IZwi LikaJehova Liyaphila
Amaphuzu Avelele Encwadi KaJoweli Neka-Amose
UKUPHELA kwento asitshela yona ngaye ukuthi ‘unguJoweli indodana kaPhethuweli.’ (Joweli 1:1) Encwadini ebizwa ngegama lakhe, uJoweli usho okuncane kakhulu ngezinye izindaba ngaphandle kwesigijimi sakhe kangangokuthi kuyacatshangelwa ukuthi isiprofetho sakhe wasiloba nini—cishe ngo-820 B.C.E., ngemva kweminyaka engu-9 u-Uziya eqale ukubusa kwaJuda. Kungani uJoweli engakhulumi kangaka ngaye? Kungenzeka isizathu siwukuthi ufuna ukuqokomisa isigijimi asiphethe hhayi isithunywa.
U-Amose isakhamuzi sakwaJuda, “umalusi nomqhumbuzi wamakhiwane emisikhamori,” naye uthunywa ukuba abe umprofethi ezinsukwini zika-Uziya. (Amose 7:14) Ngokungafani noJoweli oprofetha kwaJuda, u-Amose uthunyelwa enyakatho embusweni wezizwe eziyishumi zakwa-Israyeli. Incwadi ka-Amose ibhalwe ngolimi olulula kodwa olunothile ngemifanekiso, futhi yaqedwa cishe ngo-804 B.C.E. lo mprofethi esebuyele kwaJuda.
“MAYE NGALOLO SUKU”—NGANI?
Embonweni uJoweli ubona ukuhlasela kwamacimbi, izinkumbi namaphela. Kubhekiselwa kubahlaseli ‘njengesizwe esinabantu abaningi nesinamandla nanjengamadoda anamandla.’ (Joweli 1:4; 2:2-7) UJoweli uyabubula: “Maye ngalolo suku; ngoba usuku lukaJehova luseduze, luyofika njengokuphanga okuvela kuMninimandla onke!” (Joweli 1:15) UJehova weluleka izakhamuzi zaseZiyoni: “Buyelani kimi ngazo zonke izinhliziyo zenu.” Uma bebuyela kuye, uJehova ‘uyobabonisa ububele abantu bakhe’ futhi uyomdedisela kude “owasenyakatho”—ukuhlasela kwezinambuzane. Nokho, ngaphambi kokufika kosuku lwakhe olukhulu, uJehova ‘uyothululela umoya wakhe phezu kwayo yonke inhlobo yenyama anike imihlola emazulwini nasemhlabeni.’—Joweli 2:12, 18-20, 28-31.
Izizwe zicelwa inselele: “Khandani amageja enu abe yizinkemba nocelemba benu babe yizijula” futhi nivive. Ziyalwa ukuba “zize ethafeni eliphansi likaJehoshafati,” lapho ziyokwahlulelwa khona futhi zichotshozwe. “Kodwa elakwaJuda lona, liyohlalwa kuze kube nini nanini.”—Joweli 3:10, 12, 20.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo
1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14—Luyini “usuku lukaJehova”? Usuku lukaJehova luyisikhathi sokukhishwa kwesahlulelo sikaJehova ezitheni zakhe okuyoholela ekubhujisweni kwazo, kodwa kubakhulekeli beqiniso kuholele ensindisweni. Ngokwesibonelo, usuku olunjalo lwafikela abaseBhabhiloni lasendulo ngo-539 B.C.E. lapho benqotshwa amaMede namaPheresiya. (Isaya 13:1, 6) Olunye “usuku lukaJehova” oluseduze yilolo ayokhipha ngalo isahlulelo sakhe ‘eBhabhiloni Elikhulu’—umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga.—IsAmbulo 18:1-4, 21.
2:1-10, 28—Siye sagcwaliseka kanjani isiprofetho sokuhlasela kwezinambuzane? Akukho ukulandisa eBhayibhelini okukhuluma ngokuhlasela okukhulu kwezinambuzane ezweni laseKhanani okunjengalokho okuchazwe encwadini kaJoweli. Ngakho, ukuhlasela okuchazwa uJoweli kubonakala kufanekisela lokho okwenzeka ngo-33 C.E. lapho uJehova eqala ukuthululela umoya wakhe kubalandeli bakaKristu bokuqala futhi beqala ukushumayela isigijimi esahlupha abaholi benkolo yamanga. (IzEnzo 2:1, 14-21; 5:27-33) Sinelungelo lokuhlanganyela emsebenzini ofanayo namuhla.
