Ukuxazulula Impikiswano Yendawo Yonke Phakade
“INkosi ingakwesokunene sakho; iyakuchoboza amakhosi ngosuku lwentukuthelo yayo.”—IHUBO 110:5.
1, 2. Ngonyaka ka-70 C.E., yisiphi isenzakalo okungenzeka sabangela ukungabaza ngokuba kobukhosi bukaJehova uNkulunkulu obendawo yonke, kodwa ngalesosikhathi, umusa wakhe wawusuphendulelwe kobani?
UBUKHOSI bendawo yonke boMdali wezulu nomhlaba buyimpikiswano ebalulekile phambi kwabantu nezingelosi. Maduzane nje, lempikiswano iyoxazululwa phakade, kodwa emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka izitha zikaJehova ziye zabekela ubukhosi bakhe inselele. Ngempela, ukubhujiswa komuzi waseJerusalema ngo-70 C.E. kanye nethempeli lawo elalinikezelwe kuJehova kungenzeka kwabangela ukungabaza ngokuba kobukhosi boMdali ngobendawo yonke. Nokho, kwakunesizathu esizwakalayo sokuba uJehova ngalesosikhathi angakhethi ukuba uNkulunkulu oyiqhawe ekulweleni uIsrayeli ongokwenyama.
2 Sasiyini isizathu? Ngalesosikhathi uJehova uNkulunkulu wayephendulele umusa wakhe esizweni esisha, uIsrayeli ongokomoya, “uIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu,” njengoba umphostoli uPawulu elibiza kanjalo ibandla likaJesu Kristu. (Galathiya 6:16) Nokho, kuze kube manje phakathi nalenkathi ebizwa ngokuthi iNkathi YobuKristu, uJehova akazange amlwele uIsrayeli ongokomoya njengoNkulunkulu oyiqhawe ngendlela ayelwela ngayo uIsrayeli wemvelo ngaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho kaMose. Wavumela ngisho namasosha amaRoma, egqugquzelwa ngamaJuda, ukuba abulalele uJesu Kristu esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa eGolgotha. Lokho kwenzeka eminyakeni engu-37 ngaphambi kokubhujiswa kwesibili kweJerusalema amaRoma, ngo-70 C.E.
3, 4. Kusukela ezinsukwini zikaMose kuze kube kwezeNkosi uHezekiya, uNkulunkulu wayezibonise kanjani eyiqhawe, kodwa ngamaIsrayeli angokomoya, siye saba yini isimo ngokuphathelene nokulwa kwakhe nokwawo?
3 Kusukela ezinsukwini zomprofethi uMose kuya ekubuseni kweNkosi yaseJerusalema uHezekiya, uJehova uNkulunkulu wasilwela ngokumangalisayo isizwe sakwaIsrayeli, futhi amaIsrayeli alwa ngaphansi kwakhe ngezikhali ezibulalayo. (Duteronomi 1:30; 3:22; 20:3, 4; Joshuwa 10:42) Kodwa akubanga njalo ngoIsrayeli ongokomoya! Kusukela ekufeni kukaJesu Kristu ngaphandle kweJerusalema kuza eNkathini yethu Evamile, loNkulunkulu oyiqhawe akazange akhethe ukulwela uIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu empini engokoqobo. Ngokufanayo, akazange awagunyaze amaIsrayeli angokomoya akha ibandla lobuKristu ukuba alwe ngezikhali zempi ezingokoqobo. AmaKristu anolunye uhlobo lwempi okumelwe ayilwe.
4 Ngokuvumelana nalokhu, omunye wabalweli abaphambili bokholo lobuKristu wabhalela amaKristu akanye nawo eKorinte, eGrisi: “Izikhali zethu zokulwa kasizo ezenyama, kodwa ngaye uNkulunkulu zinamandla okubhidliza izinqaba, sichitha izizindlo, nakho konke okudephileyo okuziphakamisela ukuthiyana nokumazi uNkulunkulu, namacebo onke siwathumbela ukumlalela uKristu; futhi silungele ukujezisa ukungalaleli konke, nxa sekuphelele ukulalela kwenu.” (2 Korinte 10:4-6) Ngaphambili encwadini efanayo, uPawulu wakhuluma “ngezikhali zokulunga zesokunene nezesokhohlo.”—2 Korinte 6:7; bheka futhi nabase-Efesu 6:11-18.
