Gcina Imini KaYehova Ngokusondeleyo Engqondweni
“Ngemihla yokugqibela kuya kuza abagculeli.”—2 PETROS 3:3.
1. Yiyiphi imvo yongxamiseko awaba nayo omnye umKristu wale mihla?
OMNYE umlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo owayekhonze iminyaka engaphezu kwama-66 wabhala: “Bendisoloko ndinemvo yongxamiseko. Kum iArmagedon ibisoloko isemnyango. (ISityhilelo 16:14, 16) Njengobawo, nobawomkhulu, ndiye ndaphila ubomi bam ngendlela umpostile [uPetros] awabongoza ngayo, ‘ukugcina ngokusondeleyo engqondweni ubukho bemini kaYehova.’ Bendisoloko ndiligqala ihlabathi elitsha elithenjisiweyo ‘njengento yokwenene nangona lingabonwa.’”—2 Petros 3:11, 12; Hebhere 11:1; Isaya 11:6-9; ISityhilelo 21:3, 4.
2. Kuthetha ntoni ukuyigcina ngokusondeleyo engqondweni imini kaYehova?
2 Amazwi kaPetros athi “nigcine ngokusondeleyo engqondweni” imini kaYehova athetha ukuba singayikhuphi ezingqondweni zethu. Asifanele silibale ukuba imini uYehova aya kutshabalalisa ngayo le nkqubo yezinto njengesiqalo sehlabathi lakhe elitsha alithembisileyo ikufuphi gqitha. Imele ibe yeyokwenene kuthi kangangokuba siyibone ngokucacileyo, njengephambi kwethu ngoku. Yayinjalo ukuba yeyokwenene kubaprofeti bakaThixo bamandulo, ibe babedla ngokuyichaza njengekufutshane.—Isaya 13:6; Yoweli 1:15; 2:1; Obhadiya 15; Zefaniya 1:7, 14.
3. Yintoni ekubonakala ukuba yabangela uPetros akhuphe isiluleko esiphathelele imini kaYehova?
3 Kwakutheni ukuze uPetros asibongoze ukuba siyigqale imini kaYehova, ngokungathi kunjalo, njengeza “ngomsomnye”? Kubonakala ukuba kwakungenxa yokuba abanye babeqalise ukuhlekisa ngengcamango yobukho obuthenjisiweyo bukaKristu ekwakuya kuthi ebudeni babo abenzi bobubi bohlwaywe. (2 Petros 3:3, 4) Ngoko kwisahluko 3 sencwadi yakhe yesibini, esiza kusiqwalasela ngoku, uPetros uphendula oko kuthethwa ngaba bagculeli.
Isibongozo Sothando Esimele Sikhunjulwe
4. Yintoni uPetros afuna siyikhumbule?
4 Uthando lukaPetros ngabazalwana bakhe lubonakaliswa kukusoloko ebabiza ngokuthi “zintanda” kwesi sahluko. Ebabongoza ngothando ukuba bangakulibali oko bakufundisiweyo, uPetros uqalisa ngala mazwi: “Zintanda, . . . ndivuselele amandla enu okucinga angcwengekileyo ngendlela yokunikhumbuza, ukuze niwakhumbule amazwi awathethwa ngaphambili ngabaprofeti abangcwele nomyalelo weNkosi noMsindisi ngabapostile benu.”—2 Petros 3:1, 2, 8, 14, 17; Yude 17.
5. Bathini abanye abaprofeti ngemini kaYehova?
5 Ngawaphi la “mazwi awathethwa ngaphambili ngabaprofeti abangcwele” uPetros abongoza abo babeza kufunda incwadi yakhe ukuba bawakhumbule? Kaloku, ngalawo aphathelele ubukho bukaKristu ekumandla oBukumkani nokugwetywa kwabangamhloneliyo uThixo. Ngaphambilana uPetros wayetsalele ingqalelo kula mazwi. (2 Petros 1:16-19; 2:3-10) UYude ubhekisela kuEnoki, owayengumprofeti wokuqala kwabo kubhaliweyo ngabo owalumkisa ngomgwebo kaThixo ngokuchasene nabenzi bokungendawo. (Yude 14, 15) Bakho nabanye abaprofeti abalandela uEnoki, ibe uPetros akafuni ukuba sikulibale oko bakubhalayo.—Isaya 66:15, 16; Zefaniya 1:15-18; Zekariya 14:6-9.
