Bongani—UMbuso KaJehova WobuMesiya Uyabusa

“Siyakubonga, Nkosi Nkulunkulu, Mninimandla onke, . . . ngokuba uthabathé amandla akho amakhulu, wabusa.”—ISAMBULO 11:17.

 1. Yini umongameli weWatch Tower Society ayisho ngemva kohambo lwakhe lwaseYurophu ngo-1911?

EKUQALENI kuka-1911, umongameli weWatch Tower Society, uC. T. Russell, wanikeza uchungechunge lwezifundo zeBhayibheli emadolobheni amakhulu aseYurophu. Ekhuluma ngalolohambo, uRussell wabhala okulandelayo kuyiWatch Tower kaMay 15, 1911: “Samangala ukuthola ubufakazi obuningi kangaka bokuchuma yonke indawo . . . Abafundi bethu bayazi ukuthi eminyakeni ethile besilindele leNkathi ukuba iphele ngesikhathi esisabisayo senxushunxushu, futhi silindele ukuba iqubuke ngokushesha nangamandla ngemva nje kukaOctober, 1914, lowo, ngendlela esiqonda ngayo imiBhalo, oyisikhathi Izikhathi zabeZizwe—ukubolekiswa kwemibuso yomhlaba kwabeZizwe—eziyophela ngaso; ngakho, isikhathi lapho uMbuso kaMesiya oyoqala ngaso ukubusa kwawo.” Ingabe lelithemba lagcwaliseka?

 2. Ukuthula kwaqedwa kanjani ngo-1914, futhi kwaba namiphi imiphumela edabukisayo?

² Phakathi nengxenye yokuqala ka-1914, izwe lalibonakala lilondekile futhi liphephile empini. Kodwa ukuthula kwaphela ngokungazelele ngemva kokubulawa kwendlalifa yesihlalo sobukhosi saseAustria ebulawa umuntu waseSerbia ngoJune 28, 1914. IAustria-Hungary ngokushesha yahlasela iSerbia. IRussia yasekela iSerbia, ngakho iJalimane yahlasela iRussia ngoAugust 1. IJalimane yahlasela iFrance ngoAugust 3; iGreat Britain yahlasela iJalimane ngoAugust 4; iMontenegro yahlasela iAustria-Hungary ngoAugust 7; iJapane yahlasela iJalimane ngoAugust 23; iAustria-Hungary yahlasela iBelgium ngoAugust 28. Abaningi bacabanga ukuthi impi yayizophela ngokushesha. Kunalokho, yakhula yaba impi embi kakhulu emlandweni ngalesosikhathi, kunamanye amazwe angu-19 engeziwe ayesekela ekucekeleni phansi kwezizwe zonke okwabulala ababesempini nababengekho empini abangaphezu kuka-13 000 000, kunabagogeka nabalimala abangaphezu kuka-21 000 000.

 3, 4. Yini eyenzeka endlunkulu yeNhlangano ngoLwesihlanu ekuseni ngo-October 2, 1914?

³ NgoLwesihlanu ekuseni, ngo-October 2, 1914, uRussell wamemezela ezisebenzini zasendlunkulu yeWatch Tower Society eBrooklyn, eNew York: “Izikhathi zabeZizwe ziphelile; amakhosi azo abusile.” Lokhu kwamukelwa ngehlombe elinomfutho umkhaya waseBethel, “indlu kaNkulunkulu.”

⁴ Isiphi isizathu uC. T. Russell nabangane bakhe ababenaso sokujabula kangako ngalokho kusa kwango-October? Ivelaphi inkulumo ethi “Izikhathi zabeZizwe”? Kunabuphi ubufakazi bokuthi izikhathi zabezizwe zaphela ngo-October 1914? Futhi lokho kufanele kukuthinte kanjani?

