“Hlalani Nilindile”!
“Lokho engikusho kini ngikusho kubo bonke, Hlalani nilindile.”—MARKU 13:37.
1, 2. (a) Isiphi isifundo esafundwa indoda ethile ngokuqapha impahla yayo? (b) Emfanekisweni kaJesu wesela, yini esiyifundayo ngokuhlala siphapheme?
UJUAN wayezigcina ekhaya izinto zakhe eziyigugu. Wayezifihla phansi kombhede—ngokwakhe okwakuyindawo ephephe kunazo zonke endlini. Nokho, ngobunye ubusuku, yena nomkakhe belele, kwangena isela ekamelweni labo lokulala. Kusobala ukuthi leli sela lalazi kahle ukuthi kumelwe lifune kuphi. Buthule, lakhipha zonke izinto eziyigugu ngaphansi kombhede kanye nemali uJuan ayeyifake eshalofini etafuleni eliseceleni kombhede. Ngakusasa ekuseni, wabona ukuthi kwebiwe. Ukude ukusikhohlwa isifundo esibuhlungu asifunda: Umuntu olele akakwazi ukuqapha izimpahla zakhe.
2 Kunjalo nangokomoya. Ngeke sikwazi ukuqapha ithemba nokholo lwethu uma silala. Yingakho uPawulu esiyala: “Masingalali njengoba kwenza bonke abanye, kodwa masihlale siphapheme futhi sihlale sisangulukile.” (1 Thesalonika 5:6) Ukuze abonise ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukuhlala siphapheme, uJesu wasebenzisa umfanekiso wesela. Wachaza izenzakalo ezaziyoholela ekufikeni kwakhe njengoMahluleli, wayesexwayisa: “Ngakho-ke, hlalani nilindile ngoba anazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu iza ngaluphi usuku. Kodwa yazini into eyodwa, ukuthi ukube umninindlu ubazi ukuthi isela lizokuza ngamuphi umlindo, ubeyohlala ephapheme angavumi ukuba indlu yakhe igqekezwe. Ngenxa yalokhu nani futhi yibani abakulungele, ngoba iNdodana yomuntu iza ngehora eningalicabangi.” (Mathewu 24:42-44) Isela alisho ukuthi lizofika nini. Lethemba ukuthi liyofika lingalindelwe muntu. Ngokufanayo, njengoba uJesu asho, ukuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto kuyofika ‘ngehora esingalicabangi.’
“Hlalani Niphapheme, Nime Niqinile Okholweni”
3. Esebenzisa umfanekiso wezinceku ezilinde ukubuya kwenkosi yazo emshadweni, uJesu wakubonisa kanjani ukubaluleka kokuhlala siphapheme?
3 Ngamazwi alotshwe eVangelini likaLuka, uJesu wafanisa amaKristu nezinceku ezilinde ukubuya kwenkosi yazo emshadweni. Kudingeka zihlale ziqaphile ukuze kuthi lapho ifika zibe ziphapheme, zilungele ukuyamukela. Ngokufanayo, uJesu wathi: “INdodana yomuntu iza ngehora eningacabangi ukuthi kungaba yilo.” (Luka 12:40) Abanye osekuyiminyaka bekhonza uJehova bangase balahlekelwe umuzwa wokuphuthuma ngokuqondene nezikhathi esiphila kuzo. Bangase baphethe nangokuthi kungenzeka ukuthi ukuphela kusekude. Kodwa ukucabanga kanjalo kungabangela ukuba sisuse izingqondo zethu ezintweni ezingokomoya sinake imigomo engokwenyama, iziphazamiso ezingasenza sozele ngokomoya.—Luka 8:14; 21:34, 35.
4. Ukuqiniseka ngani okuyosishukumisela ukuba sihlale silindile, futhi uJesu wakubonisa kanjani lokhu?
4 Singafunda esinye isifundo kulo mfanekiso kaJesu. Nakuba izinceku zazingalazi ihora inkosi yazo eyayizofika ngalo, kusobala ukuthi zazibazi ubusuku. Kwakuyoba nzima ukuhlala ziphapheme bonke ubusuku ukube zazicabanga ukuthi inkosi yazo yayingase ifike ngobunye ubusuku. Cha, zazazi ukuthi iza ngabuphi ubusuku, futhi lokho kwazinika isikhuthazo esinamandla sokuba zihlale ziphapheme. Ngendlela efanayo, iziprofetho zeBhayibheli zembula ngokucacile ukuthi siphila esikhathini sokugcina; kodwa azisitsheli usuku noma ihora lokuphela. (Mathewu 24:36) Ukukholelwa kwethu ukuthi ukuphela kuyeza kusisiza sihlale siphapheme, kodwa uma siqiniseka ukuthi usuku lukaJehova luseduze ngempela, siyoba nesisusa esinamandla nakakhulu sokuhlala silindile.—Zefaniya 1:14.
