Isikhathi Esiphuthumayo Sokuphaphama!

“NINGALENZI iphutha ngesikhathi esiphila kuso; kakade sekuyisikhathi esiphuthumayo sokuba siphaphame ebuthongweni.” (Roma 13:11, Knox) Umphostoli uPawulu wabhalela amaKristu aseRoma lawo mazwi eminyakeni engaba ngu-14 ngaphambi kokuphela okuyinhlekelele kwesimiso sezinto samaJuda ngo-70 C.E. Ngenxa yokuthi ayephapheme ngokomoya, amaKristu angamaJuda ayengekho eJerusalema ngaleso sikhathi esibucayi, ngakho asinda ekufeni noma ekubeni izigqila. Kodwa azi kanjani ukuthi kwakudingeka aphume kulowo muzi?

UJesu Kristu wayexwayisile ukuthi izitha zaziyokaka iJerusalema futhi izakhamuzi zalo zaziyophahlazwa phansi. (Luka 19:43, 44) Ngemva kwalokho, uJesu wanikeza abalandeli bakhe abathembekile isibonakaliso esinezici eziningi okwakungenzima ukusibona. (Luka 21:7-24) Kulawo maKristu ayehlala eJerusalema, ukushiya lowo muzi kwakusho ukushiya amakhaya nomsebenzi wawo. Noma kunjalo, ukuqapha nokubaleka kwawo kwalondoloza ukuphila kwawo.

Lapho uJesu ebikezela ngokubhujiswa kweJerusalema, abafundi bakhe babuza: “Ziyokwenzeka nini lezizinto, futhi siyoba yini isibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakho nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto?” (Mathewu 24:3) Lapho ephendula, uJesu waqhathanisa ukuba khona kwakhe kwangesikhathi esizayo nenkathi eyaholela eSikhukhuleni sembulunga yonke yosuku lukaNowa. UJesu waveza iphuzu lokuthi uZamcolo waqothula bonke ababi. (Mathewu 24:21, 37-39) Ngaleyo ndlela wabonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyophinde angenele ezindabeni zesintu. Ngezinga elingakanani? Ngezinga lokuba asuse lonke izwe elibi noma isimiso sezinto! (Qhathanisa neyesi-2 Petru 3:5, 6.) Ingabe lokho kungenzeka esikhathini esiphila kuso?

Ingabe Zonke Izinto Zisenjalo?

Ayembalwa amaJuda ekhulu lokuqala ayeke acabanga ukuthi umuzi wawo ongcwele, iJerusalema, wawungabhujiswa. Ukungakholelwa okufanayo kuvame ukuba khona nakubantu abahlala eduze nentaba-mlilo kodwa abangakaze bayibone iqhuma. Lapho kukhishwa izixwayiso ngokuvamile basabela ngokuthi “Ngeke kwenzeke ngesikhathi sokuphila kwami.” “Ngokuvamile izintaba-mlilo ziqhuma njalo ngemva kwamakhulu amabili noma amathathu eminyaka,” kuchaza isazi sezintaba-mlilo uLionel Wilson. “Ukhathazeka uma abazali bakho kwadingeka bathuthe ngenxa yokuqhuma. Kodwa uma kwenzeka kubazali babazali bakho, khona-ke kuyinsumansumane.”

Nokho, ukwaziswa okunembile kungasenza siqaphele izimpawu zengozi bese sizithatha njengezibalulekile. Phakathi kwalabo ababaleka basuka eduze kweNtaba iPelée, kwakunomunye owayejwayelene nezintaba-mlilo futhi eziqonda izimpawu zengozi. Izimpawu ezinjalo zachazwa ngokunembile nangaphambi nje kokuqhuma kweNtaba iPinatubo. Izazi zezintaba-mlilo ezaziqaphe amandla angabonwa akheka phakathi kwentaba, zenza abantu bendawo bakholiseka ukuthi kwakumelwe basuke kuleyo ndawo.

Yiqiniso, abanye bayohlale bezishaya indiva izimpawu zengozi futhi baphikelele ngokuthi ngeke kwenzeke lutho. Bangase bahleke usulu ngisho nalabo abathatha isinyathelo esiwujuqu. Umphostoli uPetru wabikezela ukuthi umbono onjalo wawuyovama osukwini lwethu. Wathi: “Okokuqala niyakwazi lokhu, ukuthi ezinsukwini zokugcina kuyofika abahleki bosulu nokuhleka kwabo usulu, beqhubeka ngokwezifiso zabo siqu futhi bethi: ‘Kuphi lokhu kuba khona kwakhe okuthenjisiwe? Phela, kusukela osukwini okhokho bethu abalala ngalo ekufeni, zonke izinto ziqhubeka ngokufana ncamashí nasekuqaleni kwendalo.’”—2 Petru 3:3, 4.

