Lulungele Usuku LukaJehova

“Yibani abakulungele, ngoba iNdodana yomuntu iza ngehora eningalicabangi.”—MATHEWU 24:44.

1. Kungani kufanele silukhathalele usuku lukaJehova?

KUYOBA usuku lwempi nokufutheka, lobuhlungu nokucindezeleka, lobumnyama nokuchitha. ‘Usuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo’ luzosifikela nakanjani lesi simiso esibi sezinto, njengoba nje uZamcolo waminzisa izwe elibi osukwini lukaNowa. Akukho ukulubalekela. Nokho, “wonke umuntu obiza igama likaJehova [uyosinda].” (Joweli 2:30-32; Amose 5:18-20) UNkulunkulu uyobhubhisa izitha zakhe, asindise abantu bakhe. Enomuzwa wokuphuthuma, umprofethi uZefaniya uthi: “Usuku olukhulu lukaJehova luseduze. Luseduze, lushesha kakhulu.” (Zefaniya 1:14) Nokho, siyogcwaliswa nini lesi sahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu?

2, 3. Kungani kubalulekile ukuba sizilungiselele usuku lukaJehova?

² UJesu wathi: “Ngokuphathelene nalolo suku nalelo hora akekho owaziyo, nazingelosi zasemazulwini naNdodana, kodwa nguBaba kuphela.” (Mathewu 24:36) Njengoba singasazi isikhathi esiqondile, kubalulekile ukuba silalele amazwi esihloko sethu sonyaka ka-2004: “Hlalani  nilindile . . . Yibani abakulungele.”—Mathewu 24:42, 44.

³ Ebonisa indlela okuyozuma ngayo ukubuthwa kwalabo abakulungele bayiswe ekuphepheni, abanye bebe belahlwa, uJesu wathi: “Amadoda amabili ayobe esensimini: enye iyothathwa, enye ishiywe; abesifazane ababili bayobe begaya etsheni: omunye athathwe, omunye ashiywe.” (Mathewu 24:40, 41) Ngaleso sikhathi esibucayi, thina ngabanye siyobe sikusiphi isimo? Ingabe siyobe sikulungele, noma ingabe lolo suku luyosizuma? Kuxhomeke ezinyathelweni esizithatha manje. Ukuze sizibonakalise silulungele usuku lukaJehova kufuneka sigweme isimo sengqondo esithile esandile namuhla, singavumi ukuwela esimweni esithile ngokomoya, futhi sigweme izindlela ezithile zokuphila.

Gwema Isimo Sengqondo Sokunganaki

4. Abantu bosuku lukaNowa babenasiphi isimo sengqondo?

⁴ Cabanga ngezinsuku zikaNowa. IBhayibheli lithi: “Ngokholo uNowa, ngemva kokunikwa isixwayiso saphezulu sezinto ezingakabonwa, wabonisa ukwesaba kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu wakha umkhumbi wokusindisa indlu yakhe.” (Hebheru 11:7) Umkhumbi wawuyinto engavamile futhi uphawuleka. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uNowa ‘wayengumshumayeli wokulunga.’ (2 Petru 2:5) Kodwa umsebenzi kaNowa wokwakha nokushumayela kwakhe akuzange kubashukumise abantu bosuku lwakhe ukuba bathathe isinyathelo. Ngani? Ngoba ‘babedla, bephuza, amadoda eshada nabesifazane bendiswa.’ Abantu uNowa ayeshumayela kubo babexakeke kakhulu ezindabeni zabo nasezinjabulweni kangangokuthi “[abanakanga] kwaze kwafika uzamcolo, wabakhukhula bonke.”—Mathewu 24:38, 39.

5. Izakhamuzi zaseSodoma zazinasiphi isimo sengqondo osukwini lukaLoti?

⁵ Kwakunjalo nasezinsukwini zikaLoti. ImiBhalo iyasitshela: “Babedla, bephuza, bethenga, bethengisa, betshala, bakha. Kodwa ngosuku uLoti aphuma ngalo eSodoma kwana umlilo nesibabule kuvela ezulwini kwababhubhisa bonke.” (Luka 17:28, 29) Ngemva kokuba uLoti exwayiswe izingelosi ngembubhiso eyayisondela, wakhuluma nabakhwenyana bakwakhe ngalokho okwakuzokwenzeka. Nokho, emehlweni abo “wabonakala njengomuntu ontelayo.”—Genesise 19:14.

