‘Phaphamani’
‘Ukuphela kwezinto zonke sekusondele. Phaphamelani ukuthandaza.’—1 PET. 4:7.
1. Yini uJesu afundisa ngayo ngokuyinhloko?
NGESIKHATHI uJesu Kristu esemhlabeni, into afundisa ngayo ngokuyinhloko kwakuwuMbuso kaNkulunkulu. UJehova uzosebenzisa lowo Mbuso ukuze alwele ubukhosi bakhe bendawo yonke futhi angcwelise igama lakhe. Yingakho uJesu afundisa abafundi bakhe ukuba bathandaze kuNkulunkulu, bathi: “Umbuso wakho mawuze. Intando yakho mayenzeke nasemhlabeni, njengasezulwini.” (Math. 4:17; 6:9, 10) Maduze nje, lowo hulumeni uzoqeda izwe likaSathane, bese uqondisa ukwenziwa kwentando kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni wonke. Njengoba uDaniyeli abikezela, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu “uyochoboza uqede yonke [imibuso yanamuhla], wona uqobo ume kuze kube nini nanini.”—Dan. 2:44.
2. (a) Abalandeli bakaJesu babeyokwazi kanjani ukuthi useqalile ukubusa? (b) Yini enye eyayiyoshiwo isibonakaliso?
2 Ngenxa yokuthi ukuza koMbuso kaNkulunkulu kwakubaluleke kakhulu kubalandeli bakaJesu, bambuza: “Siyoba yini isibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakho nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto?” (Math. 24:3) Kwakuyoba khona isibonakaliso abantu ababengasibona, ngoba ukuba khona kukaKristu emandleni oMbuso kwakungeke kubonakale kwabasemhlabeni. Leso sibonakaliso sasiyoba nezici ezihlukahlukene ezabikezelwa emiBhalweni. Ngakho-ke, abalandeli bakaJesu ababeyobe bephila ngaleso sikhathi babeyoqonda ukuthi useqalile ukubusa ezulwini. Lokho kwakuyosho nokuqala kwenkathi iBhayibheli eliyibiza ngokuthi ‘izinsuku zokugcina’ zesimiso sezinto esibi esiphila kuso namuhla.—2 Thim. 3:1-5, 13; Math. 24:7-14.
Yibani Abaphapheme Phakathi Nezinsuku Zokugcina
3. Kungani amaKristu kwakuyodingeka aphaphame?
3 Umphostoli uPetru wabhala: “Ukuphela kwezinto zonke sekusondele. Ngakho-ke, yibani abahluzekile engqondweni, futhi niphaphamele ukuthandaza.” (1 Pet. 4:7) Abalandeli bakaJesu kwakuyodingeka baphaphame, baqaphele izenzakalo zezwe ezaziyobonisa ukuthi usekhona emandleni oMbuso. Kwakuyodingeka bakubonise nakakhulu ukuphaphama kwabo lapho lesi simiso sezinto siya ekupheleni kwaso. UJesu watshela abafundi bakhe: “Hlalani nilindile, ngoba anazi ukuthi inkosi yendlu iyobuya nini [ukuzobhubhisa izwe likaSathane].”—Marku 13:35, 36.
4. Bonisa umahluko okhona phakathi kwesimo sengqondo sabantu abayingxenye yezwe likaSathane nesezinceku zikaJehova. (Hlanganisa nebhokisi.)
4 Abantu balo mhlaba babuswa uSathane futhi ababoni ukuthi izenzakalo zomhlaba zisho ukuthini. Ababoni ukuthi uKristu usekhona emandleni oMbuso. Kodwa abalandeli bakaKristu beqiniso bebelokhu bephapheme futhi baye bakuqonda lokho ngempela okushiwo yizinto ezenzeke ekhulwini leminyaka elidlule. Kusukela ngo-1925, oFakazi BakaJehova baye baqaphela ukuthi iMpi Yezwe I nezenzakalo ezalandela ziwubufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bokuthi uKristu waqala ukubusa ngo-1914. Ngakho, izinsuku zokugcina zalesi simiso sezinto esibi esibuswa uSathane zaqala ngaleso sikhathi. Nakuba bengazi ukuthi lokhu kusho ukuthini, abantu abaningi abaqaphelayo bayawubona umahluko omkhulu phakathi kwenkathi yangaphambi kweMpi Yezwe I neyangemva kwayo.—Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Ukuqala Kwenkathi Yeziyaluyalu.”
