Isahlulelo Sikhishwa Esigodini Sokwahlulela
“Abezizwe, [mabenyukele] esigodini sikaJehoshafati, ngokuba ngiyakuhlala khona ukuba ngahlulele bonke abezizwe nxazonke.”—JOWELI 3:12.
1. Kungani uJoweli ebona izixuku zibuthanele “esigodini sokwahlulela”?
“YIZIXUKU, ngezixuku esigodini sokwahlulela”! Lawo mazwi ashukumisayo siwafunda kuJoweli 3:14. Lezi zixuku zibuthaneleni? UJoweli uyaphendula: “Usuku lukaJehova lusondele.” Usuku olukhulu lokuzilwela kukaJehova—usuku lokukhipha isahlulelo ezixukwini eziye zenqaba uMbuso kaNkulunkulu omisiwe ngaphansi kukaKristu Jesu. Ekugcineni, “izingelosi ezine” zesAmbulo isahluko 7 kumelwe zidedele “imimoya emine yomhlaba,” kuphumele ‘osizini olukhulu olungakaze lwenzeke kusukela ekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube manje, cha, futhi olungasayikuphinde lwenzeke.’—IsAmbulo 7:1; Mathewu 24:21.
2. (a) Kungani kufaneleka ukuthi indawo yokukhiphela isahlulelo sikaJehova ibizwa ngokuthi ‘isigodi sikaJehoshafati’? (b) UJehoshafati wasabela kanjani ngendlela efanele lapho ehlaselwa?
2 KuJoweli 3:12, indawo lesi sahlulelo esikhishelwa kuyo ibizwa ngokuthi ‘isigodi sikaJehoshafati.’ Ngokufanelekayo, phakathi nenkathi yesiyaluyalu emlandweni wakwaJuda, uJehova wasikhiphela lapho isahlulelo, elwela inkosi enhle uJehoshafati, egama layo lisho ukuthi “UJehova UnguMahluleli.” Ukucabangela okwenzeka ngaleso sikhathi kuzosisiza ukuba sikuqonde kangcono lokho okuzokwenzeka maduze esikhathini sethu. Lokho kulandisa kutholakala kweyeziKronike zesiBili isahluko 20. Evesini lokuqala laleso sahluko, sifunda ukuthi “kwafika abantwana bakwaMowabi nabantwana bakwa-Amoni benabanye bamaMehuni kuJehoshafati, beyokulwa [naye].” Wasabela kanjani UJehoshafati? Wenza lokho izinceku zikaJehova ezikholekile ezihlale zikwenza lapho zibhekene nenhlekelele. Waphendukela kuJehova ukuze athole isiqondiso, ethandaza ngobuqotho: “Nkulunkulu wethu, awuyikubahlulela na? Ngokuba asinamandla ebusweni balesisixuku esikhulu esisifikelayo; futhi asazi ukuthi siyakwenze-njani, kodwa amehlo ethu akuwe.”—2 IziKronike 20:12.
UJehova Uphendula Umthandazo
3. Yiziphi iziyalezo uJehova azinikeza abakwaJuda lapho behlaselwa izizwe ezingomakhelwane?
3 Ngesikhathi ‘wonke uJuda emi phambi kukaJehova, nezingane zabo, nawomkabo, namadodana abo,’ uJehova wanikeza impendulo. (2 IziKronike 20:13) Njengoba nje esebenzisa ‘isigqila sakhe esikholekile nesiqondayo’ namuhla, uMuzwi omkhulu wemithandazo wanika umprofethi ongumLevi uJahaziyeli amandla ukuze abanikeze impendulo yaKhe labo ababebuthene. (Mathewu 24:45) Siyafunda: “Usho kanje kini uJehova, uthi: Ningesabi, ningapheli amandla ngenxa yalesisixuku esikhulu, ngokuba impi ayisiyo eyenu, ngekaNkulunkulu. . . . Akusikho okwenu ukulwa kulempi; zihleleni, nime, nibone ukunisindisa kukaJehova, . . . ningesabi, ningapheli amandla; phumelani kubo kusasa, ngokuba uJehova unani.”—2 IziKronike 20:15-17.
