Usuku LukaJehova Lokwahlulela Luseduze!
Usuku LukaJehova Lokwahlulela Luseduze!
“Usuku olukhulu lukaJehova luseduze; luseduze, lushesha kakhulu.”—ZEFANIYA 1:14.
1. Yisiphi isixwayiso uNkulunkulu asikhipha ngoZefaniya?
UJEHOVA UNKULUNKULU usezobathathela isinyathelo ababi. Lalela! Nasi isixwayiso sakhe: “Ngiyakuqothula abantu . . . nginqume abantu ebusweni bomhlaba.” (Zefaniya 1:3) Lawo mazwi ashiwo yiNkosi enguMbusi uJehova ngomprofethi wayo uZefaniya, mhlawumbe owayengumzukulu wenkosi ethembekile uHezekiya. Leso simemezelo, esenziwa ezinsukwini zenkosi enhle uJosiya, sasibikezela okubi kwababi ababesezweni lakwaJuda.
2. Kungani izenzo zikaJosiya zingaluvimbanga usuku lukaJehova lokwahlulela?
2 Akungabazeki ukuthi ukuprofetha kukaZefaniya kwenza ukuba inkosi esencane uJosiya isibone nakakhulu isidingo sokuqeda ukukhulekela okungahlanzekile kwaJuda. Kodwa izenzo zenkosi zokuqeda inkolo yamanga ezweni azizange zibususe bonke ububi kubantu noma zihlawulele izono zikayisemkhulu, iNkosi uManase, ‘owayegcwalise iJerusalema ngegazi elingenacala.’ (2 AmaKhosi 24:3, 4; 2 IziKronike 34:3) Ngakho, usuku lukaJehova lokwahlulela lwaluzofika nakanjani.
3. Singaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi kungenzeka ukuba sisinde ‘osukwini lolaka lukaJehova’?
3 Nokho, babekhona ababezosinda kulolo suku olwesabekayo. Ngakho, umprofethi kaNkulunkulu wanxusa: “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.” (Zefaniya 2:2, 3) Njengoba sicabanga ngethemba lokusinda osukwini lukaJehova lokwahlulela, ake sihlole incwadi yeBhayibheli kaZefaniya. Njengoba yabhalelwa kwaJuda ngaphambi kuka-648 B.C.E., iyingxenye ‘yezwi likaNkulunkulu lesiprofetho’ okumelwe sonke silinake ngenhliziyo yonke.—2 Petru 1:19.
Isandla SikaJehova Eseluliwe
4, 5. UZefaniya 1:1-3 wagcwaliseka kanjani kwababi kwelakwaJuda?
4 “Izwi likaJehova” kuZefaniya liqala ngesixwayiso esicashunwe ngaphambili. UNkulunkulu uthi: “‘Ngiyakuqothula nokuqothula konke, kusuke ebusweni bomhlaba,’ usho uJehova. ‘Ngiyakuqothula abantu nezilwane, ngiqothule izinyoni zezulu nezinhlanzi zaselwandle, ngikhubekise ababi, nginqume abantu ebusweni bomhlaba,’ usho uJehova.”—Zefaniya 1:1-3.
5 Yebo, uJehova wayezobuqeda ububi obedlulele kwelakwaJuda. Wayezosebenzisa bani uNkulunkulu ukuze ‘aqothule konke ebusweni bomhlaba’? Njengoba kubonakala sengathi uZefaniya waprofetha lapho iNkosi uJosiya isanda kuqala ukubusa ngo-659 B.C.E., lawo mazwi esiprofetho agcwaliseka lapho abaseBabiloni bebhubhisa elakwaJuda nenhloko-dolobha yalo, iJerusalema, ngo-607 B.C.E. Ngaleso sikhathi, ababi ‘baqothulwa’ kwelakwaJuda.
6-8. Yini eyabikezelwa kuZefaniya 1:4-6, futhi leso siprofetho sagcwaliseka kanjani kwelakwaJuda lasendulo?
6 Ebikezela izenzo zikaNkulunkulu zokwahlulela abakhulekeli bamanga, uZefaniya 1:4-6 uthi: “Ngiyakwelula isandla sami phezu kukaJuda naphezu kwabo bonke abakhileyo eJerusalema, nginqume insali kaBali kule ndawo, negama labapristi bezithixo kanye nabapristi, nabakhuleka kulo ibandla lasezulwini phezu kwezindlu, nabakhuleka kuJehova bemfunga, befunga futhi uMilkomu, nababuyile ekumlandeleni uJehova, nabangamfunanga uJehova bengabuzanga ngaye.”
