Ukuthula Nokulondeka—Kuvela Kumuphi Umthombo?

NAKUBA iZizwe Ezihlangene ziye zenza izinkonzo ezibalulekile kwezinye izindawo, noma ubani ozilalelayo izindaba kumelwe avume ukuthi okwamanje ziye zahluleka endabeni yokuthula nokulondeka. Lokhu kuvunywa ngokusobala abameleli abashisekayo balenhlangano.

Khona-ke, emuva ngo-1953, iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili kuphela ngemva kokuba isunguliwe, uDag Hammarskjöld, uNobhala-Jikelele wangalesosikhathi, wavuma: “Lapho abasandulelayo babecabanga ngezulu elisha, ithemba lethu elikhulu liwukuba sivunyelwe ukuba sisindise umhlaba omdala.” Eminyakeni engamashumi amabili nesithupha kamuva, uC. William Maynes, unobhala ongumsizi wombuso waseUnited States, waphoqeleleka ukuba avume: “Injongo eyinhloko yoMkhandlu Wokulondeka neyoMhlangano Womhlaba Wonke yayiwukugcina ukuthula nokulondeka komhlaba wonke. . . . Unabo ubufakazi bokuthi lenhlangano iye yahluleka enjongweni yayo enkulu.”

Iyiqiniso Kangakanani?

Iqiniso liwukuthi, izinqumo eziningi ezivelele ezithinta ukuthula nokulondeka phakathi neminyaka engama-40 edlule ziye zenziwa kakhulu ngaphandle kweZizwe Ezihlangene. Ngo-1982, unobhala-jikelele uJavier Pérez de Cuéllar wakhalela iqiniso lokuthi “kulonyaka, ngezikhathi ezithile siye sabona leNhlangano ibekelwa eceleni noma inqatshwe, ngalesisizathu noma ngalesiyá ezimweni lapho kumelwe futhi ibingaba nendima ebalulekile newusizo.” Kungani kunjalo?

Abanye bakhomba ekukhuleni okumangalisayo kwamalungu alenhlangano njengesizathu. Amalungu okuqala angama-51 anda aba ngaphezu kwe-150, ngalinye linevoti efanayo eMhlanganweni Womhlaba Wonke. Nokho ezinye zalezizizwe zincane kakhulu. Kanjalo, isizwe sasesiqhingini saseSaint Christopher naseNevis, isizwe se-158 esajoyina lenhlangano, sinabakhileyo abangaphansi kwezi-50 000, kodwa sinevoti elinganayo neChina, enabakhileyo abacishe babe izigidi eziyi-1 000. Kuyiqiniso, lelilungiselelo linikeza izizwe ezincane ithuba lokuba zilalelwe; kodwa cishe alikhuthazi izizwe ezinkulu ukuba zithathe izinqumo zalenhlangano ngokungathi sína.

Inkinga yesibili ithintwa uShirley Hazzard: “INhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene ayinikezwanga amandla okuphoqelela izinqumo zayo, ngaphandle kokuba abe semalungwini ngamanye, nawo adinga ukulandelwa ngemuva.” Ngamanye amazwi, lenhlangano ingenza izinqumo, kodwa ngokwengxenye enkulu ngeke iziphoqelele. Izinkinga ezinkulu zezwe ngokuvamile kuxoxwa ngazo isikhathi eside. Kumenyezelwa izinqumo—futhi kamuva zikhohlwe. Ngo-1982, unobhala-jikelele weUN washukunyiselwa ukuba asole “ukuntuleka kwenhlonipho ngezinqumo zayo kulabo ezishiwo kubo.”

Lezi izinkinga zenhlangano—futhi kunezinye ezishiwo abacwaningi. Kodwa kunezijulile, izizathu ezingathi sína zokuthi kungani iZizwe Ezihlangene ziye zahluleka.

