“Amanyala Encithakalo” Ayahluleka Ukuletha Ukuthula

“Kepha nxa nibona iJerusalema lihaqiwe yizimpi . . . khona abaseJudiya mababalekele ezintabeni.”—LUKA 21:20, 21.

1, 2. (a) Kungani umuntu engeke neze akulethe ukuthula ngezinhlangano ezifana nenhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene? (b) UNkulunkulu uyokuletha kanjani ukuthula emhlabeni?

KUNGAKHATHALISEKI ukuthi abantu bazama kanzima kangakanani ukuletha ukuthula nokulondeka ngezinhlangano ezifana nenhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene, abasoze baphumelele. Ngani? Ngoba isintu namuhla asinakho ukuthula noNkulunkulu, futhi ukulondeka okuhlala njalo kungasekelwa kuphela ekubeni umuntu abe nokuthula noMdali wakhe. (IHubo 46:1-9; 127:1; Isaya 11:9; 57:21) Ingaxazululwa kanjani lenkinga? Ngokujabulisayo, uJehova kakade uzibambele mathupha lendaba. Ukuthula nokulondeka ekugcineni kuyolethwa kulomhlaba ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngeNdodana yakhe, uJesu, lowo ekuzalweni kwakhe ingelosi yathi: “Udumo kuNkulunkulu kweliphezulu, nokuthula emhlabeni kubantu abathokozelwa nguye.”—Luka 2:14; IHubo 72:7.

² Ekhulwini lokuqala, uJesu wamemezela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu futhi wanikeza abantu abanokuthula ithuba lokuba babe amadodana kaNkulunkulu futhi babe ababusi kanye naye kulowoMbuso. (Mathewu 4:23; 5:9; Luka 12:32) Izenzakalo ezalandela zazifana ncamashi nezenzakalo zekhulu lethu. Ukuzihlola kuyosifundisa okuningi ngenkambo yesikhathi esizayo yenhlangano yomuntu ‘yokuthula nokulondeka,’ iZizwe Ezihlangene.

AmaJuda Ayakhetha

3. Ubani owayezama ukulondoloza ukuthula nokulondeka kwezizwe zonke osukwini lukaJesu, futhi, kungani lokhu kungazange kuphumelele ngokuphelele?

³ Osukwini lukaJesu, umbuso waseRoma wawubusa ingxenye enkulu yomhlaba futhi wawunemibono yawo ngokuthula nokulondeka. Ngamabutho awo, waphoqelela iPax Romana (Ukuthula KwaseRoma) engxenyeni enkulu yezwe elalaziwa ngalesosikhathi. Kodwa iPax Romana yayingeke neze ibe ukuthula okuhlala njalo, ngoba iRoma yobuqaba namabutho ayo yayingeke neze ilethe ukubuyisana phakathi komuntu noNkulunkulu. Khona-ke, umbuso owawumenyezelwa uJesu wawungophakeme kakhulu.

4. AmaJuda amaningi asabela kanjani ekushumayeleni kukaJesu? Nokho, yini eyaqhubeka ikhula kancane kancane ekhulwini lokuqala?

⁴ Nokho, abantu abaningi bakubo kaJesu bawenqaba uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (Johane 1:11; 7:47, 48; 9:22) Ababusi babo, bebheka uJesu njengophazamisa ukulondeka kwesizwe, bamnikela ukuba abulawe, bephikelela ngokuthi: “Asinankosi, uKesari kuphela.” (Johane 11:48; 19:14, 15) Nokho, amanye amaJuda, futhi kamuva nabeZizwe abaningi, ngenjabulo baqaphela uJesu njengeNkosi ekhethwe nguNkulunkulu. (Kolose 1:13-20) Bashumayela ngaye emazweni amaningi, futhi iJerusalema laba indawo eyinhloko yenhlangano yamaKristu yezizwe zonke.—IzEnzo 15:2; 1 Petru 5:9.

