Ukubalekela Endaweni Ephephile Ngaphambi ‘Kosizi Olukhulu’

“Lapho nibona iJerusalema lihaqwe amabutho akanisile, . . . labo abaseJudiya mabaqale ukubalekela ezintabeni.”—LUKA 21:20, 21.

 1. Kungani ukubaleka kuphuthuma kulabo abaseyingxenye yezwe?

KUBO bonke abayingxenye yezwe likaSathane, ukubaleka kuyaphuthuma. Ukuze basinde lapho isimiso sezinto samanje sisuswa emhlabeni, kumelwe banikeze ubufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bokuthi baye bathatha ukuma kwabo okuqinile ngasohlangothini lukaJehova nokuthi abaseyona ingxenye yezwe uSathane angumbusi walo.—Jakobe 4:4; 1 Johane 2:17.

2, 3. Yimiphi imibuzo ngokuphathelene namazwi kaJesu alotshwe kuMathewu 24:15-22 esizoxoxa ngayo?

² Esiprofethweni sakhe esikhulu ngokuphathelene nesiphelo sesimiso sezinto, uJesu wagcizelela isidingo esibalulekile sokubaleka okunjalo. Sivame ukuxoxa ngalokho okulotshwe kuMathewu 24:4-14; nokho, okulandela lokho kubaluleke ngokufanayo. Sikukhuthaza ukuba uvule iBhayibheli lakho manje, ufunde amavesi 15 kuya ku-22.

³ Sisho ukuthini leso siprofetho? Ekhulwini lokuqala, sasiyini “isinengiso esibangela incithakalo”? Kwabonisani ukuba kwaso ‘sendaweni engcwele’? Sibaluleke ngani leso senzakalo kithi?

“Ofundayo Makasebenzise Ukuqonda”

 4. (a) UDaniyeli 9:27 wathi yini eyayiyolandela ukwenqaba kwamaJuda uMesiya? (b) Lapho ebhekisela kulokhu, kungani uJesu ngokusobala athi, “Ofundayo makasebenzise ukuqonda”?

⁴ Phawula ukuthi kuMathewu 24:15 uJesu wabhekisela kulokho okwakulotshwe encwadini kaDaniyeli. Esahlukweni 9 saleyo ncwadi kunesiprofetho esabikezela ngokuza kukaMesiya nangesahlulelo esasiyokhishwa esizweni samaJuda ngenxa yokumenqaba. Ingxenye yokugcina yevesi 27 (NW) ithi: “Futhi phezu kwephiko lezinengiso kuyoba khona obangela incithakalo.” Inkolelo yakuqala yamaJuda yayithi leyo ngxenye yesiprofetho sikaDaniyeli ibhekisela ekungcolisweni kwethempeli likaJehova eJerusalema ngu-Antiochus IV ekhulwini lesibili B.C.E. Kodwa uJesu waxwayisa: “Ofundayo makasebenzise ukuqonda.” Ukungcoliswa kwethempeli ngu-Antiochus IV, nakuba kwakuyisinengiso ngempela, akuzange kuphumele encithakalweni—yeJerusalema, yethempeli, noma yesizwe samaJuda. Ngakho ngokusobala uJesu wayexwayisa ababemlalele ngokuthi lokhu kwakungakagcwaliseki kodwa kwakusazokwenzeka.

 5. (a) Ukuqhathaniswa kokulandisa kwamaVangeli kusisiza kanjani ukuba sibone “isinengiso” sekhulu lokuqala? (b) Kungani uCestius Gallus aphuthumisa amasosha aseRoma eJerusalema ngo-66 C.E.?

