Imini Yomgwebo KaYehova Ikufuphi!
“Imini enkulu kaYehova ikufuphi. Ikufuphi, yaye ikhawuleza kakhulu.”—ZEFANIYA 1:14.
1. Sisiphi isilumkiso esanikelwa nguThixo ngoZefaniya?
UYEHOVA UTHIXO sele eza kuthabatha inyathelo nxamnye nabangendawo. Phulaphula! Nasi isilumkiso esivela kuye: “Ndiya kuphelisa umntu wasemhlabeni . . . ndiza kulunqumla uluntu phezu komhlaba.” (Zefaniya 1:3) Loo mazwi eNkosi enguMongami uYehova wawathetha ngomprofeti wakhe uZefaniya, mhlawumbi owayengumzukulwana womzukulwana kaKumkani uHezekiya owayethembekile. Eso sibhengezo senziwa ngemihla kaKumkani uYosiya owayelungile, sasingemnandi kubantu abangendawo ababehlala kwilizwe lakwaYuda.
2. Kutheni oko kwenziwa nguYosiya kungazange kuyithintele imini yomgwebo kaYehova?
2 Ngokungathandabuzekiyo isiprofeto sikaZefaniya samenza wayiphaphela ngakumbi uYosiya oselula imfuneko yokushenxisa unqulo olungacocekanga kwaYuda. Kodwa ukushenxisa kukakumkani unqulo lobuxoki kwelo lizwe akuzange kubushenxise bonke ubungendawo phakathi kwabantu okanye kucamagushele izono zikayisemkhulu, uKumkani uManase, ‘owayezalise iYerusalem ngegazi elimsulwa.’ (2 Kumkani 24:3, 4; 2 Kronike 34:3) Ngoko imini yomgwebo kaYehova yayiza kufika ngokuqinisekileyo.
3. Sinokuqiniseka njani ukuba sinokusinda ‘ngemini yomsindo kaYehova’?
3 Ukanti, babekho ababeza kusinda ngaloo mini yoyikekayo. Ngoko ke, umprofeti kaThixo wabongoza esithi: “Ngaphambi kokuba ummiselo uzale nantoni na, ngaphambi kokuba loo mini idlule kanye njengomququ, ngaphambi kokuba umsindo kaYehova ovuthayo unifikele, ngaphambi kokuba inifikele imini yomsindo kaYehova, funani uYehova, nonke balulamileyo bomhlaba, baqhelisele isigwebo Sakhe. Funani ubulungisa, funani ululamo. Mhlawumbi niya kufihlwa ngemini yomsindo kaYehova.” (Zefaniya 2:2, 3) Sicinga ngethemba lokusinda ngemini yomgwebo kaYehova, masiqwalasele incwadi yeBhayibhile kaZefaniya. Ekubeni yabhalwa kwaYuda ngaphambi kowama-648 B.C.E., iyinxalenye ‘yelizwi likaThixo lesiprofeto,’ elo sonke simele sinikele ingqalelo kulo ngentliziyo iphela.—2 Petros 1:19.
Isandla SikaYehova Soluliwe
4, 5. Wazaliseka njani uZefaniya 1:1-3 kwabo bangendawo kwelakwaYuda?
4 “Ilizwi likaYehova” xa wayethetha noZefaniya liqalisa ngesilumkiso esicatshulwe ngasentla. UThixo uvakalisa oku: “‘Nakanjani na ndiya kuphelisa yonk’ into phezu komhlaba,’ utsho uYehova. ‘Ndiya kuphelisa umntu wasemhlabeni nesilo. Ndiya kuphelisa isidalwa esiphaphazelayo samazulu neentlanzi zolwandle, nesikhubekiso kunye nabangendawo; kwaye ndiza kulunqumla uluntu phezu komhlaba,’ utsho uYehova.”—Zefaniya 1:1-3.
