Ubani Oyosinda ‘Ngesikhathi Sokuhlupheka’?
“Bonke ababiza igama likaJehova [bayokhululwa].”—JOWELI 2:32.
1. NgokukaDaniyeli noMalaki, yini ephawula labo abazosindiswa phakathi ‘nesikhathi sokuhlupheka’ esizayo?
EBHEKA phambili osukwini lwethu, umphrofethi uDaniyeli wabhala: “Kuyakuba-yisikhathi sokuhlupheka esingazange sibe-khona kusukela ekuveleni kwabantu kuze kube-yilesosikhathi; ngalesosikhathi abantu bakho bayakukhululwa, bonke abafunyanwa belotshiwe encwadini.” (Daniyeli 12:1) Amazwi aduduzayo ngempela! Abantu uJehova abamukelayo uyobakhumbula, njengoba nje noMalaki 3:16 esho: “Khona abamesaba uJehova bakhuluma bodwa omunye nomunye; uJehova waqaphela, wezwa, kwalotshwa phambi kwakhe incwadi yokukhumbula ababemesaba uJehova, bezindla ngegama lakhe.”
2. Yini eba umphumela wokucabanga ngegama likaJehova?
2 Ukucabanga ngegama likaJehova kuholela olwazini oluqondile ngaye, ngoKristu wakhe, kanye nangazo zonke izinjongo zakhe ezinhle zoMbuso. Ngakho, abantu bakhe bafunda ukumhlonipha, ukuba sebuhlotsheni bokuzinikezela obuseduze naye, nokumthanda ‘ngenhliziyo yabo yonke, nangengqondo yabo yonke, nangamandla abo onke.’ (Marku 12:33; IsAmbulo 4:11) UJehova uye wenza ilungiselelo lomusa, ngomhlatshelo kaJesu Kristu, ukuze abathobekileyo bomhlaba bathole ukuphila okuphakade. Ngakho, laba bangenanela ngokuqiniseka amazwi ebutho lasezulwini eladumisa uNkulunkulu ngesikhathi sokuzalwa kukaJesu, lithi: “Udumo kuNkulunkulu kweliphezulu, nokuthula emhlabeni kubantu abathokozelwa nguye.”—Luka 2:14.
3. Ngaphambi kokuba kufike ukuthula kulomhlaba, yisiphi isenzo sikaJehova okumelwe senzeke?
3 Lokho kuthula kuseduze kakhulu kunokuba abantu abaningi becabanga. Kodwa okokuqala kumelwe kukhishwe isahlulelo sikaJehova ezweni elonakele. Umprofethi wakhe uZefaniya uthi: “Usuku olukhulu lukaJehova luseduze; luseduze, lushesha kakhulu.” Luhlobo luni losuku lolo? Isiprofetho siyaqhubeka: “Umsindo wosuku lukaJehova uyababa, neqhawe luyahewula khona. Lolosuku lungusuku lolaka, usuku lokuhlupheka nolosizi, usuku lwencithakalo nolokuyize, usuku lobumnyama nolwesigayegaye, usuku lwamafu nolobumnyama obukhulu, usuku lwecilongo nolokuhlaba umkhosi ngasemizini ebiyelweyo nasemibhoshongweni yasezingosini. Ngiyakucindezela abantu, bahambe njengezimpumputhe, ngokuba bonile kuJehova.”—Zefaniya 1:14-17; bheka noHabakuki 2:3; 3:1-6, 16-19.
4. Obani namuhla abasabelayo esimemweni sokwazi nokukhonza uNkulunkulu?
4 Ngokujabulisayo, izigidi namuhla ziyasabela esimemweni sokwazi nokukhonza uNkulunkulu. Ngokuphathelene namaKristu agcotshiwe, angeniswa esivumelwaneni esisha, kwaprofethwa: “Bonke bayakungazi, kusukela kwabancane kuya kwabakhulu babo, usho uJehova.” (Jeremiya 31:34) Laba baye bahola emsebenzini wokufakaza wosuku lwanamuhla. Futhi manje njengoba abengeziwe bensali egcotshiwe beqeda inkambo yabo yasemhlabeni, “isixuku esikhulu” ‘sezinye izimvu’ siye seza ukuze ‘sikhonze uNkulunkulu imini nobusuku’ elungiselelweni lakhe elinjengethempeli. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 15; Johane 10:16) Ingabe ungomunye wabajabulela lelilungelo elingenakulinganiswa?
Indlela “Okunxanelekayo” Okuza Ngayo
5, 6. Ngaphambi kokuba zonke izizwe zizanyazanyiswe zibhujiswe, yimuphi umsebenzi wokusindisa owenziwayo?
