Isahluko 16

Uhulumeni KaNkulunkulu Uqala Ukubusa Kwawo

 1. (a) Yini abantu bokholo osekukudala bebheke kuyo? (b) Kungani umbuso kaNkulunkulu ubizwa ngokuthi “umuzi”?

SEKUYIZINKULUNGWANE zeminyaka abantu abanokholo kuhulumeni kaNkulunkulu bebheke esikhathini lapho uyoqala khona ukubusa kwawo. Ngokwesibonelo, iBhayibheli lithi uAbrahama othembekile “wayebheké umuzi onezisekelo, omakhi nomenzi wawo nguNkulunkulu.” (Heberu 11:10) Lowo“muzi” ungumbuso kaNkulunkulu. Kepha kungani lapha ubizwa ngokuthi “umuzi”? Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi ezikhathini zasendulo kwakuyinto evamile ngenkosi ukuba ibuse phezu komuzi. Ngakho abantu babevame ukucabangela umuzi njengombuso.

 2. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi uMbuso wawungokoqobo kubafundi bakaKristu bakuqala? (b) Yini ababefuna ukuyazi ngawo?

² Umbuso kaNkulunkulu wawungokoqobo kubalandeli bakaKristu bakuqala. Lokhu kubonakaliswa isithakazelo sabo esibukhali ekubuseni kwawo. (Mathewu 20:20-23) Umbuzo owawusezingqondweni zabo wawuwukuthi: UKristu nabafundi bakhe bayoqala nini ukubusa? Ngesinye isikhathi lapho uJesu ebonakala kubafundi bakhe ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe, bambuza: “Nkosi, usawubuyisela umbuso kuIsrayeli ngalesisikhathi na?” (IzEnzo 1:6) Ngakho-ke, ingabe uyakushisekela ukwazi ukuthi kunini lapho uKristu eyoqala khona ukubusa njengenkosi kahulumeni kaNkulunkulu, njengoba babenjalo abafundi bakaKristu?

UHULUMENI AMAKRISTU AWUTHANDAZELAYO

 3, 4. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ubelokhu ebusa njengeNkosi? (b) Ngakho kungani uKristu afundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathandazele ukuba umbuso kaNkulunkulu uze?

³ UKristu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathandaze kuNkulunkulu: “Mawufike umbuso wakho; mayenziwe intando yakho emhlabeni njengasezulwini.” (Mathewu 6:9, 10) Kodwa omunye angase abuze: ‘Kanti uJehova uNkulunkulu ubengabusi yini sonke isikhathi njengenkosi? Futhi uma kunjalo, kungani kuthandazelwa umbuso wakhe ukuba uze?’

⁴ Kuyiqiniso, iBhayibheli libiza uJehova ngokuthi “iNkosi yaphakade.” (1 Thimothewu 1:17) Lithi futhi: “UJehova umisile isihlalo sakhe sobukhosi ezulwini; nombuso wakhe ubusa phezu kwakho konke.” (AmaHubo 103:19) Ngakho uJehova ubelokhu enguMbusi oPhakeme phezu kwayo yonke indalo yakhe. (Jeremiya 10:10) Nokho, ngenxa yokuhlubuka ekubuseni kwakhe ensimini yase-Edeni, uNkulunkulu wahlela uhulumeni okhethekile. Yilohulumeni kamuva uJesu Kristu afundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bawuthandazele. Injongo yawo iwukuqeda izinkinga ezabangeka ngesikhathi uSathane uDeveli nabanye behlubuka ekubuseni kukaNkulunkulu.

 5. Uma ungumbuso kaNkulunkulu, kungani futhi ubizwa ngokuthi umbuso kaKristu nombuso wabayizi-144 000?

⁵ Lohulumeni omusha woMbuso wamukela amandla awo nelungelo lokubusa eNkosini eNkulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu. Ungumbuso wakhe. Ngokuphindaphindiwe, iBhayibheli liwubiza ngokuthi “umbuso kaNkulunkulu.” (Luka 9:2, 11, 60, 62; 1 Korinte 6:9, 10; 15:50) Nokho, njengoba uJehova eye wamisa iNdodana yakhe ukuba ibe uMbusi oyiNhloko wawo, kuyabhekiselwa futhi kuwo njengombuso kaKristu. (2 Petru 1:11) Njengoba sifundile kwesinye isahluko esingaphambili, abantu abayizi-144 000 abaphuma phakathi kwesintu bayobusa noKristu kulombuso. (IsAmbulo 14:1-4; 20:6) Ngakho-ke iBhayibheli libhekisela kuwona njengo“mbuso wabo.”—Daniyeli 7:27, NW.