5, 6. (a) Ubuhlobo phakathi kwamaJuda neRoma baqhubeka kanjani? (b) Isiphi isixwayiso uJesu asinikeza, futhi sakusindisa kanjani ukuphila kwamaKristu ngo-70 C.E.?

⁵ Naphezu kweqiniso lokuthi amaJuda ayekhethe uKesari kunoKristu, ubuhlobo phakathi kweJerusalema neRoma bancipha masinyane. AmaZealot angamaJuda ahlasela ngomshoshaphansi umbuso kwaze kwathi ekugcineni, ngo-66 C.E., kwagqashuka impi esobala. Amabutho amaRoma azama ukubuyisela iPax Romana, futhi masinyane iJerusalema lahaqwa. KumaKristu lokhu kwakuyisibonakaliso. Eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambili, uJesu wayexwayisile: “Kepha nxa nibona iJerusalema lihaqiwe yizimpi, yazini ukuthi sekusondele ukuchithwa kwalo. Khona abaseJudiya mababalekele ezintabeni, abaphakathi kwalo baphume.” (Luka 21:20, 21) IJerusalema manje lase lihaqiwe, futhi amaKristu alinda ithuba lokubaleka.

⁶ Lokhu kwafika masinyane. AmaRoma ayebhidliza udonga lwethempeli, futhi amaJuda amaningi ayesezimisele ukuzinikela lapho umholi, wamabutho amaRoma, uCestius Gallus, ngokungalindelekile ehoxisa amabutho akhe futhi ehamba. AmaZealot asebenzisa lelithuba ukuba ahlele kabusha izinqaba zawo, kodwa amaKristu awushiya umuzi olahliwe. Ngo-70 C.E., amabutho aseRoma ayesebuyile ezungeze izindonga zaseJerusalema, futhi ngalesikhathi umuzi wabhujiswa. Lesisehlo esingokomlando sisithinta kanjani? Ngalendlela: Isixwayiso sikaJesu esasindisa ukuphila kwabalandeli bakhe sisho okuthile nakithi namuhla.

Ukugcwaliseka Okungaphezu Kokukodwa

7-9. (a) Sazi kanjani ukuthi isiprofetho sikaJesu ngokuqondene nokuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema amabutho sasiyoba nokugcwaliseka okungaphezu kokukodwa? (b) Ukufunda incwadi kaDaniyeli ngokuqonda kukusekela kanjani lokhu?

⁷ Lesisixwayiso sasiyingxenye yesiprofetho eside esashiwo uJesu ephendula umbuzo obalulekile. Abalandeli bakhe babebuzile: “Lokhu [ukubhujiswa kwethempeli lamaJuda] kuyakuba nini, nesibonakaliso sokuza kwakho nesokuphela kwezwe siyakuba yini na?” Ephendula, uJesu wanikeza isibonakaliso esenziwe yizici eziningi, kuhlanganise nokuvinjezelwa kweJerusalema. (Mathewu 24; Marku 13; Luka 21) Eminyakeni eyalandela ukufa kukaJesu, eziningi izici zalesiprofetho zagcwaliseka, zaphetha ngokubhujiswa kweJerusalema nesimiso sezinto samaJuda ngo70 C.E.—Mathewu 24:7, 14; IzEnzo 11:28; Kolose 1:23.

⁸ Nokho, abafundi babebuze futhi ‘ngokuba-khona’ kukaJesu, lokho iBhayibheli elikuhlanganisa nokuphela kwaso sonke isimiso sezinto sezwe. (Daniyeli 2:44; Mathewu 24:3, 21) Njengoba ukuba khona ngokomoya kukaJesu Kristu nokuphela kwesimiso sezinto sezwe lonke kungazange kwenzeke ekhulwini lokuqala, ukugcwaliseka okukhulu, kwesikhathi esizayo kwesiprofetho sikaJesu kungalindelwa, kuhlanganise nalezozenzakalo zekhulu lokuqala ezazisebenza njengesifanekiselo sokugcwaliseka okukhulu. Lokhu kuyohlanganisa ukugcwaliseka okukhulu kwesixwayiso sikaJesu ngokubhujiswa kweJerusalema.

