‘Bantfu bebalindzile, futsi bonkhe bazindla etinhlitiyweni tabo ngaJohane, bacabanga kutsi mhlawumbe unguMesiya.’​—LUK. 3:15.

1. Ngusiphi simemetelo sengilosi lesaviwa ngulabanye belusi?

 KUSEBUSUKU, futsi belusi bangephandle bagadze imihlambi yabo. Bafikelwa kwesaba lokukhulu ngesikhatsi ingilosi yaJehova ima embikwabo futsi bakhanyiselwa bukhatikhati baNkulunkulu. Njengobe balalele, ingilosi yenta simemetelo lesitsi: “Ningesabi; ngobe nginiletsele indzaba lemnandzi, yekutfokota lokutawuba kwebantfu bonkhe; ngobe lamuhla nitalelwe . . . uMsindzisi longuKhristu iNkhosi,” loyo lotawuba nguMesiya. Labelusi bebatawutfola lomntfwana alele emkhombeni edolobheni lelisedvute. Masinyane, ‘sicumbi lesikhulu setingilosi tasezulwini sahlabela’ sidvumisa Jehova sitsi: “Akube bukhosi kuNkulunkulu kulelisetulu kakhulu nekuthula emhlabeni kubantfu labatfokotelwa nguye!”​—Luk. 2:8-14.

2. Ligama lelitsi “Mesiya” lisho kutsini, futsi angabonwa njani?

² Kuliciniso kutsi labelusi labangemaJuda bebati kutsi “Mesiya,” nobe “Khristu” usho ‘Logcotjiwe’ waNkulunkulu. (Eks. 29:5-7) Kodvwa bebangakufundza njani lokwengetiwe futsi bacinisekise labanye bantfu kutsi lomntfwana lobekashiwo ngulengilosi abetawuba nguMesiya lobekwe nguJehova? Loko bebangakwenta ngekutsi bahlolisise tiphrofetho letitfolakala emiBhalweni yesiHebheru, bese baticatsanisa netento talomntfwana kanye nendlela yakhe yekuphila.

Kungani Bantfu Bebalindzile?

3, 4. Siwucondza ngayiphi indlela umBhalo waDanyela 9:24, 25?

³ Ngesikhatsi Johane uMbhabhatisi acala umsebenti wakhe wekushumayela, emavi kanye netento takhe tenta bantfu labanyenti batibuta kutsi sewufikile yini Mesiya. (Fundza Lukha 3:15.) Kufanele kutsi labanye bebasicondza kahle siphrofetho lesimayelana naMesiya ‘semaviki langemashumi lasikhombisa.’ Ngesizatfu saloko, bebangakhona kusati sikhatsi Mesiya labekatawuvela ngaso. Incenye yalesiphrofetho itsi: “Kusukela ekumisweni kwesimiso sekutsi kubuye kuvuswe kabusha iJerusalema yakhiwe,  kuze kufike umbusi Logcotjiwe, kuyawuba [nemaviki] lasikhombisa [nemaviki] langemashumi lasitfupha nakubili.” (Dan. 9:24, 25) Tati letinyenti teliBhayibheli tiyavuma kutsi lankha ngemaviki layiminyaka. Sibonelo saloko kutsi lihumusho i-Revised Standard Version litsi: “Kuncunywe emaviki lasikhombisa eminyaka.”

⁴ Lamuhla, tinceku taJehova tiyati kutsi lamaviki langu-69, nobe iminyaka lengu-483, letfolakala kuDanyela 9:25 yacala ngemnyaka wa-455 B.C.E. ngesikhatsi Athazeksesi, inkhosi yasePheresiya, avumela Nehemiya kutsi ayewusita ekuvusetelweni kanye nasekwakhiweni kabusha kweJerusalema. (Neh. 2:1-8) Leminyaka lengu-483 yaphela ngemnyaka wa-29 C.E., ngesikhatsi Jesu waseNazaretha abhajatiswa futsi agcotjwa ngemoya longcwele, ngaleyondlela waba nguMesiya.​—Mat. 3:13-17. a

