Abantu BakaJehova Ababuyiselwe Bayamdumisa Emhlabeni Wonke
“Ngiyakunika abantu [“ulimi oluhlanzekile,” NW], ukuze bonke babize igama likaJehova.”—ZEFANIYA 3:9.
1. Kungani izigijimi zembubhiso zagcwaliseka kuJuda nakwezinye izizwe?
YEKA izigijimi zokwahlulela ezinamandla uJehova aphefumulela uZefaniya ukuba azisho! Lezo zigijimi zembubhiso zagcwaliseka esizweni sakwaJuda nenhloko-dolobha yaso, iJerusalema, ngoba abaholi nabo bonke abantu babengayenzi intando kaJehova. Izizwe eziseduze, njengamaFilisti, abakwaMowabi nabakwa-Amoni, nazo zaziyobhekana nentukuthelo kaJehova. Ngani? Ngoba zaziye zaphikisa abantu bakaJehova ngonya, amakhulu amaningi eminyaka. Ngenxa yaso leso sizathu, umbuso wezwe wase-Asiriya wawuzobhujiswa, ungaphinde ubuyiselwe.
2. Kubonakala sengathi kwakukhulunywa nawobani kuZefaniya 3:8?
2 Nokho, kwelakwaJuda lasendulo babekhona abathile ababenokuthambekela okufanele. Laba babebheke phambili ekukhishweni kwesahlulelo saphezulu kwababi futhi kubonakala sengathi ayeshiwo kubo la mazwi: “‘Ngalokho, ngilindeleni,’ usho uJehova, ‘kuze kube lusuku engivuka ngalo ukuba ngiphange, ngokuba kuyisinqumo sami ukubutha izizwe ukuba ngiqoqe imibuso, ukuze ngithulule phezu kwabo intukuthelo yami, lonke ulaka lwami oluvuthayo, ngokuba wonke umhlaba uyakudliwa ngumlilo womhawu wami.’”—Zefaniya 3:8.
Obani Ababeyonikwa “Ulimi Oluhlanzekile”?
3. Yisiphi isigijimi sethemba uZefaniya aphefumulelwa ukuba asilethe?
3 Yebo, uZefaniya waletha izigijimi zikaJehova zembubhiso. Kodwa futhi lo mprofethi waphefumulelwa ukuba alethe nesigijimi esihle kakhulu sethemba—esasiyobaduduza kakhulu labo ababeqhubeka bethembekile kuJehova. Njengoba kulotshwe kuZefaniya 3:9, uJehova uNkulunkulu wathi: “Ngokuba lapho ngiyakunika abantu [“ulimi oluhlanzekile,” NW], ukuze bonke babize igama likaJehova, bamkhonze nganhliziyonye.”
4, 5. (a) Kwakuyokwenzekani kwabangalungile? (b) Obani ababeyozuza kulokhu, futhi ngani?
4 Kwakukhona abantu ababengeke banikwe ulimi oluhlanzekile. Isiprofetho sithi ngabo: “Ngiyakususa phakathi kwakho abazidla ngokujabula.” (Zefaniya 3:11) Ngakho abaqhoshayo ababedelela imithetho kaNkulunkulu benza nokungalungi babeyosuswa. Obani ababeyozuza kulokhu? UZefaniya 3:12, 13 uthi: “[Mina Jehova] ngiyakushiya phakathi kwakho abantu abahluphekayo nabampofu; bayakwethemba igama likaJehova. Insali yakwa-Israyeli ayisayikwenza okubi, ingakhulumi amanga, kungafunyanwa emlonyeni wabo ulimi olukhohlisayo; yebo, bayakwaluka, babuthise, kungekho obesabisayo.”
5 Kwakuyozuza insali ethembekile kwaJuda wasendulo. Ngani? Ngoba yayenze ngokuvumelana nala mazwi: “Funani uJehova nina nonke bathobekileyo bomhlaba enisebenzile ukwahlulela kwakhe; funani ukulunga; funani ukuthobeka; mhlawumbe niyakusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova.”—Zefaniya 2:3.
