Isondele Imini KaYehova
“Yivani oku, nina madoda makhulu, nibeke indlebe, nonke bemi belizwe.”—YOWELI 1:2.
1, 2. Kungenxa yayiphi imeko yakwaYuda awathi uYehova waphefumlela uYoweli ukuba avakalise isiprofeto esinamandla?
“HAYI ke, le mini! Kuba isondele imini kaYehova, evela njengembuqo kuSomandla.” Esinjani ukuhlab’ umxhelo isaziso! Esi yayisisigidimi sikaThixo esasisiya kubantu bakhe sidluliselwa ngumprofeti wakhe uYoweli.
2 La mazwi akuYoweli 1:15 abhalwa kwaYuda, mhlawumbi malunga nonyaka wama-820 B.C.E. Ngelo xesha iinduli zelo lizwe zazithe tshitshilili luhlaza. Iziqhamo nokutya okuziinkozo zazidlal’ abantwana. Amadlelo ayemakhulu yaye eluhlaza yaka. Ukanti, kwakukho undonakele. Unqulo lukaBhahali lwalusaphul’ izikeyi eYerusalem nakwaYuda. Abantu babenxila kumatheko obuhenyu awayesenziwa phambi kwalo thixo wobuxoki. (Thelekisa eyesi-2 yeziKronike 21:4-6, 11.) Ngaba uYehova wayeza kukuvumela oku kuqhubeke?
3. Yintoni uYehova awalumkisa ngayo, yaye kwakufuneka zilungele ntoni iintlanga?
3 Incwadi yeBhayibhile kaYoweli iyenza icace gca impendulo. UYehova uThixo wayeza kuthethelela ulongamo lwakhe yaye angcwalise igama lakhe. Yayisondele imini enkulu kaYehova. Ngaloo mini uThixo wayeza kuphumeza umgwebo kuzo zonke iintlanga “entilini yakwaYehoshafati.” (Yoweli 3:12) Maziqule ke zilungele ukulwa noSomandla, uYehova. Nathi sijamelene nemini enkulu kaYehova. Ngoko ke, makhe siqwalasele amazwi angokwesiprofeto kaYoweli asebenza kumhla wethu nawexesha elidluleyo.
Uhlaselo Lwezinambuzane
4. Sasiya kuba sikhulu kangakanani isiganeko awayelumkisa ngaso uYoweli?
4 Esebenzisa umprofeti wakhe, uYehova uthi: “Yivani oku, nina madoda makhulu, nibeke iindlebe, nonke bemi belizwe; kwakha kwakho na oku ngemihla yenu, nangemihla yooyihlo? Kuxeleni koonyana benu, oonyana benu bakuxele koonyana babo, oonyana babo bakuxele kwisizukulwana esisemva kwabo.” (Yoweli 1:2, 3) Amadoda amakhulu kunye nabo bonke abantu balindele into engazange yenzeke ebomini bawo okanye ngemihla yookhokho bawo. Le iza kothusa kangangokuba kuya kufuneka ibaliswe nakwesesithathu isizukulwana! Yintoni le inkulu kangaka? Ukuze siyazi, masibe nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wethu siphila ngomhla kaYoweli.
5, 6. (a) Chaza isibetho aprofeta ngaso uYoweli. (b) Yayingubani uMthombo weso sibetho?
5 Phulaphula ke! UYoweli uva isandi sisitsho mgama. Isibhakabhaka siya sisiba mnyama, yaye esi sandi soyikekayo siya sisitsho ngamandla njengoko kusiba mnyama. Emva koko kuhla ilifu elingathi ngumsi. Ngumkhosi wezigidi zezinambuzane. Ibe hayi indlela ezitshabalalisa ngayo! Ngoku qwalasela uYoweli 1:4. Olu hlaselo lwezinambuzane aluqhutywa ziinkumbi ezibhabhayo kuphela. Kuseza kuqhawuka kuhlangana! Kuseza eminye imikhosi elambileyo yemiqikela erhubuluzayo. Ekubeni ziphetshethwa ngumoya, ezi nkumbi zifika ngesiquphe, ibe isandi sazo singathi seseenqwelo zokulwa. (Yoweli 2:5) Ngenxa yoburhovu bazo, izigidi zazo zinokuwutsho umyezo ube yintlango ngexeshana elingephi.