5 Ewe, uYehova wayeza kubuphelisa ubungendawo obumanyumnyezi kwilizwe lakwaYuda. Wayeza kusebenzisa bani uThixo ‘ukuphelisa yonk’ into phezu komhlaba’? Ekubeni kubonakala ukuba uZefaniya waprofeta ebudeni benxalenye yokuqala yolawulo lukaKumkani uYosiya, olwaqalisa ngowama-659 B.C.E., loo mazwi esiprofeto azaliseka ekuphanzisweni kukaYuda nesixeko sakhe esilikomkhulu, iYerusalem, ngamaBhabhiloni ngowama-607 B.C.E. Ngelo xesha, abo bangendawo ‘bapheliswa’ kwaYuda.
6-8. Yintoni eyaxelwa kwangaphambili kuZefaniya 1:4-6, yaye eso siprofeto sazaliseka njani kuYuda wamandulo?
6 Exela kusengaphambili ngezenzo zikaThixo nxamnye nabanquli bobuxoki, uZefaniya 1:4-6 uthi: “Ndiza kolulela isandla sam kuYuda nakubo bonke abemi baseYerusalem, kwaye ndiza kunqumla kule ndawo abaseleyo bakaBhahali, igama lababingeleli boothixo basemzini kunye nababingeleli abo, nabo baqubuda eluphahleni kuwo umkhosi wamazulu, nabo baqubudayo, besenza izifungo ezinzulu kuYehova kwaye besenza izifungo ezinzulu ngoMalekam; nabo bahlehlayo ekulandeleni uYehova nabo bangamfunanga uYehova nabangabuzanga ngaye.”
7 Isandla sikaYehova solulwa nxamnye nabantu bakwaYuda naseYerusalem. Wayezimisele ukubabulala abanquli bothixo wenzala wamaKanan, uBhahali. Izithixo ezahlukahlukeneyo zasekuhlaleni zazibizwa ngokuba ngooBhahali ngenxa yokuba abanquli bazo babecinga ukuba zinempembelelo kwiindawo ezithile ezikhethekileyo. Ngokomzekelo, kwakukho uBhahali owayenqulwa ngamaMowabhi namaMidiyan kwiNtaba yasePehore. (Numeri 25:1, 3, 6) Kulo lonke elakwaYuda, uYehova wayeza kubanqumla ababingeleli bakaBhahali, kunye nababingeleli abangabaLevi ababengathembekanga ababesaphula umthetho kaThixo ngokuba nobudlelane nawo.—Eksodus 20:2, 3.
8 UThixo wayeza kunqumla nabo ‘babequbuda kumkhosi wamazulu,’ ngokucacileyo ababevumisa ngeenkwenkwezi benqula nelanga. (2 Kumkani 23:11; Yeremiya 19:13; 32:29) Umsindo kaThixo wawuza kuthululelwa naphezu kwabo babezama ukudibanisa unqulo oluyinyaniso nonqulo lobuxoki ‘besenza izifungo ezinzulu kuYehova ngoMalekam.’ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uMalekam lelinye igama likaMoleki, uthixo ophambili wama-Amoni. Unqulo lukaMoleki lwaluquka ukubingelela ngabantwana.—1 Kumkani 11:5; Yeremiya 32:35.
Isiphelo SeNgqobhoko Sisemnyango!
9. (a) Inetyala lantoni iNgqobhoko? (b) Ngokungafaniyo nabo bangazange bathembeke kwaYuda, sifanele sizimisele ukwenza ntoni?
9 Konke oku kunokusikhumbuza ngeNgqobhoko, ethe zwabha kunqulo lobuxoki nokuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi. Yaye indima enayo ekubingeleleni ngobomi bezigidi zabantu kwisibingelelo seemfazwe ezixhaswa ngabefundisi ingamasikizi ngokwenene! Masingaze sifane nabo babengathembekanga kwaYuda, ‘abahlehlayo ekulandeleni uYehova,’ baphelelwa ngumdla baza abaqhubeka bemfuna okanye befuna ukhokelo lwakhe. Kunoko, masigcine ingqibelelo yethu kuThixo.
