Yiba Nokholo Kwilizwi LikaThixo Lesiprofeto!

“Sinelizwi lesiprofeto elenziwa laqiniseka ngakumbi.”—2 PETROS 1:19.

1, 2. Sisiphi isiprofeto sokuqala ngqa esabhalwayo, yaye nguwuphi omnye wemibuzo esabangela ukuba ibuzwe?

UYEHOVA wayenguMthombo wesiprofeto sokuqala ngqa kwezibhaliweyo. Emva kokuba uAdam noEva bonile, uThixo waxelela inyoka oku: “Ndiya kubeka ubutshaba phakathi kwakho nomfazi naphakathi kwembewu yakho nembewu yakhe. Yona iya kukutyumza intloko uze wena uyityumze isithende.” (Genesis 3:1-7, 14, 15) Kwakuza kudlula iinkulungwane ngaphambi kokuba loo mazwi esiprofeto aqondwe ngokuzeleyo.

² Eso siprofeto sokuqala sazisa ithemba kuluntu olunesono. Kamva iZibhalo zafanisa uSathana uMtyholi ‘nenyoka yakudala.’ (ISityhilelo 12:9) Kodwa ngubani owayeza kuba yiMbewu kaThixo ethenjisiweyo?

Ukufuna IMbewu

3. UAbheli walubonakalisa njani ukholo kwisiprofeto sokuqala?

³ Ngokungafaniyo noyise, uAbheli owayehlonel’ uThixo waba nokholo kwisiprofeto sokuqala. Ngokucacileyo uAbheli waqonda ukuba kwakuya kufuneka kuphalazwe igazi ukuze kugutyungelwe isono. Ngoko ke, ukholo lwamshukumisela ukuba enze idini lesilwanyana yaye lamkeleka kuThixo. (Genesis 4:2-4) Ukanti, iMbewu ethenjisiweyo yaqhubeka iyimfihlelo.

4. UThixo wamthembisa wathini uAbraham, yaye eso sithembiso sabonisa ntoni ngokuphathelele iMbewu ethenjisiweyo?

⁴ Kwiminyaka emalunga nama-2 000 emva kwexesha lika-Abheli, uYehova wenza idinga elisisiprofeto kusolusapho uAbraham esithi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kukusikelela yaye ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kuyandisa imbewu yakho njengeenkwenkwezi zasemazulwini . . . Yaye ngokuqinisekileyo ziya kuzisikelela ngembewu yakho zonke iintlanga zomhlaba.” (Genesis 22:17, 18) Loo mazwi anxulumanisa uAbraham nenzaliseko yesiprofeto sokuqala. Abonisa ukuba iMbewu eyayiza kutshitshisa imisebenzi kaSathana yayiza kuvela kumnombo ka-Abraham. (1 Yohane 3:8) “Ngenxa yesithembiso sikaThixo [uAbraham] akazange axengaxengiswe kukuswela ukholo” yaye kwaba njalo nangamanye amangqina kaYehova awayephila ngaphambi kwexesha lamaKristu ‘angazange ayifumane inzaliseko yesithembiso.’ (Roma 4:20, 21; Hebhere 11:39) Kunoko, aqhubeka enokholo kwilizwi likaThixo lesiprofeto.

