Ukuhamba NoNkulunkulu Ezweni Elinobudlova
“Kepha yazi lokhu ukuthi ezinsukwini zokugcina kuzakuvela izikhathi ezinzima.”—2 THIMOTHEWU 3:1.
1. Yini ebonisa ukuthi lezi ngempela “izinsuku zokugcina”?
INGABE awuvumi ukuthi lezi izikhathi ezinzima? Igama elithi “ezinzima” elisetekisini leBhayibheli elisanda kucashunwa livela egameni lesiGreki ukhalepos. Leli lihunyushwa futhi ngokuthi “ezinzima ukubhekana nazo,” “ezibucayi,” “eziyingozi,” “ezimbi,” “ezilukhuni,” ne“zinzima kakhulu.”a KumaMathewu 8:28 lona leligama lisetshenziswe ukuchaza amadoda amabili ayekhwelwe amademoni njengokungathi ayeno“laka” no“budlova” okungavamile.b Yeka ukuthi kuyiqiniso kanjani ukuthi manje siphila ezikhathini ezinzima nezinobudlova! Zigcwalisa isiprofetho esingenhla somphostoli uPawulu, zibonisa ukuthi lezi ngokungangabazeki “izinsuku zokugcina”!
2. (a) Abantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu baye bazibangela kanjani lezikhathi ezinzima? (b) Yimiphi imibhalo ebonisa umthombo oyinhloko womaye banamuhla, futhi lokhu kuye kwaba okudlulele kanjani?
2 Yini eye yandisa lezikhathi ezinzima, “izinsuku zokugcina”? Ingabe akusona isimo uPawulu asibikezela, ethi: ‘Abantu bazakuba-ngabazithandayo, nabangazithibi, nabangenabumnene, nabangathandi okuhle, nabakhapheli, nabanamawala, nabakhukhumele’? Futhi abantu abanjalo abangamesabi uNkulunkulu bagqugquzelwa yilowo iBhayibheli elimchaza ngokuthi “unkulunkulu walelizwe,” “othiwa uMhlebi noSathane, odukisa izwe lonke.” Umphumela isimo sezinto esishaqisayo esisibona kuyo yonke indawo namuhla—kuhulumeni, kwezamabhizinisi, kwezenkolo, kuwo wonke umphakathi.—2 Thimothewu 3:2-5, 13; 2 Korinte 4:4; IsAmbulo 12:9, 12.
3. Kungani kungashiwo ukuthi ubudlova buye bafinyelela izimo eziphakeme kakhulu?
3 Njengoba singena ngokujulile ko-1980 izwe lihlangabezana nobudlova obanda ngokushesha. Ngo-1980 kuphela, iUnited States yabika ubugebengu bobudlova obuyizigidi eziyi-1,3, ukwanda kwamaphesenti ayi-13 ngaphezu kobonyaka ongaphambili nokubulala okuba yimbangela ephambili yokufa kwabantu abaphakathi kweminyaka engama-25 nama-44. Eshumini leminyaka eliphela ngonyaka ofanayo, iBrithani yabika ababulali abanda ngamaphesenti angama-50, ukuphanga ngamaphesenti angama-300 nokucekela phansi ngamaphesenti angama-200. EFrance, inani lobugebengu liye landa ngaphezu kwamaphesenti angama-260 kusukela ngo-1963. Imibiko efanayo ikhona kuwo wonke umhlaba.
4. Isimo sesintu siye sashintsha kanjani kusukela ngo-1914, siphakamisa miphi imibuzo?
4 Isazi-mlando uWalter Laqueur wabika: “Isikhathi esingaphambi kweMpi Yezwe yokuqala, sisonke, sasisihle. Ngiyaxolisa ukusho ukuthi ukuphila komuntu kuye kwaba okungelutho esikhathini sethu—ngokwengxenye ngenxa yokubulala okukhulu okuye kwabakhona ngeZimpi Zezwe eyokuqala neyesibili. Futhi, manje sinalezi zazi zobudlova ezazingekho ekhulwini le-19—abantu abaphikisa ngokuthi ubudlova buhle, ngokuthi bukwenzela izinto ezithile engqondweni, ngokuthi sibudinga ngempela ubudlova.” Kusukela ekugqashukeni kwempi yezwe ngo-1914 ubudlova buye badlanga emhlabeni wonke. UNkulunkulu ububheka kanjani lobudlova? AmaKristu kumelwe abubheke kanjani?
