Baya Kusindiswa Bephila Kwimbandezelo Enkulu
“Aba ngabaphumayo embandezelweni enkulu, bazihlamba iingubo zabo ezinde, bazenza mhlophe egazini leMvana.”—ISITYHILELO 7:14.
1. Ngoobani abaya kwamkela abavusiweyo kuvuko lwasemhlabeni?
XA IZIGIDI ezingenakubalwa zabantu zivuswa ‘kuvuko lwamalungisa nabangemalungisa,’ aziyi kubuyiselwa ebomini kumhlaba ongenanto. (IZenzo 24:15) Ziya kuvukela kwiimeko ezintle neziphucukileyo zize zifumane indawo yokuhlala, impahla, nentabalala yokudla sele zilungisiwe. Ngubani oya kwenza onke la malungiselelo? Ngokucacileyo, kuya kube kukho abantu abaphilayo kwihlabathi elitsha ngaphambi kokuba uvuko lwasemhlabeni luqalise. Ngoobani? IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba iya kuba ngabo basinde kwimbandezelo enkulu ezayo. Kuzo zonke iimfundiso zeBhayibhile, ngokungathandabuzekiyo le yeyona ibangel’ umdla—ukuba abantu abathembekileyo abathile baya kusinda bephila kwimbandezelo enkulu yaye akusayi kuze kufuneke bafe. Eli themba liyangqinelwa ziZibhalo Ezingcwele.
Njengemihla KaNowa
2, 3. (a) Ifana njani imihla kaNowa nalo mhla wethu? (b) Kubonisa ntoni ukusinda kukaNowa nentsapho yakhe ngoMkhukula?
2 KuMateyu 24:37-39, uYesu Kristu wathelekisa imihla kaNowa nemihla yokugqibela, esiphila kuyo ngoku. Wathi: “Njengokuba ibinjalo imihla kaNowa, koba njalo nokufika koNyana woMntu. Kuba njengokuba babesithi, ngemihla ebingaphambi konogumbe, badle, basele, bazeke, bendise, kwada kwayimini awangena ngayo emkhombeni uNowa, bengaqondanga, wada wafika unogumbe, wabakhukulisa bonke: koba njalo nokufika koNyana woMntu.”
3 UMkhukula womhlaba wonke wabakhukulisa bonke abo bangazange banikele ngqalelo kwisigidimi sikaThixo esilumkisayo. Noko ke, awuzange umkhukulise uNowa nentsapho yakhe. ‘Bangena emkhombeni,’ njengoko uYesu watshoyo. Ngenxa yokuba babehlonela uThixo, uYehova walungiselela indlela yokuba basinde. EyesiBini kaPetros 2:5, 9 ibhekisela ekusindisweni kukaNowa nentsapho yakhe xa isithi: “[UThixo] walondoloza uNowa, umvakalisi wobulungisa, enabasixhenxe, akuba elihlisele unogumbe ihlabathi labangahloneli Thixo. Iyakwazi iNkosi ukubahlangula ekuhendweni abahlonela uThixo.” UYesu wafanisa imihla kaNowa nemihla yokugqibela ukuze abonise ukuba inkoliso yabantu yayingayi kusithobela isigidimi sikaThixo esilumkisayo. Sekunjalo, ngokwenjenjalo wabonisa nokuba uNowa nentsapho yakhe bamthobela uYehova uThixo, bangena emkhombeni, baza basinda kuMkhukula omkhulu. Ukusinda kukaNowa nentsapho yakhe kubonisa ukuba abakhonzi bakaThixo abathembekileyo baya kusinda xa eli hlabathi liphela.
