‘UMikayeli Isikhulu’—Ungubani?

ISIDALWA somoya uMikayeli asithintwa izikhathi eziningi eBhayibhelini, kodwa lapho sithintwa khona, indaba njalo iyaye ibe idrama. KuDaniyeli simbona elwa nezingelosi ezimbi elwela abantu bakaNkulunkulu. KuJuda uphikisana noSathane ngesidumbu sikaMose. Futhi encwadini yesAmbulo uphonsela emhlabeni uSathane namademoni akhe. Ngokusobala, uMikayeli isidalwa esibalulekile ezulwini. Ngakho-ke, kungokufanelekile ukwazi ukuthi, Ngubani uMikayeli?

Eminyakeni eminingi oFakazi BakaJehova baye bafundisa ukuthi uMikayeli igama elingokwasezulwini leNdodana ezelwe yodwa kaNkulunkulu, eyabizwa ngokuthi uJesu lapho isemhlabeni. Nokho, ezinye izinkolo eziningi zibheka uMikayeli njengenye yezingelosi ezinkulu, ngokungathi yayingeyinye ingelosi enkulu. Ngokuqondene nalokhu, ingabe imfundiso yoFakazi BakaJehova ilungile? IBhayibheli lithini ngoMikayeli?

“Isikhulu Senu”

Sitshelwa ngalowo ogama lakhe linguMikayeli encwadini kaDaniyeli. Lapho ingelosi kaNkulunkulu ibhekisela kuye ngalamazwi: “Kepha isikhulu sasembusweni wasePheresiya samelana nami izinsuku ezingamashumi amabili nanye, kepha bheka, uMikayeli, omunye wezikhulu zokuqala, weza kungisiza . . . Kepha manje ngiyakubuya ukuba ngilwe nesikhulu sasePheresiya; lapho ngiphumile kuso, siyakufika isikhulu saseJavani. Kepha ngiyakutshela okulotshwe embhalweni weqiniso. Akakho noyedwa ozihlanganisa nami ukulwa nalaba ngaphandle kukaMikayeli, isikhulu senu.”—Daniyeli 10:13, 20, 21.

Lapha sibona umbono othakazelisayo wezidalwa zomoya. Sibona ukuthi izidalwa zomoya—ezimbi nezinhle—zihileleke kakhulu ezindabeni zezwe. Kwakunomoya ‘owawuyisikhulu sasembusweni wasePheresiya,’ siphikisana nemisebenzi yengelosi kaNkulunkulu. Ngemva kwePheresiya kwakuyoba ‘nesikhulu saseJavani [saseGrisi],’ esasiyokhuthaza izithakazelo zalowombuso wezwe. Phakathi kwalezidalwa zomoya, uMikayeli wayengomunye “wezikhulu zokuqala.” Isiphi isizwe ayesiqondisa futhi esivikela? Ngokusobala, kwakungabantu bakaDaniyeli, amaJuda.

Igama elithi “Mikayeli” lisho ukuthi “Ngubani onjengoNkulunkulu?” kanjalo libonisa ukuthi lesikhulu sokuqala siphakamisa ubukhosi bukaJehova. Njengoba uMikayeli ungumholi futhi wabantu bakaNkulunkulu, sinesizathu sokumfanisa nengelosi kaNkulunkulu engashiwongo igama eyathunyelwa ukuba ihole amaIsrayeli eminyakeni engamakhulu amaningi ngaphambili: “Bheka, ngiyathuma ingelosi phambi kwakho ukuba ikulondoloze endleleni, ikuyise endaweni engiyilungisileyo. Yiqaphele, ulalele izwi layo, ungayicunuli, lokhu ayiyikuthethelela iziphambeko zenu, ngokuba igama lami likuyo.”—Eksodusi 23:20, 21.

Kunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi lena kwakuyingelosi eyayidlulisela imibiko ebaluleke kakhulu kubantu bakaNkulunkulu. (IzEnzo 7:30, 35; AbAhluleli 2:1-3) Yayithole igunya elikhulu kuNkulunkulu lokwenza konke ngegama laKhe, njengoba nje namakhosi ezikhathini zasendulo ayebagunyaza labo ababethembekile, abanikeze amandla okuthi abakwenzayo bakwenze ngegama lawo.—Eksodusi 3:2, 3; 4:10.

