“Hlalani Nilindile”—Ihora Lokwahlulela Selifikile!
Ukwaziswa okukulesi sihloko esifundwayo kusekelwe encwajaneni ethi Hlalani Nilindile! eyakhishwa emihlanganweni yesigodi eyaqhutshwa emhlabeni wonke phakathi kuka-2004 no-2005.
“Hlalani nilindile ngoba anazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu iza ngaluphi usuku.”—MATHEWU 24:42.
1, 2. Yimuphi umfanekiso ofanelekayo uJesu afanisa ngawo ukuza kwakhe?
UNGENZANI uma ungase wazi ukuthi kunesela elihluphayo eligqekeza imizi yabantu endaweni yangakini? Ungahlala uqaphile, ulindile ukuze uvikele abathandekayo bakho nezinto zakho eziyigugu. Kakade, isela alibhali ncwadi lisho ukuthi liyeza. Kunalokho, lifika isinyenyela, kungalindelwe.
2 UJesu wenza umfanekiso ongaphezu kowodwa wendlela isela elenza ngayo. (Luka 10:30; Johane 10:10) Ngokuqondene nezenzakalo ezaziyokwenzeka esikhathini sokuphela futhi ezaziyoholela ekufikeni kwakhe ezokhipha isahlulelo, uJesu waxwayisa: “Ngakho-ke, hlalani nilindile ngoba anazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu iza ngaluphi usuku. Kodwa yazini into eyodwa, ukuthi ukube umninindlu ubazi ukuthi isela lizokuza ngamuphi umlindo, ubeyohlala ephapheme angavumi ukuba indlu yakhe igqekezwe.” (Mathewu 24:42, 43) Ngakho uJesu wafanisa ukuza kwakhe nokufika kwesela—kungalindelwe.
3, 4. (a) Ukulalela isixwayiso sikaJesu ngokuza kwakhe kuhilelani? (b) Imiphi imibuzo ephakamayo?
3 Lo mfanekiso wawufaneleka ngoba usuku oluqondile lokuza kukaJesu lwalungeke lwaziwe. Ngaphambili, kuso leso siprofetho, uJesu wathi: “Ngokuphathelene nalolo suku nalelo hora akekho owaziyo, nazingelosi zasemazulwini naNdodana, kodwa nguBaba kuphela.” (Mathewu 24:36) Ngakho-ke, uJesu wanxusa ababemlalele: “Yibani abakulungele.” (Mathewu 24:44) Labo abalalela isixwayiso sikaJesu babeyoba abakulungele, baziphathe ngokufanele, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ufika nini njengeNxusa LikaJehova Elikhipha Isahlulelo.
4 Kunemibuzo embalwa ebalulekile ephakamayo: Ingabe isixwayiso sikaJesu sasiqondiswe kubantu bezwe kuphela, noma ingabe kuyadingeka ukuba namaKristu eqiniso ‘ahlale elindile’? Kungani kuphuthuma ‘ukuhlala silindile,’ futhi lokhu kuhilelani?
Yisixwayiso Esiqondiswe Kobani?
5. Sazi kanjani ukuthi isixwayiso ‘sokuhlala silindile’ siqondiswe kumaKristu eqiniso?
5 Kuyiqiniso ngempela ukuthi ukuza kweNkosi kuyobafikela njengesela abantu bezwe, abangasinaki isixwayiso senhlekelele ezayo. (2 Petru 3:3-7) Nokho, kuthiwani ngamaKristu eqiniso? Umphostoli uPawulu wabhalela ayekholwa nabo: “Nina ngokwenu nazi kahle ukuthi usuku lukaJehova luza ngokufana ncamashí nesela ebusuku.” (1 Thesalonika 5:2) Asinakho nokuncane ukungabaza ezingqondweni zethu ukuthi ‘usuku lukaJehova luyeza.’ Kodwa ingabe ukwazi kwethu lokhu kuyasinciphisa isidingo sokuba sihlale silindile? Qaphela ukuthi uJesu wayekhuluma nabafundi bakhe lapho ethi: “INdodana yomuntu iza ngehora eningalicabangi.” (Mathewu 24:44) Ngaphambili, lapho enxusa abafundi bakhe ukuba baqhubeke befuna uMbuso, uJesu wabaxwayisa: “Hlalani nilungele, ngoba iNdodana yomuntu iza ngehora eningacabangi ukuthi kungaba yilo.” (Luka 12:31, 40) Akucaci yini ukuthi uJesu wayeqondise kubalandeli bakhe lapho exwayisa: “Hlalani nilindile”?
