IZwi LikaJehova Liqinisekile!

‘Mina Jehova ngenza izwi lenceku yami libe lihle.’—ISAYA 44:24-26, Byington.

 1. Iliphi ikusasa elabikezelwa emuva ngo-1864?

IKUSASA liyolethani? Abantu bangathanda ukwazi. Kodwa yeka ukungenelisi kwezibikezelo zabo! Ngokwesibonelo: Emuva ngo-1864 isazi semvelo uAlfred R. Wallace wabikezela nanti ‘ikusasa lesintu’ elenziwe umuntu: “Umuntu ngamunye uyokwazi . . . ukwenza injabulo yakhe ngokuhlobene neyabakanye naye; . . . amandla okuziphatha alinganiselwe kahle ngeke avumele noma ubani ukuba one enkululekweni elinganayo yabanye; . . . umuntu ngamunye uyoqondiswa yimithetho engcono kakhulu; ukwazisa kwangempela amalungelo, nesihe esiphelele ngemizwa yabo bonke abanaye.” Phela, uWallace wabikezela ukuthi umuntu wayeyoguqula umhlaba wethu awenze ube “yipharadesi elikhazimulayo njengelalivama njalo ukuhambela amaphupho omboni noma imbongi”!

 2. Ukwehluleka kwezibikezelo zabantu kuholela kumiphi imibuzo?

² Umlobi walawomazwi wafa ezinyangeni eziyisishiyagalolunye nje ngaphambi kokuba isintu silahlelwe efwini elimnyama leMpi Yezwe I. Lalikuphi ‘lelopharadesi elikhazimulayo’ eligcwaliswe abantu abanobubele? Futhi kuthiwani ngolwanamuhla? Ngokungangabazeki, ‘kuye kwaphola uthando lwabaningi’—futhi lokho kwenzeka naphezu kwanoma ikuphi ukubikezela okuphambene. (Mathewu 24:12) Kodwa ingabe lokhu kumelwe kusenze singabaze noma isiphi isiprofetho? UJehova uNkulunkulu uzembula njengaLowo ‘ohlehlisela emuva izihlakaniphi nowenza ulwazi lwazo ubuwula, lapho enza izwi lenceku yakhe libe lihle.’ (Isaya 44:24-26, By) Nokho, abanye bangabuza: ‘Singathembela yini eziprofethweni zeBhayibheli? Ingabe iZwi likaJehova liqiniseke ngempela?’

Ukubhubhisa Nokubuyisela

 3. Ngokuvumelana noLevitikusi 26:27-35, yini eyenzeka kuJuda naseJerusalema ngekhulu lesikhombisa leminyaka B.C.E.?

³ Kunobufakazi obuningi bokubonisa ukuthi singathembela ngempela esiprofethweni seBhayibheli. Ngokwesibonelo, iziprofetho zokubhubhisa nokubuyisela zagcwaliseka endabeni yabantu bakaNkulunkulu basendulo, amaIsrayeli. Lapho bekhulekela uJehova ngokwethembeka, bachuma ‘ezweni labo lobisi nezinyosi’ ababelinikwe uNkulunkulu. (Levitikusi 20:24; 1 AmaKhosi 4:1, 20) Kodwa babexwayiswe kusengaphambili ukuthi lelipharadesi elibonakalayo laliyoba ihlane eliyincithakalo uma bengalaleli. (Levitikusi 26:27-35) Ngonyaka ka-607 B.C.E., iminyaka engama-900 ngemva kokuba uMose elobe uLevitikusi, abaseBabiloni banqoba uJuda neJerusalema. Kungakabi isikhathi eside ngemva kwalokho, amaJuda ayesele ezweni abalekela eGibithe, futhi incithakalo eyayibikezelwe yafezeka.—Jeremiya 39:8-10; 40:5; 41:2; 43:1-7.

 4. (a) Kudala ngaphambi kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E., isiphi isithembiso uJehova ayesenze kubantu bakhe? (b) Lesithembiso sagcwaliseka kanjani?

