“Isizwe” Esondla Izigidi Ezikhungethwe Yindlala
1, 2. (a) Isiphi isidingo soqobo okumelwe sizwiwe abantu abasemhlabeni? (b) Yibaphi abantu esingabheka kubo ngokuqondene nalokhu?
IZINKULUNGWANE zezigidi zabantu emhlabeni kumelwe ukuba zilambele “ukudla” okuyozenza ziphile ukuphila okungenamkhawulo emhlabeni, lapho umhlaba uphendulwa uba yipharadesi lembulunga yonke. Kodwa kukubani noma yikuphi lapho ziyophendukela khona? IRepublic yakwaIsrayeli ayizami nokuzama ukugcwalisa isiprofetho esikuIsaya 27:6 esikhuluma ngokugcwalisa umhlaba “ngezithelo” ngenzuzo ehlala njalo yesintu.
2 Isizwe sakwaIsrayeli ekhulwini lokuqala lesiKhathi sethu Esivamile salahla umsebenzi waso wokuzuzisa sonke isintu. Ngakho uMesiya wayebhekisela amazwi akhe ensalini encane yamaJuda emvelo: “Ngiphiwe amandla onke ezulwini nasemhlabeni; ngalokho hambani nenze izizwe zonke abafundi, nibabhapathize egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelikaMoya oNgcwele . . . bhekani, mina nginani izinsuku zonke kuze kube-sekupheleni kwezwe.” (Mathewu 28:18-20) Kodwa kuthiwani emakhulwini eminyaka ayi-19 kamuva? Ubani esikhathini sethu ozikhathaza ngokugcwaliseka kukaIsaya 27:6? Futhi wena nabathandekayo bakho nihileleke kanjani?
3. Obani ekhulwini lethu leminyaka abaye bathola “ukufutheka” kukaNkulunkulu okuphawulwe kuIsaya 27:4?
3 Nakuba sesiqhele ngamashumi amaningi eminyaka ezenzakalweni ezingokoqobo, senza kahle ukuhlola kafushane izigameko ezithile phakathi neminyaka yeMpi Yezwe I. Ngalesosikhathi uJehova uNkulunkulu wayenesizathu esizwakalayo ‘sokufuthekela’ izizwe zeLobukholwa ngenxa yokuhileleka kwazo kulesosiphithiphithi sokuchitha igazi. (Qhathanisa noIsaya 27:4.) Zenza lokho kunokuba ziyekelele imibuso yezizwe zazo kuNkulunkulu oPhezukonke lapho uMbuso wakhe umiswa ezulwini ngo-1914 ezandleni zeNdodana yakhe ekhazinyulisiwe, uJesu Kristu. Zaqhubela phambili ukufutheka kwakhe ngokushushisa insali yamaIsrayeli angokomoya, zivimbela ngamabomu lamaKristu azinikezele angabaFundi BeBhayibheli ekushumayeleni ngokukhululekile uMbuso wakhe omisiwe. Kodwa abaningi bensali kaIsrayeli ongokomoya, eqinisweni, behlulwa ukucindezela kwezwe, kanjalo bahluleka emthwalweni wabo wemfanelo njengabantu abakhethiweyo abathathwe kulesimiso sezinto sezwe. Ngalesosikhathi abayibonanga impikiswano yokungathathi-hlangothi ngokuphelele eziphithiphithini zalelizwe, kanjalo baba necala legazi elithile, futhi ngokwesikhathi esithile kwakubafanele “ukufutheka” kukaNkulunkulu ngezinga elithile.
4. “Ukufutheka” kukaNkulunkulu kwazithinta kanjani izinceku zakhe ezingamaKristu, futhi isiphi isifundo esingasifunda kulokhu?
4 Uma wawuphila ngalesosikhathi, ucabanga ukuthi wawuyosabela kanjani kulokho kucindezela kwesikhathi sempi? Kumelwe uzicabangele izinto ezinjalo, ngoba ngokwenzenjalo ungaqinisa ukuzimisela kwakho ngokuthi yini oyoyenza lapho ubhekene nanoma ikuphi ukucindezela kwesikhathi esizayo. Emuva ngalesosikhathi kwakungase kubonakale kuyisikhathi sokuyeka ukushumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu nesokuzifihla. Abaningi bathambekela ngakulolohlangothi, benomuzwa wokuthi kumelwe bamane balinde ukukhazinyuliswa kwabo ngokushesha ukuze babe noJesu Kristu esesihlalweni sobukhosi. (Luka 22:28-30) Nokho, ukwamukela okunye ‘kokufutheka’ kukaJehova kwakungokuhlangenwe nakho okuyisijeziso okungawelanga phansi kumaKristu eqiniso alesosikhathi, ngakho-ke kwaba nezithelo. Kwawaqinisela umsebenzi owawuza wokumemezela usuku lwempindiselo lukaNkulunkulu wethu kulowo umprofethi uIsaya ambiza ngokuthi “uLeviyathani,” kuIsaya 27:1, lapho sifunda khona ukuthi:
5. Ezikhathini zanamuhla, uJehova uye wakuphendulela kanjani ukunakekela kwakhe ‘kuLeviyathani’ ophawulwe kuIsaya 27:1?
5 “Ngalolosuku uJehova uyakuhambela ngenkemba yakhe elukhuni enkulu nenamandla uLeviyathani, inyoka esheshayo, uLeviyathani, inyoka ethandelayo, abulale udrako oselwandle.”
Emuva ezikhathini zasendulo, uJehova waphendulela ukunakekela kwakhe kubathumbi babantu bakhe. Njengoba siphawulile ngaphambili, lokho kwahlanganisa umbuso waseBabiloni, kanye nowaseGibithe nowaseAsiriya. (Isaya 27:12, 13) Ingabe uyakubona ukusebenza kwanamuhla kwamazwi angokomfanekiso akuIsaya 27:1? Esikhathini seMpi Yezwe I, abantu bakaNkulunkulu babengathunjiwe yinoma isiphi isizwe noma umbuso. Kodwa uNkulunkulu kwadingeka anakekele uLeviyathani ongokomfanekiso, okungukuthi, uSathane uDeveli. Uhuquzela ngobuqili olwandle lwabantu futhi asebenzise izinto ezisemhlabeni ukuba afake engozini noma avimbele izinceku zikaNkulunkulu.—Qhathanisa nesAmbulo 17:15.
6, 7. (a) Yini ezikhathini zanamuhla eye yafana “namakhakhasi nameva”? (b) Yini esingayilindela ngokuqondene nawo esikhathini esizayo?
6 Lapho ngo-1919 insali kaIsrayeli ongokomoya ibuyela ngentshiseko ekushumayeleni ngoMbuso, kwakuyisikhathi ngoJehova sokuthi:
“Ukufutheka akukho kimi; sengathi kungaba-khona amakhakhasi nameva! Bengiyakuwasukela ngokulwa, ngiwashise kanyekanye.”—Isaya 27:4.
7 Ngemva kokuphela kweMpi Yezwe I, iNhlangano Yezizwe yamiswa ngokumelene noMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngoKristu. Lokhu singakufanisa ‘namakhakhasi nameva’ abekwe endleleni kaJehova uNkulunkulu, njengavimbelayo noma ayisiphazamiso. Manje inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene iye yangena esikhundleni seNhlangano Yezizwe. NgeZizwe Ezihlangene izizwe ezihlukahlukene ezingamalungu ziveza ukuzimisela kwazo ukumelana noMbuso kaKristu omisiwe nenjongo yazo yokulondoloza ukubusa kwazo umhlaba. “Ekulweni kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke” eHarmagedoni, uyohamba ngokomfanekiso phezu ‘kwamakhakhasi nameva,’ awafohloze futhi ekugcineni awashise ngomlilo, ngendlela engokomfanekiso, awenze abe ngumlotha. Ngaleyondlela uyobonisa ukuthi ubani ngempela onguMbusi Wendawo Yonke. Khonake, ungazibonela, ukuthi ngisho noma wawungaphili phakathi kwamaKristu agcotshiwe emuva phakathi neMpi Yezwe I, ungase uthinteke—kahle noma kabi—emiphumeleni yokugcina yezenzakalo ezifanekiselwe kuIsaya 27:1.—IsAmbulo 16:14-16; 17:1–18:4.
‘Ukubambelela Emandleni KaJehova’
8. Izizwe eziningi zithembele kuphi namuhla?
8 Amalungu eZizwe Ezihlangene athembela emandleni awo futhi athembele enqabeni yawo eyenziwe umuntu. Nokho, ukuthembela kwawo kuyo akuzange kube okuqine ngokwanele ukuba kuwavimbele ekusunguleni izikhali ezibulala kakhulu, izikhali zokugcina zempi, ibhomu yenyukliye. Cishe, ukwesaba impindiselo ngokusebenzisa ibhomu yenyukliye yikhona okuwavimbelayo, hhayi iZizwe Ezihlangene.
9, 10. Kungani kuwukuhlakanipha ngathi ukuthembela kwenye “inqaba”?
