Usuku LukaJehova Olwesabekayo Luseduze
“Kwalotshwa phambi kwakhe incwadi yokukhumbula ababemesaba uJehova, bezindla ngegama lakhe.”—MALAKI 3:16.
1, 2. UMalaki uxwayisa kusengaphambili ngaluphi usuku olwesabekayo?
KWAKWESABEKA! Njengoba lase lintwela ezansi ngo-August 6, 1945, idolobha elikhulu labhujiswa ngokuphazima kweso. Kwafa abalinganiselwa ku-80 000! Amashumi ezinkulungwane ayelimele kakhulu! Umlilo owubuhanguhangu! Ibhomu lenuzi lalenze umsebenzi walo. Kwenzekani koFakazi BakaJehova phakathi naleyonhlekelele? KwakunoFakazi oyedwa kuphela eHiroshima—evalelwe ngaphakathi kwezindonga ezivikelekile zejele ngenxa yobuqotho bakhe bobuKristu. Ijele labhidlika laba imvithimvithi, kodwa umfowethu wayengalimele. Njengoba ekubeka, wakhishwa yibhomu le-athomu ejele—mhlawumbe okuwukuphela kwento enhle lelibhomu elayenza.
2 Nakuba lokho kuqhuma kwebhomu kwakwesabeka, kuba yize uma kuqhathaniswa ‘nosuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo’ oseluseduze kakhulu. (Malaki 4:5) Oh, yebo, kuye kwaba nezinsuku ezisabekayo esikhathini esidlule, kodwa lolusuku lukaJehova luyozedlula zonke.—Marku 13:19.
3. Imuphi umehluko okumelwe uphawulwe phakathi ‘kwenyama yonke’ nomkhaya kaNowa owaholela kuZamcolo?
3 Osukwini lukaNowa “inyama yonke yayonakalisile indlela yayo emhlabeni,” futhi uNkulunkulu wamemezela: “Umhlaba ugcwele ubudlwangudlwangu ngenxa yabantu; bheka, ngiyakubachitha kanye nomhlaba.” (Genesise 6:12, 13) Njengoba kulotshwe kuMathewu 24:39, uJesu wathi abantu “abanakanga kwaze kwafika isikhukhula, sabakhukhula bonke.” Kodwa uNowa othembekile, “umshumayeli wokulunga,” kanye nomkhaya wakhe owesaba uNkulunkulu, basinda kulowoZamcolo.—2 Petru 2:5.
4. ISodoma neGomora linikeza siphi isibonelo esiyisixwayiso?
4 UJuda 7 uyalandisa: “Ngokufanayo iSodoma neGomora nemizi eyizungezile, ngemva kokuba nayo . . . yenze ubufebe ngokweqile futhi yalandela inyama ngenjongo yokuyisebenzisa ngokungekhona okwemvelo, ibekwe phambi kwethu njengesixwayiso esiyisibonelo ngokuthola isijeziso sokwahlulela somlilo omi phakade.” Labobantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu babhujiswa ngenxa yendlela yabo yokuphila engcole ngokwenyanyekayo. Imiphakathi ethambekele ebulilini yalelizwe lanamuhla ake ithathe isixwayiso! Nokho, phawula ukuthi uLoti owesaba uNkulunkulu namadodakazi akhe balondolozwa bephila phakathi naleyonhlekelele, njengoba nje nabakhulekeli bakaJehova beyovikelwa phakathi nosizi olukhulu olusondela ngokushesha.—2 Petru 2:6-9.
5. Yini esingayifunda ezahlulelweni ezakhishwa eJerusalema?
5 Khona-ke cabangela izibonelo eziyisixwayiso ezanikezwa lapho uJehova esebenzisa amabutho ahlaselayo ukuqothula iJerusalema, umuzi okhazimulayo owake waba “ukuthokoza komhlaba wonke.” (IHubo 48:2) Lezizenzakalo ezisabekayo zenzeka, okokuqala ngo-607 B.C.E. zaphinda ngo-70 C.E., ngenxa yokuthi abantu ababethi bangabakaNkulunkulu bashiya ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Ngokujabulisayo, izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile zasinda. Inhlekelele ka-70 C.E. (eboniswe ngezansi) ichazwa ‘njengosizi olungakaze lwenzeke kusukela ekuqaleni kwendalo uNkulunkulu ayidala kuze kube yilesosikhathi.’ Yasisusa ngokuphelele isimiso sezinto sobuJuda esihlubukayo, futhi ngokuqinisekile kulesosici ‘ayiyukuphinde yenzeke.’ (Marku 13:19) Kodwa ngisho nalokhu kukhishwa kwesahlulelo saphezulu kwakumane nje kuyisithunzi ‘sosizi olukhulu’ manje olusongela sonke isimiso sezinto sezwe.—IsAmbulo 7:14.
