Isibonakaliso—Ingabe Usibonile?
“EKUJULENI kolwandle, umkhumbi-ngwenya omude, onengaphambili elisandilinga umile awunyakazi, awushukunyiswa amagagasi ahlokoma phezu kwamanzi olwandle anesiphepho. Umkhumbi-ngwenya uvuleka phezulu bese kuphuma irokhethi elinobude obungamamitha ayi-9 nobubanzi obungamamitha angu-1,4 liqonde ngaphezu kwamanzi. Irokhethi liqala uhambo lwalo liqhubezelwa ngenhla umoya ophuma kulo ngamandla, kodwa lapho lifinyelela phezu kwamanzi olwandle, injini yalo iyaduma bese irokhethi liqhuma emanzini ngokuduma.”
Leyoncazelo yesikhali esizitshuzela ngokwaso esicitshwe umkhumbi-ngwenya, evela encwadini iRockets, Missiles and Spacecraft, ebhalwe nguMartin Keen, yenza isiprofetho samandulo esibikezela ngesikhathi sokucindezeleka kwezwe “ngokuduma kolwandle” sibe nencazelo. (Luka 21:25) Kukhulu kangakanani ukusongela okuvela kumikhumbi-ngwenya yezikhali ezizitshuzela ngokwazo?
Ngokwencwadi ethi Jane’s Fighting Ships 1986-87, iBrithani, China, iFrance, iSoviet Union, neUnited States zinemikhumbi-ngwenya enezikhali ezizitshuzela ngokwazo eyi-131 esetshenziswayo kakhulu. Akukho dolobha engenakulifinyelela, futhi lezozikhali ngokuvamile ziwela cishe phakathi nekhilomitha elilodwa nengxenye lezwe eliyisisulu. Ngokwe The Guinness Book of Records, eminye ithwala izikhali ezanele “ukubhubhisa noma yiliphi izwe eliphakathi namakhilomitha angu-8 000.” Okubi ngisho nangokwedlulele, abanye baye bathi izikhali ezikumkhumbi-ngwenya wezikhali ezizitshuzela ngokwazo owodwa vó zingadala inhlekelele yenuzi eyofaka konke okuphilayo emhlabeni engozini! Ukulawulwa kwemikhumbi-ngwenya ekude nakho kuyinkinga. Kwesatshwa ukuthi isenzo sokuphamazela kumkhumbi-ngwenya owodwa singadala impi yenuzi ebhubhisayo.
Abaningi baye bahlanganisa ukulindela okuthusa kanjalo nesibonakaliso sikaJesu esingokwesiprofetho. Kungenzeka yini ukuthi isizukulwane sethu sibona ukugcwaliseka kwalesosibonakaliso? Amaqiniso aphendula ngokuthi: yebo. Futhi lokhu kusho ukuthi ukukhululeka ekusongeleni kwempi yenuzi kusondele. (Luka 21:28, 32) Njengoba kunethemba eliqhakaze kanjalo, sikumema ukuba ucabangele ubufakazi bokugcwaliseka ‘kwesibonakaliso’ Lapha ngezansi kuhlelwe ezinye izici ezivelele zesibonakaliso kanye nokugcwaliseka kwazo kwanamuhla.
“Isizwe siyakuvukela isizwe, nombuso uvukele umbuso.” (Luka 21:10)
Kusukela ngo-1914 abantu abangaphezu kwezi-100 000 000 baye bafa ezimpini. IMpi Yezwe I yagqashuka ngo-1914 futhi yayihilela amazwe angama-28, kungasabalwa amazwe amaningana angaphansi kweYurophu alolosuku. Ambalwa amazwe angazange athathe-hlangothi. Yathatha ukuphila okungaphezu kwezi-13 000 000 futhi kwalimala amasosha angaphezu kwezi-21 000 000. Khona-ke kwafika iMpi Yezwe II, eyayibhubhisa kakhulu ngokwengeziwe. Futhi kwenzekeni kusukela lapho? Esihlokweni esithi “Izimpi Zezwe,” iphephandaba laseNingizimu Afrika iThe Star lacaphuna iTimes yaseLondon yangeSonto ithi: “Isigamu sezizwe zomhlaba muva nje sihileleke ezimpini.”
