1. Kumele senzeni ukuze sisinde ngosuku lukaJehova?

 NXA iBhayibhili likhuluma ‘ngosuku lukaJehova’ liyabe lisitsho isikhathi azabhubhisa ngaso izitha zakhe asindise abantu bakhe. Langezinye izikhathi kudala, uJehova wayejezisa ezinye izizwe. (Isaya. 13:1, 6; Hez. 13:5; Zef. 1:8) Esikhathini sethu “usuku lukaJehova” luzaqalisa ngokuhlaselwa kweBhabhiloni Enkulu luphele ngempi ye-Amagedoni. Kumele silungiselele khathesi ukuze sisinde ‘ngalolosuku.’ UJesu wasifundisa ukuthi silungiselele ‘ukuhlupheka okukhulu’ kodwa kaphelelanga lapho. Waphinda wathi ‘sihlale sizilungiselele.’—Mat. 24:21; Luk. 12:40.

2. U-1 Thesalonika usinceda njani?

² Encwadini yokuqala umphostoli uPhawuli ayibhalela abaseThesalonika, wasebenzisa imizekeliso eminengi ukuze ancede amaKhristu ukuthi ahlale ekulungele ukufika kosuku lukaJehova olukhulu, lapho azakwahlulela khona abantu. UPhawuli wayekwazi ukuthi usuku lukaJehova lwalungasoze lufike ngalesosikhathi. (2 Thes. 2:1-3) Lanxa kunjalo wakhuthaza abafowabo ukuthi balungiselele lolosuku angathi luyafika kusasa futhi lathi kumele sikusebenzise akutshoyo. Nanzi izinto esizaxoxa ngazo: (1) Usuku lukaJehova luzafika njani? (2) Ngobani abangasoze basinde ngalolosuku? (3) Singalulungiselela njani ukuze sisinde?

3. Kutshoni ukuthi usuku lukaJehova luzafika njengesela lifika ebusuku? (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

³ “Njengesela lifika ebusuku.” (1 Thes. 5:2) Lo ngumzekeliso wokuqala owasetshenziswa nguPhawuli ochasisa ukuthi usuku lukaJehova luzafika njani. Amasela ajayele ukubuya ebusuku futhi atshontsha ngesiphangiphangi abantu besalibele. Usuku lukaJehova lalo luzafika ngokucwayiza kwelihlo abantu besalibele. Kungenzakala ukuthi lamaKhristu eqiniso azamangala ngendlela izinto ezizakwenzakala ngayo masinyane. Kodwa wona awasoze abhujiswe labantu abenza okubi.

4. Usuku lukaJehova lufanana njani lemihelo yowesifazana ozithweleyo?

 ⁴ “Njengemihelo yowesifazana ozithweleyo.” (1 Thes. 5:3) Umama ozithweleyo ngeke abesazi sona kanye isikhathi azaqalisa ngaso ukuhelelwa. Lanxa kunjalo uyabe engathandabuzi ukuthi uzahelelwa. Izikhathi ezinengi imihelo iyamjuma kube buhlungu futhi akulalutho angalwenza ukuze ayimise. Lathi asilazi ilanga lehora usuku lukaJehova oluzaqalisa ngalo. Kodwa siyaqiniseka ukuthi luzafika lokuthi luzabajuma abantu abenza okubi futhi abasoze baphunyuke nxa uJehova esebabhubhisa.

5. Ukuhlupheka okukhulu kufanana njani lokukhanya kokusa?

⁵ Njengokukhanya kokusa. Umzekeliso wesithathu uPhawuli awusebenzisayo lawo ukhuluma ngamasela atshontsha ebusuku. Kodwa khathesi kukhanya umphostoli uPhawuli uqathanisa ukufika kosuku lukaJehova lokusa. (1 Thes. 5:4) Kwezinye izikhathi amasela atshontsha ebusuku angafuna ukuthatha izinto ezinengi aze alibale ukuthi isikhathi siyahamba, acine esejunywa yikukhanya kokusa abanjwe. Ukuhlupheka okukhulu lakho kuzabaveza egcekeni labo abaqhubeka besemnyameni njengamasela besenza izinto ezingamthokozisiyo uNkulunkulu. Thina asifanani labantu labo. Sitshengisa ukuthi sikulungele ukufika kosuku lukaJehova ngokungenzi izinto ezingamthokozisiyo kodwa ngokwenza “konke okuhle” langokudinga ‘ukulunga leqiniso.’ (Efe. 5:8-12) Khathesi asixoxeni ngemizekeliso emibili eyasetshenziswa nguPhawuli ukuze acacise ukuthi ngobani abangasoze basinde.

