Thembela KuJehova—UNkulunkulu ‘Wezikhathi Nezinkathi’
“Ushintsha izikhathi nezinkathi, asuse amakhosi abeke amakhosi.”—DAN. 2:21.
UNGAPHENDULA KANJANI?
Indalo neziprofetho ezigcwalisekile kubonisa kanjani ukuthi uJehova unguMgcini-sikhathi Omkhulu?
Ukuqonda ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu ‘wezikhathi nezinkathi’ kusishukumisela ukuba senzeni?
Kungani izikhathi uJehova azihlelile zingalawulwa izenzakalo zezwe nezinhlelo zabantu?
1, 2. Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJehova usiqonda ngokugcwele isikhathi?
UJEHOVA UNKULUNKULU walungiselela indlela yokulinganisa isikhathi engakamdali ngisho nomuntu. Ngosuku lwesine lokudala, uNkulunkulu wathi: “Makube khona izinkanyiso emkhathini wamazulu zihlukanise imini nobusuku; kumelwe zibe izibonakaliso futhi zihlukanise izinkathi nezinsuku neminyaka.” (Gen. 1:14, 19, 26) Yilokho kanye okwenzeka ngokuvumelana nentando kaJehova.
2 Nokho, ososayensi basaphikisana ngokuthi siyini isikhathi. Enye i-encyclopedia ithi: “Isikhathi singenye yezimfihlakalo ezijule kakhulu emhlabeni. Akekho ongasho ngokuqondile ukuthi siyini.” Nokho, uJehova usiqonda ngokugcwele isikhathi. Kakade, ‘unguMdali wamazulu, uMbumbi womhlaba noMenzi wawo.’ Nguye futhi “owazisa isiphetho kwasekuqaleni, nalowo owazisa izinto ezingakenziwa kusukela kudala.” (Isaya 45:18; 46:10) Ukuze siqinise ukholo lwethu kuye naseZwini lakhe, iBhayibheli, ake sicabangele indlela indalo neziprofetho ezigcwalisekile ezibonisa ngayo ukuthi uJehova unguMgcini-sikhathi Omkhulu.
INDALO ISENZA SIBE NOKHOLO KUMGCINI-SIKHATHI OMKHULU
3. Ukunemba kwesikhathi kubonakala kanjani endalweni?
3 Lapho sibheka indalo, singakwazi ukubona ukunemba kwesikhathi ezintweni ezincane kakhulu nezinkulu. Ama-athomu anyakaza ngejubane elingaguquguquki. Amawashi abonisa izikhathi ezingafani zomhlaba wonke aqondiswa ukunyakaza kwama-athomu angabonisa isikhathi seminyaka eyizigidi ezingu-80, engageji ngisho nangomzuzwana. Isikhathi sokuhamba konozungezilanga nezinkanyezi naso sinembile. Ukukwazi ukubikezela ukuthi zizobe zikuphi esibhakabhakeni kuye kwasetshenziswa ekuphawuleni izinkathi nasekuhambeni olwandle. UJehova—uMenzi walezi zinto ezibonisa isikhathi ezinokwethenjelwa—ngempela “unamandla amakhulu” futhi kufanele simdumise.—Funda u-Isaya 40:26.
4. Ukusebenza kwesikhathi ezintweni eziphilayo kukubonisa kanjani ukuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu?
4 Ukunemba kwesikhathi kungabonakala nasemkhakheni wezinto eziphilayo. Izitshalo nezilwane eziningi zinamawashi angaphakathi aqondisa imijikelezo yokuphila kwazo. Izinyoni eziningi zitshelwa umuzwa wemvelo lapho kufanele ziqale ukufuduka. (Jer. 8:7) Nabantu banamawashi angaphakathi, ngokuvamile alawulwa umjikelezo wosuku olungamahora angu-24. Ngemva kokunqamula amazwe amaningana anezikhathi ezingafani ngendiza, kungase kuthathe izinsuku ukuba la mawashi abuyele endleleni evamile asebenza ngayo emzimbeni womuntu. Ngempela, izibonelo eziningi zokulinganisa isikhathi ezibonakala endalweni zibonisa amandla nokuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu ‘wezikhathi nezinkathi.’ (Funda iHubo 104:24.) Yebo, uMgcini-sikhathi Omkhulu uhlakaniphe futhi unamandla kunabo bonke abantu. Singaba nokholo lokuthi uyakwazi ukufeza lokho afuna ukukwenza!