UJehova Uzokulwa EArmagedoni
5. Ensimini yaseGetsemane, yisiphi isimo esathathwa uJesu ngokuqondene nokusebenzisa izikhali ezingokoqobo ekuzivikeleni, futhi iyiphi inkambo abafundi bakhe abayithathayo?
5 UJesu Kristu, ngenkathi esemhlabeni, akakaze aphendukele ezikhalini ezibulalayo ukuze azivikele. Ngobusuku bokukhashelwa kwakhe ensimini yaseGetsemane, umfundi wakhe othembekile uSimoni Petru wahosha inkemba futhi wagenca indlebe yenceku yompristi omkhulu wamaJuda. Kodwa uJesu ngokumangalisayo wabuyisela indlebe endaweni yayo wathi: “Bonke abaphatha inkemba bayakubhubha ngenkemba. Ingabe uthi ngingecele kuBaba angithumele manje amalegiyona ezingelosi adlula ishumi nambili na? Pho-ke ingagcwaliseka kanjani imibhalo yokuthi kumelwe ukuba kube-njalo na?” (Mathewu 26:52-54) Ngaphezu kwakho konke lokhu, abalingisi beqiniso beNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezidelayo bagcina ukungathathi-hlangothi kwabo, kokubili ngokuqondile nangokungaqondile, uma kuziwa empini yezwe.—Johane 17:16; 18:36.
6. Phakathi nempi yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke eHarmagedoni, yisiphi isimo oFakazi BakaJehova abayosithatha?
6 Khona-ke, izizwe mazaziswe ukuthi “ekulweni kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke” “endaweni ethiwa ngesiHeberu iHarmagedoni,” oFakazi BakaJehova abayikuhlanganyela ekulweni. Lokho bayokushiyela kuNkulunkulu oyiqhawe, ‘uJehova-Sebawoti,’ kanye nesixuku sezingelosi ngaphansi kobuholi bukaJesu Kristu.—IsAmbulo 16:14-16; 19:11-21; IHubo 84:12.
UJehova Usezoqalisa Imisebenzi Yakhe Yempi
7. NjengoNkulunkulu oyiqhawe, yisiphi isiqu uJehova abizwa ngaso, futhi ingabe usekulesosikhundla?
7 UNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli wasendulo waziwa futhi wabizwa ngokuthi uJehova tseva·’ohthʹ, noma uJehova wamabutho. (1 Samuweli 1:3, 11) KumaRoma 9:29 umphostoli ongumKristu uPawulu ubhekisela kuIsaya 1:9 futhi uyabhala: “Uma iNkosi-Sebawoti ibingasishiyelanga inzalo besiyakuba-njengeSodoma, sifane neGomora.” Futhi, umfundi ongumKristu uJakobe uyabhala: “Nokukhala kwabavunileyo kungenile ezindlebeni zeNkosi-Sebawoti.” (Jakobe 5:4; American Standard Version) Ngakho uPawulu noJakobe babheka uNkulunkulu njengoJehova wamabutho phakathi nekhulu lokuqala leminyaka leSikhathi sethu Esivamile. Phakathi namakhulu eminyaka angu-18 alandela, uNkulunkulu akazange ahileleke empini engokwenyama elwela uIsrayeli ongokomoya, uIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu, ngendlela enza ngayo kuIsrayeli wasendulo, kodwa usenguye uJehova wamabutho.
8-10. (a) Ubani owagunyaza impi ezulwini, futhi kungani uMikayeli ayengofaneleka kakhulu ukuba alwe impi? (b) Waba yini umphumela wempi ezulwini, futhi kusele isikhathi esingakanani ngaphambi kwempi yosuku olukhulu lukaJehova?
8 Ekuzalweni koMbuso wobuMesiya ngo-1914 ekupheleni ‘kwezikhathi zabezizwe,’ kwagqashuka impi embusweni wasezulwini kaJehova uNkulunkulu. (Luka 21:24) Ubani owagunyaza leyompi? UJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe. Wathumela iNdodana yakhe ehlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi enkundleni yempi inegama elithi uMikayeli ngoba Lona nguyena ofaneleka kakhulu ukuba aphendule umbuzo oqukethwe yilelogama, othi, “Ubani OnjengoNkulunkulu?” UMikayeli ngokushesha wathatha isinyathelo njengommeleli olwayo kaJehova wamabutho.