4. Kunokuba basonge izandla, uJehova wafuna ukuba abantu bakhe benzeni lapho bebhekene nenselele yesitha?
4 UJehova wayefuna okwengeziwe eNkosini uJehoshafati nakubantu bayo kunokuba bahlale basonge izandla, balindele ukukhululwa okuyisimangaliso. Kwakudingeka bathathe isinyathelo sokubhekana nenselele yesitha kuqala. Le nkosi nawo ‘wonke uJuda, nezingane zabo, nawomkabo, namadodana abo’ babonisa ukholo oluqinile njengoba belalela futhi bevuka ekuseni ngovivi bemasha beyohlangana namabutho ahlaselayo. Endleleni, inkosi yaqhubeka inikeza iziyalezo ezingokwasezulwini nesikhuthazo, ibanxusa: “Kholwani nguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, niyakuqiniswa; kholwani ngabaprofethi bakhe, niyakuphumelela.” (2 IziKronike 20:20) Ukholo kuJehova! Ukholo kubaprofethi bakhe! Leso kwakuyisihluthulelo sokuphumelela. Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, njengoba siqhubeka simatasa enkonzweni kaJehova, kwangathi singelokothe singabaze ukuthi uyokwenza ukholo lwethu lunqobe!
5. OFakazi BakaJehova bamatasa kanjani namuhla njengoba bedumisa uJehova?
5 NjengabaseJudiya ngosuku lukaJehoshafati, kumelwe ‘sibonge uJehova, ngokuba umusa wakhe umi phakade.’ Simbonge kanjani? Ngokushumayela ngoMbuso ngentshiseko! Njengoba abakwaJuda ‘baqala ngokuhalalisa nokudumisa,’ nathi senezela imisebenzi okholweni lwethu. (2 IziKronike 20:21, 22) Yebo, masibonise ukholo lweqiniso olufanayo njengoba uJehova elungiselela ukugadla ezitheni zakhe! Nakuba indlela ingase ibonakale iyinde, masizimisele ukukhuthazela, sikhuthale okholweni, njengoba kwenza abantu bakhe abanqobayo ezingxenyeni zomhlaba ezinezinkathazo namuhla. Kwamanye amazwe akhinyabezwe ushushiso, ubudlova, indlala nezimo zomnotho ezibucayi, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezikholekile zithola imiphumela emangalisayo, njengoba kubika INcwadi Yonyaka YoFakazi BakaJehova Ka-1998.
UJehova Usindisa Abantu Bakhe
6. Ukholo oluqinile lusisiza kanjani ukuba sihlale sithembekile namuhla?
6 Izizwe ezingamhloniphi uNkulunkulu ezazizungeze uJuda zazama ukushwabadela abantu bakaNkulunkulu, kodwa ngokholo oluyisibonelo izinceku zikaJehova zasabela ngokuhuba izindumiso zakhe. Nathi singabonisa ukholo olufanayo namuhla. Ngokugcwalisa ukuphila kwethu ngemisebenzi edumisa uJehova, siqinisa isambatho sethu esingokomoya sokuzivikela, singashiyi ndawo yamaqhinga kaSathane. (Efesu 6:11) Ukholo oluqinile luyosenza singalingekeli ekuphazanyisweni ezokuzijabulisa ezonakele, ukuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo nokunganaki okuwuphawu lwaleli lizwe elifayo elisizungezile. Lolu kholo olunganqobeki luyosigcina sikhonza ngokwethembeka ‘nesigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo’ njengoba siqhubeka sondliwa ngokudla okungokomoya okulungiselelwa “ngesikhathi esifanele.”—Mathewu 24:45.
7. OFakazi BakaJehova baye basabela kanjani ekuhlaselweni okuhlukahlukene?
7 Ukholo lwethu olusekelwe eBhayibhelini luyosinika amandla okuma siqinile naphezu kwemikhankaso yenzondo eyenziwa ababonisa umoya ‘wesigqila esibi’ sikaMathewu 24:48-51. Zigcwalisa lesi siprofetho ngendlela ephawulekayo, izihlubuki zimatasa zitshala amanga nenkulumo-ze emazweni amaningi namuhla, zize zakhe uzungu nabathile abayiziphathimandla emazweni. Lapho kufaneleka khona, oFakazi BakaJehova baye basabela ‘ngokuvikela nokumisa ngokomthetho izindaba ezinhle,’ njengoba kuchazwe kweyabaseFilipi 1:7. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-September 26, 1996, ecaleni laseGrisi, abahluleli abangu-9 be-European Court of Human Rights, eStrasbourg, baqinisekisa ngazwilinye ukuthi “oFakazi BakaJehova bafanelana nencazelo engokomthetho ‘yenkolo eyaziwayo,’” banelungelo lokujabulela inkululeko yokucabanga, inkululeko kanembeza neyenkolo, futhi banelungelo lokwenza inkolo yabo yaziwe. Mayelana nezihlubuki, isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu sithi: “Kwenzeke kubo izwi lesaga esiyiqiniso esithi: ‘Inja ibuyele ebuhlanzweni bayo siqu, nengulube yensikazi ebigeziwe ibuyele ekuzigingqeni odakeni.’”—2 Petru 2:22.