Ingabe kukhona lapha okungasenza sikholelwe ukuthi uMikayeli noJesu Kristu bangumuntu oyedwa? Nokho, uJesu ubizwa ngokuthi “uLizwi.” (Johane 1:1) Ungumlomo kaNkulunkulu. Futhi, lesithunywa esiyingelosi esikhethekile, ngokusobala sasiwumlomo kaNkulunkulu oyinhloko kumaIsrayeli.

UMikayeli ‘Uyavela’

UMikayeli ‘wayeyisikhulu senu.’ Kodwa wayezothola igunya elengeziwe. Simbona ngokulandelayo esahlukweni sokugcina sencwadi kaDaniyeli. “Ngalesosikhathi uMikayeli uyakuvela, isikhulu esiqhamileyo esimela abantwana babantu bakho; kuyakuba-yisikhathi sokuhlupheka esingazange sibekhona kusukela ekuveleni kwabantu kuze kube-yilesosikhathi.”—Daniyeli 12:1.

UDaniyeli, kusahluko 11, usanda kuchaza ukulandelana kwemibuso yezwe kusukela esikhathini sakhe kuya esikhathini esizayo. Wachaza ngokunembile ukuwa kwePheresiya nokuphakama kweGrisi. Kwase kuba ukuhlukana phakathi kombuso wamaGreki. Amaqembu amabili ezombangazwe aphuma lapho—inkosi yasenyakatho nenkosi yaseningizimu—ayeyophikisana ngokubusa nokuqondisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Emvuthwandabeni walokho kuphikisana, uMikayeli ‘wayeyokuma.’ Kusho ukuthini lokhu?

Nokho, kwezinye izindawo zalesiprofetho, ‘ukuvela’ kusho ukuthi umuntu uthatha amandla okubusa njengenkosi. (Daniyeli 11:3, 4, 7, 20, 21) Ngakho-ke, uma uMikayeli ‘ema’ naye, futhi, uqala ukubusa njengenkosi. Cabangela ukusebenza kwalokhu.

Ngaphambi kokufa kukaDaniyeli, inkosi yokugcina yamaJuda, uSedekiya, wayedingisiwe. Kwakungeke kube khona inkosi kwaJuda emakhulwini eminyaka alandelayo. Isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli sabonisa ukuthi ngolunye usuku esikhathini esizayo abantu bakaNkulunkulu bayophinda futhi babe nenkosi—uMikayeli.

UHezekeli, oyintanga kaDaniyeli, wabikezela ngokuza kwalowo “omfanelo ingeyakhe” ukuba azobusa futhi njengenkosi yabantu bakaNkulunkulu. (Hezekeli 21:25-27) Lona ngeke afaniswe namaLevi angamaMaccabees abusa phakathi nesikhathi esifushane sokuzibusa. Njengoba kwakungesona isizukulwane senkosi uDavide, babengenayo “imfanelo” yokuba amakhosi. Kunalokho, kwakunguJesu Kristu owagcotshwa uNkulunkulu ukuba abuse njengenkosi embusweni wasezulwini. (Luka 1:31-33; 22:29, 30; IHubo 110:1) Khona-ke nguye kuphela owagcotshwa. Ngakho-ke kunengqondo ukuthi uJesu Kristu noMikayeli bangumuntu oyedwa.

KuDaniyeli isahluko 7, kunesinye isiprofetho esimayelana nokulandelana kwemibuso yezwe okufana nokukuDaniyeli isahluko 11. Nokho, emvuthwandabeni walesiprofetho, sifunda ukuthi “onjengendodana yomuntu” ‘wanikwa ukubusa, nobukhosi, nombuso.’ (Daniyeli 7:13, 14) Lowo “onjengendodana yomuntu” uqashelwa kabanzi njengoJesu. (Mathewu 10:23; 26:64; IsAmbulo 14:14) Ngakho-ke, emvuthwandabeni wesinye isiprofetho, uJesu Kristu uba yinkosi. Kwesinye isiprofetho kuDaniyeli, uMikayeli uba yinkosi. Njengoba zombili iziprofetho zenzeka ngesikhathi esisodwa futhi esenzakalweni esifanayo, ngokuqinisekile kunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi ziphathelene futhi nomuntu oyedwa.

