Ukunqoba Engxenyeni Yokugcina Yezinsuku
“Kukhona uNkulunkulu ezulwini onguMambuli wezimfihlakalo, futhi wazisile . . . okuyokwenzeka engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku.”—DANIYELI 2:28, NW.
1. (a) Kungani iziprofetho zikaJeremiya, uHezekeli, noDaniyeli zithakazelisa ngempela kithi namuhla? (b) Kungani lezozincwadi eziphefumlelwe zagcinwa?
UJEREMIYA, UHEZEKELI, UDANIYELI—yeka iziprofetho ezivusa amadlingozi lawomagama asikhumbuza zona! Cishe eminyakeni eyizi-2 600 edlule, lezozinceku ezintathu ezinesibindi zeNkosi ePhakeme uJehova zaphila engxenyeni yokugcina yeJerusalema elalihlubukile, nakuba zazikhonza ezindaweni ezihlukene nangaphansi kwezimo ezihlukene kakhulu. Kodwa ngamunye esimweni sakhe siqu waprofetha ngokuphathelene nezenzakalo ezaziyofinyelela umvuthwandaba ‘engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku.’ Lezozincwadi eziphefumlelwe ziye zagcinwa ukuze kukhuthazwe bonke abathanda uNkulunkulu nokulunga, nabafisa ukusinda ‘osizini olukhulu’ olusondelayo esikhathini sethu.—Mathewu 24:3-22; Roma 15:4.
2. Kungani uJeremiya adinga amandla avela kuJehova?
2 UJeremiya waprofetha eJerusalema. Njengoba inhlekelele yayiza ababusi nabantu babewele ebubini nasekonakaleni. Nokho uJehova wamqinisa umprofethi wakhe ‘njengogange lwethusi oluqinileyo’ ukuba ame eqinile phakathi kobubi babo.—Jeremiya 15:11, 20; 23:13, 14.
Abaprofethi Bokuthula
3. Imaphi amazwi angamanga ayekhulunywa abaprofethi?
3 Ngokuphathelene nabaholi benkolo abadelelayo baseJerusalema, uJehova wamemezela ngoJeremiya: “Ningawalaleli amazwi abaprofethi abaprofetha kini; banifundisa okuyize, bakhuluma umbono wenhliziyo yabo, kungengokuvela emlonyeni kaJehova. Bazinge bethi kwabangidelelayo: UJehova ukhulumile uthi: Niyakuba-nokuthula.” Labo baprofethi bamanga babethi, “Ngukuthula, ngukuthula,” lapho kwakungekho ukuthula.—Jeremiya 23:18, 17; 6:14.
4. Abaningi abakweLobukholwa banamathele kuliphi ithemba?
4 Ngokufanayo, kweLobukholwa elihlubukile namuhla, kunabaprofethi bokuthula. Iningi lalaba linamathela kulokho uPapa Paul VI akuchaza ‘njengethemba lokugcina lokuvumelana nokuthula,’ iZizwe Ezihlangene. Ngokushesha, leyonhlangano izomemezela u-1986 njengoNyaka Wokuthula Womhlaba Wonke. Ekumemezeleni ukuzimisela kwakhe ukuhlanganyela kulowoNyaka, uPapa wathi ‘ukhulisa ithemba lokuthi loNyaka uyoveza imiphumela efiselekayo futhi uyofinyelela ezingeni elibalulekile ekuletheni ukuphathana ngokuthula phakathi kwabantu nezizwe.’ Kodwa ingabe kungokunengqondo ukulindela izizwe ukuba zibangele ukuthula kweqiniso?
5. Yini uJehova ayibikezelayo, futhi iyogcwaliseka kanjani “engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku”?
5 UNkulunkulu ngokwakhe uchaza okuyokwenzeka: “Bheka, isivunguvungu sikaJehova esinokufutheka siphumile; isivunguvungu esiyisikhwishikhwishi sehlele phezu kwamakhanda ababi. Intukuthelo kaJehova ayiyikubuya aze enze, aze afeze umgomo wenhliziyo yakhe; [engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku, NW] niyakukuqonda nokukuqonda [noma, “niyoqonda ngokugcwele,” The New English Bible]. (Jeremiya 23:19, 20, bheka futhi no-30:23, 24.) Yebo, abaholi benkolo yamanga bayoqonda ukuthi ‘ingxenye yokugcina yezinsuku’ isho ukuthini ngabo. Kodwa noma ikuphi ukuyicabangela abayokwenza kuyobe sekuphuzile!—Qhathanisa nesAmbulo 18:10, 16; 19:11-16; Mathewu 24:30.
