Ukuqaphela “Ukuthula Nokuhlala Kahle” Okucetshwa Izizwe
“Nxa bethi: Ngukuthula nokuhlala kahle.”—1 THESALONIKA 5:3.
1, 2. (a) Kungani ukuthula kuye kwaba okungcono kunokuhlakanipha? (b) Ngakho, yini izimiso zezombangazwe ezimelene nempi eziyovumelana ngayo?
IZWE lesintu alikaze libe elingalondekile njengoba linjalo namuhla. Kukhona umuzwa wokwesaba impi yezwe yesithathu ehilela izizwe ezihlome kakhulu ezinalokho manje okubonakala kuyisikhali sokugcina—ibhomu lenuzi. Ikhono lezizwe lokusebenzisa wona kanye umongo wama-athomu empini liye lazibeka ezingeni eliphakeme lokubhubhisa abantu abaningi ngesikhathi esisodwa. Ngakho ukuthula kuye kwaba okungcono kakhulu kunokuhlakanipha.
2 Yebo, ngoba esikhathini sethu impi yezwe yesithathu kusetshenziswa izikhali ezinjalo ibingase isho okungengaphansi kokuzibhubhisa komhlaba, abantu bebhujiswe baphela noma bebulawa imiphumela yangemva kokubhubhisa kwenuzi. Izazi zezombangazwe eziqaphile nabaholi bempi balibona kabuhlungu leloqiniso. Abafuni ukuba necala lenhlekelele enjalo yembulunga yonke. Ngakho izimiso zezombangazwe ezimelene ngokuphelele nempi ziyokuthola kulula ukufinyelela esivumelwaneni esithile, yebo ukulandela ifilosofi yokuhlakanipha kwezwe yokuthi ‘yenza okubonayo.’
3. Kungasiphi isizathu izizwe ziyomemezela ‘ukuthula nokuhlala kahle’?
3 Nokho, izizwe azithembani ngokugcwele. Njengendlela yokuqapha, zigcina ezempi zazo zihlome ngokugcwele. Khona-ke, ingabe ukuhlangana kwababusi ekwenzeni isimemezelo ‘sokuthula nokuhlala kahle’ ngalo lonke izwe lesintu kuyoba ngenxa yothando oluqotho noloqobo ngomunye nomunye njengamalungu omkhaya owodwa wesintu? Cha, kodwa kuyoba indlela yokuphebeza ukwesaba kwabantu okufanele.—1 Thesalonika 5:3.
Ukusabela Kwabefundisi Nabantu Esimemezelweni Esizayo
4, 5. (a) Ikuphi ukusabela kwabantu esimemezelweni esizayo esingakulindela? (b) Naphezu kokusekela kwabefundisi isimemezelo esizayo, imiphi imibuzo ephakamayo ngokuphathelene nokuthi uNkulunkulu uyosisekela yini?
4 Lapho lesimemezelo senziwa ekugcineni, ukusabela kwabantu kuso kumelwe kube kuhle kuwo wonke umhlaba. Ngokungangabazeki abaholi benkolo bomhlaba, kuhlanganisa nabefundisi beLobukholwa, bamaKatolika nabamaProthestani, bayosihalalisela lesisenzo sezizwe zonke. Abefundisi baya ngakunoma iluphi uhlangothi ukuze bahlale bethandwa futhi babe nokusekelwa nokucatshangelwa kwezombangazwe.
5 Nokho, ukusekela kwabefundisi ilungiselelo lezombangazwe elimenyezelwa kakhulu akusho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wendalo yonke, kuhlanganisa nomhlaba wethu, uyolisekela. Ezakhiweni zabo ezinkulu zenkolo, abefundisi bangenza imithandazo emide yokumemeza phambi kwamalungu abo enkolo futhi bacele isibusiso saphezulu emizamweni yabezombangazwe yokuthula nokulondeka kwezizwe zonke. Kodwa ingabe yonke imithandazo enjalo yokuzimisela, amabandla alalele anezela kuyo ‘uAmen’ onentshiseko, iyamukeleka kuNkulunkulu walendalo? Angaba yini nokuthula nezwe elihlukene ngokwenkolo, elimithandazo yalo yokucela ukuthula nokulondeka yenziwa ngokwamahlelo enkolo angavumelani?