“Kuyakuba-khona ukuzamazama okukhulu komhlaba.” (Luka 21:11)
Encwadini yabo ethi Terra Non Firma, oprofesa baseYunivesithi yaseStanford uGere noShah bafaka ohlwini imininingwane ‘yokuzamazama komhlaba okuphawulekayo’ okuyi-164 okuhlehlela emuva eminyakeni engaphezu kwezinkulungwane ezintathu edlule. Kulengqikithi, okungama-89 kwagadla kusukela ngo-1914, kuthatha ukuphila okulinganiselwa esi-1 047 944. Loluhlu lwaluhlanganisa ukuzamazama komhlaba okukhulu kuphela, futhi kusukela ekukhishweni kwencwadi ethi Terra Non Firma ngo-1984, kuye kwenzeka ukuzamazama komhlaba okubhubhisayo eChile, eSoviet Union, naseMexico, kwaphumela ekufeni kwezinkulungwane ezengeziwe.
“Kuyakuba-khona . . . imiqedazwe yezifo.” (Luka 21:11, “NW”)
Ngo-1918 umqedazwe wesifo esibhubhisayo wahlasela isintu. Nakuba wawubizwa ngokuthi umkhuhlane waseSpain, wasakazeka kuyo yonke indawo eyakhiwe ngaphandle kwasesiqhingini saseSt. Helena futhi wabulala abantu abaningi ukwedlula ababulawa eminyakeni emine yempi. Isayensi yezokwelapha iye yenza intuthuko enkulu kusukela ngalesosikhathi, kodwa isekhona indida. IThe Lancet iyachaza: “Ukuphikelela kwezifo ezithathelwana ngobulili [sexually transmitted diseases] (STD) njengeqoqo elivame kakhulu lezifo ezithathelwanayo okufanele zibikwe eMnyango wezempilo kuyindida yezokwelapha kwanamuhla. . . . Ukunqandwa kwezifo ezithathelwana ngobulili ngesinye isikhathi kwakubonakala sengathi kufinyelelwe kodwa kuye kwasiphunyuka eminyakeni yamuva nje.”
Kuneminye imiqedazwe yezifo ukwelapha kwanamuhla okuye kwehluleka ukuyinqanda, enjengomdlavuza nesifo semithambo yenhliziyo ethiwa icoronary. Lesifo esiphawulwe muva ngokweS A Family Practice “siyisici esisha. . . . Siwumphumela womphakathi wangemva kwempi yezwe yokuqala.” EBrithani, isifo senhliziyo nomfutho onamandla ngokwedlulele wegazi “kuyimbangela eyinhloko yokufa,” ngokusho kwencwadi iCardiovascular Update—Insight Into Heart Disease. Inezela ngokuthi “incane kakhulu intuthuko eseyenziwe ekuzinqandeni.”
Emazweni asathuthuka, izigidi ziphethwe umalaleveva, isifo sobuthongo, isichenene, nezinye izifo. Esinye sababulali ababi kakhulu emhlabeni wonke isifo sohudo. Umagazini iMedicine International uyachaza: “Kuye kwalinganiselwa ukuthi izenzakalo zesifo sohudo eziyizigidi ezingama-500 unyaka [ngamunye] cishe zenzeka ezinsaneni nasebantwaneni abancane baseAsia, eAfrika naseLatin America, zibangele ukufa kwabantu abaphakathi kwezigidi eziyi-5 neziyi-18.”
“Kuyakuba-khona . . . nendlala.” (Luka 21:11)
Ukuntuleka kokudla ngokuvamile kuhambisana nempi. Kwakunjalo nangeMpi Yezwe I. Indlala embi yaba khona ngemva kokugqashuka kwayo. Futhi kwenzekani kusukela lapho? Elinye iphephandaba elikhethekile iThe Challenge of Internationalism Forty Years of the United Nations (1945-1985) liyabika: “Nakuba ngo-1950 kwakunabantu cishe abayizigidi eziyi-1 650 abangondlekile kahle ngo-1983 kwakunabayizigidi eziyizi-2 250; ngamanye amazwi, ukwanda ngezigidi ezingama-600 noma ngamaphesenti angama-36 ngaphezulu.” Indlala ebhubhisayo yalandela isomiso samuva nje saseAfrika. “Ngonyaka owodwa,” kusho umagazini iNewsweek, “abalimi base-Etiyopiya abangangesigidi nabantwana baseSudan abayizi-500 000 bafa.” Izinkulungwane eziningi ezivela kwamanye amazwe nazo zafa.
