Ukusinda ‘Osukwini LukaJehova’

“Usuku lukaJehova lukhulu, luyesabeka kakhulu; ngubani ongaluthwala na?”—JOWELI 2:11.

 1. Kungani ‘usuku lukaJehova olwesabekayo’ kufanele lube isikhathi senjabulo?

“LUYESABEKA”! Uluchaza kanjalo umprofethi kaNkulunkulu uJoweli “usuku lukaJehova” olukhulu. Nokho, thina esithanda uJehova futhi esiye sazinikezela kuye ngesisekelo somhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo akudingeki sikhwantabale ngokwesaba njengoba usuku lukaJehova lusondela. Yebo, luyoba usuku olwesabekayo, kodwa futhi usuku lokusindiswa okukhulu, usuku lokukhululwa esimisweni sezinto esibi esiye sahlupha isintu isikhathi esiyizinkulungwane zeminyaka. Elindele lolo lusuku, uJoweli umema abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba ‘bajabule, bathokoze, ngokuba uJehova [uyokwenza, NW] izinto ezinkulu,’ futhi wenezela lesi siqinisekiso: “Kuyakuthi bonke ababiza igama likaJehova bakhululwe.” Khona-ke elungiselelweni likaNkulunkulu loMbuso, “kuyakuba-ngabasindileyo, njengalokho eshilo uJehova, naphakathi kwabaseleyo kube-ngababizwa nguJehova.”—Joweli 2:11, 21, 22, 32.

 2. Ekufezekeni kwezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu, kwenzekani (a) ‘ngosuku lweNkosi’ (b) ‘ngosuku lukaJehova’?

² Usuku lukaJehova olwesabekayo akufanele ludidaniswe ‘nosuku lweNkosi’ lwesAmbulo 1:10. Lolu lwamuva luhlanganisa ukugcwaliseka kwemibono engu-16 echazwe kusAmbulo izahluko 1 kuya ku-22. Luhlanganisa nesikhathi sokugcwaliseka kwazo zonke izenzakalo uJesu azibikezela ekuphenduleni umbuzo wabafundi bakhe: “Ziyokwenzeka nini lezizinto, futhi siyoba yini isibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakho nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto?” Ukuba khona kukaJesu kwasezulwini kuye kwabonakala ‘ngezimpi’ ezesabekayo emhlabeni, ‘indlala, inzondo, izifo eziwumshayabhuqe nokungabi namthetho.’ Njengoba lezi zinsizi ziye zanda, uJesu uye wanikeza abantu abesaba uNkulunkulu induduzo ngokuthuma abafundi bakhe bosuku lwanamuhla ukuba bashumayele “lezizindaba ezinhle zombuso . . . emhlabeni wonke owakhiweyo ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke.” Khona-ke, njengomvuthwandaba wosuku lweNkosi, “ukuphela” kwesimiso sezinto samanje, usuku lukaJehova olwesabekayo, kuyogqashuka. (Mathewu 24:3-14; Luka 21:11) Lolo kuyoba usuku lukaJehova lokufeza isahlulelo esisheshayo ezweni likaSathane elonakele. “Izulu nomhlaba kuyazamazama, kepha uJehova uyisiphephelo sabantu bakhe.”—Joweli 3:16.

UJehova Uthatha Isinyathelo Ezinsukwini ZikaNowa

 3. Izimo namuhla zifana kanjani nezosuku lukaNowa?

³ Izimo zezwe namuhla zifana ‘nezasezinsukwini zikaNowa’ eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-4000 edlule. (Luka 17:26, 27) KuGenesise 6:5, siyafunda: “UJehova wabona ukuthi ububi bomuntu bukhulu emhlabeni nokuthi zonke izizindlo zemicabango yenhliziyo yakhe zimbi njalo.” Yeka indlela okufana ngayo nezwe lanamuhla! Ububi, ukuhaha, nokungabi naluthando kugcwele yonke indawo. Ngezinye izikhathi singase sicabange ukuthi ukonakala kwesintu sekufike ekugcineni. Kodwa isiprofetho somphostoli uPawulu mayelana ‘nezinsuku zokugcina’ siyaqhubeka sigcwaliseka: “Abantu ababi nabakhohlisi bayoqhubeka besuka kokubi baye kokubi kakhulu, bedukisa futhi bedukiswa.”—2 Thimothewu 3:1, 13.

