Kubaluleke Ngakumbi Ukuba Sihlale Silindile
“Ngoko ke, hlalani nilindile, ngenxa yokuba aniwazi umhla eza ngawo iNkosi yenu.”—MATEYU 24:42.
1, 2. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba siphila kwixesha lesiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto?
“NGAPHEZU kwayo nantoni na enye, inkulungwane yamashumi amabini ibizaliswe ziimfazwe,” utsho njalo umbhali uBill Emmott. Ngoxa evuma ukuba abantu ukutyhubela imbali bebethwaxwa ziimfazwe nalugonyamelo, wongezelela esithi: “Inkulungwane yamashumi amabini ayahlukanga nganto, kuphela nje ihluke ngobukhulu beemfazwe. Ibiyinkulungwane yokuqala eye yanemfazwe echaphazela ihlabathi liphela . . . Yaye, ngokungathi igxininisa le ngongoma, ayikhange nje ibe yimfazwe enye yehlabathi, kodwa ziye zambini.”
2 Iimfazwe ezibandakanya ‘uhlanga oluvukelana nolunye uhlanga nobukumkani obuvukelana nobunye ubukumkani’ zaxelwa kwangaphambili nguYesu Kristu. Noko ke, le yinkalo nje enye ‘yomqondiso wobukho bukaKristu nowokupheliswa kwenkqubo yezinto.’ Kwesi siprofeto sibalulekileyo, uYesu waphinda wakhankanya iindlala, iindyikitya zokufa, neenyikima zomhlaba. (Mateyu 24:3, 7, 8; Luka 21:6, 7, 10, 11) Ngeendlela ezininzi, iintlekele ezinjengezi ziye zaninzi yaye zankulu. Ububi babantu bandile, njengoko bubonakala kwindlela abamjonga ngayo uThixo nomnye umntu. Imilinganiselo yokuziphatha iwohlokile, ulwaphulo-mthetho nobundlobongela bandile. Abantu bathand’ imali kunokuthand’ uThixo, bathe phithi lulonwabo. Konke oku kungqina ukuba siphila ‘kumaxesha amanqam.’—2 Timoti 3:1-5.
3. ‘Imiqondiso yamaxesha’ ifanele isichaphazele njani?
3 Uzijonga njani iimeko eziya zisiba mbi? Bambi abazikhathazi kwaphela ngezinto ezimbi ezenzekayo. Abalawuli nezilumko zeli hlabathi abayiqondi intsingiselo ‘yemiqondiso yamaxesha’; yaye iinkokeli zonqulo aziwuchukumisi nakancinane lo mbandela. (Mateyu 16:1-3) Kodwa uYesu wabayala abalandeli bakhe esithi: “Ngoko ke, hlalani nilindile, ngenxa yokuba aniwazi umhla eza ngawo iNkosi yenu.” (Mateyu 24:42) Apha uYesu akasikhuthazi nje ukuba silinde kodwa uthi ‘masihlale silindile.’ Ukuze sihlale silindile, simele sihlale sithe qwa yaye siphaphile. Oku kuthetha okungaphezulu kokuvuma nje ukuba siphila kwimihla yokugqibela nokuqonda ukuba amaxesha anzima. Simele seyiseke ngokupheleleyo kukuba “ukuphela kwezinto zonke sekusondele.” (1 Petros 4:7) Siya kwandula ke sikubone ukubaluleka kokuhlala silindile. Ngoko ke, sifanele sicingisise nzulu ngombuzo othi: ‘Yintoni eya kusinceda seyiseke ngakumbi kukuba isiphelo sisondele?’
4, 5. (a) Yintoni eya kusenza seyiseke ngakumbi kukuba ukupheliswa kwale nkqubo yezinto engendawo kukufuphi, yaye ngoba? (b) Yintoni enye ofana ngayo umhla kaNowa nobukho boNyana womntu?