6 Ngoku kulandela imibungu—eza kuthi yakukhula ibe ngamanundu namabhabhathane. Inyambalala yemikhosi elambileyo yale mibungu inokuwanqunqa onke amagqabi ezityalo isuntswana ngesuntswana, igqabi ngalinye, de ezo zityalo zibe ziphucwe ubuhlaza bazo. Ibe nantoni na eziyishiyayo, iinkumbi zizifikisela kanobom kuyo. Yaye okushiywe ziinkumbi iba sisisulu samaphela anqunqutha ngokukhawuleza. Kodwa ke phawula: KuYoweli isahluko 2, indinyana 11, uThixo uchaza umkhosi weenkumbi ‘njengempi yakhe.’ Ewe, wayenguMthombo wesibetho seenkumbi ezaziza kutshabalalisa ilizwe zize zibangele ebomvu yona indlala. Nini? Ngaphambi nje ‘kwemini kaYehova.’
“Vukani, Manxila”!
7. (a) Yayinjani imeko yeenkokeli zonqulo zakwaYuda? (b) Imeko yeenkokeli zeNgqobhoko zanamhlanje ifana njani neyeenkokeli zonqulo zakwaYuda?
7 Kukhutshwa umyalelo obhekiswa ngokukodwa kwimbuthumbuthu enezothe, iinkokeli zonqulo zakwaYuda, othi: “Vukani, manxila, nilile; bhombolozani, nonke baseli bewayini, ngenxa yencindi yewayini; kuba inqunyulwe emlonyeni wenu.” (Yoweli 1:5) Ewe, amanxila okomoya akwaYuda axelelwa ukuba ‘avuke,’ athi qwa. Kodwa ungacingi ukuba sithetha ngento nje eyenzeka mandulo phayaa. Sithetha nje, ngaphambi kokufika kwemini enkulu kaYehova, abefundisi beNgqobhoko bazintyintye kanobom ngewayini emnandi yokomfuziselo kangangokuba abazi nowathwethwa ngalo myalelo uvela kOsenyangweni. Hayi indlela eliya kubakhohla ngayo xa beqabuka kuloo mqhele wabo wokomoya sele ilapha imini enkulu neyoyikekayo kaYehova!
8, 9. (a) UYoweli uzichaza njani iinkumbi nemiphumo yesibetho sazo? (b) Ngoobani abafuziselwa ziinkumbi namhlanje?
8 Khawukhangele laa mkhosi unamandla weenkumbi! “Ezweni lakowethu kunyuke uhlanga olunamandla, olungenakubalwa; amazinyo alo ngamazinyo engonyama, nawemihlathi alo ngawengonyamakazi. Luwubhuqile umdiliya wam, lwawuvikiva umkhiwane wam; luwuchube kwathi tu, lwawulahla; amasebe awo asuka aba mhlophe. Bhomboloza njengentombi ebhinqe ezirhwexayo, ngenxa yendoda yobutsha bayo.”—Yoweli 1:6-8.
9 Ngaba esi sisiprofeto nje esiphathelele “uhlanga” lweenkumbi, ibubu leenkumbi elihlasela elakwaYuda? Hayi, asiphelelanga apho. KuYoweli 1:6 nakwiSityhilelo 9:7, abantu bakaThixo bafuziselwa ziinkumbi. Kule mihla awukho omnye umkhosi weenkumbi ngaphandle komkhosi weenkumbi zabathanjiswa bakaYehova, ngoku othelelwa ‘zezinye izimvu’ zikaYesu ezimalunga nezi-5600 000. (Yohane 10:16) Ngaba akuvuyiswa kukuba yinxalenye yale ndimbane enkulu yabanquli bakaYehova?
