Izibonakaliso Zezikhathi—Zisho Ukuthini Kuwe?
“Kuyabakuba-khona nezibonakaliso elangeni nasenyangeni nasezinkanyezini; nasemhlabeni usizi luyakwehlela izizwe, . . . Kepha nxa kuqala ukuvela lokho, lulamani, niphakamise amakhanda enu, ngokuba kusondele ukukhululwa kwenu.”—Luka 21:25, 28.
1. UJesu wasiphendula kanjani isicelo samaJuda se‘sibonakaliso esivela ezulwini’?
NGASEKUPHELENI kwenkonzo kaJesu yasemhlabeni, abaholi benkolo bobuJuda bamlinga ukuba ababonise “isibonakaliso esivela ezulwini.” Ekubakhuzeni, uJesu wathi: “Isizukulwane esibi nesiphingayo sifuna isibonakaliso, kepha asiyikunikwa-sibonakaliso, kuphela isibonakaliso sikaJona umprofethi.” Lokhu kusho ukuthi babengenakukwazi ukufunda izibonakaliso zezikhathi, noma babengazinaki.—Mathewu 16:1, 4.
2. Kungani izibonakaliso zezikhathi zibalulekile kithi namuhla?
2 Ingabe izibonakaliso zezikhathi zisho okuthile kithi namuhla? Yebo, kunjalo! Futhi uma sithatha isinyathelo ngokuvumelana nokushiwo yilezizibonakaliso, singasinda enhlekeleleni enkulu kunanoma iyiphi eyake yabangelwa izehlakalo ezimbi kakhulu zesimo sezulu esibi. Khona-ke, make sizihlole lezizibonakaliso.
3. Kungayiphi indlela izehlakalo zezikhathi zeBhayibheli zisenokubaluleka okuthile kithi?
3 Izibikezelo ezingokwesiprofetho ezibekwe eBhayibhelini eliNgcwele zisinikeza ukwaziswa okuningi ngezibonakaliso zezikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo, sitshelwa indlela izehlakalo ezenzeka ekuphileni kwabantu kumaIsrayeli asendulo ezazingabalulekile ngokomlando nje kuphela kodwa ukuthi “lezozinto zabehlela bona kube-yisibonelo; kulotshelwe ukusiyala thina, osekufikile kithi ukugcina kwezikhathi.” (1 Korinte 10:11) Ngakho-ke thina namuhla sinesixwayiso kusengaphambili ngezehlakalo ezizayo. Ngokuqaphela izenzakalo ezibalulekile zanamuhla, siyokwazi ukuthatha isinyathelo sokugwema inhlekelele ebhekene ‘nesizukulwane esibi nesiphingayo’ manje esisemhlabeni. Ngakho-ke asinakufana nalabo baholi bamaJuda bekhulu lokuqala labo uJesu abonisa ukuthi babengaqondanga izibonakaliso zezikhathi.—Mathewu 16:4; IzEnzo 2:40.
4. Isiphi “isibonakaliso” esihlangene esanikezwa uJesu, futhi sasihlanganisani?
4 UmProfethi Omkhulu, uJesu Kristu, wanikeza “isibonakaliso” esihlangene sezinto ezazizokwenzeka ukuze singaphawuli nje kuphela ukuphela kwesimiso sezinto samaJuda ekhulwini lokuqala, kodwa ukuphela kwesimiso sezinto somhlaba wonke namuhla. Ukwenezela esixwayisweni se“zimpi namahemuhemu ezimpi,” wabikezela ngomonakalo wembulunga yonke owawuyoqubuka lapho ‘isizwe sasiyovukela isizwe nombuso uvukele umbuso.’ Futhi, kwakuyoba khona ‘ukuntuleka kokudla nokuzamazama komhlaba izindawo ngezindawo.’—Mathewu 24:3-8.
5. Abaprofethi bamanga babengasibheka kanjani lesi“sibonakaliso”?
5 UJesu futhi wabikezela ngokuvela kwabaprofethi bamanga abaningi ababeyokuza ngegama lakhe futhi badukise abaningi ngokunganaki ukubaluleka kwe“sibonakaliso” esasiyophawula ukuba khona kwakhe emandleni oMbuso. Babengeke bakubone okushiwo “isibonakaliso” esihlangene esanikezwa uJesu, njengoba silotshwe kuMathewu, izahluko 24 no-25, noma okushiwo ezinye izibonakaliso ezaziyophawula isikhathi sethu esinzima, njengokuwohloka komphakathi nokonakaliswa komhlaba. Kodwa ingabe asizibonanga yini izenzakalo ezinjalo kulelikhulu lamashumi amabili?
