“Lolu Usuku Olubaluleke Kunazo Zonke”
“NgangakuMoya ngosuku lweNkosi.”—ISAMBULO 1:10.
1. Yiluphi “usuku” esiphila kulo, futhi kungani leliqiniso livusa amadlingozi?
“LOLU usuku olubaluleke kunazo zonke. Bhekani, iNkosi iyabusa!” Lamazwi avusa amadlingozi ashiwo umongameli wesibili weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society emuva lé ngo-1922 asasihlaba umxhwele nanamuhla. Ayaqhubeka esikhumbuza ukuthi siphila esikhathini esithakazelisa kakhulu kuwo wonke umlando, isikhathi eBhayibhelini esibizwa ngokuthi ‘usuku lweNkosi.’ (IsAmbulo 1:10) Ngempela ‘luwusuku olubaluleke kunazo zonke,’ ngoba luyisikhathi lapho uJehova, ngoMbuso kaKristu, eyokwenza zonke izinjongo zaKhe ezinhle zigcwaliseke futhi eyongcwelisa igama laKhe elingcwele phambi kwayo yonke indalo.
2, 3. (a) Lude kangakanani usuku lweNkosi? (b) Kukuphi lapho singafunda khona ngalolusuku?
2 Lolusuku lwaqala ngo-1914 lapho uJesu emiswa njengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Futhi luyoqhubeka kuze kube sekupheleni kokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, lapho uKristu ‘eyonikela umbuso kuNkulunkulu uYise.’ (1 Korinte 15:24) Emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka amaKristu athembekile aye abheka phambili osukwini lweNkosi. Manje, ekugcineni selufikile! ‘Lolusuku olubaluleke kunazo zonke,’ luye lwasho ukuthini kubantu bakaNkulunkulu nangezwe lilonke?
3 Incwadi yeBhayibheli esitshela okuningi ngosuku lweNkosi, isAmbulo. Cishe zonke iziprofetho zalencwadi ziyagcwaliseka phakathi nosuku lweNkosi. Kodwa isAmbulo simane nje siwumvuthwandaba wochungechunge lwezincwadi ezingokwesiprofetho ezisitshela ngalolosuku. UIsaya, uJeremiya, uHezekeli, noDaniyeli, phakathi kwezinye, nazo ziyasitshela ngalo. Ngokuvamile, lokho ezikushoyo kusisiza ukuba siziqonde kangcono iziprofetho ezikusAmbulo. Ake sibone indlela ikakhulukazi incwadi kaHezekeli esikhanyisela ngayo ngokugcwaliseka kwesAmbulo phakathi nosuku lweNkosi.
Abagibeli Bamahhashi Abane
4. NgokwesAmbulo isahluko 6, yini eyenzeka ekuqaleni kosuku lweNkosi?
4 Ngokwesibonelo, esahlukweni sesithupha sesAmbulo, umphostoli uJohane uchaza umbono ohlaba umxhwele: “Ngabona, bheka, nanto ihashi elimhlophe, nohlezi phezu kwalo ephethe umnsalo wanikwa umqhele, waphuma engonqobayo nokuyakunqoba.” (IsAmbulo 6:2) Ungubani lomgibeli wehhashi onqobayo? Akekho omunye ngaphandle kukaJesu Kristu, omiswe njengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu futhi ogibele ukuze anqobe izitha zakhe. (IHubo 45:3-6; 110:2) Ukugibela kukaJesu kokunqoba kwaqala emuva ngo-1914, ekuqaleni kwalo kanye usuku lweNkosi. (IHubo 2:6) Khona kanye ukunqoba kwakhe kokuqala kwaba ukuphonswa kukaSathane namademoni akhe emhlabeni. Waba yini umphumela ngesintu? “Maye kuwemhlaba nakuwelulwandle.”—IsAmbulo 12:7-12.
