Nivame Ethembeni!

“UNkulunkulu wethemba makanigcwalise ngenjabulo yonke nangokuthula konke ekukholweni, ukuze nivame ethembeni ngamandla kaMoya ongcwele.”—ROMA 15:13.

 1, 2. (a) Yisiphi isizathu uPawulu asinikeza ‘sokuvama ethembeni’? (b) Isiprofetho sikaIsaya sikhomba kanjani kulelithemba?

SIVAME ethembeni? Ezweni elimnyama kanjena, lapho ubugebengu nokuziphatha okubi kucathama emigwaqweni, lapho indlala noma ukuntuleka kokudla kuye kwabhubhisa abantu abangaphezu kwesigidi sezigidi, futhi lapho izikhali zenyukliya zibangela ukuba sonke isintu sibe sekwesabeni (njengenkemba kaDamocles), sikuphi-ke isizathu ‘sokuvama ethembeni’? Ngaphambi nje kokuba asho umkhuleko ongenhla, umphostoli uPawulu washo isizathu, ecaphuna umprofethi uIsaya ngalamazwi: “Kuyakuba-khona . . . oyakuvuka abuse abezizwe; abezizwe bayakwethembela kuye.”—Roma 15:12.

² UPawulu lapha wayecaphuna uIsaya 11:1-10. Lokhu kubikezela ngalabo bezizwe abethembela kuJesu, befanekiswa iNkosi uDavide, indodana kaJese. Echaza Lona, umlobi weBhayibheli uMathewu wacaphuna futhi uIsaya, ngalamazwi: “Bheka, inceku yami engiyikhethileyo, othandiweyo wami othokoza ngaye umphefumulo wami, ngiyakuzisa uMoya wami phezu kwakhe, amemezele ukwahlulela kubo bonke abezizwe. . . . Izizwe ziyakuthembela egameni lakhe.”—Mathewu 12:18-21; Isaya 42:1, 4.

 3, 4. (a) Yiliphi “igama” uJesu manje analo, futhi kungani? (b) Kumelwe sisiqonde kanjani isAmbulo 19:10, 11?

³ Kungani izizwe kumelwe zithembe egameni likaJesu? Kungenxa yakho konke igama lakhe elikumelelayo. Ngesikhathi elapha emhlabeni njengomuntu, uJesu wazenzela “igama” njengomgcini-buqotho ophelele. Ukushushiswa, ukudunyazwa, ukuhlushwa—ayikho into eyayingamdedisa ekwenzeni kwakhe intando kaNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka kuze kube sekufeni. “Ngalokho-ke,” umphostoli uPawulu uyachaza, “uNkulunkulu wamphakamisa kakhulu, wamnika igama eliphezu kwamagama onke, ukuze kuthi ngegama likaJesu amadolo onke aguqe, awabasezulwini, nawabasemhlabeni, nawabangaphansi komhlaba, nezilimi zonke zivume ukuthi UJESU KRISTU UYINKOSI, kube-yinkazimulo kuNkulunkulu uYise.”—Filipi 2:9-11.

⁴ Manje igama likaJesu limelela isikhundla esiphakeme uJehova aye wamphakamisela kuso njengomPristi oMkhulu neNkosi “osewahlala ngakwesokunene sesihlalo sobukhosi soMkhulu emazulwini.” UyiLowo obizwa ngokuthi “oThembekileyo noQinisileyo,” okuza kwakhe lonke izwi lesiprofetho libhekisela kukho, “ngokuba ubufakazi bukaJesu bungumoya wokuprofetha.”—Heberu 8:1; IsAmbulo 19:10, 11.