 6. Ngokwabantu abathile, umbuso kaNkulunkulu waqala nini ukubusa?

⁶ Abanye abantu bathi uMbuso waqala ukubusa kwawo ngonyaka uJesu abuyela ngawo ezulwini. Bathi uKristu waqala ukubusa lapho ethululela umoya ongcwele kubalandeli bakhe ngosuku lomkhosi wamaJuda wePentekoste ngonyaka ka-33 C.E. (IzEnzo 2:1-4) Kodwa uhulumeni woMbuso uJehova aye wawulungiselela ukuba uqede zonke izinkinga ezabangelwa ukuhlubuka kukaSathane awuzange uqalise ukubusa kwawo ngalesosikhathi. Akukho lutho olubonisa ukuthi ‘umntwana wesilisa,’ okungumbuso kaNkulunkulu ngoKristu njengombusi, wawusuzelwe ngalesosikhathi futhi waqala ukubusa kwawo. (IsAmbulo 12:1-10) Nokho, ingabe uJesu waba nawo umbuso nganoma iyiphi indlela ngonyaka ka-33 C.E.?

 7. Kusukela ngo-33 C.E. uKristu ubebusa phezu kobani?

⁷ Yebo, uJesu ngalesosikhathi waqala ukubusa phezu kwebandla labalandeli bakhe, labo ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ababezohlanganyela naye ezulwini. Ngakho iBhayibheli likhuluma ngabo, lapho besesemhlabeni, njengabayiswa “embusweni weNdodana yothando [lukaNkulunkulu].” (Kolose 1:13) Kodwa lokhu kubusa noma “umbuso,” phezu kwamaKristu anethemba lokuphila kwasezulwini akuwona uhulumeni woMbuso lowo uJesu afundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bawuthandazele. Ungumbuso phezu kwabantu abayizi-144 000 kuphela abayobusa kanye naye ezulwini. Phakathi nawo wonke amakhulu eminyaka adlule baye baba ukuphela kwezikhonzi zawo. Ngakho lokhu kubusa, noma ‘umbuso weNdodana yothando lukaNkulunkulu,’ kuyophela uma owokugcina walezikhonzi ezinethemba lasezulwini efa futhi ehlanganyela noKristu ezulwini. Ngeke besaba ngaphansi kukaKristu, kodwa ngalesosikhathi bayoba ngamakhosi kanye naye kuhulumeni woMbuso kaNkulunkulu owathenjiswa kudala.

UKUQALA KOKUBUSA PHAKATHI KWEZITHA

 8. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi ngemva kokuvuswa kukaKristu kwakuyoba khona isikhathi sokulinda ngaphambi kokuba aqale ukubusa? (b) UNkulunkulu wathini kuKristu uma sesifikile isikhathi sokuba abuse?

⁸ Lapho uKristu ebuyela ezulwini ngemva kokufa kwakhe, akazange aqale ukubusa njengeNkosi kahulumeni kaNkulunkulu ngalesosikhathi. Kunalokho, kwakumelwe kube khona isikhathi sokulinda, njengoba umphostoli uPawulu echaza: “Yena [uJesu Kristu], esenikele ngomhlatshelo waba-munye ngenxa yezono, wahlala phakade ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu, usalindele izitha zakhe zize zenzizwe isenabelo sezinyawo zakhe.” (Heberu 10:12, 13) Lapho isikhathi sifika ngoKristu ukuba aqale ukubusa, uJehova wamtshela: “Busa [noma, unqobe] wena phakathi kwezitha zakho.”—AmaHubo 110:1, 2, 5, 6.

 9. (a) Kungani kungebona bonke abafuna umbuso kaNkulunkulu? (b) Lapho uhulumeni kaNkulunkulu uqala ukubusa kwawo, izizwe zenzani?

⁹ Ingabe kuzwakala kuyinto exakayo ukuthi kukhona ongaba yisitha sikahulumeni kaNkulunkulu? Nokho akubona bonke abafuna ukuphila ngaphansi kukahulumeni ofuna ukuba izikhonzi zawo zenze okulungileyo. Ngakho ngemva kokulandisa ukuthi uJehova neNdodana yakhe bayokuthatha kanjani ukubusa kwezwe, iBhayibheli lithi, “nezizwe zazinolaka.” (IsAmbulo 11:15, 17, 18) Izizwe aziwemukeli umbuso kaNkulunkulu ngoba uSathane uzidukisela ekubeni ziwuphikise.

