Obani Abayosinda Osukwini LukaJehova?

“Luyeza usuku, luvutha njengeziko.”—MALAKI 4:1.

1. UMalaki ukuchaza kanjani ukuphela kwalesi simiso esibi?

UMPROFETHI uMalaki waphefumulelwa nguNkulunkulu ukuba alobe iziprofetho zezenzakalo ezesabekayo eziyokwenzeka esikhathini esizayo esiseduze. Lezi zenzakalo ziyothinta wonke umuntu osemhlabeni. UMalaki 4:1 uyabikezela: “‘Bheka, luyeza usuku, luvutha njengeziko; bonke abaziqhenyayo nabo bonke abenza okubi bayakuba ngamabibi; luyakubashisa lolo suku oluzayo,’ usho uJehova Sebawoti, ‘lungabashiyeli mpande nagatsha.’” Kuyoba namandla kangakanani ukubhujiswa kwalesi simiso sezinto esibi? Kuyoba njengesihlahla esizimpande zaso ziqothulwe ngokuphelele ukuze singaphinde sikhule.

2. Imibhalo ethile iluchaza kanjani usuku lukaJehova?

² Ungase ubuze, ‘Yiluphi lolu “suku” umprofethi uMalaki alubikezelayo?’ Usuku olufanayo nokukhulunywa ngalo ku-Isaya 13:9, othi: “Bheka, usuku lukaJehova luyeza, lunonya, lunokufutheka, lunokuvutha kolaka, ukuba lwenz’ ize umhlaba, luchithe izoni zawo kuwo.” UZefaniya 1:15 unikeza le ncazelo: “Lolo suku lungusuku lolaka, usuku lokuhlupheka nolosizi, usuku lwencithakalo nolokuyize, usuku lobumnyama nolwesigayegaye, usuku lwamafu nolobumnyama obukhulu.”

“Usizi Olukhulu”

3. Luyini “usuku lukaJehova”?

³ Ekugcwalisekeni okukhulu kwesiprofetho sikaMalaki, “usuku lukaJehova” luyinkathi ‘yosizi olukhulu.’ UJesu wabikezela: “Ngalesosikhathi kuyoba khona usizi olukhulu olungakaze lwenzeke kusukela ekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube manje, cha, futhi olungasayikuphinde lwenzeke.” (Mathewu 24:21) Cabanga ngosizi izwe eseliye labhekana nalo kakade, ikakhulu kusukela ngo-1914. (Mathewu 24:7-12) IMpi YeZwe II iyodwa yabulala abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-50! Kodwa “usizi  olukhulu” luyoba nezinhlekelele eziyokwenza izinkathazo ezinjalo zibonakale ziwubala. Leso senzakalo, esiyinkathi efanayo nosuku lukaJehova, siyophela e-Armagedoni, siphelise izinsuku zokugcina zalesi simiso esibi.—2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, 13; IsAmbulo 7:14; 16:14, 16.

4. Lapho luphela usuku lukaJehova, kuyobe sekwenzekeni?

⁴ Ekupheleni kwalolo suku lukaJehova, izwe likaSathane nabasekeli balo bayobe beqothiwe. Yonke inkolo yamanga iyobhujiswa kuqala. Ngemva kwalokho isahlulelo sikaJehova siyofezwa esimisweni sikaSathane sezomnotho nesezombangazwe. (IsAmbulo 17:12-14; 19:17, 18) UHezekeli uyaprofetha: “Bayakuphonsa isiliva labo ezitaladini, igolide labo libe yinto engcolileyo, isiliva labo negolide labo kungabi namandla okubophula ngosuku lwentukuthelo kaJehova.” (Hezekeli 7:19) Mayelana nalolo suku, uZefaniya 1:14 uthi: “Usuku olukhulu lukaJehova luseduze; luseduze, lushesha kakhulu.” Ngenxa yalokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngosuku lukaJehova, kufanele sizimisele ukwenza ngokuvumelana nezimfuneko zokulunga zikaNkulunkulu.