⁵ Sasiyini “isinengiso” okwakufanele basiqaphele? Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi ukulandisa kukaMathewu kuthi: “Lapho nibona isinengiso esibangela incithakalo . . . simi endaweni engcwele.” Nokho, ukulandisa okufanayo kuLuka 21:20 kufundeka kanje: “Lapho nibona iJerusalema lihaqwe amabutho akanisile, khona-ke yazini ukuthi ukuchithwa kwalo sekusondele.” Ngo-66 C.E., amaKristu ayehlala eJerusalema akubona lokho uJesu ayekubikezele. Uchungechunge lwezenzakalo ezihilela ingxabano phakathi kwamaJuda nezikhulu zamaRoma lwaholela ekubeni iJerusalema libe isidleke sokuhlubuka ngaphansi kweRoma. Ngenxa yalokho, kwaqubuka ubudlova kulo lonke elaseJudiya, eSamariya, eGalile, eDekapholi, eFenike, enyakatho eSiriya, naseningizimu eGibithe. Ukuze abuyisele isilinganiso sokuthula kuleyo ngxenye yoMbuso wamaRoma, uCestius Gallus waphuthumisa amasosha esuka eSiriya aya eJerusalema, amaJuda ayelibiza ngokuthi ‘umuzi wawo ongcwele.’—Nehemiya 11:1; Isaya 52:1.

 6. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba “isinengiso” esasingabangela incithakalo ‘sime endaweni engcwele’?

⁶ Kwakuvamile ukuba amabutho amaRoma aphathe amafulege, noma izimpawu, ayezibheka njengezingcwele kodwa amaJuda ayezibheka njengezihlobene nokukhonza izithombe. Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi igama lesiHeberu elihunyushwe ngokuthi “isinengiso” encwadini kaDaniyeli lisetshenziswa ngokuyinhloko ezithombeni noma ekukhonzeni izithombe.a (Duteronomi 29:17) Naphezu kokuzabalaza kwamaJuda, amabutho amaRoma ayephethe izimpawu ezihlobene nokukhonza izithombe angena eJerusalema ngo-November ka-66 C.E. abe eseqala ukumba ngaphansi kodonga lwethempeli enyakatho. Kwakungangabazeki—“isinengiso” esasingabangela incithakalo ephelele yeJerusalema ‘sasimi endaweni engcwele’! Kodwa umuntu wayengabaleka kanjani?

Ukubaleka Kwakuphuthuma!

 7. Yini eyenziwa ibutho lamaRoma ngokungalindelekile?

⁷ Ngokungazelelwe nangaphandle kwesizathu esisobala ngokombono womuntu, lapho sekubonakala ukuthi iJerusalema lingathathwa kalula, amabutho amaRoma ahoxa. Abavukeli abangamaJuda bawaxosha amasosha amaRoma ayehoxa kodwa bagcina e-Antipatheri, engamakhilomitha angu-50 ukusuka eJerusalema. Babe sebephindela emuva. Lapho befika eJerusalema, bahlangana ethempelini ukuze bahlele icebo labo lokulwa. Kwabuthwa intsha eyayizoqinisa izinqaba futhi ingene empini. Ingabe amaKristu ayeyobanjwa yilokhu? Ngisho noma ekugwema, ingabe ayeyobe esesendaweni eyingozi lapho amabutho amaRoma ebuya?

 8. Yisiphi isinyathelo esiphuthumayo amaKristu asithatha elalela amazwi kaJesu esiprofetho?

⁸ AmaKristu aseJerusalema nakulo lonke elaseJudiya ngokushesha enza ngokuvumelana nesixwayiso esingokwesiprofetho esanikezwa uJesu Kristu, abaleka endaweni eyingozi. Ukubaleka kwakuphuthuma! Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi afika ezindaweni ezisezintabeni, cishe abanye bahlala ePella, esifundazweni sasePhereya. Labo abalalela isixwayiso sikaJesu abazange ngobuwula babuye ukuze bazame ukuthola izinto zabo ezibonakalayo. (Qhathanisa noLuka 14:33.) Bengaphansi kwalezo zimo, abesifazane abakhulelwe nomama abancelisayo ngokuqinisekile bakuthola kunzima ukuhamba ngezinyawo. Ukubaleka kwabo akuzange kuvinjelwe imithetho evimbelayo yosuku lweSabatha, futhi nakuba ubusika babuseduze, babungakafiki. Labo ababelalele isixwayiso sikaJesu sokubaleka ngokushesha, basheshe baphuma ngokuphepha eJerusalema naseJudiya. Ukuphila kwabo kwakuxhomeke kulokhu.—Qhathanisa noJakobe 3:17.

