1, 2. Kuyini obekulokhu kusenziwa yizikhonzi zikaJehova kusukela endulo?

KUSUKELA endulo, izikhonzi zikaJehova bezihlala zikulindele ukugcwaliseka kweziphrofetho eziphefumulelweyo. Ngokwesibonelo, uJeremiya waphrofetha ukuthi isizwe sakoJuda sasizachithwa, njalo lokhu kwagcwaliseka ngo-607 B.C.E. lapho isizwe lesi sihlaselwa ngabaseBhabhiloni. (Jer. 25:8-11) U-Isaya laye waphrofetha ukuthi uJehova wayezabuyisela amaJuda elizweni lawo, wasesithi: “Babusisiwe bonke abamlindeleyo.” (Isaya. 30:18) Iziphrofetho zikaMikha lazo zaziphathelane labantu bakaNkulunkulu basendulo njalo watshengisa ukuzimisela kwakhe wathi: “Ngilindele uJehova ngethemba.” (Mik. 7:7) Okwamakhulu eminyaka, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu lazo zazilindele ukugcwaliseka kweziphrofetho eziphathelane loMesiya loba uKhristu.—Luk. 3:15; 1 Phet. 1:10-12. *

² Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu lamuhla lazo zilindile, ngenxa yokuthi iziphrofetho eziphathelane loMesiya zilokhu zigcwaliseka. Sekuseduze ukuthi uJehova asebenzise uMbuso kaMesiya ukuze asuse konke ukuhlupheka kwabantu ngokubhubhisa ababi langokukhulula abantu bakhe emhlabeni lo obuswa nguSathane. (1 Joh. 5:19) Ngakho-ke kasihlaleni silindile futhi sikugcine ezingqondweni zethu  ukuthi ukucina komumo lo wezinto kusondela ngokuphangisa.

3. Yiwuphi umbuzo ongafika ezingqondweni zethu nxa sesileminyaka eminengi silindele ukuthi ukuphela kufike?

³ Sonke esiyizinceku zikaJehova siyakufisa kakhulu ukuthi intando kaNkulunkulu “yenziwe emhlabeni njengalokhu isenziwa ezulwini.” (Mat. 6:10) Kodwa abanye asebeleminyaka eminengi belindele ukuphela komumo lo wezinto bangaqalisa ukuzibuza ukuthi, ‘Zisesekhona yini izizatho eziqinileyo zokuthi sihlale silindile?’ Ake sibone.

4. Yisiphi isizatho esiqakatheke kakhulu esenza sihlale silindile?

⁴ IBhayibhili liyakucacisa ukuthi kumele senzeni njengoba silindele ukubhujiswa komumo lo wezinto osekuseduze kakhulu. UJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe wathi, “Lindani,” waphinda wathi, “Hlalani lilindile.” (Mat. 24:42; Luk. 21:34-36) Ngakho-ke isizatho esiqakatheke kakhulu esenza sihlale silindile yikuthi uJesu nguye owathi senze njalo. Inhlanganiso kaJehova iyisibonelo esihle endabeni yokulinda. Ibilokhu isibhalela amabhuku asikhuthaza ukuthi ‘silindele usuku lwakhe’ lokuthi sihlale sikhangele phambili emhlabeni omutsha esiwuthenjiswe nguNkulunkulu.—Bala u-2 Phetro 3:11-13.

5. Kungani ukulinda kuqakatheke kakhulu kithi lamuhla?

⁵ Lanxa amaKhristu ayephila ngekhulu lokuqala kwakumele ahlale elindile, kithi kuqakatheke kakhulu ukwedlula loba nini. Ngenxa yani? Ngenxa yokuthi siphila esikhathini sokuba khona kukaKhristu. Isiboniso sokuba khona kwakhe besilokhu sicacile kusukela ngo-1914. Isiboniso lesi sigoqela izenzakalo ezinengi, ezinye zakhona yikuqhubeka kwezinto zisiba zimbi emhlabeni kanye lokutshunyayelwa kwezindaba zoMbuso emhlabeni wonke. Zonke izinto lezi zitshengisa ukuthi sesiphila ‘ekucineni kwesikhathi.’ (UMathewu 24:3, 7-14) Njengoba uJesu engatshongo ukuthi isikhathi lesi sasizakuba side kangakanani ukucina kungakafiki, kutsho ukuthi kumele sihlale siphapheme njalo silindile.

