundi 26 omuri egi Zaaburi, nikwo kuhamiza
abarikuramya ngu Ruhanga tahinduka kandi emigisha ye ey’enyima
aryaguma naagihisya ahab’obusingye bwona. Ruhanga naijuka abntu
be (Zab.136:23) kandi n’omwesigwa aha ndagaano ye ey’emababazi.
Enyikiriza eri omu mbabazi za Ruhanga ezitahwaho niyo ntima
y’okwikiriza kwa Baiburi, erimu n’okuramya kw’okushemererwa
hamwe n’obumanzi, hamwe n’okutwaza mpora n’okweteisa.
Zaaburi 136 neehendera n’okufayo kwa Ruhanga aha nsi zoona (Zab.
136:23– 25). Embabazi za Mukamati ziriho ahabwa Israeli yonka
kureka n’ahabw’ensi yoona. Nikyo Zaaburi zirikugambira aha mbabazi
za Ruhanga eziriho kujuna ensi yoona kandi n’kweta ensi yoona
kwegaita ahari Israeli kuhimbisa Mukama (reeba na Luka 2:10, Yoh.
3:16, na Byak 15:17).
Okufa kwa Yesu aha musharaba nk’ekarabo ahabw’ebibi byaitu
53
nikutushuuruuurira kuta n’amaan amazima agarikukwata ahari
Ruhanga, ngu “embabazi ze n’ez’ebiro n’ebiro”?
Kaatambuga (Feb) 12
Ompangyemu Omutima Ogushemeire
Shoma Zab 51:1–5. Ahabw’enki omuhimbi wa Zaaburi egi naashaba kugirirwa
embabazi?
Omugabe Daudi naatakira Mukama ngu amusaasire ekibi kye omu
bunaku bw’omwirima omu magara ge (2 Samueli12). Okusaasira nikyo
kiconco kya Ruhanga eky’embabazi ekikuru, ekirikuruga omu “mbabazi
zaawe nyingi oku ziri” (Zab. 51:1). Omugabe Daudi naashaba Ruhanga
okutamuhisyaho ebi ekibi kye kishemereire (Zab. 103:10) kureka
nk’emicwe y’obwaruhanga bwe oku eri, emicwe egi ni embabazi,
obwesigwa, hamwe n’esaasi (Zab. 51:1; Kur. 34:6, 7).
Shoma Zaaburi 51:6–19. Okusaasirwa ebibi nikushuuruurwa kuta
aha? Ekigyendererwa ky’okusaasira kw’obwaruhanga niki?
Okusaasira kw’obwaruhanga kurimu ekirikuhingura aha kurangirirwa
nk’otaine mushango omu by’amateeka. Nikureetaho empinduka y’amaani
erikuhika omu bicweka byona eby’omuntu ow’omunda (Zab. 51:6,
Baheb. 4:12). Nikureetaho obuhangwa busya (Zab. 51:10, Yoh. 3:3–8).
Ekigambo ky’Oruheburaayo bara’, ekyavunwirwe nka “hanga,”
nikyoreka amaani g’obwaruhanga ag’okuhangahanga. (Kut. 1:1).
Ruhanga wenka niwe arikubaasa ku bara’; Ruhanga wenka niwe
arikubaasa kureetaho empinduka erikugumaho omu mutima gw’ogwo
orikweteisa (2 Kor. 4:6).
Daudi naashaba kwogibwa n’enyaweera (Balev. 14:2–8, Zab. 51:7).
Naayehurira ekibi kye kirikumubinga ahari Ruhanga nk’oku omubembe
abingwa omu kyanga kumara obwire bwona obu arikumara abembire
(Zab. 51:11). Aine okutiina ngu ebitambo nibibaasa kutamugarura busya
ahakuba hakaba hatariho kitambo ekyabaire nikibaasa kurihiirira ebibi
bye by’obushambani n’obwitsi, ebi yaakozire akigyendereire. (Kur.
21:14, Balev. 20:10).
Embabazi za Ruhanga eza busha nizo zonka ezaabaire nizibaasa
kwikiriza omutima gwa Daudi “oguhendekire, ogweteisiize kimwe’
nk’ekitambo n’okugaruza Daudi omu kakwate karungi na Ruhanga (Zab.
51:16, 17). Omu kushaba kwogibwa n’enyaweera, naayenda agarukye
ahari Ruhanga.
Ruhanga ku araabe naabaasa kusaasira Daudi obushambani,
okubeiha hamwe n’obwitsi, noogira ngu hakiriho matsiko ki
ahabwawe?
Kaatambuga (Feb) 13
“Mukama, Kuri Noofa aha by’Okutahikiirira”
Shoma Zaaburi 130. Obwingi bw’ebibi hamwe n’amatsiko g’abasiisi
nibishuuruurwa bita?
Okubonabona kw’omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi egi kweine akakwate
n’ebibi bye hamwe n’eby’abantu be (Zab. 130:3, 8). Ebibi by’abantu ni
bingi munonga kugira nibireebeka birikuza kubataanisa na Ruhanga
ebiro byona (Zab. 130:3). Ebyahandiikirwe nibigamaba aha bibi
ebibiikiirwe Ekiro ky’Orubanja (Dan. 7:10, Kush. 20:12) hamwe
n’amaziina g’abasiisi agarikwihwa omu Kitabo ky’amagara (Kur.
32:32, Zab. 69:28, Kush. 13:8).
Omuhandiiki nikyo arkweshengyerereza Ruhanga kumusaasira, kugira
ebibi bye biragazibwe (Zab. 51:1, 9; Yer. 31:34; Mik. 7:19). Naakimanya
ngu “Ruhanga ti munyakiniga omu bwaruhanga bwe. Rukundo ye
egumaho ebiro byona. Ekiniga kye nikiimuka omuntu yaaremwa
kusiima rukundo Ye. Ekigyendererwa ky’ekiniga kye ti kuhutaaza,
kureka n’okukiza omuntu; ti kucwekyereza kureka n’okujuna abantu be
b’endagaano (reeba Hos. 6:1, 2).”—Hans K. LaRondelle, Deliverance
in the Psalms (Berrien Springs, MI: First Impressions, 1983), pp. 180,
181.
Omu buryo oburi bwo, n’okweteekateeka kwa Ruhanga kusaasira
ebibi, baitu kutari kubafubira, okurikureetera Ruhanga kutiinwa (Zab.
130:4, Rom. 2:4). Okuramya okuhikre kwombekirwe aha kwegomba
omucwe gwa Ruhanga ogwa rukundo, baitu ti ha kutiina okufubirwa.
Abaana ba Ruhanga nibeetwa kutegyereza Mukama (Zab. 27:14, Zab.
37:34). Ekigambo ky’Oruheburaayo qawah, “tegyereza,” nikimanyisa
“okunanuura,” kandi niho harikuruga ekigambo ky’Oruheburaayo ekya
“amatsiko.” Ahabw’ekyo, okutegyereza Mukama ti kweheerezayo mu
bintu ebirikusaasa, kureka n’okunanuura amatsiko nari okutegyereza
okukora Mukama n’ekihika kingi. Amatsiko g’ogu muhandiiki wa
Zaaburi tigari ge nk’omuntu kureka omu Kigambo kya Ruhanga (Zab.
130:5). Okutegyereza Mukama omu bwesigwa ti kwa busha ahakuba
ahanyima y’omwirima, akasheeshe nikaija k’okujuna kwa Ruhanga.
Reeba oku eshaara y’omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi erikuhinduka
ey’eihanga ryona (Zab. 130:7, 8).Okubaho kw’amagara g’omuntu
tikwine mutaano n’okw’abantu boona. Nikyo orikushaba
atarikweshabira wenka kureka n’abandi boona. Nk’abaikiriza, turi
ekicweka aha kyanga eki turimu kandi ekirikuteganisa ekicweka
kimwe,, nikiba nikikwata n’ahari buri omwe.
Teekateeka aha kibuuzo eki , “MUKAMA, kuri noofa aha
by'okutahikiirira, N'oha owaakubaasa kwemerera, ai
MUKAMA?” (Zab. 130:3). Ekyo nikimanyisa ki ahari iwe
nk’omuntu? Okaabaire orahi kuri Mukama naafa aha bibi
55
byawe?
Kaatambuga (Feb) 14
Ruhanga Ow’embabazi n’Ekitiinisa Ahimbisibwe
Shoma Zaaburi 113 na 123. Emicwe ya Ruhanga neeyorekwa eta
omu miringo ebiri aha?
Zaaburi 113 na 123 nizisingiza ekitiinisa kya Mukama n’embabazi
ze. Ekitiinisa kya Mukama nikishuuruurirwa omu iziina rye hamwe
n’omwanya gw’ekitebe kye ogutugwirwe, ekiri ahaiguru y’amahanga
goona, kirikweshumba n’iguru ryona (Zab. 113:4, 5; Zab. 123:1).
Ebigambo ebi ngu “N'oha orikushushana na MUKAMA Ruhanga waitu”
(Zaaburi. 113:5) n’ebigambo by’okwikiriza ngu tihariho maani omu nsi
omu nari ahandi hoona agarikubaasa kutiinisa Ruhanga wa Isiraeli
Emyanya etahikwa ei Mukama arikutuuramu neeshoboororwa omu
muringo gw’okugira ngu Mukama naakunda “kwecureeza” nari
“kwecureeza kureeba ebiri omu iguru n'eby'omu nsi (reeba Zab. 113:6,
okwongyera kukihamya). Ruhanga okuba ahaiguru tikirikumuzibira
kureeba ebirikukorerwa hanu ahansi. Embababzi za Mukama
nizoorekyerwa omu kweteekateeka kwe kw’embabazi kutaaha omu
nshonga z’ensi n’okujuna abakyene n’abooro omu buremeezi bwabo.
Omukono gwe ogw’embabazi tigusherekirwe abairu be n’obu obutaaho
bwe buraabe buri hare munonga omu iguru. Obukuru bwa Ruhanga
n’okufayo kwe, ebitakaayetegyererezibwa omu kumurinkana kwe
okurikutangaaza, nibireeberwa omu bikorwa bye by’embabazi n’esaasi.
Abakyene, abooro hamwe n’abarikuhatwa nibabaasa kureeba amaani
ga Ruhanga omu ku arikubaasa kugaruka kutereeza amagara gaabo.
Ruhanga ori ahaiguru ya byona naayoreka obukuru bwe arikukoresa
amaani ge omu kutunguura abanagirweho. Abantu n’ab’obusingye
okwehikira ahari Mukama ahakuba ekitiinisa kye n’obukuru bwe
tibirikuhindura
eky’okuba
Omuhangi
ow’embabazi
kandi
omureeberezi kandi ngu abantu n’abaheereza be, abaana be abakundwa.
N’ahabw’ekyo okuramya tikuriho ahabw’ekitiinisa kya Ruhanga
kyonka, kureka n’ahabw’oburungi bwe. Okuhimbisa tikwine bunaku
nari omwanya (Zab. 113:2,3). Obukuru bwa Ruhanga n’embabazi ze
nibyorekyerwa gye omuri Yesu Kristo, owakunzire kuruga omu iguru
akacureera akahika n’aha kufa okw’aha musharaba kugira ngu agarure
abantu abaagwire. (Bafil. 2:6−8). Omu musharaba, twainemu enshonga
ezirikukira obukuru ahabw’enki tuwaine kurmaya n’okuhimbisa
Ruhanga ahabw’ebyatukoreire.
Ta omutima aha musharaba n’aha kyakukoreirwe nk’omuntu?
Yesu akujunire omuri ki? Ahabw’enki kiri kikuru okuguma
noijuka ogwo musharaba?
56
Kaatambuga (Feb) 15
Oteebwa Ebirungi Byona ebi Yaakukoreire
Shoma Zaaburi 103. Embabazi za Ruhanga nizoorekwa zita
aha?
Zaaburi 103 neebara emigisha ya Ruhanga yoona. Emigisha egi
erimu na “ebirungi ebi akozire” (Zab. 103:2) ngu amagara gaigute (Zab.
103:3−6). Emigisha egi eri omu mbabazi za Ruhanga n’omubwesigwa
bwe aha ndagaano ye na Israeli (Zab.103:7−18). Mukama “naijuka”
obweremwa bw’abantu n’okuhunduuka kwabo atyo aguma naabagirira
embabazi (shoma Zaaburi. 103:13–17).
Okwijuka oku nikuhingura aha kw’ebiteekateeko. Kurimu okwehayo
okurikureeberwa omu kukora: Ruhanga naajuna kandi abaisaho abantu
be (Zab. 103:3−13). Ebishushani by’amaani omuri Zaaburi 103:11−16
nibyoreka obutungi bw’embabazi za Ruhanga oburarigyerwa,
oburikubaasa kushushanisibwa n’obuhango bw’iguru obuteine bukomo
(Isa. 55:9).
Mbwenu abantu batarize bata embabazi za Ruhanga eziijwire
rukundo? Eky’okubanza, ha Ruhanga omugisha (Zab. 103:1, 2).
Okuha omugisha nikyetegyerezibwa baingi nk’ekikorwa ky’okuha
omuntu eby’obutungi n’eby’omwoyo (Kut. 49:25, Zab. 5:12). Ruhanga
ka niwe ntsibuko y’emigisha yoona, mbwenu hati abantu bakaamuha
bata emigisha? Ow’ahansi naaha omugisha Ow’ahaiguru kurabira omu
kumwebaza n’omu kumuhimbisa (1 Abagabe 8:66, Yobu 29:13).
Ruhanga naah abantu emigisha arikubaha ebirungi, reero abantu bo
nibaha Ruhanga emigisha barikuhimbisa oburungi bwe;
ekirikumanyisa okumutiina ahabw’embabazi ze.
Ekya kabiri, okwijuka ebirungi bye byona n’endagaano ye (Zab.
103:2, 18–22), nk’oku Mukam aaijuka obweremwa bw’omuntu hamwe
n’endagaano ye n’abantu be (Zab. 103:3–13). Okwijuka ni kikuru omu
buzaare bwa Ruhanga n’abantu. Nk’oku Ruhanga aijuka okuraganisa
kwe aha bantu, n’abantu nabo kibashemereire kwijuka obwesigwa bwa
Ruhanga n’okumwikiriza omuri rukundo n’okworoba.
N’ekyo omu itwe yaitu, ebigambo bya Ellen G. White ebi ebirikukira
kugambwa ni bikuru: “Kikaabaire gye itwe okumara eshaaha yoona
buri izooba nituteekateeka aha magara ga Kristo. Tushemereire
kugateekateekaho mpora mpora, twijukye buri kyabaireho kyona, na
munonga amagara gye g’aha muheru. Ku turaateekateekye aha
kwehayo kwe aha bwaitu, nitwija kwongyera kuhamira omuriwe,
twongyere kumukunda, kandi twongyere kwijura Omwoyo We. Ku
turaabe nitwenda kujunwa aha muheru, nituteekwa kwega okweteisa
hamwe n’okwecureeza aha bigyere bya Yesu.”—The Desire of Ages, p.
83.
57
Kaatambuga (Feb) 16
Eby’okwongyera Kuteekateekaho: Shoma Ellen G.
White, “The Sinner’s Need of Christ,” pp. 17–22, in SteZaaburi to
Christ.
Omuri Zaaburi, amaraka g’abantu ba ruhanga nigeegaitira hamwe
omu kugarukamu ekitongyerero eki “Embabazi ze n’ez’ebiro byona”
omu kwemurikira rukundo ya Ruhanga etahwaho (Zab. 106:1; Zab.
107:1; Zab. 118:1–4, 29; Zaaburi 136). “Okutasiima Ruhanga kikaba
kimanyisa okwebwa ebirungi byona ebi akozire, okutasiima ebiconco
bya Ruhanga. Abo bonka abarikusiima nibo batarikwebwa.
Okuteekateeka n’okugamba ahari Ruhanga ti kumusiima. Okusiima
nikutandika omuntu yaamara kwijuka obukuru bwa Ruhanga
n’emirimo ye, atyo akaha oburungi, embabazi n’obwengye bwe
ekitiinisa.”—HansLaRondelle, Deliverance in the Zaaburi, p. 178.
Obukuru bw’okwatura embabazi za Ruhanga ezitahwaho
nibwongyera kuba obw’omugasho twaijuka ngu khesed ya Ruhanga—
erimu embabazi za rukundo n’obwesigwa—ehami kandi tehinduka
ahagati y’ekibi ky’abantu n’okugomera Ruhanga.
“Tumucumwireho, kandi titushemereire mbabazi ze; kwonka ataire
omu kanwa kaitu eshaara nkuru, ‘Otatutamirwa kimwe, ahabw’eziina
ryawe; otakwatsa enshoni ekitebe kyawe ky’ekitiinisa. Ijuka endagaano
ei waaragaine naitwe otagita.’ Yer. 14:21. Ku turikwija ahari we
tukaatura eby’okutahikiira byaitu, naaturaganisa kuhurira okutaka
kwaitu. Ekitiinisa ky’ekitebe kye kihamiire aha kuhikiiriza ekigambo
kye ahari itwe.”—Ellen G. White, Christ’s ObjectLessons, p. 148.
Okugirirwa embabazi za Ruhanga (Zab. 103:2) nikiha omuhandiiki
wa Zaaburi amaani g’okugamba ngu “Mukama akora eby’okuhikiirira;
boona abarikubonabonesibwa abakorera eby’oburyo” (shoma Zab.
103:6 kwongyera kukihamya). Nikyo ekigyendererwa ky’okujurira
kw’omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi egi, hamwe n’okusiima embabazi za
Mukama omu magara ge, n’okwenda kuhamiza abandi ngu Ruhanga
aine embabazi eziijwire rukundo, kugira ngu nabo babaase kwigurira
Ruhanga emitima yaabo baakiire ezo mbabazi ezirikujuna batyo
basiime Ruhanga (Zab. 9:11, 12; Zab. 22:22–27; Zab. 66:16).
Ebibuuzo by’Okugaaniiraho:
➊ Embabazi za Ruhanga okuba ez’ebiro byona nikireetaho ki
aha kujunwa kw’abantu? Ahabw’enki eki kitarikumanyisa ngu
omuntu agumizemu naashiisha obu embabazi za Ruhanga ziri
ez’ebiro byona?
➋ Nitugaita tuta okusaasira ekibi kwa Ruhanga hamwe n’oku ari
kukicwera orubanja?
❸ Ebirikworeka embabazi omu ndagaano ensya nibijwarana
bita n’ebyo eby’omuri Zaaburi? (Bef. 2:4, 5; 1 Tim. 1:16; Tito 3:5;
Baheb.4:16)?
58
OMURIMO
Gw’Engiri
Burden Is Lifted: Part 3
By ANDReW McCHesNey
On a Kyamukaaga (Fri) evening, Sekule was waiting outside the boys’
dormitory at his high school in Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and
Herzegovina. He was waiting for a boy who had insulted him, and he
planned to beat him up.
As he waited, a friend offered him cognac. He drank and, after many
more drinks, passed out in a drunken stupor. In the morning, he knew that
his friends would tease him mercilessly for not getting revenge. He decided
to hide for the day. But where? Then he remembered the invitation from his
Adventist teacher to go to church. It was Sabbath morning.
Sekule’s hair was long and greasy. He hadn’t washed it for a month. His
breath reeked. But he went to church. When he arrived, he looked carefully
for a place to sit. He had heard that Adventists celebrated “Sweet Sabbath”
orgies every week, and he didn’t want to be found sitting next to a grandmother. Spotting an attractive young woman, he sat down near her.
When the church pastor began to preach, Sekule’s mouth dropped open
in surprise. The pastor was giving Bible answers to his questions about God
and hell. A huge burden was lifted from his heart as he heard that God,
indeed, is love (1 John 4:8), desires to save every sinner (Luke 19:10), and
will cast no one into an eternal hell (Malachi 4:1, 3; Zaaburi 37:10, 11).
After the sermon, someone invited Sekule to evangelistic meetings, and
he went. At the end of the meetings, he asked the church pastor, “Tell me,
please, what am I allowed to do, and what am I not allowed to do?”
“You can do whatever you want,” the pastor said.
