Impikiswano YoMbuso Iba Ngevelele!
“Hlabelelani kuJehova ihubo elisha, . . . Thanini phakathi kwabezizwe: UJehova uyiNkosi.”—IHUBO 96:1, 10.
1. (a) Iliphi iculo elaculwa okokuqala ngokufanelekile ngo-1914, futhi ngani? (b) Ikuphi ukunyathelelwa phansi uJesu ayebhekisela kukho kuLuka 21:24?
KWAQALA ngonyaka ka-1914 ukuba amazwi alengoma aculwe okokuqala ngokufanele futhi asetshenziswe, “iziKhathi’ zabeziZwe ziphelile; amakhosi’ azo’ abusile.”a Ngomhla kaOctober 1, 1914 iMpi Yezwe I yayikade iviva ngaphezu kwezinyanga ezimbili. Lawomazwi ngeZikhathi zeZizwe ayephathelene nesiprofetho sikaJesu Kristu maqondana nesikhathi sokubhujiswa kweJerusalema nethempeli lalo lekhulu lokuqala. Lokho kubhujiswa kwenzeka ngo-70 C.E. KuLuka 21:24 uJesu uthi: “Bayakuwa [amaJuda] bedliwa inkemba, bathunjelwe ezizweni zonke; iJerusalema liyakunyathelwa phansi ngabezizwe, kuze kugcwaliseke izikhathi zabezizwe.” Emuva ezinsukwini zeNkosi uDavide yakwaIsrayeli umuzi waseJerusalema wenziwa inhlokodolobha efanekisela umbuso kaNkulunkulu. Kanjalo iJerusalema laba isifanekiselo sombuso kaJehova uNkulunkulu ongokomfanekiso ngenkosi yakhe egcotshiwe phezu kwesizwe esiziphethe sakwaIsrayeli. Ngakho-ke, ngokuvumelana nalokhu, amazwi kaJesu kuLuka 21:24 abhekisela ekunyathelelweni phansi kombuso kaNkulunkulu ongokomfanekiso.
2. (a) Kwaqala nini lokhu kunyathelela phansi kokuqala, futhi kanjani? (b) Kungani uMbuso wobuMesiya ungazange umiswe ngemva kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-70 C.E.?
2 Lokho kunyathela kwaqala nini okokuqala? Hhayi ngonyaka ka-70 C.E., iminyaka engama-37 ngemva kokuba uJesu anikeza isiprofetho sakhe. Ngalowonyaka umuzi owawuvuselelwe waseJerusalema wabhujiswa, ngalesikhathi ngamabutho amaRoma. Kodwa ukunyathela uJesu aprofetha ngakho kwakuwukuqhubela phambili ukunyathelelwa phansi okwakuqale ekubhujisweni kokuqala kweJerusalema ngabaseBabiloni ngonyaka ka-607 ngaphambi kweSikhathi sethu Esivamile. Lapho, emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva, amaRoma ebhubhisa iJerusalema elalivuselelwe ngo-70 C.E., ubude obugcwele be“zikhathi zabezizwe” babungakafinyelelwa. UJesu wayelazi leloqiniso kusengaphambili, futhi ngalokho akazange asho ukuthi ukubhujiswa okuzayo kweJerusalema elalivuselelwe, libhujiswa ngamaRoma kwakuyolandela ngokushesha ukumiswa kongokoqobo noma owafanekiselwa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ezandleni zikaMesiya, uKristu. Kunalokho, umbuso kaNkulunkulu ongokomfanekiso njengoba wamelelwa iJerusalema losuku lwakhe wawuzonyathelelwa phansi izizwe ezingasokiwe kuze kube ilapho “izikhathi zabeZizwe” ezimisiwe ziphela ngokokubala kukaNkulunkulu.
3. (a) Singabubala kanjani ubude nokuphela kweZikhathi zabeZizwe? (b) Iyiphi impikiswano ebaluleke kakhulu khona-ke eyaba sobala ngo-1914?