Indlela UNkulunkulu Abubheka Ngayo Ubudlova
5. (a) Yikuphi ukuqala kobudlova okwakukhona ngaphambili? (b) UJesu wamchaza kanjani umsunguli wobudlova?
5 IBhayibheli lichaza isikhathi sakuqala emlandweni, lapho “umhlaba wagcwala ubudlwangudlwangu.” Lokho kwakuseminyakeni engaphezu kwezi-4 300 kudala, ngemva kokuba izwe lalesosikhathi laba nesiqalo esibi ngokungalaleli kuka-Adamu noEva okwalandelwa ukuxoshwa kwabo ePharadesi lase-Edeni. Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile indodana yabo yokuqala, uKayini, yabulala umfowabo uAbela. Umbhalo ongokwasezulwini uyasitshela: “UKayini waba-ngowomubi, wabulala umfowabo; wambulalelani na? Ngokuba imisebenzi yakhe yayimibi, kepha eyomfowabo yayilungile.” (Genesise 6:11; 1 Johane 3:12) UJesu ubonakalisa lona “omubi” njengoDeveli, ethi: “Yena wayengumbulali wabantu kwasekuqaleni.” (Johane 8:44) Kusukela e-Edeni, uSathane ngempela uye wakha umbhalo ohlaba umxhwele wokubhebhezela isintu ebudloveni.
6. (a) Yiziphi izinto ezishaqisayo ezenzeka ngosuku lukaEnoke, zabizela kuphi ukusabela kukaJehova? (b) Kungani uNkulunkulu ‘athabatha’ uEnoke? (Genesise 5:24)
6 Ngemva kokubulala kukaKayini uAbela, lelozwe lakuqala laqhubeka nobubi ngokwengeziwe. Umzukulu kaKayini uLameki ngokufanayo ubizwa ngokuthi umbulali. (Genesise 4:23, 24) Cishe ngaleso sikhathi “uEnoke ongowesikhombisa [ozalweni lukaSeti] kusukela kuAdamu, waprofetha ngabo [ababi], wathi: “Bheka, iNkosi iyakufika nabangcwele bayo abayizigidigidi, ukuze yahlulele bonke, ijezise bonke abangamesabi uNkulunkulu ngenxa yemisebenzi yonke yabo yokungahloniphi uNkulunkulu abadelela ngayo, nangawo onke amazwi alukhuni izoni ezingamesabi uNkulunkulu eziwakhulumile ngaye.” (Juda 14, 15) UNkulunkulu wasusa uEnoke kulelozwe, ukuze angabe esabhekana nobudlova nokona kwalabo bantu ababi. Yeka ukuthi kuyoba okunomvuzo kanjani kuye ukuvuselwa kwakhe ‘emhlabeni omusha’ onokuthula wendalo kaJehova!—2 Petru 3:13; Heberu 11:5.
7. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba izwe lasendulo ligcwale ubudlova?
7 Ngesikhathi somzukulu kaEnoke uNowa, uSathane omubi ongabonakali, walandelwa iqembu lezingelosi. Lezi zazingamadodana kaNkulunkulu omoya angamlalelanga ngokuza emhlabeni azoganwa amadodakazi abantu, azala inzalo eyinhlanganisela—amaNefili. Legama lisho ukuthi “amadoda anamandla,” futhi ngokuyiqiniso kulokho ayeyikho alandela indlela yawo yokubulala phakathi kwesintu. “Ayengamadoda asendulo anamandla, anegama lodumo. . . . UNkulunkulu wathi kuNowa: Ukuphela kwenyama yonke kufikile phambi kwami, ngokuba umhlaba ugcwele ubudlwangudlwangu ngenxa yabantu; bheka, ngiyakubachitha kanye nomhlaba.”—Genesise 6:1-13.
8. (a) Isimo sezwe sinjani manje uma siqhathaniswa nesesikhathi sikaNowa? (b) Yisiphi isibonelo uNowa asishiyela sona, futhi singazuza kanjani ngokusilandela?