6. Ngawaphi amazwi kaKristu nawabapostile bakhe asikhanyisela ngemini kaYehova?
6 Ngaphezu koko, uPetros uxelela abo baza kufunda incwadi yakhe ukuba bakhumbule ‘umyalelo weNkosi noMsindisi.’ Umyalelo kaYesu uquka esi sibongozo: “Nikelani ingqalelo kuni ngokwenu ukuba iintliziyo zenu zingaze zisindwe . . . ize ngequbuliso loo mini inifikele ngephanyazo njengomgibe.” “Hlalani nikhangele, hlalani nivukile, kuba anazi ukuba ixesha elimisiweyo linini na.” (Luka 21:34-36; Marko 13:33) UPetros ukwasibongoza ukuba sithobele amazwi abapostile. Ngokomzekelo, umpostile uPawulos wabhala: “Imini kaYehova iza kanye njengesela ebusuku. Ngoko ke, masingalali njengokuba abanye besenza, kodwa masihlale sivukile size sigcine iingqiqo zethu.”—1 Tesalonika 5:2, 6.
Umnqweno Wabagculeli
7, 8. (a) Hlobo luni lwabantu oluhlekisa ngezigidimi zikaThixo zesilumkiso? (b) Yintoni ethethwa ngabagculeli?
7 Njengoko kuboniswe ngaphambili, isizathu sokuba uPetros enze esi sibongozo yayikukuba bambi babeqalise ukuhlekisa ngezo zilumkiso, kanye njengokuba amaSirayeli amandulo ayebagculela abaprofeti bakaYehova. (2 Kronike 36:16) UPetros uyachaza: “Kuba niyakwazi oku kuqala, ukuba ngemihla yokugqibela kuya kuza abagculeli nokugculela kwabo, beqhubeka ngokweminqweno yabo.” (2 Petros 3:3) UYude uthi iminqweno yaba bagculeli ‘yeyezinto ezingezozabuthixo.’ Ubabiza ngokuthi ‘ngabantu ababulwanyanarha, abangenabo ubumoya.’—Yude 17-19.
8 Abafundisi bobuxoki athi uPetros “balandela inyama ngomnqweno wokuyidyobha” ngokunokwenzeka baphakathi kwaba bagculeli bangenabumoya. (2 Petros 2:1, 10, 14) Bewagculela bawabuza oku amaKristu athembekileyo: “Buphi obu bukho bakhe buthenjisiweyo? Kaloku, ukususela ngomhla ookhokho bethu abalala ngawo ekufeni, zonke izinto zisaqhubeka kanye njengasekuqaleni kwendalo.”—2 Petros 3:4.
9. (a) Kutheni abagculeli bezama ukuyisingela phantsi imvo yongxamiseko eseLizwini likaThixo? (b) Kusikhusela njani ukuyigcina ngokusondeleyo engqondweni imini kaYehova?
9 Kutheni begculela kangaka nje? Kutheni becinga ukuba ubukho bukaKristu abunakuze bufike, nokuba uThixo akazange angenelele kwimicimbi yabantu kwaye engasokuze angenelele kuyo? Kaloku, ngokuyisingela phantsi imvo yongxamiseko eseLizwini likaThixo, aba bagculeli babulwanyanarha bafuna ukurhwebesha abanye ukuze babe kwimeko yokungakhathali ngokomoya baze ngaloo ndlela bachanabeke ngokulula kwinkanuko yokuzingca. Olunjani ukuba namandla ukhuthazo lokuba sihlale sivukile ngokomoya namhlanje! Ngamana singayigcina ngokusondeleyo engqondweni imini kaYehova size sihlale sikhumbula ukuba amehlo akhe aphezu kwethu! Ngaloo ndlela siya kushukunyiselwa ukuba sikhonze uYehova ngenzondelelo size sizigcine sicocekile ngokokuziphatha.—INdumiso 11:4; Isaya 29:15; Hezekile 8:12; 12:27; Zefaniya 1:12.