8. Osukwini lukaJehoshafati, uJehova wasikhipha kanjani isahlulelo ezitheni zabantu baKhe?
8 Emuva osukwini lukaJehoshafati, uJehova wakhipha isahlulelo kulabo ababefuna ukulimaza abantu baKhe. Siyafunda: “UJehova wabeka abaqamekeli babantwana bakwa-Amoni, nabakwaMowabi, nabaseSeyiri, ababefikele uJuda, banqotshwa. Abantwana bakwa-Amoni nabakwaMowabi bamelana nabakhileyo entabeni yaseSeyiri ukuba babachithe, babaqothule; sebebaqedile abakhileyo eSeyiri basiza, kwaba-yilowo nalowo, ngokubulalana bodwa.” (2 IziKronike 20:22, 23) AbaseJudiya baqamba leyo ndawo ngokuthi iSigodi saseBerakha, elithi Berakha lisho “iSibusiso.” Nasezikhathini zanamuhla, ukukhipha kukaJehova isahlulelo ezitheni zakhe kuyophumela ezibusisweni ezinkulu kubantu bakhe.
9, 10. Obani abaye bazibonakalisa befanelwe isahlulelo esibi sikaJehova?
9 Singase sibuze, Ezikhathini zanamuhla obani abazothola isahlulelo esibi kuJehova? Ukuze sithole impendulo yalowo mbuzo, kudingeka sibuyele esiprofethweni sikaJoweli. UJoweli 3:3 ukhuluma ngezitha zabantu bakhe ‘ezanika umfana ngesifebe, zathengisa ngentombazana ngenxa yewayini.’ Yebo, zibheka izinceku zikaNkulunkulu njengeziphansi, izingane zazo zifanelwe inani lokuqasha isifebe noma intengo yendebe yewayini. Kuyodingeka zilandise ngalokho.
10 Abanye abafanelwe isahlulelo ngendlela efanayo yilabo abenza ubufebe obungokomoya. (IsAmbulo 17:3-6) Futhi kufanele basolwe ngokukhethekile labo abagqugquzela imibuso yezombangazwe ukuba ishushise oFakazi BakaJehova futhi iphazamise umsebenzi wabo, njengoba abanye abaholi benkolo abangabaphehli bodweshu bebenza eMpumalanga Yurophu muva nje. UJehova ukhuluma ngokuzimisela kwakhe ukubathathela isinyathelo abasebenzi bobubi abanjalo.—Joweli 3:4-8.
‘Ngcwelisani Impi’
11. UJehova uziphonsela kanjani izitha zakhe inselele?
11 Ngokulandelayo, uJehova uthi abantu bakhe mabamemezele inselele phakathi kwezizwe: “[Ngcwelisani] impi, niwavuse amaqhawe; mawasondele, enyuke onke amadoda empi.” (Joweli 3:9) Lesi isimemezelo sempi yohlobo olungavamile—impi yokulunga. OFakazi BakaJehova abathembekile bathembele ezikhalini ezingokomoya njengoba besabela kuyinkulumo-ze engamanga, bephebeza amanga ngeqiniso. (2 Korinte 10:4; Efesu 6:17) Ngokushesha, uNkulunkulu uyongcwelisa ‘impi yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke.’ (IsAmbulo 16:14) Iyosusa bonke abaphikisi bobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu emhlabeni. Abantu bakhe emhlabeni ngeke babe nesandla kuyo. Ngokoqobo nangokomfanekiso, baye ‘bakhanda izinkemba zaba-ngamakhuba, nemikhonto yaba-ngocelemba.’ (Isaya 2:4) Ngokuphambene, uJehova uphonsela izizwe inselele yokuba zenze okuhlukile: “Khandani amakhuba enu abe-yizinkemba, ocelemba benu babe-yimikhonto.” Uthi mazisebenzise zonke izikhali zazo kule mpi. Kodwa azinakuphumelela, ngoba impi nokunqoba kungokukaJehova!
12, 13. (a) Naphezu kokuba iMpi Yomshoshaphansi isiphelile, izizwe eziningi ziye zabonisa kanjani ukuthi zisakuthanda ukulwa? (b) Yini izizwe ezingayilindele?
