Yana Ekukhanyeni

IZINDLU zezibani zasolwandle ziye zasindisa abantu abaningi ekufeni. Nokho, kumhambi okhathele, ukukhanya okubonakala kude kwenza okungaphezu kokumxwayisa ngamadwala ayingozi. Kumtshela nokuthi sekuseduze afike lapho eya khona. Ngokufanayo, namuhla amaKristu asesondele ekupheleni kohambo lwawo olude, oludabula ezweni elimnyama neliyingozi ngokomoya. EBhayibhelini ngokuvamile isintu—uquqaba oluhlukaniswe noNkulunkulu—sifaniswa ‘nolwandle olunyakaziswayo, lapho lungakwazi ukuzola, amanzi alo aqhubeka ejikijela phezulu izimila zasolwandle nodaka.’ (Isaya 57:20) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu bazungezwe indawo enjalo. Nokho, banethemba eliqhakazile lensindiso, elinjengokukhanya okungokomfanekiso kubo, abangakwethemba. (Mika 7:8) Ngenxa kaJehova neZwi lakhe elilotshiwe, “ukukhanya kubanekele olungile, nokujabula abaqotho enhliziyweni.”—IHubo 97:11.a

Nokho, amanye amaKristu aye avumela iziphazamiso ukuba ziwaqhelise ekukhanyeni kukaJehova kangangokuthi ukholo lwawo luye lwaphahlazeka kulokho okungase kufaniswe namadwala ayingozi—ukuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, ukuziphatha okubi, noma ngisho nokuhlubuka. Yebo, njengasekhulwini lokuqala, abathile namuhla baye “baphukelwa umkhumbi wokholo lwabo.” (1 Thimothewu 1:19; 2 Petru 2:13-15, 20-22) Izwe elisha lingase lifaniswe netheku lezwe lakithi esiphokophele kulo. Njengoba seliseduze kangaka, yeka ukuthi kungaba inhlekelele kanjani uma umuntu engalahlekelwa umusa kaJehova!

Gwema ‘Ukuphukelwa Umkhumbi Wokholo Lwakho’

Emakhulwini eminyaka adlule, umkhumbi wawungase udabule ulwandle olukhulu kakhulu ngokuphepha, kanti uzophahlazeka lapho ususondela ethekwini. Ngokuvamile ingxenye eyingozi kakhulu yohambo yilapho umkhumbi ususondela ezweni. Ngokufanayo, kwabaningi inkathi eyingozi kakhulu emlandweni wesintu iyilezi ‘zinsuku zokugcina’ zalesi simiso sezinto. IBhayibheli lizichaza ngokunembile ngokuthi “kunzima ukubhekana nazo,” ikakhulu kumaKristu azinikezele.—2 Thimothewu 3:1-5.

Kungani lezi zinsuku zokugcina zinzima kangaka? Phela uSathane uyazi ukuthi “unesikhathi esifushane” sokulwa nabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Ngakho, uye wawandisa umkhankaso wakhe ononya wokuphahlaza ukholo lwabo. (IsAmbulo 12:12, 17) Nokho, lukhona usizo nesiqondiso. UJehova uyaqhubeka eyisiphephelo kulabo abalalela iseluleko sakhe. (2 Samuweli 22:31) Uye wasinikeza izibonelo eziyisixwayiso ezidalula amacebo kaSathane obuqili nanenzondo. Manje masibukeze izibonelo ezimbili ezihilela isizwe sakwa-Israyeli ngesikhathi sisondela eZweni Lesithembiso.—1 Korinte 10:11; 2 Korinte 2:11.

Eduze KweZwe Lesithembiso

Beholwa uMose, abantu bakwa-Israyeli bakwazi ukuphuma eGibhithe. Ngokushesha base beseduze nomngcele ongaseningizimu weZwe Lesithembiso. UMose wabe esethuma amadoda angu-12 ukuba ayohlola izwe. Izinhloli eziyishumi ezingenalukholo zaletha umbiko omubi, zithi u-Israyeli wayengeke akwazi ukunqoba abaseKhanani ngoba “bade ngokungavamile” futhi banamandla ngokwezempi. Lokho kwawathinta kanjani ama-Israyeli? Ukulandisa kusitshela ukuthi aqala ukukhononda ngoMose nango-Aroni, ethi: “UJehova usilethelani kuleli zwe ukuba siwe ngenkemba? Omkethu nabancane bethu bayoba impango. . . . Masibeke inhloko, sibuyele eGibhithe!”—Numeri 13:1, 2, 28-32; 14:1-4.