Izinkinga Ezijulile

“Khona-ke kwabonakala kunokwenzeka ukumisa isimiso sokugcina ukuthula nokulondeka emhlabeni wonke ngaphansi kwamalungiselelo ombuso, njengokokuqala okubalulekile,” kusho uJavier Pérez de Cuéllar, ekhumbula imibono yabaqambi balenhlangano. “Kwenzekani kulowombono omkhulu? Ngokushesha wambozwa imibono ehlukene yeMibuso emikhulu. . . . Ngaphezu kwalokho, izwe laguquka laba indawo exakayo, engahlelekile ngokwengeziwe kunalokho obekulindelwe.”

Eqinisweni, akuzange kube khona nelilodwa ithuba lokuthi iZizwe Ezihlangene ziyoletha ukuthula nokulondeka. Lomsebenzi wawunzima kakhulu. Inkulumo kanobhala-jikelele isikhumbuza amazwi omprofethi uJeremiya: “Akukuyo indoda ukuba ihambe, iqondise izinyathelo zayo.” (Jeremiya 10:23) Abantu, ngokuhlakanipha kwabo okulinganiselwe namakhono, ngeke bakwazi ukuxazulula inkinga yokuletha ukuthula nokulondeka kubo bonke.

Unobhala-jikelele wathi abaqambi beZizwe Ezihlangene bathola lomhlaba “uxaka kakhulu” kunalokho ababekulindele. Kunesizathu esiyisisekelo salesisimo, futhi ngokusobala babengasiqapheli. Kodwa umphostoli uJohane usichaza ngalendlela: “Izwe lonke lisemandleni omubi.” (1 Johane 5:19, NW) IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi namuhla “omubi,” uSathane, ubangela ‘umaye womhlaba,’ “enolaka olukhulu.” (IsAmbulo 12:12) Ukuba ngokoqobo kukaSathane nethonya lakhe kwachitha kusengaphambili imizamo yeZizwe Ezihlangene yokuletha ukuthula ngaphambi kokuba lenhlangano iqalwe nokuqalwa.

Khumbula, futhi, ukuthi inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene iyingane yalelizwe futhi kanjalo izuza njengefa izici zalo. Ukushiyeka, ububi, nokonakala okubonakala esizweni ngasinye ngokungenakuphikwa nakho kukhona eZizweni Ezihlangene. UAlexander Solzhenitsyn wacashunwa ngo-1972 ethi: “Eminyakeni engamashumi amabili nanhlanu edlule, iNhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene yazalwa, inamathemba amakhulu avela kuso sonke isintu. Ngokudabukisayo, ezweni elonakele yakhula yonakele.” IBhayibheli liyaxwayisa: “Akukho ukuthula kwababi, usho uJehova.” (Isaya 48:22) Inhlangano “eyonakele” ngeke ikulethe ukuthula nokulondeka.

Kuthiwani Ngokuthula Nokulondeka?

Ngakho, ingabe ukumenyezelwa kuka-1986 ‘njengoNyaka Wokuthula Wezizwe Zonke’ kuzokwenza umehluko? Lokho ngeke kwenzeke, ngenxa yokuthi izinkinga ezithintwe ngaphambili azixazululiwe ngokuphelele ngabantu. “UNyaka Wokuthula” akunakwenzeka ukuba usondeze isintu ekuthuleni nasekulondekeni ‘kunoNyaka Womntwana’ ngo-1979 owathuthukisa isimo sabantwana kuwo wonke umhlaba noma ‘uNyaka Wabesifazane Wezizwe Zonke’ ngo-1975 owenza izwe laba yindawo engcono ngabesifazane.

Nokho, uma isintu sizosinda, kusobala ukuthi othile kumelwe enze okuthile ngokuthula nokulondeka. Namuhla, izizwe ezihlome ngezikhali zenyukliye zisesimweni sokubhubhisa ukuphila okuningi emhlabeni. Izikhali eziyinkimbinkimbi ezivamile zibangela ukulahlekelwa ukuphila okushaqisayo unyaka ngamunye. Ukuthula koqobo kubonakala kukude kakhulu kunangaphambili! Uma iZizwe Ezihlangene ziye zehluleka ukunqoba lezizinkinga, ubani ongazinqoba?

