Okwenza Usethembe Isiprofetho SeBhayibheli

INKOSI UPYRRHUS yase-Epirus enyakatho-ntshonalanga yeGreece yayisinesikhathi eside inezingxabano noMbuso WaseRoma. Ifuna ngokuphuthumayo ukwazi ukuthi wawuyoba yini umphumela walokho kungezwani, yaya endaweni yomboni eDelphi. Kodwa impendulo eyayithola yayingase iqondwe nganoma iyiphi yalezi zindlela ezimbili ezilandelayo: (1) “Ngithi wena ndodana ka-Æacus ungawanqoba amaRoma. Uzohamba, ubuye, ngeke ubhujiswe empini.” (2) “Ngithi amaRoma angakunqoba, ndodana ka-Æacus. Uzohamba, ungabuyi, uyobhujiswa empini.” Yakhetha ukuqonda lesi sibikezelo somboni ngendlela yokuqala, ngenxa yalokho yalwa neRoma. UPyrrhus wanqotshwa ngokuphelele.

Izenzakalo ezinjalo zenza izibikezelo zababoni basendulo zaduma ngokuba ezingacacile nezingaqondakali. Kuthiwani ngesiprofetho seBhayibheli? Abanye abagxeki bathi iziprofetho ezitholakala eBhayibhelini ziyefana nje nezibikezelo zababoni. Laba bagxeki bathi izibikezelo zeBhayibheli zazimane nje ziwukubikezelwa ngobuhlakani kwezenzakalo zesikhathi esizayo zabantu abakhaliphile nabanokuqonda okubukhali, ngokuvamile besigaba sabapristi. Bacabanga ukuthi ngenxa nje yolwazi nobuhlobo obukhethekile la madoda ayenabo nabathile, abona kusengaphambili indlela engokwemvelo izinto ezithile ezazizokwenzeka ngayo. Ngokuqhathanisa izici ezihlukahlukene zeziprofetho zeBhayibheli nalezo zezibikezelo zababoni, siyoba sesimweni esingcono sokufinyelela esiphethweni esifanele.

Umahluko Okhona

Izibikezelo zababoni ziphawuleka ngokungacaci kwazo. Ngokwesibonelo, izimpendulo ezanikezwa eDelphi zazinikezwe ngendlela engaqondakali. Lokhu kwenza kwadingeka abapristi bazichaze futhi bakhe amavesi angachazwa ngezindlela eziphikisanayo. Isibonelo esivamile salokhu impendulo eyanikwa uCroesus, inkosi yaseLydia. Lapho eya kumboni, watshelwa: “Uma uCroesus ewela iHalys, uyochitha umbuso onamandla.” Empeleni, “umbuso onamandla” owachithwa kwakungowakhe uqobo! Lapho uCroesus ewela umfula iHalys ukuhlasela iKhaphadosiya, uKoresi umPheresiya wamnqoba.

Ngokuphambene kakhulu nezibikezelo zababoni abangamaqaba, iziprofetho zeBhayibheli ziphawuleka ngokunemba nokucaca kwazo. Isibonelo salokhu yisiprofetho esiphathelene nokuwa kweBabiloni, esilotshwe encwadini yeBhayibheli ka-Isaya. Eminyakeni engaba ngu-200 ngaphambi kokuba lesi senzakalo senzeke, umprofethi u-Isaya wabikezela ngokuningiliziwe nangokunembile ngokunqotshwa kweBabiloni amaMede namaPheresiya. Lesi siprofetho sasho ukuthi igama lomnqobi kwakuyoba uKoresi, futhi sembula nalo kanye isu lokomisa umfula oyisivikelo nokungena ngamasango avuliwe emzini obiyelwe. Konke lokhu kwagcwaliseka ngokunembile. (Isaya 44:27–45:2) Kwaprofethwa ngokunembile nanokuthi iBabiloni laliyogcina lingahlalwa muntu ngokuphelele.—Isaya 13:17-22.