6. Kwenzekani ekugcwalisekeni kokuqala kwesiprofetho sikaZefaniya?
6 Ekugcwalisekeni kokuqala kwesiprofetho sikaZefaniya, uNkulunkulu wabajezisa abakwaJuda ababentula ukholo ngokuvumela uMbuso Wezwe WaseBabiloni ukuba ubanqobe futhi ubathumbe ngo-607 B.C.E. Abathile, abahlanganisa umprofethi uJeremiya, basindiswa, futhi abanye baqhubeka bethembekile kuJehova besekuthunjweni. Ngo-539 B.C.E., iBabiloni lanqotshwa amaMede namaPheresiya eholwa yiNkosi uKoresi. Ngemva kweminyaka engaba mibili, uKoresi washaya umthetho owawuvumela insali yamaJuda ukuba ibuyele ezweni layo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ithempeli laseJerusalema laphinda lakhiwa, futhi abapristi baphinda bakwazi ukufundisa abantu uMthetho. (Malaki 2:7) Ngakho uJehova wayeyichumisa insali ebuyiselwe—uma nje yayihlala ithembekile.
7, 8. Amazwi esiprofetho kaZefaniya 3:14-17 asebenza kobani, futhi kungani uphendula kanjalo?
7 Mayelana nalabo ababeyojabulela lokho kubuyiselwa, uZefaniya wabikezela: “Hlabelela ngokujabula, ndodakazi yaseSiyoni, umemeze, Israyeli, uthokoze, wethabe ngenhliziyo yonke, ndodakazi yaseJerusalema. UJehova ususile ukwahlulelwa kwakho, uxoshile izitha zakho. INkosi yakwa-Israyeli, uJehova, iphakathi kwakho; awusayikwesaba okubi. Ngalolo suku kuyakuthiwa kulo iJerusalema: ‘Ungesabi, Siyoni! Izandla zakho mazingadangali. UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho uphakathi kwakho, iqhawe eliyakukusindisa; uyakujabula ngawe ngentokozo, athule othandweni lwakhe, ethabe ngawe ngokuhlabelela.’”—Zefaniya 3:14-17.
8 Lawo mazwi esiprofetho ayebhekisela ensalini eyakhishwa ekuthunjweni kwaseBabiloni futhi yabuyiselwa ezweni lakubo lendabuko. Lokhu kwenziwe kwacaca kuZefaniya 3:18-20, lapho sifunda khona: “‘Abadabuka ngemikhosi [mina Jehova] ngiyakubabutha, ababahlukene nawe, usathwele ihlazo. Bhekani, ngaleso sikhathi ngiyakuphatha bonke abakuhluphayo, ngisindise abaqhugayo, ngibuthe abaxoshiweyo, ngibenze indumiso negama abahlazo labo lalisemhlabeni wonke. Ngaleso sikhathi ngiyakuningenisa, ngaleso sikhathi ngiyakunibutha, ngokuba ngiyakunenza igama nendumiso phakathi kwabantu bonke bomhlaba, lapho ngibuyisa ukuthunjwa kwenu phambi kwamehlo enu,’ usho uJehova.”
9. UJehova wazenzela kanjani igama ngoJuda?
9 Cabanga ukuthi zashaqeka kanjani izizwe ezizungezile ezaziyizitha zabantu bakaNkulunkulu! Izakhamuzi zakwaJuda zazithunjwe yiBabiloni elinamandla, zibonakala zingenalo ithemba lokukhululwa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izwe lazo laliyincithakalo. Nokho, ngamandla kaJehova, zabuyiselwa ezweni lazo ngemva kweminyaka engu-70, kuyilapho izizwe eziyizitha zazibheke ekubhujisweni. Yeka igama uJehova azenzela lona ngokubuyisela leyo nsali ethembekile! Wayenza yaba “igama nendumiso phakathi kwabantu bonke.” Yeka indlela lokho kubuyiselwa okwaletha ngayo udumo kuJehova nakulabo ababebizwa ngegama lakhe!
Ukukhulekelwa KukaJehova Kuyaphakanyiswa
10, 11. Ukugcwaliseka okuyinhloko kwesiprofetho sikaZefaniya sokubuyiselwa kwakuzokwenzeka nini, futhi sikwazi kanjani lokho?
10 Okunye ukubuyiselwa kwenzeka ekhulwini lokuqala leSikhathi Esivamile, lapho uJesu eqoqela insali ka-Israyeli ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso. Lokhu kwakunikeza umbono walokho okwakuzokwenzeka, ngoba ukugcwaliseka okukhulu kokubuyiselwa kwakuyokwenzeka esikhathini esizayo. Isiprofetho sikaMika sabikezela: “Kuyakuthi ngezinsuku ezizayo intaba yendlu kaJehova iqiniswe esiqongweni sezintaba, iphakame kunamagquma, nabantu bayakugobhozela khona.”—Mika 4:1.