⁹ Lokhu kucaca kakhulu uma sihlola indlela lesixwayiso esalotshwa ngayo kwezinye izincwadi ezimbili zeBhayibheli lapho sivela khona. KuMathewu amabutho ayevimbezele achazwa ‘njengamanyala encithakalo ashiwo nguDaniyeli umprofethi emi endaweni engcwele.’ (Mathewu 24:15) Endabeni kaMarku “amanyala encithakalo” ami “lapho kungafanele khona.” (Marku 13:14) Indaba kaMathewu ithi “amanyala encithakalo” ake athintwa futhi nasencwadini kaDaniyeli. Eqinisweni, inkulumo ethi “amanyala encithakalo” ivela izikhathi ezintathu kuleyoncwadi: ivela kanye (ebuningini) kuDaniyeli 9:27 lapho iyingxenye yesiprofetho esagcwaliseka lapho iJerusalema libhujiswa ngo-70 C.E., bese kuba, kuDaniyeli 11:31 nakuDaniyeli 12:11. Ngokwalemibhalo emibili yamuva, “amanyala encithakalo” ayezomiswa endaweni ethile “ngesikhathi esinqunyiweyo,” noma ‘esikhathini sokugcina.’ (Daniyeli 11:29; 12:9) Besiphila ‘esikhathini sokugcina’ kusukela ngo-1914; ngakho-ke, isixwayiso sikaJesu siyasebenza nanamuhla.—Mathewu 24:15.

Ukukhetha Kwelobukholwa

10, 11. Izenzakalo ekhulwini lethu ziye zafana kanjani nalezo zekhulu lokuqala?

¹⁰ Ekhulwini lethu, izenzakalo ziye zalandela isimo esifana naleso sekhulu lokuqala. Namuhla, njengalesosikhathi, kunombuso obusa umhlaba. Owanamuhla umbuso wamaNgisi namaMelika, uzama kanzima ukuphoqelela imibono yawo mayelana nokuthula nokulondeka kwesintu. Ekhulwini lokuqala, amaIsrayeli enyama enqaba uJesu njengeNkosi egcotshiwe kaNkulunkulu. Ngo-1914 ‘ukuba-khona’ kukaJesu njengeNkosi emisiwe kaJehova kwaqala. (IHubo 2:6; IsAmbulo 11:15-18) Kodwa izizwe, kuhlanganise nalezo zeLobukholwa, zenqaba ukumamukela. (IHubo 2:2, 3, 10, 11) Eqinisweni, zahileleka empini yezwe embi kakhulu yokulwela ubukhosi bendawo yonke. Abaholi benkolo beLobukholwa—njengabaholi bobuJuda—baye bahola ekunqabeni uJesu. Kusukela ngo-1914 baye baqhubeka behileleke ezindabeni zombangazwe futhi baye bamelana nokushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso.—Marku 13:9.

¹¹ Nokho, njengasosukwini lukaJesu, abaningi abantu namuhla baye bayiqaphela ngenjabulo iNkosi kaJehova futhi baye basakaza izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso emhlabeni wonke. (Mathewu 24:14) OFakazi BakaJehova abangaphezu kwezigidi ezimbili nengxenye manje babonisa ubuqotho eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 10) Bengathathi-hlangothi kwezombangazwe zalelizwe, banokholo olugcwele emalungiselelweni kaJehova okuletha ukuthula nokulondeka.—Johane 17:15, 16; Efesu 1:10.

