UMbuso Ne“Ndawo Engcwele”

“Lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba owakhiwe ngenjongo yobufakazi kuzo zonke izizwe; khona-ke ukuphela kuzofika. Ngakho-ke, nxa nibona amanyala abangela incithakalo ashiwo uDaniyeli umprofethi, emi endaweni engcwele—ofundayo makaqaphele—khona abaseJudiya mababalekele ezintabeni.”—Mathewu 24:14-16, “NW.”

1. Abamemezeli abashisekayo bombuso kaNkulunkulu omisiwe banesithakazelo kuphi namuhla?

INGABE ungomunye obehlanganyela ngentshiseko ekushumayeleni “lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso”? Uma kunjalo, ulindele ngentshiseko ‘ukufika kwesiphelo.’ Maqondana nalokho, futhi uthakazelela ngokujulile, ukuthi kushiwoni namuhla “ngamanyala abangela incithakalo” ‘nokuma kwawo endaweni engcwele.’ Uzofuna ukwazi ukusebenza kosuku lwanamuhla kwalokho umprofethi uDaniyeli akusho ngalezizinto nendlela namuhla, ongaba ngayo phakathi kwalabo abathola ukusinda ‘ngokubalekela ezintabeni.’—Mathewu 24:3-16.

2. (a) Yimiphi eminye imibhalo esisizayo ukuze sibone “abangcwele” besiprofetho sikaDaniyeli? (b) Iliphi elinye iqembu eliye lavela muva nje, futhi isiphi isithakazelo esifanayo lamaqembu amabili anaso?

² Isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli sinokuningi esikushoyo ‘ngabangcwele’ abadla ifa lombuso. (Daniyeli 7:27) Laba benza iqembu elincane lamaKristu ‘azelwe ngokusha,’ uIsrayeli ongokomoya, oye wagcina ubuqotho ngaphansi kokuhlasela kukaSathane, kanjalo ezenza afanelekele ukuthola indawo embusweni wamazulu. (Johane 3:3; Luka 12:32) Eminyakeni yamuva, abasele balabofakazi abagcotshiwe bakaNkulunkulu baye bahlangana ‘nesixuku esikhulu . . . esivela kuzo zonke izizwe,’ esithemba ukuphila phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. Ingabe ungomunye welinye lalamaqembu? Uma kunjalo, unelungelo manje lokunikela “inkonzo engcwele” kuNkulunkulu endaweni yakhe engcwele yasemhlabeni yethempeli lakhe elingokomoya. Lena inkonzo engcwele, eyenziwa ‘endaweni engcwele’ efanekiselwa yindawo engcwele yethempeli likaJehova eJerusalema lasendulo.—IsAmbulo 7:4, 9, 15; Roma 12:1, 2.

3, 4. (a) Imaphi ‘amaJerusalema’ amathathu manje esicabanga ngawo? (b) IZwi likaNkulunkulu lilichaza kanjani ngalinye lalamaJerusalema?

³ Ngenxa yokuhlubuka kwamaJuda, abulala ngisho neNdodana kaNkulunkulu, iJerusalema lasemhlabeni lalahlwa, lashiywa uNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 23:37, 38) Nokho, iJerusalema elingcono kakhulu laqhubeka lamukeleka kuJehova. AbaseGalathiya 4:26 balibiza ngokuthi “iJerusalema eliphezulu.” Liwu‘mfazi’ kaJehova, ukuphela kwenhlangano yakhe yasezulwini efana nomfazi. KwakuyileliJerusalema elaveza iNdodana kaNkulunkulu engokomoya, uJesu Kristu, lowo ngonyaka ka-33 C.E., owanikela ‘ngomphefumulo wakhe [wobuntu] njengesihlengo’ ngenxa yesintu.—Mathewu 20:28.

⁴ Ngemva kokuvuswa kukaJesu engumoya, waphakanyiselwa esandleni sokunene sikaYise wasezulwini. Ngesikhathi esifanelekile ngo-1914 C.E., uJehova wammisa embusweni wakhe, lowo amaHeberu 12:22 awuhlanganisa negama iJerusalema, ewubiza ngokuthi “iJerusalema lasezulwini.” Lombuso, esikhathini esifanelekile uyobhubhisa isimiso esikhohlakele sikaSathane futhi ubuyisele ipharadesi emhlabeni wethu.—Mathewu 6:9, 10.

