Amaxesha Namathuba Asezandleni Zikayehova

“Asikokwenu ukufumana ulwazi ngamaxesha okanye amathuba uBawo awabeke ngegunya lakhe.”—IZENZO 1:7.

1. UYesu wayiphendula njani imibuzo yabapostile bakhe eyayiphathelele ixesha?

NGUWUPHI umbuzo omele ukuba unkenteza ezingqondweni zabo ‘bagcumayo, bancwinayo ngenxa yamasikizi onke awenziwa’ yiNgqobhoko nalihlabathi liphela ngaphezu kothi kazi iya kuphela nini na le nkqubo ingendawo ize ithatyathelw’ indawo lihlabathi likaThixo elitsha? (Hezekile 9:4; 2 Petros 3:13) Abapostile bakaYesu bambuza imibuzo ephathelele ixesha ngaphambi nje kokufa nasemva kokuvuswa kwakhe. (Mateyu 24:3; IZenzo 1:6) Noko ke, kwimpendulo yakhe, uYesu akazange abafundise indlela yokubala imihla. Ngesinye isihlandlo wabachazela ngomqondiso oyintlanganisela, ibe ngesinye wathi ‘asikokwabo ukufumana ulwazi ngamaxesha okanye amathuba uBawo awabeke ngegunya lakhe.’—IZenzo 1:7.

2. Kutheni kunokuthiwa uYesu ebengasoloko elazi ixesha uYise aza kwenza ngalo iziganeko zexesha lesiphelo?

² Nangona uYesu ekuphela koNyana ozelwe nguYehova, naye ebengasoloko elazi ixesha uYise awayeya kuzenza ngalo izinto. Xa wayeprofeta ngemihla yokugqibela, ngokuthobeka uYesu wavuma esithi: “Ngokuphathelele loo mhla nelo lixa akukho bani waziyo, azazi neengelosi zamazulu engazi noNyana, kodwa nguBawo kuphela.” (Mateyu 24:36) UYesu wayekulungele ukumlinda ngomonde uYise ukuze amtyhilele elona xesha aya kutshabalalisa ngalo le nkqubo ingendawo yezinto.a

3. Yintoni esinokuyifunda kwiimpendulo zikaYesu zemibuzo ephathelele injongo kaThixo?

³ Zimbini izinto esinokuzifunda kwindlela uYesu awaphendula ngayo kwimibuzo ephathelele ixesha ezaziya kwenzeka ngalo izinto ukuze kuzaliseke injongo kaThixo. Okokuqala, sifunda ukuba uYehova unamaxesha awamisileyo; yaye okwesibini, sifumanisa ukuba nguye yedwa owamisayo, ibe abakhonzi bakhe abanakulindela ukuba abahlebele kusengaphambili ngamaxesha namathuba akhe.

Amaxesha Namathuba KaYehova

4. Ithini intsingiselo yegama lesiGrike elithi “amaxesha” nelithi “amathuba” afumaneka kwiZenzo 1:7?

⁴ Lithetha ntoni igama elithi “amaxesha” nelithi “amathuba”? Amazwi kaYesu abhalwe kwiZenzo 1:7 abhekisela kwiindidi ezimbini zexesha. Igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “amaxesha” lithetha “ixesha eliqhubekayo,” ixesha elingasikelwanga mda (enoba lide okanye lifutshane). Igama elithi “amathuba” liyinguqulelo yegama elibhekisela kwixesha elibekiweyo okanye elimisiweyo, ithuba elithile, okanye ixesha eliphawulwa zizinto ezithile. Ngokuphathelele la magama mabini antlandlolo, uW. E. Vine uthi: “KwiZenzo 1:7, ‘uBawo uye wamisela ngegunya Lakhe’ amaxesha (chronos), angasikelwanga mda, kunye namathuba (kairos), amaxesha azibalula ngeziganeko ezithile.”

5. UYehova wamxelela nini uNowa ngenjongo Yakhe yokutshabalalisa ihlabathi elonakeleyo, yaye ziziphi izinto ezimbini ezaphunyezwa nguNowa?

