‘Hlala Ululindele’

1, 2. (a) Imiphi imibuzo ongase uzibuze yona? (b) Abanye babaprofethi abangu-12 baphila ngasiphi isikhathi, futhi uMika wayenasiphi isimo sengqondo?

SEKUYISIKHATHI esingakanani ulindele ukuba usuku lukaJehova luqede ububi emhlabeni? Usazimisele ukulinda isikhathi esingakanani? Njengoba usalulindile, yisiphi isimo sengqondo ozoba naso futhi uzophila kanjani? Ngokusobala, izimpendulo zakho zizohluka kwezabantu abasontayo abazenzela umathanda, belinde ukuya ezulwini.

² Njengoba usalinde lolo suku olukhulu, izincwadi ezalotshwa abaprofethi abangu-12 zingakusiza kakhulu. Abaningi balaba baprofethi baphila ngesikhathi sekuseduze ukuba uNkulunkulu akhiphe isahlulelo. Ngokwesibonelo, uMika waprofetha ngesikhathi sekusondele ukuba abase-Asiriya bajezise iSamariya ngo-740 B.C.E. (Bheka ishadi lezenzakalo ezibalulekile emakhasini 20 no-21.) Ngemva kwesikhathi, kwakuzofika usuku lukaJehova lokulwa noJuda njengoba nje kwakubikezelwe. Njengoba uMika ayengazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzosithatha nini ngempela isinyathelo, ingabe waphetha ngokuthi kufanele ahlale phansi asonge izandla, enethemba lokuthi uNkulunkulu uzothatha isinyathelo ngokushesha? Nanka amazwi kaMika: “Mina, ngizohlala ngibheke uJehova. Ngizobonisa isimo sengqondo sokumlinda uNkulunkulu wensindiso yami. UNkulunkulu wami uzongizwa.” (Mika 7:7) Yebo, njengoba ayeqiniseka ngokwakuzokuza, uMika waba njengomlindi okhuthele phezu kwenqaba yokulinda.​—2 Samuweli 18:24-27; Mika 1:3, 4.

3. Njengoba kwakuzobhujiswa iJerusalema , uHabakuki noZefaniya babenamuphi umbono?

³ Manje bheka uZefaniya noHabakuki eshadini lezenzakalo ezibalulekile. Phawula ukuthi bobabili baprofetha sekusondele ukubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E. Noma kunjalo, ayikho indlela ababengazi ngayo ukuthi sekuseduze yini ukukhishwa kwesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu noma kusekude ngamashumi eminyaka. (Habakuki 1:2; Zefaniya 1:7, 14-18) UZefaniya wabhala: “‘Hlalani ningilindele,’ kusho uJehova, ‘kuze kube usuku lokuvukela kwami empahleni edliwe, ngoba isinqumo sami sokwahlulela . . . [siwukuthululela] phezu kwayo ukulahla kwami, yonke intukuthelo yami evuthayo.’” (Zefaniya 3:8) Kuthiwani ngoHabakuki, owaphila ngemva nje kukaZefaniya? Wabhala: “Umbono usengowesikhathi esimisiwe, ulokhu uphuthuma ekupheleni, futhi ngeke uqambe amanga. Ngisho noma ungase ulibale, hlala uwulindele; ngoba nakanjani uzogcwaliseka. Ngeke wephuze.”​—Habakuki 2:3.

4. OZefaniya noHabakuki baprofetha ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo, futhi benasiphi isimo sengqondo?

⁴ Umongo wezimemezelo ezikuZefaniya 3:8 noHabakuki 2:3 usitshela lukhulu. Ngesikhathi amaJuda athile ethi, “uJehova ngeke akwenze okuhle, futhi ngeke akwenze okubi,” uZefaniya yena wayememezela “usuku lwentukuthelo kaJehova.” Ngalolo suku, izizwe eziyizitha namaJuda angalaleli zaziyobona ukuthi uNkulunkulu akajabuli ngazo. (Zefaniya 1:4, 12; 2:2, 4, 13; 3:3, 4) Ucabanga ukuthi uZefaniya wayekwesaba ukusola nolaka lukaNkulunkulu? Cha, kunalokho kwakudingeka azigcine ‘elindele.’ Ungase ubuze, ‘UHabakuki yena?’ Naye kwakudingeka ‘ahlale elulindele.’ Wenza kahle ngokuphetha ngokuthi uZefaniya noHabakuki abakuthathanga kalula okwakuseza, benze sengathi bacabanga ukuthi izinto ngeke zishintshe. (Habakuki 3:16; 2 Petru 3:4) Kodwa njengoba sekuveziwe, iphuzu elisemqoka ababenalo laba baprofethi ababili laliwukuthi kwakudingeka ‘bahlale belindele.’ Nakhu okunye okwaziyo: Ababekulindele labo baprofethi ababili kwenzeka ngempela ngo-607 B.C.E. Ngakho ukuhlala kwabo ‘belindele’ kwabonakala kuwukuhlakanipha.

