Isikhathi Sokuvivinywa Nokuhlungwa
“INkosi eniyifunayo iyakufika ngokuzumayo ethempelini layo; nesithunywa sesivumelwano . . . Siyakuhlala sicwengisisa sihlanza.”—MALAKI 3:1, 3.
1, 2. (a) Yiziphi izimo ezazikhona phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu ekhulwini lesihlanu B.C.E.? (b) Kungani kumelwe sibe nesithakazelo esiprofethweni sikaMalaki?
“UPHI uNkulunkulu wokwahlulela na?” Labo abaphakamisa lowombuzo oyinselele emuva ekhulwini lesihlanu B.C.E. bathi futhi: “Akusizi ngalutho ukukhonza uNkulunkulu.” Ukonakala ngokwenkolo nangokokuziphatha phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu, amaJuda, kwase kubangele ukungabaza ngokwahlulela kwaphezulu. Kodwa amehlo kaNkulunkulu weqiniso ongalali, ayekubo. Futhi wathuma umprofethi ongumHeberu uMalaki ukuba abaxwayise ngokuthi umsebenzi wokuhlanza, isikhathi sokuvivinywa nokuhlungwa, sasingaphambili. Babezokwazi ukuthi wayekuphi “uNkulunkulu wokwahlulela” lapho efika ngokuzumayo ezokwahlulela!—Malaki 2:17; 3:1, 14, 15.
2 Isiprofetho sikaMalaki kumelwe singagcini nje ngokuba umlando kithi. Ngani? Ngoba ngokusobala sigcwaliseka osukwini lwethu. (Roma 15:4) Yebo, abantu bakaJehova namuhla bebedlula esikhathini sokuvivinywa nokuhlungwa! Kanjani? Ukuhlolisisa isiprofetho sikaMalaki kuzosisiza ukuba siphendule.
3. Yini eyayihilelekile enqubweni yasendulo yokucwengisisa?
3 Kodwa, okokuqala, kungani uJehova evivinya futhi ehlunga abantu bakhe? Njengoba ‘evivinya izinhliziyo,’ uhlose ukucwengisisa abantu bakhe abahleliwe. (IzAga 17:3; IHubo 66:10) Ezikhathini zeBhayibheli inqubo yokucwengisisa yayihilela ukushisa insimbi ize incibilike bese kwengulwa udoti, noma amanyela. Siyafunda: “Umcwengisisi ubukela lenqubo, emile noma ehlezi, ngokuzimisela okukhulu, kuze kube yilapho . . . insimbi [esingamanzi] ibonakala injengesibuko, ibonisa noma yini eyizungezile; ngisho nomcwengisisi, njengoba ebuka lensimbi, angase azibone njengokungathi usesibukweni, khona-ke angenza ukwahlulela okuqonde kakhulu ngokuphathelene nobumsulwa bensimbi. Uma anelisekile, ucima umlilo, abese ekhipha insimbi emlilweni; kodwa uma engayiboni imsulwa, unezela umthofu ayiphinde futhi lenqubo.” (Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, kaJ. McClintock noJ. Strong) Igolide noma isiliva elicwengisiswe kanjalo laliyigugu kakhulu.—Qhathanisa nesAmbulo 3:18.
4. Kungani uJehova evumela ukuvivinywa nokuhlungwa phakathi kwabantu bakhe?
4 UJehova uvumela ukuvivinywa nokuhlungwa ukuze acwengisise, noma enze abantu bakhe babe msulwa, ebasiza ukuba babonise umfanekiso wakhe ngokuqonde ngokwengeziwe. (Efesu 5:1) Enqubweni yokucwengisisa, wengula amanyela ngokususa izimfundiso nemikhuba engcolile. (Isaya 1:25) Uhlunga futhi phakathi kwabantu bakhe labo abenqaba ukuzithoba enqubweni yokucwengisisa nalabo ‘abakhubekisayo nabenza okubi.’ Lokhu kuvula indlela yokuba “abantwana bombuso,” amaIsrayeli angokomoya, bakhanye ngokukhazimulayo ukuze isigaba sasemhlabeni naso siqoqwe futhi sinamathele kubo njengenhlangano ngenjongo yokusinda.—Mathewu 13:38, 41, 43; Filipi 2:15.
