1, 2. (a) Yini uJohane ayishoyo ngodrako? (b) UJohane uyichaza kanjani, ngolimi olungokomfanekiso, inhlangano ebonakalayo esetshenziswa udrako?

UDRAKO omkhulu uphonswé phansi emhlabeni! Ukutadisha kwethu isAmbulo kukwenza kucace ukuthi iNyoka noma abalandeli bayo abangamademoni abasayikuphinde bavunyelwe ukuba babuyele ezulwini. Kodwa asikakaqedi ‘ngalowo obizwa ngokuthi uDeveli noSathane, odukisa umhlaba wonke owakhiwe.’ Ukulandisa kuqhubeka kuveze ngokuningiliziwe izindlela ezisetshenziswa uSathane ekulweni ‘nowesifazane nenzalo yakhe.’ (IsAmbulo 12:9, 17) UJohane uthi ngalowo drako oyinyoka: “Wama esihlabathini solwandle.” (IsAmbulo 13:1a) Ngakho ake sime ukuze sihlole izindlela udrako asebenza ngazo.

² Amazulu angcwele awasakhathazwa ukuba khona kukaSathane namademoni akhe. Leyo mimoya emibi ikhishiwe ezulwini futhi yavalelwa endaweni yasemhlabeni. Ngokungangabazeki lokhu kuyisizathu sokwanda okukhulu kwezenzo zemimoya ezikhathini zanamuhla. INyoka enobuqili isalokhu inenhlangano yomoya eyonakele. Kodwa ingabe isebenzisa inhlangano ebonakalayo futhi ukuze idukise isintu? UJohane uyasitshela: “Ngabona isilo sasendle sinyuka siphuma olwandle, sinezimpondo eziyishumi namakhanda ayisikhombisa, ezimpondweni zaso kunemiqhele eyishumi, kodwa emakhanda aso kunamagama enhlamba.

IsAmbulo 13:1b,

 3. (a) Yiziphi izilo ezinolaka umprofethi uDaniyeli azibona emibonweni? (b) Zazimeleleni izilo ezinkulu zikaDaniyeli 7?

³ Siyini lesi silo esiyinqaba? IBhayibheli ngokwalo liyaphendula. Ngaphambi kokuwa kweBhabhiloni ngo-539 B.C.E., umprofethi ongumJuda uDaniyeli wabona imibono ehilela izilo ezinolaka. KuDaniyeli 7:2-8 uchaza izilo ezine eziphuma olwandle, esokuqala sifana nengonyama, esesibili sifana nebhere, esesithathu sifana nengwe, futhi “bheka laphaya! isilo sesine, esasesabeka, sethusa futhi sinamandla ngokungajwayelekile . . . futhi sasinezimpondo eziyishumi.” Lokhu kufana ngokuphawulekayo nesilo sasendle esabonwa uJohane cishe ngonyaka ka-96 C.E. Naleso silo sinezici zengonyama, ibhere, nengwe, futhi sinezimpondo eziyishumi. Ziyini izilo ezinkulu ezabonwa uDaniyeli? Uyasazisa: ‘Lezi zilo ezinkulu ziyimibuso emine eyokuma emhlabeni.’ (Daniyeli 7:17) Yebo, lezo zilo zimelele “imibuso,” noma ohulumeni bomhlaba bezombangazwe.

 4. (a) KuDaniyeli 8, yayimeleleni inqama nempongo? (b) Yini eyayiboniswa lapho uphondo olukhulu lwempongo luphulwa futhi lulandelwa izimpondo ezine?