 4. Ukukhulekela kwamanga kwakunaliphi ithonya ezikhathini zakuqala?

⁴ Ingabe inkolo yayingasilethela impumuzo isintu esikhathini sikaNowa? Ngokuphambene, inkolo ehlubukayo njengaleyo eyayikhona ngaleso sikhathi yayiyoba nesandla kakhulu ekubangeleni izimo ezibhubhisayo. Abazali bethu bokuqala babevumele ukunqotshwa imfundiso yamanga ‘yenyoka yokuqala, ebizwa ngokuthi uDeveli noSathane.’ Esizukulwaneni sesibili ukusuka ku-Adamu, “abantu baqala ukukhuleka egameni likaJehova,” ngokusobala ngokulihlambalaza. (IsAmbulo 12:9; Genesise 3:3-6; 4:26) Kamuva, izingelosi ezihlubukayo, ezashiya ukuzinikela okukhethekile kuNkulunkulu, zaguqukela emizimbeni yabantu ukuze zibe nobuhlobo bobulili obungemthetho namadodakazi abantu amahle. Laba besifazane bazala imidondoshiya eyingxube, eyayibizwa ngokuthi amaNefili, eyayicindezela futhi ihlukumeze isintu. Ngaphansi kwaleli thonya lamademoni, ‘inyama yonke yonakalisa indlela yayo emhlabeni.’—Genesise 6:1-12.

 5. Ngokuqondene nezenzakalo zosuku lukaNowa, yikuphi ukunxusa okuyisixwayiso uJesu akubhekisa kithi?

⁵ Nokho, kunomkhaya owodwa owagcina ubuqotho kuJehova. Ngakho, uNkulunkulu ‘wagcina uNowa, umshumayeli wokulunga, ephephile nabanye abayisikhombisa lapho eletha uzamcolo phezu kwezwe labantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu.’ (2 Petru 2:5) Lowo Zamcolo wafanekisela usuku lukaJehova olwesabekayo, oluwuphawu lokuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto futhi uJesu aprofetha ngalo: “Ngokuphathelene nalolosuku nalelohora akekho owaziyo, nazingelosi zasemazulwini naNdodana, kodwa uBaba kuphela. Ngoba njengoba nje zazinjalo izinsuku zikaNowa, kuyoba njalo nokuba khona kweNdodana yomuntu. Ngoba njengoba babenjalo ngalezozinsuku zangaphambi kwesikhukhula, bedla futhi bephuza, amadoda eshada futhi abesifazane bendiswa, kwaze kwaba usuku uNowa angena ngalo emkhunjini; futhi abanakanga kwaze kwafika isikhukhula, sabakhukhula bonke, kuyoba njalo nokuba khona kweNdodana yomuntu.” (Mathewu 24:36-39) Sisesimweni esifanayo namuhla, ngakho uJesu usinxusa ukuba ‘sizinake, futhi sihlale siphapheme, ngaso sonke isikhathi sinxusa ukuba siphumelele ekuphunyukeni kuzo zonke lezizinto ezimiselwe ukuba zenzeke.’—Luka 21:34-36.

Isijeziso SikaJehova Sokwahlulela ISodoma NeGomora

6, 7. (a) Yini efanekiselwa yizenzakalo zesikhathi sikaLoti? (b) Lokhu kusinika siphi isixwayiso esicacile?