6. Isiphi isimo sengqondo okumelwe sisigweme?

⁶ UJesu wathi njengoba kwakunjalo ezinsukwini zikaNowa nezikaLoti, “kuyoba njalo nokuba khona kweNdodana yomuntu.” (Mathewu 24:39; Luka 17:30) Ngempela, abaningi namuhla banesimo sengqondo sokunganaki. Kumelwe siqaphe ukuba singasithonyi leso simo sengqondo. Akukho lutho olubi ngokujabulela ukudla okumnandi nophuzo ngokusesilinganisweni. Ngokufanayo, umshado uyilungiselelo likaNkulunkulu. Nokho, uma izinto ezinjalo seziyiyona nto ebaluleke kakhulu ekuphileni kwethu futhi izithakazelo ezingokomoya sezidebeselelwa, ingabe silulungele usuku lukaJehova olwesabekayo?

7. Imuphi umbuzo obalulekile okufanele siwubuze ngaphambi kokuqala noma imuphi umsebenzi, futhi ngani?

⁷ Umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Isikhathi esesisele sinciphile. Kusukela manje labo abanabafazi mababe njengokungathi abanabo.” (1 Korinte 7:29-31) Sisalelwe isikhathi esincane sokuqeda umsebenzi wethu esiwunikwe nguNkulunkulu wokushumayela ngoMbuso. (Mathewu 24:14) UPawulu wakhuthaza ngisho nemibhangqwana eshadile ukuba inganakani yodwa kakhulu kangangokuba izithakazelo zoMbuso zingabe zisabaluleka kangako ekuphileni kwayo. Kusobala ukuthi ukuthambekela kwengqondo uPawulu ayekukhuthaza kuphambene nokunganaki. UJesu wathi: “Ngakho, qhubekani nifuna kuqala umbuso nokulunga [kukaNkulunkulu].”  (Mathewu 6:33) Lapho senza noma isiphi isinqumo noma ngaphambi kokuqala noma imuphi umsebenzi, umbuzo obalulekile okufanele sizibuze wona yilona, ‘Lokhu kuzokuthinta kanjani ukugcina kwami izithakazelo zoMbuso ziza kuqala ekuphileni kwami?’

8. Uma izinto zokuphila kwansuku zonke seziyiyona nto esiyikhathalela kakhulu, kufanele senzeni?

⁸ Kuthiwani uma siqaphela ukuthi kakade sesihileleke kakhulu ezintweni ezivamile zokuphila kwansuku zonke kangangokuthi izithakazelo ezingokomoya asisazinaki? Ingabe akunamahluko otheni phakathi kwendlela yethu yokuphila neyomakhelwane bethu abangenalo ulwazi olunembile lwemiBhalo futhi abangebona abamemezeli boMbuso? Uma kunjalo, kudingeka sikwenze indaba yomthandazo lokhu. UJehova angasenza sikwazi ukuba nesimo sengqondo esifanele. (Roma 15:5; Filipi 3:15) Angasisiza ukuba sigcine izithakazelo zoMbuso ziza kuqala, senze okulungile, futhi sifeze isibopho sethu kuye.—Roma 12:2; 2 Korinte 13:7.

Melana Nokozela Okungokomoya

9. NgokwesAmbulo 16:14-16, kungani kubalulekile ukumelana nokozela okungokomoya?

⁹ Sona kanye isiprofetho esikhuluma ‘ngempi’ ezayo “yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke” e-Armagedoni sixwayisa ngokuthi abanye bangase bangahlali bephapheme. INkosi uJesu Kristu ithi: “Bheka! Ngiyeza njengesela. Uyajabula ohlala ephapheme futhi embethe njalo izingubo zakhe zangaphandle, ukuze angahambi nqunu nabantu babone ihlazo lakhe.” (IsAmbulo 16:14-16) Izingubo zangaphandle ezishiwo lapha zibhekisela kulokho okusiphawula njengoFakazi BakaJehova abangamaKristu. Lokhu kuhlanganisa umsebenzi wethu njengabamemezeli boMbuso nokuziphatha kwethu kobuKristu. Uma singasenzi lutho njengokungathi silele, singase siphucwe uphawu lwethu lobuKristu. Lokho kungaba ihlazo futhi kuyingozi. Kumelwe simelane nokozela noma ukucobeka ngokomoya. Singamelana kanjani nokuthambekela okunjalo?

