Isahluko 42

Izulu Elitsha Nomhlaba Omtsha

1. Yintoni echazwa nguYohane xa ingelosi imbuyisela emva ekuqaleni koLawulo Lweminyaka Eliwaka?

LO MBONO uzukileyo uyaqhubeka utyhileka njengoko ingelosi ibuyisela uYohane emva ekuqaleni koLawulo Lweminyaka Eliwaka. Yintoni ayichazayo? “Ndabona izulu elitsha nomhlaba omtsha; kuba izulu langaphambili nomhlaba wangaphambili wadlula, nolwandle alusekho.” (ISityhilelo 21:1) Ngoku kubonakala umbono onomtsalane!

2. (a) Isiprofeto sikaIsaya esingamazulu amatsha nomhlaba omtsha sazaliseka njani kumaYuda abuyiselweyo ngowama-537 B.C.E.? (b) Sazi njani ukuba isiprofeto sikaIsaya siya kuba nentsingiselo engakumbi, yaye esi sithembiso sizalisekiswa njani?

² Kumakhulukhulu eminyaka ngaphambi komhla kaYohane, uYehova wayethe kuIsaya: “Kuba yabona, ndidala amazulu amatsha nomhlaba omtsha; kwaye izinto zangaphambili aziyi kukhunjulwa, zinganyuki zithi qatha entliziyweni.” (Isaya 65:17; 66:22) Ekuqaleni esi siprofeto sazaliseka xa amaYuda athembekileyo abuyela eYerusalem ngowama-537 B.C.E. emva kokuthinjelwa kwawo eBhabhiloni iminyaka engama-70. Koko kubuyiselwa, abumba ibutho elicociweyo, ‘umhlaba omtsha,’ phantsi korhulumente omtsha, ‘ongamazulu amatsha.’ Noko ke, umpostile uPetros wabonisa intsingiselo engakumbi yesi siprofeto, esithi: “Thina ke silindele amazulu amatsha nomhlaba omtsha, ngokwesithembiso sakhe, apho kumi ubulungisa.” (2 Petros 3:13) Ngoku uYohane ubonisa ukuba esi sithembiso sizaliseka ebudeni bemini yeNkosi. “Izulu langaphambili nomhlaba wangaphambili,” zinto ezo eziyinkqubo yezinto elungelelanisiweyo kaSathana enoorhulumente abaphenjelelwa nguSathana needemon zakhe, ziya kudlula. ‘Ulwandle’ olungazolanga loluntu olungendawo nolunemvukelo luya kuphela. Endaweni yalo kuya kubakho “izulu elitsha, nomhlaba omtsha”—ibutho elitsha lasemhlabeni phantsi korhulumente omtsha, uBukumkani bukaThixo.—Thelekisa iSityhilelo 20:11.

3. (a) Yintoni echazwa nguYohane, yaye iyintoni iYerusalem Entsha? (b) IYerusalem Entsha ‘ihla njani iphuma ezulwini’?

³ UYohane uhlabela mgama esithi: “Ndabona kwanesixeko esingcwele, iYerusalem Entsha, sisihla siphuma ezulwini kuThixo yaye silungisiwe njengomtshakazi ehonjiselwe indoda yakhe.” (ISityhilelo 21:2) IYerusalem Entsha ingumtshakazi kaKristu, obunjwe ngamaKristu athanjisiweyo ahlala ethembekile de kube sekufeni navuselwa ekubeni ngookumkani nababingeleli noYesu ozukisiweyo. (ISityhilelo 3:12; 20:6) Kanye njengokuba iYerusalem yasemhlabeni yaba sisihlalo soburhulumente kuSirayeli wamandulo, iYerusalem Entsha ezukileyo noMyeni wayo babumba urhulumente wenkqubo entsha yezinto. Balizulu elitsha. ‘Umtshakazi uhla ephuma ezulwini,’ kungekhona ngokoqobo, kodwa ngengqiqo yokwalathisela ingqalelo emhlabeni. Umtshakazi weMvana uza kuba ngumncedani onyanisekileyo wayo ekulawuleni kuburhulumente bobulungisa phezu kwalo lonke uluntu. Ngenene le yintsikelelo kumhlaba omtsha!

