Isahluko 33
Ukuqhubeka Elindile
“EKUBENI uYesu ngokucacileyo wathi kwakungekho mntu wayenokuwazi ‘loo mhla’ okanye ‘ilixa’ laxa uYise eya kuyalela unyana wakhe ukuba ‘aze’ ukuze atshabalalise le nkqubo yezinto ingendawo kaSathana, bambi basenokubuza bathi: ‘Kutheni kungxamiseke kangaka ukuphila silindele isiphelo?’ Kungxamisekile kuba phantse kwakumba ofanayo uYesu wongezelela wathi: ‘Lumkani, musani ukulala . . . lindani.’ (Marko 13:32-35)”—IMboniselo, Disemba 1, 1984.
AmaNgqina kaYehova ebelindile kangangamashumi eminyaka ngoku. Ebelinde ntoni? Ebelinde ukuza kukaYesu esemandleni oBukumkani ukuze agwebe inkqubo yezinto kaSathana engendawo nokuze adlulisele zonke iingenelo zolawulo loBukumkani bakhe emhlabeni wonke! (Mat. 6:9, 10; 24:30; Luka 21:28; 2 Tes. 1:7-10) Aba balindileyo bayazi ukuba “umqondiso” wobukho bukaYesu ububonakala ukususela ngowe-1914 nokuba le nkqubo ikhoyo yezinto yangena kwimihla yayo yokugqibela ngaloo nyaka.—Mat. 24:3–25:46.
Kodwa, de kube ngoku, uYesu akekezi njengoMgwebi noMkhululi. Ngoko amaNgqina kaYehova ayijonga njani imeko akuyo ngoku?
‘Aqinisekile’ Ngolwazi Analo
Njengebandla lomhlaba wonke, ‘anokuqonda okuqinisekileyo.’ (Kol. 2:2) Oku akuthethi ukuba avakalelwa kukuba aziqonda zonke iinkcukacha zeenjongo zikaYehova. Ayaqhubeka ezihlolisisa iZibhalo ngengqondo ephangaleleyo, ibe ayaqhubeka efunda. Kodwa oko akufundayo akuyiguquli imbono yawo esisiseko ngeenyaniso ezisisiseko zeLizwi likaThixo. ‘Aqinisekile’ ngezi nyaniso zisisiseko; sele kungamashumi eminyaka ngoku eziqonda yaye ezamkela. Phofu ke, oko akufundayo ngokuqhubekayo kuyayiphucula indlela ayiqonda ngayo indlela izibhalo ezithile ezidibana ngayo nazo zonke iinyaniso zeBhayibhile nendlela anokusisebenzisa ngokuzele ngakumbi ngayo isiluleko seLizwi likaThixo kubomi bawo.
AmaNgqina kaYehova ‘akwaqinisekile’ nangamadinga kaThixo. Anentembelo epheleleyo yokuba akukho nalinye idinga lakhe elingayi kuzalisekisa zonke iinkcukacha zalo nokuba onke aya kuzaliseka ngexesha alimisileyo. Iziprofeto zeBhayibhile azibonileyo zizaliseka ziwashiya eqiniseke ngokupheleleyo ukuba eli hlabathi ‘likwixesha lalo lokuphela’ nokuba idinga likaThixo lehlabathi elitsha lobulungisa liza kuzaliseka kungentsuku zatywala.—Dan. 12:4, 9; ISityhi. 21:1-5.
Ngoko, yintoni afanele ayenze? UYesu wawayalela wathi: “Lumkani, musani ukulala, . . . kuba anilazi ukuba linini na ixesha elo. Lindani ngoko . . . hleze afike [iNkosi] ngebhaqo, anifumane nilele. Oko ndikutsho kuni, ndikutsho kubo bonke, Lindani.” (Marko 13:33, 35-37) AmaNgqina kaYehova ayiqonda kakuhle imfuneko yokuhlala elindile.