6. (a) Naphezu kokukhula kwezinkathazo kusukela ngo-1914 ylnl leyo abaholi benkolo abaye baphikelela ngayo? (b) Kodwa izimo zezwe ziqhubeka kanjani?
6 Igagasi elikhulu lezinkathazo ezagqashuka phezu kwesintu ngokuzumayo kusukela ngonyaka ka-1914 C.E., neMpi Yezwe I futhi kuqhubeke kuze kube ngeMpi Yezwe II alizange liyeke kuze kube manje. Lokhu kunjalo naphezu kwabaholi benkolo abaye basekela izimiso ezifana neNhlangano Yezizwe engasekho kanye neyanamuhla inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene, futhi abaphikelela ngokuthi esikudingayo manje abantu abafanelekile ezikhundleni zezombangazwe ukuba baqinisekise ukubuyela kuNkulunkulu ngenxa yesibusiso sakhe. Nokho, yonke indawo sizungezwe ubufakazi bokuthi isimo sokuphila emhlabeni siya siwohloka, ukuthi izimo ziya ziba zimbi njalo, ukuthi ukwesaba nokuzindlekela, ubugebengu nobudlova, sekuye kwaba yinsakavukela kuleminyaka yokugcina yama-20.
Lokho Okushiwo Abaholi Bezwe
7. Abaholi bezwe bayiveza kanjani imibono yabo?
7 Ingabe lokhu kuzwakala kuwukuba nombono omubi ngezinto? Nokho, abantu bezombangazwe basibona kahle isimo esibucayi esikhona. Ngokwesibonelo, uThomas J. Watson owayeyinxusa laseMelika eSoviet Union, lapho kukhulunywa naye muva nje wathi: “Ngibona izwe liyingozi ngokwengeziwe kunokuba lalike laba njalo emlandweni walo.” Futhi umuntu othembela kokuhle isikhathi eside, isazi sezokuhlalisana kwabantu nezomnotho saseSwidi uGunnar Myrdal, usho lamazwi: “Yonke into iyesabeka. . . . Sasithembele ekuguqukeni, emfundweni. Manje sesibhekene nezwe lapho kunzima kakhulu ukuba nombono wokuhle.”
8. (a) Yini eyisizathu sokwethuka manje? (b) Iziphi izinto ezibikezelwe kusAmbulo isahluko 6 eziyingxenye yesibonakaliso sezikhathi?
8 Ingabe azikho izizathu ezizwakalayo zokunjalo ukuntuleka kwethemba lokuhle phakathi kwabaholi abavelele ezweni? Ukunqwatshelwaniswa okumangalisayo kwezikhali manje okuqhubekayo phakathi kwezizwe zomhlaba akunakulinganiswa emlandweni. Lokhu kukodwa kuyisizathu sokwethuka. Izindleko zokunjalo ukuncintisana ngezikhali ziye zenezela ekukhuphukeni kwamanani okusongela iminotho yezizwe nokuphakamisa intengo yazo zonke izinhlobo zezimpahla nezinkonzo. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kusAmbulo ekuchazeni ukugibela kwabagibeli bamahhashi besAmbulo, abamelele impi, indlala nezifo kuxwayisa ngokuthi izindleko zokudla ziyokhuphuka kuze kufinyelele ezingeni lapho ingxenye encane kakolweni isithengiswa ngodenariyu noma umholo wosuku. Yeka indlela lokhu okuyiqiniso ngayo ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba namuhla! Lezizenzakalo ezesabisayo, ezithinta indlela yethu yokuphila, zonke ziyingxenye yezibonakaliso zezikhathi.—IsAmbulo 6:3-8.
Lokho Okwabikezelwa UJesu Kristu
9. (a) Ikuphi ukuhlakanipha okubonakala sekuphelile? (b) Isiphi isiprofetho sikaJesu manje esithola ukugcwaliseka okuqondile?
9 Kubonakala sengathi ukuhlakanipha kwabantu abahlakaniphile bezombangazwe nabezemisebenzi kuye kwaphela. (Isaya 29:14) Akekho umuntu ohlakaniphile embusweni onekhambi eligculisayo ezinkathazweni zezwe noma ngisho nezinkinga zesizwe esisodwa. Kunalokho, kukhona ukwesaba ngesikhathi esizayo, njengoba nje uJesu abikezela: “Nasemhlabeni usizi luyakwehlela izizwe, zixakeke ngokuduma kolwandle namaza, abantu baphele amandla ngokwesaba nangokubheka okuvelela umhlaba; ngokuba amandla ezulu ayakunyakaziswa.”—Luka 21:25, 26.
