‘Isizwe SikaNkulunkulu Esinamandla’ Nobunye Siyogcwalisa Umhlaba
“Omncane uyakuba-yinkulungwane, ophansi abe-yisizwe esinamandla; mina nginguJehova, ngiyakukusheshisa ngesikhathi sakho.”—ISAYA 60:22.
1, 2. (a) Kwenzekeni ebunyeni bezwe nokuhleleka? (b) Phakathi kwezwe elonakele, kwenzekani ezincekwini zikaJehova?
ABANTU abanolwazi bayavuma ukuthi lelizwe liqhubeka liba ngelihlukene ngokwengeziwe nelisesiphithiphithini. Uhlu lomhleli kuThe New York Times lwathi: “Ubudlova bezombangazwe busakazeka kuyo yonke imbulunga ngokungavamile kunangaphambili. . . . Manje kunobudlova obuningi kangangokuthi kunzima ukububala.” Lwabuye lwaphawula: “Iqiniso liwukuthi akusekho muntu osabusa izwe futhi agcine ngisho nokuncane ukuhleleka.” Nokho, lokhu kuwohloka ilokho nje iZwi likaNkulunkulu elakubikezelela usuku lwethu.—2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, 13; Mathewu 24:3-13.
2 Ezincekwini zikaJehova ezinobunye, isiphithiphithi esisakazekayo siyisibonakaliso esiqinisekile sokuthi isimiso esidala sezinto sisondela ekupheleni kwaso, kuyilapho isimiso sezinto esisha sisondela. (Luka 21:28) Nokho, phakathi kwezwe lapho abanda ngokwengeziwe belingisa unkulunkulu walo owonakele, uSathane uDeveli, uJehova uhlanza abantu bakhe futhi ubaholela oHlelweni Olusha olukhanyayo. Ubabuthela ekukhulekelweni kwakhe okuhlanzekile, okuye kwaphakanyiswa njengokungathi kusentabeni, ngaphezu kwazo zonke izinhlobo zokukhulekela. Khona-ke labo abaphendukela kulokho kukhulekelwa okunobunye kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso bathi kwabanye: “Wozani sikhuphukele entabeni kaJehova endlini kaNkulunkulu kaJakobe; uyakusifundisa izindlela zakhe, sihambe emikhondweni yakhe.” (Isaya 2:2, 3) Labo abalethwa kulokhu kukhulekela kobunye balangazelela ngentshiseko “amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha okukhona kuwo ukulunga.”—2 Petru 3:13.
Ukwehlukanisa “Izimvu” ‘Ezimbuzini’
3, 4. (a) Yiziphi izehlakalo ebezenzeka kusukela ngo-1914? (b) Abantu bahlukaniselwa kanjani ukusinda?
3 Ngokohlelo lwesikhathi lukaNkulunkulu lwesiprofetho seBhayibheli, “amazulu amasha” (uMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini ngaphansi kokubusa kukaKristu) amiswa ngonyaka obucayi ka-1914. Kusukela lapho ukukhethwa kwababusi abakanye noKristu abayizi-144 000 ‘bamazulu amasha’ kuye kwaphethwa. (IsAmbulo 14:1-4) Manje uJehova ubiza abantu ukuba babe yizikhonzi zasemhlabeni zalowoMbuso. ‘Bayophuma osizini olukhulu’ njengabasindile ukuba baqale ukwakha uhlelo olusha olulungileyo ngaphansi kokuqondisa koMbuso.—IsAmbulo 7:9, 14; Mathewu 24:21.
4 UJesu wabikezela lokhu kubuthwa ngalamazwi: “Kepha nxa iNdodana yomuntu [uKristu] iza ngenkazimulo yayo [emandleni oMbuso wasezulwini] nezingelosi zonke ezingcwele kanye nayo, khona izakuhlala esihlalweni sayo senkazimulo; kuzakubuthelwa phambi kwayo izizwe zonke, ibahlukanise abanye kwabanye, njengomalusi ehlukanisa izimvu nezimbuzi, imise izimvu ngakwesokunene sayo kepha izimbuzi ngakwesokhohlo.” Kube namuphi umphumela? UJesu waphawula; “Khona iNkosi izakuthi kwabangakwesokunene sayo [abantu abafana nezimvu]: Zanini nina enibusisiwe nguBaba, nidle ifa lombuso eniwulungiselweyo selokhu kwasekelwa umhlaba. . . . Khona iyakuthi kwabangakwesokhohlo [abantu abafana nezimbuzi]: Dedani kimi nina-baqalekisiweyo, niye emlilweni ophakade [ukubhujiswa kwaphakade] olungiselwe uSathane nezingelosi zakhe. . . . Laba bayakumuka, baye ekujezisweni okuphakade, kodwa abalungileyo baye ekuphileni okuphakade.”—Mathewu 25:31-46.