Ukuthunywa KukaMalaki
5, 6. (a) Obani, ngokukhethekile, ababenecala ngokwehla kwezinga elingokomoya lamaIsrayeli osukwini lukaMalaki? Ngani? (b) Lokhu kwaba namuphi umphumela omubi kumaIsrayeli ewonke?
5 UMalaki waprofetha ngemva kuka-443 B.C.E., cishe iminyaka eyikhulu ngemva kokuba izithunjwa ezingamaJuda zibuyile eBabiloni. Kwase kudlule iminyaka engaphezu kwama-70 ngemva kokunikezelwa kwethempeli elalivuselelwe nguZerubabeli. Isimo esingokomoya samaIsrayeli sase sehle kakhulu. Obani, ngokukhethekile, ababenecala? Abapristi! Kanjani? ‘Babedelela’ igama likaJehova ngokwamukela imihlatshelo egulayo nekhubazekile. (Malaki 1:6-8) ‘Bakhubekisa abaningi emthethweni’ ngokwehluleka ukufundisa abantu nangokubonisa ukukhetha ekwahluleleni.—Malaki 2:6-9; Jakobe 3:1.
6 Ngenxa yalokho, amaIsrayeli ewonke aqala ukungabaza ukubaluleka kokukhonza uNkulunkulu, enqaba ngisho nokukhokha okweshumi okwakufunwa umthetho. (Malaki 3:6-10, 14, 15; Levitikusi 27:30) Ayesewile ekuzinikeleni kwawo eMthethweni kaNkulunkulu kangangokuthi amanye ‘ayekhohlise’ omkawo, ngokusobala ngokubadivosa ukuze ashade nabesifazane abangamaqaba. Phela, imikhuba enengekayo njengobuthakathi, ukuphinga, ukuqamba amanga, nokungathembeki manje yase ivelele phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu!—Malaki 2:10-16; 3:5.
7, 8. Kwakuyini ukuthunywa komprofethi uMalaki?
7 Ukuthunywa kukaMalaki kwakucacile. Wadalula abapristi abanganaki ngokungenamahloni, futhi wenza abantu baqaphela isimo sabo sangempela esingokomoya. Nokho, wabonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wothando wayelungele ukubathethelela. UJehova wanxusa: “Buyelani kimi, ngiyakubuyela kini.” (Malaki 3:7) UMalaki wabikezela ukuthi “iNkosi” yayiza ethempelini layo izokwahlulela. Abapristi babedinga ukuhlanzwa ukuze ‘banikele ngeminikelo kuJehova ngokulunga.’ (Malaki 3:1-3) Ngaphezu kwalokho, abantu baxwayiswa ngokuthi “iNkosi” yayizoba “ngufakazi osheshayo” ngalabo ababephikelela emikhubeni enengekayo.—Malaki 3:5.
8 UMalaki wayethembekile ekuthunyweni kwakhe; wanikeza isixwayiso. Lokho akusho kwakuyinzuzo kubapristi nakubantu osukwini lwakhe. Nokho, kwadlula amakhulu amaningana eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba ezinye zezici zesiprofetho sakhe zigcwaliseke ekugcwalisekeni kokuqala.
Ukugcwaliseka Kwekhulu Lokuqala
9. Ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho sikaMalaki, kwakungubani “isithunywa”? Kungani uphendula kanjalo?
9 Ekhuluma esesihlalweni sakhe esiphakeme sobukhosi ezulwini, uMahluleli oMkhulu uthi: “Bhekani, ngiyathuma isithunywa sami; siyakulungisa indlela phambi kwami.” (Malaki 3:1a) Sasingubani leso “sithunywa”? Umlobi weBhayibheli uMarku uhlanganisa isiprofetho sikaMalaki 3:1 nesikaIsaya 40:3 futhi zombili uzisebenzisa kuJohane uMbhapathizi. (Marku 1:1-4) Ngokufanayo, uJesu Kristu kamuva wabonisa uJohane ‘njengoyilesosithunywa.’ (Mathewu 11:10-14) Ngakho kwenzeka ukuba entwasahlobo ka-29 C.E., uJohane uMbhapathizi aqalise umsebenzi wakhe ‘njengesithunywa,’ umhambeli phambili. Wayezolungisa indlela yokuza kukaJehova ezokwahlulela ngokwenza amaIsrayeli alungele ukuza koMmeleli oMkhulu kaNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu.
