UJehova—UNkulunkulu Wezikhathi Nezinkathi
“Konke kunesikhathi sakho.”—UMSHUMAYELI 3:1.
1, 2. (a) Abantu basikhathalela ngaziphi izindlela isikhathi? (b) Yini ebingenzeka engxenyeni enkulu yokuphila kwethu namuhla ukuba besingenandlela yokwazi isikhathi?
ISIKHATHI sisikhathalela kakhulu ekuphileni kwansuku zonke. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho iwashi likhomba ukuthi sekuyahlwa futhi sibona ilanga lishona nesibhakabhaka siba mnyama, siyazi ukuthi ubusuku sebufikile. Kungokufanayo nakwezinye izingxenye zomhlaba, lapho ikhalenda libonisa ukuthi ikwindla isiyaphela futhi sibona izinga lokushisa lehla isonto ngalinye namaqabunga emithi ewa, siyaqiniseka ukuthi ubusika sebuseduze. Ngakho-ke ubufakazi bokuthi isikhathi sini noma iyiphi inkathi buqinisekisa lokho amawashi namakhalenda asitshela khona.
2 Ukungazazi izinkathi bekungenza ingxenye enkulu yokuphila ibe engahlelekile. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngamakhulu ezindiza ezizama ukuhlala esikhumulweni sezindiza esimatasa ukuba yayingekho indlela yokwazi isikhathi ukuze zenzelwe isimiso! Noma cabanga ngezigidi zabantu abazama ukuya emsebenzini ngesimiso ukuba bebengenandlela yokwazi isikhathi!
3. Ubani owaqala izikhathi nezinkathi?
3 Ubani owaqala izikhathi nezinkathi? KwakuwuMdali wendawo yonke, uJehova uNkulunkulu. UGenesise 1:14 uthi: “UNkulunkulu wathi: Makube-khona emkhathini wezulu izinkanyezi ezahlukanisa imini nobusuku, zibe-yizibonakaliso zezinkathi, nezezinsuku, nezeminyaka.”
Izikhathi Nezinkathi Ezibaluleke Kakhulu
4-6. (a) Yini ebaluleke kakhulu kunokwazi izikhathi nezinkathi zemisebenzi yabantu? Ngani? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo okumelwe siyibuze?
4 Nakuba ukwazi isikhathi noma inkathi kubalulekile ngemisebenzi yabantu, kunokuthile okubaluleke ngokwengeziwe: Isikhathi sini noma iyiphi inkathi ngokombono kaJehova? UmShumayeli 3:1 uthi: “Konke kunesikhathi sakho, yonke indaba inomzuzu wayo phansi kwezulu.” Nakuba lokhu kunjalo ngokombono womuntu, kunjalo ngisho nangokwengeziwe ngokombono kaNkulunkulu. Unezikhathi nezinkathi ezithile zokufeza izinjongo zakhe. Uma ukuphila kwethu singakufanelanisi naleliqiniso, khona-ke konke ukuhlela ukuphila kwethu ukuze kuvumelane nezikhathi noma namakhalenda kuyoba yize.
5 Kungani kunjalo? Ngoba uJehova unenjongo ngalomhlaba nangezidalwa ezingabantu ezikuwo; ngaphandle kwalokho wayengeke awudale. Uma ukuphila kwethu singakuvumelanisi naleyonjongo, ngeke sihlanganiswe kuyo. Futhi ngokuqinisekile injongo yakhe iyofezeka ngaso kanye isikhathi esihleliwe. Uthi: “Liyakuba-njalo izwi lami eliphuma emlonyeni wami: aliyikubuyela-ze kimi, lingakafezi lokhu engikufunayo, liphumelele kulokhu engilithumele kukho.”—Isaya 55:11.
6 Ngakho sidinga ukubuza: Isikhathi sini noma iyiphi inkathi ngokombono kaJehova? Izizwe nabantu balelizwe bafanelana kanjani nohlelo lwakhe lwezikhathi? Yebo, wena ufanelana kanjani? Usukuhlelile yini ukuphila kwakho ngokuvumelana nenjongo kaNkulunkulu nohlelo lwakhe lwezikhathi?
Ingabe Lelizwe Ligcwalisa Izinjongo ZikaNkulunkulu?
