Siyajabula NgoNkulunkulu Wensindiso Yethu

“Ngiyakuthokoza ngoJehova, ngijabulele uNkulunkulu wokusindiswa kwami.”—HABAKUKI 3:18.

1. Wawuphathelene nani umbono uDaniyeli aba nawo ngaphambi kokuwa kweBabiloni ngo-539 B.C.E.?

KUSASELE iminyaka engaphezu kweyishumi ngaphambi kokuwa kweBabiloni ngo-539 B.C.E., umprofethi osegugile, uDaniyeli, wabona umbono ovusa amadlingozi. Wawubikezela izenzakalo zezwe ezaziholela khona kanye empini ewumvuthwandaba phakathi kwezitha zikaJehova neNkosi yakhe emisiwe, uJesu Kristu. Wasabela kanjani uDaniyeli? Wathi: “Ngase ngiphela amandla, . . . ngamangala ngombono.”—Daniyeli 8:27.

2. Iyiphi impi uDaniyeli ayibona embonweni, futhi uzizwa kanjani ngokusondela kwayo?

² Kuthiwani ngathi? Siphila eduze kakhulu nesikhathi esimisiwe! Sisabela kanjani lapho siqaphela ukuthi impi eyabonwa uDaniyeli embonweni—impi kaNkulunkulu ye-Armagedoni—isiseduze kakhulu? Sisabela kanjani lapho sibona ukuthi ububi obudalulwe esiprofethweni sikaHabakuki budlange kangangokuba ukubhujiswa kwezitha zikaNkulunkulu akunakugwenywa? Cishe imizwa yethu iyafana nekaHabakuki, njengoba ichazwe esahlukweni sesithathu sencwadi yakhe yesiprofetho.

UHabakuki Uthandazela Isihe SikaNkulunkulu

3. Obani uHabakuki abathandazela, futhi amazwi akhe angase asithinte kanjani?

³ UHabakuki isahluko 3 uwumthandazo. Ngokwevesi 1, uyizililo, izingoma zokudabuka noma ukulila. Lo mthandazo womprofethi ushiwo njengokungathi wayezithandazela yena. Kodwa empeleni, uHabakuki uthandazela isizwe sikaNkulunkulu esikhethiwe. Namuhla, umthandazo wakhe usho lukhulu kubantu bakaNkulunkulu, abenza umsebenzi wokushumayela  ngoMbuso. Lapho sifunda uHabakuki isahluko 3 sicabanga ngalokhu, amazwi akhe asenza sibe nexhala kodwa futhi sigcwale injabulo. Umthandazo kaHabakuki, noma ingoma yokulila, isinikeza isizathu esinamandla sokujabula ngoJehova, uNkulunkulu wensindiso yethu.

4. Kungani uHabakuki esaba, futhi yikuphi ukusetshenziswa kwamandla kaNkulunkulu esingaqiniseka ngako?

⁴ Njengoba siphawulile ezihlokweni ezimbili ezandulele, isimo sasisibi kakhulu kwaJuda osukwini lukaHabakuki. Kodwa uNkulunkulu wayengeke avume ukuba lesi simo siqhubeke sinjalo. UJehova wayezothatha isinyathelo, njengoba ayenzile ngaphambili. Akumangalisi ukuthi lo mprofethi wakhamuluka wathi: “Jehova, ngizwile umbiko ngawe, ngiyesaba izenzo zakho”! Wayesho ukuthini? ‘Umbiko ngoJehova’ wawuwumlando olotshiwe wezenzo zikaNkulunkulu zamandla, njengalezo zasoLwandle Olubomvu, ezasehlane, nezaseJeriko. UHabakuki wayezazi kahle lezi zenzo, futhi zazimesabisa ngoba wayazi ukuthi uJehova wayezophinda asebenzise amandla akhe amakhulu alwe nezitha zakhe. Lapho sibona ububi besintu namuhla, nathi siyazi ukuthi uJehova uzothatha isinyathelo njengoba enza ezikhathini zasendulo. Ingabe lokho kusenza sibe nexhala? Yebo! Noma kunjalo, sithandaza njengoba kwathandaza uHabakuki: “Zivuselele phakathi kwale minyaka, wenze ukuba zaziwe kule minyaka, ukhumbule umusa nasolakeni.” (Habakuki 3:2) Ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifanele, “phakathi kwale minyaka,” kwangathi angasebenzisa amandla akhe ayisimangaliso. Futhi ngaleso sikhathi, kwangathi angakhumbula ukubonisa umusa kulabo abamthandayo!

UJehova Uyamasha!

