Ukuletha Ukukhanya Phakathi Kobumnyama
“Bheka, ubumnyama buyasibekela umhlaba, nesigayegaye abantu; kepha uJehova uyaphuma phezu kwakho, nenkazimulo yakhe iyakubonakala phezu kwakho.”—ISAYA 60:2.
1. Iyiphi impendulo eqondile enganikezwa kulemibuzo ephakanyiswe lapha?
NGEMPELA siphila ezinsukwini ezikhazimulayo! ‘Izinsuku ezikhazimulayo?’ othile angabuza. ‘Ungakusho kanjani lokho, lapho umhlaba wonke uxakekile ngenxa yoqhekeko lwezombangazwe, ezomnotho, nezenkolo, phakathi nobumnyama benkathi yenyukliye obugubuzele izizwe?’ Kodwa lezi izinsuku ezikhazimulayo—ngenxa yezindaba ezinhle manje ezimenyezelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba, ezikhanyisela isintu esilambele iqiniso ngokuphathelene nencazelo yezikhathi zethu kanye nethemba elijabulisayo lezinsuku ezikhazimula ngisho nangokungaphezulu esingase siphilele ukuzibona!
2. (a) Yimaphi amazwi ayisikhuthazo uJehova awanikeza kuIsaya izahluko 45 no-60? (b) Ngubani “owesifazane” kaNkulunkulu?
2 Awukho omunye uMthombo wethemba lethu elimangalisayo ngaphandle koMbusi eyiNkosi uJehova, uMdali ophakeme wezulu nomhlaba. (Isaya 45:12, 18) Nguye onikeza umyalo olotshwe kuIsaya isahluko 60, ivesi 1: “Vuka [wena wesifazane, NW], ukhanye, ngokuba ukukhanya kwakho kuyeza; inkazimulo kaJehova iphumela phezu kwakho.” Ngubani lona “owesifazane”? Akasona ‘iSithombe Senkululeko esingaphili; engesiye futhi ngisho nanoma imuphi owesifazane ongokwenyama osemkhankasweni wenkululeko yabesifazane. Kunalokho, uyinhlangano engokwasezulwini kaJehova uNkulunkulu enamandla, eqhubekela phambili, umsizi wakhe ozinikezele owakhiwe izigidi zezigidi zezingelosi ezithembekile futhi manje ezihlanganisa “abangcwele” abavusiwe—labo abaye bazibonakalisa bethembekile kwaze kwaba sekufeni bengamaKristu agcotshiwe lapha emhlabeni.—IsAmbulo 11:18; 2:10.
3. Owesifazane kaNkulunkulu (a) ‘wavuka’ kanjani, (b) futhi ‘wakhanya’ kanjani?
3 “Vuka, [wena wesifazane],” kuyala uJehova. Ngokulalela, inhlangano kaNkulunkulu engokwasezulwini iye yavuka esimweni samakhulu eminyaka sobunyumba, nesokungasebenzi, yaba sesimweni sokukhiqiza. Ngo-1914 yazala uMbuso wobuMesiya. (IsAmbulo 12:1-5) Kusukela ngo-1919 iye yaletha abasele bamadodana ayo agcotshiwe emhlabeni “ezweni,” noma esimweni, sokuchuma okungokomoya okukhazimulayo. (Isaya 66:8) Ngokungaphezulu, inhlangano kaNkulunkulu engokwasezulwini iye ‘yakhanyisa’ iziprofetho ezimangalisayo zoMbuso. Amadodana ayo amaningi ‘angabafundi bakaJehova.’—Isaya 54:1, 13.
Ukukhanya Phakathi Kobumnyama Obukhulu
4. UJehova ukhuluma ngamuphi umehluko phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu nezizwe zomhlaba?
4 “Ukukhanya kwakho [kufikile],” kusho uJehova. Ngempela, ‘inkazimulo kaJehova iyabonakala’ phezu kwenhlangano yakhe engokwasezulwini, futhi lokhu kuye kwabonakaliswa ngendlela emangalisayo ngabantu bakaJehova ababuyiselwe emhlabeni. Nokho, ngokulandelayo uJehova ubonisa umehluko, ethi: “Ngokuba bheka, ubumnyama buyakusibekela umhlaba, nesigayegaye abantu.” (Isaya 60:2, NW) Ingabe lokhu akuchazi kahle izimo zembulunga yonke kusukela ngo-1914?
