Akukho Ukuthula Ngezithunywa Zamanga!
“Ababi bazakuchithwa . . . Kepha abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu.”—IHUBO 37:9, 11.
1. Kungani kufanele silindele ukuthola izithunywa zeqiniso nezamanga “esikhathini sokugcina”?
IZITHUNYWA—zamanga noma zeqiniso? Zazikhona zombili izinhlobo ezikhathini zeBhayibheli. Kodwa kuthiwani ngosuku lwethu? Ku-Daniyeli 12:9, 10, sifunda ukuthi isithunywa sasezulwini satshela umprofethi kaNkulunkulu: “Amazwi avalelwe, anamathelisiwe kuze kube-sesikhathini sokugcina. Abaningi bayakuzihlanza, bazenze-mhlophe, bacwengisiswe, kepha ababi bayakwenza kabi, kodwa akayikuqonda noyedwa omubi; nokho abahlakaniphileyo bayakuqonda.” Manje siphila kuleso “sikhathi sokugcina.” Ingabe siyawubona umehluko ocacile phakathi ‘kwababi’ ‘nabahlakaniphileyo’? Ngokuqinisekile siyawubona!
2. U-Isaya 57:20, 21 ugcwaliseka kanjani namuhla?
2 Ku-Isaya isahluko 57, amavesi 20 no-21, sifunda amazwi esithunywa sikaNkulunkulu u-Isaya: “Ababi banjengolwandle olunyakazisiweyo, ngokuba alunakuphumula, namanzi alo akhipha udaka nobishi. Akukho ukuthula kwababi, usho uNkulunkulu wami.” Yeka ukuthi lamazwi alichaza kahle kanjani lelizwe njengoba lisondela ekhulwini lama-21! Abanye baze babuze, ‘Ingabe siyoke sifike kulelo khulu leminyaka?’ Zithini izithunywa ezihlakaniphileyo?
3. (a) Yikuphi ukuqhathanisa okwenziwa kweyoku-1 Johane 5:19? (b) “Abahlakaniphileyo” bachazwa kanjani kusAmbulo isahluko 7?
3 Umphostoli uJohane wayenokuhlakanipha okuphefumulelwe ngokwaphezulu. Kweyoku-1 Johane 5:19, kuthiwa: “Siyazi ukuthi sisuka kuNkulunkulu, kodwa lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi.” Abahlukile kulelizwe ama-Israyeli angokomoya angu-144 000, ansali yawo esikhulile isekanye nathi. Abazihlanganisa nayo namuhla ‘isixuku esikhulu esiphuma kuzo zonke izizwe nezizwana nabantu nezilimi,’ manje esibalelwa ezigidini ezingaphezu kwezinhlanu, naso esinokuhlakanipha. “Laba yilabo abaphuma osizini olukhulu.” Kungani benikwa umvuzo? Ngoba nabo “baye bageza izivatho zabo bazenza zaba mhlophe egazini leWundlu” ngokubonisa ukholo esihlengweni sikaJesu. Njengezithunywa zokukhanya, nabo “banikela inkonzo engcwele [kuNkulunkulu] imini nobusuku.”—IsAmbulo 7:4, 9, 14, 15.
Labo Okuthiwa Izithunywa Zokuthula
4. (a) Kungani labo okuthiwa yizithunywa zokuthula ezweni likaSathane bezohluleka? (b) Eyabase-Efesu 4:18, 19 isebenza kanjani namuhla?
4 Nokho, kuthiwani ngalabo okuthiwa yizithunywa zokuthula esimisweni sezwe sikaSathane? Ku-Isaya isahluko 33, ivesi 7, siyafunda: “Bheka, amaqhawe abo akhala ngaphandle; izithunywa zokuthula zikhala ngomunyu.” Yeka ukuthi lokhu kuyiqiniso kangakanani ngalabo abehla benyuka besuka kwenye inhloko-dolobha yomhlaba beya kwenye, bezama ukuletha ukuthula! Yeka ukuthi kuyize kanjani! Kungani kunjalo? Ngoba babhekana nezimpawu zezinkinga zomhlaba kunokubhekana nezimbangela. Okokuqala, abakuboni ukuba khona kukaSathane, umphostoli uPawulu amchaza ngokuthi “unkulunkulu walesisimiso sezinto.” (2 Korinte 4:4) USathane uye wahlwanyela imbewu yobubi esintwini, umphumela waba ukuthi iningi, kuhlanganise nababusi abaningi, manje lifanelana nencazelo yabase-Efesu 4:18, 19: ‘Basebumnyameni ngengqondo, futhi bahlukanisiwe nokuphila okungokukaNkulunkulu, ngenxa yokungazi okukubo, ngenxa yokungazweli kwezinhliziyo zabo. Bengasenawo nhlobo umuzwa wokuziphatha okuhle, bazinikela ekuziphatheni okuxekethile ukuze basebenze zonke izinhlobo zokungahlanzeki ngokuhaha.’