2:32—Kusho ukuthini ‘ukubiza igama likaJehova’? Ukubiza igama likaNkulunkulu kusho ukulazi, ukulihlonipha ngokujulile, ukuncika nokuthembela kumnikazi walo.—Roma 10:13, 14.
3:14—Liyini ‘ithafa eliphansi lesinqumo’? Liyindawo engokomfanekiso uNkulunkulu akhiphela kuyo isahlulelo. Ezinsukwini zenkosi yakwaJuda uJehoshafati, egama layo lisho ukuthi “uJehova UngumaHluleli,” uNkulunkulu wakhulula uJuda ezizweni ezazimzungezile ngokukhungathekisa amabutho azo. Ngakho, le ndawo ibuye ibizwe ngokuthi ‘ithafa eliphansi likaJehoshafati.’ (Joweli 3:2, 12) Osukwini lwethu, limelela indawo engokomfanekiso izizwe eziyochotshozelwa kuyo njengamagilebhisi esikhamweni sewayini.—IsAmbulo 19:15.
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
1:13, 14. Ukuphenduka kweqiniso nokuvuma ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso kubalulekile ukuze sisindiswe.
2:12, 13. Ukuphenduka kweqiniso kusuka enhliziyweni. Kuhilela ‘ukuklebhula izinhliziyo zethu’ ngaphakathi, hhayi ‘ukuklebhula izingubo’ zangaphandle.
2:28-32. Yilowo kuphela ‘obiza igama likaJehova oyosinda’ ‘ngosuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo.’ Yeka indlela esibonga ngayo ngokuthi uJehova uthululela umoya wakhe kuyo yonke inhlobo yenyama futhi unabancane nabadala, abesilisa nabesifazane, abahlanganyela emsebenzini wokuprofetha, okungukuthi, bamemezela ‘izinto ezinhle kakhulu zikaNkulunkulu’! (IzEnzo 2:11) Njengoba usuku lukaJehova lusondela, akufanele yini sivame “ezenzweni zokuziphatha ezingcwele nasezenzweni zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu”?—2 Petru 3:10-12.
3:4-8, 19. UJoweli waprofetha ukuthi izizwe ezizungeze uJuda zaziyolandisa ngokuphatha kabi abantu bakaNkulunkulu abakhethiwe. Njengoba isiprofetho sasho, umuzi waseThire osezweni wabhujiswa yinkosi yaseBhabhiloni uNebukhadinezari. Kamuva, lapho umuzi osesiqhingini unqotshwa u-Alexander Omkhulu, kwabulawa izinkulungwane zamabutho awo nabantu abavelele futhi izakhamuzi zawo ezingu-30 000 zathengiselwa ebugqilini. U-Alexander nabamlandela esikhundleni benza okucishe kufane kumaFilisti. Ngekhulu lesine B.C.E., izwe lakwa-Edomi lase liyincithakalo. (Malaki 1:3) Lezi ziprofetho ezagcwaliseka ziqinisa ukholo lwethu kuJehova njengoMgcwalisi wezithembiso zakhe. Zibonisa nendlela uJehova ayosebenzelana ngayo nezizwe ezishushisa abakhulekeli bakhe namuhla.
3:16-21. “Ngokuqinisekile izulu nomhlaba kuyozamazama,” futhi izizwe ziyothola izahlulelo zikaJehova ezibuhlungu. “Kodwa uJehova uyoba yisiphephelo sabantu bakhe,” abanike ukuphila ePharadesi. Akufanele yini sizimisele ngokuqinile ukuhlala siseduze naye njengoba usuku lwakhe lokukhipha isahlulelo kuleli zwe elibi lusondela?
“LUNGELA UKUHLANGABEZANA NONKULUNKULU WAKHO”
U-Amose unesigijimi esiya ezizweni eziyizitha ezizungeze u-Israyeli nesiya kuJuda no-Israyeli. ISiriya, iFilistiya, iThire, u-Edomi noMowabi kuyobhujiswa ngenxa yokuphatha ngonya abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Izakhamuzi zakwaJuda ziyobhujiswa ‘ngenxa yokwala kwazo umthetho kaJehova.’ (Amose 2:4) Kuthiwani ngombuso wakwa-Israyeli wezizwe eziyishumi? Izono zawo zihlanganisa ukuziphatha okubi, ukwedelela abaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu nokucindezela abampofu okuqhutshwa ukuhaha. U-Amose uxwayisa ngokuthi uJehova ‘uyokwenza ukuba ama-altare aseBhethele alandise futhi uyoshaya indlu yasebusika iwele phansi enezela phezu kwendlu yasehlobo.’—Amose 3:14, 15.
