Ukubona Ngokuqonda Ukuvela “Kwesibonakaliso”
“Njengoba [uJesu] ayehlezi eNtabeni yemiNqumo abafundi beza kuye bebodwa, bathi, ‘Sitshele ukuthi lezizinto ziyokuba nini, lesibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakho, nesokuphela kwesimiso sezinto siyokuba yini?’”—MATHEWU 24:3, NW.
1. Kungani izenzakalo ezinyakazisa umhlaba kusukela ngo-1914 zingezona ezenzeka ngengozi, futhi yini abafundi bakaJesu abambuza yona?
IZENZAKALO ezinyakazisa umhlaba kusukela ngeMpi Yezwe I ka-1914-18 bezingenzeki ngengozi. Zabikezelwa uJesu eminyakeni engamakhulu ayi-19 edlule. Wayetshele abafundi bakhe ngezinto eziningi ezishaqisayo ezazizokwenzeka, futhi ngenxa yalesosizathu bambuza: “Sitshele ukuthi lokhu kuyakuba-nini, nesibonakaliso sokuza kwakho nesokuphela kwezwe siyakuba-yini na?”—Mathewu 24:3.
2. Kungani abaphostoli babefuna ukwazi okungaphezu nje kwalokho okwakuzokwenzeka ngaphambi kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-70 C.E.?
2 Labobaphostoli babefuna ukwazi okungaphezu kwalokho okwakuzokwenzeka phakathi nalesosikhathi nokubhujiswa kweJerusalema. UJesu akazange abuye ngokubonakalayo noma ngokungabonakali ngalesosikhathi senhlekelele. Nesimiso sezinto esasikhona kusukela ngoZamcolo asizange siphele ngokubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-70 C.E. Empeleni, ‘isibonakaliso sokuza [kukaJesu okungabonakali] nesokuphela kwezwe’ sasiyobonakala ngemva kakhulu kokuphila kwabaphostoli emhlabeni.
3. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi “lelivangeli lombuso” lalingashunyayelwa izinkolo zeLobukholwa phakathi nokuhlubuka okwakungemva kwabaphostoli? (b) Ingabe uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uyokwehluleka lapho inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene ihluleka?
3 Ngemifanekiso engokwesiprofetho mayelana noMbuso kaNkulunkulu, uJesu wayetshele abaphostoli bakhe ngokuhlubuka kwenkolo okwakuzokwenzeka ngemva kokubuyela kwakhe ezulwini nokufa kwabo. Phakathi naso sonke isikhathi salokho kuhlubuka, ingabe kwakuyoba khona ‘ukushunyayelwa kwevangeli lombuso’ kuwo wonke umhlaba? (Mathewu 24:14) Ngokuqinisekile hhayi ngezinkolo zeLobukholwa, lapho muva nje ngoDecember 1918 uMkhandlu Wezokuphathwa Kwamasonto KaKristu eMelika wahalalisela iNhlangano yeZizwe eyayisongozwe ngalesosikhathi ‘njengokubonakaliswa okungokombangazwe koMbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni.’ Nokho, naphezu kwalokho kuvunyelwa yinkolo, leyoNhlangano yahluleka lapho kugqashuka iMpi yeZwe II ngo-1939. Kodwa ngalokho kwehluleka, ingabe uMbuso kaNkulunkulu weqiniso wahluleka? Cha! Ngeke wahluleka nalapho umlandeli waleyoNhlangano, iNhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene ihluleka masinyane. Kunalokho, lowoMbuso wasezulwini uyobhubhisa inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zingaki izingelosi zasezulwini ezingase zidingeke ukwenza lokhu!
