Lokho Izikhathi Nezinkathi ZikaJehova Ezikushoyo Ngosuku Lwethu
“Yilowo nalowomuthi ongatheli izithelo ezinhle uyanqunywa, uphonswe emlilweni.”—MATHEWU 7:19.
1. Yini esingayifunda kulokho uJehova akwenza kwabanye ababusi esikhathini esidlule?
UMLANDO ufakazela iqiniso lokuthi uJehova angaziguqula ‘izikhathi nezinkathi; asuse amakhosi, abeke amakhosi.’ (Daniyeli 2:21) Emakhulwini eminyaka edlule, ngesikhathi esifanelana nenjongo yakhe, wasusa uFaro, uNebukadinesari, uBelishasari, uHerode othiwa uAgrippa I, nabanye. Abanye bangase bathi, ‘Nokho, zonke lezozenzakalo zazingezomlando wasendulo. Zisisiza ngani thina?’ Zisisiza kakhulu ngoba ziqukethe izifundo ezinamandla. Kulezozenzakalo sifunda ukuthi lapho isikhathi sikaJehova sesifikile, uletha isiphelo ekubuseni kwababusi bezwe. Futhi ngokuzikhethela kwakhe, ubeka umbusi amkhethayo embusweni.
2. Usuku lwethu luza nasiphi isikhathi sikaJehova?
2 Osukwini lwethu, sesiphinde safika isikhathi sikaJehova ‘sokususa amakhosi, abeke amakhosi.’ Njengoba manje ‘esebeke’ iNkosi ayikhethayo, ngokushesha uNkulunkulu uzosusa bonke ababusi balelizwe, kanye naso sonke isimiso sezinto abasibusayo. Ngani? Ngoba, njengoBelishasari waseBabiloni lasendulo, ‘balinganisiwe ezilinganisweni futhi bafunyanwa belula.’ Namuhla isimo sifana nsé nesangesikhathi inceku kaNkulunkulu uDaniyeli itshela uBelishasari: “UNkulunkulu ubalile umbuso wakho, uwuqedile.” (Daniyeli 5:26, 27) Ngakho-ke, esikhathini sethu uJehova ‘uzochoboza amakhosi ngosuku lwentukuthelo yakhe. Ahlulele phakathi kwabezizwe.’—IHubo 110:5, 6.
“Ufunyenwe Ulula”
3, 4. Ngokuqondene nokuthula, ababusi bezwe baye ‘bafunyanwa belula’ kanjani kulelikhulu leminyaka?
3 Ababusi bomhlaba ‘bafunyanwe kanjani belula’ ngokuqondene nezombangazwe? Kumelwe kusolwe bona kakhulu ngalokho okuye kwenzeka emkhayeni wesintu esikhathini sethu, isikhathi esigcwele izinhlekelele ngokungafani nanoma isiphi esinye isikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo, kusukela nje ngo-1914 kuye kwabulawa abantu abangaba yizigidi eziyikhulu ezimpini ezihlukahlukene! Namuhla, izikhali zenuzi zisongela ukusinda kokuphila emhlabeni. Njengamanje, izinkulungwane zezikhali zenuzi, namabutho adubulayo ahlomile, kubheke ezindaweni ezinabantu abaningi.
4 Ngokuqondene nempi yenuzi, umagazini iScience wanikeza lokhu kuhlaziya okuhlasimulisayo: ‘Kunoma iyiphi impi enkulu elwiwa ngezikhali zenuzi nhlangothi zombili, kungabhujiswa ingxenye enkulu yokuphila kwezitshalo nokwezilwane emhlabeni. Ukubhujiswa kwesintu akunakubekelwa eceleni.’ Ilungu likahulumeni eYurophu lathi: “Umonakalo awunakubalwa ngokwesilinganiso samadolobha kodwa ngokwamazwekazi ewonke.” Umongameli wezwe laseLatin America wathi ngokuqondene nezindleko zokuzivikela: “Isintu sihamba ngomkhumbi obuthakathaka ongacwila kalula . . . Uma ucwila, ungacwila nawo wonke umuntu.” Futhi iphephandaba laseJapane labika: “Izwe libonakala likude [nokuthula] kunanoma isiphi isikhathi emlandwini.”
