Ukuba Khona KukaKristu—Kusho Ukuthini Kuwe?

“Siyoba yini isibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakho nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto?”—MATH. 24:3.

1. Abaphostoli bakaJesu bambuza muphi umbuzo othakazelisayo?

CISHE eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ezimbili edlule, abaphostoli bakaJesu abane babuza iNkosi yabo umbuzo lapho bexoxa nayo ngasese eNtabeni Yeminqumo. Babuza: “Ziyokwenzeka nini lezi zinto, futhi siyoba yini isibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakho nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto?” (Math. 24:3) Kulowo mbuzo, abaphostoli basebenzisa izinkulumo ezimbili ezithakazelisa kakhulu, ethi ‘ukuba khona kwakho’ nethi ‘isiphelo sesimiso sezinto.’ Zisho ukuthini lezi zinkulumo?

2. Iyiphi incazelo esikiselwa igama elithi ‘isiphelo’?

² Masiqale ngokuhlola igama lesibili elithi ‘isiphelo,’ elihunyushwe egameni lesiGreki elithi syn·teʹlei·a. Leli gama lisho “isiphelo” noma “isiphetho,” kanti elesiGreki elihlobene nalo elithi te’los, lisho “ukuphela.” Umahluko kulokho okushiwo yila magama amabili ungafanekiswa ngenkulumo enikezwa eHholo LoMbuso. Isiphetho senkulumo siyingxenye yokugcina isikhulumi esisebenzisa kuyo isikhathi esithile sikhumbuza izilaleli lokho okuxoxwe ngakho futhi sibonise indlela lokho kwaziswa okusebenza ngayo kuzo. Ukuphela kwenkulumo yilapho isikhulumi sisuka endaweni yesikhulumi. Ngendlela efanayo, lapho iBhayibheli lisebenzisa inkulumo ethi ‘isiphelo sesimiso sezinto,’ lisuke lisho inkathi yesikhathi eholela futhi ehlanganisa ukuphela kwaso.

3. Iziphi ezinye izinto ezenzeka phakathi nokuba khona kukaJesu?

³ Kuthiwani ngenkulumo ethi ‘ukuba khona’ esembuzweni owabuzwa abaphostoli? Ihumusha igama lesiGreki elithi pa·rou·siʹa. * Ukuba khona kukaKristu, noma i-pa·rou·siʹa, kwaqala lapho uJesu emiswa njengeNkosi ezulwini ngo-1914 futhi kuyaqhubeka kuhlanganise ‘nosizi olukhulu,’ isikhathi ayofika ngaso ezobhubhisa ababi. (Math. 24:21) Ziningi izinto ezihlukahlukene ezenzeka phakathi nokuba khona kukaJesu.  Zihlanganisa ‘izinsuku zokugcina’ zalesi simiso sezinto esibi, ukubuthwa kwabakhethiweyo nokuvuselwa kwabo ekuphileni kwasezulwini. (2 Thim. 3:1; 1 Kor. 15:23; 1 Thes. 4:15-17; 2 Thes. 2:1) Kungashiwo ukuthi inkathi ‘yesiphelo sesimiso sezinto’ (syn·teʹlei·a) nenkathi ebizwa ngokuthi ukuba khona kukaKristu (pa·rou·siʹa) zenzeka kanyekanye.

Inkathi Eyisikhathi Eside

4. Ukuba khona kukaJesu kufana kanjani nezenzakalo zosuku lukaNowa?

⁴ Ukuthi leli gama elithi pa·rou·siʹa libhekisela enkathini eyisikhathi eside kuvumelana nalokho uJesu akusho ngokuqondene nokuba khona kwakhe. (Funda uMathewu 24:37-39.) Phawula ukuthi uJesu akazange afanise ukuba khona kwakhe nenkathi emfushane yangesikhathi sikaZamcolo wosuku lukaNowa. Kunalokho, wafanisa ukuba khona kwakhe nenkathi ende eyaholela kulowo Zamcolo. Phakathi naleyo nkathi, uNowa wakha umkhumbi futhi washumayela kwaze kwaba yilapho ekugcineni uZamcolo ufika. Lezo zenzakalo zenzeka phakathi namashumi amaningi eminyaka. Ngokufanayo, ukuba khona kukaKristu kuhlanganisa izenzakalo eziholela futhi ezihlanganisa nosizi olukhulu.—2 Thes. 1:6-9.

