UJehova ‘Uyobangela Ukuba Kwenziwe Ubulungisa’
“Ngeke yini uNkulunkulu abangele ukuba benzelwe ubulungisa abantu bakhe abakhethiweyo abakhamuluka kuye imini nobusuku?”—LUKA 18:7.
1. Obani abakukhuthazayo, futhi ngani?
EMHLABENI wonke, oFakazi BakaJehova bajabulela ubudlelwane nabafowabo nodadewabo abangamaKristu asebeneminyaka bekhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka. Bakhona yini abanye balaba abathandekayo obaziyo? Mhlawumbe ucabanga ngodade osekhulile, oseneminyaka abhapathizwa futhi ongaphuthaphuthi emihlanganweni eHholo LoMbuso. Noma ungase ucabange ngomzalwane osekhulile olisekela ngokwethembeka ilungiselelo lebandla lenkonzo yasensimini isonto ngalinye futhi osenamashumi eminyaka enza kanjalo. Kuyavunywa, abaningi balaba abathembekile babecabanga ukuthi kuyothi kumanje i-Armagedoni ibe seyafika kudala. Nokho, iqiniso lokuthi leli zwe elingenabulungisa lisekhona alizange linciphise ukuqiniseka kwabo ngezithembiso zikaJehova noma ukuzimisela kwabo ‘ukukhuthazela kuze kube sekupheleni.’ (Mathewu 24:13) Ukholo olujulile oluboniswa yizinceku zikaJehova eziqotho njengalezi luyisikhuthazo ngempela kulo lonke ibandla.—IHubo 147:11.
2. Isiphi isimo esisidabukisayo?
2 Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi singase sibone kwenzeka okuphambene nalokhu. Abanye oFakazi báhlanganyela enkonzweni iminyaka, kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ukholo lwabo kuJehova lwaba buthaka, base beyeka ukuzihlanganisa nebandla lobuKristu. Kuyasidabukisa ukuthi abanye esasinabo bamshiyile uJehova, futhi kuyisifiso sethu esiqotho ukuqhubeka sisiza ngayinye ‘imvu elahlekile’ ukuba ibuyele emhlambini. (IHubo 119:176; Roma 15:1) Noma kunjalo, le miphumela engafani—ukuhlala kwabanye benokholo oluqinile kuyilapho abanye lubaphelela—iphakamisa imibuzo. Yini eyenza oFakazi abaningi bakwazi ukulondoloza ukholo lwabo ezithembisweni zikaJehova kuyilapho abanye lubaphelela? Yini thina ngokwethu esingayenza ukuze siqiniseke ukuthi sizigcina singenakungabaza ngokuthi “usuku olukhulu lukaJehova” luyasondela? (Zefaniya 1:14) Ake sixoxe ngomfanekiso oseVangelini likaLuka.
Isixwayiso Kulabo Abaphila “Lapho INdodana Yomuntu Ifika”
3. Obani abangazuza ngokukhethekile emfanekisweni womfelokazi nomahluleli, futhi ngani?
3 KuLuka isahluko 18, sithola umfanekiso kaJesu womfelokazi nomahluleli. Uthi awufane nomfanekiso wendoda ephikelelayo enesivakashi, esixoxe ngawo esihlokweni esandulele. (Luka 11:5-13) Nokho, umongo wendima yeBhayibheli enomfanekiso womfelokazi nomahluleli ubonisa ukuthi lo mfanekiso usebenza ngokukhethekile kulabo abaphila “lapho iNdodana yomuntu ifika” emandleni oMbuso, okuyinkathi eyaqala ngo-1914.—Luka 18:8.a
4. UJesu wakhuluma ngani ngaphambi kokulandisa umfanekiso okuLuka isahluko 18?
4 Ngaphambi kokulandisa lo mfanekiso, uJesu wathi ubufakazi bokuba khona kwakhe emandleni oMbuso babuyobonakala yonke indawo ‘njengombani okhanya kusuka kwenye ingxenye phansi kwezulu kuya kwenye phansi kwezulu.’ (Luka 17:24; 21:10, 29-33) Nokho, iningi labantu abaphila ‘esikhathini sokuphela’ lalingeke libunake lobo bufakazi obucacile. (Daniyeli 12:4) Ngani? Ngenxa yesizathu esifanayo naleso esenza abantu besikhathi sikaNowa nabesikaLoti bangazinaka izixwayiso zikaJehova. Ngalezo zikhathi, abantu ‘babedla, bephuza, bethenga, bethengisa, betshala futhi bakha kwaze kwaba usuku ababhujiswa ngalo.’ (Luka 17:26-29) Bafa ngoba babegxile kakhulu kulezo zinto ezivamile kangangokuthi abayinakanga intando kaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 24:39) Nanamuhla, iningi labantu limatasa kakhulu ngezinto zansuku zonke kangangokuthi alibuboni ubufakazi bokuthi ukuphela kwaleli zwe elingamesabi uNkulunkulu kuseduze.—Luka 17:30.