Naphezu kwezijeziso ezihlukahlukene ayesezitholile, ama-Israyeli akhonza izithombe ayaqhubeka enenkani. U-Amose uyawatshela: “Lungela ukuhlangabezana noNkulunkulu wakho.” (Amose 4:12) Kuma-Israyeli, usuku lukaJehova luyosho ‘ukudingiselwa ngaphesheya kweDamaseku,’ okungukuthi e-Asiriya. (Amose 5:27) U-Amose uphikiswa umpristi waseBhethele kodwa akantengantengi. UJehova utshela u-Amose: “Ukuphela kufikile kubantu bami u-Israyeli. Ngeke ngisabaxolela.” (Amose 8:2) IShiyoli nezintaba eziphakeme ngeke zibavikele ezahlulelweni zikaNkulunkulu. (Amose 9:2, 3) Nokho, kunesithembiso sokubuyiselwa. UJehova uthi: “Ngiyobutha ngibuyise abathunjiweyo babantu bami u-Israyeli, empeleni bayoyakha le mizi eyenziwe incithakalo bahlale kuyo, batshale izivini baphuze iwayini lazo, benze izingadi badle izithelo zazo.”—Amose 9:14.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo
4:1—Obani abafanekiselwa ‘izinkomazi zaseBhashani’? Ithafa eliphakeme laseBhashani, indawo esempumalanga yoLwandle LwaseGalile, lalaziwa ngemfuyo yekhethelo, kuhlanganise nezinkomazi. Esinye isici esasibangela lokhu ngamadlelo alo avundile. U-Amose wabafanisa nezinkomazi zaseBhashani abesifazane baseSamariya abathanda ukunethezeka. Akungabazeki ukuthi laba besifazane babecindezela ‘amakhosi abo,’ noma abayeni babo, ukuba baphambe abampofu ukuze bandise ingcebo yabo.
4:6—Isho ukuthini inkulumo ethi “ukuhlanzeka kwamazinyo”? Njengoba isetshenziswe “nokuswela isinkwa,” le nkulumo ingase ibhekisele esikhathini sendlala lapho amazinyo ehlala ehlanzekile ngenxa yokuntuleka kokudla.
5:5—Kungamuphi umqondo u-Israyeli kwakungamelwe ‘afune iBhethele’? UJerobowamu wayeqale ukukhulekela kwethole eBhethele. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, lowo muzi waba isikhungo sokukhulekela kwamanga. Kumelwe ukuba neGiligali neBheri-sheba zaziyizindawo zokukhulekela kwezihlubuki. Ukuze u-Israyeli asinde enhlekeleleni eyayibikezelwe, kwakudingeka ayeke ukuyokhulekela kulezi zindawo futhi aqale ukufuna uJehova.
7:1—Bumelelani ‘utshani obugundiwe benkosi’? Cishe bumelela intela eyabekwa inkosi yokunakekela izinkweli zamahhashi nemfuyo yayo. Le ntela kwakumelwe ikhokhwe “ekuqaleni kokuhluma kwenhlwanyelo yakamuva.” Ngemva kwalokho, abantu babengaqala ukuvuna izilimo zabo. Nokho, ngaphambi kokuba bavune, kwakheka uswebezane lwezinkumbi futhi lwabhubhisa izilimo zabo nolunye uhlaza.
8:1, 2—Wawusho ukuthini “ubhasikidi wezithelo zasehlobo”? Wawusho ukuthi usuku lukaJehova lwaluseduze. Izithelo zasehlobo zikhiwa ngasekupheleni kwenkathi yokuvuna, okungukuthi, ngasekupheleni konyaka wezolimo. Lapho uJehova ebonisa u-Amose “ubhasikidi wezithelo zasehlobo,” kwakusho ukuthi kwase kuseduze ukuphela kuka-Israyeli. Ngakho, uNkulunkulu watshela u-Amose: “Ukuphela kufikile kubantu bami u-Israyeli. Ngeke ngisabaxolela.”
