Yimani Isibindi Njengoba Ukukhululwa Kusondela
“Nginawe, usho uJehova, ukuba ngikophule.”—JEREMIYA 1:19.
1, 2. Kungani isintu sidinga ukukhululwa?
UKUKHULULWA! Yeka igama eliduduzayo! Ukukhululwa kusho ukuhlengwa, ukophulwa esimweni esibi, esingajabulisi. Lokhu kuhlanganisa nomqondo wokulethwa esimweni esingcono nesijabulisa kakhudlwana.
2 Yeka ukuthi isintu sikudinga kakhulu kangakanani ukukhululwa okunjalo kulesi sikhathi! Abantu kuyo yonke indawo bacindezelwa futhi badunyazwe izinkinga ezinzima—ezomnotho, ezenhlalo, ezingokomzimba, ezingokwengqondo nezingokomzwelo. Iningi alenelisekile futhi lidumele ngendlela izwe elingayo futhi lingathanda ushintsho lokungcono.—Isaya 60:2; Mathewu 9:36.
“Izikhathi Ezibucayi Okunzima Ukubhekana Nazo”
3, 4. Kungani kunesidingo esikhulu sokukhululwa manje?
3 Njengoba leli khulu lama-20 liye laba nokuhlupheka okukhulu kunanoma yiliphi elinye, kunesidingo esikhulu sokukhululwa manje kunanini ngaphambili. Namuhla, abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyinkulungwane bampofu ngendlela esabekayo, futhi lelo nani landa ngezigidi ezingaba ngu-25 unyaka ngamunye. Unyaka ngamunye izingane ezingaba yizigidi ezingu-13 ziyafa ngenxa yokungondleki kahle noma ezinye izimbangela ezihlobene nobumpofu—ngaphezu kuka-35 000 ngosuku! Futhi izigidi zabantu abadala zifa kungakabi yisikhathi ngenxa yezifo ezihlukahlukene.—Luka 21:11; IsAmbulo 6:8.
4 Izimpi neziyaluyalu zomphakathi kuye kwabangela ukuhlupheka okungachazeki. Incwadi ethi Death by Government ithi izimpi, izingxabano zobuzwe nezenkolo, nokuqothulwa kwezakhamuzi ngawohulumeni bazo kuye “kwabulala abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-203 kuleli khulu leminyaka.” Iqhubeka ithi: “Kungenzeka ukuthi abaye bafa bacela kubantu abayizigidi ezingu-360. Kunjengokungathi siye saqothulwa umshayabhuqe wanamuhla. Futhi usiqothule ngempela, kodwa uMshayabhuqe wokulwela ukuBusa, hhayi owamagciwane.” Umlobi uRichard Harwood waphawula: “Izimpi zobuqaba zamakhulu eminyaka adlule zazingelutho uma kuqhathaniswa.”—Mathewu 24:6, 7; IsAmbulo 6:4.
5, 6. Yini eyenza isikhathi sethu sicindezele kangaka?
5 Okunezelayo ezimweni ezicindezelayo zeminyaka yamuva ukwanda okukhulu kobugebengu bobudlova, ukuziphatha okubi, nokuwohloka komkhaya. OwayenguNobhala Wemfundo e-United States uWilliam Bennett waphawula ukuthi eminyakeni engu-30 inani labantu e-United States landa ngamaphesenti angu-41, kodwa ubugebengu bobudlova banda ngamaphesenti angu-560, izingane ezingamavezandlebe zanda ngamaphesenti angu-400, izehlukaniso zanda ngamaphesenti angu-300 futhi ukuzibulala kwentsha kwanda ngamaphesenti angu-200. UProfesa wasePrinceton University uJohn DiIulio, Jr., waxwayisa ngamanani andayo entsha ‘eyizilo ezinkulu’ ‘ebulalayo, ihlasele, idlwengule, iphange, igqekeze futhi ibangele iziyaluyalu ezinkulu emphakathini. Ayilesabi ihlazo lokuboshwa, ubuhlungu bokuvalelwa ejele, noma ukuhlushwa unembeza.’ Kulelozwe, ukubulawa manje kuyimbangela yesibili ngobukhulu yokufa kwalabo abaneminyaka engu-15 kuya ku-19 ubudala. Futhi izingane ezengeziwe ezingaphansi kweminyaka emine ubudala zifa ngenxa yokuxhashazwa kunangenxa yezifo.
