‘Kwakuyisikhathi Sini?’
‘YISIKHATHI sini?’ Usuwubuze kangaki lowombuzo? Enkathini yethu yanamuhla esheshayo, njalo sihlala sisiqaphele isikhathi. Eminingi yemisebenzi yethu yansuku zonke—ukuvuka ekuseni, ukuya emsebenzini, ukudla, ukuhlangana nabangane, njalo njalo—ibuswa yisikhathi ngokuqinile. Futhi sithembela ezintweni eziningi—amawashi amakhulu, awesandla, izinsimbi ezibika isikhathi, imisakazo—ukuba zisitshele ukuthi yisikhathi sini.
Kuthiwani ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli lapho abantu babengenazo khona izinto ezibonisa isikhathi ezinjengezethu? Babesibala kanjani isikhathi? Ingabe umlando weBhayibheli unikeza izimpawu ezithile ngokuqondene nalokhu? Ukwazi isikhathi sosuku okwenzeka ngaso isenzakalo esithile saseBhayibhelini kungase kukunikeze ukuqonda okusha ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi kwenezele injabulo ekutadisheni kwakho iBhayibheli.
Izinkomba Zesikhathi Ezinikezwe NguNkulunkulu
Ezinsukwini zakuqala kwakuvame ukuba isikhathi sesenzakalo siphawulwe ngokubheka ilanga noma inyanga, “izinkanyiso ezimbili ezinkulu” uMdali ayezibeke emazulwini ukuba ‘zahlukanise imini nobusuku.’ (Genesise 1:14-16) Ngokwesibonelo, ‘kwakusantwela’ lapho izingelosi ezimbili zinxusa uLoti nomkhaya wakhe ukuba babaleke emzini obhujiswayo waseSodoma. (Genesise 19:15, 16) Futhi ‘kwakukusihlwa’ lapho inceku ka-Abrahama ethembekile ifika emthonjeni lapho eyahlangana khona noRebeka.—Genesise 24:11, 15.
Ngezinye izikhathi, kunikezwa izimpawu zesikhathi ezinembe ngokwengeziwe. Ngokwesibonelo, uAbimeleki, indodana enobudlova yoMahluleli uGideyoni, watshelwa ukuba ahlasele umuzi waseShekemi “ekuseni lisaphuma ilanga.” (AbAhluleli 9:33) Ngokusobala kwakunesizathu sokuhlakanipha esabangela lokhu. Ukuhlaba kwelanga eliphumayo ngemva kwamabutho ka-Abimeleki kumelwe ukuba kwakwenza kwaba nzima kakhulu ukuba abavikeli beShekemi bakwazi ukubona umehluko phakathi kwamabutho ahlaselayo ‘namathunzi ezintaba.’—AbAhluleli 9:36-41.
Amazwi Ayizisho Esikhathi
AmaHeberu ayesebenzisa amazwi ahlukahlukene nathakazelisayo ukuze abonise isikhathi. Awasembuleli nje umuzwa waleyondawo ezungezile namasiko kuphela kodwa futhi embula okuthile ngezimo zesenzakalo.
Ngokwesibonelo, uGenesise 3:8 usitshela ukuthi ‘kwakungokuphola kwelanga’ lapho uJehova ekhuluma noAdamu noEva ngosuku abona ngalo. Lokhu kuqondwa ngokuthi kucishe kube sekushoneni kwelanga lapho sekuqala ukuba nomoya opholile, uletha impumuzo ekushiseni kwasemini. Ngokuvamile, njengoba usuku lusondela ekupheleni kwalo, kuba isikhathi sokuphumula. Nokho, uJehova akazange avumele lendaba engathi sína yokwahlulela iyekelwe usuku olulandelayo lapho kwakusenesikhathi sokuyisingatha.
Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uGenesise 18:1, 2 ubonisa ukuthi izingelosi zikaJehova zafika etendeni lika-Abrahama eMamre “ngesikhathi sokushisa kwemini.” Cabanga ngelanga lasemini elikhipha umkhovu etsheni emagqumeni akwaJuda. Ukushisa kwakungacindezela. Kwakuyisikhathi okwakuvame ukudliwa futhi kuphunyulwe ngaso. (Bheka uGenesise 43:16, 25; 2 Samuweli 4:5.) Ngakho, uAbrahama ‘wayehlezi emnyango wetende,’ lapho kungenzeka ukuthi kwakunomoya omncane ophephethayo, mhlawumbe esaphumule ngemva kokuba esedlile. Singawuqonda nangokwengeziwe umoya walendoda esikhulile wokungenisa izihambi lapho sifunda ukuthi ‘wagijima ukuyohlangabeza’ lezivakashi ‘wayesephuthuma etendeni’ eyotshela uSara ukuba alungise isinkwa, okwathi ngemva kwalokho “wagijima, waya ezinkomeni” futhi “washesha ukulilungisa.” Konke lokhu ekwenza ilanga lishisa!—Genesise 18:2-8, qhathanisa neNW.