Cabanga nje! Bona laba bantu babebone uJehova enza ize iGibhithe elinamandla—umbuso wezwe wangaleso sikhathi—ngezinhlupho eziyishumi ezibhubhisayo nangesimanga sezimanga asenza oLwandle Olubomvu. Base besemnyango weZwe Lesithembiso, kudingeka nje bangene kulo njengomkhumbi osondela ekukhanyeni okubonisa indawo oya kuyo. Nokho, baba nomuzwa wokuthi uJehova wayengeke akwazi ukugumbuqela imibuso emincane eyayihlukene phakathi yasemizini yaseKhanani. Yeka ukuthi lesi senzo esibonisa ukuntula ukholo kumelwe ukuba samdumaza kangakanani uNkulunkulu nezinhloli ezimbili ezinesibindi, uJoshuwa noKalebi, ezaba nomuzwa wokuthi abaseKhanani ‘babenjengesinkwa ku-Israyeli’! Lezo zinhloli ezimbili zazinokwaziswa ezakubona ngawazo, ngoba zalidabula lonke elaseKhanani. Lapho abantu bengangeni eZweni Lesithembiso, uJoshuwa noKalebi nabo kwadingeka baqhubeke besehlane amashumi eminyaka, kodwa abazange bafele kulo nalabo ababentula ukholo. Yebo, uJoshuwa noKalebi basiza ekuholeni isizukulwane esalandela lapho sisuka ehlane silibangise eZweni Lesithembiso. (Numeri 14:9, 30) Kulokhu kwesibili, abakwa-Israyeli babezobhekana novivinyo oluhlukile. Zazizobahambela kanjani izinto?

Inkosi yakwaMowabi uBhalaki yazama ukuqalekisa u-Israyeli isebenzisa umprofethi wamanga uBhalami. Nokho, uJehova walishafisa leli cebo ngokwenza ukuba uBhalami abusise kunokuba aqalekise. (Numeri 22:1-7; 24:10) Engapheli amandla, uBhalami wenza elinye icebo eliyingozi, eliklanyelwe ukuba lenze abantu bakaNkulunkulu bangakufanelekeli ukuthola izwe. Kanjani? Ngokubayengela ekuziphatheni okubi ngokobulili nasekukhulekeleni uBhali. Nakuba leli cebo lingazange liphumelele ngempela, lakwazi ukuyenga ama-Israyeli angu-24 000. Aziphatha kabi nabesifazane bakwaMowabi futhi azihlanganisa noBhali wasePheyori.—Numeri 25:1-9.

Cabanga nje ngalokho! Abaningi kulawo ma-Israyeli babebone uJehova ebahola ngokuphepha ‘kuleliya hlane elikhulu nelesabekayo.’ (Duteronomi 1:19) Noma kunjalo, lapho sebesemngceleni wefa labo, abangu-24 000 babantu bakaNkulunkulu banqotshwa izifiso zenyama futhi bafa ngesandla sikaJehova. Yeka ukuthi lokhu kuyisixwayiso kanjani ezincekwini zikaNkulunkulu namuhla njengoba zisondela efeni lazo elikhulu kakhulu!

Emzamweni wakhe wokugcina wokuvimbela izinceku zikaJehova zanamuhla ukuba zingawutholi umvuzo wazo, uSathane akadingi amacebo amasha. Esebenzisa icebo elisikhumbuza lokho okwenzeka lapho ama-Israyeli esezongena eZweni Lesithembiso okokuqala, uSathane uzama kaningi ukusenza sesabe futhi singabaze, kungaba ngokusisongela, ngoshushiso, noma ngokuhlekwa usulu. Amanye amaKristu aye anqotshwa yilokho kwesatshiswa. (Mathewu 13:20, 21) Elinye icebo eliphumelelayo elokonakalisa ukuziphatha kwabantu. Ngezinye izikhathi, abathile abaye bangena ngesinyenyela ebandleni lobuKristu baye bazama ukonakalisa labo ababuthaka ngokomoya futhi abangahambi ngokuqiniseka ekukhanyeni kukaNkulunkulu.—Jude 8, 12-16.

Ngokubona kwabantu abavuthiwe ngokomoya nabaphapheme, ukuwohloka ngokushesha kokuziphatha kwezwe kuwubufakazi obunamandla bokuthi uSathane wenza konke angakwenza. Yebo, uSathane uyazi ukuthi maduze uyobe engasakwazi ukuzifinyelela izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile. Ngokuqinisekile-ke lesi isikhathi sokuba sihlale siphapheme ngokomoya ukuze sikwazi ukubona imizamo kaSathane.

Izinto Ezisisiza Ukuba Sihlale Siphapheme

Umphostoli uPetru wachaza izwi likaNkulunkulu eliyisiprofetho ngokuthi ‘liyisibani esikhanya endaweni emnyama,’ ngoba lisiza amaKristu ukuba abone futhi aqonde ukufezeka kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu. (2 Petru 1:19-21) Labo abahlakulela uthando ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi baqhubeke beqondiswa yilo bathola ukuthi uJehova uyokwenza izindlela zabo ziqonde. (IzAga 3:5, 6) Njengoba benethemba, abanokwazisa okunjalo ‘bakhamuluka ngenjabulo ngenxa yesimo esihle senhliziyo,’ kanti labo abangamazi uJehova noma abashiya indlela yakhe ekugcineni bezwa ‘ubuhlungu benhliziyo’ futhi ‘baphuka umoya.’ (Isaya 65:13, 14) Ngakho, ngokutadisha iBhayibheli ngenkuthalo nangokukusebenzisa lokho esikufundayo, singagcina amehlo ethu egxile ethembeni lethu eliqinisekile kunasenjabulweni yesikhashana yalesi simiso sezinto.

