Ukuhlolisisa IsAmbulo

UMA ungabhala uhlu lwezinto ezingakwenza ujabule, ingabe ubungabhala incwadi yeBhayibheli isAmbulo ohidini lwakho?

Abantu abaningi cishe bebengeke. Nokho bonke abanokuqonda okuhle ngesAmbulo bangavumelana namazwi omphostoli uJohane ekuqaleni kwalencwadi: “Ubusisiwe ofundayo nabo abawezwayo amazwi alesiprofetho, bagcine okulotshiweyo kuso.”—IsAmbulo 1:3.

‘Kodwa,’ ungase uthi, ‘kunzima ukuthola umqondo walokho engikufundayo kusAmbulo.’ Esinye isizathu siwukuthi ingxenye enkulu yalencwadi ingolimi olungokomfanekiso. Ukuze sithole incazelo, sidinga ulwazi lweBhayibheli lilonke ngokufanayo nolukaNkulunkulu nolokusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu nabantu bakhe phakathi neminyaka.

Kungenzeka uye wathola esinye isithiyo ekuqondeni isAmbulo. Ngenxa yokuthi siqukethe imibono eminingi ehlukene noma imifanekiso echazayo, abantu abaningi bavama ukulahlekelwa incazelo yaso sonke. Ngokomfanekiso singathi, banaka umuthi ngamunye futhi bahluleke ukubuyela emuva ukuba balibone lonke ihlathi. Sinalokhu engqondweni, masihlole incwadi yesAmbulo ngendlela ezobonisa ukuthi izingxenye zayo ezihlukahlukene noma imibono ihlangana kanjani. Nantu usizo, phawula ukuthi okunye kuholela kokunye ngokulandelana, njengezimpawu eziyisikhombisa, ziholela kolunye uchungechunge, amacilongo ayisikhombisa. Umfanekiso osekhasini lama-30 ungakusiza. Njengoba siqhubeka, sizonezela ukukhulumela okumbalwa kokuchaza, okuningi kutholakala ezincwadini ezithintwe ngezansi.a

Ukwembula Kuyaqala

Incwadi yesAmbulo ingesimo sencwadi, eyabhalwa cishe ngo-96 C.E., umphostoli uJohane ebhalela “amabandla ayisikhombisa” eAsiya amelela onke amabandla amaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya. (1:4) Isingeniso (1:1-3) sibonakalisa uNkulunkulu njengomthombo wesAmbulo noJesu njengowasidlulisela. Siqinisekisa injabulo ngalabo abezwayo futhi bagcine amazwi esiprofetho.

Ngemva kokukhuluma ngoJehova noJesu, umphostoli uyaziveza futhi ubonisa ukuthi okulandelayo ngokuyinhloko kuqondene no“suku lweNkosi” (kusukela ngo-1914). Unombono wokubonakala okukhazimulayo kukaJesu ovusiwe, lowo incwadi eyanikwa ngaye kuJohane. Izincwadi zizobhalelwa amabandla ayisikhombisa. (1:4–3:22) Azi isimo esingokomoya samaKristu ahilelekile, uJesu uyancoma, aluleke futhi axwayise. Lokhu kumelwe kusinike ithemba lokuthi uNkulunkulu ubeqeqesha labo abazoba sezulwini njengamakhosi emhlabeni.

Esembonile Lowo okudluliswa ngaye isambulo, ngokulandelayo uJohane uba nombono woMthombo waso. (4:1-11) UNkulunkulu uyakhazimula futhi uyasabeka, ufanele ukwaziswa nokukhonzwa yithi. Okuzungeze isihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu yizidalwa eziphilayo ezigcizelela izimfanelo zakhe. Abantu abadala abangamashumi amabili nane (amaKristu abusa ezulwini) bakhonza uMdali futhi bayavuma ukuthi zonke izidalwa kumelwe zenze kanjalo. UJehova unencwadi enamatheliswe ngezimpawu, kodwa ubani ongayivula?—5:1-4.

