‘UIsrayeli NeZikhathi ZabeZizwe’

“IJerusalema liyakunyathelwa phansi ngabezizwe [Goyim], kuze kugcwaliseke izikhathi zabezizwe.”—LUKA 21:24.

 1. Amazwi kaJesu ngokuphathelene neJerusalema agcwaliseka kanjani, kodwa imuphi umbuzo okusamelwe uphendulwe?

NGEMVA kweminyaka engamashumi amathathu nesikhombisa uJesu Kristu akhuluma lamazwi angenhla, umuzi waseJerusalema wabhujiswa amabutho amaRoma ngaphansi kukaJenene uTitus, ngo-70 C.E. Kodwa kuthiwani ngaso sonke isiprofetho, leso esiphathelene nesikhathi phakathi naso iJerusalema elaliyonyathelwa phansi ngabeZizwe, njengoba amaJuda ebabiza kanjalo namuhla?

 2. (a) Ingabe amazwi kaJesu ayesho ukuthi umuzi ngeke uphinde wakhiwe futhi uphinde uhlalwe? (b) Naphezu kokuthathwa komuzi okwesikhashana ngabaLwelibenkolo, iJerusalema laqhubeka kanjani linyathelwa phansi ngabeZizwe kwaze kwaba yilapho “izikhathi” ziphela?

² Lawomazwi ayengasho ukuthi iJerusalema lalingenakuphinde lakhiwe futhi lihlalwe “kuze kugcwaliseke izikhathi zabeZizwe [Goyima].” Phakathi nekhulu leminyaka elalandela umuzi waphinda wakhiwa, futhi ababizwa ngokuthi abaLweli benkolo balwela ukulithatha phakathi neZikhathi zaseNdulo. Labo baLwelibenkolo beLobukholwa abagcwele igazi bazibonakalisa bengabeZizwe, noma amaGoyim, njengalabo nje ababephethe umuzi ngaphambili nalabo abawuthatha ngobudlova kubaLwelibenkolo kamuva. Ukwehla ukuza empini yezwe yokuqala ka-1914-1918 lawomaGoyim (“abangakholwa,” njengoba eLobukholwa lalibabiza kanjalo) aqhubeka enyathela umuzi ongcwele kakhulu kumaJuda.

 3. Njengoba ukuthunjwa kweJerusalema ngamabutho eBrithani ngoDecember ka-1917 kusondela, yini uLord Rothschild ayitshelwa uBalfour onguNobhala wezangaPhandle weBrithani, kodwa ikuphi ukuhlelwa kokuphathwa kwePalestina okwenziwa emva kwempi?

³ NgoDecember 9, 1917, amabutho aseBrithani ngaphansi kukaJenene Allenby athatha iJerusalema kumaTurk, ayehlangene noKaiser Wilhelm woMbuso waseJalimane. Njengoba isenzakalo esikhulu sasisondela, uNobhala wezaNgaphandle weBrithani uArthur Balfour waseGreat Britain wathumela incwadi yakhe kaNovember 2, 1917, kuLord Rothschild womkhaya odumile wamaJuda weRothschild, ephawula ukuthi uhulumeni weNkosi Yakhe uvumelene nokumisela amaJuda isabelo ePalestina. Nokho, emva kokuba iMpi Yezwe I iphelile, iNhlangano yeZizwe (Goyim) eyayimiswe ngo-1920 yanikeza iGreat Britain amandla phezu kwePalestina (kuhlanganise neJerusalema), ukuba iphathe kuze kube unyaka ka-1948. Kwakunganqunyiwe ngokuqondile ukuthi ngubani owayezothatha iJerusalema emva kokuphela kwaleloGunya.

 4. Emva kokuphela kweGunya leBrithani phezu kwePalestina ngo-1948, yini eyenziwa amaqembu anesithakazelo?

⁴ Lapho iGunya leBrithani liphela ngo-1948, amaqembu anesithakazelo masinya ayithatha. OmaHumede bathatha lengxenye enkulu engasempumalanga yalelizwe, kuhlanganise nomuzi onogange waseJerusalema nendawo yalo yokukhulekela uAlla. AmaJuda athatha ingxenye engasentshonalanga yePalestina futhi akha isizwe samaIsrayeli sanamuhla. Kodwa kwakungemva kweMpi yeziNsuku eziyisiThupha yango-1967 ukuthi umuzi onogange waseJerusalema wahlwithwa kuma-Arabhu, noDonga oluLilayo, lolo lé phezu kwalo ithempeli lokukhulekela lamaJuda laliye lema kudala. Ngokunqoba amaJuda aqhubeka athatha ukuphatha ugu olungasentshonalanga loMfula iJordan nabantu bawo abangomaHumede.