Ulangazelelo olugqithiseleyo ebelubonakalisa ngamanye amaxesha ngokuphathelele ukuzaliseka kweziprofeto ezithile alubuguquli ubungqina obandayo ukususela ngeMfazwe Yehlabathi I bokuba sisekuqoshelisweni kwale nkqubo yezinto. Ngokuqinisekileyo, kulunge ngakumbi ukuba nenzondelelo—kwanokuba nenzondelelo egqithisileyo—yokufuna ukuqinisekisa ukuba ukuthanda kukaThixo kuyafezwa kunokulala ngokomoya ngokuphathelele ukuzaliseka kweenjongo zakhe!—Thelekisa uLuka 19:11; IZenzo 1:6; 1 Tesalonika 5:1, 2, 6.
Kubandakanya ntoni ukuhlala silindile?
Ukuhlala Silindile—Njani?
AmaKristu ahlala elindile awalindi esonge izandla. Nakanye! Amele ahlale ekwimeko efanelekileyo ngokomoya ukuze xa uYesu efika enguMgwebi, angqineke ekwanguMkhululi wawo. (Luka 21:28) UYesu walumkisa: “Zilumkeleni ke, hleze zisindwe iintliziyo zenu kukuzingxala, nakukunxila, nangamaxhala obu bomi, ize loo mini inifikele ngebhaqo. . . . Phaphani.” (Luka 21:34-36) Ngaloo ndlela, amaKristu ahlala elindile kuqala amele ‘azilumkele,’ akuphaphele ukuphila usuku ngalunye ngendlela efanele umKristu. Amele ahlale eziphaphele iimbopheleleko zamaKristu yaye ayiphephe ihambo engeyiyo eyobuKristu eluphawu lwehlabathi ‘elilele kongendawo.’ (1 Yoh. 5:19; Roma 13:11-14) Xa uKristu esiza, umele awafumane elungile.
Ngoobani abaye bahlala bephaphile, bekwimeko efanelekileyo yokomoya? Ingxelo yembali eboniswe kwizahluko ezingaphambili zale mpapasho ibonisa ukuba ngamaNgqina kaYehova. Ngokucacileyo ayithabatha njengenzulu imbopheleleko ebandakanyekileyo ekubeni ngamaKristu. Ngokomzekelo, ngexesha lemfazwe, aye akulungela ukuzibeka esichengeni sokuvalelwa entolongweni nokubulawa ngenxa yokuyiphaphela imbopheleleko yokungabi yonxalenye yehlabathi nokubonakalisa uthando lokungazingci omnye ngomnye. (Yoh. 13:34, 35; 17:14, 16) Xa abantu bewabukele kwiiHolo zawo zoBukumkani, kwiindibano zawo ezinkulu nakwimisebenzi yawo yengqesho bayachukumiseka ‘yihambo yawo entle.’ (1 Pet. 2:12) Kweli hlabathi ‘liphelelwe ziintloni,’ aziwa ngokuphila ubomi bokunyaniseka, nokuziphatha ngokucocekileyo.—Efe. 4:19-24, NW; 5:3-5.
Phofu ke, ukuhlala uphaphile kubandakanya okungakumbi ‘kunokuzilumkela.’ Umlindi umele azise abanye ngoko akubonayo. Ngeli xesha lesiphelo, amaKristu alindileyo awubona ngokucacileyo umqondiso wobukho bukaKristu amele avakalise kwabanye ‘iindaba ezilungileyo zobukumkani’ ibe amele abalumkise ngelokuba kungekudala uKristu uza kuza ukuze aphumeze umgwebo kule nkqubo ingendawo yezinto. (Mat. 24:14, 30, 44) Ngale ndlela anceda abanye bafanelekele ukuzuza “inkululeko.”—Luka 21:28.
Ngoobani abangqineke belindile ngokulumkisa abanye? AmaNgqina kaYehova aziwa emhlabeni wonke ngenzondelelo yawo ekuvakaliseni igama likaThixo noBukumkani bakhe. Ukushumayela awakushiyeli kudidi lwabefundisi olukhethiweyo kuphela. Ayaqonda ukuba kuyimbopheleleko yawo onke amakholwa. Akugqala njengenxalenye ebalulekileyo yonqulo lwawo. (Roma 10:9, 10; 1 Kor. 9:16) Ibe yintoni imiphumo?