7. Yimuphi umbono abantu abaningi benkolo abanawo, kodwa kungani ungenangqondo?
7 Abantu abaningi banomuzwa wokuthi bahlanganisiwe enjongweni kaNkulunkulu ngoba bathi bakholelwa kuNkulunkulu. Nokho, uma ubacela ukuba bakubonise eZwini likaNkulunkulu ukuthi ziyini lezozinjongo, abakwazi ukukubonisa. Bazenzela abakuthandayo, kodwa basenomuzwa wokuthi ngandlela-thile uNkulunkulu uyobavumela. Kuwo wonke amakhulu eminyaka abaholi bezwe abaningi baye baba nesimo esifanayo. Baye baba nomuzwa wokuthi uNkulunkulu wayesebenzisa bona ekufezeni injongo yakhe, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ziyini izenzo zabo. Kodwa nabo, ngokufanayo, abakwazi ukusho ukuthi iyini leyonjongo.
8. Kungani kungenangqondo ukucabanga ukuthi uMdali kumelwe ukuba usekela ababusi nabantu balelizwe?
8 Ingabe iBhayibheli liyabonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu usekela lelizwe, kuhlanganise nababusi nabantu abanenkolo? Cabanga ngalokhu: Amandla kaNkulunkulu ayesabeka. Wadala indawo yonke, ehlanganisa izigidigidi zemithala, ngamunye enezigidigidi zezinkanyezi. (IHubo 147:4) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uNkulunkulu unokuhlakanipha okungapheli. Ukuba uNkulunkulu, ngamandla akhe nakuhlakanipha, ubesekela izizwe, ingabe beziyoba nabo ubudlova, impi, ukungalungi, nokuhlupheka okungaka amakhulu amaningi kangaka eminyaka? Ingabe uNkulunkulu ubengaqondisa abaholi bezizwe nezigidi zabantu babo ukuba baye empini futhi babulale abanye abaholi bezwe nezigidi zabantu babo nabo abathi baqondiswa uNkulunkulu? Ingabe lokho kunengqondo?
9. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi kumelwe sibe yini isimo esingokomoya sezinceku zakhe zeqiniso?
9 KwabaseKorinte bokuQala 14:33 iBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi, “uNkulunkulu kasiye owesiyaluyalu kepha ngowokuthula.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova uthi kulabo abangabantu bakhe beqiniso: “Nikhulume zwilinye nonke, kungabikho ukwahlukana phakathi kwenu, . . . ukuba nipheleliswe emqondweni munye nasekuboneni kunye.” (1 Korinte 1:10) Kuthiwani uma othile phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu engahambisani nalendinganiso? EyabaseRoma 16:17 iyeluleka: “Niqaphele ababanga ukwahlukana . . . bephambene nesifundiso enafundiswa sona nina, nahlukane nabo.” Ngakho ukwahlukana ngokobuzwe nangokwenkolo neziphithiphithi kuwubufakazi obukhanyayo bokuthi uNkulunkulu akazisekeli izizwe ezinjalo, abaholi benkolo, nabalandeli babo.
10, 11. Yimiphi imibhalo ebonisa lowo osekela ababusi nabantu balelizwe?
10 Khona-ke ubani ngempela obasekelayo? UJohane wokuQala isahluko 3, amavesi 10 kuya ku-12, uthi: “Ngalokho kubonakala abantwana bakaNkulunkulu nabantwana bakaSathane; lowo engenzi ukulunga akasiye okaNkulunkulu, naye ongamthandi umzalwane wakhe. Nanti izwi enalizwayo kwasekuqaleni lokuba sithandane, kungabi njengoKayini owaba-ngowomubi, wabulala umfowabo.” Futhi, uJohane wokuQala isahluko 4, ivesi 20 uthi: “Uma umuntu esho ukuthi: Ngiyamthanda uNkulunkulu, kepha ezonda umzalwane wakhe, ungumqambimanga; ngokuba ongathandi umzalwane wakhe ambonileyo angemthande uNkulunkulu angambonanga.” Ngakho uJesu wabeka lomthetho okuJohane 13:35: “Ngalokho bonke bayakukwazi ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma nithandana.”
