Imisebenzi Eyandisiwe Phakathi Nokuba-khona KukaKristu
“Khona iNkosi izakuthi kwabangakwesokunene sayo: Zanini nina enibusisiwe nguBaba‚ nidle ifa lombuso eniwulungiselweyo selokhu kwasekelwa umhlaba.”—MATHEWU 25:34.
1. Kungayiphi indlela i-pa·rou·siʹa kaKristu iye yaba ‘njengemihla kaNowa’?
UKUBA-KHONA kukaKristu—isenzakalo esasilindelwe isikhathi eside! Lesosikhathi ‘esinjengemihla kaNowa,’ uJesu akhuluma ngaso ngokuphathelene ‘nesiphelo sesimiso sezinto,’ safika ngonyaka ka-1914. (Mathewu 24:3, 37, NW) Kodwa ukuba-khona kukaKristu, noma i-pa·rou·siʹa, kwakuyosho ukuthini ngensali egcotshiwe ‘yenceku ethembekileyo neqondayo’? (Mathewu 24:45) Phela, kwakuyosho ukuthi kudingeka ikhuthale ngokwengeziwe njengabaphathi bokukhanya! Kwakusazokwenzeka izinto ezimangalisayo! Umsebenzi wokuqoqa ngezinga elingakaze libonwe wawusuzoqala.
2. Yikuphi ukuhlanza okuye kwenzeka ekugcwalisekeni kukaMalaki 3:1-5?
2 Nokho, okokuqala lamaKristu agcotshiwe kwakudingeka ahlanzwe. Njengoba uMalaki 3:1-5 ayebikezele, uJehova uNkulunkulu ‘nesithunywa sakhe sesivumelwano,’ uJesu Kristu, beza ukuzohlola ithempeli elingokomoya entwasahlobo ka-1918. Ukwahlulela kwakumelwe kuqale “endlini kaNkulunkulu.” (1 Petru 4:17) UMalaki 3:3 wabikezela: ‘[UJehova] uyakuhlala ecwengisisa ehlanza isiliva, ahlambulule amadodana kaLevi, awahluze njengegolide nesiliva.’ Kwakuyinkathi yokucwengisisa nokuhlanza.
3. Kungani kwakubalulekile ukuba kube nokuhlanza okungokomoya?
3 Njengoba yayidlula kulokhu kwahlulelwa, okwafinyelela umvuthwandaba ngo-1918, insali yesigaba senceku yahlanzwa ekungcoleni kwezwe nokwenkolo. Kungani uJehova ayihlanza? Ngoba ithempeli lakhe elingokomoya lalihilelekile. Leli ilungiselelo elinjengethempeli lokukhulekela uJehova ngesisekelo somhlatshelo kaJesu Kristu ohlawulelayo. UJehova wayefuna ukuba ithempeli lakhe libe sesimweni esihlanzekile ukuze kuthi lapho kulethwa amanani amakhulu abakhulekeli abanamathemba asemhlabeni, bathole indawo lapho ubukhosi bakhe bendawo yonke buhlonishwa khona, lapho igama lakhe laphezulu lingcweliswa khona, nalapho imithetho yakhe yokulunga ilalelwa khona. Kanjalo, ayeyomazisa uJehova futhi ahlanganyele ekwenzeni izinjongo zakhe ezimangalisayo zaziwe.
Amalungelo Engeziwe
4, 5. (a) Umbuzo owabuzwa nguJesu Kristu waba kanjani inselele kumuntu ngamunye wesigaba senceku namuhla? (b) Kungaziphi izindlela amazwi athi “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” nathi “abendlu yayo” okumelwe aqondwe ngazo? (c) Yimuphi umsebenzi uJesu awunikeza lenceku?
