Isikhathi Sokuba Sihlale Siphapheme

“Izindaba ezinhle kumelwe zishunyayelwe ezizweni zonke kuqala. . . . Kodwa lowo oye wakhuthazela kwaze kwaba sekupheleni nguye oyosindiswa.”—MARKU 13:10, 13.

1. Kungani kufanele sikhuthazele futhi sibe nesibindi?

KUMELWE sikhuthazele—phakathi kwesizukulwane esingenalukholo nesisontekile! Kusukela ngo-1914 isizukulwane sabantu siye sonakala, njengasosukwini lukaJesu. Futhi namuhla ukonakala kusezingeni lomhlaba wonke. ‘Kulezizinsuku zokugcina, izikhathi ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo’ ezachazwa umphostoli uPawulu, zikhathaza isintu. ‘Abantu ababi nabakhohlisi bayaqhubeka besuka kokubi beya kokubi kakhulu.’ Ngokusobala, “lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi,” uSathane uDeveli, manje owenza umzamo wakhe wokugcina wokonakalisa umhlaba. Kodwa yima isibindi! ‘Kunosizi olukhulu’ oluzayo oluyoletha impumuzo ehlala njalo kubo bonke abathanda ukulunga.—2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, 13; 1 Johane 5:19; IsAmbulo 7:14.

2. Isiprofetho sagcwaliseka kanjani ngo-1914?

² Ngokujabulisayo, uJehova manje ubeke esihlalweni sobukhosi iNkosi uJesu Kristu emazulwini, elungiselela ukususa izitha zesintu ezicindezelayo. (IsAmbulo 11:15) Njengalapho uMesiya efika okokuqala, isiprofetho esiphawulekayo esalotshwa uDaniyeli siye sagcwaliseka nakuleli khulu leminyaka. KuDaniyeli 4:16, 17, 32, sitshelwa ngokususwa okwesikhashana kobukhosi obufanele phezu komhlaba inkathi ‘eyizikhathi eziyisikhombisa.’ Ekugcwalisekeni kwazo okukhulu, lezi zikhathi eziyisikhombisa zilingana neminyaka eyisikhombisa yeBhayibheli ‘enezinsuku’ ezingu-360 umunye, noma iminyaka engu-2 520 isiyonke.a Zaqala ngo-607 B.C.E., lapho iBabiloni liqala ukunyathelela phansi umbuso wakwa-Israyeli, kuya ku-1914 C.E., unyaka uJesu abekwa ngawo esihlalweni sobukhosi njengeNkosi yesintu efanele. Khona-ke “izikhathi ezimisiwe zezizwe” zaphela. (Luka 21:24) Kodwa izizwe ziye zenqaba ukuthobela uMbuso WobuMesiya ongenayo.—IHubo 2:1-6, 10-12; 110:1, 2.

3, 4. (a) Izenzakalo zekhulu lokuqala zingaqhathaniswa kanjani nezesikhathi sethu? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo efanelekayo engase ibuzwe?

³ Njengoba isonto lama-70 leminyaka (29-36 C.E.) lisondela, nanjengoba unyaka ka-1914 usondela, abantu abesaba uNkulunkulu babelindele ukufika kukaMesiya. Wafika nangempela! Nokho, esimweni ngasinye indlela abonakala ngayo yahluka kweyayilindelwe. Futhi esimweni ngasinye, ngemva kwenkathi emfushane yesikhathi, uma kuqhathaniswa, “isizukulwane” esibi ekugcineni siyabhujiswa ngokomyalo waphezulu.—Mathewu 24:34.

⁴ Esihlokweni sethu esandulele, siphawule indlela isizukulwane esibi samaJuda esasifuna ukuba uJesu afe esafinyelela ngayo ekupheleni kwaso. Kuthiwani-ke ngesizukulwane sesintu esonakalisayo esimphikisayo noma esimshaya indiva ngisho namanje? Siyokhishwa nini isahlulelo kulesi sizukulwane esingenalukholo?

