‘Isikhathi Sokuthula’ Siseduze!

“Kukhona isikhathi esimisiwe sayo yonke into, . . . isikhathi sempi nesikhathi sokuthula.”—UMSHUMAYELI 3:1, 8, NW.

1. Yisiphi isimo esiyindida esiye saba khona phakathi nekhulu lama-20 mayelana nempi nokuthula?

ININGI labantu lilangazelela ukuthula, futhi kufanele. Ikhulu lama-20 leminyaka liye lantula ukuthula kunanoma yiliphi elinye ikhulu leminyaka emlandweni. Lokhu kuyindida, ngoba akukaze kwenziwe imizamo emikhulu kangaka ngaphambili yokuqinisekisa ukuthula. Ngo-1920 kwakhiwa iNhlangano Yezizwe. Ngo-1928 iKellogg-Briand Pact (iSivumelwano SikaKellogg NoBriand), enye incwadi eyibiza ngokuthi “umzamo omkhulu kunayo yonke ochungechungeni lokugcina ukuthula ngemva kweMpi Yezwe I,” yasekelwa “cishe yizo zonke izizwe zomhlaba . . . ezazivuma ukulahla umbono wokuthi impi iyindlela yesizwe yokuqondisa izinto.” Kwabe sekuthi ngo-1945 kwamiswa inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene esikhundleni seNhlangano Yezizwe eyayingasasebenzi.

2. Kuthiwa uyini umgomo weZizwe Ezihlangene, futhi le nhlangano iye yaphumelela kangakanani?

² NjengeNhlangano Yezizwe, umgomo weZizwe Ezihlangene kwathiwa uwukuletha ukuthula emhlabeni. Kodwa azizange zibe nempumelelo etheni. Kuyavunywa, ayikho indawo emhlabeni enezimpi ezilingana nezimpi zezwe ezimbili. Noma kunjalo, izimpi eziningi ezincane zisaphuca amakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu ukuthula kwengqondo, ziwaphundle impahla yawo, ngokuvamile zithathe ngisho nokuphila kwawo. Singalokotha yini sizithembise ukuthi iZizwe Ezihlangene zingenza ikhulu lama-21 libe ‘yisikhathi sokuthula’?

Isisekelo Sokuthula Kweqiniso

3. Kungani ukuthula kwangempela kungenakuba khona uma kunenzondo?

³ Ukuthula phakathi kwabantu nezizwe kudinga okungaphezu nje kokubekezelelana. Ukhona yini ongaba nokuthula ngempela nomuntu amzondayo? Akunjalo ngokweyoku-1 Johane 3:15, ethi: “Wonke umuntu ozonda umfowabo ungumbulali wabantu.” Njengoba umlando wamuva ukufakazela, inzondo enkulu ingagqamuka kalula ibe yizenzo zobudlova.

4. Obani okuwukuphela kwabantu abangathola ukuthula, futhi ngani?

⁴ Njengoba uJehova ‘enguNkulunkulu onikeza ukuthula,’ ukuthula kungatholwa kuphela abantu abanothando ngoNkulunkulu nenhlonipho ejulile ngezimiso zakhe zokulunga. Kusobala ukuthi uJehova akaniki wonke umuntu ukuthula. “‘Akukho ukuthula kwababi,’ usho uNkulunkulu wami.” Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi ababi bayenqaba ukuqondiswa umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, osithelo sawo siwukuthula.—Roma 15:33; Isaya 57:21; Galathiya 5:22.