Ukuchithwa ‘Kwendawo Engcwele’

5. (a) UJesu wathini ngeJerusalema lasemhlabeni? (b) Lokhu kwaholela kumuphi umbuzo nesiprofetho?

⁵ Ake sivule amaBhayibheli ethu manje kuMathewu, isahluko 23. Laphayana evesini 38 uzophawula amazwi kaJesu athi ‘indlu [iJerusalema] iyasala.’ Khona-ke, kubafundi bakhe abamangele, uJesu ukhuluma amazwi kaMathewu 24, ivesi 2 maqondana nalelothempeli laseJerusalema lasemhlabeni: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Akuyikushiywa lapha itshe phezu kwetshe elingayikudilizelwa phansi.” Lokhu kuholela ekubeni abafundi abane bakaJesu bambuze umbuzo wevesi lesi-3: “Sitshele ukuthi lokhu kuyakuba-nini, nesibonakaliso sokuza kwakho nesokuphela kwezwe siyakuba-yini na?” Ngokulandelayo uJesu unikeza isiprofetho sakhe esaziwa kahle esiqhubeka kuze kube sekupheleni kukaMathewu, isahluko sama-25.

6, 7. (a) Ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho, yini leyo manje eyaba ngaphansi kokusongelwa? (b) “Amanyala” abonwa kanjani ‘emi endaweni engcwele’?

⁶ Lokho okwathakazelisa abafundi bakaJesu emuva lé ngo-33 C.E. kwakuwukuphela kwesimiso sobuJuda, esasigxile eJerusalema lasemhlabeni nethempeli lalo, isimiso senkolo esasiye saphenduka isihlubuki. Kodwa naphezu kokuhlubuka kwalo, iJerusalema laqhubeka laziwa ‘njengomuzi ongcwele,’ ngisho nangemva kokufa kukaJesu. (Mathewu 27:53) Ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho sikaJesu, usizi lwanda eJerusalema naseJudiya nakwezinye izizwe eziseduze. Khona-ke, ngo-66 C.E., amabutho amaRoma ngaphansi kukaJenene Gallus ahlasela iJerusalema. Njengoba uJesu abikezela (ngokukaLuka 21:20), iJerusalema ‘lahaqwa amabutho empi.’ Njengoba kuphawula umlobi-mlando uJosephus, lawa aze ngisho angena emzini nezindinganiso zawo zokukhonza izithombe futhi aqala ukuwisa izindonga zethempeli.

⁷ Lawomabutho amaRoma ngokuqinisekile ayemi “endaweni engcwele.” Ayeselungele ukubhubhisa ‘lowomuzi kaJehova,’ umuzi owawukade uhlobene nokukhulekela uJehova amakhulu amaningi eminyaka. (IHubo 101:8) “Amanyala,” ngempela, ngokombono wakho kokubili izihlubuki ezingamaJuda namaKristu angamaJuda! Nokho, amaKristu kuphela aqaphela ukuthi lesi kwakuyisimo uJesu ayeprofethe ngaso. Akukhona kuphela ukuthi “umuzi ongcwele” nethempeli lawo lokukhulekela kwasongelwa kodwa kwaba njalo nangamaKristu ayephakathi ayethembekile kuJehova nasezwini lakhe leqiniso. Ayengasinda kanjani lawa?

8. Khona-ke uJehova wazilungisa kanjani izinto, futhi namuphi umphumela?

⁸ Ngokumangalisayo uJehova wahlela izinto. Ngokushesha amabutho amaRoma ahlehla, avulela amaKristu indlela yokulalela isiprofetho sikaJesu. Futhi asilalela, ‘abalekela ezintabeni’ zaseGileyadi! Khona-ke, ngo-70 C.E., “amanyala encithakalo” abuya. Ezinyangeni ezine nje kuphela amabutho amaRoma ngaphansi kukaJenene Titus abhubhisa iJerusalema, awisela phansi lokho okwakucatshangelwa ukuba “indawo engcwele” kwaba yinqwaba yemvithimvithi. AmaJuda angaphezu kwesigidi afa kuleyonhlekelele, kwasinda ambalwa. (Daniyeli 9:26) Kodwa amaJuda angamaKristu ayephephile! Ngani? Ngoba alalela izwi leqiniso elingokwesiprofetho njengoba lakhulunywa nguMfundisi Omkhulu, uJesu Kristu.—Marku 13:1, 2, 14.

