1. Njengabapostile, yintoni esinomdla wokuyazi nathi namhlanje?

UYESU wayesele eza kubugqiba ubulungiseleli bakhe emhlabeni, babe abafundi bakhe belangazelela ukwazi oko bakuphathelwe likamva. Ngoko, kwiintsuku nje ezimbalwa ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, abapostile abane bambuza: “Ziya kubakho nini na ezi zinto, kwaye uya kuba yintoni na umqondiso wobukho bakho nowokupheliswa kwenkqubo yezinto?” (Mat. 24:3; Marko 13:3) Ukuze abaphendule, uYesu wabachazela isiprofeto eside esikuMateyu isahluko 24 no-25. Kweso siprofeto, uYesu wachaza iziganeko eziliqela eziphawulekayo. Ekubeni nathi sinomdla gqitha koko sikuphathelwe likamva, impendulo yakhe ibalulekile nakuthi.

2. (a) Ukutyhubela iminyaka, yintoni ebesisoloko sizabalazela ukuyiqonda? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo emithathu esiza kuyiqwalasela?

² Ukutyhubela iminyaka, abakhonzi bakaYehova bebethandaza njengoko befundisisa esi siprofeto sikaYesu siphathelele imihla yokugqibela. Babezabalazela ukuliqonda kakuhle elona xesha lokuzaliseka kwamazwi akhe. Ukucacisa indlela eye yaphucuka ngayo indlela esiwaqonda ngayo, siza kuqwalasela imibuzo emithathu yokuba senzeka “nini” isiganeko ngasinye. Iqalisa nini “imbandezelo enkulu”? UYesu uzigweba nini “izimvu” ‘neebhokhwe’? UYesu ‘ufika’ okanye uza nini?—Mat. 24:21; 25:31-33.

3. Yiyiphi indlela esasikade siliqonda ngayo ixesha lembandezelo enkulu?

³ Kangangeminyaka, sasicinga ukuba imbandezelo enkulu yaqalisa ngo-1914 xa kwaqhambuka iMfazwe Yehlabathi I kwanokuba ‘loo mihla yanqunyulwa’ nguYehova ngo-1918 ngokuphela kwaloo mfazwe ukuze intsalela ifumane ithuba lokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kuzo zonke iintlanga. (Mat. 24:21, 22) Emva kokugqiba loo msebenzi wokushumayela, ubukhosi bukaSathana babuza kutshatyalaliswa. Kwakucingwa ukuba  ­imbandezelo enkulu iza kuba nezigaba ezithathu: Isiqalo sayo (ngo-1914-1918), ukunqunyulwa kwayo (ukususela ngo-1918), nokuphela kwayo eArmagedon.

4. Kukuphi ukuqonda okwasinceda sacacelwa ngakumbi sisiprofeto sikaYesu esiphathelele imihla yokugqibela?

⁴ Noko ke, emva kokuphonononga esi siprofeto sikaYesu, safumanisa ukuba inxalenye yesi siprofeto semihla yokugqibela ineenzaliseko ezimbini. (Mat. 24:4-22) Sazaliseka okokuqala kwaYuda ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, ibe sasiseza kuzaliseka ehlabathini lonke kulo mhla wethu. Ukuqonda oko kwakhokelela kwiingcaciso ezahlukeneyo.

5. (a) Liliphi ixesha elinzima elaqalisa ngo-1914? (b) Ukuqala kwenimba kunxibelelana naliphi ixesha ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo?

⁵ Saye saqonda nokuba inxalenye yokuqala yembandezelo enkulu ayizange iqalise ngo-1914. Sitsho ngoba? Kaloku isiprofeto seBhayibhile sityhila ukuba ukuqalisa kwembandezelo enkulu akuyi kuqalisa ngokulwa kweentlanga, kodwa ngokuhlaselwa konqulo lobuxoki. Ngoko ke, iziganeko ezaqalisa ngo-1914 zazingathethi ukuqalisa kwembandezelo enkulu, kodwa ‘ukuqala kwenimba.’ (Mat. 24:8) Oku ‘kuqala kwenimba’ kunxibelelana nento eyenzeka eYerusalem kwaYuda ukususela ngo-33 ukusa ngo-66.