Ingelosi Enkulu

Sifunda ngoMikayeli futhi emiBhalweni yamaKristu yesiGreki. Incwadi kaJuda iyasitshela: “Kepha uMikayeli, ingelosi enkulu, lapho ephikisana noSathane, ekhulumisana naye ngesidumbu sikaMose, akabanga nasibindi sokuletha ukwahlulela kokuhlambalaza, kodwa wathi: iNkosi mayikujezise.” (Juda 9) Lesenzakalo sisiza ukubonisa ukusondelana kukaMikayeli nabantu bakaNkulunkulu basendulo. Ngakho-ke, kusekela isizathu sokuthi wayeyingelosi eyahamba phambi kwamaIsrayeli ukuba iwavikele.

Sifunda kuJuda ukuthi uMikayeli wayenesikhundla sokuba ingelosi enkulu. Eqinisweni, wayeyingelosi enkulu, njengoba ayikho enye ingelosi enkulu eshiwoyo eBhayibhelini, futhi iBhayibheli aliyisebenzisi “ingelosi enkulu” ebuningini. “Ingelosi enkulu” isho “iNkosi yezingelosi.” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament) Phakathi kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezingumoya, mabili kuphela amagama ahlanganiswa negunya eliphezu kwezingelosi: UMikayeli noJesu Kristu. (Mathewu 16:27; 25:31; 2 Thesalonika 1:7) Nalokhu, kusho ukuthi uJesu Kristu noMikayeli bayinto eyodwa.

Ngokuthakazelisayo, igama likaJesu Kristu lihlanganiswa negama elithi “ingelosi enkulu” kwenye yezincwadi zikaPawulu. Umphostoli uyabhala: “INkosi [uJesu] uqobo iyakwehla ezulwini ngezwi lenhlokomo, ngephimbo lengelosi enkulu nangecilongo likaNkulunkulu.” (1 Thesalonika 4:16) Indaba isiyonke ichaza lesenzakalo njengesenzeka phakathi ‘nokuba khona kweNkosi,’ lapho uJesu eseqalile ukubusa njengeNkosi.—1 Thesalonika 4:15; Mathewu 24:3; IsAmbulo 11:15-18.

Kuyintando kaJehova nelungiselelo ngoJesu ukuba avuse abafileyo. (Johane 6:38-40) Icilongo likaNkulunkulu elibiza abafileyo ukuba bavuke, njengoba nje uNkulunkulu ayala ukuthi amacilongo asetshenziswe uma abantu bakaNkulunkulu behlangana ezikhathini zasendulo. (Numeri 10:1-10) UJesu ‘ubamemeza ngezwi elikhulu’ abafileyo ukuba bavuke, njengoba nje enza ngesinye isikhathi lapho esemhlabeni. (Johane 11:43) Kodwa manje uyabiza, hhayi ngezwi lomuntu njengoba enza ngalesosikhathi, kodwa ngawo onke amandla “ezwi lengelosi enkulu.” (en pho·neʹ arkh·ag·geʹlou). Nokho, ingelosi enkulu kuphela engamemeza ngezwi lengelosi enkulu! Futhi akekho omunye ngaphandle kukaJesu onikezwe igunya lokuvusa abafileyo. Ngakho-ke, lesiprofetho esithakazelisayo sinikeza obunye ubufakazi obuqinile bokufanisa uJesu nengelosi enkulu, uMikayeli.

Impi Emazulwini

Ukubonakala kokugcina kwegama likaMikayeli eBhayibhelini kusencwadini yesAmbulo. Lapho siyafunda: “Kwase kuba-khona ukulwa ezulwini; uMikayeli nezingelosi zakhe balwa nodrako. Nodrako walwa enezingelosi zakhe, kepha kabaze banqoba.” (IsAmbulo 12:7, 8) Lapha sibona uMikayeli elwa njengengelosi enkulu kaNkulunkulu. Yena, “nezingelosi zakhe” ehlula uSathane futhi emphonsa phansi emhlabeni.

Kungukuqala ‘kwesikhathi esifushane’ ngaphambi kokuba isimiso sikaSathane siqedwe ngokuphelele. Ngemva kokuqedwa kweBabiloni Elikhulu ezandleni zabezizwe, izizwe ngokwazo zibhujiswa nguJesu nempi yakhe yezingelosi. (IsAmbulo 12:12; 17:16, 17; 19:11-16) Ekugcineni, uSathane ufakwa kwalasha iminyaka eyinkulungwane, emva kwalokho uthola ukuhlushwa okukhulu “echibini lomlilo.” (IsAmbulo 20:1, 2, 10) Lokhu—isithembiso esidala ‘sokuchoboza ikhanda likaSathane’—kufezwa futhi uJesu kanye nabafowabo abangokomoya abavusiwe.—Genesise 3:15; Galathiya 3:16; Roma 16:20.