8 Umphostoli uPetru uyasitshela: “Okwathi ngawo izwe elalikhona labhubha ngokukhukhula kwamanzi: kepha izulu nomhlaba okukhona manje kubekelelwe umlilo ngalo lona lelizwi [likaNkulunkulu], kulindele usuku lokwahlulela nolokubhubha kwabantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu.” Ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho seBhayibheli kubonisa ukuthi izwe lamanje liseduze kakhulu nalolosuku lokwahluleka. Kumelwe senze njani ukuze sisinde? Nokho, yini uNowa ayenza, kuhlanganise nomkhaya wakhe? IBhayibheli liyasitshela: “UNowa wayehamba noNkulunkulu. . . . UNowa wakwenza konke njengalokho eyaliwe uJehova.” (2 Petru 3:6, 7; Genesise 6:9, 22; 7:5) Lokhu kwahlanganisa ukuba kwakhe “umshumayeli wokulunga.” Ngokholo lwakhe “walahla izwe.” (2 Petru 2:5; Heberu 11:7) Ingabe akumelwe silandele ngokuseduze isibonelo esihle sikaNowa nomuzi wakhe, njengoba sifuna ukusinda kulelizwe lanamuhla lelo ngempela “elimi ebubini”?—1 Johane 5:19.
Ukwanda Kobudlova
9. (a) Yini eyaba umphumela wokwanda kobudlova ngosuku lukaNowa? (b) Yiziphi izimo ezifanayo ezalandela uZamcolo, ziholela kumuphi umvuthwandaba?
9 Kuye kwabakhona ukwanda kobudlova ezweni ngaphambi kukaZamcolo—kwaze kwathi uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe wakhipha isahlulelo sokubhubhisa labo ababhubhisa umhlaba. (Genesise 6:13, 17) Kusukela esikhathini somzukulu kaNowa uNimrode, “iphisi elinamandla ebusweni bukaJehova,” kuye kwabakhona futhi ukwanda kobudlova eminyakeni eminingi, mhlawumbe kancane okokuqala, kodwa kwaya kukhula ngamandla. (Genesise 10:1, 6, 8, 9) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwabakhona inkemba, umcibisholo, umkhonto; futhi ezikhathini zanamuhla isibhamu, ombayimbayi nezinye izikhali. Kodwa iMpi Yezwe I, eyaqala ngo-1914, yaletha izikhali ezintsha ezimangalisayo zobudlova indizamshini, itanki, negesi ewushevu. Kuleyompi, ukusetshenziswa kwemikhumbi ehamba ngaphansi kwamanzi kwabangela ukwesaba okukhulu futhi izibhamu ezikhipha izinhlamvu eziningi ngomzuzwana zathatha izigidi zokuphila.
10. (a) Isiprofetho sikaJesu maqondana nezenzakalo zo“suku lweNkosi” siye sagcwaliswa kanjani? (b) Kungani kumelwe silindele ukuba uJehova akhiphe isahlulelo ngokushesha?
10 INkosi uJesu Kristu iye yabikezela isimo esinjalo “ngosuku lweNkosi,” leso esiye sabakuso kusukela ngo-1914. (IsAmbulo 1:10) Wachaza ukuthi wayezogibela kanjani ihhashi elimhlophe njengeNkosi esanda kumiswa, elandelwa umgibeli wehhashi elibomvu. Lona “waphiwa ukususa ukuthula emhlabeni, ukuze babulalane, wanikwa nenkemba enkulu”—inkemba Yempi Ephelele. Leyonkemba engokomfanekiso manje ihlanganisa izikhali ezithusa kakhulu nezinobudlova ezake zasungulwa futhi zenziwa umuntu, kuhlanganise nezikhali ezicitshwayo zenyukliya ezinamandla amakhulu okubhubhisa sonke isintu embulungeni yethu izikhathi eziningi! Uma ukubakhona kweziqhwaga zamaNefili, kuhlanganise nobubi bomuntu obuningi, ezinsukwini zikaNowa, kwakuyimbangela ngoJehova ‘ukubhubhisa isintu ngoba umhlaba wawugcwele ubudlwangudlwangu ngenxa yakho,’ yeka ukuthi sikhulu kanjani isizathu okumelwe silindele ngaso iNkosi efanayo yendawo yonke ukuba “ibhubhise ababhubhisa umhlaba” namuhla! (Genesise 6:4, 7, 13; IsAmbulo 6:1-4; 11:18) Ikhuluma ngabantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu besikhathi sethu, iNkosi uJesu ngokwayo yathi: “Ngokuba njengasemihleni kaNowa, kuyakuba-njalo ukufika kweNdodana yomuntu. Abazanga kwaze kwafika uzamcolo wabakhukhula bonke.”—Mathewu 24:37, 39.
