“Isimo Saleli Zwe Siyashintsha”

“Ngiyakusho lokhu, bazalwane, ukuthi isikhathi esesisele sinciphile.”—1 KORINTE 7:29.

 1, 2. Iluphi ushintsho olubonile esikhathini sokuphila kwakho?

IZIPHI izinguquko ozibonile esikhathini sokuphila kwakho? Ingabe ungazibala ezinye zazo? Ngokwesibonelo, kwenziwe intuthuko kwezokwelapha. Ngenxa yocwaningo olwenziwe kulowo mkhakha, kwamanye amazwe ekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20 abantu bebengafiki eminyakeni engu-50 yobudala, kodwa namuhla sebephila beve kwengu-70! Cabanga futhi ngendlela esizuze ngayo ekusetshenzisweni okuhle komsakazo, ithelevishini, omakhal’ ekhukhwini, nemishini ye-fax. Okungafanele sikukhohlwe inqubekela phambili eyenziwe kwezemfundo, ezintweni zokuhamba nasemalungelweni abantu, konke okuye kwathuthukisa ukuphila kwezigidi zabantu.

² Yiqiniso, akulona lonke ushintsho olube luhle. Asikwazi ukushalazela imiphumela emibi yobugebengu obudlangayo, ukuwohloka kwezimilo, ukusetshenziswa kabi kwezidakamizwa okubhebhethekayo, amanani ezehlukaniso anda ngokushesha, ukwehla kwamandla emali okunganqandeki nosongo olukhulayo lobuphekula. Noma ngabe ikuphi, cishe uzovumelana nalokho umphostoli uPawulu akubhala kudala: “Isimo saleli zwe siyashintsha.”—1 Korinte 7:31.

 3. UPawulu wayesho ukuthini lapho ebhala ukuthi “isimo saleli zwe siyashintsha”?

³ Lapho uPawulu esho lawo mazwi, wayeqhathanisa izwe neshashalazi lemidlalo. Abadlali kulelo shashalazi—osaziwayo kwezombusazwe, kwezenkolo nakwezobuciko—bayangena, badlale indima yabo, badedele abanye. Sekungamakhulu eminyaka lokhu kwenzeka. Ezikhathini ezidlule, kwakuphela amashumi, ngisho namakhulu eminyaka kubusa amakhosi ohlanga, futhi ushintsho lwaluthatha isikhathi eside. Akunjalo namuhla, lapho umlando ungashintsha ngalowo mzuzwana inhlamvu yesibhamu ibulala umholi ovelele! Yebo, kulezi zikhathi ezineziyaluyalu, asazi ukuthi ikusasa liza nani.

 4. (a) Imuphi umbono olinganiselayo amaKristu okufanele abe nawo ngokuqondene nezenzakalo zezwe? (b) Imiphi imikhakha emibili yobufakazi ekholisayo esizoyicabangela manje?

⁴ Uma izwe liyishashalazi futhi abaholi balo bengabadlali, khona-ke amaKristu ayizibukelia. Nokho, njengoba ‘engeyona ingxenye yezwe,’ awazikhathazi ngokweqile ngendlela abadlali abadlala ngayo noma ngisho nangokuthi bangabantu abanjani. (Johane 17:16) Kunalokho, okuyikona akubheke ngabomvu yizinkomba zokuthi umdlalo usufinyelela umvuthwandaba—isiphetho esiyinhlekelele—ngoba ayazi ukuthi lesi simiso kumelwe siphele andukuba uJehova alethe izwe elisha lokulunga osekukade lilindelwe.b Ngakho masihlole imikhakha emibili yobufakazi ebonisa ukuthi siphila esikhathini sokuphela nokuthi izwe elisha seliseduze. Leyo mikhakha yile: (1) Ukubala kweBhayibheli izikhathi (2) nezimo zezwe eziwohlakayo.—Mathewu 24:21; 2 Petru 3:13.

Impicabadala Iyaxazululwa Ekugcineni!