5 Manje ake siphendukele kuHagayi 2:7, lapho uJehova eprofetha khona ngokuqondene nendlu yakhe engokomoya yokukhulekela. Uthi: “Ngizamazamise nabo bonke abezizwe, kufike [‘kungene,’ NW] okunxanelekayo kwabo bonke abezizwe, ngiyigcwalise lendlu ngenkazimulo.” Iziprofetho zeBhayibheli zibonisa ukuthi ‘ukuzanyazanyiswa kwezizwe’ kubhekisela ekukhipheni kukaJehova isahlulelo ezizweni. (Nahume 1:5, 6; IsAmbulo 6:12-17) Ngakho, ukuthatha kukaJehova isinyathelo okuprofethwe kuHagayi 2:7 kuyofinyelela emvuthwandaba ngokuzanyazanyiswa kwezizwe zisuswe zingabe zisaba khona—ziqothulwe. Kodwa kuthiwani ‘ngokunxanelekayo kwabo bonke abezizwe’? Ingabe kudingeka kulindele ukuba kungeniswe yilokho kuzamazamisa kokugcina okubhubhisayo? Lutho neze.
6 UJoweli 2:32 uthi “bonke ababiza igama likaJehova [bayokhululwa], ngokuba entabeni yaseSiyoni naseJerusalema kuyakuba-ngabasindileyo, njengalokho eshilo uJehova, naphakathi kwabaseleyo kube-ngababizwa nguJehova.” UJehova uyabadonsa, futhi babiza igama lakhe benokholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu ngaphambi kokunyakazisa kosizi olukhulu okuwumvuthwandaba. (Qhathanisa noJohane 6:44; IzEnzo 2:38, 39.) Ngokujabulisayo, isixuku esikhulu esiyigugu, manje esifinyelela ngaphezu kwezigidi ezine, ‘singena’ endlini kaJehova yokukhulekela njengoba silindele ‘ukuzamazamisa kwakhe bonke abezizwe’ eArmagedoni.—IsAmbulo 7:9, 10, 14.
7. Yini ehilelekile ‘ekubizeni igama likaJehova’?
7 Laba abasindile babiza kanjani egameni likaJehova? UJakobe 4:8 uyasibonisa, ethi: “Sondelani kuNkulunkulu, khona uyakusondela kinina. Hlanzani izandla nina-zoni, nihlambulule izinhliziyo nina-bonhliziyombili.” Njengensali egcotshiwe eyahola indlela, labo abanethemba lokuba ngabesixuku esikhulu sabasinde eArmagedoni kumelwe bathathe isinyathelo esiwujuqu. Uma unethemba lokusinda, kumelwe uphuze ngokujulile eZwini likaJehova elihlanzayo futhi usebenzise izindinganiso zakhe zokulunga ekuphileni kwakho. Kumelwe unqume ngokuwujuqu ekunikezeleni ukuphila kwakho kuJehova, lokhu ukubonise ngokubhapathizwa emanzini. Ukubiza kwakho uJehova ngokholo kuhlanganisa nokufakaza ngaye. Kanjalo, kwabaseRoma isahluko 10, amavesi 9 no-10, uPawulu uyabhala: “Uma uvuma ngomlomo wakho ukuthi uJesu uyiNkosi, ukholwa enhliziyweni yakho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wamvusa kwabafileyo, uyakusindiswa; ngokuba umuntu ukholwa ngenhliziyo kube-ngukulunga, ngomlomo uyavuma kube-ngukusindiswa.” Bese kuthi evesini 13, umphostoli acaphune isiprofetho sikaJoweli, egcizelela ukuthi “bonke abayakukhuleka egameni leNkosi [uJehova] bayakusindiswa.”
‘Funani, Funani, Funani’
8. (a) Ngokomphrofethi uZefaniya, yini uJehova ayifunayo ukuze umuntu asinde? (b) Igama elithi “mhlawumbe” kuZefaniya 2:3 lidlulisela siphi isixwayiso kithina?
8 Lapho siphendukela encwadini yeBhayibheli kaZefaniya, isahluko 2, amavesi 2 no-3, sifunda lokho uJehova akufunayo ukuze sisinde: “Lungakanehleli ulaka oluvuthayo lukaJehova, lungakafiki phezu kwenu usuku lolaka lukaJehova. Funani uJehova nina nonke-bathobekileyo bomhlaba enisebenzile ukwahlulela kwakhe; funani ukulunga; funani ukuthobeka; mhlawumbe niyakusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova.” Phawula igama elithi “mhlawumbe.” Akuyona indaba yokuthi uma nje ususindisiwe, uyohlala usindisiwe. Ukusitshekelwa kwethu ngalolosuku kuxhomeke ekuqhubekeni kwethu senza lezozinto ezintathu. Kumelwe sifune uJehova, sifune ukulunga, futhi sifune ukuthobeka.