4 Khawucinge ngokwakusenzeka ngaphambi kwesona siganeko sibalulekileyo kwimbali yabantu—uNogumbe womhla kaNowa. Abantu babesenza okungendawo kangangokuba “yaba buhlungu intliziyo” kaYehova. Wathi: “Ndiza kubasusa kuthi tu phezu komhlaba abantu endibadalileyo.” (Genesis 6:6, 7) Yaye leyo yinto kanye awayenzayo. Ethelekisa elo xesha nexesha lethu, uYesu wathi: “Kanye njengokuba yayinjalo imihla kaNowa, buya kuba njalo ubukho boNyana womntu.”—Mateyu 24:37.
5 Kusengqiqweni ukucinga ukuba uYehova uvakalelwa ngendlela efanayo ngehlabathi lanamhlanje nelo langaphambi koMkhukula. Ekubeni waliphelisa ihlabathi elingahloneli Thixo lomhla kaNowa, ngokuqinisekileyo uza kulitshabalalisa nehlabathi elingendawo lanamhlanje. Ukuba siyiqonda ngokucacileyo indlela elifana ngayo elo xesha nomhla wethu, oko kuya kusenza seyiseke ngakumbi ukuba isiphelo seli hlabathi sikufuphi. Ngoko ke, elo xesha lifana njani nomhla wethu? Ubuncinane lifana ngezinto ezintlanu. Eyokuqala kukuba kunikelwa isilumkiso sentshabalalo ezayo ngendlela ecacileyo.
Isilumkiso “Sezinto Ezingekabonwa”
6. Yintoni uYehova awazimisela ukuba uza kuyenza ngomhla kaNowa?
6 Ngomhla kaNowa, uYehova wathi: “Umoya wam awusayi kusebenza ngokungenammiselo emntwini ngokuba eyinyama. Ngako oko imihla yakhe iya kuba likhulu elinamashumi amabini eminyaka.” (Genesis 6:3) La mazwi athethwa nguThixo ngowama-2490 B.C.E. aba sisiqalo sokuphela kwelo hlabathi elalingahloneli Thixo. Khawucinge ngoko kwakuthethwa ngala mazwi kwabo babephila ngelo xesha! Kusele iminyaka eli-120 kuphela ngaphambi kokuba uYehova azise “unogumbe wamanzi emhlabeni ukuze onakalise yonke inyama asebenzayo kuyo amandla obomi phantsi kwamazulu.”—Genesis 6:17.
7. (a) Wenza ntoni uNowa emva kokuba efumene isilumkiso soMkhukula? (b) Sifanele senze ntoni emva kokuva izilumkiso zokupheliswa kwale nkqubo?
7 UNowa wafumana isilumkiso sentlekele ezayo kusengamashumi eminyaka ngaphambili, yaye elo xesha walisebenzisa ngobulumko elungiselela ukusinda. Umpostile uPawulos uthi: “Emva kokunikwa isilumkiso sobuthixo sezinto ezingekabonwa, [uNowa] wabonisa uloyiko lobuthixo waza wakha umkhombe wokusindisa indlu yakhe.” (Hebhere 11:7) Kuthekani ngathi? Sekudlule iminyaka enokuba ngama-90 iqalile imihla yokugqibela yale nkqubo yezinto ukususela ngowe-1914. Ngokuqinisekileyo ngoku “lixesha lesiphelo.” (Daniyeli 12:4) Sifanele sizijonge njani izilumkiso esizifumeneyo? IBhayibhile ithi: “Lowo wenza ukuthanda kukaThixo uhleli ngonaphakade.” (1 Yohane 2:17) Ngoko ke, ngoku lixesha lokuba senze ukuthanda kukaYehova ngenzondelelo.
8, 9. Ziziphi izilumkiso ezidluliselwe kumhla wethu, yaye zivakaliswa njani?