Umbono WomKristu Ngobudlova
11. (a) Kungani uNkulunkulu azivumela izimpi zasendulo zamaIsrayeli? (b) UNkulunkulu noKristu kufanele ukuthi bazibheka kanjani izimpi zanamula? (Qhathanisa u-2 Korinte 10:3, 4.)
11 Kuyiqiniso ukuthi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zesikhathi sasendulo zazizilwa izimpi. Kodwa kumelwe sikhumbule ukuthi lezo kwakuyizimpi ezingokwasezulwini, ezaziqondiswa uNkulunkulu. UIsrayeli walwa ngenjongo yokuchitha izizwe ezazonakele, ezazikhonza amademoni ‘ezweni’ likaNkulunkulu. (Levitiku 18:24-27; Duteronomi 7:1-6) Ingabe izimpi zezizwe, futhi ikakhulukazi izimpi ezaliwa ngenxa yokubusa izwe kusukela ngo-1914, zavunyelwa uNkulunkulu? Lapho amaKatolika ebulala amaKatolika, amaProthestani ebulala amaProthestani, amaBudda ebulala amaBudda, noma amaMoslem ebulala amaMoslem, ingabe enza ngokuvumelana noNkulunkulu “owenza izizwe zonke ngagazi linye”? UKristu, iNkosi yokuThula, kumelwe ukuba ukubheka kanjani ukuchitheka kwegazi okwagqashuka kweLobukholwa lapho iMpi Yezwe I, futhi kamuva iMpi Yezwe II, ziqala? (IzEnzo 17:24-26; Isaya 9:6) Masiphawule isimiso esisha nesiphakeme leso iNkosi yokuThula eyasibekela amaKristu ngaphambi nje kokuba ibhekane nokufa kobudlova.
12, 13. (a) Kungani uJesu wanakekela ukuba abalandeli bakhe babe nezinkemba? (b) Khona-ke yini uJesu ayenza yaba sobala ngempi engokwasezulwini?
12 Ekhumbula indima yokugcwalisa isiprofetho sakhe, uJesu wathi kubalandeli bakhe ngosuku olwandulela ukuboshwa kwakhe: “Oswelayo kathengise ngengubo yakhe, athenge inkemba. Ngokuba ngithi kini: Kumelwe ukugcwaliseka kimi lokho okulotshiweyo kokuthi: Wabalwa kanye nezelelesi.” Lapho bephendula, “Nkosi, bheka, nazi izinkemba ezimbili,” wathi kubo: “Kwanele.” (Luka 22:36-38) Kwakwanele ukuba enzeni? Okokuqala, ukugcwalisa uIsaya 53:12. Okwesibili, ukuba akhanyise isifundo esibalulekile kumaKristu.
13 Ngempela kwakungenakubabikho isizathu esiqinile sokusebenzisa inkemba ngaphandle kokuvikela iNdodana kaNkulunkulu uqobo! Nokho kwakungesiyo intando kaNkulunkulu ngoJesu ukuba asindiswe ngalesosikhathi. Ngakho lapho umphostoli uPetru esebenzisa inkemba yakhe encekwini yompristi omkhulu, uJesu wathi kuye: “Buyisela inkemba yakho endaweni yayo, ngokuba bonke abaphatha inkemba bayakubhubha ngenkemba.” (Mathewu 26:52, 53; Johane 18:10, 11) Kanjalo uJesu wenza kwasobala ukuthi impi engokwasezulwini ukusukela ngalesosikhathi kuye phambili yayingenakuhlanganisa ukusetshenziswa kwezikhali zenyama.
14. Njengoba uJesu ebonisile, yini ehilelekile ‘ekungabini owezwe’?
14 Lokhu ngokusobala kwakuvumelana nalokho uJesu ayekutshele abafundi bakhe ngaphambili ngalobo busuku, ukuthi babezohlushwa ngenxa ‘yokungabi ngabezwe.’ Kwakuvumelana nomthandazo kaJesu kuYise, awusho ngobusuku obufanayo, agcizelela kuwo ukuthi, njengaye ngokwakhe, abafundi bakhe “abasibo abezwe.” Kwavumelana nalokho uJesu akutshela uPilatu: “Uma umbuso wami ubungowalelizwe, izikhonzi zami zaziyakulwa ukuba nginganikezelwa kubaJuda. Kepha kalokhu umbuso wami awusiwo owalapha.”—Johane 15:19, 20; 17:14-16; 18:36.
