Qaphelisisani Isiprofetho
“Sesinalo izwi lesiprofetho eliqinisekile kakhulu, enenza kahle ukuliqaphela kungathi liyisibani esikhanyayo endaweni emnyama kuze kuse.”—2 PETRU 1:19.
1. NgokukaMathewu 16:21-28, yikuphi okumangalisayo okwembulwa uJesu
INKONZO kaJesu yasemhlabeni yayisondela ekupheleni kwayo. Eduze naseFilipi, enyakatho neGalile, ‘leNdodana yomuntu’ yayitshele abafundi bayo ngokufa kwayo okwakuseduze nangokuza kwayo futhi enkazimulweni kaYise. Khona yathi kubo: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Bakhona abanye kwabemi lapha abangayikuzwa ngempela ukufa, baze bayibone iNdodana yomuntu iza embusweni wayo.” (Mathewu 16:21-28) Lokhu kwakusho ukuthini?
2. (a) Amazwi kaJesu agcwaliseka kanjani embonweni owabonwa uPetru, uJakobe noJohane? (b) Lesiprofetho sasingesasiphi isenzakalo esikhazimulayo?
2 Cishe ngezinsuku eziyisithupha kamuva, uJesu wathatha uPetru, uJakobe noJohane wabayisa entabeni ephakeme, kungenzeka iHermon yaseLebanoni. Lapha kwenzeka into eyisimangaliso! UJesu waphenduka isimo bebhekile, waba nesimo esikhazimulayo. Embonweni, uMose noEliya babonakala bexoxa naye. Kungani kwakunguMose noEliya? Ngokukhanyayo uJesu emiBhalweni ufaniswa ‘njengalowo mprofethi’ owafanekiselwa uMose. Futhi umsebenzi ofana nokaEliya uhlobene ngokuseduze noMbuso kaNkulunkulu uJesu abusa kuwo. (IzEnzo 3:22, 23; Duteronomi 18:15-19; Malaki 4:5) Khona-ke, kwakufanelekile, ukuba babonwe lapha noJesu kulombono wokuza kwakhe ebukhosini benkazimulo yoMbuso wakhe wesikhathi esizayo.—Mathewu 17:1-5.
3. Yimaphi amazwi kaJehova agcizelela ukubaluleka kombono?
3 Kwakufanelekile, futhi, ukuba izwi likaJehova lizwakale ezulwini, lithi: “Lo uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo engithokozile ngayo.” Kulokhu, uNkulunkulu wanezela lamazwi: “Yizweni.”
4. (a) Kungani leso senzakalo kumelwe sisihlabe umxhwele namuhla? (b) Kukuliphi “izwi lesiprofetho” u-2 Petru 1:19 abhekisela kulo?
4 Yimuphi umuzwa lesehlakalo esesabekayo esawushiya kulabobaphostoli? Kumelwe sisithinte kanjani namuhla? Eminyakeni engama-30 kamuva, uPetru wayesawukhumbula kahle lowombono. Wathi, “Sesinalo izwi lesiprofetho eliqinisekile kakhulu.” Liphi “izwi lesiprofetho”? Phela, yilezoziprofetho, njengesikaDaniyeli 7:13, 14, manje ezaziqiniswa ngokuphendulwa isimo—iziprofetho ngokuza kweNdodana yomuntu enkazimulweni yamandla oMbuso!—2 Petru 1:16-19; bheka futhi uIsaya 9:6, 7.
5. Yikuphi okubalulekile okwenezelwa ‘kulelozwi’?
5 Ngaleso sikhathi “izwi lesiprofetho” lase lihlanganisa neziprofetho ezazinikezwa uJesu Kristu ngokwakhe. Phakathi kwalezi kwakunesiprofetho sakhe soMbuso esimayelana ‘nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto,’ esafanekisa futhi “iNdodana yomuntu iza emafwini ezulu, inamandla nenkazimulo enkulu” ngesikhathi sosizi lwezwe olungenakulinganiswa. (Mathewu 24:3-14, 30, 31) Kamuva, “izwi lesiprofetho” laliyohlanganisa iziprofetho zoMbuso ezinamandla lezo uJesu Kristu okhazinyulisiwe azembula kumphostoli omdala uJohane, njengalezo ezibhalwe kusAmbulo 1:12-16; 5:5-10; 11:15-17 no-14:14, 15.
Qaphelisisani!