5. Batholani labo abesaba igama likaJehova?

⁵ Ngemva kokubikezela lokho okuyokwenziwa usuku lukaJehova ezweni likaSathane, uMalaki 4:2 uthi uJehova uthi: “Kinina enilesabayo igama lami kuyakuphuma ilanga lokulunga, linokuphilisa emaphikweni alo; niyakuphuma, nitshekule njengamathole esibaya.” “Ilanga lokulunga” nguJesu Kristu. ‘Uwukukhanya kwezwe’ okungokomoya. (Johane 8:12) UJesu ukhanya ukuphilisa, okokuqala ukuphiliswa okungokomoya, esikutholayo namuhla, bese kuba ukuphiliswa ngokuphelele ngokomzimba ezweni elisha. Njengoba uJehova esho, abaphilisiweyo ‘bayakuphuma batshekule njengamathole esibaya’ ajabulela ukukhululwa esibayeni.

6. Yikuphi ukuhalalisa kokunqoba okuyojatshulelwa yizinceku zikaJehova?

⁶ Kuthiwani ngalabo abangazishayi mkhuba izimfuneko zikaJehova? UMalaki 4:3 uthi: “‘[Zinceku zikaNkulunkulu] niyakunyathela phansi ababi, ngokuba bayakuba luthuli phansi kwamathe ezinyawo zenu ngosuku engilwenzayo,’ usho uJehova Sebawoti.” Abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu abangabantu ngeke bahlanganyele ekubhubhiseni izwe likaSathane. Kunalokho, ngokomfanekiso, ‘banyathela phansi ababi’ ngokuhlanganyela ekuhalaliseleni ukunqoba ngemva kosuku lukaJehova. Ngemva kokubhujiswa kwamabutho kaFaro oLwandle Olubomvu kwahalaliswa kakhulu. (Eksodusi 15:1-21) Ngokufanayo, ukususwa kukaSathane nezwe lakhe osizini olukhulu kuyolandelwa ukuhalalisa kokunqoba. Abathembekile abayobe besindile osukwini lukaJehova bayokhamuluka: ‘Masijabule, sithokoze ngensindiso yakhe.’ (Isaya 25:9) Yeka ukuthokoza okuyoba khona lapho ubukhosi bukaJehova sebulwelwe futhi umhlaba usuhlanziwe ukuze abantu bahlale ngokuthula!

ELobukholwa Lilingisa U-Israyeli

7, 8. Chaza isimo esingokomoya sika-Israyeli ngesikhathi sikaMalaki.

⁷ Labo abathola ukwamukelwa nguJehova yilabo abamkhonzayo, hhayi abangamkhonzi. Kwakungokufanayo lapho uMalaki ebhala incwadi yakhe. Ngo-537 B.C.E., insali ka-Israyeli yabuyiselwa ezweni layo ngemva kokuthunjelwa eBabiloni iminyaka engu-70. Nokho, phakathi neminyaka eyikhulu eyalandela, lesi sizwe esibuyiselwe saphinde saqala ukuhlubuka nokwenza okubi. Iningi labantu lalihlazisa igama likaJehova; lingayinaki imithetho yakhe elungile; lingcolisa ithempeli lakhe ngokuletha izilwane zomhlatshelo eziyizimpumputhe, eziqhugayo nezigulayo; futhi lilahla abafazi bobusha babo.

⁸ Ngenxa yalokho, uJehova wathi kubo: “Ngiyakusondela kini ukwahlulela, ngibe ngufakazi osheshayo ngabalumbi, nangeziphingi, nangabafunga amanga, nangabacindezela abaqashwa ngenkokhelo yabo, nabafelokazi, nezintandane, nabachezukisa abafokazi, bengangesabi mina, . . . ngokuba mina Jehova angiguquki.” (Malaki 3:5, 6) Nokho, uJehova wamema noma yibaphi ababeyophenduka bazishiye  izindlela zabo ezimbi: “Buyelani kimi, ngiyakubuyela kini.”—Malaki 3:7.

9. Iziprofetho zikaMalaki zagcwaliseka kanjani okokuqala?

⁹ Lawo mazwi agcwaliseka nangekhulu lokuqala C.E. Insali yamaJuda yakhonza uJehova yaba yingxenye “yesizwe” esisha samaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya, esahlanganisa nabeZizwe ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Kodwa iningi lama-Israyeli emvelo lamenqaba uJesu. Ngakho-ke, uJesu watshela leso sizwe sakwa-Israyeli: “Bhekani! indlu yenu ishiywa nani.” (Mathewu 23:38; 1 Korinte 16:22) Njengoba kwakubikezelwe kuMalaki 4:1, ngo-70 C.E. ‘usuku oluvutha njengeziko’ lwafikela u-Israyeli wenyama. IJerusalema nethempeli lalo kwabhujiswa, futhi kubikwa ukuthi abantu abangaphezu kwesigidi bafa ngenxa yendlala, umbango nokuhlasela kwamabutho aseRoma. Nokho, labo ababekhonza uJehova basinda kulolo sizi.—Marku 13:14-20.