9 Nokho, njengoba siphawulile, okusongela ngempela ukuphila kwezizwe ‘yimpi yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke.’ Yini izizwe ezingathemba ukuyenza ngokumelene noNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke, Lowo ofaka amandla asabekayo ngaphakathi kweathomu ngayinye yento ekhona? Ungase uqiniseke ngokuphelele ukuthi uMdali unamandla amakhulu angenakuqhathaniswa nawezizwe nazo zonke izikhali zazo. Labo abaliqondayo leliqiniso —futhi oFakazi BakaJehova bayaliqonda—banesisodwa kuphela isivikelo. Leso sishiwo emazwini aqhubekayo kaJehova:
“Noma abambelele emandleni [enqaba] ami ukuba enze ukuthula nami enzelane ukuthula nami.” (Isaya 27:5)
Alikho inxusa labantu eliyinqaba okungaphendukelwa kuyo ukuze kutholakale ukulondeka noma ukuvinjelwa kwempi emhlabeni, futhi ngokuqinisekile aliyona inqaba yemikhaya yomhlaba ukuba ibalekele kuyo ukuze ihlale ilondekile.
10 Cishe uyazi ukuthi abantu abaningi namuhla bahileleka ngokwemizwelo ezimpikiswaneni nasezinhlanganweni eziphathelene nezikhali zenyukliye nokulahlwa phansi kwezikhali. Ngokudabukisayo, lokhu kubaphambukisa eqinisweni lokuthi impi engenakuvinjelwa kaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke eArmagedoni iyona esongela ukubhubhisa zonke izizwe. Uma uliqonda leloqiniso, khona-ke inkambo yokuhlakanipha ngawe ihilela ukuphendukela kuJehova. ‘Amandla’ akhe ayinto bonke abafuna ukulondeka okumelwe babambelele kuyo, okungukuthi, amandla akhe angapheli. Yonke inhlangano kaSathane uDeveli ayiyikuba namandla okunqoba umKristu obambelele ‘kuleyonqaba.’
11. Singawasebenzisa kanjani amazwi kaJesu kuLuka 14:31-33 njengoba sibambelela “enqabeni” kaNkulunkulu?
11 UJehova nempi yakhe ngaphansi koMholi, uJesu Kristu, manje, ngendlela engokomfanekiso, bayamasha. Njengoba besekude, inkambo oyitshelwa ingqondo, uma kungekhona ukuhlakanipha kwangempela, iwukuba umuntu athumele, ngendlela engokomfanekiso, amanxusa okuthula kusengaphambili ukuze acele ukuthula empini ehlaselayo. UMholi ongenakunqotshwa wempi kaJehova weluleka ngenkambo enjalo ngesikhathi elapha emhlabeni. (Luka 14:31-33) Futhi uma uhlolisisa okwashiwo uJesu lapho, uyobona ukuthi wahlanganisa umbono wethu ‘ngempahla’ yethu. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi siphila ezweni elithuthukile nelichumayo noma eZweni Elimpofu lapho kuthatha khona umzamo omkhulu ukuzuza ukulondeka okungokwezimali, kumelwe sihlolisise umbono wethu. Zibuze: ‘Ingabe ngithembela ngempela emandleni kaJehova njengenqaba yami, noma ngivumela ‘impahla’ yami ibe ngebaluleke kakhulu?’ Ngokuqondene nalokhu, siza ufunde uLuka 12:15-21.
12. Ibuphi ubufakazi obukhona bokuthi abaningi namuhla babambelela emandleni kaJehova?
12 Emhlabeni wonke, izinkulungwane eziningi zoFakazi BakaJehova kakade seziye zaphendukela kuJehova ngokungagodli, zifuna ukuthula naye. Abaningi bahlela izimo zabo ukuze basebenze amahora amaningi inyanga ngayinye emsebenzini wokwenza abafundi. Ngamunye ozikhandla ngempela ekukhonzeni uJehova usesimweni sokuthola “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu” okwathenjiswa okudlula konke ukucabanga nokuqonda komuntu. (Filipi 4:7) Lapho kusenesikhathi, bayaqhubeka besiza abanye ukuba bangene kulelilungiselelo lokuthula likaJehova wemikhosi. Unayiphi indawo ekuphileni kwakho umsebenzi onjalo osindisa ukuphila?
Ukugcwalisa ‘Umhlaba’ “Ngezithelo”
13. UIsaya 27:6 ubonisa ukuthi yini engalindelwa esikhathini sethu?
13 Kwakumelwe ibe yini indima kaIsrayeli ongokomoya emhlabeni emva kokubuyiselwa kwakhe emuseni waphezulu ngemva kweMpi Yezwe I? Lokhu siboniswa khona emazwini akhuthazayo kaIsaya 27:6.
