Isizathu Sokuba AmaNgqina KaYehova Ahlale Elindile
“Hlalani nilindile . . . kuba ningazi ukuba lilixa liphi na eza ngalo iNkosi yenu.”—MATEYU 24:42, NW.
1. Sisebenza koobani isiluleko esithi “hlalani nilindile”?
SISEBENZA kubo bonke abakhonzi bakaThixo—enoba baselula okanye badala, enoba basandul’ ukuzahlulela okanye baneminyaka emininzi besenkonzweni—isiluleko seBhayibhile esithi: “Hlalani nilindile”! (Mateyu 24:42, NW) Kutheni oku kubalulekile nje?
2, 3. (a) Nguwuphi umqondiso uYesu awawuchaza ngokucacileyo, yaye ukuzaliseka kwesiprofeto kubonise ntoni? (b) Yiyiphi imeko ekubhekiselwa kuyo kuMateyu 24:42 evavanya ukuba lolokwenene na ukholo lwethu, yaye njani?
2 Ngasekupheleni kobulungiseleli bakhe emhlabeni, uYesu waxela kwangaphambili umqondiso wobukho bakhe obungabonakaliyo esemandleni oBukumkani. (Mateyu, isahluko 24 nesama-25) Walichaza ngokucacileyo elo xesha lobukho bakhe njengokumkani—yaye iziganeko ezizalisekisa iziprofeto zibonisa ukuba wabekwa etroneni emazulwini njengoKumkani ngowe-1914. Wabhekisela nakwimeko ngelo xesha eyayiya kuvavanya ukuba lolokwenene na ukholo lwethu. Wayebhekisela kwixesha awayeya kuba nguMgwebi ngalo etshabalalisa le nkqubo ikhoyo ingendawo ebudeni bembandezelo enkulu xa uYesu wathi: “Akukho bani uwaziyo loo mhla nelo lixa, azazi nezithunywa zamazulu akazi noNyana, nguBawo yedwa.” Wayecinga ngoko xa wathi: “Hlalani nilindile, ngoko, kuba ningazi ukuba iza ngawuphi na umhla iNkosi yenu.”—Mateyu 24:36, 42, NW.
3 Ukungawazi kwethu umhla nelixa eya kuqalisa ngalo imbandezelo enkulu kuthetha ukuba ukuba sizibanga singamaKristu, mhla ngamnye simele siwuphile njengamaKristu okwenyaniso. Ngaba indlela obusebenzisa ngayo ubomi bakho iya kuphumela ekubeni ufumane inkoliseko yeNkosi ekufikeni kwembandezelo enkulu? Okanye ukuba kuyenzeka ufe ngaphambi koko, ngaba iya kukukhumbula njengalowo wakhonza uYehova ngokunyaniseka de kwaba sekupheleni kobu bomi ubuphilayo ngoku?—Mateyu 24:13; ISityhilelo 2:10.
Abafundi Bokuqala Babezabalazela Ukuhlala Belindile
4. Sinokufunda ntoni kumzekelo kaYesu wokulinda ngokomoya?
4 UYesu Kristu wamisela owona mzekelo ubalaseleyo wokulinda ngokomoya. Wayethandaza rhoqo ngokusuk’ entliziyweni kuYise. (Luka 6:12; 22:42-44) Xa wayejamelana nezilingo, wayethembela ngokupheleleyo kulwalathiso oluqulethwe eZibhalweni. (Mateyu 4:3-10; 26:52-54) Akazange avumele ukuphazanyiswa kumsebenzi uYehova awayemabele wona. (Luka 4:40-44; Yohane 6:15) Ngaba abo babezigqala njengabalandeli bakaYesu nabo babeya kuhlala belindile ngokufanayo?
5. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze abapostile bakaYesu babe nengxaki yokuhlala belungelelene ngokomoya? (b) UYesu wabanceda njani abapostile bakhe emva kokuvuswa kwakhe?
