UYehova Ulungisa Indlela
“Ezi ndaba zilungileyo zobukumkani ziya kushunyayelwa.”—MATEYU 24:14.
1. Yintoni eye yaphunyezwa ngumsebenzi wokushumayela ngenkulungwane yokuqala nangeyama-20?
EKUBENI uYehova enguThixo wothando, ukuthanda kwakhe kukuba “zonke iintlobo zabantu zisindiswe zize zifikelele elwazini oluchanileyo lwenyaniso.” (1 Timoti 2:4) Oku kuye kwafuna ukuba kuphunywe iphulo lokushumayela nokufundisa kwizizwe ngezizwe. Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, lo msebenzi wokushumayela wenza ibandla lamaKristu laba ‘yintsika nesixhaso senyaniso.’ (1 Timoti 3:15) Emva koko kwalandela ixesha elide lowexuko elabangela ukuba ukukhanya kwenyaniso kufiphale. Kutshanje, kweli “xesha lokuphela,” “ukwazi” kuye kwaphinda kwanda, kusizisa ithemba elisekelwe eBhayibhileni losindiso olungunaphakade kwizigidi zabantu.—Daniyeli 12:4.
2. Yintoni eye yenziwa nguYehova ngokuphathelele umsebenzi wokushumayela?
2 Phezu kwayo nje imigudu engapheziyo kaSathana yokuphuthisa injongo kaThixo, umsebenzi wokushumayela wenkulungwane yokuqala noweyama-20 uye waphumelela ngendlela emangalisayo. Utsho usikhumbuze isiprofeto sikaIsaya. Xa wayethetha ngabathinjwa abangamaYuda ababebuyela kwelakwaYuda ngenkulungwane yesithandathu ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, uIsaya wabhala: “Yonke imifula mayinyuswe, zonke iintaba neenduli zigungxulwe; iindawo ezimagqagala zibe zithabazi, nemixawuka ibe ziintili.” (Isaya 40:4) NoYehova uye wayilungisa waza wayenza sithabazi indlela yamaphulo okushumayela enkulungwane yokuqala neyama-20.
3. Ziziphi iindlela uYehova akwazi ngazo ukuphumeza iinjongo zakhe?
3 Oku akuthethi kuthi uYehova ebengene ngokungqalileyo ekwalathiseni zonke iziganeko ebezisenzeka emhlabeni ukuze kuqhutyelwe phambili umsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo; kananjalo kungathethi kuthi uYehova uye wasebenzisa ukukwazi kwakhe ukubona izinto kusengaphambili ukuze azi bonke ubuceducedu bezinto ebeziza kwenzeka. Kuyavunywa ukuba uyakwazi ukuzibona kusengaphambili aze azihlengahlengise iziganeko zexesha elizayo. (Isaya 46:9-11) Kodwa uyakwazi nokuzisingatha izinto ngelo xesha zenzeka ngalo. UYehova ukhokela abantu bakhe kanye njengomalusi onamava okwaziyo ukukhokela nokukhusela umhlambi wakhe. Ubakhokelela kusindiso, ebakhokela ngokomoya yaye ebashukumisela ukuba baxhamle amathuba neemeko ezivumayo ukuba zishunyayelwe ngempumelelo iindaba ezilungileyo ehlabathini lonke.—INdumiso 23:1-4.
Isabelo Esinzima
4, 5. Kutheni ukushunyayelwa kweendaba ezilungileyo kuye kwasisabelo esilucelomngeni?
