“Akukho Ukuthula Kwababi”
“Akukho ukuthula kababi, usho uNkulunkulu wami.”—ISAYA 57:21.
1, 2. (a) Abantu abaningi bazizwa kanjani ngekusasa lesintu? (b) Uyini umphumela wemizamo yabantu yokuletha ukuthula?
“NGASO sonke isikhathi ngiyaqaphela ukuthi noma nini izwe lingabheduka.” Lamazwi ashaqisayo, acashunwa kumagazini iPsychology Today, akhulunywa umfundi wasesikoleni esiphakeme eNyakatho Melika. Lomfundi wayesaba ukuthi ngokushesha impi yenuzi ingase ibhubhise sonke isintu. Intombazane yesikole yaseRashiya ichaza imiphumela yempi yenuzi: “Konke okuphilayo kuyobhubha—kungabikho-tshani, namithi, naluhlaza.” Yeka into esabekayo! Nokho, abantu banomuzwa wokuthi lokhu kungenzeka ngempela. Ekuhloleni kwamuva, abantu abadala abangamaphesenti angama-40 ababuzwa baba nomuzwa wokuthi “kunokwenzeka impela” ukuba impi yenuzi igqashuke ngaphambi konyaka ka-2000.—Bheka uLuka 21:26.
2 Abaholi bezwe nabo banomuzwa wokusondela kwengozi. Ngemva kwempi yezwe yokugcina, bamisa inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene ukuze bazame ukuletha ukuthula nokulondeka esintwini—kodwa kwaba nhlanga zimuka nomoya. Kunalokho, iminyaka yangemva kwempi iye yaba nombango omkhulu phakathi kwemibuso emibili emikhulu ehlome ngezikhali zenuzi. Ngezinye izikhathi, abaholi balemibuso bayahlangana ngomzamo wokudambisa ukwesaba kwezizwe zonke kodwa kube nemiphumela emincane. Naphezu kweqiniso lokuthi abaholi benkolo bathandazela ukuthula, isimo sinjengoba uIsaya achaza: “Amaqhawe abo akhala ngaphandle; izithunywa zokuthula zikhala ngomunyu.”—Isaya 33:7.
3. Kungani kungenakwenzeka ukuba abantu baphumelele emizamweni yabo yokuletha ukuthula?
3 AmaKristu anolwazi ayazi ukuthi kungani abezombangazwe bengenakukuletha ukuthula okuhlala njalo. Ayaqaphela ukuthi uma nje abantu besagcwele ubugovu, inzondo, ukuhaha, ukuqhosha, nesifiso sokuvelela, ngeke kube khona ukuthula. (Qhathanisa noJakobe 4:1.) Ngaphandle kwalokho, izinto ezenzeka kubantu azilawulwa ngokugcwele ngabantu. Kunalokho, iBhayibheli liyasitshela: “Izwe lonke lisemandleni omubi.” (1 Johane 5:19, NW; 2 Korinte 4:4) UIsaya wasichaza kahle isimo sesintu ngaphansi kokulawula kwalomuntu: “Ababi banjengolwandle olunyakazisiweyo, ngokuba alunakuphumula . . . Akukho ukuthula kwababi, usho uNkulunkulu wami.”—Isaya 57:20, 21.
“UNkulunkulu Wokuthula”
4. Ubani kuphela onamandla okuletha ukuthula emhlabeni?
4 Lokhu akusho ukuthi uhlanga lwesintu alunakusinda ekubhujisweni empini yenuzi ezayo. Kumane kusho ukuthi uma sifuna ukubona ukuthula, kumelwe kuvele emthonjeni ongaphandle. Ngokujabulisayo, lowoMthombo unguJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe, “uNkulunkulu wokuthula.” (Roma 16:20) Unamandla okunqoba ithonya likaSathane futhi uhlose ‘ukubusisa abantu bakhe ngokuthula.’ (IHubo 29:11) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uye wenza isithembiso esithokozisayo: “Abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu.”—IHubo 37:11.
5. (a) UJehova wamsebenzisa kanjani uDaniyeli ukuba asinike ze ukwaziswa ngenjongo yaKhe yokuletha ukuthula? (b) Kungani kumelwe sibe nesithakazelo kulesiprofetho esilotshwe kuDaniyeli?
