Ukuthula, Ukulondeka, ‘Nomfanekiso Wesilo’
“Yayisingiyisa ehlane ngikumoya. Ngabona owesifazane ekhwele isilo esibomvu, sigcwele amagama enhlamba, sinamakhanda ayisikhombisa nezimpondo eziyishumi.”—ISAMBULO 17:3.
1. Kungani umbono kaJohane wesilo esinamakhanda ayisikhombisa, nezimpondo eziyishumi kumelwe siwukhathalele?
UMPHOSTOLI uJohane wabona lesilo esesabekayo embonweni owawuphefumlelwe ngokwaphezulu. Kodwa uJohane akuyena kuphela owasibona. Cishe, nawe futhi, uye wasibona, noma okungenani uye wafunda ngaso emaphephandabeni. Ingabe uye wasiqaphela?
2, 3. Iluphi uchungechunge lwezidalwa uJohane alubona embonweni wakhe?
2 Yebo, lapho thina namuhla sibona lesilo, asibonakali sifana nalokho okwachazwa uJohane. Lokho uJohane akubona kwakungumfanekiso wokuthile okwakuyoba khona emhlabeni “ngosuku lweNkosi.” (IsAmbulo 1:10) Namuhla sibona ukugcwaliseka kwakho. Isimo esingathandeki sesilo uJohane asibona sibonisa umbono kaJehova walokho esikumelele—siyanyanyeka kuYe! UJohane kakade wayesembonile embonweni wakhe uSathane uDeveli ephonswa phansi emhlabeni “enolaka olukhulu, azi ukuthi unesikhathi esifushane!” (IsAmbulo 12:12) Wayesezibonile futhi izimiso zezombangazwe zezwe likaSathane ezimelelwe isilo esesabekayo esinamakhanda ayisikhombisa nezimpondo eziyishumi sikhuphuka sivela “olwandle” olungabantu. (IsAmbulo 13:3; 17:15; Isaya 57:20; Luka 4:5, 6) Lesilo sasinamandla phezu kwaso sonke isintu, futhi abantu baphoqelelwa ukuba bavumele ‘ukubekwa uphawu lwesilo’ esandleni sabo sokunene noma emabunzini abo, babonise ukusisekela.—IsAmbulo 13:7, 16, 17.
3 UJohane wayebhekile njengoba abantu babenza umfanekiso wesilo. (IsAmbulo 13:14, 15) Yiwo lomfanekiso awubona embonweni ongenhla ochazwe kusAmbulo isahluko 17. ‘Lomfanekiso’ onamakhanda ayisikhombisa nezimpondo eziyishumi, uyofeza ingxenye ebalulekile ezenzakalweni zesikhathi esizayo; ngakho kubalulekile ngathi ukuba sikwazi ukusibona. Singakwenza kanjani lokho?
“Umfanekiso” Wesilo Namuhla
4, 5. Amelelani amakhanda esilo esingokomfanekiso?
4 Ingelosi yanikeza uJohane ukwaziswa okuthile okusisizayo. Yathi: “Amakhanda ayisikhombisa ayizintaba eziyisikhombisa, lapho owesifazane ehlezi phezu kwazo. Futhi zingamakhosi; ayisihlanu asewile, enye ikhona, enye ayikafiki; nanxa isifikile, kumelwe ukuba ihlale isikhashana.” (IsAmbulo 17:9, 10) Ukukhuluma ‘ngamakhosi’ ‘nangezintaba’—lokho eBhayibhelini ngokuvamile okungase kumelele imibuso yezombangazwe—kubonisa ukuthi amakhanda esilo amelela ohulumeni. (Jeremiya 51:25) Ibaphi ohulumeni abayisikhombisa abahilelekile?
