Ngaba Ixesha Lihambile Kunokuba Ucinga?

KWIINTSUKU ezintathu ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uYesu wayenosuku oluxakeke kakhulu eYerusalem, usuku olwangqineka lulolwembaluleka engathethekiyo kumaKristu aphilayo ngoku. Wayefundisa etempileni, ephendula imibuzo emininzi yokumlinga iinkokeli zonqulo zamaYuda ezazizama ukumbambisa ngayo. Ekugqibeleni, wavakalisa kubabhali nakubaFarisi umgwebo oqatha owabafanisa nabahanahanisi namarhamba awayesingise eGehena.—Mateyu, isahluko 22, 23.

Njengoko wayesimka kummandla wetempile, omnye wabafundi bakhe wathi kuye: “Mfundisi, uyawabona na la matye angaka, nezi zakhiwo zingaka?” Engachukumisekanga, uYesu wathi kuye: “Uyazibona na ezi zakhiwo zikhulu? Akusayi kusala litye phezu kwelitye, elingayi kuchithwa.” (Marko 13:1, 2) Wandula ke uYesu wayishiya itempile okwesihlandlo sokugqibela, wehlela kwiNtlambo yeKidron, wawelela ngaphesheya, waza wenyuka kumathambeka eNtaba yemiNquba.

Njengoko wayehleli phezu kwentaba kwelo langa lalibetha kuhle xa kanye lithi ndithenge, eyibona itempile phezu kweNtaba yeMoriya ngaphesheya kwentlambo, uPetros, uYakobi, uYohane noAndreya beza kuye ngasese. Ezingqondweni zabo kunkenteza amazwi uYesu abewathethile angokudilizwa kwetempile. Bambuza: “Sixelele ukuba ziya kubakho nini na ezo zinto; uya kuba yini na umqondiso wokufika kwakho, nowokupheliswa kwephakade eli?” (Mateyu 24:3; Marko 13:3, 4) Impendulo awayinikelayo kumbuzo wabo ngaloo mvakwemini kwiNtaba yemiNquma ibaluleke kakhulu kuthi. Inokusinceda singalindi ixesha elide gqitha ngaphambi ‘kokucinga ngokupheliswa kwephakade eli.’

Umbuzo wabo wawuntlu-mbini. Enye inxalenye yayiphathelele ukudilizwa kwetempile nokupheliswa kwenkqubo yamaYuda; enye yayiphathelele nobukho bukaYesu kwixesha elizayo njengoKumkani nokupheliswa kwale nkqubo ikhoyo yezinto. Yomibini le mibuzo yagutyungelwa kwimpendulo kaYesu, njengoko ifumaneka kuMateyu 24 nesama-25, kuMarko 13 nakuLuka 21. (Bona kwaneSityhilelo 6:1-8.) Ngokuphathelele nokupheliswa kweli hlabathi, okanye inkqubo yezinto, uYesu wachaza iinkalo eziliqela ezithi, xa zihlanganisiwe, zibe ngumqondiso oyintlanganisela ofanisa imihla yokugqibela. Ngaba loo mqondiso uyintlanganisela uyazaliseka? Ngaba ubonisa ukuba sikwimihla yokugqibela ekuthethwe ngayo eBhayibhileni? Ngaba ukuzaliseka kwawo kuyasilumkisa ukuba kusenokwenzeka ukuba ixesha lihambile kunokuba sicinga?

Enye inkalo yomqondiso kaYesu oyintlanganisela yile: “Uhlanga luya kuvukelana nohlanga, nobukumkani buvukelane nobukumkani.” (Mateyu 24:7) Ngowe-1914, kwaqalisa iMfazwe Yehlabathi I. AmaNgqina kaYehova elo xesha ayesele ephaphile. Ngoba? NgoDisemba 1879, kwiminyaka engama-35 ngaphambili, iphephancwadi IMboniselo (yesiNgesi) lalithe, ngokusekelwe kubalo-maxesha lweBhayibhile, owe-1914 wayeya kuba ngunyaka obalulekileyo kwimbali yoluntu. Ngaba kwakunokwenzeka ukuba le mfazwe, imfazwe yokuqala yehlabathi lonke, ekwathi ekugqibeleni kwabandakanyeka kuyo izizwe ezingama-28 kwaza kwabulawa abantu abazizigidi ezili-14, ibe yayisisiqalo seziganeko ezazizalisekisa umqondiso kaYesu oyintlanganisela wesiphelo? Ngaba ezinye iinkalo zomqondiso zaziza kulandela?

