Singahlala Njani ‘Silindile’?

 1. Kungani singacina siphelelwe yisineke?

LAPHO uMbuso kaMesiya usungulwa ngo-1914 izinsuku zokucina zomumo wezinto obuswa nguSathane zaqalisa. Ngemva kwempi eyayisezulwini, uJesu waphosela uDeveli lamadimoni akhe emhlabeni. (Bala iSambulo 12:7-9.) USathane uyakwazi ukuthi usesalelwe ‘yisikhathi esifitshane.’ (Isam. 12:12) Lanxa kunjalo, “isikhathi” leso sesidonse okweminyaka ephose ifike-100 njalo abanye bangacabanga ukuthi izinsuku zokucina azisapheli. Usuphelelwa yisineke sokulinda yini njengoba ulindele ukuthi uJehova athathe inyathelo?

 2. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

² Ukuphelelwa yisineke kungaba yingozi kakhulu, ngoba kungabangela ukuthi senze izinto ngamawala. Singahlala njani silindile? Isihloko lesi sizasinceda ukuthi sihlale silindile ngokuphendula imibuzo elandelayo: (1) Singafundani kuMikha mayelana lesineke? (2) Yiziphi izehlakalo ezizatshengisa ukuthi ukulinda kwethu sokufika emaphethelweni? (3) Singakutshengisa njani ukuthi siyambonga uJehova ngokubekezela kwakhe?

 3. Ngesikhathi sikaMikha wawunjani umumo wezinto ko-Israyeli?

³ Bala uMikha 7:2-6. Umphrofethi kaJehova uMikha wabona ukuthi abako-Israyeli babengasakhonzi kuhle, njalo lokhu kwaba kubi kakhulu ngesikhathi kubusa iNkosi embi u-Ahazi. UMikha wafanisa abako-Israyeli ababengathembekanga ‘lesihlahla sameva’ kanye ‘lothango lwameva’. Njengoba isihlahla sameva kanye lothango lwameva kulimaza umuntu okuthintayo, abako-Israyeli ababengathembekanga babelimaza loba ngubani owayelobudlelwano labo. Ukungathembeki lokhu kwamemetheka kakhulu, kwacina kudiliza lobudlelwano bezimuli. UMikha wananzelela ukuthi akulanto ayengayenza ngesimo lesi wasethandaza evulela uJehova isifuba sakhe. Ngemva kwalokho walindela ngesineke ukuthi uNkulunkulu athathe inyathelo. Kazange athandabuze ukuthi uJehova wayezangenela ngesikhathi sakhe.

 4. Yibuphi ubunzima obusehlelayo?

⁴ Lathi njengoMikha siphila labantu abangelandaba labanye. Abanengi ‘ababongi, [“abathembekanga,” NW] abalathando.’ (2 Tim. 3:2, 3) Kuyasidanisa kakhulu ukubona esisebenza labo, esifunda labo esikolo kanye labomakhelwane bengelandaba lokuthi kwenzakalani komunye umuntu. Kodwa ezinye izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu zisebunzimeni obedlula lapho. UJesu wathi abalandeli bakhe babezaphikiswa yizimuli zabo njalo wasebenzisa amazwi ahambelana lakuMikha 7:6 ukuze achaze ukuthi umlayezo wakhe wawuzabathinta njani labo ababezawamukela. Wathi: “Ngize ukuxabanisa ‘indoda loyise, indodakazi lonina umalukazana loninazala​—izitha zomuntu zizakuba ngabendlu yakhe.’” (Mat. 10:35, 36) Kunzima kakhulu ukubekezelela ukuphikiswa lokwenziwa inhlekisa ngamalunga emuli yethu angakhonzi lathi. Nxa silingwa ngendlela le akumelanga sivume ukuthi lokhu kusiwise. Kodwa-ke asihlaleni sithembekile njalo silindele uJehova ngesineke ukuthi alungise izinto ezisihluphayo. Uma siqhubeka sicela usizo lwakhe uzasinika amandla lokuhlakanipha esikudingayo ukuze siqinisele.

5, 6. UJehova wambusisa njani uMikha, kodwa kuyini uMikha angakubonanga?

⁵ UJehova wabusisa uMikha ngenxa yesineke sakhe. Wabona ukuphela koMbuso weNkosi embi u-Ahazi kanye lokufa kwayo. Waphinda wabona lendodana ka-Ahazi, uHezekhiya owaba yiNkosi enhle, ihlala esihlalweni sobukhosi njalo ibuyisela ukukhonza kweqiniso. Kanti njalo umlayezo owamenyezelwa nguMikha mayelana lesigwebo sikaJehova esiphathelane leSamariya wagcwaliseka ngesikhathi abase-Asiriya behlasela uMbuso wako-Israyeli owawusenyakatho.​—Mik. 1:6.

