ImiHla Yeziganeko

Ingcaciso: Yimihla ephawula ixesha ezenzeke ngalo iziganeko. IBhayibhile ichaza imihla yeziganeko ngokuhlobene nethuba lobomi labantu abathile, ithuba ekwakulawula ngalo abalawuli abathile okanye ezinye iziganeko eziphawulekayo. Inekuphela kobalo-maxesha olupheleleyo olufikelela emva ngexesha lokudalwa kuka-Adam. Ubalo-maxesha lweBhayibhile kwakhona lulibonisa kwangaphambili ixesha laxa iziganeko ezithile ezibalulekileyo ezizalisekisa injongo kaThixo ezaziya kuthi zenzeke ngalo. Ikhalenda kaGregory, ngoku esetyenziswa kakhulu kwiindawo ezininzi zehlabathi, yaqala ukusetyenziswa ngowe-1582. Kwimithombo yehlabathi abantu abavumelani ngemihla echaziweyo yeziganeko kwimbali yamandulo. Noko ke, imihla ethile ephambili, njengowama-539 B.C.E. wokuwa kweBhabhiloni, nowama-537 B.C.E. wokubuya kwamaYuda ekuthinjweni, iqinisekisiwe. (Ezra 1:1-3) Ngokusebenzisa imihla enjalo njengokwenza isiqalo, kuba nokwenzeka ukuchaza ngokweekhalenda zangoku imihla yeziganeko zamandulo zeBhayibhile.

Ngaba izazinzulu zingqine ukuba abantu bebekulo mhlaba kangangezigidi zeminyaka, kungekhona nje iminyaka ethile engamawakawaka njengoko iBhayibhile ibonisa?

Iindlela zokumiselwa kwemihla yeziganeko ezisetyenziswe zizazinzulu zisekelwe kuqikelelo olusenokuba luncedo kodwa oludla ngokukhokelela kwimiphumo engqubana gqitha. Ke, imihla enikelwa zizo isoloko ihlaziywa.

Ingxelo ekwiNew Scientist kaMatshi 18, 1982, ifundeka ngolu hlobo: “‘Kuyandikhwankqisa ukukholelwa ukuba malunga nonyaka odluleyo ndibe ndithethe amazwi endiwathethileyo.’ Utshilo uRichard Leakey, phambi kwabaphulaphuli abachubekileyo beRoyal Institution entethweni yangokuhlwa ngoLwesihlanu odluleyo. Wayezokutyhila ukuba ubulumko obuqhelekileyo, awathi kungekudala wabumela kwinkqubo yakhe kamabonwakude weBBC ethi The Making of Mankind, ‘kwakunokwenzeka ukuba buyimposiso kwiinkalo ezibalulekileyo.’ Ngokukhethekileyo, ngoku umqonda oyena khokho mdala womntu njengoselula gqitha kunoneminyaka ezizigidi ezili-15-20 awayethetha ngaye kumabonwakude.”—Iphe. 695.

Amaxesha ngamaxesha, kuyilwa iindlela ezintsha zokumisela imihla. Zithembeke kangakanani ezi ndlela? Ngaleyo yaziwa ngokuba yithermoluminescence, iThe New Encyclopædia Britannica (1976, Macropædia, Umqu. 5, iphe. 509) ithi: “Kunokuba kube kokufeziweyo, lithemba ngokuyintloko elibangela iwonga kwindlela yokumisel’ imihla yeziganeko yethermoluminescence kwixesha langoku.” Kwakhona, iScience (Agasti 28, 1981, iphe. 1003) ibika ukuba uphahla lwamathambo olubonakala luneminyaka engama-70 000 ngokwenkqubo eyiamino acid racemization lubonisa kuphela iminyaka engama-8 300 okanye engama-9 000 kuphela ngokwemihla emiselwe ngokuguquka kweziqalelo zeathom.

IPopular Science (Novemba 1979, iphe. 81) ibika ukuba isazi ngendalo uRobert Gentry “ukholelwa kwelokuba yonke imihla yeziganeko emiselwe ngokuguquka kweziqalelo zeathom isenokuba ayichananga—kungekuphela nje ngeminyaka embalwa, kodwa ngemininzi gqitha.” Eli nqaku libonisa ukuba uphengululo lwakhe beluya kukhokelela kwisigqibo sokuba “umntu, kunokuba abe unezigidi ezi-3,6 zeminyaka enyathela umhlaba, usenokuba unamawaka nje ambalwa ekho.”