UJohane ubona iWundlu, uJesu, ethatha incwadi. IsAmbulo Isahluko sesi-5 siyachaza ukuthi uKristu ulufanele loludumo. Ngakho kumelwe simnike loludumo futhi sibe nesithakazelo embikweni wencwadi ngenjongo kaNkulunkulu ethinta izulu nomhlaba osukwini lwethu. Esikhundleni sokuyifunda nje incwadi, uJohane uyibona isebenza. UKristu uqala ukuvula izimpawu eziyisikhombisa zayo.

Olokuqala luvela kuJesu njengombusi oyinkosi oya ekunqobeni kokugcina. Olwesibili kuya kolwesine ezinabagibeli bamahhashi zifanekisela impi enkulu, indlala nokufa (okunjengalokho esakubona kusukela ngeMpi Yezwe I) okwabulala abantu abaningi. Ukuvela kophawu lwesihlanu, kuhambisana nesiqinisekiso sokuthi uNkulunkulu uzophindiselela amaKristu ashushiswayo nahlushwayo. Lokho uJohane akubonayo lapho uphawu lwesithupha luvulwa kubonisa ukuthi kuzoba khona ushintsho lwasezulwini nasemhlabeni nokuthi abantu bayofuna ukusitshekelwa olakeni lukaNkulunkulu oluzayo.—6:1-17.

Phakathi nekhefu ngaphambi kokuba uphawu lwesikhombisa luvulwe, uJohane ubona umsebenzi okumelwe wenziwe ngaphambi kokuba uNkulunkulu avumele ukufika kwesiphepho esibhubhisayo sosizi. (7:1-17) Ukupheleliswa komsebenzi wokubeka uphawu abayizi-144 000 kumelwe kufezwe. (Kamuva [14:1-3], uboniswa njengofeziwe.) Ukubamba kwezingelosi usizi olubhubhisayo kuvumela “isixuku esikhulu” ukuba sithole ukuvunyelwa uNkulunkulu nokumkhonza kanye nabayizi-144 000. Manje uphawu lwesikhombisa luyavulwa futhi kukhona isikhashana sokuthandaza nokulungiselela lokho okuzoza.—8:1-6.

Amacilongo Ayisikhombisa

Izingelosi eziyisikhombisa kumelwe zikhalise amacilongo ayisikhombisa. (Izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu zasemhlabeni zaqala ukudlulisa isigijimi sokwahlulela emihlanganweni yazo ngo-1922-1928.) Ngakho, ekuvulweni kochungechunge lwezimpawu eziyisikhombisa, olokugcina luyakhula luba umbono wezinye izinto eziyisikhombisa, amacilongo. Izigijimi ezinhlanu ezifana namacilongo eziphathelene namalungu enhlangano kaSathane ziyabethwa. Olwesihlanu luhlanganisa uhlupho lwabashumayeli abafana nesikhonyane; kuthiwa futhi lungumaye wokuqala kwabathathu. Lapho icilongo lesithupha libethwa, kukhulunywa ngokukhululwa kwalabo ababoshwe e-Ewufrathe, lapho iBabiloni lasendulo lalikhona. (Ezikhathini zanamuhla amanye amaKristu akhululwa ekuthunjweni iBabiloni ngemva kweMpi Yezwe I.) Umbono ubonisa futhi impi yamasosha agibeleyo ayizi-200 000 000.—8:7–9:21.

Kukhona ukuphazanyiswa kwecilongo lesithupha; uJohane ubona ingelosi iphethe incwadi encane, edliwayo. (10:1-11) Umphostoli uzwa ukuthi ezinsukwini zokubethwa kwecilongo lesikhombisa imfihlakalo kaNkulunkulu iyobe iqediwe. Khona-ke unikwa incwadi ukuba ayidle futhi utshelwa ngomsebenzi owengeziwe wokuprofetha okumelwe wenziwe. Kumelwe futhi alinganise ithempeli (elingokomoya). UJohane utshelwa futhi ngofakazi abaprofetha okwesikhashana (1914-1918), babulawa isilo futhi ekugcineni bavuswa. Qaphela ukuthi isilo siyafakwa embonweni kodwa nokho asichazwa. Ukuvukela ekuphileni kofakazi kwandulela ukuzamazama eJerusalema elihlubukayo, kuphelise icilongo lesithupha nomaye wesibili.—11:1-4.

