Hlala Uphapheme “Esikhathini Sokugcina”
“Qaphelani, nilinde [“nihlale niphapheme,” “NW”], ngokuba anisazi isikhathi ukuthi siyakuba-nini.”—MARKU 13:33.
1. Kufanele sisabele kanjani njengoba izenzakalo ezithakazelisayo zembuleka ‘kulesikhathi sokugcina’?
NJENGOBA izenzakalo ezithakazelisayo zembuleka ‘kulesikhathi sokugcina,’ amaKristu kufanele asabele kanjani? (Daniyeli 12:4) Awashiyiwe engabaza. UJesu Kristu washo isiprofetho esinesibonakaliso esiyinhlanganisela ebesilokhu sigcwaliseka kulelikhulu lama-20 leminyaka. Wabikezela izici eziningi eziye zaphawula lenkathi esukela ku-1914 njengeyingqayizivele. Njengoba ayejwayelene nesiprofetho sikaDaniyeli esiphathelene ‘nesikhathi sokugcina,’ uJesu walandelisa isiprofetho sakhe siqu esikhulu ngokunxusa abafundi bakhe ukuba ‘bahlale bephapheme.’—Luka 21:36, qhathanisa neNW.
2. Kungani kunesidingo esikhulu sokuhlala siphapheme ngokomoya?
2 Kungani kumelwe sihlale siphapheme? Ngoba lesi isikhathi esiyingozi kakhulu emlandweni wesintu. Ukuba amaKristu avumele ukozela okungokomoya kulesikhathi kungaba yinhlekelele. Uma sizithela ngabandayo noma sivumela izinhliziyo zethu zisindwe izinkathazo zokuphila, siyoba sengozini. KuLuka 21:34, 35, uJesu Kristu wasixwayisa: “Xwayani ukuba izinhliziyo zenu zingasindwa ngukuminza, nokudakwa nokunaka okwalokhukuphila, lunizume lolosuku ningazelele, ngokuba luyakufika njengogibe phezu kwabo bonke abahlezi emhlabeni wonke.”
3, 4. (a) Wayesho ukuthini uJesu lapho ethi usuku lolaka lukaNkulunkulu luyofika ngokuzumayo phezu kwabantu “njengogibe”? (b) Njengoba uNkulunkulu engalubeki ugibe, kungani lolosuku luyofica abantu abaningi bengalindele?
3 Kwakungesizathu esihle ukuba uJesu athi usuku lukaJehova ‘luyofika phezu kwethu njengogibe.’ Ugibe ngokuvamile lufakelwa isihibe, futhi sisetshenziselwa ukubamba izinyoni nezilwane. Ugibe luba nengcuphe, futhi noma ubani olunyathelayo uthinta ingcuphe. Ugibe lube seluvaleka, futhi isisulu sibanjwe. Konke lokhu kwenzeka ngokuphazima kweso. Ngendlela efanayo, uJesu wathi, abantu abapholile ngokomoya bayomangala futhi bayoficwa bengazelele “ngosuku lolaka” lukaNkulunkulu.—IzAga 11:4.
4 Ingabe nguJehova uNkulunkulu obekela abantu ugibe? Cha, akalindele ukuzuma abantu bengazelele bese ebabhubhisa. Kodwa lolosuku luyofica ngokuzumayo abantu abaningi ngoba abawuthathi njengento eza kuqala uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Benza abakuthandayo eminakweni yokuphila, bengakunaki lokho okushiwo izenzakalo ezibazungezile. Nokho, lokhu akusishintshi isimiso sikaNkulunkulu. Unesikhathi sakhe asimisile sokulungisa izindaba. Futhi, ngesihe, akasishiyi isintu singazi ngesahlulelo sakhe esizayo.—Marku 13:10.
5, 6. (a) Ngenxa yesahlulelo esizayo, yiliphi ilungiselelo lothando uMdali aye walenzela izidalwa ezingabantu, kodwa kwaba namuphi umphumela ngokuvamile? (b) Yini ezocatshangelwa engasisiza ukuba sihlale siphapheme?
