“Impi Ayisiyo Eyenu, NgekaNkulunkulu”
“Kholwani nguJehova . . . niyakuphumelela.”—2 IZIKRONIKE 20:20.
1. Kungaziphi izindlela uJehoshafati afanekisela ngazo uJesu obusayo?
UJEHOSHAFATI wakwaJuda wayeyiNkosi elungile. “Akaphambukanga . . . ekwenza okulungile emehlweni kaJehova.” (2 IziKronike 20:32) Igama lakhe lisho ukuthi “UJehova Ungumahluleli.” Waliphakamisa igama likaJehova, ebheka kuye ngokuqondiswa endleleni yokulunga nangosizo ekwahluleleni abantu baKhe. Waqaphela ukuthi laba babefundiswa ngomthetho kaJehova. Yena ngokwakhe waya phakathi kwabantu baseJudiya ukuze abakhuthaze ukuba babuyele ekukhulekelweni kukaJehova kweqiniso. Wahlela umbuso ngenxa yokukhulekela okungokwasezulwini. Kukho konke lokhu, uyifanekisela kahle iNkosi, uJesu Kristu, eyayisanda kubekwa esihlalweni sayo sasezulwini ngo-1914 futhi manje eqoqa abantu bakaJehova ukuze basindiswe, kanti amabutho amademoni aqoqela izizwe empini yokugcina yeArmagedoni.—Mathewu 25:31-34; IsAmbulo 16:13, 14, 16.
2. (a) Iyiphi inhlekelele enkulu eyavukela abaseJudiya? (b) Yisiphi isimo esifanayo oFakazi BakaJehova ababhekene naso namuhla? (c) Yiziphi izingxenye zezwe likaSathane ezifana noAmoni, uMowabi neNtaba yaseSeyiri?
2 Ngemva kokuba uJehoshafati enakekele ukuvuselelwa kohlelo elingokwasezulwini kwaJuda, kwaphakama inhlekelele enkulu. Isitha esinamandla, “isixuku esikhulu,” saqhamuka kwa-Amoni, kwaMowabi nase-zintabeni zaseSeyiri, sisongela ukubhubhisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu. (2 IziKronike 20:1, 2, 22) Isimo namuhla singesifanayo. OFakazi BakaJehova, njengoba ‘bengesiyo ingxenye yezwe,’ izwe likaSathane liyobazonda futhi ngokuvamile bashushiswa ngonya yizitha zikaNkulunkulu. (Johane 15:19; 1 Johane 5:19) Ukubuswa kwezwe labantu bakaJehova—lakwaJuda (elisho “ukudumisa”)—kwakuyimpikiswano ngesikhathi sikaJehoshafati. Kodwa manje, ngemva kwesibonelo sika-Amoni noMowabi bakudala, imibuso yanamuhla yezombangazwe kanye namabhizinisi amakhulu (kuhlanganise nabathengisi bezikhali ‘zosuku lwembubhiso’) balwela ukubusa umhlaba. Ngokwenza kanjalo, bahlasela nendawo leyo ngokufanelekile, kusukela ngo-1914, engeyoMbuso kaNkulunkulu wobuMesiya. (IsAmbulo 11:15, 18) Intaba yaseSeyiri yasendulo yaba umbuso we-Edomi eliyisihlubuki, abantwana bewele likaJakobe uEsawu. Khona-ke, ngokufanelekile abantu baseNtabeni yaseSeyiri bafanekisela izihlubuki eziqhoshayo zeLobukholwa lanamuhla.—Genesise 32:3.
3. Isenzo sikaJehoshafati nabaseJudiya sifana kanjani naleso soFakazi abathembekile namuhla?
3 Manje lapho isongelwa yilesosixuku esihlaselayo. yini iNkosi uJehoshafati eyayingayenza? Nokho, yini izinceku ezithembekile zikaJehova njalo eziyenzayo lapho zibhekene nezikhathi ezinzima, ukushushiswa noma ukubekwa engozini kokuphila? UJehoshafati “wabhekisa ubuso bakhe ukumfuna uJehova.” Futhi bevela kuyo yonke imizi yakwaJuda abantu “bafika ukumfuna uJehova” endlini yakhe yokukhulekela kweqiniso.—2 IziKronike 20:3-5.
