Isahluko Sokuqala
Ubunye Ekukhulekeleni Esikhathini Sethu—Busho Ukuthini?
1, 2. (a) Yisiphi isenzakalo esivusa amadlingozi esenzeka esikhathini sethu? (b) Yiliphi ithemba elihle kakhulu abantu abanhliziyo ziqotho abanalo?
EMHLABENI wonke kunesenzakalo esivusa amadlingozi esiletha ubunye ekukhulekeleni. Sihlanganisa izigidi zabantu bazo zonke izizwe, izinhlanga nezilimi. Kubuthwa abengeziwe unyaka ngamunye. EBhayibhelini babizwa ngokuthi “ofakazi” bakaJehova nangokuthi “isixuku esikhulu.” Banikela kuNkulunkulu ‘inkonzo engcwele imini nobusuku.’ (Isaya 43:10-12; IsAmbulo 7:9-15) Bakwenzelani lokhu? Ngoba manje bazi uJehova owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso. Lokhu kubashukumisela ukuba bavumelanise ukuphila kwabo nezindlela zakhe zokulunga. Futhi baye bafunda ukuthi siphila “ezinsukwini zokugcina” zaleli zwe lamanje elibi, ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzolibhubhisa maduze, nokuthi esikhundleni salo, uyoletha izwe lakhe elisha eliyipharadesi.—2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, 13; 2 Petru 3:10-13.
2 IZwi likaNkulunkulu liyathembisa: “[Kusengumzuzwana], omubi angabe esabakho . . . Kepha abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu.” (IHubo 37:10, 11) “Abalungileyo bazakudla ifa lomhlaba, bahlale kuwo njalonjalo.” (IHubo 37:29) “[UNkulunkulu] uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni [abo], futhi ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlulile.”—IsAmbulo 21:4.
3. Ubunye bangempela ekukhulekeleni bufinyelelwa kanjani?
3 Labo abahlanganiswayo manje ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso bakha izakhamuzi zokuqala zalelo zwe elisha. Baye bafunda ukuthi iyini intando kaNkulunkulu futhi bayenza ngangokusemandleni abo. Ebonisa ukubaluleka kwalokhu, uJesu wathi: “Lokhu kusho ukuphila okumi phakade, ukungenisa kwabo ulwazi ngawe, owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, nangalowo owamthuma, uJesu Kristu.” (Johane 17:3) Umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Izwe liyadlula kanjalo nesifiso salo, kodwa lowo owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade.”—1 Johane 2:17.
Lokho Okukushoyo Ngempela
4. (a) Kusho ukuthini ngempela ukubuthelwa kwabantu abaningi kangaka ekukhulekeleni okunobunye esikhathini sethu? (b) IBhayibheli likuchaza kanjani lokhu kubuthelwa ndawonye?
4 Kusho ukuthini ngempela ukuhlanganiswa kwabantu abaningi kangaka ekukhulekeleni okunobunye esikhathini sethu? Kuwubufakazi obusobala bokuthi sesiseduze impela nokuphela kwaleli zwe elibi, futhi izwe elisha likaNkulunkulu lizofika ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho. Singofakazi bokuzibonela bokugcwaliseka kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli ezabikezela lokhu kuqoqwa kwabantu okukhulu. Esinye salezo ziprofetho sithi: “Kuyakuthi ngezinsuku ezizayo [lezi zinsuku zokugcina] intaba yendlu kaJehova [ukukhulekelwa kwakhe kweqiniso okuphakeme] iqiniswe esiqongweni sezintaba [ngaphezu kwanoma yikuphi okunye ukukhulekela], . . . nabantu bayakugobhozela khona. Izizwe eziningi ziyakuhamba, zithi: ‘Wozani sikhuphukele entabeni kaJehova nasendlini kaNkulunkulu kaJakobe; uyakusifundisa izindlela zakhe, sihambe emikhondweni yakhe.’”—Mika 4:1, 2; IHubo 37:34.
5, 6. (a) Kushiwo kanjani ngempela ukuthi izizwe ziphendukela kuJehova? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo okufanele sizibuze yona?
5 Nakuba kungezi bonke abezizwe endlini kaJehova yokukhulekela engokomoya, kodwa kuza izigidi zabantu ngabanye abavela kuzo zonke izizwe. Njengoba befunda ngenjongo enothando kaJehova uNkulunkulu nobuntu bakhe obukhangayo, bathinteka ekujuleni kwenhliziyo. Ngokuzithoba bafuna ukuthola ukuthi yini uNkulunkulu ayifunayo kubo. Bathandaza njengomhubi, owathi: “Ngifundise ukwenza intando yakho, ngokuba wena unguNkulunkulu wami.”—IHubo 143:10.
