Kulezikhathi Zethu Ezisabekayo, Ubani Ongamethemba Ngempela?
“Ningethembi ezikhulwini nasendodaneni yomuntu okungekho kuyo ukusiza.”—IHUBO 146:3.
1. Siyini isici esiphawulekayo esikhathini sethu, futhi sibonisa siphi isidingo?
LAPHO sisengabantwana futhi sithuswa okuthile, sasibalekela kubazali bethu abanakekelayo ukuze siduduzeke futhi sivikeleke ngoba sasibathemba. Njengabantu abadala, nathi siyabadinga esingabathemba. Lokhu kunjalo ikakhulukazi kulezinsuku lapho kwenzeka izinto eziningi ezithusayo. Iphephandaba laseJalimane likhulumela izikhathi zethu, lathi: “Umhlaba ugcwele ukwesaba, ngendlela engakaze ibonwe.” Abaholi bezwe, izintatheli, nabanye baye bakhuluma ngokuphindaphindiwe ngokwesaba kwabo izinkinga ezingathi sína isintu esibhekene nazo manje.
2. Kwabikezelwa kanjani ukwesaba nokuntuleka kokwethembana ngalesizukulwane?
2 Izinkulumo ezinjalo zibonisa lokho uJesu Kristu akubikezelela isikhathi sethu lapho ethi sasiyophawulwa ‘usizi oluyokwehlela izizwe, zixakeke . . . abantu baphele amandla ngokwesaba nangokubheka okuvelela umhlaba.’ (Luka 21:25, 26) IBhayibheli labikezela ukuthi ‘kulezinsuku zokugcina kuzakuvela izikhathi ezinzima’ nokuthi abantu babezokuba ‘abazithandayo, abahlazisayo, abahlebi, nabakhapheli.’ Lezi zinkulumo zibonisa ukuthi esinye isici senkathi yethu sasiyoba ukuntuleka okungathi sína kokwethembana.—2 Thimothewu 3:1-4.
Ukwethembana Okunciphayo
3. Yibuphi ubufakazi obukhona bokuthi ukwethembana kuyaphela enkathini yethu?
3 Kulezikhathi ezisabekayo, sibadinga kakhulu abanye esingabathemba, labo abayokuba qotho, babe usizo ngesikhathi sesidingo. Kodwa abaningi bazizwa bedunyaziwe yilabo ababebathemba. Iphephandaba kwelinye izwe lathi: “Abantu Abazithembi Izinhlangano Eziningi Zomphakathi.” Ababethenjwa kancane kakhulu kunabo bonke kwakungabaholi bezombangazwe nabamabhizinisi. Ukungathembani kuye kwanda nasemkhayeni futhi, njengoba kufakazelwa amanani aphakeme ezehlukaniso. Kwezinye izizwe, kunesehlukaniso esisodwa kuleyo naleyo mishado emithathu noma ngisho esisodwa kuleyo naleyo mishado emibili. Kwelinye izwe, amaphesenti angama-70 ayo yonke imishado emisha aphela ngesehlukaniso phakathi neminyaka eyishumi! Ngakho ukuthembana kuya kuphela. Ukungathembani kuthatha indawo yakho. Ayiseyona engavamile inkulumo yomuntu owathi: “Angisathembi-muntu manje.”
4. Ukwesaba kuyithinta kanjani intsha eningi?
4 Kunokungathembani okukhulu kangaka ngoba lesi yisikhathi esisabeka kakhulu kuwo wonke umlando wesintu. Lelikhulu leminyaka liye laba nezimpi zezwe ezimbili neziningi ezinye izimpi eziye zathatha ukuphila kwabantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyikhulu. Manje, izikhali zenuzi zisongela ukubhubhisa konke ukuphila emhlabeni. Futhi lokhu kuthinta ngisho nokwethemba kwabasebancane kakhulu. Iphephabhuku lezokwelapha labika: “Abantwana abandayo, ngisho nabacathulayo, bathuswa ukusongela kukakhukhulela-ngoqo wenuzi.” Iphephandaba laseCanada lathi manje kukhona “ukungabaza ubuqotho babanye, ukudabuka, ulaka nomuzwa wokungabi nalusizo” kubantu abaningi abasha. Omunye osemusha wathi: “Asizizwa neze sinesivikelo sabantu abadala. Singase sikhule siyisizukulwane esingabaza ubuqotho babanye kakhulu ngaphezu kwanoma yisiphi ngaphambili.”
