UJehova ‘UnguMambuli Wezimfihlo’

“Ngempela uNkulunkulu wenu nina madoda unguNkulunkulu wonkulunkulu neNkosi yamakhosi noMambuli wezimfihlo.”—DAN. 2:47.

UNGAPHENDULA KANJANI?

Imiphi imininingwane yesikhathi esizayo uJehova asembulele yona?

Amelelani amakhanda ayisithupha okuqala esilo sasendle?

Ikuphi ukuhlobana esikuthola phakathi kwesilo sasendle nesithombe esabonwa uNebukhadinezari?

1, 2. Yini uJehova aye wasembulela yona, futhi kungani eye wenza kanjalo?

IMIPHI imibuso eyobe ikhonya emhlabeni lapho uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uqeda ukubusa kwabantu? Siyayazi impendulo—siye sayembulelwa ‘uMambuli wezimfihlo,’ uJehova uNkulunkulu. Usenza sazi ukuthi imiphi leyo mibuso ngencwadi yomprofethi uDaniyeli neyomphostoli uJohane.

² UJehova wembulela lawo madoda uchungechunge lwemibono ekhuluma ngezilo zasendle ezibusa zidedelana. Waphinde watshela uDaniyeli incazelo yephupho elaliwumbono lesithombe esikhulu esenziwe ngezinto ezihlukahlukene. UJehova wenza ukuba lokho kulandisa kubhalwe phansi futhi kulondolozwe eBhayibhelini ngokwenzuzo yethu. (Roma 15:4) Wayenzela ukuqinisa ithemba lethu lokuthi maduze uMbuso wakhe uzochoboza yonke imibuso yabantu.—Dan. 2:44.

 3. Ukuze siqonde iziprofetho ngokunembile, isiphi okudingeka sisiqonde kuqala, futhi ngani?

³ Ukulandisa kukaDaniyeli nokukaJohane, sekukonke akugcini ngokubalula amakhosi noma imibuso yabantu engu-8, kodwa kubonisa nendlela eyayiyolandelana ngayo. Nokho, lezo ziprofetho singaziqonda ngokunembile kuphela uma siqonda incazelo yesiprofetho sokuqala ngqa seBhayibheli. Kungani kunjalo? Ngenxa yokuthi ukugcwaliseka kwaleso siprofetho kuyisihloko esihlanganisa lonke iBhayibheli. Ngandlela-thile, siyintambo okuhlanganiswe ngayo zonke ezinye iziprofetho.

INZALO YENYOKA NESILO SASENDLE

 4. Obani abakha inzalo yowesifazane, futhi leyo nzalo izokwenzani?

⁴ Ngemva nje kokuhlubuka kwase-Edene, uJehova wanikeza isithembiso sokuthi “owesifazane” wayeyoveza ‘inzalo.’a (Funda uGenesise 3:15.) Leyo nzalo yayiyogcina ichoboze ikhanda lenyoka, uSathane. Kamuva uJehova wembula ukuthi le nzalo yayiyovela ohlwini lozalo luka-Abrahama, ibe ilungu lesizwe sika-Israyeli, ivele kuJuda nasozalweni lweNkosi uDavide. (Gen. 22:15-18; 49:10; IHu. 89:3, 4; Luka 1:30-33) UKristu Jesu waba ingxenye eyinhloko yale nzalo. (Gal. 3:16) Amalungu agcotshwe ngomoya ebandla lobuKristu akha ingxenye yesibili yayo. (Gal. 3:26-29) UJesu nalaba agcotshiwe bayahlangana bakhe uMbuso kaNkulunkulu, ithuluzi uNkulunkulu ayochoboza ngalo uSathane.—Luka 12:32; Roma 16:20.

5, 6. (a) Mingaki imibuso emikhulu ebalulwa uDaniyeli noJohane? (b) Amelelani amakhanda esilo sasendle esikusAmbulo?

