Funa UJehova Ngaphambi Kosuku Lolaka Lwakhe

“Funani uJehova . . . Funani ukulunga; funani ukuthobeka; mhlawumbe niyakusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova.”—ZEFANIYA 2:3.

1. Sasinjani isimo esingokomoya sikaJuda lapho uZefaniya eqala umsebenzi wakhe wokuprofetha?

UZEFANIYA waqala umsebenzi wakhe wokuprofetha enkathini ebucayi emlandweni wakwaJuda. Isizwe sasisesimweni esibi kakhulu ngokomoya. Abantu babethemba ukuthola isiqondiso kubapristi abangamaqaba nabafundi bezinkanyezi, kunokuba bathembele kuJehova. Ukukhulekelwa kukaBali, okuhambisana namasiko okukhulekela inzalo, kwakudlangile ezweni. Abaholi bomphakathi—ababusi, izikhulu nabahluleli—babecindezela bona kanye labo okwakulindeleke ukuba babavikele. (Zefaniya 1:9; 3:3) Kungakho uJehova anquma ‘ukwelulela isandla sakhe’ phezu kwelakwaJuda neJerusalema alibhubhise!—Zefaniya 1:4.

2. Kwakunaliphi ithemba ngezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile kwaJuda?

² Nokho, nakuba isimo sasisibi ngaleyo ndlela, lalisekhonyana ithemba. Manje kwase kubusa uJosiya, indodana ka-Amoni. Nakuba ayengumfanyana nje, uJosiya wayemthanda ngempela uJehova. Yeka ukuthi kwakuyobamisa isibindi kanjani abambalwa ababekhonza uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka, uma inkosi entsha ibuyisela ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile kwaJuda! Abanye babengase bashukumiseleke ukuba bazibandakanye nabo, nabo basindiswe ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova.

Izimfuneko Zokusindiswa

3, 4. Yiziphi izimfuneko ezintathu okumelwe umuntu ahlangabezane nazo ukuze asindiswe “ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova?”

³ Ingabe bakhona abathile ababengasindiswa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova? Yebo, kuphela nje uma babehlangabezana nezimfuneko ezintathu ezilotshwe kuZefaniya 2:2, 3. Njengoba  sifunda la mavesi, masiziphawule ngokukhethekile lezi zimfuneko. UZefaniya wabhala: “Isimiso singakazali lolo suku ludlula njengamakhoba lungakanehleli ulaka oluvuthayo lukaJehova, lungakafiki phezu kwenu usuku lolaka lukaJehova. Funani uJehova nina nonke bathobekileyo bomhlaba enisebenzile ukwahlulela kwakhe; funani ukulunga; funani ukuthobeka; mhlawumbe niyakusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova.”

⁴ Khona-ke ukuze asinde, umuntu kwakumelwe (1) afune uJehova, (2) afune ukulunga, futhi (3) afune ukuthobeka. Namuhla kumelwe sibe nesithakazelo esikhulu kulezi zimfuneko. Ngani? Ngenxa yokuthi njengoba nje elakwaJuda neJerusalema labhekana nosuku lwamanqamu ngekhulu lesikhombisa B.C.E., izizwe zeLobukholwa—empeleni bonke ababi—bayobhekana noJehova uNkulunkulu ‘osizini olukhulu’ oluzayo. (Mathewu 24:21) Noma ubani ofisa ukusitshekelwa ngaleso sikhathi kumelwe athathe isinyathelo esiwujuqu manje. Kanjani? Ngokufuna uJehova, afune ukulunga, afune nokuthobeka kungakephuzi!

5. Yini ehilelekile ‘ekufuneni uJehova’ namuhla?

⁵ Ungase uthi: ‘Ngiyinceku kaNkulunkulu ezinikezele, yabhapathizwa, ngingomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Angikahlangabezani yini kakade nalezo zimfuneko?’ Empeleni, kuningi okuhilelekile kunokuba sizinikezele kuJehova. U-Israyeli wayeyisizwe esizinikezele, kodwa osukwini lukaZefaniya abantu bakwaJuda babengaphili ngokuvumelana nalokho kuzinikezela. Ngenxa yalokho, isizwe sagcina silahliwe. Namuhla ‘ukufuna uJehova’ kuhilela ukwakha nokulondoloza ubuhlobo obufudumele naye, ngokuzihlanganisa nenhlangano yakhe yasemhlabeni. Kusho ukwazi indlela uNkulunkulu azibheka ngayo izinto futhi uqaphele indlela azizwa ngayo. Sifuna uJehova lapho silitadisha ngokucophelela iZwi lakhe, sizindle ngalo bese sisebenzisa iseluleko salo ekuphileni. Njengoba sifuna isiqondiso sikaJehova nangomthandazo ojulile futhi silandela ukuhola komoya wakhe  ongcwele, ubuhlobo bethu naye buyajula, futhi sishukumiseleka ukuba simkhonze ‘ngayo yonke inhliziyo yethu nomphefumulo namandla.’—Duteronomi 6:5; Galathiya 5:22-25; Filipi 4:6, 7; IsAmbulo 4:11.

