Balinda Ukufika KukaMesiya
“Abantu babelindile, futhi bonke babezindla ezinhliziyweni zabo ngokuqondene noJohane, ukuthi akayena yini uMesiya.” —LUKA 3:15, I-EMPHATIC DIAGLOTT.
1. Isiphi isimemezelo esenziwa ingelosi kubelusi abathile?
KUSEBUSUKU. Abelusi basendle, baqaphe imihlambi yabo. Cabanga ngendlela okumelwe ukuba bethuka ngayo lapho ingelosi kaJehova ima budebuduze futhi inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu ikhanya nxazonke zabo! Lalela! Ingelosi yenza lesi simemezelo esivusa amadlingozi: “Ningesabi, ngoba, bhekani! ngimemezela kini izindaba ezinhle zenjabulo enkulu abazoba nayo bonke abantu ngoba namuhla nizalelwe uMsindisi, onguKristu iNkosi,” ozoba nguMesiya. Abelusi bangaluthola lolu sana lulele emkhombeni emzini oseduze. Masinyane, ‘uquqaba lwebutho lasezulwini’ luqala ukudumisa uJehova, luthi: “Inkazimulo kuNkulunkulu phezulu ezindaweni eziphakemeyo, naphezu komhlaba ukuthula kubantu abathakazelelwayo.”—Luka 2:8-14.
2. Elithi “Mesiya” lisho ukuthini, futhi yini eyayingasiza abantu ukuba abantu bamazi?
2 Yiqiniso, laba belusi abangamaJuda bayazi ukuthi igama elithi “Mesiya,” noma elithi “Kristu,” libhekisela “koGcotshiweyo” kaNkulunkulu. (Eks. 29:5-7) Kodwa bangafunda kanjani okwengeziwe futhi bakwazi ukuqinisekisa abanye ukuthi lolu sana ingelosi ekhuluma ngalo luzoba uMesiya omiswe uJehova? Ngokuhlola iziprofetho ezitholakala emiBhalweni YesiHebheru, baziqhathanise nezenzo nenkambo yokuphila yalo mntwana.
Kungani Abantu Babelindele?
3, 4. Sisiqonda kanjani isiprofetho esikuDaniyeli 9:24, 25?
3 Lapho uJohane uMbhapathizi evela eminyakeni eminingi kamuva, amazwi nezenzo zakhe zenza abanye bazibuza ukuthi uMesiya wayesefikile yini. (Funda uLuka 3:15.) Kungenzeka ukuthi abanye basiqonda ngokunembile isiprofetho esiphathelene noMesiya esikhuluma ‘ngamasonto angamashumi ayisikhombisa.’ Uma kunjalo, babengakwazi ukuthola ukuthi uMesiya wayezovela nini. Ingxenye yaleso siprofetho yathi: “Kusukela ekuphumeni kwezwi lokuba kubuyiselwe futhi kwakhiwe kabusha iJerusalema kuze kufike uMesiya uMholi, kuyoba ngamasonto ayisikhombisa, namasonto angamashumi ayisithupha nambili.” (Dan. 9:24, 25) Izazi ezihlukahlukene ziyavuma ukuthi la masonto angamasonto eminyaka. Ngokwesibonelo, i-Revised Standard Version ithi: “Kunqunywe amasonto angamashumi ayisikhombisa eminyaka.”
4 Namuhla, izinceku zikaJehova ziyazi ukuthi amasonto angu-69 noma iminyaka engu-483 esiprofetho sikaDaniyeli 9:25 aqala ngo-455 B.C.E. lapho inkosi yasePheresiya u-Aritahishashita igunyaza uNehemiya ukuba alungise futhi akhe kabusha iJerusalema. (Neh. 2:1-8) Lawo masonto aphela eminyakeni engu-483 kamuva, ngo-29 C.E., lapho uJesu waseNazaretha ebhapathizwa futhi egcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele, kanjalo eba nguMesiya.—Math. 3:13-17.a
5. Iziphi iziprofetho esizozicabangela manje?
5 Manje, ake sicabangele ezimbalwa zezinye iziprofetho eziningi eziphathelene noMesiya ezagcwaliseka ngesikhathi sokuzalwa kukaJesu, iminyaka yokuqala yokuphila kwakhe nenkonzo yakhe. Akungabazeki ukuthi lokhu kuyoluqinisa ukholo lwethu ezwini likaNkulunkulu lesiprofetho. Kuyosinikeza nobufakazi obucacile bokuthi ngempela uJesu wayenguMesiya okwase kukade alindelwa.
