Umbono WeBhayibheli Ngokuthula Nokulondeka

Abantu abaningi bamukela lokho okubonakala kuwukuthambekela ebunyeni bezwe obukhulu ngokwengeziwe kanye nokuthula nokulondeka lobubunye obungase bukulethe. Banethemba lokuthi intuthuko enjalo iyoholela ezweni elingcono. Kodwa iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi kuhileleke okungaphezu kwalokho okubonakalayo.

ISIHLOKO sokuthula nokulondeka singesithakazelisa ngokukhethekile kumaKristu ngenxa yalokho umphostoli uPawulu akubhalela ibandla lobuKristu lekhulu lokuqala leminyaka ngaphansi kokuphefumlelwa. Amazwi akhe alotshwe eBhayibhelini kweyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:3: “Nxa bethi: Ngukuthula [nokulondeka, NW], khona ukubhujiswa kuyabazuma njengemihelo ifikela okhulelweyo, abasoze baphunyuka.” Lombhalo uphakamisa imibuzo ebalulekile.

Ukuthula Nokulondeka—Isandulela Sani?

Uma ufunda umongo wamazwi kaPawulu acashunwe ngenhla, uzobona ukuthi labo abathi “ukuthula nokulondeka” akuwona amaKristu aqaphile, kodwa, kunalokho, abantu abangakunaki lokho okwenzekayo ngempela. Basesimweni esibucayi kodwa abasiqaphele ngoba bacabanga ukuthi izimo ziyalunga. Nokho, ngokuphathelene namaKristu uPawulu wathi: “Kepha ngezikhathi nangemizuzu, bazalwane, anisweli ukulotshelwa.” (1 Thesalonika 5:1) Yebo, kufanele silwazi uhlelo lukaNkulunkulu lwezikhathi zezenzakalo. Ngani? Ngoba uPawulu wathi isikhathi sembubhiso ezumayo, esibizwa ngokuthi “usuku [lukaJehova],” siza “njengesela ebusuku.”—1 Thesalonika 5:2, qhathanisa neNW.

Ukukhuluma ngokuthula nokulondeka okwabikezelwa kuhilelani? Ngokusobala, kumelwe ukuba kungaphezu kwenkulumo nje. Cishe ngaso sonke isikhathi abebelwa ngaso izimpi abantu bebelokhu bekhuluma ngokuthula. Amazwi kaPawulu kumelwe ukuba abhekisela esikhathini lapho izizwe zibonakala zifinyelela ukuthula nokulondeka ngendlela ephawulekayo. Kodwa lokhu kumane nje kuwukuthula-mbumbulu. Lokho okubonakala kuwukuthula nokulondeka okuholela embubhisweni ezumayo ngokusobala akukhona ukuthula kwangempela noma ukulondeka koqobo.

NoJesu wakhuluma ngalembubhiso ezumayo. Wayibiza ngokuthi “usizi olukhulu olungazange lube-khona kwasekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube-manje nolungasayikuba-khona.” Eminyakeni engamakhulu amaningana ngaphambi kukaJesu, umprofethi uDaniyeli naye wakhuluma ngayo, futhi wayichaza ngokuthi “isikhathi sokuhlupheka esingazange sibe-khona kusukela ekuveleni kwabantu kuze kube-yilesosikhathi.”—Mathewu 24:21; Daniyeli 12:1.

Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ibizwa ngokuthi usizi olukhulu, noma ngokuthi isikhathi sokuhlupheka—kunoma yikuphi, ngokweziprofetho, iyoqothula yonke iminonjana yesimiso sikaSathane sasemhlabeni. Kunokuba ibonise ukuvunyelwa kwaphezulu, ukukhuluma ngokuthula nokulondeka okwaprofethwa ngakho kuholela kokuphambene kakhulu nalokho!—Qhathanisa noZefaniya 3:8.