Okwanamuhla Okufanayo

9. Kungani lezozehlakalo zekhulu lokuqala kumelwe zisithakazelise namuhla?

⁹ Lezozehlakalo zekhulu lokuqala zinencazelo ebalulekile kithi namuhla. Ngani? Ngoba zinezifana ncamashi nazo kulelikhulu lamashumi amabili. Isiprofetho sikaJesu esikhulu sifinyelela isiphetho saso osukwini lwethu, ngokugcwaliseka okuvithiza izwe! Nokho, kulesisikhathi akuwona nje umuzi waseJerusalema nezwe lakwaJuda kodwa yiwo wonke umhlaba owakhiwe, nemizi yawo engamashumi ayizinkulungwane, amakhulu awo ezizwe namaqembu ezinhlanga nabantu bawo abayizigidi eziyizi-4 400—sonke isimiso sezwe sezinto—sihilelekile.

10. (a) Iyiphi inkathi yesikhathi eyaphela ngo-1914, futhi kanjani? (b) Kungani manje kukhona “umaye” ongakaze abe khona ngaphambili emhlabeni?

¹⁰ Ngisho nabalobi-mlando bezwe baye baphawula ukuthi unyaka ka-1914 C.E. wawuyisiqalo senkathi yoshintsho. Ngempela “izikhathi ezimisiwe zabezizwe” zaphela ngalowonyaka. (Luka 21:24-28, NW) UJehova akasenakuphinde avumele imibuso yabeZizwe ibuse ngendlela ethanda ngayo. Ngakho-ke isiprofetho sagcwaliseka ngeNkosi uJesu: “Intonga yamandla akho uJehova uyakuyelula eseSiyoni [“iJerusalema lasezulwini,” umbuso wobuMesiya], ethi: Busa wena phakathi kwezitha zakho.” (IHubo 110:2) Ngokulalela, iNkosi ebekwe esihlalweni sobukhosi yakhipha uSathane namabutho akhe angamademoni ezulwini yabalahlela emhlabeni. Ngakho-ke ‘okwesikhathi esifushane,’ kuwu“maye kuwe mhlaba.” (IsAmbulo 12:7-12) Manje, kusukela ngo-1914 kuqhubeke, isiprofetho esikhulu sikaJesu kuMathewu izahluko 24 no-25 sithola ukugcwaliseka kwaso emhlabeni wonke.

11. Yini wena ngokwakho oye wayibona ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho esikhulu sikaJesu?

¹¹ Ingabe sonke asizange yini sisibone “isibonakaliso . . . sokuphela kwezwe”? Ingabe thina ngokwethu asizibonanga yini izimpi ezinkulu, ukuswelakala kokudla, izifo, ukuzamazama komhlaba ‘nezinye izinto ezesabekayo’ ezabikezelwa uJesu? Asikubonanga yini ukushushiswa kwamaKristu, futhi sahlanganyela ekushumayeleni ‘lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso . . . kuwo wonke umhlaba owakhiwe kwaba ubufakazi kuzo zonke izizwe’? Ngokuqinisekile abaningi bethu baye bakubona! (Mathewu 24:3-14; Luka 21:10-12) Kodwa kuthiwani ngamazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 24:15, 16, ‘ngamanyala abangela incithakalo’?

Ukugcwaliseka Emhlabeni Wonke

12. “Usizi olukhulu” luyokwehluka kanjani ekubhujisweni kweJerusalema?

