Ingabe Siphila “Ezinsukwini Zokugcina” Ngempela?

IZENZAKALO emikhakheni emibili ziyasiza ekuboneni lokho iBhayibheli elikubiza ngokuthi izinsuku zokugcina. ImiBhalo ibikezela izenzakalo ezaziyokwenzeka phakathi nesikhathi “sesiphelo sesimiso sezinto.” (Mathewu 24:3) IBhayibheli likhuluma nangezinguquko ezimweni zengqondo nasezenzweni zabantu abaphila “ezinsukwini zokugcina.”—2 Thimothewu 3:1.

Izenzakalo zezwe kuhlanganise nokuziphatha nemikhuba yabantu kufakazela ukuthi siphila ezinsukwini zokugcina nokuthi maduze uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uzoletha izibusiso zaphakade kulabo abathanda uNkulunkulu. Asiqale ngokuhlola izici ezintathu uJesu athi zaziyophawula izinsuku zokugcina.

“Ukuqala Kwemihelo Yokucindezeleka”

UJesu wathi: “Isizwe siyovukela isizwe nombuso uvukele umbuso, futhi kuyoba khona ukusweleka kokudla nokuzamazama komhlaba ezindaweni ngezindawo.” Wanezela: “Zonke lezi zinto ziwukuqala kwemihelo yokucindezeleka.” (Mathewu 24:7, 8) Ake sihlole ngayinye ‘yalezi zinto.’

Izimpi nemibango yezizwe kuye kwabulala inqwaba yabantu phakathi nekhulu leminyaka elidlule. Umbiko wezingqapheli ze-Worldwatch Institute uthi: “Abantu abafa ezimpini phakathi nekhulu leminyaka [lama-20] babaphinda kathathu labo abafa kuzo zonke ezinye izimpi ezalwiwa kusukela ekhulwini lokuqala AD kuya ku-1899.” Encwadini yakhe ethi Humanity—A Moral History of the Twentieth Century, uJonathan Glover uthi: “Kulinganiselwa ukuthi impi yabulala abantu abayizigidi ezingu-86 enkathini esukela ku-1900 kuya ku-1989. . . . Abantu abaye bafa ezimpini ekhulwini lama-20 baye baba baningi ngezinga elixakayo. Ayikho indlela enembile yokuthola isilinganiso sesibalo sabantu abafa, njengoba abantu abangaba izingxenye ezimbili kwezintathu (izigidi ezingu-58) babulawa ezimpini zezwe ezimbili. Kodwa ukube lesi sibalo sabantu besingacozulwa ngezinga elilinganayo phakathi nalo lonke leli khulu leminyaka, bekuyosho ukuthi impi yayibulala abantu abangaba ngu-2 500 ngosuku, okungabantu abangaphezu kwekhulu ihora ngalinye losuku, iminyaka engu-90.” Uyalubona yini usizi nobuhlungu lokhu okumelwe ukuba kwakubangela ezigidini zezihlobo nabangane balabo abashona?

Naphezu kweqiniso lokuthi umhlaba ukhiqiza insada yokudla, izici eziphawula izinsuku zokugcina zihlanganisa ukusweleka kokudla. Abacwaningi bathi eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-30 edlule, kuye kwakhiqizwa ukudla ngesilinganiso esingaphezu kokwanda kwabantu. Noma kunjalo, ukusweleka kokudla kudlangile ezingxenyeni ezinkulu zomhlaba ngoba abantu abaningi abanayo indawo eyanele ukuba batshale noma abanayo imali eyanele yokuthenga ukudla. Emazweni asathuthuka, abantu abangaba yizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-1,2 baphila ngemali engange-dollar lase-United States noma engaphansi kwalo ngosuku. Kulaba, abayizigidi ezingu-780 bayalamba njalo. Ngokwe-World Health Organization, ukungondleki kunomthelela omkhulu ekufeni kwezingane ezingaphezu kwezigidi ezinhlanu minyaka yonke.

