Abantu BakaYehova Ababuyiselweyo Bayamdumisa Emhlabeni Wonke
“Izizwana ndiya kuzinika ukuba zitshintshele kulwimi olusulungekileyo, ukuze zonke zibize egameni likaYehova.”—ZEFANIYA 3:9.
1. Kwakutheni ukuze izigidimi zomgwebo zizaliseke kuYuda nakwezinye iintlanga?
EZINJANI ukuba namandla zona izigidimi zomgwebo uYehova awaphefumlela uZefaniya ukuba azidlulisele! Loo mazwi omgwebo azaliseka kuhlanga lwakwaYuda nakwisixeko sakhe esilikomkhulu, iYerusalem, ngenxa yokuba iinkokeli nabantu bonke babengakwenzi ukuthanda kukaYehova. Iintlanga ezikufuphi, njengamaFilisti, amaMowabhi nama-Amoni, zaziza kuchatshazelwa ngumsindo kaThixo. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuchasa kwazo abantu bakaYehova ngenkohlakalo, kwiinkulungwane ezadlulayo. Ngenxa yeso sizathu, igunya lehlabathi eliyiAsiriya laliza kutshatyalaliswa, lingaphinde libekho.
2. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ayebhekiswa koobani amazwi akuZefaniya 3:8?
2 Noko ke, babekho abantu ababenotyekelo olufanelekileyo kuYuda wamandulo. Babekhangele phambili ekuphunyezweni komgwebo kaThixo nxamnye nabangendawo yaye kusenokwenzeka ukuba ayebhekiswa kubo la mazwi athi: “‘Hlalani nilindele kum,’ utsho uYehova, ‘de ibe yimini yokuvuka kwam ukuba ndithimbe, kuba isigwebo sam kukuhlanganisa iintlanga, kukuba ndiqokelele ndawonye izikumkani, ukuze ndithululele kuzo isiqalekiso sam, wonke umsindo wam ovuthayo; kuba umhlaba wonke uya kuqwengwa ngumlilo wenzondelelo yam.’”—Zefaniya 3:8.
“Intetho Enyulu” Yeyoobani?
3. Sisiphi isigidimi sethemba uZefaniya awaphefumlelwa ukuba asidlulisele?
3 Ewe, uZefaniya wavakalisa izigidimi zikaYehova zomgwebo. Kodwa lo mprofeti waphefumlelwa nokuba aquke isigidimi esimangalisayo sethemba—eso sasiza kuba yintuthuzelo kakhulu kwabo baqhubeka bethembekile kuYehova. Njengoko kubhalwe kuZefaniya 3:9, uYehova uThixo wathi: “Ngoko izizwana ndiya kuzinika ukuba zitshintshele kulwimi olusulungekileyo, ukuze zonke zibize egameni likaYehova, ukuze zimkhonze ngaxhatha linye.”
4, 5. (a) Yintoni eyayiza kwenzeka kubantu abangengomalungisa? (b) Ngubani owayeza kungenelwa koku, yaye ngoba?
4 Kwakukho abantu ababengayi kunikwa intetho enyulu. Isiprofeto sibhekisela kubo, sisithi: “Ndiya kubashenxisa phakathi kwakho abo bagcobileyo bakho benekratshi.” (Zefaniya 3:11) Ngoko abo babenekratshi bedelela nemithetho kaThixo yaye beqhelisela ukungalungisi babeza kushenxiswa. Yaye ngoobani ababeza kungenelwa ngenxa yoku? UZefaniya 3:12, 13 uthi: “[Mna Yehova] ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kushiya phakathi kwakho isizwana esithobekileyo nesisweleyo, yaye okunene siya kusabela egameni likaYehova. Ngokubhekisele kwabo ke baseleyo bakwaSirayeli, abayi kwenza ntswela-bulungisa, bengayi kuthetha buxoki, kungayi kufunyanwa lulwimi lwenkohliso emilonyeni yabo; kuba baya kudla baze okunene babuthe, kwaye akuyi kubakho bani ubangcangcazelisayo.”