6. Siza kubona ngantoni xa kuqalisa imbandezelo enkulu?

⁶ Siza kubona ngantoni xa kuqalisa imbandezelo enkulu? UYesu wathi: “Xa nibona into elizothe ebangela isiphanziso, njengoko kwathethwa ngayo ngomprofeti uDaniyeli, imi kwindawo engcwele, (ofundayo makaqiqe,) mabandule abo bakwelakwaYuda basabele ezintabeni.” (Mat. 24:15, 16) Kwinzaliseko yokuqala, ‘ukuma kwindawo engcwele’ kwenzeka ngo-66 xa umkhosi wamaRoma (“into elizothe”) wahlasela iYerusalem netempile yayo (indawo eyayingcwele emehlweni amaYuda). Kwinzaliseko yaso enkulu, ‘ukuma’ kuya kwenzeka xa iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo (“into elizothe” namhlanje) zihlasela iNgqobhoko  (ebonakala ingcwele emehlweni abo bathi bangamaKristu) kuquka yonke iBhabhiloni Enkulu. Kwaolu hlaselo luphinda luchazwe kwiSityhilelo 17:16-18. Eso siganeko siya kuthetha ukuqalisa kwembandezelo enkulu.

7. (a) ‘Yasinda njani inyama’ ngenkulungwane yokuqala? (b) Yintoni esilindele ukuba yenzeke kwixa elizayo?

⁷ UYesu wathi: “Loo mihla iya kunqunyulwa.” Kwinzaliseko yokuqala yesi siprofeto oku kwenzeka ngo-66. xa umkhosi wamaRoma ‘walunqumlayo’ uhlaselo lwawo. Andula ke, amaKristu athanjisiweyo aseYerusalem nakwelakwaYuda asaba yaza ke ‘inyama [okanye ubomi] yasinda.’ (Funda uMateyu 24:22; Mal. 3:17) Yintoni ke, esilindele ukuba yenzeke xa kufika imbandezelo enkulu? UYehova uya ‘kulunqumla’ uhlaselo lweZizwe Ezimanyeneyo kunqulo lobuxoki, angavumeli ukuba unqulo lokwenyani lutshatyalaliswe kunye nolo lobuxoki. Oku kuya kuqinisekisa ukuba abantu bakaThixo bayasinda.

8. (a) Ziziphi iziganeko eziya kwenzeka emva kwenxalenye yokuqala yembandezelo enkulu? (b) Liliphi ixesha ekubonakala ukuba ilungu lokugqibela labo bayi-144 000 liya kufumana umvuzo walo ezulwini? (Funda ­umqukumbelo.)

 ⁸ Yintoni eza kwenzeka emva kokudlula kwenxalenye yokuqala yembandezelo enkulu? Amazwi kaYesu abonisa ukuba kukho ixesha elithile eliza kudlula ngaphambi kokuqalisa kweArmagedon. Ziziphi iziganeko eziya kwenzeka ebudeni belo xesha? Impendulo siyifumana kuHezekile 38:14-16 nakuMateyu 24:29-31. (Yifunde.) Emva koko, kuya kufika iArmagedon, incopho yembandezelo enkulu, enxibelelana nokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem ngo-70. (Mal. 4:1) Ekubeni imfazwe yeArmagedon iyincopho yayo, imbandezelo enkulu ezayo iya kuba sisiganeko esahlukileyo—‘ekungazange kubekho sinjengaso ukususela ekuqaleni ­kwehlabathi.’ (Mat. 24:21) Xa sele idlule, kuya kuqalisa uLawulo LukaKristu Lweminyaka Eliwaka.

