Isahluko 11
IJerusalema Lasemhlabeni Liqhathaniswa NeJerusalema Lasezulwini
1. (a) Ingabe ukubhujiswa kweJerusalema kuyoba okuthile okusha? (b) Kungani kungenakuba usizi kuso sonke isintu uma iJerusalema liphinda libhujiswa?
LABO namuhla abangamaJuda ngokwenyama bayaqiniseka ukuthi iJerusalema eliseMpumalanga ePhakathi liyohlala phakade. Ngisho nabantu beLobukholwa basawazisa kakhulu lowomuzi uJesu aphetha kuwo inkonzo yakhe. Kodwa ingabe konke lokhu kuqinisekisa ukuthi lowomuzi uyoqhubeka ukhona? Wake wabhujiswa ngaphambili, ngo-607 B.C.E. ngabaseBabiloni nango-70 C.E. ngamaRoma. Ingabe uma uphinda ubhujiswa kuyosho usizi kuso sonke isintu? Cha, akudingeki ukuba kube nalowomuzi ukuze izibusiso zesivumelwano sika-Abrahama zigobhozele esintwini. Ngisho nangoAbrahama kulotshwe ukuthi: “Wayebheké umuzi onezisekelo, omakhi nomenzi wawo nguNkulunkulu.”—Heberu 11:10.
2. (a) Umphostoli uPawulu ubonisa kanjani ukuthi kuneJerusalema eliphakeme? (b) Ubani onguMyeni waleloJerusalema, futhi angobani amadodana akhe awathola ngalo?
2 Umphostoli uPawulu waloba: “Kepha iJerusalema eliphezulu likhululekile, lona lingumame wethu.” (Galathiya 4:26) Lapho wabonisa ukuthi iJerusalema lasezulwini lafanelana noSara futhi laliyinhlangano enjengomfazi ka-Abrahama oMkhulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngakho-ke, amadodana ‘eJerusalema eliphezulu’ angamaKristu azelwe ngomoya, njengoPawulu.
“IJerusalema Eliphezulu” Liba Umuzi Wobukhosi
3. (a) UJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe waqala nini ukubusa? (b) Kukuphi lapho uJesu Kristu abekwa khona esihlalweni sobukhosi, futhi lokhu kwaba namuphi umphumela ebukhosini bukaJehova?
3 Kusukela ekupheleni ‘kwezikhathi zabezizwe’ ngo-1914 “iJerusalema eliphezulu” liye laba nesici sobukhosi. (Luka 21:24) Kusukela lapho kuqhubeke, iHubo 97:1 liyasebenza: “UJehova uyinkosi; umhlaba mawethabe.” Ngokufanayo iHubo 99:1, 2 liyasebenza: “UJehova uyinkosi. . . . UJehova mkhulu eSiyoni, uphakeme phezu kwezizwe zonke.” Ngo-1914 kwafika isikhathi ngaye sokuba amise ukunyathelwa koMbuso ohlwini lobukhosi lukaDavide, njengoba wawumelelwe umuzi waseJerusalema owake waba owobukhosi. Ngakho-ke, wabeka iNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, njengeNkosi ngakwesokunene saKhe ‘eJerusalema eliphezulu,’ iJerusalema lasezulwini, ngalendlela elenza libe umuzi wobukhosi. Ubukhosi bukaJehova luqobo buyaqiniswa noma bandiswe ukubekwa kukaJesu Kristu njengeNkosi.
4. Kungaziphi izenzakalo “iJerusalema eliphezulu” eliye laba umuzi wobukhosi ngazo kusukela ngo-1914?
4 Ngakho ngemva kokuzalwa koMbuso wasezulwini ngo-1914 nangemva kokuba uSathane namademoni akhe bekhishiwe ezulwini, kwakufanelekile ukuba kumenyezelwe: “Kalokhu insindiso namandla nobukhosi ngokukaNkulunkulu wethu, nombuso ngokaKristu wakhe, ngokuba uphonswé phansi ummangaleli wabazalwane bethu obamangalelayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu wethu imini nobusuku.” (IsAmbulo 12:1-10) ‘Umbuso kaKristu wakhe’ wawuwukuba Yena abuse njengeNkosi ‘eJerusalema eliphezulu.’ Kuyiqiniso, laba umuzi wobukhosi ngalowonyaka ojabulisayo ka-1914.
