Ixesha Lokucikidwa Nelokuhluzwa
“Iya kuza ke ngesiquphe etempileni yayo iNkosi leyo niyifunayo; kwaumthunywa womnqophiso . . . Uya kuhlala ke engumnyibilikisi, engumcoci.”—MALAKI 3:1, 3.
1, 2. (a) Zazinjani iimeko kubantu bakaThixo ngenkulungwane yesihlanu Ngaphambi Kwexesha Eliqhelekileyo? (b) Kutheni isiprofeto sikaMalaki sifanele sibangele umdla kuthi?
“UPHI na uThixo wokugweba?” Abo baphakamisa loo mbuzo ucel’ umngeni emva phayaa ngenkulungwane yesihlanu Ngaphambi Kwexesha Eliqhelekileyo bakwathi: “Akunto yanto ukumkhonza uThixo.” Ukubola okungokonqulo nokokuziphatha kwabantu bakaThixo, amaYuda, kwaye kwabangela ukuba kuthandabuzeke ukuba sesikweni kukaThixo. Kodwa amehlo kaThixo oyinyaniso, ongozeliyo, ayephezu kwawo. Ibe wathuma umprofeti ongumHebhere uMalaki ukuba awazise ukuba umsebenzi wokucoca, ixesha lokucikidwa nelokuhluzwa, wawusengaphambili. Babeya kuthi ke bamazi apho akhoyo “uThixo wokugweba” xa wafika ngesiquphe eze kugweba!—Malaki 2:17; 3:1, 14, 15.
2 Isiprofeto sikaMalaki sifanele sibangele umdla ongakumbi kuthi kunokuba sibe yimbali nje. Ngoba? Kungenxa yokuba ngokucacileyo siyazaliseka kumhla wethu. (Roma 15:4) Ewe, abantu bakaYehova namhlanje bebetyhubela ixesha lokucikidwa nelokuhluzwa! Njani? Ukusihlolisisa ngenyameko isiprofeto sikaMalaki kuya kusinceda ukuba siphendule.
3. Yintoni eyayisenziwa kwinkqubo yokusulungekisa yamandulo?
3 Kodwa, okokuqala, kutheni uYehova evumela abantu bakhe ukuba bacikidwe baze bahluzwe? ‘Njengomcikidi weentliziyo,’ unenjongo yokusulungekisa abantu bakhe abalungelelanisiweyo. (IMizekeliso 17:3; INdumiso 66:10) Kumaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile inkqubo yokusulungekisa yayisenziwa ngokufudunyezwa kwesinyithi ukusa kwelona qondo liphakamileyo lokunyibilikisa kuze ke kongulwe ukungcola okanye okungafunekiyo. Sifunda oku: “Umsulungekisi ukondela ngokuzimisela okukhulu okwenzekayo, enoba umile okanye uhleli phantsi, de . . . isinyithi esinyityilikiswe [sangamanzi] sibonakale sinjengesipili esimenyezeliswe kakhulu, sibonisa yonke into engakuso; kwanomsulungekisi ngokwakhe, njengokuba ekhangela kwisinyithi, unokuzibona njengasesipilini, yaye ngaloo ndlela unokugqiba ngeyona ndlela ichanileyo mayela nokusulungeka kwesinyithi. Ukuba wanelisekile, umlilo uyacinywa, size isinyithi sishenxiswe eziko; kodwa ukuba akasijongi njengesisulungekileyo, kongezelelwa enye ilothe ize le nkqubo iphindwe kwakhona.” (Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, nguJ. McClintock no J. Strong) Igolide okanye isilivere esulungekiswe ngolo hlobo yayixabiseke gqitha.—Thelekisa ISityhilelo 3:18.
4. Kutheni uYehova evumela ukuba bacikidwe baze bahluzwe abantu bakhe?
4 UYehova uvumela ukuba kucikidwe yaye kuhluzwe abantu bakhe ukuze basulungekiswe, ebanceda ukuba bawubonakalise ngokuchane ngakumbi umfanekiselo wakhe. (Efese 5:1) Kwinkqubo yokusulungekisa, wongula okungafunekiyo ngokushenxisa iimfundiso noqheliselo olungacocekanga. (Isaya 1:25) Kwakhona phakathi kwabantu bakhe uhluza abo bangavumiyo ukuzithoba kwinkqubo yokusulungekisa ‘nabazizikhubekiso, nabo benza okuchasene nomthetho.’ Oku kugeca indlela yokuba ‘oonyana bobukumkani,’ amaSirayeli okomoya, babengezele njengesikhanyiso ukuze udidi lwasemhlabeni nalo luhlanganiswe luze lumanyane kunye nabo belungelelaniselwe ukusinda.—Mateyu 13:38, 41, 43; Filipi 2:15.