4. (a) Yiziphi izimo abantu bakaJehova abangase bazilindele? (b) “Isixuku esikhulu” esandayo sibheka kuphi ukuze sisindiswe?
4 Yeka isibonelo esihle sabantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla! Lenkathi yobudlova iqhubekela emvuthwandaba wayo eHarmagedoni. Izimo ezweni likaSathane ngeke zidambe. (2 Thimothewu 3:1, 13) Ngokuvamile, khona kanye ukuphila kwabantu bakaJehova kungase kusongelwe. Siyositholaphi isivikelo? Kumelwe sitholakale ebunyeni bethu bokukhulekela. EmaHholo OMbuso ethu nakwezinye izindawo zokufunda iBhayibheli, siyahlangana ukuze sidle ukudla okungokomoya okuqinisayo futhi sihlele inkonzo yethu yasobala yokudumisa uJehova. Ngokujabulisayo “isixuku esikhulu” siyaqhubeka siza, sivela kuzo zonke izizwe, ukuba sihlanganyele nabantu bakaNkulunkulu “enkonzweni” yabo “engcwele.” Labasha bagelezela ‘entabeni yendlu kaJehova yokukhulekela.’ Kusho futhi ukusinda kwabo.—IsAmbulo 7:9, 14; Isaya 2:3.
5. ‘Igceke elisha’ likaJehoshafati lisikiselani ngokuphathelene nenhlangano kaNkulunkulu namuhla?
5 UJehoshafati wama “endlini kaJehova phambi kwegceke elisha.” Ngokusobala isimiso senkosi sokwakha kwaJuda sasihlanganisa ukwandisa indawo yokukhulekela ethempelini laseJerusalema. Ngokufanayo namuhla, ngaphansi kokuqondisa kweNkosi ebusayo manje, uJesu Kristu, kuye kwaqhubeka isimiso esikhulu sokwakha ngokomoya, ukuze egcekeni elisemhlabeni lethempeli likaJehova kube nendawo eningi yezigidi ‘zesixuku esikhulu’ sabangebona abapristi. Yeka ukuthi kujabulisa kanjani ukuba lapho!—IHubo 27:1-5.
Ukuphendukela KuJehova
6. (a) Yiziphi izinto ezahlanganiswa emthandazweni kaJehoshafati? (b) Singawathola kanjani amandla phakathi nezikhathi ezinzima?
6 Endlini kaJehova, uJehoshafati wayendlala yonke indaba phambi kukaJehova ngomthandazo. Wabuvuma ubuKhosi bukaJehova, amandla nobukhulu, futhi wabuyekeza imisebenzi kaJehova ayenzela abantu bakhe. Wabhekisela emthandazweni ojulile kaSolomoni ngesikhathi sokunikezelwa kwethempeli futhi ngokuzithoba waphetha ngokuthi: “Asazi ukuthi siyakwenze-njani, kodwa amehlo ethu akuwe.” (2 IziKronike 20:5-12; 6:12-14, 34, 35) Wake waba sesimweni esinjalo—lapho kwakubonakala ingekho indlela ongaphendukela kuyo? Ngezikhathi zabaphostoli uPawulu wayevame ukuhlangabezana nobunzima obunjalo. Kwakudingeka ancike kakhulu kuJehova. Kodwa ngaso sonke isikhathi wayengathi, “Uma ngibuthakathaka, yikhona nginamandla.” Ngenxa yokuthi lapho ezizwa ehluleka, ukwencika kwakhe okuphelele kuJehova kwaba umthombo wamandla angenakunqotshwa. Nawe futhi, ungaba namandla!—2 Korinte 12:10; IzAga 18:10.
7. Yisiphi isiyalezo sikaMose labo baseJudiya ababesilalela?
7 Cabanga, uma ungakwazi, ngesimo lapho endaweni enkulu yethempeli laseJerusalema: “Wonke uJuda wayemi phambi kukaJehova, nezingane zabo, nawomkabo, namadodana abo.” (2 IziKronike 20:13) Ngokungangabazeki bakhumbula iseluleko esiqondile sikaMose ngenjongo yemihlangano enjalo, njengoba kubhalwe kuDuteronomi 31:12. Kwakukhona kuphela indawo yokuma kulowomhlangano omkhulu njengoba leyo mikhaya yayilinde uJehova ngenhlonipho, iqaphile futhi ilindele ukwenza njengokuyala kwakhe.