Benza Unothanda Yaye Banezothe
10. UPetros ubangqina bengachananga njani abagculeli?
10 Aba bagculeli bayayityeshela inkalo ebalulekileyo. Bayityeshela ngabom baze bazame ukwenza nabanye bayilibale. Ngoba? Ukuze bakwazi ukubahenda lula abantu. UPetros uyabhala: ‘Kuba, ngokomnqweno wabo, abasiphawuli esi sibakala.’ Siphi isibakala? “Sokuba, amazulu aye ekho ukususela kwakudala nomhlaba umi uyimbumba uphuma emanzini naphakathi emanzini ngelizwi likaThixo; yaye ngezo zinto ihlabathi lelo xesha latshabalala xa lakhukuliswa ngamanzi kanogumbe.” (2 Petros 3:5, 6) Ewe, uYehova wabutshayela ubungendawo emhlabeni ebudeni boMkhukula womhla kaNowa, isibakala esagxininiswa nanguYesu. (Mateyu 24:37-39; Luka 17:26, 27; 2 Petros 2:5) Ngoko, ngokuchaseneyo noko abagculeli bakutshoyo, zonke izinto aziqhubekanga “kanye njengasekuqaleni kwendalo.”
11. Luluphi ulindelo olwalungaphambi kwexesha lwamaKristu okuqala olwabangela abanye bahlekise ngawo?
11 Abagculeli basenokuba baye bawagculela amaKristu athembekileyo kuba izinto awayezilindele zazingekazaliseki. Ngaphambi nje kokufa kukaYesu, abafundi bakhe “babesiba ubukumkani bukaThixo babuza kuzibonakalisa ngephanyazo.” Bandula ke, emva kokuvuswa kwakhe babuza enoba uBukumkani babuza kumiselwa kwangelo xesha kusini na. Kwakhona, kwiminyaka emalunga neshumi ngaphambi kokuba uPetros abhale incwadi yakhe yesibini, bambi ‘babevuselelwe sisigidimi somlomo’ okanye ‘ileta,’ ekubonakala ukuba yayivela kumpostile uPawulos okanye kumaqabane akhe, ‘eyayisingisele ekuthini imini kaYehova ilapha.’ (Luka 19:11; 2 Tesalonika 2:2; IZenzo 1:6) Noko ke, izinto ezazilindelwe ngabafundi bakaYesu zazingebobuxoki, kuphela zazingekenzeki. Imini kaYehova yayiza kufika!
ILizwi LikaThixo Linokuthenjwa
12. ILizwi likaThixo liye langqineka linokuthenjwa njani kwiziprofeto zalo eziphathelele “imini kaYehova”?
12 Njengoko kuboniswe ngaphambilana, abaprofeti ababephila ngaphambi kwexesha lamaKristu balumkisa besithi imini yempindezelo kaYehova yayisemnyango. “Imini kaYehova” eyayinomlinganiselo omncinane yafika ngowama-607 B.C.E. xa uYehova wayeziphindezela kubantu bakhe ababenxaxha. (Zefaniya 1:14-18) Kamva, ezinye iintlanga, kuquka amaBhabhiloni namaYiputa, zafikelwa ‘yimini kaYehova’ ngendlela efanayo. (Isaya 13:6-9; Yeremiya 46:1-10; Obhadiya 15) Nesiphelo senkqubo yezinto yamaYuda yenkulungwane yokuqala saxelwa kwangaphambili, ibe safika xa imikhosi yamaRoma yatshabalalisa elakwaYuda ngowama-70 C.E. (Luka 19:41-44; 1 Petros 4:7) Kodwa uPetros uthetha ‘ngemini kaYehova’ yexesha elizayo, eya kuba ngaphezulu lee ngobukhulu kuMkhukula owawukho ehlabathini lonke!