 5. Ziyini “izikhathi ezimisiwe zezizwe,” futhi kungani zisithakazelisa?

⁵ Uma kubalwa izikhathi kusuke kuvezwa ukuhlobana kwesikhathi nezenzakalo. UJesu wakhuluma ngesikhathi lapho abaholi bezwe beyoba abadlali abavelele eshashalazini bengaphazanyiswa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Leyo nkathi uJesu wayibiza ngokuthi “izikhathi ezimisiwe zezizwe.” (Luka 21:24) Ekupheleni kwalezo ‘zikhathi ezimisiwe,’ uMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini wawuzoqala ukubusa, uJesu enguMbusi wawo ofanele. Ekuqaleni, uJesu wayezobusa “phakathi kwezitha [zakhe].” (IHubo 110:2) Ngemva kwalokho, ngokukaDaniyeli 2:44, lo Mbuso ‘wawuzochoboza uqede’ bonke ohulumeni babantu, ume phakade.

 6. Singathola kanjani ukuthi “izikhathi ezimisiwe” zaqala nini, zinde kanganani nokuthi zaphela nini?

⁶ Zaziyophela nini “izikhathi ezimisiwe zezizwe” bese kuqala ukubusa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu? Impendulo, ‘eyayivaliwe kwaze kwaba sesikhathini sokuphela,’ ihilela ukubala kweBhayibheli izikhathi. (Daniyeli 12:9) Njengoba leso ‘sikhathi’ sasisondela, uJehova wathatha izinyathelo zokwambula impendulo eqenjini labafundi beBhayibheli abathobekile. Ngosizo lomoya kaNkulunkulu, baqonda ukuthi “izikhathi ezimisiwe zezizwe” zaqala lapho kubhujiswa iJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E. nokuthi lezo ‘zikhathi’ zaziyiminyaka engu-2 520. Kulokhu, bathola ukuthi ngo-1914 kwakuphela “izikhathi ezimisiwe zezizwe.” Baqaphela nokuthi ngo-1914 kwakuqala ukuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto. Njengomfundi weBhayibheli, ingabe ungakwazi ukuchaza ngemiBhalo ukuthi simthola kanjani u-1914?c

 7. Imiphi imiBhalo esisiza sazi ukuthi “izikhathi eziyisikhombisa” ezishiwo encwadini kaDaniyeli zaqala nini, zinde kangakanani nokuthi zaphela nini?

⁷ Enye inkomba ithukuswe encwadini kaDaniyeli. Njengoba uJehova asebenzisa iNkosi uNebukhadinezari yaseBhabhiloni ukuba ibhubhise iJerusalema ekuqaleni ‘kwezikhathi ezimisiwe,’ ngo-607 B.C.E., uJehova wambula ngalowo mbusi ukuthi izizwe zaziyobusa izikhathi eziyisikhombisa ezingokomfanekiso zingaphazanyiswa uNkulunkulu. (Hezekeli 21:26, 27; Daniyeli 4:16, 23-25) Zinde kangakanani lezo zikhathi eziyisikhombisa? NgokwesAmbulo 11:2, 3 no-12:6, 14, izikhathi ezintathu nengxenye ziyizinsuku ezingu-1 260. Ngakho, izikhathi eziyisikhombisa kumelwe zibe ukuphindwa kabili kwalokho, noma izinsuku ezingu-2 520. Ingabe kuphelela lapho? Cha, ngoba uJehova wanikeza umprofethi uHezekeli, owayephila sikhathi sinye noDaniyeli, isimiso sokuchaza lokhu kufanekisa: “Usuku lumelele unyaka, usuku lumelele unyaka, yiko engikunike kona.” (Hezekeli 4:6) Ngakho, eqinisweni izikhathi eziyisikhombisa zaziyoba iminyaka engu-2 520. Uma sibala iminyaka engu-2 520 sisuka ku-607 B.C.E. singaphetha ngokuthi izikhathi ezimisiwe zaziyophela ngo-1914.

‘Isikhathi Sokuphela’ Siqinisekisiwe

 8. Ibuphi ubufakazi ongabusho bokuthi izimo zezwe zibe zimbi kakhulu kusukela ngo-1914?

⁸ Izenzakalo zezwe ezenzeka kusukela ngo-1914 kuqhubeke ziqinisekisa ukuthi inembile le ndlela eshiwo ngenhla yokuqonda izinto, esekelwe ekubaleni kweBhayibheli izikhathi. UJesu ngokwakhe wathi ‘isiphelo sesimiso sezinto’ sasizobonakala ngezimpi, indlala nezifo. (Mathewu 24:3-8; IsAmbulo 6:2-8) Kubé njalo ngempela kusukela ngo-1914. Umphostoli uPawulu wanezela eminye imininingwane, ethi kwakuyoba khona ushintsho oluphawulekayo endleleni abantu abaphathana ngayo. Incazelo yakhe yezinguquko sonke esizibonile yayinembile.—2 Thimothewu 3:1-5.

