Ukukhululelwa Ezweni Elisha Lokulunga
“Bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu.”—IHUBO 37:11.
1, 2. (a) Ukukhulula kukaJehova esikhathini sethu kuyohluka kanjani ekukhululeni kwasezikhathini zasendulo? (b) UJehova uyobangenisa ezweni elinjani abantu bakhe?
UJEHOVA unguNkulunkulu okhululayo. Ezikhathini zasendulo, wabakhulula kaningi abantu bakhe. Lokho kukhululwa kwakungokwesikhashana, ngoba kunoma yisiphi salezo zikhathi uJehova akazange akhiphe izahlulelo zakhe ngokuphelele kulo lonke izwe likaSathane. Kodwa osukwini lwethu, maduze nje uJehova uzolethela izinceku zakhe ukukhululwa okukhulu kunakho konke. Kulokhu uyoqotha imbokodo nesisekelo esimisweni sikaSathane emhlabeni wonke, futhi uyongenisa izinceku zakhe ezweni elisha lokulunga elihlala njalo.—2 Petru 2:9; 3:10-13.
2 UJehova uyathembisa: “Kusengumzuzwana, omubi angabe esabakho . . . Kepha abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu.” (IHubo 37:10, 11) Kuze kube nini? “Abalungileyo bazakudla ifa lomhlaba, bahlale kuwo njalonjalo.” (IHubo 37:29; Mathewu 5:5) Nokho, ngaphambi kokuba lokho kwenzeke, lelizwe lizobhekana nesikhathi sosizi esibi kunazo zonke elake labhekana nazo.
“Usizi Olukhulu”
3. UJesu waluchaza kanjani “usizi olukhulu”?
3 Ngo-1914 lelizwe langena ‘ezinsukwini zalo zokugcina.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, 13) Manje sesineminyaka engu-83 sikuleyo nkathi futhi sisondela ekupheleni kwayo, lapho, njengoba uJesu abikezela, kuyokwenzeka okulandelayo: “Kuyoba khona usizi olukhulu olungakaze lwenzeke kusukela ekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube manje, cha, futhi olungasayikuphinde lwenzeke.” (Mathewu 24:21) Yebo, luyodlula ngisho neMpi Yezwe II, lapho kwabulawa khona abantu abangaba yizigidi ezingu-50. Yeka isikhathi esiyonyakazisa wonke umhlaba esisondela ngokushesha!
4. Kungani isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu siza phezu ‘kweBabiloni Elikhulu’?
4 “Usizi olukhulu” luyofika ngokushesha okumangalisayo, “ngehora elilodwa.” (IsAmbulo 18:10) Ukugqashuka kwalo kuyophawuleka ngokukhipha kukaNkulunkulu isahlulelo kuzo zonke izinkolo zamanga, iZwi likaNkulunkulu elizibiza ngokuthi “iBabiloni Elikhulu.” (IsAmbulo 17:1-6, 15) Isici esivelele seBabiloni lasendulo kwakuyinkolo yamanga. IBabiloni lanamuhla linjengozakwabo wasendulo futhi limelela umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. Liye lazenza isifebe ngokushendeza nezinhlangano zezombangazwe. Liye lasekela izimpi zazo futhi labusisa amabutho aphikisanayo, kwaphumela ekubulalaneni kwabantu benkolo efanayo. (Mathewu 26:51, 52; 1 Johane 4:20, 21) Liye lashalazelela imikhuba eyonakele yabalandeli balo futhi lashushisa amaKristu eqiniso.—IsAmbulo 18:5, 24.
5. “Usizi olukhulu” luqala kanjani?
5 “Usizi olukhulu” luqala lapho izinhlangano zezombangazwe ziphendukela “iBabiloni Elikhulu” ngokuzumayo. “Ziyosizonda isifebe futhi ziyosenza sibe esichithakele nesihamba-ze, futhi ziyodla ziqede izingxenye zaso eziyinyama futhi ziyosishisa ngokuphelele ngomlilo.” (IsAmbulo 17:16) Ngemva kwalokho, labo ababelisekela ‘bayokhala futhi bazishaye ngenxa yosizi ngalo.’ (IsAmbulo 18:9-19) Kodwa izinceku zikaJehova kade zakulindela lokhu, futhi ziyomemeza: “Dumisani uJah! . . . Ngoba usikhiphile isahlulelo phezu kwesifebe esikhulu esonakalisa umhlaba ngobufebe baso, futhi uliphindisele igazi lezigqila zakhe esandleni saso.”—IsAmbulo 19:1, 2.