5. Umusa kaJehova ubonakala kanjani manje?
5 Nokho, uJehova unguNkulunkulu onesihawu, onothando. “Iyanibekezelela, ingathandi ukuba kubhubhe namunye, kodwa ukuba bonke beze ekuphendukeni.” (2 Petru 3:9) Ngakho-ke, ngaphambi kokuba uNkulunkulu aphelise lelizwe elihlukene, elilwayo, kuyintando yakhe ukuba izinceku zakhe zihambise isigijimi sethemba lokuphila okuphakade oHlelweni Olusha olulungileyo. Ngokufanelekile, iNdodana yakhe yathi: “Lelivangeli lombuso liyakushunyayelwa ezweni lonke, kube-ngubufakazi ezizweni zonke, andukuba kufike ukuphela.”—Mathewu 24:14.
6. UJehova usebenzisa obani emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso?
6 Ubani ozokwenza lokho kushumayela ngoMbuso ngaphambi kokuba kufike ukuphela? Ngokusobala, uJehova ngeke asebenzise labo abangafuni ukumkhonza. Labo abasebenzisa emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso yilabo abazithoba ngokuzithandela kuye. Ensalini kaIsrayeli ongokomoya kuye kwagcwaliseka lesiprofetho: “Ngiyakubabeka ndawonye njengezimvu [esibayeni].” (Mika 2:12) “Ezinye izimvu” manje zihlanganyela lobobunye nayo. (Johane 10:16) Bonke laba bangofakazi bakaJehova abanobunye ezizweni zonke. Bahlanganisa abadala nabancane, abesilisa nabesifazane, ngoba ihubo eliphefumlelwe lithi: “Haleluya! . . . Nani-zinsizwa nezintombi, nani-maxhegu nabafana. Mabadumise igama likaJehova.” “Abesifazane ababika indaba ejabulisayo bayisixuku esikhulu.”—IHubo 68:11; 148:1, 12, 13.
Ukushumayela Ngobunye
7. (a) Ibuphi ubunye oFakazi bakaJehova abanabo? (b) Singaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi lobubunye buyolondolozwa!
7 UJehova, uJesu Kristu nezingelosi ezingcwele banakekela ukuthi inhlangano yasemhlabeni yabashumayeli boMbuso ishumayela isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu ngobunye. (Mathewu 28:19, 20; Johane 14:26; IsAmbulo 14:6, 7) Ngakho oFakazi BakaJehova benza lokho iZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumlelwe elikushoyo. ‘Banobunye ngokuphelele, benomqondo owodwa nenjongo eyodwa.’ ‘Nganhliziyonye nangamlomo munye badumisa uNkulunkulu uYise weNkosi yabo uJesu Kristu.’—1 Korinte 1:10, Today’s English Version; Roma 15:6.
8. Yini ebalulekile ekuthuthukiseni ubunye bokukhulekela?
8 Ukuze bafinyelele lobunye bomqondo, benjongo nobokushumayela, oFakazi BakaJehova batadisha njalo iZwi likaNkulunkulu leqiniso. Lokhu bakwenza ngasese, emihlanganweni emikhulu yaminyaka yonke kanye nasemihlanganweni yebandla isonto ngalinye. Ngalendlela bathola ukudla okungokomoya okuhlanganisayo etafuleni likaJehova. (Mathewu 24:45-47; Heberu 10:24, 25) Lemfundo yeBhayibheli iqashelwa njengesihluthulelo ekukhulekeleni kwabo okunobunye. Njengoba umbhali ongumKatolika uWilliam Whalen asho kumagazini iU.S. Catholic; “Noma iliphi ihholo lombuso [loFakazi BakaJehova] linikeza imfundo yabadala ngenyanga ngaphezu kokuba kwenza noma ibaphi abapristi bamaKatolika unyaka wonke.” Yebo, imfundo yeBhayibheli iyisihluthulelo ‘sokuba nomqondo owodwa,’ ‘injongo eyodwa,’ ‘umlomo munye.’