9. Isiprofeto sikaYesu sembandezelo enkulu sinayiphi imiphumo kubantu bakaYehova?

 ⁹ Esi siprofeto sembandezelo enkulu siyasomeleza. Ngoba? Kaloku sisiqinisekisa ukuba kungakhathaliseki ukuba bubuphi ubunzima esijamelana nabo, abantu bakaYehova njengeqela baya kuphumela bephila kwimbandezelo enkulu. (ISityhi. 7:9, 14) Ngaphezu kwako konke, siyavuya kuba eArmagedon, uYehova uya kube eluthethelele ulongamo lwakhe negama lakhe lingcwalisiwe.—INdu. 83:18; Hez. 38:23.

10. Yiyiphi indlela esasikade siliqonda ngayo ixesha lokugwetywa kwezimvu neebhokhwe?

¹⁰ Ngoku makhe siqwalasele ixesha lenye inxalenye yesi siprofeto—umzekeliso wokugwetywa kwezimvu neebhokhwe. (Mat. 25:31-46) Sasikade sicinga ukuba ukugwetywa kwabantu njengezimvu okanye iibhokhwe kuya kwenzeka ebudeni bemihla yokugqibela ukususela ngo-1914 ukusa phambili. Sasicinga ukuba abo bagatya isigidimi soBukumkani baze bafe ngaphambi kwembandezelo enkulu babeya kufa njengeebhokhwe—bengenathemba lakuvuswa.

11. Kutheni sisithi ukugwetywa kwabantu njengezimvu neebhokhwe kwakungenakuqalisa ngo-1914?

¹¹ Ngeminyaka yee-1990, iMboniselo yahlolisisa ngokutsha incwadi kaMateyu 25:31, ethi: “Xa uNyana womntu efika esebuqaqawulini bakhe, nazo zonke iingelosi zikunye naye, uya kwandula ke ahlale phantsi kwitrone yakhe yobuqaqawuli.” Kwaqondwa ukuba uYesu waba nguKumkani woBukumkani bukaThixo ngo-1914, kodwa akazange “ahlale phantsi kwitrone yakhe yobuqaqawuli” njengoMgwebi wazo “zonke iintlanga.” (Mat. 25:32; thelekisa uDaniyeli 7:13.) Noko ke, umzekeliso wezimvu neebhokhwe uchaza uYesu njengoyena Mgwebi. (Funda uMateyu 25:31-34, 41, 46.) Ekubeni uYesu wayengekazigwebi zonke iintlanga ngo-1914, yayingenakwenzeka into yokuba uqale kuloo nyaka umgwebo wezimvu okanye iibhokhwe.Uya kuqalisa nini ke uYesu ukugweba?

12. (a) UYesu uya kuzigweba nini okokuqala zonke iintlanga? (b) Ziziphi iziganeko ezichazwe kuMateyu 24:30, 31 nakuMateyu 25:31-33, 46?

 ¹² Esi siprofeto sikaYesu semihla yokugqibela sibonisa ukuba okwesihlandlo sokuqala uYesu uya kuba nguMgwebi wazo zonke iintlanga emva kokuba kutshatyalaliswe unqulo lobuxoki. Njengokuba kukhankanywe  kwisiqendu 8, ezinye zeziganeko eziya kwenzeka ngelo xesha zichazwe kuMateyu 24:30, 31. Xa uhlolisisa ezi vesi, uya kuphawula ukuba uYesu wathetha ngeziganeko ezifanayo nezo zichazwa kumzekeliso wezimvu neebhokhwe. Ngokomzekelo, uNyana womntu uza esebuqaqawulini bakhe, nazo zonke iingelosi; zonke iintlanga nezizwe zihlanganiselwa kuye; abo abagweba njengezimvu ‘baphakamisa iintloko zabo’ ngenxa yokuba belindelwe kukufumana “ubomi obungunaphakade.” Abo abagweba njengeebhokhwe ‘baya kuzimbambazela besenza isijwili,’ kuba beqonda ukuba balindelwe ‘yintshabalalo engunaphakade.’—Mat. 25:31-33, 46.