5. Sazaliseka kubani isithembiso sikaThixo seMbewu, yaye yintoni ebangela ukuba uphendule ngolo hlobo?

⁵ Umpostile uPawulos wafanisa iMbewu kaThixo ethenjisiweyo xa wabhala oku: “Izithembiso zenziwa kuAbraham nakwimbewu yakhe. Akuthiwa: ‘Nakwiimbewu,’ njengakwimeko yezininzi, kodwa njengakwimeko yenye kuthiwa: ‘Nakwimbewu yakho,’ enguKristu.” (Galati 3:16) IMbewu ezaziza kuzisikelela ngayo iintlanga yayingaquki yonke inzala ka-Abraham. Inzala yonyana wakhe uIshmayeli neyoonyana bakhe awabafumana kuKetura ayizange isetyenziselwe ukusikelela uluntu. IMbewu yesithembiso yeza ngonyana wakhe uIsake nomzukulwana wakhe uYakobi. (Genesis 21:12; 25:23, 31-34; 27:18-29, 37; 28:14) UYakobi wabonisa ukuba “izizwana” zaziya kuthobela uShilo wesizwe sakwaYuda, kodwa kamva iMbewu yapheleliselwa kumnombo kaDavide. (Genesis 49:10; 2 Samuweli 7:12-16) AmaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala ayelindele umntu omnye owayeza kuza njengoMesiya okanye uKristu. (Yohane 7:41, 42) Yaye isiprofeto sikaThixo seMbewu sazaliseka kuNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu.

Ukubonakala KukaMesiya!

6. (a) Sisiqonda njani isiprofeto seeveki ezingama-70? (b) UYesu ‘wasicima’ nini yaye njani ‘isono’?

⁶ Umprofeti uDaniyeli wabhala isiprofeto esibalulekileyo esingoMesiya. Ngonyaka wokuqala kaDariyo umMedi, waphawula ukuba ukuphanziswa kweYerusalem kangangeminyaka engama-70 kwakusele kuza kuphela. (Yeremiya 29:10; Daniyeli 9:1-4) Ngoxa uDaniyeli wayesathandaza, ingelosi uGabriyeli yeza yaza yatyhila ukuba ‘kwakumiselwe iiveki ezingamashumi asixhenxe ukuze kucinywe isono.’ UMesiya wayeza kunqunyulwa phakathi kwiveki yama-70. “Iiveki ezingamashumi asixhenxe zeminyaka” zaqalisa ngowama-455 B.C.E., xa uKumkani wamaPersi Artashashta I ‘wakhupha ilizwi lokuba ibuye yakhiwe iYerusalem.’ (Daniyeli 9:20-27; Moffatt; Nehemiya 2:1-8) UMesiya wayeza kufika emva kweeveki ezisi-7 kunye neeveki ezingama-62. Le minyaka ingama-483 yaqala ngowama-455 B.C.E. ukusa kowama-29 C.E., xa uYesu wabhaptizwayo waza uThixo wamthambisa njengoMesiya, okanye uKristu. (Luka 3:21, 22) UYesu ‘wasicima isono’ ngokunikela ngobomi bakhe njengentlawulelo ngowama-33 C.E. (Marko 10:45) Ezinjani zona izizathu zokuba nokholo kwilizwi likaThixo lesiprofeto!a

7. Usebenzisa iZibhalo, bonisa indlela uYesu awasizalisekisa ngayo isiprofeto esingoMesiya.

⁷ Ukuba nokholo kwilizwi likaThixo lesiprofeto kwenza sikwazi ukufanisa uMesiya. Kwiziprofeto ezininzi ezingoMesiya ezibhalwe kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere, ababhali beZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike basebenzisa eziliqela kuzo kuYesu ngokuthe ngqo. Nanku umzekelo: UYesu wazalwa yintombi enyulu eBhetelehem. (Isaya 7:14; Mika 5:2; Mateyu 1:18-23; Luka 2:4-11) Wabizwa eYiputa, yaye kwabulawa abantwana emva kokuzalwa kwakhe. (Yeremiya 31:15; Hoseya 11:1; Mateyu 2:13-18) UYesu wathwala izifo zethu. (Isaya 53:4; Mateyu 8:16, 17) Njengoko kwakuxelwe kwangaphambili, wangena eYerusalem ekhwele inkonyana le-esile. (Zekariya 9:9; Yohane 12:12-15) Amazwi omdumisi azaliseka emva kokubethelelwa kukaYesu xa amajoni abelana ngeempahla zakhe aza enza amaqashiso ngesambatho sakhe sangaphakathi. (INdumiso 22:18; Yohane 19:23, 24) Isibakala sokuba amathambo kaYesu engazange aphulwe nesokuba wahlatywa nazo zazalisekisa isiprofeto. (INdumiso 34:20; Zekariya 12:10; Yohane 19:33-37) Le yimizekelo nje embalwa yeziprofeto ezingoMesiya ezasetyenziswa kuYesu ngababhali beBhayibhile abaphefumlelwe nguThixo.b

Zukisa UKumkani OnguMesiya!