10. Uyintoni umphumo wesibetho seenkumbi kwaYuda?
10 KuYoweli 1:9-12, sifunda ngemiphumo ebangelwa sisibetho seenkumbi. Ibubu ngalinye lilitsho libe yinkangala eli lizwe. Ekubeni beswele ukutya okuziinkozo, iwayini neoli, ababingeleli abangathembekanga abakwazi kuqhubeka nemisebenzi yabo. Kwanomhlaba uzilile, kuba iinkumbi zitshayele kwambewu leyo, ibe nemithi yeziqhamo ishiyeke ingaxakathanga nto. Ekubeni izidiliya zonakalisiwe, iindlamanzi ebezinqula uBhahali nebezikwangamanxila okomoya, zitshelwe zizicheku ngenxa yokunqongophala kwewayini.
“Nimbambazele, Babingeleli”
11, 12. (a) Ngoobani abazibanga bengababingeleli bakaThixo namhlanje? (b) Iinkokeli zonqulo zeNgqobhoko ziphatheka njani sisibetho seenkumbi sale mihla?
11 Khawuphulaphule isigidimi sikaThixo esiya kwaba babingeleli banxaxhayo: “Bhinqani ezirhwexayo, nimbambazele, babingeleli; bhombolozani, balungiseleli besibingelelo.” (Yoweli 1:13) Kwinzaliseko yokuqala yesiprofeto sikaYoweli, yayingababingeleli abangabaLevi ababekhonza esibingelelweni. Kodwa kuthekani ngenzaliseko yokugqibela? Namhlanje, abefundisi beNgqobhoko baye balithabathela kubo igunya lokukhonza esibingelelweni sikaThixo, bezibanga bengabalungiseleli bakhe, ‘ababingeleli’ bakhe. Noko ke, yintoni eyenzekayo namhlanje ekubeni iinkumbi zikaThixo zale mihla zisenz’ izinto zamehlo?
12 Xa ‘ababingeleli’ beNgqobhoko bebona abantu bakaYehova besebenza yaye besiva ngesilumkiso sabo somgwebo kaThixo, baba ngathi babethw’ ephondweni. Bayambambazela bekhathazwa yaye beligqabi ngumsindo ngenxa yomphumo owonakalisayo wesigidimi soBukumkani. Kwaye bayabhomboloza njengoko imihlambi yabo ibashiya. Ekubeni amadlelo abo ephuciwe, mabanxibe ezirhwexayo ubusuku bonke, bezilela ukulahlekelwa kwabo yingeniso. Kungekudala, baza kulahlekelwa nayimisebenzi leyo yabo! Enyanisweni, uThixo ubaxelela ukuba bazile ubusuku bonke kuba isiphelo sabo sikufuphi.
13. Ngaba iNgqobhoko iyonke iya kusabela kakuhle kwisilumkiso sikaYehova?
13 Ngokutsho kukaYoweli 1:14, ekuphela kwento enokubanceda kukuguquka nokumemelela ‘bakhale kuYehova.’ Ngaba sinokulindela ukuba udidi lwabefundisi beNgqobhoko luphela luguqukele kuYehova? Amahashe angaphum’ iimpondo! Abanye babo basenokusabela kwisilumkiso sikaYehova. Kodwa njengeqela ezi nkokeli kunye namarhamente azo ziseza kubulawa liphango ngokomoya. Umprofeti uAmos waxela kwangaphambili esithi: “Yabonani, kuza imihla, itsho iNkosi uYehova, endiya kuthumela ukulamba kulo ilizwe, kungabi kuko ukulambela isonka, kungabi kuko ukunxanela amanzi; kube kukulambela ukuva amazwi kaYehova.” (Amosi 8:11) Kwelinye icala, hayi indlela esinombulelo ngayo ngenxa yesidlo esiluncuthu sokomoya esilungiselelwa nguThixo ngothando esebenzisa “ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi”!—Mateyu 24:45-47.