13. Nguwuphi umzekelo ongokwembali obonisa ukuqiniseka kwesiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto?
13 UPetros uqalisa ukuchaza loo ntshabalalo izayo ngokuthi: “Kwangelo lizwi linye.” Wayesandul’ ukuthi “ngelizwi likaThixo,” umhlaba wangaphambi koMkhukula wawumi “uphuma emanzini naphakathi emanzini.” Le meko, echazwe kwingxelo yeBhayibhile engendalo, yabangela ukuba kwenzeke uNogumbe xa amanzi athululeka ngokolwalathiso okanye ngokwelizwi likaThixo. UPetros uhlabela mgama esithi: “Kwangelo lizwi linye [likaThixo] amazulu nomhlaba akhoyo ngoku aqwetyelwe umlilo yaye abekelwe imini yomgwebo neyentshabalalo yabantu abangenabuthixo.” (2 Petros 3:5-7; Genesis 1:6-8) Sinokulithemba ilizwi likaYehova ngokuphathelele lo mba! Uza kuphelisa “amazulu nomhlaba”—le nkqubo yezinto—ngemini enkulu yokuvutha komsindo wakhe! (Zefaniya 3:8) Kodwa kuya kwenzeka nini oku?
Ukulangazelela Ukufika Kwesiphelo
14. Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba ngoku siphila ‘kwimihla yokugqibela’?
14 Abafundi bakaYesu babefuna ukwazi ukuba sasiya kufika nini na isiphelo, ngoko bambuza: “Uya kuba yintoni na umqondiso wobukho bakho nowokuqosheliswa kwenkqubo yezinto?” Kuyabonakala ukuba babebuza ngesiphelo senkqubo yamaYuda, kodwa impendulo kaYesu yayijoliswe ngokuyintloko kwixesha awayeya kutshatyalaliswa ngalo ‘amazulu nomhlaba’ okhoyo. UYesu waxela kwangaphambili ngezinto ezifana neemfazwe ezinkulu, ukunqongophala kokutya, iinyikima, izifo nolwaphulo-mthetho. (Mateyu 24:3-14; Luka 21:5-36) Ukususela ngowe-1914, siye sawubona uzaliseka umqondiso owaxelwa nguYesu ophathelele ‘ukuqosheliswa kwenkqubo yezinto’ kuquka nezinto umpostile uPawulos awazikhankanya njengeziza kufanisa ‘imihla yokugqibela.’ (2 Timoti 3:1-5) Kuyinyaniso ukuba buninzi gqitha ubungqina bokuba siphila kwixesha lesiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto!
15. Luluphi utyekelo aye analo amaKristu phezu kwaso nje isilumkiso sikaYesu?
15 AmaNgqina kaYehova ebelangazelela ukwazi ixesha eya kufika ngalo le mini kaYehova. Ekulangazeleleni kwawo ukwazi maxa wambi aye azama ukuqikelela ixesha esenokufika ngalo. Kodwa ngokwenjenjalo, aye asilela, njengoko benzayo abafundi bakaYesu bokuqala, ukuthobela isilumkiso seNkosi yabo esithi ‘asazi ukuba ixesha elimisiweyo linini na.’ (Marko 13:32, 33) Abagculeli baye bawagculela amaKristu athembekileyo ngenxa yolindelo lwawo olungaphambi kwexesha. (2 Petros 3:3, 4) Noko ke, uPetros uqinisekisa ngelithi imini kaYehova iza kufika ngexesha Lakhe alimiseleyo.
Imfuneko Yokuba Nembono KaYehova
16. Sisiphi isibongozo ekububulumko ukusithobela?
16 Kufuneka sibe nembono kaYehova ngexesha, njengoko uPetros ngoku esikhumbuza esithi: “Noko ke, esi sibakala sinye masingakhe singaphawuleki kuni, zintanda, ukuba imini enye kuYehova injengeminyaka eliwaka neminyaka eliwaka injengemini enye.” Hayi indlela obufutshane ngayo ubomi bethu beminyaka engama-70 okanye engama-80 ngokwentelekiso! (2 Petros 3:8; INdumiso 90:4, 10) Ngoko ukuba ukuzaliseka kwezithembiso zikaThixo kubonakala kulibazisa, kufuneka samkele isibongozo somnye umprofeti kaThixo owathi: “Ukuba [umhla omiselweyo] uthe wazilazila, wulinde, kuba uya kuza, awuyi kubuya umva.” (Akekeliswe sithi.)—Habhakuki 2:3.
