Ezinsukwini zikaJohane uMbhapathizi, “abantu babelindele futhi bonke bezindla ezinhliziyweni zabo ngoJohane bethi: ‘Kungenzeka yini mhlawumbe ukuthi unguKristu na?’” (Luka 3:15) Yini eyayingenza amaJuda alindele uMesiya ukuba avele ngaleso sikhathi? Kunezizathu eziningana.

Ngemva kokuzalwa kukaJesu, ingelosi kaJehova yabonakala kubelusi ababeluse imihlambi yabo emadlelweni aseduze neBhetlehema. Ingelosi yamemezela: “Namuhla nizalelwe uMsindisi, onguKristu iNkosi, emzini kaDavide.” (Luka 2:8-11) Ngemva kwalokho, kwaba “noquqaba lwebutho lasezulwini” olwahlanganyela nale ngelosi ‘badumisa uNkulunkulu bathi: * “Inkazimulo kuNkulunkulu phezulu ezindaweni eziphakemeyo, naphezu komhlaba ukuthula kubantu abathakazelelwayo.”’—Luka 2:13, 14.

Kumelwe ukuba saba namandla ngempela leso simemezelo kulabo belusi abathobekile. Abapholisanga maseko, baya eBhetlehema futhi lapho bethola uJosefa, uMariya nosana olunguJesu, “babalandisa amazwi ayekhulunywe kubo ngokuphathelene nalo mntwana.” Ngenxa yalokho, “bonke abezwa bamangala ngezinto ababezitshelwa abelusi.” (Luka 2:17, 18) Amazwi athi “bonke abezwa” asikisela ukuthi abelusi batshela nabanye abantu ngaphandle kukaJosefa noMariya. Njengoba abelusi bebuyela ekhaya, baqhubeka “bekhazimulisa uNkulunkulu futhi bemdumisa ngazo zonke izinto ababezizwile nababezibonile, njengoba nje babezitsheliwe.” (Luka 2:20) Ngokuqinisekile, labo belusi abazange bathule nezinto ezinhle ababezizwile ngoKristu!

Lapho uMariya eyisa indodana yakhe eyizibulo eJerusalema ukuze ayethule phambi kukaJehova njengoba uMthetho kaMose wawufuna kanjalo, umprofethikazi u-Ana “wabonga kuNkulunkulu futhi wakhuluma ngomntwana kubo bonke ababelindele ukukhululwa kweJerusalema.” (Luka 2:36-38; Eks. 13:12) Ngakho, izindaba zokuvela kukaMesiya zaqhubeka zisakazeka.

Kamuva, “kweza eJerusalema ababhula ngezinkanyezi bevela ezingxenyeni ezisempumalanga, bathi: ‘Uphi lowo ozelwe eyinkosi yamaJuda? Ngoba sibone inkanyezi yakhe sisempumalanga, futhi sizé ukuzomkhothamela.’” (Math. 2:1, 2) Lapho izwa lokhu, “iNkosi uHerode yayaluza, nalo lonke iJerusalema; futhi lapho isibuthele ndawonye bonke abapristi abakhulu nababhali besizwe yababuza ukuthi uKristu wayeyozalelwaphi.”  (Math. 2:3, 4) Ngaleyo ndlela, abantu abaningi kakhulu bezwa ukuthi wayesefikile lowo owayezoba uMesiya! *

ULuka 3:15, ocashunwe ekuqaleni, ubonisa ukuthi amanye amaJuda ayecabanga ukuthi kungenzeka ukuthi uJohane uMbhapathizi unguKristu. Nokho, uJohane wawususa lowo mcabango lapho ethi: “Lowo oza emva kwami, yena ozimbadada zakhe ngingakufanelekeli ukuzikhumula, unamandla kunami. Yena uzonibhapathiza ngomoya ongcwele nangomlilo.” (Math. 3:11) Nakanjani amazwi kaJohane okuthobeka abangela ukuba kulangazelelwe ngempela ukufika kukaMesiya.

Kungenzeka yini ukuthi amaJuda ekhulu lokuqala ayebale isikhathi sokufika kukaMesiya ngokwalokho okushiwo isiprofetho samasonto angu-70 esikuDaniyeli 9:24-27? Nakuba kungenzeka ukuthi kwaba njalo, asinakukuqinisekisa. Iqiniso liwukuthi zaziziningi izindlela okwakuchazwa ngazo amasonto angu-70 ngosuku lukaJesu, futhi ayikho neyodwa esondela endleleni esiwaqonda ngayo namuhla. *

Ama-Essene, okucatshangwa ukuthi ayeyihlelo lamaJuda lezindela, ayefundisa ukuthi kwakuzovela oMesiya ababili ngasekupheleni kweminyaka engu-490, kodwa asiqiniseki ukuthi indlela ama-Essene ayebale ngayo yayisekelwe esiprofethweni sikaDaniyeli. Noma ngabe ayeyisekele kuso, kubonakala kungenakwenzeka ukuthi amaJuda ayengase athonywe indlela yokubala izenzakalo yalelo hlelo lonkom’ idla yodwa.

Ngekhulu lesibili C.E., amaJuda athile ayekholelwa ukuthi amasonto angu-70 ayehlanganisa inkathi eqala lapho kubhujiswa ithempeli lokuqala ngo-607 B.C.E. kuya ekubhujisweni kwethempeli lesibili ngo-70 C.E., kuyilapho amanye ayehlobanisa ukugcwaliseka kwalesi siprofetho nenkathi yama­Maccabee yekhulu lesibili B.C.E. Ngakho kwakungekho ukuvumelana okucacile kwendlela okwakufanele abalwe ngayo amasonto angu-70.

Ukube yayiqondwa ngokunembile inkathi yamasonto angu-70 ekhulwini lokuqala C.E., besingacabanga ukuthi abaphostoli namanye amaKristu angekhulu lokuqala babeyobhekisela kulokhu njengobufakazi bokuthi uMesiya othenjisiwe wayefike ngesikhathi esifanele, enguJesu Kristu. Nokho, abukho ubufakazi bokuthi amaKristu okuqala enza kanjalo.

Kunesinye isici okufanele sisiphawule. Kaningi abalobi bamaVangeli babonisa ukuthi iziprofetho ezithile ezisemiBhalweni yesiHebheru zazigcwaliseka kuJesu Kristu. (Math. 1:22, 23; 2:13-15; 4:13-16) Noma kunjalo, akekho kubo ohlobanisa ukuvela kukaJesu emhlabeni nesiprofetho samasonto angu-70.

Ukufingqa le ndaba: Asinakuqinisekisa ukuthi abantu osukwini lukaJesu babesiqonda ngokunembile isiprofetho samasonto angu-70. Nokho, amaVangeli asinikeza ezinye izizathu ezinengqondo zokuthi kungani abantu ‘babekulindele’ ukufika kuka­Mesiya.