Ingabe Kwephuzile Kunesikhathi Obusilindele?

EZINSUKWINI ezintathu ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uJesu waba nosuku olumatasa kakhulu eJerusalema, usuku olwaba ngolubaluleke kakhulu kumaKristu aphila manje. Wafundisa ethempelini, evimbela ukuqhubeka kwemibuzo eminingi yobuqili abaholi benkolo bamaJuda ababezama ngayo ukumcupha. Ekugcineni, wabhekisa ukulahlwa okuqinile kubabhali nabaFarisi okwabanikeza amagama anjengathi abazenzisi namabululu okuya [eGehena, NW].—Mathewu, izahluko 22, 23.

Njengoba ephuma ethempelini, omunye wabafundi bakhe wathi kuye: “Mfundisi, bheka amatshe anjani nezakhiwo ezinjani!” UJesu, engahlatshiwe umxhwele, wathi kuye: “Uyabona lezizakhiwo ezinkulu na? Akuyikushiywa itshe phezu kwetshe elingayikudilizelwa phansi.” (Marku 13:1, 2) Khona-ke uJesu walishiya ithempeli okokugcina, wehlela esiGodini saseKidroni, wawelela ngaphesheya, futhi wakhuphukela emimangweni yeNtaba yemiNqumo.

Njengoba ayehlezi esigcakini santambama lapho entabeni, ithempeli libonakala eNtabeni yaseMoriya ngaphesheya kwesigodi, uPetru, uJakobe, uJohane noAndreya beza kuye ngasese. Izingqondo zabo zazicindezelekile ngamazwi ayewashilo ngokudilizwa kwethempeli. Babuza: “Sitshele, Ziyokwenzeka nini lezizinto, futhi siyoba yini isibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakho nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto?” (Mathewu 24:3, NW; Marku 13:3, 4) Impendulo ayinikeza embuzweni wabo ngaleyontambama eNtabeni yemiNqumo ibaluleke kakhulu kithi. Ingenza ukuba singalindi isikhathi eside ngaphambi kokuba sicabange ‘ngesiphelo sesimiso sezinto.’

Umbuzo wabo wawubuza izinto ezimbili. Enye ingxenye yayiphathelene nokuphela kwethempeli kanye nesimiso samaJuda; enye yayiphathelene nokuba khona kukaJesu njengeNkosi kwesikhathi esizayo kanye nokuphela kwalesimiso sezinto esikhona. Yomibili lemibuzo yahlanganiswa empendulweni kaJesu, njengoba inikezwe kuMathewu 24 no-25, kuMarku 13, nakuLuka 21. (Bheka nesAmbulo 6:1-8.) Ngokuqondene nesiphelo salelizwe elikhona, noma isimiso sezinto, uJesu wachaza izici eziningana lezo, lapho zihlanganiswa, ezaziyoba isibonakaliso esihlanganisa izici eziningi esiphawula izinsuku zokugcina. Ingabe lesosibonakaliso esihlanganisa izici eziningi siyagcwaliseka? Ingabe sisibeka ezinsukwini zokugcina okukhulunywa ngazo eBhayibhelini? Ingabe ukugcwaliseka kwaso kusixwayisa ngokuthi kungase kwephuze kunesikhathi esisilindele?

Esinye isici sesibonakaliso sikaJesu esihlanganisa izici eziningi siwukuthi: “Isizwe siyakuvukela isizwe, nombuso uvukele umbuso.” (Mathewu 24:7) Ngo-1914, kwaqala iMpi Yezwe I. OFakazi BakaJehova baleloshumi leminyaka ngokushesha base beqaphile. Futhi ngani? NgoDecember 1879, eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-35 ngaphambili, umagazini iWatch Tower wawuthe, ngokusekelwe esimisweni seBhayibheli sokubalwa kwezikhathi, u-1914 wawuyoba unyaka obalulekile emlandweni wesintu. Ingabe lempi, impi yokuqala eyalwiwa ngezinga lomhlaba wonke ngempela, ekugcineni okwahileleka kuyo izizwe ezingu-28 futhi kwabulawa abantu abayizigidi ezingu-14, yayingaba ukuqala kwezenzakalo ezigcwalisa isibonakaliso esihlanganisa izici eziningi sesiphelo uJesu akhuluma ngaso? Ingabe kwakuyoba nezinye izici zesibonakaliso ezaziyolandela?