5. (a) Kungani izinhlangano zabantu zihluleka ukuletha ukuthula? (b) AmaHubo 37 adlulisela siphi isigijimi esiduduzayo?
5 Akukho nhlangano yabantu abangaphelele engasusa ezinhliziyweni zabantu ukuhaha, ubugovu nenzondo okudlange kangaka namuhla. UMdali wethu kuphela, iNkosi enguMbusi uJehova, ongenza lokho! Ngaphezu kwalokho, abathobekile kuphela, ingcosana esintwini, abazimisele ukuzithoba esiqondisweni sakhe. Imiphumela kulaba nakulabo ababi emhlabeni ivezwe kumaHubo 37:9-11: “Ngokuba ababi bazakuchithwa, kepha abalindela uJehova bazakudla ifa lomhlaba. Kusengumzuzwana, omubi angabe esabakho, . . . Kepha abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu.”
6, 7. Yimuphi umlando wezinkolo zezwe obonisa ukuthi ziye zahluleka ukukhonza njengezithunywa zokuthula?
6 Khona-ke, ingabe izithunywa zokuthula zingatholakala ezinkolweni zalelizwe eligulayo? Uyini umlando wenkolo kuze kube manje? Umlando ubonisa ukuthi inkolo iye yahlanganyela, yebo, yaze ngisho yashoshozela ukuchithwa kwegazi okuningi emakhulwini eminyaka. Ngokwesibonelo, i-Christian Century yangesonto lika-August 30, 1995, ibika ngesiyaluyalu eYugoslavia yangaphambili, yathi: “EBosnia engaphansi kwama-Serb, abapristi bahlala ngaphambili ephalamende lokuzenzela, futhi baba phambili nalapho amabutho ngisho nezikhali kubusiswa khona ngaphambi kokuba izimpi ziqale.”
7 Ikhulu leminyaka lomsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli zeLobukholwa e-Afrika alizange lilethe umphumela ongcono, njengoba kwabonakala eRwanda, izwe elidume ngokuba namaphesenti angu-80 amaKatolika. I-New York Times ka-July 7, 1995, yabika: “I-Golias, umagazini wamaKatolika ongenamingcele nongewona owesonto onyatheliswa eLyons [eFrance], ihlela ukudalula abanye abapristi baseRwanda abangu-27 nezindelakazi ezine ethi babulala noma bagqugquzela ukubulala eRwanda ngonyaka odlule.” I-African Rights, inhlangano yamalungelo abantu eLondon, yathi: “Ngaphezu kwecala lokungathi vú kwawo, amasonto kumelwe alandise ngokungena shí kwabanye babapristi bawo, abefundisi, nezindelakazi ekuqothulweni kohlanga.” Lokhu kufana nesimo sakwa-Israyeli lapho isithunywa sikaJehova seqiniso uJeremiya sichaza “amahloni” ka-Israyeli, kanye nababusi, abapristi nabaprofethi bakhe, sinezela: “Nasemiphethweni yakho kufunyenwe igazi labampofu abangenacala.”—Jeremiya 2:26, 34.
8. Kungani kungase kuthiwe uJeremiya wayeyisithunywa sokuthula?
8 Ngokuvamile uJeremiya uye wabizwa ngokuthi umprofethi wembubhiso, kodwa futhi angabizwa ngokuthi isithunywa sikaNkulunkulu sokuthula. Wakhuluma ngokuthula ngokuphindaphindiwe njengo-Isaya ngaphambi kwakhe. UJehova wasebenzisa uJeremiya ukuba amemezele isahlulelo eJerusalema, ethi: “Lomuzi uvuse intukuthelo yami nokufutheka kwami, kusukela osukwini abawakha ngalo kuze kube-namuhla, ukuba ngiwususe ebusweni bami ngenxa yakho konke okubi kwabantwana bakwaIsrayeli nabantwana bakwaJuda abakwenzileyo ukuba bangicunule bona namakhosi abo, nezikhulu zabo, nabapristi babo, nabaprofethi babo, namadoda akwaJuda, nabakhileyo eJerusalema.” (Jeremiya 32:31, 32) Lokhu kwafuzisela isahlulelo sikaJehova kubabusi nabefundisi kweLobukholwa namuhla. Ukuze kube khona ukuthula kweqiniso, laba bashoshozeli bobubi nobudlova kumelwe basuswe! Ngokuqinisekile abazona izithunywa zokuthula.