5. Yini amaKristu eqiniso angenakuyicabanga?

⁵ AmaKristu eqiniso awakucabangi nakukucabanga ukulwa nabantu aphila nabo—njengoba labo okuthiwa bangamaKristu beye bakwenza kaningi ikakhulukazi ekhulwini lama-20 leminyaka. (Jakobe 4:1-4) Yiqiniso, amaKristu eqiniso alwa nezimfundiso ezimelela kabi uNkulunkulu, kodwa le mpi ihloselwe ukusiza abantu, hhayi ukubalimaza. Ukushushisa abantu ngenxa yokungavumelani ngokwenkolo noma ukubalimaza emzimbeni ngenxa yezizathu zobuzwe kungqubuzana kakhulu nobuKristu beqiniso. UPawulu wayala amaKristu aseRoma: “Uma kungenzeka, ngokusemandleni enu, yibani nokuthula nabantu bonke.”—Roma 12:17-19; 2 Thimothewu 2:24, 25.

6. Iyiphi indawo okuwukuphela kwayo okutholakala kuyo ukuthula kwangempela namuhla?

⁶ Namuhla, ukuthula okuvela phezulu kutholakala kuphela phakathi kwabakhulekeli beqiniso bakaJehova uNkulunkulu. (IHubo 119:165; Isaya 48:18) Ubunye babo abudungwa ukungavumelani ngokwezombangazwe, ngoba yonke indawo abathathi hlangothi kwezombangazwe. (Johane 15:19; 17:14) Ngenxa yokuthi ‘bahlangene ngokufanele emqondweni ofanayo nasendleleni efanayo yokucabanga,’ akukho kungavumelani ngokwenkolo okusongela ukuthula kwabo. (1 Korinte 1:10) Ukuthula oFakazi BakaJehova abanakho kuyisimangaliso namuhla, isimangaliso esibangelwa uNkulunkulu ngokuvumelana nesithembiso sakhe: “Ngiyomisa ukuthula kube ababonisi bakho nokulunga kube ababa imisebenzi yakho.”—Isaya 60:17, NW; Heberu 8:10.

Kungani ‘Kuyisikhathi Sempi’?

7, 8. (a) Naphezu kokuma kwabo okunokuthula, oFakazi BakaJehova basibheka kanjani isikhathi samanje? (b) Yisiphi isikhali esiyinhloko sempi yamaKristu?

⁷ Naphezu kokuma kwabo okunokuthula, oFakazi BakaJehova babheka isikhathi samanje ‘njengesiyisikhathi sempi’ ngokuyinhloko. Yebo, akuyona impi engokoqobo, ngoba ukuphoqa abanye ngezikhali ukuba bamukele isigijimi seBhayibheli bekuyongqubuzana nesimemo sikaNkulunkulu esithi “noma ubani othandayo makathathe amanzi okuphila mahhala.” (IsAmbulo 22:17) Akukho muntu oguqulwa ngendluzula! Impi elwiwa oFakazi BakaJehova ingokomoya kuphela. UPawulu wabhala: “Izikhali zempi yethu azizona ezenyama, kodwa ngoNkulunkulu zinamandla okugumbuqela izinto ezibiyelwe ngokuqinile.”—2 Korinte 10:4; 1 Thimothewu 1:18.

⁸ Okuyinhloko phakathi ‘kwezikhali zempi yethu’ ‘yinkemba yomoya, okuwukuthi, izwi likaNkulunkulu.’ (Efesu 6:17) Le nkemba inamandla. “Izwi likaNkulunkulu liyaphila futhi linamandla futhi libukhali kunanoma iyiphi inkemba esika nhlangothi zombili futhi lihlaba kuze kuhlukane umphefumulo nomoya, amalunga nomnkantsha wawo, futhi liyakwazi ukuqonda imicabango nezinhloso zenhliziyo.” (Heberu 4:12) Ngokusebenzisa le nkemba, amaKristu ayakwazi ukugumbuqela “imicabango kanye nayo yonke into ephakeme ephakanyiswe yamelana nolwazi ngoNkulunkulu.” (2 Korinte 10:5) Iwenza akwazi ukudalula izimfundiso zamanga, imikhuba elimazayo namafilosofi abonisa ukuhlakanipha kobuntu kunokuhlakanipha kwaphezulu.—1 Korinte 2:6-8; Efesu 6:11-13.