5 Nokho, emihlanu yayisiwile osukwini lukaJohane, futhi nomunye wawungakafiki. Emlandweni weBhayibheli, imibuso emihlanu eyinhloko yachuma, yacindezela abantu bakaNkulunkulu, futhi yawa ngaphambi kosuku lukaJohane: iGibithe, iAsiriya, iBabiloni, owamaMede namaPheresiya, neGrisi. Lapho uJohane esaphila, kwakubusa umbuso wamaRoma. Emakhulwini eminyaka ngemva kokufa kukaJohane, umbuso wamaRoma wayishiya inkundla njengombuso omkhulu wezwe futhi ekugcineni kwangena esikhundleni sawo umbuso wamaNgisi. Ngokushesha amazwe asentshonalanga angaphansi kwalombuso athola inkululeko futhi asebenzelana eduze neBrithani ukuze enze umbuso wezwe wamaNgisi namaMelika. Lena “inkosi” ‘eyayingakafiki’ ngosuku lukaJohane. Babuyini ubuhlobo phakathi kwesilo esabonwa uJohane nemibuso eyisikhombisa eyayimelelwa amakhanda aso? “Singesesishiyagalombili, sikuwo ayisikhombisa.”—IsAmbulo 17:11.
6. (a) Zazisho ukuthini izimpondo zesilo? (b) Kungayiphi indlela ‘ezazingakawamukeli ngayo umbuso’?
6 Futhi, khumbula, ukuthi isilo sasinezimpondo eziyishumi. Ngalezi, ingelosi yathi: “Izimpondo eziyishumi owazibonayo zingamakhosi ayishumi angakamukeli umbuso, kepha amukeliswa amandla njengamakhosi ihora linye kanye nesilo.” (IsAmbulo 17:12) EBhayibhelini, ishumi limelela ukuphelela ngokwezinto zasemhlabeni. Ngakho-ke lezimpondo zifanekisela bonke ohulumeni abayimibuso emhlabeni kabanzi abasekela isilo isikhathi esifushane (“ihora linye”) phakathi “nosuku lweNkosi.” Ihlanganisa umbuso wezwe wesikhombisa, kanye futhi nohulumeni banamuhla abaye badabuka kwamanye ‘amakhanda esilo’ ayisithupha, nakuba lawa ayisithupha engasabusi. ‘Lamakhosi’ ayengekho osukwini lukaJohane.a Manje njengoba eye azuza amandla, “anika isilo amandla nokubusa kwawo.”—IsAmbulo 17:13.
7, 8. (a) Isiphi isilo uJohane asibona, njengoba kuchazwe kusAmbulo isahluko 17? (b) Sihlobene kanjani namakhanda nezimpondo?
7 Ingabe uyasibona isilo manje? Yebo, siyafana “namanyala encithakalo” lawo aqala njengeNhlangano yeZizwe futhi lawo akhona manje njengenhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene. (Mathewu 24:15; Daniyeli 12:11) Lenhlangano ‘idabuka kanjani emibusweni yezwe eyisikhombisa’? Ngengqondo yokuthi yonke inhlangano efana nesilo, njengombuso wesishiyagalombili, yenziwe yaba khona imibuso esikhona kakade, enombuso wezwe wamaNgisi namaMelika njengomgqugquzeli nomsekeli oyinhloko.
8 Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba ingelosi yatshela uJohane, zonke “izimpondo eziyishumi” ‘zinika isilo amandla nokubusa.’ (IsAmbulo 17:13) Eqinisweni, ngaphandle kokusekelwa ohulumeni abamelelwe amakhanda nezimpondo, isilo besingeke sibe namandla. Ngani? Ngoba simane nje singumfanekiso. (IsAmbulo 13:14) Njengayo yonke imifanekiso, asinamandla sona ngokwaso. (Isaya 44:14-17) Noma ikuphi ukuphila esinakho kuvela kubasekeli baso. (IsAmbulo 13:15) Ngezinye izikhathi abanye balabasekeli baye bathatha isinyathelo esiqinile ngokusebenzisa inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene, njengoba, ngokwesibonelo, kwaba njalo phakathi neMpi yaseKorea.