6. Kungani uJehova evumela izinhlekelele?
6 Kungani uNkulunkulu ayevumela izinhlekelele ezisabekayo, ezihambisana nokulahleka kokuphila okuningi kangaka? Endabeni ephathelene noNowa, iSodoma neGomora, neJerusalema, uJehova wayekhipha isahlulelo kulabo ababeyonakalisile indlela yabo emhlabeni, ababengcolise leplanethi enhle ngokuyingcolisa ngokoqobo nangokuwohloka kokuziphatha, nababeye bahlubuka, noma benqaba ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Namuhla sisonqenqemeni lokukhishwa kwesahlulelo esihlanganisa konke esiyosibekela izwe lonke.—2 Thesalonika 1:6-9.
“Ezinsukwini Zokugcina”
7. (a) Izahlulelo zaphezulu zasendulo zazibikezelani? (b) Iliphi ithemba elikhazimulayo elisengaphambili?
7 Leyombubhiso yezikhathi zasendulo yayibikezela usizi olukhulu olwesabekayo oluchazwe kweyesi-2 Petru 3:3-13. Umphostoli uthi: “Okokuqala niyakwazi lokhu, ukuthi ezinsukwini zokugcina kuyofika abahleki bosulu nokuhleka kwabo usulu, beqhubeka ngokwezifiso zabo siqu.” Khona-ke, egxila osukwini lukaNowa, uPetru uyabhala: “Izwe langalesosikhathi labhujiswa lapho limbozwa amanzi. Kodwa ngezwi elifanayo amazulu nomhlaba okukhona manje kubekelwe umlilo futhi kuyagcinwa kuze kube sosukwini lokwahlulelwa nolokubhujiswa kwabantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu.” Ngemva kwalolosizi olukhulu kunalo lonke, ukubusa koMbuso kaMesiya osekulindelwe isikhathi eside kuyothatha isimo esisha—“amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha . . . , futhi kukho kuyohlala ukulunga.” Yeka ithemba elijabulisayo!
8. Izenzakalo zezwe ziqhubekela kanjani emvuthwandaba?
8 Phakathi nekhulu lethu lama-20, izenzakalo zezwe ziye zaqhubekela phambili emvuthwandaba. Nakuba ukuchithwa kweHiroshima kwakungekhona ukuhambela kwaphezulu, kungase kuhlanganiswe ‘emibonweni eyesabekayo’ uJesu aprofetha ukuthi yayiyobonakala esikhathini sokuphela. (Luka 21:11) Kwaqala usongo lwenuzi olusalengele esintwini njengefu lesiphepho. Ngakho, isihloko esikhulu kuyi-New York Times ka-November 29, 1993, sifundeka kanje: “Izibhamu Zingase Zigqwale Kancane Kodwa Izikhali Zenuzi Zisacwazimula.” Okwamanje, izimpi zezizwe ngezizwe, zezinhlanga, nezezizwana ziyaqhubeka zivuna isivuno esihlasimulisayo. Ezikhathini ezidlule iningi lezinkubela laliphakathi kwamasosha. Namuhla, amaphesenti angu-80 ezinkubela zempi kubikwa ukuthi izakhamuzi, ingasaphathwa eyezigidi ezishiya amazwe akubo njengababaleki.
9. Abaholi benkolo baye babubonakalisa kanjani ubungane nezwe?
9 Ngokuvamile abaholi benkolo baye babonisa, futhi bayaqhubeka bebonisa “ubungane nezwe” ngokuzenza bahileleke ngentshiseko ezimpini nasekuvukeleni okuchitha igazi eliningi. (Jakobe 4:4) Abanye baye bazihlanganisa nezikhulu ezinethonya elinamandla ezihahayo zezentengiselwano njengoba lezizikhulu zikhiqiza izikhali eziningi futhi zakha izinhlangano ezinkulu zezidakamizwa. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho ibika ngokubulawa komholi ophambili wezidakamizwa waseNingizimu Melika, i-New York Times yathi: “Njengoba ayefihla ukushushumbisa kwakhe izidakamizwa ngokuthi ingcebo yebhizinisi lakhe yayisemthethweni nangokuthi wayezuzisa umphakathi, wayenohlelo lwakhe lwasemsakazweni futhi ngokuvamile wayephelezelwa abapristi abangamaRoma Katolika.” I-Wall Street Journal yabika ukuthi ngaphandle kokonakalisa ukuphila kwezigidi ezaba imilutha yezidakamizwa, lomholi wezidakamizwa yena ngokwakhe wanikeza iziqondiso zokubulawa kwezinkulungwane. I-Times yaseLondon yaphawula: “Ababulali ngokuvamile bakhokhela iMisa elikhethekile ukuze babonge . . . njengoba ngesikhathi esifanayo imisa lomngcwabo wesisulu liqhubeka kwenye indawo.” Yeka ukukhohlakala!