7 UJehova wayelulele isandla sakhe kubantu bakwaJuda neJerusalema. Wayezimisele ukubulala abakhulekeli bakankulunkulu waseKhanani wenzalo, uBali. Kwakunonkulunkulu abahlukahlukene bendawo ababebizwa ngokuthi oBali ngoba abakhulekeli babo babebabheka njengabanikazi bezindawo ezithile nanjengabanethonya kuzo. Ngokwesibonelo, kwakunoBali owayekhulekelwa abakwaMowabi nabakwaMidiyani eNtabeni YasePeyori. (Numeri 25:1, 3, 6) Kulo lonke elakwaJuda, uJehova wayezobabhubhisa abapristi bakaBali, kanye nabapristi abangamaLevi abangathembekile ababephula umthetho kaNkulunkulu ngokuzihlanganisa nalab’ onkulunkulu.—Eksodusi 20:2, 3.
8 UNkulunkulu wayezobhubhisa nalabo ‘abakhulekela ibandla lasezulwini,’ ngokusobala ababefunda izinkanyenzi bakhulekele nelanga. (2 AmaKhosi 23:11; Jeremiya 19:13; 32:29) Intukuthelo yaphezulu yayizothululelwa nakulabo ababezama ukuxubanisa ukukhulekela kweqiniso nenkolo yamanga ‘ngokufunga kuJehova nakuMilkomu.’ UMilkomu kungenzeka ngelinye igama likaMoloki, unkulunkulu oyinhloko wabakwa-Amoni. Ukukhulekelwa kukaMoloki kwakuhlanganisa nokunikela ngezingane njengomhlatshelo.—1 AmaKhosi 11:5; Jeremiya 32:35.
Ukuphela KweLobukholwa Kuseduze!
9. (a) ELobukholwa linamaphi amacala? (b) Ngokungafani nabakwaJuda abangathembekile, yini thina okufanele sizimisele ukuyenza?
9 Konke lokhu kungase kusikhumbuze eLobukholwa elingene shí ekukhulekeleni kwamanga nasekufundeni izinkanyezi. Ukuba kwalo nesandla ekunikelweni kwezigidi zabantu e-altare lezimpi ezisekelwa abefundisi kuyenyanyeka ngempela! Masingalokothi sifane nabakwaJuda abangathembekile, ‘abayeka ukulandela uJehova,’ bangabe besamshaya mkhuba futhi bangabe besamfuna yena noma isiqondiso sakhe. Kunalokho, masigcine ubuqotho bethu kuNkulunkulu.
10. Ungasichaza kanjani isiprofetho sikaZefaniya 1:7?
10 Amazwi alandelayo omprofethi abafanele abenzi bokubi bakwaJuda nabantu ababi banamuhla. UZefaniya 1:7 uthi: “Thula phambi kobuso beNkosi uJehova, ngokuba usuku lukaJehova luseduze; uJehova ulungisile umhlatshelo, ungcwelisile abamenyiweyo bakhe.” Laba “abamenyiweyo” kubonakala sengathi kwakuyizitha zikaJuda ezingamaKaledi. “Umhlatshelo” kwakungelakwaJuda uqobo, kuhlanganise nenhloko-dolobha yalo. Ngakho uZefaniya wamemezela injongo kaNkulunkulu yokubhubhisa iJerusalema, futhi lesi siprofetho sasibhekisele nasekubhujisweni kweLobukholwa. Empeleni, njengoba usuku lukaNkulunkulu lokwahlulela seluseduze kangaka namuhla, wonke umhlaba kufanele ‘uthule phambi kobuso beNkosi uJehova,’ ulalele akushoyo ‘ngomhlambi omncane’ ongabalandeli bakaJesu abagcotshiwe nawozakwabo, “ezinye izimvu” zakhe. (Luka 12:32; Johane 10:16) Bonke abangafuni ukulalela futhi ngenxa yalokho abaphikisana nokubusa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu balindelwe yimbubhiso.—IHubo 2:1, 2.
Usuku Lokuklewula Luseduze!