5, 6. Siyini isimo esingokomnotho samazwe amaningi nabantu?
5 Nokho, izizwe ziyaqhubeka zichitha imali eyengeziwe ekwakheni izikhali. Izindleko manje seziye zenyuka zaze zalinganiselwa emarandini ayisigidi sesigidi ngonyaka! Omunye umthombo uphawula ukuthi umhlaba uchitha cishe imali ephindwe izikhathi ezingama-50 ngesosha ngalinye kunokuba wenza enganeni ngayinye esafunda isikole. Cabangela futhi, umbiko weZizwe Ezihlangene obonisa ukuthi okungenani abantu abayizigidi ezingama-450 kuwo wonke umhlaba bayalamba, futhi isibalo sabo siyakhula. Omunye umbiko uthi “yonke iminyaka abantu abayizigidi ezingama-30 kuya kwezingama-40 balamba baze bafe” emazweni angakathuthuki. Uthi futhi, cishe ingxenye yalabo abafayo yizingane ezingaphansi kweminyaka eyisihlanu.
6 Ilungu likahulumeni welinye izwe elikhulu eNingizimu Melika lithi “amaphesenti angama-40 abantu abasebenzayo aphila ebumpofwini boqobo.” Kwelinye izwe lakuleyondawo, ukuswelakala komsebenzi enhlokodolobha yalo kuthinta izisebenzi ezingamaphesenti angama-51. Umbiko uyaphetha: “Izwekazi elinabantu abayizigidi ezingama-260 liye lashona kakhulu ngokwezomnotho eminyakeni engamashumi ayisihlanu.” Khona-ke phawula lezihloko zamaphephandaba ezithathwe emazweni ahlukene: “Izinga Lobumpofu Kuthiwa ‘Liyethusa.’” “Izinga Lobumpofu Liphakeme.” “Ubumpofu, Yinto Ebuhlungu.” Ingabe lemibiko yayivela emazweni angakathuthuki? Cha, yayivela emalungwini kahulumeni eCanada, eUnited States, naseFederal Republic of Germany. Yebo. ngisho nezizwe okuthiwa zicebile zibhajwe ebunzimeni.
7. Ikuphi okuye kwaphawulwa ngokuqondene nobugebengu nobudlova obande kangaka osukwini lwethu?
7 Emazweni amaningi lezinkinga zibonakala ngokwanda kobugebengu, ubudlova, nobuphekula. Ngokwesibonelo, eUnited States iFederal Centers for Disease Control iphawula ukuthi abantu baseMelika abangaphezu kwezi-50 000 bayabulawa noma bayazibulala unyaka ngamunye! Ngakho, umhleli weThe New York Times waphetha: “Izinto azilawuleki.” Omunye umhleli waphawula: “Lesi isikhathi seziphithiphithi ezizweni zonke.” Ngakho, naphezu kwemizamo yamakhulu eminyaka, okuhlangenwe nakho, nentuthuko kwezobuchwepheshe, abaholi bezwe abakwazi ukunika iningi labantu babo izidingo eziyisisekelo.
8. Umlando ufakazelani?
8 Ngokuqinisekile, kokubili umlando wasendulo nowanamuhla, ufakazela ukuthi umuntu ngokwakhe, akanazo izimpendulo. Ubuholi bezombangazwe, bezomnotho, nobezenkolo balelizwe abunakukuletha neze ukuthula, ukulondeka, injabulo, impilo, nokuphila esikufunayo nesikudingayo. Ngakho-ke, lelizwe kumelwe lidlule! Futhi lizodlula ngoba yilokho uJehova akuhlosile ngalo. Kunjengoba iBhayibheli lisho: “Izembe selibekiwe empandeni yemithi; ngakho yonke imithi engatheli isithelo esihle iyanqunywa, iphonswe emlilweni.”—Luka 3:9.
