ISahluko 5

UJohane Ubona UJesu Okhazinyulisiwe

Umbono 1—IsAmbulo 1:10–3:22

Isihloko: UJesu uhlola u-Israyeli ongokomoya emhlabeni futhi unikeza isikhuthazo esifudumele

Isikhathi sokugcwaliseka: Lesi sici sosuku lweNkosi sisukela ku-1914 kuze kube yilapho owokugcina wabagcotshiwe abathembekile efa futhi evuswa

 1. Ubekwa kanjani umbono wokuqala, futhi uJohane wasibonisa kanjani isikhathi sokusebenza kwawo kwangempela?

UMBONO wokuqala encwadini yesAmbulo uqala esahlukweni 1, ivesi 10. Lo mbono, njengeminye kusAmbulo, uqaliswa ngesimemezelo sokuthi uJohane uzwa noma ubona okuthile okungavamile. (IsAmbulo 1:10, 12; 4:1; 6:1) Lo mbono wokuqala uvezwa enkathini yekhulu lokuqala lapho izigijimi zibhekiselwa emabandleni ayisikhombisa esikhathi sikaJohane. Kodwa uJohane ubonisa isikhathi sokusebenza kwawo kwangempela uma ethi: “Ngokuphefumulelwa ngaba sosukwini lweNkosi.” (IsAmbulo 1:10a) Lunini lolu ‘suku’? Ingabe izehlakalo ezinkulu zalezi zikhathi ezineziyaluyalu zinokuxhumana okuthile nalo? Uma kunjalo, kufanele siqaphelisise lesi siprofetho, njengesithinta khona kanye ukuphila kwethu—ngisho nokuqhubeka kwethu siphila.—1 Thesalonika 5:20, 21.

NgoSuku LweNkosi

 2. Luqala nini usuku lweNkosi, futhi luphela nini?

² Lokhu kukubeka kuyiphi inkathi ukugcwaliseka kwesAmbulo? Nokho, luyini usuku lweNkosi? Umphostoli uPawulu ubhekisela kulo njengesikhathi sokwahlulela nesokugcwaliseka kwezithembiso zaphezulu. (1 Korinte 1:8; 2 Korinte 1:14; Filipi 1:6, 10; 2:16) Kanye nokufika kwalolo ‘suku,’ izinjongo zikaJehova ezinhle ziqhubekela phambili nangokunqoba emvuthwandaba wazo. Lolo ‘suku’ luqala ngokubekwa kukaJesu njengeNkosi yasezulwini. Ngisho nangemva kokuba uJesu ekhiphe isahlulelo ezweni likaSathane, usuku lweNkosi luyaqhubeka, nokubuyiselwa kwePharadesi nokupheleliswa kwesintu, kuze kube yilapho uJesu ekugcineni “enikela umbuso kuNkulunkulu wakhe noYise.”—1 Korinte 15:24-26; IsAmbulo 6:1, 2.

 3. (a) Isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli ‘sezikhathi eziyisikhombisa’ sisisiza kanjani ukuba sibone ukuthi usuku lweNkosi luqala nini? (b) Yiziphi izehlakalo emhlabeni eziqinisekisa unyaka ka-1914 njengokuqala kosuku lweNkosi?

