UJehova Ulungisa Indlela

“Lezizindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa.”—MATHEWU 24:14.

1. Yini eyafezwa umsebenzi wokushumayela ekhulwini lokuqala nakwelama-20?

NGENXA yokuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu wothando, kuyintando yakhe ukuba “zonke izinhlobo zabantu zisindiswe futhi zifinyelele olwazini olunembile lweqiniso.” (1 Thimothewu 2:4) Lokhu kuye kwadinga ukuba kube nomkhankaso womhlaba wonke wokushumayela nokufundisa. Ekhulwini lokuqala, lokhu kushumayela kwenza ibandla lobuKristu laba “insika nozime lweqiniso.” (1 Thimothewu 3:15) Kamuva kwangena inkathi ende yokuhlubuka, okwathi kuyo ukukhanya kweqiniso kwafiphala. Ezikhathini zamuva, “esikhathini sokugcina,” “ukwazi” kuye kwaphinda kwaba kuningi, izigidi zathola ithemba lensindiso yaphakade elisekelwe eBhayibhelini.—Daniyeli 12:4.

2. Yini eyenziwe uJehova ngokuqondene nomsebenzi wokushumayela?

² Naphezu kwemizamo kaSathane ephikelelayo yokubhuntshisa injongo kaNkulunkulu, umsebenzi wokushumayela kokubili ekhulwini lokuqala nakwelama-20 uye waphumelela ngokumangalisayo. Usikhumbuza isiprofetho sika-Isaya. Ngokuqondene nokubuyela kwaJuda kwezithunjwa ezingamaJuda ngekhulu lesithupha B.C.E., u-Isaya wabhala: “Zonke izigodi ziyakuphakanyiswa, zonke izintaba namagquma kuyakwehliswa; amagebhugebhu ayakuhlelenjwa, nemigoxigoxi iyakuba yithafa.” (Isaya 40:4) UJehova uye walungisa futhi wahlelemba indlela, elungiselela imikhankaso yokushumayela emikhulu emibili yekhulu lokuqala neyekhulu lama-20.

3. UJehova ukwazi ukufeza izinjongo zakhe ngaziphi izindlela?

³ Lokhu akusho ukuthi uJehova wayenesandla ngokuqondile kuzo zonke izenzakalo emhlabeni ukuze ukushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle kuqhubekele phambili; kungasho nokuthi uJehova wayesebenzisa ukwazi kwakhe kusengaphambili ukuze azi ngokunembile konke okwakuzokwenzeka. Kuyavunywa, uyakwazi ukuzibona kusengaphambili izenzakalo zesikhathi esizayo futhi aziqondise. (Isaya 46:9-11) Kodwa uyakwazi nokuthatha isinyathelo lapho kwenzeka izenzakalo ezithile. Njengomelusi ongumakad’ ebona okwaziyo ukuqondisa nokuvikela umhlambi wakhe, uJehova uqondisa abantu bakhe. Ubaholela ensindisweni, avikele ingokomoya labo futhi abashukumisele ukuba basebenzise kahle izimo nezenzakalo ezithuthukisa ukushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle ngempumelelo emhlabeni wonke.—IHubo 23:1-4.

Isabelo Esinzima

4, 5. Kungani ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle kuye kwaba isabelo esiyinselele?

⁴ Njengoba kwakunjalo ngokwakhiwa komkhumbi ngosuku lukaNowa, umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso uye waba mkhulu kakhulu—kokubili ekhulwini lokuqala nasezikhathini zanamuhla. Umsebenzi wokufinyelela bonke abantu nganoma yimuphi umyalezo unzima, kodwa lo msebenzi wawuyinselele ngokukhethekile. Ekhulwini lokuqala, abafundi babembalwa. UmHoli wabo, uJesu, wayebulewe ngoba kuthiwa uyivukela-mbuso. Inkolo yamaJuda yayimile izimpande. EJerusalema kwakunethempeli elihle kakhulu. Izinkolo okungezona ezobuJuda endaweni yaseMedithera nazo zazimile izimpande, zinamathempeli nabapristi. Ngokufanayo, njengoba ‘isikhathi sokugcina’ saqala ngo-1914, amaKristu agcotshiwe ayembalwa, kanti babebaningi abalandeli bezinye izinkolo ezithi zikhonza uNkulunkulu.—Daniyeli 12:9.