10. Abantu abavamile kanye nabefundisi bamlingisa kanjani u-Israyeli wekhulu lokuqala?

¹⁰ Isintu, ikakhulu eLobukholwa, siye salingisa isizwe sika-Israyeli sekhulu lokuqala. Abaholi nabantu abavamile kweLobukholwa bathanda izivumo zabo zokholo kunamaqiniso kaNkulunkulu afundiswa nguJesu. Abefundisi banecala ngokukhethekile. Bayenqaba ukusebenzisa igama likaJehova, baze balikhiphe ngisho nasezinguqulweni zabo zeBhayibheli. Bahlazisa uJehova ngezimfundiso ezingqubuzana nemiBhalo, njengezimfundiso zobuqaba zokuhlushwa phakade esihogweni somlilo, uZiqu-zintathu, ukungafi komphefumulo nokuziphendukela kwemvelo. Kanjalo azimniki uJehova udumo olumfanele, njengoba kwenza abapristi ngosuku lukaMalaki.

11. Izinkolo zezwe zibonisa kanjani ukuthi zikhonza bani ngempela?

¹¹ Ngo-1914, lapho kuqala izinsuku zokugcina, izinkolo zaleli zwe, ezaziholwa yilabo ababethi bangamaKristu, zabonisa ukuthi zikhonza bani ngempela. Kuzo zombili izimpi zezwe, zazikhuthaza amalungu azo ukuba aye empini ngenxa yezingxabano zobuzwe, ngisho noma kwakusho ukubulala abantu benkolo yakubo. IZwi likaNkulunkulu libaveza ngokucacile labo abalalela uJehova nalabo abangamlaleli: “Abantwana bakaNkulunkulu nabantwana bakaDeveli babonakala ngaleliqiniso: Wonke umuntu ongaqhubeki enza ukulunga akasuki kuNkulunkulu nalowo ongamthandi umfowabo. Ngoba yilesi isigijimi enisizwile kusukela ekuqaleni, ukuthi kufanele sibe nothando ngomunye nomunye; singafani noKayini, owayesuka komubi futhi wabulala umfowabo.”—1 Johane 3:10-12.

 Ukugcwalisa Isiprofetho

12, 13. Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ziye zagcwalisa ziphi iziprofetho esikhathini sethu?

¹² Ekupheleni kweMpi Yezwe I ngo-1918, izinceku zikaJehova zabona ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayelilahlile eLobukholwa kanye nayo yonke inkolo yamanga. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, kwaphuma ubizo oluqondiswe kwabanhliziyo zilungile: “Phumani kulo, bantu bami, uma ningafuni ukuhlanganyela nalo ezonweni zalo, futhi ningafuni ukwamukela ingxenye yezinhlupho zalo. Ngoba izono zalo ziye zanqwabelana zaze zafika phezulu ezulwini, noNkulunkulu wakhumbula izenzo zalo zokungabi nabulungisa.” (IsAmbulo 18:4, 5) Labo ababefisa ukukhonza uJehova baqala ukuhlanzwa ezinsaleleni zenkolo yamanga, baqala nokushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso omisiwe emhlabeni wonke, umsebenzi okufanele uqedwe ngaphambi kokuba kufike ukuphela kwalesi simiso esibi sezinto.—Mathewu 24:14.

