Funani UYehova Ngaphambi Kokufika Kwemini Yomsindo Wakhe
“Funani uYehova . . . Funani ubulungisa, funani ululamo. Mhlawumbi niya kufihlwa ngemini yomsindo kaYehova.”—ZEFANIYA 2:3.
1. Yayinjani imeko yokomoya kwaYuda ekuqaliseni kukaZefaniya umsebenzi wakhe wokuprofeta?
UZEFANIYA waqalisa umsebenzi wakhe wokuprofeta ngexesha iimeko zazimaxongo kwaYuda. Imeko yokomoya yolo hlanga yayimbi gqitha. Kunokuba bakholose ngoYehova, abantu babefuna ukhokelo kubabingeleli abangabahedeni nabavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi. Kwelo lizwe kwakuxhaphake unqulo lukaBhahali nezithethe zalo zokuchuma. Iinkokeli zakwaYuda—iinkosana, izidwangube nabagwebi—zazicinezela kanye abo bantu zazimele ukuba ziyabakhusela. (Zefaniya 1:9; 3:3) Akumangalisi ukuba uYehova wagqiba kwelokuba ‘olulele isandla sakhe’ nxamnye noYuda neYerusalem ukuze azitshabalalise!—Zefaniya 1:4.
2. Liliphi ithemba ababenalo abakhonzi bakaThixo bakwaYuda ababethembekile?
2 Noko ke, nakuba imeko yayimbi ngolo hlobo, yayikho intlantsi yethemba. Unyana ka-Amon uYosiya wayesetroneni. Nangona wayeseyinkwenkwana, uYosiya wayemthanda ngokwenene uYehova. Ukuba lo kumkani umtsha wayeza kuvuselela unqulo olunyulu kwaYuda, hayi indlela ekwakuya kukhuthaza ngayo oko kwabo bambalwa ababekhonza uThixo ngokuthembeka! Abanye babesenokushukunyiselwa ukuba babathelele baze basindiswe nabo ngemini yomsindo kaYehova.
Okwakufuneka Ukuze Ubani Asindiswe
3, 4. Ziziphi izinto ezintathu ezimele zifikelelwe ukuze umntu asindiswe “ngemini yomsindo kaYehova”?
3 Ngaba ngokwenene abantu babenokusindiswa ngemini yomsindo kaYehova? Ewe, ukuba nje babekufikelela oko kuchazwe kuZefaniya 2:2, 3. Njengoko sifunda ezi ndinyana, masinikele ingqalelo ekhethekileyo kwezi zinto zaziyimfuneko. UZefaniya wabhala esithi: “Ngaphambi kokuba ummiselo uzale nantoni na, ngaphambi kokuba loo mini idlule kanye njengomququ, ngaphambi kokuba umsindo kaYehova ovuthayo unifikele, ngaphambi kokuba inifikele imini yomsindo kaYehova, funani uYehova, nonke balulamileyo bomhlaba, baqhelisele isigwebo Sakhe. Funani ubulungisa, funani ululamo. Mhlawumbi niya kufihlwa ngemini yomsindo kaYehova.”
4 Ngoko, ukuze umntu asindiswe, kwakufuneka (1) afune uYehova, (2) afune ubulungisa bakhe, yaye (3) afune ululamo. Ezi zinto zaziyimfuneko zifanele zibe zezibalulekileyo kakhulu kuthi namhlanje. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba kanye njengoko abantu bakwaYuda naseYerusalem babejamelene nemini yomgwebo kwinkulungwane yesixhenxe ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, iintlanga zeNgqobhoko—eneneni, bonke abantu abangendawo—bajamelene nokuzinziswa kwembambano noYehova uThixo ‘kwimbandezelo enkulu’ ezayo. (Mateyu 24:21) Nabaphi na abantu abanqwenela ukufihlwa ngelo xesha bamele bathabathe inyathelo ngoku. Njani? Ngokufuna uYehova, bafune ubulungisa baze bafune ululamo bengekashiywa lixesha!