Ilungiselelo LikaJehova
8. Yisho ilungiselelo likaJehova lokuxhumana (a) osukwini lukaJehoshafati? (b) osukwini lwethu.
8 INkosi uJehova yayizowuphendula kanjani umthandazo kaJehoshafati? UJehova wenza ilungiselelo lokuxhumana. Leli lalingomuntu uJahaziyeli, wesizwe sakwaLevi. Nakuba uJahaziyeli ayengesiye umpristi, uJehova wamkhetha ukuba amemezele esinye sezigijimi zesikhuthazo esishukumisa kakhulu kuwo wonke umBhalo. Into ebalulekile yayiwukuthi “kwase kufika umoya kaJehova phezu kukaJahaziyeli . . . phakathi kwebandla.” (2 IziKronike 20:14) Ingabe uJehova uye wenza ilungiselelo elifanayo phakathi kwabantu bakhe namuhla? Ngokuqinisekile, kunjalo! UJesu wakhuluma ngalo esiprofethweni sakhe “sesiphelo sesimiso sezinto” lapho ebhekisela esigabeni esigcotshiwe ‘senceku ethembekileyo neqondayo,’ leyo inkosi eyiphathisa konke “enakho” lapha emhlabeni.—Mathewu 24:3, 45-47.
9. (a) Igama likaJahaziyeli lalifaneleka kanjani? (b) Sasiyini isigijimi sikaJehova, futhi lokhu kusikhuthaza kanjani manje?
9 Igama likaJahaziyeli lisho ukuthi “uNkulunkulu Uyabona.” UNkulunkulu ngempela wayengabona kusengaphambili konke okwakuhilelekile kuleyonhlekelele. Wayengabona kusengaphambili indlela abantu bakaNkulunkulu okumelwe bayithathe. Wayengawubona umphumela wokugcina. Ngakho, isiphi isigijimi uJehova asidlulisela ngoJahaziyeli? Lalela! Kwakuyilesi: “Yizwani nina nonke-bakwaJuda, nabakhileyo eJerusalema, nawe-nkosi Jehoshafati: usho kanje kini uJehova, uthi: Ningesabi, ningapheli amandla ngenxa yalesisixuku esikhulu, ngokuba impi ayisiyo eyenu, ngekaNkulunkulu.” (2 IziKronike 20:15) Yeka ukuthi loloquqaba olunobunye lwajabula kangakanani! Futhi yeka ukuthi sijabula kangakanani namuhla ukwazi ukuthi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uSathane nabasekeli bakhe bangase basihlasele kanjani—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ukholo lwethu nobuqotho kungavivinywa kanjani—thina, njengabantu abanobunye, singathembela ngokuphelele kuJehova, siqiniseka ukuthi uyosilwela empini!—Eksodusi 15:2, 3; IHubo 24:8; 37:3-7; Zakariya 14:3.
Kudingeka Isinyathelo Sobunye!
10. (a) Labo baseJudiya kwakufanele babhekane nakuphi ukuvivinywa kobuqotho? (b) Yimuphi umsebenzi oholela esenzweni sikaJehova ‘esingavamile’?
10 Nokho, lawomaJuda ayengeke ame asonge izandla, alindele noma ikuphi ukukhululwa uNkulunkulu ayengase akulethe. Kwakumelwe abe abantu abanesenzo! Kwakumelwe alalele uJehova futhi enze izinto ngendlela yakhe ukuze asinde. Ngokungangabazeki amaningi aba nomuzwa wokuthi iziyalezo ezazivela kuJehova zazingavamile. Lezi zavivinya ubuqotho bawo. Ngendlela efanayo, ngaphambi kokuba uJehova enze ‘isenzo sakhe esimangalisayo nomsebenzi wakhe ongavamile,’ ngokubhubhisa eLobukholwa ekuqaleni ‘kosizi olukhulu,’ ufuna ukuba ofakazi bakhe bahlanganyele ngobunye emsebenzini ongabonakala ungavamile kwabaningi. Uyinkonzo yabo engcwele yokuya emakhaya abantu njalonjalo, ukuba babaxwayise ngembubhiso esondelayo.—Isaya 28:21; Mathewu 24:14, 21.