‘Kwisityhilelo sikaYesu Kristu,’ olu phalazo-gazi lukwalunye lwaxelwa kwangaphambili. Apha ihashe elibomvu nomkhweli walo ‘bayalususa uxolo emhlabeni.’ (ISityhilelo 1:1; 6:4) Ngokuqinisekileyo oko kwenzeka ukususela ngowe-1914 ukusa kowe-1918. Yaye iMfazwe Yehlabathi I yayisisiqalo nje. Ngowe-1939, kwalandela iMfazwe Yehlabathi II. Izizwe ezingamashumi amahlanu anesithoba zabandakanyeka kolo ngquzulwano, yaye kwabulawa abantu abazizigidi ezingama-50. Kwiminyaka engama-45 eyalandelayo ukususela kwiMfazwe Yehlabathi II, kuye kwaliwa iimfazwe ezingaphezu kwe-125, ekuye kwabulawa kuzo abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingama-20.

Enye inkalo yomqondiso yile: “Kuya kubakho iindlala.” (Mateyu 24:7) Indlala yayigquba zwenibanzi ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi I nasemva kwayo. Enye ingxelo idwelisa iindawo ezingaphezu kwama-60 eziye zathwaxwa kanobom yindlala ukususela ngowe-1914, nto leyo ethe yasuba ubomi bezigidi ezingenakubaleka. Ngaphezu koko, kwanangoku ama-40 000 abantwana bayafa suku ngalunye ngenxa yokungondleki kakuhle nangenxa yezifo ebezinako ukuthintelwa.

“Kuya kubakho iinyikima zomhlaba ezinkulu.” (Luka 21:11) Zawugungqisa umhlaba emva kokuqalisa kweMfazwe Yehlabathi I. Ngowe-1915 inyikima yomhlaba yasuba ubomi babantu abangama-32 610 eItali; ngowe-1920 enye yabulala abangama-200 000 eTshayina; ngowe-1923 eJapan, kwafa abangama-99 300; ngowe-1935 kwindawo ngoku eyaziwa ngokuba yiPakistan, abangama-25 000 baphulukana nobomi babo; ngowe-1939 eTurkey, yatshabalalisa abangama-32 700; ngowe-1970 ePeru, yabulala abangama-66 800; ngowe-1976 eTshayina, kwafa abangama-240 000 (bambi bathi babengama-800 000); ngowe-1988 eArmenia, abangama-25 000 baphulukana nobomi babo. Ngokuqinisekileyo, kubekho iinyikima zomhlaba ezinkulu ukususela ngowe-1914.

‘Kuya kubakho iindyikitya zokufa kwiindawo ngeendawo.’ (Luka 21:11) Ebudeni bowe-1918 nowe-1919, abantu abamalunga ne-1 000 000 000 babegula ngumbathalala, yaye abangaphezu kwama-20 000 000 bafa. Kodwa eso yayisisiqalo nje. Kumazwe asakhasayo, isifo seengcongconi, isnail fever, iriver blindness, isifo sokukhululeka kwesisu, nezinye izifo ziyaqhubeka zisenzakalisa zize zibulale amakhulu ezigidi. Ukongezelela, isifo sentliziyo nesomhlaza zisuba ubomi bezigidi ezingakumbi. Izifo ezidluliselwa ngeentlobano zesini ziyalugqugqisa uluntu. Into eyoyikeka kakhulu namhlanje sisibetho esibulalayo uGawulayo, ekuqikelelwa ukuba sesulela ixhoba elitsha mzuzu ngamnye, ekungekafumaneki ndlela yakusinyanga.

‘Ukwanda kokuchasa umthetho.’ (Mateyu 24:12) Ukuchasa umthetho bekungalawuleki ukususela ngowe-1914, yaye namhlanje kwaphula izikeyi. Ukubulala, ukudlwengula, ukuphanga, imilo yamaqela—zizinto ezingundaba-mlonyeni kwimixholo yamaphephandaba nakwiindaba zikanomathotholo nomabonwakude. Ugonyamelo olungenasizathu luyagquba kungekho bani uluthintelayo. EUnited States, indoda ephethe umpu idubula ikhulu leembumbulu ngombaxa wokuhlasela ozitshintshayo ijolise kwinyambalala yabantwana besikolo—aba-5 bafile, abangama-29 benzakele. ENgilani indoda eshiywa ziingqondo ibulala abantu abali-16 ngombaxa wokuhlasela obizwa ngokuba yiAK-47. EKhanada indoda ewacekisayo amabhinqa iya kwiYunivesithi yaseMontreal ize ibulale amabhinqa ali-14. Abantu abanjalo banjengeengcuka, iingonyama, amarhamncwa asendle, izilwanyana ezingenangqiqo ezizalelwe ukuba zibanjwe zize zitshatyalaliswe.—Thelekisa uHezekile 22:27; Zefaniya 3:3; 2 Petros 2:12.

