Ukusetshenziswa okuphindwe kathathu kuka-Eliya kwabonisa ukuthi ezinsukwini zokugcina kwakuyoba khona u-Eliya ekuqaleni kwezinsuku zokugcina nasekupheleni kwezinsuku zokugcina. “Izinsuku zokugcina” ziyizinsuku zokwahlulela, okuwukwahlulela okuqhubekayo futhi okuhlukaniswe izinhlobo ezimbili zokwahlulela. Ukwahlulela okuphenyayo, okwaluqala ekuqaleni kwezinsuku zokugcina, nokwahlulela kokwenziwa kwesigwebo, okwenzeka ekupheleni kwezinsuku zokugcina. Ukusetshenziswa okuphindwe kathathu kuka-Eliya ngokuyinhloko kumele umlando wokwahlulela kokwenziwa kwesigwebo okuqala emthethweni weSonto osuseduze ukufika.
Ukwahlulela okuphenyayo kugxile kuphela kulabo abake bavuma ukuthi bangabalandeli bakaNkulunkulu, ikakhulukazi ngokuvuma okuqondile, kodwa futhi, ezimweni ezimbalwa, ngokuvuma okungaqondile okuvezwa indlela yokuphila.
(Ngokuba akusibo abalaleli bomthetho abalungile phambi kukaNkulunkulu, kodwa abenzi bomthetho yibo abayolungisiswa. Ngokuba lapho abeZizwe, abangenawo umthetho, benza ngokwemvelo izinto zomthetho, laba, bengenawo umthetho, bangumthetho kubo ngokwabo; abonisa umsebenzi womthetho ulotshiwe ezinhliziyweni zabo, nonembeza wabo ufakaza kanye nabo, nemicabango yabo phakathi kwabo imangalelana noma ibathethelela.) KwabaseRoma 2:13–15.
Ukwahlulela okuphenyayo kunezigaba ezimbili eziyinhloko, ngokuba kwaqala ngokuphenya izimpilo zabafileyo (kusukela ezinsukwini zika-Adamu kuya phambili), ababebize ukuvuma ukuthi bakholelwa kuNkulunkulu weqiniso, futhi ngomhla ka-11 Septhemba 2001, kwaqala inqubo “yokwahlulelwa kwabaphilayo” okuphenyayo. Ukwahlulela okuphenyayo kunesinye futhi isigaba esedlula esabafileyo siye kwesabaphilayo, ngokuba ukwahlulela kuqala ngendlu kaNkulunkulu, futhi ezinsukwini zokugcina indlu kaNkulunkulu ingu-Adventism yaseLawodikeya. Nxa ukwahlulela kwendlu kaNkulunkulu sekuphetha emthethweni weSonto osuzofika maduze, khona-ke omunye umhlambi kaNkulunkulu, lowo ngaleso sikhathi oseBabiloni, uyahlulelwa.
Isahlulelo sokujezisa siwukujezisa kukaNkulunkulu phezu kwalabo abenqaba umnikelo waKhe wensindiso. Isahlulelo sokujezisa siqala ngomthetho weSonto osuzayo maduze. Ngaleso sikhathi i-United States iyobe isigcwalise indebe yolaka lwayo, eyiyo futhi indebe yesikhathi sayo sokuhlolwa, futhi ukuhlubuka kwesizwe kuyolandelwa ukubhujiswa kwesizwe. Zonke izizwe ezisemhlabeni zizolandela isibonelo se-United States ngokuphoqelela umthetho weSonto, futhi ngaleso sikhathi ngayinye yalezo zizwe iyogcwalisa izindebe zayo futhi nayo ihlupheke ngokubhujiswa kwesizwe.
“Njengoba iMelika, izwe lenkululeko yenkolo, iyakuhlangana nobuPapa ekuphoqeni unembeza nasekuphoqeni abantu ukuba bahloniphe isabatha lamanga, abantu bawo wonke amazwe emhlabeni wonke bayoholelwa ukuba balandele isibonelo sayo.” Testimonies, volume 6, 18.
