“Ihora Lokwahlulela” Selifikile

ISAMBULO, incwadi yokugcina yeBhayibheli, isiqaphelisa ngengelosi endiza emkhathini ‘enezindaba ezinhle zaphakade ukuba izimemezele njengezindaba ezithokozisayo.’ Ngezwi elikhulu ithi: “Mesabeni uNkulunkulu nimnike inkazimulo, ngoba ihora lokwahlulela kwakhe selifikile.” (IsAmbulo 14:6, 7) Lelo “hora lokwahlulela” lihlanganisa kokubili ukumenyezelwa kwesahlulelo saphezulu kanye nokukhishwa kwaso. “Ihora” liyinkathi emfushane. Ukukhishwa kwesahlulelo kwenzeka emvuthwandaba ‘wezinsuku zokugcina,’ esiphila kuzo manje.—2 Thimothewu 3:1.

‘Ihora lokwahlulela’ liyizindaba ezimnandi kubathandi bokulunga. Yisikhathi uNkulunkulu ayozilethela ngaso impumuzo izinceku zakhe eziye zahlushwa yilesi simiso sezinto esinobudlova nesingenaluthando.

Manje, ngaphambi kokuba “ihora lokwahlulela” liphele ngokubhujiswa kwalesi simiso sezinto esonakele, siyakhuthazwa: “Mesabeni uNkulunkulu nimnike inkazimulo.” Ingabe uyakwenza wena lokho? Ukukwenza kuhilela okungaphezulu kakhulu kokuthi, “Ngiyakholwa kuNkulunkulu.” (Mathewu 7:21-23; Jakobe 2:19, 20) Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu ngendlela efanele kusenza simhloniphe. Kufanele kusenze sikuyeke okubi. (IzAga 8:13) Kufanele kusisize ukuba sithande okuhle sizonde okubi. (Amose 5:14, 15) Uma simbheka njengofanelwe udumo uNkulunkulu, siyomlalela ngenhlonipho enkulu. Ngeke singalifundi njalo iZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli, ngoba simatasa kakhulu ngezinye izinto. Siyothembela kuye ngazo zonke izikhathi nangenhliziyo yethu yonke. (IHubo 62:8; IzAga 3:5, 6) Labo abamdumisa ngeqiniso bayaqaphela ukuthi njengoMdali wezulu nomhlaba, unguMbusi Wendawo Yonke, futhi ngothando bayazithoba kuye njengoMbusi wokuphila kwabo. Uma sibona ukuthi kudingeka sizibhekisise lezi zinto, masingabe sisapholisa maseko.

Isikhathi sokukhishwa kwesahlulelo ingelosi eyakhuluma ngaso sibizwa nangokuthi “usuku lukaJehova.” Lolo “suku” lwafikela iJerusalema lasendulo ngo-607 B.C.E. ngoba abantu bakhona abazange bazilalele izixwayiso zikaJehova ezazilethwa abaprofethi bakhe. Ngokuhlehlisa usuku lukaJehova ezingqondweni zabo, bafaka ukuphila kwabo engozini enkulu nakakhulu. UJehova wayebaxwayisile: “Luseduze, lushesha kakhulu.” (Zefaniya 1:14) Olunye “usuku lukaJehova” lwafikela iBhabhiloni lasendulo ngo-539 B.C.E. (Isaya 13:1, 6) Bethembele ezivikelweni zabo nakonkulunkulu babo, abantu baseBhabhiloni abazinakanga izixwayiso ezazilethwa abaprofethi bakaJehova. Kodwa ngobusuku obubodwa iBhabhiloni lanqotshwa amaMede namaPheresiya.

