Ingabe UNkulunkulu Uyasigcina Isikhathi?

NJENGOMBANGELI Wokuqala Wezenzakalo, uJehova uNkulunkulu ungumdali wesikhathi. Leliqiniso lingaphawulwa ngokufunda incwadi yokuqala yeBhayibheli. KuGenesise 1:1, 14 siyafunda: “Ekuqaleni uNkulunkulu wadala izulu nomhlaba. UNkulunkulu wathi: Makube-khona emkhathini wezulu izinkanyiso ezahlukanisa imini nobusuku, zibe-yizibonakaliso zezinkathi, nezezinsuku, nezeminyaka.”

Kanjalo uJehova wahambisa iziboniso ezinkulu zezikhathi—umhlaba ophenduka ku-eksizi yawo, inyanga ezungeza umhlaba, futhi kokubili kuzungeza ilanga ukuze kusinikeze izinsuku, izinyanga nezinkathi zonyaka. Lezizinkanyiso zisisiza ukuba sazi ukuthi isikhathi sini, ngaphandle kokuba izindleko noma umthwalo wemfanelo kithi ngokuhamba kwazo noma ukulungiswa kwazo.

Kungani Kumelwe Sikhathalele Isikhathi?

UJehova uyasikhathalela isikhathi futhi ufuna nathi sibe njalo. Senziwe ukuba sibe ngaleyondlela. Kodwa akuzona zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu eziye zabonisa ukuhlakanipha ekusebenziseni kwazo isikhathi. Abanye baye bangakunaka ukuhlakulela umuzwa obukhali ngokwanele ngohlelo lwesikhathi sezenzakalo lukaNkulunkulu.

Ngokwesibonelo, ekhulwini lesikhombisa B.C.E. abantu bakaNkulunkulu abakhethiwe babengenakubeka zaba ngokungazi ukuthi isikhathi sini. Umprofethi uJeremiya wabhala: “Nonogolantethe emkhathini uyazazi izikhathi zakhe ezimisiweyo, ihobhe, nenkonjane, nonohemu bagcina isikhathi sokufika kwabo, kepha abantu bami abazazi izahlulelo zikaJehova.” (Jeremiya 8:7) Ngokomzwelo izilwane ziyazi uma sekuyisikhathi sokusabela ezinguqukweni zezikhathi zonyaka. Kodwa amaIsrayeli, naphezu kokuncenga okuphindaphindiwe okwakudluliselwa ezingqondweni zawo nasezinhliziyweni, ayengafuni ukwazi ukuthi kwakuyisikhathi sikaNkulunkulu sokubahlulela, noma, kunalokho, awabanga nandaba.

Kuthiwani ngathi namuhla? Ingabe siyazi ukuthi isikhathi sini? UJehova ngaso sonke isikhathi uye waba nesikhathi esimisiwe sokusho intando yakhe nesahlulelo. Enkulumweni kamphostoli uPawulu kwabaseAthene, wathi: “Ngokuba izikhathi zokungazi wazithalalisa uNkulunkulu, kodwa kalokhu usememezela kubantu ukuba bonke ezindaweni zonke baphenduke, njengokuba umisile usuku azakwahlulela ngalo izwe ngokulunga ngomuntu ammisele lokho.” (IzEnzo 17:30, 31) Ingabe uyakholelwa ukuthi siseduze nalolo’suku lokwahlulela’? Noma ueabanga ukuthi lesosikhathi sisekude?

Phakathi nekhulu lokuqala safika isikhathi sokubonakala emhlabeni komuntu uNkulunkulu ayeyomsebenzisa ukuba ahlulele umhlaba. Ukufika kwakhe kwakuwusuku olubaluleke kakhulu ohlelweni lwesikhathi lukaNkulunkulu, njengoba iBhayibheli lisho: “Kepha lapho sekufikile ukuphelela kwesikhathi, uNkulunkulu wathuma iNdodana yakhe, izelwe ngowesifazane, izelwe phansi komthetho.” (Galathiya 4:4) Ukufika kweNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu, kwenzeka ngaso kanye isikhathi esasimisiwe.

Lokhu kufika kukaKristu ekhulwini lokuqala kwaphawula inkathi yokwahlulelwa komuzi waseJerusalema. Ngonyaka ka-33 C.E. uJesu waxwayisa labo ababehlala lapho ngokubhujiswa okuzayo ngamabutho esitha. Wathi: “Zikuwise phansi, wena nabantwana abakuwe, zingashiyi itshe phezu kwetshe phakathi kwakho, ngokuba ungasazanga isikhathi sokuhanjelwa kwakho.” (Luka 19:44) Eminyakeni engamashumi amathathu nesikhombisa kamuva lesisiprofetho sagcwaliseka. Uma wawuphila ngalesosikhathi, ingabe wawuyobe wazi ukuthi kwakuyisikhathi sini? Ingabe wawuyobe wazi ukuthi kwakuyisikhathi sikaNkulunkulu sokuthumela iNdodana yakhe emhlabeni nokuletha isahlulelo eJerusalema?