⁵ Ngaphambi koMkhukula, uThixo walisikela iminyaka engama-120 ihlabathi elalonakaliswe luluntu naziingelosi ezazinemvukelo ezazambethe imizimba yenyama. (Genesis 6:1-3) Ngelo xesha uNowa owayehlonela uThixo wayeneminyaka engama-480. (Genesis 7:6) Ngelo xesha wayengenabantwana ibe wahlala engenabo kangangeminye iminyaka engama-20. (Genesis 5:32) Kamva, sele bekhulile baza batshata oonyana bakaNowa, uThixo waxelela uNowa ngenjongo Yakhe yokutshayela ubungendawo emhlabeni. (Genesis 6:9-13, 18) Nangona uNowa wayenikwe uthumo lokwakha umkhombe nokushumayela kubantu awayephila nabo, uYehova akazange amxelele ixesha awayeza kuthabatha amanyathelo ngalo.—Genesis 6:14; 2 Petros 2:5.

6. (a) UNowa wabonisa njani ukuba umbandela wexesha wayewuyekele ezandleni zikaYehova? (b) Sinokuwulandela njani umzekelo kaNowa?

⁶ Kangangamashumi eminyaka—mhlawumbi isiqingatha senkulungwane—“wenza uNowa konke uThixo abemwisele umthetho ngako.” UNowa wenjenjalo eqhutywa ‘lukholo,’ engawazi owona mhla kwakuya kwenzeka ngawo oko. (Genesis 6:22; Hebhere 11:7) UYehova akazange amxelele ngexesha ezaziya kwenzeka ngalo ezo ziganeko de kwayiveki ngaphambi kokuqalisa kukaNogumbe. (Genesis 7:1-5) Intembelo nokuba nokholo kukaNowa ngokupheleleyo kuYehova kwamenza wawuyekela ezandleni zikaThixo umbandela wexesha. Ibe hayi indlela uNowa amele ukuba waba nombulelo ngayo xa wayeyiva ingalo kaYehova ekhuselayo ebudeni boMkhukula waza kamva waphuma emkhombeni enyathela kumhlaba ococekileyo! Ngaba nathi asifanele sibonakalise ukholo olunjalo kuThixo ekubeni sinethemba lokuhlangulwa ngendlela efanayo?

7, 8. (a) Zaqalisa njani iintlanga namagunya ehlabathi? (b) Kungayiphi indlela awathi uYehova “wamisa amaxesha amisiweyo nemida emiselweyo yokuhlala kwabantu”?

⁷ Emva koMkhukula, inkoliso yenzala kaNowa yalulahla unqulo lokwenyaniso lukaYehova. Inyeke ukuhlala ndawonye, yaqalisa ukwakha isixeko nenqaba yonqulo lobuxoki. UYehova wagqiba kwelokuba elo yayilixesha lokungenelela. Waphixanisa ulwimi lwayo waza “wabachithachitha [eBhabheli bathi saa] kwalapho ehlabathini lonke.” (Genesis 11:4, 8, 9) Kamva, amaqela eelwimi aba ziintlanga, ezathi ezinye zazo zangenelela kwezinye zaza zaba ngamagunya alawula imimandla ethile, ezinye zada zaba ngamagunya ehlabathi.—Genesis 10:32.

⁸ Ngokuvisisana nokusebenza kwenjongo yakhe, maxa wambi uThixo wayeyimisa ngokwakhe imida yamazwe kunye nexesha uhlanga oluthile oluya kulawula ngalo ekuhlaleni okanye eliya kuba ligunya lehlabathi ngalo. (Genesis 15:13, 14, 18-21; Eksodus 23:31; Duteronomi 2:17-22; Daniyeli 8:5-7, 20, 21) Umpostile uPawulos wabhekisela kule nkalo yamaxesha namathuba kaYehova xa waxelela izifundiswa zamaGrike zaseAthene oku: “UThixo owenza ihlabathi nazo zonke izinto ezikulo . . . wazenza ngokuphuma kumntu omnye zonke iintlanga zabantu, ukuba zihlale kumphezulu uphela womhlaba, ibe wamisa amaxesha amisiweyo nemida emiselweyo yokuhlala kwabantu.”—IZenzo 17:24, 26.

