Isahluko 2

“INkosi Yokuthula” Ibhekene NeArmagedoni

1, 2. (a) Yimaphi amazwi ajabulisayo uNkulunkulu aphefumlela umprofethi uIsaya ukuba awakhulume? (b) Lamazwi aqala nini ukugcwaliseka?

EKHULWINI lesishiyagalombili leminyaka ngaphambi kweSikhathi sethu Esivamile, umprofethi uIsaya waphefumlelwa ukuba athi kubantu bakaNkulunkulu: “Ngokuba sizalelwa umntwana, siphiwa indodana; umbuso uyakuba-semahlombe akhe, negama lakhe liyakuthiwa uMluleki omangalisayo, uNkulunkulu onamandla, uYise ongunaphakade, iNkosi yokuthula. Umbuso uyakuba-mkhulu, ukuthula kungabi-nakuphela esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavide nasembusweni wakhe, ukuze uqiniswe, usekelwe ngokwahlulela nangokulunga, kusukela manje kuze kube-phakade.”—Isaya 9:6, 7.

² Lawomazwi ajabulisayo aqala ukugcwaliseka engxenyeni yokugcina yonyaka ka-2 B.C.E. Lokhu kwakungesikhathi uJesu ezalwa njengomzukulu weNkosi uDavide, eyayibuse phezu kwezizwe eziyi-12 zakwaIsrayeli emzini waseJerusalema.

Isivumelwano SoMbuso Onokuthula Okungenakuphela

3. (a) Isiphi isivumelwano uNkulunkulu asenza neNkosi uDavide? (b) UJehova usinikeze muphi umzukulu weNkosi uDavide isiqu esithi “iNkosi yokuthula”?

³ Ngenxa yokushisekela kukaDavide ukukhulekelwa kukaNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, uJehova wenza naye isivumelwano soMbuso waphakade ngohlu lozalo lwakhe. (2 Samuweli 7:1-16) Leso sivumelwano saqinisekiswa yisifungo sikaNkulunkulu. (IHubo 132:11, 12) Ngokwalesosivumelwano, umbuso kaDavide kwadingeka ubeke isisekelo soMbuso ozayo ‘weNkosi yokuthula.’ ‘UJesu Kristu, indodana kaDavide,’ uyilowo uJehova amnikeza isiqu esithi “iNkosi yokuthula.”—Mathewu 1:1.

4. (a) Ubani owaba unina kaJesu wasemhlabeni? (b) Yathini kuye ingelosi uGabriyeli ngokuqondene nalokhu?

⁴ Unina kaJesu wayengowesifazane owayezalwe ohlwini lobukhosi lweNkosi uDavide. Wayeyincasakazi lapho ekhulelwa indodana yakhe ethenjisiwe, eyayiyoba yindlalifa yaphakade esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavide. Wakhulelwa ngaphambi kokuba uJosefa amthathe njengomkakhe. (Mathewu 1:18-25) Ingelosi uGabriyeli yayitshele incasakazi uMariya: “Bheka, uzakukhulelwa, uzale indodana, uyiqambe igama lokuthi uJesu. Yena uyakuba-mkhulu, athiwe iNdodana yoPhezukonke; iNkosi uNkulunkulu iyakumnika isihlalo sobukhosi sikayise uDavide; uyakuba-yinkosi yendlu kaJakobe kuze kube-phakade, nombuso wakhe awuyikuba-nakuphela.”—Luka 1:31-33.

5. Yini uIsaya umprofethi ayibikezela ngokuqondene nokubusa ‘kweNkosi yokuthula’?

⁵ Kungakho umprofethi uIsaya abikezela ngokuqondene ‘neNkosi yokuthula’ ukuthi “umbuso wayo mkhulu unokuthula okungenakuphela, ngenxa yesihlalo sobukhosi sikaDavide nombuso wakhe.” (Isaya 9:6, 7, The Jerusalem Bible) Ngakho, ngokwesivumelwano esenziwa noDavide, loMbuso wawuyoba uhulumeni ophakade onokuthula okungenakuphela. Isihlalo sakhe sobukhosi kumelwe sime “phakade”!

6. (a) Ukuze afeze isivumelwano soMbuso, yini uNkulunkulu ayenza ngosuku lwesithathu lokufa kukaJesu? (b) UJesu waqala nini ukubusa ‘njengeNkosi yokuthula’?