5, 6. Njengoba sazi ukuthi sikuphi nokugcwaliseka kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu, yisiphi isimo sengqondo okufanele sibe naso?

⁵ Ungaqiniseka ngokufanayo ukuthi “usuku lwentukuthelo kaJehova” luzosifikela lesi simiso sezinto samanje; luzofika qathatha. Awukungabazi nakancane lokho. NjengoZefaniya noHabakuki, awazi ukuthi luzofika nini ngempela. (Marku 13:32) Kodwa lona luzofika, futhi ukugcwaliseka kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli esikhathini ophila kuso kubonisa ngaphandle kokuthandabuza ukuthi selusemnyango. Ngakho, lokho uJehova akugcizelela kulabo baprofethi kuyasebenza nakuwe​—‘Hlala ululindele.’ Khumbula futhi leli qiniso elingenakuphikwa: UNkulunkulu wethu ungukuphela kukaNkulunkulu ‘othatha isinyathelo ngenxa yalowo ohlala emlindele.’​—Isaya 64:4.

⁶ Ungasibonisa isimo sengqondo esifanele sokulindela, ubonise ngezenzo zakho ukuthi uyaqiniseka ukuthi “usuku lwentukuthelo kaJehova” luzofika ngesikhathi. Ukuqiniseka kwakho ngalokho nezenzo ezihambisana nako kuvumelana nokuthile okwashiwo uJesu. Wanxusa abaphostoli nawo wonke amaKristu agcotshiwe: “Izinkalo zenu mazibe zibhincile nezibani zenu zivutha, nani ngokwenu nibe njengabantu abalindele inkosi yabo . . . Ziyajabula lezo zinceku okuthi lapho inkosi ifika izithole zilindile! Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, iyobhinca futhi izicele ukuba zihlale etafuleni ize eceleni kwazo izikhonze.” (Luka 12:35-37) Yebo, isimo sengqondo esifanele sokulinda sibonisa ukuqiniseka ngokuthi usuku olukhulu lukaJehova luzofika ngaso kanye isikhathi asimisile.

SIBE ‘ABALULINDELE’ ‘NABALULUNGELE’

7, 8. (a) Uye waba yini umphumela wokubekezela kukaNkulunkulu? (b) UPetru usikhuthaza ukuba sibonise siphi isimo sengqondo?

⁷ Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zanamuhla zazilindele ngaphambi kokumiswa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu ezulwini ngo-1914 futhi zisalokhu zilindele. Ukulindela kwazo akusho neze ukungenzi lutho. Kunalokho, ziye zazigcina zimatasa emsebenzini wazo wokushumayela eziwunikwe uNkulunkulu. (IzEnzo 1:8) Nokho, cabanga ngalokhu: Ukube usuku olukhulu lukaJehova lwalufike ngo-1914, ngabe ukuphi wena? Ngisho noma ngabe lwalufike eminyakeni engu-40 edlule, ingabe ngaleso sikhathi wawusungumuntu owenza ‘izenzo zokuziphatha ezingcwele nezokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu’? (2 Petru 3:11) Kuthiwani ngamalungu omkhaya wakho angoFakazi noma abangane bakho obakhonze kakhulu ebandleni? Kusobala ukuthi le nkathi yokulindela ivulele wena nabanye abaningi abanjengawe indlela yokuthola insindiso, njengoba kusho eyesi-2 Petru 3:9. Iqiniso lokuthi uJehova akasiqothulanga lesi simiso esibi ngemva nje kokumiswa koMbuso liye lanikeza abaningi ithuba lokuphenduka, njengoba nje nabaseNineve baphenduka futhi basindiswa. Sonke sinesizathu sokwenanela amazwi omphostoli uPetru: “Bhekani ukubekezela kweNkosi yethu njengensindiso.” (2 Petru 3:15) Le nkathi esikuyo isaqhubeka nayo inika abantu ithuba lokuphenduka noma lokulungisa ukuphila nokucabanga kwabo.