6 Ingabe uyazibona uphakathi kwesixuku esikhulu sabantu uJehova abahlanganisa ndawonye ekukhulekeleni okunobunye? Ingabe indlela osabela ngayo emfundweni oyithole eZwini lakhe iyabonisa ukuthi uyaqaphela ngempela ukuthi uJehova unguMthombo waleyo mfundo? ‘Uyohamba ezindleleni zakhe’ ngezinga elingakanani?
Indlela Obufinyelelwa Ngayo
7. (a) Ubunye ekukhulekeleni buyofinyelelwa ngaliphi izinga? (b) Kungani kuphuthuma ukuba umuntu abe umkhulekeli kaJehova manje, futhi singabasiza kanjani abanye ukuba benze lokho?
7 Injongo kaJehova iwukuba yonke indalo ehlakaniphile ibe nobunye ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso. Yeka indlela esilulangazelela ngayo usuku lapho bonke abaphilayo beyokhulekela okuwukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso! (IHubo 103:19-22) Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba lokho kwenzeke, uJehova kumelwe asuse bonke abenqabayo ukwenza intando yakhe yokulunga. Ngomusa, uxwayisa kusengaphambili ngalokho azokwenza, ukuze abantu kuyo yonke indawo babe nethuba lokuguqula inkambo yabo. (Isaya 55:6, 7) Ngakho, osukwini lwethu, kukhishwa lesi simemo esiphuthumayo esiya ‘kuzo zonke izizwe nezilimi nabantu,’ esithi: “Mesabeni uNkulunkulu nimnike inkazimulo, ngoba ihora lokwahlulelwa nguye selifikile, ngakho khulekelani Lowo owenza izulu nomhlaba nolwandle nemithombo yamanzi.” (IsAmbulo 14:6, 7) Ingabe ususamukele leso simemo? Uma kunjalo, unelungelo lokumema nabanye ukuze bazi uNkulunkulu weqiniso futhi bamkhulekele.
8. Ngemva kokufunda izimfundiso zeBhayibheli eziyisisekelo, iyiphi intuthuko eyengeziwe okufanele sizikhandle ngobuqotho ukuze siyifinyelele?
8 Akuyona injongo kaJehova ukuba akhulekelwe abantu abathi banokholo kuye kodwa bebe beqhubeka bephishekela iminako yabo. UNkulunkulu ufuna ukuba abantu bafinyelele ‘olwazini olunembile ngentando yakhe’ futhi lokhu bakubonise ekuphileni kwabo. (Kolose 1:9, 10) Ngakho, abantu abanokwazisa abafunda izimfundiso eziyisisekelo zeBhayibheli bafuna ukuthuthukela ekuvuthweni kobuKristu. Bafisa ukwazi uJehova ngokuseduze, bandise futhi bajulise indlela abaliqonda ngayo iZwi lakhe, futhi balisebenzise ngokugcwele ekuphileni kwabo. Bafuna ukubonakalisa izimfanelo zikaBaba wethu wasezulwini futhi babheke izinto ngombono wakhe. Lokhu kubashukumisela ukuba bafune izindlela zokuhlanganyela emsebenzini osindisa ukuphila owenziwa emhlabeni osukwini lwethu. Ingabe nawe unaleso sifiso?—Marku 13:10; Heberu 5:12–6:3.
9. Ubunye beqiniso bungafinyelelwa kanjani manje?
9 IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi labo abakhonza uJehova kumelwe kube abantu abanobunye. (Efesu 4:1-3) Lobu bunye kufanele bube khona kwamanje, ngisho noma siphila ezweni elihlukene futhi sisalwa nokungapheleli kwethu. UJesu wathandaza ngobuqotho ukuba bonke abafundi bakhe babumbane, bajabulele ubunye bangempela. Lokhu bekuyosho ukuthini? Okokuqala, bekuyosho ukuthi bayoba nobuhlobo obuhle noJehova neNdodana yakhe. Okwesibili, bebeyoba nobunye phakathi kwabo. (Johane 17:20, 21) Ukuze bafinyelele lokho, ibandla lobuKristu lisebenza njengenhlangano uJehova ayisebenzisayo ukuze afundise abantu bakhe.
Yiziphi Izici Ezibangela Ubunye?
10. (a) Yini esiyihlakulelayo uma sisebenzisa iBhayibheli ekuphenduleni imibuzo esithintayo? (b) Hlaziya izici ezibangela ubunye bobuKristu ngokuphendula imibuzo ekulesi sigaba.