Kuthiwani ngokuzamazama komhlaba okwabikezelwa? Ngokocwaningo lwe-U.S. Geological Survey kusukela nje ngo-1990, ngokwesilinganiso  singu-17 ngonyaka isibalo sokuzamazama komhlaba okunamandla okubhidliza izakhiwo. Ngokwesilinganiso, kanye ngonyaka bekulokhu kuba nokuzamazama komhlaba okunamandla anele ukucekela phansi cishe sonke isakhiwo. Omunye umthombo uthi: “Ukuzamazama komhlaba kuye kwabulala amakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu kule minyaka eyikhulu edlule.” Esinye isizathu salokhu ukuthi kusukela ngo-1914 kuye kwaba nemiphakathi eminingi emikhulu eyakhe ezindaweni ezithandwa ukuzamazama komhlaba.

Ezinye Izenzakalo Eziphawulekayo

UJesu wathi: “Kuyoba khona . . . ezindaweni ngezindawo . . . izifo eziwumshayabhuqe.” (Luka 21:11) Isayensi yezokwelapha namuhla ithuthuke kakhulu kunanini ngaphambili. Noma kunjalo, izifo ezindala nezintsha ziyaqhubeka zihlupha isintu. Umbiko we-U.S. National Intelligence Council uthi: “Izifo ezingu-20 ezaziwa kakhulu—kuhlanganise nesifo sofuba (TB), umalaleveva, nekholera—ziphinde zavela futhi noma zasakazeka kakhulu kusukela ngo-1973, ngokuvamile zivela sezithathelwana kakhulu futhi zingasezwa namithi. Kusukela ngo-1973 kuye kwahlonzwa okungenani izifo ezingu-30 ezazingaziwa ngaphambili ezihlanganisa igciwane lesandulela-ngculaza, i-Ebola, isifo sokuvuvukala kwesibindi sohlobo C, negciwane leNipah, okungakatholakali makhambi okuzelapha.” Ngokombiko wabeSiphambano Esibomvu ka-June 28, 2000, phakathi nonyaka owandulelayo, isibalo sabantu ababulawe izifo ezithathelwanayo sasidlula ngezikhathi ezingu-160 isibalo sabantu abafe ezinhlekeleleni zemvelo.

Esinye isici esiphawulekayo sezinsuku zokugcina ‘ukwanda kokwephulwa komthetho.’ (Mathewu 24:12) Namuhla, ezindaweni eziningi zomhlaba, abantu abasawashiyi amakhaya abo engahluthulelwe futhi abazizwa belondekile emgwaqweni ebusuku. Kuthiwani ngokungcoliswa komoya, amanzi nomhlaba esikubona kwenzeka, ngokuvamile ngenxa yezenzo ezingemthetho? Nalokhu kugcwalisa lokho iBhayibheli elakubikezela. Incwadi yesAmbulo ikhuluma ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esimisiwe ‘sokuchitha abachitha umhlaba.’—IsAmbulo 11:18.

Izici Zabantu Bezinsuku Zokugcina

Sicela uvule iBhayibheli lakho ufunde eyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:1-5. Umphostoli uPawulu uyabhala: “Ezinsukwini zokugcina kuyofika izikhathi ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo.” Ube eseqhubekela phambili enikeza uhlu lwezici zobuntu ezingu-20 ezaziyobonakaliswa abantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu. Ingabe uye wazibona ezinye zalezo zici kubantu endaweni yakini? Cabangela okuye kwashiwo ngokuphathelene nabantu banamuhla.

“Abazithandayo.” (2 Thimothewu 3:2) “[Abantu] bayaphikelela ekwenzeni abakuthandayo kunanini ngaphambili. [Baba] onkulunkulu, futhi balindele ukuphathwa ngaleyo ndlela.”—Financial Times, iphephandaba laseNgilandi.

“Abathanda imali.” (2 Thimothewu 3:2) “Kulezi zikhathi zamuva, umoya wobugovu wokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo uye waba ngaphezu komoya wokuba nesizotha. Uma abantu bengakubheki njengomuntu ocebile emphakathini ukuphila kwakho akubi yilutho.”—Jakarta Post, iphephandaba lase-Indonesia.

