Yizwa Lokho Okushoyo Umoya Emabandleni
“Onendlebe makezwe lokho akushoyo uMoya emabandleni.”—ISAMBULO 3:22.
Ukwaziswa okusemakhasini 10 kuya ku-21 kwanikezwa eMihlanganweni YoFakazi BakaJehova Yokulunga Kwaphezulu ngo-1988 njengezinkulumo zokuqala zochungechunge olunesihloko esithi “Isikhathi Esimisiwe Siseduze.”
1. Imaphi amazwi esAmbulo ayizindaba ezinhle kulenkathi engenanjabulo, futhi siyini ‘isiprofetho’ ‘nesikhathi’ okubhekiselwe kuso?
EMINYAKENI ethile edlule isazi sezenhlalo eUnited States saphawula ukuthi abantu kulelozwe babenenkululeko enkulu kakhulu kodwa bengenayo injabulo eyanele. Sanezela ngokuthi abantu “bathola ukuthi injabulo ibaphunyukile. Ipharadesi ababezithembise lona libonakale lingenalutho.” Ngokucabangela lokhu, amazwi omphostoli uJohane kusAmbulo 1:3 ayizindaba ezinhle, ngoba usitshela indlela yokuthola injabulo. UJohane wabhala: “Ubusisiwe ofundayo nabo abawezwayo amazwi alesisiprofetho, bagcine okulotshiweyo kuso, ngokuba isikhathi siseduze.” ‘Isiprofetho’ abhekisele kuso yileso esilotshwe encwadini yesAmbulo. Futhi “isikhathi” yisikhathi lesiprofetho sesAmbulo okumelwe sigcwaliseke ngaso. Amazwi kaJohane anokubaluleka okukhulu kithi namuhla.
2. Kumelwe ukuba uJohane wayezibuza ngani njengoba ikhulu lokuqala leminyaka lalisondela ekupheleni?
2 Eminyakeni engaphezu kwengama-60 ngaphambi kokuba abhale incwadi yesAmbulo, uJohane wayekhona ngePentekoste ngesikhathi kumiswa ibandla lamaKristu agcotshiwe. Manje, ngo-96 C.E., lelobandla lase likhulile lisuka ekubeni namalungu okuqala ayi-120 liba inhlangano enkulu, yezizwe zonke. Kodwa zaziye zaba khona izinkinga. Njengoba nje uJesu, uPawulu, noPetru babexwayisile, kwase kuqala ukuvela ukuhlubuka namahlelo, futhi kumelwe ukuba uJohane wazibuza ukuthi ikusasa liphetheni.—Mathewu 13:24-30, 36-43; IzEnzo 20:29, 30; 2 Petru 2:1-3.
3. Yayiyisiqinisekiso sani imibono uJohane ayibona futhi wayiloba kusAmbulo?
3 Khona-ke, cabanga ngenjabulo yakhe lapho amukela “isambulo sikaJesu Kristu amnika sona uNkulunkulu ukuba abonise izinceku zakhe izinto ezimelwe ukwenzeka masinyane.” (IsAmbulo 1:1) Ochungechungeni lwemibono emihle, uJohane wabona ukuthi izinjongo zikaJehova zaziyogcwaliseka nokuthi ukukhuthazela kwamaKristu athembekile kwakuyovuzwa ngendlela emangalisayo. Wamukela futhi nezigijimi ezivela kuJesu eziya emabandleni ayisikhombisa; ngamanye amazwi, lezi zaziyiseluleko sikaJesu sokugcina kumaKristu ngaphambi kokuza kwaKhe ngenkazimulo yoMbuso.
Amabandla Ayisikhombisa
4. (a) Uyini umthwalo wemfanelo wamabandla amaKristu athembekile? (b) Yini esikiselwa yiqiniso lokuthi abadala abagcotshiwe babonakala beyizinkanyezi eziyisikhombisa esandleni sikaKristu sokunene?
