ISahluko 42
Izulu Elisha Nomhlaba Omusha
1. Yini uJohane ayichazayo lapho ingelosi imbuyisela emuva ekuqaleni kokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane?
LO MBONO okhazimulayo uyaqhubeka wembuleka njengoba ingelosi ibuyisela uJohane emuva ekuqaleni kokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane. Yini ayichazayo? “Ngabona futhi izulu elisha nomhlaba omusha; ngoba izulu langaphambili nomhlaba wangaphambili kudlulile, nolwandle alusekho.” (IsAmbulo 21:1) Kubonakala umbono okhangayo!
2. (a) Isiprofetho sika-Isaya samazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha sagcwaliseka kanjani kumaJuda abuyiselwe ngo-537 B.C.E.? (b) Sazi kanjani ukuthi kuyoba khona okunye ukusebenza kwesiprofetho sika-Isaya, futhi lesi sithembiso sigcwaliseka kanjani?
2 Emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambi kosuku lukaJohane, uJehova wayethe ku-Isaya: “Ngoba bhekani ngidala amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha; izinto zangaphambili ngeke zikhunjulwe, futhi ngeke zifike enhliziyweni.” (Isaya 65:17; 66:22) Lesi siprofetho sagcwaliseka okokuqala lapho amaJuda athembekile ebuyela eJerusalema ngo-537 B.C.E. ngemva kokuthunjwa kwawo iminyaka engu-70 eBhabhiloni. Kulokho kubuyiselwa, akha umphakathi ohlanziwe, ‘umhlaba omusha,’ ngaphansi kwesimiso esisha sikahulumeni, “amazulu amasha.” Nokho, umphostoli uPetru wakhomba kokunye ukugcwaliseka kwalesi siprofetho, ethi: “Kodwa kukhona amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha esikulindele ngokwesithembiso sakhe, futhi kukho kuyohlala ukulunga.” (2 Petru 3:13) Manje uJohane ubonisa ukuthi lesi sithembiso sigcwaliseka phakathi nosuku lweNkosi. “Izulu langaphambili nomhlaba wangaphambili,” isimiso sezinto sikaSathane esihleliwe nesimiso salo sikahulumeni esithonywe uSathane namademoni akhe, kuzodlula. ‘Ulwandle’ oluyaluzayo lwesintu esikhohlakele, esihlubukayo, ngeke lusaba khona. Esikhundleni salo kuyoba ‘nezulu elisha nomhlaba omusha’—umphakathi omusha wasemhlabeni ngaphansi kukahulumeni omusha, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu.—Qhathanisa nesAmbulo 20:11.
3. (a) Yini uJohane ayichazayo, futhi liyini iJerusalema Elisha? (b) IJerusalema Elisha ‘lehla’ kanjani ‘livela ezulwini’?
3 UJohane uyaqhubeka: “Ngabona nomuzi ongcwele, iJerusalema Elisha, wehla uvela ezulwini kuNkulunkulu futhi ulungisiwe njengomlobokazi ehlotshiselwe umyeni wakhe.” (IsAmbulo 21:2) IJerusalema Elisha lingumlobokazi kaKristu, owakhiwa amaKristu agcotshiwe athembeka kuze kube sekufeni futhi avuselwa ukuba abe amakhosi nabapristi kanye noJesu okhazinyulisiwe. (IsAmbulo 3:12; 20:6) Njengoba nje iJerusalema lasemhlabeni laba ikomkhulu likahulumeni kwa-Israyeli wasendulo, iJerusalema Elisha elikhazimulayo noMyeni walo bakha uhulumeni wesimiso esisha sezinto. Leli izulu elisha. ‘Umlobokazi wehla evela ezulwini,’ hhayi ngokoqobo, kodwa ngomqondo wokubhekisela ukunakekela emhlabeni. Umlobokazi weWundlu uyoba umsizi walo ekuqhubeni uhulumeni wokulunga phezu kwaso sonke isintu. Isibusiso ngempela emhlabeni omusha!