Ngoku alibandla elandayo lamalungu akhutheleyo azizigidi kumazwe angaphezu kwama-220 emhlabeni wonke. (Isa. 60:22; thelekisa IZenzo 2:47; 6:7; 16:5.) Abanye babona rhulumente banamandla embalini yoluntu baye bawuvala umsebenzi wawo, bada bawabamba baza bawavalela entolongweni. Kodwa amaNgqina kaYehova aye aqhubeka evakalisa uBukumkani bukaThixo! Uzimiselo lwawo lufana nolo lwabapostile abathi, besakuyalelwa ukuba bayeke ukushumayela, bathi: “Kuba singenako thina ukuthi singazithethi izinto esazibonayo, esazivayo.” “Simelwe kukuthi sive uThixo [njengomlawuli, NW] kunokuba sive abantu.”—IZe. 4:18-20; 5:27-29.
“Wulinde”
Imeko yamaNgqina kaYehova namhlanje iyafana naleyo yamaKristu akwaYuda ngenkulungwane yokuqala. UYesu wayewanike umqondiso ayeya kwazi ngawo xa yayilixesha lokusaba eYerusalem ngaloo ndlela ebaleka ukutshatyalaliswa kwayo. UYesu wathi, ‘Xa nithe nayibona iYerusalem irhawulwe yimikhosi, sabani.’ (Luka 21:20-23) Ngaphezulwana nje kweminyaka engama-30 kamva, ngowama-66 C.E., iYerusalem yayirhawulwe yimikhosi yamaRoma. Xa ngequbuliso imikhosi yamaRoma yarhoxayo ngaphandle kwesizathu, amaKristu elakwaYuda alandela imiyalelo kaYesu aza asaba—engasabi nje eYerusalem kuphela kodwa kulo lonke ilizwe lakwaYuda—aya kwisixeko esisePereya esibizwa ngokuba yiPella.
Alinda apho, ekhuselekile. Unyaka wama-67 C.E. wagaleleka wedlula. Owama-68 wagaleleka waza wadedela owama-69. Kodwa, iYerusalem yayisakhululekile. Ngaba babefanele babuyele? Ngapha koko, uYesu akazange atsho ukuba bafanele balinde ixesha elingakanani. Kodwa ukuba bakho ababuyelayo, makube bazisola ngokwenene, kuba ngowama-70 C.E. umkhosi omkhulu wamaRoma wabuya nto leyo eyabangela ukuba ukuhlasela kwawo kube njengesikhukula esasingenakunqandwa, ibe ngoku awuzange urhoxe. Kunoko, watshabalalisa eso sixeko waza wabulala abantu abangaphezu kwesigidi. Makube loo maKristu akwaYuda ayesePella avuya ngokwenene ngenxa yokuba ahlala elindele ixesha likaYehova lokuphumeza umgwebo!
Kuyafana nangabo bahlala belindile namhlanje. Baqonda kakuhle ukuba okukhona sisiya singena nzulu kweli xesha lokuphela, kokukhona kuya kuba nzima ukuhlala silinde ukuza kukaYesu. Kodwa abaphelelwanga lukholo ngokuphathelele amazwi kaYesu athi: “Inene ndithi kuni, Asisayi kudlula esi sizukulwana, zingadanga zonke ezo zinto zibekho.” (Mat. 24:34) Ibinzana elithi “ezo zinto” libhekisela kwiinkalo ezahlukahlukeneyo ‘zomqondiso’ oyintlanganisela. Lo mqondiso ububonakala ukususela ngowe-1914 ibe uya kuphela ‘kwimbandezelo enkulu.’ (Mat. 24:21) ‘Isizukulwana’ esasiphila ngowe-1914 siyaphela ngokukhawuleza. Isiphelo simele ukuba asikude.