6 Ubugebengu nodlame olunjalo akukho esizweni esisodwa nje kuphela. Amazwe amaningi abika ukuthambekela okufanayo. Okunesandla kulokhu ukwanda kokusetshenziswa kwezidakamizwa ngokungemthetho okonakalisa izigidi. I-Sydney Morning Herald yase-Australia yathi: “Ukushushumbiswa kwezidakamizwa kuzo zonke izizwe kuye kwaba ibhizinisi eliphuma isibili ngokuchuma emhlabeni lilandele elokuhweba ngezikhali.” Esinye isici ubudlova nokuziphatha okubi manje okugcwele kuthelevishini. Emazweni amaningi, lapho ingane ifinyelela iminyaka engu-18 ubudala, isuke isibone amashumi ezinkulungwane ezenzo zobudlova ku-TV nezingenakubalwa zokuziphatha okubi. Lelo ithonya elonakalisayo eliphawulekayo, ngoba ubuntu bethu bulolongwa yilokho esikufaka ezingqondweni zethu njalo.—Roma 12:2; Efesu 5:3, 4.
7. Isiprofetho seBhayibheli sazibikezela kanjani izimo ezimbi zamanje?
7 Isiprofetho seBhayibheli sazibikezela ngokunembile lezi zenzakalo ezesabekayo ekhulwini lethu. Sathi kuyoba nezimpi emhlabeni wonke, izifo ezingumshayabhuqe, ukuswelakala kokudla nokwanda kokungabi namthetho. (Mathewu 24:7-12; Luka 21:10, 11) Futhi lapho sicabangela isiprofetho esilotshwe kweyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, kunjengokulalela izindaba zansuku zonke. Siphawula inkathi yethu ‘njengezinsuku zokugcina’ futhi sichaze abantu ‘njengabazithandayo, abathandi bemali, abangalaleli abazali, abangathembekile, abangenakho ukusondelana ngokomzwelo okungokwemvelo, abangenakho ukuzithiba, abanolaka, abakhukhumele ngokuziqhenya, abathandi bezinjabulo kunokuba abathandi bakaNkulunkulu.’ Linjalo izwe namuhla. Njengoba uWilliam Bennett avuma: “Ziningi kakhulu izimpawu zokuthi . . . impucuko yonakele.” Kuye kwaze kwathiwa impucuko yaphela ngempi yezwe yokuqala.
8. Kungani uNkulunkulu aletha uZamcolo osukwini lukaNowa, futhi lokhu kuhlobana kanjani nesikhathi sethu?
8 Manje isimo sibi ngisho nangaphezu kwesangaphambi kukaZamcolo wosuku lukaNowa, lapho “umhlaba wagcwala ubudlwangudlwangu.” Emuva ngaleso sikhathi, iningi labantu lenqaba ukuphenduka ezindleleni zalo ezimbi. Ngakho, uNkulunkulu wathi: “Umhlaba ugcwele ubudlwangudlwangu ngenxa yabantu; bheka, ngiyakubachitha.” UZamcolo waliphelisa lelo lizwe elinobudlova.—Genesise 6:11, 13; 7:17-24.
Ukukhululwa Ngeke Kuze Ngabantu
9, 10. Kungani kungafanele sibheke kubantu ukuba balethe ukukhululeka?
9 Ingabe imizamo yomuntu ingasikhulula kulezi zimo ezimbi? IZwi likaNkulunkulu liyaphendula: “Ningethembi ezikhulwini nasendodaneni yomuntu okungekho kuyo ukusiza.” “Akukuyo indoda ukuba ihambe, iqondise izinyathelo zayo.” (IHubo 146:3; Jeremiya 10:23) Izinkulungwane zeminyaka yomlando ziye zawafakazela lawo maqiniso. Abantu baye bazama zonke izimiso zezombangazwe, ezomnotho nezenhlalo ongazicabanga, kodwa izimo ziya ziba zimbi. Ukube umuntu ubenalo ikhambi, ngabe sekuyabonakala manje. Kunalokho, iqiniso liwukuthi ‘umuntu uye wabusa omunye kwaba ngukulimala kwakhe.’—UmShumayeli 8:9; IzAga 29:2; Jeremiya 17:5, 6.