Wawuyokwazi kanjani lokho? Ngokufanayo, ungazi kanjani ukuthi isikhathi sini namuhla? Ungabona kanjani ukuthi useduze yini nalolo’suku lokwahlulela’ olwabikezelwa noma qha?

Ukubheka Uhlelo Lwezikhathi LukaNkulunkulu

Njengoba sidinga ukubheka uhlelo lwezikhathi olusitshela ukufika nokusuka ngaphambi kokuhamba kwethu ngesitimela noma ngebhanoyi, ngakho sidinga uhlelo lwesikhathi lokwazi lokho uNkulunkulu afuna ukuba sikwenze nokuthi nini. IBhayibheli linjengohlelo lwesikhathi lukaNkulunkulu. Ngokubheka leNcwadi singakwazi ukufika kwezehlakalo ezithinta abantu njengoba kuhleliwe. Ngokwesibonelo, wonke amaJuda ekhulu lokuqala kumelwe ukuba ayekulundele ukufika kukaKristu. Ngani? Ngoba, ngomprofethi wakhe uDaniyeli, uNkulunkulu wayekubikezele kudala ngaphambili ukuthi uMesiya, noma uKristu, wayeyofika ngonyaka ka-29 C.E. (Daniyeli 9:24-27) Eqinisweni, amaJuda ekhulu lokuqala ayesazi isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli ayelindele ukubonakala kwakhe ngawo kanye lowonyaka. (Luka 3:1, 2, 15) Isazi esingumJuda uAbba Hillel Silver wabhala: “UMesiya wayelindeleke ngemva kweminyaka engamashumi amabili nanhlanu yekhulu lokuqala C.E.”

Okufanayo kungashiwo namuhla. Ngokusebenzisa uhlelo lwesikhathi lweBhayibheli singaqonda ukuthi manje yisikhathi sokuba khona kukaKristu okungabonakali njengeNkosi.a Ngakho-ke, ukuza kwakhe ukuzoletha isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu kwababi neminyaka yakhe eyinkulungwane ‘yosuku lokwahlulela umhlaba ngokulunga’ kuseduze.—Izenzo 17:31; Daniyeli 4:10-17; Mathewu 24:7-31; Luka 21:24; IsAmbulo 20:4-15.

Umbono Wethu Ngesikhathi Uthonywa Yinkolelo

Eminyakeni engamakhulu ayisishiyagalolunye edlule noma ubani owayehluleka ukuqonda uhlelo lwesikhathi lukaNkulunkulu futhi owayengabekezeli ngesikhathi sikaJehova esimisiwe ngeNdodana yakhe ukuba ifike walahlekelwa yizibusiso ezimangalisayo. Ngokufanayo namuhla, uma siba abaxhuxhumayo futhi sibuze, “Siphi isithembiso sokufika kwakhe na?” nathi siyolahlekelwa umusa kaNkulunkulu ngenxa yokungazi ukuthi isikhathi sini. (2 Petru 3:4) Ngenxa yezimo zabo ezazibazungezile, loluhlobo lomoya wokubelesela lwaluphezu kwebandla lobuKristu lase-Efesu ekhulwini lokuqala futhi lwamisa ukusongela okubi okholweni lwabo. Ingabe uthola ukholo lwakho luba buthaka ngenxa yokungabekezeleli kwakho isimiso sesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu? Singafundani eselulekweni sikamphostoli uPawulu kwabase-Efesu?

AmaGreki angewona amaKristu e-Efesu awazange akholelwe ukuthi isikhathi sasiya phambili kuphela. Izikole zolwazi lokuhlakanipha kwamaGreki zazifundisa umbono wokuthi isikhathi siyajikeleza. Izenzakalo zibuye zenzeke ngokuzenzekalelayo, okungukuthi, ukuphila kuwukujikeleza okungapheli. Uma umuntu echitha isikhathi sakhe emjikelezweni owodwa wokuphila, angasizuza sonke futhi ekuphileni okulandelayo. Loluhlobo lokucabanga kusenokwenzeka lwafaka kumaKristu ase-Efesu isimo sokunganaki ngokuqondene nohlelo lwezikhathi lukaJehova ngezenzakalo, kuhlanganise nesahlulelo.

Futhi, uhlobo lokuphila olugxile ezinjabulweni lwaluzungeze amaKristu ase-Efesu, luletha ukucindezela okunamandla kuwo ukuba athambe ekuqapheleni kwawo isimiso sesikhathi sika Nkulunkulu. Ngabo ukukholelwa ukuthi ukuphila kwesikhathi samanje ngokuzihilela ekuphileni kwenkanuko nokuzithokozisa kwakuwukuhlakanipha kwakuyobenza bangahluki ezilwaneni ezingenangqondo yenkathi edlule neyenkathi ezayo, kuphela inkathi yamanje. Uma efuna ukuzuza ikusasa, ayedinga ukukhumbula leliqiniso elingokomlando: “Ngokuba yazini lokhu, nikuqonde ukuthi akukhosifebe, noma ongcolileyo, noma onesangabe ongokhonza izithombe, onefa embusweni kaKristu noNkulunkulu.”​—Efesu 5:5.