⁶ Emakhulwini athile eminyaka ngemva kweSikhukhula, lapho inzalo kaNowa yase yandile emhlabeni, u-Abrahama okholekile nomshana wakhe uLoti baba ofakazi bokuzibonela bolunye usuku lukaJehova olwesabekayo. ULoti nomkhaya wakhe babehlala emzini waseSodoma. Lomuzi, kanye neGomora elingumakhelwane, wawusungene shí ekuziphatheni kobulili okwenyanyekayo. Ukuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo nakho kwakuyinto esemqoka, okwathonya ngisho nomkaLoti ekugcineni. UJehova wayetshele u-Abrahama: “Isikhalo saseSodoma nesaseGomora sikhulu, nezono zabo zinzima impela.” (Genesise 18:20) U-Abrahama wancenga uJehova ukuba angayibhubhisi leyo mizi ngenxa yabalungileyo ababekuyo, kodwa uJehova wathi wayengatholanga ngisho nabantu abayishumi abalungileyo lapho. Izingelosi ezivela kuNkulunkulu zasiza uLoti namadodakazi akhe amabili ukuba babalekele emzini oseduze waseSowari.

⁷ Yini eyalandela? Efanisa ‘izinsuku’ zethu ‘zokugcina’ nezikaLoti, uLuka 17:28-30 uyabika: “Ngokufanayo, njengoba nje kwenzeka ezinsukwini zikaLoti: babedla, babephuza, babethenga, babethengisa, babetshala, babakha. Kodwa ngosuku uLoti aphuma ngalo eSodoma kwana umlilo nesibabule kuvela ezulwini futhi kwababhubhisa bonke. Kuyoba ngendlela efanayo nangalolosuku lapho iNdodana yomuntu isizokwambulwa.” Inhlekelele yaseSodoma naseGomora ngalolo lusuku lukaJehova olwesabekayo isinikeza isixwayiso esicacile kulesi sikhathi sokuba khona kukaJesu. Isizukulwane samanje sesintu naso siye ‘senza ubufebe ngokweqile futhi salandela inyama ngenjongo yokuyisebenzisa ngokungekhona okwemvelo.’ (Jude 7) Ngaphezu kwalokho, izimo zengqondo ezimbi zokuziphatha kobulili zezikhathi zethu ziye zabangela eziningi ‘zezifo eziwumshayabhuqe’ uJesu azibikezelela lolu suku.—Luka 21:11.

U-Israyeli Uvuna “Isivunguvungu”

 8. U-Israyeli wasigcina ngezinga elingakanani isivumelwano noJehova?

⁸ Ngesikhathi esifanele, uJehova wakhetha u-Israyeli ukuba abe ‘yigugu kuye kunazo zonke izizwe, umbuso wabapristi nesizwe esingcwele.’ Kodwa lokhu kwakuncike ‘ekulaleleni kwabo izwi lakhe futhi bagcine isivumelwano sakhe.’ (Eksodusi 19:5, 6) Ingabe balazisa leli lungelo elikhulu? Lutho neze! Yiqiniso, abantu abakholekile baleso sizwe bamkhonza ngokwethembeka—uMose, uSamuweli, uDavide, uJehoshafati, uHezekiya, uJosiya, kanye nabaprofethi nabaprofethikazi abazinikele. Kodwa isizwe sisonke sasingakholekile. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, umbuso wahlukana kabili—u-Israyeli noJuda. Ngokwengxenye enkulu, zombili lezi zizwe zahileleka ekukhulekeleni kwamaqaba namanye amasiko ahlambalaza uNkulunkulu amazwe angomakhelwane.—Hezekeli 23:49.