10 Eminyakeni embalwa edlule, owayengumeluleki wesizwe wezokulondeka e-United States uZbigniew Brzezinski wathi: “Isiphetho esingenakugwenywa sanoma yikuphi ukuhlaziywa okungathathi hlangothi kokuthambekela kwembulunga yonke ukuthi isiyaluyalu sezenhlalo, udlame lwezombangazwe, usizi lwezomnotho nokungezwani kwezizwe zonke cishe kuyobhebhetheka kakhulu.” Wanezela: “Ukusongela okubhekene nesintu yisiphithiphithi sembulunga yonke.” Lokho kuhlaziywa kwezimo zezwe kunengqondo nakakhulu namuhla. Iphawula ngalenkathi yokwanda kodlame, ingosi yomhleli kuyi-Register yaseNew Haven, eConnecticut yathi: “Isimo sibonakala sesisibi kakhulu ukuba sikwazi ukusinqanda.” Cha, ngeke kunqandwe ukuwohloka kwalelizwe, ngoba isiprofetho esiphathelene nalezi ‘zinsuku zokugcina’ sathi futhi: “Abantu ababi nabakhohlisi bayoqhubeka besuka kokubi baye kokubi kakhulu, bedukisa futhi bedukiswa.”—2 Thimothewu 3:13.
11. Kungani imizamo yabantu ingeke izishintshe izimo eziya ziba zimbi?
11 Abantu abanakukuguqula lokhu kuthambekela ngoba nguSathane “unkulunkulu walesi simiso sezinto.” (2 Korinte 4:4) Yebo, “lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi.” (1 Johane 5:19; bheka noJohane 14:30.) Ngokufanele iBhayibheli lithi ngosuku lwethu: “Mayé ngomhlaba nangolwandle, ngoba uDeveli wehlele kini, enentukuthelo enkulu, azi ukuthi unenkathi yesikhathi emfushane.” (IsAmbulo 12:12) USathane uyazi ukuthi ukubusa kwakhe nezwe lakhe sekuzophela, ngakho ‘unjengengonyama ebhongayo, efuna ukushwabadela othile.’—1 Petru 5:8.
Ukukhululwa Kuseduze—Kobani?
12. Ukukhululwa kobani okusondelayo?
12 Izimo ezinzima ngokwandayo emhlabeni ziwubufakazi obuphawulekayo bokuthi ushintsho olukhulu—yebo, ukukhululwa okukhulu—kuseduze! Ukukhululwa kobani? Ukukhululwa kuseduze kulabo abanaka izibonakaliso eziyisixwayiso futhi abathatha isinyathelo esifanele. Eyokuqala kaJohane 2:17 ibonisa lokho okumelwe kwenziwe: “Izwe [isimiso sezinto sikaSathane] liyadlula kanjalo nesifiso salo, kodwa lowo owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade.”—Bheka neyesi-2 Petru 3:10-13.
13, 14. UJesu wasigcizelela kanjani isidingo sokuhlala siphapheme?
13 UJesu wabikezela ukuthi akusensuku zatshwala umphakathi wanamuhla owonakele ususwe ngesikhathi sosizi “olungakaze lwenzeke kusukela ekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube manje, cha, futhi olungasayikuphinde lwenzeke.” (Mathewu 24:21) Yingakho axwayisa: “Zinakeni ukuba izinhliziyo zenu zingalokothi zisindwe ukuminza nokuphuza kakhulu nezinkathazo zokuphila, futhi ngokungazelelwe lolosuku lufike phezu kwenu ngaso lesosikhathi njengogibe. Ngoba luyofika phezu kwabo bonke labo abahlala phezu kobuso bomhlaba wonke. Khona-ke, hlalani niphapheme, ngaso sonke isikhathi ninxusa ukuba niphumelele ekuphunyukeni kuzo zonke lezizinto ezimiselwe ukuba zenzeke.”—Luka 21:34-36.
14 Labo ‘abanakayo’ futhi ‘abahlala bephapheme’ bayofuna intando kaNkulunkulu futhi bayenze. (IzAga 2:1-5; Roma 12:2) Laba yibo ‘abayophumelela ekuphunyukeni’ embubhisweni ezolethwa maduze nje esimisweni sikaSathane. Futhi bangaba nethemba eliphelele lokuthi bayokhululwa.—IHubo 34:15; IzAga 10:28-30.
Umkhululi Oyinhloko
15, 16. Ungubani uMkhululi oyinhloko, futhi kungani siqiniseka ukuthi izahlulelo zakhe ziyoba ezokulunga?
15 Ukuze izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zikhululwe, uSathane naso sonke isimiso sakhe sezinto somhlaba wonke kudingeka asuswe. Lokhu kudinga umthombo wokukhulula onamandla kakhulu kunabantu. Lowo mthombo uJehova uNkulunkulu, uMbusi Ophakeme, uMdali ongumninimandla onke wembulunga esabekayo. UnguMkhululi oyinhloko: “Mina, mina nginguJehova, ngaphandle kwami akakho umsindisi.”—Isaya 43:11; IzAga 18:10.