¹² Ukugcwaliseka kwekhulu lokuqala kwalesisiprofetho kusinikeza isibonelo salokho esingase sikulindele namuhla. Kodwa eminye imininingwane ayenzeki ncimishi ngokufanayo. Ngokwesibonelo, Math 24 emavesini 21, no-22 uJesu uthi: “Ngokuba lapho kuyakuba-khona usizi olukhulu olungazange lube-khona kwasekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube-manje nolungasayikuba-khona. Uma lezozinsuku zingafinyezwanga, bekungesindiswe-muntu; kepha ngenxa yabakhethiweyo lezozinsuku ziyakufinyezwa.” “Usizi olukhulu” oluwumvuthwandaba alunakuphelela nje eJerusalema noma kumuphi omunye umuzi. Kuyoba yinhlekelele enkulu kakhulu kwezake zafikela umhlaba, futhi iyoba eyembulunga yonke.—Jeremiya 25:30-33; Mathewu 24:30.

13. Ngokuphambene ne“nyama” eyasinda ekubhujisweni kweJerusalema, iyiphi “inyama” eyosindiswa ‘osizini olukhulu’?

¹³ Futhi, “inyama” esindayo ayinakuba eyamaJuda ambalwa ahlubukayo, ayelindelwe ukuba yizigqila, njengasekubhujisweni kweJerusalema lasemhlabeni. Kunalokho, iyoba “inyama” “yabakhethiweyo,” labo emhlabeni abamelele “iJerusalema lasezulwini,” ne“nyama” yabangane babo “isixuku esikhulu,” esivela kuzo zonke izizwe, leso isAmbulo 7:14 esithi ngaso: “Laba yibo abaphuma osizini olukhulu, bahlanza izingubo zabo, bazenza zaba-mhlophe egazini leWundlu.” Khona-ke, kumelwe simqonde kanjani uMathewu 24:15, 16 ekugcwalisekeni kwakhe kosuku lwanamuhla?

“Ofundayo Makaqaphele”

14, 15. Yiziphi ezinye izinto ‘umfundi angase aziqonde’ ekuhloleni uDaniyeli izahluko 7 no-8?

¹⁴ UJesu lapha ubhekisela ‘kuDaniyeli umprofethi,’ futhi uyanezela: “Ofundayo makaqaphele.” Kwaku“ngomnyaka wokuqala kaBelishasari inkosi yaseBabele” lapho uDaniyeli anikezwa khona umbono ngoMdala weziNsuku, uJehova uNkulunkulu, nokwahlulela kwakhe izizwe zomhlaba ngombuso kaMesiya. Lokhu kwakuyoba lapho ‘kufika isikhathi esiqondile sokuba umbuso ube-ngowabangcwele.’—Daniyeli 7:1, 9-14, 21, 22, 27.

¹⁵ UDaniyeli wabona umbono oqhubekayo ngonyaka wesithathu wobukhosi bukaBelishasari. Lapha, kuDaniyeli 8:3-9, umprofethi usebenzisa ulimi olungokomfanekiso ekuchazeni ukulandelana ‘kwezilo zasendle’ ne‘zimpondo’ ezinamandla ezihluma emakhanda alezo“zilo.” UDaniyeli 8:20-25 usisiza ukuba sibone lena njengemibuso yezwe yeminyaka eyizi-2 500 edlule, eqala ngowamaMede namaPheresiya, bese kuba yiGrisi, iRoma futhi ekugcineni—‘njengophondo oluncane oluhluma kuze kube yilapho amandla alo eba makhulu’—Umbuso WamaNgisi, lowo irepublic yaseMelika kamuva eyahlanganyela nawo. Ngalendlela umbuso wezwe ombaxambili wamiswa.

16. (a) ‘Isiphi isikhathi esiqondile esafika,’ futhi yini eyalandela okuhlangenwe nakho ‘kwabangcwele’? (b) Kungani omagazini besiNgisi INqabayokulinda kaJune 1938 babebalulekile kubantu bakaNkulunkulu?