10. Unokuyichaza njani intsingiselo yesiprofeto sikaZefaniya 1:7?
10 Amazwi alandelayo alo mprofeti afanelekile kubenzi bobubi bakwaYuda nabantu abangendawo kumhla wethu. UZefaniya 1:7 uthi: “Yithi cwaka phambi kweNkosi enguMongami uYehova; kuba imini kaYehova ikufuphi, kuba uYehova uwulungisile umbingelelo; ubangcwalisile abamenyiweyo bakhe.” Kuyabonakala ukuba aba ‘bamenyiweyo’ yayiziintshaba zikaYuda ezingamaKhaledi. “Umbingelelo” yayinguYuda ngenkqu, kuquka isixeko sakhe esilikomkhulu. Ngaloo ndlela, uZefaniya wavakalisa injongo kaThixo yokutshabalalisa iYerusalem, yaye esi siprofeto sasibhekisela nasekutshatyalalisweni kweNgqobhoko. Eneneni, ekubeni imini kaThixo yomgwebo isondele kangaka namhlanje, lonke ihlabathi lifanele ‘lithi cwaka phambi kweNkosi enguMongami uYehova’ lize live oko akuthethayo ‘ngomhlambi omncinane’ wabalandeli bakaYesu abathanjisiweyo namaqabane abo, ‘azezinye izimvu’ zakhe. (Luka 12:32; Yohane 10:16) Bonke abo bangayi kuphulaphula yaye ngaloo ndlela bechasa ukulawulwa buBukumkani bukaThixo balindelwe yintshabalalo.—INdumiso 2:1, 2.
Kungekudala—Kuza Imini Yokubhomboloza!
11. Yiyiphi intsingiselo esisiseko kaZefaniya 1:8-11?
11 Ngokuphathelele imini kaYehova, uZefaniya 1:8-11 wongezelela esithi: “‘Kuza kuthi ke ngemini yombingelelo kaYehova ndinikele ingqalelo kwiinkosana, nakoonyana bokumkani, nakubo bonke abo banxiba isinxibo sasemzini. Ndiza kunikela ingqalelo kuye wonk’ ubani onyukayo eqongeni ngaloo mini, abo bazalisa indlu yeenkosi zabo ngogonyamelo nenkohliso. Yaye ngaloo mini,’ utsho uYehova, ‘kumele kubekho isandi sesikhalo esivela kwiSango Leentlanzi, nokubhomboloza kuvela kwisahlulo sesibini, nokuwa okukhulu kuvela ezindulini. Bhombolozani, nina bemi baseMaketeshe, kuba bonke abantu abangabarhwebi bathulisiwe; banqunyulwe bonke abo balinganisa isilivere.’”
12. Abanye bafunyanwa ‘benxibe isinxibo sasemzini’ njani?
12 UKumkani uYosiya wayeza kulandelwa nguYehowahazi, uYehoyakim noYehoyakin. Kwandule ke kufike ulawulo lukaZedekiya, olo iYerusalem yatshatyalaliswa ebudeni balo. Nangona babejamelene naloo ntlekele, kuyabonakala ukuba abanye, babefuna ukwamkeleka kwizizwe ezingabamelwane ‘ngokunxiba isinxibo sasemzini.’ Ngokufanayo, abaninzi namhlanje bakwenza kubonakale ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo ukuba abayonxalenye yentlangano kaYehova. Njengenxalenye ebonakalayo yentlangano kaSathana, baya kohlwaywa.