“Amanyala Encithakalo” Namuhla

12. Ayini “amanyala encithakalo” anamuhla?

¹² Khona-ke, ayini namuhla “amanyala encithakalo”? Ngekhulu lokuqala ayengamabutho aseRoma athunyelwa ukuphoqelela iPax Romana eJerusalema. Nokho, ezikhathini zanamuhla, izizwe ezalwa eMpini Yezwe I, zadumazeka ngokusebenza kwempi yezwe yokuqala ekuletheni ukuthula futhi zahlola ngokuthile okusha: inhlangano yezizwe zonke yokulondoloza ukuthula komhlaba. Lena yaqala ukusebenza ngo-1919 njengeNhlangano Yezizwe futhi namanje isekhona njengenhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene. Lawa yiwona-ke “amanyala encithalo” anamuhla.

13, 14. (a) Iziphi izinkulumo zokuthopha eziye zashiwo eLobukholwa ‘ngamanyala encithakalo’? (b) Kungani lokhu kwakuwukukhulekela izithombe, futhi kwawabekaphi “amanyala encithakalo”?

¹³ Ngokuthakazelisayo, igama lesiHeberu elihunyushwe ngokuthi “amanyala encithakalo” kuDaniyeli ngelithi shiq·qutsʹ. EBhayibhelini, leligama lisetshenziswa kakhulu ezithixweni nasekukhulekeleni izithombe. (1 AmaKhosi 11:5, 7) Unalokhu engqondweni, funda amazwi athile ashiwo abaholi benkolo ngeNhlangano Yezizwe:

“Iyisibonakaliso sani lenhlangano yezwe yesintu . . . uma kungesona esombuso kaNkulunkulu?” “INhlangano Yezizwe isekelwe eVangelini.” (UMkhandlu Wesigungu SamaSonto KaKristu EMelika) “Umgomo ngamunye nemisebenzi [yeNhlangano Yezizwe] kungase kushiwo ukuthi igcwalisa intando kaNkulunkulu njengoba yenziwe yaziwa emfundisweni kaJesu Kristu.” (Ababhishobhi BeSonto Lasesheshi) “Ngakho-ke umhlangano utusa ukuba bonke abantu abangamaKristu basekele futhi bathandazele iNhlangano Yezizwe njengokuyilona kuphela ithuluzi elikhona lokuzuza [ukuthula emhlabeni].” (Isigungu Esikhulu SamaBaptist, AmaCongregational NesamaHabe EBrithani). “[Inhlangano Yezizwe] iwona kuphela umzamo ohleliwe owenzelwe ukufeza izifiso eziphindaphindiwe zekoMkhulu likaPapa.”—UCardinal Bourne, UmBhishobhi Omkhulu WaseWestminster.

¹⁴ Lapho izizwe zingenqabi nje kuphela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu kodwa futhi zimisa eyazo inhlangano yokuletha ukuthula, lokhu kwakuwukuvukela. Lapho abaholi benkolo belobukholwa befanisa leyonhlangano noMbuso kaNkulunkulu neVangeli, bayibiza ngokuthi “iwukuphela kwethuluzi elikhona” lokuletha ukuthula, lokhu kwakuwukukhulekela izithombe. Babeyibeka endaweni yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, “endaweni engcwele.” Ngokuqinisekile, ‘yayimi lapho kungafanele khona.’ (Mathewu 24:15; Marku 13:14) Futhi abaholi benkolo bayaqhubeka besekela umlandeli weNhlangano Yezizwe, inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene, kunokuqondisa abantu eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu omisiwe.

Ingozi KweLobukholwa

15, 16. Buqhubeka kanjani ubuhlobo phakathi kweLobukholwa nezizwe ezisekela “amanyala encithakalo”?

¹⁵ Nakuba izinkolo zeLobukholwa zakhetha iNhlangano yeZizwe nomlandeli wayo kunoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, ubuhlobo bazo nezizwe ezingamalungu ayinhlangano buye bancipha. Lokhu kuyefana nokwenzeka phakathi kwamaJuda neRoma. Kusukela ngo-1945 inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene iye yahlanganisa amazwe engeziwe lawo angebona ubuKristu noma aphikisana nobuKristu, futhi awahambisani kahle neLobukholwa.