9. Kungani singenakuyekethisa empini yethu yokulwa nenyama enesono?

⁹ Olunye uhlobo lwempi yileyo elwiwa nenyama enesono. AmaKristu alandela isibonelo sikaPawulu, owavuma: “Ngiyawutuba umzimba wami futhi ngiwuhola njengesigqila, ukuze kuthi, ngemva kokuba sengishumayele kwabanye, mina ngokwami ngingabi ongamukeleki ngandlela-thile.” (1 Korinte 9:27) AmaKristu aseKolose ayalwa ukuba abulale “amalungu emizimba [yawo] asemhlabeni ngokuqondene nobufebe, ukungahlanzeki, isifiso sobulili, isifiso esilimazayo, nokukhanuka, okuwukukhonza izithombe.” (Kolose 3:5) Futhi umlobi weBhayibheli uJude wanxusa amaKristu ukuba ‘alulwele kanzima ukholo olwanikelwa kwabangcwele kanye kwaba kuphela.’ (Jude 3) Kungani kumelwe senze kanjalo? UPawulu uyaphendula: “Uma niphila ngokuvumelana nenyama niyofa nakanjani; kodwa uma nibulala imikhuba yomzimba ngomoya, niyophila.” (Roma 8:13) Ngenxa yala mazwi acacile, asinakuyekethisa empini yethu yokulwa nokuthambekela okungalungile.

10. Kwenzekani ngo-1914, okuzoholelaphi esikhathini esizayo esiseduze?

¹⁰ Esinye futhi isizathu sokuba isikhathi sanamuhla sibhekwe njengesikhathi sempi ukuthi ‘usuku lokuphindisela lukaNkulunkulu wethu’ luseduze. (Isaya 61:1, 2) Ngo-1914, sase sifikile isikhathi esimisiwe sikaJehova sokumisa uMbuso KaMesiya nokuwugunyaza ukuba ulwe ngamandla nesimiso sikaSathane. Ngaleso sikhathi, isikhathi abantu ababenikwe sona sokuba bazame imibuso eyenziwe yibo ngokwabo bengaphazanyiswa uNkulunkulu saphela. Kunokuba lamukele uMbusi kaNkulunkulu onguMesiya, iningi labantu liyaqhubeka limenqaba, njengoba nje kwénza iningi ekhulwini lokuqala. (IzEnzo 28:27) Ngakho, ngenxa yokuphikiswa koMbuso, uKristu uye waphoqeleka ukuba ‘abuse phakathi kwezitha zakhe.’ (IHubo 110:2) Ngokujabulisayo, IsAmbulo 6:2 sithembisa ukuthi ‘uyophelelisa ukunqoba kwakhe.’ Lokhu uyokwenza phakathi ‘nempi yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke, ngesiHeberu ebizwa ngokuthi iHar–Magedoni.’—IsAmbulo 16:14, 16.

Manje ‘Yisikhathi Sokukhuluma’

11. Kungani uJehova eye waba nesineke esikhulu, kodwa yini eyogcina ifikile?

¹¹ Sekuphele iminyaka engu-85 kusukela esikhathini soshintsho ezindabeni zabantu ngo-1914. UJehova uye waba nesineke kakhulu esintwini. Uye wenza oFakazi bakhe bakuqaphela ngokugcwele ukuphuthuma kwesimo. Ukuphila kwezigidi kusengcupheni. Lezi zixuku zifanelwe ukuxwayiswa ngoba “uJehova . . . akafisi ukuba noma ubani abhujiswe kodwa ufisa ukuba bonke bafinyelele ekuphendukeni.” (2 Petru 3:9) Nokho, ngokushesha kuzofika ‘ukwambulwa kweNkosi uJesu ivela ezulwini ikanye nezingelosi zayo ezinamandla.’ Khona-ke, bonke labo abaye benqaba isigijimi soMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngamabomu bayobhekana ‘nempindiselo,’ eyolethwa uJesu “phezu kwalabo abangamazi uNkulunkulu nakulabo abangazilaleli izindaba ezinhle ezimayelana neNkosi yethu uJesu.”—2 Thesalonika 1:6-9.