11. Uthini uZefaniya 1:8-11?
11 Mayelana nosuku lukaJehova, uZefaniya 1:8-11 uyanezela: “‘Kuyakuthi ngosuku lomhlatshelo kaJehova, ngihambele izikhulu, namadodana enkosi, nabo bonke abembethe isambatho sabezizwe. Ngalolo suku ngiyakuhambela bonke abeqa umbundu, begcwalisa indlu yamakhosi abo ngobudlova nangenkohliso. Ngalolo suku,’ usho uJehova, ‘kuyakuba khona izwi lokukhala, livela eSangweni Lezinhlanzi, nokuhhewula, kuvela eNgxenyeni Yesibili, nokufahlazeka okukhulu, kuvela emagqumeni. Hhewulani nina enakhe esiGqulweni, ngokuba bonke abantu abathengisayo bachithekile, bonke abathweswe isiliva banqunyiwe.’”
12. Abanye batholakala ‘bembathe isambatho sabezizwe’ ngamuphi umqondo?
12 INkosi uJosiya yayizolandelwa nguJehowahazi, uJehoyakimi noJehoyakini. Ngemva kwabo kwakuyolandela ukubusa kukaSedekiya, okwakuyohambisana nokubhujiswa kweJerusalema. Yize babebhekene naleyo nhlekelele, abanye kubonakala sengathi babesafuna ukwamukelwa yizizwe ezingomakhelwane ‘ngokwembatha isambatho sabezizwe.’ Ngokufanayo, abaningi namuhla bakwenza kucace ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene ukuthi abayona ingxenye yenhlangano kaJehova. Njengoba kusobala ukuthi bayingxenye yenhlangano kaSathane, bazojeziswa.
13. Ngokuvumelana nesiprofetho sikaZefaniya, kwakuyokwenzekani lapho abaseBabiloni behlasela iJerusalema?
13 ‘Lolo suku’ lokulandisa kukaJuda luhambisana nosuku lukaJehova lokukhipha isahlulelo ezitheni zakhe, lokuqeda ububi nokubonisa ukuphakama kwakhe. Lapho abaseBabiloni behlasela iJerusalema, kwakuyokhihlwa isililo eSangweni Lezinhlanzi. Kungenzeka laqanjwa kanjalo ngenxa yokuthi laliseduze nemakethe yezinhlanzi. (Nehemiya 13:16) Amabutho aseBabiloni ayeyongena endaweni ebizwa ngokuthi ingxenye yesibili, futhi ‘ukufahlazeka okukhulu okuvela emagqumeni’ kungase kusho umsindo wamaKaledi asondelayo. ‘Babeyohhewula’ abakhe esiGqulweni, mhlawumbe esiyingxenye engenhla yeSigodi SaseTyropoeon. Kungani babeyohhewula? Ngoba ukuthengiselana, kuhlanganise nokwalabo “abethweswe isiliva,” kwakuyophela lapho.
14. UNkulunkulu wayeyobahlolisisa kangakanani labo abathi bangabakhulekeli bakhe?
14 UJehova wayeyobahlolisisa ngezinga elingakanani labo abathi bangabakhulekeli bakhe? Isiprofetho siyaqhubeka: “Kuyakuthi ngaleso sikhathi ngicwaninge iJerusalema ngezibani, ngihambele abantu abajiyile enhleseni yabo, abathi ezinhliziyweni zabo: UJehova akenzi okuhle, akenzi nokubi. Ingcebo yabo iyakuba yimpango, nezindlu zabo incithakalo; bayakwakha izindlu, kepha abayikuhlala kuzo, batshale izivini, bangaliphuzi kodwa iwayini lazo.”—Zefaniya 1:12, 13.
15. (a) Kwakuzokwenzekani kubapristi baseJerusalema abayizihlubuki? (b) Balindelwe yini abaqhuba inkolo yamanga namuhla?