Esinye Isizathu Sesahlulelo
9. Ngokuvamile ababusi bezwe bazibheka kanjani izinjongo zikaJehova?
9 Izithelo ezimbi eziye zathelwa yilelizwe nabaholi balo zingesinye sezizathu ezenza uJehova walifumana lilula ngemva kokulibeka esilinganisweni, futhi ezolibhubhisa. Kodwa kukhona esinye isizathu: Abaholi bezwe baye bamshiya uJehova—uMdali noMbusi weNdawo Yonke—ezintweni abazicabangelayo. Abanaso isithakazelo sangempela ezinjongweni zakhe noma ezikhathini nasezinkathini. Kungakho abaseKorinte bokuQala 2:8, NW ngokufanelekile bethi ngabo: “Lokhu kuhlakanipha [kwaphezulu] akwaziwa nangoyedwa wababusi balesimiso sezinto.” Ngakho, iHubo 146:3 liyaseluleka: “Ningethembi ezikhulwini nasendodaneni yomuntu okungekho kuyo ukusiza.”
10, 11. (a) Kumelwe benzeni labo abathanda ukwazi uJehova? (b) Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zikwazi kanjani lokho abanye abangakwazi?
10 Esikhundleni salokho, izAga 3:5, 6 ziyakhuthaza: “Themba kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, ungenciki kokwakho ukuqonda. Mazise yena ezindleleni zakho zonke, uyakuqondisa imikhondo yakho.” Abantu abenza lokhu ngeke bahlale besekuphumphuthekeni kokungabi nathemba kwalelizwe. UJehova uyobabusisa ngomoya wakhe ukuze bazi izinjongo zakhe nezikhathi nezinkathi zakhe ngabo. Njengoba izEnzo 5:32 zisho, uJehova unikeza umoya wakhe engcwele “labo abamlalelayo.”
11 Ngakho izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zazi lokho ababusi balelizwe abangakwazi. Zazi izinjongo nezinkathi zikaJehova. UPetru wokuQala 1:11 uthi, esikhathini esidlule, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ‘zaphenya ukuthi yisiphi nokuba sinjani isikhathi asikhombayo umoya owawukubo.’ Enomoya kaNkulunkulu okhomba lokhu, lomphostoli uPawulu wayengasho kubakhulekeli beqiniso ayekanye nabo: “Nazi isikhathi.” (Roma 13:11) Njengoba izinceku zikaJehova zosuku lwanamuhla zimlalela njengombusi, umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu nawo uyazembulela ukuthi isikhathi sini noma iyiphi inkathi ngokombono wakhe. UAmose 3:7 uthi: “INkosi uJehova ayenzi-lutho, ingayambulanga imfihlakalo yayo ezincekwini zayo abaprofethi.”
Esinye Isizathu Futhi
12, 13. Isiphi esinye isizathu esinamandla esenza uJehova afumane lelizwe nabaholi balo belula?
12 Lokhu kusiletha kwesinye isizathu futhi esenza uJehova wafumana lelizwe nababusi balo belula futhi ezoliqeda. Khumbula lokho uFaro, uBelishasari, uHerode, nabanye ababusi besikhathi esidlule abakwenza ezincekwini zikaJehova. Baziphikisa, bazishushisa, baze bazibulala ngisho nokuzibulala. UNkulunkulu wababeka icala labo babusi ngalokho.
13 Kungokufanayo nasosukwini lwethu. Ababusi bezwe abahlukahlukene baye baphikisa, bashushisa, baze ngisho babulala izinceku zikaJehova ezinokuthula. Ababusi abanjalo ‘bakhuluma amazwi ngoPhezukonke, bakhathaza abangcwele boPhezukonke.’ (Daniyeli 7:25; 11:36) Kodwa amazwi aphefumlelwe akuIsaya 54:17 athi: “Asikho isikhali esenzelwa wena esiyakuphumelela, . . . lokhu kuyifa lezinceku zikaJehova.” Ngakho-ke, bonke abaphikisi bayokwehliswa, njengoba kwenziwa kwabanye esikhathini esidlule. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uJehova uthembisa ukusinda nokuchuma kwabantu bakhe.
Isikhathi Sokuphela Siseduze
14, 15. (a) Siphila kusiphi isikhathi, futhi iziphi izixwayiso okumelwe siziqaphele? (b) Naphezu kwemizamo yabaholi bezwe, yini esondela ngokushesha?