“Hlalani Nilindile”!

5. (a) Kungasiphi isizathu esizwakalayo kungadingekile ukuba sazi isikhathi ‘sosuku nehora’ likaJehova? (b) NgokukaMarku, uJesu wasiphetha ngasiphi iseluleko esinengqondo isiprofetho sakhe?

⁵ Ngemva kokuprofetha ngezenzakalo ezaziyoholela esikhathini ‘sosizi olukhulu,’ uJesu wanezela: “Ngokuphathelene nalolosuku nalelohora akekho owaziyo, nazingelosi zasemazulwini naNdodana, kodwa uBaba kuphela.” (Mathewu 24:3-36; Marku 13:3-32) Akudingekile ukuba sisazi ngokuthé ngqo isikhathi sezenzakalo. Kunalokho, kumelwe sigxile ekubeni abalindile, sihlakulele ukholo oluqinile, futhi sihlale simatasa enkonzweni kaJehova—hhayi ekubaleni isikhathi. UJesu waphetha isiprofetho sakhe esikhulu ngokuthi: “Hlalani nibhekile, nihlale niphapheme, ngoba anazi ukuthi sinini isikhathi esimisiwe. . . . Hlalani nilindile . . . Engikusho kini ngikusho kubo bonke, Hlalani nilindile.” (Marku 13:33-37) Kunengozi ecathamela umhlaba namuhla. Kumelwe sihlale siphapheme!—Roma 13:11-13.

6. (a) Ukholo lwethu kufanele lugxiliswe kuphi? (b) Singazibala kanjani “izinsuku zethu”? (c) Ngokuyisisekelo uJesu usho ukuthini ‘ngesizukulwane’?

⁶ Akumelwe sigcine nje ngokunakekela iziprofetho eziphefumulelwe eziphathelene nalezi zinsuku zokugcina zesimiso esibi kodwa kumelwe sigxilise ukholo lwethu ngokuyinhloko emhlatshelweni oyigugu kaKristu Jesu nasezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu ezinhle kakhulu ezisekelwe kuwo. (Heberu 6:17-19; 9:14; 1 Petru 1:18, 19; 2 Petru 1:16-19) Belangazelela ukubona ukuphela kwalesi simiso esibi, abantu bakaJehova ngezinye izikhathi baye bacabangela isikhathi “usizi olukhulu” oluyogqashuka ngaso, baze bahlobanisa lokhu nokubala isikhathi sokuphila kwesizukulwane sika-1914. Nokho, ‘asizuzi inhliziyo enokuhlakanipha,’ ngokucabangela ukuthi yiminyaka noma yizinsuku ezingaki ezakha isizukulwane, kodwa sikuzuza ngokucabanga ngendlela ‘esibala ngayo izinsuku zethu’ ekuletheni udumo lwenjabulo kuJehova. (IHubo 90:12) Esikhundleni sokunikeza indlela yokubala isikhathi, igama elithi “isizukulwane” elasetshenziswa uJesu ngokuyinhloko libhekisela kubantu benkathi ethile emlandweni, nezici zabo ezibahlukanisayo.b