5 Eminyakeni eminingi edlule, uJehova wembula izenzakalo ezingokomlando ezaziyoholela ekuletheni kwakhe ukuthula emhlabeni. Ngengelosi, wakhuluma nomprofethi wakhe othembekile uDaniyeli ‘ngengxenye yokugcina yezinsuku,’ isikhathi sethu. (Daniyeli 10:14, NW) Wabikezela umbango wemibuso emikhulu futhi wabonisa ukuthi uyophela ngokushesha ngendlela okungekho-mbuso oyicabangayo. Futhi wathembisa ukuthi lesenzakalo esingalindelekile siyoholela ekuthuleni kwangempela. AmaKristu anesithakazelo esikhulu kulesiprofetho. Sinikeza umbono okhanyayo ngokuthi simi kuphi ngokwesikhathi futhi siqinisa ukuzimisela kwethu ukuhlala singathathi-hlangothi embangweni wezizwe zonke kuyilapho silindele ngokubekezela ukuba uNkulunkulu athathe isinyathelo ngenxa yethu.—IHubo 146:3, 5.
Umbango Uyaqala
6. Landisa ngesizinda esingokomlando sombango wanamuhla wemibuso emikhulu.
6 Iqiniso liwukuthi, umbango wanamuhla wemibuso emikhulu awuyona into entsha emhlabeni. Kunalokho, kuqhubeka lokho okwaqala esikhathini eside esidlule. Ngemva kokuwa kombuso wezwe ka-Alexander the Great ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lesine B.C.E., ababili babaholi bempi yakhe babusa eAramu naseGibithe. Kwaba nombango ohlala njalo phakathi kwabo nabalandeli babo, ekugcineni owaholela embangweni wanamuhla wemibuso emikhulu—abakhulunyelwa njengenkosi yasenyakatho nenkosi yaseningizimu ngoba babesenyakatho naseningizimu yezwe labantu bakaNkulunkulu. Ukuvela kwalombango okungokomlando kwembulwa kusengaphambili kumprofethi uDaniyeli ngengelosi.
7. (a) Sazi kanjani ukuthi kunamandla angabonakali omoya, ezindabeni zabantu? (b) Ekuqaleni, ubani owayeyinkosi yasenyakatho, nowayeyinkosi yaseningizimu, futhi umbango wabo waqala kanjani?
7 Okokuqala ingelosi ichaza indlela yona, ilekelelwa uMikayeli, eyalwa ngayo ‘nezikhulu’ zomoya zasePheresiya naseGrisi. (Daniyeli 10:13, 20–11:1) Lokhu kuboniswa indawo yomoya kuqinisekisa ukuthi izimpi zezizwe azihlanganisi abantu kuphela. Kunamabutho angamademoni, noma “izikhulu,” ezishoshozela ababusi abangabantu ababonakalayo. Kodwa kusukela ezikhathini zasendulo, abantu bakaNkulunkulu ‘bebenesikhulu,’ uMikayeli, ukubaqinisa kulemibuso engamademoni. (Efesu 6:12) Khona-ke ingelosi igxilisa ukunakekela kwethu embangweni ophakathi kweAramu neGibithe. Iyaqala: “Inkosi yaseningizimu iyakuba-namandla, kanjalo esinye sezikhulu zayo.” (Daniyeli 11:5a) Inkosi yaseningizimu lapha kwakunguPtolemy I, umbusi waseGibithe, owathumba iJerusalema cishe ngo-312 B.C.E. Ngokulandelayo ingelosi ibhekisela kwenye inkosi eyayizoba ‘namandla kunayo, ibuse, nokubusa kwayo kuyakuba-ngukubusa okukhulu.’ (Daniyeli 11:5b) Lena inkosi yasenyakatho enguSeleucus I Nicator, ombuso wakhe, waseAramu, waba namandla kunowaseGibithe.
8. Kusho ukuthini kumaKristu namuhla ukushaya emhloleni okuphawulekayo kwengxenye yokuqala yesiprofetho sengelosi ngenkosi yasenyakatho nenkosi yaseningizimu?
8 Ingelosi iyaqhubeka iprofetha ngemininingwane eminingi yombango oqhubekayo phakathi kwababusi abalandelanayo baseAramu naseGibithe. (Daniyeli 11:6-19) Leziprofetho zazishaya emhloleni kangangokuthi abanye banomuzwa wokuthi incwadi kaDaniyeli kumelwe ukuba yalotshwa ngemva kokugcwaliseka kwazo.a Nokho, ngamaKristu ukushaya emhloleni okuphawulekayo kwaleziprofetho kuqinisa ukholo lwawo kulezozingxenye zesiprofetho ezisazogcwaliseka phakathi ‘nengxenye yokugcina yezinsuku.’