5. Amazwi asencwadini yesAmbulo 6 abonisa kanjani ukuthi ukuba khona kukaJesu kuyinkathi eyisikhathi eside?

⁵ Ezinye iziprofetho zeBhayibheli zikwenza kucace ukuthi ukuba khona kukaKristu kubhekisela enkathini eyisikhathi eside, hhayi nje ekufikeni kwakhe ezobhubhisa ababi. Incwadi yesAmbulo ichaza uJesu egibele ihhashi elimhlophe futhi enikezwa umqhele. (Funda isAmbulo 6:1-8.) Ngemva kokubekwa njengeNkosi ngo-1914, uJesu uchazwa ‘njengophuma enqoba futhi eyophelelisa ukunqoba kwakhe.’ Lokhu kulandisa kube sekubonisa ukuthi ulandelwa abagibeli bamahhashi anemibala engafani. Ngokwesiprofetho, laba bagibeli namahhashi abo bamelela impi, ukusweleka kokudla nezifo eziwumshayabhuqe, konke okuye kwenzeka phakathi nenkathi eyisikhathi eside ebizwa ngokuthi ‘izinsuku zokugcina.’ Siyakubona ukugcwaliseka kwalesi siprofetho osukwini lwethu.

6. IsAmbulo 12 sisisiza ukuba siqondeni ngokuba khona kukaKristu?

⁶ IsAmbulo 12 sinikeza imininingwane eyengeziwe mayelana nokumiswa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu ezulwini. Lapho, sifunda ngempi eyalwiwa endaweni engabonakali. UMikayeli—uJesu Kristu esesikhundleni sakhe sasezulwini—nezingelosi zakhe balwa noDeveli namademoni akhe. Umphumela waba ukuthi uSathane uDeveli namabutho akhe baphonswa phansi emhlabeni. Ukulandisa kusitshela ukuthi ngaleso sikhathi uDeveli wathukuthela kakhulu, “azi ukuthi unesikhathi esifushane.” (Funda isAmbulo 12:7-12.) Kusobala-ke ukuthi ukumiswa koMbuso kaKristu ezulwini kulandelwa inkathi ephawuleka ngokwanda ‘kukamaye’ emhlabeni nakwabahlala kuwo.

7. IHubo 2 likhuluma ngani, futhi yiliphi ithuba elichazwa kulo?

⁷ Ngokufanayo, iHubo 2 libikezela ngokubekwa kukaJesu njengeNkosi eNtabeni iZiyoni yasezulwini. (Funda iHubo 2:5-9; 110:1, 2.) Nokho, leli hubo libonisa nokuthi kunenkathi lapho ababusi bomhlaba, kanye nezikhonzi zabo, benikezwa khona ithuba lokuzithoba ekubuseni kukaKristu. Bayalwa ukuba ‘babonise ukuqondisisa’ futhi bavume “ukuqondiswa.” Yebo, ‘bayajabula bonke abaphephela kuNkulunkulu’ phakathi naleso sikhathi ngokukhonza uJehova neNkosi ayibekile. Ngakho, kunethuba elivulekayo phakathi nokuba khona kukaKristu njengenkosi ebekiwe.—IHu. 2:10-12.

Ukubona Isibonakaliso

8, 9. Obani ababeyobona isibonakaliso sokuba khona kukaKristu futhi baqonde esikushoyo?

⁸ Lapho ebuzwa abaFarisi mayelana nesikhathi  uMbuso owawuyofika ngaso, uJesu waphendula ngokuthi wawungeke ufike “ngokubonakala okuphawulekayo” emehlweni abo. (Luka 17:20, 21) Abangakholwa babengeke baqonde. Babengaqonda kanjani? Ingani abazange babone ngisho nokuthi uJesu wayeyiNkosi yabo yesikhathi esizayo. Ngakho, obani ababeyobona isibonakaliso sokuba khona kukaKristu futhi baqonde esikushoyo?

⁹ UJesu waqhubeka wathi abafundi bakhe babeyosibona ngokucacile isibonakaliso ngendlela ababengabona ngayo “umbani, ngokubaneka kwawo, [okhanya] kusuka kwenye ingxenye phansi kwezulu kuya kwenye.” (Funda uLuka 17:24-29.) Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi uMathewu 24:23-27 uhlobanisa ngokuqondile iphuzu elifanayo nesibonakaliso sokuba khona kukaKristu.

Isizukulwane Esibona Isibonakaliso

10, 11. (a) Iyiphi incazelo eyanikezwa ngaphambili ngokuqondene ‘nesizukulwane’ okukhulunywa ngaso kuMathewu 24:34? (b) Ngokungangabazeki, abafundi bakaJesu baqonda ukuthi leso “sizukulwane” sasiyohlanganisa obani?