⁴ Komunye umbono, uDaniyeli ubona inqama enezimpondo ezimbili eyehlulwa impongo enophondo olukhulu. Ingelosi uGabriyeli iyamchazela ukuthi usho ukuthini: “Inqama . . . imelela amakhosi aseMediya nasePheresiya. Kanti impongo enoboya obude imelela inkosi yaseGrisi.” UGabriyeli uyaqhubeka aprofethe ukuthi uphondo olukhulu lwempongo lwaluyokwephulwa futhi lulandelwe izimpondo ezine. Lokhu kwenzeka ngempela eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-200 kamuva lapho u-Alexander Omkhulu efa futhi umbuso wakhe uhlukaniswa uba imibuso emine ebuswa abane bojenene bakhe.—Daniyeli 8:3-8, 20-25.a

 5. (a) Yiziphi izincazelo ezisikiselwa igama lesiGreki elisho isilo? (b) Simeleleni isilo sasendle sesAmbulo 13:1, 2, kanye namakhanda aso ayisikhombisa?

⁵ Ngakho-ke, kuyacaca ukuthi uMlobi weBhayibheli eliphefumulelwe ubheka imibuso yomhlaba yezombangazwe njengezilo. Luhlobo luni lwezilo? Omunye umhlaziyi ubiza isilo sasendle sesAmbulo 13:1, 2 ngokuthi “isilo esinonya,” futhi uyanezela: “Samukela zonke izincazelo elithi θηρίον [the·riʹon, igama lesiGreki elisho “isilo”] elizisikiselayo, njengaleyo yesilo esinonya, esibhubhisayo, esesabekayo, esihahayo, njll.”b Yeka ukuthi lokho kusichaza kahle kanjani isimiso sezombangazwe esinindwe yigazi uSathane aye wabusa ngaso isintu! Amakhanda ayisikhombisa alesi silo sasendle amelele imibuso emikhulu yezwe eyisithupha evezwe emlandweni weBhayibheli kuze kube usuku lukaJohane—iGibhithe, i-Asiriya, iBhabhiloni, iMediya nePheresiya, iGrisi, neRoma—nombuso wezwe wesikhombisa okuprofethwe ukuthi uyovela kamuva.—Qhathanisa nesAmbulo 17:9, 10.

 6. (a) Yini amakhanda ayisikhombisa esilo sasendle aye ahola kuyo? (b) IRoma yasetshenziswa kanjani uJehova ekukhipheni isahlulelo sakhe siqu esimisweni sezinto sobuJuda, futhi amaKristu eJerusalema aphila kanjani?

⁶ Iqiniso, iye yaba khona eminye imibuso yezwe emlandweni ngaphandle kweyisikhombisa—njengoba nje nesilo sasendle esabonwa uJohane sasinomzimba namakhanda ayisikhombisa nezimpondo eziyishumi. Kodwa amakhanda ayisikhombisa amelele imibuso emikhulu eyisikhombisa eye yaba phambili ekucindezeleni abantu bakaNkulunkulu, ngamunye ngethuba lawo. Ngo-33 C.E., lapho iRoma yayidlondlobele, uSathane wasebenzisa lelo khanda lesilo sasendle ukuze abulale iNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Ngaleso sikhathi, uNkulunkulu wasilahla isimiso sezinto samaJuda esingenalukholo futhi kamuva, ngo-70 C.E., wavumela iRoma ukuba ikhiphe isahlulelo sakhe kuleso sizwe. Ngokujabulisayo, u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, ibandla lamaKristu agcotshiwe, lalixwayiswe kusengaphambili, futhi labo ababeseJerusalema naseJudiya babebalekele endaweni ephephile ngaphesheya koMfula iJordani.—Mathewu 24:15, 16; Galathiya 6:16.

 7. (a) Yini eyayizokwenzeka lapho kufika isiphelo sesimiso sezinto futhi kuqala usuku lweNkosi? (b) Yini eyabonakala iyikhanda lesikhombisa lesilo sasendle sesAmbulo 13:1, 2?

