Ukusinda ‘Ngemini KaYehova’

“Inkulu imini kaYehova, yoyikeka kunene; ngubani na onokuyinyamezela?”—YOWELI 2:11.

1. Kutheni ‘imini eyoyikekayo kaYehova’ ifanele ibe sisihlandlo sovuyo?

‘IYOYIKEKA’! Leyo yindlela umprofeti kaThixo uYoweli ayichaza ngayo “imini kaYehova” enkulu. Noko ke, thina bamthandayo uYehova nabaye bazahlulela kuye ngesizinzi sedini lentlawulelo likaYesu akuyomfuneko ukuba sityhwatyhwe njengoko imini kaYehova isondela. Eneneni iya kuba yimini eyoyikekayo, ukanti iya kuba yimini yosindiso olukhulu, imini yokukhululwa kwinkqubo engendawo yezinto eye yathwaxa uluntu kangangexesha elide. Ekhangele phambili kuloo mini, uYoweli uhlab’ ikhwelo kubantu bakaThixo ukuba ‘bagcobe bavuye; kuba uYehova wenza izinto ezinkulu,’ yaye wongezelela ngokuqinisekisa esithi: “Bothi bonke abasukuba benqula igama likaYehova, basinde.” Kuya kwandula ke kwilungiselelo likaThixo loBukumkani, ‘kubekho abasindileyo, njengoko watshoyo uYehova; naphakathi kwabaseleyo kubekho awobabiza uYehova.’—Yoweli 2:11, 21, 22, 32.

2. Xa kuphunyezwa iinjongo zikaThixo, yintoni eyenzekayo (a) ‘ngemini yeNkosi’ (b) ‘ngemini kaYehova’?

² Imini kaYehova eyoyikekayo ayifanele ibhidaniswe ‘nemini yeNkosi’ ekuthethwa ngayo kwiSityhilelo 1:10. Le mini ikhankanywe mva iquka ukuzalisekiswa kwemibono eli-16 echazwe kwiSityhilelo isahluko 1 ukusa kwesama-22. Iquka ixesha lokuzaliseka kwazo zonke iziganeko uYesu awayezixele kwangaphambili xa wayephendula umbuzo wabafundi bakhe othi: “Ziya kubakho nini na ezi zinto, kwaye uya kuba yintoni na umqondiso wobukho bakho nowokuqosheliswa kwenkqubo yezinto?” Ubukho bukaYesu esezulwini buye babonakala ‘ngeemfazwe, iindlala, intiyo, iindyikitya zokufa nokuchas’ umthetho’ okoyikekayo emhlabeni. Njengoko ezi zinto zibangel’ usizi ziye zaphindaphindeka, uYesu uye wanikela intuthuzelo kubantu aboyika uThixo ngokuthumela abafundi bakhe bale mihla ukuba baye kushumayela “ezi ndaba zilungileyo zobukumkani . . . kuwo wonke umhlaba omiweyo kube bubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga.” Kuya kwandula ke, njengencopho yemini yeNkosi, kuqhambuke “isiphelo” sale nkqubo ikhoyo yezinto, imini kaYehova eyoyikekayo. (Mateyu 24:3-14; Luka 21:11) Leyo iya kuba yimini kaYehova yokuwisa isigwebo esikhawulezileyo kwihlabathi likaSathana elonakeleyo. “Linyikime izulu nehlabathi; ke uYehova ulihlathi kubantu bakhe.”—Yoweli 3:16.

UYehova Uthabatha Inyathelo Ngemihla KaNowa

3. Iimeko zanamhlanje zifana njani nezomhla kaNowa?

³ Iimeko zehlabathi namhlanje ziyafana ‘nezemihla kaNowa’ kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-4000 eyadlulayo. (Luka 17:26, 27) KwiGenesis 6:5, sifunda oku: “Wabona uThixo ukuba ububi babantu bandile ehlabathini, konke ukuyila kweengcinga zentliziyo yabo kubububi bodwa imihla yonke.” Hayi indlela obabufana ngayo nobehlabathi lanamhlanje! Ubungendawo, ukubawa nokuphelelwa luthando kuzizinto ezixhaphake gqitha. Maxa wambi sisenokucinga ukuba ukonakala kwabantu kufikelele elona nqanaba liphezulu. Kodwa isiprofeto sikampostile uPawulos ngokuphathelele ‘imihla yokugqibela’ sisaqhubeka sizaliseka: “Abantu abangendawo namabhedengu baya kuhambela phambili ukususela kokubi ukusa kokubi ngakumbi, belahlekisa yaye belahlekiswa.”—2 Timoti 3:1, 13.