Abantu BakaNkulunkulu Bayahlaselwa
6, 7. Kungani izinceku zikaJehova zingama isibindi lapho zihlaselwa phakathi ‘nosizi olukhulu’?
6 Lapho sezibhubhise inkolo yamanga, izinhlangano zezombangazwe ziphendukela ezincekwini zikaJehova. Esiprofethweni, uSathane, “uGogi [wezwe] likaMagogi” uthi: “Ngiye kwabazinzileyo abahlala belondekile.” Ecabanga ukuthi bayizisulu ezilula, ubahlasela ‘ngempi enamandla, njengefu lokusibekela izwe.’ (Hezekeli 38:2, 10-16) Abantu bakaJehova bayazi ukuthi lokhu kuhlaselwa kuyohluleka ngoba bathembela kuJehova.
7 Lapho uFaro namabutho akhe beba nomuzwa wokuthi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zase zivimbeleke oLwandle Olubomvu, uJehova wakhulula abantu bakhe ngokuyisimangaliso, wabhubhisa amabutho aseGibithe. (Eksodusi 14:26-28) Phakathi ‘nosizi olukhulu,’ lapho izizwe ziba nomuzwa wokuthi abantu bakaJehova bavimbelekile, uyophinda futhi abahlenge ngokuyisimangaliso: “Ngalolosuku . . . ukufutheka kwami kukhuphukele emakhaleni ami. Ngomhawu wami nangomlilo wolaka lwami ngikhulumile.” (Hezekeli 38:18, 19) Umvuthwandaba ‘wosizi olukhulu’ uyobe usufikile!
8. Yiziphi izenzakalo ezingaphezu kwezemvelo ezenzeka ngaphambi kokuba uJehova abulale ababi, futhi kuba namuphi umphumela?
8 Esikhathini esithile ngemva kokuqala ‘kosizi olukhulu,’ kodwa ngaphambi kokuba uJehova akhiphe isahlulelo sakhe kulo lonke lelizwe, kuyokwenzeka izenzakalo ezingaphezu kwezemvelo. Phawula umphumela eziyoba nawo. “Khona-ke isibonakaliso seNdodana yomuntu [uKristu] siyobonakala ezulwini, khona-ke zonke izizwana zomhlaba ziyozishaya zilila, futhi ziyobona iNdodana yomuntu iza iphezu kwamafu ezulu inamandla nenkazimulo enkulu.” (Mathewu 24:29, 30) “Kuyoba khona izibonakaliso elangeni nasenyangeni nasezinkanyezini, . . . kuyilapho abantu beba nesinxi ngenxa yokwesaba nokulindela izinto ezehlela umhlaba owakhiweyo.”—Luka 21:25, 26.
“Ukukhululwa Kwenu Kuyasondela”
9. Kungani izinceku zikaJehova ‘zingaphakamisa amakhanda azo’ lapho kwenzeka izenzakalo ezingaphezu kwemvelo?
9 Ngaleso sikhathi, isiprofetho sikaLuka 21:28 siyosebenza. UJesu wathi: “Njengoba lezizinto ziqala ukwenzeka, yimani niqonde futhi niphakamise amakhanda enu, ngoba ukukhululwa kwenu kuyasondela.” Izitha zikaNkulunkulu ziyobe zithuthumela ngokwesaba ngoba ziyokwazi ukuthi izenzakalo ezingaphezu kwezemvelo ezenzekayo zivela kuJehova. Kodwa izinceku zikaJehova ziyojabula ngoba ziyokwazi ukuthi ukukhululwa kwazo kuyasondela.
10. IZwi likaNkulunkulu liwuchaza kanjani umvuthwandaba ‘wosizi olukhulu’?
10 UJehova ube esecoboshisa isimiso sikaSathane: “Ngiyakumahlulela [uGogi], ngesifo nangegazi, nginise phezu kwakhe, namaviyo akhe, . . . imvula ekhukhulayo, namatshe esichotho, nomlilo, nesibabule . . . [Bazi] ukuthi nginguJehova.” (Hezekeli 38:22, 23) Yonke iminonjana yesimiso sikaSathane iyabhujiswa. Wonke umphakathi wabantu abangamnaki uNkulunkulu uyabhujiswa. Lowo umvuthwandaba ‘wosizi olukhulu’ oyi-Armagedoni.—Jeremiya 25:31-33; 2 Thesalonika 1:6-8; IsAmbulo 16:14, 16; 19:11-21.
