Chapter 24
Ukuncipha Kwesikhathi Kusondela Ekupheleni Kwakho!
1. Ngokwezazi zesayensi eziqhamile, lusondele kangakanani “usuku lokubhubha”?
EMUVA ngo-1947, izazi zesayensi zaklama “iwashi losuku lwembubhiso.” Livela oqwembeni lweThe Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists futhi lisetshenziselwa ukubonisa ukuthi bakholelwa ukuthi kuseduze kangakanani ukuba izwe libhujiswe inyukliya. Izinti ‘zalelowashi’ ziye zagudluzwa ngokuphindaphindiwe—ngezinye izikhathi ziye phambili, ngezinye izikhathi emuva, kuye ngokuthi isimo sezwe lonke sibonakala sisengozini kangakanani. Ekuqaleni kuka-1984 lezozinti zayiswa phambili kwaba yimizuzu emithathu ngaphambi kwamabili. Uma zingafinyelela kwamabili nqó, kuyosho ukuthi impi yenyukliya esatshwayo isiqalile.
2. Waqala nini uJehova ukubala ukuncipha kwesikhathi, futhi ukuphela kwaso kuyosho ukuthini?
2 Kodwa kwakuyiminyaka eyizi-6 000 edlule lapho uJehova uNkulunkulu eqala ukubala ukuncipha kwesikhathi okuye kwaqhubekela phambili ngokungenakuvinjelwa, kungenakubuyela emuva. Lokho kuncipha kwesikhathi kuyophela ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu asibekele ukulwelwa kobukhosi bakhe, okuyibona ukuthula nenhlala-kahle yendawo yonke okuxhomeke kubo. Uye wayiphawula ngokusobala injongo yakhe futhi wanikeza izimpawu zesikhathi ezenza sikwazi ukubona ukuqhubeka kwaso. Ngokushesha nje ngemva kokuhlubuka e-Edene, uJehova wathembisa ukuthi wayezoveza ‘kowesifazane’ wakhe, inhlangano yakhe yezidalwa zomoya ezithembekile, “inzalo” eyayiyochoboza uSathane “inyoka endala” ekhanda, futhi imchoboze imqede angaphinde abe khona. (Genesise 3:15; IsAmbulo 12:9; Roma 16:20) Yeka indlela abathandi bokulunga abalangazelela ngayo lesosikhathi!
3. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi ukuza kukaMesiya kwakuhlelwe ngokunakekela ngokwesikhathi? (b) Khona-ke kwabe sekubekwa isisekelo sani?
3 Ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esimisiwe, esabikezelwa kudala ngaphambili, “inzalo” ethenjisiwe, uMesiya, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu uqobo, yabonakala emhlabeni. Njengempendulo enamandla enseleleni kaSathane yokwedelela, uJesu walondoloza ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu okuphelele kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe. Futhi ngokufa kwakhe njengomuntu ongenasono wanikeza futhi indlela yokuhlenga inzalo ka-Adamu esonweni nokufa. Ngaleyondlela kwabekwa isisekelo sokuba ekugcineni ‘kuchithwe imisebenzi kaDeveli.’—1 Johane 3:8; Daniyeli 9:25; Galathiya 4:4, 5.
4. (a) Iliphi iqembu uJesu aqala ukuliqoqa ngesikhathi esemhlabeni? (b) Ngokuvumelana nesimiso saphezulu, kunini lapho uKristu aqala khona ukubusa njengeNkosi? (c) Isiphi esinye sezinyathelo zokuqala asithatha?
4 Ngesikhathi uJesu esesemhlabeni, waqala ukuqoqa amadoda nabesifazane ababeyokuba izindlalifa kanye naye eMbusweni wakhe wasezulwini. Izi-144 000 kuphela zabakhethiwe, abavivinyiwe nabathembekile ezaziyohlanganiswa. Lapho isikhathi sokuqoqwa kwamalungu okugcina aleliqembu sifika, “ukubusa, nobukhosi, nombuso” kwanikezwa uJesu ezulwini. (Daniyeli 7:13, 14) Ngaso kanye isikhathi, ngo-1914, waqala ukusebenza njengeNkosi ebusayo. USathane namademoni akhe ngokushesha bakhishwa ezulwini, ngalesisenzo kuhlanzwa isihlalo sikahulumeni. (IsAmbulo 12:7-12) Isimiso samanje sezwe sase singene ezinsukwini zaso zokugcina.