 9. Amabutho amaRoma abuya ngokushesha kangakanani, futhi waba yini umphumela?

⁹ Ngonyaka olandelayo ngo-67 C.E., amaRoma avuselela ukuvivela ukulwa namaJuda. Okokuqala, kwanqotshwa iGalile. Ngonyaka olandelayo, iJudiya lacoboshiswa. Ngo-70 C.E., amabutho amaRoma ahaqa iJerusalema uqobo. (Luka 19:43) Indlala yaba namandla kakhulu. Labo ababevaleleke emzini baphendukelana. Noma yibaphi ababezama ukubaleka babulawa. Abakubona, ‘kwakuwusizi olukhulu,’ njengoba uJesu ayeshilo.—Mathewu 24:21.

10. Uma sifunda ngokuqonda, yini enye esiyoyibona?

¹⁰ Ingabe lokho kwakugcwalisa ngokuphelele lokho uJesu ayekubikezele? Cha, kwakuseza okwengeziwe. Uma sifunda imiBhalo ngokuqonda, njengoba uJesu aluleka, ngeke sihluleke ukubona okusengaphambili. Futhi siyocabangisisa ngalokho okukushoyo ekuphileni kwethu siqu.

“Isinengiso” Sanamuhla

11. Kukuziphi ezinye izindima ezimbili lapho uDaniyeli ebhekisela khona ‘esinengisweni,’ futhi iyiphi inkathi okukhulunywa ngayo lapho?

¹¹ Phawula ukuthi ngaphezu kwalokho esikubone kuDaniyeli 9:27, kunezinye izindawo ezibhekisela kulesi ‘sinengiso esibangela incithakalo,’ kuDaniyeli 11:31 no- 12:11. Kulezi zimo zamuva akukhulunywa ngokubhujiswa kweJerusalema. Eqinisweni, okushiwo kuDaniyeli 12:11 kuvela ngemva kwamavesi amabili nje ngemva kokuba kukhulunywé ‘ngesikhathi sokugcina.’ (Daniyeli 12:9) Besilokhu siphila kuleyo nkathi kusukela ngo-1914. Ngakho kudingeka siqaphe ukuze sisibone “isinengiso esibangela incithakalo” sanamuhla bese siqiniseka ukuthi siyaphuma endaweni eyingozi.

12, 13. Kungani kufaneleka ukuchaza iNhlangano Yezizwe ngokuthi “isinengiso” sanamuhla?

¹² Siyini leso “sinengiso” sanamuhla? Ubufakazi bukhomba eNhlanganweni Yezizwe, eyaqala ukusebenza ngo-1920, ngokushesha nje ngemva kokuba izwe lingene esikhathini salo sokuphela. Kodwa yayingaba kanjani “isinengiso esibangela incithakalo”?

¹³ Khumbula, igama lesiHeberu elisho “isinengiso” lisetshenziswe eBhayibhelini ngokuyinhloko uma kubhekiselwa ezithombeni nasemikhutsheni yokukhonza izithombe. Ingabe leNhlangano yayikhonzwa? Yebo! Abefundisi bayibeka “endaweni engcwele,” futhi abalandeli babo baqhubeka bezinikela kuyo ngokuphelele. UMkhandlu Wamasonto KaKristu Obumbene eMelika wathi leNhlangano yayizoba “ukubonakaliswa kwezombangazwe koMbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni.” INdlu Yezigele yase-United States yathola inqwaba yezincwadi ezazivela emaqenjini enkolo ziyinxusa ukuba igunyaze iSivumelwano SeNhlangano Yezizwe. Indikimba yamaBaptist, amaCongregational, nabaseHabe eBrithani yayitusa ithi “iwukuphela kwethuluzi elikhona lokufinyelela [ukuthula emhlabeni].”—Bheka isAmbulo 13:14, 15.

14, 15. Iyiphi indlela iNhlangano Yezizwe futhi kamuva inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene eyaba ngayo ‘sendaweni engcwele’?