6. Kungani kudingeka ‘sihlale silindile’?
6 Kungani kudingeka ‘sihlale silindile’ futhi ‘sihlale silungele’? UJesu wachaza: “Amadoda amabili ayobe esensimini: enye iyothathwa, enye ishiywe; abesifazane ababili bayobe begaya etsheni: omunye athathwe, omunye ashiywe.” (Mathewu 24:40, 41) Labo abatholakala bekulungele ‘bayothathwa,’ noma basindiswe, lapho leli zwe elingamesabi uNkulunkulu libhujiswa. Abanye ‘bayoshiyelwa’ imbubhiso ngoba bebephishekela ngobugovu indlela yabo yokuphila. Laba bangase bahlanganise nabantu abangazange bahlale belindile naphezu kolwazi abake baluthola.
7. Ukungazi ukuthi ukuphela kuyofika nini kusinika ithuba lokwenzani?
7 Ukungalwazi usuku oluthé ngqo lokuphela kwalesi simiso esidala kusinikeza ithuba lokubonisa ukuthi sikhonza uNkulunkulu ngesisusa esihle. Kanjani? Kungase kubonakale sengathi ukuphela kwalesi simiso kuthatha kade ukufika. Kuyadabukisa ukuthi amanye amaKristu analo muzwa aye avumela ukuba intshiseko yawo ngenkonzo kaJehova iphole. Nokho, lapho sizinikezela, saziletha ngokungagodli kuJehova ukuba senze intando yakhe. Abamaziyo uJehova bayazi ukuthi akukho ntshiseko yomzuzu wokugcina eyomhlaba umxhwele. Ubona lokho okusenhliziyweni.—1 Samuweli 16:7.
8. Ukuthanda uJehova kusishukumisela kanjani ukuba sihlale silindile?
8 Ngenxa yokuthi simthanda ngempela uJehova, sikujabulela kakhulu ukwenza intando yakhe. (IHubo 40:8; Mathewu 26:39) Futhi sifuna ukukhonza uJehova phakade. Lelo thuba aliphelelwa ubugugu balo ngenxa nje yokuthi kumelwe silinde isikhathi esithanda ukuba sijana kunalokho mhlawumbe ebesikucabanga. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sihlala silindile ngoba sikubheke ngabomvu okuyofezwa usuku lukaJehova ekugcwalisekeni kwenjongo yakhe. Isifiso sethu esiqotho sokuthokozisa uNkulunkulu sisishukumisela ukuba sisebenzise iseluleko seZwi lakhe futhi sibeke uMbuso wakhe endaweni yokuqala ekuphileni kwethu. (Mathewu 6:33; 1 Johane 5:3) Ake sicabangele indlela ukuhlala silindile okufanele kuzithinte ngayo izinqumo esizenzayo nendlela esiphila ngayo ukuphila kwethu usuku ngalunye.
Ukuphila Kwakho Kuphikelelephi?
9. Kungani kunesidingo esiphuthumayo sokuba abantu baleli zwe baqaphele okushiwo izikhathi zethu?
9 Abantu abaningi namuhla bayaqaphela ukuthi izinkinga ezinkulu nezenzakalo ezishaqisayo ziyinsakavukela, futhi kungenzeka abajabuli lapho bebona ukuthi ukuphila kwabo kuphikelelephi. Nokho, ingabe bayazi ukuthi zisho ukuthini ngempela izimo zezwe? Bayaqaphela yini ukuthi siphila phakathi ‘nesiphelo sesimiso sezinto’? (Mathewu 24:3) Bayabona yini ukuthi ukwanda kwezimo zengqondo zobugovu, ubudlova, ngisho nezokungamesabi uNkulunkulu kusho ukuthi lezi zikhathi ‘yizinsuku zokugcina’? (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Kunesidingo esiphuthumayo sokuba baqaphele okushiwo yikho konke lokhu futhi bacabange nangokuthi ukuphila kwabo kuphikelelephi.
10. Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze siqiniseke ukuthi sihlala silindile?