Izimpawu Zesikhathi Ziyembulwa

Ingabe intuthuko esobala yamuva nje eholela ebunyeni bezwe obukhulu ngokwengeziwe nasemathembeni okuthula nokulondeka abangelwa yiyo iwukugcwaliseka kwesixwayiso sikaPawulu esingokwesiprofetho? Nokho, njengoba lomagazini uye wabonisa izikhathi eziningi, kusukela ngo-1914 siye sazibonela ukugcwaliseka kweziprofetho eziningi zeBhayibheli ezihlobene nokuba khona kukaJesu kwasezulwini emandleni oMbuso. (Mathewu, izahluko 24, 25; 2 Thimothewu 3:1-5; IsAmbulo 6:1-8) UJesu wabonisa ukuthi usuku lukaJehova, lapho imbubhiso ezumayo iyofika khona phezu kwababi, luyofika lapho amalungu esizukulwane sabantu ababona ukuqala kwalesikhathi besaphila.—Luka 21:29-33.

Umphostoli uPawulu naye wanikeza uphawu lwesikhathi. Wathi: “Lapho besakhuluma ngokuthula nokulondeka, ngokuzumayo behlelwa inhlekelele.” Lokhu kuhunyushwa kwamazwi kaPawulu kuyiNew English Bible kubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi usizi olukhulu lwenzeka “lapho besakhuluma.” Njengesela ebusuku—lingalindelwe—imbubhiso iyogadla lapho ingasalindelekile impela, lapho ukunaka kwabantu abaningi kusekuthuleni nokulondeka abanethemba lakho. Ngakho, nakuba okwamanje singenakugomela ngokuthi isimo sokuthula nokulondeka esikhona sigcwalisa amazwi kaPawulu—noma ukuthi ukukhuluma ngokuthula nokulondeka kumelwe kube khona ngezinga elingakanani ukuze kugcwaliswe lesiprofetho—iqiniso lokuthi inkulumo enjalo manje izwakala ngezinga engakaze izwakale ngalo ngaphambili lenza amaKristu aqaphele isidingo sokuba ahlale ephapheme ngazo zonke izikhathi.

‘Ukuqhubukushana’ Phakathi Kwemibuso Yezwe

Lapho ekhuluma ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka, umprofethi uDaniyeli naye waveza uphawu lwesikhathi. Wabonisa ukuthi isikhathi sokuhlupheka sasiyofika ekupheleni kwengxabano osekukade ikhona phakathi kwezizwe zemibuso emibili, omunye othiwa “inkosi yasenyakatho” nomunye othiwa, “inkosi yaseningizimu.” (Daniyeli 11:5-43) Kusukela ekupheleni kweMpi Yezwe II, lezizizwe zalemibuso ziye zamelelwa “inkosi yaseningizimu” esebenzisa isimiso sokuhweba ngokukhululekile ‘nenkosi yasenyakatho’ esebenzisa isimiso sokusebenzela uhulumeni.

UDaniyeli wabikezela ukuthi umbango omkhulu phakathi kwalezizizwe ezimbili, njengoba kuye kwaphawulwa phakathi neminyaka engu-45 edlule, wawuyoba ‘njengokuqhubukushana,’ njengabadlali ababili bomdlalo wokulwa ngokubambana (wrestling) abalwela ukuphumelela. Muva nje, ukuqhubukushana kubonakala sengathi kunyamalele. Ngokwesibonelo, ngoMay ngonyaka odlule, ungqongqoshe wezangaphandle waseSoviet wamemezela ukuthi iMpi Yokubhekana Ngeziqu Zamehlo isiphelile. NgoJune, umagazini iTime wabhekisela emhlanganweni wezikhulu owawuphakathi kweUnited States neSoviet Union wawusuphawula: “Ezinye zezivumelwano eziphathelene nokuncishiswa kwezikhali nenqubo yokuhlola inuzi zazingabonakala zingokuthile okufeziwe okumangalisayo eminyakeni embalwa edlule. Manje, nakuba zicatshangelwa zizonke, zibonakala zingewona umvuthwandaba.”

