Thembela KuJehova—Hhayi ‘Ozungwini!’
1. Sasiyini isimo senhlangano kaJehova ebonakalayo phakathi neMpi Yezwe I?
PHAKATHI neMpi Yezwe I, izibalo zabantu bakaJehova zancishiswa ngokuphawulekayo ukuhlubuka. Futhi ushushiso olwalubhebhezelwa izitha ezingokwenkolo lwabavuthela. Indlunkulu yabo eseBrooklyn, eNew York, yavalwa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, babengasenalo usizo lukamongameli weNhlangano, unobhala ongumgcini-zimali, umqondisi wehhovisi, umhleli wesikhathi esigcwele, nabanye abameleli beNhlangano abane—bonke ababeboshwe ejele lombuso laseAtlanta, eGeorgia. Kwabonakala sengathi isiphelo sase sifikile ngabaFundi BeBhayibheli abazelwe ngomoya nokuthi ukukhazinyuliswa kwabo kwasezulwini kwase kuseduze. Kodwa kwakungenjalo!
2. Isiphi isiprofetho sikaIsaya esaba nokugcwaliseka kwanamuhla ngo-1919?
2 Eqinisweni, entwasahlobo ka-1919 imibuzo eyaphakanyiswa umprofethi uIsaya yayingaphindwa futhi ibuzwe ekugcwalisekeni kwanamuhla kukaIsaya 66:6-8: “Yizwi lomsindo elivela emzini, yizwi lasethempelini! Yizwi likaJehova ephindisela izenzo zezitha zakhe. ISiyoni lingakabi-namihelo lazala; lingakehlelwa ngubuhlungu labeletha umntwana wesilisa. Ngubani ozwile okunjalo na? Ngubani obonile okunjengalokhu na? Izwe [isimo sokuchuma okukhazimulayo okungokomoya] lingazalwa ngosuku olulodwa na? Isizwe singabelethwa kanyekanye na? Ngokuba iSiyoni lithé lisenemihelo, lazala abantwana balo.”
3. Ibuphi ubufakazi obabukhona ngo-1919 bokuthi iSiyoni lalizele abantwana balo nokuthi “isizwe” esisha sasizelwe “kanyekanye”?
3 Njengokungathi bavuswe kwabafileyo, abaFundi BeBhayibheli Bezizwe Zonke baba nomhlangano wabo wokuqala wangemva kwempi eCedar Point, Ohio, ngoSeptember 1-8, 1919. Esuliwe wonke amacala abo, umongameli weNhlangano, unobhala ongumgcini-zimali, umqondisi wehhovisi, nabanye ababeyiziboshwa babekhona kulomkhosi ojabulisayo. UMongameli uRutherford wamemezela ukukhishwa kukamagazini omusha, iThe Golden Age—namuhla owaziwa ngokuthi iPhaphama!, okwajabulisa abebeze emhlanganweni. Futhi, kwabhapathizwa abantu abangaphezu kwama-200 abazinikezela kabusha. Inhlangano kaJehova engokwasezulwini yazalela abantwana bayo ekuphileni okumatasa enkathini yangemva kwempi. Lokho kwasho izinqubo ezintsha, yebo zesibindi, ‘ngesizwe’ esizelwe, ngokomfanekiso, kanyekanye futhi sahlaliswa “ezweni” elizelwe ngosuku olulodwa.
4. (a) Konke lokhu kwakuzoba namuphi umphumela ‘eBabiloni Elikhulu’? (b) Ukwembulwa kobuhlobo bangempela ‘beBabiloni Elikhulu’ namandla omkhathi angaphezu kwawomuntu kwandulelani?
4 Isimo sasibeka inselele. Salimangaza “iBabiloni Elikhulu,” umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. Ubulungu balo, ikakhulukazi eLobukholwa, baphazamiseka kakhulu. Laba nomuzwa wokuthi ukuthula kwalo kwakuphazanyiswa. Ukulondeka kwalo njengelizisholo ukuthi alinakuphikiswa kwezenkolo manje kwaba sengozini. Lalizokwembulwa ubuhlobo balo bangempela namandla omkhathi angaphezu kwawomuntu, hhayi noNkulunkulu weBhayibheli eliNgcwele, kodwa ‘nonkulunkulu walelizwe’—uSathane, umthuthukisi woMphikuKristu owabikezelwa esiprofethweni seBhayibheli. (2 Korinte 4:4; 1 Johane 2:18) Lokhu kwembulwa kwakumane kuyisandulela sezinhlungu zokufa kwalo. Khona-ke uMahluleli oPhakeme wendawo yonke uyozibambela lona mathupha alibhubhise, angaliniki-ndlela yokuphunyula ezithandweni zalo zakuqala manje esezithukuthele, amashende alo ezombangazwe.
