Ukuzamazama Komhlaba—Ingabe Isibonakaliso Sesiphelo?

EWODWA noJesu egqumeni eliphakeme, ezungezwe izihlahla zeminqumo ezinamaqhuzu nomuzi waseJerusalema ngezansi, amadoda amane ayesambathekile. Ekuseni ngalolosuku ayezwe umHoli wawo, uJesu Kristu, ebikezela ukuthi iJerusalema nethempeli lalo kwakuzobhujiswa ‘kungashiywa itshe phezu kwetshe.’ Emangele, abuza: “Lokhu kuyakuba-nini?” Impendulo kaJesu yawathakazelisa kakhulu. Kodwa impendulo yakhe kumelwe kube ethakazelisa kakhulu namuhla.—Mathewu 24:1-3.

Okwakunokubaluleka okukhulu kubaphostoli kwakuwukubhujiswa kweJerusalema okwakuza. Nokho ukufisela kwabo ukwazi akuzange kugcine ngalowombuzo owodwa, babefuna futhi ukwazi isikhathi sokuba khona kukaJesu enkazimulweni yoMbuso nokuthi babezolindela nini ukuphela kohlelo olubi. Babuza: “Isibonakaliso sokuza kwakho nesokuphela kwezwe siyakuba-yini na?” Impendulo uJesu ayinikeza yabanelisa abalandeli bakhe bekhulu lokuqala. Impendulo yakhe nge“sibonakaliso” ngokufanayo ingenelisa abalandeli bakhe bosuku lwanamuhla abafisela ukubona ububi buphela, ngoba ukugcwaliseka kwesibonakaliso kusosukwini lwethu.

Isibonakaliso uJesu asinikeza sinezici ezisobala, eziqashelwa kalula yonke indawo. Lezi azisithekile noma azifihlekile. Phawula ingxenye yempendulo kaJesu kuMathewu 24:7: “Ngokuba isizwe siyakuvukela isizwe, nombuso uvukele umbuso, kube-khona indlala nokuzamazama komhlaba izindawo ngezindawo.” Lapho kugqashuka izimpi, izizwe ziyazi. Lapho abantu belambile—bebulawa indlala—bayakwazi lokho. Futhi lapho ukuzamazama komhlaba kunyakazisa umhlaba ngaphansi kwezinyawo zakho, uyakwazi lokho, ngoba ukuzamazama komhlaba kungesinye sezehlakalo zemvelo ezisabisa kakhulu esikhona. Lezi nezinye izici ezibonakala kakhulu, zonke ezihlupha isintu phakathi nesizukulwane esisodwa, zihlanganisa “isibonakaliso.” (Mathewu 24:3, 34) Make sihlole ingxenye eyodwa kuphela yale“sibonakaliso”—ukuzamazama komhlaba.

Ukuzamazama Komhlaba—Wayesho Ukuthini UJesu?

UJesu wayengesona isazi sezokuzamazama komhlaba. Wayengumshumayeli nomfundisi, futhi engumprofethi. Lapho “egcwele uMoya oNgcwele” futhi engaphansi kokuqondiswa yilamandla ayisiphekupheku angabonakali avela kuJehova, uJesu waprofetha maqondana nokuzamazama komhlaba nezinye izici ze“sibonakaliso.”—Luka 4:1; Johane 8:28.

Ingabe kwakukhona ukugcwaliseka kwekhulu lokuqala kwamazwi kaJesu? Yebo. Umlando weBhayibheli nowezwe ubonisa inani elikhulu lokuzamazama komhlaba phakathi nonyaka wesiprofetho sakhe, ngo-33 C.E., nokubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-70 C.E. Ukuzamazama komhlaba okubili kwanyakazisa iJerusalema phakathi nezinsuku zesiprofetho sikaJesu. (Mathewu 27:51; 28:2) Eminyakeni eyishumi nesikhombisa kamuva ukuzamazama komhlaba kwenzeka emzini waseFilipi, njengoba umlobi weBhayibheli uLuka aphawula. (IzEnzo 16:26) Ngaphezu kwalokho, abalobi-mlando abangesibo abeBhayibheli bakhomba okungenani ukuzamazama komhlaba okukhulu okuyisithupha kuleyongxenye yomhlaba phakathi nalesosikhathi. (Bheka Ishadi I.)

Yini eyenza ukuzamazama komhlaba kube okukhethekile ekhulwini lokuqala? Futhi ingabe umbiko wokuzamazama komhlaba wawuyizindaba ezingavamile kumaKristu ekhulu lokuqala? Ukuphendula leyomibuzo kungasisiza ukuba siqonde ukubaluleka kokuzamazama komhlaba osukwini lwethu.

Ngenxa yokuthi uqweqwe lomhlaba oluzungeze iMedithera, kuhlanganise neJerusalema lusemkhakheni lapho ukuzamazama komhlaba kwenzeka ngokulingene, futhi ngenxa yalokho luyoba buthakathaka, ukuzamazama komhlaba kwakungeke kube okungavamile ezakhamuzini zekhulu lokuqala zaleyondawo. Ngokwesibonelo, iGreat Rift Valley yoMfula iJordan noLwandle Olufile nokushona komhlabathi okwakha isiGodi sase-Esdraelon (saseJizreyeli) phakathi kweGalile neSamariya kwakuhlobene nokuzamazama komhlaba ngisho nangaphambi kwekhulu lokuqala.—Amose 1:1; Zakariya 14:5.

