UJehova Uyayazi Indlela Yokukhulula Abantu Bakhe

“UJehova uyayazi indlela yokukhulula ekulingweni abantu abanokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.”—2 PET. 2:9.

KUNGANI SINGAQINISEKA NGOKUTHI UJEHOVA . . . 

uyasazi isikhathi sezenzakalo eziphathelene nokufezeka kwenjongo yakhe?

uyosebenzisa amandla akhe ukuze angenele alwele abantu bakhe?

uyayazi indlela izenzakalo eziwumvuthwandaba eziyokwenzeka ngayo?

1. Iziphi izimo eziyohambisana ‘nosizi olukhulu’?

UKUKHISHWA kwesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu ezweni likaSathane kuzogadla ngokushesha okukhulu. (1 Thes. 5:2, 3) Njengoba “usuku olukhulu lukaJehova” luqhubeka, umphakathi wasemhlabeni uzobhekana nenhlekelele enkulu. (Zef. 1:14-17) Kuzoba nobunzima nokweswela. Kuzoba isikhathi sokucindezeleka ‘okungakaze kube khona kusukela ekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube manje.’—Funda uMathewu 24:21, 22.

2, 3. (a) Yini abantu bakaNkulunkulu abazobhekana nayo ‘ngosizi olukhulu’? (b) Yini engasiqinisela lokho okuseza?

² Njengoba “usizi olukhulu” luphokophele emvuthwandaba walo, ‘uGogi wezwe lakwaMagogi’ uyokhipha wonke amangwevu ehlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Phakathi nalokhu kuhlasela, “ibutho lempi elinabantu abaningi” liyothelekela abantu bakaNkulunkulu “njengamafu asibekela izwe.” (Hez. 38:2, 14-16) Akukho nhlangano yabantu eyovikela abantu bakaJehova. Ukusinda kwabo kuyoxhomeka kuNkulunkulu kuphela. Bayosabela kanjani lapho bebhekene ngqo nokuqothulwa?

³ Uma uyinceku kaJehova, unalo yini ukholo lokuthi uJehova angakwazi futhi uyobavikela abantu bakhe phakathi nosizi olukhulu? Umphostoli uPetru wabhala: “UJehova uyayazi indlela yokukhulula ekulingweni abantu abanokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, kodwa agcinele abantu abangalungile usuku lokwahlulelwa ukuze banqunywe.” (2 Pet. 2:9) Ukuzindla ngezenzo zikaJehova zokukhulula zesikhathi esidlule kungasiqinisela lokho okuseza. Ake sicabangele izibonelo ezintathu ezizoqinisa ukwethembela kwethu emandleni kaJehova okukhulula abantu bakhe.

UKUSINDA KUZAMCOLO WEMBULUNGA YONKE

4. Kungani isikhathi sasibalulekile endabeni kaZamcolo?

⁴ Okokuqala, cabanga ngendaba kaZamcolo wosuku  lukaNowa. Ukuze intando kaJehova ifezeke, isikhathi sasibalulekile. Umsebenzi omkhulu wokwakha umkhumbi kwakudingeka uqedwe nezilwane zifakwe kuwo ngokuphepha ngaphambi kokuba isikhukhula siqale. Ukulandisa kukaGenesise kwembula ukuthi uJehova akazange alinde ukuba kwakhiwe umkhumbi kuqala andukuba anqume ukuthi uzowuletha nini uzamcolo, njengokungathi wayedinga ukushintsha isikhathi uma kwenzeka ukwakha umkhumbi kungapheli ngesikhathi. Kunalokho, uNkulunkulu wabeka isikhathi uZamcolo owawuzoqala ngaso kusasele isikhathi eside ngaphambi kokuba akhulume noNowa ngendaba yokwakha umkhumbi. Sikwazi kanjani lokho?

5. Isiphi isinqumo uJehova asenza ngokwamazwi akuGenesise 6:3, futhi wasikhipha nini lesi sinqumo?

⁵ IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi uJehova wasikhipha ezulwini isinqumo. NgokukaGenesise 6:3, wathi: “Umoya wami ngeke usebenze njalo kumuntu lokhu futhi eyinyama. Ngakho izinsuku zakhe zizoba iminyaka eyikhulu namashumi amabili.” La mazwi ayenganikezi isilinganiso sesikhathi umuntu ayezosiphila. Ayeyisinqumo sokwahlulela uJehova asho kuso ukuthi wayezokuqeda nini ukungamesabi kwabantu emhlabeni. * Njengoba uZamcolo waqala ngo-2370 B.C.E., siphetha ngokuthi uNkulunkulu wawasho ngo-2490 B.C.E. la mazwi. Ngaleso sikhathi, uNowa wayeneminyaka engu-480 ubudala. (Gen. 7:6) UNowa waqala ukuzala amadodana akhe eminyakeni engaba ngu-20 kamuva, ngo-2470 B.C.E. (Gen. 5:32) Kwakusasele iminyaka engaba yikhulu ngaphambi kokuba uZamcolo uqale, kodwa nangaleso sikhathi uJehova wayengakamembuleli uNowa indima ekhethekile ayezoba nayo ekulondolozweni kwabantu. UNkulunkulu wayeyolinda isikhathi esingakanani ngaphambi kokuba amtshele uNowa?