5. (a) Kungani eLobukholwa liyobanjwa lingazelele, futhi libhekwa kanjani uNkulunkulu weBhayibheli? (b) Yini “IBabiloni Elikhulu” elingayiboni?
5 Ngisho neLobukholwa, eliphethe iBhayibheli elibikezela konke lokhu, liyobanjwa lingazelele. Liyothembela ekumenyezelweni ‘kokuthula nokuhlala kahle’ okucetshwa izizwe eliye lakuqhubela kuzo izinkonzo zalo zenkolo. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, amasonto alo ahambisa isitsha somnikelo, ezicebisa ngeminikelo efakwa kuso. Nokho, kuNkulunkulu wemiBhalo eNgcwele, ‘limpofu, liyaphuphutheka, lihamba-ze.’ Alithembeli kuJehova, futhi alizisebenzisi izindinganiso ezingokomoya ngempela azilungiselelayo. (IsAmbulo 3:17, 18) Aliwuboni umbhalo wesandla osodongeni. Sisho ukuthini ngalokhu?
Umbhalo Osodongeni Uyavela
6. Imuphi umbuso wezwe wasendulo manje ofika engqondweni, futhi abantu bakaJehova babephila kanjani ngalesosikhathi?
6 Ukuze siqonde, kumelwe sibheke emuva emahoreni okugcina ombuso wezwe wesithathu womlando weBhayibheli, iBabiloni, osebeni loMfula iEwufrathe. UBelishasari wayengumbusi wokugcina waseBabiloni, elalihlanganisa indawo yombhoshongo waseBabele, lapho uNkulunkulu umninimandla onke asanganisa khona ulimi olulodwa lwabakhi, ebahlakaza. (Genesise 11:1-9) Ngesikhathi samahora okugcina eBabiloni, abantu bakaJehova, amaJuda, babengabathunjwa abadingisiwe kulelozwe lamaqaba. Kodwa iminyaka yabo yokuthunjwa engama-70 yayisizophela.
7. (a) Kungani iNkosi uBelishasari yenzela izinduna zayo idili ngesibindi? (b) Yini eyenzeka phakathi nedili, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela enkosini?
7 AmaMede namaPheresiya abumbene, ayezoba umbuso wezwe wesine womlando weBhayibheli, ahlasela umuzi waseBabele owawubiyelwe, uqinisiwe, ubonakala ungenakuthunjwa. UMfula iEwufrathe wawugeleza phakathi komuzi, unezindawo zokwethula nokulayisha imikhumbi osebeni lwawo okwakuvulekela kuzo iminyango yethusi ehlukene kabili yezindonga zomuzi. Iqinisekile ngokulondeka komuzi, iNkosi uBelishasari ‘yenzela izinduna zayo eziyinkulungwane idili’—idili lakhe elaba elokugcina. Kungazelelwe, phambi kukaBelishasari, kwavela odongeni isandla esinyakazayo. Futhi sabhala odongeni amagama abikezela okubi athi: “MENÉ, MENÉ, TEKÉL, UFARSÍN.” (Daniyeli 5:1, 5, 25) Lokho kwakungobusuku bukaOctober 5, 539 B.C.E. Lawomazwi aba nomphumela othusayo. INkosi uBelishasari yaqhaqhazela ngenxa yokwesaba. Ake ume! Biza amadoda ahlakaniphile—abenzi bemilingo nabafundi bezinkanyezi ababaziwa ngekhono lokuchaza izibonakaliso nemihlola. Kodwa ukuchaza amazwi ayisimangaliso, ababengakwazi ngisho nokuwafunda, kwakungaphezu kwabo. Manje yini eyayizokwenziwa?
8, 9. (a) Njengomzamo wokugcina, isiphi isenzo esatuswa enkosini? (b) UDaniyeli wawuchaza kanjani umbhalo osodongeni? (c) Kungani idili elikhulu leNkosi uBelishasari laphumela esiprofethweni esisabeka kanjalo?
8 Makubizwe umJuda. Ini? UmJuda? Yebo, omunye walawomakhosana nezikhulu ezathathwa eJerusalema ezweni lakubo zalethwa eBabiloni uMbusi uNebukadinesari ukuba ziqeqeshelwe umsebenzi kahulumeni. Njengomzamo wokugcina, lokho kwakuyinto engcono eyayingase yenziwe. UDaniyeli watuswa indlovukazi njengendoda ehlakaniphile—indoda eyayikwazi ukubona izinto futhi izichaze. (Daniyeli 5:10-12) Singakuzwa ukuthula okwagcwala indlu yedili njengoba uDaniyeli, ngokuvumelana nesicelo seNkosi uBelishasari, echazela umbusi wombuso wezwe wesithathu womlando weBhayibheli nezinduna zakhe lawomagama adidayo.
