Isikhathi Esifanelekile Sokubaleka!

 1. (a) Phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, yini eyenzeka emhlabeni “endaweni engcwele”? (b) Ngakho-ke imuphi umbuzo ophakamayo?

NJENGOBA siye saphawula, “indawo engcwele” yeqiniso ibuswa “iJerusalema lasezulwini,” umbuso kaNkulunkulu wobuMesiya. Phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, “abangcwele” abakhonza nabangane babo, “isixuku esikhulu,” endlini ye“ndawo engcwele” emhlabeni banyathelwa phansi ikakhulu emazweni ombuso wezwe ombaxambili wamaNgisi namaMelika. (Daniyeli 7:27; 8:10-12; IsAmbulo 7:9, 15) Khona-ke ingabe siphetha ngokuthi iBrithani neMelika “kungamanyala abangela incithakalo”? Cha, ngoba “isiphambeko” sombuso wezwe ombaxambili sihlanganisa esinye isici. Siyini leso?

2, 3. (a) Umbuso-mbumbulu kaNkulunkulu uye wavezwa kanjani? (b) Uchazwa kanjani lona kusAmbulo? (c) Khona-ke siyini esanamuhla “isinengiso” noma amanyala kaDaniyeli 11:31 noMathewu 24:15?

² Umbuso wezwe wamaNgisi namaMelika uye wakhonza injongo kaSathane ngenye indlela. Uye wasungula umbuso-mbumbulu kaNkulunkulu. Njengasesiprofethweni sikaDaniyeli, ngokufanayo futhi encwadini yeBhayibheli isAmbulo, “izilo” ‘nezimpondo zazo’ kusetshenziselwa ukufanekisela imibuso yezwe yezombangazwe. IsAmbulo isahluko 13 sichaza umbuso wezwe wesikhombisa womlando weBhayibheli, amaNgisi namaMelika, njengesilo sasendle esinezimpondo ezimbili esinikeza ukuphila ‘emfanekisweni’ wokubusa kwabantu okufana nesilo. “Lomfanekiso” wesilo uhlanganisa isilo sasendle ‘esibomvu esinamakhanda ayisikhombisa nezimpondo eziyishumi.’ (IsAmbulo 17:3) Okokuqala wavela njengeNhlangano yeZizwe ngo-1920, waphinda unamaNgisi namaMelika njengabameleli bawo abayinhloko, kanye neSoviet Union, wavuselelwa ngo-1945 njengeZizwe Ezihlangene. (IsAmbulo 13:11, 15; 17:8) Lokhu futhi kwagcwalisa uDaniyeli 11:31, ofundeka kanje: “Zimise isinengiso esichithayo.”a

³ Khona-ke, lapha ‘kunesinengiso’ uJesu akhuluma ngaso kuMathewu 24:15. Kodwa siye senziwa kanjani ‘sama endaweni engcwele’? Amaqiniso abonisani?

 4. (a) Kungani Inhlangano Yezizwe ingachazwa nje“ngesinengiso”? (b) Ikuphi ukuzisholo “okuyisinengiso” abaholi benkolo abaye bakwenza ngeZizwe Ezihlangane?

⁴ Lapho iBrithani neMelika kuhola ekugqugquzeleni inhlangano yeZizwe ngo-1918, amasonto eLobukholwa ayisekela ngokugcwele. UMkhandlu weNhlangano yamaSonto kaKristu eMelika wayihalalisela ‘njengokubonakaliswa okungokwezombangazwe koMbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni.’ Yeka isihlamba! Ukuthi inhlanganisela yezizwe zombangazwe zezwe likaSathane zingaba umbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni! Isinengiso, amanyala, ngempela, emehlweni kaJehova nawalabo abemi ngempela “endaweni engcwele” njengamanxusa emhlabeni ‘eJerusalema lasezulwini elibusayo manje’! Futhi yini abefundisi bezwe abaye bayisho ngomlandeli wenhlangano yezizwe, iZizwe Ezihlangene? Baye bayichaza ngokwehlukahlukene njengokuwukuphela kwethemba lokusinda ‘lesintu,’ “ithemba lokugcina lokuzwana nokuthula” ‘nenkundla ephakeme yokuthula nokulunga.’ NjengeNhlangano yeZizwe, bayibeka “endaweni engcwele,” ngokuba bathi iyoletha lokho okuwumbuso kaNkulunkulu kuphela ongakwazi ukukufeza.