‘Esambulweni sikaJesu Kristu,’ lokhu kubulala okufanayo kuyabikezelwa. Lapha ihhashi elibomvu nomgibeli walo “[ba]susa ukuthula emhlabeni.” (IsAmbulo 1:1; 6:4) Ngokuqinisekile lokho kwenzeka kusukela ngo-1914 kuya ku-1918. Futhi iMpi Yezwe I yayimane nje iyisiqalo. Ngo-1939, kwalandela iMpi Yezwe II. Izizwe ezingamashumi amahlanu nesishiyagalolunye zangena kulowombango, futhi kwabulawa abantu abacishe babe izigidi ezingu-50. Phakathi neminyaka engu-45 eyalandela iMpi Yezwe II, kuye kwalwiwa izimpi ezingaphezu kwezingu-125, ezabulala abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-20.

Esinye isici sesibonakaliso siwukuthi: “Kube-khona indlala.” (Mathewu 24:7) Kwaba khona indlala eyayisabalele phakathi nangemva kweMpi Yezwe I. Omunye umbiko ubala ezinye izindlala ezinkulu ezingaphezu kwezingu-60 kusukela ngo-1914, ezabulala abantu abayizigidi eziningi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngisho namanje abantwana abangu-40 000 bayafa usuku ngalunye ngenxa yokungondleki nangenxa yezifo ebezingavinjelwa.

“Kuyakuba-khona ukuzamazama okukhulu komhlaba.” (Luka 21:11) Kwazamazamisa umhlaba ngemva kokuba iMpi Yezwe I iqalile. Ngo-1915 ukuzamazama komhlaba kwabulala abangu-32 610 eItaly; ngo-1920 okunye kwabulala abangu-200 000 eChina; ngo-1923 eJapane, kwafa abangu-99 300; ngo-1935 endaweni eseyaziwa ngokuthi iPakistan, kwafa abangu-25 000; ngo-1939 eTurkey, kwabhubha abangu-32 700; ngo-1970 ePeru, kwabulawa abangu-66 800; ngo-1976 eChina, kwafa abangu-240 000 (abanye bathi bangu-800 000); ngo-1988 eArmenia, kwafa abangu-25 000. Ngokuqinisekile, kuye kwaba khona ukuzamazama komhlaba okukhulu kusukela ngo-1914!

‘Ubici izindawo ngezindawo.’ (Luka 21:11) Phakathi kuka-1918 no-1919, abantu abacishe babe ngu-1 000 000 000 babegula bephethwe umkhuhlane waseSpain, futhi abangaphezu kwabangu-20 000 000 bafa. Kodwa lokho kwakumane nje kuyisiqalo. Emazweni asathuthuka, umalaleveva, umkhuhlane obangelwa iminenke, ubumpumputhe obubangelwa imifula, isifo sohudo esibulalayo, nezinye izifo ziyaqhubeka zibangela amakhulu ezigidi ukuba abe yizinkubela futhi afe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, isifo senhliziyo nomdlavuza kubulala izigidi ezengeziwe. Izifo ezidluliselwa ngobulili zibhuqa isintu. Namuhla ubhadane olubhubhisayo lwengculaza lwenza abantu besabe, kulinganiselwa ukuthi ingena isisulu esisha umzuzu ngamunye, kungekho khambi elibonakalayo.

‘Ukwanda [kokungabi-namthetho, “NW”].’ (Mathewu 24:12) Ukungabi namthetho kuye kwaba okungasalawuleki kusukela ngo-1914, futhi namuhla kudlangile. Ukubulala, ukudlwengula, ukuphanga, izimpi zamaqembu—kwakha izihloko ezigqamile emaphephandabeni futhi kungundaba-mlonyeni emsakazweni nakumathelevishini. Ubudlova obungenangqondo buyabhebhetheka bungavinjelwa. EUnited States, indoda enesibhamu idedela izinhlamvu eziyikhulu esixukwini sezingane zesikole ngesibhamu sokuhlasela esikhipha izinhlamvu ngokushesha—kwafa ezingu-5, kwalimala ezingu-29. ENgilandi indoda ehlanyayo ibulala abantu abangu-16 ngesibhamu sokuhlasela sohlobo lweAK-47. ECanada indoda ezonda abesifazane iya eYunivesithi yaseMontreal futhi ibulala abangu-14 kubo. Abantu abanjalo banjengezimpisi, amabhubesi, izilo zasendle, izilwane ezingenangqondo ezizalelwe ukubanjwa futhi zibhujiswe.—Qhathanisa noHezekeli 22:27; Zefaniya 3:3; 2 Petru 2:12.

