“Imini Enkulu KaYehova Ikufuphi”
“Imini enkulu kaYehova ikufuphi. Ikufuphi, yaye ikhawuleza kakhulu.”—ZEFANIYA 1:14.
1, 2. (a) Yiyiphi imini ekhethekileyo elindelwe ngamaKristu? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo esimele sizibuze yona, ngasiphi isizathu?
I NTOMBAZANA ethile ayisaziva luvuyo ilindele usuku lomtshato wayo. Umama onzima ukhangele phambili kumhla wokuzalwa kosana lwakhe. Umsebenzi oyimfe akasacingi kwanto ngaphandle komhla wokuqalisa kwekhefu ekudala elulindele. Yintoni abafana ngayo bonke aba bantu? Bonke bakhangele kwimini ekhethekileyo—imini eya kuba nefuthe kubomi babo. Bonke abasaziva kodwa oko kwenzeka ngendlela engafaniyo. Iza kude ifike imini abayilindeleyo, yaye banethemba lokuba iya kufika beyilindele.
2 Nawo amaKristu okwenyaniso namhlanje alindele imini ekhethekileyo. ‘Yimini enkulu kaYehova.’ (Isaya 13:9; Yoweli 2:1; 2 Petros 3:12) ‘Yiyiphi loo mini kaYehova’ izayo, ibe ukufika kwayo kuya kuba nefuthe njani ebantwini? Khona, singenza njani ukuze siqiniseke ukuba sihlala siyilindele? Kubaluleke gqitha ukuba sizifumane ngoku iimpendulo zale mibuzo kuba ubungqina bubonisa ukuba yinyaniso kwala mazwi alandelayo eBhayibhile: “Imini enkulu kaYehova ikufuphi. Ikufuphi, yaye ikhawuleza kakhulu.”—Zefaniya 1:14.
“Imini Enkulu KaYehova”
3. Yimini etheni “imini enkulu kaYehova”?
3 Yimini etheni “imini enkulu kaYehova”? Kuzo zonke iZibhalo amazwi athi “imini kaYehova” abhekisela kwixesha elikhethekileyo apho uYehova egweba aze abulale iintshaba zakhe ezukisa igama lakhe elikhulu. Abantu abangathembekanga kwaYuda naseYerusalem kunye nabacinezeli baseBhabhiloni nabaseYiputa bonke bafikelwa ‘yimini kaYehova’ xa bafikelwa ngumgwebo wakhe. (Isaya 2:1, 10-12; 13:1-6; Yeremiya 46:7-10) Noko ke, eyona ‘mini inkulu kaYehova’ iseza. ‘Yimini’ yomgwebo apho uYehova eya kubulala abo baye bangcolisa igama lakhe. Iya kuqalisa ngokutshatyalaliswa ‘kweBhabhiloni Enkulu,’ ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki, iphethe ngokutshayelwa kwayo yonke le nkqubo yezinto ingendawo kwimfazwe yeArmagedon.—ISityhilelo 16:14, 16; 17:5, 15-17; 19:11-21.
4. Kutheni inkoliso yabantu imele iyoyike nje imini kaYehova eza ngesiquphe?
4 Enoba iyaqonda okanye akunjalo, inkoliso yabantu imele iyoyike le mini iza ngesiquphe. Ngoba? Esebenzisa umprofeti uZefaniya, uYehova uphendula athi: “Loo mini yimini yokuvutha komsindo, imini yokubandezeleka neyokungcungcutheka, imini yesaqhwithi neyesiphanziso, imini yobumnyama neyesithokothoko, imini yamafu nesithokothoko.” Iyoyikeka ngokwenene! Ukongezelela lo mprofeti uthi: “Ndiza kubazisela ukubandezeleka abantu . . . ngenxa yokuba bamonile uYehova.”—Zefaniya 1:15, 17.
5. Yiyiphi imbono ekhuthazayo ezinayo izigidi zabanye ngemini kaYehova, yaye kutheni zinembono enjalo nje?
5 Noko ke, zikho izigidi zabathile ezikhangele phambili ekufikeni kwemini kaYehova. Ziyilindele ngantoni? Kaloku kuzo loo mini ithetha ukusindiswa nokuhlangulwa kwamalungisa, imini aya kuphakanyiswa ngayo uYehova negama lakhe elizukileyo lingcwaliswe. (Yoweli 3:16, 17; Zefaniya 3:12-17) Ukuyoyika nokukhangela phambili kuyo loo mini kuxhomekeke koko abantu bakwenzayo ngoku ngobomi babo. Wena uvakalelwa njani ngokuza kwaloo mini? Ngaba ukulungele ukufika kwayo? Ngaba ukuba kufuphi kwayo kunefuthe kubomi bakho bemihla ngemihla kanye ngoku?