 5. Kungani singathi iZizwe Ezihlangane azifanele zibe se“ndaweni engcwele”?

⁵ Abefundisi beLobukholwa baye bakhetha ukubeka iZizwe Ezihlangene “endaweni engcwele” leyo ngokufanelekile ‘engeyeJerusalema lasezulwini,’ umbuso kaNkulunkulu, ‘nabangcwele’ abayimelele emhlabeni. Kodwa akukho lutho ‘olungcwele’ ngenhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangane. Inesonto layo lokuthandaza nensimbi yayo yobuBuddha, futhi odongeni lwalo olukhulu kulotshwe amazwi kaIsaya 2:4: “Bayakukhanda izinkemba zabo zibe ngamakhuba, imikhonto yabo ibe-ngocelemba; isizwe asiyikuphakamisela isizwe inkemba, zingabe zisafunda ukulwa.” Kodwa lezizinto aziyenzi ibe“ngcwele.” Izizwe zayo ezingamalungu zilwa njalo, futhi inani elikhulu lazo manje zimelene nenkolo, zimelene noNkulunkulu. Nokho, ngokomunye umqondo futhi, sithola “isinengiso . . . simi endaweni engcwele.”

Ukufana Okukhulu

 6. (a) Imaphi amaqembu amabili aphikisanayo ayekhona eJerusalema lekhulu lokuqala? (b) Abantu benkolo bobuJuda bafana kanjani noyisemkhulu?

⁶ Kwehle kuze kube sonyakeni wokubhujiswa kwalo, iJerusalema lasendulo lalibhekwa amaJuda njengomuzi ongcwele, indawo engcwele. Cishe ngo-56 C.E. ngisho nomphostoli uPawulu waya ethempelini eJerusalema futhi lapho, enamanye amaKristu amane ayezibophe ngesifungo, wazihlambulula ngokwesiko. (IzEnzo 21:23-26) Lapho wahlaselwa amaJuda lawo ashushisa amaKristu eqiniso ewabeka icala lokuthi ‘ayegcwalise iJerusalema ngesifundiso sawo.’ (IzEnzo 5:28) LamaJuda anamathela emasikweni awo okuhlubuka nokukhulekela, futhi ngalokho ayefana nokhokho bawo bosuku lukaJeremiya, abathembela emazwini amanga bethi, ‘nanti ithempeli likaJehova, ithempeli likaJehova, ithempeli likaJehova!’ (Jeremiya 7:4) Kodwa lokho kwethembela kwakwedukile.

 7. (a) ELobukholwa lifana kanjani neJerusalema elihlubukayo? (b) Kuyini lokho eLobukholwa elithi “kuyindawo engcwele”?

⁷ Kukhona isimo esifanayo namuhla, ngoba iJerusalema elihlubukayo lezikhathi zasendulo nethempeli lalo linozakwabo omkhulu, eLobukholwa lanamuhla. Phawula ukuthi inkolo yeLobukholwa ithi futhi ‘inendawo engcwele’—amalungelo ayo angokwenkolo nomsebenzi. Emakhulwini eminyaka liye lakha umbuso othandwayo eliphethe ngawo abantu abaningi. Lokhu likubiza ngokuthi ilungelo lalo elingokomoya. Umbuso walo uhlanganisa namasonto amakhulu adulayo, ama-altare anamatshe ayigugu, amafasitela apendiwe adulayo, izindawo eziqashiwe nemali eningi ebhange. Konke lokhu kuyingxenye ‘yendawo engcwele’ yalo. Kungcwele kulo, futhi akukho muntu onesibindi sokugangela kukho! Okungenani, licabanga kanjalo.