“Ngezinsuku ezizayo uJakobe uyakugxila, uIsrayeli akhahlele, aqhakaze, bagcwalise ubuso bomhlaba ngezithelo.”
Hlola ubuqiniso balawomazwi namuhla. Ukwenza kanjalo kuyokunikeza isizathu esengeziwe sokuba ngomunye wabantu bakaNkulunkulu, noma, uma kakade usunguye, sokuba uzimisele ngokwengeziwe ukuhlala phakathi kwabakhulekeli beqiniso kungakhathaliseki noma iluphi uvivinyo noma izinkinga ezingaphakama.
14. UIsaya 27:6 uye wagcwaliseka kanjani kubantu bakaNkulunkulu?
14 Isimo esifana naleso esaprofethwa kuIsaya 27:6 siye satholakala ngokwandayo phakathi kwabakhulekeli bakaJehova kusukela ngonyaka ka-1919, lapho umhlangano wokuqala omkhulu woFakazi BakaJehova uqhutshwa eCedar Point, eOhio. Ngokwesibonelo, akuzange kuthathe isikhathi eside ngemva kwalokhu lapho iWatch Tower Society iqala ukunyathelisa umagazini wayo omusha, iThe Golden Age, manje obizwa ngokuthi iPhaphama! Kwakufana nokuthi uJuda ongokomoya ngalesosikhathi wayegxila.
15. Iliphi ithemba elijabulisayo elanikezwa abakhulekeli beqiniso kusukela ngo-1918?
15 Khona-ke eminyakeni yokuqala yokukhululwa nokubuyiselwa emuseni kaJehova, amaKristu eqiniso aqala ukuqhakaza ‘njengokutshalwe nguJehova.’ (Isaya 61:3) Ngo-1918, unyaka wokugcina weMpi Yezwe I, inkulumo evusa amadlingozi ethi “Izigidi Eziphilayo Manje Zingase Zingafi” yanikezwa eningini nguJ. F. Rutherford. Ngensali encane nje yabafundi abazelwe ngomoya beNkosi ebusayo, uJesu Kristu, esele emhlabeni ukuba yenze umsebenzi uNkulunkulu ayithwesa wona ngalesosikhathi, ingabe leyonkulumo yayiwukulinganisa izinto ngokweqile?
16. (a) Insali yasabela kanjani ethembeni elaliphambi kwayo? (b) Iziphi ‘izithelo’ abazijabulela, futhi waba yini umphumela?
16 UJehova wayezowasebenzisa kanjani amaKristu anjalo ekugcwaliseni “ubuso bomhlaba ngezithelo”? Insali kaIsrayeli ongokomoya yathatha isinyathelo kuqala, kodwa kuthiwani “ngezithelo” umhlaba okwakumelwe ugcwaliswe ngazo? Insali yathola ‘izithelo,’ ezahlanganisa izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaJehova omisiwe ezandleni zikaKristu, zinambitheka futhi ziphilisa kangangokuthi yathanda ukuzihlanganyela nabanye abantu. UJehova wayebikezele ukuthi omncane uyakuba-yinkulungwane nophansi abe-yisizwe esinamandla, futhi lokhu akubonakalanga kuwukubala kabi kuNkulunkulu. (Isaya 60:22) Ngokushesha insali kaIsrayeli ongokomoya yajoyinwa “isixuku esikhulu” ‘sezinye izimvu’ zikaMalusi oMuhle, uJesu Kristu.—IsAmbulo 7:9-17; Johane 10:16.
17, 18. Yini ongayifakazela ngokuqondene ‘nokugcwalisa ubuso bomhlaba ngezithelo’?
17 Kungenzeka uyasiqaphela isimo sobuKristu beqiniso namuhla. IWatch Tower Society manje inamagatsha angama-94 kuyo yonke imbulunga. Amabandla amisiwe ashisekayo oFakazi BakaJehova manje afinyelela kwayizi-48 000, futhi lawa atholakala emazweni angama-203. Lonke loludumo luya kuNkulunkulu weqiniso ngalokhu, futhi lentuthuko enkulu kangaka iwukulwelwa kweZwi lakhe elingaphazami, kanti “ukuphela,” njengoba kwabikezelwa kuMathewu 24:14, akukafiki.
