ISahluko 24
Isigijimi Esimnandi Kodwa Esibabayo
Umbono 6—IsAmbulo 10:1–11:19
Isihloko: Umbono womqulu omncane; okuhlangenwe nakho kwasethempelini; ukushaywa kwecilongo lesikhombisa
Isikhathi sokugcwaliseka: Kusukela ekubekweni kukaJesu esihlalweni sobukhosi ngo-1914 kuya osizini olukhulu
1, 2. (a) Waba yini umphumela kamaye wesibili, futhi kunini lapho lo maye kuyothiwa uphelile? (b) Ubani manje uJohane ambona ehla ezulwini?
UMAYE wesibili ubungobhubhisayo. Uye wahlupha eLobukholwa nabaholi balo, “ingxenye yesithathu yabantu,” abadalulwa kanjalo njengabafile ngokomoya. (IsAmbulo 9:15) Kumelwe ukuba uJohane wazibuza emva kwalokho ukuthi umaye wesithathu wawungase uletheni. Kodwa yima! Umaye wesibili awukapheli—ngeke uphele singakafinyeleli ephuzwini elilotshwe kusAmbulo 11:14. Ngaphambi kwalokho, uJohane kumelwe abone ukushintsha kwezenzakalo yena ngokwakhe anengxenye kukho. Kuqala ngombono osabekayo:
2 “Ngabona enye ingelosi enamandla yehla ivela ezulwini, ivunule ngefu, kunothingo ekhanda layo, ubuso bayo bunjengelanga, nezinyawo zayo zinjengezinsika zomlilo.”—IsAmbulo 10:1.
3. (a) Ingubani “ingelosi enamandla”? (b) Lusho ukuthini uthingo phezu kwekhanda layo?
3 Ingubani le “ngelosi enamandla”? Ngokusobala nguJesu Kristu okhazinyulisiwe ekwesinye isabelo. Wembethe ifu lokungabonakali, okusikhumbuza amazwi kaJohane angaphambili ngoJesu: “Bhekani! Uyeza kanye namafu, wonke amehlo ayombona, nalabo abamgwazayo.” (IsAmbulo 1:7; qhathanisa noMathewu 17:2-5.) Uthingo phezu kwekhanda lakhe lusikhumbuza umbono kaJohane wangaphambili wesihlalo sobukhosi sikaJehova, ‘sinothingo olubonakala lunjengesimaragidu.’ (IsAmbulo 4:3; qhathanisa noHezekeli 1:28.) Lolo thingo lwalusho ukuthula okuzungeze isihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu. Ngendlela efanayo, lolu thingo olusekhanda lengelosi luyibonakalisa njengesithunywa sokuthula esikhethekile, “iSikhulu Sokuthula” sikaJehova esabikezelwa.—Isaya 9:6, 7.
4. Kusho ukuthini (a) ukuba “njengelanga” kobuso bengelosi enamandla? (b) ukuba kwezinyawo zengelosi “njengezinsika zomlilo”?
4 Ubuso bengelosi enamandla ‘babunjengelanga.’ Ngaphambili, embonweni wakhe kaJesu esethempelini laphezulu, uJohane wayephawulile ukuthi ukubukeka kobuso bukaJesu ‘babunjengelanga likhanya ngamandla alo.’ (IsAmbulo 1:16) UJesu, ‘njengelanga lokulunga,’ ukhazimula enokuphulukisa emaphikweni akhe ukuze kuzuze labo abesaba igama likaJehova. (Malaki 4:2) Akubona ubuso kuphela kodwa futhi nezinyawo zale ngelosi ziyakhazimula, “njengezinsika zomlilo.” Ukuma kwayo okuqinile kungokwaLowo uJehova amnikeze “lonke igunya ezulwini nasemhlabeni.”—Mathewu 28:18; IsAmbulo 1:14, 15.
5. Yini uJohane ayibona esandleni sengelosi enamandla?
5 UJohane ubona okwengeziwe: “Esandleni sayo yayiphethe umqulu omncane uvuliwe. Yabeka unyawo lwayo lwesokunene phezu kolwandle, kodwa olwesobunxele phezu komhlaba.” (IsAmbulo 10:2) Omunye umqulu? Yebo, kodwa manje awunanyathiselwe. Kanye noJohane, singalindela ukuba ngokushesha sibone izambulo ezengeziwe ezivusa amadlingozi. Nokho, okokuqala sinikezwa umbono nesimo salokho okuzolandela.
6. (a) Kungani kufaneleka ukuthi izinyawo zikaJesu ziphezu komhlaba naphezu kolwandle? (b) Lagcwaliseka nini ngokuphelele iHubo 8:5-8?