11. Kungani izinceku zikaJehova zikhululwa ‘osizini olukhulu’?
11 Izigidi zabakhulekeli bakaJehova emhlabeni wonke ziyokhululwa “osizini olukhulu.” Lezi zakha “isixuku esikhulu” esiye ‘saphuma kuzo zonke izizwe nezizwana nabantu nezilimi.’ Kungani zikhululwa ngalendlela ebangela ukwesaba? Ngoba zinikela kuJehova “inkonzo engcwele imini nobusuku.” Ngakho ziyasinda ekupheleni kwalelizwe futhi zingeniswa ezweni elisha lokulunga. (IsAmbulo 7:9-15) Ngaleyo ndlela, zibona ukugcwaliseka kwesithembiso sikaJehova: “Lindela uJehova, ulonde indlela yakhe; uzakukuphakamisa, udle ifa lomhlaba, ubukele lapho ababi bechithwa khona.”—IHubo 37:34.
Izwe Elisha
12. Yini abasinde e-Armagedoni abangayilindela?
12 Yeka isikhathi esivusa amadlingozi leso okuyoba yiso—ukususwa kobubi nokuqala kwenkathi ekhazimula ngaphezu kwanoma iyiphi kuwo wonke umlando wesintu! (IsAmbulo 20:1-4) Yeka ukuthi abasinde e-Armagedoni bayombonga kangakanani uJehova ngokuthi bayobe bengene endaweni yempucuko eqhakazile nehlanzekile eyenziwe uNkulunkulu, izwe elisha, emhlabeni oyoguqulwa ube ipharadesi! (Luka 23:43) Futhi ngeke neze kudingeke bafe! (Johane 11:26) Ngempela, kusukela lapho kuqhubeke, bayoba nethemba elimangalisayo lokuhlala bephila njengoJehova!
13. UJesu uwuphinda kanjani umsebenzi wokuphulukisa awuqala emhlabeni?
13 UJesu, oye wamiswa uJehova njengeNkosi yasezulwini, uyokwengamela izibusiso ezimangalisayo eziyojatshulelwa abakhululiwe. Lapho esemhlabeni, wavula amehlo ezimpumputhe nezindlebe zezithulu futhi welapha “yonke inhlobo yesifo nayo yonke inhlobo yobuthakathaka.” (Mathewu 9:35; 15:30, 31) Ezweni elisha, uyophinda enze lowo msebenzi omkhulu wokuphulukisa, kodwa ngezinga lomhlaba wonke. NjengeNxusa likaNkulunkulu, uyogcwalisa lesi sithembiso: “[UNkulunkulu] uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni aso, futhi ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlulile.” (IsAmbulo 21:4) Asiyikuphinde sibe khona isidingo sodokotela noma abangcwabi!—Isaya 25:8; 33:24.
14. Yikuphi ukukhululwa okuyokuza ezincekwini zikaJehova esezifile kakade?
14 Abanye abayokhululwa kuyoba yizo zonke lezo zinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezikholekile ezafa esikhathini esidlule. Ezweni elisha, ziyohlengwa ekuxhakathisweni yithuna. UJehova uyaqinisekisa: “Luyoba khona uvuko kokubili olwabalungileyo nabangalungile.” (IzEnzo 24:15) Cishe “abalungileyo” bayovuswa kuqala futhi babe nengxenye ePharadesi elandayo. Yeka ukuthi kuyothakazelisa kanjani ngabasinde e-Armagedoni ukuzwa okuhlangenwe nakho kwalabo abakholekile ababefile ngaphambili, manje abayobe sebebuyiselwe ekuphileni!—Johane 5:28, 29.
15. Chaza ezinye zezimo eziyoba khona ezweni elisha.
15 Bonke abaphilayo bayobe sebebona lokho umhubi akusho ngoJehova: “Uyavula isandla sakho, usuthise ukufisa kwakho konke okuphilayo.” (IHubo 145:16) Ngeke kusaba nendlala: Umhlaba uyobuyiselwa esimweni sokuphelelisana kwezinto eziphilayo nendawo ezungezile futhi ukhiqize inala. (IHubo 72:16) Ngeke kusaba nabantu abangenandawo yokuhlala: “Bayakwakha izindlu, bahlale kuzo,” futhi ngamunye uyohlala “phansi komvini wakhe naphansi komkhiwane wakhe; akakho oyakubesabisa.” (Isaya 65:21, 22; Mika 4:4) Ngeke kusaba nokwesaba: Ngeke kusaba nempi, udlame, noma ubugebengu. (IHubo 46:8, 9; IzAga 2:22) “Wonke umhlaba uyaphumula, usenokuthula; baqhumuka ngokuhlabelela.”—Isaya 14:7.
