Qaphela IZwi LikaNkulunkulu Lesiprofetho Losuku Lwethu

“Bhekani indlela izibikezelo zangaphambili ezagcwaliseka ngayo. Manje ngibikezela izinto ezintsha; ngaphambi kokuba zivele nginitshela ngazo.”—ISAYA 42:9, The Jerusalem Bible.

1. Kungani singathi uJehova unguNkulunkulu wesiprofetho esingahluleki?

UJEHOVA unguNkulunkulu wesiprofetho esingahluleki. Lokhu ngokuqinisekile kwaba yiqiniso ekubhujisweni nasekubuyiselweni kweJerusalema, ukuwa kwemibuso yasendulo nokugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sobuMesiya! Kodwa ingabe zonke iziprofetho zeBhayibheli zagcwaliseka kuphela esikhathini esidlule? Yeka ukuba iphutha kokucabanga kanjalo!

2. Ngokuphathelene nesiprofetho, izinceku zikaJehova zihluke kanjani ezweni?

² UNkulunkulu watshela abantu bakhe basendulo: “Bhekani indlela izibikezelo zangaphambili ezagcwaliseka ngayo. Manje ngibikezela izinto ezintsha; ngaphambi kokuba zivele nginitshela ngazo.” (Isaya 42:9, JB) Ngokwembula ukuqondwa kweziprofetho eziseBhayibhelini kakade, uJehova usanikeza izinceku zakhe ezithembekile ulwazi lwangaphambili, futhi ngokuqinisekile kumelwe silunake. Njengoba umphostoli uPetru ayibeka kahle indaba: “Nenza kahle ukuliqaphela [izwi lesiprofetho] kungathi liyisibani esikhanyayo endaweni emnyama kuze kuse.” (2 Petru 1:19) Eqinisweni, ukuqaphela izwi likaNkulunkulu lesiprofetho kuphawula abantu bakaJehova njengabahlukile kulelizwe elimnyama, nelisangene. IzAga 4:18, 19 ziphawula ngokufanelekile: “Umkhondo wabalungileyo unjengokukhanya kokusa okuqhubeka ngokukhanya njalo kuze kube-semini. Indlela yababi injengobumnyama; abazi ukuthi bakhubeka ngani.”—Qhathanisa neHubo 119:105.

Lalela Lapho INdodana KaNkulunkulu Ikhuluma!

3. Ibuphi ubufakazi obukhona bokuthi uJesu ukhona namuhla?

³ Kubalulekile ukuba oFakazi BakaJehova ‘baqaphelisise’ izinto ezikhulunywa uJesu Kristu. (Heberu 2:1-4) Futhi yeka isiprofetho esishukumisayo asinikeza ngokuphathelene nosuku lwethu! Ekhomba ezinsukwini zokugcina zalesisimiso sezinto esifayo, uJesu wanikeza “isibonakaliso” esimangalisayo ‘sokuba-khona’ kwakhe. Wabikezela izehlakalo ezinjengempi ephelele, izifo, indlala nokuzamazama komhlaba. (Mathewu 24:3-8) Ingabe ukhona umuntu onolwazi ongaphika ubufakazi obukhulu bokuba-khona kukaJesu namuhla? IMpi Yezwe I yabulala enkundleni abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyi-9 nezigidi zababengalwi, kanti impi yezwe yesibili yabulala abangama-55 ezigidi. Umkhuhlane waseSpain ka-1918-19 wabulala izigidi ezingama-20. Ngokokulinganisa kweNhlangano Yokudla Nezolimo, abantu abayizigidi ezingama-450 ngisho namanje baseqophelweni lokubulawa yindlala, futhi abaningi kangangesigidi sezigidi banokudla okuncane kakhulu. Ukuzamazama komhlaba kuye kwathatha ukuphila kwabantu abayi-1 600 000 ekhulwini leminyaka lama-20—abangaphezu kwezi-22 000 ngonyaka kusukela ngo-1914.