Umzekelo Wenkulungwane Yokuqala
4. Njengokuzaliseka kwamazwi kaYesu, ziziphi iziganeko ezakhokelela ekutshatyalalisweni kweYerusalem ngowa-70 C.E.?
4 Kwakhona uYesu wathetha ngeziganeko eziya kwenzeka ekuphelisweni kweli hlabathi. KuMateyu 24:21, 22, sifunda oku: “Ngelo xesha kuya kubakho imbandezelo enkulu, ekungazanga kubekho injalo kwasekuqalekeni kwehlabathi, kwada kwaba kalokunje, ekungasayi kubuye kubekho injalo. Kanjalo ukuba ibingayi kuthi loo mihla inqanyulelwe, bekungayi kubakho nyama isindayo; ngenxa ke yabanyuliweyo, loo mihla iya kunqanyulelwa.” La mazwi azaliseka okokuqala ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo. Ngowama-66 C.E., isixeko saseYerusalem sarhangqwa yimikhosi yamaRoma eyayikhokelwa nguCestius Gallus. Imikhosi yamaRoma yafikelela kwinqanaba lokuba ikwazi ukuludiliza udonga lwetempile, ibe amaYuda amaninzi ayelungele ukunikezela. Noko ke, ngokungalindelekanga, yaye kungabonakali sizathu, uCestius Gallus wayirhoxisa imikhosi yakhe. Akubona amaRoma erhoxa, amaKristu enza ngokuvisisana namazwi kaYesu, awayethethwe kwiminyaka emininzi ngaphambili: “Xa nithe nayibona iYerusalem irhawulwe yimikhosi, yazini oko ukuba kusondele ukuphanza kwayo. Ngelo xa mabathi abakwelakwaYuda basabele ezintabeni, nabo baphakathi kwayo mabaphume bemke, nabo basemaphandleni mabangangeni kuyo.” (Luka 21:20, 21) AmaYuda awayengamaKristu, abanyuliweyo, ngokukhawuleza asishiya isixeko saseYerusalem esazelwa yintlekele aza ngaloo ndlela asinda kwintshabalalo emanyumnyezi eyasifikela ngokukhawuleza emva koko. Ngowama-70 C.E., imikhosi yamaRoma yabuya ikhokelwa nguNjengele Titus. Yamisa iintente ngaphandle kweYerusalem, yasirhangqa eso sixeko, yaza yasitshabalalisa.
5. Imbandezelo yaseYerusalem yanqanyulelwa ngayiphi ingqiqo ngowama-70 C.E.?
5 Umbhali-mbali ongumYuda uJosephus ubalisa ukuba itshoba lalal’ umbethe kumaYuda asisi-1 100 000, ngoxa abantu abangama-97 000 abasindayo bathinjwayo. Loo maYuda asindayo awayengengomaKristu ngokuqinisekileyo ayengengabo “abanyuliweyo” ekuthethwa ngabo kwisiprofeto sikaYesu. Xa wayethetha nohlanga lwamaYuda olunemvukelo, uYesu wayethe: “Yabonani, indlu yenu ishiywa nani ize. Kuba ndithi kuni, Aniyi kuba sandibona emveni koku, nide nithi, Makabongwe lowo uzayo egameni leNkosi.” (Mateyu 23:38, 39) Akukho ngxelo ibonisa ukuba loo maYuda, ayevaleleke eYerusalem, ngomzuzu wokugqibela amamkela uYesu njengoMesiya, aba ngamaKristu, waza uYehova wakholiswa ngawo. Sekunjalo, imbandezelo eyafikela iYerusalem ngowama-70 C.E. yanqanyulelwa. Ukurhangqa kokugqibela komkhosi wamaRoma akuzange kuthabathe ixesha elide. Oku kwenza ukuba amaYuda athile asinde, aza athunyelwa kwiindawo ezahlukahlukeneyo zoBukhosi bamaRoma njengamakhoboka.
Isihlwele Esikhulu Sabasindi
6, 7. (a) Sisiphi isixeko esikhulu sonqulo esiseza kutshatyalaliswa, njengenxalenye yayiphi imbandezelo engenakulinganiswa? (b) Waprofeta wathini uYohane ngembandezelo enkulu eza kufikela eli hlabathi?
6 Ngoxa ukutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem ngowama-70 C.E. eneneni kwazisa “imbandezelo enkulu” kweso sixeko sonqulo, kusaza kubakho inzaliseko enkulu yamazwi kaYesu. Isixeko sonqulo esikhulu ngakumbi, iBhabhiloni Enkulu, ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki, siza kufikelwa yimbandezelo enkulu ebulalayo ezinyaweni zayo kulandele imbandezelo engenakulinganiswa kuyo yonke inkqubo kaSathana yezinto. (Mateyu 24:29, 30; ISityhilelo 18:21) Kwiminyaka enokuba ngama-26 emva kokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem, umpostile uYohane, kwiSityhilelo 7:9-14, wabhala ngembandezelo enkulu yehlabathi lonke. Wabonisa ukuba kwakuya kusinda isihlwele esikhulu sabantu kuyo.
7 Aba bantu baya kusinda, babizwa ngokuba ‘sisihlwele esikhulu,’ babonakala ngenyathelo elithile elingqalileyo abalithabathayo. Ngokutsho kweSityhilelo 7:14, enye yamadoda amakhulu angama-24 ezulwini yamxelela oku uYohane: “Aba ngabaphumayo embandezelweni enkulu, bazihlamba iingubo zabo ezinde, bazenza mhlophe egazini leMvana.” Ewe, isihlwele esikhulu sidumisa uYehova njengomthombo wosindiso lwaso. Sibonakalisa ukholo kwigazi likaYesu elaphalalayo ibe singamalungisa phambi koMdali waso noKumkani wakhe omisiweyo, uYesu Kristu.