¹⁴ UMbuso kaNkulunkulu wobuMesiya wawusumisiwe emazulwini ngo-1914, kodwa izizwe zaqhubeka zilwela ubukhosi bazo siqu. (IHubo 2:1-6) Lapho iNhlangano Yezizwe ihlongozwa, izizwe ezazisanda kulwa empini yezwe yokuqala, kanye nabefundisi ababebusise amasosha azo, zazibonisile kakade ukuthi zaziwulahlile umthetho kaNkulunkulu. Zazingabhekile kuKristu njengeNkosi. Ngalokho zanikeza inhlangano yabantu indima yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu; zabeka iNhlangano Yezizwe “endaweni engcwele,” endaweni okwakungeyona eyayo.

¹⁵ Njengomlandeli waleNhlangano, inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene yaba khona ngo-October 24, 1945. Kamuva, opapa baseRome badumisa iZizwe Ezihlangene “njengeziwukuphela kwethemba lokuzwana nokuthula” kanye “nenkundla ephakeme yokuthula nobulungisa.” Yebo, iNhlangano Yezizwe, kanye nomlandeli wayo, iZizwe Ezihlangene, ngempela zaba isithombe, “isinengiso” emehlweni kaNkulunkulu nawabantu bakhe.

Babaleke Besuka Kuphi?

16. Kudingeka babaleke kuphi abathandi bokulunga namuhla?

¹⁶ Lapho ‘bebona’ lokhu, lapho beqaphela lokho leyo nhlangano yezizwe zonke eyikho nendlela ekhonzwa ngayo, abathandi bokulunga kudingeka babalekele endaweni ephephile. Babaleke bephuma kuphi? Bephuma kulokho okuyiJerusalema elingathembekile lanamuhla elingokomfanekiso, eLobukholwa, naseBabiloni Elikhulu, isimiso somhlaba wonke senkolo yamanga.—IsAmbulo 18:4.

17, 18. Iyiphi incithakalo “isinengiso” sanamuhla esasiyoyibangela?

¹⁷ Khumbula futhi, ukuthi ekhulwini lokuqala, lapho ibutho lamaRoma namafulege alo ahlobene nokukhonza izithombe lingena emzini ongcwele wamaJuda, lalizochitha iJerusalema nesimiso salo sokukhulekela. Osukwini lwethu ukuchithwa ngeke kufike phezu komuzi owodwa kuphela, noma phezu kweLobukholwa kuphela, kodwa phezu kwaso sonke isimiso somhlaba senkolo yamanga.—IsAmbulo 18:5-8.

¹⁸ Encwadini yesAmbulo 17:16, kubikezelwa ukuthi isilo sasendle esibomvu klebhu esingokomfanekiso, esiye sabonakala siyiZizwe Ezihlangene, siyophendukela iBabiloni Elikhulu elinjengesifebe silibhubhise ngamandla. Isebenzisa ulimi olungokomfanekiso, ithi: “Izimpondo eziyishumi owazibona, nesilo sasendle, lezi ziyosizonda isifebe futhi ziyosenza sibe esichithakele nesihamba-ze, futhi ziyodla ziqede izingxenye zaso eziyinyama futhi ziyosishisa ngokuphelele ngomlilo.” Kuyesabeka ukucabanga ukuthi lokhu kuyosho ukuthini. Kuyophumela ekupheleni kwalo lonke uhlobo lwenkolo yamanga kuzo zonke izingxenye zomhlaba. Ngempela lokhu kuyobonisa ukuthi usizi olukhulu seluqalile.

19. Obani abaye baba yingxenye yenhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene kusukela yamiswa, futhi kubaluleke ngani lokhu?

¹⁹ Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi kusukela inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene yaqala ukusebenza ngo-1945, abaphika ubukhona bukaNkulunkulu, nabamelene nenkolo baye baba amalungu ayo avelele. Ngezikhathi ezihlukahlukene emhlabeni wonke, abanjalo baye baba nesandla ekwenzeni ukuba imikhuba ethile yenkolo ibekelwe imingcele eqinile noma ivinjelwe ngokuphelele. Nokho, eminyakeni embalwa edlule kuye kwancipha ezindaweni eziningi ukucindezelwa kwamaqembu enkolo ngohulumeni. Kwabanye abantu kungase kubonakale sengathi inkolo ayisekho engozini.