Kwabikezelwa Ngeminyaka Yokuqala Yokuphila Kwakhe
6. Chaza ukuthi uGenesise 49:10 wagcwaliseka kanjani.
6 UMesiya wayezozalelwa esizweni sakwaJuda, esingesinye sezizwe zakwa-Israyeli. Lapho ibusisa amadodana ayo isokhukhweni lokufa, inzalamizi uJakobe yabikezela: “Intonga yobukhosi ngeke isuke kuJuda, nobhoko lomyali phakathi kwezinyawo zakhe, kuze kufike uShilo; futhi uyolalelwa izizwe zonke.” (Gen. 49:10) Izazi eziningi ezingamaJuda zesikhathi esidlule zahlobanisa lawo mazwi noMesiya. Kusukela ekubuseni kweNkosi yakwaJuda uDavide, intonga yobukhosi (igunya lokubusa njengenkosi) nobhoko lomyali (amandla okulawula) kwahlala esizweni sakwaJuda. Elithi “Shilo” lisho ukuthi “Lowo okungokwakhe; lowo ongumnikazi wako.” Uhlu lwamakhosi akwaJuda lwaluyophelela ‘kuShilo’ njengeNdlalifa yobukhosi yaphakade, ngoba uNkulunkulu watshela uZedekiya, inkosi yokugcina yakwaJuda ukuthi ubukhosi babuyonikwa lowo owayenelungelo elingokomthetho lokubuthola. (Hez. 21:26, 27) Ngemva kukaZedekiya, nguJesu kuphela ongowenzalo kaDavide owathenjiswa ubukhosi. Ngaphambi kokuzalwa kwakhe, ingelosi uGabriyeli yatshela uMariya: “UJehova uNkulunkulu uyoyinika isihlalo sobukhosi sikaDavide uyise, futhi iyobusa njengenkosi phezu kwendlu kaJakobe kuze kube phakade, nombuso wayo ngeke uphele.” (Luka 1:32, 33) Kumelwe ukuba uShilo nguJesu Kristu owayengowozalo lukaJuda noDavide.—Math. 1:1-3, 6; Luka 3:23, 31-34.
7. Wazalelwaphi uMesiya, futhi kungani lokhu kuphawuleka?
7 UMesiya wayezozalelwa eBhetlehema. Umprofethi uMika wabhala: “Nawe, Bhetlehema-Efratha, wena omncane kakhulu ukuba ube phakathi kwezinkulungwane zakwaJuda, kuwe ngiyophunyelwa ozoba umbusi kwa-Israyeli, osiqalo sakhe sisukela ezikhathini zakuqala, ezinsukwini zesikhathi esingaziwa.” (Mika 5:2) UMesiya wayezozalelwa emzaneni waseBhetlehema lakwaJuda, cishe owake wabizwa ngokuthi i-Efratha. Nakuba uMariya unina kaJesu nosingayise uJosefa babehlala eNazaretha, isimemezelo sokubhaliswa esakhishwa umbuso wamaRoma sabenza baya eBhetlehema, lapho uJesu afike wazalelwa khona ngo-2 B.C.E. (Math. 2:1, 5, 6) Yeka ukuthi lokhu kwagcwalisa isiprofetho ngendlela emangalisa kangakanani!
8, 9. Yini eyabikezelwa ngokuzalwa kukaMesiya nangezenzakalo ezenzeka ngemva kwako?