 9. UJehova wawahlulela kanjani umbuso wezizwe eziyishumi owawuhlubuka?

⁹ Wahlulela kanjani uJehova kulendaba? Njengenhlala-yenza, wakhipha isixwayiso, ngokuvumelana nesimiso esishiwo u-Amose: “INkosi uJehova ayenzi-lutho, ingayambulanga imfihlakalo yayo ezincekwini zayo abaprofethi.” U-Amose ngokwakhe wamemezela usizi ngombuso wakwa-Israyeli wasenyakatho: “Luyakunisizani usuku lukaJehova? Lungubumnyama, alusikho ukukhanya.” (Amose 3:7; 5:18) Ngaphezu kwalokho, umprofethi uHoseya owayekanye no-Amose wathi: “Bahlwanyele umoya, bayakuvuna isivunguvungu.” (Hoseya 8:7) Ngo-740 B.C.E., uJehova wasebenzisa ibutho lase-Asiriya ukuba achithe phakade umbuso wakwa-Israyeli wasenyakatho.

UJehova Wenza UJuda Ohlubukayo Alandise

10, 11. (a) Kungani uJehova engavumanga ukuthethelela uJuda? (b) Yiziphi izinto ezinengekayo ezazonakalise lesi sizwe?

¹⁰ UJehova wathumela abaprofethi bakhe nasembusweni wakwaJuda waseningizimu. Noma kunjalo, amakhosi akwaJuda anjengoManase naleyo eyamlandela, u-Amoni, aqhubeka enza okubi emehlweni aKhe, ‘echitha kakhulu igazi elingenacala futhi ekhonza izithombe, ekhuleka kuzo.’ Nakuba indodana ka-Amoni uJosiya yenza okulungile emehlweni kaJehova, amakhosi alandela, kanye nabantu, baphinda bacwila ebubini, kangangokuthi “uJehova akavumanga ukukuthethelela.”—2 AmaKhosi 21:16-21; 24:3, 4.

¹¹ Ngomprofethi wakhe uJeremiya, uJehova wamemezela: “Okumangalisayo nokwesabekayo kuyenziwa ezweni. Abaprofethi baprofetha amanga, abapristi babusa eceleni kwabo; abantu bami bayakuthanda kanjalo, kepha niyakwenze-njani ekupheleni na?” Isizwe sakwaJuda sasibe necala legazi ngokwedlulele, futhi abantu baso babonakele ngenxa yokweba, ukubulala, ukuphinga, ukufunga ngamanga, ukulandela abanye onkulunkulu, nezinye izinto ezinengekayo. Ithempeli likaNkulunkulu lase liphenduke “umhume wabaphangi.”—Jeremiya 2:34; 5:30, 31; 7:8-12.

12. UJehova walijezisa kanjani iJerusalema elihlubukayo?

¹² UJehova wamemezela: “Ngiyakuletha okubi kuvele ngasenyakatho [eKalideya] nokubhujiswa okukhulu.” (Jeremiya 4:6) Ngaleyo ndlela, waletha uMbuso Wezwe WaseBabiloni, ‘owawuyisando somhlaba wonke’ ngaleso sikhathi, ukuze uphihlize iJerusalema elihlubukayo nethempeli lalo. (Jeremiya 50:23) Ngo-607 B.C.E., ngemva kokuvinjezelwa okubuhlungu, lomuzi wawela ebuthweni elinamandla likaNebukadinesari. “Inkosi yaseBabele yabulala amadodana kaSedekiya [inkosi] eRibila phambi kwamehlo akhe; futhi inkosi yaseBabele yabulala bonke abakhulu bakwaJuda. Yakhipha namehlo kaSedekiya, yambopha ngamaketanga ukuba imyise eBabele. AmaKaledi ashisa indlu yenkosi nezindlu zabantu ngomlilo, azidiliza izingange zaseJerusalema. Insali yabantu ababesala emzini, nabahlubuki ababehlubukela kuye, nensali yabantu abaseleyo uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi wabathumbela eBabele.”—Jeremiya 39:6-9.

13. Obani abasinda ngosuku lukaJehova ngo-607 B.C.E., futhi ngasiphi isizathu?

¹³ Usuku olwesabeka ngempela! Nokho, imiphefumulo embalwa eyalalela uJehova yayiphakathi kwalabo abasinda kuleso sahlulelo esinjengomlilo. Laba babehlanganisa amaRekabi ayengewona ama-Israyeli, lawo, ngokuphambene nabakwaJuda, abonisa umoya wokuthobeka nokulalela. Abanye futhi abasinda kwakungumthenwa okholekile u-Ebedi-Meleki, owayehlenge uJeremiya ekufeni emgodini onodaka, nombhali othembekile kaJeremiya, uBaruki. (Jeremiya 35:18, 19; 38:7-13; 39:15-18; 45:1-5) UJehova wayesho kwabanjalo ukuthi: “Ngiyazi mina imicabango engiyicabanga ngani, . . . imicabango yokuthula kungengeyobubi ukuba ngininike isikhathi esizayo nethemba.” Leso sithembiso sagcwaliseka ngesilinganiso esincane ngo-539 B.C.E. lapho amaJuda esaba uNkulunkulu ekhululwa yiNkosi uKoresi eyanqoba iBabiloni, futhi ebuyela emuva eyokwakha kabusha umuzi waseJerusalema nethempeli. Labo namuhla abaphuma enkolweni enjengeBabiloni futhi babuyiselwe ekukhulekeleni kukaJehova okuhlanzekile, ngokufanayo bangabheka phambili ekusaseni elikhazimulayo lokuthula okungunaphakade ePharadesi likaJehova elibuyiselwe.—Jeremiya 29:11; IHubo 37:34; IsAmbulo 18:2, 4.

“Usizi Olukhulu” Lwekhulu Lokuqala

14. Kungani uJehova amenqaba phakade u-Israyeli?

¹⁴ Make siqhubekele ekhulwini lokuqala C.E. Ngaleso sikhathi amaJuda abuyiselwe ayesephinde awela ekuhlubukeni. UJehova wathumela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa emhlabeni ukuba ibe oGcotshiweyo wakhe, noma uMesiya. Phakathi neminyaka yawo-29 kuya ku-33 C.E., uJesu washumayela kulo lonke izwe lakwa-Israyeli, ethi: “Phendukani, ngoba umbuso wamazulu ususondele.” (Mathewu 4:17) Ngaphezu kwalokho, waqoqa futhi waqeqesha abafundi ukuze bahlanganyele naye ekumemezeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. Basabela kanjani ababusi bamaJuda? Bamhlambalaza uJesu futhi ekugcineni benza icala elenyanyekayo lokumbulala kabuhlungu esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa. UJehova wawalahla amaJuda njengabantu bakhe. Manje ukwenqatshwa kwaleso sizwe kwase kungokwaphakade.

15. AmaJuda ayephendukile aba nelungelo lokufezani?

¹⁵ Ngosuku lwePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., uJesu ovusiwe wathulula umoya ongcwele, futhi lokhu kwanika abafundi bakhe amandla okukhuluma ngezilimi kumaJuda namaproselithe ayebuthane ngokushesha. Ekhuluma nalesi sixuku, umphostoli uPetru wathi: “LoJesu uNkulunkulu wamvusa, okuyiqiniso esingofakazi balo sonke. . . . Ngakho-ke yonke indlu ka-Israyeli mayazi ngokuqinisekile ukuthi uNkulunkulu wamenza kokubili iNkosi noKristu, loJesu enambethela.” Asabela kanjani amaJuda athembekile? “Ahlabeka enhliziyweni,” aphenduka ezonweni zawo, futhi abhapathizwa. (IzEnzo 2:32-41) Ukushunyayelwa koMbuso kwathola umfutho, futhi kungakapheli neminyaka engu-30 kwase kufinyelele “kuyo yonke indalo engaphansi kwezulu.”—Kolose 1:23.