Ukuthi lokhu okubonakala kuwubudlelwane phakathi kwemibuso emibili emikhulu kungokwesikhashana noma kungokuhlala njalo, kuyocaca ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Nokho, yinye into esobala. Inkathi yesikhathi uJesu akhuluma ngayo isiqhubeke kakhulu. Futhi izinto ezenzekayo ezweni zibonisa ukuthi sisondele ezenzakalweni ezabikezelwa umphostoli uPawulu nomprofethi uDaniyeli. Ngisho nakuba izenzakalo zezombangazwe zamuva nje ngezinga elithile zibangelwa ithonya lamasonto eLobukholwa, ngeke ziholele ekuthuleni okuhlala njalo. Ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi ziyoholela kokuphambene kakhulu ngezizwe zalelizwe.

[Izithombe ekhasini 6]

Ukuhamba kwesikhathi yikhona okuyocacisa ukuthi lokho okubonakala kuwubudlelwane phakathi kwemibuso emibili emikhulu kuyothatha isikhathi esingakanani

[Umthombo]

USSR Mission to the UN

Ukubheka Ngalé ‘Kokuthula Nokulondeka’ Okwenziwe Umuntu

Iqiniso liwukuthi, abantu ngeke bakulethe ukuthula kwangempela, nokuhlala njalo. Ngani? Ngoba abantu akubona ngempela abaqeda ukuthula, nakuba benengxenye ecaleni lomlando wabo ogcwele igazi. Okuwuyena muntu oqeda ukuthula unamandla ngaphezu komuntu. Akekho omunye ngaphandle kukaSathane uDeveli, ochazwa eBhayibhelini ‘njengodukisa izwe lonke.’—IsAmbulo 12:9.

IBHAYIBHELI lithi: “Izwe lonke lisemandleni omubi, [uSathane].” (1 Johane 5:19, qhathanisa neNW.) Ngakho, ukufinyelela ukuthula kwangempela nokulondeka okuhlala njalo kumelwe kuhilele ukususa uSathane angabe esaba khona kanye nesimiso sezwe aye wasakha futhi okuyinto esobala ukuthi uyasilawula. (Qhathanisa noIsaya 48:22; Roma 16:20.) Abantu abanakukwenza lokhu.

Khona-ke, ukuthula nokulondeka kungafinyelelwa kanjani? Ngamandla aLowo onamandla ngokungenamkhawulo kunoSathane. UNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke uye wamisa isikhathi esinqunyiwe ekusebenzeni kukaSathane phakathi kwesintu. Lapho lesosikhathi esinqunyiwe sifika, ‘imbubhiso ezumayo’ iyofika phezu kwalo lonke izwe elisemandleni kaSathane. (1 Thesalonika 5:3-7) Bonke ubufakazi buholela esiphethweni sokuthi lokhu kuzokwenzeka ngokushesha.

Ukuthula Nokulondeka Manje!

Nokho, kuthiwani ngesikhathi samanje? Isilinganiso esithile sokuthula kweqiniso nokulondeka kungenzeka sibe khona ngisho nanamuhla. Kanjani? Hhayi ngendlela abaholi abaningi benkolo abaye bazama ngayo, ngokuhileleka kwezombangazwe zalelizwe, kodwa, kunalokho, ngokulalela imiyalo neseluleko sikaNkulunkulu.

Ingabe inkambo enjalo iyakubangela ngempela ukuthula? Yebo, iyakubangela. Ngokwesibonelo, oFakazi BakaJehova baye bayizama futhi bathola ukuthi kungenzeka ngempela ukujabulela ukuthula kwangempela kanye nesilinganiso esithile sokulondeka. Ukulalela imiyalo kaNkulunkulu njengoba yembulwe eBhayibhelini kuye kwabenza bakwazi ukuba bahlangane njengenhlangano yezizwe zonke ekuthuleni kweqiniso, kungakhathaliseki uhlanga lwabo, ubuzwe, noma ulimi.—IHubo 133:1.