20. Hlobo luni lwedumela izinkolo zezwe eziye zazenzela lona?

²⁰ Izinkolo zeBabiloni Elikhulu ziyaqhubeka zingamandla aphazamisa ngobudlova emhlabeni. Izihloko ezivelele zezindaba ngokuvamile zichaza izizwe ezilwayo namaqembu amaphekulazikhuni ngokusho inkolo akuyo. Amaphoyisa namasosha abhekene nodlame kuye kwadingeka angene ngenkani emathempelini ayovimbela udlame oluphakathi kwamaqembu enkolo ayizimbangi. Izinhlangano zenkolo ziye zaxhasa ngezimali ukuvukela kwezombangazwe. Inzondo engokwenkolo iye yabhuntshisa imizamo yeZizwe Ezihlangene yokulondoloza ukuzwana okuqotho phakathi kwamaqembu ezinhlanga. Bephishekela umgomo wokuthula nokulondeka, abathile enhlanganweni yeZizwe Ezihlangene bangathanda ukubona ukususwa kwanoma yiliphi ithonya lenkolo eliyisithiyo endleleni yabo.

21. (a) Ubani oyonquma ukuthi iBabiloni Elikhulu liyobhujiswa nini? (b) Yini okuphuthumayo ukuba yenziwe ngaphambi kwalokho?

²¹ Kunesinye isici esibalulekile okufanele sicatshangelwe. Nakuba izimpondo ezihlomile eziseZizweni Ezihlangene ziyosetshenziswa ekubhubhiseni iBabiloni Elikhulu, empeleni lokho kubhujiswa kuyobe kuwukubonakaliswa kwesahlulelo saphezulu. Ukukhishwa kwesahlulelo kuyofika ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esimisiwe. (IsAmbulo 17:17) Yini okufanele siyenze okwamanje? “Phumani kulo”—phumani eBabiloni Elikhulu—kuphendula iBhayibheli.—IsAmbulo 18:4.

22, 23. Kuhilelani ukubaleka okunjalo?

²² Lokhu kubalekela endaweni ephephile akukhona ukusuka endaweni, njengoba kwenza amaKristu angamaJuda lapho eshiya iJerusalema. Kuwukubaleka siphume ezinkolweni zeLobukholwa, yebo, kunoma iyiphi ingxenye yeBabiloni Elikhulu. Kusho ukuzihlukanisa komuntu ngokuphelele hhayi nje nezinhlangano zenkolo yamanga, kodwa nanamasiko azo nomoya eziwuvezayo. Kuwukubalekela endaweni ephephile ngaphakathi enhlanganweni kaJehova engokwasezulwini.—Efesu 5:7-11.

²³ Lapho izinceku zikaJehova ezigcotshiwe zichaza isinengiso sanamuhla ngokokuqala, iNhlangano Yezizwe, ngemva kweMpi Yezwe I, oFakazi basabela kanjani? Kakade base bekuyekile ukuba amalungu amasonto eLobukholwa. Kodwa kancane kancane baqaphela ukuthi babesabambelele emasikweni nasemikhutsheni yeLobukholwa, njengokusebenzisa isiphambano nokugubha uKhisimusi namanye amaholide obuqaba. Lapho bezwa iqiniso ngalezi zinto, bathatha isinyathelo ngokushesha. Balalela iseluleko esiku-Isaya 52:11: “Mukani, mukani, niphume lapha, ningathinti okungcolileyo, niphume phakathi kwalo, nizihlambulule nina eniphatha izitsha zikaJehova.”

