Usuku LukaJehova Lusondele
“Yizwani lokhu nina-badala, nibeke indlebe nina nonke enihlezi ezweni.”—JOWELI 1:2.
1, 2. Yisiphi isimo sakwaJuda esabangela ukuba uJehova aphefumulele uJoweli ukuba asho isiprofetho sakhe esinamandla?
“HAWU lolosuku! Ngokuba usuku lukaJehova lusondele, lufika njengokuchitha kuvela kuSomandla.” Yeka isimemezelo esivusa amadlingozi! Sasiyisigijimi sikaNkulunkulu kubantu bakhe simenyezelwa umprofethi uJoweli.
2 Lawo mazwi kaJoweli 1:15 alotshelwa kwaJuda, cishe ngonyaka ka-820 B.C.E. Amagquma alele uhlaza ngaleso sikhathi ayehlobise izwe. Izithelo nokolweni kwakuvumile. Amadlelo ayemakhulu futhi eluhlaza. Nokho, kunokuthile okwakungahambi neze kahle. Ukukhulekela uBali kwakudlangile eJerusalema nasezweni lakwaJuda. Abantu babenza imibuthano yokudakwa phambi kwalo nkulunkulu wamanga. (Qhathanisa neyesi-2 IziKronike 21:4-6, 11.) Ingabe uJehova wayeyokuvumela konke lokhu kuqhubeke?
3. Yini uJehova axwayisa ngayo, futhi yini izizwe okufanele zizilungiselele yona?
3 Incwadi yeBhayibheli kaJoweli inikeza impendulo ecacile. UJehova uNkulunkulu wayeyolwela ubukhosi bakhe futhi angcwelise igama lakhe elingcwele. Usuku lukaJehova olukhulu lwalusondele. Ngaleso sikhathi uNkulunkulu wayezokhipha isahlulelo kuzo zonke izizwe “esigodini sikaJehoshafati.” (Joweli 3:12) Mabazilungiselele ukulwa noMninimandla onke, uJehova. Nathi sibhekene nosuku olukhulu lukaJehova. Ngakho ake sihlolisise amazwi kaJoweli angokwesiprofetho ngokuqondene nosuku lwethu nesikhathi esidlule.
Ukuhlasela Kwezilokazane
4. Sasiyoba sikhulu kangakanani isenzakalo uJoweli axwayisa ngaso?
4 Ngomprofethi wakhe, uJehova uthi: “Yizwani lokhu nina-badala, nibeke indlebe nina nonke enihlezi ezweni. Kwake kwaba-khona emihleni yenu noma emihleni yawobaba na? Kutsheleni abantwana benu, nabantwana benu abantwana babo, nabantwana babo esinye isizukulwane.” (Joweli 1:2, 3) Abadala nabo bonke abantu babengalindela into eyayingakaze yenzeke ekuphileni kwabo noma ezinsukwini zokhokho babo. Yayiyoba engavamile kangangokuthi yayiyolandiswa kuze kube sesizukulwaneni sesithathu! Sasiyini lesi senzakalo esiphawulekayo? Ukuze sisithole, ake sizicabange sisemuva lé osukwini lukaJoweli.
5, 6. (a) Chaza uhlupho uJoweli aprofetha ngalo. (b) Ngubani owayenguMthombo walolo hlupho?
5 Lalela! UJoweli uzwa ukuduma okukude. Isibhakabhaka siba mnyama, futhi lowo msindo owethusayo uyakhula njengoba kuya kuba mnyama. Kube sekwehla ifu elinjengentuthu. Yifu lezigidi zezilokazane. Futhi yeka umonakalo eziwenzayo! Manje cabangela uJoweli 1:4. Laba bahlaseli abayizilokazane abasona nje isikhonyane esinamaphiko esivela kwenye indawo. Cha, akunjalo neze! Kuza nequlo lezinkumbi ezilambile. Silethwa umoya, lesi sikhonyane sifika ngokuzumayo, futhi umsindo waso unjengowezinqola. (Joweli 2:5) Ngenxa yokuba izidlakudla, izigidi zaso zingaguqula ipharadesi libe ihlane ngokushesha.