8 UMesiya wayezozalwa intombi. (Funda u-Isaya 7:14.) Igama lesiHebheru elisho “intombi nto” lithi bethu·lahʹ, kodwa ku-Isaya 7:14 kusetshenziswe elinye elithi ʽal·mahʹ. Kwaprofethwa lapho ukuthi “intombi [ha·ʽal·mahʹ]” yayiyobeletha indodana. Leli gama ʽal·mahʹ lisetshenzisiwe kuRebheka ngaphambi kokuba ashade. (Gen. 24:16, 43) Ephefumulelwe, uMathewu wasebenzisa igama lesiGreki elisho “intombi nto” (par·theʹnos) lapho ebonisa ukuthi u-Isaya 7:14 wayegcwaliseke ngokuzalwa kukaJesu. Abalobi bamaVangeli uMathewu noLuka basebenzisa leli gama ukuze babonise ukuthi uMariya wayeyintombi nto eyakhulelwa ngokusebenza komoya kaNkulunkulu.—Math. 1:18-25; Luka 1:26-35.
9 Kwakuyobulawa izingane ezincane ngemva kokuzalwa kukaMesiya. Isenzakalo esifanayo sasenzekile emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili, lapho uFaro waseGibhithe eyala ukuba izingane zamaHebheru zabafana ziphonswe eMfuleni iNayile. (Eks. 1:22) Kodwa isiprofetho esikuJeremiya 31:15, 16 siphawuleka ngokukhethekile, lapho uRaheli echazwa khona njengokhalela amadodana akhe ayiswe “ezweni lesitha.” Isililo sakhe sezwakala eRama ekude, ezweni lakwaBhenjamini, elalisenyakatho yeJerusalema. UMathewu ubonisa ukuthi amazwi kaJeremiya agcwaliseka lapho iNkosi uHerode iyala ukuba kubulawe izingane zabafana eBhetlehema nasendaweni elizungezile. (Funda uMathewu 2:16-18.) Cabanga ngosizi olwaba khona kuleyo ndawo!
10. Chaza indlela uHoseya 11:1 agcwaliseka ngayo kuJesu.
10 Njengama-Israyeli, uMesiya wayeyobizwa aphume eGibhithe. (Hos. 11:1) Ngaphambi kokuba uHerode akhiphe isimemezelo sokuba kubulawe izingane, ingelosi yayala uJosefa, uMariya noJesu ukuba baye eGibhithe. Bahlala lapho “kwaze kwaba sekushoneni kukaHerode, ukuze kugcwaliseke lokho okwakhulunywa nguJehova ngomprofethi wakhe [uHoseya], ethi: ‘Ngayibiza indodana yami ukuba iphume eGibhithe.’” (Math. 2:13-15) Yebo, uJesu wayengeke aziqondise ngokwakhe noma iziphi zalezi zenzakalo ezabikezelwa ezihlobene nokuzalwa neminyaka yokuqala yokuphila kwakhe.
UMesiya Uqala Inkonzo Yakhe!
11. Yalungiswa kanjani indlela phambi koGcotshiweyo kaJehova?
11 Kwakuzolungiswa indlela phambi koGcotshiweyo kaNkulunkulu. UMalaki wabikezela ukuthi lo msebenzi wawuyokwenziwa “u-Eliya umprofethi,” elungisa izinhliziyo zabantu ukuba zilungele ukufika kukaMesiya. (Funda uMalaki 4:5, 6.) UJesu ngokwakhe wathi lo “Eliya” wayenguJohane uMbhapathizi. (Math. 11:12-14) UMarku wabonisa ukuthi inkonzo kaJohane yayigcwalisa isiprofetho sika-Isaya. (Isaya 40:3; Marku 1:1-4) UJesu akazange ahlele noJohane ukuba enze umsebenzi onjengoka-Eliya njengomanduleli wakhe. Umsebenzi walo “Eliya” owabikezelwa wenziwa ngokuvumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu njengendlela yokubonakalisa lowo owayenguMesiya.