6. ‘Sikufuna’ kanjani “ukulunga,” futhi kungani lokhu kungenzeka ngisho nakuleli zwe?

⁶ Imfuneko yesibili eshiwo kuZefaniya 2:3 ‘iwukufuna ukulunga.’ Abaningi kithi benza izinguquko ezibalulekile ukuze bafanelekele ubhapathizo lobuKristu, kodwa kumelwe siqhubeke sinamathele ezindinganisweni zikaJehova ezilungile zokuziphatha kukho konke ukuphila kwethu. Abanye abáqala kahle kulokhu baye bavumela izwe ukuba libangcolise. Akulula ukufuna ukulunga, ngoba sizungezwe abantu ababheka ukuziphatha okubi ngokobulili, ukuqamba amanga nezinye izono njengezinto ezivamile. Kodwa isifiso esinamandla sokujabulisa uJehova singanqoba noma yikuphi ukuthambekela kokufuna ukwamukelwa yizwe ngokuzama ukuzifanisa nalo. UJuda walahlekelwa umusa kaJehova ngenxa yokuzama ukulingisa izizwe ezingomakhelwane bakhe ezazingamhloniphi uNkulunkulu. Khona-ke, kunokuba silingise izwe, masibe “ngabalingisi bakaNkulunkulu,” sihlakulele “ubuntu obusha obadalwa ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu ngokulunga kweqiniso nokwethembeka.”—Efesu 4:24; 5:1.

7. ‘Sikufuna’ kanjani “ukuthobeka”?

⁷ Iphuzu lesithathu elivezwa uZefaniya 2:3 elokuthi uma sifuna ukusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova, kumelwe ‘sifune ukuthobeka.’ Usuku ngalunye, sihlangana namadoda, abesifazane nentsha engathobekile neze. Kubo, ukuba nomoya omnene kuwubuthakathaka. Ukuzithoba kubhekwa njengobuthakathaka obukhulu. Bafuna izinto ngenkani, banobugovu futhi banamathela emibonweni yabo, bekholelwa ukuthi “amalungelo” abo nalokho abakuthandayo kumelwe kwamukelwe noma kanjani. Yeka ukuthi kungadabukisa kanjani uma singamukela ezinye zalezo zimo zengqondo! Lesi yisikhathi ‘sokufuna ukuthobeka.’ Kanjani? Ngokuzithoba kuNkulunkulu, samukele isiyalo sakhe ngokuthobeka futhi sizivumelanise nentando yakhe.

Kungani Kuthiwa “Mhlawumbe” Siyositshekelwa?

8. Kubonisani ukusetshenziswa kwegama elithi “mhlawumbe” kuZefaniya 2:3?

⁸ Phawula ukuthi uZefaniya 2:3 uthi: “Mhlawumbe niyakusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova.” Kungani kusetshenziswa igama elithi “mhlawumbe” kube kukhulunywa ‘nabathobekileyo bomhlaba’? Labo abathobekile babethathe izinyathelo ezincomekayo, kodwa kwakungamelwe bazethembe. Babengakayiqedi ngokwethembeka inkambo yabo yokuphila. Kwakusenokwenzeka abanye babo bawele esonweni. Kungokufanayo nakithi. UJesu wathi: “Lowo oye wakhuthazela kwaze kwaba sekupheleni nguye oyosindiswa.” (Mathewu 24:13) Yebo, ukusinda ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova kuxhomeke ekuqhubekeni kwethu senza okulungile emehlweni akhe. Ingabe yilokho ozimisele ngokuqinile ukukwenza?

