Ngubani Oya Kusinda Ngemini KaYehova?
“Khangela! iyeza imini evutha njengeziko.”—MALAKI 4:1.
1. UMalaki usichaza njani isiphelo sale nkqubo engendawo yezinto?
UMPROFETI uMalaki waphefumlelwa nguThixo ukuba abhale iziprofeto ngeziganeko ezoyikisayo eziza kwenzeka kungekudala. Ezi ziganeko ziya kuchaphazela wonke umntu osemhlabeni. UMalaki 4:1 uprofeta esithi: “‘Khangela! iyeza imini evutha njengeziko, yaye bonke abakhukhumeleyo nabo bonke abo benza ubungendawo bamele babe njengeendiza. Kwaye imini leyo izayo ngokuqinisekileyo iya kubaqwenga,’ utsho uYehova wemikhosi, ‘kangangokuba ayiyi kubashiyela nokuba yingcambu okanye isebe.’” Le nkqubo engendawo yezinto iya kutshatyalaliswa ngokupheleleyo ukusa kuwuphi umkhamo? Kuya kuba njengomthi oncothulwe neengcambu ongasayi kuphinda ukhule.
2. Ezinye izibhalo ziyichaza njani imini kaYehova?
2 Usenokuba uyabuza, ‘Yiyiphi le “mini” umprofeti uMalaki waprofeta ngayo?’ Ikwayimini ekuthethwa ngayo kuIsaya 13:9, apho kuthiwa: “Khangela! Imini kaYehova iyeza, ikhohlakele inobushushu nokuvutha komsindo, ukuze yenze ilizwe libe yinto yokukhwankqiswa, nokuze kubhujiswe aboni belizwe eli.” UZefaniya 1:15 usichazela ngayo esithi: “Loo mini yimini yokuvutha komsindo, imini yokubandezeleka neyokungcungcutheka, imini yesaqhwithi neyesiphanziso, imini yobumnyama neyesithokothoko, imini yamafu nesithokothoko.”
“Imbandezelo Enkulu”
3. Yintoni “imini kaYehova”?
3 Kwinzaliseko enkulu yesiprofeto sikaMalaki, “imini kaYehova” lixesha ‘lembandezelo enkulu.’ UYesu waprofeta esithi: “Ngelo xesha kuya kubakho imbandezelo enkulu ekungazange kubekho injengayo ukususela ekuqaleni kwehlabathi de kube ngoku, nekungasayi kubakho injengayo kwakhona.” (Mateyu 24:21) Cinga ngembandezelo eye yakho emhlabeni, ingakumbi ukususela ngowe-1914. (Mateyu 24:7-12) Kaloku, IMfazwe Yehlabathi II iyodwa yabulala abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingama-50! Kanti, “imbandezelo enkulu” iya kuzenza zibonakale zincinane gqitha ezo nkathazo. Eso siganeko, ngokufanayo nemini kaYehova, siphelela kwiArmagedon, nto leyo ephelisa iintsuku zokugqibela zale nkqubo engendawo.—2 Timoti 3:1-5, 13; ISityhilelo 7:14; 16:14, 16.
4. Xa kuphela imini kaYehova, kuya kube kwenzeke ntoni?
4 Ekupheleni kwemini kaYehova, ihlabathi likaSathana namahlakani akhe baya kutshatyalaliswa. Into yokuqala eya kutshatyalaliswa lunqulo lobuxoki. Uya kwandula ke uYehova ayigwebe inkqubo kaSathana yezorhwebo neyezobupolitika. (ISityhilelo 17:12-14; 19:17, 18) UHezekile uyaprofeta: “Baya kuyiphosa ezitratweni loo silivere yabo, negolide yabo iya kuba yinto eyenyanyekayo. Isilivere yabo negolide yabo ayiyi kukwazi ukubahlangula ngemini yokuvutha komsindo kaYehova.” (Hezekile 7:19) Ngokuphathalele loo mini uZefaniya 1:14 uthi: “Imini enkulu kaYehova ikufuphi. Ikufuphi, yaye ikhawuleza kakhulu.” Ngenxa yoko kuthethwa yiBhayibhile ngemini kaYehova, simele sizimisele ukuphila ngokuvumelana nemilinganiselo kaThixo yokulunga.