9. UYehova uye ‘wawaguqula njani amaxesha neminyaka’ ngokuphathelele ookumkani?

⁹ Oku akuthethi kuthi nguYehova odala ukruthakruthwano neenguqu zezobupolitika ezintlangeni. Ukanti, unako ukungenelela xa efuna ukuphumeza injongo yakhe. Ngaloo ndlela, umprofeti uDaniyeli, owazibonela ukubhangiswa kweGunya Lehlabathi laseBhabhiloni nokumiswa kwamaMedi namaPersi endaweni yalo, wathetha wenjenje ngoYehova: “Uyawaguqula ke amaxesha neminyaka; uguzula ookumkani, amise ookumkani; unika ubulumko kwizilumko, unika ukwazi kwabakwaziyo ukuqonda.”—Daniyeli 2:21; Isaya 44:24–45:7.

“Lalisondela Ixesha”

10, 11. (a) UYehova walimisela kwiminyaka emingaphi ngaphambi kokuba lifike ixesha awayeza kuhlangula ngalo inzala ka-Abraham ebukhobokeni? (b) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba amaSirayeli ayengalazi elona xesha awayeza kuhlangulwa ngalo?

¹⁰ Kwisithuba esingaphezu kweenkulungwane ezine ngaphambili, uYehova wamisela unyaka awayeya kulithoba ngawo iGunya Lehlabathi laseYiputa aze akhulule inzala ka-Abraham ebukhobokeni. Etyhila injongo yakhe kuAbraham, uThixo wathembisa oku: “Yazi ke, ukuba imbewu yakho iya kuba ngumphambukeli ezweni elingelayo, ibakhonze abo, bayicinezele, iminyaka emakhulu mane. Kananjalo uhlanga eya kulukhonza ndiya kulugweba; emveni koko iya kuphuma ineempahla ezininzi.” (Genesis 15:13, 14) Xa wayeshwankathela imbali yamaSirayeli, ephambi kweSanhedrin, uStefano wabhekisela kule minyaka ingama-400 waza wathi: “Kanye njengoko lalisondela ixesha lokuzaliseka kwesithembiso uThixo awayesivakalise ekuhleni kuAbraham, abantu bakhula baza baphindaphindeka eYiputa, kwada kwavela ukumkani owahlukileyo eYiputa, owayengazi ngoYosefu.”—IZenzo 7:6, 17, 18.

¹¹ Lo Faro wayesandul’ ukuthabath’ iintambo wawenza amakhoboka amaSirayeli. Ngelo xesha uMoses wayengekayibhali incwadi yeGenesis, nangona kusenokwenzeka ukuba amadinga awenziwa nguYehova kuAbraham ayedluliselwe ngokubaliselana okanye ebhaliwe. Nangona kunjalo, kuyabonakala ukuba inkcazelo awayenayo amaSirayeli ayizange iwenze awazi owona mhla awayeya kukhululwa ngawo emakhamandeleni. UThixo wayelazi ixesha awayeza kuwakhulula ngalo, kodwa kuyabonakala ukuba ezo ntsizana zingamaSirayeli zazingalazi. Sifunda oku: “Kwathi emva kwaloo mihla mininzi wafa ukumkani waseYiputa. Bancwina oonyana bakaSirayeli ngenxa yomsebenzi, bakhala; kwenyuka ukuzibika kwabo, kwaya kuThixo, ngenxa yomsebenzi. Wakuva uThixo ukugula kwabo, wawukhumbula uThixo umnqophiso wakhe noAbraham, noIsake, noYakobi. UThixo wababona oonyana bakaSirayeli, wabazi uThixo.”—Eksodus 2:23-25.

