“Izandla Zakho Mazingadangali”
“Izandla zakho mazingadangali. UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho uphakathi kwakho, iqhawe eliyakukusindisa.”—ZEFANIYA 3:16, 17.
1. Yini eyashiwo isazi seBhayibheli ngokuqondene nesiprofetho sikaZefaniya?
ISIPROFETHO sikaZefaniya sabhekisela ngalé kokugcwaliseka kwaso kokuqala ekhulwini lesikhombisa nelesithupha B.C.E. Ekuhlaziyeni kwakhe uZefaniya, uProfesa C. F. Keil wabhala: “Isiprofetho sikaZefaniya . . . asiqali nje ngesimemezelo sesahlulelo sendawo yonke phezu kwawo wonke umhlaba, okuvela kuso isahlulelo esiyokhishwa kuJuda ngenxa yezono zakhe, nasezizweni zonke ngenxa yobutha bazo kubantu bakaJehova; kodwa kusukela ekuqaleni kuze kube sekugcineni sikhuluma ngosuku olukhulu nolwesabekayo lukaJehova.”
2. Yikuphi ukufana okukhona phakathi kwezimo zosuku lukaZefaniya nesimo esikweLobukholwa namuhla?
2 Namuhla, isahlulelo sikaJehova siwukubutha izizwe ukuze zibhujiswe ngezinga elikhulu kunasosukwini lukaZefaniya. (Zefaniya 3:8) Lezo zizwe ezizibiza ngamaKristu yizona ezinecala kakhulu emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. Njengoba nje iJerusalema lavuna kabuhlungu ngokungathembeki kwalo kuJehova, neLobukholwa kumelwe lilandise kuNkulunkulu ngezindlela zalo zokushendeza. Izahlulelo zaphezulu ezamenyezelwa kuJuda neJerusalema osukwini lukaZefaniya zisebenza nakakhulu emasontweni nasemahlelweni eLobukholwa. Nawo aye angcolisa ukukhulekela okumsulwa ngezimfundiso zawo ezihlazisa uNkulunkulu, eziningi zazo ezinomsuka wobuqaba. Aye enza imihlatshelo ngezigidi zamadodana awo aphile kahle e-altare lanamuhla lempi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema elingokomfanekiso zixuba lokho ezikubiza ngokuthi ubuKristu nokufundwa kwezinkanyezi, imikhuba yokusebenzelana nemimoya, nokuziphatha okubi kobulili okonakalisayo, okusikhumbuza ngokukhulekelwa kukaBali.—Zefaniya 1:4, 5.
3. Yini engase ishiwo ngabaholi bezwe nohulumeni bezombangazwe abaningi namuhla, futhi yini uZefaniya ayiprofetha?
3 Abaholi abaningi bezombangazwe abakweLobukholwa bayathanda ukuvelela emasontweni. Kodwa ‘njengezikhulu’ zakwaJuda, abaningi babo baphundla abantu ‘njengezingonyama ezibhongayo nezimpisi’ eziphangayo. (Zefaniya 3:1-3) Abalandeli balabo bantu abanjalo kwezombangazwe ‘bagcwalisa indlu yamakhosi abo ngobudlova nangenkohliso.’ (Zefaniya 1:9) Ukufumbathisa nokonakala kuthé bhe. Inani elandayo lohulumeni bezombangazwe abangaphakathi nangaphandle kweLobukholwa, ‘liqhoshela’ abantu bakaJehova-Sebawoti, oFakazi bakhe, libaphatha ‘njengehlelo’ elidelelekile. (Zefaniya 2:8, qhathanisa ne-NW; IzEnzo 24:5, 14.) Ngokuqondene nabo bonke abaholi bezombangazwe abanjalo nabalandeli babo, uZefaniya waprofetha: “Nasiliva labo nagolide labo akuyikuba-namandla okubophula ngosuku lwentukuthelo lukaJehova, kepha umhlaba wonke uyakudliwa ngumlilo womhawu wakhe, ngokuba uyakuqeda, yebo, aqede ngokuzumayo bonke abakhileyo ezweni.”—Zefaniya 1:18.
