IJerusalema—“Imbangela Yenjabulo”
“Bheka, ngiyadala izulu elisha nomhlaba omusha, izinto zakuqala aziyikukhunjulwa, zingene enhliziyweni. Kepha jabulani, nethabe kuze kube-phakade ngengikudalayo, ngokuba bheka, ngilidala iJerusalema libe imbangela yokwethaba, nabantu balo babe imbangela yenjabulo. Ngiyakwethaba ngeJerusalema, ngijabule ngabantu bami.”—Isaya 65:17-19, “NW.”
1. (a) Kungani abantu bakaNkulunkulu bengathola amazwi kaIsaya 65:17-19 ejabulisa? (b) Nokho yimiphi imibuzo ephakanyiswayo ngeJeruselama?
AYAJABULISA lamazwi oMbusi iNkosi uJehova njengoba ashiwo ngomprofethi wakhe! Akhuluma ngenjabulo echichimayo. Ingabe awufuni ukuhlanganyela kuleyonjabulo? Ngempela uyafuna! Kodwa ungase ubuze, Yiliphi iJerusalema okubhekiselwe kulo lapha? Ingabe linakho ukuhlangana nomuzi wanamuhla—owumnyombo wokuphikisana kobudlova kwenkolo nokwezombangazwe? Ingabe “iJerusalema” liyoke liyigcwalise indima evumelana nencazelo yegama lalo—“Ubunikazi [noma, Isisekelo] BokuThula Okukabili”? Kungayiphi indlela “amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha” okuhlobene ngayo neJerusalema lalesiprofetho? Sizobona.
IJerusalema Lasendulo
2. Wawuyini umlando wokuqala ngendawo iJerusalema elikuyo?
2 Indawo iJerusalema elalikuyo mondando omude wokuthandwa uJehova. Akungabazeki ukuthi kwakulapha, nga phezu kweminyaka eyizi-3 900 edlule, lapho inkosi engumpristi uMelkisedeki abusisa khona uAbrahama. Ngaphezu kwalokho wadumisa uJehova njengo“Nkulunkulu oPhezukonke, uMdali wezulu nomhlaba.” (Genesise 14:18, 19) Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi lowomuzi onezintaba, iSalema, waba inqaba yamaJebusi akhulekela amademoni.
3. Yikuphi ukukhulunyelwa okwenziwayo ngeJerusalema phakathi nangemva kwesikhathi sikajoshuwa?
3 Kudlula iminyaka engaphezu kwama-400, futhi kuJoshuwa isahluko se-10 sithola ukuthintwa kwe“Jerusalema” kokuqala eBhayibhelini. Lapha sifunda ukuthi iNkosi uAdoni-Sedeki waseJerusalema wabiza amakhosi amane angomakhelwane ukuba amsize ekulweni namaIsrayeli. Kodwa uJehova wamlwela uIsrayeli. Ngisho ilanga nenyanga kwama, ukuze amaKhanani achithwe ngokuphelele. Amakhosi amahlanu anqunywa. Nokho, akushiwo ukuthi uJoshuwa wathatha iJerusalema. Eqinisweni, umbhalo uyaphawula: “AmaJebusi ayakhe eJerusalema abantwana bakwaJuda [ababezuze leyondawo] babengenakuwaxosha.”—Joshuwa 10:1-27; 15:63; AbAhluleli 1:21.
IJerusalema Lamakhosi UDavide NoSolomoni
4. IJerusalema labusiswa kanjani ezinsukwini zikaDavide noSolomoni?
4 Eminyakeni engama-400 kamuva, uDavide waba inkosi kuwo wonke uIsrayeli. Ngonyaka ka-1070 B.C.E. “uDavide wathatha nokho inqaba yaseSiyoni engumuzi kaDavide,” eJerusalema. Lapho eNtabeni iSiyoni wabusa njengenkosi ekhethwe uJehova. Indodana yakhe uSolomoni naye futhi “wahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaJehova.” Phakathi nokubusa kwakhe ngokuthula, uSolomoni wakha ithempeli elikhazimulayo eNtabeni iMoriya eJerusalema. Lelithempeli laba yindawo yokukhulekela uJehova neyokufundisa ngezwi laKhe noMthetho.—1 IziKronike 11:5; 29:33; 2 IziKronike 7:12-16.