 5. Kungani, ikakhulu namuhla, kumelwe ‘sivame ethembeni’?

⁵ Kungani thina namuhla kumelwe ‘sivame ethembeni’? Kungoba izwi lesiprofetho libonisa ukuthi sekuseduze ukuba uJesu asuse sonke isono leso soni uAdamu asiletha phezu kwesintu. “Ngokuba njengalokho ngokungalaleli kwamuntu munye abaningi benziwa izoni, kanjalo ngokulalela kwamuntu munye abaningi bayakwenziwa abalungileyo.” (Roma 5:19) NjengomPristi oMkhulu kaNkulunkulu emazulwini, uJesu uyosebenzisa imfanelo yomhlatshelo wobuntu bakhe obuphelele ukuze abuyisele isintu esilalelayo, kuhlanganise izigidigidi zabavusiwe, ekupheleleni kobuntu, ngethemba lokuphila phakade ngenjabulo ePharadesi emhlabeni. UJesu ‘uyobusa, aze abeke izitha zonke phansi kwezinyawo zakhe. Isitha sokugcina esiyakuchithwa singukufa.’ Khona-ke, bonke abantu bayojabula ngokupheleliswa kokuphila kuleloPharadesi elinokuthula.—1 Korinte 15:25, 26; IHubo 72:3, 7; Isaya 33:24.

Ukuthola Umbono Wesikhathi Eside

 6. (a) Singawuthola kanjani kuphela, umbono wesikhathi eside wezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu? (b) Lokhu kuyosizuzisa kanjani?

⁶ Singafunda ngenjongo yoqobo yokuphila eBhayibhelini kuphela. UNkulunkulu kuphela, ngeZwi lakhe, ongachaza ukuthi savelaphi, ukuthi kungani silapha, nokuthi ikusasa lisiphatheleni. (Isaya 46:9, 10; 2 Thimothewu 3:16) IBhayibheli lisinika umbono wesikhathi eside wokusebenza kwezinjongo zoMbusi iNkosi uJehova. Lisitshela ukuthi singaba kanjani nengxenye ejabulisayo ekwenzeni intando yakhe, futhi kube njalo kuze kube phakade!—IHubo 37:31, 34.

 7. “Isibonakaliso” sesiprofetho sikaJesu siye sagcwaliseka kanjani?

⁷ “Isibonakaliso” esingokwesiprofetho uJesu akhuluma ngaso ekuphetheni kwenkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni manje sifike ekugcwalisekeni okumangalisayo. UJesu manje uhlezi esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi sasezulwini esikhazimulayo, uhlulela izizwe zomhlaba futhi uhlukanisa abantu “njengomalusi ehlukanisa izimvu nezimbuzi.” Lokhu kwenziwa ngokwendlela abasabela ngayo esigijimini soMbuso njengoba sishunyayelwa “abafowabo” bakaKristu, ofakazi abagcotshiwe bakaJehova abasakhonza uNkulunkulu lapha emhlabeni. (Mathewu 24:3-14; 25:31-40, 46) Kodwa ingabe lokhu kwenza uJesu ukuba alingane noJehova uNkulunkulu, noma ngisho abe mkhulu kunaye?

 8. (a) Kungani uJehova enza uJesu ukuba abe iNkosi ekanye naye? (b) UJesu uyokubonisa kanjani ukuzithoba kwakhe kuYise?

⁸ Cha, ngoba “inhloko kaKristu inguNkulunkulu,” lowo ngaso sonke isikhathi ‘oyiNkosi yaphakade’ noMbusi kuyo yonke indalo yakhe. (1 Korinte 11:3; 1 Thimothewu 1:17; IsAmbulo 4:11) Kwakungesikhathi lapho ukuhlubuka kuphakamisa ikhanda lakho elibi ePharadesi lase-Edeni lapho uJehova amemezela ukuthi wayezovusa iNkosi ekanye naye—“inzalo” yesithembiso—“ukuze ichithe imisebenzi kaSathane.” (Genesise 3:15; 1 Johane 3:8) Nokho, ngemva kokuba eselwele igama likaJehova nobukhosi futhi waletha isintu ekupheleleni ePharadesi elibuyiselwe emhlabeni, uKristu ‘unikela umbuso kuNkulunkulu uyise,’ iNdodana izithobe kuNkulunkulu.—1 Korinte 15:24-28.

 9. (a) UIsaya ubuchaza kanjani ubukhosi bukaJehova? (b) ImiBhalo ibonisa ukuthi iyini indlela yensindiso?