Ingabe I-UN Ingumlethi Wokuthula?
9. I-UN iye yazisholo kanjani ukuthi iyisithunywa sokuthula?
9 Akunakwenzeka yini ukuba inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene ibe isithunywa sokuthula seqiniso? Phela, isethulo somthetho-sisekelo wayo esakhishwa ngo-June 1945, ezinsukwini ezingu-41 kuphela ngaphambi kokuba ibhomu le-athomu libhubhise iHiroshima, sachaza injongo yayo: “ukukhulula izizukulwane ezilandelayo osizini lwempi.” Izizwe ezingu-50 ezazizoba amalungu eZizwe Ezihlangene kwakumelwe “zibambisane ekulondolozeni ukuthula nokulondeka komhlaba wonke.” Namuhla i-UN inezizwe ezingu-185 ezingamalungu ayo, zonke okuthiwa zizinikele emgomweni ofanayo.
10, 11. (a) Abaholi benkolo baye bakuzwakalisa kanjani ukusekela kwabo i-UN? (b) Opapa baye bazimelela kabi ngayiphi indlela “Izindaba Ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu”?
10 Kuyo yonke leminyaka, i-UN iye yanconywa ngokuzwakalayo, ikakhulukazi abaholi benkolo. Ngo-April 11, 1963, uPapa John XXIII wasayina incwadi yakhe eyayiya kubo bonke ababhishobhi enesihloko esithi “Pacem in Terris” (Ukuthula Emhlabeni) athi kuyo: “Kuyisifiso sethu esiqotho ukuthi inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene—ngokubunjwa nangengcebo yayo—sengathi ingalingana nobukhulu kanye nokuphakama komsebenzi wayo.” Kamuva, ngo-June 1965, eSan Francisco, abaholi benkolo okwakuthiwa bamelela ingxenye eyodwa yenani labantu emhlabeni, bagubha iminyaka engu-20 i-UN izelwe. Futhi ngo-1965, lapho uPapa Paul VI evakashele i-UN, wayichaza ngokuthi “iyithemba lokugcina lokuzwana nokuthula.” Ngo-1986, uPapa John Paul II waba nesandla ekukhuthazeni uNyaka Wokuthula Womhlaba Wonke we-UN.
11 Lapho evakashile ngo-October 1995, upapa waphinda wathi: “Namuhla sihalalisela iZindaba Ezinhle ZoMbuso KaNkulunkulu.” Kodwa ingabe ngempela uyisithunywa sikaNkulunkulu sezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso? Ekhuluma ngezinkinga zomhlaba, waqhubeka wathi: “Njengoba sibhekene nalezi zinselele ezinkulu, singahluleka kanjani ukuvuma indima yeNhlangano Yezizwe Ezihlangene?” Upapa ukhetha i-UN kunoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.
Izizathu ‘Zokukhala Ngomunyu’
12, 13. (a) I-UN iye yenza kanjani ngendlela echazwe kuJeremiya 6:14? (b) Kungani ubuholi be-UN buhlanganisiwe encazelweni eku-Isaya 33:7?
12 Ukugujwa konyaka wama-50 we-UN akuzange kwambule noma yiliphi ithemba langempela “lokuthula emhlabeni.” Esinye isizathu saboniswa umlobi kuyi-Toronto Star yaseCanada, owabhala: “I-U.N. iyibhubesi elingenamazinyo, elibhongayo lapho libhekene nobudlova babantu, kodwa okudingeka lilinde amalungu alo ukuba alifake amazinyo alo okufakelwa ngaphambi kokuba lilume.” Ngokuvamile lokhu kuluma kuye kwaba kuncane futhi kwephuza kakhulu. Izithunywa zokuthula kulesi simiso sezwe, futhi ikakhulukazi lezo ezikweLobukholwa, bezinanela amazwi kaJeremiya 6:14: “Bapholisa kalula ukulimala kwabantu bami, bathi: Ngukuthula, ngukuthula; kepha akukho ukuthula.”