6. Kungani sisithi abantu abanengi balele? (U-1 Thesalonika 5:6, 7)

⁶ “Labo abalalayo.” (Bala u-1 Thesalonika 5:6, 7.) UPhawuli wafanisa labo abangasoze  basinde ngosuku lukaJehova labantu abaleleyo. Kabakwazi ukuthi kwenzakalani njalo kabakunanzeleli lokuthi isikhathi siyahamba. Nxa kusenzakala izinto eziqakathekileyo kababoni ukuthi zitshoni futhi kabenzi lutho ngazo. Abantu abanengi lamuhla balele, kababoni ukuthi okwenzakalayo kutshoni ngempilo yabo. (Rom. 11:8) Lanxa kulobufakazi obunengi obutshengisa ukuthi siphila “ezinsukwini zokucina” lokuthi ukuhlupheka okukhulu sekuzaqalisa, bona kabazihluphi ngakho. Izinto ezenzakala emhlabeni zingenza abanye baphaphame baqalise ukulalela izindaba zoMbuso esizitshumayelayo. Kodwa abanengi baphinda babuyele bayelala kulokuthi bahlale bephapheme. Phela labanye abakholwayo ukuthi kuzakuba losuku lokwahlulela bacabanga ukuthi lukhatshana. (2 Phet. 3:3, 4) Kodwa thina siyananzelela ukuthi kuqakathekile ukuthi sihlale siphapheme ngoba usuku ngalunye oludlulayo lusisondeza duze losuku lukaJehova.

7. Abantu abazabhujiswa nguNkulunkulu bafanana njani lezidakwa?

⁷ “Abadakwayo.” Umphostoli uPhawuli wafanisa labo abazabhujiswa nguNkulunkulu lezidakwa. Abantu abadakiweyo bajayele ukuphuza ukubona ukuthi kwenzakalani futhi benza izinqumo ezingaqondanga. Abantu abenza okubi labo banjalo, kabalaleli nxa uNkulunkulu ebaxwayisa. Bakhetha ukuphila ngendlela ezakwenza bacine sebebhujisiwe. Kodwa amaKhristu atshelwa ukuthi azisebenzise kuhle izingqondo zawo, angenzi njengabantu abadakiweyo. (1 Thes. 5:6) Esinye isikhwicamfundo seBhayibhili sathi umuntu osebenzisa kuhle ingqondo ‘uhlalisekile, kawalazeli njalo uyacabangisisa ahluze izinto abesesenza isinqumo esiqondileyo.’ Kungani kumele sihlaliseke singawalazeli? Ukwenza njalo kuyasinceda ukuthi singangeni kwezombusazwe lasezindabeni zomphakathi. Njengoba usuku lukaJehova luqhubeka lusondela kuzakwenzakala izinto ezinengi ezingenza sicine silingeka ukungena ezintweni lezi. Kodwa akumelanga sikhathazeke ngokuthi sizakwenzani ngalesosikhathi. Umoya kaNkulunkulu uzasinceda ukuthi sihlaliseke futhi senze lezinqumo ezinhle.—Luk. 12:11, 12.

8. Yiziphi izinto eziqanjwa ku-1 Thesalonika 5:8 ezingasinceda ukuthi sihlale siphapheme futhi sisebenzisa kuhle ingqondo? (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

⁸ ‘Gqoka isivikelo sesifuba lengwane.’ UPhawuli wafanisa amaKhristu lamasotsha agqoke izigqoko zawo zempi futhi aselungele ukulwa. (Bala u-1 Thesalonika 5:8.) Amasotsha akhangelelwe ukuthi ahlale elungele ukulwa loba nini. Lathi sinjengamasotsha. Sitshengisa ukuthi silulungele usuku lukaJehova ngokugqoka isivikelo sesifuba esilukholo lothando kanye lokugqoka ingwane okutsho ithemba. Izinto lezi zingasinceda kakhulu.

9. Ukholo lusivikela njani?

⁹ Isivikelo sesifuba sasivikela inhliziyo yesotsha. Ukholo lothando lakho kuvikela inhliziyo zethu. Kuyasinceda ukuthi siqhubeke sikhonza uNkulunkulu futhi silandele uJesu. Ukholo lwenza siqiniseke ukuthi uJehova uzasipha umvuzo nxa siqhubeka simdinga ngenhliziyo yonke. (Heb. 11:6) Lanxa singaba phakathi kobunzima, ukholo luyasinceda ukuthi siqhubeke siqotho kumkhokheli wethu uJesu. Okunye okungenza sibe lokholo olungasinceda ukuthi simelane lobunzima yikubala ngezindaba zabantu bakaNkulunkulu abaqhubeka beqotho lanxa babehlukuluzwa kumbe beswela. Kanti njalo nxa sifuna ukubalekela isilingo sokuthanda imali lezinye izinto zomhlaba lo, singalingisela labo abadela ezinye izinto ukuze baqakathekise izinto eziphathelane loMbuso ukwedlula loba yini ezimpilweni zabo. b

10. Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu labomakhelwane bethu kusinceda njani?