5. Ngutiphi tiphrofetho lesitawutihlola nyalo?

⁵ Kwanyalo, asesihlole letinye tiphrofetho letimayelana naMesiya letagcwaliseka ngesikhatsi Jesu atalwa, asengumntfwana kanye nangesikhatsi enta umsebenti wakhe wekushumayela. Kwenta kanjalo kutawukucinisa kukholwa kwetfu eVini laNkulunkulu lelisiprofetho. Kutawuphindze kusinikete bufakazi lobucacile bekutsi Jesu unguMesiya lobekalindzelwe.

Kuphila Kwakhe Asengumntfwana Kwabiketelwa

6. Chaza indlela leyagcwaliseka ngayo incwadzi yaGenesisi 49:10.

⁶ Mesiya abetawutalelwa esiveni sakaJuda, ka-Israyeli. Ngembikwekutsi Jakobe afe, wabusisa emadvodzana akhe, futsi watsi kuJuda: “Intfonga yebukhosi ingeke isuke kuJuda, kanye neludvondvolo lwendvuna emkhatsini wetinyawo takhe, kuze kufike Shilo; futsi uyolalelwa tive tonkhe.” (Gen. 49:10, NW.) Tati takaJuda letinyenti betikholelwa kutsi emavi lashiwo kuJuda abecondziswe kuMesiya. Kusukela ekubuseni kwaDavide, inkhosi yakaJuda, , intfonga yebukhosi (lokungumbuso) kanye neludvondvolo lwendvuna (lokungemandla ekubusa), yahlala esiveni sakaJuda. Ligama lelitsi “Shilo,” limelela ‘Loyo Lokunguyena Anelilungelo.’ Lilungelo laJuda lekubusa belitawugcina ‘ngaShilo,’ lobekatawuba yiNkhosi yaphakadze, ngobe Nkulunkulu watjela Sedekiya, inkhosi yekugcina yakaJuda kutsi umbuso bewutawuniketwa loyo lonelilungelo lawo. (Hez. 21:26, 27) Ngemuva kwaSedekiya, Jesu nguye kuphela esitukulwaneni saDavide lowatsenjiswa umbuso. Ngembikwekutsi Jesu atalwe, ingilosi Gabriyeli yatsi kuMariya: “Nkulunkulu iNkhosi iyawumnika sihlalo sebukhosi sakhokho wakhe Davide, uyawuba yiNkhosi yetitukulwane taJakobe nini nanini; umbuso wakhe ungeke ube nesiphetfo.” (Luk. 1:32, 33) Kufanele kutsi Shilo nguJesu Khristu, ngobe wavela esiveni sakaJuda emndenini waDavide.​—Mat. 1:1-3, 6; Luk. 3:23, 31-34.

7. Watalelwaphi Mesiya, futsi kungani loku kubalulekile?

⁷ Mesiya abetawutalelwa eBhetlehema. Umphrofethi Mikha wabhala: “Betlehema Efratha, nome ungulomunye wemiti lemincane yakaJuda, kodvwa ngiyawuveta kuwe umbusi loyawubusa sive saka-Israyeli. Lusendvo lwakhe luyawusukela kulolo lwaluvele lukhona kwasekucaleni.” (Mik. 5:2) Mesiya watalelwa edolobheni lemaJuda, iBhetlehema, ekucaleni lebelibitwa ngekutsi i-Efratha. Nanobe Mariya, make waJesu, kanye naJosefa, babe wakhe, bebahlala eNazaretha, kwadzingeka kutsi baye eBhetlehema kute bayewubhalisela lubalo; ngulapho-ke Jesu atalelwa khona ngemnyaka wa-2 B.C.E. (Mat. 2:1, 5, 6) Loku bekukugcwaliseka kwesiphrofetho ngendlela lemangalisako!