⁸ Kuyavunywa, kungase kungathí diki kumKristu uma ecabanga ngesimo ezinsukwini zikaMika, uZefaniya noHabakuki. Angase athi, “Hawu, izinto ezenzeka kudala kanje!” Kodwa yiziphi izifundo esizifundayo? Sesikhulumile ngeseluleko sikaPetru esithi amaKristu kudingeka abe abantu ‘bezenzo zokuziphatha ezingcwele nezokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.’ Ngemva nje kwalawo mazwi, uPetru wagcizelela okunye okudingekayo​—ukuthi kudingeka ‘sikulindele futhi sikukhumbule njalo ukufika kosuku lukaJehova.’ (2 Petru 3:11, 12) Ngakho-ke, kufanele ngabe ‘silukhumbula njalo’ lolo suku, ‘silulindele.’

9. Kungani kufaneleka ukuba ‘sihlale sibhekile’?

⁹ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sineminyaka embalwa noma eminingi sikhonza uJehova, ingabe ‘sihlala sibhekile futhi sibonisa isimo sengqondo sokulinda’ esaboniswa uMika? (Roma 13:11) Yebo, njengabantu, singase sifise ukwazi ukuthi ukuphela kuyofika nini nokuthi sekusele isikhathi eside kangakanani andukuba kufike. Kodwa ngeke sikwazi lokho. Khumbula amazwi kaJesu: “Ukube umninindlu ubazi ukuthi isela lizokuza ngamuphi umlindo, ubeyohlala ephapheme angavumi ukuba indlu yakhe igqekezwe. Ngenxa yalokhu nani futhi yibani abakulungele, ngoba iNdodana yomuntu iza ngehora eningalicabangi.”​—Mathewu 24:43, 44.

10. Ufunda ziphi izifundo ekuphileni nasesimweni sengqondo somphostoli uJohane?

¹⁰ Lokhu uJesu akusho kufana kakhulu nalokho okwabhalwa uMika, uZefaniya noHabakuki. Kepha uJesu wayengalibhekisele kubantu basendulo lelo phuzu, kodwa kubalandeli bakhe, thina. AmaKristu amaningi azinikele aye asisebenzisa ngempela iseluleko sikaJesu; aye ‘aba akulungele,’ ahlala elindele. Umphostoli uJohane uyisibonelo esihle salokhu. Wayephakathi kwabane ababeseNtabeni Yeminqumo ababuza uJesu ngesiphelo sesimiso sezinto. (Mathewu 24:3; Marku 13:3, 4) Kwakungunyaka ka-33 C.E., kodwa akukho shadi lezenzakalo uJohane ayengalibheka abone ukuthi kwase kuseduze kangakanani ukuba izinto zenzeke. Manje ake ucabange, sekudlule iminyaka ethi ayibe ngu-60. UJohane wayesegugile kodwa akazange akhathale wabe eseyeka ukulindela. Kunalokho, lapho ezwa uJesu ethi: “Yebo; Ngiyeza masinyane,” uJohane wathi: “Amen! Woza, Nkosi Jesu.” UJohane akazange azisole ngendlela ayechithe ngayo iminyaka yakhe. Wayeqiniseka ukuthi lapho uJehova ekhipha isahlulelo, uyovuza ngamunye ngokwemisebenzi yakhe. (IsAmbulo 22:12, 20) Noma ngabe leso sahlulelo sasizofika nini, uJohane wayefuna ‘ukusilungela,’ njengoba iNkosi uJesu yayelulekile. Ingabe nawe uzizwa kanjalo?

‘ULINDELE’ NOMA ‘WANELISEKILE’?