4. Isiphi isithembiso uNkulunkulu asenzayo esifana naleso asenza esizweni sakwa-Israyeli esasakhiwe kabusha?
4 UJohane uyasitshela ngokuqhubekayo: “Ngemva kwalokho ngezwa izwi elikhulu livela esihlalweni sobukhosi lithi: ‘Bheka! Itende likaNkulunkulu likanye nabantu, uyohlala nabo, babe ngabantu bakhe. UNkulunkulu ngokwakhe uyoba nabo.’” (IsAmbulo 21:3) Lapho uJehova enza isivumelwano soMthetho nesizwe sakwa-Israyeli esasisisha ngaleso sikhathi, wathembisa: “Ngiyobeka itabernakele lami phakathi kwenu, umphefumulo wami ngeke unenyanye. Impela ngiyohamba phakathi kwenu ngibe uNkulunkulu wenu, nina, niyoba ngabantu bami.” (Levitikusi 26:11, 12) Manje uJehova wenza isithembiso esifanayo kubantu abathembekile. Phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela lweminyaka eyinkulungwane, bayoba ngabantu abakhetheke kakhulu kuye.
5. (a) UNkulunkulu uyohlala kanjani nesintu phakathi nokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane? (b) UNkulunkulu uyohlala kanjani phakathi kwesintu ngemva kokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane?
5 Phakathi nokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, uJehova “uyohlala” phakathi kwesintu elungiselelweni lesikhashana, emelelwe yiNdodana yakhe yasebukhosini, uJesu Kristu. Nokho, ekupheleni kokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, lapho uJesu enikela uMbuso kuYise, akukho mmeleli wasebukhosini noma umlamuleli oyodingeka. UJehova uyohlala ‘nabantu bakhe’ ngokomoya ngendlela eqondile neyaphakade. (Qhathanisa noJohane 4:23, 24.) Yeka ilungelo eliphakeme ngesintu esibuyiselwe!
6, 7. (a) Yiziphi izithembiso ezinhle uJohane azembulayo, futhi obani abayojabulela lezi zibusiso? (b) U-Isaya ulichaza kanjani ipharadesi elingokomoya futhi elingokwenyama?
6 UJohane uqhubeka athi: “Uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni abo, ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlulile.” (IsAmbulo 21:4) Siyaphinda futhi sikhunjuzwa ngezithembiso zangaphambili eziphefumlelwe. U-Isaya naye wabheka phambili esikhathini lapho ukufa nokudabuka kungasayikuba khona nosizi luyothathelwa indawo ukujabula. (Isaya 25:8; 35:10; 51:11; 65:19) Manje uJohane uqinisekisa ukuthi lezi zithembiso ziyogcwaliseka ngokumangalisayo phakathi noSuku Lokwahlulela lweminyaka eyinkulungwane. Okokuqala isixuku esikhulu siyojabulela izibusiso. “IWundlu, eliphakathi kwesihlalo sobukhosi,” liqhubeka libelusa, “liyobaqondisa emithonjeni yamanzi okuphila. UNkulunkulu uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni abo.” (IsAmbulo 7:9, 17) Kodwa ekugcineni bonke abavusiwe futhi ababonisa ukholo emalungiselelweni kaJehova bayoba lapho kanye naso, bejabulela ipharadesi elingokomoya nelingokwenyama.
7 “Ngaleso sikhathi,” kusho u-Isaya, “amehlo ezimpumputhe ayovulwa, nazo kanye izindlebe zabayizithulu ziyovulwa.” Yebo, “ngaleso sikhathi olunyonga uyoqombola njengendluzele, nolimi loyisimungulu luyokhamuluka ngokuthokoza.” (Isaya 35:5, 6) Ngaleso sikhathi futhi, “ngokuqinisekile bayokwakha izindlu bahlale kuzo; nakanjani bayotshala izivini badle izithelo zazo. Ngeke bakhe kuhlale omunye; ngeke batshale kudle omunye. Ngoba izinsuku zabantu bami ziyoba njengezinsuku zomuthi; nomsebenzi wezandla zabo abakhethiweyo bami bayowusebenzisa ngokugcwele.” (Isaya 65:21, 22) Ngakho abayikusishulwa emhlabeni.
