“Mazingawi Izandla Zakho”
“Mazingawi izandla zakho. UYehova uThixo wakho uphakathi kwakho, ligorha elisindisayo.”—ZEFANIYA 3:16, 17.
1. Wathini omnye umphengululi weBhayibhile ngesiprofeto sikaZefaniya?
INZALISEKO yesiprofeto sikaZefaniya ayizange iphelele kuleyo yenkulungwane yesixhenxe neyesithandathu ngaphambi kweXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo. Egqabaza ngoZefaniya, uNjingalwazi C. F. Keil wabhala oku: “Isiprofeto sikaZefaniya . . . asiqalisi nje ngokuvakaliswa kwesigidimi sokugwetywa kwehlabathi liphela, ekuthi kweso sigidimi kuqukwe ukugwetywa kukaYuda ngenxa yezono zakhe, nokugwetywa kweentlanga zehlabathi ngenxa yokubaphatha kakubi abantu bakaYehova; kodwa sixubusha ngayo yonke imini enkulu neyoyikekayo kaYehova.”
2. Iimeko ezazikho ngomhla kaZefaniya zifana njani nezo zikhoyo namhlanje kwiNgqobhoko?
2 Namhlanje, isigwebo sikaYehova sikukuhlanganisela iintlanga kwintshabalalo enkulu ngakumbi kuneyomhla kaZefaniya. (Zefaniya 3:8) Iintlanga ezithi zingamaKristu zinetyala ngokukodwa emehlweni kaThixo. Kanye njengokuba iYerusalem yohlwaywa ngokuqatha ngokungathembeki kwayo kuYehova, ngokukwanjalo iNgqobhoko imele iphendule kuThixo ngeendlela zayo ezingendawo. Imigwebo yobuthixo eyavakaliswa nxamnye noYuda neYerusalem ngomhla kaZefaniya isebenza ngamandla ngakumbi kwiicawa namahlelo eNgqobhoko. Kwakhona ziye zangcolisa unqulo olunyulu ngeemfundiso zazo zokungahloneli Thixo, inkoliso yazo enemvelaphi yobuhedeni. Ziye zabingelela ngezigidi zoonyana bazo abasempilweni kwisibingelelo sanamhlanje esiyimfazwe. Ngaphezu koko, abantu ababefanekiselwa ngabemi baseYerusalem abaxuba oko bathi bubuKristu nokuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi, nokunxibelelana nemimoya nokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini okulihlazo, basikhumbuza unqulo lukaBhahali.—Zefaniya 1:4, 5.
3. Yintoni enokuthethwa ngeenkokeli zehlabathi noorhulumente bezobupolitika abaninzi banamhlanje, yaye uZefaniya waprofeta wathini?
3 Inkoliso yeenkokeli zobupolitika ezikwiNgqobhoko ziyakuthanda ukubonwa zisecaweni. Kodwa ngokufanayo “nabathetheli” bakwaYuda, inkoliso yazo iyabaxhaphaza abantu ‘njengeengonyama ezibharhulayo’ ‘neengcuka’ eziqwengayo. (Zefaniya 3:1-3) Abalandeli bezo nkokeli zobupolitika “bazalisa indlu yenkosi yabo ngogonyamelo nenkohliso.” (Zefaniya 1:9) Ukunyoba nokunganyaniseki kwesamele. Oorhulumente bezobupolitika abakwiNgqobhoko nabangeyonxalenye yayo, abaya besanda ‘bayaziphakamisa’ kunabantu bakaYehova wemikhosi, amaNgqina akhe, bebaphatha ‘njengehlelo’ elithiyekileyo. (Zefaniya 2:8; IZenzo 24:5, 14) Ngokuphathelele zonke iinkokeli zobupolitika ezinjalo nabalandeli bazo, uZefaniya waprofeta oku: “Nesilivere yabo negolide yabo ayisayi kuba nako ukubahlangula ngemini yokuphuphuma komsindo kaYehova; lotshiswa lonke ihlabathi ngumlilo wekhwele lakhe. Ngokuba uya kubaphelisa, inene, abenze into ekhwankqisayo bonke abemi behlabathi.”—Zefaniya 1:18.
“Nositheliswa Ngemini Yomsindo KaYehova”
4. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba kukho abaya kusinda ngemini enkulu kaYehova, kodwa yintoni abamele bayenze?