12. UStefano wabonisa njani ukuba uMoses wathabatha amanyathelo ngaphambi kokuba lifike ixesha elalimiswe nguYehova?

¹² Oku kungazi kwamaSirayeli elona xesha awayeya kuhlangulwa ngalo kunokubonwa nakumagqabantshintshi awenziwa nguStefano. Ethetha ngoMoses, wathi: “Ke kaloku xa kwakuzaliseka ixesha lonyaka wakhe wamashumi amane, kwafika entliziyweni yakhe ukuya kuvelela abazalwana bakhe, oonyana bakaSirayeli. Yaye xa wabona uthile ephathwa ngokungekho sikweni, wamthethelela waza waphumeza impindezelo ngenxa yalowo wayephathwa kakubi ngokumxabela umYiputa. Wayeba yena abazalwana bakhe babeya kucacelwa kukuba uThixo wayebanika usindiso ngesandla sakhe, kodwa bona abacacelwanga koko.” (IZenzo 7:23-25) UMoses wathabatha amanyathelo kwiminyaka engama-40 ngaphambi kwexesha elalimiselwe nguThixo. UStefano wabonisa ukuba uMoses kwafuneka elinde eminye iminyaka engama-40 ngaphambi kokuba uThixo ‘anike amaSirayeli usindiso ngesandla sakhe.’—IZenzo 7:30-36.

13. Imeko yethu ifana njani neyamaSirayeli ngaphambi kokuba ahlangulwe eYiputa?

¹³ Nangona “lalisondela ixesha lokuzaliseka kwesithembiso” yaye uThixo ewumisile loo nyaka, kwafuneka uMoses nawo onke amaSirayeli babe nokholo. Babemele balindele ixesha elimiswe nguYehova, bengakwazi kanjalo ukulibala kusengaphambili. Nathi seyisekile kwelokuba sele kumbovu ukuba sihlangulwe kule nkqubo ingendawo ikhoyo yezinto. Siyazi ukuba siphila ‘kwimihla yokugqibela.’ (2 Timoti 3:1-5) Ngoko ngaba asifanele sikulungele ukubonakalisa ukholo lwethu yaye silinde ixesha elimiselwe nguYehova eza kufika ngalo imini yakhe? (2 Petros 3:11-13) Siya kwandula ke, njengoMoses namaSirayeli, sitsho ngoncuthu lwengoma ezukileyo yentlangulo, sidumisa uYehova.—Eksodus 15:1-19.

‘Xa Kwafika Ixesha’

14, 15. Sazi njani ukuba uThixo wayemisele ixesha lokuba uNyana wakhe eze emhlabeni, ibe yintoni eyayijongwe ngamehlw’ amnyama ngabaprofeti kwaneengelosi?

¹⁴ UYehova wayemise ixesha lokuza kokuphela koNyana amzeleyo emhlabeni njengoMesiya. UPawulos wabhala: “Xa umda ozeleyo wexesha wafikayo, uThixo wathumela uNyana wakhe, owathi waphuma emfazini waza waba phantsi komthetho.” (Galati 4:4) Le yayiyinzaliseko yedinga likaThixo lokuthumela iMbewu—‘uShilo, owayeza kululanyelwa zizizwe.’—Genesis 3:15; 49:10.

¹⁵ Abaprofeti bakaThixo—nkqu neengelosi—babelinde “ithuba” uMesiya awayeya kubonakala ngalo emhlabeni nelaliya kusindiswa ngalo uluntu olunesono. UPetros wathi: “Ngokuphathelele lona kanye olu sindiso babuzisa ngenkuthalo baza benza nophengululo lwenyameko abaprofeti abaprofeta ngobubele obungasifanelanga obamiselwa nina. Baqhubeka behlola ukuba liliphi elona xesha okanye luhlobo luni lwexesha owawulibonisa umoya owawukubo ngokuphathelele uKristu xa wawunikela ubungqina kwangaphambili ngeembandezelo zikaKristu nangozuko olwaluya kuzilandela. . . . Kuzo zona kanye ezi zinto iingelosi zinqwenela ukuqondela.”—1 Petros 1:1-5, 10-12.

16, 17. (a) Sisiphi isiprofeto uYehova awanceda ngaso amaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala ukuba alindele uMesiya? (b) Isiprofeto sikaDaniyeli siye saluchaphazela njani ulindelo lwamaYuda ngoMesiya?