13 Onobhala-jikelele be-UN ngokulandelana kwabo, akungabazeki ukuthi baye bazikhandla ngobuqotho, ukuze benze i-UN iphumelele. Kodwa ukuxabana njalo phakathi kwamalungu angu-185 anezinjongo ezihlukene, ngokuqondene nendlela yokunqanda impi, ukuhlela umthetho nokusingatha izimali, kuye kwavimbela amathemba empumelelo. Embikweni wakhe waminyaka yonke ka-1995, owayengunobhala-jikelele ngaleso sikhathi wabhala ngokuncipha “kwesiphazamiso senhlekelele yenuzi yembulunga yonke” njengokuvula indlela yokuba “izizwe zibambisane ukuze kuthuthukiswe ezomnotho nezenhlalo kuso sonke isintu.” Kodwa wanezela: “Ngokudabukisayo, umlando wezindaba zezwe eminyakeni embalwa edlule uye wangqubuzana kakhulu nalawo mathemba amahle.” Ngempela labo obekufanele babe yizithunywa zokuthula ‘bakhala ngomunyu.’
14. (a) Kungani kungase kuthiwe i-UN iwile kokubili ngokwezimali nangokuziphatha? (b) UJeremiya 8:15 ugcwaliseka kanjani?
14 Isihloko esikhulu kuyi-Orange County Register yaseCalifornia sasifundeka kanje: “I-U.N. Iwile Ngokwezimali Nangokuziphatha.” Lesi sihloko sathi phakathi kuka-1945 no-1990, kwaba nezimpi ezingaphezu kuka-80, ezathatha ukuphila kwabantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-30. Sacaphuna umlobi we-Reader’s Digest ka-October 1995 “ochaza izimpi zamabutho e-U.N. njengeziphawuleka ‘ngabakhuzi abangafaneleki, amasosha angenamthetho, ubungane nabaphehli bodweshu, ukuhluleka ukuvimbela unya futhi ngezinye izikhathi ukuba ngisho nanesandla onyeni.’ Ngaphezu kwalokho, ‘izinga lokusaphaza, ukuphamba, nokuxhaphaza lidlulele.’” Engxenyeni ethi “I-U.N. Eminyakeni Engu-50,” i-New York Times yayinesihloko esikhulu esithi “Ukuphatha Okubi Nokusaphaza Kushabalalisa Izinhloso Ezinhle Ze-U.N.” I-Times yaseLondon, eNgilandi, yayinesihloko esinamazwi athi “Ubuthaka Eminyakeni Engamashumi Amahlanu—I-UN idinga isimiso sokuzivocavoca ukuze ibuyele esimweni sayo.” Eqinisweni, kunjengoba sifunda kuJeremiya isahluko 8, ivesi 15: “Silindela ukuthula, kepha okuhle akukho, nesikhathi sokuphulukiswa, kepha bheka, luvalo.” Futhi inhlekelele yenuzi isasisongela isintu. Ngokusobala, i-UN ayisona isithunywa sokuthula esidingwa yisintu.
15. IBabiloni lasendulo nenzalo yalo engokwenkolo kuye kwabonakala kanjani kubhubhisa futhi kudunga?
15 Uyoba yini umphumela wakho konke lokhu? IZwi likaJehova lesiprofetho alishiyi kungabaza. Okokuqala, yini elindele izinkolo zezwe zamanga ngokuvamile eziye zaba abangane abakhulu be-UN? Ziyinzalo yesiphingi sokuqala, iBabiloni lasendulo. Ngokufanelekile, kusAmbulo 17:5 zichazwa ngokuthi “IBabiloni Elikhulu, unina wezifebe nowezinengiso zomhlaba.” UJeremiya wachaza ukubhujiswa kwalenhlanganisela yobuzenzisi. Njengesifebe, ziye zayenga abezombangazwe bezwe, zathopha i-UN futhi zaba nobuhlobo obungemthetho nemibuso yezwe engamalungu ayo. Ziye zaba nengxenye eyinhloko ezimpini zomlando. Ngokuqondene nempi engokwenkolo eNdiya omunye umhlaziyi wathi: “UKarl Marx wabhekisela enkolweni njengomlaliso wabantu. Kodwa lawo mazwi awanakuba iqiniso ngoba umlaliso uyapholisa, wenza abantu badungeke. Cha, inkolo injenge-cocaine enamandla. Inobudlova obukhulu futhi iyibutho elibhubhisa kakhulu.” Nalowo mlobi akanembile. Inkolo yamanga ikwenza kokubili, iyadunga futhi ibhubhise.