4. (a) Zaqala nini iziKhathi ZabeZizwe, futhi zaphela nini? (b) Yibuphi ubufakazi obukhona bokuthi abantu bakaJehova babenolwazi lwangaphambili ngo-1914?

⁴ Lowonyaka u-1914—kuthiwani ngawo? Eminyakeni engaphezu kwekhulu edlule, uC. T. Russell (owaba umongameli wokuqala weWatch Tower Society) wahlanganisa iziKhathi zabeZizwe ‘nezikhathi eziyisikhombisa’ eziphawulwe encwadini kaDaniyeli. (Daniyeli 4:16, 23, 25, 32; Luka 21:24) Ebhala kuyiBible Examiner kaOctober 1876, uRussell wathi: “Izikhathi eziyisikhombisa ziyophela ngoA.D. 1914.” Futhi wayengomunye wabakhiphi bencwadi ka-1877 iThree Worlds, and the Harvest of This World, eyabonisa (emakhasini 83, no-189) ukuthi isikhathi seminyaka eyizi-2 520 sokubusa kwabeZizwe izwe ngaphandle kokuphazanyiswa inoma imuphi umbuso kaNkulunkulu saqala ngokugumbuqelwa kombuso wakwaJuda yiBabiloni ekupheleni kwekhulu lesikhombisa leminyaka B.C.E. futhi sasiyophela ngo-1914 C.E. Ngokufanayo, iWatch Tower kaMarch 1880 yathi: “‘IziKhathi ZabeZizwe’ zifinyelela ku-1914, futhi umbuso wasezulwini ngeke ube nokubusa okugcwele kuze kube yilesosikhathi.”

5. OFakazi BakaJehova babengazi kanjani kusengaphambili ngokubaluleka kuka-1914?

⁵ Namuhla, oFakazi BakaJehova bakhomba ‘esibonakalisweni’ esanikezwa uJesu futhi babheka emuva ku-1914 njengonyaka lapho ukuba-khona kwakhe okungabonakali emandleni oMbuso kwaba into engokoqobo. Kodwa babengaba kanjani nolwazi lwangaphambili lwesehlakalo esikhulu kanjalo? Hhayi ngenxa yokuhlakanipha kobuntu okungavamile. Cha, kodwa ngenxa yokuthi baye batadisha imiBhalo ngokomkhuleko, baqaphela izwi likaNkulunkulu lesiprofetho futhi baqaphelisisa lokho iNdodana kaNkulunkulu eyakubikezela. (2 Petru 1:19; Heberu 1:1, 2; 2:1) Ngenxa yokwazisa ngokuthi uJehova uye ‘wabatshela izinto ezintsha ngaphambi kokuba zivele,’ oFakazi bayajabula ngokusakaza lolulwazi emhlabeni wonke. (Isaya 42:9) Benza kanjalo ngokuvumelana namazwi kaJesu: “Lelivangeli lombuso liyakushunyayelwa ezweni lonke, kube-ngubufakazi ezizweni zonke.” Bese kuba yini? “Khona-ke ukuphela kuyofika”!—Mathewu 24:14. Qhathanisa neNW.

Amakhosi Ayizimbangi Ayalwa

6. Imaphi amakhosi amabili okuxoxwa ngawo kuDaniyeli isahluko 11, futhi imiphi imibuzo ephakamayo ngawo?

⁶ Nokho ngaphambi kokuba “ukuphela” kufike, ezinye izenzakalo zekhulu lama-20 leminyaka zikaDaniyeli zifuna sizicabangele. Ngokwesibonelo, isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli sithi: “Ngesikhathi sokuphela inkosi yaseningizimu iyakuqhubukushana [nenkosi yasenyakatho]; inkosi yasenyakatho isiyakuvunguzela.” (Daniyeli 11:40) Angobani lamakhosi alwayo, futhi izenzo zawo ezibikezelwe zibaluleke ngani?