6. Kungani singalindela ukuthi izinto zizaqhubeka zisiba zimbi kakhulu emhlabeni njengoba ukucina kusondela?

⁶ Singazibuza ukuthi: ‘Ukucina kwesikhathi’ kungabe kusitsho isikhathi esizayo lapho izinto emhlabeni ezizabe sezizimbi kakhulu yini? IBhayibhili liyatshengisa ukuthi ububi buzakwanda kakhulu “ezinsukwini zokucina.” (2 Tim. 3:1, 13; Mat. 24:21; Isam. 12:12) Ngakho lanxa izinto emhlabeni zizimbi khathesi, singalindela ukuthi ziqhubeke zisiba zimbi ukwedlula lokhu esikubonayo.

7. UMathewu 24:37-39 utshengisa ukuthi izinto zizabe zinjani emhlabeni ngezinsuku zokucina?

⁷ Kodwa ubona angani izinto zizakuba zimbi kangakanani ‘ukuhlupheka okukhulu’ kungakaqalisi? (Isam. 7:14) Ngokwesibonelo, ucabanga ukuthi kuzakuba lezimpi elizweni ngalinye yini, lokuthi abantu bonke bazabe belala ngendlala njalo emzini ngamunye kulomuntu ohlatshwe ngumkhuhlane yini? Phela nxa kungaba njalo, labantu abangalikholwayo iBhayibhili bangacina sebevuma ukuthi iziphrofetho zeBhayibhili bezilokhu zigcwaliseka. Kodwa uJesu wathi abantu abanengi bazabe ‘bengazi lutho’ loba bengakunaki ukuba khona kwakhe, beziqhubekela nje ngezinto zansuku zonke baze bakunanzelele sekungasancedi. (Bala uMathewu 24:37-39.) Ngakho iMibhalo itshengisa ukuthi ngezinsuku zokucina, umumo wezinto emhlabeni kawusoze ube mubi kakhulu okokuthi abantu bazacina sebevuma ngenkani ukuthi ukuphela sekusondele.—Luk. 17:20; 2 Phet. 3:3, 4.

8. Kuyini okusegcekeni kulabo abalalela umlayo kaJesu othi “lindani”?

⁸ Esikhundleni salokhu, zonke izenzakalo ezibumba isiboniso sokuba khona kukaJesu kwakuzamele zigcwaliseke ngendlela ecacileyo okokuthi bonke ababelalela umlayo wakhe othi, “lindani” babengasoze bathandabuze  ukuthi basebephila ezinsukwini zokucina. (Mat. 24:27, 42) Lokhu yikho kanye obekusenzakala kusukela ngo-1914. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi, izenzakalo lezi bezilokhu zigcwaliseka. Ngakho-ke kusegcekeni ukuthi khathesi sesiphila ‘ekucineni kwesikhathi,’ okutsho isikhathi esifitshane esiseleyo ukuthi kubhujiswe umumo wezinto lo omubi.

9. Yiziphi izizathu ezenza sihlale sikulindele ukuphela komumo lo wezinto?

⁹ Manje kungani kumele sihlale silindile lamuhla? Kungenxa yokuthi siyamlalela uJesu Khristu. Kanti njalo isiboniso sokuba khona kwakhe siyasicacela. Okwenza sihlale silindile ayisikho ukuthi singabantu abaphongukholwa loba yini ngobuthutha, kodwa kungenxa yokuthi silobufakazi obuqinileyo obusekelwe eMibhalweni. Yibo obusenza sihlale siqaphele, sivule amehlo, siphapheme njalo silindile ukuthi umumo lo wezinto uphele.

10, 11. (a) UJesu watshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi kuyini okwakungenzakala? (b) UJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe ukuthi benzeni nxa babengananzelela ukuthi sebelinde okwesikhathi eside kulaleso ababesikhangelele? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

¹⁰ Abanengi bethu sebeleminyaka bekhonza uJehova bethembekile njalo belindele ukuthi usuku lwakhe lufike. Kodwa singavumeli ukuthi ubude besikhathi busenze siphele amandla okuqhubeka silindile. Kumele sihlale sikulungele ukufika kukaJesu ezobhidliza umhlaba lo omubi. Khumbula ukuthi uJesu wakhuthaza abalandeli bakhe wathi: “Lindani! Qaphelani! Kalikwazi ukuthi sizafika nini lesosikhathi. Kunjengomuntu ezathatha uhambo: utshiya indlu yakhe ayinikele izisebenzi zakhe ukuba ziyilinde, yileso sabelwe owaso umsebenzi, atshele lowo olinda emnyango ukuba aqaphele. Ngakho lindani ngokuba kalikwazi ukuthi umninindlu uzabuya nini—mhlawumbe kusihlwa, kumbe phakathi kwamabili, loba inkukhu sezikhala loba emathathakusa. Nxa efika masinyane, makangalifici lilele. Engikutshoyo kini ngikutsho emuntwini wonke: ‘Lindani!’ ”—Mak. 13:33-37.