12. (a) Kungani kungasizi ngalutho ukuqagela ukuthi usizi olukhulu lungase luqale nini? (b) Iyiphi ingozi uJesu axwayisa ngayo kulokhu?

¹² Siyoze siphele nini isineke sikaJehova? Akusizi ukuqagela ukuthi “usizi olukhulu” lungase luqale nini. UJesu washo ngokucacile ukuthi: “Ngokuphathelene nalolosuku nalelohora akekho owaziyo.” Ngakolunye uhlangothi, wayala: “Ngakho-ke, hlalani nilindile ngoba anazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu iza ngaluphi usuku. . . . Zibonakaliseni nikulungele, ngoba iNdodana yomuntu iza ngehora eningacabangi ukuthi iyoza ngalo.” (Mathewu 24:21, 36, 42, 44) Uma silibeka ngembaba, lokhu kusho ukuthi nsuku zonke kufanele sihlale siqaphele izenzakalo zezwe futhi sicabangele ukugqashuka kosizi olukhulu. (1 Thesalonika 5:1-5) Yeka ukuthi kuyingozi kanjani ukucabanga ukuthi singathatha izinto kalula, siphile lokho okuthiwa ukuphila okuvamile, silindele nje ukubona ukuthi kuzokwenzekani! UJesu wathi: “Zinakeni ukuba izinhliziyo zenu zingalokothi zisindwe ukuminza nokuphuza kakhulu nezinkathazo zokuphila, futhi ngokungazelelwe lolosuku lufike phezu kwenu ngaso lesosikhathi njengogibe.” (Luka 21:34, 35) Singaqiniseka ngokuthi: “Imimoya emine” yembubhiso njengamanje ebanjwe ‘yizingelosi zikaJehova ezine’ ngeke ibanjwe unomphela.—IsAmbulo 7:1-3.

13. Yini abantu abacela ezigidini eziyisithupha asebeye bayiqaphela?

¹³ Ngenxa yalolu suku lokulandisa olusondela ngokushesha, amazwi kaSolomoni athi ‘kunesikhathi sokukhuluma’ anencazelo ekhethekile. (UmShumayeli 3:7) Njengoba beye baqaphela ukuthi manje yisikhathi sokukhuluma ngempela, oFakazi BakaJehova abacela ezigidini eziyisithupha bakhuluma ngentshiseko ngenkazimulo yobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu futhi baxwayisa ngosuku lwakhe lwempindiselo. Bazinikela ngokuzithandela ngalolu suku lwebutho lempi likaKristu.—IHubo 110:3; 145:10-12.

Labo Abakhuluma ‘Ngokuthula, Kungekho Ukuthula’

14. Yibaphi abaprofethi bamanga ababekhona ekhulwini le-7 B.C.E.?

¹⁴ Phakathi nekhulu le-7 B.C.E., abaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu uJeremiya noHezekeli banikeza izigijimi zaphezulu zokwahlulelwa kweJerusalema ngenxa yenkambo yalo ephambukayo yokungamlaleli uNkulunkulu. Ukubhujiswa ababekubikezele kwenzeka ngo-607 B.C.E., yize lezi zithunywa zikaNkulunkulu zazikade ziphikiswa abaholi benkolo abaqavile nabanethonya. Kwacaca ukuthi labo baholi ‘babengabaprofethi abayiziwula ababedukisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu, ngokuthi: “Ngukuthula,” kungekho ukuthula.’—Hezekeli 13:1-16; Jeremiya 6:14, 15; 8:8-12.