5 Maxa wambi, kwanabapostile bakaYesu babexengaxenga. Ngenxa yokungxama gqitha nokuba neembono eziphosakeleyo, kwakusenzeka baphoxeke. (Luka 19:11; IZenzo 1:6) Ngaphambi kokuba bafunde ukuthembela kuYehova ngokupheleleyo, baphazanyiswa zizilingo. Ngaloo ndlela, xa uYesu wabanjwayo, abapostile bakhe babaleka. Kamva ngobo busuku, uPetros, ngenxa yokoyika, wakhanyela ngokuphindaphindiweyo ukuba wayemazi uKristu. Abapostile babengekasinikeli ingqalelo ngokupheleleyo isiluleko sikaYesu esithi: “Lindani nithandaze.” (Mateyu 26:41, 55, 56, 69-75) Emva kokuvuswa kwakhe, uYesu wasebenzisa iZibhalo ukuqinisa ukholo lwabo. (Luka 24:44-48) Yaye xa kwakubonakala ngathi abanye babo babesenokubeka ubulungiseleli ababebuphathisiwe kwindawo yesibini, uYesu wayomeleza intshukumisa yabo yokunikela ingqalelo kowona msebenzi ubalulekileyo.—Yohane 21:15-17.
6. UYesu wayebalumkise nxamnye nayiphi imigibe emibini abafundi bakhe ngaphambilana?
6 Ngaphambilana, uYesu wayelumkise abafundi bakhe ngelokuba babengamele babe yinxalenye yehlabathi. (Yohane 15:19) Kwakhona wayebalulekile wathi bangagagamelani kodwa bakhonze kunye njengabazalwana. (Mateyu 20:25-27; 23:8-12) Ngaba basithobela isiluleko sakhe? Ngaba bawubeka kwindawo yokuqala umsebenzi awayebanike wona?
7, 8. (a) Indlela awayeqhuba ngayo amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ibonisa njani ukuba anikela ingqalelo kwisibongozo sikaYesu? (b) Kutheni kwakubalulekile ukuhlala elindile ngokomoya?
7 Logama nje babesaphila abapostile, balilondoloza ibandla. Imbali iyangqina ukuba amaKristu okuqala akazange abandakanyeke kwimicimbi yezobupolitika yoBukhosi bamaRoma yaye ayengenalo udidi lwabefundisi oluphakamileyo. Kwelinye icala, ayengabavakalisi abanenzondelelo boBukumkani bukaThixo. Ekupheleni kwenkulungwane yokuqala, ayenikele ubungqina kubo bonke uBukhosi bamaRoma, enze abafundi eAsia, eYurophu, nakuMntla Afrika.—Kolose 1:23.
8 Noko ke, oko akufezayo ngokushumayela akuzange kuthethe ukuba kwakungaseyomfuneko ukuhlala elindile ngokomoya. Ukuza kukaYesu okwakuxelwe kwangaphambili kwakusekude. Yaye njengokuba ibandla lalingena kwinkulungwane yesibini yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, kwavela iimeko ezabubeka engozini ubumoya bamaKristu. Njani?
Abo Bayekayo Ukulinda
9, 10. (a) Emva kokufa kwabapostile, ziziphi izinto ezenzekayo ezibonisa ukuba abaninzi ababesithi bangamaKristu abazange bahlale belindile? (b) Ziziphi izibhalo ezicatshulwe kwesi siqendu engezazibancedile abo babesithi bangamaKristu bahlale beqinile ngokomoya?
9 Abathile abangena ebandleni baqalisa ukuzichaza ngeendlela zentanda-bulumko yamaGrike iinkolelo zabo, ukuze benze oko babekushumayela kwamkeleke ngakumbi kubantu behlabathi. Ngokuthe ngcembe, iimfundiso zobuhedeni, ezinjengoBathathu Emnye nokungafi komphefumlo, zaba yinxalenye yobuKristu obudyobhekileyo. Oku kwakhokelela ekubeni lilahlwe ithemba lewaka leminyaka. Ngoba? Abo bamkela inkolelo yokungafi komphefumlo bagqiba kwelokuba zonke iintsikelelo zolawulo lukaKristu zaziya kufunyanwa kummandla womoya ngumphefumlo owawuya kusinda ekufeni komzimba womntu. Ngoko abazange bayibone imfuneko yokulinda ubukho bukaKristu esemandleni oBukumkani.—Thelekisa amaGalati 5:7-9; Kolose 2:8; 1 Tesalonika 5:21.