5. Incwadi yamaHubo ilichaza kanjani iJerusalema ne‘Nkosi yalo enkulu’?
5 Amaningi amahubo adumisa ubuhle beSiyoni nobeJerusalema. Amadodana kaKora ahlabelela ngalo njengomuzi “kaNkulunkulu wethu entabeni yakhe engcwele.” Yebo, “inhle ngokuphakama ingukuthokoza komhlaba wonke intaba yaseSiyoni emaceleni asenyakatho, umuzi weNkosi enkulu [uJehova uNkulunkulu].” UDavide ngokwakhe walichaza ngalamazwi: “Izinyawo zethu sezimi emasangweni akho, Jerusalema, Jerusalema, wena owakhiwe njengomuzi ohlanganisiwe ngokuqinileyo, lapho imindeni ikhuphukela khona, imindeni kaJehova, ngokomthetho kaIsrayeli ukuba idumise igama likaJehova.” Le“Nkosi enkulu” kuthiwa ‘yakhe eJerusalema’ futhi inguMlondolozi onothando wabantu bayo. “Njengalokhu izintaba zihaqa iJerusalema, kanjalo uJehova uhaqa abantu bakhe kalokhu kuze kubephakade.”—AmaHubo 48:1, 2; 122:2-4; 135:21; 125:1, 2.
Ukuchithwa Nokubuyiselwa
6. (a) IJerusalema lafanekiselani? (b) Yisiphi isahlulelo esakhishwa ngeJeruselama, futhi ngani?
6 Ngokufanelekile, iJerusalema neNtaba iSiyoni zafanekisela isizwe sakwaIsrayeli nabantu baso. Kodwa esikhathini esingaphansi kweminyaka engama-500 labobantu bahlubuka, futhi namakhosi angalungile “agcwalisa iJerusalema ngegazi elingenacala.” (2 AmaKhosi 24:4) Benqaba ukulalela isixwayiso sabaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu, kwaze kwathi ekugcineni uMbusi iNkosi uJehova wamemezela isahlulelo kuSedekiya, inkosi yokugcina eyabusa eJerusalema, ethi: “Wethule umqhele. . . . Kuyakugumbuqelwa, kugumbuqelwe, kugumbuqelwe yimi; nalokhu akuyikuba-khona, aze afike yena omfanelo ingeyakhe, ngimnike khona.” (Hezekeli 21:26, 27) UNebukadinesari waseBabiloni wachitha iJerusalema nethempeli lalo ngo-607 B.C.E. futhi abasinda bathunjelwa eBabiloni.
7. (a) Yikuphi ukubuyiselwa okwenzeka, futhi kungani lokhu kwakumangaza? (b) IJerusalema lalihluke kanjani ngaleso sikhathi, kodwa yini ukubuyiselwa okwayenza yaphumelela?
7 Nokho, abaprofethi bakaJehova babebikezele ngokubuyiselwa okukhazimulayo kweJerusalema, futhi uJeremiya wayephawule nokuthi lokhu kwakuzokwenzeka ekupheleni kweminyaka engama-70. (Isaya 44:24–45:7; Jeremiya 25:11, 12; 29:10) Ngokumangalisayo, futhi ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho sikaJehova ngoIsaya, iBabiloni lachithwa, neNkosi yasePheresiya uKoresi yakhipha isimemezelo esavumela amaJuda esaba uNkulunkulu ukuba abuye futhi abuyisele ukukhulekela kukaJehova eJerusalema ngesikhathi esifanelekile—ngo-537 B.C.E. Njengoba uIsaya ayebikezele, “inkazimulo kaJehova, nobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu wethu” kwabuye kwakhanya kwaJuda naseJerusalema. Ngalesikhathi ayikho inkosi eyayibusa eJerusalema. Kodwa uJehova wawuthanda futhi lowomuzi ngoba igama lakhe lalibekwe lapho nangenxa yokuthembeka kwensali yabantu bakhe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lokhu wafanekisela izinto ezinkulu ezazizoza. Umuzi wakhiwa futhi, kwenza kwaba nokwenzeka ukubonakala kukaMesiya okwakuprofethiwe lapho.—Isaya 35:2; 62:1-7.
Indlu YaseJerusalema Iyasala
8. (a) Kungani ijeruselama lahluleka ukwamukela uJesu? (b) Yisiphi isiprofetho sikaJesu esagcwaliseka ngeJerusalema, futhi kanjani?