¹¹ Abalandeli bakaKhristu bathi benanzelela ukuthi ukuba khona kwakhe kwakuqalise ngo-1914, bahle baqalisa ukulungiselela ukuthi ukuphela kwakungafika loba ngasiphi isikhathi. Lokhu bakwenza ngokungezelela intshiseko yabo emsebenzini wokutshumayela ngoMbuso. UJesu watshengisa ukuthi kwakungenzakala afike ngemva kwesikhathi, “inkukhu sezikhala loba emathathakusa.” Nxa kwakungaba njalo, abalandeli bakhe kwakuzamele benzeni? Wathi: “Lindani!” Ngakho ukulinda okwesikhathi eside kwakungayisiso sizatho sokuthi baqalise ukuzitshela ukuthi kwakuseselomango ukuthi ukuphela kufike, loba ukuthi bahle bakhohlwe ngakho.

12. UHabakhukhi wambuzani uJehova uNkulunkulu, njalo uJehova wathini kuye?

¹² Cabanga ngomphrofethi uHabakhukhi owalaywa ukuba aphrofethe ngokubhidlizwa kweJerusalema. Ngesikhathi efika edolobheni leli, kwasekuleminyaka kumenyezelwa izixwayiso zokuchithwa kwalo. Izinto zasezizimbi okokuthi ‘ababi babeminyezele abalungileyo ukuze ukulunga konakaliswe.’ Yikho kungasimangalisi ukuthi uHabakhukhi wacina esesithi: “Koze kube nini, awu Jehova, ngicela usizo?” UJehova kazange amtshele ukuthi kwakuzakwenzakala nini, kodwa wamqinisekisa umphrofethi lo othembekileyo ukuthi ukubhidlizwa okwakuphrofethiwe ‘kwakungayikuphuza.’ UNkulunkulu watshela uHabakhukhi ukuthi ahlale ‘elindile.’—Bala uHabakhukhi 1:1-4; 2:3.

13. Yiwuphi umcabango uHabakhukhi ayengaba lawo, njalo kungani kwakuzabe kuyibuthutha ukucabanga njalo?

¹³ Ake sithi uHabakhukhi waphela amandla waseqalisa ukucabanga ukuthi: ‘Akulamuhla ngisizwa kuthiwa iJerusalema lizabhidlizwa.  Engxenye kusasele iminyaka eminengi ukuthi kwenzakale. Phela akulangqondo ukuthi ngiqhubeke ngiphrofetha angani idolobho leli lizavuka libhujiswa kusasa. Wothi ngiyekele abanye bamemezele.’ Aluba uHabakhukhi wayengavumela imicabango enjalo, ubuhlobo bakhe loJehova babuzaphela, njalo wayengalahlekelwa layikuphila kwakhe lapho iJerusalema selibhujiswa ngabaseBhabhiloni!

14. Kungani singakuthandabuzi ukuthi ngeke sidane nxa singahlala silindile?

¹⁴ Nxa sesisemhlabeni omutsha, sizakhangela emuva sivume ukuthi zonke iziphrofetho ezaziphathelane lokubhujiswa komhlaba lo omubi zagcwaliseka sibili. Ukucabangisisa ngokuthi zonke zagcwaliseka njani kuzasenza simethembe kakhulu uJehova lezithembiso zakhe eziyabe zisazogcwaliseka. (Bala uJoshuwa 23:14.) Ngalesosikhathi sizambonga singaqedi uNkulunkulu ‘omise izikhathi kumbe izinsuku ngokuthanda kwakhe,’ ngoba uyabe esikhuthaze ukuthi sihlale siphapheme, sisazi ukuthi “ukuphela kwezinto zonke sekusondele.”—ImiSeb. 1:7; 1 Phet. 4:7.

15, 16. Kungani ukutshumayela ngentshiseko kungumsebenzi oqakatheke kulayo yonke esikhathini lesi esiphila kuso?