Ngokubetha kwecilongo lesikhombisa kwenziwa isaziso maqondana nokumiswa koMbuso (“umaye wesithathu” ezitheni zikaNkulunkulu). Lokhu kuphumela ekushushisweni okunonya okuvela ezizweni. (11:15-19) Isahluko esilandelayo sichaza ngokuphelele ukuthi kwenzekani. UJohane ubona owesifazane okhazimulayo (inhlangano kaNkulunkulu engokwasezulwini) ebeletha ngokulondekile umntwana wesilisa (uMbuso) naphezu kokuphikisa kukaDeveli. Ngemva kwempi ezulwini, uSathane ulahlelwa phansi emhlabeni, lapho ehlupha insali engamaKristu ngenxa yokuthembeka kwayo. (12:1-17) Lokhu kunikeza isixwayiso ngesitha esikhulu, uSathane. Kodwa ezinye izitha ziyabonakala. Esinye isilo (inhlangano kaDeveli yezombangazwe eyisilo) esivela olwandle. Silwa namaKristu, ngakho-ke adinga ukubekezela nokholo. (13:1-10) Esinye isilo, esinezimpondo ezimbili, leso esikhuthaza ukukhulekelwa komfanekiso wesilo sasolwandle, sifanekisela kahle inhlanganisela yezombangazwe yombuso wamaNgisi namaMelika eye yabusa umhlaba ezikhathini zamuva.—13:11-18.

Ingabe lezizitha ziyovimbela ukuphawulwa kwabayizi-144 000? Cha! UJohane ubona abayizi-144 000 behlabelela ngenjabulo eNtabeni iSiyoni. (Konke lokhu kusalokhu kungaphansi kwecilongo lesikhombisa.) Khona-ke izingelosi ezintathu ngokuyinhloko zinikeza isixwayiso ngohlupho oluza ezitheni. Enye ingelosi imemezela ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzokhipha isahlulelo. Ngakho-ke, iyayaleza: “Mesabeni uNkulunkulu, nimnike inkazimulo.” Eyesibili imemezela ukuthi iBabiloni Elikhulu liwile. Eyesithathu ithembisa ukuhlushwa kwabakhulekeli besilo noma umfanekiso waso. Ezinye izingelosi zibikezela ngokuvuna futhi zimemezela ukubhubhisa eHarmagedoni.—14:1-20.

Izitsha Eziyisikhombisa NeBabiloni Elikhulu

Ngemva kwalezizahlulelo nezimemezelo zangaphambili, uJohane ubona izingelosi eziyisikhombisa zinezinhlupho eziyisikhombisa. (Lokhu futhi kungaphansi kokubetha kwecilongo lesikhombisa; ngakho, futhi, olunye uchungechunge ludlulela kolulandelayo.) Kungakhathaliseki ukushushiswa, abaningi baphuma benqoba futhi behlabelela indumiso. Izingelosi eziyisikhombisa ziyothulula izitsha eziyisikhombisa zentukuthelo, okukhombisa umbono kaNkulunkulu wezimo ezihlukahlukene zezwe nemiphumela, yombono wesahlulelo sakhe. Maqondana necilongo lesithupha, isitsha sesithupha sihlanganisa iEwufrathe (iBabiloni). Kukhulunywa futhi ngoku“bahlanganisela ekulweni kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke.” kodwa imininingwane ayinikezwa okwamanje. Ngesitsha sesikhombisa izwi lithi, “Sekwenzekile!” neBabiloni Elikhulu lizanyazanyisiwe futhi lawa.—15:1–16:21.

Ngokulandelayo isAmbulo sichaza ngokubhujiswa kweBabiloni lanamuhla, lelo elisikhumbuza iBabiloni lakudala eliwumthombo wenkolo yamanga. KusAmbulo iBabiloni lifaniswa nesifebe esikhwele isilo esibomvu esinamakhanda ayisikhombisa amelele amakhosi—inkosi yesishiyagalombili ivela kulamakhosi ayisikhombisa. (Lokho ngokuqondile kufanekisela iNhlangano Yezizwe—kamuva okwangena iUN esikhundleni sayo—zombili eziye zenziwa izizwe eziningi.) Ingelosi ithi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi izimpondo zesilo esihlomile zizolwa neWundlu. Kodwa okokuqala izimpondo eziyi-10 ziyosiphendukela isifebe futhi zisibulale. (17:1-18) Abantu bakhuthazwa ukuba baphume eBabiloni Elikhulu elingokwenkolo ngaphambi kokuba lokho kwenzeke. Ngemva kokuba sesibhujisiwe, amakhosi nabathengisi balahlekelwa yiso, kodwa izulu liyajabula ngokubhujiswa kwaso okuphelele nokokugcina. (18:1-24) UNkulunkulu kumelwe adunyiswe ngokukhipha lesi sahlulelo. Lokhu ngokukhethekile kuwumthombo wenjabulo kumlobokazi weWundlu “wabangcwele,” ngoba uye wabonakala engosinqobayo isifebe.—19:1-10.

