‘U-Israyeli KaNkulunkulu’ ‘Nesixuku Esikhulu’
“Ngabona, bheka! isixuku esikhulu, okungekho muntu owakwazi ukusibala.”—ISAMBULO 7:9.
1-3. (a) Imaphi amathemba akhazimulayo asezulwini amaKristu agcotshiwe anawo? (b) USathane wazama kanjani ukubhubhisa ibandla lekhulu lokuqala? (c) Yini eyenzeka ngo-1919 eyabonisa ukuthi imizamo kaSathane yokonakalisa ibandla lamaKristu agcotshiwe yayehlulekile?
UKUSUNGULWA “kuka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu” ngo-33 C.E. kwakuyisinyathelo esikhulu ekufezweni kwezinjongo zikaJehova. (Galathiya 6:16) Amalungu akhe agcotshiwe anethemba lokuba izidalwa zomoya ezingafi nelokubusa noKristu eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini. (1 Korinte 15:50, 53, 54) Kuleso sikhundla anengxenye ebalulekile ekungcweliseni igama likaJehova nasekuchobozeni ikhanda leSitha esikhulu, uSathane uDeveli. (Genesise 3:15; Roma 16:20) Yingakho uSathane enza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuze abhubhise leli bandla elisha, ngokulishushisa nangokuzama ukonakalisa!—2 Thimothewu 2:18; Juda 4; IsAmbulo 2:10.
2 Lapho abaphostoli besaphila, uSathane wayengenakuphumelela. Nokho, ngemva kokufa kwabo, ukuhlubuka kwasakazeka ngokungenakuvinjelwa. Ekugcineni, ngokubona komuntu, ibandla lobuKristu elimsulwa elasungulwa uJesu labonakala lonakalisiwe lapho uSathane eveza inhlangano mbumbulu engokwenkolo eyisihlubuki namuhla eyaziwa ngokuthi eLobukholwa. (2 Thesalonika 2:3-8) Nakuba kunjalo, ubuKristu beqiniso baphikelela.—Mathewu 28:20.
3 Emfanekisweni wakhe kakolweni nokhula, uJesu wabikezela ukuthi amaKristu eqiniso ayeyokhula isikhathi esithile eceleni ‘kokhula,’ noma amaKristu amanga; futhi lokhu kwenzeka. Kodwa futhi wathi phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina, “amadodana ombuso” ayeyophinde ahlukane ngokubonakalayo ‘nokhula.’ (Mathewu 13:36-43) Nalokhu kwaba njalo. Ngo-1919 amaKristu agcotshiwe eqiniso aphuma ekuthunjweni kobuBabiloni. Aqashelwa ngokwaphezulu ‘njengesigqila esikholekileyo nesiqondayo,’ futhi ngesibindi aqala ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. (Mathewu 24:14, 45-47; IsAmbulo 18:4) Cishe wonke ayengabeZizwe; kodwa ngoba ayenokholo luka-Abrahama, eqinisweni ‘ayeyinzalo ka-Abrahama.’ Ayengamalungu ‘ka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.’—Galathiya 3:7, 26-29.
“Isixuku Esikhulu”
4. Iliphi iqembu lamaKristu elaphawuleka, ikakhulukazi ngawo-1930?
4 Okokuqala nje, labo abasabela ekushumayeleni kwalamaKristu agcotshiwe nabo baba ama-Israyeli angokomoya, abasele babangu-144 000, abanethemba lasezulwini. (IsAmbulo 12:17) Nokho, ikakhulukazi ngawo-1930, elinye iqembu laphawuleka. Leli lachazwa ‘njengezinye izimvu’ zomfanekiso wezibaya zezimvu. (Johane 10:16) Lalingabafundi bakaKristu abanethemba lokuphila okumi phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. Ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso, laliyinzalo engokomoya yamaKristu agcotshiwe. (Isaya 59:21; 66:22; qhathanisa neyoku-1 Korinte 4:15, 16.) Laliqaphela ibandla lamaKristu agcotshiwe njengesigqila esikholekileyo nesiqondayo, futhi njengabafowabo abagcotshiwe, lalinothando olujulile ngoJehova, ukholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu, intshiseko yokudumisa uNkulunkulu, nokuzimisela ukuhlupheka ngenxa yokulunga.