5. Bafumana ntoni abo boyika igama likaYehova?
5 Emva kokuprofeta ngoko uYehova aya kukwenza kwihlabathi likaSathana, uMalaki 4:2 uthetha ngoYehova esithi: “Kuni ke baloyikayo igama lam ilanga lobulungisa ngokuqinisekileyo liya kukhanyisa, linokuphilisa emaphikweni alo; yaye okunene niya kuphuma nize nidlobe njengamathole eenkomo atyetyisiweyo.” “Ilanga lobulungisa” nguYesu Kristu. ‘Ulukhanyiselo lokomoya lwehlabathi.’ (Yohane 8:12) UYesu ukhanyisela ngokuphilisa, okokuqala ukuphilisa kokomoya, esikufumanayo namhlanje, aze alandele ngokuphilisa okupheleleyo kwihlabathi elitsha. Njengoko uYehova esitsho, abaphilisiweyo baya ‘kudloba njengamathole eenkomo atyetyisiweyo’ anemincili navuyela ukukhululwa.
6. Abakhonzi bakaYehova baya kuba nawuphi umbhiyozo woloyiso?
6 Kuthekani ngabo batyeshela imilinganiselo kaYehova? UMalaki 4:3 uthi: “‘Ngokuqinisekileyo [nina bakhonzi bakaThixo] niya kubanyathela abangendawo, kuba baya kuba njengomgubo phantsi kweentende zeenyawo zenu ngemini yokukwenza kwam oku,’ utsho uYehova wemikhosi.” Abakhonzi bakaThixo abangabantu abayi kuba nanxaxheba ekutshabalaliseni ihlabathi likaSathana. Kunoko, ngokomfuziselo baya “kubanyathela abangendawo” ngokuba nenxaxheba kumbhiyozo woloyiso oya kubakho emva kwemini kaYehova. Kwakungamayeyeye emva kokutshatyalaliswa kwemikhosi kaFaro kuLwandle Olubomvu. (Eksodus 15:1-21) Ngokufanayo, ukushenxiswa kukaSathana nehlabathi lakhe kwimbandezelo enkulu kuya kulandelwa ngumbhiyozo woloyiso. Abantu abathembekileyo abasindileyo kwimini kaYehova baya kudanduluka bathi: “Masivuye sibe nemihlali ngosindiso lwakhe.” (Isaya 25:9) Hayi indlela ekuya kuvuyisa ngayo ukubona ulongamo lukaYehova luthethelelwe yaye umhlaba ucociwe waza waba yindawo ekuhlalwa kuyo ngoxolo!
INgqobhoko Ixelisa USirayeli
7, 8. Chaza imeko yokomoya kaSirayeli ngexesha likaMalaki.
7 UYehova ukholiswa ngabo bamkhonzayo, ngokungafaniyo nabo bangamkhonziyo. Kwakunjalo nangexesha uMalaki wayebhala incwadi yakhe. Ngowama-537 B.C.E., intsalela yamaSirayeli yabuyiselwa kwilizwe layo emva kweminyaka engama-70 yokuthinjelwa eBhabhiloni. Noko ke, kwinkulungwane elandelayo, uhlanga olubuyiselweyo lwaqalisa ukubandakanyeka kuwexuko nobungendawo. Inkoliso yabantu yayingalihloneli igama likaYehova; ityeshela imithetho yakhe yobulungisa; ingcolisa itempile yakhe ngokuzisa izilwanyana eziziimfama, eziqhwalelayo nezigulayo ukuze ibingelele ngazo; yaye iqhawula umtshato nabafazi bobutsha bayo.
8 Ngenxa yoko, uYehova wathi kubo: “Ndiza kusondela kuni ukuba ndigwebe, yaye ndiza kuba lingqina elikhawulezayo nxamnye nabakhafuli, nabakrexezi, nabo bafunga ubuxoki, nabo baqhatha umqeshwa emvuzweni, nomhlolokazi nenkwenkwe engenayise, nabo bamgxothayo umphambukeli, ngoxa bengandoyiki mna, . . . kuba ndinguYehova, anditshintshanga.” (Malaki 3:5, 6) Sekunjalo, uYehova wakhuthaza nabani na oya kuguquka kwiindlela zakhe ezimbi esithi: “Buyelani kum, nam ndiza kubuyela kuni.”—Malaki 3:7.