5. Kungani inkolo yamanga ingeke ithole ikhambi ezinkingeni zenkathi yenyukliye?
5 Ikakhulukazi eLobukholwa liye lasenqaba ‘isibonakaliso sokuba khona kukaJesu nesiphelo salesisimiso sezinto’ esingokwesiprofetho. Ngakho-ke, likhubeka ebumnyameni obukhulayo obungokomoya. Izinkolo zeLobukholwa ziye zazibonakalisa ziyingxenye yombuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, iBabiloni Elikhulu—elidediselwe kude kakhulu nokukhanya kweqiniso. (Mathewu 24:3-14; IsAmbulo 17:3-6) Inkolo yezwe ayizange inikeze khambi ngezinkinga zalenkathi yenyukliye, ngeke futhi isuse ubumnyama obukhulu, ukungabi nathemba okukhathazayo okubambe isintu. Ukuhileleka kwenkolo yamanga ezindabeni zezombangazwe ekugcineni kuyoholela ekubhujisweni kwayo.—IsAmbulo 17:16, 17.
6, 7. (a) Inkazimulo kaJehova iye ‘yakhanya’ kanjani phakathi neminyaka yawo-1919-31? (b) Yimuphi umvuthwandaba lokhu okwawufinyelela ngo-1931?
6 Ngokuphambene, uJehova uqhubeka athi ngenhlangano yakhe engokwasezulwini: “Kepha uJehova uyaphuma phezu kwakho, nenkazimulo yakhe iyakubonakala phezu kwakho.” (Isaya 60:2) Lenkazimulo ibonakala kumaKristu agcotshiwe lapha emhlabeni, ukuze nawo enze ‘ukukhanya kwawo kukhanye phambi kwabantu.’ (Mathewu 5:16) Iminyaka yawo-1919 kuya ku-1931 kwakuyiminyaka ekhazimulayo yokubonakala kokukhanya koMbuso, abantu bakaNkulunkulu belahla ngokuphelele amaketango asasele ezimfundiso, ukucabanga, namasiko obuBabiloni. Phakathi naleyominyaka, insali encane yamaKristu eqiniso yaqala ukunikeza impendulo eqondile embuzweni othi, “NGUBANI OYODUMISA UJEHOVA?”—lona wawuyisihloko esifundwayo sikamagazini kaJanuary 1, 1926, iThe Watch Tower.
7 Khona-ke ngo-1931, inkazimulo kaJehova yabonakala ngokugcwele phezu ‘kwezinceku’ zakhe, njengoba zamukela igama lelo yena ngokwakhe azinikeza lona—OFAKAZI BAKAJEHOVA. (Isaya 43:10, 12) Phakathi neminyaka eyi-12 yokukhiqiza negcwaliswe imisebenzi kuze kube u-1931, abamemezeli boMbuso banda kusukela edlanzaneni kuya emashumini ezinkulungwane ofakazi abashisekayo.
‘Ukukhanya’ Okuqhubekayo
8, 9. (a) Ngo-1931, yiliphi elinye iqembu iWatch Tower eyagxila kulo? (b) NgokwemiBhalo, laba ‘babekwa kanjani uphawu’?