4 Abemi bakwaYuda abazange batshatyalaliswe bonke ngenkulungwane yesixhenxe ngaphambi kweXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo. Ngokufanayo, baya kubakho abaya kusinda ngemini enkulu kaYehova. Ethetha ngabanjalo ngomprofeti wakhe uZefaniya uYehova wathi: “Ungekazalwa ummiselo (kuba imini le idlula njengomququ), kungekanifikeli ukuvutha komsindo kaYehova. Funani uYehova, nonke balulamileyo belizwe, bakwenzileyo okusesikweni kwakhe; funani ubulungisa, funani ululamo, mhlawumbi nositheliswa ngemini yomsindo kaYehova.”—Zefaniya 2:2, 3.
5. Kweli xesha lesiphelo, ngoobani ababa ngabokuqala ukuthobela isilumkiso sikaZefaniya, yaye uYehova uye wabasebenzisa njani?
5 Intsalela yamaSirayeli okomoya, amaKristu athanjisiweyo, yayingabokuqala ukuthobela isimemo esingokwesiprofeto, kweli xesha lesiphelo seli hlabathi. (Roma 2:28, 29; 9:6; Galati 6:16) Emva kokufuna ubulungisa nolulamo nasemva kokubonakalisa intlonelo ngemigwebo kaYehova, yakhululwa kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu, ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki, yaza yaphinda yazuza inkoloseko kaThixo ngowe-1919. Ukususela ngoko, yaye ngokukodwa ukususela ngowe-1922, le ntsalela ithembekileyo iye yayivakalisa ngenkalipho imigwebo kaYehova nxamnye neecawa namahlelo eNgqobhoko neentlanga zezobupolitika.
6. (a) UZefaniya waprofeta wathini ngokuphathelele intsalela ethembekileyo? (b) Siye sazaliseka njani eso siprofeto?
6 Ethetha ngale ntsalela ithembekileyo, uZefaniya waprofeta: “Ndiya kusalisa phakathi kwakho abantu abaziintsizana, abazizisweli, abaya kuzimela egameni likaYehova. Amasalela akwaSirayeli akayi kwenza ngobugqwetha, akayi kuthetha amanga, aluyi kufumaneka emlonyeni wawo ulwimi lwenkohliso; ngokuba wona aya kudla, abuthe, kungabikho uwothusayo.” (Zefaniya 3:12, 13) La maKristu athanjisiweyo ebesoloko elibalaselisa igama likaYehova, kodwa aye enjenjalo ngokukodwa ukususela ngowe-1931, xa amkela igama elithi amaNgqina kaYehova. (Isaya 43:10-12) Ngokubalaselisa umbandela wolongamo lukaYehova, aye alinika indili igama likaThixo, yaye oku kungqineke kuyingxonde kuwo. (IMizekeliso 18:10) UYehova ubewondla ngentabalala yokudla kokomoya, yaye ahlala engenaloyiko kwiparadisi yokomoya.—Zefaniya 3:16, 17.
“Nibe Negama, Nidunyiswe Phakathi Kwezizwe Zonke”
7, 8. (a) Sisiphi esinye isiprofeto esiye sazaliseka kwintsalela yoSirayeli wokomoya? (b) Yintoni eye yaqondwa zizigidi zabantu, yaye wena uvakalelwa njani koku?
7 Ukunamathela kwentsalela kwigama likaYehova nakwimigaqo yobulungisa yeLizwi lakhe kuye kwacaca nakuthathatha. Abantu abanyanisekileyo baye bawubona umahluko phakathi kwehambo yentsalela nokunganyaniseki nohanahaniso lweenkokeli zobupolitika nezonqulo zeli hlabathi. UYehova uwasikelele “amasalela [oSirayeli wokomoya].” Uye wawajizeka ilungelo lokuthwala igama lakhe, yaye uye wawenza anegama elihle phakathi kwabantu abasemhlabeni. Oku kunjengokuba kwaprofetwayo nguZefaniya: “Ngelo xesha ndiya kunizisa, ndinibuthe ngexesha elililo; ngokuba ndiya kunenza nibe negama, nidunyiswe phakathi kwezizwe zonke zehlabathi, ekukubuyiseni kwam ukuthinjwa kwenu phambi kwamehlo enu; utsho uYehova.”—Zefaniya 3:20.