¹⁶ Ngaphezu kwalokho, emazweni amaningi kunokushayisana phakathi kwezinkolo zeLobukholwa noMbuso. EPoland iSonto lamaKatolika libonakala limelene nokubusa kwakhona. ENyakatho Ireland naseLebanon, izinkolo zeLobukholwa ziye zaqhubela phambili izinkinga zokuthula nokulondeka. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izinkolo zeLobukholwa ziye zaveza abathile, njengamaZealot obuJuda, abakhuthaza ubudlova. Kanjalo, uMkhandlu Wezwe WamaSonto ObuProthestani uye wanikela ezinhlanganweni zamaphekula, kanti abefundisi bamaKatolika balwa emahlathini ezimpini zomshoshaphansi futhi basebenzela ohulumeni abangomashiqela.

17. (a) Liyini iJerusalema lanamuhla? (b) Yini eyokwenzeka kulo ekugcineni?

¹⁷ Isikhathi kuphela esiyokwembula ukuthi ubuhlobo phakathi kwezinkolo zeLobukholwa nezizwe buyokwehla buze bufikephi, kodwa izenzakalo zekhulu lokuqala ziye zayibonisa kakade indlela konke lokhu okuyogcina ngayo. Njengoba uJesu ayebikezele, ekhulwini lokuqala amabutho amaRoma ekugcineni abhubhisa iJerusalema ngosizi olukhulu. Ngokuvumelana nalesosiprofetho, izizwe kanye nenhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene ziyohlasela futhi zibhubhise “iJerusalema,” okungukuthi, isimo esingokwenkolo seLobukholwa.—Luka 21:20, 23.

Balekelani Ezintabeni

18. Abantu abathobile ngenhliziyo kumelwe benzeni lapho bebona ukuthi “amanyala encithakalo” asekhona?

¹⁸ Ekhulwini lokuqala, ngemva kokuba “amanyala encithakalo” ebonakele, amaKristu aba nethuba lokubaleka. UJesu wawayala ukuba enze kanjalo masinyane ngoba ayengazi ukuthi lelothuba laliyothatha isikhathi esingakanani. (Marku 13:15, 16) Ngendlela efanayo, uma abantu abathobile ngenhliziyo namuhla beqaphela ukuthi “amanyala encithakalo” akhona, kumelwe ngokushesha baphume ngaphansi kokuqondiswa izinkolo zeLobukholwa. Umzuzu ngamunye abahlala ngawo kuzo ukuphila kwabo okungokomoya kuba sengozini, futhi ubani owaziyo ukuthi ithuba lokubaleka liyobavulekela isikhathi eside kangakanani?

19, 20. (a) Yini amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayenza lapho ebona iJerusalema lihaqwe amabutho amaRoma? (b) Yini emelelwe “izintaba” namuhla, futhi yini okumelwe ishukumisele abantu abathobile ngenhliziyo ukuba babalekele lapho namuhla?

¹⁹ Ivangeli likaLuka laxwayisa amaKristu osuku lwakhe ukuba abaleke uma ebona “iJerusalema lihaqiwe yizimpi.” Njengoba sekuphawuliwe kakade, lawomabutho afika ngo-66 C.E., futhi ithuba lokubaleka lavela ngalowonyaka ofanayo lapho uCestius Gallus ehoxisa amabutho akhe. Emva kokuba amaKristu ebalekile, impi yaqhubeka phakathi kwamaJuda namaRoma—nakuba yayingalwelwa eJerusalema. UVespasian wathunyelwa uMbusi uNero ePalestina, futhi kwaliwa izimpi eziphumelelayo lapho ngo-67 nango-68. Kwabe sekufa uNero, futhi uVespasian wahileleka ekulweleni isikhundla sokuBusa. Kodwa ngemva kokuba esebekwe umbusi ngo-69 C.E., wathumela indodana yakhe uTitus ukuba iyoqedela impi namaJuda. Ngo-70 C.E., iJerusalema labhujiswa.