⁹ Ekhuluma ‘ngoJehova,’ umprofethi uIsaya uyavuma: “UJehova ungumahluleli wethu, uJehova ungumenzi wemithetho yethu, uJehova uyiNkosi yethu, uyakusisindisa.” Insindiso ivela kuJehova, ngoKristu Jesu, iqiniso bonke abantu abafuna ukuphila okumelwe balamukele. (Isaya 33:21, 22; 12:2; IzEnzo 2:21; 4:12; Roma 10:13; IsAmbulo 7:10) Ngemva kokukhuluma ngoJehova njengeNkosi phezu kwakho konke, umprofethi uIsaya uyaqhubeka ebonisa ukuthi ubasindisa kanjani abamthandayo, futhi ngayiphi injongo.

“Usuku Lokuphindisela” LukaJehova

10. Isiphi isahlulelo esimenyezelwa kuIsaya 34:1-4, futhi ngani?

¹⁰ Izizwe zezwe zinombhalo oshaqisayo wokubusa kabi, futhi ziye zawenqaba uMbuso kaNkulunkulu olungile ngoKristu wakhe. Ngakho-ke umprofethi uIsaya ukhuluma nazo ethi: “Sondelani nina-zizwe, nizwe, nilalele nina-bantu: Makuzwe umhlaba nokugcwala kwawo, nizwe nakho konke okuvela kulo. Ngokuba uJehova uthukuthelela izizwe zonke, ufuthekela yonke impi yazo; ababuleweyo bazo balahliwe, nokunuka kuyenyuka ezidunjini zabo; izintaba zincibilika ngegazi labo. Ibandla lonke lasezulwini liyaphela, izulu lisongwe njengomqulu; ibandla lonke liyawa njengokuwa kweqabunga emvinini nanjengokubunileyo emkhiwaneni.”—Isaya 34:1-4.a

11. (a) KuIsaya 34:5-7, yini uJehova ayimemezelayo maqondana ne-Edomi? (b) Laliyini iEdomi, futhi yini enguzakwabo wanamuhla?

¹¹ Amazwi aqatha lawo! Futhi okwesabisayo, isahlulelo uJehova ngokwakhe asimemezelayo ngokulandelayo kubantu base-Edomi: “Ngokuba inkemba yami izanelisile ngegazi ezulwini; bheka, iyakwehlela phezu kukaEdomi naphezu kwabantu besiqalekiso sami ukuba ibafulele.” (Isaya 34:5-7) IEdomi, eladabuka endodaneni kaJakobe uEsawu (onesibongo esithi Edomi), laliyisitha sesikhathi eside sesizwe sakwaIsrayeli, uyise waso kunguJakobe. Futhi linozakwabo wosuku lwanamuhla. Yimuphi? Konje, ubani oye wahola ekuthukeni nasekushushiseni uIsrayeli ongokomoya wekhulu lama-20? Ingabe akuzange kube eLobukholwa eliyisihlubuki, ngeqembu lalo eliqhoshayo labefundisi? Akukhona kuphela ukuthi abefundisi bazo zombili izinhlangothi basekela ngenhliziyo yonke ezimpini ezimbili zezwe zekhulu lethu kodwa banezela ecaleni legazi labo ngokubangela ukuba ohulumeni bezwe bavimbele futhi baze babulale oFakazi BakaJehova, abamelela iJerusalema lasezulwini emhlabeni, noma iSiyoni.

12. (a) UJehova usiletha kanjani isijeziso “e-Edomi”? (b) Kungaziphi izindlela oFakazi BakaJehova abaye bazihlukanisa ngazo ezinkolweni zeLobukholwa?