8 Ukususela ngowe-1935, izigidi zabantu ziye zaqonda ukuba uYehova uyayisikelela intsalela. Ziyakuvuyela ukulandela la maYuda okomoya, okanye amaSirayeli, zisithi: “Siya kuhamba nani, ngokuba sivile ukuba uThixo unani.” (Zekariya 8:23) “Ezinye izimvu” ziyigqala intsalela ethanjisiweyo ‘njengomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo,’ omiselwe nguKristu “phezu kwayo yonke impahla [yakhe yasemhlabeni].” Zizele luxabiso zizondla ngokutya kokomoya ezikulungiselelwe ludidi lomkhonzi “ngexesha elifanelekileyo.”—Yohane 10:16; Mateyu 24:45-47.
9. Yiyiphi “intetho” eziye zafunda ukuyithetha izigidi zabantu, yaye ezinye izimvu zikhonza kuwuphi umsebenzi omkhulu “ngaxhatha linye” nentsalela ethanjisiweyo?
9 Njengoko zisebenzisana nentsalela, ezi zigidi zezinye izimvu zifunda ukuphila nokuthetha ngokuvisisana ‘nentetho enyulu.’a Esebenzisa uZefaniya uYehova waprofeta: “Ngelo xesha ndiya kuziguqulela izizwe intetho enyulu, ukuze zinqule igama likaYehova zonke ziphela, zimkhonze ngaxhatha linye.” (Zefaniya 3:9) Ewe, ezinye izimvu zimkhonza ngokumanyeneyo uYehova “ngaxhatha linye” namalungu athanjisiweyo “omhlambi omncinane” kumsebenzi ongxamisekileyo wokushumayela ‘iindaba ezilungileyo zobukumkani ukuze zibe bubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga.’—Luka 12:32; Mateyu 24:14.
‘Iya Kufika Imini YeNkosi’
10. Yintoni ebisoloko yeyisekile yiyo intsalela ethanjisiweyo, yaye njengodidi, yintoni eya kuyibona isenzeka?
10 Intsalela ethanjisiweyo ibisoloko iwakhumbula amazwi aphefumlelweyo ompostile uPetros athi: “INkosi ayilibali dinga, njengoko abathile baba iyalibala; isuka izeke kade umsindo kuthi, ingangi kungatshabalala nabani; inga bonke bangasinga enguqukweni. Iya kufika ke imini yeNkosi njengesela ebusuku.” (2 Petros 3:9, 10) Amalungu odidi lomkhonzi othembekileyo akazange akuthandabuze ukuza kwemini kaYehova kumhla wethu. Loo mini inkulu iya kuqalisa ngokuphunyezwa kwemigwebo kaThixo kwiNgqobhoko, eyayifanekiselwa yiYerusalem, nayo yonke inxalenye yeBhabhiloni Enkulu.—Zefaniya 1:2-4; ISityhilelo 17:1, 5; 19:1, 2.
11, 12. (a) Yiyiphi enye inxalenye yesiprofeto sikaZefaniya eye yazaliseka kwintsalela? (b) Intsalela ethanjisiweyo iye yawuthobela njani umyalelo othi, “Mazingawi izandla zakho”?
11 Intsalela ethembekileyo iyakuvuyela ukuba yakhululwa ngowe-1919 ekuthinjweni ngokomoya yiBhabhiloni Enkulu, ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki. Siye sazaliseka kuyo isiprofeto sikaZefaniya esithi: “Memelela, ntombi inguZiyon: duma, Sirayeli; vuya, udlamke ngentliziyo yonke, ntombi inguYerusalem. UYehova ukususile ukugwetywa kwakho, uzidedisile iintshaba zakho; ukumkani wakwaSirayeli, uYehova, uphakathi kwakho; akusayi kuba sabona bubi. Ngaloo mini baya kuthi kwiYerusalem, Musa ukoyika; Ziyon, mazingawi izandla zakho. UYehova uThixo wakho uphakathi kwakho, ligorha elisindisayo.”—Zefaniya 3:14-17.