4. Sisiphi isithembiso esivakaliswa nguThixo esifana neso wasivakalisa kuhlanga lukaSirayeli olwalusandul’ ukuyilwa?

⁴ UYohane uyasixelela ngokungakumbi esithi: “Ngako oko ndeva ilizwi elikhulu livela etroneni lisithi: ‘Khangela! Intente kaThixo iphakathi koluntu, yaye uya kuhlala nalo, lube ngabantu bakhe. Naye abe nguThixo walo.’” (ISityhilelo 21:3) Xa uYehova wenza umnqophiso woMthetho nohlanga lukaSirayeli olwalulutsha ngelo xesha, wavakalisa esi sithembiso: “Ndiwumise ngokuqinisekileyo umnquba wam phakathi kwenu, yaye umphefumlo wam awusayi kunenyanya. Eneneni ndohamba phakathi kwenu, ndibe nguThixo wenu, nina nibe ngabantu bam.” (Levitikus 26:11, 12) Ngoku uYehova uvakalisa isithembiso esifanayo kubantu abathembekileyo. Ebudeni beMini Yomgwebo yeminyaka eliwaka, baya kuba ngabantu abakhetheke ngokwenene kuye.

5. (a) UThixo uya kuhlala njani noluntu ebudeni boLawulo Lweminyaka Eliwaka? (b) UThixo uya kuhlala njani phakathi koluntu emva koLawulo Lweminyaka Eliwaka?

⁵ Ebudeni boLawulo Lweminyaka Eliwaka, uYehova uya “kuhlala” phakathi koluntu okwexeshana, emelwe nguNyana wakhe wasebukhosini, uYesu Kristu. Noko ke, ekupheleni koLawulo Lweminyaka Eliwaka, xa uYesu edlulisela uBukumkani kuYise, akuyi kufuneka mmeli okanye mlamli wasebukhosini. UYehova uya kuhlala ngokomoya ‘nabantu bakhe’ ngendlela esisigxina nengqalileyo. (Thelekisa uYohane 4:23, 24.) Elinjani lona ukuphakama ilungelo eligcinelwe abantu ababuyiselweyo!

6, 7. (a) Ziziphi izithembiso ezizukileyo ezityhilwa nguYohane, yaye ngoobani abaya kunandipha iintsikelelo? (b) UIsaya uyichaza njani iparadesi yokomoya nebonakalayo?

⁶ UYohane uhlabela mgama esithi: “Uya kuzisula zonke iinyembezi emehlweni abo, kungabi sabakho kufa, kungabi sabakho kuzila nakukhala nantlungu kwakhona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlule.” (ISityhilelo 21:4) Kwakhona, sikhunjuzwa ngezithembiso eziphefumlelweyo zangaphambilana. UIsaya wayekwakhangele phambili kwixesha laxa ukufa nesijwili zazingayi kubakho nobuhlungu buthatyathelwe indawo yimincili. (Isaya 25:8; 35:10; 51:11; 65:19) Ngoku uYohane uqinisekisa ukuba ezi zithembiso ziya kuzaliseka ngendlela emangalisayo ebudeni beMini Yomgwebo yeminyaka eliwaka. Okokuqala isihlwele esikhulu siya kunandipha iintsikelelo. “IMvana, ephakathi kwetrone,” eqhubeka isalusa, ‘iya kusikhokelela emithonjeni yamanzi obomi. Yaye uThixo uya kuzisula zonke iinyembezi emehlweni aso.’ (ISityhilelo 7:9, 17) Kodwa ekugqibeleni bonke abo bavusiweyo nababonakalisa ukholo kumalungiselelo kaYehova baya kuba kunye naso, benandipha iparadesi yokomoya nebonakalayo.

⁷ UIsaya uthi: “Ngelo xesha aya kuvulwa amehlo eemfama, zivulwe neendlebe zezithulu.” Ewe, “isiqhwala siya kutsiba njengexhama, nolwimi lwesimumu luya kumemelela ngochulumanco.” (Isaya 35:5, 6) Kwakhona, ngelo xesha, “baya kwakha izindlu baze bahlale; batyale izidiliya baze badle isiqhamo sazo. Abayi kwakha kuhlale abanye; abayi kutyala kudle abanye. Kuba njengemihla yomthi iya kuba njalo imihla yabantu bam; nomsebenzi wezandla zabanyuliweyo bam baya kuwusebenzisa ngokupheleleyo.” (Isaya 65:21, 22) Ngoko abayi kushenxiswa emhlabeni.

