Chapter 3

Iya Kuhlala Ithuba Elingakanani Le Nkqubo Yezinto Ikhoyo?

1. Ngokubhekisele kumadinga eBhayibhile, abaninzi bethu babuze ntoni?

KUKOKWEMVELO nje ukufuna ukwazi ukuba kuya kuba lithuba elide kangakanani na ngaphambi kokuba kwenzeke iziganeko ezichazwe ngokucace kangaka eBhayibhileni neziya kuphumela kwiArmagedon. Iya kutshatyalaliswa nini inkqubo engendawo ekhoyo? Ngaba siya kuphila ukuze sibone umhlaba usiba yindawo apho abathandi bobulungisa banokunandipha khona uxolo nonqabiseko olupheleleyo?

2. (a) Nguwuphi umbuzo ofanayo abapostile bakaYesu abawubuzayo? (b) Ngaba siyazi kanyekanye ukuba inkqubo engendawo ekhoyo iya kuphela nini? (c) Kodwa yiyiphi inkcazelo enceda ngokwenene eyanikelwa nguYesu?

² UYesu Kristu wanikela iinkcukacha eziphawulekayo eziphendula loo mibuzo. Wenjenjalo xa abapostile bakhe bambuza oku: “Uya kuba yini na umqondiso wokufika kwakho, nowokupheliswa kwephakade eli?” Ngokubhekisele kwintshabalalo yokwenene yenkqubo engendawo ekhoyo, uYesu wacacisa wathi: “Kodwa akukho bani uwaziyo loo mhla nelo lixa; azazi nezithunywa zamazulu, nguBawo yedwa.” (Mateyu 24:3, 36) Kanti ngokweenkcukacha ezibhekele phaya wasichaza isizukulwana esasiza kubona ‘ukupheliswa [syn·teʹlei·a, ngesiGrike] kwephakade eli,’ isihlandlo sexesha esikhokelela ‘kwisiphelo [teʹlos, ngesiGrike].’ Zifundele ngokwakho kwiBhayibhile yakho kuMateyu 24:3–25:46, kwanakwiingxelo ezifanayo ezikuMarko 13:4-37 noLuka 21:7-36.

3. Sazi njani ukuba impendulo kaYesu yayingachazi nje iziganeko zenkulungwane yokuqala?

³ Njengokuba ufunda ezi ngxelo, uya kuqonda ukuba, kuphela kungokuyinxenye, awathi uYesu wachaza iziganeko ezazikhokelela nezaziquka ukutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem netempile yayo ngowama-70 C.E. Kuyacaca ukuba engqondweni yakhe wayecinga ngento efikelela kude ngakumbi. Ngoba? Kungenxa yokuba kuMateyu 24:21 uthetha ‘ngembandezelo enkulu, ekungazanga kubekho injalo kwasekuqalekeni kwehlabathi kwada kwaba kalokunje, ekungasayi kubuye kubekho injalo.’ Oko kuthetha okukhulu ngakumbi kunentshabalalo yesixeko esinye nabantu ababanjiswa kuyo. Ibe kuLuka 21:31 iziganeko ezichazwayo apho kuthiwa zalatha ekuzeni ‘kobukumkani bukaThixo’ ekudala balindelwayo. Nguwuphi ‘umqondiso’ ophawulekayo uYesu awathi masiwondele?

UMQONDISO OYINTLANGANISELA

4. Nguwuphi ‘umqondiso’ uYesu awawunikelayo?

⁴ Iimfazwe, ukunqongophala kokutya, iindyikitya zokufa ezisasazekileyo, iinyikima zomhlaba ezinkulu, nomoya wokungabikho kothando ebudeni bexesha lokwanda kokuchas’ umthetho zonke ezi zinto wazixela kwangaphambili, kodwa akukho nanye kwezi xa iyodwa ‘engumqondiso.’ Ukuze umfanekiso uphelele zonke iimbalasane ezaxelwa kwangaphambili zimele zizalisekiswe ngexesha lokuphila kwesizukulwana esinye. Enye into eyayiza kuqukwa ‘kukuxinezeleka kweentlanga, zithingaza; abantu besifa kukoyika’ ngenxa yeziganeko ezenzekayo emazulwini phezulu nakwiilwandle ezibangqongileyo. (Luka 21:10, 11, 25-32; Mateyu 24:12; thelekisa eyesi-2 kuTimoti 3:1-5.) Ngokwahlukileyo kuko konke oku, kodwa njengenxalenye yomqondiso, uYesu waxela kwangaphambili ngokushunyayelwa kweendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo emhlabeni wonke phezu kwako nje ukutshutshisa kwezizwe ngezizwe abalandeli bakhe. (Marko 13:9-13) Ngaba loo ngcaciso iyintlanganisela ilifanela kakuhle ixesha esiphila kulo?