8. Ngubani uNyangelemihla, yaye sazaliseka njani isiprofeto esikuDaniyeli 7:9-14?

⁸ Ngonyaka wokuqala kaKumkani waseBhabhiloni uBheleshatsare, uYehova wabonisa umprofeti wakhe uDaniyeli iphupha nemibono echukumisayo. Okokuqala lo mprofeti wabona amarhamncwa amakhulu amane. Ingelosi kaThixo yawafanisa ‘nookumkani abane,’ ngaloo ndlela ibonisa ukuba ayefanekisela amagunya ehlabathi alandelelanayo. (Daniyeli 7:1-8, 17) Ngokulandelayo uDaniyeli wabona uYehova, “uNyangelemihla,” ehleli kwitrone yozuko lwakhe. Egweba la marhamncwa ngokuqatha, wawahlutha ulawulo waza watshabalalisa irhamncwa lesine. Ulawulo oluhlala luhleli phezu ‘kwezizwana, neentlanga neelwimi’ lwanikwa “uthile onjengonyana womntu.” (Daniyeli 7:9-14) Esinjani ukubalasela isiprofeto esiphathelele ukubekwa ‘koNyana womntu’ uYesu Kristu, etroneni yasemazulwini ngonyaka we-1914!—Mateyu 16:13.

9, 10. (a) Zazibonisa ntoni iinxalenye ezahlukahlukeneyo zomfanekiso osephupheni? (b) Ungayichaza njani inzaliseko kaDaniyeli 2:44?

⁹ UDaniyeli wayesazi ukuba uThixo “ushenxisa ookumkani amisele ookumkani.” (Daniyeli 2:21) Ngokuba nokholo kuYehova, “onguMtyhili weemfihlelo,” lo mprofeti wachaza intsingiselo yephupha lomfanekiso omkhulu likaKumkani waseBhabhiloni uNebhukadenetsare. Iinxalenye zawo ezahlukahlukeneyo zazibonisa ukumiselwa nokuwa kwamagunya ehlabathi anjengeBhabhiloni, amaMedi namaPersi, iGrisi neRoma. UThixo wakwasebenzisa uDaniyeli ukuba achaze iziganeko zehlabathi ukuza kufikelela kumhla wethu nasemva kwawo.—Daniyeli 2:24-30.

¹⁰ Isiprofeto sathi: “Ngemihla yabo kumkani uThixo wezulu uya kumisa ubukumkani obungenakuze bonakaliswe. Yaye obo bukumkani abuyi kudluliselwa kubo nabaphi na abanye abantu. Buya kuzityumza buziphelise zonke ezi zikumkani, buze bona bume ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo.” (Daniyeli 2:44) Ekupheleni ‘kwamaxesha amisiweyo eentlanga’ ngowe-1914, uThixo wamisela uBukumkani basezulwini phantsi kukaKristu. (Luka 21:24; ISityhilelo 12:1-5) Ngamandla kaThixo “ilitye” loBukumkani obungoMesiya laqhephuka ‘kwintaba’ yolongamo lukaThixo kwindalo iphela. EArmagedon elo litye liya kubetha umfanekiso lize liwucole ube ngumgubo. Njengorhulumente ofana nentaba ochaphazela “umhlaba uphela,” uBukumkani obungoMesiya buya kuma ngonaphakade.—Daniyeli 2:35, 45; ISityhilelo 16:14, 16.c