²⁰ Nokho, amaKristu, awazange alinde eJerusalema ukuba abone konke lokho. Ngokushesha nje ebona lapho amabutho ehaqile okokuqala, azi ukuthi umuzi wawusengozini enkulu. Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, ithuluzi lokubhubhisa eLobukholwa selibonakele. Khona-ke, ngokushesha nje uma sibona ingozi eLobukholwa elikuyo, kumelwe ‘sibalekele ezintabeni,’ okuyindawo kaJehova eyisiphephelo nenhlangano yakhe engokwasezulwini. Ezinye iziprofetho azinikezi sizathu sokukholelwa ukuthi kuyoba nethuba lokuphefumula phakathi nokuhlaselwa kokuqala kweLobukholwa nokuchithwa kwalo kokugcina. Eqinisweni, ngeke neze kube nesidingo sekhefu onyeni olunjalo. Abantu abathobile ngenhliziyo babalekela eLobukholwa kwamanje.

IJerusalema NeLobukholwa

21. Kungani “amanyala encithakalo” abonakala ekupheleni kwesikhathi sokuphela seJerusalema, kanti kulelikhulu abonakala ngasekuqaleni kwesikhathi sokuphela salesimiso sezinto?

²¹ Ingabe kumelwe simangale ngokuthi ekhulwini lokuqala “amanyala encithakalo” abonakala ngaphambi nje kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema, kanti namuhla abonakala ekuqaleni kwesikhathi sokuphela kwalelizwe? Cha. Esimweni ngasinye, “amanyala encithakalo” abonakala ngesikhathi uJehova afuna abantu bakhe babaleke ngaso. Ekhulwini lokuqala, amaKristu kwakumelwe asale isikhashana eJerusalema ukuze ashumayele lapho. (IzEnzo 1:8) Kuphela ngo-66 C.E., lapho ukubhujiswa sekuseduze, lapho “amanyala encithakalo” abonakala khona, ebaxwayisa ukuba babaleke. Kodwa ukuba “seJerusalema” lanamuhla kusho ukuba yingxenye engaphansi kokuqondiswa izinkolo zeLobukholwa.a Akunakwenzeka ukukhonza uJehova ngokuvumelekayo esimweni esonakele nesinokuhlubuka okunjalo. Khona-ke, ekuqaleni kwesikhathi sokuphela kwalelizwe “amanyala encithakalo” abonakala, exwayisa amaKristu ukuba abaleke. Ukubalekela eLobukholwa kuyaqhubeka, umuntu ngamunye uthola isixwayiso sokubaleka ngokushesha nje uma ebona ukuthi “amanyala encithakalo” asekhona.

22. Imiphi imibuzo okusamelwe iphendulwe?

²² Nokho, singabuza, yini eholela kulesenzo esingalindelekile neze, ukubhujiswa kweLobukholwa namalunga ahlomile aphakathi kwenhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene? Kuyokwenzeka nini? Futhi lokhu kungasiza kanjani ekuletheni ukuthula nokulondeka emhlabeni wethu? Sizoxoxa ngalemibuzo esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ingabe uyakhumbula?

◻ Kungani isiprofetho sikaJesu ‘ngamanyala encithakalo’ kumelwe sibe nokugcwaliseka kosuku lwanamuhla?

◻ Ayini “amanyala encithakalo” namuhla, futhi kusukela nini ekhona?

◻ Liyini iJerusalema losuku lwanamuhla lesiprofetho sikaJesu?

◻ Usisiza kanjani uLuka 21:20, 21 ukuba sibone ukuphuthuma kokubaleka?

◻ Ziyini “izintaba” abantu abathobile ngenhliziyo ababalekela kuzo?

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 11]

Lapho abaholi benkolo beLobukholwa befanisa inhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene noMbuso kaNkulunkulu nevangeli, lokho kwakuwukukhulekela izithombe