9 UDaniyeli uqhubeka athi: “Yayisithunywa lengxenye yesandla ivela kuye, walotshwa lombhalo. Yiló umbhalo owalotshwa: MENÉ, MENÉ, TEKÉL, UFARSÍN. Nansi incazo yalento: MENÉ: UNkulunkulu ubalile umbuso wakho, uwuqedile. TEKÉL: ulinganisiwe esilinganisweni, ufunyenwe ulula. PERÉS:a umbuso wakho wahlukene, unikelwe kumaMede namaPheresiya.” (Daniyeli 5:24-28) INkosi uBelshasari nezikhulu zayo nabangane babo besifazane babebonisa indelelo yangamabomu, nengcolile ngokukhulekelwa kukaNkulunkulu kaDaniyeli. Kanjani? Ngokuphuza iwayini ngezitsha zegolide ezazithathwe ethempelini likaJehova eJerusalema ngesikhathi sokubhujiswa kwalowomuzi ongcwele ngonyaka ka-607 B.C.E. Lokho kwakufana nokunezela inhlamba yokwedelela enxebeni.—Daniyeli 5:3, 4, 23.
UKoresi Owabikezelwa Uthatha Izintambo
10, 11. (a) Ubani uJehova ayebikezele ukuthi uyoba umnqobi weBabiloni, futhi uIsaya wakuchaza kanjani ukunqoba okuzayo? (b) UJehova wasigcwalisa kanjani lesiprofetho futhi waletha isijeziso esifanelekile eNkosini uBelishasari nezinduna zakhe?
10 KuIsaya 45:1-3 uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke wayebikezele: “Usho kanje uJehova kogcotshiweyo wakhe, kuKoresi, osandla sakhe sokunene ngisibambile ukuba ngahlule izizwe phambi kwakhe, ngithukulule izinkalo zamakhosi, ngivule iminyango phambi kwakhe, amasango angabe esavalwa. Mina ngiyakuhamba phambi kwakho, ngihlelembe amagebhugembu, ngaphule izivalo zethusi, nginqume imigoqo yethusi nginqume imigoqo yensimbi. Ngiyakukunika ingcebo yobumnyama, nemfuyo ethukusiweyo ezindaweni ezisithekileyo, ukuba wazi ukuthi nginguJehova okubiza ngegama lakho.”
11 Ukuze agcwalise lesiprofetho, uJehova wakufaka emqondweni kaKoresi umPheresiya ukuba aphambukisele amanzi oMfula iEwufrathe echibini lendawo. Khona-ke, lapho ingxenye yomfula ingasenamanzi, phakathi kobusuku, amabutho kaKoresi ahamba phezu komfula owomile futhi angena maphakathi nomuzi. Njengoba iminyango ehlukene kabili ephambi komfula yayishiywe ivuliwe, agibela osebeni lomfula futhi, ehlula abaqaphi, angena endlini yedili. Kanjalo idili leNkosi uBelishasari lafinyelela esiphethweni esibuhlungu njengesijeziso esimfanele yena nezinduna zakhe—ngenxa yokuhlazisa, nokwedelela kwabo “iNkosi yamazulu” ngokusebenzisa kabi izitsha ezazebiwe endaweni engcwele kaJehova yokuhlala eJerusalema.
12. (a) Njengoba uIsaya ayebikezele ukuthi uKoresi wayezonqoba iBabiloni, kungani uDaniyeli enika uDariyu umMede udumo lokunqoba iBabiloni? (b) Obani abafanekiselwa uDariyu nomngane wakhe, uKoresi umPheresiya?
12 Ivesi lokugcina likaDaniyeli isahluko 5 lithi ngemva kokubulawa kweNkosi uBelishasari, uDariyu umMede “wamukela umbuso eneminyaka engamashumi ayisithupha nambili.” Njengoba uDariyu ayemdala kunoKoresi umPheresiya, uDaniyeli wanikeza lenkosi engumMede udumo lokuthumba iBabiloni. Wabusa kusukela ngo-539 kuya ku-537 B.C.E. njengombusi wasebukhosini phezu kombuso wamaMede namaPheresiya. Umfanekisela kahle uJehova uNkulunkulu. Umngane kaDariyu, uKoresi umPheresiya, wafanekisela uJesu Kristu, oyosetshenziswa uJehova ngokuvelele kakhulu ekuchitheni nasekubhubhiseni “IBabiloni Elikhulu,” umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga.