6 Kukhona nesibotho—izinundu nezimvemvane eziseyizibungu. Ifu lesibotho esilambile lingaqothula amaqabunga ezitshalo kancane kancane, lidla iqabunga ngalinye, kuze kube yilapho izitshalo sezicishe ziphundleke. Futhi okuningi kwalokho esikushiyayo kudliwa isikhonyane. Kuthi lokho okushiywa isikhonyane, amaphela anejubane akushaye akubhuqe. Kodwa phawula lokhu: KuJoweli isahluko 2, ivesi 11, uNkulunkulu ubiza ifu lesikhonyane ngokuthi ‘impi yakhe.’ Yebo, nguye owayenguMthombo wenhlupho yesikhonyane eyayizobhuqa izwe futhi ibangele indlala enzima. Nini? Ngaphambi nje ‘kosuku lukaJehova.’
“Phaphamani, Zidakwa”!
7. (a) Sasinjani isimo sabaholi benkolo bakwaJuda? (b) Abaholi beLobukholwa namuhla basesimweni esifana nesabaholi benkolo bakwaJuda ngayiphi indlela?
7 Kubalulwa iqembu elihlazisayo, abaholi benkolo bakwaJuda lapho kukhishwa lo myalo: “Phaphamani, zidakwa, nikhale, nihewule nonke eniphuza iwayini ukuthi iwayini linqanyulelwe emlonyeni wenu.” (Joweli 1:5) Yebo, izidakwa ezingokomoya zakwaJuda zatshelwa ukuba ‘ziphaphame,’ zisanguluke. Kodwa ungacabangi ukuthi lokhu kumane nje kuwumlando wasendulo. Kwamanje, ngaphambi kosuku olukhulu lukaJehova, abefundisi beLobukholwa, ngokomfanekiso, basuthi iwayini kangangokuba abawuzwa lo myalo ovela koPhezukonke. Yeka indlela abayomangala ngayo lapho besangulukiswa usuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo ekudakweni kwabo okungokomoya!
8, 9. (a) UJoweli usichaza kanjani isikhonyane nomphumela wohlupho lwaso? (b) Namuhla, simelela obani isikhonyane?
8 Bheka leliya lifu elikhulu lesikhonyane! “Kwenyukele ezweni lami isizwe esinamandla nesingenakubalwa; amazinyo aso angamazinyo engonyama, namazinyo aso emihlathi angawengonyamakazi. Sichithile umvini wami, saxebula umkhiwane wami; siwuxhozile nokuwuxhoza, sawulahla, amagatsha awo sawenza abamhlophe. Khala njengentombi ebhincé indwangu yamasaka ngomyeni wobusha bayo.”—Joweli 1:6-8.
9 Ingabe lokhu kumane nje kuyisiprofetho ‘ngesizwe’ sesikhonyane, ifu lesikhonyane, esihlasela uJuda? Cha, kunokungaphezu kwalokho. KuJoweli 1:6 kanye 7 And the likenesses of the locusts resembled horses prepared for battle; and upon their heads [were] what seemed to be crowns like gold, and their faces [were] as men’s faces, nakusAmbulo 9:7, abantu bakaNkulunkulu kuthiwa bayisikhonyane. Ifu lesikhonyane sosuku lwanamuhla yibutho lesikhonyane sikaJehova esigcotshiwe, manje esikanye “nezinye izimvu” zikaJesu ezingaba ngu-5 600 000. (Johane 10:16) Awujabuli yini ngokuba yingxenye yalesi sixuku esikhulu sabakhulekeli bakaJehova?
10. Uyini umphumela wohlupho lwesikhonyane kwaJuda?
10 KuJoweli 1:9-12, sifunda ngemiphumela yohlupho lwesikhonyane. Amafu esikhonyane alandelanayo acoboshisa izwe ngokuphelele. Beswele ukolweni, iwayini namafutha, abapristi abangathembekile abakwazi ukuqhubeka nemisebenzi yabo. Ngisho nomhlabathi uyabubula, ngoba isikhonyane siwushaye sawubhuqa ukolweni wawo, nezihlahla zezithelo zasala zingenalutho. Njengoba imivini isiqothuliwe, alisekho iwayini lalezo zinseli zewayini ezikhulekela uBali, futhi eziyizidakwa ezingokomoya.
‘Khalani, Bapristi’
11, 12. (a) Obani abathi bangabapristi bakaNkulunkulu namuhla? (b) Uhlupho lwesikhonyane lwanamuhla lubathinta kanjani abaholi benkolo beLobukholwa?