10 Kuthiwani ngathi? Nsuku zonke sibhekana nezinqumo ezihilela umsebenzi wethu, impilo, umkhaya nokukhulekela kwethu. Siyakwazi okushiwo iBhayibheli, futhi sizama ukukusebenzisa. Ngakho-ke, senza kahle ngokuzibuza: ‘Ingabe ngiye ngavumela ukukhathazeka ngokuphila ukuba kungichezukise? Ingabe ngivumela amafilosofi ezwe noma ukucabanga kwalo kuthonye izinqumo engizenzayo’? (Luka 21:34-36; Kolose 2:8) Kudingeka siqhubeke sibonisa ukuthi sithembela kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yethu futhi singanciki ekuqondeni kwethu. (IzAga 3:5) Ngale ndlela siyohlala ‘sibambisise ukuphila kwangempela’—ukuphila okuphakade ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu.—1 Thimothewu 6:12, 19.
11-13. Singafundani ezibonelweni zalokho okwenzeka (a) ezinsukwini zikaNowa? (b) ezinsukwini zikaLoti?
11 IBhayibheli liqukethe izibonelo eziningi eziyizixwayiso ezingasisiza ukuba sihlale silindile. Cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka ngosuku lukaNowa. Esikhathini eside kusengaphambili, uNkulunkulu wenza ukuba kunikezwe isixwayiso. Kodwa abantu abazange banake, ngaphandle kukaNowa nabendlu yakhe. (2 Petru 2:5) Ngokuqondene nalokhu, uJesu wathi: “Njengoba nje zazinjalo izinsuku zikaNowa, kuyoba njalo nokuba khona kweNdodana yomuntu. Ngoba njengoba babenjalo ngalezo zinsuku zangaphambi kukazamcolo, bedla, bephuza, amadoda eshada nabesifazane bendiswa, kwaze kwaba usuku uNowa angena ngalo emkhunjini; futhi benganakanga kwaze kwafika uzamcolo, wabakhukhula bonke, kuyoba njalo nokuba khona kweNdodana yomuntu.” (Mathewu 24:37-39) Singafundani kulokhu? Uma noma ubani kithi evumela izinto ezikhathalelwa yizwe—ngisho nemisebenzi yansuku zonke—ukuba ziminyanise imisebenzi engokomoya uNkulunkulu athi kumelwe siyibeke endaweni yokuqala, kudingeka acabangisise ngokujulile ngesimo sakhe.—Roma 14:17.
12 Cabanga futhi nangezinsuku zikaLoti. Umuzi waseSodoma, lapho uLoti nomkhaya wakhe babehlala khona, wawuchuma ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo, kodwa abantu bakhona babephelelwe isimilo. UJehova wathumela izingelosi zakhe ukuba ziwubhubhise lo muzi. Izingelosi zagqugquzela uLoti nomkhaya wakhe ukuba baphume eSodoma babaleke futhi bangabheki emuva. Bekhuthazwe izingelosi, bawushiya umuzi. Nokho, kubonakala kwaba nzima ngomkaLoti ukuba ahlukane nomuzi wakhe eSodoma. Engalaleli, wabheka emuva futhi wakhokha ngokuphila kwakhe. (Genesise 19:15-26) Esiprofethweni sakhe, uJesu waxwayisa: “Khumbulani umkaLoti.” Ingabe siyasilalela lesi sixwayiso?—Luka 17:32.
13 Labo abazinaka izixwayiso zaphezulu basinda. Kwaba njalo ngoNowa nomkhaya wakhe nangoLoti namadodakazi akhe. (2 Petru 2:9) Njengoba sicabanga ngesixwayiso esikulezi zibonelo, sikhuthazwa nayisigijimi esikuzo sokukhululwa kwalabo abathanda ukulunga. Lokho kwenza izinhliziyo zethu zikulindele ngokuqiniseka ukugcwaliseka kwesithembiso sikaNkulunkulu ‘samazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha okuyohlala kukho ukulunga.’—2 Petru 3:13.
‘Ihora Lokwahlulela Lifikile’!
14, 15. (a) “Ihora” lokwahlulela lihlanganisani? (b) Yini ehilelekile ‘ekwesabeni uNkulunkulu nokumnika inkazimulo’?