8 Ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-500 ngemva kwalokho kubuyiselwa, uMesiya ngempela wazibonakalisa kumaJuda eJerusalema. Lokhu kwenzeka futhi ngesikhathi sikaJehova esimisiwe, ngo-33 C.E., kugcwaliseka isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli sesahluko 9 amavesi 24-27. Kodwa ingabe iJerusalema lamamukela uMesiya? Cha, ngoba amathemba alo aba ngawezombusazwe. IJerusalema lalihlubukile ezimfundisweni zeZwi likaJehova, futhi ababusi bamaJuda benza ubugebengu obabungenakuxolelwa bokubulala iNdodana kaNkulunkulu! Izinsuku ezintathu nje ngaphambi kokuba aphanyekwe ngonya esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa uMesiya, uJesu, wathi kulabobantu: “Jerusalema, Jerusalema, wena obulala abaprofethi nokhanda ngamatshe abathunyelwe kuwe, kukangaki ngithanda ukubuthela ndawonye abantwana bakho njengesikhukukazi sibuthela amazinyane aso phansi kwamaphiko aso, kepha anivumanga. Bhekani, indlu yenu isisala nani.” (Mathewu 23:37, 38) IJerusalema lasemhlabeni lahlulelwa futhi lalahlwa uJehova ngalowonyaka ka-33 C.E. Ngo-70 C.E. impi yamaRoma yachitha iJerusalema nabantu abaningi balo, yabhubhisa nethempeli, kuhlanganise nemibhalo egciniwe yohlu lozalo nephathelene nesimiso sezinto samaJuda.
9. Ingabe iJerusalema liye lenza ngokuvumelana nencazelo yegama lalo?
9 Ingabe iJerusalema lasemhlabeni, lakhiwa futhi lajabulela noma yisiphi isibusiso esivela kuNkulunkulu kusukela kuleso sikhathi? Umlando walo weziphithiphithi weminyaka eyi-1 900 edlule unikeza impendulo. Futhi namuhla iJerusalema liyaqhubeka liwumuzi ohlukene ngokwenkolo. Abukho “ubunikazi bo kuthula okukabili,” ayikho inkazimulo kaJehova etholakala khona. IJerusalema lasemhlabeni alisenayo indawo enjongweni yakhe yasezulwini.
Ukuhlubuka Kuyabikezelwa
10. (a) IJerusalema elihlubukayo lifanekiselani kahle? (b) UMathewu 7:20 angasetshenziswa kanjani kuleli“Jeruselama” lanamuhla?
10 IJerusalema elahlubuka kabili, nalelo uJehova alijezisa ngokulilethela, okokuqala, abahlaseli baseBabiloni, futhi, kamuva, amabutho aseRoma, lifanekisela kahle esinye isimiso sokuhlubuka—inkolo ehleliwe yeLobukholwa. Njengoba nje ababusi abangabazenzisi baseJerusalema banikeza inkonzo yomlomo eMthethweni kaJehova, ngokufanayo abefundisi beLobukholwa bathi bakhulumela uNkulunkulu weBhayibheli. Kodwa, uJesu Kristu uthi, “njaloke niyakubazi ngezithelo zabo.” (Mathewu 7:20) Futhi luhlobo luni lwe“zithelo” eLobukholwa lanamuhla eliye laziveza? Ingabe lezi ziye zanikeza noma isiphi “Isisekelo Sokuthula Okukabili”? Cha. Kunalokho, kuye kwaba khona isithelo sezimpi ezimbili zezwe ezisabekayo, zombili zagqashuka embusweni weLobukholwa futhi zalwiwa ngesibusiso sabefundisi kuzo zombili izinhlangothi. Ngempela, amazwi angokwesiprofetho akhuluny wa uJehova eJerusalema asebenza ngisho ngokubhekisela kakhulu kubaholi benkolo beLobukholwa: “Nasemiphethweni yakho kufunyenwe igazi labampofu abangenacala. . . . Kukho konke lokhu.”—Jeremiya 2:34.
11. ELobukholwa liwagcwalise kanjani amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 24:11, 12 nakuMarku 7:6-8?
11 KukweLobukholwa namuhla lapho sithola khona okuningi ukuziphatha okubi, amadivosi, imikhaya ewohlokile, ukusetshenziswa kabi kwemilaliso nobugebengu balo lonke uhlobo. Inkolo yeLobukholwa iye yabonakala ingenamandla okuvimbela ukwanda kokungabi namthetho. (Mathewu 24:11, 12) Yeka ukuthi amazwi kaJesu asebenza kahle kanjani kubefundisi balo benkolo! Wathi: “UIsaya waprofetha kahle ngani ninabazenzisi njengokulotshiweyo ukuthi: Lesisizwe singidumisa ngezindebe zomlomo, kepha inhliziyo yaso ikude nami; kodwa bangikhonza ngeze befundisa izimfundiso eziyimiyalo yabantu. Niyeka umyalo kaNkulunkulu, nibambe isiko labantu.” Khona-ke eLobukholwa, “iJerusalema” lanamuhla elihlubukayo kuhlanganise nabo bonke ‘abaphikikristu,’ babhekene “nosizi” oluvela kuNkulunkulu lapho iNkosi uJesu Kristu ibonakaliswa ezulwini ukuba ilethe impindiselo kwabangalaleli.—Marku 7:6-8; 1 Johane 2:18, 19; 2 Thesalonika 1:6-9.