16. Kungani ukulunga kuyovama ezweni elisha?
16 Ezweni elisha, umthombo wezindaba kaSathane osakaza inkulumo-ze uyobe usususiwe. Kunalokho, “abakhileyo bezwe [bayofunda] ukulunga.” (Isaya 26:9; 54:13) Ngenxa yemfundo enhle engokomoya minyaka yonke, “umhlaba uyakugcwala ukumazi uJehova njengamanzi asibekela ulwandle.” (Isaya 11:9) Imiqondo eyakhayo nezenzo kuyovama esintwini. (Filipi 4:8) Cabanga ngomphakathi womhlaba wonke okhululekile ebugebengwini, ukuzazisa, nomhawu—ubuzalwane bomhlaba wonke lapho izithelo zomoya kaNkulunkulu zikhiqizwa yibo bonke. Empeleni, ngisho kwamanje isixuku esikhulu sihlakulela izimfanelo ezinjalo.—Galathiya 5:22, 23.
Kungani Kuthathe Isikhathi Eside Kangaka?
17. Kungani uJehova eye walinda isikhathi eside kangaka ngaphambi kokuba aqede ububi?
17 Nokho, kungani uJehova eye walinda isikhathi eside kangaka ukuba asuse ububi futhi akhulule abantu bakhe bangene ezweni elisha? Cabangela okuye kwadingeka kufezwe. Okubaluleke kakhulu ukulwelwa kobukhosi bukaJehova, ilungelo lakhe lokubusa. Ngokuvumela isikhathi esanele ukuba sidlule, uye wabonisa ngaphandle kwanoma yikuphi ukungabaza ukuthi ukubusa komuntu ngaphandle kobukhosi bakhe kuye kwahluleka ngezinga elikhulu. (Jeremiya 10:23) Ngakho manje uJehova unelungelo eligcwele lokususa ukubusa komuntu alethe ukubusa koMbuso wakhe wasezulwini ngaphansi kukaKristu.—Daniyeli 2:44; Mathewu 6:9, 10.
18. Inzalo ka-Abrahama yayizolidla nini njengefa izwe laseKhanani?
18 Okuye kwenzeka kuwo wonke lamakhulu eminyaka kuyafana nalokho okwenzeka esikhathini sika-Abrahama. UJehova watshela u-Abrahama ukuthi inzalo yakhe iyodla njengefa izwe laseKhanani—kodwa kwadingeka ilinde iminyaka engamakhulu amane “ngokuba ububi bama-Amori [babungakapheleli].” (Genesise 12:1-5; 15:13-16) Lapha igama elithi “ama-Amori” (isizwe esibusayo) cishe limelela abantu baseKhanani bebonke. Ngakho kwakuyodlula iminyaka engaba amakhulu amane ngaphambi kokuba uJehova enze abantu bakhe badle iKhanani. Phakathi naleso sikhathi uJehova wavumela izizwe zaseKhanani ukuba zakhe imiphakathi yazo. Kwaba namuphi umphumela?
19, 20. Hlobo luni lwemiphakathi eyakhiwa abaseKhanani?
19 I-Bible Handbook, kaHenry H. Halley, iphawula ukuthi eMegido, abavubukuli bathola amanxiwa ethempeli lika-Ashitaroti, umkaBali ongunkulunkulukazi. Uyabhala: “Emagxathwini angemangaki ukusuka kuleli thempeli kwakunamangcwaba, lapho kwatholakala khona izitsha eziningi, zinezinsalela zezinsana ezazinikelwe kuleli thempeli . . . Abaprofethi bakaBali nabaka-Ashitaroti babengababulali abasemthethweni bezingane ezincane.” “Omunye umkhuba onyanyekayo [yilokho] ababekubiza ngokuthi ‘imihlatshelo ewuzime.’ Uma kuzokwakhiwa indlu, kwakunikelwa ngengane, isidumbu sayo sihlanganiswe ekwakhiweni kodonga.”
