‘Ukufika’ KoMbuso KaNkulunkulu—Nini?

1. (a) Kungani kumelwe ‘sihlale silindele’ ukuphela? (b) Singase ‘siyidumise’ kanjani ‘inkonzo yethu,’ futhi sinakuphi ukuqiniseka?

NGOKUQONDILE kunini lapho singalindela izithembiso zombuso ukuba zifinyelele ukugcwaliseka okuhle? Kwabanye abaye bakhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka iminyaka engama-20, 30, 40 noma ngaphezulu, “ukuphela” kungase kubonakale sengathi sekwephuzile. Kodwa khumbulani esikutshelwa umprofethi kaNkulunkulu uHabakuki: “Noma ulibala, wulindele, ngokuba uyakufika nokufika, awuyikwephuza.” (Habakuki 2:3) Asidingi ukwazi kusengaphambili “lolosuku nalelohora” okuyogqashuka ngalo “usizi olukhulu” kulelizwe ngalolonke ulaka lwalo. Okwamanje, kwanele ukuba ‘sidumise inkonzo yethu’ ngokumemezela ngentshiseko izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso omisiwe. Ngoba singaqiniseka ukuthi, lapho ukushumayela ngombuso sekuye kwafezwa ngezinga uJehova afuna kwenziwe ngalo, khona-ke ‘ukuphela kuyofika.’—Mathewu 24:14, 21, 36; Roma 11:13.

2. (a) Ngokuqondene nokuhlela kukaJehova isikhathi sezehlakalo, yini ethakazelisayo? (b) ‘Izinsuku zokugcina’ zesimiso sobuJuda zaqala nini, futhi kanye nasiphi isehlakalo?

² Ngokuqondene nokuhlela kukaJehova izikhathi zezehlakalo, leliqiniso liyathakazelisa: Ukuthi uNkulunkulu wembula ngaphambi kwesikhathi ukuqala kwezinsuku zezinkathi ezimbili ezibaluleke kakhulu emlandweni wesintu kuze kube yilesikhathi sanamuhla. Yiziphi lezo? Zombili ziyizinkathi zokwahlulela. Eyokuqala yalezinkathi kwakuyi‘zinsuku zokugcina’ zesimiso sezinto sobuJuda, futhi zaqala ekubhapathizweni kukaJesu nasekugcotshweni kwakhe njengoMesiya. (Joweli 1:15; 2:28-32; IzEnzo 2:17) Isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli, esalotshwa ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-500 ngaphambi kwesikhathi, saqokomisa unyaka ka-29 C.E. njengokuqala kwalezo“zinsuku zokugcina.” Kanjani?

Ukuhlelwa Kwezikhathi ‘Zezinsuku Zokugcina’ ZobuJuda

3, 4. (a) Ayini “amasonto angamashumi ayisikhombisa,” aqala nini, futhi aphela nini? (b) Yiziphi izehlakalo ezaphawula elokugcina ‘isonto leminyaka’ njengelibalulekile?

³ KuDaniyeli 9:24-27 sifunda ngenka thi ya“masonto angamashumi ayisikhombisa eminyaka” (An American Translation; Moffatt), noma ingqikithi yeminyaka eyi-490, njengeqala “kusukela ekuphumeni kwezwi lokubuyisana nokwakha iJerusalema.”a Kwakunini lokho? Indaba yeBhayibheli ekuNehemiya 2:1-7 ithi “ngomnyaka wamashumi amabili ka-Aritahishashita inkosi” yasePeresiya, inkosi ngokwayo yayala umphathindebe wayo ongumJuda uNehemiya, ukuba abuyele emzini wawobaba bakhe futhi a“wuvuse.” Ngokomlando wezwe lo“mnyaka wamashumi amabili ka-Aritahishashita” wawumelwe ube ngo-455 B.C.E. Ukubala iminyaka eyi-490 kusukela kulowonyaka sifinyelela onyakeni ka-36 C.E. Isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli sisitshela ukuthi elokugcina ‘isonto leminyaka,’ u-29-36 C.E., libaluleke kakhulu. Futhi ngani?