7. Yini uprofesa wezomlando ayibhalayo ‘ngesizukulwane sika-1914,’ futhi lokhu kuhlobene kanjani nesiprofetho sikaJesu?

⁷ Ngokuvumelana nokungenhla, uprofesa wezomlando uRobert Wohl wabhala encwadini yakhe ethi The Generation of 1914: “Isizukulwane esingokomlando asichazwa ngemingcele yesikhathi . . . Asihlukaniswa ngesikhathi.” Kodwa waveza ukuthi iMpi Yezwe I yabangela “umuzwa ojulile wokwehlukana nesikhathi esidlule,” futhi wanezela: “Labo abaphila phakathi nempi babengenakuzehlukanisa nenkolelo yokuthi kwakuphele izwe futhi kwaqala elinye ngo-August 1914.” Yeka ukuthi lokho kuyiqiniso kangakanani! Kugxila emnyombweni wendaba. “Lesisizukulwane” sesintu esisukela ku-1914 siye sabona izinguquko ezishaqisayo. Siye sabona umhlaba ugobhoza igazi lezigidi. Izimpi, ukuqothulwa kohlanga, ubuphekula, ubugebengu, nokungabi namthetho kuye kwaqubuka emhlabeni wonke. Indlala, izifo, nokuziphatha okubi kuye kwanyonyobela imbulunga yethu. UJesu waprofetha: “Nani [abafundi bakhe], lapho nibona lezizinto zenzeka, yazini ukuthi umbuso kaNkulunkulu useduze. Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, Lesisizukulwane asisoze sadlula kuze kwenzeke konke.”—Luka 21:31, 32.

8. Abaprofethi bakaJehova basigcizelela kanjani isidingo sokuba sihlale siphapheme?

⁸ Yebo, ukunqoba okuphelele koMbuso WobuMesiya kuseduze! Khona-ke ingabe kukhona okuyozuzwa ngokubheka izikhathi noma ngokuqagela ubude besikhathi sokuphila ‘kwesizukulwane’? Lutho neze! UHabakuki 2:3 usho ngokucacile: “Umbono usengowesikhathi esimisiweyo; uphuthuma ekupheleni, awuyikukhohlisa; noma ulibala, wulindele, ngokuba uyakufika nokufika, awuyikwephuza.” Usuku lukaJehova lokulandisa lusondela ngokushesha.—Jeremiya 25:31-33; Malaki 4:1.

9. Yini eyenzeke kusukela ngo-1914 ebonisa ukuthi isikhathi sifushane?

⁹ Lapho ukubusa koMbuso kaKristu kuqala ngo-1914, uSathane waphonswa phansi emhlabeni. Lokhu kuye kwasho ‘umaye ngomhlaba, ngoba uDeveli wehlele kini, enentukuthelo enkulu, azi ukuthi unenkathi yesikhathi emfushane.’ (IsAmbulo 12:12) Leso sikhathi sifushane ngempela, uma siqhathaniswa nezinkulungwane zeminyaka yokubusa kukaSathane. UMbuso usemnyango, ngokufanayo nosuku lukaJehova nehora lokukhipha isahlulelo kulesi sizukulwane esibi!—IzAga 3:25; 10:24, 25.

“Isizukulwane” Esidlulayo

10. “Lesisizukulwane” sifana kanjani nesosuku lukaNowa?

¹⁰ Ake sihlolisise amazwi kaJesu kuMathewu 24:34, 35: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini lesisizukulwane asisoze sadlula zize zenzeke zonke lezizinto. Izulu nomhlaba kuyodlula, kodwa amazwi ami awasoze adlula.” Amazwi kaJesu alandelayo abonisa ukuthi ‘akekho owazi lolo suku nalelo hora.’ Okubaluleke nakakhulu, ubonisa ukuthi kumelwe sigweme izingibe ezisizungezile kulesi sizukulwane. Ngakho uJesu uyanezela: “Ngoba njengoba nje zazinjalo izinsuku zikaNowa, kuyoba njalo nokuba khona kweNdodana yomuntu. Ngoba njengoba babenjalo ngalezozinsuku zangaphambi kwesikhukhula, bedla futhi bephuza, amadoda eshada futhi abesifazane bendiswa, kwaze kwaba usuku uNowa angena ngalo emkhunjini; futhi abanakanga kwaze kwafika isikhukhula, sabakhukhula bonke, kuyoba njalo nokuba khona kweNdodana yomuntu.” (Mathewu 24:36-39) UJesu lapha wayeqhathanisa isizukulwane sosuku lwakhe nesosuku lukaNowa.—Genesise 6:5, 9; umbhalo waphansi we-NW.