10, 11. (a) Lapho uhulumeni kaNkulunkulu uqala ukubusa kwawo, yini eyenzeka ezulwini? (b) Yini eyenzeka emhlabeni? (c) Ngakho iliphi iphuzu elibalulekile esifanele silikhumbule?

¹⁰ Lapho uhulumeni kaNkulunkulu uqala ukubusa kwawo, uSathane nezingelosi zakhe babesahlala ezulwini. Njengoba bephikisana nokubusa koMbuso, ngokushesha kwagqashuka impi. Ngenxa yalokho, uSathane nezingelosi zakhe bakhishwa ezulwini. Kulokhu, izwi elikhulu lathi: “Kalokhu insindiso namandla nobukhosi ngokukaNkulunkulu wethu, nombuso ngokaKristu wakhe.” Yebo, ukubusa kukahulumeni kaNkulunkulu kwaqala! Futhi njengoba uSathane nezingelosi zakhe sebesusiwe ezulwini, kwaba khona ukuthokoza khona. IBhayibheli lithi: “Ngalokho thokozani ninamazulu nabahlala kuwo!”—IsAmbulo 12:7-12.

¹¹ Ingabe lesi isikhathi esithokozisayo nangomhlaba? Cha! Kunalokho, kunesikhathi senkathazo enkulu kunazo zonke esake saba khona emhlabeni. IBhayibheli liyasitshela: “Maye kuwe-mhlaba nakuwe-lulwandle, ngokuba uSathane wehlele kini enolaka olukhulu, azi ukuthi unesikhathi esifushane!” (IsAmbulo 12:12) Ngakho leli iphuzu elibalulekile lokulikhumbula: Ukuqala kombuso kaNkulunkulu akusho ukuthula nokulondeka okufika ngokushesha emhlabeni. Ukuthula kweqiniso kuyofika kamuva lapho umbuso kaNkulunkulu uphatha ngokuphelele emhlabeni. Lokhu kuyokwenzeka ekupheleni kwaleso“sikhathi esifushane,” lapho uSathane nezingelosi zakhe begudluzwa ukuze bangabe besabangela inkathazo kunoma ubani.

12. Kungani singalindela ukuba iBhayibheli lisitshele ukuthi umbuso kaNkulunkulu uqala nini ukubusa kwawo?

¹² Kodwa kunini lapho uSathane ekhishwa khona ezulwini, ngalokho abangele inkathazo phezu komhlaba “isikhathi esifushane”? Kunini lapho uhulumeni kaNkulunkulu uqala khona ukubusa kwawo? Ingabe iBhayibheli liyayinikeza impendulo? Kumelwe silindele ukuba kube njalo. Ngani? Ngoba esikhathini eside ngaphambili iBhayibheli labikezela ukuthi iNdodana kaNkulunkulu yayiyobonakala nini okokuqala njengomuntu emhlabeni ukuba ibe uMesiya. Eqinisweni, lakhomba kuwo kanye unyaka eyaba uMesiya ngawo. Khona-ke, kuthiwani ngokuza okubaluleke ngokwengeziwe kukaMesiya, noma uKristu, ukuba aqale ukubusa kwakhe koMbuso? Ngokuqinisekile singalindela ukuba iBhayibheli lisitshele futhi ukuthi lokhu kuyokwenzeka nini!

13. IBhayibheli liwubikezela kanjani wona kanye unyaka uMesiya abonakala ngawo emhlabeni?

¹³ Kodwa umuntu angase abuze: ‘Kukuphi lapho iBhayibheli libikezela khona ngonyaka uMesiya abonakala ngawo emhlabeni?’ Incwadi yeBhayibheli kaDaniyeli ithi: “Kusukela ekuphumeni kwezwi lokubuyisa nokwakha iJerusalema kuze kufike ogcotshiweyo, umbusi, kuyakuba-ngamasonto ayisikhombisa . . . amasonto angamashumi ayisithupha nambili,” noma sekukonke amasonto angama-69. (Daniyeli 9:25) Nokho, lawa akuwona amasonto angama-69 angokoqobo, ahlanganisa izinsuku ezingama-483 kuphela, noma isikhathi esingaphezuywana kancane konyaka. Angamasonto angama-69 eminyaka, noma iminyaka engama-483. (Qhathanisa noNumeri 14:34.) Umyalo wokubuyisela nokwakha futhi izindonga zaseJerusalema wakhishwa ngo-455 B.C.E.a (Nehemiya 2:1-8) Ngakho-ke lamasonto eminyaka angama-69 aphela ngemva kweminyaka engama-483, ngo-29 C.E. Futhi lowo yiwo kanye unyaka uJesu aya ngawo kuJohane ukuba abhapathizwe! Ngalesosikhathi wagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele waba nguMesiya, noma uKristu.—Luka 3:1, 2, 21-23.