⁵ UJesu wayexwayise abalandeli bakhe ngokuthi babeyoshushiswa. Wathi: “Abantu bayoninikela osizini futhi banibulale, futhi niyoba izinto zokuzondwa yizizwe zonke ngenxa yegama lami.” (Mathewu 24:9) Ngaphezu kwezinkinga ezinjalo, ikakhulukazi ‘ezinsukwini zokugcina,’ amaKristu ayeyozithola ‘esezikhathini ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1) Ubukhulu bomsebenzi, ukushushiswa okwakuzokwenzeka nakanjani nobunzima bezikhathi kuye kwenza umsebenzi wokushumayela waba yinselele futhi waba nzima. Kuye kwadingeka ukholo olukhulu.

6. Yisiphi isiqinisekiso sempumelelo uJehova asinika abantu bakhe?

⁶ Nakuba uJehova ayazi ukuthi kwakuzoba nobunzima, wayazi nokuthi akukho lutho olwaluzomisa umsebenzi. Impumelelo yabikezelwa esiprofethweni esaziwa kahle esagcwaliseka ngendlela emangalisayo ekhulwini lokuqala nakwelama-20: “Lezizindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiweyo.”—Mathewu 24:14.

7. Umsebenzi wokushumayela wenaba kangakanani ngekhulu lokuqala?

⁷ Zigcwele ukholo nomoya ongcwele, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ngekhulu lokuqala zaphuma ukuze zifeze ukuthunywa kwazo. Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova waba nazo, zathola impumelelo engaphezulu kakhulu kwalokho okungenzeka zazikulindele. Ngesikhathi uPawulu ebhalela abaseKolose, ngemva kweminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-27 uJesu afa, wayengakhuluma ngezindaba ezinhle athi ‘zishunyayelwe kuyo yonke indalo engaphansi kwezulu.’ (Kolose 1:23) Ngokufanayo, ekupheleni kwekhulu lama-20, izindaba ezinhle zishunyayelwa emazweni angu-233.

8. Abaningi baye bamukela izindaba ezinhle ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo? Nikeza izibonelo.

⁸ Izigidi ziye zazemukela izindaba ezinhle emashumini eminyaka amuva. Abaningi bazamukele ngaphansi kwezimo ezimbi—ngezinkathi zempi, zokuvinjelwa nezokushushiswa okushubile. Kwaba njalo nangekhulu lokuqala. Ngesinye isikhathi phakathi nekhulu lokuqala, uPawulu noSila babhaxabulwa ngezinduku baphonswa etilongweni. Yeka isimo esingathembisi ukuthi kungenziwa abafundi kuso! Kodwa uJehova wasebenzisa lesi simo ukuze afeze lokho kanye. UPawulu noSila badedelwa, umgcini wejele nomkhaya wakhe baba amakholwa. (IzEnzo 16:19-33) Izigigaba ezinjalo zibonisa ukuthi izindaba ezinhle ngeke zithuliswe yilabo abaziphikisayo. (Isaya 54:17) Noma kunjalo, umlando wobuKristu ubungeve ungowosizi nokushushiswa okungapheli. Ake sigxile ezenzakalweni ezinhle eziye zasiza ekuhlelembeni indlela ukuze ukushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle kube yimpumelelo kokubili ekhulwini lokuqala nakwelama-20.

Isimo Esingokwenkolo

9, 10. UJehova wabenza kanjani abantu baba sesimweni sokulindela ukushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle ekhulwini lokuqala nakwelama-20?

⁹ Cabangela isikhathi semikhankaso yokushumayela yembulunga yonke. Ngokuqondene nesimo ngekhulu lokuqala, isiprofetho samasonto angu-70 eminyaka, esikuDaniyeli 9:24-27, sakhomba unyaka okwakuzovela ngawo uMesiya —u-29 C.E. Nakuba amaJuda ekhulu lokuqala ayengaqondi kahle ukuthi kwakuzokwenzeka nini lokhu, ayemlindele uMesiya. (Luka 3:15) I-Manuel Biblique yesiFulentshi ithi: “Abantu babazi ukuthi amasonto angamashumi ayisikhombisa eminyaka ayemiswe uDaniyeli ayesondela ekupheleni; akekho owamangala lapho ezwa uJohane uMbhapathizi ememezela ukuthi umbuso kaNkulunkulu wawususondele.”