5. Singasabela kanjani eselulekweni sikaPawulu ‘sokuhlala siphapheme’?
5 Ebhalela abaseKorinte, uPawulu wabakhuthaza wathi: “Hlalani niphapheme, nime niqinile okholweni.” (1 Korinte 16:13) Yebo, ukuhlala kwethu siphapheme kuhlangene nokuma siqinile okholweni lobuKristu. Singahlala kanjani siphapheme? Ngokuzuza ulwazi olujulile lweZwi likaNkulunkulu. (2 Thimothewu 3:14, 15) Imikhuba emihle yesifundo somuntu siqu nokuba khona njalo emihlanganweni kusiza ekuqiniseni ukholo lwethu, futhi ukuhlala sikhumbula usuku lukaJehova kuyisici esibalulekile sokholo lwethu. Ngakho ukuhlala sibukeza ubufakazi bemiBhalo bokuthi siphila eduze nokuphela kwalesi simiso kuyosisiza singawakhohlwa amaqiniso abalulekile aphathelene nokuphela okuzayo.a Kuhle nokuqaphela izenzakalo zezwe ezigcwalisa isiprofetho seBhayibheli. Omunye umzalwane waseJalimane wabhala wathi: “Njalo uma ngibuka izindaba—izimpi, ukuzamazama komhlaba, ubudlova, nokungcoliswa komhlaba—kimina kugcizelela ukuba seduze kokuphela.”
6. UJesu wakufanekisa kanjani ukuthambekela ekulahlekelweni ukuqapha ngokomoya ngokuhamba kwesikhathi?
6 KuMarku isahluko 13, sithola okunye ukulandisa ngomyalo kaJesu kubalandeli bakhe wokuba bahlale bephapheme. Ngokwalesi sahluko, uJesu ufanisa isimo sabo nesomlindisango olindele ukubuya kwenkosi yakhe ohambweni olude. Umlindisango wayengalazi ihora lokubuya kwenkosi yakhe. Kwakudingeka nje ahlale elindile. UJesu wakhuluma ngemilindo emine inkosi eyayingase ifike ngayo. Umlindo wesine wawuqala ngehora lesithathu entathakusa uphele ekuphumeni kwelanga. Ngalowo mlindo wokugcina, ubuthongo babungamnqoba kalula umlindisango. Kubikwa ukuthi amasosha akholelwa ukuthi ihora elingaphambi nje kokuntwela yisikhathi esikahle kakhulu sokuzuma isitha. Ngokufanayo, kuleli hora lokugcina, lapho izwe elisizungezile lihuqa ubuthongo ngokomoya, kungase kube nzima ukuhlala siphapheme. (Roma 13:11, 12) Yingakho, emfanekisweni wakhe uJesu ekhuthaza ephindelela ethi: “Hlalani nibhekile, nihlale niphapheme . . . Ngakho-ke hlalani nilindile . . . Lokho engikusho kini ngikusho kubo bonke, Hlalani nilindile.”—Marku 13:32-37.
7. Iyiphi ingozi yangempela ekhona, futhi sikhumbula lokho, isiphi isikhuthazo esisifunda njalo eBhayibhelini?
7 Kaningi phakathi nenkonzo yakhe nangemva kokuvuka kwakhe, uJesu wakhuthaza ukuqapha. Eqinisweni, cishe ngaso sonke isikhathi lapho imiBhalo ibhekisela ekupheleni kwalesi simiso sezinto, sithola isixwayiso sokuba sihlale siphapheme noma silindile.b (Luka 12:38, 40; IsAmbulo 3:2; 16:14-16) Ngokusobala, ukozela okungokomoya kuyingozi yangempela. Sonke siyazidinga lezo zixwayiso!—1 Korinte 10:12; 1 Thesalonika 5:2, 6.
Abaphostoli Abathathu Abangakwazanga Ukuhlala Bephapheme
8 .Ensimini yaseGetsemane, abafundi bakaJesu abathathu benze njani lapho ebacela ukuba bahlale belindile?