5. Yintoni eyayiza kwenza ezi ziganeko zingabi kukuphindwaphindwa nje kwembali?

⁵ Abagxeki basenokuhlekisa, besithi bezikade zikho iimfazwe, iindlala, iinyikima zomhlaba, njalo njalo, ziphindaphindeka kwimbali yabantu. Kodwa iziganeko ezinjalo ziba nentsingiselo ekhethekileyo xa zonke zibonakala kunye, kungekhona nje kwiindawo ezimbalwa ezahlukahlukeneyo, kodwa zibonakale emhlabeni wonke kangangesihlandlo eside sexesha esiqalisa ngonyaka owathi kwakudala waxelwa kwangaphambili.

6, 7. Ziziphi iziganeko neemeko zenkulungwane yama-20 eziwufanela kakuhle loo mqondiso uyintlanganisela? (Xa uphendula, sebenzisa iBhayibhile yakho uze ubonise ukuba ngawaphi amacandelo esiprofeto sikaYesu owaxubushayo.)

⁶ Khawuqwalasele ezi zibakala: Imfazwe eyaqhambuka ngowe-1914 yayinkulu kangangokuba yathi yaziwa njengemfazwe yokuqala yehlabathi, ibe ukususela ngoko uxolo aluzange luphinde lubekho ngokwenyaniso emhlabeni. Emva kweMfazwe Yehlabathi I kwabakho ezona ndlala zinkulu kwezakha zabonwa luluntu, yaye kwananamhlanje abantu abamalunga nama-40 ezigidi ngonyaka bayafa ngenxa yokunqongophala kokutya. UMbathalala we-1918 wabulala abantu ngomlinganiselo ongazange ubonwe embalini yezifo, ibe phezu kwako nje ukuphanda kweenzululwazi, amashumi ezigidi zabantu kwanangoku athwaxwa ngumhlaza, sisifo sentliziyo, zizifo ezenyanyekayo zeentlobano zesini, sisifo seengcongconi, ibhilhaziya nokutyhatshazwa ngumlambo. Iinyikima zomhlaba ezinkulu ngokwesilinganiselo zande ngezihlandlo ezingama-20 kunoko zazikuko ebudeni beminyaka engamawaka amabini ngaphambi kowe-1914. Uloyiko nonxunguphalo olukumhlaba wonke luntlitha abantu babo bonke ubudala. Phakathi kwezizathu ezibangela oko sisiphithiphithi kwezoqoqosho, ulwaphulo-mthetho olunogonyamelo nesisongelo sokutshatyalaliswa kwimfazwe yenyukliya ngezixhobo ezikhutshwa kwiinkwili okanye eziphoswayo zivela emazulwini—nto leyo eyayingazange yenzeka ngaphambi kwenkulungwane yama-20.

⁷ Phakathi kwako konke oku, kushunyayelwa iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo zwenibanzi ngendlela ephawulekayo, njengokuba uYesu waxela kwangaphambili. Kumazwe angaphezu kwama-200 neziqithi zeelwandle, amaNgqina kaYehova anikela iiyure ezingamakhulu ezigidi nyaka ngamnye, ngesisa, ukuze ancede abantu bazo zonke iindidi zobomi baqonde intsingiselo yezi ziganeko zehlabathi ngokweLizwi likaThixo. Ngokunyanisekileyo amaNgqina abantu abalathisela kwindlela yokusinda ‘kwimbandezelo enkulu’ njengabalawulwa boBukumkani bukaThixo. Yaye amaNgqina oku akwenza phezu kwaso nje isibakala sokuba, njengoko enye yeengxelo zeendaba zaseKhanada yatshoyo, “mhlawumbi enyamezela intshutshiso engakumbi ngesiphoso esincinane kunalo naliphi na elinye iqela lonqulo ehlabathini.”