4 Kanye njengomsebenzi wokwakha umkhombe womhla kaNowa, umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani uye wamkhulu gqitha—ngenkulungwane yokuqala nakweli xesha lethu. Usukelo lokufikelela bonke abantu ngesigidimi aluyondlwan’ iyanetha, kodwa ke okona kubalaseleyo kukuba lulucelomngeni. Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, abafundi babembalwa ngentelekiso. INkokeli yabo, uYesu, yabulawa ityholwa ngokuqhwaya udushe. Unqulo lwamaYuda lwaluhambele phambili. Kwakukho itempile entle eYerusalem. Nezinye iinkonzo ezingezozamaYuda zommandla weMeditera zazihambele phambili, zineetempile kunye nababingeleli. Ngendlela efanayo, ekuqaleni ‘kwexesha lokuphela’ ngowe-1914, amaKristu athanjisiweyo ayembalwa, ibe amarhamente ezinye iinkonzo ezazizingomb’ isifuba zisithi zinqula uThixo ayemaninzi.—Daniyeli 12:9.
5 UYesu wayebalumkisile abalandeli bakhe esithi baza kutshutshiswa. Wathi: “Abantu baninikele kwimbandezelo kwaye baya kunibulala, ibe niya kuba zizinto zokuthiywa ziintlanga zonke ngenxa yegama lam.” (Mateyu 24:9) Ukongezelela kwezo ngxaki, ngokukodwa “ngemihla yokugqibela,” amaKristu ayeza kuzifumana ephila ‘kumaxesha amanqam ekunzima ukuqhubana nawo.’ (2 Timoti 3:1) Umsebenzi omkhulu, ukuqiniseka ngokutshutshiswa kunye nobunzima bamaxesha ziye zawenza walucelomngeni waza wanzima umsebenzi wokushumayela. Kufuneka ukholo olomeleleyo.
6. Sisiphi isiqinisekiso sempumelelo uYehova asinika abantu bakhe?
6 Ngoxa uYehova wayesazi ukuba kuza kubakho ubunzima, wayesazi kananjalo ukuba ayikho into eyayinokuthintela lo msebenzi. Isiprofeto esaziwayo esaba nenzaliseko ngenkulungwane yokuqala nesisenayo nakweyama-20 sayixela kusengaphambili impumelelo: “Ezi ndaba zilungileyo zobukumkani ziya kushunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba omiweyo.”—Mateyu 24:14.
7. Wahambela phambili kangakanani umsebenzi wokushumayela ngenkulungwane yokuqala?
7 Beqhutywa lukholo yaye bezaliswe ngumoya oyingcwele, abakhonzi bakaThixo benkulungwane yokuqala baqhubeka nothumo lwabo. Ekubeni uYehova ekunye nabo, baye banempumelelo engaphaya kwabebeyilindele. Ngexesha uPawulos wayebhalela abaseKolose, malunga neminyaka engama-27 emva kokufa kukaYesu, wakwazi ukuthi iindaba ezilungileyo ‘zishunyayelwe kwindalo yonke ephantsi kwezulu.’ (Kolose 1:23) Ngokwentelekiso, ngasekupheleni kwale nkulungwane yama-20, iindaba ezilungileyo zishunyayelwa kumazwe angama-233.
8. Kuphantsi kweemeko ezinjani abaye abaninzi bazamkela iindaba ezilungileyo? Nika imizekelo.
8 Izigidi zabantu ziye zazamkela iindaba ezilungileyo kumashumi akutshanje eminyaka. Abaninzi baye benjenjalo phantsi kweemeko ezinzima—kumaxesha emfazwe, okuvalwa umlomo nawentshutshiso eqatha. Oko kwenzeka ngenkulungwane yokuqala. Ngesinye isihlandlo uPawulos noSilas babethelw’ ugqirha nezicaka ngeminqayi baza bagityiselwa entolongweni. Enjani yona ukungathembisi imeko onokwenza kuyo abafundi! Ukanti, uYehova wasebenzisa loo meko ukwenza kanye oko. UPawulos noSilas bakhululwa, ibe umgcini-ntolongo wabo kunye nentsapho yakhe baba ngamakholwa. (IZenzo 16:19-33) Iziganeko ezinjengezi ziyabonisa ukuba iindaba ezilungileyo azinako ukuthintelwa ngabo bangazifuniyo. (Isaya 54:17) Ukanti ke, imbali yobuKristu ibingasoloko izaliswe bubutshaba nentshutshiso engapheliyo. Ngoku masikhe siqwalasele ezinye zeziganeko ezincomekayo eziye zanceda ukutyeneneza indlela ukuze iindaba ezilungileyo zishunyayelwe ngenkulungwane yokuqala nakweyama-20.