11. Babehluke kanjani kuMika noHoseya abantu bosuku lwabo?

¹¹ Cabanga ngesinye isifundo esingasifunda kubaprofethi abaphila ngenkathi kusondele isahlulelo sikaJehova ku-Israyeli kuqala, nakuJuda kamuva. Nakuba uMika ‘ahlala ebhekile futhi ebonisa isimo sengqondo sokulinda,’ abaningi ayephila nabo abazange. ‘Bazonda okuhle bathanda okubi.’ UMika waxwayisa ngokuthi uma bengashintshi, ‘babeyocela usizo kuJehova, kodwa angabaphenduli.’ (Mika 3:2, 4; 7:7) Uzakwabo kaMika, uHoseya, wasebenzisa inkulumo esetshenziswa ekulimeni lapho enxusa ababesembusweni wakwa-Israyeli osenyakatho: “Zihlwanyeleleni imbewu ngokulunga; vunani ngokomusa wothando. Zilimeleni umhlabathi olimekayo, lapho kusenesikhathi sokufuna uJehova.” Naphezu kwalokho, iningi alilalelanga. ‘Lalima ububi,’ ngakho lavuna ukungalungi. (Hoseya 10:12, 13) Lalenza ukonakala noma likushalazele, ‘lithembele endleleni yalo’ kunasendleleni kaJehova. Abanye namuhla bangase babuze, ‘Kwakungenzeka kanjani lokhu kubakhulekeli beqiniso abahlala kulo kanye iZwe Lesithembiso?’ UHoseya wabonisa ukuthi inkinga yabo eyinhloko kwakuyisimo sengqondo esifana naleso okudingeka sisiqaphele nathi uma sifuna ukuhlala silulindele usuku olukhulu lukaJehova. Isimo sengqondo sokunethezeka ‘nokwaneliseka.’

12. (a) UHoseya uthi iyiphi into embi eyenziwa ama-Israyeli ngaphambi kuka-740 B.C.E.? (b) Abantu babonisa ngaziphi izindlela ukuthi ‘babenelisekile’?

¹² Lapho abantu bakaNkulunkulu sebefikile eZweni Lesithembiso, izwe eligeleza ubisi noju, bakhomba ngophakathi. Basabela kanjani? UHoseya wadlulisa amazwi kaJehova: “Baneliseka ngokwamadlelo abo. Baneliseka futhi inhliziyo yabo yaqala ukuphakama. Yingakho bangikhohlwa.” (Hoseya 13:6) Emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili, uNkulunkulu wayebaxwayise ngayo kanye le ngozi abantu bakhe. (Duteronomi 8:11-14; 32:15) Noma kunjalo, ezinsukwini zikaHoseya no-Amose ama-Israyeli amkhohlwa uJehova​—“aneliseka.” U-Amose usinikeza imininingwane ethile. Uthi abaningi babenempahla kanokusho ezindlini zabo, futhi eminye imikhaya yayize ibe nemizi emibili. Babedla ukudla okuphambili, bephuza iwayini elihlabahlosile livela emiphongolweni yekhethelo, begcoba imizimba yabo “ngamafutha ekhethelo isibili,” mhlawumbe izimonyo ezinamakha amnandi. (Amose 3:12, 15; 6:4-6) Cishe uyabona ukuthi ayikho neyodwa kulezi zinto eyayiyimbi yona ngokwayo, kodwa kusobala ukuthi kwakukubi ukuba zinakwe ngokweqile.

13. Ikuphi ukusilela okwatholakala kuma-Israyeli kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ayechumile noma cha?

¹³ Yiqiniso, akubona bonke abantu embusweni wasenyakatho abachuma futhi ‘baneliseka.’ Abanye babempofu futhi kudingeka bawe bevuka ukuze baziphilise bona nemikhaya yabo. (Amose 2:6; 4:1; 8:4-6) Kunjalo nanamuhla emazweni amaningi. Ingabe iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu esikuHoseya 13:6 sasisebenza nakwabampofu kwa-Israyeli wasendulo, futhi ingabe siyasebenza namuhla? Yebo kunjalo. UJehova wayebonisa ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi umkhulekeli weqiniso umi kahle noma cha, kudingeka aqaphele ukuba angagxili ezintweni ezibonakalayo aze ‘akhohlwe uNkulunkulu.’​—Luka 12:22-30.

14. Kungani kufaneleka ukuba sicabange ngokulindela kwethu?

¹⁴ Njengoba siphila kulesi sikhathi futhi ziziningi kangaka iziprofetho zeBhayibheli esezigcwalisekile, sinezizathu ezengeziwe zokuhlala siphapheme, silulungele futhi silulindele. Kodwa-ke kuthiwani uma sekuyisikhathi impela silindele, mhlawumbe sekungamashumi eminyaka? Esikhathini esidlule sazikhandla enkonzweni, senza nezinqumo ezabonisa ukuthi siyaqiniseka ukuthi usuku lukaJehova seluseduze. Kodwa alukafiki namanje. Kunjani ukulindela kwethu? Zibuze, ‘Ingabe ngisalindele ngomdlandla, noma sengikhathele nje kwaphela?’​—IsAmbulo 2:4.