18 Yebo, kunamaKristu acishe abe izigidi ezintathu asebenza kanye neWatch Tower Society kuyo yonke imbulunga. Lezigidi ikakhulukazi ilezo ‘zezinye izimvu’ zikaKristu, esezinesikhathi eside zithwele umthwalo omkhulu womsebenzi wokufakaza ezweni kabanzi, futhi ‘injabulo kaJehova iye yaba amandla abo noma inqaba.’ (Nehemiya 8:10) Khona-ke, ngamunye wethu namuhla unethuba lokondliwa kahle ngokomoya nelokuhlanganyela ‘ekugcwaliseni ubuso bomhlaba ngezithelo.’
19. Yini ongayijabulela ‘ngomhlaba,’ futhi uzizwa kanjani ngalokho?
19 Singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova ngeke neze avumele ‘izithelo’ zanamuhla ‘zomhlaba,’ insimu yomsebenzi woFakazi bakhe, ukuba zibhujiswe. Umsebenzi woFakazi bakhe abashumayelayo ngeke neze ube ngowenzelwe ize! Izithelo ezingokomoya, njengoba zihlakulelwa ngamaKristu eqiniso zingezokondla bonke abafuna ukusizakala ngazo. Lokhu kuyohlanganisa, ngesikhathi esifanelekile, izinkulungwane zezigidi zabantu abafile eziyovuswa ngaphansi koKubusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane kukaJesu Kristu. Cabanga nje ukuthi lokho kungasho ukuthini ngawe esikhathini esizayo! Ngesikhathi esifanelekile, amaIsrayeli amaningi emvelo esikhathi esidlule ayovuswa. Amanye awo kungenzeka ayehilelekile ekugcwalisekeni kokuqala kwesiprofetho esikuIsaya isahluko 27. Ngeke yini kube okujabulisa kakhulu ngawe ukuba ngophilayo ngalesosikhathi futhi ukwazi ukuchaza indlela oye wahlanganyela ngayo kokukhulu, ‘ukugcwalisa umhlaba ngezithelo’ kosuku lwanamuhla?—Qhathanisa nesAmbulo 22:2, 3.
Inkambo ‘KaLeviyathani’ lyaqedwa
20. Yini eyokwenzeka ‘kuLeviyathani,’ futhi uyoba yini umphumela ngokuqondene nobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu?
20 Khona-ke iGibithe elingokomfanekiso, isimiso esibi esikhona manje leso uSathane uDeveli asibusa njengonkulunkulu waso, ngeke libe khona. UJehova uyobe esephendulele ukunakekela kwakhe kuLeviyathani ongokomfanekiso, inyoka ehuquzelayo, ethandelayo ephakathi kolwandle lwabantu. Yena nezizwe, ngisho nezinhlangano zezizwe, bayobe bengasekho. Uyobe engasekho njengomonakalisi okhululekile, oshisekayo wesintu leso uJesu Kristu asifela. (Isaya 27:1) Yebo, uSathane uDeveli uyofakwa kwalasha yonke Iminyaka Eyinkulungwane Yokubusa kukaJesu Kristu, iNdodana kaDavide neNdlalifa yoqobo yoMbuso. AmaIsrayeli angokomoya ayizi-144 000 ayoba izindlalifa kanye naye ezulwini, iNgonyama engokomfanekiso yesizwe sakwaJuda. (Roma 8:16, 17; IsAmbulo 5:5, 9, 10; 7:1-4) UJehova uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke uyobe eselwelwe phakade njengeNkosi ePhakeme yendawo yonke. Inhlangano kaJehova yendawo yonke ezulwini nasemhlabeni iyojabulela ukuthula okuhlala njalo nokuzwana. Ngokungenasiphelo, ngisho naphakade, uJehova uyojabula ngenhlangano yakhe yendawo yonke enobunye.
Ungakhumbula Na?
◻ Kungani amaKristu eqiniso ezwa “ukufutheka” kukaJehova ekuqaleni kwalelikhulu, futhi singafundani kulokhu okuhlangenwe nakho?
◻ Ngokuphambene nezizwe, ‘singabambelela kanjani kuJehova njengenqaba yethu’? (Isaya 27:5)
◻ ‘Umhlaba’ uye wagcwaliswa kanjani “ngezithelo” esikhathini sethu? (Isaya 27:6)
◻ Yikuphi ukugcwaliseka kwesikhathi esizayo kukaIsaya 27:1 esingakulindela ngethemba?
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Abanye bathemba ukuthi abantu bayoxazulula ukusongela kwenyukliye, kodwa abahlakaniphileyo bazo zonke izizwe babambelela emandleni kaJehova
[Izithombe ekhasini 18]
Ukwanda kwamaKristu ondleke kahle ngokomoya kubonakala ngokwandiswa kwamagatsha eWatch Tower Society
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