4 Ngo-1919 isigaba senceku esihlanziwe sasingabheka phambili emisebenzini eyanda njalo. Emuva ngo-1914, uJesu Kristu, iNkosi yaso, wayethole uMbuso wasezulwini. Lapho ebuyela emalungwini endlu yakhe ezohlola bonke “abendlu” yakhe, wayevunule ngesithunzi sasebukhosini, ayengenaso lapho eselapha phansi emhlabeni. Yini ayithola? Ingabe isigaba senceku sasimatasa sinakekela izithakazelo zeNkosi? Njengoba kulotshwe kuMathewu 24:45-47, uJesu wabuza umbuzo owafuna ukuba umfundi ngamunye ogcotshiwe ahlole ukuzinikela kwakhe siqu kuMesiya kaJehova: “Pho‚ ngubani oyinceku ethembekileyo neqondayo‚ inkosi yayo eyimisile phezu kwabendlu yayo ukuba ibanike ukudla ngesikhathi sakho na? Ibusisiwe leyonceku‚ okuyakuthi kufika inkosi yayo‚ iyifumane yenze njalo. Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Iyakuyimisa phezu kwakho konke enakho [“impahla yayo,” NW].”
5 Ngokusobala, incazelo kaJesu yalenceku ethembekileyo ayifanelani nanoma yimuphi umuntu oyedwa. Cha, kodwa ichaza ibandla likaKristu elithembekile eligcotshiwe lilonke, njengeqembu. Abendlu bangabalandeli bakaKristu abagcotshiwe njengabantu ngabanye. UJesu wayazi ukuthi wayeyothenga laba abagcotshiwe ngegazi lakhe siqu, ngakho wabhekisela ngokufanelekile kubo bebonke ngokuthi inceku yakhe. Eyokuqala kwabaseKorinte 7:23 ithi ngabo: “Nithengiwe ngenani elikhulu; ningabi-yizigqila zabantu.” UJesu wathuma isigaba sakhe senceku ukuba senze ukukhanya kwaso kukhanye ukuze sikhange futhi senze abanye abafundi futhi sondle abendlu yakhe ngokuqhubekayo ngokubanika ukudla kwabo okungokomoya ngesikhathi esifanele.
6. Inceku yavuzwa kanjani ngenxa yokuhlola kukaJesu?
6 Kusukela esikhathini okwaqala ngaso ukuba-khona kukaKristu kuze kube ngo-1918, isigaba senceku, naphezu kokungathandwa, ukushushiswa, ngisho nokudideka okuthile, sasilokhu sifuna ukunikeza abendlu ukudla okufike ngesikhathi. Yilokhu iNkosi eyakuthola lapho ukuhlola kwayo kuqala. INkosi uJesu yajabula, futhi ngo-1919 yathi siyajabula lesosigaba senceku esithembekile esamukelwe. Waba yini umvuzo ojabulisayo walenceku ngenxa yokwenza lokho iNkosi yayo eyayiyimisele ukuba ikwenze? Ukuphakanyiswa! Yebo, yanikezwa imithwalo yemfanelo ethé xaxa ekuthuthukiseni izithakazelo zeNkosi yayo. Njengoba manje iNkosi yase iyiNkosi yasezulwini, phela, impahla yayo esemhlabeni yaba yigugu ngisho nangokwengeziwe.
7, 8. (a) Iyini ‘impahla’ yeNkosi? (b) Yini edingeka encekwini ukuze iphathe lempahla?
7 Ngakho, iyini ‘yonke impahla yayo’? Lena iyiyo yonke impahla engokomoya esemhlabeni esiye yaba impahla kaKristu ngokuphathelene negunya lakhe njengeNkosi yasezulwini. Lokhu ngokuqinisekile kwahlanganisa ukuthunywa kokwenza abafundi bakaKristu, nelungelo elimangalisayo lokuba njengabameleli boMbuso kaNkulunkulu omisiwe kuzo zonke izizwe zomhlaba.
8 Ukuphakanyiswa okunjalo kokuphatha yonke impahla yeNkosi kwafuna ukuba isigaba senceku sinikele isikhathi nokunakekela okwengeziwe ekubeni kufezwe umsebenzi woMbuso, yebo, nokwakhiwa kwezakhiwo ezinkulu ngokwengeziwe ukuze kwenziwe lomsebenzi. Manje sase sinensimu enkulu ngokwengeziwe yomsebenzi—umhlaba wonke owakhiwe.