15 Abapristi baseJerusalema abayizihlubuki babexubanisa ukukhulekela kukaJehova nenkolo yamanga. Nakuba babezizwa belondekile, uNkulunkulu wayeyobacinga njengokungathi ngezibani ezinamandla ezaziyodalula ubumnyama obungokomoya ababecashe kubo. Akekho owayeyophunyula ekumenyezelweni nasekukhishweni kwesahlulelo saphezulu. Lezo zihlubuki ezinganaki zazinethezekile kuhle kwenhlese emphongolweni wewayini. Zazingafuni ukuphazanyiswa yizimemezelo zokungenela kukaNkulunkulu ezindabeni zabantu, kodwa zazingeke ziphunyule ekukhishweni kwesahlulelo sakhe kuzo. Nalabo abaqhuba inkolo yamanga namuhla, kuhlanganise namalungu eLobukholwa nalabo abaye bahlubuka ekukhulekeleni kukaJehova, ngeke baphunyule. Bephika ukuthi lezi ‘yizinsuku zokugcina,’ bathi ezinhliziyweni zabo, “uJehova akenzi okuhle, akenzi nokubi.” Kodwa yeka ukuthi bashayé phansi kanjani!—2 Thimothewu 3:1-5; 2 Petru 3:3, 4, 10.
16. Kwakuzokwenzekani lapho kukhishwa isahlulelo saphezulu kwelakwaJuda, futhi ukwazi lokho kufanele kusithonye kanjani?
16 Izihlubuki zakwaJuda zaxwayiswa ngokuthi abaseBabiloni babeyophanga ingcebo yazo, bachithe imizi yazo bathathe nezithelo zomvini wazo. Izinto ezibonakalayo zazingeke zisize lapho kukhishwa isahlulelo saphezulu kwelakwaJuda. Kuyoba okufanayo nalapho usuku lukaJehova lokwahlulela lufikela lesi simiso sezinto samanje. Ngakho-ke, kwangathi singaba nombono ongokomoya futhi ‘sizibekelele ingcebo ezulwini’ ngokwenza inkonzo kaJehova ize kuqala ekuphileni kwethu!—Mathewu 6:19-21, 33.
“Usuku Olukhulu LukaJehova Luseduze”
17. NgokukaZefaniya 1:14-16, luseduze kangakanani usuku lukaJehova lokwahlulela?
17 Luseduze kangakanani usuku lukaJehova lokwahlulela? NgokukaZefaniya 1:14-16, uNkulunkulu uyaqinisekisa: “Usuku olukhulu lukaJehova luseduze; luseduze, lushesha kakhulu; umsindo wosuku lukaJehova uyababa, neqhawe liyahhewula khona. Lolo suku lungusuku lolaka, usuku lokuhlupheka nolosizi, usuku lwencithakalo nolokuyize, usuku lobumnyama nolwesigayegaye, usuku lwamafu nolobumnyama obukhulu, usuku lwecilongo nolokuhlaba umkhosi ngasemizini ebiyelweyo nasemibhoshongweni yasezingosini.”
18. Kungani kungafanele sizitshele ukuthi usuku lukaJehova lokwahlulela lusekude?
18 Abapristi, izikhulu nabantu bakwaJuda abanesono báxwayiswa ngokuthi ‘usuku olukhulu lukaJehova lwaluseduze.’ KuJuda, ‘usuku lukaJehova lwaluyoshesha kakhulu.’ Ngokufanayo nasesikhathini sethu, makungabikho muntu ocabanga ukuthi kusekude ukuba uJehova akhiphe isahlulelo sakhe kwababi! Kunalokho, njengoba uNkulunkulu athatha isinyathelo ngokushesha kwaJuda, ‘uzolusheshisa’ nosuku lwakhe lokwahlulela. (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16) Yeka ukuthi leso kuyoba yisikhathi esibuhlungu kanjani kubo bonke abangazishayi mkhuba izixwayiso uJehova azinikeza ngoFakazi bakhe futhi abangakwamukeli ukukhulekela kweqiniso!
19, 20. (a) Kwakuyiziphi ezinye zezici zokuthululelwa kolaka lukaNkulunkulu kuJuda neJerusalema? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo ephakanyiswayo mayelana nembubhiso eyokhetha abathile kulesi simiso sezinto?
19 Ukuthululelwa kolaka lukaNkulunkulu kuJuda neJerusalema ‘kwakuwusuku lokuhlupheka nolosizi.’ Abahlaseli baseBabiloni babangela ukuhlupheka okukhulu ezakhamuzini zakwaJuda, kuhlanganise nokucindezeleka ngokwengqondo lapho sezibhekene nokufa nokubhujiswa. Lolo “suku lwencithakalo nolokuyize” lwalungolobumnyama, amafu nesigayegaye, mhlawumbe hhayi ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso nje kuphela kodwa nangokoqobo, ngenxa yokuthi yonke indawo kwakugcwele intuthu nezidumbu ezidindilizile. ‘Kwakuwusuku lwecilongo nolokuhlaba umkhosi,’ kodwa lezo zixwayiso azisizanga ngalutho.