IZIPROFETHO EZIGCWALISEKE NGESIKHATHI ZAKHA UKHOLO
5. (a) Iyiphi ewukuphela kwendlela esingazi ngayo ikusasa lesintu? (b) Kungani uJehova engabikezela izenzakalo nesikhathi sazo?
5 Incwadi yendalo isifundisa okuningi ‘ngezimfanelo zikaJehova ezingabonakali,’ kodwa ayiyiphenduli imibuzo ebalulekile enjengokuthi, Ikusasa lisiphatheleni isintu? (Roma 1:20) Ukuze sithole impendulo, kumelwe sibheke lokho uNkulunkulu akwembule emakhasini eZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli. Lapho silihlola, sithola ukuthi iziprofetho zalo ziye zagcwaliseka njalo ngesikhathi esinqunyiwe! UJehova angembula lokho okusazokwenzeka ngoba uyakwazi ukulibona ngokunembile ikusasa kusengaphambili. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lokho imiBhalo ekubikezelayo kwenzeka ngesikhathi sako ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu angenza ukuba izenzakalo zenzeke ngokuvumelana nenjongo nezikhathi azihlelile.
6. Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJehova ufuna sikuqonde ukugcwaliseka kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli?
6 UJehova ufuna ukuba abakhulekeli bakhe baqonde iziprofetho ezingokomBhalo futhi bazuze kuzo. Nakuba uNkulunkulu engabheki isikhathi ngendlela esisibheka ngayo, usebenzisa amagama esiwaqondayo lapho ebikezela ukuthi isenzakalo esithile siyokwenzeka nini. (Funda iHubo 90:4.) Ngokwesibonelo, incwadi yesAmbulo ikhuluma ‘ngezingelosi ezine’ “ezilungiselelwe ihora nosuku nenyanga nonyaka”—izilinganiso zesikhathi esiziqondayo. (IsAm. 9:14, 15) Ukubona indlela iziprofetho ezagcwaliseka ngayo ngesikhathi esasimisiwe kufanele kusenze sibe nokholo kuNkulunkulu ‘wezikhathi nezinkathi’ naseZwini lakhe. Ake sicabangele izibonelo ezimbalwa.
7. Ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sikaJeremiya ngokuphathelene neJerusalema noJuda kubonisa kanjani ukuthi uJehova unguMgcini-sikhathi Omkhulu?
7 Ake siqale ngokubheka emuva ekhulwini lesikhombisa B.C.E. “Ngonyaka wesine kaJehoyakimi indodana kaJosiya, inkosi yakwaJuda,” kwafika izwi loMgcini-sikhathi Omkhulu “kuJeremiya [elaliphathelene] nabo bonke abantu bakwaJuda.” (Jer. 25:1) UJehova wabikezela ukuthi iJerusalema laliyobhujiswa nokuthi amaJuda ayeyodingiswa ezweni lakwaJuda ayiswe eBhabhiloni. ‘Ayeyokhonza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa.’ Amabutho aseBhabhiloni abhubhisa iJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E., futhi amaJuda ayekwaJuda adingiselwa eBhabhiloni njengoba kwakubikezelwe. Kodwa kwakuzokwenzekani ekupheleni kwaleyo minyaka engu-70? UJeremiya waprofetha: “Yilokhu uJehova akushilo, ‘Ngiyoninaka ngokuvumelana nokuphelela kweminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa eBhabhiloni, futhi ngiyoqinisa kini izwi lami elihle ngokunibuyisela kule ndawo.’” (Jer. 25:11, 12; 29:10) Lesi siprofetho sagcwaliseka ngaso kanye isikhathi esashiwo—ngo-537 B.C.E., ngemva kokuba amaMede namaPheresiya ekhulule amaJuda eBhabhiloni.