¹⁰ Ngaphambili, lo magazini wachaza ukuthi ekhulwini lokuqala, “lesi sizukulwane” okukhulunywa ngaso kuMathewu 24:34 sasisho “isizukulwane samaJuda angakholwa esasiphila ngesikhathi esisodwa.” * Leyo ncazelo yabonakala inengqondo ngoba zonke ezinye izikhathi uJesu asebenzisa kuzo igama elithi ‘isizukulwane’ eBhayibhelini zinomqondo ongathandeki, futhi kweziningi uJesu wasebenzisa isiphawulo esingathandeki, esinjengokuthi “esibi,” lapho echaza leso sizukulwane. (Math. 12:39; 17:17; Marku 8:38) Ngakho, kwacatshangwa ukuthi ekugcwalisekeni kwanamuhla, uJesu wayekhuluma ‘ngesizukulwane’ esibi sabantu abangakholwa ababeyobona izici eziwuphawu ‘lwesiphelo sesimiso sezinto’ (syn·teʹlei·a) kanye nokuphela kwaso (teʹlos).

¹¹ Kuyiqiniso ukuthi lapho uJesu esebenzisa elithi ‘isizukulwane’ ngomqondo ongathandeki, wayekhuluma nabantu ababi bosuku lwakhe noma ekhuluma ngabo. Kodwa ingabe lokhu kunjalo ngamazwi akhe akuMathewu 24:34? Khumbula ukuthi abafundi bakaJesu abane babeye kuye “ngasese.” (Math. 24:3) Njengoba uJesu engazange asebenzise isiphawulo esingesihle lapho ekhuluma nabo ‘ngalesi sizukulwane,’ akungabazeki ukuthi abaphostoli baqonda ukuthi bona nabanye abafundi babeyoba ingxenye ‘yesizukulwane’ esasingeke sidlule ‘kungakenzeki zonke lezi zinto.’

12. Umongo wembulani ngokuqondene nalabo uJesu ayekhuluma ngabo lapho esebenzisa elithi ‘isizukulwane’?

¹² Singafinyelela kanjani kulesi siphetho? Ngokucabangela umongo ngokucophelela. Njengoba kulotshwe kuMathewu 24:32, 33, uJesu wathi: “Manje fundani leli phuzu emkhiwaneni njengomfanekiso: Ngokushesha nje lapho igatsha lawo elisha lihluma liveza amaqabunga,  niyazi ukuthi ihlobo liseduze. Ngokufanayo nani, lapho nibona zonke lezi zinto, yazini ukuthi iseduze, emnyango.” (Qhathanisa noMarku 13:28-30; Luka 21:30-32.) Ngakho, sifunda lokhu kuMathewu 24:34: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, lesi sizukulwane asisoze sadlula zingakenzeki zonke lezi zinto.”

13, 14. Kungani singase sithi ‘isizukulwane’ uJesu abhekisela kuso kumelwe ukuba sasingabafundi bakhe?

¹³ UJesu wathi ngabafundi bakhe abase bezogcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele okwakufanele bakwazi ukufinyelela eziphethweni eziqinisekile lapho bebona ‘zonke lezo zinto’ zenzeka. Ngakho, kumelwe ukuba uJesu wayebhekisela kubafundi bakhe lapho esho la mazwi: “Lesi sizukulwane asisoze sadlula zingakenzeki zonke lezi zinto.”

¹⁴ Ngokungafani nabantu abangakholwa, abafundi bakaJesu babengeke bagcine ngokusibona isibonakaliso kodwa babeyoqonda nokuthi sisho ukuthini. ‘Babeyofunda’ ezicini zaleso sibonakaliso futhi ‘bazi’ lokho ezazikusho ngempela. Babeyoqonda ngokugcwele ukuthi ‘wayeseduze, emnyango.’ Kuyiqiniso ukuthi amaJuda angakholwa namaKristu agcotshiwe athembekile babona ukugcwaliseka okuncane kwamazwi kaJesu ekhulwini lokuqala. Nokho, ngaleso sikhathi ngabalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe kuphela ababengafunda kulezo zenzakalo futhi baqonde ukuthi lokho ababekubona kwakusho ukuthini ngempela.

15. (a) Obani abakha ‘isizukulwane’ sanamuhla uJesu abhekisela kuso? (b) Kungani singenakukwazi ukububala ngokuthe ngqo ubude besikhathi ‘salesi sizukulwane’? (Bheka ibhokisi elisekhasini 25.)

¹⁵ Namuhla, labo abangenakho ukuqonda okungokomoya banomuzwa wokuthi akukho ‘ukubonakala okuphawulekayo’ okuye kwaba khona mayelana nesibonakaliso sokuba khona kukaJesu. Bacabanga ukuthi yonke into iqhubeka njengasesikhathini esidlule. (2 Pet. 3:4) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abafowabo bakaKristu abagcotshiwe abathembekile, isigaba sikaJohane sosuku lwanamuhla, baye basibona lesi sibonakaliso njengokungathi ukukhanya kombani futhi baqonda ukuthi sisho ukuthini ngempela. Njengesigaba, laba abagcotshiweyo bakha ‘isizukulwane’ sanamuhla sabantu abaphila ngenkathi eyodwa, esingeke sidlule ‘kungakenzeki zonke lezi zinto.’ * Lokhu kusikisela ukuthi abanye babafowabo bakaKristu abagcotshiwe bayobe besaphila emhlabeni lapho kuqala usizi olukhulu olwabikezelwa.