Kwangaxeshanye, amaNgqina kaYehova azimisele ngokwenene ukuqhubeka elindile, enokholo ngokupheleleyo ukuba uThixo uya kuwaphumeza onke amadinga akhe ngexesha lakhe elifanelekileyo! Awanikela ingqalelo amazwi kaYehova awawathetha kumprofeti uHabhakuki. Ngokuphathelele oko kwakubonakala ngathi kukunyamezela kukaYehova ubungendawo kubukumkani bakwaYuda ebudeni benxalenye engasekupheleni yenkulungwane yesixhenxe Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, uYehova waxelela lo mprofeti oku: “Bhala umbono [omayela nokuphela kweemeko ezicinezelayo], uwukrole kakuhle emacwecweni, ukuze abaleke [“atyibilike,” NW] owulesayo. Kuba umbono usaya kuba ngowexesha elimisiweyo, ukhawulezela ekupheleni, angathethi wona amanga; ukuba uthe [wabonakala ngathi uyazilazila], wulinde, kuba uya kuza, awuyi kubuya umva.” (Hab. 1:2, 3; 2:2, 3) Ngokufanayo, amaNgqina kaYehova anentembelo kubulungisa nokusesikweni kukaYehova, yaye oku kuyawanceda ahlale elungelelene aze alindele “ixesha elimisiweyo” likaYehova.
Iimvakalelo zamaNgqina kaYehova zachazwa kakuhle nguF. W. Franz, owabhaptizwa ngowe-1913. Ngowe-1991, njengomongameli weWatch Tower Society, wathi:
“Ithemba lethu liqinisekile, yaye liya kuzalisekiswa ngokupheleleyo kuwo onke amalungu okugqibela omhlambi omncinane ali-144 000 ngomlinganiselo ongaphezu kwesakha sawuthelekelela. Thina bentsalela ababekho ngonyaka we-1914, xa sasilindele ukuba sonke siye ezulwini, asikayeki ukulixabisa elo themba. Kodwa sisaqinile kulo unangoku, yaye okukhona silinda ngakumbi kokukhona siya silixabisa ngakumbi. Liyinto efanele ukulindwa, kwanokuba bekufuneka lilindwe iminyaka esisigidi. Ithemba lethu ndiligqala njengelixabisekileyo kunanini na ngaphambili, yaye andifuni kuze ndiphulukane noxabiso lwam ngalo. Ithemba lomhlambi omncinane likwaqinisekisa ukuba, ngokuqinisekileyo, ulindelo lwesihlwele esikhulu sezinye izimvu luya kuzalisekiswa ngaphezu kunoko sinokukuthelekelela. Kungenxa yoko sisabambelele ngokuqinileyo kude kube ngoku, yaye siza kuqhubeka sibambelele ngokuqinileyo de uThixo angqineke enyanisile ‘kumadinga akhe amakhulukazi nanqabileyo.’”—2 Pet. 1:4; Num. 23:19; Roma 5:5.
Lisondela ngokukhawuleza ixesha laxa ubukho bukaKristu esemandleni oBukumkani buya kubonakaliswa ngokucacileyo kulo lonke uluntu. Ngoko, abo balindileyo baya ‘kuzuzana nalo idinga.’ (Heb. 10:36) Eneneni, ulindelo lwabo luya ‘kuzalisekiswa ngaphezu kunoko banokukuthelekelela.’ Hayi indlela abaya kuvuya babe nombulelo ngayo kuba kule mihla yokugqibela yale nkqubo ingendawo yezinto, bengabo baqhubeka belindile, abo bavakalisa uBukumkani bukaThixo ngenzondelelo!
[Blurb on page 713]
Aqiniseke ngokupheleleyo ukuba eli hlabathi ‘likwixesha lalo lokuphela’
[Blurb on page 714]
Akuphaphele ukuphila usuku ngalunye ngendlela efanele umKristu
[Blurb on page 715]
Ngoobani abangqineke belindile ngokulumkisa abanye?