8. Luluphi ulwalamano oluhle olukhoyo phakathi ‘kwesihlwele esikhulu’ nabaseleyo babazalwana bakaYesu abathanjisiweyo?
8 Namhlanje, amalungu esihlwele esikhulu aphantse abe zizigidi ezihlanu aphila phantsi kokhokelo loKumkani wasezulwini uYesu Kristu. Ayazithoba kuKristu ibe anxulumana ngokusondeleyo nabazalwana bakhe abathanjisiweyo abasesemhlabeni. Ngokuphathelele indlela isihlwele esikhulu esibaphatha ngayo aba bathanjiswa, uYesu uthi: “Inene ndithi kuni, Ekubeni nenjenjalo nakumnye waba bazalwana bam bangabona bancinane, nenjenjalo nakum.” (Mateyu 25:40) Ngenxa yokuba ngokungazingci benceda abazalwana bakaKristu abathanjisiweyo, abo besihlwele esikhulu bagqalwa njengabenze okulungileyo kuYesu. Oku kubanceda babe nolwalamano olunqabisekileyo noYesu Kristu noYehova uThixo. Baye banelungelo lokuthelela intsalela ethanjisiweyo ekubeni ngamaNgqina kaThixo nabathwali begama lakhe.—Isaya 43:10, 11; Yoweli 2:31, 32.
Ukuhlala Bephaphile
9, 10. (a) Simele senze ntoni ukuze siqhubeke simi njengamalungisa phambi koNyana womntu? (b) Simele senze ntoni ukuze sihlale ‘siphaphile’?
9 Isihlwele esikhulu simele silondoloze ukuma kwaso kobulungisa phambi koNyana womntu singayeki, ibe oku kufuna ukuba sihlale siphaphile kude kube sekupheleni. UYesu wakuchaza ngokucacileyo oku xa wathi: “Zilumkeleni ke, hleze zisindwe iintliziyo zenu kukuzingxala, nakukunxila, nangamaxhala obu bomi, ize loo mini inifikele ngebhaqo. Kuba iya kubazela njengomgibe bonke abahleliyo phezu kwehlabathi lonke. Phaphani ngoko, amaxesha onke nikhunga, ukuze kuthiwe nikufanele ukuzisaba zonke ezo zinto ziza kuhla, nokumiswa phambi koNyana woMntu.”—Luka 21:34-36.
10 Ukuze siphumelele ekumisweni phambi koNyana womntu, ufanele akholiswe sithi, nto leyo engayi kwenzeka ukuba sizivumela siphenjelelwe yindlela yeli hlabathi yokucinga. Indlela yehlabathi yokucinga iyinkohliso yaye inokumenza umntu azifice kwiziyolo okanye asindwe kakhulu ziingxaki zobomi de angaqhubeki ebeka tanci izilangazelelo zoBukumkani. (Mateyu 6:33) Oku kunokumenza buthathaka umntu ngokomoya kuze kumshiye engazikhathalele iimbopheleleko anazo kuThixo nakwabanye. Unokuphola okanye azenze angabi nandawo ebandleni ngokwenza isono esinzulu, mhlawumbi ade abonakalise isimo sengqondo sokungaguquki. Mntu ngamnye kwisihlwele esikhulu umele azilumkele. Umele ahlale ahlukile kweli hlabathi lingahloneli Thixo nakwizenzo zalo.—Yohane 17:16.
11. Kukusebenzisa yiphi imigaqo yeZibhalo okuya kusinceda sisinde kwiArmagedon?
11 Ukuze sikwazi ukwenza oko, uYehova ukulungiselele oko kuyimfuneko kuthi ngeLizwi lakhe, ngomoya wakhe oyingcwele, nangentlangano yakhe ebonakalayo. Simele sizisebenzise ngokupheleleyo ezi zinto. Ngaphezu koko, sifanele sithandaze size simthobele uThixo ukuba silindele ukuba akholiswe sithi. Phakathi kwezinye izinto, simele sihlakulele ukukuthiya ngokupheleleyo okubi. Umdumisi wathi: “Andihlali namadoda akhohlakeleyo, andihambi nabanyhwalazi. Ndilithiyile ibandla labenzi bobubi, andihlali nabangendawo. Musa ukuwubuthela umphefumlo wam ndawonye naboni, ubomi bam ndawonye namadoda anamagazi.” (INdumiso 26:4, 5, 9) Kwibandla lamaKristu, abaselula nabakhulileyo ngokufanayo kufuneka bakuphephe ukunxulumana ngokungeyomfuneko nabo bangazahlulelanga kuYehova. Ukuze uThixo akholiswe sithi, sifanele sizabalazele ukungabi nasiphako nokungabi nabala kulo ihlabathi. (INdumiso 26:1-5; Yakobi 1:27; 4:4) Ngaloo ndlela, siya kuqiniseka ukuba ngeArmagedon, uYehova akayi kusitshabalalisa ngokufa kunye nabangahloneli Thixo.