5 Lesixwayiso esinikezwa kusengaphambili siyilungiselelo lothando ngoMdali omkhulu, onesithakazelo enhlalakahleni yezidalwa ezingabantu ezilapha esenabelweni sezinyawo zakhe esingokomfanekiso. (Isaya 66:1) Uyazazisa izakhamuzi zendawo lapho izinyawo zakhe okukhulunywa ngazo njengezibekwe khona. Ngakho ngamanxusa nezithunywa zakhe zasemhlabeni, uyazixwayisa ngezenzakalo ezingaphambi kwazo. (2 Korinte 5:20) Nokho, naphezu kwazo zonke izixwayiso ezinikezwayo, lezozenzakalo ziyofikela umkhaya wesintu ngendlela engalindelekile ngokungathi uwele ogibeni. Ngani? Ngenxa yokuthi abantu abaningi balele ngokomoya. (1 Thesalonika 5:6) Yinani elincane kuphela ngokuqhathaniswa elilalela isixwayiso neliyosindela emhlabeni omusha kaNkulunkulu.—Mathewu 7:13, 14.
6 Khona-ke, singahlala kanjani siphapheme kulesikhathi sokuphela ukuze sibalwe phakathi kwalabo abayosindiswa? UJehova unikeza usizo oludingekayo. Ake siphawule izinto eziyisikhombisa esingazenza.
Yilwa Nokuphazamiseka
7. Yisiphi isixwayiso uJesu asinikeza ngokuphathelene nokuphazamiseka?
7 Okokuqala, kumelwe silwe nokuphazamiseka. KuMathewu 24:42, 44, uJesu wathi: “Ngakho-ke lindani, ngokuba anazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu iyakufika ngaluphi usuku. Ngalokho nani hlalani nilungele, ngokuba iNdodana yomuntu iyakufika ngesikhathi eningasicabangiyo.” Ulimi uJesu alusebenzisa lapha lubonisa ukuthi kulesikhathi esinzima, kwakuyoba nokuphazamiseka okuningi, futhi ukuphazamiseka kungaholela ekubhujisweni. Ngosuku lukaNowa izinto eziningi zazigcina abantu bematasa. Ngenxa yalokho, abantu ababephazamisekile ‘abakunakanga’ okwakwenzeka, futhi uZamcolo wabakhukhula bonke. Ngakho, uJesu waxwayisa: “Kuyakuba-njalo ukufika kweNdodana yomuntu.”—Mathewu 24:37-39, qhathanisa neNW.
8, 9. (a) Iminako evamile yokuphila ingasiphazamisa kanjani ngokuyingozi? (b) Yiziphi izixwayiso uPawulu noJesu abasinikeza zona?
8 Futhi, khumbula ukuthi esixwayisweni sakhe kuLuka 21:34, 35, uJesu wayekhuluma ngezici ezivamile zokuphila, njengokudla, ukuphuza, kanye nokukhathazeka ngokuthi uzophila ngani. Ziyizinto ezivamile kubo bonke abantu, kuhlanganise nabafundi beNkosi uJesu. (Qhathanisa noMarku 6:31.) Lezinto zingase zingabi nangozi zona ngokwazo, kodwa uma zivunyelwa, zingasiphazamisa, zisigcine simatasa, ngalokho zisibangele ukozela okungokomoya okuyingozi.
9 Ngakho, masingayidebeseleli into ebaluleke kakhulu kunazo zonke—ukuzuza ukwamukelwa kwaphezulu. Kunokuba singene shí ezintweni ezivamile zokuphila, masizisebenzise ngezinga elilinganiselwe kuphela elidingekayo ukuze zisisekele. (Filipi 3:8) Akufanele ziminyanise izithakazelo zoMbuso. Njengoba eyabaseRoma 14:17 isho, “umbuso kaNkulunkulu awusikho ukudla nokuphuza kepha ungukulunga, nokuthula, nokuthokoza eMoyeni oNgcwele.” Khumbula amazwi kaJesu lapho ethi: “Funani kuqala umbuso kaNkulunkulu nokulunga kwakhe, khona konke lokhu kuyakwenezelwa nina.” (Mathewu 6:33) Futhi, kuLuka 9:62, uJesu wathi: “Akakho othi esebeké isandla sakhe egejeni, abuke emuva, ofanele umbuso kaNkulunkulu.”
10. Iyiphi ingozi ekhona uma singagcini amehlo ethu ebheke phambili emgomweni?
10 Ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso, uma sesiqalile ukulima kumelwe sigcine umsele uqondile. Umlimi obheka emuva ngeke alime umsele oqondile. Uyaphazamiseka futhi angase achezukiswe kalula noma amiswe isithiyo esithile. Masingafani nomkaLoti, owabheka emuva futhi wangakwazi ukufika endaweni ephephile. Kudingeka sigcine amehlo ethu ebheke phambili emgomweni. Ukuze senze lokho kumelwe silwe nokuphazamiseka.—Genesise 19:17, 26; Luka 17:32.