10. (a) Ulwandle luye ‘lwazanyazanyiswa kanjani’? (b) Amandla ezulu aye ‘anyakaziswa kanjani’?
10 Ngokunqwatshelwaniswa kwezikhali ngejubane elingaphezu kokuqondisa kwezizwe, ulwandle olungokoqobo lugcwele izikhali zempi ngohlobo lwemikhumbi nemikhumbi ehamba ngaphansi kwamanzi ekwazi ukuthwala amakhanda empi enyukliya abulalayo angase abhuqe izigidi zabantu lilinye. Ngempela ulwandle luyaduma futhi ‘luyazamazama.’ Futhi kuthiwani ngesibhakabhaka nomkhathi ophezu kwethu? Ngokuvumelana namazwi kaJesu ‘amandla ezulu ayanyakaziswa’ ngenxa yokuthi izindiza zempi, amarokhethi izikhali ezicitshwayo nokufanayo, zingakwazi ukutshuza emkhathini, zidabule izilwandle namazwekazi ukuze ziyoshaya isitha.
11. Imibiko yezindaba ikufakazela kanjani ukuthi izizwe ‘zixakekile’?
11 Imibiko yamaphephandaba ifakazela ngamandla ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sokuthi ‘izizwe zixakekile’ ngezinkinga zazo. Ngokwesibonelo, phawula ukukhulumela okulandelayo embikweni wamakhasi angama-300 owawuya enhlanganweni yeZizwe Ezihlangene owenziwa ikomishane eyayiholwa owangaphambili ukhansela waseNtshonalanga Jalimane, uWilly Brandt njengoba kwabikwa kuyiStar saseToronto sikaMay 31, 1980: “Eqinisweni [umbiko] uthi umnotho wezwe uyawohloka futhi ukuqhubeka kwezimo ezikhona kuyoholela enhlekeleleni. . . . Izihluthulelo eziphindiwe eminyango, abangqayi abahlomile nokwesaba ukuthunjwa nokubulawa kuyimivuzo emisha yentuthuko cishe yonke indawo.” Futhi esingenisweni sakhe siqu embikweni uBrandt uthi: “Impi ngokuvamile icatshangelwa njengokuxabana kwamasosha ngisho ukubulala. Kodwa kukhona okukhulayo ukuqaphela ukuthi ingozi efanayo ingase ibe inhlekelele—ngenxa yendlala enkulu, inhlekelele yezomnotho, ingozi ezungezile ngisho nobushokobezi.”
12. Amazwi kaJeremiya agcwaliseka kanjani namuhla?
12 Kuphi-ke ukucabanga okukhanyiselwe nokuhlelwa obekufanele kuvele kubaholi bezombangazwe nabezemisebenzi kulezikhathi ezinzima? Njengoba umprofethi wasendulo uJeremiya abonisa ngabaholi ekhulwini lesikhombisa B.C.E., kungokufanayo nangesikhathi sethu: “Bheka, balilahlile izwi likaJehova, banokuhlakanipha kuni na?” (Jeremiya 8:9) Kuncane kakhulu!
13. Iziphi izehlakalo emhlabeni ezibonisa izimo zendlala eziya ziba zimbi, futhi ekugcwalisekeni kwasiphi isiprofetho?
13 Kumelwe bazi ukuthi inani labantu elandayo nokukhiqizwa kokudla okunciphayo kusho iNDLALA, kodwa akukho sinyathelo esiqatha noma icebo elinengqondo ngesilinganiso sembulunga yonke sokuhlangabezana nesimo esesisonqenqemeni kakade. Umbiko ophawulwe ngenhla owawuya eZizweni Ezihlangene uqhubeka ulandisa ngokukhula okwethusayo enanini labantu emhlabeni—abangaphezu kwesigidi esisodwa abengeziwe njalo ngezinsuku ezinhlanu, nokwanda okulinganiselwa kubantu abayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili emashumini amabili eminyaka ezayo. Ngesikhathi esifanayo ukufuneka kokudla kwanda ngokwenani labantu, ngisho nakuba kukhona ukungabaza okukhulu ngokuqondene nekhono lamazwe akhiqiza ukudla okusanhlamvu ukuba aveze ukudla okudingekayo manje. “Kube-khona indlala . . . izindawo ngezindawo,” yilokho okwabikezelwa uJesu ukuthi okwakuzofika ezinsukwini zokugcina zesimiso salelizwe.—Mathewu 24:7.