Amahora Asebusuku AmaHeberu
AmaHeberu ngokusobala ayehlukanisa ubusuku bube yizikhathi ezintathu, ezithiwa ‘imilindo.’ Isikhathi ngasinye sasihlanganisa ingxenye yesithathu yesikhathi esiqala phakathi kokushona nokuphuma kwelanga, noma amahora acishe abe mane, kuxhomeke enkathini yonyaka. (IHubo 63:6) ‘Kwakusekuqaleni komlindo ophakathi [nobusuku, NW],’ owawusuka cishe ehoreni leshumi ebusuku kuya cishe kwelesibili ekuseni, lapho uGideyoni ehlasela ikamu labakwaMidiyani. Ukuhlasela ngalesikhathi ngokusobala kwabazuma ngokuphelele abalindi. Ngokuqinisekile, uGideyoni oqaphile asikho esinye isikhathi esingcono sokufeza amasu ayengasikhetha ukuze ahlasele!—AbAhluleli 7:19.
Ngesikhathi sokuFuduka, uJehova “wamukisa amanzi ngomoya onamandla wasempumalanga ubusuku bonke,” evumela amaIsrayeli ukuba awele emhlabathini owomile. Lapho abaseGibithe sebezobafica, kakade ‘kwase kuwumlindo wokusa,’ futhi uJehova wadunga impi yabaseGibithe, ekugcineni wayibhubhisa ngokubuyisela amanzi ‘endaweni yawo ngokufika kokusa.’ (Eksodusi 14:21-27) Ngakho kwathatha cishe ubusuku bonke ukuba ulwandle luhlukane futhi amaIsrayeli awele phakathi kwalo.
Ekhulwini Lokuqala Leminyaka
Ngekhulu lokuqala leminyaka, amaJuda ayesamukele isimiso sokubala imini ngokuthi ithatha amahora angu-12. Kungenxa yalokhu komunye wemifanekiso yakhe, uJesu athi: “Awakho yini amahora ayishumi nambili emini na?” (Johane 11:9) Lawa ayebalwa kusuka ekuphumeni kwelanga kuya ekushoneni kwalo, noma cishe kusuka ngehora lesithupha ekuseni kuya kwelesithupha ebusuku. Ngakho, “ihora lesithathu” laliyoba cishe ngehora lesishiyagalolunye ekuseni. Kwakungalesikhathi ngosuku lwePentekoste umoya ongcwele owathululwa ngaso. Lapho abantu bebeka abafundi icala lokuthi “bagcwele iwayini elimnandi,” uPetru ngokushesha wavimba lokho kubekwa icala kwangabe kusaqhubeka. Ngokuqinisekile akekho umuntu owayeyobe esedakiwe ngalelohora lasekuseni!—IzEnzo 2:13, 15.
Ngokufanayo, inkulumo kaJesu ethi “ukudla kwami kungukwenza intando yongithumileyo” isho okukhulu ngokwengeziwe lapho sicabangela isikhathi esihilelekile. “Kwakungaba-yihora lesithupha,” ngokukaJohane 4:6, noma cishe emini bebade. Ngemva kokuhamba ezweni elinamagquma laseSamariya sonke isikhathi sasekuseni, uJesu nabafundi bakhe babelambile futhi bomile. Kungenxa yalesosizathu abafundi bamncenga ukuba adle lapho bebuya nokudla. Babengazi lutho ngamandla nokondliwa uJesu ayekuthola ngokwenza umsebenzi kaJehova. Inkulumo kaJesu ngokungangabazeki yayingaphezu nje kokuba ucezu oluthile lwenkulumo. Wayesekelwa ngokoqobo ngukwenza umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu ngisho nakuba ayegcine ukudla emahoreni amaningi ngaphambili.—Johane 4:31-34.
Njengoba ukuphuma nokushona kwelanga kwakuhlukahluka kuye ngokuvumelana nesikhathi sonyaka, ngokuvamile kwakunikezwa isikhathi esicishe siyele kwesesenzakalo. Ngakho, ngokuvamile sifunda ngezenzakalo ezenzeka ngehora lesithathu, lesithupha, noma lesishiyagalolunye—ngokuvamile okusho ukuthi cishe kube ngalezozikhathi. (Mathewu 20:3, 5; 27:45, 46; Marku 15:25, 33, 34; Luka 23:44; Johane 19:14; IzEnzo 10:3, 9, 30) Nokho, lapho isici sesikhathi sasidingeka endabeni, kwakunikezwa izinkulumo ezicace ngokwengeziwe zesikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho ziphendula indoda eyayilangazelela ukwazi ukuthi ngempela indodana yayo yayibe ngcono ngamandla kaJesu, izinceku zathi: “Umkhuhlane umyekile izolo ngehora lesikhombisa [cishe ngehora lokuqala ntambama].”—Johane 4:49-54.
