Ukuhamba NoNkulunkulu—Sinombono Wobuphakade
“Thina siyakuhamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube-phakade naphakade.”—MIKA 4:5.
1. Kungani uJehova ebizwa ngokuthi ‘iNkosi yaphakade’?
UJEHOVA UNKULUNKULU akabanga nasiqalo. Kuyafaneleka ukuba abizwe ngokuthi ‘oMdala Wezinsuku,’ ngoba uye waba khona isikhathi esingenamkhawulo. (Daniyeli 7:9, 13) UJehova uyoba nanekusasa elingunaphakade. Uyena yedwa ‘oyiNkosi yaphakade.’ (IsAmbulo 10:6; 15:3) Futhi emehlweni akhe, iminyaka eyinkulungwane “injengezolo selidlulile, nanjengomlindo ebusuku.”—IHubo 90:4.
2. (a) Iyini injongo kaNkulunkulu ngabantu abalalelayo? (b) Amathemba ethu nalokho esikuhlelayo kufanele sikugxilise kuphi?
2 Njengoba uMniki-kuphila engunaphakade, wayengawunika umbhangqwana wokuqala ongabantu, u-Adamu no-Eva, ithemba lokuphila okungenakuphela ePharadesi. Nokho, ngenxa yokungalaleli, u-Adamu walahlekelwa yilungelo lokuba nokuphila okumi phakade, wadlulisela isono nokufa enzalweni yakhe. (Roma 5:12) Kodwa ukuhlubuka kuka-Adamu akuzange kuyibhuntshise injongo kaNkulunkulu yokuqala. Kuyintando kaJehova ukuba abantu abalalelayo baphile phakade, futhi uyoyifeza nakanjani injongo yakhe. (Isaya 55:11) Khona-ke, yeka ukuthi kufaneleka kanjani ukuba amathemba ethu nalokho esikuhlelayo sikugxilise ekukhonzeni uJehova sinombono wobuphakade. Nakuba sifuna ukugcina ‘usuku lukaJehova’ luseduze engqondweni, kubalulekile ukukhumbula ukuthi umgomo wethu uwukuhamba noNkulunkulu phakade.—2 Petru 3:12.
UJehova Uthatha Isinyathelo Ngesikhathi Sakhe Esimisiwe
3. Sazi kanjani ukuthi uJehova ‘unesikhathi esimisiwe’ sokufeza izinjongo zakhe?
3 Njengabantu abahamba noNkulunkulu, sinesithakazelo esikhulu ekufezeni intando yakhe. Siyazi ukuthi uJehova unguMgcini-sikhathi Omkhulu, futhi siyaqiniseka ukuthi akalokothi ahluleke ukufeza izinjongo zakhe ngesikhathi sakhe esimisiwe. Ngokwesibonelo, “lapho kufika ukuphelela [kwesikhathi], uNkulunkulu wathumela iNdodana yakhe.” (Galathiya 4:4) Umphostoli uJohane watshelwa ukuthi ‘kwakunesikhathi esimisiwe’ sokugcwaliseka kwezinto eziyisiprofetho azibona emibonweni. (IsAmbulo 1:1-3) ‘Kunesikhathi esimisiwe sokwahlulela abafileyo.’ (IsAmbulo 11:18) Eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-1 900 edlule, umphostoli uPawulu waphefumulelwa ukuba athi uNkulunkulu “umise usuku ajonge ukwahlulela ngalo ngokulunga umhlaba owakhiwe.”—IzEnzo 17:31.
4. Sazi kanjani ukuthi uJehova uyafisa ukuqeda lesi simiso sezinto esibi?
4 UJehova uzosiqeda lesi simiso sezinto esibi, ngoba igama lakhe liyahlanjalazwa kuleli lizwe lanamuhla. Ababi baye baqhakaza. (IHubo 92:7) Ngamazwi nangezenzo zabo, bathuka uNkulunkulu, futhi kumzwisa ubuhlungu ukubona izinceku zakhe zithukwa futhi zishushiswa. (Zakariya 2:8) Akumangalisi ukuthi uJehova uye wanquma ukuthi yonke inhlangano kaSathane izoqedwa ngokushesha! UNkulunkulu uye wanquma ukuthi lokhu kuzokwenzeka nini ngokuqondile, futhi ukugcwaliseka kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli kukwenza kucace ukuthi manje siphila “esikhathini sokugcina.” (Daniyeli 12:4) Ngokushesha uzothatha isinyathelo ukuze abusise bonke abamthandayo.