6. Imuphi umphumela ojabulisayo oyoba khona ngabaningi?
6 Nokho, ngokujabulisayo, abantu abaningi ababekade beyizithunjwa zenkolo yamanga ‘bayayicabangela.’ Baphendula ubizo: “Phumani kulo [inkolo yamanga], bantu bami,” ngoba abafuni ukuhlanganyela izono zayo noma ukuthola ingxenye yesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu kuyo. Uma ungomunye walaba, sengathi ungaqhubeka ugcina lokho iZwi likaNkulunkulu elikushoyo ‘ngengxenye yokugcina yezinsuku’ nangesikhathi esikhazimulayo sokuthula esiyolandela.—IsAmbulo 18:2, 4, 5; 21:3, 4.
Ukuhlasela KukaGogi
7. Waprofetha ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo uHezekeli?
7 Abantu bakaNkulunkulu bathinteka kanjani phakathi ‘nengxenye yokugcina yezinsuku’? Umprofethi uHezekeli makasitshele. Esengumfana, ngokungangabazeki wayemazi uJeremiya, kodwa uHezekeli wabe eseyiswa eBabiloni. Lapho, ngasemfuleni iKhebari, wathunywa ngo-613 B.C.E. ukuba asebenzele amaJuda asekuthunjweni njengomprofethi nomlindi kaJehova, inkonzo ayifeza ngokwethembeka okungenani iminyaka engama-22. Nokho, iziprofetho zakhe zifinyelela ngalé kwesikhathi sakhe. Hez Ezahlukweni 37 no-38, ukhuluma ‘ngoGogi wakwaMagogi.’
8, 9. (a) Iyiphi impikiswano enkulu okumelwe ilungiswe, futhi nini? (b) Ubani uGogi, obani abamlandelayo, futhi imuphi umgomo awuphishekelayo? (c) Yini uJehova ayoyenza kuGogi?
8 Ungubani ‘loGogi wakwaMagogi’? Nokho, ubani oyisitha esikhulu sikaJehova, lowo okumelwe alungise naye impikiswano enkulu ‘yengxenye yokugcina yezinsuku,’ leyo yokubuswa kwendawo yonke? UnguSathane uDeveli, lowo iNkosi enguMalusi, uJesu Kristu, amphonsa phansi esuka ezulwini ngemva kokubekwa kwaKhe esihlalweni sobukhosi ngo-1914. UGogi owehlisiwe nocasukile manje uvimbeleke endaweni encane yomoya, “izwe likaMagogi,” eliseduze nalomhlaba. Lokhu kusho ‘umaye ngomhlaba’ ngoba uGogi uyazi ukuthi isikhathi sokufeza umgomo wakhe wokuthi ‘busa noma wonakalise’ sifushane.—Hezekeli 37:24-28; 38:1, 2; IsAmbulo 11:18; 12:9-17.
9 UHezekeli ucaphuna iNkosi ePhakeme uJehova njengethi: “Bheka, ngimelene nawe-Gogi, isikhulu sakwaRoshe [umbusi wezwe]. . . . ngiyakukuguqula, ngifake izingwegwe emihlathini yakho ngikukhiphe kanye nayo yonke impi yakho, . . . abantu abaningi kanye nawe.” (Hezekeli 38:3-6; Johane 12:31) Yebo, uGogi unabantu abaningi abakanye naye, ngoba “izwe lonke lisemandleni omubi.” (1 Johane 5:19, NW) Nokho, uJehova angafaka izingwegwe ezingokomfanekiso emihlathini kaGogi, ukuze amshintshe isimo. Kodwa ngani, futhi kanjani?