Ingabe uyakholelwa ukuthi ‘sisezinsukwini zokugcina’? Kuyi-Columbia History of the World, uJohn A. Garraty noPeter Gay bayabuza: “Ingabe sibona ukuwohloka kwempucuko yethu?” Khona-ke lezi zazi-mlando zihlola izinkinga zikahulumeni, ukwanda kobugebengu nokungalaleli komphakathi embulungeni yonke, ukuwohloka kokuphila komkhaya, ukuhluleka kwesayensi nobuchwepheshe ukuxazulula izinkinga zomphakathi, izinkinga zegunya, ukuntengantenga kokuziphatha nezinkinga zenkolo emhlabeni wonke. Ziphetha ngokuthi: “Uma lokhu kungezona izimpawu zesiphelo esiqinisekile, zibukeka ngokungavamile njengazo.”

Sinesizathu esizwakalayo sokukholelwa ukuthi ‘isiphelo’ siseduze. Cha, akudingeki sesabe ukuthi kuzophela yonke imbulunga ewumhlaba ngokwayo, ngoba iBhayibheli lithi uNkulunkulu “umisile umhlaba phezu kwezisekelo zawo, ukuze ungazanyazanyiswa kuze kube-phakade naphakade.” (IHubo 104:5) Nokho, kufanele silindele ukuba siphele ngokushesha lesi simiso sezinto esibi esiye sabangela isintu usizi olungaka. Ngani? Ngoba sibona izici eziningi eziwubufakazi obuphawula izinsuku zokugcina zalesi simiso sezinto, njengoba zashiwo uJesu Kristu. (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Ezinye Izici Zezinsuku Zokugcina.”) Kungani ungaqhathanisi amazwi kaJesu nezenzakalo zezwe? Ukwenza kanjalo kungase kukusize ukuba wenzele wena nomkhaya wakho izinqumo ezihlakaniphile. Kodwa kungani kufanele usithathe manje isinyathelo?

Isidingo Sangempela Sokuhlala Uphapheme

Nakuba ososayensi bengase bazi lapho ukuqhuma kwentaba-mlilo sekuseduze, abakwazi ukusho ngokunembile ukuthi kuzokwenzeka nini. Ngokufanayo, ngokuphathelene nokuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto, uJesu wathi: “Ngokuphathelene nalolosuku nalelohora akekho owaziyo, nazingelosi zasemazulwini naNdodana, kodwa uBaba kuphela.” (Mathewu 24:36) Njengoba singazi ngokuqondile ukuthi isimiso sezinto samanje sizophela nini, uJesu wasinika lesi sixwayiso: “Yazini into eyodwa, ukuthi ukuba umninindlu wayazi ukuthi isela lizoza ngamuphi umlindo, wayeyohlala ephapheme futhi angayivumeli indlu yakhe ukuba igqekezwe. Ngenxa yalokhu nani futhi zibonakaliseni nikulungele, ngoba iNdodana yomuntu [uJesu] iza ngehora eningacabangi ukuthi iyoza ngalo.”—Mathewu 24:43, 44.

Amazwi kaJesu abonisa ukuthi ukuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto okuyinhlekelele kuyolizuma leli lizwe. Ngisho noma singabalandeli bakhe, kudingeka ‘sizibonakalise sikulungele.’ Isimo sethu sifana nesomninindlu ongase azunywe ngenxa yokuba engazi ukuthi isela liyogqekeza nini endlini yakhe.

Ngokufanayo, umphostoli uPawulu watshela amaKristu aseThesalonika: “Nina ngokwenu nazi kahle ukuthi usuku lukaJehova luza ngokufana ncamashí nesela ebusuku. . . . Bafowethu, anikho ebumnyameni, ukuba lolosuku lunifice njengesela.” Futhi uPawulu wanxusa: “Masingalali njengoba kwenza bonke abanye, kodwa masihlale siphapheme futhi sihlale sisangulukile.” (1 Thesalonika 5:2, 4, 6, umbhalo waphansi we-NW) Kusho ukuthini ‘ukuhlala siphapheme futhi sihlale sisangulukile’?

Ngokungafani nokubaleka kwamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ephuma eJerusalema, ukubalekela kwethu endaweni ephephile akuhileli ukushiya umuzi othile. Ngemva kokunxusa ayekholwa nabo baseRoma ukuba baphaphame ebuthongweni, uPawulu wabancenga ukuba ‘balahle imisebenzi yobumnyama’ bese ‘begqoka iNkosi uJesu Kristu.’ (Roma 13:12, 14) Ngokulandela izinyathelo zikaJesu ngokuseduze, sizozibonakalisa siziphaphamele izikhathi, futhi lokhu kuqapha okungokomoya kuyosibeka ethubeni lokuvikelwa ngokwaphezulu lapho lesi simiso esibi sezinto siphela.—1 Petru 2:21.