⁴ Kungoba “kusukela ekuphumeni kwezwi lokubuyisa nokwakha iJerusalema kuze kufike ogcotshiweyo, umbusi, kuyakubangamasonto ayisikhombisa . . . amasonto angamashumi ayisithupha nambili.” Ngakho uMesiya wayezovela ekuqaleni kwesonto lamashumi ayisikhombisa eminyaka. Lokhu futhi kwakuyophawula ukuqala kwe‘zinsuku zokugcina’ zesimiso sezinto sobuJuda, phakathi neminyaka eyisikhombisa yokuqala yenkathi yesahlulelo uMesiya ayeyoqinisa ngayo isivumelwano sobuAbrahama nalawomaJuda amemukela. ‘Engxenyeni’ yesonto leminyaka, okungukuthi, ngo-33 C.E., uMesiya ‘wayeyonqunywa’ ekufeni, umhlatshelo wakhe siqu omkhulu ohlawulela izono ‘ubangele ukuba ukunikelwa kwemihlatshelo nezipho [ngokomthetho wakwaIsrayeli) kunqamuke’ njengokungasenakho nanoma ikuphi ukubaluleka.​—Heberu 10:12, 18.

5. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi amaJuda ayejwayelene kangcono nesici sesikhathi sa“masonto angamashumi ayisikhombisa”? (b) Kungani amaJuda adumazeka ekulindeleni kwawo? (c) Sabonakala siyiqiniso kangakanani isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli?

⁵ Akungabazeki ukuthi amaJuda ayejwayelene kangcono nesici sesikhathi sa“masonto angamashumi ayisikhombisa,” ngoba umlobi weBhayibheli uLuka usitshela ukuthi kulezozinsuku ‘abantu babebheke’ uKristu. (Luka 3:15) Nokho amathemba abo ayebhekiswe ekuzeni kwenkosi eyiqhawe elikhazimulayo, eyayiyoholela amaJuda ekunqobeni abacindezeli bawo bamaRoma. Ukholo lwawo alwandanga lwafinyelela ekukholelweni kwawo ukuthi uMesiya ‘wayezonqunywa,’ abulawe, ngo-33 C.E. Ngokufanayo abakholelwanga esixwayisweni esingokwesiprofetho sokuthi iJerusalema nabantu balo babeyo‘bhujiswa’ futhi. Kodwa yeka ukuthi sabonakala siyiqiniso kanjani isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli lapho iJerusalema lichithwa amabutho amaRoma ngaphansi kukaJenene Titus ngo-70 C.E.!

‘Izinsuku Zokugcina’ Zembulunga—Nini?

6. Yimuphi omunye umnyaka uJehova awembula ngaphambi kwesikhathi, futhi njengesiqalo sani?

⁶ Nokho, ikuphi okunye ukuqala kwe nkathi uJehova ngomusa akwembula kusengaphambili? Kuwukuqala ‘kwezinsuku zokugcina’ zaso sonke isimiso sezinto sezwe likaSathane. (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Lezi ziyi”zikhathi ezinzima” ezaqala ezweni lonke ngonyaka ka-1914 C.E.

7, 8. (a) Abafundi beBhayibheli abakhaliphile bawubheka kanjani lowonyaka kusukela ngo-1880, kuze kube ngawo-1980? (b) Yini eshiwo ngamadoda afundisiwe ezwe nawo aye agxila ku-1914.

⁷ Ngeminyaka engama-34 ngaphambi kuka-1914, abafundi beBhayibheli abakhaliphile bebebheke phambili kulowonyaka. INqabayokulinda izikhathi eziningana yaletha ukunakekela kusengaphambili ekubalulekeni kwawo kusukela ngonyaka ka-1880 kuya phambili. Futhi manje, iminyaka engama-68 ngemva kuka-1914, sibheka emuva kulowonyaka njengobalulekile ngokunengqondo. Asisodwa kulokhu. Omunye umbhali oyisifundiswa wabhekisela ku-1914 njengonyaka lapho “izwe, njengoba lalaziwa futhi lamukelwa ngalesosikhathi, lafinyelela ekupheleni.”b Omunye wachaza u-1914 njengoqalisa “inkathi yesimanje [leyo] eqashelwa noma ubani ukuthi . . . ingaphela ekushatshalalisweni kweningi.”c—Bheka futhi incwadi “Let Your Kingdom Come,” amakhasi 127-140, 186-189.