8. Yini uJehova ngokwakhe ayishoyo ngokuqondene nokuthembeka kwalezi zithembiso ezinhle?
8 Yeka imibono emihle egcwalisa izingqondo zethu njengoba sizindla ngalezi zithembiso! Amalungiselelo amangalisayo alindele isintu esithembekile ngaphansi kukahulumeni wasezulwini onothando. Ingabe izithembiso ezinjalo zinhle kakhulu ukuba zibe yiqiniso? Ingabe zimane nje zingamaphupho ekhehla elidingiselwe esiqhingini sasePhatmose? UJehova ngokwakhe uyaphendula: “Lowo ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi wathi: ‘Bheka! Ngenza konke kube kusha.’ Wathi futhi: ‘Loba, ngoba la mazwi athembekile ayiqiniso.’ Wathi futhi kimi: ‘Sekwenzekile! Ngingu-Alfa no-Omega, isiqalo nesiphetho.’”—IsAmbulo 21:5, 6a.
9. Kungani lezi zithembiso zesikhathi esizayo zingabhekwa njengeziyogcwaliseka ngokuqinisekile?
9 Kusengathi uJehova ngokwakhe usayinela isintu esithembekile isiqinisekiso, noma itayitela, lalezi zithembiso zesikhathi esizayo. Ubani ongalokotha angabaze uMqinisekisi onjalo? Phela, lezi zithembiso zikaJehova ziqiniseke kangangokuthi ukhuluma sengathi sezigcwalisekile kakade: “Sekwenzekile!” UJehova akayena yini “u-Alfa no-Omega . . . , okhona nowayekhona nozayo, uMninimandla onke”? (IsAmbulo 1:8) Unguye ngempela! Yena ngokwakhe uthi: “Ngingowokuqala futhi ngingowokugcina, ngaphandle kwami akekho uNkulunkulu.” (Isaya 44:6) Njengoba enjalo, angaphefumulela iziprofetho futhi azigcwalise ngayo yonke imininingwane yazo. Yeka ukuthi kuqinisa ukholo kanjani! Ngakho uyathembisa: “Bheka! Ngenza konke kube kusha”! Kunokuba sibuze ukuthi lezi zimangaliso ziyokwenzeka ngempela yini, ngokuqinisekile kufanele sizibuze: ‘Yini mina siqu okumelwe ngiyenze ukuze ngizuze izibusiso ezinjalo?’
“Amanzi” Kwabomile
10. Yimaphi “amanzi” uJehova awanikezayo, futhi ameleleni?
10 UJehova ngokwakhe omemezelayo: “Noma ubani owomile ngiyomphuzisa emthonjeni wamanzi okuphila.” (IsAmbulo 21:6b) Ukuze umuntu aqede lokho koma, kumelwe aqaphele isidingo sakhe esingokomoya futhi azimisele ukwamukela “amanzi” uJehova awanikezayo. (Isaya 55:1; Mathewu 5:3) Maphi “amanzi”? UJesu ngokwakhe wawuphendula lowo mbuzo lapho efakaza kowesifazane eduze komthombo waseSamariya. Wamtshela: “Noma ubani ophuza la manzi engizomnika wona akasoze oma, kodwa amanzi engizomnika wona, ngaphakathi kuye ayoba umthombo wamanzi ophuphumayo ukuze udlulisele ukuphila okuphakade.” Lowo ‘mthombo wamanzi okuphila’ ugeleza uvela kuNkulunkulu ngoKristu njengoyilungiselelo lakhe lokubuyisela isintu ekuphileni okuphelele. Njengowesifazane ongumSamariya, yeka indlela okumelwe sikulangazelele ngayo ukuphuza saneliswe kulowo mthombo! Futhi njengalowo wesifazane, yeka ukuthi kufanele sikulungele kanjani ukulahla izithakazelo zezwe ukuze sitshele abanye izindaba ezinhle!—Johane 4:14, 15, 28, 29.