4. Nguwuphi umphumo olwaba nawo unqulo lobuxoki kumaxesha amandulo?

⁴ Ngaba unqulo lwalunokulunceda uluntu ngexesha likaNowa? Ngokuchaseneyo noko, unqulo lwabawexuki olufana nolo lwalukho ngelo xesha ngelwalube negalelo kakhulu kwezo meko zimaxongo. Abazali bethu bokuqala balandela imfundiso yobuxoki ‘yenyoka yantlandlolo, leyo ibizwa ngokuba nguMtyholi noSathana.’ Kwisizukulwana esalandela uAdam, “kwaqalwa oko ukunqulwa igama likaYehova,” ekubonakala ukuba babelinyelisa. (ISityhilelo 12:9; Genesis 3:3-6; 4:26) Kamva, iingelosi ezazinemvukelo, ezayeka ukuzinikela ngokukhethekileyo kuThixo, zambatha imizimba yenyama ukuze zibe neentlobano zesini ezingekho mthethweni neentombi zabantu ezaziziimbelukazi. La mabhinqa azala iingxilimbela ezazingamabhastile, ezazibizwa ngokuba ngamaNefili, ezazicinezela yaye zixhaphaza uluntu. Phantsi kwale mpembelelo yeedemon, ‘yonke inyama yayonakalisa indlela yayo ehlabathini.’—Genesis 6:1-12.

5. Ngokubhekisele kwiziganeko zomhla kaNowa, sisiphi isibongozo esikwasisilumkiso esinikelwa nguYesu?

⁵ Noko ke, ikho intsapho eyayigcinayo ingqibelelo kuYehova. Ngenxa yoko, uThixo ‘wamgcina uNowa, umshumayeli wobulungisa, ekhuselekile kunye nabanye abasixhenxe xa wazisa unogumbe phezu kwehlabathi labantu abangenabuthixo.’ (2 Petros 2:5) Loo Nogumbe wawufuzisela imini eyoyikekayo kaYehova, ephawula isiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto uYesu awaprofeta ngayo esithi: “Ngokuphathelele loo mhla nelo lixa akukho bani waziyo, azazi neengelosi zamazulu engazi noNyana, kodwa nguBawo kuphela. Kuba kanye njengokuba yayinjalo imihla kaNowa, buya kuba njalo ubukho boNyana womntu. Kuba njengokuba babenjalo ngaloo mihla yangaphambi komkhukula, besidla yaye besela, amadoda etshata kwaye abafazi benikelwa emtshatweni, de kwaba yimini awangena ngayo uNowa emkhombeni; kwaye abazange banikele ngqalelo de wafika umkhukula waza wabatshayela bonke, nobukho boNyana womntu buya kuba njalo.” (Mateyu 24:36-39) Namhlanje sikwimeko efanayo, ngoko uYesu usibongoza ukuba ‘sinikele ingqalelo kuthi ngokwethu, sihlale sivukile, ngalo lonke ixesha sisenza isikhungo ukuze siphumelele ekubalekeni zonke ezi zinto zimiselwe ukuhla.’—Luka 21:34-36.

Isigwebo SikaYehova KwiSodom NeGomora

6, 7. (a) Yintoni efuziselwa ziziganeko zomhla kaLote? (b) Sisiphi isilumkiso esicacileyo esisifumana koku?

