Isikhathi Esinzima Siyasondela!
1. (a) Kungani amacebo abantu abangelutho kumelwe ahluleke? (b) Yiyiphi injongo kaNkulunkulu okumelwe ifezwe ngokushesha?
NAPHEZU kwesixwayiso esikhulu nokwehluleka okukhulu kohulumeni babantu emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka, abantu abangaphelele abangelutho baphikelela phambili namacebo abo ngokuzidla. Kodwa ngeke benze kanjalo isikhathi eside. Masingalokothi nakancane singabaze amandla kaNkulunkulu noYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ukuba afeze injongo yakhe ayimemezele ngomprofethi wakhe: “Ezinsukwini zalawomakhosi [lawo abusa ‘esikhathini sesiphelo’] uNkulunkulu wasezulwini uyakumisa umbuso ongasoze wachithwa nobukhosi bawo bungayikushiyelwa kwabanye abantu, kepha uyakuchoboza, uqede yonke lemibuso, wona uqobo ume phakade.”—Daniyeli 2:44; 12:9.
2. (a UJesu wasifanekisa kanjani isimo esibhekene nesintu manje? (b) Isiphi isixwayiso esanikezwa, futhi namuphi umphumela?
2 UJesu wasinikeza esinye isibonakaliso sokuba seduze kwesikhathi esinzima. Wabhekisela ezimweni emhlabeni ngesikhathi sikaNowa futhi wakhumbuza abalandeli bakhe ukuthi abantu babegxile kakhulu emacebweni abo nasekuphileni ngendlela evamile, njengoba babekubiza kanjalo. UJesu wathi: “Ngokuba njengasemihleni kaNowa, kuyakuba-njalo ukufika kweNdodana yomuntu. Ngokuba njengasezinsukwini lezo ezandulela uzamcolo babedla, bephuza, beganwa, bendiswa, kwaze kwafika usuku uNowa angena ngalo emkhunjini, abazanga kwaze kwafika uzamcolo wabakhukhula bonke, kuyakuba-njalo ukufika kweNdodana yomuntu.” (Mathewu 24:37-39) Labobantu baxwayiswa ngesigijimi esasimenyezelwe uNowa olungileyo emashumini eminyaka ngokulandelana. (2 Petru 2:5) Kodwa iningi labantu lasibheka kanjani lesosixwayiso? UJesu wathi, “abazanga [abanakanga].” Babengenasithakazelo kuNowa nesigijimi sakhe. Ngakho-ke kwenzeka ukuthi “kwasala uNowa yedwa kanye nakho okwakukhona naye emkhunjini,” imiphefumulo eyisishiyagalombili isiyonke.—Genesise 7:23.
Ingabe Uyosilalela Isixwayiso?
3. Abantu basabela kanjani esixwayisweni namuhla?
3 Singasho yini ngokwethembeka sithi asizange sixwayiswe? Ngaphambi kwethu sinesimiso esifanayo sezinto njengoba kwakunjalo esizukulwaneni sikaNowa. Phawula indlela iningi elinganaki ngayo eliziphilela ngayo noma elisihleka usulu ngayo isigijimi esiphethwe oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla. Abaningi bagxile ekuhleleleni kwabo usuku ngalunye nesikhathi eside. UNkulunkulu nezinjongo zakhe ngokuqondene nesintu nalomhlaba akungeni nakancane ezingqondweni zabo. Abantu abaningi bathi bangamaKristu futhi bangabehlelo elithile lenkolo, kodwa bakwenzela kuphela ukuthandwa nalokho okubizwa ngokuthi isithunzi “esihloniphekile” abanikezwa sona emphakathini wanamuhla. Bamane “abanaki” isixwayiso futhi ngalokho kumelwe bathole umphumela. Kodwa kuthiwani ngawe? Ingabe ngokuhlakanipha uyozigcina “izibonakaliso zezikhathi”?
