Ukuthula Okuvela KuNkulunkulu—Nini?

“UNkulunkulu wokuthula uzakumchoboza masinyane uSathane phansi kwezinyawo zenu.”—ROMA 16:20.

1, 2. (a) Athini amazwi kaHindu okuhlakanipha ngempi nokuthula? (b) Obani abajabulayo abajabulela ukuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu?

“UMA ukuncintisana ngezikhali kobuhlanya kuqhubeka, nakanjani kuyophumela ekubulaleni okungakaze kwenzeke emlandweni. Uma kuba khona umnqobi osindayo khona kanye lokho kunqoba kuyoba yize kulesosizwe esinqobile.” Lokho kubikezela kukaMohandas Gandhi akwenza ngo-1938 eqinisweni kwabheka kude kakhulu kunesikhathi sakhe.

² Esikhathini esidlule, ngo-1931, uGandhi watshela umbusi waseBrithani: “Lapho izwe lakho nelami selihlangana ndawonye ezimfundisweni ezabekwa uKristu kuleNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni, siyobe asixazululanga izinkinga zamazwe ethu kuphela kodwa nalezo zomhlaba wonke.” Njengoba amazwi kaHindu okuhlakanipha abonisa, iNtshumayelo kaJesu ikhomba indlela eya ekuthuleni okuhlala njalo. Kuleyontshumayelo uKristu wathi: “Bayajabula abanokuthula ngoba bayakuthiwa ‘amadodana kaNkulunkulu.’” (Mathewu 5:9, NW) “Amadodana” amaningi manje ajabulela ukuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu. Ngesikhathi esifanele, bonke abathobekileyo bomhlaba bayothola ‘ukuthokoza ngokuthula okukhulu.’ (IHubo 37:11) Kodwa ingabe singaqiniseka ngalomphumela?

3. Kungani kungekho ukuthula kwangempela emhlabeni namuhla?

³ Namuhla, umbono owethusayo wokubhujiswa komhlaba ugubuzela isintu. Ukuhlola kwamuva kuyaphawula: “Isamba esikhulu [esingama-R7,5-10 000 000 000 000 (amaRandi ayisigidi sezigidi eziyi-7,5-10)] siye sachithwa ekunqwatshelanisweni kwezikhali zenuzi kusukela eMpini Yezwe II lezo, uma zisetshenziswa, ezingasho ukuzibulala komhlaba wonke. . . . Amandla eziqhumane alingana nawamathani eTNT ayi-1 000 000 asezikhalini zenuzi ezinqwatshelwanisiwe anele ukubulala abantu abayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingama-58, noma ukubulala umuntu ngamunye ophilayo manje izikhathi eziyi-12.”a Nokho umncintiswano wobuhlanya uye waqhubeka ukhula. Umqondo ontengantengayo imibuso emikhulu ethembele kuwo ngalokho ekubiza ngokuthi ukuthula, ngesiNgisi ubizwa ngokufanelekile ngokuthi iMAD (ubuhlanya), njengoba lezozinhlamvu zisho ukuBhubhisana Okuqinisekisiwe (Mutually Assured Destruction). Ngokuqinisekile lokhu akukhona ukuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu.

4. (a) Imuphi umbukwane izwe eliwenzayo manje? (b) Nokho yiliphi ithemba eliqinile abakhulekeli bakaJehova abalijabulelayo?

⁴ Ngazo zonke izindlela, lelizwe liwumbukwane odabukisayo. Akukaze kwenzeke ngaphambili ukuba umphakathi wesintu ukhuthazelele ukonakala kwezombangazwe, ubudlova bobugebengu, izinkinga zezomnotho, noma ukungamesabi uNkulunkulu nokukhungatheka okungokwenkolo ngaphezu kokuba kunjalo kulenkathi yamanje. Akukaze kwenzeke ngalendlela esintwini ukuba ‘konke okudaliweyo kububule kanye kanye kunezinseka.’ Nokho uNkulunkulu uthembisa ukuthi indalo yakhe engabantu ‘iyakukhululwa ebugqileni bokubhubha, kube-ngukukhululeka kwenkazimulo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.’ (Roma 8:21, 22) Labo bathandi bokuthula abakhulekela uNkulunkulu weBhayibheli, iNkosi eBusayo uJehova, bayaqiniseka ngokungena kuleyonkululeko. Kuyoba inkululeko egxiliswe ngokuqinile ekuthuleni kweqiniso, ukuthula kwaphakade. (Hezekeli 37:26-28) Kodwa kuyoza nini futhi kanjani lokho kuthula?