Cabangela nendlela esicace ngayo lesi sixwayiso esakhishwa umprofethi uJona: “Kusezakuba yizinsuku ezingamashumi amane, bese lichithwa iNineve.” (Jona 3:4) Akukho okungacacile lapha! Lesi sigijimi sasicace futhi siqonde kangangokuthi abantu baseNineve ngokushesha “bakholwa nguNkulunkulu; bamemezela ukuzila ukudla, bembatha izindwangu zamasaka.” Ngenxa yokuphenduka kwabo, uJehova akazange abehlisele usizi abaseNineve ngaleso sikhathi.—Jona 3:5-10.

Izibikezelo zababoni zazisetshenziselwa ukuthonya ngokwezombangazwe. Ababusi nabakhuzi bezempi babevame ukucaphuna izincazelo abazithandayo ukuze bathuthukise izithakazelo nemisebenzi yabo, ngaleyo ndlela bakufake “isigubuzelo saphezulu.” Nokho, izigijimi zikaNkulunkulu eziyiziprofetho zazinikezwa ngaphandle kokucabangela abathile.

Ngokwesibonelo: Umprofethi kaJehova uNathani akazange akugweme ukusola iNkosi uDavide eyayonile. (2 Samuweli 12:1-12) Phakathi nokubusa kukaJerobowamu II embusweni wakwa-Israyeli wezizwana eziyishumi, umprofethi uHoseya nomprofethi u-Amose baletha isigijimi esasiyigxeka ngokuqinile le nkosi ehlubukayo nabasekeli bayo ngenxa yobuzenzisi nezenzo zabo zokungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu. (Hoseya 5:1-7; Amose 2:6-8) Isixwayiso sikaJehova esasiqine ngokukhethekile yileso esakhishwa ngomprofethi u-Amose esasithi: ‘Ngizakuvukela indlu kaJerobowamu ngenkemba.’ (Amose 7:9) Indlu kaJerobowamu yachithwa.—1 AmaKhosi 15:25-30; 2 IziKronike 13:20.

Ngokuvamile, kwakukhishwa imali ukuze kutholwe izibikezelo zababoni. Owayekhokha ngokwengeziwe wayethola izibikezelo azithandayo. Labo ababeya kubaboni eDelphi babekhokha izimali ezishisiwe ngokwaziswa okungasho lutho nje, ngaleyo ndlela begcwalisa ithempeli lika-Apollo nezinye izakhiwo ngengcebo. Ngokuphambene, iziprofetho nezixwayiso zeBhayibheli zazinikezwa ngaphandle kwenkokhiso futhi kwakungabi nanokuncane ukukhetha. Kwakuba njalo kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lowo osinikezwayo wayenasiphi isikhundla noma ingcebo, ngoba umprofethi weqiniso wayengenakufunjathiswa. Umprofethi nomahluleli uSamuweli wayengabuza ngobuqotho: “Ngamukele umvuzo esandleni sikabani ukuba ngifihle amehlo ami ngawo na?”—1 Samuweli 12:3.

Njengoba izibikezelo zababoni zazitholakala endaweni ethile kuphela, umuntu kwakudingeka enze umzamo omkhulu wokuya lapho ukuze azithole. Kumuntu ovamile, eziningi zalezo zindawo kwakunzima kakhulu ukuzifinyelela ngoba zazisezindaweni ezinjengaseDodona eNtabeni iTomarus e-Epirus naseDelphi emaphakathi neGreece enezintaba. Ngokuvamile, kwakungabacebile nabanamandla kuphela ababekwazi ukuya konkulunkulu kulezo zindawo zababoni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, “intando yawonkulunkulu” yayembulwa ngezinsuku ezimbalwa nje onyakeni. Ngokuphambene ngendlela ephawulekayo, uJehova uNkulunkulu wayezithumela ngokuqondile kubantu izithunywa zakhe ezingabaprofethi ukuze zimemezele iziprofetho okudingeka bazizwe. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi amaJuda ayesekudingisweni eBabiloni, uNkulunkulu wayenabaprofethi okungenani abathathu ababekhonza phakathi kwabantu bakhe—uJeremiya eJerusalema, uHezekeli owayenabadingiswa noDaniyeli enhloko-dolobha yoMbuso WaseBabiloni.—Jeremiya 1:1, 2; Hezekeli 1:1; Daniyeli 2:48.