16. Kungani abantu abanhliziyo ziqotho kufanele babaleke eBabiloni Elikhulu manje? (Bheka nesAmbulo 18:4, 5.)
16 Khona-ke, yini abantu abanhliziyo ziqotho okufanele bayenze? Isithunywa sikaNkulunkulu uJeremiya sisinikeza impendulo: “Balekani eBabele, yilowo nalowo akhulule ukuphila kwakhe, . . . ngokuba kuyisikhathi sempindiselo kaJehova.” Siyajabula ngokuthi izigidi ziye zabaleka ekuvalelweni yiBabiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. Ingabe ungomunye wazo? Khona-ke ungayiqonda kahle indlela iBabiloni Elikhulu eliye lathinta ngayo izizwe zomhlaba: “Izizwe zaliphuza iwayini lalo, ngalokho izizwe ziyahlanya.”—Jeremiya 51:6, 7.
17. Yisiphi isahlulelo esesizokhishwa eBabiloni Elikhulu, futhi yini elandela leso sinyathelo?
17 Maduze nje, amalungu ‘ahlanyayo’ e-UN ayoqondiswa uJehova ukuba aphendukele inkolo yamanga, njengoba kuchazwe kusAmbulo 17:16: “Lezi ziyosizonda isifebe futhi ziyosenza sibe esichithakele nesihamba-ze, futhi ziyodla ziqede izingxenye zaso eziyinyama futhi ziyosishisa ngokuphelele ngomlilo.” Lokhu kuyokusho ukuqala kosizi olukhulu okubhekiselwe kulo kuMathewu 24:21 futhi oluyofinyelela umvuthwandaba nge-Armagedoni, impi yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke. NjengeBabiloni lasendulo, iBabiloni Elikhulu liyothola isahlulelo esimenyezelwe kuJeremiya 51:13, 25: “Wena ohlala ngasemanzini amakhulu, nonengcebo eningi, sekufikile ukugcina kwakho, isilinganiso sokuhaha kwakho. Bheka, ngimelene nawe-ntaba echithayo, usho uJehova, wena ochitha wonke umhlaba; ngiyakwelulela isandla sami kuwe, ngikugingqe emadwaleni ngikwenze intaba eshisiweyo.” Izizwe ezonakele eziphehla impi ziyolandela inkolo yamanga ziye ekubhujisweni njengoba usuku lukaJehova lwempindiselo luzifica.
18. U-Isaya 48:22 usazogcwaliseka nini futhi kanjani?
18 Kweyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:3, kuthiwa ngababi: “Noma nini lapho bethi khona: ‘Ukuthula nokulondeka!’ khona-ke imbubhiso engazelelwe iyofika ngaso lesosikhathi phezu kwabo njengomhelo wokucindezeleka phezu kowesifazane okhulelweyo; futhi abasoze baphunyuka nganoma iyiphi indlela.” Laba yibo u-Isaya athi ngabo: “Bheka, . . . izithunywa zokuthula zikhala ngomunyu.” (Isaya 33:7) Ngempela, njengoba sifunda ku-Isaya 48:22, “akukho ukuthula kwababi, usho uJehova.” Kodwa yiliphi ikusasa elilindele izithunywa zeqiniso zokuthula kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu? Isihloko sethu esilandelayo sizositshela.
Imibuzo Yokubukeza
◻ Abaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu baye bazidalula ngamaphi amazwi anamandla izithunywa zamanga?
◻ Kungani izinhlangano zabantu zihluleka ukuletha ukuthula okuhlala njalo?
◻ Izithunywa zokuthula zeqiniso zihluke kanjani kubasekeli be-UN?
◻ Abathobekile kumelwe benzeni ukuze bajabulele ukuthula okuthenjiswe uJehova?
[Izithombe ekhasini 15]
U-Isaya, uJeremiya noDaniyeli bonke babikezela ukuhluleka kwemizamo yabantu abangelutho yokuletha ukuthula
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
“Lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi.”—Umphostoli uJohane
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
“Basebumnyameni ngengqondo.”—Umphostoli uPawulu