11, 12. (a) Yimuphi umyalo ongavamile owanikezwa nguJahaziyeli, kodwa abaseJudiya basabela kanjani? (b) Singakubonisa kanjani nathi ukwencika kuJehova?
11 Lokhu kufanekiselwa iziyalezo ezanikezwa uJahaziyeli kubantu bakwaJuda. Ebhekisele esixukwini sezitha, wathi: “Yehlelani kubo kusasa . . . Akusikho okwenu ukulwa kulempi; zihleleni, nime, nibone ukunisindisa kukaJehova. nina-Juda neJerusalema; ningesabi, ningapheli amandla; phumelani kubo kusasa, ngokuba uJehova unani.” (2 IziKronike 20:16, 17) Loloquqaba lwamadoda nabesifazane kanye nezingane olungahlomile lwayalwa ukuba luye emabuthweni esitha ahlangene!—Qhathanisa neHubo 148:12, 13.
12 UJehoshafati nabantu baseJudiya bakwazisa ngokujulile ukuqondisa okwanikezwa uJehova ngoJahaziyeli. “Wayesekhothama uJehoshafati, ubuso bakhe bubheké phansi; wonke uJuda nabakhileyo eJerusalema bawa phambi kukaJehova bekhuleka kuJehova.” (2 IziKronike 20:18) UJehoshafati oMkhulu, uJesu Kristu, wabonisa ukwencika okunjalo kokuzithoba kuJehova lapho esemhlabeni, futhi singaqiniseka ukuthi uyobheka kuJehova ngeziyalezo zempi lapho ‘ngakwesokunene sakhe echoboza amakhosi ngosuku lwentukuthelo yakhe.’ (IHubo 110:5, 6) Ngendlela efanayo, oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla bayajabula ukuba ‘bakhuleke’ kuNkulunkulu abathembele kuye, njengoba bemkhonza emagcekeni akhe.—IHubo 84:10-12; 122:1-4.
13. Obani namuhla abadumisa uJehova “ngezwi elikhulu kakhulu,” kube namuphi umphumela?
13 Ngokwezi-2 IziKronike 20:19, abahlali basethempelini ‘basukuma ukumdumisa uJehova uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli ngezwi elikhulu kakhulu.’ Futhi obani namuhla, ngaphansi kokuqondisa kwensali egcotshiwe, abasebenzisa ‘izwi elikhulu kakhulu’ ekudumiseni uJehova phambi kwezitha zakhe? Ngokuqinisekile ngaphambi kwabantu bakaJehova kuneqembu elanda njalo lezikhonzi ezingamaphayona. Amaphayona asizayo navamile, amaphayona akhethekile kanye nezithunywa zevangeli—labo abaholayo ekudumiseni uJehova ensimini—bajabulela ukwanda kwamaphesenti ayi-19 phakathi no-1983. ‘Ukuhlabelela’ kwabo kwanikela kakhulu engqikithini eshaqisayo yamahora ayizi-436 720 991—ukwanda kwamaphesenti ayi-13,5—anikelwa enkonzweni yobuKristu ngo-1983.
14. Belandela isibonelo sabaseJudiya, abaningi manje balubonakalisa kanjani ukholo ngemisebenzi?
14 Emuva eJerusalema kwakungesona isikhathi sokozela. Ngokulalela, abantu “bavuka ekuseni, baphuma baya ehlane laseThekowa.” (2 IziKronike 20:20) Babeshisekela ukubonakalisa ukholo lwabo lwemisebenzi. (Qhathanisa noJakobe 2:14.) Ngokufanayo, izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu namuhla ngokuvamile kudingeka ziwuqale ekuseni umsebenzi. Amaphayona angomama bamakhaya nabanye kudingeka bavuke ekuseni kakhulu ukuba banakekele imisebenzi yasekhaya ukuze bakwazi ukunikela sonke isikhathi sasekuseni enkonzweni kaJehova. Kunabantu ngaphandle ezweni likaSathane “ababubula bekhala,” futhi okumelwe baphawulelwe ukusinda “osizini olukhulu.” OFakazi BakaJehova bazimisele ukubathola.—Qhathanisa noHezekeli 9:4.