“Kuya Kufika Abagculeli Nokugculela Kwabo”
6. Inkoliso yabantu ikujonga njani ukufika ‘kwemini kaYehova,’ ibe kutheni amaKristu okwenyaniso engothuswa koko?
6 Phezu kwako nje ukungxamiseka kwale meko, inkoliso yabantu ayizidubi ngokufika ‘kwemini kaYehova.’ Bahlekisa ngabo baze babagculele abo babalumkisa ngokugaleleka kwayo okusemnyango. AmaKristu okwenyaniso akamangaliswa koku. Akhumbula isilumkiso sompostile uPetros esithi: “Kuba niyakwazi oku kuqala, ukuba ngemihla yokugqibela kuya kufika abagculeli nokugculela kwabo, beqhubeka ngokweminqweno yabo baze bathi: ‘Buphi obu bukho bakhe buthenjisiweyo? Kuba ukususela ngomhla ookhokho bethu abalala ngawo ekufeni, zonke izinto zisaqhubeka kanye njengasekuqaleni kwendalo.’”—2 Petros 3:3, 4.
7. Yintoni eyakusinceda sihlale sinemvo yongxamiseko?
7 Yintoni eya kusinceda silwe nezo ngcamango zingakhiyo ukuze sihlale sinemvo yongxamiseko? UPetros uthi: “Ndivuselele amandla enu okucinga angcwengekileyo ngendlela yokunikhumbuza, ukuze niwakhumbule amazwi awathethwa ngaphambili ngabaprofeti abangcwele nomyalelo weNkosi noMsindisi ngabapostile benu.” (2 Petros 3:1, 2) Ukunikela ingqalelo kwizilumkiso zesiprofeto kuya ‘kuvuselela amandla ethu okucinga angcwengekileyo.’ Mhlawumbi kudala siziva ezi zikhumbuzo, kodwa ngoku kubaluleke ngakumbi ukuba siqhubeke sinikela ingqalelo kuzo.—Isaya 34:1-4; Luka 21:34-36.
8. Kutheni abaninzi bezibetha ngoyaba izikhumbuzo zeBhayibhile?
8 Kutheni bezibetha ngoyaba nje abanye ezi zikhumbuzo? UPetros uhlabela mgama athi: “Ngenxa yeminqweno yabo, abasiqondi isibakala sokuba, amazulu awabakho kwakudala, kunye nomhlaba oyimbumba ephuma emanzini nomi phakathi kwamanzi, ezo zinto zibekho ngelizwi likaThixo; yaye kwangalo ihlabathi langoko latshatyalaliswa xa lakhukuliswa ngamanzi kanogumbe.” (2 Petros 3:5, 6) Ewe, bakho abangakunqweneliyo ukufika kwemini kaYehova. Abafuni kuphazanyiswa kubomi babo. Abafuni kuphenduliswa nguYehova ngobomi bokuzingca ababuphilayo! Njengokuba uPetros esitsho, baphila ‘ngokweminqweno yabo.’
9. Sisiphi isimo sengqondo ababenaso abantu bomhla kaNowa nomhla Lote?
9 Ngenxa “yeminqweno yabo,” aba bagculeli bakhetha ukungasisi-so isibakala sokuba uYehova ukhe wangenelela kwimicimbi yoluntu. UYesu Kristu nompostile uPetros babhekisela kwiziganeko ezibini—“imihla kaNowa” “nemihla kaLote.” (Luka 17:26-30; 2 Petros 2:5-9) Ngaphambi koMkhukula, abantu abazange banikele ngqalelo kwizilumkiso ezazikhutshwa nguNowa. Ngokufanayo, ngaphambi kokutshatyalaliswa kweSodom neGomora, uLote ‘wayebonakala njengomntu oqhulayo emehlweni abakhwenyana bakhe.’—Genesis 19:14.
10. UYehova uya kusabela njani kwabo banganikeli ngqalelo kwimini yakhe?
10 Banjalo nabanamhlanje. Kodwa, yiva indlela asabela ngayo uYehova kwabo banganikeli ngqalelo kuyo: ‘Ndiya kunikela 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) Abantu bangaqhubeka besenza “izinto” zabo, kodwa abayi kuzuza nayiphina ingenelo ehlala ihleli kwimigudu yabo. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba imini kaYehova iya kufika ngesiquphe, ibe nabuphi na ubutyebi bezinto abanazo abuyi kubasindisa.—Zefaniya 1:18.