‘Ukusitshekelwa Ngosuku Lolaka LukaJehova’
4. Yini ebonisa ukuthi kuyoba nabayosinda ngosuku olukhulu lukaJehova, kodwa yini okumelwe bayenze?
4 Akuzona zonke izakhamuzi zakwaJuda ezabhujiswa ngekhulu lesikhombisa B.C.E. Ngokufanayo, kuyoba nabayosinda osukwini olukhulu lukaJehova. Kwabanjalo uJehova wathi ngomprofethi wakhe uZefaniya: “Isimiso singakazali—lolosuku ludlula njengamakhoba—lungakanehleli ulaka oluvuthayo lukaJehova, lungakafiki phezu kwenu usuku lolaka lukaJehova. Funani uJehova nina nonke-bathobekileyo bomhlaba enisebenzile ukwahlulela kwakhe; funani ukulunga; funani ukuthobeka; mhlawumbe niyakusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova.”—Zefaniya 2:2, 3.
5. Kulesi sikhathi sokuphela, obani abokuqala abalalela isixwayiso sikaZefaniya, futhi uJehova uye wabasebenzisa kanjani?
5 Esikhathini sokuphela salelizwe, abokuqala abalalela lesi simemo esingokwesiprofetho kwakuyinsali yama-Israyeli angokomoya, amaKristu agcotshiwe. (Roma 2:28, 29; 9:6; Galathiya 6:16) Ngemva kokuba befune ukulunga nokuthobeka futhi bebonise inhlonipho ngezahlulelo zikaJehova, bakhululwa eBabiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, futhi babuyiselwa emseni waphezulu ngo-1919. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, ikakhulukazi kusukela ngo-1922, lensali ethembekile ibilokhu imemezela izahlulelo zikaJehova ngokungesabi ngokumelene namasonto namahlelo eLobukholwa nangokumelene nezizwe zezombangazwe.
6. (a) UZefaniya waprofethani ngokuqondene nensali ethembekile? (b) Lesi siprofetho siye sagcwaliseka kanjani?
6 Ngalensali ethembekile, uZefaniya waprofetha: “Ngiyakushiya phakathi kwakho abantu abahluphekayo nabampofu; bayakwethemba igama likaJehova. Insali yakwaIsrayeli ayisayikwenza okubi, ingakhulumi amanga, kungafunyanwa emlonyeni wabo ulimi olukhohlisayo; yebo, bayakwaluka, babuthise, kungekho obesabisayo.” (Zefaniya 3:12, 13) LamaKristu agcotshiwe aye aliphakamisa njalo igama likaJehova, kodwa ikakhulukazi kusukela ngo-1931, lapho amukela igama elithi oFakazi BakaJehova. (Isaya 43:10-12) Ngokuqokomisa indaba yobukhosi bukaJehova, aye adumisa igama laphezulu, futhi lokhu kuye kwaba isivikelo kuwo. (IzAga 18:10) UJehova uye wawondla kakhulu ngokomoya, futhi ahlala epharadesi elingokomoya ngaphandle kokwesaba.—Zefaniya 3:16, 17.
“Igama Nendumiso Phakathi Kwabantu Bonke”
7, 8. (a) Yisiphi esinye isiprofetho esiye sagcwaliseka ensalini ka-Israyeli ongokomoya? (b) Yini eye yaqashelwa izigidi zabantu, futhi uzizwa kanjani wena ngalokhu?
7 Ukulikhathalela kwensali ngokujulile igama likaJehova nezimiso zokulunga zeZwi lakhe kuye kwaqashelwa. Abantu abaqotho baye bawubona umehluko phakathi kokuziphatha kwensali nokonakala nokuzenzisa kwabaholi bezombangazwe nabezenkolo balelizwe. UJehova uye wabusisa “insali yakwaIsrayeli [ongokomoya].” Uye wayinika ilungelo lokubizwa ngegama lakhe, futhi uye wayenza yaba nedumela elihle phakathi kwabantu abasemhlabeni. Lokhu kunjengoba uZefaniya aprofetha: “Ngalesosikhathi ngiyakuningenisa, ngalesosikhathi ngiyakunibutha, ngokuba ngiyakunenza igama nendumiso phakathi kwabantu bonke bomhlaba, lapho ngibuyisa ukuthunjwa kwenu phambi kwamehlo enu, usho uJehova.”—Zefaniya 3:20.