16. UJehova waziqondisa kanjani izenzakalo ezaholela ekufezeni kwakhe isahlulelo ku-Israyeli wemvelo?

¹⁶ Manje sase sifikile isikhathi sokuba uJehova akhiphe isahluleko esizweni sakhe esenqatshiwe, u-Israyeli wemvelo. Izinkulungwane eziningi, ezivela ezizweni zalo lonke izwe elalaziwa ngaleso sikhathi, zazithuthelekele ebandleni lobuKristu futhi zagcotshwa ‘njengo-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu’ ongokomoya. (Galathiya 6:16) Nokho, amaJuda angaleso sikhathi, ayesecwile enkambweni yenzondo nobudlova bamahlelo. Ngokuphambene nalokho uPawulu ayekubhalile ‘ngokuzithoba emagunyeni aphakeme,’ awuvukela obala umbuso wamaRoma owawuwabusa. (Roma 13:1) Ngokusobala uJehova waqondisa izenzakalo ezalandela. Ngonyaka ka-66 C.E., amabutho amaRoma ngaphansi kukaJenene Gallus avimbezela iJerusalema. LamaRoma ayehlasela angena emzini aze adiliza nodonga lwethempeli. Njengoba ukulandisa kukaJosephus kusho, ngempela kwaba nosizi kulomuzi nakubantu.a Kodwa ngokungazelelwe amasosha ayehlasela abaleka. Lokhu kwavumela abafundi bakaJesu ukuba ‘babalekele ezintabeni,’ njengoba ayeyalile esiprofethweni sakhe esilotshwe kuMathewu 24:15, 16.

17, 18. (a) Iluphi usizi uJehova afeza ngalo ubulungisa kumaJuda? (b) Iyiphi inyama ‘eyakhululwa,’ futhi lokhu kwakuyisithunzi sani?

¹⁷ Nokho, ukufezwa ngokugcwele kwesahlulelo sikaJehova emvuthwandaba wosizi kwakuseza. Ngo-70 C.E., amabutho amaRoma, manje ayengaphansi kukaJenene Titus, abuyela ahlasela. Kulokhu impi yaba umphelandaba! AmaJuda, ayekade elwa wodwa, ayengenakubhekana namaRoma. Umuzi nethempeli lawo kwachithwa ngokuphelele. AmaJuda ayesezacile angaphezu kwesigidi ahlupheka futhi afa, kwalahlwa izidumbu ezingaba ngu-600 000 ngaphandle kwamasango omuzi. Ngemva kokuwa komuzi, amaJuda angu-97 000 athathwa njengezithunjwa, amaningi kamuva afela emibukisweni yezilwi yasezinkundleni. Ngempela, okuwukuphela kwenyama eyasinda phakathi neminyaka yalolo sizi kwakungeyamaKristu alalelayo ayebalekele ezintabeni ngaphesheya kweJordani.—Mathewu 24:21, 22; Luka 21:20-22.

¹⁸ Ngaleyo ndlela, isiprofetho sikaJesu esikhulu mayelana ‘nesiphelo sesimiso sezinto’ sagcwaliseka okokuqala, safinyelela umvuthwandaba ngosuku lukaJehova lokufeza ubulungisa esizweni sakwaJuda esihlubukayo ngo-66-70 C.E. (Mathewu 24:3-22) Nokho, lokho kwakumane kuyisithunzi sokufika ‘kosuku olukhulu nolwesabekayo lukaJehova,’ usizi olukhulu osekuseduze ukuba lwengame umhlaba wonke. (Joweli 2:31) ‘Ungasinda’ kanjani? Isihloko esilandelayo sizokusho.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Imibuzo Yokubukeza

◻ “Usuku lweNkosi” luhlobene kanjani ‘nosuku lukaJehova’?

◻ Lapho sibukeza usuku lukaNowa, yisiphi isixwayiso okufanele sisilalele?

◻ ISodoma neGomora kusinikeza kanjani isifundo esinamandla?

◻ Obani abasinda ‘osizini olukhulu’ lwekhulu lokuqala?

[Izithombe ekhasini 15]

UJehova wasindisa umkhaya kaNowa nokaLoti, wabuye wasindisa abanye ngo-607 B.C.E. nango-70 C.E.