“Kube-khona izinto ezesabekayo nezibonakaliso ezinkulu ezivela ezulwini. Kuyakuba-khona izibonakaliso elangeni nasenyangeni nasezinkanyezini; nasemhlabeni usizi luyakwehlela izizwe, zixakeke ngokuduma kolwandle namaza, abantu baphele amandla ngokwesaba nangokubheka okuvelela umhlaba.” (Luka 21:11, 25, 26)
IMpi Yezwe I yaletha izikhali ezintsha ezisabisayo. Emazulwini, izindiza nemikhumbi-mkhathi yempi kwakunisa amabhomu nezinhlamvu. Okwesabisa ngisho nangokwengeziwe kwakuyimbubhiso eyanetha abangabuthiwe empini abangenakuzisiza ngeMpi Yezwe I, kuhlanganise naleyo yamabhomu amabili eathomu.
Ulwandle nalo lwaba inkundla yezinto ezithusayo ezintsha. Lapho kugqashuka iMpi Yezwe I, imikhumbi-ngwenya yayibhekwa njengengelutho kakhulu, kodwa ekupheleni kweMpi Yezwe II, yayisicwilise imikhumbi yempi engaphezu kwezinkulungwane eziyishumi. “Ukucwilisa imikhumbi yezentengiselwano, kuhlanganise nemikhumbi ethwala [abagibeli], ngaphandle kokuxwayisa kwabonakala kuyingxenye yomkhuba omusha nosabisayo ‘wempi yangazo zonke izindlela,’” kusho uNorman Friedman encwadini yakhe ethi Submarine Design and Development.
Namuhla abaningi babheka imikhumbi-ngwenya yezikhali ezizitshuzela ngokwazo njengemikhumbi ebaluleke ngokukhethekile yomhlaba wonke. Izikhali ezibhubhisayo zithwalwa futhi imikhumbi-ngwenya enesivinini yezikhali ezitshuzayo, imikhumbi ethwala izindiza zempi, neminye imikhumbi yempi. Ngokwencwadi ethi Jane’s Fighting Ships 1986-87, manje kunemikhumbi-ngwenya engama-929, imikhumbi ethwala izindiza zempi engama-30, imikhumbi emikhulu enesivinini engama-84, izikebhe zokuvikela imikhumbi yempi ezingama-367, imikhumbi engemikhulu engama-675, izikebhe zokugada imikhumbi yezentengiselwano ezingama-276, izikebhe ezincane ezihlasela ngesivinini eziyizi-2 024, nezinkulungwane zeminye imikhumbi yempi esetshenziswa yizizwe ezingama-52. Okunezela kulokhu amabhomu amaningi acushiwe amancane kodwa abhubhisayo. Akukaze kube khona’ukudunyiswa’ okuyingozi kangaka kolwandle umuntu.
Umuntu uye wafinyelela futhi “elangeni nasenyangeni nasezinkanyezini.” Izikhali ezizitshuzela ngokwazo zitshuzela emkhathini ngaphambi kokuba zehlele ezisulwini zazo. Imikhumbi-mkhathi iye yangena esimisweni selanga nangalé kwaso. Izizwe ziye zancika ngokuphelele kwimikhumbi-mkhathi eyenziwe ngabantu ezungeza umhlaba. Imikhumbi-mkhathi yokuhlola indawo neyokuhlola isimo sezulu izenza zikwazi ukunemba izikhali ezitshuzayo zempi ngokunemba okubhubhisayo. Imikhumbi-mkhathi yezokuxhumana neyezinhloli nayo isetshenziswa kabanzi. “Imikhumbi-mkhathi,” kusho uMichael Sheehan encwadini yakhe ethi The Arms Race, “isiye yaba amehlo, izindlebe namazwi amabutho ahlomile emibuso emikhulu.”