6. Kungani izwi lesiprofetho kumelwe lisishukumise kakhulu namuhla?
6 Uma uPetru nayekanye nabo babeshukunyiswe kangako yilowombono ongokwesiprofetho, yeka ukuthi kumelwe ube namandla kangakanani kithi namuhla! Manje njengoba iNdodana yomuntu isiye yafika enkazimulweni yayo, ukuze ihlale esihlalweni sayo soMbuso esikhazimulayo emazulwini, ngokuqinisekile kuyisikhathi sokuba ‘siyizwe’! Ngempela senza kahle ngokuqaphela izwi lesiprofetho, “kungathi liyisibani esikhanyayo endaweni emnyama,” silivumela ukuba likhanyise izinhliziyo zethu.—2 Korinte 4:6.
7. (a) UPawulu wakugcizelela kanjani ukubaluleka kwesiprofetho? (b) Kungani, ikakhulu namuhla, kumelwe sisiqaphele?
7 Umphostoli uPawulu naye wagcizelela isidingo sokufaka isigijimi sesiprofetho ezinhliziyweni zethu. Wabhalela amaKristu angamaHeberu ukuthi uNkulunkulu “esekhulumile endulo kokhokho [bawo] ngabaprofethi,” kodwa ‘ekugcineni kwalemihla (yesimiso sezinto samaJuda)’ wakhuluma kuwo ngeNdodana. Lelozwi lesiprofetho elakhulunywa uJesu lalingelokubaluleka okukhulu. Uma laliqashelwa, laliyoholela ekusindisweni. “Ngalokho,” kwasho uPawulu, “nga siqaphelisisa esikuzwileyo.” (Heberu 1:1-4; 2:1) Manje, ‘esiphelweni sesimiso sezinto [somhlaba wonke],’ sinesizathu esengeziwe sokulalela amazwi kaJesu.—Mathewu 24:3, 35; qhathanisa noIsaya 55:6-11.
8. Izwi lesiprofetho kumelwe lisishukumise kanjani, futhi nayiphi inzuzo?
8 Makugcizelelwe ukuthi ukuqaphelisisa kwethu izwi lesiprofetho akumelwe nje kube ngenjongo yokuzuza ulwazi. Kungaphezu kwalokho! Lelozwi kumelwe lisishukumisele ukuba sithathe isinyathelo ngalololwazi, lisibangele ukuba senze intando kaNkulunkulu, futhi ikakhulu manje, “ezinsukwini zokugcina.” (Isaya 2:2, 3) Ekhuluma noJehova uNkulunkulu, umhubi uthi: “Izwi lakho liyisibani ezinyaweni zami nokukhanya endleleni yami.” Lelozwi lisibangela ukuba siqhubeke sihamba ekukhanyeni kweqiniso nasebuhlotsheni obuyigugu noNkulunkulu wethu. Lisivikela ukuba singabuyeli ezweni likaSathane. (IHubo 119:105; Jobe 29:3, 4) Ukuze sithole inzuzo engapheliyo ezwini lesiprofetho, kumelwe sithuthukise uthando olujulile ngeBhayibheli, sifake sonke isigijimi salo ezinhliziyweni zethu. Ngaleyondlela ngaso sonke isikhathi siyoshukunyiselwa ukuba senze intando kaNkulunkulu futhi sizigcine othandweni lwakhe.—Marku 12:29-31; 1 Johane 4:16; Juda 20, 21.
Izibonelo Zeziprofetho
9. (a) Kungani sithi umbhalo weBhayibheli awuwona umlando ofile? (b) Yiluphi usuku lwempindiselo olufanekiselwayo lapho?
9 IBhayibheli lichaza ngokuningiliza ukuphambuka kukaIsrayeli wasendulo. Futhi kungani? “Kulotshelwe ukusiyala thina, osekufikile kithi ukugcina kwezikhathi.” Lokhu kumelwe kusenze sesabe uNkulunkulu, hleze sibe ‘nenhliziyo embi engakholwayo, esihlubukisa kuNkulunkulu ophilayo.’ (1 Korinte 10:11; Heberu 3:12; Jobe 28:28) Umbhalo weBhayibheli awuwona umlando ofile! Unikeza izibonelo zeziprofetho nezimemezelo ezibonisa ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu uyophinda futhi akhiphe isahlulelo kodwa ngesilinganiso esikhulu kunangezinsuku zikaIsrayeli owahlubuka. Ukujezisa kukaNkulunkulu leso sizwe esihlubukayo ngo-607 B.C.E., nango-70 C.E., kufanekisela ukuthi, ngokushesha ulaka lwakhe oluvuthayo luyobhekiselwa ngokuqondile kweLobukholwa. Senza kahle ngokuqaphelisisa lelozwi lesiprofetho!—Jeremiya 7:28, 32-34; Mathewu 24:3-22.