9. Labo abafuna ukuthobeka bavuzwa kanjani?
9 Ngempela, uyamangalisa umvuzo wokufuna ukuthobeka! KumaHubo 37, amavesi 9 kuya ku-11, siyafunda: “Abalindela uJehova bazakudla ifa lomhlaba. Kusengumzuzwana, omubi angabe esabakho . . . Kepha abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu.” Futhi kuthiwani ngokufuna ukulunga? Ivesi 29 lithi: “Abalungileyo bazakudla ifa lomhlaba, bahlale kuwo njalonjalo.” Ngokuphathelene nokufuna uJehova, amavesi 39 no-40 ayasitshela: “Ukusindiswa kwabalungileyo kuvela kuJehova; uyinqaba yabo esikhathini sokuhlupheka. UJehova uyabasiza, abakhulule; ubakhulula kwababi, abasindise, ngokuba bayamethemba.”
10. Obani abaye baphawuleka ngokwenqaba kwabo ukufuna uJehova nokufuna ukuthobeka?
10 Amahlelo eLobukholwa aye ehluleka ukufuna uJehova. Abefundisi bawo bayalenqaba nokulenqaba igama lakhe eliyigugu, ngokugabadela belisusa ezinguqulweni zabo zeBhayibheli. Bakhetha ukukhulekela iNkosi noma uNkulunkulu ongenagama nokuhlonipha uZiqu-zintathu wobuqaba. Ngaphezu kwalokho, eLobukholwa alikufuni ukulunga. Abaningi babalandeli balo bathatha noma basekela izindlela zokuphila zokuyekelela. Kunokuba bafune ukuthobeka njengoba uJesu enza, bayabukisa, njengakuthelevishini, ngokuphila kokunethezeka futhi ngokuvamile okungcolile. Abefundisi bazikhuluphalisa ngokuxhaphaza imihlambi yabo. Ngokwamazwi kaJakobe 5:5, baye ‘babusa emhlabeni, batamasa.’ Njengoba usuku lukaJehova lusondela, ngokuqinisekile bayothola ukuthi lamazwi aphefumlelwe asebenza kubo: “Ingcebo ayisizi ngosuku lolaka.”—IzAga 11:4.
11. Ubani umuntu ongenamthetho, futhi uye walinqwabelanisa kanjani icala legazi elikhulu?
11 Ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka C.E., njengoba umphostoli uPawulu elandisa encwadini yakhe yesibili kwabaseThesalonika, amanye amaKristu ajabula, ecabanga ukuthi usuku lukaJehova ngalesosikhathi lwalufikile kuwo. Kodwa uPawulu waxwayisa ngokuthi kwakumelwe kufike ukuhlubuka okukhulu kuqala, futhi kwakumelwe kwambulwe “umuntu ongenamthetho.” (2 Thesalonika 2:1-3) Manje, kulelikhulu lama-20 leminyaka, siyalibona izinga elikhulu lalokho kuhlubuka nendlela abangenamthetho ngayo abefundisi beLobukholwa emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. Phakathi nalezinsuku zokugcina kusukela ngo-1914, abefundisi baye banqwabelanisa icala legazi elikhulu ngokusekela ‘ukukhandwa kwamakhuba abe-yizinkemba.’ (Joweli 3:10) Futhi baye baqhubeka befundisa izimfundiso zamanga, njengokungafi komphefumulo womuntu azalwa nakho, isihlanzo, ukuhlushwa esihogweni somlilo, ukubhapathizwa kwezinsana, uZiqu-zintathu, nokunye okunjalo. Bayomaphi lapho uJehova ekhipha isinqumo sakhe sokwahlulela? IzAga 19:5 zithi: “Ophafuza amanga akayikusinda.”
12. (a) Ayini “amazulu” ‘nomhlaba’ okungabantu okuzoqothulwa ngokushesha? (b) Yini esiyifundayo ekubhujisweni okuzayo kwalelizwe elibi?