5. ‘UNkulunkulu wavela kanjani eThemani,’ futhi lokhu kubonisani nge-Armagedoni?

⁵ Kuyokwenzekani lapho uJehova ewuzwa umthandazo wethu wokucela isihe? KuHabakuki 3:3, 4 siyayithola impendulo. Okokuqala, umprofethi uthi: “UNkulunkulu uvela eThemani, oNgcwele uphuma entabeni yasePharanu.” Emuva osukwini lukaMose umprofethi, iThemani nePharanu yayisendleleni ka-Israyeli enqamula ehlane ukuya ngaseKhanani. Njengoba isizwe esikhulu sakwa-Israyeli sasiqhubeka nofuduko lwaso, kwakubonakala sengathi uJehova ngokwakhe uyahamba futhi kwakungekho lutho olungamvimba. Ngaphambi nje kokuba afe, uMose wathi: “UJehova wavela eSinayi, wabaphumela evela eSeyiri, wanyampuza entabeni yasePharanu, weza ephuma ezigidini [zezingelosi] zendawo engcwele.” (Duteronomi 33:2) Lapho uJehova ethatha isinyathelo sokulwa nezitha zakhe e-Armagedoni, kuyoba khona ukubonakaliswa okufanayo kwamandla akhe angenakuvinjelwa.

6. Ngaphezu kwenkazimulo kaNkulunkulu yini enye amaKristu aqondayo ayibonayo?

⁶ UHabakuki uthi futhi: “Udumo [lukaJehova] lusibekela amazulu, nomhlaba ugcwele indumiso yakhe. Kuqhamuka ukubengezela kunjengokukhanya.” Yeka umbukwane okhazimulayo! Yiqiniso, abantu abanakumbona uJehova uNkulunkulu baphile. (Eksodusi 33:20) Nokho, amehlo ezinhliziyo zezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile ahlabeka umxhwele lapho zicabanga ngobukhazikhazi bakhe. (Efesu 1:18) AmaKristu aqondayo abona okuthile ngaphezu kwenkazimulo kaJehova. UHabakuki 3:4 uyaphetha: “Imisebe [“emibili,” NW] ivela esandleni sakhe, efihla lapho amandla akhe.” Yebo, siyabona ukuthi uJehova ukulungele ukuthatha isinyathelo, esebenzisa isandla sakhe sokunene sezikhwepha namandla.

7. Ukumasha kukaNkulunkulu kokunqoba kusho ukuthini kwabamvukelayo?

⁷ Ukumasha kukaNkulunkulu kokunqoba kusho inhlekelele kwabamvukelayo. UHabakuki 3:5 uthi: “Ngaphambi kwakhe kuhamba isifo, amalangabi aphuma ezinyathelweni zakhe.” Lapho ama-Israyeli eseseduze nemingcele yeZwe  Lesithembiso ngo-1473 B.C.E., abaningi bavukela, baziphatha kabi futhi bakhulekela izithombe. Ngenxa yalokho, abangaphezu kuka-20 000 babulawa yisifo esiwumshayabhuqe esathunyelwa uNkulunkulu. (Numeri 25:1-9) Esikhathini esizayo esiseduze, lapho uJehova emasha eya “empini yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke,” labo abamvukelayo bayohlupheka ngokufanayo ngenxa yezono zabo. Abanye bangase babulawe yisifo esiwumshayabhuqe esingokoqobo imbala.—IsAmbulo 16:14, 16.

8. NgokukaHabakuki 3:6, zilindelwe yini izitha zikaNkulunkulu?

⁸ Manje lalela incazelo ecacile yomprofethi echaza uJehova wamabutho ethatha isinyathelo. KuHabakuki 3:6, siyafunda: “Uyema [uJehova uNkulunkulu], uzamazamisa umhlaba; ubuka, uthuthumelisa izizwe; izintaba zaphakade ziyahlakazwa, namagquma amandulo akhothama yizindlela zakhe zaphakade.” Okokuqala, uJehova “uyema,” njengojenene ohlola inkundla yempi. Izitha zakhe ziyathuthumela zesabe. Ziyabona ukuthi ubani ezilwa naye futhi zishaqeke, zigcogcome ziyaluza. UJesu wabikezela isikhathi lapho “zonke izizwana zomhlaba ziyozishaya zilila.” (Mathewu 24:30) Ziyobona sekwephuze kakhulu ukuthi akukho muntu ongamelana noJehova. Izinhlangano zabantu—ngisho nalezo ezibonakala sengathi azinakunyakaziswa ‘njengezintaba zaphakade’ “namagquma amandulo”—ziyobhidlika zibe yimvithi. Kuyoba njengokungathi ‘yizindlela zaphakade’ zikaNkulunkulu, njengendlela enza ngayo ezikhathini zasendulo.

