Okwenza OFakazi BakaJehova Bahlale Beqaphile
“[Hlalani niqaphile, NW] ngokuba anazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu iyakufika ngaluphi usuku.”—MATHEWU 24:42.
1. Sisebenza kobani isiyalo esithi “hlalani niqaphile”?
KUZO zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zisezintsha noma sezikhulile, zisanda kuzinikezela noma sezinomlando omude wenkonzo—lesiyalo seBhayibheli siyasebenza: “Hlalani niqaphile”! (Mathewu 24:42, NW) Kungani lokhu kubalulekile?
2, 3. (a) Yisiphi isibonakaliso uJesu asichaza ngokucacile, futhi ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho kuye kwabonisani? (b) Yisiphi isimo okubhekiselwa kuso kuMathewu 24:42 esivivinya ubuqotho bokholo lwethu, futhi kanjani?
2 Ngasekupheleni kwenkonzo yakhe emhlabeni, uJesu wabikezela isibonakaliso sokuba-khona kwakhe okungabonakali emandleni oMbuso. (Mathewu, izahluko 24 no-25) Wasichaza ngokucacile lesosikhathi sokuba-khona kwakhe kobukhosi—futhi izenzakalo ezigcwalisa lesiprofetho zibonisa ukuthi wabekwa esihlalweni sobukhosi njengeNkosi emazulwini ngo-1914. Futhi wakhomba esimweni esasiyovivinya ubuqotho bokholo lwethu ngalesosikhathi. Lokhu kwakubhekisela esikhathini lapho ayeyothatha khona isinyathelo njengoMkhiphi wesahlulelo ukuze abhubhise isimiso sezinto esibi samanje phakathi nosizi olukhulu lapho uJesu ethi: “Kepha lolosuku nalelohora akakho owazi-lutho ngalo nazingelosi zasezulwini, naNdodana, nguBaba kuphela.” Wayecabanga ngalokho lapho ethi: “Ngakho-ke [hlalani niqaphile], ngokuba anazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu iyakufika ngaluphi usuku.”—Mathewu 24:36, 42.
3 Ukungalwazi kwethu usuku nehora usizi olukhulu oluyoqala ngalo kudinga ukuthi uma sithi singamaKristu, kube ukuthi siphila njengamaKristu eqiniso nsuku zonke. Ingabe indlela osebenzisa ngayo ukuphila kwakho iyophumela ekuvunyelweni iNkosi lapho usizi olukhulu lufika? Noma uma ukufa kufika kuqala, ingabe iyokukhumbula njengomunye oye wakhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka kwaze kwaba sekupheleni kokuphila kwakho kwamanje?—Mathewu 24:13; IsAmbulo 2:10.
Abafundi Bokuqala Bazama Ukuqapha
4. Yini esingayifunda esibonelweni sikaJesu sokuqapha ngokomoya?
4 UJesu Kristu ngokwakhe wabeka isibonelo esihle kakhulu sokuqapha ngokomoya. Wayethandaza ngokuphindaphindiwe nangentshiseko kuYise. (Luka 6:12; 22:42-44) Lapho ebhekene nokulingwa, wayencika ngamandla esiqondisweni esiqukethwe emiBhalweni. (Mathewu 4:3-10; 26:52-54) Akazange azivumele ukuba achezukiswe emsebenzini uJehova ayemabele wona. (Luka 4:40-44; Johane 6:15) Ingabe labo ababezibheka njengabalandeli bakaJesu babeyoqapha ngendlela efanayo?
5. (a) Kungani abaphostoli bakaJesu babenezinkinga zokulondoloza ukulinganisela okungokomoya? (b) Yiluphi usizo uJesu alunikeza abaphostoli bakhe ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe?