8 Nokho, ingabe uJehova ‘wayeyokhanyisela’ abagcotshiwe ‘bomhlambi omncane’ kuphela? (Luka 12:32) Akunjalo, ngoba iminyaka yawo-1931 kuya ku-1938 yabonakala iyinkathi enhle yokukhanya okuqhubekayo, njengoba INqabayokulinda yaqala ukugxila ngokukhanyayo kwelinye iqembu. Isihloko esifundwayo kumagazini wesiNgisi kaSeptember 1, 1931, sasithi “INDODA ENOPHONDO LUKAYINKI LOMLOBI,” sisekelwe kuHezekeli 9:1-11. Ngemva kokuchaza ‘umlobi’ njengensali egcotshiwe, INqabayokulinda yenza lokhu kukhulumela:
9 “Kunikezwe umyalo ‘wokubeka uphawu emabunzini abantu ababubula bekhala ngazo zonke izinengiso ezenziwa phakathi’ kweLobukholwa. . . . INkosi ikhuluma ngesigaba sabantu ‘eyosisindisa osukwini olubi isibusise emhlabeni.’ (IHubo 41:1, 2) Lesi kumelwe kube isigaba sabantu ngokuvamile esichazwa ‘njengezigidi eziphila manje ezingasoze zafa.’ Namuhla, kuvusa amadlingozi ngempela ukubona izigidi zalaba zibekwa uphawu lokusinda, njengoba zembatha ubuntu beqiniso bobuKristu, ebuhlotsheni bokuzinikezela kuJehova ngoJesu Kristu.—Genesise 22:15-18; Zefaniya 2:1-3; Efesu 4:24.
10, 11. (a) UJehu wamfanekisela kanjani uJesu? (b) Yisho “uJehonadaba” wanamuhla.
10 Ezaziphawuleka ngokukhethekile kwakuyizihloko ezifundwayo zeNqabayokulinda yesiNgisi kaJuly 1 kuya ku-August 1, 1932. Zibhekisela kumaKhosi Esibili izahluko 9 no-10, lezi zabonisa indlela inkosi uJehu eyafanekisela ngayo uMahluleli kaJehova, iNkosi uJesu Kristu, emelelwe emhlabeni insali egcotshiwe, exwayisa abanye ngosuku lokwahlulela oluzayo lukaJehova. Kodwa ngubani owafanekiselwa umngane kaJehu, uJehonadaba? INqabayokulinda yaphendula:
11 “UJehonadaba wamelela noma wafanekisela lesosigaba sabantu manje esisemhlabeni phakathi nesikhathi lapho umsebenzi kaJehu uqhubeka . . . abamelene nenhlangano kaSathane, abama ohlangothini lokulunga, futhi bayilabo iNkosi eyobalondoloza phakathi nesikhathi seArmagedoni, ibadlulise kuleyonkathazo, futhi ibanikeze ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni.” Ngokulandelayo INqabayokulinda yababonisa laba ‘njengababusiswe uBaba’ emfanekisweni kaJesu ‘wezimvu nezimbuzi.’ (Mathewu 25:31-46) Yathi: “Laba bahlanganisa isigaba ‘sezimvu’ esithanda abantu bakaNkulunkulu abagcotshiwe, ngoba bayazi ukuthi abagcotshiwe beNkosi benza umsebenzi weNkosi.”
12. Yikuphi ukwembulwa kweqiniso laphezulu okuvusa amadlingozi okwenziwa ngo-1935?
12 Lokhu kwembulwa okungokwesiprofetho kwalungiselela isisekelo senkulumo engokomlando ethi “Isixuku Esikhulu,” eyanikezwa ngoMay 31, 1935, umongameli weWatch Tower uJ. F. Rutherford, emhlanganweni woFakazi BakaJehova eWashington, D.C. Yeka ukwembulwa kweqiniso laphezulu okwakuyikho! Okwanikezwa ngalesosikhathi kwakuwubufakazi obuwujuqu obufanisa “isixuku esikhulu” sesAmbulo 7:9 “nezinye izimvu” zeNkosi zikaJohane 10:16, nesigaba sikaJehonadaba, nalabo ababekwa uphawu emabunzini ukuze basinde, nezigidi eziphilayo manje ezingasoze zafa, “nezimvu” ezihlukaniswe “nezimbuzi” futhi eziyozuza ukuphila okuphakade engxenyeni yasemhlabeni yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Konke lokhu kwahlanganiswa kuNqabayokulinda, ka-August 1, no-15, 1935.
