Ngaba Unokukholosa Ngezithembiso ZikaThixo?

UYEHOVA UTHIXO, uMdali wethu, ebesoloko ebambelela kwilizwi lakhe. Wathi: “Nditshilo, ewe, ndiya kukufeza.” (Isaya 46:11) Emva kokukhokelela amaSirayeli kwiLizwe Ledinga, umkhonzi kaThixo uYoshuwa wabhala: “Akuwanga zwi phantsi, emazwini onke alungileyo awawathethayo uYehova kwindlu kaSirayeli; enzeka onke.”—Yoshuwa 21:45; 23:14.

Ukususela ngomhla kaYoshuwa de kwalixesha lokuza kukaMesiya, amakhulu eziprofeto eziphefumlelwe nguThixo azaliseka. Umzekelo woku kuxa umakhi owayesakha iYeriko kwakhona wafumana isohlwayo esaxelwa kwangaphambili iinkulungwane ngaphambili. (Yoshuwa 6:26; 1 Kumkani 16:34) Omnye sisithembiso, esasibonakala singenakuzaliseka, sokuba abemi abalambayo kwaSamari babeya kufumana intabalala yokutya ukuze batye ngosuku olulandela olo babekuxelelwa ngalo oko. Kweyesi-2 yooKumkani isahluko 7, ungayifunda indlela uThixo awasizalisekisa ngayo eso sithembiso.

Ukuvela Nokuwa Kwamagunya Ehlabathi

UThixo waphefumlela ababhali beBhayibhile ukuba babhale iinkcukacha ezingokuvela nokuwa kwamagunya ehlabathi. Ngokomzekelo, uThixo wasebenzisa umprofeti uIsaya ukuba axele kwangaphambili ukubhukuqwa kweBhabhiloni enamandla phantse kwiminyaka engama-200 ngaphambi kokuba oko kwenzeke. Enyanisweni, amaMedi, awathi amanyana namaPersi, kwathiwa angaboyisi. (Isaya 13:17-19) Sekunjalo okuphawuleka ngakumbi kukuba umprofeti kaThixo wamkhankanya ukumkani wamaPersi uKoreshi njengalowo wayeza kukhokela kuloyiso, nangona uKoreshi wayengekazalwa nokuzalwa ngexesha esi siprofeto sasibhalwa! (Isaya 45:1) Kodwa akuphelelanga apho.

Umprofeti uIsaya naye wayixela kwangaphambili indlela eyayiza koyiswa ngayo iBhabhiloni. Wabhala ukuba amanzi akhusele isixeko, umlambo umEfrati, ‘amele omiswe’ nokuba “amasango [aseBhabhiloni] angabi nakuvalwa.” (Isaya 44:27–45:1) Ezi nkcukacha zikhethekileyo zazalisekiswa, njengokuba umbhali-mbali uHerodotus wanikela ingxelo.

Ngoxa iBhabhiloni yayisephezulu, uThixo wakwasebenzisa umprofeti wakhe uDaniyeli ukuba achaze ngamagunya ehlabathi awayeza kuyilandela. UDaniyeli wabona inkunzi yegusha eneempondo ezimbini yokomfuziselo eyaphumelelayo ekoyiseni zonke ezinye “izinto eziphilileyo.” Esenza licace elokuba ngubani omelwa yinkunzi yegusha eneempondo ezimbini, uDaniyeli wabhala ukuba imela “ookumkani bamaMedi nabamaPersi.” (Daniyeli 8:1-4, 20) Eneneni, njengokuba kwaxelwa kwangaphambili, amaMedi namaPersi aba ligunya elilandelayo lehlabathi xa athi oyisa iBhabhiloni ngowama-539 B.C.E.

Kulo mbono uvela kuThixo, ngokulandelayo uDaniyeli wabona ‘inkunzi yebhokhwe enophondo olubonakalayo phakathi kwamehlo ayo.’ UDaniyeli waqhubeka nenkcazelo yakhe: ‘Ndayibona isiza kufutshane nenkunzi yegusha, yayityhomfa inkunzi yegusha, yazaphula iimpondo zayo zombini, yaye akwabikho bani unokuyihlangula inkunzi yegusha. Inkunzi yebhokhwe yakhula ngokuncamisileyo; ke, yakuba namandla, lwaphuka uphondo olukhulu; esikhundleni salo kwavela ezine.’—Daniyeli 8:5-8.

ILizwi likaThixo likwenza kucace gca ukuba konke oku kuthetha ntoni. Phawula le ngcaciso: “Nenkunzi yebhokhwe exhonti ngukumkani wakwaYavan [“waseGrisi,” NW]; uphondo olukhulu oluphakathi kwamehlo ngukumkani wokuqala. Ukwaphuka oku, kume zibe ne esikhundleni salo, kukuthi, kuya kusuka kume izikumkani ezine eluhlangeni, kungabi ngamandla alo ke.”—Daniyeli 8:21, 22.