Umbono KaNkulunkulu “Ngezikhathi Nezinkathi”

5. Imuphi umbuzo ophakamayo ngokuqondene neyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:1?

⁵ Umphostoli uPawulu wayekade eduduza amaKristu aseThesalonika ngokuchaza indlela uvuko oluhlangene ngayo ‘nokuba khona kweNkosi’ uJesu. Ngokulandelayo uthi: “Ngezikhathi nangemizuzu [“nezinkathi,” NW], bazalwane, anisweli ukulotshelwa.”—1 Thesalonika 4:15; 5:1.

6. Sazi kanjani ukuthi ‘izikhathi nezinkathi’ zibalulekile kuNkulunkulu?

⁶ Ingabe amazwi omphostoli abonisa ukuthi “izinkathi nezinkathi” azibalulekile kuNkulunkulu? Lutho neze! (UmShumayeli 3:1) Kwakuyilapho “sekufikile ukuphelela kwesikhathi,” ekupheleni kwamasonto angama-69 eminyaka, lapho “uNkulunkulu wathuma iNdodana yakhe.” Futhi inkonzo kaJesu yathatha iminyaka emithathu nengxenye—kusukela ngo-29 C.E. kuya ku-33 C.E.—njengoba nje kwakuprofethiwe. (Galathiya 4:4; Daniyeli 9:24-27) Ngokuthe ngqó kwakusekupheleni ‘kwezikhathi zabeZizwe’ ngo-1914 lapho uJesu ebekwa njengeNkosi “eJerusalema lasezulwini.” (Luka 21:24; Heberu 12:22; Hezekeli 21:27; Daniyeli 4:31, 32) “Usizi olukhulu” luyoza futhi ‘ngosuku nehora’ elamiswa uJehova. ‘Aluyikwephuza.’—Mathewu 24:21, 36; Habakuki 2:3.

7. Kungani uPawulu ayengakudingi ukulobela abaseThesalonika “ngezikhathi nezinkathi”?

⁷ Nokho, manje uPawulu wayengasadingi ukuloba “ngezikhathi nezinkathi.” LawomaKristu aseThesalonika kakade ayeseqiniseka ngokuthi kwase ‘kuyinkathi’ yesiphelo sesimiso sezinto samaJuda, esasiyophela cishe eminyakeni engama-20 kamuva, ngo-70 C.E. Intshiseko yawo ‘nokuthokoza komoya ongcwele’ kwaqhama kwaba yisibonelo. (1 Thesalonika 1:4-7) Ngokufanayo, oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla bakuqaphele ngokugcwele ukuthi izimpi zezwe nezinye izenzakalo ezicindezelayo kusukela ngo-1914 ‘ziyisibonakaliso’ sokuba khona kukaJesu okungabonakali emandleni nasenkazimulweni yoMbuso.—Mathewu 24:3-8; 25:31.

8. Kungani kumelwe sizigcine siphapheme futhi sikhuthele?

⁸ Ngokulandelayo, umphostoli uphinda aqinisekise amaKristu akanye nawo, ethi: “Ngokuba nina uqobo niyazi kahle ukuthi usuku lweNkosi luza njengesela ebusuku.” (1 Thesalonika 5:2) Nakuba singasazi ngokuthe ngqó isikhathi, lolosuku lokwehliswa kwesahlulelo lulokhu lusondela. Luyofika ngokungazelele, ngokushesha, ngehora likaNkulunkulu elimisiwe. Ngakho-ke, kumelwe sizigcine siqaphile futhi sikhuthele.—Luka 21:34-36.