4. Kungani umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso wawuzoba yingxenye ‘yesibonakaliso’?
4 Konke osekushiwo kuyasiza ekwenzeni kube nokwenzeka ukuqonda kalula leliqiniso elibalulekile: Wayesabela esicelweni ‘sesibonakaliso’ lapho uJesu etshela abalandeli bakhe ukuthi: “Lelivangeli lombuso liyakushunyayelwa ezweni lonke, kube-ngubufakazi ezizweni zonke, andukuba kufike ukuphela.” (Mathewu 24:14) Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi lokho kushumayela kabanzi ngoMbuso kwakuyoba yingxenye ‘yesibonakaliso’ esihlangene esasiyophawula ‘isiphelo sezwe.’ Kwakuyoba futhi ubufakazi obusobala ‘bokuba khona’ kukaJesu Kristu okungabonakali. Indlela uJesu asho ngayo ukulandelana kwezenzakalo ngaphambi kwesiprofetho sakhe sokushumayela ngoMbuso ingephawulekayo. Ngokwengxenye wathi:
5. Yiziphi ezinye izimpawu ‘zesibonakaliso’ ezashiwo uJesu ngaphambi kokubikezela ngokushumayela ngoMbuso ezweni lonke?
5 “Niyakuzwa izimpi namahemuhemu ezimpi. Bhekani ningethuki, ngokuba kumelwe ukuba kwenzeke, kepha ukuphela koba kungakafiki. Ngokuba isizwe siyakuvukela isizwe, nombuso uvukele umbuso, kube-khona indlala nokuzamazama komhlaba izindawo ngezindawo. . . . Ngenxa yokwanda kobubi kuzakuphola uthando lwabaningi. Kodwa okhuthazelayo kuze kube-sekupheleni nguyena oyakusindiswa.”—Mathewu 24:6-13.
6. Kungani izimpawu ‘zesibonakaliso’ zingekhona nje ukuqhubeka kwezinto eziwuhide ebezenzeka ngaphambili?
6 Yiqiniso, bezikhona izimpi, ukuswelakala kokudla, ukuzamazama komhlaba, “nobici” kuwo wonke amakhulu eminyaka esiKhathini sethu Esivamile kuze kube ngo-1914. (Luka 21:11) Nokho, akukho okungaqhathaniswa nalokho okwenzeka kusukela ekupheleni kweZikhathi Zabezizwe ngalowonyaka ophawulekayo. Umbango wezwe lonke owaqubuka ngokungalindelwe ehlobo lika-1914 waphenduka impi yezikhali okwahlanganyela kuyo izizwe ezingama-28. Kanye nalezo ziphithiphithi zabantu, kwaba nokuzamazama komhlaba. Kwakunokuswelakala kokudla, noma indlala, futhi ngonyaka wokugcina waleyompi yezwe kwaba nesifo esizumayo esibizwa ngokuthi imfuluyenza yaseSpain esabulala abantu abangaphezu kwezi-20 000 000. Konke lokhu kwakungekhona nje ukuqhubeka kwezinto eziwuhide ezazenzeka ngaphambili. Kwakuyisiqalo sezenzakalo eziwuhide ezenza “isibonakaliso” sokuthi lesimiso sezinto sisesikhathini saso “sokuphela” esabikezelwa. (Daniyeli 12:4) Incwadi yokugcina yeBhayibheli—isAmbulo—iyakuqinisekisa lokhu.
7. Kungani incwadi yesAmbulo yabhalwa, futhi izinto eziningi kuyo ‘ezabonakaliswa’ njengesibonakaliso zaziyobonisani?
7 Umphostoli uJohane, owamukela isAmbulo, wayalwa ukuba asibhale phansi ngenjongo ekhethekile. Yiphi injongo? Lena: “Ukuba abonise izinceku [zikaNkulunkulu] izinto ezimelwe ukwenzeka masinyane.” Futhi ekuphetheni isAmbulo iNkosi uJesu Kristu ithi: “Yebo, ngiyeza masinyane.” Kulokho, uJohane uyaphendula: “Amen. Woza, Nkosi Jesu!” Khona-ke izinto eziningi ‘ezabonakaliswa’ ngaleyondlela, kwakuyothi ekubonakaleni kwazo emlandweni, zibonise ukuthi siphila esikhathini ‘sokuphela’ kwalesimiso sezinto. (IsAmbulo 1:1; 22:20) Yebo, zaziyoba usizo kithi ekuboneni ngokuqonda “isibonakaliso” esihlangene.