15. Yiziphi ezinye zezinkomba zokuthi kungenzeka ukuthi ukulindela kwethu sekunciphile?

¹⁵ Ziningi izindlela esingahlola ngazo ukulindela kwethu, kodwa kungani singasebenzisi zona kanye izici u-Amose achaza ngazo abantu bosuku lwakhe ‘abaneliseka’? Njengoba sizibheka lezo zici, singazihlola ukuthi ikhona yini indawana ngaphakathi kithi ‘yokuba abanelisekayo.’ UmKristu okwathi eminyakeni edlule wabonisa ukulindela ngendlela acabanga ngayo nangezenzo zakhe, angase aqale ukufuna ukuba nomuzi noma imoto ephambili, izingubo ezisefeshinini, izimonyo nezinto zokuhloba ezibizayo, noma iwayini eliphambili nokudla kwekhethelo. Akukho ndawo lapho iBhayibheli lisikisela khona ukuba sizincishe injabulo efanele. Umuntu osebenza kanzima kufanele “adle futhi empeleni aphuze abone okuhle ngawo wonke umsebenzi wakhe onzima.” (UmShumayeli 3:13) Nokho, kuba inkinga uma umKristu ephilela ukudla, ukuphuza, nokubukeka. (1 Petru 3:3) UJesu wathi kwenzeka lokhu kwabanye abagcotshiwe e-Asia Minor, okufakazela ukuthi kuyingozi kumaKristu. (IsAmbulo 3:14-17) Ingabe kuye kwenzeka okufanayo kithina? Ingabe ‘siba ngabanelisekayo,’ mhlawumbe sixinwe izinto ezibonakalayo? Ingabe sekunciphile ukulindela kwethu?​—Roma 8:5-8.

16. Kungani kungeke kuzizuzise izingane zethu ukuzikhuthaza ukuba ziphishekele indlela yokuphila ‘yokwaneliseka’?

¹⁶ Ukuncipha kokulindela kwethu usuku olukhulu lukaJehova kungabonakala eselulekweni esisinikeza izingane zethu noma abanye. UmKristu angase acabange: ‘Ngakhetha ukuwayeka amathuba emfundo nawomsebenzi ngoba nginomuzwa wokuthi ukuphela sekusondele. Manje ngifuna ukuba izingane zami zithole imfundo eyozenza ziphile ntofontofo.’ Hleze nabanye osukwini lukaHoseya babecabanga kanjalo. Uma kunjalo, iseluleko sabo esisekelwe endleleni yokuphila ‘yokwaneliseka’ sasiyozizuzisa yini izingane zabo? Ukube izingane ngaleso sikhathi zayiphishekela ngempela indlela yokuphila ‘yokwaneliseka’ noma entofontofo, ngabe zaba yini ngo-740 B.C.E., lapho iSamariya liwela kwabase-Asiriya?​—Hoseya 13:16; Zefaniya 1:12, 13.

PHILA NAMATHEMBA AQINISEKILE

17. Kufanele simlingise kanjani uMika?

¹⁷ Njengabakhulekeli beqiniso basendulo, singaqiniseka ukuthi izinto uNkulunkulu azithembisile ziyogcwaliseka ngesikhathi, ngesikhathi sakhe asimisile. (Joshuwa 23:14) Umprofethi uMika wahlakanipha ngokubonisa isimo sengqondo sokulinda uNkulunkulu wensindiso yakhe. Njengoba sikwazi ukubheka emuva emlandweni, singabona ukuthi uMika wayephila eduze kangakanani nokuchithwa kweSamariya. Kuthiwani ngathi nesikhathi esiphila kuso? Uma sibheka emuva, kuyocaca yini ukuthi senza izinqumo ezihlakaniphile, njengokukhetha umsebenzi wokuziphilisa, indlela yokuphila, nenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele? Kuyavunywa, asilazi “lolo suku nalelo hora.” (Mathewu 24:36-42) Noma kunjalo, akuthandabuzwa ukuthi senza ngokuhlakanipha uma sihlakulela isimo sengqondo esinjengesikaMika futhi senze ngokuvumelana naso. Lapho uMika evuzwa ngokuphila epharadesi lasemhlabeni elibuyiselwe, yeka indlela okuyomthokozisa ngayo ukwazi ukuthi sizuzile esigijimini sakhe esiyisiprofetho nasesibonelweni sakhe sokwethembeka! Siyobe siwubufakazi obuphilayo bokuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu wensindiso!

18, 19. (a) Iyiphi inhlekelele eyabikezelwa u-Obadiya? (b) Yiliphi ithemba u-Obadiya alinikeza u-Israyeli?