10 Nezinye iziganeko zayibangela le meko yambi ngakumbi. Bambi ababesithi bangabaveleli bamaKristu baqalisa ukusebenzisa amabandla ababekuwo njengendlela yokuzizuzela udumo. Ngobuqhophololo bathi iimbono neemfundiso zabo zibaluleke ngokufanayo neZibhalo okanye maxa wambi zibaluleke ngaphezu kwazo. Xa kwavela ithuba, le cawa iwexukileyo yada yazinikela ekukhonzeni izilangazelelo zorhulumente wezobupolitika.—IZenzo 20:30; 2 Petros 2:1, 3.
Imiphumo Yokulinda Ngokongeziweyo
11, 12. Kutheni uHlaziyo lwamaProtestanti lungazange luthethe ukubuyela kunqulo lokwenyaniso?
11 Emva kweminyaka emininzi yokuxhatshazwa yiCawa yamaRoma Katolika, ngenkulungwane ye-16 abaLweli boHlaziyo abathile bathetha ngokuphandle. Kodwa oku akuzange kuthethe ukubuyela kunqulo lokwenyaniso. Ngoba?
12 Nangona amaqela ahlukahlukeneyo amaProtestanti aphumayo kwigunya lamaRoma, ahamba neemfundiso ezisisiseko nezinto ezininzi ezazisenziwa kuwexuko—ingcamango yabefundisi namarhamente, kwanokukholelwa kuBathathu Emnye, ukungafi komphefumlo, nokuthuthunjiswa ngonaphakade emva kokufa. Yaye, njengeCawa yamaRoma Katolika, aqhubeka eyinxalenye yehlabathi, emanyeneyo nabezobupolitika. Ngoko ayetyekele ekukugatyeni ukulindela ukuza kukaKristu njengoKumkani.
13. (a) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba amadoda athile ayelixabise ngokwenene iLizwi likaThixo? (b) Ebudeni benkulungwane ye-19, sisiphi isiganeko esabaluleka ngokukhethekileyo kwabathile ababesithi bangamaKristu? (c) Yintoni eyabangela ukuba abaninzi baphoxeke?
13 Ukanti, uYesu wayexele kwangaphambili ukuba emva kokufa kwabapostile, abo baziindlalifa zoBukumkani ngokwenene (awabafanisa nengqolowa) babeya kuqhubeka bekhula ndaweninye namaKristu obuxoki (okanye, umdiza) de kufike ixesha lokuvuna. (Mateyu 13:29, 30) Namhlanje asinakutsho ngokuqinisekileyo ukuba bangoobani na bonke abo iNkosi yayibagqala njengengqolowa. Kodwa kuphawuleka ukuba ebudeni benkulungwane ye-14, ye-15 neye-16, kwakukho amadoda awabeka ubomi nenkululeko yawo esichengeni ukuze aguqulele iBhayibhile kulwimi lwabantu abaqhelekileyo. Amanye akazange aphelele nje ekwamkeleni iBhayibhile njengeLizwi likaThixo kodwa amgatya uBathathu Emnye njengongekhoyo ezibhalweni. Amanye ayigatya inkolelo yokungafi komphefumlo nokuthuthunjiswa esihogweni somlilo njengezingavisisaniyo ngokupheleleyo neLizwi likaThixo. Kwakhona, ebudeni benkulungwane ye-19, ngenxa yokwanda kokufundisiswa kweBhayibhile, amaqela aseUnited States, eJamani, eNgilani naseRashiya aqalisa ukuvakalisa ulweyiseko lokuba ixesha lokubuya kukaKristu lalisondele. Kodwa amaxesha amaninzi ulindelo lwawo lwakhokelela ekuphoxekeni. Ngoba? Ubukhulu becala, kwakungenxa yokuba ayethembele kakhulu kubantu kungekhona kwiZibhalo.