8 Namhlanje, abafundi beBhayibhile abanyanisekileyo bafundile kwiZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo ukuba le nkqubo yezinto iza kutshatyalaliswa. Ngaba siyakukholelwa oko? Phawula oko uYesu Kristu wakuthethayo ngokucacileyo: “Kuya kubakho imbandezelo enkulu ekungazange kubekho injengayo ukususela ekuqaleni kwehlabathi de kube ngoku, nekungasayi kubakho injengayo kwakhona.” (Mateyu 24:21) Kwakhona uYesu wathi wayeya kuza njengoMgwebi kaThixo onyuliweyo aze ahlule abantu njengomalusi esahlula izimvu ezibhokhweni. Abo bafunyaniswe bengafanelekanga “baya kumka baye kwintshabalalo engunaphakade, kodwa bona abangamalungisa baye ebomini obungunaphakade.”—Mateyu 25:31-33, 46.
9 UYehova ebesoloko ebakhumbuza abantu bakhe ngokutya kokomoya okufika ngexesha elifanelekileyo nokuvela ‘kwikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.’ (Mateyu 24:45-47) Ngaphezu koko, iintlanga, izizwe, iilwimi nabantu bonke bayalelwa ukuba ‘bamoyike uThixo bamzukise, kuba lifikile ilixa lokugweba kwakhe.’ (ISityhilelo 14:6, 7) Umongo wesigidimi soBukumkani esishunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke ngamaNgqina kaYehova sisilumkiso sokuba uBukumkani bukaThixo kungekudala buya kulushenxisa ulawulo lomntu. (Daniyeli 2:44) Oku asikokubhibhidla nje amazinyo. UThixo uSomandla usoloko ekuzalisekisa oko akuthethileyo. (Isaya 55:10, 11) Wenjenjalo ngomhla kaNowa, yaye uya kwenza okufanayo nakumhla wethu.—2 Petros 3:3-7.
Ukuziphatha Okubi Ngokwesini Kwandile
10. Yintoni enokuthethwa ngokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini komhla kaNowa?
10 Ixesha esiphila kulo liyafana nelomhla kaNowa nangenye indlela. UYehova wayalela indoda nomfazi wokuqala ukuba ‘bazalise umhlaba’ ngabantu, besebenzisa amandla abawanikwe nguThixo esini ngendlela ebekekileyo emtshatweni. (Genesis 1:28) Ngomhla kaNowa, iingelosi ezingathobeliyo zabonakalisa abantu ngokusebenzisa isini ngendlela engeyoyamvelo. Zeza emhlabeni, zaziguqula zayimizimba yenyama, zaza zahlalisana namabhinqa amahle, zavelisa abantu abaziidemon—iiNefili. (Genesis 6:2, 4) Isono sezi ngelosi ziphethwe yinkanuko sifaniswa nobugwenxa beSodom neGomora. (Yude 6, 7) Ngenxa yoko, ukuziphatha okubi ngokwesini kwanda ngaloo mihla.
11. Imilinganiselo yokuziphatha yexesha lethu ifana njani neyemihla kaNowa?
11 Injani imilinganiselo yokuziphatha namhlanje? Kule mihla yokugqibela, ubomi babaninzi bulawulwa sisini. UPawulos ubachaza kakuhle abanjalo ngokuthi ‘bengasaziva konke konke ngokokuziphatha’; abaninzi bazinikele ‘kwihambo evakalala ukuze basebenze ukungahlambuluki kwalo lonke uhlobo bebawa.’ (Efese 4:19) Imifanekiso engamanyala, ukuba neentlobano zesini ngaphambi komtshato, ukuxhatshazwa kwabantwana ngokwesini, nobufanasini buxhaphakile. Bambi sele ‘besamkela imbuyekezo ezeleyo’ ngokuba nezifo ezidluliselwa ngeentlobano zesini, ukuqhekeka kweentsapho nezinye iingxaki.—Roma 1:26, 27.