9. Ukuchaza kwethu lesilo kuqinisekiswa kanjani?
9 Ukuchaza kwethu lesilo kuqinisekiswa eminye imininingwane eyengeziwe eyanikezwa ingelosi: “Isilo owasibonayo sasikhona, asisekho; kepha sesizakwenyuka, siphuma kwalasha, siye ekubhujisweni.” (IsAmbulo 17:8) Lokhu kakade sekugcwalisekile ngokwengxenye ethile. Impi yezwe yesibili yayiqeda ngokuphumelelayo iNhlangano Yezizwe. Ngo-1942, lapho oFakazi BakaJehova besiqonda ngokucacile lesiprofetho, kwakungase kuthiwe ngesilo esiyiNhlangano Yezizwe: “Asisekho.”b Kodwa ngo-1945 ‘siye saphuma kwalasha’ njengenhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene. Ingabe siyophumelela enjongweni yaso yokuletha ukuthula nokulondeka? Isiprofetho siyaphika. Kunalokho, ‘siyokuya ekubhujisweni.’
Umgibeli Wesilo
10, 11. (a) Ubani owayegibele isilo embonweni kaJohane? (b) Lesici salomfanekiso siye sagcwaliseka kanjani ezikhathini zanamuhla?
10 Ingabe uye waphawula okunye ngesilo? ‘Kwakunowesifazane’ owayesigibele. Uchazwa njengombuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, “IBABILONI ELIKHULU UNINA WEZlFEBE NOWAMANYALA OMHLABA.” (IsAmbulo 17:3-5, 15) Ingabe izinkolo zezwe ziye ‘zagibela’ zombili izinhlangano, zizama ukuqondisa inkambo yazo? Yebo, kakhulukazi izinkolo zeLobukholwa.
11 Ngokwesibonelo, umlobi wephephandaba ongumDashi uPierre van Paassen wachaza “okuthile okufanayo ekushisekeleni inkolo” kwabameleli bamasonto obuProthestani aseMelika, eBrithani, nabasemazweni angaphansi kweScandinavia labo ababekhona emhlanganweni weNhlangano Yezizwe. Ngo-1945 uMkhandlu Wesigungu SamaSonto KaKristu EMelika wathi: “Sizimisele ukusebenzela ukwanda okuqhubekayo kwemisebenzi esizayo neyakhayo yeNhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene.” Ngo-1965 uPapa Paul VI wathi wabona kulenhlangano “umfanekiso womklamo othandekayo nomangalisa kakhulu kaNkulunkulu wokuthuthukisa umkhaya wesintu emhlabeni—umfanekiso esibona kuwo isigijimi seVangeli lasezulwini liba ngelasemhlabeni.” Ngempela, abaholi benkolo baye benza leyonhlangano ‘yagcwala amagama enhlamba.’—IsAmbulo 17:3; qhathanisa noMathewu 24:15; Marku 13:14.
Ukuthula Akuphoqelelwa
12. Buye baba yini ubuhlobo phakathi kwabasekeli benhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene noMbuso kaNkulunkulu?
12 Inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene ayibujabuleli ubuhlobo obuhle noMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Eqinisweni, abasekeli bayo bamelene nalowoMbuso. Ingelosi yatshela uJohane: “Ayakulwa [izimpondo eziyishumi] neWundlu, neWundlu liyakuwanqoba, ngokuba liyiNkosi yamakhosi noMbusi wababusi, nabakanye nalo, ababiziweyo, nabakhethiweyo, nabathembekileyo.” (IsAmbulo 17:14) Ngokuvumelana nalesosiprofetho, izizwe ziye zaqhubeka ‘zilwa neWundlu’ kuso sonke lesikhathi sokuphela, ziphikisa futhi zishushisa labo abasebenza njengamanxusa oMbuso walo. Nokho, iWundlu, alinakunqotshwa, ngokufanayoke nangezinceku zalo ezisemhlabeni eziqhubeka zishumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu naphezu kokuvinjelwa, ukuboshwa, ngisho nokufa.—Mathewu 10:16-18; Johane 16:33; 1 Johane 5:4.