Thina silindelwe yini namuhla? Silindelwe olunye ‘usuku lukaJehova’ kodwa oluyothinta wonke umhlaba. (2 Petru 3:11-14) Sesikhishiwe isahlulelo saphezulu ‘eBhabhiloni Elikhulu.’ Encwadini yesAmbulo 14:8, ingelosi iyamemeza: “IBhabhiloni Elikhulu liwile.” Sekwenzekile lokho. Ngeke lisababamba abakhulekeli bakaJehova. Ukukhohlakala kwalo nokungena kwalo ezimpini sekudalulwe kude naseduze. Manje sekusondele ukubhujiswa kwalo kokugcina. Ngenxa yalokho, iBhayibheli likhuthaza abantu yonke indawo: “Phumani kulo [iBhabhiloni Elikhulu] . . . uma ningafuni ukuhlanganyela nalo ezonweni zalo, futhi ningafuni ukwamukela ingxenye yezinhlupho zalo. Ngoba izono zalo ziye zanqwabelana zaze zafika phezulu ezulwini, noNkulunkulu wazikhumbula izenzo zalo zokungalungi.”—IsAmbulo 18:4, 5.

Liyini iBhabhiloni Elikhulu? Liyisimiso sezinkolo ezisembulungeni yonke ezifana neBhabhiloni lasendulo. (IsAmbulo, izahluko 17, 18) Cabanga ngezinye zezinto ezifana ngazo nalo:

• Abapristi baseBhabhiloni lasendulo babengene bagamanxa ezindabeni zombusazwe zesizwe. Kunjalo nangezinkolo eziningi namuhla.

• Abapristi baseBhabhiloni babevame ukugqugquzela isizwe ukuba siyokulwa. Nanamuhla, yizinkolo eziba phambili lapho kubusiswa amasosha ngaphambi kokuba ayokulwa.

• Izimfundiso nemikhuba yaseBhabhiloni lasendulo yaholela isizwe ekuziphatheni okonakele kakhulu. Lapho abaholi bezinkolo bezichilizela eceleni izimiso zeBhayibheli zokuziphatha namuhla, abefundisi nabantu abasontayo baziphatha kabi nakakhulu. Kuyaphawuleka nokuthi ngenxa yokuthi iBhabhiloni Elikhulu lifeba nezwe nezinhlangano zalo zezombusazwe, isAmbulo silichaza ngokuthi liyisifebe.

• IBhayibheli lithi futhi iBhabhiloni Elikhulu liphila “ngokunethezeka kokungabi namahloni.” EBhabhiloni lasendulo, izikhulu zethempeli zaziba nodedangendlale bezindawo, abapristi bona bengongqá phambili ekuhwebeni. Namuhla, iBhabhiloni Elikhulu aligcini nje ngokuba namasonto, kodwa futhi linenqwaba yamabhizinisi. Izimfundiso zalo kanye namaholide alo kulingenisela ingcebo enkulu kungenisele nabanye abantu abanamabhizinisi.

• Izithombe, imilingo, nobuthakathi kwakuvamile eBhabhiloni lasendulo, njengoba nje kuvamile namanje ezindaweni eziningi. Ukufa kwakubhekwa njengendlela yokudlulela kolunye uhlobo lokuphila. EBhabhiloni kwakugcwele amathempeli namasonto enzelwe onkulunkulu bakhona, kodwa abantu baseBhabhiloni babengabafuni nakubabona abakhulekeli bakaJehova. IBhabhiloni Elikhulu nalo linazo lezi zinkolelo nemikhuba.

Endulo, uJehova wayesebenzisa izizwe ezazinamandla kwezombusazwe nakwezempi ukuba zijezise abantu ababephikelela bemdelela futhi bengayinaki intando yakhe. Yingakho iSamariya labhujiswa abase-Asiriya ngo-740 B.C.E. IJerusalema laqothulwa abaseBhabhiloni ngo-607 B.C.E., amaRoma aliphinda ngo-70 C.E. Kanti iBhabhiloni lona lahlulwa amaMede namaPheresiya ngo-539 B.C.E. IBhayibheli libikezela ukuthi osukwini lwethu ohulumeni bezombusazwe, isilo sasendle, bazophendukela “isifebe” basihambise nqunu, basiveze ubunjalo baso. Bazosiqeda singaphinde sibe khona.—IsAmbulo 17:16.