⁷ Nokho, ekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala C.E., abaningi kuleli bandla lokuqala base bewile eqinisweni, futhi amabele angamaKristu eqiniso, “abantwana bombuso,” ayeseminyaniswe kakhulu ukhula, “abantwana bomubi.” Kodwa lapho kufika isiphelo sesimiso sezinto, amaKristu agcotshiwe avela futhi njengeqembu elihlelekile. Phakathi nosuku lweNkosi, abalungileyo kwakumelwe ‘bakhanye ngokukhazimulayo njengelanga.’ Ngakho, ibandla lobuKristu lahlelelwa umsebenzi. (Mathewu 13:24-30, 36-43) Ngaleso sikhathi, uMbuso wamaRoma wawungasekho. UMbuso omkhulu waseBrithani, kanye ne-United States of America enamandla, kwalawula umhlaba. Lo mbuso wezwe ombaxambili wabonakala uyikhanda lesikhombisa lesilo sasendle.

 8. Kungani kungafanele kwethuse ukuthi umbuso wezwe ombaxambili wamaNgisi namaMelika ufaniswa nesilo?

⁸ Akwethusi yini ukubiza imibuso yezombangazwe ebusayo ngesilo sasendle? Yilokho abaphikisi abathile ababekusho phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, lapho isimo soFakazi BakaJehova, njengenhlangano nanjengabantu ngabanye, sasibekelwa inselele ezinkantolo zomthetho emhlabeni wonke. Kodwa ake ume ucabange! Izizwe ngokwazo azisebenzisi yini izilo noma izilwane zasendle njengezimpawu zazo zobuzwe? Ngokwesibonelo, kukhona ingonyama yaseBrithani, ukhozi lwaseMelika, nodrako waseChina. Khona-ke kungani umuntu kufanele enqabe uma noMlobi waphezulu weBhayibheli Elingcwele esebenzisa izilo ukuze afanekisele imibuso yezwe?

 9. (a) Kungani umuntu kungafanele akuphikise ukusho kweBhayibheli ukuthi uSathane unikeza isilo sasendle igunya laso elikhulu? (b) USathane uchazwa kanjani eBhayibhelini, futhi ubathonya kanjani ohulumeni?

⁹ Ngaphezu kwalokho, kungani umuntu kufanele akuphikise ukusho kweBhayibheli ukuthi uSathane onikeza isilo sasendle igunya laso elikhulu? NguNkulunkulu onguMthombo walawo mazwi, futhi phambi kwakhe ‘izizwe zinjengethonsi lamanzi eliphuma ebhakedeni nanjengongwengwezi lothuli.’ Lezo zizwe ziyobe zenza kahle ngokuzincengela kuNkulunkulu kunokuba zicasulwe indlela iZwi lakhe lesiprofetho elizichaza ngayo. (Isaya 40:15, 17; IHubo 2:10-12) USathane akasiye umuntu wasenganekwaneni owabelwe ukuba ahluphe imiphefumulo efile esihogweni somlilo. Ayikho indawo enjalo. Kunalokho, uSathane uchazwe emiBhalweni ‘njengengelosi yokukhanya’—ingcweti yokukhohlisa enethonya elinamandla ezindabeni zezombangazwe.—2 Korinte 11:3, 14, 15; Efesu 6:11-18.

10. (a) Yini eshiwo iqiniso lokuthi ophondweni ngalunye kweziyishumi kwakukhona umqhele? (b) Izimpondo eziyishumi nemiqhele eyishumi kufanekiselani?