8. Ubani umgibeli ‘wehhashi elimhlophe,’ futhi uNkulunkulu wamgunyaza nini ukuba alwe nezitha zakhe?
8 KusAmbulo isahluko 6 kunomlando obizwa ngokuthi ukugibela “kwabagibeli bamahhashi amane besAmbulo.” Obonakala kuqala umgibeli ‘wehhashi elimhlophe,’ uJesu Kristu okhazinyulisiwe, ephumela ukulwa nezitha zakhe. Wagunyazwa uNkulunkulu ukuba akwenze lokhu ekupheleni kweZikhathi Zabezizwe, lapho izitha zikaJesu ezulwini nasemhlabeni kwakumelwe zizithobe ekubuseni kwakhe.—IHubo 2:1-12.
9. Yini efanekiselwa umgibeli (a) ‘wehhashi elibomvu’? (b) ‘wehhashi elimnyama’? (c) ‘wehhashi elimpofu’?
9 Umgibeli wehhashi lesibili “elibomvu” wafanekisela impi yezwe lonke, ngoba wanikezwa isikhali sempi, “inkemba enkulu.” Kwelesithathu, “ihashi elimnyama,” kwakunomgibeli ofanekisela ukuswelakala kokudla. Sikwazi kanjani lokhu? Ngoba wayephethe isilinganiso esandleni sakhe alinganisa ngaso ukudla okuyisisekelo ngamanani aphakeme. Umgibeli wesine, ‘ehhashini elimpofu’ elibonakala ligula, wafanekisela isifo, ngoba ukulandisa kuthi: “Nohlezi phezu kwalo, igama lakhe lalingukufa, neHayidese [ithuna] lalandelana naye.” Kuyiqiniso, lomgibeli wesine wanikezwa igunya lokubulala “ngenkemba” yempi “nangendlala . . . nangezilwane zomhlaba.” Nokho okuphawulekayo, wanikezwa futhi igunya lokwenza izisulu zethuna (iHayidesi) “ngokufa.”—IsAmbulo 6:1-8.
10. Yini eyayizokwenzeka ngemva kokuvulwa kophawu lwesihlanu nolwesithupha, futhi yini izakhamuzi zomhlaba ezaziyoyivuma?
10 Ngemva kokuba umphostoli uJohane ebone leyomibono yezimpawu ezaziyophawula “isiphelo sezwe,” wabona ukuvulwa kophawu lwesihlanu nolwesithupha lwencwadi engokwesiprofetho. Kuleloqophelo, wabona umbono wesenzakalo esingokwemvelo esesabekayo, esaqala ‘ngokuzamazama okukhulu komhlaba.’ Ekugcineni, izakhamuzi zomhlaba zabopheleleka ukuba zivume: “Usuku olukhulu lolaka lwabo [lukaJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu] selufikile.” Ukuphela kwalolosuku olungokomfanekiso kwakuyobonisa ukuthi ekugcineni isiphelo sesifikile kubasekeli balelizwe.—IsAmbulo 6:9-17.
Ukuqoqa Labo Abafanelekela Ukusinda
11. Yimuphi umfanekiso uJesu awusebenzisa ukuze abonise ukuqiniseka kwalokho ayekubikezele ngokuphathelene ‘nokuba khona kwakhe’ kanye “nokuphela kwalesimiso sezinto”?
11 Ekunikezeni “isibonakaliso sokuza kwakhe nesokuphela kwezwe,” uJesu Kristu wathi: “Fundani umfanekiso emkhiwaneni; nxa igatsha lawo selithamba, lihluma amaqabunga, niyazi ukuthi ihlobo seliseduze. Kanjalo nani, nxa nibona konke lokhu yazini ukuthi iseduze ngasemnyango. Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Lesisizukulwane asiyikudlula kungakenzeki konke lokhu.”—Mathewu 24:32-35.