4 Lamabandla ayisikhombisa amaKristu agcotshiwe amelelwa njengezinti zezibani eziyisikhombisa, futhi abadala abagcotshiwe abakuwo bamelelwa njengezinkanyezi eziyisikhombisa ezisesandleni sikaKristu sokunene. (IsAmbulo 1:12, 16) Ngalomfanekiso ocacile, uJohane wabona ukuthi amabandla amaKristu athembekile kumelwe abe abaphathi bokukhanya, njengezinti zezibani ezikhanyisiwe ezweni lobumnyama. (Mathewu 5:14-16) Ukuphatha kukaJesu abadala esandleni sakhe sokunene kwabonisa ukuthi uhola abadala, uyabaqondisa futhi uyababusa.
5. Zaziqondiswe kubani izigijimi ezaziya emabandleni ayisikhombisa osukwini lukaJohane?
5 UJesu utshela uJohane: “Lokhu okubonayo kulobe encwadini, ukuthumele kuwo amabandla ayisikhombisa, e-Efesu, naseSmirna, nasePhergamu, naseThiyathira, naseSardesi, naseFiladelfiya, naseLawodikeya.” (IsAmbulo 1:11) Lamabandla ayekhona ngempela osukwini lukaJohane, futhi singaqiniseka ukuthi lapho uJohane eqeda ukubhala isAmbulo, ibandla ngalinye lathola ikhophi yaso. Kodwa phawula lokho iDictionary of the Bible kaHastings ekushoyo ngesAmbulo: “Cishe ayikho enye incwadi eT[estamenteni] E[lisha] efakazelwa kahle kangaka ekhulwini leminyaka lesibili.” Lokhu kusho ukuthi incwadi yesAmbulo ayaziwanga futhi yafundwa amaKristu asemabandleni ayisikhombisa kuphela kodwa futhi nangabanye abaningi ababefuna ukutadisha amazwi esiprofetho. Ngempela, iseluleko sikaJesu sasingesawo wonke amaKristu agcotshiwe.
6, 7. (a) Asebenza nini ngokuyinhloko amazwi esAmbulo, futhi sikwazi kanjani lokhu? (b) Obani namuhla abamelelwa izinkanyezi eziyisikhombisa namabandla ayisikhombisa?
6 Kodwa lezigijimi eziya emabandleni ayisikhombisa zisebenza ngendlela ebanzi. KusAmbulo 1:10, uJohane uthi: “NgangikuMoya ngosuku lweNkosi.” Lelivesi liyisihluthulelo esibalulekile sokuqonda isAmbulo. Libonisa ukuthi sisebenza ngokuyinhloko ‘osukwini lweNkosi,’ olwaqala lapho uJesu eba iNkosi ngo-1914. Lokhu kuqonda kufakazelwa izigijimi zikaJesu eziya emabandleni ayisikhombisa. Kuzona sithola izinkulumo ezinjengalamazwi aqondiswe ePhergamu: “Ngiyeza kuwe masinyane.” (IsAmbulo 2:16; 3:3, 11) Ngemva kuka-96 C.E., uJesu akazange ‘eze’ nganoma iyiphi indlela ephawulekayo kwaze kwaba yilapho ebekwa esihlalweni sobukhosi njengeNkosi ngo-1914. (IzEnzo 1:9-11) Khona-ke, ekugcwalisekeni kukaMalaki 3:1, ‘weza’ futhi ngo-1918, lapho eza ethempelini likaJehova ezokwahlulela abendlu kaNkulunkulu kuqala. (1 Petru 4:17) ‘Uyoza’ futhi, esikhathini esizayo esiseduze, lapho “ephindisela kwabangamazi uNkulunkulu nakwabangalaleli ivangeli leNkosi yethu uJesu.”—2 Thesalonika 1:7, 8; Mathewu 24:42-44.
7 Sínalokhu engqondweni, siyaqonda ukuthi amabandla ayisikhombisa afanekisela wonke amabandla amaKristu agcotshiwe ngemva kuka-1914, futhi izinkanyezi eziyisikhombisa zimelela bonke abadala abagcotshiwe kulawomabandla. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abadala ‘abangabezinye izimvu,’ nabo, ngokwelula ukusebenza kombhalo, basesandleni sikaJesu sokunene sokuqondisa. (Johane 10:16) Futhi iseluleko esiya emabandleni ayisikhombisa sisebenza ngokuyisisekelo kuwo wonke amabandla abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla emhlabeni wonke, kuhlanganise nalawo akhiwa amaKristu anethemba lasemhlabeni.
