Ugqozi lucacile ukuthi isahluko sesithathu sikaDaniyeli simelela umthetho weSonto e-United States. Ku-Isaya isahluko samashumi amabili nantathu, isifebe saseTire, esenza ubufebe namakhosi omhlaba, siyisifebe sesiAmbulo esenza ubufebe namakhosi omhlaba. KusiAmbulo isahluko seshumi nesikhombisa, leso sifebe sinokubhalwe esiphongweni saso ukuthi: IBhabhiloni Elikhulu.
Owesifazane wayembethe okububende nokubomvu klebhu, ehlotshiswe ngegolide nangamatshe ayigugu nangamaparele, ephethe esandleni sakhe indebe yegolide egcwele izinengiso nokungcola kobufebe bakhe; ebunzini lakhe kwakulotshiwe igama elithi: IMFIHLAKALO, IBHABHILONI ELIKHULU, UNINA WEZIFEBE NOWEZINENGISO ZOMHLABA. IsAmbulo 17:4, 5.
Ngaphambi kuka-1950, izichazamazwi zesiNgisi zazimkhomba ngokunembile owesifazane omelwe kula mavesi amabili njengelaseRoma Katolika. Umhlaba wonke wawazi, emva kweNkathi Yobumnyama, ngezinhlupho zokushushisa kwamaKatolika ezafezwa kusukela ngo-538 kuze kube ngu-1798; ukuthi ibandla laseRoma laliyisifebe esiphinga namakhosi omhlaba. Isimemezelo Sokuzimela saklanyelwa ukuba sibe ukwenqatshwa kokubusa kobuKatolika kanye nokubusa kwamakhosi asemhlabeni ayakha ubudlelwane obungengcwele naleso sifebe. U-Isaya isahluko samashumi amabili nantathu ukhomba ukuthi leso sifebe sasiyokhohlakala. Awusoze wathola incazelo yesifebe seSambulo seshumi nesikhombisa njengelaseKatolika kunoma yiziphi izinjini zokusesha zesimanje, ngokuba iZwi likaNkulunkulu alize lehluleke, futhi iZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi sasiyokhohlakala.
Kuyakuthi ngalolo suku iTire liyakhohlakala iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa, njengemihla yenkosi eyodwa; emva kokuphela kweminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa iTire liyakuhlabelela njengowesifebe. Thatha ihabhu, uzungeze umuzi, wena sifebe esakhohlakeleyo; yenza umculo omnandi, uhlabelele izingoma eziningi, ukuze ukhunjulwe. Kuyakuthi emva kokuphela kweminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa, uJehova ayokuvakashela iTire, libuyele emholweni walo, lenze ubufebe nayo yonke imibuso yomhlaba ebusweni bomhlaba. Nempahla yalo yokuthengiselana nomholo walo kuyakuba ngcwele kuJehova; akuyikugcinwa njengengcebo, futhi akuyikubekwa ndawonye; ngokuba impahla yalo yokuthengiselana iyakuba ngeyabahlala phambi kukaJehova, ukuba badle basuthe, futhi babe nezingubo ezihlala isikhathi eside. Isaya 23:15–18.
IZwi likaNkulunkulu alilokothi lehluleke, futhi kusukela ngo-1798, isifebe sasikhohliwe, kodwa ezinsukwini zokugcina siyokhunjulwa. Sikhunjulwa lapho iSabatha likaNkulunkulu losuku lwesikhombisa lihlaselwa, futhi yilowo myalo owodwa emiYalweni eLishumi, owawuhlale kufanele ukhunjulwe. Sikhunjulwa lapho sithatha ihabhu laso, sizungeza umuzi futhi senza imisindo emnandi nezingoma eziningi. Sicula izingoma zaso ekupheleni kweminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa, okuyizinsuku zenkosi eyodwa. Inkosi, ngokukaDaniyeli isahluko sesibili, ingumbuso.
Futhi nomaphi lapho kuhlala khona abantwana babantu, izilwane zasendle nezinyoni zezulu uzinikele esandleni sakho, wakwenza umbusi phezu kwazo zonke. Wena uyile nhloko yegolide. Daniyeli 2:38.