12. Imuphi umsebenzi osiza ekuboneni ukuthi ungubani uMesiya?
12 Umsebenzi oyalwe uNkulunkulu usiza ekubonakaliseni uMesiya. Esinagogeni laseNazaretha, umzana akhulela kuwo, uJesu wafunda umqulu ka-Isaya wabe esebhekisa lawo mazwi kuye: “Umoya kaJehova uphezu kwami, ngoba ungigcobile ukuba ngimemezele izindaba ezinhle kwabampofu, ungithumé ukuba ngishumayele ukukhululwa ezithunjweni nokuvulwa kwamehlo ezimpumputhe, ukuba ngimukise abachotshoziweyo bekhululiwe, ukuba ngishumayele unyaka owamukelekayo kaJehova.” Ngenxa yokuthi wayenguMesiya ngempela, uJesu wayengasho kufanele ukuthi: “Namuhla lo mbhalo enisanda kuwuzwa ugcwalisekile.”—Luka 4:16-21.
13. Inkonzo kaJesu yasobala eGalile yabikezelwa kanjani?
13 Inkonzo yasobala kaMesiya eGalile yayibikezelwe. Mayelana “[nezwe] lakwaZebhuloni nezwe lakwaNafetali . . . iGalile lezizwe,” u-Isaya wabhala: “Abantu ababehamba ebumnyameni baboné ukukhanya okukhulu. Ngokuqondene nalabo abahlala ezweni lethunzi elimnyama, ukukhanya kuye kwakhanya kubo.” (Isaya 9:1, 2) UJesu waqala inkonzo yakhe yasobala eGalile, ehlala eKapernawume, lapho izakhamuzi eziningi zakwaZebhuloni nezakwaNafetali zazuza khona ekukhanyeni okungokomoya azilethela kona. (Math. 4:12-16) KuseGalile lapho uJesu anikeza khona iNtshumayelo Yasentabeni eshukumisayo, wakhetha abaphostoli bakhe, wenza isimangaliso sakhe sokuqala futhi cishe wabonakala khona kubafundi abangaba ngu-500 ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe. (Math. 5:1–7:27; 28:16-20; Marku 3:13, 14; Joh. 2:8-11; 1 Kor. 15:6) Ngakho, wagcwalisa isiprofetho sika-Isaya ngokushumayela ‘ezweni lakwaZebhuloni nasezweni lakwaNafetali.’ Yebo, uJesu washumayela isigijimi soMbuso nakweminye imizi yakwa-Israyeli.
Eminye Imisebenzi KaMesiya Eyabikezelwa
14. UJesu waligcwalisa kanjani iHubo 78:2?
14 UMesiya wayeyokhuluma ngemizekeliso, noma imifanekiso. Umhubi u-Asafa wahlabelela: “Ngizovula umlomo wami ngesaga.” (IHu. 78:2) Sazi kanjani ukuthi lesi siprofetho sasibhekisele kuJesu? Sitshelwa uMathewu. Ngemva kokulandisa imifanekiso uJesu afanisa kuyo uMbuso nohlamvu lwesinaphi olukhulayo nanemvubelo, uMathewu uthi: “[UJesu] wayengakhulumi nazo ngaphandle komfanekiso; ukuze kugcwaliseke okwakhulunywa ngomprofethi owathi: ‘Ngizovula umlomo wami ngemifanekiso, ngizomemezela izinto ebezifihlakele kusukela ekusungulweni kwezwe.’ (Math. 13:31-35) Izaga, noma imizekeliso, zaziphakathi kwezinye zezindlela eziphumelela kakhulu ekufundiseni kukaJesu.