11. Yikuphi ukuqhathanisa ‘izizukulwane’ uJesu akwenza njengoba kubika uMathewu noLuka?

¹¹ Kwakungaqali ukuba abaphostoli bezwe uJesu eqhathanisa ‘izizukulwane’ ngalendlela, ngoba ezinsukwini ezithile ngaphambili wayethé ngaye siqu: “INdodana yomuntu . . . kumelwe ithole ukuhlupheka okuningi futhi yaliwe yilesisizukulwane. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba nje kwenzeka ezinsukwini zikaNowa, kuyoba njalo nasezinsukwini zeNdodana yomuntu.” (Luka 17:24-26) Ngakho, uMathewu isahluko 24 noLuka isahluko 17 benza ukuqhathanisa okufanayo. Osukwini lukaNowa “inyama yonke [eyayonakalise] indlela yayo emhlabeni” futhi eyabhujiswa yiSikhukhula ‘yayiyilesisizukulwane.’ Osukwini lukaJesu amaJuda ayizihlubuki enqaba uJesu ‘ayeyilesisizukulwane.’—Genesise 6:11, 12; 7:1.

12, 13. (a) Yisiphi namuhla “lesisizukulwane” okumelwe sidlule? (b) Abantu bakaJehova manje baphila kanjani ‘nalesisizukulwane esigwegwile nesisontekile’?

¹² Ngakho-ke, ekugcwalisekeni kokugcina kwesiprofetho sikaJesu namuhla, ngokusobala “lesisizukulwane” sibhekisela kubantu emhlabeni ababona isibonakaliso sokuba khona kukaKristu kodwa bahluleke ukulungisa izindlela zabo. Ngokuphambene, thina njengabafundi bakaJesu siyenqaba ukulolongwa indlela yokuphila ‘yalesisizukulwane.’ Nakuba sisezweni, akumelwe sibe yingxenye yalo, “ngoba isikhathi esimisiwe siseduze.” (IsAmbulo 1:3; Johane 17:16) Umphostoli uPawulu uyasiyala: “Qhubekani nenza zonke izinto ngaphandle kokububula nokuphikisana, ukuze nibe abangasoleki nabamsulwa, abantwana bakaNkulunkulu abangenasici phakathi kwesizukulwane esigwegwile nesisontekile, enikhanya phakathi kwaso njengezinkanyiso ezweni.”—Filipi 2:14, 15; Kolose 3:5-10; 1 Johane 2:15-17.

¹³ Ukukhanya kwethu “njengezinkanyiso” akuhlanganisi ukubonakalisa ubuntu obuhlanzekile bobuKristu kuphela, kodwa ngaphezu kwakho konke, kuhlanganisa nokufeza ukuthunywa okungokwesiprofetho esakunikwa uJesu: “Lezizindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiweyo ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke; khona-ke ukuphela kuyofika.” (Mathewu 24:14) Akukho muntu ongase asho ukuthi lokho kuphela kuyofika nini, kodwa siyazi ukuthi ukuphela ‘kwalesisizukulwane’ sabantu ababi kuyofika lapho ubufakazi sebunikezwe ngendlela egculisa uNkulunkulu “ezingxenyeni eziqhele kakhulu zomhlaba.”—IzEnzo 1:8.

“Lolosuku Nalelohora”