12 Kweyesi-2 Petru 3:10, siyafunda: “Usuku lweNkosi [uJehova] luyakufika njengesela mhla amazulu eyakudlula ngokuhlokoma; kuyakusha konke, kubhidlike; nomhlaba nemisebenzi yawo kuyakusha.” Ukubusa okonakele okuye kwamboza isintu njengamazulu, kanye nazo zonke izinto ezakha umphakathi wabantu owonakele wanamuhla, kuyoqothulwa emhlabeni kaNkulunkulu. Abakhiqizi nabathengisi bezikhali zokubhubhisa, abakhohlisi, abashisekeli benkolo abangabazenzisi nabefundisi babo, abakhuthazi bokukhohlakala, ubudlova, nobugebengu—bonke laba bayonyamalala. Bayoncibilikiswa ulaka lukaJehova. Kodwa emavesini 11 no-12, uPetru unezela lesixwayiso kumaKristu: “Njengokuba konke kuyakubhidlika kanjalo, kumelwe ukuba nibe-ngabantu abanjani ekuhambeni okungcwele nasekumesabeni uNkulunkulu, nibheka nilangazelela ukufika kosuku lukaNkulunkulu.”
UMikayeli Uthatha Isinyathelo!
13, 14. Ubani umLweli omkhulu wobubusi bukaJehova, futhi uye waba matasa kanjani kusukela ngo-1914?
13 Umuntu angasinda kanjani phakathi ‘nesikhathi sokuhlupheka’ sikaJehova? INxusa likaNkulunkulu lokulungiselela ukusinda linguMikayeli ingelosi enkulu, ogama lakhe lisho ukuthi “Ubani OnjengoNkulunkulu?” Khona-ke, ngokufanelekile uYena olwela ububusi bukaJehova, ephakamisa uJehova njengowukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso neNkosi EnguMbusi efanele yendawo yonke.
14 Yeka izenzakalo eziphawulekayo isAmbulo isahluko 12, amavesi 7 kuya ku-17, esizichazayo ngokuphathelene ‘nosuku lweNkosi’ kusukela ngo-1914! (IsAmbulo 1:10) UMikayeli ingelosi enkulu uphonsa uSathane oyimbuka emhlabeni emsusa ezulwini. Kamuva, njengoba kuchazwe kusAmbulo isahluko 19, amavesi 11 kuya ku-16, lowo obizwa ngokuthi “oThembekileyo noQinisileyo” ‘unyathela isikhamo sewayini lentukuthelo yolaka lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke.’ Leliqhawe elinamandla lasezulwini libizwa ngokuthi “Inkosi Yamakhosi Nombusi Wababusi.” Ekugcineni, isAmbulo isahluko 20, amavesi 1 no-2, silandisa ngengelosi enkulu ephonsa uSathane kwalasha bese imvalela lapho iminyaka eyinkulungwane. Ngokusobala, yonke lemibhalo ikhomba kumLweli oyedwa wobukhosi bukaJehova, iNkosi uJesu Kristu, lowo uJehova ambeka esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi esikhazimulayo ngo-1914.
15. Kungayiphi indlela ekhethekile uMikayeli ngokushesha ‘ezokuma’?
15 UMikayeli ubelokhu ‘emile,’ njengoba kushiwo kuDaniyeli 12:1 (Qhathanisa neNW.), ngenxa yabantu bakaJehova selokhu amiswa njengeNkosi ngo-1914. Kodwa ngokushesha uMikayeli ‘uzokuma’ ngomqondo okhetheke kakhulu—njengeNxusa likaJehova ekususeni bonke ububi emhlabeni nanjengomKhululi womphakathi wasemhlabeni wabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Ukuthi ‘lesosikhathi sokuhlupheka’ siyoba sikhulu kangakanani kuboniswe ngamazwi kaJesu kuMathewu 24:21, 22: “Lapho kuyakuba-khona usizi olukhulu olungazange lube-khona kwasekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube-manje nolungasayikuba-khona. Uma lezozinsuku zingafinyezwanga, bekungesindiswe-muntu; kepha ngenxa yabakhethiweyo lezozinsuku ziyakufinyezwa.”
16. Yibaphi abantu abazosindiswa phakathi nosizi olukhulu?
16 Yeka indlela esingajabula ngayo ngokuthi kunabantu abathile abayosindiswa ngalesosikhathi! Cha, hhayi njengamaJuda ahlubukayo avaleleka eJerusalema ngo-70 C.E., amanye awo athathwa njengezigqila ayiswa eRoma. Kunalokho, labo abasindayo “esikhathini sokugcina” bayofana nebandla lamaKristu elase libalekile kakade eJerusalema ngenkathi ukuhlasela kokugcina kuqala bayoba abantu bakaNkulunkulu uqobo, izigidi zesixuku esikhulu kanye nanoma yibaphi abagcotshiwe okungenzeka basasele emhlabeni. (Daniyeli 12:4) Isixuku esikhulu ‘siphuma osizini olukhulu.’ Ngani? Ngoba ‘siye sahlanza izingubo zaso, sazenza zaba-mhlophe egazini leWundlu.’ Sibonisa ukholo emandleni ahlengayo egazi likaJesu elachitheka futhi sibonisa lolokholo ngokukhonza uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka. Ngisho kwamanje, uJehova, “ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi,” welulela itende lakhe elivikelayo phezu kwaso, kuyilapho iWundlu, uKristu Jesu, liselusa futhi lisiholela emithonjeni yamanzi okuphila.—IsAmbulo 7:14, 15.