5. (a) UJesu waxwayisa obani, futhi ngani? (b) Yini eye yenza abanye balahlekelwa ukholo?
5 Kusobala ukuthi uJesu wayekhathazekile ngokuthi nabalandeli bakhe babengase baphazanyiswe izwe likaSathane, mhlawumbe baze ngisho ‘babuyele ezintweni ezisemuva.’ (Luka 17:22, 31) Nebala lokhu kuye kwenzeka kwamanye amaKristu. La maKristu ayeseneminyaka elangazelela usuku uJehova ayoqeda ngalo leli zwe elibi. Nokho, lapho i-Armagedoni ingafiki ngesikhathi ayesilindele, adangala. Awabange esaqiniseka kangako ukuthi usuku lukaJehova lokwahlulela luseduze. Anciphisa izinga enkonzweni yawo futhi aya egxila ezintweni ezivamile zokuphila aze aphelelwa isikhathi sezinto ezingokomoya. (Luka 8:11, 13, 14) Agcina ‘ebuyele ezintweni ezisemuva’—yeka indlela okudabukisa ngayo!
Isidingo ‘Sokuthandaza Ngaso Sonke Isikhathi’
6-8. (a) Landisa umfanekiso womfelokazi nomahluleli. (b) UJesu wayichaza kanjani indlela lo mfanekiso osebenza ngayo?
6 Yini esingayenza ukuze ukuqiniseka kwethu ngokugcwaliseka kwezithembiso zikaJehova kunganciphi? (Hebheru 3:14) UJesu wakhuluma ngaleyo ndaba ngemva nje kokuba exwayise abafundi bakhe ukuba bangabuyeli ezweni elibi likaSathane.
7 ULuka ubika ukuthi uJesu “wabatshela umfanekiso ngokuqondene nesidingo sokuba bathandaze ngaso sonke isikhathi bangayeki.” UJesu wathi: “Emzini othile kwakukhona umahluleli othile owayengamesabi uNkulunkulu futhi engahloniphi muntu. Kodwa kwakukhona umfelokazi kulowo muzi futhi wayelokhu eya kuye, ethi, ‘Bona ukuthi ngithola ubulungisa kumuntu ongimangalele.’ Nokho, isikhathi esithile wayengathandi, kodwa kamuva wathi ngaphakathi kuye, ‘Nakuba ngingamesabi uNkulunkulu futhi ngingahloniphi muntu, ngenxa yokuqhubeka kwakhe lo mfelokazi engikhathaza, ngizobona ukuthi uyabuthola ubulungisa, ukuze angalokhu eza futhi angikhathaze ngize ngiphele.’”
8 Ngemva kokulandisa lo mfanekiso, uJesu wabonisa ukuthi usebenza kanjani: “Yizwani lokho umahluleli akusho, nakuba engalungile! Khona-ke, ngokuqinisekile ngeke yini uNkulunkulu abangele ukuba benzelwe ubulungisa abantu bakhe abakhethiweyo abakhamuluka kuye imini nobusuku, ngisho noma ebabekezelela? Ngiyanitshela, Uyobangela ukuba benzelwe ubulungisa ngokushesha. Noma kunjalo, lapho iNdodana yomuntu ifika, ingabe ngempela iyoluthola ukholo emhlabeni?”—Luka 18:1-8.
“Bona Ukuthi Ngithola Ubulungisa”
9. Iliphi iphuzu eliqokonyiswa umfanekiso womfelokazi nomahluleli?
9 Iphuzu eliyinhloko lalo mfanekiso okhanyayo licacile. Lishiwo yibo bobabili abalingiswa abakuwo liphinde lishiwo uJesu. Umfelokazi wanxusa: “Bona ukuthi ngithola ubulungisa.” Umahluleli wathi: “Ngizobona ukuthi uyabuthola ubulungisa.” UJesu wabuza: “Ngeke yini uNkulunkulu abangele ukuba [kwenziwe] ubulungisa?” Futhi uJesu wathi ngoJehova: “Uyobangela ukuba benzelwe ubulungisa ngokushesha.” (Luka 18:3, 5, 7, 8) UNkulunkulu “uyobangela” nini ngempela ‘ukuba kwenziwe ubulungisa’?