10. UJohane uMbhapathizi wakhonza kanjani “ukulungisela iNkosi [uJehova] isizwe esilungiselweyo”? (Luka 1:17)
10 Ukuthunywa kukaJohane ngaphambi kwesikhathi kwakuwukubonakaliswa komusa kaNkulunkulu kumaJuda. Ebuhlotsheni besivumelwano noJehova, ayedinga ukuphenduka ezonweni zawo ngokuqondene noMthetho. UJohane walungisa izindaba ezingokwenkolo futhi wadalula ubuzenzisi benkolo. (Mathewu 3:1-3, 7-12) Wavusa amaJuda anhliziyo ziqotho ukuba alindele uKristu ukuze amlandele.—Johane 1:35-37.
11. Singayazi kanjani “iNkosi” eyayizofika ethempelini ngokuzumayo?
11 Isiprofetho sikaMalaki siyaqhubeka: “INkosi eniyifunayo iyakufika ngokuzumayo ethempelini layo; nesithunywa sesivumelwano enithokoza ngaso, bheka, siyeza, usho uJehova-Sebawoti.” (Malaki 3:1b) Ubani ‘owayeyiNkosi yeqiniso’ eyayiyofika ethempelini layo “ngokuzumayo,” noma ngokungazelele? NgesiHeberu kusetshenziswe inkulumo ethi ha·’A·dhohnʹ. ukusetshenziswa komunci ha (ngesiNgisi “the”) ngaphambi kwesiqu esithi ’A·dhohnʹ (“iNkosi; iSikhulu”) kwenza ukusetshenziswa kwalesiqu kusebenze kuJehova uNkulunkulu kuphela. Ngempela [iNkosi] uJehova yayizofika “ethempelini Layo.”—Habakuki 2:20; IHubo 11:4.
12. Ubani “isithunywa sesivumelwano,” futhi ‘uyisithunywa’ sasiphi “isivumelwano”?
12 Ngemva kokuba esekhulume ngesinye isithunywa, uMalaki wabonisa ukuthi “iNkosi” yayiyofika “ethempelini laYo” ihamba nesinye isithunywa, esihlukile, “isithunywa sesivumelwano.” Sasiyoba ubani? Nokho, ngokubheka indlela izinto ezenzeka ngayo, kunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi “isithunywa sesivumelwano” uJesu Kristu, uJohane uMbhapathizi amethula kubafundi bakhe ngokuthi “iWundlu likaNkulunkulu.” (Johane 1:29-34) UMesiya ‘uyisithunywa’ sasiphi “isivumelwano”? Ubufakazi bukaLuka 1:69-75 nezEnzo 3:12, 19-26 busikisela ukuthi yisivumelwano sika-Abrahama, okungesisekelo saso amaJuda ayengabokuqala ukuba anikezwe ithuba lokuba yizindlalifa zoMbuso.
13. Kungamuphi umqondo “iNkosi” uJehova yayizofika ethempelini?
13 “INkosi” uJehova ayizifikelanga yona mathupha ethempelini elingokoqobo eJerusalema. (1 AmaKhosi 8:27) Yafika ngommeleli, okungukuthi, ‘ngesithunywa sayo sesivumelwano,’ uJesu Kristu, oweza egameni likaJehova nangokusekela komoya kaNkulunkulu ongcwele.a
14. (a) Kungani ukuhlanza kukaJesu ithempeli ngo-30 C.E. ngokusobala kwakumane kuwumfuziselo walokho okwakuza? (b) Ithempeli lahlanzwa kanjani futhi nini ekugcwalisekeni kukaMalaki 3:1?