8 Ukuhlala uphapheme kudinga okungaphezu kokuba nezinhloso ezinhle, njengoba sibona esibonelweni sikaPetru, uJakobe noJohane. Lawa kwakungamadoda amathathu angokomoya alandela uJesu ngokwethembeka futhi ayemthanda kakhulu. Noma kunjalo, ngobusuku bukaNisani 14, 33 C.E., ahluleka ukuhlala ephapheme. Besuka ekamelweni eliphezulu ababegubhele kulo iPhasika, laba baphostoli abathathu bahamba noJesu baya ensimini yaseGetsemane. Sebelapho uJesu wathi kubo: “Umphefumulo wami ulusizi kakhulu, kuze kube sekufeni. Hlalani lapha nilinde kanye nami.” (Mathewu 26:38) Kathathu uJesu wathandaza ngobuqotho kuYise osezulwini, futhi kathathu wabuyela kubangane bakhe wabathola belele.—Mathewu 26:40, 43, 45.
9. Yini okungenzeka yabangela ukozela kwabaphostoli?
9 Kungani la madoda athembekile amdumaza uJesu ngalobo busuku? Ukukhathala komzimba kwakungenye yezimbangela. Kwase kusebusuku, cishe kungemva kwamabili, futhi ‘amehlo awo ayesinda’ ngenxa yobuthongo. (Mathewu 26:43) Noma kunjalo, uJesu wathi: “Hlalani nilindile futhi nithandaze njalo, ukuze ningangeni esilingweni. Yebo, umoya uyalangazela, kodwa inyama ibuthakathaka.”—Mathewu 26:41.
10, 11. (a) Naphezu kokukhathala kwakhe, yini eyasiza uJesu ukuba ahlale elindile ensimini yaseGetsemane? (b) Yini esingayifunda kulokho okwenzeka kubaphostoli abathathu lapho uJesu ebacela ukuba bahlale belindile?
10 Akungabazeki ukuthi noJesu wayekhathele ngalobo busuku obuyingqopha-mlando. Nokho, kunokuba alale, njengoba esakhululekile, wasebenzisa leyo mizuzu ebalulekile yokugcina ethandaza ngobuqotho. Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ngaphambili, wayekhuthaze abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathandaze, ethi: “Hlalani niphapheme, ngaso sonke isikhathi ninxusa ukuba niphumelele ekuphunyukeni kuzo zonke lezi zinto ezimiselwe ukwenzeka, nasekumeni phambi kweNdodana yomuntu.” (Luka 21:36; Efesu 6:18) Uma silalela iseluleko sikaJesu silandela nesibonelo sakhe esihle endabeni yokuthandaza, ukunxusa kwethu okusuka enhliziyweni okuya kuJehova kuyosisiza ukuba sihlale siphapheme ngokomoya.
11 Yiqiniso, uJesu—ngokungafani nabafundi bakhe ngaleso sikhathi—wayazi ukuthi ngokushesha wayezoboshwa agwetshelwe ukufa. Uvivinyo lwakhe lwaluzofinyelela umvuthwandaba obuhlungu esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa. UJesu wayebaxwayisile abaphostoli bakhe ngalezi zinto, kodwa babengakuqondanga ayekusho. Yingakho balala ngesikhathi yena ephapheme ethandaza. (Marku 14:27-31; Luka 22:15-18) Njengoba kwakunjalo ngabaphostoli, nathi sinenyama ebuthaka futhi kukhona izinto esingakazazi. Noma kunjalo, uma singasakuqapheli ukuphuthuma kwezikhathi esiphila kuzo, nathi singalala ngomqondo ongokomoya. Ukuqapha kuphela okuyosenza sihlale siphapheme.
Izimfanelo Ezintathu Ezibalulekile
12. Yiziphi izimfanelo ezintathu uPawulu azihlobanisa nokuhlala sisangulukile?
12 Singazigcina kanjani sinomuzwa wokuphuthuma? Sesikubonile kakade ukubaluleka komthandazo nesidingo sokuhlala sikhumbula usuku lukaJehova. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uPawulu uveza izimfanelo ezintathu ezibalulekile okufanele sizihlakulele. Uthi: “Thina esingabemini, masihlale sisangulukile futhi sigqoke isivikelo sesifuba sokholo nothando, sifake nethemba lensindiso njengesigqoko sokuzivikela.” (1 Thesalonika 5:8) Make sihlole kafushane indima yokholo, ithemba nothando ekuhlaleni siphapheme ngokomoya.