Indlela Aba Abazingqina Belindile Ngayo
14. Chaza indlela yokufundisisa iBhayibhile eyayisetyenziswa nguC. T. Russell nezinxulumani zakhe.
14 Kwandula ke, ngowe-1870, uCharles Taze Russell nezinxulumani zakhe ezithile baseka iqela elalifundisisa iBhayibhile eAllegheny, ePennsylvania. Babengengabokuqala ukuqonda uninzi lweenyaniso zeBhayibhile abazamkelayo, kodwa xa babefundisisa, baziqhelisa ukuzihlola ngenyameko zonke izibhalo ezingombandela othile.a Injongo yabo, yayingekokufumana iindinyana ezingqina ingcamango ethile esele yamkelwe, kodwa yayikukuqinisekisa ukuba bafikelela kwizigqibo ezivisisana nayo yonke into iBhayibhile eyithethayo ngaloo mbandela.
15. (a) Yintoni abanye ngaphandle koMzalwan’ uRussell ababeyiqondile? (b) Yintoni eyaphawula aBafundi beBhayibhile njengabahlukileyo kwaba?
15 Abanye abathile ngaphambi kwabo babeqondile ukuba uKristu wayeya kubuya engabonakali engumoya. Bambi babebonile ukuba injongo yokubuya kukaKristu, yayingekokutshisa umhlaba aze atshabalalise bonke abantu, kodwa, kunoko, yayikukusikelela zonke iintsapho zomhlaba. Kwakukho nabathile abaqondayo ukuba unyaka we-1914 wawuya kuphawula ukuphela kwamaXesha eeNtlanga. Kodwa kuBafundi beBhayibhile ababenxulumene noMzalwan’ uRussell, ezi yayingezongongoma zezakwalizwi ekwakufanele kuxutyushwe ngazo kuphela. Basekela ubomi babo kwezi nyaniso baza bazisasaza emhlabeni wonke ngomlinganiselo owawungazange ubonwe ukuza kuthi ga ngelo xesha.
16. Ngonyaka we-1914, kwakutheni ukuze uMzalwan’ uRussell abhale athi: “Sikwixesha lokuvavanywa”?
16 Sekunjalo, kwakufuneka bahlale belindile. Ngoba? Ngokomzekelo, nangona babesazi ukuba owe-1914 wawuphawuliwe ziziprofeto zeBhayibhile, babengaqinisekanga ukuba kwakuya kwenzeka ntoni ngaloo nyaka. Oku kwaba luvavanyo kubo. KwiWatch Tower kaNovemba 1, 1914, uMzalwan’ uRussell wabhala: “Masikhumbule ukuba sikwixesha lokuvavanywa. . . . Ukuba kukho nasiphi na isizathu esinokukhokelela abanye ukuba bayilahle iNkosi neNyaniso Yayo baze bayeke ukuzincama ngenxa yeeNjongo zeNkosi, makube ke asilothando oluphum’ entliziyweni ngoThixo obelushukumise umdla eNkosini, kodwa yenye into; mhlawumbi ukucinga ukuba ixesha lifutshane; ukuzahlulela bekukokwexeshana elithile kuphela.”
17. UA. H. Macmillan, nabanye abanjengaye, bazigcina njani belungelelene ngokomoya?
17 Emva apho abanye barhoxa ekukhonzeni uYehova. Kodwa uA. H. Macmillan ngomnye wabangazange benjenjalo. Emva kweminyaka ethile wavuma ngokuphandle wathi: “Maxa wambi ukulindela kwethu umhla othile kwakungaphaya koko iZibhalo zazikuthembisa.” Yintoni eyamncedayo wahlala elungelelene ngokomoya? Njengokuba watshoyo, waqonda ukuba “xa olo lindelo lungazange luzalisekiswe, oko akuzange kuziguqule iinjongo zikaThixo.” Wongezelela wathi: “Ndafunda ukuba sifanele sizivume iimpazamo zethu size siqhubeke sihlolisisa iLizwi likaThixo ukuze sifumane ukukhanyiselwa okungakumbi.”b Ngokuthobeka, abo Bafundi beBhayibhile bokuqala babevumela iLizwi likaThixo lilungise imbono yabo.—2 Timoti 3:16, 17.