13, 14. Yini uDaniyeli ngokungangabazeki ayiveza kuKoresi umPheresiya, futhi iqala kanjani incwadi kaEzra yangemva kokudingiswa?
13 Ekuhlaleni kukaKoresi esihlalweni sobukhosi phezu kwamaMede namaPheresiya ngo-537 B.C.E., ngokungangabazeki umprofethi uDaniyeli wambonisa isiprofetho sikaJehova esiphathelene naye njengoba sitholakala kuIsaya 45. Incwadi kaEzra yangemva kokudingiswa iqala ngalamazwi:
14 “Ngomnyaka wokuqala kaKoresi inkosi yamaPheresiya—ukuba kufezeke izwi likaJehova ngomlomo kaJeremiya [ngokuqondene nokuba ngama-70 kweminyaka yokudingiswa (Jeremiya 25:12; 29:10, 14)]—uJehova wavusa umoya kaKoresi iNkosi yasePheresiya ukuba amemezele embusweni wakhe wonke, alobe futhi ngokuthi: Usho kanje uKoresi inkosi yasePheresiya, uthi: UJehova uNkulunkulu wezulu unginikile yonke imibuso yomhlaba; ungiyalile ukumakhela indlu eJerusalema lakwaJuda. Noma ngumuphi phakathi kwenu kubo bonke abantu bakhe, uNkulunkulu wakhe makabe-naye, akhuphukele eJerusalema lakwaJuda, akhe indlu kaJehova uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, yena onguNkulunkulu waseJerusalema.”—Ezra 1:1-3.
UKoresi OMkhulu Unqoba “IBabiloni Elikhulu”
15. (a) UKoresi ongokomfanekiso waqala nini ukubusa? (b) Ikuphi ukuma okuqinile oFakazi BakaJehova abakuthathayo ngokuqondene nozungu neZizwe Ezihlangene, futhi ngani?
15 Owosuku lwanamuhla uKoresi oMkhulu ongokomfanekiso waqala ukubusa ngo-1914 ekupheleni ‘kwezikhathi zabezizwe’ njengoba zabikezelwa uJesu ngokwakhe kuLuka 21:24. Zingalinaki ngokuphelele leliqiniso elibalulekile emhlabeni wonke, izizwe eziphakathi eZizweni Ezihlangene zakhetha unyaka ka-1986 njengoNyaka wazo Wokuthula Wezizwe Zonke. Kodwa oFakazi BakaJehova abaphanjwa neze ngokuqondene nalokhu. Ekugcineni lapho isimemezelo ‘sokuthula nokulondeka’ senziwa, ngeke bahlanganyele nabalandeli bezombangazwe nabangane ‘beBabiloni Elikhulu’ ekujabuleleni isenzo esinjalo esiphawulekayo kulezinsuku zokugcina zomlando wezizwe zomhlaba. Abasekeli uzungu neZizwe Ezihlangene noma enye indlela yokufuna ukuthula. (Isaya 8:12) Njengendlela yokuzivikela, basho amazwi kaIsaya 8:20: “Emthethweni nasebufakazini! Uma bengakhulumi ngokwalelizwi, abanakho ukukhanya kokusa.” (New International Version) Futhi benikeza isizathu sokuma kwabo okuqinile, bathi: “Ngokuba uNkulunkulu unathi!” (Isaya 8:10) Ngokuqondile, lokho kusho ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu akathathi-hlangothi emizamweni yezizwe ‘yokuthula nokuhlala kahle,’ kunalokho, umelene nazo ngokuqondile.
16. Izwi elingokwesiprofetho kusAmbulo 17:16, 17 liyolwelwa kanjani ngokugcwele, futhi kube namuphi umphumela kubantu bakaJehova?
16 UJehova, esebenzisa uKoresi wakhe oMkhulu ngobungcweti, uyokufaka enhliziyweni nasemqondweni wabaholi bezwe bezombangazwe ukuba baphendukele “iBabiloni Elikhulu,” umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. Njengokungathi ngezimpondo zesilo esibi sasendle, bayolihlaba baliqede. Izwi lesiprofetho elikusAmbulo 17 liyolwelwa ngokugcwele, futhi oFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni bayojabula ngalokhu.—IsAmbulo 17:16, 17; 19:1-3.