⁴ Nokho, eminyakeni engaphezu kwekhulu ngaphambi kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema, uJehova wayethembise ukubuyisela abantu bakhe abaphendukayo ezweni labo eliyincithakalo futhi abuyisele ubuhle balo bepharadesi. (Isaya 35:1-4) UNkulunkulu futhi wayethe: “Mina Jehova, . . . owenza izwi lenceku yami libe lihle ofeza icebo lezithunywa zami, nothi ngeJerusalema ‘liyohlalwa’ nangemizi yakwaJuda ‘iyobuye yakhiwe futhi ngiyovuselela incithakalo yayo.’” (Isaya 44:24-26, By) Ngo-539 B.C.E., iBabiloni lanqotshwa ngamaMede namaPheresiya ayeholwa nguKoresi, njengoba nje uIsaya ayebikezele. (Isaya 44:27–45:6) Isimemezelo sikaKoresi sokuvumela amaJuda ukuba abuyele ezweni lakubo futhi abuye akhe ithempeli saqala ukusebenza ngo-537 B.C.E., futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi izwe lakwaJuda lashintsha njengokwesibikezelo. (Ezra 1:1-4; Isaya 35:5-10; Hezekeli 36:35) Yeka ukuqiniseka kweZwi likaJehova!

ITire Lalingenakweyisa Isiprofetho

 5. NgoHezekeli, yini uJehova ayeyibikezele ngeTire?

⁵ Isiprofetho esiphefumlelwe phezulu sagcwaliseka naphezu komuzi wasendulo waseTire, owawubizwa ngokufanelekile ngokuthi “iNdlovukazi Yasolwandle.” Ngokuphathelene nalelitheku laseFenike, uJehova wayethé: “Ngiphezu kwakho, Tire; ngiyakwenyusela kuwe izizwe eziningi . . . ngiyakuyisa eTire uNebukadiresari inkosi yaseBabele, . . . abhidlize imibhoshongo yakho . . . babeke amatshe akho nemithi yakho nesihlabathi sakho phakathi kwamanzi. . . . Ngiyakukwenza idwala eliyinyabule, ube-yindawo yokweneka amanetha.”—Hezekeli 26:3-14.

 6. Ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho, yini eyenzeka eTire lasendulo?

⁶ Ukuwa okunjalo kwabonakala kungenakwenzeka. Ngokwesazimlando esingumJuda uJosephus, ukuvinjezelwa kweTire ngabaseBabiloni kwaqhubeka iminyaka eyi-13. (Josephus, Against Apion, Book I, iSahluko 21) Umlando awusho ukuthi imizamo kaNebukadinesari yayiphumelela kangakanani, nakuba ukulahleka kwempahla yaseTire nokuphila kumelwe ukuba kwaba kukhulu. Isimemezelo samuva esingokwesiprofetho ngoZakariya sabonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayezowubhubhisa ngokuphelele umuzi. (Zakariya 9:3, 4) Lesiprofetho sagcwaliseka cishe eminyakeni engama-200 ngemva kokunikezwa kwaso. Ngalesosikhathi labo ababehlala emzini wasesiqhingini oseduze waseTire bazizwa belondekile ngaphakathi kwezindonga zawo eziqinile. Nokho, ngo-332 B.C.E., amabutho ka-Alexander oMkhulu awugumbuqela lowomuzi wasesiqhingini, esebenzisa imfucumfucu evela ezweni eliyinhloko laseTire ukuba akhe umbundu oholela esiqhingini. Kusukela lapho lenhlonhlo yokwenziwa iye yakhuliswa isihlabathi esilethwa lapho ngamanzi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, emzaneni wetheku lamanje, abadobi bangabonwa bomisa amanetha abo—okunye ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho. Ngempela, iZwi likaJehova liqinisekile!

“Umuzi Wezingazi” Uyakhothama

 7, 8. (a) Ngabaprofethi bakhe, yini uJehova ayeyibikezele ngeNineve? (b) Kungani kwakungabonakala kuyinto engenakwenzeka ngeNineve ukuba libe ‘incithakalo’?

⁷ IZwi likaNkulunkulu lesiprofetho futhi labonakala liyiqiniso endabeni yeNineve lasendulo, inhlokodolobha yoMbuso waseAsiriya elacindezela abantu bakaJehova. (2 AmaKhosi 17:1-6; 1 IziKronike 5:6, 26) Ngokuphathelene neNineve, ekudlondlobaleni kwalo uJehova wamemezela ngabaprofethi bakhe: “Phangani isiliva! Phangani igolide! Ngokuba akukho ukuphela kokunqwatshelweyo . . . Liyize, alisenalutho, lichithekile; . . . wo kumuzi wezingazi!” (Nahume 2:9, 10; 3:1) “Alenze iNineve libe-yincithakalo, . . . imihlambi iyakubuthisa phakathi kwalo.”—Zefaniya 2:13, 14.