12, 13. (a) Yini leyo inhlekelele yesizwe sakwaJuda ka-70 C.E. engazange iyibonise? (b) Leyonhlekelele engokwesiprofetho yayifanekiselani? (c) Ngakho, yini uJesu aqhubeka eyiprofetha ngokuphathelene nokuza kwakhe?
12 Lapho amaRoma ebhubhisa iJerusalema nethempeli lalo ngo-70 C.E. njengoba nje uJesu ayebikezele, lolusizi olukhulu phezu kwamaJuda aluzange lubonise ukuthi uJesu wayesebuyile okwesibili nokuthi ukuba khona kwakhe okungabonakali kwase kuqalile. (Mathewu 24:15-21) Njengoba iBhayibheli lisebenzisa iJerusalema lasendulo njengelifanekiselayo, leyonhlekelele eshaqisayo ka-70 C.E. empeleni yayingokwesiprofetho. Yabonisa ngesilinganiso esincane lokho okwakuyokwenzeka ngesilinganiso sezwe lonke ngemva kokuphela kweZikhathi Zabezizwe ngo-1914 okungukuthi ngemva kokuba uJesu Kristu eseqalé ukuba khona kwakhe okungabonakali. Yingakho uJesu athi futhi:
13 “Kepha masinyane ngemva kosizi lwalezozinsuku ilanga liyakufiphazwa, nenyanga ayiyikukhanya, nezinkanyezi ziyakuwa ezulwini, namandla ezulu ayakuzanyazanyiswa. Khona kuyakubonakala ezulwini, isibonakaliso seNdodana yomuntu, bese-zikhala izizwe zonke zomhlaba, zibone iNdodana yomuntu iza emafwini ezulu, inamandla nenkazimulo enkulu. Iyakuthuma izingelosi zayo ngokukhala okukhulu kwecilongo, ziqoqe abakhethiweyo bayo emimoyeni yomine, kusukela emkhawulweni omunye wezulu kuze-kube komunye.”—Mathewu 24:29-31.
14. Yisiphi isivumelwano nomhlatshelo okubhekiselwe kukho kumaHubo 50:5?
14 Ukuqoqwa okwabikezelwa kwalabo “abakhethiweyo” phakathi nesiphelo salesimiso sezinto kugcwalisa umyalo kaNkulunkulu: “Buthelani kimi abangcwele bami abenza isivumelwano sami ngomhlatshelo.” (IHubo 50:5, NW) Njengoba uJehova ethi “isivumelwano sami,” akunakuba ukuzinikezela komuntu ngamunye kuNkulunkulu lapho eba umKristu nalokho angakwenza ngokuzenza umhlatshelo ngokwakhe. Cha, lesivumelwano esenziwa uJehova “nabangcwele” “isivumelwano esisha” sikaNkulunkulu sesithembiso nendlu kaIsrayeli ongokomoya. Umhlatshelo lesivumelwano esisekelwe kuwo umhlatshelo oyisihlengo ‘weNdodana yomuntu,’ uJesu Kristu.—Jeremiya 31:31-34; Mathewu 24:30.