¹⁶ Ngo-1918 C.E. ‘isikhathi esiqondile safika’ sokuba “abangcwele” bamukele umbuso. Kusukela ngonyaka ka-1919 “abangcwele” abasesemhlabeni bahlelwa ukuba benze ukumemezela okuhle kakhulu embulungeni yonke kombuso wobuMesiya omisiwe. (Mathewu 24:14) Ngokushesha baziwa ezweni lonke njengo“fakazi bakaJehova” futhi “isixuku esikhulu” esiyizisebenzi ezingabangane saqala ukuhlanganyela nabo. (Isaya 43:10, 12; IsAmbulo 7:9) Nokho, phakathi nawo-1930 amafu amnyama oshushiso aqoqana. UJehova waqinisa abantu bakhe ukuba bahlangabezane nalokhu kusongela ngokubuye abahlele ngokwasezulwini. Umagazini wesiNgisi INqabayokulinda kaJune 1, no-15, 1938, yayinezihloko ezifundwayo ezithi “Inhlangano” ezanikeza abantu bakaNkulunkulu isimo esingokwasezulwini esasizosebenza njengesisekelo somsebenzi wabo phakathi nempi yezwe yesibili.—Isaya 60:17.

17. UDaniyeli 8:10, 11 wayegcwaliseka kobani manje?

¹⁷ Kwakuphakathi neMpi Yezwe II lapho uDaniyeli 8:10, 11 agcwaliseka khona. ‘Uphondo oluncane’ lwamelana noJehova uNkulunkulu, ‘oyisiKhulu sebandla.’ Yiliphi ‘lelobandla?’ Ingabe ibandla labanamathela emahlelweni andayo enkolo eLobukholwa? Cha. Laba ‘abazondwa’ neze ngoba bazenza ingxenye yezwe likaSathane. (Mathewu 24:9; Johane 15:18-20) UDaniyeli lapha ubhekisela ebandleni elincane kakhulu, eliqhathaniswa namabutho empi kaGideyoni ayemancane kakhulu uma eqhathaniswa nemikhosi yakwaMidiyani. (AbAhluleli 7:8, 12) Liyinsali emhlabeni ye‘bandla’ “labangcwele” abayizi-144 000 abayobusa neWundlu, uKristu Jesu, eNtabeni yaseSiyoni ye“Jerusalema lasezulwini.”—IsAmbulo 14:1-5.

Ukuba ‘Sendaweni Engcwele’

18. (a) ImiBhalo ibonisa ukuthi “indawo engcwele” ikuphi? (b) NgokukaDaniyeli 8:12, yini eyenzeka kulendawo?

¹⁸ Namuhla laba abasele ‘basendaweni engcwele,’ futhi bamelele emhlabeni “iJerusalema lasezulwini,” nelungiselelo lethempeli lalo. UDaniyeli uchaza lokhu (Dan 8 evesini le-11, NW) njenge“ndawo yendlu [kaJehova] engcwele” lapha ‘esenabelweni sezinyawo zaKhe,’ umhlaba. (Isaya 66:1) Uthi: “Lwasaphuca [uJehova] umnikelo oshiswa imihla yonke, nendawo yendlu yaso engcwele yaphonswa phansi. Kwabekwa impi yokulwa kanye nomnikelo oshiswa imihla yonke ngesiphambeko: lwaphonsa phansi iqiniso, lwenza njengentando yalo, lwaba-nempumelelo.’’ (Daniyeli 8:11, 12) Kwagcwaliseka kanjani lokhu?

19. (a) Yini esiyiqondayo lapha ‘ngesiphambeko sophondo oluncane’? (b) Lwaqhubeka kanjani ‘nokuphonsa iqiniso phansi’?

¹⁹ Khona-ke, kwakuyini okuhlangenwe nakho kwabafundi beBhayibheli abathembekile—oFakazi BakaJehova—phakathi neMpi Yezwe II? Ukushushiswa okunzima! Lokhu kwalingana ‘nesiphambeko,’ umzamo wokubhubhisa isigaba sikaNkulunkulu ‘esingcwele,’ kanjalo baphuce uJehova “umnikelo” wokukhonza kweningi nsuku zonke. Kwaqala emazweni obuNazi nobuFascists. Kodwa ngokushesha ‘iqiniso laphonswa phansi’ ekubuseni okukhulu ‘kophondo oluncane olumandla alo aba makhulu.’ “Ibandla” labamemezeli bombuso nomsebenzi wabo wokushumayela iqiniso lombuso wenqatshelwa cishe kuyo yonke imibuso eziphethe yamaNgisi. Lapho lezizizwe zibutha amabutho azo zenqaba ukukhulula oFakazi BakaJehova njengamaministers; aziyibonisanga inhlonipho ngokumiswa kwabo okungokwasezulwini njengamaministers kaNkulunkulu. Ubudlova bezichwensi nokunye ukwedelelwa kwehliselwa phezu kwezikhonzi ezithembekile zikaJehova eUnited States.