 9. Izingqapheli zithini ngezimo zezwe kusukela ngo-1914?

⁹ Ingabe ngempela “isimo saleli zwe” sishintshe kangako kusukela ngo-1914? Encwadini ethi The Generation of 1914, uProfesa Robert Wohl uthi: “Labo abaphila ngesikhathi sempi abakwazanga ukuyeka ukukholelwa ukuthi ngo-August 1914 kwaphela elinye izwe kwaqala elinye.” Eqinisekisa lokhu, uDkt. Jorge A. Costa e Silva, wabhala lokhu njengomqondisi wophiko lwezengqondo lwe-World Health Organization: “Siphila esikhathini soshintsho olwenzeka ngejubane elikhulu kakhulu, okugcina kubangele ixhala nokucindezeleka ngamazinga angakaze abonwe emlandweni wesintu.” Ingabe nawe uthole kunjalo?

10. IBhayibheli lisikhanyisela kanjani mayelana nembangela yezimo zezwe eziya ziba zimbi kakhulu kusukela ngo-1914?

¹⁰ Ubani obangela lezi zimo zezwe eziya ziba zimbi kakhulu? IsAmbulo 12:7-9 siyamveza: “Kwagqashuka impi ezulwini: UMikayeli [uJesu Kristu] nezingelosi zakhe balwa nodrako [uSathane uDeveli], nodrako nezingelosi zakhe balwa kodwa akazange anqobe, nendawo yabo ayibange isatholakala ezulwini. Ngakho waphonswa phansi udrako omkhulu, . . . odukisa umhlaba wonke owakhiwe.” Ngakho uSathane uDeveli nguye umbangeli walezi zinkathazo, futhi umphumela wokuxoshwa kwakhe ezulwini ngo-1914 waba ‘umayé ngomhlaba nangolwandle, ngoba uDeveli wehlele kini, ethukuthele kakhulu, azi ukuthi unesikhathi esifushane.’—IsAmbulo 12:10, 12.

Okuzokwenzeka Esigcawini Sokugcina

11. (a) Iziphi izindlela uSathane azisebenzisayo ukuze adukise “umhlaba wonke owakhiwe”? (b) Imuphi umzamo kaSathane okhethekile umphostoli uPawulu akhuluma ngawo?

¹¹ Njengoba eqaphela ukuthi isiphelo sakhe siyasondela, kusukela ngo-1914 uSathane ubeqinisa imizamo yakhe yokudukisa “umhlaba wonke owakhiwe.” Njengengcweti yokukhohlisa, uSathane ucasha ngemuva, abeke eshashalazini abaholi bezwe nabasunguli bezinto ezintsha kube yibo abadlali. (2 Thimothewu 3:13; 1 Johane 5:19) Omunye wemigomo yakhe ukwenza isintu sicabange ukuthi indlela yakhe yokubusa ingasilethela ukuthula kweqiniso. Amanga akhe aye aphumelela ngezinga elikhulu, ngoba abantu balokhu benethemba naphezu kobufakazi obunqwabelanayo bokuthi izimo ziya ziba zimbi kakhulu. Umphostoli uPawulu wabikezela ukuthi ngaphambi nje kokuba lesi simiso sezinto sibhujiswe, kuzozwakala inkulumo-ze kaSathane ephawulekayo. Wabhala: “Noma nini lapho bethi: ‘Ukuthula nokulondeka!’ khona-ke imbubhiso engazelelwe iyobafikela ngaso leso sikhathi njengomhelo wokucindezeleka ufikela owesifazane okhulelweyo.”—1 Thesalonika 5:3; IsAmbulo 16:13, 14.

12. Imiphi imizamo eqhubekayo ebiyenziwa yokuletha ukuthula esikhathini sethu?

¹² Eminyakeni yamuva, osombusazwe baye bavama ukusebenzisa amazwi athi “ukuthula nokulondeka” lapho bechaza izinhlelo zabantu ezihlukahlukene. Baze babiza unyaka ka-1986 ngokuthi uNyaka Wokuthula Wezizwe Zonke, nakuba lowo nyaka ungabanga ilokho okwakushiwo. Ingabe imizamo enjalo yabaholi bezwe isiwukugcwaliseka okuphelele kweyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:3, noma ingabe uPawulu wayebhekisela esenzakalweni esikhethekile esasizoba sikhulu sithathe umhlaba wonke?