10. Kufanele sizibheke kanjani izimo zezwe eziya ziba zimbi ngokwengeziwe?
10 Ubani nje owaziyo ukuthi umonakalo ongakanani abantu abaphefumulelwe amademoni abasazowenza kulomhlaba? Njengoba eyoku-1 Johane 5:19 isho, “lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi,” uSathane uDeveli. Namuhla ‘kunomaye ngomhlaba nangolwandle, ngoba uDeveli wehlele kukho, enentukuthelo enkulu, azi ukuthi unenkathi yesikhathi emfushane.’ (IsAmbulo 12:12) Nokho, ngokujabulisayo, eyabaseRoma 10:13 iyasiqinisekisa ukuthi “wonke umuntu obiza igama likaJehova uyosindiswa.”
UNkulunkulu Usondela Ekwahluleleni
11. Iziphi izimo kwa-Israyeli ezenza kwadingeka ukuba kukhishwe isiprofetho sikaMalaki?
11 Ngokuphathelene nekusasa eliseduze lesintu, isiprofetho sikaMalaki sicacisa lokho osekuzokwenzeka. UMalaki ufakwe ekugcineni ohlwini olude lwabaprofethi basendulo abangamaHeberu. U-Israyeli wayebhekane nokuchithwa kweJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E. Kodwa eminyakeni engu-70 kamuva uJehova wayebonise umusa wothando onesihe ngokubuyisela lesosizwe ezweni laso. Nokho, phakathi neminyaka eyikhulu u-Israyeli wayesephinde wakhukhulekela ekuhlubukeni nasebubini. Abantu babehlambalaza igama likaJehova, beyishaya indiva imithetho yakhe yokulunga, futhi bengcolisa ithempeli lakhe ngokuletha izilwane eziyizimpumputhe, ezixhugayo, nezigulayo ukuze benze umhlatshelo. Babehlukanisa namakhosikazi obusha babo ukuze bashade nabesifazane bezizwe.—Malaki 1:6-8; 2:13-16.
12, 13. (a) Ikuphi ukuhlanzwa okuye kwaba okudingekile ngesigaba sobupristi esigcotshiwe? (b) Isixuku esikhulu sizuza kanjani naso ngalokhukuhlanzwa?
12 Kwakudingeka umsebenzi wokuhlanza. Uchazwe kuMalaki 3:1-4. Njengo-Israyeli wasendulo, oFakazi BakaJehova bosuku lwanamuhla babedinga ukuhlanzwa, ngakho umsebenzi wokuhlanza ochazwa uMalaki ungase wenziwe nakubo. Njengoba impi yezwe yokuqala yayifinyelela ekupheleni, abanye babaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi babaziwa kanjalo ngalesosikhathi, abazange balondoloze ukungathathi-hlangothi okuqinile ezindabeni zezwe. Ngo-1918, uJehova wathumela ‘isithunywa saKhe sesivumelwano,’ uKristu Jesu, elungiselelweni laKhe lethempeli elingokomoya ukuba ahlanze iqembu elincane labakhulekeli baKhe ekungcoleni kwezwe. Ngokwesiprofetho, uJehova wayebuzile: “Ngubani ongathwala usuku lokufika [kwesithunywa]? Ngubani oyakuma ekubonakaleni kwaso na? Ngokuba sinjengomlilo wocwengisisayo nensipho yomhlanzi. Siyakuhlala sicwengisisa sihlanza isiliva, sihlambulule amadodana kaLevi [iqembu lobupristi eligcotshiwe], siwahluze njengegolide nesiliva, aze anikele ngeminikelo kuJehova ngokulunga.” Njengabantu abahlanziwe, baye benza lokho kanye!