Ukubheka umlando kusikisela impendulo ethembisayo. Cishe eminyakeni eyizi-3 000 edlule, iNkosi uDavide, inkosi yempi yaseMpumalanga Ephakathi, wabhala ngombusi wesikhathi esizayo oyophumelela ekuletheni ukuthula komhlaba wonke. Ekhulekela lombusi, uDavide wathi: “Izintaba ziyakuletha ukuthula kubantu; kanjalo namagquma, ngokulunga. Ezinsukwini zayo olungileyo uyakuqhakaza, kuvame ukuthula, ize ingabikho inyanga.”—IHubo 72:3, 7.

Imuphi umbusi ongaletha okunjalo ukuthula okuhlala njalo? UDavide wayengabhekiseli enhlanganweni yomuntu kodwa kuNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova, njengalowo lokhu okuyokwenzeka ngegunya lakhe. Ingabe lokhu kwakumane kuyisifiso esicatshangwayo? Cha. Indodana kaDavide uSolomoni, wathembela kuNkulunkulu ofanayo, futhi ngesikhathi sokubusa kwakhe, uJehova wabonisa amandla aKhe ngendlela engokomfanekiso ngokuletha ukuthula embusweni kaSolomoni, njengoba wawuphakathi kwezizwe ezazihlukaniswe kakhulu impi emhlabeni. USolomoni wayengeyona inkosi yempi, nokho ngesikhathi sokubusa kwakhe, “uJuda noIsrayeli bahlala belondekile, kwaba-yilowo nalowo phansi komvini wakhe nomkhiwane wakhe, kusukela kwaDani [enyakatho] kuze kube-seBeri-Sheba [eningizimu], zonke izinsuku zikaSolomoni.”—1 AmaKhosi 4:25.

Yebo, lokhu kuthula kwaphela. AmaIsrayeli angena ezindleleni zalelizwe elonakele futhi alahlekelwa ukulondeka ayekunikwe uNkulunkulu wawo. Noma kunjalo, ngemva kwamakhulu amabili eminyaka, lapho ama-Asiriya anonya ayehileleke emkhankasweni wokufuna ukuthula ngokwesabisa abantu, umprofethi uIsaya wabikezela ngokuza kweNkosi uSolomoni ayeyifanekisela. Wabhala: “Igama lakhe liyakuthiwa uMluleki omangalisayo, . . . iNkosi yokuthula. Umbuso uyakuba-mkhulu, ukuthula kungabi-nakuphela.”—Isaya 9:6, 7.

Ingubani ‘leyoNkosi yokuthula”? Eminyakeni engaphezu kwama-700 ngemva kukaIsaya, lapho umbuso waseRoma uzama ukuphoqelela uhlobo lwawo lokuthula nokulondeka komhlaba wonke, leyonkosi yavela ezweni likaDavide, eJudiya, inguJesu Kristu. Watshela abantu basezweni lakubo ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, ayezoba iNkosi yawo. LoMbuso wawuzoba ngowasezulwini, kanjalo ukwazi ukuxazulula izinkinga zethonya likaSathane nokuhluleka komuntu ukuzibusa. Abantu basezweni likaJesu ngokusobala bakhetha ukubusa kwamaRoma futhi ngokomthetho babulala uJesu. Nokho, njengoba umlando ubonisa ngokukhanyayo, wavuswa kwabafileyo futhi wanyuselwa ezulwini, elindele isikhathi esifanele sikaNkulunkulu ngaye sokuba aqale ukubusa njengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.

Eqinisweni, ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho kuphawula usuku lwethu nangesikhathi salesosehlakalo esikhulu. Kwakuwukuzalwa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu ezulwini nokulandela kokulahlelwa kukaSathane emhlabeni okwaholela ‘olakeni olukhulu’ lukaSathane nokubangela kwakhe ‘umaye kuwe-mhlaba.’ (IsAmbulo 12:7-12) Waba yini umphumela? Izimpi nezinye izinkathazo zesintu, njengoba zaprofethwa uJesu ngokwakhe. Umhlaba uye waba yinkundla ‘yokuxakeka kwezizwe, nokuphelelwa amandla.’—Luka 21:25, 26; Mathewu 24:3-13.