8, 9. Iziprofetho zikaDaniyeli eziphathelene nokuza kukaMesiya nokumiswa koMbuso ezulwini zibonisa kanjani ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu ‘wezikhathi nezinkathi’?
8 Cabanga nangesinye isiprofetho esihilela abantu bakaNkulunkulu basendulo. Kusasele iminyaka engaba mibili amaJuda aphume eBhabhiloni, uNkulunkulu wabikezela ngomprofethi uDaniyeli ukuthi uMesiya wayeyovela ngemva kweminyaka engu-483 kukhishwé umyalo wokwakha kabusha iJerusalema. Inkosi yamaMede namaPheresiya yakhipha lowo myalo ngo-455 B.C.E. Lapho nje kuphela iminyaka engu-483—ngo-29 C.E.—uJesu waseNazaretha wagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele lapho ebhapathizwa ngaleyo ndlela eba uMesiya.a—Neh. 2:1, 5-8; Dan. 9:24, 25; Luka 3:1, 2, 21, 22.
9 Manje phawula lokho okwabikezelwa imiBhalo ngokuphathelene noMbuso. Isiprofetho seBhayibheli sabonisa ukuthi uMbuso kaMesiya wawuyomiswa ezulwini ngo-1914. Ngokwengxenye, iBhayibheli lakwenza lokho ngokunikeza “isibonakaliso” sokuba khona kukaJesu, libonisa isikhathi lapho uSathane ayeyoxoshwa khona ezulwini, okwakuyoholela kumaye omkhulu emhlabeni. (Math. 24:3-14; IsAm. 12:9, 12) Ngaphezu kwalokho, isiprofetho seBhayibheli sabonisa isikhathi esiqondile—u-1914—“[okwakuyogcwaliseka ngaso] izikhathi ezimisiwe zezizwe” noMbuso owawuyoqala ngaso ukubusa ezulwini.—Luka 21:24; Dan. 4:10-17.b
10. Iziphi izenzakalo zesikhathi esizayo esiqinisekayo ukuthi zizokwenzeka ngesikhathi esinqunyiwe?
10 Silindele “usizi olukhulu” olwabikezelwa uJesu. Luzolandelwa ukuBusa kwakhe Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane. Asingabazi ukuthi lezi zenzakalo zizokwenzeka ngesikhathi esinqunyiwe. Lapho uJesu esemhlabeni, uJehova wayeselubekile ‘usuku nehora’ lezi zenzakalo eziyokwenzeka ngalo.—Math. 24:21, 36; IsAm. 20:6.
‘THENGISISA ITHUBA’
11. Kufanele kusithinte kanjani ukwazi ukuthi siphila esikhathini sokuphela?
11 Kufanele kusithinte kanjani ukuqaphela ukuthi uMbuso usuqalile ukubusa nokuthi siphila ‘esikhathini sokuphela’? (Dan. 12:4) Abaningi bayakubona ukuwohloka kwezimo zezwe kodwa abaqapheli ukuthi kugcwalisa isiprofetho seBhayibheli esiphathelene nezinsuku zokugcina. Bangase balindele ukuthi lesi simiso sizophela ngolunye usuku noma bakholelwe ukuthi ngandlela-thile imizamo yabantu iyoletha “ukuthula nokulondeka.” (1 Thes. 5:3) Kodwa kuthiwani ngathi? Uma siqaphela ukuthi sesingene shi ezinsukwini zokugcina zezwe likaSathane, akufanele yini silwele ukusebenzisa isikhathi esisele ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu ‘wezikhathi nezinkathi’ nasekusizeni abanye ukuba bamazi? (2 Thim. 3:1) Kufanele sinqume ngokuhlakanipha ukuthi sisisebenzisa kanjani isikhathi sethu.—Funda eyabase-Efesu 5:15-17.