⁸ Ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-50 ngemva konyaka ka-1914, isazi sezokuphathwa kwezwe saseJalimane uKonrad Adenauer wabonisa: “Imicabango nezithombe ezifika engqondweni yami, . . . imicabango kusukela ngaphambi kuka-1914 lapho kwakunokuthula koqobo, uxolo nokulondeka kulomhlaba—isikhathi lapho sasingakwazi ukwesaba . . . ukulondeka noxolo kuye kwanyamalala ekuphileni kwabantu kusukela ngo-1914.” Futhi ngoNovember 1980, isazi sezokuphathwa kwezwe saseBrithani uHarold Macmillan wabheka emuva eminyakeni yakhe engama-86 yokuphila futhi wakhuluma ngokulangazelelwa kwe“ntuthuko ezenzakalelayo” yenkathi yeNdlovukazi uVictoria. Wathi: “Yonke into yayiyoba ngcono ngokuya ngokuya. Leli kwakuyizwe engazalelwa kulo. [Kodwa] ngokushesha, ngokungalindelwe, ngokunye ukusa ngo-1914 yonke into yafinyelela ekupheleni.”

9. (a) Abafundi beBhayibheli bafinyelela kanjani ekuqapheleni kusengaphambili ukuthi unyaka ka-1914 wawungaba obalulekile? (b) Ikuphi ukuchazwa kwesiprofetho sikaDaniyeli isahluko 4 okwaholela kulombono?

⁹ Abafundi beBhayibheli abaqotho, manje abaziwa ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova, baqaphela kanjani kuseyiminyaka engama-34 ngaphambili ukuthi u-1914 wawuyophawula ushintsho olunjalo? Kwakungoba “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” (Mathewu 24:45-47), eyakhiwe amaKristu agcotshiwe akhonza ngaphansi kweNkosi yawo, uJesu Kristu, ngokwamazwi owesiBili uPetru 1:19, ‘yayiqaphela amazwi angokwesiprofetho njengesibani esikhanyayo endlini emnyama.’ Ngesiprofetho sikaDaniyeli isahluko 4, yafunda ukuthi ukukhishwa esikhundleni kohlanga lwamakhosi eNkosi uDavide eJerusalema, okwenzeka ngo-607 B.C.E., kwakungenakuphawula phakade ukuphela kokubusa kukaJehova emhlabeni. “Umuthi” wokuphatha kukaNkulunkulu kobukhosi wawuyohluma futhi. Ngemva “kwezikhathi eziyisikhombisa,” noma iminyaka eyi-2 520, yokubusa okunjengokwesilo kwabeZizwe emhlabeni, kwakuyokwaziwa futhi ukuthi “oPhezukonke ubusa imibuso yabantu, ayinike amthandayo, amise phezu kwayo ophansi phakathi kwabantu.”—Daniyeli 4:14-17.

10. Ukuvela kukaMesiya ngo-1914 kwehlukene kanjani nokufika kwakhe kokuqala?

¹⁰ Yebo, kwakungalowonyaka wosizi ka-1914 lapho “Ophansi,” ekufikeni kwakhe kokuqala njengoMesiya, ‘owayenqunywe ngonya, akangaba namuntu,’ ayengabuye avele. Kodwa kulesikhathi uKristu weza ngokungabonakaliyo, enkazimulweni yasezulwini, nazo zonke izingelosi ezingcwele kanye naye, ukuba ‘ahlale esihlalweni sakhe senkazimulo.’—Daniyeli 9:26; Mathewu 25:31.

“Isizukulwane” Sika-1914

11. (a) Isiphi “isizukulwane” esingayikudlula ngaphambi kokuba izinto ezibikezelwe uJesu zenzeke? (b) Yini abaseleyo bale“sizukulwane” abangase balindele ukuyibona?