5 Ngezinye izikhathi, ngisho nabaphostoli bakaJesu banqikaza. Ngenxa yokushiseka ngokweqile nemibono eyiphutha, kwakudingeka babhekane nokudumazeka. (Luka 19:11; IzEnzo 1:6) Ngaphambi kokuba bafunde ukuncika ngokuphelele kuJehova, ukulingwa okwabafikela ngokungazelele kwabadida. Ngakho, lapho uJesu eboshwa, abaphostoli bakhe babaleka. Kamuva ngalobobusuku, uPetru, ngenxa yokwesaba, waphika ngokuphindaphindiwe ngisho nokuthi uyamazi uKristu. Abaphostoli babengakasisebenzisi iseluleko sikaJesu esithi: “[Hlalani niqaphile, NW] nikhuleke.” (Mathewu 26:41, 55, 56, 69-75) Ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe uJesu wasebenzisa imiBhalo ukuze aqinise ukholo lwabo. (Luka 24:44-48) Futhi lapho kubonakala ukuthi abanye babo babengase benze inkonzo ababeyiphathisiwe ize kamuva, uJesu waqinisa isisusa sabo ukuze bagxile emsebenzini obaluleke kakhulu.—Johane 21:15-17.
6. Ngaphambili uJesu wayexwayise abafundi bakhe ngaziphi izingibe ezimbili?
6 Ngaphambili, uJesu wayexwayise abafundi bakhe ngokuthi kwakungamelwe babe ingxenye yezwe. (Johane 15:19) Futhi wayebaluleke ukuba bangazenzi amakhosi phezu komunye nomunye kodwa bakhonze ndawonye njengabazalwane. (Mathewu 20:25-27; 23:8-12) Basilalela yini iseluleko sakhe? Ingabe bawenza weza kuqala umsebenzi ayebanikeze wona?
7, 8. (a) Umlando owenziwa amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ubonisa kanjani ukuthi asisebenzisa isiyalo sikaJesu? (b) Kungani ukuqapha okuqhubekayo okungokomoya kwakubalulekile?
7 Lapho abaphostoli besaphila, balivikela ibandla. Umlando ufakazela ukuthi amaKristu okuqala ayengahilelekile ezindabeni zezombangazwe zoMbuso WamaRoma nokuthi ayengenaso isigaba esiphakeme sabefundisi. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ayengabamemezeli abashisekayo boMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala, ayefakaze kuwo wonke uMbuso WamaRoma, enza abafundi e-Asia, eYurophu, naseNyakatho Afrika.—Kolose 1:23.
8 Nokho, lokho akufeza ekushumayeleni kwakungasho ukuthi sasingasekho isidingo sokuhlala eqaphile ngokomoya. Ukuza kukaJesu okwakubikezelwe kwakusazothatha isikhathi eside. Futhi njengoba ibandla lalingena ekhulwini lesibili C.E., kwaphakama izimo ezafaka ingokomoya lamaKristu engozini. Kanjani?
Labo Abayeka Ukuqapha
9, 10. (a) Ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli, yiziphi izenzakalo ezabonisa ukuthi abaningi ababethi bangamaKristu babengaqaphile? (b) Yimiphi imibhalo ekhonjwe kulesigaba eyayingasiza ababethi bangamaKristu ukuba bahlale beqinile ngokomoya?
9 Abanye abeza ebandleni baqala ukuchaza izinkolelo zabo ngendlela yefilosofi yamaGreki, ukuze benze lokho ababekufundisa kwamukeleke kakhudlwana kubantu bezwe. Kancane kancane, izimfundiso zobuqaba, njengoZiqu-zintathu nokungafi komphefumulo okungokwemvelo, kwaba ingxenye yohlobo lobuKristu olonakalisiwe. Lokhu kwaholela ekulahleni ithemba lokubusa kweminyaka eyinkulungwane. Ngani? Labo abamukela inkolelo yokungafi komphefumulo baphetha ngokuthi zonke izibusiso zokubusa kukaKristu zaziyozuzwa endaweni yomoya umphefumulo oyosinda lapho umzimba womuntu ufa. Ngakho abazange basibone isidingo sokuqaphela ukuba-khona kukaKristu emandleni oMbuso.—Qhathanisa neyabaseGalathiya 5:7-9; Kolose 2:8; 1 Thesalonika 5:21.
