Chapter 20
‘Ophansi Uba Yisizwe Esinamandla’
1. (a) Ngokuqondene nokwanda kwabakhulekeli beqiniso, yini uJehova ayibikezela? (b) Ubani ngempela obangela lokhu, futhi kanjani?
LABO abangabakhulekeli bakaJehova bebelokhu bembalwa isikhathi eside ngesibalo uma kuqhathaniswa nenani labo bonke abantu. Kodwa osukwini lwethu isibalo sabo sanda ngezinga elivusa amadlingozi kwabathanda ukulunga. Ngokuqondene nobungako bokwanda, uJehova ngokwakhe wabikezela: “Omncane uyakuba-yinkulungwane, ophansi abe-yisizwe esinamandla; mina nginguJehova, ngiyakukusheshisa ngesikhathi sakho.” (Isaya 60:22) Njengoba lowombhalo uphawula, uJehova ngokwakhe obangela lokhu. Kanjani? Ngokubangela ukuba phakathi kwabantu bakhe kube nesimo esibenza bahluke ngokuphelele emaqenjini ezizwe ezibazungezile nesibakhanga ngokunamandla abanezinhliziyo eziqotho.
2. (a) UIsaya 60:1, 2 ubhekiselwe kubani? (b) Kungayiphi indlela ‘inkazimulo kaJehova’ eyenziwa yakhanya ngayo kuyena? (c) Insali iye ‘yakukhipha kanjani ukukhanya’?
2 Lokhu kwabikezelwa kuIsaya 60:1, 2, (NW) lapho uJehova ebhekisela ‘kowesifazane’ wakhe, inhlangano yakhe eyakhiwe izidalwa zomoya ezithembekile kanye namadodana azelwe ngomoya emhlabeni, ethi: “Vuka; O wena wesifazane, ukhanye, ngoba ukukhanya kwakho sekufikile nenkazimulo kaJehova ikhanya phezu kwakho. Ngoba, bheka! ubumnyama buyosibekela umhlaba, nobumnyama obukhulu amaqembu ezizwe; kepha uJehova uyokhanya phezu kwakho, nenkazimulo yakhe iyobonakala phezu kwakho.” Isisekelo salomehluko siwukuzalwa koMbuso wobuMesiya ezandleni zikaJesu Kristu ngo-1914. Kungalesosikhathi lapho “inkazimulo kaJehova” yakhanya enhlanganweni yakhe yasezulwini, eyazala uMbuso. Kwakunesizathu sokujabula okukhulu phakathi kwayo. (IsAmbulo 12:1, 2, 5, 10-12) Futhi emhlabeni insali egcotshiwe yezindlalifa zoMbuso yahlanganyela kuleyonjabulo. Kusukela ngo-1919, ‘yakhanya’ lapho iqala ukumemezela emhlabeni wonke ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu njengethemba langempela nokuwukuphela kwalo lesintu.—1 Petru 2:9; Mathewu 5:14-16.
3. (a) Kungani, ikakhulukazi kusukela ngo-1914, ‘ubumnyama buye basibekela umhlaba’? (b) Liyini okuwukuphela kwekhambi langempela?