8. Uthini uYehova mayela nokunyaniseka kwezi zithembiso zizukileyo?

⁸ Olunjani lona ukumangalisa ulindelo oluzalisa iingqondo zethu njengoko sicamngca ngezi zithembiso! Uluntu oluthembekileyo lugcinelwe amalungiselelo amangalisayo phantsi korhulumente wasezulwini othandekayo. Ngaba ezo zithembiso ziyintsomi? Ngaba zingamaphupha nje endoda eyalupheleyo eyayithinjelwe kwisiqithi sasePatmos? UYehova uphendula ngokwakhe esithi: “Waza Lowo uhleli etroneni wathi: ‘Khangela! Zonke izinto ndizenza ntsha.’ Kanjalo, uthi: ‘Bhala, kuba la mazwi athembekile yaye ayinyaniso.’ Wathi kum kwakhona: ‘Kwenzekile! NdinguAlfa no-Omega, isiqalo nesiphelo.’”—ISityhilelo 21:5, 6a.

9. Kutheni le nto ezi ntsikelelo zexesha elizayo zinokujongwa njengeziza kuzaliseka ngokuqinisekileyo?

⁹ Kunjengokungathi uYehova wayetyobela isiqinisekiso sokwenzeka kwezi ntsikelelo zexesha elizayo kuluntu oluthembekileyo. Ngubani owayenokulinga ukuthandabuza uMqinisekisi onjalo? Ewe, ziqiniseke ngokwenene ezi zithembiso zikaYehova kangangokuba uthetha ngokungathi sele zizalisekile, esithi: “Kwenzekile!” Ngaba uYehova akanguye ‘uAlfa no-Omega lowo ukhoyo, nowayekho nozayo, uSomandla’? (ISityhilelo 1:8) Ngenene unguye! Yena ngokwakhe uvakalisa oku: “Ndingowokuqala, ndikwangowokugqibela, yaye akukho Thixo ngaphandle kwam.” (Isaya 44:6) Ngoko unokuphefumlela iziprofeto aze azizalisekise ngazo zonke iinkcukacha. Hayi indlela okulomeleza ngayo ukholo oko! Ngoko uvakalisa esi sithembiso: “Khangela! Zonke izinto ndizenza ntsha”! Kunokuba sithandabuze enoba le mimangaliso iya kwenzeka ngokwenene na, ngokuqinisekileyo simele sizibuze sithi: ‘Yintoni endimele ndiyenze ngokobuqu ukuze ndizuze ezo ntsikelelo?’

‘Amanzi’ Awenzelwe Abanxaniweyo

10. Ngawaphi ‘amanzi’ alungiselelwa nguYehova, yaye afuzisela ntoni?

¹⁰ UYehova ngokwakhe uvakalisa oku: “Nabani na onxaniweyo ndiya kumnika emthonjeni wamanzi obomi ngesisa.” (ISityhilelo 21:6b) Ukuze aqabule olo nxano, umntu kufuneka ayiphaphele intswelo yakhe yokomoya aze akuvume ukwamkela ‘amanzi’ alungiselelwa nguYehova. (Isaya 55:1; Mateyu 5:3) Ngawaphi loo ‘manzi’? UYesu wawuphendula ngokwakhe loo mbuzo xa wayeshumayela kwintokazi ngasequleni eSamariya. Wayixelela oku: “Nabani na osela kumanzi endiza kumpha wona akasayi kuze anxanwe konke konke, kodwa kuye amanzi endiya kumnika wona aya kuba ngumthombo wamanzi ampompozayo anika ubomi obungunaphakade.” Loo ‘mthombo wamanzi obomi’ uvela kuThixo ngoKristu njengelungiselelo lakhe lokubuyisela uluntu kubomi obufezekileyo. Njengentokazi engumSamariya, hayi indlela esimele sikulangazelele ngayo ukusela ngokunzulu kulo mthombo! Yaye njengaloo ntokazi, hayi indlela esimele sikulungele ngayo ukuyeka izilangazelelo zehlabathi ngenxa yokwazisa abanye ngeendaba ezilungileyo!—Yohane 4:14, 15, 28, 29.

Abo Boyisayo

11. Sisiphi isithembiso esivakaliswa nguYehova, yaye la mazwi asebenza koobani okokuqala?

¹¹ Abo basela kuloo ‘manzi’ ahlaziyayo bakwamele boyise, njengoko uYehova ehlabela mgama esithi: “Nabani na owoyisayo uya kuzidla ilifa ezi zinto, yaye ndiya kuba nguThixo wakhe yena abe ngunyana wam.” (ISityhilelo 21:7) Esi sithembiso siyafana nezithembiso ezifumaneka kwizigidimi eziya kumabandla asixhenxe; ngenxa yoko, la mazwi amele asebenze okokuqala kubafundi abathanjisiweyo. (ISityhilelo 2:7, 11, 17, 26-28; 3:5, 12, 21) Ngawo onke amaxesha abazalwana bakaKristu bokomoya ngolangazelelo baye balindela ilungelo lokuba yinxalenye yeYerusalem Entsha. Ukuba bayoyisa, njengoko uYesu woyisayo, amathemba abo aya kuphumelela.—Yohane 16:33.