4. UPawulu noPetru basibikezela kanjani isimo sanamuhla?
4 Uye waphawula, akunjalo, indlela imibuso yezwe eqhekeka ngayo ibe yizingcucwana, indlela izinhlangano ezingokwenkolo nezingokombangazwe eziwohloka ngayo nhlangothi-zonke, indlela abaningi asebefuna ngayo izinto ngendlela yabo, ilungile noma ingalungile. Ingabe lokhu akubhekiseli “ezinsukwini zokugcina” ezabikezelwa umphostoli uPawulu? Waloba: “Kepha yazi lokhu ukuthi ezinsukwini zokugcina kuzakuvela izikhathi ezinzima; ngokuba abantu bazakuba-ngabazithandayo, nabathandimali, nabazigabisayo, nabazidlayo, nabahlambalazayo, nabangalaleli abazali, nabangabongiyo, nabahlazisayo, nabangenaluthando, nabahlebi, nabangazithibi, nabangenabumnene, nabangathandi okuhle, nabakhapheli, nabanamawala, nabakhukhumele, nabathanda injabulo kunokuthanda uNkulunkulu.” (2 Thimothewu 3:1-4) Ngokuqinisekile, uma sinezela ukugcwaliseka kwalesiprofetho kuzo zonke izinto ezabikezelwa uJesu Kristu, izibonakaliso zezikhathi zisho okuthile. Ngempela sikulezo‘zinsuku zokugcina’ futhi ukuntuleka kokulalela kungabonakala kuyo yonke indawo—ezikoleni, kwezamabhizinisi, emisebenzini, nasemphakathini nje uwonke.—Qhathanisa no-2 Petru 3:3-7.
5. (a) Imiphi imibuzo okumelwe siyicabangele manje? (b) Ukulindela kwethu kwehluke kanjani kulokho kwabantu bezwe?
5 Namuhla, lapho amadoda alangazelayo nabaholi bezizwe ngokufanayo bebonisa ukuntula ukuqonda nokwehluleka ukuvumelanisa konke ukuzisholo kwabo okushayisanayo futhi nokuqhubekela phambili ngenkani namacebo abo okwenza ngcono izwe, yini wena oyoyenza? Izibonakaliso zezikhathi zikhombisani njengokuyinkambo elondekile ngawe? Ingabe uyoba ohlakaniphe kangcono nonengqondo kangcono kunalawomadoda avelele? Abakucabangeli ukufa kukaKristu Jesu komhlatshelo njengokubaluleke kangako. Bayakwenqaba ukwamukela iqiniso lokuthi wafa, hhayi nje kuphela ukuze siphile, kodwa futhi ukuze kube-khona umbuso wakhe okhazimulayo lowo ayobhubhisa ngawo amandla kankulunkulu walelizwe, uSathane uDeveli. (Heberu 2:14) Kodwa ungaba nokholo ezithembisweni eziqinisekile zoMdali. Ungathembela emphumelweni omangalisayo uJehova awuqinisekisa ngamunye othembela kuye.—IHubo 37:3, 4, 28, 29, 39, 40.
Ubizo Oluphuthumayo Kwabathobekileyo
6. Iluphi ubizo oluphuthumayo oluphumayo manje, futhi ngani?
6 Wena nabo bonke abafunda izibonakaliso zezikhathi ngokuqondile umprofethi kaJehova uNkulunkulu ukhipha ubizo oluphuthumayo: “Funani uJehova nina-nonke bathobekileyo bomhlaba enisebenzile ukwahlulela kwakhe; funani ukulunga; funani ukuthobeka; mhlawumbe niyakusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova.” (Zefaniya 2:2, 3) Ngokukhanyayo uJehova uyolungiselela ithuba ngabathandi bokuthula nokulunga ukuba basindiswe kulesisimiso sezinto esonakele.