⁵ Leso siprofetho sokuqala esashiwo e-Edene sabonisa nokuthi uSathane wayeyoveza ‘inzalo.’ Inzalo yakhe yayiyobonisa ubutha noma inzondo enzalweni yowesifazane. Obani abakha inzalo yenyoka? Yibo bonke abalingisa uSathane ngokuzonda uNkulunkulu nangokuphikisa abantu bakhe. Kuwo wonke umlando, uSathane uye wahlela inzalo yakhe yaba izinhlangano zezombusazwe noma imibuso ehlukahlukene. (Luka 4:5, 6) Nokho, imbalwa kuphela imibuso yabantu eye yaba nethonya elikhulu kubantu bakaNkulunkulu, kungaba isizwe sakwa-Israyeli noma ibandla lamaKristu agcotshiwe. Kungani kuphawuleka lokhu? Yingoba kuchaza ukuthi kungani imibono kaDaniyeli noJohane ikhuluma ngemibuso yezwe emikhulu engu-8 kuphela.

⁶ Ekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala C.E., uJesu ovusiwe wanikeza umphostoli uJohane uchungechunge lwemibono ekhexisayo. (IsAm. 1:1) Komunye wayo, uJohane wabona uDeveli, emelelwe udrako, emi ogwini lolwandle olukhulu. (Funda isAmbulo 13:1, 2.) UJohane wabona nesilo sasendle esiyinqaba siphuma kulolo lwandle futhi uDeveli esinika igunya elikhulu. Kamuva ingelosi yatshela uJohane ukuthi amakhanda angu-7 esilo sasendle esibomvu, esiwumfanekiso wesilo esikusAmbulo 13:1, amelela “amakhosi ayisikhombisa,” noma imibuso. (IsAm. 13:14, 15; 17:3, 9, 10) Ngesikhathi uJohane eloba le ncwadi, amakhosi amahlanu ayesewile, enye yayisabusa kanti enye ‘yayingakafiki.’ Imiphi le mibuso yezwe emikhulu? Ake sidingide ikhanda ngalinye lesilo sasendle esikusAmbulo. Sizobona nendlela incwadi kaDaniyeli eyanezela ngayo imininingwane eningiliziwe esikhanyisela ngeminingi yale mibuso, eminye yayo iyinikeza kusasele amakhulu eminyaka ibe khona.

AMAKHANDA AMABILI OKUQALA—IGIBHITHE NE-ASIRIYA

 7. Limelelani ikhanda lokuqala, futhi kungani usho kanjalo?

⁷ Ikhanda lokuqala lesilo limelela iGibhithe. Ngani? Ngoba iGibhithe laba umbuso omkhulu wokuqala owabonisa ubutha kubantu bakaNkulunkulu. Inzalo ka-Abrahama—okwakuyovela kuyo inzalo yowesifazane ethenjisiwe—yanda kakhulu eGibhithe. AbaseGibhithe babe sebewacindezela ama-Israyeli. USathane wazama ukuqothula abantu bakaNkulunkulu ingakafiki leyo nzalo. Kanjani? Ngokushukumisela uFaro ukuba abulale bonke abantwana besilisa bama-Israyeli. UJehova wawubhuntshisa lowo mzamo futhi wakhulula abantu bakhe ebugqilini baseGibhithe. (Eks. 1:15-20; 14:13) Kamuva wangenisa ama-Israyeli eZweni Lesithembiso.

 8. Lingubani ikhanda lesibili, futhi lazama ukwenzani?

⁸ Ikhanda lesibili lesilo limelela i-Asiriya. Lo mbuso onamandla nawo wazama ukuqothula abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Yebo, uJehova walisebenzisa i-Asiriya ukuze ajezise umbuso wezizwe eziyishumi ngenxa yokuvukela nokukhulekela kwawo izithombe. Nokho, i-Asiriya labe selihlasela iJerusalema. Kungenzeka ukuthi uSathane wayenomgomo wokuluqeda nya uhlu lozalo lwasebukhosini olwaluyogcina luholele kuJesu. Lokho kuhlasela kwakungeyona ingxenye yenjongo kaJehova futhi wabakhulula ngokuyisimangaliso abantu bakhe abathembekile ngokubhubhisa labo bahlaseli.—2 AmaKh. 19:32-35; Isaya 10:5, 6, 12-15.