8, 9. Yini leyabiketelwa ngekutalwa kwaMesiya, kanye nangetentakalo lebetitawulandzela ngemuva kwako?

⁸ Mesiya abetawutalwa yintfombi. (Fundza Isaya 7:14.) Kulelivesi, kwabiketelwa kutsi  ‘intfombi’ beyitawutala indvodzana. Ligama lelifananako lasebenta nakuRebheka ngesikhatsi asengakashadi. (Gen. 24:16, 43) Aphefumulelwe ngumoya longcwele, Matewu wabhala kutsi Isaya 7:14 bewugcwaliseke ngemuva kwekutalwa kwaJesu. Babhali bemaVangeli, boMatewu kanye naLukha batsi Mariya abeyintfombi ntfo futsi wakhulelwa ngemoya longcwele waNkulunkulu.​—Mat. 1:18-25; Luk. 1:26-35.

⁹ Ngemuva kwekutalwa kwaMesiya, bekutawubulawa bantfwana labancane. Intfo lefananako beyentekile emakhulwini eminyaka lendlulile, ngesikhatsi Faro waseGibhithe akhipha umyalo wekutsi bonkhe bantfwana bebafana labangemaHebheru baphonswe eMfuleni iNayili. (Eks. 1:22) Siphrofetho lesikuJeremiya 31:15, 16, sikhuluma ‘ngaRakheli lokhalela bantfwabakhe’ ngesizatfu sekutsi sitsa sibatfumbile. Kukhala kwakhe bekuvakala ngisho naseRama lebeyisesabelweni sakaBenjamini, enyakatfo yeJerusalema. Matewu watsi emavi aJeremiya agcwaliseka ngesikhatsi iNkhosi Herodi ikhipha umyalo wekutsi kubulawe bonkhe bantfwana bebafana labaseBhetlehema nakuto tonkhe tindzawo tangakhona. (Fundza Matewu 2:16-18.) Asewucabange ngekukhala lokwaba khona kuleyondzawo!

10. Chaza indlela Hoseya 11:1 lowagcwaliseka ngayo kuJesu.

¹⁰ Njengema-Israyeli, Mesiya abetawuphuma eGibhithe. (Hos. 11:1) Ngembikwekutsi Herodi akhiphe umyalo wekutsi kubulawe bantfwana bebafana, ingilosi yatjela boJosefa kanye naMariya kutsi batsatse Jesu baye naye eGibhithe. Bahlala khona “waze Herodi wafa, kuze kugcwaliseke lokwakhulunywa yiNkhosi ngemphrofethi [Hoseya] nakatsi: ‘Ngayibita iNdvodzana yami kutsi iphume eGibhithe.’” (Mat. 2:13-15) Kuliciniso kutsi Jesu abengeke akwati kushintja nobe ngabe ngusiphi sentakalo lebesibiketelwe macondzana nekutalwa kwakhe kanye nekuphila kwakhe asemncane.

Mesiya Ucalisa Umsebenti Wakhe!

11. Yalungiswa njani indlela yaLogcotjiwe waJehova?

¹¹ Bekutawulungiswa indlela yaLogcotjiwe waNkulunkulu. Malakhi wabiketela kutsi “umphrofethi Elija” abetawukwenta lomsebenti wekulungisa tinhlitiyo tebantfu kute balindze kufika kwaMesiya. (Fundza Malakhi 4:5, 6.) Jesu watsi ‘lo-Elija’ nguJohane uMbhabhatisi. (Mat. 11:12-14) Makho yena watsi umsebenti waJohane bewugcwalisa siphrofetho sa-Isaya. (Isa. 40:3; Mak. 1:1-4) Jesu akazange abangele Johane kutsi ente umsebenti lofanana newa-Elija njengemendvuleli waKhe. Umsebenti lobewutakwentiwa ‘ngulo-Elija’ lobiketelwe bewuhambisana nentsandvo yaNkulunkulu yekutsi sikwati kubona Mesiya.