6 Make sibuyele encazelweni ngoJesu. Izinyawo zakhe ezifana nomlilo ziphezu komhlaba nolwandle, lokho asebenzisa kukho igunya eligcwele. Kunjengoba nje kushiwo ehubeni eliyisiprofetho: “[Wena Jehova] wamenza [uJesu] waba ngaphansana kunabanjengonkulunkulu, wabe usumthwesa umqhele wenkazimulo nobukhazikhazi. Umenza abuse phezu kwemisebenzi yezandla zakho; konke ukubeké ngaphansi kwezinyawo zakhe: izimvu nezimbuzi nezinkomo, konke, nezilwane zasendle futhi, izinyoni zezulu nezinhlanzi zolwandle, noma yini edabula ezindleleni zezilwandle.” (IHubo 8:5-8; bheka futhi amaHebheru 2:5-9.) Leli hubo lagcwaliseka ngokuphelele ngo-1914, lapho uJesu ebekwa njengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu futhi kuqala isikhathi sokuphela. Kanjalo, lokho uJohane akubona lapha embonweni kusebenza kusukela ngalowo nyaka.—IHubo 110:1-6; IzEnzo 2:34-36; Daniyeli 12:4.
Ukuduma Okuyisikhombisa
7. Ingelosi enamandla imemeza ngayiphi indlela, futhi kusho ukuthini ukumemeza kwayo?
7 Umbono kaJohane wale ngelosi enamandla uphazanyiswa ingelosi ngokwayo: “Yakhamuluka ngezwi elikhulu njengalapho nje ingonyama ibhonga. Lapho ikhamuluka, ukuduma kwezulu okuyisikhombisa kwakhuluma amazwi ako.” (IsAmbulo 10:3) Ukumemeza okunamandla kanjalo kwakungakudonsa ukunakekela kukaJohane, kugcizelela ukuthi uJesu ngempela ‘uyiNgonyama yesizwe sakwaJuda.’ (IsAmbulo 5:5) UJohane futhi wayenolwazi lokuthi noJehova, ngezinye izikhathi kuthiwa ‘uyabhonga.’ Ukubhonga kukaJehova kumemezela ngokwesiprofetho ukuqoqwa futhi kuka-Israyeli ongokomoya nokuza ‘kosuku lukaJehova’ olubhubhisayo. (Hoseya 11:10; Joweli 3:14, 16; Amose 1:2; 3:7, 8) Khona-ke, ngokucacile ukubhonga okunjengokwengonyama kwale ngelosi enamandla kubikezela izenzakalo ezinkulu ezifanayo ngolwandle nangomhlaba. Kuyala ukuduma okuyisikhombisa ukuba kukhulume.
8. Ayini ‘amazwi okuduma okuyisikhombisa’?
8 Ngaphambili uJohane ubezwe ukuduma kuvela kusona kanye isihlalo sobukhosi sikaJehova. (IsAmbulo 4:5) Emuva osukwini lukaDavide, ngezinye izikhathi ukuduma okungokoqobo kwakuthiwa ‘kuyizwi likaJehova.’ (IHubo 29:3) Lapho uJehova ememezela ngokuzwakalayo injongo yakhe yokukhazimulisa igama lakhe siqu ezinsukwini zenkonzo kaJesu yasemhlabeni, kwabaningi kwezwakala njengokuduma. (Johane 12:28, 29) Ngakho-ke, kunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi ‘amazwi okuduma okuyisikhombisa’ awukusho kukaJehova ngokwakhe izinjongo zakhe. Iqiniso lokuthi kwakunokuduma “okuyisikhombisa” libonisa ukuphelela kwalokho uJohane akuzwa.
9. Uyini umyalo wezwi elivela ezulwini?
9 Kodwa lalela! Kuzwakala elinye izwi. Likhipha umyalo okumelwe ubonakale uxaka kuJohane: “Lapho ukuduma kwezulu okuyisikhombisa kukhuluma, ngase ngilungele ukuloba; kodwa ngezwa izwi livela ezulwini lithi: ‘Zivale ngophawu izinto ezikhulunywe ukuduma kwezulu okuyisikhombisa, ungazilobi.’” (IsAmbulo 10:4) Kumelwe ukuba uJohane wayekushisekela ukuzwa nokuloba lezo zigijimi ezidumayo, njengoba nje isigaba sikaJohane namuhla siye salindela ngokulangazela ukuba uJehova ambule izinjongo zakhe zaphezulu ukuze zisakazwe. Izambulo ezinjalo ziza kuphela ngesikhathi sikaJehova esimisiwe.—Luka 12:42; bheka futhi uDaniyeli 12:8, 9.