5. Yiziphi izithunzi ezisabekayo ezalandela uMgibeli wehhashi elimhlophe, futhi isithunzi ngasinye sinaliphi igunya?
5 Lapho kulowombono kulandela izithunzi ezintathu ezisabekayo: ihhashi elibomvu elimelela impi, ihhashi elimnyama elimelela indlala, nehhashi elimpofu umgibeli walo owayebizwa ngokuthi ‘ukuFa.’ Ngalelihhashi lesine, siyafunda: “Ngase ngibona, bheka, nanto ihashi elimpofu nohlezi phezu kwalo, igama lakhe lalingukuFa, neHayidese lalandelana naye; base benikwa amandla phezu kokwesine komhlaba ukuba babulale ngenkemba, nangendlala, nangokufa, nangezilwane zomhlaba.”—IsAmbulo 6:3-8; Mathewu 24:3, 7, 8; Luka 21:10, 11.
6. Uye waba yini umphumela walamahhashi amathathu asabekayo nabagibeli bawo emhlabeni?
6 Ngokuvumelana nalesiprofetho, isintu siye sahlushwa kakhulu izimpi, indlala, nezifo kusukela ngo-1914. Kodwa umgibeli wehhashi lesine ubulala futhi “nangezilwane zomhlaba.” Ingabe lokhu bekuyisici esiphawulekayo kusukela ngo-1914? Ukucabangela isiprofetho esifanayo sikaHezekeli kuyasisiza ukuba sisiqonde lesici sesiprofetho.
7. (a) Yisiphi isiprofetho uHezekeli asisho ngokuqondene neJerusalema? (b) Lesiprofetho sagcwaliseka kanjani?
7 Lapho ebhala ngokunokwenzeka eminyakeni emihlanu ngaphambi kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E., uHezekeli waprofetha ngesijeziso esisabekayo samaJuda ngenxa yokungathembeki kwawo. Wabhala ngaphansi kokuphefumlelwa: “Kakhulu kangakanani, lapho ngithuma eJerusalema izahlulelo zami ezine ezimbi, inkemba, nendlala, nezilwane ezesabekayo, nesifo ukuba nginqume kulo abantu nezilwane.” (Hezekeli 14:21; 5:17) Ingabe lokhu kwagcwaliseka ngokoqobo emuva ngalesosikhathi? Ngokungangabazeki iJerusalema lahlushwa indlala nempi njengoba isiphelo salo sasisondela. Futhi ngokuvamile indlala idala izifo. (2 IziKronike 36:1-3, 6, 13, 17-21; Jeremiya 52:4-7; IsiLilo 4:9, 10) Ingabe yaba khona futhi inhlupho engokoqobo yezilwane zasendle ngalesosikhathi? Cishe zazikhona izigigaba zabantu behudulwa izilwane noma mhlawumbe ngisho zibabulala ngoba noJeremiya wakubikezela lokhu.—Levitikusi 26:22-33; Jeremiya 15:2, 3.
8. Iyiphi ingxenye izilwane zasendle eziye zaba nayo phakathi nosuku lweNkosi kuze kube manje?
8 Kodwa kuthiwani namuhla? Emazweni athuthukile, izilwane zasendle aziyona inkinga eyingozi ezake zaba yiyo. Nokho, kwamanye amazwe, izilwane zasendle ziyaqhubeka zithola izisulu, ikakhulukazi uma sihlanganisa izinyoka nezingwenya phakathi ‘kwezilwane zomhlaba.’ Ukufa okunjalo okwesabekayo akuvamile ukubikwa emaphephandabeni omhlaba wonke, kodwa kuyaphawuleka. Incwadi ethi Planet Earth—Flood ikhuluma ngabaningi baseNdiya nasePakistan ‘abaye bafa ngobuhlungu obukhulu bokulunywa izinyoka ezinesihlungu’ lapho bezama ukubalekela izikhukhula. I-India Today yabika ngedolobha elilodwa eliseNtshonalanga Bengal lapho abesifazane abalinganiselwa ema-60 beye bashonelwa abayeni babo ngenxa yokuhlaselwa yizingwe. Izindaba ezinjalo ezidabukisayo zingase zibe ezivame ngokwengeziwe esikhathini esizayo lapho umphakathi wesintu uwohloka nalapho indlala yanda.