24. Ikakhulu kusukela ngo-1935, obani abaye bahlanganyela ekubalekeni?

²⁴ Ikakhulukazi kusukela ngo-1935 kuqhubeke, isixuku esikhulayo sabanye, abantu ababemukela ithemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi, baqala ukuthatha isinyathelo esifanayo. Nabo baye ‘babona isinengiso simi endaweni engcwele,’ futhi bayaqaphela ukuthi sisho ukuthini. Ngemva kokwenza isinqumo sabo sokubaleka, baye basula amagama abo ezincwadini zamalungu ezinhlangano eziyingxenye yeBabiloni Elikhulu.—2 Korinte 6:14-17.

25. Yini edingekayo ngaphezu kokunqamula ubuhlobo okungenzeka umuntu abe nabo nenkolo yamanga?

²⁵ Nokho, ukubaleka eBabiloni Elikhulu kuhilela okungaphezu kokushiya inkolo yamanga. Kusho okungaphezu nje kokuza emihlanganweni embalwa eHholo LoMbuso noma ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle enkonzweni yasensimini kanye noma kabili ngenyanga. Umuntu angaba ngaphandle kweBabiloni Elikhulu ngomzimba, kodwa ingabe ulishiye ngempela? Ingabe uzihlukanisile nezwe iBabiloni Elikhulu eliyingxenye yalo eyinhloko? Ingabe usanamathele kulezo zinto ezibonisa umoya walo—umoya wokweyisa izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga? Ingabe uyithatha kalula indaba yokuziphatha kobulili nokwethembeka emshadweni? Ingabe ugcizelela izithakazelo zomuntu siqu nezinto ezibonakalayo kunezithakazelo ezingokomoya? Akumelwe avume ukuba alolongwe yilesi simiso sezinto.—Mathewu 6:24; 1 Petru 4:3, 4.

Ungavumeli Lutho Luvimbele Ukubaleka Kwakho!

26. Yini eyosisiza ukuba singaqali nje ukubaleka kodwa futhi sikuqede ngokuphumelelayo?

²⁶ Ekubalekeleni kwethu endaweni ephephile, kubalulekile ukuba singabheki ezintweni ezingemuva ngokulangazela. (Luka 9:62) Kudingeka sigcine izingqondo nezinhliziyo zethu zigxile ngokungenakunyakaziswa eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu nokulunga kwakhe. Ingabe sizimisele ukubonisa ukholo lwethu ngokufuna lokhu kuqala, ngethemba lokuthi uJehova uyoyibusisa inkambo enjalo yokwethembeka? (Mathewu 6:31-33) Izinto esizikholelwayo ezisekelwe emiBhalweni kufanele zisishukumisele kulokho njengoba silindele ngokulangazela ukuba kwenzeke izenzakalo ezibalulekile emhlabeni.

27. Kungani kubalulekile ukucabanga ngokungathi sína ngemibuzo ebuzwe lapha?

²⁷ Ukukhishwa kwesahlulelo saphezulu kuyoqala ngokubhujiswa kweBabiloni Elikhulu. Lowo mbuso wenkolo yamanga onjengesifebe uyoqedwa phakade ungaphinde ube khona. Leso sikhathi siseduze kakhulu! Siyoba yini isimo sethu njengabantu ngabanye lapho leso sikhathi esibalulekile sifika? Futhi emvuthwandaba wosizi olukhulu, lapho kubhujiswa okusele kwesimiso esibi sikaSathane, siyotholakala kuluphi uhlangothi? Uma sithatha isinyathelo esidingekayo manje, ukuphepha kwethu kuqinisekisiwe. UJehova uyasitshela: “Kepha ongilalelayo uyakuhlala elondekile.” (IzAga 1:33) Ngokuqhubeka sikhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka nangenjabulo phakathi nesiphelo salesi simiso, singase sikufanelekele ukukhonza uJehova phakade.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Uyakhumbula?

◻ Siyini “isinengiso” sanamuhla?

◻ Kungamuphi umqondo “isinengiso . . . simi endaweni engcwele”?

◻ Yini ehilelekile ekubalekeleni endaweni ephephile manje?

◻ Kungani isinyathelo esinjalo siphuthuma?

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Ukuze basinde, abalandeli bakaJesu kwadingeka babaleke ngaphandle kokulibala