3 Ngokuphambene, ngo-1914 amaqembu omhlaba ezizwe, elwela ukugcina ubukhosi bawo, angena esikhathini sobudlova nokungalondeki leso namanje asekuso. Ukuntuleka kokuqina kusukela ngalesosikhathi kuye kwabangela abaningi ukuba babone ukuthi, naphezu “kwentuthuko engokwesayensi,” abanalo ikusasa elilondekile abangathembela kulo. Ngempela, ‘ubumnyama busibekela umhlaba.’ Kungani bengenakuyithola indlela yokuphumelela? Ngenxa yokuthi izizwe ziye zamphika uJehova njengoMbusi. Ababusi abambalwa abangalisebenzini nhlobo igama ‘likaNkulunkulu’ abenzi okungaphezu kokumane bamkhonze ngomlomo nje. Bazimisele ukuqhuba izinto ngokwabo, kodwa izinkinga ababhekene nazo zingaphezu kwamandla omuntu ukuzixazulula. (Jeremiya 8:9; IHubo 146:3-6) Izwe lamanje, kanye nobugovu balo nokonakala, liye langena kwezalo ‘izinsuku zokugcina.’ Ayikho indlela elingagwema ngayo imbubhiso elilindele. Kuphela abantu abanokholo oluphelele eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu abangabheka esikhathini esizayo ngethemba. Abantu abanhliziyo ziqotho abandayo ngenani, bayakuqaphela lokhu futhi bahlanganyela ngenkuthalo noFakazi BakaJehova, abangakhulumi nje kuphela ngoMbuso kodwa abazama ngobuqotho ukuphila ngokuvumelana nalokho abakushumayelayo.
‘OMNCANE UBA YINKULUNGWANE’
4. Ekugcwalisekeni kukaIsaya 60:4, imuphi umsebenzi wokuqoqa owanakekelwa kuqala?
4 Lapho iMpi Yezwe I iphela, ukuqoqwa kwezindlalifa zoMbuso kwakungakapheli. ‘Kwakusenamadodana’ engeziwe ‘namadodakazi’ eJerusalema lasezulwini ayesadinga ukugcwalisa izi-144 000 okwabikezelwa ukuthi ziyobusa noKristu ezulwini. Nokho, uJehova wabikezela ukuphethwa kwalomsebenzi, ethi: “Phakamisa amehlo akho nxazonke, ubone; babuthana bonke, beza kuwe; amadodana akho ayakuvela kude, namadodakazi akho ayakuphathwa ngezingalo.” (Isaya 60:4) Ngenxa yokumenyezelwa koMbuso okwenziwa kusukela ngo-1919 nangemva kwalokho, izinkulungwane ezengeziwe zazinikezela kuJehova, zabhapathizwa futhi zagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele. Nokho, selilonke leliqembu lezindlalifa zoMbuso uJesu walikhulumela ‘njengomhlambi omncane.’ (Luka 12:32) Ukuze kugcwaliseke okwabikezelwa kuIsaya 60:22, ngokuqinisekile kwakuyoba nabengeziwe abayobuthelwa ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso. Ngempela kuye kwaba kanjalo!
5. Umthombo wokwanda okuqhubekayo uye waba njani njengoba uchazwe kuIsaya 55:5?
5 Bakhulunyelwa kuIsaya 55:5 ngalendlela: “Bheka, uyakubiza izizwe ongazaziyo, nezizwe ebezingakwazi ziyakugijimela kuwe ngenxa kaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho nangenxa yoNgcwele kaIsrayeli, ngokuba ukudumisile.” Laba abantu abangaphandle kukaIsrayeli ongokomoya. Bavela ezizweni eziningi kodwa baba ngabantu abanobunye, bonke besekela ngokwethembeka uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. ‘Bayizizwe’ insali kaIsrayeli ongokomoya ‘eyayingazazi’ ngalesosikhathi ngendlela eyayiqonda ngayo imiBhalo, kanti nabo labantu ngaphambili babengaziqapheli ngokufanele izinceku zikaNkulunkulu. Kodwa ngenxa yokushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle, bayakhangeka ngoba bayaqaphela ukuthi lamaIsrayeli angokomoya akhulekela uNkulunkulu weqiniso nangenxa yokubona kuwona ubuhle obungokomoya obungabangelwa isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu kuphela.