³ Ukugcwaliseka kwezinye iziprofetho zeBhayibheli kusisiza ukuba sibone ukuthi usuku lweNkosi luqala nini. Ngokwesibonelo, uDaniyeli wachaza ukugawulwa kobubusi ohlwini lweNkosi uDavide; emva ‘kwezikhathi eziyisikhombisa’ kwakuyokwaziwa “ukuthi oPhezukonke unguMbusi embusweni wabantu, nokuthi uwunika lowo afuna ukumnika wona.” (Daniyeli 4:23, 24, 31, 32) Ukugcwaliseka okukhulu kwaleso siprofetho kwaqala ngokuchithwa kombuso wakwaJuda, okuboniswe ngobufakazi beBhayibheli ukuthi kwaphela ngo-October 607 B.C.E. IsAmbulo 12:6, 14 sibonisa ukuthi izikhathi ezingu-3 1/2 zilingana nezinsuku ezingu-1 260; kanjalo, izikhathi eziyisikhombisa (ukuphindwa kabili kwaleso sibalo) kumelwe zibe yizinsuku ezingu-2 520. Uma sibala ‘usuku njengonyaka,’ sifinyelela eminyakeni engu-2 520 njengobude ‘bezikhathi eziyisikhombisa.’ (Hezekeli 4:6) Ngakho-ke, uKristu Jesu waqala ukubusa kwakhe kwasezulwini engxenyeni yokugcina ka-1914. Ukugqashuka kwempi yezwe yokuqala ngalowo nyaka kwaphawula “ukuqala kwemihelo yokucindezeleka” eye yaqhubeka ihlasela isintu. Kusukela ngo-1914, yeka indlela izenzakalo kulo mhlaba onindwe yigazi eziye zaqinisekisa ngayo ngokuphawulekayo lowo nyaka njengokuqala ‘kosuku’ lokuba khona kukaJesu!—Mathewu 24:3-14.a

 4. (a) Amazwi esAmbulo ngokwaso abonisani ngokuthi umbono wokuqala ugcwaliseka nini? (b) Kuphela nini ukugcwaliseka kombono wokuqala?

⁴ Ngakho, lo mbono wokuqala neseluleko osiqukethe kungokosuku lweNkosi, kusukela ngo-1914 kuye phambili. Lokhu kubalwa kwesikhathi kusekelwa yiqiniso lokuthi, kamuva kusAmbulo, umlando uchaza ukukhishwa kwezahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu zeqiniso nokulunga—okuyizenzakalo iNkosi uJesu efeza ingxenye evelele kuzo. (IsAmbulo 11:18; 16:15; 17:1; 19:2, 11) Uma ukugcwaliseka kombono wokuqala kwaqala ngo-1914, kuphela nini? Njengoba izigijimi ngokwazo zibonisa, inhlangano okukhulunywa nayo iyibandla likaNkulunkulu labagcotshiwe abasemhlabeni. Khona-ke, ukugcwaliseka kwalo mbono wokuqala kuphela lapho ilungu lokugcina elithembekile lalelo bandla eligcotshiwe lifa futhi livuselwa ekuphileni kwasezulwini. Nokho, uSuku lweNkosi, olunezibusiso kwezinye izimvu zasemhlabeni, luyaqhubeka kuze kube sekupheleni kokuBusa KukaJesu Kristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane.—Johane 10:16; IsAmbulo 20:4, 5.

 5. (a) Izwi lithuma uJohane ukuba enzeni? (b) Kungani indawo ‘amabandla ayisikhombisa’ ayekuyo yayivumelana nokuba kuyiswe umqulu kuwo?

⁵ Kulo mbono wokuqala, ngaphambi kokuba uJohane abone noma yini, uzwa okuthile: “Ngezwa ngemva kwami izwi elinamandla elinjengelecilongo, lithi: ‘Lokho okubonayo kulobe emqulwini, uwuthumele emabandleni ayisikhombisa, elase-Efesu nelaseSmirna nelasePhergamu nelaseThiyathira nelaseSardesi nelaseFiladelfiya nelaseLawodikeya.’” (IsAmbulo 1:10b, 11) Linegunya namandla njengokukhala kwecilongo, izwi lithuma uJohane ukuba abhalele ‘amabandla ayisikhombisa.’ Kumelwe amukele uchungechunge lwezigijimi futhi asakaze izinto azozibona nazozizwa. Phawula ukuthi amabandla aphawulwe lapha ayekhona ngokoqobo ngosuku lukaJohane. Wonke ayese-Asia Minor, ngaphesheya kolwandle ukusuka ePhatmose. Ayefinyeleleka kalula ngemigwaqo emihle yaseRoma eyayikhona kuleyo ndawo. Isithunywa sasingeke sibe nenkinga ekuhambiseni incwadi sisuka kwelinye ibandla siya kwelilandelayo. La mabandla ayisikhombisa angafana nengxenye yesifunda sosuku lwanamuhla soFakazi BakaJehova.