7. (a) Ukulwa phakathi kwalamakhosi amabili kwaqala nini? (b) Kungani amagama “inkosi yasenyakatho” ‘nenkosi yaseningizimu’ ayefaneleka? (c) “Inkosi yasenyakatho” iyimuphi umbuso wekhulu lokuqala leminyaka, futhi kwenzeka kanjani ukuba ‘umthelisi adluliswe emhlobisweni wombuso’?

⁷ Ukulwa kwalamakhosi kwaqala ngemva kokuhlukaniswa kombuso ka-Alexander oMkhulu. Ngokwengxenye, uSeleucus Nicator wabusa iSiriya futhi uPtolemy Lagus wamisa ubukhosi bohlanga eGibithe. Lamakhosi ohlanga alwayo, ayesenyakatho naseningizimu yezwe labantu bakaJehova, amaIsrayeli, aba “inkosi yasenyakatho” yokuqala “nenkosi yaseningizimu” yokuqala. (Daniyeli 11:2-5) Kodwa njengoba isikhathi sasiqhubeka, lamakhosi ashintsha. Ngekhulu lokuqala leminyaka C.E., umbuso wamaRoma ‘wawusuyinkosi yasenyakatho.’ Kuleliqophelo emlandweni ‘kwakumelwe kuvele oyodlulisa umthelisi emhlobisweni wombuso.’ (Daniyeli 11:20-22) Njengoba kwabikezelwa, uKesari Awugustu wakhipha “umthelisi” ngokumemezela ukuba “kubalwe izwe lonke.” Ngenxa yalesimemezelo, uJosefa noMariya baya eBetlehema ukuba babalwe ngo-2 B.C.E., okwaphumela ekuzalweni kukaJesu kuleyondawo eyayibikezelwe.—Luka 2:1-7; Mika 5:2.

8. (a) Sazi kanjani ukuthi kwakuyoba khona izenzakalo zekhulu lama-20 leminyaka ezihilela lamakhosi amabili? (b) ‘Isikhathi esinqunyiwe’ sokuba “inkosi yasenyakatho” ilwe neningizimu saba nini? (c) Lamakhosi amabili ayimiphi imibuso yasekuqaleni kwalelikhulu leminyaka?

⁸ Ekwindla ka-33 C.E., uJesu Kristu wanikeza isiprofetho esimangalisayo ‘ngesikhathi sokuphela.’ Wacaphuna kuDaniyeli 11:31 futhi kanjalo wabonisa ukuthi kwakuyokuba nezenzakalo ezethusayo zekhulu lama-20 leminyaka ezihilela “inkosi yasenyakatho” ‘nenkosi yaseningizimu.’ (Mathewu 24:15) Kwakubikezelwe ukuthi “inkosi yasenyakatho” yayiyomelana neningizimu “ngesikhathi esinqunyiweyo.” (Daniyeli 11:29, 30) Kwakunini lokho? Phela, ngo-1914—wona kanye unyaka iziKhathi ZabeZizwe ezaphela ngawo futhi kwamiswa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ezulwini! Ngalowonyaka “inkosi yasenyakatho” yobuJalimane yaqala ukulwa ‘nenkosi yaseningizimu,’ uMbuso Wezwe wamaNgisi namaMelika. IJalimane nabasekeli balo lanqotshwa eMpini Yezwe I nasempini yezwe yesibili. “Inkosi yasenyakatho” khona-ke yabe isishintsha.

9. (a) OFakazi BakaJehova banasiphi isimo ngokuphathelene nezindaba zombangazwe? (b) Ingabe lokhu kuyabavimbela ekubeni babone izenzakalo ezithile zezombangazwe kusengaphambili?

⁹ OFakazi BaJehova balondoloza ukungathathi hlangothi kobuKristu okuqinile. Abayona ingxenye yalelizwe futhi abazihileli ezindabeni zalo zombangazwe. (Johane 17:16) Nokho, bayaliqaphela izwi likaNkulunkulu lesiprofetho, futhi lokhu kuye kwabenza babona indlela isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli manje esiya ngayo ekugcwalisekeni kwaso kokugcina. (Isaya 42:9) Futhi, esikhathini sangemva kweMpi Yezwe II, imibuso emibili emikhulu ingevelele, iyancintisana ngezikhali zokuzibulala okuye kwabangela ukuba izindleko zezempi zomhlaba wonke zifinyelele izigidi eziyizi-800 000 zamaRandi ngonyaka.