8. Sisiphi isihlandlo sexesha esathi naso saqukwa kwesi siprofeto?

⁸ Kwakhona simele siqonde ukuba, njengenxalenye yesiprofeto sakhe, uYesu wachaza ngokuphela kwesihlandlo sexesha esithile, esithi: “NeYerusalem inyathelelwe phantsi ziintlanga, ade azaliseke amaxesha eentlanga.” (Luka 21:24) Ngaba loo “maxesha eentlanga” aphelile?

“AMAXESHA EENTLANGA”

9. (a) Yiyiphi “iYerusalem” ‘eyanyathelelwa phantsi’ ziintlanga? (b) Kwaqalisa nini oko ‘kunyathelelwa phantsi’?

⁹ Ukuze siyiqonde le mpendulo, simele siqonde intsingiselo yeYerusalem ngokwayo. Esi sixeko kunye nabantu basebukhosini ababehlala kuso kwiNtaba yaseZiyon kwakuthethwa ngaso ‘njengomzi woKumkani omkhulu umzi kaYehova.’ (INdumiso 48:2, 8; Mateyu 5:34, 35) Ookumkani bendlu kaDavide yasebukhosini kwakusithiwa bahleli “etroneni kaYehova.” Ngoko ke iYerusalem yayingumqondiso obonakalayo wokuba uYehova wayelawula emhlabeni. (1 Kronike 29:23) Ngaloo ndlela xa imikhosi yaseBhabhiloni yathi yavunyelwa nguThixo ukuba itshabalalise iYerusalem, ukuba ithabathe ukumkani wayo imse ekuthinjweni ize ishiye elo lizwe liyinkangala, yayinyathela phezu koBukumkani bukaThixo njengokuba babulawula ngenzala yasebukhosini kaKumkani uDavide. Xa oko kwenzekayo, ngowama-607 B.C.E., kwaphawula ukuqaleka ‘kwamaxesha eentlanga.’ Ukususela ngoko akuzange kubekho nzala kaDavide eyathi yalawula njengokumkani eYerusalem.

10. (a) Kwakuya kuthetha ntoni ukuphela ‘kokunyathelelwa phantsi’? (b) Ngoko uYesu wayeza kulawula ekweyiphi “iYerusalem,” yaye ngoba?

¹⁰ Ngoko, kwakuya kuthetha ntoni ukuphela koko ‘kunyathelelwa phantsi kweYerusalem’? Kwakuya kuthetha ukuba uYehova wayebuye wamisela etroneni ukumkani owayekhethwe nguye, inzala kaDavide, ngoku owayeza kuba negunya, kungekuphela nje phakathi kwamaYuda, kodwa nakwimicimbi yoluntu luphela. Lowo yiNkosi uYesu Kristu. (Luka 1:30-33) Kodwa wayeza kulawula ephi? Ngaba wayeza kulawula ekwisixeko sasemhlabeni esiyiYerusalem? UYesu wachaza ngokucacileyo ukuba amalungelo anxibelelene noBukumkani bukaThixo ayeza kuthatyathwa kuSirayeli wokwenyama. (Mateyu 21:43; bona kwanesama-23:37, 38.) Emva koko, abanquli boThixo oyinyaniso bakhangela ‘kwephezulu iYerusalem,’ intlangano kaThixo yasezulwini yezidalwa zomoya ezinyanisekileyo, njengomama wabo. (Galati 4:26) Kwakuza kuba kuloo Yerusalem yasezulwini uYesu awayeza kubekwa etroneni kuyo, ukuze alawule umhlaba. (INdumiso 110:1, 2) Oko kwakuza kwenzeka ekupheleni ‘kwamaxesha eentlanga.’ Kwakuya kuba nini oko?

11, nesicangca (esikwiphepha 27). (a) Kubalwa njani ukuphela ‘kwamaxesha eentlanga’? (b) Ngoko, yintoni eyaqalisayo xa loo “maxesha eentlanga” aphelayo? (c) Ababhali-mbali bawujonga njani owe-1914? (Bona iphepha 29.)