Indodakazi ‘YeJerusalema Eliphezulu’
5, 6. (a) KusAmbulo 21:1, 2, imuphi umuzi omusha ongokomfanekiso uJohane awubonayo? (b) Obani abamukela inkosi njengoba kubekwe kuZakariya 9:9, 10, futhi ngamaphi amazwi?
5 Eminyakeni engaphezu kwengamashumi amabili nesihlanu ngemva kokuba amabutho amaRoma ebhubhise iJerusalema ngo-70 C.E., umphostoli uJohane wanikezwa imibono emangalisayo encwadini yesAmbulo. KusAmbulo 21:1, 2, uJohane ukhuluma ‘ngeJerusalema Elisha.’ Yilabo abakha ‘leliJerusalema Elisha’ abamukela ngenjabulo iNkosi esanda kumiswa eza egameni likaJehova, njengoba nje beyalwa ukuba benze kanjalo kuZakariya 9:9, 10 ngalamazwi:
6 “Thokoza kakhulu, ndodakazi yaseSiyoni; jabula nokujabula, ndodakazi yaseJerusalema; bheka, iNkosi yakho iza kuwe, ilungile, inensindiso, ithobekile, ikhwele imbongolo . . . Ngiyakunquma inqola kwaEfrayimi nehashi eJerusalema, nomnsalo wokulwa uyakunqunywa; iyakukhuluma ukuthula kwabezizwe, nokubusa kwayo kuyakusukela elwandle kuze kufike elwandle, kusukela eMfuleni kuze kufike emajukujukwini omhlaba.”
7. Obani abaye bagcwalisa lesosiprofetho phakathi ‘nalesiphelo sesimiso sezinto,’ futhi ngayiphi indlela?
7 Lesiprofetho sagcwaliseka ngokwengxenye ekungeneni ngokunqobayo kukaJesu Kristu eJerusalema ngo-33 C.E. Kusukela ngo-1919 siye sagcwaliseka okokugcina ensalini kaIsrayeli ongokomoya. Akukho ukwehlukana phakathi kwamalungu aleyonsali egcotshiwe, njengalokho okwagqashuka phakathi kwezizwe zakwaEfrayimi naseJerusalema lasendulo, ikomkhulu lombuso wakwaJuda wezizwe ezimbili. Ngokukhonza ngobunye izithakazelo zoMbuso wobuMesiya ngenjongo yokugcwalisa isiprofetho sikaJesu esikuMathewu 24:14 nakuMarku 13:10, ayaqhubeka ehalalisela iNkosi enqobayo, uJesu Kristu. Ngobunye obungenakwehlukana azithoba ngokwethembeka ekubuseni kwakhe kobukhosi phakathi ‘nalesiphelo sesimiso sezinto.’—Mathewu 24:3.
8. (a) Obani abahlulekayo ukwamukela iNkosi enqobayo? (b) Bayaphi futhi yini abaya kuyo?
8 Ngokudabukisayo, izizwe ezaziwa ngokuthi ezobuKristu ezakha eLobukholwa, kanye neJerusalema leRepublic of Israel, aziyamukeli iNkosi enqobayo eza egameni likaJehova. Noma kunjalo, kunalabo abangofakazi baLowo eza egameni lakhe, abamkhonza ngenjabulo ethempelini laKhe. (Isaya 43:10-12) Amehlo abo angokomoya aye avuleka ukuba babone ukuthi iRepublic of Israel nazo zonke ezinye izizwe ezingaphakathi nezingaphandle kweUN manje seziseduze ‘nendawo ethiwa ngesiHeberu iHarmagedoni.’ (IsAmbulo 16:16) Impi kaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke isemnyango!