7. Imiphi imibuzo esingayiphendula ngoYebo nalokho kusizuzise?
7 Esikhundleni sokuba onenkani nonamathela embonweni wakhe naphezu kwazo zonke lezi“zibonakaliso,” (njengabaningi kangaka abaholi bezombangazwe nabenkolo), ingabe uthobekile noma uyafundiseka, ukulungele ukulalela ngentshiseko amalungiselelo kaNkulunkulu okulondeka kwakho? Ingabe usuzamile ukuphila ngokuvumelana nezindinganiso zeBhayibheli zokulunga, okungukuthi, ‘ukwahlulela’ kukaJehova? Ingabe ziyakugulisa izinto ozibonayo nozizwa ziqhubeka emhlabeni, yebo, ngisho nasendaweni yakini? Ngokungafani nalabo abazenelisa ngokwabo abangakhathali ukuthi kwenzekani kwabanye uma nje bona bekuthola abakufunayo ekuphileni, ingabe awushukunyiswa ngokujulile ubunzima, ukucindezeleka, izimo zokusongela kwendlala eziningi izigidi zabantu abanjengawe ezingenakuzisiza okumelwe ziphile phansi kwazo? Uma impendulo yakho ingu‘yebo’ kuleyomibuzo, khona-ke cishe uphakathi kwalabo uJehova abathembisa ukubasibekela ngosuku lolaka lwakhe.—Isaya 26:20, 21; Hezekeli 9:4-7.
8. ‘Singayifuna kanjani intobeko nokulunga’?
8 Uma ungumuntu othobekile, ukulungele ukulalela ukufundisa kwaphezulu, ungakwenza kanjani-ke ‘ukufuna ukuthobeka nokulunga?’ Lokhu kungase kube umbuzo ocabanga ngawo. Othobekileyo nomnene, uJesu ukumema ukuba ube umfundi wakhe wangempela. Lokhu kungadinga ukuba utadishe isibonelo sakhe, umsebenzi wakhe ekuphileni ngesikhathi esesemhlabeni, ulwele ukwenza njengoba enza. Phawula ukuthi wayenza okuhle, engalokothi enze okubi ngisho nakubaphikisi bakhe. (IzEnzo 10:38) Umbuso kaNkulunkulu wawuyisihloko sokufundisa kwakhe njalo, uyisihloko semifanekiso yakhe, nesemithandazo yakhe. (Mathewu 4:17; Luka 8:1) Wayengenalutho olufana nolwemibuso yezombangazwe yalelizwe. (Johane 18:36) Wabonisa ukholo olungenakushukunyiswa ekhonweni likaNkulunkulu lokugcwalisa zonke izithembiso zaKhe ezincekwini zaKhe emhlabeni. UJesu akabavumelanga labo ababethi bakhonza uNkulunkulu kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo befundisa izimfundiso ezingasekelwa yiZwi likaNkulunkulu. (Marku 7:5-8) Ingabe ukulungele ukumlingisa kuzo zonke lezizinto?
9. Isiphi isibonelo esihle uJesu asibekela sona?
9 UJesu akazange enze ngokuzibusa kuYise wasezulwini. Eqinisweni, wathi: “INdodana ingenze-lutho ngokwayo, kuphela lokho ebona uYise ekwenza, ngokuba lokho akwenzayo yena, neNdodana iyakwenza kanjalo.” (Johane 5:19; 7:16-18) Wabuye wathi: “Ongithumileyo unami, kangishiyanga ngedwa, ngokuba ngenza njalo okuthandeka kuye.” (Johane 8:29) Akabonisanga ukuthambekela kokuphila kwendlela yakhe ukuze anelise izifiso zakhe siqu nokulangazelela. Wakufulathela ngokuphelele ukubusa kwezwe nokuqhama okwakunikezwa uSathane uDeveli. (Luka 4:5-8) Ingabe uyokwamukela futhi ulandele isibonelo sikaJesu ukuze uzuze ukwamukelwa nesibusiso sikaJehova uNkulunkulu?
Lapho Okumelwe Ufune Khona Usizo
10. (a) Iluphi usizo oluvelele uNkulunkulu asinikeze lona, futhi singazuza kanjani kulo? (b) Amazwi kaJohane 17:3 anayiphi incazelo kithi?