5 Intsalela ethembekileyo kuYuda wamandulo yayiza kungenelwa. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba yenza ngokuvisisana nala mazwi: “Funani uYehova, nonke balulamileyo bomhlaba, baqhelisele isigwebo Sakhe. Funani ubulungisa, funani ululamo. Mhlawumbi niya kufihlwa ngemini yomsindo kaYehova.”—Zefaniya 2:3.
6. Kwenzeka ntoni kwinzaliseko yokuqala yesiprofeto sikaZefaniya?
6 Kwinzaliseko yokuqala yesiprofeto sikaZefaniya, uThixo wamohlwaya uYuda owayengenalukholo ngokuvumela iGunya Lehlabathi laseBhabhiloni ukuba limoyise lize lithimbe abantu bakhe ngowama-607 B.C.E. Bambi, kuquka umprofeti uYeremiya basindiswa yaye abanye bahlala bethembekile kuYehova ngoxa babethinjiwe. Ngowama-539 B.C.E., iBhabhiloni yabhukuqwa ngamaMedi namaPersi phantsi koKumkani uKoreshi. Malunga neminyaka emibini kamva, uKoreshi wawisa umthetho owawuvumela intsalela yamaYuda ukuba ibuyele kwilizwe layo. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, itempile yaseYerusalem yabuya yakhiwa, yaye ababingeleli baphinda bakwazi ukufundisa abantu uMthetho. (Malaki 2:7) Ngoko uYehova wayenza yaphumelela intsalela ebuyiselweyo—logama nje yayiqhubeka ithembekile.
7, 8. Amazwi esiprofeto akuZefaniya 3:14-17 asebenza koobani, yaye kutheni uphendula ngolo hlobo?
7 Ngokuphathelele abo babeya kunandipha oko kubuyiselwa, uZefaniya waxela kwangaphambili esithi: “Memelela ngovuyo, ntombi yaseZiyon! Chwayita, wena Sirayeli! Yiba nemihlali, ugcobe ngentliziyo yakho yonke, wena ntombi yaseYerusalem! UYehova uyishenxisile imigwebo phezu kwakho. Ulujikisile utshaba lwakho. Ukumkani wakwaSirayeli, uYehova, uphakathi kwakho. Akusayi kuba soyika ntlekele. Ngaloo mini kuya kuthiwa kwiYerusalem: ‘Musa ukoyika, wena Ziyon. Mazingawi izandla zakho. UYehova uThixo wakho uphakathi kwakho. NjengaLowo unamandla, uya kusindisa. Uya kugcoba ngawe enemihlali. Uya kuthi cwaka eluthandweni lwakhe. Uya kugcoba ngawe ememelela ngoyolo.’”—Zefaniya 3:14-17.
8 Loo mazwi esiprofeto ayebhekisela kwintsalela eyahlanganiswa iphuma ekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni yaza yabuyiselwa kwilizwe looyisemkhulu. Oku kwenziwe kwacaca kuZefaniya 3:18-20, apho sifunda oku: “‘Abo basentlungwini ngokungabikho kwixesha lomsitho wakho ngokuqinisekileyo [mna Yehova] ndiya kubahlanganisa ndawonye; abo bebengekho kuwe, ngenxa yokuthwala ungcikivo ngenxa yakhe. Yabona, ndenza okuthile nxamnye nabo bakuxhwalekisayo, ngelo xesha; yaye ndiza kumsindisa ojingxelayo, nalowo usasazekileyo ndiya kumqokelela ndawonye. Kwaye ndiza kubamisa njengendumiso nanjengegama kuwo onke amazwe abahlaziswa kuwo. Ngelo xesha ndiya kunizisa, kanye ngexesha lokuniqokelela kwam ndawonye. Kuba ndiya kunenza nibe ligama nendumiso phakathi kwezizwana zonke zomhlaba, ekubabuyiseni kwam abathinjiweyo benu phambi kwamehlo enu,’ utsho uYehova.”