10. (a) Ngokuphambene nezizwe, oFakazi BakaJehova balibeka kuphi ithemba labo? (b) Kungani uGogi neviyo lakhe bethukuthela? (c) Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze sisinde?
10 Ngaphansi kokuqhutshwa uGogi, imibuso emikhulu namuhla iphikisana ngokuthi ukuthula kwezwe kuxhomeke ekunqwabelaniseni kwayo izikhali zenyukliye ezisabeka ngokwengeziwe. Futhi ezinye izizwe ziyasekela. Nokho, abantu bakaNkulunkulu ‘ababuthiwe ezizweni’ baye balahla izikhali zobudlova. OFakazi BakaJehova bawukuphela ‘kwesizwe’ emhlabeni esingasho ngokwethembeka sithi, “Sithemba kuNkulunkulu.” (Isaya 2:4; 31:1; IzAga 3:5) Labofakazi bakaJehova abanokuthula “bahlala bengenalugange, kungekho kubo imigoqo nezicabha.” ‘Bahlala enkabeni yezwe,’ ngoba kuzo zonke izizwe, bangabavelele njengabantu uGogi aye wangabanqoba. (Hezekeli 38:11, 12) Kanjalo, uGogi wakwaMagogi othukuthele uletha yonke inhlangano yakhe yamademoni enkundleni yempi. Njengebhubesi elibhodlayo, uSathane owehlisiwe ulungiselela ukuhlasela ngamandla onke. Ukuze sisinde, sonke kumelwe ‘simelane naye siqinile ekukholweni.’—1 Petru 5:8, 9.
11. UJehova ‘umenza kanjani uGogi alwe nezwe lakhe,’ futhi ngayiphi injongo?
11 UJehova uyala uHezekeli: “Ngalokho profetha, ndodana yomuntu, uthi kuGogi: Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi ngalolosuku, lapho abantu bami uIsrayeli behlala belondekile, angithi uyakukwazi na?” UGogi neviyo lakhe bahawukela ukulondeka nokuchuma abakubona phakathi koFakazi BakaJehova namuhla. Bathukutheliswa ukuthi laba bazenza ‘bangabi ingxenye yezwe [likaSathane].’ Kanjalo uJehova uyamsola uGogi, emvusela ukuba ahlasele oFakazi abangahlomile. UJehova utshela uGogi: “Ukhuphukele ukulwa nabantu bami uIsrayeli [ongokomoya] njengefu lokusibekela izwe; kuyakuthi [engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku, NW] ngikuyise kubantu bami ukuze izizwe zingazi, lapho ngizingcwelisa ngawe-Gogi emehlweni azo.”—Hezekeli 38:14, 16; Johane 17:14, 16.
12. NgokukaHezekeli 38:18-23, uyini umphumela wokuhlasela kukaGogi?
12 UGogi othukuthele uya kohlasela “izwe” elichumayo labantu bakaJehova. Nokho, ingabe uGogi nguye kuphela oyothukuthela? Kuthiwani ngolaka lweNkosi ePhakeme uJehova kuGogi nabakhohliswe nguye? KuHezekeli 38:18-23 uJehova uchaza indlela ‘azingcwelisa ngayo emehlweni ezizwe’ ngokubhubhisa uGogi nokusindisa izinceku zakhe ezithembekile. Iphetha umbiko ngokunqoba kwayo uGogi nesixuku sakhe, iNkosi ephakeme ngokwayo ithi: ‘Bazi ukuthi nginguJehova.’ Igama lakhe elikhazimulayo liyalwelwa!
‘Izimfihlo Ezimbuliwe’
13. UDaniyeli wayibekela kanjani isibonelo esihle intsha engoFakazi?
13 Ngesikhathi uHezekeli eprofetha phakathi kwamaJuda ayethunjiwe ngaseBabiloni, uDaniyeli owayesemusha, owayengowozalo lwamaJuda lobukhosi, wayefunda endlini yenkosi uNebukadinesari. Lapho, njengomgcini wobuqotho, wabeka isibonelo esihle ngazo zonke izinceku ezingabasha zikaJehova namuhla.—Daniyeli 1:8, 9.
