Imihla Yokugqibela Inini?

ULINDIXESHA iSky & Telescope uthi: “Ngaphezu nje kancinane kweminyaka eliwaka lezigidi silindele ukuba uMhlaba ubharhe, ube ngumqwebedu uze ube yintlango. Kuya kuba nzima kwiintlobo ngeentlobo zezinto eziphilayo.” Kutheni kuza kuba njalo nje? Ulindixesha iAstronomy walek’ umsundulu esithi: “Le ntlekele yinyaniso ebuhlungu—engaphephekiyo.”

Noko ke, iBhayibhile ithi: “[UThixo] useke umhlaba phezu kweendawo omiswe kuzo; awuyi kushukunyiswa ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo, okanye nangonaphakade.” (INdumiso 104:5) Ngokuqinisekileyo uMdali unokuwulondoloza umhlaba. “Wawubumba ukuba umiwe.” (Isaya 45:18) Kodwa akazange awubumbele ukuba umiwe ngabantu abangendawo nabafayo. UThixo umisele ixesha lokubuyiselwa kolawulo lwakhe—ngoBukumkani athetha ngabo kuDaniyeli 2:44.

UYesu washumayela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. Wathetha ngexesha lokugwetywa kweentlanga nabantu. Walumkisa ngembandezelo enkulu kunayo nayiphi na eyakhe yenzeka. Wachaza umqondiso oyintlanganisela ukubonisa ukuba sasiza kuba nini isiphelo sehlabathi njengokuba sisazi ukuba sasiza kube sisemnyango.—Mateyu 9:35; Marko 13:19; Luka 21:7-11; Yohane 12:31.

Kwainto yokuba umntu obalasele njengoYesu athethe ngezo zinto kwaxhokonxa iingcinga zabantu abaninzi. Zaziza kwenzeka nini ezi ziganeko? Abanye baye bafunda iziprofeto zeBhayibhile nobalo-maxesha, befuna ukuqonda ukuba sasiza kuba nini kanye kanye isiphelo. Omnye wabantu abaphanda loo mxholo yingcali yezibalo eyayiphila ngenkulungwane ye-17, uIsaac Newton, owafumanisa umthetho womxhuzulane.

UYesu wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Asikokwenu ukwazi amaxesha okanye amathuba uBawo awabeke ngegunya lakhe.” (IZenzo 1:7) Xa wayechaza umqondiso “wobukho [bakhe] nowokupheliswa kwenkqubo yezinto,” wathi: “Akukho bani uwaziyo loo mhla nelo lixa, azazi neengelosi zamazulu engazi noNyana, kodwa nguBawo kuphela.” (Mateyu 24:3, 36) Emva kokuthelekisa ukutshatyalaliswa kwehlabathi elingendawo lexesha likaNowa nentshabalalo eyayiza kwenzeka ngexesha ‘lobukho boNyana womntu,’ uYesu wathi: “Hlalani nilindile, ngenxa yokuba aniwazi umhla eza ngawo iNkosi yenu.”—Mateyu 24:39, 42.

Ngoxa elona xesha lokutshatyalaliswa kwale “nkqubo yezinto” singalichazelwanga, “umqondiso” owanikelwa nguYesu wawuza kusenza sazi ukuba sinxayiphi nomsinga wexesha obizwa ngokuba ‘yimihla yokugqibela.’ (2 Timoti 3:1) Yayiza kuba lixesha lokuba ‘sihlale silindile’ ukuze ‘siphumelele ekubalekeni zonke izinto ezimiselwe ukubakho.’—Luka 21:36.

Ngaphambi kokuba uYesu, achaze lo mqondiso walumkisa wathi: “Lumkani ningalahlekiswa; kuba abaninzi baya kuza egameni lam, besithi, ‘Ndinguye,’ nokuthi, ‘Ixesha elililo lisondele.’ Musani ukubalandela. Ngapha koko, xa nisiva ngeemfazwe nezidubedube, ningankwantyi. Kuba ezi zinto zimele zibekho kuqala, kodwa isiphelo asibikho ngoko nangoko.”—Luka 21:8, 9.

Uyintoni Lo Mqondiso?

Esixelela ukuba uya kuba yintoni umqondiso wemihla yokugqiba, uYesu wahlabela mgama esithi: “Uhlanga luya kuvukelana nohlanga, nobukumkani buvukelane nobukumkani; kuya kubakho iinyikima zomhlaba ezinkulu, neendyikitya zokufa nokunqongophala kokutya kwiindawo ngeendawo; kuya kubakho imibono eyoyikekayo nemiqondiso emikhulu ezulwini.” (Luka 21:10, 11) UYesu woleka wathi: “Ezi ndaba zilungileyo zobukumkani ziya kushunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba omiweyo kube bubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga; kwandule ke kufike ukuphela.” (Mateyu 24:14) Iziganeko ezakhankanywa nguYesu—ezinjengeemfazwe, iinyikima, izifo, ukunqongophala kokutya yayingezozinto zintsha. Kwakude kudala zazisenzeka, umahluko kukuba zazizakwenzeka ngaxeshanye.