¹⁰ Kuthiwani ngesimo ezikhathini zanamuhla? Isenzakalo esivelele kwakuwukubekwa kukaJesu esihlalweni sobukhosi ezulwini, okwaphawula ukuqala kokuba khona kwakhe emandleni oMbuso. Isiprofetho seBhayibheli sibonisa ukuthi lokhu kwenzeka ngo-1914. (Daniyeli 4:13-17) Ukulangazelela lesi senzakalo kwenza nabantu abathile benkolo ezikhathini zanamuhla balindela okuthile. Isimo sokulindela sabonakala nakubaFundi BeBhayibheli abaqotho, abaqala ukunyathelisa lo magazini owawaziwa ngele-Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence ngo-1879. Ngakho, kokubili ngekhulu lokuqala nasezikhathini zanamuhla, ukulindela okuthile okungokwenkolo kwenza isimo salungela ukushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle.a

11. Yiziphi izisekelo ezingokwenkolo ezabekwa ukuze zisize ekushunyayelweni kwezindaba ezinhle?

¹¹ Esinye isici esasiza umsebenzi wamaKristu kuzo zombili lezi zinkathi saba ukuthi abantu abaningi babejwayelene nemiBhalo Engcwele. Ekhulwini lokuqala, imiphakathi yamaJuda yayisakazeke kuwo wonke amazwe abeZizwe angomakhelwane. Le miphakathi yayinamasinagoge lapho abantu babehlangana khona njalo ukuze balalele imiBhalo ifundwa futhi ichazwa. Ngakho, amaKristu okuqala akwazi ukwakhela phezu kolwazi olungokwenkolo abantu abase benalo kakade. (IzEnzo 8:28-36; 17:1, 2) Ekuqaleni kwenkathi yethu, abantu bakaJehova bajabulela isimo esifanayo emazweni amaningi. IBhayibheli lalitholakala kabanzi kuzo zonke izindawo zeLobukholwa, ikakhulukazi emazweni amaProthestani. Lalifundwa emasontweni amaningi; izigidi zazinayo ikhophi yalo. Abantu base benalo kakade iBhayibheli, kodwa babedinga usizo ukuze bakuqonde lokho ababenakho.

Izinzuzo Zomthetho

12. Umthetho wamaRoma wawuvame ukuba isivikelo kanjani ekhulwini lokuqala?

¹² Ukushumayela kwamaKristu kuye kwazuza emthethweni wohulumeni. UMbuso WaseRoma wawukhonya emazweni angekhulu lokuqala, futhi imithetho yawo ebhalwe phansi yayikuthonya kakhulu ukuphila kwansuku zonke. Le mithetho yayinikeza isivikelo, futhi amaKristu akuqala azuza kuyo. Ngokwesibonelo, ukusebenzisa kukaPawulu umthetho wamaRoma kwaholela ekudedelweni kwakhe etilongweni futhi kwamsindisa ekubhaxabulweni. (IzEnzo 16:37-39; 22:25, 29) Ukubhekisela elungiselelweni lesimiso somthetho wamaRoma kwasiza kwehlisa umoya wesixuku esasithukuthele e-Efesu. (IzEnzo 19:35-41) UPawulu wake wophulwa odlameni eJerusalema ngoba wayeyisakhamuzi saseRoma. (IzEnzo 23:27) Kamuva, umthetho wamaRoma wamvumela ukuba avikele ukholo lwakhe ngokomthetho phambi kukaKesari. (IzEnzo 25:11) Nakuba oKesari abaningi babusa njengomashiqela, ngokuvamile ngekhulu lokuqala imithetho yayivumela ukuba ‘kuvikelwe futhi kumiswe ngokomthetho izindaba ezinhle.’—Filipi 1:7.

13. Umsebenzi wokushumayela esikhathini sethu uye wazuza kanjani emthethweni?

¹³ Kunjalo nasemazweni amaningi namuhla. Nakuba beye baba khona labo ‘abasebenza okubi kungathi ngomthetho,’ imithetho eminingi ebhalwe phansi emazweni amaningi ibheka inkululeko engokwenkolo njengelungelo eliyisisekelo. (IHubo 94:20) Beqaphela ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova abalona usongo ekuhlelekeni komphakathi, ohulumeni abaningi baye bawuqaphela ngokomthetho umsebenzi wethu. E-United States, lapho umsebenzi omningi woFakazi wokunyathelisa uye wenziwa khona, imithetho yakhona iye yenza kwenzeka ukuba umagazini INqabayokulinda uqhubeke unyatheliswa iminyaka engu-120 futhi ufundwe emhlabeni wonke.

Izinkathi Zokuthula Nokubekezelela Abanye

14, 15. Ukuthula okusesilinganisweni esithile emphakathini kwawusiza kanjani umsebenzi wokushumayela ekhulwini lokuqala?