“Don’t talk that way,” Sekule said. “Tell me what I can and cannot do.”
“You cannot work on Sabbath anymore,” the pastor said.
“OK, done.”
“You cannot go to school on Sabbath anymore.”
“OK, done.”
“You cannot fight anymore.”
“OK, done.”
“You cannot eat unclean meat.”
“OK. I won’t eat unclean meat.”
“Actually, we suggest that you not eat any meat at all.”
“OK, I won’t eat meat anymore.”
From that day, Sekule never worked or went to school on Sabbath. He
never fought, and he never ate meat. He was baptized six months later, at the
age of 18. But he accepted Adventist teachings on the spot—all because his
questions of God and hell had been answered from the Bible.
SeKuLe SeKuLIć is an affluent entrepreneur and faithful Seventh-day Adventist in
Montenegro. Shoma more of his story next week. Thank you for your Sabbath School
mis-sion offerings that help spShoma the good news of Jesus’ soon coming in
Montenegro andaround the world.
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spShoma the gospel worldwide. Shoma new stories daily at AdventistMission.org.
60
59
*Kaatambuga (Feb) 17–23
Obwengye bw’Okutuura
N’Okuhikiirira
SABATO OMU IHANGWE
Eby’okushoma ahabwa saabiiti egi: Zaaburi. 119:1–16,
Zaaburi 90, Yoh.3:16, Zab. 95:7–11, Zaaburi 141, Zaaburi 128.
Omushororongo gw’Okwijuka: “N’ahabw’ekyo otwegyese
kubara ebiro byaitu, tubone kugira omutima gw’obwengye”
(Zaaburi 90:12).
N
nk’oku
twareeba,
embabazi
za
Ruhanga
ziriho
ahabw’okusaasirwa ebibi, kandi nizihanga omutima musya
omu musiisi orikweteisa, oriho hati ahabw’okwikiriza.
Ekigambo kya Ruhanga nakyo nikiha engyenderwaho z’okutuura
amagara g’okuhikiirira. (Zab. 119:9–16). Okurinda ebiragiro bya
Ruhanga ni nk’oku turinda ebiragiro by’ensi, oihireho omuri eki,
niturindira amagara omu kakwate karungi na Ruhanga, gaguma
gaijwire emigisha (Zab. 119:1, 2; Zab 128).
N’obu kiri kityo, ohikiriire tabura kwohibwa. Obumwe abahikiriire
niboohwa okubeihabeiha kw’ekibi (Zab. 141:2–4) nangwa bagwa
n’omuri okwo kwohibwa. Ruhanga naikiriza ebigyezo ngu okwikiriza
(nari okutaikiriza) kw’abaana be kushuuruurwe gye. Abbana ba
Ruhanga baakwata engyenderwa ho za Ruhanga n’okuhabura kwe,
okwikiriza kwabo nikwija kwezibwa, n’obwesigye bwabo omuri
Ruhanga bugumibwe. Obwengye bw’okutuura omu kuhikiirira
nibutungwa kurabira omu kuraba na Ruhanga omu kwohibwa n’omu
buremeezi. Nikyo eshaara y’okugira ngu Ruhanga atwegyese okubara
ebiro byaitu tutyo tubone kugira omutima gw’obwengye (Zab. 90:12),
neeyoreka okugumizamu orikuza ahari Mukama omu bwesigwa.
* Yega eky’okwega lkya sabiiti egi okweteguurira Sabato ya Kaatambuga (Feb) 24.
60
Kaatambuga (Feb) 18
Ekigambo Kyawe Nkibiikire omu Mutima Gwangye
Shoma Zaaburi 119:1–16, 161–168. Twaine kurinda tuta ebiragiro
bya Ruhanga, kandi omu kukora ekyo harimu migisha ki?
Baiburi neeyoreka okutuura n’okwikiriza buri izooba orikutambura
na Ruhanga omu muhanda gwe gw’okuhikiirira. Amagara againe
okwikiriza nigarindirwa omu kugyendera omu “biragiro bya Mukama”
(Zab. 119:1) hamwe n’omu kugyendera “omu mushana gw’amaisho
gaawe”” (Zaaburi. 89:15). Ezi n’engyendo eibiri. Okugyendera omu
mushana gwa Ruhanga nikwo kukwata ebiragiro bye. Omu muringo
nigwo gumwe, okugyendera omu “biragiro bya Mukama” kirimu
okusherura Ruhanga n’omutima gwona (Zab. 119:1, 2, 10).
“Abu emitwarize yaabo ehikire” n’omuringo ogundi ogu Zaaburi egi
erikushoboororamu amagara agahikiriire (Zab. 119:1). Ekigambo
“ehikire” nikishoboorora ekitambo “ekiteine kamogo’ ekirikusiimwa
Ruhanga (Kur. 12:5). Omu muringo nigwo gumwe, amagara g’omuntu
ohikiriire, agari ekitambo ekihuriire (Rom. 12:1), tigashemereire
kushishwa okukunda ekibi. Amagara agarikwehayo ahari Ruhanga
nago ni “omuhanda ogushameire,” ekirikumanyisa ngu omuntu omu
magara ge aine kusherura omuhanda oguhikire ogurikusiimwa Ruhanga
(Zab. 101:2, 6; reeba na Zab. 18:32).
Okurinda ebiragiro bya Ruhanga tikwine kakwate n’okugyemwa
kubyorobera. Kureka kurimu “okwetegyereza kurungi” omutaano oguri
ahagati y’ekirungi n’ekibi n’obubi (Zab. 111:10; reeba na 1 Eky’Ob.
22:12), kandi nikwetengyesa okwehayo weena, ti bikorwa
ebirikureebwa abantu byonka. Okuba “oshemeire,” okurinda ebiragiro
bya Ruhanga hamwe n’okusherura Ruhanga n’omutima gwona,
n’emicwe etarikutaanisibwa omu magara g’omuntu (Zab. 119:1, 2).
Ebiragiro bya Ruhanga nibyo bimanyisa ensi okukunda kwa
Ruhanga. Nibihabura abantu okuba abanyabwengye n’okutuura
n’obugabe n’obusingye (Zab. 119:7–11, 133). Omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi
naashemerererwa omu biragiro ahakuba nibimuhamiza okuhikiirira kwa
Ruhanga (Zab. 119:77, 174).
“Abakunda ebiragiro byawe baine obusingye bwingi; tihariho
ekirikubaasa kubateeza entsibo” (Zab. 119:165). Ekishushani
ky’okuteera entsibo nikyoreka okuremwa omu by’emicwe.
Nk’etabaaza y’ebigyere by’omuhandiiki (Zab. 119:105), ekigambo kya
Ruhanga nikiturinda okugwa omu kwohibwa.
Kristo akooreka ata amaani g’Ekigambo kya Ruhanga omu
magara ge(Mat. 4:1–11)? Eki nikitugambira ki aha maani
agarikuruga omu mutima ogweheireyo kworobera ebiragiro bya
Ruhanga?
61
Kaatambuga (Feb) 19
Twegyese Kubara Ebiro Byaitu
Shoma Zaaburi 90, Zaaburi 102:11, na Zaaburi 103:14–16.
Oburemeezi bw’omuntu ni ki?
Okubaho kw’omutu owaagweire n’oruho omu maisho g’iguru.
Emyaka rukumi omu maisho ga Ruhanga ni nka “ahu abantu
basisiimukira nyekiro,” ahanyima y’eshaaha nk’ishatu nari ina omu
turo (Zab. 90:4). Waagyeragyeranisa n’embara y’obunaku eya
Ruhanga, obunaku obw’abantu nibuhwaho juba (Zab. 90:10).
Ow’amaani omu bantu naashushana n’ekimera ekirikusingaryo kugira
amaani makye (Zab. 90:5, 6; Zab. 103:15, 16). Haza obwo akaire kakye
ak’omuntu arikumara nikaba kaijwire okufa kubi n’obusaasi, (Zab.
90:10). Nangwa n’abantu ab’ensi abatarikwikiririza muri Ruhanga,
nabo nibacurira kandi batogyeza amagara magufu, na munonga
wagagyeragyeranisa n’agatahwaho agu barikukimanya gye ngu nigaija
kugumizamu gatabaine.
Zaaburi 90 neeta oburemeezi bw’omuntu omu nshonga ya Ruhanga
kuba omureeberezi w’abantu nk’Omuhangi waabo. Mukama atwaire
ari obutaaho bw’abantu be omu busingye bwona (Zab. 90:1, 2).
Ekigambo ky’Oruheburaayo ma‘on, “obutaaho,” nikyoreka Mukama
n’obutaaho nari obuhungiro bw’abantu be (Zab. 91:9).
Ruhanga naayemereza ekiniga kye ekirikwera, atyo aguma
naayongyera embabazi aha zindi. Omuhandiiki naagamba ati, “N’oha
orikumanya amaani g’okuguubwa kubi kwawe?” (Zab. 90:11),
ekirikworeka ngu tihaine orahikirweho ekiniga kya Ruhanga omu
bwijwire bwakyo aha kibi, ekirikumanyisa ngu hakiriho amatsiko
g’abantu kweteisa bakatunga obwengye bw’okutuura amagara
g’okuhikiirira.
Obwengye omu Baiburi tiburikumanyisa magyezi gonka kureka
n’okutiina Ruhanga. Obwengye obuturikwetenga n’obw’okubaasa
“kubara ebiro byaitu” (Zab. 90:12). Twabaasa kubara ebiro byaitu,
nikimanyisa ngu ebiro byaitu ni bikye kandi ngu naitwe nitukimanya
ku ni bikye buzima. Okutuura n’obwengye nikimanyisa okutuura
orikukimanya ku amagara ni busha, ekirikukureetera okwikiriza
n’okworoba. Obwengye obu niburuga omu kweteisa (Zab. 90:8, 12)
hamwe n’omu biconco bya Ruhanga ebi, okusaasira, esaasi, ahmwe
n’embabazi (Zab. 90:13, 14). Oburemeezi bwaitu obuhango
tiburikuruga mu ky’okugira ngu turi abantu, kureka niburuga omu kibi
hamwe n’omu bi ekibi kiretsire omu nsi yaitu. Ebirugire omu kibi
nibireebwa hoona omu bantu boona. Naayebare Yesu, ahakuba n’obu
kiri kityo, atemireho omuhanda gw’okuhungiramu oburemeezi bwaitu
(Yoh.1:29, Yoh. 3:14–21). Kuri kitari kityo titwakugizire matsiko
goona.
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Kaatambuga (Feb) 20
Ekigyezo kya Mukama
Shoma Zaaburi 81:7, 8; Zaaburi 95:7–11; na Zaaburi 105:17–22.
Okugyeza kw’obwaruhanga kurimu ki kurugiirira aha byahandiikirwe
ebi?
Meriba n’omwanyabogu Abaisraeli baagyeriizemu Ruhanga
bakabangaanisa aha bwesigwa bwe n’okubaasa kwe kubaha ebyetengo
byabo (Kur. 17:1−7; Zab. 95:8, 9). Zaaburi 81 neegarukamu
ekyabaireho kandi ekigambaho nk’obunaku obu Ruhanga yaagyeza Isreali
(Zab. 81:7). Kandi ahabw’obugomi bwabo n’obuteesiga Ruhanga (Zab.
81:11), ekigyezo kikabasingura.
Okugamba ahari Meriba kurimu obutumwa bubiri bw’emiringo ebiri.
Obw’okubanza, abantu ba Ruhanga nibateeka kutagarukamu enshobi
ezaakozirwe ab’obusingye obw’enyima. Omu mwanya gw’ekyo,
bashemereire kwesiga Ruhanga n’okutamburira omu muhanda gwe
(Zab. 81:13). Ekya kabiri, n’obu abantu baaremirwe ekigyezo, Ruhanga
akabajuna omu buremeezi bwabo (Zab. 81:7). Embabazi za Ruhanga
ezirikujuna omu bunaku obw’enyima n’obuhame ngu na hati zikiriho
ahabw’obusingye obu obusya.
Zaaburi 105 neeyoreka ngu ebigyezo gukaba guri omuringo gwa
Ruhanga gw’okugyerezamu obwesigye obu Yosefu yaabaire aine omu
kuhanuura kwa Ruhanga ahaby’omu maisho (Kut. 37:5−10, Zab.
105:19). Ekigambo ky’Oruburaayo tsarap, “kugyezibwa,” omu
mushororongo gwa 19 nikyoreka “okuragaza,” “okushsmeza” na
“okweza.” Nikyo ekigyendererwa kya Ruhanga omu kugyeza
okwikiriza kwa Yosefu kwabeereire kuri okumwihamu okubangaanisa
okuraganisa kwa Ruhanga n’okwongyera kuhamya obwesigye bwe omu
kuhabura kwa Ruhanga.
Ekigyendererwa ky’okuhana kw’obwaruhanga n’okugumya abaana
ba Ruhanga n’okubateekateekyera okuhikiiriza okuraganisa, nk’oku
kirikureeberwa ahari Yosefu (Zab. 105:20−22). N’obu kiri kityo,
okwanga okuhabura kwa Mukama nikuzaarukamu okugangaara
n’okuguma kw’omutima gw’omuntu.
“Ruhanga naayenda okworobera ebiragiro ahonaaho bye okutarimu
kwebuzabuza;
kwonka
abantu
bagwejegyeire
n’abandi
bashanyararaziibwe
ebishuba
bya
Sitaane,
orikubareetera
okwekwasakwasa n’okugwa omu mitego ye, atyo asingura
ebiteekateeko byabo arikubagira nk’oku yaagizire Haawa omu kibanja
Edeni ati: “Okufa kwo buzima timurifa.” Obugomi tiburikugangaaza
mitima n’ebiteekateeko by’omusiisi, kureka nibushiisha n’okwikiriza
kw’abandi. Ekyo ekyabaire nikibareebekyera kiri kibi omu kubanza,
kitandika kubabonerera ababw’okubaguma omu maisho, bahika n’aha
kukyebuuzaho yaaba buzima kiri kibi, na bwanyima bagwa omu nshobi
niyo emwe batakimanyire.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the
Church, vol. 4, p. 146.
Iwe oyereebeireho ota oku ekibi kirikugangaaza omutima? Ekyo
kishsmereire kututwara kita aha musharaba ahu turikubaasa kwiha
63
amaani g’okworoba
Kaatambuga (Feb) 21
Oku Omuhanda gw’Ekibi Gubeihabeiha
Shoma Zaaburi 141. Omuhandiiki wa Zaaburi naashaba ki aha?
Zaaburi 141 n’eshaara y’okurindwa okwohibwa okurikuruga
omur’itwe hamwe n’aheeru. Omuhandiiki tari mukabi k’enaama
z’ababo zonka (Zab. 141:9, 10) kureka nawe naayohibwe kutwaza
nk’ababi. Obweremwa bwe bw’okubanza n’okuremwa kutegyeka orurimi
rwe yaaba naagamba, n’ahabw’ekyo naashaba ngu Mukama agume
naarinda orwigi rw’eminwa ye (Zab. 141:3). Ekishuhani eki nikiihwa omu
by’okukuuma enyigi z’orurembo, ezaabaire zirinda endembo omu bunaku
bwa Baiburi.
Okwohibwa kuriho kureeba yaaba omwana wa Ruhanga naija
kuhurikiza okuhabura kw’abahikiriire nari kurohama omu naama
z’ababi (Zab. 141:4,5). Omuhandiiki ogu naagamba ngu omutima gwe
nibwo buremeezi obukuru ahakuba omwo nimwo hari orugamba
rwonyini. Okushaba obutaruha okurimu okwesigira kimwe Ruhanga
n’okweheerayo kimwe ahariwe nikwo kwonka okurikubaasa kwiha
omwana wa Ruhanga omu kwohibwa (Zab. 141:2).
Shoma Zaaburi 1:1 na Zaaburi 141:4. Okubeihabeiha
kw’okwohibwa n’oku kurikuguma nikweyongyera
nikushuuruurwa kuta aha?
Zaaburi 141:4 nigworeka oku okwohibwa kurikuguma nikweyongyera.
Eky’okubanza, omutima nigubanza gwateekateeka aha kibi. Ekya kabiri,
gukora ekibi (amakuru g’eki omu Ruheburaayo n’okukigarukagarukamu).
Ekya kashatu, omutima gwijura obweremwa bw’ababi, ekirikumanyisa
okwikiriza ebibi byabo nk’ekintu ekiboneire.
Omu muringo nigwo gumwe, omuri Zaaburi 1:1 okwoha nikwija ngu
kuremese omwana wa Ruhanga kutamburira omu muhanda gwa Mukama,
atamburire omu muhanda gw’ekibi, ayemerere omu muhanda gw’ababi, na
bwanyima, ashutame n’abagayi: titushemereire kuba nkabo nari kubaikiriza
kutwiha ahari Mukama. Zaaburi ezi nizishoboorora okugumizamu,
okubeihabeiha n’obwengye bw’okwoha, ekirikumanyisa ngu okuhamira
kimwe ahari Mukama nikyo kyonka ekirikubaasa kusinguza omuntu.
Nizooreka omugasho gw’ebigambo eby’omuntu arikugamba nari
arikuhurira omu shaaha y’okwohibwa. Omuheru gw’ababi n’abahikiriire
gushemereire kwegyesa abantu okusherura obwengye kuruga ahari
Ruhanga (Zab. 1:4–6, Zab. 141:8–10). Kandi obwo, omuri Zaaburi ezi
zombie, okusingurira kimwe kw’abaana ba Ruhanga kuri omuri
nyentsya. Eki nikimanyisa ngu abaikiriza bagume baine amatsiko omuri
Mukama n’okugumisiriza kandi bamutegyereze.
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Kaatambuga (Feb) 22
Emigisha y’Okutuura n’Okuhikiirira
Shoma Zaaburi 1:1–3, Zaaburi 112:1–9, na Zaaburi 128. Ni migisha
ki erikuraganisibwa abarikutiina Mukama?
Aha migisha yoona erikuraganisibwa abarikutiina Mukama,
obusingye nibubaasa kuba nibwo burikukizayo obukuru. Zaaburi 1
neeshushanisa omuntu ohikiriire n’omuti ogubyeirwe aha rubaju
rw’amaizi, ogwana ebyana omu bwire bwagwo kandi ogu amababi
gaagwo gatahotoka (Zab. 1:3; Yer. 17:7, 8; Ezek. 47:12).
Okushushanisa oku, nikworeka oburkomooko bw’emigisha yoona,
aharimu okuguma omu kubaho kwa Ruhanga omu ihema rye hamwe
n’okushemererwa akakwate karungi na Ruhanga aka rukundo. Oihireho
abasiisi abarikugambwaho nk’omwezigye, abataine buhamizo,
busingye nari omwanya nari nyentsya, abahikirire bo bari nk’omuti
ogwana ebyana kandi ogwine emizi, omwanya oguri haihi na Ruhanga
n’amagara agatahwaho.
Zaaburi 128:2, 3 neeretaho emigisha y’obukama bwa Masiya, ahu
omuntu okushutama ahansi y’omutiini gwe nari omuzaabibu kari
akamanyiso k’obusingye n’okubagye (Miika 4:4). Omugisha
gw’obusingye ahari Yerusalemu (Zab. 122:6−8; Zab. 128:5, 6)
nigworeka amatsiko omuri Masiya, orimaraho ekibi akareeta obusingye
omu nsi.
“OmuriBaiburi, obuhunguzi bw’abhikirire nibwetwa ‘ihanga”
Baheb. 11:14–16. Okwo Omuriisa w’iguru naatwara obutsyo bwe aha
nshuro z’amaizi g’amagara. Omuti gw’amagara nigwana ebijuma buri
mwezi, kandi amababi gaagwo n’ag’okutambira amahanga. Hariyo
emigyera etaaha neehimintika, eri nk’edeberwamu, kandi aha rubaju
rwayo hariho emiti erikwehuuba, n’ahansi y’ekibunda kyayo haribo
otuhanda tw’abacungwirwe ba Mukama. Hariyo emishozi mirungi ya
Ruhanga, n’otugongo twayo nitushemeza amaisho. Ahari egyo
mishoy’obusingye, aha rubaju rw’emigyera y’amagara, abantu ba
Ruhanga, hati abagyenzi kandi emburabure omu nsi, baryashangayo
obuhuumure.”—Ellen G. White,The Great Controversy, p. 675.