 8. (a) Buyini ubuhlobo benkolo yeLobukholwa ne‘Babiloni Elikhulu’? (b) ELobukholwa lifana kanjani neJerusalema elihlubukayo?

⁸ Nokho, yini eyenzeka eJerusalema lasendulo nakweyalo “indawo engcwele”—ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho ngo-607 B.C.E. nango-70 C.E.? Futhi yini iNkosi uJesu esibonisa yona esambulweni esadluliselwa kumphostoli uJohane? Lapho, esahlukweni seshumi nesikhombisa, sifunda ngesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu esizokhishwa phezu kwe“BABILONI ELIKHULU, UNINA WEZIFEBE NOWAMANYALA OMHLABA.” (IsAmbulo 17:5) Leli“BABILONI ELIKHULU” alikhona okunye ngaphandle kombuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, amasonto eLobukholwa enza ingxenye enkulu yalo. ELobukholwa, elithi lisebuhlotsheni besivumelwano noNkulunkulu, liyi“Jerusalema” lanamuhla elihlubukayo.

 9. “Unina wezifebe” uye wenzani maqondana ne“silo” ekugcwalisekeni kosuku lwanamuhla?

⁹ Emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka, “UNINA WEZIFEBE,” inkolo yamanga, iye yaqhubeka kahle kakhulu ekubuseni izindaba zezizwe ezifana nesilo nemibuso. Njengoba isAmbulo 17:9 sisibonisa, iye yahlala ezintabeni zikahulumeni, futhi IsAm 17 ivesi le-15 liyichaza njengehleli phezu “kwamanzi,” okusho “abantu nesixuku nezizwe nezilimi.” Lapho esibumbene “isilo sasendle esibomvu” sivela ngo-1920 njengeNhlangano Yezizwe, futhi nalapho sibuye sivela ngo-1945 njengeZizwe Ezihlangene, “IBABILONI ELIKHULU” lahlela izinto ukuze ligxamalaze kulendikimba yezwe lonke ukuze lizuze. Alilinaki iqiniso lokuthi ‘lesisinengiso’ sezombangazwe simi lapho kungafanele sime khona, simi ngokungafanele “endaweni engcwele” leyo manje ngokufanelekile ebuswa ‘iJerusalema lasezulwini,’ umbuso kaNkulunkulu ngoMesiya.

“Izimpondo” Zithatha Isinyathelo

10. Ikuphi ukukhishwa kwesahlulelo okulindele inkolo yamanga?

¹⁰ Kodwa bheka! Lapho lezozizwe ziyothi: “Ukuthula nokulondeka,” “izimpondo” zaleso‘silo sasendle’ esesabekayo ziyoba nonya ngokushesha! Inzondo yazo yesikhathi eside ‘ngesifebe’ ayisenakuthitshwa! Ziyokwethula isifebe ebesikade sihleli ngokunethezeka phezu kwe“silo.” Lezo“zimpondo” ezingokombangazwe, ne“silo sasendle” ziyosichitha “isifebe” zisihambise-ze, zidle inyama yaso futhi ‘zisishise ngokuphelele ngomlilo.’ (IsAmbulo 17:16) Inkolo yamanga iyochithwa ngokuphelele, kuhlanganise neLobukholwa, eliye lathi ‘linendawo engcwele’ phambi kukaNkulunkulu emhlabeni. Ngakho-ke, ukubhujiswa kweLobukholwa kuyoba okuphelele njengalokho kweJerusalema lasemhlabeni, uJesu athi ngalo: “Akuyikushiywa itshe phezu kwetshe elingayikudilizelwa phansi.”—1 Thesalonika 5:3; Marku 13:2.