Isimemezelo Sokuthula Esiwumvuthwandaba

9. (a) Isiphi isimemezelo esikhulayo, futhi kungani amaKristu eqiniso engahlanganyeli kuso? (b) Obani abakhipha lesimemezelo, futhi bafana kanjani nababusi bosuku lukaJeremiya?

⁹ “Ukuthula nokuhlala kahle!” Lapha uPawulu usiqaphelisa isimemezelo esiyozwakala emvuthwandaba ‘wokuba khona’ kukaKristu. (1 Thesalonika 5:3) Ingabe siyosizwa ngokushesha lesosimemezelo? Singavelaphi isimemezelo esinjalo sokuthula nokulondeka komhlaba? Ngokusobala asinakuvela phakathi kwabalandeli bakaKristu, ngoba uJesu wathi bona noMbuso wakhe ‘abasibo abezwe.’ (Johane 15:19; 17:14, 16; 18:36) Ngakho-ke labo abamemezela lesimemezelo kumelwe kube abantu bezwe abaphikisana noMbuso kaNkulunkulu ozayo. Bayingxenye yezwe ‘elisemandleni omubi,’ uSathane uDeveli. (1 Johane 5:19, NW) Njengabaholi bezombangazwe nabenkolo bosuku lukaJeremiya, laba bayokhuluma “umbono wenhliziyo yabo,” bethi, “niyakuba-nokuthula,” begomela ngokuyiphutha ngokuthi ukuthula okunjalo kuvela kuNkulunkulu. Yeka indlela ukusho kwabo okuyobonakala kungamanga ngayo!—Jeremiya 23:16, 17, 19, 20.

10. Iluphi uchungechunge lwezenzakalo oluye lwaholela esimweni somhlaba samanje?

¹⁰ Kunezenzakalo eziwuchungechunge ezaholela kulesimemezelo esithi “Ngukuthula nokuhlala kahle!” Kwakungo-1920 lapho kusungulwa iNhlangano Yezizwe ngemva nje kweMpi Enkulu, manje eyaziwa ngokuthi yiMpi Yezwe I. Injongo yaleNhlangano kwakuwukuvala impi emhlabeni phakade. Kodwa iMpi Yezwe II yalahlela leNhlangano kwalasha. Ngo-October 24, 1945, lendikimba yavuselelwa, ivuka emlotheni negama elisha, elithi iZizwe Ezihlangene. (Qhathanisa nesAmbulo 17:8.) Injongo yayo eyinhloko “iwukulondoloza ukuthula nokulondeka komhlaba.” Abasunguli bayo babonisa ukuzimisela “ukusindisa izizukulwane ezilandelayo osizini lwempi. Ingabe iUN iye yaphumelela ekuqinisekiseni ukuthula nokulondeka okunjalo?

11. Lungolungathi sína kangakanani usizi olubhekene nomhlaba?

¹¹ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abanye babasunguli beUN babeqotho kanjani, leyondikimba, njengeNhlangano Yezizwe ngaphambi kwayo, yehluleka ukugcwalisa injongo eyayisungulelwe yona. Umhlaba manje ucwile ezikhalini zenuzi. Ingozi eyenzeka eChernobyl, eU.S.S.R., ngoApril 1986, eyaphumela ekusakazekeni kwemisebe yenuzi engxenyeni enkulu yeYurophu ibonisa ukuthi ngisho nalapho esetshenziselwa izinjongo zokuthula, amandla enuzi angenza okuhlasimulisayo. Ezinye izizwe eNingizimu Pacific zizama ukugcina indawo yazo njengengosi engenayo inuzi. Kodwa uma impi yenuzi ngokuphelele ingase igqashuke, abanakubabikho abasindayo.

Ingabe “Ukuthula Nokulondeka” Kungenzeka?