5. ULoti noHabakuki bazibheka kanjani izimo ezazisezindaweni ababekuzo?
5 Izinceku zikaJehova zesikhathi esidlule zazilangazelela ukubona ukuphela kobubi. ULoti olungileyo “wayecindezeleke kakhulu ngokuzitika kwabantu abadelela umthetho ekuziphatheni okuxekethile.” (2 Petru 2:7) Elusizi ngenxa yezimo zalapho ayekhona, umprofethi uHabakuki wanxusa: “Ngiyakukuncenga kuze kube-nini, Jehova, ungezwa, ngikhala ngendluzula, ungasindisi, na? Ungiboniselani ububi, ungibhekise ukukhathazeka na? Ngokuba ukuchitheka nendluzula kuphambi kwami; kukhona ukulwa, ukuxabana kuyaqhamuka.”—Habakuki 1:2, 3.
6. UJehova wawuphendula wathini umthandazo kaHabakuki, futhi yini esingayifunda kulokhu?
6 Ngokwengxenye, uJehova wamphendula uHabakuki ngala mazwi: “Umbono usengowesikhathi esimisiweyo; uphuthuma ekupheleni, awuyikukhohlisa; noma ulibala, wulindele, ngokuba uyakufika nokufika, awuyikwephuza.” (Habakuki 2:3) Kanjalo uNkulunkulu wenza kwazeka ukuthi wayeyothatha isinyathelo ‘ngesikhathi esimisiweyo.’ Nakuba kungase kubonakale sengathi kukhona ukwephuza, uJehova uyoyifeza injongo yakhe—nakanjani!—2 Petru 3:9.
Ukukhonza Ngentshiseko Engadambi
7. Nakuba uJesu ayengazi ngokuqondile ukuthi usuku lukaJehova lwaluyofika nini, wayenza kanjani imisebenzi yakhe?
7 Ingabe kuyimfuneko ukwazi izikhathi eziqondile zezenzakalo zikaJehova ukuze sihambe noNkulunkulu ngentshiseko? Cha, akuyona. Cabanga ngezinye zezibonelo. UJesu wayenesithakazelo esikhulu esikhathini intando kaNkulunkulu eyayiyokwenziwa ngaso emhlabeni njengoba yenziwa ezulwini. Empeleni, uKristu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathandaze bathi: “Baba wethu osemazulwini, malingcweliswe igama lakho. Umbuso wakho mawuze. Intando yakho mayenzeke nasemhlabeni, njengasezulwini.” (Mathewu 6:9, 10) Nakuba uJesu ayazi ukuthi lesi sicelo sasiyophendulwa, wayengasazi isikhathi esiqondile izinto ezaziyokwenzeka ngaso. Esiprofethweni sakhe esikhulu esiphathelene nokuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto, wathi: “Ngokuphathelene nalolosuku nalelohora akekho owaziyo, nazingelosi zasemazulwini naNdodana, kodwa uBaba kuphela.” (Mathewu 24:36) Njengoba uJesu Kristu enendima eyinhloko ekufezekeni kwezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu, uyohileleka ngokuqondile ekubhujisweni kwezitha zikaYise wasezulwini. Nokho, lapho uJesu esemhlabeni, ngisho naye wayengazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyosithatha nini isinyathelo. Ingabe lokhu kwayinciphisa intshiseko yakhe enkonzweni kaJehova? Lutho neze! Lapho bebona uJesu ehlanza ithempeli ngentshiseko, “abafundi bakhe bakhumbula ukuthi kulotshiwe ukuthi: ‘Intshiseko ngendlu yakho iyongidla.’” (Johane 2:17; IHubo 69:9) UJesu wazigcina ematasa ngokuphelele emsebenzini ayethunyelwe ukuwenza, futhi wawenza ngentshiseko engadambi. Futhi wayekhonza uNkulunkulu enombono wobuphakade.
8, 9. Lapho abafundi bebuza ngokubuyiselwa koMbuso, batshelwa ukuthini, futhi basabela kanjani?
8 Kwakunjalo nangabafundi bakaKristu. UJesu wahlangana nabo ngaphambi nje kokuba akhuphukele ezulwini. Ukulandisa kuthi: “Manje, lapho sebehlangene, baqala ukumbuza: ‘Nkosi, ingabe ubuyisela umbuso ku-Israyeli ngalesisikhathi?’” NjengeNkosi yabo, babelangazelela ukuba uMbuso ufike. Nokho, uJesu waphendula wathi: “Akukhona okwenu ukuthola ulwazi ngezikhathi noma izinkathi uBaba azibeke egunyeni lakhe siqu; kodwa nina nizokwamukela amandla lapho umoya ongcwele ufika phezu kwenu, futhi nizoba ofakazi bami kokubili eJerusalema nakulo lonke iJudiya neSamariya nasezingxenyeni eziqhele kakhulu zomhlaba.”—IzEnzo 1:6-8.