10. (a) Ekhulwini lokuqala ubulungisa benziwa nini? (b) Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zanamuhla ziyokwenzelwa nini ubulungisa, futhi kanjani?
10 Ekhulwini lokuqala, “izinsuku zokukhipha isahlulelo” (noma, “izinsuku zempindiselo,” Kingdom Interlinear) zafika ngo-70 C.E. lapho kubhujiswa iJerusalema nethempeli lalo. (Luka 21:22) Kubantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla, ubulungisa buyokwenziwa ‘ngosuku olukhulu lukaJehova.’ (Zefaniya 1:14; Mathewu 24:21) Ngaleso sikhathi, uJehova ‘uyobuyisela usizi kulabo ababangela abantu bakhe usizi’ “njengoba [uJesu Kristu] eletha impindiselo phezu kwalabo abangamazi uNkulunkulu nakulabo abangazilaleli izindaba ezinhle mayelana neNkosi yethu uJesu.”—2 Thesalonika 1:6-8; Roma 12:19.
11. Ubulungisa buyokwenziwa kanjani “ngokushesha”?
11 Nokho, kufanele sisiqonde kanjani isiqinisekiso sikaJesu sokuthi uJehova uyobangela ukuba ubulungisa benziwe “ngokushesha”? IZwi likaNkulunkulu libonisa ukuthi ‘ngisho noma uJehova ebekezela,’ uyokwenza ubulungisa ngokushesha lapho sekuyisikhathi esifanele. (Luka 18:7, 8; 2 Petru 3:9, 10) Ngesikhathi sikaNowa, lapho kufika uZamcolo ababi babhujiswa ngokushesha. Nasosukwini lukaLoti, lapho kwehla umlilo ezulwini ababi bashabalala. UJesu wathi: “Kuyoba ngendlela efanayo nangalolo suku lapho kwambulwa iNdodana yomuntu.” (Luka 17:27-30) Ababi bayophinde bathole “imbubhiso engazelelwe,” noma esheshayo. (1 Thesalonika 5:2, 3) Impela, singaqiniseka ngokugcwele ukuthi uJehova ngeke alivumele izwe likaSathane liqhubeke likhona ngisho nosuku olulodwa ngaphezu kwalokho okufunwa ubulungisa.
‘Uyobangela Ukuba Kwenziwe Ubulungisa’
12, 13. (a) Umfanekiso kaJesu womfelokazi nomahluleli unasiphi isifundo? (b) Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyoyizwa imithandazo yethu futhi abangele ukuba kwenziwe ubulungisa?
12 Umfanekiso kaJesu womfelokazi nomahluleli uqokomisa namanye futhi amaqiniso abalulekile. Lapho ebonisa indlela lo mfanekiso osebenza ngayo, uJesu wathi: “Yizwani lokho umahluleli akusho, nakuba engalungile! Khona-ke, ngokuqinisekile ngeke yini uNkulunkulu abangele ukuba benzelwe ubulungisa abantu bakhe abakhethiweyo?” Yebo, uJesu wayengafanisi uJehova nalo mahluleli njengokungathi uthi uNkulunkulu wayeyophatha izinceku zakhe ngendlela efanayo. Kunalokho, uJesu wayefundisa abalandeli bakhe isifundo ngoJehova ngokuqokomisa umahluko phakathi kwalowo mahluleli noNkulunkulu. Iziphi ezinye zezindlela abahluke ngazo?
13 Umahluleli emfanekisweni kaJesu ‘wayengalungile,’ kanti “uNkulunkulu unguMahluleli olungile.” (IHubo 7:11; 33:5) Umahluleli wayengenaso nesincane isithakazelo kumfelokazi ngokwakhe, kodwa uJehova unesithakazelo kumuntu ngamunye. (2 IziKronike 6:29, 30) Umahluleli wayengathandi ukusiza umfelokazi, kodwa uJehova uyathanda—empeleni, umagange—ukusiza labo abamkhonzayo. (Isaya 30:18, 19) Siyini isifundo? Uma umahluleli ongalungile azilalela izicelo zomfelokazi futhi wamenzela ubulungisa, uJehova uyoyizwa kakhulu kangakanani imithandazo yabantu bakhe futhi nakanjani abangele ukuba benzelwe ubulungisa!—IzAga 15:29.