11 Kwakuyokwenzeka nini lokhu? Njengoba isiprofetho sasho, “ngezinsuku ezizayo”—yebo, kulezi ‘zinsuku zokugcina.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1) Lokhu kwakuyokwenzeka ngaphambi kokuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto esibi, lapho izizwe zisakhulekela onkulunkulu bamanga. UMika 4:5 uthi: “Bonke abantu bahamba, kube yilowo nalowo ngegama likankulunkulu wakhe.” Kuthiwani ngabakhulekeli beqiniso? Isiprofetho sikaMika siyaphendula: “Kepha thina siyakuhamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube phakade naphakade.”
12. Ukukhulekela kweqiniso kuye kwaphakanyiswa kanjani kulezi zinsuku zokugcina?
12 Ngakho-ke, kulezi zinsuku zokugcina, ‘intaba yendlu kaJehova isiqiniswe esiqongweni sezintaba.’ Ukukhulekela kweqiniso okuphakeme kukaJehova sekubuyiselwe, kwaqiniswa futhi kwaphakanyiswa ngaphezu kwazo zonke ezinye izinhlobo zenkolo. Njengoba isiprofetho sikaMika sabikezela, “nabantu bayakugobhozela khona.” Futhi labo abaqhuba inkolo yeqiniso ‘bayohamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wabo kuze kube phakade naphakade.’
13, 14. Leli zwe langena nini “ezinsukwini ezizayo,” futhi yini ebilokhu yenzeka mayelana nokukhulekela kweqiniso kusukela ngaleso sikhathi?
13 Izenzakalo ezigcwalisa isiprofetho seBhayibheli zibonisa ukuthi leli zwe langena ‘ezinsukwini ezizayo’—izinsuku zalo zokugcina—ngonyaka ka-1914. (Marku 13:4-10) Umlando ubonisa ukuthi uJehova waqala ukuqoqela ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso insali ethembekile yabagcotshiwe, eyayinethemba lasezulwini. Lokhu kuye kwalandelwa ukubuthwa ‘kwesixuku esikhulu esiphuma kuzo zonke izizwe nezizwana nabantu nezilimi’—labo abanethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni.—IsAmbulo 7:9.
14 Kusukela ngeMpi Yezwe I kuze kube namuhla, ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova yilabo ababizwa ngegama lakhe kuye kwaqhubekela phambili ngomfutho ngaphansi kokuqondisa kwakhe. Kusukela kwabayizinkulungwane ezimbalwa ngemva kweMpi Yezwe I, manje abakhulekeli bakaJehova sebeyizigidi ezingaba yisithupha, behlanganyela emabandleni angaba ngu-91 000 emazweni angu-235. Unyaka ngamunye, laba bamemezeli boMbuso banikela amahora angaphezu kwezigidi eziyinkulungwane ekudumiseni uNkulunkulu obala. Kusobala ukuthi yilab’ oFakazi BakaJehova abagcwalisa amazwi kaJesu esiprofetho: “Lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiweyo ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke; khona-ke ukuphela kuyofika.”—Mathewu 24:14.
15. UZefaniya 2:3 ugcwaliseka kanjani manje?
15 UZefaniya 3:17 uthi: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho uphakathi kwakho, iqhawe eliyakukusindisa.” Ukuchuma okungokomoya okujatshulelwa yizinceku zikaJehova kulezi zinsuku zokugcina kubangelwa ngokuqondile ukuthi uJehova ‘uphakathi kwazo’ njengoNkulunkulu wazo onguMninimandla onke. Kwakunjalo ekubuyiselweni kukaJuda wasendulo ngo-537 B.C.E., futhi kusenjalo nanamuhla. Ngakho siyabona ukuthi uZefaniya 2:3 ugcwaliseka kanjani ngokuyinhloko esikhathini sethu lapho ethi: “Funani uJehova nina nonke bathobekileyo bomhlaba.” Ngo-537 B.C.E., elithi “nonke” lalihlanganisa insali yamaJuda eyabuya ekuthunjweni eBabiloni. Namuhla limelela abathobekile bazo zonke izizwe emhlabeni wonke, labo abasabela kahle emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso embulungeni yonke futhi bagobhozele ‘entabeni yendlu kaJehova.’