14. UJesu wazibikezela kanjani ezinye izinto ezimbi zosuku lwethu?
14 Futhi, cabangela ukwanda kobugebengu bobudlova kuzo zonke izizwe zemisebenzi. UJesu wabikezela nangalokhu “ukwanda kokubi.” (Mathewu 24:12) Ingabe ngempela kumelwe sikholelwe ukuthi ikhambi liwukunikeza isakhamuzi ngasinye isibhamu futhi siqeqeshwe ukuthi singasisebenzisa kanjani? Nokho, ngokusobala kuwukucabanga kwabaningi abaholi bezwe, ngoba baphikelela ngokunqwabelanisa izikhali zempi ukuze kube-khona ukuthula. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, kulinganiselwa ukuthi amakhulu ezigidi abantu ayalamba futhi awakutholi ukudla okunomsoco, kuyilapho ezinye izigidi ziyizisulu zikamalaleveva nobumpumputhe obubangelwa yimifula—ukugula okungase kuncishiswe kodwa ingxenye enkulu yemali isetshenziswa ezikhalini. Lezizibonakaliso ziyiyo yonke ingxenye yezikhathi ezabikezelwa uJesu.—Luka 21:10, 11.
Isikhathi ‘Sokuqala Ukubaleka’
15. Ngokwesiprofetho sikaJesu, kunini lapho labo abasebenzisa ingqondo bethatha isinyathelo, futhi kanjani?
15 UmProfethi Omkhulu kaNkulunkulu, uJesu wakhomba kwezinye izici eziningiliziwe zesibonakaliso esihlangene okumelwe sigcinwe yilabo abafuna ukusinda ukubhujiswa. Ziyini lezozibonakaliso? Wathi: “Ngakho-ke nxa nibona amanyala encithakalo ashiwo nguDaniyeli umprofethi emi endaweni engcwele—ofundayo makaqaphele—khona abaseJudiya mababalekele ezintabeni, . . . Ngokuba lapho kuyakuba-khona usizi olukhulu olungazange lube-khona kwasekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube-manje nolungasayikuba-khona.”—Mathewu 24:3, 15, 16, 21.
16. Ikuphi ukugcwaliseka kwangaphambili uMathewu 24:15, 16 aba nakho?
16 Lesisiprofetho saba nokugcwaliseka kwangaphambili lapho amabutho amaRoma evimbezela iJudiya neJerusalema ngo-66 C.E., ebuya futhi ezobhubhisa isimiso sobuJuda ngo-70 C.E. Nokho, amazwi kaJesu aphethe isigijimi esimangalisayo ngathi sonke esiphila manje ngawo-1980. Sazi kanjani?
17. Kungani uMathewu 24:21 aba nokugcwaliseka okuwumvuthwandaba osukwini lwethu?
17 Ukubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-70 C.E. kwakungekhona okukhulu kakhulu emlandweni. Kuye kwaba khona izinhlekelele ezimbi kakhulu kokubili ngaphambi futhi kusukela lapho, ezihilela ukuhlupheka okukhulu nokufa kwabantu. Kodwa lesisiprofetho sikhuluma ngosizi okungekho olulingana nalo. Eqinisweni kuwusizi lokugcina, ngoba usizi olunjalo ‘alusayikuba-khona.’ Ayini-ke “lamanyala encithakalo”? Sitshelwe ukuba siwabheke ‘endaweni engcwele.’ Ingabe siyakubona ukugcwaliseka osukwini lwanamuhla?
18. (a) Namuhla, ayini “amanyala encithakalo”?