5. Obani abayobe bephila ukuze babone ukulwelwa kobukhosi bukaJehova?
5 Ukubalwa kokuncipha kwesikhathi okungase kuqhubeke cishe izinkulungwane eziyisithuba zeminyaka manje kusondela ehoreni lokugcina. Sekusondele kangangokuthi abantu ababephila ngo-1914, futhi manje asebekhulile ngeminyaka, ngeke baze baphele ngaphambi kokuba izenzakalo ezethusayo zokulwelwa kobukhosi bukaJehova zifike.—Marku 13:30.
6, 7. (a) Yimaphi amaqiniso ‘ngesixuku esikhulu’ abonisa ukuthi usizi olukhulu kumelwe ukuba seluseduze kakhulu? (b) Kungani ebheka esikhathini esizayo ngokulangazela okukhulu?
6 Ezinye izinceku ezithembekile zikaNkulunkulu, nazo ziyoba khona ukuba zibone izenzakalo zalolosuku olukhulu. Ikakhulukazi kusukela ngo-1935, lapho incazelo ‘yesixuku esikhulu’ iqondakala ngokukhanyayo, amanani amakhulu alaba aqala ukuzibonakalisa. Okokuqala kwakungamakhulu, kwase kuba izinkulungwane, kamuva kwaba amashumi ezinkulungwane, futhi manje kunezigidi ezisakazeke nembulunga yonke. IZwi likaNkulunkulu elingahluleki lifanekisa leliqembu ‘njengelivela osizini olukhulu,’ njengelisinde kulo, liphila liqhubeka lize lingene oHlelweni Olusha lukaNkulunkulu ngaphandle kokuba kudingeke life. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 10, 14; Johane 11:26) Amalungu okuqala aleliqembu manje aseneminyaka engama-60 noma 70 noma ngaphezulu. UJehova akazange avumele ukuba ukuqoqwa kwaleliqembu kusheshe kuqale. “Isixuku esikhulu,” kuhlanganise nabaningi abangamalungu aso okuqala, siyosindela ‘emhlabeni omusha.’
7 Ithemba ‘lesixuku esikhulu’ ngeke liphazanyiswe yinoma iyiphi impi yenyukliya eyobhubhisa sonke isintu. Banesizathu esihle sokuthembela kokuhle nokuba nesibindi. Njengoba izenzakalo ‘zezinsuku zokugcina’ seziye zambuleka, baye bazibukela ngokulangazela okubukhali, besebenzisa iseluleko sikaJesu kubona ngokwabo: “Niphakamise amakhanda enu, ngokuba kusondele ukukhululwa kwenu.” (Luka 21:28) Kodwa phakathi nesikhathi esisele ngaphambi kwalokho kukhululwa, kumelwe kwenzeke ezinye izenzakalo ezinokubaluleka okushukumisa izwe lonke.
IZENZAKALO EZISENGAPHAMBILI
8. (a) Isiphi isenzakalo esibalulekile esabikezelwa kweyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:3 esisazofika? (b) Enziwa kanjani amalungiselelo alokhu eminyakeni eminingi edlule? (c) Eminyakeni yamuva, ikuphi ukucindezela okuye kwaba khona kokuqinisekisa ukuthula kwezwe?
8 Ekhomba kwesinye sazo, umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Nxa bethi: Ngukuthula nokuhlala kahle, khona ukubhujiswa kuyabazuma njengemihelo ifikela okhulelweyo, abasoze baphunyuka.” (1 Thesalonika 5:3) Ukuthi lesosimemezelo siyoba ngayiphi indlela kusazobonakala. Kodwa kungokuphawulekayo ukuthi amalungiselelo aqalwa ngokushesha nje ngemva kokuba izwe lingenele ‘izinsuku zokugcina.’ Ngo-1919 injongo yeNhlangano Yezizwe kwamenyezelwa ukuthi eyokufinyelela “ukuthula nokuhlala kahle.” Ngemva kweMpi Yezwe II, iNcazelo-Mgomo yeZizwe Ezihlangene yaphinde yabeka “ukuthula nokuhlala kahle” njengomgomo oyinhloko waleyonhlangano yomhlaba wonke. Ayikawufinyeleli lowomgomo. Nokho, eminyakeni yamuva abantu bazo zonke izindlela zokuphila baye bahlanganyela emibhikishweni emikhulu yomphakathi emazweni amaningi, benxusa abaholi bezwe ukuba bayeke konke ukukhiqiza, ukuhlola nokusebenzisa izikhali zenyukliya. Bafuna isiqiniseko sokuthula kwezwe futhi besaba lokho abakholelwa ukuthi kungaba okuphambene nalokho.