Phambili Empini!
15. (a) AbaseJudiya kwakufanele babe nokholo kubani? (b) ‘Singaphumelela’ kanjani namuhla?
15 Umbhalo okwezesi-2 IziKronike 20:20 uyaqhubeka: “Ekuphumeni kwabo uJehoshafati wema, wathi: Ngizweni, Juda nani-bakhileyo eJerusalema! Kholwani nguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, niyakuqiniswa; kholwani ngabaprofethi bakhe, niyakuphumelela.” Ngokufanayo, inhloko yebandla lobuKristu, manje eyiNkosi yethu ebusayo, iye yanikeza abantu bayo isikhuthazo esikhulu sokwethembeka. Sisithola ezingxenyeni ezifana nezilandelayo: Mathewu 10:27, 28; 24:9-13; Johane 16:33. Ukholo kuJehova, ukholo kulabo abasebenzisa njengabakhulumeli bakhe, yebo, ukholo enhlanganweni yakhe! Njengoba ‘siphuma’ siya enkonzweni kaJehova namuhla, yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukuba nokholo olunjalo! Lena indlela eya empumelelweni eqinisekile—okumelwe ifinyelelwa yibo bonke oFakazi abazinikezele, babhapathizwa, ababonakalisa ukholo kuJehova nasemalungiselelweni akhe. Lawa ahlanganisa ilungiselelo lakhe elimangalisayo lokuphila okuphakade, elenziwa laba nokwenzeka ngesihlengo seNdodana yakhe.—Johane 3:16; 17:3.
16. (a) Yibaphi “abahlabeleli” ngokuvamile abaholayo enkonzweni? (b) Bamdumisa kanjani bonke uJehova “behlotshisiwe ngobungcwele”?
16 Ngokungaphezulu, uJehoshafati “eselulekene nabantu wamisa abayakuhlabelela kuJehova ukuba bamdumise behlotshisiwe ngobungcwele, besaphuma ngaphambi kwempi, bathi: Bongani uJehova, ngokuba umusa wakhe umi phakade.” (2 IziKronike 20:21) Lapha, abahlabeleli basethempelini bahola ekuyeni empini. Ngokufanayo, ngaphansi kokuqondisa kwensali egcotshiwe kunamaphayona nezithunywa zevangeli, ababonisi abajikelezayo nomkabo, kanye nalabo abakhonza emakhaya aseBethel, kanye nabadala bamabandla nezinceku ezikhonzayo, labo ngokuvamile abaholayo ekwenzeni inkonzo engcwele, beshukumisela bonke abahlanganyela namabandla emsebenzini. Bonke laba badumisa uJehova “behlotshisiwe ngobungcwele,” behamba ngohlelo olungokwasezulwini. Ukuhloba kwabo okungokomoya kuhlanganisa futhi ‘ubuntu obusha bobuKristu, obubonakala ngokulunga, nangobungcwele beqiniso.’ (Efesu 4:24; Galathiya 5:22, 23) Yeka ilungelo okuyilo namuhla ukuba yingxenye yalenhlangano yembulunga yonke, ephakamisa igama likaJehova nokulunga kwakhe kothando!—IHubo 144:1, 2; 136:1-26.
17. (a) Kungani abantu bakaNkulunkulu ‘kwakungesikho okwabo ukulwa’? (b) Yimuphi “umqondo” kaJehova osho imbubhiso ngenkolo yamanga?