¹⁴ Izinkathi zokuthula okusesilinganisweni esithile ziwusizile futhi umsebenzi wokushumayela. Nakuba uJesu abikezela ngokunembile ukuthi kulezi zinkathi ‘isizwe sasiyovukela isizwe,’ kwaba nezikhawu zokuzola ezenza kwenzeka ukushumayela ngoMbuso ngamandla. (Mathewu 24:7) AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayephila ngaphansi kwe-Pax Romana, noma Ukuthula KwaseRoma. Esinye isazi-mlando sabhala: “IRoma yabanqoba ngokuphelele abantu bezwe laseMedithera kangangokuba yabaqedela izikhathi zempi eyayicishe ingapheli.” Lokhu kuthula kwavulela amaKristu akuqala indlela yokuba alihambe lonke elaseRoma ngokuphepha okusesilinganisweni esithile.

¹⁵ UMbuso WaseRoma walwela ukuhlanganisa abantu babe ngaphansi kwesandla sawo esiqinile. Le nqubo ayithuthukisanga nje ezokuhamba, ukubekezelela abanye nokucobelelana imibono kuphela, kodwa nomqondo wobuzalwane bomhlaba wonke. Incwadi ethi On the Road to Civilization ithi: “Ubunye boMbuso [WaseRoma] benza insimu [amaKristu ayezoshumayela kuyo] yavunda. Izithiyo zobuzwe zase zisusiwe. Isakhamuzi saseRoma sasiyisakhamuzi somhlaba. . . . Ngaphezu kwalokho, inkolo eyayifundisa ukuba abantu babhekane njengezelamani yayamukeleka ezweni elalisungule umqondo wokuthi abantu bayizakhamuzi zendawo yonke.”—Qhathanisa nezEnzo 10:34, 35; 1 Petru 2:17.

16, 17. Yini eyimbangela yemizamo yokuthuthukisa ukuthula ezikhathini zanamuhla, futhi yisiphi isiphetho abantu abaningi abasifinyelele?

¹⁶ Kuthiwani ngesikhathi sethu? Ikhulu lama-20 liye laba nezimpi ezibhubhisa kunazo zonke emlandweni, futhi izimpi zezifunda zisaqhubeka zidlanga kwamanye amazwe. (IsAmbulo 6:4) Kodwa ziye zaba khona nezinkathi zokuthula okusesilinganisweni esithile. Imibuso emikhulu yomhlaba ayizange ilwe umshawushile iminyaka engaphezu kuka-50. Lokhu kuye kwasiza kakhulu ekushunyayelweni kwezindaba ezinhle kulawo mazwe.

¹⁷ Izinto ezishaqisayo zezimpi zekhulu lama-20 ziye zaholela abantu abaningi ukuba baqaphele isidingo sikahulumeni womhlaba. Ukwesaba impi yezwe kwaholela ekubunjweni kweNhlangano Yezizwe neZizwe Ezihlangene. (IsAmbulo 13:14) Injongo eyamenyezelwa yazo zombili izinhlangano iwukugqugquzela ukubambisana nokuthula phakathi kwezizwe zomhlaba. Abantu abasizwayo leso sidingo ngokuvamile bazamukela kahle izindaba ezinhle zikahulumeni womhlaba oyoletha ukuthula kwangempela nokuhlala njalo—uMbuso kaNkulunkulu.

18. Yisiphi isimo sengqondo ngenkolo esiye sasiza umsebenzi wokushumayela?

¹⁸ Nakuba amaKristu eye ashushiswa ngonya ngezinye izikhathi, kokubili ekhulwini leminyaka lokuqala nakwelama-20 kuye kwaba nezinkathi zokubekezelelana ngokwenkolo. (Johane 15:20; IzEnzo 9:31) AmaRoma amukela futhi azivumelanisa kalula nawonkulunkulu nawonkulunkulukazi babantu ababebanqoba. UProfesa Rodney Stark wabhala: “Ngezindlela eziningi iRoma yenza kwaba nenkululeko enkudlwana kunanoma iyiphi eyaba khona kwaze kwaba ngemva kweziNguquko ZaseMelika.” Ezikhathini zanamuhla, emazweni amaningi abantu sebeyamukela ngokwengeziwe eminye imibono, okuphumela ekubeni bavume ukulalela umyalezo weBhayibheli olethwa oFakazi BakaJehova.

