‘Yenta Libito LaJehova Libe Siphephelo Sakho’

‘Ngiyawushiya . . . labamnene nalabatfobekile, futsi bayawuphephela kulo libito laJehova.’—ZEF. 3:12.

1, 2. Ngusiphi sentakalo lesinjengesiphepho lesitawukwehlela bantfu madvutane?

KWAKE kwadzingeka yini kutsi ubalekele sivunguvungu nobe sangcotfo ngekutsi uyewukhosela ngaphansi kwelibhuloho? Libhuloho lingase likuvikele kahle nakunesivunguvungu nobe sangcotfo, kodvwa angeke likwati kukuvikela kahle nakwenteka kufika siphepho lesinemandla.

² Kunesiphepho lesikhulu lesitako—lesibeka kuphila kwebantfu engotini. ‘Lilanga lembhubhiso’ lelifanana nesiphepho. ‘Lelilanga lelikhulu laJehova’ litawutsintsa bonkhe bantfu. Nanobe kunjalo, singasitfola siphephelo lesisidzingako. (Fundza Zefaniya 1:14-18.) Loko singakwenta njani ‘ngelilanga lelulaka lwaJehova’ lelitawufika ngekushesha?

Emalanga Embhubhiso Etikhatsini TeliBhayibheli

3. Ngusiphi ‘sangcotfo nesivunguvungu’ lesehlela tive letilishumi taka-Israyeli?

³ Lilanga laJehova litawucala ngekubhujiswa kwato tonkhe tinkholo temanga emhlabeni. Kute sibone kutsi singasitfola njani siphephelo, kuhle kutsi sihlole umlandvo webantfu baNkulunkulu basendvulo. Isaya, labephila ngelikhulu lesiphohlongo B.C.E., wafananisa sehlulelo saJehova etiveni letilishumi taka-Israyeli letitihlubuki, ‘nesangcotfo nesivunguvungu’ labebangeke bakwati kusibalekela. (Fundza Isaya 28:1, 2.) Lesiphrofetho sagcwaliseka kwekucala nga-740 B.C.E. ngesikhatsi base-Asiriya bahlasela live laleto tive, futsi sive saka-Efrayimu besivelele kakhulu kuleti letilishumi.

4. ‘Lilanga lelikhulu laJehova’ lalifikela njani liJerusalema nga-607 B.C.E.?

⁴ Ngemuva kwekwehlulelwa kwesive sema-Israyeli lesingaketsembeki, liJerusalema kanye nembuso wakaJuda kwafikelwa ‘lilanga lelikhulu laJehova’ nga-607 B.C.E. Loko kwenteka ngobe nebantfu bakaJuda besebatihlubuki. Bantfu baseBhabhulona labebaholwa nguNebukhadnezari basongela sive sakaJuda kanye nelidolobha laso lelikhulu, liJerusalema. EmaJuda afuna lusito ‘esiphephelweni lesingemanga,’ lokutivumelwane tembusave labekatente neGibhithe. Nanobe kunjalo, njengesangcotfo lesibhubhisako, baseBhabhulona basibhubhisa “lesiphephelo.”—Isa. 28:14, 17.

5. Kutawukwentekani kubantfu baNkulunkulu nasekubhujiswa tonkhe tinkholo temanga?

⁵ Lilanga lelikhulu laJehova lelafikela liJerusalema belifanekisela sehlulelo lesitawufikela Tinkholo Letitsi TebuKhristu esikhatsini setfu. Ngetulu kwaloko, yonkhe “IBhabhulona Lenkhulu,” lengumbuso welive wenkholo yemanga, itawubhujiswa. Ngemuva kwaloko, kutawubhujiswa tonkhe tincenye letisele talelive lelibi laSathane. Bonkhe bantfu baNkulunkulu batawusindza ngobe baphephela kuye.—Semb. 7:14; 18:2, 8; 19:19-21.

Siphephelo Sakamoya Nalesingekwenyama

6. Bantfu baJehova bangasitfola njani siphephelo?

⁶ Bantfu baNkulunkulu bangasitfola njani siphephelo ngisho nanyalo kulesikhatsi sekuphela? Siphephelo sakamoya sisitfola ngekuthandaza ‘sicabanga ngelibito [laNkulunkulu]’ kanye nangekumkhonta ngenkhutsalo. (Fundza Malakhi 3:16-18.) Kufanele sicaphele kutsi sidzinga kwenta lokungetulu kwekumane nje sicabange ngelibito lakhe. Siyafundza: “Wonkhe umuntfu lotibika abite libito leNkhosi uyawusindziswa.” (Rom. 10:13) Kunekuhlobana lokutsite emkhatsini wekubita libito laJehova kanye nekusindziswa nguye. Bantfu labanyenti labanetinhlitiyo leticotfo bayakwati kuwabona emaKhristu eliciniso, ‘lacabanga ngelibito laNkulunkulu’ ngenhlonipho, laphindze abe boFakazi bakhe, futsi bayababona nalabo labangamkhonti Nkulunkulu.

7, 8. EmaKhristu elikhulu lekucala asindza njani ngekwenyama, futsi loku kufanana njani nesikhatsi setfu?

⁷ Insindziso lesiyitfolako ayigcini nje ngesiphephelo sakamoya. Bantfu baNkulunkulu batsenjiswa kuniketwa siphephelo lesingekwenyama. Loku sikubona kuloko lokwenteka nga-66 C.E. ngemuva kwekutsi libutfo lemaRoma lebeliholwa nguCestius Gallus lihlasele liJerusalema. Jesu abebiketele kutsi emalanga alokuhlupheka ‘abeyawufinyetwa.’ (Mat. 24:15, 16, 21, 22) Loko kwenteka ngesikhatsi emabutfo emaRoma ayekela ngalokungakalindzeleki kuvimbetela lomuti, futsi loko kwavula litfuba lekutsi emaKhristu eliciniso ‘asindziswe’ ngekwenyama. Akwati kubaleka kulelidolobha nakuletinye tindzawo lebetisedvute nalo. Lamanye awela iJordane futsi atfola siphephelo etintsabeni letingasemphumalanga yalomfula.

⁸ Kunekufanana lokutsite emkhatsini walamaKhristu ekucala kanye nebantfu baNkulunkulu lamuhla. Esikhatsini lesengcile, emaKhristu elikhulu lekucala afuna siphephelo, nalamuhla bantfu baNkulunkulu batawukwenta lokufananako. Nanobe kunjalo, loku angeke kusho kubalekela endzaweni leyodvwa, ngobe emaKhristu eliciniso atfolakala emhlabeni wonkhe. Njengelicembu, labo ‘labakhetsiwe’ kanye nebangani babo labacotfo batawusindza nakubhujiswa Tinkholo Letitsi TebuKhristu ngekutsi baphephele kuJehova kanye nasenhlanganweni yakhe lenjengentsaba.

9. Bobani labetame kwenta kutsi libito laJehova lingatiwa? Niketa sibonelo.

⁹ Ngakulokunye, Tinkholo Letitsi TebuKhristu tiyakufanelekela kubhujiswa ngobe atikabafundzisi bantfu liciniso ngaNkulunkulu futsi tiye talitondza libito lakhe. Eminyakeni lesemkhatsini wa-500 C.E. kanye na-1500 C.E., libito laNkulunkulu belatiwa kakhulu eYurophu. Lelibito, lelibhalwa ngetinhlavu letine tesiHebheru letibitwa ngekutsi yi-Tetragrammaton nalelivame kuhunyushwa ngekutsi YHWH (nobe JHVH), lalivela emalini, etindvongeni tetindlu, etincwadzini nasemaBhayibhelini lamanyenti, ngisho nakulamanye emasontfo emaKatolika kanye newemaPhrotestani. Nanobe kunjalo, etikhatsini takamuva kuye kwentiwa imetamo yekususa lelibito laNkulunkulu emahumushweni eliBhayibheli kanye nakuletinye tindzawo. Bufakazi baloku bubonakala eNcwadzini ya-June 29, 2008, lebeyiya eMihlanganweni yebaBhishobhi lemayelana ‘Nelibito LaNkulunkulu,’ lebeyivela eBandleni le-Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Kulencwadzi, liSontfo lemaRoma Katolika latsi esikhundleni se-Tetragrammaton kufanele kufakwe ligama lelitsi “Nkhosi.” I-Vatican yatsi libito laNkulunkulu bekungakafaneli lisetjentiswe nobe liphunyiselwe emaculweni nasemithandazweni etinkonzweni temaKatolika. Baholi betinkholo letinyenti letehlukehlukene nabo baye bawafihlela emakholwa lamanyenti liciniso lelimayelana naNkulunkulu weliciniso.

Sivikelo Salabo Labangcwelisa Libito LaNkulunkulu

10. Libito laNkulunkulu lidvunyiswa njani lamuhla?

¹⁰ Ngalokwehluke kakhulu kuloko lokwentiwa nguletinye tinkholo, boFakazi BaJehova bayalidvumisa futsi balikhatimulise libito laKhe. Bayalingcwelisa ngekutsi balisebentise ngendlela lehloniphekile. Jehova uyajabula ngalabo labametsembako, futsi uba ngunobe ngayini kute abusise futsi avikele bantfu bakhe. “Uyabanakekela labo labakhosela kuye.”—Nah. 1:7; Imis. 15:14.

11, 12. Bobani labasekela libito laJehova kaJuda wasendvulo, futsi bobani labenta loko nasesikhatsini setfu?

¹¹ Nanobe bantfu labanyenti kumaJuda asendvulo baba tihlubuki, bebakhona ‘labaphephela kulo libito laJehova.’ (Fundza Zefaniya 3:12, 13.) Ngesikhatsi Nkulunkulu ajezisa emaJuda labekete kukholwa ngekuvumela kutsi iBhabhulona iwancobe futsi iwatfumbe, labatsite njengaJeremiya, Bharuki, kanye na-Ebedi Meleki, basindza. Bebaphila nesive lebesihlubukile. Nalabanye bahlala betsembekile ngesikhatsi batfunjiwe. Nga-539 B.C.E., emaMede nemaPheresiya labeholwa nguKhuresi ayincoba iBhabhulona. Ngekushesha, Khuresi wakhipha umyalo lowawuvumela insali yemaJuda kutsi ibuyele eveni layo.

¹² Mayelana nalabo labatawujabulela kubuyiselwa kwekukhonta kweliciniso, Zefaniya wabiketela kutsi Jehova abetawubasindzisa futsi ajabule ngabo. (Fundza Zefaniya 3:14-17.) Loku kuyenteka nalamuhla. Ngemuva kwekumiswa kweMbuso waNkulunkulu ezulwini, Jehova wakhulula insali leyetsembekile yalabagcotjiwe ekutfunjweni ngekwakamoya eBhabhulona Lenkhulu. Uyajabula ngayo kute kube ngulamuhla.

13. Ngukuphi kukhululeka bantfu bato tonkhe tive labakutfolako?

¹³ Labo labanelitsemba lekuphila phakadze emhlabeni baye baphuma eBhabhulona Lenkhulu futsi bakhululeka ekugcilatweni timfundziso tenkholo yemanga. (Semb. 18:4) Ngaleso sizatfu, umbhalo waZefaniya 2:3 uyagcwaliseka nasesikhatsini setfu. Utsi: ‘Funani Jehova, nonkhe nine lenitfobekile belive.’ Bantfu labatfobekile bato tonkhe tive, ngisho nobe banelitsemba lekuphila ezulwini nobe emhlabeni, batfola siphephelo ebitweni laJehova.

Libito LaNkulunkulu Alisiyo Intseleti

14, 15. (a) Yini labanye labaye bayisebentisa njengetintseleti? (b) Yini lokungakafaneli siyisebentise njengentseleti?

¹⁴ Lamanye ema-Israyeli abecabanga kutsi lithempeli liyintseleti letawuwavikela etitseni tawo. (Jer. 7:1-4) Ekucaleni, ema-Israyeli abetsatsa libhokisi lesivumelwane njengentseleti yekuwavikela emphini. (1 Sam. 4:3, 10, 11) Constantine Lomkhulu wapenda tinhlavu tesiGriki letitsi khi kanye na-rho emahawini emasotja akhe, lokutinhlavu tekucala teligama lelitsi “Khristu” ngesiGriki. Abenelitsemba lekutsi titawuvikela emasotja akhe emphini. Kutsiwa iNkhosi Gustav Adolph II wase-Sweden, lowalwa eMphini yangeMashumi Lamatsatfu Eminyaka wagcoka lesivikelo lesivetwe ekhasini 15. Caphela kutsi libito lelitsi Iehova libhalwe ngalokubonakalako kulesiphika.

¹⁵ Bantfu baNkulunkulu labebahlaselwa ngemadimoni baye batfola sivikelo kuye ngekubita libito lakhe. Nanobe kunjalo, intfo lenelibito laNkulunkulu akukafaneli isetjentiswe njengentseleti ekuphileni kwamalanga onkhe, ibukeke shengatsi inemandla ekuvikela ngemilingo. Kutfola siphephelo ebitweni laJehova akusho loku.

Kutfola Siphephelo Lamuhla

16. Singasitfola njani siphephelo sakamoya lamuhla?

¹⁶ Nalamuhla sitfola siphephelo esivikelweni sakamoya lesijatjulelwa ngibo bonkhe bantfu baNkulunkulu. (Hla. 91:1) ‘Ngesisebenti lesetsembekile nalesihlakaniphile’ kanye nalabadzala belibandla, siyecwayiswa ngetintfo talelive letingafaka kuvikeleka kwetfu engotini. (Mat. 24:45-47; Isa. 32:1, 2) Asewucabange kutsi sesecwayiswe kanyenti kangakanani ngekutsandza umcebo, futsi uphindze ucabange ngendlela letecwayiso letisivikele ngayo etinhlekeleleni takamoya. Kutsiwani ngemkhuba wekutitsela ngalabandzako longasenta singahlanganyeli emsebentini waJehova? LiVi laNkulunkulu litsi: “Tilima tibulawa kweneliseka kwato. Kodvwa lowo lolalela mine utawuhlala aphephile, akhululekile, angesabi lutfo lolubi.” (Taga 1:32, 33) Kulwa kamatima kute sitigcine sihlobile ngekwekutiphatsa kungasisita sihlale sivikelekile ngekwakamoya.

17, 18. Yini lesita tigidzi tebantfu lamuhla kutsi tiphephele ebitweni laJehova?

¹⁷ Asewucabange ngesikhutsato lesivela esisebentini lesetsembekile sekulalela umyalo waJesu wekushumayela tindzaba letinhle teMbuso emhlabeni wonkhe. (Mat. 24:14; 28:19, 20) Zefaniya wakhuluma ngelushintjo lobelutawusita bantfu kutsi baphephele ebitweni laNkulunkulu. Siyafundza: ‘Ngaleso sikhatsi ngiyawukwenta tive tishintjele elulwini loluhlobile, kuze kutsi bonkhe lababite libito laJehova, bacela lusito kuye, bamkhonte bahlangene lihlombe ngelihlombe.’—Zef. 3:9, NW.

¹⁸ Luyini lolulwimi loluhlobile? Luliciniso ngaNkulunkulu Jehova kanye nangetinjongo takhe letitfolakala eVini lakhe leliphefumulelwe. Nawe uyalusebentisa lolulwimi nawucoca nalabanye ngemaciniso lamayelana neMbuso waNkulunkulu nendlela lotawulingcwelisa ngayo libito lakhe, nalapho ukhuluma ngekulwelwa kwebukhosi bakhe kanye nangetibusiso letingapheli letitawujatjulelwa bantfu labetsembekile. Ngesizatfu sekutsi banyenti labakhuluma lolulwimi, liyandza linani lalabo ‘lababita libito laJehova’ futsi ‘labamkhonta bahlangene lihlombe ngelihlombe.’ Lamuhla, tigidzi tebantfu emhlabeni wonkhe tiphephela kuJehova.—Hla. 1:1, 3.

19, 20. Kwetsembela ‘esiphephelweni lesingemanga’ kwehluleka njani etikhatsini teliBhayibheli?

¹⁹ Bonkhe bantfu emhlabeni kudzingeka babeketelele tinkinga letibonakala titinkhulu. Ngesizatfu sekutsi bafuna kucatulula tinkinga tabo, labanyenti batsembela kubantfu labanesono. Banelitsemba lekutsi batawutfola lusito etinhlanganweni tetembusave, njengobe nema-Israyeli asendvulo abevame kwetsembela etiveni letibomakhelwane kute atfole lusito, futsi abeba nebuhlobo nato. Nanobe kunjalo, uyati kutsi kwenta kwawo kanjalo akuzange kuwasite. Nalamuhla alikho licembu letembusave lelingacatulula tonkhe tinkinga tebantfu, ngisho naMhlabuhlangene imbala. Ngako-ke, akukafaneli sicabange kutsi tinhlangano tetembusave kanye nekutihlanganisa nato kusiphephelo. Tiphrofetho teliBhayibheli titibita ngekutsi ‘tisiphephelo lesingemanga.’ Wenta kahle ngekutitsatsa ngalendlela ngobe bonkhe bantfu labetsembela kuto batawudvumala kabuhlungu.—Fundza Isaya 28:15, 17.

²⁰ Ngekushesha, lilanga laJehova lelifanana nesangcotfo litawuhlasela umhlaba. Emacebo ebantfu, tivikelo tenukliya kanye nemcebo angeke kukwati kuletsa sivikelo. Incwadzi ya-Isaya 28:17 itsi: “Sangcotfo siyawuhlwitsa lesiphephelo senu lesingemanga, nesikhukhula semanti siyakwemukisa lendzawo yenu yekubhaca.”

21. Ngutiphi tinzuzo lesitawutijabulela nasilalela umbhalo wemnyaka wa-2011?

²¹ Kokubili nyalo nasesikhatsini lesitako, bantfu baNkulunkulu batawutfola sivikelo seliciniso kuNkulunkulu wabo, Jehova. Libito laZefaniya, lelisho kutsi ‘Jehova Usivikele,’ liveta umtfombo weliciniso walokuvikeleka. Loku kuhambelana kahle neseluleko sembhalo wemnyaka wa-2011, lotsi: ‘Yenta libito laJehova libe siphephelo sakho.’ (Zef. 3:12) Ngisho nanyalo singaphephela ebitweni laJehova, futsi kufanele sente kanjalo ngekutsi setsembele kuye ngalokuphelele. (Hla. 9:10) Ngako-ke, asihlale sikhumbula nasi sicinisekiso lesiphefumulelwe: ‘Libito laSimakadze lingumbhoshongo locinile, lapho kungabalekela khona bantfu labalungile basindze.’—Taga 18:10.

Usakhumbula?

• Singaphephela njani ebitweni laJehova?

• Kungani kungakafaneli setsembele ‘esiphephelweni lesingemanga’?

• Sitsenjiswa siphi siphephelo esikhatsini lesitako?

[Emavi lahambisana nesitfombe ekhasini 14]

Umbhalo wemnyaka wa-2011 utsi: ‘Yenta libito laJehova libe siphephelo sakho.’—Zefaniya 3:12.

[Emavi laveta Umtfombo wesitfombe ekhasini 15]

Thüringer Landesmuseum Heidecksburg Rudolstadt, Waffensammlung “Schwarzburger Zeughaus”