Isahlulelo sokwenziwa sahlukaniswe futhi saba izingxenye ezimbili. Kusukela emthethweni weSonto e-United States kuze kuvalwe isikhathi sokuhlolwa kwabantu lapho uMikayeli esukuma, izahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu zihlanganiswe nesihe; kodwa lapho uMikayeli esukuma, ulaka lukaNkulunkulu, njengoba lumelwe ukuthululwa kwezinhlupho eziyisikhombisa zokugcina, aluna sihe. Ngesikhathi senhlekelele yomthetho weSonto izahlulelo zokwenziwa phezu kwabantu nezizwe ziyakuhlanganiswa nesihe, ngoba kuyobe kusekhona abanye eBabiloni abazonikwa ngaleso sikhathi ithuba lokuqonda umehluko phakathi kokukhulekwa kweSabatha neSonto.
“O, sengathi abantu bangasazi isikhathi sokuhanjelwa kwabo! Baningi abangakazizwa iqiniso elivivinyayo lalesi sikhathi. Baningi uMoya kaNkulunkulu asalwa nabo. Isikhathi sezahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu ezibhubhisayo siyisikhathi somusa kulabo abangazange bathole ithuba lokufunda ukuthi liyini iqiniso. INkosi iyakubabheka ngobumnene. Inhliziyo yayo yomusa iyathinteka; isandla sayo siseluliwe ukuba sisindise, kuyilapho umnyango uvaliwe kulabo ababengafuni ukungena.”
“Umusa kaNkulunkulu ubonakaliswa ekubekezeleni Kwakhe isikhathi eside. Ubambezela izahlulelo Zakhe, elindele ukuba umlayezo wesixwayiso umenyezelwe kubo bonke. O, ukuba abantu bethu bebengawuzwa njengoba kufanele umthwalo wemfanelo obekwe phezu kwabo wokunikeza izwe umlayezo wokugcina womusa, yeka umsebenzi omangalisayo obungafezwa!” Testimonies, volume 9, 97.
“Isikhathi sezahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu ezibhubhisayo siyisikhathi somusa kulabo abangazange babe nethuba lokufunda ukuthi liyini iqiniso.” Lezo zikhathi ezimbili ziqala kanyekanye lapho “umnyango uvalwa” phezu kwama-Adventist aseLawodikeya “abengafuni ukungena.”
“Ngabona ukuthi iSabatha elingcwele liyilo, futhi liyoba, udonga olwahlukanisayo phakathi kuka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu weqiniso nabangakholwayo; nokuthi iSabatha liyindaba enkulu, yokuhlanganisa izinhliziyo zabangcwele bakaNkulunkulu abathandekayo abalindileyo. Futhi uma umuntu ekholwa, futhi egcina iSabatha, futhi emukela isibusiso esihambisana nalo, bese eyalishiya, wephula umyalo ongcwele, uyobe ezivalele yena ngokwakhe amasango oMuzi Ongcwele, ngokuqinisekileyo njengokuthi ukhona uNkulunkulu obusa ezulwini phezulu. Ngabona ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayenabantwana, abangaboni futhi abangagcini iSabatha. Babengakalwenqabi ukukhanya ngalo. Futhi ekuqaleni kwesikhathi sokuhlupheka, sagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele lapho siphuma siyomemezela iSabatha ngokugcwele kakhudlwana. Lokhu kwathukuthelisa ibandla, nama-Adventist ngegama nje, njengoba babengenakukuliphikisa iqiniso leSabatha. Futhi ngaleso sikhathi, abakhethiweyo bakaNkulunkulu bonke babona ngokucacile ukuthi sasinayo iqiniso, base bephuma futhi babekezelela ukuhlushwa kanye nathi.” A Word to the Little Flock, 18, 19.
Umnyango uyovalwa ngomthetho weSonto ozayo maduze, okwenza isikhathi esandulela umthetho weSonto sibe “isikhathi” “sokuvakashelwa” kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu.