“Inhloko,” noma “inkosi,” kokubili kuyizimpawu zombuso. Umbuso omelelwa “yizinsuku zenkosi eyodwa,” yi-United States. I-United States yaqala ukubusa kwayo ngokwesiprofetho njengesilo somhlaba ngesikhathi isifebe saseBabiloni sinikwa inxeba elibulalayo ngo-1798. Iyaqhubeka njengombuso wesithupha wesiprofetho seBhayibheli kuze kube ngumthetho weSonto. Umbuso ongokoqobo wesiprofetho seBhayibheli owabusa ngempela iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa kwakuyiBabiloni.
Bhekani, ngiyakuthuma ngithathe yonke imindeni yasenyakatho, usho uJehova, kanye noNebukadinesari inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, inceku yami, ngibalethe bamelane naleli zwe, nabahlali balo, nazo zonke lezi zizwe ezilizungezileyo; ngibachithe ngokupheleleyo, ngibenze babe yinto eyethusayo, neyokuhayizwa, nezincithakalo zaphakade. Futhi ngiyakususa kubo izwi lokwethaba, nezwi lokujabula, izwi lomyeni, nezwi lomlobokazi, umsindo wamatshe okugaya, nokukhanya kwesibani. Leli zwe lonke liyakuba yincithakalo nento eyethusayo; nalezi zizwe ziyakukhonza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa. Kuyakuthi-ke, nxa sekugcwalisekile iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa, ngiyakujezisa inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, naleso sizwe, usho uJehova, ngenxa yobubi babo, kanye nezwe lamaKhalediya, ngilenze izincithakalo zaphakade. Jeremiya 25:9–12.
IBhabhiloni elingokoqobo labusa iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa, liyisibonakaliso soMbuso wezinsuku zokugcina ozobusa iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa engokomfanekiso. UNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, wahlasela uJuda kathathu. Ukuhlasela kokuqala kwaba ngakuJehoyakimi, kwase kuqala iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa yesiprofetho sikaJeremiya. Yaphela ngokufa kukaBelishasari, lapho uNkulunkulu ejezisa “inkosi yaseBhabhiloni,” njengoba ayemjezise inkosi uJehoyakimi ekuqaleni kweminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa. Umbuso wesiprofetho omelwe “njengezinsuku zenkosi eyodwa” (umbuso owodwa) “njengeminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa” kwakuyiBhabhiloni, futhi umbuso wesiprofetho seBhayibheli obusa iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa engokomfanekiso ngesikhathi lapho isifebe saseTire sikhohlakele, uyisilo somhlaba sesAmbulo seshumi nantathu. Ushintsho olusuka embusweni wesihlanu luye kowesithupha wesiprofetho seBhayibheli ngo-1798 luyingxenye yeqiniso uJohane alichazayo kuSambulo isahluko seshumi nantathu.
Ngase ngima phezu kwesihlabathi solwandle, ngabona isilo sikhuphuka siphuma olwandle, sinezinhloko eziyisikhombisa nezimpondo eziyishumi, nasezimpondweni zaso kukhona imiqhele eyishumi, nasezinhlokweni zaso kukhona igama lokuhlambalaza.... Ngase ngibona esinye isilo sikhuphuka siphuma emhlabeni; sasinezimpondo ezimbili ezifana nezewundlu, kodwa sakhuluma njengodrako. IsAmbulo 13:1, 11.
Ugu lolwandle uJohane ayemi kulo encwadini yesAmbulo isahluko seshumi nantathu, lumela u-1798.
“Ngesikhathi lapho ubuPapa, sebuphucwe amandla abo, baphoqeleka ukuba buyeke ukushushisa, uJohane wabona amandla amasha evela ukuze aphinde izwi likadrako, futhi aqhubekisele phambili lowo msebenzi ofanayo ononya nowokuhlambalaza. Lawa mandla, okuwokugcina azokulwa nebandla nomthetho kaNkulunkulu, amelwe yisilo esinezimpondo ezifana nezewundlu. Izilo ezazisandulela zazivele elwandle; kodwa lesi savela emhlabeni, okubonisa ukuvela ngokuthula kwesizwe esasimelwa yiso—i-United States.” Signs of the Times, February 8, 1910.