9. Iziprofeto zikaMalaki zazaliseka njani okokuqala?
9 Loo mazwi azaliseka nangenkulungwane yokuqala kwiXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Intsalela yamaYuda yakhonza uYehova yaza yaba yinxalenye “yohlanga” olutsha lwamaKristu athanjiswe ngomoya, olwaluquka nabeeNtlanga. Kodwa inkoliso kaSirayeli wemvelo ayizange imamkele uYesu. Ngoko ke, uYesu wathi kolo hlanga lwakwaSirayeli: “Khangelani! Indlu yenu ishiyelwa kuni.” (Mateyu 23:38; 1 Korinte 16:22) Ngowama-70 C.E., njengoko kwaprofetwa kuMalaki 4:1, “imini evutha njengeziko” yamfikela uSirayeli wokwenyama. IYerusalem netempile yayo zatshatyalaliswa, yaye kuthiwa kwafa abantu abangaphezu kwesigidi ngenxa yendlala, ukruthakruthwano ngolawulo nokuhlaselwa yimikhosi yaseRoma. Noko ke, abo babekhonza uYehova basinda kuloo mbandezelo.—Marko 13:14-20.
10. Abantu ngokubanzi nabefundisi bamxelisa njani uSirayeli wenkulungwane yokuqala?
10 Uluntu, yaye ngokukhethekileyo iNgqobhoko, luye lwaxelisa uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli lwenkulungwane yokuqala. Iinkokeli nabantu ngokubanzi kwiNgqobhoko bakhetha iinkolelo zabo zonqulo kuneenyaniso zikaThixo, uYesu awazifundisayo. Abona bantu babekek’ ityala ngabefundisi. Abafuni ukusebenzisa igama likaYehova, kangangokuba bade balikhupha kwiinguqulelo zabo zeBhayibhile. Bayamgculela uYehova ngeemfundiso zabo ezingasekelwanga kwizibhalo, njengemfundiso yobuhedeni yokuthuthunjiswa kwisihogo somlilo ngonaphakade, uBathathu Emnye, ukungafi komphefumlo nendaleko. Ngaloo ndlela, abamniki uYehova uzuko olumfaneleyo, njengendlela abenza ngayo ababingeleli kumhla kaMalaki.
11. Iinkonzo zeli hlabathi zibonisa njani ukuba zinqula bani ngokwenene?
11 Ngowe-1914, ekuqaleni kwemihla yokugqibela, iinkonzo zeli hlabathi, zikhokelwa zezo zithi zingamaKristu, zabonisa ukuba zinqula bani ngokwenene. Kuzo zombini iimfazwe zehlabathi, zazikhuthaza amalungu azo ukuba aye emfazweni alwelwe uhlanga lwawo, enoba oku kwakuthetha ukubulala abantu bonqulo lwabo. ILizwi likaThixo libachaza ngokucacileyo abo banqula uYehova nabo bangamnquliyo lisithi: “Yiyo ke le indlela ababonakala ngayo abantwana bakaThixo nabantwana bakaMtyholi: Bonke abangaqhubekiyo besenza ubulungisa abaphumi kuThixo, kukwanjalo nangalowo ungamthandiyo umzalwana wakhe. Kuba esi sisigidimi enasivayo kwasekuqaleni, ukuba sithandane; singabi njengoKayin, owaphuma kulowo ungendawo waza wambulala ngogonyamelo umntakwabo.”—1 Yohane 3:10-12.
Ukuzalisekisa Iziprofeto
12, 13. Abakhonzi bakaThixo baye bazalisekisa ziphi iziprofeto kwixesha lethu?
12 Ekupheleni kweMfazwe Yehlabathi I ngowe-1918, abakhonzi bakaYehova babebona ukuba uThixo wayeyigwebile iNgqobhoko nalo lonke unqulo lobuxoki. Ukususela ngoko, abantu abalungileyo baye balunyukiswa kusithiwa: “Phumani kuyo, bantu bam, ukuze ningabelani nayo ngezono zayo, nokuze ningamkeliswa kwizibetho zayo. Kuba izono zayo ziye zafumba zada zafikelela ezulwini, noThixo uye wazikhumbula izenzo zayo zokungekho sikweni.” (ISityhilelo 18:4, 5) Abo babefuna ukukhonza uYehova baqaliswa ukucocwa kwiimfundiso nakwimizila yonqulo lobuxoki yaye baqalisa ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani obumiselweyo ehlabathini lonke, umsebenzi ofanele ugqitywe ngaphambi kokuba kuphele le nkqubo ingendawo yezinto.—Mateyu 24:14.