IJerusalema Nezikhathi ZabeZizwe

 5. Ivelaphi inkulumo ethi “izikhathi zabezizwe”?

⁵ Inkulumo ethi “izikhathi zabezizwe,” noma “izikhathi ezimisiwe zabezizwe,” ivela esiprofethweni sikaJesu esikhulu ngokuqondene nokubhujiswa kweJerusalema. (Luka 21:5-36, qhathanisa neNW.) Ezinsukwini ezimbili ngaphambi kokuba asinikeze, uJesu wazethula ezakhamuzini zaseJerusalema njengoMesiya wazo. Ngesikhathi egibele imbongolo ngokuthobeka engena emzini, izixuku zamaJuda zamemeza zihalalisa, njengoba nje uZakariya 9:9 abikezela. Zamemeza: “Ubusisiwe uMbusi ozayo egameni leNkosi.”—Luka 19:28-40.

 6, 7. Iliphi icala legazi elibi kakhulu amaJuda ekhulu lokuqala leminyaka azibangela lona, futhi kwaba namiphi imiphumela?

⁶ Kodwa uJesu wayazi ukuthi ngokushesha umbono wabantu wawuzosontwa umelane naye ngenxa yenzondo ebulalayo yabaholi benkolo baseJerusalema ababengaphansi kwethonya likayise, uDeveli. (Genesise 3:15; Johane 8:44) Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngoNisan 14, isixuku samaJuda sasiklabalasa sifuna ukuba uJesu afe. Samemeza sathi kumbusi wamaRoma omanqikanqika: “Igazi lakhe malibe-phezu kwethu naphezu kwabantwana bethu.” (Mathewu 27:24, 25) Esikhundleni sokwamukela uJesu njengeNkosi yobuMesiya, abapristi abakhulu bathi: “Asinankosi, uKesari kuphela.” (Johane 19:15) UMesiya weqiniso wabe esebethelwa esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa ukuba afe, emangalelwe ngamanga ngokuthi wayevukela umbuso waseRoma futhi ehlambalaza uNkulunkulu wamaJuda.—Marku 14:61-64; Luka 23:2; Johane 18:36; 19:7.

⁷ Intukuthelo yaphezulu ngokuqinisekile yayizokwehlela izakhamuzi zaseJudiya ngenxa yecala lazo legazi elibi. IJerusalema, nethempeli lalo elihle, lalingasenakubizwa ngokuthi “umuzi weNkosi enkulu,” uJehova. (Mathewu 5:35; Luka 13:33-35) Ezinsukwini ezithile ngaphambi kokufa kukaJesu, abafundi bakhe batusa izakhiwo zethempeli lalowomuzi. Ephendula, uJesu wabikezela: “Kuyakufika izinsuku, lapho kungayikushiywa kulokhu enikubonayo itshe phezu kwetshe elingayikudilizelwa phansi.”—Luka 21:5, 6.

 8. Lapho uJesu enikeza “isibonakaliso” sezenzakalo eziyoholela ekubhujisweni kweJerusalema, yini enye eyayihilelekile?

⁸ Abafundi bakaJesu babuza bemangele: “Mfundisi, lokhu kuyakuba-nini na? Nesibonakaliso siyakuba-yini, lapho sekuyakwenzeka lokhu, na?” (Luka 21:7) Ephendula uJesu wazibikezela ngokunembile izenzakalo ezaholela ekubhujisweni kweJerusalema, wayesenezela lamazwi abalulekile: “IJerusalema liyakunyathelwa phansi ngabezizwe, kuze kugcwaliseke izikhathi zabezizwe.” (Luka 21:8-24) Kanjalo uJesu wakhomba phambili kokuthile okungale kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema—okuthile okwakumelwe kulinde “kuze kugcwaliseke izikhathi zabezizwe.” Ebhekisela ‘kulesosibonakaliso,’ uJesu wathi: “Nxa nibona lezozinto zenzeka, yazini ukuthi umbuso kaNkulunkulu useduze.” (Luka 21:31) Ngakho-ke, lesibonakaliso sasizogcwaliseka kabili. Ukugcwaliseka kokuqala, noma kwezinga elincane, kwakuyobonisa ukuthi ‘ukubhujiswa kweJerusalema kwakuseduze.’ (Luka 21:20) Ukugcwaliseka kwesibili, nokukhulu, kwakuyokwenzeka lapho kuphela Izikhathi zabeZizwe, futhi kwakuyobonisa ukuthi “umbuso kaNkulunkulu useduze.”—Qhathanisa noMathewu 24:3.