5. Kungani kusemqoka ukuba sihlale siphapheme?
5 Sekuzophela ikhulu leminyaka kwenzeka izenzakalo ezithusayo emhlabeni wonke ezifakazela ukuthi siphila ezinsukwini zokugcina. Sekuseduze kakhulu ukuba uJehova ayale uKristu ukuba ahole amabutho ezingelosi kuyolwiwa nezwe likaSathane. (IsAm. 19:11-21) AmaKristu eqiniso atshelwa ukuba ahlale eqaphile. Ngakho, kubaluleke kakhulu ukuba siqhubeke senza kanjalo njengoba silinde ukuphela kwalesi simiso. (Math. 24:42) Kumelwe sihlale siqaphile, sifeze umsebenzi esiwunikwe ukuba siwenze emhlabeni wonke njengoba siqondiswa nguKristu.
Umsebenzi Owenziwa Emhlabeni Wonke
6, 7. Umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso uye wathuthuka kanjani phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina?
6 Umsebenzi okumelwe wenziwe izinceku zikaJehova wabikezelwa njengengxenye yesibonakaliso esiyinhlanganisela esibonisa ukuthi sisezinsukwini zokugcina zalesi simiso sezinto esibi. UJesu wawuchaza lo msebenzi okumelwe wenziwe emhlabeni wonke lapho ebala izinto ezihlukahlukene ezaziyokwenzeka esikhathini sokuphela. Nakhu okunye okubalulekile akusho kuleso siprofetho: “Lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiwe ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke; khona-ke ukuphela kuyofika.”—Math. 24:14.
7 Cabanga ngamanye amaphuzu ahlobene nalesi sici sesiprofetho sikaJesu. Babembalwa kakhulu abantu ababememezela izindaba ezinhle lapho izinsuku zokugcina ziqala ngo-1914. Kodwa manje sebebaningi kakhulu. KunoFakazi BakaJehova abangaphezu kuka-7 000 000 abashumayela emhlabeni wonke futhi bahlanganyela emabandleni angaphezu kuka-100 000. Ngo-2008, abantu abangu-10 000 000 bahlanganyela noFakazi BakaJehova eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu. Lokho kusho ukuthi kwaba nokwanda okuphawulekayo kunababekhona ngonyaka odlule.
8. Kungani ukuphikiswa kungawenzi umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela ungaphumeleli?
8 Yeka ukuthi kunikezwa ubufakazi obunamandla kanjani ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuzo zonke izizwe ngaphambi kokuba lesi simiso siphele! Lokhu kwenzeka naphezu kokuthi uSathane ‘ungunkulunkulu walesi simiso sezinto.’ (2 Kor. 4:4) Uthonya ezombusazwe, inkolo yamanga nezentengiselwano zalo mhlaba kanye nezindlela zazo zokusakaza inkulumo-ze. Kungani umsebenzi wokushumayela uphumelela kangaka? Yingoba usekelwa uJehova. Ngakho, umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso uqhubekela phambili ngendlela emangalisayo naphezu kwemizamo kaSathane yokuwumisa.
9. Kungani ukuchuma kwethu ngokomoya kungase kubizwe ngokuthi kuyisimangaliso?
9 Ukuphumelela komsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokwanda kanye nokuchuma kwabantu bakaJehova ngokomoya kungachazwa ngokuthi kuyisimangaliso. Besingeke sikwazi ukwenza lo msebenzi ukube uNkulunkulu ubengasisekeli, asiqondise futhi asivikele. (Funda uMathewu 19:26.) Singaqiniseka ngokuthi ngosizo lomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu osebenza ezinhliziyweni zabantu abaphapheme abazimisele ukukhonza, lo msebenzi wokushumayela uzoqedwa ngokuphumelelayo, bese ‘ukuphela kufika.’ Leso sikhathi sisondela ngokushesha.
