ISahluko 17
‘Imiphefumulo Ebulewe’ Iyavuzwa
1. Siphila kuyiphi inkathi yesikhathi, futhi kunabuphi ubufakazi balokhu?
UMBUSO kaNkulunkulu uyabusa! UMgibeli wehhashi elimhlophe usezophelelisa ukunqoba kwakhe! Ihhashi elibomvu, nehhashi elimnyama, nehhashi eliphaphathekile ayagabavula emhlabeni! Ngokungenakuphikwa, iziprofetho zikaJesu ngokwakhe ngokuqondene nokuba khona kwakhe kobukhosi ziyagcwaliseka. (Mathewu, izahluko 24, 25; Marku, isahluko 13; Luka, isahluko 21) Yebo, siphila ezinsukwini zokugcina zalesi simiso sezinto. (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Njengoba kunjalo, masibhekisise njengoba iWundlu, uJesu Kristu, livula uphawu lwesihlanu lwalowo mqulu. Yisiphi esinye isambulo esizohlanganyela kuso manje?
2. (a) Yini uJohane ayibona lapho kuvulwa uphawu lwesihlanu? (b) Kungani kungafanele simangale ngokufunda nge-altare leminikelo elingokomfanekiso ezulwini?
2 UJohane uchaza isigcawu esishukumisayo: “Lapho livula uphawu lwesihlanu, ngabona ngaphansi kwe-altare imiphefumulo yalabo ababulawa ngenxa yezwi likaNkulunkulu nangenxa yomsebenzi wokufakaza ababenawo.” (IsAmbulo 6:9) Kuyini lokho? I-altare leminikelo phezulu ezulwini? Yebo! Kungokokuqala ukuba uJohane akhulume nge-altare. Nokho, useye wamchaza kakade uJehova esesihlalweni saKhe sobukhosi, amakherubi azungezile, ulwandle lwengilazi, izibani, nabadala abangu-24 abaphethe impepho—konke lokhu kufuze izici zetabernakele lasemhlabeni, indawo engcwele kaJehova kwa-Israyeli. (Eksodusi 25:17, 18; 40:24-27, 30-32; 1 IziKronike 24:4) Ingabe-ke, kufanele kusimangaze ukuthola futhi i-altare leminikelo elingokomfanekiso nasezulwini?—Eksodusi 40:29.
3. (a) Etabernakele lobuJuda lasendulo, imiphefumulo yayithululwa kanjani “phansi e-altare”? (b) Kungani uJohane abona imiphefumulo yofakazi ababulewe ngaphansi kwe-altare elingokomfanekiso ezulwini?
3 Ngaphansi kwaleli altare kukhona “imiphefumulo yalabo ababulawa ngenxa yezwi likaNkulunkulu nangenxa yomsebenzi wokufakaza ababenawo.” Kusho ukuthini lokhu? Laba akunakuba yimiphefumulo ehlutshulwe imizimba—njengaleyo amaGreki angamaqaba ayekholelwa kuyo. (Genesise 2:7; Hezekeli 18:4) Kunalokho, uJohane uyazi ukuthi umphefumulo, noma ukuphila, kufanekiselwa yigazi, futhi lapho abapristi etabernakele lamaJuda lasendulo bebulala isilwane somnikelo, babefafaza igazi ‘e-altare nxazonke’ noma balithulule “phansi e-altare lomnikelo wokushiswa.” (Levitikusi 3:2, 8, 13; 4:7; 17:6, 11, 12) Ngakho, umphefumulo wesilwane wawuhlanganiswa ne-altare leminikelo. Kodwa kungani imiphefumulo, noma igazi, lalezi zinceku zikaNkulunkulu libonakala lingaphansi kwe-altare elingokomfanekiso ezulwini? Ngenxa yokuthi ukufa kwazo kubhekwa njengokuwumnikelo.
4. Kungayiphi indlela ukufa kwamaKristu azelwe ngomoya kungokomnikelo?
4 Ngempela, bonke labo abazelwe njengamadodana kaNkulunkulu omoya bafa ukufa okungokomnikelo. Ngenxa yengxenye abazoyifeza eMbusweni kaJehova wasezulwini, kuyintando kaNkulunkulu ukuba badele futhi banikele nganoma yiliphi ithemba lokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni. Ngale ndlela, bafa ukufa komnikelo ngenxa yobukhosi bukaJehova. (Filipi 3:8-11; qhathanisa no–2:17.) Lokhu kuyiqiniso ngomqondo ongokoqobo ngalabo uJohane ababona bengaphansi kwe-altare. Bangabagcotshiwe ababulawelwa ukholo osukwini lwabo ngenxa yenkonzo yabo yentshiseko ekusekeleni iZwi likaJehova nobukhosi bakhe. “Imiphefumulo” yabo “[yabulawa] ngenxa yezwi likaNkulunkulu nangenxa yomsebenzi wokufakaza [mar·ty·riʹan] ababenawo.”