Ingabe ohulumeni basemhlabeni bayoyenza ngempela into enjalo? IBhayibheli lithi ‘uNkulunkulu uyokufaka ezinhliziyweni zabo.’ (IsAmbulo 17:17) Kuyoba into ezumayo, eyisimanga, ethusayo, engalindelekile, futhi engenzeki kancane kancane.

Yini okudingeka uyenze? Zibuze: ‘Ingabe ngisesenkolweni engcoliswe izimfundiso nemikhuba eyiphawula njengeyingxenye yeBhabhiloni Elikhulu?’ Ngisho noma ungelona ilungu layo, zibuze: ‘Ingabe ngiye ngawuhogela umoya walo?’ Hlobo luni lomoya? Umoya wokwamukela ukuziphatha okuxekethile, wokuthanda ingcebo nenjabulo kunokuthanda uNkulunkulu, noma wokwedelela ngamabomu iZwi likaJehova (ngisho nasezintweni ezingabonakala zincane). Zicabange kahle izimpendulo zakho.

Ukuze uJehova asamukele thina, kusemqoka ukuba kokubili izenzo zethu nezifiso ezisenhliziyweni yethu zifakazele ukuthi asiyona nakancane ingxenye yeBhabhiloni Elikhulu. Asikho isikhathi sokulibala. Lapho lisixwayisa ngokuthi ukuphela kuyofika ngokuzuma, iBhayibheli lithi: “IBhabhiloni umuzi omkhulu liyophonswa phansi ngokusheshayo, futhi ngeke liphinde litholakale.”—IsAmbulo 18:21.

Kodwa kunokwengeziwe. Okunye okuyokwenzeka ngalelo “hora lokwahlulela” ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu uyosenza silandise isimiso sezombusazwe sembulunga yonke, ababusi baso, nabo bonke abangakunaki ukubusa kwakhe ngoMbuso wakhe olungile wasezulwini ophethwe uJesu Kristu. (IsAmbulo 13:1, 2; 19:19-21) Embonweni oyisiprofetho olotshwe kuDaniyeli 2:20-45 imibuso yezombusazwe esukela esikhathini seBhabhiloni lasendulo kuze kube manje ifaniswa nesithombe esikhulukazi esakhiwe ngegolide, isiliva, ithusi, insimbi, nobumba. Lesi siprofetho sabikezela lokhu ngosuku lwethu: “UNkulunkulu wezulu uyomisa umbuso ongeke neze uchithwe.” Futhi mayelana nezinto ezisazokwenziwa yilowo Mbuso ‘ngehora lokwahlulela’ likaJehova, iBhayibheli lithi: “Uyochoboza uqede yonke le mibuso [eyenziwe abantu], wona uqobo ume kuze kube nini nanini.”—Daniyeli 2:44.

IBhayibheli lixwayisa abakhulekeli beqiniso ngokuthanda ‘izinto ezisezweni’—indlela yokuphila egqugquzelwa yileli zwe elihlukanisiwe noNkulunkulu weqiniso. (1 Johane 2:15-17) Ingabe izinqumo ozenzayo nezenzo zakho zibonisa ukuthi uwusekela ngokuphelele uMbuso kaNkulunkulu? Ingabe ngempela uwubeka kuqala ekuphileni kwakho?—Mathewu 6:33; Johane 17:16, 17.

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Kuzofika Nini Ukuphela?

“INdodana yomuntu iza ngehora eningalicabangi.”—Mathewu 24:44.

“Hlalani nilindile, ngoba anilwazi usuku noma ihora.”—Mathewu 25:13.

“Ngeke wephuze.”—Habakuki 2:3.

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Bekungawenza Yini Umehluko Ukube Bewazi?

Ukube bewazi ngokuqinisekile ukuthi kusazodlula eminye iminyaka embalwa andukuba kukhishwe isahlulelo saphezulu esizayo, ingabe lokho bekuyoyishintsha indlela ophila ngayo? Uma kuwukuthi ukuphela kwalesi simiso esidala sekwephuzile kunokuba ubulindele, ingabe uyakuvumela loku kukwenze wehlise ijubane enkonzweni kaJehova?—Hebheru 10:36-38.