5. Yintoni ebandakanyekileyo ‘ekufuneni uYehova’ namhlanje?
5 Usenokuthi: ‘Ndingumkhonzi kaThixo ozahluleleyo nobhaptiziweyo, omnye wamaNgqina kaYehova. Ngaba andikayifikeleli le milinganiselo?’ Eneneni, kubandakanyeke okungakumbi kunokuzahlulela kuYehova. USirayeli wayeluhlanga oluzahluleleyo, kodwa ngomhla kaZefaniya abantu bakwaYuda babengaphili ngokuvisisana nolo zahlulelo. Ngenxa yoko, ekugqibeleni olo hlanga lwalahlwa. ‘Ukufuna uYehova’ namhlanje kuquka ukuhlakulela nokulondoloza ulwalamano lobuqu nolusenyongweni kunye naye ngokunxulumene nentlangano yakhe esemhlabeni. Kuthetha ukwazi indlela uThixo ayijonga ngayo imicimbi nokuqonda indlela avakalelwa ngayo. Sifuna uYehova xa sifundisisa ngenyameko iLizwi lakhe, sicamngce ngalo size sisebenzise isiluleko salo ebomini bethu. Xa sifuna ukhokelo lukaYehova ngomthandazo osuk’ entliziyweni size silandele ukhokelo lomoya wakhe oyingcwele, siba nolwalamano olunzulu kunye naye yaye sishukunyiselwa ukuba simkhonze ‘ngentliziyo, ngomphefumlo nangamandla ethu onke.’—Duteronomi 6:5; Galati 5:22-25; Filipi 4:6, 7; ISityhilelo 4:11.
6. ‘Sibufuna njani ubulungisa,’ yaye kutheni oko kunokwenzeka kwanakweli hlabathi?
6 Into yesibini efunekayo ekhankanywe kuZefaniya 2:3 ‘kukufuna ubulungisa.’ Inkoliso yethu yenza utshintsho olubalulekileyo ukuze ifanelekele ukubhaptizwa njengamaKristu, kodwa simele siqhubeke siphakamisa imilinganiselo kaThixo yobulungisa ubomi bethu bonke. Abanye abaqala kakuhle kule nkalo baye bazivumela ukuba bangcoliswe lihlabathi. Akunto ilula ukufuna ubulungisa, kuba singqongwe ngabantu abakugqala ukuziphatha kakubi ngokwesini, ukuxoka nezinye izono njengezinto eziqhelekileyo. Ukanti, umnqweno onzulu wokukholisa uYehova unokoyisa naluphi na utyekelo lokufuna ukwamkelwa lihlabathi ngokuzama ukuzifanisa nalo. UYuda waphulukana nenkoliseko kaThixo ngenxa yokulinganisa iintlanga ezazingahlonel’ uThixo ezazingabamelwane bakhe. Ngoko ke, kunokuba sixelise ihlabathi, masibe “ngabaxelisa uThixo,” sihlakulele “ubuntu obutsha obadalwa ngokokuthanda kukaThixo ngobulungisa bokwenyaniso nokunyaniseka.”—Efese 4:24; 5:1.
7. ‘Silufuna njani ululamo’?
7 Ingongoma yesithathu echazwe kuZefaniya 2:3 yeyokuba ukuba sifuna ukufihlwa ngemini yomsindo kaYehova, simele ‘sifune ululamo.’ Suku ngalunye sisondelelana namadoda, amabhinqa nabantu abaselula abangalulamanga. Kubo, ukuthobeka sisiphako. Ukuthobela kugqalwa njengobuthathaka obunzulu. Bayanyanzelisa, bayazingca yaye bangoozwilakhe, bakholelwa ukuba bamele bawafumane “amalungelo” abo nokhetho lwabo nokuba sekumnyam’ entla. Hayi indlela ebekuya kuba lusizi ngayo ukuba besinokosulelwa zezinye zezo zimo zengqondo! Eli lixesha ‘lokufuna ululamo.’ Njani? Ngokuthobela uThixo, samkele uqeqesho lwakhe ngokuzithoba size senze ngokuvisisana nokuthanda kwakhe.