13. Ngokuvisisana nesiprofeto sikaZefaniya, yintoni eyayiza kwenzeka xa amaBhabhiloni ehlasela iYerusalem?
13 ‘Loo mini’ yokuziphendulela kukaYuda ingqamana nemini kaYehova yokuphumeza umgwebo kwiintshaba zakhe, yokuphelisa ubungendawo nokungqina ulongamo lwakhe. Njengoko amaBhabhiloni ayehlasela iYerusalem, kwakuza kuvela isikhalo kwiSango Leentlanzi. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba lalibizwa ngaloo ndlela ngenxa yokuba lalikufuphi nemarike yeentlanzi. (Nehemiya 13:16) Imikhosi yaseBhabhiloni yayiza kungena kummandla owawubizwa ngokuba yinxalenye yesibini, yaye ‘ukuwa okuvela ezindulini’ kunokubhekisela kwisandi sokuza kwamaKhaledi. Abemi baseMaketeshe babeza ‘kubhomboloza’ mhlawumbi kwiNtlambo iTyropoeon. Yintoni eyayiza kubenza babhomboloze? Ngenxa yokuba umsebenzi wezorhwebo, kuquka owabo ‘babelinganisa isilivere,’ wawuza kuphela.
14. UThixo wayeza kubagocagoca ukusa kuwuphi umkhamo abo babezibanga bengabanquli bakhe?
14 UYehova wayeza kubagocagoca ukusa kuwuphi umkhamo abo babezibanga bengabanquli bakhe? Esi siprofeto sihlabela mgama sisithi: “Kuza kuthi ngelo xesha ndiyigocagoce ngenyameko iYerusalem ngezibane, ndinikele ingqalelo kumadoda azinzileyo ezintsipheni zawo nathi entliziyweni, ‘UYehova akayi kwenza okulungileyo, engayi kwenza nokubi.’ Indyebo yawo imele ibe yeyokuphangwa nezindlu zawo zibe yinkangala ephanzileyo. Aya kwakha izindlu, kodwa akayi kuhlala kuzo; aya kutyala nezidiliya, kodwa akayi kusela wayini yazo.”—Zefaniya 1:12, 13.
15. (a) Yintoni eyayiza kwenzeka kubabingeleli baseYerusalem ababengabawexuki? (b) Yintoni eza kwehlela abo baqhelisela unqulo lobuxoki namhlanje?
15 Ababingeleli baseYerusalem ababengabawexuki babexuba unqulo lukaYehova nonqulo lobuxoki. Nangona babeziva benqabisekile, uThixo wayeya kubagocagoca ngokungathi usebenzisa izibane eziqaqambileyo ezaziya kukhanyisa kobo bumnyama bokomoya babezifihle kubo. Akukho namnye kubo owayeya kusinda ekuveni isigidimi naxa kuphunyezwa umgwebo kaThixo. Abo bawexuki bangakhathaliyo babezinzile ngokungathi ziintsipho emazantsi efatyi yewayini. Babengafuni kuphazanyiswa sisigidimi sokungenelela kukaThixo kwimicimbi yabantu, kodwa babengayi kusinda xa befikelwa ngumgwebo kaThixo. Nabo baqhelisela unqulo lobuxoki namhlanje abayi kusinda, kuquka amalungu eNgqobhoko nabo baye bawexuka kunqulo lukaYehova. Bekhanyela ukuba le ‘yimihla yokugqibela,’ bathi entliziyweni yabo, “UYehova akayi kwenza okulungileyo, engayi kwenza nokubi.” Hayi indlela abaphazama ngayo!—2 Timoti 3:1-5; 2 Petros 3:3, 4, 10.
16. Yintoni eyayiza kwenzeka xa uThixo ephumeza umgwebo wakhe phezu koYuda, yaye ukwazi oko, kufanele kusichaphazele njani?