“Abantu baphele amandla ngokwesaba nangokubheka okuvelela umhlaba.” (Luka 21:26) Ngokushesha ngemva kokuqhuma kwebhomu yokuqala yeathomu, usosayensi wezinto zeathomu uHarold C. Urey wathi ngekusasa: “Sizodla ukwesaba, silale ngokwesaba, siphile ngokwesaba futhi sife ngokwesaba.” Ekwesabeni impi yenuzi kuye kwenezelwa ukwesaba ubugebengu, indlala, ukungasimami kwezomnotho, ukuwohloka kokuziphatha, ukuwohloka komkhaya, ukungcola komhlaba. Eqinisweni, izikhathi ezimbi esiziboniswa ngamaphephandaba ansuku zonke nezindaba zethelevishini zisakaza ukwesaba kuyo yonke indawo.

Umphostoli uPawulu naye wabhala ngezimo ezazizoba khona ezinsukwini zokugcina zalesimiso sezinto. Ukufunda amazwi akhe kunjengokungathi ufunda izindaba zosuku. “Kepha yazi lokhu,” uyabhala, “ukuthi ezinsukwini zokugcina kuzakuvela izikhathi ezinzima; ngokuba abantu bazakuba-ngabazithandayo, nabathandimali, nabazigabisayo, nabazidlayo, nabahlambalazayo, nabangalaleli abazali, nabangabongiyo, nabahlazisayo, nabangenaluthando, nabahlebi, nabangazithibi, nabangenabumnene, nabangathandi okuhle, nabakhapheli, nabanamawala, nabakhukhumele, nabathanda injabulo kunokuthanda uNkulunkulu, nabanesimo sokumesaba uNkulunkulu, kepha amandla akho bewaphika; labo-ke wobagwema.”—2 Thimothewu 3:1-5.

Ingabe Zonke Izinto Ziqhubeka “Njengakwasekuqaleni Kokudalwa”?

Umphostoli uPetru wabikezela esinye isici sezinsuku zokugcina: “Ngezinsuku zokugcina kuyakufika abahleki abahleka usulu, behamba ngezinkanuko zabo, bethi: Siphi isithembiso sokufika kwakhe na? Ngokuba kuselokhu obaba balala, konke kumi kunjalo njengakwasekuqaleni kokudalwa.”—2 Petru 3:3, 4.

Namuhla, lapho kuphakama indaba yezinsuku zokugcina, abantu abaningi bagcwalisa amazwi kaPetru angokwesiprofetho ngokukloloda nangokuthi: ‘Oh, zonke lezozinto zake zenzeka ngaphambili. Kumane nje kuwukuziphinda komlando.’ Kanjalo bayazithalalisa izixwayiso futhi baqhubeke “behamba ngezinkanuko zabo.” ‘Kungokwesifiso sabo’ ukuba bachilizele eceleni ukugcwaliseka kweziprofetho eziziphawula ngokucace kangaka izinsuku zokugcina.—2 Petru 3:5, NW.

Nokho, izici ezihlukahlukene zesibonakaliso esihlanganisa izici eziningi esabikezelwa uJesu azikaze nanini ngaphambili zigcwaliseke zonke enkathini yesikhathi emfushane kangaka ngamandla angaka nangemiphumela efinyelela kude kangaka. (Ngokwesibonelo, bukeza uMathewu 24:3-12; uMarku 13:3-8; uLuka 21:10, 11, 25, 26.) Futhi sithanda ukudonsela ukunakekela kwakho ngokukhethekile kwesinye isici esabikezelwa sezinsuku zokugcina, esichazwe encwadini yesAmbulo.

Ake sibheke incwadi yesAmbulo 11:18. Ithi lapho uMbuso kaKristu uqala ukubusa nezizwe zithukuthela futhi kufika isikhathi sokwahlulela, uJehova uyobe “[ese]bhubhisa ababhubhisa umhlaba.” Ingabe ukungcola akuyibhubhisi indawo esiphila kuyo namuhla? Yiqiniso, abantu bebelokhu bezisebenzisa izinto ezikhiqizwa umhlaba ukuze bazicebise. Kodwa ngokwenza kanjalo, bebengakaze bafinyelele ezingeni lokuwubhubhisa njengembulunga ekwaziyo ukuhlalisa abantu. Manje, ngenxa yobuchwepheshe obungokwesayensi obuthuthukile kusukela ngo-1914, abantu banawo lawomandla, futhi ngokuyidumela ngokuhaha ingcebo, bayawubhubhisa ngempela umhlaba, bengcolisa indawo esiphila kuyo futhi befaka engozini ikhono lomhlaba lokulondoloza ukuphila.