¹¹ Kumashumi eminyaka ngaphambili oku kwaziwa kuza kwenzeka ngowe-1914 ekupheleni kwenzaliseko eyintloko ‘yamaxesha asixhenxe’ kaDaniyeli 4:10-17.a Kodwa ukuqondwa okupheleleyo kwentsingiselo yakhe kwabakho ngokuthe ngcembe ebudeni beminyaka eyalandelayo. Ngokwamabakala abafundi beBhayibhile babona ukutyhileka kweenkcukacha zomqondiso oyintlanganisela uYesu awathi wawuya kubonisa ubukho bakhe ezulwini ekumandla oBukumkani. Kwaye kwacaca ukuba, ngokwenene, ‘babesekuphelisweni kwephakade eli,’ kwacaca nokuba uKristu wayeqalisile ukulawula njengoKumkani ngowe-1914 kwanokuba ukuphela kweli hlabathi lingendawo kwakuya kubakho kwisizukulwana esabona ukuqaleka kwezi zinto.

LUNENGQIQO KANGAKANANI ULINDELO LWAKHO?

12. Luluphi ulindelo oluphosakeleyo olwenza abathile kube nzima ukwamkela esi sigqibo? (Mateyu 24:26, 27; Yohane 14:3, 19)

¹² Bambi abaziqondayo ezi zibakala zizalisekisa isiprofeto sikaYesu bakufumana kunzima ukwamkela isigqibo esiboniswa zezi ngongoma. Kutheni? Kungenxa yokuba balindele enye into. Bafundiswa ukuba ukuza kwesibini kukaKristu kwakuya kubonakala ibe kuphumele ekuguqukeni kwabantu abaninzi. Kwinkulungwane yokuqala amaYuda nawo ayenolindelo olungazange luzaliseke. Ayenethemba lokuba ukuza kukaMesiya kwakuya kuba yimbonakaliso yegunya elaliya kuwakhulula kwiRoma. Ebambelele kulindelo lwawo oluphosakeleyo, amchasa uNyana kaThixo. Hayi indlela ekuya kuba bubuyatha ngayo ukuphinda loo mposiso xa uKristu efikile ekumandla oBukumkani! Hayi indlela ekulunge ngakumbi ngayo ukubona ngokwenene oko kuthethwa ziZibhalo!

13. Ziziphi iziganeko iBhayibhile ezinxulumanisa nobukho bukaKristu?

¹³ IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba uKristu wayeza kuqalisa ukulawula phakathi kweentshaba zakhe. (INdumiso 110:1, 2) Isixelela ngokugxothwa kukaSathana needemon zakhe ezulwini begxothelwa kummandla womhlaba emva kokuba uKristu enikwe igunya loBukumkani; ngoko kwakuya kubakho ixesha loyeha owandileyo emhlabeni. (ISityhilelo 12:7-12) Ebudeni belo xesha isigidimi soBukumkani sasiya kushunyayelwa ngamandla, ukuze kunikwe abantu ithuba lokuba babe nento abayenzayo ukuze basinde. (Mateyu 24:14; ISityhilelo 12:17) Kodwa ngaba oko kwakuya kuphumela ekukholweni kwehlabathi? Ngokuchasene noko, iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba oko kwakuza kulandelwa yintshabalaliso eyayingenakulinganiswa nanto kwimbali yabantu. Nangona abantu bengenakuze bambone uYesu Kristu ozukisiweyo ngamehlo abo enyama, bonke abangekazamkeli ngolangazelelo ezi zibakala ezingobukho bukaKristu ngokwasebukhosini baya kunyanzelelwa ukuba ‘babone’ ukuba nguye, ozisa intshabalaliso kubo, njengoko kwaxelwa kwangaphambili.—ISityhilelo 1:7; Mateyu 24:30; thelekisa eyoku-1 kuTimoti 6:15, 16; Yohane 14:19.

14, 15. Kutheni ukudlula kweminyaka ukususela ngowe-1914 kunganikeli mathandabuzo okuba ngokwenene ‘sikwimihla yokugqibela’?