 6. (a) Kushiwoni ngokuthi ‘okwenzekayo’? (b) Kungani singaqiniseka ngokuthi izimo ezisebandleni lamaKristu agcotshiwe namuhla kumelwe ukuba ziyafana nalezo zasosukwini lukaJohane?

⁶ Eziningi zeziprofetho ezikusAmbulo zaziyogcwaliseka ngemva kwesikhathi sikaJohane. Zazibhekisela ‘ezintweni ezizokwenzeka ngemva kwalezi.’ Kodwa iseluleko esiya emabandleni ayisikhombisa siphathelene nalokho ‘okwenzekayo,’ izimo ezazikhona ngempela emabandleni ayisikhombisa ngaleso sikhathi. Izigijimi zaziwusizo oluyigugu kubadala abamisiwe abathembekile kulawo mabandla ayisikhombisa, nakuwo wonke amanye amabandla amaKristu agcotshiwe angaleso sikhathi.b Njengoba imibono isebenza ngokuyinhloko ngosuku lweNkosi, lokho uJesu akushoyo kuyisixwayiso sokuthi izimo ezifanayo kumelwe zilindelwe ebandleni lamaKristu agcotshiwe osuku lwethu.—IsAmbulo 1:10, 19.

 7. UJohane ubona bani kulo mbono wokuqala, futhi kungani kubaluleke futhi kujabulisa kangaka kithi namuhla?

⁷ Kulo mbono wokuqala, uJohane ubona iNkosi ekhazimulayo uJesu Kristu isenkazimulweni yaYo yasezulwini. Yini enye ebingayifanela kangcono incwadi yeziprofetho eziphathelene nosuku olukhulu lwale Nkosi ethunywe yizulu? Futhi yini ebingaba ebaluleke ngokwengeziwe kithi, manje esiphila kuleyo nkathi nesilandela ngokucophelela yonke imiyalo yayo? Ngaphezu kwalokho, yeka ukuthi kuvusa amadlingozi kanjani ngabasekeli bobukhosi bukaJehova ukuqinisekiswa ngokuthi iNzalo enguMesiya, ngemva kokuba ikhuthazelele lonke uvivinyo nokushushiswa okulethwa uSathane futhi izwé ukufa okubuhlungu lapho ‘isithende’ sayo silinyazwa eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-2 000 edlule, manje iyaphila ezulwini, inikezwe amandla okuletha injongo enhle kaNkulunkulu ekufezekeni kwayo okunqobayo!—Genesise 3:15.

 8. Yisiphi isinyathelo manje uJesu asesilungele?

⁸ Kusobala ukuthi uJesu manje usekulungele ukuthatha isinyathelo njengeNkosi esesihlalweni sobukhosi. Uye wamiswa njengoMbhubhisi kaJehova oyiNhloko ukuba akhiphe isahlulelo sikaJehova sokugcina kulesi simiso sezinto esidala, esibi nonkulunkulu waso okhohlakele, uSathane. Ukulungele futhi ukwahlulela labo bebandla lakhe labagcotshiwe kanye nesixuku esikhulu sabangane babo, kanye nokwahlulela izwe.—IsAmbulo 7:4, 9; IzEnzo 17:31.

 9. (a) UJohane umchaza kanjani uJesu Kristu okhazinyulisiwe ephakathi kwezinti zezibani zegolide? (b) Sibonisani isimo esinjengesasethempelini nengubo uJesu ayigqokile? (c) Ibhande lakhe legolide libonisani?