Uthumo LukaMalaki
5, 6. (a) Ngoobani, ngokukodwa, ababengoonobangela bokuba amaSirayeli abe kumgangatho ophantsi ngokomoya ngomhla kaMalaki? Ngoba? (b) Oku kwaba nawuphi umphumo ombi kumaSirayeli xa ewonke?
5 UMalaki waprofeta ngoku emva kowama-443 B.C.E., phantse kwithuba elingangenkulungwane emva kokuba abathinjwa abangamaYuda babuyayo bevela eBhabhiloni. Kwakusele kudlule iminyaka engaphezu kwama-70 ukususela ekunikezelweni kwetempile eyayiphinde yakhiwa nguZerubhabheli. Imeko yokomoya yamaSirayeli yayikumgangatho ophantsi. Ngoobani, ngokukodwa, ababengoonobangela bale meko? Yayingababingeleli! Babengoonobangela bayo njani? ‘Babelidelile’ igama likaYehova ngokwamkela iminikelo yezinto ezigulayo neziziziqhwala. (Malaki 1:6-8) ‘Babakhubekisa abaninzi kuwo umyalelo’ ngokungakwazi ukufundisa abantu nangokubonakalisa ukukheth’ ubuso ekugwebeni.—Malaki 2:6-9; Yakobi 3:1.
6 Ngenxa yoko, amaSirayeli xa ewonke aqalisa ukukuthandabuza ukuxabiseka kokukhonza uThixo, ade angavumi ukunikela isishumi esasifunwa ngumthetho. (Malaki 3:6-10, 14, 15; Levitikus 27:30) Ayengawugcinanga gqitha uMthetho kaThixo kangangokuba wambi awo ‘abanginizela’ abafazi bawo, ngokucacileyo ekwenza oko ngokuqhawula umtshato ukuze atshate abafazi abangabahedeni. Ewe, uqheliselo olucekiseke ngolo hlobo olunjengokukhafula, ukukrexeza, ukuxoka nokuqhatha ngoku Iwalesamele phakathi kwabantu bakaThixo!—Malaki 2:10-16; 3:5.
7, 8. Umprofeti uMalaki wayethunywe ntoni?
7 Uthumo lukaMalaki lwalucacile. Ngendlela engqalileyo wababhenca ababingeleli abangenankathalo, yaye wenza abantu ukuba bayiqonde eyona meko yabo yokomoya. Kanti, wabonisa ukuba uThixo wenceba enothando wayekulungele ukubaxolela. UYehova wababongoza wathi, “Buyelani kum, ndibuyele kuni.” (Malaki 3:7) UMalaki waxela kwangaphambili ukuba “iNkosi” yayiza kuza etempileni yayo ize kugweba. Ababingeleli kwakufuneka becocekile ukuze “babe ngabazisa umnikelo kaYehova benobulungisa.” (Malaki 3:1-3) Ukongezelela, abantu baziswa ukuba “iNkosi” yayiya kuba “lingqina elikhawulezayo” nxamnye nabo babezingisa ekwenzeni izinto ezingamasikizi.—Malaki 3:5.
8 UMalaki wenza ngokuvisisana nothumo lwakhe; wasihlokomisa isilumkiso. Awakuthethayo kwakukokwengenelo kubabingeleli nakubantu bomhla wakhe. Noko ke, kwadlula iinkulungwane eziliqela ngaphambi kokuba iinkalo ezithile zesiprofeto sakhe zizaliseke okokuqala.
Inzaliseko Yaso Ngenkulungwane Yokuqala
9. Ngokwenzaliseko yesiprofeto sikaMalaki, wayengubani “umthunywa?” Kutheni uphendula njalo nje?
9 Ethetha kwitrone yakhe ephakamileyo ezulwini, uMgwebi Omkhulu uthi: “Yabona, ndiya kuthuma umthunywa wam, agece [alungiselele, NW] indlela phambi kwam.” (Malaki 3:1a) Yayingubani loo “mthunywa”? Umbhali weBhayibhile uMarko uhlanganisa isiprofeto sikaMalaki 3:1 nesikaIsaya 40:3 aze zozibini azisebenzise kuYohane uMbhaptizi. (Marko 1:1-4) NoYesu Kristu, kamva wafanisa uYohane njengaloo “mthunywa.” (Mateyu 11:10-14) Ngoko ngentlakohlaza yowama-29 C.E., uYohane uMbhaptizi waqalisa umsebenzi wakhe ‘njengomthunywa,’ umanduleli. Wayeza kulungiselela indlela yokuza kukaYehova eze kugweba ngokuthi enze amaSirayeli ukuba alungele ukuza koMmeli Oyintloko kaThixo, uYesu Kristu.