11. Ukwenziwa kumila kumbi kukaYesu kwakuyimbonakaliso yantoni, yaye loo mbono waba naliphi igalelo kuPetros?

¹¹ Ecinga ngolawulo lwakhe loBukumkani, uYesu waxelela abafundi bakhe oku: “Kukho abathile kwabo bemi apha abangayi kungcamla kufa konke konke de kuqala bambone uNyana womntu esiza esebukumkanini bakhe.” (Mateyu 16:28) Kwiintsuku ezintandathu kamva, uYesu wathabatha uPetros, uYakobi noYohane wabasa entabeni ephakamileyo apho wenziwa kumila kumbi phambi kwabo. Njengoko ilifu eliqaqambileyo laligubungele abapostile, uThixo wathi: “Lo nguNyana wam, oyintanda, endikholisiweyo nguye; mphulaphuleni yena.” (Mateyu 17:1-9; Marko 9:1-9) Enjani yona imbonakaliso yoBukumkani bukaKristu obuzukileyo! Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba uPetros wathetha wenjenje ngalo mbono uchukumisayo: “Ngenxa yoko sinelizwi lesiprofeto elenziwa laqiniseka ngakumbi.”—2 Petros 1:16-19.d

12. Kutheni eli ngokukhethekileyo ilixesha lokubonisa ukholo kwilizwi likaThixo lesiprofeto?

¹² Kubonakala ukuba ‘ilizwi lesiprofeto’ aliquki nje iziprofeto ezifumaneka kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere ezithetha ngoMesiya kodwa namazwi kaYesu athi wayeya kuza “enamandla nobuqaqawuli obukhulu.” (Mateyu 24:30) Ukwenziwa kumila kumbi kwaqinisekisa ilizwi lesiprofeto elithetha ngokuza kukaKristu eseBukumkanini enamandla nobuqaqawuli. Kungekudala, isityhilelo sakhe esebuqaqawulini siya kuthetha intshabalalo kwabo bangenalo ukholo nentsikelelo kwabo banokholo. (2 Tesalonika 1:6-10) Inzaliseko yesiprofeto seBhayibhile ingqina ukuba le ‘yimihla yokugqibela.’ (2 Timoti 3:1-5, 16, 17; Mateyu 24:3-14) NjengoMphumezi Wemigwebo Oyintloko kaYehova, uMikayeli, onguYesu Kristu, sel’ elungele ukuphelisa le nkqubo ingendawo yezinto ebudeni ‘bembandezelo enkulu.’ (Mateyu 24:21; Daniyeli 12:1) Ngoko, eli ngokuqinisekileyo lixesha lokubonisa ukuba sinokholo kwilizwi likaThixo lesiprofeto.

Londoloza Ukholo Kwilizwi LikaThixo Lesiprofeto

13. Yintoni enokusinceda silondoloze uthando lwethu ngoThixo size sigcine ukholo lwethu kwilizwi lakhe luphilile?

¹³ Ngokuqinisekileyo saba nemincili xa sasiqala ukuva ngenzaliseko yelizwi likaThixo lesiprofeto. Kodwa ngaba ukususela ngoko ukholo lwethu luye lwancipha nothando lwethu lwaphola? Kwanga asingefani namaKristu ase-Efese ‘awalushiyayo uthando awayenalo kuqala.’ (ISityhilelo 2:1-4) Kungakhathaliseki ukuba sele simkhonze ixesha elide kangakanani uYehova, sinokuhlelwa yinto efanayo ngaphandle kokuba ‘siqhubeka sifuna kuqala ubukumkani bukaThixo nobulungisa bakhe’ ukuze siziqwebele ubutyebi ezulwini. (Mateyu 6:19-21, 31-33) Ukufundisisa iBhayibhile ngenkuthalo, ukuba nenxaxheba rhoqo kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu nokushumayela ngoBukumkani ngenzondelelo kuya kusinceda silondoloze uthando lwethu ngoYehova, ngoNyana wakhe nangeZibhalo. (INdumiso 119:105; Marko 13:10; Hebhere 10:24, 25) Kuya kwandula ke oku kugcine ukholo lwethu elizwini likaThixo luphilile.—INdumiso 106:12.