Ningasho kanjani ukuthi, Sihlakaniphile, nomthetho weNkosi unathi? Bhekani, impela uwenze ize; usiba lwababhali lusebenza ize. Izihlakaniphi ziye zajabha, zethuka, zabanjwa; bhekani, zilahlile izwi leNkosi; pho kukuphi ukuhlakanipha okukuzo? Ngakho-ke ngiyakunika abanye omkabo, namasimu abo kulabo abayakuwazuza njengefa; ngokuba bonke, kusukela komncane kuze kufike komkhulu, bazinikele ekufiseni inzuzo; kusukela kumprofethi kuze kufike kumpristi, bonke benza inkohliso. Ngokuba belaphe ukulinyazwa kwendodakazi yabantu bami kalula, bethi, Ukuthula, ukuthula; lapho kungekho ukuthula. Babenamahloni yini lapho sebenzile isinengiso na? Qha, babengahloni nakancane, futhi babengenakuphoxeka: ngakho bayakuwa phakathi kwalabo abawayo; ngesikhathi sokubavakashela bayakuwiswa phansi, kusho iNkosi. Jeremiya 8:8–12.
Njengakwa-Israyeli wasendulo, kunjalo nango-Israyeli wanamuhla; bobabili bayabhujiswa, ngokuba abazange bazi isikhathi sokuhanjelwa kwabo. Isikhathi sokuhanjelwa kukaNkulunkulu kwe-Adventism yaseLawodikea saqala ngoSepthemba 11, 2001, futhi siphetha emthethweni weSonto ozayo maduze.
Kwathi esesondele, walibona umuzi, wawukhalela, ethi: Kube sengathi nawe, yebo wena, ubuwazile ngalolu suku lwakho izinto eziphathelene nokuthula kwakho! kodwa manje zifihliwe emehlweni akho. Ngokuba izinsuku ziyakufika phezu kwakho, lapho izitha zakho ziyakukwakhela umthangala nxazonke, zikuzungeleze, zikuvimbele nhlangothi zonke, zikudilize ube semhlabathini, kanye nabantwana bakho abaphakathi kwakho; futhi aziyikushiya kuwe itshe phezu kwetshe; ngokuba awusazanga isikhathi sokuhanjelwa kwakho. Luka 19:41–44.
Ngesikhathi sokuhanjelwa kukaNkulunkulu, abahlakaniphileyo nabayiziphukuphuku bahlukaniswa kuze kube phakade.
“Siyazi ukuthi ama-Seventh-day Adventist angazingcwelisanga, anolwazi ngeqiniso, kodwa azixhumanise nabasemhlabeni, ayosuka ngokuphelele ekukholweni, elalela imimoya edukisayo. Isitha siyokujabulela ukubanikeza izilingo nezikhuthazo, ukuze sibaholele ekuqhubeni impi yokulwa nabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Kodwa labo abeqiniso nabagxilile bayoba nesivikelo esiqinile nesinamandla kuNkulunkulu.” Manuscript Releases, volume 7, 186.
Isikhathi sabo sokuhanjelwa saqala ngoSepthemba 11, 2001, njengoba sasifanekiswe yisikhathi sokuhanjelwa esehlela amabandla amaProthestani ngo-Agasti 11, 1840, nanjengoba isikhathi sokuhanjelwa sase siqalile kwa-Israyeli wasendulo lapho uMoya oNgcwele ehlela ekubhapathizweni kukaKristu.
Ukwahlulela kokugcina kuqala lapho i-United States igcwalisa indebe yesikhathi sayo sokuhlolwa emthethweni weSonto osusondele ukufika, okuyisikhathi futhi lapho ibandla lama-Adventist laseLawodikeya ligcwalise indebe yalo. Ukwahlulela kuqala endlini kaNkulunkulu, kanye nendebe yesikhathi sokuhlolwa yezimpondo zombili ezonakele ze-United States. Uphondo olonakele lobuProthestani obelumelelwe ngaphambili yibandla lama-Adventist laseLawodikeya luyaphela-ke, futhi inhlangano yaseFiladelfiya yengelosi yesithathu ibe isiba yilo uphondo lweqiniso lobuProthestani, kanye neJerusalema lomoya eliphakanyiswa njengophawu lwesizwe. Ngaleso sikhathi iJerusalema iyaguquka isuke ebandleni elilwayo ibe yibandla elinqobayo.