Endagaano ensya neeshoboorora okuhikiirira agari omuri kugaruka
kwa Kristo hamwe n’okuhangwa kw’ensi ensya (Mat. 26:29,
Okushuuruurwa 21). N’ahabw’ekyo, abahikiriire baaba nobatunga
emigisha omu magara gaabo, ebirungi bya Ruhanga omu bwijwire
bibategyereize
omu bukama bwa
Ruhanga
ku burihamibwa
aha mperu.
Ahabw’enki omusharaba,
hamwe
n’ekyagubaireho,
birikuhaisa
okuhikiirira kw’okuraganisa okuri omu ndagaano ensya
ahabw’ebyo ebi Ruhanga atubaikiire? Okuraganisa okwo
tukakutungiramu tuta okuhuumura nangwa na hati?
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Kaatambuga (Feb) 23
Eby’okwongyera Kuteekateekaho: Omu bunaku obu obu
turimu, okutunga obwengye nikireebeka kitarikuteebwaho mutima
nk’oku gurikuteebwa aha kutunga okushemererwa. Abantu bo haakiri
bashemererwa okukira okutunga obwengye. Kwonkashi hoona,
tukaabaasa kushemererwa omu mazima kandi tutuura agataine
kigakyenire haza tutaine bwengye bwa Ruhanga? Zaaburi nizikihamya
ngu titukaabaasa. Amakuru marungi gari ngu titurikushabwa kucwamu
okutoorana ahagati y’obwengye n’okushemererwa. Obwengye bwa
Ruhanga nibureeta okushemererwa okw’amazima.
Eky’okureeberaho ekyanguhi kuruga omu rurimi Oruheburaayo
nikishoboorora gye enshonga egi. Omu Ruheburaayo, ekigambo
“orutambwe” omu bwingi (’ashurey) nikishushanamu munonga
n’ekigambo “okushemerwa” (’ashrey). N’obu turaabe nitufeerwa
akazaare aka omu nvunuura y’orungyereza, nikishuuruura obutumwa
bw’amaani: “entambwe” ekirikumanyisa omuhanda gwa Ruhanga
ogurikutwara omuntu omu magara ga “okushemererwa” (Zab.
1:1, Zab. 17:5, Zab. 37:31, Zab. 44:18, Zab. 89:15, Zab. 119:1). Omuri
Baiburi, obwengye n’okushemererwa ti bintu ebitarikureebwa, kureka
ebintu ebiriho buzima.
Nibishangwa omu kugiraho akakwate na Ruhanga, okurimu okutiina,
okuhimbisa okutunga amaani, hamwe n’okwesiga Ruhanga. Zaaburi
25:14 neegira ngu “emibonano ya Mukama emanywa abarikumutiina,
kandi aryaboreka endagaano ze”
“Siima Ruhanga ahabw’ebishushani ebirikumurinkana ebi
arikutworeka. Ka turundaane okuraganisa kwe kwona okwa rukundo
okurimu emigisha, kugira ngu tugume tukuhangire amaisho: Omwana
wa Ruhanga arikuruga aha kitebe ky’ishe, arikujwara obuntu, kugira
ngu abaase kucungura omuntu kuruga omu maani ga Sitaane;
okusingura kwe ahabwaitu, arikwigurira abantu iguru, arikushuuruurira
amaisho g’abantu ekishengye omu Ruhanga arikushuuruurira ekitiinisa
kye; oruzaaro rw’omuntu rurikwimukibwa kuruga omu kushiishikara
oku ekibi kyaruziikiremu, n’okugarurwa omu kukwatanisa na Ruhanga
otahwaho, na bwanyima y’okusingura ebigyezo kurabira omu kwikiriza
Omucunguzi waitu, rurikujwekwa okuhikiirira kwa Kristo,
n’okutunguurwa kuhika aha kitebe kye—ebi nibyo Ruhanga arikwenda
tuteekateekakyeho.”—Ellen G. White, SteZaaburi to Christ, p. 118.
Ebibuuzo by’Okugaaniiraho:
➊ Ekigambo kya Ruhanga kikahinduka kita okushemererwa
kw’omuntu baitu kitari ngyenderwaho zonka? Okutungwa
ekigambo kya Ruhanga kyine kakwate ki n’okuguma omuri
Yesu Kristo, Kigambo (Yoh. 1:1; Yoh. 15:5, 7)?
➋ Nihabaho ki abantu baaguma nibanga okwegyesa kwa
Ruhanga bakimanyiise (Zabi 81, Zab 95)? Noogira ngu
ahabw’enki ekyo nikibaho?
66
❸ Ahabw’enki omuhanda gw’ababi obumwe nigureebeka
gurikuhita obuhabuzi bw’abahikiriire (Zaaburi 141)? Mbwenu
shi, tukaatwara tuta ekiriho hati eky’okugira ngu obumwe ababi
nibareebeka barikukora gye?
67
Omurimo
Gw’Engiri
Sabbath Farewell Party: Part 4
By ANDReW McCHesNey
Two weeks after Sekule’s baptism, the Bosnian War erupted. Sekule fled
his boarding high school in Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
and went into hiding for 15 days.
When he returned to the dormitory to retrieve his possessions, he found
the building had been torched by soldiers. A small library of religious books
that he had collected while seeking to find truth had been dumped in the
middle of his room and set on fire. He had lost everything. He returned to
his home village in Montenegro.
News that Sekule had joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church did
not sit well with his family. Father could not understand why he had
stopped eating meat and took him to a physician. Mother thought a spell
had been cast on her son and sought help from someone who practiced
black magic. When their attempts failed, they sent Sekule to the military.
It was 1992, and the Bosnian War was raging. To enlist a son was to send
him to war.
In those days, families threw big celebrations for newly enlisted soldiers.
Sekule’s parents planned his party for a Sabbath in Muzimbeezi (Dec). Two
hundredguests were expected. But Sekule went to church.
When the winter sun set around 4 p.M., he returned home. He didn’t know
what to expect. He thought that the house would be filled with relatives from
across the country and beyond. He thought he would face criticism for not
only arriving late to his own party but also for showing disrespect as the
eldest grandson.
He found his grandfather on the front porch.
“Did the people come?” Sekule asked.
“No.”
“No?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“No one knows why.”
Then people started coming. Sekule asked them, “Why are you coming
now?”
They all replied in the same way: “Somebody told us to come after 5 p.M.”
“Who told you?” Sekule asked.
No one knew.
At that moment, Sekule understood that God would protect him. He went
to the military.
SeKULe SeKULIć is an affluent entrepreneur and faithful Seventh-day Adventist in Montenegro.
Shoma more of his story next week. Thank you for your Sabbath School mission offerings that
help spShoma the good news of Jesus’ soon coming in Montenegro and around the world.
68
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spShoma the gospel worldwide. Shoma new stories daily at AdventistMission.org.
67
*Kaatambuga (Feb) 24–Katumba (March) 1
Aine Omugisha Orikwija
omu Iziina rya Mukama
SABATO OMU IHANGWE
Eby’okushoma ahabwa saabiiti egi: Zab 23, Yoh. 10:11–
15, Zaaburi 22, Zab. 89:27–32, Kol. 1:16, Zab 2, Heb. 7:20–28.
Omushororongo gw’Okwijuka: “Eibaare eri abombelki
baayangire, niryo ryahindukire erikuru ey’obuhamizo bw’enju,
ekyo kikaruaga ahari Mukama, kandi n’eky’okutangaaza omu
maisho gaitu” (Zaaburi 118:22, 23).
Z
aaburi nizihamya obuntu bwa Kristo n’obuheereza bwe. Haihi
byona ebirikukwata aha biyaakozie omu nteekateeka
y’okujunwa biri omuri Zaaburi. Omu miringo mingi amagara ga
Kristo n’ebi yaakozire nibigambwaho kandi biragurwaho omuri
Zaaburi, kandi biteine hi bibeihire.
Ebirikugambwaho omuri Zaaburi birimu obwaruhanga bwa Kristo,
okuba Omwana kwe, okworoba kwe, omujinya gokumanywa kwe
nk’Omuriisa Omurungi, oku baamureebize, okubonabona kwe,
amagufa ge okutahendwa, okufa kwe, okuzooka, okutemba,
obunyamurwa, n’okuba Omugabe. Byona birimu, nk’oku byaragwirwe
ebyasha bingi enyima Yesu ataizire omu mubiri.
Eky’okureeberaho, ti ky’okutangaaza, ku shanga ngu Yesu ku
yaabaire naagamba aha buheereza bwe, akakoresa Zaaburi arikugamba
n’abeegi be omu muhanda nibaza Emau (Luka 24:44). Akaba naayenda
ngu batungye omuri Zaaburi obuhame bw’okuhamya ou yaabaire ari.
Zimwe ahari Zaaburi ezirimu ebi Kristo yaahikiriize ni Zaaburi 24,
45, 72, n’eya 101 (Omugabe wenyine kandi omucwi w’emanja),
hamwe na Zaaburi 88 n’eya 102 (eshaara z’omuheereza wa Ruhanga
orikubonabona).
Omuri Zaaburi zoona, kurabira omu kutonzya kw’omuhandiiki wa
Zaaburi, omu kusiima, okuhimbisa hamwe n’omu kuririra
oburingaaniza n’okucungurwa, nituhuriramu eiraka rya Kristo
arikushaba okujunwa kw’ensi.
* Yega eky’okwega kya sabiiti egi okweteguurira Sabato ya Katumba (March) 2.
68
Kaatambuga (Feb) 25
Omuriisa w’Obwaruhanga Orikuhayo Amagara ge
Shoma Zaaburi 23; Zaaburi 28:9; Zab. 80:1; Zab. 78:52, 53; Zab.
79:13; na Zab 100:3. Akakwate akari ahagati ya Mukama n’abantu
be nikashuuruurwa kata omuri ebi byahandiikirwe?
Ekishushani kya Mukama nk’Omuriisa hamwe n’abantu ba Ruhanga
nk’entaama z’omu iritsizo rye nikyoreka obuhabuzi bwa Ruhanga n’oku
arikureeberera abantu be hamwe n’oku abantu bariho ahabwe okubaha
byona ebi barikwetenga. Ekishushani eki nikyoreka okubaha haihi kwa
Ruhanga n’abantu be ahakuba abariisa bakaba baguma haihi n’entaama
kandi buri emwe bagitaho omutima. Ekishushani ky’oburiisa nikyoreka oku
entaama ziri eza Ruhanga, ekirikuhamibwa ebintu bibiri: obuhangi (Zab.
95:6, 7; Zab. 100:3) hamwe n’endagaano (Zab. 28:9, Heb. 13:20).
Ekishushani ky’omuriisa w’obwaruhanga orikukwebembera Yosefu
nk’entaama (Zab. 80:1) nikibaasa kuba nikiruga enyima obu Yakobo aha
Yosefu omugisha, ekishushani ekirikureeberwamu Ruhanga nk’Omuriisa
wa Isiraeli, nshonga ahabw’enki yaashabire okuraganisa oku okukuru
hamwe n’omigisha (Kut. 49:24).
Abagabe bakaba batwarwa nk’abariisa b’abantu (2 Sam. 5:2). Kandi
obwo, Ruhanga wenka niwe ashemereire ekitiinisa eki ahakuba abagabe
baingi tibarakozire nk’okweta oku oku kuri. Yesu wenka niwe yaakikozire,
enshonga ahabw’enki naayetwa Omuriisa Omurungi.
Shoma Yoh. 10:11–15. Yesu naayegambaho ki nk’Omuriisa
Omurungi?
Okukwatanisa okuhami okuri ahagati y’Omuriisa w’obwaruhanga
hamwe n’entaame ze nikureeberwa omu ntaama kumanya eiraka
ry’Omuriisa. (Yoh. 10:4, 27). Kuhisya na hati, abariisa ba Buharabu
nibabaasa kutaanuura entaama zaamara kujwanga, obwo barikuzeeta
amaziina, zityo nazo zikihurira amaraka g’abariisa baazo zibakuratira.
Obumwe, obusyo bwa Ruhanga nibubonabonesibwa ebintu bibi bingi
ebi abantu barikutwara nk’akamanyiso k’okuguubwa kubi kwa Ruhanga
n’okubasigaho. Kandi obwo, Omuriisa Omurungi tabaasa kureka
ntaama ze ezirazire, kureka azisherura kuzijuna. Eki n’ekishushani
ky’obuzaare bwa Ruhanga n’abantu be eky’amaani. Ayeteekateekire
kufeera entaama ze (Yoh. 10:11, 15) kandi n’okuhinduka omwana
gw’entaama ogw’okutamba ahabwabo (Yoh. 1:29). Ekindi, Yesu
akahamya ngu aryayeta entaama ezindi eziri omu maritsizo agandi nazo
azireete zibe obusyo bumwe (Yoh. 10:16).
Ni miringo ki ei orikubaasa, buri izooba aha rurengo
orurikureebwa n’amaisho, kukoresa gye ebya turaganisiibwe
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omu kugira Yesu nk’Omuriisa waitu Ourungi
Kaatambuga (Feb) 26
Masiya Orikubonabona
Shoma Zaaburi 22 n a Zaaburi 118:22. Masiya akatwarizibwa ata
abo abu yabaire aizire kujuna?
Zaaburi nyingi nizooreka okushaasha kw’okusigwaho kwa Masiya
ari omu busaasi (reeba Zab 42, Zab 88, na Zab 102). Zaaburi 22
n’obunabi oburikuragura gye ahari Masiya ahakuba ebirikushobooror
bingi omuri ezi Zaaburi tibikaabaasa kuba byabaire nibigamba ahari
Daudi kureka nibijwarana gye n’okufa kwa Kristo. Yesu akashaba
arikukoresa ebigambo bya Zaaburi 22:1 aha musharaba (Mat. 27:46).
Obusaasi bwa Kristo bw’okusigwaho ishe, obwamuretsirweho
okwekorera ebibi by’ensi yoona, nibubaasa kupimirwa aha kuhikaana
haihi kwabo, ekirikumanyisa obumwe bwabo obutarikuringaanizibwa
(Yoh. 1:1, 2; Yoh. 10:30). Kwonka, n’obusaasi bwingi oburengyesereize
butyo tiburabaasize kumutaanisa n’Ishe. Omu kutsigwaho okwo kwona.
Kristo akeekwasa Ishe, ti nshonga obusaasi bwingi obu yaabaire arimu
“Kristo nk’ekarabo yaitu kandi omusingo akateebwaho ebibi byaitu
byona. Akabarwa nk’omusiisi, ngu nikwo abaase kutujuna omu
kwomeserezibwa ebiragiro. Okushaasha ahabw’ekibi okwa buri
mweine Adamu kukaba kuhingami Yesu omu mutima. Ekiniga kya
Ruhanga ahabw’ekibi, okunuga kwe kw’ekibi okurikutiinisa munonga,
kukaijuza obusaasi bwingi omu mutima gw’Omwana We.”—Ellen G.
White, The Desire of Ages, p. 753.
Ebishushani by’enyamaishwa ebirikutiinisa ebirimu enumi mpango,
entare ezirikutsinda, hamwe n’embwa nibyoreka obushaarizi bw’abantu
hamwe
n’obuyamaishwa
obu
Kristo,
orikushushanisibwa
n’omunyongororwa ogutaine kihwera nari kabi, yaabugaine omu shaaha
z’aha muheru omu magara ge. N’okuragura okuhikire okurikutangaaza,
Zaaburi 22 neegamba aha bigambo by’abntu eby’obushegu ebyajumirwe
Yesu nane’ebigambo bye ahari Ishe (Zab. 22:1, 8; Mat. 27:43) hamwe
n’abaserukare barikubagana ebijwaro bya Yesu (Zab. 22:18, Mat.
27:35). Abantu bakaba batarikumanya ngu “omunyongororwa” ogu
baabaire nibasherura kuhonda gukaba niguza kuba eibaare rikuru
ery’obuhamizo bwa hekalu (Zab. 118:22). N’obu biri bityo, Masiya
owayangirwe, akahinduka obukomooko bw’okujunwa aha bantu ba
Ruhanga bwanyima y’okuzooka kwe kuruga omu bafu (Mat. 21:42,
Byak.4:10–12). Kristo akangwa abantu, kwonka Ruhanga akahimbisa
omwana we arikumuhindura “eibaare ry’obuhamizo” erihuriire erya
hekalu ya Ruhanga ey’omwoyo (Bef. 2:20−22, 1 Pet. 2:4−8). Ahari
abarikwanga eri eibaare, ery’okutungiramu okujuna kwa Ruhanga,
riryababeera eky’okubasingisa orubanja. (Isa. 8:14, Mat. 21:44).
Yesu aha musharaba akakushshurira ibanja rya buri kyawe
kyona ekyorakozire. Ekyo kishemereire kukureetera waatuura
ota amagara gaawe hati, nikwo kugira ngu ahabw’enki ekibi oine
kukinugira kimwe?
70
Kaatambuga (Feb) 27
Tariita Ndagaano Ye
Shoma
Zaaburi 89:27–32, 38–46 and Zaaburi 132:10–12.
Endagano ya Ruhanga na Daudi neekwata ahari ki? Niki
ekirikureebeka kigisiisire?
Omu ndagaano ya Ruhanga na Daudi, Ruhanga naahiga kushagika
oruzaaro rwa Dudi hamwe n’obutungi bw’abantu ba Ruhanga (1 Sam.
7:5–16; Zab. 89:1–4, 19–37; Zab. 132:12–18). Okuhangaara
kw’endagaano egi kukaba kwombekirwe aha kurahira kwa Ruhanga
n’aha bwesigwa bw’omugabe ahari Ruhanga. Kwonka, n’abagabe
abaabaire nibeehayo, nk’Omugabe Daudi, tibarahamiire mu bwesigwa
bwabo ahari Mukama. Zaaburi 89 neetongyeza ekirikureebeka
nk’okugira ngu okuraganisibwa kw’endagaano ya Daudi okw’ekitiinisa
kuhwireho. Isiraeli Ruhanga agitsigireho? Ekigarukwamu kyo kiri
ngu—ngaaha!
Ekiniga kya Ruhanga, buzima nikyoreka okucwa orbanja kwa
Ruhanga (Zab. 38:1, Zab. 74:1). Kwonka tikigumaho ebiro byona
ahakuba rukundo ya Ruhanga etahwaho neesaasira ebibi by’abantu ku
barikweteisa. N’obu kiri kityo, n’obu eraabe egumaho ebiro byona,
okutashemererwa kwa Ruhanga ahari abarikuguma nibashobya
n’okw’amazima. Abantu nibareeba ebyana by’obugomi bwabo batyo
beetegyereza akabi k’ebibi byabo (Zab. 89:38–46). Haza obwo,
nibabuuza, “kuhisya ryari” barikwebuuza aha kiniga kya Ruhanga
ekirikuhwaho (Zab. 89:46). Amatsiko masya nigaruga omu kwesiga
obwesigwa bwa Ruhanga n’okwijuka embabazi ze (Zab. 89:47, 50).
Omu bugufu, n’obu omuntu omu ndagaano egi yaaremirwe, abantu
bakaba nibabaasa kuguma beesigire okuraganisa kw’ebigyendererwa
bya Ruhanga hamwe n’okujunwa kwa Isiraeli hamwe n’okw’ensi
yoona. Nikimanyisa ngu aha muheru, Ruhanga naija kusingura, kandi
obukama bwe bugumeho ebiro byona—kwonka ahabwa Yesu wenka
hatari habw’abantu ba Ruhanga.
Yesu n’Omwana wa Daudi kandi Masiya (Mat. 1:1, Heb. 1:8).
Naayetwa “omujigaijo omu byahangirwe” (Kol. 1:15), ekirikuruga
omuri Zaaburi 89:27, aharikweta Daudi, owabaire ari ekishushani kya
Kristo, omujigaijo gwa Ruhanga, “Ndyamugira omujigaijo gwangye,
Omugabe orikukira bandi boona ab’omu nsi.”