10 Lesisimo sagcizelelwa ezinye izenzakalo. Abanye ababethi bangababonisi abangamaKristu baqala ukusebenzisa amabandla ababekuwo ukuze bavelele. Ngobuqili babethi imibono nezimfundiso zabo kubaluleke njengemiBhalo noma ngisho ngaphezu kwayo. Lapho ithuba liziveza, lelisonto lezihlubuki lazenza latholakalela ngisho nokukhonza izithakazelo zombuso wezombangazwe.—IzEnzo 20:30; 2 Petru 2:1, 3.
Imiphumela Yokuqapha Kakhudlwana
11, 12. Kungani iNguquko YamaProstestani ingazange iphawule ukubuyela ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso?
11 Ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka yokuhlukunyezwa iSonto LamaRoma Katolika, abanye abaShisekeli Benguquko abazange bathule ngekhulu le-16. Kodwa lokhu akuzange kuphawule ukubuyela ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso. Kungani kwakungenjalo?
12 Nakuba amaqembu ahlukahlukene amaProthestani agqashula ekubuseni kweRoma, ahamba nezimfundiso nemikhuba eminingi eyinhloko yokuhlubuka—umqondo wesigaba sabefundisi nabantu abavamile, nokukholelwa kuZiqu-zintathu, ukungafi komphefumulo, nokuhlushwa phakade ngemva kokufa. Futhi, njengeSonto LamaRoma Katolika, aqhubeka eyingxenye yezwe, emdibi-munye namaqembu ezombangazwe. Ngakho ayethambekele ekwenqabeni noma yikuphi ukulindela ukuza kukaKristu njengeNkosi.
13. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi amadoda athile ayelazisa ngempela iZwi likaNkulunkulu? (b) Phakathi nekhulu le-19, yisiphi isenzakalo esasithakazelisa ngokukhethekile kwabanye ababethi bangamaKristu? (c) Kungani abaningi babhekana nokudumazeka?
13 Nokho, uJesu wayebikezele ukuthi ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli, izindlalifa zangempela zoMbuso (azifanisa namabele) zaziyoqhubeka zikhula eceleni kwamaKristu mbumbulu (noma, ukhula) kuze kufike isikhathi sokuvuna. (Mathewu 13:29, 30) Namuhla asinakubabala ngokuqiniseka bonke labo iNkosi eyayibabheka njengamabele. Kodwa kuyaphawuleka ukuthi phakathi kwekhulu le-14, 15, nele-16, kwakunamadoda afaka ukuphila nenkululeko yawo engozini ukuze ahumushele iBhayibheli olimini lwabantu abavamile. Abanye abazange bagcine ngokwamukela iBhayibheli njengeliyiZwi likaNkulunkulu kodwa futhi bamenqaba uZiqu-zintathu njengophikisana nemibhalo. Abanye bayenqaba inkolelo yokungafi komphefumulo nokuhlushwa esihogweni njengengavumelani ngokuphelele neZwi likaNkulunkulu. Futhi, ngenxa yokutadishwa ngokwengeziwe kweBhayibheli, phakathi nekhulu le-19 leminyaka, amaqembu athile e-United States, eJalimane, eNgilandi, naseRussia aqala ukuveza isiqinisekiso sokuthi isikhathi sokubuya kukaKristu sase siseduze kakhulu. Kodwa okuningi ayekulindele kwaholela ekudumazekeni. Ngani? Ngokwesilinganiso esikhulu, kungenxa yokuthi ayencika kakhulu kubantu engancikile ngokwanele emiBhalweni.