 5. (a) Ngenxa yeMpi yeziNsuku eziyisiThupha yango-1967, iJerusalema lanamuhla layekwa kanjani ukunyathelwa phansi ngabeZizwe? (b) Naphezu kwesimo esikhululekile seJerusalema kusukela ngo-1967, kungani sithola okuthile kungekho?

⁵ Ngakho iJerusalema lasemhlabeni laqhubeka linyathelelwa phansi ngabeZizwe kwaze kwaba ngo-1967. Kodwa kusukela lapho, kuzo zonke izimo ezibonakalayo, iJerusalema liye lapheza ukunyathelwa ngabeZizwe. Nokho, sizizwa sibophekile ukuthi, “Khona-ke kuthiwani?” Ingabe ukuphelisa kukaIsrayeli ukunyathelwa kweJerusalema ngabeZizwe emuva ngonyaka ka-1967 kwaletha isibusiso kuso sonke isintu? Kunokukwamukela njengesibusiso, izizwe eziningi zimelene nokuba khona kweIsrayeli. Ngokuqinisekile ukudalwa kwesizwe sanamuhla sakwaIsrayeli akuzange kuholele ekumisweni koMbuso kaMesiya wobuJuda. Ngokusobala, i-Israyeli ayibhekanga kuNkulunkulu ka-Abrahama, kaIsaka noJakobe, okunguthi, uJehova, ngosizo nangensindiso. Uhulumeni wayo awuwona umbuso onesizukulwane soqobo sohlu lobukhosi beNkosi uDavide yasendulo esihlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi eJerusalema.

 6. Yini esifanele siyivume ngokuphathelene nendima yeJerusalema lasemhlabeni kusukela ngo-1967 nesiprofetho sikaIsaya 2:2-4?

⁶ Ngakho, maqondana neJerusalema lasemhlabeni ukusukela ngo-1967, asiboni kugcwaliseka isiprofetho sikaIsaya 2:2-4:

“Kuyakuthi ngezinsuku ezizayo intaba yendlu kaJehova iqiniswe esiqongweni sezintaba, iphakame kunamagquma, nezizwe [Goyim] zonke ziyakugobhozela khona. Abantu abaningi bayakuhamba, bathi: Wozani sikhuphukele entabeni kaJehova endlini kaNkulunkulu kaJakobe; uyakusifundisa izindlela zakhe, sihambe emikhondweni yakhe, ngokuba umthetho uyakuvela eSiyoni, nezwi likaJehova eJerusalema. Uyakwahlulela phakathi kwezizwe [goyim], anqume phakathi kwabantu abaningi; bayakukhanda izinkemba zabo zibe-ngamakhuba, nemikhonto yabo ibe-ngocelemba; isizwe [goy] asiyikuphakamisela isizwe [goy] inkemba, zingabe zisafunda ukulwa.”

 7. Ngokuhluke kakhulu esiprofethweni sikaIsaya 2:1-4, yini esiyibonayo namuhla, futhi kuthiwani ngesiprofetho sikaZakariya 8:23?

⁷ Kunokukhanda izinkemba zempi zibe amathuluzi okuthula, izizwe zabeZizwe zihlomele impi kakhulu ngokwengeziwe kunanini ngaphambili, ngokufanayo nangeRepublic yakwaIsrayeli uqobo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, asikuboni namuhla ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sikaZakariya 8:23, okungukuthi:

“Usho kanje uJehova-Sebawoti, uthi: “Ngalezozinsuku amadoda ayishumi azo zonke izilimi zabezizwe ayakubamba umphetho womuntu wakwaJuda ngokuthi: “Siyakuhamba nani, ngokuba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.”—Bheka futhi neDouay Version neJB.