Omutwe ogu “omujigaijo” tigurikugamba ha buzaarwa bwa Daudi,
ahakuba Daudi akaba ari ow’izaara rya munaana ry’abazaire be (1 Sam.
16:10, 11). Eki nikishushana na Yesu. Omutwe ogu nigugamba aha
kitiinisa kye eky’omutaano hamwe n’obushoboorozi bwe (Kol. 1:16,
20−22). Ruhanga akahindura Yesu Omugabe rugambwa ow’ensi yoona
obu yaamuzoora omu bafu (Byak. 2:30, 31).
ShomAbakolosai 1:16, 20–22. Emishororongo egi neetwegyesa ki
ahari Yesu ou yaabaire ari n’aha ki atukorire? Ni kuraganisa ki71
oku orikweihira omuri eki?
Kaatambuga (Feb) 28
Omugabe Otahwaho Ow’amaani Maingi
Shoma Zaaburi 2; Zab. 110:1–3; Zab. 89:4, 13–17; na Zab. 110:1, 2,
5, 6. Ebyahandiikirwe ebi nibitugambira ki ahari Kristo nk’Omugabe?
Okushuuruurwa kwa Ruhanga nk’Ishe wa Masiya nikyorekyereza
aha kwemekwa kw’omugabe obu omugabe yaataahibwa omu ndagaano
(Zab. 2:7, Zab. 89:26–28). Zaaburi 2:7 neebanza kureeba okuzooka
n’okukuzibwa kwa Kristo nk’obutandikiro bw’endagaano ensya
etahwaho hamwe n’obunyamurwa bwa Kristo obw’ekitiinisa (Byak.
13:33–39, Heb. 1:5, Heb. 5:5). Masiya naashutama aha mukono gwa
buryo gwa Ruhanga nk’oine ekitiinisa n’obushoboorozi obw’omutaano
(Zab. 110:1; Byak 7:55, 56). “Nabwe, okuzaanisa ebigambo, Mukama
hamwe “n’owashukirweho amajuta” (Masiya) nakwo nikworeka
ekigyendererwa ky’okushushanisa Masiya w’oburugo bwa Daudi na
Mukama wenyine. Ogwo orikushutama aha mukono gwa buryo ku
araabe ari Mukama, hati aho, Mukama niwe Masiya, ahakuba Masiya
nawe naareebwa aha mukono gwa buryo [reeba Zaaburi. 110:1, 5].”—
Jacques Doukhan, On the Way to Emmaus (Clarksville, MD: Lederer
Books, 2012), pp. 26, 27.
Aha muheru, Kristo aryasingurira kimwe abazigu be. Okuhindura
abazigu “akatebe k’ebigyere” n’ekishushani ekirikworeka omucwe
gw’abagabe ba Haihi na Burugwa-izooba okuta ebigyere byabo aha
maraca g’abazigu baabo abaherize kusingurwa okworeka
obushoboorozi obu bababineho. Kwonka enkoni ya Kristo aha ti
kikwato ky’okutiinisa (Zab. 2:9, Zab. 110:2).
Enkoni ekaba akwatwa abeebembezi b’enganda nk’akamanyiso
k’oruganda (Kub. 17:2−10). Enkoni ya Kristo neeruga omuri Saayuuni
ahakuba naajwekyera abantu ba Saayuuni. Enkoni ye n’akamanyiso
k’okucwa orubanja kw’obwaruhanga, erikumariraho kimwe ekibi kandi
neeyoreka obutegyeki bwa Kristo obutaringaanizibwa (Kush. 2:27,
Kush. 12:5). N’abagbe ababi nibaheebwa omugisha gw’okweteisa
n’okworobera Masiya (Zab. 2:10–12).
Kimwe ekirikworeka gye obusinguzi bwa Kristo obw’amaani buri
omu kirikworeka ebiribho Yesu atakaizire omuri Danieli 7,
ekirikworeka ngu, bwanyima y’orubanja kucwibwa “abarikwera ba
Rukira-boona bakasinga orubanja” (Dan. 7:22), Bukama bwe nibwija
kuteebwaho, kandi “obukama bwe buryaba obukama obutarihwaho”
(Dan. 7:27). Ahabw’omusharaba, okuraganisibwa obukama
nikuteekwa kuhikiirira.
Omugisha guraganisiibwe abo boona abarikwesiga Omukama, kandi
bashemerererwe omu butegyeki bwa Masiya obw’ekitiinisa
n’okuhikiirira (Zab. 2:12, Zab. 89:15–17).
Ka nikirungi kukimanya ngu aha muheru ekirungi kiryasingura ekibi,
habeho oburingaaniza, obusaasi n’okubonabona bihweho ebiro byona.
Amazima aga gashemereire kutuha gata okuhuumura hati obu, omu
miteekateekyere y’obuntu, ekibi kirikureebeka kirikweyongyera?
72
Kaatambuga (Feb) 29
Omunyamurwa Omukuru omu Muringo gwa Melikizedeki
Shoma Zaaburi 110:4–7. Obunyamurwa bwa Krito
n’obw’omutaano buta, kandi ni matsiko ki amakuru agu
twakutunga omu bunyamurwa bwe obw’omu iguru?
Ruhanga naata omuri Masiya obukama obutahwaho (Zab. 110:1–3)
hamwe n’obunyamurwa oburikusingayo obukuru, omu muringo gwa
Melikizedeki (Zab. 110:4–7). Ruhanga naahamya ekigambo kye
n’okuraganisa okuhami (Heb. 6:18). Okurahira kwa Ruhanga okutaruka
kutuha Omunyamurwa ohikiriire n’akamnyiso k’embabazi ze. Ebibi
by’abantu n’obugomi bwabo nkana nibugyemesereza Ruhanga
kubarugaho, kwonka endahiro tehinduka kandi neerekaho embabazi ze
omu kwiha orubanja ahari abo abarikweteisa (Kur. 32:14, Zab. 106:45).
Endahiro ya Ruhanga neereeta ekintu kitari kya butoosha omu
ndagaano ya Ruhanga na Daudi erikurangirira ngu Masiya Omugabe
nawe n’Omunyamurwa (Zab. 110:4). Abagabe ba Israeli bakaba
batabaasa kukora nk’abanyamurwa b’Abaleevi (Kub. 8:19, 2 Eky’Ob.
26:16−21). Baiburi yaagamba aha bagabe n’abantu barikutamba
ebitambo, nikimanyisa okubireetera abanyamurwa, abaabaire
babitamba. Zaaburi 110 neetanisa Masiya Omugabe n’abagbe
n’abanymurwa ba Israeli. Obunyamurwa bwa Kristo obw’ebiro byona
nibushushanisibwa n’obwa Melikizedeki, owabaire ari omugabe wa
Saalemu (Yerusaalemu) kandi ari n’omunyamurwa wa “Ruhanga
Rukira-boona) (Kut. 14:18−20). Endagaano enkuru tihaine ahandi ahu
erikugamba aha Mugabe Daudi nari ondiijo mugabe wa Isiraeli omu
muringo gwa Melikizedeki, oihireho omuri Zaaburi 110. Buzima,
Zaaburi egi neegamba aha munyamurwa kandi omugabe ow’omutaano
omu byafaayo bya Isiraeli.
Shoma Abaheburaayo 7:20–28. Ni bintu ki ebimwe ebirikuruga omu
bunyamurwa bwa Kristo obw’amaani?
Okuba Omugabe w’obwaruhanga kandi akaba n’omunyamurwa
ow’ebiro byona, Kristo naaba aine obushoboorozi bwingi kukira
abanyamurwa n’abagbe b’abantu; n’ahabw’ekyo nitubaasa kumugiramu
amatsiko. Kristo aine endagaano ey’amaani ehamiire aha ndahiro ya
Ruhanga, ti kuraganisa kw’abantu. Naaheerereza omu ihema ery’omu
iguru. Obunyamurwa bwe tibubaasa kushishwa kibi nari rufu,
nk’obw’abantu, n’ahabw’ekyo, naabaasa kutonganirira n’okujuna
abantu be ebiro byona. Omurimo gwa Kristo ogw’okugarukanisa
nk’omunyamurwa ohikiriire kandi ow’embabazi niguha abantu be
okuguma bahamiire omu kubaho kwa Ruhanga (Heb. 6:19, 20).
Obunyamurwa bwa Kristo obw’ekitiinisa nibwija kumariraho kimwe
obutegyeki bw’ekibi, ti mu mitima y’abntu mwonka, kureka n’omu nsi. Naija
kurinda okuraganisa kwa Zaaburi 2 ngu buri ihanga na buri mutegyeki
baryainamira ekitebe kya Yesu Kristo eky’okucweraho emanja (Zab.
2:6–9; Zab. 110:1, 2, 5, 6). Obunyamurwa bwa Kristo oburikutangaaza
nibutuhiga okumworobera n’okumwesiga.
73
Katumba (March) 1
Eby’okwongyera Kuteekateekaho: Shoma Ellen G. White,
“God With Us,” pp. 19–26,in The Desire of Ages.
Nk’eshaara za Kristo kandi eshaara ezirikumukwataho, Zaaburi
nizitushuuruurira
obuntu
bwa
Kristo
n’obuheerza
bwe
bw’okutucungura nk’Omwe ori “Ruhanga ari hamwe naitwe” (Mat.
1:23). Y e s u n i “ Ruhanga ori naitwe” omu kushaba kw’okusigwaho
n’okubonabona. Ni “Ruhanga ori hamwe naitwe” twaba nituririra
oburingaaniza n’okucungurwa. Yesu ni “Ruhanga ori hamwe naitwe”
otarikututsigaho omu kubura kwaitu n’okucuramirirwa kureka
orikutworeka omuhanda gw’okwikiriza okurikusinguza. Akatubeera
omunyamurwa otahwaho kandi omugabe ow’okutujuna omu kabi
k’ekibi ak’ebiro byona. Omuri Kristo, Omugabe w’omuruganda rwa
Daudi, nimwo okuraganisa kwa Ruhanga kwona kurikuhikiiririra. (2
Kor. 1:20).
Ellen G. White naashoboorora gye obumwe bwa Kristo n’obuntu
bwe: “Omu buntu bwe, Kristo akakora aha ntobo y’obuntu; omu
bwaruhanga bwe, naahamira aha kitebe kya Ruhanga. nk’Omwana
w’omuntu, akatuha eky’okureeberaho omu kworoba; nk’omwana
w’omuntu, naatuha amaani g’okworoba. Akaba ari Kristo owaayemire
omu kishaka aha rushozi Horebu akagamaba na Musa naagira ati, ‘‘Ndi
MBAHO’ Kandi yaagira ati: oku nikwo origambira Abaisraeli, oti:
MBAHO niwe abantumireho.’Kur. 3:14. Oku kukaba kuri okuraganisa
Abaisiraeli kubacungura. N’ahabw’ekyo ku yaizire ‘omu muringo
gw’obuntu,’ yaayegambaho nka MBAHO. Omwana wa Betelehemu,
omujuni omucureezi orikutwaza gye, ni Ruhanga ‘omu mubiri’ 1 Tim.
3:16. Kandi itwe naatugira ati: ‘Niinye Omuriisa Omurungi.’ ‘Niinye
muhanda n’amazima n’amagara.’ ‘Mpairwe obushoboorozi omu iguru
n’omu nsi.’ Yoh. 10:11; 6:51; 14:6; Mat. 28:18. Niinye mpikiiriza buri
kuraganisa kwona. Niinye, murekye kutiina.”—The Desire of Ages, pp.
24, 25.
Discussion Questions:
➊
Ruhanga ayorekire ata obwesigwa bwe aha ndagaano ye n’obu abantu
bo bagumire nibagihenda? Ekyo nikyongyera kuhamya kita abaana be
abarikutegana eri izooba?
➋ Obunyamurwa bwa Kristo obw’omutaano kandi obw’;amaani omu
muringo gwa Melikizedeki nibuhamya buta ngu okujunwa kuriho
ahabw’abantu be?
❸ Engiri nizihamya ngu okuraganisibwa Masiya kwingi omuri Zaaburi
kukahikiirira omuri Yesu Kristo. Eki nikihamya kita ngu Ekigambo
kya Ruhanga n’eky’okwesigwa? Ahabw’enki twaine kurwanisa buri
kiteekateeko kyona ekirikutureetera okubangaanisa aha kigambo kya
Ruhanga?
➍ Ni kuhuumuribwa ki okw’amaani oku turikubaasa kutunga omuri
ebi bigambi bya Kristo, “ ‘Mpairwe obushoboorozi bwona omu iguru
n’omu nsi’ ” (Mat. 28:18)? Okuraganisa oku nitukuta tuta omu
biturikukora byona?
74
OMURIMO
gw’Engiri
Faithfulness Goes Far: Part 5
By ANDReW McCHesNey
During his first few weeks in the military, Sekule was sent with a company of soldiers to work on a mountain in the former Yugoslavia. On a
Kyamukaaga (Fri) afternoon, he received orders to shovel coal into the
Sabbath hours.
“You have to shovel for 15 minutes, take a 10-minute rest, and then shovel
again for 15 minutes,” the commanding officer said.
“I will shovel for 2.5 hours without stopping until the sun goes down, but
then I will stop,” Sekule said.
“No one can shovel for two hours,” the officer said.
“I can,” Sekule said.
Sekule, who had learned to work hard while growing up in Montenegro,
shoveled as quickly as he could. Other soldiers cautioned him to slow down.
“Why are you working so quickly?” they asked.
“I’m trying to do as much as I can to leave less work for the rest of you,”
he replied. “I don’t care about myself. I just want to do the most that I can.”
His words built respect among the other soldiers. They saw that he wanted
to help them. To everyone’s surprise, Sekule succeeded in shoveling the
required amount of coal by sunset.
But the commanding officer didn’t seem to grasp his desire to keep the
Sabbath. On another Sabbath, the officer Shoma a list of duties to the
soldiersand declared, “You will work today.”
Sekule stood tall. “Today is my Sabbath, and I can’t do any work,” he
said. He knew that he might face prison if he said, “I won’t do any work,” so
instead, he chose his words carefully and said, “I can’t do any work.”
“What do you mean ‘can’t’?” the officer asked.
“I’m a Seventh-day Adventist, and I can’t work on Sabbath,” Sekule said.
The officer stood tall and glared at Sekule. “Soldier, who will work in
your place then?” he said.
All the other soldiers stood tall. “We will work in his place then,” they
said in unison.
Sekule realized at that moment that it was important not only to be faithful to God but also to be faithful to people. Jesus said, “And you shall love
the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind,
and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second,
like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other
commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30, 31; NKJV). Sekule saw that
if he treated others fairly, they also would treat him fairly.
SeKULe SeKULIć is an affluent entrepreneur and faithful Seventh-day Adventist in
Montenegro. Shoma more of his story next week. Thank you for your Sabbath School
mis-sion offerings that help spShoma the good news of Jesus’ soon coming in
Montenegro andaround the world.
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spShoma the gospel worldwide. Shoma new stories daily at AdventistMission.org.
76
75
*Katumba (March) 2–8
Eby’enyima Ebirikwegyesa
SABATO OMU IHANGWE
Eby’okushoma ahabwa saabiiti egi: Zaaburi 78, Zaaburi 105, Gal.
3:29, Zaaburi 106, Zaaburi 80, Kub. 6:22–27, Zaaburi 135.
Omushororongo gw’Okwijuka: “Which we have heard and
known, and our fathershave told us. We will not hide them from their
children, telling to thegeneration to come the praises of the LORD, and
His strength and His wonderful works that He has done” (Zaaburi
78:3, 4, NKJV).
O
muri Zaaburi nyingi, okuhimbisa kurimu okutebya ebikuru ebi
Mukama yaakozire. Ruhanga raise takes the form of narrating the
Lord’s mighty acts of salvation. These Zaaburi are often called
“salva- tion history Zaaburi” or “historical Zaaburi.” Some appeal to
God’speople, telling them to learn from their history, particularly from
theirand their ancestors’ mistakes. Certain historical Zaaburi contain a
pre-dominant hymnal note that highlights God’s past wonderful deeds
onbehalf of God’s people and that strengthen their trust in the Lord,
who
is able and faithful to deliver them from their present hardshiZaaburi.
The special appeal of the historical Zaaburi is that they help us to see
our lives as part of the history of God’s people and to claim that past as
our own. As we have been adopted into the family of the historic people
of God through Christ (Rom. 8:15; Rom. 9:24–26; Gal. 4:6, 7), the
historical heritage of the ancient people of Israel is indeed the account
of our spiritual ancestry. Therefore, we can and should learn from their
past, which is ours, as well.
The final goal is to realize that each generation of God’s people plays
a small but significant part in the grand historical unfolding of God’s
sovereign purposes in the great controversy.
76
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, Katumba (March) 9.
77
Katumba (March) 3
The Lord’s Unstoppable Faithfulness
Shoma Zaaburi 78. What three key historical epochs are highlighted
in this Zaaburi? What recurring lessons does Asaph draw from
each period?
The reviews of Israel’s past highlight God’s faithfulness and Israel’s
unfaithfulness. They also should teach coming generationsnot to repeat
their ancestors’ mistakes but to trust God and to remain faithful to His
covenant. The Zaaburiist uses history as a parable (Zaaburi. 78:2),
which means that the people should deeply ponder the Zaaburi’s
message and search for the meaning for themselves. Zaaburi 78:2 is a
prophetic description of Jesus’ method of teaching in parables (Matt.
13:34, 35).
The Zaaburi also reflects on the time of the Exodus (Zaaburi.
78:9−54),the settlement in Canaan (Zaaburi. 78:55−64), and the time
of David (Zaaburi. 78:65−72). It demonstrates the Lord’s glorious
deeds and the conse- quences of the people’s breaking of their covenant
with God. Israel’s history recounts many forms of the people’s
disloyalty to God, espe- cially their idolatry (Zaaburi. 78:58).
The Zaaburiist, however, stresses the root of the Israelites’ unfaithfulness: they forgot what God had done for them, did not trust God, put
God to the test (Zaaburi. 78:18, 41, 56), rebelled against Him, and
failed to keep His law, His covenant, and His testimonies (Zaaburi.
78:10, 37, 56). By stressing these specific forms of disloyalty, the
Zaaburiist implies that therejection of Israel in history has resulted from
one core sin, namely, thepeople’s failure to trust the Lord (Zaaburi.
78:7, 8).
When Shomaing the Zaaburi, one is overwhelmed with the people’s
constant stubbornness and spiritual blindness in contrast to the Lord’s
boundless patience and grace. How was each new generation so slow to
learn?
Before we get overly judgmental of past generations, we should
consider ourselves. Aren’t we, also, forgetful of God’s past wonders
and neglectful of His covenantal requirements? The Zaaburi does not
encourage people to rely on their own deeds. Instead, Zaaburi 78 shows
the futility of human will unless it is grounded in constant awareness
of God’s faithfulness and an acceptance of His grace. The unsuccessful
battles of God’s people (Zaaburi. 78:9, 62–64) elucidate the Zaaburi’s
lesson that human efforts apart from faithfulness to God are doomed
to endin failure.
What lessons have you learned, or should have learned, from
your past mistakes?
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Katumba (March) 4
Remembering History and the Praise
of God
Shoma Zaaburi 105. What historical events and their lessons are
high-lighted in this Zaaburi?
Zaaburi 105 recalls key events that shaped the covenantal relationship
between the Lord and His people Israel. It focuses on God’s covenant
with Abraham to give the Promised Land to him and his descendants,
and how this promise, confirmed to Isaac and Jacob, was providentially
fulfilled through Joseph, Moses, and Aaron, and in the time of the
conquest of Canaan. The Zaaburi gives hope to God’s people in all generations because God’s marvelous works in the past guarantee God’s
unchanging love to His people in all times (Zaaburi. 105:1−5, 7, 8).