Thandaza Ngobuqotho
11. Yini uJesu ayigcizelela ngemva kokusixwayisa ngengozi yokuphazamiseka?
11 Nokho, kunokwengeziwe esingakwenza ukuze sihlale siphapheme. Nansi into yesibili ebalulekile: Ukuthandaza ngobuqotho. Ngemva kokusixwayisa ukuba singaphazanyiswa iminako evamile yokuphila, uJesu wanikeza leseluleko: “Ngakho lindani [“hlalani niphapheme,” NW] ngesikhathi sonke, nikhuleke ukuba nibe-namandla okuphepha kukho konke lokhu okuyakwenzeka nawokuma phambi kweNdodana yomuntu.”—Luka 21:36.
12. Luhlobo luni lomthandazo oludingekayo, kube namuphi umphumela?
12 Ngakho, kumelwe sinxuse njalo mayelana nesimo sethu esiyingozi nesidingo sethu sokuba siqaphe. Ngakho masiye kuNkulunkulu ngomthandazo ngokunxusa okuqotho. UPawulu uthi kwabaseRoma 12:12: “Ekukhulekeni niqinisele njalo.” Futhi kwabase-Efesu 6:18, siyafunda: “Ngokukhuleka konke nokunxusa, nikhuleka ngezikhathi zonke ngoMoya; kulokho nilinde [“nihlale niphapheme,” NW] ngesineke sonke.” Lena akuyona nje indaba yokuthandaza njengokungathi kuyinto ethuke yenzeka engabalulekile kakhulu. Khona kanye ukuba khona kwethu kusengozini. Ngakho-ke kudingeka sinxuse usizo lwaphezulu ngobuqotho. (Qhathanisa namaHeberu 5:7.) Ngaleyondlela siyozigcina sisohlangothini lukaJehova. Akukho lutho oluyoba inzuzo ngokwengeziwe ekusisizeni ukuba sifeze lokhu kunokuba ‘sinxuse njalo.’ Khona-ke uJehova uyosigcina sisesimweni sokuphaphama ngokuqapha. Khona-ke, yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukuphikelela ekuthandazeni!
Namathela Enhlanganweni KaNkulunkulu Nasemsebenzini Wayo
13. Ukuhlanganyela kwaluphi uhlobo okudingekayo ukuze sihlale siphapheme?
13 Sifuna ukusinda kuzo zonke lezinto ezizokwehlela umhlaba. Sifuna ukuma phambi kweNdodana yomuntu, samukelwe yiyo. Ukuze siphumelele kulokhu kunento yesithathu esingayenza: Namathela ngokungenakwephulwa enhlanganweni kaJehova engokwasezulwini. Kudingeka sihlanganyele ngokungagodli naleyonhlangano futhi sibe nengxenye emisebenzini yayo. Ngalendlela siyozibonakalisa ngokucacile njengamaKristu aqaphile.
14, 15. (a) Ukuhlanganyela kumuphi umsebenzi okuyosisiza ukuba sihlale siphapheme? (b) Ubani onqumayo lapho umsebenzi wokushumayela usuqediwe, futhi kufanele sizizwe kanjani ngawo? (c) Ngemva kosizi olukhulu, yini esiyoyiqonda lapho sibheka emuva ekushumayeleni ngoMbuso okwenziwe?
14 Okuhlobene kakhulu nalokhu yinto yesine engasisiza ukuba sihlale siphapheme. Kumelwe sibe phakathi kwalabo abaxwayisa abantu ngokuphela okuzayo kwalesimiso sezinto. Ukuphela nya kwalesimiso esidala sezinto ngeke kufike kuze kube yilapho “lelivangeli lombuso” selishunyayelwe ngezinga uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke alihlosile. (Mathewu 24:14) OFakazi BakaJehova akubona okumelwe banqume lapho umsebenzi wokushumayela usufeziwe. UJehova uzigcinele lelolungelo. (Marku 13:32, 33) Nokho, thina sizimisele ukusebenza kanzima kangangokunokwenzeka futhi isikhathi eside kangangokudingekile ekushumayeleni ngohulumeni ongcono kunabo bonke isintu esingaba nawo, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ukugqashuka ‘kosizi olukhulu’ kuyofika sisematasa nalomsebenzi. (Mathewu 24:21) Phakathi naso sonke isikhathi esizayo, abasindisiwe bayokwazi ukubheka emuva futhi bavume ngokusuka enhliziyweni ukuthi uJesu Kristu wayengeyena umprofethi wamanga. (IsAmbulo 19:11) Umsebenzi wokushumayela uyobe usufezwe ngezinga elikhulu kakhulu kunelalilindelwe yilabo abahlanganyelayo kuwo.