6. UJehova wamyala nini uNowa ukuba akhe umkhumbi?

⁶ Kusobala ukuthi uJehova walinda amashumi eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba embulele uNowa lokho ayezokwenza. Yini esenza sifinyelele kulesi siphetho? Ukulandisa okuphefumulelwe kubonisa ukuthi amadodana kaNowa ayesekhulile futhi eseshadile lapho uNkulunkulu emyala ukuba akhe umkhumbi. UJehova wamtshela: “Ngimisa nawe isivumelwano sami; kumelwe ungene emkhunjini, wena namadodana akho nomkakho nabafazi bamadodana akho.” (Gen. 6:9-18) Ngakho-ke, kungenzeka ukuthi lapho uNowa ethola umyalo wokwakha umkhumbi, kwakusele iminyaka engu-40 noma engu-50 kuphela kufike uZamcolo.

7. (a) UNowa nomkhaya wakhe balubonisa kanjani ukholo? (b) UNkulunkulu wagcina emtshele nini uNowa isikhathi esiqondile uZamcolo owawuyoqala ngaso?

⁷ Njengoba umsebenzi wokwakha umkhumbi wawuqhubeka, uNowa nomkhaya wakhe kumelwe ukuba babezibuza ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyoyifeza kanjani injongo yakhe nokuthi uZamcolo wawuyoqala nini. Noma kunjalo, ukungayazi kwabo leyo mininingwane akubavimbanga ukuba bakhe umkhumbi. Ukulandisa kwemiBhalo kuthi: “UNowa wenza njengakho konke uNkulunkulu ayemyale ngakho. Wenza kanjalo nje.” (Gen. 6:22) Ekugcineni, sekusele izinsuku ezingu-7 ngaphambi kokuba uqale uzamcolo—isikhathi esasanele ukuba uNowa nomkhaya wakhe bafake izilwane emkhunjini—uJehova wamtshela isikhathi esiqondile uZamcolo owawuyoqala ngaso. Ngakho, lapho amasango ezikhukhula amazulu evuleka “ngonyaka wamakhulu ayisithupha wokuphila kukaNowa, ngenyanga yesibili, ngosuku lweshumi nesikhombisa lwenyanga,” konke kwase kumi ngomumo.—Gen. 7:1-5, 11.

8. Indaba kaZamcolo isenza kanjani simethembe uJehova ukuthi uyasazi isikhathi sokukhulula abantu bakhe?

 ⁸ Indaba kaZamcolo ayifakazeli nje kuphela ukuthi uJehova unguMgcini-sikhathi kodwa nokuthi unguMkhululi. Njengoba ebala izinsuku ezisalele lesi simiso sezinto, singaqiniseka ngokuthi yonke into uJehova ayihlosile iyokwenzeka ngesikhathi sakhe asimisile, ngalo kanye ‘usuku nehora.’—Math. 24:36; funda uHabakuki 2:3.

UKUKHULULWA OLWANDLE OLUBOMVU

9, 10. UJehova wabasebenzisa kanjani abantu bakhe ukuze acuphe amabutho aseGibhithe?

⁹ Sesibonile ukuthi uJehova usilawula ngokuphelele isikhathi sezenzakalo eziphathelene nokufezeka kwenjongo yakhe. Isibonelo sesibili esizoxoxa ngaso siqokomisa esinye isizathu esisenza sithembele kuJehova ukuba akhulule abantu bakhe: Uyosebenzisa amandla akhe angenamkhawulo ukuze aqinisekise ukuthi intando yakhe iyenzeka. Amandla kaJehova okukhulula izinceku zakhe aqiniseke kangangokuthi ngezinye izikhathi uye wasebenzisa zona ukuze acuphe izitha zakhe. Yilokho akwenza lapho ekhulula ama-Israyeli ebugqilini baseGibhithe.