5. Iqembu elimsulwa kakhulu nelingenakuzisiza labasebancane belingazizwa kanjani, uma belikwazi ukuzikhulumela?
5 Futhi elinye iqembu labancane belingathini—uma belikwazi ukukhuluma—ngokuzizwa lingavikelekile kubantu abadala? Sisho labo ababulawa ngokukhishwa kwezisu ngaphambi kokuba bazalwe. Okunye ukulinganisela kubeka inani lokukhishwa kwezisu kuwo wonke umhlaba ezigidini ezingaba ama-55 minyaka yonke. Yeka ukungathembeki engxenyeni yesintu emsulwa kakhulu nengenakuzisiza!
6. Ubugebengu buye bakunezela kanjani ukungathembani esikhathini sethu?
6 Ukungathembani kuye kwanda ngenxa yokunye ukwesaba okwandayo osukwini lwethu: ukwesaba ukuba isisulu sobugebengu. Abaningi manje benza njengowesifazane owathi ulala nevolovolo ngaphansi komcamelo wakhe. Omunye owesifazane owesabayo wathi: “Iyangicasula lento. . . . Ugogo wayengalokothi ahluthulele iminyango yakhe.” Ngakho, umhleli wephephandaba ePuerto Rico wathi: “Abantu ababoshiwe yithi,” yebo, ezindlini zethu ezinemigoqo nezihluthulelwe. Lokhu kwesaba kunesizathu esihle. Ngokwesibonelo, eUnited States owesifazane oyedwa kwabathathu kunokwenzeka ahlaselwe phakathi neminyaka yokuphila kwakhe. Udokotela omkhulu ohlinzayo lapho waphawula ukuthi “abaseMelika abangaba izigidi ezine baba izisulu zobudlova obukhulu minyaka yonke—ukubulala, ukudlwengula, ukushaywa kwabesifazane, ukuxhashazwa kwabantwana, ukukhuthuzwa.” Ubugebengu obunjalo buvamile emazweni amaningi, bulimaza ngokwengeziwe ukwethembana abantu abanakho.
7. Kungani izimo zezomnotho ezimbi zinezela ukungathembani?
7 Emazweni asathuthuka, abantu abaningi baphila ngobumpofu. Iningi alithembi muntu ukuba alikhiphe kubo. Umongameli welinye lamazwe anjalo wathi esifundazweni esisodwa, kuzo zonke izingane eziyi-1 000 ezizalwayo, ezingama-270 zifa ngaphambi kokuba zibe nonyaka ubudala. Indlu eyodwa kuphela kweziyi-100 enamanzi. Uhulumeni welinye izwe uthi amaphesenti angama-60 abantwana bawo bayaswela, futhi abantwana abayizigidi eziyisikhombisa abalahliwe “bakhula njengemihambima engafundile, elahliwe futhi engenakuqashwa.” EUnited States, inani lentsha engenamakhaya kulinganiselwa ukuthi lingaba izi-500 000, kodwa abanye bathi inani elingokoqobo lingaphezulu kakhulu kunaleli. Ukuthembela okungakanani intsha enjalo engaba nakho kubazali bayo, emphakathini, emthethweni nokuhleleka, noma ezithembisweni zabaholi?
8. (a) Kusongelwa kanjani ukuma kahle kwezizwe ezicebile nomnotho wembulunga yonke? (b) Ochwepheshe bangathenjwa ngezinga elingakanani ukuba baxazulule lezinkinga zezomnotho?
8 Izinkinga zezomnotho zikhathaza ngisho nezizwe ezicebile. Muva nje, iUnited States ibe nenani elikhulu kunawo wonke lokuwa kwamabhange kusukela ngesikhathi seNdlala Yemali yawo-1930. Isazi sezomnotho sabhala: “Umphumela wokugcina uyisimiso sokubhanga esintekenteke njengoba sasinjalo ngawo-1920,” ngaphambi nje kokuba siwe. Ingqapheli ethile yakhuluma “ngesiphepho esizayo esinamandla abhubhisayo” emnothweni womhlaba. Enye yathi: “Umuzwa wokuphuthuma ufika ngoba lezimo ezicindezelayo esimisweni sezizwe zonke akusekhona ukuthi ziyeza; kodwa sezifikile.” Ingabe izazi zezomnotho zingathenjwa ukuba ziqondise izizwe ziphume kulenkathazo? Esinye sazo sathi umlando wazo wokubikezela “ushaqisa kangangokuthi akukho kungabaza kokuthi ngokuvamile zisakaza ukukhungatheka.”
