XA UFUNA ukwazi ixesha, wenza ntoni? Ujonga iwotshi. Xa umntu ekubuza ixesha, uye uthini? Zininzi iindlela zokulichaza. Zeziphi?

Masithi licala emva kwentsimbi yokuqala. Usenokuthi ngu-1:30. Kuxhomekeke kwindlela elibizwa ngayo kwindawo ohlala kuyo, usenokuthi ngu-13:30. Liyabizwa nangale ndlela ngenxa yokuba imini ineeyure eziyi-24. Kanti kwezinye iindawo kuye kuthiwe yimizuzu eyi-30 ngaphambi kwentsimbi yesibini.

Mhlawumbi uye uzibuze ukuba iBhayibhile ithi abantu bakudala babelichaza njani ixesha. Zazininzi iindlela ababelichaza ngazo. KwiZibhalo ZesiHebhere kuthethwa ngexesha ‘lakusasa,’ “emini enkulu,” “emini emaqanda” ‘nangokuhlwa.’ (Gen. 8:11; 19:27; 43:16; Dut. 28:29; 1 Kum. 18:26) Ngamanye amaxesha lalichazwa ixesha.

Kwiminyaka emininzi ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaYesu, amaSirayeli ayelahlula kathathu ixesha ebusuku. (INdu. 63:6) KuBagwebi 7:19 kuthethwa ‘ngomlindo waphakathi kobusuku.’ Ngexesha likaYesu amaYuda asebenzisa indlela yamaGrike namaRoma yokwahlula ixesha kane ebusuku.

Iincwadi zeVangeli zithetha kaninzi ngala maxesha. Ngokomzekelo, uYesu wahamba phezu kwamanzi ecaleni kwesikhephe esasinabafundi bakhe ‘ngomlindo wesine wobusuku okanye ekuzeni kusa.’ (Mat. 14:25) Komnye wemizekeliso yakhe uYesu wathi: “Ukuba umnini-ndlu ebesazi ukuba isela liza ngawuphi na umlindo [okanye ixesha], ebeya kuhlala ephaphile aze angavumi ukuba indlu yakhe iqhekezwe.”​—Mat. 24:43.

Xa wayethetha nabafundi bakhe uYesu wathi: “Hlalani nilindile, kuba anazi ukuba inkosi yendlu iza kufika nini, enoba xa sele imini ihambile okanye ezinzulwini zobusuku okanye ekulileni kweenkuku okanye ngonyezi.” (Marko 13:35) Elokuqala ixesha, “xa sele imini ihambile,” laliqala ukuphuma kwelanga de ibe yintsimbi yethoba ebusuku. Elesibini, “ezinzulwini zobusuku,” laliqala ngentsimbi yethoba ebusuku de kube sezinzulwini zobusuku. Elesithathu, “ekulileni kweenkuku,” laliqala ezinzulwini zobusuku de ibe yintsimbi yesithathu ekuseni. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba umqhagi wakhonya ngeli xesha ngobusuku bokubanjwa kukaYesu. (Marko 14:72) Elesine, “ngonyezi,” laliqala ngentsimbi yesithathu ekuseni de kuphume ilanga.

Ngoko nakubeni abantu bakudala babengenazo iiwotshi esinazo namhlanje, babenayo indlela yokuchaza ixesha emini okanye ebusuku.