Indlela Laba Abazibonakalisa Ngayo Beqaphile
14. Chaza indlela yokutadisha iBhayibheli eyayisetshenziswa uC. T. Russell nabangane bakhe.
14 Khona-ke, ngo-1870, uCharles Taze Russell nabanye babangane bakhe bakha iqembu lokutadisha iBhayibheli e-Allegheny, ePennsylvania. Babengebona abokuqala ukuqonda amaqiniso amaningi eBhayibheli abawamukela, kodwa lapho betadisha, bakwenza umkhuba ukuhlola ngokucophelela yonke imibhalo eyayiphathelene nendaba ababeyidingida.a Injongo yabo kwakungekhona ukuthola imibhalo esekela umbono ocatshangelwe kusengaphambili, kodwa kwakuwukuqiniseka ukuthi babefinyelela iziphetho ezazivumelana nakho konke iBhayibheli elalikusho ngaleyondaba.
15. (a) Ngaphandle kukaMfowethu’ uRussell, yini abanye ababeyiqaphelile? (b) Yini eyaphawula abaFundi BeBhayibheli njengabahlukile kulaba?
15 Abanye abambalwa ngaphambi kwabo babeye baqaphela ukuthi uKristu wayezobuya ngokungabonakali njengomoya. Abanye babebonile ukuthi injongo yokubuya kukaKristu yayingekhona ukushisa umhlaba nokuqeda konke ukuphila kwabantu, kodwa, kunalokho, yayiwukubusisa yonke imindeni yomhlaba. Kwakukhona ngisho nabambalwa ababeqaphelile ukuthi unyaka ka-1914 wawuyophawula ukuphela kweZikhathi Zabezizwe. Kodwa kubaFundi BeBhayibheli ababehlanganyela noMfoweth’ uRussell, lawa kwakungamaphuzu abaluleke ukwedlula ingxoxo yemfundiso yenkolo. Bakhela ukuphila kwabo kulamaqiniso futhi bawasakaza kabanzi emhlabeni wonke ngesilinganiso esasingazange sibonwe ngaleyonkathi.
16. Ngonyaka ka-1914, kungani uMfoweth’ uRussell abhala ukuthi: “Sisenkathini yokuvivinywa”?
16 Nakuba kunjalo, kwakudingeka baqhubeke beqaphile. Ngani? Ngokwesibonelo, nakuba babazi ukuthi u-1914 wayephawulwe isiprofetho seBhayibheli, babengaqiniseki ukuthi yini ngempela eyayizokwenzeka ngalowonyaka. Lokhu kwababeka ovivinyweni. Kuyi-Watch Tower ka-November 1, 1914, uMfoweth’ uRussell wabhala: “Masikhumbule ukuthi sisenkathini yokuvivinywa. . . . Uma kunanoma isiphi isizathu esiyoholela noma ubani ukuba ashiye iNkosi neQiniso laYo futhi ayeke ukuzidela ngenxa yeNjongo yeNkosi, khona-ke akulona nje uthando ngoNkulunkulu olusenhliziyweni olubangele ukuba abe nesithakazelo eNkosini, kodwa okuthile; mhlawumbe ithemba lokuthi isikhathi sasisifushane; ukuzinikezela kwakungokwesikhathi esithile kuphela.”
17. U-A. H. Macmillan, nabanye abafana naye, bakulondoloza kanjani ukulinganisela okungokomoya?
17 Abanye bayishiya inkonzo kaJehova emuva ngalesosikhathi. Kodwa u-A. H. Macmillan wayengomunye wabangazange bayishiye. Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, wavuma ngobuqotho: “Ngezinye izikhathi lokho esasikulindele ngezikhathi ezithile kwakungagunyaziwe neze imiBhalo.” Yini eyamsiza ukuba alondoloze ukulinganisela okungokomoya? Njengoba asho, waqaphela ukuthi “lapho lawomathemba engagcwaliseki, lokho akuzange kushintshe izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu.” Wanezela: “Ngafunda ukuthi kufanele siwavume amaphutha ethu futhi siqhubeke sihlola eZwini likaNkulunkulu ukuze sithole ukukhanyiselwa okwengeziwe.”b Ngokuthobeka, labobaFundi BeBhayibheli bokuqala bavumela iZwi likaNkulunkulu ukuba lilungise isimo sabo sengqondo.—2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17.