Ukupheleliswa Kwemfihlo Engcwele
10. Ingelosi enamandla ifunga bani, futhi ifungela siphi isimemezelo?
10 Okwamanje, uJehova unesinye isabelo asibekele uJohane. Ngemva kokuba ukuduma okuyisikhombisa kuzwakele, ingelosi enamandla iyakhuluma futhi: “Ingelosi engayibona imi phezu kolwandle naphezu komhlaba yaphakamisela isandla sayo sokunene ezulwini, yafunga Lowo ophila kuze kube phakade naphakade, owadala izulu nezinto ezikulo nomhlaba nezinto ezikuwo nolwandle nezinto ezikulo, yathi: “‘Akusayikuba nakulibala.’” (IsAmbulo 10:5, 6) Ifunga bani ingelosi enamandla? UJesu okhazinyulisiwe akazifungi yena, kodwa ufunga iGunya eliphakeme kunawo wonke, uJehova, uMdali ongenakufa wamazulu nomhlaba. (Isaya 45:12, 18) Ngalesi sifungo, ingelosi iqinisekisa uJohane ukuthi akuyikuba khona ukulibala kuNkulunkulu.
11, 12. (a) Kushiwo ukuthini ngokuthi “akusayikuba nakulibala”? (b) Yini efezwayo?
11 Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe lapha ngokuthi “ukulibala” lithi khroʹnos, ngokwezwi nezwi elisho ukuthi “isikhathi.” Ngenxa yalokho abanye baye baba nomuzwa wokuthi lesi simemezelo sengelosi kufanele sihunyushwe ngokuthi: “Akusayikubakho isikhathi,” njengokungathi isikhathi njengoba sisazi siyophela. Kodwa lapha igama elithi khroʹnos lisetshenziswe ngaphandle komunci ocacile. Ngakho, alisho isikhathi esivamile kodwa, kunalokho, “inkathi yesikhathi.” Ngamanye amazwi, akuyikubakho inkathi yesikhathi eyengeziwe (noma, ukulibala) ngoJehova. Isenzo sesiGreki esithathwe ku-khroʹnos sisetshenzisiwe futhi kumaHebheru 10:37, lapho uPawulu, ecaphuna kuHabakuki 2:3, 4, ebhala ukuthi “lowo ozayo . . . ngeke alibale.”
12 “Akusayikuba nakulibala”—yeka ukuthi lawo mazwi akhanga kanjani esigabeni sikaJohane esigugayo namuhla! Kungayiphi indlela kungekho kulibala? UJohane uyasazisa: “Kodwa ngezinsuku zokubetha kwengelosi yesikhombisa, lapho isizoshaya icilongo layo, imfihlo engcwele kaNkulunkulu ngokwezindaba ezinhle azimemezela ezincekwini zakhe abaprofethi ngempela iyapheleliswa.” (IsAmbulo 10:7) Sesifikile isikhathi sikaJehova sokuba alethe imfihlo yakhe engcwele emvuthwandaba wayo ojabulisayo, ngempumelelo ekhazimulayo!
13. Iyini imfihlo engcwele kaNkulunkulu?
13 Iyini le mfihlo engcwele? Ihilela inzalo eyathenjiswa okokuqala e-Edene, eyabonakala ngokuyinhloko inguJesu Kristu. (Genesise 3:15; 1 Thimothewu 3:16) Ihlangene futhi nokuthi ungubani owesifazane okuphuma kuye iNzalo. (Isaya 54:1; Galathiya 4:26-28) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ihlanganisa amalungu alandelayo esigaba senzalo kanye noMbuso iNzalo ebusa kuwo. (Luka 8:10; Efesu 3:3-9; Kolose 1:26, 27; 2:2; IsAmbulo 1:5, 6) Izindaba ezinhle ngalo Mbuso wasezulwini oyingqayizivele kumelwe zishunyayelwe kuwo wonke umhlaba phakathi nesikhathi sokuphela.—Mathewu 24:14.
14. Kungani umaye wesithathu ehlanganiswa noMbuso kaNkulunkulu?
14 Ngokuqinisekile, lezi izindaba ezingcono kunazo zonke. Nokho, kusAmbulo 11:14, 15, umaye wesithathu uhlanganiswe noMbuso. Kungani? Ngoba kulabo besintu abakhetha isimiso sezinto sikaSathane, ukumenyezelwa kwezindaba ezinhle zokuthi imfihlo engcwele kaNkulunkulu isiphelelisiwe—okungukuthi, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngoMesiya ulapha—kuyizindaba ezimbi. (Qhathanisa neye-2 Korinte 2:16.) Kusho ukuthi uhlelo lwezwe abaluthanda kangaka luseduze nokuba lubhujiswe. Amazwi okuduma okuyisikhombisa, aqukethe izixwayiso ezinjalo ezithusayo, azwakala kakhulu nangokucacile njengoba kusondela usuku olukhulu lukaJehova lwempindiselo.—Zefaniya 1:14-18.