9. Yiluphi olunye uhlobo ‘lwesilwane’ oluye lwadala inhlekelele nokuhlupheka esintwini phakathi nalelikhulu leminyaka?
9 Kodwa uHezekeli wabhekisela kolunye uhlobo ‘lwesilwane’ lapho ethi: “Kukhona uzungu lwabaprofethi bawo phakathi kwawo njengengonyama ebhongayo edwengula impango; badlile imiphefumulo . . . Izikhulu zawo phakathi kwawo zinjengezimpisi ezidwengula impango.” (Hezekeli 22:25, 27) Ngakho abantu nabo bangenza njengezilwane, futhi yeka ukuthi isintu siye sahlupheka kanjani ngenxa yezilwane eziyingozi kanjalo phakathi nekhulu lethu leminyaka! Abaningi baye bafa ezandleni zezigebengu nezamaphekula anjengezilwane. Yebo, ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene ukufa kuye kwavuna isivuno esikhulu sezisulu ‘zezilwane zomhlaba.’
10. Ukuphawula kukaJohane impi, indlala, isifo, nezilwane zomhlaba njengezimbangela zokufa kusisiza ukuba siboneni?
10 Ukuphawulwa kwempi, indlala, isifo, nezilwane zasendle embonweni kaJohane kusisiza ukuba sibone ukuthi izimo ezibuhlungu iJerusalema elabhekana nazo ngo-607 B.C.E. zaziyothola imifuziselo eminingi phakathi nosuku lwethu. Kanjalo usuku lweNkosi kakade seluye lwasho ukuhlupheka ngezwe, ikakhulukazi ngenxa yokuthi ababusi besintu baye benqaba ukuzithoba kulowoMgibeli wokuqala wehhashi, iNkosi ebekwe esihlalweni sobukhosi, uJesu Kristu. (IHubo 2:1-3) Nokho, kuthiwani ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu? Usuku lweNkosi luye lwasho ukuthini kubo?
Ukulinganisa Ithempeli
11. KusAmbulo 11:1, yini uJohane ayalezwa ukuba ayenze, futhi lokhu kwakuphathelene naliphi ithempeli?
11 KusAmbulo 11:1, umphostoli uJohane uthi: “Nganikwa uhlanga lufana nenduku, kwathiwa: Sukuma, ulinganise ithempeli likaNkulunkulu, nealtare, nabakhulekayo kulo.” Lokhu kulinganiswa okungokombono kwethempeli kwakusho okukhulu kakhulu ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Yiliphi ithempeli uJohane alilinganisa? Akulona ithempeli elingokoqobo lamaJuda lapho uJohane ayekhulekela khona ngaphambi kokuba abe umKristu. UJehova walilahla lelothempeli, futhi labhujiswa ngo-70 C.E. (Mathewu 23:37–24:2) Kunalokho, kwakuyilungiselelo elikhulu likaJehova lethempeli elingokomoya. Kulelithempeli elingokomfanekiso amaKristu agcotshiwe akhonza emagcekeni asemhlabeni njengabapristi abangaphansi.—Heberu 9:11, 12, 24; 10:19-22; IsAmbulo 5:10.
12. Lelothempeli laqala nini ukuba khona, futhi yiziphi izenzakalo ezenzeka ngokuphathelene nalo ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka?
12 Lelothempeli laba khona ngo-29 C.E. lapho uJesu egcotshwa njengompristi omkhulu. (Heberu 3:1; 10:5) Lalizoba nabapristi abangaphansi abayizi-144 000, futhi ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka abaningi balaba bakhethwa, babekwa uphawu, futhi bafa bethembekile. (IsAmbulo 7:4; 14:1) Kodwa lapho lawomaKristu ekhulu lokuqala leminyaka efa, alala ethuneni, awaze avuselwa ngokushesha ezulwini. (1 Thesalonika 4:15) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngemva kwekhulu lokuqala leminyaka kwaqala ukuhlubuka okukhulu, futhi amaKristu agcotshwe njengabapristi ayezungezwe “ukhula” oluchumayo, izihlubuki. (Mathewu 13:24-30) Kuwo wonke amakhulu eminyaka, kusukela ngalesosikhathi kwakungase kubuzwe ngokufanelekile: ‘Ingabe bonke abapristi abangaphansi abayizi-144 000 bavoke babekwe uphawu?’ ‘Ingabe labo abaye bafa bethembekile bayoke bavuswe ukuze bakhonze ethempelini lasezulwini?’ Ukulinganiswa kwethempeli okungokombono kwabonisa ukuthi impendulo yayo yonke lemibuzo inguyebo. Ngani?