11 Lalela isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu kulabo bapristi abaphambukayo: “Bhincani, nikhale, bapristi, nihewule, nina-zikhonzi ze-altare.” (Joweli 1:13) Ekugcwalisekeni kokuqala kwesiprofetho sikaJoweli, abapristi abangamaLevi babekhonza e-altare. Kodwa kuthiwani ngokugcwaliseka kokugcina? Namuhla, abefundisi beLobukholwa baye bazithathela igunya lokukhonza e-altare likaNkulunkulu, bethi bayizikhonzi zakhe, ‘abapristi’ bakhe. Nokho, yini eyenzekayo manje njengoba isikhonyane sikaNkulunkulu sosuku lwanamuhla simatasa?
12 Lapho ‘abapristi’ beLobukholwa bebona abantu bakaJehova bematasa futhi bezwa isixwayiso sabo sesahlulelo saphezulu, bayaphithana. Bayakhala ngenxa yokucasuka nokuthukutheliswa umonakalo obangelwa isigijimi soMbuso. Futhi bayahewula njengoba imihlambi yabo ibashiya. Njengoba amadlelo abo eqothulwa, mabalale ubusuku bonke bembethe indwangu yesaka, belilela ukulahlekelwa iholo. Ngokushesha, bazolahlekelwa nayimisebenzi yabo! Eqinisweni, uNkulunkulu uthi mabalile ubusuku bonke ngoba isiphelo sabo sisondele.
13. Ingabe eLobukholwa njengeqembu liyosabela kahle esixwayisweni sikaJehova?
13 NgokukaJoweli 1:14, okuwukuphela kwethemba labo ukuba baphenduke futhi ‘bakhale kuJehova.’ Ingabe singalindela ukuba sonke isigaba sabefundisi beLobukholwa siphendukele kuJehova? Lutho! Abathile phakathi kwabo bangase basabele esixwayisweni sikaJehova. Kodwa isimo sendlala engokomoya salaba baholi benkolo nabalandeli babo sizoqhubeka. Umprofethi u-Amose wabikezela: “Bhekani, izinsuku ziyeza, isho iNkosi uJehova, lapho ngiyakuthuma indlala ezweni, kungabi-yindlala yesinkwa, kungabi-ngukomela amanzi, kepha kube-ngeyokuzwa amazwi kaJehova.” (Amose 8:11) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, yeka indlela esibonga ngayo ngedili elicebile elingokomoya uNkulunkulu asilungiselela lona ngothando ‘ngesigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo’!—Mathewu 24:45-47.
14. Uhlupho lwesikhonyane luyibika lani?
14 Uhlupho lwesikhonyane lwaluyibika lokuthile, namanje iseyilo. Iyibika lani? UJoweli usitshela ngokucacile, ethi: “Hawu lolosuku! Ngokuba usuku lukaJehova lusondele, lufika njengokuchitha kuvela kuSomandla.” (Joweli 1:15) Ukuhlasela kwebutho lesikhonyane sikaNkulunkulu emhlabeni wonke namuhla kubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi usuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo lusondele. Ngokuqinisekile, bonke abanhliziyo zilungile bayalulangazelela lolo suku olukhethekile lokulandisa lapho ababi beyothola isahlulelo saphezulu futhi uJehova enqoba njengoMbusi Wendawo Yonke.
15. Ngenxa yesimo esidabukisayo sezwe, basabela kanjani labo abazilalelayo izixwayiso zaphezulu?
15 Njengoba uJoweli 1:16-20 ebonisa, ukudla kwaphela kwaJuda wasendulo. Nenjabulo yaphela. Izingobo zazikhala ibhungane, futhi izinqolobane kwadingeka zidilizwe. Izinkomo zazulazula zikhungathekile nemihlambi yezimvu yashabalala, ingenawo amadlelo ngenxa yokuthi izitshalo zaziqothulwe isikhonyane. Yeka usizi! Phakathi nezimo ezinjalo, kwakwenzekani ngoJoweli? Ngokwevesi lika-19, wathi: “Ngikhala kuwe-Jehova.” Nanamuhla, abaningi bayazilalela izixwayiso zaphezulu futhi bakhale kuJehova uNkulunkulu benokholo.
“Luyeza Usuku LukaJehova”
16. Kungani “abakhé ezweni” kufanele bathuthumele?
16 Lalela lo myalo ovela kuNkulunkulu: “Bethani icilongo eSiyoni, nihlabe umkhosi entabeni yami engcwele; mabathuthumele bonke abakhé ezweni.” (Joweli 2:1) Kungani kufanele basabele ngaleyo ndlela? Isiprofetho siyaphendula: “Ngokuba luyeza usuku lukaJehova, ngokuba lusondele; usuku lobumnyama nolwesigayegaye, usuku lwamafu nolobumnyama obukhulu, njengokusa kwenekwé ezintabeni.” (Joweli 2:1, 2) Usuku olukhulu lukaJehova luhambisana nomuzwa wokuphuthuma ngempela.