10 Akunakwenzeka ngawe ukuba ulandele leyonkambo ngamandla akho, izindlela zomkhohlisi omkhulu zingezobuqili futhi ziyakhohlisa! Udinga lonke usizo uNkulunkulu aye walunikeza ukuze ukwazi ukuphumelela. Usizo oluvelele aye walulungiselela iBhayibheli Elingcwele. (2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17) Njengoba wazi, umuntu akanakukufunda okuseBhayibhelini ngokumane nje alalele intshumayelo emfushane isonto ngalinye futhi ahlanganyele ezinkonzweni ezihlukahlukene namasiko. Kukhona isidingo semfundo ngesifundo seBhayibheli, hhayi nje eyakho wedwa kodwa neyomkhaya wakho. Khumbula, lena ukuphela kwencwadi ehambisana nokusho kwayo ukuthi umlobi wayo uwuMdali wezulu nomhlaba. Ayikho enye incwadi noma isisekelo semfundo esinganikeza abafundi lokho uJesu akubonisa, okungukuthi: “Ukuphila okuphakade yilokhu ukuba bazi wena-Nkulunkulu wedwa oqinisileyo, nomthumileyo, uJesu Kristu.” (Johane 17:3) Kunamadoda nabesifazane abanolwazi lweBhayibheli abakulungele ukukusiza ngaphandle kokukukhokhisa noma kwesibopho. Kumelwe nje ucele oFakazi BakaJehova futhi uyoluthola usizo oludingayo ukuze uqalise.
11, 12. (a) Isiphi isithembiso uJehova asibekele labo abatadisha ngentobeko iZwi lakhe? (b) Amagama ethu angalotshwa kanjani “encwadini yokukhumbula” kaNkulunkulu?
11 Yeka isithembiso esihle uNkulunkulu asibekele labo abacabanga futhi baxoxe phakathi kwabo ngezinzuzo ezingokoqobo zokufunda ngalokho uNkulunkulu noKristu abaye basembulela khona ngabo ngokwabo! Phawula indlela esibekwe ngayo omunye wabaprofethi bakaJehova basendulo: “Khona [lapho uJehova equla amacala nezoni ezigabadelayo ezicabanga ukuthi ziyoqhubeka nobubi phakade] abamesaba uJehova bakhuluma bodwa omunye nomunye; uJehova waqaphela, wezwa, kwalotshwa phambi kwakhe incwadi yokukhumbula ababemesaba uJehova, bezindla ngegama lakhe.”—Malaki 3:16.
12 Lokhu kusho okwengeziwe kakhulu kunokuphila nje kahle, ukuphila okuhloniphekile kwezindinganiso zezwe zalelizwe. Kusho ukuthola ulwazi oluqondile lwezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu kumuntu, ukufunda ukuthi yini ayilindele kithi, bese sinikezela ukuphila kwethu ekumkhonzeni nokwenza intando yakhe kuzo zonke izici zokuphila. Kungayiphi enye indlela esingalindela ngayo uJehova ukuba abhale amagama ethu kweyakhe “incwadi yokukhumbula”? Engasikhumbula kanjani phakade uma sehluleka ukubonisa ukwesaba okufanelekile ngeZwi lakhe negama, futhi sehluleka ukuxoxa ngakho nabanye kuwo wonke amathuba anokwenzeka?—Roma 10:10.
13. (a) Isiphi iseluleko sikaJesu nesikaPawulu esingasisebenzisa ekuphileni kwethu? (b) Singazibonisa kanjani ngokwethu ‘njengabantu abahlakaniphileyo’?