Emavesini alandelayo, uPawulu uxwayisa lawomaKristu ukuba aqaphele ngokugcwele ukuthi isikhathi sini. Ngaphandle kwalokho, ayengase akhohlisekele ekubeni acabange ukuthi anesikhathi esanele sokungena enkambweni engeyona eyobuKristu futhi aphume kuyo ngaphandle kokuwa ngokomoya. Wathi: “Maningakhohliswa-muntu ngamazwi ayize, ngokuba ngenxa yalezozinto ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwehlela phezu kwabantwana bokungalaleli. . . . nihlole ukuthi kuyini okuthandeka eNkosini.” (Efesu 5:6, 10) Ngakho, ngokucabangela uhlelo lukaNkulunkulu lwezikhathi ukuziphatha kwethu kuyasithinta isikhathi sethu esizayo.

Labo base-Efesu babengahlangabezana kanjani nokuvunyelwa uNkulunkulu? Thina singahlangabezana kanjani? ‘Ngokuthengisisa isikhathi?’ ‘Ngokuqonda okuyintando yeNkosi.’ (Efesu 5:16, 17) Lokhu kumelwe kwenziwe nini? Manje! Ngani? Ngoba singase singabi nalo elinye ithuba lokwenza kanjalo. Kusukela ngo-1914 izenzakalo eziningi ezabikezelwa eBhayibhelini eziphawula lezi njenge‘zinsuku zokugcina’ ziye zenzeka, zonke ziye zabonwa isizukulwane esisodwa, zisinikeza umbono wokuthi isikhathi siye sashesha. Asifuni ukutholakala singasenasikhathi sokwakha ubuhlobo obuhle noJehova noMahluleli wakhe ammisile, akunjalo?​—Mathewu 24; Marku 13; Luka 21; 2 Thimothewu 3:1-5; 2 Petru 3:10, 11.

Usizo Lokuba Sikhathalele Isikhathi

UNkulunkulu uye walungiselela indikimba yabantu bakhe abazinikezele nabagcotshwe ngomoya ukuba isisize sikhathalele isikhathi. Le“nceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” isinikeza “uku dla” okungokomoya “ngesikhathi sakho” futhi isiyala ukuba ‘ngaso sonke isikhathi sibe nokuningi kokukwenza emsebenzini weNkosi.’ (Mathewu 24:45; 1 Korinte 15:58) Ngalendlela singaba usizo enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu kokubili manje nasesikhathini esizayo. Kodwa kuyosilahlekisela okuthile. Isikhathi. Sonke sinesikhathi esifanayo okumelwe sisisebenzise ngokunenzuzo isonto ngalinye​—amahora ayi-168. Usisebenzisa kahle kangakanani isikhathi sakho? Ingabe kuyabonisa ukuthi uyazi ngempela ukuthi isikhathi sini ngokubheka kukaNkulunkulu?

‘Anginasikhathi,’ abaningi bayasho. Kungakho kumelwe uzimisele ukuthenga isikhathi kwezinye izici zokuphila kwakho. Imisebenzana yokuzilibazisa, umculo, ezokuzijabulisa, imisebenzi yokuziphilisa konke kuncintisana ngesikhathi sakho. Futhi imishini emisha, njengemidlalo yeTV, ingase idle isikhathi sakho ngokuphoqayo. Nakuba kungase kujabulise noma kudingeke ukuchitha isikhathi esithile emisebenzini eyakhayo yokuzijabulisa, ingabe ukuphila kwakho kubonisa ukulinganisela okuqotho ngesikhathi sakho nalokho okwaziyo ngohlelo lwesikhathi lukaNkulunkulu?

Amazwi ayiphi imbongi ofuna asebenze kuwe?

Yilawa:

“Uthi isikhathi siyahamba?

Oh qha! Hha, Isikhathi siyasala, thina siyahamba.”

Noma lawa:

“Imihla yonke ngiyakukubonga,

ngilidumise igama lakho phakade naphakade.”—IHubo 145:2.

Owakhethayo axhomeke ekutheni uyazi yini ngempela ukuthi isikhathi sini.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 7]

UBUFAKAZI BOKUBA KHONA KUKAKRISTU NJENGENKOSI YASEZULWINI

Ingabe uye wakuqaphela okulandelayo?

Impi Yembulunga Yonke Mathewu 24:3, 7

Ubulelesi Obandayo Mathewu 24:12

Indlala Marku 13:8

kuzamazama Komhlaba Luka 21:11

Izifo Luka 21:11

Ukwesaba Ikusasa Luka 21:26

Ubugovu 2 Thimothewu 3:2

Ukuthanda Injabulo 2 Thimothewu 3:4

[Izithombe ekhasini 5]

Uhlelo lwesikhathi sezindiza lwazisa izihambi isikhathi sokufika kwazo nokusuka kwazo

Uhlelo lwesikhathi lweBhayibheli lusazisa ngesikhathi sokwenzeka kwezenzakalo zikaNkulunkulu