Zaaburi 105 resembles Zaaburi 78 (see yesterday’s lesson) in
highlight-ing God’s faithfulness to His people in history, and it does so
in order to glorify God and to inspire faithfulness. However, unlike
Zaaburi 78, Zaaburi 105 does not mention the people’s past mistakes.
This Zaaburi hasa different purpose.
Instead, history is retold in Zaaburi 105 through the lives of Israel’s
great-est patriarchs, showing God’s providential leading and the
patriarchs’patient endurance of hardshiZaaburi. The patriarchs’
perseverance and loyaltyto God were richly rewarded. Thus, Zaaburi
105 invites people to emulatethe patriarchs’ faith and trustingly wait on
God’s deliverance in their time.Zaaburi 105 possesses a hymnal note
(Zaaburi. 105:1–7), showing that in order to truly praise God, God’s
people need to know the facts of theirhistory. History provides both
validation for our faith and countless
reasons for praising God.
The worshipers are addressed as the seed of Abraham and children of
Jacob (Zaaburi. 105:6), thereby deeming them to be the fulfillment of
God’s promise to Abraham to make of him a great nation (Gen.
15:3−6). The Zaaburiist underscores the continuity between the
patriarchs and the subsequent generations of God’s people. The
Zaaburiist stresses that “Hisjudgments are in all the earth” (Zaaburi.
105:7, NKJV; emphasis supplied), thereby admonishing the worshipers
not to forget that “our God” is alsothe sovereign Lord of the whole world
and that His loving-kindness extends to all peoples (Zaaburi. 96:1,
Zaaburi. 97:1). It is, clearly, a call to faith- fulness to every generation
of believers.
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How should we, as Seventh-day Adventists, see ourselves in this
line of people, from Abraham on? (See Galatians 3:29.) What lessons should we learn from this history?
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Katumba (March) 5
Remembering History and Repentance
Shoma Zaaburi 106. What historical events and their lessons are
high-lighted in this Zaaburi?
Zaaburi 106 also evokes the major events in Israel’s history,
includingthe Exodus, sojourn in the wilderness, and life in Canaan. It
stresses theheinous sins of the fathers that culminated in the
generation that wascarried into exile. Thus, the Zaaburi almost certainly
was written when thenation was in Babylon, or after they had returned
home, and the Zaaburiist,inspired by the Holy Spirit, recounted for
God’s people these historicalincidents and the lessons that the people
should have learned from them.This Zaaburi, too, as the others, points
to God’s faithfulness to His cov- enant of grace, by which He saved
His people in the past (Zaaburi. 106:45).It expresses hope that God
will again show favor to His repentantpeople and gather them from
among the nations (Zaaburi. 106:47). The pleafor present deliverance
is not some wishful thinking but a prayer offaith based on the
assurance of God’s past deliverances (Zaaburi. 106:1−3)and the
unfailing character of God’s faithfulness to His covenant with
His people.
The recollection of Israel’s historical failures in Zaaburi 106 is an integral part of the people’s confession of their sins and acknowledgment
that they are not better than their forefathers. The present generation
admits that it is even worse than its ancestors because it knew the consequences of the past generations’ iniquities and how God exercised His
great patience and grace in saving them, even though they had
deliberately walked in wicked ways in the past. If this were true for
them, think about how much more so for us, today, who have the revelation of God’s character and saving grace as revealed in Jesus and the
Cross.
The good news of Zaaburi 106 is that God’s steadfast love always
prevails over the people’s sins (Zaaburi. 106:8−10, 30, 43−46). The key
roleof Moses and Phinehas in turning away God’s wrath points to the
sig- nificance of Christ’s intercession on behalf of believers. Only
personalexperience of God’s grace can transform a past story into our
story.
Psalm 106:13 Shomas: “They soon forgot His works; they did not
wait for His counsel” (NKJV). Why is that so easy for us to do in
our own lives, as well?
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Katumba (March) 6
The Parable of the Lord’s Vine
Shoma Zaaburi 80. How are God’s people portrayed in this
Zaaburi, andwhat great hope do they plead for?
Israel is portrayed as a vineyard that God uprooted from Egypt, the
land of oppression, and transported to the Promised Land of abundance. The image of a vineyard conveys God’s election of Israel and
His providential care (Shoma also Gen. 49:11, 12, 22; and Deut.
7:7−11).However, in Zaaburi 80, God’s vineyard is under His wrath
(Zaaburi. 80:12). The prophets announce the vineyard’s destruction as
the sign ofGod’s judgment because the vine has turned bad (Isa. 5:1−7,
Jer. 2:21).However, Zaaburi 80 does not ponder over the reasons for
divine judg- ment. Given the depths of God’s grace, the Zaaburiist is
perplexed thatGod can withhold His presence from His people for
such an extendedtime. The tension between God’s wrath and
judgment, on the one hand,and God’s grace and forgiveness, on the
other, causes the Zaaburiist to fear that divine wrath may prevail and
consume the people completely
(Zaaburi. 80:16).
Shoma Numbers 6:22–27. How is this blessing used by Zaaburi 80?
The Zaaburi’s refrain evokes Aaron’s promise of God’s perpetual
bless-ing of His people (Num. 6:22−27) and highlights the hope that
God’s grace will triumph over the causes of the people’s misery:
“Restore us, O God; cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!”
(Zaaburi. 80:3, NKJV; see also Zaaburi. 80:7, 19, NKJV).
The Hebrew word for “restore” here comes from a common word that
means to “return,” and it is used again and again in the Bible with God
calling His people, who have wandered away, to return to Him.It is
closely linked to the idea of repentance, of turning away from sin and
back to God. “ ‘ “Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am
the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they
shall return to Me with their whole heart” ’ ” (Jer. 24:7, NKJV).
How have you experienced for yourself repentance as a return
to God?
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Katumba (March) 7
The Lord’s Supremacy in History
Shoma Zaaburi 135. What historical events are highlighted in the Zaaburi?
What lessons does the Zaaburiist draw from them?
Zaaburi 135 summons God’s people to praise the Lord for His goodness and faithfulness demonstrated in Creation (Zaaburi. 135:6, 7) and
in Israel’s salvation history in the time of the Exodus (Zaaburi. 135:8,
9) and inthe conquering of the Promised Land (Zaaburi. 135:10–12).
The Lord demonstrated His grace by choosing the people of Israel as
His special treasure (Zaaburi. 135:4). “Special treasure” conveys the
distinc-tive covenantal relationship between the Lord and His people
(Deut. 7:6–11; 1 Pet. 2:9, 10). The choosing of Israel was based on the
Lord’ssovereign will, and thus, Israel has no ground to feel superior
over the other peoples. Zaaburi 135:6, 7 demonstrates that the Lord’s
sovereign purposes for the world did not begin with Israel but with the
Creation. Therefore, Israel should humbly fulfill its assigned role in
God’s sal- vific purposes for the entire world.
The recounting of God’s great deeds on behalf of His people (Zaaburi.
135:8–13) culminates in the promise that God will “judge” His people and
have compassion on them (Zaaburi. 135:14). The judgment here is God’s
vindicationof the oppressed and the destitute (Zaaburi. 9:4, Zaaburi. 7:8,
Zaaburi. 54:1, Dan. 7:22).The promise is that the Lord will uphold His
people’s cause and defendthem (Deut. 32:36). Thus, Zaaburi 135 aims to
inspire God’s people to trustin the Lord and to remain faithful to their
covenant with Him.
The Lord’s faithfulness to His people leads the Zaaburiist to affirm
thenothingness of idols and to the unique supremacy of the Lord in the
world (Zaaburi. 135:15−18). Reliance on idols renders their worshipers
as hopeless and powerless as their idols are (Zaaburi. 135:18). The
Zaaburi dem-onstrates that God is to be praised as both Creator and
Savior of His people. This is wonderfully conveyed in the two
complementary ver- sions of the fourth commandment of the Decalogue
(Exod. 20:8−11, Deut. 5:12−15). Because God’s power in creation and
history is unparalleled in the world, God’s people should always rely on
Him and worship Him alone. As our Creator and our Redeemer, He alone
shouldbe worshiped, and worship of anything else, or anyone else, is
idolatry.
How can we make sure that we don’t have idols in our own lives?
Why might idolatry be easier to do than we realize?
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Katumba (March) 8
Further Thought: Shoma Acts 7 and Hebrews 11. What does the
NewTestament say is the ultimate goal of God’s sovereign leading of His
peoplein history?
The historical Zaaburi are a powerful witness to God’s fidelity to His
people. Each event in the history of God’s people was a providential
step leading toward the final fulfillment of the divine promise of the
world’s Savior in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Even the trials, which
often perplexed God’s people and made them think that God had
abandoned them, were under God’s sovereign control and part of His
providence because God is the supreme Lord of history. The Zaaburiist
skillfully presents the truth that even the people’s disloyalty cannot prevent God from keeping faith to His people and fulfilling His promises.
However, the unrepentant individuals and grouZaaburi were excluded
from the covenantal blessings, and their infamous end serves as a lasting
warning of how life without or opposed to God destroys people.
The Zaaburi encourage God’s children in all times to hope in the Lord
and remain faithful to Him. “We have nothing to fear for the future, except
as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past
history.”—Ellen G. White, Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, p. 196.
For God’s people to go forward fearlessly, they need to know the
facts of their history. Ellen G. White advises believers to Shoma
Zaaburi 105 and 106 “at least once every week.”—Testimonies to
Ministers andGospel Workers, p. 98.
The history of God’s people demonstrates that no promise that God
has made in His Word will be left unfulfilled. This includes both divine
promises of present individual care and future promises of Christ’s second coming, which will establish God’s kingdom of justice and peace
on the new earth.
Discussion Questions:
➊ What are the blessings of remembering God’s faithful leading
of His people in history? What are the consequences of forgetting
or ignoring the lessons of the past? How can we apply that same
principle to us, as a church called to do the same thing that ancient
Israel had been called to do?
➋ How do the Zaaburi encourage us to recognize God’s providential care in our life and to exercise patience and trust in God’s
sovereign ways, even when it’s not easy to understand why things
are happening as they are?
❸ How can we make the study of the history of God’s people
more prominent in our personal and communal worship services?
How can we be more intentional in telling our children about the
more recent history of God’s people?
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I N S I D
Story
e
No Work, No Food: Part 6
By ANDReW McCHesNey
After Sekule refused to work for several Sabbaths, his commanding military officer began to understand that he could not compel the young soldier
to violate his conscience.
“So, you can’t work on the Sabbath in the army?” the officer said.
“That’s right. I can’t work on the Sabbath,” Sekule said.
“From Kyamukaaga (Fri) evening to
Saturday evening?”“Yes, I can’t work.”
“Then you can’t eat during those 24 hours.”
“Why can’t I eat?”
“If you’re not working, you don’t need to eat. Eating is working. Also,
some of the food is prepared on your Sabbath, so you shouldn’t eat it.”
Sekule was eating only bShoma and drinking tea because the other
militaryrations contained lard. But he agreed not to eat bShoma and drink
tea that wasprepared on the Sabbath. As a recently baptized Seventh-day
Adventist, he wasn’t sure that food prepared on the Sabbath was off-limits.
But he neededto give an answer that met the officer’s expectations. If he
had refused to work but demanded bShoma and tea, the officer would think
that he was beingunfaithful to God.
Several months passed, and the military cooks began to cook one meal
a week without lard. It was the only meal that Sekule could eat. But it was
prepared and served only on the Sabbath.
Sekule prayed, “God, please, could You change the day from Sabbath to
Kyokubanza (Sun)? Would You do that for me?”
He prayed for a month, and the lard-free meal was moved to Kyokubanza (Sun).
Kyokubanza (Sun) happened to be a recreational day for the soldiers,
a time when they could relax by playing soccer, basketball, and other
sports. Sekule wished that the recreational day was on the Sabbath. It
wouldbe easier for him to refuse to play soccer than to refuse to work
every Sabbath.
He prayed again. “I’m sorry, but could I ask You one more thing? Could
You move the recreational day from Kyokubanza (Sun) to Sabbath so I
don’t need toexplain every Sabbath why I can’t work?”
A week after the lard-free meal was changed to Kyokubanza (Sun), the
recreationalday suddenly was moved to Saturday.
SeKULe SeKULIć is an affluent entrepreneur and faithful Seventh-day Adventist in
Montenegro. Shoma more of his story next week. Thank you for your Sabbath School
mis-sion offerings that help spShoma the good news of Jesus’ soon coming in
Montenegro andaround the world.
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spShoma the gospel worldwide. Shoma new stories daily at AdventistMission.org.
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*Katumba (March) 9–15
Longing for God in Zion
SABBATH AFTERNOON
Shoma for This Week’s Study: Zaaburi 84; Rev. 21:3;
Zaaburi 122; Zaaburi 87; Gal. 3:28, 29; Matt. 28:18–20; Zaaburi 46;
Zaaburi 125.
Memory Text: “My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of
the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God” (Zaaburi
84:2, NKJV).
T
he songs of Zion are joyous hymns that magnify the beauty of
Zion and the sovereignty of the Lord, who reigns from His holy
mountain. These Zaaburi often praise the merits of the Lord’s
house and express a love for the sanctuary that can be found in other
Zaaburi, as well. Many of these Zaaburi were composed by the sons of
Korah, who had firsthand experience of the blessedness of the Lord’s
house as the temple musicians (1 Chron. 6:31−38) and keepers of the
temple gates (1 Chron. 9:19).
What makes Zion the source of hope and joy? Zion represented God’s
living presence among His people. As the people of Israel are God’s
chosen people (Deut. 7:6), so Zion is God’s chosen mountain (Zaaburi.
78:68, Zaaburi. 87:2). God reigns from Zion (Zaaburi. 99:1, 2) and
founded His temple on Zion, as well (Zaaburi. 87:1). Thus, Zion is a
place of divine blessings and refuge. Zion is often referred to in parallel,
or even inter-changeably with, Jerusalem and the sanctuary, the center
of God’s workof salvation for the ancient world.
The blessings of Zion overflow to the ends of the earth because the
Lord’s person and grace exceed the boundaries of any holy place. Zion
is the joy of all the earth (Zaaburi. 48:2), affirming that the whole earth
belongs to God.
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, Katumba (March) 16.
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Katumba (March) 10
A Day in Your Courts Is Better Than a
Thousand
Shoma Zaaburi 84:1–4. Why does the Zaaburiist long to dwell in the sanctuary?
The Zaaburiist “longs” and “faints” to make the sanctuary his permanent abode so that he can be near God forever (Zaaburi. 84:1, 2).
God’s living presence (Zaaburi. 84:2) makes the sanctuary a unique
place. In the sanctuary, worshipers can “behold the beauty of the LORD”
(Zaaburi. 27:4, NKJV; also, see Zaaburi. 63:2) and be “satisfied
with the goodness of[His] house” (Zaaburi. 65:4, NKJV). In Zaaburi
84, unparalleled happinessis achieved in relationship with God, which
consists of praising Him (Zaaburi. 84:4), finding strength in Him
(Zaaburi. 84:5), and trusting Him (Zaaburi. 84:12). The sanctuary is
the place where such a relationship is nour- ished through worship and
fellowship with fellow believers. The living presence of God in the
sanctuary gives the worshipers a glimZaaburie of God’s glorious
kingdom and a taste of eternal life.
Shoma Zaaburi 84:5–12. Who else can be blessed by the sanctuary?
God’s blessings are described as radiating from the sanctuary,
bestowed first on those who serve in the sanctuary (Zaaburi. 84:4), then
on the pilgrims on their way to the sanctuary (Zaaburi. 84:5–10), and
finally reaching as far as the ends of the earth. The expectation of
meeting God in the sanctuary strengthens the faith of the pilgrims
(Zaaburi. 84:7). Whereas the strength of the ordinary traveler weakens
under the bur- den of the tiresome journey, with the pilgrims to the
sanctuary, their strength increases the nearer they come to the
sanctuary.
Even when physically removed from the sanctuary, God’s children
continue to bear a stamp of God’s sanctuary by living a worthy life
(Zaaburi. 84:11), which characterizes the righteous who enter the
Lord’s sanctu- ary (Zaaburi. 15:1, 2). The Lord is called “a sun,”
showing that the blessings from the sanctuary, like the sunrays, extend
to the ends of the earth (Zaaburi. 84:11). Thus, those who abide with
God through faith receive His grace, regardless of the place where they
are.
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Shoma Revelation 21:3. What hope reflected in the earthly
sanctu-ary is revealed here to us? How do we now even begin to
imaginewhat this experience will be like?
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Katumba (March) 11
Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem
Shoma Zaaburi 122:1–5. What are the sentiments of the worshipers
upon their arrival to Jerusalem? What do they hope to find in
Jerusalem?
Zaaburi 122 expresses the pilgrims’ delight and excitement upon their
arrival at Jerusalem. The pilgrimages to Jerusalem were joyful occasions
when God’s people joined three times during the year to commemorate God’s goodness toward them in the past and present (Deut. 16:16).
Jerusalem was the center of the nation’s life because it contained “the
Testimony of Israel” (Zaaburi. 122:4, NKJV) and the thrones for judgment
(Zaaburi.122:5). “The Testimony of Israel” refers to the sanctuary that was
at timescalled “the tabernacle of the Testimony” (Num. 1:50, NKJV) and
containedthe “ark of the Testimony” (Exod. 25:22, NKJV). The thrones set
for judg- ment depict the judicial system in Jerusalem (2 Sam. 8:15).
Pilgrimage was thus the time when one could seek and obtain justice.
Faithfulness to Godand administering justice to people were never to be
separated.
Shoma Zaaburi 122:6–9. What is the main prayer of God’s people?
Praying for the peace of Jerusalem invokes God’s blessings upon the
city and its inhabitants, and it unites the worshipers, causing peace to
spShoma among them (Zaaburi. 122:8). Jerusalem could be the city of
peace only if peace existed between God and His people, and among
God’s children themselves. Thus, prayer for the peace of Jerusalem
conveys an appeal to God’s people to live in peace with God and one
another. In Jerusalem’s peace, the people will prosper (Zaaburi.
147:12–14).
The Zaaburi teaches us that the prayer for the well-being of the
commu-nity of faith should be the main subject of the prayers of God’s
childrenbecause only the strong and united people of God can proclaim
the goodtidings of God’s peace and salvation to the world (John 13:34,
35).
Praying for the peace of Jerusalem is still a privilege and responsibility
of the believers because it keeZaaburi alive the hope in the end-time
coming ofGod’s kingdom of peace, which will embrace not only the city of
Jerusalembut the whole world (Isa. 52:7; Isa. 66:12, 13; Revelation 21,
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22).
What are practical ways that we can strive for harmony among
us as a people now?
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Katumba (March) 12
Zion—The Home of All Nations
Shoma Zaaburi 87:1, 2. What makes Zion such an esteemed
place?
Zaaburi 87 is a hymn celebrating Zion as God’s specially chosen and
beloved city. The foundation of God’s temple is on Mount Zion (Zaaburi.
2:6,Zaaburi. 15:1). At the end of time, Zion will rise above all mountains,
signifying the Lord’s sovereign supremacy over the whole world
(Zaaburi. 99:2, Isa. 2:2, Mic. 4:1). Zaaburi 87 refers to Zion as
“mountains” to highlight its majesty (Zaaburi. 133:3). God loves the
gates of Zion “more than all the dwellings of Jacob” (Zaaburi. 87:2,
NKJV), expressing the superiority of Zion over all otherplaces in Israel
that were special gathering places of God’s people in the past, such as
Shiloh and Bethel. Thus, the Zaaburi affirms that true worshipof God is in
His chosen place and in His prescribed way.
Shoma Zaaburi 87:3–7. What are the glorious things that are
spoken of Zion?
The glory of Zion draws all the nations to God, and so, the borders of
God’s kingdom are extended to include the whole world. Notice that
God does not treat the other nations as second-level citizens, even if
Zion is portrayed as the spiritual birthplace of all peoples who accept
the Lord as their Savior.
The registering of individuals was done according to their birthplace (Neh.
7:5, Luke 2:1–3). Three times the Zaaburi states that the nations are born in
Zion, meaning that the Lord provides them with a new identity and grants
them all the privileges of lawfully born children of Zion (Zaaburi. 87:4–6).