Imbali ibonisa ukuba lo “kumkani wakwaYavan” yayinguAlesandire Omkhulu. Emva kokufa kwakhe ngowama-323 B.C.E., ubukhosi bakhe ekugqibeleni bohlulahlulwa phakathi kweenjengele zakhe ezine—uSeleucus I Nicator, uCassander, uPtolemy I noLysimachus. Kanye njengokuba iBhayibhile yaxela kwangaphambili, “esikhundleni salo kwavela ezine.” Kwakhona njengokuba kwaxelwa kwangaphambili, akukho namnye kwaba owaba negunya uAlesandire awayenalo. Eneneni, ukuzaliseka kwezi ziprofeto zeBhayibhile kuye kwaphawuleka kangangokuba kuye kwabizwa ngokuthi “yimbali eyabhalwa kusengaphambili.”

UMesiya Othenjisiweyo

UThixo akazange anele nje ukuthembisa uMesiya kuphela oza kuhlangula uluntu kwimiphumo yesono nokufa kodwa wakwanikela iziprofeto ezininzi zokufanisa lowo uThenjisiweyo. Qwalasela ezimbalwa kuphela kwezi, ziprofeto ezo uYesu awayengenakuzenza ngokwakhe zizaliseke.

Kwaxelwa kwangaphambili kumakhulu eminyaka ukuba oThenjisiweyo wayeya kuzalelwa eBhetelehem nokuba wayeya kuzalwa yintombi enyulu. (Thelekisa uMika 5:2 noMateyu 2:3-9; uIsaya 7:14 noMateyu 1:22, 23.) Kwaprofetwa ukuba wayeya kungcatshwa ngeengqekembe ezingama-30 zesilivere. (Zekariya 11:12, 13; Mateyu 27:3-5) Kwakhona kwaxelwa kwangaphambili ukuba akukho thambo lomzimba wakhe laliya kwaphulwa nokuba kwakuya kwenziwa amaqashiso ngeengubo zakhe.—Thelekisa INdumiso 34:20 noYohane 19:36, INdumiso 22:18 noMateyu 27:35.

Okuphawuleka ngakumbi sisibakala sokuba iBhayibhile yalixela kwangaphambili ixesha uMesiya awayeya kuza ngalo. ILizwi likaThixo laprofeta: “Kuthabathela ekuphumeni kwelizwi lokuba ibuyiswe yakhiwe iYerusalem, kuse kumthanjiswa oyinganga, ziiveki ezisixhenxe; ziiveki ezimashumi mathandathu anambini.” (Daniyeli 9:25) Ngokutsho kweBhayibhile, ilizwi lokubuyiselwa nokwakhiwa kweendonga zeYerusalem lanikelwa ngonyaka wama-20 wokulawula kukaKumkani uArtashashta, ethi imbali yehlabathi ibonise ukuba kwakungunyaka wama-455 B.C.E. (Nehemiya 2:1-8) Ezi veki zingama-69 zeminyaka zaphela kwithuba leminyaka engama-483 kamva (7 x 69 = 483), ngowama-29 C.E. Lowo yayingunyaka uYesu awabhaptizwa ngawo waza wathanjiswa ngomoya oyingcwele, esiba nguMesiya, okanye uKristu!

Okuphawulekayo kukuba abantu bomhla kaYesu babelindele ukuba uMesiya abonakale ngelo xesha, njengokuba umbhali-mbali ongumKristu uLuka waphawulayo. (Luka 3:15) Ababhali-mbali baseRoma uTacitus noSuetonius, umbhali-mbali ongumYuda uJosephus, nesithandi sobulumko esingumYuda uPhilo Judaeus nabo bayalungqina olo lindelo. KwanoAbba Hillel Silver, kwincwadi yakhe ethi A History of Messianic Speculation in Israel, uyavuma ukuba “uMesiya wayelindelwe ngekota yesibini yenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo.” Wathi, oku kwakungenxa yokuba “ubalo-maxesha olwalusaziwa ngezo mini,” inxalenye yalo yayithatyathwe kwincwadi kaDaniyeli.

Ngenxa yaloo nkcazelo, alifanele limangalise elokuba iBhayibhile nayo yayiya kulichaza ixesha uMesiya awayeya kubuya ngalo ukuze aqalise ulawulo lwakhe lobukumkani. Ubungqina bobalo-maxesha obukwisiprofeto sikaDaniyeli balatha kanye kwixesha laxa “Osenyangweni” wayeya kuphosa iintambo zolawulo lomhlaba ‘kophantsi ebantwini,’ uYesu Kristu. (Daniyeli 4:17-25; Mateyu 11:29) Ithuba “lamaxesha asixhenxe,” okanye iminyaka esixhenxe yesiprofeto, ikhankanyiwe, yaye eli thuba liye labalwa njengelihamba liye kuphela ngonyaka we-1914.a

Umhla Wesiphelo Awuchazwanga

Noko ke, unyaka we-1914 ngumhla wokuqalisa kolawulo lukaKristu kuphela ‘phakathi kweentshaba zakhe.’ (INdumiso 110:1, 2; Hebhere 10:12, 13) Incwadi yeBhayibhile yeSityhilelo ityhila ukuba ngexesha uKristu awayeza kuqalisa ngalo ukulawula ezulwini, wayeya kuphosela phantsi uSathana uMtyholi nezithunywa zakhe emhlabeni. Ngaphambi kokuba atshabalalise aba bantu bangumoya bangendawo, iBhayibhile ithi, baya kubangela ingxubakaxaka enkulu emhlabeni ‘ixesha elincinane.’—ISityhilelo 12:7-12.