⁶ Ekupheleliseni lesivumelwano soMbuso, uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke wavusa uJesu kwabafileyo ngosuku lwesithathu lokufela kwakhe ukholo. Lokhu kwakungosuku lwe-16 lwenyanga yesiJuda uNisan, ngonyaka ka-33 weSikhathi sethu Esivamile. Njengofakazi wokuzibonela weNdodana kaNkulunkulu evusiwe, umphostoli uPetru wathi uJesu ‘wabulawa enyameni kepha waphiliswa emoyeni.’ (1 Petru 3:18) UNkulunkulu oPhezukonke wamphakamisela ngakwesokunene saKhe. Lapho, ubelokhu ebusa ‘njengeNkosi yokuthula’ kusukela ekupheleni kwezikhathi ezimisiwe zezizwe, noma “izikhathi zabezizwe,” ekuqaleni kukaOctober wonyaka ka-1914.—Luka 21:24.

7. (a) Yini uJesu aye wabhekana nayo kusukela ekuqaleni kokubusa kwakhe? (b) Obani abamemezela ubukhosi bukaJesu ezizweni zonke, futhi ekugcwalisekeni kwani?

⁷ Kusukela ekubuseni kwakhe kwasezulwini, uye wabhekana nezwe elinenzondo, njengoba kufakazelwa izimpi zezwe ezimbili ezalwiwa ngenxa yempikiswano yokuthi ubani ozobusa umhlaba. Manje ubhekene nenhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene. Ngokumenyezelwa kwezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso okugubuzela imbulunga yonke okwenziwa oFakazi BakaJehova, abashumayela emazweni angaphezu kwama-200, ukubusa kwakhe okusebenzayo ezulwini kulethwa ekunakekeleni kwazo zonke izizwe. Lokhu kuwukugcwaliseka kwalokho “iNkosi yokuthula” ngokwayo eyakubikezela, njengoba sifunda kuMathewu 24:14, NW: “Lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba owakhiwe ngenjongo yobufakazi kuzo zonke izizwe; khona-ke ukuphela kuyofika.”

8. Kungani kungathiwa sesingene shí ‘esiphelweni salesimiso sezinto’?

⁸ Impikiswano yokubuswa komhlaba kumelwe ixazululwe ngokushesha. Manje, eminyakeni engaphezu kwama-70 ngemva kokuphela ‘kwezikhathi zabezizwe’ ngo-1914, sesingene shí ‘esiphelweni salesimiso sezinto.’ Isizukulwane sika-1914 sabona ukuqala kwezenzakalo zezwe ezibalulekile ezabikezelwa uJesu. (Mathewu 24:3-14, qhathanisa neNW.) UJesu wathi, lesosizukulwane asiyikudlula kuze kugcwaliseke zonke lezizinto. Manje sesiseduze kakhulu nokuqeda inkambo yaso.—Mathewu 24:34.

9, 10. (a) Ukwaziswa okungokwesiprofetho okusencwadini yesAmbulo kwadluliselwa kanjani kithi? (b) Yini isAmbulo 16:13, 14, 16 esiyibikezelayo ngeHar–Magedon, noma iArmagedoni?

⁹ Ngakho-ke, yini engaphambili, futhi ibhekephi “iNkosi yokuthula”? Yona ngokwayo yasetshenziswa ekubikezeleni lokhu encwadini yokugcina ngcí yeBhayibheli, isAmbulo, uNkulunkulu ayinika sona naleso asidlulisela ngengelosi kumphostoli uJohane owayesemdala. (IsAmbulo 1:1, 2) Lokho kwenzeka ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala leminyaka leSikhathi sethu Esivamile. KusAmbulo 16:13, 14, 16, uJesu wayala umphostoli uJohane ukuba alobe lamazwi abalulekile ngeHarmagedoni, noma iArmagedoni:

¹⁰ “Ngabona kuphuma emlonyeni kadrako, nasemlonyeni wesilo, nasemlonyeni womprofethi wamanga omoya abathathu abangcolileyo, befana nezingxangxa; ngokuba bangomoya bamademoni, benza izibonakaliso, abaphuma beya emakhosini ezwe lonke ukubahlanganisela ekulweni kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke. Wayesebahlanganisela endaweni ethiwa ngesiHeberu iHarmagedoni.”