10, 11. (a) Yikuphi ukuqhathanisa okusisizayo ukuba sazise ukuthi lezi ngempela “izinsuku zokugcina”? (b) Amahlelo eLobukholwa aye asigcwalisa kanjani isiprofetho ngokukhethekile?
10 Ngokungenakuphikwa, siye sangenela “izinsuku zokugcina” zesimiso sikaSathane sokubusa izwe. Kudingeka kuphela ukuba uqhathanise izwe namuhla namazwi omphostoli uPawulu ku-2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, 13 ukuze ukubone lokhu. Futhi ikakhulu kuphakathi kwamahlelo adidene ezinkolo zeLobukholwa lapho sithola abantu “abanesimo sokumesaba uNkulunkulu, kepha amandla akho bewaphika.” Abanaso isigijimi soqobo sensindiso.—Qhathanisa noMathewu 7:21-23.
11 Amahlelo amaningi kweLobukholwa afanelana kahle nencazelo eyanikezwa umprofethi kaJehova, lapho ethi: “Ngokuba abantu bami benzile okubi okubili: bangishiyile [mina Jehova uNkulunkulu], umthombo wamanzi aphilileyo, bazigumbele imithombo, imithombo evuzayo, amanzi angenakuhlala kuyo.” (Jeremiya 2:13) Yeka ukuthi kuyiqiniso kanjani ukuthi amahlelo eLobukholwa aye ashiya uMbusi iNkosi uJehova nezimiso ezilungile ezibekwe eZwini lakhe! Azonda ngisho nokuphatha igama lakhe. Kunalokho, aye azigumbela “imithombo evuzayo,” aphendukela olwazini nasemicabangweni yabantu futhi angenela ezombangazwe nezwe. Emazweni amaningi amasonto awo aswela abasekeli ngoba abantu abawatholi amanzi aqabulayo eqiniso kuwo. Nokho, ngokuphambene nalokho, kunenala yokuqabuleka okungokomoya phakathi kwalabo abakhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka.—Isaya 55:1, 2; 65:13, 14.
Lokho Abaholi Bezwe Abakushoyo
12. Kungani kuwubulima ukuthemba abaholi babantu ukuze sisinde?
12 Akulona kuphela iBhayibheli elixwayisa ngokubhujiswa kwezwe. Unobhala-jikelele weZizwe Ezihlangene uye wamemezela ukuthi ngokokuqala emlandweni wesintu manje “sibekwe onqenqemeni oluphakathi kwenhlekelele nokusinda.” Embikweni owabhalwa ngo-1958, owayenguMongameli waseU.S. uHarry Truman wathi: “Manje sibhekene nokubhujiswa okuphelele. . . . Lokubhujiswa kuseduze ngaphandle kokuba abaholi abakhulu bezwe bakuvimbele.” Kodwa eminyakeni engama-25 edlule, ingabe “abaholi abakhulu” baye bathatha isinyathelo ukuba bakuvimbele lokubhujiswa okuphelele? Kunalokho, manje bachitha amarandi angaphezu kwesigidi ngomzuzu ezikhalini ezibulala ngokwesabekayo. Kuqondene “nalabaholi abakhulu” lokho umhubi akubhala: “Ningethembi ezikhulwini nasendodaneni yomuntu okungekho kuyo ukusiza.”—IHubo 146:3.
13, 14. (a) Yiliphi ithemba lamanga abaholi bezenkolo abaye balikhomba? (b) NgokukaIsaya, yiliphi ithemba loqobo?
13 Lesisimo esishaqisayo siyinto engaphezu kwamandla ezizwe ukuba zisiqede. Ngisho nenhlangano yeZizwe Ezihlangene, njengoba ibizwa kanjalo, iye yabonakala iyinkundla yezingxabano zabalweli bombuso kunokuba ibe yindawo yokwakha ukuthula nokulondeka. Upapa Paul VI noJohn Paul II ngamunye wabo wavela phambi kweUN, ekhazimula. Bamemezela ukuthi leyonhlangano ‘iyithemba lokugcina lesintu lokuzwana nokuthula.’ Kodwa ingabe iyilo?
14 Ezwini lakhe lesiprofetho uJehova ukhuluma ngethemba loqobo. Wabangela ukuba uIsaya abikezele ukuzalwa kwendodana eba “iNkosi yokuthula.” Lena inguKristu Jesu, owafanekiselwa iNkosi uDavide wasendulo. Isiprofetho siyaqhubeka sithi ngoJesu: “Umbuso uyakuba-mkhulu, ukuthula kungabi-nakuphela esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavide nasembusweni wakhe, ukuze uqiniswe, usekelwe ngokwahlulela nangokulunga, kusukela manje kuze kube-phakade. Ukushisekela kukaJehova-Sebawoti kuyakwenza lokhu.” (Isaya 9:6, 7) Kodwa ukushisekela kukaJehova kuyokuletha kanjani ‘ukuthula okungenasiphelo’?