13. Ukulinganisa kukaJohane ithempeli kwakuqinisekisani, futhi yini eyenzeka ekuqaleni kosuku lweNkosi?
13 Ngenxa yokuthi esiprofethweni seBhayibheli ukulinganiswa kokuthile ngokuvamile kubonisa ukuthi injongo kaJehova ngaleyonto izofezeka ngokuqinisekile. (2 AmaKhosi 21:13; Jeremiya 31:39; IsiLilo 2:8) Ngakho, ukulinganisa kukaJohane ithempeli okungokombono kwakuyisiqinisekiso sokuthi phakathi nosuku lweNkosi, zonke izinjongo zikaJehova ngokuphathelene nethempeli zaziyogcwaliseka. Ngokuvumelana nalokhu nangokucabangela bonke ubufakazi, labo babagcotshiwe abase befe bethembekile baqala ukuvuselwa endaweni yabo ethenjisiwe ethempelini lasezulwini kusukela ngo-1918. (1 Thesalonika 4:16; IsAmbulo 6:9-11) Kodwa kuthiwani ngengxenye esele yezi-144 000?
14. Yini eyenzeka kumaKristu agcotshiwe ngaphambi kwempi yezwe yokuqala naphakathi nayo?
14 Ngisho nangaphambi kokuba usuku lweNkosi luqale, amaKristu agcotshiwe ayephume kweLobukholwa eliyisihlubuki aqala ukubuthana enhlanganweni ehlukile. Ayakhe umlando omuhle wokwethembeka ekumemezeleni ukubaluleka konyaka ka-1914, kodwa ngalowonyaka ongujuqu, njengoba impi yezwe yokuqala yayiqala, aqala ukucindezelwa, ‘ukunyathelwa.’ Lokhu kwafinyelela umvuthwandaba ngo-1918 lapho abaqondisi beWatch Tower Society beboshwa, futhi umsebenzi ohleliwe wokushumayela ucishe unqamuka. Ngalesosikhathi, kwakunjengokungathi ‘babulewe.’ (IsAmbulo 11:2-7) Kwakusho ukuthini ukulinganiswa kwethempeli ngalamaKristu?
15. Ukulinganiswa kwethempeli elingokombono kwakusho ukuthini ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu bosuku lukaHezekeli?
15 Ngonyaka ka-593 B.C.E., eminyakeni eyi-14 ngemva kokuba ithempeli likaJehova eJerusalema libhujisiwe, uHezekeli wabona indlu kaJehova engokombono. Wavakashiswa kabanzi kulelithempeli futhi wabukela njengoba ngasinye sezici zalo sasilinganiswa ngokucophelela. (Hezekeli izahluko 40–42) Lokhu kwakusho ukuthini? UJehova ngokwakhe wachaza: Ukulinganiswa kwethempeli kwakusho uvivinyo kubantu bakaHezekeli. Uma beyozithoba, baphenduke eziphambekweni zabo, futhi bazivumelanise nemithetho kaJehova, babeyotshelwa izilinganiso zethempeli. Lokhu ngokusobala kwakuyobakhuthaza ethembeni lokuthi ngolunye usuku abantu bakaJehova babeyokhululwa eBabiloni futhi baphinde bakhulekele uJehova ethempelini lakhe elingokoqobo.—Hezekeli 43:10, 11.
16. (a) Ukulinganisa kukaJohane ithempeli elingokombono kwabaqinisekisani abantu bakaNkulunkulu emuva ngo-1918? (b) Lokhu kwagcwaliseka kanjani?