17. Uhlupho lwesikhonyane lwalithinta kanjani izwe kanye nabantu bakwaJuda?
17 Cabanga ngethonya lalo mbono womprofethi njengoba isikhonyane esingayeki siphendula indawo esansimu yase-Edene iba uqwathule. Lalela ukuchazwa kwebutho lesikhonyane: ‘Isimo salo sinjengesimo samahashi, ligijima njengabamahashi. Lingqabashiya ngomsindo wezinqola eziqongweni zezintaba, njengokuchochoza kwelangabi lomlilo elidla amabibi nanjengabantu abanamandla, abahlelelwe ukulwa. Phambi kwalo abantu bayathuthumela, bonke ubuso buyaphaphatheka.’ (Joweli 2:4-6) Phakathi nohlupho lwesikhonyane ngosuku lukaJoweli, usizi lwabakhulekeli bakaBali lwanda, futhi ukukhathazeka kwakubonakala ebusweni babo.
18, 19. Umsebenzi wabantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla uye wafana kanjani nohlupho lwesikhonyane?
18 Akukho lutho olwamisa isikhonyane esihlelekile, esingakhathali. Sasigijima “njengamaqhawe” futhi sikhwela ngisho nezingange. Uma esinye kuso ‘siziphonsa phakathi kwezikhali,’ esinye ‘sasingakhawuli.’ (Joweli 2:7, 8) Yeka umbono ocacile ongokwesiprofetho webutho likaNkulunkulu lesikhonyane esingokomfanekiso sosuku lwanamuhla! Nanamuhla, ibutho likaJehova lesikhonyane liyaqhubeka liphokophele phambili. Akukho ‘lugange’ lokuphikiswa olulivimbayo. Alibephuli ubuqotho balo kuNkulunkulu kodwa lizimisele ukubhekana nokufa, njengoba kwenza izinkulungwane zoFakazi ‘ezaziphonsa phakathi kwezikhali’ ngokunqaba ukudumisa uHitler ngesikhathi sombuso wobuNazi waseJalimane.
19 Ibutho likaNkulunkulu lesikhonyane lanamuhla liye lanikeza ubufakazi obungashwampuluzi “emzini” weLobukholwa. (Joweli 2:9) Liye labunikeza emhlabeni wonke. Lisaqhubeka linqoba zonke izithiyo futhi lingena ezigidini zemizi, liya kubantu emigwaqweni, likhuluma nabo ngocingo, futhi lithintana nabo nganoma iyiphi indlela okungenzeka ngayo njengoba limemezela isigijimi sikaJehova. Yebo, liye lasakaza izinkulungwane zezigidi zezincwadi zeBhayibheli futhi lisazosakaza ezengeziwe, eziningi kakhulu kule nkonzo yalo enganqamuki—kokubili obala nasendlini ngendlu.—IzEnzo 20:20, 21.
20. Ubani osekela isikhonyane sosuku lwanamuhla, futhi kuba namiphi imiphumela?
20 UJoweli 2:10 ubonisa ukuthi ifu lesikhonyane elikhulukazi lifana nefu elingasithibeza ilanga, inyanga nezinkanyezi. (Qhathanisa no-Isaya 60:8.) Ingabe kukhona ukungabaza ngokuthi ubani osekela le mpi? Naphezu kokubhuza kwalezi zilokazane, sizwa la mazwi kaJoweli 2:11: “UJehova uzwakalisa izwi lakhe phambi kwempi yakhe, ngokuba ibandla lakhe likhulu kakhulu, nowenza izwi lakhe unamandla; yebo, usuku lukaJehova lukhulu, luyesabeka kakhulu; ngubani ongaluthwala na?” Yebo, uJehova uNkulunkulu uphaka impi yakhe yesikhonyane manje—ngaphambi kosuku lwakhe olukhulu.