Ukutshayelela Unqulo
9, 10. UYehova waludala njani ulindelo lomsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo ngenkulungwane yokuqala nangeyama-20?
9 Khawuqwalasele amaxesha awayephunywa ngawo amaphulo okushumayela ehlabathini. Kwelokuqala iphulo, isiprofeto seeveki zeminyaka ezingama-70, esifumaneka kuDaniyeli 9:24-27, salatha kunyaka awayeza kubonakala ngawo uMesiya—owama-29 C.E. Nangona amaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala ayengaliqondi elona xesha ezaziza kwenzeka ngalo izinto, ayemlindele uMesiya. (Luka 3:15) IManuel Biblique yesiFrentshi ithi: “Abantu babesazi ukuba iiveki zeminyaka ezingamashumi asixhenxe ezamiselwa nguDaniyeli zazisondela esiphelweni; akakho umntu owamthela nqa uYohane uMbhaptizi xa wayevakalisa ukuba ubukumkani bukaThixo busondele.”
10 Kuthekani ngentshayelelo yephulo lale mihla siphila kuyo? Kaloku isiganeko ebesiphambili sesokubekwa kukaYesu etroneni ezulwini, nto leyo eyayisisiqalo sobukho bakhe ekumandla oBukumkani. Isiprofeto seBhayibhile sibonisa ukuba oku kwenzeka ngowe-1914. (Daniyeli 4:13-17) Ukulangazelelwa kwesi siganeko kubangele ukuba abanye abantu abaluzondeleleyo unqulo abaphila kule mihla babe nolindelo olukhulu. Olo lindelo lwalunokubonwa naphakathi kwaBafundi BeBhayibhile abanyanisekileyo abaqalisa ukupapasha eli phephancwadi ngowe-1879 belibiza ngokuthi yiZion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence. Ngaloo ndlela, ngenkulungwane yokuqala nakula maxesha ethu, ulindelo lwenze abaninzi bakulangazelela ukuphulaphula iindaba ezilungileyo.a
11. Ziziphi iziseko zonqulo eziye zabekwa ukunceda umsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo?
11 Enye into encede umsebenzi wamaKristu kuwo omabini la maxesha ibisisibakala sokuba abantu bebeqhelene neZibhalo Ezingcwele. Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, amaYuda athi saa phakathi kwabantu beeNtlanga ababewangqongile. Kwezo ndawo kwakubakho izindlu zesikhungu apho abantu babehlanganisana rhoqo ukuze baphulaphule xa kufundwa kuze kuxutyushwe iZibhalo. Ngenxa yoko, amaKristu okuqala akwazi ukwakhela phezu kolwazi lonqulo ababesele benalo abantu. (IZenzo 8:28-36; 17:1, 2) Ngasebutsheni bexesha lethu, abantu bakaYehova baye bafumana into efanayo kumazwe amaninzi. IBhayibhile ibifumaneka kubantu abaninzi ukutyhubela ummandla weNgqobhoko, ngokukodwa kumazwe amaProtestanti. Ibifundwa kwiicawa ezininzi; izigidi zabantu bezinombhalo wayo. IBhayibhile ibisele isezandleni zabantu, kodwa ke bebefuna ukuncedwa ukuze bayiqonde le nto isezandleni zabo.