Kutheni “Mhlawumbi” Siya Kufihlwa?
8. Ukusetyenziswa kwegama elithi “mhlawumbi” kuZefaniya 2:3 kubonisa ntoni?
8 Phawula ukuba uZefaniya 2:3 uthi: “Mhlawumbi niya kufihlwa ngemini yomsindo kaYehova.” Kutheni kusetyenziswe igama elithi “mhlawumbi” xa kuthethwa ‘nabalulamileyo bomhlaba’? Kaloku, abo balulamileyo babesele bewathabathile amanyathelo angqalileyo, kodwa kwakungekho kuzithemba. Babengekafikeleli esiphelweni sekhondo lobomi bokuthembeka. Kwakusenokwenzeka ukuba abanye babo bawele esonweni. Kuyafana nakuthi. UYesu wathi: “Lowo unyamezele kwada kwasekupheleni uya kusindiswa.” (Mateyu 24:13) Ewe, ukusindiswa ngemini yomsindo kaYehova kuxhomekeke ekuqhubekeni kwethu sisenza okuhle emehlweni akhe. Ngaba wenze eso sigqibo siqinileyo?
9. Ngawaphi amanyathelo obulungisa awathatyathwa nguKumkani uYosiya oselula?
9 Kubonakala ukuba uKumkani uYosiya wayesabela kumazwi kaZefaniya awamshukumisela ukuba ‘afune uYehova.’ IZibhalo zithi: “Ngonyaka wesibhozo wokulawula kwakhe, ngoxa [uYosiya] wayeseyinkwenkwe [emalunga ne-16 leminyaka ubudala], waqalisa ukufuna uThixo kaDavide ukhokho wakhe.” (2 Kronike 34:3) UYosiya waqhubeka ‘efuna ubulungisa,’ kuba sifunda oku: “Kunyaka weshumi elinesibini [xa uYosiya wayemalunga neminyaka engama-20 ubudala] waqalisa ukuhlambulula uYuda neYerusalem ukususela kwiindawo eziphakamileyo nezibonda ezingcwele nemifanekiso eqingqiweyo nemifanekiso etyhidiweyo. Ngokubhekele phaya, badiliza phambi kwakhe izibingelelo zikaBhahali.” (2 Kronike 34:3, 4) UYosiya ‘wafuna nolulamo,’ ngokuzithoba ekholisa uYehova ngokuhlambulula elo lizwe kunqulo-zithixo nakwezinye izithethe zonqulo lobuxoki. Hayi indlela abamele ukuba bavuya ngayo abanye abalulamileyo ngenxa yeso senzo!
10. Kwenzeka ntoni kuYuda ngowama-607 B.C.E., kodwa ngoobani abasindayo?
10 AmaYuda amaninzi abuyela kuYehova ebudeni bolawulo lukaYosiya. Noko ke, emva kokuba lo kumkani efile, inkoliso yabuyela kwiindlela zayo—kwimikhwa engamkelekanga kwaphela kuThixo. Njengoko uYehova wayeyalele, amaBhabhiloni amoyisa uYuda aza atshabalalisa isixeko sakhe esilikomkhulu, iYerusalem, ngowama-607 B.C.E. Ukanti, lalisekho ithemba. Umprofeti uYeremiya, uEbhedi-meleki owayengumTiyopiya, inzala kaYonadabhi nabanye ababethembekile kuThixo bafihlwa ngaloo mini yomsindo kaYehova.—Yeremiya 35:18, 19; 39:11, 12, 15-18.
Iintshaba ZikaThixo—Ziyaphawula!