⁸ Lokhu kwakungenzeka kanjani? INineve ‘laliwumuzi omkhulu.’ (Jona 1:2) Ngokwesazimlando sasendulo uDiodorus, iNineve lalinodonga oluphakeme ngamamitha angama-30, lubanzi ngokwanele ukuba lulingane izinqola zempi ezintathu ukuba zihambe phezu kwalo zilinganisene. Ngosuku lomprofethi uJona (ikhulu lesishiyagalolunye leminyaka B.C.E.), abantu abangaphezu kwezi-120 000 babehlala kulomuzi. (Jona 4:11) Ingabe konke lokhu kwakuzoba “incithakalo”?

 9. INineve liye labunikeza kanjani ubufakazi obengeziwe bokuthi iZwi likaJehova liqinisekile?

⁹ Ngo-632 B.C.E., eminyakeni eyi-16 noma ngaphezulu ngemva kwesiprofetho sikaZefaniya, abaseBabiloni namaMede balivimbezela iNineve. NgokukaDiodorus (Book II, Isahluko 27), “izimvula ezinkulu nezinganqamukiyo” zabangela uMfula iUfrathe ukuba ugole izintethe. ‘Wamboza kokubili ingxenye yomuzi futhi wadiliza izindonga ibanga elingaba ngamastadiyua angamashumi amabili.’ INineve lathathwa. “Bathatha impango eningi emzini nasendaweni yethempeli umuzi bawenza indunduma yencithakalo nenqwaba yemfucumfucu,” kusho iBabylonian Chronicle yasendulo. INineve laba umuzi olahlekile amakhulu eminyaka. Ukugumbuqelwa kwalo ngokuqinisekile kwaba “izindaba ezinhle” kubantu bakaNkulunkulu, ababephinde baqinisekiswa ukuthi “uJehova muhle” futhi “uyabazi abaphephela kuye.” (Nahume 1:7, 15) Namuhla, umuntu ovakashela amanxiwa aseNineve eIraq angase abone izimvu ziklabile eduze nezindunduma zalo, njengoba kwabikezelwa. Kulokhu sinobunye ubufakazi bokuthi iZwi likaJehova liqinisekile.

“Uphondo Oluqhamileyo” Luphukile

10. (a) Imuphi umbono ongokwesiprofetho olotshwe kuDaniyeli 8:1-8? (b) UGabriyeli wazichaza kanjani izici zalesiprofetho?

¹⁰ Embonweni ongokwesiprofetho, uDaniyeli wabona inqama enezimpondo ezimbili ibulawa impongo ‘enophondo oluqhamileyo.’ Loluphondo lwaphuka futhi esikhundleni salo kwamila ezine. (Daniyeli 8:1-8) Lokhu kungasho ukuthini? Ingelosi uGabriyeli yachaza: “Inqama oyibonileyo inezimpondo ezimbili, zingamakhosi aseMediya nasePheresiya. Impongo iyinkosi yaseJavani; uphondo olukhulu olusemkhathini wamehlo ayo luyinkosi yokuqala. Kepha olwaphukileyo, esikhundleni salo okwavela ezine, kuyakuvela imibuso emine esizweni salo, ingenamandla alo kodwa.”—Daniyeli 8:16, 20-22.

11, 12. UDaniyeli 8:20-22 wagcwaliseka kanjani?

¹¹ IBabiloni elinamandla lalinqotshwe amaMede namaPheresiya, inqama enezimpondo ezimbili eyabonakala embonweni. Kodwa ingelosi kaNkulunkulu yayibikezele ukuthi “impongo,” iJavani, (iGreece), yayiyobulala inqama. Yilokho kanye okwenzeka ngekhulu lesine leminyaka B.C.E., lapho amabutho akhuluma isiGreki ka-Alexander oMkhulu egumbuqela uMbuso wamaMede namaPheresiya. Nokho, uAlexander wafa ngokuzuma eneminyaka engama-32 ubudala ngo-323 B.C.E., engenaye umlandeli ofanelekayo esikhundleni. Ngokufa kuka-Alexander, “uphondo oluqhamileyo” lwaphuka. Kodwa kuthiwani ‘ngezimpondo ezine ezavela esikhundleni salo’ ezabikezelwa?

¹² UAlexander wayenezinduna eziningi, kodwa ezine zazo ekugcineni zazimisa embusweni. Ngaleyondlela “uphondo oluqhamileyo” lwaphuka futhi ekugcineni lwathathelwa isikhundla ‘izimpondo ezine,’ noma “imibuso emine.” Ngo-301 B.C.E., nazi izinduna ezazimisa embusweni: UPtolemy Lagus (eGibithe nasePalestina); uSeleucus Nicator (eMesophothamiya naseSiriya); uCassander (eMakedoniya naseGreece); noLysimachus (eThrace naseAsia Minor).b Futhi siyabona ukuthi iZwi likaJehova liqinisekile.