¹⁰ Ama-Israyeli aphuma eGibhithe kungenzeka ayebalelwa ezigidini ezintathu. UJehova wenza ukuba uMose awahole ngendlela eyenza uFaro acabange ukuthi ayezulazula ephithene. (Funda u-Eksodusi 14:1-4.) UFaro wayengeka, wahola amabutho akhe bajaha la ma-Israyeli ayeyizigqila zabo, bewavimbezela oLwandle Olubomvu. Kwakubonakala ingekho indlela yokuphunyuka. (Eks. 14:5-10) Nokho, empeleni ama-Israyeli ayengekho engozini. Ngani? Ngoba uJehova wayesezongenela awalwele.

11, 12. (a) UJehova wangenela kanjani ukuze alwele abantu bakhe? (b) Ukungenela kukaNkulunkulu kwaba namuphi umphumela, futhi lokhu kulandisa kusifundisani ngoJehova?

¹¹ ‘Insika yefu’ eyayihola ama-Israyeli yaya emva kwawo, yavimba amabutho kaFaro futhi yenza kwaba mnyama phambi kwawo. Nokho, le nsika yawakhanyisela ngokuyisimangaliso ama-Israyeli kulobo busuku. (Funda u-Eksodusi 14:19, 20.)  UJehova wabe esehlukanisa ulwandle phakathi ngomoya wasempumalanga onamandla, “waguqula ulwandle lwaba umhlabathi owomileyo.” Cishe lokhu kwathatha isikhathi eside, ngoba ukulandisa kuthi: “Ekugcineni abantwana bakwa-Israyeli badabula ulwandle emhlabathini owomileyo.” Ama-Israyeli ayefana nabantu abatotobayo uma eqhathaniswa namabutho kaFaro ayehamba ngezinqola zempi. Noma kunjalo, yayingekho indlela yokuba abaseGibhithe bawafice, ngoba uJehova wayewalwela. “Waliphithizelisa ikamu labaseGibhithe. Wayelokhu ekhumula amasondo ezinqoleni zawo zahamba kanzima.”—Eks. 14:21-25.

¹² Kwathi lapho wonke ama-Israyeli esewelele ngaphesheya, uJehova wathi kuMose: “Yelulela isandla sakho phezu kolwandle, ukuze amanzi abuyele phezu kwabaseGibhithe, izinqola zabo zempi namabutho abo amahhashi.” Njengoba amabutho ayezama ukubalekela amanzi ayeza ngamandla, “uJehova wabathuntuthela phakathi olwandle abaseGibhithe.” Yayingekho indlela yokuphunyuka. “Akukho ngisho noyedwa phakathi kwawo owasala.” (Eks. 14:26-28) Ngaleyo ndlela, uJehova wabonisa ukuthi unamandla okukhulula abantu bakhe kunoma isiphi isimo.

UKUSINDA EKUBHUJISWENI KWEJERUSALEMA

13. Iziphi iziqondiso uJesu azinikeza, futhi yini okungenzeka ukuthi abalandeli bakhe babezibuza yona?

¹³ UJehova uyazi kahle indlela izenzakalo eziyokwenzeka ngayo ukuze kufezeke injongo yakhe. Ukubaluleka kwalokhu kuqokonyiswe esibonelweni sesithathu esizoxoxa ngaso: ukuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema ngekhulu lokuqala. Esebenzisa iNdodana yakhe, uJehova wanika amaKristu ayehlala eJerusalema naseJudiya iziqondiso zokusinda ngaphambi kokuba umuzi ubhujiswe ngo-70 C.E. UJesu wathi: “Lapho nibona isinengiso esibangela incithakalo, njengoba kwakhulunywa ngaso ngoDaniyeli umprofethi, simi endaweni engcwele, . . . khona-ke labo abaseJudiya mabaqale ukubalekela ezintabeni.” (Math. 24:15, 16) Kodwa abalandeli bakaJesu babeyobona kanjani ukuthi lesi siprofetho sesiyagcwaliseka?

14. Izinto ezenzeka zayicacisa kanjani incazelo yeziqondiso zikaJesu?

¹⁴ Njengoba izenzakalo zaziqala ukwenzeka, incazelo yamazwi kaJesu yacaca. Ngo-66 C.E., amabutho amaRoma ayeholwa uCestius Gallus afika eJerusalema ezoqeda ukuvukela kwamaJuda. Lapho amaJuda avukelayo, aziwa ngokuthi amaZelothe, ebalekela enqabeni yethempeli, amabutho amaRoma aqala ukubhodloza udonga lwethempeli. KumaKristu aqaphile, incazelo yamazwi kaJesu yaba sobala: Ibutho lamaqaba namafulege alo ahlobene nokukhonza izithombe (“isinengiso”) lalingene laze lafika odongeni lwethempeli (‘indawo engcwele’). Kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba abalandeli bakaJesu “baqale ukubalekela ezintabeni.” Kodwa babezophuma kanjani emzini owawuvinjezelwe?  Izinto zase zizoshintsha ngendlela engalindelekile.