“INtaba YaseMegido” Engokomfanekiso

11. (a) Lisho ukuthini igama elithi Armageddon, futhi ingabe yayikhona indawo yoqobo eyayibizwa kanjalo? (b) Kungani umuzi wasendulo waseMegido wawunokubaluleka okungokomlando? (c) Igama elithi Megiddo lalisho ziphi izinto ezimbili?

¹¹ Igama lesiHeberu elithi Har–Magedon, noma Armageddon, lisho “iNtaba yaseMegido.” Ayikho indawo yoqobo yasendulo noma yezikhathi zanamuhla eye yabizwa ngokuthi iNtaba yaseMegido. Ngakho encwadini egcwele ulimi olungokomfanekiso njengesAmbulo, leligama linencazelo engokomfanekiso. Kumelwe ibe yini? Nokho, umuzi ophakeme waseMegido, okuyigama lendawo elisho “umhlangano wamabutho,” wawunokubaluleka okungokomlando. Emlandweni wezwe noweBhayibheli leligama lalikhumbuza izimpi ezingumnqamulajuqu. Ngani? Ngoba lowomuzi ngalesosikhathi wawakhiwe endleleni yezinqola zempi eyayiphakathi kweYurophu, iAsia, neAfrika, futhi izakhamuzi zazisethubeni elihle lokucela inselele kubahlaseli khona lapho futhi bangadluleli phambili. Ngakho elithi Megiddo lalisho izinto ezimbili—ngakolunye uhlangothi kwakuwukunqotshwa ngokudabukisayo futhi ngakolunye kuwudumo lokunqoba.

12, 13. (a) UNkulunkulu weBhayibheli wazihlanganisa kanjani neMegido nomfula oseduze nayo phakathi nezinsuku zikaMahluleli uBaraki? (b) Ihubo lokunqoba likaBaraki noDebora liyichaza kanjani ingxenye kaNkulunkulu ekunqobeni?

¹² Phakathi nesikhathi sabahluleli bakwaIsrayeli uNkulunkulu weBhayibheli wazihlanganisa neMegido kanye nomfula oseduze iKishoni. Ngezinsuku zikaMahluleli uBaraki nomprofethikazi uDebora, uNkulunkulu wanikeza abantu bakhe abakhethiweyo ukunqoba okuphawulekayo emphakathini waseMegido. UMahluleli uBaraki wayenabantu abayizi-10 000 kuphela, kanti isitha ngaphansi kukaJenene uSisera sasinezinqola zempi ezidonswa ngamahhashi ezingama-900, ngaphandle kwamabutho ahamba ngezinyawo. UJehova wangenela kuleyompi ngenxa yabantu bakhe abakhethiweyo futhi wabangela izikhukhula ukuba zibishise lezozinqola zesitha ezisabekayo. Engomeni yokunqoba uBaraki noDebora abayihubela uNkulunkulu ngemva kokunqotshwa kwamabutho kaSisera okuyisimangaliso, badonsela ukunakekela engxenyeni kaNkulunkulu kulokhu kugumbuqelwa kwesitha:

¹³ “Amakhosi afika alwa, alwa amakhosi aseKhanani eThahanaki ngasemanzini aseMegido; awathathanga-nzuzo yamali. Kwaliwa ezulwini; izinkanyezi ezindleleni zazo zalwa noSisera. Umfudlana iKishoni wabakhukhula, umfudlana wamandulo, umfudlana iKishoni.”—AbAhluleli 5:12, 19-21.

14. Imaphi amazwi okuphetha alelohubo lokunqoba eliphefumlelwe ngokungangabazeki awumthandazo ngokuqondene nempi ezayo eHarmagedoni?

¹⁴ Ngokungangabazeki, amazwi aphefumlelwe uBaraki noDebora abaphetha ngawo ihubo labo ngemva kwalokho kunqoba kwasendulo eMegido asebenza njengomthandazo ngokuqondene nempi ezayo eHarmagedoni. Bahuba: “Mazibhubhe kanjalo zonke izitha zakho, Jehova; kepha abamthandayo mababe-njengelanga, lapho liphuma ngamandla alo.”—AbAhluleli 5:31.a

IZizwe Zihlanganiselwa EHarmagedoni

15. (a) Khona-ke, iluhlobo luni lwendawo iHarmagedoni? (b) Imuphi omunye wemithombo yenkulumo-ze engcolile oshukumisela izizwe empini yaseHarmagedoni?