16 Ngokufanayo, uma lawomaKristu adumazekile emuva ngo-1918 ayeyozithoba futhi aphenduke kunoma yiziphi iziphambeko ayezenzile, ayeyokhululwa ukuze athole isibusiso sikaJehova futhi afeze ingxenye egcwele elungiselelweni lakhe lethempeli. Futhi yilokho okwenzeka. NgokwesAmbulo 11:11, ‘ama,’ noma ngokomfanekiso avuswa. Umbono wokuvuswa ohlobene nalowo okuHezekeli wafanekisela ukubuyiselwa kwamaJuda ezweni lakubo. (Hezekeli 37:1-14) ‘Loluvuko’ lwanamuhla lwaba ukubuyiselwa kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu besuka esimweni sabo sokudumazeka, cishe sokungasebenzi, beya esimweni sokuphila, nesikhazimulayo ababengase bakwazi kusona ukufeza ingxenye egcwele enkonzweni kaJehova. ‘Uvuko’ olunjalo lwenzeka ngo-1919.
Umqulu Omncane
17. (a) Chaza umbono kaJohane okusAmbulo 10:1. (b) Yayingubani ingelosi eyabonwa uJohane, futhi lombono wawuzogcwaliseka phakathi naluphi usuku?
17 KusAmbulo 10:1, uJohane wabona “ingelosi enamandla yehla ezulwini yembethe ifu, nothingo . . . lwaluphezu kwekhanda layo, nobuso bayo babunjengelanga, nezinyawo zayo zinjengezinsika zomlilo.” Lokhu ngandlela-thile kufana nemibono kaJehova eyabonwa uHezekeli noJohane ngokwakhe esikhathini esidlule. (Hezekeli 8:2; IsAmbulo 4:3) Kodwa uJohane lapha wabona ingelosi, hhayi uJehova. Ngakho, kumelwe ukuba kwakuyiNdodana kaJehova enkulu eyingelosi, uJesu Kristu, ‘ongumfanekiso kaNkulunkulu ongenakubonwa.’ (Kolose 1:15) Ngaphezu kwalokho, isAmbulo 10:2 siveza uJesu njengalowo omi esikhundleni segunya elikhulu, ‘unyawo lwakhe lokunene luphezu kolwandle nolokhohlo luphezu komhlabathi.’ Ngakho ingelosi imelela uJesu phakathi nosuku lweNkosi.—Bheka iHubo 8:4-8; Heberu 2:5-9.
18. (a) Yini uJohane ayalezwa ukuba ayidle? (b) Embonweni ofanayo, yini uHezekeli ayalezwa ukuba ayidle, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?
18 UJesu, kulesisimo esingokombono esibabazekayo, uphethe umqulu omncane esandleni, futhi uJohane uyalezwa ukuba athathe umqulu awudle. (IsAmbulo 10:8, 9) Ngalendlela, uJohane unokuhlangenwe nakho okufanayo nalokho kukaHezekeli, naye owayalezwa ukuba adle umqulu ongokombono. Endabeni kaHezekeli, uJehova ngokwakhe owanikeza umprofethi umqulu, futhi uHezekeli wabona ukuthi ‘kwakubhalwe kuwo izililo nezililiselo.’ (Hezekeli 2:8-10) UHezekeli uyabika: “Ngase ngiwudla, wawumnandi emlonyeni wami njengezinyosi.” (Hezekeli 3:3) Ukudla umqulu kwakusho ukuthini ngoHezekeli?
19. (a) Yini eyayimelelwa ukudla kukaHezekeli umqulu? (b) Obani ababezothola izigijimi ezibuhlungu uHezekeli ayethunywe ukuba azishumayele?
19 Ngokusobala, umqulu wawuqukethe ukwaziswa okuphefumlelwe okungokwesiprofetho. Lapho uHezekeli edla umqulu, wamukela ukuthunywa kokumemezela lokhu kwaziswa ngezinga eliphakeme kangangokuba waba yingxenye yakhe. (Qhathanisa noJeremiya 15:16.) Kodwa okuqukethwe umqulu kwakungemnandi kwabanye. Umqulu wawugcwele “izililo nezililiselo.” Lesigijimi esibuhlungu sasiya kobani? Okokuqala, uHezekeli watshelwa: “Ndodana yomuntu, hamba uye endlini yakwaIsrayeli, ukhulume kuyo ngamazwi ami.” (Hezekeli 3:4) Kamuva, isigijimi sikaHezekeli senaba ukuze sihlanganise nezizwe ezingamaqaba ezazizungezile.—Hezekeli, izahluko 25–32.