Iingelo Zomthetho
12. Umthetho waseRoma wawudla ngokukhusela njani ngenkulungwane yokuqala?
12 Ngokufuthi umsebenzi wokushumayela wamaKristu uye wangenelwa kwimithetho ewiswa ngoorhulumente. Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, uBukhosi baseRoma babukhonya ehlabathini, kwaye umgaqo-siseko wabo wawunempembelelo enkulu kubomi bemihla ngemihla. Le mithetho yayikhusela, ibe amaKristu okuqala angenelwa kuyo. Ngokomzekelo, ukubhenela kukaPawulos kumthetho waseRoma kwabangela ukuba akhululwe entolongweni aze asinde ekutywatyushweni. (IZenzo 16:37-39; 22:25, 29) Ukubhekisela kwakhe kwilungiselelo elithile lomthetho wamaRoma kwanceda ekuthibazeni isihlwele sase-Efese esasiligqabi ngumsindo. (IZenzo 19:35-41) Ngeny’ imini, uPawulos wasinda kugonyamelo eYerusalem ngenxa yokuba wayengummi waseRoma. (IZenzo 23:27) Kamva, umthetho waseRoma wamvumela ukuba aye kuluthethelela ngokusemthethweni unqulo lwakhe phambi kukaKesare. (IZenzo 25:11) Nangona uninzi looKesare lwalulawula ngegqudu, imithetho yenkulungwane yokuqala yayidla ngokuvuma ukuba ‘zithethelelwe yaye zimiselwe ngokusemthethweni iindaba ezilungileyo.’—Filipi 1:7.
13. Ngokufuthi umsebenzi wokushumayela uye wangenelwa njani kumthetho kweli xesha lethu?
13 Kunjalo ke nanamhlanje kumazwe amaninzi. Nangona bebekho abo ‘babumba ububi ngommiselo,’ imigaqo-siseko yamazwe amaninzi igqala inkululeko yonqulo njengelungelo elisisiseko. (INdumiso 94:20) Oorhulumente abaninzi baye bawuvuma ngokusemthethweni umsebenzi wethu, beqonda ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova akasosisongelo kucwangco lwebutho labantu. EUnited States, apho umsebenzi omkhulu wokushicilela wamaNgqina wenziwa khona, imithetho ekhoyo yenze ukuba IMboniselo ikwazi ukuveliswa ngokuqhubekayo kangangeminyaka eli-120 kwaye ifundwe ehlabathini lonke.
Amaxesha Oxolo Nokunyamezelana
14, 15. Umlinganiselo othile wenzolo ekuhlaleni waba yingenelo njani kumsebenzi wokushumayela wenkulungwane yokuqala?
14 Kwakhona umsebenzi wokushumayela uye wangenelwa kumaxesha ebekukho umlinganiselo othile woxolo. Nangona uYesu waxela kwangaphambili ukuba ngala maxesha ‘uhlanga lwaluya kuvukelana nohlanga,’ kwakubakho amaxesha enzolo awayevumela umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani uqhubeke ngamandla. (Mateyu 24:7) AmaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayephila phantsi kwePax Romana, okanye Uxolo LwaseRoma. Omnye umbhali-mbali wabhala: “IRoma yaba nempembelelo kakhulu kubantu bommandla weMeditera kangangokuba yada yaphelisa nemfazwe yabo eyayiqhubeke kangangexesha elide.” Loo nzolo yawahlahlel’ indlela amaKristu ukuze akwazi ukuhambahamba ekhuselekile kuwo wonke ummandla waseRoma.
15 UBukhosi baseRoma bazabalazela ukumanya abantu phantsi kolawulo lwayo olungqongqo. Le nkqubo ayizange yanele kukhuthaza ukuhambahamba, ukunyamezelana kunye nokuphakelana ngezimvo, kodwa yakwakhuthaza nengcamango yobuzalwana bezizwe ngezizwe. Incwadi ethi On the Road to Civilization ithi: “Umanyano loBukhosi [baseRoma] lwatyeneneza indlela [yomsebenzi wamaKristu wokushumayela]. Imida yamazwe yayishenxisiwe. Ummi waseRoma wayengummi walo lonke ihlabathi. . . . Ngaphezu koko, unqulo olwalukhuthaza ubuzalwana ebantwini lwalunokuqondwa kwilizwe elalivelise ingcamango yokuba ngummi wamazwe onke.”—Thelekisa IZenzo 10:34, 35; 1 Petros 2:17.