15 Ngokufanelekile, ngesikhathi esivusa amadlingozi lapho lomsebenzi uyobe usufezwe ngendlela eyanelisa uNkulunkulu, cishe abantu abengeziwe bayobe behlanganyela kuwo kunanoma yisiphi isikhathi ngaphambili. Yeka ukuthi siyojabula kanjani ngokuthi siye saba nengxenye kulomsebenzi omuhle kakhulu! Umphostoli uPetru usiqinisekisa ngokuthi uJehova ‘akathandi ukuba kubhubhe namunye, kodwa uthanda ukuba bonke beze ekuphendukeni.’ (2 Petru 3:9) Ngenxa yalokho, amandla asebenzayo kaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke asebenza kakhulu ngokwengeziwe namuhla kunanini ngaphambili, futhi oFakazi BakaJehova bafisa ukuqhubeka kulomsebenzi oqhutshwa umoya. Ngakho namathela enhlanganweni kaJehova, futhi ube matasa enkonzweni yayo yasobala. Lokhu kuyoba usizo ekuhlaleni kwakho uphapheme.
Zihlole
16. Kungani kufanele sizihlole isimo sethu samanje esingokomoya?
16 Kukhona into yesihlanu esingayenza ukuze sihlale siphapheme. Ngabanye, kufanele sizihlole isimo sethu samanje. Lokhu kufanelekile manje kunanini ngaphambili. Kudingeka sibonise ukuthi olukabani uhlangothi esinqume ngokuwujuqu ukuma kulo. KwabaseGalathiya 6:4, uPawulu wathi: “Makube-yilowo nalowo ahlole owakhe umsebenzi.” Zihlole ngokuvumelana namazwi kaPawulu kweyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:6-8: “Masingalali njengabanye, kodwa masiqwashe, siqonde. Ngokuba abalalayo balala ebusuku, nabadakwayo badakwa ebusuku; kepha thina esingabemini masiqonde, sifake isivikelo sesifuba sokukholwa nesothando, isigqoko sibe-yithemba lokusindiswa.”
17. Lapho sizihlola, yimiphi imibuzo okufanele sizibuze yona?
17 Kuthiwani ngathi? Lapho sizihlola ngokuvumelana nemiBhalo, ingabe sizibona njengabahlala bephapheme, abafake ithemba lokusindiswa njengesigqoko? Ingabe singabantu abazihlukanise ngokuqondile nalesimiso esidala sezinto futhi asisenayo imiqondo yaso? Ingabe sinawo ngempela umoya wezwe elisha likaNkulunkulu? Ingabe sikuqaphela ngokugcwele ukuthi lesimiso siyaphi? Uma kunjalo, usuku lukaJehova ngeke lusibambe njengokungathi singamasela.—1 Thesalonika 5:4.
18. Yimiphi eminye imibuzo okungase kudingeke sizibuze yona, kube namuphi umphumela?
18 Nokho, kuthiwani uma ukuzihlola kwethu kwembula ukuthi silwela ukuzimisela indlela yokuphila emnandi, yokuthokomala, yokunethezeka, neyomuzwa wokungabi nandaba? Kuthiwani uma sithola ukuthi amehlo ethu angokomoya aye asindwa ukozela nobuthongo? Ingabe sisesimweni esinjengesokuphupha, sijaha amaphupho athile ezwe? Uma kunjalo khona-ke, masiphaphame!—1 Korinte 15:34.
Zindla Ngeziprofetho Esezigcwalisekile
19. Yiziphi ezinye zeziprofetho esizibonile zigcwaliseka?
19 Manje siza entweni yesithupha ezosisiza ukuba sihlale siphapheme: Zindla ngeziprofetho eziningi eziye zagcwaliseka kulesikhathi sokuphela. Sesidlulile kakade onyakeni ka-77 kusukela izikhathi ezimisiwe zezizwe zaphela ngo-1914. Lapho sibheka emuva ezingxenyeni ezintathu kwezine zekhulu leminyaka, singabona indlela iziprofetho eziye zagcwaliseka ngayo zilandelana—ukubuyiselwa kokukhulekela kweqiniso; ukukhululelwa kwensali egcotshiwe, kanye nabangane bayo, epharadesi elingokomoya; ukushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ngezinga lomhlaba wonke; ukuvela kwesixuku esikhulu. (Isaya 2:2, 3; isahluko 35; Zakariya 8:23; Mathewu 24:14; IsAmbulo 7:9) Kuye kwaba nokukhuliswa kwegama elikhulu likaJehova nobukhosi bendawo yonke, kanye nokwanda komncane eba yinkulungwane nophansi eba isizwe esinamandla, uJehova ekusheshisa ngesikhathi sako. (Isaya 60:22; Hezekeli 38:23) Futhi imibono yomphostoli uJohane ekulandiseni kwencwadi yesAmbulo manje isisondela emvuthwandaba wayo.