13 Oku kwenzeka ukuze kuzaliseke isiprofeto esikuMalaki 4:5, apho uYehova wathi: “Khangelani! Ndithumela kuni uEliya umprofeti ngaphambi kokufika kwemini kaYehova enkulu neyoyikekayo.” Eso siprofeto sazaliseka okokuqala kumsebenzi kaYohane uMbhaptizi, owafanekiselwa nguEliya. UYohane wenza umsebenzi onjengokaEliya xa wabhaptiza amaYuda awayeguquka kwizono ezichasene nomnqophiso woMthetho. Okubaluleke nangakumbi, uYohane wayesandulela uMesiya. Noko ke, umsebenzi kaYohane wawuyinzaliseko yokuqala yesiprofeto sikaMalaki. UYesu, ngoxa wayethetha ngoYohane njengoEliya wesibini, wabonisa ukuba kwakuza kubakho umsebenzi ‘kaEliya’ kwixesha elizayo.—Mateyu 17:11, 12.
14. Nguwuphi umsebenzi obalulekileyo ofanele wenziwe ngaphambi kokuphela kwale nkqubo?
14 Isiprofeto sikaMalaki sabonisa ukuba lo msebenzi mkhulu kaEliya uya kwenziwa ngaphambi “kokufika kwemini kaYehova enkulu neyoyikekayo.” Loo mini iphela ngemfazwe esondela ngokukhawuleza yemini enkulu kaThixo uSomandla, eArmagedon. Oku kuthetha ukuba isiphelo sale nkqubo engendawo yezinto nokuqala koLawulo lweWaka Leminyaka loBukumkani bukaThixo basemazulwini phantsi koYesu Kristu omiselweyo siya kwandulelwa ngumsebenzi onjengokaEliya. Njengokuba kubonisiwe kwesi siprofeto, ngaphambi kokuba uYehova atshabalalise le nkqubo engendawo, udidi lwanamhlanje lukaEliya, luxhaswa ngamanye amaKristu azizigidi anethemba lokuphila emhlabeni, ngehlombe enza umsebenzi wokubuyisela unqulo lokwenyaniso, ephakamisa igama likaYehova, yaye efundisa iinyaniso zeBhayibhile kwabanjengezimvu.
UYehova Uyabasikelela Abakhonzi Bakhe
15. UYehova ubakhumbula njani abakhonzi bakhe?
15 UYehova uyabasikelela abo bamkhonzayo. UMalaki 3:16 uthi: “Ngelo xesha abo bamoyikayo uYehova bathetha omnye komnye, ngamnye neqabane lakhe, yaye uYehova wanikela ingqalelo ephulaphule. Kwaye incwadi yokukhumbuza yabhalwa phambi kwakhe ngenxa yabo bamoyikayo uYehova nangenxa yabo bacinga ngegama lakhe.” Ukususela kuAbheli, ngokungathi kunjalo, uThixo ebewabhala encwadini amagama abo aza kubakhumbula aze abanike ubomi obungunaphakade. UYehova uthi kwaba: “Zisani zonke izishumi kuvimba, ukuze kubekho ukutya endlwini yam; yaye khanincede, nindivavanye, kule nkalo . . . enoba andiyi kunivulela kusini na amasango ezikhukula emazulwini ndize okunene ndiqongqothele phezu kwenu intsikelelo kude kungasweleki nto.”—Malaki 3:10.
16, 17. UYehova uye wabasikelela njani abantu bakhe nomsebenzi wabo?
16 Eneneni, uYehova uye wabasikelela abo bamkhonzayo. Njani? Enye indlela kukwandisa ulwazi lwabo ngeenjongo zakhe. (IMizekeliso 4:18; Daniyeli 12:10) Okwesibini kukwenza umsebenzi wabo wokushumayela ube nesiqhamo. Abantu abaninzi abanyanisekileyo baye babathelela kunqulo lokwenyaniso, yaye bonke aba babumba “isihlwele esikhulu . . . siphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe nezizwana neelwimi, . . . sidanduluka ngelizwi elikhulu, sisithi: ‘Usindiso silufumene kuThixo wethu, ohleli etroneni, nakuyo iMvana.’” (ISityhilelo 7:9, 10) Esi sihlwele sikhulu siye sazibonakalisa ngeendlela ezimangalisayo, yaye abo bakhutheleyo ekukhonzeni uYehova ngoku bangaphezu kwezigidi ezithandathu kumabandla angaphezu kwama-93 000 emhlabeni wonke!