14 Njengoba sihlala silindile, yini esingayilindela? Incwadi yesAmbulo ichaza izenzakalo ezilandelanayo ekugcwalisekeni kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu. Ukwenza ngokuvumelana nalokho ekushoyo kubalulekile uma sifuna ukuba abakulungele. Lesi siprofetho sizichaza ngokucacile izenzakalo ezaziyokwenzeka “osukwini lweNkosi,” olwaqala lapho uKristu ebekwa esihlalweni sobukhosi ezulwini ngo-1914. (IsAmbulo 1:10) IsAmbulo sidonsela ukunakekela kwethu engelosini ephathiswe ‘izindaba ezinhle zaphakade ukuba izimemezele.’ Imemezela ngezwi elikhulu: “Mesabeni uNkulunkulu nimnike inkazimulo, ngoba ihora lokwahlulela kwakhe selifikile.” (IsAmbulo 14:6, 7) Lelo “hora” lokwahlulela liyinkathi emfushane; lihlanganisa kokubili ukumenyezelwa nokukhishwa kwezahlulelo eziboniswe kuleso siprofetho. Yiyo le nkathi esiphila kuyo manje.
15 Nakhu esikhuthazwa ukuba sikwenze ngaphambi kokuba lelo hora lokwahlulela liphele: “Mesabeni uNkulunkulu nimnike inkazimulo.” Kuhilelani lokhu? Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu okufanele kufanele kusenze sifulathele okubi. (IzAga 8:13) Uma sesaba uNkulunkulu, siyomlalela ngenhlonipho ejulile. Ngeke sibe matasa kakhulu size singalifundi njalo iZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli. Ngeke sisithathe kancane iseluleko sakhe sokuba siye emihlanganweni yobuKristu. (Hebheru 10:24, 25) Siyolazisa ilungelo lokumemezela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ophethwe uMesiya futhi siyokwenza ngentshiseko. Siyothembela kuJehova ngenhliziyo yethu yonke ngazo zonke izikhathi. (IHubo 62:8) Siqaphela ukuthi uJehova unguMbusi Wendawo Yonke, simdumisa ngokuzithoba kuye ngokuzithandela njengoba enguMbusi wokuphila kwethu. Ingabe umesaba ngempela uNkulunkulu futhi umnika inkazimulo ngazo zonke lezi zindlela?
16. Kungani singase sithi ukwahlulelwa kweBhabhiloni Elikhulu okushiwo encwadini yesAmbulo 14:8 sekugcwalisekile kakade?
16 IsAmbulo isahluko 14 siyaqhubeka sichaza ezinye izenzakalo eziyokwenzeka ngehora lokwahlulela. Siqala ngeBhabhiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, sithi: “Nenye ingelosi, eyesibili, yalandela, yathi: ‘Liwile! IBhabhiloni Elikhulu liwile!’” (IsAmbulo 14:8) Yebo, ngokombono kaNkulunkulu, iBhabhiloni Elikhulu seliwile. Ngo-1919 izinceku zikaJehova ezigcotshiwe zakhululwa ebugqilini bezimfundiso nemikhuba yaseBhabhiloni, okuye kwabusa ukuphila kwabantu nezizwe izinkulungwane zeminyaka. (IsAmbulo 17:1, 15) Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi zakwazi ukuzinikela ekuthuthukiseni ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuye kwenziwa umsebenzi wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu embulungeni yonke.—Mathewu 24:14.
17. Ukuphuma eBhabhiloni Elikhulu kuhilelani?
17 Ukwahlulela kukaNkulunkulu iBhabhiloni Elikhulu akugcini lapho. Ukubhujiswa kwalo kokugcina kuzofika maduzane. (IsAmbulo 18:21) Kungakho iBhayibheli likhuthaza abantu yonke indawo: “Phumani kulo [iBhabhiloni Elikhulu] . . . uma ningafuni ukuhlanganyela nalo ezonweni zalo.” (IsAmbulo 18:4, 5) Siphuma kanjani eBhabhiloni Elikhulu? Lokhu kuhilela okungaphezu kokumane sinqamule ubuhlobo nenkolo yamanga. Ithonya leBhabhiloni litholakala emikhosini eminingi nasemasikweni athandwayo, esimweni sengqondo saleli zwe sokuyekelela ngokuphathelene nobulili, ekuthuthukiseni kwalo ezokuzijabulisa ezihilela ukusebenzisa imimoya nakwezinye izinto eziningi. Ukuze sihlale silindile, kubalulekile ukuba ngezenzo nangezifiso zenhliziyo yethu sinikeze ubufakazi bokuthi ngempela sihluke ngazo zonke izindlela eBhabhiloni Elikhulu.