IJerusalema Lasemhlabeni Lithathelwa Indawo Umuzi Omkhulu

 9. IJerusalema lasemhlabeni lalahlekelwa nini isikhundla salo esikhethekile, futhi yini eye yalithathela indawo?

⁹ Ngokuthi “iJerusalema liyakunyathelwa phansi ngabezizwe, kuze kugcwaliseke izikhathi zabezizwe,” ingabe uJesu wayesikisela ukuthi umuzi wasemhlabeni ekugcineni wawuyobuyiselwa emseni waphezulu? Cha. Ngemva kokubulawa kweNdodana kaNkulunkulu ethandekayo, iJerusalema lasemhlabeni lalahlekelwa isikhundla salo esikhethekile phakade futhi liye lathathelwa indawo ‘umuzi’ omkhulu kakhulu “kaNkulunkulu ophilayo, iJerusalema lasezulwini.”—Heberu 12:22; Mathewu 23:37, 38; 27:50, 51.

10. Yini eshiwo inkulumo ethi “iJerusalema lasezulwini”?

¹⁰ Inkulumo ethi “iJerusalema lasezulwini” isetshenziswa eBhayibhelini ekuchazeni uMbuso wasezulwini ongenakubhujiswa amaKristu agcotshiwe abizelwe kuwo.a (Heberu 11:10; 12:22, 28) Lapho umphostoli uPawulu ebhala lokhu, umuzi wasemhlabeni nethempeli lawo kwakusathandwa kakhulu amaJuda. Ngakho, uPawulu wakhumbuza amaKristu angamaHeberu ukuthi “lapha asinamuzi omiyo, kepha siyawufuna ozayo.”—Heberu 13:14.

Isizathu Sokuba Ubizwe Ngokuthi IJerusalema Lasezulwini

11. Ngaphambi kokuba iJerusalema lasemhlabeni lilahlekelwe umusa kaJehova, lalimelelani?

¹¹ Kwase kuyisikhathi eside iJerusalema liyinhloko-dolobha yesizwe samaIsrayeli, esimakhosi aso kwakuthiwa ‘ahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaJehova.’ (1 IziKronike 29:23) Futhi, uJehova wenza isivumelwano noDavide sokuthi ubukhosi babuyohlala emkhayeni wakhe phakade. Njengoba nje izinhloko-dolobha zanamuhla, njengeWashington, iMoscow, iCanberra, nePitoli, zisetshenziswa ekuboniseni ohulumeni ababusa kuzo, ngakho iJerusalema lisetshenziswa eBhayibhelini ekumeleleni umbuso wobuDavide.—2 Samuweli 7:16; Luka 1:32.

12. Kufanele isetshenziswe kanjani inkulumo ethi “izikhathi zabezizwe”?

¹² Umbuso kaDavide wawulinganiselwe, wenabela kuphela emingceleni emiswe uNkulunkulu yakwaIsrayeli wasendulo. Ngakho iJerusalema lasemhlabeni lalimane nje liwumfanekiso woMbuso ongokoqobo wobuMesiya owawuzobusa umhlaba wonke usezulwini. (IHubo 2:2, 7, 8; Daniyeli 7:13, 14; 2 Thimothewu 4:18) Ngakho, incwadi ethi The Time Is At Hand, eyakhishwa yiWatch Tower Society ngo-1889, yasho ngokucacile: “Inkulumo ethi ‘Izikhathi zabeZizwe’ yasetshenziswa iNkosi yethu ibhekisela kulesosikhathi somlando womhlaba esiphakathi kokususwa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu ongokomfanekiso, uMbuso wakwaIsrayeli (Hezekeli 21:25-27), nokungeniswa nokumiswa kwalowo owawuwufanekisela, uMbuso weqiniso kaNkulunkulu.”

Izikhathi Zabezizwe—Zinde Kangakanani?