¹⁰ Isilo sasendle sinezimpondo eziyishumi emakhanda aso ayisikhombisa. Mhlawumbe amakhanda amane ayenophondo olulodwa lilinye futhi amathathu enezimpondo ezimbili lilinye. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sasinemiqhele eyishumi ezimpondweni zaso. Encwadini kaDaniyeli, kuchazwa izilo ezesabekayo, futhi inani lezimpondo zazo kumelwe lithathwe njengoba linjalo. Ngokwesibonelo, izimpondo ezimbili enqameni zazimelele umbuso wezwe owawakhiwe abangane ababili iMediya nePheresiya, kuyilapho izimpondo ezine empongweni zazimelele imibuso emine eyayibusa kanye kanye eyavela embusweni waseGrisi ka-Alexander Omkhulu. (Daniyeli 8:3, 8, 20-22) Nokho, esilweni uJohane asibona inani lezimpondo eziyishumi libonakala lingokomfanekiso. (Qhathanisa noDaniyeli 7:24; IsAmbulo 17:12.) Zimelele ukuphelela kwemibuso eyakha yonke inhlangano kaSathane yezombangazwe. Zonke lezi zimpondo zinobudlova nonya, kodwa njengoba kuboniswa amakhanda ayisikhombisa, umbuso wezwe owodwa kuphela oba yinhloko ngesikhathi. Ngokufanayo, imiqhele eyishumi ibonisa ukuthi bonke ohulumeni babeyosebenzisa amandla okubusa ngesikhathi esifanayo nombuso obusayo, noma umbuso wezwe, wangaleso sikhathi.

11. Yini eboniswa iqiniso lokuthi isilo sasendle ‘sinamagama enhlamba emakhanda aso’?

¹¹ Isilo sasendle ‘sinamagama enhlamba emakhanda aso,’ sisho izinto ezibonisa indelelo enkulu ngoJehova uNkulunkulu nangoKristu Jesu. Siye sasebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu nelikaKristu njengeqhinga lokufeza izinjongo zaso zezombangazwe; futhi siye sasebenzelana nenkolo yamanga, size sivumele ngisho nabefundisi ukuba babe nengxenye ezinqubweni zaso zezombangazwe. Ngokwesibonelo, iSigungu Sababusi eNgilandi sihlanganisa nababhishobhi. Abefundisi bamaKatolika baye baba nezingxenye ezivelele kwezombangazwe eFrance nase-Italy, futhi muva nje, abapristi baye bangena ezikhundleni zezombangazwe eLatin America. Ohulumeni banyathelisa iziqubulo zenkolo, ezinjengokuthi “SITHEMBELA KUNKULUNKULU,” emalini yabo engamaphepha, futhi emalini yabo eyizinhlamvu bazisholo ukuthi ababusi babo bavunyelwe ngokwaphezulu, ngokwesibonelo, bathi laba bamiswe “ngomusa kaNkulunkulu.” Eqinisweni konke lokhu kuwukuhlambalaza, ngoba kuzama ukuhilela uNkulunkulu enkundleni engcolile yobuzwe yezombangazwe.

12. (a) Yini eboniswa ukuphuma kwesilo sasendle “olwandle,” futhi saqala nini ukuvela? (b) Yini eboniswa iqiniso lokuthi udrako unikeza isilo esingokomfanekiso igunya laso elikhulu?

¹² Isilo sasendle siphuma “olwandle,” oluwuphawu olufanelekayo lwezixuku zabantu ezinesiphithiphithi okuvela kuzo ohulumeni babantu. (Isaya 17:12, 13) Lesi silo sasendle saqala ukuphuma olwandle lwesintu esinesiphithiphithi emuva ezinsukwini zikaNimrode (cishe ngekhulu leminyaka lama-21 B.C.E.), lapho isimiso sezinto sangemva kukaZamcolo, esimelene noJehova, siqala ukuvela. (Genesise 10:8-12; 11:1-9) Kodwa kuphakathi nosuku lweNkosi kuphela lapho elokugcina lamakhanda aso ayisikhombisa liye lazibonakalisa khona ngokugcwele. Phawula, futhi, udrako ‘owanika isilo amandla aso nesihlalo saso sobukhosi negunya elikhulu.’ (Qhathanisa noLuka 4:6.) Isilo siwumkhiqizo kaSathane wezombangazwe phakathi kwesintu. Ngempela uSathane, ‘ungumbusi waleli zwe.’—Johane 12:31.