Ukuthula Ekugcineni!—Lapho UNkulunkulu Ekhuluma
“Umbuso uyakuba-mkhulu, ukuthula kungabi-nakuphela.”—ISAYA 9:7.
1. Nakuba abaholi bomhlaba bekhuluma njalo ngokuthula, yini eye yenzeka kuwo wonke umlando wesintu?
ABAHOLI bezwe bakhuluma njalo ngokuthula, futhi abantu bebonke bathi bayakufisa. Nokho, isimo namuhla sisikhumbuza lokho okwashiwo umprofethi uJeremiya: “Silindela ukuthula, kepha okuhle akukho, nesikhathi sokuphulukiswa, kepha bheka, luvalo.” (Jeremiya 8:15) Eqinisweni, kusukela uKayini abulala uAbela, izwe alizange libe nokuthula kwangempela kodwa liye lakhungathwa ubudlova. Futhi ikhulu lethu lama-20 liye laba inkathi enobudlova kakhulu kunanoma iyiphi enye, nezimpi ezibulala cishe abantu abayizigidi eziyikhulu. Esikhathini sethu, izakhamuzi zomhlaba ezingamaphesethi angama-97 ziye zahileleka okungenani empini eyodwa. Ngakho nakuba abaholi bezwe bekhuluma ngokuthula, baye baholela abantu babo ezinhlekeleleni eziningi.
2. Yibuphi obunye ubudlova obuphawulekayo kuzo zonke izizwe?
2 Kubo bonke lobo budlova kumelwe kunezelwe ubugebengu bobudlova bansuku zonke. Ngokwesibonelo, eUnited States, unyaka ngamunye kubulawa cishe abantu abayizi-20 000. Abesifazane abangaphezu kwezi-80 000 bayadlwengulwa, nokunye ukudlwengula okuningi okungabikiwe. Cishe abesifazane abayizigidi ezimbili bashaywa kabuhlungu yindoda abahlala nayo. Futhi cishe ingxenye yesine yayo yonke imikhaya iyisisulu sohlobo oluthile lobugebengu. Umbiko uyaphetha: “Siye saba umphakathi onobudlova ngokuhlasimulisayo.” Isimo siyefana kwamanye amazwe amaningi.
3. Yibuphi ubudlova obukhulu ngisho nangokwengeziwe obungenziwa manje emkhayeni wesintu?
3 Nokho, konke lokho kufana neze uma kuqhathaniswa nobudlova obungenziwa izikhali zenuzi zanamuhla. Kunezanele ukuba zibulale isakhamuzi ngasinye esisemhlabeni ngokuphindwe izikhathi eziyi-12! Omunye udokotela wathi: “Ezokwelapha zanamuhla ngeke zibe nalutho lokulunikeza izisulu zempi yenuzi.” Ngani? Omunye waphendula: “Odokotela abaningi, abahlengikazi nabezobuchwepheshe bayobe befile . . . Izibhedlela ziyobe zicekelwe phansi. Ngakho kuyobe kunabambalwa abasele abanolwazi olwanele nezinto zokusiza noma ubani.”
4, 5. (a) Yikuphi ukukhulumela enye incwadi eyakwenza ngokuntuleka kokuthula esikhathini sethu? (b) Ikuphi okunye okufanayo okwashiwo owayeyisikhulu sikahulumeni?
4 Ngokuqondene nokuntuleka kokuthula esikhathini sethu, isihloko esikhulu sencwadi yonyaka yamuva iEncyclopædia Britannica sathi: “Umhlaba Wethu Owohlokayo—Ukusongela Kwesiphithiphithi Sembulunga Yonke.” Sathi: “Ngemva kuka-1945 kwakucatshangwa ukuthi cishe ‘intuthuko’ yayingenakugwenywa nokuthi ikusasa lomhlaba wanamuhla laliyoba elinobunye nokubambisana.” Sathi, kodwa leyomiqondo “iye yabonakala iqondiswé kabi ngokuphelele,” sinezela: “Okuye kwenzeka esikhundleni salokho . . . ukuthi umhlaba uqhubeka buthule uwohloka kancane kancane. Amazwe amaningi okwakubhekelwa phansi ubunye bawo ngokwezomnotho nangokomoya aye ahlukana . . . [aba] izizwe ezincane, izizwe zezigodi, [amahlelo] angokwenkolo, . . . intsha yasemadolobheni ezenza amaqembu, amaqembu abulalayo, izinhlangano zobuphekula, izinhlangano zobushokobezi namaqembu anobugovu.”