¹⁵ Inhlanganiso kaJehova izaqhubeka isikhumbuza ukuthi sikhonze uJehova sisazi ukuthi ukuphela sekusemnyango. Izikhumbuzo ezinjalo azenzelwanga ukusikhuthaza ukuthi sikhonze uNkulunkulu ngentshiseko kuphela, kodwa ziyasisiza lokuthi sihlale sikhumbula ukuthi isiboniso sokuba khona kukaKhristu siyagcwaliseka khathesi. Yiphi indlela engcono kulazo zonke esingatshengisa ngayo ukuthi siyakunanzelela ukuthi siphila esikhathini sokucina? Yikuqhubeka sifuna kuqala uMbuso lokulunga kukaNkulunkulu. Lokhu sikwenza ngokukhuthala emsebenzini wokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle!—Mat. 6:33; Mak. 13:10.

¹⁶ Omunye udade wathi: “Nxa sitshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu . . . singanceda abantu ukuthi basinde nxa umhlaba lo omubi usubhujiswa.” Ukwazi mhlophe akhuluma ngakho, ngoba yena lomkakhe basinda engozini eyesabekayo lapho umkhumbi ababewugadile okwakuthiwa ngu-Wilhelm Gustloff ucwila olwandle ngo-1945. Kuyenzakala ukuthi lanxa umuntu ephakathi kwengozi engaka akhohlwe ukuthi kuyini okuqakathekileyo. Udadewethu ulandisa ukuthi kuze kwenzakale ingozi le, omunye umama wayelokhu ekhala esithi: “Izikhwama zami! Izikhwama zami bo! Imihlobiso yami edulayo! Izinto zami ezidulayo sezicwile lomkhumbi. Ngizasala ngiyini?” Kodwa abanye ababegade umkhumbi lo babekwazi okwakuqakatheke kakhulu ngoba bafaka ukuphila kwabo engozini, basebenza nzima ukuthi bakhiphe abanye emanzini ayelongqwaqwane. Lathi njengabo, senza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuba  sisize abanye. Kakusuki ezingqondweni zethu ukuthi umsebenzi wokutshumayela kumele wenziwe ngokuphangisa njalo siyabasiza abanye kuseselesikhathi ukuze basinde, nxa umhlaba lo usubhujiswa.

17. Yiziphi izizatho ezisenza sikholwe ukuthi ukuphela kungafika loba ngasiphi isikhathi?

¹⁷ Okwenzakala emhlabeni lamuhla kwenza kucace ukuthi iziphrofetho zeBhayibhili ziyagcwaliseka lokuthi sekuseduze ukuthi umumo lo wezinto omubi utshabalaliswe. Ngakho akumelanga sizitshele ukuthi kudingeka isikhathi eside ukuthi izinto emhlabeni lo zintshintshe zize zifike ebangeni lokuthi “izimpondo ezilitshumi” kanye ‘lenyamazana’ okukhulunywa ngakho kuSambulo 17:16 kuhlasele iBhabhiloni Enkulu, umbuso womhlaba wonke wenkolo yamanga. Singakhohlwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ‘uzakubeka ezinhliziyweni zazo’ ukuthi zikwenze lokhu, njalo kungenzakala ngokuphazima kwelihlo, loba ngasiphi isikhathi! (Isam. 17:17) Ukuphela komhlaba kaSathane sekuseduze kakhulu. Yikho kufanele silalele isixwayiso sikaJesu esithi: “Nanzelelani funa izinhliziyo zenu zithundubale ngokuzitika lokudakwa lokunqineka ngezinto zempilo, ngoba lolosuku luzalijuma njengomjibila.” (Luk. 21:34, 35; Isam. 16:15) Ngakho-ke kasikhonzeni uJehova ngokuzimisela sisazi ukuthi sekuseduze ukuthi ukuphela kufike, kanye lokuthi ‘uzasebenzela labo abathembe kuye [“abalindele yena,” nwt].’—Isaya. 64:4.

18. Yiwuphi umbuzo esizaxoxa ngawo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁸ Njengoba sisalindele ukuthi umhlaba lo omubi ubhidlizwe, kasiwabambisiseni amazwi aphefumulelweyo omfundi uJuda athi: “Bangane abathandekayo, zakheni ekukholweni kwenu okungcwele kakhulu likhuleke ngomoya ongcwele. Zigcineni lisethandweni luka-Nkulunkulu lisalindele isihawu seNkosi yethu uJesu Khristu ukuba ilingenise ekuphileni okulaphakade.” (Jud. 20, 21) Kodwa singatshengisa njani ukuthi siwulindele ngabomvu umhlaba omutsha esiwuthenjiswe nguNkulunkulu? Yikho okuzaxoxwa ngakho esihlokweni esilandelayo.