20. (a) Ikuphi ukuqinisekisa esikunikezwa uDaniyeli 8:14? (b) ‘Indawo engcwele yaphakama kanjani ngokunqoba’? (c) Njengoba iMpi Yezwe II ifinyelela esiphethweni iyiphi intuthuko eyayenzeka enhlanganweni kaJehova?

²⁰ Nokho, ngokukaDaniyeli 8:13, 14, ngemva kwenkathi yezinsuku ‘ezingamakhulu angamashumi amabili nantathu’ (iminyaka eyisithupha, nezinyanga ezine nezinsuku ezingamashumi amabili), “indawo engcwele” yayizobuyiselwa futhi ‘esimweni sayo esifanelekile,’ noma “iphakame ngokunqoba” (New English Bible). Ngempela, oFakazi BakaJehova baye bashushiswa ngonya ngenxa yokuphikelela kwabo ‘belalela uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.’ (IzEnzo 5:29) Kodwa phakathi nezinyanga zokugcina zeMpi Yezwe II babuye baqinisekisa isinqumo sabo sokukhulisa ukubusa kukaJehova nokunamathela kukho ngaphakathi enhlanganweni yabo. Ngenxa yalokho, elinye ilungiselelo lomsebenzi nesimiso sokuphatha soFakazi BakaJehova saqaliswa ngo-1944. INqabayokulinda yesiNgisi kaOctober 15, 1944, yaba nesihloko esithi “Ukuhlelelwa Umsebenzi Wokugcina.” Lesi nezinye izihloko ezimaqondana nomsebenzi wenkathi efanayo zabonisa ukuthi “indawo engcwele” yase ibuyele futhi “kwesayo isimo esifanelekile” ngokombono kaJehova.a

21. Kuze kube manje, umbuso uye wanqoba kanjani?

²¹ Imizamo yonya yesitha yokubhubhisa nokuchitha “indawo engcwele” yayehluleke ngokuphelele. Abasele ‘bendawo engcwele’ emhlabeni, nabangane babo “isixuku esikhulu,” babenqobile. Umbuso oPhakeme, kaJehova, nokaKristu wakhe, wawunqobile! Yini eyayizolandela, ngokwezwi likaJehova elingokwesiprofetho? Sizobona manje.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

YINI OYIQONDAYO NGALOKHU—

Daniyeli 7:22: “kwafika isikhathi esifanelekile”?

Daniyeli 7:27: “abangcwele,” “umbuso”?

Daniyeli 8:9:  ‘olunye uphondo, oluncane’?

Daniyeli 8:10: ‘ibandla lasezulwini’?

Daniyeli 8:11: ‘isikhulu sebandla’?

Daniyeli 8:12: ‘saphonsa phansi iqiniso’?

Daniyeli 8:14, NEB: “Indawo Engcwele iyophakama ngokunqoba”?

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 10]

Ngo-1965 uKhansela Konrad Adenauer waseJalimane wathi: “Amaphuzu nemibono kufika engqondweni yami, . . . amaphuzu maqondana naphambi konyaka ka-1914 lapho kwakunokuthula koqobo, ukuthula nokulondeka kulomhlaba inkathi lapho sasingakwazi ukwesaba. . . . Ukulondela nokuthula kuye kwaphela ekuphileni kwabantu kusukela ngo-1914.”

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 11]

Ngo-1980 undunankulu wangaphambili wamaNgisi uHarold Macmillan wathi: “Yonke into yayingaba ngcono. Leli yizwe engazalelwa kulo. . . . Ngokushesha, ngokungalindelekile, ngolunye usuku ekuseni ngo-1914 yonke into yafinyelela esiphethweni.”