6, 7. (a) NjengamaJuda asendulo, iyiphi inkambo eye yathathwa eLobukholwa? (b) Uyoba yini umphumela wokusekela kwabefundisi isimemezelo ‘sokuthula nokuhlala kahle’?
6 Akukho lapho ukuzisholo kokusekelwa uNkulunkulu kukukhulu khona ngaphezu kwasezizweni zeLobukholwa. Kodwa uNkulunkulu wendalo yonke akuYena obusa phezu kweLobukholwa. Liye lathatha inkambo efana neyamaIsrayeli asendulo. Lapho engasaneliswa ilungiselelo likaJehova ngohulumeni wawo futhi ecabanga ukuthi isimiso sezombangazwe zezizwe zamaqaba eziwazungezile sasingcono, aya kumprofethi kaJehova uSamuweli amcela ukuba amise inkosi phezu kwawo. Lokhu kwamcasula kakhulu futhi kwamphatha kabi uSamuweli. Ngokufanayo noNkulunkulu ayengumprofethi wakhe.
7 UJehova wazizwa kabuhlungu ngokufanelekile ngenxa yalesicelo sokuphuma elungiselelweni lakhe elingokwasezulwini phezu kukaIsrayeli. Njengoba asho kumprofethi wakhe uSamuweli: “Akusuwe abakulahlileyo, kepha balahlé mina, ukuze ngingabi inkosi phezu kwabo.” (1 Samuweli 8:4-9) Lokhu kwafanekisela indlela eLobukholwa eliye layithatha kulelikhulu lama-20 leminyaka. Ngakho ukuhalalisa kwabefundisi kwesikhathi esizayo ngesimemezelo ‘sokuThula nokuhlala kahle’ ngeke kube nomphumela omuhle, ngeke kube nesibusiso saphezulu.
Ukudukisa Isintu
8. Cishe iyiphi ingxenye eyokwenziwa iZizwe Ezihlangene esimemezelweni esizayo, futhi kungani lenhlangano idukisa isintu?
8 IZizwe Ezihlangene zingaqhosha ngamalungu ayi-159 namuhla, ahlanganisa cishe zonke izizwe. Akungabazeki ukuthi ngesikhathi esifanele iZizwe Ezihlangene ziyoba phambili ngokuphathelene nokumenyezelwa okuzayo ‘kokuThula nokuhlala kahle!’ Ngokudabukisayo, leyonhlangano yomhlaba idukisa izinkulungwane zezigidi zesintu. Kungani kunjalo? Ngoba ukuthula okunjalo, ngisho noma kusekelwe yizo zonke izinhlangano zenkolo zalelizwe, kuhlanganisa nalezo zeLobukholwa, akusho ukuthula noMdali wendawo yonke, onamandla okunika ukuphila nokukuthatha ngokunquma kwakhe izindaba ezibalulekile emazulwini nasemhlabeni.
9, 10. Kuyini ukuma koFakazi BakaJehova ngokuqondene ‘nokuThula nokuhlala kahle’ okucetshwa izizwe, futhi kungani kunjalo?
9 Esiprofethweni sikaIsaya, uMdali usho ngokucacile: “Izulu liyisihlalo sami sobukhosi, umhlaba uyisenabelo sezinyawo zami.” (Isaya 66:1) Izizwe lapha phansi esenabelweni sezinyawo zakhe azisihlobisi ngenhlangano yazo yeZizwe Ezihlangene. Zilwa ngokwezombangazwe ukuze zigcine ukuthula nokulondeka kwembulunga yonke futhi ngaleyondlela zigcine iZizwe Ezihlangene zikhona. OFakazi BakaJehova abazinikezele abanakuhlanganyela nezwe ekuncikeni emacebweni enziwe ngabantu okuthula nokulondeka kwezizwe zomhlaba. Bafaka enhliziyweni amazwi kaJakobe 4:4: “Ziphingi, anazi yini ukuthi ukuthanda izwe kungubutha kuNkulunkulu na? Ngakho lowo othanda ukuba-ngumhlobo wezwe, umi eyisitha sikaNkulunkulu.”
10 Nakuba bengaphikisani ngezenzo nokuthula nokulondeka okwenziwa izizwe, oFakazi BakaJehova abanakukutusela izigidi zabantu abafuna indawo yokuphephela lapho inkinga enkulu kunazo zonke emhlabeni iphakama futhi iletha isiphelo kulesimiso sezinto. (Mathewu 24:21) Ngoba isimiso esisha sezinto sikaNkulunkulu esizoletha ukulondeka komhlaba wonke ngaphansi ‘kweNkosi Yokuthula,’ uJesu Kristu.—Isaya 9:6, 7.