8 Kusukela ngo-1935, izigidi zabantu ziye zaqaphela ukuthi isibusiso sikaJehova siphezu kwensali. Ngenjabulo zilandela lamaJuda, noma ama-Israyeli, angokomoya, zithi: “Siyakuhamba nani, ngokuba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.” (Zakariya 8:23) Laba ‘abangabezinye izimvu’ babheka insali egcotshiwe ‘njengesigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo,’ esimiswe uKristu ‘phezu kwakho konke okwakhe’ kwasemhlabeni. Ngokubonga badla ukudla okungokomoya okulungiselelwe isigaba sesigqila “ngesikhathi esifanele.”—Johane 10:16; Mathewu 24:45-47.
9. Yiluphi “ulimi” izigidi zabantu eziye zafunda ukulukhuluma, futhi yimuphi umsebenzi omkhulu ezinye izimvu eziwenza “ihlombe nehlombe” nensali egcotshiwe?
9 Zikanye nensali, lezi zigidi zezinye izimvu zifunda ukuphila nokukhuluma ngokuvumelana ‘nolimi oluhlanzekile.’a UJehova waprofetha ngoZefaniya: “Ngaleso sikhathi ngiyonika abantu ukushintshela olimini oluhlanzekile‚ ukuze bonke babize egameni likaJehova‚ ukuze bamkhonze ihlombe nehlombe.” (Zefaniya 3:9, NW) Yebo, ezinye izimvu zikhonza uJehova ngobunye “ihlombe nehlombe” namalungu agcotshiwe ‘omhlambi omncane’ emsebenzini ophuthumayo wokushumayela “lezizindaba ezinhle zombuso . . . ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke.”—Luka 12:32; Mathewu 24:14.
“Usuku LukaJehova Luyofika”
10. Yini insali egcotshiwe ebilokhu iqiniseka ngayo, futhi njengesigaba, yini eyoyibona ekuphileni kwayo?
10 Insali egcotshiwe iye yawakhumbula njalo amazwi aphefumulelwe omphostoli uPetru: “UJehova akephuzi ngokuqondene nesithembiso sakhe, njengoba abanye abantu becabangela ukwephuza, kodwa uyanibekezelela ngoba akafisi ukuba noma ubani abhujiswe kodwa ufisa ukuba bonke bafinyelele ekuphendukeni. Nokho usuku lukaJehova luyofika njengesela.” (2 Petru 3:9, 10) Amalungu esigaba sesigqila esithembekile awakaze nanini akungabaze ukufika kosuku lukaJehova esikhathini sethu. Lolu suku olukhulu luyoqala ngokukhishwa kwezahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu phezu kweLobukholwa, iJerusalema elingokomfanekiso, nakwenye ingxenye yeBabiloni Elikhulu.—Zefaniya 1:2-4; IsAmbulo 17:1, 5; 19:1, 2.
11, 12. (a) Iyiphi enye ingxenye yesiprofetho sikaZefaniya eye yagcwaliseka ensalini? (b) Insali egcotshiwe iye yawulalela kanjani umyalo othi, “Izandla zakho mazingadangali”?
11 Insali ethembekile iyathokoza ngokuthi ngo-1919 yakhululwa ekuthunjweni okungokomoya eBabiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. Iye yabona ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sikaZefaniya: “Hlabelela ngokujabula, ndodakazi yaseSiyoni, umemeze, Israyeli, uthokoze, wethabe ngenhliziyo yonke, ndodakazi yaseJerusalema. UJehova ususile ukwahlulelwa kwakho, uxoshile izitha zakho. INkosi yakwaIsrayeli, uJehova, iphakathi kwakho; awusayikwesaba okubi. Ngalolosuku kuyakuthiwa kulo iJerusalema: Ungesabi, Siyoni! Izandla zakho mazingadangali. UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho uphakathi kwakho, iqhawe eliyakukusindisa.”—Zefaniya 3:14-17.