12. Kutheni sifanele sihlakulele umoya wokukuthiya okubi?
12 Ngomhla kaNowa, uYehova wathumela uNogumbe waza walitshabalalisa elo hlabathi lalithe phithi sisini. Asimele nanini na silibale ukuba imihla yethu iyafana nemihla kaNowa. “Imbandezelo enkulu” ezayo iya kubatshabalalisa “abahenyuzi, . . . nabakrexezi, namadoda agcinelwe iinjongo ezingezozamvelo, namadoda alala namadoda.” (Mateyu 24:21; 1 Korinte 6:9, 10; ISityhilelo 21:8) Hayi indlela ekungxamiseke ngayo ukuhlakulela umoya wokukuthiya okubi size siziphephe izinto ezinokukhokelela ekuziphatheni okubi!—INdumiso 97:10; 1 Korinte 6:18.
Umhlaba ‘Uzaliswa Lugonyamelo’
13. Ngomhla kaNowa, kwakutheni ukuze umhlaba ‘uzaliswe lugonyamelo’?
13 Ithetha ngenye into eyayibalasele ngomhla kaNowa, iBhayibhile ithi: “Umhlaba wawonakele emehlweni oThixo oyinyaniso yaye umhlaba wawuzaliswe lugonyamelo.” (Genesis 6:11) Enyanisweni ugonyamelo lwalungeyonto intsha. UKayin, unyana ka-Adam wambulala umntakwabo olilungisa. (Genesis 4:8) Ethetha ngogonyamelo lomhla wakhe, uLameki waqamba umbongo eqhayisa ngendlela ambulele ngayo umfana othile ngenjongo yokuzikhusela. (Genesis 4:23, 24) Into eyayintsha ngomhla kaNowa yayikukwanda kogonyamelo. Njengokuba iingelosi ezingoonyana bakaThixo abangathobeliyo zatshata namabhinqa emhlabeni yaye azala abantwana—iiNefili—ugonyamelo lwanda ngendlela engazange ibonwe ngaphambili. Ezi zigebenga zinogonyamelo ‘zazingabaWisi’—abo bawisa abanye. Ngenxa yoku, umhlaba ‘wawuzele lugonyamelo.’ (Genesis 6:13) Cinga ngeengxaki amele ukuba uNowa wajamelana nazo ukukhulisa intsapho yakhe kwimeko enjalo! Sekunjalo, uNowa wazingqina ‘elilungisa phambi koYehova phakathi kweso sizukulwana.’—Genesis 7:1.
14. Ihlabathi ‘lizaliswe kangakanani lugonyamelo’ namhlanje?
14 Ukutyhubela imbali abantu bebesoloko bejamelene nogonyamelo. Yaye njengokuba kwakunjalo ngemihla kaNowa, umhla wethu uye wanogonyamelo olungazange lubekho ngaphambili. Kuyinto exhaphake gqitha ukuva ngogonyamelo lwasekhaya, ubugrogrisi, ukutshatyalaliswa kohlanga nokubulawa kwabantu ngaphandle kwesizathu ngumntu othile ophethe umpu. Ngaphezu koku, iimfazwe zibulala abantu abaninzi. Kwakhona umhlaba uzaliswe lugonyamelo. Ngoba? Yintoni ebangele ukuba lwande kangaka? Impendulo ityhila enye into umhla wethu ofana ngayo nomhla kaNowa.
15. (a) Yintoni ebangele ukwanda kogonyamelo kule mihla yokugqibela? (b) Yintoni esiqiniseke ukuba iza kwenzeka?