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13; 2:1, 4, 6. Lapho uJehova ethi: “Ngeke ngikubuyise engikunqumile,” wayebhekisele entukuthelweni yakhe eyayiqondiswe ku-Israyeli, uJuda nezizwe eziyisithupha ezazibazungezile. Izahlulelo zikaJehova azinakubalekelwa.—Amose 9:2-5.
2:12. Akufanele sikhuthaze amaphayona azikhandlayo, ababonisi abajikelezayo, izithunywa zevangeli noma amalungu omkhaya waseBethel ukuba bayeke inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele baphishekele lokho okubizwa ngokuthi indlela evamile yokuphila. Kunalokho, kufanele sibakhuthaze ukuba baqhubeke nomsebenzi wabo omuhle.
3:8. Njengoba umuntu efikelwa ukwesaba lapho ezwa ukubhonga kwengonyama, u-Amose washukunyiselwa ukuba ashumayele lapho ezwa uJehova ethi: “Hamba uprofethe kubantu bami u-Israyeli.” (Amose 7:15) Ukwesaba kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba sibe abashumayeli abashisekayo besigijimi soMbuso.
3:13-15; 5:11. Ngosizo lukaJehova, u-Amose, umalusi ophansi, wakwazi ‘ukunikeza ubufakazi’ kubantu ababenganaki ngenxa yokuthi babecebile. Ngokufanayo, uJehova angasihlomisela ukuba simemezele isigijimi soMbuso kungakhathaliseki ukuthi insimu inzima kangakanani.
4:6-11; 5:4, 6, 14. Naphezu kokwehluleka ngokuphindaphindiwe kwama-Israyeli ‘ukubuyela’ kuJehova, anxuswa ukuba ‘afune uJehova, aqhubeke ephila.’ Uma nje uJehova esasibekezelele lesi simiso sezinto esibi ukuba siqhubeke, kufanele sikhuthaze abakuso ukuba baphendukele kuNkulunkulu.
5:18, 19. ‘Ukunxanela usuku lukaJehova’ ungalulungele ngempela kuwubuwula. Isimo somuntu owenza kanjalo sifana nesomuntu obalekela ingonyama kanti uzohlangana nebhere, athi usabalekela lelo bhere alunywe inyoka. Siyobe sihlakaniphile uma ‘sihlala siphapheme’ ngokomoya futhi sihlale sisesimweni sokulungela usuku lukaJehova.—Luka 21:36.
7:12-17. Kufanele singesabi futhi sibe nesibindi sokumemezela isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu.
9:7-10. Ukuthi ayeyinzalo yezinzalamizi ezithembekile neyalabo abakhululwa eGibhithe njengesizwe sikaNkulunkulu esikhethiwe akuzange kuwavimbe ama-Israyeli angathembekile ukuba angamukeleki kuNkulunkulu njengamaKushe. Ukuba nokuma okuhle noNkulunkulu ongakhethi akuxhomekile ohlwini oluthile lozalo, kodwa ‘ekumesabeni nasekwenzeni ukulunga.’—IzEnzo 10:34, 35.
Okufanele Sikwenze
Usuku lokukhishwa kwesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu ezweni likaSathane luseduze. UNkulunkulu uye wathululela umoya wakhe kubakhulekeli bakhe, ebahlomisela ukuba baxwayise isintu ngosuku lwakhe oluzayo. Akufanele yini sihlanganyele ngokugcwele ekusizeni abanye ukuba bazi uJehova futhi ‘babize igama lakhe’?—Joweli 2:31, 32.
U-Amose uyanxusa: “Zondani okubi, nithande okuhle, ninike ubulungisa indawo esangweni.” (Amose 5:15) Njengoba usuku lukaJehova lusondela, kuwukuhlakanipha ukusondela kuye nokuzigcina sihlukile kuleli zwe elibi nakubantu balo abonakalisayo. Yeka ukuthi izifundo ezifike ngesikhathi ezisencwadini yeBhayibheli kaJoweli neka-Amose zingasisiza kanjani ukuba senze lokho!—Hebheru 4:12.
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
UJoweli waprofetha: “Usuku lukaJehova luseduze!”
[Izithombe ekhasini 15]
Kufanele simemezele isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu ngesibindi njengo-Amose