8. Yisiphi isimo uJesu asithola lapho efika ezohlola ababethi bangamaKristu ngo-1918?
8 Lapho uJesu ezohlola ababethi bangamaKristu ngo-1918, wathola amaKristu agcotshiwe emhlabeni ezama kanzima ukugcina amazwi esiprofetho. Kusukela ngawo-1870 ayexwayisa abantu ngokubaluleka konyaka ka-1914. Ayehlushwe kakhulu eLobukholwa phakathi nempi yezwe yokuqala, futhi ngo-1918 umsebenzi wawo wafana nomile lapho abaphathi abaholayo beWatch Tower Society beboshwa ngamacala angamanga. Kodwa okuhlangenwe nakho kwawo ngalesosikhathi kufana neziprofetho ezikusAmbulo ngezinga elimangalisayo. Futhi ukuzimisela kwawo ukulalela amazwi kaJesu aya emabandleni ayisikhombisa kwawabonakalisa ngaphandle kokungabaza ukuthi awukuphela kwamaKristu aphethe ukukhanya kulelizwe elisebumnyameni. Namuhla, lensali yakha isigaba sikaJohane esiphilela ukuba sibone futhi sihlanganyele ekugcwalisekeni kwezingxenye eziningi zesAmbulo.
Iseluleko Nokutusa
9, 10. Ukugcwaliseka kwamaphi amazwi kaJesu okuye kwaletha injabulo enkulu kumaKristu osuku lwanamuhla? Chaza.
9 KusAmbulo 3:8, uJesu wathi ebandleni laseFiladelfiya: “Ngiyayazi imisebenzi yakho; bheka, ngimisile phambi kwakho umnyango ovuliweyo, ongenakuvalwa-muntu, ngokuba unamandla amancane, kanti waligcina izwi lami, kawuliphikanga igama lami.” Ngokusobala, amaKristu eFiladelfiya ayematasa, futhi manje umnyango wethuba wawuwavulekela.
10 Ukugcwaliseka kosuku lwanamuhla kwalesigijimi kwenza abantu bakaNkulunkulu bajabule kakhulu. Ngemva kokuhlangenwe nakho kwabo okuvivinyayo ngo-1918, bavuselelwa ngokomoya, futhi ngo-1919 uJesu wabavulela umnyango wethuba. Bangena ngalowomnyango lapho bamukela ukuthunywa kokuba bashumayele izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kuzo zonke izizwe. Benomoya kaJehova phezu kwabo, ayikho into eyayingavimbela lomsebenzi, futhi lamaKristu athembekile aba nelungelo elikhulu lokugcwalisa isici esikhulu sesibonakaliso sokuba khona kukaJesu. (Mathewu 24:3, 14) Ngenxa yomsebenzi wabo wokushumayela ngokwethembeka, abasele bezi-144 000 babizwa futhi bagcotshwa, futhi “isixuku esikhulu” sabuthwa ngamanani amakhulu. (IsAmbulo 7:1-3, 9) Yeka injabulo lokhu okuye kwayiletha kubantu bakaNkulunkulu!
11. Abathanda amahlelo bazama kanjani ukonakalisa inhlangano kaJehova osukwini lukaJohane, futhi baye bakwenza kanjani lokho osukwini lwethu?
11 Ingabe ikhona into engabaphuca lenjabulo? Yebo. Ngokwesibonelo, abadala basePhergamu, naphezu komlando omuhle wokukhuthazela, abakwazanga ukuvimbela imfundiso yehlelo likaNikolawu ebandleni. (IsAmbulo 2:15) Amahlelo ayesunguleka. Ngokufanayo, phakathi nazo zonke lezinsuku zokugcina, abathile baye bahlubuka futhi bazama ukonakalisa inhlangano kaJehova. Abadala njengeqembu baye bamelana nabo, kodwa, ngokudabukisayo, abathile baye badukiswa. Sengathi singezivumele neze izihlubuki zisephuce injabulo yethu!