6. Isigijimi soMbuso siyiswa kude kangakanani, kanye namiphi imiphumela evusa amadlingozi?
6 Naphezu kwakho konke uSathane aye wakwenza ukuze avimbele ukushunyayelwa kwesigijimi soMbuso nokuba aphambukisele ukunakekela kwabantu kweminye iminako, ukukhanya kweqiniso kuyaqhubeka kufinyelela ngisho nasezingxenyeni ezikude zomhlaba. Umphumela uye waba njengoba uNkulunkulu asho ngokwesiprofetho kudala ‘kowesifazane’ wakhe: “Khona uyakubona, ukhazimule; inhliziyo yakho iyakugquma, yanuleke, ngokuba ingcebo yolwandle iyakuphendulelwa kuwe, nemfuyo yezizwe iyakuza kuwe. . . . Bamemezele izindumiso zikaJehova.” (Isaya 60:5, 6) Yebo, “isixuku esikhulu” sabantu ababekade beyingxenye ‘yolwandle’ lwesintu esidediselwe kude noNkulunkulu, abantu abakuphila kwabo kwakufiphazwe “ubumnyama obukhulu” obusibekele izizwe, baye bazihlanganisa noIsrayeli ongokomoya. Emehlweni kaNkulunkulu, laba ngempela bayigugu kuzo zonke izizwe.
7. Ngendlela ukwanda okubikezelwa ngayo, uJehova ubonisa kanjani ukuthi yini ngempela eyigugu emehlweni akhe?
7 Ngesikhathi sokwakhiwa futhi kwethempeli likaJehova eJerusalema, washukumisa umprofethi wakhe uHagayi ukuba amemezele: “Ngizamazamise nabo bonke abezizwe, kufike okunxanelekayo kwabo bonke abezizwe, ngiyingcwelise lendlu ngenkazimulo, usho uJehova-Sebawoti.” (Hagayi 2:7) Lokho kuzanyazanyiswa kwezizwe ekugcineni kuholela ekubhujisweni kwazo, kodwa ngaphambi kokuba kwenzeke “okunxanelekayo kwabo bonke abezizwe” kumelwe kuqoqwe phakathi kwazo kulethwe ethempelini likaJehova elikhulu elingokomoya, indlu yakhe yendawo yonke yokukhulekela. Lapha bayothola ukulondeka lapho izwe lichotshozwa ngokubhujiswa. Abakhulekeli abanjalo abaphilayo abayigugu kuJehova. Akafuni imfuyo yabo yezinto ezibonakalayo. (Mika 6:6-8) Into enenani elikhulu abangase bayinikeze uJehova iwukukhulekela kwabo komphefumulo wonke. Beza neminikelo yokuzinikela ngenhliziyo nenkonzo yentshiseko, bonke ‘bememezela izindumiso zikaJehova.’ Yeka injabulo ukubonakala kwabo okuye kwayiletha ezincekwini zikaJehova ezithembekile kokubili ezulwini nasemhlabeni!
8. Iziphi izimpawu iBhayibheli elizinikezayo ngokuqondene nezinga lokuqoqwa kwezindlalifa zoMbuso zasemhlabeni zesikhathi esizayo?
8 Bangaki abayoba khona kulabakhulekeli bakaJehova abanamathemba okuphila ePharadesi emhlabeni? IBhayibheli alinasibalo. Kushiyelwa kubantu bazo zonke izizwe abaningi kangangabayobambelela emalungiselelweni kaJehova othando. Nokho, isiboniso salokho okungalindelwa sitholakala kuIsaya 60:8, ebachaza njengamajuba “andiza njengefu”—ifu elisitha umhlaba ngaphansi. Lokhu kubonisa ukunyakaza kwenani elikhulu labantu ngesikhathi esifushane. Ngalokhu kuthutheleka kwabakhulekeli bakaJehova okukhulu, kwabikezelwa ukuthi, “omncane” kaIsrayeli ongokomoya “uyakuba-yinkulungwane, ophansi abe-yisizwe esinamandla,” futhi uJehova wathi “uyakukusheshisa ngesikhathi sakho.” (Isaya 60:22) Ingabe lokho kuyafanelana nalokho okuye kwenzeka ngokoqobo?