11 Ingabe uyakubona ukufana phakathi kothando nobunye okumelwe kube khona phakathi kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu zeqiniso nenkambo abaholi nabantu bezwe abaye bayilandela amakhulu eminyaka? Ukubulawa kwabantu benkolo ngabanye abantu benkolo kuye kwabulala amashumi ezigidi zabantu. Ngokuvamile labo ababulalanayo bangabenkolo eyodwa! Lobo ubufakazi obuqinisekile bokuthi uNkulunkulu akabasekeli. Kunalokho, njengoba iZwi likaNkulunkulu libonisa, uSathane uDeveli kuphela ongumsekeli wabo. Kungakho umphostoli uJohane ayengathi: “Siyazi ukuthi sivela kuNkulunkulu, kodwa izwe lonke lisemandleni omubi.” (1 Johane 5:19, NW) Yebo, uSathane ‘ungunkulunkulu walelizwe.’ (2 Korinte 4:4) Ungamandla ashukumisa abaholi nabantu balelizwe abazenzo zabo zibonisa ukuthi abaveli kuNkulunkulu.
Injongo KaJehova Ngabathobekileyo
12, 13. Iyini injongo kaNkulunkulu ngalomhlaba nangabantu?
12 Nokho, lapho uJehova edala abantu, wayehlose ukuba wonke umhlaba ube yipharadesi elinjengensimu yase-Edene, ugcwaliswe abantu abaphelele, abanobunye, abajabulayo. (Genesise 1:26-28; 2:15; Isaya 45:18) Abantu abahlubuka nezidalwa eziyimimoya emibi abazange bayiqede leyonjongo. Futhi, njengoba uJehova enguNkulunkulu wezikhathi nezinkathi, injongo yakhe iyofezeka ngesikhathi asimisele lokho. Ngeke avumele ukuzibusa komuntu ngaphandle kwakhe kuqhubeke kuphikisa injongo yakhe kuze kudlule isikhathi asimisile.
13 UJesu wayethembele ngokuphelele enjongweni kaNkulunkulu ngalomhlaba. Wathi eselelesini esabonisa ukholo kuye: “Uzakuba-nami eParadisi.” (Luka 23:43) Lelo kwakuyiPharadesi lasemhlabeni elizayo. Esenzakalweni sangaphambili, uJesu wayethe: “Babusisiwe abamnene, ngokuba bayakudla ifa lomhlaba.” (Mathewu 5:5) Lapha, kungenzeka uJesu wayebhekisele ephuzwini elikumaHubo 37:11, athi: “Kepha abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu.”
14. Luhlobo luni lwabantu abayodla ifa lomhlaba?
14 Obani laba abazodla ifa lomhlaba? IHubo 37:34 lithi: “Lindela uJehova, ulonde indlela yakhe; uzakukuphakamisa, udle ifa lomhlaba, ubukele lapho ababi bechithwa khona.” Amavesi 37 no-38 ayanezela: “Mbhekisise ongasolekileyo, umbone oqotho; ngokuba umuntu wokuthula, ukugcina kwakhe kuhle. Kepha abaphambukayo bayakubhujiswa bonke; isikhathi sababi siyakunqunywa.” Ngakho abantu abayodla ifa lomhlaba kumelwe bamazi uJehova, bazikholelwe izithembiso zakhe, futhi yena ababheke njengabaqotho nabangasoleki ngoba balalela imithetho yakhe. Njengoba uJohane wokuQala 2:17 esho: “Izwe liyadlula kanye nenkanuko yalo; kepha owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube-phakade.”
15. Ukuze kwenzeke ushintsho olukhulu oluyinzuzo ezweni, yini ebaluleke kakhulu okumelwe yenzeke?
15 Nokho, kuyodingeka ukuba kube noshintsho olukhulu esimweni senqubo esikhona manje ukuze loloshintsho lube nokwenzeka. Phakathi kokunye, luyosho ukususwa kwakho konke ukubuswa komhlaba kwamanje, njengoba ukubusa komuntu kungazange kuzilethe izimo ezifiselekayo. Kodwa uJehova unawo amandla okwenza ushintsho olunjalo olunyakazisa umhlaba. Ngokwesibonelo, iBhayibheli lithi: “Uyaguqula izikhathi nezinkathi; uyasusa amakhosi, abeke amakhosi.”—Daniyeli 2:21.