⁶ Kwiminyaka emalunga namakhulu emva koMkhukula, xa inzala kaNowa yayandile emhlabeni, uAbraham kunye nomtshana wakhe uLote ababethembekile bazibonela ngawabo amehlo enye imini eyoyikekayo kaYehova. ULote nentsapho yakhe babehlala kwisixeko saseSodom. Sikunye neGomora ekufutshane naso, esi sixeko sangena nzulu ekuziphatheni okubi ngokwesini okungamasikizi. Ukuthanda izinto eziphathekayo nako kwakuyinto ephambili, yaye ekugqibeleni kwachaphazela umkaLote. UYehova wayemxelele oku uAbraham: “Isikhalo saseSodom neGomora sisikhulu nje, nesono sayo sinzima kunene.” (Genesis 18:20) UAbraham wacenga uYehova ukuba azisindise ezo zixeko ngenxa yabangamalungisa ababekuzo, kodwa uYehova wamxelela ukuba amalungisa awayekuzo ayengafikanga naseshumini. Iingelosi ezazithunyelwe nguThixo zamnceda uLote neentombi zakhe ezimbini ukuba basabele kwisixeko esikude kufuphi saseTsohare.

⁷ Kwenzeka ntoni emva koko? Ithelekisa ‘imihla yethu yokugqibela’ naleyo kaLote, incwadi kaLuka 17:28-30 inikela le ngxelo: “Ngokunjalo, kanye njengoko kwenzekayo ngemihla kaLote: babesidla, babesela, babethenga, babethengisa, babetyala, babesakha. Kodwa ngemini uLote awaphuma ngayo eSodom kwana umlilo nesalfure ezulwini waza wabatshabalalisa bonke. Ngendlela efanayo kuya kuba njalo ngaloo mini xa uNyana womntu eza kutyhileka.” Intlekele eyenzeka kwiSodom neGomora ngaloo mini yoyikekayo kaYehova idlulisela isilumkiso esicacileyo kuthi kweli xesha lobukho bukaYesu. Isizukulwana sale mihla soluntu naso siye ‘sahenyuza ngokugqithiseleyo saza salandela inyama ngokuchasene nemvelo.’ (Yude 7) Ngaphezu koko, izifo ezibangelwa kukuziphatha okubi ngokwesini zeli xesha lethu ziye zangunobangela woninzi ‘lweendyikitya zokufa’ ezaxelwa kwangaphambili nguYesu njengeziza kubakho kule mihla.—Luka 21:11.

USirayeli Uvuna “Isaqhwithi”

8. USirayeli wawugcina ukusa kwiliphi inqanaba umnqophiso wakhe noYehova?

⁸ Ethubeni, uYehova wanyula uSirayeli ukuba abe ‘yinqobo yakhe kwizizwe zonke, ubukumkani bababingeleli nohlanga olungcwele.’ Kodwa oko kwakuxhomekeke ‘ekuphulaphuleni izwi lakhe nasekugcineni umnqophiso wakhe.’ (Eksodus 19:5, 6) Ngaba walihlonela eli lungelo lizukileyo? Akunjalo konke konke! Kuyinyaniso ukuba, babekho abantu kolo hlanga abamkhonza ngokunyaniseka—uMoses, uSamuweli, uDavide, uYehoshafati, uHezekiya, uYosiya kunye nabanye abaprofeti nabaprofetikazi ababezinikele. Ukanti uhlanga xa lulonke lwalungathembekanga. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, obo bukumkani bahlukana phakathi—yanguSirayeli noYuda. Ubukhulu becala, zombini ezi ntlanga zatshona zwabha kunqulo lobuhedeni nakwezinye izithethe zokungahloneli Thixo zamazwe akufutshane nazo.—Hezekile 23:49.