9, 10. Usikhumbuzani uHabakuki 3:7-11?

⁹ Ulaka lukaJehova “luvuthela” izitha zakhe. Kodwa yiziphi izikhali ayozisebenzisa empini yakhe enkulu? Lalela njengoba umprofethi ezichaza: “Umnsalo wakho uvela obala, wambuliwe, usuthile ngemicibisholo yesambo sakho. Uqhekeza umhlaba ube yimifula. Izintaba ziyakubona, zithuthumele; isikhukhula samanzi siyadlula; utwa luzwakalisa izwi lalo, luphakamisela phezulu izandla zalo. Ilanga nenyanga kwema endaweni yakho ngokukhanya kwemicibisholo yakho egijimayo nangokubengezela kwemikhonto yakho ecwebezelayo.”—Habakuki 3:7-11.

¹⁰ Ezinsukwini zikaJoshuwa, uJehova wabangela ukuba ilanga nenyanga kume kunganyakazi, ebonakalisa amandla amangalisayo. (Joshuwa 10:12-14) Isiprofetho sikaHabakuki sisikhumbuza ukuthi uJehova uyosebenzisa wona la mandla afanayo e-Armagedoni. Ngo-1513 B.C.E., uJehova wabonisa amandla akhe okulawula utwa lwamanzi lapho esebenzisa uLwandle Olubomvu ukuze abhubhise amabutho kaFaro. Eminyakeni  engu-40 kamuva, umfula iJordani owawudla izindwani awuzange ukuvimbele ukumasha kuka-Israyeli kokunqoba eyongena eZweni Lesithembiso. (Joshuwa 3:15-17) Ezinsukwini zomprofethikazi uDebora, izimvula eziyizikhukhula zakhukhula izinqola zempi zesitha sika-Israyeli uSisera. (AbAhluleli 5:21) La mandla afanayo ezikhukhula, imvula ekhukhulayo, notwa lwamanzi kuyobe kusesandleni sikaJehova e-Armagedoni. Ukuduma nombani nakho kusesandleni sakhe, njengomkhonto noma umgodla ogcwele imicibisholo.

11. Kuyokwenzekani lapho uJehova ededela amandla akhe amakhulu?

¹¹ Ngempela, kuyoba yingebhe yodwa lapho uJehova ededela amandla akhe amakhulu. Amazwi kaHabakuki asikisela ukuthi ubusuku buyophenduka imini nokuthi imini iyokhanya ukwedlula noma yikuphi ukukhanya kwelanga. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi le ncazelo ephefumulelwe engokwesiprofetho ye-Armagedoni ingokoqobo noma ingokomfanekiso, kunye okuqinisekile—uJehova uyonqoba, angavumeli nesisodwa isitha ukuba siphunyuke.

Insindiso Iqinisekile Kubantu BakaNkulunkulu!

12. UNkulunkulu uyozenzani izitha zakhe, kodwa obani abayosinda?

¹² Lo mprofethi uyaqhubeka echaza ukubhubhisa kukaJehova izitha zaKhe. KuHabakuki 3:12 siyafunda: “Udabula umhlaba ngokuthukuthela, ubhula izizwe ngolaka.” Noma kunjalo, uJehova ngeke abhubhise noma ubani. Abantu abathile bayosinda. UHabakuki 3:13 uthi: “Uphumela ukusindiswa kwabantu bakho, yebo, ukusindiswa kogcotshiweyo wakho.” Yebo, uJehova uyozisindisa izinceku zakhe ezithembekile ezigcotshiwe. Ngaleso sikhathi iBabiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, liyobe selibhujiswe ngokuphelele. Nokho, namuhla izizwe zizama ukuqothula ukukhulekela okumsulwa. Ngokushesha, izinceku zikaJehova zizohlaselwa ngamabutho kaGogi wakwaMagogi. (Hezekeli 38:1–39:13; IsAmbulo 17:1-5, 16-18) Ingabe lokho kuhlasela kukaSathane kuyophumelela? Cha! Ngolaka uJehova uyobe esebhula izitha zakhe, ezigqula ngezinyawo njengokusanhlamvu esibuyeni. Kodwa uyobasindisa labo abamkhonza ngomoya nangeqiniso.—Johane 4:24.