9 Akukho lutho olubonisa ukuthi yabadangalisa abafundi le mpendulo. Kunalokho, baba matasa ngentshiseko emsebenzini wokushumayela. Ngamasonto ambalwa, base begcwalise iJerusalema ngemfundiso yabo. (IzEnzo 5:28) Futhi phakathi neminyaka engu-30, base bandise umsebenzi wabo wokushumayela kangangokuthi uPawulu wayengathi izindaba ezinhle zase zishunyayelwe “kuyo yonke indalo engaphansi kwezulu.” (Kolose 1:23) Nakuba uMbuso ungazange ‘ubuyiselwe ku-Israyeli’ njengoba abafundi babelindele kanjalo ngokuyiphutha futhi ungazange umiswe ezulwini phakathi nesikhathi sokuphila kwabo, baqhubeka bekhonza uJehova ngentshiseko benombono wobuphakade.
Ukuhlola Izisusa Zethu
10. Ukungazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyosibhubhisa nini isimiso sikaSathane kusenza sikwazi ukubonisani?
10 Izinceku zikaJehova zanamuhla nazo ziyakulangazelela ukubona ukuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto. Nokho, asikhathaleli ngokuyinhloko ukuba sikhululwe singene ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu esilithenjisiwe. Sifuna ukuba igama likaJehova lingcweliswe futhi ubukhosi bakhe bulwelwe. Ngenxa yalokhu, singajabula ngokuthi uNkulunkulu akazange asitshele ‘usuku nehora’ elibekelwe ukubhujiswa kwesimiso sikaSathane. Lokhu kusenza sikwazi ukunikeza ubufakazi bokuthi sizimisele ukuhamba noNkulunkulu phakade ngoba simthanda hhayi ngoba sinemigomo yobugovu engafinyeleleka ngokushesha.
11, 12. Ubuqotho bukaJobe babekelwa kanjani inselele, futhi leyo nselele ihlangene kanjani nathi?
11 Ukulondoloza ubuqotho bethu kuNkulunkulu kusisiza futhi ukuba sifakazele ukuthi uDeveli wayeshaye phansi lapho ethi uJobe oqotho—kanjalo nabantu abanjengaye—ukhonza uNkulunkulu ngenxa yobugovu. Ngemva kokuba uJehova echaze inceku yakhe uJobe ngokuthi ingumuntu ongasoleki, oqotho nowesaba uNkulunkulu, ngenxa yokuba mubi, uSathane wathi: “UJobe uyamesaba uNkulunkulu ngeze na? Wena awumbiyelanga yini yena nendlu yakhe nakho konke okwakhe nxazonke, wabusisa umsebenzi wezandla zakhe na? Impahla yakhe yandile emhlabeni. Kepha ake welule isandla sakho, uthinte konke anakho, impela uyakukuthuka ebusweni bakho.” (Jobe 1:8-11) Ngokugcina ubuqotho bakhe lapho elingwa, uJobe wabonisa ukuthi lokhu kuzisholo okunobubi kwakungamanga.
12 Ngokubambelela ngokufanayo enkambweni yobuqotho, singakubonisa kungamanga noma yikuphi ukumangalela kukaSathane kokuthi uNkulunkulu simkhonza ngenxa nje yokuthi siyazi ukuthi umvuzo useduze. Ukungasazi isikhathi esiqondile uNkulunkulu ayophindisela ngaso kubantu ababi kusinika ithuba lokubonisa ukuthi simthanda ngempela uJehova futhi sifuna ukuhamba ezindleleni zakhe phakade. Kubonisa ukuthi sithembekile kuNkulunkulu futhi siyayethemba indlela yakhe yokusingatha izinto. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukungalwazi usuku nehora kusigcina siqaphile futhi siphapheme ngokomoya ngoba siyaqaphela ukuthi ukuphela kungafika nganoma yisiphi isikhathi, njengesela ebusuku. (Mathewu 24:42-44) Ngokuhamba noJehova nsuku zonke, senza inhliziyo yakhe ithokoze futhi sinikeza impendulo kuDeveli, omsolayo.—IzAga 27:11.