16 Abawexuki bakwaYuda balunyukiswa ukuba amaBhabhiloni ayeza kuphanga ubutyebi babo, aphanzise izindlu zabo, aze athabathe iziqhamo zezidiliya zabo. Izinto eziphathekayo zazingayi kuba naxabiso xa uThixo ephumeza umgwebo wakhe phezu koYuda. Kuya kwenzeka okufanayo xa imini yomgwebo kaYehova ifikela le nkqubo yezinto. Ngoko, ngamana singaba nembono yokomoya size ‘siziqwebele ubuncwane ezulwini’ ngokugcina inkonzo kaYehova ikwindawo yokuqala ebomini bethu!—Mateyu 6:19-21, 33.
“Imini Enkulu KaYehova Ikufuphi”
17. Ngokutsho kukaZefaniya 1:14-16, isondele kangakanani imini yomgwebo kaYehova?
17 Ikufuphi kangakanani imini yomgwebo kaYehova? Ngokutsho kukaZefaniya 1:14-16, uThixo unikela esi siqinisekiso: “Imini enkulu kaYehova ikufuphi. Ikufuphi, yaye ikhawuleza kakhulu. Isandi semini kaYehova sikrakra. Apho nendoda enamandla iyakhala. Loo mini yimini yokuvutha komsindo, imini yokubandezeleka neyokungcungcutheka, imini yesaqhwithi neyesiphanziso, imini yobumnyama neyesithokothoko, imini yamafu nesithokothoko, imini yesigodlo neyokuhlaba umkhosi, nxamnye nezixeko ezinqatyisiweyo neenqaba eziphakamileyo ezikoneni.”
18. Kutheni singafanele sigqibe kwelokuba imini yomgwebo kaYehova isekude?
18 Ababingeleli, iinkosana nabantu bakwaYuda babelunyukisiwe ‘ngemini enkulu kaYehova ekufuphi.’ KuYuda ‘imini kaYehova yayiza kukhawuleza kakhulu.’ Ngokufanayo kwixesha lethu, makungabikho namnye ocinga ukuba umgwebo kaYehova kwabangendawo uya kuphunyezwa kudala. Kunoko, njengoko uThixo wenza ngokukhawuleza kwaYuda, uya kuyiphumeza ‘ngokukhawuleza’ imini yakhe. (ISityhilelo 16:14, 16) Elinjani lona ukuba buhlungu ixesha kubo bonke abo batyeshela izilumkiso zikaYehova ezinikelwa ngamaNgqina akhe nabo bangalwamkeliyo unqulo oluyinyaniso!
19, 20. (a) Ziziphi ezinye iindlela owaphunyezwa ngazo umsindo kaThixo kwaYuda naseYerusalem? (b) Ngokuphathelele intshabalalo yabo bafanele batshabalale kule nkqubo yezinto, kuphakama yiphi imibuzo?
19 Imini yokuphunyezwa komsindo kaThixo kwaYuda naseYerusalem ‘yayiyimini yokubandezeleka neyokungcungcutheka.’ Abahlaseli baseBhabhiloni babangela ukuba abemi belakwaYuda babandezeleke ngeendlela ezininzi, kuquka ukungcungcuthekiswa kukoyika ukufa nokutshatyalaliswa. Loo ‘mini yesaqhwithi neyesiphanziso’ yayiyimini yobumnyama, yamafu nesithokothoko, mhlawumbi kungekhona ngokomfuziselo kuphela kodwa nangokoqobo, kuba kwakukho umsi nendyikitya kuyo yonk’ indawo. ‘Yayiyimini yesigodlo neyokuhlaba umkhosi,’ kodwa ezo zilumkiso zaba lilize.
20 Abalindi baseYerusalem bathi nkamalala njengoko iinjini ezinamandla zokudiliza zaseBhabhiloni zazidiliza ‘iinqaba eziphakamileyo ezikoneni.’ Nokunqatyiswa kwale nkqubo yezinto ingendawo akuyi kunceda nto nxamnye nezixhobo zikaThixo zasezulwini, alungele ukuzisebenzisa xa eqalisa ukutshabalalisa abo bafanele batshabalale. Ngaba unethemba lokusinda? Ngaba sele umi ngokuqinileyo ngakwicala likaYehova, ‘obalindayo bonke abo bamthandayo, aze ababhubhise bonke abangendawo’?—INdumiso 145:20.