¹⁴ Kodwa ngaba ukudlula kweminyaka engama-70 ngoku ukususela ngowe-1914 akubonisi ukuba kusenokubakho amathandabuzo athile enoba ngokwenene ‘besikwimihla yokugqibela’ ukususela ngaloo nyaka yaye kubekho namathandabuzo enoba ukuza kukaKristu njengomgwebi kukufutshane? Nakanye! Ngokubhekisele kwabo babeza kubona ukuzaliseka ‘komqondiso’ ukususela ekuqalekeni kwawo, ngowe-1914, uYesu wathi: “Inene ndithi kuni, asisayi kudlula esi sizukulwana, zingadanga zonke ezo zinto zibekho.” (Marko 13:30) Amalungu eso sizukulwana aselapha, nangona encipha kakhulu.

¹⁵ Kuyinyaniso ukuba ubalo lubonisa ukuba ubomi obuqhelekileyo obuphilwa emhlabeni ngoku buyiminyaka engama-60 kuphela, kodwa izigidi zabantu ziphila ngaphaya kobo budala. Ngokwamanani afumanekayo, ngowe-1980 malunga nama-250 000 000 abo babephila ngowe-1914 babesaphila. Eso sizukulwana asikapheli. Noko ke, into ebangel’ umdla yeyokuba kwabo bazalwa ngowe-1900 okanye ngaphambi koko, amanani akhutshwa ziZizwe Ezimanyeneyo abonisa ukuba kuphela ngama-35 316 000 awaqikelelwa esaphila ngowe-1980. Ngoko eli nani lehla ngokukhawuleza njengokuba abantu befikelela iminyaka yabo yamashumi asixhenxe nasibhozo. Xa kuqwalaselwa kunye nazo zonke iinkcukacha zomqondiso kaYesu osisiprofeto, ezi zibakala zibonisa ngamandla ukuba isiphelo sikufutshane.—Luka 21:28.

16. Ngoko, simele sibe yintoni isimo sethu sengqondo?

¹⁶ Ngoku eli asiloxesha lokuba ngongakhathaliyo. Lixesha lokuthabatha inyathelo elingxamisekileyo! Kunjengokuba uYesu walumkisa abafundi bakhe ngelithi: “Yibani nilungile nani, ngokuba uNyana woMntu [uYesu Kristu] uza ngelixa eningalikhumbuleliyo.”—Mateyu 24:44.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 29]

Indlela Ababhali-mbali Abawujonga Ngayo Owe-1914

Ngezizathu ezilungileyo, imfazwe eyaqala ngowe-1914 iye yabizwa ngokuthi yiMfazwe Enkulu nokuthi yiMfazwe Yehlabathi I. Ayikho imfazwe etshabalalisa kangako eyakha yaliwa ngaphambili. Iimfazwe ukususela ngoko ziqhube nje kuphela oko kwaqalisa ngowe-1914. Qwalasela la magqabaza angemiphumo yaloo nyaka uneziganeko:

● “Imfazwe ayiyiguqulanga nje kuphela imaphu yaseYurophu yaza yadala iimvukelo ezatshabalalisa ubukhosi beendawo ezintathu, kodwa imiphumo yayo engqalileyo nengangqalanga yadlulela ngaphaya koko phantse kuwo onke amacandelo. Emva kwemfazwe abapolitiki nabanye bazama ukuyithothisa okanye ukuyithintela le nguqulelo baze bazibuyisele izinto kwimeko ‘eqhelekileyo’ kwakhona, kwihlabathi elalikho ngaphambi kowe-1914. Kodwa oko kwakungenakwenzeka. Inyikima yaba yenobundlobongela gqitha neqhubekayo kangangokuba ihlabathi elidala lalidilizwe isiseko. Kwakungekho bani owayenokulakha ngokutsha ngendlela elaliyiyo, neenkqubo zalo zentlalo, iingcamango zalo nemigaqo yalo yokuziphatha okuhle.

“. . . Enye into eyayibalulekile yinguqulelo yemilinganiselo eyathi yenzeka neyamisela imilinganiselo emitsha ngokupheleleyo kumacandelo amaninzi kangaka. . . . Yayingengomajoni kuphela awayekummandla kafayayo awathi abangakhohlakeleyo nangenankathalo ngempahla yommelwane. Akuzange nje kupheliswe amathemba amaninzi angeyonyaniso, intiyo eninzi nemilinganiselo emininzi yobuxoki kodwa kwapheliswa nemilinganiselo emininzi yesithethe eyiyeyobomi nokuziphatha ngokwasentlalweni. Imilinganiselo yayiguquka, yonke into yabonakala ikhukuliseka, ngokungathi izinto zazingenazingcambu zendeleyo—kwakunjalo ke nakwinkqubo yezimali nasekuziphatheni okuhle ngokwesini, nakwimigaqo yobupolitika nakubuchule bokuzoba. . . .

