Ezindongeni zalesi sakhiwo kuqoshwe izithombe ezimbili ezibonisa isenzakalo esidumile esenzeka kudala. Nokho, abantu abaningi abazi ukuthi kunokuhlobana okukhona phakathi kwalesi sakhiwo, i-Arch of Titus, neBhayibheli: Abaqapheli ukuthi siwubufakazi bokunemba kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli.

Ekuqaleni kwekhulu lokuqala indawo eyayibuswa umbuso waseRoma yayisuka eBrithani naseGaul (manje eyiFrance) ize ifinyelele eGibhithe, futhi kwakuyindawo echumayo nethuthukile. Kodwa kwakunendawo ecezile eyayiwuhlupha kakhulu umbuso waseRoma, kwakuyisifundazwe saseJudiya esasinezinxushunxushu.

I-Encyclopedia of Ancient Rome ithi: “Zimbalwa izindawo ezazilawulwa iRoma ezazinezingxabano njengeJudiya. AmaJuda ayezizonda izikhulu zawo ezingamaRoma ezazingawahloniphi amasiko awo, kanti namaRoma ayengakwazi ukubekezelela inkani yamaJuda.” AmaJuda amaningi ayenethemba lokuthi kwakuzovela umholi owayezoxosha amaRoma, abuyisele u-Israyeli esimweni sakhe sangaphambili. Kodwa ngo-33 C.E., uJesu Kristu wathi kwakunenhlekelele eyayizokwehlela iJerusalema.

UJesu wathi: “Uzofikelwa izinsuku lapho izitha zakho zizokwakha uthango nxazonke zakho ngezigxobo ezicijile zikuzungeze futhi zikucindezele nhlangothi zonke, zizokuphahlaza phansi wena nabantwana bakho abaphakathi kwakho, ngeke zishiye tshe phezu kwetshe kuwe.”—Luka 19:43, 44.

Kusobala ukuthi amazwi kaJesu abadida abafundi bakhe. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbili lapho bebuka ithempeli laseJerusalema, omunye wabo wathi: “Mfundisi, bheka! olunjani lona uhlobo lwamatshe nolunjani lona uhlobo lwezakhiwo!” Amanye amatshe okwakwakhiwe ngawo kuthiwa ayengaphezu kwamamitha angu-11 ubude, amamitha angaphezu kwamahlanu ububanzi namamitha angaphezu kwamathathu ukuphakama! Noma kunjalo, uJesu wabaphendula wathi: “Lezi zinto enizibonayo, kuzofika izinsuku okungeke kushiywe ngazo lapha itshe phezu kwetshe lingadilizelwa phansi.”—Marku 13:1; Luka 21:6.

UJesu waphinde wathi kubo: “Lapho nibona iJerusalema lihaqwe amabutho akanisile, khona-ke yazini ukuthi ukuchithwa kwalo sekusondele. Khona-ke labo abaseJudiya mababalekele ezintabeni, abaphakathi kwalo baphume, abasemaphandleni bangangeni kulo.” (Luka 21:20, 21) Kwenzeka yini lokho uJesu ayekushilo?

Kwadlula iminyaka engu-33 iJudiya lisalokhu lingaphansi kombuso wamaRoma elaliwuzonda. Kodwa ngo-66 C.E., uGessius Florus owayesebenzela amaRoma wayinyathela emsileni lapho ethatha imali ethempelini elingcwele. Ngemva kwalokho, ibutho lakwaJuda langena eJerusalema labulala amasosha amaRoma  futhi lenza isimemezelo sokuthi iJudiya selizimele, ngeke lisabuswa amaRoma.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezintathu, kwafika ibutho lamasosha angu-30 000 elaliholwa uCestius Gallus lizoqeda ukuvukela kwamaJuda. Ngokushesha amaRoma angena kuleli dolobha aqala ukubhidliza udonga lwethempeli olungaphandle. Kungazelelwe, ahamba. AmaJuda ajabula, alijaha leli butho. Ngesikhathi esalijaha, amaKristu athola ithuba lokulalela isixwayiso sikaJesu, abaleka eJerusalema aya ezintabeni ezingaphesheya koMfula iJordani.—Mathewu 24:15, 16.

Ngonyaka olandelayo, iRoma laphinde lahlasela iJudiya seliholwa uJenene uVespasian nendodana yakhe, uTitus. Ngemva kokufa koMbusi uNero ngo-68 C.E., uVespasian wabuyela eRoma waba umbusi, washiya indodana yakhe uTitus nebutho lamadoda angu-60 000 eJudiya.

NgoJuni ka-70 C.E., uTitus wayala ibutho lakhe ukuba ligawule izihlahla futhi lakhe uthango lwezingodo ezicijile olwalungamakhilomitha angu-7 ubude olwaluzozungeza iJerusalema. NgoSepthemba amaRoma ayesethathe ingcebo eJerusalema alishisa nethempeli, kwangasala tshe phezu kwetshe njengoba uJesu ayebikezele. (Luka 19:43, 44) Abanye balinganisela ukuthi “kwafa abantu abaphakathi kuka-250 000 no-500 000 eJerusalema nasendaweni eyayilizungezile.”

Lapho uTitus ebuyela e-Italy ngo-71 C.E., izakhamuzi zaseRoma zamamukela ngenjabulo enkulu. Bonke abantu baphuma edolobheni bezombungaza, kwaba omunye wemicimbi emikhulu kunayo yonke eyake yaba khona kuleli dolobha.

Izixuku zazibukele zikhexile njengoba kwakukhangiswa ngengcebo emigwaqweni yaseRoma. Babuka bazidelisa ngemikhumbi eyayiphangiwe, izithombe zempi kanye nezinto ezazithathwe ethempelini eJerusalema.

Ngo-79 C.E., uTitus waba umbusi esikhundleni sikababa wakhe uVespasian. Nokho, washona ngokuzumayo ngemva kweminyaka emibili. UDomitian umfowabo waba umbusi esikhundleni sakhe futhi ngokushesha wenza isakhiwo esiyisikhumbuzo sokunqoba kukaTitus.

Namuhla, i-Arch of Titus ikhanga amakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu abavakashela eRome unyaka ngamunye. Abanye babheka lesi sakhiwo njengomsebenzi wobuciko, kwabanye siyisikhumbuzo sombuso wamaRoma kanti kwabanye siyisikhumbuzo seJerusalema elabhujiswa nethempeli lalo.

Nokho, kubantu abatadisha iBhayibheli, lesi sakhiwo sibaluleke nakakhulu. Siwubufakazi bokuthi iziprofetho zeBhayibheli zinembile, singazethemba futhi zivela kuNkulunkulu.—2 Petru 1:19-21.