¹² Ngakho umprofethi kaNkulunkulu uyamemezela: “Ngokuba kulusuku lokuphindisela kukaJehova; ngumnyaka wokubuyisela ngendaba yaseSiyoni.” (Isaya 34:8) Lokhu kulithinta kanjani “iEdomi” yanamuhla? Ngokubhujiswa, njengoba amavesi alandelayo kuIsaya 34:9-17 ebonisa. Ngempela, ngendlela engokomoya kusukela ngonyaka wangemva kwempi u-1919, izinkolo zeLobukholwa ziye zaba into efile, incithakalo, ngokombono woMninimandla onke iNkosi uJehova. Ziyingxenye eyinhloko ‘yeBabiloni Elikhulu,’ umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga onecala legazi, owabhekana nokuwa okukhulu ngokomoya ngemva kwempi yezwe yokuqala, ngokulahlwa uJehova. OFakazi BakaJehova baye bahlukana ‘ne-Edomi’ losuku lwanamuhla elifile ngokomoya. Abanayo ingxenye ezinhlanganweni zayo ezixubanisa izinkolo, kwezombangazwe zalo noma amahlelo abantu. Ngokushesha lesimiso esiyisihlubuki siyobhujiswa ngokuphelele, uma “usuku lokuphindisela lukaJehova” lufika emhlabeni.—IsAmbulo 14:8; 18:2, 4, 24; 19:11-21.

Ukuvikeleka “EPharadesi”

13. UIsaya ukuchaza kanjani ukubuya ‘eBabiloni’ lanamuhla?

¹³ Ngendlela enhle yokukhuluma esankondlo, uIsaya isahluko 35 ngokulandelayo uchaza ukubuya kwensali kaIsrayeli ongokomoya ekuthunjweni “eBabiloni Elikhulu,” ekuqokomisa ngalamazwi: “Abahlengiweyo bakaJehova bayakubuya baye eSiyoni ngokwethaba, intokozo engunaphakade ibe-phezu kwamakhanda abo; bayakuthola ukujabula nokuthokoza, kubaleke usizi nokububula.” Ngempela, leli ipharadesi elingokomoya, elisikhumbuza amazwi akuIsaya 51:3: “Ngokuba uJehova uyakuliduduza iSiyoni, aziduduze zonke izindawo zalo ezichithekileyo, enze ihlane lalo libe-njenge-Edeni, noqwathule lwalo lube-njengensimu [paradeison (pharadesi), Septuagint Version] kaJehova.”

14. (a) Yiliphi ipharadesi uPawulu alichaza? (b) Lelipharadesi lifaniswa kanjani kuIsaya 35:1-7, futhi ngobani abahlanganyela kulo?

¹⁴ Ngempela abantu bakaJehova abagcotshiwe namuhla baye bangena epharadesi elingokomoya! Yeka ukuthi lokhu kuchazwe kahle kanjani kuIsaya 35:1-7! Kuqhathaniseka nalokho umphostoli uPawulu akuchazayo ku-2 Korinte 12:3, 4, ebhekisela ngokuqondile kokuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe: “Yebo, ngiyamazi umuntu onjalo—nakuba wayesemzimbeni, nakuba wayengekho emzimbeni, angazi, nguNkulunkulu owaziyo—ukuthi wahlwithwa wayiswa ePharadisi, wezwa amazwi angakhulumekiyo, okungavunyelwe ukuba umuntu awakhulume.” Kodwa kungumthetho, namuhla, ukukhuluma ngepharadesi elingokomoya elikhona manje phakathi kwensali kaNkulunkulu egcotshiwe, nalelo ‘isixuku esikhulu esivela kuzo zonke izizwe’ esiye sazohlanganyela kulo! Phakathi kwabo kuqubuka inhlangano yomhlaba wonke yoFakazi BakaJehova echuma ngokujabulisayo, enobunye esibophweni sothando nobunye ngenjongo nesenzo. Ipharadesi elingokomoya ngempela!

15. (a) IHubo 91 libonisani maqondana nepharadesi elingokomoya? (b) Yimuphi umbuzo ophakanyiswayo maqondana ‘nesixuku esikhulu,’ futhi ngani?