Ukuqoqa Izimvu
9. Yini eye yaba umphumela wokwanda kwemisebenzi yenceku?
9 Khona-ke, sibonisa ukulalela, isigaba sikaKristu senceku ethembekileyo neqondayo sayandisa imisebenzi yaso. Waba yini umphumela? Abokugcina babangu-144 000 abagcotshiwe baqoqwa. Khona-ke umbono kaJohane njengoba ulotshwe kusAmbulo 7:9-17 waba yiqiniso elivusa amadlingozi, nelijabulisayo. Ikakhulukazi kusukela ngo-1935 isigaba senceku siye sajabulela ukuba ofakazi bokuzibonela bokwambuleka okuqhubekayo kokugcwaliseka kwalombono. Emhlabeni wonke, “isixuku esikhulu” sezigidi manje sithutheleka emagcekeni ethempeli likaJehova elingokomoya njengabakhulekeli bakhe. Ingelosi kaJehova yatshela uJohane ukuthi akukho muntu owayekwazi ukubala lesixuku esikhulu. Lokho kusho ukuthi awukho umkhawulo obekiwe enanini labantu isigaba senceku okumelwe sibalethe ethempelini likaJehova elingokomoya. Uma nje indlela isavulekile, umsebenzi wokubaqoqa uyoqhubeka.
10. Yimuphi umsebenzi wothando inceku ehileleke kuwo namuhla?
10 Isigaba senceku ethembekile sinomthwalo wemfanelo onzima wokunakekela inani elanda ngokuqhubekayo ‘lezinye izimvu,’ njengoba sazi ukuthi laba abanjengezimvu abavela kuzo zonke izizwe bathandeka kakhulu eNkosini, uJesu. Empeleni bawumhlambi wayo. (Johane 10:16; IzEnzo 20:28; 1 Petru 5:2-4) Ngakho njengoba sinothando ngeNkosi nangezimvu, isigaba senceku sizinakekela ngenjabulo izidingo ezingokomoya zesixuku esikhulu.
11-13. Yikuphi ukukhulumela okufanelekile okwenziwa owayengumongameli we-Watch Tower Society ngokuphathelene nomsebenzi wenceku?
11 Yebo, ingxenye enkulu yokuthunywa kwalenceku kokuphatha ukukhanya ihilela ukuqoqwa kwalezikhonzi zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu zasemhlabeni. Lapho exoxa ngemisebenzi eyanda njalo yenceku ethembekileyo, uF. W. Franz, owayengumongameli we-Watch Tower Society, wathi ngaphambi nje kokufa kwakhe ngo-December 1992:
12 “Ngokweminyaka yami engu-99 yokuhlangenwe nakho ekuphileni, ngaso sonke isikhathi uJesu Kristu uye wasebenzisa lenhlangano ngendlela emangalisa ngokwengeziwe. Akuyena nje umuntu oqondisa lenhlangano, kodwa kumelwe ukuthi yiNkosi uJesu Kristu. Ngoba iye yaphumelela ngendlela ephakeme kakhulu nemangalisayo kunalokho esake sakucabanga. Namuhla sinenhlangano eye yanda yafinyelela emhlabeni wonke. Iyasebenza eNyakatho Nenkabazwe naseNingizimu Nenkabazwe, eMpumalanga naseNtshonalanga. Umuntu oyedwa kuphela ongabangela lokhukwanda okuphawulekayo—iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, okuyiyona eqondisa isigaba senceku ethembekileyo neqondayo. Ibilokhu ifeza imithwalo yayo yemfanelo, futhi yilokho okubangela lokhukwanda okukhulu esiye saba ofakazi bakho bokuzibonela.