9. UYehova wabugweba njani ubukumkani bezizwe ezilishumi ezinemvukelo?

⁹ UYehova wayijonga njani le nto? Njengesiqhelo, wakhupha isilumkiso, ngokuvisisana nomgaqo ochazwe nguAmosi: “Ayikhe yenze into iNkosi uYehova, ingathanga iluhlakaze ucweyo lwayo kubakhonzi bayo abaprofeti.” UAmosi wavakalisa uyeha kubukumkani basentla bakwaSirayeli: “Iyintoni na imini kaYehova kuni? Ibubumnyama, ayikukukhanya.” (Amosi 3:7; 5:18) Ukongezelela, omnye owayeprofeta noAmosi, uHoseya wavakalisa oku: “Ngokuba behlwayele umoya, baya kuvuna isaqhwithi.” (Hoseya 8:7) Ngowama-740 B.C.E., uYehova wasebenzisa umkhosi waseAsiriya ukuba ubutshabalalise ngokusisigxina ubukumkani basentla bakwaSirayeli.

Ukuqubisana KukaYehova NoYuda Owexukileyo

10, 11. (a) Kutheni uYehova engazange avume ukuxolela uYuda? (b) Ziziphi izinto ezilizothe ezazonakalise olo hlanga?

¹⁰ Kwakhona uYehova wathumela abaprofeti bakhe kubukumkani basezantsi bakwaYuda. Sekunjalo, ookumkani bakwaYuda abanjengoManase nowangena ezihlangwini zakhe, uAmon, baqhubeka besenza okubi emehlweni Akhe, ‘bephalaza igazi elimsulwa elininzi kunene yaye bekhonza izigodo ezizizithixo bequbuda kuzo.’ Nangona uYosiya unyana ka-Amon wenza okulungileyo emehlweni kaYehova, ookumkani abalandelayo, kunye nabantu, bangena nzulu kwakhona kubungendawo, kangangokuba “akavumanga uYehova ukuxolela.”—2 Kumkani 21:16-21; 24:3, 4.

¹¹ Esebenzisa umprofeti wakhe uYeremiya, uYehova wavakalisa oku: “Kwenziwa into emangalisayo, ebanga amanwele ezweni: abaprofeti baprofeta ngobuxoki, nababingeleli banobukhosi ngezandla zabo; abantu bam ke bathanda ukuba kube njalo. Niya kuthini na ke ekupheleni kwako oko?” Uhlanga lwakwaYuda lwalugqithisele ukuba netyala legazi, ibe abantu balo babonakaliswe kukuba, ukubulala, ukukrexeza, ukwenza izifungo zobuxoki, ukulandela abanye oothixo nezinye izinto ezingamasikizi. Itempile kaThixo yayibe “ngumqolomba wezihange.”—Yeremiya 2:34; 5:30, 31; 7:8-12.

12. UYehova wayohlwaya njani iYerusalem eyayiwexukile?

¹² UYehova wavakalisa oku: “Entla [kumaKaledi] ndizisa ububi, nembubhiso enkulu.” (Yeremiya 4:6) Ngaloo ndlela, wezisa iGunya Lehlabathi laseBhabhiloni, ngelo xesha ‘elalisisando sehlabathi lonke,’ ukuze lihlasele iYerusalem eyayiwexukile kunye netempile yayo. (Yeremiya 50:23) Ngowama-607 B.C.E., emva kokungqingwa kabuhlungu, eso sixeko sadilizwa ngumkhosi onamandla kaNebhukadenetsare. ‘Ukumkani waseBhabheli wababulala oonyana bakaKumkani uZedekiya eRibhela emehlweni akhe; nabanumzana bonke bakwaYuda wababulala ukumkani waseBhabheli. Wamtyhaphaza amehlo uZedekiya, wamkhonkxa ngamakhamandela obhedu, ukuba asiwe eBhabheli. AmaKaledi ayitshisa ngomlilo indlu yokumkani nezindlu zabantu, azidiliza neendonga zaseYerusalem. Amasalela abantu abaseleyo phakathi komzi, amaphamba aphambelayo kuye, kwanamasalela abantu abaseleyo, wabafudusela eBhabheli uNebhuzaradan umthetheli wabasiki.’—Yeremiya 39:6-9.

