1. Yini engasenza siqale ukuphelelwa isineke?

LAPHO uMbuso kaMesiya umiswa ngo-1914, isimiso sikaSathane sangena ezinsukwini zaso zokugcina. Ngemva kwempi eyaba sezulwini, uJesu waphonsa uDeveli namademoni akhe phansi emhlabeni. (Funda isAmbulo 12:7-9.) USathane uyazi ukuthi “unesikhathi esifushane” kuphela. (IsAm. 12:12) Nokho, leso “sikhathi esifushane” sesiqhubeke amashumi eminyaka, futhi abanye bangase babe nomuzwa wokuthi izinsuku zokugcina sezithathe isikhathi eside. Njengoba silinde uJehova ukuba athathe isinyathelo, ingabe thina ngabanye sesiphelelwa isineke?

2. Sizodingidani kulesi sihloko?

² Ukuphelelwa yisineke kungaba ingozi, ngoba kungasenza sixhamazele. Singasilondoloza kanjani isimo sengqondo sokulinda? Lesi sihloko sizosisiza ukuba senze kanjalo ngokuphendula imibuzo elandelayo. (1) Yini esingayifunda ngokuba nesineke esibonelweni somprofethi uMika? (2) Yiziphi izenzakalo eziyophawula ukuphela kwesikhathi sethu sokulinda? (3) Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyasazisa isineke sikaJehova?

3. Zazinjani izimo kwa-Israyeli ngosuku lukaMika?

³ Funda uMika 7:2-6. Umprofethi kaJehova uMika wabona izimo ezingokomoya zakwa-Israyeli ziwohloka zaze zafinyelela eqophelweni elishaqisayo ngesikhathi kubusa inkosi embi, u-Ahazi. UMika ufanisa ama-Israyeli angathembekile ‘nobobe nothango lwameva.’ Njengoba nje ubobe noma uthango lwameva luhlaba noma ubani ohamba phezu kwalo, lawo ma-Israyeli akhohlakele ayelimaza noma ubani ayesebenzelana naye. Ukonakala kwase kukubi kakhulu kangangokuthi ngisho nezibopho zemikhaya zawohloka. Eqaphela  ukuthi akukho angakwenza ukuze ashintshe leso simo, uMika wathululela inhliziyo yakhe kuJehova. Wabe eselinda ngesineke ukuba uNkulunkulu athathe isinyathelo. UMika wayeqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyongenela ngesikhathi saKhe.

4. Iziphi izinselele esibhekana nazo?

⁴ NjengoMika, siphila nabantu abanobugovu. Abaningi bangabantu “abangabongiyo, abangathembeki, abangenalo uthando.” (2 Thim. 3:2, 3) Kuyasicindezela ukubona abantu esisebenza nabo, esifunda nabo nomakhelwane bebonisa isimo sengqondo sokuzicabangela bona. Nokho, ezinye izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zibhekene nenselele enkulu nakakhulu. UJesu wathi abalandeli bakhe babeyobhekana nokuphikiswa emkhayeni, futhi wasebenzisa amazwi afana nalawo alotshwe kuMika 7:6 ukuze achaze umphumela isigijimi sakhe esasiyoba nawo. Wathi: “Ngize ukubangela ukuhlukana, umuntu amelane noyise, nendodakazi imelane nonina, nomalokazana amelane noninazala. Ngempela, izitha zomuntu kuyoba abantu bendlu yakubo.” (Math. 10:35, 36) Yeka ukuthi kunzima kangakanani ukukhuthazelela ukuhlekwa nokuphikiswa amalungu omndeni angebona oFakazi! Uma sibhekene novivinyo olunjalo, masinganqotshwa ukucindezelwa umndeni. Kunalokho, masihlale siqotho futhi silinde uJehova ngesineke ukuba alungise izindaba. Uma siqhubeka sicela usizo lwakhe, uyosinika amandla nokuhlakanipha esikudingayo ukuze sikhuthazele.

5, 6. UJehova wamvuza kanjani uMika, kodwa yini uMika angazange ayibone?

⁵ UJehova wamvuza uMika ngokuba kwakhe nesineke. UMika wakubona ukufa nokuphela kokubusa okubi kweNkosi u-Ahazi. Wayibona inkosi elungile uHezekiya, indodana ka-Ahazi, ithatha isihlalo sobukhosi futhi ibuyisela ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile. Futhi isigijimi sesahlulelo sikaJehova ngeSamariya esabikezelwa uMika sagcwaliseka lapho ama-Asiriya ehlasela umbuso osenyakatho wakwa-Israyeli.—Mika 1:6.

⁶ Nokho, uMika akazange akubone ukugcwaliseka kwakho konke uJehova ayemphefumulele ukuba akuprofethe. Ngokwesibonelo, uMika waloba: “Engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku intaba yendlu kaJehova iyomiswa iqine ibe ngaphezu kwesiqongo sezintaba, futhi ngokuqinisekile iyophakanyiswa ngaphezu kwamagquma; izizwe zigobhozele kuyo. Ngokuqinisekile izizwe eziningi ziyohamba zithi: ‘Wozani sikhuphukele entabeni kaJehova.’” (Mika 4:1, 2) UMika wafa kusekude ukuba leso siprofetho sigcwaliseke. Noma kunjalo, wayezimisele ukuhlala eqotho kuJehova kuze kube sekufeni, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abantu ababemzungezile benzani. Mayelana nalokhu, uMika wabhala: “Zonke izizwe, ziyohamba yileso naleso ngegama likankulunkulu waso; kodwa thina, siyohamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube nini nanini, yebo kuze kube phakade.” (Mika 4:5) UMika wayengalinda ngesineke phakathi nezikhathi ezicindezelayo ngoba wayeqiniseka ngokuphelele ukuthi uJehova uzozigcwalisa zonke izithembiso zakhe. Lo mprofethi othembekile wayemethemba uJehova.

7, 8. (a) Kungani sinezizathu zokuba nethemba? (b) Yini eyokwenza isikhathi sidlule ngokushesha?

⁷ Ingabe simethemba ngendlela efanayo uJehova? Sinezizathu ezinhle zokumethemba ngaleyo ndlela. Sikubone ngawethu ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sikaMika. “Engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku,” izigidi ezivela kuzo zonke izizwe nezinhlanga nezilimi ziye zagobhozela ‘entabeni yendlu kaJehova.’ Naphezu kokuba bevela ezizweni eziyizitha, laba bakhulekeli baye ‘bakhanda izinkemba zabo zaba ngamageja,’ futhi sebeyenqaba ‘ukufunda impi.’ (Mika 4:3) Yeka ilungelo okuyilo ukuba phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova abanokuthula!

⁸ Kuyaqondakala ukuthi sifisa ukuba uJehova asiqede ngokushesha lesi simiso  esibi. Nokho, ukuze silinde ngesineke kudingeka sibheke izinto ngombono kaJehova. Umise usuku ayokwahlulela ngalo isintu “ngomuntu ammisile,” uJesu Kristu. (IzE. 17:31) Kodwa ngaphambi kwalokho, uNkulunkulu unika zonke izinhlobo zabantu ithuba lokuthola ‘ulwazi olunembile lweqiniso,’ lokwenza ngokuvumelana nalolo lwazi nelokusindiswa. Ukuphila okuyigugu kusengozini. (Funda eyoku-1 Thimothewu 2:3, 4.) Uma sihlale simatasa sisiza abanye ukuba bathole ulwazi olunembile ngoNkulunkulu, isikhathi esisele ngaphambi kokuba kufike isahlulelo sikaJehova siyodlula ngokushesha. Sekuseduze siphele leso sikhathi, empeleni sizophela kungazelelwe. Lapho siphela, yeka indlela esiyojabula ngayo ngokuthi siye saba matasa emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso!

9-11. Ingabe eyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:3 isigcwalisekile? Chaza.

⁹ Funda eyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:1-3. Esikhathini esizayo esiseduze, izizwe ziyothi, “Ukuthula nokulondeka!” Ukuze lesi simemezelo singasitholi singalindele, kudingeka “sihlale siphapheme futhi sihlale sisangulukile.” (1 Thes. 5:6) Ukuze sihlale siphapheme ngokomoya, ake sihlole izenzakalo eziyokwandulela lesi simemezelo esiphawulekayo.

¹⁰ Ngemva kweMpi Yezwe ngayinye, izizwe zazikufuna ngabomvu ukuthula. Ngemva kweMpi Yezwe I, kwasungulwa iNhlangano Yezizwe ngethemba lokuthi izoletha ukuthula. Kamuva, ngemva kweMpi Yezwe II, kwasungulwa inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene eyathandwa abaningi becabanga ukuthi izoletha ukuthula emhlabeni. Uhulumeni nabaholi benkolo baye babheka lezi zinhlangano ukuba zilethele abantu ukuthula. Ngokwesibonelo, inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene yamemezela kabanzi unyaka ka-1986 njengoNyaka Wokuthula Wezizwe Zonke. Ngalowo nyaka, abaholi abavela ezizweni eziningi nasezinkolweni eziningi bahlangana nomholi weSonto LamaKatolika e-Assisi, e-Italy, bezothandazela ukuthula.

¹¹ Nokho, leso simemezelo sokuthula nokulondeka kanye nezinye ezifana naso  zazingekona ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho esilotshwe kweyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:3. Kungani? Ngoba “imbubhiso engazelelwe” ebikezelwe ayikafiki namanje.

12. Sazini ngesimemezelo esithi “Ukuthula nokulondeka”?

¹² Ubani oyokwenza lesi simemezelo esiphawulekayo esithi “Ukuthula nokulondeka”? Iyiphi indima abaholi beLobukholwa kanye nabezinye izinkolo abayoba nayo? Abaholi bohulumeni abahlukahlukene bayohileleka kanjani kulesi simemezelo? ImiBhalo ayisitsheli. Esikwaziyo ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lesi simemezelo siyokwenziwa kanjani noma siyozwakala siyiqiniso kangakanani, siyobe siyinkohliso nje kwaphela. Lesi simiso esidala siyohlale silawulwa uSathane. Sibole phuhlu futhi siyohlale sinjalo. Yeka ukuthi kungaba okudabukisa kanjani uma noma ubani kithi engakholelwa yileyo nkulumo-ze kaSathane futhi aphule ukungathathi hlangothi kwethu kobuKristu!

13. Kungani izingelosi zibambe imimoya yembubhiso?

¹³ Funda isAmbulo 7:1-4. Njengoba sisalinde ukugcwaliseka kweyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:3, izingelosi ezinamandla zibambe imimoya yembubhiso yosizi olukhulu. Zilindeni? Esinye isenzakalo esiyinhloko sichazwe umphostoli uJohane—ukubekwa uphawu kokugcina ‘kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu wethu’ ezigcotshiwe. * Lapho lokho kubekwa uphawu kokugcina sekuqediwe, izingelosi ziyoyidedela imimoya yembubhiso. Kuyobe sekwenzekani?

14. Yini ebonisa ukuthi ukuphela kweBhabhiloni Elikhulu sekuseduze?

¹⁴ IBhabhiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, liyofinyelela esiphelweni salo esilifanele. “Abantu nezixuku nezizwe nezilimi” ngeke bakwazi ukulisekela. Kwamanje siyazibona izimpawu zokuthi ukuwa kwalo kuseduze. (IsAm. 16:12; 17:15-18; 18:7, 8, 21) Empeleni, ukungasekelwa kwalo kuyabonakala manje emithonjeni yezindaba eyihlasela njalo inkolo nabaholi benkolo. Noma kunjalo, abaholi beBhabhiloni Elikhulu banomuzwa wokuthi abekho engozini. Bashaye phansi kwashunqa uthuli! Ngemva kwesimemezelo esithi “Ukuthula nokulondeka!” abezombusazwe besimiso sikaSathane bayophendukela inkolo yamanga bayiqede. IBhabhiloni Elikhulu ngeke liphinde libe khona! Ngokuqinisekile kuyafaneleka ukuba sizilinde ngesineke lezo zenzakalo ezivusa amadlingozi.—IsAm. 18:8, 10.

15. Kungani uJehova engenzanga ngokuxhamazela?

¹⁵ Naphezu kwesihlamba esikhulu abantu abaye basiletha egameni lakhe, uJehova uye waba nesineke walinda isikhathi esifanele sokuthatha isinyathelo. Akafuni ukuba kubhujiswe noma ubani onhliziyo-qotho. (2 Pet. 3:9, 10) Ingabe sizizwa ngendlela efanayo? Ngaphambi kokuba kufike usuku lukaJehova, singabonisa ukuthi siyasazisa isineke sakhe ngezindlela ezilandelayo.

16, 17. (a) Kungani kufanele sifune ukusiza abapholile? (b) Kungani kuphuthuma ukuba abapholile babuyele kuJehova?

¹⁶ Siza abapholile. UJesu wathi kuba nenjabulo ezulwini lapho kutholakala imvu eyodwa nje ebilahlekile. (Math. 18:14; Luka 15:3-7) Kusobala ukuthi uJehova ubakhathalela ngokujulile bonke abaye babonisa uthando egameni lakhe, ngisho noma okwamanje bengamkhonzi ngentshiseko. Lapho sisiza abantu abanjalo ukuba babuyele ebandleni, siba nesandla ekwenzeni uJehova nezingelosi bajabule.

¹⁷ Ingabe manje uphakathi kwalabo asebepholile? Mhlawumbe wakhutshwa othile ebandleni wabe usuyeka ukuzihlanganisa nenhlangano kaJehova. Njengoba  kungenzeka sekudlule isikhathi esithile, zibuze: ‘Ingabe ukuphila kwami sekunenjongo ngokwengeziwe, noma ingabe sengijabule ngokwengeziwe? Ingabe ngoniwe uJehova noma umuntu ongaphelele? Kukhona yini uJehova uNkulunkulu ake wakwenza ukuze angizwise ubuhlungu?’ Empeleni ubelokhu esenzela okuhle kodwa. Ngisho noma singaphili ngokuvumelana nokuzinikezela kwethu kuye, uyasivumela ukuba sijabulele izinto ezinhle azilungiselelayo. (Jak. 1:16, 17) Usuku lukaJehova luzofika maduze. Manje yisikhathi sokuba sibuyele ezingalweni ezinothando zikaBaba wethu osezulwini nasebandleni—ukuphela kwendawo ephephile kulezi zinsuku zokugcina.—Dut. 33:27; Heb. 10:24, 25.

18. Kungani kufanele sibasekele labo abaholayo?

¹⁸ Basekele ngobuqotho labo abaholayo. NjengoMalusi onothando, uJehova uyasiqondisa futhi asivikele. Umise iNdodana yakhe njengoMalusi Omkhulu womhlambi. (1 Pet. 5:4) Emabandleni angaphezu kuka-100 000, abadala balusa ngayinye yezimvu zikaNkulunkulu. (IzE. 20:28) Lapho sibasekela ngobuqotho labo abamiswe ukuba bahole, sibonisa ukuthi siyakwazisa konke lokho uJehova noJesu abasenzele kona.

19. Singazivala kanjani izikhala phakathi kwethu?

¹⁹ Sondelanani. Kusho ukuthini lokhu? Lapho ibutho eliqeqeshwe kahle lihlaselwa, amasosha avala izikhala, okuwukuthi, ayasondelana. Ngaleyo ndlela enza isivikelo esingangeneki. USathane uqinisa ukuhlasela kwakhe abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Manje akusona isikhathi sokuba silwe sodwa. Yisikhathi sokuba sisondelane, sikushalazelele ukungapheleli kwabanye futhi sibonise ukukwethemba ukuhola kukaJehova.

20. Yini okufanele siyenze manje?

²⁰ Kwangathi sonke singahlale siphapheme ngokomoya futhi sibonise isimo sengqondo sokulinda. Masisilinde ngesineke isimemezelo esithi, “Ukuthula nokulondeka!” nokubekwa uphawu kokugcina kwalabo abakhethiwe. Ngemva kwalokho, izingelosi ezine ziyoyidedela imimoya yembubhiso, futhi iBhabhiloni Elikhulu liyobhujiswa. Njengoba sisalinde lezi zenzakalo ezivusa amadlingozi, masamukele isiqondiso esivela kulabo abamiswe ukuba bahole enhlanganweni kaJehova. Masivale izikhala phakathi kwethu uDeveli namademoni bangangeni! Manje yisikhathi sokulalela ukunxusa komhubi: “Yibani nesibindi, futhi kwangathi inhliziyo yenu ingaqina, nonke nina enilindé uJehova.”—IHu. 31:24.