[Blurn on page 716]
“Ithemba lethu ndiligqala njengeli-xabisekileyo kunanini na ngaphambili, yaye andifuni kuze ndiphulukane noxabiso lwam ngalo”—F. W. Franz
[Box/Picture on page 717]
Iingxelo Zokunikelwa Kobungqina Emhlabeni Wonke
Unyaka Amazwe
1920 ....... 46
1925 ....... 83
1930 ....... 87
1935 ...... 115
1940 ...... 112
1945 ...... 107
1950 ...... 147
1955 ...... 164
1960 ...... 187
1965 ...... 201
1970 ...... 208
1975 ...... 212
1980 ...... 217
1985 ...... 222
1992 ...... 229
Inani Lamazwe
Inani lamazwe libalwe ngokwendlela umhlaba owawahlulahlulwe ngayo ekuqaleni kweminyaka yee-1990, kungekhona ngokwendlela eliye lahlulahlulwa ngayo ngokwezobupolitika, ngokomzekelo, ngexesha ookumkani abathile babelawula imimandla ngoku eyahlulahlulwe yangamazwe aliqela azimeleyo.
Unyaka Amaba.
1940 ...... 5 130
1945 ...... 7 218
1950 ...... 13 238
1955 ...... 16 044
1960 ...... 21 008
1965 ...... 24 158
1970 ...... 26 524
1975 ...... 38 256
1980 ...... 43 181
1985 ...... 49 716
1992 ...... 69 558
Inani Lamabandla
Ngaphambi kowe-1938 akuzange kugcinwe ngxelo ichanileyo yawo onke amabandla awayekho.
Unyaka Abava.
1935 .. ... 56 153
1940 ...... 96 418
1945 ..... 156 299
1950 .... 373 430
1955 ..... 642 929
1960 ..... 916 332
1965 ... 1 109 806
1970 ... 1 483 430
1975 ... 2 179 256
1980 ... 2 272 278
1985 ... 3 024 131
1992 ... 4 472 787
Inani Labavakalisi BoBukumkani
Indlela yokubala abavakalisi yaguquka izihlandlo eziliqela ebudeni beminyaka yee-1920 nasekuqaleni kweminyaka yee-1930. Iingxelo zebandla zazithunyelwa kuMbutho veki nganye, kunokuba zithunyelwe kanye ngenyanga. (Ukuthumela ingxelo ngenyanga kwaqalisa ngo-Oktobha 1932.) Ukuze abalwe njengomsebenzi weklasi (umvakalisi webandla), kwakufuneka ubani achithe ubuncinane iiyure ezi-3 ngeveki (okanye ezili-12 ngenyanga) kwinkonzo yasentsimini, ngokutsho kwe-“Bulletin” kaJanuwari 1, 1929. Ii-“sharpshooters” (abavakalisi abakwanti) zazimele zichithe ubuncinane iiyure ezimbini ngeveki ekushumayeleni.
Unyaka Oovu.lindlela
1920 ......... 480
1925 ....... 1 435
1930 ....... 2 897
1935 ....... 4 655
1940 ....... 5 251
1945 ....... 6 721
1950 ...... 14 093
1955 ...... 17 011
1960 ...... 30 584
1965 ...... 47 853
1970 ...... 88 871
1975 ...... 130 225
1980 ...... 137 861
1985 ...... 322 821
1992 ...... 605 610
Oovulindlela
Amanani adweliswe apha aquka oovulindlela abathe ngxi, oovulindlela abangabancedani, oovulindlela abakhethekileyo, abavangeli basemazweni, abaveleli besiphaluka, nabaveleli besithili. Ngaphambili oovulindlela babesaziwa ngegama elithi “colporteurs,” ibe oovulindlela abangabancedani njengee-“colporteurs” ezingabancedani. Inkoliso yala manani yimilinganiselo yeenyanga.
Unyaka Izifu. ZeBha.
1945 ....... 104 814
1950 ...... 234 952
1955 ....... 337 456
1960 ....... 646 108
1965 ....... 770 595
1970 ..... 1 146 378
1975 ..... 1 411 256
1980 ..... 1 371 584
1985 ..... 2 379 146
1992 ..... 4 278 127
Izifundo ZeBhayibhile Zamakhaya
Ebudeni beminyaka yee-1930, zazikho izifundo ezithile ezaziqhutywa nabantu, kodwa ngokufuthi kwakugxininiswa ekufundiseni abantu indlela yokuzifundela, nasekulungelelaniseni izifundo ekwakunokuza kuzo abantu abanomdla kuloo mmandla. Kamva, xa abantu abathile bebonakalisa umdla wokwenene, babeqhutyelwa izifundo de babhaptizwe. Kamva, kwakhuthazwa ukuba isifundo siqhutywe de loo mntu abe uncedwe ngokwaneleyo ukuba abe ngumKristu oqolileyo.