15. Obani “abangcwele,” futhi manje bakhonza njengani ezweni?
15 “Abangcwele” abangeniswa esivumelwaneni esisha benziwa uIsrayeli ongokomoya. (Luka 22:19, 20) UNkulunkulu ufuna ukuba ukuqoqwa kwenziwe ukuze akwazi ukuhlola labo abaqoqiwe, avumele abangcwele futhi enqabe abangaphili ngokuvumelana nokusho kwabo ukuthi basesivumelwaneni sakhe esisha. (IHubo 50:16) Kusukela ngeMpi Yezwe I, ubufakazi buwukuthi eLobukholwa, elithi lisesivumelwaneni esisha, alizange lizibonakalise lingelamukelekayo kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngokuphambene nalokho, kunensali encane yabafundi abazinikezele ngeqiniso, ababhapathiziwe boMkhulumeli wesivumelwano esisha, uJesu Kristu. Baye bazibonakalisa njengoIsrayeli ongokomoya. Laba abanamathela ngokwethembeka esivumelwaneni esisha ‘bangabakhethiweyo’ iNdodana yomuntu ebaqoqela kuyo ngezingelosi zayo. Bagcina izibopho zesivumelwano esisha “isivumelwano sami,” njengoba uNkulunkulu esibiza. Ngenxa yomsebenzi wabo wokusekela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu, baye baba ‘isibonakaliso’ kuwo wonke umhlaba.—Isaya 8:18; Heberu 2:13, 14.
16. (a) Kwenzeka nini ukuvuka okungokomoya ‘kwabangcwele’? (b) Emfanekisweni wezintombi eziyishumi, ubani onguMyeni, futhi ubani owenza umakoti wakhe ongokomfanekiso?
16 Ngaleyonsali ‘yabangcwele,’ kwakumelwe kube nokuvuka okungokomoya engxenyeni yokuqala ‘yesiphelo sesimiso sezinto.’ Lolu kwakuwuphawu oluvelele ‘lwesibonakaliso’ uJesu ayesibikezele esiprofethweni sakhe esikhulu. Ngensali, isikhathi salokho kuvuka kwakungesokujabula okukhulu, ukujabula okufana nokwezintombi eziqondayo, noma ezihlakaniphile, ezavuswa ukumemeza phakathi kwamabili: “Nangu umyeni; phumani niye kumhlangabeza.” (Mathewu 25:1-6) Lokhu kuvuka okujabulisayo kwenzeka entwasahlobo ka-1919, lapho insali egcotshiwe iqala ukululama emiphumeleni yokushushiswa nokuphazanyiswa umhlaba wonke eyabhekana nakho phakathi nenkathi emnyama yeMpi Yezwe I. UMyeni womfanekiso wezintombi eziyishumi, uJesu Kristu, umakoti wakhe ongokomfanekiso yibandla lakhe elithembekile amalungu ayizi-144 000 ayohlanganiswa naye eMbusweni wasezulwini. (IsAmbulo 14:1-4) Ukubalwa kwezikhathi kweBhayibheli nokuhambelana kwezenzakalo zanamuhla kubonisa ukuthi iNkosi enguMyeni yangena ethempelini elingokomoya entwasahlobo ka-1918. Khona-ke waqala ukuvusa ekufeni amalungu athembekile kamakoti ongokomoya futhi wawahlanganisela kuye eMbusweni wasezulwini. Njengenkulumo yensali kamakoti, owafanekiselwa izintombi ezihlakaniphile, isAmbulo 19:7 sithi: “Masithokoze, sethabe, futhi masimnike inkazimulo, ngokuba umshado weWundlu ufikile, nomkalo uzilungisile.”
17. (a) Kungani isigaba ‘sezintombi ezihlakaniphile’ sajabula? (b) Izintombi ezihlakaniphile zeza nani, futhi khona-ke zazingenzani?
17 Yebo, isikhathi sokuvuka ngokomoya kwesigaba ‘sezintombi ezihlakaniphile’ nokuqonda kwaso okushiwo “isibonakaliso” esaqala ukubonakala ngo-1914 kwakuyisenzakalo esijabulisa kakhulu. Khona-ke asebenza kubo lamazwi: “Babusisiwe abamenyelwe esidlweni somshado weWundlu.” (IsAmbulo 19:9) Emfanekisweni kaJesu, izintombi ezinhlanu ezihlakaniphile zeza namafutha ezaziwagcinile ukuze zikwazi ukuphinde zikhanyise izibani zazo kanjalo zihlanganyele emshadweni zinezibani ezikhanyayo. Lapho uMyeni efika, “ezazilungele zangena naye emshadweni; kwavulwa emnyango.”—Mathewu 25:1-10.