Abanqobayo
11. Yisiphi isithembiso uJehova asenzayo, futhi lawo mazwi asebenza kobani kuqala?
11 Labo abaphuza lawo “manzi” aqabulayo kumelwe futhi banqobe, njengoba uJehova eqhubeka ethi: “Onqobayo uyozuza lezi zinto ngefa, futhi ngiyoba nguNkulunkulu wakhe yena abe yindodana yami.” (IsAmbulo 21:7) Lesi sithembiso siyefana nezithembiso ezitholakala ezigijimini eziya emabandleni ayisikhombisa; ngakho, la mazwi kumelwe asebenze kubafundi abagcotshiwe kuqala. (IsAmbulo 2:7, 11, 17, 26-28; 3:5, 12, 21) Kuso sonke isikhathi abafowabo bakaKristu abangokomoya bebelindele ngokulangazelela ilungelo lokuba ingxenye yeJerusalema Elisha. Uma benqoba, njengoba uJesu anqoba, amathemba abo ayofezeka.—Johane 16:33.
12. Isithembiso sikaJehova esikusAmbulo 21:7 siyogcwaliseka kanjani esixukwini esikhulu?
12 Isixuku esikhulu esivela kuzo zonke izizwe naso sibheke kulesi sithembiso. Naso futhi kumelwe sinqobe, sikhonze uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka size siphume osizini olukhulu. Khona-ke siyongena efeni laso lasemhlabeni, ‘umbuso esawulungiselelwa kusukela ekusungulweni kwezwe.’ (Mathewu 25:34) Laba kanye nabanye bezimvu zeNkosi zasemhlabeni abaphumelela ovivinyweni ekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane babizwa ngokuthi “abangcwele.” (IsAmbulo 20:9) Bayojabulela ubuhlobo obungcwele nobunjengobomntwana kumzali noMdali wabo, uJehova uNkulunkulu, njengamalungu enhlangano yakhe yendawo yonke.—Isaya 66:22; Johane 20:31; Roma 8:21.
13, 14. Ukuze samukele izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu ezinhle, imiphi imikhuba okumelwe siyigweme ngokuqinile, futhi ngani?
13 Kunaleli themba elihle ngaphambili, yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kanjani ukuba oFakazi BakaJehova bahlale behlanzekile manje ezintweni ezingcolisayo zezwe likaSathane! Sidinga ukuba namandla, siqine, futhi sizimisele ukuthi uDeveli akasoze asidonsela emshungwini uJehova ngokwakhe awuchazayo lapha: “Kodwa amagwala nabangenalo ukholo nabanengekayo ngenxa yokungcola kwabo nababulali, nezifebe, nabasebenzisa imimoya, nabakhonza izithombe, nabo bonke abaqambimanga, isabelo sabo siyoba sechibini elivutha umlilo nesibabule. Lokhu kusho ukufa kwesibili.” (IsAmbulo 21:8) Yebo, ozoba indlalifa kumelwe agweme imikhuba eye yangcolisa lesi simiso sezinto esidala. Kumelwe anqobe ngokuhlala ethembekile phakathi kwakho konke ukucindezela nezilingo.—Roma 8:35-39.
14 ELobukholwa, nakuba lizisholo ukuthi lingumlobokazi kaKristu, ligcwele imikhuba enyanyekayo uJohane ayichaza lapha. Ngakho liya ekubhujisweni kwaphakade kanye nalo lonke iBhabhiloni Elikhulu. (IsAmbulo 18:8, 21) Ngokufanayo, noma ibaphi babagcotshiwe noma besixuku esikhulu abaqala umkhuba wokwenza ububi obunjalo, noma abaqala ukubukhuthaza, babhekene nokubhujiswa kwaphakade. Uma bephikelela kulezi zenzo, ngeke bazamukele izithembiso. Futhi emhlabeni omusha, noma ibaphi abazama ukungenisa imikhuba enjalo bayobhujiswa ngokushesha, beya ekufeni kwesibili bengenathemba lovuko.—Isaya 65:20.
15. Obani abavelele njengabanqobi, futhi isAmbulo silethwa emvuthwandaba ophakeme ngamuphi umbono?
15 Abavelele njengabanqobi iWundlu, uJesu Kristu, nomlobokazi walo wabangu-144 000, iJerusalema Elisha. Khona-ke, yeka ukuthi kufaneleka kanjani ukuthi isAmbulo silethwe emvuthwandaba ophakeme ngombono wokugcina, obabazekayo weJerusalema Elisha! Manje uJohane uchaza umbono wokugcina.
[Izithombe ekhasini 302]
Emphakathini womhlaba omusha, kuyoba nomsebenzi ojabulisayo nobungane ngabo bonke