Ukulondoloza Ubuhlobo Bethu Obufanele NoJehova
17. Nakuba oFakazi BakaJehova bengesiyo ingxenye ‘yeBabiloni Elikhulu,’ yini ababusi bezwe abayoyenza?
17 Khona-ke, nakuba oFakazi BakaJehova bengesiyo ingxenye ‘yeBabiloni Elikhulu’ kodwa bengabembuli balo basobala abanesibindi, futhi nakuba bengathathanga-hlangothi ezindabeni zezombangazwe zalelizwe, labo bezombangazwe abangebona abenkolo bayophendukela oFakazi abasele. Ngokuzimisela ukuba omashiqela abalawula zonke izingxenye zomphakathi wesintu emhlabeni bayogadla koFakazi abagcina ubuqotho boPhezukonke, owuMthombo kahulumeni wokulunga.
18. Isiphi isenzo esisabekayo uJehova ayosenza, esidlula uZamcolo wosuku lukaNowa?
18 Manje kulapha lapho uMbusi onguMninimandla onke wezulu nomhlaba okumelwe angenele khona futhi enze labo babhubhisi ‘beBabiloni Elikhulu’ bazi futhi baqonde ukuthi Lowo obekukhona oFakazi bakhe bekhulu lama-20 unguNkulunkulu wangempela, uNkulunkulu onguMninimandla Onke—uNkulunkulu ofanelwe ukukhulekelwa kwenhliziyo yonke, okunobunye kwezidalwa lapha esenabelweni sezinyawo zakhe, umhlaba. Lokhu uyokwenza ngendlela eyesabekayo eyomane yenze oFakazi bakhe ababukelayo bakhexe imilomo ngenxa yokumangala. Uyokwenza amasu akhe empi akhazimulayo, angakaze abonwe, kuphumele ekunqobeni okuphakeme. (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16; 19:19-21) Lokho kuyosho isiphelo salesimiso sezinto esikhohlakele, esiqondiswa uDeveli ngendlela ewumbukwane ukwedlula uZamcolo obhubhisayo wosuku lukaNowa.
19. Ibaphi ofakazi uJehova ayoba nabo bokuzilwela kwakhe njengoMbusi Wendawo Yonke, futhi lokhu kuyobonisani?
19 Njengoba nje uJehova aba nofakazi abafakazela ukuphela kwezwe elidala ngoZamcolo owaminzisa sonke isintu esasingaphandle komkhumbi, ngezinga elikhulu, uyoba nofakazi lapha phansi emhlabeni besenzo sakhe esingayikuphindwa sokuzilwela njengoMbusi Wendawo Yonke. (2 Petru 3:6, 7, 13, 14) Laba kuyoba yilabo abathembela kuye ukuze bathole ukuthula nokulondeka phakathi kwalelizwe elilahliwe. Uyojabula ngokubalwa nalaboFakazi abasindiswe ngokumangalisayo. Ukuthula kwakho nokulondeka kuyobe kubonakale kungokuvela kuJehova uNkulunkulu hhayi kunoma yiluphi uzungu, noma ukuhlangana nemibuso yombangazwe yalesimiso sezinto esiqondiswa uDeveli.
20. UJehova uyobonakala kanjani, futhi yini esizimisele ukuyenza?
20 UJehova uNkulunkulu uyobonakala ngokukhazimulayo njengofanelwe ukukhulekelwa nokukhonzwa njengoMuntu oPhakeme—uNkulunkulu wonkulunkulu, Lowo amazwi aphefumlelwe omhubi ayebhekisele kuye: “Kuthi kusukela phakade kuze kube phakade wena-Nkulunkulu ukhona.” (IHubo 90:2) Ngokwazisa okukhula njalo, masilondoloze ukuthembela kwethu kuJehova uNkulunkulu nobunye bethu naye ngoKoresi oMkhulu uJesu Kristu.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Elithi “Ufarsín” isibalo esingubuningi begama elithi “Perés” futhi lisho “izingxenye ezihlukene.”
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
◻ Yini “IBabiloni Elikhulu” elingayiboni?
◻ Sifanekiselani isiphetho esibuhlungu sedili likaBelishasari?
◻ Ubani oyonqoba “IBabiloni Elikhulu”?
◻ Ikuphi ukuma oFakazi BakaJehova abakuthathayo ngokuqondene nozungu neZizwe Ezihlangene?
◻ Kungani beyojabula bonke labo abathembela kuJehova ukuze bathole ukuthula nokulondeka?
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
UDaniyeli uchaza umbhalo oyimfihlo njengesigijimi sokubhujiswa kombuso waseBabiloni