“Ningesabi Noma Nethuke”
“Ningesabi noma nethuke. . . . UJehova uzoba nani.”—2 IZIKRONIKE 20:17.
1. Ubuphekula bunaliphi ithonya kubantu, futhi kungani ukwesaba kwabo kuqondakala?
UBUPHEKULA! Igama nje ngokwalo lishayisa uvalo, lakhe imizwa yokungalondeki nokungabi nalusizo. Libangela imizwelo ehlukahlukene yokwesaba, usizi, nentukuthelo. Lichaza lokho abaningi abanovalo lokuthi kusazoqhubeka kuhlupha isintu iminyaka eminingi. Ukuthi amazwe athile asenamashumi eminyaka elwa nobuphekula obunhlobonhlobo kodwa engaphumeleli kuyaphi kwenza kuqondakale lokho kwesaba.
2. OFakazi BakaJehova bayibheka kanjani inkinga yobuphekula, okuholela kumiphi imibuzo?
2 Nokho, sikhona isizathu sangempela sethemba. OFakazi BakaJehova, abashumayela ngenkuthalo emazweni omhlaba angu-234, banethemba lokuhle ngokuphawulekayo. Kunokuba besabe ukuthi ubuphekula abusoze baqedwa, bayaqiniseka ukuthi buzoqedwa—maduze nje. Ingabe kuwukubhekana namaqiniso ukuba nethemba lokuhle njengabo? Ubani oyoke akwazi ukususa lolu hlupho emhlabeni, futhi kungenzeka kanjani? Njengoba cishe sonke siye sathintwa ubudlova obuthile, kungaba kuhle ukuhlola isisekelo salelo themba lokuhle.
3. Iziphi izimbangela zokwesaba ezikhona, futhi yini eyabikezelwa ngesikhathi sethu?
3 Namuhla, abantu besaba futhi bethuke ngenxa yezizathu ezihlukahlukene. Cabanga ngezinqwaba ezingasakwazi ukuzinakekela ngenxa yokuguga, abantu abawohlozwa izifo ezingelapheki, nemikhaya edonsa kanzima ngokwezomnotho. Eqinisweni, cabanga ngokungaqiniseki kokuphila ngokwako! Ukufa isibhudukane engozini noma enhlekeleleni kungase kubonakale kusiqamekele yonke indawo, kulindele ukushabalalisa yonke into esiyikhonzile. Ukwesaba nokukhathazeka okunjalo, nomuzwa wokungaqiniseki nokudumazeka okuningi, kuye kwenza izikhathi zethu zaba yikho kanye lokho okwachazwa umphostoli uPawulu: “Yazi lokhu, ukuthi ezinsukwini zokugcina kuyofika izikhathi ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo. Ngoba abantu bayokuba abazithandayo, . . . abangenalo uthando lwemvelo, abangafuni sivumelwano, abanyundeli, abangenakho ukuzithiba, abanolaka, abangenalo uthando lokuhle.”—2 Thimothewu 3:1-3.
4. Kunasiphi isici esihle esimweni esingajabulisi esivezwe kweyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:1-3?
4 Nakuba lo mbhalo uveza isimo esingajabulisi, uyaliveza nethemba. Phawula ukuthi izikhathi ezibucayi ziyoba khona “ezinsukwini zokugcina” zesimiso sezinto sikaSathane esibi samanje. Lokhu kusho ukuthi iseduze impumuzo nokuthi lesi simiso esibi sezwe sesizothathelwa isikhundla ukubusa okuphelele koMbuso kaNkulunkulu, uJesu afundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bawuthandazele. (Mathewu 6:9, 10) Lowo Mbuso unguhulumeni kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini, “ongeke neze uchithwe,” kusho umprofethi uDaniyeli, kodwa “[oyochoboza] uqede yonke le mibuso [yabantu], wona uqobo ume kuze kube nini nanini.”—Daniyeli 2:44.