14. Kungani kungafanele siphelelwe ukholo lokuthi usuku lukaNkulunkulu lokwahlulela luyeza?
14 Ngakho-ke, labo abaphelelwa ukholo lokuthi usuku lukaNkulunkulu lokwahlulela luyeza benza iphutha elikhulu. Ngani? Ukuyeka kwabo ukukholelwa ngokuqinile ukuthi “usuku olukhulu lukaJehova” luseduze kufana nokungabaza ukuthi uJehova uthembeke ngokwanele ukuba agcine izithembiso zakhe. Kodwa akekho umuntu ongaba nesizathu esizwakalayo sokungabaza ukwethembeka kukaNkulunkulu. (Jobe 9:12) Umbuzo ofanelekayo uthi, Ingabe thina ngokwethu siyohlala sithembekile? Futhi yilelo kanye iphuzu uJesu aliveza ngasekugcineni komfanekiso womfelokazi nomahluleli.
“Ingabe Ngempela Iyoluthola Lolu Kholo Emhlabeni?”
15. (a) Imuphi umbuzo uJesu awubuza, futhi ngani? (b) Yini okufanele sizibuze yona?
15 UJesu wabuza umbuzo othakazelisayo: “Lapho iNdodana yomuntu ifika, ingabe ngempela iyoluthola lolu kholo emhlabeni?” (Luka 18:8 umbhalo waphansi we-Reference Bible) Amazwi athi “lolu kholo” abonisa ukuthi uJesu wayengakhulumi ngokholo nje oluvamile, kodwa wayekhuluma ngohlobo oluthile lokholo—ukholo olunjengolomfelokazi. UJesu akawuphendulanga umbuzo wakhe. Wawubuza ukuze abafundi bakhe bacabange ngesimo solwabo ukholo. Ingabe lwaluya luba buthaka, okwakubenza babe sengozini yokubuyela ezintweni ababezishiye emuva? Noma ingabe babenokholo olunjengolomfelokazi? Namuhla, nathi kufanele sizibuze, ‘Lunjani ukholo “iNdodana yomuntu” eluthola enhliziyweni yami?’
16. Lwalunjani ukholo lomfelokazi?
16 Ukuze sibe phakathi kwalabo abayothola ubulungisa bukaJehova, kudingeka silingise isibonelo salowaya mfelokazi. Lwalunjani ukholo lwakhe? Walubonisa ngokuphikelela “eya [kumahluleli], ethi, ‘Bona ukuthi ngithola ubulungisa.’” Lowo mfelokazi waphikelela ukuze athole ubulungisa kumuntu ongalungile. Ngokufanayo, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla zingaqiniseka ukuthi ziyobuthola ubulungisa bukaJehova—ngisho noma kuthatha isikhathi eside kunalokho ebezikulindele. Ngaphezu kwalokho, zibonisa ukuqiniseka kwazo ngezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu ngokuphikelela emthandazweni—yebo, ‘ngokukhamuluka kuJehova imini nobusuku.’ (Luka 18:7) Empeleni, uma umKristu engayeka ukuthandazela ukuba kwenziwe ubulungisa, ubeyobe ubonisa ukuthi akasathembi ukuthi uJehova uzosithatha isinyathelo sokusiza izinceku zakhe.
17. Sinaziphi izizathu zokuphikelela emthandazweni nokulondoloza ukholo lokuthi usuku lukaJehova lokwahlulela luzofika nakanjani?