⁶ Lanxa kunjalo kulokunye uMikha angazange akubone kugcwaliseka phakathi kwalokho uJehova amphefumulela ukuthi akuphrofethe. Ngokwesibonelo uMikha wabhala wathi: “Ngezinsuku zokucina intaba yethempeli likaJehova izamiswa njengenhloko phakathi kwezintaba; izaphakanyiselwa phezu kwezintaba njalo izizwe zizathululeka kuyo. Izizwe ezinengi zizafika zithi, ‘Wozani sikhwele entabeni kaJehova.’” (Mik. 4:1, 2) UMikha wayesefile kudala ngesikhathi isiphrofetho lesi sigcwaliseka. Loba kunjalo wayezimisele ukuhlala ethembekile kuJehova waze wafa, kungelani lokuthi abantu ayehlala labo babesenzani. Ekhuluma ngalokhu, uMikha wabhala ukuthi: “Zonke izizwe zingahamba ebizweni labonkulunkulu bazo; thina sizahamba ebizweni likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube laphakade.” (Mik. 4:5) UMikha walinda ngesineke ezikhathini ezinzima ngenxa yokuthi wayengathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova wayezazigcwalisa zonke izinto ayezithembisile. Umphrofethi lo othembekileyo wamthemba uJehova.

7, 8. (a) Kungani kumele sithembe uJehova? (b) Kuyini okuzakwenza ukuthi singaboni ukuthi isikhathi esiseleyo siphele nini?

⁷ Lathi siyamthemba yini uJehova? Silaso sibili isizatho sokumthemba. Sesazibonela ngawethu ukugcwaliseka kwesiphrofetho sikaMikha. Ngesikhathi ‘sezinsuku zokucina,’ izigidi zabavela emazweni wonke kanye lasezizwaneni lezindimini ziyathululeka zisiza ‘entabeni yethempeli likaJehova.’ Lanxa izikhonzi lezi zivela emazweni alwisanayo, sezikhande ‘izinkemba zazo zaba yimilomo yamakhuba’ njalo ‘azisafundeli ukulwa impi futhi.’ (Mik. 4:3) Kuyisibusiso esihle kakhulu ukuba ngomunye wabantu bakaJehova abalokuthula.

⁸ Kuliqiniso ukuthi siyafuna ukuthi uJehova awutshabalalise masinya umumo lo wezinto omubi. Kodwa nxa sifuna ukulinda ngesineke kumele sikhangele izinto ngombono kaJehova. Usemise ilanga azakwahlulela ngalo abantu esebenzisa ‘umuntu ammisileyo,’uJesu Khristu. (ImiSeb. 17:31) Kodwa engakenzi lokhu, uNkulunkulu unika yonke imihlobo yabantu ithuba lokuthi “balazi iqiniso” ukuze baphile ngalo njalo basindiswe. Ukuphila kwabantu okuligugu kusengozini. (Bala u-1 Thimothi 2:3, 4.) Uma sisebenza gadalala ukuze sincede abanye ukuthi balazi iqiniso ngoNkulunkulu, asisoze sibone ukuthi isikhathi esiseleyo sokwahlulela kukaJehova okuzayo siphele nini, sizaphela ngokuphazima kwelihlo nje. Sizathokoza kakhulu nxa ukuphela kufika ngenxa yokuthi sizabe sisebenze ngenhliziyo yonke ekutshumayeleni ngoMbuso.

9-11. U-1 Thesalonika 5:⁠3 usegcwalisekile yini? Chaza.

⁹ Bala u-1 Thesalonika 5:1-3. Esikhathini esiseduze, izizwe zizamemeza zisithi: “Ukuthula lokuvikeleka.” Kumele ‘siphaphame njalo sizithibe’ ukuze singajunywa yisimemezelo lesi. (1 Thes. 5:6) Okungasinceda ukuthi sihlale siphapheme ekukhonzeni yikuhlola izehlakalo ezisidonsela kulesi simemezelo esiqakathekileyo.

¹⁰ Ngemva kokuphela kwezimpi zomhlaba ezimbili, amazwe amemezela ukuthi kube lokuthula. Ngemva kwempi yomhlaba yokuqala kwabunjwa iNhlanganiso Yamazwe okuthiwa yi-League of Nations kuhloswe ukuthi izaletha ukuthula. Kanti njalo ngemva kwempi yomhlaba yesibili kwabunjwa iNhlanganiso Yomanyano Wamazwe Omhlaba, i-United Nations njalo uwonkewonke wayethemba ukuthi izaletha ukuthula emhlabeni. Ohulumende kanye labakhokheli bamasonto lokhu belindele ngabomvu, ukuthi izinhlanganiso lezi zilethe ukuthula ebantwini. Ngokwesibonelo ngo-1986 i-United Nations yamisa uMnyaka Wokuthula Emhlabeni Wonke. Ngomnyaka lowo inkokheli zamazwe amanengi lezamasonto zamanyana loMkhulu weSonto lamaKatolika e-Assisi, elizweni lase-Italy ukuze kwenziwe imithandazo yokuthula.

¹¹ Kodwa ukumenyezelwa kokuthula lokuvikeleka kanye labakutshotshozelayo akukasigcwalisi isiphrofetho esibhalwe ku-1 Thesalonika 5:3. Ngani? Ngenxa yokuthi ‘incithakalo ezabehlela ngokujuma’ eyabikezelwayo ayikafiki.

12. Kuyini esikwaziyo mayelana lesimemezelo ‘sokuthula lokuvikeleka’?

¹² Ngubani ozakwenza isimemezelo lesi esiqakathekileyo esisilindeleyo esithi: “Ukuthula lokuvikeleka”? Endabeni le kuyini okuzakwenziwa zinkokheli zamasonto azithi ngawesiKhristu kanye lenkokheli zezinye izinkolo? Kanti njalo ohulumende abatshiyeneyo bazangena njani esimemezelweni lesi? IMibhalo ayitsho lutho ngalokhu. Esikwaziyo yikuthi loba yikuphi ukumemeza okuzakwenziwa, kungaze kuzwakale angani kuliqiniso, konke akuyindawo kuzabe kuyisiphamaso. Umumo lo omdala wezinto uzaqhubeka ubuswa nguSathane. Uzifananela lesithelo esibolileyo phakathi futhi uzahlala unjalo. Kungaba buhlungu nxa omunye wethu engathatheka ngezinkulumo zikaSathane ezikhohlisayo njalo acine esengenela kwezombusazwe.

13. Kungani izingilosi zilokhu zibambe imimoya etshabalalisayo?

¹³ Bala iSambulo 7:1-4. Njengoba silindele ukugcwaliseka kuka-1 Thesalonika 5:3, izingilosi ezilamandla zibambe imimoya yokuhlupheka okukhulu etshabalalisayo. Zimeleleni? Zimelele esinye isehlakalo esiqakathekileyo esichazwa ngumphostoli uJohane. Isehlakalo lesi yikubekwa uphawu kokucina ‘kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu wethu’ ezigcotshiweyo.a Nxa kuphela nje ukubekwa uphawu lokhu, izingilosi zizavumela imimoya etshabalalisayo ivunguze. Kuyini okuzalandela ngemva kwalokhu?

14. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi ukuchithwa kweBhabhiloni eNkulu sokuseduze?

¹⁴ IBhabhiloni eNkulu, umbuso wokukhonza kwamanga emhlabeni wonke izathola lokho okuyifaneleyo, okutsho ukuthi izabhujiswa. ‘Abantu bemihlobo yonke, amaxuku, lezizwe kanye lezindimi,’ abasoze benelise ukuyisekela. Kuvele sokuzikhanyela ukuthi ukuchithwa kwayo sokuseduze. (Isam. 16:12; 17:15-18; 18:7, 8, 21) Okuliqiniso yikuthi ukungasekelwa lokhu sokuzikhanyela endleleni okuchothozwa ngayo amasonto lenkokheli zawo kokuphela embikweni yezindaba. Lanxa kunjalo inkokheli zeBhabhiloni eNkulu zicabanga ukuthi azikho engozini. Lokhu yikuzikhohlisa sibili! Ngemva kokumenyezelwa ‘kokuthula lokuvikeleka,’ inhlanganiso zezombusazwe zikaSathane zizayisukela inkolo yamanga ziyitshabalalise yonke. Ngeke siphinde siyithi tshazi iBhabhiloni eNkulu! Ngeqiniso ayisikho kudlalisa isikhathi ukulindela ngesineke izehlakalo lezi eziqakathekileyo.​—Isam. 18:8, 10.

15. Kungani uJehova engakathathi inyathelo?

¹⁵ Lanxa abantu belokhu belihlambalaza ibizo lakhe, uJehova uyabekezela ukuze athathe inyathelo ngesikhathi esiyiso. UJehova kafuni ukuthi loba ngubani olenhliziyo eqotho atshabalaliswe. (2 Phet. 3:9, 10) Lathi silombono onjalo yini? Usuku lukaJehova lungakafiki singasebenzisa izindlela ezilandelayo ukuze sitshengise ukuthi siyambonga ngokubekezela kwakhe.