Okubalulekileyo kukuba iBhayibhile ayiwunikeli umhla eliya kuphela ngawo eli ‘xesha lincinane’ nelaxa uKristu aya kuba nguMphumezi Wemigwebo kwiintshaba zikaThixo eArmagedon. (ISityhilelo 16:16; 19:11-21) Enyanisweni, njengokuba kuphawuliwe kwinqaku elandulelayo, uYesu wathi simele sihlale silungile kuba akukho mntu uwaziyo umhla weso siganeko. (Marko 13:32, 33) Xa umntu ethetha okungaphaya koko uYesu wakuthethayo, njengokuba enjenjalo amaKristu okuqala aseTesalonika nabanye abalandelayo, kuya kubakho ukuxelwa kwangaphambili kobuxoki okanye okungachananga.—2 Tesalonika 2:1, 2.

Ukulungiswa Kwembono Kwafuneka

Ngaphambi kwenxalenye yokugqibela yonyaka we-1914, amaKristu amaninzi ayelindele ukuba uKristu abuye ngelo xesha aze awathathe aye nawo ezulwini. Ngaloo ndlela, kwintetho eyanikelwa ngoSeptemba 30, 1914, uA. H. Macmillan, uMfundi weBhayibhile wathi: “Mhlawumbi le yintetho yesidlangalala yokugqibela endiyinikelayo kuba siza kuya ekhaya [ezulwini] kungekudala.” Ngokucacileyo, uMacmillan wayephazamile, kodwa olo yayingekuphela kolindelo olwalungazange luzalisekiswe kuye nakwabanye aBafundi beBhayibhile.

ABafundi beBhayibhile, abaziwa ukususela ngowe-1931 njengamaNgqina kaYehova, nabo babelindele ukuba ngonyaka we-1925 babeya kubona inzaliseko yeziprofeto zeBhayibhile ezimangalisayo. Babeqikelela ukuba ngelo xesha uvuko lwasemhlabeni lwaluya kuqalisa, lubuyisa amadoda athembekileyo amandulo, anjengoAbraham, uDavide noDaniyeli. Kutshanje, amaNgqina amaninzi ayecinga ukuba iziganeko ezinxulumene nokuqalisa koLawulo lukaKristu Lweminyaka Eliwaka zazisenokuqalisa ngowe-1975. Ulindelo lwawo lwalubangelwa kukuqonda ukuba iwaka leminyaka lesixhenxe lembali yoluntu laliya kuqalisa ngoko.

Ezi mbono ziphosisileyo azizange zithethe ukuba izithembiso zikaThixo zazingachananga, nokuba wayenze impazamo. Akunjalo konke konke! Iimpazamo okanye iingcamango ezingachananga, njengakwimeko yamaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala, zazingenxa yokusilela ukuthobela isilumkiso sikaYesu, “Anilazi ukuba linini na ixesha elo.” Ezi zigqibo ziphosakeleyo zazingabangelwa yintiyo okanye kukungathembeki kuKristu, kodwa zazibangelwa ngumnqweno osuka entliziyweni wokubona izithembiso zikaThixo zizaliseka ngexesha lazo.

Ngenxa yoko, uA. H. Macmillan kamva wacacisa: “Ndafunda ukuba sifanele sizivume iimpazamo zethu size siqhubeke sihlolisisa iLizwi likaThixo ukuze sifumane ukukhanyiselwa okungakumbi. Kungakhathaliseki ukuba luluphi na uhlengahlengiso ekuya kufuneka silwenze amaxesha ngamaxesha kwiimbono zethu, oko akuyi kutshintsha ilungiselelo elizukileyo lentlawulelo nesithembiso sikaThixo sobomi obungunaphakade.”

Eneneni, izithembiso zikaThixo zinokuthenjwa! Ngabantu abenza iimposiso. Ngoko ke, amaKristu okwenyaniso aya kuhlala enesimo sengqondo sokulinda ethobela umyalelo kaYesu. Aya kuhlala ephaphile yaye ekulungele ukuza kukaKristu okungabuyi ngamva njengoMphumezi Wemigwebo kaThixo. Akasayi kuvumela ukuxelwa kwangaphambili kobuxoki kudodobalise iingqiqo zawo kuze oko kuwabangele atyeshele isilumkiso sokwenyaniso sesiphelo sehlabathi.

Ngoko, kuthekani ngenkolelo yokuba eli hlabathi liza kuphela? Ngaba bukho ubungqina bokwenene bokuba oku kuza kwenzeka kungekudala, ngexesha lokudla kwakho ubomi?

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]

Iinkcukacha ezikhethekileyo ezingokuwa kweBhabhiloni zaxelwa kwangaphambili

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 25]

UYesu wayengenakuzenza ngokwakhe zizaliseke iziprofeto ezininzi ngaye