13. Kungani inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene ingeke neze yaba amandla okuthula kwangempela?
13 Eqinisweni, inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene ngeke neze yaba amandla okuthula kwangempela. Umgibeli wayo, “IBABILONI ELIKHULU” ungumdali omkhulu wempi emlandweni futhi ‘udakwe igazi labangcwele negazi lawofakazi bakaJesu.’ (IsAmbulo 17:6) Izimpi zezizwe ezisekela leyonhlangano ziye zacwilisa umhlaba egazini. (Mathewu 24:6, 7) Futhi amandla azishukumisayo, uSathane uDeveli, “inyoka endala,” akayena umlethi wokuthula. (IsAmbulo 12:9, 17; 13:2) Isintu ngeke neze sijabulele ukulondeka uma zonke lezizinto zisekhona. Kumelwe zisuswe.
Izinyathelo Ezidingekile Ekuletheni Ukuthula
14. (a) Embonweni kaJohane, yini eyenzeka kumgibeli wesilo? (b) Lokhu kuyogcwaliseka kanjani?
14 Okokuqala okuyosuswa inkolo yamanga, ngendlela engalindelekile neze. Nansi indlela okwenzeka ngayo: “Izimpondo eziyishumi owazibonayo, nesilo, lezi ziyakusizonda isifebe, zisenze incithakalo, sibe yize, zidle inyama yaso, zisishise ngomlilo, zisiqede.” Yeka ukushaqeka esintwini! (IsAmbulo 17:16; 18:9-19) ‘Yizimpondo’ ezibhubhisayo, ezinobuzwe, ezivelele enhlanganweni yeZizwe Ezihlangene, eziyosenza incithakalo. Yeka ukuthi lokhu kusikhumbuza kahle kanjani ngesiprofetho sikaJesu esithi “amanyala encithakalo” ayochitha “iJerusalema”! (Marku 13:14-20; Luka 21:20) Nokho, nakuba kuyizizwe ezenza lokhu kubulala, eqinisweni zifeza isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu ‘esifebeni esikhulu,’ kuhlanganise neLobukholwa. Uyini umphumela? Inkolo yamanga ‘ngeke isafunyanwa.’—IsAmbulo 17:1; 18:21.
15, 16. (a) Luyini “usizi olukhulu”? (b) Luyophumelaphi? (c) USathane uyovinjelwa kanjani ekonakaliseni ithemba lokuthula lesintu?
15 UJesu wathi ukubhujiswa kweLobukholwa kuyoba ukuqala ‘kosizi olukhulu olungazange lube-khona kwasekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube-manje nolungasayikuba-khona.’ (Mathewu 24:15, 21) Njengoba usizi luqhubeka, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uyoletha isahlulelo kuzo zonke izingxenye zezombangazwe nezentengiselwano zenhlangano kaSathane. (Daniyeli 2:44) UJohane manje ubona iNkosi yenza okuthile: “Ngase ngibona izulu livulekile; bheka, nanto ihashi elimhlophe nohlezi phezu kwalo obizwa ngokuthi othembekileyo noqinisileyo; uyahlulela, alwe ngokulunga.” Abalwa naye izizwe zombangazwe zomhlaba kanye ‘nomfanekiso wesilo.’ Umphumela walempi? Uyoba futhi, ukubhujiswa kwabaqedi bokuthula!—IsAmbulo 19:11, 19-21.
16 Lokho kuyoshiya esisodwa nje kuphela isihibe esikhulu sokuthula: uSathane uDeveli ngokwakhe. UJohane uyaqhubeka echaza indlela lesisitha esikhulu sesintu esiyothenwa ngayo amandla: “Ngase ngibona ingelosi yehla ezulwini, iphethe isihluthulelo sakwalasha neketanga elikhulu ngesandla sayo. Yambamba udrako. inyoka endala, onguMhlebi noSathane, yambopha iminyaka eyinkulungwane.”—IsAmbulo 20:1-3.