9. Singabazi kanjani labo uJehova abasebenzisa ukuba bashumayele isigijimi soMbuso?
9 Uma unanoma ikuphi ukungabaza ngokuthi obani uJehova abasebenzisayo ekushumayeleni “ivangeli lombuso,” zibuze: Uma abantu befika emakhaya abantu ukuba bakhulume ngoJehova noMbuso wakhe, bangobani? Kwaziwa kahle ukuthi bangoFakazi BakaJehova. Kukangaki abantu bezinye izinkolo bekuvakashela ukuze baxoxe nawe ngoJehova nangoMbuso wakhe? Kukangaki abantu abanjalo bekhuluma nokukhuluma nje ngalezizinto, noma kuphi? Abalandeli bezinkolo ezihlukene zalelizwe abasho lutho ngoJehova noMbuso wakhe. Bambalwa kubona ngisho nabaziyo ukuthi ungubani uJehova noma ukuthi uMbuso wakhe uyosho ukuthini ngalomhlaba. Nokho, uJehova noMbuso wakhe izindaba ezinyakazisa umhlaba, ngoba, njengoba uDaniyeli 2:44 abikezela, uMbuso kaJehova ngokushesha ‘uzochoboza futhi uqede yonke eminye imibuso futhi wona kuphela ubuse phakade.’
Ukukhula Okusheshayo Okusuka Esiqalweni Esincane
10. Zaziziningi kangakanani izinceku zikaJehova ngaphambi kuka-1914, kepha kumelwe sikubheke kanjani okwafezwa ngalesosikhathi?
10 Ukumenyezelwa koMbuso kosuku lwanamuhla kwaqala ngendlela encane. Kusukela ngawo-1870 kuze kube unyaka wenguquko ka-1914, inani labamemezeli boMbuso lalilincane. Kepha labo abathembekile babeka isisekelo salokho okwakuzokuza. Nakuba lesosiqalo sasisincane, sisikhumbuza umbhalo othi, ‘kungadelelwa usuku lwezinto ezincane.’ (Zakariya 4:10) Ngezinceku zikaJehova ‘kwakuwusuku lwezinto ezincane’ ngaphambi kuka-1914, kodwa okwengeziwe kwakuzokuza ngokushesha.
11, 12. (a) Ibuphi ubufakazi obabukhona bokusebenza komoya ongcwele ngemva kuka-1914? (b) Ikuphi ukukhulumela okwenziwa ngomsebenzi woMbuso eminyakeni engama-30 edlule, futhi singathini ngakho manje?
11 Ngokuqala kweMpi Yezwe I ngo-1914, isimiso esidala sezinto sangena “ezinsukwini zokugcina” zaso. (2 Thimothewu 3:1) Ukubusa koMbuso nakho kwaqala ngo-1914. (IsAmbulo 12:10-12) UKristu wabe esegunyazwa ukuba aqale ukwehlukanisa “izimvu” ‘ezimbuzini.’ Kanjalo, umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu waqala ukusebenza ngokunamandla ezincekwini zakhe ezithembekile. (Qhathanisa izEnzo 2:16-21.) Isibalo sabamemezeli boMbuso sakhula sisuka cishe kwabayizi-4 000 ngo-1918 siya ngaphezu kwezi-260 000 ngo-1948, isikhathi seminyaka engama-30. Cishe ngalesosikhathi, uC. S. Braden, uprofesa womlando wezenkolo, wabhala: “OFakazi BakaJehova baye bawuhlanganisa ngokoqobo umhlaba ngokufakaza kwabo. . . . Kungashiwo ngempela ukuthi akukho nelilodwa iqembu lenkolo emhlabeni elibonise intshiseko enkulu nokubekezela emzamweni wokusakaza izindaba ezinhle zombuso kunoFakazi BakaJehova.”
12 Nokho, lokho kwakuseminyakeni engaphezu kwama-30 edlule! Namuhla kunabamemezeli boMbuso abaningi ngaphezu kokuphindwe kayishumi kuwo wonke umhlaba kunango-1948! Njengoba, ngokuphawula kukaBraden, oFakazi BakaJehova babeye “bawuhlanganisa umhlaba” ngokumemezela ngoMbuso emuva ngalesosikhathi, bekungathiwani ngobungako bomsebenzi woMbuso manje? Futhi singasho lokhu ngesibindi: Kukhulu kakhulu okuzayo esikhathini esiseduze esizayo!