12 Inokholo nobufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bokuthi uJehova uphakathi kwayo, insali egcotshiwe iye yaqhubeka ngesibindi ifeza ukuthunywa kwayo kwaphezulu. Iye yashumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso futhi yazisa ngezahlulelo zikaJehova ngokumelene neLobukholwa, nayo yonke enye ingxenye yeBabiloni Elikhulu, naso sonke isimiso sezinto esibi sikaSathane. Naphezu kobunzima, phakathi namashumi eminyaka kusukela ku-1919, iye yalalela umyalo waphezulu: “Ungesabi, Siyoni! Izandla zakho mazingadangali.” Ayizange inciphise inkuthalo yayo ekusakazeni izinkulungwane zezigidi zamapheshana, omagazini, izincwadi, nezincwajana ezimemezela uMbuso kaJehova. Iye yaba isibonelo esishukumisa ukholo kwezinye izimvu, lezo kusukela ngo-1935, eziye zatheleka ohlangothini lwayo.
“Izandla Zakho Mazingadangali”
13, 14. (a) Kungani amanye amaJuda ahlehla ekukhonzeni uJehova, futhi lokhu kwabonakala kanjani? (b) Yini okungeke kube ukuhlakanipha ukuba siyenze, futhi yimuphi umsebenzi okungafanele sivumele izandla zethu zidangale kuwo?
13 Njengoba ‘silindele’ usuku olukhulu lukaJehova, singazuza kanjani esiprofethweni sikaZefaniya? Okokuqala, kufanele siqaphele ukuba singabi njengamaJuda osuku lukaZefaniya ahlehla ekulandeleni uJehova ngenxa yokuvumela ukungabaza ngokuba seduze kosuku lukaJehova. AmaJuda anjalo awazange akuveze obala ukungabaza kwawo, kodwa izenzo zawo zembula ukuthi ayengakholelwa ngempela ukuthi usuku olukhulu lukaJehova lwaluseduze. Agxila ekuqongeleleni ingcebo kunokuhlala elindele uJehova.—Zefaniya 1:12, 13; 3:8.
14 Lesi akusona isikhathi sokuvumela ukungabaza kwakheke ezinhliziyweni zethu. Akunakuba ukuhlakanipha ukuba ezingqondweni noma ezinhliziyweni zethu sihlehlise ukufika kosuku lukaJehova. (2 Petru 3:1-4, 10) Kufanele sigweme ukuhlehla ekulandeleni uJehova noma ukuba ‘izandla zethu zidangale’ enkonzweni yakhe. Lokhu kuhlanganisa ‘nokungasebenzi ngesandla esinobuvila’ ekushumayeleni kwethu “izindaba ezinhle.”—IzAga 10:4, qhathanisa ne-NW; Marku 13:10.
Ukulwa Nokunganaki
15. Yini engabangela ukuba siyekethise izandla zethu enkonzweni kaJehova, futhi lenkinga yabikezelwa kanjani esiprofethweni sikaZefaniya?
15 Okwesibili, kufanele siqaphele imiphumela ethena amandla yokunganaki. Emazweni amaningi aseNtshonalanga, ukungabi namsebenzi nezinto ezingokomoya kuba imbangela yokudumala phakathi kwabashumayeli abaningi bezindaba ezinhle. Ukunganaki okunjalo kwakukhona nasosukwini lukaZefaniya. Ngomprofethi wakhe uJehova wathi: “Ngihambele abantu . . . abathi ezinhliziyweni zabo: UJehova akenzi okuhle, akenzi nokubi.” (Zefaniya 1:12) Ebhala ngalendima kuyi-Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, u-A. B. Davidson wathi ibhekisela kubantu abaye “bacwila esimweni sokunganaki futhi bangahlushwa nawunembeza noma ngisho nesokungakholwa ukuthi amandla aphakeme kakhulu ayongenela ezindabeni zesintu.”
16. Yisiphi isimo sengqondo esikhona phakathi kwamalungu amaningi amasonto eLobukholwa, kodwa yisiphi isikhuthazo uJehova asinika sona?
16 Ukunganaki kuyisimo sengqondo esivamile namuhla ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba, ikakhulukazi emazweni acebile. Ngisho namalungu amasonto eLobukholwa awakholelwa ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu uyongenela ezindabeni zabantu osukwini lwethu. Baziba imizamo yethu yokubafinyelela ngezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ngokumamatheka kokubhuqa noma ngempendulo emfushane ethi “Anginasithakazelo!” Ngaphansi kwalezi zimo, ukuphikelela emsebenzini wokufakaza kungaba inselele ngempela. Kuvivinya ukukhuthazela kwethu. Kodwa ngesiprofetho sikaZefaniya, uJehova ushukumisa abantu bakhe abathembekile, ethi: “Izandla zakho mazingadangali. UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho uphakathi kwakho, iqhawe eliyakukusindisa; uyakujabula ngawe ngentokozo, athule othandweni lwakhe, ethabe ngawe ngokuhlabelela.”—Zefaniya 3:16, 17.