¹³ Lokhu kwakungenjongo yokugcwalisa isiprofetho esikuMalaki 4:5, lapho uJehova athi khona: “Bhekani, ngiyakuthuma kini u-Eliya umprofethi, lungakafiki usuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo.” Leso siprofetho sagcwaliseka okokuqala ngomsebenzi kaJohane uMbhapathizi, owayefuziselwa ngu-Eliya. UJohane wenza umsebenzi onjengoka-Eliya lapho ebhapathiza amaJuda ayephenduke ezonweni zawo ayezenze ngokuphula isivumelwano soMthetho. Okubaluleke nakakhulu, uJohane wayengumanduleli kaMesiya. Nokho, umsebenzi kaJohane wawumane uwukugcwaliseka kokuqala kwesiprofetho sikaMalaki. Nakuba uJesu athi uJohane wayengu-Eliya wesibili, wabonisa ukuthi kwakuyoba nomsebenzi ‘ka-Eliya’ wesikhathi esizayo.—Mathewu 17:11, 12.

14. Yimuphi umsebenzi obalulekile okumelwe wenziwe ngaphambi kokuphela kwalesi simiso?

¹⁴ Isiprofetho sikaMalaki sabonisa ukuthi lo msebenzi omkhulu ka-Eliya wawuyokwenziwa ngaphambi ‘kosuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo.’ Lolo suku luphela ngempi esondela ngokushesha yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke, e-Armagedoni. Lokhu kusho ukuthi ukuphela kwalesi simiso esibi sezinto nokuqala koKubusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane koMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini ngaphansi kukaJesu Kristu osesihlalweni sobukhosi kwakuyokwandulelwa umsebenzi ofana nomsebenzi ka-Eliya. Ngokuvumelana naleso siprofetho, ngaphambi kokuba uJehova abhubhise lesi simiso esibi, isigaba sika-Eliya sanamuhla, esisekelwa yizigidi zamanye amaKristu anethemba lasemhlabeni, ngentshiseko senza umsebenzi wokuvuselela ukukhulekela okumsulwa, sidumise igama likaJehova, futhi sifundise abanjengezimvu amaqiniso eBhayibheli.

UJehova Uyazibusisa Izinceku Zakhe

15. UJehova uzikhumbula kanjani izinceku zakhe?

¹⁵ UJehova uyababusisa labo abamkhonzayo. UMalaki 3:16 uthi: “Khona abamesabayo uJehova bakhuluma bodwa omunye nomunye; uJehova waqaphela, wezwa, kwalotshwa phambi kwakhe incwadi yokukhumbula ababemesaba uJehova, bezindla ngegama lakhe.” Kusukela ku-Abela kuqhubeke, kunjengokungathi uNkulunkulu ubelokhu ebhala encwadini amagama alabo abayokhunjulwa ngethemba lokuphila okumi phakade. Kulaba, uJehova uthi: “Ngenisani konke okweshumi endlini yengcebo ukuba kube ngukudla endlini yami, ningivivinye ngalokhu . . . uma ngingayikunivulela amafasitele asezulwini, nginithululele isibusiso kunokwaneleyo.”—Malaki 3:10.

16, 17. UJehova uye wababusisa kanjani abantu bakhe nomsebenzi wabo?

¹⁶ UJehova uye wababusisa ngempela labo abamkhonzayo. Kanjani? Enye yezindlela ingokuqondwa kangcono kwezinjongo zakhe. (IzAga 4:18; Daniyeli 12:10) Enye ingokubanika izithelo ezimangalisayo emsebenzini wabo wokushumayela. Abantu abaningi abanhliziyo ziqotho baye bazibandakanya nalaba ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso, futhi bebonke laba bakha ‘isixuku esikhulu esiphuma kuzo zonke izizwe  nezizwana nabantu nezilimi, esiqhubeka simemeza ngezwi elikhulu, sithi: “Insindiso yethu ivela kuNkulunkulu wethu, ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi, nakulo iWundlu.”’ (IsAmbulo 7:9, 10) Lesi sixuku esikhulu siye savela ngendlela emangalisayo, futhi labo abakhonza uJehova ngenkuthalo manje bangaphezu kwezigidi eziyisithupha emabandleni angaphezu kuka-93- 000 emhlabeni wonke!