3 Manje sivula isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli, isahluko 4, futhi sithola ukuthi inani le“zikhathi” laliyoba isikhombisa. Iminyaka equkethwe esikhathini ngasinye yayiyoba inani lezinsuku zonyaka wesiprofetho, okungukuthi, izinsuku ezingama-360. Usuku ngalunye lwaluyomelela unyaka, ngokwendlela izizwe zabeZizwe ezazibala ngayo izikhathi. Ngokubala okunjalo, “izikhathi eziyisikhombisa” zaziyoba iminyaka eyizi-2 520. (Qhathanisa noDaniyeli 4:16, 23, 25, 32.) Njengoba zaqala lapho abaseBabiloni bechitha umbuso kaNkulunkulu owawufanekisela eJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E., engxenyeni yokugcina yalowonyaka, kwakumelwe ziphele ngonyaka ka-1914 weSikhathi sethu Esivamile, engxenyeni yokugcina yalowonyaka. Phakathi naleyonkathi ephawuliwe iMpi Yezwe I yaqala. Nakuba lokho kuthakazelisa, umqondo obaluleke kakhulu wokuhlanganiswa nokuphela kwe“zikhathi zabezizwe,” noma “izikhathi ezimisiwe zabeZizwe” (New World Translation), kulowonyaka owaba nempi yilo: UMbuso kaNkulunkulu ongokomoya owafanekiselwa ezandleni zeNdodana yakhe egcotshiwe, uJesu Kristu, waqala lapho emazulwini. Iqiniso lokuthi lokhu kuphikiswa ngabaholi benkolo beLobukholwa nabanye likwenza kube yi“mpikiswano” ebaluleke kakhulu. Futhi kumelwe sibhekane nayo!
Ukulwelwa Empikiswaneni
4. Obani abaye bafakazelwa izenzakalo zezwe?
4 Ngakho, okokuqala, sizobuza: Obani abaye, eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambili, babonisa izwe lonke ukuthi “izikhathi zabezizwe” zaziyophela engxenyeni yokugcina ka-1914? KwakungabaFundi BeBhayibheli Bezwe Lonke, besebenzisa umagazini INqabayokulinda nezinye izincwadi zeWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Namuhla baziwa ezweni lonke njengoFakazi BakaJehova. Ingabe izenzakalo zezwe ziye zabafakazela? Yebo!
5. (a) Iyini impendulo eye yanikezwa labo abaphikisana nokumiswa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu? (b) Ukugcwaliseka kukaLuka 21:25-27 kukusekela kanjani ngokomlando ukuphela kweZikhathi zabeZizwe ngo-1914?
5 Njengoba iningi lesintu namuhla alikunaki lokho kubalwa kwesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu, futhi njengoba eLobukholwa namakhulu ezinhlelo zalo namasonto kuphikisa ukubala okuqondile, ingabe labo baphikisi ababedlula kakhulu ngobuningi oFakazi BakaJehova baye banqoba empikiswaneni eshisayo ngokuqondene nokumiswa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngoKristu emazulwini ngo-1914 C.E.? Ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sikaJesu ngokuqondene nokwakuyophawula “ukuphela kwezwe” noma “isiphelo sesimiso sezinto” (NW), kusiphendula ngoCha onamandla! Eminyakeni engamashumi ayisithupha nesishiyagalombili ngemva kuka-1914 sibona izinto zinjengoba zabikezelwa uJesu kuLuka 21:25-27, ngalamazwi alandelayo: “Nasemhlabeni usizi luyakwehlela izizwe, zixakeke ngokuduma kolwandle namaza, abantu baphele amandla ngokwesaba nangokubheka okuvelela umhlaba; ngokuba amandla ezulu ayakunyakaziswa. Khona bayakuyibona iNdodana yomuntu iza efwini, inamandla nenkazimulo enkulu.” Ngokufanelekileyo-ke, ukuphela kwezikhathi zabeZizwe engxenyeni yokugcina ka-1914 kusemi njengesisekelo esingokomlando samaqiniso ayisisekelo oMbuso okumelwe sibambelele kuwo namuhla.