12. (a) Liyini ithonya likaBalami nelikaJezabeli? (b) Ingabe uSathane uye wazama ukufaka ithonya likaBalami noma likaJezabeli ebandleni lobuKristu ezikhathini zanamuhla?
12 UJesu futhi waxwayisa ibandla lasePhergamu ngalabo “ababambisisa isifundiso sikaBalami.” (IsAmbulo 2:14) Sasiyini lesifundiso? Othile ePhergamu wayonakalisa amaKristu lapho ngendlela efana naleyo uBalami onakalisa ngayo amaIsrayeli ehlane: ngokuwakhuthaza ukuba ‘adle okuhlatshelwe izithombe nokuba afebe.’ (Numeri 25:1-5; 31:8) UJesu waxwayisa ibandla laseThiyathira ‘ngowesifazane uJezabeli.’ Nalona owesifazane wayefundisa amaKristu ukuba ‘afebe, adle okuhlatshelwe izithombe.’ (IsAmbulo 2:20) Ingabe uSathane uye wazama ukufaka ithonya likaBalami noma likaJezabeli ebandleni lobuKristu namuhla? Ngokuqinisekile uye wazama, kangangokuthi cishe abayizi-40 000 ngonyaka bayasuswa ekuhlanganyeleni, abaningi ngenxa yokuziphatha okubi ngokobulili. Yeka usizi! Kokubili amadoda anjengoBalami nabesifazane abanjengoJezabeli baye bahlubuka abadala futhi bazama ukonakalisa ibandla. Sengathi singamelana namathonya anjalo angahlanzekile ngawo wonke amandla ethu!—1 Korinte 6:18; 1 Johane 5:21.
13. (a) Chaza ukwenyanya kukaJesu ukuba sivivi. (b) Kungani abaseLawodikeya babesivivi, futhi singabugwema kanjani lobuthaka namuhla?
13 KusAmbulo 3:15, 16, uJesu wathi ebandleni laseLawodikeya: “Ngiyayazi imisebenzi yakho ukuthi kawubandi, kawushisi. Sengathi ngabe uyabanda noma ushise. Ngakho-ke njengalokhu uyisivivi, ungashisi ungabandi, ngiyakukuhlanza uphume emlonyeni wami.” Yeka incazelo ecacile yokwenyanya uJesu akuzwayo ngokuba sivivi! Uyaqhubeka: “Uthi: Ngicebile, kangiswele lutho.” Yebo, ukuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo kwase kuhuhe amaKristu eLawodikeya. Ayanelisiwe futhi engenandaba. Kodwa uJesu wathi kuwo: “Kawazi ukuthi ungolusizi, nowokuhawukelwa, nompofu, nophuphuthekayo, nohamba-ze.” (IsAmbulo 3:17) Ingabe siyafuna ukuba ‘ngabalusizi, abokuhawukelwa, abampofu, abaphuphuthekayo, nabahamba-ze’ emehlweni kaJesu? Lutho neze! Ngakho-ke, ngakho konke okusemandleni ethu masilwe nokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo noma ukuba sivivi.—1 Thimothewu 6:9-12.
Khuthazela Kuze Kube Sekupheleni
14. (a) Yibuphi ubunzima ibandla laseSmirna elalibhekene nabo? (b) Yikuphi okufana nokuhlangenwe nakho kwaseSmirna namuhla?
14 Ibandla elalingesivivi yilelo laseSmirna. KulamaKristu, uJesu wathi: “Ngiyakwazi ukuhlupheka kwakho nobumpofu bakho—kanti ucebile—nenhlamba yabathi bangabaJuda bengesibo, kodwa beyisinagoge likaSathane. Ungesabi lokho ozakuhlupheka ngakho. Bheka, uSathane uzakuphonsa abanye kini etilongweni ukuba nilingwe, futhi niyakuhlupheka izinsuku eziyishumi.” (IsAmbulo 2:8-10) Yeka indlela lokhu okufana ngayo nokuhlangenwe nakho kwamaKristu namuhla! AmaKristu anamuhla, kokubili agcotshiwe nawezinye izimvu, nawo aye abekezelela ukushushiswa okunzima okuvela ‘esinagogeni likaSathane’ lanamuhla, eLobukholwa. Kusukela empini yezwe yokuqala kuze kube manje, izinkulungwane zamadoda, abesifazane, nabantwana ziye zabulawa, zaboshwa, zahlushwa, zadlwengulwa, noma zabulawa ngenxa yokwenqaba ukuhlehla ebuqothweni bazo.