Njengoba belalela umthetho waphezulu, ngokomfanekiso baye ‘bakhanda izinkemba zabo zaba ngamakhuba futhi abasayifundi impi.’ (Isaya 2:2-4) Bazizwa belondekile othandweni lukaNkulunkulu futhi bayaqiniseka ngokuthi abafowabo abangokomoya bayabakhathalela. (Roma 8:28, 35-39; Filipi 4:7) Uma ukungabaza ukuthi lokhu kuyiqiniso, sikumema ukuba ubavakashele kwelinye lamaHholo abo oMbuso futhi uzibonele ngawakho.

Ukuthula Nokulondeka Emhlabeni Wonke

Nokho, lokhu akukhona ukugcwaliseka kokugcina kwesithembiso seBhayibheli sokuthula kweqiniso nokulondeka. Lutho neze! Kumane nje kuwukubonakaliswa kokuthi lelizwe laliyoba njani ukuba bonke abantu bebelalela imithetho kaNkulunkulu. Ngokushesha lokho kubonakaliswa kuzoba yisimo esingokoqobo.

Umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Nxa [labo abangamkhonzi uNkulunkulu] bethi: Ngukuthula [nokulondeka, NW], [becabanga ukuthi ekugcineni bakulethile ukuthula nokulondeka ngendlela yabo] khona ukubhujiswa kuyabazuma.” (1 Thesalonika 5:3) UNkulunkulu uyonquma ukuthi uSathane usesidukise kwenela isintu. Khona-ke kuyoba isikhathi sokumsusa angabe esaba khona, kanye nesimiso sezwe esonakele esisemandleni akhe. Khona-ke kuyobe sekuyisikhathi sokugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sikaDaniyeli: “Ezinsukwini zalawomakhosi uNkulunkulu wasezulwini uyakumisa umbuso ongasoze wachithwa nobukhosi bawo bungayikushiyelwa kwabanye abantu, kepha uyakuchoboza, uqede yonke lemibuso, wona uqobo ume phakade.”—Daniyeli 2:44.

Ingabe lokhu kuyoba isinyathelo esingafanele uNkulunkulu ayosithatha? Lutho neze. Imbubhiso ezumayo iyofika phezu kwalabo kuphela abayifanelekelayo ngokwesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu, izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu. Ingabe uyethemba ukuthi uMdali uyonquma ngokulunga kulendaba? Ngokuqinisekile singashiyela lendaba ezandleni zakhe ngethemba! Uyoba yini-ke umphumela wokukhishwa kwesahlulelo sakhe? Isaga sithi: “Abaqotho bayakuhlala ezweni, abapheleleyo basale kulo. Kepha ababi bayakunqunywa ezweni.” (IzAga 2:21, 22) Ingabe ukhona oyodabuka ngokubhujiswa kwababi?

Lapho abantu abaqeda ukuthula sebesusiwe, isintu emhlabeni wonke siyoba nokuthula nokulondeka kwangempela ngaphansi kokubusa okuzuzisayo koMbuso kaNkulunkulu. “Abayikwenza okubi, bangachithi entabeni yonke yami engcwele, ngokuba umhlaba uyakugcwala ukumazi uJehova njengamanzi asibekela ulwandle.” (Isaya 11:9) Ingabe uyasikholelwa lesithembiso seBhayibheli? Ingabe uyaqiniseka ngokuthi lezizinto zizokwenzeka ngokushesha? Uma unokungabaza okuthile, sikukhuthaza ukuba uhlole lendaba ngokwengeziwe. Eqinisweni, indlela kaNkulunkulu iwukuphela kwendlela umuntu ayoke akwazi ngayo ukufinyelela umgomo olangazelelwayo wokuthula nokulondeka kwangempela.

[Izithombe ekhasini 8]

Abantu bakaJehova bajabulela ukuthula kweqiniso nesilinganiso esikahle sokulondeka namuhla