Izibikezelo zababoni zazivame ukunikezwa ngasese ukuze lowo ozinikezwayo akwazi ukubeka incazelo yazo ngendlela ezomzuzisa. Ngokuphambene, iziprofetho zeBhayibheli ngokuvamile zazinikezwa obala ukuze bonke bezwe isigijimi futhi baqonde lokho esikushoyo. Umprofethi uJeremiya wakhuluma iziwombe eziningi obala eJerusalema, nakuba ayazi ukuthi isigijimi sakhe sasingathandeki kubaholi nezakhamuzi zakulo muzi.—Jeremiya 7:1, 2.

Namuhla, izibikezelo zababoni zibhekwa njengengxenye yomlando wasendulo. Azinalusizo kubantu abaphila ezikhathini zethu ezibucayi. Azikho izibikezelo ezinjalo ezikhuluma ngosuku lwethu noma ngesikhathi esizayo. Ngokuphambene ngendlela ephawulekayo, iziprofetho zeBhayibheli ziyingxenye ‘yezwi likaNkulunkulu eliphilayo nelinamandla.’ (Heberu 4:12) Iziprofetho zeBhayibheli esezigcwalisekile zibonisa indlela uJehova asebenzelana ngayo nabantu, zembule nezici ezibalulekile zezinjongo nobuntu bakhe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kuneziprofetho zeBhayibheli ezibalulekile ezisazogcwaliseka maduze nje. Lapho echaza lokho okuzayo, umphostoli uPetru wabhala: “Kukhona amazulu amasha [uMbuso kaMesiya wasezulwini] nomhlaba omusha [umphakathi wesintu olungile] esikulindele ngokwesithembiso [sikaNkulunkulu], futhi kukho kuyohlala ukulunga.”—2 Petru 3:13.

Lokhu kuqhathanisa kafushane iziprofetho zeBhayibheli nezibikezelo zababoni benkolo yamanga kungase kukuholele esiphethweni esifana naleso esashiwo encwadini enesihloko esithi The Great Ideas sokuthi: “Ngokuphathelene nokwazi kusengaphambili kwabantu abafayo, abaprofethi abangamaHeberu babonakala behlukile. Ngokungafani nababoni abangamaqaba, . . . akudingeki basebenzise ubuciko noma izinto zokufinyelela ezimfihlakalweni zaphezulu. . . . Ngokuvamile, izinkulumo zabo zeziprofetho, ngokungafani nezababoni, zibonakala zicacile. Okungenani injongo ibonakala ingekhona ukufihla, kodwa ukwambula icebo likaNkulunkulu ezindabeni Yena afisa ukuba abantu babone kuzo kusengaphambili inkambo eyisiqondiso saphezulu.”

Ingabe Uyosethemba Isiprofetho SeBhayibheli?

Ungasethemba isiprofetho seBhayibheli. Eqinisweni, ungakugxilisa ukuphila kwakho kuJehova nasekugcwalisekeni kwezwi lakhe lesiprofetho. Isiprofetho seBhayibheli asiwona umbhalo ongasasebenzi wezibikezelo esezagcwaliseka. Iziprofetho eziningi ezitholakala emiBhalweni ziyagcwaliseka manje noma zizogcwaliseka maduze nje. Ngokwalokho okwenzeka esikhathini esidlule, singaqiniseka ngokuphelele ukuthi nazo zizogcwaliseka. Njengoba lezi ziprofetho zigxile esikhathini sethu futhi zihilela ikusasa lethu, siyobe senza kahle uma sizibheka njengezibalulekile.