17 UJehova wayetshele abantu bakhe: “Akusikho okwenu ukulwa kulempi.” Ngakho kwaba njalo. “Lapho sebeqala ukuhalalisa nokudumisa,” uJehova wabeka abaqamekeli bezixuku, ezazihlasela, kwathi “abantwana bakwa-Amoni nabakwa Mowabi bamelana nabakhileyo entabeni yaseSeyiri ukuba babachithe, babaqothule.” (2 IziKronike 20:17, 22, 23) Yeka ukuthi lokhu kukufanekisa ngokucace kanjani lokho osekuzokwenzeka kulelizwe likaSathane! Njengoba isAmbulo 17:16, 17 sibonisa, uJehova ‘unomqondo’ ngeBabiloni Elikhulu, eLobukholwa liyingxenye yalo esoleka kakhulu. Uyobangela izizwe ezihlomile ezingamalungu eUN ukuba zibe ‘nomqondo’ ofanayo, ngokuphendukela inkolo yamanga, ukuba ziyenze incithakalo futhi ziyibhubhise. Isimiso esikhulu sokuhlubuka seLobukholwa, njengabantu bakwaEdomi baseNtabeni yaseSeyiri, siyochotshozwa!
18. UAmoni noMowabi banamuhla bayochithwa kanjani eHarmagedoni?
18 Nokho, akukhona lokho kuphela! UAmoni noMowabi wanamuhla basekhona! (Qhathanisa isAmbulo 18:9, 10, 15-17. ) Basazimisele ukubhubhisa abadumisi bakaJehova, abantu baseJudiya banamuhla. Kodwa yisikhathi sikaJehova sokukhipha isahlulelo. Njengoba isAmbulo 19:11-16 sikuchaza, iNkosi, uJesu Kristu, iyoqhubekela phambili ukuba ‘inyathele izikhamo zewayini lentukuthelo yolaka lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke,’ ibhubhise izingxenye ezisele zesimiso sezwe likaSathane. Emvuthwandaba waleyompi enkulu, izinsalela ezivuke umbhejazane zezizwe zezombangazwe nabasekeli bazo abahlomile ngokungangabazeki ziyohlaselana ngezikhali zazo zokubhubhisa. Kwakunjalo ngoAmoni noMowabi, lapho “basiza, kwaba-yilowo nalowo, ngokubulalana bodwa.” Kodwa ngeke uJehova abavumele ukuba basebenzise izikhali zabo zenyukliya kuze kube sezingeni lokubhubhisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu noma umsebenzi wezandla zakhe, umhlaba wethu.—IsAmbulo 11:18; Isaya 45:12, 18; IHubo 115:16.
19. (a) Khona-ke abaseJudiya banamuhla bayosabela kanjani lapho behlola inkundla yempi? (b) Yini efanekiswa ‘ukubuthana esiGodini saseBarakha’?
19 “UJuda esefiké embonisweni wasehlane, babheka isixuku; bheka, babeyizidumbu nje eziwele phansi, akusindanga noyedwa.” Lapho “abaseJudiya” banamuhla, kanye nabakhulekeli abangabangane babo behlola imiphumela yempi yeHarmagedoni, bayodumisa uJehova ngenxa yalokho kunqoba okukhulu. Ngeke kudingeke ukuba bathathe impango engokoqobo, kodwa bayokujabulela ukubuthana “esiGodini saseBerakha” esingokomfanekiso—elithi Berakha lisho “isibusiso.” Ngenjabulo, “isixuku esikhulu” esingebona abapristi siyongena emhlabeni ohlanziwe, ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso, ngokulangazelela okukhulu ilungelo laso elizayo—lokwenza umhlaba ube ipharadesi eliyinsimu. Iminyaka eyinkulungwane indawo yobukhosi kaJehoshafati oMkhulu, uJesu Kristu, ngeke iphazamiseke, futhi uNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova, ngokuqhubekayo uyonikeza ukuphumula nxazonke.—2 IziKronike 20:24-30.
Ukubukeza Ezesi-2 IziKronike 20
◻ Obani namuhla abafana noquqaba lwaka-Amoni, uMowabi nolwasentabeni iSeyiri?
◻ Obani abafanekiselwa uJehoshafati, uJahaziyeli nabaseJudiya?
◻ AbaseJudiya banamuhla baye basabela kahle kanjani?
◻ Yini esinikeza isibindi ngomphumela ‘wosizi olukhulu’?
[Izithombe ekhasini 28, 29]
NjengoJehoshafati, inkosi ebusayo manje isiza abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba ‘baphumelele’ ekudumiseni uJehova