“Ngubani Ngempela Oyinceku Ethembekileyo Neqondayo?”
“Ngubani ngempela oyinceku ethembekileyo neqondayo emiswe inkosi yayo phezu kwabendlu yayo?”—MATH. 24:45.
1, 2. UJesu usondla ngamuphi umzila namuhla, futhi kungani kubalulekile ukuba siwazi lowo mzila?
“BAZALWANE, angazi ukuthi ngingaqala kuphi ukubala izikhathi eniye nakhipha ngazo izihloko ezinalokho kanye engikudingayo ngesikhathi engikudinga kakhulu ngaso.” Lena yindlela udade othile abonisa ngayo ukwazisa encwadini ayeyibhalele abazalwane abasebenza endlunkulu yethu yomhlaba wonke. Ingabe uzizwa ngendlela efanayo? Cishe kunjalo ngabaningi kithi. Ingabe lokho kufanele kusimangaze? Lutho.
2 Ukudla okungokomoya okufika ngesikhathi esikutholayo kuwubufakazi bokuthi uJesu, iNhloko yebandla, uyasigcina isithembiso sakhe sokusondla. Ukwenza ngobani lokhu? Lapho enikeza isibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakhe, uJesu wathi wayeyosebenzisa “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” ukuze anike abendlu yakhe ‘ukudla ngesikhathi esifanele.’a (Funda uMathewu 24:45-47.) Leyo nceku ethembekileyo iwumzila uJesu ondla ngawo abalandeli bakhe beqiniso kulesi sikhathi sokuphela. Kubalulekile ukuba siyazi inceku ethembekileyo. Impilo yethu engokomoya nobuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu kuncike kulo mzila.—Math. 4:4; Joh. 17:3.
3. Yini eye yashiwo izincwadi zethu ngomfanekiso wenceku ethembekileyo?
3 Kufanele siwuqonde kanjani-ke umfanekiso kaJesu wenceku ethembekileyo? Esikhathini esidlule, izincwadi zethu ziye zasho lokhu: UJesu wamisa inceku ethembekileyo phezu kwabendlu yakhe ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, le nceku imelela wonke amaKristu agcotshiwe aphila nganoma isiphi isikhathi emhlabeni. Elithi “abendlu” lisabhekisela kubo abagcotshiweyo njengabantu ngabanye. Ngo-1919, uJesu wamisa inceku ethembekileyo ‘phezu kwakho konke okungokwakhe’—yonke impahla yoMbuso wakhe esemhlabeni. Nokho, ukuqhubeka sitadisha futhi sizindla ngomthandazo kubonisa ukuthi ukuqonda kwethu amazwi kaJesu ngenceku ethembekileyo neqondayo kudinga ukucaciswa. (IzAga 4:18) Ake sihlole lo mfanekiso nendlela osihilela ngayo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinethemba lasemhlabeni noma lasezulwini.
UGCWALISEKA NINI LO MFANEKISO?
4-6. Kungani singaphetha ngokuthi umfanekiso kaJesu wenceku ethembekileyo waqala ukugcwaliseka kuphela ngemva kuka-1914?
4 Umongo womfanekiso wenceku ethembekileyo neqondayo ubonisa ukuthi awuqalanga ukugcwaliseka ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., kodwa kule nkathi yokuphela. Ake sibone indlela imiBhalo esiholela ngayo kulesi siphetho.
5 Umfanekiso wenceku ethembekileyo uyingxenye yesiprofetho sikaJesu ‘sesibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakhe nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto.’ (Math. 24:3) Ingxenye yokuqala yalesi siprofetho, elotshwe kuMathewu 24:4-22, inokugcwaliseka okukabili—okokuqala, kusukela ngonyaka ka-33 C.E. kuya ku-70 C.E., okwesibili, ngendlela enkulu osukwini lwethu. Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi namazwi kaJesu ngenceku ethembekileyo ayeyoba nokugcwaliseka okukabili? Cha.