“Ukunganqabiseki okusisiseko okwaphawula elo xesha kwakubonakala ingakumbi kwimicimbi yezoqoqosho. Apha imfazwe ngenkohlakalo yatshabalalisa inkqubo eyintlanganisela, ebhetyebhetye nelungelelene kakuhle eyayinemithetho engqongqo nemilinganiselo eqinileyo. . . . Nakulo mba kwakungenakwenzeka ukubuyela kwinkqubo ‘eqhelekileyo.”’—Världshistoria—Folkens liv och Kultur (Stockholm; 1958), Umqu. VII, iphepha 421, 422.

● “Ngoku sele kudlule isiqingatha senkulungwane, kanti uphawu olwashiywa yintlekele yeMfazwe Enkulu kwiintlanga aluphelanga . . . Umlinganiselo obonakalayo nongowokuziphatha wale nkathazo wawumkhulu kangangokuba akukho nto yasalayo eyayifana neyangaphambili. Lonke ibutho: iinkqubo zikarhulumente, imida yamazwe, imithetho, imikhosi exhobileyo, ulwalamano phakathi koorhulumente, kwaneengcamango, ubomi bentsapho, ubutyebi, izikhundla, ulwalamano phakathi kwabantu—yonk’ into yaguqulwa ngokupheleleyo. . . . Ekugqibeleni abantu baphulukana nokulungelelana kwabo, abakabuyeli apho unanamhla.”—YayinguNjengele Charles de Gaulle, ethetha ngowe-1968 (Le Monde, November 12, 1968).

● “Ukususela ngowe-1914, wonk’ umntu oluqondayo utyekelo olusehlabathini uye wakhathazwa ngokunzulu yinto ebonakala ifana nohambo lwentshabalalo nolumiselwe kwangaphambili oluya kwintlekele enkulu ngakumbi. Abantu abaninzi abacinga nzulu baye baba noluvo lokuba ayikho into enokwenziwa ukuphepha imbubhiso. Uhlanga loluntu, njengegorha lentlekele yamaGrike, balubona luqhutywa ngoothixo abanomsindo lungasenguye umlawuli wentshabalalo.”—Bertrand Russell, iTimes Magazine yaseNew York, kaSeptemba 27, 1953.

● “Xa ngoku siphosa amehlo emva ngokucacileyo namhlanje sibona ukuba ukuqhambuka kweMfazwe Yehlabathi I kwangenisa ‘Ixesha Leenkathazo’ kwinkulungwane yamashumi amabini—xa sicaphula amazwi awathethwa ngumbhali-mbali waseBritani uArnold Toynbee—impucuko yethu engekaphumi kuzo. Ngokuthe ngqo okanye ngokungathe ngqo yonke ingxuba-kaxaka yesiqingatha senkulungwane edlulileyo ivela kowe-1914.”—The Fall of the Dynasties: The Collapse of the Old Order (New York; 1963), nguEdmond Taylor, iphepha 16.

Kodwa uyintoni unobangela wokuguquka kweziganeko ezigungqisa ihlabathi ngolu hlobo?

Kuphela yiBhayibhile enikela ingcaciso eyanelisayo.

[Isicangca esikwiphepha 27]

1914—Unyaka Owaphawulwa Lubalo-maxesha LweBhayibhile Neziganeko Zehlabathi

Ubalo-maxesha

→ Ukuphela ‘kwamaxesha asixhenxe’: 1914 C.E.

Kwaqalisa imihla yokugqibela (2 Timoti 3:1-5)

Iziganeko Ezaxelwa Kwangaphambili Ukuba Ziya Kuphawula Imihla Yokugqibela

Ihlabathi elingendawo elikhoyo liza kutshatyalaliswa nguThixo ngaphambi kokuphela kwesizukulwana esabona owe-1914 (Mateyu 24:3-34; Luka 21:7-32)