10. UYohane uMbhaptizi wasebenza njani ‘ukulungisela uYehova abantu abalungisiweyo’? (Luka 1:17)
10 Ukuthunywa kukaYohane kwangaphambi kwexesha kwakubonakalisa ububele obunothando bukaThixo kumaYuda. Kulwalamano lomnqophiso noYehova, kwakufuneka eguqukile kwizono zawo ezinxamnye noMthetho. UYohane wayilungelelanisa imicimbi engokonqulo waza wabhenca ukuhanahanisa okungokonqulo. (Mateyu 3:1-3, 7-12) Wakhuthaza amaYuda awayeneentliziyo ezinyanisekileyo ukuba alindele uKristu awayenokuthi amlandele.—Yohane 1:35-37.
11. Sinokuyichaza njani “iNkosi” eyayiza kuza etempileni ngesiquphe?
11 Isiprofeto sikaMalaki sihlabela mgama sisithi: “Iya kuza ke ngesiquphe etempileni yayo iNkosi leyo niyifunayo; kwaumthunywa womnqophiso enimlangazelelayo, yabona, uyeza; utsho uYehova wemikhosi.” (Malaki 3:1b) Yayingubani le “Nkosi” yayiza kuza etempileni yayo “ngesiquphe” okanye ngokungalindelekanga? Ibinzana lesiHebhere elisetyenzisiweyo nguha·’A·dhohnʹ. Ukusetyenziswa kwegama elithi ha ngaphambi kwesibizo esingu-’A·dhohnʹ (“iNkosi”) kwenza ukuba ukusetyenziswa kweli gama kupheleliselwe ngokukhethekileyo kuYehova uThixo. Eneneni, uYehova wayeza kuza ‘kwitempile Yakhe.’—Habhakuki 2:20; INdumiso 11:4.
12. Ngubani “umthunywa womnqophiso,” yaye ‘ungumthunywa’ wawuphi “umnqophiso”?
12 Emva kokuba ekhankanye umthunywa omnye, uMalaki wabonisa ukuba “iNkosi” yayiya kuza ‘kwitempile Yayo’ iphelekwa ngomnye umthunywa owahlukileyo, “umthunywa womnqophiso.” Wayeza kuba ngubani lo mthunywa? Kaloku, ngenxa yendlela izinto ezenzeka ngayo, kusengqiqweni ukugqiba kwelokuba lo “mthunywa womnqophiso” nguYesu Kristu, lowo uYohane uMbhaptizi wamchaza kubafundi bakhe ‘njengeMvana kaThixo.’ (Yohane 1:29-34) UMesiya ‘ungumthunywa’ wawuphi “umnqophiso”? Ubungqina obukuLuka 1:69-75 nakwiZenzo 3:12, 19-26 bubonisa ukuba ngumnqophiso ka-Abraham, ngesizinzi sokuba amaYuda ayengabantu bokuqala ukunikwa ithuba lokuba abe ziindlalifa zoBukumkani.
13. “Inkosi” uYehova yayiza kuza etempileni ngayiphi ingqiqo?
13 “INkosi” uYehova ayizange ize ngokobuqu kwitempile yokoqobo eseYerusalem. (1 Kumkani 8:27) Yeza ngokumelwa, oko kukuthi, ‘ngomthunywa wayo womnqophiso,’ uYesu Kristu, oweza egameni likaYehova yaye exhaswa ngumoya oyingcwele kaThixo.a
14. (a) Kutheni le nto ukucoca kukaYesu itempile ngowama-30 C.E. ngokucacileyo kwakungumqondiso nje woko kwakuza kwenzeka? (b) Itempile yacocwa njani yaye nini ngokwenzaliseko kaMalaki 3:1?