12. Isiphi isimemezelo esiye senziwa yiUN ngo-1986, futhi izizwe ziye zasabela kanjani?

¹² Ziluqaphela ngokugcwele usizi olwandayo, iZizwe Ezihlangene zamemezela u-1986 njengoNyaka Wokuthula WeZizwe Zonke. Izizwe ziye zakwamukela ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene lokhu. Eziningi zazo ziye zawusekela ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene loNyaka Wokuthula weUN, kodwa zikhomba empini yenuzi njengosongo olukhulu lokuthula. Njengamanje, izimpi ezincane ziyaqhubeka zilwiwa emhlabeni wonke, cishe ziyi-150 eziye zalwiwa kusukela eMpini Yezwe II, nesibalo esihlangene sabafa abangaphezu kwezi-30 000 000. Kungashiwo yini ukuthi sikhona ngempela isizwe esiye sahola ekwenzeni ngokuvumelana nalawomazwi aziwayo kaIsaya 2:4 aqoshwe ezindongeni zeUN?

13. Abaholi benkolo baye basekela kanjani?

¹³ Izinkolo zomhlaba azizange ziyeke ukusekela uNyaka Wokuthula weUN. UPapa John Paul II wamemezela uJanuary 1 njengoSuku Lokuthula Lomhlaba futhi wanxusa izikhulu zikahulumeni ukuba zinikeze ukuhola okudingekile ukuze kumiswe isisekelo sokuthula kwendawo yonke. Futhi wamemela izinkolo zezwe emhlanganweni womthandazo eAssisi, eItaly, phakathi noNyaka Wokuthula WeZizwe Zonke. UmBhishobhi Omkhulu waseCanterbury, inhloko yeSonto laseNgilandi, namaqembu amaBuddha asamukele ngokufudumele lesimemo. UMkhandlu Wezwe WamaSonto wakhipha isimemezelo ngoNyaka Wokuthula WeZizwe Zonke, unxusa ukuba ukuyekwa kwezikhali zenuzi kuqale ngokushesha.

14. Iyiphi indlela ewukuphela kwayo umkhankaso wokuthula ongaphumelela ngayo?

¹⁴ Nokho, kulendaba yokuletha “Ukuthula nokulondeka,” iyini intando “kaNkulunkulu wokuthula”? Ingabe iZwi likaNkulunkulu elingokwesiprofetho libonisa ukuthi abantu abangaphelele bezizwe bangakuletha ukuthula nokulondeka kulomhlaba? Phinde! ‘Ukuphumelela’ kuyoxhomeka ekusingatheni kukaJehova izindaba ngokuvumelana nokulunga kwakhe futhi kube udumo kuye.—Isaya 55:11; 61:11.

‘Imbubhiso Ezumayo’ Iyasondela

15. Isiphi isimemezelo esishaqisayo uPawulu asenzayo ngokulandelayo?

¹⁵ Umphostoli uPawulu usitshela lokho osekuzokwenzeka. Uthi: “Nxa bethi: Ngukuthula nokuhlala kahle, khona ukubhujiswa kuyabazuma njengemihelo ifikela okhulelweyo, abasoze baphunyuka.”—1 Thesalonika 5:3.

16. Kungani izindlela zezizwe zingezona izindlela zikaNkulunkulu?

¹⁶ Lapho uwafunda okokuqala, lawomazwi angabonakala eshaqisa. Kodwa iBhayibheli liyacacisa. Izindlela zezizwe namuhla azizona izindlela zikaNkulunkulu. (Isaya 55:8, 9) Isizathu sakhe sokuvumela ukuba izinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zokubusa komuntu ziqhubeke siwukuphendula impikiswano eyaphakanyiswa iNyoka enobuqili, uSathane uDeveli, cishe eminyakeni eyizi-6 000 edlule. Lapho uSathane ephoqelela abazali bethu bokuqala ukuba bakhethe ukungafuni ukubuswa uNkulunkulu, waphakamisa impikiswano yokuthi isintu sikudinga ngempela yini ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu.—Genesise 3:4, 5.