13. Ukholo lusigcina kanjani siqaphile?
13 Kumelwe sikholelwe ngokuqinile ukuthi uJehova ukhona nokuthi “uba umvuzi walabo abamfuna ngobuqotho.” (Hebheru 11:6) Ukugcwaliseka kokuqala, kwangekhulu lokuqala kwesiprofetho sikaJesu ngesiphelo kuqinisa ukholo lwethu ekugcwalisekeni kwaso okukhulu esikhathini sethu. Futhi ukholo lwethu lusigcina silangazelela usuku lukaJehova, siqiniseka ukuthi “nakanjani [umbono oyisiprofetho] uzogcwaliseka. Ngeke wephuze.”—Habakuki 2:3.
14. Ithemba libaluleke ngani ukuze sihlale siphapheme?
14 Ithemba lethu eliqinisekile lifana ‘nehange lomphefumulo’ elisenza sikhuthazelele ubunzima ngisho noma kudingeka silindele ukugcwaliseka okuqinisekile kwezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu. (Hebheru 6:18, 19) UMargaret, udade ogcotshwe ngomoya oseminyakeni yawo-90 nowabhapathizwa eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-70 edlule, uyavuma: “Lapho umyeni wami ebhekene nokufa ngenxa yomdlavuza ngo-1963, ngafisa sengathi ukuphela kungafika ngokushesha. Kodwa manje ngiyabona ukuthi ngangizicabangela mina kuphela. Sasingazi ngaleso sikhathi ukuthi umsebenzi wawusazokwanda nomhlaba wonke. Ngisho namanje, kusenezindawo eziningi lapho umsebenzi usaqala khona. Ngakho ngiyajabula ukuthi uJehova uye wabekezela.” Umphostoli uPawulu uyasiqinisekisa: “Ukukhuthazela kona kuveza ukwamukeleka; ukwamukeleka kuveza ithemba, futhi ithemba aliholeli ekudumazekeni.”—Roma 5:3-5.
15. Uthando luyosishukumisa kanjani ngisho noma kubonakala sengathi sesilinde isikhathi eside?
15 Uthando lobuKristu luyimfanelo evelele ngoba luyisisusa esiyinhloko sakho konke esikwenzayo. Sikhonza uJehova ngoba simthanda, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uhlelo lwakhe lwesikhathi luthini. Uthando ngomakhelwane lusishukumisela ukuba sishumayele izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uNkulunkulu uthanda sikwenze isikhathi eside kangakanani nokuthi siphindela kaningi kangakanani emakhaya afanayo. Njengoba uPawulu abhala, “kusele ukholo, ithemba, uthando, lokhu kokuthathu; kodwa okukhulu kunakho konke lokhu uthando.” (1 Korinte 13:13) Uthando lusenza sikhuthazele futhi lusisiza sihlale siphapheme. “[Uthando] luthemba zonke izinto, lukhuthazelela zonke izinto. Uthando alusoze lwaphela nanini.”—1 Korinte 13:7, 8.
“Qhubeka Ubambelele Ngokuqinile Kulokho Onakho”
16. Kunokuba siyekethise, isiphi isimo sengqondo okufanele sisihlakulele?
16 Siphila ezikhathini ezibalulekile lapho izenzakalo zezwe zisikhumbuza njalo ukuthi sisengxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku zokugcina. (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Manje yisikhathi ‘sokuqhubeka sibambelele ngokuqinile kulokho esinakho,’ akusona esokuyekethisa. (IsAmbulo 3:11) ‘Ngokuphaphamela ukuthandaza’ nangokuhlakulela ukholo, ithemba nothando, ihora lokulingwa liyosifica sililungele. (1 Petru 4:7) Sinokuningi kokukwenza emsebenzini weNkosi. Ukuba matasa ezenzweni zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kuyosisiza sihlale siphapheme.—2 Petru 3:11.
17. (a) Kungani ukudumazeka ngezikhathi ezithile kungafanele kusidangalise? (Bheka ibhokisi ekhasini 21.) (b) Singamlingisa kanjani uJehova, futhi labo abamlingisayo balindelwe iziphi izibusiso?