10. (a) Ayini “amanyala encithakalo” kaDaniyeli 11:31? (b) Omabili lamakhosi aye abaphatha kanjani abantu bakaJehova, futhi ngani?

¹⁰ Ekhulumela isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli esiphathelene ‘namanyala encithakalo,’ uJesu wathi: “Ofundayo makaqaphele.” (Mathewu 24:15; Daniyeli 11:31) ‘Ukuqaphela’ ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho seBhayibheli kuye kwabonisa ukuthi “amanyala” ayinhlangano yeUN, eye yamiswa ngokumelene noMbuso kaNkulunkulu. ‘Ukuqaphela’ futhi akushiyi kungabaza ngokuthi ingubani “inkosi yasenyakatho” (kulowomvuthwandaba wokwambuleka kwesiprofetho) njengoba incintisana ‘nenkosi yaseningizimu’ ekulweleni kwawo amandla okubusa kokugcina. Ayikho kuwona ezimisele ukunikela ukubusa eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini, manje omenyezelwa emhlabeni wonke ngoFakazi BakaJehova. Womabili lamakhosi aye ahlanganyela ekushushiseni oFakazi.—Daniyeli 11:36-39; Mathewu 5:10-12; Johane 15:19, 20.

11. (a) Ikuphi ukugabadela okwenziwa “inkosi yasenyakatho”? (b) ‘Lenkosi’ ikhuluma kanjani ngokumelene noJehova?

¹¹ Ngokuphathelene ‘nenkosi yasenyakatho,’ isiprofetho sithi: “Iziphakamise, izikhulise phezu kwabo bonke onkulunkulu, ikhulume okumangalisayo ngoNkulunkulu wawonkulunkulu, . . . iyakuzikhulisa phezu kwabo bonke.” (Daniyeli 11:36, 37) ‘Lenkosi yasenyakatho’ engakholelwa ebukhoneni bukaNkulunkulu ithi uMbuso unelungelo lokufuna okuningi ezikhonzini zawo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ‘lenkosi’ ikhuluma ngokumelene noJehova ngokuphokophela ukubusa umhlaba ngokushiya ngaphandle uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Yebo, “inkosi yaseningizimu” nayo ayifuni lutho ngalowoMbuso, naphezu kwanoma ikuphi ukucaphuna iBhayibheli kokuzinikela kwabakhulumeli bayo bezombangazwe.—IsAmbulo 11:17, 18.

“Inkosi” Enonkulunkulu Ongavamile

12. Yimuphi unkulunkulu “inkosi yasenyakatho” emdumisayo?

¹² Noma “inkosi yasenyakatho” ingabonakala ingakholwa kangakanani, nokho, inaye unkulunkulu. Isiprofetho sithi: “Kepha unkulunkulu wezinqaba [i]yakumdumisa.” (Daniyeli 11:38) Ingabe ‘lenkosi’ iye yadumisa “unkulunkulu wezinqaba,” iphakamisa isimo sezempi esingokwesayensi sesimanje, njengomsindisi wabantu bezizwe zayo?