“UJehova Akephuzi”
21. Uyoba yini umphumela lapho ‘usuku lukaJehova lufika njengesela’?
21 NjengoJoweli, umphostoli uPetru wakhuluma ngosuku olukhulu lukaJehova. Wabhala: “Usuku lukaJehova luyofika njengesela, okuyodlula ngalo amazulu ngomsindo ohazayo, kodwa izakhi njengoba ziyobe zishisa kakhulu ziyoncibilika, futhi umhlaba nemisebenzi ekuwo kuyokwambulwa.” (2 Petru 3:10) Engaphansi kwethonya likaSathane uDeveli, “amazulu” angohulumeni ababi abusa phezu ‘komhlaba,’ oyisintu esihlukanisiwe noNkulunkulu. (Efesu 6:12; 1 Johane 5:19) La mazulu nomhlaba okungokomfanekiso ngeke kusinde ekushiseni kolaka lwaphezulu ngosuku lukaJehova olukhulu. Kunalokho, isikhundla sawo siyothathwa “amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha esikulindele ngokwesithembiso sakhe, futhi kukho kuyohlala ukulunga.”—2 Petru 3:13.
22, 23. (a) Kufanele sisabele kanjani esiheni sikaJehova sokubonisa ukubekezela? (b) Kufanele sisabele kanjani ekubeni seduze kosuku lukaJehova?
22 Kuzo zonke iziphazamiso nokuvivinywa kokholo kwanamuhla, singase silahlekelwe umbono wokuphuthuma kwezikhathi zethu. Kodwa njengoba isikhonyane esingokomfanekiso siphokophela phambili, abantu abaningi bayasabela esigijimini soMbuso. Nakuba uNkulunkulu eye wasivumela isikhathi salokhu, akumelwe siphambanise ukubekezela kwakhe nokwephuza. “UJehova akephuzi ngokuqondene nesithembiso sakhe, njengoba abanye abantu becabangela ukwephuza, kodwa uyanibekezelela ngoba akafisi ukuba noma ubani abhujiswe kodwa ufisa ukuba bonke bafinyelele ekuphendukeni.”—2 Petru 3:9.
23 Njengoba silindele usuku lukaJehova olukhulu, masilalele amazwi kaPetru alotshwe kweyesi-2 Petru 3:11, 12: “Njengoba zonke lezizinto ziyoncibilika kanjalo, luhlobo luni lwabantu okufanele nibe yilo ezenzweni zokuziphatha ezingcwele nasezenzweni zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, nilindele futhi nikugcine kuseduze engqondweni ukuba khona kosuku lukaJehova, okuyothi ngalo amazulu njengoba eyobe esha ancibilike nezinto zawo njengoba ziyobe zishisa kakhulu zincibilike!” Ngokuqinisekile lezi zenzo zihlanganisa nokuba sihambisane nebutho likaJehova lesikhonyane ngokuhlanganyela njalo nangokunenjongo ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ngaphambi kokufika kwesiphelo.—Marku 13:10.
24, 25. (a) Usabela kanjani elungelweni lokuhlanganyela emsebenzini webutho likaJehova lesikhonyane? (b) Yimuphi umbuzo onengqondo uJoweli awuphakamisayo?
24 Ibutho likaNkulunkulu lesikhonyane ngeke liwuyeke umsebenzi walo, kuze kugqashuke usuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo. Khona kanye ukuba khona kwaleli butho lesikhonyane esingenakuvinjelwa kuwubufakazi obuphawulekayo bokuba seduze kosuku lukaJehova. Awujabuli yini ngokukhonza kanye nesikhonyane sikaNkulunkulu esigcotshiwe nabangane baso ekuhlaseleni kokugcina ngaphambi kosuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo?
25 Yeka indlela oluyoba lukhulu ngayo lolo lusuku lukaJehova! Akumangazi ukuthi kuphakanyiswa lo mbuzo: “Ngubani ongaluthwala na?” (Joweli 2:11) Lo mbuzo, neminye eminingi, uzocatshangelwa ezihlokweni ezimbili ezilandelayo.
Ungachaza?
◻ Kungani uJehova axwayisa ngohlupho lwezilokazane kwaJuda?
◻ Ekugcwalisekeni kwanamuhla kwesiprofetho sikaJoweli, obani abayisikhonyane sikaJehova?
◻ Abaholi beLobukholwa basabela kanjani ohluphweni lwesikhonyane, futhi bangasinda kanjani abanye babo emiphumeleni yalo?
◻ Uhlupho lwesikhonyane luye lwenaba kangakanani kuleli khulu lama-20, futhi luzoqhubeka kuze kube nini?
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
Uhlupho lwesikhonyane lwaluyibika lokuthile okubi nakakhulu
[Umthombo]
Barren tree: FAO photo/G. Singh
[Izithombe ekhasini 10]
UJehova uNkulunkulu ungumsekeli wohlupho lwesikhonyane lwanamuhla
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 8]
Locust: FAO photo/G. Tortoli; locust swarm: FAO photo/Desert Locust Survey