14. AmaKristu athanjisiweyo avuzwa njani ngokholo lwawo kwilizwi likaYehova lesiprofeto?

¹⁴ Kanye njengokuba ilizwi likaThixo lesiprofeto lazalisekayo mandulo, sinokuba nokholo ngoko likuxela kwangaphambili ngekamva. Ngokomzekelo, ngoku ubukho bukaKristu ekuzuko loBukumkani yinto yokoqobo, yaye amaKristu athanjisiweyo aye athembeka de kwasekufeni ayibonile inzaliseko yesithembiso esisisiprofeto esithi: “Lowo woyisayo ndiza kumnika ukuba adle kuwo umthi wobomi, okwiparadesi kaThixo.” (ISityhilelo 2:7, 10; 1 Tesalonika 4:14-17) Aba boyisileyo uYesu ubanika ilungelo ‘lokudla kumthi wobomi’ “okwiparadesi kaThixo” esezulwini. Ekuvusweni kwabo, ngenxa kaYesu Kristu baba nenxaxheba ekungafini nasekungonakalini abakufumana kuYehova, “uKumkani kanaphakade, ongenakonakala, nongabonakaliyo, uThixo okuphela kwakhe.” (1 Timoti 1:17; 1 Korinte 15:50-54; 2 Timoti 1:10) Onjani wona ukuba mkhulu umvuzo ngenxa yothando lwabo olungapheliyo ngoThixo nokholo olungaxengaxengiyo abanalo kwilizwi lakhe lesiprofeto!

15. Isiseko ‘somhlaba omtsha’ sakhelwa koobani, yaye ngoobani amaqabane abo?

¹⁵ Kungekudala emva kokuba abathanjiswa abafe bethembekile bevuselwe “kwiparadesi kaThixo,” intsalela kaSirayeli wokomoya esesemhlabeni yakhululwa ‘kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu,’ ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki. (ISityhilelo 14:8; Galati 6:16) Isiseko ‘somhlaba omtsha’ sakhelwa kubo. (ISityhilelo 21:1) Ngaloo ndlela kwaveliswa “ilizwe” laza lakhiwa laba yiparadesi yokomoya ezalise wonke umhlaba namhlanje. (Isaya 66:8) Indimbane yamaqabane kaSirayeli wokomoya anjengezimvu iyathontelana ukuza kuyo kanye ngoku, “ekupheleni kwemihla.”—Isaya 2:2-4; Zekariya 8:23; Yohane 10:16; ISityhilelo 7:9.

Ikamva Loluntu Lixelwe Kwangaphambili Kwilizwi LikaThixo Lesiprofeto

16. Ayintoni amathemba abo babaxhasa ngokunyanisekileyo abathanjisiweyo?

¹⁶ Liyintoni ithemba labo baxhasa abathanjiswa ngokunyanisekileyo? Nabo banokholo kwilizwi likaThixo lesiprofeto, yaye ithemba labo kukungena kwiParadesi esemhlabeni. (Luka 23:39-43) Apho baya kusela ‘kumlambo wamanzi obomi’ aphilisayo yaye baya kuphiliswa ‘ngamagqabi emithi’ etyalwe ecaleni kwawo. (ISityhilelo 22:1, 2) Ukuba unethemba elimangalisa ngolo hlobo, ngamana ungaqhubeka umthanda ngokunzulu uYehova yaye unokholo kwilizwi lakhe lesiprofeto. Ngamana ungaphakathi kwabo baya kuba novuyo olungathethekiyo lobomi obungunaphakade kumhlaba oyiParadesi.