13 Leloqembu lobupristi eligcotshiwe linabangu-144 000 kuphela. (IsAmbulo 7:4-8; 14:1, 3) Nokho, kuthiwani ngamanye amaKristu azinikezele namuhla? Njengoba manje anda eba izigidi, lawa akha “isixuku esikhulu” naso okufanele sihlanzwe ezindleleni zezwe, ‘sigeze izivatho zaso zibe mhlophe egazini leWundlu.’ (IsAmbulo 7:9, 14) Ngakho, ngokubonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni wesihlengo weWundlu, uKristu Jesu, ayakwazi ukulondoloza ukuma okuhlanzekile phambi kukaJehova. Athenjiswa ukusinda adlule kulo lonke usizi olukhulu, usuku olwesabekayo lukaJehova.—Zefaniya 2:2, 3.
14. Imaphi amazwi abantu bakaNkulunkulu okufanele bawalalele namuhla njengoba beqhubeka behlakulela ubuntu obusha?
14 Sikanye nensali yobupristi, lesisixuku esikhulu kumelwe silalele lamazwi kaNkulunkulu aqhubekayo: “Ngiyakusondela kini ukwahlulela, ngibe-ngufakazi osheshayo ngabalumbi, nangeziphingi, nangabafunga amanga, nangabacindezela abaqashwa ngenkokhelo yabo, nabafelokazi, nezintandane, nabachezukisa abafokazi, bengangesabi mina . . . Ngokuba mina-Jehova angiguquki.” (Malaki 3:5, 6) Cha, izindinganiso zikaJehova aziguquki, ngakho ngokwesaba uJehova, abantu bakhe namuhla kumelwe baxwaye ukukhonza izithombe kwalo lonke uhlobo futhi babe neqiniso, bathembeke, futhi baphane njengoba beqhubeka behlakulela ubuntu bobuKristu.—Kolose 3:9-14.
15. (a) Isiphi isimemo sesihe uJehova asidlulisayo? (b) Singakugwema kanjani ‘ukuphanga’ uJehova?
15 UJehova udlulisela isimemo kunoma ubani okungenzeka ukuthi uye wachezuka ezindleleni zakhe zokulunga, ethi: “Buyelani kimi, ngiyakubuyela kini.” Uma laba bebuza: “Siyakubuyela kanjani?” uyaphendula: “Niyangiphanga.” Futhi lapho ephendula omunye umbuzo othi: “Sikuphangé kanjani na?” uJehova uthi bamphange ngokwehluleka ukuletha okungcono kakhulu kwabo njengeminikelo yenkonzo yakhe yasethempelini. (Malaki 3:7, 8) Njengoba sesiyingxenye yabantu bakaJehova, ngempela kufanele sifune ukunikela ingxenye engcono kakhulu yamandla ethu, amakhono, nengcebo yezinto ezibonakalayo enkonzweni kaJehova. Ngakho, kunokuba siphange uNkulunkulu, ‘siyaqhubeka sifuna kuqala umbuso nokulunga kwakhe.’—Mathewu 6:33.
16. Isiphi isikhuthazo esisithola kuMalaki 3:10-12?
16 Kunomvuzo omkhulu wabo bonke abenqaba izindlela zezwe zokukhathalela izithakazelo zomuntu siqu, zokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, njengoba uMalaki 3:10-12 ebonisa: “Ningivivinye ngalokhu, usho uJehova-Sebawoti, uma ngingayikunivulela amafasitele asezulwini, nginithululele isibusiso kunokwaneleyo.” Kubo bonke abanokwazisa, uJehova uthembisa ukuchuma nokuthela okungokomoya. Uyanezela: “Zonke izizwe ziyakuthi nibusisiwe, ngokuba niyakuba-yizwe elithokozisayo.” Ingabe lokho akuzange yini kube njalo phakathi kwezigidi zabantu bakaNkulunkulu abanokwazisa emhlabeni wonke namuhla?
Abagcini Bobuqotho Encwadini Yokuphila
17-19. (a) Inxushunxushu yaseRwanda iye yabathinta kanjani abafowethu lapho? (b) Bonke laba abathembekile baye baqhubekela phambili benakuphi ukuqiniseka?
17 Kuleliqophelo, singase sikhulumele ubuqotho babafowethu nodadewethu baseRwanda. Ngaso sonke isikhathi baye baletha iminikelo engokomoya emihle kakhulu endlini kaJehova yokukhulekela engokomoya. Ngokwesibonelo, eMhlanganweni wabo Wesigodi “Wokufundisa Kwaphezulu” ngo-December 1993, abamemezeli boMbuso balapho abangu-2 080 bafinyelela ingqikithi yabangu-4 075 ababekhona. Kwaba noFakazi abasha ababhapathizwa abangu-230, futhi kulaba, cishe abangu-150 babhalisa enkonzweni yamaphayona asizayo ngenyanga eyalandela.