Ukwahlulela kokugcina kuyaqala, ngesikhathi sezahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu zokubhujisa, okuyisikhathi futhi somusa komunye umhlambi kaNkulunkulu oseseBabiloni. Kuqala lapho isikhathi sokuvakashela kukaNkulunkulu phezu kwe-Adventism yaseLawodikeya siphela. Ukwahlulela kokugcina kuyaqhubekela eziNhlupheni Eziyisikhombisa Zokugcina lapho izahlulelo zingasezisahlanganiswanga nomusa, bese uJesu uyabuya.
Lapho uJesu ebuya, inkulungwane yeminyaka, esesahlukweni samashumi amabili seSambulo, iveza ukuthi uSathane uboshiwe emhlabeni oyincithakalo, eyedwa kanye nezingelosi ezihlubukayo kuphela ezahlanganyela ekuhlaseleni uNkulunkulu.
Ngase ngibona ingelosi yehla ivela ezulwini, iphethe isihluthulelo somgodi ongenasiphetho neketanga elikhulu esandleni sayo. Yayibamba udrako, leyo nyoka endala, onguSathane, noDeveli, yambopha iminyaka eyinkulungwane, yamphonsa emgodini ongenasiphetho, yamvalela, yabeka uphawu phezu kwakhe, ukuze angabe esedukisa izizwe, kuze kugcwaliseke iminyaka eyinkulungwane; emva kwalokho kumelwe akhululwe isikhashana. IsAmbulo 20:1–3.
Phakathi naleyo minyaka eyinkulungwane abahlengiwe bayokwenza ukwahlulela kophenyo phezu kwabalahlekileyo abasalele belele emathuneni abo besalindele ukuphethwa kwezahlulelo zomuntu ngamunye. Abahlengiwe bayohlola izimpilo nezimo zabalahlekileyo, kuhlanganise noSathane nezingelosi zakhe, ukuze banqume ukuthi ubani ofanele isijeziso esikhulu kakhulu ekupheleni kwaleyo minyaka eyinkulungwane.
Ngase ngibona izihlalo zobukhosi, bahlala phezu kwazo, banikwa ukwahlulela; ngase ngibona imiphefumulo yalabo ababenqunywe amakhanda ngenxa yobufakazi bukaJesu, nangenxa yezwi likaNkulunkulu, nalabo ababengakhulekelanga isilo, noma umfanekiso waso, futhi ababengalwamukelanga uphawu lwaso emabunzini abo noma ezandleni zabo; baphila babusa kanye noKristu iminyaka eyinkulungwane. IsAmbulo 20:4.
Ngakho-ke inkulungwane iqukethe ukwahlulela kophenyo okuthi, lapho sekuphelile, kulethe ukwahlulela kokugcina kokwenziwa lapho abafileyo ababi bevuswa, noSathane, osuke esenokubusa okuphelele phezu kwabo, ekholisa ababi ukuba bahlasele iJerusalema, okuthi ekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane lehle livela ezulwini. Njengoba ababi beqalisa ukuhlasela kwabo, kwehla umlilo uvela ezulwini, bese ukwahlulela kokugcina kokwenziwa kufezeka.
Kwathi, lapho sekuphele iminyaka eyinkulungwane, uSathane uyakukhululwa aphume etilongweni lakhe, futhi uyakuphuma ayokhohlisa izizwe ezisemagumbini amane omhlaba, uGogi noMagogi, ukuze azibuthele ndawonye empini; inani lazo linjengesihlabathi solwandle. Zase zenyukela ebubanzini bomhlaba, zazungeza ikamu labangcwele nomuzi othandekayo; kwase kwehla umlilo uvela kuNkulunkulu ezulwini, wabaqeda. IsAmbulo 20:7–9.
Nakuba ukusetshenziswa okuthathu kuka-Eliya nesithunywa esilungisela iSithunywa seSivumelwano indlela ukuze size ngokuzumayo ethempelini laSo kuhlobene kakhulu, umehluko womsebenzi wako ungabonakala ngokuthi u-Eliya, ngokuyinhloko, ukhomba umsebenzi wesithunywa, kanye nenhlangano ehlotshaniswa nomlayezo wesithunywa, ofezwa phakathi nokwahlulela kokuphatha okuqala ngomthetho weSonto ozayo masinyane. Isithunywa esilungisela iSithunywa seSivumelwano indlela, ngokuyinhloko, sikhomba umsebenzi ofezwa phakathi nokwahlulela kophenyo. Ubu-Adventisti baseLawodisiya abasazi isikhathi sokuhanjelwa kwabo, esimelela inkathi ethile yokwahlulela.