“Abangalaleli abazali.” (2 Thimothewu 3:2) “Abazali bayaxakeka lapho bebona ingane yabo eneminyaka engu-4 ibakhakhabisa kuhle kwenkosi yaseFrance uLouis XIV noma lapho bezwa ingane yabo eneminyaka engu-8 iklabalasa ithi, ‘Ngiyanizonda!’”—American Educator, umagazini wase-United States.

“Abangathembeki.” (2 Thimothewu 3:2) “Inkinga eyandayo emhlabeni wonke yamadoda akhetha ukushiya omkawo nezingane mhlawumbe iyinguquko enkulu kunazo zonke ezenzekile ezindinganisweni zokuziphatha phakathi [neminyaka engu-40 edlule].”—Wilson Quarterly, umagazini wase-United States.

“Abangenalo uthando.” (2 Thimothewu 3:3) “Ubudlova basekhaya buyisici esivelele ekuphileni kwansuku zonke emiphakathini yomhlaba wonke.”—Journal of the American Medical Association, umagazini wase-United States.

“Abangenakho ukuzithiba.” (2 Thimothewu 3:3) “Izindaba eziningi eziba sekhasini lokuqala lamaphephandaba njalo ekuseni zibonisa ukuthi abantu bantula ukuzithiba, isimilo esiqinile nesihe kubantu bakubo nakubo ngokwabo.  . . . Uma umphakathi wethu uqhubeka uthanda ulaka ngendlela okwenzeka ngayo manje, kungakabiphi uyophelelwa ubuntu.”—Bangkok Post, iphephandaba laseThailand.

“Abanolaka.” (2 Thimothewu 3:3) “Ubona intukuthelo engenangqondo nolaka olungalawulwa emigwaqweni, ekuhlukunyezweni kwamalungu omkhaya, . . . nasebudloveni obunyantisayo nobungadingekile obuvame ukuhambisana nobugebengu. Ubudlova benzeka ngendlela engachazeki nengabikezeleki futhi bushiya abantu bezizwa bengenabani futhi beyizisulu ezilula.”—Business Day, iphephandaba laseNingizimu Afrika.

“Abathandi benjabulo kunokuba abathandi bakaNkulunkulu.” (2 Thimothewu 3:4) “Inkululeko yokuziphatha kwezobulili iye yasetshenziswa njengomkhankaso wokulwa nokuziphatha kobuKristu.”—Boundless, umagazini okuyi-Internet.

“Abanesimo sokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kodwa bewaphika amandla ako.” (2 Thimothewu 3:5) “[Umuntu owake wadayisa ngomzimba eNetherlands] wavuma ukuthi ngamaqembu ezinkolo ikakhulu aphikisana nokugunyazwa ngokomthetho [kokudayisa ngomzimba]. Wathi ukuthula kancane, wayesesho emamatheka ukuthi ngesikhathi esadayisa ngomzimba, phakathi kwamakhasimende ayemvakashela njalo kwakunabefundisi abaningana. Ehleka wathi, ‘Abadayisa ngomzimba bathi amakhasimende abo angcono kakhulu yilawo asontayo.’”—National Catholic Reporter, iphephandaba lase-United States.

Yini Esingayilindela?

Izwe namuhla ligcwele izinkathazo njengoba nje iBhayibheli labikezela. Nokho, isiprofetho esiphathelene ‘nesibonakaliso sokuba khona kukaKristu nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto’ sihlanganisa nesici esihle. UJesu wathi: “Lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiwe ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke.” (Mathewu 24:3, 14) Izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu zishunyayelwa emazweni angaphezu kuka-230. Abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyisithupha abaphuma kuzo “zonke izizwe nezinhlanga nabantu nezilimi” bamatasa kulo msebenzi wokumemezela ngoMbuso. (IsAmbulo 7:9) Inkonzo yabo yentshiseko iye yaba namuphi umphumela? Cishe wonke umuntu emhlabeni uyasizwa isigijimi salokho uMbuso oyikho, lokho ozokwenza nokuthi yena angazithola kanjani izibusiso zawo. Ngempela, ‘ulwazi lweqiniso luye lwaba luningi kulesi sikhathi sokuphela.’—Daniyeli 12:4.