18 Lapho kugqashuka inzondo yobuhlanga ngo-April 1994, okungenani oFakazi abangu-180, kuhlanganise nombonisi wedolobha eKigali, okuyinhloko-dolobha, nawo wonke umkhaya wakhe, babulawa. Abahumushi abayisithupha ehhovisi le-Watch Tower Society eKigali, abane babo abangamaHutu nababili abangamaTutsi, baqhubeka besebenza amasonto ambalwa ngaphansi kokusongelwa okunzima, kwaze kwaba yilapho kudingeka ukuba abangamaTutsi babaleke, okwagcina ngokuba babulawe ezindaweni okuseshwa kuzo. Ekugcineni, bephethe ama-computer ayesele, abane ababesele babalekela eGoma, eZaire, lapho beqhubeka khona ngokwethembeka behumushela INqabayokulinda olimini lwesiKinyarwanda.—Isaya 54:17.
19 Nakuba besezimweni ezilusizi, ngaso sonke isikhathi laboFakazi abangababaleki bacela ukudla okungokomoya ngaphambi kwamalungiselelo ezinto ezibonakalayo. Ngokuzidela okukhulu, abazalwane abanothando basemazweni ahlukahlukene baye bakwazi ukubathumelela izinto abazidingayo. Ngamazwi nangokuhleleka kwabo ngaphansi kokucindezeleka, labababaleki baye banikeza ubufakazi obumangalisayo. Ngempela baye baqhubeka beletha okungcono kakhulu kwabo ekukhulekelweni kukaJehova. Baye babonakalisa ukuqiniseka okufana nokukaPawulu, okuvezwe kweyabaseRoma 14:8: “Uma siphila, siphilela uJehova, futhi uma sifa, sifela uJehova. Ngakho-ke kokubili uma siphila noma sifa, singabakaJehova.”
20, 21. (a) Amagama obani angalotshiwe encwadini kaJehova yenkumbulo? (b) Amagama obani akulencwadi, futhi ngani?
20 UJehova ugcina umbhalo wabo bonke abamkhonza ngobuqotho. Isiprofetho sikaMalaki siyaqhubeka: “Khona abamesaba uJehova bakhuluma bodwa omunye nomunye; uJehova waqaphela, wezwa, kwalotshwa phambi kwakhe incwadi yokukhumbula ababemesaba uJehova, bezindla ngegama lakhe.”—Malaki 3:16.
21 Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kanjani namuhla ukuba sibonise ukwesaba kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu ekudumiseni igama likaJehova! Uma senza kanjalo, ngeke sithole isahlulelo esibi, esiyotholwa yilabo abasekela ngokwazisa izimiso zalelizwe. IsAmbulo 17:8 silandisa ukuthi “amagama abo awalotshwanga emqulwini wokuphila.” Ngokunengqondo igama elivelele elilotshwe encwadini kaJehova yokuphila yilelo leNxusa Eliyinhloko lokuphila, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu uqobo, uJesu Kristu. UMathewu 12:21 uthi: “Ngempela, izizwe ziyothembela egameni lakhe.” Umhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo uqinisekisa ukuphila okuphakade kubo bonke ababonisa ukholo kuwo. Yeka ukuthi kuyilungelo elingakanani ukuba amagama ethu ngabanye anezelwe egameni likaJesu kulowomqulu!
22. Imuphi umehluko oyoba sobala lapho uJehova ekhipha isahlulelo?
22 Kuyokwenzekani ezincekwini zikaNkulunkulu ekwahluleleni? UJehova uyaphendula kuMalaki 3:17, 18: “Ngibahawukele, njengalokhu umuntu ehawukela indodana yakhe emkhonzayo. Besenibuya, nahlukanise abalungileyo nababi, abamkhonza uNkulunkulu nabangamkhonziyo.” Ukuhlukanisa kuyoba sobala kubo bonke: ababi, behlukaniselwa ukunqunywa okumi phakade, futhi abalungile, bemukelelwa ukuphila okumi phakade endaweni yoMbuso. (Mathewu 25:31-46) Ngakho isixuku esikhulu sabantu abanjengezimvu siyosinda osukwini olukhulu nolwesabekayo lukaJehova.
Uyakhumbula?
◻ Iziphi izahlulelo uJehova azikhipha ezikhathini zeBhayibheli?
◻ Izimo namuhla zifana kanjani nalezo zasezikhathini zasendulo?
◻ Ikuphi ukuhlanza okuye kwenzeka okugcwalisa isiprofetho sikaMalaki?
◻ Amagama obani alotshwe encwadini kaNkulunkulu yenkumbulo?