14. Isibetho seenkumbi sihlahl’ indlela yantoni?
14 Isibetho seenkumbi sasihlahl’ indlela yento ethile ibe kusenjalo nangoku. Yayiyintoni leyo? UYoweli akasifihleli, uthi: “Hayi ke, le mini! Kuba isondele imini kaYehova, ivela njengembuqo kuSomandla.” (Yoweli 1:15) Uhlaselo lweenkumbi zikaThixo oluqhubeka ehlabathini lonke namhlanje lutsho kucace ukuba imini enkulu eyoyikekayo kaYehova isondele. Ngokuqinisekileyo, bonke abantliziyo zilungileyo bayayilangazelela loo mini ikhethekileyo yesohlwayo xa kuya kube kuphunyezwa umgwebo kaThixo kwabangendawo naxa uYehova eya koyisa njengoMongami Wendalo Iphela.
15. Ngenxa yemeko elusizi yelo lizwe, basabela njani abo bathobela izilumkiso zikaThixo?
15 Njengoko uYoweli 1:16-20 ebonisa, ukutya kwaphela kuYuda wamandulo. Lwaphela nolonwabo. Oovimba babeze, nezisele kwafuneka zidilizwe. Ngenxa yokuba amadlelo ayetshatyalaliswe ziinkumbi, iinkomo zazithwantula esithubeni zitshonelwe lilanga emini kwaza kwafa nemihlambi yeegusha. Enjani yona intlekele! Ngexesha layo yonke le nquleqhu, kwenzeka ntoni kuYoweli? Ngokutsho kwendinyana 19, wathi: “Ndikhala kuwe, Yehova.” Nanamhlanje, baninzi abazithobelayo izilumkiso zikaThixo baze bakhale kuYehova uThixo benokholo.
‘Iyeza Imini KaYehova’
16. Kutheni bemele bagungqe “abemi belizwe”?
16 Khawuphulaphule lo myalelo uvela kuThixo: “Vuthelani isigodlo eZiyon, nihlabe umkhosi entabeni yam engcwele. Mabagungqe bonke abemi belizwe.” (Yoweli 2:1) Kutheni bemele basabele ngale ndlela? Esi siprofeto siyaphendula: “Ngokuba isiza imini kaYehova, kuba isondele: Imini enobumnyama nesithokothoko, imini enamafu, enamafu amnyama, anjengokuthi qhiphu kokusa phezu kweentaba.” (Yoweli 2:1, 2) Ngokwenene ingxamisekile le mini inkulu kaYehova.
17. Isibetho seenkumbi salichaphazela njani ilizwe nabantu bakwaYuda?
17 Khawuthelekelele umphumo owaba nawo umbono walo mprofeti njengoko iinkumbi ezingenalusini ziguqula umyezo wase-Eden wokwenene ube yinkangala. Phulaphula indlela ochazwa ngayo lo mkhosi weenkumbi: ‘Unjengokubonakala kwamahashe imbonakalo yawo; njengakhwelwayo, enjenjalo ukubaleka. Anjengesithonga seenqwelo zokulwa ezincotsheni zeentaba amagqasi awo; njengesithonga selangatye lomlilo otshisa iindiza; njengabantu abanamandla abakhe uluhlu. Ebusweni bawo ziyazibhijabhija izizwe; bonke ubuso buba luthuthu.’ (Yoweli 2:4-6) Ebudeni besibetho seenkumbi somhla kaYoweli, intuthumbo yabanquli bakaBhahali yaya iqatsela, ibe usizi lwalubhaliwe ebusweni babo.
18, 19. Namhlanje umsebenzi wabantu bakaThixo uye wafana njani nesibetho seenkumbi?