10 Ngezansi, kubalwe izici eziyisikhombisa eziyisihluthulelo ezibangela ubunye ekukhulekeleni. Njengoba uphendula imibuzo engezansi, cabanga ngendlela iphuzu ngalinye elibuthinta ngayo ubuhlobo bakho noJehova kanye namanye amaKristu. Ukuzindla ngala maphuzu nokubheka imibhalo ekhonjiwe kodwa engacashuniwe, kuyothuthukisa ukuhlakanipha kwakho okuvela kuNkulunkulu, ikhono lokucabanga nokuqonda—izimfanelo sonke esizidingayo. (IzAga 5:1, 2; Filipi 1:9-11) Cabangela lezi zici ngasinye ngesikhathi.
(1) Siyaliqaphela ilungelo likaJehova lokubeka indinganiso yokuhle nokubi. “Themba kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, ungenciki kokwakho ukuqonda. Mazise yena ezindleleni zakho zonke, uyakuqondisa imikhondo yakho.”—IzAga 3:5, 6.
Kungani kufanele sifune iseluleko nesiqondiso sikaJehova uma senza izinqumo? (IHubo 146:3-5; Isaya 48:17)
(2) SineZwi likaNkulunkulu elisiqondisayo. “Ngesikhathi namukela izwi likaNkulunkulu, enalizwa ngathi, anilamukelanga njengezwi labantu, kodwa njengezwi likaNkulunkulu, njengoba nje liyilo ngempela, okuyilona elisebenzayo futhi kini nina makholwa.”—1 Thesalonika 2:13.
Iyini ingozi yokumane senze lokho “esinomuzwa” wokuthi kulungile? (IzAga 14:12; Jeremiya 10:23, 24; 17:9)
Uma singazi ukuthi iBhayibheli linikeza siphi iseluleko endabeni ethile, yini okufanele siyenze? (IzAga 2:3-5; 2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17)
(3) Sonke sizuza esimisweni esifanayo sokondliwa ngokomoya. “Bonke abantwana bakho bayakuba ngabafundi bakaJehova.” (Isaya 54:13) “Masicabangelaneni ukuze sivuselelane othandweni nasemisebenzini emihle, singakuyeki ukubuthana kwethu ndawonye, njengoba abanye benaleyonkambiso, kodwa sikhuthazane, futhi ikakhulu njengoba nibona usuku [lwembubhiso] lusondela.”—Heberu 10:24, 25.
Yiziphi izinzuzo ezitholwa yilabo abawasebenzisa ngokugcwele amalungiselelo kaJehova okondliwa ngokomoya? (Isaya 65:13, 14)
(4) UMholi wethu nguJesu Kristu, hhayi umuntu. “Maningabizwa ngokuthi Rabi, ngoba munye ongumfundisi wenu, kanti nonke nina ningabafowabo bomunye nomunye. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ningabizi muntu emhlabeni ngokuthi uyihlo, ngoba munye onguYihlo, yiLowo osezulwini. Maningabizwa futhi ngokuthi ‘abaholi,’ ngoba munye onguMholi wenu, uKristu.”—Mathewu 23:8-10.
Ingabe ukhona phakathi kwethu okufanele acabange ukuthi uphakeme kunabanye? (Roma 3:23, 24; 12:3)
(5) Sibheka uhulumeni woMbuso kaNkulunkulu njengowukuphela kwekhambi lesintu. “Khona-ke, kumelwe nithandaze ngalendlela: ‘Baba wethu osemazulwini, malingcweliswe igama lakho. Umbuso wakho mawuze. Intando yakho mayenzeke nasemhlabeni, njengasezulwini.’ Khona-ke, qhubekani nifuna kuqala umbuso nokulunga kwakhe.”—Mathewu 6:9, 10, 33.
‘Ukufuna umbuso kuqala’ kubuvikela kanjani ubunye bethu? (Mika 4:3; 1 Johane 3:10-12)
(6) Umoya ongcwele wenza abakhulekeli bakaJehova babe nezimfanelo ezibalulekile eziletha ubunye bobuKristu. “Izithelo zomoya ziwuthando, injabulo, ukuthula, ukubhekakade, umusa, ubuhle, ukholo, ubumnene, ukuzithiba.”—Galathiya 5:22, 23.
Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze umoya kaNkulunkulu ukhiqize izithelo zawo kithi? (IzEnzo 5:32)
Ukuba nomoya kaNkulunkulu kubuthinta kanjani ubuhlobo bethu namanye amaKristu? (Johane 13:35; 1 Johane 4:8, 20, 21)
(7) Bonke abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu beqiniso bahlanganyela ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso wakhe. “Lezizindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiweyo ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke; khona-ke ukuphela kuyofika.”—Mathewu 24:14.