Bambi “Abasayi Kufa Naphakade”
12, 13. (a) Ngaphambi kokuvusa uLazaro, ngawaphi amazwi awathethwa nguYesu uMarta angazange awaqonde ngokupheleleyo? (b) Yintoni eyayingathethwa ngamazwi kaYesu athi abathile “abasayi kufa naphakade”?
12 Kubangel’ imincili ukuba nethemba lokusinda kwisiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto nokuba nethemba lokungaze ufe. Eli lithemba esilinikwa nguYesu. Ngaphambi nje kokuba avuse umhlobo wakhe owayefile uLazaro, uYesu wamxelela oku udadeboLazaro uMarta: “Ndim uvuko, ndim ubomi; lowo ukholwayo kum, nokuba ubethe wafa, wodla ubomi. Bonke abadla ubomi bekholwa kum, abasayi kufa naphakade; uyakholwa na koko?” UMarta wayekholelwa eluvukweni, kodwa wayengakuqondi konke oko kwakuthethwa nguYesu.—Yohane 11:25, 26.
13 UYesu wayengathethi ukuba abapostile bakhe abathembekileyo babeya kuqhubeka bephila besenyameni bangaze bafe. Kunoko, kamva wabonisa ukuba abafundi bakhe babeya kufa. (Yohane 21:16-23) Eneneni, ukuthanjiswa kwabo ngomoya oyingcwele ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E. kwakuthetha ukuba babeya kufa ukuze bafumane ilifa labo lasemazulwini njengookumkani nababingeleli. (ISityhilelo 20:4, 6) Ngaloo ndlela, ngokuhamba kwexesha, onke amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala afa. Noko ke, uYesu wayenenjongo yokuthetha oko wakuthethayo. Amazwi akhe ngokuphila bangaze bafe aya kuzaliseka.
14, 15. (a) Amazwi kaYesu athi abathile “abasayi kufa naphakade” aya kuzaliseka njani? (b) Injani imeko ehlabathini namhlanje, kodwa amalungisa analiphi ithemba?
14 Phakathi kwezinye izinto, amaKristu athanjisiweyo nathembekileyo akasayi kufa ngonaphakade. (ISityhilelo 20:6) Kwakhona, amazwi kaYesu abhekisela kwixesha elithile xa uThixo eya kungenelela kwimicimbi yabantu aze aphelise ubungendawo emhlabeni, kanye njengokuba wenzayo ngomhla kaNowa. Abantu abathembekileyo abafunyanwa besenza ukuthanda kukaThixo ngelo xesha akusayi kufuneka bafe ngenxa yezenzo zomgwebo kaThixo. Kunoko, njengoNowa nentsapho yakhe, baya kuba nethuba lokusinda kwintshabalalo yehlabathi. Ithemba elinjalo liqinisekile, ekubeni lisekelwe kwiimfundiso nakwimizekelo eseBhayibhileni. (Thelekisa amaHebhere 6:19; 2 Petros 2:4-9.) Ukuzaliseka kweso siprofeto seBhayibhile kubonisa ukuba kungekudala eli hlabathi likhoyo libunjwe libutho labantu abangemalungisa liza kutshatyalaliswa liphele. Imeko ekhoyo ayinakuguqulwa, kuba ihlabathi lingendawo ngokugqithe emgceni. Oko uThixo wakuthetha ngehlabathi lomhla kaNowa kuyinyaniso nangehlabathi esiphila kulo. Iintliziyo zabantu abaninzi kakhulu zizele ubungendawo, ibe iingcinga zabo zimbi ngalo lonke ixesha.—Genesis 6:5.