15, 16. (a) Isiphi isiqondiso esiqondile uJesu asinikeza, futhi kungani kwakubalulekile ukuba abalandeli bakhe basilalele? (b) Ukukhululwa kwethu kuyoxhomeka kuphi?

¹⁵ Ngasizathu simbe, uCestius Gallus namabutho akhe bahoxa eJerusalema babuyela emuva. AmaZelothe abajaha. Njengoba amaqembu alwayo engasekho, lase livulekile ithuba lokuba abalandeli bakaJesu babaleke. UJesu wayebayale ngokuqondile ukuba bashiye izinto zabo ezibonakalayo futhi baphume ngaphandle kokulibala. (Funda uMathewu 24:17, 18.) Ingabe ngempela kwakudingeka bathathe isinyathelo ngokushesha? Kungakabiphi impendulo yaba sobala. Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa, amaZelothe abuya futhi aqala ukuphoqa izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema naseJudiya ukuba zihlanganyele ekuvukeleni. Izimo kulo muzi ngokushesha zaba zimbi kakhulu njengoba amaqembu amaJuda aphikisayo elwela ukubusa. Kwaya ngokuya kuba nzima ukubaleka. Lapho amaRoma ebuya ngo-70 C.E., yayingasekho nhlobo indlela yokubaleka. (Luka 19:43) Labo abazindela base bevalelekile! AmaKristu ayebalekele ezintabeni elalela iziqondiso zikaJesu asinda. Azibonela ngokwawo ukuthi uJehova uyakwazi ukukhulula abantu bakhe. Isiphi isifundo esingasifunda kule ndaba?

¹⁶ Njengoba izenzakalo ziqhubeka phakathi nosizi olukhulu, amaKristu kuyodingeka alalele iziqondiso ezivela eZwini likaNkulunkulu nasenhlanganweni yakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, umyalo kaJesu ‘wokuqala ukubalekela ezintabeni’ uyasebenza nanamuhla. Ukuthi thina siyobaleka kanjani kusazobonakala. * Nokho, singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uyoyicacisa incazelo yalezo ziqondiso lapho kufika isikhathi sokuba sizilandele. Njengoba ukukhululwa kwethu kuyoxhomeka ekulaleleni, senza kahle ngokuzibuza: ‘Ngisabela kanjani eziqondisweni uJehova azinika abantu bakhe manje? Ingabe ngiyashesha ukusabela noma ngiyazindela ukulalela?’—Jak. 3:17.

UKUQINISELWA LOKHO OKUSEZA

17. Isiprofetho sikaHabakuki sembulani ngokuhlaselwa kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu okuzayo?

¹⁷ Manje ake sibuyele ekuhlaseleni kokugcina kukaGogi, okukhulunywe ngakho ekuqaleni. Esiprofethweni esihlobene nakho, uHabakuki wathi: “Ngezwa, futhi isisu sami saqala ukuyaluza; izindebe zami zavevezela lapho zizwa lo msindo; amathambo ami aqala ukubola; futhi ngayaluza ngisesimweni sami, ukuze ngilulindele buthule usuku losizi, ukukhuphukela kwakhe [uNkulunkulu] kubantu [amabutho asongelayo], ukuze abathelekele.” (Hab. 3:16) Ukuzwa nje umbiko wokuhlaselwa kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu okwakusondela kwaxhaphazelisa amathumbu alo mprofethi, izindebe zakhe zavevezela futhi waphelelwa amandla. Indlela uHabakuki asabela ngayo ibonisa ukuthi isimo siyobonakala sibucayi kangakanani lapho amabutho kaGogi esithelekela. Noma kunjalo, lo mprofethi wayezimisele ukululinda buthule usuku olukhulu lukaJehova, enethemba lokuthi uJehova uyobakhulula abantu bakhe. Nathi singaqiniseka ngendlela efanayo.—Hab. 3:18, 19.

18. (a) Kungani singenasizathu sokwesaba ukuhlasela okuzayo? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁸ Izibonelo ezintathu esixoxe ngazo zibonisa ukuthi ngokuqinisekile uJehova uyayazi indlela yokukhulula abantu bakhe. Injongo yakhe ngeke ibhuntshe; nakanjani uyonqoba. Nokho, ukuze sihlanganyele kulokho kunqoba okukhazimulayo, kumelwe sihlale sithembekile kuze kube sekupheleni. UJehova usisiza kanjani ukuba sigcine ubuqotho bethu manje? Lokho kuzoxoxwa ngakho esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

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Ingabe ama-Israyeli ake aba sengozini yokuqothulwa ibutho likaFaro?