16, 17. Yintoni eye yabangela imigudu yokukhuthaza uxolo kula maxesha siphila kuwo, kwaye sisiphi isigqibo abaninzi abasenokuba bafikelele kuso?
16 Kuthekani ngexesha lethu? Inkulungwane yama-20 iye yaba nezona mfazwe zitshabalalisayo embalini, kwaye iimfazwe zisaqhubeka kwimimandla ethile yamanye amazwe. (ISityhilelo 6:4) Ukanti, kuye kwakho namaxesha omlinganiselo othile woxolo. Amagunya amakhulu aphethe eli hlabathi akakhange alwe idabi eliqinileyo kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-50 edluleyo. Loo into iye yaluncedo gqitha kumsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kuloo mazwe.
17 Amasikizi abesenzeka kwinkulungwane yama-20 aye abangela abantu abaninzi bayibona imfuneko yorhulumente oya kulawula ihlabathi lonke. Ukoyika imfazwe yehlabathi kubangele ukuba kusekwe uManyano Lwezizwe kunye neZizwe Ezimanyeneyo. (ISityhilelo 13:14) Olona sukelo luphambili lwale mibutho mibini ibikukukhuthaza intsebenziswano kunye noxolo phakathi kweentlanga. Abantu abayibonayo le mfuneko ngokufuthi baye basabela kakuhle kwiindaba ezilungileyo zorhulumente wehlabathi oya kuzisa uxolo lokwenene noluya kuhlala luhleli—uBukumkani bukaThixo.
18. Ziziphi izimo zengqondo ngonqulo eziye zaluncedo kumsebenzi wokushumayela?
18 Nangona maxa wambi amaKristu eye atshutshiswa ngenkohlakalo, kokubini awenkulungwane yokuqala naweyama-20 aye anandipha amaxesha okunyamezelana ngokonqulo. (Yohane 15:20; IZenzo 9:31) AmaRoma ayeziqhelanisa yaye ebamkela lula oothixo kunye noothixokazi babantu awayeboyisile. UNjingalwazi uRodney Stark wabhala: “Kwiinkalo ezininzi iRoma yayinomlinganiselo wenkululeko yonqulo ongaphezu kwawo nawuphi na emva kwayo de kwasemva kweMvukelo yaseMerika.” Kweli xesha siphila kulo, abantu baye bazamkela nangakumbi iimbono zabanye, ibe umphumo ube kukukulungela kwabo ukuphulaphula isigidimi seBhayibhile esiza namaNgqina kaYehova.
Indima Yobugcisa
19. AmaKristu okuqala ayisebenzisa njani icodex?
19 Okokugqibela, khawubone indlela uYehova aye wenza abantu bakhe bangenelwa ngayo kwinkqubela yobugcisa. Nangona amaKristu okuqala ayephila ngexesha noko izinto zobugcisa ezazisatsalel’ emva, enye yezinto awazisebenzisayo yayiyicodex, okanye incwadi eyenziwe ngamagqabi. Icodex yayithabatha indawo yomsongo olukhuni. Incwadi ethi The Birth of the Codex ithi: “Ngokungafaniyo nokushiyiselwa komsongo yi-codex okuye kwacotha yaye kwenzeka ngokuthe ngcembe kwiincwadi zehlabathi, kubonakala ngathi amaKristu ayamkela ngokukhawuleza i-codex yaza yalityhutyha lonke.” Le ncwadi ikwathi: “AmaKristu ayisebenzise kakhulu i-codex ngenkulungwane yesibini kangangokuba imele ukuba yaqalisa ukusetyenziswa ngaphambili konyaka ka-A.D. 100.” Kwakulula ukusebenzisa icodex kunomsongo. IZibhalo zazifumaneka lula. Ngokuqinisekileyo oku kwawanceda amaKristu okuqala awathi, njengoPawulos, akanela nje ukucacisa iZibhalo kodwa ‘azingqina ngeembekiselo’ izinto awayezifundisa.—IZenzo 17:2, 3.