5. Ukuma kwezinye izimvu kuye kwaqondwa kanjani kangcono ngokuqhubekayo?
5 Ekuqaleni ukuma kwalezi ezinye izimvu kwakungaqondwa kahle, kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, izinto zacaca kakhudlwana. Ngo-1932 amaKristu agcotshiwe akhuthazwa ukuba anxuse ezinye izimvu ukuba zihlanganyele emsebenzini wokushumayela—okuthile ezinye izimvu eziningi ezazikwenza kakade. Ngo-1934 ezinye izimvu zakhuthazwa ukuba zibhapathizwe ngamanzi. Ngo-1935 zachazwa ‘njengesixuku esikhulu’ sesAmbulo isahluko 7. Ngo-1938 zamenywa ukuba zibe khona eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaJesu Kristu njengezibukeli. Ngo-1950 kwaqondwa ukuthi amadoda avuthiwe phakathi kwazo ayephakathi ‘kwezikhulu’ ezikhonza ‘njengendawo yokucashela umoya nesivikelo esivunguvungwini.’ (IHubo 45:16; Isaya 32:1, 2) Ngo-1953, inhlangano kaNkulunkulu yasemhlabeni—ingxenye enkulu yayo ngaleso sikhathi eyayakhiwa ezinye izimvu—yaqondwa njengewumgogodla womphakathi wasemhlabeni oyoba khona ezweni elisha. Ngo-1985 kwaqondwa ukuthi ngesisekelo somhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo, ezinye izimvu kuthiwa zilungile njengabangane bakaNkulunkulu futhi zinethemba lokusinda e-Armagedoni.
6. Ikuphi ukuma okuhlobene kwabagcotshiwe nezinye izimvu namuhla, okuholela kumiphi imibuzo?
6 Njengamanje, kulengxenye yokugcina ‘yezinsuku zokugcina,’ iningi labangu-144 000 liye lafa futhi lamukela umvuzo walo wasezulwini. (2 Thimothewu 3:1; IsAmbulo 6:9-11; 14:13) AmaKristu anethemba lasemhlabeni manje enza ingxenye enkulu yokushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle, futhi akubheka njengelungelo ukusekela abafowabo bakaJesu abagcotshiwe kulokhu. (Mathewu 25:40) Nokho, laba abagcotshiwe bayisigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo ukudla okungokomoya okuye kwanikezwa ngaso phakathi nalezi zinsuku zokugcina. Siyoba yini isimo sezinye izimvu lapho bonke abagcotshiwe sebamukele umvuzo wabo wasezulwini? Imaphi amalungiselelo ayokwenzelwa ezinye izimvu ngaleso sikhathi? Ukuhlola kafushane u-Israyeli wasendulo kuzosisiza ukuba siphendule leyo mibuzo.
“Umbuso Wabapristi” Ongokomfanekiso
7, 8. U-Israyeli wasendulo wayewumbuso wabapristi nesizwe esingcwele esingaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho ngezinga elingakanani?
7 Lapho uJehova ekhetha u-Israyeli njengesizwe sakhe esikhethekile, wenza isivumelwano naye, ethi: “Uma nilalela nokulalela izwi lami, nigcine isivumelwano sami, niyakuba-yigugu kimi kunazo zonke izizwe, ngokuba umhlaba wonke ungowami, nibe-ngumbuso wabapristi kimi, nesizwe esingcwele.” (Eksodusi 19:5, 6) U-Israyeli wayengabantu bakaJehova abakhethekile ngesisekelo sesivumelwano soMthetho. Nokho, sasiyogcwaliseka kanjani isithembiso esihilela umbuso wabapristi nesizwe esingcwele?