Zibuze,“ezi ziganeko kuthethwa ngazo kwincwadi zeVangeli zenzeka nini ngaxeshanye?’ Ukususela ngonyaka we-1914, abantu baye babona iimfazwe zehlabathi eziye zaqengq’ ugodo; iinyikima zomhlaba eziye zanemiphumo ebuhlungu, njengetsunami; izifo ezisuba ubomi babantu njengesifo seengcongconi, iflu nesifo sikaGawulayo, izigidi zabantu zifa minyaka le ngenxa yenxele likaKetsekile; ukutshintsha kwemozulu ehlabathini lonke, ubugrogrisi, izixhobo ezinokutshabalalisa bonke abantu abaphila emhlabeni, ukushumayela kwamaNgqina kaYehova iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo bamazulu ehlabathini lonke. Ezi ziganeko ziye zenzeka kanye njengokuba uYesu wayexele kwangaphambili.

Ungakulibali oko kwabhalwa ngumpostile uPawulos wathi: “Kwazi oku, ukuba ngemihla yokugqibela kuya kufika amaxesha amanqam ekunzima ukujamelana nawo. Kuba abantu baya kuba ngabazithandayo, abathandi bemali, abazidlayo, abanekratshi, abanyelisi, abangathobeli bazali, abangenambulelo, abanganyanisekanga, abangenawo umsa wemvelo, abangayifuni kwaphela imvisiswano, abanyelisi, abangenakuzeyisa, iindlobongela, abangathandi kulunga, abangcatshi, abaneentloko ezilukhuni, abakhukhumele likratshi, abathandi beziyolo kunokuba bathande uThixo, benembonakalo yozinikelo lobuthixo kodwa bengaphili ngokuvisisana nalo.” (2 Timoti 3:1-5) Ewe, “amaxesha amanqam” ayeya kugqwesa ngokuchas’ umthetho, ukungabi nabuthixo, inkohlakalo nogonyamelo ehlabathini jikelele.a

Kodwa ngaba ‘imihla yokugqibela’ eyandulela isiphelo iseza? Ngaba bukho ubungqina obubonisa ixesha eya kuqala ngalo?

Liya Kuqalisa Nini ‘Ixesha Lesiphelo’?

Emva kokuba umprofeti uDaniyeli eye waboniswa izinto ezaziza kwenzeka kwixesha elizayo, umprofeti uDaniyeli waxelelwa ukuba: “Ngelo xesha [“ngexesha lesiphelo” elikhankanywe kuDaniyeli 11:40] uMikayeli [uYesu Kristu] inkosana enkulu emela oonyana babantu bakowenu.” (Daniyeli 12:1) Wayeza kwenza ntoni uMikayeli?

Incwadi yeSityhilelo ikhankanya ixesha apho uMikayeli wayeza kuba nguKumkani. Ithi: “Kwabakho imfazwe ezulwini: UMikayeli neengelosi zakhe balwa idabi nenamba, yazilwela nayo inamba kunye neengelosi zayo kodwa ayizange yoyise, azabi safunyanelwa ndawo ezulwini. Ngoko yaphoswa phantsi inamba enkulu, inyoka yantlandlolo, leyo ibizwa ngokuba nguMtyholi, noSathana, lowo ulahlekisa umhlaba omiweyo uphela; waphoswa phantsi emhlabeni, neengelosi zakhe zaphoswa phantsi kunye naye. Ngoko chulumancani, nina mazulu nani nihlala kuwo! Yeha kuwo umhlaba nakulo ulwandle, ngenxa yokuba uhlile weza kuni uMtyholi, enomsindo omkhulu, esazi ukuba ixesha analo lifutshane.”—ISityhilelo 12:7-9, 12.

Ubalo maxesha lweBhayibhile lubonisa ukuba eli dabi lokucocwa kwamazulu kugxothwa uSathana needemon zakhe laliza kubangela ukuba kubekho ooyeha emhlabeni ngenxa yomsindo kaMtyholi kuba wayesazi ukuba ixesha eliseleyo lokuba alawule umhlaba lincinane. Umsindo wakhe wawuza kuthabath’ unyawo kule mihla yokugqibela ade oyiswe ngokupheleleyo kwimfazwe yeArmagedon.—ISityhilelo 16:14, 16; 19:11, 15; 20:1-3.