10. Kungani ukufunda iBhayibheli nsuku zonke kusisiza ukuba sihlale siphapheme ngokomoya?

¹⁰ IBhayibheli lisigcizelela ngokuphindaphindiwe isidingo sokuhlala siphapheme futhi sisangulukile. Ngokwesibonelo, ukulandisa kwamaVangeli kuyasikhumbuza: “Hlalani nilindile” (Mathewu 24:42; 25:13; Marku 13:35, 37); “yibani abakulungele” (Mathewu 24:44); “hlalani nibhekile, nihlale niphapheme” (Marku  13:33); “hlalani nilungele” (Luka 12:40). Ngemva kokusho ukuthi usuku lukaJehova luyofikela leli zwe lingazelele, umphostoli uPawulu unxusa akholwa nabo: “Masingalali njengoba kwenza bonke abanye, kodwa masihlale siphapheme futhi sihlale sisangulukile.” (1 Thesalonika 5:6) Encwadini yokugcina yeBhayibheli, uKristu Jesu okhazinyulisiwe ugcizelela ukuzuma kokufika kwakhe, ethi: “Ngiyeza masinyane.” (IsAmbulo 3:11; 22:7, 12, 20) Abaningi babaprofethi abangamaHebheru nabo bachaza futhi baxwayisa ngosuku olukhulu lwesahlulelo sikaJehova. (Isaya 2:12, 17; Jeremiya 30:7; Joweli 2:11; Zefaniya 3:8) Ukufunda iZwi likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli, nsuku zonke nokuzindla ngalokho esikufundayo kuwusizo olukhulu ekuhlaleni siphapheme ngokomoya.

11. Kungani isifundo seBhayibheli somuntu siqu sibalulekile ukuze sihlale siphapheme ngokomoya?

¹¹ Yebo, yeka ukuthi sibuqeda kangakanani ubuthongo bethu obungokomoya isifundo somuntu siqu semiBhalo esikhuthalelwayo kusetshenziswa izincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini ezinikezwa “yinceku ethembekileyo neqondayo”! (Mathewu 24:45-47) Nokho, ukuze isifundo somuntu siqu sizuzise kumelwe sithuthuke futhi senziwe njalo. (Hebheru 5:14–6:3) Kumelwe sikudle njalo ukudla okungokomoya. Ukukutholela isikhathi namuhla kungase kube inselele. (Efesu 5:15, 16) Noma kunjalo, akwanele ukufunda iBhayibheli nezincwadi ezisekelwe emiBhalweni lapho kulula kuphela. Isifundo somuntu siqu esiqhutshwa njalo sibalulekile ukuze sihlale ‘siphilile okholweni’ futhi siphapheme.—Thithu 1:13.

12. Imihlangano yobuKristu yebandla, yesifunda, neyesigodi isisiza kanjani ukuba silwe nokozela okungokomoya?

¹² Imihlangano yobuKristu yebandla, yesifunda, neyesigodi nayo iyasisiza ekulweni nokozela okungokomoya. Kanjani? Ngemfundo esiyitholayo. Angithi kule mibuthano sikhunjuzwa njalo ngokuba seduze kosuku lukaJehova? Imihlangano yobuKristu yamasonto onke inikeza namathuba ‘okuvuselelana uthando nemisebenzi emihle.’ Ukuvuselelana okunjalo kuyasisiza sihlale siphapheme ngokomoya. Akumangalisi ukuthi sinomyalo wokuba sihlangane njalo njengoba ‘sibona usuku lusondela.’—Hebheru 10:24, 25.

13. Inkonzo yobuKristu isisiza kanjani ukuba sihlale siphapheme ngokomoya?

¹³ Nalapho sihlanganyela ngenhliziyo yonke enkonzweni yobuKristu siyasizakala ukuba sihlale siphapheme. Iyiphi nje indlela engaba ngcono yokugcina izibonakaliso zezikhathi nezincazelo zazo kucacile engqondweni kunokukhuluma nabanye ngazo? Futhi lapho sibona esifunda nabo iBhayibheli bethuthuka futhi beqala ukuthatha isinyathelo ngalokho abakufundayo, nowethu umuzwa wokuphuthuma uyakhula. Umphostoli uPetru wathi: “Bhukulani izingqondo zenu ngenjongo yokusebenza, hlalani nisanguluké ngokuphelele.” (1 Petru 1:13) ‘Ukuba nokuningi kokukwenza emsebenzini weNkosi ngaso sonke isikhathi’ kuyikhambi elikahle lokozela okungokomoya.—1 Korinte 15:58.