9. Yiziphi izinyathelo zobuqotho ezathathwa yinkosi esencane uJosiya?

⁹ Kubonakala sengathi amazwi kaZefaniya ashukumisela iNkosi uJosiya ukuba ‘ifune uJehova.’ ImiBhalo ithi: “Ngomnyaka wesishiyagalombili wokubusa kwakhe [uJosiya] esengumfana [oneminyaka engaba ngu-16 ubudala] waqala ukufuna uNkulunkulu kaDavide uyise.” (2 IziKronike 34:3) UJosiya waqhubeka futhi ‘efuna ukulunga,’ ngoba siyafunda: “Ngomnyaka weshumi nambili [lapho uJosiya eseneminyaka engaba ngu-20 ubudala] waqala ukuhlambulula uJuda neJerusalema, wasusa izindawo eziphakemeyo, nawo-Ashera, nezithombe ezibaziweyo, nezithombe ezibunjiweyo. Bawadiliza phambi kwakhe ama-altare awoBali.” (2 IziKronike 34:3, 4) UJosiya ‘wafuna nokuthobeka,’ ethatha ngokuthobeka isinyathelo sokujabulisa uJehova ngokuhlanza izwe asuse kulo ukukhonza izithombe neminye imikhuba yenkolo yamanga. Yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba abanye abathobekile bakujabulela ngayo lokho!

10. Kwenzekani kwelakwaJuda ngo-607 B.C.E., kodwa obani abasindiswa?

 ¹⁰ AmaJuda amaningi abuyela kuJehova lapho kubusa uJosiya. Nokho, ngemva kokufa kwenkosi, abaningi babuyela ezindleleni zabo zakudala—emikhutsheni engamukeleki nakancane kuNkulunkulu. Njengoba uJehova ayeshilo, abaseBabiloni bahlasela elakwaJuda babhubhisa nenhloko-dolobha yalo, iJerusalema, ngo-607 B.C.E. Nokho, lalisekhona ithemba. Umprofethi uJeremiya, u-Ebedi-Meleki umKushe, uzalo lukaJonadaba nabanye basitshekelwa ngalolo suku lolaka lukaJehova.—Jeremiya 35:18, 19; 39:11, 12, 15-18.

Zitha ZikaNkulunkulu—Qaphelani!

11. Kungani kuyinselele ukuhlala sithembekile kuNkulunkulu namuhla, kodwa yini izitha zabantu bakaJehova eziyobe zenza kahle ukucabanga ngayo?

¹¹ Njengoba silindele usuku lolaka lukaJehova kulesi simiso esibi, ‘sihlangabezana nokulingwa okuhlukahlukene.’ (Jakobe 1:2) Emazweni amaningana athi ayayazisa inkululeko yokukhulekela, abefundisi abaxhaphaza abantu baye basebenzisa ithonya abanalo phezu kweziphathimandla ukuze balethe ushushiso olunesihluku kubantu bakaNkulunkulu. Amadoda angathembekile anyundela oFakazi BakaJehova, ebabiza ngokuthi “yihlelo eliyingozi.” UJehova uyazibona izenzo zabo—futhi uzobajezisa. Izitha zakhe ziyobe zenza kahle uma zicabanga ngalokho okwenzeka ezitheni zabantu bakaNkulunkulu zasendulo njengamaFilisti. Isiprofetho sithi: “Ngokuba iGaza liyakushiywa, i-Ashikeloni libe yincithakalo, bayakulixosha i-Ashidodi emini, i-Ekroni lisishulwe.” Imizi yamaFilisti, iGaza, i-Ashikeloni, i-Ashidodi ne-Ekroni yayizochithwa ngokuphelele.—Zefaniya 2:4-7.

12. Kwenzekani kumaFilisti, abakwaMowabi nabakwa-Amoni?

¹² Isiprofetho siyaqhubeka: “Ngiyizwile inhlamba yakwaMowabi nezithuko zabantwana bakwa-Amoni abathuke ngazo abantu bami, bazikhulisela imikhawulo yabo.” (Zefaniya 2:8) Yiqiniso, iGibithe neTopiya kwahlaselwa yiBabiloni. Kodwa sasiyini isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu kwabakwaMowabi nabakwa-Amoni, izizwe eziyizizukulwane zendodana yomfowabo ka-Abrahama, uLoti? UJehova wabikezela: “Impela uMowabi uyakuba njengeSodoma, nabantwana bakwa-Amoni njengeGomora.” Ngokungafani nokhokhokazi babo—amadodakazi kaLoti amabili, asinda ekubhujisweni kweSodoma neGomora—abakwaMowabi nabakwa-Amoni ababeziqhenya babengeke basitshekelwe ezahlulelweni zikaNkulunkulu. (Zefaniya 2:9-12; Genesise 19:16, 23-26, 36-38) Namuhla, siphi isizwe samaFilisti nemizi yaso? Kuthiwani ngabakwaMowabi nabakwa-Amoni ababeziqhenya? Ungabafuna uze udele, ngeke ubathole.