13. Zaqala nini iZikhathi zabeZizwe, futhi kungani uphendula kanjalo?

¹³ Umbuso kaNkulunkulu ongokomfanekiso waketulwa inkosi yaseBabiloni uNebukadinesari ngo-607 B.C.E. Ngenyanga yesikhombisa yamaJuda, cishe maphakathi no-October, izwe lasala liyincithakalo.b (2 AmaKhosi 25:8, 9, 22, 25, 26) Ekufakazeleni ukuthi lokhu kwenzeka ngemvume yaphezulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu wanika uNebukadinesari iphupho. Lalihilela umuthi owagawulwa wabuye wavunyelwa ukuba ukhule ngemva kwenkathi ‘yezikhathi eziyisikhombisa.’ Leliphupho lagcwaliseka okokuqala lapho uNebukadinesari ebuyiselwa esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi ngemva kokuhlanya isikhashana.—Daniyeli 4:10-17, 28-36.

14. Yayiyini injongo eyinhloko yephupho likaNebukadinesari?

¹⁴ Nokho, umongo wephupho likaNebukadinesari wabonisa ukuthi ukugcwaliseka kwalo okuyinhloko kwahilela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ongokomfanekiso, leyonkosi engeyezizwe eyavunyelwa ukuba ‘iwugawule.’ Leliphupho laphetha ngalamazwi aveza injongo: “Ukuba abaphilayo bazi ukuthi oPhezukonke ubusa imibuso yabantu, ayinike amthandayo, amise phezu kwayo ophansi phakathi kwabantu.”—Daniyeli 4:17.

15. UJesu Kristu wafaneleka kanjani ukuba abe “ophansi phakathi kwabantu”? (Mathewu 11:29)

¹⁵ Munye kuphela umuntu owafaneleka ezicini zonke ukubizwa ngokuthi “ophansi phakathi kwabantu.” INdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa, yazibonakalisa ingonjalo ngokuyishiya ngokuzithandela inkazimulo yayo yasezulwini ukuze izozalwa njengomuntu, njengoJesu, owabhekana nokufa okululaza kakhulu nokunonya okwabangelwa uSathane. (Filipi 2:3, 5-11) Ngemva kokuvuselwa kwakhe enkazimulweni yasezulwini, uJesu kwadingeka alinde kuze kuphele inkathi yezikhathi eziyisikhombisa zokubusa kwabezizwe ngaphambi kokuba abekwe esihlalweni sobukhosi njengeNkosi yobuMesiya phezu kwesintu.—Heberu 10:12, 13.

16. Incwadi yesAmbulo iwasiza kanjani amaKristu ukuba abale isikhathi sokuphela kwezikhathi eziyisikhombisa?

¹⁶ Kodwa oFakazi BakaJehova babuqonda kanjani ubude bezikhathi eziyisikhombisa? IBhayibheli lembula ukuthi “isikhathi, nezikhathi, nengxenye yesikhathi,” noma izikhathi ezintathu nengxenye, zilingana nezinsuku ezingu-1 260. (IsAmbulo 12:6, 14) Ngakho-ke, ukuphinda kabili lelonani, noma izikhathi eziyisikhombisa, kunikeza izinsuku ezingu-2 520. Ngesisekelo sesiqondiso esingokwesiprofetho sokuthi ‘unyaka uwusuku,’ izikhathi eziyisikhombisa zaziyoba iminyaka engu-2 520. (Numeri 14:34; Hezekeli 4:6) Ngalokhu kubala, Izikhathi zabeZizwe, ezaqala ngo-October 607 B.C.E., zaphela eminyakeni engu-2 520 kamuva ngo-October 1914.

17. Imaphi amazwi ajabulisayo ayezomenyezelwa ngo-1914?

¹⁷ Ngo-October 1914, uJehova uNkulunkulu wabeka iNdodana yakhe ethandekayo, iNkosi uJesu Kristu, esihlalweni sobukhosi eMbusweni wasezulwini. Ekugcineni, umbono wesAmbulo womphostoli ongumKristu uJohane waqala ukuba ngokoqobo, futhi lesimemezelo sase singenziwa: “Umbuso wezwe usungoweNkosi yethu [uJehova] nokaKristu wayo; [uJehova u]yakubusa kuze kube-phakade naphakade.” (IsAmbulo 1:10; 4:1; 11:15) Yeka ukuthi lezi kuyizindaba ezikhazimula kanjani futhi yeka isizathu senjabulo enkulu kakhulu okuyiso kulabo abayobusa kanye naye nabayizikhonzi zalowoMbuso!—IsAmbulo 11:17.