“Usizi Olukhulu”
10. UJesu waluchaza kanjani usizi olukhulu oluzayo?
10 Ukuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto esibi kuyoqala ‘ngosizi olukhulu.’ (IsAm. 7:14) IBhayibheli alisitsheli ukuthi luyodonsa isikhathi esingakanani, kodwa uJesu wathi: “Kuyoba khona usizi olukhulu olungakaze lube khona kusukela ekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube manje, cha, futhi olungasayikuphinde lube khona.” (Math. 24:21) Uma sicabanga ngosizi leli zwe eselidlule kulo kakade, njengeMpi Yezwe II okulinganiselwa ukuthi yabulala abantu abayizigidi ezingu-50 kuya kwezingu-60, usizi olukhulu oluzayo luyoba nzima nakakhulu. Luyofinyelela umvuthwandaba walo empini ye-Armagedoni. UJehova uyobe esebhubhisa futhi aqede yonke iminonjana yesimiso sikaSathane emhlabeni.—IsAm. 16:14, 16.
11, 12. Isiphi isenzakalo esiyosho ukuqala kosizi olukhulu?
11 Isiprofetho seBhayibheli asilusho usuku usizi olukhulu oluyoqala ngalo, kodwa siyasitshela ukuthi isiphi isenzakalo esingavamile esiyobonisa ukuqala kwalo. Leso senzakalo siwukubhujiswa kwenkolo yamanga yimibuso yezombusazwe. Iziprofetho zeBhayibheli ezisencwadini yesAmbulo isahluko 17 no-18 zifanisa inkolo yamanga nesifebe esifeba namakhosi omhlaba. IsAmbulo 17:16 sibonisa ukuthi sesiseduze isikhathi sokuba ezombusazwe ‘zisizonde isifebe zisenze incithakalo zisihambise nqunu, zidle inyama yaso ziyiqede futhi zisishise ngomlilo siphele.’
12 Lapho leso sikhathi sifika, uNkulunkulu ‘uyofaka ezinhliziyweni zababusi bezombusazwe ukuba bafeze umqondo wakhe’ wokubhubhisa yonke inkolo yamanga. (IsAm. 17:17) Ngakho, singasho ukuthi nguNkulunkulu obhubhisa le nkolo yobuzenzisi ngoba sekuyisikhathi eside ifundisa izinto ezingqubuzana nentando yakhe futhi ishushisa izinceku zakhe. Izwe lonkana alikulindele ukubhujiswa kwenkolo yamanga okuzayo, kodwa izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile zikulindele. Phakathi nalezi zinsuku zokugcina, bezilokhu zitshela abantu ngakho.
13. Yini ebonisa ukuthi inkolo yamanga izoqedwa ngokushesha?
13 Abantu bayoshaqeka kakhulu lapho bebona inkolo yamanga ibhujiswa. Isiprofetho seBhayibheli sibonisa ukuthi ngisho namanye “amakhosi omhlaba” ayosho lokhu ngokubhujiswa kwayo: ‘Kwaze kwakubi, kwaze kwakubi ngoba ukwahlulelwa kwayo kufike ngehora elilodwa!’ (IsAm. 18:9, 10, 16, 19) Ukusebenzisa kweBhayibheli amazwi athi “ngehora elilodwa” kubonisa ukuthi lesi senzakalo sizokwenzeka ngokushesha okukhulu.
14. UNkulunkulu uyosabela kanjani lapho ekugcineni izitha zakhe zihlasela izinceku zakhe?
14 Siyaqonda ukuthi ngemva kwesikhathi esithile kubhujiswe inkolo yamanga, izinceku zikaJehova ebezilokhu zimemezela izahlulelo zakhe ziyohlaselwa. (Hez. 38:14-16) Lapho lokhu kuhlaselwa kuqala, labo bahlaseli bayobhekana noJehova othembisa ukuvikela abantu bakhe abathembekile. Uthi: “Kuyomelwe ngikhulume ngentshiseko yami, ngomlilo wokufutheka kwami. . . . Ziyokwazi ukuthi nginguJehova.” (Funda uHezekeli 38:18-23.) EZwini lakhe, uNkulunkulu uthi: “Othinta nina [izinceku zakhe ezithembekile] uthinta inhlamvu yeso lami.” (Zak. 2:8) Ngakho, lapho izitha zakhe ziqala ukuhlasela izinceku zakhe emhlabeni wonke, uJehova uyothatha isinyathelo esiyoholela engxenyeni yokugcina yosizi olukhulu—umvuthwandaba walo e-Armagedoni. UKristu uyohola amabutho ezingelosi anamandla abhubhise izwe likaSathane.