20 Abalindi baseJerusalema babengenakwenza lutho lapho izikhali zabaseBabiloni zokubhodloza udonga ziwisa ‘imibhoshongo yasezingosini.’ Nezinqaba zesimiso sezinto samanje esibi ngeke zisize ekumelaneni nezikhali ezisenqolobaneni kaNkulunkulu yasezulwini, ezilindele ukuba azisebenzise ekuqaleni kwembubhiso eyokhetha abathile. Ingabe unethemba lokusinda? Ingabe uye waluthatha ngokuqinile uhlangothi lukaJehova, ‘olondoloza bonke abamthandayo, kepha oyobhubhisa bonke ababi’?—IHubo 145:20.
21, 22. UZefaniya 1:17, 18 uzogcwaliseka kanjani osukwini lwethu?
21 Yeka ukwesabeka kosuku lokwahlulela olwabikezelwa kuZefaniya 1:17, 18! “Ngiyakucindezela abantu,” kusho uJehova uNkulunkulu, “bahambe njengezimpumputhe, ngokuba bonile kuJehova; igazi labo liyakuthululwa njengothuli, nenyama yabo njengomquba. Nasiliva labo nagolide labo akuyikuba namandla okubophula ngosuku lwentukuthelo lukaJehova, kepha umhlaba wonke uyakudliwa ngumlilo womhawu wakhe, ngokuba uyakuqeda, yebo, aqede ngokuzumayo bonke abakhileyo ezweni.”
22 Njengoba enza ezinsukwini zikaZefaniya, maduze nje uJehova uzoletha usizi kubo “bonke abakhileyo ezweni,” labo abenqabayo ukulalela isixwayiso sakhe. Ngenxa yokona kwabo kuNkulunkulu, bayohamba bephuphutheka njengezimpumputhe, bengayitholi inkululeko. Ngosuku lukaJehova lokwahlulela, igazi labo “liyakuthululwa njengothuli,” njengento engelutho. Isiphelo sabo siyoba yihlazo ngempela, ngoba uNkulunkulu uyosakaza izidumbu—ngisho nezibilini—zalaba bantu ababi zigcwale emhlabeni, “njengomquba.”
23. Nakuba abenzi bokubi bengeke baphunyule ‘ngosuku lwentukuthelo kaJehova,’ yiliphi ithemba elinikezwa yisiprofetho sikaZefaniya?
23 Akekho ongabasindisa labo abalwa noNkulunkulu nabantu bakhe. Igolide nesiliva akuzange kubasindise abenzi bokubi bakwaJuda, njengoba nengcebo nokufumbathisa kungeke kulivikele noma kulisize eLobukholwa naso sonke lesi simiso sezinto ‘ngosuku lwentukuthelo kaJehova.’ Ngalolo suku lwamanqamu, “umhlaba wonke uyakudliwa” umlilo wentshiseko kaNkulunkulu lapho eqothula ababi. Ngenxa yokuthi sinokholo ezwini likaNkulunkulu lesiprofetho, siyaqiniseka ukuthi sesingene shí “esikhathini sokugcina.” (Daniyeli 12:4) Usuku lukaJehova lokwahlulela luseduze, futhi ngokushesha uzoziphindiselela ezitheni zakhe. Nokho, isiprofetho sikaZefaniya siyalinikeza ithemba lensindiso. Yini-ke efunekayo kithi ukuze sisitshekelwe ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova?
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Isiprofetho sikaZefaniya sagcwaliseka kanjani kwelakwaJuda neJerusalema?
• Lilindelwe yini eLobukholwa nabo bonke ababi osukwini lwethu?
• Kungani kungafanele sicabange ukuthi usuku lukaJehova lokwahlulela lusekude?
[Imibuzo Yesifundo]
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
UZefaniya wamemezela ngesibindi ukuthi usuku lukaJehova lokwahlulela lwaluseduze
[Umthombo]
From the Self-Pronouncing Edition of the Holy Bible, containing the King James and the Revised versions
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
ElakwaJuda neJerusalema lafikelwa usuku lukaJehova lapho liqothulwa abaseBabiloni ngo-607 B.C.E.
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Ingabe unethemba lokusindiswa lapho uJehova ebhubhisa ababi?