Gwema Izindlela Zokuphila Ezilimazayo Ngokomoya

14. Njengoba kuchazwe kuLuka 21:34-36, iziphi izindlela zokuphila uJesu axwayisa ngazo?

¹⁴ Esiprofethweni sakhe esibalulekile sesibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakhe, uJesu wanikeza esinye futhi isixwayiso. Wathi: “Qaphelani ukuba izinhliziyo zenu zingalokothi zisindwe ukuminza nokuphuza kakhulu nezinkathazo zokuphila, ngokungazelelwe lolo suku lunifice ngaso leso sikhathi, njengogibe. Ngoba luyofikela bonke abahlala kuwo wonke umhlaba. Khona-ke, hlalani niphapheme, ngaso sonke isikhathi ninxusa ukuba niphumelele ekuphunyukeni kuzo zonke lezi zinto ezimiselwe ukwenzeka, nasekumeni phambi kweNdodana yomuntu.” (Luka 21:34-36) UJesu wazichaza ngokunembile izindlela zokuphila abantu ngokuvamile abaziphishekelayo: ukuminza, ukudakwa, nendlela yokuphila eletha ukukhathazeka.

15. Kungani kufanele sikugweme ukuminza nokuphuza ngokweqile?

¹⁵ Ukuminza nokuphuza ngokweqile akuvumelani nezimiso zeBhayibheli futhi kumelwe  kugwenywe. IBhayibheli lithi: “Ungabi phakathi kwezinseli zewayini, phakathi kwamakloza.” (IzAga 23:20) Nokho, akudingeki ukuba ukudla nokuphuza kuze kufike kulelo zinga ngaphambi kokuba kube ingozi. Kungenza umuntu ozele futhi avilaphe kusekude ukufika lapho. Esinye isaga seBhayibheli sithi: “Ivila liyafisa, kodwa umphefumulo walo awunalutho.” (IzAga 13:4) Umuntu onjalo angase afune ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu, kodwa isifiso sakhe asifezeki ngenxa yokudebesela.

16. Singakugwema kanjani ukusindwa izinkathazo mayelana nomkhaya wethu?

¹⁶ Ziyini izinkathazo zokuphila uJesu axwayisa ngazo? Zihilela izinto ezikhathazayo zomuntu siqu, ukondla umkhaya, nokunye okunjalo. Yeka indlela obekungaba ukungahlakaniphi ngayo ukuvumela lezi zinto zisisinde! UJesu wabuza: “Ubani kini ongathi ngokukhathazeka anezele ingalo eyodwa esikhathini sakhe sokuphila?” Wayala izilaleli zakhe: “Ningalokothi nikhathazeke nithi, ‘Sizodlani?’ noma, ‘Sizophuzani?’ noma, ‘Sizogqokani?’ Ngoba konke lokhu kuyizinto izizwe eziziphishekela ngokulangazela. UYihlo wasezulwini uyazi ukuthi niyazidinga zonke lezi zinto.” Ukubeka izithakazelo zoMbuso kuqala ekuphileni kwethu nokuqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyosinakekela kuyogcina ukukhathazeka kusendaweni yako futhi kusisize sihlale siphapheme.—Mathewu 6:25-34.

17. Iminako yezinto ezibonakalayo ingakuletha kanjani ukukhathazeka?

¹⁷ Ukukhathazeka kungabangelwa nayiminako yezinto ezibonakalayo. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye bazixakekisa ngokuthenga izinto ezingaphezu kwamandla abo. Abanye baye bayengwa izinhlelo zokuceba ngokushesha nezindlela zokutshala imali eziyingozi. Kwabanye, ugibe kuba imfundo yezwe efunelwa ukuphumelela ngokwezimali. Kuyavunywa, izinga elithile lemfundo lingase libe usizo ekutholeni umsebenzi. Nokho, iqiniso liwukuthi njengoba bezama ukuthola imfundo ephakeme, okudla  isikhathi, abanye baye bazilimaza ngokomoya. Yeka ukuthi kuyingozi kanjani ukuba kuleso simo njengoba usuku lukaJehova lusondela! IBhayibheli liyaxwayisa: “Labo abazimisele ngokuceba bawela esilingweni nasogibeni nasezifisweni eziningi ezingenangqondo nezilimazayo, eziphonsa abantu ekubhujisweni nasencithakalweni.”—1 Thimothewu 6:9.