6 Kusukela emazwini alotshwe kuMathewu 24:29, uJesu wagxila kakhulu ezenzakalweni ezaziyokwenzeka enkathini yethu. (Funda uMathewu 24:30, 42, 44.) Ekhuluma ngalokho okuyokwenzeka phakathi nosizi olukhulu, wathi abantu ‘bayobona iNdodana yomuntu iza iphezu kwamafu ezulu.’ Ngemva kwalokho wanxusa labo ababeyophila ezinsukwini zokugcina ukuba baqaphe, wathi: “Anazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu iza ngaluphi usuku,” wabuye wathi “INdodana yomuntu iza ngehora eningalicabangi.”b UJesu walandisa umfanekiso wenceku ethembekileyo kulo mongo—lapho ekhuluma ngezenzakalo ezaziyoba khona ezinsukwini zokugcina. Khona-ke, singaphetha ngokuthi lokho akusho ngenceku ethembekileyo kwaqala ukugcwaliseka kuphela ngemva kokuqala kwezinsuku zokugcina ngo-1914. Kunengqondo ukuphetha ngale ndlela. Ngani?
7. Imuphi umbuzo obalulekile owaphakama lapho kuqala inkathi yokuvuna, futhi kungani?
7 Ake ucabange ngalo mbuzo: “Ngubani ngempela inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo?” Ngekhulu lokuqala, sasingekho isizathu sokubuza lo mbuzo. Njengoba sibonile esihlokweni esandulele, abaphostoli babekwazi ukwenza izimangaliso ngisho nokudlulisela izipho ngokuyisimangaliso njengobufakazi bokusekelwa uNkulunkulu. (IzE. 5:12) Ngakho-ke, umuntu wayengabuzelani ukuthi ubani omiswe uKristu ukuba ahole? Nokho, ngo-1914, isimo sasesishintshile. Ukuvuna kwaqala ngalowo nyaka. Sase sifikile isikhathi sokwehlukanisa ukhula kukolweni. (Math. 13:36-43) Njengoba yayisiqalile inkathi yokuvuna, kwaphakama umbuzo obalulekile: Njengoba ayemaningi amaKristu mbumbulu ayethi angabalandeli bakaJesu beqiniso, wawuzobonakala kanjani-ke ukolweni—amaKristu agcotshiwe? Impendulo siyithola emfanekisweni wenceku ethembekileyo. Abalandeli bakaJesu abagcotshiwe kwakuyoba yilabo abanakekelwa kahle ngokomoya.
NGUBANI OYINCEKU ETHEMBEKILEYO NEQONDAYO?
8. Kungani kufaneleka ukuba inceku ethembekileyo yakhiwe amaKristu agcotshiwe?
8 Inceku ethembekileyo kumelwe yakhiwe amaKristu agcotshiwe asemhlabeni. Lawo maKristu abizwa ‘ngobupristi bobukhosi’ futhi anikwe umyalo wokuba ‘“amemezele kabanzi ubuhle” balowo owawabiza ukuba aphume ebumnyameni angene ekukhanyeni okumangalisayo.’ (1 Pet. 2:9) Kuyafaneleka-ke ukuba amalungu alobo “bupristi bobukhosi” abe nengxenye ngokuqondile ekufundiseni iqiniso kulabo akholwa nabo.—Mal. 2:7; IsAm. 12:17.
9. Ingabe wonke amaKristu agcotshiwe akha inceku ethembekileyo? Chaza.
9 Ingabe bonke abagcotshiweyo abasemhlabeni bakha inceku ethembekileyo? Cha. Iqiniso liwukuthi akubona bonke abagcotshiweyo abanengxenye ekwabeleni bonke abakholwayo emhlabeni ukudla okungokomoya. Phakathi kukakolweni kunabazalwane abagcotshiwe abangase bakhonze njengezinceku ezikhonzayo noma abadala emabandleni abakuwo. Bayafundisa endlini ngendlu nasemabandleni abakuwo, futhi basisekela ngobuqotho isiqondiso esivela endlunkulu. Kodwa abanayo ingxenye ekwabeleni abazalwane bomhlaba wonke ukudla okungokomoya. Phakathi kwabagcotshiweyo kukhona nodade abathobekile, abangeke balokothe bathathe indima yokufundisa ebandleni.—1 Kor. 11:3; 14:34.