9. Ikusasa leJerusalema lasemhlabeni neleJerusalema Elisha lihluke kanjani?
9 Isimo seJerusalema lasemhlabeni siyadabukisa, kodwa eseJerusalema Elisha siyakhazimula. Ngesikhathi esifanele, “izimpondo eziyishumi” ‘zesilo sasendle’ sezombangazwe, kanye “nesilo” ngokwaso, ziqala ukusizonda isimiso sesifebe, iBabiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. Ziyobonisa inzondo yazo yonya ngeJerusalema lasemhlabeni elihlonishwayo ngokwenkolo futhi ziyolibhubhisa njengokungathi lishiswe ngomlilo. (IsAmbulo 17:16, qhathanisa neNW) Kodwa ziyokwehluleka ngokuphelele ukuthinta iJerusalema Elisha lasezulwini.
10. IJerusalema lasemhlabeni liyiphishekela kanjani inkambo ehlukile kuleyo yamaKristu azelwe ngomoya ‘nesixuku esikhulu,’ abangane bawo?
10 Insali yamaKristu azelwe ngomoya elindele ukuba yingxenye yeJerusalema Elisha lasezulwini, kanye ‘nesixuku esikhulu’ sabanye ofakazi bakaJehova, iyaqhubeka ihalalisela iNkosi enguMyeni, uJesu Kristu. Ngalenkambo yokwethembeka, bahluke kakhulu eJerusalema elidala. Kusukela iRepublic of Israel yasungulwa, umuzi waseJerusalema manje ongowamaJuda ngokuyinhloko, ulandela inkambo yezakhamuzi zaseJerusalema lekhulu lokuqala leminyaka. Ngaphansi kwethonya lenkolo eliphumputhekisayo, uyaqhubeka wenqaba uJesu Kristu, Lowo onelungelo namandla okubusa eMbusweni wasezulwini.
11, 12. (a) Obani ngokukhethekile abaye baveza ukugcwaliseka okuphawulekayo kwesiprofetho sikaJesu esikuMathewu 24:14? (b) INhlangano abasebenza ngayo inani namuhla eRepublic of Israel?
11 Kuyiqiniso, kusukela ekupheleni kweZikhathi zabeZizwe ngo-1914, “iNkosi yokuthula” ibibusa emazulwini, ingabonakali emehlweni abantu. Nokho, kusukela iJerusalema lathunjwa amaNgisi ngeMpi Yezwe I futhi iNhlangano Yezizwe yanikeza iBrithani amandla okulibusa, izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso wasezulwini ezandleni zeNdodana enguMesiya yeNkosi uDavide ziye ‘zashunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba owakhiwe ngenjongo yobufakazi kuzo zonke izizwe’ njengoba uJesu Kristu ngokwakhe abikezela.—Mathewu 24:14, NW.
12 Lokhu kugcwaliseka okuphawulekayo kwesiprofetho kuye kwafezwa oFakazi BakaJehova ngaphansi kokuqondisa kweWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society. LeNhlangano inehhovisi legatsha ngisho naseTel Aviv, lapho umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova kuyo yonke indawo yakwaIsrayeli uqondiswa khona. Kunamabandla futhi oFakazi BakaJehova abakhuthele manje abamemezela ivangeli loMbuso kulelozwe.
13. (a) Yini eyenzeka ngemva kokuba ukushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu sekufezwe ngokugcwele? (b) Ingabe siyophinde sibe khona isidingo selinye iJerusalema lasemhlabeni, ngisho nesokuba lamukele uDavide ovusiwe?