13. Ngoobani abasindiswayo ngemini kaYehova yowama-607 B.C.E., yaye kutheni?

¹³ Kwakuyimini eyoyikeka ngokwenene! Ukanti, iqaqobana lemiphefumlo eyamthobelayo uYehova laliphakathi kwabo bahlangulwayo kuloo mgwebo utshabalalisayo. Aba babequka amaRekabhi awayengengomaSirayeli, awathi ngokungafaniyo namaYuda abonakalisa umoya wokuthobeka nowokuthobela. Abanye abasindiswayo yayilithenwa elithembekileyo uEbhedi-meleki, owasindisa uYeremiya ekufeni kumhadi onodaka, nombhali onyanisekileyo kaYeremiya, uBharuki. (Yeremiya 35:18, 19; 38:7-13; 39:15-18; 45:1-5) Kukwabanjalo awathi uYehova wavakalisa oku: “Ndiyazazi iingcinga endizicingayo ngani, . . . iingcinga zoxolo, ezingezizo ezobubi; ukuba ndininike ikamva nethemba.” Elo dinga lazaliseka ngomlinganiselo omncinane ngowama-539 B.C.E. xa amaYuda awoyika uThixo akhululwa ngulowo woyisa iBhabhiloni, uKumkani uKoreshi, aza abuya akha isixeko kunye netempile yaseYerusalem. Abo namhlanje baphuma kunqulo olufana nolwaseBhabhiloni nababuyiselwa kunqulo lukaYehova olunyulu ngokufanayo banokukhangela phambili kwikamva elizukileyo loxolo olungunaphakade kwiParadesi ebuyiselweyo kaYehova.—Yeremiya 29:11; INdumiso 37:34; ISityhilelo 18:2, 4.

“Imbandezelo Enkulu” Yenkulungwane Yokuqala

14. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova amlahle ngokusisigxina uSirayeli?

¹⁴ Makhe sidlulele kwinkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo. Ngelo xesha amaYuda abuyiselweyo ayephinde awexuka. UYehova wathumela uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo emhlabeni ukuze abe nguMthanjiswa wakhe, okanye uMesiya. Phakathi konyaka wama-29 nowama-33 C.E., uYesu wayeshumayela kulo lonke ilizwe lakwaSirayeli, esithi: “Guqukani, kuba ubukumkani bamazulu busondele.” (Mateyu 4:17) Ngaphezu koko, wahlanganisa waza waqeqesha abafundi ukuze babe nesabelo kunye naye ekuvakaliseni iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. Basabela njani abalawuli bamaYuda? Bamgculela uYesu baza ekugqibeleni benza esona senzo silizothe solwaphulo-mthetho sokumbulala kabuhlungu kumthi wentuthumbo. UYehova wawalahla amaYuda awabi saba ngabantu bakhe. Ngesi sihlandlo olu hlanga lwalulahlwe ngokusisigxina.

15. Yintoni amaYuda aguqukileyo awayenelungelo lokuyiphumeza?

¹⁵ Ngomhla wePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., uYesu ovusiweyo wathulula umoya oyingcwele, ibe wanika abafundi bakhe amandla okuthetha ngeelwimi kumaYuda nakubangeni ebuYudeni ababehlanganisene ngokukhawuleza. Ethetha nesihlwele, umpostile uPetros wavakalisa oku: “Lo Yesu uThixo wamvusa, sibakala eso esingamangqina aso thina sonke. . . . Ngoko ke yonke indlu kaSirayeli mayazi ngokuqinisekileyo ukuba uThixo umenze kokubini iNkosi noKristu, lo Yesu nambethelelayo nina.” Asabela njani amaYuda anyanisekileyo? “Kwathi xhokro entliziyweni,” aguquka ezonweni zawo aza abhaptizwa. (IZenzo 2:32-41) Umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani wahambela phambili, ibe kwisithuba seminyaka engama-30 wawusele ufikelele “kwindalo yonke ephantsi kwezulu.”—Kolose 1:23.