Ungasethemba ngokuqinisekile isiprofetho seBhayibheli esitholakala ku-Isaya 2:2, 3 esithi: “Kuyakuthi ngezinsuku ezizayo intaba yendlu kaJehova iqiniswe esiqongweni sezintaba . . . Abantu abaningi bayakuhamba, bathi: ‘Wozani sikhuphukele entabeni kaJehova . . . uyakusifundisa izindlela zakhe, sihambe emikhondweni yakhe.’” Namuhla, ngempela izigidi zabantu zamukela ukukhulekela okuphakeme kukaJehova futhi zifunda ukuhamba emikhondweni yakhe. Ingabe uyolibamba leli thuba lokufunda okwengeziwe ngezindlela zikaNkulunkulu nokungenisa ulwazi olunembile ngaye nangezinjongo zakhe ukuze uhambe emikhondweni yakhe?—Johane 17:3.

Kunokugcwaliseka kwesinye isiprofetho seBhayibheli okudinga sithathe isinyathelo esiphuthumayo. Ngokuphathelene nesikhathi esizayo esiseduze, umhubi wahlabelela ngokwesiprofetho: “Ababi bazakuchithwa . . . Kuse ngumzuzwana, omubi angabe esabakho.” (IHubo 37:9, 10) Ucabanga ukuthi yini edingekayo ukuze ugweme imbubhiso ezayo yababi, kuhlanganise nalabo abaklolodela iziprofetho zeBhayibheli? Ihubo elifanayo liyaphendula: “[Abathemba] uJehova bazakudla ifa lomhlaba.” (IHubo 37:9, NW) Ukwethemba kuJehova kusho ukuzethemba ngokuphelele izithembiso zakhe nokuvumelanisa ukuphila kwethu nezindinganiso zakhe.—IzAga 2:21, 22.

Kuyoba njani ukuphila lapho labo abethemba kuJehova bedla ifa lomhlaba? Nalapha, iziprofetho zeBhayibheli zembula ukuthi isintu esilalelayo sigcinelwe ikusasa elikhazimulayo. Umprofethi u-Isaya wabhala: “Khona amehlo ezimpumputhe ayakuvulwa, zivuleke nezindlebe zezithulu. Khona unyonga luyakutshekula njengendluzele, nolimi lwesimungulu luyakuhuba, ngokuba ehlane kuyakubhoboka amanzi, nemifudlana kwahlongasibi.” (Isaya 35:5, 6) Umphostoli uJohane wabhala la mazwi aqinisekisayo: “[UJehova] uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni aso, futhi ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlulile. Futhi Lowo ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi wathi: . . . ‘Loba, ngoba lamazwi akholekile futhi ayiqiniso.’”—IsAmbulo 21:4, 5.

OFakazi BakaJehova bayazi ukuthi iBhayibheli liyincwadi yesiprofetho esinokwethenjelwa. Futhi bavumelana ngokugcwele nesikhuthazo somphostoli uPetru esithi: “Sinezwi eliyisiprofetho elenziwe laqiniseka ngokwengeziwe; futhi nenza kahle ngokulinaka ngokungathi isibani esikhanya endaweni emnyama, usuku luze luntwele futhi ikhwezi liphume, ezinhliziyweni zenu.” (2 Petru 1:19) Sethemba ngobuqotho ukuthi ayokukhuthaza amathemba amahle isiprofetho seBhayibheli esiwanikezayo ngekusasa!

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 6]

INDAWO YOMBONI YASEDELPHI yayidume kakhulu eGreece yasendulo.

Umpristikazi wayehlala phezu kwaleli altare akhiphe izibikezelo zakhe

[Izithombe]

Intuthu edakayo yayenza umpristikazi abe sesimweni sokukhipha izibikezelo

Umsindo ayewenza kwakukholelwa ukuthi unezambulo ezivela kunkulunkulu u-Apollo

[Imithombo]

Tripod: From the book Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities; Apollo: The Complete Encyclopedia of Illustration/J. G. Heck

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Izibikezelo ezazinikezwa endaweni yomboni yaseDelphi zazingenakwethenjelwa ngokuphelele

[Umthombo]

Delphi, Greece

[Izithombe ekhasini 8]

Ungasithemba ngokuphelele isiprofetho seBhayibheli esiphathelene nezwe elisha