IKHANDA LESITHATHU—IBHABHILONI

9, 10. (a) UJehova wavumela abaseBhabhiloni ukuba benzeni? (b) Ukuze isiprofetho sigcwaliseke, yini okwakuyodingeka yenzeke?

⁹ Ikhanda lesithathu lesilo esabonwa uJohane limelela umbuso onhloko-dolobha yawo kwakuyiBhabhiloni. UJehova wavumela abaseBhabhiloni ukuba bagumbuqele iJerusalema futhi bathumbe abantu bakhe. Nokho, ngaphambi kokuvumela lokhu kuthotshiswa, uJehova wawaxwayisa ama-Israyeli avukelayo ukuthi ayeyokwehlelwa yileyo nhlekelele. (2 AmaKh. 20:16-18) Wabikezela ukuthi uhlu lwamakhosi angabantu ayehlala “esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaJehova” eJerusalema lwaluyonqanyulwa. (1 IziKr. 29:23) Nokho, uJehova wabuye wathembisa ukuthi kwakuyofika inzalo yeNkosi uDavide, ‘enelungelo elingokomthetho,’ ilibuyise lelo gunya.—Hez. 21:25-27.

¹⁰ Esinye isiprofetho sabonisa ukuthi amaJuda ayeyobe esakhulekela kulelo thempeli eJerusalema lapho uMesiya othenjisiwe, noma oGcotshiweyo efika. (Dan. 9:24-27) Isiprofetho esalotshwa ngaphambi kokudingiselwa kwama-Israyeli eBhabhiloni, sathi wayeyozalelwa eBhetlehema. (Mika 5:2) Ukuze lezo ziprofetho zigcwaliseke, kwakuyodingeka ukuba amaJuda akhululwe ekudingisweni, abuyele ezweni lenkaba yawo futhi akhe kabusha ithempeli. Kodwa kwakungeyona inkambiso yabaseBhabhiloni ukudedela izithunjwa. Pho kwakuyomiswa kanjani? UJehova wayembula kubaprofethi bakhe impendulo.—Amose 3:7.

11. UMbuso WaseBhabhiloni ufanekiselwa ngaziphi izindlela ezihlukahlukene? (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.)

¹¹ Umprofethi uDaniyeli wayephakathi kwezithunjwa ezayiswa eBhabhiloni. (Dan. 1:1-6) UJehova wamsebenzisa ukuba embule imibuso eyayiyolandela lowo mbuso wezwe omkhulu ngokulandelana kwayo. UJehova wembula lezi zimfihlo, esebenzisa izinto ezihlukahlukene ezifanekiselayo. Ngokwesibonelo, wenza ukuba inkosi yaseBhabhiloni uNebukhadinezari iphuphe isithombe esikhulu esenziwe ngezinto ezihlukahlukene. (Funda uDaniyeli 2:1, 19, 31-38.) NgoDaniyeli, uJehova wembula ukuthi ikhanda legolide lesithombe lalifanekisela uMbuso WaseBhabhiloni.b Umbuso wezwe owawuyolandela owaseBhabhiloni ufanekiselwa isifuba nezingalo zesiliva. Kwakuyoba imuphi lowo mbuso, futhi wawuyobaphatha kanjani abantu bakaNkulunkulu?

IKHANDA LESINE—UMBUSO WAMAMEDE NAMAPHERESIYA

12, 13. (a) Yini uJehova ayembula ngokunqotshwa kweBhabhiloni? (b) Kungani kufaneleka ukuba uMbuso WamaMede NamaPheresiya ufanekiselwe ikhanda lesine lesilo sasendle?