 8. Konke okwandulelayo kuveza ukungabaza maqondana nani ngonyaka ka-1967?

⁸ Konke okwandulelayo kuveza ukungabaza ngobuqiniso bonyaka ka-1967, unyaka weMpi yeziNsuku eziyisiThupha, njengokuphawula isikhathi sokugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho: “IJerusalema liyakunyathelelwa phansi ngabezizwe, kuze kugcwaliseke izikhathi zabezizwe.” (Luka 21:24) Empeleni “izikhathi zabezizwe” zaphela ngaphambili. Ake sihlole ubufakazi ukuthi lokhu kunjalo.

 9. (a) Lapho uJesu ethi, “iJerusalema liyakunyathelwa,” wayebhekisela kuliphi “iJerusalema,” futhi yini eyayimelelwe yilelo“Jerusalema”? (b) Yini, ngokuvumelanayo, eyokwenzeka lapho ukunyathelwa kwe“Jerusalema” sekuphelile?

⁹ Ekubhekiseleni ekunyathelweni kwe‘Jerusalema’ ngabezizwe, uJesu wayecabanga ngalokho iJerusalema lasemhlabeni elaliyikho ngaphambi kokuba ukunyathelwa kwalo phansi ngabezizwe kuqale. Yena ngokwakhe wayethe ngaphambidlana: “Ningafungi nakanye, noma izulu, ngokuba liyisihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu, . . . noma iJerusalema, ngokuba lingumuzi weNkosi enkulu.” (Mathewu 5:34, 35) Ngakho-ke, lapho abeZizwe beqala ukunyathela iJerusalema ekusebenziseni ukubusa kwezwe, babenyathela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu njengomelelwe umuzi wobukhosi iJerusalema. Ngokuvumelanayo-ke, ekupheleni kweZikhathi zabeZizwe lapho ukunyathelwa phansi kwalokho okwakumelelwe iJerusalema kwase kuphelile, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu wamiswa futhi ezandleni zesizukulwane sobukhosi beNkosi uDavide, uMesiya.

10. (a) Imaphi amazwi kaHezekeli ayebhekiswe enkosini yokugcina yobuDavide? (b) Ubani owabonakala ‘enemfanelo’ yokubusa, futhi uNkulunkulu wamenzelani?

¹⁰ Maqondana nalokhu isiprofetho sikaHezekeli 21:25-27, esasiqondiswe enkosini yaso yokugcina yobuDavide, sithi: “Wena-sikhulu sakwaIsrayeli, shinga elibulawayo, elilusuku lwakho lufika ngesikhathi sokuphela kobubi, isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Susa isigqoko, wethule umqhele; lokhu akuyikuba-yikho; phakamisa okuthobekileyo, uthobise okuphakemeyo. Kuyakugumbuqelwa, kugumbuqelwe, kugumbuqelwe yimi; nalokhu akuyikuba-khona aze afike yena omfanelo ingeyakhe, ngimnike khona.” Lowo “omfanelo ingeyakhe” iwukubusa wabonakala engeyena omunye ngaphandle kukaJesu Kristu, isizukulwane seNkosi uDavide. Emuva lé ngo-33 C.E. kwakukhona amaJuda angaphezu kwama-500 aba ngofakazi bokuthi Lona wavuswa uNkulunkulu ngosuku lwesithathu lokufa kwakhe kokufel’ ukholo.—1 Korinte 15:3-20.

UMesiya Uzithoba EZikhathini ZabeZizwe

11. Kungani uJesu engazange azame ukuzenza inkosi eJerusalema, ngakho futhi wathini kumbusi, uPontiyu Pilatu?

¹¹ Ngaphambi noma ngemuva kovuko lwakhe kwabafileyo uJesu uMesiya akazange azame ukuzibeka ngokwakhe esihlalweni njengeNkosi eJerusalema lasemhlabeni. Akenzanga mzamo wokususa uPontiyu Pilatu esihlalweni, owayengumbusi ongumRoma wakwaJuda neJerusalema ngalesosikhathi. Esinye isizathu salokhu sasiwukuthi “izikhathi zabezizwe,” akhuluma ngazo kuLuka 21:24, kakade ngalesosikhathi zase ziqhubeka. Njalo-ke wazithoba kulelolungiselelo laphezulu. Ngokuvumelana nalokhu, wathi kuPilatu: “Umbuso wami awusiwo owalelizwe. Uma umbuso wami ubungowalelizwe, izikhonzi zami zaziyakulwa ukuba nginganikezelwa kubaJuda. Kepha kalokhu umbuso wami awusiwo owalapha.”—Johane 18:36.