12 Ngenxa yolweyiseko nentabalala yobungqina bokuba uYehova ukunye nayo, intsalela ethanjisiweyo iye yaqhubeka iphumeza uthumo lwayo oluvela kuThixo ngenkalipho. Iye yashumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani yaza yayazisa imigwebo kaYehova nxamnye neNgqobhoko, nayo yonke inxalenye yeBhabhiloni Enkulu, kunye nenkqubo yezinto engendawo kaSathana. Ukutyhubela amashumi eminyaka ukususela ngowe-1919, nangona bekunzima, iye yawuthobela umyalelo wobuthixo othi: “Musa ukoyika; Ziyon, mazingawi izandla zakho.” Ngenkuthalo iye yasasaza amawaka ezigidi zamaphecana, amaphephancwadi, iincwadi neencwadana ezivakalisa uBukumkani bukaYehova. Ingumzekelo owomelez’ ukholo kwezinye izimvu eziye zathontelana ukuze zincedisane nayo, ukususela ngowe-1935.
“Mazingawi Izandla Zakho”
13, 14. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze amanye amaYuda arhoxe ekukhonzeni uYehova, yaye oku kwabonakala njani? (b) Yintoni ebekuya kuba bubuyatha ukuyenza, yaye nguwuphi umsebenzi esingafanele sivumele izandla zethu ziwe kuwo?
13 Ngoxa ‘sihleli siyilindile’ imini enkulu kaYehova, isiprofeto sikaZefaniya sinokusinceda njani? Okokuqala, sifanele sikulumkele ukufana namaYuda omhla kaZefaniya awarhoxayo ekulandeleni uYehova ngenxa yokukuthandabuza ukusondela kwemini kaYehova. Loo maYuda akazange atsho ngokuphandle ukuba ayathandabuza, kodwa ikhondo lawo lalibonisa ukuba ayengakukholelwa ngokwenene ukuba isondele imini enkulu kaYehova. Azixakekisa ngokuzifumbela ubutyebi kunokuhlala elinde uYehova.—Zefaniya 1:12, 13; 3:8.
14 Eli asiloxesha lokuvumela amathandabuzo amile ezintliziyweni zethu. Ibiya kuba bubuyatha obugqithileyo ukuyikhupha ezingqondweni okanye ezintliziyweni zethu imini kaYehova ezayo. (2 Petros 3:1-4, 10) Sifanele sikuphephe ukurhoxa ekulandeleni uYehova okanye sivumele ‘izandla zethu ziwe’ enkonzweni yakhe. Oku kuquka ‘ukungasebenzi ngesandla esidangeleyo’ kumsebenzi wethu wokushumayela “iindaba ezilungileyo.”—IMizekeliso 10:4; Marko 13:10.
Ukulwa Ukungakhathali
15. Yintoni enokusenza sityhafe enkonzweni kaYehova, yaye yachazwa njani le ngxaki kwisiprofeto sikaZefaniya?
15 Okwesibini, sifanele siyilumkele imiphumo edimazayo yokungakhathali. Kumazwe amaninzi aseNtshona, ukungakhathalelwa kwezinto zokomoya kunokubadimaza abanye abashumayeli beendaba ezilungileyo. Ukungakhathali okunjalo kwakukho nangomhla kaZefaniya. Esebenzisa umprofeti wakhe uYehova wathi: “Ndiwavelele amadoda . . . atshoyo ukuthi ezintliziyweni zawo, UYehova [akasayi kwenza] kulungileyo, [akasayi kwenza] nakubi.” (Zefaniya 1:12, thelekisa iNW.) Ebhala ngale ndinyana kwiCambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, uA. B. Davidson wathi ibhekisela kubantu abaye “beyela nzulu kukungakhathali okanye kwanasekuphelelweni lukholo lokuba likho igunya elongamileyo nelibandakanyekileyo kwimicimbi yabantu.”
16. Sisiphi isimo sengqondo esikhoyo kumalungu amaninzi eecawa zeNgqobhoko, kodwa uYehova usikhuthaza ngelithini?
16 Ukungakhathali kusisimo sengqondo esandileyo namhlanje kumazwe amaninzi, ngokukodwa kumazwe afumileyo. Kwanamalungu eecawa zeNgqobhoko akakukholelwa nje kwaphela ukuba uYehova uThixo uza kungenelela kwimicimbi yabantu kumhla wethu. Ayayichasa imigudu yethu yokudlulisela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani kuwo ngokusigxotha enoncunyana olubonisa ukungakholwa okanye ngempendulo emfutshane ethi “Andinamdla!” Ngaphantsi kwezi meko, ukuqhubeka kumsebenzi wokunikela ubungqina kunokuba lucelomngeni lokwenene. Kuvavanya inzondelelo yethu. Kodwa ngesiprofeto sikaZefaniya, uYehova uyabomeleza abantu bakhe abathembekileyo, esithi: “Mazingawi izandla zakho. UYehova uThixo wakho uphakathi kwakho, ligorha elisindisayo; unemihlali ngawe, enovuyo; uthe cwaka eluthandweni lwakhe, ugcoba ngawe ememelela.”—Zefaniya 3:16, 17.