Umqulu Ovulekile
15. Yini uJohane ayitshelwa yizwi elivela ezulwini nayingelosi enamandla, futhi kumthinta kanjani uJohane?
15 Lapho uJohane elindele ukushaywa kwaleli cilongo lesikhombisa nokupheleliswa kwemfihlo engcwele kaNkulunkulu, unikezwa esinye isabelo: “Izwi engalizwa livela ezulwini liyaphinda futhi likhuluma nami lithi: ‘Hamba, uwuthathe umqulu ovulekile osesandleni sengelosi emi phezu kolwandle naphezu komhlaba.’ Ngaya engelosini ngayitshela ukuba inginike umqulu omncane. Yathi kimi: ‘Wuthathe uwudle uwuqede, uzokwenza isisu sakho sibabe, kodwa emlonyeni wakho uzoba mnandi njengoju lwezinyosi.’ Ngawuthatha umqulu omncane esandleni sengelosi ngawudla ngawuqeda, emlonyeni wami wawumnandi njengoju lwezinyosi; kodwa lapho sengiwudlile ngawuqeda, isisu sami sababa. Bathi kimi: ‘Kumelwe uphinde uprofethe ngabantu nezizwe nezilimi namakhosi amaningi.’”—IsAmbulo 10:8-11.
16. (a) Umprofethi uHezekeli waba kanjani nokuhlangenwe nakho okufanayo nokukaJohane? (b) Kungani umqulu omncane wawunambitheka kamnandi kuJohane, kodwa kungani kwababa ukuwetshisa?
16 Okuhlangenwe nakho kukaJohane kuyefana nokomprofethi uHezekeli ngesikhathi sokuthunjelwa kwakhe ezweni laseBhabhiloni. Naye futhi wayalwa ukuba adle umqulu owawunambitheka kamnandi emlonyeni wakhe. Kodwa lapho ususesiswini, wamenza wabikezela izinto ezibabayo ngendlu ka-Israyeli ehlubukayo. (Hezekeli 2:8–3:15) Ngokufanayo umqulu ovulekile uJesu Kristu okhazinyulisiwe awunikeza uJohane uyisigijimi saphezulu. UJohane kumelwe ashumayele ngokuqondene ‘nabantu nezizwe nezilimi namakhosi amaningi.’ Ukudla lo mqulu kumnandi kuye ngoba uvela emthonjeni waphezulu. (Qhathanisa neHubo 119:103; Jeremiya 15:15, 16.) Kodwa ukuthola kubaba ukuwetshisa ngoba—njengoHezekeli ekuqaleni—ubikezela izinto ezimbi ngabantu abahlubukayo.—IHubo 145:20.
17. (a) Obani abatshela uJohane ukuba ‘aphinde’ aprofethe, futhi lokhu kusho ukuthini? (b) Ukufanekisa okuvusa amadlingozi okwabonwa uJohane kwakuzogcwaliseka nini?
17 Ngokungangabazeki labo abatshela uJohane ukuba aphinde aprofethe nguJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu. Nakuba edingiselwe esiqhingini sasePhatmose, uJohane useprofethile kakade ngokuqondene nabantu, nezizwe, nezilimi, nangamakhosi ngokwaziswa osekulotshiwe kuze kube manje encwadini yesAmbulo. Igama elithi “uphinde” lisho ukuthi kumelwe alobe futhi asakaze konke okunye ukwaziswa okulotshwe encwadini yesAmbulo. Kodwa khumbula, uJohane lapha eqinisweni uhlanganyela embonweni ongokwesiprofetho. Lokho akulobayo, eqinisweni, kuyisiprofetho okumelwe sigcwaliseke ngemva kuka-1914, lapho ingelosi enamandla ima igxamalaza phakathi komhlaba nolwandle. Khona-ke, kusho ukuthini lokhu kufanekisa okuvusa amadlingozi esigabeni sikaJohane namuhla?