15 Xa uBukumkani bukaThixo obulawulwa nguMesiya bamiselwa ezulwini ngowe-1914, iNkosi emiselweyo, uYesu Kristu, yathabatha inyathelo eliqatha. USathana uMtyholi needemon zakhe bagxothwa ezulwini baza baphoselwa emhlabeni. (ISityhilelo 12:9-12) Ngaphambi koMkhukula, iingelosi ezingathobeliyo zasishiya isigxina sazo sasezulwini ngokuzithandela; noko ke, kumhla wethu, zigxothiwe. Ngaphezu koko, azisakwazi ukuziguqula zibe yimizimba yenyama emhlabeni ukuze zizonwabise ngeminqweno yenyama engafanelekanga. Ngoko ke, zicaphukile, zinomsindo yaye zisoyika nomgwebo ozayo, ziphembelela abantu nemibutho ethile ukuba benze ulwaphulo-mthetho nogonyamelo olungaphezu kolo lwalukho ngomhla kaNowa. UYehova walitshabalalisa ihlabathi likaNowa emva kokuba iingelosi ezingathobeliyo nenzala yazo zalizalisa ngobubi. Ngokuqinisekileyo, uya kwenza okufanayo nakumhla wethu! (INdumiso 37:10) Noko ke, abo bahlala belindile namhlanje bayazi ukuba kungekudala baza kusindiswa.
Isigidimi Siyashunyayelwa
16, 17. Yiyiphi indlela yesine efana ngayo imihla kaNowa nomhla wethu?
16 Ingongoma yesine elifana ngayo ihlabathi lanamhlanje nelangaphambi koMkhukula ibonwa kumsebenzi uNowa awayalelwa ukuba awenze. UNowa wakha umkhombe omkhulu. Kwakhona ‘wayengumshumayeli.’ (2 Petros 2:5) Wayeshumayela siphi isigidimi? Kubonakala ukuba isigidimi uNowa awayesishumayela sasiquka ukuguquka nesilumkiso sentshabalaliso ezayo. UYesu wathi abantu bomhla kaNowa “abazange banikele ngqalelo de wafika umkhukula waza wabatshayela bonke.”—Mateyu 24:38, 39.
17 Ngokufanayo, amaNgqina kaYehova ashumayela ngenkuthalo isigidimi soBukumkani bukaThixo ehlabathini lonke. Phantse kuwo wonke umhlaba, abantu bayasiva baze basifunde isigidimi soBukumkani ngolwimi lwabo. Kusasazwa imibhalo engaphezu kwezi-25 000 000 yephephancwadi IMboniselo, evakalisa uBukumkani bukaYehova, yaye ishicilelwa ngeelwimi ezingaphezu kwe-140. Eneneni, iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo zishunyayelwa “kuwo wonke umhlaba omiweyo kube bubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga.” Xa uThixo enelisekile ukuba lo msebenzi ugqityiwe, ngokuqinisekileyo isiphelo siza kufika.—Mateyu 24:14.
18. Abantu abaninzi basabela njani kumsebenzi wethu wokushumayela xa kuthelekiswa nenkoliso yabantu ngomhla kaNowa?
18 Xa sicinga ngokungakhathalelwa kwezinto zokomoya nokuwohloka kwemilinganiselo yokuziphatha ngemihla engaphambi koMkhukula, siyasiqonda isizathu sokuba abamelwane bakaNowa bahlekise ngentsapho yakhe baze bayigculele. Sekunjalo isiphelo safika. Ngokufanayo, baninzi “abagculeli nokugculela kwabo” kule mihla yokugqibela. IBhayibhile ithi: “Ke yona imini kaYehova iya kuza njengesela.” (2 Petros 3:3, 4, 10) Kaloku, iza kufika ngexesha elimisiweyo. Ayisayi kulibazisa. (Habhakuki 2:3) Hayi indlela ekububulumko ngayo ukuhlala silindile!
Bambalwa Abasindayo
19, 20. UMkhukula ufana njani nentshabalaliso yale nkqubo yezinto?