Labo abalandela uJesu Kristu bajabulela ukuphila okunenjongo nokwanelisayo. Izigidi zoFakazi BakaJehova ziye zathola ukuthi ijoka lamaKristu lokuba abafundi lingelinomusa neliqabulayo. (Mathewu 11:29, 30, umbhalo waphansi we-NW) Isinyathelo sokuqala sokuba umfundi ‘siwukungenisa ulwazi ngoNkulunkulu, nangalowo amthuma, uJesu Kristu.’ (Johane 17:3) OFakazi bahambela izigidi zamakhaya isonto ngalinye ukuze basize abantu ukuba bazuze ‘ulwazi olunembile lweqiniso.’ (1 Thimothewu 2:4) Bangakujabulela ukuqhuba nawe isifundo seBhayibheli samahhala lapho uhlala khona. Futhi njengoba ukhula olwazini lweZwi likaNkulunkulu, akungabazeki ukuthi uyokholiseka ukuthi izinsuku zethu zihlukile. Ngempela, isikhathi esiphuthumayo sokuphaphama ebuthongweni!

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 7]

EZINYE ZEZICI ZEZINSUKU ZOKUGCINA

“Isizwe siyovukela isizwe”; ‘ukuthula kuyosuswa emhlabeni.’ (Mathewu 24:7; IsAmbulo 6:4)

Izimpi zezwe ezimbili zaleli khulu leminyaka, kanye nezinye izingxabano eziningi kuye kwasusa ukuthula emhlabeni. “IMpi Yezwe Yokuqala—kanye neYesibili—zahluka kuzo zonke izimpi ezalwiwa ngaphambili,” kubhala isazi-mlando uJohn Keegan, “zazihluke ngobukhulu bendawo ezayihlanganisa, ukuqina, amandla nokulahlekelwa izinto nabantu. . . . IziMpi Zezwe zabulala abantu abengeziwe, zaqeda ingcebo eyengeziwe futhi zabangela ukuhlupheka okwengeziwe endaweni ebanzi yembulunga kunanoma iyiphi impi yangesikhathi esidlule.” Manje izimpi zihlukumeza abesifazane nezingane ngaphezu kwamasosha. I-United Nations Children’s Fund ibala ukuthi eminyakeni eyishumi edlule, kuye kwafa izingane eziyizigidi ezimbili ezimpini.

“Ukuswelakala kokudla” (Mathewu 24:7; IsAmbulo 6:5, 6, 8)

Ngo-1996 intengo kakolweni nommbila yakhuphuka kakhulu. Ngasiphi isizathu? Inani lomhlaba lalokhu okusanhlamvu okugciniwe lalehle laba ukudla kwezinsuku ezingu-50 kuphela, okuyinani elincane kunawo wonke emlandweni. Ukukhuphuka kwentengo yokudla okuyisisekelo kusho ukuthi amakhulu ezigidi abantu abampofu bomhlaba—abaningi babo okuyizingane—alala elambile.

‘Ukuzamazama komhlaba ezindaweni ngezindawo’ (Mathewu 24:7)

Phakathi neminyaka engu-2 500 edlule, ukuzamazama komhlaba okwenzeka izikhathi ezingu-9 kuphela ngakunye kwabulala abantu abangaphezu kuka-100 000. Okune kwalokhu kuzamazama komhlaba kuye kwenzeka kusukela ngo-1914.

“Ukwanda kokungabi namthetho” (Mathewu 24:12)

Njengoba ikhulu lama-20 liya ekupheleni, ukungabi namthetho, noma ukwephula umthetho, kuye kwasakazeka. Amaphekula ahlasela izakhamuzi, ababulali abangenandaba, ukubulawa kwabantu ngobuningi kuphakathi kwezici ezesabekayo zalezi zinsuku ezinobudlova.

“Ezindaweni ngezindawo kube khona izifo eziwumshayabhuqe” (Luka 21:11)

Phakathi nawo-1990, cishe abantu abayizigidi ezingu-30 bayobulawa isifo sofuba. Amagciwane athwala izifo aya ngokuya engalapheki ngemithi. Umalaleveva, okungesinye isifo esibulalayo, uphatha abantu abayizigidi eziphakathi kuka-300 no-500 unyaka ngamunye futhi ubulale abantu abalinganiselwa ezigidini ezimbili. Ekupheleni kwaleli shumi leminyaka, kulindeleke ukuba ingculaza ibe isibulale abayizigidi ezingu-1,8 ngonyaka. I-State of the World 1996 ithi: “Namuhla isintu sibhekene nesibhadalala sezibhadalala.”

“Lezizindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiweyo.” (Mathewu 24:14)

Ngo-1997, oFakazi BakaJehova basebenzisa amahora angaphezulu kakhulu kwezigidi eziyinkulungwane beshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. OFakazi abangaphezu kwezigidi ezinhlanu basiyisa njalo lesi sigijimi kubantu emazweni angu-232.

[Imithombo]

FAO photo/B. Imevbore

U.S. Coast Guard photo

[Isithombe ekhasini 4, 5]

AmaKristu abaleka eJerusalema ngoba ayephapheme ngokomoya