11. Abefundisi basibheka kanjani isihlongozo sokumiswa kweNhlangano Yezizwe emva kweMpi Yezwe I?
11 Umlando unikeza ubufakazi bokwehluleka kwamacebo okuthula enziwe abantu. Sikhumbula ukuthi ekupheleni kweMpi Yezwe I ngo-1918, kwamiswa iNhlangano Yezizwe njengendlela yokuvimbela impi yomhlaba. UMkhandlu Wobumbano LwamaSonto KaKristu eMelika wahalalisela lokho kumiswa futhi wathi: “INhlangano enjalo ayimane nje iyisu lezombangazwe; kunalokho iyindlela yezombangazwe yokubonakaliswa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni.” Kodwa ingabe lokho kubonakaliswa okungokwezombangazwe koMbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni kwakuletha ukuthula nokulondeka okuhlala njalo emhlabeni?
12. (a) Sigcwaliseke kanjani isAmbulo 17:8? (b) Ubani olokhu ehlezi emhlane ‘wesilo esibomvu,’ futhi uhlezi isikhathi esingakanani?
12 ‘Njengesilo esibomvu’ esingokomfanekiso sesAmbulo isahluko 17, okuhlezi kuso isifebe esidala, “iBabiloni Elikhulu,” iNhlangano Yezizwe yangena “kwalasha” ekugqashukeni kweMpi Yezwe II ngo-1939. Lokhu kwaphoqelela umgibeli waso oyisifebe ukuba ehle. Emva kokuphela kweMpi Yezwe II ngo-1945, kwamiswa Izizwe Ezihlangene njengomlandeli weNhlangano Yezizwe engaphumelelanga. Inamalungu amaningi kakhulu kunalawo iNhlangano Yezizwe eyayinawo, ngakho kufanele ibe inhlangano enamandla nefanelwe ukwethenjwa kakhulu yizwe lesintu. Ngakho kwakungo-1945 lapho “isilo esibomvu” esingokomfanekiso senyuka khona “saphuma kwalasha,” futhi isifebe esingokomfanekiso, “iBabiloni Elikhulu,” sagibela futhi emhlane waso, lapho sihleli khona ngokungenamahloni kuze kube yilolusuku. (IsAmbulo 17:3, 5, 8) Kodwa ngeke sisahlala isikhathi eside manje, ngokwalokho okubikezelwe isAmbulo 17:16–18:24. Ngani?
13. (a) Ziyini iZizwe Ezihlangene? (b) Zafanekiselwa kanjani esikhathini eside esidlule?
13 Eqinisweni iZizwe Ezihlangene ziyinhlangano yezwe emelene noJehova uNkulunkulu noFakazi bakhe abazinikezele emhlabeni. Eqinisweni iwuzungu, okuhlangene kulo ngamakhanda izizwe zomhlaba ziceba ukuthi yini ezingayenza ngokumelene nenhlangano kaJehova uNkulunkulu ebonakalayo emhlabeni. Phakathi ‘nalesiphelo sesimiso sezinto,’ yamelelwa uzungu okubhekiselwe kulo kuIsaya 8:12.—Mathewu 24:3.
Lindela Ukuthula Nokulondeka KuJehova
14. Kungani umbuso wezizwe eziyishumi wakwaIsrayeli wahlangana neAramu, futhi umbuso wakwaJuda wabhekana namuphi umbuzo?
14 Ngaphambi kwesikhathi sikaIsaya isizwe sezizwe eziyi-12 zakwaIsrayeli sase sihlukene ngendaba yobukhosi. Lokhu kwakungemva kokubusa okukhazimulayo kweNkosi uSolomoni. Izizwe ezihlubukayo eziyishumi enyakatho zamisa lokho okwabizwa ngokuthi umbuso wakwaIsrayeli, inhloko-dolobha yawo iseSamariya. Izizwe ezimbili ezisele, isizwe sakwaJuda nesakwaBenjamini, zahlala zithembekile ohlwini lobukhosi lweNkosi uDavide enhloko-dolobha iJerusalema. UMbuso wakwaIsrayeli wezizwe eziyishumi waphendukela umbuso wakwaJuda wezizwe ezimbili. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi umbuso wakwaIsrayeli wahlangana nombuso waseAramu, owawunenhloko-dolobha yawo eDamaseku. Injongo yayiwukuketula umbuso wakwaJuda ube ngaphansi kwawo. Ingabe ngalesosizathu umbuso wakwaJuda kwakumelwe uhlangane nesinye isizwe esinamandla ukuze umelane nokuhlasela kwesizwe sakwaIsrayeli esihlangene nesizwe samaqaba saseAramu?—Isaya 7:3-6.