“Hlala Uwulindile”
11. Sisiphi isibongozo esimele sihlale sisikhumbula?
11 Ngokwahlukileyo kwihlabathi elisingqongileyo, simele sihlale sisikhumbula isibongozo somprofeti uHabhakuki esithi: “Kuba umbono usengowexesha elimisiweyo, yaye uqhubeka ukhawulezela ekupheleni, ibe awuyi kuxoka. Kwanokuba unokulibala, hlala uwulindile; kuba uya kuba yinyaniso nakanjani na. Awuyi kufika emva kwexesha.” (Habhakuki 2:3) Kwanokuba loo mini ibonakala izilazila ngokwembono yethu yokungafezeki, simele sikhumbule ukuba uYehova akacothi. Imini yakhe iya kufika kanye ngexesha layo, ngexesha abangayilindelanga ngalo abantu.—Marko 13:33; 2 Petros 3:9, 10.
12. Yintoni awalumkisa ngayo uYesu, ibe yahluke njani kwizenzo zabalandeli abanyanisekileyo bakhe?
12 Egxininisa ukubaluleka kokuhlala silindele imini kaYehova, uYesu walumkisa ngelithi, nabalandeli bakhe babeya kuphulukana nemvo yongxamiseko. Wathi ngabo: “Ukuba elo khoboka linobubi lingakhe lithi entliziyweni yalo, ‘Inkosi yam iyalibala,’ lize liqale ukubetha amakhoboka angamadlelane alo yaye lidle lize lisele namanxila aziwayo, inkosi yelo khoboka iya kuza ngemini elingayilindelanga nangelixa elingalaziyo, kwaye iya kulohlwaya ngokona kuqatha kakhulu.” (Mateyu 24:48-51) Ngokwahlukileyo, udidi lwekhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi luhlala lunemvo yongxamiseko. Luye lwahlala lulindile luzingqina lulungile. UYesu uye walumisela “phezu kwayo yonke impahla” yakhe elapha emhlabeni.—Mateyu 24:42-47.
Imfuneko Yokuba Nemvo Yongxamiseko
13. UYesu wayigxininisa njani imfuneko yokuba nemvo yongxamiseko?
13 Kwakubalulekile ukuba amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ahlale enemvo yongxamiseko. Kwafuneka akhawuleze asabe eYerusalem xa eyibona “ingqongwe yimikhosi emise iintente.” (Luka 21:20, 21) Kwenzeka oko ngowama-66 C.E. Phawula indlela uYesu awagxininisa ngayo imfuneko yemvo yongxamiseko kumaKristu elo xesha: “Umntu ophezu kwendlu makangehli aye kuthabatha iimpahla endlwini yakhe; umntu osentsimini makangabuyeli endlwini aye kuthabatha isambatho sakhe sangaphezulu.” (Mateyu 24:17, 18) Ekubeni imbali ibonisa ukuba iYerusalem ayizange itshatyalaliswa de kwadlula iminyaka emine emva koko, kwakutheni ukuze kufuneke amaKristu athobele amazwi kaYesu ongxamiseko ngowama-66 C.E.?
14, 15. Kutheni kwakubalulekile nje ukuba amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala angaphozisi maseko ukusaba xa ebona iYerusalem ingqongwe yimikhosi emise iintente?
14 Nakuba enyanisweni umkhosi wamaRoma ungazange uyitshabalalise iYerusalem de kwangowama-70 C.E., kuloo minyaka mine kwakunzima gqitha. Kwakugquba ugonyamelo nophalazo-gazi. Omnye umbhali-mbali uthi iYerusalem ‘yayizaliswe luphalazo-gazi ngenxa yemfazwe yamakhaya enenkohlakalo.’ Mihla le abafana babesisiwa emkhosini ukuze ube luqilima, baze bafundiswe ukulwa. Abangavumelaniyo naloo nkqubo yoophuma-silwe babejongwa njengabangcatshi. Ukuba amaKristu ayelibazisile ukuphuma kweso sixeko, ayeya kuzibona sele ekwimeko emaxongo gqitha.—Mateyu 26:52; Marko 12:17.
15 Singalibali ukuba uYesu zange athi kubaleke abaseYerusalem kuphela kodwa wathi “abo bakwelakwaYuda.” Oku kwakubaluleke kuba kwiinyanga nje emva kokuba imikhosi yamaRoma ihlehlile eYerusalem, yaphinda yaqala phantsi nohlaselo lwayo. Yaqala yangqula phantsi elaseGalili ngowama-67 C.E., yeza ngelakwaYuda kunyaka olandelayo. Kwabakho usizi olukhulu kulo lonke elo. Kwaya kusiba nzima ngakumbi kuye nawuphi na umYuda ukuba asabe eYerusalem. Amasango esixeko ayelindwa, nabani na ozama ukusaba kwakusithiwa umi kwicala lamaRoma.
16. Sisiphi isimo sengqondo ayemele abe naso amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ukuze asinde?
16 Xa sicinga ngazo zonke ezi zibakala, sitsho siqonde isizathu sokuba uYesu agxininise ungxamiseko kule meko. AmaKristu ayemele akulungele ukuncama izinto ezithile, angavumeli ukumfanyekiswa zizinto eziphathekayo. Ayemele akulungele ukuncama, ‘ashiye yonk’ impahla yawo’ ukuze athobele isilumkiso sikaYesu. (Luka 14:33) Lawo angazange azilazile ukusithobela asaba awela iYordan aza asinda.
Ukulondoloza Imvo Yongxamiseko
17. Kutheni simele siqinisekise ukuba sinemvo yongxamiseko?
17 Iziprofeto zeBhayibhile zibonisa phandle ukuba siphila kwincopho yexesha lesiphelo. Lelona xesha lokuqinisekisa ukuba sinemvo yongxamiseko. Ngexesha loxolo ijoni alicingi nto ngobungozi bemfazwe. Noko ke, ukuba oko kwenze lalibala ngemfazwe, suke ngesiquphe lifunzwe edabini, lisenokuba aliyilungelanga, lize ke lingene engozini. Kunjalo ke nakwimfazwe yokomoya. Ukuba siyekelele umxakatho, sisenokungakwazi ukuzikhusela xa sihlaselwa size sibhajiswe singaqondanga xa imini kaYehova ifika ekugqibeleni. (Luka 21:36; 1 Tesalonika 5:4) Ukuba kukho oye ‘wahlehla ekulandeleni uYehova,’ ngoku lixesha lokuphinda amfune.—Zefaniya 1:3-6; 2 Tesalonika 1:8, 9.
18, 19. Yintoni eya kusinceda sihlale sibukhumbula “ubukho bemini kaYehova”?
18 Kungenxa yoko umpostile uPetros esibongoza ukuba sihlale sibukhumbula “ubukho bemini kaYehova”! Singakwenza njani oko? Enye indlela kukuhlala ‘sinehambo engcwele nezenzo zozinikelo lobuthixo.’ (2 Petros 3:11, 12) Ukuhlala sixakeke ngolo hlobo kuya kusinceda sikulindele ngolangazelelo ukufika ‘kwemini kaYehova.’ Igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “nibukhumbula” ngokoqobo lithetha “ukukhawulezisa.” Asinakukwazi ukukhawulezisa ixesha eliseleyo de imini kaYehova ifike. Ukanti, njengoko silindele ukufika kwaloo mini, ixesha liya kuba ngathi liyaqupha ukuba sixakekile ekukhonzeni uThixo.—1 Korinte 15:58.
19 Ukucamngca ngeLizwi likaThixo nezikhumbuzo zalo kuya kusinceda kule nkalo—‘sikulindele ngolangazelelo ukufika’ kwaloo mini, ewe “sihlale siyilindele.” (2 Petros 3:12, The Amplified Bible; The New Testament, kaWilliam Barclay) Ukongezelela kwezi zikhumbuzo kukho iqela leziprofeto ezisichazela, kungekuphela nje ngokufika kwemini kaYehova, kodwa nangentabalala yeentsikelelo ezilindele abo ‘bahlala belindele kuYehova.’—Zefaniya 3:8.
20. Sisiphi isibongozo esimele sinikele ingqalelo kuso?
20 Ngoku lixesha kanye lokuba sonke sinikele ingqalelo kwesi sibongozo somprofeti uZefaniya: “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.
21. Yintoni abazimisele ukuyenza abantu bakaThixo kulo nyaka wama-2007?
21 Ufaneleke gqitha umxholo wonyaka wowama-2007 othi: “Imini enkulu kaYehova ikufuphi.” Abantu bakaYehova baqinisekile ukuba le mini “ikufuphi, yaye ikhawuleza kakhulu.” (Zefaniya 1:14) ‘Ayiyi kufika emva kwexesha.’ (Habhakuki 2:3) Njengoko silindele loo mini, kwanga singahlala sithe qwa kula maxesha siphila kuwo, siqonde ukuba ukuzaliseka kokugqibela kwezi ziprofeto kusondele!
Ungaphendula Na?
• Yimini etheni “imini enkulu kaYehova”?
• Kutheni abantu abaninzi bengazidubi ngexesha esiphila kulo?
• Kwakutheni ukuze kufuneke amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala asabele ngemvo yongxamiseko?
• Singenza njani sibe nemvo yongxamiseko ngakumbi?
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 19]
Umxholo wonyaka wama-2007 uza kube usithi: “Imini enkulu kaYehova ikufuphi.”—Zefaniya 1:14.
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 16, 17]
Njengakwimihla kaNowa, abagculeli baya kothuka sekophulwe xa uYehova etshabalalisa
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]
AmaKristu kwafuneka angaphozisi maseko xa ebona iYerusalem “ingqongwe yimikhosi emise iintente”