11. (a) Maqondana ne‘ndawo engcwele’ yeqiniso, yini eyenzeka ngo-1914? (b) Ikuphi ukugxambukela okwaqala ukungenela kulokho eLobukholwa elikubiza ngokuthi “indawo ingcwele”?

¹¹ Ingabe inkolo yamanga efana nesifebe, kuhlanganise neLobukholwa iyakuqonda okuzokwenzeka kuyo? Kumelwe, uma ingachaza isimo sezehlakalo zezwe namuhla. Futhi ingesaba kakhulu uma inganakekela amaqiniso angokwesiprofetho eBhayibhelini. Ngempela, kwakungokushesha ngemva kokuba “iJerusalema lasezulwini,” njengomnikazi ofanelekile “wendawo engcwele,” livezwe ngo-1914 lapho eLobukholwa liqala ukuthola ukucindezelwa endaweni yalo eliyicabangela njenge“ndawo engcwele”—umbuso walo. Ngo-1917 inguquko yoMarxist yenzeka eRashiya. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi imibuso yobukhomanisi engakholelwa kuNkulunkulu iye yabusa izingxenye ezinkulu zomhlaba. Lena iye ithuthuka ngisho kakhulu kusukela eMpini Yezwe II. Imemezela ngamandla inkolo “njengethulisa ngokukhohlisa ubuhlungu babantu.” ELobukholwa, engxenyeni yalo, likhaliswa ukugxambukela kobuKhomanisi kokwalo okubizwa ngokuthi “indawo engcwele,” kanye nokulahlekelwa “abantu” abaningi kakhulu.

Ukusongela “Indawo Engcwele” YeLobukholwa

12, 13. Imibiko yezindaba iye yakugcizelela kanjani ukusongelwa ‘kwendawo engcwele’ yeLobukholwa?

¹² Lokho okuye kwenzeka emazweni abuswa ubuKhomanisi kuboniswa umbiko olandelayo owakhishwa kuyiStar saseHong Kong ekupheleni kuka-1981: “Uhulumeni wamaKhomanisi aseVietnam uye wafaka izindela zobuBuddha empini, wabopha abefundisi abaningi bobuKristu futhi wavala amakholiji amaningi enkolo namasonto, ngokwabantu ababalekayo, izikhulu zaseNtshonalanga nabefundisi bakwamanye amazwe. Injongo, uma besho iwukufaka zonke izinkolo zibe ngaphansi kokuphathwa okukhethekile kukahulumeni. Abantu ababalekayo bathi isonto lamaRoma Katolika eningizimu Vietnam liye laba ngaphansi kokucindezelwa okuthile, iziphathimandla zikhomba iziphithiphithi zasePoland yamaKatolika njengobufakazi ‘bokuthanda ukuvukela okungokombangazwe’ kwesonto.

¹³ Eyase-Atlanta iJournal and Constitution kaJanuary 2, 1982, yayinesihloko esikhulu esithi: “Izindaba Ezinkulu Eziningi Zika-1981 Ezihlobene Nenkolo.” Yaqhubeka yahlela umzamo wokubulala uPapa John Paul II, ukubulawa kukaMongameli waseGibithe uSadat amabutho amaMuslem, ukubulawa kwabantu abaningi eIran, izinguquko ezibulalayo zezimpi phakathi kwamaphekula angama-Arabhu namaIsrayeli, nokuthunyelwa kwamabhomu, ukubulawa nokufa okubangelwa iziteleka zokungadli eIreland. Yebo, ngempela, inkolo ihlangene kakhulu nenkathazo enkulu ekhona ezweni. Kodwa zonke lezindaba azinakuba yilutho lapho ‘izimpondo eziyishumi zesilo sasendle’ zithatha isinyathelo, ngokushesha, ukuze zibhubhise ngokuphelele inkolo yamanga, kuhlanganise neLobukholwa nokwalo okucatshangelwa ukuba “yindawo engcwele.”