Ithemba Lokuhle Elibekwe Endaweni Engafanele
9. (a) Kuye kwenzekani ethembeni lokuhle elalikhona ekuqaleni kwalelikhulu leminyaka? (b) Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova babengeke bafune ukusayina incwadi yeZizwe Ezihlangene ngo-1945?
9 Yeka ukuthi konke lokhu kuhluke kanjani ethembeni lokuhle elalikhona lapho umhlaba ungenela lelikhulu leminyaka lama-20. Kwakunamashumi eminyaka yokuthula okuphawulekayo, futhi kwakunomuzwa wokuthi ukuthula nokuchuma kuyofinyelela izinga elisha. Kodwa ngo-1914 iMpi Yezwe I yawuphahlaza lowombono. Ngo-1945, ngemva kwempi yezwe yesibili eyayisabeka kakhulu, kwasayinwa uMthetho-sisekelo Wezizwe Ezihlangene. Izizwe zabhala phansi umbono wazo wezwe langemva kwempi elinokuthula, ukuchuma, nokwahlulela ngokulunga. Umbiko wamuva wathi: “Umbhalo wokugcina wasayinwa ngamazwe angama-51, emelele wonke amazwekazi, izinhlanga nezinkolo.” Nokho kunenkolo eyodwa eyayingamelelwe, futhi eyayingafuni ukumelelwa, oFakazi BakaJehova. Babazi ukuthi lezozithembiso zokuthula, ukuchuma, nokwahlulela ngokulunga zazingenakufezwa yinoma yisiphi isizwe salomhlaba noma nanoma iyiphi inhlangano yazo, njengeZizwe Ezihlangene.
10. Siyini isimo esingokoqobo namuhla uma kuqhathaniswa nephupho leZizwe Ezihlangene emuva lé ngo-1945?
10 Wona lowombiko uthi: ‘Eminyakeni engamashumi amane kamuva kubonakala kungokufanelekile ukubukeza izinto ezingokoqobo ziqhathaniswa nezifiso. Ubufakazi buyethusa. Izwe eliyendayo, elingalondekile, nobudlova obukhulayo, kuyizimo ezingokoqobo. Abantu abantula ukudla, amanzi, indawo yokuhlala, ukunakekelwa kwezempilo, nemfundo baqhubeka banda ngokushesha. Lokhu kwakungekho ephusheni lango-1945.’ Uyanezela: ‘Eminyakeni engamashumi amane ngemva kokuba izizwe ziye zahlangana ndawonye ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukuthi bonke abantu bangakwazi ukuphila bekhululekile ekwesabeni, nasekusweleni, izwe elingokoqobo lawo-1980 lingelinobumpofu obucindezelayo okungenani engxenyeni yesintu eyodwa kwezine. Ukufa okuhlobene nendlala kulinganiselwa ezi-50 000 ngosuku.’ Nokho, izizwe zisebenzisa amaRandi angaphezu kwezigidi ezingamakhulu amabili ihora ngalinye empini!
11. Zithembeke kangakanani izithembiso zabantu zezwe elingcono?
11 Sinombono walomlando oshaqisayo ngemva kwethuba lamakhulu amaningi eminyaka, singazithemba yini izithembiso zabantu zokuxazulula lezi zinkinga? Izithembiso ezinjalo zicishe zingathembeki njengamazwi omphathi womkhumbi omkhulu owathi: “Asikho isimo engingasicabanga esingase sibangele umkhumbi [omkhulu] ukuba ucwile. . . . Ukwakhiwa kwemikhumbi kwanamuhla sekuthuthuke kakhulu.” Elinye ilungu lamatilosi alowomkhumbi lathi kowayegibele: “Ngisho noNkulunkulu ngokwakhe akanakukwazi ukuwucwilisa lomkhumbi.” Nokho, lowomkhumbi, iTitanic, wacwila ngo-1912 kwalahleka ukuphila kwabayi-1 500. Ngo-1931 iNhlangano Yemfundo Yesizwe eUnited States yathi ngosizo lwemfundo “ubugebengu cishe buyophela nyá ngaphambi kuka-1950.” Ngo-1936 intatheli yaseBrithani yabhala ukuthi “ukudla, izembatho nendawo yokuhlala cishe kuyobiza kancane njengomoya” ngo-1960. Ingabe awuvumi yini ukuthi izimo ezingokoqobo ezikhona namuhla ziphikisana nalezozithembiso?