¹¹ Ngalesosikhathi sokuqala kokuba khona kukaKristu, noma parousia, wayengabonwa ngamehlo abantu. Kodwa lesosizukulwane sika-1914 ngokuqinisekile sabona okwenzeka lapha emhlabeni njenge”sibonakaliso” sokuba khona kwakhe ne”siqalo sezinsizi” zesintu! (Mathewu 24:8, Authorized Version) Futhi abaseleyo besizukulwane sika-1914 basakhuluma ngakho. Abanye babo bayobe bekhuluma ngakho kuze kube sesikhathini lapho “usizi olukhu lu” lukhukhula isimiso sezinto esibi sikaSathane ebusweni bembulunga yethu. Ngoba uJesu Kristu ngokwakhe uyasiqinisekisa: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Lesizukulwane [isizukulwane esabona ukuqala kwemihelo ngo-1914] asiyukudlula [sonke] kungakenzeki konke lokhu. Kuyakudlula izulu nomhlaba, kepha amazwi ami awasoze adlula.”—Mathewu 24:3, 8, 34, 35.

12. (a) Iziphi izehlakalo ezaqala ngo-1914 okumelwe zisiqinisekise ngobuqiniso besiprofetho? (b) Nokho, ukholo lwethu lugxile kuphi? (c) ‘Izindaba ezinhle’ zigxila kuphi?

¹² “Izinsizi” ezabikezelwa ukuthi ziyoqala ngo-1914 zagqashuka ezweni ngokushesha okumangalisayo. Futhi zaqhubeka zikhathaza isintu! Zinikeza “isibonakaliso” esiqinisekisayo sokuthi u-1914 waphawula ukuqala ‘kwesiphelo sesimiso sezinto.’ Nokho, ukholo lwethu alusekelwe nje osukwini oluthile, njengo-1914. Ukholo lwethu lugxile ngokuqinile kulo lonke izwi likaNkulunkulu, ‘ezindabeni ezinhle’ ezashunyayelwa okokuqala nguJesu nabafundi bakhe, ekugcwalisekeni okumangalisayo kweziningi iziprofetho zeBhayibheli kulolusuku lwethu, futhi ikakhulukazi njengoba zisebenza ‘encekwini ethembekileyo neqondayo’ futhi ziyibonakalisa kanye nezisebenzi ezikanye nayo. Yi‘lezindaba ezinhle zombuso,’ sonke isigijimi seBhayibheli, eziyisisekelo sokholo lwethu. Konke lokhu kugxila kuJesu Kristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, ayithumela emhlabeni ukuba ihlenge isintu, futhi manje ebusa ngenkazimulo embusweni omisiwe emazulwini. (Mathewu 24:3, 14, 45-47; 25:31-33; IsAmbulo 19:10) Ngokuba nokholo, singayazisa futhi indlela uMbuso ‘oyofika’ ngayo ukuze usindise bonke abathanda ukulunga nabakwenzayo. Lokho kuyoba kanjani?

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 14]

“AMASONTO ANGAMASHUMI AYISIKHOMBISA EMINYAKA” (Daniyeli 9:24-27)

KUSUKELA “ekuphumeni kwezwi” lenkosi yasePeresiya kuya kuNehemiya ngo-455 B.C.E.

455 - 1 B.C.E. = iminyaka engu-454

1 B.C.E. - 1 C.E. = umnyaka

1 C.E. - 36 C.E. = iminyaka engu-35

455 B.C.E. - 36 C.E. = iminyaka engu-490

UMesiya ‘wanqunywa . . . engxenyeni yesonto,’ ngoApril 33 C.E.

KUYA ekupheleni komusa okhethekile kumaJuda ngo-36 C.E. ngokuguquka komkhaya kaKomeliyu

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 15]

“IZIKHATHI EZIMISIWE ZABEZIZWE” (Daniyeli 4:14-25; Luka 21:24-26)

Ukuboshwa kobuKhosi bukaJehova njengoba Izikhathi zabeZizwe ziqala, ngo-607 B.C.E.

“IZIKHATHI EZIYI-7” = 7×360 = 2 520 iminyaka

(Bheka isAmbulo 12:6, 14; Hezekeli 4:6b)

607 - 1 B.C.E. = iminyaka engu-606

1 B.C.E. - 1 C.E. = umnyaka

1 C.E. - 1914 C.E. = iminyaka eyi-1 913

607 B.C.E. - 1914 C.E. = iminyaka eyi-2 520

Ubukhosi bukaJehova bubuyiselwe eMbusweni wobuMesiya, 1914 C.E.