14. Yisiphi isiyalo uJesu noPawulu abasinikeza ngokuqondene “nezikhathi nezinkathi,” futhi kufanele sisabele kanjani?

¹⁴ Lapho ubufakazi bembulunga yonke sebunikezwe ngezinga uJehova alihlosile, kuyoba ‘usuku nehora’ lakhe lokuba achithe lesi simiso sezwe. Akudingekile ukuba sisazi kusengaphambili isikhathi. Ngakho, elandela isibonelo sikaJesu, umphostoli uPawulu wayala: “Manje ngokuqondene nezikhathi nezinkathi, bafowethu, anidingi kulotshelwa lutho ngakho. Ngoba nina ngokwenu nazi kahle ukuthi usuku lukaJehova luza ngokufana ncamashí nesela ebusuku. Noma nini lapho bethi khona: ‘Ukuthula nokulondeka!’ khona-ke imbubhiso engazelelwe iyofika ngaso lesosikhathi phezu kwabo njengomhelo wokucindezeleka phezu kowesifazane okhulelweyo; futhi abasoze baphunyuka nganoma iyiphi indlela.” Phawula lokho uPawulu akugcizelela: ‘Kulapho bethi.’ Yebo, lapho bekhuluma ‘ngokuthula nokulondeka,’ lapho kungalindelwe nakancane, isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu siyokhishwa ngokungazelelwe. Yeka indlela esifaneleka ngayo iseluleko sikaPawulu: “Ngakho-ke, masingalali njengoba kwenza bonke abanye, kodwa masihlale siphapheme futhi sihlale sisangulukile”!—1 Thesalonika 5:1-3, 6; bheka namavesi 7-11; IzEnzo 1:7.

15, 16. (a) Kungani kungafanele sicabange ukuthi i-Armagedoni ikude kunalokho okungenzeka besikukholelwa? (b) Ubukhosi bukaJehova kumelwe bukhuliswe kanjani esikhathini esizayo esingasekude?

¹⁵ Ingabe lombono wethu onembe kangcono ‘ngalesisizukulwane’ usho ukuthi i-Armagedoni ikude kunalokho ebesikucabanga? Lutho neze! Nakuba singakaze silwazi ‘usuku nehora,’ uJehova uNkulunkulu ubelokhu elwazi, futhi akashintshi. (Malaki 3:6) Ngokusobala, izwe liya licwila ekonakaleni okubulalayo. Isidingo sokuba sihlale siphapheme sikhulu kunalokho esake saba yikho. UJehova usambulele “izinto okumelwe zenzeke maduzane,” futhi kufanele sisabele ngokuba nomuzwa wokuphuthuma.—IsAmbulo 1:1; 11:18; 16:14, 16.

¹⁶ Njengoba isikhathi sisondela, hlala uphapheme, ngoba uJehova usezoletha inhlekelele phezu kwaso sonke isimiso sikaSathane! (Jeremiya 25:29-31) UJehova uthi: “Ngiyakuzenza-mkhulu, ngizingcwelise, ngizazise emehlweni ezizwe eziningi, zazi ukuthi nginguJehova.” (Hezekeli 38:23) Lolo suku “lukaJehova” oluwujuqu luyasondela!—Joweli 1:15; 2:1, 2; Amose 5:18-20; Zefaniya 2:2, 3.

“Amazulu Amasha Nomhlaba Omusha” Onokulunga

17, 18. (a) NgokukaJesu noPetru, “lesisizukulwane” sidlula kanjani? (b) Kungani kufanele sihlale silindile ngokuqondene nokuziphatha nezenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu?

¹⁷ Ngokuqondene nazo ‘zonke lezizinto okumelwe zenzeke’ uJesu wathi: “Izulu nomhlaba kuyodlula, kodwa amazwi ami awasoze adlula.” (Mathewu 24:34, 35) Cishe uJesu wayecabanga ‘ngezulu nomhlaba’—ababusi nababuswayo—‘balesisizukulwane.’ Umphostoli uPetru wasebenzisa amagama afanayo lapho ekhuluma ‘ngamazulu nomhlaba okukhona manje okubekelwe umlilo futhi kugciniwe kuze kubhujiswe abantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu.’ Ngokulandelayo uchaza indlela ‘usuku lukaJehova oluyofika ngayo njengesela, okuyodlula ngalo amazulu [angohulumeni]’ kanye nomphakathi wesintu owonakele, noma ‘umhlaba’ nemisebenzi yawo yesono. Umphostoli ube esesinxusa ukuba sibe ‘nezenzo zokuziphatha ezingcwele nezenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu njengoba silindele futhi sikugcine kuseduze engqondweni ukuba khona kosuku lukaJehova, okuyothi ngalo amazulu njengoba eyobe esha ancibilike nezinto zawo njengoba ziyobe zishisa kakhulu zincibilike!’ Yini eyolandela? UPetru udonsela ukunakekela kwethu ‘emazulwini amasha nomhlaba omusha okuyohlala kuwo ukulunga.’—2 Petru 3:7, 10-13.c