14. Kukuyiphi indaba uDaniyeli osemusha anika kuyo uNkulunkulu lonke udumo?
14 Ngonyaka wesibili ngemva kokuwa kweJerusalema, uNebukadinesari wathuswa iphupho. Lapho ephaphama, wayengasakhumbuli ngisho nokuthi uphupheni. Kodwa uDaniyeli owesaba uNkulunkulu wambulela iNkosi kokubili iphupho nencazelo yalo. Ngokwenza kanjalo, wanika uNkulunkulu lonke udumo, ethi enkosini: “Kukhona uNkulunkulu ezulwini owambula izimfihlakalo; wazisile inkosi uNebukadinesari okuyakuba-khona [engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku, NW.”] (Daniyeli 2:28) Yini esiyifundayo ephusheni nokusebenza kwalo ‘engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku’?
15, 16. Iyini incazelo yephupho likaNebukadinesari?
15 Lapha sibona isithombe, umfanekiso omkhulu, ingxenye enkulu yakhiwe ngezinsimbi ezihlukahlukene ngokulandelana. UDaniyeli uyachaza ukuthi lokhu kumelele uchungechunge lwemibuso futhi utshela uNebukadinesari, “Wena uyikhanda legolide,” ngokusobala ebhekisela ohlwini lwamakhosi aseBabiloni. Kwase kulandela eminye imibuso yomhlaba, isifuba sesiliva nezingalo kumelele amaMede namaPheresiya, isisu sethusi namathanga kumelele iGrisi, imilenze yensimbi imelele iRoma, futhi kamuva, umbuso womhlaba weBrithani neMelika. (Daniyeli 2:31-40) Kwehle njalo ‘ngezikhathi zabezizwe,’ kusukela ngo-607 B.C.E. kuya ku-1914 C.E., lemibuso iye yabusa embusweni ‘kankulunkulu walelizwe.’—Luka 21:24; 4:5, 6; 2 Korinte 4:4.
16 Nokho, ‘kusengxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku’ lapho ‘inzalo yabantu,’ umuntu ovamile, ibonakala khona. Ezindaweni eziningi amakhosi, ababusi baseJalimane, nababusi baseRashiya bathathelwa isikhundla ababusi abangomashiqela nababusi ababusa ngeningi. Ukubuswa kabi komhlaba umuntu kuba inhlanganisela yokubusa kobushiqela okunonya nokwezinhlobo ezithokozisayo zokubusa kweningi. Njengensimbi nebumba, lemibuso ayihlangani. Ngisho naseNhlanganweni Yezizwe Ezihlangene ayihlangani kodwa kunalokho, ihileleka ezimpikiswaneni ezinkulu nasekusongelaneni. Ngempela, ‘uMbuso uzibonakalisa ungahlangene.’—Daniyeli 2:41-43.
17. Sigcwaliseka kanjani isiprofetho “engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku”?
17 Kanjalo, “engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku,” impikiswano yokubuswa komhlaba ifika ekupheleni kwayo. Futhi liyini ikhambi? Bheka! Usumisiwe kakade uMbuso kaNkulunkulu wobuMesiya ngo-1914. ‘Uyitshe’ eliqheshulwe ‘entabeni’ yokubusa kukaJehova kwendawo yonke. Akukho-muntu wezombangazwe ohlanganyela kulokho! Uyeza, ngendlela eqondile, uqonde ngqó. Ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifanele, uphahlaza izinyawo zesithombe futhi ugxobe sonke isithombe sibe impuphu. Njengamakhoba phambi komoya, ukubusa komuntu kuyaphephuka, kungabikho namkhondo osalayo. Kodwa “itshe”—uMbuso kaNkulunkulu okhazimulayo noKristu wakhe—uba intaba enkulu egcwalisa umhlaba wonke. LowoMbuso ‘awusoze wachithwa futhi awuyikushiyelwa kwabanye abantu.’ Uyokuma kuze kube phakade. Yeka indlela esibonga ngayo uJehova ‘ngokwambula’ kwakhe izimfihlakalo ezinjalo kusengaphambili!—Daniyeli 2:29, 44, 45.