15. Bonisa indlela u-Isaya 53:4 agcwaliseka ngayo.
15 UMesiya wayezothwala ubuthakathaka bethu. U-Isaya wabikezela: “Ngempela yena ngokwakhe wathwala ukugula kwethu; wathwala izinhlungu zethu.” (Isaya 53:4) UMathewu waphawula ukuthi ngemva kokuba uJesu elaphe umkhwekazi kaPetru, waphulukisa nabanye ukuze “kugcwaliseke okwakhulunywa ngo-Isaya umprofethi, ethi: ‘Yena ngokwakhe wathatha ukugula kwethu futhi wathwala izifo zethu.’” (Math. 8:14-17) Lokhu kumane kuyisenzakalo esisodwa kweziningi ezilotshiwe lapho uJesu aphulukisa khona abagulayo.
16. Umphostoli uJohane wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uJesu wagcwalisa u-Isaya 53:1?
16 Naphezu kwakho konke okuhle uMesiya ayezokwenza, abantu abaningi babengeke babe nokholo kuye. (Funda u-Isaya 53:1.) Ebonisa ukuthi lesi siprofetho sasigcwalisekile, umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Nakuba [uJesu] ayenze izibonakaliso eziningi kangaka phambi kwabo, babengakholwa nguye, kwagcwaliseka izwi elashiwo ngu-Isaya umprofethi: ‘Jehova, ubani oye waba nokholo entweni esiyizwile? Ngokuphathelene nengalo kaJehova, yambulelwe bani?’” (Joh. 12:37, 38) Bambalwa nangesikhathi senkonzo yomphostoli uPawulu ababa nokholo ezindabeni ezinhle eziphathelene noJesu, uMesiya.—Roma 10:16, 17.
17. UJohane wathi lagcwaliseka kubani iHubo 69:4?
17 UMesiya wayeyozondwa ngaphandle kwesizathu. (IHu. 69:4) Umphostoli uJohane ucaphuna uJesu ethi: “Ukube bengingayenzanga phakathi kwabo [abantu] imisebenzi okungekho omunye umuntu owake wayenza, bebengayikuba nasono; kodwa manje bangibonile futhi bangizonda, mina kanye noBaba. Kodwa kungenjongo yokuba izwi elalotshwa eMthethweni wabo ligcwaliseke, ‘Bangizonda ngaphandle kwesizathu.’” (Joh. 15:24, 25) Ngokuvamile elithi “uMthetho” libhekisela kuyo yonke indikimba yemiBhalo. (Joh. 10:34; 12:34) Ukulandisa kwamaVangeli kubonisa ukuthi uJesu wazondwa, ikakhulukazi abaholi benkolo bamaJuda. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uKristu wathi: “Izwe alinaso isizathu sokunizonda nina, kodwa mina liyangizonda, ngoba ngifakaza ngalo ukuthi imisebenzi yalo mibi.”—Joh. 7:7.
18. Yini enye esizoyihlola okufanele iqinise ukukholelwa kwethu ukuthi uJesu unguMesiya?
18 Abalandeli bakaJesu bekhulu lokuqala babeqiniseka ukuthi uJesu wayenguMesiya, ngoba ngempela wazigcwalisa iziprofetho eziphathelene noMesiya ezisemiBhalweni YesiHebheru. (Math. 16:16) Njengoba sibonile, ezinye zazo zagcwaliseka ngesikhathi seminyaka yokuqala yokuphila nenkonzo kaJesu waseNazaretha. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizohlola ezinye iziprofetho eziphathelene noMesiya. Ngokuqinisekile, ukuzindla ngazo ngomthandazo kuyoqinisa ukukholelwa kwethu ukuthi uJesu Kristu ngempela unguMesiya owamiswa uBaba wethu osezulwini, uJehova.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Ukuze uthole ingxoxo eningiliziwe ‘ngamasonto angamashumi ayisikhombisa,’ bheka isahluko 11 sencwadi ethi Sinake Isiprofetho SikaDaniyeli!
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Iziphi iziprofetho ezagcwaliseka ngokuqondene nokuzalwa kukaJesu?
• Yalungiselelwa kanjani indlela phambi kukaMesiya?
• Imaphi amazwi angokwesiprofetho ka-Isaya isahluko 53 agcwaliseka kuJesu?