Noko ke, ifanele iphawulwe into yokuba izazinzulu zikholelwa ekubeni ubudala bomhlaba ngokwawo bungaphezulu lee kunobudala bomntu. IBhayibhile ayiphikisani noko.

Ngaba ubudala babantu ngaphambi koMkhukula, njengokuba buchazwe eBhayibhileni, babubalwa ngokohlobo olufanayo lweminyaka esiyisebenzisayo?

Ukuba bekuqiqwe ngelokuba “iminyaka” ibimele kukulingana neenyanga zethu, oko bekuya kuthetha ukuba uEnoshe waba ngubawo xa wayeneminyaka esixhenxe ubudala, nelokuba uKenan wayeminyaka mihlanu kuphela ubudala ukuba nonyana. (Gen. 5:9, 12) Ngokucacileyo into enjalo ngamampunge.

Ubalo-maxesha oluneenkcukacha olunikelwe ngokunxibelelene noMkhukula lubonisa ubude beenyanga neminyaka obasetyenziswa ngelo xesha. Ukuthelekiswa kweGenesis 7:11, 24 nese-8:3, 4 kubonisa ukuba iinyanga ezintlanu (ukuthabathela kowe-17 wenyanga yesi-2 kuse kowe-17 wenyanga yesi-7) zazilingana neentsuku ezili-150, okanye neenyanga ezintlanu eziziintsuku ezima-30 inye. Ngokungqalileyo kubhekiselwa ‘kwinyanga yeshumi’ nakumathuba angakumbi angaphaya kwayo ngaphambi kokuthetha ngonyaka olandelayo. (Gen. 8:5, 6, 8, 10, 12-14) Licacile ke elokuba iminyaka yabo yayiyilwe ngeshumi elinambini leenyanga ezineentsuku ezingama-30. Kwasekuqaleni, ikhalenda yamaYuda ngokungqongqo yayihlengahlengiswa ngamathub’ athile ukuze ivumelane ngobude nonyaka obalwa ngelanga, njengokuba kuboniswa kukugcinwa kwemisitho yamaxesha onyaka yokuhlanganisa amaSirayeli ngemihla etyunjiweyo. Ngaloo ndlela imisitho yaqhubeka isiba ngamaxesha onyaka afanelekileyo.—Lev. 23:39.

Khumbula ukuba uThixo wamenza umntu ukuba aphile ngonaphakade. Sisono sika-Adam esakhokelela ekufeni. (Gen. 2:17; 3:17-19; Roma 5:12) Abo babephila ngaphambi koMkhukula babekufuphi kwimfezeko kunokuba sinjalo thina namhlanje, ke babephila ixesha elide. Kodwa ngamnye wabo wafa lingekapheli iwaka leminyaka.

Kutheni le nto amaNgqina kaYehova esithi uBukumkani bukaThixo bamiselwa ngowe-1914?

Bubungqina obuziindidi ezimbini obalatha kuloo nyaka: (1) Lubalo-maxesha lweBhayibhile (2) neziganeko ezisusela kowe-1914 ezizalisekisa isiprofeto. Apha siza kuqwalasela ubalo-maxesha. Mayela nokuzaliseka kwesiprofeto, bona umxholo omkhulu othi “ImiHla Yokugqibela.”

Funda uDaniyeli 4:1-17. Indinyana 20-37 zibonisa ukuba esi siprofeto sazaliseka kuNebhukadenetsare. Kodwa sasikwanenzaliseko enkulu kunaleyo. Sikwazi njani oko? Indinyana 3 neye-17 zibonisa ukuba iphupha uThixo awalinika uKumkani uNebhukadenetsare linento yokwenza noBukumkani bukaThixo nedinga likaThixo lokubunika “lowo athanda ukumnika, . . . ophantsi ebantwini.” Iyonke iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba idinga likaYehova likukuba owakhe uNyana, uYesu Kristu, alawule njengommeli Wakhe phezu koluntu. (INdu. 2:1-8; Dan. 7:13, 14; 1 Kor. 15:23-25; ISityhi. 11:15; 12:10) Ingcaciso yeBhayibhile engoYesu ibonisa ukuba okunene ‘wayengophantsi ebantwini.’ (Fil. 2:7, 8; Mat. 11:28-30) Ngoko, iphupha lesiprofeto lalatha kwixesha laxa uYehova wayengalunikela ulawulo loluntu kowakhe uNyana.