17 UJeremiya wabhala wathi “uJehova uyisabelo sami, yingakho ngizobonisa isimo sengqondo sokumlinda. UJehova muhle kothembela kuye, emphefumulweni oqhubeka ufuna yena. Kuhle ukuba umuntu alinde, yebo buthule, alindele insindiso kaJehova.” (IsiLilo 3:24-26) Abanye bethu basenesikhathi esifushane belindile. Abanye sekuyisikhathi eside belinde ukubona insindiso kaJehova. Kodwa asive sisifushane lesi sikhathi sokulinda uma siqhathaniswa nephakade elingaphambili! (2 Korinte 4:16-18) Futhi njengoba silinde isikhathi sikaJehova esifanele, singahlakulela izimfanelo zobuKristu ezibalulekile sisize nabanye ukuba basebenzise ukubekezela kukaJehova bamukele iqiniso. Khona-ke kwasengathi sonke singahlala silindile. Masilingise uJehova sibekezele, sibonge ngethemba asinike lona. Futhi njengoba sihlala siqaphile ngokwethembeka, sengathi singaqhubeka silibambe ngokuqinile ithemba lokuphila okuphakade. Ngakho, nathi ngokuqinisekile siyoba nalezi zithembiso eziyisiprofetho: “[UJehova] uyokuphakamisa ukuba udle ifa lomhlaba. Lapho ababi benqunywa, uyokubona.”—IHubo 37:34.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Kungasiza ukubukeza imikhakha eyisithupha yobufakazi obubonisa ukuthi siphila “ezinsukwini zokugcina” eyakhulunyelwa ngamafuphi emakhasini 12-13 e-Nqabayokulinda ka-January 15, 2000.—2 Thimothewu 3:1.
b Ekhuluma ngesenzo sesiGreki esihunyushwe ngokuthi “hlalani niphapheme,” umlobi wezichazamazwi uW. E. Vine uthi ngokwezwi nezwi leli gama lisho ‘ukuxosha ubuthongo,’ futhi “alisho nje ukuphaphama, kodwa ukuqapha kwalabo abasuke bezimisele ngento.”
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Singakuqinisa kanjani ukukholelwa kwethu ukuthi ukuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto kuseduze?
• Yini engafundwa esibonelweni sikaPetru, uJakobe noJohane?
• Iziphi izimfanelo ezintathu eziyosisiza sihlale siqaphile ngokomoya?
• Kungani manje kuyisikhathi ‘sokuqhubeka sibambelele kulokho esinakho’?
[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 21]
“Uyajabula Ohlala Elindele.”—Daniyeli 12:12
Ake sithi umlindi usola ukuthi isela liceba ukugqekeza indawo ayigadile. Lapho kuhlwa, uyalalelisisa ukuze ezwe noma yimuphi umsindo ongamtshela ukuthi umgqekezi usekhona. Ihora ngalinye ucijisa izindlebe abhekisise. Singase sibone ukuthi kungani engase akhohliswe ubala—ukuhwashaza kwezihlahla zinyakaziswa umoya noma ikati liwisa okuthile.—Luka 12:39, 40.
Kungenzeka okufanayo nakulabo ‘abalindele ngokulangazela ukwambulwa kweNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu.’ (1 Korinte 1:7) Abaphostoli babecabanga ukuthi uJesu ‘wayezobuyisela umbuso ku-Israyeli’ ngokushesha ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe. (IzEnzo 1:6) Eminyakeni eminingi kamuva, amaKristu aseThesalonika kwadingeka akhunjuzwe ukuthi ukuba khona kukaJesu kwakuzokwenzeka esikhathini esizayo. (2 Thesalonika 2:3, 8) Noma kunjalo, ukukhohliswa ubala ngokuqondene nosuku lukaJehova akuzange kwenze labo balandeli bakaJesu bayilahle indlela eya ekuphileni.—Mathewu 7:13.
Osukwini lwethu, ukudunyazwa ukubona sengathi kuyephuza ukufika ukuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto akufanele kusenze singabe sisaqapha. Umlindi oqaphile angase akhohliswe ubala, kodwa kudingeka ahlale eqaphile! Yilowo umsebenzi wakhe. Kunjalo nangamaKristu.
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Ingabe uyaqiniseka ukuthi usuku lukaJehova luseduze?
[Izithombe ekhasini 19]
Imihlangano, umthandazo nemikhuba emihle yokutadisha kusisiza ukuba sihlale silindile
[Isithombe ekhasini 22]
NjengoMargaret, sengathi singahlala silinde ngokubekezela sibe simatasa