Ukususa Abaphikisi
16, 17. (a) Yini uJehova ayenza kaFaro owayephikisa injongo yaKhe? (b) Laqiniswa kanjani izwi likaJehova lesiprofetho?
16 Cabangela lokho uJehova aye wakwenza esikhathini esidlule kubabusi abanamandla nasemakhosini, ikakhulukazi kulabo abaye bazama ukugxambukela ezinjongweni zakhe. Baye baphulwa futhi bahlakazelwa emoyeni njengothuli, njengoba nje kwenziwa nasemibusweni yabo. Ngokwesibonelo, kwakunoFaro waseGibithe owagqilaza abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Kodwa uJehova wayenenjongo ngezinceku zakhe, futhi wathuma uMose ukuba atshele uFaro abakhulule. Esikhundleni salokho, uFaro ngokuqhosha wathi: “Ngubani uJehova ukuba ngilalele izwi lakhe?” Wanezela: “Angimazi uJehova, futhi angiyikumvumela uIsrayeli ukuba ahambe.”—Eksodusi 5:2.
17 UJehova wanika uFaro amathuba amaningi okuba ashintshe umqondo wakhe. Nokho, isikhathi ngasinye, njengoba uEksodusi 11:10 esho, uFaro ‘wayeba-lukhuni.’ Nokho, uJehova unamandla angenakuvinjelwa. Lapho isikhathi sakhe esimisiwe sifika, waminzisa uFaro nempi yakhe oLwandle Olubomvu. UEksodusi 14:28 uthi: “Akwasala noyedwa kubo.” Ngakolunye uhlangothi, izinceku zikaJehova zavikelwa futhi zakhululwa. Ngokungaphezulu, lokhu kwafika ngaso kanye isikhathi iZwi likaJehova lesiprofetho elalisibikezele, ekupheleni kwesikhathi esiyiminyaka engama-400 ayekhulume ngaso kuAbrahama othembekile emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili.
18. Yini uJehova ayenza ngoNebukadinesari waseBabiloni? Ngani?
18 Kwakukhona futhi iNkosi yaseBabiloni uNebukadinesari. Yaqhosha ngamandla ayo neyayikufezile, njengokungathi yayingunkulunkulu. Kodwa uDaniyeli 4:31 uthi “izwi lisesemlonyeni wenkosi, kwehla ezulwini izwi, lithi: We nkosi Nebukadinesari, kukhulunyiwe kuwe ukuthi: Umbuso usukile kuwe.” UJehova wamtshela ukuthi wayeyokwehliswa afane nesilwane sasendle, aze “azi ukuthi oPhezukonke ubusa imibuso yabantu, ayinike amthandayo,” njengoba kusho Dan 4 ivesi 32. Yilokho okwenzeka ngaso kanye isikhathi uJehova ayesimisele khona.
19. Kungani isahlulelo sikaJehova esinzima sehlela iBabiloni nombusi walo, uBelishasari?
19 UBelishasari wayeyinkosi yokugcina eyabusa eBabiloni. Kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba uJehova awise lowombuso onjengesilo. Ngani? Ngoba abaseBabiloni bathumba abantu bakaJehova futhi bajivaza uJehova. UDaniyeli isahluko 5 uthi uBelishasari wenzela izinduna zakhe eziyinkulungwane idili elikhulu. Khona-ke uBelishasari “wayaleza ukuba kulethwe izitsha zegolide nezesiliva, uNebukadinesari uyise ayezikhiphe ethempelini [likaJehova] laseJerusalema, . . . inkosi, nezikhulu zayo, nawomkayo, nezancinza zayo baphuza ngazo.” (Daniyeli 5:2, 3) Phawula ababuye bakwenza: “Baphuza iwayini, batusa onkulunkulu begolide, nabesiliva, nabethusi, nabensimbi, nabomuthi, nabetshe.” (Daniyeli 5:4) Ngokuphuza ngezitsha ezingcwele ezazisetshenziselwa ekukhulekeleni uJehova, babeklolodela futhi behlambalaza uJehova. Ngokukhulekela onkulunkulu babo bamanga, babekhulekela uSathane.