13. Uyogcwaliseka kanjani uHabakuki 3:13?

¹³ Ukubhujiswa okuphelele kwababi kubikezelwe ngala mazwi: “[Wena Jehova] uphohloza uphahla endlini yababi, wambula isisekelo kuze kube sentanyeni.” (Habakuki 3:13) Le ‘ndlu’ yisimiso esibi esakhiwe ngaphansi kwethonya likaSathane uDeveli. Iyophahlazwa. “Uphahla,” noma abaholi abamelene noNkulunkulu, bayochotshozwa. Sonke lesi sakhiwo siyobhidlizwa, kuze kufike ezisekelweni zaso. Ngeke sisaba khona. Yeka ukuthi kuyoba impumuzo emangalisa kanjani!

14-16. NgokukaHabakuki 3:14, 15, kuyokwenzekani kubantu bakaJehova nezitha zabo?

¹⁴ E-Armagedoni, labo abazama ukubhubhisa “ogcotshiweyo” kaJehova bayosambathekiswa. NgokukaHabakuki 3:14, 15, lo mprofethi ukhuluma noNkulunkulu, ethi: “Ugwaza ikhanda lomholi [“wamaqhawe akhe,” NW] ngeyakhe imicibisholo, lapho besondela njengesivunguvungu ukungihlakaza, bejabula njengabayakudla ompofu ngasese. Unyathela ulwandle ngamahhashi akho, [inqwaba] yamanzi amaningi.”

¹⁵ Lapho uHabakuki ethi ‘[“amaqhawe,” NW] asondela njengesivunguvungu ukungihlakaza,’ lo mprofethi ukhulumela izinceku zikaJehova ezigcotshiwe. Njengezinswelaboya eziqamekele, izizwe ziyobhozomela abakhulekeli bakaJehova ukuze zibabhubhise. Lezi zitha zikaNkulunkulu nezabantu bakhe ziyobe ‘zijabule,’ ziqiniseka ukuthi ziyophumelela. AmaKristu athembekile  ayobonakala ebuthaka, ‘njengompofu.’ Kodwa lapho amabutho aphikisana noNkulunkulu eqala ukuhlasela, uJehova uyokwenza ukuba isikhuni sibuye ngomkhwezeli. Ayosebenzisa izikhali zawo, noma ‘izinduku,’ ekulweni namaqhawe awo.

¹⁶ Kodwa kuseza okwengeziwe. UJehova uyobe esesebenzisa amabutho omoya anamandla angaphezu kwawabantu ukuze aqothe imbokodo nesisekelo ezitheni zakhe. ‘Ngamahhashi’ amabutho akhe asezulwini ngaphansi kukaJesu Kristu, uyofuzula enqoba, adabule “ulwandle” ‘nenqwaba yamanzi amaningi,’ okungukuthi, uquqaba olugubha njengamagagasi, lwesitha esingabantu. (IsAmbulo 19:11-21) Khona-ke ababi bayosuswa emhlabeni. Yeka ukubonakaliswa okunamandla kwamandla nobulungisa baphezulu!

Usuku LukaJehova Luyeza!

17. (a) Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi amazwi kaHabakuki ayogcwaliseka? (b) Singaba kanjani njengoHabakuki njengoba silindele usuku olukhulu lukaJehova?

¹⁷ Singaqiniseka ukuthi amazwi kaHabakuki azogcwaliseka ngokushesha. Ngeke ephuze. Usabela kanjani wena kulolu lwazi oluthola kusengaphambili? Khumbula, uHabakuki wayebhala ephefumulelwe ngokwaphezulu. UJehova uzosithatha isinyathelo, futhi kuyoba khona isiphithiphithi emhlabeni lapho lokho kwenzeka. Akumangalisi ukuthi lo mprofethi wabhala: “Ngiyezwa, kuyathuthumela okuphakathi kwami,  izindebe zami ziyaqhaqhazela ngenhlokomo; ukubola kungena emathanjeni ami, ngithuthumela endaweni lapho ngimi khona, ngilindela usuku lokuhlupheka ukuze kukhuphuke lokhu okuyakucindezela abantu.” (Habakuki 3:16) UHabakuki wayethuthumela kakhulu—futhi kuyaqondakala. Kodwa ingabe ukholo lwakhe lwanyakaziswa? Phinde! Wayezimisele ukulinda usuku lukaJehova ngokuthula. (2 Petru 3:11, 12) Ingabe lesi akusona isimo sethu sengqondo ngokufanayo? Yebo ngokuqinisekile! Sikholelwa ngokugcwele ukuthi isiprofetho sikaHabakuki siyogcwaliseka. Kodwa siyolinda ngesineke kuze kube yilapho sigcwaliseka.