18. Kungani izimo ezigcwele usizi ziye zahlupha isintu kusukela ngo-1914?

¹⁸ Yiqiniso, eningini lesintu, akuzange kube khona njabulo engakanani emhlabeni kusukela ngo-1914. Kodwa izimo eziwusizi emhlabeni ziwubufakazi bokuthi ukubusa kukaSathane sekuzophela. Sikwazi kanjani lokhu? Incwadi yesAmbulo yabonisa ukuthi ukumiswa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuyophumela empini ezulwini. USathane namademoni akhe kwakumelwe bakhishwe ezulwini futhi bavalelwe emhlabeni wethu. Ngemva kokubona lokhu kunqoba embonweni ongokwesiprofetho, uJohane wezwa izwi elikhulu lithi: “Thokozani nina-mazulu nabahlala kuwo; maye kuwe-mhlaba nakuwe-lulwandle, ngokuba uSathane wehlele kini enolaka olukhulu, azi ukuthi unesikhathi esifushane!”—IsAmbulo 12:1-12.

19. Kungani amaKristu eqiniso ejabula kangaka ngokuphila kulesikhathi?

¹⁹ Izimo zezwe eziya ziba zimbi kusukela ngo-1914 ziwubufakazi bokuthi umbono kaJohane uye waba ngokoqobo nokuthi ukuphela kwabo bonke abantu abenqaba ukuzithoba ebukhosini bukaNkulunkulu kusondela ngokuyingozi. (Luka 21:10, 11, 25-32) Yeka ukuthi kujabulisa kanjani ukuphila kulesikhathi esihle lapho uJehova uNkulunkulu, uMninimandla onke, ezoyixazulula khona impikiswano enkulu yobukhosi bakhe emhlabeni! Khona-ke, umhlaba uyoguqulwa ube ipharadesi elihle, futhi abantu abasindile abalungile bayolethwa ekupheleleni. Ngisho nabafileyo bayovuswa futhi banikwe ithuba lokufanelekela ukuphila okuphakade.—IsAmbulo 20:1-3, 12, 13; 21:3-5.

Isidingo Sanamuhla Sokulungiswa

20. (a) Emhlabeni, obani abaye baba izinceku zikaJehova zeqiniso ngaphambi kuka-1914? (b) Yikuphi ukulungisa amaKristu agcotshiwe athembekile ayezimisele ukukwenza?

²⁰ Eminyakeni engu-38 ngaphambi kuka-1914, abaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi bakaJehova babebizwa kanjalo ngalesosikhathi, bakhomba kulowonyaka njengonyaka Izikhathi zabeZizwe ezaziyophela ngawo.c Yeka ukuthi lokho kuwubufakazi obuvelele kanjani bokuthi babeyizinceku zikaJehova zeqiniso! Ngakho, njengezinceku zikaNkulunkulu zekhulu lokuqala leminyaka, nabo babenamathemba angaqondile. Ngokwesibonelo, babelindele ukuthi lonke inani lamaKristu agcotshiwe laliyokhushulelwa ezulwini ngo-October 1914. Bacabanga futhi ukuthi impi eyaqala ngo-1914 yayiyoholela ngokuqondile ekupheleni kwezwe likaSathane.

21. Ikuphi ukuyalwa amaKristu eqiniso akuthola phakathi neMpi Yezwe I?

²¹ Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi amaKristu agcotshiwe aqaphela ukuthi kwakunomsebenzi omkhulu okwakumelwe awenze emhlabeni. Ngenxa yokuphikelela kwawo ekufakazeni kwasobala phakathi neMpi Yezwe I, abhekana noshushiso lonya oluvela ezikhulwini zezombangazwe, zigqugquzelwa abefundisi beLobukholwa. (IHubo 2:1-6) Umsebenzi wamaKristu eqiniso wathola igalelo elinamandla ngoJune 21, 1918, lapho izikhulu eziholayo zeWatch Tower Society eUnited States zigwetshwa iminyaka engu-20 ejele zimangalelwe ngamanga.