Ukuhlukaniswa Kobusuku
Ngesikhathi sokubusa kwamaRoma, amaJuda abonakala eye amukela ukuhlukaniswa kobusuku kwamaRoma namaGreki okuba imilindo emine esikhundleni semithathu ayeyisebenzisa ngaphambili. KuMarku 13:35, uJesu ngokusobala wabhekisela ekuhlukanisweni okune. Umlindo ‘wokuhlwa’ wawuqala ekushoneni kwelanga kuze kube cishe ngehora lesishiyagalolunye ebusuku. Umlindo wesibili, umlindo ‘waphakathi nobusuku,’ wawuqala cishe ngehora lesishiyagalolunye ezimpondweni futhi uphele phakathi kwamabili. ‘Owokukhala kwezinkukhu’ wawuhlanganisa isikhathi esiphakathi kwamabili kuze kube cishe ihora lesithathu ezimpondweni. Futhi umlindo wokugcina, “ekuseni,” wawuphela entathakusa, noma cishe ngehora lesithupha ezimpondweni.
Umlindo ‘wokukhala kwezinkukhu’ ungothakazelisa ngokukhethekile ngenxa yamazwi kaJesu awasho kuPetru kuMarku 14:30: “Lingakakhali kabili iqhude, uzakungiphika kathathu.” Lapho abanye abakhulumeli begomela ngokuthi igama elithi “kabili” libhekisela ezikhathini ezithile ngokuqondile—phakathi kwamabili nasentathakusa, ngokulandelana kwazo—iDictionary of Christ and the Gospels, eyahlelwa uJames Hastings, ibonisa ukuthi “eqinisweni amaqhude ayakhala phakathi nobusuku, eMpumalanga njengakwezinye izindawo, ngezikhathi ezihlukahlukene kusuka phakathi kwamabili kuqhubeke.” Ngokusobala, uJesu wayengabhekiseli esikhathini esithile ngokuqondile uPetru ayeyomphika ngaso. Kunalokho, wayenikeza isibonakaliso esasizokwenza uPetru akhumbule amazwi akhe, agcwaliseka ngokunembile ngabo kanye lobo busuku.—Marku 14:72.
‘Kwakungomlindo wesine wobusuku’—phakathi nehora lesithathu nelesithupha ekuseni—lapho uJesu, ehamba phezu kwamanzi oLwandle LwaseGalile, eza kubafundi bakhe, ababesemkhunjini “amastadiyu amaningi ukusuka emhlabathini.” Mhlawumbe, kulula ukuqonda ukuthi kungani abafundi “bashaywa luvalo, bethi yisithunzi; bakhala ngokwesaba.” (Mathewu 14:23-26) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, lokhu kubonisa ukuthi kumelwe ukuba uJesu wayethathe isikhathi eside ethandaza eyedwa entabeni. Njengoba lokhu kwenzeka ngokushesha ngemva kokuba uJohane uMbhapathizi eye wanqunywa ikhanda nguHerode Antipase futhi sekuzoba iPhasika, elaphawula ukuqala konyaka wokugcina wenkonzo kaJesu yasemhlabeni, uJesu ngokuqinisekile wayenokuningi okwakumelwe azindle ngakho emthandazweni wakhe siqu oya kuYise.
Imilindo emine yayisetshenziswa kanye nokubala ngokuthi ubusuku buthatha amahora angu-12. Ukuze iphelezele uPawulu ukuba aye eKesariya ephephile, induna yempi uKlawudiyu Lisiya yatshela izinduna zayo ukuba zilungise ibutho lamasosha angu-470 “ngehora lesithathu lasebusuku.” (IzEnzo 23:23, 24) Kanjalo uPawulu wakhishwa ngokuphepha eJerusalema efihlwe ubusuku.
Yazi Isikhathi Sosuku
Ukufunda nokuzindla ngokulandisa okuphathelene nezinto ezenzeka phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu basendulo kuwumthombo wenjabulo namandla angokomoya. Uma ungahlanganisa isici sesikhathi ekucabangeleni kwakho lokhu kulandisa, ngokuqinisekile kuyokwandisa injabulo yakho yokutadisha iBhayibheli. Kungani kunjalo? Ngoba ngalendlela ungalazi kahle iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Izincwadi ezinjengethi Insight on the Scriptures ne New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures With References ziwusizo olubalulekile kulokhu (zombili ezakhishwa yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.). Zizokusiza ukuba uthole impendulo lapho uzibuza: ‘Kwakuyisikhathi sini?’