14 Entwasahlobo ka-30 C.E. uJesu wafika ethempelini likaJehova eJerusalema futhi waxosha labo ababelenza “indlu yokuthengelana.” (Johane 2:13-16) Kodwa lokhu kwakumane kuyisandulela salokho okwakuza ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho sikaMalaki. Ngemva kwalesenzakalo, uJohane, ‘njengesithunywa,’ waqhubeka ebhapathiza futhi eqondisa abafundi bakhe kuJesu. (Johane 3:23-30) Nokho, ngoNisan 9, 33 C.E., uJesu wangena ngokunqobayo eJerusalema, eziletha njengeNkosi. (Mathewu 21:1-9; Zakariya 9:9) UJohane wayesewuqedile umsebenzi wakhe, njengoba anqunywa ikhanda uHerode cishe esikhathini esingangonyaka ngaphambili. Ngakho lapho uJesu efika ethempelini ngoNisan 10, weza ngokomthetho ‘njengesithunywa sesivumelwano,’ ummeleli wokwahlulela ‘weNkosi’ uJehova, ekugcwalisekeni kukaMalaki 3:1. UJesu wahlanza ithempeli, waxosha labo ababethengiselana kulo, wagumbuqela amatafula abashintshi bemali. Wathi: “Akulotshiwe yini [kuIsaya 56:7] ukuthi indlu [kaJehova] iyakubizwa ngokuthi indlu yokukhuleka yezizwe zonke na? Kepha nina niyenze umhume wabaphangi.”—Marku 11:15-18.
15. Njengesigaba, abaholi benkolo bobuJuda basabela kanjani enqubweni yokucwengisisa, kodwa kwenzekani kwabanye abapristi?
15 Ngaleyondlela kwakhishwa isixwayiso kubaholi benkolo bakwaIsrayeli sokuthi isikhathi sabo sase sifikile. Njengesigaba, benqaba ukwamukela “isithunywa sesivumelwano” sikaJehova. Abazange ‘baluthwale usuku lokufika kwaso,’ ngoba benqaba ukuzithoba enqubweni yokucwengisisa yoMcwengisisi oMkhulu. (Malaki 3:2, 3) Babefanelwe ukuhlungwa njengabafanelwe ukubhujiswa. Nokho, ngokusobala kwakukhona “amadodana kaLevi” athile ayenezinhliziyo ezinhle, ngoba ngokushesha ngemva kokufa kukaJesu “isixuku esikhulu sabapristi [abangamaLevi] salalela inkolo.”—IzEnzo 6:7.
16. Kukanjani futhi kunini lapho “usuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo” lwafica lesosizwe samaJuda?
16 NgoNisan 11, usuku olungemva kokuhlanza kwakhe ithempeli, uJesu wadalula ngokunamandla abazenzisi benkolo futhi wabikezela ukubhujiswa kwethempeli nesimiso sezinto sobuJuda. (Mathewu, izahluko 23, 24) Ngempela, “uNkulunkulu wokwahlulela” wafika “engufakazi osheshayo” kulesosizwe samaJuda eminyakeni engama-37 kamuva ngo-70 C.E., lapho “usuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo” lubafica. (Malaki 2:17; 3:5; 4:5, 6) Ngalesosikhathi, Njengesithunywa, uJohane uMbhapathizi walungiselela abantu ukufika ‘kwesithunywa sesivumelwano’ uIsrayeli njengeqembu, njengenhlangano enjengomuthi owahluleka ukuthela isithelo esihle, ‘wanqunywa waphonswa emlilweni’ ngokubhujiswa amaRoma. (Luka 3:3-14) Konke lokhu kwenzeka ‘ngokuba engasazanga isikhathi sokuhanjelwa kwawo.’—Luka 19:44.
Ukugcwaliseka Kosuku Lwanamuhla
17. Yini ebonisa ukuthi isiprofetho sikaMalaki sasiyophinde sigcwaliseke ezikhathini zanamuhla?
17 Kodwa kuthiwani ngokugcwaliseka kwesibili, noma kwanamuhla, kwesiprofetho sikaMalaki? Ekhulwini lokuqala, ukugcwaliseka kokuqala kwalandela ukugcotshwa kukaJesu ngomoya ongcwele ukuba abe yiNkosi eMisiwe yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngokunengqondo, kumelwe kube nokunye ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho ngemva kokuba uJesu Kristu ebekwe esihlalweni sobukhosi emazulwini ngo-1914. Isiprofetho ngokwaso sabonisa ukuthi sasiyogcwaliseka “lungakafiki usuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo.” (Malaki 4:5) Nakuba “usuku lukaJehova” lwafikela isimiso sobuJuda ngo-70 C.E., imiBhalo ikhomba phambili koluzayo “usuku lukaJehova” phakathi nalesikhathi “sokuba-khona” kukaKristu.—Mathewu 24:3, qhathanisa neNW; 2 Thesalonika 2:1, 2; 2 Petru 3:10-13.