5. Kukanjani ukuthi imiphefumulo yabathembekileyo, nakuba ifile, ikhalela impindiselo?
5 Umbono uyaqhubeka wembuleka: “Yamemeza ngezwi elikhulu, ithi: ‘Kuyoze kube nini, Nkosi enguMbusi ongcwele noweqiniso, uyeka ukwahlulela nokuphindisela igazi lethu kulabo abahlala emhlabeni na?’” (IsAmbulo 6:10) Imiphefumulo yabo, noma igazi, ingayikhalela kanjani impindiselo, njengoba iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi abafileyo abezwa? (UmShumayeli 9:5) Nokho, alizange yini igazi lika-Abela olungileyo likhale ngemva kokuba uKhayini embulele? UJehova wabe esethi kuKhayini: “Wenzeni? Lalela! Igazi lomfowenu liyakhala kimi lisemhlabathini.” (Genesise 4:10, 11; Hebheru 12:24) Kwakungekhona ukuthi igazi lika-Abela lalisho amazwi ngokoqobo. Kunalokho, u-Abela wayefe njengesisulu esingenacala, futhi ukulunga kwakudinga ukuba owayembulele ajeziswe. Ngokufanayo, labo bafel’ ukholo abangamaKristu abanacala, futhi ngokuvumelana nokulunga kumelwe baphindiselelwe. (Luka 18:7, 8) Isikhalo sempindiselo sikhulu ngoba izinkulungwane eziningi ziye zafa kanjalo.—Qhathanisa noJeremiya 15:15, 16.
6. Yikuphi ukuchithwa kwegazi elingenacala okwaphindiselwa ngo-607 B.C.E.?
6 Lesi simo singafaniswa futhi naleso sakwaJuda ohlubukayo lapho iNkosi uManase ihlala esihlalweni sobukhosi ngo-716 B.C.E. Yachitha igazi eliningi elingenacala, kungenzeka ‘yanquma ngesaha’ umprofethi u-Isaya. (Hebheru 11:37; 2 AmaKhosi 21:16) Nakuba kamuva uManase aphenduka futhi washintsha, lelo cala legazi lahlala likhona. Ngo-607 B.C.E., lapho abaseBhabhiloni bechitha umbuso wakwaJuda, “kwenzeka kuJuda ngomyalo kaJehova [kuphela], ukuba amsuse emehlweni akhe ngenxa yezono zikaManase, ngokuvumelana nakho konke ayekwenzile; nangenxa yegazi elingenacala ayelichithile, kangangokuba wagcwalisa iJerusalema ngegazi elingenacala, futhi uJehova akazange avume ukuthethelela.”—2 AmaKhosi 24:3, 4.
7. Ubani ngokuyinhloko onecala lokuchitha “igazi labangcwele”?
7 Njengasezikhathini zeBhayibheli, kanjalo namuhla abaningi babantu ababulala ofakazi bakaNkulunkulu kungenzeka kudala bafa. Kodwa inhlangano eyabangela ukufela kwabo ukholo isaphila futhi isenecala legazi. Yinhlangano kaSathane yasemhlabeni, inzalo yakhe yasemhlabeni. Evelele kuyo iBhabhiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga.a Lichazwa njengelidakwe “yigazi labangcwele negazi lofakazi bakaJesu.” Yebo, “kwatholakala kulo igazi labaprofethi nelabangcwele nelabo bonke abaye babulawa emhlabeni.” (IsAmbulo 17:5, 6; 18:24; Efesu 4:11; 1 Korinte 12:28) Yeka umthwalo wecala legazi! Uma nje iBhabhiloni Elikhulu lisekhona, igazi lezisulu zalo liyokhalela ukuphindiselelwa.—IsAmbulo 19:1, 2.
8. (a) Yiziphi izehlakalo zokufela ukholo ezenzeka ngesikhathi sikaJohane? (b) Yiluphi ushushiso olwalushoshozelwa ababusi bamaRoma?