“Abantu besifa kukoyika nakukulindela izinto ezilizelayo elimiweyo.” (Luka 21:26) Kungekudala nje emva kokudubula kwebhombu yeathom yokuqala, isazinzulu seathom uHarold C. Urey wathi ngekamva: “Siya kudla sisoyika, silale sisoyika, sihlale sisoyika size sife sisoyika.” Kuloyiko lwemfazwe yenyukliya kuye kongezelelwa uloyiko lolwaphulo-mthetho, indlala, ukungazinzi kwezoqoqosho, ukuwohloka kwemilinganiselo yokuziphatha, ukuwohloka kweentsapho, ukungcoliswa komhlaba. Eneneni, amaxesha anzima asoloko echazwa ngamaphephandaba amihla le naziindaba zikamabonwakude asasaza uloyiko ezindaweni zonke.

Kwakhona umpostile uPawulos wabhala ngeemeko ezaziya kugquba kwimihla yokugqibela yale nkqubo yezinto. Ukufunda amazwi akhe kunjengokufunda iindaba zosuku. Wabhala oku, “Ke, kwazi oku, ukuba ngemihla yokugqibela kuya kufika amaxesha anomngcipheko. Kuba abantu baya kuba ngabazithandayo, abathandi bemali, abaqhankqalazi, abakratshi, abanyelisi, abangeva bazali, abangabuleliyo, abangengcwele, abangenabubele, abangenatarhu, abatyholi, abangenakuzeyisa, izibhoja, abangenakuthanda kulunga, abancethezi, izityhuthutyhuthu, abathiwe lwale likratshi, abathandi beziyolo kunokuba bathande uThixo; benokumila kokuhlonela uThixo, ukanti bayawakhanyela amandla ako. Kwabo ke khwebuka.”—2 Timoti 3:1-5.

Ngaba Zonke Izinto Ziqhubeka “Zinjengokwasekuqalekeni Kwendalo”?

Umpostile uPetros waxela kwangaphambili enye inkalo yemihla yokugqibela: “Kuya kuza ngemihla yokugqibela abagxeki, behamba ngokwezabo iinkanuko, besithi, Liphi na kaloku idinga lokufika kwakhe? Kuba kuseloko oobawo balalayo ukufa, izinto zonke zahlala zihleli zinjengokwasekuqalekeni kwendalo.”—2 Petros 3:3, 4.

Namhlanje, xa kuthethwa ngemihla yokugqibela, abantu abaninzi bazalisekisa amazwi kaPetros abuprofeti ngokugculela besithi: ‘Zonke ezo zinto zenzekile ngaphambili. Yimbali nje iyaziphindaphinda.’ Ngoko bayazityeshela izilumkiso baze baqhubeke “behamba ngokwezabo iinkanuko.” ‘Kungokuthanda kwabo’ abathi bakutyeshele ukuzaliseka kweziprofeto eziyifanisa ngokucace gca kangaka imihla yokugqibela.—2 Petros 3:5.

Sekunjalo, iinkalo ezahlukahlukeneyo zomqondiso oyintlanganisela owaxelwa kwangaphambili nguYesu azizange zizaliseke zonke ngexeshana elifutshane ngamandla amakhulu nangemiphumo efikelela kude kangaka. (Ngokomzekelo, hlolisisa uMateyu 24:3-12; Marko 13:3-8; Luka 21:10, 11, 25, 26.) Yaye singathanda ukutsalela ingqalelo yakho ngokukhethekileyo kwenye inkalo eyaxelwa kwangaphambili yemihla yokugqibela, echazwe kwiSityhilelo.

Masityhile kwiSityhilelo 11:18. Sithi xa uBukumkani bukaKristu buqalisa ukulawula yaye iintlanga ziqumbile lifikile ke nexesha lomgwebo, uya kwandula ke uYehova ‘abonakalise abo bawonakalisayo umhlaba.’ Ngaba ungcoliso aluwonakalisi umhlaba namhlanje? Enyanisweni, abantu bebesoloko bebuphethel’ imbengwana ubuncwane bomhlaba ukuze bazityebise bona. Kodwa ekwenzeni oko, abakhange bakwazi ukuwutshabalalisa njengesijikelezi-langa ekuhlalwayo kuso. Ngoku, ngenxa yobugcisa benzululwazi obuvelisiweyo ukususela ngowe-1914, abantu banawo loo mandla, yaye ngokunyolukela ubutyebi, bayawonakalisa umhlaba, bengcolisa umoya yaye bebhangisa amandla omhlaba okuzimasa ubomi.