¹⁷ Isibusiso sikaJehova sibonakala nangokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova banyathelisa izincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini ezisakazwa kabanzi kunazo zonke emlandweni. Nyanga zonke manje kukhiqizwa amakhophi ayizigidi ezingu-90 kamagazini INqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama!, INqabayokulinda ngezilimi ezingu-144, kanti i-Phaphama! ngezingu-87. Incwadi yokutadisha iBhayibheli ethi IQiniso Eliholela Ekuphileni Okuphakade, eyanyatheliswa ngo-1968 (ngesiNgisi), kwanyatheliswa amakhophi ayo angaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-107 ngezilimi ezingu-117. Incwadi ethi Ungaphila Phakade EPharadesi Emhlabeni, eyakhululwa ngo-1982, kwanyatheliswa amakhophi ayo angaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-81 ngezilimi ezingu-131. Kanti incwadi ethi Ulwazi Oluholela Ekuphileni Okumi Phakade, eyakhululwa ngo-1995, isifinyelele amakhophi ayizigidi ezingaphezu kuka-85 ngezilimi ezingu-154. Incwajana ethi Yini UNkulunkulu Ayifunayo Kithi?, eyanyatheliswa ngo-1996, kakade sekusakazwe amakhophi ayo ayizigidi ezingu-150 ngezilimi ezingu-244 njengamanje.

18. Kungani sijabulela ukuchuma okungokomoya naphezu kokuphikiswa?

¹⁸ Lokhu kuchuma okungokomoya kuye kwenzeka naphezu kokuphikisa okushubile nokudonsayo kwezwe likaSathane. Lokhu kubonisa ukuba yiqiniso kwamazwi ka-Isaya 54:17: “Asikho isikhali esenzelwa wena esiyakuphumelela, nalo lonke ulimi olukuvukelayo  luyakwahlulelwa; lokhu kuyifa lezinceku zikaJehova nokulunga kwazo okuvela kimi, usho uJehova.” Yeka ukuthi kuziduduza kanjani izinceku zikaJehova ukwazi ukuthi uMalaki 3:17 ugcwaliseka kuzo ngokuyinhloko: “‘Bayakuba ngabami,’ usho uJehova Sebawoti, ‘babe yimfuyo yami ngosuku engiyakulwenza.’”

Ukukhonza UJehova Ngenjabulo

19. Labo abakhonza uJehova bahluke kanjani kulabo abangamkhonzi?

¹⁹ Umahluko phakathi kwezinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile nalabo abasezweni likaSathane uya ucaca nakakhulu njengoba isikhathi sihamba. UMalaki 3:18 wabikezela: “[Niyakubuya], nahlukanise abalungileyo nababi, abamkhonza uNkulunkulu nabangamkhonziyo.” Esinye sezici eziningi eziwumahluko siwukuthi labo abakhonza uJehova bamkhonza ngenjabulo enkulu. Esinye sezizathu zalokhu yithemba elimangalisayo abanalo. Bamethemba ngokugcwele uJehova lapho ethi: “Ngiyadala izulu elisha nomhlaba omusha; izinto zakuqala aziyikukhunjulwa, zingene enhliziyweni. Kepha jabulani, nethabe kuze kube phakade ngengikudalayo.”—Isaya 65:17, 18; IHubo 37:10, 11, 29; IsAmbulo 21:4, 5.

20. Kungani singabantu abajabulayo?

²⁰ Siyasikholwa isithembiso sikaJehova sokuthi abantu bakhe abaqotho bayosinda osukwini lwakhe olukhulu bangene ezweni elisha. (Zefaniya 2:3; IsAmbulo 7:13, 14) Futhi yize abanye bengase bafe singakafiki leso sikhathi ngenxa yokuguga, ukugula noma izingozi, uJehova uyathembisa ukuthi uyobavusa babe nethuba lokuthola ukuphila okuphakade. (Johane 5:28, 29; Thithu 1:2) Ngakho nakuba sonke sinezinkinga nezinselele zethu, njengoba sisondela kulolu suku lukaJehova, sinazo zonke izizathu zokuba abantu abajabula kunabo bonke emhlabeni.

Uphendula Kanjani?

• Luyini “usuku lukaJehova”?

• Izinkolo zezwe zimlingisa kanjani u-Israyeli wasendulo?

• Izinceku zikaJehova zigcwalisa ziphi iziprofetho?

• UJehova uye wababusisa kanjani abantu bakhe?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 21]

IJerusalema lekhulu lokuqala ‘lavutha njengeziko’

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

UJehova uyabanakekela labo abamkhonzayo

[Izithombe ekhasini 24]

Ngenxa yethemba lazo elimangalisayo, izinceku zikaJehova ziyajabula ngempela