8 UJohane ngokwakhe waba ngufakazi wokufela ukholo ekhulwini leminyaka lokuqala njengoba iNyoka enonya nenzalo yayo yasemhlabeni yayilwa nebandla elikhulayo lamaKristu agcotshiwe. UJohane wayebone iNkosi yethu ibethelwa futhi wasinda ekubulaweni kukaStefanu, komfowabo uJakobe, nokukaPetru, uPawulu, nabanye abangane abaseduze. (Johane 19:26, 27; 21:15, 18, 19; IzEnzo 7:59, 60; 8:2; 12:2; 2 Thimothewu 1:1; 4:6, 7) Ngo-64 C.E., umbusi waseRoma uNero wayesulele amaKristu ngecala, ewamangalela ngokushisa umuzi, ukuze agqibe amahemuhemu okuthi nguye owayenecala. Isazimlando uTacitus siyabika: “[AmaKristu] afa ngezindlela zokwenziwa inhlekisa; amanye ayembozwa ngezikhumba zezilwane zasendle abese edephunwa yizinja, amanye [ayebethelwa],b amanye ayeshiswa ukuze abe yizibani zokukhanyisa ebusuku.” Elinye igagasi lokushushiswa ngaphansi koMbusi uDomitian (81-96 C.E.) laphumela ekudingiselweni kukaJohane esiqhingini sasePhatmose. Njengoba uJesu asho: “Uma beye bashushisa mina, bayonishushisa nani.”—Johane 15:20; Mathewu 10:22.
9. (a) Yikuphi ukukhohlisa kobungcweti uSathane akuveza ngekhulu lesine leminyaka C.E., futhi kuyingxenye eyinhloko yani? (b) Abanye ababusi beLobukholwa babaphatha kanjani oFakazi BakaJehova ngeMpi Yezwe I neyesi-II?
9 Ngekhulu leminyaka lesine C.E., leyo nyoka endala, uSathane uDeveli, yayisiveze ukukhohlisa kwayo kobungcweti, inkolo yeLobukholwa eyisihlubuki—isimiso sobuBhabhiloni esicashe ngaphansi kwesembozo “sobuKristu.” Iyingxenye eyinhloko yenzalo yeNyoka futhi isiye yakhula yaba amahlelo amaningi aphikisanayo. NjengoJuda wasendulo owayengathembekile, eLobukholwa linecala elikhulu legazi, njengoba lalihileleke ngokujulile ezinhlangothini zombili ngeMpi Yezwe I neyesi-II. Abanye ababusi bezombangazwe kweLobukholwa baze ngisho basebenzisa lezi zimpi njengebhaxa lokubulala izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezigcotshiwe. Kubika ngokushushisa kukaHitler oFakazi BakaJehova, ukubukezwa kwencwadi kaFriedrich Zipfel ethi Kirchenkampf in Deutschland (Ukulwa Kwamasonto EJalimane) kwathi: “Ingxenye yesithathu yabo [oFakazi] yabulawa ngokunqunywa, ngezinye izenzo zobudlova, ngendlala, ngezifo noma ngokugqilazwa. Ubunzima bale mpatho babungakaze bubonwe ngaphambili futhi babuwumphumela wokholo olungaguquki olwalungenakuhambisana nemiqondo yobuSoshiyalizimu Bobuzwe.” Ngempela, kungashiwo ngeLobukholwa, kuhlanganise nobupristi balo ukuthi: “Emiphethweni yezingubo zakho kuye kwatholakala amachaphazelo egazi lemiphefumulo yabampofu abangenacala.”—Jeremiya 2:34.c
10. Yikuphi ukushushiswa izinsizwa zesixuku esikhulu eziye zabhekana nakho emazweni amaningi?
10 Kusukela ngo-1935 izinsizwa ezithembekile zesixuku esikhulu ziye zathwala ubunzima bokushushiswa emazweni amaningi. (IsAmbulo 7:9) Ngisho nalapho iMpi Yezwe II iphela eYurophu, edolobheni elilodwa kuphela oFakazi BakaJehova abasha abangu-14 babulawa ngokulengiswa. Laliyini icala labo? Ukwenqaba ‘ukufunda impi.’ (Isaya 2:4) Muva nje, izinsizwa eMpumalanga nase-Afrika ziye zashaywa zaze zafa noma zabulawa iqembu labadubuli ngenxa yempikiswano efanayo. Laba bafel’ ukholo abasha, abasekeli abafanelekayo babafowabo bakaJesu abagcotshiwe, ngokuqinisekile bayovuselwa emhlabeni omusha othenjisiwe.—2 Petru 3:13; qhathanisa neHubo 110:3; Mathewu 25:34-40; Luka 20:37, 38.