18. Ukuze sigweme ukudonsekela endleleni yokuphila egxile ezintweni ezibonakalayo, iliphi ikhono okumelwe silihlakulele?

¹⁸ Into ebalulekile ukuze umuntu angadonsekeli endleleni yokuphila egxile ezintweni ezibonakalayo ukuhlakulela ikhono lokuhlukanisa okulungile nokungalungile lapho enza izinqumo. Leli khono lithuthukiswa ngokudla njalo ‘ukudla okuqinile okungokwabantu abavuthiwe’ nangokwenza ukuba ‘amandla ethu okuqonda aqeqesheke ngokuwasebenzisa.’ (Hebheru 5:13, 14) Ukuqiniseka “ngezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu” lapho sihlela izinto eziza kuqala nakho kuyosivikela ekwenzeni izinqumo ezingalungile.—Filipi 1:10.

19. Uma sibona ukuthi asinasikhathi esitheni sezinto ezingokomoya, kufanele senzeni?

¹⁹ Indlela yokuphila egxile ezintweni ezibonakalayo ingasiphuphuthekisa, isenze singabi nasikhathi esitheni sezinto ezingokomoya, noma singabi naso nhlobo. Singazihlola kanjani futhi sigweme ukubanjwa ugibe lwendlela yokuphila enjalo? Kudingeka sihlole ngomthandazo indlela nezinga esingenza ngalo ukuphila kwethu kube lula. Inkosi yakwa-Israyeli wasendulo uSolomoni yathi: “Bumnandi ubuthongo balowo okhonzayo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kuncane noma kuningi akudlayo; kodwa inala yocebileyo ayimvumeli ukuba alale.” (UmShumayeli 5:12) Ingabe ukunakekela izimpahla ezibonakalayo ezingadingeki kudla isikhathi sethu esiningi namandla? Lapho sinokuningi, kuba kuningi nokudinga ukunakekelwa, ukuthathelwa umshuwalense, nokuvikelwa. Kungasizuzisa yini ukwenza ukuphila kwethu kube lula ngokuhlukana nezimpahla ezithile?

Yiba Okulungele Impela

20, 21. (a) Isiphi isiqinisekiso umphostoli uPetru asinikezayo mayelana nosuku lukaJehova? (b) Iziphi izenzo okumelwe siqhubeke sizenza njengoba sizibonakalisa silulungele usuku lukaJehova?

²⁰ Izwe losuku lukaNowa laphela; nalesi simiso sezinto sizophela. Umphostoli uPetru uyasiqinisekisa: “Usuku lukaJehova luyofika njengesela, okuyodlula ngalo amazulu ngomsindo ohazayo, kodwa izakhi njengoba ziyobe zishisa kakhulu ziyoncibilika, futhi umhlaba nemisebenzi ekuwo kuyokwambulwa.” Amazulu angokomfanekiso—ohulumeni ababi—nomhlaba ongokomfanekiso—isintu esihlukanisiwe noNkulunkulu—ngeke kusinde ekushiseni kolaka lukaNkulunkulu oluvuthayo. Ebonisa indlela esingazibonakalisa ngayo silulungele lolo suku, uPetru uyababaza: “Njengoba zonke lezi zinto ziyoncibilika kanjalo, yeka ukuthi luhlobo luni lwabantu okufanele nibe yilo ezenzweni zokuziphatha ezingcwele nasezenzweni zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, nilindele futhi nikukhumbula njalo ukufika kosuku lukaJehova!”—2 Petru 3:10-12.

²¹ Ukuba khona kwethu njalo emihlanganweni yobuKristu nokuhlanganyela ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle kungezinye zalezi zenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu. Kwangathi singazenza ngomuzwa osuka enhliziyweni wokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu sibe silulinde ngesineke usuku olukhulu lukaJehova. ‘Masenze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuba ekugcineni uNkulunkulu asithole singenabala, singenasici futhi sisekuthuleni.’—2 Petru 3:14.

Uyakhumbula?

• Kungani kufanele sizibonakalise silulungele usuku lukaJehova?

• Uma sesikhathalela ngokuyinhloko iminako evamile yokuphila, yini okufanele siyenze?

• Yini eyosisiza ukuba simelane nokozela okungokomoya?

• Iziphi izindlela zokuphila ezilimazayo okumelwe sizigweme, futhi kanjani?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Izithombe ekhasini 20, 21]

Abantu bosuku lukaNowa abayinakanga imbubhiso eyayiza—wena?

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Ungakwenza yini kube lula ukuphila kwakho ukuze ube nesikhathi esiningana sezinto ezingokomoya?