12. Singafundani emazwini kaJesu aphathelene nosuku lukaNowa?
12 Akulula ‘ukuthengisisa’ ithuba kuleli zwe eligcwele izithikamezo. UJesu waxwayisa: “Njengoba nje zazinjalo izinsuku zikaNowa, kuyoba njalo nokuba khona kweNdodana yomuntu.” Zazinjani izinsuku zikaNowa? Kwakubikezelwe ukuthi izwe langaleso sikhathi laliyobhujiswa. Ngaleso sikhathi, abantu ababi babeyominza emanzini kazamcolo wembulunga yonke. ‘Njengomshumayeli wokulunga,’ uNowa wamemezela isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka kubantu bosuku lwakhe. (Math. 24:37; 2 Pet. 2:5) Kodwa ‘babedla, bephuza, amadoda eshada nabesifazane bendiswa futhi abanakanga kwaze kwafika uzamcolo, wabakhukhula bonke.’ Ngakho-ke, uJesu waxwayisa abalandeli bakhe: “Yibani abakulungele, ngoba iNdodana yomuntu iza ngehora eningalicabangi.” (Math. 24:38, 39, 44) Kumelwe sibe njengoNowa, singafani nabantu bosuku lwakhe. Yini eyosisiza ukuba sihlale sikulungele?
13, 14. Ukukhumbula ini ngoJehova okuzosisiza ukuba simkhonze ngokwethembeka njengoba silindele ukuza kweNdodana yomuntu?
13 Nakuba iNdodana yomuntu iza ngehora esingalicabangi, kudingeka sikhumbule ukuthi uJehova unguMgcini-sikhathi Omkhulu. Izikhathi azihlelile azilawulwa izenzakalo zezwe noma izinhlelo zabantu. UJehova ulawula isikhathi nomphumela wezenzakalo ukuze afeze intando yakhe. (Funda uDaniyeli 2:21.) Eqinisweni, izAga 21:1 ziyasitshela: “Inhliziyo yenkosi injengemifudlana yamanzi esandleni sikaJehova. Uyiphendulela noma kuphi lapho ethanda khona.”
14 UJehova angalawula izenzakalo ukuze afeze injongo yakhe futhi igcwaliseke ngesikhathi. Izinguquko ezinkulu eziningi ezweni bezilokhu zigcwalisa isiprofetho, ikakhulu leso esiphathelene nokushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu embulungeni yonke. Cabanga ngokuwa kweSoviet Union nemiphumela yako. Bambalwa ababengacabanga ukuthi izinguquko ezinkulu kangako kwezombusazwe zazingenzeka ngokushesha okungako. Nokho, ngenxa yalezi zinguquko, manje izindaba ezinhle zishunyayelwa emazweni amaningi umsebenzi wethu owawuvinjelwe kuwo. Ngakho-ke, masithengisise ithuba lokukhonza uNkulunkulu ‘wezikhathi nezinkathi’ ngokwethembeka.
YIBA NOKHOLO EKUGCINENI KUKAJEHOVA ISIKHATHI
15. Singalubonisa kanjani ukholo ngokuphathelene nezinguquko ezenziwa inhlangano?
15 Ukuqhubeka sishumayela ngoMbuso kulezi zinsuku zokugcina kudinga ukuba sibe nokholo lokuthi uJehova uyasigcina isikhathi. Isimo sezwe esishintshayo singase sidinge ukuba senze izinguquko ezithile endleleni esenza ngayo umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi. Ngezikhathi ezithile inhlangano ingase yenze izinguquko ukuze ihlangabezane nezidingo zomsebenzi wethu njengabamemezeli boMbuso. Sibonisa ukholo kuNkulunkulu ‘wezikhathi nezinkathi’ ngokubambisana nayo ngokugcwele kulezo zinguquko njengoba sikhonza ngokwethembeka ngaphansi kokuqondisa kweNdodana yakhe, “inhloko yebandla.”—Efe. 5:23.