13 Usomabhizinisi, umfundi wesikole, nomama wekhaya omatasa bangase baphethe ngokuthi bamatasa kakhulu ukuba babe nesikhathi sesifundo esinjalo. Kodwa kuhle ukukhumbula amazwi kaJesu omusa okuxwayisa ngokungaqiniseki kwamacebo, izifiso, ngisho nangokuphila ngokwakho: “Kuyakumsizani umuntu, uma ezuza izwe lonke, onakalelwe ukuphila kwakhe, na?” (Mathewu 16:26) Khona-ke futhi kukhona amazwi omphostoli uPawulu aqondene nalezikhathi eziphuthumayo lapho sibhekene ne“zibonakaliso” zesiphelo esizayo sesimiso sezinto esibi: “Ngakho-ke bhekisisani ukuthi nihamba kanjani, kungabi njengabangahlakaniphile kepha njengabahlakaniphileyo, nithengisise isikhathi, ngokuba izinsuku zimbi. Ngakho-ke . . . qondani okuyintando yeNkosi [uJehova].” (Efesu 5:15-17) Ngokucabangela inhlekelele uJehova azoyiletha phezu kwalo lonke lelizwe elibi, kuhle ukugcina iseluleko sakhe asinikeza ngabaprofethi bakhe: “Mfuneni uJehova esenokutholwa, nimbize eseseduze.” “Usho kanje uJehova kuyo indlu yakwaIsrayeli, uthi: Ngifuneni, niphile.”—Isaya 55:6; Amose 5:4.
14. (a) Iliphi iphutha abantu abaningi abalenzayo namuhla, futhi ngani? (b) Maqondana nalokhu, isiphi iseluleko esihlakaniphile esitholakala kuJakobe 4:13-16?
14 Kukhona labo abajabulela impilo enhle abanamandla amakhulu, abaphilile ngokwengqondo nangokomzimba, futhi ngalesisizathu bangase bangakuthandi ukubeka ukuthembela kwabo kuMdali. Ngakho-ke ukuthambekela kwabo kuwukuzenzela amacebo amakhulu ngesikhathi sabo esizayo esingayicabangeli indawo kaNkulunkulu ekuphileni kwabo. Babeka imibono yabo engcebweni noma odumweni phakathi kwabantu noma ekunakekelweni mahhala okuthokomele lapho sebekhulile. UNkulunkulu akekho emiqondweni yabo nasemacebweni. Ngokuhlakanipha umlobi weBhayibheli ophefumlelwe waxwayisa: “Minani nina enithi: Namuhla noma ngomuso siyakuya kulona noma kulowamuzi, siqede khona umnyaka, sithengiselane, sizuze; anikwazi okwangomuso; kuyini ukuphila kwenu na? Ngokuba niyinkungu ebonakala isikhashana, bese inyamalala. [Ukuphila kwakho uma uphile kade kufishane]. Nga nisho nithi: Uma iNkosi ithanda, siphila, siyakwenza lokhu nalokho. Kepha manje niyazibonga ngokuzigabisa kwenu; konke ukuzigabisa okunjalo kubi.”—Jakobe 4:13-16.
15. Ngenxa yezibonakaliso zezikhathi, iyiphi indingeko ephuthumayo okumelwe siyicabangele namuhla?
15 Ngakho-ke, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi isimo sakho samanje siyini, kunesizathu esiphuthumayo ngawe ukuba uhlanganyele ngokwengeziwe nabantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezimbili emhlabeni wonke, abayizizwe eziningi nezilimi, abaziwa kabanzi njengabafundi beBhayibheli nabamemezeli besigijimi salo, ikakhulukazi ababonakala ngokufakazela kwabo igama likaJehova nombuso wakhe.—Isaya 43:10, 12; Mathewu 24:14.
Isiphi iseluleko esibalulekile umbhalo ngamunye kwelandelayo osinikeza sona kulesisikhathi?
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 17]
NjengoJesu, kumelwe sibonise ukholo olungazamazami ekhonweni likaNkulunkulu lokugcwalisa zonke izithembiso zakhe
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Njengoba usuku lukaJehova lokuphindisela lusondela, ingabe igama lakho lilotshiwe encwadini yakhe yenkumbulo?