8 Lapho ekholekile, u-Israyeli wayebuqaphela ubukhosi bukaJehova futhi wayemamukela njengeNkosi yakhe. (Isaya 33:22) Ngakho, wayengumbuso. Kodwa, njengoba kwembulwa kamuva, isithembiso esiphathelene ‘nombuso’ sasiyosho okungaphezu ngisho kwalokho. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho elalela uMthetho kaJehova, wayehlanzekile, ehlukanisiwe nezizwe ezazimzungezile. Wayeyisizwe esingcwele. (Duteronomi 7:5, 6) Ingabe wayengumbuso wabapristi? Phela, kwa-Israyeli isizwana sakwaLevi sasihlukaniselwe inkonzo yasethempelini, futhi phakathi kwaleso sizwana kwakunobupristi bobuLevi. Lapho kumiswa uMthetho kaMose, kwathathwa abesilisa abangamaLevi esikhundleni samazibulo ayo yonke imikhaya engewona amaLevi.a (Eksodusi 22:29; Numeri 3:11-16, 40-51) Ngakho, kunjengokungathi yonke imikhaya kwa-Israyeli yayimelelwe enkonzweni yasethempelini. Lena kwakuyindlela eseduze kakhulu isizwe esasisondele ngayo ebupristini. Nakuba kunjalo, sasimelela uJehova phambi kwezizwe. Noma imuphi umuntu wezizwe owayefisa ukukhulekela uNkulunkulu weqiniso kwakumelwe enze kanjalo ngokuzihlanganisa no-Israyeli.—2 IziKronike 6:32, 33; Isaya 60:10.
9. Yini eyabangela ukuba uJehova enqabe umbuso wakwa-Israyeli osenyakatho ‘ekubeni ukhonze njengompristi wakhe’?
9 Ngemva kokufa kukaSolomoni, abantu bakaNkulunkulu bahlukana baba isizwe sakwa-Israyeli esisenyakatho ngaphansi kweNkosi uJerobowamu nesizwe sakwaJuda esiseningizimu ngaphansi kweNkosi uRehobowamu. Njengoba ithempeli, isikhungo sokukhulekela kweqiniso, sasisendaweni yakwaJuda, uJerobowamu wamisa uhlobo lokukhulekela olungekho emthethweni ngokumisa izithombe zamathole endaweni yesizwe sakhe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, “wakha nezindlu zezindawo eziphakemeyo, wenza abapristi ngeningi labantu abangesiwo amadodana kaLevi.” (1 AmaKhosi 12:31) Isizwe sasenyakatho sacwila ngokujulile ekukhulekeleni kwamanga lapho iNkosi u-Ahabi ivumela umkayo wezizwe, uJezebeli, ukuba amise ukukhulekelwa kukaBali ezweni. Ekugcineni, uJehova wanquma ukuwahlulela lombuso ohlubukayo. NgoHoseya, wathi: “Abantu bami babhujiswa ngokuswela ukwazi; ngokuba ukulahlile ukwazi nami ngiyakukulahla wena, ungabi-ngumpristi wami.” (Hoseya 4:6) Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, abase-Asiriya bawuqothula umbuso wakwa-Israyeli osenyakatho.
10. Lapho ukholekile, umbuso wakwaJuda oseningizimu wammelela kanjani uJehova phambi kwezizwe?
10 Kuthiwani ngesizwe esasiseningizimu, uJuda? Ezinsukwini zikaHezekiya, uJehova wathi kuso ngo-Isaya: “Ningofakazi bami, . . . nenceku yami engiyikhethileyo . . . lababantu engizenzele bona ukuba bashumayele udumo lwami.” (Isaya 43:10, 21; 44:21) Lapho ukholekile, umbuso oseningizimu wawusiza ekumemezeleni ezizweni udumo lukaJehova nokukhanga abanezinhliziyo ezilungile ukuba bamkhulekele ethempelini lakhe futhi bakhonzwe ubupristi bamaLevi obungokomthetho.
Abantu Bezizwe Kwa-Israyeli
11, 12. Yisho abantu bezizwe abeza bazokhonza uJehova ngokuzihlanganisa no-Israyeli.