18. Ukuqapha kwamaKristu kwaziletha kanjani izinzuzo eziqhubekayo endabeni yokungabi ingxenye yezwe?
18 Phakathi neminyaka eyalandela, isidingo sabo sokuqhubeka beqaphile asizange sinciphe. Eqinisweni, babazi ukuthi amaKristu kwakungamelwe abe ingxenye yezwe. (Johane 17:14; Jakobe 4:4) Ngokuvumelana nalokho, abazange bahlanganyele neLobukholwa ekwamukeleni iZizwe Ezihlangene njengokubonakaliswa okungokombangazwe koMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Kodwa kwaze kwaba ngo-1939 lapho bayibona khona ngokucacile impikiswano yokungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu.—Bheka INqabayokulinda yesiNgisi ka-November 1, 1939.
19. Kuye kwaba naziphi izinzuzo zokuqondisa ebandleni ngenxa yokuthi inhlangano iye yahlala iqaphile?
19 Abazange babe nesigaba sabefundisi, nakuba abadala abathile abakhethiwe babenomuzwa wokuthi ukufundisa ebandleni kwakuwukuphela kwento okwakufanele ilindelwe kubo. Nokho, inesithakazelo esijulile sokuvumelana nemiBhalo, inhlangano yabukeza indima yabadala ngokukhanyiselwa imiBhalo, yenza kanjalo izihlandla eziningi ngezinhlu ze-Nqabayokulinda. Izinguquko eziphathelene nokuhlela zenziwa ngokuvumelana nalokho okwakuboniswa imiBhalo.
20-22. Inhlangano iyonke iye yazilungiselela kanjani ngokuqhubekayo ukufeza umsebenzi owabikezelwa wokumenyezelwa koMbuso embulungeni yonke?
20 Inhlangano iyonke yayizilungiselela ukuwufeza ngokugcwele umsebenzi iZwi likaNkulunkulu elaliwuhlelele usuku lwethu. (Isaya 61:1, 2) Izindaba ezinhle zaziyoshunyayelwa ngezinga elingakanani osukwini lwethu? UJesu wathi: “Ivangeli limelwe ukushunyayelwa kuqala ezizweni zonke.” (Marku 13:10) Ngokombono womuntu, lowomsebenzi ngokuvamile uye wabonakala ungenakwenzeka.
21 Nokho, sithembele kuKristu njengeNhloko yebandla, isigaba senceku ethembekileyo neqondayo siye saqhubekela phambili. (Mathewu 24:45) Ngokwethembeka nangokungaguquki siye sabonisa kubantu bakaJehova umsebenzi okumelwe wenziwe. Kusukela ngo-1919 kuqhubeke, kwagcizelelwa ngokwandayo inkonzo yasensimini. Kwabaningi, kwakungelula ukuya endlini ngendlu bakhulume nabantu abangabazi. (IzEnzo 20:20) Kodwa izihloko ezifundwayo ezinjengesithi “Babusisiwe Abanesibindi” (ngo-1919) nesithi “Yibani Nesibindi” (ngo-1921) zasiza abanye ukuba baqale lomsebenzi, bethembela kuJehova.