16 UJehova unezinga eliphelele lamandla, ukuhlakanipha, ubulungisa nothando. (IHubo 147:5; IzAga 2:6; Isaya 61:8; 1 Johane 4:8) Ngakho lapho ekhipha izahlulelo zakhe, singaqiniseka ukuthi izenzo zakhe ziyoba ezokulunga. U-Abrahama wabuza: “Umahluleli womhlaba wonke ubengayikwenza ukulunga na?” (Genesise 18:24-33) UPawulu wathi: “Ingabe kukhona ukungabi nabulungisa kuNkulunkulu? Kwangathi kungelokothe kube njalo lokho!” (Roma 9:14) UJohane wabhala: “Yebo, Jehova Nkulunkulu, Mninimandla onke, ziyiqiniso futhi zilungile izinqumo zakho zokwahlulela.”—IsAmbulo 16:7.
17. Izinceku zikaJehova zesikhathi esidlule zakuveza kanjani ukuqiniseka ngezithembiso zakhe?
17 Lapho uJehova ethembisa ukukhulula, nakanjani uyokuletha. UJoshuwa wathi: “Akuphuthanga-lutho kukho konke okuhle uJehova akukhuluma.” (Joshuwa 21:45) USolomoni wathi: “Akuwanga izwi elilodwa lakho konke ukukhuluma kwakhe okuhle akusho.” (1 AmaKhosi 8:56) Umphostoli uPawulu waphawula ukuthi u-Abrahama “akazange antengantenge ngokuntula ukholo, . . . eqiniseka ngokugcwele ukuthi lokho [uNkulunkulu] ayekuthembisile uyakwazi futhi nokukwenza.” USara ngokufanayo “wambheka njengokholekile [uNkulunkulu] owayethembisile.”—Roma 4:20, 21; Heberu 11:11.
18. Kungani izinceku zikaJehova namuhla zingaqiniseka ukuthi ziyokhululwa?
18 Ngokungafani nabantu, uJehova unokwethenjelwa ngokuphelele, uyaligcina izwi lakhe. “UJehova-Sebawoti ufungile, wathi: Impela njengokulinganisa kwami kuyakuba-njalo, nanjengokunquma kwami kuyakuma kanjalo.” (Isaya 14:24) Ngakho lapho iBhayibheli lithi “uJehova uyayazi indlela yokukhulula ekulingweni abantu abanokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, kodwa agcinele abantu abangalungile usuku lokwahlulelwa ukuze banqunywe,” singaqiniseka ngokugcwele ukuthi lokhu kuyokwenzeka. (2 Petru 2:9) Ngisho nalapho izitha ezinamandla zizisongela ngokuzibhubhisa, izinceku zikaJehova zima isibindi ngenxa yombono wakhe ovezwe esithembisweni sakhe komunye wabaprofethi bakhe: “Bayakulwa nawe, kepha abayikukwahlula, ngokuba nginawe, usho uJehova, ukuba ngikophule.”—Jeremiya 1:19; IHubo 33:18, 19; Thithu 1:2.
Ukukhulula Esikhathini Esidlule
19. UJehova wamkhulula kanjani uLoti, futhi kunakuphi ukufana esikhathini sethu?
19 Kungasikhuthaza kakhulu ukuzikhumbuza ezinye zezenzo zikaJehova zokusindisa zesikhathi esidlule. Ngokwesibonelo, uLoti “wayecindezeleke kakhulu” ngobubi beSodoma neGomora. Kodwa uJehova wasilalela “isikhalo” ngaleyo mizi. Ngesikhathi esifanele, wathuma izithunywa ukuba zinxuse uLoti nomkhaya wakhe ukuba baphume kuleyo ndawo ngaphandle kokulibala. Waba yini umphumela? UJehova ‘wamkhulula uLoti olungileyo,’ ‘elahla imizi yaseSodoma naseGomora ngokuyenza ibe umlotha.’ (2 Petru 2:6-8; Genesise 18:20, 21) Nanamuhla, uJehova uyasilalela isikhalo ngobubi obukhulu balelizwe. Lapho izithunywa zakhe zosuku lwanamuhla seziwuphothulile umsebenzi wazo ophuthumayo wokufakaza, ngezinga afuna ngalo, uyolithathela isinyathelo lelizwe futhi akhulule izinceku zakhe njengoLoti.—Mathewu 24:14.