13. Kungani kungathiwa omabili lamakhosi ‘athembela ezinqoleni zempi’?

¹³ Ngempela iye yamdumisa! NgokweThe Military Balance 1981-1982, iThe International Institute for Strategic Studies ibeka amabutho ahlomile esizwe esiyinhloko kwezisendaweni ‘yenkosi yasenyakatho’ ngaphezu kwezi-4 000 000 uma kuqhathaniswa nangaphezu kwezi-2 049 000 esizwe esiholayo ‘saseningizimu.’ Phakathi no-1982, iSIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) yabika ukuthi ‘iningizimu’ yayikwazi ukuciba iziqhumane zenyukliya eziyizi-9 540 ezinengqikithi yamandla okuqhuma angamamegathani (megatons) ayizi-3 448, uma kuqhathaniswa neziqhumane eziyizi-8 802 ‘zasenyakatho’ ezinamandla angamamegathani ayizi-4 535. Yeka ukuthi kungamandla okubhubhisa angakanani, ngoba imegathani eyodwa nje inamandla okuqhuma alingana namathani ayisigidi eTNT! Ngokukhanyayo, omabili amakhosi aphikisanayo ‘athembele ezinqoleni zempi.’—Isaya 31:1.

14. (a) Ikuphi ‘ukuqhubukusha’ okwenzekayo manje? (b) Ungabunikeza ubufakazi bokuthi isintu sisengozini?

¹⁴ “Inkosi yaseningizimu” manje ‘iqhubukusha’ imbangi yayo ngokwezombangazwe ngisho nangokwezikhali. (Daniyeli 11:40) Okuqhubekayo namuhla umncintiswano wezikhali ophikelelayo osongela isintu ngenhlekelele yenyukliya. Iqokomisa ingozi, iSIPRI Yearbook 1982 yaxwayisa:

“Ukulinganisela okuphakathi kwemibuso emibili emikhulu ezikhalini zenyukliya emazwekazini onke kuyantenga. . . . Esikhundleni salokho okwake kwabonakala kuyisimiso esigxilile sokuyekisa—ukulinganiselwa kokubhubhisana ngokuphelele—sesaba ukusetshenziswa kokugadla kokuqala njengesisekelo sokwanda okukhulu kakhulu manje ngokulindeleke ezimisweni zezikhali zobuqili nasekutholakaleni kwazo. Phakathi kwayo, lemibuso emibili emikhulu, enezikhali zenyukliya inengqikithi yamandla okubhubhisa mhlawumbe alingana namabhomu aseHiroshima acishe abe yingxenye yesigidi: kepha lokho akwanele. Ngeke kube nesibonelo esingcono sendlela intuthuko yobuchwepheshe bezikhali—ukunemba okwandayo kwezikhali ezicitshwayo ezingafika kuwo wonke amazwekazi—obuye baholela ngayo ekuncipheni kunasekwandeni kokulondeka.”

15. (a) Lamakhosi ayoke azisebenzise yini izikhali zawo kwenye nenye? (b) Kodwa yini izwi likaNkulunkulu lesiprofetho eliyicacisayo?

¹⁵ ‘Ukuqhubukusha’ okwenziwa “inkosi yaseningizimu” kwakufanele kubangele “inkosi yasenyakatho” ukuba ‘ivunguzele ngezinqola, ngabamahashi nangemikhumbi eminingi.’ Yebo, lamakhosi ayeyoba nethuba elithile lokusebenzisa okungenani izikhali zawo ezivamile kwenye nenye. “Inkosi yasenyakatho” futhi iyobusa phezu kokuningi “okuthandiweyo” kwalelizwe. (Daniyeli 11:40-43) Ngo-1981 “inkosi yasenyakatho” yayiphethe phezu kwabantu abayizigidi eziyi-1 500 ezizweni eziyi-16, futhi yisikhathi kuphela esiyosho ukuthi ‘lenkosi’ iyowanabisa kangakanani amandla ayo. Kepha isahlulelo sokubhujiswa kwalamakhosi sivela komunye umthombo. Izwi likaNkulunkulu lesiprofetho liyakucacisa lokho.

Imibiko Ethusayo—Bese Kuba Ukuphela!

16. ‘Imibiko ethusayo’ ivelaphi, futhi iyifinyelela kanjani “inkosi yasenyakatho”?