Ukungasazi isikhathi esinembile kusinika ithuba lokubonisa ukuthi sikhonza uNkulunkulu ngezisusa ezimsulwa. Abantu abamaziyo uJehova bayazi ukuthi ngeke kumhlabe umxhwele uNkulunkulu ukushiseka ngomzuzu wokugcina ngoba ukwazi ukubona inhliziyo.—Jeremiya 17:10; Hebheru 4:13.

Ngaso sonke isikhathi uJehova uza kuqala kulabo abamthanda ngeqiniso. Njengabanye abantu, amaKristu eqiniso angase enze umsebenzi wokuziphilisa. Noma kunjalo, injongo kusuke kungekona ukuceba kodwa ukuba abe nezinto ezibonakalayo ezanele azozisebenzisa wona futhi abele nabanye. (Efesu 4:28; 1 Thimothewu 6:7-12) Ajabulela nokuzilibazisa okuhlanzekile futhi athi ukuphumuphumula, kodwa asuke efuna ukuzivuselela imizimba hhayi ngoba efuna ukulingisa abanye abantu. (Marku 6:31; Roma 12:2) NjengoJesu Kristu, ayakujabulela ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu.—IHubo 37:4; 40:8.

AmaKristu eqiniso afuna ukuphila futhi akhonze uJehova kuze kube phakade. Akunciphi ukuba igugu kwalelo themba ngoba nje kudingeka alinde izibusiso ezithile isikhathi esijana kunaleso abanye abebesicabanga.

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Impikiswano Yobukhosi

Ukuze siqonde isizathu sokuba uNkulunkulu avumele ukuhlupheka okungaka, kudingeka siqonde impikiswano yobukhosi. Buyini ubukhosi? Igunya lokubusa elikhulu kakhulu.

Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova unguMdali, unegunya lokubusa umhlaba nabo bonke abahlala kuwo. Nokho, iBhayibheli lisichazela ukuthi ekuqaleni komlando wabantu, ubukhosi bukaJehova babekelwa inselele. USathane uDeveli wathi uJehova unemithetho eqine ngokungadingekile, wathi wayekhohlise abazali bethu bokuqala ngalokho okwakuzokwenzeka uma bengawulaleli umthetho kaNkulunkulu bazenzele izinto ngendlela yabo, nokuthi empeleni kwakuyoba ngcono uma bezibusa, bangabuswa uNkulunkulu.—Genesise, izahluko 2, 3.

Ukube uNkulunkulu wazibhubhisa ngaso leso sikhathi izihlubuki, kwakuyobonakala amandla akhe, kodwa kwakungeke kuzixazulule izimpikiswano ezaziphakeme. Kunokuba azibhubhise khona lapho izihlubuki, uJehova uye wavumela zonke izidalwa ezihlakaniphile ukuba zibone umphumela wokuhlubuka. Nakuba loku kuye kwahambisana nokuhlupheka, kuvule nethuba lokuba sizalwe nathi.

Ngaphandle kwalokho, ngothando uJehova wavuma ukuba alahlekelwe kakhulu, wenza ilungiselelo lokuba abantu abazomlalela futhi babonise ukholo emhlatshelweni wesihlengo weNdodana yakhe bakhululwe esonweni nasemiphumeleni yaso, baphile ePharadesi. Uma kudingeka, lokhu kungenzeka ngokuvuswa komuntu kwabafileyo.

Ukuvumela isikhathi sokuxazulula le mpikiswano kunikeze izinceku zikaNkulunkulu nethuba lokubonisa ukuthi ziyakwazi ukusabela othandweni lukaNkulunkulu futhi zibonise ubuqotho bazo kuJehova ngaphansi kwazo zonke izimo. Kusemqoka ukuba kuxazululwe le mpikiswano yobukhosi baphezulu, kuhlanganise nempikiswano ehlobene nalena yobuqotho bomuntu, ukuze umthetho uhlonishwe ngokufanele endaweni yonke. Ngaphandle kwalokho, belingeke libe khona ithemba lokuthula kweqiniso.a

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[Isithombe]

Imibuso yezombusazwe esembulungeni yonke iyophela