17. Nangona imihla yokugqibela ithabathe ixesha elide kunokuba abaninzi bebelindele, yintoni esinokuqiniseka ngayo?
17 Kutheni imihla yokugqibela yale nkqubo ithabathe ixesha elide gqitha kunokuba abaninzi bebelindele? Echaza isizathu esihle, uPetros uyaqhubeka esithi: “UYehova akacothi ngokuphathelele isithembiso sakhe, njengoko bambi abantu bekugqala ikukucotha, kodwa unomonde kuni ngenxa yokuba akanqweneli ukuba kutshabalale nabani na kodwa unqwenela ukuba bonke bafikelele enguqukweni.” (2 Petros 3:9) UYehova ucinga ngoko kuya kuba yingenelo yalo lonke uluntu. Uxhalabele ubomi babantu, njengoko esithi: “Unakanye ukuba kube mnandi kum ukufa kongendawo; kumnandi kum ukubuya kongendawo endleleni yakhe, aphile.” (Hezekile 33:11) Ngoko sinokuqiniseka ukuba isiphelo siza kufika kanye ngexesha elifanelekileyo ukuze sizalisekise injongo yoMdali wethu onobulumko ngokupheleleyo nonothando!
Yintoni Eza Kudlula?
18, 19. (a) Kutheni uYehova ezimisele ukuyitshabalalisa le nkqubo yezinto? (b) UPetros usichaza njani isiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto, ibe yintoni kanye kanye eza kutshatyalaliswa?
18 Ngenxa yokuba uYehova ebathanda ngokwenene abo bamkhonzayo, uza kubatshayela bonke abo babacinezelayo. (INdumiso 37:9-11, 29) Ephawula ukuba intshabalalo yayiza kufika ngequbuliso, njengoko uPawulos wenzayo ngaphambilana, uPetros uyabhala: “Imini kaYehova iya kuza njengesela, ekuya kuthi ngayo amazulu adlule eqhuqhumba, kodwa iziqalelo ezishushu kakhulu ziya kuchithakala, nomhlaba kunye nemisebenzi ekuwo uya kufunyaniswa.” (2 Petros 3:10; 1 Tesalonika 5:2) Amazulu nomhlaba wokoqobo awuzange uthi shwaka ngoNogumbe, engayi kwenjenjalo nasebudeni bemini kaYehova. Ngoko, yintoni eza ‘kudlula,’ okanye itshabalale?
19 Oorhulumente babantu abaye baphatha uluntu ‘njengamazulu’ baza kuphela ibe kuya kwenzeka okufanayo ‘kumhlaba,’ okanye uluntu olungamhloneliyo uThixo. Mhlawumbi ‘ukuqhuqhumba’ kubonisa ukudlula ngokukhawuleza kwamazulu. “Iziqalelo” eziyila ibutho labantu elonakeleyo lanamhlanje ziya “kuchithakala,” okanye zitshatyalaliswe. Kwaye ‘umhlaba,’ kunye “nemisebenzi ekuwo,” uza “kufunyaniswa.” UYehova uza kuzibhenca ngokucokisekileyo izenzo ezingendawo zabantu njengoko esizisa ihlabathi liphela kwisiphelo esilifaneleyo.
Hlala Ujolise Amehlo Kwithemba Lakho
20. Ubomi bethu bufanele buphenjelelwe njani kukwazi iziganeko eziza kwenzeka?
20 Ekubeni ezi ziganeko zoyikekayo zisemnyango, uPetros uthi sifanele sibandakanyeke ‘kwizenzo ezingcwele nezenzo zozinikelo lobuthixo, silindele yaye sigcine ngokusondeleyo engqondweni ubukho bemini kaYehova.’ Akukho mathandabuzo ngaloo nto! “Amazulu atsha ngumlilo achithakale neziqalelo ezishushu kakhulu zinyibilike!” (2 Petros 3:11, 12) Isibakala sokuba ezi ziganeko zoyikekayo zinokuqalisa ngomso sifanele siyichaphazele yonke into esiyenzayo okanye esiceba ukuyenza.