18. Ukuhlala kwamaKristu elindile kwaba neengenelo ngokuthe ngcembe njani kumbandela wokungabi yonxalenye yehlabathi?
18 Ebudeni beminyaka eyalandelayo, imfuneko yokuhlala belindile ayizange ithothe. Kakade ke, babesazi ukuba amaKristu ayengamele abe yinxalenye yehlabathi. (Yohane 17:14; Yakobi 4:4) Ngokuvisisana noko, abazange bayithelele iNgqobhoko ekwamkeleni uManyano Lwezizwe njengembonakaliso yezobupolitika yoBukumkani bukaThixo. Kodwa abazange bawuqonde kakuhle umbandela wobundilele bobuKristu de kwangowe-1939.—Bona iThe Watchtower, kaNovemba 1, 1939.
19. Ziziphi iingenelo kumba wokuvelelwa kwebandla ezaba ngumphumo wokuba intlangano yahlala ilindile?
19 Abazange babe nalo udidi lwabefundisi, nangona abadala abathile abanyuliweyo babevakalelwa kukuba ekuphela kwento eyayilindelekile kubo kukushumayela ebandleni. Noko ke, ngomnqweno onyanisekileyo wokuzivisisanisa neZibhalo, intlangano yayihlolisisa kwakhona indima yabadala ngokweZibhalo, isenjenjalo izihlandlo eziliqela kwimihlathi yeMboniselo. Kwakusenziwa iinguqulelo kwintlangano ngokuvisisana noko iZibhalo zazikubonisa.
20-22. Intlangano iphela iye yalungiselelwa njani ngokuqhubekayo ukufeza umsebenzi owaxelwa kwangaphambili wokuvakalisa uBukumkani emhlabeni wonke?
20 Intlangano iphela yayilungiselelwa ukuwufeza ngokupheleleyo umsebenzi iLizwi likaThixo elithi uya kwenziwa kulo mhla wethu. (Isaya 61:1, 2) Iindaba ezilungileyo zazimele zishunyayelwe kangakanani kulo mhla wethu? UYesu wathi: “Kumele ukuthi ke ukuqala kuvakaliswe iindaba ezilungileyo ezi kuzo zonke iintlanga.” (Marko 13:10) Ngokwembono yabantu, loo msebenzi ngokufuthi ububonakala ungenakwenzeka.
21 Sekunjalo, luthembele kuKristu njengeNtloko yebandla, udidi lomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo luye lwaqhubela phambili. (Mateyu 24:45) Ngokuthembeka nangokuqiniseka luye lwabonisa abantu bakaYehova umsebenzi ekufuneka wenziwe. Ukususela ngowe-1919 ukusa phambili, kwagxininiswa ngokuphindaphindiweyo kubulungiseleli basentsimini. Kwabaninzi, kwakungelula ukuya kwindlu ngendlu baze bathethe nabantu abangabaziyo. (IZenzo 20:20) Kodwa amanqaku afundisiswayo afana nelithi “Basikelelwe Abangoyikiyo” (ngowe-1919) nelithi “Yiba Nenkalipho” (ngowe-1921) abanceda abathile baqalisa emsebenzini, bethembele kuYehova.
22 Isibongozo, sowe-1922, esasisithi “mbhengezeni, mbhengezeni, mbhengezeni uKumkani nobukumkani bakhe” sanikela ukhuthazo olwalufuneka lokubalaselisa lo msebenzi nto leyo eyayifanelekile. Ukususela ngowe-1927 ukusa phambili, abadala ababengayamkeli loo mbopheleleko eseZibhalweni babeshenxiswa. Malunga nelo xesha, abameli boMbutho abahambahambayo, abahambi ngezonqulo, babelwa ukuba babe ngabalathisi benkonzo benqila, benikela imiyalelo kubavakalisi ngabanye kwinkonzo yasentsimini. Asingabo bonke ababenokuba ngoovulindlela, kodwa ngeempela-veki abaninzi babechithela imini yonke enkonzweni, beqala kwakusasa, baze banqumame ngokufutshane ukuze bafumane into etyiwayo, baze baqhubeke kwakhona enkonzweni de lithi ndithenge. Lawo yayingamaxesha abalulekileyo ekukhuleni kolawulo lobuthixo, yaye singenelwa ngokwenene ngokuhlolisisa indlela uYehova awayebakhokela ngayo abantu bakhe. Usaqhubeka esenjenjalo. Ngokusikelelwa nguye, umsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani obumiselweyo uya kuqukunjelwa ngokunempumelelo.