14 Ngakho, isikhathi sini ngokombono kaNkulunkulu? Sekuyisikhathi sokuphela kwalelizwe. Selishonelwa yilanga. Ubusuku buza kulo ngesivinini. Ubusika sebuseduze kulo. Bonke ubufakazi obugcwalisa isiprofetho seBhayibheli nohlelo lwezikhathi lukaJehova bubonisa ukuthi siphila “ezinsukwini zokugcina,” ‘ekupheleni kwesimiso sezinto.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5; Mathewu 24:3-14) Ngakho sidinga ukusithatha ngokungathi sína isixwayiso sikaJesu: “Khulekani ukuba ukubaleka kwenu kungabi-sebusika.” (Mathewu 24:20) Lapho ubusuku balelizwe, noma ubusika, bufika, kuyobe sekwephuze kakhulu ukufuna umusa kaJehova.
15 Sisondela ngokushesha isikhathi sokuletha lelizwe elidelela uNkulunkulu esiphelweni. Lapho sifika, uJehova uyobagudluza ngenkani bonke ababusi bezwe esikhundleni. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi labo babusi babeqotho kanjani, amacebo abo angenakuphumelela nangenakufezeka ayophela. Yiqiniso, ababusi bangase bazame ukududuza abantu babo ngezivumelwano zezikhali namacebo ahlukahlukene okuthula nokulondeka, ngisho ‘nangeminyaka engcwele’; kodwa ukusondela empini yokugcina kaNkulunkulu eArmagedoni kuqhubeka ngokungenakuvinjelwa.—IsAmbulo 16:13-16.
16. UJehova ukunikeze bani ukubuswa komhlaba?
16 Futhi, khumbula ukuthi uJehova ‘akasusi amakhosi’ nje kuphela kodwa futhi ‘ubeka amakhosi.’ (Daniyeli 2:21) Amabutho asezulwini uJehova ayowasebenzisa ukwehlisa isahlulelo sakhe eArmagedoni ayoholwa umbusi ‘ammisile’ emhlabeni wonke. Lowo iNdodana yakhe ethembekile, uKristu Jesu, manje osemandleni nasenkazimulweni yasezulwini. IsAmbulo 19:16 simbiza ngokuthi “iNkosi yamakhosi noMbusi wababusi.” UDaniyeli 7:14 uthi: “Yanikwa ukubusa, nobukhosi, nombuso, ukuze bonke abantu, nezizwe, nezilimi bayikhonze; ukubusa kwayo kungukubusa okuphakade okungayikudlula, nombuso wayo yiwo ongayikuchithwa.”—Bheka futhi uDaniyeli 2:44.
17, 18. (a) IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi yini eyokwenzeka kulabo abangamamukeli yena noMbusi wakhe ammisile walomhlaba? (b) Ubani omunye owaziyo ukuthi sifushane isikhathi esisele?
17 Ngolimi olucacile iZwi likaNkulunkulu lesiprofetho lisitshela lokho okuyokwenzeka kulabo abangamamukeli uJehova noMbusi wakhe omisiwe emhlabeni wonke. Lithi: “Ngase ngibona ingelosi imi elangeni, yamemeza ngezwi elikhulu ezinyonini zonke ezindizayo emkhathini wezulu, ithi: Wozani, nibuthane esidlweni esikhulu sika-Nkulunkulu ukuba nidle inyama yamakhosi, nenyama yezinduna, nenyama yamaqhawe, nenyama yamahhashi neyabakhwele kuwo, nenyama yabo bonke abakhululekileyo nabayizigqila, abancane nabakhulu.”—IsAmbulo 19:17, 18.
18 UJeremiya 25:33 ukuchaza ngalendlela: “Ngalolosuku ababuleweyo bakaJehova bayakusukela komunye imikhawulo womhlaba, baze bafike komunye; abayikukhalelwa, abayikubuthwa, abayikumbelwa, baya kuba-ngumquba ebusweni bomhlaba.” Yebo, sekuyisikhathi sokuphela kwaso sonke isimiso sezinto sikaSathane esonakele. Futhi ngisho naye uyakwazi lokho! IsAmbulo 12:12 sithi uyazi ukuthi “unesikhathi esifushane” kuphela esisele.