11. Kutheni kulucelomngeni ukuhlala uthembekile kuThixo namhlanje, kodwa iintshaba zikaYehova zifanele zikhumbule ntoni?
11 Ngoxa silindele ukufika kwemini yomsindo kaYehova nxamnye nale nkqubo ingendawo, ‘sihlangabezana nezilingo ezahlukahlukeneyo.’ (Yakobi 1:2) Kumazwe amaninzi azibanga enenkululeko yonqulo, abefundisi abanamaqhinga baye baphembelela amagunya karhulumente ukuba atshutshise abantu bakaThixo ngokukrakra. Abantu abanganyanisekanga baye batyhola amaNgqina kaYehova, besithi “lihlelo eliyingozi.” UThixo uyakwazi oko bakwenzayo—yaye abanakungohlwaywa. Iintshaba zakhe zifanele zikhumbule oko kwenzekayo kwiintshaba zabantu bakhe bamandulo njengamaFilisti. Isiprofeto sithi: “Yona ke iGaza, iya kuba sisixeko esishiyiweyo; neAshkelon iya kuba yinkangala ephanzileyo. Yona ke iAshdode, baya kuyigxotha emini enkulu; yona ke iEkron, iya kuncothulwa.” Izixeko zamaFilisti iGaza, iAshkelon, iAshdode ne-Ekron zaziya kuphanziswa.—Zefaniya 2:4-7.
12. Kwenzeka ntoni kwiFilisti, uMowabhi noAmoni?
12 Esi siprofeto siyaqhubeka sisithi: “Ndikuvile ukungcikiva kukaMowabhi namazwi atshabhisayo oonyana baka-Amoni, abangcikive ngawo abantu bam baza bamana bezigwagwisa nxamnye nommandla wabo.” (Zefaniya 2:8) Liyinyaniso elokuba, iYiputa neTiyopiya zabandezeleka ngenxa yabahlaseli baseBhabhiloni. Kodwa waba yintoni umgwebo kaThixo nxamnye noMowabhi noAmoni, iintlanga ezaziyinzala yomtshana ka-Abraham uLote? UYehova waxela kwangaphambili esithi: “UMowabhi uya kuba kanye njengeSodom, noonyana baka-Amoni njengeGomora.” Ngokungafaniyo nookhokho babo—iintombi zikaLote, ezasindayo ekutshatyalalisweni kweSodom neGomora—uMowabhi noAmoni babengayi kufihlwa nxamnye nemigwebo kaThixo. (Zefaniya 2:9-12; Genesis 19:16, 23-26, 36-38) Namhlanje, iphi iFilisti nezixeko zayo? Kuthekani ngoMowabhi noAmoni ababenekratshi? Ungabafuna uncame.
13. Ziziphi izinto zakudala ezafunyanwa eNinive?
13 Ngomhla kaZefaniya, uBukhosi baseAsiriya babunamandla gqitha. Echaza enye inxalenye yebhotwe awayivumbululayo kwisixeko saseAsiriya esasilikomkhulu laseNinive, umembi wezinto zakudala uAusten Layard wabhala esithi: “Iisilingi zalo . . . zazahlulahlulwe zangamacandelo azizikweri, zinemizobo yeentyatyambo okanye eyezilwanyana. Ezinye zazihonjiswe ngophondo lwendlovu, icandelo ngalinye lalijikelezwe yimiphetho nemihombiso emihle. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba iintsika kuquka amacala amagumbi ayetyhidwe ngegolide, okanye alekwe ngegolide nesilivere; yaye kwakusetyenziswe amaplanga odidi oluphezulu, ekwakubonakala kuwo ngokukhethekileyo umsedare.” Noko ke, njengoko kwakuxelwe kwangaphambili kwisiprofeto sikaZefaniya, iAsiriya yayiza kutshatyalaliswa nesixeko sayo esilikomkhulu, iNinive, sasiza kuba ‘yinkangala ephanzileyo.’—Zefaniya 2:13.