22, 23. (a) Yini amaKristu athembekile agcotshiwe aye ayenza kusukela ngo-1919, futhi kwaba nakuphi ukusabela okuphindwe kabili? (b) Liyini iJerusalema elingathembekile elalifanekiselwa?

²² IMpi Yezwe I yaphela kungazelelwe ngoNovember 1918. Khona-ke, ngoMarch 25, 1919, izikhulu zeWatch Tower Society zakhululwa ejele. Kamuva lasulwa ngokuphelele icala lazo. LawomaKristu agcotshiwe athembekile, aba nenkathi yokuthula engalindelekile, ngokufanayo namathuba ayeziveza kubafundi bokuqala bakaKristu ngemva kokuba benikwe amandla umoya ongcwele ngo-33 C.E.—IzEnzo 2:17-21, 41.

²³ Kusukela ngo-1919, amaKristu agcotshiwe athembekile njengeqembu aye awulalela ngentshiseko umyalo ohileleke emazwini kaJesu akuMathewu 24:14: “Lelivangeli lombuso liyakushunyayelwa ezweni lonke, kube-ngubufakazi ezizweni zonke, andukuba kufike ukuphela.” Ngenxa yalokho, cishe izigidi ezine ‘zezinye izimvu’ zikaKristu ziye zanikela ukuphila kwazo ekukhonzeni uJehova ngobunye nensali egcotshiwe. (Johane 10:16) ELobukholwa, ngaphansi kwethonya labefundisi balo, liyaqhubeka lisenqaba isigijimi soMbuso. Ukukhetha kwalo izimiso zabantu zezombangazwe nokushushisa kwalo oFakazi BakaJehova kufana nempatho ethusayo uKristu aphathwa ngayo izakhamuzi zaseJudiya zekhulu lokuqala leminyaka. Njengoba nje uJehova ahlulela iJerusalema, uyokwenza okufanayo eJerusalema elingathembekile elalifanekiselwa, okungukuthi, eLobukholwa. Futhi njengoba isizukulwane esezwa isigijimi sikaKristu esiyisahlulelo saphila sabona ukubhujiswa ayekubikezele, ngakho isizukulwane esikhona manje esisukela ngo-1914 “asiyikudlula” ngaphambi kokuba “usizi olukhulu” olwabikezelwa lufike.—Mathewu 24:21, 22, 34.

24. Ukuze sisindele ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu, yini okumelwe siyenze?

²⁴ Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze sisinde osizini olukhulu futhi siphile ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu? Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi imaphi amathemba angaqondile noma obani kithi okungenzeka bebenawo, kumelwe siqaphele singalali ngokuqondene nemisebenzi yethu yobuKristu. (Habakuki 2:3; 1 Thesalonika 5:1-6) Labo abakwaziyo ukukhumbula izenzakalo ezenzeka kusukela ngo-1914 baya beba mbalwa. Ngakho, sidinga ukuqapha; asikho isikhathi okumelwe sisilahlekele. (Mathewu 24:42) Bonke abafuna ukusinda ekupheleni kwezwe elibi likaSathane kumelwe bathathe isinyathelo manje ngendlela ebonisa ukuthi bayavumelana namazwi aphefumlelwe athi: “Siyakubonga, Nkosi Nkulunkulu, Mninimandla onke, . . . ngokuba uthabathé amandla akho amakhulu, wabusa.”—IsAmbulo 11:17.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ubungaphendula Uthini?

◻ IJerusalema lasendulo lalimelelani, kodwa lalahlekelwa kanjani isikhundla salo esihloniphekile?

◻ Zaqala nini futhi zaphela nini iZikhathi zabeZizwe, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela owabikezelwa?

◻ Ukubhujiswa kweJerusalema elingathembekile kwafanekiselani?

◻ Sazi kanjani ukuthi usizi olukhulu luseduze, futhi yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze sisinde kulo?

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

IJerusalema nethempeli lalo lalahlekelwa isikhundla esihloniphekile, kodwa uNkulunkulu waqhubeka ebusisa iNdodana yakhe, uMesiya, ekhuluma ngisho nayo ngokuqondile esezulwini