10. Ngubani oyinceku ethembekileyo neqondayo?
10 Khona-ke, ubani oyinceku ethembekileyo neqondayo? Ngokuvumelana nendlela kaJesu yokondla abaningi ngezandla zabambalwa, le nceku yakhiwa iqembu elincane labazalwane abagcotshiwe abahileleke ngokuqondile ekulungiseleleni nasekwabeni ukudla okungokomoya phakathi nokuba khona kukaKristu. Phakathi nazo zonke izinsuku zokugcina, abazalwane abagcotshiwe abakha inceku ethembekileyo bebelokhu bekhonza ndawonye endlunkulu. Emashumini eminyaka amuva, leyo nceku iye yahlotshaniswa neNdikimba Ebusayo yoFakazi BakaJehova. Nokho, phawula ukuthi emfanekisweni kaJesu igama elithi “inceku” lisebunyeni, okubonisa ukuthi le nceku yakhiwa iqembu. Ngakho izinqumo zeNdikimba Ebusayo izenza njengeqembu.
BANGOBANI ABENDLU?
11, 12. (a) Inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo imiswa kabili ukuba ifeze ziphi izabelo? (b) UJesu wayimisa nini inceku ethembekileyo phezu kwabendlu yakhe, futhi obani abakhetha?
11 Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi emfanekisweni kaJesu, inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo imiswa kabili ukuba ifeze izabelo ezimbili ezihlukene. Okokuqala imiswa phezu kwabendlu; okwesibili imiswa ukuba yengamele konke okungokwenkosi. Njengoba lo mfanekiso ugcwaliseka kuphela kule nkathi yokuphela, kokubili lokhu kumiswa kwakuyoba khona ngemva kokuqala kokuba khona kukaJesu emandleni ombuso ngo-1914.
12 UJesu wayimisa nini inceku ethembekileyo phezu kwabendlu? Ukuze sithole impendulo, kufanele sihlehlele emuva ku-1914—ekuqaleni kwenkathi yokuvuna. Njengoba sifundile ngaphambili, ngaleso sikhathi maningi amaqembu ayethi angamaKristu. UJesu wayezokhetha futhi ayimise kuliphi iqembu inceku ethembekileyo? Lowo mbuzo waphendulwa ngemva kokuba yena noYise behlole ithempeli, noma ilungiselelo elingokomoya lokukhulekela, kusukela ngo-1914 kuya ekuqaleni kuka-1919.c (Mal. 3:1) Kwabajabulisa ukuthola iqembu elincane labaFundi BeBhayibheli elalibonisa ukuthi izinhliziyo zalo zikuJehova naseZwini lakhe. Kuyiqiniso ukuthi kwakusadingeka bahlanzwe, kodwa basabela ngokuthobeka phakathi nenkathi emfushane yokuvivinywa nokucwengisiswa. (Mal. 3:2-4) Labo baFundi BeBhayibheli abathembekile babengamaKristu eqiniso angukolweni. Ngo-1919, ngenkathi yokuvuselelwa ngokomoya, uJesu wakhetha abazalwane abagcotshiwe abafanelekayo phakathi kwabo ukuba babe inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo futhi wabamisa phezu kwabendlu yakhe.