Umphakathi ohahela inzuzo, othanda izinto ezibonakalayo manje wenza lokhu ngezinga elesabekayo. Nazi ezinye zezimo ezesabekayo eziye zaba umphumela: imvula eneacid, ukufudumala komhlaba, izimbobo ezisendaweni yomkhathi evimbela imisebe eyingozi, udoti omningi ngokweqile, izinqwaba zikadoti eziwushevu, izinto eziyingozi zokubulala izitshalo nezinambuzane ezingafuneki, ukusashazwa kwenuzi, ukuchithekela kukawoyela ezilwandle, ukulahlwa kwendle engahlanziwe, ukufakwa engozini kohlobo lwezinto eziphilayo, amachibi afile, amanzi angaphansi komhlaba angcolisiwe, amahlathi onakalisiwe, umhlabathi ongcolisiwe, umhlabathi okutshalwa kuwo olahlekayo, kanye nesisi esibangela umonakalo ezihlahleni nasezitshalweni kanye nasempilweni yomuntu.

Uprofesa uBarry Commoner uthi: “Ngikholelwa ukuthi ukungcoliswa komhlaba okuqhubekayo, uma kungavinjelwa, ekugcineni kuyobhubhisa ukufaneleka kwalembulunga njengendawo yokuphila umuntu. . . . Ubunzima abubangelwa ukungabi nalwazi lwesayensi, kodwa ukuhaha okwenziwa ngamabomu.” Incwadi ethi State of the World 1987 ithi ekhasini 5: “Izinga lemisebenzi yabantu seliqale ukusongela ukukwazi komhlaba ukuba indawo yokuhlala abantu.” Uchungechunge olukhulu olwabukwa umphakathi kuthelevishini olwaboniswa eUnited States ngo-1990 lwalunesihloko esithi “Race to Save the Planet [Umncintiswano Wokusindisa Imbulunga].”

Umuntu ngeke ayeke ukungcolisa; nguNkulunkulu ozokwenza lapho ebhubhisa ababhubhisa umhlaba. UNkulunkulu kanye noMphathi wakhe weMpi wasezulwini, uKristu Jesu, bayokwenza lokhu ngokukhipha isahlulelo ezizweni ezithanda izinto ezibonakalayo empini yokugcina yeArmagedoni.—IsAmbulo 16:14, 16; 19:11-21.

Ekugcineni, phawula lesisici esivelele esilandelayo sesiprofetho sikaJesu esiphathelene nezinsuku zokugcina: “Lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba owakhiwe.” (Mathewu 24:14, NW) Lezindaba ezinhle zilandisa ngokuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uyabusa manje emazulwini futhi ngokushesha uzothatha isinyathelo sokubhubhisa lesimiso esibi futhi ubuyisele iPharadesi emhlabeni. Lelivangeli liye lashunyayelwa ngaphambili kodwa alizange lihlanganise wonke umhlaba owakhiwe. Nokho, kusukela ngo-1914, oFakazi BakaJehova baye bakwenza lokho, naphezu koshushiso uJesu alubikezela—ukuvinjelwa ohulumeni, ubudlova bezixuku, ukuboshwa, ukuhlushwa kanye nokufa okuningi.

Ngo-1919, kwakunoFakazi BakaJehova abangu-4 000 ababeshumayela lezindaba ezinhle. Amanani abo aye aqhubeka anda, kangangokuthi ngonyaka odlule abangaphezu kwabangu-4 000 000 bebeshumayela emazweni angu-212, ngezilimi ezicishe zibe ngu-200, behambisa amakhulu ezigidi amaBhayibheli, izincwadi, kanye nomagazini, beqhuba izigidi zezifundo zeBhayibheli emakhaya abantu, futhi beba nemihlangano emikhulu ezinkundleni ezinkulu kuzo zonke izingxenye zomhlaba. Ngaphambi kuka-1914 lokhu kushunyayelwa kwevangeli akuzange kwenziwe ngezinga elikhulu kangaka. Okukufezile ngezinga eliye lafinyelelwa kuye kwenza kwadingeka imishini yokunyathelisa enesivinini esikhulu yosuku lwanamuhla, izinto zokuhamba, amacomputer, imishini yefax, kanye nezinto zokuthumela nezokuxhumana ezitholakala ngokuyingqayizivele esikhathini sethu.

IJerusalema losuku lukaJeremiya laxwayiswa ngokubhujiswa kwalo okwakuza; izakhamuzi zalo zamane zakloloda, kodwa kwakwephuzile kunesikhathi ezazisilindele. Namuhla, kuzwakaliswa isixwayiso esikhulu nangaphezulu sembubhiso yeArmagedoni, kunobufakazi obusekelayo obuqand’ ikhanda. (IsAmbulo 14:6, 7, 17-20) Izigidi ziyenqaba ukulalela. Kodwa isikhathi siyancipha; kwephuzile kunesikhathi abebesilindele. Ingabe sekwephuzile kunesikhathi obusilindele?

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Ngosuku lukaJeremiya kwakwephuzile kunesikhathi ababesilindele