⁹ UJohane uyaphenduka lapho ezwa umsindo wezwi elikhulu, futhi nakhu akubonayo: “Ngaphenduka ukuze ngibone izwi elalikhuluma nami, sengiphendukile, ngabona izinti zezibani eziyisikhombisa zegolide.” (IsAmbulo 1:12) Kamuva, uJohane uyezwa ukuthi lezi zinti zezibani eziyisikhombisa zifanekiselani. Kodwa amehlo akhe akhangwa umuntu omi phakathi kwezinti zezibani. Kwakukhona “ofana nendodana yomuntu, egqoké ingubo eyayifinyelela phansi ezinyaweni, ezibeleni ebophe ibhande legolide.” (IsAmbulo 1:13) Lapha uJesu, ‘indodana yomuntu,’ uziveza phambi kukafakazi ogcwele ukwesaba, uJohane, njengomuntu ophakeme, okhazimulayo. Ubonakala esenkazimulweni ekhazimulayo phakathi kwezinti zezibani zegolide ezivuthayo. Lesi simo esinjengesasethempelini sigcizelela kuJohane iqiniso lokuthi uJesu usesikhundleni sokuba umPristi Omkhulu kaJehova, onamandla okwahlulela. (Hebheru 4:14; 7:21-25) Ingubo yakhe ende, enesithunzi ivumelana nesikhundla sakhe sobupristi. Njengabapristi abakhulu bamaJuda asendulo, ugqoke ibhande—ibhande legolide esifubeni sakhe lapho limboza khona inhliziyo yakhe. Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi uyokufeza ngenhliziyo yonke ukuthunywa kwakhe kwaphezulu akwamukele kuJehova uNkulunkulu.—Eksodusi 28:8, 30; Hebheru 8:1, 2.

10. (a) Zibonisani izinwele zikaJesu ezimhlophe njengeqhwa namehlo anjengomlilo? (b) Kusho ukuthini ukuba kwezinyawo zikaJesu njengethusi elikhazimulayo?

¹⁰ Incazelo kaJohane iyaqhubeka: “Ngaphezu kwalokho, ikhanda nezinwele zakhe kwakumhlophe njengoboya obumhlophe, njengeqhwa, namehlo akhe enjengelangabi lomlilo.” (IsAmbulo 1:14) Izinwele zakhe ezimhlophe njengeqhwa zibonisa ukuhlakanipha ngenxa yobude bokuphila kwakhe. (Qhathanisa nezAga 16:31.) Futhi amehlo akhe anjengamalangabi omlilo abonisa ukuthi ukhaliphile, uphapheme, njengoba efuna, ehlola, noma ebonisa intukuthelo. Ngisho nezinyawo zikaJesu ziyamkhanga uJohane: “Izinyawo zakhe zazinjengethusi elicolekileyo lapho libengezela esithandweni somlilo; izwi lakhe lalinjengomsindo wamanzi amaningi.” (IsAmbulo 1:15) Embonweni, izinyawo zikaJesu zinjengethusi, ziyakhazimula, zigqamile—kufanelekile ngomuntu ohamba ngentshiseko nonokuma okuhle phambi kukaJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba eBhayibhelini izinto zaphezulu ngokuvamile zifanekiselwa ngegolide, kanjalo izinto zabantu ngezinye izikhathi zimelelwa yithusi.c Ngakho izinyawo zikaJesu ezikhazimula njengethusi elicwengekile zisikhumbuza indlela ‘ezazibukeka kahle’ ngayo izinyawo zakhe lapho ehamba emhlabeni eshumayela izindaba ezinhle.—Isaya 52:7; Roma 10:15.

11. (a) Izinyawo zikaJesu ezikhazimulayo zisikhumbuzani? (b) Yini eboniswa yiqiniso lokuthi izwi likaJesu “lalinjengomsindo wamanzi amaningi”?

¹¹ Ngempela, njengomuntu ophelele, uJesu wayenenkazimulo eyayibonakala ezingelosini nakubantu. (Johane 1:14) Izinyawo zakhe ezikhazimulayo zisikhumbuza futhi ukuthi unyathela emagcekeni angcwele enhlanganweni kaJehova, angumPristi Omkhulu kuyo. (Qhathanisa no-Eksodusi 3:5.) Ngaphezu kwalokho, izwi lakhe liduma njengempophoma enkulu. Linesithunzi, liyesabisa, njengoba limfanele lowo obizwa ngokomthetho ngokuthi uLizwi kaNkulunkulu, lowo ozayo ukuba ‘ahlulele umhlaba owakhiwe ngokulunga.’—IzEnzo 17:31; Johane 1:1.