18 Kwakungekho nto ixabe endleleni yeenkumbi ezazithe chu, zingapheli mandla. Zazibaleka “njengamagorha” zide zinyuke neendonga. Xa ‘ezinye zazo ziwela ezikhalini, zazingenzakali.’ (Yoweli 2:7, 8) Hayi indlela ochazwa ngokucace ngayo umkhosi wokomfuziselo weenkumbi zikaThixo zanamhlanje! Nanamhlanje, umkhosi kaYehova weenkumbi usafunze phambili. Akukho ‘ludonga’ lwenkcaso lunokuwuthibaza. Awulalanisi ngengqibelelo yawo kuThixo kodwa uxolele ukufa, njengoko enjenjalo amawaka amaNgqina ‘awawela ezikhalini’ ngenxa yokungavumi ukukhahlela uHitler ebudeni bolawulo lwamaNazi eJamani.
19 Umkhosi kaThixo weenkumbi wale mihla uye wanikela ubungqina ngokucokisekileyo “emzini” oyiNgqobhoko. (Yoweli 2:9) Uye wenjenjalo ehlabathini lonke. Usaqhubeka utsib’ imiqobo, ungena kwizigidi zamakhaya, uthetha nabantu ezitratweni, uncokola nabo ngomnxeba yaye unxibelelana nabo ngayo nayiphi na indlela onokukwazi ngayo njengoko uvakalisa isigidimi sikaYehova. Enyanisweni, uye wasasaza amawaka ezigidi zeempapasho zeBhayibhile ibe akukabi phi, useza kusasaza inginginya yazo kubulungiseleli bawo obuphumeza ngenzondelelo—esidlangalaleni nakwindlu ngendlu.—IZenzo 20:20, 21.
20. Ngubani oxhasa iinkumbi zale mihla, yaye ube yintoni umphumo?
20 UYoweli 2:10 ubonisa ukuba ibubu elikhulu leenkumbi lifana nelifu elisitha ilanga, inyanga neenkwenkwezi. (Thelekisa uIsaya 60:8.) Ngaba usathandabuza ukuba ngubani na ontyontyela lo mkhosi weenkumbi? Phakathi kweso sandi sezinambuzane, siva amazwi abhalwe kuYoweli 2:11 athi: “UYehova ukhupha izwi lakhe phambi kwempi yakhe; kuba mkhulu kakhulu umkhosi wakhe; kuba unamandla umenzi welizwi lakhe; kuba inkulu imini kaYehova, yoyikeka kunene; ngubani na onokuyinyamezela?” Ewe, ngoku uYehova uThixo ufunza umkhosi wakhe weenkumbi edabini—ngaphambi kokuba ifike imini yakhe enkulu.
“UYehova Akacothi”
21. Kuza kwenzeka ntoni xa ‘imini kaYehova ifika njengesela’?
21 NjengoYoweli, umpostile uPetros wathetha ngemini enkulu kaYehova. Wabhala: “Imini kaYehova iya kuza njengesela, ekuya kuthi ngayo amazulu adlule eqhuqhumba, kodwa iziqalelo ezishushu kakhulu ziya kuchithakala, nomhlaba kunye nemisebenzi ekuwo uya kufunyaniswa.” (2 Petros 3:10) Ephantsi kwempembelelo kaSathana uMtyholi, “amazulu” angoorhulumente abangendawo alawula ‘umhlaba,’ oko kukuthi, uluntu oluchaseneyo noThixo. (Efese 6:12; 1 Yohane 5:19) La mazulu nomhlaba wokomfuzisela azinako ukumelana nobushushu bomsindo kaThixo ebudeni bemini enkulu kaYehova. Kunoko, aza kuthatyathelw’ indawo ‘ngamazulu amatsha nomhlaba omtsha esiwulindeleyo ngokwesithembiso sakhe, yaye kwezi kuza kuhlala ubulungisa.’—2 Petros 3:13.