Lowo Okumelwe Simethembe Ngokuphelele
12. Ubani esingamethemba ngokuphelele, futhi yisiphi isiqondiso asinikeze sona?
12 Ngakho, siwudinga ngempela umthombo esingawethemba ukuba usisize sichushe kulezikhathi ezisabekayo. Lowomthombo awunakuba ngabantu. Isintu siye sazifaka ezinkingeni ezinkulu kangangokuba asinakuzikhipha kuzo. UMthombo ongathenjwa ngokuphelele unguMdali wabantu, uJehova uNkulunkulu. Uyazi ukuthi kungani izwe lisesimweni elikuso manje, ukuthi liphikelelephi, nokuthi uzokwenzani ngakho. Uye futhi wembula lokhu kwaziswa encwadini asinika yona ukuba isiqondise, iBhayibheli. Ngayo, eyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17 ithi: “Yonke imibhalo iphefumulelwe nguNkulunkulu ilungele ukufundisa, nokusola, nokuqondisa, nokuyala ekulungeni, ukuze umuntu kaNkulunkulu aphelele, apheleliselwe yonke imisebenzi emihle.”
13. Yini oFakazi BakaJehova abayiqaphelayo ngeBhayibheli?
13 Phawula lawomazwi agcizelelayo. IZwi likaNkulunkulu liqondisa izinto. Lisitshela okulungileyo. Lisenza sifaneleke ngokuphelele. Lisihlomisa ngokuphelele kokuhle. Yiqiniso, abantu abaningi abalamukeli iBhayibheli ngokwalokho eliyikho—iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Kodwa oFakazi BakaJehova bayalemukela. (1 Thesalonika 2:13) Siyaqaphela ukuthi uMdali walendawo enkulu enezinkulungwane zezigidi zemithala nezigidi zezigidigidi zezinkanyezi ngokuqinisekile unamandla okusungula incwadi. Futhi unamandla okubona ukuthi ukunemba kwayo kuyalondolozwa ukuze kuzuze abafuni beqiniso.—1 Petru 1:24, 25.
14. IBhayibheli livumelana kanjani nezimo ezingokoqobo zanamuhla?
14 Kulezikhathi zethu ezisabekayo lithini iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngalendaba yokwethembana? Amazwi alo avumelana ngokuphelele nezimo ezingokoqobo njengoba zikhona. UJeremiya 10:23 usho ngokunembile: “Ngiyazi, Jehova, ukuthi indlela yomuntu ayikuye uqobo; akukuyo indoda ukuba ihambe, iqondise izinyathelo zayo.” Futhi iHubo 146:3 likhuthaza ngokuqondile: “Ningethembi ezikhulwini nasendodaneni yomuntu okungekho kuyo ukusiza.”
15. Yisiphi iseluleko iBhayibheli elisinikeza sona ngokuqondene nokwethemba?
15 IZwi likaNkulunkulu liyasixwayisa futhi ukuba singazithembi ngisho nathi ngokwethu ngoba abantu abaphelele. (Roma 5:12) UJeremiya 17:9 uyaphawula: “Inhliziyo iyakhohlisa ngaphezu kwakho konke.” Ngenxa yalesizathu izAga 28:26 zithi: “Owethemba enhliziyweni yakhe uyisiwula; kepha ohamba ngokuhlakanipha uyakhululwa.” Singakutholaphi lokhu kuhlakanipha okungasikhulula? IzAga 9:10 ziyaphendula: “Ukuqala kokuhlakanipha kungukumesaba uJehova, nokumazi oNgcwele kungukuqonda.” Yebo, ukuhlakanipha koMdali kuphela okungasiqondisa sichushe kulezikhathi ezisabekayo. Ngakho, izAga 3:5, 6 ziyaluleka: “Themba kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, ungenciki kokwakho ukuqonda. Mazise yena ezindleleni zakho zonke, uyakuqondisa imikhondo yakho.”
Umbono KaNkulunkulu Ngenkolo Yezwe
16. Yimuphi umbono oyiphutha izinkolo zalelizwe ezinawo, njengoba kwakunjalo ngabaFarisi esikhathini sikaJesu?
16 Lokuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu kuyosisiza ukuba sigweme ugibe olubulalayo izinkolo zalelizwe eziwele kulo. Zizicabangela ukuthi zilungile ngoba zithanda inkolo. Isimo sazo sengqondo sifana kakhulu naleso esichazwe kuLuka 18:9: “Wayesekhuluma [uJesu] kwabathile ababezethemba ukuthi balungile, . . . ebalandisa lomfanekiso.” UmFarisi wabonga uNkulunkulu ngokuthi akasona isoni, kodwa umthelisi wayelokhu ecela: “Nkulunkulu, ngihawukele mina-soni.” UJesu wathi: “Ngithi kini: Lo [isoni] wehlela endlini yakhe elungisisiwe kunomunye [umFarisi]. Ngokuba yilowo nalowo oziphakamisayo uzakuthotshiswa, kodwa ozithobayo uzakuphakanyiswa.”—Luka 18:10-14.