Umehluko Phakathi Kokungathathi-hlangothi KobuKristu Nobuphekula
5. Izizwe ziye zasabela kanjani osongweni lobuphekula muva nje?
5 Sekungamashumi eminyaka ubuphekula bubulala izinkulungwane zabantu. Umhlaba wonke wayiqaphela nakakhulu le ngozi ngemva kokuhlasela kwaseNew York City naseWashington, D.C., ngo-September 11, 2001. Ngenxa yobukhulu nokusakazeka kobuphekula emhlabeni wonke, izizwe zomhlaba zahlangana ngokushesha ukuze zilwe nabo. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-December 4, 2001, ngokwemibiko yabezindaba, “ongqongqoshe basemazweni angu-55 aseYurophu, awaseNyakatho Melika nawase-Asia Ephakathi bamukela ngazwilinye icebo” eliklanyelwe ukubambisana emizamweni yabo. Isikhulu esivelele sase-United States sasincoma lesi senzo sathi sifaka “ugqozi olusha” emzamweni wokulwa nobuphekula. Kungazelelwe, amakhulu ezigidi zabantu ayesengené shi kulokho i-New York Times Magazine eyakubiza ngokuthi “ukuqala kwempi enkulukazi.” Ukuthi leyo mizamo iyophumelela kangakanani kusazobonakala. Nokho, imiphumela yempi enjalo elwa nobuphekula iye yabangela imizwa yokwesaba kwabaningi, kodwa hhayi kulabo abathembela kuJehova.
6. (a) Kungani ngezinye izikhathi abanye bengase bakuthole kunzima ukuqonda ukungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu koFakazi BakaJehova? (b) Isiphi isibonelo uJesu asibekela abalandeli bakhe mayelana nokuhileleka kwezombusazwe?
6 OFakazi BakaJehova baziwa kakhulu ngokungathathi-hlangothi kwabo kwezombusazwe. Nakuba iningi labantu lingase livume ukungachemi ngezikhathi zokuthula, liphelelwa ukubekezela lapho kuvela izimo ezingavamile. Ngokuvamile, ukwesaba nokungaqiniseki okubangelwa impi kwakha imizwa enamandla yokushisekela izwe. Lokhu kungenza kube nzima kwabanye ukuqonda ukuthi kungani umuntu enganqaba ukusekela imikhankaso yesizwe ethandwayo. Nokho, amaKristu eqiniso ayazi ukuthi kumelwe alalele umyalo kaJesu wokuthi ‘angabi ingxenye yezwe.’ (Johane 15:19; 17:14-16; 18:36; Jakobe 4:4) Lokhu kudinga ukuba ahlale engathathi hlangothi ezindabeni zombusazwe nakwezenhlalo. UJesu uqobo wabeka isibonelo esifanele. Wayengaba neqhaza elihle kakhulu ezindabeni zabantu zosuku lwakhe, kwazise wayenokuhlakanipha okuphelele namakhono avelele. Kodwa, wakugwema ukuzifaka kwezombusazwe. Ekuqaleni kwenkonzo yakhe, wala waphetha lapho uSathane emthembisa ukumnika imibuso yezwe. Kamuva, wakugwema ngokucacile ukukhethelwa isikhundla sezombusazwe.—Mathewu 4:8-10; Johane 6:14, 15.
7, 8. (a) Ukungathathi-hlangothi koFakazi BakaJehova akusho ukuthini, futhi ngani? (b) AmaRoma 13:1, 2 akwenqabela kanjani ukuhlanganyela ezenzweni zobudlova zokulwa nohulumeni?
7 Ukungathathi-hlangothi koFakazi BakaJehova akufanele kuqondwe kabi njengokungathi kusho ukuthi bayazisekela noma bazishalazele izenzo zobudlova. Uma bebengenza kanjalo, bekuyophambana nokusho kwabo ukuthi bayizinceku ‘zikaNkulunkulu wothando nokuthula.’ (2 Korinte 13:11) Baye bafunda ukuthi uJehova uzizwa kanjani ngobudlova. Umhubi wabhala: “UJehova ngokwakhe uhlola olungile kanye nomubi, futhi ngokuqinisekile umphefumulo wakhe uyamzonda umuntu othanda ubudlova.” (IHubo 11:5) Bayakwazi nalokho uJesu akusho kumphostoli uPetru: “Buyisela inkemba yakho endaweni yayo, ngoba bonke abaphatha inkemba bayobhubha ngenkemba.”—Mathewu 26:52.
8 Nakuba umlando ubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi amaKristu-mbumbulu aye ayisebenzisa kaningi “inkemba,” akunjalo ngoFakazi BakaJehova. Abazihileli nhlobo ezenzweni ezinjalo. OFakazi bawulalela ngokwethembeka umyalo wamaRoma 13:1, 2: “Yonke imiphefumulo mayizithobe emagunyeni aphakeme [ababusi abangohulumeni], ngoba akukho gunya elikhona kungengoNkulunkulu; amagunya akhona ami ezikhundleni zawo ezilinganiselwe ebekwe nguNkulunkulu. Ngakho-ke lowo ophikisa igunya umelene nohlelo lukaNkulunkulu; labo abamelana nalo bayokwamukela isahlulelo.”
9. Iziphi izindlela ezimbili oFakazi BakaJehova abalwa ngazo nobuphekula?
9 Nokho, njengoba ubuphekula bububi kangaka, akufanele yini ukuba ngabe oFakazi BakaJehova benza okuthile ukuze basize ekulweni nabo? Yebo kufanele, futhi bayakwenza. Okokuqala, bona ngokwabo abahlanganyeli ezenzweni ezinjalo. Okwesibili, bafundisa abantu izimiso zobuKristu okuthi uma zilandelwa ziqede ubudlova bazo zonke izinhlobo.a Ngonyaka odlule, oFakazi bachitha amahora angu-1 202 381 302 besiza abantu ukuba bafunde le ndlela yobuKristu. Lesi sikhathi asilahlwanga, ngoba ngenxa yalo msebenzi, kwabhapathizwa abantu abangu-265 469 njengoFakazi BakaJehova, kanjalo bebonisa obala ukuthi babulahla ngokuphelele ubudlova.
10. Angakanani amathuba okuba ubudlova buqedwe ezweni lanamuhla?
10 Ngaphezu kwalokho, oFakazi BakaJehova bayaqaphela ukuthi bona bebodwa abasoze babuqeda ububi emhlabeni. Yingakho bethembela ngokuphelele kulowo ongabuqeda—uJehova uNkulunkulu. (IHubo 83:18) Naphezu kwemizamo eqotho, abantu abanakubuqeda ubudlova. Umlobi weBhayibheli ophefumulelwe uyasixwayisa ngezikhathi zethu, ‘izinsuku zokugcina,’ ethi: “Abantu ababi nabakhohlisi bayoqhubeka besuka kokubi baye kokubi kakhulu, bedukisa futhi bedukiswa.” (2 Thimothewu 3:1, 13) Uma kubhekwa ngalo mbono, mancane kakhulu amathuba okuba abantu bayinqobe impi yokulwa nobubi. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, singathembela kuJehova ukuba asuse ubudlova ngokuphelele, unomphela.—IHubo 37:1, 2, 9-11; IzAga 24:19, 20; Isaya 60:18.
Ukuba Nesibindi Naphezu Kokuhlasela Okuseduze
11. Iziphi izinyathelo zokuqeda ubudlova uJehova asezithathile kakade?
11 Njengoba uNkulunkulu wokuthula ebuzonda ubudlova, singaqonda ukuthi kungani eye wathatha izinyathelo zokubhubhisa umnyombo wabo, uSathane uDeveli. Empeleni, usemnqobile kakade uSathane ngendlela emehlisayo ngengelosi enkulu uMikayeli—iNkosi kaNkulunkulu esanda kubekwa esihlalweni sobukhosi, uKristu Jesu. IBhayibheli likuchaza kanje: “Kwagqashuka impi ezulwini: UMikayeli nezingelosi zakhe balwa nodrako, nodrako nezingelosi zakhe balwa kodwa akazange anqobe, nendawo yabo ayibange isatholakala ezulwini. Ngakho waphonswa phansi udrako omkhulu, inyoka yokuqala, lowo obizwa ngokuthi uDeveli noSathane, odukisa umhlaba wonke owakhiwe; waphonswa phansi emhlabeni, nezingelosi zakhe zaphonswa phansi kanye naye.”—IsAmbulo 12:7-9.
12, 13. (a) Yini ephawulekayo ngonyaka ka-1914? (b) Isiprofetho sikaHezekeli sibikezelani ngalabo abasekela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu?
12 Izenzakalo zezwe nokubalwa kwezikhathi ngokweBhayibheli kokubili kukhomba unyaka ka-1914 njengesikhathi lapho kwalwiwa khona leyo mpi ezulwini. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, izimo zezwe bezilokhu ziya ziba zimbi. IsAmbulo 12:12 siyachaza ukuthi kungani, sithi: “Ngenxa yalokhu, thokozani nina mazulu nani enihlala kuwo! Mayé ngomhlaba nangolwandle, ngoba uDeveli wehlele kini, ethukuthele kakhulu, azi ukuthi unesikhathi esifushane.”
13 Ngokuqondakalayo, intukuthelo kaDeveli ibibhekiswe ngokuyinhloko kubakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu abagcotshiwe nabangane babo ‘abangezinye izimvu.’ (Johane 10:16; IsAmbulo 12:17) Maduze lokhu kuphikiswa kuzofinyelela umvuthwandaba lapho uDeveli ehlasela bonke abasekela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu omisiwe futhi abathembela kuwo. KuHezekeli isahluko 38 lokhu kuhlasela kokuzidela amathambo kubizwa ngokuthi ukuhlasela ‘kukaGogi wezwe lakwaMagogi.’
14. Imiphi imizamo eye yavikela oFakazi BakaJehova esikhathini esidlule, futhi ingabe kuyoqhubeka kunjalo?
14 Kusukela uSathane axoshwa ezulwini, ngezinye izikhathi abantu bakaNkulunkulu baye bavikeleka ekuhlaseleni kukaSathane ngenxa yemizamo yabathile kwezombusazwe, abachazwe ngolimi olungokomfanekiso kusAmbulo 12:15, 16. Ngokuphambene, iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi phakathi nokuhlasela kukaSathane kokugcina, akukho manxusa angabantu ayovikela labo abathembela kuJehova. Ingabe lokhu kufanele kwenze amaKristu esabe noma ethuke? Lutho neze!
15, 16. (a) Amazwi kaJehova okuqinisekisa abantu bakhe ezinsukwini zikaJehoshafati anikeza siphi isizathu sethemba lokuhle kumaKristu namuhla? (b) Isiphi isibonelo uJehoshafati nabantu abasibekela izinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla?
15 UNkulunkulu uyobasekela abantu bakhe njengoba nje asekela isizwe sakhe esiwumfuziselo ezinsukwini zeNkosi uJehoshafati. Siyafunda: “Lalela, wena Juda wonke nani abakhileyo eJerusalema nawe Nkosi Jehoshafati! Yilokhu uJehova akushilo kini, ‘Ningesabi noma nethuke ngenxa yalesi sixuku esikhulu; ngoba impi akuyona eyenu, kodwa ngekaNkulunkulu. . . . Ngeke kudingeke ukuba nina nilwe kulokhu. Yimani ezindaweni zenu, yimani futhi nibone insindiso uJehova anenzela yona. O Juda nawe Jerusalema, ningesabi noma nethuke. Kusasa phumani nimelane naso, uJehova uzoba nani.’”—2 IziKronike 20:15-17.
16 Abantu bakwaJuda baqinisekiswa ukuthi kwakungeke kudingeke balwe. Ngokufanayo, lapho abantu bakaNkulunkulu behlaselwa uGogi wakwaMagogi, ngeke bathathe izikhali bazivikele. Kunalokho, ‘bayokuma futhi babone insindiso uJehova abenzela yona.’ Yebo, ukuma akusho ukungenzi lutho nhlobo, njengoba nje nabantu bakaNkulunkulu ezinsukwini zikaJehoshafati bengahlalanga bangenza lutho nhlobo. Siyafunda: “Khona manjalo uJehoshafati wakhothama ubuso bakhe bubheke phansi, futhi wonke uJuda nabakhileyo eJerusalema ngokwabo bawa phansi phambi kukaJehova ukuze bakhothamele uJehova. . . . Ngaphezu kwalokho, [uJehoshafati] wacebisana nabantu futhi wamisa abahlabeleli abahlabelelela uJehova nalabo abanikela indumiso behlobe ngezingcwele njengoba bephuma phambi kwamadoda ahlomile, bethi: ‘Dumisani uJehova, ngoba umusa wakhe wothando umi kuze kube nini nanini.’” (2 IziKronike 20:18-21) Yebo, ngisho nalapho bebhekene nokuhlasela kwesitha, abantu baqhubeka bedumisa uJehova ngenkuthalo. Lokhu kubekela oFakazi BakaJehova isibonelo okufanele basilandele lapho uGogi ebahlasela.
17, 18. (a) Isiphi isimo sengqondo esihle oFakazi BakaJehova abanaso namuhla ngokuhlasela kukaGogi? (b) Yini intsha engamaKristu esanda kukhunjuzwa yona?
17 OFakazi BakaJehova bazoqhubeka besekela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuze kube yileso sikhathi—ngisho nangemva kokuqala kokuhlasela kukaGogi. Bazoqhubeka bethola amandla nesivikelo ngokuzihlanganisa namabandla angaphezu kuka-94 600 emhlabeni wonke. (Isaya 26:20) Yeka ithuba elihle lokudumisa uJehova ngesibindi! Cha, ukuhlala belindele ukuhlasela kukaGogi okuseduze akubenzi bakhonkobale ngokwesaba. Kunalokho, kubashukumisela ukuba bandise umhlatshelo wabo wokudumisa ngezinga abangenza ngalo.—IHubo 146:2.
18 Lesi simo sengqondo esihle siboniswa kahle yizinkulungwane zentsha eye yangenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele emhlabeni wonke. Ukuze kugcizelelwe inzuzo yokukhetha inkambo enjalo yokuphila, emihlanganweni yesigodi ka-2002 kwakhululwa ipheshana elithi Basha—Niyokwenzani Ngokuphila Kwenu? AmaKristu, amancane namadala, ayabonga ngezikhumbuzo ezinjalo ezifika ngesikhathi.—IHubo 119:14, 24, 99, 119, 129, 146.
19, 20. (a) Kungani amaKristu kungadingeki esabe noma ethuke? (b) Isihloko esilandelayo sizokwenzani?
19 Naphezu kwezimo zezwe, amaKristu akudingeki esabe noma ethuke. Ayazi ukuthi maduze uMbuso kaJehova uzozisusa unomphela zonke izinhlobo zobudlova. Kuyawaduduza nokwazi ukuthi uvuko luyobuyisela ekuphileni abaningi abaye bafa ngobudlova. Nakuba lokhu kuyonika abanye ithuba lokuqala lokufunda ngoJehova, abanye kuyobenza bakwazi ukuqhubeka nenkambo yabo yokumkhonza ngokuzinikela .—IzEnzo 24:15.
20 NjengamaKristu eqiniso, siyasiqonda isidingo sokulondoloza ukungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu futhi sizimisele ukwenza kanjalo. Sifuna ukubambelela ethembeni elimangalisayo lokukwazi ‘ukuma futhi sibone insindiso kaJehova.’ Isihloko esilandelayo sizoqinisa ukholo lwethu ngokusenza siqaphele izenzakalo zanamuhla eziya zinikeza ubufakazi obengeziwe bokugcwaliseka kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Ukuze uthole izibonelo zabantu abashiya ukuphila kobudlova ukuze babe oFakazi, bheka i-Phaphama! ka-March 22, 1990, ikhasi 21 neka-August 8, 1991, ikhasi 18; ne-Nqabayokulinda ka-January 1, 1996, ikhasi 5 neka-August 1, 1998, ikhasi 5.
Ungachaza?
• Kungani abantu abaningi namuhla bengenathemba lokuhle?
• Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova bebona ikusasa lilihle?
• Yini uJehova aseyenzile kakade ngembangela yabo bonke ubudlova?
• Kungani kungekho sizathu sokuba sesabe ukuhlasela kukaGogi?
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
UJesu wabeka isibonelo esifanele sokungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu
[Izithombe ekhasini 16]
Izinkulungwane zoFakazi abasebasha ziye zangenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ngenjabulo
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 12]
UN PHOTO 186226/M. Grafman