Isilo sasolwandle sahlukaniswa yisihlabathi solwandle esilweni somhlaba. Umbuso wesihlanu wesiprofetho seBhayibheli ngo-1798 (ugu lolwandle), wawumele umlando owedlule, kanti umbuso wesithupha wawungumlando wesikhathi esizayo. AmaMillerite awazange alibone leli qiniso. UWilliam Miller wanikwa ukuqonda ngamandla kadrako wobuhedeni kanye nobudlelwane bawo nombuso olandelayo omelwe njengesilo sobuKatolika. IsAmbulo seshumi nantathu sivula indaba yomprofethi wamanga, okungowesithathu kulawo mandla amathathu aholela umhlaba e-Armagedoni. Indaba iqala ogwini lolwandle luka-1798.
I-United States iqala umlando wayo ngophawu lwewundlu, kodwa iphetha umlando wayo ikhuluma njengodrako. Umlando weminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa engokomfanekiso yokubusa kwesilo sasemhlabeni umelelwa evesini elilodwa, esahlukweni seshumi nantathu seSambulo, ngoba lelo vesi lichaza kokubili ukuqala nokuphela kwesilo sasemhlabeni emshweni ofanayo.
Ngase ngibona esinye isilo sikhuphuka siphuma emhlabeni; sasinempondo ezimbili ezinjengezewayini, sakhuluma njengodrako. IsAmbulo 13:11.
Lapho i-United States ikhuluma njengodrako, iphasisa umthetho weSonto. Ngaphambi kokuba ifeze ukuphoqelelwa kokukhulekelwa kweSonto, amasonto ahlubukayo obuProthestani ayohlangana ndawonye futhi athathe ukulawula kwezombusazwe kukahulumeni ohlubukayo, njengoba emisa umfanekiso wesilo. Lapho ugqozi lukhomba khona (futhi lwenza kanjalo ngokuphindaphindiwe) ukuthi inkonzo kaNebukhadinezari yokwethula umfanekiso wegolide imelela umthetho weSonto, luphawula ukuphela kweminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa engokomfanekiso yesilo sasemhlabeni. Izahluko zikaDaniyeli zokuqala kuya kwesesithathu zimelela imiyalezo yezingelosi ezintathu yesAmbulo isahluko seshumi nane. Ingelosi yesithathu iba yiqiniso eliphilayo emthethweni weSonto.
Ngokwesiprofetho, izahluko zokuqala kuya kwesesithathu encwadini kaDaniyeli zimelela iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa engokomfanekiso yesilo somhlaba sesiSambulo 13. Isivivinyo sokudla esimelelwe esahlukweni sokuqala, kanye nokufanekisa kukaJehoyakimi, kukhomba ukuthi isahluko sokuqala, ngokwesiprofetho, siqala ekunikezweni amandla kwengelosi yokuqala, kungaba ngo-Agasti 11, 1840, noma ngoSepthemba 11, 2001, emlandweni wengelosi yesithathu.
IBhabhiloni yisizwe esabusa iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa, futhi leyo minyaka imelela umlando we-United States. Iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa yaseBhabhiloni ayizange iphele kwaze kwaba kudlule isikhathi eside emva kokwethulwa kukaNebukhadinezari kwesithombe segolide, kodwa ngokwesiprofetho leyo minyaka eyisikhombisa engamashumi ayisikhombisa engokomfanekiso esetshenziswa ngu-Isaya esahlukweni samashumi amabili nantathu iphela esahlukweni sesithathu sikaDaniyeli. Lapho i-orchestra kaNebukhadinezari idlala umculo womkhosi wokwethulwa, uphawu lwesilo luyaphoqelelwa, futhi ngaleso sikhathi isifebe saseThire nesaseBhabhiloni siqala ukuculela amakhosi omhlaba izingoma zaso, kuyilapho u-Israyeli oyisihlubuki ekhothama futhi edansa.