14. Sazaliseka njani isiprofeto sikaZefaniya eNinive?
14 Emva kweminyaka eli-15 kuphela uZefaniya ethethe ngeso siprofeto, iNinive enamandla yatshatyalaliswa, kwindawo eyayinebhotwe layo lasebukhosini kwasala imfungumfungu. Ewe, eso sixeko sebhongo senziwa inkangala. Ukuphanziswa kwaso kwakuxelwe kwangaphambili ngokucacileyo ngala mazwi: “Kokubini ingcwangube nencanda ziya kuchitha ubusuku kanye phakathi kweentsika zayo [eziwileyo] ezineengqukuva zokuhombisa. Ilizwi liya kuvuma efestileni. Kuya kubakho ukuphanziswa embundwini.” (Zefaniya 2:14, 15) Izakhiwo zaseNinive ezihle zaziya kuba yindawo yokuhlala iingcwangube neencanda. Kwakungayi kuphinda kuvakale amazwi abarhwebi, kwizitrato zeso sixeko, ukudanduluka kwabaphumi-mkhosi neengoma zababingeleli. Kwezo zitrato ekwakufudula kuxokozela kuzo, kwakuya kuvakala kuphela ilizwi elingaqhelekanga efestileni, mhlawumbi ingoma elusizi yentaka okanye isandi somoya. Ngamana zonke iintshaba zikaThixo zingaphela ngendlela efanayo!
15. Yintoni enokufundwa koko kwehlela iFilisti, uMowabhi, uAmoni neAsiriya?
15 Yintoni esinokuyifunda koko kwenzeka eFilisti, kwaMowabhi, kwa-Amoni naseAsiriya? Naku esikufundayo: Njengabakhonzi bakaYehova, asinasizathu sakoyika iintshaba zethu. UThixo uyakubona oko kwenziwa ngabo bachasa abantu bakhe. UYehova wathabatha inyathelo nxamnye neentshaba zakhe kwixa elidluleyo, yaye namhlanje uya kuzisa imigwebo yakhe kumhlaba omiweyo uphela. Ukanti, kuya kubakho abasindi—‘isihlwele esikhulu esiphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga.’ (ISityhilelo 7:9) Usenokuba phakathi kwabo—kuphela ukuba uqhubeka ufuna uYehova, ufuna ubulungisa ufuna nolulamo.
Yeha Kubenzi Bobubi Abasileyo!
16. Sathini isiprofeto sikaZefaniya ngeenkosana zakwaYuda neenkokeli zonqulo, yaye kutheni la mazwi eyifanela nje iNgqobhoko?
16 Kwakhona isiprofeto sikaZefaniya sigxininisa kuYuda naseYerusalem. UZefaniya 3:1, 2 uthi: “Yeha lowo uvukelayo nozingcolisayo, isixeko esicinezelayo! Asizange siphulaphule lizwi; asizange samkele luqeqesho. Asizange sikholose ngoYehova. Asizange sisondele kuThixo waso.” Hayi indlela ekulusizi ngayo kuba imigudu kaYehova yokuqeqesha abantu bakhe ingazange ikhathalelwe! Eneneni, iinkosana, izidwangube nabagwebi babengenatarhu ngendlela elusizi. UZefaniya waligxeka kabukhali ihlazo leenkokeli zonqulo, esithi: “Abaprofeti baso babesile, bengamadoda obuqhophololo. Ababingeleli baso babehlambela oko kungcwele; bavukela umthetho.” (Zefaniya 3:3, 4) Hayi indlela loo mazwi ayifanela ngayo imeko yabaprofeti nababingeleli beNgqobhoko namhlanje! Ngenxa yokuqaqadeka baye bashenxisa igama likaThixo kwiinguqulelo zabo zeBhayibhile yaye baye bafundisa iimfundiso ezimmela kakubi Lowo bazibanga bemnqula.
17. Enoba abantu bayaphulaphula okanye akunjalo, kutheni sifanele siqhubeke sivakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo?