“UMbuso KaNkulunkulu Useduze”
15. UJesu waligcizelela kanjani ithemba loMbuso?
15 Lona omkhulu kunoDavide, uJesu Kristu, waprofetha maqondana nezimpi nokucindezeleka okuwumphumela wekhulu lethu lama-20. Wabikezela ngezinto ezisabekayo ezazizokwenzeka, usizi lwehlele izizwe nokwesaba ngokubheka okuvelela umhlaba. Wabe esethi: “Kepha nxa kuqala ukuvela lokho lulamani, niphakamise amakhanda enu, ngokuba kusondele ukukhululwa kwenu. . . . Nxa nibona lezozinto zenzeka, yazini ukuthi umbuso kaNkulunkulu useduze.” (Luka 21:10, 11, 25-31) UMbuso kaNkulunkulu! Likhona ikhambi lezinkinga zesintu. Kuze kube yileminyaka, ingabe besingakhulekeli loMbuso ukuba ufike? Yilokho uJesu asiyala ukuba sikwenze, ethi: “Ngakho-ke anokhuleka kanje, nithi: Baba wethu osezulwini, malingcweliswe igama lakho; mawufike umbuso wakho; mayenziwe intando yakho emhlabeni njengasezulwini.”—Mathewu 6:9, 10.
16. Kungayiphi ingqondo uMbuso kaNkulunkulu “useduze”?
16 Izwi lesiprofetho lisitshela ukuthi manje “uMbuso kaNkulunkulu useduze.” Kodwa ngayiphi ingqondo? Umprofethi kaNkulunkulu uDaniyeli uyachaza. Ngemva kokuchaza imibuso, noma ohulumeni besintu, “esikhathini sokugcina,” uthi: “Ezinsukwini zalawomakhosi uNkulunkulu wasezulwini uyakumisa umbuso ongasoze wachithwa nobukhosi bawo bungayikushiyelwa kwabanye abantu, kepha uyakuchoboza, uqede yonke lemibuso, wona uqobo ume phakade.” (Daniyeli 12:4; 2:44) Ngakho umhlaba awushiswa impi yenyukliya ebhubhisa sonke isintu esiphilayo. Kunalokho, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ushanela abantu ababi nezizwe emhlabeni wethu, ulungiselela uhulumeni waphakade womhlaba wonke emahlombe “eNkosi yokuthula.”—Isaya 9:6.
Isahlulelo SikaNkulunkulu Siyakhishwa
17. Isimemezelo esithi “Ukuthula nokulondeka!” siyoba isibonakaliso sani?
17 Iziprofetho zeBhayibheli zibhekisela osukwini lwethu. Zisibonisa lokho okusondela ngokushesha. “Ngokuba konke okwalotshwa ngaphambili kwalotshelwa ukufundiswa kwethu, ukuze ngokubekezela nangenduduzo yemiBhalo sibe-nethemba.” (Roma 15:4) Izwi lesiprofetho lifanekisa ‘ithemba lokugcina lokuthula’ lesintu, iUN, njengesilo esibomvu. Ah, ingakha uhlobo oluthile lokuthula okuntengayo futhi ihlanganyele ekumemezeni “Ukuthula nokulondeka!”—ngokuvumelana negunya layo nokugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho esikweyo-1 Thesalonika 5:3. Khona-ke uJehova uyoshukumisa “izimpondo” ezihlomile zeUN ukuba zibhubhise inkolo yamanga, “IBABILONI ELIKHULU,” lelo amahlelo eLobukholwa enza ingxenye yalo esoleka kakhulu. Khona-ke, lapho ‘lezozimpondo’ ziphenduka ukuba zilwe neWundlu, uJesu Kristu, ngokuhlasela ofakazi bakaJehova abathanda ukuthula, inkemba kaJehova yesahlulelo iyokwehlela phezu kwalezozizwe namabutho azo, futhi ‘azisoze zaphunyuka.’—IsAmbulo 17:3-6, 12-17.
18. (a) Ngokwezwi lesiprofetho, kuyokwenzekani kulezozizwe ezihlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu? (b) Ekugcineni, uNkulunkulu uyozilungisa kanjani izimo?