Funa UJehova Manje
19. Iluphi usuku nenkathi ejabulisayo eyoqala ngemva kokuba lesimiso sesiqediwe?
19 Kuyokwenzekani lapho ubusuku, noma ubusika, besimiso sikaSathane sebudlulile? Khona-ke kuyoba yisikhathi sikaJehova sokungenisa usuku olusha olukhanyayo, inkathi entsha nejabulisayo yasentwasahlobo. Kuyoba isikhathi sokuqalisa isimiso esisha sikaJehova sokulunga ngaphansi kokubusa kweNkosi yakhe yasezulwini, uKristu Jesu. Kulesosimiso esisha, ubudlova, ukungalungi, ukuhlupheka, ukugula, nokufa ngeke kube khona. Abantu bayolethwa ekupheleleni, benombono wokuphila okuphakade. Yeka ithemba eliqabulayo!−IHubo 37:10, 11, 29; IsAmbulo 21:4.
20, 21. Abantu abaningi abavela kuzo zonke izizwe bamfuna kanjani uJehova manje?
20 Nokho, ngaphambi kokuba lesimiso siphele futhi kuqale isimiso esisha, kuyinkathi kaJehova yokwenzela abathobekileyo bomhlaba okuthile okubalulekile. Kuyisikhathi sakhe sokuqoqela ndawonye labo abafuna ukufunda ngaye, abafuna ukuzithoba entandweni yakhe, nabayoyikhothamela iNkosi ayikhethile. Ngokwenza lokhu, baba ngaphansi kwesivikelo sikaJehova: “Igama likaJehova lingumbhoshongo onamandla; olungileyo ugijimela kuwo, alondeke.”—IzAga 18:10.
21 Namuhla, abantu abaningi bayakwenza lokhu—eqinisweni, abayizigidi babo bayakwenza. Bavela kuzo zonke izizwe ezisemhlabeni. Laba bachazwe kuZakariya isahluko 8, amavesi 20 no-21: “Usho kanje uJehova-Sebawoti, uthi: Kusezakufika izizwe nabakhé emizini eminingi, bahambe abakhileyo komunye, baye komunye, bathi: Masiye impela ukunxusa ebusweni bukaJehova, simfune uJehova-Sebawoti.” Ivesi 23 liyanezela: “Ngalezozinsuku [yebo, esikhathini sethu] amadoda ayishumi azo zonke izilimi zabezizwe ayakubamba umphetho womuntu wakwaJuda [abadumisi bakaJehova abagcotshiwe] ngokuthi: Siyakuhamba nani, ngokuba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.”
22. Yini okumelwe siyiqonde futhi siyenze uma sifuna ukusinda osukwini lolaka lukaJehova?
22 Ngakho-ke, khulekela uJehova nabantu bakhe futhi uze endaweni yakhe yokulondeka. Hlanganyela emsebenzini obaluleke kakhulu owenziwa emhlabeni namuhla—wokuqoqelwa ndawonye nokuqeqeshwa kwalabo abayosinda eArmagedoni nabayoba nethemba elimangalisayo lokulima ipharadesi emhlabeni futhi bahlale kulo phakade. Qonda ukuthi isikhathi sini nokuthi iyiphi inkathi futhi wenze lokho uIsaya 55:6 akukhuthazayo: “Mfuneni uJehova esenokutholwa, nimbize eseseduze.” Yebo, “funani uJehova nina nonke-bathobekileyo bomhlaba enisebenzile ukwahlulela kwakhe; funani ukulunga; funani ukuthobeka; mhlawumbe niyakusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova.”—Zefaniya 2:3.
Imibuzo Yokubukeza
◻ Kungaziphi izindlela ababusi bezwe beye ‘bafunyanwa belula’ emehlweni kaNkulunkulu?
◻Kungani izinceku zikaJehova zizazi izikhathi nezinkathi zaKhe lapho ababusi bezwe bengazazi?
◻Kungani abaholi bezwe besifanele isahlulelo esinzima sikaNkulunkulu?
◻ Isiphi isikhathi nenkathi esifikile ngokombono kaJehova?
◻ Kungani futhi singamfuna kanjani uJehova manje?
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Abaningi ababonisa ukholo manje bayosinda esikhathini sokuphela kwalelizwe