¹⁶ Lesiprofetho esivusa amadlingozi siyaphetha: “Iyakwethuswa imibiko evela empumalanga nasenyakatho; iyakuphuma ngokufutheka okukhulu ukuchitha nokubhubhisa abaningi. . . . Kepha iya nokho ekupheleni kwayo, akakho ongayisiza.” (Daniyeli 11:44, 45) Lemibiko ethusayo ngempela ivela kuJehova ngoJesu Kristu. ImiBhalo ngokulinganisa ibeka uNkulunkulu ngasenyakatho, futhi yena noKristu babizwa ngokomfanekiso ngokuthi “amakhosi avela empumalanga.” (IsAmbulo 16:12; IHubo 48:2; 75:6, 7) Kodwa ‘lemibiko’ ingayifinyelela kanjani “inkosi yasenyakatho”? Phela, ngenhlangano kaNkulunkulu yasemhlabeni, isigaba sikaJehova sendawo engcwele nabangane baso ‘isixuku esikhulu’!

17. (a) Ngenxa ‘yalemibiko,’ yini “inkosi yasenyakatho” eyoyenza? (b) Ingabe “inkosi yaseningizimu” iyokuma nje ingenzi lutho? (c) Khona-ke yini uJehova ayoyenza ngenxa yofakazi bakhe abathembekile?.

¹⁷ UNkulunkulu uyonquma okuqukethwe ‘yilemibiko.’ Noma iluphi uhlobo lwayo, nokho, iyoyithukuthelisa “inkosi yasenyakatho” kangangokuthi iyothatha isinyathelo sokubulala abantu bakaJehova. Eqinisweni, uSathane uDeveli, uGogi wakwamaGogi ongokomfanekiso, uyoqhubela kokubili “inkosi yasenyakatho” ‘nenkosi yaseningizimu’ ekuhlaseleni kwakhe okuphelele izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zeqiniso. (Hezekeli 38:10-12) Kepha ofakazi bakaJehova abathembekile abadingi ukwesaba imbubhiso. OPhezukonke uyobephula, futhi omabili amakhosi ayoba phakathi kwabayobhujiswa “ekulweni kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke” eHarmagedoni.—IsAmbulo 16:14-16; Hezekeli 38:18-23.a

18. (a) Ingabe oFakazi BakaJehova badinga ukwesaba izenzakalo zesikhathi esizayo? (b) Kungani benokwethembela okuqhubekayo ezwini likaNkulunkulu lesiprofetho?

¹⁸ Ngakho-ke, oFakazi BakaJehova bayomemezela isigijimi soMbuso ngokungesabi. (Mathewu 24:14) “Inkosi yasenyakatho” noma “inkosi yaseningizimu” noma uDeveli noquqaba lwamademoni akhe ngeke bakwazi ukubavimbela. Siqiniseke ngokuphelele ngalokhu. Ngani? Ngoba ukuqiniseka okunjalo kusekelwe ngokuqinile ezithembisweni zikaBaba wethu wasezulwini, futhi izwi likaJehova liqinisekile. (2 Petru 3:13; IsAmbulo 21:1-5) Iziprofetho nezithembiso zasezulwini ziye zagcwaliseka njalo. Ngokwethembela kwenhliziyo yonke, kwangathi bonke abantu bakaJehova abahlelekile bangaqhubeka beqaphela izwi likaNkulunkulu lesiprofetho losuku lwethu.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ungakhumbula?

□ Sazi kanjani ukuthi uJesu ukhona emandleni oMbuso namuhla?

□ Ngokuphathelene nezindaba zombangazwe, isiphi isimo esilandelwa oFakazi BakaJehova?

□ Iyiphi “inkosi yasenyakatho” ‘nenkosi yaseningizimu’ yosuku lwanamuhla?

□ Siyini isigcino salamakhosi?

□ Kungani kumelwe sibe nokwethembela ezwini likaNkulunkulu lesiprofetho?

[Ishadi ekhasini 27]

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-1914

IZIKHATHI EZIYISIKHOMBISA ZABEZIZWE = IMINYAKA EYIZI-2 520

[Isithombe ekhasini 29]

“Inkosi yasenyakatho” idumisa “unkulunkulu wezinqaba”