17 Ebonisa ulwazelelelo uYehova wabalumkisa abantu bakhe bamandulo ngokuphathelele inyathelo awayeza kulithabatha. Wathumela abakhonzi bakhe abaprofeti—ekwakukho phakathi kwabo uZefaniya noYeremiya—ukuze babongoze abantu ukuba baguquke. Ewe, “UYehova . . . wayengenzi ntswela-bulungisa. Iintsasa ngeentsasa wanikela isigwebo sakhe. Ekukhanyeni kwemini asizange sisilele.” Basabela njani? “Kodwa ongelolungisa wayengalazi ihlazo,” watsho njalo uZefaniya. (Zefaniya 3:5) Nangoku kunikelwa isilumkiso esifanayo. Ukuba ungumvakalisi weendaba ezilungileyo, unesabelo kulo msebenzi wokulumkisa. Qhubeka uvakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo ungayekeleli! Enoba abantu bayaphulaphula okanye akunjalo, uyaphumelela kubulungiseleli bakho ngokwembono kaThixo logama nje ubuphumeza ngokuthembeka; akuyomfuneko ukuba ube neentloni njengoko usenza umsebenzi kaThixo ngenzondelelo.
18. UZefaniya 3:6 uya kuzaliseka njani?
18 Ukuphunyezwa komgwebo kaThixo akuyi kupheleliselwa ekuphanzisweni kweNgqobhoko. Umgwebo kaYehova uquka zonke iintlanga: “Ndazinqumla iintlanga; iinqaba zazo ezisezikoneni zaphanziswa. Ndaziphanzisa izitrato zazo, ukuze kungabikho bani udlulayo. Izixeko zazo zaba yinkangala.” (Zefaniya 3:6) La mazwi athembekile kangangokuba uYehova uthetha ngale ntshabalalo ngokungathi sele yenzekile. Kwenzeka ntoni kwisixeko samaFilisti, kwaMowabhi nakwa-Amoni? Kwenzeka ntoni kwikomkhulu laseAsiriya, iNinive? Ukutshabalala kwazo kusisilumkiso kwiintlanga zanamhlanje. UThixo akangowokuhlekisa.
Qhubeka Ufuna UYehova
19. Yiyiphi imibuzo exhokonxa ingcinga esinokuyibuza?
19 Ngomhla kaZefaniya, umsindo kaThixo wathululelwa kwabo babesithi ngolunya ‘bakhawulezise ukonakalisa zonke izenzo zabo.’ (Zefaniya 3:7) Kuza kwenzeka into efanayo nakweli xesha lethu. Ngaba uyabubona ubungqina bokuba imini yomsindo kaYehova isondele? Ngaba uyaqhubeka ‘ufuna uYehova’ ngokufunda iLizwi lakhe rhoqo—yonke imihla? Ngaba ‘ufuna ubulungisa’ ngokuphila ngendlela ecocekileyo yokuziphatha ngokuvisisana nemilinganiselo kaThixo? Yaye ngaba ‘ufuna ululamo’ ngokubonakalisa isimo sengqondo solulamo nokuzithoba kuThixo nakumalungiselelo akhe osindiso?
20. Yiyiphi imibuzo esiya kuyiqwalasela kwinqaku lokugqibela kolu ngcelele lwesiprofeto sikaZefaniya?
20 Ukuba siqhubeka sifuna uYehova, ubulungisa nolulamo ngokuthembeka, sinokulindela ukunandipha intabalala yeentsikelelo kanye ngoku—ewe, kwanakule ‘mihla yokugqibela’ evavanya ukholo. (2 Timoti 3:1-5; IMizekeliso 10:22) Kodwa sisenokuzibuza, ‘Ziziphi iindlela esisikelelwa ngazo njengabakhonzi bakaYehova banamhlanje, yaye isiprofeto sikaZefaniya sibathembisa ziphi iintsikelelo kwixa elizayo abo baya kufihlwa ngemini yomsindo kaYehova esondela ngokukhawuleza?’
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
• Abantu ‘bamfuna njani uYehova’?
• Yintoni ebandakanyekileyo ‘ekufuneni ubulungisa’?
• ‘Sinokulufuna njani ululamo’?
• Kutheni sifanele siqhubeke sifuna uYehova, ubulungisa nolulamo?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]
Ngaba ufuna uYehova ngofundisiso lweBhayibhile nangomthandazo osuk’ entliziyweni?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]
Ngenxa yokuba siqhubeka sifuna uYehova, isihlwele esikhulu siya kusinda ngemini yomsindo wakhe