13 “Lomsebenzi awufezwa umuntu oyedwa. Sinenhlangano engokwasezulwini, futhi isebenza ngendlela engokwasezulwini, ngendlela eqondiswa uNkulunkulu. Akukho muntu, ngisho nomsunguli we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, ongase athi noma kuthiwe nguye obangele lokho okuye kwafezwa ngendlela ehlanganisa umhlaba wonke. Kumane nje kuyamangalisa.” Ingabe bonke labo abangabesixuku esikhulu abavumelani yini ngenhliziyo yonke nalawomazwi kaMzalwan’ uFranz ongasekho? Yebo, kunjalo, babonga kakhulu ngemisebenzi eyandisiwe yenceku ethembekile.
Izikhonzi ZoMbuso
14, 15. (a) Yini uJesu ayeyibonisa emfanekisweni wamatalenta (Mathewu 25:14-30)? (b) Ngokufanelekile, yini elandelayo kuMathewu isahluko 25?
14 KuMathewu isahluko 25, umfanekiso kaJesu wezimvu nezimbuzi uchaza lomsebenzi omkhulu wokuqoqa izikhonzi zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu zasemhlabeni. Emfanekisweni owandulelayo, wamatalenta, uJesu ubonisa ukuthi abafundi abagcotshiwe abanethemba lokubusa naye eMbusweni wakhe wasezulwini kumelwe basebenze ukuze bandise impahla yakhe yasemhlabeni. Khona-ke, ngokufanelekile emfanekisweni olandelayo, uJesu ubonisa lokho okudingekayo kulabo abafuna ukuba izikhonzi zoMbuso wakhe wasezulwini.
15 Phawula amazwi akhe kuMathewu 25:31-33: “Kepha nxa iNdodana yomuntu iza ngenkazimulo yayo nezingelosi zonke ezingcwele kanye nayo‚ khona izakuhlala esihlalweni sayo senkazimulo; kuzakubuthelwa phambi kwayo izizwe zonke‚ ibahlukanise abanye kwabanye‚ njengomalusi ahlukanisa izimvu nezimbuzi‚ imise izimvu ngakwesokunene sayo kepha izimbuzi ngakwesokhohlo.”
16. Izizwe ziqoqwa kanjani futhi abantu bahlukaniswa kanjani?
16 UJesu wafika enkazimulweni yakhe ngo-1914. Lapho eqala ukuthatha isinyathelo, yena, kanye nezingelosi zakhe zonke, wahlasela futhi waxosha izitha zakhe ezingamademoni ezulwini. Okulandelayo emfanekisweni wakhe kusisiza ukuba siqonde ukuthi ukuhlala kukaJesu esihlalweni sobukhosi senkazimulo kumelela isikhundla sokwahlulela phakathi nokuba-khona kwakhe. Ukuqoqelwa kwezizwe zonke phambi kwakhe kusho ukuthi izizwe ziwumhlambi kaJesu wesikhathi esizayo, ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso. Kuwumhlambi owakhiwa izimvu nezimbuzi. Nakuba kungase kuthathe ingxenye yosuku ukwahlukanisa izimvu ezimbuzini emhlanjini ongokoqobo, ukwahlukaniswa kwabantu abanenkululeko yokuzikhethela okwenziwa emhlabeni wonke kuthatha isikhathi eside ngokwengeziwe. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi ukwahlukanisa kusekelwe enkambweni yesenzo yomuntu ngamunye.
17. Kungani isimo sibucayi ngabo bonke abantu namuhla?
17 Kulomfanekiso, iNkosi enguMalusi ibeka abanjengezimvu ngakwesokunene sayo kanti abanjengezimbuzi ngakwesokhohlo. Uhlangothi olungakwesokunene ekugcineni luba yisahlulelo esinomphumela omuhle—ukuphila okuphakade. Uhlangothi olungakwesokhohlo lumelela isahlulelo esibi—sokubhujiswa okuphakade. Isinqumo seNkosi ngalendaba sinemiphumela engathi sína.