‘Ukuqhubukushana’ Kwanamuhla
18. (a) Imuphi umbono wamuva owanikwa uDaniyeli? (b) Yini ephawulekayo ngalombono?
18 Nokho, uDaniyeli wayenokunye okwengeziwe kokukusho ngohulumeni womuntu ‘nangengxenye yokugcina yezinsuku.’ Eminyakeni engaba ama-70 ngemva kokwembula iphupho likaNebukadinesari, uDaniyeli osemdala wayeseseBabiloni kodwa ekhonza ngaphansi kukaKoresi, inkosi yasePheresiya. Ngesikhathi esosebeni lomfula iHidekeli, ingelosi yabonakala kuye, ithi: “Sengifikile ukuba ngikuqondise okuyakwehlela abantu bakho [engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku, NW], ngokuba umbono usenezinsuku.” (Daniyeli 10:14) Ingelosi iyaqhubeka ichaza ngokuningiliziwe ababusi nezenzakalo ezaziyokwenzeka emlandweni wamaPheresiya, amaGreki, amaGibithe. amaRoma, amaJalimane, nowamaNgisi namaMelika, kanye nezinhlobo zokubusa kobuKhomanisi. Yeka ukuthi kuphawuleka kanjani ukuthi lowomlando, ohlanganisa iminyaka engaphezu kwezi-2 500, wawungabhalwa kusengaphambili! Usinikeza ithemba elikhulu eZwini lesiprofetho eliphefumlelwe likaJehova uNkulunkulu!a
19. Iziphi izenzakalo zanamuhla isiprofetho esizibikezelayo?
19 Lesiprofetho sisitshela ukuthi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, imibuso emibili emikhulu, “inkosi yaseningizimu” ‘nenkosi yasenyakatho yayiyovela kanjani.’ Ekugcineni, kusho ingelosi, inkosi yasenyakatho ‘iyozikhulisa phezu kwabo bonke onkulunkulu, ikhulume okumangalisayo ngoNkulunkulu wawonkulunkulu,’—hhayi izinto ezinhle, ngoba ‘idumisa unkulunkulu wezinqaba.’ Ngokumelene ‘nalenkosi’ eqhoshayo, ‘kunenkosi yaseningizimu,’ nayo enamandla kwezempi. Njengoba kwabikezelwa, lamakhosi amabili ‘ayaqhubukushana.’ Impi yesimanje yomshoshaphansi phakathi kwemibuso emikhulu iboniswa kahle ilokhu. Ngezinye izikhathi ‘iqhubukushana’ kabi njengoba iphikisana ngokulingana kwezikhali zenyukliye, lapho yandisa amalungiselelo ayo empi.—Daniyeli 11:36-45.
20. Yini enquma umphumela, futhi “uMikayeli” uhileleka kanjani kulokhu?
20 Nakuba isiprofetho sibikezela ukuthi “inkosi yasenyakatho” iyohlasela njengemvula emazweni amaningi, lokho ngeke kunqume umphumela. Okuyikhona okunqumayo kuboniswe kuDaniyeli 12:1: “Ngalesosikhathi uMikayeli uyakuvela, isikhulu esiqhamileyo esimela abantwana babantu bakho.” LoMikayeli uJesu Kristu, ‘owavela’ eMbusweni wakhe ngo-1914, ukuba akhiphe uSathane ngokushesha emazulwini. Futhi ‘yileNkosi yamakhosi’ ethatha isinyathelo ngeArmagedoni ibhubhise wonke ‘amakhosi omhlaba,’ kuhlanganise nalawo ‘asenyakatho nawaseningizimu.’—IsAmbulo 12:7-10; 19:11-19.
21. Khona-ke, uyini umphumela “engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku”?
21 Ekupheleni ‘kwengxenye yokugcina yezinsuku,’ umphumela uyoba sobala, ngokunqoba koMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ingelosi iwuchaza ngalamazwi aqhubekayo: “Kuyakuba-isikhathi sokuhlupheka esingazange sibe khona kusukela ekuveleni kwabantu kuze kube-yilesosikhathi.”—Daniyeli 12:1; qhathanisa noJeremiya 25:31-33; Marku 13:19.