13. Lapho uPawulu ebikezela isimemezelo esithi “Ukuthula nokulondeka!,” wakufanisa nani ukubhujiswa okwakuzolandela, futhi yini esingayifunda kukho?

¹³ Njengoba ngokuvamile iziprofetho zeBhayibheli zize ziqondakale ngokugcwele ngemva kokuba sezigcwalisekile noma lapho sezigcwaliseka, kuzodingeka silinde sibone. Nokho, kuyaphawuleka ukuthi uPawulu wafanisa ukubhujiswa okuzumayo okulandela isimemezelo esithi “Ukuthula nokulondeka!” nemihelo yowesifazane okhulelwe. Phakathi nezinyanga ezingu-9, umama okhulelwe uya ngokuya eyiqaphela ingane ekhula ngaphakathi kuye. Angase akwazi ukuzwa ukushaya kwenhliziyo yomntwana wakhe noma ezwe ukunyakaza kwakhe esibelethweni. Umntwana angase amkhahlele nokumkhahlela. Ngokuvamile izimpawu ziya ngokuya zicaca, kuze kuthi ngolunye usuku ezwe ubuhlungu obuhlabayo, umhelo, obubonisa ukuthi sesifikile leso sikhathi osekukade silindelwe—ukuzalwa komntwana. Ngakho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sigcwaliseka kanjani isimemezelo esithi “Ukuthula nokulondeka!,” siyolandelwa isenzakalo esizumayo, esibuhlungu, kodwa ekugcineni esijabulisayo—ukususwa kobubi nokuqala kwesimiso sezwe elisha.

14. Ziyolandelana ngayiphi indlela izenzakalo zesikhathi esizayo, umphumela ube yini?

¹⁴ Imbubhiso ezayo iyobe yesabeka kumaKristu athembekile ayobe emi eceleni ebukele. Okokuqala, amakhosi omhlaba (ingxenye yezombusazwe yenhlangano kaSathane) ayophendukela abasekeli beBhabhiloni Elikhulu (ingxenye yenkolo) ababhubhise. (IsAmbulo 17:1, 15-18) Ngaleyo ndlela, kuyokwenzeka ingwijikhwebu eshaqisayo lapho umbuso kaSathane uhlukana phakathi, izingxenye zawo zihlaselana, futhi uSathane engenamandla okukuvimbela. (Mathewu 12:25, 26) UJehova uyokufaka ezinhliziyweni zamakhosi omhlaba ukuba ‘afeze umqondo wakhe,’ okungukuthi, ukususa emhlabeni izitha zakhe zenkolo. Ngemva kokubhujiswa kwenkolo yamanga, uJesu Kristu uyohola amabutho akhe asezulwini acoboshise okusele kwenhlangano kaSathane, izingxenye zayo zezentengiselwano nezombusazwe. Ekugcineni, uSathane ngokwakhe uyovalelwa. Ngaleso senzakalo, ikhethini liyovaleka, uphele lo mdlalo osunesikhathi eside uqhubeka.—IsAmbulo 16:14-16; 19:11-21; 20:1-3.

15, 16. Kufanele sikuthinte kanjani ukuphila kwethu isikhumbuzo sokuthi “isikhathi esesisele sinciphile”?

¹⁵ Ziyokwenzeka nini zonke lezi zinto? Asilwazi usuku noma ihora. (Mathewu 24:36) Nokho siyazi ukuthi “isikhathi esesisele sinciphile.” (1 Korinte 7:29) Ngakho, kubalulekile ukuba sisisebenzise ngokuhlakanipha isikhathi esisele. Kanjani? Njengoba umphostoli uPawulu echaza, kumelwe ‘sithengisise ithuba’ lokwenza izinto ezibaluleke kakhulu esikhundleni sezinto ezingabalulekile futhi senze usuku ngalunye lubaluleke. Ngani? “Ngoba izinsuku zimbi.” Futhi uma ‘siqonda ukuthi iyini intando kaJehova’ ngathi, ngeke sisisaphaze lesi sikhathi esincane esiyigugu esisele.—Efesu 5:15-17; 1 Petru 4:1-4.