Ukukhulekela Kweqiniso Kuyachuma
16. Kungenzeka zisabela kanjani izitha zethu ekuchumeni kwezinceku zikaJehova ezikhathini zanamuhla?
16 Ngemva kuka-537 B.C.E., izizwe eziningi ezizungezile zamangazwa ukubuyiselwa kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso ezweni lazo. Nokho, lokho kubuyiselwa kwenzeka ngezinga elincane. Ungacabanga ukuthi abathile—ngisho nezitha zabantu bakaNkulunkulu—bathini manje njengoba bebona ukwanda, ukuchuma nokuqhubekela phambili okumangalisayo kwezinceku zikaJehova ezikhathini zanamuhla? Cishe ezinye zalezi zitha zizizwa ngendlela abaFarisi ababezizwa ngayo lapho bebona abantu bethuthelekela kuJesu. Bababaza: “Bhekani! Izwe limlandele.”—Johane 12:19.
17. Wathini omunye umlobi ngoFakazi BakaJehova, futhi baye banda kangakanani?
17 Encwadini yakhe ethi These Also Believe, uProfesa Charles S. Braden wathi: “OFakazi BakaJehova baye bawusibekela ngokoqobo umhlaba ngokufakaza kwabo. Kungashiwo ngempela ukuthi alikho nelilodwa iqembu lenkolo emhlabeni eliye labonisa intshiseko nokuphikelela okungaka emzamweni wokusakaza izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso njengoFakazi BakaJehova. Cishe le nhlangano izoqhubeka ikhula.” Yeka ukuthi wayeyihlabe esikhonkosini kanjani! Lapho ebhala lawo mazwi eminyakeni engu-50 edlule, kwakusenoFakazi abangaba ngu-300 000 kuphela ababeshumayela emhlabeni wonke. Angathini namuhla, njengoba inani labashumayelayo seliphindwe cishe izikhathi ezingu-20—laba abantu abangaba yizigidi eziyisithupha?
18. Luyini ulimi oluhlanzekile, futhi uNkulunkulu uye walunika obani?
18 Ngomprofethi wakhe, uNkulunkulu wathembisa: “Ngiyakunika abantu [“ulimi oluhlanzekile,” NW], ukuze bonke babize igama likaJehova, bamkhonze nganhliziyonye.” (Zefaniya 3:9) Kulezi zinsuku zokugcina, oFakazi BakaJehova yibona ababiza egameni likaJehova, abamkhonza ngobunye esibophweni sothando esingenakunqamuka—yebo, “nganhliziyonye.” Yibo uJehova aye wabanika ulimi oluhlanzekile. Lolu limi oluhlanzekile luhlanganisa ukuliqonda ngokunembile iqiniso ngoNkulunkulu nezinjongo zakhe. NguJehova kuphela onikeza lokhu kuqonda ngomoya wakhe ongcwele. (1 Korinte 2:10) Uye wawunika bani umoya wakhe? “Labo [kuphela] abamlalelayo njengombusi.” (IzEnzo 5:32) OFakazi BakaJehova yibona kuphela abazimisele ukulalela uNkulunkulu njengoMbusi kukho konke. Kungakho bethola umoya kaNkulunkulu futhi bekhuluma ulimi oluhlanzekile, iqiniso ngoJehova nezinjongo zakhe ezimangalisayo. Basebenzisa ulimi oluhlanzekile ekudumiseni uJehova emhlabeni wonke ngezinga elikhulu nelikhulayo.
19. Kuhlanganisani ukukhuluma ulimi oluhlanzekile?
19 Ukukhuluma ulimi oluhlanzekile akuhlanganisi ukukholwa yiqiniso nokulifundisa abanye nje kuphela kodwa kuhlanganisa nokuvumelanisa ukuziphatha kwakho nemithetho kanye nezimiso zikaNkulunkulu. AmaKristu agcotshiwe aye ahola ekufuneni uJehova nasekukhulumeni ulimi oluhlanzekile. Cabanga ngalokho okuye kwafezwa! Nakuba inani labagcotshiwe liye lehla laba ngaphansi kuka-8 700, abanye abangaba yizigidi eziyisithupha balingisa ukholo lwabo ngokufuna uJehova nangokukhuluma ulimi oluhlanzekile. Laba bayinani elandayo lesixuku esikhulu esivela kuzo zonke izizwe, esibonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu wesihlengo, esinikela inkonzo engcwele egcekeni lasemhlabeni lethempeli likaNkulunkulu elingokomoya futhi esizosinda ‘osizini olukhulu’ oluzofikela leli zwe elingalungile maduze nje.—IsAmbulo 7:9, 14, 15.