22 Ngo-1922, ukunxusa kokuthi, “memezelani, memezelani, memezelani, iNkosi nombuso wayo” kwanikeza isisusa esidingekile sokunikeza lomsebenzi ukubaluleka okuwufanele. Kusukela ngo-1927 kuqhubeke, abadala abangazange bawamukele lowomthwalo wemfanelo ongokomBhalo bagudluzwa. Cishe ngalesosikhathi, abameleli beNhlangano abajikelezayo, ama-pilgrim, babelwa ukuba babe abaqondisi benkonzo bezifunda, benikeza isiyalo somuntu siqu kubamemezeli enkonzweni yasensimini. Akubona bonke ababengaphayona, kodwa ngezimpelasonto abaningi babenikela izinsuku ezigcwele enkonzweni, beqala ekuseni kakhulu, baphumule isikhashana ukuze badle isameshi, bese beqhubeka enkonzweni kuze kube ntambama kakhulu. Lezo kwakuyizikhathi eziphawulekayo zentuthuko engokwasezulwini, futhi sizuza kakhulu ngokubukeza indlela uJehova ayehola ngayo abantu bakhe. Uyaqhubeka enza kanjalo. Ngesibusiso sakhe, umsebenzi wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso omisiwe uyolethwa esiphethweni esiphumelelayo.
Uyaqhubeka Yini Uqaphile?
23. Maqondana nothando lobuKristu nokuhluka ezweni, singabonisa kanjani thina ngabanye ukuthi sihlala siqaphile?
23 Njengoba isabela esiqondisweni sikaJehova, inhlangano yakhe iyaqhubeka isiqaphelisa ngemikhuba nezimo zengqondo eziyosibonakalisa njengengxenye yezwe, kanjalo sibe sengozini yokudlula kanye nalo. (1 Johane 2:17) Kanti futhi, thina ngabanye kudingeka siqaphe ngokusabela esiqondisweni sikaJehova. UJehova futhi usinikeza isiyalo ngokuphathelene nokuhlala nokusebenza ndawonye. Inhlangano yakhe iye yasisiza ukuba sikhule ekwaziseni lokho uthando lobuKristu elikushoyo ngempela. (1 Petru 4:7, 8) Ukuhlala kwethu siqaphile kudinga ukuba sizame ngenkuthalo ukusebenzisa lesiseluleko, naphezu kokungapheleli kobuntu.
24, 25. Yiziphi izici ezibalulekile okufanele sihlale siqaphile kuzo, sinaliphi ithemba?
24 Ngokungaguquki, inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo iye yasikhumbuza: “Themba kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, ungenciki kokwakho ukuqonda.” (IzAga 3:5) “Khulekani ningaphezi.” (1 Thesalonika 5:17) Siye selulekwa ukuba sifunde ukusekela izinqumo zethu eZwini likaNkulunkulu, ukuba sivumele lelizwi libe ‘isibani ezinyaweni zethu nokukhanya endleleni yethu.’ (IHubo 119:105) Ngothando, siye sakhuthazwa ukuba senze ukushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuze kuqala ekuphileni kwethu, umsebenzi uJesu awubikezelela usuku lwethu.—Mathewu 24:14.
25 Yebo, inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo iqaphé ngempela. Nathi ngabanye sidinga ukuhlala siqaphile. Ngenxa yokwenza kanjalo, kwangathi singatholakala phakathi kwalabo abathola ukuvunyelwa phambi kweNdodana yomuntu lapho ifika izokhipha isahlulelo.—Mathewu 24:30; Luka 21:34-36.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Faith on the March, ka-A. H. Macmillan, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1957, amakhasi 19-22.
b Bheka i-Phaphama, ka-March 8, 1968, amakhasi 7-13.
Ukubukeza
◻ Njengoba kuboniswe kuMathewu 24:42, kungani kudingeka sihlale siqaphile?
◻ UJesu nabalandeli bakhe bekhulu lokuqala bakulondoloza kanjani ukuqapha okungokomoya?
◻ Kusukela ngo-1870, iyiphi intuthuko eye yaba khona ngenxa yokuthi izinceku zikaJehova ziye zahlala ziqaphile?
◻ Yini eyofakazela ukuthi thina ngabanye sihlala siqaphile?
[Izithombe ekhasini 23]
UJesu wahlala ematasa emsebenzini ayewabelwe uYise. Futhi wathandaza ngentshiseko
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
UCharles Taze Russell eminyakeni yakhe yakamuva
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
Abamemezeli boMbuso abangaphezu kuka-4 700 000 bamatasa emhlabeni wonke