Indlela Lokhu Okufanele Kusithinte Ngayo
15. Ukwazi ukuthi ukuphela kwalesi simiso sekusondele kufanele kusithinte kanjani?
15 Ukwazi ukuthi ukuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto esibi kuseduze kufanele kusithinte kanjani? Umphostoli uPetru wabhala: “Njengoba zonke lezi zinto ziyoncibilika kanjalo, yeka ukuthi luhlobo luni lwabantu okufanele nibe yilo ezenzweni zokuziphatha ezingcwele nasezenzweni zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu!” (2 Pet. 3:11) La mazwi agcizelela isidingo sokunakisisa ukuze siqiniseke ukuthi ukuziphatha kwethu kuvumelana nezimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu nokuthi ekuphileni kwethu senza imisebenzi yokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu ebonisa ukuthi siyamthanda. Imisebenzi enjalo ihlanganisa ukwenza konke esingakwenza emsebenzini wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ngaphambi kokuba ukuphela kufike. Nakhu okunye uPetru akubhala: ‘Ukuphela kwezinto zonke sekusondele. Phaphamelani ukuthandaza.’ (1 Pet. 4:7) Sisondela kuJehova futhi sibonise ukuthi siyamthanda ngokuthandaza njalo kuye, simcele ukuba asiqondise ngomoya wakhe ongcwele nangebandla lakhe lomhlaba wonke.
16. Kungani kudingeka sisilalelisise iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu?
16 Kulezi zikhathi eziyingozi, kudingeka sisilalelisise lesi seluleko esiseZwini likaNkulunkulu: “Qaphelisisani ukuthi indlela enihamba ngayo ayinjengeyabantu abangahlakaniphile kodwa injengeyabahlakaniphileyo, nizithengisisela ithuba, ngoba izinsuku zimbi.” (Efe. 5:15, 16) Ububi sebudlange kakhulu manje kunanini ngaphambili. USathane uye wasungula izinto eziningi ukuze avimbele abantu ekwenzeni intando kaJehova noma nje abaphazamise. Njengezinceku zikaNkulunkulu siyakwazi lokhu futhi asifuni ukuvumela noma yini ukuba ithinte ubuqotho bethu kuNkulunkulu. Siyazi nokuthi yini ezokwenzeka maduzane, futhi sithembele kuJehova ukuthi uzozifeza izinjongo zakhe.—Funda eyoku-1 Johane 2:15-17.
17. Chaza indlela abasinde e-Armagedoni abayosabela ngayo lapho kuvuswa abafileyo.
17 Isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu esimangalisayo sokuvusa abafileyo sizogcwaliseka ngoba “kuyoba khona uvuko lwabalungile nabangalungile.” (IzE. 24:15) Phawula ukuthi lesi sithembiso sishiwo ngokuqiniseka: “Kuyoba khona uvuko”! Lokhu kuzokwenzeka nakanjani ngoba kuthenjiswa nguJehova! U-Isaya 26:19 uyathembisa: “Abafileyo bakho bayophila. . . . Phaphamani nikhamuluke ngenjabulo, nina enihlala othulini! . . . nomhlabathi ngokwawo uyovumela ukuba labo abangenamandla ekufeni baqathake bezalwa.” La mazwi agcwaliseka okokuqala lapho abantu bakaNkulunkulu basendulo bebuyiselwa ezweni labo, futhi lokho kusenza siqiniseke ukuthi la mazwi azogcwaliseka ngokoqobo ezweni elisha. Yeka indlela okuyojabulisa ngayo lapho abavusiwe bephinde behlangana nabantu ababathandayo! Yebo, ukuphela kwezwe likaSathane kuseduze futhi izwe elisha likaNkulunkulu lisemnyango. Yeka indlela okubaluleke ngayo ukuba sihlale siphapheme!
Uyakhumbula?
• Yini uJesu afundisa ngayo ngokuyinhloko?
• Umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso wenziwa ngezinga elingakanani namuhla?
• Kungani kubalulekile ukuba siphaphame?