9. UYehova wazenzela njani igama ngokuphathelele uYuda?
9 Khawube nomfanekiso ngqondweni wendlela ezothuka ngayo iintlanga ezazibangqongile ezaziziintshaba zabantu bakaThixo! Abemi bakwaYuda babethinjwe yiBhabhiloni enamandla, bengenalo nelincinane ithemba lokuba baya kuze bakhululwe. Ngaphezu koko, ilizwe labo laba yinkangala. Noko ke, ngamandla kaThixo babuyiselwa kwilizwe labo emva kweminyaka engama-70, ngoxa iintlanga eziziintshaba zabo zazijongene nentshabalalo. Elinjani lona igama uYehova awazenzela lona ngokubuyisa intsalela ethembekileyo! Wabenza ‘igama nendumiso phakathi kwezizwana zonke.’ Hayi indlela oko kubuyiselwa kwabo okwazisa indumiso ngayo kuYehova nakwabo babethwele igama lakhe!
Unqulo LukaYehova Luphakanyisiwe
10, 11. Yayiza kwenzeka nini inzaliseko enkulu yesiprofeto sikaZefaniya sokubuyiselwa, yaye sikwazi njani oku?
10 Okunye ukubuyiselwa kwenzeka ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, xa uYesu Kristu wahlanganisela intsalela kaSirayeli kunqulo lokwenyaniso. Leyo yayiyingabula-zigcawu yoko kwakuza kwenzeka, kuba inzaliseko enkulu yokubuyiselwa yayisaza kwenzeka. Isiprofeto sikaMika saxela kwangaphambili sisithi: “Kuya kuthi ke ekupheleni kwemihla intaba yendlu kaYehova imiselwe ngokuqinileyo encotsheni yeentaba, yaye ngokuqinisekileyo iya kuphakanyiswa ngaphezu kweenduli; kwaye zonke izizwana zimele zibe ngumsinga ukuya kuyo.”—Mika 4:1.
11 Kwakuza kwenzeka nini oku? Njengoko isiprofeto satshoyo, “ekupheleni kwemihla”—ewe, ebudeni ‘bemihla yokugqibela.’ (2 Timoti 3:1) Oku kwakuza kwenzeka ngaphambi kwesiphelo sale nkqubo ingendawo yezinto, ngoxa iintlanga zisanqula oothixo bobuxoki. UMika 4:5 uthi: “Zonke izizwana ziya kuhamba ngasinye egameni lothixo waso.” Yaye kuthekani ngabanquli bokwenyaniso? Isiprofeto sikaMika siyaphendula: “Kodwa thina siya kuhamba egameni likaYehova uThixo wethu ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo, ewe ngonaphakade.”
12. Luye lwaphakanyiswa njani unqulo oluyinyaniso kule mihla yokugqibela?
12 Ngoko ke, kule mihla yokugqibela, ‘intaba yendlu kaYehova iye yamiselwa ngokuqinileyo encotsheni yeentaba.’ Unqulo oluphakamileyo lokwenyaniso lukaYehova luye lwabuyiselwa, lwamiselwa ngokuqinileyo, lwaza lwaphakanyiswa ngaphezu kwazo zonke iintlobo zonqulo. Njengoko nesiprofeto sikaMika saxela kwangaphambili, “izizwana zimele zibe ngumsinga ukuya kuyo.” Yaye abo baqhelisela unqulo oluyinyaniso ‘baya kuhamba egameni likaYehova uThixo wabo ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo, ewe ngonaphakade.’
13, 14. Eli hlabathi langena nini “ekupheleni kwemihla,” yaye ukususela ngoko bekusenzeka ntoni ngokuphathelele unqulo oluyinyaniso?