¹⁵ Uma nje beqhubeka bethuthukisa lelipharadesi elingokomoya, oFakazi BakaJehova ngeke balinyazwe izikhali ezibhekiswa kubo uSathane. (IHubo 91:1-11) Maqondana nensali egcotshiwe kaIsrayeli ongokomoya, iziprofetho zokubuyiselwa zikaIsaya manje zigcwaliseka ngokumangalisayo. Kodwa inani lalaba abagcotshiwe emhlabeni liye lancipha laba izi-10 000—amaphesenti angaphansi kuka-0,4 abo bonke oFakazi. Amabandla amaningi ayizi-45 000 oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla awanaye noyedwa ogcotshiwe phakathi kwawo. Khona-ke kuthiwani ngezigidi ‘zesixuku esikhulu’? Yiqiniso, zihlanganyela nensali egcotshiwe ezinjabulweni zepharadesi elingokomoya. Kodwa ingabe asiliboni ithemba labo elimangalisayo lomhlaba oyiPharadesi lichaziwe kulezo ziprofetho ezifanayo?

Umhlaba Uyakhazinyuliswa

16. (a) Injongo kaNkulunkulu kufanele ilwelwe kuphi futhi kanjani? (b) Umuntu angakufanelekela kanjani kuphela, ukuphila ePharadesi? (c) Lokhu kuye kwenziwa kanjani futhi ukuba kuphumelele?

¹⁶ Khumbula, kwakulapha emhlabeni, e-Edeni, lapho iPharadesi lalahleka khona. Ngakho-ke, kulapha lapho injongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba nomuntu kufanele ilwelwe khona. Umhlaba kumelwe wenziwe iPharadesi lesintu, ngokuvumelana nenjongo kaJehova yasekuqaleni. (Genesise 1:27, 28) Kwakunokuningi ePharadesi lase-Edeni kunokuthula phakathi komuntu nezilwane, nobuhle bensimu obufana nobepaki. Umuntu owayenziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu wayehlanzekile ngokuziphatha, futhi kwakumelwe ahlale enjalo, ukuze aqhubeke eyingxenye yenhlangano enhle kaNkulunkulu. Kwakumelwe alalele uMdali wakhe uma ayezohlala ephelele, ekhululekile ekuguleni, ekufeni nasekuthambekeleni ekwenzeni okungalungile. Kulokhu uAdamu wahluleka. Ngakho ukuze iPharadesi lasemhlabeni libuyiselwe, umuntu ongenasono kufanele futhi aphelele, lokhu kwenziwa kwaba nokwenzeka ngomhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu.—Roma 5:12, 18.

17. (a) “Isixuku esikhulu” siyithola kanjani imvume yokungena epharadesi elingokomoya? (b) NgokwemiBhalo, silungiselelwa kanjani ukuphila phakade—kuphi?

¹⁷ Namuhla, umhlaba ukude kakhulu nokuba ube ipharadesi. Nokho “isixuku esikhulu” ‘sezinye izimvu’ siye seza epharadesi elingokomoya. (IsAmbulo 7:9; Johane 10:16) Kanjani? Ngokunikezela ukuphila kwaso kuJehova, silandela izimfuneko zakhe nokuhlangana nensali egcotshiwe eye yalethwa epharadesi elingokomoya kusukela ngo-1919 kuya phambili. (Qhathanisa noHezekeli 38:8-16.) Lapho siyalungiswa futhi sihlonyiselwa ukuphila ePharadesi lasemhlabeni elizolandela usizi eArmagedoni. Ngokuqondene nalomhlaba, iPharadesi elibuyiselwe kuwo liyoba ngelaphakade, kube udumo kuNkulunkulu. INkosi uDavide yaprofetha ngalo, ithi: “Kepha abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu.” Yebo, uJesu wathi, “babusisiwe abamnene, ngokuba bayakudla ifa lomhlaba.”—IHubo 37:11; Mathewu 5:5.

18. “Inkazimulo kaJehova” iyobonakala kanjani ePharadesi lasemhlabeni?