6. Kungani abafundi bakaJesu banamuhla bejabula kunokuhlanganyela usizi lwezizwe?
6 Ingabe wonke umuntu kumelwe aphele amandla ngokwesaba ngenxa yezinto ezibonakala zivelela umhlaba? Ingabe uJesu ngokwakhe wathi wonke umuntu uyozizwa ngaleyondlela ngakho? Lutho neze! Ngoba uJesu ngokwakhe washo okwehlukile ngabafundi bakhe abathembekile, ethi kubo ngemva kwalokho: “Kepha nxa kuqala ukuvela lokho, lulamani, niphakamise amakhanda enu, ngokuba kusondele ukukhululwa kwenu.” (Luka 21:28) NgokukaMathewu 24:32, 33, uJesu wathi futhi: “Fundani umfanekiso emkhiwaneni; nxa igatsha lawo selithamba, lihlume amaqabunga, niyazi ukuthi ihlobo seliseduze. Kanjalo nani, nxa nibona konke lokhu, yazini ukuthi iseduze ngasemnyango.” (Bheka futhi uMarku 13:28, 29.) Njengoba banesibonakaliso esibonakalayo ezimweni zezwe nezenzakalo sokuthi ukukhululwa kwabo kuseduze, njengokungathi kusemnyango, bayajabula futhi abahlanganyeli usizi lwezizwe zabeZizwe.
Abasekeli Abathembekile BoMbuso
7, 8. (a) ‘Abafowabo’ abangokomoya bakaKristu baye bama kuphi, futhi ngani? (b) Isiphi isibopho laba abaye basithwala?
7 Bami kuphi laba namuhla empikiswaneni yoMbuso? Insali yanamuhla, noma abaseleyo babafundi bakaKristu, labo ababiza ngokuthi ‘abafowabo’ abangokomoya futhi abanethemba lokuhlanganyela naye eMbusweni wakhe wasezulwini, bathatha ukuma kwabo ekusekeleni ngokwethembeka uMbuso kaJehova ngoKristu wakhe. (Mathewu 25:40) Bafunda izibonakaliso zezikhathi ngokuqondile, ukuze basho ukuthi umbuso obuthandazelwa isikhathi eside wamiswa futhi waqala ukusebenza ekupheleni kweziKhathi zabeZizwe ngo-1914. Bayaqaphela ukuthi isikhathi sesifikile sokuba bamemezele kuwo wonke umuntu ukuthi kusukela ngo-1914 lowohulumeni wasezulwini ongaphezu kowabantu, uyabusa nokuthi uyophelisa ngokuphelele lesi simiso sezinto sezwe futhi kanjalo ufeze ukulwelwa okukhazimulayo kobukhosi bendawo yonke bukaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke. Banesibopho sokugcwalisa isiprofetho sikaJesu:
8 “Lelivangeli lombuso liyakushunyayelwa ezweni lonke, kube-ngubufakazi ezizweni zonke, andukuba kufike ukuphela.”—Mathewu 24:14; Marku 13:10.
Lapho “Izimvu” Zizimisa Khona
9. ‘Abafowabo’ bakaKristu baye bawugcwalisa kanjani umyalo ongokwesiprofetho, futhi namiphi imiphumela?