¹² Kusasele iminyaka engaphezu kwekhulu ngaphambi kwesikhathi sikaDaniyeli, uJehova wembula ngomprofethi u-Isaya imininingwane ethile ngombuso wezwe owawuyonqoba iBhabhiloni. Akazange nje embule indlela umuzi waseBhabhiloni owawuyonqotshwa ngayo kodwa washo negama lomnqobi. Lowo mholi kwakunguKoresi, umPheresiya. (Isaya 44:28–45:2) UDaniyeli wanikwa neminye imibono emibili ephathelene noMbuso Wezwe WamaMede NamaPheresiya. Komunye wayo, lo mbuso ufanekiselwa ibhere okwakuphakanyiswe olunye uhlangothi lwalo. Latshelwa ukuba ‘lidle inyama eningi.’ (Dan. 7:5) Komunye umbono, uDaniyeli wabona lo mbuso wezwe ombaxambili ufanekiselwa inqama enezimpondo ezimbili.—Dan. 8:3, 20.

¹³ UJehova wasebenzisa uMbuso WamaMede NamaPheresiya ukuze agcwalise isiprofetho ngokugumbuqela iBhabhiloni futhi abuyisele ama-Israyeli ezweni lenkaba yawo. (2 IziKr. 36:22, 23) Nokho, kamuva wona lo mbuso wacishe waqothula abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Incwadi yeBhayibheli ka-Esteri ilandisa ngozungu olwakhiwa undunankulu wasePheresiya, uHamani. Wahlela ukuba kuqothulwe wonke amaJuda ayehlala eMbusweni omkhulu wasePheresiya futhi wabeka nosuku oluqondile okwakuzokwenziwa ngalo lokho. Ukungenela kukaJehova kuphela okwenza ukuba abantu bakhe bavikelwe nakulobo butha benzalo kaSathane. (Est. 1:1-3; 3:8, 9; 8:3, 9-14) Ngakho-ke, kuyafaneleka ukuba uMbuso WamaMede NamaPheresiya ufanekiselwe ikhanda lesine lesilo sesAmbulo.

IKHANDA LESIHLANU—IGRISI

14, 15. Imiphi imininingwane uJehova ayembula ngokuphathelene noMbuso WaseGrisi wasendulo?

¹⁴ Ikhanda lesihlanu lesilo sasendle sesAmbulo limelela iGrisi. Njengoba uDaniyeli ayembulile ekuqaleni lapho echaza iphupho likaNebukhadinezari, wona lo mbuso ubuye ufanekiselwe isisu namathanga ethusi esithombeni. UDaniyeli wanikwa nemibono emibili enikeza imininingwane emangalisayo ngesimo salo mbuso nangombusi wawo ovelele kakhulu.

¹⁵ Komunye umbono, uDaniyeli wabona iGrisi ifanekiselwa ingwe enamaphiko amane, okwakubonisa ukuthi lo mbuso wawuyonqoba ngokushesha okukhulu. (Dan. 7:6) Komunye umbono, uDaniyeli wachaza indlela impongo enophondo olulodwa olugqamile ebulala ngayo ngokushesha inqama enezimpondo ezimbili, emelela uMbuso WamaMede NamaPheresiya. UJehova watshela uDaniyeli ukuthi le mpongo yayifanekisela iGrisi nokuthi uphondo olukhulu lufanekisela enye yamakhosi ayo. UDaniyeli walandisa nokuthi uphondo olukhulu lwaluyophuka futhi esikhundleni salo kumile izimpondo ezine ezincane kunalo. Nakuba lesi siprofetho sabhalwa emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba iGrisi ikhonye, yonke imininingwane yaso yagcwaliseka. U-Alexander Omkhulu, inkosi evelele kakhulu yeGrisi yasendulo, wahola ekulweni noMbuso WamaMede NamaPheresiya. Nokho, lolu phondo lwephuka ngokushesha, njengoba le nkosi yafa umbuso wayo usadlondlobele, futhi ineminyaka engu-32 kuphela ubudala. Ngemva kwalokho, umbuso wayo wahlukaniselwa ojenene bayo abane.—Funda uDaniyeli 8:20-22.