12 Ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1990, izizwe zathi iMpi Yomshoshaphansi yayisiphelile. Ngenxa yalokho, ingabe umgomo oyinhloko weNhlangano Yezizwe wokuthula nokulondeka uye wafinyelelwa? Lutho! Zisitshelani izenzakalo zaseBurundi, eDemocratic Republic of Congo, e-Iraq, eLiberia, eRwanda, eSomalia nasezweni elaliyiYugoslavia? Ngamazwi kaJeremiya 6:14, kuthiwa: “Ngukuthula, ngukuthula; kepha akukho ukuthula.”
13 Nakuba impi uqobo lwayo iye yakhawuka ezindaweni ezithile, izizwe ezingamalungu e-UN zisancintisana ngokwakha izikhali zempi eziphambili. Ezinye zisagcine izinqwaba zezikhali zenuzi. Ezinye zakha izikhali ezingamakhemikhali noma ezingamagciwane ezibhubhisa ngobuningi. Njengoba lezo zizwe zibuthanela endaweni engokomfanekiso ebizwa ngokuthi i-Armagedoni, uziphonsela inselele: “Obuthakathaka [makasho] ukuthi ngiyiqhawe. Sheshani nifike nina-bezizwe zonke nxazonke, nibuthane.” Kube sekungenela uJoweli encenga: “Wehlisele khona amaqhawe akho, Jehova.” (Omalukeke sizenzele.)—Joweli 3:10, 11.
UJehova Uvikela Abakhe
14. Angobani amaqhawe kaJehova?
14 Ngobani amaqhawe kaJehova? Izikhathi ezingaba ngu-280 eBhayibhelini, uNkulunkulu weqiniso ubizwa ngokuthi “uJehova-Sebawoti [“wamabutho,” NW].” (2 AmaKhosi 3:14) La mabutho ayizingelosi zasezulwini ezihlale zilungele ukwenza lokho uJehova athi mazikwenze. Lapho abaseSiriya bezama ukubamba u-Elisha, ekugcineni uJehova wavula amehlo enceku ka-Elisha ukuze ibone ukuthi kungani babengeke baphumelele: “Bheka, intaba yayigcwele amahashi nezinqola zomlilo nxazonke zakhe uElisha.” (2 AmaKhosi 6:17) UJesu wathi wayenganxusa kuYise ukuba amnikeze “amalegiyona ezingelosi angaphezu kwayishumi nambili.” (Mathewu 26:53) Sichaza ukugibela kukaJesu eyokhipha isahlulelo e-Armagedoni, isAmbulo sithi: “Namabutho ayesezulwini ayemlandela egibele amahhashi amhlophe, futhi egqoké ilineni elimhlophe, elihlanzekile, elicolekileyo. Futhi emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma inkemba ende ebukhali, ukuze ashaye ngayo izizwe, futhi uyozelusa ngenduku yensimbi. Futhi unyathela isikhamo sewayini sentukuthelo yolaka lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke.” (IsAmbulo 19:14, 15) Leso sikhamo sewayini esingokomfanekiso sichazwe ngokucacile ngokuthi ‘isikhamo sewayini esikhulu sentukuthelo kaNkulunkulu.’—IsAmbulo 14:17-20.
15. UJoweli uyichaza kanjani impi kaJehova nezizwe?
15 UJehova ukuphendula kanjani-ke ukunxusa kukaJoweli kokuba uNkulunkulu ehlise awakhe amaqhawe? Uphendula ngala mazwi acacile: “Mabazivuse abezizwe, benyukele esigodini sikaJehoshafati, ngokuba ngiyakuhlala khona ukuba ngahlulele bonke abezizwe nxazonke. Fakani isikela, ngokuba okuzakuvunwa sekuvuthiwe; wozani ninyathele, ngokuba isikhamo sewayini sigcwele, nezikhongozelo ziyachichima, ngokuba ububi babo bukhulu. Yizixuku ngezixuku esigodini sokwahlulela, ngokuba usuku lukaJehova lusondele esigodini sokwahlulela. Ilanga nenyanga kuba-mnyama, izinkanyezi zisusa ukukhanya kwazo. UJehova uyaduma eseSiyoni, ezwakalise izwi lakhe eseJerusalema; izulu nomhlaba kuyazamazama.”—Joweli 3:12-16.