13. Yini eyatholwa abavubukuli eNineve?

¹³ Osukwini lukaZefaniya, uMbuso Wase-Asiriya wawuphethe amandla okubusa. Echaza ingxenye ethile yesigodlo sasebukhosini ayesithole enhloko-dolobha yase-Asiriya iNineve, umvubukuli u-Austen Layard wabhala: “Uphahla lwangaphakathi . . . lwaluhlukaniswe lwaba yizikwele, lwadwetshwa izimbali, noma imifanekiso yezilwane. Ezinye zazihlotshiswe ngamazinyo endlovu, isikwele ngasinye sizungezwe yimihlobiso emihle emaceleni. Kungenzeka ukuthi izinsika nezindonga zazicakwe ngegolide nesiliva, noma zazinamekwe ngisho nokunamekwa lona; futhi izinto zokhuni zazenziwe ngezinhlobo zokhuni olungavamile, umsedari owawuvelele phakathi kwazo.” Nokho, njengoba kwakubikezelwe esiprofethweni sikaZefaniya, i-Asiriya lalizobhujiswa, inhloko-dolobha yalo, iNineve, “ibe yincithakalo.”—Zefaniya 2:13.

14. Sagcwaliseka kanjani isiprofetho sikaZefaniya eNineve?

¹⁴ Ngemva nje kweminyaka engu-15 uZefaniya eshó leso siprofetho, umuzi onamandla iNineve wabhujiswa, futhi isigodlo sawo sasebukhosini saba yimvithi. Yebo, lowo muzi oqhoshayo wacekelwa phansi ngokuphelele. Izinga lencithakalo labikezelwa ngokucacile ngala mazwi: “Ivuba [“nengungumbane,” NW] kuhlale ebusuku ezihlokweni zezinsika zalo [eziwile],  isikhova sikhale emafasiteleni, kube khona incithakalo emigulugulwini.” (Zefaniya 2:14, 15) Izakhiwo zaseNineve ezinkulu zaziyofanelekela ukuba yindawo yokuhlala izingungumbane namavuba kuphela. Imisindo yabathengiselanayo emigwaqweni yomuzi, ukumemeza kwamabutho nemikhuleko yabapristi kwakungeke kusezwakala. Kulezo zindlela ezaziphithizela, kwakuyozwakala kuphela ukukhala okusiphuzelisa unwele emafasiteleni, mhlawumbe ukukhala kwenyoni okulusizi noma ukuwushuza komoya. Ngendlela efanayo, kwangathi zonke izitha zikaNkulunkulu zingaqedwa!

15. Yini esingayifunda kulokho okwenzeka kumaFilisti, abakwaMowabi, abakwa-Amoni nabase-Asiriya?

¹⁵ Yini esingayifunda kulokho okwenzeka kumaFilisti, abakwaMowabi, abakwa-Amoni nabase-Asiriya? Yilokhu: Njengezinceku zikaJehova, akumelwe sizesabe izitha zethu. UNkulunkulu uyakubona okwenziwa yilabo abaphikisana nabantu bakhe. UJehova wazithathela isinyathelo izitha zakhe esikhathini esidlule, futhi uzoletha izahlulelo zakhe kuwo wonke umhlaba owakhiwe namuhla. Nokho, bakhona abayosinda—‘isixuku esikhulu esiphuma kuzo zonke izizwe.’ (IsAmbulo 7:9) Kungenzeka ube phakathi kwaso—kodwa kuphela uma uqhubeka ufuna uJehova, ufuna ukulunga, ufuna nokuthobeka.

Maye Kubenzi Bokubi Abadelelayo!

16. Sathini isiprofetho sikaZefaniya ngababusi nabaholi benkolo bakwaJuda, futhi kungani la mazwi elifanela eLobukholwa?

¹⁶ Isiprofetho sikaZefaniya siyaphinda sigxila kuJuda neJerusalema. UZefaniya 3:1, 2 uthi: “Wo kohlubukileyo nongcolileyo, muzi ocindezelayo! Awuzwa zwi, awamukeli ukulaywa, awumethembi uJehova, awusondelanga kuNkulunkulu wawo.” Yeka indlela okudabukisa ngayo ukuthi imizamo kaJehova yokuyala  abantu bakhe ayizange ilalelwe! Lwalubangela usizi ngempela unya lwababusi, izikhulu nabahluleli. UZefaniya wakusola ukungabi namahloni kwabaholi benkolo, ethi: “Abaprofethi bawo bangamayiyane nabakhohlisi; abapristi bawo bayingcolisile indlu engcwele, bawudlovulile umthetho.” (Zefaniya 3:3, 4) Yeka ukuthi lawo mazwi asichaza kahle kanjani isimo sabaprofethi nabapristi beLobukholwa namuhla! Baye basusa igama laphezulu ezinguqulweni zabo zeBhayibheli ngokwedelela, bafundisa nezimfundiso ezimmelela kabi Lowo abathi bayamkhulekela.