16. Yini eyenziwa u-Antiochus IV?

¹⁶ Ngemva kokunqoba uMbuso WasePheresiya, iGrisi yabusa izwe labantu bakaNkulunkulu. Ngalesi sikhathi amaJuda ayesezinzile eZweni Lesithembiso futhi eselakhe kabusha ithempeli eJerusalema. UNkulunkulu wayesawabheka njengesizwe sakhe esikhethiwe, futhi ithempeli elalakhiwe kabusha liseyisikhungo sokukhulekela kweqiniso. Nokho, ngekhulu lesibili B.C.E., iGrisi, ikhanda lesihlanu lesilo sasendle, yahlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu. U-Antiochus IV, ongomunye wezindlalifa zombuso ka-Alexander owawusuhlukene, wabeka i-altare lobuqaba emagcekeni ethempeli eJerusalema futhi wenza ukuqhuba inkolo yamaJuda kwaba icala elinesijeziso sokufa. Yeka isenzo senzondo senzalo kaSathane! Nokho, ukuba kweGrisi umbuso wezwe kwasheshe kwaphela. Ubani owayeyoba ikhanda lesithupha lesilo sasendle?

IKHANDA LESITHUPHA, ‘ELESABEKAYO NELETHUSAYO’—UMBUSO WAMAROMA

17. Ikhanda lesithupha laba nayiphi indima ebalulekile ekugcwalisekeni kukaGenesise 3:15?

¹⁷ Kwakukhonya uMbuso WamaRoma ngesikhathi uJohane enikwa umbono wesilo sasendle. (IsAm. 17:10) Leli khanda lesithupha laba nendima ebalulekile ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho esikuGenesise 3:15. USathane wasebenzisa izikhulu zamaRoma ukuze ashaye inzalo ngegalelo elayikhubaza okwesikhashana, eyilimaza “esithendeni.” Kanjani? Zaqulisa uJesu icala lamanga lokuvukela umbuso futhi zambulala. (Math. 27:26) Kodwa lelo nxeba laphola ngokushesha ngoba uJehova wamvusa.

18. (a) Isiphi isizwe esisha uJehova asikhetha, futhi kungani? (b) Inzalo yenyoka yaqhubeka kanjani ibonisa ubutha enzalweni yowesifazane?

¹⁸ Abaholi benkolo bakwa-Israyeli bahlangana neRoma bakhela uJesu uzungu, futhi ingxenye enkulu yesizwe nayo yamala. Ngakho, uJehova wamlahla u-Israyeli wemvelo wangabe esaba isizwe sakhe. (Math. 23:38; IzE. 2:22, 23) Wabe esekhetha isizwe esisha, “u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.” (Gal. 3:26-29; 6:16) Leso sizwe sasiyibandla lamaKristu agcotshiwe elalakhiwa amaJuda nabeZizwe. (Efe. 2:11-18) Ngemva kokufa nokuvuka kukaJesu, inzalo yenyoka yaqhubeka ibonisa ubutha enzalweni yowesifazane. UMbuso WamaRoma wazama kaningi ukuqothula ibandla lobuKristu, elaliyingxenye yesibili yenzalo.c

19. (a) UDaniyeli uwuchaza kanjani umbuso wezwe wesithupha? (b) Yini ezocatshangelwa kwesinye isihloko?

¹⁹ Ephusheni likaNebukhadinezari elachazwa uDaniyeli, uMbuso WamaRoma ufanekiselwa imilenze yensimbi. (Dan. 2:33) UDaniyeli wabuye wabona umbono ongagcini nje ngokuchaza kahle uMbuso WamaRoma kodwa nombuso wezwe olandelayo owawuyovela kuwo. (Funda uDaniyeli 7:7, 8.) Kwaphela amakhulu eminyaka izitha zoMbuso WamaRoma ziwubheka ‘njengowesabekayo nowethusayo nonamandla ngokungajwayelekile.’ Nokho, isiprofetho sabikezela ukuthi kwakuyovela ‘izimpondo eziyishumi’ kulo mbuso nokuthi olunye kuzo lwaluyovelela. Ziyini lezi zimpondo eziyishumi, futhi lungubani uphondo oluncane? Lolu phondo oluncane lufanelana kanjani nencazelo yesithombe esikhulu esabonwa uNebukhadinezari? Izimpendulo zale mibuzo zizocatshangelwa esihlokweni esisekhasini 14.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]