18. Nakuba uHabakuki ayezilindele izinkinga, sasiyini isimo sakhe sengqondo?

¹⁸ Ngaso sonke isikhathi impi iletha ubunzima, ngisho nakulabo ababa abanqobi ekugcineni. Ukudla kungase kuntuleke. Impahla ingase ilahleke. Amazinga okuphila angase ehle. Uma lokho kwenzeka kithi, siyosabela kanjani? UHabakuki wayenesimo sengqondo esiyisibonelo, ngoba wathi: “Noma umkhiwane ungakhahleli, kungabikho izithelo emvinini, umsebenzi womnqumo uphuthe, amasimu angavezi ukudla, izimvu zinqunywe esibayeni, kungabikho nkomo ezibayeni, nokho mina ngiyakuthokoza ngoJehova, ngijabulele uNkulunkulu wokusindiswa kwami.” (Habakuki 3:17, 18) Ebhekana namaqiniso, uHabakuki wayebulindele ubunzima, mhlawumbe indlala. Nakuba kunjalo, akazange alahlekelwe yinjabulo yakhe ngoJehova, insindiso yakhe eyayivela kuye.

19. Yiziphi izinkinga amaKristu amaningi anazo, kodwa yini esingaqiniseka ngayo uma sibeka uJehova kuqala ekuphileni kwethu?

¹⁹ Namuhla, ngisho nangaphambi kokugqashuka kwempi kaJehova nababi, abaningi bahlushwa ukucindezeleka okunzima. UJesu wabikezela ukuthi izimpi, indlala, ukuzamazama komhlaba nezifo kwakuyoba ingxenye ‘yesibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakhe’ emandleni obukhosi. (Mathewu 24:3-14; Luka 21:10, 11) Abaningi esikholwa nabo bahlala emazweni ahlushwa kanzima ukugcwaliseka kwamazwi kaJesu, futhi ngenxa yalokho babhekana nobunzima obukhulu. Amanye amaKristu angase athinteke ngendlela efanayo esikhathini esizayo. Kwabaningi kakhulu kithi, kungenzeka ukuba “umkhiwane ungakhahleli” ngaphambi kokuba kufike isiphelo. Nokho, siyazi ukuthi kungani lezi zinto zenzeka, futhi lokho kusinika amandla. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sinokusekelwa. UJesu wathembisa: “Khona-ke, qhubekani nifuna kuqala umbuso nokulunga kwakhe [uNkulunkulu], futhi zonke lezi ezinye izinto ziyonezelwa kini.” (Mathewu 6:33) Lokho akuqinisekisi ukuphila okunethezekile, kodwa kuyasiqinisekisa ukuthi uma sibeka uJehova kuqala ekuphileni kwethu, uyosiqapha.—IHubo 37:25.

20. Naphezu kwezinkinga zesikhashana, yini okufanele sizimisele ukuyenza?

²⁰ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yibuphi ubunzima besikhashana okumelwe sibhekane nabo, ngeke siphelelwe ukholo emandleni kaJehova asindisayo. Abaningi babafowethu nodadewethu e-Afrika, eMpumalanga Yurophu nakwezinye izindawo kudingeka babhekane nobunzima obudlulele, kodwa bayaqhubeka ‘bethokoza ngoJehova.’ Kwangathi nathi, njengabo, singeyeke ukwenza okufanayo. Khumbula ukuthi iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova iwuMthombo wethu ‘wamandla.’ (Habakuki 3:19) Ayisoze isidumaze. I-Armagedoni izofika nakanjani, futhi ngokuqinisekile izwe elisha elithenjiswe nguNkulunkulu lizolandela. (2 Petru 3:13) Khona-ke, “umhlaba uyakugcwala ukwazi inkazimulo kaJehova, njengamanzi asibekela ulwandle.” (Habakuki 2:14) Kuze kube yileso sikhathi esihle ngokumangalisayo, masilandele isibonelo esihle sikaHabakuki. Njalo ‘masithokoze ngoJehova futhi sijabule ngoNkulunkulu wensindiso yethu.’

Uyakhumbula?

• Umthandazo kaHabakuki ungase usithinte kanjani?

• Kungani uJehova emasha?

• Sithini isiprofetho sikaHabakuki ngensindiso?

• Usuku olukhulu lukaJehova kufanele silulindele ngasiphi isimo sengqondo?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Uyazi yini ukuthi yimaphi amandla uNkulunkulu azowasebenzisa ukuze abhubhise ababi e-Armagedoni?