17. Imuphi umbhalo ukubusa komuntu okuye kwawenza, futhi lokhu kufakazelani?

¹⁷ Phakathi nezinkulungwane zeminyaka kamuva, uNkulunkulu uye wavumela abantu ukuba balinge zonke izinhlobo zohulumeni babantu abazicabangayo. Uhlobo ngalunye lokubusa komuntu luye lwehluleka ngokudabukisayo ukuletha ukuthula kweqiniso nokulondeka kungakhathaliseki ukuthi luye lwahlala iminyaka embalwa noma amakhulu eminyaka lubusa. Impi, ubugebengu, ukwesaba, nokufa kuye kwaqhubeka njengenhlala yenza esintwini ngaphansi kwazo zonke izinhlobo zohulumeni babantu. Kuwo wonke umlando, “lapho umuntu ebusa omunye kube-ngukulimala kwakhe.” (UmShumayeli 8:9) Akukho mehluko nanamuhla. Noma ubani oyiqaphelayo lempikiswano manje angasho njengoba kwasho umprofethi kaNkulunkulu: “Ngiyazi, Jehova, ukuthi indlela yomuntu ayikuye uqobo; akukuyo indoda ukuba ihambe, iqondise izinyathelo zayo.”—Jeremiya 10:23.

18. Kungani isimemezelo sezizwe ‘sokuThula nokulondeka!’ sinhlanga zimuka nomoya?

¹⁸ Manje sesiseduze isikhathi sokuxazulula lempikiswano ingaphinde iphakame. Ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu kuphela okungaletha ukuthula kweqiniso nokulondeka esintwini. Nokho, akukhona ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu okusekelwa yizizwe lapho zimemezela “ukuthula nenhlala kahle!” Zifuna ukuqhubeka zibusa ngokwemiqondo yazo siqu yokuqhosha. Kodwa isikhathi sesiphelile! Izizwe zinomuzwa wokuthi kumelwe kwenziwe okuthile okukhulu. Ngaphandle kwalokho, zonke ziyofa enhlekeleleni ethile yenuzi. Ngakho ziyokwenza lokho uJeremiya akubikezela: “Bapholisa kalula ukulimala kwabantu bami, bathi: Ngukuthula, ngukuthula; kepha akukho ukuthula.” Kodwa kube nhlanga zimuka nomoya!—Jeremiya 6:14; 8:11, 15.

Ukuphela Okwaprofethwa

19. Luyofika kanjani ‘usuku lukaJehova’?

¹⁹ “Ukubhujiswa kuyabazuma,” kusho umphostoli uPawulu. Umprofethi kaNkulunkulu uIsaya uyanezela: “Bheka, amaqhawe abo akhala ngaphandle; izithunywa zokuthula zikhala ngomunyu.” (Isaya 33:7) Ezindaweni eziningi, iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi ukukhipha kukaJehova isahluleko kuyofikela izizwe nabantu ababi ngokushesha, ngokungazelele—ngempela “njengesela ebusuku.” (1 Thesalonika 5:2, 3; Jeremiya 25:32, 33; Zefaniya 1:14-18; 2 Petru 3:10) Ngesikhathi lapho umhlaba umemezela ukuthi uye wafinyelela ukuthula nokulondeka, “usuku lukaJehova” luyofika ngokungazelele ngokwethusayo. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu bayobe besiqaphele ngalokho esiyikho ngempela lesosimemezelo ‘sokuThula nokulondeka!’ futhi bayobe belondekile esiphephelweni esilungiselelwe uJehova.—IHubo 37:39, 40; 46:1, 2; Joweli 3:16.

20. (a) IUN iluhlobo luni ‘lwesilo’? (b) UJehova uyibheka kanjani inkolo yamanga, futhi ngani?