15. (a) Yini abanye abantu embusweni wakwaJuda abavumelana nayo, futhi lesisimo sabonisani? (b) Umprofethi uIsaya wakhuluma kanjani ngokumelene nesimo esinjalo?
15 Embusweni omncane wakwaJuda kwakukhona labo abalahlekelwa ukholo kuNkulunkulu wesizwe uJehova. Laba bavumelana nokuhlangana, noma uzungu, nombuso wamaqaba onamandla walelizwe. Besekela lokho kuhlanganiswa okungathembekile kombuso kaJehova wakwaJuda nombuso wezwe elingamesabi uNkulunkulu, abanye babethi kwabanye abamanqikanqika embusweni wakwaJuda, “Kuluzungu!” Ngaleyondlela babonisa ukuntula kwabo ukholo nokwethembela kuNkulunkulu othempeli lakhe laliseJerusalema. Umprofethi uIsaya waphefumlelwa ukuba akhulume ngokumelene nozungu olunjalo, ethi esahlukweni 8 ivesi 12: “Ningasho ukuthi kuluzungu konke abakushoyo lababantu ukuthi kuluzungu, ningesabi abakwesabayo, nibe novalo ngakho.”
16, 17. Yini eyayisho ukuthula kweqiniso nokulondeka ngabantu bakaJehova basendulo, futhi lokhu kwaboniswa kanjani lapho iNkosi yaseAsiriya uSaneheribi isongela iJerusalema?
16 Ukuba kukaJehova nabantu ebuhlotsheni besivumelwano naye kwakusho ukuthula nokulondeka ngabo. Lokhu kwabonakaliswa lapho umbusi waseAsiriya uSaneheribi ethuma ikomiti yezikhulu ezintathu ukuba iphoqe iNkosi uHezekiya nabantu baseJerusalema ukuba bacele umaluju kuSaneheribi. Isikhulu saseAsiriya nesingumkhulumeli, uRabi-Shake, sama phambi kwezindonga zaseJerusalema saklabalasa sijivaza uJehova uNkulunkulu ukuze senze buthaka noma siqede ukuthembela kwamaJuda kuYe. Idabuke kabuhlungu yilokhu kudelelwa kukaNkulunkulu oyedwa ophilayo noweqiniso uJehova futhi iyizwa ngokufanelekile ingozi yeJerusalema phambi koquqaba olunamandla lwama-Asiriya, iNkosi uHezekiya yaya ethempelini futhi yabeka indaba phambi kukaJehova uNkulunkulu. Ethokoziswa yilokhu kuboniswa kokholo oluphakeme kuye nokucela kuye ukubonakaliswa kobukhosi bakhe bendawo yonke, uJehova wanikeza impendulo enhle. Umprofethi wakhe uIsaya weza nezinkulumo eziqinisekayo. UmAsiriya osabisayo uRabi-Shake akaphendulwanga ngazwi, njengoba nje iNkosi uHezekiya yayiyalile.—2 AmaKhosi 18:17-36; 19:14-34.
17 Ngokungangabazeki emangazwe kakhulu yilokhu, uRabi-Shake waphindela ekamu likaSaneheribi, ngalesosikhathi owayelwa neLibina. (2 AmaKhosi 19:8) Ngemva kokuzwa umbiko kaRabi-Shake, uSaneheribi wathumela izincwadi ezisongelayo kuHezekiya, exwayisa: “UNkulunkulu wakho omethembayo makangakukhohlisi ngokuthi iJerusalema aliyikunikelwa esandleni senkosi yaseAsiriya.” (2 AmaKhosi 19:9, 10) Emva kokuhlwa uNkulunkulu waziphendulela kumkhulumeli ongumAsiriya, uRabi-Shake, futhi yena ngokwakhe waphendula izincwadi ezisongelayo zikaSaneheribi ukubonisa ukuthi wayemkhulu kunonkulunkulu ophakeme wama-Asiriya. Isiphetho sokulandisa kwalesehlakalo, njengoba sinikezwe kweyesi-2 amaKhosi 19:35, sithi: “Kwathi ngalobobusuku kwaphuma ingelosi kaJehova, yabulala ekamu labaseAsiriya abayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi ayisishiyagalombili nanhlanu; sekuvukwa ngakusasa, bheka, kwakuyizidumbu zodwa ezifileyo.” Ekuseni lapho ama-Asiriya asindile, kuhlanganise neNkosi uSaneheribi futhi ngokunokwenzeka noRabi-Shake, bevuka, babona umbono osabisayo wezidumbu zababelwa noJehova uNkulunkulu.