14. Labo abakweyeqiniso “indawo engcwele” bayosongelwa kanjani nabo?

¹⁴ Nokho, kuthiwani ngalabo abakhulekela kwengokoqobo “indawo engcwele”—labo lapha emhlabeni abenza “inkonzo engcwele” ekusekeleni “iJerusalema lasezulwini”? Laba futhi, bayohlaselwa “yizimpondo” ezingokombangazwe, lezo ngisho namanje ezenza ingxenye yamalungu eZizwe Ezihlangene. NgokwesAmbulo 17:14, leyonhlanganisela yezombangazwe iyobonisa ukuthi ayinalungelo lokuma “endaweni engcwele,” ngoba ‘iyokulwa neWundlu.’

15. (a) Ubani oyoba oqhamile ekuhlaseleni abangcwele? (b) Uyofinyelela kanjani ‘esiphelweni sakhe’?

¹⁵ UDaniyeli 11:40-45 ubonisa ukuthi ‘inkosi yasenyakatho’ yobuKhomanisi iyovelela ekuhlaseleni “abangcwele,” kodwa “iya nokho ekupheleni kwayo, akakho ongayisiza.”b Ngakho-ke, zonke “izimpondo” eziyizizwe ne“silo sasendle esibomvu” ngokwaso kuyobulawa uKristu Jesu namabutho akhe ayizingelosi. “Ngoba uyiNkosi yamakhosi noMbusi wababusi, neWundlu liyakubanqoba.” Lapho eHarmagedoni iNkosi ebusayo ‘yeJerusalema lasezulwini’ iyothola ukunqoba okungumnqamulajuqu phezu kwazo zonke izizwe eziye zanika ‘amandla nokubusa kwazo esilweni sasendle.’—IsAmbulo 17:12-14; 16:16.

“Ukubalekela Ezintabeni”

16. Kukanjani futhi kukuphi lapho abantu bakaNkulunkulu bengase bathole khona isivikelo?

¹⁶ Khona-ke, abantu bakaNkulunkulu basithola kanjani isivikelo? ‘Ngokubalekela ezintabeni.’ (Mathewu 24:16) Namuhla, ‘lezizintaba’ ziyizindawo ezilungiselelwe phezulu zesiphephelo, ilungiselelo likaJehova lokuvikela “abangcwele” abasele emhlabeni ne‘sixuku esikhulu’ sezinye izimvu, ‘ngosizi olukhulu.’ Lokhu kusekuvumelaneni nesiprofetho sikaJesu sokuthi “inyama ethile iyosindiswa.” (Mathewu 24:22) Njengoba izintaba zihleli phakade futhi ngokuvamile emiBhalweni zikhonjwa njengokusebenza kobuhulumeni, ngakho-ke indawo kaNkulunkulu yesiphephelo namuhla kumelwe itholakale enhlanganweni yakhe engokwasezulwini. Lena imelelwe emhlabeni “ibandla likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, insika nesisekelo seqiniso,” manje okuyinhlangano yembulunga yonke yoFakazi BakaJehova.—1 Thimothewu 3:15.

17. Isiphi isinyathelo esifanelekile esidingeka kulabo abayobalekela ekulondekeni?

¹⁷ Bonke ababalekela enhlanganweni kaJehova kumelwe bayeke ukusekela noma iyiphi ingxenye yesimiso sikaSathane emhlabeni. Kumelwe ‘bangabi yingxenye yalelizwe,’ futhi kumelwe baphume kulo. Kumelwe bagweme inkolo yalo, ezombangazwe, imikhankaso yalo yonya yobudlova, izinto zalo ezibonakalayo, ukuziphatha kwalo okubi. (Johane 18:36) Kumelwe bazinikezele kuJehova uNkulunkulu, ukuphila ngokuvumelana nezimiso zakhe ezilungileyo nokwazisa abanye ngezinjongo zakhe zombuso okhazimulayo. Sengathi bangeze neze bozela noma babuyele ezimbizeni zezwe. Ngokuqhubekayo, ‘kumelwe bazikhandle ngamandla’ ukuze bazuze ukwamukelwa uNkulunkulu nokungena ohlelweni lwakhe olusha.—Luka 13:24; 9:23; 2 Thimothewu 2:15.