17. Ubomi kwiParadesi esemhlabeni buya kuquka ziphi iintsikelelo?

¹⁷ Abantu abangafezekanga abakwazi ukubuchaza ngokuzeleyo ubomi kumhlaba omtsha oyiParadesi, kodwa ilizwi likaThixo lesiprofeto lisinika ukuqonda ngeentsikelelo ezigcinelwe uluntu oluthobelayo. Xa uBukumkani bukaThixo bulawula bungenazintshaba nokuthanda kwakhe kusenziwa emhlabeni njengasezulwini, akukho bantu baneengcwangu—kungekho nazilwanyana—ziya ‘kwenzakalisa okanye zonakalise.’ (Isaya 11:9; Mateyu 6:9, 10) Abalulamileyo baya kuhlala emhlabeni, baze “baziyolise ngokugqibeleleyo ngobuninzi boxolo.” (INdumiso 37:11) Akuyi kubakho bantu baninzi balambayo, kuba “kuya kubakho ukudla okuziinkozo okuninzi emhlabeni; encotsheni yeentaba kuya kubakho ukuphuphuma.” (INdumiso 72:16) Akusayi kuphalala iinyembezi zosizi. Ukugula kuya kuphela, kwanokufa akusayi kubakho. (Isaya 33:24; ISityhilelo 21:4) Khawube nombono—kungekho gqirha, mayeza, zibhedlele okanye iindawo zabagula ngengqondo, kungekho mingcwabo. Elinjani lona ukuzuka ithemba!

18. (a) UDaniyeli waqinisekiswa ngantoni? (b) Liya kuba yintoni ‘ilifa’ likaDaniyeli?

¹⁸ Kwanengcwaba eliqhelekileyo loluntu liya kuqongqothwa njengoko ukufa kuya kuthatyathelw’ indawo luvuko. Indoda elilungisa uYobhi yayinethemba elinjalo. (Yobhi 14:14, 15) Kwakunjalo nangomprofeti uDaniyeli, kuba ingelosi kaYehova yamqinisekisa ngesi sithembiso: “Wena ke, qhubeka kude kube sekupheleni; uya kuphumla, kodwa uya kubuya uvuke, wamkele isabelo selifa lakho ekupheleni kwemihla.” (Daniyeli 12:13) UDaniyeli wakhonza uThixo ngokuthembeka de kwasekupheleni kobomi bakhe. Ngoku uphumle ekufeni, kodwa uya ‘kuvuka’ “eluvukweni lwabo bangamalungisa” ebudeni boLawulo lukaKristu Lwewaka Leminyaka. (Luka 14:14) Liya kuba yintoni ‘ilifa’ likaDaniyeli? Kaloku, kwinzaliseko yaso yeParadesi, isiprofeto sikaHezekile sibonisa ukuba bonke abantu bakaYehova baya kuba nendawo, nomhlaba abawabelweyo ngokulinganayo nangolungelelwano. (Hezekile 47:13–48:35) Ngoko uDaniyeli uya kuba nendawo eParadesi, kodwa ilifa lakhe aliyi kuba ngumhlaba nje kuphela. Liya kuquka indawo yakhe kwinjongo kaYehova.

19. Yintoni efunekayo ukuze ufumane ubomi kwiParadesi esemhlabeni?

¹⁹ Kuthekani ngawe nelifa lakho? Ukuba unokholo kwiLizwi likaThixo, iBhayibhile, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uyabulangazelela ubomi kwiParadesi esemhlabeni. Kunokwenzeka ukuba uzibona ulapho, unandipha intabalala yeentsikelelo zayo, unyamekela umhlaba yaye usamkela ngovuyo abo bavusiweyo. Ngapha koko, iParadesi yindawo yoluntu. UThixo wadala isibini sokuqala esingabantu ukuba sihlale kwindawo enjalo. (Genesis 2:7-9) Yaye ufuna abantu abathobelayo ukuba baphile ngonaphakade eParadesi. Ngaba uya kwenza ngokuvisisana neZibhalo ukuze ube phakathi kwamawaka ezigidi eziya kuthi ekugqibeleni ziphile kumhlaba oyiParadesi? Unokuba lapho ukuba unothando lokwenyaniso ngoBawo wethu osezulwini uYehova, yaye unokholo oluhlala luhleli kwilizwi likaThixo lesiprofeto.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?

• Sisiphi isiprofeto sokuqala, yaye yayingubani iMbewu ethenjisiweyo?

• Ziziphi ezinye zeziprofeto ezingoMesiya ezazaliseka kuYesu?

• Uya kuzaliseka njani uDaniyeli 2:44, 45?

• Ilizwi likaThixo lesiprofeto lithi luya kuba naliphi ikamva uluntu oluthobelayo?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Ngaba unethemba lokuphila kwiParadesi esemhlabeni?