20, 21. Isiphi isigijimi uDaniyeli asidlulisela kuBelishasari, futhi sagcwaliseka kanjani?
20 Nokho, ngawo lowomzuzu kwenzeka into ehlasimulisayo. Kwabonakala iminwe yesandla iloba odongeni lwendlu! Inkosi yesaba kangangokuba ‘kwaze kwaguquka ukucwebezela kwayo, nemicabango yayo yayesabisa, zaxhega izinyonga zokhalo lwayo, namadolo ayo ashayana.’ (Daniyeli 5:6) Akekho kubeluleki benkolo bakaBelishasari owayewuqonda umbhalo wesandla, ngakho kwabizwa inceku kaJehova uDaniyeli ukuba iwuchaze. UDaniyeli wazisa inkosi ukuthi isigijimi sasivela kuJehova, futhi sasithi: “UNkulunkulu ubalile umbuso wakho, uwuqedile. . . . Ulinganisiwe esilinganisweni, ufunyenwe ulula. . . . Umbuso wakho wahlukene, unikelwe kumaMede namaPheresiya.”—Daniyeli 5:26-28.
21 Ngabo lobobusuku, amabutho amaMede namaPheresiya ahlasela umuzi ngamasango ayeshiywe evuliwe ngokunganaki. Njengoba uDaniyeli 5:30 ephetha: “Ngalobobusuku uBelishasari . . . wabulawa.” Ukuwa kweBabiloni kwenza abantu bakaJehova babuyela ezweni lakubo ngayo kanye iminyaka engama-70 kusukela ekuqaleni kokuthunjwa kwabo. Lokho kwakuhambisana ngokuthe nsé nohlelo lwezikhathi lukaJehova, njengoba kwakwembulwe kuJeremiya 29:10.
22, 23. Yini uJehova ayenza eNkosini uHerode okuthiwa uAgrippa 1, eyayiphikisa amaKristu ekhulwini lokuqala?
22 Ekhulwini lokuqala, iNkosi uHerode othiwa uAgrippa I wayengumbusi wokugcina ePalestina, eyayiyingxenye yoMbuso waseRoma. UHerode wabopha umphostoli uPetru, futhi washushisa amanye amaKristu. Wabulala ngisho nomphostoli uJakobe. (IzEnzo 12:1, 2) UHerode walungiselela futhi imidlalo ebulalayo eyayidlalelwa ukujabulisa umphakathi neminye imibukiso yobuhedeni. Konke lokhu kwabonisa ukuthi ukusho kwakhe ukuthi ungumkhulekeli kaNkulunkulu kwakungamanga.
23 Kodwa-ke, safika isikhathi sikaJehova esifanele sokuba abulale lomphikisi. IzEnzo 12:21 kuya ku-23 ziyasitshela: “Ngosuku olumisiweyo uHerode wembatha ingubo yobukhosi, wahlala esihlalweni, wakhuluma kubantu. Abantu bamemeza bathi. Yizwi likaNkulunkulu, akusilo elomuntu.” Kwenzekani ngemva kwalokho? IBhayibheli lithi: “Ingelosi yeNkosi yamshaya khona-lapho, ngokuba enganikanga uNkulunkulu udumo; wadliwa yizimpethu, wafa.” Lesi kwakungesinye isibonelo ‘sokususa kukaJehova amakhosi,’ njengoba uDaniyeli 2:21 wayeshilo.
24. Amaqiniso anjalo angokomlando afakazelani?
24 Izenzakalo ezinjalo ezingokomlando zifakazela ukuthi uJehova unezikhathi nezinkathi zakhe ngezinjongo zakhe. Zibonisa futhi ukuthi ukwazi ngempela futhi unamandla okugcwalisa injongo yokwenza lomhlaba ube yipharadesi ‘okukhona kulo ukulunga.’—2 Petru 3:13.
Uyakhumbula?
◻ Kungani kubaluleke kangaka ukwazi izikhathi nezinkathi zikaJehova?
◻ Kungani uNkulunkulu engabasekeli ababusi nabantu balelizwe?
◻ Luhlobo luni lwabantu abayodla ifa lePharadesi lasemhlabeni
elizayo?
◻ UJehova uye wawabonisa kanjani amandla akhe okwehlisa
ababusi abamphikisayo