11 Ngokuphathelene nabantu bezizwe abasabela kulokhu kufakaza kwesizwe, benzelwa ilungiselelo eMthethweni owanikezwa ngoMose—omkakhe, uSipora, wayengumMidiyani. “Ingxubevange” yabangewona ama-Israyeli yashiya iGibithe no-Israyeli futhi yayikhona lapho kunikezwa uMthetho. (Eksodusi 2:16-22; 12:38; Numeri 11:4) URahabi nomkhaya wakubo basindiswa eJeriko futhi kamuva bamukelwa ebandleni lamaJuda. (Joshuwa 6:23-25) Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, abaseGibeyoni benza ukuthula no-Israyeli futhi babelwa imisebenzi ephathelene netabernakele.—Joshuwa 9:3-27; bheka neyoku-1 AmaKhosi 8:41-43; Esteri 8:17.
12 Ekugcineni, abezizwe bakhonza ezikhundleni eziphakeme. U-Uriya umHeti, umyeni kaBati-Sheba, wabalwa phakathi ‘kwamaqhawe anamandla’ kaDavide, njengoba kwakunjalo ngoSeleki wakwa-Amoni. (1 IziKronike 11:26, 39, 41; 2 Samuweli 11:3, 4) U-Ebedi-Meleki, umTopiya, wayekhonza esigodlweni futhi wayesondelene nenkosi. (Jeremiya 38:7-9) Ngemva kokuba u-Israyeli ebuye ekudingisweni eBabiloni, amaNethini angewona ama-Israyeli anikezwa umthwalo wemfanelo owandisiwe wokusiza abapristi. (Ezra 7:24) Njengoba abaningi balaba bantu bezizwe abakholekile, noma izakhamuzi eziyizihambi, bebhekwa njengabafanekisela isixuku esikhulu namuhla, isimo sabo siyasithakazelisa.
13, 14. (a) Ayeyini amalungelo nemithwalo yemfanelo yamaproselithe kwa-Israyeli? (b) Ama-Israyeli kwakumelwe awabheke kanjani amaproselithe akholekile?
13 Abantu abanjalo babengamaproselithe, abakhulekeli bakaJehova abazinikezele ngaphansi koMthetho kaMose ababehlukaniswe nama-Israyeli kwabezizwe. (Levitikusi 24:22) Banikela ngemihlatshelo, bagwema ukukhulekela kwamanga, futhi badeda egazini, njengoba nje nama-Israyeli ayenza. (Levitikusi 17:10-14; 20:2) Basiza ekwakhiweni kwethempeli likaSolomoni futhi bahlanganyela ekubuyiselweni kokukhulekela kweqiniso ngaphansi kweNkosi u-Asa neNkosi uHezekiya. (1 IziKronike 22:2; 2 IziKronike 15:8-14; 30:25) Lapho uPetru esebenzisa isihluthulelo sokuqala soMbuso ngePentekoste lika-33 C.E., amazwi akhe ezwiwa ‘ngamaJuda namaproselithe [angewona amaJuda].’ Ngokunokwenzeka, abathile kwabayizinkulungwane ezintathu ababhapathizwa ngalolo suku babengamaproselithe. (IzEnzo 2:10, 41) Ngokushesha kamuva, umproselithe ongumTopiya wabhapathizwa nguFiliphu—ngaphambi kokuba uPetru asebenzise isihluthulelo sokugcina soMbuso kuKorneliyu nomkhaya wakhe. (Mathewu 16:19; IzEnzo 8:26-40; 10:30-48) Ngokusobala, amaproselithe ayengabhekwa neze njengabeZizwe.
14 Nakuba kunjalo, isikhundla samaproselithe ezweni sasingafani nesama-Israyeli endabuko. Amaproselithe awazange akhonze njengabapristi, futhi amazibulo awo ayengamelelwe ebupristini bamaLevi.b Futhi amaproselithe ayengenawo amafa ezwe kwa-Israyeli. Nakuba kunjalo, ama-Israyeli ayalwa ukuba awacabangele amaproselithe akholekile futhi awabheke njengabafowabo.—Levitikusi 19:33, 34.