18 Izikhali zenyukliya zezizwe ngeke zizinikeze isivikelo phakathi “ekulweni kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke,” impi yeArmagedoni. (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16) Uma lezo zikhali ezisabeka kakhulu zisetshenziswa, ziyosiza kuphela ukuba izizwe zibhubhisane zodwa. Ezinsukwini zeNkosi elungile yakwaJuda uJehoshafati, izitha eziyimihambima zazimisela ukuhlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu ababebonakala bengenakuzivikela. Kodwa uJehova, ngomprofethi wakhe, wabatshela: “Ningesabi, ningapheli amandla ngenxa yalesisixuku esikhulu, ngokuba impi ayisiyo eyenu ngekaNkulunkulu.” UJehova wakhungathekisa lezo zitha, ukuze ‘zibulalane zodwa,’ zaze zabhujiswa zonke. (2 IziKronike 20:15-23; qhathanisa futhi nabAhluleli 7:22; Hezekeli 38:21-23; Zakariya 14:13.) Umphumela wokugcina uyoqondiswa ekaNkulunkulu “iNkosi yamakhosi” esesihlalweni sobukhosi nezingelosi zayo, eyoqothula izitha zayo kuze kube isitha sokugcina esifayo. Ngisho noSathane namademoni akhe bayofakwa kwalasha.—IsAmbulo 19:11-16, 21; 20:1-3.
19. (a) Yisiphi isifundo okumelwe sisithole kuGenesise 18:23-33? (b) Ngobani kuphela abayosindiswa “osizini olukhulu”?
19 Nokho, ingabe akuyona into eshaqisayo ngoJehova ukuba abhubhise sonke isimiso sezwe, kungabikho ingxenye yaso eyobuye ivuselelwe? Mhlawumbe abanye bazizwa njengoba uAbrahama azizwa ngeSodoma neGomora, ukuthi uma nje kwakungatholakala abantu abalungileyo abangama-50, noma ama-45, noma ama-30, noma ama-20, noma ngisho abayi-10 kulelozwe, khona “uMahluleli womhlaba wonke” wayengeke alibhubhise lonke. (Genesise 18:23-33) Kodwa izwi lesiprofetho likwenza kube sobala ukuthi izwe likaSathane lonakele lonke nokuthi liyobhujiswa ngokuphelele! (Jeremiya 25:31-33; Zefaniya 3:8) Okuwukuphela kwabantu abayosindiswa “osizini olukhulu” kuyoba ‘abantu’ abazinikezele abakhethiweyo bakhe abagcotshiwe nabangane babo abafana nezimvu, njengoba uJesu asho ngokwakhe. Abekho abanye ababalwa njengabalungile emehlweni kaJehova.—Mathewu 24:21, 22; 25:31-33, 46; Johane 10:16; Habakuki 3:1, 2, 12, 13.
20. NjengoFakazi BakaJehova, yini okumelwe siphaphamele ukuyenza phakathi nalezi zinsuku zokugcina?
20 Izwi likaJehova lesiprofetho liyaqhubeka ‘liphuthuma’ ekugcwalisekeni kwalo kokugcina. Kumelwe ‘sililindele.’ (Habakuki 2:3) Ngakho-ke, thina, njengoFakazi BakaJehova, masimemezele ngesibindi “usuku lokuphindisela lukaNkulunkulu wethu” futhi ‘sibe nesibindi’ njengabaphostoli bakaJesu ngokududuza bonke abalilayo ngezindaba ezinhle zensindiso. (Isaya 61:1, 2; IzEnzo 4:8-13, 18-20) Masiphaphame, futhi, ekuqapheleni amazwi kaJesu: “Xwayani ukuba izinhliziyo zenu zingasindwa ngukuminza nokudakwa nokunaka okwalokhukuphila, lunizume lolosuku ningazelele, ngokuba luyakufika njengogibe phezu kwabo bonke abahlezi emhlabeni wonke. Ngakho lindani ngesikhathi sonke, nikhuleke ukuba nibe-namandla okuphepha kukho konke lokhu okuyakwenzeka nawokuma phambi kweNdodana yomuntu.”—Luka 21:34-36.
Ungaphendula kanjani?
□ Isiphi isifundo esisifunda ku-2 Petru 1:16-19 nemibhalo ehlobene nawo?
□ Iziphi izinzuzo esizithola ‘ngokuqaphela izwi lesiprofetho’?
□ Yini eprofethwa njengeseduze, futhi kungani kungamelwe sesabe?
□ Njengoba “usuku lokuphindisela” lukaNkulunkulu lusondela, yini okumelwe ngabe siyayenza?
[Isithombe ekhasini 20]
“Impi ayisiyo eyenu, ngekaNkulunkulu”