Iminyaka Iiyure
1930-35....... 42 205 307
1936-40 ....... 63 026 188
1941-45 ...... 149 043 097
1946-50 ...... 240 385 017
1951-55 ...... 370 550 156
1956-60 ...... 555 859 540
1961-65 ...... 760 049 417
1966-70 .... 1 070 677 035
1971-75 .... 1 637 744 774
1976-80 .... 1 646 356 541
1981-85 .... 2 276 287 442
1986-92 .... 5 912 814 412
Isimbuku Seeyure
Ingxelo yexesha yayingangeniswa de kwaba ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yee-1920. Indlela yokubala iiyure yaguquka izihlandlo eziliqela: Ekuqaleni kweminyaka yee-1930, kwakubalwa kuphela ixesha elichithelwe ekunikeleni ubungqina kwindlu ngendlu—kungekhona elalichithelwe kumatyelelo okubuyela. Ngoxa ingxelo eboniswe apha ichukumisa ngokwenene, eneneni ingumyinge nje kuphela wexesha elininzi elichithelwe ngamaNgqina kaYehova emsebenzini wokuvakalisa uBukumkani bukaThixo.
Iminyaka Uncwa. Olusa.
1920-25 ....... 38 757 639
1926-30 ....... 64 878 399
1931-35 ...... 144 073 004
1936-40 ...... 164 788 909
1941-45 ...... 178 265 670
1946-50 ...... 160 027 404
1951-55 ...... 237 151 701
1956-60 ...... 493 202 895
1961-65 ...... 681 903 850
1966-70 ...... 935 106 627
1971-75 .... 1 407 578 681
1976-80 .... 1 380 850 717
1981-85 .... 1 504 980 839
1986-92 .... 2 715 998 934
Uncwadi Olusasaziweyo
Ngaphandle kwakwiimeko ezimbalwa, amanani eminyaka yangaphambi kowe-1940 awawaquki amaphephancwadi awahanjiswayo, nangona kwasasazwa izigidi zawo. Amanani asusela kowe-1940 aquka iincwadi, iincwadana, iincwadana ezinemifanekiso namaphephancwadi, kodwa kungekhona amakhulu ezigidi amaphecana nawo aye asetyenziselwa ukuvusa umdla kwisigidimi soBukumkani. Xa lulonke uncwadi oluhanjiswe ukususela kowe-1920 ukusa kowe-1992 ngeelwimi ezingaphezu kwama-290 olungama-10 107 565 269 lunikela ubungqina bokuba kuye kwanikelwa ubungqina obugqithiseleyo emhlabeni wonke.
Unyaka Abezi. Abatha.
1935 ...... 63 146 ... 52 465
1940 ...... 96 989 ... 27 711
1945 ..... 186 247 ... 22 328
1950 ..... 511 203 ... 22 723
1955 ..... 878 303 ... 16 815
1960 ... 1 519 821 ... 13 911
1965 ... 1 933 089 ... 11 550
1970 ... 3 226 168 ... 10 526
1975 ... 4 925 643 ... 10 550
1980 ... 5 726 656 .... 9 564
1985 ... 7 792 109 .... 9 051
1992 .. 11 431 171 .... 8 683
Abezayo Esikhumbuzweni Nabathabathayo
Ngaphambi kowe-1932, amanani afumanekayo ababekho eSikhumbuzweni ngokufuthi awaphelelanga. Maxa wambi, kuphela ngamaqela awayenabantu abali-15, 20, 30, okanye ngakumbi awayequkwa xa kupapashwa isimbuku. Okubangel’ umdla kukuba inkoliso yeminyaka enamanani afumanekayo ibonisa ukuba ubuncinane abathile ababekho abazange bathabathe. Ngowe-1933 umahluko wawumalunga nama-3 000.