20. Chaza ukukhulula kukaJehova u-Israyeli wasendulo eGibithe.
20 EGibithe lasendulo izigidi zabantu bakaNkulunkulu zaziyizigqila. UJehova wathi ngazo: “Ngizwile ukukhala kwabo . . . Ngiyazazi izinsizi zabo. Ngehlé ukuba ngibophule.” (Eksodusi 3:7, 8) Nokho, ngemva kokuvumela abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba bahambe, uFaro washintsha ingqondo yakhe futhi wabalandela nebutho lakhe elinamandla. Ama-Israyeli abonakala ebhajwe oLwandle Olubomvu. Kodwa uMose wathi: “Ningesabi; qinani; nibone ukusindisa kukaJehova azakunenzela khona namuhla.” (Eksodusi 14:8-14) UJehova wahlukanisa uLwandle Olubomvu, futhi ama-Israyeli abaleka. Amabutho kaFaro awajaha, kodwa uJehova wasebenzisa amandla akhe, “ulwandle lwabasibekela; baminzisa okomthofu emanzini anamandla.” Ngemva kwalokho, uMose wajabula ngokuhlabelelela uJehova: “Ngubani onjengawe okhazimula ngobungcwele, owesabeka ngezibongo, owenza izimangaliso, na?”—Eksodusi 15:4-12, 19.
21. Abantu bakaJehova basindiswa kanjani kwabakwa-Amoni, abakwaMowabi nabaseSeyiri?
21 Ngesinye isikhathi, izizwe eziyizitha, zabakwa-Amoni, abakwaMowabi nabaseSeyiri (i-Edomi) zasongela abantu bakaJehova ngokubabhubhisa. UJehova wathi: “Ningesabi, ningapheli amandla ngenxa yalesisixuku esikhulu [sezitha]; ngokuba impi ayisiyo eyenu, ngekaNkulunkulu. . . . Akusikho okwenu ukulwa kulempi . . . Nime, nibone ukunisindisa kukaJehova.” UJehova wakhulula abantu bakhe ngokwenza ukuba izitha zidideke, zabulalana zodwa.—2 IziKronike 20:15-23.
22. Yikuphi ukukhululwa okuyisimangaliso uJehova akwenzela ama-Israyeli e-Asiriya?
22 Lapho uMbuso Wezwe wase-Asiriya umelana neJerusalema, iNkosi uSaneheribi yachukuluza uJehova ngokutshela abantu ababesodongeni: “Ngobani phakathi kwabo bonke onkulunkulu balawamazwe [engiwanqobile] abophulé izwe lakubo esandleni sami ukuba uJehova alophule iJerusalema esandleni sami na?” Ezincekwini zikaNkulunkulu yathi: “UHezekiya makanganenzi nethembe uJehova ngokuthi: UJehova uyakusophula nokusophula.” Ngobuqotho uHezekiya wabe esethandazela ukukhululwa, “ukuba yonke imibuso yomhlaba yazi ukuthi wena unguJehova, wena wedwa.” UJehova wabhubhisa amabutho ase-Asiriya angu-185 000, futhi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zakhululwa. Kamuva, lapho uSaneheribi ekhulekela unkulunkulu wakhe wamanga, amadodana akhe ambulala.—Isaya, izahluko 36 no-37.
23. Yimiphi imibuzo edinga ukuphendulwa ngokukhululwa namuhla?
23 Ngokuqinisekile singama isibindi lapho sibona indlela uJehova akhulula ngayo abantu bakhe ngokuyisimangaliso esikhathini esidlule. Kuthiwani namuhla? Yisiphi isimo esiyingozi izinceku zakhe ezikholekile eziyoba kuso maduze nje esiyodinga ukuba azikhulule ngokuyisimangaliso? Kungani eye walinda kwaze kwaba manje ukuba azikhulule? Amazwi kaJesu ayoba nakuphi ukugcwaliseka: “Njengoba lezizinto ziqala ukwenzeka, yimani niqonde futhi niphakamise amakhanda enu, ngoba ukukhululwa kwenu kuyasondela”? (Luka 21:28) Futhi ukukhululwa kuyoza kanjani ezincekwini zikaNkulunkulu esezifile kakade? Isihloko esilandelayo sizohlola lemibuzo.
Imibuzo Yokubukeza
◻ Kungani kunesidingo esikhulu sokukhululwa?
◻ Kungani kungafanele sibheke kubantu ukuze sikhululwe?
◻ Ukukhululwa kobani okuseduze?
◻ Kungani singaqiniseka ngokukhulula kukaJehova?
◻ Yiziphi izibonelo zokukhulula kwesikhathi esidlule ezikhuthazayo?
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
U-Abrahama wayephakathi kwalabo ababemethemba ngokugcwele uJehova