Kungaba yinto enhle ukuba uzitholele lolu lwazi. Cabanga ngalokho okuyokwenzeka ngemva kokuba izindaba ezinhle sezishunyayelwe ngezinga elanelisa uJehova. UJesu wathi: “Khona-ke ukuphela kuyofika.” (Mathewu 24:14) Kuyobe sekuyisikhathi sikaNkulunkulu sokuqeda bonke ububi emhlabeni. IzAga 2:22 zithi: “Kepha ababi bayonqunywa emhlabeni; abakhohlisayo bona, bayosishulwa kuwo.” Kuthiwani ngoSathane namademoni akhe? Bayophonswa kwalasha, lapho bengeke besakwazi khona ukudukisa izizwe. (IsAmbulo 20:1-3) Khona-ke emhlabeni ‘kuyosala abaqotho nabangasoleki.’ Futhi bayojabulela izibusiso zoMbuso ezinhle ngokumangalisayo.—IzAga 2:21; IsAmbulo 21:3-5.

Yini Ongayenza?

Akubuzwa ukuthi ukuphela kwesimiso sikaSathane sekuseduze kakhulu. Labo ababushaya indiva ubufakazi bokuthi siphila ezinsukwini zokugcina bayophaphama sekwephuzile lapho ukuphela kufika. (Mathewu 24:37-39; 1 Thesalonika 5:2) Ngakho-ke, uJesu wathi kwababemlalele: “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.

Yilabo kuphela abayobe benokuma okuhle phambi kweNdodana yomuntu, uJesu, abayoba nethuba lokusinda lapho lesi simiso sezinto siphela. Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukuba isikhathi esisele sisisebenzisele ukuthola ukuvunyelwa uJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu  Kristu! Lapho ethandaza kuNkulunkulu, uJesu wathi: “Lokhu kusho ukuphila okuphakade, ukungenisa kwabo ulwazi ngawe, owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, nangalowo omthumileyo, uJesu Kristu.” (Johane 17:3) Ngakho-ke, kuyinkambo yokuhlakanipha ukuba ufunde okwengeziwe ngoJehova uNkulunkulu nangezimfuneko zakhe. OFakazi BakaJehova endaweni yakini bayokujabulela ukukusiza ukuba uqonde lokho iBhayibheli elikufundisayo. Sikumema ngokufudumele ukuba uthintane nabo noma ubhalele abanyathelisi balo magazini.

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 7]

IZICI ZEZINSUKU ZOKUGCINA

IZENZAKALO EZINKULU:

▪ Izimpi.—Mathewu 24:6, 7.

▪ Ukuntuleka kokudla.—Mathewu 24:7.

▪ Ukuzamazama komhlaba.—Mathewu 24:7.

▪ Izifo eziwumshayabhuqe.—Luka 21:11.

▪ Ukwanda kokungabi namthetho.—Mathewu 24:12.

▪ Ukuchithwa komhlaba.—IsAmbulo 11:18.

ABANTU:

▪ Abazithandayo.—2 Thimothewu 3:2.

▪ Abathanda imali.—2 Thimothewu 3:2.

▪ Abazidlayo.—2 Thimothewu 3:2.

▪ Abangalaleli abazali.—2 Thimothewu 3:2.

▪ Abangabongiyo.—2 Thimothewu 3:2.

▪ Abangathembeki.—2 Thimothewu 3:2.

▪ Abangenalo uthando.—2 Thimothewu 3:3.

▪ Abangazithibi.—2 Thimothewu 3:3.

▪ Abanolaka.—2 Thimothewu 3:3.

▪ Abathandi benjabulo.—2 Thimothewu 3:4.

▪ Amakholwa angabazenzisi.—2 Thimothewu 3:5.

ABAKHULEKELI BEQINISO:

▪ Banolwazi oluningi.—Daniyeli 12:4.

▪ Bashumayela izindaba ezinhle emhlabeni wonke.—Mathewu 24:14.

[Umthombo]

UNITED NATIONS/Photo by F. GRIFFING