15. (a) Ukwahlukana nezwe kuye kwaholela kubuphi ubunye? (b) Yiziphi izici ezihlukahlukene zalobunye ezichazwe kuIsaya 2:2-4?
15 Ingabe manje uhlukile kulelizwe nezindlela zalo zobudlova, njengoba uJesu nabafundi bakhe babenjalo ekhulwini lokuqala? Uma kunjalo, uye wahlanganyela ebunyeni obumangalisayo bomhlaba wonke obutholwa kuphela oFakazi BakaJehova. Bungubunye obubangelwa ukulalela imithetho kaNkulunkulu nentando yakhe ngosuku lwanamuhla. Ngoba manje “isixuku esikhulu” samaKristu athanda ukuthula e“sivela kuzo zonke izizwe, nemindeni, nabantu, nezilimi” sigobhozela ethempelini elikhulu elingokomoya likaJehova ukuze simkhulekele. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 10, 15) Siyachazwa kuIsaya 2:2-4: “Kuyakuthi ngezinsuku ezizayo intaba yendlu kaJehova iqiniswe esiqongweni sezintaba, iphakame kunamagquma, nezizwe zonke ziyakugobhozela khona. Abantu abaningi bayakuhamba, bathi: Wozani sikhuphukele entabeni kaJehova endlini kaNkulunkulu kaJakobe; uyakusifundisa izindlela zakhe, sihambe emikhondweni yakhe, ngokuba umthetho uyakuvela eSiyoni, nezwi likaJehova eJerusalema. Uyakwahlulela phakathi kwezizwe, anqume phakathi kwabantu abaningi; bayakukhanda izinkemba zabo zibe-ngamakhuba, nemikhonto yabo ibe-ngocelemba; isizwe asiyikuphakamisela isizwe inkemba, zingabe zisafunda ukulwa.”
16. (a) OFakazi BakaJehova bahluka kanjani ezweni? (b) Yini uMika 4:1-5 ayibikezelayo, maqondana nokuchuma kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu, isizathu salokho nomphumela wokugcina? (c) Umbuzo owengeziwe uphakama maqondana nani?
16 Laba ababona ababangi bezwe abaphephezelisa amaflege, kodwa bangabantu abanokuthula, abanobunye abavela kuzo zonke izizwe. Ngempela abathathi-hlangothi ezweni lempi. Ngemva kokusho ukuthi ba‘zikhanda kanjani izinkemba zabo zibe ngamakhuba,’ uMika 4:1-5 uchaza ukuchuma kwabo okungokomoya nethemba labo lokuphila phakade emhlabeni ngobunye. Isiprofetho sibahlukanisa nabantu balelizwe, sithi: “Ngokuba bonke abantu bahamba, kube-yilowo nalowo ngegama likankulunkulu wakhe, kepha thina siyakuhamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube-phakade naphakade.” Kodwa njengoba siqhubeka sihamba egameni likaNkulunkulu, sihlangabezana nokucindezeleka okuningi ezweni elinobudlova. Kumelwe sibhekane kanjani nezimo ezingaphakama? Isihloko esilandelayo sinikeza impendulo yeBhayibheli kulombuzo.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a New World Translation, King James Version, Douay Version, English Revised Version, Moffatt, The Living Bible.
b New World Translation, The New English Bible.
Iziphi izimpendulo obungazinikeza kokulandelayo:
□ Isimo sezwe sibhekisela kanjani esikhathini sethu njengesiyizinsuku zokugcina?
□ Ngokomlando kuGenesise, uNkulunkulu ububheka kanjani ubudlova?
□ Yikupni ukufana okungaqashelwa phakathi kosuku lukaNowa nezikhathi zanamuhla?
□ Ngokuvumelana nesibonelo sikaJesu namazwi, yikuphi ukwahluka amaKristu okumelwe akugcine?
□ UIsaya 2:2-4 noMika 4:1-5 usitshelani ngokuthi singahamba kanjani noNkulunkulu, nomphumela wokwenza kanjalo?
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Lezi “zinsuku zokugcina” ngempela ziyi“zikhathi ezinzima”
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
UJesu wathi: “Bonke abaphatha inkemba bayakubhubha ngenkemba”