16. UYehova wazibangela njani iziganeko ezakhokelela ekuphunyezweni komgwebo kuSirayeli wemvelo?

¹⁶ Ngoku kwakufike ixesha lokuba uYehova agwebe abantu bakhe abalahlileyo, uSirayeli wemvelo. Abantu abangamawakawaka, ababevela kuzo zonke iintlanga ezazisaziwa ngelo xesha, babethontelene kwibandla lamaKristu baza bathanjiswa ‘njengoSirayeli wokomoya kaThixo.’ (Galati 6:16) Noko ke, amaYuda elo xesha ayetshone akavela nangonwele kwikhondo lentiyo nakugonyamelo lwamahlelo. Ngokuchaseneyo noko kwakubhalwe nguPawulos ngokuphathelele ‘ukuthobela amagunya awongameleyo,’ alivukela ekuhleni igunya laseRoma elaliwalawula. (Roma 13:1) Licacile elokuba nguYehova owayebangele iziganeko ezenzekayo. Ngonyaka wama-66 C.E., imikhosi yamaRoma eyayiphantsi koNjengele Gallus yasondela yaza yangqinga iYerusalem. La maRoma ahlaselayo angena kweso sixeko ade adiliza nodonga lwetempile. Njengoko imbali kaJosephus ibonisa, ngokwenene kwakukho imbandezelo esixekweni nasebantwini.a Kodwa ngesiquphe la majoni awayehlasela ababeleka abasicatyana. Oku kwavulela abafundi bakaYesu ithuba ‘lokusabela ezintabeni,’ njengoko babebongoziwe kwisiprofeto esibhalwe kuMateyu 24:15, 16.

17, 18. (a) Yiyiphi imbandezelo uYehova awayisebenzisa ukuze aphumeze okusesikweni kumaYuda? (b) Yiyiphi inyama ‘eyasindayo,’ ibe oko kwakufuzisela ntoni?

¹⁷ Noko ke, ukuphunyezwa ngokupheleleyo komgwebo kaYehova ngencopho yaloo mbandezelo kwakuseza kuza. Ngowama-70 C.E., imikhosi yamaRoma, ngoku eyayiphantsi koNjengele Titus, yaphinda yahlasela. Ngesi sihlandlo idabi lalicacile! AmaYuda, awayesilwa odwa, ayengenako nokuxomoloza oku kumaRoma. Esi sixeko kunye netempile yaso sabhodlozwa sawa phantsi. AmaYuda angaphezu kwesigidi awayengcungcuthekisiwe abandezeleka aze afa, izidumbu ezimalunga nama-600-000 zaziphoswa ngaphandle kwamasango esixeko. Emva kokuwa kweso sixeko, amaYuda angama-97 000 athinjwa, kamva uninzi lwawo lwafa kwimidlalo eyingozi. Liyinyaniso elokuba, ekuphela kwenyama eyasindayo ebudeni baloo minyaka yeyamaKristu awathobelayo awasabela ezintabeni ezingaphaya kweYordan.—Mateyu 24:21, 22; Luka 21:20-22.

¹⁸ Ngaloo ndlela, sazaliseka okokuqala isiprofeto esibalaseleyo sikaYesu esasiphathelele ‘ukuqosheliswa kwenkqubo yezinto,’ sifikelela incopho yaso ngemini kaYehova yokuphumeza okusesikweni kuhlanga lwamaYuda olunemvukelo ngowama-66 ukusa kowama-70 C.E. (Mateyu 24:3-22) Ukanti, lowo yayingumfuziselo nje ‘wemini enkulu ezayo kaYehova, leyo yoyikekayo,’ imbandezelo yokugqibela esele iza kuthwaxa ihlabathi lonke. (Yoweli 2:31) Unokwenza njani ukuze ‘usinde’? Inqaku elilandelayo liza kusixelela.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Imibuzo Yempinda

◻ “Imini yeNkosi” inxibelelene njani ‘nemini kaYehova’?

◻ Xa sikhangela emva kumhla kaNowa, sisiphi isilumkiso esifanele sisithobele?

◻ Sisiphi isifundo esinamandla esinokusifumana kwiSodom neGomora?

◻ Ngoobani abasindayo ‘kwimbandezelo enkulu’ yenkulungwane yokuqala?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

UYehova wenza ilungiselelo lokusindisa intsapho kaNowa nekaLote, wenza okufanayo ngowama-607 B.C.E. nangowama-70 C.E.