18. (a) Waba yini umphumela ngokuqondene noSaneheribi onobugovu? (b) Lendaba engokomlando kufanele inikeze siphi isibonelo koFakazi BakaJehova banamuhla?
18 Ehlulekile emacebweni akhe obugovu ngokumelene nenhlangano kaJehova futhi edumazeke kakhulu, uSaneheribi waphindela emuva enhloko-dolobha yesizwe sakhe, eNinive, ‘ejabhile,’ ukuba abulawe amabili amadodana akhe. (2 IziKronike 32:21; 2 AmaKhosi 19:36, 37) Umbuso waseAsiriya awuphindanga wahlupha inhlangano kaJehova ebonakalayo. Ngokuqinisekile, lokhu kwakuwukulwelwa okusezingeni eliphakeme kobukhosi bendawo yonke bukaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukulondeka kweJerusalema kuyisibonelo esihle kakhulu esibonisa lowo oFakazi BakaJehova banamuhla okufanele babheke kuye ngethemba eligcwele ukuze bathole ukuthula nokulondeka okunganqamuki, okungenakuphazamiseka—hhayi uzungu lwezombangazwe kodwa uJehova uNkulunkulu.
Ukuqapha
19. Yini iWatch Tower Society ezoqhubeka iyenza?
19 Ukukusiza ukuba uhlale uqaphile, iWatch Tower Society izoqhubeka ikhiphela abafundi ezincwadini zayo izixwayiso ezifika ngesikhathi ukuze ungaphanjwa isimemezelo esizayo esingamanga ‘sokuThula nokuhlala kahle,’ njengoba kucetshwa izizwe zalesimiso sezinto esidala.
20. Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova bengasoze bathuthukisa ukuthembela ‘ekuThuleni nokuhlala kahle’ okuzayo, ngakho manje isikhathi sani?
20 OFakazi BakaJehova abazinikezele abanakulokotha bathuthukise ukuthembela ‘ekuThuleni nokuhlala kahle’ okuzomenyezelwa ngeqholo izizwe zomhlaba; futhi abanakubahalalisela abenzi ‘bokuThula nokuhlala kahle’ okunjalo kwezizwe zonke, kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo uJehova uNkulunkulu abe nabo. Bayakuqaphela ukuhlangana nezizwe zalesimiso sezinto esidala. Bazikhumbuza ngokungahluleki ukuthi “isizwe” esisha, esingafani neNhlangano Yezizwe, sazalwa ngonyaka ongemva kwempi ngo-1919. ‘Lesisizwe’ esisha siyaqhubeka sikhula futhi sanda emhlabeni wonke, njengoba nje kwabikezelwa kuIsaya 60:22: “Omncane uyakuba inkulungwane, ophansi abe yisizwe esinamandla; mina nginguJehova, ngiyakukusheshisa ngesikhathi sakho.” Yebo, manje isikhathi sokuba bonke baqaphele ‘ukuThula nokuhlala kahle’ okuzayo okucetshwa izizwe.
Ubungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Cishe kuyoba yini ukusabela kwabantu esimemezelweni ‘sokuThula nokuhlala kahle’?
◻ Yini eyafanekiselwa “uzungu” lukaIsaya 8:12?
◻ IUN izidukisa kanjani izizwe?
◻ Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova bengeke batholwe bengazelele?
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Ngokungangabazeki iUN iyoba phambili esimemezelweni esizayo ‘sokuthula nokuhlala kahle!’
[Isithombe ekhasini 21]
Isikhulu saseAsiriya, uRabi-Shake, sadelela uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, kodwa umphumela wabonisa ukuthi ukuthula kweqiniso nokulondeka kuvela kuphela kuJehova uNkulunkulu