16, 17. (a) Kungani kumele sibe lesifiso sokunceda labo abangasafezi inkonzo? (b) Kungani kumele abangasafezi inkonzo babuyele kuJehova masinya?

¹⁶ Nceda labo abangasafezi inkonzo. UJesu wathi kuba lokuthokoza ezulwini nxa imvu eyodwa elahlekileyo itholakala. (Mat. 18:14; Luk. 15:3-7) Kuliqiniso ukuthi uJehova ubakhathalela ngokujulileyo labo abake batshengisa ukuthi bayalithanda ibizo lakhe lanxa okwakhathesi bengasamkhonzi ngendlela ayikhangeleleyo. Uma sincedisa abantu laba ukuthi baphenduke ebandleni, senza ukuthi uJehova kanye lezingilosi bathokoze.

¹⁷ Ungomunye walabo abangasafezi inkonzo yabo kuNkulunkulu yini? Engxenye omunye ebandleni wakugwenxa njalo wacina usuzehlukanisa lenhlanganiso kaJehova. Kungabe sokulesikhathi eside kwenzakala, ngakho zibuze ukuthi: ‘Ukuphila kwami sokungcono yini njalo ngiyathokoza ukwedlula kuqala? Ngaxabana loJehova yini kumbe lomunye wabantu abalesono? Ikhona yini into embi uJehova uNkulunkulu ake angenzela yona?’ Esikwaziyo yikuthi uhlala esenzela okuhle. Uyasivumela ukuthi sizithokozise ngezinto ezinhle aqhubeka esenzela zona, lanxa khathesi siphila impilo engahambelani lalokho esakuthembisayo ngesikhathi sizinikela kuye. (Jak. 1:16, 17) Masinya nje usuku lukaJehova luzafika. Lesi yisikhathi sokubuyela engalweni zikaBaba wethu osithandayo osezulwini kanye lasebandleni, eliyiyo yodwa indawo evikelekileyo ezinsukwini lezi zokucina.​—Dute. 33:27; Heb. 10:24, 25.

18. Kungani kumele sisekele abakhokhelayo?

¹⁸ Basekele ngenhliziyo yonke abakhokhelayo. NjengoMalusi osithandayo uJehova uyasiqondisa njalo asivikele. Ukhethe iNdodana yakhe ukuthi ibe nguMalusi oMkhulu womhlambi. (1 Phet. 5:4) Abadala emabandleni adlula-100 000 belusa yinye ngayinye yezimvu zikaNkulunkulu. (ImiSeb. 20:28) Nxa sibasekela ngenhliziyo yonke labo abakhethwe ukuthi bakhokhele sizabe sitshengisa ukuthi sibonga uJehova loJesu ngakho konke asebesenzele khona.

19. Kuyini okungasenza sisondelelane?

¹⁹ Bambanani. Kutshoni lokhu? Nxa amasotsha aqeqetshwe kuhle ehlaselwa yisitha ayasondelelana. Ngokwenza lokhu ayabe evala avitshe yonke indawo ukuze azivikele. Ukuhlasela kukaSathane sokuvutha kakhulu ebantwini bakaNkulunkulu. Lesi kayisiso sikhathi sokuthi sibe sikhangelelana emanzini. Yisikhathi sokuthi sisondelelane sikhohlwe ngokuphambanisa kwabanye njalo sitshengise ukuthi siyakuthemba ukukhokhela kukaJehova.

20. Kuyini okumele sikwenze khathesi?

²⁰ Sonke asihlaleni silindile njalo siphapheme ekukhonzeni. Silindele ngokubekezela isimemezelo ‘Sokuthula lokuvikeleka’ kanye lokubekwa uphawu kokucina kwabakhethiweyo. Ngemva kwalokho izingilosi ezine zizavumela imimoya etshabalalisayo ivunguze njalo ichithe iBhabhiloni eNkulu. Njengoba sisalindele izehlakalo lezi ezizanyikinya umhlaba ukuthi zenzakale, asamukeleni imilayezo esiyithola kulabo abakhethwe ukuthi bakhokhele enhlanganisweni kaJehova. Sisondelelane eduze ukuze uSathane lamadimoni akhe bangangeni. Lesi yisikhathi sokulandela amazwi omhubi owathi: ‘Qinani lime isibindi, lonke lina elithemba kumbe elilindele uJehova.’​—Hubo. 31:24.