9 Ngakho, kusAmbulo 12:7-10 siyafunda: “Kwase kuba-khona ukulwa ezulwini; uMikayeli nezingelosi zakhe balwa nodrako. Nodrako walwa enezingelosi zakhe, kepha kabaze banqoba, nendawo yabo kayabe isafunyanwa ezulwini. Wayesephonswa phansi udrako omkhulu, inyoka endala ethiwa uMhlebi noSathane, odukisa izwe lonke, waphonswa phansi emhlabeni, nezingelosi zakhe zaphonswa kanye naye. Ngase ngizwa izwi elikhulu ezulwini, lithi: Kalokhu insindiso namandla nobukhosi ngokukaNkulunkulu wethu, nombuso ngokaKristu wakhe, ngokuba uphonswé phansi ummangaleli wabazalwane bethu.”
10 Manje, eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-70 ngemva kwaleyompi emazulwini, kusele ‘isikhathi esifushane’ kuphela ngaphambi kokuba kugqashuke impi yosuku olukhulu lukaJehova futhi uNkulunkulu azibonakalise ngokucacile njengoJehova wamabutho esizukulwaneni esikhona sesintu.—IsAmbulo 12:12; Zakariya 14:3.
UMlweli Wokulwelwa KukaJehova
11. Yisiphi isikhathi esimisiwe esilindelwe yinsali yomhlambi omncane nesixuku esikhulu, futhi yini abayoyihalalisela ngentokozo?
11 Ngaphansi kokuphefumlelwa, uSolomoni iNkosi ehlakaniphile yakwaIsrayeli wasendulo wabhala: “Konke kunesikhathi sakho, yonke indaba inomzuzu wayo phansi kwezulu. . . . Isikhathi sokulwa nesikhathi sokuzola.” (UmShumayeli 3:1-8) Emhlabeni abafundi beNkosi ebusayo ‘engokukhulu kunoSolomoni,’ balindele isikhathi nesenzakalo lapho iyoholela khona izingelosi ezinqobayo zasezulwini empini eHarmagedoni. (Mathewu 12:42; IsAmbulo 19:11-16) Lapho ‘iyakuzibusa izizwe ngentonga yensimbi,’ iziphule ‘ngentonga yensimbi.’ (IsAmbulo 19:15; IHubo 2:9) Yeka ukuthi abafundi bakhe abagcina ukuthula nabavikelekile bayokuhalalisela kanjani ukubakhulula kwakhe okwesabekayo! Lokhu kuyohlanganisa kokubili insali ‘yomhlambi omncane’ yezindlalifa zoMbuso ezikanye naye ‘nesixuku esikhulu’ ‘sezinye izimvu’ zakhe esinethemba lokudla ifa lomhlaba oyiPharadesi ngaphansi kokubusa kwakhe okunokuthula kweminyaka eyinkulungwane. (Luka 12:32; IsAmbulo 7:9-17; Johane 10:16) Ngokujabula, ‘sihlezi emthunzini kaSomandla,’ siyohalalisela ukunqoba okungenakuqhathaniswa kweNkosi enguMalusi, uJesu Kristu, ekulweleni ubukhosi bendawo yonke bukaJehova uNkulunkulu.—IHubo 91:1.
12. Impi ibonakala ilunguze kuphi ezizweni, futhi uba yini umphumela ngokweHubo 68:1, 2?
12 Ngaphandle kokweqisa, kungashiwo manje ukuthi impi eqhamuka ngalé kwendawo umuntu akuyo nehilela ukusetshenziswa kwezikhali ezinembayo eziwedlula lé amabhomu akhe enuzi ibonakala ilunguzile ezizweni zonke zomhlaba, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zingaphakathi noma ngaphandle kwenhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene. Lalela: “Makavuke uNkulunkulu, zihlakazeke izitha zakhe; abamzondayo babaleka phambi kwakhe. Bamukiswa njengokumukiswa komusi; njengokuncibilika kwengcina phambi komlilo ababi bachithwa phambi kukaNkulunkulu.”—IHubo 68:1, 2.