ISikhulu Sesivumelwano
9. Isinyathelo senkosi yasenyakatho saholela kanjani ekuzalelweni kukaJesu eBetlehema?
9 Akumelwe kulindelwe ukuthi ingelosi yayingahlanganisa bonke ababusi kusukela kuPtolemy kuze kufike “engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku.” Kunalokho, siyaqonda ukuthi ngemva kwevesi 19 isiprofetho siwelela eminyakeni eyandulela eduze iSikhathi sethu Esivamile, lapho sifunda khona ukuthi: “Besekuvela esikhundleni sakhe [inkosi yasenyakatho] oyakudlulisa umthelisi emhlobisweni wombuso.” (Daniyeli 11:20) Manje, iAramu lase liyisifundazwe saseRoma, futhi inkosi yasenyakatho imelelwe umbusi waseRoma uAwugustu. Nguye owayala ukuba kubalwe abantu okwaphumela ekuzalweni kukaJesu eBetlehema kunokuba kube seNazaretha.—Luka 2:1-7; Mika 5:2.
10. Yikuphi okunye ukuhlangana phakathi kwenkosi yasenyakatho noMesiya ingelosi eyakuletha ekunakekeleni kwethu?
10 Ngemva kuka-Awugustu kwaba uTiberiyu, indoda enengekayo ingelosi eyichaza ngokuthi “odelelekileyo.” (Daniyeli 11:21) Phakathi nokubusa kwakhe, ukuvukela okuyingozi emngceleni wasenyakatho woMbuso waseRoma kwalawulwa futhi umngcele ngokwawo waba nokuthula, kwagcwaliseka amazwi esiprofetho: “Ngengalo yesifufula bayakukhukhulwa ebusweni bakhe,babhujiswe.” Futhi, phakathi nokubusa kwakhe uJesu wabulawa amasosha aseRoma ekugcwalisekeni kwe siprofetho sengelosi sokuthi “isikhulu sesivumelwano” sasiyonqunywa.—Daniyeli 11:22; 9:27.
“Ngesikhathi Esinqunyiweyo”
11. (a) Ngo-1914, yayingubani inkosi yasenyakatho nenkosi yaseningizimu? (b) Yisiphi isiprofetho esagcwaliseka “ngesikhathi esinqunyiweyo”?
11 Ekugcineni, isiprofetho sisiletha ‘esikhathini esinqunyiweyo,’ ngo-1914. (Daniyeli 11:27; Luka 21:24) Manje, kwase kube noshintsho endleleni yokubizwa kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Njengoba uIsrayeli ongokwenyama amenqaba uMesiya, abantu bakaJehova abakhethiwe baye baba uIsrayeli ongokomoya, ibandla lamaKristu agcotshiwe. (1 Petru 2:9, 10) Indlela yokubiza amakhosi amabili nayo iye yashintsha. IBrithani, nomngane wayo kwezombangazwe iUnited States of America, ngokusobala iye yaba inkosi yaseningizimu, kanti inkosi yasenyakatho manje iJalimane. IMpi Yezwe I yabikezelwa ngalamazwi: “Ngesikhathi esinqunyiweyo [inkosi yasenyakatho] iyakubuya, iye eningizimu; kepha akuyikuba-sekugcineni njengasekuqaleni.” (Daniyeli 11:29) Inkosi yaseningizimu yanqoba kuleyompi. Ngakho isimo sahluka kulokho okwakuyikho “ekuqaleni,” okungukuthi, lapho iRoma elinqobayo liyinkosi yasenyakatho.
12. Chaza izici zezenzakalo zezwe kusukela ngo-1914 ezabikezelwa emazwini engelosi esiprofetho kuDaniyeli.
12 Ingelosi iyaqhubeka ikhuluma ngokuncintisana phakathi kwamakhosi amabili kusukela ngo-1914, futhi ngokukhethekile, ngendlela womabili ayeyophikisa ngayo abantu bakaJehova. Iprofetha futhi ngokuvela ‘kwamanyala encithakalo,’ akhona namuhla njengenhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene. (Daniyeli 11:31) Ukumiswa kweUN kwakuwumzamo wezombangazwe owenza womabili lamakhosi abambisana ekuletheni ukuthula. Kodwa uzokwehluleka ngoba umelene noMbuso kaNkulunkulu.b (Mathewu 24:15; IsAmbulo 17:3, 8) Ekugcineni, ingelosi iqondisa ukunakekela kwethu ‘esikhathini sokuphela.’—Daniyeli 11:40.
“Isikhathi Sokuphela”
13. (a) Inkulumo ethi “isikhathi sokuphela” ibhekisela kuphi kulengxenye yesiprofetho? (b) Obani abaye bafeza indima yenkosi yasenyakatho nenkosi yaseningizimu kusukela ekupheleni kwempi yezwe yesibili?