Isikhathi Sokukhetha
17. Iziphi izinyathelo okumelwe zithathwe manje abantu abafuna ukubona ukuthula kwangempela?
17 Yeka isikhathi soshintsho esintwini! Kodwa ngesikhathi kususwa izinhlangano nemibuso, okwenzekayo kubantu ngabanye kakhulukazi kuyindaba yokuzikhethela kwabo. Ngothando, uJehova wamemezela: “Kepha ivangeli limelwe ukushunyayelwa kuqala ezizweni zonke,” ngaphambi kosizi olukhulu. (Marku 13:10) Abathandi bokuthula bayamenywa ukuba ‘baphume’ eBabiloni Elikhulu. (IsAmbulo 18:4) Labo abakweLobukholwa banxuswa ukuba ‘babalekele ezintabeni.’ (Luka 21:21) Labo abathobela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu kumelwe bakugweme ukuba ‘nophawu lwesilo.’ (IsAmbulo 14:9-12; Johane 17:15, 16) Isixuku esikhulu sabantu abanjalo abathobile ngenhliziyo ‘siyophuma osizini olukhulu.’ (IsAmbulo 7:9-14) Eqinisweni, akekho noyedwa okuyodingeka ukuba abhujiswe nalesimiso sikaSathane.—IzAga 2:21, 22.
18, 19. (a) Yini engashiwo ngokuthi kunini lapho usizi olukhulu luyogqashuka khona? (b) AmaKristu azilungiselela kanjani manje ukubhekana nalesosikhathi?
18 Lezenzakalo ezinyakazisa umhlaba ziyokwenzeka nini? Nokho, “izindaba ezinhle” zizwiwa kuwo wonke umhlaba namuhla. “Amanyala encithakalo” asekhona. (Mathewu 24:14-16) Eqinisweni, ‘umfanekiso wesilo,’ kakade osuseqophelweni lesibili lokuba khona kwawo, manje usuhlalelwe ‘ukuya ekubhujisweni.’ (IsAmbulo 17:8) Ukugcwaliseka ‘kwesibonakaliso’ kubonisa ukuthi sekuyiminyaka engama-71 siphila esikhathini sokuba khona kukaJesu, kusukela ngo-1914. (Mathewu 24:3) UJesu wathi: “Kanjalo nani, nxa nibona konke lokhu kwenzeka, yazini ukuthi iseduze ngasemnyango. Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Lesisizukulwane asiyikudlula kungakenzeki konke lokhu.” (Mathewu 24:33, 34) Ngakho-ke, “usizi olukhulu” kumelwe ukuba seluseduze kakhulu. Singakwazi yini ukunemba ngaphezu kwalokhu? Cha, asinakukwazi okwamanje.
19 Umphostoli uPawulu wabikezela: “Nxa bethi: Ngukuthula nokuhlala kahle, khona ukubhujiswa kuyabazuma njengemihelo ifikela okhulelweyo.” (1 Thesalonika 5:3) Ngakho usizi olukhulu luyoshaqisa kuso sonke isintu. Nokho, ngeke, luwashaqise amaKristu. Ayazi ukuthi luyeza, futhi alandela iseluleko sikaJesu: “Ngakho lindani ngesikhathi sonke, nikhuleke ukuba nibe-namandla okuphepha kukho konke lokhu okuyakwenzeka.”—Luka 21:36.