13. Njengoba amalungiselelo empi eqhubeka, amazwi eHubo 45:1-6 abhekiselwe kubani manje ngendlela efike ngesikhathi?
13 Aseyenziwa amalungiselo empi ezidlula zonke. NjengoMlweli ovelele kaNkulunkulu, nowokulwelwa kukaJehova kukhulunywa naye ngalamazwi alandelayo aqanjwa ilungu lesizwe sakwaIsrayeli ngaphansi kokuphefumelwa: “Umuhle wena kunabantwana babantu; ubuhle buthululelwe ezindebeni zakho; ngakho-ke uNkulunkulu ukubusisile kuze kube-phakade. Bophela inkemba yakho okhalweni lwakho wena-qhawe, kube-ngukuphakama kwakho nobukhosi bakho. Hlahlameleka ebukhosini bakho, uqhubeke ngenxa yeqiniso nokuthobeka nokulunga; isandla sakho sokunene siyakukufundisa izinto ezesabekayo. Imicibisholo yakho ibukhali, izizwe ziyawa phansi kwakho; isenhliziyweni yezitha zenkosi. Isihlalo sakho sobukhosi, Nkulunkulu, singesaphakade naphakade; intonga yobuqotho iyintonga yoMbuso wakho.”—IHubo 45:1-6.
Izizwe Zibuthanela Ukulwa NoJehova
14, 15. Ngemva kokukhululwa ekuboshweni, yimaphi amazwi eHubo 2 abaphostoli abawacaphuna njengagcwalisekayo, futhi yisiphi isicelo abasenza kuNkulunkulu?
14 Ngokushesha ngemva kokumiswa kwebandla lobuKristu ngosuku lwePentekoste lika-33 C.E., amaKristu agcotshiwe akuqonda ukusebenza kweHubo 2:1, 2. Lombhalo ufundeka kanje: “Kungani ukuba abezizwe baxokozele, nabantu bazindle ngokuyize na? Amakhosi omhlaba ayazihlanganisa, nababusi baceba icebo ngoJehova nangogcotshiweyo wakhe.” Ngemva kokuba abaphostoli boGcotshiweyo kaJehova beboshiwe futhi bephathwe kabi okokuqala amaJuda ayizitha, babuye bahlangana namaKristu abakanye nawo base becaphuna amazwi angenhla eHubo 2 njengoba aqanjwa iNkosi uDavide. IzEnzo 4:23-30 ziyayibika lendaba, zithi:
15 “Sebeyekiwe baya kwabakubo, babika konke abapristi abakhulu namalunga abekushilo kubo. Bona sebezwile baphakamisa izwi kuNkulunkulu nganhliziyonye, bathi: Somandla, wena owenza izulu, nomhlaba, nolwandle, nakho konke okukukho, owasho ngoMoya oNgcwele ngomlomo kababa uDavide inceku yakho ukuthi: Kungani ukuba abezizwe baxokozele, nabantu bacebe okuyize, na? Amakhosi omhlaba aqhelile, nababusi bayihlanganyele iNkosi noGcotshiweyo wayo. Ngokuba ngempela uHerode, noPontiyu Pilatu, kanye nabezizwe, nabantu bakwaIsrayeli bayihlanganyela kulomuzi iNceku yakho engcwele uJesu owamgcobayo ukuzakukwenza lokho okumiswé ngaphambili yisandla necebo lakho ukuba kwenzeke. Manje-ke, Nkosi, bheka ukusongela kwabo, unike izinceku zakho ukuba zikhulume izwi lakho ngaso sonke isibindi ngokwelula isandla sakho ukuphulukisa, kwenziwe izibonakaliso nezimangaliso ngegama leNceku yakho engcwele uJesu.”
16, 17. (a) Kuwo wonke umlando wesintu, ingabe kukhona into eke yenzeka engafana nalokho okwaqala ngo-1914? Chaza. (b) Iyiphi inkambo izizwe eziqhubeka ziyithatha, kanjalo ziphoqelela uJehova uNkulunkulu ukuba abhaleni, ngokuqondene ‘nencwadi yezimpi zakhe’?
16 Nokho, uma kuziwa ezizweni ezixokozelayo, emakhosini aba munye, kubaholi bezombangazwe ababuthanela ukumelana noJehova noGcotshiweyo wakhe, uJesu Kristu, yini kuwo wonke umlando wesintu engafana nalokho okwaqala eminyaka engu-76 edlule ngo-1914? Lowonyaka kwakungewona nje kuphela unyaka okwaqubuka ngawo impi yezwe yokuqala selokhu isintu saba khona kodwa ngokuyinhloko kwakuwunyaka okwaphela ngawo izikhathi zabeZizwe, “izikhathi [ezimisiwe, NW] zabezizwe”! (Luka 21:24) Ngokucacile iHubo 2 laba nokugcwaliseka okukhulu kusukela ngalowonyaka.