18. Kungani ukungabonakali kweNkosi kungathetheleli muntu?
18 Ukungabonakali kweNdodana yomuntu ebusayo phakathi nokuba-khona, noma i-pa·rou·siʹa yayo, akuthetheleli muntu. Abanjengezimvu abengeziwe namuhla bahlanganyela nesigaba senceku ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni wonke, benza ukukhanya kwabo kukhanye. Yiqiniso, ukufakaza kwabo kuye kwafinyelela zonke izingxenye zomhlaba.—Mathewu 24:14.
19. Yiziphi izimfanelo zesigaba sezimvu eziboniswa emfanekisweni wezimvu nezimbuzi?
19 Kungani iNkosi enguMalusi ivuza labo besigaba sezimvu ngekusasa elibusisekile? Kungenxa yokusekela kwabo umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso ngenhliziyo yonke nangenxa yomusa abawubonisa kubafowabo beNkosi abagcotshiwe, uJesu akubheka njengokwenziwe kuye uqobo. Ngakho-ke, iNdodana yomuntu yasebukhosini ithi kubo: “Zanini nina enibusisiwe nguBaba‚ nidle ifa lombuso eniwulungiselweyo selokhu kwasekelwa umhlaba.”—Mathewu 25:34; 28:19, 20.
Ukusiza INkosi
20, 21. Yibuphi ubufakazi izimvu ezibunikezayo bokuthi zimi ngasohlangothini loMbuso?
20 Phawula ukuthi lapho iNkosi imema lezizimvu ukuba zidle ifa lendawo yasemhlabeni yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, ziyamangala. Ziyayibuza: ‘Nkosi, sakwenzela nini zonke lezizinto na?’ Iyaphendula: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini‚ njengokuba nikwenzile komunye walababafowethu abancane‚ nikwenzile kimi.” (Mathewu 25:40) Lapho uJesu ebonakala kuMariya Magdalena ngosuku avuswa ngalo, wakhuluma ngabafowabo abangokomoya lapho ethi kuye: “Yana kubazalwane bami [“kubafowethu,” NW].” (Johane 20:17) Phakathi nesikhathi sokuba-khona kwakhe okungabonakali, uJesu unensali encane kuphela yabafowabo abangokomoya abangu-144 000 abasaphila emhlabeni.
21 Njengoba uJesu engabonakali emazulwini, abantu abanjengezimvu abazenzi kuye ngokuqondile lezizenzo zothando. Bambona ngamehlo okholo kuphela esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi. UJesu uyayazisa yonke imizamo abayenzayo yokusiza abafowabo abangokomoya, abayoba yizindlalifa kanye naye ezulwini. Okwenziwa kubafowabo ukubheka njengokwenziwa kuye uqobo. Abanjengezimvu bakwenza ngenhloso okuhle kubafowabo beNkosi ngoba bababheka ngaleyondlela. Bayaqonda ukuthi abafowabo bakaJesu abangokomoya bangamanxusa oMbuso kaJehova, futhi bafuna ukunikeza ubufakazi obuqinile bokuthi bathatha ukuma kwabo ngasohlangothini lwalowoMbuso.
22. Isigaba sezimvu sivuzwa kanjani? (Qhathanisa nesAmbulo 7:14-17.)
22 UJehova wabona kusengaphambili ukuthi lesigaba sabanjengezimvu sasiyovela phakathi nalesikhathi sokuba-khona kweNdodana yakhe, futhi usibekele umvuzo omangalisayo! Isixuku esikhulu siyodla ifa lezibusiso zokuthula lapha emhlabeni phakathi nokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane okujabulisayo kweNkosi kaJehova, uJesu Kristu.