5 Ngokufanayo, owayeyisikhulu esiphakeme sikahulumeni waseUnited States wathi: “Izici ezenza kungabi bikho ukuqiniseka kuzo zonke izizwe ziqopha umlando ekunqobeni imizamo yokubambisana okuhleleke ngokwengeziwe. Isiphetho esingenakugwenywa sanoma ikuphi ukuhlaziywa okuzimele kwezenzakalo zomhlaba siwukuthi cishe iziphithiphithi zomphakathi, ukubhikisha okungokwezombangazwe, usizi lwezomnotho, nokungezwani kwezizwe zonke kuyogcwala ngokwengeziwe phakathi nengxenye esele yalelikhulu leminyaka.” Waphetha: “Ngamafuphi, ukusongela okubhekene nesintu . . . yisiphithiphithi sembulunga yonke.”
‘Izivakashi Ezivela Emkhathini’
6. Umhleli wephephandaba wakuchaza kanjani ukuphawula okungenziwa izivakashi ezivela emkhathini ngomhlaba namuhla?
6 Ngokucabangela konke lokhu, umhleli waloba ephephandabeni laseCleveland: “Uma kufika izivakashi ngesonto elizayo zivela emthaleni othile okude, besingazitshela yini ukuthi kuye kwadingeka ukuba sizibulale thina ukuze simise isimiso esiphakeme sobukhomanisi noma sokuzisebenzela? Besingachaza yini ukuthi besingokuthile okwazihlukanisa kwaba yizizwe, nokuthi lezozizwe zafunga ukuthi zizobulalana ngokuhlasimulisayo lapho sezivukwe yiqungo lokuchitha igazi? Besingakuchaza kanjani ukuthi savumela abanye bethu balamba futhi abanye baba yizisulu zokululazeka nokuba yizithutha ngoba thina kungasithintanga ukuqaliswa kokubulawa kwabantu abaningi? Ngokuqinisekile lapho sezibuyela ekhaya izivakashi ezivela kulowomthala okude bezingasichaza njengamaqaba. . . . Besingagomela futhi ngokuthi senza ngokuhlakanipha okukhulu futhi saba nombono wokwahlulela ngokulunga. Bezingahleka inhlinini futhi zihambe ngaphambi kokuba kuqale inhlekelele.”
7, 8. (a) Iziphi izivakashi ezinamandla ezihlola isintu manje? (b) Kungani zilapha?
7 Abanye bangase bathi, ‘Yebo, azikho “izivakashi ezivela emkhathini” ezenza lokho kuhlola.’ Cha, aziveli emkhathini ongokoqobo. Kodwa sekuyiminyaka ethile manje, izivakashi ezinamandla amakhulu, nezihlakaniphe kakhulu zihlolisisa lokho isintu ebesikwenza kuso ngokwaso nasemhlabeni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ziyaqikelela ukuthi isigijimi esicacile siyanikezwa “ngaphambi kokuba kuqale inhlekelele.”
8 Zingobani lezozivakashi ezinamandla ebezihlola isintu? IZwi likaNkulunkulu lisitshela ukuthi zingabameleli bakaNkulunkulu abasendaweni yomoya, izingelosi ezithembekile, azithumele emhlabeni ukuba ziwuhlole. IHubo 103:20 lithi ngalezidalwa zomoya: “Bongani uJehova ninazingelosi zakhe, ninamaqhawe anamandla enenza okwezwi lakhe nilalela ukukhuluma kwezwi lakhe.” Lezingelosi ezinamandla zithintwa njalo eBhayibhelini. Ngokwesibonelo, isiprofetho esiphathelene nesikhathi sethu sithi kuMathewu isahluko 25 amavesi 31 no-32: “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.”