17 Ekupheleni kwezikhathi zabeZizwe ngo-1914, akukho nesisodwa sezizwe—ngisho nezizwe okuthiwa ezeLobukholwa, izakhamuzi eziningi ezizibheka ngokwenkolo njengamaIsrayeli angokomoya—esasithambekele ekwamukeleni oGcotshiweyo kaJehova, uJesu Kristu, esihlalweni sobukhosi sokubusa phezu komhlaba. Futhi manje, eminyakeni engu-71 ngemva kokuba “lelivangeli lombuso” liqalile ‘ukushunyayelwa ezweni lonke, kube ubufakazi ezizweni zonke,’ kusukela ngo-1919 kuya phambili, izizwe ngaphakathi nangaphandle kweLobukholwa ngokuqinisekile ngeke ziyihalalisele iNkosi kaJehova ekade yamenyezelwa futhi zifunge ukuthembeka kuyo njengoba zidela okwazo ukubusa phezu komhlaba. (Mathewu 24:14) Ngokuphambene, ekugcineni ziye zafika esikhathini nasesimweni lapho ziphoqelela khona uJehova ukuba abhale, ngokomfanekiso, isiphetho esihle ‘encwadini yeziMpi zikaJehova.’—Numeri 21:14.
Ukunqoba Okukhazimulayo KukaNkulunkulu Oyiqhawe
18. Yisiphi isenzo esiyokwenziwa uJehova esithola umusa kuso, futhi ubani okuyoba njengokungathi useceleni kwakhe ukuze kugcwaliseke iHubo 110?
18 Khona-ke, qhubeka uyokulwa, O Jehova wamabutho, kanye neNdodana yakho yasebukhosini, uJesu Kristu, eceleni kwakho! Lamazwi angokwesiprofetho abhekiswa kuyo: “Busa wena phakathi kwezitha zakho. INkosi ingakwesokunene sakho; iyakuchoboza amakhosi ngosuku lwentukuthelo yayo. Iyakwahlulela phakathi kwabezizwe, kugcwale izidumbu, ichoboze amakhanda ezizweni eziningi.”—IHubo 110:2, 5, 6.
19. Ngokuqondene nempi yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke esiseduze, yimuphi umthandazo esiwenzela isixuku esikhulu sezinye izimvu?
19 O Jehova wamabutho, izinceku zakho ezithembekile ezisemhlabeni mazibe ngofakazi abajabulayo bokunqoba kwakho okungenakuqhathaniswa ngeNkosi yakho eyiqhawe, uJesu Kristu, empini yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke endaweni ngesiHeberu ethiwa iHarmagedoni! (IsAmbulo 16:14) Sikanye nensali kaIsrayeli weqiniso ongokomoya, isixuku esikhulu sabanjengezimvu esiye ‘sahlanza izingubo zaso, sazenza zaba-mhlophe egazini leWundlu’ ‘masiphume’ ngenjabulo “osizini olukhulu” ukuze sibe ofakazi bakho basemhlabeni kuze kube phakade! (IsAmbulo 7:14) Ngaphansi kokunakekela kwakho kothando, ngaphandle kokuba sife masisindele endaweni engenayo impi yeNdodana yakho enqobayo, eyobusa phezu komhlaba ohlanziwe ozoguqulwa ube yipharadesi elihle, ngokuvumelana nenjongo yakho yasekuqaleni. Masibe ubufakazi obubonakalayo kubo bonke abavusiwe ekulwelweni kobukhosi obufanele wena endaweni yonke! Siyakubonga ngokuthi ngalesosikhathi uyobe usuyixazulule unomphela, yebo, phakade impikiswano yendawo yonke!
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
◻ Iyiphi impikiswano ebalulekile ephambi kwabantu nezingelosi?
◻ Yimuphi umehluko okhona phakathi kokulwela kukaJehova uIsrayeli wasendulo noIsrayeli ongokomoya?
◻ Phakathi neArmagedoni, yisiphi isimo oFakazi BakaJehova abayosithatha, futhi ngani?
◻ Lagcwaliseka nini iHubo 2:1, 2 ngendlela elingakaze ligcwaliseke ngayo ngaphambili?
◻ Iyoxazululwa kanjani phakade impikiswano yendawo yonke?
[Isithombe ekhasini 24, 25]
“Isixuku esikhulu” siyohalalisela iNkosi kaNkulunkulu enqobayo enguMalusi