15 UYehova uye wabavumela abantu balawula umhlaba kangangeenkulungwane engabaphazamisi, kodwa ixesha labo sele liza kuphela. Kungekudala uYehova uza kubatshabalalisa bonke abangendawo emhlabeni, kanye njengokuba iBhayibhile isitsho. (INdumiso 145:20; IMizekeliso 2:21, 22) Noko ke, akayi kumtshabalalisa olilungisa nongendawo. UThixo akakaze ayenze into enjalo! (Thelekisa iGenesis 18:22, 23, 26.) Sisiphi isizathu esinokubangela ukuba atshabalalise abo bazabalazela ukumkhonza ngokuthembeka, benokoyika uThixo? Lisengqiqweni elokuba uYehova uya kukholiswa ngabanquli bakhe abathembekileyo abaya kuba bephila xa imbandezelo enkulu iqalisa yaye abayi kutshatyalaliswa, kanye njengokuba uNowa nentsapho yakhe bengazange batshatyalaliswe xa ihlabathi elingendawo lomhla wakhe lafikelela esiphelweni salo esiyintlekele. (Genesis 7:23) UThixo uya kubakhusela ibe baya kusinda kwisiphelo seli hlabathi.
16. Ziziphi izinto ezimangalisayo eziya kwenzeka kwihlabathi elitsha, nto leyo eya kuthetha ntoni kwabasindileyo?
16 Kuya kwenzeka ntoni ngoko? Kwihlabathi elitsha, uluntu luya kufumana iintsikelelo eziphilisayo njengoko zisetyenziswa ngokuzeleyo iingenelo zedini likaYesu lentlawulelo. Ngokufuziselayo iBhayibhile ithetha ‘ngomlambo wamanzi obomi, uqaqambile, ngathi ngumkhenkce, uphuma etroneni kaThixo neyeMvana. Phakathi kwesitrato sawo, ngapha nangapha komlambo, ngumthi wobomi, ovelisa iintlobo zeziqhamo ezilishumi elinambini, unika iinyanga ngeenyanga zonke isiqhamo sawo; aye amagqabi omthi lowo engawokuphilisa iintlanga.’ (ISityhilelo 22:1, 2) Kuyavuyisa ukuthi, ‘ukuphilisa’ kuquka ukoyisa ukufa okweza ngoAdam! “Iya kuginya ukufa kuphele, izisule iNkosi uYehova iinyembezi ebusweni bonke.” (Isaya 25:8) Ngaloo ndlela, abo basinda kwimbandezelo enkulu bangene kwihlabathi elitsha akusayi kufuneka bafe!
Ithemba Eliqinisekileyo
17. Liqiniseke kangakanani ithemba lokuba abathile baya kusinda eArmagedon ‘bangaze bafe naphakade’?
17 Ngaba sinokuba nentembelo ngokupheleleyo kweli themba limangalisayo? Ngokuqinisekileyo! UYesu waxelela uMarta ukuba kwakuya kubakho ixesha xa abantu babeya kuphila bangaze bafe. (Yohane 11:26) Ngaphezu koko, kwisahluko 7 seSityhilelo uYesu awasinika uYohane, kwatyhilwa ukuba isihlwele esikhulu sasiya kuphuma embandezelweni enkulu, sisinde kuyo. Ngaba sinokumkholelwa uYesu Kristu nengxelo yembali yoMkhukula womhla kaNowa? Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo! Ngaphezu koko, iBhayibhile inezinye iingxelo zezihlandlo uThixo awabalondoloza ngazo bephila abakhonzi bakhe xa kwakugwetywa naxa kwakutshabalala iintlanga ezithile. Ngaba asifanele silindele ukuba enze okufanayo kweli xesha lesiphelo? Ngaba kukho into angenakukwazi ukuyenza uMdali?—Thelekisa uMateyu 19:26.
18. Sinokuqiniseka njani ngokufumana ubomi kwihlabathi elitsha likaYehova lobulungisa?
18 Ngokukhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka ngoku, sinokuqiniseka ngokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade kwihlabathi lakhe elitsha. Izigidi ezininzi, ziya kufumana ubomi kwelo hlabathi litsha ngovuko. Kodwa, kumhla wethu, abantu bakaYehova abazizigidi—ewe, abasisihlwele esikhulu ekungekho namnye unako ukusibala okanye asisikele umda—baya kuba nelungelo elikhethekileyo lokusindiswa bephila kwimbandezelo enkulu. Ibe akusayi kuba yimfuneko ukuba bafe.
Khawucacise
◻ Ukusinda kwiArmagedon kwaboniswa njani kwangaphambili ngomhla kaNowa?
◻ Simele senze ntoni ukuze siqhubeke simile xa uYesu esiza kuphumeza imigwebo kaYehova?
◻ Kutheni sinokuthi abo baya kusinda eArmagedon akuyi kufuneka ‘bafe naphakade’?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]
AmaKristu asinda kwimbandezelo yaseYerusalem