¹⁸ Lawo “mazulu amasha,” ukubusa koMbuso ngoKristu Jesu namakhosi akanye nawo, ayokwehlisela izibusiso emphakathini wesintu ‘ongumhlaba omusha’ onokulunga. Ingabe unethemba lokuba yilungu lalowo mphakathi? Uma kunjalo, unesizathu sokujabula ngekusasa elijabulisayo oligcinelwe!—Isaya 65:17-19; IsAmbulo 21:1-5.

19. Yiliphi ilungelo elikhulu esingalijabulela manje?

¹⁹ Yebo, “isizukulwane” sesintu esilungileyo siyabuthwa ngisho namanje. Namuhla “isigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo” sinikeza imfundo engokwaphezulu ngokuvumelana namazwi eHubo 78:1, 4: “Zwanini, bantu bami, umthetho wami, nibeke izindlebe zenu emazwini omlomo wami . . . , izindumiso zikaJehova sizitshele kuso isizukulwane esizayo, namandla akhe nezimangaliso zakhe azenzileyo.” (Mathewu 24:45-47) Ngo-April 14 kulonyaka, emabandleni angaphezu kuka-75 500 emazweni angaba ngu-230, abantu abangaphezu kuka-12 000 000 emhlabeni wonke baba khona eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu. Wawuphakathi kwabo? Kwangathi ungagxilisa ukholo lwakho kuKristu Jesu futhi ‘ubize igama likaJehova ukuze usindiswe.’—Roma 10:10-13.

20. Njengoba “isikhathi esesisele sinciphile,” kumelwe sihlale siphapheme ngayiphi indlela, futhi sinaliphi ithemba?

²⁰ “Isikhathi esesisele sinciphile,” kusho umphostoli uPawulu. Ngakho-ke, yisikhathi sokuba sihlale siphapheme futhi simatasa emsebenzini kaJehova, njengoba sikhuthazelela izilingo nenzondo evela esizukulwaneni esibi sesintu. (1 Korinte 7:29; Mathewu 10:22; 24:13, 14) Masihlale silindile, siqaphele zonke izinto ezabikezelwa eBhayibhelini ukuthi ziyokwehlela “lesisizukulwane.” (Luka 21:31-33) Ngokubalekela lezi zinto nangokuma sinokuvunyelwa kwaphezulu phambi kweNdodana yomuntu, ekugcineni singafinyelela umklomelo wokuphila okumi phakade.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Imibuzo Yokubukeza:

◻ Njengoba sesibone ukugcwaliseka kukaDaniyeli 4:32, kufanele ‘sihlale silindé’ ngayiphi indlela manje?

◻ IVangeli likaMathewu nelikaLuka asichaza kanjani “lesisizukulwane”?

◻ Njengoba silindele “lolosuku nalelohora,” yini esiyibonayo, futhi kufanele sisabele kanjani?

◻ Yini amathemba okufika ‘kwamazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha’ olungileyo okufanele asikhuthaze ukuba siyenze?

[Izithombe ekhasini 17]

Isintu esihluphekayo siyothola impumuzo lapho lesi sizukulwane esinobudlova, nesibi sidlula

[Imithombo]

Alexandra Boulat/Sipa Press

[Imithombo]

Left and below: Luc Delahaye/Sipa Press

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

“Amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha” okhazimulayo usuzofika kuzo zonke izinhlanga zesintu