18 Ezikhathini zanamuhla “amanyala encithakalo” amelene nombuso kaNkulunkulu futhi anamandla amakhulu kunoMbuso waseRoma ami ‘endaweni engcwele.’ AyiZizwe Ezihlangene, manje ezibunjwa izizwe eziyi-157 kuhlanganisa imibuso emikhulu enezikhali zenyukliya ezanele ukubhubhisa isintu ebusweni bomhlaba izikhathi eziphindaphindiwe. Umlandeli weNhlangano Yezizwe ‘uyenyanyeka’ kuJehova uNkulunkulu nakuJesu Kristu nakubafundi bakhe ngoba uzisholo ukuba umi endaweni yombuso kaNkulunkulu ezandleni zeNkosi yakhe emisiwe uJesu Kristu, emazulwini. (Mathewu 5:35; Marku 13:14) Kodwa eLobukholwa futhi lithi linayo ‘indawo engcwele.’ Iwukusebenza okuye kwathathwa ezingxenyeni ezinkulu zomhlaba ngamalungu ezombangazwe eZizwe Ezihlangene. Ngokushesha izimiso zenkolo zeLobukholwa nanoma yikuphi ukusho kwalo ukuthi line‘ndawo engcwele,’ liyobhubhiswa ngokuphelele njengoba kwabhujiswa isimiso sobuJuda ngo-70 C.E.a Njengoba isAmbulo 17:5, 16, 17 sibonisa, zonke izingxenye zenkolo yamanga emhlabeni wonke—“iBabiloni Elikhulu”—liyobhujiswa ngesikhathi esifanayo, ngaphambi kwempi yeArmagedoni, umvuthwandaba “wosizi olukhulu.”—IsAmbulo 16:14, 16; 19:11-21.
19. (a) Isiphi isenzo, esabikezelwa uJesu abefundisi beLobukholwa abaye behluleka ukuhlanganyela kuso, futhi ngani? (b) Ubani oye wathwala lomthwalo wemfanelo, namuphi umphumela?
19 Futhi uJesu wabikezela ukuthi, phakathi kwalezizimo zezwe eziya ziba zimbi umkhankaso obumbene wokushumayela embulungeni yonke uyofezwa ngabalandeli bakhe abathembekile. Khumbula amazwi akhe: “Lelivangeli lombuso liyakushunyayelwa ezweni lonke, kube-ngubufakazi ezizweni zonke, andukuba kufike ukuphela.” (Mathewu 24:14) Umsebenzi onjalo womhlaba wonke awuqhutshwa ngabefundisi beLobukholwa ngoba bangabangane balesisimiso sezinto sezwe. (Jakobe 4:4) Obani-ke, abagcwalisa lowomyalo? Ingabe abalandeli bakaJesu abathembekile emhlabeni, abangeyona ingxenye yezwe, bebengematasa yini beshumayela lezizindaba zoMbuso obala nasezindlini ngezindlu iminyaka engaphezu kwamashumi ayi-60 manje, bezethula kusukela ngo-1931 njengoFakazi BakaJehova? (Isaya 43:10, 12) Futhi abazange yini basibekele wonke umhlaba ngezigidigidi zezincwadi eziphethe “izindaba ezinhle” zokuthi ngokushesha manje uMbuso noma uhulumeni, obuswa uKristu ezulwini uzothatha isikhundla sayo yonke imibuso yabantu abangaphelele nenobugovu? Umsebenzi wabo awuzange nje kuphela ulethe izindaba ezinhle ngokubonisa incazelo yezibonakaliso zezikhathi kodwa futhi uye wasebenza njengesixwayiso saphezulu sosuku lukaNkulunkulu lwempindiselo oluzayo.—Isaya 61:2.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Bheka INqabayokulinda kaJuly 1, 1972, amakhasi 291-308, nekaJuly 1, 1976, amakhasi 308-312; nethi “Intando Yakho Mayenziwe Emhlabeni, amakhasi 272-280.
Uyayikhumbula yini indlela isici ngasinye kwezilandelayo ‘sezinsuku zokugcina’ esichazwe ngayo esiprofethweni seBhayibheli?
□ Izimpi zezwe zihaqe izizwe
□ Indlala yembulunga, ukuzamazama komhlaba, izifo
□ Ukwanda kobubi, ubugebengu, nesiphithiphithi
□ Ukuvela kwabaholi abaningi bamanga
□ Usizi olungenakulinganiswa phakathi kwezizwe
□ Ukuzanyazanyiswa kolwandle izikhali zemikhumbi
□ Ukuzanyazanyiswa kwamazulu impi yezikhali
(b) Ami kanjani manje ‘endaweni engcwele’?
(c) Siyoba yini isiphetho sezinkolo zeLobukholwa?
(d) NgokwesAmbulo, kuyokwenaba kangakanani ukubhujiswa kwenkolo, kwandulele siphi isiphetho?
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
Lapho abaholi benkolo bobuJuda belinga uJesu ukuba enze isibonakaliso, yini ayenza?
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
Njengoba amabutho amaRoma “asongela indawo engcwele” yamaJuda, ngakho-ke izizwe zezombangazwe zisongela ukubusa kweLobukholwa okusebenzayo namuhla. Kuyisikhathi sokubaleka!