12. Ngumuphi umsebenti losisita kutsi sibone Mesiya?

¹² Umsebenti labewuniketwe nguNkulunkulu usisita kutsi simbone Mesiya. Esinagogeni laseNazaretha, lokulidolobha lakhulela kulo, Jesu wafundza incwadzi legociwe leyabhalwa ngu-Isaya, futsi wacondzisa emavi ayo kuye, watsi: “[Umoya] weNkhosi ukimi, ngobe ungigcobile kutsi ngishumayele tindzaba letimnandzi etimphuyeni; ungitfumile kutsi ngimemetele inkhululeko kulabatfunjiwe, nekuvula emehlo etimphumphutseni, nekukhulula labacindzetelekile, ngimemetele umnyaka iNkhosi letakukhombisa umusa wayo ngawo.” Ngesizatfu sekutsi abenguMesiya weliciniso, Jesu abengavuma atsi: “Lamuhla lomBhalo ugcwalisekile.”​—Luk. 4:16-21.

13. Kushumayela kwaJesu eGalile kwabiketelwa njani?

¹³ Kushumayela kwaMesiya eGalile, kwabiketelwa. Mayelana ‘nelive laZebuloni, nelive laNaftali, . . . kanye nelive laseGalile,’ Isaya wabhala: “Bantfu labahamba ebumnyameni bakubonile kukhanya lokukhulu; kulabo labahlala eveni lelitfunti lekufa kukhanya sekuchamukile.” (Isa. 9:1, 2) Jesu wacalisa umsebenti wakhe wekushumayela eGalile, ahlala eKhaphanawume, lapho bekunetakhamuti  letinyenti tesive saZebuloni kanye naNaftali letajabulela kukhanya kwakamoya latiletsela kona. (Mat. 4:12-16) EGalile, Jesu wetfula iNshumayelo yaseNtsabeni leshukumisa ingcondvo, wakhetsa baphostoli bakhe, wenta simangaliso sakhe sekucala, futsi ngemuva kwekuvuswa kwakhe wabonakala kubafundzi labangu-500. (Mat. 5:1–7:27; 28:16-20; Mak. 3:13, 14; Joh. 2:8-11; 1 Khor. 15:6) Ngaleyondlela, wagcwalisa siphrofetho sa-Isaya, ngekushumayela ‘eveni laZebuloni, nelaNaftali.’ Waphindze washumayela umlayeto weMbuso nakuletinye tindzawo taka-Israyeli.

Leminye Imisebenti YaMesiya Yabiketelwa

14. UmBhalo weTihlabelelo 78:2 wagcwaliseka njani kuJesu?

¹⁴ Mesiya abetawukhuluma asebentisa tindzaba leticanjiwe nobe imifanekiso. Umhlabeli Asafa wahlabela: ‘Ngitawufundzisa ngemifanekiso.’ (Hla. 78:2) Sati njani kutsi lesiphrofetho sagcwaliseka kuJesu? Kungobe Matewu uyasitjela. Ngemuva kwekukhuluma ngemifanekiso leyashiwo nguJesu ngesikhatsi afananisa uMbuso wemazulu nenhlanyelo yendlulamitsi kanye nembiliso, Matewu uchubeka atsi: “Ngaphandle kwemifanekiso kute [Jesu] lakukhuluma kuso, kuze kugcwaliseke loko lokwakhulunywa ngemphrofethi kutsi: ‘Ngitawukhuluma ngemifanekiso, ngiphumisele lokufihlakele seloku kwasekelwa umhlaba.’” (Mat. 13:31-35) Taga kanye nemifanekiso bekunguletinye tindlela letiphumelelako Jesu labetisebentisa nakafundzisa.