Emva kokukhankanya umphumo welo dabi lasezulwini, umpostile uYohane wathi: “Ndaza ndeva ilizwi elikhulu ezulwini lisithi: ‘Ngoku lufikile usindiso namandla nobukumkani boThixo wethu negunya likaKristu wakhe, ngenxa yokuba uye waphoswa phantsi ummangaleli wabazalwana bethu, obamangalela imini nobusuku phambi koThixo wethu!’” (ISityhilelo 12:10) Ngaba usiphawule isiganeko sokumiselwa koBukumkani ngaphantsi kukaKristu? Ewe, obo Bukumkani basezulwini bamiselwa ngowe-1914.b Noko ke, njengokuba INdumiso 110:2 ibonisa, ukuba uYesu wayeza kulawula ‘phakathi kweentshaba zakhe’ kude kube lixesha apho uBukumkani bulawula wonke umhlaba njengasezulwini.—Mateyu 6:10.

Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, ingelosi eyaxelela umprofeti uDaniyeli iziganeko ezizayo yathi: “Wena ke, Daniyeli, wagcine eyimfihlelo la mazwi, uyitywine incwadi leyo, kude kube lixesha lesiphelo. Abaninzi baya kuphengulula, yaye ulwazi lokwenyaniso luya kuba luninzi.” (Daniyeli 12:4) Oku kunikela ubungqina obungakumbi bokuba ‘sikwixesha lesiphelo.’ Intsingiselo yezi ziprofeto sele isaziwa yaye ivakaliswa ehlabathini ngokubanzi.c

Iya Kuphela Nini “Imihla Yokugqibela”?

Alichazwanga ngokungqalileyo ixesha eliya kuphela ngalo ixesha lesiphelo eBhayibhileni. Kule mihla yokugqibela, imeko yalapha emhlabeni imele ibe mandundu ngakumbi njengokuba ixesha likaSathana lixhatshwa yinja. Umpostile uPawulos walumkisa wathi: “Abantu abangendawo namabhedengu baya kuhambela phambili ebubini, belahlekisa yaye belahlekiswa.” (2 Timoti 3:13) Xa wayethetha ngezinto ezizayo, uYesu wathi: “Loo mihla iya kuba yimihla yembandezelo ekungazange kubekho injengayo ukususela ekuqaleni kwendalo awayidalayo uThixo de kwalelo xesha, kwaye ayisayi kubakho kwakhona. Enyanisweni, ngaphandle kokuba uYehova ayinqumle loo mihla, bekungayi kubakho nyama isindayo. Kodwa ngenxa yabanyuliweyo abo aye wabanyula uyinqumle loo mihla.”—Marko 13:19, 20.

Ezinye zezinto ezisaza kwenzeka, ‘yimbandezelo enkulu,’ kuquka imfazwe eyiArmagedon, nokuvalelwa kukaSathana needemon zakhe ukuze bangabi nampembelelo emhlabeni. (Mateyu 24:21) “UThixo, ongenakuxoka,” uye wasiqinisekisa ukuba ezi zinto ziya kwenzeka. (Tito 1:2)) Idabi iArmagedon nokuvalelwa kukaSathana enzonzobileni ziya kwenzeka ngenxa yokungenelela kukaThixo.

Umpostile uPawulos waphefumlelwa ukuba axele izinto ezaziza kwandulela intshabalalo. Waphinda wabhala wathi: “Mayela namaxesha namathuba. . . imini kaYehova iza kanye njengesela ebusuku. Xa besithi: “Luxolo nonqabiseko!” iya kwandula ke intshabalalo yequbuliso ibafikele ngephanyazo kanye njengenimba kumfazi omithiyo; yaye abasayi kuze basinde. (1 Tesalonika 5:1-3) Asichazwa isizathu sokuba abantu balilisele ngokuba “luxolo nonqabiseko,”d lixesha kuphela eliya kusixelela; kodwa alisayi kukuthintela ukuza kwemini kaYehova yomgwebo.

Ukuba siyazikholelwa ezi ziprofeto, ukwazi ezi zibakala kumele kusishukumisele esenzweni. Ngayiphi indlela? UPetros uphendula athi: “Ekubeni ke zonke ezi zinto ziza kuchithakala, luhlobo luni lwabantu enifanele nibe lulo ngokuphathelele ihambo engcwele nezenzo zozinikelo lobuthixo, nihlale nibulindile yaye nibukhumbula ubukho bemini kaYehova!” (2 Petros 3:11, 12) Usenokuzibuza uthi: ‘Inanto yakwenza nantoni lonto nam?’ Inqaku elilandelayo liza kuwuphendula lo mbuzo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 5]

UYesu wathi nguThixo kuphela owaziyo “lo mhla neyure”

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 4]

UMhlekazi uIsaac Newton

[Inkcazelo]

© A. H. C./age fotostock

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 7]

Umqondiso owanikelwa nguYesu ubuzaliseka ukususela ngowe-1914

[Inkcazelo]

© Heidi Bradner/Panos Pictures

© Paul Smith/Panos Pictures