15, 16. (a) AmaKristu agcotshiwe angajabula kanjani naphezu kokushushiswa? (b) Yimiphi imivuzo ekhethekile elindele ezinye izimvu ezisiza ukuba nazo zijabule?
15 Ingabe okuhlangenwe nakho okunjalo kuletha injabulo? Hhayi khona ngokwakho. Kodwa njengabaphostoli, amaKristu athembekile abekezelela ukuvivinywa ezwa injabulo yangaphakathi ejulile ngokuthi ‘ebefanele ukudunyazwa ngenxa yegama likaJesu.’ (IzEnzo 5:41) Futhi ahlala ejabula kungakhathaliseki ukuthi izitha zawo zenzani kuwo ngoba ayazi ukuthi siseduze isikhathi esimisiwe sokuba ubuqotho bawo buvuzwe, futhi umvuzo mkhulu ngempela. UJesu wathi kumaKristu eSmirna: “Thembeka kuze kube-sekufeni, ngokunika umqhele wokuphila.” (IsAmbulo 2:10) Futhi kulawo aseSardesi wathi: “Onqobayo uyakwembathiswa kanjalo izingubo ezimhlophe, negama lakhe angisoze ngalesula encwadini yokuphila.”—IsAmbulo 3:5.
16 yiqiniso, lezithembiso zisebenza ngokukhethekile kumaKristu agcotshiwe, ziwakhumbuza ngomvuzo owalindile wokuphila kwasezulwini okungenakufa. Kodwa labo abangabezinye izimvu nabo bayaqiniswa yilamazwi. UJehova unomvuzo nabo abalungiselele wona, kuphela uma beshiseka futhi bekhuthazela. Banethemba elikhazimulayo lokwamukela njengefa ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi ngaphansi koMbuso ezandleni zikaKristu. Lapho bayothola iPharadesi abantu balelizwe abayohluleka ukulithola.
17. Yimaphi amagama uJesu aphetha ngawo isigijimi sakhe ngasinye, futhi amazwi akhe asho ukuthini kithi namuhla?
17 UJesu waphetha ngasinye sezigijimi zakhe emabandleni ngamazwi athi: “Onendlebe makezwe lokho akushoyo uMoya emabandleni.” (IsAmbulo 3:22) Yebo, kumelwe sizwe futhi sithobele amazwi kaMalusi oMkhulu. Kumelwe sixwaye ukungcola nokuhlubuka, futhi kumelwe silondoloze intshiseko yethu. Ukwamukela kwethu umvuzo kuxhomeke kukho. Futhi uma sicabangela ukwaziswa okwengeziwe okukusAmbulo, sizimisela ngisho nangokwengeziwe ukwenza lokho kanye.
Izimpawu Zencwadi
18. (a) Yini uJesu ayamukelayo endaweni yasezulwini? (b) Kusho ukuthini ukugibela kwabathathu babagibeli bamahhashi besAmbulo isahluko 6 ngesintu esiphila namuhla?
18 Ngokwesibonelo, ezahlukweni 4 no-5, uJohane ubona umbono omangalisayo wendawo kaJehova yasezulwini. IWundlu likaNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu, lilapho, futhi lamukela incwadi enezimpawu eziyisikhombisa. Esahlukweni 6, uJesu uvula eziyisithupha zezimpawu eziyisikhombisa, olunye emva kolunye. Lapho kuvulwa olokuqala, kubonakala umgibeli ehhashini elimhlophe. Unikezwa umqhele futhi uyagibela “engonqobayo noyakunqoba.” (IsAmbulo 6:2) Lona uJesu, iNkosi esanda kuthweswa umqhele. Lapho eqala ukugibela kwakhe okunqobayo, kobukhosi ngo-1914, kwaqala usuku lweNkosi. Lapho kuvulwa izimpawu ezintathu ezilandelayo, kuvela amanye amahhashi amathathu nabagibeli bawo. Lezi izibonakaliso ezisabisayo, ezimelela impi yabantu, indlala, nokufa ngezifo nangezinye izimbangela. Ziqinisekisa isiprofetho sikaJesu esikhulu sokuthi ukuba khona kwakhe kwasezulwini emandleni oMbuso kwakuyophawulwa emhlabeni izimpi ezinkulu, indlala, izifo, ukuzamazama komhlaba, nezinye izinhlekelele. (Mathewu 24:3, 7, 8; Luka 21:10, 11) Ngempela, amaKristu kumelwe alalele amazwi kaJesu emabandleni ayisikhombisa ukuze akhuthazele esikhathini esinjalo.