17. Yisiphi isibonelo esihle abasebasha phakathi kwezinye izimvu okufanele basilandele, futhi kanjani?
17 Kuyiqiniso elingenakuphikwa emlandweni wanamuhla wabantu bakaJehova ukuthi insali, nasebekhulile phakathi kwezinye izimvu, baye bafeza umsebenzi omkhulu wokubutha kulezi zinsuku zokugcina. Wonke lamaKristu athembekile aye abonisa ukukhuthazela phakathi namashumi eminyaka. Awazange avumele ukunganaki kweningi elikweLobukholwa kuwadumaze. Ngakho kwangathi abasebasha phakathi kwezinye izimvu bangevume ukudunyazwa ukunganakwa kwezinto ezingokomoya okudlange kangaka namuhla emazweni amaningi. Kwangathi bangevume ukuba ‘izandla zabo zidangale,’ noma zikhathale. Kwangathi bangasebenzisa wonke amathuba ukuba bahambise INqabayokulinda, i-Phaphama!, nezinye izincwadi ezinhle eziklanywe ngokukhethekile ukuba zisize abantu abanjengezimvu ukuba bafunde iqiniso ngosuku lukaJehova nezibusiso eziyolandela.
Phambili Njengoba Silindele Usuku Olukhulu!
18, 19. (a) Yisiphi isikhuthazo sokukhuthazela esisithola kuMathewu 24:13 naku-Isaya 35:3, 4? (b) Siyobusiswa kanjani uma siqhubekela phambili ngobunye enkonzweni kaJehova?
18 UJesu wathi: “Lowo oye wakhuthazela kwaze kwaba sekupheleni nguye oyosindiswa.” (Mathewu 24:13) Ngakho, akufuneki “zandla ezibuthakathaka” noma “amadolo axegayo” njengoba silindele usuku olukhulu lukaJehova! (Isaya 35:3, 4) Ngendlela eqinisekisayo isiprofetho sikaZefaniya sithi ngoJehova: “Iqhawe eliyakukusindisa.” (Zefaniya 3:17) Yebo, uJehova uyosindisa “isixuku esikhulu” phakathi nesigaba sokugcina ‘sosizi olukhulu,’ lapho eyala iNdodana yakhe ukuba ibhubhise izizwe zezombangazwe ezilokhu ‘ziqhoshela’ abantu bakhe.—IsAmbulo 7:9, 14; Zefaniya 2:10, 11, qhathanisa ne-NW; IHubo 2:7-9.
19 Njengoba usuku olukhulu lukaJehova lusondela, kwangathi singaqhubeka ngentshiseko, simkhonza “ihlombe nehlombe”! (Zefaniya 3:9, NW) Ngokwenza kanjalo, thina ngokwethu nabanye abangenakubalwa siyoba sethubeni ‘lokusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova’ futhi sibone ukungcweliswa kwegama lakhe elingcwele.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Ukuze uthole ingxoxo eningiliziwe ‘yolimi oluhlanzekile,’ bheka INqabayokulinda ka-April 1, 1991, amakhasi 20-5, neka-May 1, 1991, amakhasi 10-20.
Ngenjongo Yokubukeza
◻ Yiziphi izici isimo senkolo kweLobukholwa esifana ngazo nesosuku lukaZefaniya?
◻ Abaholi abaningi bezombangazwe namuhla bafana kanjani ‘nezikhulu’ zesizwe ngesikhathi sikaZefaniya?
◻ Yiziphi izithembiso ezikuZefaniya eziye zagcwaliseka ensalini?
◻ Yini izigidi zabantu eziye zayiqaphela?
◻ Kungani kungafanele sivumele izandla zethu zidangale enkonzweni kaJehova?
[Izithombe ekhasini 15]
NjengoZefaniya, insali ethembekile yamaKristu agcotshiwe iye yamemezela izahlulelo zikaJehova ngesibindi
[Izithombe ekhasini 18]
“Ezinye izimvu” azizange zivumele ukunganaki kwabantu kuzidumaze