¹⁸ KuleloPharadesi lasemhlabeni, bonke abantu (kuhlanganise nabavusiwe emhlabeni) ngokulalela abamukela umhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu bayojabulela izibusiso ezifana nalezo ezichazwe uIsaya nabanye abaprofethi maqondana noIsrayeli ongokomoya. Ngokujabulisayo, isithembiso sikaJesu eselelesini esasinozwela esigxotsheni eKhalvari siyogcwaliseka ngokumangalisayo. (Luka 23:43) “Inkazimulo kaJehova, nobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu wethu,” kuyobonwa ngokoqobo ngokuqhakaza kwehlane nogwadule, nokuphulukiswa kwabantu abayizimpumputhe, izithulu, izinyonga nabayizimungulu. Njengoba leloPharadesi elinokuthula landa nomhlaba wonke, ingani, “ngisho nengonyama [iyodla] utshani njengenkomo,” njengoba kungangabazeki ukuthi yayenza kanjalo e-Edeni nasemkhunjini wosuku lukaNowa. Akekho ‘oyolimaza, oyochitha’ ePharadesi.—Genesise 1:29, 30; Isaya 11:6-9; 35:1-7; 65:25.

19. (a) UIsaya 25:6-8 unakuphi ukugcwaliseka namuhla? (b) Lokhu kuyogcwaliseka kanjani futhi kulabo abayophila emhlabeni?

¹⁹ Ukubaluleka kwePharadesi elingokomoya ngaphezu kweloqobo ngokuqondene nesikhathi kuboniswe uIsaya 25:6-8. Lesiprofetho sigcwaliseka ngokomoya namuhla epharadesi elingokomoya, lapho abantu bakaJehova beye bavuswa khona ukuba bajabulele “idili” elicebile. (Qhathanisa noHezekeli 37:1-6.) Ngenxa yokukholwa kwabo, bagcwaliswe ngenjabulo nokuthula, futhi bagcwele ithemba lezibusiso zoMbuso. (Roma 15:13) UIsaya waprofetha: “INkosi uJehova iyakwesula izinyembezi ebusweni bonke.” Lokhu kuye kwaba nokugcwaliseka okumangalisayo ensalini egcotshiwe, ebuyiswe ‘eBabiloni Elikhulu,’ ngaphambi kweArmagedoni. Futhi isAmbulo 7:17 sisebenzisa lamazwi afanayo esimweni esibusisiwe ‘sesixuku esikhulu’ namuhla. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amazwi kaIsaya acashuniwe maqondana ‘nomhlaba omusha,’ kusAmbulo 21:3, 4, lapho sifunda ukuthi: “Bheka, itabernakele likaNkulunkulu likubantu; . . . azesule izinyembezi zonke emehlweni abo.” Lesithembiso esimangalisayo siyogcwaliseka ‘emhlabeni omusha’ ePharadesi elibuyiselwe emhlabeni ohlanziwe.

20. Kungani zonke izinceku zikaJehova manje zinaso sonke isizathu ‘sokuvama ethembeni’?

²⁰ Ngokuqinisekile, insali egcotshiwe, ‘nesixuku esikhulu,’ banaso sonke isizathu ‘sokuvama ethembeni’ njengoba ukugcwaliseka okukhazimulayo kwezwi lesiprofetho likaNkulunkulu kwenzeka phambi kwabo. Ithemba ngeke lidunyazwe, ngoba zonke izithembiso zikaJehova ezinhle ekugcineni kufanele zigcwaliseke. Khona-ke, ‘masibe nenduduzo enamandla yokubamba ithemba esilimiselweyo.’—Roma 15:13; Heberu 6:18.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ingabe uyakhumbula?

□ Maqondana negama likaJesu, kungenxa yani kumelwe ‘sivame ethembeni’?

□ Isikhundla sikaJesu esiphakeme sihlobene kanjani nesikaJehova?

□ UIsaya isahluko 34 ubonisani ‘ngosuku lokuphindisela’ lukaJehova?

□ Sifundani kuIsaya isahluko 35 no-25:6-8 ‘ngepharadesi’?

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

‘UJehova unosuku lokuphindisela’

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

Ipharadesi elingokomoya livikela ‘emihelweni’ manje ehlupha isintu