13 Iziganeko ezizalisekisa isiprofeto seBhayibhile ziyangqina ukuba eli hlabathi langena “ekupheleni kwemihla”—kwimihla yalo yokugqibela—ngonyaka we-1914. (Marko 13:4-10) Imbali ibonisa ukuba uYehova waqalisa ukuhlanganisela kunqulo lokwenyaniso intsalela ethembekileyo yabo bathanjisiweyo banethemba lasezulwini. Emva koko kuye kwahlanganiswa “isihlwele esikhulu . . . siphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe nezizwana neelwimi”—abo banethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni.—ISityhilelo 7:9.
14 Ukususela ngeMfazwe Yehlabathi I ukuza kuthi ga namhlanje, ukunqulwa kukaYehova ngabo bathwala igama lakhe kuye kwaqhubela phambili ngamandla phantsi kolwalathiso lwakhe. Abanquli bakaYehova baye banda ukusuka kumawaka ambalwa awayekho emva kweMfazwe Yehlabathi I, yaye ngoku bamalunga nezigidi ezithandathu, ezihlanganisana kumabandla amalunga nama-91 000 kumazwe angama-235. Nyaka ngamnye, aba bavakalisi boBukumkani bachitha iiyure ezingaphezu kwewaka lezigidi bedumisa uThixo ekuhleni. Kucacile ukuba la maNgqina kaYehova ngawo azalisekisa amazwi kaYesu esiprofeto athi: “Ezi ndaba zilungileyo zobukumkani ziya kushunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba omiweyo kube bubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga; kwandule ke kufike ukuphela.”—Mateyu 24:14.
15. UZefaniya 2:3 uzaliseka njani ngoku?
15 UZefaniya 3:17 uthi: “UYehova uThixo wakho uphakathi kwakho. NjengaLowo unamandla, uya kusindisa.” Ukuchuma kokomoya okunanditshwa ngabakhonzi bakaYehova namhlanje kule mihla yokugqibela ngumphumo wokuba ‘ephakathi kwabo’ njengoThixo onamandla onke. Oku kunjalo namhlanje njengoko kwakunjalo ngexesha lokubuyiselwa kukaYuda wamandulo ngowama-537 B.C.E. Ngaloo ndlela sinokubona indlela uZefaniya 2:3 azaliseka ngayo ngomkhamo omkhulu kwixesha lethu xa esithi: “Funani uYehova, nonke balulamileyo bomhlaba.” Ngowama-537 B.C.E., igama elithi “nonke” laliquka intsalela yamaYuda eyayivela ekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni. Ngoku limela abalulamileyo bazo zonke iintlanga emhlabeni wonke, abo basabela kakuhle kumsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani owenziwa emhlabeni wonke nabo bangumsinga ukuya ‘kwintaba yendlu kaYehova.’
Ukuphumelela Konqulo Oluyinyaniso
16. Yiyiphi indlela ekusenokwenzeka ukuba iintshaba zethu zisabela ngayo xa zibona impumelelo yabakhonzi bakaYehova kumaxesha anamhlanje?
16 Emva kowama-537 B.C.E., abaninzi kwiintlanga ezazingabamelwane babemangalisiwe kukubuyiselwa kwabakhonzi bakaThixo kunqulo oluyinyaniso kwilizwe labo. Ukanti, oko kubuyiselwa kwenzeka ngomkhamo omncinane kakhulu ngentelekiso. Ngaba unomfanekiso ngqondweni woko abanye—kwaneentshaba zabantu bakaThixo—abakutshoyo ngoku xa bebona ukukhula okungummangaliso, impumelelo nenkqubela yabakhonzi bakaYehova kumaxesha anamhlanje? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba, ezinye zezi ntshaba zivakalelwa ngendlela ababevakalelwa ngayo abaFarisi xa babona indlela abantu ababethontelana ngayo kuYesu. Badanduluka besithi: “Yabonani! Ihlabathi lilandele yena.”—Yohane 12:19.