¹⁶ Esebenzisa umprofeti wakhe uDaniyeli—indoda eyayinokholo olungagungqiyo—uYehova wayedlulisele isiprofeto esibandakanya “iiveki ezimashumi asixhenxe.” Eso siprofeto sasiza kwenza amaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala aqonde ukuba ukubonakala kukaMesiya othenjisiweyo kwakusondela. Inxalenye yesi siprofeto yayisithi: “Kuthabathela ekuphumeni kwelizwi lokuba ibuyiswe yakhiwe iYerusalem, kuse kumthanjiswa oyinganga, ziiveki ezisixhenxe; ziiveki ezimashumi mathandathu anambini.” (Daniyeli 9:24, 25) Abaphengululi abangamaYuda, abangamaKatolika nabangamaProtestanti bonke bavumelana ngokuba ezi “veki” zikhankanywe apha zibhekisela kwiiveki zeminyaka. “Iiveki” ezingama-69 (iminyaka engama-483) ezichazwe kuDaniyeli 9:25 zaqalisa ngowama-455 B.C.E., xa uKumkani wamaPersi uArtashashta wanika uNehemiya igunya ‘lokuba abuyise aze akhe iYerusalem.’ (Nehemiya 2:1-8) Zaphela kwiminyaka engama-483 kamva—ngowama-29 C.E., xa uYesu wabhaptizwa waza wathanjiswa ngomoya oyingcwele, ngaloo ndlela esiba nguMesiya, okanye uKristu.—Mateyu 3:13-17.

¹⁷ Asazi nokuba amaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala ayeyazi ukuba yaqalisa nini na kanye iminyaka engama-483. Kodwa xa uYohane uMbhaptizi waqalisa ubulungiseleli bakhe, “abantu babenolindelo yaye bonke beqiqa ezintliziyweni zabo ngoYohane besithi: ‘Makube mhlawumbi unguKristu na?’” (Luka 3:15) Abanye abaphengululi beBhayibhile bathi abantu babenolu lindelo ngenxa yesiprofeto sikaDaniyeli. Egqabaza ngale ndinyana, uMatthew Henry wabhala: “Apha sixelelwa . . . ngesigqibo abantu abafikelela kuso ngenxa yobulungiseleli nokubhaptiza kukaYohane, becinga ngoMesiya, yaye becinga ukuba sele ekufuphi. . . . Ngoku iiveki ezimashumi asixhenxe athetha ngazo uDaniyeli zazifikelele esiphelweni.” IManuel Biblique yesiFrentshi, ebhalwe nguVigouroux, uBacuez, noBrassac, ithi: “Abantu babesazi ukuba iiveki ezingamashumi asixhenxe ezamiswa nguDaniyeli zazisondela esiphelweni; abantu abazange bawothuke amazwi kaYohane umBhaptizi awayesithi ubukumkani bukaThixo babusondele.” Umphengululi ongumYuda uAbba Hillel Silver wabhala esithi ngokuvisisana “nobalo-maxesha” lwelo xesha, “kwakulindeleke ukuba uMesiya avele ngasekupheleni kwesiqingatha sokuqala senkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo.”

Iziganeko—Kungekhona Ubalo-maxesha

18. Ngoxa isiprofeto sikaDaniyeli sawanceda amaYuda ukuba aqikelele ixesha uMesiya awayeya kubonakala ngalo, yintoni eyatsho kwacaca mhlophe ukuba uYesu wayenguMesiya?

¹⁸ Nangona ubalo-maxesha lwawanceda amaYuda aba nomyinge wexesha awayeza kubonakala ngalo uMesiya, iziganeko ezalandelayo zibonisa ukuba inkoliso yawo ayizange iyamkele into yokuba uYesu unguMesiya ngenxa yalo. Kwisithuba esingaphantsi konyaka ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uYesu wabuza abalandeli bakhe oku: “Izihlwele zithi ndingubani na?” Baphendula besithi: “UnguYohane umBhaptizi; kodwa abanye bathi, unguEliya, ukanti abanye bathi, kuvuke omnye wabaprofeti bamandulo.” (Luka 9:18, 19) Asinayo ingxelo ethi uYesu wacaphula isiprofeto seeveki zokomfuziselo ukuze azingqine ukuba unguMesiya. Kodwa ngenye imini, wakha wathi: “Ndinobungqina obukhulu ngakumbi kunobo bukaYohane, kuba yona kanye imisebenzi uBawo andabele ukuba ndiyifeze, misebenzi leyo ngokwayo endiyenzayo, inikela ubungqina ngam bokuba uBawo undithumele.” (Yohane 5:36) Kunokuba kutyhilwe ubalo-maxesha lokufika kukaMesiya, kwasetyenziswa ukushumayela kukaYesu, imimangaliso awayeyenza neziganeko ezenzeka ngexesha lokufa kwakhe (ummangaliso wokubakho kobumnyama, ukukrazuka kwekhuselo letempile nenyikima) ukungqina ukuba wayethunywe nguThixo.—Mateyu 27:45, 51, 54; Yohane 7:31; IZenzo 2:22.