Yintoni eyayiza kube isenzeka kude kube lelo xesha? Ukulawulwa koluntu, njengoko kumelwa ngumthi nasisiphunzi sawo, kwakuya kunikwa “intliziyo yenkomo.” (Dan. 4:16) Imbali yoluntu yayiya kubalasela ngoorhulumente ababonakalalisa iimpawu zamarhamncwa. Kumaxesha akalokunje, ngokuqhelekileyo kusetyenziswa ibhere ukumela iRashiya; ukhozi, lumela elaseUnited States; ingonyama, imela iBritani; inamba, imela iTshayina. IBhayibhile ikwasebenzisa amarhamncwa njengemifuziselo yoorhulumente behlabathi neyenkqubo yomhlaba yolawulo lwabantu oluphenjelelwa nguSathana. (Dan. 7:2-8, 17, 23; 8:20-22; ISityhi. 13:1, 2) Njengokuba uYesu wabonisayo kwisiprofeto sakhe esalatha ekuphelisweni kwenkqubo yezinto, iYerusalem yayiya kuthi “inyathelelwe phantsi ziintlanga, ade azaliseke amaxesha eentlanga.” (Luka 21:24) “IYerusalem” yayimela uBukumkani bukaThixo kuba ookumkani bayo kwakusithiwa bahleli “etroneni yobukumkani bukaYehova.” (1 Kron. 28:4, 5; Mat. 5:34, 35) Ke, oorhulumente beeNtlanga, ababemelwa ngamarhamncwa, babeya ‘kulinyathelela phantsi’ ilungelo loBukumkani bukaThixo lokulawula imicimbi yoluntu yaye babeya kuphatha kodwa belawulwa nguSathana.—Thelekisa uLuka 4:5, 6.

Oorhulumente abanjalo babeya kuvunyelwa ithuba elide kangakanani belawula ngolu hlobo ngaphambi kokunikela kukaYehova uBukumkani kuYesu Kristu? UDaniyeli 4:16 uthi ‘ngamaxesha asixhenxe’ (“iminyaka esixhenxe,” AT neMo, kwanombhalo osemazantsi weJB kwindinyana 13). IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba ekubaleni ixesha lesiprofeto, usuku lubalwa njengonyaka. (Hez. 4:6; Num. 14:34) Ngoko, kwakubandakanyeke “iintsuku” ezingaphi? ISityhilelo 11:2, 3 sichaza ngokucacileyo ukuba iinyanga ezingama-42 (iminyaka emi-3 1/2) kweso siprofeto zibalwa njengeentsuku ezili-1 260. Iminyaka esixhenxe ibiya kuba kukuziphindaphinda kabini ezo ntsuku, okanye ziintsuku ezima-2 520. Ukusebenzisa umgaqo wokuba “usuku lube ngumnyaka” bekuya kuphumela kwiminyaka engama-2 520.

Kwaqalwa nini ukubalwa ‘kwamaxesha asixhenxe’? Akuba uZedekiya, ukumkani wokugqibela kuBukumkani bokomfuziselo bukaThixo, eshenxisiwe etroneni eYerusalem ngamaBhabhiloni. (Hez. 21:25-27) Ekugqibeleni, ekuqalekeni kukaOktobha wama-607 B.C.E. isuntswana lokugqibela lolongamo lwamaYuda lathi shwaka. Ngelo xesha irhuluneli yomYuda, uGedaliya, owayeshiywe ukuba alawule ngamaBhabhiloni, wayegwintiwe yaye amaYuda aseleyo ayesabele eYiputa. (Yeremiya, isahluko 40-43) Ubalo-maxesha olunokuthenjwa lweBhayibhile lubonisa ukuba oku kwenzeka ngeminyaka engama-70 ngaphambi kowama-537 B.C.E., nyaka lowo amaYuda ayebuye ngawo ekuthinjweni; oko kukuthi, kwenzeka ekuqalekeni kukaOktobha wama-607 B.C.E. (Yer. 29:10; Dan. 9:2; ngeenkcukacha ezingakumbi, bona incwadi ethi Unokuphila Ngonaphakade KwiParadisi Esemhlabeni, iphepha 138-141.)