Ukubuyisela Umbuso
12. Yisiphi isikhathi soku“nyathelwa” esabikezelwa kuLuka 21:24?
12 Nokho, ingabe uJesu akazange abonise ukubuyiselwa kweJerusalema lasemhlabeni lapho ethi: “IJerusalema liyakunyathelwa phansi ngabezizwe, kuze kugcwaliseke izikhathi zabezizwe”? (Luka 21:24) Yiqiniso, iJerusalema lanyathelwa phansi iBabiloni ngo-607 B.C.E., futhi naphezu kwenkazimulo yokubuyiselwa, ayikho inkosi yohlu lukaDavide eyaphinde yabusa lowomuzi. Futhi, ekhulwini lokuqala, iJerusalema lalinyathelwa phansi amaRoma, ayenyanyeka kumaJuda ayenengqondo yezombangazwe. Kuze kube yilolusuku lwanamuhla, akukaze kube khona ukubuyiselwa kombuso ongokwasezulwini eJerusalema lasemhlabeni. Futhi akusoze kwenzeka lokho.
13. (a) ULuka 21:7-11, 24-26 uprofethani ngokuphela “kwezikhathi zabezizwe”? (b) Izehlakalo ezisukela ku-1914 kuya phambili ziqinisekisani?
13 Oh, kodwa “izikhathi zabezizwe” ziye zagcwaliseka! Wona kanye umongo wesiprofetho sikaJesu kuLuka 21 uyabonisa ukuthi lokhu kumelwe kube njani. Ingabe kuyo yonke indawo esizungezile namuhla asiziboni izinto uJesu azibikezela—‘isizwe siyakuvukela isizwe’ ezimpini ezisobala nezomshoshaphansi, ‘ukuzamazama komhlaba, umshayabhuqe wezifo, indlala, izinto ezesabekayo, usizi lwehlele izizwe, zixakeke, abantu baphele amandla ngokwesaba nangokubheka okuvelela umhlaba’? Yebo, ukuphela kwe“zikhathi zabezizwe” kuhlanganiswe nalezi zehlakalo ezizamazamisa umhlaba lezo ezagqashuka emhlabeni kusukela ngonyaka ka-1914 kuya phambili! (Luka 21:7-11, 24-26) Akukaze kumane kuqondane nje ukuthi abantu bakaJehova babekhomba phambili ku-1914 kuyo yonke iminyaka engama-35 engaphambi kwalolosuku. Baqonda ukuthi “izikhathi eziyisikhombisa” zesiprofetho sikaDaniyeli, isahluko 4, zazizophela ngo-1914, lokhu kuphawule ukuphela kokubusa kweZizwe emhlabeni ngaphandle kokuphazanyiswa uNkulunkulu.
14. Kungani uLuka 21:24 engenakubhekisela eJerusalema lasemhlabeni?
14 Ngakho ngo-1914 izizwe kwakufanele ziyeke ‘ukunyathela iJerusalema.’ Yiliphi leli“Jerusalema”? Kwakungenakuba iJerusalema lasemhlabeni elanqontshwa ujenene waseBrithani uAllenby ngo-1917 futhi elahlala lingaphansi kokubuswa iBrithani kwaze kwaba ngo1948, lapho iriphabhuliki—hhayi umbuso—yakwaIsrayeli izalwa. Khona-ke, yiliphi “iJerusalema,” uJesu ayebhekisele kulo?