20. Kungani amaKristu engeke asho manje ukuthi kunini lapho usizi olukhulu luyofika khona?
20 Nokho, amaKristu awanakusho ngokuqondile kusengaphambili ukuthi usizi olukhulu luyogqashuka nini. UJehova akakalwembuli “lolosuku nalelohora.” (Marku 13:32; Mathewu 24:42) Khona-ke lapho, ngokwesibonelo, inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene imemezela unyaka ka-1986 ‘njengoNyaka Wokuthula Wezizwe Zonke,’ amaKristu abheka lesenzakalo ngesithakazelo. Kodwa awanakusho kusengaphambili ukuthi lokhu sekusho ukugcwaliseka kwamazwi kaPawulu acashunwe ngenhla. Nokho, ayabonga ngokuthi uJehova uye wawenza akwazi ukuqonda ukubaluleka ‘komfanekiso wesilo’ ‘namanyala encithakalo.’ Ngakho-ke abona lenhlangano ngendlela uJehova ayibona ngayo futhi awadukiswa imizamo yayo yokuletha ukuthula.
21. (a) Ikuphi ukuthula amaKristu akujabulelayo ngisho kwamanje? (b) Yikuphi angabheka kukho ngethemba?
21 Labo abahlala ‘belindile’ nabazithoba ngaphansi koMbuso kaNkulunkulu bajabulela ukuthula ngisho kwamanje. UJehova, “uNkulunkulu wokuthula,” unabo futhi ubanikeza “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula ukuqonda konke.” (Filipi 4:7, 9) Ngaphezu kwalokho, babheke phambili esikhathini esingekude kakhulu lapho wonke umhlaba uyojabulela ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho esihle sikaIsaya: “Umsebenzi wokulunga uyakuba-ngukuthula, impumelelo yokulunga ibe-ngukulondeka kuze kube-phakade. Abantu bami bayakuhlala ematendeni okuthula, nasezindlini ezilondekayo, nasezindaweni zokuphumula ezinokuthula.” (Isaya 32:16-18) Lokhu kuyoba ukulondeka ngesilinganiso somhlaba wonke. (Isaya 11:9) Futhi kuyoba ukuthula kwangempela ngoba uJehova ngokwakhe uyoba umsunguli wakho.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Isimo sezombangazwe sihluke kakhulu kunesosuku lukaJohane. Zimbalwa kakhulu izizwe ezingamalungu eUN ezase zikhona ngalesosikhathi. Ngakho-ke, kuyiqiniso ukuthi ‘zazingakawamukeli umbuso.’ Ngaphandle kwezimbalwa kakhulu, njengeGibithe. Kodwa ngisho nakulamazwe, indlela yokubusa iye yashintsha kakhulu emakhulwini eminyaka adlule kangangokuthi amazwi engelosi asalokhu eyiqiniso: Ohulumeni ababusayo manje ‘babengakawamukeli umbuso’ osukwini lukaJohane.
b Ngesikhathi iMpi Yezwe II isemvuthwandabeni wayo, umongameli weWatch Tower Society, ngoSeptember 20, 1942, eMhlanganweni Ongokwasezulwini Wezwe Elisha WoFakazi BakaJehova wanikeza inkulumo ethi “Ukuthula—Ingabe Kungahlala Njalo?” Kuyona, wabonisa ngokwesAmbulo isahluko 17, ukuthi ngokuphambene nokwakulindelwe abaningi, iMpi Yezwe II yayingeke iphelele eArmagedoni. Okokuqala ‘isilo sokuthula’ kumelwe sivuke futhi kwalasha esimweni sokungenzi lutho ukuba sibuse nemibuso yezombangazwe “ihora linye” elingokomfanekiso.
Uyakhumbula?
◻ Iziphi ezinye zezici zesilo sesAmbulo 17?
◻ Lesisilo simelelani?
◻ Kungani lesilo esingokomfanekiso singeke neze sakuletha ukuthula?
◻ UMbuso kaNkulunkulu ekugcineni ukuletha kanjani ukuthula nokulondeka?
◻ Abantu bangazuza kanjani kulolulwazi?
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 15]
UPapa Paul VI wabona enhlanganweni yeZizwe Ezihlangene “umfanekiso womklamo othandekayo nomangalisa kakhulu kaNkulunkulu wokuthuthukisa umkhaya wesintu”
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Abathandi bokuthula banxuswa ukuba ‘baphume’ eBabiloni Elikhulu