20. Balindelwe yini abagcotshiwe abathembekile kanye nalabo abakha isixuku esikhulu?
20 Isixuku esikhulu siyongeniswa ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu lokulunga. (2 Petru 3:13) UJesu Kristu nabangu-144 000 abagcotshiwe abavuselwe ekuphileni kwasezulwini ukuze babe amakhosi nabapristi kanye naye bayokwakha indikimba entsha ebusa umhlaba. (Roma 8:16, 17; IsAmbulo 7:4; 20:6) Abasindile osizini olukhulu bayosebenza benze umhlaba ube yipharadesi futhi baqhubeke bekhuluma ulimi oluhlanzekile abalunikwe nguNkulunkulu. Isimiso sala mazwi siyasebenza kubo: “Bonke abantwana bakho bayakuba ngabafundi bakaJehova, nokuthula kwabantwana bakho kuyakuba kukhulu. Uyakumiswa ngokulunga.”—Isaya 54:13, 14.
Umsebenzi Wokufundisa Omkhulu Kunayo Yonke Emlandweni
21, 22. (a) Njengoba kubonisa izEnzo 24:15, obani okuyodingeka bafundiswe ulimi oluhlanzekile? (b) Yimuphi umsebenzi wokufundisa ongenakuqhathaniswa nalutho oyokwenziwa emhlabeni ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso?
21 Iqembu elikhulu kakhulu eliyonikwa ithuba lokufunda ulimi oluhlanzekile ezweni elisha elalabo okukhulunywa ngabo kuzEnzo 24:15, ezithi: “Luyoba khona uvuko kokubili olwabalungileyo nabangalungile.” Esikhathini esidlule, izinkulungwane zezigidi zabantu zaphila futhi zafa zingalutholanga ulwazi olunembile ngoJehova. Ngendlela ehlelekile, uyozibuyisela ekuphileni. Futhi abavusiwe abanjalo kuyodingeka bafundiswe ulimi oluhlanzekile.
22 Yeka ukuthi kuyoba yilungelo elihle kangakanani ukuhlanganyela kulowo msebenzi omkhulu wokufundisa! Kuyoba umsebenzi wokufundisa omkhulu ukuyedlula yonke emlandweni wesintu. Wonke uyofezwa ngaphansi kokubusa ngokuthula kukaKristu Jesu emandleni oMbuso. Ngenxa yalokho, ekugcineni isintu siyobona ukugcwaliseka kuka-Isaya 11:9, othi: “Umhlaba uyakugcwala ukumazi uJehova njengamanzi asibekela ulwandle.”
23. Ungathi kungani sinelungelo elikhulu njengabantu bakaJehova?
23 Yeka ilungelo esinalo kulezi zinsuku zokugcina lokulungiselela leso sikhathi esimangalisayo lapho umhlaba uyogcwala ngempela ulwazi ngoJehova! Futhi yeka ilungelo esinalo manje lokuba abantu bakaNkulunkulu, sibone ukugcwaliseka okumangalisayo kwamazwi esiprofetho alotshwe kuZefaniya 3:20! Lapho, sithola isiqinisekiso sikaJehova: “Ngiyakunenza igama nendumiso phakathi kwabantu bonke bomhlaba.”
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Isiprofetho sikaZefaniya sokubuyiselwa siye sagcwaliseka ngaziphi izindlela?
• Ukukhulekela kweqiniso kuye kwachuma kanjani kulezi zinsuku zokugcina?
• Yimuphi umsebenzi omkhulu wokufundisa oyokwenziwa ezweni elisha?
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
Abantu bakaJehova babuyela ezweni lakubo ukuze bayomisa ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile kabusha. Ingabe uyazi ukuthi kusho ukuthini lokhu namuhla?
[Izithombe ekhasini 26]
Ngokukhuluma “ulimi oluhlanzekile,” oFakazi BakaJehova banika abantu isigijimi seBhayibheli esiduduzayo