Manje ukuqhubeka kwempi kaNkulunkulu nalabo abalwa neWundlu kuyaqhutshwa futhi kwandiswe. Izinhlangano ezinqatshelwe nabantu ngabanye bahlangabezana nesiphelo sabo. (19:11-21) Kuthiwani ngemimoya emibi? Ngokulandelayo uSathane uphonswa emgodini iminyaka eyinkulungwane. Ngaleso sikhathi uKristu nabayizi-144 000 bayoba amakhosi nabapristi ngengqondo ekhethekile. Ngokufinyelela ngokushesha esiphelweni seminyaka eyinkulungwane ukubonisa ukuphela okuphelele kukaSathane, umbono ufanekisela ukuhlulwa kwakhe nokuhlubuka kwabanye abantu. Bonke balahlelwa echibini lomlilo. (20:1-10) Uma ubuyela emuva ekuchazeni izehlakalo phakathi neminyaka eyinkulungwane yokubusa kukaKristu, umbono ubonisa abafileyo njengabavusiwe futhi bahlulelwa njengabafanele ukuphila okuphakade noma ukubhujiswa.—20:11-15.

Njengoba izulu elidala nomhlaba omdala sekususiwe, uJohane ubona izulu elisha nomhlaba omusha, ngokufanayo nezibusiso lokhu okuzilethayo esintwini. Ubona futhi umuzi, kungelona iBabiloni, kodwa umlobokazi kaKristu. Ungcwele futhi uphelele, unomfula wokuphila ogeleza uvela kuwo. Kunamalungiselelo achichimayo enzelwa ukuphila okunempilo. Uchungechunge lwemibono yesAmbulo lufinyelela esiphethweni ngalombono okhazimulayo, nongumvuthwandaba wenhlangano ebusayo yesimiso esisha sezinto.—21:1–22:7.

UJohane uthintekile ngokomzwelo kangangokuba ufuna ukukhonza isithunywa esamnikeza umbono; kodwa uyakhuzwa. Isiprofetho asivalwa. Abasizwayo kumelwe bameme abanye ukuba baphuze “amanzi okuphila ngesihle.” Akekho okumelwe anezele noma asuse kulencwadi. UJesu futhi ukhumbuza abafundayo ukuthi uyeza ngokushesha. UJohane uyasabela futhi uphetha ngesibusiso kwabangcwele.—22:8-21.

Ngokubheka ishadi elihambisana nalokhu, ingabe manje ungasho ukuthi ukuqonda kangcono lokho okuqukethwe isAmbulo nokuthi izici ezingaphakathi zihlanganiswa kanjani? Nokho, okwengeziwe kuyadingeka. Sidinga ukutadisha futhi siqonde ngokuphelele incazelo engokomfanekiso yalemibono yencwadi ephefumlelwe futhi sisebenzise isigijimi sayo ekuphileni kwethu. Khona-ke siyohlanganyela izibusiso, kuhlanganise nenjabulo uJohane akhuluma ngayo emavesini okuqala.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Izithombe ekhasini 30]

Ukuvulwa kwezimpawu eziyisikhombisa kuholela ekubethweni kwamacilongo ayisikhombisa

Njengoba amacilongo okugcina amathathu ebethwa, omaye bayamenyezelwa. Umaye wesithathu uholela ohidini lwezitsha eziyisikhombisa

Izingelosi eziyisikhombisa zithulula izitsha zolaka lukaNkulunkulu, izinhlupho eziyisikhombisa emhlabeni