 ¹⁰ Uthando lalo luqakathekile ngoba luyasinceda ukuthi sihlale siphapheme futhi sisebenzisa kuhle izingqondo zethu. (Mat. 22:37-39) Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kungasinceda ukuthi siqhubeke sitshumayela lanxa sikwazi ukuthi ukwenza njalo kungasidalela uhlupho. (2 Thim. 1:7, 8) Siqhubeka sitshumayela ensimini yethu size sitshumayele ngamafoni langezincwadi ngenxa yokuthi siyabathanda abantu abangamkhonziyo uJehova. Sihlala sithemba ukuthi ngelinye ilanga omakhelwane bethu bazatshintsha baqalise ukwenza okulungileyo.—Hez. 18:27, 28.

11. Ukuthanda abafowethu labodadewethu kuzasinceda njani? (U-1 Thesalonika 5:11)

¹¹ Abanye omakhelwane bethu okumele sibathande ngamaKhristu esikhonza lawo. Sitshengisa ukuthi siyathandana ngokuqhubeka ‘sikhuthazana futhi sisakhana.’ (Bala u-1 Thesalonika 5:11.) Siyakhuthazana njengamasotsha ancedisanayo empini. Kungenzakala kuthi ngesikhathi impi itshisa, isotsha lilimaze elinye isotsha eliseqenjini lalo kodwa lokhu ngeke likwenze ngabomo. Kuyabe kuyingozi nje. Ngakho lathi ngeke silimaze abafowethu labodadewethu ngabomo kumbe sibuyisele okubi ngokubi. (1 Thes. 5:13, 15) Siphinda sitshengise ukuthi silothando ngokuhlonipha abazalwane abakhokhelayo ebandleni. (1 Thes. 5:12) Ngesikhathi uPhawuli ebhala incwadi yakhe yokuqala eyayisiya kwabaseThesalonika, ibandla lelo lalingakabi lomnyaka likhona. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi amadoda ayebekiwe ayengakabi lolwazi olunengi futhi kungenzakala ayephambanisa kanengi. Lanxa kunjalo kwakumele ahlonitshwe. Ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu kuzamele sibalalele kakhulu abadala bebandla lethu ukwedlula indlela esingabe sisenza ngayo khathesi. Phela kungenzakala ukuthi ngalesosikhathi kube nzima ukuthi abafowethu abasemawofisini amakhulu labasegatsheni bathintane lathi. Yikho kuqakathekile ukuthi sifunde khathesi ukubathanda lokubahlonipha abadala bebandla lethu. Kungelani lokuthi kwenzakalani asizisebenziseni kuhle ingqondo zethu, singakhangeli  amaphutha enziwa ngabadala kodwa sicabange ngokuthi uJehova uyawakhokhela amadoda la athembekileyo esebenzisa uKhristu.

12. Ithemba lethu lizivikela njani ingqondo zethu?

¹² Ithemba lethu lokusindiswa livikela ingqondo zethu njengoba ingwane yayivikela ikhanda lesotsha. Nxa ithemba lethu liqinile siyananzelela ukuthi lokhu esikuphiwa ngumhlaba lo akuncedi ngalutho. (Flp. 3:8) Ithemba lethu liyasinceda ukuthi sihlaliseke lokuthi singakhathazeki kakhulu. Lokhu yikho okwenzakala kuWallace loLaurinda abasebenza kweyinye iBhetheli e-Africa. Ngamaviki amathathu nje bafelwa ngunina kaLaurinda lobaba kaWallace. Njengoba umkhuhlane weCOVID-19 wawubhahile, behluleka ukubuyela ngakibo ukuze bayekhala labanye. UWallace wabhala wathi: “Ithemba lokuthi abafileyo bazavuswa linginceda ukuthi ngingacabangi ngokuthi babenjani ngamalanga abo okucina bengakafi kodwa ngicabange ngokuthi bazabe benjani ngamalanga abo okuqala emhlabeni omutsha. Ithemba leli liyangiqinisa nxa ukudana lokudabuka sekufuna ukungikhulela.”