12. Isithembiso sikaYehova esikwiSityhilelo 21:7 siya kuzaliseka njani kwisihlwele esikhulu?

¹² Isihlwele esikhulu esiphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga naso sikwakhangele kwesi sithembiso. Naso simele soyise, ngokunyanisekileyo sikhonze uThixo de siphume kwimbandezelo enkulu. Siya kwandula ke sifumane ilifa laso lasemhlabeni, ‘ubukumkani obalungiselelwa sona ukususela ekusekweni kwehlabathi.’ (Mateyu 25:34) Sona nabanye abakwazizimvu zasemhlabeni zeNkosi abaphumelelayo kuvavanyo ekupheleni kweminyaka eliwaka babizwa ngokuba ‘ngabangcwele.’ (ISityhilelo 20:9) Siya kunandipha ulwalamano olungcwele nolunjengolonyana noMdali waso, uYehova uThixo, njengamalungu entlangano yakhe yendalo iphela.—Isaya 66:22; Yohane 20:31; Roma 8:21.

13, 14. Ukuze sizidl’ ilifa izithembiso zikaThixo ezizukileyo, luluphi uqheliselo esimele siluphephe ngokwenene, yaye ngoba?

¹³ Ekubeni amaNgqina kaYehova ekhangele kweli themba lizukileyo, hayi indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba ngoku ahlale ecocekile kwizinto ezingcolisayo zehlabathi likaSathana! Kufuneka sibe ngabomeleleyo, ngabanesigqibo nabazimisele ukuba uMtyholi akanakuze asitsalele kwiqela uYehova alichaza apha ngokuthi: “Kodwa ke wona amagwala nabangenalo ukholo nabalizothe ngenxa yobunyhukunyhuku babo nababulali nabahenyuzi nabasebenzelana nemimoya nabanquli-zithixo nawo onke amaxoki, isahlulo sabo siya kuba sedikeni elivutha umlilo nesalfure. Oku kuthetha ukufa kwesibini.” (ISityhilelo 21:8) Ewe, oza kudla ilifa kufuneka aluphephe uqheliselo oluye lwangcolisa le nkqubo indala yezinto. Umele oyise ngokuhlala ethembekile ekujonganeni nazo zonke iingcinezelo nezilingo.—Roma 8:35-39.

¹⁴ INgqobhoko, nangona izibanga ingumtshakazi kaKristu, ibonakala ngoqheliselo olungamasikizi noluchazwa nguYohane apha. Ngoko iyatshatyalaliswa ngonaphakade nayo yonke iBhabhiloni Enkulu. (ISityhilelo 18:8, 21) Ngokukwanjalo, nabaphi na abathanjisiweyo okanye abesihlwele esikhulu abaqhelisela ububi obunjalo, okanye abaqalisa ukubukhuthaza, bajongene nentshabalalo engunaphakade. Ukuba bayazingisa kwezi zenzo, abayi kuzidla ilifa ezi zithembiso. Ibe kumhlaba omtsha, nabani na ozama ukungenisa uqheliselo olunjalo uya kutshatyalaliswa ngokukhawuleza, afumane ukufa kwesibini ekungekho themba lovuko kuko.—Isaya 65:20.

15. Ngoobani aboyisi ababalaseleyo, yaye iSityhilelo sifikelela kwincopho ebalaseleyo ngokuchazwa kwawuphi umbono?

¹⁵ Aba boyisi babalaseleyo yiMvana, uYesu Kristu nomtshakazi wakhe oli-144 000, iYerusalem Entsha. Ngoko, hayi indlela ekufaneleke ngayo ukuba iSityhilelo sifikelele kwincopho ebalaseleyo ngombono wokugqibela nosemagqabini weYerusalem Entsha! Ngoku uYohane uchaza umbono omnye wokugqibela.

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Kwibutho lomhlaba omtsha, kuya kubakho umsebenzi ovuyisayo nobudlelane babo bonke