9. Kungani labo abalungiselela lokho kumenyezelwa ‘kokuthula nokuhlala kahle’ okwabikezelwa beyofikelwa ukubhujiswa okuzumayo?
9 Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kungenxa yalokhu noma ngesinye isisusa, abaholi babantu ngokushesha bayokwenza isimemezelo esizwakalayo sokuthi “Ukuthula nokuhlala kahle!” Kuyoba nje ukuveza amazinyo. Kodwa labo abakwenzayo bayomemezela ukuthi baye bawufinyelela umgomo wabo ngezindlela zabo, ngaphandle kwesidingo soMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Kulokho kwenqatshwa kobukhosi bukaJehova, ‘ukubhujiswa okuzumayo kuyobafikela.’
10. Kukanjani isimo sokubhujiswa kweBabiloni Elikhulu sesibonakala kakade?
10 Lezi zenzakalo ziyokwenzeka ngokushesha. IBabiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, liyochithwa izithandwa zalo zangaphambili zezombangazwe. Kakade ababusi sebeqaphela kahle ukuthi inkolo ingamandla ashukumisayo aye akhuthaza inzondo, ukuchitheka kwegazi nempi embulungeni yonke. Abaholi bezombangazwe sebekhathele ukucindezela kwabefundisi. Engxenyeni enkulu yezwe, inani lababa khona ezindaweni zokukhonza selinciphe kakhulu. Umbono wokungakholwa kuNkulunkulu, ofihlekile noma osobala, ugcwele kwabaningi. Futhi, amazwe amaningi angamalungu eZizwe Ezihlangene anezinkambiso ezinamandla ezimelene nenkolo. Lapho isikhathi sikaJehova esimisiwe sokukhipha isahlulelo sifika, uyovumela ababusi bezombangazwe, ngesinyathelo esisheshayo somhlaba wonke, ukuba baphendukele iBabiloni Elikhulu balibhubhise ngokuphelele.—IsAmbulo 17:15, 16; 19:1, 2.
11. (a) Izizwe ziyobe seziphendukela obani? (b) Lokho kuyoholela kuziphi ezinye izenzakalo?
11 Zidakwe yilokho kunqoba futhi zinxenxwa umbusi wazo ongabonakali, uSathane uDeveli, izizwe ziyobe sezihlasela oFakazi BakaJehova abathembekile emhlabeni. (Hezekeli 38:14-16) Iqiniso lokuthi laba bangabantu abanokuthula, abahambisana nomthetho nabangangeneli kwezombangazwe noma babe necala lempi ngeke licatshangelwe. Izizwe ziyofuna ukusekelwa okuphelele, ukukhulekelwa kwesimiso sezombangazwe. Kodwa uma sezithatha isinyathelo sokuchoboza inhlangano kaJehova ebonakalayo, uNkulunkulu uyothatha isinyathelo esingujuqu ngenxa yezinceku zakhe ezithembekile, azisindise. Amabutho asezulwini ayobhubhisa ngokuphelele noma imuphi umnonjana wenhlangano kaSathane ebonakalayo, abhubhise bonke abanamathela kuyo. Khona-ke, isitha esikhulu, uSathane uDeveli ngokwakhe, uyobanjwa avalelwe iminyaka eyinkulungwane, okuyothi phakathi nayo yonke imiphumela yethonya lakhe elibi isuswe ngokuphelele futhi umhlaba uguqulwe ube yiPharadesi. Ngemva kwalokho, uSathane uyokhululwa isikhashana nje ukuba avivinye isintu esibuyiselwe. Bonke abantu abakhetha ukumlandela bayobhujiswa kanye noSathane namademoni akhe.—IsAmbulo 19:19-21; 20:1-3, 7-10.
UKUNGENISWA ‘EMHLABENI OMUSHA’ OMUHLE
12. (a) “Isixuku esikhulu” siyodumisa bani ngokukhululwa kwaso? (b) Ubani oyohlanganyela naso ekudumiseni uNkulunkulu?