• Yini ekukhuthazayo esithembisweni esisencwadini yezEnzo 24:15?
[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 16, 17]
UKUQALA KWENKATHI YEZIYALUYALU
U-Alan Greenspan wabhala incwadi eyakhishwa ngo-2007 enesihloko esithi The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World. Iminyaka engaba ngu-20 u-Alan wayengusihlalo we-United States Federal Reserve Board eqondisa wonke amabhange akulo lonke leliya zwe. UGreenspan uveza umahluko okhona phakathi kwezwe langaphambi kuka-1914 nelangemva kwalo:
“Yonke imibiko yabantu ababephila ngaleso sikhathi ibonisa ukuthi ngaphambi kuka-1914 izwe lalibonakala liphokophele njalo empucukweni futhi indlela yokuphilisana kwabantu ithuthuka; kwakubonakala sengathi isintu sizokwenziwa siphelele. Ikhulu leminyaka le-19 laliqede ukuthengiswa kwezigqila okuyichilo. Ukuphathwa kwabanye abantu ngobudlova kwakubonakala kuncipha. . . . Kwakube nenqubekela-phambili kwezobuchwepheshe phakathi nalo lonke ikhulu leminyaka le-19, eyenza kwaba nojantshi, izingcingo, ugesi, amabhayisikobho, izimoto nemishini kagesi esetshenziswa ezindlini esingeke siyiqede. Iminyaka yokuphila komuntu yanezeleka ngenxa yesayensi yezokwelapha, ukuthuthukiswa kwendlela yokudla nokutholakala kabanzi kwamanzi ahlanzekile . . . Abantu kuyo yonke indawo babenomuzwa wokuthi leyo ntuthuko yayiyoqhubeka njalo.”
Kodwa . . . ”iMpi Yezwe I yayicekela phansi indlela yabantu yokuphilisana nempucuko eyayisikhona ngaphezu kweMpi Yezwe II eyabulala abantu abaningi: [iMpi Yezwe I] yabulala umbono abantu ababenawo. Angikwazi ukuyikhohlwa iminyaka yangaphambi kweMpi Yezwe I, lapho ikusasa lesintu lalibonakala likhanya bha ngokungenamkhawulo. Namuhla, umbono wethu uhluke kakhulu kowawukhona ekhulwini leminyaka elidlule, kodwa mhlawumbe uhambisana nokuphila kwanamuhla. Ingabe inkathi esiphila kuyo yokuhlala ngokwesaba, ukufudumala kwembulunga, nendlela abantu asebeqale phansi ngayo ukulwela amalungelo abo kuzocekela phansi inqubekela-phambili ekhona emhlabeni njengoba iMpi Yezwe I yenza kweyangenkathi edlule? Akekho ongawuphendula ngokuqiniseka lo mbuzo.”
UGreenspan ukhumbula amazwi uProfesa WeSayensi Yezomnotho uBenjamin M. Anderson (wango-1886 kuya ku-1949) awasho ngesikhathi esafunda: “Abantu abadala abakhumbula futhi abaliqonda kahle izwe langaphambi kweMpi Yezwe I bafikelwa usizi lapho becabanga ngalo. Abantu babezizwa belondekile, futhi lowo muzwa waphela ngaleso sikhathi.”—Economics and the Public Welfare.
Umqulu othi A World Undone, kaG. J. Meyer, owanyatheliswa ngo-2006, nawo ufika esiphethweni esifanayo. Nakhu okushiwo kulowo mqulu: “Kuvame ukuba kuthiwe izenzakalo eziyingqopha-mlando ziye ‘zashintsha yonke into.’ IMpi Enkulu [yango-1914 kuya ku-1918] yakwenza ngempela lokhu. Ngempela, le mpi yashintsha yonke into: hhayi nje imingcele yamazwe, hhayi nje ohulumeni nekusasa lezizwe, kodwa nendlela abantu abaye bawubheka ngayo umhlaba nendlela abaye bazibheka ngayo bona ngokwabo. Yavula igebe elingasoze lavaleka, elenza ukuba kungabikho nhlobo ukuxhumana phakathi kwezwe langemva kwayo nelangaphambi kwayo.”
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
UJehova uyothumela amabutho akhe ayizingelosi empini ye-Armagedoni