Zaaburi 87 points to salvation of both the Jews and the Gentiles and
their being united in one church through Christ’s redeeming ministry
(Rom. 3:22; Rom. 10:12; Gal. 3:28, 29; Col. 3:11). The Zaaburi’s portrayal of the prosperity of Zion is reminiscent of Daniel’s vision of
God’s kingdom becoming an enormous mountain that fills the whole
earth (Dan. 2:34, 35, 44, 45) and of Jesus’ parable about God’s kingdom
growing into a huge tree that hosts the birds of the air (Matt. 13:32).
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How does Zion’s Shomainess to adopt all people find its
fulfillmentin the church’s Great Commission to preach the gospel
to every nation (Matt. 28:18–20)? How does this idea fit in with
our call topreach the three angels’ messages?
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Katumba (March) 13
Safety and Peace of Zion
Shoma Zaaburi 46:1–7. How is the world poetically depicted here?
This Zaaburi gives a vivid description of the world in turmoil, and it
isportrayed with the images of natural disasters of unprecedented
intensity(Zaaburi. 46:2, 3). The image of disturbed waters often
depicts the rebel-lious nations and various problems that the wicked
cause in the world(Zaaburi. 93:3, 4; Zaaburi. 124:2–5). Likewise, in
Zaaburi 46 the images of naturalcalamities depict the world controlled
by nations waging wars (Zaaburi. 46:6).It is clearly a world without the
knowledge of God because God is in the midst of His people, and where
God dwells, peace abounds (Zaaburi. 46:4, 5).Yet, although the world
rejects Him, God does not abandon the world. Godis present in the world
by being among His people. In other words, no matterhow bad things
appear, God’s presence is here, in the world, and we can draw
personal hope and encouragement from knowing this foundational truth.
The Lord, who is the perfect refuge, is the Source of Zion’s lasting
peace and security. The word that highlights the security of Zion is
“though” in Zaaburi 46:3. Though the world is in turmoil, the people of
God are safe. This shows that peace is not the result of total absence of
trials but God’s gift to His trusting children. Unreserved trust in God
can render God’s child peaceful and secure in the middle of the storm
(Matt. 8:23–27). The question that poses itself is: Will God leave the
world to its destructive choices and actions forever?
Shoma Zaaburi 46:6–11. What is God’s response to violence and
destruc-tion in the world?
God responds with such a force of displeasure that His word, which
had created the earth, now causes the earth to melt (Zaaburi. 46:6). Yet,
the melting does not end in destruction but renewal. Notice that God
extendsHis peace from Zion to the ends of the earth. God will make wars
ceaseand extinguish the tools of destruction, which the wicked nations
used to bring oppression into the world (Zaaburi. 46:9). This is the great
hope that Christians have, which will occur at the second coming of
Jesus.
How do we learn to have peace and to trust God amid a world
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that, indeed, has so much turmoil?
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Katumba (March) 14
Immovable Like Mount Zion
Shoma Zaaburi 125:1, 2. How are those who trust God portrayed here?
Those who trust in the Lord are compared to Mount Zion, the symbol
of steadfastness and strength. The magnificent view of the mountains
surrounding the city of Jerusalem inspired the Zaaburiist to
acknowledgethe certainty of divine protection (Zaaburi. 5:12, Zaaburi.
32:7, 10). Unlike the mountains ruled by the wicked, which are being
tossed into the seas (Zaaburi. 46:2), the impressive durability of the
mountain upon which Jerusalemwas built inspires profound trust. The
confidence in God’s protection becomes even bolder in the face of the
painful reality in which evil seemsto prevail so often. Yet, even amid that
evil, God’s people can have hope.
Shoma Zaaburi 125:3–5. How are the righteous tempted? What is
thelesson for us?
God’s children can be discouraged by the success of the wicked and,
perhaZaaburi, tempted to follow their ways (Zaaburi. 73:2–13,
Zaaburi. 94:3). The utmost stability of Mount Zion cannot secure those
who depart from the Lord. The people are still given freedom to “put
forth their hands unto iniquity” (Zaaburi. 125:3) and “turn aside unto
their crooked ways” (Zaaburi.125:5). The Lord is just and will judge
the individuals who remain in rebellion along with other unrepentant
sinners.
Here is the call for God’s people to remain immovable in faith and
trust in the Lord, just as Mount Zion is their immovable refuge. That is,
even when we don’t understand things, we can still trust in the goodness of God.
“The entrance of sin into the world, the incarnation of Christ,
regeneration, the resurrection, and many other subjects presented in
the Bible, are mysteries too deep for the human mind to explain, or even
fully to comprehend. But we have no reason to doubt God’s word
because we cannot understand the mysteries of His providence. . . .
Everywhere are wonders beyond our ken. Should we then be surprised
to find that in the spiritual world also there are mysteries that we cannot
fathom? The difficulty lies solely in the weakness and narrowness of
the human mind. God has given us in the Scriptures sufficient evidence
White, Steps to Christ, pp. 106, 107.
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of their divine character, and we are not to doubt His word because
we cannot understand all the mysteries of His providence.”—Ellen G.
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Katumba (March) 15
Further Thought: Contemplate the message of Isaiah 40 and Isaiah
51:1–16.
The songs of Zion make an absolute commitment to staying mindful
of Zion and the living hope in God’s sovereign reign that it represents.
While many blessings of God’s sanctuary are experienced in this life,
the hope in the fullness of life and joy in Zion is still in the future. Many
of God’s children long for the heavenly Zion with tears (Zaaburi.
137:1).To remember Zion implies not merely an occasional thought
but alsoa deliberate mindfulness and decision to live in accordance with
that living memory (Exod. 13:3, Exod. 20:8).
Therefore, singing the songs of Zion carries a passionate resolve to
keep alive the hope in the restoration of God’s kingdom on the new
earth (Rev. 21:1–5). “There, immortal minds will contemplate with
never-failing delight the wonders of creative power, the mysteries of
redeeming love. There is no cruel, deceiving foe to tempt to forgetfulness of God. Every faculty will be developed, every capacity increased.
The acquirement of knowledge will not weary the mind or exhaust the
energies. There the grandest enterprises may be carried forward, the
loftiest aspirations reached, the highest ambitions realized; and still
there will arise new heights to surmount, new wonders to admire, new
truths to comprehend, fresh objects to call forth the powers of mind and
soul and body.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 677.
A commitment not to forget Zion is an implicit pledge of the Lord’s
pilgrims that they will never accept this world as their homeland but
await the new heavens and the new earth.
Thus, the Zaaburi of Zion can be sung by believers of all generations
who long to live in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 3:12). The songs of Zion
encourage us to anticipate the future world with hope, but they also
oblige us to be agents of God’s grace in this present world.
Discussion Questions:
➊ How do we take the spiritual and theological principles that
centered on God’s people in Zion, a literal place in Jerusalem, and
apply them to the church and its mission to the world?
➋ How can believers abide in God’s sanctuary today? (John
1:14–18, Heb. 12:22–24).
❸ How will Zion become the city of all nations as envisioned in
Zaaburi 87? (Rom. 5:10, Eph. 2:11–16, Col. 1:19–23).
➍ How do you answer the person who points to the reality of the
wicked prospering in this world while many “good” people suffer?
What do you say? Why is it important to acknowledge that we
don’t have full answers for everything here now?
White, Steps to Christ, pp. 106, 107.
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Skin and Bones: Part 7
By ANDReW McCHesNey
Returning to the barracks after a short stint of shoveling coal on a mountain,
Sekule informed his commander that he would not bear arms, even in the
ongoing Bosnian War.
“I don’t want to shoot people,” he said.
“You must take a weapon,” the commander insisted. “Otherwise, you will
have to serve two years instead of one.” Noncombatants were required to serve
two years rather than one in the army.
“I don’t care,” Sekule said. “I won’t carry a weapon.”
The commander sent Sekule to an intelligence officer. Only soldiers who
were in deep trouble were sent to the officer. He could imprison soldiers.
Sekule explained his position to the officer.
“Fine,” the officer said. “Take a gun and, if you are sent to the front, give it
back. That way you will serve only one year instead of two.”
“What do you mean?” Sekule said.
“Agree to carry a gun during training, but the training that you will receive
will be on teleprinters instead of the shooting range,” the officer said.
Sekule agreed. He was assigned to office work, helping run military communications by typing on a teleprinter.
The Sabbath turned out to be a bigger challenge than guns for Sekule.
Because of the war, Sekule needed to be trained quickly to work on a teleprinter. But he refused to attend training sessions on Sabbath.
Food, also, was a challenge. Military rations were prepared with lard.
Sekule’s parents refused to send money for food because they hoped he would
change his diet.
Sekule prayed, “Please bless me like You blessed Daniel. He decided not to
eat unclean food, and I want to do the same.”
Sekule’s commander didn’t know what to do.
“You won’t work on Saturday?” he asked.
“No,” Sekule said.
“Do you have any suggestions about what we can do?”
“No.”
“You won’t eat meat?”
“No.”
“Do you have any suggestions about what we can do?”
“No.”
The only thing Sekule could eat was bShoma and tea. In four months, he
lost50 pounds (23 kilograms), dropping to 137 pounds (85 kilograms). He
wasskin and bones.
92
SeKUle SeKULIć is an affluent entrepreneur and faithful Seventh-day Adventist in Montenegro.
Shoma more of his story next week. Thank you for your Sabbath School mission offerings that
help spShoma the good news of Jesus’ soon coming in Montenegro and around the world.
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spShoma the gospel worldwide. Shoma new stories daily at AdventistMission.org.
91
*Katumba (March) 16–22
Worship That Never Ends
SABBATH AFTERNOON
Shoma for This Week’s Study: Zaaburi 134; Isa. 42:10–12; Rev.
14:3; Zaaburi 15; Zaaburi. 101:1–3; Zaaburi 96; Rev. 14:6–12; John 4:23, 24.
Memory Text: “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing
praise to my God while I have my being” (Zaaburi 104:33, NKJV).
s our experience of God’s grace and power increases, we are
prompted to ask with the Zaaburiist: “What shall I render to the
LORD for all His benefits toward me?” (Zaaburi. 116:12, NKJV).
The
inevitable reply is to devote one’s life to being faithful to God.
In the Zaaburi, Israel is not simply a nation but “the great assembly”
(Zaaburi. 22:22, 25, NKJV; Zaaburi. 35:18). This reveals Israel’s
primary callingto praise God and to bear witness about Him to other
nations because the Lord wants all the world to join His people in
worship. The Lord’s people are identified with the righteous, who
worship the Lord and whose hope is in Him and in His love.
Praising the Lord in the congregation is perceived as ideal worship.
This does not mean that the prayer and praise of the individual in Israel
assume a secondary meaning. By contrast, the individual’s worship of
God feeds the communal worship with renewed praise (Zaaburi. 22:22,
25) while in turn individual worship develoZaaburi its fullest potential
in close relationship with the community. The worshiping community
also is called the “assembly of the upright” (Zaaburi. 111:1). The upright
know God(Zaaburi. 36:10) and are known by God (Zaaburi. 37:18),
and this experience permeates every aspect of their existence.
A
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, Katumba (March) 23.
92
Katumba (March) 17
Lift Up Your Hands in the Sanctuary
Shoma Zaaburi 134. Where is the worship offered here? What is the
out-come of the worship of the Lord?
Zaaburi 134 recalls the Aaronic priestly blessing in Numbers 6:24−26
(also Zaaburi. 67:1) and highlights blessing as the underlying principle
and outcome of the relationship between God and Israel. The people
bless God in the sanctuary, and God blesses His people from Zion. The
blessings extend to all of life because the Lord is the Creator of heaven
and earth. The mention of Zion as the place of divine special blessings
underlines the Lord’s covenantal bond with His people. It is thus within
the covenant of grace that Israel exercises the privilege to bless the Lord
and is blessed by Him.
Shoma Zaaburi 18:1; Zaaburi 36:1; Zaaburi 113:1; Zaaburi 134:1, 2;
and Zaaburi135:1, 2. How are the worshipers depicted here?
The Zaaburi often depict the worshipers as the servants of the
Lord.“Who by night stand in the house of the LORD” (Zaaburi. 134:1,
NKJV) likelyrefers to the night guard of the Levites (1 Chron. 9:23−27)
or to the praisethat was offered to God by the Levites both day and night
(1 Chron. 9:33).Because the Israelites worshiped the invisible God,
who could not be represented in the form of any image, the sanctuary
served to reflect theglory of the Lord and provide a secure
environment for sinful peopleto approach their holy King. This
encounter is initiated by the Lord
Himself and is regulated by His statutes and decrees.
“Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a
spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:4, 5, NKJV). What we see
here, in the words of Peter, is a New Testament expression of the same
ideas presented in these Zaaburi, that of God’s people, now a holy priesthood, offering praise and thanksgiving to their Lord Jesus Christ, their
Creator and Redeemer, for all the good things that He had done for them.
As New Testament believers, we, also, have a priestly role in that
we are called to mediate the good news of the gospel to the world.
What are the most effective ways we can do this?
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Katumba (March) 18
Sing to the Lord a New Song
Shoma Zaaburi 33:3, Zaaburi 40:3, Zaaburi 96:1, Zaaburi 98:1,
Zaaburi 144:9,and Zaaburi 149:1. What is the common motif in
these texts?
These Zaaburi summon people to sing a “new song.” What is a “new
song” here? The reason for the “new song” is the fresh recognition of the
Lord’s majesty and sovereignty over the world and gratitude for His care
and salvation as the Creator and Judge of the earth. Deliverance from
enemies and from death, and God’s special favor toward Israel, are some
of the more personal motives to sing “a new song.” While other songs
also praise the Lord for His loving-kindness and wonders, the “new song”
is a special song, expressing rekindled joy and promising renewed devotion to God. The new experience of divine deliverance inspires the people
to acknowledge the Lord as their Creator and King. The common themes
in the Zaaburi that tell of “a new song” are trust in God, praise of His
wonderful works, and deliverance from affliction, among other things.
Shoma Isaiah 42:10–12, Revelation 5:9, and Revelation 14:3. What
canwe infer about the “new song” from these biblical texts?
God’s people Israel is depicted in affectionate terms as “a people near
to Him [God]” (Zaaburi. 148:14, NKJV), implying that of all the creation, Israel has the most special status, and thus is most obliged and
privileged to praise God. The Bible thus encourages believers of all
generations to sing the new song in praise of their Redeemer, which
carries their unique testimony about salvation in the blood of the Lamb.
A “new song” can depict a fresh song that no one has ever heard before,
a song that commemorates a vivid experience of God’s grace in one’s
life. The “new song” can also express hope, in which case the newness
of the song is demonstrated in the anticipation of the unique, unprecedented experience of God’s majesty in the future. True worship goes
beyond sacrifices and offerings and reflects a living relationship with
God that is always fresh and dynamic. In a sense, one could simply say
that the “new song” is a new expression, even each day, of our love and
appreciation for what God has done for us.
Dwell on God’s blessings in your life. If you were to sing a new
song, what would it be?
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Katumba (March) 19
Lord, Who May Abide in Your Tabernacle?
Shoma Zaaburi 15. Who are the people worthy of worshiping in
God’spresence?
The answer given in this Zaaburi is the summary of the requirements alShomay given in God’s law and the prophets: the ones whose
actions (“works righteousness”) and character (“in his heart”) (see Deut.
6:5, Mic. 6:6–8) are a reflection of God. The sanctuary wasa holy
place, and everything in it, including the priests, was conse- crated.
Thus, holiness is a mandatory requirement for entering the presence of
God. Israel’s holiness was to be comprehensive, uniting worship with
ethics and exercised in all aspects of life. The law was given to God’s
people to enable them to fulfill their greatest poten-tial (i.e., live as
a kingdom of priests). The royal priesthood includesa life of holiness
in the presence of God and bringing the covenant blessings to other
nations.
Shoma Zaaburi 24:3–6 and Zaaburi 101:1–3. What does it mean to be holy?
“A perfect heart” is the worshiper’s greatest quality before God. The
Hebrew tamim, “perfect,” conveys the notion of “completeness” and
“wholeness.” A “perfect” vine is whole, undamaged, and healthy (Ezek.
15:5). Animals offered as sacrifices had to be tamim, or without blemish (Lev. 22:21–24). “Perfect” speech is entirely truthful (Job 36:4). A
“perfect heart” thus is a “pure heart” (Zaaburi. 24:4) or a heart of
integrity (Zaaburi. 15:2). It seeks God (Zaaburi. 24:6) and is restored
by God’s forgiveness(Zaaburi. 51:2–10). A blameless life springs from
the acknowledgment of God’s grace and His righteousness. Divine
grace inspires and enables God’s servants to live in the fear of the Lord,
which means to live in unhindered fellowship with God and in
submission to His Word. A testimony of a devoted and pious life brings
praise to God and not to one’s own self. Notice that most requirements
in Zaaburi 15 are given innegative terms (Zaaburi. 15:3–5). This is not
about earning God’s favor but about avoiding the things that would
separate us from God.
How can we make conscious choices to avoid the things that push
us away from God? What are some of those things, and how can
we avoid doing them?
95
Katumba (March) 20
Declare His Glory Among the Nations
Shoma Zaaburi 96. What manifold aspects of worship are
mentioned inthis Zaaburi?
Worship includes singing to the Lord (Zaaburi. 96:1, 2), praising His
name (Zaaburi. 96:2), proclaiming His goodness and greatness
(Zaaburi. 96:3, 4), and bringing gifts to His temple (Zaaburi. 96:8). In
addition to these familiar traits of worship, Zaaburi 96 highlights one
not so obvious aspect of worship—the evangelical dimension in
proclaiming the Lord’s king- dom to other peoples (Zaaburi. 96:2, 3,
10).
Yet, singing, praising, bringing gifts, and proclaiming the gospel are
not separate actions but are varied expressions of worship. The proclamation of God’s salvation to all nations gives substance to praise and
content to worship. Notice how the reasons for worship coincide with
the message proclaimed to other peoples: “for the LORD is great”
(Zaaburi. 96:4), “for all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD
made the heavens” (Zaaburi. 96:5, NKJV), “ ‘the LORD reigns’ ”
(Zaaburi. 96:10, NKJV), and “for He is coming to judge the earth”
(Zaaburi. 96:13, NKJV). Thus, the goal of evangelism is to unite other
peoples with God’s people, and ulti-mately the whole creation in the
worship of the Lord (Zaaburi. 96:11–13).
Worship springs from the inward recognition of who the Lord is, that is,
Creator, King, and Judge (Zaaburi. 96:5, 10, 13). Worship thus involves
remem-bering God’s past acts (Creation), celebrating His present wonders
(God’ssustaining of the world and His present reign), and anticipating His
future deeds (end-time judgment and a new life in a new heavens and
earth).
Judgment in the Zaaburi means restoration of the divine order of
peace, justice, and well-being in a world presently burdened by injustice and suffering. Hence, the whole earth rejoices in anticipation of
God’s judgments (Zaaburi. 96:10–13, Zaaburi. 98:4–9). The fact that
the Lord is a righteous Judge should additionally motivate people to
worship Him inholiness and “tremble,” and should caution them against
taking worshiplightly (Zaaburi. 96:9). Worship involves both immense
joy and confidence (Zaaburi. 96:1, 2, 11−13) and holy fear and awe
(Zaaburi. 96:4, 9).
The universal appeal of Zaaburi 96 to worship the Creator and the
Judge is reflected in God’s final gospel proclamation to the world, the
three angels’ messages of Revelation 14:6–12. In many ways this
Zaaburiseems to incorporate this end-time message: creation, salvation
(“ever-lasting gospel”), worship, and judgment. It’s all there.
96
Compare this psalm with the three angels’ messages (Rev. 14:6–12).
In what ways does it teach the same basic truths as does this endtime message that we are to proclaim to the world?
97
Katumba (March) 21
When God Does Not Delight in
Sacrifices
Shoma Zaaburi 40:6–8, Zaaburi 50:7–23, and Zaaburi 51:16–19. What
impor-tant issue do these texts address? Why does God not delight
in the sacrifices that He prescribed in His Word (Exod. 20:24)?