9. Iyiphi ingxenye uKristu Jesu ayifezayo phakathi nalokhu kuhlola isintu?
9 ‘LeNdodana yomuntu’ ingummeleli kaNkulunkulu oyinhloko, uJesu Kristu. Ngemva kokuvuselwa kwakhe ezulwini, walindela ukuba uJehova amnike lesisabelo esikhethekile. Njengoba iHubo 110:1 lakuchaza, uJehova wathi kuye: “Hlala ngakwesokunene sami, ngize ngenze izitha zakho zibeyisenabelo sezinyawo zakho.” Ukugcwaliseka kwe siprofetho seBhayibheli kubonisa ukuthi isikhathi sokuba uNkulunkulu enze lesidalwa somoya esinamandla sithathe isinyathelo safika ngonyaka ka-1914.
10. Zingaki izingelosi ezingaba noKristu njengoba zisiza emsebenzini wokwahlukanisa?
10 Kodwa wayengeke eze yedwa, njengoba uMathewu 25:31 asho, “izingelosi zonke” zaziyoba naye. Zingaba ngakanani? IsAmbulo 5:11, NW sithi: “Ngabona, futhi ngezwa izwi lezingelosi eziningi zihaqe isihlalo sobukhosi [sikaNkulunkulu] . . . nesibalo sazo sasingamashumi ezinkulungwane aphindwe kamashumi ezinkulungwane.” Izinkulungwane eziyishumi eziphindwe kazinkulungwane eziyishumi zinikeza ingqikithi yezingelosi eziyizigidi eziyi-100! Nokho, isAmbulo sikhuluma ngobuningi, “amashumi ezinkulungwane aphindwe kamashumi ezinkulungwane” ezingelosi ezikhonza uNkulunkulu. Lokho amakhulu amaningi ezigidi, mhlawumbe izinkulungwane zezigidi noma ngaphezulu. Ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaKristu, lezidalwa zomoya zisiza abameleli bakaNkulunkulu abasemhlabeni ekuhlukaniseleni isintu emaqenjini amabili, elinye liya “ekujezisweni okuphakade,” elinye liya “ekuphileni okuphakade.”—Mathewu 25:46; bheka futhi uMathewu 13:41, 42.
“Izindaba Ezinhle Zaphakade”
11. Yiziphi “izindaba ezinhle zaphakade” amabutho ayizingelosi azisekelayo namuhla?
11 Siyini isigijimi esiyinhloko lezivakashi eziyizingelosi ezisisekelayo emhlabeni namuhla? IsAmbulo 14:6, NW siyasitshela: “Ngabona enye ingelosi indiza emkhathini wezulu, yayinezindaba ezinhle zaphakade izimemezela njengezindaba ezijabulisayo kwabahlala emhlabeni, nakuzo zonke izizwe nemindeni nezilimi nabantu.” Ziyini lezi “zindaba ezinhle” zaphakade? Ziphathelene nalokho uJesu athi kwakuyoba obunye bobufakazi obuningi bokuthi siphila ezinsukwini zokugcina. KuMathewu 24:14, NW, wathi: “Lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyaye1wa kuwo wonke umhlaba owakhiwe ngenjongo yobufakazi kuzo zonke izizwe, khona-ke ukuphela kuyofika.”
12, 13. (a) Yini ukubusa koMbuso? (b) Kungani isigijimi soMbuso siyizindaba ezingcono kakhulu?
12 UMbuso kaNkulunkulu unguhulumeni wasezulwini oyobusa phezu komhlaba ngemva kokuba ukubusa komuntu kwamanje sekudlulile. (Daniyeli 2:44; Mathewu 6:9, 10) INkosi yawo nguKristu Jesu, futhi unababusi abakanye naye. (IsAmbulo 14:1-4; 20:4) Yiwo lowoMbuso okukhulunywa ngawo kuDaniyeli 7:14 ngalamazwi: “Yanikwa ukubusa, nobukhosi, nombuso, ukuze bonke abantu, nezizwe, nezilimi bayikhonze; ukubusa kwayo kungukubusa okuphakade okungayikudlula, nombuso wayo yiwo ongayikuchithwa.”
13 Kungani isigijimi esiphathelene nokubusa koMbuso siyizindaba ezinhle kanjalo, izindaba ezingcono kakhulu? Ngoba kuyoletha umhlaba omusha, isimiso esisha somphakathi wesintu. Ngaphansi koMbuso kaNkulunkulu isintu siyothola izibusiso ezinhle kakhulu kangangokuthi iHubo 37:11 lithi ngalabo abayobe bephila ngalesosikhathi: “Abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu.” Yebo, “uJehova uzakubusisa abantu bakhe ngokuthula.” (IHubo 29:11) Namuhla, ngaphambi kokuba uMbuso ulawule ngokugcwele zonke izindaba zomhlaba, izindaba ezinhle zokubusa kwawo okuhlala njalo, ngokuthula ezandleni ‘zeNkosi Yokuthula’ zishunyayelwa kuzo zonke izizwe. Lokhu kwenziwa izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zasemhlabeni ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaKristu nezingelosi.—Isaya 9:6, 7.