13. Kumele senzeni ukuze sithole umoya ongcwele?

¹³ “Lingawucitshi umlilo womoya kaNkulunkulu.” (1 Thes. 5:19) Umphostoli uPhawuli wafanisa umoya ongcwele lomlilo ongaphakathi kwethu. Umoya kaNkulunkulu wenza sitshisekele ukwenza okulungileyo futhi usinika amandla okuthi sisebenzele uJehova. (Rom. 12:11) Kumele senzeni ukuze sithole umoya ongwele? Kumele sithandaze siwucela, sitaditshe iLizwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelweyo futhi sibe senhlanganisweni ekhokhelwa ngumoya wakhe. Ukwenza lokhu kuzasinceda ukuthi sibe ‘lezithelo zomoya.’—Gal. 5:22, 23.

14. Kuyini okungamelanga sikwenze ukuze siqhubeke sithola umoya kaNkulunkulu? (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

¹⁴ Nxa uNkulunkulu esesinike umoya wakhe ongcwele kumele sinanzelele ‘singawucitshi umlilo womoya kaNkulunkulu.’ Abantu uNkulunkulu abanika umoya wakhe ngabaziphatha kuhle futhi abangacabangi izinto ezingcolileyo. Ngeke asinike umoya wakhe nxa siqhubeka sicabanga izinto ezingcolileyo sicine sisenza lokho ebesikucabanga. (1 Thes. 4:7, 8) Okunye  okungenza siqhubeke sithola umoya ongcwele yikuthi ‘singazeyisi iziphrofetho.’ (1 Thes. 5:20) “Iziphrofetho” ezitshiwo evesini le zitsho imilayezo uNkulunkulu asinika yona esebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele. Imilayezo le igoqela lokho asitshela khona mayelana losuku lwakhe langokuthi sekuseduze ukuthi lufike. Asiqali ukukhohlwa ngalo usuku lolu sizitshela ukuthi i-Amagedoni ngeke ifike sisaphila kodwa siyaluphangisisa siqhubeke sicabanga ngalo. Lokhu kuyasinceda ukuthi sihlale siziphatha kuhle futhi senze “imisebenzi yokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu” nsuku zonke.—2 Phet. 3:11, 12.

15. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi singakholwa yonke into lokuthi singathatheki ngamazwi avela emadimonini? (U-1 Thesalonika 5:21)

¹⁵ Sekuseduze ukuthi izitha zikaNkulunkulu ziqalise ukukhuluma amazwi athi: “Ukuthula lokuvikeleka!” (1 Thes. 5:3) Ngalesosikhathi amazwi aphefumulelwe ngamadimoni azagcwala emhlabeni wonke adukise abantu abanengi. (Isam. 16:13, 14) Thina sizakwenzani? ‘Nxa sihlolisisa zonke izinto’ asisoze sithatheke. (Bala u-1 Thesalonika 5:21.) Ibala lesiGrikhi elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “hlolisisani” lalisetshenziswa nxa kukhulunywa ngokuhlola amatshe aligugu. Ngakho lathi kumele sihlole esikuzwayo lesikubalayo ukuze sibone ukuthi kuliqiniso yini. Kwakuqakathekile ukuthi amaKhristu aseThesalonika akwenze lokhu futhi kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi lathi sikwenze njengoba ukuhlupheka okukhulu kusondela. Akumelanga sikholwe konke esikuzwayo. Kodwa kumele sisebenzise izingqondo zethu ukuze sibone ukuthi esikubalayo lesikuzwayo kuyahambelana yini lokubhalwe eBhayibhilini kanye lalokho okutshiwo yinhlanganiso kaJehova. Nxa singenza njalo asisoze sithatheke ngaloba yiwaphi amazwi avela emadimonini.—Zaga. 14:15; 1 Thim. 4:1.

16. Yiliphi ithemba esilalo futhi sizimisele ukwenzani?

¹⁶ Siyakwazi ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bazasinda ekuhluphekeni okukhulu kodwa asikwazi okungehlela umKhristu ngamunye esikhathini esizayo. (Jak. 4:14) Kungelani ukuthi sizaqhubeka siphila size sisinde ekuhluphekeni okukhulu kumbe ukuthi sizakufa kungakaqalisi, sizaphiwa umvuzo wokuphila okungapheliyo nxa singahlala sithembekile. AmaKhristu agcotshiweyo azabe eloKhristu ezulwini, abezinye izimvu bona bazaphila emhlabeni olipharadayisi. Kwangathi sonke singahlala sicabanga ngethemba lethu leli elihle futhi sihlale sikulungele ukufika kosuku lukaJehova.