²⁰ EZwini likaNkulunkulu, inkambo yeNhlangano Yezizwe nomlandeli wayo, iZizwe Ezihlangene, ifaniswa naleyo “yesilo esibomvu” esinamakhanda ayisikhombisa (amelele imibuso yezwe esivela kuyo) nezimpondo eziyishumi (ezimelele imibuso yohulumeni manje esisekelayo). IBhayibheli liyiveza ‘njengesilo’ esingokwezombangazwe, ngokufanayo “nengwe” eyiBrithani “nebhere” eliyiRashiya. Emhlane walo kugibele owesifazane, “IBABILONI ELIKHULU, UNINA WEZIFEBE NOWAMANYALA OMHLABA.” (IsAmbulo 17:3-8) Lokhu kuveza kahle umbono kaJehova ngenkolo yamanga, engammeleli yena noMbuso wakhe wokulunga. Yenza ubufebe obungokomoya ngokuzihilela kwezombangazwe. Ukuzihlanganisa kwenkolo neUN emkhankasweni womhlaba wokuthula nokulondeka kuyisibonelo salokhu. Liyathanda futhi ukuba nokuthula nokulondeka okuvela esigijimini sokwahlulela sikaNkulunkulu esimenyezelwa oFakazi BakaJehova. Kuze kube manje, liye lathonya abanye ohulumeni ukuba bavimbele umsebenzi wobuKristu woFakazi.—IHubo 2:1-3.

21. (a) Isiphi isenzo esiphawula ukuqala “kosuku lukaJehova”? (b) Ngokulandelayo ‘lolusuku’ luqhubekela kusiphi isiphetho?

²¹ “Usuku lukaJehova” luyofika kanjani? Kulobubusuku obumnyama bhuqé bomlando wesintu, ngempela luyofika “njengesela”! Lokhu kuyoba lapho uNkulunkulu enza izizwe zesilo esiyiUN ukuba ziphendukele inkolo yamanga ngokungazelele. Zibonisa inzondo yazo engumshoshaphansi ngeBabiloni Elikhulu, ziyolidalula lokho eliyikho futhi zilibhubhise ngokuphelele. Lokhu kubulawa kuyoza ngokuzumayo kangangokuthi izithandwa zalo zezombangazwe zesikhathi esidlule ziyothi: “Maye, maye, kuwe-muzi omkhulu waseBabiloni, muzi onamandla, ngokuba ngehora linye nje kufikile ukwahlulelwa kwakho!” Kodwa izizwe namabutho azo ziyohlasela futhi abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Khona-ke, iNkosi yamakhosi, uJesu Kristu, iyobhubhisa zonke lezozitha, futhi ifake umphikisi omkhulu, uSathane uDeveli kwalasha.—IsAmbulo 17:16, 17; 18:10; 19:11-21; 20:1-3; qhathanisa noHezekeli 38:11, 16, 18-23.

22. (a) Iliphi ithemba elihle abantu abakholwayo abanalo namuhla? (b) Ungakujabulela kanjani ukuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu?

²² Ekugcineni, ukuthula kweqiniso nokulondeka kuyochuma ngaphansi koMbuso kaNkulunkulu! (IHubo 72:1, 7; Isaya 9:6, 7) Ngokujabulisayo, abaningi namuhla ‘abaqwashayo, baqonde’ bayophila ukuze babone lokho. (1 Thesalonika 5:4-6) “Isixuku esikhulu . . . [e]sivela kuzo zonke izizwe,” esinokholo elungiselelweni likaJehova lesihlengo ngoKristu, siyosindiswa “osizini olukhulu” ukuba sijabulele ukuthula kwaphakade okuvela kuNkulunkulu. (IsAmbulo 7:9-17; 21:3, 4) Kwangathi ungaba ngomunye wabo!

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ubungaphendula Kanjani?

◻ Kungani “izikhathi nezinkathi” zibalulekile kuNkulunkulu nakithi?

◻ Kumelwe sikubheke kanjani ukusondela “kosuku lukaJehova”?

◻ Obani abahlanganyela esimemezelweni seyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:3, futhi nini?

◻ Iziphi izenzakalo ezibalulekile ezibangelwa yilesosimemezelo?