13. (a) UYesu uya kubagweba nini abantu njengezimvu okanye iibhokhwe? (b) Le ndlela sikuqonda ngayo oku iyichaphazela njani indlela esibujonga ngayo ubulungiseleli bethu?

¹³ Sisiphi ke, isigqibo esifikelela kuso? UYesu uya kugweba abantu bazo zonke iintlanga njengezimvu okanye iibhokhwe xa efika ebudeni bembandezelo enkulu. Baya kwandula ke abo bafana neebhokhwe ‘banqunyulwe’ ngonaphakade eArmagedon, incopho yembandezelo enkulu. Le ndlela sikuqonda ngayo oku iyichaphazela njani indlela esibujonga ngayo ubulungiseleli bethu? Isinceda sibone indlela obaluleke ngayo umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. De imbandezelo enkulu iqalise, abantu basenethuba lokuguquka baze bangene kwindlela emxinwa “esa ebomini.” (Mat. 7:13, 14) Okwangoku, abanye abantu basenokubonakala  njengezimvu okanye iibhokhwe. Nakuba kunjalo, masikhumbule ukuba owona mgwebo wokuba ngubani imvu ingubani ibhokhwe uya kwenzeka ebudeni bembandezelo enkulu. Ngoko ke, sinesizathu esivakalayo sokuqhubeka sinika abantu abaninzi ithuba lokuphulaphula nokusabela kwisigidimi soBukumkani.

14, 15. Ziziphi izibhalo ezine ezibhekisela ekuzeni kukaYesu kwixa elizayo eze kugweba?

 ¹⁴ Ngaba ukuphonononga kwethu esi siprofeto sikaYesu kufuna sizikise ukucinga kwindlela esiliqonda ngayo ixesha lezinye iziganeko eziphawulekayo? Impendulo siyifumana kwakwesi siprofeto. Makhe sibone.

¹⁵ Kwinxalenye yesiprofeto sakhe esikuMateyu 24:29–25:46, uYesu unikela ingqalelo ngokuyintloko koko kuya kwenzeka kule mihla yokugqibela nasebudeni bembandezelo enkulu ezayo. Apho uYesu ubhekisela ‘ekuzeni,’ okanye ekufikeni kwakhe izihlandlo ezisibhozo. Ngokuphathelele imbandezelo enkulu, uthi: “Ziya kumbona uNyana womntu esiza esemafini.” “Aniwazi umhla eza ngawo iNkosi yenu.” “UNyana womntu uza ngelixa eningacinganga ukuba lilo.” Kumzekeliso wakhe wezimvu neebhokhwe, uYesu uthi: “Xa uNyana womntu efika esebuqaqawulini bakhe.” (Mat. 24:30, 42, 44; 25:31) Kwezi zihlandlo zone, uKristu ubhekisela ekuzeni kwakhe kwixa elizayo eze kugweba. Kwesi siprofeto sikaYesu sizifumana phi ezinye iimbekiselo ezine eziseleyo?

16. Ziziphi ezinye izibhalo ezithetha ngokuza kukaYesu?

¹⁶ Ngokuphathelele ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi, uYesu uthi: “Linoyolo elo khoboka ukuba inkosi yalo yakufika ilifumana lisenjenjalo.” Kumzekeliso weentombi ezinyulu, uYesu uthi: “Ngoxa babesiya kuthenga, wafika umyeni [“weza,” ngokweKingdom Interlinear].” Kumzekeliso weetalente, uYesu uthi: “Emva kwexesha elide inkosi yaloo makhoboka yeza.” Kwakulo mzekeliso, inkosi ithi: “Ekufikeni kwam ndamkele oko kukokwam.” (Mat. 24:46; 25:10, 19, 27) Liliphi ixesha ezibhekisela kulo ezi zihlandlo zine zokuza kukaYesu?