Indima Yezobuchwepheshe

19. AmaKristu akuqala ayisebenzisa kanjani i-codex?

¹⁹ Okokugcina, cabangela indlela uJehova aye wenza ngayo abantu bakhe ukuba bazuze entuthukweni yezobuchwepheshe. Nakuba amaKristu akuqala ayengaphili enkathini yentuthuko esheshayo yezobuchwepheshe, ayisebenzisa enye yezinto ezazibonisa intuthuko, i-codex, noma incwadi enamakhasi. I-codex yathatha indawo yomqulu okwakunzima ukuwusebenzisa. Incwadi ethi The Birth of the Codex ithi: “Nakuba i-codex yawukhipha kancane kancane umqulu ezincwadini zezwe, amaKristu ayisebenzisa ngokushesha nasendaweni yonke.” Le ncwadi ithi futhi: “Ukusebenzisa kwamaKristu i-codex ngekhulu lesibili kusakazeke kangangokuba kumelwe ukuba yaqala ukusetshenziswa ngaphambi kuka-A.D. 100.” Kwakulula ukusebenzisa i-codex kunomqulu. ImiBhalo yayisheshe itholakale. Ngokuqinisekile, lokhu kwawasiza amaKristu akuqala, lawo, njengoPawulu, ayengayichazi nje kuphela imiBhalo kodwa ‘ayezibonisa nangezingcaphuno’ izinto ayezifundisa.—IzEnzo 17:2, 3.

20. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu bazisebenzise kanjani ezobuchwepheshe zesimanje emsebenzini wembulunga yonke wokushumayela, futhi ngani?

²⁰ Intuthuko yezobuchwepheshe ekhulwini lethu leminyaka iye yamangalisa. Imishini yokunyathelisa enesivinini esikhulu iye yasiza yenza kwenzeka ukukhipha izincwadi zeBhayibheli ngezilimi eziningi kanye kanye. Ezobuchwepheshe zanamuhla ziye zawusheshisa umsebenzi wokuhumusha iBhayibheli. Amaloli, izitimela, imikhumbi nezindiza zenza kwenzeke ukuthumela izincwadi zeBhayibheli ngokushesha emhlabeni wonke. Izingcingo nemishini ye-fax kuye kwenza kwaba lula ukuxhumana ngokushesha. Ngomoya wakhe, uJehova uye washukumisa izinceku zakhe ukuba zizisebenzise ngokunenzuzo izinto ezinjalo zobuchwepheshe ukuze zithuthukise ukusakazwa kwezindaba ezinhle emhlabeni kabanzi. Izinto ezinjalo azizisebenzisi ngoba zifisa ukuthola ulwazi nokusebenzisa noma yini efikayo kuleli zwe. Kunalokho, zinesithakazelo ngokuyinhloko kulokho okuzozisiza zikufeze ngendlela ephumelela kunazo zonke ukuthunywa kwazo kokushumayela.

21. Yini esingase siqiniseke ngayo?

²¹ “Lezizindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiweyo,” kubikezela uJesu. (Mathewu 24:14) Njengoba nje amaKristu akuqala abona ukugcwaliseka kwaleso siprofetho, nathi namuhla siyakubona ngezinga elikhulu. Naphezu kobukhulu nobunzima bomsebenzi, ngezikhathi ezimbi nezinhle, ngesikhathi imithetho nezimo zengqondo kuguquka, kulwiwa noma kunokuthula, ngisho nangesikhathi sentuthuko yalo lonke uhlobo kwezobuchwepheshe, izindaba ezinhle ziye zashunyayelwa futhi zisashunyayelwa. Ingabe lokhu akukwenzi ukwesabe ukuhlakanipha kukaJehova nokubona kwakhe izinto kusengaphambili okumangalisayo? Singaqiniseka ngokuphelele ukuthi umsebenzi wokushumayela uyophothulwa ngokohlelo lukaJehova lwesikhathi nokuthi injongo yakhe yothando iyofezeka, kube yisibusiso kwabalungileyo. Umhlaba uyoba owabo bahlale kuwo phakade. (IHubo 37:29; Habakuki 2:3) Uma sivumelanisa ukuphila kwethu nenjongo kaJehova, siyoba phakathi kwabo.—1 Thimothewu 4:16.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Amaphuzu Okubukeza

◻ Kungani ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle kuye kwaba isabelo esiyinselele?

◻ Umsebenzi wamaKristu uye wazuza kanjani emalungiselelweni kahulumeni nasekuthuleni komphakathi okusesilinganisweni esithile?

◻ Isibusiso sikaJehova emsebenzini wokushumayela sisiqinisekisa ngaziphi izenzakalo zesikhathi esizayo?