Siku ambazo tunaishi kwa hakika ni nyakati za hatari kama vile Mtume Paulo alivyotabiri katika 2 Tim. 3:1-5 “...Kutakuwa na nyakati za hatari katika siku za mwisho. Watu watakuwa wenye kujipenda wenyewe, wenye kupenda fedha, wenye kujisifu, wenye kiburi, wenye kutukana, wasiotii wazazi wao, wasio na shukrani, wasio watakatifu, wasio na upendo, wasiosamehe, wasingiziaji, wasiojizuia, wakatili, wasiopenda mema, wasaliti, wasio na akili; wenye majivuno, wapendao anasa kuliko kumpenda Mungu, wenye namna ya utauwa, lakini wakikana nguvu zake."

The days in which we are living are indeed perilous times just as the Apostle Paul predicted in 2 Tim. 3:1-5 “...There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

Je, hili halionyeshi kwa usahihi ulimwengu tunamoishi? Ustaarabu mkubwa wa zamani ulianguka kwa sababu ya ufisadi. Kanuni zozote za kimawazo ambazo wangeweza kuwa nazo mwanzoni ziliachwa hivi karibuni na kubadilishwa na uovu na ubinafsi. Misri, Babeli, Uajemi, Ugiriki, Rumi, ni mifano ya kihistoria inayoonekana zaidi. Kwa sababu ya hali ya kuzorota kwa maadili, ufisadi, kutokana Mungu, na jeuri, jambo la kweli la ulimwenguni pote leo, tunaweza kutazamia nini isipokuwa kuporomoka kwa ustaarabu wa kisasa?

Does this not reflect accurately the world in which we live? All of the great civilizations of the past collapsed because of corruption. Whatever idealistic principles they might have had at their beginnings were soon abandoned and replaced with evil and selfishness. Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, are the most apparent historical examples. Due to the condition of moral degradation, corruption, atheism, and violence, a truly world-wide phenomenon today, what can we expect but the collapse of modern civilization?

Wanadamu leo ​​wanaishi katika hali ya kutokuwa na uhakika na ukosefu wa usalama. Mfumo wa fedha duniani ni hatari, kusema mdogo. Njaa, njaa na ukame vinatawala katika nchi nyingi; UKIMWI ni janga duniani; mashoga huishi mtindo wao wa maisha kwa uwazi, wakionyesha hadharani hadi mwisho wa kuyafanya maisha yao kuwa yanayokubalika na mbadala. Ongezeko la joto duniani, linaloletwa na uchafuzi wa mwanadamu wa angahewa, linakuwa tatizo la ulimwenguni pote. Silaha za nyuklia ziko katika milki ya nchi nyingi zinazojulikana kwa kutokuwa na utulivu ambayo inaweza kusababisha maafa ghafla kwa wale ambao wanazuia malengo yao ya ubinafsi. Kulipiza kisasi kwa nyuklia kuna uwezo wa kuharibu dunia na wakaaji wake wote. Nchi ndogo ambazo hazikuwa na madhara miaka michache iliyopita sasa zinachukua mamlaka kubwa ya ulimwengu. Umoja wa Mataifa kama kikosi cha kulinda amani duniani karibu hauna nguvu katika jitihada zake za kuleta aina fulani ya utulivu kwa wanadamu. Kwa hivyo, ulimwengu unaonekana kuyumba-yumba kwenye ukingo wa uharibifu--bomu la muda linalongojea kulipuka. Ikifikia hatua hii, yaonekana kuwa jambo la akili kuuliza: “Je, Mungu ataruhusu mwanadamu ajiharibu mwenyewe na mazingira yake pia?” “Je, Atairuhusu dunia kuwa mahali pasipokalika?” Hili ndilo tatizo linalosumbua fikra za siku hizi. Uvumi wote duniani hauwezi kujibu maswali haya. Ni Biblia pekee inayofunua kwa uwazi majibu ya maswali haya, kwa kuwa Mungu, na wale ambao amewafunulia mipango yake, pekee wanajua matokeo yajayo. Tukija kwenye Neno la Mungu, tunaona kwamba kwa kweli ana mpango hususa kwa ajili ya wanadamu, ambao umejulikana kimbele na kuanza wakati mwanadamu alipoumbwa miaka elfu sita hivi iliyopita.