Inkosi uNebukadinesari yenza isithombe segolide, ukuphakama kwaso kwakuyizingalo ezingamashumi ayisithupha, nobubanzi baso buyizingalo eziyisithupha; wasimisa ethafeni laseDura, esifundazweni saseBhabhiloni. Khona-ke inkosi uNebukadinesari yathuma ukuba kuqoqwe izikhulu, nababusi, nabaphathi, nabahluleli, nabagcini bezimali, nabeluleki, nabaphathi bomthetho, nabo bonke ababusi bezifundazwe, ukuba beze ekunikezelweni kwesithombe inkosi uNebukadinesari eyayisimisile. Khona-ke izikhulu, nababusi, nabaphathi, nabahluleli, nabagcini bezimali, nabeluleki, nabaphathi bomthetho, nabo bonke ababusi bezifundazwe, baqoqelwa ekunikezelweni kwesithombe inkosi uNebukadinesari eyayisimisile; base bema phambi kwesithombe uNebukadinesari ayesimisile. Khona-ke umemezeli wamemeza ngezwi elikhulu, wathi: Kuni kuyalaywa, nina bantu, zizwe, nezilimi, ukuthi ngesikhathi enizwa ukukhala kophondo, nopiyano, nehabhu, nesakhibhuthi, nehubo, nedulcimeri, nazo zonke izinhlobo zomculo, niwe phansi nikhulekele isithombe segolide inkosi uNebukadinesari esimisileyo; kepha lowo ongawi phansi akhuleke uyakuphonswa ngaso leso sikhathi phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo. Ngakho-ke ngaleso sikhathi, lapho bonke abantu bezwa ukukhala kophondo, nopiyano, nehabhu, nesakhibhuthi, nehubo, nazo zonke izinhlobo zomculo, bonke abantu, izizwe, nezilimi, bawa phansi bakhulekela isithombe segolide inkosi uNebukadinesari eyayisimisile. Daniyeli 3:1–7.
Ngaleso “sikhathi,” noma ngalelo “hora” elifanayo, okuwumthetho weSonto e-United States, noma ubani owenqaba ukukhulekela umfanekiso wegolide “uyakuphonswa phakathi kwesithando somlilo ovuthayo.” Incwadi kuphela eTestamenteni Elidala equkethe igama elihunyushwe ngokuthi “ihora,” yincwadi kaDaniyeli. Igama elithi “ihora” esahlukweni sesithathu limelela ukufika kophawu lwesilo. Igama elithi “ihora” liphinde limelele umlayezo wengelosi yokuqala esahlukweni sesine, ngoba lapho lifanekisela isixwayiso esiya kuNebukadinesari mayelana “nehora” elizayo lokwahlulela kukaNkulunkulu.
Khona-ke uDaniyeli, ogama lakhe lalinguBelteshazari, wamangala cishe ihora lonke, futhi imicabango yakhe yamkhathaza. Inkosi yakhuluma, yathi, Belteshazari, malingakukhathazi iphupho, noma incazelo yalo. UBelteshazari waphendula, wathi, Nkosi yami, sengathi iphupho lingehlela labo abakuzondayo, nencazelo yalo ezitheni zakho. Daniyeli 4:19.
UDaniyeli wanikeza uNebukadinesari isixwayiso ngehora lakhe elizayo lokwahlulela kukaNkulunkulu, uNebukadinesari kamuva asenqaba. “Ihora” esahlukweni sesine, lapho lisetshenziswa futhi kuleso sahluko, bese limelela “ihora” lokufika kokwahlulela. Emlandweni wamaMillerite ihora lokuqala esahlukweni sesine, beliyomela ukufika kwengelosi yokuqala ngo-1798. Lowo myalezo wagcwaliseka lapho ukwahlulela kophenyo kuqala ngo-Okthoba 22, 1844. “Ihora” esahlukweni sesine, kuqala liwuphawu lomyalezo wokwahlulela okuzayo, bese lisetshenziswa njengophawu lokuthi ukwahlulela sekufikile. Ukusetshenziswa kokuqala kwegama elithi “ihora” kumelela u-1798, nokufika kwengelosi yokuqala, kanti ukusetshenziswa kwesibili kumelela u-Okthoba 22, 1844, nokufika kwengelosi yesithathu.
Ngalelo hora yona le nto yagcwaliseka phezu kukaNebukadenetsare; waza wagxothwa ebantwini, wadla ingca njengeenkomo, nomzimba wakhe wanyibilikiswa ngumbethe wezulu, zada iinwele zakhe zakhula zanjengeentsiba zeenkqo, neenzipho zakhe zanjengeenzipho zeentaka. Daniel 4:33.