23. Kungaziphi izindlela izimvu ezisiza ngazo abafowabo beNkosi zazi?
23 Lapho sicabangela iziprofetho zeBhayibheli ezisebenza ngesikhathi sokuba-khona kukaKristu, kanye nomfanekiso kaJesu wezimvu nezimbuzi, yini esiyibonayo? Yilokhu: Akuyona indaba yokwenza okuhle ngokungazi nangenhlanhla komunye wabafowabo beNkosi abangokomoya okwenza umuntu abe yimvu enokuma kokulunga phambi kukaNkulunkulu neNkosi yakhe. Labo besigaba sezimvu bayakwazi abakwenzayo, nakuba bengayiboni iNkosi ebusayo ngamehlo abo angokoqobo. Bazama ukusiza abafowabo beNkosi hhayi nje ngendlela engokwenyama kuphela kodwa futhi nangendlela engokomoya. Kanjani? Ngokubasiza ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu nasekuqhubeni izifundo zeBhayibheli ukuze kwenziwe abafundi bakaKristu. Kanjalo, namuhla kunabamemezeli boMbuso kaNkulunkulu abaphethe ukukhanya abangaphezu kwezigidi ezine.
Imisebenzi Eyandisiwe
24. Yimiphi imisebenzi yothando eye yenza isigaba senceku saba abantu abajabula kunabo bonke emhlabeni namuhla?
24 Ake sibale eminye yemisebenzi eminingi emihle yesigaba senceku ethembekile. Okokuqala, isigaba senceku siye samiswa phezu kwayo yonke impahla yeNkosi—izithakazelo zayo zoMbuso emhlabeni—futhi lempahla iyaqhubeka yanda. Okwesibili, lesosigaba asondli abendlu abagcotshiwe nje kuphela ngokudla okungokomoya kodwa sondla nesixuku esikhulu esanda njalo. Okwesithathu, lesigaba senceku siyahola ekusakazeni ukukhanya koMbuso. Okwesine, ukwanda okukhulu kakhulu kwemisebenzi yayo kusekuqoqweni kwesixuku esikhulu sezinye izimvu, zilethwa ethempelini likaJehova elingokomoya. Okwesihlanu, lesigaba senceku, njengoba sisekelwa abanjengezimvu ngenhliziyo yonke, silungiselela izakhiwo ezandisiwe ukuze kuhlelwe amagatsha emhlabeni wonke, kanye nasendlunkulu e-United States. Imisebenzi enjalo yothando iye yenza isigaba senceku saba abantu abajabula kunabo bonke emhlabeni namuhla, futhi iye yenza nezinye izigidi zabantu zajabula. Bonke laba bayisa ukubonga kuJehova uNkulunkulu nakuJesu Kristu, abaye baqondisa imisebenzi eyandisiwe yenceku eqondayo!
25. Izimvu zingaqhubeka kanjani zisekela isigaba senceku, zinaliphi ithemba?
25 Isigaba senceku manje sisebenza kanzima ngokwengeziwe kunanini emisebenzini yaso esiyabelwe uNkulunkulu. Isikhathi esisele ngaphambi kokugqashuka ‘kosizi olukhulu’ sincane kakhulu! (Mathewu 24:21) Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukuba laba abayizimvu zikaNkulunkulu bahlale bengasohlangothini olufanele lomusa weNkosi yakhe enguMalusi! Ngakho-ke, sonke masiqhubeke ngentshiseko sisekela inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo. Kungokwenza lokhu kuphela lapho ngolunye usuku oluseduze kakhulu bonke abanjengezimvu beyokwazi ukuzwa lawomazwi ajabulisayo: “Zanini nina enibusisiwe nguBaba‚ nidle ifa lombuso eniwulungiselweyo selokhu kwasekelwa umhlaba.”
Ungaphendula?
◻ Yikuphi ukwahlulela kokuqala okwalandela ukubekwa kweNkosi esihlalweni sobukhosi?
◻ UMathewu 24:45-47 waba kanjani nokugcwaliseka kosuku lwanamuhla?
◻ Ngokuphathelene nemisebenzi eyandisiwe, yini isigaba senceku nesixuku esikhulu ababonga kakhulu ngayo?
◻ UMathewu 25:34-40 ugcwaliseka kanjani phakathi ne-pa·rou·siʹa?
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Inkosi iphathisa inceku ethembekile yonke impahla yayo
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
UJesu uye wahlala esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi senkazimulo ukuze ahlulele isintu