12. Ishoni “inkemba ende ebukhali esika nhlangothi zombili”?

¹² “Esandleni sakhe sokunene wayephethe izinkanyezi eziyisikhombisa, emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma inkemba ende ebukhali esika nhlangothi zombili, nobuso bakhe bunjengelanga likhanya ngamandla alo. Lapho ngimbona, ngawa njengokungathi ngifile ngasezinyaweni zakhe.” (IsAmbulo 1:16, 17a) UJesu ngokwakhe uchaza incazelo yezinkanyezi eziyisikhombisa kamuva. Kodwa phawula okuphuma emlonyeni wakhe: “inkemba ende ebukhali esika nhlangothi zombili.” Yeka isici esifanelekayo! Ngoba uJesu nguye omiselwe ukumemezela izahlulelo zokugcina zikaJehova ezitheni zaKhe. Izinkulumo ezinqumayo eziphuma emlonyeni wakhe ziphumela ekubhujisweni kwabo bonke ababi.—IsAmbulo 19:13, 15.

13. (a) Busikhumbuzani ubuso bukaJesu obukhanyayo, nobukhazimulayo? (b) Yimuphi umqondo esiwutholayo ngencazelo kaJohane ngoJesu?

¹³ Ubuso bukaJesu obukhanyayo, obukhazimulayo busikhumbuza ukuthi ubuso bukaMose bakhipha imisebe ekhazimulayo ngemva kokuba uJehova ekhulume naye eNtabeni iSinayi. (Eksodusi 34:29, 30) Khumbula, futhi, ukuthi ngesikhathi uJesu eguqulwa isimo phambi kwabaphostoli bakhe abathathu eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-2 000 edlule, “ubuso bakhe bakhanya njengelanga, nezingubo zakhe zangaphandle zakhazimula njengokukhanya.” (Mathewu 17:2) Manje, ekubonakalisweni kukaJesu ngombono ngosuku lweNkosi, ngokufanayo ubuso bakhe bubonisa ubuhle obukhazimulayo bomuntu obekade enoJehova. (2 Korinte 3:18) Eqinisweni, umqondo odluliselwa umbono kaJohane owokukhazimula kwenkazimulo. Kusukela ezinweleni ezimhlophe njengeqhwa, amehlo anjengamalangabi, nobuso obukhazimulayo kuze kufike ezinyaweni ezikhazimulayo, kuwumbono wezinga eliphakeme waLowo manje ohlala “ekukhanyeni ongenakusondela kuko.” (1 Thimothewu 6:16) Ukuba ngokoqobo kwalo mbono kucace kakhulu! Wasabela kanjani uJohane owayethuthumela? Umphostoli uyasitshela: “Lapho ngimbona, ngawa njengokungathi ngifile ngasezinyaweni zakhe.”—IsAmbulo 1:17.

14. Kumelwe sithinteke kanjani lapho sifunda ngombono kaJohane kaJesu okhazinyulisiwe?

¹⁴ Namuhla, incazelo yombono kaJohane ethakazelisayo, eningiliziwe igcwalisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngokwazisa okuqotho. Kakade, sesiyiqedile iminyaka engaphezu kuka-90 yosuku lweNkosi, umbono oqhubekayo ugcwaliseka ngendlela evusa amadlingozi phakathi nalo. Kithina ukubusa koMbuso kaJesu kuyinto ekhona ngokoqobo, ephilayo, hhayi ithemba lesikhathi esizayo. Ngakho, kungokufanelekile ngathi njengezikhonzi ezithembekile zoMbuso ukubheka phambili ngokumangala kulokho uJohane akuchazayo kulo mbono wokuqala nokulalela ngokuthobeka amazwi kaJesu Kristu okhazinyulisiwe.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

Izinsalela zemivubukulo yasendulo yamadolobha lapho amabandla ayisikhombisa ayekhona ziqinisekisa umlando weBhayibheli. Kulapha lapho amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala amukela khona izigijimi zikaJesu ezikhuthazayo lezo namuhla ezikhuthaza ibandla lomhlaba wonke

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