12. Njengomfundi wemibhalo yesiHeberu, uJesu wayazi ukuthi iziKhathi zabeZizwe zaqala nini futhi ngasiphi isenzakalo, futhi manje imuphi umbuzo ophakamayo ngalezo“zikhathi”?

¹² Njengomfundi wemibhalo yesiHeberu ephefumlelwe, uJesu uMesiya wayazi ukuthi iZikhathi zabeZizwe zaqala ngaphambi kokuba amaRoma athathe iJerusalema futhi abeke ababusi lapho. Wayazi ukuthi zaqala lapho iJerusalema lidilizelwa phansi ngokokuqala ngonyaka ka-607 ngaphambi kweSikhathi sethu Esivamile. UNkulunkulu wasebenzisa iNkosi yabeZizwe uNebukadinesari waseBabele, ayibiza ngokuthi “inceku yami,” ukuchitha iJerusalema, noJuda. (Jeremiya 43:10) Ukubusa kwabeZizwe izwe kwaqhubeka kwaze kwaba usuku lukaJesu uMesiya futhi kwaqhubeka kwaze kwaba isikhathi esinqunywe uNkulunkulu ngeZikhathi zabeZizwe ukuba ziphele. Kuze kube yileso sikhathi uMbuso kaMesiya, uMbuso ‘owawungenakuba owalelizwe,’ kwakufanele ulinde. Ngakho-ke, “izikhathi” ezingaki, uma kubalwa kusukela ngo-607 B.C.E., ezaziyoba ezokubusa kwabeZizwe?

13. UNkulunkulu wakhombisa ngani enkosini yaseBabele inani lalezo ‘zikhathi,’ futhi ngamuphi umphumela phezu kwenkosi?

¹³ UJehova uNkulunkulu wabonisa ukuthi zingaki ephusheni alithumela kuNebukadinesari, lowo ayemsebenzise njenge“nceku” Yakhe. Nakuba ayesetshenziswe ukubhubhisa ‘umuzi weNkosi enkulu,’ iJerusalema, nokho, ngokomphumela wokugcwaliseka kwephupho kuye, uNebukadinesari wabopheka ukuqaphela uJehova ‘njengoPhezukonke’ ‘neNkosi yezulu.’ (Mathewu 5:35; Daniyeli 4:34, 37) Ngale“nceku” yakhe, uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke neNkosi yezulu waqala “izikhathi zabeZizwe” ngo-607 B.C.E.

14. Phakathi kwezehlakalo zempi eMpumalanga ePhakathi ngo-1917, ikuphi ukukhulumela abafundisi abayisishiyagalombili abakwenza esiMemezelweni sabo esakhishwa eLondon?

¹⁴ Ngokuthakazelisayo, ukuya ngasekupheleni kuka-1917, unyaka lapho iJerusalema lanamuhla elakhiwe kabusha lathathwa amabutho aseBrithani phakathi neMpi Yezwe I, abayisishiyagalombini babafundisi abadumile baseNgilandi, bahlangana eLondon, eNgilandi, futhi bakhipha isiMemezelo esiqukethe ukukhulumela okuyisikhombisa okucijile, kuhlanganise nokulandelayo:

“OKOKUQALA. Ukuthi ukuhlupheka kwamanje kukhomba ekupheleni kwezikhathi zabeZizwe. . . .

“OKWESINE. Ukuthi i-Israyeli iyobuyiselwa ezweni layo ngokumangalisayo, futhi emva kwalokho iphendulwe ukubonakala kukaJesu ngenxa yayo.

“OKWESIHLANU. Ukuthi onke amacebo abantu okwakha kabusha kumelwe ukuba angasizayo ekuzeni kwesibili kweNkosi yethu, ngoba zonke izizwe ziyoba ngaphansi kokubusa kwayo. . . .