20. Yikuphi ukuqiniseka oFakazi BakaJehova abanakho, futhi empeleni baye baba yini?
20 Ngakho-ke, kakhulu kunanini ngaphambili, oFakazi BakaJehova baqiniseka ngokuqinile ngokunemba kokuqonda kwabo lokho okushiwo izenzakalo zezwe kusukela ngo-1914. Njengoba benokuqiniseka okunjalo, baye baba amathuluzi asezandleni zikaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke. Yibona abaye baphathiswa ukuhambisa isigijimi saphezulu kulesikhathi esivusa amadlingozi. (Roma 10:15, 18) Yebo, amazwi kaJehova aphathelene nesikhathi sokuphela aye agcwaliseka. (Isaya 55:11) Lokhu kufanele kusishukumisele nathi ukuba siqhubeke size sibone ukugcwaliseka kokugcina kwazo zonke izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu.
Ukusindiswa Kuseduze Kunangesikhathi Esaba Ngaso Amakholwa
21. Yiluphi usizo lwesikhombisa esinalo lokusenza sihlale siphapheme ngokomoya?
21 Okokugcina, usizo lwesikhombisa ekuhlaleni kwethu siphapheme: Khumbula njalo ukuthi ukusindiswa kwethu kuseduze kunangesikhathi esaqala ngaso ukuba amakholwa. Okubaluleke nangaphezulu, ukulwelwa kobukhosi bukaJehova bendawo yonke kanye nokungcweliswa kwegama lakhe kuseduze kakhulu. Ngakho isidingo sokuhlala siphapheme siphuthuma kakhulu kunanini ngaphambili. Umphostoli uPawulu uyabhala: “Nazi isikhathi ukuthi sekuyihora lokuba nivuke ebuthongweni; ngokuba manje insindiso isisondele kithi kunalesosikhathi esaqala ukukholwa ngaso. Ubusuku sebuyaphela, imini isisondele.”—Roma 13:11, 12.
22. Ukuba seduze kokusindiswa kwethu kufanele kusithinte kanjani?
22 Njengoba ukusindiswa kwethu sekuseduze kangaka, kumelwe sihlale siphapheme! Akumelwe sivumele noma yiziphi izithakazelo zomuntu siqu noma ezezwe zibe ngaphezu kokwazisa kwethu ngalokho uJehova akwenzela abantu bakhe phakathi nalesikhathi sokuphela. (Daniyeli 12:3) Kudingeka sibonise ukuphikelela okwengeziwe kunanini ngaphambili ukuze singachezukiswa endleleni esiyibekelwa yiZwi likaNkulunkulu ngokucacile. (Mathewu 13:22) Ubufakazi bubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi lelizwe lisezinsukwini zalo zokugcina. Ngokushesha lizokhukhulwa lingabe lisaba khona phakade ukuze lidedele izwe elisha lokulunga.—2 Petru 3:13.
23. UJehova uyosisiza ngayiphi indlela, futhi kube namuphi umphumela obusisekile?
23 Khona-ke, ngazo zonke izindlela masihlale siphapheme. Kunanini ngaphambili, hlala uqaphele ukuthi sikuphi ohlelweni lwesikhathi. Khumbula, uJehova ngeke ozele kulendaba. Kunalokho, uyohlala esisiza ukuba sihlale siphapheme kulesikhathi sokuphela. Ubusuku sebuyaphela. Imini iyasondela. Ngakho hlala uphaphame! Ngokushesha sizojabulela usuku oluhle kunazo zonke, njengoba uMbuso wobuMesiya ugcwalisa injongo kaJehova ngomhlaba!—IsAmbulo 21:4, 5.
Zithini Izimpendulo Zakho?
◻ Wayesho ukuthini uJesu lapho ethi usuku lolaka lukaNkulunkulu luyofikela abantu “njengogibe”?
◻ Kungani kumelwe silwe nokuphazamiseka, futhi singakwenza kanjani lokho?
◻ Luhlobo luni lomthandazo oludingekayo ukuze sihlale siphapheme?
◻ Luhlobo luni lokuhlanganyela okubalulekile?
◻ Kungani kumelwe sizihlole isimo sethu esingokomoya?
◻ Isiprofetho sifeza yiphi ingxenye ekuhlaleni kwethu siphapheme?