Luyini Usuku LukaJehova?
USUKU lukaJehova luyinkathi ekhethekile, hhayi amahora angu-24, lapho uJehova ezibonakalisa ngokunamandla ngokumelene nezitha zakhe nangenxa yabantu bakhe. Lapho isahlulelo saphezulu sikhishwa kwababi, uJehova unqoba abaphikisi bakhe phakathi ‘nalolusuku.’ Luyisikhathi futhi sensindiso nokukhululwa kwabalungile, usuku lapho uJehova ngokwakhe ephakanyiswa njengoPhakeme. Ngakho, ngendlela ekabili luwusuku lukaJehova olukhulu ngokuyingqayizivele nangokukhethekile.
EmiBhalweni lolusuku luchazwa ngokucacile njengesikhathi sempi, usuku olukhulu nolwesabekayo lobumnyama nentukuthelo evuthayo, usuku lolaka, ukucindezeleka, usizi, incithakalo, nokwesaba. UNkulunkulu wabuza ama-Israyeli anhlanhlathayo ngomlomo womprofethi wakhe u-Amose: “Luyakunisizani usuku lukaJehova?” Ngalokhu: “Lungubumnyama, alusikho ukukhanya. Kunjengalokhu umuntu ebalekela ingonyama, kuhlangane naye ibhere, noma engena endlini encike ngesandla odongeni, alunywe yinyoka.”—Amose 5:18-20.
“Lolosuku lungusuku lolaka, usuku lokuhlupheka nolosizi, usuku lwencithakalo nolokuyize, usuku lobumnyama nolwesigayegaye, usuku lwamafu nolobumnyama obukhulu.” (Zefaniya 1:15) Phakathi nesikhathi esinjalo senkathazo, imali yomuntu iyize ngokuphelele. “Bayakuphonsa isiliva labo ezitaladini . . . Isiliva labo negolide labo kungabi-namandla okubophula ngosuku lwentukuthelo kaJehova.”—Hezekeli 7:19.
Kubonakala sengathi amazwi athi “usuku lukaJehova,” okungenani ngandlela-thile, ayebhekisela ezikhathini ezihlukahlukene zesahlulelo esibhubhisayo sasendulo esakhishwa oPhezukonke. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Isaya wabona umbono walokho okwakuzokwehlela uJuda neJerusalema elingathembeki ‘ngosuku lukaJehova-Sebawoti,’ olwaluyofikela ‘bonke abazidlayo nabazikhukhumezayo’ phakathi kwabo.—Isaya 2:11-17.
Nokho, imiBhalo ikhomba phambili kolunye “usuku lukaJehova.” Ngemva kokubuyiselwa kwamaJuda eJerusalema ngemva kokudingiselwa eBabiloni, uJehova wenza ukuba umprofethi wakhe uZakariya abikezele “usuku lukaJehova” lapho ayeyobutha hhayi isizwe esisodwa kuphela kodwa ‘zonke izizwe ngokumelene neJerusalema,’ usuku okuyothi emvuthwandaba walo ‘uJehova aphume, alwe nalezozizwe,’ azibhubhise. (Zakariya 14:1-3) Ngaphansi kokuphefumulelwa, umphostoli uPawulu wahlobanisa “usuku lukaJehova” oluzayo nokuba khona kukaKristu. (2 Thesalonika 2:1, 2) Futhi uPetru wakhuluma ngalo ngokuqondene nokumiswa ‘kwamazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha okuyohlala kukho ukulunga.’—2 Petru 3:10-13.
Wonke umuntu kufanele akhathazeke ngokulondeka nokuphepha phakathi nosuku olukhulu lukaJehova. Ngemva kokubuza ukuthi, “Ngubani ongaluthwala na?” uJoweli uthi, “UJehova uyisiphephelo sabantu bakhe.” (Joweli 2:11; 3:16) Isimemo sidluliselwa ngomusa kubo bonke, kodwa bambalwa abazenza batholakalele lelilungiselelo lesiphephelo ngokulandela iseluleko sikaZefaniya: “Funani uJehova nina nonke-bathobekileyo bomhlaba enisebenzile ukwahlulela kwakhe; funani ukulunga; funani ukuthobeka; mhlawumbe niyakusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova.”—Zefaniya 2:2, 3.