14. (a) Iyiphi ewukuphela kwendlela esingabona ngayo ngempela izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zasemhlabeni? (b) Kukanjani isibusiso sikaJehova esisobala besiphezu kwazo?
14 Zingobani lezinceku zikaNkulunkulu zasemhlabeni? Nokho, obani abawukuphela kwabantu abaya njalo kubantu nezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso? Ngisho nabaphikisi bayaqaphela ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova. Manje kunabangaphezu kwezigidi ezintathu, izinhlu zabo zanda ngokushesha. Ngonyaka odlule, kwamiswa izikhonzi ezintsha zezindaba ezinhle eziyizi-225 868. Futhi ngawo lowonyaka owodwa, emhlabeni wonke kwamiswa amabandla amasha oFakazi BakaJehova, ayizi-2461, isilinganiso sangaphezu kwayi-6 usuku ngalunye, enza ingqikithi yamabandla ayizi-52 177 emazweni angama-208. Ngempela, isiprofetho sikaIsaya 60:22 siyagcwaliseka: UJehova usheshisa umsebenzi wakhe wokushumayela nowokuqoqa “ngesikhathi sakho.” Futhi manje sekuyilesosikha thi!
15. Siyini isisekelo sokwahlulela abantu namuhla?
15 Indlela abantu abasabela ngayo ezindabeni zokubusa koMbuso iyisisekelo sokunquma ukuthi bayohlukaniselwa ukuya “ekubhujisweni okuphakade” noma “ekuphileni okuphakade” ezweni elisha. Abaningi basabela njengalabo abachazwé kweyesi-2 IziKronike 36:15, 16: “UJehova . . . wathuma kubo ngezandla zezithunywa zakhe, ethuma njalonjalo, ngokuba wahawukela . . . kepha baziklolodela izithunywa zikaNkulunkulu, bawadelela amazwi akhe, babaphatha kabi abaprofethi bakhe, yaze yavuka intukuthelo kaJehova.” Kodwa abanye basabela kahle futhi beza ngaphansi kwesivikelo sikaJehova. “Kepha ongilalelayo [mina kuhlakanipha kweqiniso] uyakuhlala elondekile, agcineke, angabi-naluvalo ngokubi.”—IzAga 1:20, 33; Mathewu 25:34-46.
Amabutho Asezulwini Athatha Isinyathelo
16. Ngokushesha uNkulunkulu uzokhuluma kanjani nesintu esingalaleli?
16 Ngokushesha, umsebenzi wokushumayela wezinceku zikaJehova uzopheleliswa ngezinga alihlosile. Ukubekezelela kukaNkulunkulu isintu esingalaleli kuzofika ekupheleni kwakho. Isigijimi sokuthula abesikhuluma esintwini kulesizukulwane sizoshintsha. Esikhundleni saso, “ibisikhuluma kubo ngentukuthelo yayo, ibethuse ngolaka lwayo.” (IHubo 2:5) Njengoba uJehova ngokwakhe esho: “Ngomhawu wami nangomlilo wolaka lwami ngikhulumile.” (Hezekeli 38:19) Khona-ke uyonikeza uJesu Kristu uphawu lokuba ashukumisele amabutho akhe asezulwini esenzweni ngokumelene nalelizwe elihlubukayo nelingenamthetho.
17. Aboniswa kanjani amandla engelosi eyodwa nje kuphela?
17 Lokho lawomabutho ayokufeza kungabonakala kulokho okwenzeka eAsiriya lapho isikhathi sikaNkulunkulu sokuba athathe isinyathelo ngokumelene nalo sifika. AmaKhosi esiBili 19:35 athi: “Kwathi ngalobobusuku kwaphuma ingelosi kaJehova, yabulala ekamu labaseAsiriya abayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi ayisishiyagalombili nanhlanu; . . . kwakuyizidumbu zodwa ezifileyo.” Yilokho ingelosi eyodwa nje kuphela eyakwenza! Lokho ngokushesha okuzofezwa amashumi ezinkulungwane aphindwe kamashumi ezinkulungwane azo kuyoba okwesabekayo.
