Qaphelisisa Izwi Lesiprofetho

¹ “Sesinalo izwi lesiprofetho eliqinisekile kakhulu.” (2 Pet. 1:19) Kungani uPetru asho lokhu? Iziprofetho ezimayelana noMbuso emiBhalweni YesiHeberu nalezo ezazivela kuJesu Kristu ngokwakhe zaziqinisekiswe yilokho uPetru nabanye abafundi ababili ababekubonile nababekuzwile embukwaneni wokuguqulwa isimo okwenzeka eminyakeni engu-32 ngaphambili. Lombono ovusa amadlingozi wawubaqinisekisile ukuthi uJesu Kristu ngempela wayezoba semandleni oMbuso ngenkazimulo ekhazimulayo futhi esekelwa uYise ngokugcwele. AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayenza kahle ‘ngokuliqaphela lelozwi lesiprofetho kungathi liyisibani esikhanyayo,’ ngoba ngaphandle kwalokho izinhliziyo zawo zazingase zibe mnyama. Ukuqaphela izwi lesiprofetho elikhanyisayo kwakuyowagcina ephapheme futhi ekhanyiselwe kuze kuse, lapho “ikhwezi,” uKristu, laliyophakama khona lisenkazimulweni yoMbuso.—2 Pet. 1:16-19; Math. 17:1-9.

² Sasingekho thina ukuze sibone noPetru lokho kuguqulwa isimo okukhazimulayo. Nokho, amaKristu alesisizukulwane lawo aliqaphelisisile izwi lesiprofetho aye aba nelungelo elikhulu lokubona ubufakazi obunamandla bokuthi iNkosi ekhazimulayo iyabusa ngempela, hhayi umbono wangaphambili woMbuso kaKristu! Unyaka nonyaka odlulayo kusukela ngo-1914, izwi lesiprofetho liqinisekiswa ngokwengeziwe lapho sibona ukugcwaliseka kwezici ezihlukahlukene ‘zesibonakaliso’ esiphawulekayo uJesu asinikeza ‘sokuba khona’ kwakhe kobukhosi. Ingxenye ebalulekile yalesisibonakaliso iwukuthi isimemezelo sikahulumeni wakhe, noma uMbuso, siyomenyezelwa ezizweni zonke ngaphambi kokuba iNkosi iqede lesisimiso sezinto. Ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaKristu, umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso manje wenziwa emazweni angu-231 ngezinga elingakaze licatshangwe ngaphambili. (Math. 24:3-14, qhathanisa ne-NW.) Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba isikhathi ‘sosizi olukhulu’ sisondela, iNkosi esesihlalweni sobukhosi ibilokhu ibutha “isixuku esikhulu” “kuzo zonke izizwe” esibonisa ukholo ‘egazini elihlengayo leWundlu.’—IsAm. 7:9, 10, 14.

³ Njengoba “ikhwezi” seliphumile, okungukuthi, njengoba uKristu esesemandleni oMbuso kakade, sisekhona yini isizathu sokuqaphelisisa izwi lesiprofetho? Yebo! UJesu Kristu okhazinyulisiwe wanikeza umphostoli uJohane uchungechunge lwemibono eyakha incwadi yesAmbulo. Nakuba yayiwakhuthaza futhi iwafundisa amaKristu akuqala, ibaluleke ngokukhethekile kulabo abaphila ‘osukwini lweNkosi,’ esizithola sikulo manje. (IsAm. 1:10) Yingakho amabandla abantu bakaJehova manje eyifunda futhi incwadi ethi Umvuthwandaba WesAmbulo.