15. Ingabe bakhona namuhla abaprofethi bamanga abafanayo? Chaza.

¹⁵ ‘Njengabaprofethi abayiziwula’ bangaleso sikhathi, abaholi benkolo abaningi banamuhla nabo ababexwayisi abantu ngosuku lokwahlulela lukaNkulunkulu oluzayo. Kunalokho, benza izinto zibonakale sengathi zizolunga, bethi amaqembu ezombangazwe ayogcina ekufinyelele ukuthula nokulondeka. Njengoba bemagange kakhudlwana ukujabulisa abantu kunoNkulunkulu, batshela abantu abasemasontweni abo lokho abafuna ukukuzwa kunokuba bachaze ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu usumisiwe nokuthi ngokushesha iNkosi enguMesiya izophelelisa ukunqoba kwayo. (Daniyeli 2:44; 2 Thimothewu 4:3, 4; IsAmbulo 6:2) Njengabaprofethi bamanga, nabo bakhuluma ‘ngokuthula, kungekho ukuthula.’ Kodwa ngokushesha ukuqiniseka kwabo kuzophenduka ukushaqeka lapho sekumelwe babhekane nolaka lwaLowo abaye bammelela kabi futhi baletha isihlamba esingenakulinganiswa egameni lakhe. Abaholi bombuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, abachazwe eBhayibhelini njengowesifazane oziphethe kabi, bayoshabalala besamemezela ukuthula kwabo okudukisayo.—IsAmbulo 18:7, 8.

16. (a) Yini oFakazi BakaJehova abaye baziwa ngayo? (b) Bahluke kanjani kulabo abamemeza bethi, “ngukuthula, kungekho ukuthula”?

¹⁶ Ukuphikelela kweningi labaholi abaqavile nabanethonya bethembisa ukuthula okungekho akubesabisi labo abanokholo esithembisweni sikaNkulunkulu sokuthula kweqiniso. Sekungaphezu kweminyaka eyikhulu oFakazi BakaJehova baziwa ngokuba abavikeli abaqotho beZwi likaNkulunkulu, abalwa ngesibindi nenkolo yamanga futhi bawusekele ngokuzimisela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Kunokuba balolozele abantu ngezinkulumo-ze zokuthula ezizwakala kamnandi, bayazikhandla bezama ukubaphaphamisa babone ukuthi empeleni namuhla yisikhathi sempi.—Isaya 56:10-12; Roma 13:11, 12; 1 Thesalonika 5:6.

Ukuphela Kwesikhathi SikaJehova Sokuthula

17. Kusho ukuthini ukuthi maduze nje isikhathi sokuthula kukaJehova sizophela?

¹⁷ USolomoni wathi: “UNkulunkulu uyakwahlulela nolungileyo nomubi, ngokuba kukhona lapha isikhathi sezindaba zonke nesemisebenzi yonke.” (UmShumayeli 3:17) Yebo, uJehova unesikhathi esimisiwe sokukhipha isahlulelo enkolweni yamanga ‘nasemakhosini omhlaba amelana noJehova nogcotshiweyo wakhe.’ (IHubo 2:1-6, NW; IsAmbulo 16:13-16) Siyothi singafika leso sikhathi, ziphele izinsuku zikaJehova ‘zokuthula.’ (IHubo 83:1; Isaya 62:1; Jeremiya 47:6, 7) NgeNkosi yakhe enguMesiya esesihlalweni sobukhosi, uJesu Kristu, ‘uyokhuluma’ ngolimi okusobala ukuthi yilona kuphela abaphikisi bakhe abaluqondayo: “UJehova uyaphuma njengeqhawe; njengendoda yempi uyavusa ukushisekela kwakhe; uyakhala, yebo, uyabangalasa, enze ubuqhawe phezu kwezitha zakhe. ‘Sekuyisikhathi eside ngithulile, ngathula ngazibamba; sengiyakukhala njengobelethayo, ngiphefuzele, ngibitoze kanyekanye. Ngiyakwenza ize izintaba namagquma, ngomise yonke imifino yawo, ngenze imifula ibe yiziqhingi, ngenze amachibi ukuba ashe. Ngiyakuhambisa izimpumputhe ngendlela ezingayaziyo; emikhondweni ezingayaziyo ngiyakuzihola; ngiyakwenza ubumnyama bube ngukukhanya phambi kwazo, namagebhugebhu ukuba ahlelenjwe; ngiyakwenza lezi zinto ngingazishiyi.’” (Omalukeke sizenzele.)—Isaya 42:13-16.

18. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngokushesha ‘bazothula’ mayelana nani?

¹⁸ Lapho uJehova eqala ukukhuluma evikela ubuNkulunkulu bakhe, abantu bakhe ngeke kusadingeka bakhulume bezivikela. Kuyoba yithuba labo ‘lokuthula.’ La magama ayosebenza njengoba asebenza ezincekwini zikaNkulunkulu ezikhathini ezidlule: “Akusikho okwenu ukulwa kule mpi; zihleleni, nime, nibone ukunisindisa kukaJehova.”—2 IziKronike 20:17.

19. Yiliphi ilungelo abafowabo bakaKristu abangokomoya abazolithola ngokushesha?

¹⁹ Yeka ukunqotshwa okuphelele kukaSathane nenhlangano yakhe! Abafowabo bakaKristu abakhazinyulisiwe bayoba nengxenye ekunqobeni ngendlela enamandla ngenxa yokulunga, ngokuvumelana nesithembiso esithi: “Ngakolwakhe uhlangothi, uNkulunkulu onika ukuthula uzomchoboza ngokushesha uSathane ngaphansi kwezinyawo zenu.” (Roma 16:20) Isikhathi sokuthula osekukudala silindiwe sesiseduze.

20. Ngokushesha kuzoba yisikhathi sani?

²⁰ Yeka ukuthi kubusiseke kangakanani ukuphila kwabo bonke abasemhlabeni abayosinda kulokhu kubonakaliswa okukhulu kwamandla kaJehova! Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho abesilisa nabesifazane abathembekile basendulo okuyobe sekufike isikhathi sabo esimisiwe sokuvuswa bayohlanganyela nabo. UkuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane kuyoba yiso ngempela ‘isikhathi sokutshala, isikhathi sokuphilisa, isikhathi sokwakha, isikhathi sokuhlela, isikhathi sokusina, isikhathi sokugona nesikhathi sokuthanda.’ Yebo, kuyoba ‘yisikhathi sokuthula’ unomphela!—UmShumayeli 3:1-8; IHubo 29:11; 37:11; 72:7.

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

◻ Siyini isisekelo sokuthula okuhlala njalo?

◻ Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova bebheka isikhathi samanje ‘njengesiyisikhathi sempi’?

◻ Kunini lapho abantu bakaNkulunkulu kufanele ‘bakhulume’ khona, futhi kunini lapho kufanele ‘bathule’?

◻ Siyophela nini futhi kanjani isikhathi sokuthula kukaJehova?

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 13]

UJehova Unesikhathi Esimisiwe

◻ sokudonsa uGogi ukuze ahlasele abantu bakaNkulunkulu.—Hezekeli 38:3, 4, 10-12

◻ sokukufaka ezinhliziyweni zababusi abangabantu ukubhubhisa iBabiloni Elikhulu.—IsAmbulo 17:15-17; 19:2

◻ sokwenza umshado weWundlu.—IsAmbulo 19:6, 7

◻ sokuletha impi ye-Armagedoni.—IsAmbulo 19:11-16, 19-21

◻ sokubopha uSathane ukuze kuqale ukuBusa KukaJesu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane.—IsAmbulo 20:1-3

Lezi zenzakalo zimane zabekwa ngohlu ezilandelana ngazo lapho zishiwo eBhayibhelini. Singaqiniseka ukuthi zonhlanu ziyokwenzeka ngokulandelana okunqunywe nguJehova futhi ngaso kanye isikhathi asinqumile.

[Izithombe ekhasini 15]

Ukubusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane kuyoba yiso ngempela isikhathi . . .

sokuhleka . . .

sokugona . . .

sokuthanda . . .

sokutshala . . .

sokusina . . .

sokwakha . . .