Isembatho Esimhlophe
11. Kungamuphi umqondo amaKristu agcotshiwe afel’ ukholo amukela ngawo “isembatho esimhlophe”?
11 Ngemva kokubhala ngokholo lwabagcini bobuqotho bezikhathi zasendulo, umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Nokho bonke laba, nakuba bafakazelwa ngokholo lwabo, abakutholanga ukugcwaliseka kwesithembiso, njengoba uNkulunkulu asibonela kusengaphambili okuthile okungcono, ukuze bona bangenziwa baphelele ngaphandle kwethu.” (Hebheru 11:39, 40) Kuyini lokho “okuthile okungcono” uPawulu namanye amaKristu agcotshiwe abakulindele? UJohane ukubona lapha embonweni: “Ngamunye kubo wanikwa isembatho esimhlophe; batshelwa ukuba baphumule isikhashana, kuze kugcwale isibalo sezinceku ezikanye nabo nabafowabo abase bezobulawa njengoba nabo bebulewe.” (IsAmbulo 6:11) Ukwamukela kwabo “isembatho esimhlophe” kuhlangene nokuvuswa kwabo ukuba babe yizidalwa zomoya ezingenakufa. Abasalele njengemiphefumulo ebulewe ngaphansi kwe-altare, kodwa bavuselwa ukuba babe yingxenye yeqembu labadala abangu-24 abakhonza phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu sasezulwini. Lapho, bona ngokwabo banikezwe izihlalo zobukhosi ezibonisa ukuthi bangene emalungelweni obukhosi. Futhi ‘bavunule ngezingubo zangaphandle ezimhlophe,’ ezibonisa ukuthi baye bahlulelwa njengabalungile, abafanelekele indawo ehloniphekile phambi kukaJehova kulelo gceke lasezulwini. Lokho futhi kuwukugcwaliseka kwesithembiso sikaJesu kumaKristu agcotshiwe athembekile ebandleni laseSardesi: “Onqobayo uyovunuliswa ngezingubo zangaphandle ezimhlophe.”—IsAmbulo 3:5; 4:4; 1 Petru 1:4.
12. Kungayiphi indlela abagcotshiwe abavusiwe ‘abaphumula’ ngayo “isikhashana,” futhi kuze kube nini?
12 Bonke ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi lolu vuko lwasezulwini lwaqala ngo-1918, ngemva kokubekwa kukaJesu esihlalweni sobukhosi ngo-1914 nokugibela kwakhe ukuze aqale ukunqoba kobukhosi ngokuhlanza amazulu ngokususa uSathane namademoni akhe. Nokho, labo abagcotshiwe abavusiwe batshelwa ukuthi kumelwe “baphumule isikhashana, kuze kugcwale isibalo sezinceku ezikanye nabo.” Labo besigaba sikaJohane abasesemhlabeni kumelwe babonise ubuqotho babo ngaphansi kokuvivinywa nokushushiswa, futhi abanye babo bangase babulawe. Nokho, ekugcineni lonke igazi elilungileyo elichithwe iBhabhiloni Elikhulu namashende alo ezombangazwe liyophindiselwa. Okwamanje, ngokungangabazeki abavusiwe bamatasa ngemisebenzi yabo yasezulwini. Bayaphumula, hhayi ngokuhlala ngentokozo bangenzi lutho, kodwa ngokuthi balindela ngokubekezela usuku lwempindiselo kaJehova. (Isaya 34:8; Roma 12:19) Ukuphumula kwabo kuyophela lapho bebona ukubhujiswa kwenkolo yamanga, nalapho ‘njengababiziweyo nabakhethiweyo, nabathembekileyo,’ behambisana neNkosi uJesu Kristu ekukhipheni isahlulelo kuzo zonke ezinye izingxenye zenzalo kaSathane ekhohlakele lapha emhlabeni.—IsAmbulo 2:26, 27; 17:14; Roma 16:20.
‘Abafileyo Bavuka Kuqala’
13, 14. (a) Ngokukamphostoli uPawulu, luqala nini uvuko lwasezulwini, futhi obani abavuswayo? (b) Abagcotshiwe abasindela osukwini lweNkosi bavuselwa nini ezulwini?