Isizwe Esingokomoya
15. Yini eyaba umphumela lapho u-Israyeli ongokwemvelo enqaba ukwamukela uMesiya?
15 UMthetho wawuklanyelwe ukugcina u-Israyeli ehlanzekile, ehlukile ezizweni ezazimzungezile. Kodwa wafeza enye injongo. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “UMthetho uye waba umfundisi wethu oholela kuKristu, ukuze kuthiwe silungile ngenxa yokholo.” (Galathiya 3:24) Ngokudabukisayo, ama-Israyeli amaningi ahluleka ukuholelwa kuKristu uMthetho. (Mathewu 23:15; Johane 1:11) Ngakho uJehova uNkulunkulu wasilahla leso sizwe futhi wabangela ukuba kuzalwe ‘u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.’ Ngaphezu kwalokho, wadlulisela isimemo kwabangewona amaJuda sokuba babe izakhamuzi isibili kulo-Israyeli omusha. (Galathiya 3:28; 6:16) Kukulesi sizwe esisha lapho isithembiso sikaJehova esiku-Eksodusi 19:5, 6 esiphathelene nobupristi bobukhosi sinokugcwaliseka kwaso okumangalisayo, kokugcina. Kanjani?
16, 17. Kungamuphi umqondo amaKristu agcotshiwe emhlabeni ‘engawobukhosi’? ‘ewubupristi’?
16 UPetru wacaphuna u-Eksodusi 19:6 lapho ebhalela amaKristu agcotshiwe osuku lwakhe: “Niluhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubupristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, isizwe sokuba yimpahla ekhethekile.” (1 Petru 2:9) Kusho ukuthini lokhu? Ingabe amaKristu agcotshiwe asemhlabeni angamakhosi? Cha, ubukhosi bawo busengobesikhathi esizayo. (1 Korinte 4:8) Nakuba kunjalo, ‘angawobukhosi’ ngomqondo wokuthi aphawulelwe amalungelo obukhosi esikhathi esizayo. Ngisho kwamanje ayisizwe esingaphansi kwenkosi, uJesu, emiswe uMbusi Omkhulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu. UPawulu wabhala: “[UJehova] wasikhulula egunyeni lobumnyama futhi wasidlulisela embusweni weNdodana yothando lwakhe.”—Kolose 1:13.
17 Ingabe amaKristu agcotshiwe asemhlabeni awubupristi? Ngomqondo othile, ayibo. Njengebandla, enza umsebenzi wobupristi ongenakuphikwa. UPetru wakuchaza lokhu lapho ethi: “Nani ngokwenu . . . niyakhiwa nibe indlu engokomoya ngenjongo yokuba nibe ubupristi obungcwele.” (1 Petru 2:5; 1 Korinte 3:16) Namuhla, insali yamaKristu agcotshiwe njengendikimba ‘iyisigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo,’ umzila wokwaba ukudla okungokomoya. (Mathewu 24:45-47) Njengoba kwakunjalo kwa-Israyeli wasendulo, noma ubani ofisa ukukhulekela uJehova kufanele enze kanjalo ngokuzihlanganisa nalamaKristu agcotshiwe.