18. Ngenxa yalokho okuchazwe isAmbulo 14:9, 10, amaKristu aphapheme aqaphela ukuba agwemeni?
18 Encwadini yesAmbulo 14:9, 10 kuchazwa esinye isici ‘sehora lokwahlulela.’ Enye ingelosi ithi: “Uma umuntu ekhulekela isilo sasendle nomfanekiso waso, amukele uphawu ebunzini lakhe noma esandleni sakhe, uyophuza newayini lentukuthelo kaNkulunkulu.” Ngani? “Isilo sasendle nomfanekiso waso” zimelela ukubusa komuntu, okungabuqapheli ubukhosi bukaJehova. Ngesimo sengqondo noma ngesenzo, amaKristu aphapheme ayaqaphela ukuba angazivumeli ukuba athonywe noma abe nophawu oluwabonisa njengasebenzela labo abenqaba ubukhosi obuphakeme bukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova. AmaKristu ayazi ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu usumisiwe kakade ezulwini, ukuthi uyoqeda konke ukubusa kwabantu nokuthi uyoma phakade.—Daniyeli 2:44.
Ungaphelelwa Umuzwa Wokuphuthuma!
19, 20. (a) Njengoba silokhu singena shí ezinsukwini zokugcina, yini esingaqiniseka ukuthi uSathane uzozama ukuyenza? (b) Kufanele sizimisele ukwenzani?
19 Njengoba silokhu singena shí ezinsukwini zokugcina, izingcindezi nezilingo zizoqhubekela phambili. Uma nje sisaphila kulesi simiso esidala futhi sisahlushwa ukungapheleli kwethu, sithintwa izinto ezinjengempilo ebuthaka, ukuguga, ukufelwa abathandekayo, ukuhlukumezeka ngokomzwelo, ukudunyazwa ukungayinaki kwabantu imizamo yethu yokushumayela iZwi likaNkulunkulu nokunye okuningi. Ungalokothi ukhohlwe ukuthi ayikho into uSathane angayijabulela ngaphezu kokusebenzisa izingcindezi esibhekana nazo ukuze asenze sikhathale—siyeke ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle noma siyeke ukuphila ngezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu. (Efesu 6:11-13) Lesi akusona isikhathi sokuphelelwa umuzwa wokuphuthuma ngokuphathelene nezikhathi esiphila kuzo!
20 UJesu wayazi ukuthi sasiyocindezelwa kakhulu ukuba siyeke, ngakho waseluleka: “Hlalani nilindile ngoba anazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu iza ngaluphi usuku.” (Mathewu 24:42) Ngakho-ke, masiqaphele njalo ukuthi sikuphi nesikhathi ohlelweni lwesikhathi. Masiqaphele amaqhinga kaSathane angasenza sinciphise intshiseko yethu noma simane nje siyeke. Masizimisele ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngentshiseko nangokuzimisela okukhulu kunangaphambili. Ngempela, masilondoloze umuzwa wokuphuthuma njengoba silalela isixwayiso sikaJesu: “Hlalani nilindile.” Ngokwenza kanjalo, siyoletha udumo kuJehova futhi siyoba phakathi kwalabo abayothola izibusiso zakhe zaphakade.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Sazi kanjani ukuthi isixwayiso sikaJesu ‘sokuhlala silindile’ siqondiswe kumaKristu eqiniso?
• Iziphi izibonelo zeBhayibheli eziyizixwayiso ezingasisiza ukuba ‘sihlale silindile’?
• Liyini ihora lokwahlulela, futhi sikhuthazwa ukuba senzeni ngaphambi kokuba liphele?
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
UJesu wafanisa ukuza kwakhe nokufika kwesela
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
Ukubhujiswa kweBhabhiloni Elikhulu kuseduze
[Izithombe ekhasini 25]
Masizimisele ukushumayela ngentshiseko nangokuzimisela okukhulu kunangaphambili