Ibutho labantu elingoohlohlesakhe nelithanda izinto eziphathekayo ngoku lide latsiba ilitye likaPhungela. Nazi nje ezinye izinto ezimbi eziye zangumphumo: imvula enemichiza, ukufudumala komhlaba, imingxuma kumoya okhusela umhlaba kwimitha eyingozi, iimfumba zenkunkuma, ukulahlwa kwemichiza eyingozi, izibulala-zityalo nezibulala-zinambuzane eziyingozi, imfungumfungu yenyukliya, ukuchitheka kweoli, ukulahlwa kwelindle elingafakwanga michiza, izilwanyana ezisengozini yokupheliswa, amadike ekungaphili nto kuwo, amanzi angaphantsi komhlaba angcolisiweyo, amahlathi atshatyalalisiweyo, umhlaba ongcolisiweyo, ukulahleka komaleko womhlaba, nomsi obangela ingozi kwimithi nezityalo nakwimpilo yabantu.

Unjingalwazi uBarry Commoner uthi: “Ndikholelwa ukuba ukuqhubeka kokungcoliswa komhlaba, ukuba akupheliswa, ekugqibeleni kuya kusenza esi sijikelezi-langa singabi yondawo ifanelekileyo yokuphila abantu. . . . Ingxaki asikokuswela ulwazi lwezenzululwazi, kodwa ikukubawa.” Incwadi ethi State of the World 1987 kwiphepha 5 ithi: “Umlinganiselo wezenzo zabantu sele uqalisile ukwenza umhlaba ube yindawo ekungenakuphilwa kuyo.” Inkqubo ephambili ebisasazwa kumabonwakude eUnited States ngowe-1990 ibinomxholo othi “Isizwe Esiya Kuhlangula Isijikelezi-langa.”

Umntu akasayi kuze ayeke ukungcolisa; uThixo uya kukwenza oku xa etshabalalisa abo bawonakalisayo umhlaba. UThixo noMphumi-Mkhosi wakhe wasezulwini, uKristu Yesu, uya kukwenza oku ngokuphumeza umgwebo kwiintlanga ezithanda izinto eziphathekayo kwimfazwe yokugqibela yeArmagedon.—ISityhilelo 16:14, 16; 19:11-21.

Okokugqibela, phawula le nkalo ilandelayo nebalaseleyo yesiprofeto sikaYesu esingemihla yokugqibela: “Ezi ndaba zilungileyo zobukumkani ziya kuvakaliswa kulo elimiweyo liphela.” (Mateyu 24:14) Ezi ndaba zilungileyo zazisa ukuba uBukumkani bukaThixo ngoku buyalawula emazulwini yaye buya kuthi kungekudala butshabalalise le nkqubo ingendawo buze bubuyisele iParadisi emhlabeni. Le vangeli iye yashunyayelwa ngaphambili kodwa ayizange igubungele ihlabathi elimiweyo liphela. Noko ke, ukususela ngowe-1914 amaNgqina kaYehova aye akwenza oko, phezu kwayo nje intshutshiso uYesu awayeyixele kwangaphambili—ukuvalwa komsebenzi ngoorhulumente, ukuhlaselwa ngamahlokondiba, ukuvalelwa ezintolongweni, ukungcungcuthekiswa, nokufa ngeendlela ezininzi.

Ngowe-1919 kwakukho amaNgqina kaYehova angama-4 000 awayeshumayela ezi ndaba zilungileyo. Amanani awo ebeqhubeka esanda, kangangokuba kunyaka ophelileyo angaphezu kwezi-4 000 000 ebeshumayela kumazwe angama-212, ngeelwimi ezingama-200, esasaza amakhulu ezigidi zeeBhayibhile, iincwadi namaphephancwadi, eqhuba izigidi zezifundo zeBhayibhile emakhayeni abantu aze aqhube iindibano kumabala emidlalo amakhulu kuyo yonke imimandla yehlabathi. Umsebenzi omkhulu kangaka wokushumayela wawungenakwenziwa ngaphambi kowe-1914. Ukufezwa kwawo ngomlinganiselo oye wafezwa ngawo bekufuna oomatshini bokushicilela abashicilela ngesantya esikhulu banamhlanje, izinto zokuhamba zanamhlanje, iikhompyutha, oomatshini befax, kwaneendlela zoqhagamshelwano nezokuthunyelwa kwempahla ezikho kuphela kumhla wethu.

IYerusalem yomhla kaYeremiya yayilunyukisiwe ngentshabalalo yayo eyayisondela; abemi bayo basuka bagculela, kodwa ixesha lalihambile kunokuba babecinga. Namhlanje, kuhlokonyiswa isilumkiso esikhulu ngakumbi sentshabalaliso yeArmagedon, kukho nobungqina obeyisayo obusixhasayo. (ISityhilelo 14:6, 7, 17-20) Izigidi zenza ngokungathi aziva. Kodwa ixesha liyaphela; ixesha lihambile kunokuba zicinga. Ngaba ixesha lihambile kunokuba wena ucinga?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Ngomhla kaYeremiya ixesha lalihambile kunokuba babecinga