21. Yintoni eza kuthabathel’ indawo amazulu nomhlaba okhoyo?
21 Ngoku uPetros usixelela ngento eza kuthabathel’ indawo inkqubo endala, esithi: “Kodwa kukho amazulu amatsha nomhlaba omtsha esiwulindeleyo ngokwesithembiso sakhe, yaye kwezi kuza kuhlala ubulungisa.” (2 Petros 3:13; Isaya 65:17) Kwatsho kwee qabu unoQolomba efile nje! UKristu nabaza kulawula naye abali-144 000 baza kuyila “amazulu amatsha” angurhulumente, ibe ‘umhlaba omtsha’ uza kubunjwa ngabantu abasinde esiphelweni seli hlabathi.—1 Yohane 2:17; ISityhilelo 5:9, 10; 14:1, 3.
Gcina Imvo Yongxamiseko Nokucoceka Ngokokuziphatha
22. (a) Yintoni eya kusinceda siphephe nasiphi na isiphako okanye intsilelo yokomoya? (b) Yiyiphi ingozi alumkisa ngayo uPetros?
22 UPetros uyaqhubeka esithi: “Ngoko ke, zintanda, ekubeni nilindele ezi zinto, yenzani unako-nako ukuze ekugqibeleni nifunyanwe nguye ningenabala kwaye ningenasiphako yaye niseluxolweni. Ngapha koko, wugqaleni umonde weNkosi yethu njengosindiso.” Ukuyilindela ngolangazelelo nokuyigqala nayiphi na into eyenza kubonakale ngathi imini kaYehova iyalibazisa njengebonisa umonde kaThixo kuya kusinceda siphephe nasiphi na isiphako okanye intsilelo yokomoya. Sekunjalo, kukho ingozi! UPetros ulumkisa esithi kwiincwadi ‘zomzalwana wethu oyintanda uPawulos . . . kukho izinto ezithile ekunzima ukuziqonda, ezo abangafundiswanga nabangazinzanga bazijijayo, njengoko bezenjenjalo kwanezinye iZibhalo, kuse kwintshabalalo yabo.’—2 Petros 3:14-16.
23. UPetros uqukumbela ngasiphi isibongozo?
23 Kubonakala ukuba abafundisi bobuxoki babejija iincwadi zikaPawulos eziphathelele ububele obungasifanelanga bukaThixo, bezisebenzisa njengesingxengxezo sehambo evakalala. Mhlawumbi uPetros ucinga ngale nto xa ebhala isibongozo sakhe sokugqibela: “Nina, ke ngoko, zintanda, ekubeni ninolu lwazi kwangaphambili, zilindeni ukuze ningawexulwa kunye nabo ngemposiso yabantu abadelela umthetho nize niwe ekuqineni kwenu.” Uyandula ke aqukumbele incwadi yakhe, ebongoza esithi: “Qhubekani nikhula ebubeleni obungasifanelanga naselwazini lweNkosi noMsindisi wethu uYesu Kristu.”—2 Petros 3:17, 18.
24. Sisiphi isimo sengqondo esifanele samkelwe ngabo bonke abakhonzi bakaYehova?
24 Kuyacaca ukuba uPetros ufuna ukomeleza abazalwana bakhe. Unomnqweno wokuba bonke babe nesimo sengqondo esivakaliswe liNgqina elithembekileyo elineminyaka engama-82 ubudala elicatshulwe ekuqaleni lisithi: “Ndiye ndaphila ubomi bam ngendlela umpostile awabongoza ngayo, ‘ukugcina ngokusondeleyo engqondweni ubukho bemini kaYehova.’ Bendisoloko ndiligqala ihlabathi elitsha elithenjisiweyo ‘njengento yokwenene nangona lingabonwa.’” Ngamana sonke singaphila ubomi bethu ngendlela efanayo.
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
◻ Kuthetha ntoni ‘ukuyigcina ngokusondeleyo engqondweni’ imini kaYehova?
◻ Yintoni abayityeshela ngabom abagculeli, yaye ngoba?
◻ Yintoni ebangela abagculeli bahlekise ngamaKristu athembekileyo?
◻ Yiyiphi imbono ekufuneka sihlale sinayo?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]
Yigcine ngokusondeleyo engqondweni imini kaYehova . . .
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]
. . . nehlabathi elitsha elizayo