LAPHO UHULUMENI KANKULUNKULU UQALA UKUBUSA KWAWO

14. “Umuthi” kaDaniyeli isahluko sesine umeleleni?

¹⁴ Khona-ke, kukuphi lapho iBhayibheli libikezela khona ngonyaka lapho uKristu eqala ukubusa njengenkosi kahulumeni kaNkulunkulu? Kukuyo lencwadi yeBhayibheli efanayo kaDaniyeli. (Daniyeli 4:10-37) Lapha umuthi omkhulukazi, ofinyelela ezulwini ngobude usetshenziselwe ukumelela iNkosi yaseBabiloni uNebukadinesari. Wayengumbusi ongumuntu ophakeme kunabo bonke ngalesosikhathi. Nokho, iNkosi uNebukadinesari yaphoqelelwa ukuba yazi ukuthi othile ophakeme kunayo wayebusa. Lona ungo“Phezukonke” noma “iNkosi yezulu,” uJehova uNkulunkulu. (Daniyeli 4:34, 37) Ngakho-ke, ngendlela ebaluleke ngokwengeziwe, lomuthi omude ofinyelela ezulwini, ube sewumelela ukubusa okuphakeme kukaNkulunkulu, ikakhulukazi ekuhlobaneni kwakho nomhlaba wethu. Ukubusa kukaJehova kwaboniswa okwesikhashana ngombuso awumisa phezu kwesizwe sakwaIsrayeli. Kungakho amakhosi esizwe sakwaJuda ayebusa phezu kwamaIsrayeli kwakuthiwa “ahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaJehova.”—1 IziKronike 29:23.

15. Lapho “umuthi” ugawulelwa phansi, kungani waboshwa ngamabhande?

¹⁵ Ngokomlando weBhayibheli kuDaniyeli isahluko sesine, lomuthi ofika ezulwini wagawulelwa phansi. Nokho, isiqu sashiywa, sase siboshwa ngamabhande elensimbi nelethusi. Lokhu kwakuzovimbela isiqu singakhuli kuze kube yisikhathi sikaNkulunkulu sokususa lawomabhande asivumele siqale ukukhula futhi. Kodwa-ke ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu kwagawulelwa kanjani phansi futhi nini?

16. (a) Ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu kwagawulelwa kanjani phansi futhi nini? (b) Inkosi yokugcina yakwaJuda eyayihlezi “esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaJehova” yatshelwa ukuthini?

¹⁶ Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, umbuso wakwaJuda uJehova ayewumisile wonakala kangangokuthi wavumela iNkosi uNebukadinesari ukuba iwubhubhise, iwugawulele phansi. Lokhu kwenzeka ngonyaka ka-607 B.C.E. Ngalesosikhathi, uSedekiya, iNkosi yokugcina yakwaJuda ukuba ihlale esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaJehova, watshelwa: “Wethule umqhele; . . . [awuyikuba ngowamuntu], aze afike yena omfanelo ingeyakhe, ngimnike [wona].”—Hezekeli 21:25-27, qhathanisa ne-NW.

17. Iyiphi inkathi yesikhathi eyaqala ngo-607 B.C.E.?

¹⁷ Ngakho-ke ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu, njengoba kumelelwe “umuthi,” kwagawulelwa phansi ngo-607 B.C.E. Wawungasekho uhulumeni wokumelela ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu emhlabeni. Ngakho, ngo-607 B.C.E. kwaqala inkathi yesikhathi uJesu Kristu kamuva abhekisela kuyo njenge“zikhathi zabezizwe.” (Luka 21:24) Phakathi nalezi“zikhathi zabezizwe” uNkulunkulu akazange abe nohulumeni wokumelela ukubusa kwakhe emhlabeni.

18. Yini eyayizokwenzeka ekupheleni kwe“zikhathi zabezizwe”?

¹⁸ Yini eyayizokwenzeka ekupheleni kwalezi“zikhathi zabezizwe”? UJehova wayezonikeza amandla okubusa kuLowo “omfanelo ingeyakhe.” Lona uJesu Kristu. Ngakho uma singase sithole ukuthi “izikhathi zabezizwe” ziphela nini, siyokwazi ukuthi uKristu uqala nini ukubusa njengenkosi.

19. Ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu phezu komhlaba kwakuzophazamiseka “izikhathi” ezingaki?

¹⁹ NgokukaDaniyeli isahluko sesine, lezi“zikhathi zabezizwe” zaziyoba “yizikhathi eziyisikhombisa.” UDaniyeli ubonisa ukuthi kwakuyoba khona “izikhathi eziyisikhombisa” okwakuyokuthi phakathi nazo ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu, njengoba kwakumelelwe “umuthi,” kungasebenzi phezu komhlaba. (Daniyeli 4:16, 23) Zinde kangakanani le“zikhathi eziyisikhombisa”?

20. (a) Side kangakanani “isikhathi” esisodwa? (b) Zinde kangakanani “izikhathi eziyisikhombisa”? (c) Kungani sibala usuku olulodwa njengonyaka?

²⁰ KusAmbulo isahluko 12, ivesi 6 no-14, sifunda ukuthi izinsuku eziyi-1 260 zilingana ne“sikhathi [okungukuthi, isikhathi esisodwa], nezikhathi [okungukuthi, izikhathi ezimbili], nenxenye yesikhathi.” Lokho kuyingqikithi yezikhathi ezi-3 ¹/₂. Ngakho “isikhathi” sasiyolingana nezinsuku ezingama-360. Ngakho-ke “izikhathi eziyisikhombisa” zaziyoba izinsuku ezingama-360 ziphindwe kasi-7 noma eziyizi-2 520. Manje uma sibala usuku luba unyaka, ngokomthetho weBhayibheli, “izikhathi eziyisikhombisa” zilingana neminyaka eyizi-2 520.—Numeri 14:34; Hezekeli 4:6.

21. (a) “Izikhathi zabezizwe” ziqala nini ziphele nini? (b) Uhulumeni kaNkulunkulu uqala nini ukubusa kwawo? (c) Kungani kusafanelekile ukuthandazela ukuba umbuso kaNkulunkulu ufike?

²¹ Sesifundile kakade ukuthi “izikhathi zabezizwe” zaqala ngonyaka ka-607 B.C.E. Ngakho ngokubala iminyaka eyizi-2 520 kusukela ngalolosuku, sifinyelela ku-1914 C.E. Yilowonyaka le“zikhathi zabezizwe” ezaphela ngawo. Izigidi zabantu ezisaphila ziyazikhumbula izinto ezenzeka ngo-1914. Ngalowonyaka, iMpi Yezwe I yaqalisa inkathi yenkathazo esabekayo eye yaqhubeka kuze kube sosukwini lwethu. Lokhu kusho ukuthi uJesu Kristu waqala ukubusa njengenkosi kahulumeni kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini ngo-1914. Futhi ngenxa yokuthi uMbuso usukuqalile kakade ukubusa kwawo, yeka ukuthi kungokufaneleke kanjani ukuba sithandazele ukuba “uze” ususe isimiso sezinto sikaSathane esibi kulomhlaba!—Mathewu 6:10; Daniyeli 2:44.

22. Imuphi umbuzo abathile abangase bawubuze?

²² Nokho umuntu angase abuze: ‘Uma uKristu esebuyile kakade ukuba abuse embusweni kaYise, kungani singamboni?’

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ishadi ekhasini 140, 141]

Ngo-607 B.C.E. umbuso kaNkulunkulu wakwaJuda wawa.

Ngo-1914 C.E. uJesu Kristu waqala ukubusa njengenkosi kahulumeni kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini

607 B.C.E.—1914 C.E.

October, 607 B.C.E—October, 1 B.C.E. = Iminyaka engama-606

October, 1 B.C.E.—October, 1914 C.E. = Iminyaka eyi-1 914

IZIKHATHI EZIYI-7 ZABEZIZWE = IMINYAKA EYIZI-2 520

[Isithombe ekhasini 134]

“Usawubuyisela umbuso kuIsrayeli ngalesisikhathi na?”

[Isithombe ekhasini 139]

Umuthi omude kuDaniyeli isahluko 4 umelele ukubusa kwaphezulu. Esikhathini esithile kwaboniswa ngombuso wakwaJuda

[Isithombe ekhasini 140, 141]

Umuthi wagawulelwa phansi lapho kubhujiswa umbuso wakwaJuda