18. Kungani kuphuthuma ukuba abantu abanezinhliziyo eziqotho ‘baqale ukubaleka’ manje?

¹⁸ Kulonyaka, u-1983, ukusongela lokho okubizwa ngokuthi “indawo engcwele” yeLobukholwa kuye kwaba okungokoqobo. Ngempela, ukunamathela kwenkolo yezwe emhlane we“silo” seZizwe Ezihlangane kubucayi kakhulu. ‘Ngenxa yokuqonda lokhu,’ oFakazi BakaJehova benza ubizo oluphuthumayo: ‘Phumani enkolweni yamanga, yebo phumani kuso sonke isimiso sezinto sikaSathane—balekelani enhlanganweni kaJehova ukuze niphephe!’ NjengeJerusalema lekhulu lokuqala, eLobukholwa manje libhekene ‘nencithakalo . . . nokubhujiswa.’ Futhi kunjalo ngawo wonke umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, iBabiloni Elikhulu!—Daniyeli 9:26b, 27b; IsAmbulo 18:2, 4.

19. (a) IHubo 72 lithini ‘ngezintaba’? (b) Singafaneleka kanjani ukuba sijabulele “ukuthula okukhulu”?

¹⁹ Ngokujabulisayo, “izintaba” zesiphephelo ziyoba futhi “izintaba zesibusiso” ngoba iHubo 72:1-8 liyasitshela: “Izintaba ziyakuletha ukuthula kubantu; kanjalo namagquma, ngokulunga . . . [Ezinsukwini zikaMesiya, iNkosi] olungileyo uyakuqhakaza, kuvame ukuthula, ize ingabikho inyanga.” Uyafuna yini ukuba phakathi kwalabo abayojabulela lokho ‘kuthula okukhulu’? Khona-ke ‘yiba ngogxilile ongaxegiyo, ovamé njalo emsebenzini weNkosi.’ Kuphuthuma kakhulu, lapho kusenesikhathi, ukuba uzinikezele ekusizeni abantu abanezinhliziyo ezilungileyo ukuba ‘baqale ukubalekela ezintabeni.’ Ngakho-ke, ‘yima kulezizinto ngokuba ngokwenza lokhu uyakuzisindisa wena nabakuzwayo.’—1 Korinte 15:58; 1 Thimothewu 4:16.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ungayiphendula Yini Lemibuzo:

□ Iyini “indawo engcwele” yeqiniso?

□ Ayini “amanyala abangela incithakalo”?

□ Kungayiphi indlela “amanyala” ami ngayo “endaweni engcwele”?

□ Kuyini okucatshangelwa eLobukholwa ukuba “yindawo engcwele”?

□ Kukanjani okucatshangelwa eLobukholwa ukuba “yindawo engcwele” kusongelwa manje?

□ Kungayiphi indlela amaKristu namuhla alalela ngayo umyalo ‘wokubalekela ezintabeni’?

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 16]

Ngo-October 1965: UPapa Paul VI, ekuchazeni iZizwe Ezihlangene ‘njengenkulu kunazo zonke izinhlangano zezwe,’ wabuye wathi: “Abantu bomhlaba baphendukela eZizweni Ezihlangene njengeziwukuphela kwethemba lokuzwana nokuthula.”

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 17]

Ngo-October 1979: UPapa John Paul II wakhuluma eMhlanganweni Jikelele weU.N. Nakuba engazange aphawule ngoJesu Kristu noma uMbuso, upapa wathi: “Ngithemba ukuthi iZizwe Ezihlangene ziyohlala njalo ziyinkundla yokuthula nokulunga, indawo yeqiniso yenkululeko.”

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

“Izimpondo” zezombangazwe zisongela “indawo engcwele” yeLobukholwa