14 Ekwindla lowama-30 C.E., uYesu weza kwitempile kaYehova eseYerusalem waza wabadudulela phandle abo babeyenza “indlu yokuthengisela.” (Yohane 2:13-16) Kodwa oku kwakungumqondiso woko kwakuza kwenzeka ukuze kuzaliseke isiprofeto sikaMalaki. Emva kwesi siganeko, ‘njengomthunywa’ uYohane waqhubeka ebhaptiza yaye esalathisela abafundi bakhe kuYesu. (Yohane 3:23-30) Noko ke, ngoNisan 9, 33 C.E., uYesu wangena eYerusalem oyisile, ezichaza njengoKumkani. (Mateyu 21:1-9; Zekariya 9:9) UYohane wayewugqibile umsebenzi wakhe, emva kokunqunyulwa kwakhe intloko nguHerode malunga nonyaka ngaphambili. Ngoko xa uYesu wezayo etempileni ngoNisan 10, weza ngokusemthethweni ‘njengomthunywa womnqophiso,’ ummeli ongumgwebi ‘weNkosi’ uYehova, ukuze kuzaliseke uMalaki 3:1. UYesu wayicoca itempile, ebadudulela ngaphandle abo baberhweba kuyo, ebhukuqa iitafile zabananisi ngemali. Wathi: “Akubhalwanga na [kuIsaya 56:7] kwathiwa, Indlu [kaYehova] iya kubizwa ngokuba yindlu yokuthandaza iintlanga zonke? Ke nina niyenze umqolomba wezihange.”—Marko 11:15-18.
15. Njengodidi, iinkokeli zonqulo zamaYuda zasabela njani kwinkqubo yokusulungekiswa, kodwa yintoni eyenziwa ngababingeleli abathile?
15 Ngaloo ndlela iinkokeli zonqulo zamaSirayeli zaziswa ukuba ilixa lazo lalifikile. Njengodidi, azizange zimamkele “umthunywa womnqophiso” kaYehova. Azizange ‘ziyinyamezele imini yokuza kwakhe,’ kuba azizange zivume ukuzithoba kwinkqubo yokusulungekisa yoMsulungekisi Omkhulu. (Malaki 3:2, 3) Zazifanele kukuhluzwa njengezifanele intshabalalo. Phofu ke, kuyabonakala ukuba kwakukho “oonyana bakaLevi” abathile ababeneentliziyo ezilungileyo, kuba kungekudala emva kokufa kukaYesu ‘iqela elikhulu lababingeleli [abangabaLevi] lalululamela ukholo.’—IZenzo 6:7.
16. “Imini enkulu eyoyikekayo kaYehova” yalufikela njani yaye nini uhlanga lwamaYuda?
16 NgoNisan 11, usuku emva kokuba ecoce itempile, uYesu wababhenca ngamandla abahanahanisi bonqulo waza wakuxela kwangaphambili ukutshatyalaliswa kwetempile nenkqubo yezinto yamaYuda. (Mateyu, isahluko 23, 24) Ngenene, “uThixo wokugweba” weza ‘njengengqina elikhawulezayo’ kolo hlanga lwamaYuda kwiminyaka engama-37 kamva ngowama-70 C.E., xa lwathi lwafikelwa ‘yimini enkulu eyoyikekayo kaYehova.’ (Malaki 2:17; 3:5; 4:5, 6) Ngelo xesha, uSirayeli ngokuyintlanganisela, njengentlangano enjengomthi ongazange uvelise isiqhamo esihle, ‘wagawulwa waza waphoswa emlilweni’ ngokutshatyalaliswa ngamaRoma. (Luka 3:3-14) Konke oku ‘kwakungenxa enokuba engalazanga ixesha lokuvelelwa kwakhe.’—Luka 19:44.
Inzaliseko Yanamhlanje
17. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba isiprofeto sikaMalaki sasiya kuzaliseka ngokubhekele phaya kumaxesha anamhlanje?
17 Kodwa kuthekani ngenzaliseko yesibini, okanye yanamhla, yesiprofeto sikaMalaki? Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, inzaliseko yokuqala yalandela ukuthanjiswa kukaYesu ngomoya oyingcwele ukuba abe nguKumkani Omiselweyo woBukumkani bukaThixo. Ngokusengqiqweni, kwakufanele kubekho inzaliseko ebhekele phaya yesi siprofeto emva kokuba uYesu Kristu wabekwa etroneni emazulwini ngowe-1914. Esi siprofeto sabonisa ukuba sasiya kuzaliseka “ingekafiki imini enkulu eyoyikekayo kaYehova.” (Malaki 4:5) Ngoxa “imini kaYehova” yafikayo kwinkqubo yamaYuda ngowama-70 C.E., iZibhalo zalatha phambili ‘kwimini kaYehova’ yexesha elizayo ebudeni beli xesha ‘lobukho’ bukaKristu.—Mateyu 24:3; 2 Tesalonika 2:1, 2; 2 Petros 3:10-13.