⁴ “[Uyajabula, NW] ofundayo nabo abawezwayo amazwi alesisiprofetho‚ bagcine okulotshiweyo kuso‚ ngokuba isikhathi siseduze.” (IsAm. 1:3) Ukuze sibe abajabulayo, kumelwe sithole umqondo, yebo, siyiqonde kahle lemibono engokwesiprofetho. Kudingani lokhu? Kudingeka ukuphindaphinda ukuze izinhliziyo zethu zikuqonde ngokugcwele ukubaluleka kokulandisa okukusAmbulo. Umphostoli uPetru, ilungu lendikimba ebusayo yekhulu lokuqala, wakuqaphela ukubaluleka kokuphindaphinda amaqiniso ayisisekelo ukuze ‘avuse’ abafowabo ngokomoya. (2 Pet. 1:12, 13) “Inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” yosuku lwanamuhla nayo iyasisiza ukuba ukwazisa kwethu kuhlale kuphila ngokulokhu idonsela ukunakekela kwethu ezwini lesiprofetho.—Math. 24:45-47.

⁵ Indlela Yokuqaphelisisa: Izwi lesiprofetho elisencwadini yesAmbulo lidinga hlobo luni lokuqaphelisisa? Umphostoli uPawulu usikhumbuza ukuthi uNkulunkulu akazange akhulume namaKristu ngezingelosi noma ngabaprofethi ngendlela enza ngayo ezincekwini zakhe zangaphambi kobuKristu. Kunalokho, uJehova ukhuluma nathi ngeNdodana yakhe ayazisa kakhulu, ayimise ukuba ibe “indlalifa yakho konke.” (Heb. 1:1, 2) “Ngalokho kakhulu nga siqaphelisisa esikuzwileyo‚ funa mhlawumbe sikhukhulwe.” (Heb. 2:1) Yebo, kumelwe siliqaphelisise iZwi likaNkulunkulu ikakhulukazi izwi lesiprofetho eliza ngoJesu Kristu. Singasiqaphelisisa kanjani isifundo sethu sesAmbulo?

⁶ Okokuqala, kubaluleke kakhulu ukuba khona masonto onke eSifundweni Sencwadi Sebandla. Yiqiniso, abaningi bethu bazobe sebeyifunda okwesithathu lencwadi ethi Umvuthwandaba WesAmbulo. Ngenxa yalokho, abanye bangase bangakunaki ukuba khona esifundweni sencwadi, babe nomuzwa wokuthi ngisho noma bangaphuthelwa yilomhlangano, sebeyakwazi ukwaziswa okukuyo. Nokho, njengoba iminyaka idlula, lokhu kwaziswa okungokwesiprofetho kuya kuba okufaneleke kakhudlwana nokufike ngesikhathi kunokuba kwakunjalo ngo-1989 lapho siqala ukufunda incwadi Umvuthwandaba WesAmbulo. Kudingeka sonke sihlale siphaphamele izenzakalo zosuku lwanamuhla eziqhubekela phambili ngesivinini zigcwalisa iziprofetho zesAmbulo. Khona-ke siyoba ngabakulungele ukwenza ngokuvumelana nentando kaJehova. Kwenze kube umgomo wakho siqu ukuba ungaphuthelwa ngisho nayisifundo esisodwa sencwadi, uma kungenzeka, kulokhu kufundwa kwesAmbulo okubalulekile.

⁷ Okwesibili, silungiselele kahle isifundo sakho. Bheka imibhalo ekhonjiwe bese ucabangela indlela esekela ngayo incazelo yamavesi esAmbulo afundwayo. Ngalendlela uyothola okungaphezu kwezimpendulo nje zemibuzo. Lwela ukuba ungazuzi ulwazi nje kuphela kodwa nokuhlakanipha nokuqonda. (IzAga 4:7) Okwesithathu, hlanganyela ngenkuthalo ngokuphendula nangokufunda imibhalo. Kwenze umgomo ukuphendula okungenani kanye kanti okutusekayo ukuba kube izikhathi eziningana esifundweni ngasinye. Ukwenza kanjalo kuyokusiza ukuba ugxilise ingqondo yakho esifundweni.