20 UHalley uyaphawula: “Ukukhulekelwa kukaBali, u-Ashitaroti nabanye onkulunkulu baseKhanani kwakuba namadili okuphuza eqisa kakhulu; amathempeli abo ayeyizikhungo zobubi. . . . AmaKhanani ayekhulekela ngokuzitika ngokuziphatha okubi, . . . bese kuba ngokubulala izingane zawo ezingamazibulo, njengomhlatshelo kubo labonkulunkulu. Kubonakala sengathi, ngezinga elikhulu, izwe laseKhanani lase liphenduke uhlobo oluthile lweSodoma neGomora ngesilinganiso sesizwe sonke. . . . Ingabe impucuko enokungcola okunyanyeka kanjalo nobulwane yayinalo ilungelo lokuqhubeka ikhona? . . . Abavubukuli abamba emanxiweni amadolobha aseKhanani bayamangala ngokuthi uNkulunkulu akawabhubhisanga ngokushesha kunokuba enza.”—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 AmaKhosi 21:25, 26.
21. Yikuphi ukufana okuphakathi kwesimo sabaseKhanani nesosuku lwethu?
21 Ububi bama-Amori base ‘buphelele.’ Ngakho manje uJehova wayenelungelo eligcwele lokuwabhubhisa. Kuyafana nanamuhla. Lelizwe ligcwele ubudlova, ukuziphatha okubi nokudelela imithetho kaNkulunkulu. Futhi njengoba sishaqeka ngokufanele ngenxa yemihlatshelo yezingane eyethusayo yaseKhanani lasendulo, kuthiwani ngomhlatshelo wamashumi ezigidi zentsha ezimpini zalelizwe, odlula kude okwakwenziwa eKhanani? Ngokuqinisekile, uJehova manje unelungelo eligcwele lokuphelisa lesi simiso esibi.
Okunye Okufezwayo
22. Ukubekezela kukaJehova kufezani esikhathini sethu?
22 Ukubekezela kukaJehova kulezi zinsuku zokugcina kunokunye okukufezayo. Uvumela isikhathi sokubuthwa nokufundiswa kwesixuku esikhulu, kakade esesibalelwa ezigidini ezingaphezu kwezinhlanu. Ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaJehova, siye saba inhlangano ethuthukayo. Abesilisa, abesifazane nentsha baqeqeshelwa ukuba bafundise abanye amaqiniso eBhayibheli. Ngemihlangano yabo nezincwadi zeBhayibheli, bafunda izindlela zikaNkulunkulu zothando. (Johane 13:34, 35; Kolose 3:14; Heberu 10:24, 25) Ngaphezu kwalokho, baba namakhono okwakha, okusebenza ngama-electronic, ukunyathelisa neminye imisebenzi ukuze basekele ukushunyayelwa ‘kwezindaba ezinhle.’ (Mathewu 24:14) Cishe ukufundiswa namakhono anjalo okwakha kuyosetshenziswa kakhulu ezweni elisha.
23. Kungani kuyilungelo ukuphila kulesi sikhathi?
23 Yebo, namuhla uJehova uhlela ukuba izinceku zakhe zidlule “osizini olukhulu” zingene ezweni elisha lokulunga. Khona-ke ngeke esaba khona uSathane nezwe lakhe elibi esizomelana nako, ngeke kube khona ukugula, usizi nokufa. Ngentshiseko nenjabulo enkulu, abantu bakaNkulunkulu bayoqhubeka nomsebenzi ojabulisayo wokwakha ipharadesi, lapho usuku ngalunye luyoba ‘intokozo.’ Yeka ukuthi sinelungelo elingakanani lokuphila kulesi sikhathi esiwumvuthwandaba, lokwazi nokukhonza uJehova nokuqaphela ukuthi maduze nje ‘siyophakamisa amakhanda ethu ngoba ukukhululwa kwethu kuyasondela’!—Luka 21:28; IHubo 146:5.
Imibuzo Yokubukeza
◻ Luyini “usizi olukhulu,” futhi luqala kanjani?
◻ Kungani ukuhlasela kukaGogi izinceku zikaJehova kuyohluleka?
◻ “Usizi olukhulu” luphela kanjani?
◻ Yiziphi izinzuzo ezimangalisayo eziyoba khona ezweni elisha?
◻ Kungani uJehova eye walinda isikhathi eside kangaka ngaphambi kokuba alethe ukuphela kwalesi simiso?
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Wonke umhlaba uyoguqulwa ube ipharadesi