Mankind today is living in a climate of uncertainty and insecurity. The world’s monetary system is precarious, to say the least. Famine, starvation and droughts prevail in many countries; AIDS is epidemic in the world; homosexuals live their lifestyle openly, demonstrating publicly to the end of making theirs an acceptable, alternate lifestyle. Global warming, brought about by man’s pollution of the atmosphere, is becoming a world-wide problem. Nuclear weapons are in the possession of many countries known for their instability which could suddenly cause untold disaster to those who get in the way of their selfish goals. Nuclear retaliation has the power to destroy the earth and all its inhabitants. Little countries that were harmless a few years ago now take on the huge world powers. The United Nations as a world peacekeeping force is almost powerless in its efforts to bring some kind of stability to mankind. Thus, the world seems to be tottering on the brink of destruction--a time-bomb just waiting to blow up. Coming to this point, it seems reasonable to ask: “Will God allow man to destroy himself and his environment as well?” “Will He allow the earth to become an uninhabitable place?” This is the dilemma that troubles today’s thinking minds. All the speculation in the world is not able to answer these questions. Only the Bible reveals clearly the answers to these questions, for God, and those to whom He has revealed His plans, alone know the future outcome. Coming to God’s Word, we find that He indeed has a definite plan for mankind, foreknown and set in motion at man’s creation some six thousand years ago.

Je, ni mpango gani huu na tumaini zuri ajabu ambalo Muumba wetu ametuwekea? Ingawa bado kutakuwa na uharibifu zaidi juu ya dunia hii kutokana na pupa na ubinafsi wa mwanadamu, tuna ahadi ya kwamba dunia hudumu milele na kwamba Mungu atatimiza kusudi ambalo iliiumbiwa, kuwa mahali pa mwanadamu kukaa. Tunasoma hili katika Isaya 45:18 : “Maana BWANA asema hivi, yeye aliyeziumba mbingu, yeye ndiye Mungu; yeye aliyeiumba na kuifanya dunia, ndiye aliyeiweka msingi; hakuiumba ukiwa, bali aliiumba ili ikaliwe na watu; asema, Mimi ni BWANA, wala hapana mwingine. Ili kuthibitisha ahadi hii, Mungu anatuambia zaidi katika Isaya 55:11, “Ndivyo lilivyo neno langu, litokalo katika kinywa changu, halitanirudia bure, bali litatimiza mapenzi yangu, na kulitimiza kusudi nililolituma. .”

Just what is this plan and wonderful hope our Creator holds out to us? Though there will still be more destruction on this earth due to man’s greed and selfishness, we have the promise that the earth abides forever and that God will accomplish the purpose for which it was created, as a place for man to inhabit. We read this in Isaiah 45:18: “For this is what the LORD says -- he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited -- he says, “I am the LORD, and there is no other.” To verify this promise, God further tell us in Isaiah 55:11, “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

Lakini huenda mtu fulani akauliza, “Ikiwa tunaishi katika siku za mwisho, je, huo haumaanishi mwisho wa mambo yote?” Biblia inafunua kwamba katika Mpango wa Mungu kuna nyakati nyingi. Kila moja ina siku zake za mwisho, ambazo hufuatwa na mwanzo wa enzi nyingine. Mtume Petro anatuambia kuhusu nyakati tatu kama hizo au ulimwengu. Katika 2 Petro 3:6-13 tunasoma: “Kwa maji hayo pia ulimwengu wa wakati ule uligharikishwa na kuharibiwa. Kwa neno lilo hilo mbingu na nchi za sasa zimewekwa akiba kwa moto, zikilindwa hata Siku ya Hukumu na kuangamizwa kwa watu wasiomcha Mungu. Lakini wapenzi, msisahau jambo hili moja: Kwa Bwana siku moja ni kama miaka elfu, na miaka elfu ni kama siku moja. Bwana hakawii kutimiza ahadi yake, kama wengine wanavyokudhani kukawia. Yeye ni mvumilivu kwenu, hapendi mtu ye yote apotee, bali wote wafikilie toba. Lakini siku ya Bwana itakuja kama mwizi. Mbingu zitatoweka kwa kishindo; vitu vya asili vitaharibiwa kwa moto, na dunia na vyote vilivyomo ndani yake vitawekwa wazi. Kwa kuwa kila kitu kitaharibiwa kwa njia hii, je, mnapaswa kuwa watu wa aina gani? Mnapaswa kuishi maisha matakatifu na ya kumcha Mungu huku mkitazamia siku ya Mungu na kuharakisha kuja kwake. Siku hiyo italeta uharibifu wa mbingu kwa moto, na viumbe vya asili vitayeyuka kwa joto. Lakini kama alivyoahidi, tunatazamia mbingu mpya na dunia mpya, makao ya haki.” Ndiyo, siku za mwisho za ulimwengu huu au zama hizi zitafuatwa na enzi nyingine ambayo dunia itakuwa makao ya amani na uadilifu kwa wanadamu wote wanaotii, chini ya utawala wa Mfalme wa Amani, Bwana Yesu Kristo na Kanisa lake.

But someone might ask, “If we are living in the last days, does this not mean the end of all things?” The Bible reveals that in God’s Plan there are many ages. Each one has its own last days, which are followed by the beginning of another age. The Apostle Peter tells us of three such ages or worlds. In 2 Peter 3:6-13 we read: “By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.” Yes, the last days of this present world or age will be followed by another age in which the earth will be the home of peace and righteousness for all mankind who are obedient, under the rule of the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ and His church.