13. Yikuphi ukusikisela okuqhubekayo okwenziwa ngo-1938?
13 Eminyakeni eyalandela, inhlangano kaNkulunkulu yaqhubeka nokunikeza ukunakekela okukhulu “esixukwini esikhulu” kanye nethemba laso elikhulu lokusindela ePharadesi elibuyiselwe emhlabeni. Ngo-September 9-11, 1938, oFakazi BakaJehova bahlangana emhlanganweni eLondon, eNgilandi, izinkulumo ezimbili eziyinhloko zinikezwa ngokuxhumana ngokuqondile ngezingcingo neminye imihlangano kuwo wonke umhlaba. Ngokusekelwe emithethweni yesikhathi esidlule eyanikezwa abantu, enye yalezi zinkulumo, eyayinesihloko esithi “Nigcwalise Umhlaba,” yasikisela ukuthi “amaJohanadaba” asinda osizini olukhulu angase, okungenani okwesikhashana, ashade futhi azale abantwana oHlelweni Olusha ngemva kweArmagedoni.—Genesise 1:28; 9:1, 7; bheka INqabayokulinda, kaOctober 15, noNovember 1, 1938.
14. UJehova wabachumisa kanjani abantu bakhe phakathi naleyominyaka?
14 Ngaleyominyaka, iNkosi uJesu Kristu yaqhubeka iqoqa futhi ithuma izisebenzi ezengeziwe. Khona-ke abamemezeli ensimini banda baba izi-50 000 ngo-1938.—Mathewu 9:37, 38.
“Amakhosi” Kanye “Nezizwe”
15, 16. “Amakhosi” ahlanganyela kanjani ekugcwalisekeni kukaIsaya 60:3-10 (a) ezikhathini zakudala, (b) nasezikhathini zanamuhla? (c) “Abafokazi” bakhonza kanjani manje “namakhosi”?
15 Lomsebenzi wokubutha uchazwe kahle kuIsaya isahluko 60, amavesi 3 kuya ku-10. Lapho uJehova ukhuluma “ngamakhosi” avela mayelana “nokukhanya” kweSiyoni futhi akhonza leyonhlangano ewumfazi. Lapho abantu bakaNkulunkulu bezikhathi zakudala bebuya ekuthunjweni kwaseBabiloni, iNkosi uDariyu umMede neNkosi uKoresi wasePheresiya bahola ekwenzeni amalungiselelo okuvuselela ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova eJerusalema. (Daniyeli 5:30, 31; 9:1; Ezra 1:1-3) Kulokhu, bafanekisela ngokufanelekile iNkosi enguMninimandla onke, uJehova, neNkosi ekanye naye, uJesu, oye waqondisa ukuvuselelwa kokukhulekela kweqiniso phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova bezikhathi zanamuhla. (IsAmbulo 11:15, 17) Ngokungaphezulu, insali egcotshiwe yabakhulekeli beqiniso—“amakhosi” esikhathi esizayo, “izindlalifa kanye noKristu”—ibilokhu ihola emsebenzini wokufakaza wosuku lwanamuhla. Abakhonza kanye nayo “abafokazi”—labo abangesiye uIsrayeli ongokomoya, kodwa abayoba izikhonzi zasemhlabeni zoMbuso futhi abahlanganyela ngisho kwamanje ekwakheni umsebenzi ongokwasezulwini ezweni lonke.—Roma 8:17; qhathanisa noIsaya 61:5, 6.
16 UJehova ngokwakhe uyasimema: “Phakamisa amehlo nxazonke, ubone.” Izindlalifa zoMbuso ezibuthiwe manje zijoyinwa ‘isixuku esikhulu . . . sivela kuzo zonke izizwe’! (IsAmbulo 7:9; Zakariya 8:23; Isaya 2:2, 3) ‘Bamemezela udumo lukaJehova,’ ngenkonzo yentshiseko. Bazinikezela futhi emisebenzini enjengokwakha amaHholo oMbuso okukhulekela—amanye alawa akhiwa, ngezinsuku ezimbili nje kuphela. ‘Bakhonza,’ ngenhliziyo yonke ekusekeleni ukwanda kwezithakazelo zoMbuso emhlabeni wonke.—Isaya 60:4-7.