Indlela Yomuntu Noma Indlela KaNkulunkulu?

Iziprofetho zikaJesu eziza kithi kusukela cishe eminyakeni eyizi-2 000 edlule, ziye zanikeza incazelo eqonde ngokwengeziwe yezimo zezwe kunezinkulumo ezithembisayo ezenziwa ekuqaleni kweZizwe Ezihlangene eminyakeni engama-40 edlule. Ukuhluleka kwaleyonhlangano ukuthola indlela ‘yokuphumelela’ kusiza kuphela ekuqokomiseni ukunemba kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli. Ngokuqinisekile, emazwini kaIsaya, ‘izithunywa zokuthula zikhala ngomunyu’ ngokukhungatheka ngenxa yokuhluleka kwazo.—Isaya 33:7.

Lokhu kuqokomisa isizathu sokugcina sokuthi kungani iZizwe Ezihlangene zingeke ziphumelele ekuletheni ukuthula emhlabeni. Zisendleleni emelene ngokuphelele nendlela kaNkulunkulu. Ngokwezinjongo zikaJehova ezibhaliwe, ukuthula ngeke kufike ngokuhlanganiswa kwezizwe zalelizwe, kodwa ngokuba kube khona uMbuso kaNkulunkulu esikhundleni sazo. (Daniyeli 2:44) UDag Hammarskjöld wathi wayesebenzela “ekusindiseni lomhlaba omdala.” Uma ngalokhu wayesho isimiso sezwe sanamuhla esihlanganisa izizwe zezombangazwe ezizimele, khona-ke amathemba akhe ayehlulekile kusukela kwasekuqaleni. Iqiniso liwukuthi, “lomhlaba omdala” kumelwe udedele isimiso esisha. “Izwe liyadlula.” (1 Johane 2:17) Akukho lutho okungalisindisa, hhayi ngisho nenhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene.

Njengoba kunobugovu bezizwe, kunesinyathelo esisodwa kuphela soqobo sokuletha ukuthula nokulondeka. UMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuphela ongaletha uhlobo lokuthula umuntu aye walufisela kusukela axoshwa ensimini yase-Edene. Nansi enye incazelo yokulondeka eyoba umphumela wemisebenzi yoMbuso: “[UNkulunkulu] azesule izinyembezi zonke emehlweni abo; ukufa akusayikuba-khona; nokudabuka, nokukhala, nobuhlungu akusayikuba-khona; ngokuba okokuqala kudlulile.”—IsAmbulo 21:4.

Ingabe lesosithembiso sizwakala singamanga? Eqinisweni, ilona kuphela ithemba esinalo, futhi INqabayokulinda elandelayo iyoxoxa kabanzi ngokuthi kungani kunjalo. Okwamanje, sithanda ukudonsela ukunakekela kwakho eqinisweni elibalulekile: Umlando weZizwe Ezihlangene awukakapheli. Leyonhlangano inendima ebalulekile okumelwe iyifeze ezehlakalweni ezizayo. Sikukhuthaza ukuba ufunde izihloko ezimbili ezilandelayo, ezixoxa ngekusasa lenhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene ngokukhanyiselwa isiprofetho seBhayibheli.

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

Umsebenzi wokuletha ukuthula unzima kakhulu ngeZizwe Ezihlangene

[Umthombo]

Isithombe sezempi saseU.S.

[Isithombe ekhasini 6]

‘lzwe lonke lisemandleni omubi.’ Lokhu kuhlanganisa neZizwe Ezihlangene

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

IZizwe Ezihlangene ngeke zibe ngezifaneleke ngokwengeziwe kunesizwe ngasinye esizakhayo