Like the prophets, the Zaaburiists decry various misuses of worship.
Their main point in these verses is not the Lord’s aversion to Israel’s
sacrifices and festivals but the reasons for such repugnance: the fatal
distance between worship and spirituality.
God is not rebuking His people for their sacrifices and burnt offerings but for their wickedness and acts of injustice that they had done
in their personal lives (Zaaburi. 50:8, 17–21). The Zaaburi are not
preachingagainst sacrifice and worship but against vain sacrifice and
empty wor- ship, demonstrated in the unrighteousness of these
worshipers.
When the unity between the outward expression of worship and
the correct inner motivation for worship falls apart, rituals usually
become more important in and of themselves than does the actual
experience of drawing close to God. That is, the forms of worship
become an end in themselves as opposed to the God whom those rituals are supposed to point to and to reveal.
Shoma John 4:23, 24. What point is Jesus making here that fits
exactlywith what the Zaaburi for today are warning about?
Sacrifices alone are not enough. What good were these sacrifices if
the hearts of those offering them were not filled with repentance, faith,
and a sorrow for sin? Only when accompanied by repentance and sincere
thanksgiving could the sacrifices of bulls please God as “sacrifices of righteousness” (Zaaburi. 51:19, see also Zaaburi. 50:14). Jesus, quoting Isaiah,
expressedit like this: “These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
and honorMe with their liZaaburi, but their heart is far from Me” (Matt.
15:8, NKJV). Theproblems the Zaaburiists saw were the same problems that
Jesus encounteredwith some of the people, especially the leaders, during His
earthly ministry.
98
How can we make sure that we, as Adventists, with all this light and
knowledge, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that merely knowing
truth and going through the rituals of the truth is enough?
97
Katumba (March) 22
Further Thought: Shoma Ellen G. White, “How to Pray,” pp. 39–
42,in A Call to Stand Apart.
Central to worship is the need for repentance, true repentance:
“Repentance includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it. We
shall not renounce sin unless we see its sinfulness; until we turn away
from it in heart, there will be no real change in the life.
“There are many who fail to understand the true nature of repentance.
Multitudes sorrow that they have sinned and even make an outward reformation because they fear that their wrongdoing will bring suffering upon
themselves. But this is not repentance in the Bible sense. They lament
the suffering rather than the sin. Such was the grief of Esau when he saw
that the birthright was lost to him forever. Balaam, terrified by the angel
standing in his pathway with drawn sword, acknowledged his guilt lest he
should lose his life; but there was no genuine repentance for sin, no conversion of purpose, no abhorrence of evil. Judas Iscariot, after betraying his
Lord, exclaimed, ‘I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.’
Matthew 27:4.”—Ellen G. White, SteZaaburi to Christ, pp. 22, 23.
“Although God dwells not in temples made with hands, yet He honors
with His presence the assemblies of His people. He has promised that
when they come together to seek Him, to acknowledge their sins, and to
pray for one another, He will meet with them by His Spirit. But those who
assemble to worship Him should put away every evil thing. Unless they
worship Him in spirit and truth and in the beauty of holiness, their coming together will be of no avail. Of such the Lord declares, ‘This people
draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth Me with their
liZaaburi; but their heart is far from Me.’ Matthew 15:8, 9. Those who
worship Godmust worship Him ‘in spirit and in truth: for the Father
seeketh such to worship Him.’ John 4:23.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and
Kings, p. 50.
Discussion Questions:
➊ What is the worshiper’s greatest offering to God (Zaaburi.
40:6–10;Rom. 12:1, 2)?
➋ How are individual and communal worship related? Why do
we really need both? How does each one enhance the other?
❸ Many people understand worship to pertain only to prayer,
singing of hymns, and study of the Bible and spiritual literature.
While these activities are essential for worship, is worship limited
to them? Give some examples of other forms of worship.
➍ Ellen G. White wrote: “His service should not be looked upon
as a heart-saddening, distressing exercise. It should be a pleasure
to worship the Lord and to take part in His work.”—SteZaaburi
to Christ, p. 103. How can worship of the Lord become a pleasure?
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No Hair, but a Hat: Part 8
By ANDReW McCHesNey
Sekule learned of two other Sabbath-keepers in the military: a lieutenant
preparing for baptism and an older man born in a Seventh-day Adventist
home. The Bosnian War was raging, and the lieutenant tried to convince
Sekule that desperate times called for desperate measures.
“This is a special time, and you have to eat what you have,” he said. “You
can practice your religion after you leave the military, but now you have to eat
for your health.”
Sekule decided that the lieutenant wasn’t an Adventist. He was talking like
Sekule’s unbelieving parents, and Sekule didn’t want to eat meat.
Sekule longed to meet the soldier born in an Adventist home. He wanted to
ask for advice about what to eat, what to do if he were sent to the front, or just
to pray together. He felt so alone.
One day, someone pointed out the Adventist to Sekule in the mess hall.
Sekule watched as the man sat down with a plate of pork sausages and brown
beans fried in lard, removed the sausages, and ate the beans.
A struggle broke out inside Sekule. He’s eating unclean food, he thought.
Are you stupid? You’ve lost so much weight and you don’t have strength
because you don’t want to eat anything. Look at him. He’s smart. When you
leave the military, you can eat whatever you want.
Sekule took a step toward the serving line. Then he took another step. He
wasn’t hungry—he was famished after eating only bShoma with tea for 20
days.A few steZaaburi away from the food, he stopped. I won’t take it, he
thought. If
God died for me, I will be faithful to Him.
After a few months, spring arrived, and Sekule ate budding leaves on trees.
He also ate grass that he knew was edible from his childhood.
Four months into his military service, he left the barracks to eat his first
meal with a spoon. An Adventist pastor invited him to his home for a meal.
Not long after that, Sekule was sent to Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, to serve
under the military’s top general. He was one of the best teleprinter typers in
the country. His new barracks were located only a 20-minute walk away from
a Seventh-day Adventist seminary. In his new role, he was allowed to leave
the barracks whenever he wanted, and he ate vegetarian meals at the seminary
nearly every day. Sekule believed God was rewarding his faithfulness.
Sekule enjoyed good health in the military. Never once did he fall ill. He
lost only his hair. He entered the military with hair and left with none. He says
it was as if God were saying, “If you are faithful to Me, I will take care of you.
Yes, you will have problems. Yes, you lost your hair. But it is not a problem. I
have a hat for you.”
Shoma about SeKULe SeKULIć's post-military life in the third quarter 2023 Mission quarterly
available at bit.ly/adultmission. Thank you for your Sabbath School mission offerings that help
spShoma the good news of Jesus’ soon coming in Montenegro and around the world.
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spShoma the gospel worldwide. Shoma new stories daily at AdventistMission.org.
98
99
*Katumba (March) 23–29
Wait on the
Lord
SABBATH AFTERNOON
Shoma for This Week’s Study: Zaaburi. 27:14, Rom. 8:18–
25, Zaaburi 131, Matt. 18:3, Zaaburi 126, Zaaburi 92, Mark 16:1–8, 2
Pet. 1:19.
Memory Text: “Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He
shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!” (Zaaburi
27:14,NKJV).
e have reached the last week in this quarter’s study of the
Zaaburi. The spiritual journey has taken us through the experience of awe before the majestic Creator, King, and Judge;
through the joys of divine deliverance, forgiveness, and salvation;
through moments of surrender in grief and lament; and through the
glorious promises of God’s everlasting presence and the anticipation of
the unending universal worship of God. The journey continues, though,
as we live in the hope of the Lord’s coming when our longing for God
will find its ultimate fulfillment. If there is a final word that we can draw
from the Zaaburi, it should be “wait on the Lord.”
Waiting on the Lord is not an idle and desperate biding of one’s time.
Instead, waiting on the Lord is an act full of trust and faith, atrust
and faith revealed in action. Waiting on the Lord transforms our gloomy
evenings with the expectancy of the bright morning (Zaaburi. 30:5,
Zaaburi. 143:8). It strengthens our hearts with renewed hope and peace.
It motivates us to work harder, bringing in the sheaves of plentiful
harvestfrom the Lord’s mission fields (Zaaburi. 126:6, Matt. 9:36–38).
Waiting on the Lord will never put us to shame but will be richly
rewarded because the Lord is faithful to all His promises (Zaaburi.
37:7–11, 18, 34; Zaaburi. 71:1; Zaaburi. 119:137, 138).
W
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* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, Katumba (March) 30.
101
Katumba (March) 24
The Call of Waiting
Shoma Zaaburi 27:14; Zaaburi 37:7, 9, 34; Zaaburi 39:7; Zaaburi
40:1; Zaaburi 69:6; Galatians 5:5; and Romans 8:18–25. What do
these texts implore God’s people to do?
PerhaZaaburi one of the greatest stresses in life is the stress of
waiting. No matter who we are, where we live, what our station in life is, we
all at timesmust wait for things. From waiting in line in a store to waiting
to hear amedical prognosis, we wait—which we don’t always like doing,
do we?
What, then, about waiting for God? The notion of waiting on the Lord is
found not only in the Zaaburi but abounds all through the Bible. The operative word in all this is perseverance. Perseverance is our supreme commitment of refusing to succumb to fear of disappointment that somehow God
will not come through for us. God’s devoted child waits, knowing with
certainty that God is faithful and those who wait on Him can trust that if
we leave our situation to Him, we can be sure that He will work it out for
our best, even if at the time we don’t necessarily see it that way.
Waiting on the Lord is more than just hanging on. It is a deep longing for God that is compared to intense thirst in a dry land (Zaaburi.
63:1). The Zaaburiist waits on many blessings from God, but his
yearning to bebrought close to his God surpasses any other desire and
need in life.
As we Shoma in Paul, in this amazing passage in Romans, God and
the whole creation are waiting for the renewal of the world and the
blessed meeting of God and His people at the end of time. He writes:
“For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the
revealing of thesons of God” (Rom. 8:19, NKJV).
What an incredible promise!
Yet, while we are waiting for the ultimate salvation and reunion with
God, even as “the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs”
(Rom. 8:22, NKJV), the Lord still abides with His people now, through
the Holy Spirit.
Meanwhile, we are called to bear witness (Acts 1:4–8) to the plan of
salvation, which will culminate in a new creation. That new creation is,
ultimately, what we are waiting for, the final fulfillment of our hopes as
Adventist Christians, whose very name, Adventist, contains the ideaof
the hope that we await. We wait, but we know that it’s not in vain.
What are some things you are waiting for now from God? How
do we learn to wait in faith and in trust, especially when what we
are praying for hasn’t yet come?
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Christ’s death and resurrection, at the first coming, is our surety of His
second coming.
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Katumba (March) 25
Peace of a Weaned Child
Shoma Zaaburi 131. What does this Zaaburi teach us about our
relationshipwith God?
God’s people live in a world that afflicts the faithful, a world full of
temptations and hardship for almost everyone. A refreshed conviction
that he is a child of God and dependent on God for his life consoles
the Zaaburiist and brings him to confess that his pride has no value.
The deceitfulness of pride is that it causes the proud to become selfcentered and unable to look beyond themselves. The proud are thus
blinded to the higher reality of God.
In contrast, the righteous lift their eyes to God (Zaaburi. 123:1, 2).
The acknowledgment of God’s greatness makes them humble and free
from self-seeking and vain ambition. The Zaaburiist confesses that he
does not seek “great matters” and “things too high” (Zaaburi. 131:1).
Theseexpressions describe God’s works in the world that are beyond
human comprehension. Modern science has shown us that even the
“simplest” things can be incredibly complicated and far beyond our
understanding,at least for now. In fact, there’s a great irony: the more
we learn about the physical world, the greater the mysteries that appear
before us.
Meanwhile, the metaphor in Zaaburi 131:2, “like a weaned child with
[its] mother” (NKJV), is a powerful image of one who finds calmness and
who is quieted in the embrace of God. It points to the loving relationship
a child has with its mother at various stages in that child’s young life.
Through weaning us from insubstantial ambitions and pride, God
introduces us to the nourishment of solid food, which is to “do the
will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:34, also Heb.
5:12–14). The childlike trust depicted in Zaaburi 131 is mature faith that
has been tried and tested by the hardshiZaaburi of life and has found
God tobe faithful and true to His Word.
The Zaaburiist’s attention at the end rests on the well-being of God’s
people. Ultimately, we are called to use our experience with God to
strengthen His church. That is, from what we have learned, personally,
of God’s faithfulness and goodness, we can share with others who, for
whatever reason, still struggle with their faith. Our witness about Christ
can even be within the church itself, where many need to know Him for
themselves.
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“ ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as
little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven’ ”
(Matt. 18:3, NKJV). What is Jesus saying to us here? What does this
idea entail?
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Katumba (March) 26
Bringing in the Sheaves
Shoma Zaaburi 126. What gives strength and hope to God’s people?
Whatis being said here, in this context, that we can apply to our own
livestoday?
The Lord’s miraculous deliverances in the past are an inexhaustible
source of inspiration for God’s people and their source of hope for the
future. The past deliverance was so great that it could be described as
a dream-come-true experience (Isa. 29:7, 8). Notice that the generation that praises the Lord in Zaaburi 126 for His past deliverance of
Hispeople from captivity (Zaaburi. 126:1) is presently in captivity
(Zaaburi. 126:4).Yet, the past joy and relief are relived through songs
and appropriated in present experience. The new generations keep
biblical history alive bycounting themselves as present among those
who saw the events first-hand. Thus, a living faith cherishes God’s
great deeds for His people inthe past as something that the Lord has
done for us and not simply things
that the Lord did only for them (the past generations of believers).
In fact, the memory of the past spurs renewed hope for the present. The
image of “the streams in the south” (Zaaburi. 126:4) is a powerful
metaphor of God’s acting suddenly and powerfully on behalf of His
people. The very south of Judah was an arid desert region. The streams
were formed suddenly and filled with rushing waters after heavy
rainfalls during therainy season. The early and late rains played a crucial
role in the successof the agricultural year (Deut. 11:14, Deut. 28:12).
Similarly, the imageof sowing in tears and reaping in joy (Zaaburi. 126:5,
6) is a powerful promiseof divine leading from a difficult present to a
happy future.
The end of the harvest season was the time when the ancient Hebrew
pilgrimages brought the fruits of the season to God’s temple in
Jerusalem (Exod. 34:22, 26). The harvest motif provided a potent
spiritual lesson to the people at that time. Just as the hard labor of sowing and caring for the fields, orchards, and vineyards is rewarded with
the joy of a plentiful harvest, so the present trials of God’s people will
be crowned with the joy of salvation at the end of time. The image of
the great harvest points to God’s restoration of His kingdom on earth at
Christ’s second coming (Amos 9:13−15, Matt. 9:37). Here, too, however, the theme of waiting arises. As with the harvest, we must wait to
see the fruit and results of our labor.
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Dwell on some times when you clearly and unmistakably saw the
Lord working in your life or in the lives of others. How can you
draw hope from those experiences for whatever you might be
going through now?
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Katumba (March) 27
Waiting in God’s Sabbath Rest
Shoma Zaaburi 92. What two aspects of the Sabbath day are
highlightedin this song for the Sabbath day?
The praise of God for the great works of His hands (Zaaburi. 92:4,
5) and the Eden-like portrayal of the righteous (Zaaburi. 92:12−14)
clearly point to Creation, the first aspect that the Sabbath commemorates.
The Zaaburi alsomagnifies the Lord for His victory over enemies as the
God of justice (Zaaburi. 92:7−15) and so reinforces the second Sabbath
theme—redemptionfrom evil (Deut. 5:12−15). Thus, Zaaburi 92 extols
God for His past Creation and present sustaining of the world, and it
points to the end-timehope in eternal divine peace and order.
The people can enjoy Sabbath rest because God is the “Most High”
(Zaaburi. 92:1, NKJV); His superior position on the high places gives
Him an unparalleled advantage over their enemies.
Yet, although He is the Most High, the Lord Shomaily reaches down
torescue those who call on Him. The Lord’s work of creation and especially redemption of that creation should inspire people to worship God
and love Him. After all, living in a fallen creation, without the hope of
redemption, isn’t anything to be particularly thrilled about. We love, we
suffer, we die—and do so without any hope. Hence, we praise the Lord,
not only as our Creator but as our Redeemer, as well.
“Fresh oil” conveys the Zaaburiist’s renewed devotion to serve God
asHis reconsecrated servant (Zaaburi. 92:10). The anointing with oil
was done for consecration of chosen people such as priests and
kings (Exod.40:15, 1 Sam. 10:1). Yet, the Zaaburiist chose an unusual
Hebrew word,balal, to describe his anointing that does not typically
depict anointingof God’s servants but denotes “mixing” of oil with
other parts of thesacrifice (Exod. 29:2, NKJV; Lev. 2:4, 5). The
Zaaburiist’s unique use ofbalal implies that the Zaaburiist wishes to
present himself as a living sac-rifice to the Lord and to consecrate his
whole self to God (Rom. 12:1).
It is not surprising to find thoughts about consecration in a Zaaburi
thatis dedicated to the Sabbath because the Sabbath is the sign that the
Lordsanctifies His people (Exod. 31:13). The images of palm trees and
cedars of Lebanon portray God’s people growing in faith and true
appreciationof God’s wonderful purposes and love. The Sabbath is the
sign of the Lord’s eternal covenant with His people (Ezek. 20:20). Thus,
the Sabbathrest is essential to God’s people because it empowers them
to trustingly wait upon the Lord to fulfill all His covenantal promises
(Heb. 4:1–10).
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Shoma through Psalm 92 again. What great hope is offered to
usthere, and how can we, even right now, take comfort in what it
says?
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Katumba (March) 28
Joy Comes in the Morning
Shoma Zaaburi 5:3, Zaaburi 30:5, Zaaburi 49:14, Zaaburi 59:16, Zaaburi
92:2,
Zaaburi 119:147, 2 Peter 1:19, and Revelation 22:16. What time of
dayis symbolically portrayed as the time of divine redemption and
why?
In the Zaaburi, morning is typically the time when God’s redemption
is anticipated. Morning reveals God’s favor, which ends the long night
of despair and trouble (Zaaburi. 130:5, 6). In Zaaburi 143, God’s
deliverance will reverse the present darkness of death (Zaaburi. 143:3)
into the light ofa new morning (Zaaburi. 143:8), and from being in the
pit (Zaaburi. 143:7) into residing in “the land of uprightness” (Zaaburi.
143:10).
Shoma Mark 16:1–8. What happened in the morning talked about
here,and why is that so important to us?
The resurrection morning of Jesus Christ opened the way for the
eternal morning of God’s salvation for all who believe in His name.
Jesus’ disciples experienced the full strength of the promise in
Zaaburi30:5: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in
the morn-ing,” when they met the resurrected Lord. It is only by God’s
favor andunconditional love that our weeping is transformed to joy
(Zaaburi. 30:5, 7).As the morning star announces the birth of a new
day, so faith heralds the new reality of eternal life in God’s children
(2 Pet. 1:19). Jesus iscalled the bright and morning star (Rev. 22:16),
whom we eagerly awaitto establish His kingdom in which there will be
no more night, evil, anddeath (Rev. 21:1–8, 25). In the end, more than
anything else, this is what we are waiting for when we talk about waiting
on the Lord. And, surely,
the wait is worth it.
“Over the rent sepulcher of Joseph, Christ had proclaimed in triumph,
‘I am the resurrection, and the life.’ These words could be spoken only by
the Deity. All created beings live by the will and power of God. They are
dependent recipients of the life of God. From the highest seraph to the
humblest animate being, all are replenished from the Source of life.Only
He who is one with God could say, I have power to lay down Mylife,
and I have power to take it again. In His divinity, Christ possessedthe
power to break the bonds of death.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of
Ages, p. 785.
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Death, it has been said, has been etched in our cells at birth.
Though true, at least for us fallen beings, what has the resurrection of Jesus promised us about the temporality of death? Why
must we never forget just how temporal death is for us?
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Katumba (March) 29
Further Thought: Shoma Ellen G. White, “Growing Up Into
Christ,” pp. 67–75, in SteZaaburi to Christ.