17. Kungani kufanele siqhubeke simemezela izindaba ezinhle kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abantu bayalalela noma cha?

¹⁷ Ebacabangela, uJehova wabaxwayisa abantu bakhe basendulo ngesinyathelo ayesezosithatha. Wathumela izinceku zakhe ezingabaprofethi—oZefaniya noJeremiya nabanye—ukuba zinxuse abantu ukuba baphenduke. Yebo, ‘uJehova wayengeke enze okubi; ekuseni njalo wayeveza ukwahlulela kwakhe ekukhanyeni, kungaphuthi.’ Basabela kanjani? UZefaniya wathi: ‘Kepha abangalungile abazanga mahloni.’ (Zefaniya 3:5) Nanamuhla kukhishwa isixwayiso esifanayo. Uma ungummemezeli wezindaba ezinhle, uyahlanganyela kulo msebenzi wokuxwayisa. Qhubeka umemezela izindaba ezinhle ngaphandle kokuyekethisa! Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abantu bayalalela noma cha, ngokukaNkulunkulu inkonzo yakho iyimpumelelo uma nje uyenza ngokwethembeka; akudingeki ube namahloni njengoba uwenza ngentshiseko umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu.

18. UZefaniya 3:6 uyogcwaliseka kanjani?

¹⁸ Ukukhishwa kwesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu ngeke kuphelele ekuchithweni kweLobukholwa. UJehova ulahla zonke izizwe: “Nginqumile izizwe, imibhoshongo yazo yasezingosini ichithekile; ngichithile izitaladi zazo ukuze kungadluli muntu; imizi yazo iqothuliwe.” (Zefaniya 3:6) Ngendlela athembeke ngayo la mazwi, uJehova ukhuluma ngembubhiso njengokungathi seyenzekile kakade. Kwenzekani ngemizi yamaFilisti, abakwaMowabi nabakwa-Amoni? Futhi kuthiwani ngenhloko-dolobha yase-Asiriya, iNineve? Ukubhujiswa kwayo kuyisixwayiso ezizweni namuhla. UNkulunkulu akahlekwa.

Qhubeka Ufuna UJehova

19. Yimiphi imibuzo eshukumisa ingqondo esingayibuza?

¹⁹ Osukwini lukaZefaniya, ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwaluthululelwa kulabo ‘abenza okubi.’ (Zefaniya 3:7) Nasesikhathini sethu kuzokwenzeka okufanayo. Uyabubona yini ubufakazi bokuthi usuku lolaka lukaJehova luseduze? Ingabe uyaqhubeka ‘ufuna uJehova’ ngokufunda iZwi lakhe njalo—nsuku zonke? Ingabe ‘uyakufuna ukulunga’ ngokuphila ukuphila kokuziphatha okuhlanzekile ngokuvumelana nezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu? Futhi ‘uyakufuna yini ukuthobeka’ ngokubonisa isimo sengqondo esimnene nesokuzithoba kuNkulunkulu nasemalungiselelweni akhe ensindiso?

20. Yimiphi imibuzo esizoxoxa ngayo esihlokweni sokugcina salolu chungechunge lwesiprofetho sikaZefaniya?

²⁰ Uma ngokwethembeka siqhubeka sifuna uJehova, ukulunga nokuthobeka, singalindela ukujabulela izibusiso ezicebile kwamanje—yebo ngisho nakulezi ‘zinsuku zokugcina’ ezivivinya ukholo. (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5; IzAga 10:22) Kodwa cishe sizobuza, ‘Yiziphi izindlela esibusiswa ngazo njengezinceku zikaJehova zanamuhla, futhi yiziphi izibusiso zesikhathi esizayo ezithenjiswa yisiprofetho sikaZefaniya kulabo abayositshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova olusondela ngokushesha?’

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

• Abantu ‘bamfuna’ kanjani “uJehova”?

• Yini ehilelekile ‘ekufuneni ukulunga’?

• ‘Singakufuna’ kanjani “ukuthobeka”?

• Kungani kufanele siqhubeke sifuna uJehova, ukulunga nokuthobeka?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

Ingabe uyamfuna uJehova ngokutadisha iBhayibheli nangokuthandaza ngokujulile?

[Izithombe ekhasini 21]

Ngenxa yokuthi siyaqhubeka sifuna uJehova, isixuku esikhulu siyosinda osukwini lolaka lwakhe