Njengoba uJesu Kristu kwaprofethwa ngaye ukuthi uzochoboza ikhanda likaSathane, futhi njengoba efeza zonke ezinye izenzo zokwahlulela, kunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi wayengahola impi yasezulwini ekuxoshweni kukaSathane ezulwini. Ngakho-ke, uMikayeli onqobayo okubhekiselwe kuye kusAmbulo 12 kumelwe kube uJesu, owatshelwa uJehova ukuba ‘abuse phakathi kwezitha zakhe.’—IHubo 110:1, 2; IzEnzo 2:34, 35.

Ukuvela kwegama likaMikayeli, esikhundleni sikaJesu, kusAmbulo isahluko 12 kudonsela ukunakekela kwethu esiprofethweni esiye sacatshangelwa ngaphambili kuDaniyeli isahluko 12. KuDaniyeli sifunda ngoMikayeli ema. (Daniyeli 12:1) KusAmbulo isahluko 12, uMikayeli ulwa njengenkosi enqobayo ephonsela uSathane emhlabeni. Umphumela: “Maye kuwe-mhlaba nakuwe lulwandle.”—IsAmbulo 12:12.

Ingabe UJesu Uyingelosi?

Abanye abafuni ukufanisa uJesu nengelosi kaJehova ethintwe emiBhalweni yesiHeberu. Yebo, ngabantu abakholelwa kuZiqu-zintathu, ukufanisa okunjalo kunenkinga njengoba kubonisa ngokusobala ukuthi akalingani noJehova uNkulunkulu. Kodwa ngisho nabanye abangayamukeli imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu banomuzwa wokuthi ukufaniswa kukaJesu nengelosi ngandlela-thile kuyamehlisa esikhundleni sakhe.

Nokho, khumbula, ukuthi incazelo eyisisekelo yegama elithi “ingelosi” (ngesiHeberu, mal·’akhʹ; ngesiGreki, agʹge·los) “isithunywa.” “NjengoLizwi” (ngesiGreki, loʹgos), uJesu uyisithunywa sikaNkulunkulu esihle kakhulu. Futhi, khumbula, ukuthi njengengelosi enkulu, ‘nanjengezibulo lezidalwa zonke,’ uJesu wayenesikhundla esiphakeme kakhulu phakathi kwezingelosi ngisho nangaphambi kokuba eze emhlabeni.—Kolose 1:15.

Iqiniso, umphostoli uPawulu wabhalela amaHeberu: “Seyabankulu [uJesu] kunezingelosi, njengalokho igama eliyifa layo likhulu kunelazo.” (Heberu 1:4; Filipi 2:9, 10) Nokho, lokhu kuchaza isimo sakhe ngemva kokuba eye waba lapha emhlabeni. Wayelokhu eyingelosi enkulu futhi “ewukuqala kokudaliweyo kukaNkulunkulu.” (IsAmbulo 3:14) Kodwa waba ngongcono kunezingelosi. ‘Igama elihle kakhulu’ noma isikhundla yinto ayengenayo ngaphambi kokuza emhlabeni. (Lemibhalo iphikisana nemfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu yokuthi iNdodana iyalingana futhi iye yalingana njalo noYise ngazo zonke izindlela.)

Ngakho-ke, iqiniso lokuthi uMikayeli uyingelosi enkulu, uyiNkosi yezingelosi, iqiniso lokuthi uyavela abuse njengeNkosi, neqiniso lokuthi uyahola ekuxoshweni kukaSathane emazulwini ngesikhathi sokuzalwa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu konke kumane kusiholela esiphethweni esisodwa: ‘UMikayeli isikhulu’ akasiye omunye ngaphandle kukaJesu Kristu ngokwakhe.—Daniyeli 12:1.

[Isithombe ekhasini 30, 31]

UMikayeli uyingelosi enkulu eyaba yinkosi . . .

. . . futhi wahola ekuxoshweni kukaSathane ezulwini