18. Njengobupristi, ibandla lamaKristu agcotshiwe emhlabeni linamuphi umthwalo wemfanelo oyinhloko?
18 Ngaphezu kwalokho, amaKristu agcotshiwe athatha ku-Israyeli ilungelo lokufakazela ubukhulu bukaJehova phakathi kwezizwe. Umongo ubonisa ukuthi lapho uPetru ebiza amaKristu agcotshiwe ngokuthi awubupristi bobukhosi, wayecabanga ngomsebenzi wokushumayela. Eqinisweni, wahlanganisa engcaphunweni eyodwa isithembiso sikaJehova esiku-Eksodusi 19:6 namazwi aKhe ayewaqondise ku-Israyeli aku-Isaya 43:21 lapho ethi: ‘Niwubupristi bobukhosi, ukuze nimemezele kabanzi ubuhle balowo owanibiza ukuba niphume ebumnyameni ningene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo.’ (1 Petru 2:9) Ngokuvumelana nalokhu, uPawulu wakhuluma ngokumemezela ubuhle bukaJehova njengomhlatshelo wasethempelini. Wabhala: “[NgoJesu] masinikeleni ngaso sonke isikhathi kuNkulunkulu umhlatshelo wokudumisa, okuwukuthi, isithelo sezindebe ezivuma obala igama lakhe.”—Heberu 13:15.
Ukugcwaliseka Kwasezulwini
19. Ikuphi ukugcwaliseka kokugcina, okukhulu, kwesithembiso sokuthi u-Israyeli wayeyoba umbuso wabapristi?
19 Nokho, ekugcineni u-Eksodusi 19:5, 6 unokugcwaliseka okukhulu kakhulu okukhazimulayo. Encwadini yesAmbulo, umphostoli uJohane uzwa izidalwa zasezulwini zisebenzisa lombhalo njengoba zidumisa uJesu ovusiwe: “Wahlatshwa futhi ngegazi lakho wathengela uNkulunkulu abantu abavela kuzo zonke izizwana nezilimi nabantu nezizwe, futhi wabenza ukuba babe umbuso nabapristi kuNkulunkulu wethu, futhi bazobusa njengamakhosi phezu komhlaba.” (IsAmbulo 5:9, 10) Khona-ke, ekugcineni, ubupristi bobukhosi buwuMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini, igunya elibusayo uJesu asifundisa ukuba silithandazele. (Luka 11:2) Wonke amaKristu agcotshiwe angu-144 000 akhuthazela ngokukholeka kuze kube sekupheleni ayoba nengxenye kulelo lungiselelo loMbuso. (IsAmbulo 20:4, 6) Yeka ukugcwaliseka okumangalisayo kwesithembiso osekuyisikhathi eside kangaka senziwa ngoMose!
20. Imuphi umbuzo okusamelwe uphendulwe?
20 Kusithinta kanjani konke lokhu isimo sesixuku esikhulu nekusasa laso lapho bonke abagcotshiwe sebamukele ifa labo elimangalisayo? Lokhu kuzocaca esihlokweni sokugcina salolu chungechunge.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Lapho kumiswa ubupristi bakwa-Israyeli, amadodana angamazibulo ezizwana zakwa-Israyeli ezingewona amaLevi nabesilisa besizwana sakwaLevi babalwa. Kwakunamazibulo angu-273 engeziwe kunabesilisa abangamaLevi. Ngakho, uJehova wayala ukuba ngalinye langu-273 likhokhelwe amashekeli amahlanu njengesihlengo salabo abayinani eleqile.
b Ingxubevange yabangewona ama-Israyeli yayikhona lapho kumiswa uMthetho ngo-1513 B.C.E., kodwa amazibulo ayo awazange abalwe lapho kuthathwa amaLevi esikhundleni samazibulo akwa-Israyeli. (Bheka isigaba 8.) Ngakho, amaLevi awazange afakwe esikhundleni samazibulo alaba bantu abangewona ama-Israyeli.
Ungachaza?
◻ Ukuma kwezinye izimvu kuye kwaqondwa kanjani kangcono ngokuqhubekayo?
◻ Kungani uJehova enqaba umbuso wakwa-Israyeli osenyakatho ekubeni ukhonze njengompristi wakhe?
◻ Lapho ekholekile, uJuda wayenakuphi ukuma phambi kwezizwe?
◻ Kwakuyini ukuma kwamaproselithe akholekile kwa-Israyeli?
◻ Ibandla eligcotshiwe likhonza kanjani njengombuso wabapristi?
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Njengobupristi bobukhosi, amaKristu agcotshiwe amemezela inkazimulo kaJehova emhlabeni
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Ukugcwaliseka kokugcina kuka-Eksodusi 19:6 kuwuMbuso