⁸ Ukuliqaphelisisa kakhulu izwi lesiprofetho kuhlanganisa okungaphezu kokulungiselela, ukuba khona, nokuba nengxenye. Kusho nokuthi nangemva kwesifundo, siqhubeke ‘sizindla ngalezizinto, sigxila kuzo.’ (1 Thim. 4:15) Ukuze izwi lesiprofetho libe isibani esikhanya ezinhliziyweni zethu, kumelwe silivumele libuthinte ngokujulile ubuntu bethu bangaphakathi—imicabango yethu, izifiso, imizwelo, izisusa, nemigomo. (2 Pet. 1:19) Ngakho, kufanele sizibuze imibuzo enjengokuthi: Lokhu kwaziswa kusho ukuthini kimi? Yini engiyifundile ngoJehova neNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu? Lokhu kwaziswa kusekelwe kuziphi izimiso? Ingabe enhliziyweni yami ngiyakuqonda engikufundayo? Ngingawasebenzisa kanjani lamaqiniso ekuphileni kwami? Emkhayeni wami? Ebandleni? Ngokukusebenzisa ngokoqobo esikufundayo, singasho njengoba kwasho umhubi: “Izwi lakho liyisibani ezinyaweni zami nokukhanya endleleni yami.”—IHu. 119:105; Jobe 29:3, 4.

⁹ Hlala Uphapheme Ezikhathini Ezibucayi: Ngonyaka ka-33 C.E., uJesu waxwayisa abafundi bakhe ngokubhujiswa kweJerusalema okwakuza nangesimo esasiyophawula isikhathi sokuba babalekele endaweni yesiphephelo. (Luka 19:41-44; 21:7-21) Kwabe sekudlula iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-30. KumaKristu aseJudiya kwakungabonakala sengathi kuncane okwakuzoshintsha esikhathini esiseduze esasizofika. Yeka ukuthi isikhuthazo somphostoli uPetru sasifike ngesikhathi kanjani encwadini yakhe yesibili, eyabhalwa cishe ngo-64 C.E., ‘sokuqaphelisisa izwi lesiprofetho’! (2 Pet. 1:19) Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngo-66 C.E., iJerusalema lahaqwa amabutho amaRoma. Lapho amabutho amaRoma ehoxa kungazelelwe ngaphandle kwesizathu, amaKristu aseJudiya ayephapheme alalela iziyalo zikaJesu abaleka. Kwase kuthi ngo-70 C.E., amabutho amaRoma abuya alibhubhisa aliqeda iJerusalema. Yeka indlela lawomaKristu okumelwe ukuba ajabula ngayo ngokuthi ayeliqaphelisisile izwi likaJesu lesiprofetho!

¹⁰ Yini thina maKristu osuku lwanamuhla esiyiqaphile? Emibonweni yesAmbulo, uJesu wenza amaKristu aphila manje aphaphamela izenzakalo eziningi ezaziyokwenzeka phakathi nosuku lweNkosi. Phakathi neminyaka engu-80 edlule, kuye kwenzeka eziningana zalezizenzakalo: ukuzalwa koMbuso; impi yasezulwini nokunqotshwa kukaSathane namademoni akhe okwalandela, kube ukuvalelwa kwabo endaweni yasemhlabeni; ukuwa kweBabiloni Elikhulu; nokuvela kwesilo sasendle esinombala obomvu, umbuso wezwe wesi-8. Ukugcwaliseka kwalezizici zezwi lesiprofetho elikusAmbulo kwenza kuqiniseke ukuthi ngokushesha sizozibona lezizenzakalo ezisele eziphawulekayo: ukugcotshwa kwamalungu okugcina abangu-144-000, ukuqedwa kokubuthwa kwesixuku esikhulu, ukubhujiswa kweBabiloni Elikhulu, impi ye-Armagedoni, ukuphonswa kukaSathane kwalasha, nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane. Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kanjani ukuba sisiqaphelisise isixwayiso sikaJesu: “Bheka‚ ngiyeza njengesela; ubusisiwe olindayo‚ alonde izingubo zakhe ukuba angabi-ngohamba-ze‚ baze balibone ihlazo lakhe”!—IsAm. 16:15.