Hlelela Ingunaphakade!
13. IBhayibheli libonisani ngokuhlelela isikhathi esizayo?
13 Labo abahamba noNkulunkulu bayazi ukuthi kuwukuhlakanipha ukuhlelela ikusasa ngokunengqondo. Beqaphela izinkinga nokulinganiselwa ngenxa yokuguga, abantu abaningi bazama ukubusebenzisa kahle ubusha namandla abo ukuze ukuphila kwabo kwakamuva kube okulondekile ngokwezimali. Khona-ke, kuthiwani ngekusasa lethu elingokomoya elibaluleke nakakhulu? IzAga 21:5 (NW) zithi: “Amacebo okhuthele ayazuzisa, kodwa noma ubani onamawala ngokuqinisekile uphokophele ekusweleni.” Ukuhlela kusengaphambili unombono wobuphakade kuyazuzisa ngempela. Njengoba singazi ngokunembile ukuthi ukuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto kuyofika nini, kudingeka sicabange ngezidingo zethu zesikhathi esizayo. Kodwa masilinganisele futhi sibeke izithakazelo zaphezulu kuqala ekuphileni. Abantu abantula ukholo bangase baphethe ngokuthi ukugxila ekwenzeni intando kaNkulunkulu kuwukuba nombono omfushane. Kodwa ingabe kunjalo?
14, 15. (a) Yimuphi umfanekiso uJesu awenza mayelana nokuhlelela isikhathi esizayo? (b) Kungani indoda ecebile yomfanekiso kaJesu yayinombono omfushane?
14 UJesu wenza umfanekiso onikeza ukukhanya ngokuphathelene nalokhu. Wathi: “Izwe lomuntu othile ocebile lakhiqiza kahle. Ngenxa yalokho waqala ukuzindla ngaphakathi kwakhe, ethi, ‘Ngizokwenzenjani, njengoba ngingasenandawo yokubuthela izilimo zami?’ Ngakho wathi, ‘Ngizokwenza lokhu: Ngizodiliza izinqolobane zami ngakhe ezinkudlwana, futhi ngizobuthela lapho okusanhlamvu kwami nazo zonke izinto zami ezinhle; futhi ngizothi emphefumulweni wami: “Mphefumulo, unezinto eziningi ezinhle ezibekelelwe iminyaka eminingi; khululeka, yidla, uphuze, uzijabulise.”’ Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathi kuye, ‘Muntu ongenangqondo, ngalobubusuku bayawufuna ngenkani umphefumulo wakho kuwe. Khona-ke, ubani ozothola izinto owazibekelelayo?’ Kunjalo ngomuntu oziqongelelela umcebo kodwa engacebile kuNkulunkulu.”—Luka 12:16-21.
15 Ingabe uJesu wayeveza iphuzu lokuthi le ndoda ecebile kwakungafanele isebenze izame ukuba nekusasa elilondekile ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo? Akunjalo, ngoba imiBhalo iyakukhuthaza ukusebenza kanzima. (2 Thesalonika 3:10) Iphutha lale ndoda ecebile laliwukuthi ayikwenzanga lokho okwakudingeka ukuze ‘icebe kuNkulunkulu.’ Ngisho noma yayikwazile ukujabulela ingcebo yayo yezinto ezibonakalayo iminyaka eminingi, yayiyogcina ifile. Yayinombono omfushane, ingacabangi ngobuphakade.
16. Kungani singathembela kuJehova ngokuqiniseka mayelana nekusasa elilondekile?
16 Ukuhamba noJehova unombono wobuphakade kuwusizo futhi kubonisa umbono ofinyelela kude. Kuyindlela engcono kakhulu yokuhlelela ikusasa. Nakuba kuwukuhlakanipha ukuhlela ngendlela ewusizo mayelana nesikole, umsebenzi nemithwalo yomkhaya, kufanele sikhumbule njalo ukuthi uJehova akalokothi azilahle izinceku zakhe ezithembekile. INkosi uDavide yahlabelela: “Kade ngimusha, manje sengimdala; angizange ngibone olungileyo eshiyiwe nenzalo yakhe iphanza ukudla.” (IHubo 37:25) UJesu ngokufanayo wanikeza isiqinisekiso sokuthi uNkulunkulu uyobanakekela bonke abafuna kuqala uMbuso futhi bahambe ezindleleni zikaJehova ezilungile.—Mathewu 6:33.