17. Isixuku esikhulu ngokukhethekile sikhuthazwa kanjani ukuba sithathe isinyathelo ukuze sisitshekelwe phakathi nosuku lokuhlupheka oluzayo?
17 Ekufuneni uJehova, ukulunga, nokuthobeka, izigidi zesixuku esikhulu kumelwe zingalokothi zivumele uthando lwazo lokuqala ngeqiniso luphole! Uma ungomunye walabantu abanjengezimvu, yini okumelwe uyenze? Njengoba kushiwo kweyabaseKolose isahluko 3, amavesi 5 kuya ku-14, kumelwe ‘ukhumule umuntu omdala kanye nezenzo zakhe’ ngokuphelele. Njengoba ufuna usizo lwaphezulu, lwela ‘ukwembatha umuntu omusha, osekelwe olwazini oluqondile.’ Ngokuthobeka, yakha futhi ulondoloze intshiseko ekudumiseni uJehova nasekwaziseni abanye ngezinjongo zakhe ezinhle. Kanjalo, ungase usitshekelwe ‘ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka,’ usuku ‘lolaka oluvuthayo lukaJehova.’
18, 19. Kungayiphi indlela ukukhuthazela kuye kwabaluleka ukuze umuntu asinde?
18 Lolosuku luseduze! Luyashesha luza ngakithi. Ukuqoqwa kwabantu ngabanye besixuku esikhulu cishe manje sekuneminyaka engu-57 kuqhubeka. Abaningi balaba sebeye bafa futhi balindele ukuvuswa. Kodwa isiprofetho sesAmbulo siyasiqinisekisa ukuthi njengeqembu isixuku esikhulu siyophuma osizini olukhulu sibe isisekelo somphakathi ‘womhlaba omusha.’ (IsAmbulo 21:1) Ingabe uyoba khona lapho? Lokho kungenzeka, ngoba uJesu uthi kuMathewu 24:13: “Okhuthazelayo kuze kube-sekupheleni nguyena oyakusindiswa.”
19 Ukucindezela abantu bakaJehova ababhekana nakho kulesimiso esidala kungase kuqhubeke kwanda. Futhi lapho usizi olukhulu olucindezelayo lugadla, ungase ubhekane nobunzima. Kodwa hlala useduze noJehova nenhlangano yakhe. Hlala uphapheme! “Ngilindeleni, usho uJehova, kuze kube-lusuku engivuka ngalo ukuba ngiphange, ngokuba kuyisinqumo sami ukubutha izizwe ukuba ngiqoqe imibuso, ukuze ngithulule phezu kwabo intukuthelo yami, lonke ulaka lwami oluvuthayo, ngokuba wonke umhlaba uyakudliwa ngumlilo womhawu wami.”—Zefaniya 3:8.
20. Njengoba ‘isikhathi sokuhlupheka’ esiwumvuthwandaba silokhu sisondela, yini okumelwe siyenze?
20 Ukuze sivikeleke futhi sithole isikhuthazo, uJehova ngomusa uye wanikeza abantu bakhe “ulimi oluhlanzekile,” (NW) oluhlanganisa isigijimi esihle soMbuso wakhe ozayo, “ukuze bonke babize igama likaJehova, bamkhonze nganhliziyonye.” (Zefaniya 3:9) Njengoba ‘isikhathi sokuhlupheka’ esiwumvuthwandaba sisondela ngokushesha kunanini, kwangathi singakhonza ngentshiseko, sisize abanye abathobekile ukuba ‘babize igama likaJehova’ ukuze basinde.
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
◻ Yisiphi isenzo sikaJehova esiyokwandulela ukulethwa kokuthula emhlabeni?
◻ NgokukaJoweli, yini umuntu okumelwe ayenze ukuze asindiswe?
◻ NgokukaZefaniya, abantu abathobekile bangasithola kanjani isivikelo entukuthelweni evuthayo kaJehova?
◻ Ubani “umuntu ongenamthetho,” futhi uye walinqwabelanisa kanjani icala legazi?
◻ Ukukhuthazela kubaluleke kangakanani endabeni yokusindiswa?