“OKWESIKHOMBISA. Ukuthi amaqiniso ahlanganiswe kulokhu kukhulumela angokwenzuzo engokoqobo kakhulu ekunqumeni imfanelo yobuKristu nesenzo ngokuphathelene nezinkinga ezicindezelayo zalelihora.”

15. (a) Ephusheni likaNebukadinesari, yini eyayimelelwe umuthi owenabe kabanzi? (b) Phakathi nesikhathi sokuhlanya kukaNebukadinesari, sasiyini isimo ngokubuswa kwezwe uMbuso waseBabele? (c) Ukubuswa kwezwe kwaqhutshwa kanjani emva kokuba iBabele lalingasewona umbuso wezwe?

¹⁵ Ephusheni uJehova uNkulunkulu alithumela ‘encekwini’ yakhe, iNkosi uNebukadinesari, kwaku‘nezikhathi eziyisikhombisa’ ezazinqunywe ezulwini. Lezi zihlangana noma zixhumana “nezikhathi zabeZizwe” zibe yinto yinye? Ngendlela elandelayo: Ephusheni elingokwesiprofetho isihlahla eside, esenabe kabanzi sifanekisela ukubusa kwezwe ngengqondo efanekiselayo. Ngoba ngesikhathi sephupho likaNebukadinesari, “inceku” kaJehova uNkulunkulu, wayephethe ukubusa okunjalo kwezwe, isihlahla sihlanganiswa naye siqu, kangangokuthi kungathiwa isihlahla sifanekisela yena. Kodwa ingabe ukubusa kwakhe kwezwe kwawiselwa phansi lapho ehlanya futhi engahleli esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi? Ingabe ukubuswa kwezwe uMbuso waseBabele kwanqamuka? Qha, kodwa kwaqhubeka kusebenza kwaze kwaba ukubuyiselwa kwakhe futhi kwaqhubeka nakwabamlandela, uEvil-Merodaki, uNabonidus noBelishasari. Emva kwalokho, ukubusa kwabeZizwe izwe kwaqhubeka nemibuso elandelanayo, uMbuso wasePeresiya, uMbuso waseGreece, uMbuso waseRoma, kanye nomxhantela wawo, umbuso wezwe wamaNgisi namaMelika.

16. Okukabani ngempela ukubusa umhlaba okwakuwiselwe phansi phakathi nakho konke lokhu kulandelana kwemibuso yezwe yabeZizwe, futhi “izikhathi” ezingaki ezazizakudlula phezu kwesiqu somuthi ongokomfanekiso?

¹⁶ Phakathi naso sonke lesikhathi eside, okukabani ukubuswa kwezwe, ikakhulukazi njengokumelelwe iJerusalema ‘njengomuzi weNkosi enkulu,’ okwakuwiselwe phansi ngempela futhi kulele ngokuphelele? KwakungowaLowo uNebukadinesari ambiza ngokuthi “oPhezukonke” “neNkosi yezulu,” uJehova. Isiqu somuthi, esinezibopho zensimbi nethusi, samelela ukubusa kwaKhe izwe njengokusamisiwe. “Izikhathi eziyisikhombisa” zazinqunywe uJehova uNkulunkulu ukuba zidlule phezu kwalesosiqu esingokomfanekiso.

17. (a) Esikhundleni samazwi athi “izikhathi eziyisikhombisa” izinguqulo ezimbalwa ziwahumusha kanjani amazwi esiHeberu? (b) Kungaba kanjani ukuthi, ngisho nangemva kokuba iJerusalema lalakhiwe kabusha, kwaqhubeka kunokunyathelwa kwalo ngabeZizwe?