17, 18. (a) Ngokujabulisayo, yikuphi ‘ukundiza’ okuvusa amadlingozi okwenzekayo manje? (b) Isenzakalo esenzeka ngezinkathi ezithile zonyaka ePalestina sikubonisa kanjani ngokufanelekile lokhu ‘kundiza’?
17 Ngokulandelayo uJehova ubuza lombuzo ofanelekile: “Ngobani laba abandiza njengefu, nanjengamajuba aya ezidlekeni, zawo na?” Abeza kuqala enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu ‘amadodana ayo avela kude,’ azihlukanisa ngokuphelele nayo yonke inkolo yobuBabiloni. Laba abagcotshiwe baletha izinto eziyigugu, benikela konke okwabo “kulo igama likaJehova,” uNkulunkulu wabo. ‘NjengoNgcwele kaIsrayeli,’ uye wabeka igama lakhe phezu kwabo futhi wabahlobisa ngelungelo lokumkhonza njengofakazi bakhe. Bayahola ekuphakamiseni igama leNkosi yabo enguMbusi, uJehova, njengegama elikhulu, elivelele, nelinenkazimulo kunawo wonke emhlabeni wonke.—Isaya 60:8, 9.
18 Ngokujabulisayo, insali egcotshiwe ayiyodwa kulokhu. Bekuyoba nzima ngempela ukuba bekunjalo! Leliqembu eligugayo liya lincipha, njengoba ngamunye eqeda inkambo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngobuqotho. Manje kusele abangaba izi-9 000. Kodwa abanye, ababalelwa ezigidini, bandiza njengamajuba eya “ezidlekeni” zawo, bethola isivikelo enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu. Banjengomhlambi wamajuba oye ubonakale ePalestina ngezinye izinkathi zonyaka—endiza njengefu, emaningi kangangokuba asithibeze isibhakabhaka.
‘Amasango Avulekile’
19. Kungani “amasango” enhlangano kaJehova ehlala evuliwe, futhi ikuphi ukusabela “amakhosi” kanye “nabafokazi” abakwenzayo?
19 Ngomusa, uJehova uye wavula kakhulu amasango enhlangano yakhe, leyo manje akhuluma nayo ngalamazwi: “Amasango akho ayakuvuleka njalo, awayikuvalwa imini nobusuku, ukuze imfuyo yezizwe ilethwe kuwe.” Kungaleyondlela manje njengoba “isixuku esikhulu” esithanda ukuthula sanda njalo ngenani. Ngenjabulo, ‘labafokazi’ banikela ngemfuyo yabo yesikhathi, amandla, nezinto abanazo, ‘enkonzweni engcwele imini nobusuku.’ Bazenza bangene “emnyango omkhulu wethuba lokusebenza” futhi bahlanganyele namakhosi esikhathi esizayo ekuletheni udumo egameni likaJehova.—Isaya 60:10, 11; IsAmbulo 7:4, 9, 15; 1 Korinte 16:9.
20. (a) Ngobani ‘abayakuqedwa’? (b) Yimuphi umehluko ojabulisayo esiwuqaphelayo lapha?