Yini okufanele isishukumisele ukuba sifune ukuhlanganyela ngokugcwele kulo msebenzi wokushumayela? (Mathewu 22:37-39; Roma 10:10)
11. Uma sisebenzisa amaqiniso eBhayibheli ekuphileni kwethu, uba yini umphumela?
11 Ukukhulekela uJehova ngobunye kusisondeza kuye futhi kusenza sijabulele ubudlelwano obuqabulayo namanye amakholwa. IHubo 133:1 lithi: “Bheka, kuhle, kumnandi kangaka ukuba abazalwane bahlalisane ndawonye bemunye.” Yeka indlela okuqabula ngayo ukusuka ezweni elinobugovu, ukuziphatha okubi nobudlova futhi sizihlanganise nalabo abamthanda ngempela uJehova futhi abalalela imithetho yakhe!
Gwema Amathonya Ahlukanisayo
12. Kungani kufanele sigweme umoya wokuzibusa?
12 Ukuze singabuchithi ubunye bethu obuyigugu bembulunga yonke, kumelwe sigweme amathonya ahlukanisayo. Elinye lawo umoya wokuzibusa sizihlukanise noNkulunkulu nemithetho yakhe. UJehova usisiza ukuba siwugweme ngokwambula umthombo wawo, uSathane uDeveli. (2 Korinte 4:4; IsAmbulo 12:9) USathane nguye owathonya u-Adamu no-Eva ukuba bangakushayi mkhuba okwakushiwo uNkulunkulu futhi benze izinqumo ezingqubuzana nentando kaNkulunkulu. Umphumela waba yinhlekelele kubo nakithi. (Genesise 3:1-6, 17-19) Leli zwe ligcwele umoya wokuhlubuka kuNkulunkulu nasemithethweni yakhe. Ngakho kufanele silwe nalowo moya okithi.
13. Yini eyobonisa ukuthi ngempela sizilungiselela ukuphila ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu lokulunga?
13 Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngesithembiso sikaJehova esivusa amadlingozi sokususa leli zwe lamanje elibi futhi esikhundleni salo alethe amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha lapho “kuyohlala [khona] ukulunga.” (2 Petru 3:13) Ingabe lokho akufanele kusishukumisele ukuba siqale ukuzilungiselela ukuphila kuleso sikhathi lapho kuyobe kubusa khona ukulunga? Lokhu kusho ukulalela iseluleko seBhayibheli esicacile: “Ningathandi izwe noma izinto ezisezweni. Uma noma ubani ethanda izwe, uthando lukaBaba alukho kuye.” (1 Johane 2:15) Ngakho, sigwema umoya walelizwe—umoya walo wokuzibusa, ubugovu balo, ukuziphatha kwalo okubi nobudlova. Sikwenza umkhuba ukulalela uJehova nokumthobela ngokusuka enhliziyweni, naphezu kokuthambekela kwenyama yethu engaphelele ekwenzeni okuphambene. Yonke inkambo yethu yokuphila inikeza ubufakazi bokuthi indlela esicabanga ngayo kanye nezisusa zethu kuthambekele ekwenzeni intando kaNkulunkulu.—IHubo 40:8.
14. (a) Kungani kubalulekile ukusebenzisa ithuba manje lokufunda ngezindlela zikaJehova futhi sizilandele ekuphileni kwethu? (b) Imibhalo ekhonjwe esigabeni isithinta kanjani thina ngabanye?
14 Lapho sekufika isikhathi sikaJehova esimisiwe sokubhubhisa lesi simiso esibi sezinto nabo bonke abakhetha izindlela zaso, ngeke alibale. Ngeke asihlehlise leso sikhathi noma aguqule izindinganiso zakhe ngenxa yalabo abasazama ukunamathela ezweni kuyilapho bezidonsa ekufundeni nasekwenzeni intando kaNkulunkulu. Manje yisikhathi sokuthatha isinyathelo! (Luka 13:23, 24; 17:32; 21:34-36) Ngakho-ke, yeka indlela okukhuthaza ngayo ukubona isixuku esikhulu sisebenzisa leli thuba eliyigugu, sifuna ngokuzimisela imfundo enikezwa nguJehova ngeZwi lakhe nangenhlangano yakhe, futhi ngobunye sihamba ezindleleni zakhe silibangise ezweni elisha! Lapho siqhubeka sifunda ngoJehova, kulapho siyomthanda khona ngokwengeziwe futhi sifune ukumkhonza.
Ingxoxo Yokubukeza
• Iyini injongo kaJehova ngokuphathelene nokukhulekela?
• Lapho sesifunde izimfundiso zeBhayibheli eziyisisekelo, iyiphi intuthuko eyengeziwe okufanele sizimisele ngobuqotho ukuyifinyelela?
• Yini thina ngabanye okufanele siyenze ukuze sibe sebunyeni nabanye abakhulekeli bakaJehova?
[Isithombe ekhasini 4]
‘Abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu’