‘Kwakuxesha Liphi?’

‘KUXESHA liphi?’ Kufuthi kangakanani ubuza lo mbuzo? Kwisizukulwana sethu sanamhlanje esikhawulezayo, sisoloko silixhalabele ixesha. Imisebenzi yethu emininzi yemihla ngemihla—ukuvuka kusasa, ukuya emsebenzini, ukufumana izidlo zethu, ukubona abahlobo, njalo njalo—ilawulwa ngokupheleleyo lixesha. Ibe sithembele ngezinto ezininzi—iiwotshi ezinkulu nezincinane, iialarm noonomathotholo—ukusixelela ukuba kuxesha liphi na.

Kwakunjani kumaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile xa abantu babengenazo izinto zokubaxelela ixesha ezifana nezethu? Babelazi njani ixesha? Ngaba ingxelo yeBhayibhile inikela naluphi na ulwalathiso ngako oku? Ukulazi ixesha lemini ekwenzeka ngalo isiganeko esithile seBhayibhile kunokukunika ukuqonda okutsha eLizwini likaThixo kuze kukwenze ulunandiphe ngakumbi ufundisiso lwakho lweBhayibhile.

Izixhobo Zokubonisa Ixesha Esizinikwe NguThixo

Kwimihla yamandulo ixesha lesiganeko esithile lalidla ngokuphawulwa ngokuqwalasela ilanga okanye inyanga, “izikhanyiso ezikhulu ezibini” awathi uMdali wazibeka emazulwini ukuba ‘zahlule imini kubusuku.’ (Genesis 1:14-16) Ngokomzekelo, izithunywa zezulu ezibini zamngxamisa “ngesifingo” uLothe nentsapho yakhe ukuba basabe kwisixeko saseSodom esasigwetyelwe intshabalalo. (Genesis 19:15, 16) Ibe ‘kwakungexa langokuhlwa’ awathi umkhonzi othembekileyo ka-Abraham wafika equleni apho wadibana khona noRebheka.—Genesis 24:11, 15.

Kwizihlandlo ezithile, kuye kwanikelwa amaxesha achane ngakumbi okwenzeka kwezinto. Ngokomzekelo, uAbhimeleki, unyana owayekhohlakele woMgwebi uGidiyon, wacetyiswa ukuba akhe uluhlu aye kumzi wakwaShekem “kusasa ukuphuma kwelanga.” (ABagwebi 9:33) Kubonakala ukuba eli yayilicebo elihle. Kumele ukuba ukuqaqamba kwelanga eliphumayo ngemva kwemikhosi ka-Abhimeleki kwenza kwaba nzima kakhulu ngabakhuseli bakwaShekem ukuyiqonda imikhosi ehlaselayo ‘ekumathunzi eentaba.’—ABagwebi 9:36-41.

Ukusebenzisa Izafobe Ekuchazeni Ixesha

AmaHebhere ayesebenzisa izafobe neendlela ezibangel’ umdla ukubonisa ixesha. Ezi ndlela azisincedi nje kuphela ukuba siqonde imeko-bume okanye amasiko asekuhlaleni kodwa zikwasixelela okuthile ngeemeko ezibandakanyekileyo kwisenzo esithile.

Ngokomzekelo, iGenesis 3:8 isixelela ukuba kwakungexesha ‘lempepho yasemini’ xa uYehova wathetha noAdam noEva ngosuku abona ngalo. Kuyaqondakala ukuba oku kwakuxa ilanga lithi ndithenge kanye ekuvakaleni kwempepho epholileyo, eyayizisa isiqabu kubushushu basemini. Ngokuqhelekileyo, xa imini isiya ekupheleni, kulixesha lokuphumla. Sekunjalo, uYehova akazange awubambezele umbandela onzulu ekwakufuneka uchotshelwe de kube lusuku olulandelayo xa kwakusekho ixesha lokuwunyamekela.

Kwelinye icala, iGenesis 18:1, 2 ibonisa ukuba izithunywa zezulu zikaYehova zafika ententeni ka-Abraham kwaMamre “ekufudumaleni kwemini.” Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wengqatsini yelanga emin’ emaqanda phezu kweenduli zakwaYuda. Ubushushu bunokuba babunganyamezeleki. Kwakulixesha eliqhelekileyo lokufumana isidlo nokuphumla. (Bona iGenesis 43:16, 25; eyesi-2 kaSamuweli 4:5.) Ngokuvisisana noko, uAbraham ‘wayehleli emnyango wentente,’ apho kusenokuba kwakukho impepho ethile, mhlawumbi esaphumlile emva kwesidlo. Sinokukuxabisa ngakumbi ukubuk’ iindwendwe kweli xhego xa sifunda ukuba ‘lagidima ukuya kukhawulela’ iindwendwe laza ke ‘lakhawuleza ukuya ententeni’ lisiya kuxelela uSara ukuba enze isonka, laza emva koko ‘lagidima laya ezinkomeni’ yaye ‘lakhawuleza ukuyilungisa.’ Konke oku kwakusenzeka kubushushu bemini!—Genesis 18:2-8.

Iiyure Zasebusuku ZamaHebhere

Kubonakala ukuba amaHebhere abahlulahlula ubusuku baba ziinxalenye ezintathu, ezazibizwa ngokuba ‘yimilindo.’ Umlindo ngamnye wawugubungela isithathu sexesha laphakathi kokutshona nokuphuma kwelanga, okanye malunga neeyure ezine, kuxhomekeka kwixesha elo lonyaka. (INdumiso 63:6) UGidiyon wayihlasela inkampu yamaMidiyan ‘ekuqaleni komlindo ophakathi kobusuku.’ Ukuhlasela ngeli xesha ngokucacileyo kwabaqubula abalindi bengalindelanga. Ngokuqinisekileyo, eli yayilelona xesha lifanelekileyo ngoGidiyon ukuba ahlasele!—ABagwebi 7:19.

Ngexesha leMfuduko, uYehova ‘walumkisa ulwandle ngomoya wasempumalanga onamandla ubusuku bonke,’ evumela amaSirayeli ukuba awele emhlabeni owomileyo. Ngexesha lokufunyanwa kwawo ngamaYiputa, yayisele ‘ingumlindo wokusa,’ ibe uYehova wayidubaduba impi yamaYiputa, ekugqibeleni ewatshabalalisa ngokulibuyisela ulwandle ‘ebumeni balo ukuthi qhiphu kokusa.’ (Eksodus 14:21-27) Ngoko kwathabatha phantse ubusuku bonke ukuba ulwandle lwahlulwe nokuba amaSirayeli aluwele.

Ngenkulungwane Yokuqala

Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, amaYuda amkela indlela yokubala imini njengeneeyure ezili-12. Kungoko uYesu komnye wemizekeliso yakhe, wathi: “Akalishumi elinamabini na amaxa [iiyure, NW] emini?” (Yohane 11:9) Ezi yure zazibalwa ukususela ekuphumeni kuse ekutshoneni kwelanga, okanye malunga neyesithandathu kusasa kuze kweyesithandathu ngongcwalazi. Ngaloo ndlela, ‘ilixa lesithathu’ beliya kuba malunga neyethoba kusasa. Kwakuleli xesha awathi umoya oyingcwele wathululwa ngomhla wePentekoste. Xa abantu babatyhola abafundi ngokuthi “bahluthi yiwayini enencasa,” ngokukhawuleza uPetros wasinqumamisa ngokupheleleyo eso simangalo. Ngokuqinisekileyo akukho bani wayenokuba senxilile ngelo lixa lakusasa!—IZenzo 2:13, 15.

Ngokufanayo, amazwi kaYesu athi “okwam ukudla kukuba ndenze ukuthanda kowandithumayo” anentsingiselo eyongezelelekileyo xa sicinga ngexesha awathethwa ngalo. Ngokutsho kukaYohane 4:6, “ilixa ngathi belilelesithandathu,” okanye malunga nemin’ emaqanda. Emva kokucanda intsasa yonke kwilizwe laseSamariya elineenduli, uYesu nabafundi bakhe babefanele ukulamba nokunxanwa. Kwakungenxa yeso sizathu abathi abafundi bakhe bambongoza ukuba adle xa beza nokutya. Phantse babengawazi amandla nesondlo uYesu awayesifumana ekwenzeni umsebenzi kaYehova. Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo uYesu wayengasebenzisi ntetho ifuziselayo. Ngokoqobo wayexhaswa kukwenza umsebenzi kaThixo nakubeni kwakusenokuba lixesha elide egqibele ukutya.—Yohane 4:31-34.

Njengokuba ukuphuma nokutshona kwelanga kwakusahluka ngokwamaxesha onyaka, ngokuqhelekileyo kwakunikelwa kuphela ixesha elisondeleyo lokwenzeka kwesiganeko esithile. Ngaloo ndlela, sisoloko sifunda ngeziganeko ezenzeka ngelixa lesithathu, lesithandathu okanye elesithoba—ngokufuthi okuthetha malunga naloo maxesha. (Mateyu 20:3, 5; 27:45, 46; Marko 15:25, 33, 34; Luka 23:44; Yohane 19:14; IZenzo 10:3, 9, 30) Phofu ke, xa ixesha elichanileyo laliyimfuneko koko kwakubaliswa, kwakunikelwa iingxelo zexesha ezichane ngakumbi. Ngokomzekelo, kwindoda eyayixhalabele ukwazi enoba unyana wayo wayephiliswe ngenene ngamandla kaYesu, izicaka zayo zayiphendula zathi: “Izolo ngelixa lesixhenxe [malunga nentsimbi yokuqala emva kwemini], yamyeka icesina.”—Yohane 4:49-54.

Amacandelo Obusuku

Ngexesha lolawulo lwamaRoma, kubonakala ukuba amaYuda aye amkela indlela yamaGrike namaRoma yokwahlulahlula ubusuku bube yimilindo emine kunemithathu awayeyisebenzisa ngaphambili. KuMarko 13:35 (TE), kubonakala kuba uYesu wayebhekisela kumacandelo amane. Umlindo ‘wangolwemivundla’ wawuqalela ukutshona kwelanga kude kube malunga neyesithoba ngokuhlwa. Umlindo wesibini, umlindo ‘wasezinzulwini zobusuku,’ wawuqala malunga neyesithoba yaye uphele ezinzulwini zobusuku. ‘Owangoweenkuku zokuqala’ wawugubungela ixesha eliqala ezinzulwini zobusuku kude kube malunga neyesithathu. Ibe umlindo wokugqibela, ‘xa kumpondo zankomo,’ wawuphela ngoms’ obomvu, okanye malunga nentsimbi yesithandathu.

Umlindo ‘wangeenkuku zokuqala’ usinika umdla othile ngenxa yamazwi kaYesu kuPetros akuMarko 14:30 athi: “Ingekalili kabini inkuku, uya kundikhanyela kathathu.” Ngoxa abahlalutyi abathile begcine into yokuba igama elithi “kabini” libhekisela kumaxesha athile aqingqiweyo—ezinzulwini zobusuku nangoms’ obomvu, ngokulandelelanayo—iA Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, eyahlelwa nguJames Hastings, ibonisa ukuba “enyanisweni, eMpuma ngokufanayo nezinye iindawo, imiqhagi ikhonya ebusuku, ngamaxesha angaqingqwanga ukususela ezinzulwini zobusuku ukuya phambili.” Ngokucacileyo, uYesu wayengabhekiseli kwixesha eliqingqiweyo uPetros awayeya kumkhanyela ngalo. Kunoko, wayenikela umqondiso wokukhumbuza uPetros ngamazwi akhe, awathi azaliseka ngokuchanileyo kwangobo busuku.—Marko 14:72.

‘Kwakungumlindo wesine wobusuku’—phakathi kweyesithathu neyesithandathu kusasa—awathi uYesu, xa wayehamba phezu kwamanzi oLwandle LwaseGalili, wafika kubafundi bakhe, ababekumkhombe ‘owawuphakathi elwandle.’ Mhlawumbi kulula ukusiqonda isizathu sokuba abafundi bathi “bakhathazeka, besithi, Ngumshologu; bakhaliswa kukoyika.” (Mateyu 14:23-26) Kwelinye icala, oku kubonisa ukuba uYesu wayenokuba wayechithe ixesha elininzi ethandaza yedwa entabeni. Ekubeni oku kwenzeka kamsinya emva kokuba uYohane uMbhaptizi enqunyulwe intloko nguHerode Antipas ibe kwakukanye phambi kwePasika, eyaphawula ukuqala komnyaka wokugqibela wobulungiseleli bukaYesu basemhlabeni, ngokuqinisekileyo uYesu wayenokuninzi awayefanele acamngce ngako kumthandazo wakhe wobuqu kuYise.

Ndawonye nemilindo emine, kwakusetyenziswa ukubalwa kweeyure ezili-12 zexesha lasebusuku. Ukuze uPawulos aphahlwe ngokukhuselekileyo ukuya eKesareya, umthetheli-mkhosi uKlawodiyo Lisiya wabaxelela abathetheli-khulu bakhe ukuba balungise umkhosi wamasoldati angama-470 “ngelesithathu ilixa lobusuku.” (IZenzo 23:23, 24) Ngaloo ndlela uPawulos wemkiswa eYerusalem ngokukhuselekileyo esithwe bubumnyama bobusuku.

Lazi Ixesha Lemini

Ukufunda nokucamngca ngeengxelo zoko kwenzekayo phakathi kwabantu bakaThixo bamandulo kungumthombo wovuyo nowokomelela ngokwasemoyeni. Ukuba unokuquka isibakala esingexesha ekufundisiseni kwakho, ngokuqinisekileyo kuya kulongeza uvuyo lokufundisisa kwakho iBhayibhile. Kutheni kunjalo nje oku? Ngenxa yokuba ngale ndlela uya kulazi kakuhle iLizwi likaThixo. Iimpapasho ezinjengethi Insight on the Scriptures neNew World Translation of the Holy Scriptures With References zingamancedo axabisekileyo kule nkalo (zombini zipapashwe yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.). Ziya kukunceda ufumane impendulo xa uzibuza oku: ‘Kwakuxesha liphi?’