17. Nguwuphi umzekelo omhle abafanele bawulandele abasebatsha abayinxalenye yezinye izimvu, yaye banokuwulandela njani?
17 Liyinene elokuba kwimbali yanamhlanje yabantu bakaYehova intsalela, nabanye abakhulileyo abayinxalenye yezinye izimvu, baye baphumeza umsebenzi omkhulu wokuhlanganisa kule mihla yokugqibela. Onke la maKristu athembekileyo aye abonakalisa inzondelelo kangangamashumi eminyaka. Akakuvumelanga ukungakhathali kwabaninzi abakwiNgqobhoko ukuba kuwadimaze. Ngoko ngamana abasebatsha abayinxalenye yezinye izimvu abangezivumeli ukuba batyhafiswe kukungakhathalelwa kwezinto zokomoya okwandileyo namhlanje kumazwe amaninzi. Ngamana abangezivumeli ‘izandla zabo ziwe,’ okanye zityhafe. Ngamana bangawasebenzisa onke amathuba okuhambisa IMboniselo, uVukani! nezinye iimpapasho ezintle ezenziwe ngokukhethekileyo ukunceda abantu ababumvu bafunde inyaniso ngemini kaYehova nangeentsikelelo eziya kulandela.
Phambili Njengoko Silinde Imini Enkulu!
18, 19. (a) Luluphi ukhuthazo lokunyamezela esilufumana kuMateyu 24:13 nakuIsaya 35:3, 4? (b) Siya kusikelelwa njani ukuba siyaqhubeka simanyene enkonzweni kaYehova?
18 UYesu wathi: “Onyamezeleyo kwada kwaba sekupheleni, lowo uya kusindiswa.” (Mateyu 24:13) Ngoko, masingazivumeli ‘ziwe izandla zethu’ okanye ‘agexe amadolo’ ethu ngoxa silinde imini enkulu kaYehova! (Isaya 35:3, 4) Isiprofeto sikaZefaniya siqinisekisa oku ngoYehova: “Ligorha elisindisayo.” (Zefaniya 3:17) Ewe, uYehova uya kusisindisa “isihlwele esikhulu” kwinxalenye yokugqibela ‘yembandezelo enkulu,’ xa aya kuthi ayalele uNyana wakhe ukuba ahlekeze izizwe zezobupolitika ebeziqhubeka ‘ziziphakamisa’ kubantu bakhe.—ISityhilelo 7:9, 14; Zefaniya 2:10, 11; INdumiso 2:7-9.
19 Njengoko imini enkulu kaYehova isondela, ngamana singaqhubeka ngenzondelelo, simkhonza “ngaxhatha linye”! (Zefaniya 3:9) Ngokwenjenjalo, thina nenkitha yabanye siya kukufanelekela ‘ukusitheliswa ngemini yomsindo kaYehova’ size sikubone ukungcwaliswa kwegama lakhe elingcwele.
[Umbhalo osemazantsi]
a Ukuze ufumane ingxubusho epheleleyo ‘yentetho enyulu,’ bona IMboniselo, ka-Aprili 1, 1991, iphepha 20-5, nekaMeyi 1, 1991, iphepha 10-20.
Impinda
◻ Ziziphi iinkalo efana ngazo imeko yonqulo kwiNgqobhoko neyomhla kaZefaniya?
◻ Iinkokeli zobupolitika ezininzi zanamhlanje zifana njani “nabathetheli” bomhla kaZefaniya?
◻ Ziziphi izithembiso ezikuZefaniya eziye zazaliseka kwintsalela?
◻ Yintoni eziye zayiqonda izigidi zabantu?
◻ Kutheni sifanele singazivumeli ziwe izandla zethu enkonzweni kaYehova?
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 15]
NjengoZefaniya, intsalela ethembekileyo yamaKristu athanjisiweyo iye yayivakalisa ngenkalipho imigwebo kaYehova
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 18]
“Ezinye izimvu” azikuvumelanga ukungakhathali kwabantu ukuba kuzidimaze