18. Ngo-1922, abantu bakaNkulunkulu benziwa kanjani baqaphela ukuthi babesesikhathini sokwahlulela?
18 Emuva ngo-1922 abantu bakaJehova benziwa baqaphela ukuthi babesesikhathini sokwahlulela ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho sikaMalaki. IThe Watchtower kaSeptember 1 yathi: “Kodwa isiprofetho sikaMalaki sidlulela ngale kokugcwaliseka okuncane ekufikeni kweNkosi yethu kokuqala, siqhubekele esikhathini lapho uMesiya eza ngenkazimulo namandla, nalapho ahlulela phakathi kwabantu bakhe . . . Manje, sesifikile futhi isikhathi sokwahlulela; abathi bengabantu bakhe baya phinda bayahlolwa njengokungathi ngomlilo, futhi amadodana kaLevi anezinhliziyo eziqotho aqoqelwa ndawonye ngenxa yenkonzo.”
19. Ekugcwalisekeni kosuku lwanamuhla, kungayiphi indlela “isithunywa” sathunywa ngaphambi kwesikhathi?
19 Njengoba kuboniswe kuMalaki 3:1, isithunywa esikhethekile sathunywa ngaphambi kwesikhathi. Lesi sabonakala singeyena umuntu oyedwa, kodwa isigaba esikhonza njengoJohane uMbhapathizi. Kusukela ngo-1881, le sigaba siye sasebenzisa lokho manje okuyiWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society emsebenzini ophawulekayo wemfundo yeBhayibheli. Lokhu kwaphumela ekubuyiseleni amaqiniso amaningi ayisisekelo ezinhliziyweni zabathandi beBhayibheli. Ezinye zezinto ezacaciswa yilezi: Umuntu akanawo umphefumulo ongafi, kodwa ungumphefumulo; asikho isihogo esivuthayo; uJesu Kristu wayengeke abuye ngenyama; uJehova unguNkulunkulu oyedwa, hhayi uZiqu-zintathu. Ngempela, kwakuwumsebenzi ‘owalungisa indlela phambi kukaJehova’ ngenxa yomsebenzi wakhe wokwahlulela.
20. (a) Ngokusobala, uJehova wafika nini ethempelini? (b) Lokhu kuphakamisa miphi imibuzo?
20 Ngokuzumayo, uJehova, ‘njengeNkosi,’ wafika ethempelini lakhe elingokomoya. Nini? Umfuziselo wabekwa ekugcwalisekeni kwekhulu lokuqala. Emuva lapho uJesu wafika futhi wahlanza ithempeli eminyakeni emithathu nengxenye ngemva kokuba egcotshwe njengeNkosi eJordani. Ngokwalowomfuziselo, kusukela uJesu abekwa njengeNkosi ekwindla ka-1914, kubonakala kunengqondo ukuthi eminyakeni emithathu nengxenye kamuva kwakuzolindeleka ukuba ahambe “neNkosi” uJehova aye ethempelini elingokomoya. Ngokwesiprofetho, yini eyayizokwenzeka kusukela ngalesosikhathi kuqhubeke? Ukuvivinywa nokuhlungwa. Kodwa lokhu kuphakamisa imibuzo ethile ebalulekile: Yibuphi ubufakazi obukhona balokhu kuhlanza? Ingabe kuqhubekela esikhathini samanje? Futhi konke lokhu kukuthinta kanjani wena siqu? Ake sibone.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Ezikhathini eziningi, izithunywa eziyizingelosi zazikhuluma njengokungathi zazinguJehova uNkulunkulu, ngoba zazisebenza njengabameleli bakaJehova.—Genesise 31:11-13; AbAhluleli 2:1-3; qhathanisa noGenesise 16:11, 13.
Ungakhumbula?
◻ Kungani uJehova evumela abantu bakhe ukuba bavivinywe futhi bahlungwe?
◻ Ujohane uMbhapathizi wakhonza kanjani ‘njengesithunywa,’ umhambeli phambili?
◻ Ekhulwini lokuqala, uJesu wafika kanjani ethempelini ‘njengesithunywa sesivumelwano’?
◻ Sazi kanjani ukuthi isiprofetho sikaMalaki sasizoba nokugcwaliseka kosuku lwanamuhla?
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Njengesithunywa, uJohane uMbhapathizi walungiselela abantu ukufika ‘kwesithunywa sesivumelwano’