Ukuzamazama komhlaba ngokwakho kwakungeke kunikeze ukubaluleka okukhethekile ‘esibonakalisweni’ sikaJesu esingokwesiprofetho sokusondela kwesiphelo seJerusalema njengoba nje nomkhuhlane omkhulu ungenakunikeza isibonakaliso sokugula okuthile ngaphandle kwezinye izimpawu ezikhona. Ngakho-ke, okwanezela incazelo ekhethekile ekubikezeleni kukaJesu ngokuzamazama komhlaba ukuthi kwenzeka ngokuhambisana nazo zonke ezinye izici ze“sibonakaliso.” Futhi kwakuyile“sibonakaliso” esihlangene sezehlakalo ezabikezelwa amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala azibona futhi asabela kuzo.

Ukuzamazama Komhlaba Kosuku Lwanamuhla

Ingabe ukubikezela kukaJesu ngokuzamazama komhlaba kuthola ukugcwaliseka ekhulwini lama-20? Ngamanye amazwi, ingabe kuye kwabakhona ukuzamazama komhlaba okukhulu okubonisa ukuthi siphila ‘esiphelweni sezwe’? Amaqiniso abonisa ukuthi lelikhulu leminyaka lihlaselwa ukuzamazama komhlaba. Umhlaba uzamazama ngaphezu kwe-1 000 000 unyaka ngamunye, nokuyi-1 000 kwakho kuwukuzizima okushaqisayo.

Ezinye izazi zokuzamazama komhlaba zikholelwa ukuthi umhlaba manje usesikhathini sokuzamazama komhlaba esinamandla. Ngokwesibonelo, uProfesa Keiiti Aki woMnyango Wesayensi Yezomhlaba Nezomkhathi eMassachusetts Institute of Technology ukhuluma “ngokwanda okusobala nokuphindaphinda kokuzamazama komhlaba okukhulu phakathi neminyaka eyikhulu yokugcina,” nakuba ebonisa ukuthi esikhathini esisukela ku-1500 kuya ku-1700 kwakunamandla ngokufanayo.

Ephephandabeni laseItaly i-Il Piccolo, likaOctober 8, 1978, uGeo Malagoli waphawula:

“Isizukulwane sethu siphila esikhathini esibucayi sokuzamazama okukhulu, njengoba izibalo zibonisa. Eqinisweni, phakathi nesikhathi seminyaka eyi-1 059 (kusukela ku-856 kuya ku-1914) imithombo enokwethenjelwa ibonisa ukuzamazama komhlaba okungama-24 kuphela okwabangela ukufa kwabayi-1 973 000. Nokho, ezinhlekeleleni zamuva, sithola ukuthi abantu abayi-1 600 000 baye bafa eminyakeni engama-63 kuphela, ngenxa yemiphumela yokuzamazama komhlaba okungama-43 okwenzeka kusukela ngo-1915 kuya ku-1978. Lokhu kwanda okubabazekayo ngaphezu kwalokho kugcizelela elinye iqiniso elamukelwayo—isizukulwane sethu singesineshwa ngezindlela eziningi.”

UJesu waprofetha ukuthi “isiphelo sezwe” sasizobonakala ngo“kuzamazama komhlaba izindawo ngezindawo,” futhi, ngokulandisa kukaLuka, “ukuzamazama okukhulu komhlaba.” (Mathewu 24:3, 7; Luka 21:11) Ingabe isizukulwane esasiphila ngo-1914, futhi okusekhona abaningi baso abaphilayo, sizibonile lezizinto? Amaqiniso aphendula ngokuthi, Yebo! (Bheka Ishadi II.) Futhi ukuzamazama komhlaba kusenzeka futhi akubonwa nje kuphela abaseleyo baleso sizukulwane kodwa inani elikhulu labantu emlandweni. (Mathewu 24:34) Isintu namuhla siziqaphela ngokwengeziwe izenzakalo zembulunga yonke zokuzamazama komhlaba nemiphumela yakho kunabantu banoma yiliphi ikhulu leminyaka elidlule.

Yini engenza ukuzamazama komhlaba kuthiwe “kukhulu”? Ingabe amandla akho, noma ubukhulu bakho, njengoba kulinganiswa ngesilinganiso seMercalli noma iRichter? Noma, kunalokho, ingabe bekungeke kube ukwaziwa kabi kwakho noma ubungako bencithakalo ekubangelayo? Njengoba iShadi III libonisa, ukulahleka kokuphila kwabantu ngenxa yokuzamazama komhlaba kuye kwanda ngokushesha kusukela ngo-1914. Futhi okunye kwakho okunamandla amakhulu kuye kwajula ezilwandle, kwaziwa abambalwa kuphela, kunomphumela omncane uma kukhona ezimpahleni zabantu noma ukuphila kwabo. Ekuhlolisiseni ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sanamuhla sikaJesu, akumelwe sibhekisele kuphela ebukhulwini bokuzamazama ngokwesilinganiso seRichter noma ezinye izilinganiso ezinjalo kodwa emiphumeleni yobungako bempahla eyonakele nokulahlekelwa ukuphila kwabantu.