9 Lesi siprofetho sikaJesu sisebenza njengomyalo kubafundi abagcotshwe ngomoya beNkosi yamakhosi, uJesu Kristu, obusayo manje. Ngokulalela kakade sebeye baqhubezela ukushunyayelwa kwesigijimi soMbuso emazweni angama-205 neziqhingi zezilwandle. Futhi, isigijimi esikhazimulayo sidluliselwa esintwini ngezilimi eziyi-174, kungahlanganiswa ukukhuluma ngezandla. Akungabazeki, abaningi abanye abakhileyo bomhlaba kusafuneka bafinyelelwe ngazo zonke izindlela zesimanje zokuxhumana, ukuze ngaphambi “kokuphela” cishe ‘wonke umhlaba owakhiwe’ uthole “ubufakazi.”
10, 11. (a) Ukushunyayelwa koMbuso kuye kwayenza kanjani impikiswano yaba sobala? (b) Yini uJesu ayishoyo ekuqaliseni isici sokugcina “sesibonakaliso”?
10 Nokho, kuye kwaba yini ukusabela ekushunyayelweni koMbuso emhlabeni kabanzi—yebo, naphezu kwakho konke ukuphikisa nokushushiswa lokho uJesu athi kwakuyokwenzeka njengengxenye ye“sibonakaliso” “sokuba khona kwakhe embusweni wasezulwini” nesoku“phela kwezwe”? Kuye kwaba khona ukwehlukaniswa okukhulu kwabakhileyo bomhlaba abasekela umbuso nabamelene nawo. UJesu wakubikezela lokhu kwehlukana esiprofethweni sakhe ngesi“bonakaliso,” futhi kuyisici esiwumvuthwandaba wesiprofetho sakhe njengoba silotshwe umphostoli uMathewu. UJesu wethula lomfanekiso wokugcina wesiprofetho sakhe ngokuthi:
11 “Kepha nxa iNdodana yomuntu iza ngenkazimulo yayo nezingelosi zonke ezingcwele kanye nayo, khona izakuhlala esihlalweni sayo senkazimulo; kuzakubuthelwa phambi kwayo izizwe zonke, ibahlukanise abanye kwabanye, njengomalusi ahlukanisa izimvu nezimbuzi, imise izimvu ngakwesokunene sayo kepha izimbuzi ngakwesokhohlo. Khona iNkosi izakuthi kwabangakwesokunene sayo: Zanini nina enibusisiwe nguBaba, nidle ifa lombuso eniwulungiselweyo selokhu kwasekelwa umhlaba.”—Mathewu 25:31-34.
12. UJesu wawaboleka kusiphi isiprofetho amazwi athi “iNdodana yomuntu,” futhi lokhu kusitshelani ngoMbuso?
12 Siyaphawula ukuthi, lapho eqalisa lomfanekiso ongokwesiprofetho, uJesu waboleka amazwi athi “iNdodana yomuntu” kuDaniyeli 7:13, 14, lapho sifunda khona ukuthi: “Bheka, kwafika namafu ezulu onjengendodana yomuntu; yafika komdala wezinsuku, yasondezwa phambi kwakhe. Yanikwa ukubusa, nobukhosi, nombuso, ukuze bonke abantu, nezizwe, nezilimi bayikhonze; ukubusa kwayo kungukubusa okuphakade okungayikudlula, nombuso wayo yiwo ongayikuchithwa.”
13. (a) Isesikhundleni sayo esiphakeme emazulwini, ikuphi ukuhlola iNkosi ekwenzayo emhlabeni wethu? (b) Yini efakazela ukuthi iNhlangano Yezizwe yayingesona isibonakaliso soMbuso kaNkulunkulu?
13 Abantu namaqembu ezizwe kuye kwaqoqelwa phambi kwaleNkosi ebusayo kusukela ekupheleni kweZikhathi zabeZizwe ngo-1914. Isesikhundleni sayo sasezulwini leNkosi ingahlola bonke njengoba imbulunga yethu ewumhlaba ijikeleza ku-eksizi yayo. Iyazi ukuthi iMpi Yezwe I yayingalwiwa ngenxa yokubusa koMbuso wayo. Cha! Ngoba ngemva kwaleyompi eyesabekayo iNhlangano Yezizwe yamiswa eVersailles eFrance, futhi uMkhandlu Wenhlangano Yamasonto KaKristu EMelika wabhekisela kuyona njenge“sibonakaliso esingokwezombangazwe soMbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni.” Kodwa uma lokho kwaba njalo, kwakungani iNhlangano Yezizwe yehluleka emsebenzini wayo ngeMpi Yezwe II, futhi kungani iye yalandelwa iZizwe Ezihlangene?