“Ogcotshiweyo, Umbusi” Uyabonakala!

13. UDaniyeli 9:23, 24 uthini ngokubonakala kukaMesiya?

¹³ Incwadi kaDaniyeli futhi inikeza ngokukhethekile ubufakazi obuvelele bokuthi iZwi likaJehova liqinisekile. Kusengamakhulu eminyaka ngaphambili, uDaniyeli waphefumlelwa ukuba asho ngokuqondé ngqo isikhathi sokubonakala kukaMesiya emhlabeni. Lesiprofetho esivusa amadlingozi sathi, ngokwengxenye: “Amasonto angamashumi ayisikhombisa anqunyelwe abantu bakho nomuzi wakho ongcwele ukuqeda iziphambeko, nokukhawula izono, nokwenza ukubuyisana ngobubi, nokungenisa ukulunga okuphakade, nokunamathelisa umbono nesiprofetho, nokugcoba indlu engcwelengcwele. Ngalokho yazi, uqonde ukuthi, kusukela ekuphumeni kwezwi lokubuyisa nokwakha iJerusalema kuze kufike ogcotshiweyo, umbusi, kuyakubangamasonto ayisikhombisa, lihlale lakhiwe, izitaladi zalo nogange lwalo, amasonto angamashumi ayisithupha nambili nasesikhathini sokuhlupheka.”—Daniyeli 9:24, 25.

14. (a) Kungasiphi isisekelo esingokomBhalo esingasho ngaso ukuthi ‘emasontweni’ kaDaniyeli 9:24, 25 usuku ngalunye luwunyaka owodwa? (b) ‘Izwi lokwakha iJerusalema’ laphuma ngamuphi unyaka? (c) “Amasonto” angama-69 ayemade kangakanani, futhi aqala nini futhi aphela nini?

¹⁴ Ingabe ‘lamasonto’ ayengokoqobo? Cha, ngoba zonke izinto ezaprofethwa lapha ngokuphathelene noMesiya azenzekanga phakathi namasonto angama-70, noma ngaphansi konyaka nengxenye. Lawa abonakala ‘engamasonto’ usuku ngalunye lwawo lubalwa njengonyaka owodwa. (Qhathanisa noNumeri 14:33, 34.) “Izwi lokubuyisa nokwakha iJerusalema” laphuma ngonyaka wama-20 weNkosi yasePheresiya uArtaxerxes (Longimanus). (Nehemiya 2:1-18) Njengoba aqala ukubusa ngo-474 B.C.E., unyaka wakhe wama-20 waba ngo-455 B.C.E. Ngakho-ke, amasonto angama-69 eminyaka kusukela ‘ezwini lokubuyisa nokwakha iJerusalema kuze kufike ogcotshiweyo, umbusi,’ aba iminyaka engama-483 (7 x 69) futhi aphelela ku-29 C.E.

15. Ngo-29 C.E., ikuphi ukulindela okwakukhona phakathi kwamaJuda?

¹⁵ Ngalowonyaka uJohane uMbhapathizi wayematasa “eshumayela umbhapathizo wokuphenduka, kubengukuthethelelwa kwezono.” Futhi kuthiwani ngamaJuda? “Abantu [babebhekile], bezindla bonke ezinhliziyweni zabo ngoJohane ukuthi ingabe unguKristu yini.” (Luka 3:3-6, 15) Ngokuphathelene nokulindela okunjalo, isazi esingumJuda uAbba Hillel Silver saphawula: “Nokho, ikhulu lokuqala leminyaka, ikakhulukazi isizukulwane sangaphambi kokubhujiswa [kweJerusalema], sabona okukhulu ukuthinteka mayelana noMesiya. Lokhu kumelwe kubalelwe . . . hhayi ekukhuleni koshushiso lwamaRoma kodwa enkolelweni evelele eyabangelwa ukubalwa kwezikhathi okwakuthandwa ngalolusuku . . . UMesiya wayelindeleke phakathi neminyaka engamashumi amahlanu yekhulu lokuqala C.E.” Lokho “kubalwa kwezikhathi okwakuthandwa” kwakusekelwe encwadini kaDaniyeli.

16. (a) Kungani unyaka we-15 wokubusa kukaTiberiyu Kesari wawubalulekile? (b) Ngenkathi uJesu ebhapathizwa, yini eyenzeka?