17 Izimo zalowaya mfelokazi zisibonisa ukuthi sinezizathu ezengeziwe zokuphikelela emthandazweni. Cabanga ngomahluko phakathi kwesimo sakhe nesethu. Umfelokazi wayelokhu eya kumahluleli ngisho noma kwakungekho muntu omkhuthazayo ukuba enze kanjalo, kodwa thina iZwi likaNkulunkulu lisikhuthaza kaningi ukuba ‘siphikelele emthandazweni.’ (Roma 12:12) Umfelokazi wayengenasiqiniseko sokuthi akucelayo uzokunikwa, kodwa thina uJehova usiqinisekisile ukuthi ubulungisa buzokwenziwa. Esebenzisa umprofethi wakhe, uJehova wathi: ‘Ngisho noma kungase kulibale, hlala ukulindele; ngoba nakanjani kuzogcwaliseka. Ngeke kwephuze.’ (Habakuki 2:3; IHubo 97:10) Umfelokazi wayengenamsizi omncengelayo ukuze isicelo sakhe sibe nesisindo ngokwengeziwe. Kodwa thina sinomsizi onamandla, uJesu, “ongakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu, osincengelayo futhi.” (Roma 8:34; Hebheru 7:25) Ngakho, uma naphezu kwesimo sakhe esiyinselele, umfelokazi aqhubeka encenga umahluleli enethemba lokuthi ubulungisa buyokwenziwa, thina-ke kufanele silulondoloze kakhulu kangakanani ukholo lokuthi nakanjani usuku lukaJehova lokwahlulela luzofika!
18. Umthandazo uyoluqinisa kanjani ukholo lwethu futhi usisize ukuba sithole ubulungisa?
18 Umfanekiso womfelokazi usifundisa ukuthi umthandazo uhlobene eduze nokholo nokuthi ukuphikelela kwethu emthandazweni kungathiya amathonya abengenza ukholo lwethu lube buthaka. Yebo, lokhu akusho ukuthi ukuthandaza kokubukisa kuvikela umuntu ekulahlekelweni ukholo. (Mathewu 6:7, 8) Lapho sishukumiseleka ukuba sithandaze ngoba siqaphela ukuthi sincike ngokuphelele kuNkulunkulu, khona-ke umthandazo usisondeza kuNkulunkulu futhi uqinise ukholo lwethu. Njengoba futhi ukholo ludingeka ukuze sisindiswe, akumangalisi ukuthi uJesu wabona isidingo sokuba akhuthaze abafundi bakhe ukuba “bathandaze ngaso sonke isikhathi bangayeki”! (Luka 18:1; 2 Thesalonika 3:13) Yiqiniso, ukufika ‘kosuku olukhulu lukaJehova’ akuxhomekile emithandazweni yethu—luyofika kungakhathaliseki ukuthi siyaluthandazela noma cha. Kodwa ukuthi thina ngokwethu siyobuthola yini ubulungisa futhi sisinde empini kaNkulunkulu, ngokuqinisekile kuxhomeke okholweni esinalo nasenkambweni esiyiphishekelayo ngosizo lomthandazo.
19. Sibonisa kanjani ukuthi sikholelwa ngokuqinile ukuthi uNkulunkulu ‘uyobangela ukuba kwenziwe ubulungisa’?
19 Siyakhumbula ukuthi uJesu wabuza: “Lapho iNdodana yomuntu ifika, ingabe ngempela iyoluthola lolu kholo emhlabeni?” Ithini impendulo yalo mbuzo othakazelisayo? Yeka indlela esijabula ngayo ngokuthi izigidi zezinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile emhlabeni wonke namuhla zibonisa ngemithandazo, ukubekezela nokuphikelela kwazo ukuthi zinalo lolu kholo! Ngakho, umbuzo kaJesu ungaphendulwa ngoyebo. Impela, naphezu kwezimo ezingenabulungisa izwe likaSathane elisibangela zona manje, sikholelwa ngokuqinile ukuthi uNkulunkulu ‘uyobangela ukuba benzelwe ubulungisa abantu bakhe abakhethiweyo.’
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Ukuze ukuqonde ngokugcwele okushiwo yilo mfanekiso, funda uLuka 17:22-33. Phawula indlela inkulumo ethi “iNdodana yomuntu” kuLuka 17:22, 24, 30 ehlobana ngayo nombuzo okuLuka 18:8.
Uyakhumbula?
• Yini eye yenza amanye amaKristu alahlekelwa ukholo?
• Kungani singaba nokholo oluqinile lokuthi usuku lukaJehova lokwahlulela luzofika?
• Sinaziphi izizathu zokuphikelela emthandazweni?
• Ukuphikelela emthandazweni kuyosivikela kanjani ekulahlekelweni ukholo?
[Isithombe ekhasini 26]
Umfanekiso womfelokazi nomahluleli uqokomisani?
[Izithombe ekhasini 29]
Izigidi namuhla zikholelwa ngokuqinile ukuthi uNkulunkulu ‘uyobangela ukuba kwenziwe ubulungisa’