13 UJesu Kristu waprofetha ukuthi ngemva kokuba ukushunyayelwa ‘kwalezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso’ sekufezwe ngokugcwele, “ukuphela” kuyofikela lesimiso sezwe sezinto. (Mathewu 24:14) Ngakho manje ukuphela kweJerusalema lasemhlabeni sekuseduze. Kulesikhathi, kubonakala singekho isidingo sokuba kwakhiwe elinye iJerusalema esizeni esidala, ngisho nokuba lamukele inkosi yaseJerusalema yesikhathi esidlule, uDavide, ngokuvuswa kwabafileyo ngaphansi koMbuso Weminyaka Eyinkulungwane womzukulu wakhe wobukhosi, uJesu Kristu. (Johane 5:28, 29) Nokho, cishe uDavide uyobuyiselwa endaweni ayekhonza kuyo uJehova uNkulunkulu.
Isikhathi Sokujabula
14, 15. (a) Umphostoli uJohane ulichaza kanjani iJerusalema Elisha elikhazimulayo nokwehla kwalo ezulwini ukuze kubusiswe isintu? (b) Kungani isikhathi sethu kungesokujabula, futhi isiphi isenzakalo senjabulo yendawo yonke esisondelayo?
14 IJerusalema Elisha lihlangene nesimiso esisha sezinto esikhazimulayo. Umphostoli uJohane uthi: “Ngase ngibona izulu elisha nomhlaba omusha; ngokuba izulu lokuqala nomhlaba wokuqala kudlulile, nolwandle alusekho. Ngabona umuzi ongcwele, iJerusalema elisha, wehla uvela ezulwini kuNkulunkulu, ulungisiwe njengomlobokazi ohlotshiselwe umyeni wakhe. Ngase ngizwa izwi elikhulu livela esihlalweni sobukhosi, lithi: Bheka, itabernakele likaNkulunkulu likubantu; uyakuhlala nabo, babe-ngabantu bakhe, yena uNkulunkulu abe-nabo.” (IsAmbulo 21:1-3) Kanjalo, iJerusalema Elisha liyoba isibusiso kuso sonke isintu.
15 Lokhu kwenza isikhathi sethu kube isikhathi sokujabula. Ngaphezu kwayo yonke lenjabulo, isenzakalo esithakazelisa indawo yonke nesenjabulo yendawo yonke siyasondela. Kuwumshado wesigaba somlobokazi esesiphelele ngokwesibalo, iJerusalema Elisha, noJesu Kristu iNkosi. Njengoba kulotshiwe kusAmbulo 19:6-9: “Ngase [mina mphostoli uJohane] ngizwa kungathi izwi lesixuku esikhulu, linjengezwi lamanzi amaningi, nezwi lokuduma okunamandla, lithi: Haleluya! Ngokuba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu, uMninimandla onke, iyabusa. Masithokoze, sethabe, futhi masimnike inkazimulo, ngokuba umshado weWundlu [uJesu Kristu] ufikile, nomkalo uzilungisele; wanikwa ukuba embathe ilineni elicolekileyo nelikhazimulayo nelihlanzekileyo; ngokuba ilineni elicolekileyo liyizenzo ezilungileyo zabangcwele. Yayisithi kimi: Loba ukuthi: Babusisiwe abamenyelwe esidlweni somshado weWundlu.”
16. (a) Ngokushada kwalo kwasezulwini neWundlu, iJerusalema Elisha liba unina wobani? (b) IJerusalema Elisha liyoba isibusiso ngokuvumelana ngokugcwele nani?
16 Lokhu kuhlangana ngomshado neWundlu uJesu Kristu kuyosho injabulo engenakuchazeka ngeJerusalema Elisha elingokomfanekiso ezulwini. Ngawo liyoba “ngunina othokozayo wabantwana.” (IHubo 113:9) Yebo, liyoba unina wasezulwini wabo bonke abantu, abaphilayo nabafileyo, labo umyeni wakhe onothando abahlenga ngomhlatshelo wakhe ophelele wobuntu eminyakeni engamakhulu ayi-19 edlule. Ngokuvumelana okugcwele nesivumelwano sikaJehova noAbrahama sezinkulungwane zeminyaka edlule, iJerusalema Elisha liyoba isibusiso kuyo yonke imindeni yomhlaba.
[Isithombe ekhasini 96]
Esimisweni esisha sezinto, iJerusalema Elisha liyobusisa sonke isintu