14. (a) Imuphi umbuzo womuntu siqu manje obhekene nathi ngabanye? (b) Umuntu angawuzuza kanjani umusa weNkosi? (c) Kungaziphi izindlela eziqondile “izimvu” ezisekela ngazo ‘abafowabo’ beNkosi?
14 Kungaleyondlela izizwe njengamanxusa ezombangazwe eziye zabonisa ngayo ukuthi zimi kuphi empikiswaneni yoMbuso, eziye zabhekana nayo kusukela ngo-1914. Kodwa umbuzo womuntu siqu obhekene nathi ngabanye uthi, ‘Mina, ngimi kuphi empikiswaneni yoMbuso?’ Ingabe ukuma kwakho kungokufanayo nokwe“zimvu” ezingokomfanekiso eziqoqelwa ngasesandleni sokunene seNkosi ebusayo, uJesu Kristu? LeNkosi ewumalusi isitshela indlela umuntu angacatshangelwa ngayo ukuba ofanelekayo ukuhlukaniselwa ngasohlangothini lomusa waphezulu ngokuphambene nabantu abanjengezimbuzi. Kuwukwenza okuhle kulabo abasasele emhlabeni baba‘fowabo’ abangokomoya baleNkosi ebusayo, abasohlwini lokuhlala nayo esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi sasezulwini. Ukwenziwa kwalezozinto ezinhle kusho ukuthi bayakuthanda ukufakaza ngoMbuso okwenziwa ‘abafowabo’ abangokomoya beNkosi. Bayakusekela ngazo zonke izindlela abangakwazi ngazo, abanamahloni ngalabamemezeli bezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ngisho nakuba laba beboshwa, kodwa bazama ukubasiza ukuba baphume ekuboshweni okunjalo, njengoba kwakunjalo emuva ngonyaka ongemva kwempi ka-1919. Ngokuqondile kakhulu kunalokho, bahlanganyela ngokuqondile nensali egcotshiwe ekushumayeleni “lelivangeli lombuso,” njengoba uJesu abikezela kuMathewu 24:14. Bakwenza lokhu obala nasendlini ngendlu.
15. (a) Umvuzo “wezimvu” wehluka kanjani kowa‘bafowabo’ bakaJesu? (b) Lokhu kuhlangana kanjani nenjongo yokuqala kaNkulunkulu? (c) Kungani uMbuso wasezulwini udingeka ukuze ufeze lenjongo?
15 Labobantu abanjengezimvu bayovuzwa ngokumenyelwa iNkosi ukuba ‘badle ifa lombuso abawulungiselweyo selokhu kwasekelwa umhlaba.’ (Mathewu 25:34) Lokhu akusho ukuthi kufanele bafe futhi bavuselwe ekuphileni ezulwini na‘bafowabo’ abangokomoya beNkosi. Akababizi ngokuthi “bafowethu.” Bangabantu abahlukanisiwe nezizwe abaqoqelwa phambi kwesihlalo sakhe sobukhosi. Babheke phambili ekubusisweni uMbuso kaJesu Kristu na‘bafowabo’ abangokomoya. Ngakho bazokudla njengefa indawo yasemhlabeni yoMbuso, lapho iPharadesi liyobuyiselwa khona kuyo yonke imbulunga. Lapho uJehova uNkulunkulu enza umhlaba wethu wayenenjongo ngawo ukuba ube ipharadesi yonke indawo, futhi wabeka indoda nowesifazane emhlabeni ukuba bawenze ngaleyondlela, beqala ngensimu yase-Edene, noma iPharadesi Lenjabulo. Ukuwela kuka-Adamu noEva esonweni nokufa akuzange kubangele ukwehluleka kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu. (Isaya 55:11) Ngaso leso sikhathi wenza ilungiselelo lokuletha iPharadesi emhlabeni wonke ngoMbuso wasezulwini, owawuzoba neNdodana yakhe ethembekile njengoMbusi, noma iNkosi. Kwakumelwe ube uhulumeni wasezulwini uma uzochoboza uqede umqalisi wesono nenkohliso, uSathane uDeveli, isidalwa esinamandla somoya.—Genesise 3:15.