20 Ngokulandelayo, uJehova ukhuluma nenhlangano yakhe, ethi: “Ngokuba isizwe nombuso ongakukhonzi uyakuphela; yebo, lezozizwe ziyakuqedwa impela.” Zonke izizwe zomhlaba eziqhoshayo nabanye abaphikisi bayothotshiswa eArmagedoni. Ngokuphambene, uJehova uhlobisa indawo yakhe siqu engcwele yokukhulekela. ‘Ukhazimulisa indawo yezinyawo zakhe,’ amagceke asemhlabeni ethempeli lakhe elikhulu elingokomoya lokukhulekela, njengoba eqoqela lapho amanani anda njalo esixuku esikhulu. Ngomunye umprofethi, uJehova uthi: “Ngizamazamise nabo bonke abezizwe, kufike okunxanelekayo kwabo bonke abezizwe, ngiyigcwalise lendlu ngenkazimulo.” (Hagayi 2:7) Kodwa abashushisi, izihlubuki, nabanye abaphikisi abadelelayo bayophoqelelwa ukuba ‘bakhothame’—bavume ngokujabha ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova ngempela bamelela inhlangano kaNkulunkulu—“uMuzi kaJehova neSiyoni kongcwele kaIsrayeli.”—Isaya 60:12-14.
21, 22. (a) Yikuphi ukuqinisekisa uJehova akunikezayo lapha? (b) Ngokomfanekiso, abantu bakhe ‘baluncela kanjani ubisi lwezizwe’? (c) Yisiphi isifundo esiqhubekayo esivusa amadlingozi esingaphambili?
21 UJehova akasoze amlahla umsizi onjengomfazi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abaphikisi bangawahlambalaza kangakanani ‘amadodana namadodakazi’ akhe lapha emhlabeni. Kunalokho, uthi enhlanganweni yakhe ethembekile: “Ngiyakwenza isivunulo esiphakade nentokozo yezizukulwane ngezizukulwane. Uyakuncela ubisi lwezizwe.” Khona-ke ngendlela engokomfanekiso abameleli basemhlabeni benhlangano kaNkulunkulu basebenzisa yonke imfuyo etholakalayo ekuthuthukiseni ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Bazisebenzisa ngokoqobo izinto zanamuhla zokukhulumisana, zokuhamba, nezokunyathelisa ukuze benze izindaba ezinhle zishunyayelwe. Ukunakekela kanye nesiqondiso sikaJehova besinoFakazi BakaJehova kulomsebenzi. Laba futhi, ekukhonzeni ngenxa yenhlangano kaJehova engokwasezulwini, bayajabula ngokugcwaliseka kwesithembiso sakhe: “Uyakwazi ukuthi mina-Jehova nginguMsindisi wakho noMhlengi wakho, uMninimandla kaJakobe.”—Isaya 60:15, 16.
22 Yisiphi isikhuthazo esengeziwe uJehova asinikeza sona kuIsaya 60:17-22? Lokhu kuzoba isihloko esivusa amadlingozi sesifundo sethu esilandelayo.
Imibuzo Yokubukeza
◻ Yimuphi umehluko phakathi kokukhanya nobumnyama obonakalayo namuhla?
◻ Yikuphi ‘ukukhanya’ okuthuthukayo okwakukhona ngawo-1919-38?
◻ UIsaya 60:8 ugcwaliseka kanjani ezikhathiini zanamuhla?
◻ “Amakhosi” “nabafokazi” bangena kanjani ‘emasangweni avuliwe’?
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 12]
“Izikhali zokubhubhisa okwesabisayo zinqwabelaniswa ngesivinini esandayo. . . . Ukuncintisana ngezikhali zanamuhla kufinyelela ezilwandle nasemkhathini ongaphandle. Empeleni kuyahlekisa ukuthi ukuqongelelwa kwezikhali kungenye yezimboni ezimbalwa ezandayo enkathini yokwehla kwezomnotho neyobumnyama.”—UNobhala-Jikelele; weUN, uMnu. Javier Perez de Cuellar
“Lapho, ngaphansi komnyango ekhaya ngolunye usuku, kwakunesinye isigijimi esijwayelekile esibhalwe epheshaneni lenkolo. Kwakunamazwi athi ‘Ingabe sisondela eArmagedoni?’ ebhalwe phezu kwesibhakabhaka esinamafu amnyama nombani obheke phansi kithina. Kwake kwaba nesikhathi lapho lolohlobo lwesigijimi lwalubangela ukumoyizela. Ngokushesha, asisabonakali sihlekisa.”—UHaynes Johnson, The Washington Post