12 Kanye nezenzakalo ezesabekayo zokuphela kwezwe lamanje eziyobe sezidlulile nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane phambi kwabo, abayosinda emhlabeni bayogcwala ukubonga okujulile njengoba bephakamisa amazwi abo bebonga uNkulunkulu. Ngomuzwa osuka enhliziyweni “isixuku esikhulu” siyomemeza ngezwi elikhulu sithi: “Insindiso ngekaNkulunkulu wethu [uJehova] ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi neyeWundlu [uJesu Kristu].” Futhi yonke inhlangano kaNkulunkulu yasezulwini ethembekile, ishukunyiswa ukwazisa ngokubaluleka okukhulu kwalezizenzakalo, iyohlanganyela naso ekukhulekeleni, ithi: “Amen, isibusiso, nenkazimulo, nokuhlakanipha, nokubongwa, nodumo, namandla, nokunqoba makube-kuNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube-phakade naphakade. Amen.”—IsAmbulo 7:10-12.
13. IBhayibheli liwachaza kanjani amalungiselelo enziwayo okondla nokuphulukisa isintu?
13 Sonke isintu ekugcineni siyokwakha umphakathi wesintu onobunye odumisa uNkulunkulu weqiniso, “umhlaba omusha” ngaphansi ‘kwezulu elisha’ okuyoba ukubonakaliswa kobukhosi bukaJehova bothando. Isebenzisa umfanekiso ojabulisayo, incwadi yokugcina yeBhayibheli ibonisa izinzuzo ezimangalisayo eziyogelezela phezu kwesintu ngalesosikhathi ngokuthi “umfula wamanzi okuphila ucwebezela njengekristalu, uvela esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu neseWundlu” wehla phakathi nomgwaqo omkhulu weJerusalema Elisha lasezulwini. Emaceleni alomfula kukhona “umuthi wokuphila” othela izithelo zokondla labo abazidlayo namaqabunga okuphulukisa izizwe. Okumelelwe lapha yiwo wonke amalungiselelo enziwa uNkulunkulu okuphulukisa nokondla isintu esikholwayo, esilalelayo futhi enze ukuba sijabulele ukuphila okuphakade ngoJesu Kristu.—IsAmbulo 21:1, 2; 22:1, 2.
14. Kungaziphi izindlela izimo ‘emhlabeni omusha’ eziyohluka ngazo kulezi ezisezweni namuhla?
14 Izimo eziyogcwala emhlabeni ngalesosikhathi ziyoba ngezihluke ngokuqabulayo kunoma yini eye yavezwa yilelizwe elidala. Ngokusebenzisa izinzuzo zomhlatshelo kaKristu nangokufundiswa ngentando kaNkulunkulu, abalalelayo, kuhlanganise nalabo abayovuswa kwabafileyo, bayokhululeka kunoma imuphi umnonjana wesono futhi basizwe ukuba bathuthuke ngokomzimba, ngokwengqondo, ngokomzwelo nangokomoya kuze kube yilapho befinyelela ukuphelela. Esikhundleni sokuveza ‘imisebenzi yenyama’ ehlukanisayo, wonke umuntu uyofunda ukukhiqiza ngobuningi izithelo zokwesaba uNkulunkulu ezinjengothando, injabulo, ukuthula, ukubekezela, ububele, ukulunga, ukholo, ubumnene, nokuzithiba. (Galathiya 5:19-23) Lapho kuchuma umoya onjalo, okukhiqizwa umhlaba kuyosetshenziselwa ukwanelisa izidingo zaso sonke isintu. Ukuphila kuyosho okwengeziwe kunanoma yinini ngaphambili njengoba isintu siyobe sisebenza ndawonye ekugcwaliseni injongo yokuqala yoMdali ngalomhlaba nabakhileyo kuwo.
15. (a) Isiphi isimemo esikhangayo esidluliselwa esintwini kakade? (b) Ngakho-ke, yini ngabanye okumelwe ngabe siyayenza?
15 Ngokulindela lokhu ngokujabula, umoya kaNkulunkulu nomlobokazi kaKristu manje badlulisela isimemo esinamandla kubantu yonke indawo, bathi: “Woza! Nozwayo makathi: Woza! Nowomileyo makeze; othandayo makathabathe amanzi okuphila ngesihle.” (IsAmbulo 22:17) Ngakho-ke, manje akusesona isikhathi sokulinda nje kuze kube yilapho ukusondela kwesikhathi osukwini lukaJehova olukhulu kufinyelela ekupheleni ngosizi olukhulu. Ngemva kokwamukela isimemo esikhazimulayo ‘sokuthatha amanzi okuphila ngesihle,’ manje unelungelo lokudlulisela lesosimemo kwabanye. Isikhathi somsebenzi wentshiseko kubo bonke abasifiso sabo siwukuba ngabasindela ‘emhlabeni omusha’ kaNkulunkulu.