16. (a) Kungayiphi indlela abanjengezimvu beyothola umusa ngokukhethekile? (b) “Izimbuzi” ziya nini “ekubhujisweni okuphakade”?
16 Abanjengezimvu bayokudla ifa lendawo eyiPharadesi yoMbuso wasezulwini. “Isixuku esikhulu” sabo siyolidla ngaphandle kokufa ebusweni bomhlaba nokudinga ukuvuswa kwabafileyo emhlabeni. (IsAmbulo 7:9; 21:4) Yeka indlela emangalisayo ngabo yokungeniswa njenga“balungileyo” “ekuphileni okuphakade!” Bayobona lapho bonke abanjengezimbuzi emhlabeni betshelwa ukuba “baye ekujezisweni okuphakade.” (Mathewu 25:41-46) Lokhu kuyoba phakathi no“sizi olukhulu,” oluyofinyelela umvuthwandaba walo “ekulweni okukhulu kosuku lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke” enkundleni yempi yaseHarmagedoni. (IsAmbulo 7:14; 16:14-16) Lapho “izimbuzi” zokugcina eziqalekisiweyo ziyobhujiswa phakade ekuphileni kwasemhlabeni.
17. (a) Imuphi umbuzo ophuthumayo obhekene nawo manje? (b) Ukusekela kwakho ngenhliziyo yonke uMbuso kuyosho ukuhlanganyela kwakho kumaphi amalungelo?
17 Ngalamathemba anjalo abekwe phambi kwabakhileyo emhlabeni, umbuzo ungophuthuma kakhulu, ‘Umi kuphi empikiswaneni yoMbuso?’ Ufuna ukuhlanganiswa nobani—ne“zimvu” ezibusisiwe noma ne“zimbuzi” eziqalekisiwe? Labo abathatha ukuma kwabo okuphelele ekusekeleni uMbuso abayikudla nje kuphela iPharadesi lawo lasemhlabeni kodwa bayokuba nengxenye enamisayo ekulweleni ubukhosi bendawo yonke bukaJehova, uNkulunkulu wonkulunkulu neNkosi yamakhosi.—IHubo 136:2; Daniyeli 2:47.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Bheka iculo elinesihloko esithi “Our King Is Marching On,” amakhasi 162, 163, eculo elithi Hymns of the Millennial Dawn, elashicelelwa ngo-1905.
Ngokuqondene Nempikiswano yoMbuso, ungakuphendula kanjani okulandelayo:
□ Iyiphi inkathi ehlanganisa iZikhathi zabeZizwe zikaLuka 21:24?
□ NgokukaLuka 21:25-27, ziyini izehlakalo eziphawula ukuphela kweZikhathi zabeZizwe?
□ Ngokuvumelana noLuka 21:28, oFakazi BakaJehova baye basabela kanjani ezikhathini eziyingozi zanamuhla zezwe?
□ “INdodana yomuntu” ichazwe ngokuqondene nani esiprofethweni, futhi isiphi isinyathelo esiqondile esifunekayo ekufikeni kwayo?
[Isithombe ekhasini 11]
Lamazwi eHymns of the Millennial Dawn aye asebenza kusukela ngo-1914