15. Kungani singalindela ukuthi ‘inzalo kaDavide’ yabekwa esihlalweni sobukhosi “eJerusalema” ngo-1914 C.E.?
15 Siyakhumbula ukuthi uJehova wamisa umbuso ongokwasezulwini eJerusalema noDavide njengenkosi. KwakukuDavide lapho uJehova enza isithembiso: “Ngafunga kanye ubungcwele bami, angiyikuqamba amanga kuDavide. Inzalo yakhe iyakuma phakade, isihlalo sakhe sobukhosi sibenjengelanga phambi kwami. Iyakuma phakade njengenyanga nanjengofakazi othembekileyo osemafwini.” (AmaHubo 89:35-37) Ngokuphela kwe“zikhathi zabezizwe” ngo-1914 C.E., ‘inzalo kaDavide’ enamalungelo angokomthetho kwakufanele ibuse “eJerusalema,” noma eSiyoni. Kodwa hhayi iJerusalema lasemhlabeni!
16. (a) Khona-ke, uMesiya ubebusa kuphi kusukela ngo-1914? (b) Yibuphi ubufakazi obubonisa ukuthi uKristu useqalile ukubusa?
16 Esikhundleni salokho, manje ibusa eJerusalema, noma eSiyoni, lelo uJehova athi ngalo, kumaHubo 2:6: “Nokho ngibekile iNkosi yami eSiyoni, intaba yami engcwele.” Yilomuzi uDavide abhekisela kuwo kumaHubo 110:1, 2, lapho ekhulumma ngokwesiprofetho ngeNkosi uJesu Kristu: “Hlala ngakwesokunene sami, ngize ngenze izitha zakho zibeyisenabelo sezinyawo zakho. Intonga yamandla akho uJehova uyakuyelula eseSiyoni; busa wena phakathi kwezitha zakho.” Yebo, iNkosi yobuMesiya, uJesu Kristu, inikwe ubukhosi manje eNtabeni iSiyoni ezulwini, noma iJerusalema, ukuba ibuse phakathi kwezitha zayo. Kakade usephonse phansi emhlabeni isitha esikhulu, uSathane uDeveli. Azi ukuthi isikhathi sakhe sifushane, uSathane uye wabangela ukuba izizwe ‘zixokozele,’ njengoba umlobi wamahubo ngokufanele ekubeka kanjalo.—AmaHubo 2:1; IsAmbulo 12:7-12.
17. Kungani singalindela ukuphela masinyane koku‘xokozela’ kwezizwe?
17 Nokho, ingabe uMbusi iNkosi uJehova uvumela lezozizwe ‘zixokozele’ ngokungenakunqamuka ekumelaneni noMbuso wakhe ngeNdodana yakhe? Khumbula, amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala abekwa icala lokuthi ‘agcwalisa iJerusalema ngesifundiso sawo’; futhi ngemva kokuba lowomkhankaso wentshiseko wokushumayela obala endlini ngendlu usuzwakalisile isixwayiso, iJerusalema lasemhlabeni lihlangabezana nesahlule lo sikaJehova. (IzEnzo 5:28, 41, 42; 4:16) Ngokufanayo namuhla, oFakazi BakaJehova baye bamemezela usuku lwaKhe lwempindiselo kulo lonke eLobukholwa.
18. Kungani silindela ngethemba ukunqoba kwe“njongo yaphakade” kaJehova?
18 Ingabe manje uJehova uyohluleka ukuletha umvuthwandaba walokumemezela okukhulu embulungeni yonke kwawo wonke umlando ngeArmagedoni yakhe? Ingabe uJehova uyohluleka “ukubhubhisa ababhubhisa umhlaba”? Lutho neze! Labo amathemba abo ancike ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu babheka ngethemba ekunqobeni kwe“njongo yaphakade.” (IsAmbulo 11:18; Efesu 3:10-12, NW) NgoMbuso kaMesiya, manje obusa ngaphandle kwe“Jerusalema” lasezulwini, ‘iNkosi yethu enkulu,’ uJehova, uzobangela ukuba iGama lakhe loBukhosi lilwelwe. Khona-ke, ngokubuyisela isintu ekuphileni okuphakade ekupheleleni ePharadesi emhlabeni, uJehova uzobonisa ukuthi “unguNkulunkulu wethu phakade naphakade,” nokuthi aka“wudalelanga [umhlaba] ize.”—AmaHubo 48:14; Isaya 45:18, 22-24; 46:9-11; Jeremiya 25:31.
Ungaphendula kanjani kulokhu okulandelayo:
□ Igama elithi “Jerusalema” lisho ukuthini?
□ Ingabe umuzi uye wenza ngokuvumelana negama lawo?
□ Yikuphi okubonakala kunokufana namuhla neJerusalema elingathembekile?
□ ULuka 21:24-26 ubonisani maqondana nokuphela “kwezikhathi zabezizwe”?
□ Khona-ke yiliphi “iJerusalema” elingasa‘nyathelwa’?