¹⁷ Esikhundleni samazwi athi “izikhathi eziyisikhombisa,” amazwi athi “iminyaka eyisikhombisa” aye asetshenziswa iThe Living Bible, Moffatt, Today’s English Version, neAn American Translation. Ukuhlanya kukaNebukadinesari, ngokunokwenzeka isimo esaziwa njengokuhlanya wenza njengesilwane, kwathatha iminyaka eyisikhombisa. Ekululameni kwakhe wabonga uNkulunkulu owayemelaphile, kepha akababuyiselanga abantu bakaNkulunkulu ezweni labo. UJehova uNkulunkulu wayememezele ukuthi iJerusalema nezwe lakwaJuda kumelwe kuhlale kuyincithakalo iminyaka engama-70. Ngakho-ke ukunyathelwa kweJerusalema ngabeZizwe kwaqhubeka ngisho nasemuva kokwakhiwa kabusha kweJerusalema ngamaJuda ayebuyiselwe ezweni lakubo kusukela ngo-537 B.C.E. Kanjani? Ngoba bahlala bekhonzile ekuphatheni kwabeZizwe, kungekho sizukulwane sohlu lobukhosi bukaDavide esihleli esihlalweni sobukhosi eJerusalema njengenkosi ezimele. Ngakho kusobala ukuthi kuJehova uNkulunkulu, “izikhathi eziyisikhombisa” zingokomfanekiso, ngakho-ke, zinde kuneminyaka eyisikhombisa ebalwa kusukela ku-607 B.C.E.—Daniyeli 4:16, 23, 25, 32.

18. Zaba iminyaka emingaki lezo‘zikhathi eziyisikhombisa,’ uma zithathwa ngokomfanekiso, futhi zaphela nini?

¹⁸ Ekubalweni kwesikhathi ngokwesiprofetho seBhayibheli, unyaka ubalwa njengonezinsuku ezingama-360. Ngakho unyaka ongokomfanekiso, noma ‘isikhathi,’ uba iminyaka engama-360. “Izikhathi eziyisikhombisa” ezingokomfanekiso, noma “iminyaka,” uba u-7 x 360, noma izi-2 520 zeminyaka. Uma ibalwa kusukela ngo-607 B.C.E., lapho iJerusalema, ‘umuzi weNkosi enkulu,’ ubhujiswa “inceku” kaJehova, uNebukadinesari, kanjalo kuqalisa ukunyathelwa kweJerusalema ngabeZizwe kwaqala, leyominyaka eyizi-2 520 yaphela enkwindla ngonyaka ka-1914 weSikhathi sethu Esivamile.

19. (a) Waphawukka kanjani unyaka ka-1914 emhlabeni? (b) Lowonyaka wawuyisikhathi sokuba “iNkosi yezulu” yenzeni endaweni yayo yokuhlala?

¹⁹ Emhlabeni, lowonyaka waphawulwa ukugqashuka kweMpi Yezwe I ngempikiswano yokubuswa kwezwe. Nokho, phezulu endaweni ‘yenkosi yezulu,’ kwakuyisikhathi ngayo ukubonisa ukuthi “oPhezukonke ubusa imibuso yabantu, ayinike amthandayo.” (Daniyeli 4:25, 37) Khona-ke kwakuyisikhathi esifanelekile ngaye ukuba “afike yena omfanelo ingeyakhe” futhi nangoPhezukonke ukuba ‘amnike khona.’ (Hezekeli 21:25-27) Lowo kwakunguMesiya okhazinyulisiwe, lowo iNkosi yezulu eyamzala ukuba abe iNdodana yayo engokomoya, okungukuthi, uJesu Kristu, owavuselwa ekuphileni ezulwini. (IHubo 2:1-7) Leso kwakuyisikhathi ngeNkosi yezulu ukuba ithi kuye: “Busa wena phakathi kwezitha zakho.” (IHubo 110:1, 2) Lokhu ngokuqinisekile kwasho ukuthi “izikhathi zabeZizwe” zase ziphelile ngempela.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ungayiphendula Lemibuzo?

□ Yini eyabonakala sengathi iphelile ngokuthatha kwamaJuda iJerusalema lasemhlabeni ngo-1967, kodwa ingabe lokhu kwaqeda ‘ukunyathelelwa’ phansi kwe“Jerusalema” ngabeZizwe?

□ Zaqala nini “izikhathi zabeZizwe,” futhi ngasiphi isehlakalo?

□ Kutholakala kanjani ukuthi iziKhathi ZabeZizwe zaziyoqhubeka iminyaka eyizi-2 250, noma kuze kube ngo-1914 C.E.?

□ Yini emelelwa umuthi osabalele wesiprofetho sikaDaniyeli, futhi kusho ukuthini ukunqanyulwa kwawo nokuhluma kwawo futhi?