Ngoko, libalwa njani ixesha ukuza kutsho kowe-1914? Ngokubala iminyaka engama-2 520 ukususela ekuqalekeni kukaOktobha wama-607 B.C.E. sifikelela ekuqalekeni kukaOtobha we-1914 C.E., njengoko kuboniswa kwisicangca.

UKUBALWA ‘KWAMAXESHA ASIXHENXE’

“Amaxesha asixhenxe” = 7 X 360 = 2 520 eminyaka

“Ixesha” okanye unyaka ongokweBhayibhile = 12 × 30 iintsuku = 360. (ISityhi. 11:2, 3; 12:6, 14)

Ekuzalisekeni ‘kwamaxesha asixhenxe’ usuku ngalunye lulingana nonyaka. (Hez. 4:6; Num. 14:34)

UJanuwari 1, 1 C.E., kuse kuDisemba 31, 1913 = 1 913 leminyaka

Isimbuku: 2 520 eminyaka

Kwenzeka ntoni ngelo xesha? UYehova wadlulisela ulawulo loluntu kuNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu, ozukisiweyo emazulwini.—Dan. 7:13, 14.

Ngoko kutheni le nto kusekho ubungendawo obuninzi kangaka emhlabeni? Ngemva kokuhlaliswa etroneni kukaKristu, uSathana needemon zakhe bakhutshwa ezulwini baza baphoselwa emhlabeni. (ISityhi. 12:12) UKristu njengoKumkani akalithabathanga kwaoko inyathelo lokutshabalalisa bonke abalayo ukwamkela ulongamo lukaYehova naye njengoMesiya. Kunoko, njengoko kuxelwe ngenx’ engaphambili, kwakuza kwenziwa umsebenzi wokushumayela emhlabeni wonke. (Mat. 24:14) NjengoKumkani wayeya kwalathisa ukwahlulwa kwabantu bazo zonke iintlanga, abo bazingqina bengamalungisa benikwa ithemba lobomi obungunaphakade, yaye abangendawo besabelwa ekunqunyulweni ngonaphakade ekufeni. (Mat. 25:31-46) Okwelo thuba, kwakuya kwesamela iimeko ezinzima gqitha ezazixelwe ngenx’ engaphambili njengezaziya kubakho ‘ngemihla yokugqibela.’ Njengoko kuboniswa phantsi komxholo othi “ImiHla Yokugqibela,” ezo ziganeko bezibonakala ngokucacileyo ukususela kowe-1914. Ngaphambi kokuba amalungu okugqibela esizukulwana esasiphila ngowe-1914 aphele, zonke izinto ezazixelwe ngenx’ engaphambili ziya kwenzeka, kuquka “imbandezelo enkulu” eliya kuphela kuyo ihlabathi elikhoyo elingendawo.—Mat. 24:21, 22, 34.

Kuya kufika nini ukuphela kweli hlabathi lingendawo?

UYesu waphendula wathi: “Ke akukho bani uwaziyo loo mhla nelo xesha. Kwanezithunywa ezisezulwini azazi, engazi naye uNyana lo. Kuphela nguYise owaziyo.” Phofu ke, wakwachaza wathi: “Ndithi kuni, inene, esi sizukulwana [esasiphila xa “umqondiso” ‘wemihla yokugqibela’ waqala ukuzaliseka] asiyi kudlula zingadanga zenzeke zonke ezi zinto.”—Mat. 24:36, 34, TE.

Kwakhona, ngemva kokuchaza iziganeko ezaziya kulandela ukumiselwa koBukumkani ezandleni zikaYesu Kristu ngowe-1914, ISityhilelo 12:12 sihlomela oku: “Yibani nemihlali, nina mazulu, nani ninomnquba kuwo. Yeha, abo bawumiyo umhlaba nolwandle! ngokuba uhlile weza kuni uMtyholi, enomsindo omkhulu, esazi nje ukuba ixesha analo lincinane.”