22, 23. (a) Sifanele sisabele njani xa ngenceba uYehova ebonakalisa umonde? (b) Sifanele sisabele njani ngenxa yokusondela kwemini kaYehova?
22 Ekubeni kule mihla kukho izinto ezisisiphazamiso nezivavanya ukholo, sinokuphulukana nemvo yongxamiseko yala maxesha siphila kuwo. Kodwa njengoko iinkumbi zokomfuziselo zifunze phambili, abantu abaninzi bayasabela kwisigidimi soBukumkani. Nangona uThixo eye wavula ithuba loku, asimele sibhidanise umonde wakhe nokucotha. “UYehova akacothi ngokuphathelele isithembiso sakhe, njengoko bambi abantu bekugqala ikukucotha, kodwa unomonde kuni ngenxa yokuba akanqweneli ukuba kutshabalale nabani na kodwa unqwenela ukuba bonke bafikelele enguqukweni.”—2 Petros 3:9.
23 Ngoxa silindele imini enkulu kaYehova, masicinge nzulu ngamazwi kaPetros abhalwe kweyesi-2 kaPetros 3:11, 12 athi: “Ekubeni zonke ezi zinto ngaloo ndlela ziza kuchithakala, luhlobo luni lwabantu enifanele nibe lulo kwihambo yezenzo ezingcwele nezenzo zozinikelo lobuthixo, nilindele yaye nigcine ngokusondeleyo engqondweni ubukho bemini kaYehova, ekuya kuthi ngayo amazulu atsha ngumlilo achithakale neziqalelo ezishushu kakhulu zinyibilike!” Ngokuqinisekileyo ezi zenzo ziquka ukubetha ngesingqi esinye nomkhosi weenkumbi kaYehova ngokuba nesabelo esithe rhoqo nesibonakalayo ekushumayeleni iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani ngaphambi kokuba isiphelo sifike.—Marko 13:10.
24, 25. (a) Usabela njani kwilungelo lokuba nesabelo kumsebenzi womkhosi weenkumbi zikaYehova? (b) Nguwuphi umbuzo obalulekileyo ophakanyiswa nguYoweli?
24 Umkhosi weenkumbi kaThixo awuyi kupheza de iqhambuke imini enkulu neyoyikekayo kaYehova. Kwaubukho nje balo mkhosi weenkumbi ungenakuthintelwa mntu kububungqina bokuba isondele imini kaYehova. Ngaba akukuchulumancisi ukukhonza phakathi kweenkumbi ezithanjisiweyo zikaThixo kunye noogxa bazo njengoko zigqugqisa okokugqibela ngaphambi kwemini enkulu neyoyikekayo kaYehova?
25 Hayi indlela eya kuba nkulu ngayo imini kaYehova! Akumangalisi ngoko ukuba kuphakame lo mbuzo: “Ngubani na onokuyinyamezela?” (Yoweli 2:11) Lo mbuzo kunye nodederhu lweminye iza kuqwalaselwa kumanqaku amabini alandelayo.
Ngaba Unokuchaza?
◻ Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova alumkise ngesibetho sezinambuzane kwaYuda?
◻ Kwinzaliseko yale mihla yesiprofeto sikaYoweli, ngoobani iinkumbi zikaYehova?
◻ Iinkokeli zeNgqobhoko zisabela njani kwisibetho seenkumbi, ibe ezinye zinokuyiphepha njani imiphumo yaso?
◻ Siye sasingakanani isibetho seenkumbi ebudeni benkulungwane yama-20, ibe siya kuqhubeka de kube nini?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 8]
Locust: FAO photo/G. Tortoli; locust swarm: FAO photo/Desert Locust Survey
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]
Barren tree: FAO photo/G. Singh
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]
Isibetho seenkumbi sasihlahl’ indlela yento embi nangakumbi
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
NguYehova uThixo oxhasa isibetho seenkumbi sale mihla