21, 22. UZefaniya 1:17, 18 uya kuzaliseka njani kumhla wethu?
21 Enjani ukoyikeka imini yomgwebo eyaxelwa kwangaphambili kuZefaniya 1:17, 18! “Ndiza kubazisela ukubandezeleka abantu,” utsho uYehova uThixo, “yaye ngokuqinisekileyo baya kuhamba njengeemfama; ngenxa yokuba bamonile uYehova. Igazi labo liya kuphalazwa njengothuli, nezibilini zabo njengobulongwe. Isilivere yabo negolide yabo ayiyi kukwazi ukubahlangula ngemini yokuvutha komsindo kaYehova; kodwa umhlaba uphela uya kuqwengwa ngumlilo wenzondelelo yakhe, ngenxa yokuba uya kwenza intshabalaliso, eneneni enkwantyisayo, kubo bonke abemi bomhlaba.”
22 Njengoko wenzayo ngemihla kaZefaniya, kungekudala uYehova uya kubazisela ukubandezeleka “bonke abemi bomhlaba,” abo bangavumiyo ukuphulaphula isilumkiso. Ngenxa yokuba besona uThixo, baya kuhamba njengeemfama, bengalufumani usindiso. Ngemini kaYehova yomgwebo, igazi labo “liya kuphalazwa njengothuli,” njengento engenamsebenzi. Eneneni isiphelo sabo siya kuba lihlazo, kuba uThixo uya kuyichithachitha imizimba yabo—kwanezibilini—zaba bangendawo emhlabeni, “njengobulongwe.”
23. Nangona abenzi bobubi bengayi kusinda “ngemini yokuvutha komsindo kaYehova,” liliphi ithemba eliqulethwe sisiprofeto sikaZefaniya?
23 Akakho umntu onokusindisa abo balwa noThixo kunye nabantu bakhe. Isilivere negolide ayizange ikwazi ukubahlangula abenzi bobubi bakwaYuda, kwanobutyebi abaye baziqwebela bona nezinyobo aziyi kubakhusela okanye zibasindise “ngemini yokuvutha komsindo kaYehova” kwiNgqobhoko nakule nkqubo yezinto iphela. Ngaloo mini yomgwebo, “umhlaba uphela uya kuqwengwa” ngumlilo wenzondelelo kaThixo xa etshabalalisa abangendawo. Ngenxa yokuba sinokholo kwilizwi likaThixo lesiprofeto, seyisekile kukuba ngoku singene nzulu ‘kwixesha lesiphelo.’ (Daniyeli 12:4) Imini yomgwebo kaYehova isondele, yaye kungekudala uya kuziphindezela kwiintshaba zakhe. Ukanti, isiprofeto sikaZefaniya siqulethe ithemba lokuhlangulwa. Ngoko ke, yintoni efunekayo ukuze sifihlwe ngemini yomsindo kaYehova?
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
• Sazaliseka njani isiprofeto sikaZefaniya kwaYuda naseYerusalem?
• Yintoni eza kwehlela iNgqobhoko nabo bonke abangendawo kumhla wethu?
• Kutheni singafanele sicinge ukuba imini yomgwebo kaYehova iya kufika kudala?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]
UZefaniya wavakalisa ngenkalipho ukuba imini yomgwebo kaYehova isondele
[Inkcazelo]
From the Self-Pronouncing Edition of the Holy Bible, containing the King James and the Revised versions
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]
Imini kaYehova yafikela uYuda neYerusalem esebenzisa amaBhabhiloni ngowama-607 B.C.E.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]
Ngaba unethemba lokusinda xa uYehova etshabalalisa abangendawo?