9. Ukwanda okunjalo kuye kwenzeka ngezinga elingakanani kusukela ngo-1935?
9 Ngemva kwempi yezwe yokuqala kwakunezinkulungwane ezimbalwa nje zabahlanganyela ngenkuthalo ekunikezeni ubufakazi boMbuso obala. Ngo-1935 baba ngaphansi nje kwezi-60 000 emhlabeni wonke. Ngo-1941 inani labamemezeli boMbuso ladlula izi-100 000. Ngo-1953, kwakunabangaphezu kwezi-500 000. Eminyakeni eyishumi kamuva bafinyelela isigidi. Ekuqaleni kuka-1984, bekunezi-2 652 323. Ngokwesilinganiso, banikela amahora angaphezulu kakhulu kwesigidi ngosuku ekuboniseni abanye ukuthi kungani kunguMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuphela onethemba langempela ngekusasa. Uma kuqhathaniswa nenani, lelo njengoFakazi BakaJehova, elinikeza ubufakazi bokuthi liyizikhonzi zoMbuso kaJehova wobuMesiya, kungokuphawulekayo ukuthi izizwe ezingama-60 zomhlaba namuhla ngazinye zinenani labantu elingaphansi ngesibalo ‘kunalesizwe’ esikhulayo. Nokho, ‘lesizwe’ esingavamile, asihlanganyeli kwezombangazwe zezwe kodwa sizinikele kuphela ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu weqiniso.
10. (a) Iziphi izimo ezenza lokhu kwanda kube okumangalisayo emehlweni ethu? (b) Yini ebonisa ukuthi kusenokwengeziwe okuzayo?
10 Ingabe leli izinga eliphelele lesiprofetho esiyogcwaliseka ngalo? Osekwenzekile kakade kwanele ukuba kufanelane nencazelo yeBhayibheli. Futhi kungokumangalisayo, uma sicabangela izimo lomsebenzi oye wenziwa ngaphansi kwazo—izithiyo eziye zanqotshwa, ubufakazi bokuqondisa kwaphezulu ukuze uphumelele, ukuzinikela okuboniswa yilabo abahlanganyela kuwona. Okumangalisayo futhi izinguquko oye waziletha ekuphileni kwabantu. Kodwa ukwanda kwabantu abathatha ukuma kwabo ngakuJehova obala akuyekile neze, futhi akunciphi. Eminyakeni yamuva kuye kwaba nabangaphezu kwezi-10 000 inyanga ngayinye, ngokwesilinganiso, abaziletha ukuba bacwiliswe emanzini, futhi ingqikithi ibikhuphuka unyaka ngamunye. Bonke laba, ngokuphila ngalokho okushiwo ubhapathizo lwabo, bangase babe nethemba eliqinisekisiwe lokusindela ‘emhlabeni omusha.’
11. (a) IBhayibheli libonisa kanjani ukuthi lezigidi ziba yingxenye yenhlangano ethile? (b) Iyini injongo eyinhloko yaleyonhlangano?
11 Lezigidi zabantu azibona nje abafundi beBhayibheli abazibusayo, ngamunye ekhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela yakhe. Bangabantu okuthi ngokuzithoba babe yingxenye yenhlangano kaJehova ebonakalayo. Njengoba sesibonile, okokuqala ‘kwaqoqwa’ izindlalifa zoMbuso. Manje abanye abavela ezizweni, benethemba lokuphila kwasemhlabeni, ‘beza kubo.’ (Isaya 60:4, 5) Baye baba munye ‘emhlambini owodwa’ ngaphansi ‘kukamalusi oyedwa,’ uJesu Kristu. (Johane 10:16) Umphostoli uPetru wachaza amaKristu eqiniso ‘njengabazalwane’ bomhlaba wonke, futhi uPawulu wabakhuthaza ukuba bangazehlukanisi kodwa ‘bahlangane ndawonye,’ futhi ikakhulukazi njengoba usuku lokukhishwa kwesahlulelo saphezulu lusondela. (1 Petru 5:9; Heberu 10:23-25) Ngaleyondlela baqiniselwa futhi bahlonyiselwe ukuhlanganyela enjongweni enhle lenhlangano ekhona ngayo. Iyini leyonjongo? Ukudumisa igama likaJehova.—1 Petru 2:9; Isaya 12:4, 5.