19 Umhla kaNowa nowethu awufani nje ngobungendawo babantu nokutshatyalaliswa kwabo. Njengokuba abanye basinda kuMkhukula, ngokufanayo abanye baya kusinda xa ipheliswa le nkqubo yezinto. Abo basinda kuMkhukula ngabantu abathozamileyo abangazange baphile ngendlela ababephila ngayo abanye. Basiphulaphula isilumkiso sikaThixo baza bazigcina behlukile kwihlabathi elingendawo lelo xesha. IBhayibhile ithi: “UNowa yena wakholeka emehlweni kaYehova. [UNowa] wangqineka engenasiphoso phakathi kwabantu bexesha lakhe.” (Genesis 6:8, 9) Kubantu bonke, yintsapho enye, “abantu abambalwa, oko kukuthi, imiphefumlo esibhozo, bathwalwa ngokukhuselekileyo emanzini.” (1 Petros 3:20) Yaye uYehova uThixo wabayalela esithi: “Qhamani, nande niwuzalise umhlaba.”—Genesis 9:1.
20 ILizwi likaThixo lisiqinisekisa lisithi ‘isihlwele esikhulu siya kuphuma embandezelweni enkulu.’ (ISityhilelo 7:9, 14) Bangaphi abaya kuyila eso sihlwele sikhulu? UYesu wathi: “Limxinwa isango kwaye imxinwa indlela esa ebomini, yaye bambalwa abayifumanayo.” (Mateyu 7:13, 14) Xa kuthelekiswa nabantu abangamawaka ezigidi abaphilayo emhlabeni namhlanje, bambalwa abantu abaya kusinda kwimbandezelo enkulu ezayo. Kodwa basenokuba nelungelo elinjengelo babenalo abantu abasinda kuMkhukula. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba okwexesha elithile abantu abasindileyo bazale abantwana abaya kuba yinxalenye yebutho lomhlaba omtsha.—Isaya 65:23.
“Hlalani Nilindile”
21, 22. (a) Kukuncede njani ukuqwalasela le ngxelo engoMkhukula? (b) Uthini umxholo wonyaka wama-2004, yaye kutheni sifanele siliphulaphule icebiso elinikelwa kuwo?
21 Nangona uMkhukula wadlula kudala, usisilumkiso esicacileyo esingamele sisityeshele. (Roma 15:4) Ukufana okukhoyo phakathi komhla kaNowa nomhla wethu kufanele kusenze sikubone ngakumbi ukubaluleka koko kwenzekayo kuze kusikhumbuze ngokufika kukaYesu njengesela xa eze kugweba abangendawo.
22 Namhlanje, uYesu Kristu walathisa umsebenzi omkhulu wokwakha wokomoya. Ukuze abanquli bokwenyaniso bakhuseleke baze basinde, kukho iparadesi yokomoya enjengomkhombe. (2 Korinte 12:3, 4) Ukuze sisinde kwimbandezelo enkulu, sifanele sihlale kuloo paradesi. Le paradesi yokomoya ingqongwe lihlabathi likaSathana elilungele ukuginya nabani na owozelayo ngokomoya. Kubalulekile ke ngoko ukuba ‘sihlale silindile’ size siyilungele imini kaYehova.—Mateyu 24:42, 44.
Ngaba Usakhumbula?
• UYesu wanikela siphi isilumkiso ngokuphathelele ukufika kwakhe?
• UYesu ulithelekisa nantoni ixesha lobukho bakhe?
• Amaxesha ethu afana njani nemihla kaNowa?
• Ukucinga ngokufana okukhoyo phakathi komhla kaNowa nomhla wethu kufanele kukuchaphazele njani ukubaluleka kwamaxesha?
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 18]
Umxholo wonyaka wama-2004 uthi: “Hlalani nilindile . . . Hlalani nilungile.”—Mateyu 24:42, 44.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]
UNowa wasiphulaphula isilumkiso sikaThixo. Ngaba nathi siyasiphulaphula?
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 16, 17]
“Kanye njengokuba yayinjalo imihla kaNowa, buya kuba njalo ubukho boNyana womntu”