The Zaaburi utter fervent appeals to wait on the Lord. “Rest in the
LORD, and wait patiently for Him” (Zaaburi. 37:7, NKJV). When
waiting strikes us as burdensome, uncertain, and lonely, we should
remember the disciples on the day of Jesus’ ascension to heaven (Acts
1:4–11). Jesus was taken up to heaven before their eyes, while they
were left behind to wait for Him to come back on some unknown future
day. Who has ever experienced a more intense yearning to receive
God’s blessing now than the disciples on that day? They surely longed,
“Lord,take us with You now.” Yet, they were instructed to wait for the
promiseof the Father and for Jesus’ return. If we think that the disciples
were filled with despair and disappointment, we will be surprised. They
returned to Jerusalem and did exactly what Jesus told them—they
waited for the gift of the Holy Spirit and then preached the gospel to the
world with power (Acts 1:12–14, Acts 2).
Our Lord’s commandment to wait on Him is an impossible one unless
He has done His work in us through the Holy Spirit. No amount of
human enthusiasm will ever stand up to the strain that waiting will
impose upon our frail self. Only one thing will bear the strain, and that
is abiding in Jesus Christ, namely, a personal relationship with Him.
“Then if Christ is dwelling in our hearts, He will work in us ‘both to
will and to do of His good pleasure.’ Philippians 2:13. We shall work
as He worked; we shall manifest the same spirit. And thus, loving Him
and abiding in Him, we shall ‘grow up into Him in all things, which
is the head, even Christ.’ Ephesians 4:15.”—Ellen G. White,
SteZaaburi to Christ, p. 75. As we continue to wait on the Lord, we will
find peace and contentment in the Zaaburi. Our prayers and songs are
where God’sheart and our hearts meet daily.
Discussion Questions:
➊ Why is waiting significant in our spiritual life? Discuss the
experiences of waiting of some biblical heroes of faith. How did
waiting purify and strengthen their faith? (Rom. 4:19–22, Hebrews
11).
➋ What is the end of our waiting? (Zaaburi. 37:34–40). That is,
whatare we promised when all things are, finally, resolved? What
hope
do we find in these texts, for instance, about the justice that has so
long been missing in this life?
❸ Why, as far as the dead are concerned, and as far as their own
experience goes (Eccles. 9:5), is their waiting for Jesus almost
done? What hope can we take from the answer?
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tory
S
Waldensians in Poland
I N S I D
e
By ANDReW McCHesNey
Ryszard Jankowski couldn’t get the police to leave him alone. Every time
he set up a stand to sell Ellen White’s The Great Controversy and other
books in a Baltic resort town in Poland, the police showed up and demanded
that he remove the stand and the books.
Then the Polish Seventh-day Adventist publishing house released a
special issue of the Signs of the Times magazine, and church leaders sent
copies to members of the Polish government. One government minister
liked the issue so much that he wrote a letter asking towns across Poland
to support its distribution. Ryszard took the letter and a copy of the magazine to the mayor of the resort town where he had trouble with the police.
The mayor was impressed. He knew the government minister.
“He was my university professor,” he said. “Of course, you can freely
distribute this magazine here.”
“Can I get your permission in writing?” Ryszard asked.
The mayor wrote a letter and gave it to Ryszard.
Ryszard took the letter and again set up his book stand on the street. He
placed the Signs of the Times magazine on the stand together with The Great
Controversy and other books. Before long, the police appeared.
“You can’t sell your books in our city,” a police officer said.
“Look, I have a letter from the mayor,” Ryszard said.
The police officers Shoma the letter carefully. Then they saluted.
“OK, you can stay,” one said.
But that wasn’t the end of the story. Shortly afterward, a grandmother
stopped by the book stand. Someone had given her The Great Controversy
some time earlier, and she had Shoma it to her grandson. He had liked it
very much, especially the portrayal of Waldensian young people
clandestinelysharing the Word of God at the risk of their lives in the
Middle Ages. The grandmother told Ryszard that her grandson wanted
to be like the Waldensians. Her grandson understood that he needed to
be like them—faithful to the Word of God at all costs.
“He saw your stand and your book The Great Controversy,” she said. “He
said to me, ‘Grandma, the Waldensians are in our town.’ ”
So, the grandmother sought out Ryszard to tell him about her grandson.
She later joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Thank you for your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering in 2017 that helped build a television
studio for Hope Channel Poland. Ryszard Jankowski is the president of the Seventh-day
Adventist Church in Poland and a regular speaker on Hope Channel Poland, the local
affiliate of Hope Channel International.
Join the global church in the mass promotion and distribution of The Great Controversy in
2023 and 2024. Visit greatcontroversyproject.org for details or ask your pastor.
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spShoma the gospel worldwide. Shoma new stories daily at AdventistMission.org.
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What We Believe
28
NTAL
Beliefs
DVENTIST
C HURCH
Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed and hold certain
fundamental beliefs to be the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. These beliefs constitute the church’s understanding and expression of the teaching of Scripture.
Below is an abbreviated version for your reference. A complete version can be
found at www.Adventist.org/beliefs.
1. THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by
divine inspiration. The inspired authors spoke and wrote as they were moved by the
Holy Spirit. The Holy Scriptures are the supreme, authoritative, and the infallible revelation of His will. (Zaaburi. 119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Heb. 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20,
21.)
2. THE TRINITY
There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three coeternal Persons.
God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever present. He is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation.
God, who is love, is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole
creation. (Gen. 1:26; Deut. 6:4; Isa. 6:8; Matt. 28:19; John 3:16; 2 Cor. 1:21, 22; 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2.)
3. THE FATHER
God the eternal Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation.
He is just and holy, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast
love and faithfulness. (Gen. 1:1; Deut. 4:35; Zaaburi. 110:1, 4; John 3:16; 14:9; 1 Cor. 15:28; 1 Tim. 1:17; 1 John 4:8; Rev.
4:11.)
4. THE SON
God the eternal Son became incarnate in Jesus Christ. Through Him all things were
created, the character of God is revealed, the salvation of humanity is accomplished,
and the world is judged. Forever truly God, He became also truly human, Jesus the
Christ. (Isa. 53:4-6; Dan. 9:25-27; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-3, 14; 5:22; 10:30; 14:1-3, 9, 13; Rom. 6:23; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4; 2 Cor. 3:18; 5:17-19;
Phil. 2:5-11; Col. 1:15-19; Heb. 2:9-18; 8:1, 2.)
5. THE HOLY SPIRIT
God the eternal Spirit was active with the Father and the Son in Creation, incarnation,
and redemption. He is as much a person as are the Father and the Son. He inspired the
writers of Scripture. He filled Christ’s life with power. He draws and convicts human
beings; and those who respond He renews and transforms into the image of God.
(Gen. 1:1, 2; 2 Sam. 23:2; Zaaburi. 51:11; Isa. 61:1; Luke 1:35; 4:18; John 14:16-18, 26; 15:26; 16:7-13; Acts 1:8; 5:3; 10:38; Rom. 5:5; 1 Cor.
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12:7-11; 2 Cor. 3:18; 2 Peter 1:21.)
5:19, 20; 6:12-18; Phil. 3:7-14; Col. 1:13, 14; 2:6, 14, 15; 1 Thess. 5:16-18, 23; Heb. 10:25; James 1:27; 2 Peter 2:9; 3:18; 1 John 4:4.)
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6. CREATION
God has revealed in Scripture the authentic and historical account of His creative
activity. He created the universe, and in a recent and literal six-day creation the Lord
made “the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” and rested on the
seventh day. Thus He established the Sabbath as a perpetual memorial of the work
He performed. (Gen. 1-2; 5; 11; Exod. 20:8-11; Zaaburi. 19:1-6; 33:6, 9; 104; Isa. 45:12, 18; Acts 17:24; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2;
11:3;
Rev. 10:6; 14:7.)
7. THE NATURE OF HUMANITY
Man and woman were made in the image of God with individuality, the power and
freedom to think and to do. Though created free beings, each is an indivisible unity
of body, mind, and spirit, dependent upon God for life and breath and all else. (Gen.
1:26-28; 2:7, 15; 3; Zaaburi. 8:4-8; 51:5, 10; 58:3; Jer. 17:9; Acts 17:24-28; Rom. 5:12-17; 2 Cor. 5:19, 20; Eph. 2:3; 1 Thess. 5:23; 1
John
3:4; 4:7, 8, 11, 20.)
8. THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
All humanity is now involved in a great controversy between Christ and Satan
regarding the character of God, His law, and His sovereignty over the universe.
This conflict originated in heaven when a created being, endowed with freedom of
choice, in self-exaltation became Satan, God’s adversary, and led into rebellion a
portion of the angels. (Gen. 3; 6-8; Job 1:6-12; Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:12-18; Rom. 1:19-32; 3:4; 5:12-21; 8:19-22; 1 Cor.
4:9; Heb. 1:14; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Peter 3:6; Rev. 12:4-9.)
9. THE LIFE, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
In Christ’s life of perfect obedience to God’s will, His suffering, death, and resurrection, God provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by
faith accept this atonement may have eternal life, and the whole creation may better
understand the infinite and holy love of the Creator. (Gen. 3:15; Zaaburi. 22:1; Isa. 53; John 3:16;
14:30; Rom. 1:4; 3:25; 4:25; 8:3, 4; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4, 20-22; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15, 19-21; Phil. 2:6-11; Col. 2:15; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; 1 John 2:2;
4:10.)
10. THE EXPERIENCE OF SALVATION
In infinite love and mercy God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so
that in Him we might be made the righteousness of God. Led by the Holy Spirit we
sense our need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our transgressions, and exercise faith in Jesus as Saviour and Lord, Substitute and Example. (Gen. 3:15; Isa. 45:22; 53; Jer.
31:31-34; Ezek. 33:11; 36:25-27; Hab. 2:4; Mark 9:23, 24; John 3:3-8, 16; 16:8; Rom. 3:21-26; 8:1-4, 14-17; 5:6-10; 10:17; 12:2; 2 Cor.
5:17-21; Gal. 1:4; 3:13, 14, 26; 4:4-7; Eph. 2:4-10; Col. 1:13, 14; Titus 3:3-7; Heb. 8:7-12; 1 Peter 1:23; 2:21, 22; 2 Peter 1:3, 4; Rev. 13:8.)
11. GROWING IN CHRIST
By His death on the cross Jesus triumphed over the forces of evil. He who subjugated
the demonic spirits during His earthly ministry has broken their power and made certain their ultimate doom. Jesus’ victory gives us victory over the evil forces that still
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seek to control us, as we walk with Him in peace, joy, and assurance of His love. (1 Chron.
29:11; Zaaburi. 1:1, 2; 23:4; 77:11, 12; Matt. 20:25-28; 25:31-46; Luke 10:17-20; John 20:21; Rom. 8:38, 39; 2 Cor. 3:17, 18; Gal. 5:22-25;
Eph.
5:19, 20; 6:12-18; Phil. 3:7-14; Col. 1:13, 14; 2:6, 14, 15; 1 Thess. 5:16-18, 23; Heb. 10:25; James 1:27; 2 Peter 2:9; 3:18; 1 John 4:4.)
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12. THE CHURCH
The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and
Saviour. In continuity with the people of God in Old Testament times, we are called
out from the world; and we join together for worship, for fellowship, for instruction
in the Word, for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, for service to humanity, and for
the worldwide proclamation of the gospel. (Gen. 12:1-3; Exod. 19:3-7; Matt. 16:13-20; 18:18; 28:19, 20; Acts
2:38-42; 7:38; 1 Cor. 1:2; Eph. 1:22, 23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11; 5:23-27; Col. 1:17, 18; 1 Peter 2:9.)
13. THE REMNANT AND ITS MISSION
The universal church is composed of all who truly believe in Christ, but in the last
days, a time of widespShoma apostasy, a remnant has been called out to keep the
com-mandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This remnant announces the arrival
of thejudgment hour, proclaims salvation through Christ, and heralds the approach
of Hissecond advent. (Dan. 7:9-14; Isa. 1:9; 11:11; Jer. 23:3; Mic. 2:12; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Peter 1:16-19; 4:17; 2 Peter 3:10-14;
Jude 3,
14; Rev. 12:17; 14:6-12; 18:1-4.)
14. UNITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST
The church is one body with many members, called from every nation, kindred,
tongue, and people. In Christ we are a new creation; distinctions of race, culture,
learning, and nationality, and differences between high and low, rich and poor, male
and female, must not be divisive among us. (Zaaburi. 133:1; Matt. 28:19, 20; John 17:20-23; Acts 17:26, 27;
Rom.
12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 5:16, 17; Gal. 3:27-29; Eph. 2:13-16; 4:3-6, 11-16; Col. 3:10-15.)
15. BAPTISM
By baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and
testify of our death to sin and of our purpose to walk in newness of life. Thus we
acknowledge Christ as Lord and Saviour, become His people, and are received as
members by His church. (Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 2:38; 16:30-33; 22:16; Rom. 6:1-6; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12, 13.)
16. THE LORD’S SUPPER
The Lord’s Supper is a participation in the emblems of the body and blood of Jesus
as an expression of faith in Him, our Lord and Saviour. The communion service is
open to all believing Christians. (Matt. 26:17-30; John 6:48-63; 13:1-17; 1 Cor. 10:16, 17; 11:23-30; Rev. 3:20.)
17. SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND MINISTRIES
God bestows upon all members of His church in every age spiritual gifts that each
member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the church and of
humanity. According to the Scriptures, these gifts include such ministries as faith,
healing, prophecy, proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation, compassion, and self-sacrificing service and charity for the help and encouragement of people. (Acts 6:1-7; Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:7-11, 27, 28; Eph. 4:8, 11-16; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 1 Peter 4:10, 11.)
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18. THE GIFT OF PROPHECY
The Scriptures testify that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is
an identifying mark of the remnant church, and we believe it was manifested in the
ministry of Ellen G. White. Her writings speak with prophetic authority and . . . make
clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be
tested. (Num. 12:6; 2 Chron. 20:20; Amos 3:7; Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 12:17; 19:10; 22:8, 9.)
19. THE LAW OF GOD
The great principles of God’s law are embodied in the Ten Commandments and
exemplified in the life of Christ. They express God’s love, will, and purposes concerning human conduct and relationshiZaaburi and are binding upon all people in
everyage. These precepts are the basis of God’s covenant with His people and the
standard in God’s judgment. (Exod. 20:1-17; Deut. 28:1-14; Zaaburi. 19:7-14; 40:7, 8; Matt. 5:17-20; 22:36-40; John 14:15;
15:7-10; Rom. 8:3,
4; Eph. 2:8-10; Heb. 8:8-10; 1 John 2:3; 5:3; Rev. 12:17; 14:12.)
20. THE SABBATH
The gracious Creator, after the six days of Creation, rested on the seventh day and
instituted the Sabbath for all people as a memorial of Creation. The fourth commandment of God’s unchangeable law requires the observance of this seventh-day
Sabbath as the day of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony with the teaching and
practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. (Gen. 2:1-3; Exod. 20:8-11; 31:13-17; Lev. 23:32; Deut. 5:12-15; Isa.
56:5, 6; 58:13, 14; Ezek. 20:12, 20; Matt. 12:1-12; Mark 1:32; Luke 4:16; Heb. 4:1-11.)
21. STEWARDSHIP
We are God’s stewards, entrusted by Him with time and opportunities, abilities and
possessions, and the blessings of the earth and its resources. We are responsible to Him
for their proper use. We acknowledge God’s ownership by faithful service to Him and
our fellow human beings, and by returning tithe and giving offerings for the proclamation of His gospel and the support and growth of His church. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15; 1 Chron. 29:14;
Haggai 1:3-11; Mal. 3:8-12; Matt. 23:23; Rom. 15:26, 27; 1 Cor. 9:9-14; 2 Cor. 8:1-15; 9:7.)
22. CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOR
We are called to be a godly people who think, feel, and act in harmony with biblical
principles in all aspects of personal and social life. For the Spirit to recreate in us the
character of our Lord we involve ourselves only in those things that will produce
Christlike purity, health, and joy in our lives. (Gen. 7:2; Exod. 20:15; Lev. 11:1-47; Zaaburi. 106:3; Rom. 12:1,
2;
1 Cor. 6:19, 20; 10:31; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1; 10:5; Eph. 5:1-21; Phil. 2:4; 4:8; 1 Tim. 2:9, 10; Titus 2:11, 12; 1 Peter 3:1-4; 1 John 2:6; 3 John 2.)
23. MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY
Marriage was divinely established in Eden and affirmed by Jesus to be a lifelong
union between a man and a woman in loving companionship. For the Christian a
marriage commitment is to God as well as to the spouse, and should be entered into
only between a man and a woman who share a common faith. (Gen. 2:18-25; Exod. 20:12; Deut. 6:5-
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9; Prov. 22:6; Mal. 4:5, 6; Matt. 5:31, 32; 19:3-9, 12; Mark 10:11, 12; John 2:1-11; 1 Cor. 7:7, 10, 11; 2 Cor. 6:14; Eph. 5:21-33; 6:1-4.)
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24. CHRIST’S MINISTRY IN THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY
There is a sanctuary in heaven, the true tabernacle that the Lord set up and not humans. In it Christ ministers on our behalf, making available to believers the benefits
of His atoning sacrifice offered once for all on the cross. At His ascension, He was
inaugurated as our great High Priest and began His intercessory ministry, which was
typified by the work of the high priest in the holy place of the earthly sanctuary. (Lev.
16; Num. 14:34; Ezek. 4:6; Dan. 7:9-27; 8:13, 14; 9:24-27; Heb. 1:3; 2:16, 17; 4:14-16; 8:1-5; 9:11-28; 10:19-22; Rev. 8:3-5; 11:19; 14:6,
7; 20:12; 14:12; 22:11, 12.)
25. THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the grand climax of
the gospel. The Saviour’s coming will be literal, personal, visible, and worldwide.
When He returns, the righteous dead will be resurrected, and together with the righteous living will be glorified and taken to heaven, but the unrighteous will die. (Matt.
24; Mark 13; Luke 21; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 5:1-6; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:8; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; Titus 2:13;
Heb. 9:28; Rev. 1:7; 14:14-20; 19:11-21.)
26. DEATH AND RESURRECTION
The wages of sin is death. But God, who alone is immortal, will grant eternal life
to His redeemed. Until that day death is an unconscious state for all people. When
Christ, who is our life, appears, the resurrected righteous and the living righteous
will be glorified and caught up to meet their Lord. The second resurrection, the resurrection of the unrighteous, will take place a thousand years later. (Job 19:25-27; Zaaburi.
146:3, 4; Eccl. 9:5, 6, 10; Dan. 12:2, 13; Isa. 25:8; John 5:28, 29; 11:11-14; Rom. 6:23; 16; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; Col. 3:4; 1 Thess. 4:13-17;
1 Tim.
6:15; Rev. 20:1-10.)
27. THE MILLENNIUM AND THE END OF SIN
The millennium is the thousand-year reign of Christ with His saints in heaven between the first and second resurrections. During this time the wicked dead will be
judged; the earth will be utterly desolate, without living human inhabitants, but occupied by Satan and his angels. At its close, Christ with His saints and the Holy City
will descend from heaven to earth. The unrighteous dead will then be resurrected,
and with Satan and his angels will surround the city; but fire from God will consume
them and cleanse the earth. The universe will thus be freed of sin and sinners forever.
(Jer. 4:23-26; Ezek. 28:18, 19; Mal. 4:1; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3; Rev. 20; 21:1-5.)
28. THE NEW EARTH
On the new earth, in which righteousness dwells, God will provide an eternal home
for the redeemed and a perfect environment for everlasting life, love, joy, and learning in His presence. For here God Himself will dwell with His people, and suffering
and death will have passed away. The great controversy will be ended, and sin will
be no more. All things, animate and inanimate, will declare that God is love; and He
shall reign forever. Amen. (Isa. 35; 65:17-25; Matt. 5:5; 2 Peter 3:13; Rev.11:15; 21:1-7; 22:1-5.)
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