Umthandazo nawo ubalulekile ekusigcineni siphapheme ngokomoya. Lapho ekhuluma ngokuphela kwalesi simiso, uJesu wathi: “Khona-ke, hlalani niphapheme, ngaso sonke isikhathi ninxusa ukuba niphumelele ekuphunyukeni kuzo zonke lezi zinto ezimiselwe ukwenzeka, nasekumeni phambi kweNdodana yomuntu.” (Luka 21:34-36) Phawula indlela uJesu alisebenzisa ngayo igama elithi ‘ukunxusa,’ elisho umthandazo oqotho ngempela. UJesu wayazi ukuthi ayeyoba maningi amathuba okulahlekelwa ukuphila okuphakade ngalesi sikhathi esibucayi. Ingabe imithandazo yakho ibonisa isifiso esivuthayo sokuhlala uphapheme ngokomoya?

Masingakhohlwa ukuthi ingxenye eyingozi kakhulu kulolu hambo oluya efeni lethu ingase ibe ngasekugcineni. Ngakho, yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukuba singalahlekelwa ukukhanya okungaholela ekusindeni kwethu!

Ziqaphele Izibani Ezikhohlisayo

Kudala kusahanjwa ngemikhumbi kaseyili ezindaweni ezithile, kwakuba nengozi enkulu yabantu ababi ababethanda ubusuku obungenawo unyezi lapho amatilosi ekuthola kunzima ukubona ugu. Laba bantu babengase babeke izibani zigudle ugu oluyingozi ukuze bakhohlise okaputeni bemikhumbi baphambuke endleleni yabo. Labo abakhohlisiwe babengase baphahlazekelwe imikhumbi yabo, izimpahla zabo ziphangwe futhi bafe.

Ngokufanayo, uSathane, “ingelosi yokukhanya” ekhohlisayo, ufuna ukuphuca abantu bakaNkulunkulu ubuhlobo babo noJehova. UDeveli angase asebenzise “abaphostoli bamanga” ‘nezikhonzi zokulunga’ eziyizihlubuki ukuze akhohlise abangaqaphile. (2 Korinte 11:13-15) Kodwa njengoba nje okaputeni abaphapheme nabangomakadebona namaqembu abo bengakhohliswa kalula izibani ezikhohlisayo, namaKristu ‘okuthe ngokusebenzisa amandla awo okuqonda awenza aqeqeshelwa ukuhlukanisa kokubili okulungile nokungalungile’ awadukiswa yilabo abakhuthaza izimfundiso ezingamanga namafilosofi alimazayo.—Hebheru 5:14; IsAmbulo 2:2.

Amatilosi ayephatha uhlu lwezindlu zezibani ayezozithola endleleni. Lolu hlu lwaluchaza indlu yesibani ngayinye, kuhlanganise nophawu oluyenza ihluke kwezinye. I-World Book Encyclopedia ithi: “Amatilosi ayayibhekisisa indlu yesibani ayibonayo—nendawo ekuyo—ngokubheka izici zayo nangokuhlola uhlu lwezindlu zezibani.” Ngokufanayo, iZwi likaNkulunkulu lisiza abantu abanhliziyo ziqotho ukuba babone ukukhulekela kweqiniso nalabo abakuphishekelayo, ikakhulu phakathi nalezi zinsuku zokugcina lapho uJehova ekuphakamisile kwaba ngaphezu kwenkolo yamanga. (Isaya 2:2, 3; Malaki 3:18) Ebonisa umahluko omkhulu okhona phakathi kokukhulekela kweqiniso nokwamanga, u-Isaya 60:2, 3 uthi: “Ubumnyama buyomboza umhlaba, nesigayegaye amaqembu ezizwe; kodwa uJehova uyokhanya phezu kwakho, futhi inkazimulo yakhe iyobonakala phezu kwakho. Ngokuqinisekile izizwe ziyokuza ekukhanyeni kwakho, namakhosi eze ekukhanyeni okukhulu kokukhanya kwakho.”

Njengoba izigidi eziphuma kuzo zonke izizwe ziqhubeka ziqondiswa ukukhanya kukaJehova, ukholo lwazo ngeke luphahlazeke kule ngxenye yokugcina yohambo lwazo. Kunalokho, ziyohamba ngokuphepha phakathi nezinsuku ezisele zalesi simiso sezinto futhi zingene ezweni elisha eliphephile elinokuthula.

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Njengamatilosi, amaKristu ayaqaphela ukuba angadukiswa izibani ezikhohlisayo