19. (a) AmaKristu ayeya kwazi njani ukuba ukutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem kwakusemnyango? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze amaKristu okuqala awasaba eYerusalem abe kanti ayesafuna ukholo olungakumbi?

¹⁹ Ngendlela efanayo, emva kokufa kukaYesu, amaKristu okuqala akazange achazelwe ngendlela yokubala ixesha lesiphelo senkqubo yezinto yamaYuda esasisondela. Kuyinyaniso ukuba isiprofeto sikaDaniyeli seeveki zokomfuziselo sakukhankanya ukutshatyalaliswa kwaloo nkqubo. (Daniyeli 9:26b, 27b) Kodwa oko kwakuya kwenzeka sele zidlule “iiveki ezimashumi asixhenxe” (ukusuka kowama-455 B.C.E. ukusa kowama-36 C.E.). Ngamany’ amazwi, emva kokuba abeeNtlanga beqalise ukuba ngabalandeli bakaYesu ngowama-36 C.E., amaKristu ayedlule kwixesha elichazwe kuDaniyeli isahluko 9. Yayiziziganeko, kungekhona ubalo-maxesha, ezaziza kuwabonisa ukuba akusentsuku zatywala iphele inkqubo yamaYuda. Ezo ziganeko, ezazixelwe kwangaphambili nguYesu, zafikelela incopho ngowama-66 C.E., xa imikhosi yamaRoma yahlasela iYerusalem yaphinda yarhoxa. Oku kwanika amaKristu athembekileyo naphaphileyo aseYerusalem nakwelakwaYuda ithuba ‘lokusabela ezintabeni.’ (Luka 21:20-22) Ekubeni ayengayazi indlela yokubala ixesha, la maKristu okuqala ayengazi ukuba iYerusalem yayiya kutshatyalaliswa nini na. Olunjani ukholo awalubonakalisayo ngokushiya amakhaya, amasimi kunye namashishini awo aze acezele kude kwiYerusalem kangangeminyaka emine de wabuya umkhosi wamaRoma ngowama-70 C.E. wayitshayela yathi tu inkqubo yamaYuda!—Luka 19:41-44.

20. (a) Sinokungenelwa njani kumzekelo kaNowa, uMoses namaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala elakwaYuda? (b) Yintoni esiza kuyixubusha kwinqaku elilandelayo?

²⁰ NjengoNowa, uMoses namaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala elakwaYuda, nathi namhlanje siyekela amaxesha namathuba ezandleni zikaYehova. Ukuyamkela kwethu into yokuba siphila kwixesha lesiphelo neyokuba sele siza kuhlangulwa akuxhomekekanga kubalo-maxesha, kodwa kuxhomekeke kwiziganeko ezenzeka ngokwenene nezizalisekisa iziprofeto zeBhayibhile. Ngaphezu koko, nangona siphila ebudeni bobukho bukaKristu, akuthiwa akuseyomfuneko ukubonakalisa ukholo nokuhlala siphaphile. Simele siqhubeke sizilindele ngentumekelelo iziganeko ezibangel’ imincili ezaxelwa kwangaphambili ziZibhalo. Lo mba siza kuwuxubusha kwinqaku elilandelayo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Makhe Senze Impinda

◻ UYesu wabaxelela ntoni abapostile bakhe ngamaxesha namathuba amiswe nguYehova?

◻ UNowa walazi nini ixesha owawumele uqalise ngalo uMkhukula?

◻ Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uMoses namaSirayeli ayengalazi elona xesha awayeza kuhlangulwa ngalo eYiputa?

◻ Sinokungenelwa njani kwimizekelo yeBhayibhile ebandakanya amaxesha namathuba kaYehova?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 11]

Ukholo lukaNowa lwamenza wayekela umbandela wexesha ezandleni zikaYehova