¹⁶ Njengoba sazi ukuthi sonke lesi simiso sezwe silindelwe imbubhiso, kufanele sithinteke kanjani ngabanye? Ukuze sizuze, umphostoli uPetru wabhala: “Njengoba zonke lezi zinto ziyoncibilika kanjalo, yeka ukuthi luhlobo luni lwabantu okufanele nibe yilo ezenzweni zokuziphatha ezingcwele nasezenzweni zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu!” (2 Petru 3:11) Impela, yeka uhlobo lwabantu okumelwe sibe yilo! Ngokuvumelana neseluleko sikaPetru esihlakaniphile, kudingeka (1) siqaphelisise ukuziphatha kwethu ukuze siqiniseke ukuthi kungcwele, (2) siqiniseke ukuthi ngaso sonke isikhathi izenzo zethu zentshiseko enkonzweni kaJehova zibonisa uthando lwethu olujulile ngaye.

17. Iziphi izingibe zikaSathane amaKristu athembekile okumelwe ahlale eziqaphele?

¹⁷ Uthando ngoNkulunkulu luyosivimba singalithandi leli zwe ngenxa yezinto zalo ezihehayo. Ngenxa yalokho okulindele lesi simiso sezinto samanje, kuyingozi ukuba sikhangwe ubukhazikhazi bendlela yaso yokuphila yokuthanda injabulo. Nakuba siphila futhi sisebenza kuleli zwe, kufanele silalele iseluleko esihlakaniphile sokuba singalisebenzisi ngokugcwele. (1 Korinte 7:31) Eqinisweni, kufanele senze konke okusemandleni ukuba siziqaphe singadukiswa inkulumo-ze yezwe. Leli zwe ngeke liphumelele ukuxazulula izinkinga zalo. Ngeke lizigcine likhona kuze kube phakade. Kungani singaqiniseka kangaka? Kungoba iZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelwe lisho kanjalo: “Izwe liyadlula, kanjalo nesifiso salo, kodwa lowo owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade.”—1 Johane 2:17.

Okungcono Kuseza!

18, 19. Iluphi ushintsho omagange ukulubona ezweni elisha, futhi kungani uyobe ungalulindelanga ngeze?

¹⁸ Ngokushesha uJehova uzolivala ikhethini asuke uSathane nabasekeli bakhe. Ngemva kwalokho, bebusiswa uNkulunkulu, abathembekile abasinde ekupheleni kwalesi simiso sezinto bayoqala ukwenza ushintsho ‘esimweni’ seshashalazi—ushintsho oluyohlala phakade. Impi ngeke isawonakalisa umhlaba; uNkulunkulu ‘uyoqeda izimpi kuze kube semkhawulweni womhlaba.’ (IHubo 46:9) Esikhundleni sokuntuleka kokudla, “kuyoba khona inala yokusanhlamvu emhlabeni; [kube] khona ukuchichima.” (IHubo 72:16) Ayobe engasekho amajele, iziteshi zamaphoyisa, izifo ezithathelwana ngocansi, obhongoza babashushumbisi bezidakamizwa, izinkantolo zokuhlukanisa imishado, abantu abathi amabhizinisi abo awile nobuphekula.—IHubo 37:29; Isaya 33:24; IsAmbulo 21:3-5.

¹⁹ Amathuna ayothululwa, kuvele abadlali abengeziwe—izinkulungwane zezigidi zabavusiwe. Yeka injabulo eyoba khona njengoba isizukulwane sihlangana nesinye nalapho izihlobo osekukade zahlukana zangana ngenjabulo. Ekugcineni, wonke umuntu ophilayo uyokhulekela uJehova. (IsAmbulo 5:13) Lapho selwenziwe lonke ushintsho, ikhethini liyovuleka kuvele umhlaba oyipharadesi. Uyozizwa kanjani lapho ubuka umhlaba? Akungabazeki ukuthi uyothi, ‘Ngikulindele isikhathi eside lokhu, kodwa angilindanga ngeze!’

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ungaphendula Uthini?

• Abé kanjani yiqiniso esikhathini sethu amazwi omphostoli uPawulu athi “isimo saleli zwe siyashintsha”?

• Ukubala kweBhayibheli izikhathi kukuveza kanjani ngokunembile ukuphela ‘kwezikhathi ezimisiwe zezizwe’?

• Izimo zezwe ezishintshayo ziqinisekisa kanjani ukuthi ngo-1914 kwaqala ‘isikhathi sokuphela’?

• Kufanele kusithinte kanjani ukuthi “isikhathi esesisele sinciphile”?

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

Ekugcineni—impicabadala iyaxazululwa!