13. Yiziphi izenzakalo emhlabeni wonke ezibonisa ukuthi uIsaya 60:22 uyagcwaliseka?
13 Imibiko evela emazweni angaphezu kwama-200 ikhuluma ngokwanda kwezibalo zabamemezeli boMbuso. Ukuze kuhanjiswane nalokhu izakhiwo zamagatsha eWatch Tower ezintsha noma ezandisiwe ziye zakhiwa noma ziyakhiwa. Kunemishini emisha, izindlela zokunyathelisa ezintsha nezisheshayo, ukusebenza ngamacomputer ngezinga elikhulu, nezisebenzi zokuzithandela emikhayeni yaseBethel ekhulayo emhlabeni wonke. Konke lokhu kwanda okusheshayo kusitshela ukuthi sibona phambi kwethu ukugcwaliseka kwesithembiso esikhuthazayo esenziwa kudala ngokuphathelene nenceku kaNkulunkulu ethembekile nebekezelayo esithi: “Omncane uyakuba-yinkulungwane, ophansi abe-yisizwe esinamandla; mina nginguJehova, ngiyakukusheshisa ngesikhathi sakho.” (Isaya 60:22) Akukho kungabaza ngeqiniso lokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bayahlonyiswa ngokomoya futhi ngokwenhlangano balungele ukunikeza ubufakazi obukhulu kunabo bonke ngoJehova nangoMbuso wakhe emlandweni wezwe!
14. Kungani singathi izinceku zikaJehova ziqhubekela ekubeni “isizwe esinamandla”?
14 Namuhla kunezikhonzi ezingamaKristu ezikhuthele zezindaba ezinhle ezingaphezu kwezigidi ezimbili nengxenye. Zitholakala emabandleni angaphezu kwezi-46 000 emhlabeni wonke. Ngenkathi oFakazi BakaJehova behlangana ngoMarch 29, 1983, ukuba bakhumbule ukufa kukaKristu, abantu abayizi-6 767 707 bahlangana ndawonye, kanjalo bebonisa isithakazelo sabo eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu. Lelonani lidlula inani labantu lezizwe ngazinye ezicishe zibe yingxenye yesibili kwezintathu yezizwe zomhlaba! Ngokuqinisekile, izinceku zikaJehova ezinobunye zisendleleni yokuba zibe “isizwe esinamandla,” nakuba ziyingcosana uma kuqhathaniswa nengqikithi yenani labantu lomhlaba elicishe libe izigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezine nengxenye.—Mathewu 7:13, 14.
15. Yini eye yenzeka eminyakeni embalwa edlule ngokuphathelene nokubuthwa kwabantu abanjengezimvu?
15 Muva nje, ukubuthwa kwabantu abanjengezimvu kuye kwaba nomfutho. Abantu abathanda ukulunga bathutheleka enhlanganweni kaJehova ukuba bamkhulekele. Ngokwenza kanjalo bahlanganyela ekugcwalisekeni okuvusa amadlingozi kwesithembiso sikaNkulunkulu esikuHagayi 2:7, lapho uJehova ethi khona: “Ngizamazamise nabo bonke abezizwe, kufike okunxanelekayo kwabo bonke abezizwe, ngiyigcwalise lendlu ngenkazimulo.” Labantu abanxanelekayo, abathobekile bathi ezincekwini zikaJehova: “Siyakuhamba nani, ngokuba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.”—Zakariya 8:23.
16, 17. UJehova uyobasebenzisa kanjani abantu bakhe ngaphambi kokuba aphelise lesisimiso esingamesabi uNkulunkulu?
16 Inhlangano kaJehova ebonakalayo eyandayo isondela esikhathini lapho ezoyisebenzisa ngenye indlela enamandla: ukunikeza isigijimi sokugcina sokwahlulelwa kwalesimiso. Lokhu kungase kufaniswe nesikhathi lapho amaIsrayeli, ayesezungeze iJeriko kanye ngosuku izinsuku eziyisithupha, eyalwa ngokuthi: “Ngosuku lwesikhombisa niyakuwuzungeza umuzi kasikhombisa, abapristi babethe amacilongo. . . . Lapho nilizwa izwi lecilongo, bonke abantu bakhamuluke ngokukhamuluka okukhulu, ugange lomuzi luwele phansi endaweni yalo.” Ngakho ngosuku lokugcina umsebenzi washesha ngokuphindwe kasikhombisa! Khona-ke amacilongo ezwakala, abantu bakhamuluka ngokukhamuluka okukhulu futhi “ugange lwawela phansi endaweni yalo.”—Joshuwa 6:2-5, 20.