13 Ukuqonda okunikezwa ukuvulwa kophawu lwesihlanu kuvumelana ngokuphelele neminye imiBhalo ephathelene novuko lwasezulwini. Ngokwesibonelo, umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ngoba nakhu esinitshela khona ngezwi likaJehova, ukuthi thina esiphilayo esiphila kuze kube sekubeni khona kweNkosi ngeke nangayiphi indlela sibandulele labo asebalala; ngoba iNkosi ngokwayo iyokwehla ezulwini ngezwi elinegunya, ngezwi lengelosi enkulu nangecilongo likaNkulunkulu, futhi labo abafileyo bamunye noKristu bayovuka kuqala. Ngemva kwalokho thina esiphilayo esisekhona siyothathwa kanye nabo ngamafu ukuze sihlangabeze iNkosi emoyeni; kanjalo siyoba neNkosi ngaso sonke isikhathi.”—1 Thesalonika 4:15-17.
14 Yeka indaba eshukumisayo la mavesi ayixoxayo! Labo babafowabo bakaJesu abagcotshiwe abaphila kuze kube sebukhoneni bukaJesu, okungukuthi, abasaphila emhlabeni phakathi nokuba khona kwakhe, ekuyeni ezulwini bandulelwa yilabo abase befile kakade. Abanjalo, abafe bekuKristu, bavuka kuqala. UJesu uyehla, okungukuthi, ubhekisa ukunakekela kwakhe kubo, abavusele ekuphileni komoya, ebanikeza “isembatho esimhlophe.” Kamuva, labo abasaphila njengabantu baqeda inkambo yabo yasemhlabeni, abaningi babo befa ngobudlova ezandleni zabaphikisi. Nokho, abalali ekufeni njengoba kwenza ababandulelayo. Kunalokho, lapho befa, baguqulwa ngokushesha—“ngokuphazima kweso”—bahlwithelwe emazulwini ukuba babe noJesu namalunga abakanye nawo omzimba kaKristu. (1 Korinte 15:50-52; qhathanisa nesAmbulo 14:13.) Kanjalo, ukuvuswa kwamaKristu agcotshiwe kuqala ngokushesha ngemva kokuba abagibeli abane bamahhashi besAmbulo beqale ukugibela kwabo.
15. (a) Ukuvulwa kophawu lwesihlanu kuye kwanikeza ziphi izindaba ezinhle? (b) Ukugibela koMnqobi ehhashini elimhlophe kuwufinyelela kanjani umvuthwandaba?
15 Ukuvulwa kwalolu phawu lwesihlanu lwencwadi kuye kwanikeza izindaba ezinhle ngokuqondene nabagcini bobuqotho abagcotshiwe abaye banqoba, bathembeka kwaze kwaba sekufeni. Kodwa akunikezi zindaba ezinhle ngoSathane nenzalo yakhe. Ukugibela koMnqobi ehhashini elimhlophe kuqhubeka ngokungenakuvinjelwa futhi kuyofinyelela umvuthwandaba esikhathini sokulandisa sezwe ‘elisemandleni omubi.’ (1 Johane 5:19) Lokhu kwenziwa kucace lapho iWundlu livula uphawu lwesithupha.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Ukuthi lingubani iBhabhiloni Elikhulu kuxoxwa ngakho ngokuningiliziwe eSahlukweni 33.
b Qhathanisa ne-New World Translation Reference Bible, ikhasi 1577, isithasiselo 5C, “Torture Stake.”
c Ubufakazi becala legazi lenkolo bunikezwe ngemininingwane eyengeziwe eSahlukweni 36.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 102]
‘Imiphefumulo ebulewe’
I-Cyclopedia kaMcClintock noStrong icaphuna uJohn Jortin, umProthestani oyiNgisi wekhulu leminyaka le-18, owazalwa ngabazali abangamaProthestani aseFrance, ethi: “Lapho kuqala khona ushushiso, ubuKristu buyaphela . . . Kwakungemva kokuba ubuKristu bumiswe njengenkolo yombuso [waseRoma], nangemva kokuba umcebo nodumo kunikezwe abefundisi babo, lapho ububi obesabekayo boshushiso baba namandla amakhulu, futhi bahlasela inkolo yeVangeli.”
[Isithombe ekhasini 103]
“Ngamunye kubo wanikwa isembatho esimhlophe”