15. Veta indlela lagcwaliseka ngayo Isaya 53:4.

¹⁵ Butsakatsaka betfu bebutawutfwalwa nguMesiya. Isaya waphrofetha watsi: “Impela yabetfwala butsakatsaka betfu, yatetjatsa tinhlungu tetfu.” (Isa. 53:4) Matewu utsi ngemuva kwekutsi Jesu elaphe maketala waPhetro, waphindze welapha nalabanye “kuze kugcwaliseke loko lokwakhulunywa ngumphrofethi Isaya nakatsi: ‘Wasetfwalela butsakatsaka betfu, watisusa kitsi tifo tetfu.’” (Mat. 8:14-17) Lena ngulenye yetindzaba letibhaliwe lapho Jesu elapha khona labagulako.

16. Umphostoli Johane wakuveta njani kutsi siphrofetho sa-Isaya 53:1 sagcwaliseka kuJesu?

¹⁶ Ngetulu kwemisebenti leminyenti lemihle leyentiwa nguMesiya, bantfu labanyenti bebangeke babe nekukholwa kuye. (Fundza Isaya 53:1.) Kute avete kutsi lesiphrofetho sagcwaliseka, umphostoli Johane wabhala: “Kepha nobe [Jesu] abetentile tibonakaliso letinyenti kangako embikwabo, abazange bakholwe kuye, kuze kugcwaliseke livi la-Isaya lelitsi: ‘Nkhosi, ngubani lowakholwa ngumbiko wetfu? Yembulwa kubani ingalo yeNkhosi?’” (Joh. 12:37, 38) Ngetulu kwaloko, ngesikhatsi semphostoli Pawula, bambalwa bantfu labatikholwa tindzaba letinhle letimayelana naJesu, longuMesiya.​—Rom. 10:16, 17.

17. Johane wawuchaza njani umBhalo weTihlabelelo 69:4?

¹⁷ Mesiya abetawutondvwa ngaphandle kwesizatfu. (Hla. 69:4) Umphostoli Johane wacaphuna Jesu nakatsi: “Kube bengingakenti imisebenti lemikhulu lengazange seyentiwe ngumuntfu emkhatsini wabo, ngabe bate licala lesono, kodvwa manje sebangibonile base batondza naBabe. Kodvwa noko, loko bekufanele kwenteke, kuze kutewugcwaliseka loko lokwabhalwa emtsetfweni wabo kwekutsi: ‘Bangitondza ngaphandle kwesizatfu.’” (Joh. 15:24, 25) Esikhatsini lesinyenti, ‘uMtsetfo’ uvame kusho yonkhe imiBhalo. (Joh. 10:34; 12:34) Kulandzisa kwemaVangeli kusiniketa bufakazi bekutsi Jesu watondvwa, ikakhulukati baholi benkholo yemaJuda. Ngetulu kwaloko, Khristu watsi: “Live lingeke linitondze nine, kodvwa mine liyangitondza, ngobe ngifakaza ngalo kutsi imisebenti yalo mibi.”​—Joh. 7:7.

18. Kucabangisisa ngani lokutawusisita sicinise kukholwa kwetfu kutsi Jesu unguMesiya?

¹⁸ Balandzeli baJesu bangelikhulu lekucala bebaciniseka kutsi unguMesiya, ngobe bekatigcwalise tonkhe tiphrofetho letimayelana naMesiya letisemiBhalweni yesiHebheru. (Mat. 16:16) Njengobe sesibonile,  letinye tato tagcwaliseka ngesikhatsi asemncane futsi asandza kucala umsebenti wakhe wekushumayela. Letinye tiphrofetho letimayelana naMesiya kutawucocwa ngato esihlokweni lesilandzelako. Kucabangisisa ngato kutawucinisa kukholwa kwetfu ekutseni Jesu Khristu unguye mbamba loMesiya lowabekwa nguBabe wetfu losezulwini, Jehova.

[Umbhalo longentansi]

Ungaphendvula Njani?

• Ngutiphi tiphrofetho letagcwaliseka ngesikhatsi Jesu atalwa?

• Mesiya walungiselelwa njani indlela?

• Ngutiphi tiphrofetho letiku-Isaya sehluko 53 letigcwaliseka kuJesu?

[Imibuto Yesihloko Lesifundvwako]