17. UNkulunkulu uyibheka kanjani imizamo yenkolo yalabo abafana nabaFarisi?
17 UmFarisi akazange azithobe phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Kunalokho, wayenomuzwa wokuthi ngokwezindinganiso zakhe wayelungile. Kodwa uNkulunkulu akakubheki kanjalo. (Mathewu 23:25-28) Kwakuyisoni esizithobayo esabonisa lokho iZwi likaNkulunkulu elikushoyo kuIsaya 66:2: “Kepha yilowo engiyakubheka kuye: ohluphekayo nonomoya ochobozekileyo, othuthumela ngezwi lami.” Abaholi benkolo bamaJuda abazange bathuthumele ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu. Abalinakanga. Babenza abakufunayo bese becabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyabavumela. Nokho, uJesu wathi kubo: “Asibo bonke abashoyo kimi ukuthi: Nkosi, Nkosi, abayakungena embusweni wezulu, kuphela owenza intando kaBaba osezulwini. Abaningi bayakuthi kimi ngalolosuku: Nkosi, Nkosi, asiprofethanga yini ngegama lakho, sakhipha amademoni ngegama lakho, senza imisebenzi eminingi yamandla ngegama lakho, na? Khona ngiyakufakaza kubo ukuthi: Angizange nginazi; sukani kimi nina-benzi bokubi.”—Mathewu 7:21-23.
18. UNkulunkulu uyozahlulela kanjani izinkolo ezizisholo ukuthi ziyamkhonza kodwa ezingavumelani nemithetho yakhe?
18 Labobaholi benkolo ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka abazange bathembele kuNkulunkulu. Kunalokho, bathembela emasikweni ayephula imithetho kaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 15:3, 9) Ngakho, uJesu wabatshela: “Indlu yenu isisala nani.” (Mathewu 23:38) Njengobufakazi bokuthi uNkulunkulu ngempela wayeyishiyile inkolo yabo yobuJuda, ngonyaka ka-70 weSikhathi sethu Esivamile bona, inhloko-dolobha yesizwe sabo, iJerusalema, nethempeli labo kwabhujiswa amabutho amaRoma. Kusengokufanayo nanamuhla. Izinkolo zalelizwe zizimisele izindinganiso zazo zokukhulekela ezingavumelani nezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu. Ngakho azenzi intando yakhe kodwa eyazo. Ngakho, emehlweni kaNkulunkulu, zibhekwa njengabenzi bobubi. (Thithu 1:16) Njengobufakazi bokuthi uNkulunkulu uzishiyile lezinkolo, zizochithwa ngokushesha yizizwe, njengoba nje neJerusalema nethempeli lalo kwachithwa amabutho amaRoma ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka.—Bheka isAmbulo, izahluko 17, 18.
19. Yimiphi imibuzo engabuzwa ngokuqondene nenkolo?
19 Ingabe lesisahlulelo sezinkolo zezwe sinzima kakhulu? Singaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi ngokushesha uNkulunkulu uzozahlulela? Yini inkolo okumelwe iyenze ukuze ivunyelwe uNkulunkulu? Ingabe zikhona izandulela ezingokomlando ezibonisa ukuthi uJehova uvikela labo abaphendukela kuye ngobuqotho futhi bathobele imithetho yakhe? Isihloko esilandelayo sizokhulumela lemibuzo.
Imibuzo Yokubukeza
◻ Yini eye yanezela ekungathembanini esikhathini sethu?
◻ Kungani ithemba lokuhle lalelizwe lalidukile?
◻ Ubani esingamethemba ngokuphelele, futhi isiphi isiqondiso asinikeze sona?
◻ Kungani kungafanele sizethembe noma sithembele kwabanye abantu?
◻ UNkulunkulu uzibheka kanjani izinkolo zalelizwe?
[Izithombe ekhasini 13]
UmFarisi wacabanga ukuthi ulungile, kodwa indoda eyayiyisoni yacela umusa kaNkulunkulu ngokuthobeka
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
UNkulunkulu wahlulela izinkolo ezingenzi intando yakhe njengoba ahlulela inkolo yobuJuda ekhulwini leminyaka lokuqala lapho amabutho amaRoma ebhubhisa iJerusalema