13. Obani abayingxenye yabendlu, futhi kungani?
13 Bangobani-ke abendlu? Ngamafuphi, yilabo abondliwayo. Ekuqaleni kwezinsuku zokugcina, abendlu babakhiwa yibo bonke abagcotshiweyo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, abendlu bahlanganisa nesixuku esikhulu sezinye izimvu. Manje ezinye izimvu zakha ingxenye enkulu ‘yomhlambi owodwa’ oholwa uKristu. (Joh. 10:16) Womabili la maqembu ayazuza ekudleni okufike ngesikhathi okwabiwa inceku ethembekileyo. Kuthiwani ngamalungu eNdikimba Ebusayo akha inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo namuhla? Nabo laba bazalwane bayakudinga ukondliwa ngokomoya. Ngakho-ke, ngokuzithoba, bayaqonda ukuthi njengabantu ngabanye, bangabendlu njengabo bonke abalandeli bakaJesu beqiniso.
Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinethemba lokuphila ezulwini noma emhlabeni, sonke singabendlu futhi sidinga ukudla okungokomoya okufanayo okufika ngesikhathi
14. (a) Inceku ethembekileyo inikwe muphi umsebenzi, futhi uhlanganisani? (b) Isiphi isixwayiso uJesu asinika inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo? (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Uma Kungenzeka Leyo Nceku Embi . . . ”)
14 UJesu wanika inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo umthwalo wemfanelo omkhulu. Ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli, inceku ethenjwayo, noma umphathi, yayiphatha indlu. (Luka 12:42) Khona-ke, inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo iphathiswe umsebenzi wokuphatha indlu yokholo. Lowo mthwalo wemfanelo uhlanganisa ukwengamela impahla engokoqobo, umsebenzi wokushumayela, izimiso zemihlangano emikhulu nemincane nokukhiqizwa kwezincwadi zeBhayibheli ezisetshenziswa enkonzweni yasensimini, esifundweni somuntu siqu noma ebandleni. Abendlu bancike kuwo wonke amalungiselelo angokomoya abiwa yile nceku eyakhiwa yiqembu.
IMISWA NINI PHEZU KWAKHO KONKE OKUNGOKWENKOSI?
15, 16. UJesu uyimisa nini inceku ethembekileyo phezu kwakho konke okungokwakhe?
15 UJesu uyimisa nini okwesibili inceku ethembekileyo—‘phezu kwakho konke okungokwakhe’? UJesu wathi: “Iyajabula leyo nceku okuyokuthi lapho inkosi yayo ifika iyithole yenza kanjalo. Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, Iyoyimisa phezu kwakho konke okungokwayo.” (Math. 24:46, 47) Phawula ukuthi uJesu umisa le nceku okwesibili ngemva kokufika kwakhe futhi eyithola ilokhu “yenza kanjalo,” okuwukuthi, yaba ukudla okungokomoya ngokwethembeka. Ngakho-ke kwakuyoba nesikhawu phakathi kokumiswa kokuqala nokwesibili. Ukuze siqonde ukuthi uJesu uyimisa kanjani futhi nini inceku phezu kwakho konke okungokwakhe, kufanele sazi izinto ezimbili: isikhathi afika ngaso nokuthi konke okungokwakhe kuhlanganisani.
16 Ufika nini uJesu? Umongo wendaba unikeza impendulo. Khumbula ukuthi emavesini andulele igama elithi ‘ukuza’ kukaJesu libhekisela esikhathini sokukhipha kwakhe isahlulelo ekupheleni kwalesi simiso.d (Math. 24:30, 42, 44) Khona-ke, ‘ukufika,’ noma ‘ukuza,’ okukhulunywa ngakho emfanekisweni wenceku ethembekileyo kwenzeka phakathi nosizi olukhulu.
17. Kuhlanganisani konke okungokukaJesu?
17 Kuhlanganisani ‘konke okungokukaJesu’? Igama elithi “konke” uJesu alisebenzisile alisho okungokwakhe okusemhlabeni kuphela. Eqinisweni, unegunya elikhulu kakhulu ezulwini. Wathi, “Nginikwe lonke igunya ezulwini nasemhlabeni.” (Math. 28:18; Efe. 1:20-23) Manje lokho okungokwakhe kuhlanganisa noMbuso wakhe njengoMesiya, awunikwa ngo-1914 futhi azowuhlanganyela nabalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe.—IsAm. 11:15.