Ingxenye Esobala Ye“sibonakaliso”

Umagazini iEurope kaJuly–August 1980 uyabika: “Kulelikhulu leminyaka, ukuzamazama komhlaba kwalahlekisela abantu abayi-1 600 000 ukuphila kwabo, nabayi-120 000 bafa e-Europe kuphela.” Ngakho lapho sibona isimo sezwe futhi sisiqhathanise namazwi kaJesu singavuma ukuthi “ukuzamazama komhlaba izindawo ngezindawo” futhi ngisho “ukuzamazama okukhulu komhlaba” kuye kwaba khona. Ingabe noma isiphi isizukulwane sakudala siye sahlangabezana nencithakalo yokuzamazama komhlaba eshaqisa njengalokho okuhlupha isintu kusukela ngo-1914? Izibalo zibonisa ukuthi akukho.

Nokho, abanye bangathi: “Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi sinabantu abaningi emhlabeni.” Yiqiniso, isintu siye sanda, kodwa lokhu akusichithi isiprofetho sikaJesu. Esikhundleni salokho, kwengeza amandla amaningi kuso, kusinike isizathu esengeziwe sokuqaphela amazwi akhe. Ngani? Ngoba abantu abayi-2 000 000 000, cishe ingxenye yabantu abasemhlabeni, bahlala ezindaweni ezisongelwa ukuzamazama komhlaba. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuxhumana okusheshayo nemishini eyinkimbinkimbi yokulinganisa ukuzamazama komhlaba kuye kwenza ukuba bahlale bazi ngokuzamazama komhlaba ngendlela okungazange kube ngayo ngaphambili, ngisho nalabo abangazange bahlangabezane namandla okuzamazama ngokuqondile. Ngakho-ke ukuzamazama komhlaba kuthinta abantu abaningi futhi kuqashelwa abantu abaningi namuhla kunangaphambili. Futhi njengoba bebona ezinye izici ze“sibonakaliso” zigcwaliseka esizukulwaneni esisodwa, lokhu kumelwe kubashukumisele esenzweni. Ngalendlela, ubani ongathethelelwa ngokuhluleka ukunaka “isibonakaliso sokuza [kukaJesu] nesokuphela kwezwe”?

Ingabe uye waphawula ukuthi umphumela wokuzamazama komhlaba ekuphileni kwabantu uye wanda kusukela ngo-1914? Futhi maqondana nalokhu, ingabe uye wazibona izici ze“sibonakaliso,” njengempi, indlala nokwanda kokungabi namthetho? Uma kunjalo, akungabazeki ukuthi unesifiso sokwazi okwengeziwe ngalokho uJesu akubikezela ngesikhathi esizayo esiseduze. OFakazi BakaJehova bayakujabulela ukukusiza ukuba uhlole lezizindaba ezibalulekile.

[Ishadi ekhasini 6]

IShadi I

Okunye ukuzamazama Komhlaba Phakathi Kuka-33-70 C.E.

UNYAKA INDAWO

33 eJerusalema

33 eJerusalema

c. 46 eKrethe

c. 50 eFilipi

51 eRoma

53 eApam æa

60 eLawodikeya

63 ePompeii

c. 67 eJerusalema

[Ishadi ekhasini 7]

IShadi II

Okunye ukuzamazama Komhlaba Okukhulu Phakathi Kuka-1914 no-1982

(Uhide Olungaphelele)

UNYAKA INDAWO ABAFA

1915 Avezzano, Italy 29 970

1920 Kansu, China 200 000

1923 Kanto, Japan 142 800

1932 Kansu, China 70 000

1934 Bihar-Nepal, India 10 700

1935 Quetta, Pakistan 60 000

1939 Chillan, Chile 30 000

1939 Erzincan, Turkey 30 000

1959 Assam, India 20 000

1960 Agadir, Morocco 12 000

1962 Northwestern Iran 12 230

1968 Northeastern Iran 11 500

1970 Northern Peru 66 700

1972 Managua, Nicaragua 10 000

1976 Guatemala City, Guatemala 23 000

1976 Tangshan, China 800 000

1978 Northeastern Iran 25 000

Okunye ukuzamazama komhlaba okukhulu kwabikwa ezindaweni ezingama-33

[Ishadi ekhasini 7]

IShadi III

Abafa Ngokuzamazama Komhlaba

(Isilinganiso esisekelwe eminyakeni eyi-1 122)

Kuze kube ngo-1914—1 800 ngonyaka

Kusukela ngo-1914—25 300 ngonyaka

[Ibalazwe elisekhasini 5]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi kumi kanjani, bheka encwadini)

Imizila yokuzamazama emhlabeni

AFRICA

EUROPE

ASIA

NORTH AMERICA

SOUTH AMERICA

AUSTRALIA