¹⁸ Ithemba lethu linesisekelo esiqinile. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngencwadi yesiprofetho emfushane ka-Obadiya. Igxile ku-Edomi wasendulo, iveza isahlulelo sikaJehova kulabo bantu abaphatha kabi ‘abafowabo,’ u-Israyeli. (Obadiya 12) Ukuchithwa okwakubikezelwe kwenzeka ngempela, njengoba sifundile eSahlukweni 10 sale ncwadi. AbaseBhabhiloni, beholwa uNabonidasi, bamnqoba u-Edomi phakathi nekhulu lesithupha B.C.E., futhi isizwe sakwa-Edomi saphela. Nokho, kunelinye iphuzu elibalulekile esigijimini sika-Obadiya, iphuzu elihambisana nokuhlala kwethu silindele usuku olukhulu lukaJehova.

¹⁹ Uyazi ukuthi isizwe esiyisitha (iBhabhiloni) esaqothula u-Edomi sasikade sikhiphe isijeziso sikaNkulunkulu kubantu bakhe abangathembekile. Ngo-607 B.C.E., abaseBhabhiloni balibhubhisa iJerusalema, bathumba amaJuda. Izwe laba incithakalo. Ingabe kwaphelela lapho? Cha. Ngo-Obadiya, uJehova wabikezela ukuthi izwe lalizophinde libe elama-Israyeli. Ku-Obadiya 17, ungafunda lesi sithembiso esikhuthazayo: “Abaphunyukile bayoba seNtabeni iZiyoni, futhi iyoba yinto engcwele; indlu kaJakobe iyothatha izinto okumelwe zibe ngezayo.”

20, 21. Kungani kufanele asiduduze u-Obadiya 17?

²⁰ Umlando uqinisekisa ukuthi lokho uJehova ayekushilo ngo-Obadiya kwenzeka ngempela. UNkulunkulu wakubikezela, kwenzeka. Izinkulungwane zabadingiswa bakwaJuda nakwa-Israyeli zabuya ngo-537 B.C.E. Ngesibusiso sikaJehova, amaJuda abuyiselwe aguqula izwe eliyincithakalo laba ipharadesi elikhephuzelayo. Uye wazifunda iziprofetho zalezo zinguquko ezimangalisayo ku-Isaya 11:6-9 no-35:1-7. Okwakusemqoka ukuthi ukukhulekela kweqiniso kwavuselelwa, isikhungo sako sisethempelini likaJehova elalakhiwe kabusha. Ngakho u-Obadiya 17 ungobunye futhi ubufakazi bokuthi izithembiso zikaJehova zithembekile. Ngaso sonke isikhathi ziyagcwaliseka.

²¹ U-Obadiya waphetha isiprofetho sakhe ngala mazwi anamandla: “Ubukhosi buyoba ngobukaJehova.” (Obadiya 21) Njengoba usethemba lesi sithembiso, ulindele isikhathi esikhazimulayo okuyothi ngaso uJehova, ngoJesu Kristu, abuse ngaphandle kokuphikiswa ezulwini nasemhlabeni. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi usenesikhashana nje ulindele usuku olukhulu lukaJehova​—uthola nezibusiso eziwumphumela—​noma usuneminyaka eminingi, ungaqiniseka ngokugcwele ukuthi amathemba anjalo asekelwe eBhayibhelini azofezeka.

22. Kungani ufuna ukuba nombono ofana novezwe kuHabakuki 2:3 nakuMika 4:5?

²² Kuyafaneleka-ke ukuphinda isiqinisekiso sikaHabakuki, esisebenza isibili nasesikhathini sethu: “Umbono usengowesikhathi esimisiwe, ulokhu uphuthuma ekupheleni, futhi ngeke uqambe amanga. Ngisho noma ungase ulibale, hlala uwulindele; ngoba nakanjani uzogcwaliseka. Ngeke wephuze.” (Habakuki 2:3) Ngisho noma kungase kubonakale sengathi usuku lukaJehova luyephuza ngokubheka komuntu, nakanjani luyofika ngesikhathi esimisiwe. UJehova usithembisa lokho. Ngakho, labo asebeneminyaka bekhonza uNkulunkulu nalabo abasanda kuqala, bangaqhubekela phambili ndawonye benokuqiniseka okufana nokuvezwe kuMika 4:5: “Thina, siyohamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube nini nanini, yebo kuze kube phakade.”