¹⁵ Ngakho iMegido kwakuyindawo okwakulwelwa kuyo izimpi ezingumnqamulajuqu. Khona-ke, ngokunengqondo iHarmagedoni iyoba yinkundla yempi okuyokuya kuyo zonke izizwe zomhlaba zanamuhla ngaphansi kwamandla ashukumisayo achazwe kusAmbulo 16:13, 14. “Omoya bamademoni” abashukumisa izizwe bayinkulumo-ze eyenza umsindo wesele namuhla, engcolile njengengxangxa engcolile ngokweBhayibheli. Omunye wemithombo yenkulumo-ze engcolile enjalo “udrako omkhulu obomvu.” IsAmbulo 12:1-9 sichaza “udrako” njengoSathane uDeveli.

16. KusAmbulo 16:13, “isilo” sifanekiselani?

¹⁶ Omunye umthombo wenkulumo-ze engcolile “isilo.” KusAmbulo 16:13 ‘lesisilo’ esingokomfanekiso sihlanganiswe ‘nodrako’ ongudeveli. NgokwesAmbulo 20:10, ‘lesisilo’ siyobhujiswa phakade ngenxa yokubambisana kwaso ‘nodrako’ ongokomfanekiso. “Isilo” sifanekisela sonke isimiso sezombangazwe salelizwe “udrako” angunkulunkulu walo. (2 Korinte 4:4) Sihlanganisa bonke ohulumeni balelizwe abahlukahlukene bezombangazwe.—Qhathanisa noDaniyeli 7:17; 8:20, 22.

17. Uyini umphumela wenkulumo-ze enjengeyesele ekhishwa “isilo”?

¹⁷ Isimiso sezwe esinjalo sokubusa kwezombangazwe sinenkulumo-ze yaso esihlukanisayo. Futhi lenkulumo-ze engumsindo onjengowesele ingamazwi aphefumlelwe asebenza nomoya ‘bakadrako’ ukuhlanganisela “amakhosi,” noma ababusi bezombangazwe balelizwe, “ekulweni kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke” okuyoba seHarmagedoni.

18. (a) Libhekiselaphi igama elithi Harmagedoni? (b) Intaba ingafanekiselani?

¹⁸ Ngaleyondlela iHarmagedoni isho isimo sezwe esihilela impi engumnqamulajuqu. Ibhekisele esimweni sokugcina izindaba zezwe eziba kuso lapho ababusi bezombangazwe bephikisa ngobunye intando kaNkulunkulu, ukuze uNkulunkulu asabele ngokumelene nabo ngokwenjongo yakhe. Ngakho ikusasa liyonqunywa imiphumela yalesenzakalo. EMegido ngokwayo, endaweni engokoqobo, yayingekho intaba. Kodwa intaba ingafanekisela indawo yokuhlangana evelele leyo wonke amabutho empi ahlangene khona angayibona kalula esekude.

19, 20. Imaphi amasu empi uJenene wamabutho kaJehova asezulwini ayowasebenzisa eHarmagedoni, futhi kube namuphi umphumela?

¹⁹ Sekuyiminyaka ethile uJesu Kristu, uJenene wamabutho kaJehova empi, ebukela ukuhlangana kwababusi bezwe namabutho abo empi eHarmagedoni. Kodwa akazange azame ukukhetha inkosi ethile namabutho ayo ezempi ukuba inqobe amabutho esitha iyodwa futhi kanjalo iwaqothule kancane kancane. Ngokuphambene, ubanikeza isikhathi esanele sokuba bahlanganise futhi bahlele amabutho abo ngokusemandleni abo okuphaka impi. Injongo yakhe eyinhloko iwukuba alwe nabo bonke ngesikhathi esifanayo!

²⁰ Ngalokho uyobanqoba ngokunqoba okukhulu, kube inkazimulo kuMphathi wakhe oMkhulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu, nokuqinisekiswa kwakhe siqu ‘njengeNkosi yamakhosi noMbusi wababusi,’ ngokungenakuphikiswa.—IsAmbulo 19:16.

[Umbhalo waphansi]