18. Iyokhetha kanjani imbubhiso ekupheleni kwalesimiso?
18 UJeremiya 25:31-33 uchaza okuyokwenzeka ngalamazwi: “UJehova uyamelana nezizwe; uyahlulela inyama yonke, kepha ababi uyakubanikela enkembeni, usho uJehova. Usho kanje uJehova-Sebawoti, uthi: Bheka, okubi kuyaphuma kwesinye isizwe kuye kwesinye, nesivunguvungu siyavuswa emikhawulweni yomhlaba. Ngalolosuku ababuleweyo bakaJehova bayakusukela komunye umkhawulo womhlaba, baze bafike komunye; abayikukhalelwa, abayikubuthwa, abayikumbelwa, bayakuba-ngumquba ebusweni bomhlaba.”
19. Imiphi eminye imininingwane isAmbulo isahluko 19 esiyinezelayo?
19 IsAmbulo isahluko 19 sichaza indlela uJehova ayokufeza ngayo konke lokhu. Kungokuyala iNkosi yakhe uJesu Kristu ukuba ithathe isinyathelo, njengoba ivesi 14 lithi, “izimpi zasezulwini” zazimlandela. Khona-ke amavesi 17 no-18 athi: “Ngase ngibona ingelosi imi elangeni, yamemeza ngezwi elikhulu ezinyonini zonke ezindizayo emkhathini wezulu, ithi: “Wozani, nibuthane esidlweni esikhulu sikaNkulunkulu ukuba nidle inyama yamakhosi, nenyama yezinduna, nenyama yamaqhawe, nenyama yamahashi neyabakhwele kuwo, nenyama yabo bonke abakhululekileyo nabayizigqila, abancane nabakhulu.” Futhi amavesi 19 kuya ku-21 achaza ukubhujiswa kwazo zonke izinhlangano zabantu ngenxa yokwenqaba kwazo ukulalela lapho uNkulunkulu ekhuluma ngezithunywa zakhe zasemhlabeni.
20. Kungani lomhlaba ungenakuphela enhlekeleleni yenuzi?
20 Ngakho, sisondela ngokushesha isikhathi sokuba uNkulunkulu aqede lesimiso somhlaba esinobudlova, esiwohlokayo. Kodwa lokho kuphela ngeke kube ukuzibhubhisa ngempi yezizwe yenuzi. Uma lokho kwenzeka, abalungileyo bebeyobhubha nababi. Nokho, ngeke ibe njalo “inhlekele” eyolethwa uNkulunkulu kulomhlaba kodwa iyokhetha. Kuyoba nabayosindela ezweni elisha. Njengoba izAga 2:21, 22 zisho: “Abaqotho bayakuhlala ezweni, abapheleleyo basale kulo. Kepha ababi bayakunqunywa ezweni, nabambuluzayo bayakusishulwa kulo.”
21. Imiphi eminye imibuzo ezocatshangelwa esihlokweni sethu esilandelayo?
21 Kungani lomhlaba ufike esimweni lapho imbubhiso enjalo yomhlaba wonke iseduze? Akunakwenzeka yini ukuthi imizamo yamanje yokuthula yababusi bomhlaba iyoveza izithelo, ukuze lesimiso sisinde? Futhi uma sifuna ukuhlanganiswa phakathi ‘kwabaqotho nabapheleleyo’ abayosindela ezweni elisha futhi baqhubeke bephila, kumelwe siziphathe kanjani kule sikhathi esibaluleke kakhulu kuwo wonke umlando wesintu? Isihloko sethu esilandelayo sizocabangela lemibuzo.
Zithini Izimpendulo Zakho?
◻ Bekusobala kanjani ukuntuleka kokuthula, ikakhulukazi esikhathini sethu?
◻ Amabutho ayizingelosi ahileleke kanjani ekuhlukaniseni isintu namuhla?
◻ Kungani isigijimi soMbuso ‘siyizindaba ezinhle zaphakade’?
◻ Abantu bayokwahlulelelwa ukuphila noma ukufa ngokwasiphi isisekelo?
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova usekelwa amabutho ayizingelosi