17. Sazi kanjani ukuthi ukuphela kuseduze?
17 Nakuba sikhonza uNkulunkulu sinombono wobuphakade, usuku lukaJehova sisalugcina luseduze engqondweni. Ukugcwaliseka kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli kukufakazela ngokucacile ukuthi luseduze lolo lusuku. Leli khulu leminyaka liye laphawuleka ngezimpi, izifo eziwumshayabhuqe, ukuzamazama komhlaba nokuswelakala kokudla, kanye nokushushiswa kwamaKristu eqiniso nomsebenzi wokushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu embulungeni yonke. Konke lokhu kuyizici zesikhathi sokuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto esibi. (Mathewu 24:7-14; Luka 21:11) Izwe ligcwele abantu “abazithandayo, abathandi bemali, abazazisayo, abazidlayo, abahlambalazi, abangalaleli abazali, abangabongiyo, abangathembekile, abangenakho ukusondelana ngokomzwelo okungokwemvelo, abangafuni sivumelwano, abanyundeli, abangenakho ukuzithiba, abanolaka, abangenalo uthando ngobuhle, abakhapheli, abanenkani, abakhukhumele ngokuziqhenya, abathandi bezinjabulo kunokuba abathandi bakaNkulunkulu.” (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Kulezi zinsuku zokugcina ezibucayi, ukuphila kunzima kithina zinceku zikaJehova. Yeka indlela esilulangazelela ngayo usuku uMbuso kaJehova oyoshanela ngalo bonke ububi! Okwamanje, masizimisele ukuhamba noNkulunkulu sinombono wobuphakade.
Ukukhonza Sinombono Wokuphila Okungenakuphela
18, 19. Yini ebonisa ukuthi abathembekile basendulo bakhonza uNkulunkulu benombono wobuphakade?
18 Njengoba sihamba noJehova, masikhumbule ukholo luka-Abela, u-Enoke, uNowa, u-Abrahama noSara. Ngemva kokubasho ngamagama, uPawulu wabhala: “Bonke laba bafa benokholo, nakuba bengakutholanga ukugcwaliswa kwezithembiso, kodwa bazibona zikude, bazamukela futhi bavuma obala ukuthi bangabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana ezweni.” (Heberu 11:13) Laba abathembekile ‘babezama ukufinyelela indawo engcono, okuwukuthi, eyasezulwini.’ (Heberu 11:16) Ngokholo, babebheke phambili endaweni engcono ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngaphansi kukaMesiya. Singaqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyobavuza ngokuphila okungunaphakade kuleyo ndawo engcono—iPharadesi lasemhlabeni ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso.—Heberu 11:39, 40.
19 Umprofethi uMika wakhuluma ngokuzimisela kwabantu bakaJehova ukukhulekela uNkulunkulu phakade. Wabhala: “Bonke abantu bahamba, kube-yilowo nalowo ngegama likankulunkulu wakhe, kepha thina siyakuhamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube-phakade naphakade.” (Mika 4:5) UMika wakhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe. Lapho evuswa ezweni elisha, akungabazeki ukuthi lowo mprofethi uyoqhubeka ehamba noNkulunkulu phakade. Yeka isibonelo esihle kithi esesingene shí esikhathini sokuphela!
20. Yini okufanele sizimisele ukuyenza?
20 UJehova uyalwazisa uthando esilubonisayo ngegama lakhe. (Heberu 6:10) Uyazi ukuthi kunzima ngathi ukuhlala siqotho kuye kuleli lizwe elibuswa uDeveli. Nokho, nakuba ‘izwe lidlula,’ “lowo owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade.” (1 Johane 2:17; 5:19) Khona-ke, ngosizo lukaJehova masizimisele ukukhuthazelela ukulingwa esibhekana nakho usuku ngalunye. Kwangathi ukucabanga nendlela yethu yokuphila kungagxila ezibusisweni ezimangalisayo ezithenjiswa uBaba wethu onothando wasezulwini. Singazithola uma siqhubeka sihamba noNkulunkulu sinombono wobuphakade.—Jude 20, 21.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Iyini injongo kaNkulunkulu ngabantu abalalelayo?
◻ Kungani uJehova engakasithathi isinyathelo sokuqeda izwe elingamesabi?
◻ Kungani ukungazi ngokuqondile ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyosithatha nini isinyathelo kungafanele kunciphise intshiseko yethu?
◻ Yiziphi ezinye zezinzuzo zokuhamba noNkulunkulu unombono wobuphakade?
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Ukuhamba noNkulunkulu kudinga ukuba simkhonze ngentshiseko njengoba kwenza abafundi bakaKristu bokuqala