22 Njengabantu bakaNkulunkulu, kumelwe sisabele kanjani kulesiprofetho futhi sinaliphi ithemba?
22 Ingabe kumelwe sisesabe lesosikhathi sosizi nokudabuka? Akunjalo uma singasohlangothini lukaJehova, ngoba ingelosi iqhubeka ithi: “Ngalesosikhathi abantu, bakho bayakukhululwa, bonke abafunyanwa belotshiwe encwadini.” (Daniyeli 12:1) Ngakho, sonke masizimisele ekutadisheni iBhayibheli ngenkuthalo sizikhandle ekukhonzeni uJehova. Kanjalo, “engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku,” singase sithole amagama ethu elotshiwe kwekaNkulunkulu “incwadi yokukhumbula ababemesaba uJehova, bezindla ngegama lakhe.” (Malaki 3:16) Ngokwenza kanjalo, siyoba nelungelo lokuhlanganyela ekunqobeni kwakhe “engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku.”
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Ngemininingwane, bheka incwadi ethi “Intando Yakho Mayenziwe Emhlabeni,” eyakhishwa yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York. Inc., ngo-1958, amakhasi 218-320.
Ngokuphathelene ‘nengxenye yokugcina yezinsuku’—
◻ Imuphi umphumela uJeremiya aprofetha ngawo ngokuqondene nokuthula komhlaba?
◻ Ukuhlasela kukaGogi kuphumela ekulungiseni yiphi impikiswano, futhi kanjani?
◻ Iphupho likaNebukadinesari likhomba kumuphi umvuthwandaba okhazimulayo?
◻ Ukulwela amandla phakathi ‘kwamakhosi’ amabili kuyophela kanjani?
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 24]
ISIQUBULO esamukelwa iUN soNyaka wayo Wokuthula Womhlaba Wonke (1986) sinophawu lwamaqabunga omnqumo, ijuba, nesandla somuntu. Lokhu kuchazwa njengokulandelayo: “Ijuba liyisibonakaliso sokuthula ngokuhlangene nesifanekiselo sophawu lwamaqabunga omnqumo lweZizwe Ezihlangene. Izandla zomuntu ezivimbele ijuba elilungele ukundiza zigcizelela ingxenye yomuntu ekugcineni ukuthula.”
Kulenkathi yenyukliye, ngempela kunesidingo esiphuthumayo sokubangela nokugcina ukuthula. Kodwa ingabe izandla zomuntu zingakufeza lokhu? UJeremiya uyasikhumbuza: “Ngiyazi, Jehova, ukuthi indlela yomuntu ayikuye uqobo: akukuyo indoda ukuba ihambe, iqondise izinyathelo zayo.” Futhi umprofethi unezela lesicelo: “Jehova, . . . thulula ukufutheka kwakho phezu kwabezizwe abangakwaziyo.”—Jeremiya 10:23-25.
Ijuba neqabunga lomnqumo kuthathwe emlandweni weBhayibheli wosuku lukaNowa. (Genesise 8:11) Ukuthula kwabuyiselwa kanjani ngalesosikhathi? Kwakungesinyathelo sikaNkulunkulu, uZamcolo wembulunga yonke owasusa isizukulwane sesintu esibi. UJesu wathi ‘imihla kaNowa,’ nobudlova bayo nobubi, yayiprofetha ngesikhathi ‘sokuba khona’ kwakhe, lesosikhathi simanje.—Mathewu 24:37-39; Genesise 6:5-12.
“UNkulunkulu wokuthula” kumelwe aphinde asuse isimiso sezinto sikaSathane, emva kwalokho “iNkosi yokuthula,” uJesu Kristu, iyongenisa ukuthula okungenasiphelo.—Roma 16:20; Isaya 9:6, 7; 33:7.
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
UJeremiya ukhomba ethembeni leqiniso lokuthula
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
UHezekeli usixwayisa ukuba silungiselele manje ukuhlasela kukaGogi
[Isithombe ekhasini 27]
UDaniyeli wembula umphumela ‘wengxenye yokugcina yezinsuku’