17 Kwakhona uYehova uye wawasikelela amaNgqina kaYehova ngokuba neempapasho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni eziye zasasazwa ngaphezu kwayo nayiphi na enye incwadi. Ngoku, nyanga nganye kuveliswa imibhalo ezizigidi ezingama-90 zephephancwadi IMboniselo ngeelwimi ezili-144 noVukani!, ngeelwimi ezingama-87. Kwasasazwa imibhalo ezizigidi ezili-107 ngeelwimi ezili-117 zencwadi yokufundisisa iBhayibhile ethi INyaniso eKhokelela KuBomi obungunaPhakade, eyapapashwa ngowe-1968. Kwasasazwa imibhalo ezizigidi ezingama-81 ngeelwimi ezili-131 zencwadi ethi Unokuphila Ngonaphakade KwiParadisi Esemhlabeni, eyapapashwa ngowe-1982. Ngowe-1995 kwakhululwa incwadi ethi Ulwazi Olukhokelela Kubomi Obungunaphakade, yaye ukuza kuthi ga ngoku kuye kwashicilelwa imibhalo yayo engaphezu kwezigidi ezingama-85 ngeelwimi ezili-154. Sithethanje kuye kwasasazwa imibhalo ezizigidi ezili-150 ngeelwimi ezingama-244 zencwadana enemifanekiso ethi Yintoni UThixo Ayifunayo Kuthi?, eyapapashwa ngowe-1996.
18. Kutheni izinto zisihambela kakuhle ngokomoya phezu kwayo nje inkcaso?
18 Izinto ziye zahamba kakuhle ngokomoya phezu kwayo nje eyona nkcaso iqatha nengapheliyo yehlabathi likaSathana. Oku kubonisa indlela ayinyaniso ngayo amazwi akuIsaya 54:17 athi: “‘Nasiphi na isixhobo esiya kuyilwa nxamnye nawe asiyi kuphumelela, nalo naluphi na ulwimi oluya kuphakama nxamnye nawe ekugwetyweni uya kulugwebela isohlwayo. Lilo elo ilifa labakhonzi bakaYehova, yaye ubulungisa babo buphuma kum,’ utsho uYehova.” Hayi indlela ekuthuthuzela ngayo kubakhonzi bakaYehova ukwazi ukuba uMalaki 3:17 uzaliseka kakhulu kubo: “‘Ngokuqinisekileyo baya kuba ngabam,’ utsho uYehova wemikhosi, ‘ngemini yokuvelisa kwam inqobo.’”
Ukukhonza UYehova Ngovuyo
19. Abantu abakhonza uYehova bahluke njani kwabo bangamkhonziyo?
19 Umahluko phakathi kwabakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaYehova nabo bakwihlabathi likaSathana uye ucaca ngakumbi njengoko ixesha lihamba. UMalaki 3:18 waprofeta wathi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo nina niya kuwubona kwakhona umahluko phakathi kwelungisa nongendawo, phakathi kwalowo ukhonza uThixo nalowo ungamkhonzanga.” Omnye umahluko kukuba abo bakhonza uYehova bamkhonza ngovuyo. Esinye sezizathu soku lithemba elivuyisayo abanalo. Bamthembe ngokupheleleyo uYehova xa esithi: “Ndidala amazulu amatsha nomhlaba omtsha; kwaye izinto zangaphambili aziyi kukhunjulwa, zinganyuki zithi qatha entliziyweni. Kodwa gcobani nize nivuye ngonaphakade koko ndikudalayo.”—Isaya 65:17, 18; INdumiso 37:10, 11, 29; ISityhilelo 21:4, 5.
20. Kutheni singabantu abonwabileyo?
20 Siyakholelwa kwisithembiso sikaYehova sokuba abantu bakhe abanyanisekileyo baya kusinda kwimini yakhe enkulu baze basindele kwihlabathi elitsha. (Zefaniya 2:3; ISityhilelo 7:13, 14) Yaye ngoxa abanye ngenxa yokwaluphala, ukugula okanye ingozi benokufa ngaphambi kwelo xesha, uYehova uyathembisa ukuba uya kubavusa aze abanike ubomi obungunaphakade. (Yohane 5:28, 29; Tito 1:2) Ngoko, nangona sonke sineengxaki, njengoko sisondela kwimini kaYehova, sinesizathu sokuba ngabona bantu bonwabileyo emhlabeni.
Unokuphendula Njani?
• Yintoni “imini kaYehova”?
• Iinkonzo zehlabathi zimxelisa njani uSirayeli wamandulo?
• Abakhonzi bakaYehova bazalisekisa ziphi iziprofeto?
• UYehova uye wabasikelela njani abantu bakhe?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]
IYerusalem yenkulungwane yokuqala ‘yavutha njengeziko’
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 23]
UYehova uyabanyamekela abo bamkhonzayo
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 24]
Ngenxa yethemba labo elivuyisayo, abakhonzi bakaYehova bonwabe ngokwenene