18. Kungani uJesu eyokujabulela ukumisa inceku phezu kwakho konke okungokwakhe?
18 Ngokwalokho esesikufundile, singaphetha ngokuthini? Lapho uJesu efika ukuze ahlulele phakathi nosizi olukhulu, uyothola ukuthi inceku ethembekileyo ibilokhu ithembekile ekwabeleni abendlu ukudla okungokomoya ngesikhathi esifanele. Ngakho uyokujabulela ukuyimisa okwesibili—phezu kwakho konke okungokwakhe. Abakha inceku ethembekileyo bayomiswa lapho bethola umvuzo wasezulwini, beba ababusi kanye noKristu.
19. Ingabe inceku ethembekileyo ithola umvuzo omkhulu ezulwini kunabanye abagcotshiwe? Chaza.
19 Ingabe inceku ethembekileyo ithola umvuzo omkhulu ezulwini kunabanye abagcotshiwe? Cha. Umvuzo othenjiswa iqembu elincane ngesikhathi esithile ungagcina wenabele nakwabanye. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngalokho uJesu akusho kubaphostoli bakhe abathembekile abangu-11 ngobusuku bangaphambi kokufa kwakhe. (Funda uLuka 22:28-30.) UJesu wathembisa lelo qembu elincane lamadoda ukuthi kunomvuzo omuhle eliyowuthola ngenxa yokwethembeka. Liyohlanganyela naye igunya lobukhosi. Kodwa ngemva kweminyaka eminingi, waveza ukuthi bonke abangu-144 000 bayohlala ezihlalweni zobukhosi babuse naye. (IsAm. 1:1; 3:21) Ngokufanayo, njengoba uMathewu 24:47 esho, wathembisa ukuthi iqembu elincane lamadoda—abazalwane abagcotshiwe abakha inceku ethembekileyo—liyomiswa phezu kwakho konke okungokwakhe. Empeleni, bonke abangu-144 000 bayohlanganyela igunya lakhe elikhulu lasezulwini.—IsAm. 20:4, 6.
Bonke abangu-144 000 bayohlanganyela noJesu igunya lakhe elikhulu lasezulwini (Bheka isigaba 19)
20. Kungani uJesu amisa inceku ethembekileyo, futhi yini ozimisele ukuyenza?
20 Esebenzisa inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo, uJesu ulandela isibonelo asibeka ngekhulu lokuqala—ukondla abaningi ngezandla zabambalwa. UJesu wamisa leyo nceku ethembekileyo ukuze aqinisekise ukuthi abalandeli bakhe beqiniso—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bagcotshiwe noma bangabezinye izimvu—bayaqhubeka bethola ngesikhathi ukudla okungokomoya phakathi nazo zonke izinsuku zokugcina. Masizimisele ukubonisa ukwazisa ngokusekela ngobuqotho abazalwane abagcotshiwe abakha inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo.—Heb. 13:7, 17.
a Isigaba 2: Ngaphambilini, uJesu walandisa umfanekiso ofanayo wabhekisela ‘encekwini’ ‘njengomphathi’ ‘nakwabendlu’ ‘njengezikhonzi zakhe.’—Luka 12:42-44.
b Isigaba 6: “Ukuza” kukaKristu (ngesiGreki, erʹkho·mai) kuhlukile ekubeni “khona” kwakhe (pa·rou·siʹa). Ukuba khona kwakhe okungabonakali kuqala ngaphambi kokuza kwakhe ezokhipha isahlulelo.
c Isigaba 12: Bheka isihloko esithi “Bhekani! Nginani Izinsuku Zonke,” kulo magazini, amakhasi 10-12, izigaba 5-8.
d Isigaba 16: Bheka isihloko esithi “Sitshele, Ziyokwenzeka Nini Lezi Zinto?” kulo magazini, amakhasi 7-8, izigaba 14-18.