16. Obani abayohlanganiswa kulabo uJehova ayokhipha isahlulelo kubo?
16 Njengoba nje igama likaJehoshafati lisho ukuthi “UJehova UnguMahluleli,” kanjalo uNkulunkulu, uJehova, uyobulwela ngokuphelele ubukhosi bakhe lapho ekhipha isahlulelo. Lesi siprofetho sichaza labo abathola isahlulelo esibi ‘njengezixuku, izixuku esigodini sokwahlulela.’ Noma ibaphi abasekeli benkolo yamanga abasele bayoba phakathi kwalezo zixuku. Kuyohlanganiswa nalabo abachazwa kuyiHubo lesibili—abezizwe, abantu, amakhosi omhlaba nababusi—abaye bakhetha isimiso esonakele saleli lizwe ‘kunokukhonza uJehova ngokwesaba.’ Bayenqaba ‘ukwanga indodana.’ (IHubo 2:1, 2, 11, 12) Abamqapheli uJesu njengeNkosi ekanye noJehova. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izixuku eziphawulelwe ukubhujiswa ziyohlanganisa nabo bonke abantu leyo Nkosi ekhazimulayo eyobahlulela ngokuthi ‘bayizimbuzi.’ (Mathewu 25:33, 41) Ngesikhathi sikaJehova esifanele sokubhonga eseJerusalema lasezulwini, iNkosi yamakhosi ayimisile iyophuma igabavule ukuze ikhiphe leso sahlulelo. Ngempela izulu nomhlaba kuyozamazama! Nokho, siyaqinisekiswa: “UJehova uyisiphephelo sabantu bakhe, nenqaba yabantwana bakwaIsrayeli.”—Joweli 3:16.
17, 18. Obani okuthiwa basinda osizini olukhulu, futhi yiziphi izimo abayozijabulela?
17 IsAmbulo 7:9-17 sibiza abayosinda osizini olukhulu ngokuthi “isixuku esikhulu” salabo ababonisa ukholo emandleni okuhlenga egazi likaJesu. Bayovikeleka ngosuku lukaJehova, lapho izixuku ngezixuku zesiprofetho sikaJoweli zithola isahlulelo esibi. UJoweli uthi kwabasindile: “Besenikwazi ukuthi nginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu engihlala eSiyoni, intaba yami engcwele,” indawo kaJehova yokuhlala yasezulwini.—Joweli 3:17a.
18 Lesi siprofetho sibe sesisitshela ukuthi indawo ebuswa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini ‘iyakuba-ngcwele, abafokazi abasayikuyidabula.’ (Joweli 3:17b) Ezulwini nasendaweni esemhlabeni yalowo Mbuso wasezulwini ngeke kube nabafokazi, ngoba bonke bayobe bemunye ekukhulekeleni okumsulwa.
19. UJoweli uyichaza kanjani injabulo yabantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla enjengeyepharadesi?
19 Ngisho nanamuhla, kunokuthula okukhulu phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova lapha emhlabeni. Ngobunye, bamemezela izahlulelo zakhe emazweni angaphezu kuka-230 ngezilimi ezihlukene ezingaphezu kuka-300. UJoweli waprofetha kahle ngokuchuma kwabo: “Kuyakuthi ngalolosuku izintaba ziconse iwayini elimnandi, amagquma agobhoze ubisi, yonke imifula yakwaJuda igobhoze amanzi.” (Joweli 3:18) Yebo, uJehova uyoqhubeka ethululela abadumisi bakhe emhlabeni izibusiso ezijabulisayo ezichichimayo nokuchuma, nomfula ogelezayo nowandayo wamaqiniso ayigugu. Ubukhosi bukaJehova buyobe sebulwelwe ngokuphelele esigodini sokwahlulela, futhi injabulo iyochichima lapho ehlala phakade phakathi kwabantu bakhe abahlengiwe.—IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.
Uyakhumbula?
◻ UJehova wabahlenga kanjani abantu bakhe ezinsukwini zikaJehoshafati?
◻ Obani uJehova abahlulela njengabafanelwe ukubhujiswa “esigodini sokwahlulela”?
◻ Angobani amaqhawe kaNkulunkulu futhi ayofeza yiphi ingxenye empini yokugcina?
◻ Yiziphi izinto abakhulekeli abakholekile abazijabulelayo?
[Isithombe ekhasini 21]
UJuda watshelwa: ‘Ungesabi, ngokuba impi ayisiyo eyakho, ngekaNkulunkulu’
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
UJehova uphonsela izitha zakhe inselele yokuba ‘zikhande amakhuba azo abe-yizinkemba’
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
IBhayibheli liveza isixuku esikhulu sabasinda osizini olukhulu