13 Yisiphi le sikhathi? Ngezinye izikhathi inkulumo ethi “isikhathi sokuphela” ibhekisela esikhathini sokuphela kwalesimiso sezinto, kusukela ngo-1914 kuya eArmagedoni. (Daniyeli 8:17, 19; 12:4) Kodwa izenzakalo zonyaka ka-1914, ‘isikhathi esinqunyiweyo,’ zazibikezelwe emuva evesini 29, futhi isiprofetho sengelosi siye sasidlulisa kakhulu kulokho.c Ngakho-ke, ‘isikhathi sokuphela’ lapha eve sini 40 kumelwe sibhekisele ezigabeni zokugcina zokulwa kweminyaka eyizi-2 300 phakathi kwenkosi yasenyakatho nenkosi yaseningizimu. Khona-ke, siyaqhubeka sifunda ngesithakazelo esikhulu, ngoba manje sizwa ngezenzakalo ezizokwenzeka esikhathini esiseduze esizayo. Manje, ukushiyelana umbuso emhlabeni kuye kwaholela kwezinye izenzakalo ekwahlukaniseni amakhosi amabili. Kusukela ekuweni kwemibuso yobuNazi nobuFasci ekupheleni kweMpi Yezwe II siye sabona umbango phakathi kwemibuso emibili emikhulu, omunye umelelwe njengenkosi yasenyakatho, ebusa kakhulukazi izizwe zesimiso sokusebenzela uhulumeni, futhi omunye umelelwe njengenkosi yaseningizimu, ebusa kakhulukazi izizwe zesimiso sokuzisebenzela.
14. Ingelosi iyichaza kanjani inkosi yasenyakatho?
14 Isimo senkosi yamanje yasenyakatho sichazwe kahle emavesini 37, 38: “Ayiyikunakekela onkulunkulu bawoyise . . . Kepha unkulunkulu wezinqaba uyakumdumisa esikhundleni sabo, nonkulunkulu ababengamazi oyise uyakumdumisa ngegolide, nangesiliva, nangamatshe anqabileyo nangokunye okuthandiweyo.” Ingabe ukhona ongehluleka ukubona lencazelo? Inkosi yanamuhla yasenyakatho ikhuthaza ngokomthetho ukungakholelwa kuNkulunkulu, inqaba onkulunkulu benkolo bamakhosi asenyakatho esikhathi esidlule. Ikhetha ukuthembela ezikhalini, “unkulunkulu wezinqaba.” Lokhu kuye kwaba nengxenye emncintiswaneni wobuhlanya we zikhali amakhosi amabili okumelwe alandise ngawo. Izindleko zokuzivikela zenkosi yasenyakatho iyodwa zafinyelela cishe amaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingama-600 ngo-1985. Yeka ukudela okukhulu kangaka ‘igolide, isiliva, namatshe anqabileyo nokunye okuthandiweyo’ kunkulunkulu wezikhali onganeliseki!
15, 16. (a) Kuyokwenzekani phakathi kwenkosi yasenyakatho nenkosi yaseningizimu? (b) Lokhu kuyosho ukuthini ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu?
15 Ngakho, yini eyenzekayo ekugcineni phakathi kwalamakhosi amabili? Ingelosi ithi: “Ngesikhathi sokuphela [ukuphela komlando wamakhosi amabili] inkosi yaseningizimu iyakuqhubukushana nayo; inkosi yasenyakatho isiyakuvunguzela yona ngezinqola, nangabamahashi, nangemikhumbi eminingi.” (Daniyeli 11:40; Mathewu 24:3) Ngokukhanyayo, imihlangano emikhulu ayilona ikhambi lombango wemibuso emikhulu. Ukucindezeleka okubangela ‘ukuqhubukusha’ kwenkosi yaseningizimu nokuzandisa kwenkosi yasenyakatho kungase kudlule ezimweni ezinzima; kodwa ekugcineni, ngandlela-thile, inkosi yasenyakatho iyoshukunyiselwa ukuba ithathe isinyathelo sobudlova obukhulu esachazwa uDaniyeli.d
16 Lezinsuku zokugcina zinzima ngokukhethekile kubantu bakaNkulunkulu, abaye bashushiswa yiwo womabili amakhosi phakathi nalelikhulu leminyaka. Ingelosi yaxwayisa ngokuthi inkosi yasenyakatho “iyakungena nasezweni elihle, namanye amaningi ayakukhubeka.” ‘Izwe elihle’ ngokomfanekiso liyizwe labantu bakaNkulunkulu. Khona-ke, kumelwe ukuba amazwi engelosi asho ukuthi ngaphezu kokunqoba izizwe eziningi, inkosi yasenyakatho ihlasela isimo esingokomoya sabantu bakaJehova. (Daniyeli 8:9; 11:41-44; Hezekeli 20:6) Evesini 45, isiprofetho siyanezela: “Iyakumisa itende lendlu yayo yobukhosi phakathi kolwandle nentaba enhle engcwele.” Ngamanye amazwi, izimisa ukuba ihlasele okokugcina ipharadesi labo elingokomoya.