UMSEBENZI WOKWENZIWA
12. (a) UJesu wawubonisa kanjani umsebenzi sonke okumelwe sihlanganyele kuwo? (b) Ubaluleke kangakanani, futhi ngani?
12 Bonke abahlanganyela nenhlangano kaJehova ngokushesha bayaqaphela ukuthi labo abakuyo bayizisebenzi. Ekulingiseni uJesu Kristu bonke bangabashumayeli abakhuthele boMbuso kaNkulunkulu, oyindlela igama likaJehova eliyolwelwa ngayo. UJesu ngokwakhe wathi: “Ngimelwe ukushumayela ivangeli lombuso kaNkulunkulu, ngokuba ngithunyelwe lokho.” (Luka 4:43) Wakhuluma ngokujulile ngesidingo sabanye ukuba bakhele ukuphila kwabo ekwenzeni intando kaNkulunkulu. Wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba benze umsebenzi ofanayo nayewenza. Ngokuqondene nesikhathi esiphila kuso, wabikezela ukuthi “lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso” ‘zaziyoshunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba owakhiwe kube ubufakazi ezizweni zonke.’ (Mathewu 24:14, NW) Lona umsebenzi obaluleke kakhulu noma ubani wethu angawenza namuhla. Ngani? Ngoba ngawo siphakamisa ubukhosi obufanelekile bukaJehova uNkulunkulu, lobo inhlala-kahle yayo yonke indalo exhomeke kubo. Ngokuhlanganyela ngenhliziyo yonke kulomsebenzi, sibonisa ukwazisa kwethu ngenala yomusa kaJehova ongasifanele. Futhi sisiza abanye abantu ukuba nabo bazuze kokuwukuphela kwendlela okungenzeka ngayo ngabo ukuba basinde osizini olukhulu oluzayo.—Qhathanisa no-1 Thimothewu 4:15, 16.
13. (a) KuIsaya 60:17, isiphi isimo esabikezelwa ngenhlangano kaJehova? (b) Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze sisijabulele ngokugcwele? (c) Imaphi amathemba aphambi kwalabo abenza kanjalo?
13 Izimo abazithola enhlanganweni kaJehova ziyabajabulisa. Njengoba uJehova abikezela ngoIsaya: “Ngibeke ukuthula kube-ngababonisi bakho, nokulunga kube-ngababusi bakho.” (Isaya 60:17) Ukuthula okukhona akukhona nje okokucatshangelwa kodwa kungokoqobo, isithelo somoya kaNkulunkulu ongcwele. Lokhu akusho ukuthi umuntu uthola lokho kuthula ngokugcwele ngenxa nje yokuthi uhlanganyela nenhlangano. Yena siqu kumelwe afunde ukuba “ajonge okokuthula nokokwakhana.” (Roma 14:19) Udinga ukufunda ukubonisa ukuhlakanipha kokuncika kuNkulunkulu ekubhekaneni nokungapheleli kwabanye, ukuze anikeze ubufakazi bokubekezela nokuzithiba, bokuthethelela abanye njengoba naye efuna uNkulunkulu amthethelele. Yebo, kumelwe futhi ‘enze ukuthula.’ (Jakobe 3:17, 18; Galathiya 5:22, 23; Kolose 3:12-14) Labo abenza kanjalo bathola injabulo enkulu ngokuba yingxenye ‘yesizwe esinamandla’ esakhekayo manje nesizinikele ekukhonzeni uJehova, “uNkulunkulu ojabulayo.” (1 Thimothewu 1:11, NW) Ngamalungu ‘alesisizwe’ ayolondolozwa lapho uJehova ekhipha isahlulelo kulo lonke izwe elizithoba kuSathane njengombusi walo.