¹⁶ Isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli sasibonise ukuthi amasonto angama-69 eminyaka ayeyophelela ku-29 C.E. Nokho, ingabe uMesiya wabonakala ngesikhathi ngalowonyaka? Ngempela wabonakala! UJohane uMbhapathizi wayeqalise ukushumayela kwakhe nokubhapathiza “ngomnyaka weshumi nanhlanu wokubusa kukaTiberiyu Kesari.” (Luka 3:1-3) Njengoba uTiberiyu waba ngumbusi waseRoma ngoAugust 17, 14 C.E. (Gregorian calendar), umsebenzi kaJohane waqala phakathi nonyaka we-15 ngemva kwalokho, noma entwasahlobo ka-29 C.E. Ekupheleni kwalowonyaka uJesu waseNazaretha wabhapathizwa nguJohane, futhi umoya ongcwele wabe sewehla uvela ezulwini ukuba ugcobe uJesu njengoKristu, noma uMesiya. (Luka 3:21, 22) Isiprofetho sobuMesiya sasigcwalisekile.c Kwaphinde kwabonakaliswa ukuthi iZwi likaJehova liqinisekile.

17. Yiziphi ezinye iziprofetho zobuMesiya ezagcwaliseka ngokuphathelene noJesu Kristu?

¹⁷ Eziningi ezinye iziprofetho zemiBhalo yesiHeberu zagcwaliseka ngokuphathelene noJesu Kristu. Ngokwesibonelo, uJesu wazalwa incasakazi eBetlehema. (Isaya 7:14; Mika 5:2; Mathewu 1:18-23; 2:3-6) Abantwana abancane babulawa ngemva kokuzalwa kwakhe. (Jeremiya 31:15; Mathewu 2:16-18) Wayenomanduleli. (Isaya 40:3; Mathewu 3:1-3) UJesu wathwala izifo zethu. (Isaya 53:4; Mathewu 8:16, 17)) Wangena eJerusalema egibele ithole lembongolo. (Zakariya 9:9; Johane 12:12-15) Omunye umphostoli wamkhaphela ngezinhlamvu ezingama-30 zesiliva. (IHubo 41:9; Zakariya 11:12; Mathewu 26:14-16, 46-56; Johane 13:18) Ngemva kokubethelwa kukaJesu, amabutho ahlukaniselana ngezambatho zakhe futhi enza inkatho ngeyembe lakhe. (IHubo 22:18; Johane 19:23, 24) Amathambo akhe awephulwanga, kepha wahlatshwa. (IHubo 34:20; Zakariya 12:10; Johane 19:33-37) Ngemva kwezingxenye zezinsuku ezintathu esethuneni, wavuswa. (Johane 1:17; 2:10; Mathewu 12:39, 40; Marku 9:31; IzEnzo 10:40) Lezi kumane kuyizibonelo nje zokuthi uJesu wazigcwalisa kanjani iziprofetho zobuMesiya. Kodwa nazo futhi, zibonisa ukuthi iZwi likaJehova liqinisekile.

Ikusasa Lingaziwa

18, 19. (a) Kungani kuwusizo ukubuza ukuthi ikusasa liphetheni? (b) Yimiphi eminye imibuzo ephakanyiswayo?

¹⁸ UJesu, uMesiya, ngokwakhe wakhuluma isiprofetho esinikeza ithemba. Ngokwesibonelo, wabikezela “ukuba-khona kwakhe” kwesikhathi esizayo. (Mathewu 24:3-14, qhathanisa ne-NW) Eqinisweni, iziprofetho ezikhuthazayo ezibalulekile kulelikhulu lama-20 leminyaka zalotshwa ngabalobi beBhayibheli abahlukahlukene. Ngakho kunosizo ukubuza, ‘Ikusasa lisiphatheleni?’ Singathola!

¹⁹ Kuze kube manje, siye sacabangela iziprofetho ezingokomBhalo ezagcwaliseka ezikhathini ezidlule. Kodwa kuthiwani ngosuku lwethu? Ingabe sinabo obunye ubufakazi obuvusa amadlingozi bokuthi iZwi likaJehova liqinisekile?

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ungakhumbula?

□ Njengoba kwabikezelwa, yini eyenzeka eTire lasendulo?

□ INineve labunikeza kanjani ubufakazi bokuthi iZwi likaJehova liqinisekile?

□ Yini eyenzeka ekugcwalisekeni kukaDaniyeli 8:20-22?

□ Aba yiminyaka emingaki “amasonto” angama-69, futhi aqala nini futhi aphela nini?

□ Yiziphi ezinye iziprofetho zobuMesiya ezagcwaliseka ngokuphathelene noJesu?