Isibonelo samuva nje siwukuhlaselwa kweLibya ngezindiza. IAviation Week & Space Technology iyabika: “Izithombe zomkhumbi-mkhathi waseU.S. . . . zasetshenziswa emalungiselelweni okuhlasela nemiphumela yangemva kwakho. ISimiso Semikhumbi-mkhathi Yezokuvikela Nokuhlola Isimo Sezulu sanikeza imininingwane yesimo sezulu sokuhlasela futhi imikhumbi-mkhathi yezokuxhumana kwezempi yayihilelekile ekuyaleni nasekunqandeni.” Ngenxa yendima ebalulekile efezwa imikhumbi-mkhathi yezempi, yomibili imibuso emikhulu inezikhali ezilwa nemikhumbi-mkhathi. Ukugcinwa kwezikhali emkhathini kuyinhloso esobala yombuso omkhulu owodwa esimisweni ngokuvamile esibizwa ngokuthi Izimpi Zezinkanyezi. Ukuthi imibuso emikhulu ngempela izoba nempi yasemkhathini noma cha, kusazobonakala.
Ngesikhathi esifanayo, njengoba kwabikezelwa, “abantu baphele amandla ngokwesaba nangokubheka okuvelela umhlaba.” Ubugebengu, ubuphekula, ukuwohloka kwezomnotho, ukungcolisa kwamakhemikhali, nokungcoliswa kwemisebe ngobuthi obuvela ezikhungweni zamandla enuzi, kuhambisana nokusongela okukhulayo kwempi yenuzi konke kuyizimbangela ‘zokwesaba.’ Umagazini waseBrithani iNew Statesmen ubika ukuthi abevé eshumini elinambili balelozwe “abangaphezu kwengxenye” “banomuzwa wokuthi impi yenuzi iyokwenzeka esikhathini sokuphila kwabo, futhi abangamaphesenti angama-70 bakholelwa ukuthi iyokwenzeka nakanjani ngolunye usuku.”
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 7]
Isibonakaliso—Sisho Ukuthini?
Izigidi, ngemva kokuba zihlole isibonakaliso zinombono womlando wekhulu lama-20 leminyaka, ziye zaqiniseka ngokugcwaliseka kwaso. (Bheka futhi uMathewu, isahluko 24 noMarku, isahluko 13.) Isizukulwane sika-1914 ngempela singesiphawuliwe. Yiso esihilelekile ekugcwalisekeni kwesibili kwamazwi kaJesu: “Lesisizukulwane asiyikudlula kungakenzeki konke.” (Luka 21:32) Amazwi athi “konke” ahlanganisa nokukhululeka ezinkingeni zesintu ezikhungathekisayo.
UJesu waqinisekisa abalandeli bakhe: “Nxa kuqala ukuvela lokho, lulamani, niphakamise amakhanda enu, ngokuba kusondele ukukhululwa kwenu. . . . Nxa nibona lezozinto zenzeka, yazini ukuthi umbuso kaNkulunkulu useduze.” UMbuso kaNkulunkulu, uhulumeni womhlaba womuntu ongaphezu kovamile, uyoguqula lomhlaba ube ipharadesi lembulunga yonke. Ngakho-ke, njengoba isibonakaliso siye senzeka ngokuqinisekile ukukhululwa kuyofika kanjalo nakho.—Luka 21:28, 31; IHubo 72:1-8.
Mhlawumbe awukaze usicabangele ngaphambili isibonakaliso esingokwesiprofetho. Sikukhuthaza ukuba uqhubeke uhlola iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Ukwenza kanjalo kuyokwenza ukuba uqonde okwengeziwe ngezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu ngesintu. Ngaleyondlela uyofunda ngalokho uJehova uNkulunkulu akufuna kulabo ‘ayobakhululela’ ePharadesi lasemhlabeni elizayo.—IHubo 37:10, 11; Zefaniya 2:2, 3; IsAmbulo 21:3-5.
[Imithombo Yezithombe ekhasini 5]
Courtesy of German Railroads Information Office, New York
Eric Schwab/WHO
[Imithombo Yezithombe ekhasini 6]
Jerry Frank/United Nation
U.S Air Force photo