Umqulu Omncane Namuhla
18. Ekuqaleni kosuku lweNkosi, yisiphi isithakazelo isigaba sikaJohane esasibonisa encwadini yesAmbulo?
18 Okubonwa uJohane kukufanekisela ngokuphawulekayo okuhlangenwe nakho kwesigaba sikaJohane ekuqaleni kosuku lweNkosi. Ukuqonda kwabo izinjongo zikaJehova, kuhlanganise nalokho okushiwo ukuduma okuyisikhombisa, kwakungaphelele ngaleso sikhathi. Nokho, babenesithakazelo esijulile encwadini yesAmbulo, futhi uCharles Taze Russell wayekhulumele izingxenye eziningi zayo ngesikhathi esaphila. Ngemva kokufa kwakhe ngo-1916, eminingi yemibhalo yakhe yaqoqwa futhi yasakazwa encwadini eyayinesihloko esithi The Finished Mystery. Nokho, ngemva kwesikhathi, le ncwadi yabonakala ingenelisi njengencazelo yesAmbulo. Insali yabafowabo bakaKristu kwadingeka ilindele isikhashana, kuze kube yilapho umbono uqala ukugcwaliseka, ukuze ithole ukuqonda okunembile kwalowo mbhalo ophefumlelwe.
19. (a) Isigaba sikaJohane sasetshenziswa kanjani uJehova uNkulunkulu ngisho nangaphambi kokuba amazwi okuduma okuyisikhombisa asakazwe ngokugcwele? (b) Isigaba sikaJohane sanikezwa nini umqulu omncane ovuliwe, futhi lokhu kwasho ukuthini ngaso?
19 Nokho, njengoJohane, yasetshenziswa uJehova ngisho nangaphambi kokuba amazwi okuduma okuyisikhombisa asakazwe ngokugcwele. Yayishumayele ngentshiseko iminyaka engu-40 ngaphambi kuka-1914, futhi yayilwile ukuze ihlale ikhuthele phakathi nempi yezwe yokuqala. Yayizibonakalise iyileyo, okwathi inkosi ifika, yatholakala inikeza abendlu ukudla ngesikhathi esifanele. (Mathewu 24:45-47) Kanjalo, ngo-1919 iyona eyanikezwa umqulu omncane ovulekile—okungukuthi, isigijimi esisobala ukuba isishumayele esintwini. NjengoHezekeli yayinesigijimi senhlangano engathembekile—eLobukholwa—eyayizisholo ukuthi ikhonza uNkulunkulu, kodwa, eqinisweni, kungenjalo. NjengoJohane kwakumelwe ishumayele ngokwengeziwe ngokuqondene ‘nabantu, nezizwe, nezilimi, namakhosi amaningi.’
20. Kwafanekiselani ukudla kukaJohane umqulu?
20 Ukudla kukaJohane umqulu kwakufanekisela ukuthi abafowabo bakaJesu bayasemukela lesi sabelo. Saba yingxenye yabo kwaze kwaba sezingeni lokuthi manje base behlanganiswa nale ngxenye yeZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumlelwe, bondliwa yiyo. Kodwa lokho okwakumelwe bakushumayele kwakuqukethe ukuboniswa kwezahlulelo zikaJehova ezazinganambitheki kwabaningi besintu. Ngempela, kwakuhlanganisa izinhlupho ezabikezelwa kusAmbulo isahluko 8. Nokho, kwakumnandi kula maKristu athembekile ukwazi lezo zahlulelo nokuqaphela ukuthi ayesetshenziswa uJehova futhi ekuzimemezeleni.—IHubo 19:9, 10.
21. (a) Isigijimi somqulu omncane siye saba kanjani esimnandi nasesixukwini esikhulu? (b) Kungani izindaba ezinhle zizimbi kubaphikisi?
21 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, isigijimi salo mqulu saba mnandi futhi ‘nasesixukwini esikhulu esiphuma kuzo zonke izizwe nezinhlanga nabantu nezilimi,’ esatholakala sibubula ngenxa yezinto ezinengekayo esasizibona zenziwa kweLobukholwa. (IsAmbulo 7:9; Hezekeli 9:4) Laba, futhi, bamemezela ngentshiseko izindaba ezinhle, besebenzisa amazwi amnandi, nawomusa ukuze bachaze ilungiselelo likaJehova elimangalisayo ngamaKristu anjengezimvu. (IHubo 37:11, 29; Kolose 4:6) Kodwa kubaphikisi, lokhu kuyizindaba ezimbi. Ngani? Zisho ukuthi isimiso abathembele kuso—okungenzeka nokuthi siye sabalethela ukwaneliseka kwesikhashana—kumelwe sihambe. Kubona, izindaba ezinhle zisho ukulahlwa.—Filipi 1:27, 28; qhathanisa noDuteronomi 28:15; 2 Korinte 2:15, 16.
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Isigaba sikaJohane nabangane baso bamemezela isigijimi esimnandi kodwa esibabayo kuso sonke isintu