17. Wathini omnye umbhali ngamaNgqina kaYehova, yaye luluphi ulwando oluye lwakho?
17 Kwincwadi yakhe ethi These Also Believe, uNjingalwazi uCharles S. Braden wathi: “AmaNgqina kaYehova awugubungele ngokoqobo umhlaba enikela ubungqina. Kunokutshiwo ngokunyanisekileyo ukuba alikho elinye iqela lonqulo ehlabathini elinenzondelelo engakumbi nelizingisayo kwimigudu yokusasaza iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani ukudlula amaNgqina kaYehova. Ngokuqinisekileyo lo mbutho uya kuqhubeka usanda ngokwanda.” Hayi indlela awayechane ngayo! Ekubhaleni kwakhe loo mazwi kwiminyaka engama-50 eyadlulayo, ayengama-300 000 kuphela amaNgqina awayeshumayela emhlabeni wonke. Angathini namhlanje, xa eliphindaphinda izihlandlo ezimalunga nama-20 elo nani—emalunga nezigidi ezithandathu—ashumayela iindaba ezilungileyo?
18. Yintoni intetho enyulu, yaye uThixo uyinike oobani?
18 Ngomprofeti wakhe, uThixo wathembisa oku: “Izizwana ndiya kuzinika ukuba zitshintshele kulwimi olusulungekileyo, ukuze zonke zibize egameni likaYehova, ukuze zimkhonze ngaxhatha linye.” (Zefaniya 3:9) Kule mihla yokugqibela, ngamaNgqina kaYehova abiza egameni likaYehova, amkhonza ngokumanyeneyo kwiqhina lothando elingenakuqhawulwa—ewe, “ngaxhatha linye.” UYehova unike wona intetho enyulu. Le ntetho inyulu iquka ukuyiqonda ngokufanelekileyo inyaniso ngoThixo neenjongo zakhe. NguYehova kuphela owanika oku kuqonda ngomoya wakhe oyingcwele. (1 Korinte 2:10) Ngubani amnike umoya wakhe? Uwunike kuphela “abo bamthobelayo njengomlawuli.” (IZenzo 5:32) NgamaNgqina kaYehova kuphela avumayo ukuthobela uThixo njengoMlawuli kuyo yonke into. Yiyo loo nto efumana umoya kaThixo yaye ethetha intetho enyulu, inyaniso ngoYehova neenjongo zakhe ezimangalisayo. Asebenzisa intetho enyulu ukudumisa uYehova emhlabeni wonke ngomkhamo ophakamileyo nowandayo.
19. Ukuthetha intetho enyulu kubandakanya ntoni?
19 Ukuthetha intetho enyulu akubandakanyi ukukholelwa inyaniso nokufundisa abanye ngayo nje kuphela kodwa kuthetha nokuvisisanisa ihambo kabani nemithetho kunye nemigaqo kaThixo. AmaKristu athanjisiweyo aye akhokela ekufuneni uYehova nasekuthetheni intetho enyulu. Khawucinge nje ngoko kuye kwafezwa! Nangona inani labo bathanjisiweyo liye lancipha laya kutsho ngaphantsi kwama-8 700, abanye abamalunga nezigidi ezithandathu baxelisa ukholo lwabo ngokufuna uYehova nangokuthetha intetho enyulu. Aba basisihlwele esikhulu esandayo esiphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga esinokholo kwidini lentlawulelo likaYesu, nesinikela inkonzo engcwele kwintendelezo esemhlabeni yetempile kaThixo yokomoya, yaye siya kusinda ‘kwimbandezelo enkulu’ eza kufikela eli hlabathi lingendawo kungekudala.—ISityhilelo 7:9, 14, 15.