16. Kungani singaba nokholo lokuthi uJehova uyosinikeza usizo ngesikhathi esifanele?
16 UJehova ufuna ukuba sithandaze ngokukhululekile siqiniseka ngokuphelele ukuthi uyosinikeza ‘usizo’ esiludingayo “ngesikhathi esifanele.” (Heb. 4:16) Lokho akubonisi yini ukuthi usikhathalela ngothando njengabantu ngabanye? (Math. 6:8; 10:29-31) Sibonisa ukholo kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngokuthandazela njalo usizo lwakhe bese senza ngokuvumelana nemithandazo yethu nesiqondiso sakhe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, asikhohlwa ukuthandazela namanye amaKristu.
17, 18. (a) Isiphi isinyathelo uJehova azosithathela izitha zakhe maduze? (b) Iluphi ugibe okumelwe silugweme?
17 Manje akusona isikhathi ‘sokuntengantenga ngokuntula ukholo’; yisikhathi sokuqina okholweni. (Roma 4:20) Izitha zikaNkulunkulu—uSathane nalabo abangaphansi kwakhe—zizama ukumisa umsebenzi uJesu awabela abalandeli baKhe, kuhlanganise nathi. (Math. 28:19, 20) Naphezu kokuhlasela kukaDeveli, siyazi ukuthi uJehova ‘unguNkulunkulu ophilayo, onguMsindisi wazo zonke izinhlobo zabantu, ikakhulukazi wabathembekile.’ “Uyayazi indlela yokukhulula ekulingweni abantu abanokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.”—1 Thim. 4:10; 2 Pet. 2:9.
18 Sekuseduze ukuba uJehova asibhubhise lesi simiso sezinto esibi. Nakuba singanikezwanga yonke imininingwane nesikhathi esiqondile okuzokwenzeka ngaso lokhu, siyazi ukuthi ngesikhathi esifanele, uKristu uzobhubhisa izitha zikaNkulunkulu futhi ubukhosi bukaJehova bulwelwe. Ngakho-ke, yeka ukuthi kungaba iphutha kanjani ukungaqapheli “izikhathi nezinkathi” esiphila kuzo! Kwangathi singelokothe siwele ogibeni lokucabanga ukuthi “zonke izinto ziqhubeka ngokufana ncamashí nasekuqaleni kwendalo.”—1 Thes. 5:1; 2 Pet. 3:3, 4.
‘BONISA ISIMO SENGQONDO SOKULINDA’
19, 20. Kungani kufanele sibonise isimo sengqondo sokumlinda uJehova?
19 Injongo kaJehova uNkulunkulu yasekuqaleni ngabantu yayiwukuba baphile phakade ukuze bafunde ngaye nangendalo yakhe enhle. UmShumayeli 3:11 uthi: “[UJehova] wenzé konke kwaba kuhle ngesikhathi sako. Ufake ngisho nobuphakade ezinhliziyweni [zabo], ukuze abantu bangawutholi nanini umsebenzi uNkulunkulu weqiniso awenzile kusukela ekuqaleni kuze kube sekupheleni.”
20 Yeka ukuthi sijabula kanjani ngokuthi uJehova akakaze ayishintshe injongo yakhe ngomuntu! (Mal. 3:6) “Akukho ukushintshashintsha kokuphenduka kwethunzi” kuNkulunkulu. (Jak. 1:17) Izikhathi azihlelile azilawulwa izindlela abantu abalinganisa ngazo isikhathi, njengokuphenduka komhlaba. UJehova ‘uyiNkosi engunaphakade.’ (1 Thim. 1:17) Ngakho-ke, ‘masibonise isimo sengqondo sokumlinda uNkulunkulu wensindiso yethu.’ (Mika 7:7) Ngempela, “yibani nesibindi, futhi kwangathi inhliziyo yenu ingaqina, nonke nina enilindé uJehova.”—IHu. 31:24.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Bheka incwadi ethi Sinake Isiprofetho SikaDaniyeli! amakhasi 186-195.
b Bheka incwadi ethi Sinake Isiprofetho SikaDaniyeli! amakhasi 94-97.
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
UDaniyeli wayenokholo lokuthi iziprofetho zikaNkulunkulu ziyogcwaliseka
[Isithombe ekhasini 21]
Ingabe usisebenzisa kahle isikhathi ukuze wenze intando kaJehova?