18. (a) Ngemva kweMpi Yezwe I, insali egcotshiwe yayisenezwi likaNkulunkulu elikhanyisayo elanele kanye nomoya wakhe ongcwele kuyo ukuze yenzeni? (b) Yini eyamenyezelwa emhlanganweni wabo wokuqala ngemva kwempi?
18 Ngokuvumelana nomfanekiso wezintombi ezinhlanu ezihlakaniphile, insali egcotshiwe yaqhubeka yamukela uMyeni engokwasezulwini ngemfudumalo nangenjabulo, lowo osikhathi sokushada kwakhe nebandla elingumakoti sasifikile. Ngemva kokuphazamiseka okungokomoya ababehlangabezane nakho phakathi neMpi Yezwe I, babesenezwi likaNkulunkulu elikhanyisayo elanele kanye nomoya wakhe ongcwele ‘njengezitsha zebumba’ ukuze bavuselele umsebenzi wabo wokukhanyisela isintu ngokuphathelene noMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngeNkosi yakhe enguMyeni. (2 Korinte 4:7) Ngokufanelekile, ngoSeptember 1-8, 1919, isigaba ‘sezintombi ezihlakaniphile’ saba nomhlangano waso wezizwe wokuqala eCedar Point, eOhio. Lapho kwamenyezelwa ukukhishwa kukamagazini omusha owenezelwa kuThe Watch Tower. Leliphephabhuku elisha lalizobizwa ngokuthi iThe Golden Age, igama elichaza uhlobo lwesikhathi isintu esibuyiselwe esasizosijabulela phakathi neminyaka EyiNkulungwane Yokubusa KweNkosi EnguMyeni uJesu Kristu. Lowomagazini usakhishwa namanje, ngegama elithi Phaphama!
19. (a) Abesigaba ‘sezintombi ezihlakaniphile’ baba kanjani ingxenye evelele ‘yesibonakaliso’ “sokuba khona” kukaJesu? (b) Obani manje abajabula kakhulu emhlabeni?
19 Ngokushesha ngemva kwalowomhlangano, eyokuqala i-The Golden Age—kaOctober 1, 1919—yakhishwa. Ngalelophephabhuku nezinye izincwadi zeWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society, isigaba ‘sezintombi’ esithembekile saqhubeka nokuthunywa kwaso kokukhanyisela umhlaba. Baqalisa umsebenzi olandela impi ‘wokushumayela ivangeli loMbuso ezizweni zonke’ ngaphambi kokufika kokuphela kwalesimiso sezinto. (Mathewu 24:14) Ngalendlela insali egcotshiwe, isigaba ‘sezintombi ezihlakaniphile’ yaba isici esivelele ‘sesibonakaliso’ esihlangene esiphawula “ukuba khona” kukaJesu okungabonakali njengeNkosi enamandla ‘nokuphela kwalesimiso sezinto.’ Lowomsebenzi wokukhanyisela uyisiqinisekiso sokuthi “isikhathi sokuphela” saqala ekupheleni kweziKhathi Zabezizwe ngo-1914. Babusisiwe bonke labo abaqaphela ngokuqonda loluphawu olwabikezelwa ‘isibonakaliso’ ngakho konke ukubaluleka kwalo!
Ubugaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso uwuphawu lwani?
◻ Ubani noma yini efanekiselwa umgibeli wehhashi elimhlophe; elibomvu; elimnyama; elimpofu?
◻ Inhlekelele yesizwe BakwaJuda ngo-70 C.E. yayifanekiselani ngokwesiprofetho?
◻ Obani abahlanganisa isigaba ‘sezintombi ezihlakaniphile’ futhi kungani bejabula?
[Isithombe ekhasini 14]
‘Sitshele . . . isibonakaliso sokuza kwakho’