20. Yini eyenzeka lapho uJohane edla umqulu omncane, futhi waba yini umphumela wokwenza kwakhe kanjalo?
20 Endabeni kaJohane, imiphumela yokudla kwakhe umqulu yayingefanayo. Uyabika: “Ngase ngiyithatha incwadi encane esandleni sengelosi, ngayidla ngayiqeda; yayisiba-mnandi njengezinyosi emlonyeni wami; nalapho sengiyidlile, yababa esiswini sami.” (IsAmbulo 10:10) Ukudla umqulu kwakumnandi nakuJohane. Kwakumjabulisa ukuba iZwi likaJehova libe yingxenye yakhe. Kodwa isigijimi sasinokuthile okubuhlungu kuso. Kwakubuhlungu kobani? UJohane watshelwa: “Kumelwe ukuba uphinde uprofethe ngabantu abaningi, nezizwe, nezilimi, namakhosi.”—IsAmbulo 10:11.
21. (a) Yini amaKristu agcotshiwe ayenza ngo-1919 efana nokudla kukaJohane umqulu omncane, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela? (b) Waba yini umphumela ngeLobukholwa nangalo lonke izwe?
21 Konke lokhu kuye kwagcwaliseka kanjani phakathi nosuku lweNkosi? Ngokwamaqiniso angokomlando, emuva ngo-1919 amaKristu athembekile alemukela ngokuphelele ilungelo lokukhonza uJehova kangangokuba laba yingxenye yawo, futhi lokhu kwakumnandi ngempela. Kodwa isibusiso nelungelo lawo kwabonakala kubuhlungu kwabanye—ikakhulukazi kubefundisi beLobukholwa. Ngani? Ngoba lamaKristu agcotshiwe asimemezela ngesibindi sonke isigijimi sikaJehova ngesintu. Awazange nje kuphela ashumayele “ivangeli lombuso” kodwa futhi adalula isimo esifile ngokomoya seLobukholwa nesezwe lonke.—Mathewu 24:14; IsAmbulo 8:1-9:21; 16:1-21.
22. (a) Kungayiphi indlela ejabulisayo abagcotshiwe abaye basetshenziswa ngayo uJehova phakathi nosuku lweNkosi kuze kube manje? (b) Usuku lweNkosi luye lwasho ukuthini ngezwe likaSathane nangabantu bakaNkulunkulu?
22 Leliqembu elithembekile lamaKristu lasetshenziswa uJehova ukuba liqoqe abokugcina bezi-144 000 ukuba babekwe uphawu, futhi lahola ekuqoqweni kwesixuku esikhulu, esinethemba lasemhlabeni. (IsAmbulo 7:1-4, 9, 10) Lesixuku esikhulu sifeza ingxenye ebalulekile ezinjongweni zikaJehova ngalomhlaba, futhi ukuvela kwaso kuye kwabangela injabulo enkulu kokubili ezulwini nasemhlabeni. (IsAmbulo 7:11-17; Hezekeli 9:1-7) Ngakho, ‘lolusuku olubaluleke kunazo zonke’ kakade luye lwasho ukuhlupheka ngezwe likaSathane, kodwa lwasho izibusiso ezicebile ngabantu bakaJehova. Manje, ake sibone ukuthi lokhu kuyoqhubeka kuyiqiniso kangakanani njengoba usuku lweNkosi luqhubeka.
Ingabe Ungachaza?
◻ Luyini usuku lweNkosi?
◻ Iyiphi ingxenye ebhubhisayo ‘izilwane zomhlaba’ eziye zaba nayo phakathi nosuku lweNkosi?
◻ Yisiphi isiqinisekiso uJehova asinikeza ngokulinganisa kukaJohane ithempeli elingokombono?
◻ Ukudla kukaJohane umqulu omncane kwakusho ukuthini ngensali egcotshiwe ngo-1919?
◻ Kuze kube manje, usuku lweNkosi luye lwasho ukuthini ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu nangezwe lilonke?
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Ukulinganisa kukaJohane ithempeli kwanikeza iziqinisekiso eziqinile kwabagcotshiwe osukwini lweNkosi