“Iya Nokho Ekupheleni Kwayo”
17. Yisiphi isenzakalo esingalindelekile esiyoshukumisa inkosi yasenyakatho?
17 Kodwa ngalesosikhathi kuyobe sekwenzeke okuthile inkosi yasenyakatho nenkosi yaseningizimu engazange ikubone kusengaphambili. Ingelosi iyaprofetha: “Iyakwethuswa [inkosi yasenyakatho] yimibiko evela empumalanga nasenyakatho; iyakuphuma ngokufutheka okukhulu ukuchitha nokubhubhisa abaningi.”—Daniyeli 11:44.
18. (a) Uyini umthombo ‘wemibiko’ eyabikezelwa yingelosi? (b) Uyoba yini umphumela wokugcina ngenkosi yasenyakatho?
18 Iyoba yini lemibiko? Ingelosi ayisho, kodwa iyawembula umthombo wayo. ‘Ivela empumalanga,’ futhi uJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu kubhekiselwa kubo ngokuthi “amakhosi avela empumalanga.” (IsAmbulo 16:12) Lemibiko futhi ivela “nasenyakatho,” futhi iBhayibheli likhuluma ngokomfanekiso ngeNtaba yaseSiyoni, umuzi weNkosi enkulu uJehova, ‘njengesemaceleni asenyakatho.’ (IHubo 48:2) Ngakho-ke, “imibiko” evela kuJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu ethumela inkosi yasenyakatho emkhankasweni wayo omkhulu wokugcina. Kodwa imiphumela iyoba mibi kuyo. Ingxenye yokugcina yevesi 45 iyasitshela: “Iya nokho ekupheleni kwayo, akakho ongayisiza.”
19. (a) Iyoba yini imiphumela ehlukene ngalelizwe ‘nangabalungileyo’? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo okusamelwe iphendulwe?
19 Ngempela, ngeke kube khona “ukuthula kwababi.” (Isaya 57:21) Kunalokho, umlando wenkosi yasenyakatho uyophawulwa yizimpi kuze kube sekupheleni. Kodwa uJehova uyathembisa ngokuqondene nezinceku zaKhe ezithembekile: “Abaqotho bayakuhlala ezweni, abapheleleyo basale kulo. Kepha ababi bayakunqunywa ezweni.” (IzAga 2:21, 22) Nokho, yini eyokwenzeka enkosini yaseningizimu lapho inkosi yasenyakatho “iya nokho ekupheleni kwayo”? Yini eyokwenzeka kumaKristu lapho inkosi yasenyakatho ‘imisa itende lendlu yayo’ ngendlela yokuwasongela? (Daniyeli 11:45) Ekugcineni ukuthula kuyoza kanjani emhlabeni? UJehova, ngengelosi yakhe, wayiphendula lemibuzo, njengoba sizobona ezihlokweni ezilandelayo.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Ukuze uthole imininingwane engeziwe, bheka incwadi ethi “Intando Yakho Mayenziwe eMhlabeni,” isahluko 10, eyakhishwa ngo-1965, yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
b Ukuze uthole ukwaziswa okwengeziwe ngalengxenye yesiprofetho, bheka ethi “Intando Yakho Mayenziwe eMhlabeni,” isahluko 11.
c Phawula, futhi, ukuthi evesini 35 kuthiwa ‘isikhathi sokuphela’ sisesesikhathini esizayo.
d Bheka ethi “Intando Yakho Mayenziwe eMhlabeni,” amakhasi 294-300.
Ungachaza?
◻ Yiziphi izidalwa zomoya ebezihilelekile ezindabeni zabantu zezombangazwe?
◻ Ubani owayeyinkosi yasenyakatho nowayeyinkosi yaseningizimu ngo-1914?
◻ Inkosi yasenyakatho yanamuhla imkhulekela kanjani unkulunkulu wezinqaba?
◻ Inkosi yasenyakatho iyoletha buphi ubunzima kubantu bakaNkulunkulu?
◻ Yini eyokwenzeka ekugcineni enkosini yasenyakatho?
[Ibalazwe/Izithombe ekhasini 12]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
Ulwandle Olukhulu
IAramu
IJudiya
IGibithe
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 10]
U.S. National Archives