Ngaba Uhlala Ulindile?
23. Ngokuphathelele uthando nokwahluka kwamaKristu ehlabathini, sinokubonisa njani njengabantu ngabanye ukuba sihlala silindile?
23 Isabela kulwalathiso lukaYehova, intlangano yakhe iyaqhubeka isilumkisa ngezenzo nezimo zengqondo eziya kusifanisa njengenxalenye yehlabathi, nto leyo enokusifaka kwingozi yokudlula nalo. (1 Yohane 2:17) Thina ke, njengabantu ngabanye kufuneka sihlale silindile ngokusabela kulwalathiso lukaYehova. UYehova ukwasifundisa ngendlela yokuphila nokusebenza kunye. Intlangano yakhe isincedile sakuqonda ngakumbi oko ngokwenene kuthethwa luthando lobuKristu. (1 Petros 4:7, 8) Ukuhlala silindile kufuna ukuba ngokunyanisekileyo sizabalazele ukusebenzisa esi siluleko, phezu kwako nje ukungafezeki kwabantu.
24, 25. Kukweziphi iinkalo ezibalulekileyo esifanele sihlale silindile, sinethemba lantoni?
24 Umkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo, uthe gqolo, esikhumbuza oku: “Kholosa ngoYehova ngentliziyo yakho yonke, ungayami okwakho ukuqonda.” (IMizekeliso 3:5) “Thandazani ningayeki.” (1 Tesalonika 5:17) Siye salulekwa ukuba sifunde ukusekela izigqibo zethu eLizwini likaThixo, senze eli lizwi libe ‘sisibane seenyawo zethu, nokukhanya emendweni wethu.’ (INdumiso 119:105) Ngothando, siye sakhuthazwa ukuba sigcine ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo kukwindawo yokuqala ebomini bethu, msebenzi lowo uYesu waxela kwangaphambili ukuba wawuya kwenziwa kulo mhla wethu.—Mateyu 24:14.
25 Ewe, ngokuqinisekileyo umkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo ulindile. Nathi ke njengabantu ngabanye kufuneka sihlale silindile. Ngenxa yokwenjenjalo, ngamana singafunyanwa phakathi kwabo aya kukholiswa ngabo uNyana womntu xa esiza kuphumeza umgwebo.—Mateyu 24:30; Luka 21:34-36.
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a Faith on the March, ebhalwe nguA. H. Macmillan, yashicilelwa ngabakwaPrentice-Hall, Inc., 1957, iphepha 19-22.
b Bona IMboniselo (yesiNgesi), ka-Agasti 15, 1966, iphepha 504-10.
Impinda
◻ Njengokuba kuboniswe kuMateyu 24:42, kutheni simele sihlale silindile?
◻ UYesu nabalandeli bakhe benkulungwane yokuqala bahlala njani belindile ngokomoya?
◻ Ukususela ngowe-1870, ziintoni eziye zenzeka ngenxa yokuba abakhonzi bakaYehova bebehleli belindile?
◻ Yintoni eya kunikela ubungqina bokuba njengabantu ngabanye sihlala silindile?
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 23]
UYesu wahlala exakekile kumsebenzi awayewabelwe nguYise. Yaye wayethandaza ngokusuk’ entliziyweni
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]
UCharles Taze Russell ebudaleni bakhe
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]
Ngabavakalisi boBukumkani abangaphezu kwezi-4 700 000 abasebenza ngenkuthalo emhlabeni wonke