Ngakho-ke “ihora” esahlukweni sesine liwuphawu lwakho kokubili u-1798 no-1844, okuyiziphetho zeziqalekiso ezimbili “zezikhathi eziyisikhombisa,” ezamelana nombuso wasenyakatho (oqala ngo-723 BC) nombuso waseningizimu (oqala ngo-677 BC) wakwa-Israyeli. Lezo ziqalekiso ezimbili, ezimele iminyaka eyizinkulungwane ezimbili namakhulu amahlanu namashumi amabili yokuhlakazeka nobugqila, zimele ukwenziwa kwentukuthelo kaNkulunkulu yokuqala neyokugcina phezu kwabantu baKhe abayizihlubuki. Zombili zaqala ngokwahlulela kukaNkulunkulu, futhi iziphetho zazo ngazinye zimele umyalezo wokuxwayisa wokwahlulela kukaNkulunkulu okuphenyayo okusondelayo, noma ukufika kokwahlulela okuphenyayo. Zombili lezo zahlulelo ezimelelwa ukuphela kwezahlulelo ezimbili “zezikhathi eziyisikhombisa” zimelelwa yigama elithi “ihora,” encwadini kaDaniyeli isahluko sesine.
Emlandweni wamaMillerite, “ihora” limelela ukuqala kwenhlangano ngesikhathi sokuphela ngo-1798, lapho ingelosi yokuqala yafika khona, kanti “ihora” lesibili esahlukweni sesine limelela ukuphela kwenhlangano, lapho ingelosi yesithathu yafika khona ngo-Okthoba 22, 1844. Inhlangano yamaMillerite yengelosi yokuqala iyaphindwa enhlanganweni yengelosi yesithathu, ngakho-ke ukusetshenziswa okubili kuka-“ihora” esahlukweni sesine kuphawula futhi isikhathi sokuphela ngo-1989, futhi nomthetho weSonto oseduze ukufika. Inhlangano yamaMillerite yengelosi yokuqala yamemezela ukuvulwa kokwahlulela kophenyo, kanti inhlangano yengelosi yesithathu imemezela ukuvulwa kokwahlulela kukaNkulunkulu kokwenziwa, okuyinqubo eqhubekayo, eqala ngomthetho weSonto, iqhubeke futhi ikhule ngamandla kuze kube sekuFikeni Kwesibili kukaKristu.
Sizoqhubeka nesifundo sethu sikaDaniyeli isahluko sesithathu, bese siphetha ukucabangela kwethu igama elithi “ihora” esihlokweni esilandelayo.
Bhekani, ngiyanithuma njengezimvu phakathi kwezimpisi; ngakho-ke hlakaniphani njengezinyoka, nibe msulwa njengamajuba. Kepha qaphelani abantu; ngokuba bayakuninikela emikhandlwini, banibhaxabule emasinagogeni abo; nani niyakuyiswa phambi kwababusi namakhosi ngenxa yami, kube ngubufakazi kubo nakwabezizwe. Kepha nxa beninikela, ningakhathazeki ngokuthi niyakukhuluma kanjani noma niyakuthini; ngokuba niyakuphiwa ngaleso sikhathi lokho eniyakukusho. Ngokuba akusini enikhulumayo, kodwa nguMoya kaYihlo okhulumayo kini. Umzalwane uyakunikela umzalwane ekufeni, noyise anikele umntwana wakhe; nabantwana bayakuvukela abazali babo, babangele ukuba babulawe. Niyakuzondwa ngabantu bonke ngenxa yegama lami; kepha okhuthazelayo kuze kube sekupheleni, nguyena oyakusindiswa. Kepha nxa benizingela kulomuzi, balekelani komunye; ngokuba ngiqinisile ngithi kini, aniyikuqeda ukuhamba emizini yakwa-Israyeli, iNdodana yomuntu ingakafiki. Umfundi akamkhulu kunomfundisi wakhe, nenceku ayikhulu kunenkosi yayo. Kwanele kumfundi ukuba abe njengomfundisi wakhe, nenceku ibe njengenkosi yayo. Uma benibize umninindlu ngokuthi uBelzebule, kakade bayakubiza kakhulu ngakumbi abendlu yakhe. Ngakho-ke ningabesabi; ngokuba akukho okusithekile okuyakungembulwa, nokufihlakeleyo okuyakungaziwa. Lokho enginitshela khona ebumnyameni, kukhulumeni ekukhanyeni; nalokho enikuzwa endlebeni, kushumayeleni phezu kwezindlu. Ningabesabi labo ababulala umzimba, kodwa bengenakubulala umphefumulo; kunalokho yesabani lowo onamandla okubhidliza kokubili umphefumulo nomzimba esihogweni. Mathewu 10:16–28.