19. (a) Phakathi nokuba khona kukaKristu, yimuphi umvuzo onikezwa amaKristu agcotshiwe athembekile asefile kakade? (b) Yiziphi izenzakalo ezisabekayo ezibikezelwa ukuvulwa kophawu lwesithupha, okuholela kumiphi imibuzo?
19 Lapho kuvulwa uphawu lwesihlanu, kwembulwa isenzakalo endaweni yomoya engabonakali. Ngamunye wamaKristu agcotshiwe aye afela ukholo lwawo unikezwa ingubo emhlophe. Ngokusobala, njengoba ukuba khona kukaKristu manje sekungokoqobo, uvuko lwasezulwini seluqalile. (1 Thesalonika 4:14-17; IsAmbulo 3:5) Khona-ke kuvulwa uphawu lwesithupha, futhi “umhlaba,” isimiso sikaSathane sezinto sasemhlabeni, uzanyazanyiswa ukuzamazama komhlaba okukhulu. (2 Korinte 4:4) “Amazulu” okubusa kwabantu ngaphansi kokulawula kukaSathane agoqwa njengencwadi endala, esilungele ukulahlwa. Abantu abethukile, abahlubukayo bamemeza amadwala ngokwesaba: “Welani phezu kwethu, nisisithe ebusweni balowo ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi nasolakeni lweWundlu, ngokuba usuku olukhulu lolaka lwabo selufikile; ngubani-ke onamandla okuma na?”—IsAmbulo 6:13, 14, 16, 17.
20. Ubani onamandla okuma phakathi nosuku olukhulu lolaka lukaJehova nolweWundlu?
20 Ubani onamandla okuma? Phela, uJesu usewuphendulile kakade lowombuzo. Labo ‘abezwa lokho okushoyo uMoya emabandleni’ bayokuma ngalolosuku olukhulu lolaka. Futhi ukuze kuqinisekiswe lokhu, uJohane uqhubeka ezwe ngokubekwa uphawu kwabokugcina babayizi-144 000 nangokuqoqwa kwesixuku esikhulu esivela kuzo zonke izizwe ukuze sisinde ‘osizini olukhulu.’ (IsAmbulo 7:1-3, 14) Kodwa manje isikhathi sokuba kuvulwe uphawu lwesikhombisa lwencwadi futhi uJohane aboniswe imibono evusa amadlingozi ngokwengeziwe, futhi ngaye, kuboniswe thina namuhla. Isihloko esilandelayo sixoxa ngeminye yalena.
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
◻ Buyini ubuhlobo phakathi kukaJesu nabadala bamabandla?
◻ Yiziphi izinkinga abadala basePhergamu naseThiyathira ababebhekene nazo, futhi izinkinga ezifanayo ziye zawathinta kanjani amabandla namuhla?
◻ Yiliphi iphutha elingathi sina ibandla IaseLawodekiya elalenza, futhi singakugwema kanjani ukwenza iphutha elifanayo namuhla?
◻ AmaKristu kuye kwadingeka akhuthazele kanjani kulelikhulu leminyaka lama-20, futhi yiziphi izithembiso zikaJesu eziye zawasiza ukuba enze kanjalo?
◻ Singakugwema kanjani ukwesaba nokungabi nathemba izizwe eziyobhekana nakho eArmagedoni?
[Izithombe ekhasini 13]
Amanye amaKristu athembekile ahlushwa emakamu okuhlushwa amaNazi
[Umthombo]
DÖW, Vienna, Austria