20. Abantu bakaThixo baye babusebenzisa njani ubugcisa bale mihla kumsebenzi wehlabathi lonke wokushumayela, yaye ngoba?
20 Inkqubela yezobugcisa yenkulungwane yethu ikushiya ubambe ongezantsi. Oomatshini abashicilela ngokukhawuleza baye banceda ekupapasheni uncwadi lweBhayibhile ngeelwimi ezininzi ngaxeshanye. Ubugcisa bale mihla buye bawukhawulezisa umsebenzi wokuguqulelwa kweBhayibhile. Iilori, oololiwe, iinqanawa kunye neenqwelo-moya ziye zakwazi ukuthutha uncwadi lweBhayibhile ngokukhawuleza lulusa kuwo wonke umhlaba. Iimfonomfono kunye noomatshini befax baye bakwenza kwalula ukunxibelelana ngokukhawuleza. Esebenzisa umoya wakhe, uYehova uye washukumisela abakhonzi bakhe ukuba basebenzise obo bugcisa ukuze bahambisele phambili iindaba ezilungileyo ehlabathini lonke. Abazisebenzisi ezi zinto kuba benomnqweno wokwazi nokusebenzisa kwanto nje efikayo ehlabathini. Kunoko, eyona nto iphambili kubo koko kuya kubanceda baluphumeze ngempumelelo uthumo lwabo lokushumayela.
21. Yintoni esinokuqiniseka ngayo?
21 UYesu waxela kwangaphambili esithi: “Ezi ndaba zilungileyo zobukumkani ziya kushunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba omiweyo.” (Mateyu 24:14) Kanye njengokuba amaKristu okuqala ayibonayo inzaliseko yeso siprofeto, nathi namhlanje siyayibona ngomlinganiselo omkhulu. Nangona umninzi yaye unzima lo msebenzi, ngamaxesha obumnandi nangawobunzima, phakathi kwaloo mithetho nezimo zengqondo ezitshintshayo, kusiliwa okanye kuseluxolweni, yaye kuyo yonke loo nkqubela yezobugcisa, iindaba ezilungileyo ziye zashunyayelwa kwaye zisashunyayelwa. Ngaba oku akukwenzi uboyike ubulumko bukaYehova nokukwazi kwakhe ukubona izinto kusengaphambili okumangalisayo? Sinokuqiniseka ngokupheleleyo ukuba umsebenzi wokushumayela uza kugqitywa ngexesha elicwangciswe nguYehova kwaye injongo yakhe yothando iza kuphunyezwa kuze kusikelelwe amalungisa. Aza kuwuma umhlaba aze aphile kuwo ngonaphakade. (INdumiso 37:29; Habhakuki 2:3) Ukuba nathi siphila ngokuvisisana nenjongo kaYehova, siya kuba phakathi kwawo.—1 Timoti 4:16.
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a Ukuze ufumane ingcaciso eneenkcukacha ezingakumbi yezi ziprofeto zibini ezingoMesiya, bona incwadi ethi Ulwazi Olukhokelela Kubomi Obungunaphakade, iphepha 36, 97, kunye nelama-98-107, epapashwe yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
Iingongoma Zempinda
◻ Kutheni ukushunyayelwa kweendaba ezilungileyo kuye kwasisabelo esilucelomngeni?
◻ Umsebenzi wamaKristu uye wangenelwa njani kumalungiselelo karhulumente nakumlinganiselo othile wenzolo yasekuhlaleni?
◻ Intsikelelo kaYehova kumsebenzi wokushumayela isiqinisekisa ngaziphi iziganeko zexesha elizayo?