 “Hlalani Nilindile”

16. Yini bonke abafundi bakaKristu okumelwe bayenze?

¹⁶ Nokho, kudingeka okungaphezu kokubona nje isibonakaliso. UJesu waqhubeka: “Lokho engikusho kini ngikusho kubo bonke, Hlalani nilindile.” (Marku 13:37) Lokhu kubaluleke kakhulu kithi sonke namuhla kungakhathaliseki ukuthi singabagcotshiwe noma singabesixuku esikhulu. Sekuphele iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-90 kusukela uJesu abekwa njengeNkosi ezulwini ngo-1914. Noma kungase kube nzima kangakanani, kumelwe sizibonakalise sikulungele futhi sihlale silindile. Ukuqonda ukuthi uKristu ukhona ngokungabonakali emandleni oMbuso kusisiza ukuba senze kanjalo. Kusenza siqaphele nokuthi maduze uzofika ezobhubhisa izitha zakhe “ngehora [esingacabangi] ukuthi kungaba yilo.”—Luka 12:40.

17. Lokhu kuqonda kufanele kusenze sibe namuphi umuzwa, futhi kufanele sizimisele ukwenzani?

¹⁷ Ukuqonda kwethu lokho okushiwo ukuba khona kukaKristu kwenza umuzwa wethu wokuphuthuma uqine. Siyazi ukuthi uJesu usekhona kakade nokuthi ubelokhu ebusa ngokungabonakali njengeNkosi ezulwini kusukela ngo-1914. Maduze uzofika azobhubhisa abantu ababi futhi alethe izinguquko ezinkulu kule mbulunga yonke. Ngakho, kufanele sizimisele kunanini ngaphambili ukuhlanganyela ngenkuthalo emsebenzini owabikezelwa uJesu lapho ethi: “Lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiwe ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke; khona-ke ukuphela [teʹlos] kuyofika.”—Math. 24:14.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

• Sazi kanjani ukuthi ukuba khona kukaJesu kuyinkathi yesikhathi eside?

• Obani ababona isibonakaliso sokuba khona kukaJesu baqonde nokuthi sisho ukuthini?

• Obani abakha isizukulwane sanamuhla okukhulunywa ngaso kuMathewu 24:34?

• Kungani singenakukwazi ukububala ngokuthe ngqo ubude besikhathi ‘salesi sizukulwane’?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 25]

Ingabe Singakwazi Ukubala Ubude Besikhathi ‘Salesi Sizukulwane’?

Elithi ‘isizukulwane’ ngokuvamile libhekisela kubantu bobudala obuhlukahlukene abaphila phakathi nenkathi ethile noma isenzakalo esithile. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Eksodusi 1:6 uthi: “Ekugcineni uJosefa wafa, nabo bonke abafowabo naso sonke leso sizukulwane.” UJosefa nabafowabo babengalingani, kodwa babhekana nezimo ezifanayo phakathi nenkathi yesikhathi efanayo. “Leso sizukulwane” sihlanganisa abanye abafowabo abazalwa ngaphambi kwakhe. Abanye babo baphila isikhathi eside kunaye. (Gen. 50:24) Abanye ‘kuleso sizukulwane,’ njengoBhenjamini, bazalwa ngemva kukaJosefa futhi kungenzeka ukuthi baphila isikhathi eside ngemva kokufa kwakhe.

Ngakho, lapho igama elithi ‘isizukulwane’ lisetshenziswa ngokuqondene nabantu abaphila ngesikhathi esithile, akunakushiwo ngokuthe ngqo ukuthi leso sikhathi side kangakanani ngaphandle kokuthi sinawo umkhawulo futhi ngeke sibe side ngokweqile. Ngakho-ke, lapho uJesu esebenzisa inkulumo ethi “lesi sizukulwane” kuMathewu 24:34, akazange anike abafundi bakhe indlela yokuthola ukuthi ‘izinsuku zokugcina’ zaziyophela nini. Kunalokho, wagcizelela ukuthi babengeke balwazi “lolo suku nalelo hora.”—2 Thim. 3:1; Math. 24:36.

[Isithombe ekhasini 22]

Ngemva kokubekwa njengeNkosi ngo-1914, uJesu uchazwa ‘njengonqobayo’

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

“Lesi sizukulwane asisoze sadlula zingakenzeki zonke lezi zinto”