¹¹ Ingabe siphapheme? Silithatha ngokungathi sína kangakanani lelizwi lesiprofetho? Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sanikezela ukuphila kwethu kuJehova eminyakeni emihlanu noma engu-50 edlule, amazwi kaPawulu aya kumaKristu aseRoma asebenza ngokufanelekile kithi: “Nazi isikhathi ukuthi sekuyihora lokuba nivuke ebuthongweni; ngokuba manje insindiso isisondele kithi kunalesosikhathi esaqala ukukholwa ngaso. Ubusuku sebuyaphela‚ imini isisondele.” UPawulu ube esekhuthaza amaKristu ukuba ‘alahle imisebenzi yobumnyama’ futhi ‘ahambe ngokufaneleyo.’ (Roma 13:11-13) Siphila ezweni elisebumnyameni ngokokuziphatha. Lokho okwakuwukuziphatha okushaqisayo eminyakeni engu-30 noma engu-40 edlule sekuyamukeleka kubantu bezwe abaningi kulelishumi leminyaka lokugcina lekhulu lama-20. Qaphelani, bafowethu, ukuba ningalokothi nizivumele nikhukhulekele ebumnyameni balelizwe bese niyezela ngasekuziphatheni. Uma uzivumela ukuba ube oyekelelayo noma okubekezelelayo ukucabanga kwalelizwe okonakele nendlela yalo yokuphila, uyoba ongazigqizi qakala izimpikiswano ezinkulu esibhekene nazo namuhla nezizoxazululwa masinyane phakade: ukulwelwa kobukhosi bukaJehova nokungcweliswa kwegama lakhe. Ukozela ngokomoya kuyokubeka engozini ukusinda kwakho, osekuseduze kangaka.

¹² Khula Ekulaziseni Ngokusuka Enhliziyweni Izwi Lesiprofetho: Abaprofethi basendulo abangamaHeberu babenesithakazelo esiqotho ekugcwalisekeni kwamazwi abo ayephefumlelwe umoya amayelana noMesiya. “Babefunisisa bephenyisisa” ngokuthi izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu zaziyofezeka kanjani. (1 Pet. 1:10, 11) Ngokufanayo, njengoba uqaphelisisa izwi lesiprofetho elisencwadini yesAmbulo, ukwazisa kwakho izinto ezingokomoya kuyokhula. Ukulangazelela kwakho ukudla okungokomoya kuyoba namandla, kangangokuba uyoshukumiseleka ukuba umbe ‘kokujulileyo kukaNkulunkulu.’ (1 Kor. 2:10) Lapho ugcwalisa inhliziyo yakho ngokwazisa nothando lwezwi lesiprofetho, ngeke kudingeke ukuba othile akuncenge ukuba uye emihlanganweni; uyoshukumiseleka ukuba uye futhi ube nengxenye njalo. (Luka 6:45) Futhi uma ‘izwi lisenhliziyweni yakho,’ uyoshukumiseleka ukuba ‘wenze ukuvuma kube-ngukusindiswa.’—Roma 10:8-10.

¹³ Njengoba sisondela kakhulu esikhathini sesiphelo, abahleki bosulu bayosiklolodela nakakhulu ngenxa yokuphikelela kwethu sinokholo ezimemezelweni zikaNkulunkulu ezingokwesiprofetho. (2 Pet. 3:3, 4) Nokho, siyoqhubeka siliphaphamele izwi lesiprofetho. Isibani esiyiZwi likaNkulunkulu siyasibonisa ukuthi sikuphi nesikhathi. Silikhanyisa bhá iqiniso lokuthi sisezinsukwini zokugcina zalelizwe elimnyama. Ikhwezi seliphumile! UKristu usemandleni oMbuso! Emkhathizwe sesibona ukuntwela kosuku olusha. Kwangathi izwe elisha likaNkulunkulu elithenjisiwe lingaqhubeka lingokoqobo kithi njengoba nje uMbuso wawungokoqobo kubaphostoli abathathu ababa nelungelo lokubona umbono wawo wangaphambili embonweni oyisimangaliso wokuguqulwa kukaJesu isimo!