17 Namuhla amanzi eqiniso “athambile” ayiswa kubantu ukubakhuthaza ukuba baphendukele kuJehova. Kodwa ngokushesha luzofika usuku lapho isigijimi siyoba “lukhuni.” Siyomemezela ukuphela okuseduze kakhulu kwaso sonke lesimiso sobuSathane. Amanzi athambile eqiniso ayojiya abe isichotho esiqinile seqiniso. Lezizigijimi zokugcina zokwahlulela ziyoba namandla kangangokuthi zifaniswa ‘nesichotho esikhulu esisinda njengethalenta,’ okungukuthi, sobungako obukhulu kakhulu. Kungakho isAmbulo 16:21 sithi: “Uhlupho lwaso lukhulu kakhulu.”
“Isizwe Esinamandla” Sigcwalisa Umhlaba
18. (a) Ungokoqobo kangakanani uMbuso kaNkulunkulu? (b) Yini uDaniyeli 2:35 abonisa ukuthi uMbuso ekugcineni uyoyenza?
18 UMbuso kaNkulunkulu oFakazi BakaJehova bawubeka kuqala ekuphileni kwabo ngempela uwuhulumeni ongokoqobo. UnoKristu nababusi basezulwini abakanye naye abayizi-144 000. Unemithetho engokoqobo “nomthetho-sisekelo”—iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Lohulumeni ungokoqobo futhi unezikhonzi ezingokoqobo ezakha isizwe esikhulayo, izigidi zaso ezihlangene njengabantu abamunye. Futhi iBhayibheli libikezela ukuthi ngemva kokuba loMbuso wobuMesiya usuchithe bonke ohulumeni bezwe, ‘uyogcwalisa umhlaba wonke.’ (Daniyeli 2:35) Kuyokwenzeka kanjani lokhu?
19, 20. Izinceku zikaJehova ziyoba kanjani “isizwe esinamandla” ngomqondo ogcwele?
19 Labo abasinda iArmagedoni bayoqala ukwakha iPharadesi uJesu akhuluma ngalo kuLuka 23:43. (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16) Khona-ke, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, “kuyakuba-khona ukuvuka kwabafileyo, okwabalungile nokwabangalungile.” (IzEnzo 24:15) Phakathi nokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane KukaKristu emandleni oMbuso, bonke bayonikezwa ithuba lokuma ngasohlangothini lokubusa koMbuso. Labo abangakufuni ukubusa okulungileyo bayobhujiswa. (IsAmbulo 20:6, 11-15) Ngakho-ke, ekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane, bonke abayobe bephila emhlabeni bayobe bengabakhulekeli bakaJehova abazinikezele! Khona-ke kungashiwo ukuthi uIsaya 11:9 uyogcwaliseka ngomqondo ophelele: “Umhlaba uyakugcwala ukumazi uJehova njengamanzi asibekela ulwandle.”
20 Yeka isikhathi esikhazimulayo leso okuyoba yiso! Wonke umuntu oyohlangana naye uyoba umkhulekeli kaJehova, ‘ngomqondo owodwa,’ ‘ngenjongo eyodwa,’ “ngamlomo munye.” Izigidigidi zabakhulekeli abanjalo abanobunye, eziyobe zifinyelele ekupheleleni kobuntu, ziyogcwalisa umhlaba oyiPharadesi. Khona-ke ngempela ziyoba “isizwe esinamandla,” isizwe esinamandla kunazo zonke ezake zaba khona emhlabeni. Cha, umkhaya wesintu onobunye awulona nje iphupho. Usuqalile kakade kwamanje! Ingabe uyingxenye yawo?
Imibuzo Yokubukeza
□ Njengoba izwe liba sesiphithiphithini ngokwengeziwe, kwenzekani kubantu bakaJehova?
□ Yimuphi umsebenzi omkhulu wokwehlukanisa oqhutshwayo manje?
□ Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi ubunye bezinceku zikaJehova buyolondolozwa?
□ Inhlangano kaJehova ebonakalayo ithuthukela kanjani ekubeni “isizwe esinamandla,” futhi lokhu kuyoholelaphi?
[Isithombe ekhasini 22]
Njengomalusi ehlukanisa izimvu ezimbuzini, kanjalo uJesu Kristu emandleni ombuso wehlukanisa abantu namuhla
[Izithombe ekhasini 24]
Amakhaya aseBethel namafektri anjengalawa ayakhiwa noma andiswe ukuze kuthuthukiswe umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso
Ebina, eJapan
Abidjan, eIvory Coast
Ingleburn, eN.S.W. eAustralia
Enebakk, eNorway
Ajalvir (Madrid), eSpain