17. Sasikade sisithini ngokufika okuchazwa kuMateyu 24:46?

¹⁷ Kwiimpapasho zethu zangaphambili sakha sathi ezi zihlandlo zine ­zibhekisela  ekufikeni okanye ekuzeni kukaYesu, ngo-1918. Umzekelo woko, ngamazwi kaYesu aphathelele “ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.” (Funda uMateyu 24:45-47.) Sasikade sisithi “ukufika” okuchazwe kwivesi 46 kunxibelelene nokuza kukaYesu eze kuhlola imeko yokomoya yabathanjiswa ngo-1918 kwanokuba ukumiselwa kwelo khoboka phezu kwayo yonke impahla yeNkosi kwenzeka ngo-1919. (Mal. 3:1) Noko ke, ukusiqwalasela ngakumbi esi siprofeto kubonisa ukuba simele sizikise ukucinga kwindlela esiliqonda ngayo ixesha leziganeko ezithile zesi siprofeto sikaYesu. Ngoba?

18. Sisiphi isigqibo esifikelela kuso xa sisihlolisisa sonke isiprofeto esiphathelele ukuza kukaYesu?

¹⁸ Kwiivesi ezingaphambi kwekaMateyu 24:46, igama elithi ‘ukuza’ lisoloko libhekisela kwixesha apho uYesu esiza kuvakalisa aze agwebe ebudeni bembandezelo enkulu. (Mat. 24:30, 42, 44) Enye into, njengokuba siqwalasela  isiqendu 12, ‘ukufika’ kukaYesu okuchazwe kuMateyu 25:31 kubhekisela kwakwelo xesha lifanayo lokugweba. Ngoko ke, kusengqiqweni ukugqiba ekubeni ukufika kukaYesu eze kumisela ikhoboka elithembekile phezu kwayo yonke impahla yakhe, okuchazwe kuMateyu 24:46, 47, kubhekisela nasekuzeni kwakhe kwixa elizayo, ebudeni bembandezelo enkulu. Enyanisweni, xa sisihlolisisa sonke esi siprofeto sikaYesu sitsho sibone kakuhle ukuba sihlandlo ngasinye kwezi zisibhozo zokuza kwakhe sibhekisela ekuzeni kwakhe kwixa elizayo eze kugweba ebudeni bembandezelo enkulu.

19. Ziziphi iinkalo esiye sazikisa ukucinga kuzo kwindlela ebesiziqonda ngayo, ibe yiyiphi imibuzo eza kuphendulwa kumanqaku alandelayo?

¹⁹ Ngamafutshane, yintoni esiyifundileyo? Ekuqaleni kweli nqaku, siphakamise imibuzo emithathu yokuba senzeka “nini” isiganeko ngasinye. Siqale saxubusha ngento yokuba imbandezelo enkulu ayizange iqalise ngo-1914 kodwa iza kuqalisa xa iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo zihlasela iBhabhiloni Enkulu. Emva koko, sihlolisise isizathu sokuba uYesu engazange azigwebe ngo-1914 izimvu neebhokhwe kunoko eza kwenjenjalo ebudeni bembandezelo enkulu. Siye sahlolisisa nesizathu sokuba sisithi ukufika kukaYesu eze kumisela ikhoboka elithembekileyo phezu kwayo yonke impahla yakhe akuzange kwenzeke ngo-1919 kunoko kuza kwenzeka ebudeni bembandezelo enkulu. Ngoko ke, yomithathu le mibuzo yokuba senzeka “nini” isiganeko ngasinye, ibhekisela kwixesha elinye elizayo—imbandezelo enkulu. Oku kuzikisa ukucinga ngesi siprofeto kuyichaphazela njani indlela esiwuqonda ngayo umzekeliso wekhoboka elithembekileyo? Kuyichaphazela njani indlela esiyiqonda ngayo eminye imizekeliso kaYesu ezalisekayo ngoku kweli xesha lesiphelo? Le mibuzo ibalulekileyo iza kuqwalaselwa kumanqaku ­alandelayo.