20. Yintoni elindele abathanjiswa abathembekileyo nabo babumba isihlwele esikhulu?
20 Isihlwele esikhulu siya kungeniswa kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo lobulungisa. (2 Petros 3:13) UYesu Kristu nabathanjiswa abali-144 000 abavuselwe kubomi basezulwini ukuze bakhonze kunye naye njengookumkani nababingeleli baya kubumba urhulumente omtsha wasemhlabeni. (Roma 8:16, 17; ISityhilelo 7:4; 20:6) Abo baya kusinda kwimbandezelo enkulu baya kusebenza ukuze benze umhlaba ube yiparadesi yaye baya kuqhubeka bethetha intetho enyulu evela kuThixo. Ngokusisiseko, abhekisela kubo la mazwi: “Bonke oonyana bakho [ngokuqinisekileyo, neentombi zakho] baya kufundiswa nguYehova, lube lukhulu uxolo loonyana bakho. Uya kumiselwa ngokuqinileyo ngobulungisa.”—Isaya 54:13, 14.
Owona Msebenzi Wokufundisa Mkhulu Embalini
21, 22. (a) Njengoko IZenzo 24:15 zibonisa, ngoobani ekuya kufuneka bafundiswe intetho enyulu? (b) Nguwuphi umsebenzi wokufundisa ongenakuthelekiswa nanto oya kwenziwa emhlabeni phantsi kolawulo loBukumkani?
21 Iqela elikhulu kakhulu eliya kunikwa ithuba lokufunda intetho enyulu kwihlabathi elitsha kuthethwa ngalo kwiZenzo 24:15, ezithi: “Kuza kubakho uvuko lwamalungisa nabangengomalungisa.” Kwixa elidluleyo, abantu abangamawaka ezigidi baye baphila baza bafa bengenalo ulwazi oluchanileyo ngoYehova. Uya kubabuyisela ebomini ngolungelelwano. Yaye abo bantu bavusiweyo baya kufuna ukufundiswa intetho enyulu.
22 Elinjani lona ilungelo ekuya kuba lilo ukuba nenxaxheba kuloo msebenzi mkhulu wokufundisa! Iya kuba ngowona msebenzi mkhulu wokufundisa embalini yoluntu. Wonke uya kuphunyezwa phantsi kolawulo lwenceba lukaKristu Yesu ekumandla oBukumkani. Ngenxa yoko, ekugqibeleni uluntu luya kubona inzaliseko kaIsaya 11:9, othi: “Umhlaba ngokuqinisekileyo uya kuzaliswa kukwazi uYehova njengamanzi egubungele ulwandle.”
23. Kutheni unokuthi sinelungelo elikhulu njengabantu bakaYehova?
23 Hayi indlela esinelungelo ngayo kule mihla yokugqibela ngokulungiselela elo xesha lingummangaliso xa ukwazi uYehova ngokwenene kuya kuzalisa umhlaba! Yaye elinjani lona ilungelo esinalo kanye ngoku lokuba ngabantu bakaThixo, abo babona inzaliseko ezukileyo yamazwi esiprofeto abhalwe kuZefaniya 3:20! Apho sifumana esi siqinisekiso sivela kuYehova: “Ndiya kunenza nibe ligama nendumiso phakathi kwezizwana zonke zomhlaba.”
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
• Siye sazaliseka njani isiprofeto sikaZefaniya sokubuyiselwa?
• Unqulo oluyinyaniso luye lwaphumelela njani kule mihla yokugqibela?
• Nguwuphi umsebenzi omkhulu wokufundisa oya kwenziwa kwihlabathi elitsha?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]
Abantu bakaYehova babuyela kwilizwe labo ukuze bavuselele unqulo olunyulu. Ngaba uyayazi intsingiselo yoku namhlanje?
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 26]
Ngokuthetha “intetho enyulu,” amaNgqina kaYehova adlulisela ebantwini isigidimi seBhayibhile esithuthuzelayo