18. Ngowe-1922, abantu bakaThixo benziwa njani ukuba bayiqonde into yokuba babekwixesha lomgwebo?
18 Ekuqaleni kowe-1922, abantu bakaYehova benziwa bayiqonda into yokuba babekwixesha lomgwebo nto leyo eyazalisekisa isiprofeto sikaMalaki. IMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaSeptemba 1 yathi: “Kodwa isiprofeto sikaMalaki asizaliseki ngokuyinxenye ekufikeni kokuqala kweNkosi yethu, nakwixesha laxa uMesiya efanele eze esebuqaqawulini nasemandleni, naxa efanele agwebe phakathi kwabantu bakhe . . . Ngoku, kwakhona, lifikile ixesha lomgwebo; kwakhona abantu bakhe abazibabazayo bacikidwa ngokungathi bacikidwa ngumlilo, yaye oonyana bakaLevi abantliziyo zinyanisekileyo bahlanganiselwa kunye emsebenzini.”
19. Kwinzaliseko yanamhlanje, kungayiphi indlela awathi “umthunywa” wathunyelwa kwangaphambi kwexesha?
19 Njengokuba kuboniswe kuMalaki 3:1, umthunywa okhethekileyo wathunyelwa kwangaphambi kwexesha. Lo ungqineke engengomntu umnye, kodwa eludidi olukhonza njengoYohane uMbhaptizi. Ukususela ngowe-1881 olu didi belusebenzisa oko ngoku kuyiWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society kumsebenzi ophawulekayo wokufundwa kweBhayibhile. Oku kwaphumela ekubuyiselweni kweenyaniso ezininzi ezisisiseko kwiintliziyo zabo bathanda iBhayibhile. Ezinye zezi zinto zaye zacaca zezi: Umntu akanamphefumlo ungafiyo, kodwa ungumphefumlo; akukho sihogo sivuthayo; uYesu Kristu wayengayi kubuya esenyameni; uYehova unguThixo omnye, akangoBathathu Emnye. Ngenene, lo yayingumsebenzi ‘owalungiselela indlela phambi koYehova’ ukwenzela umsebezi wakhe wokugweba.
20. (a) Kubonakala ukuba uYehova weza nini etempileni? (b) Oku kuphakamisa yiphi imibuzo?
20 Ngesiquphe, uYehova, ‘njengeNkosi,’ weza kwitempile yakhe yokomoya. Weza nini? Umzekelo woku wabakho kwinzaliseko eyabakho ngenkulungwane yokuqala. Emva apho uYesu weza waza wacoca itempile kwiminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha emva kokuba wayethanjiswe njengoKumkani eYordan. Ngokuvisisana naloo mzekelo, ukususela ekubekweni kukaYesu etroneni njengoKumkani ekwindla lowe-1914, kubonakala kusengqiqweni ukuba kwiminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha kamva wayeya kulindeIwa ukuba apheleke “iNkosi” uYehova ukuya kwitempile yokomoya. Ngokutsho kwesiprofeto, kwakuza kwenzeka ntoni ukususela ngelo xesha kuse phambili? Kwakuza kucikidwa kuze kuhluzwe. Kodwa oku kuphakamisa imibuzo ethile ebalulekileyo: Bubuphi ubungqina obukhoyo obungoku kucoca? Ngaba kuyaqhubeka ukuza kuthi ga kwixesha elikhoyo? Yaye konke oku kukuchaphazela njani wena ngokobuqu? Makhe sibone.
[Umbhalo osemazantsi]
a Kangangezihlandlo eziliqela, abathunywa abazizithunywa zezulu bathetha ngokungathi kwakuthetha uYehova uThixo, kuba babesebenza njengabameli bakaYehova.—Genesis 31:11-13; ABagwebi 2:1-3; thelekisa iGenesis 16:11, 13.
Ngaba Unokukhumbula?
◻ Kutheni uYehova evumela abantu bakhe ukuba bacikidwe baze bahluzwe?
◻ UYohane uMbhaptizi wasebenza njani ‘njengomthunywa,’ umanduleli?
◻ Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, uYesu weza njani etempileni ‘njengomthunywa womnqophiso’?
◻ Sazi njani ukuba isiprofeto sikaMalaki sasiya kuzaliseka namhianje?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]
Njengomthunywa, uYohane uMbhaptizi walungisa abantu esenzela ukuza ‘komthunywa womnqophiso’