Futhi abayiqondi imfundiso “yeqiniso lamanje” emenyezelwa ngesikhathi sokuvakatshwelwa kwabo. Kwakufanele bazi kokubili ukwahlulela, kanye nomlayezo walezo zinsuku. Futhi kwakufanele bazi isithunywa saleso sikhathi. Ebumpumpheni babo baseLawodikeya baphikisa umyalezo wehora, baphike isikhathi sokuvakatshwelwa kwabo ngomlayezo othi “ukuthula nokulondeka,” futhi abaqiniseki ukuthi ngubani oyisithunywa esikhethiweyo saleso sikhathi. Leli qiniso lakhonjiswa ngokucacile ebufakazini buka-Eliya wesibili, owayenguJohane uMbhabhadisi.
AmaJuda ayazi ukuthi isiprofetho sakhomba isithunywa esasizayo, futhi uJesu wafundisa ngokuqondile ukuthi uJohane wayeyileso sithunywa esasizofika.
Ngokuba bonke abaprofethi nomthetho baprofetha kwaze kwaba nguJohane. Futhi uma nifuna ukukwamukela, lo nguye u-Eliya obezayo. Onezindlebe zokuzwa makezwe. Mathewu 11:13–15.
Ekupheleni impela kwesikhathi sokuhanjelwa kwabo (isikhathi emlandweni kaKristu esifanekisela umthetho weSonto osuzayo maduze), ngesikhathi uKristu elenga esiphambanweni amaJuda aqagela ukuthi mhlawumbe u-Eliya wayezofika ngaleso sikhathi ukuze asindise uJesu. Uma engambonanga umthunywa owayezolungisela uMthunywa weSivumelwano indlela, lowo ngaleso sikhathi owayeqinisa isivumelwano ngegazi laKhe uqobo, ayengenakumazi uMesiya wawo. U-Adventism waseLawodikeya ezinsukwini zokugcina kudingeka azi ukwahlulelwa kwawo, okuyisikhathi sokuhanjelwa kwawo. Kudingeka uqaphele umlayezo waleyo nkathi yesikhathi, futhi kudingeka uqaphele umthunywa okhethiweyo waleyo nkathi. Ukuvukela kuka-1888, kwafaniswa noSepthemba 11, 2001, lapho ingelosi yesAmbulo isahluko seshumi nesishiyagalombili yehla. Abavukeli baka-1888 benqaba ukwamukela izithunywa ezikhethiweyo zomlando owawufanekisela izinsuku zokugcina.
Sizoqhubeka nalesi sifundo esihlokweni esilandelayo.
Ngokuba usho kanje uJehova, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, kimi: Thatha esandleni sami le ndebe yewayini yalolu lulaka, uphuzise zonke izizwe engikuthuma kuzo. Ziyakuyiphuza, zixhamazele, zihlanye ngenxa yenkemba engiyakuyithumela phakathi kwazo. Ngase ngiyithatha-ke indebe esandleni sikaJehova, ngaphuzisa zonke izizwe uJehova ayengithume kuzo: okungukuthi iJerusalema, nemizi yakwaJuda, namakhosi ayo, neziphathamandla zayo, ukuze ngizenze incithakalo, nesimangaliso, nokuhhewula, nesiqalekiso, njengalokhu kunjalo namuhla; uFaro inkosi yaseGibithe, nezinceku zakhe, neziphathamandla zakhe, nabantu bakhe bonke; nabo bonke abantu abaxubileyo, nawo wonke amakhosi ezwe lase-Uzi, nawo wonke amakhosi ezwe lamaFilisti, ne-Ashikeloni, ne-Aza, ne-Ekroni, nensali yase-Ashidodi; i-Edomi, neMowabi, nabantwana bakwa-Amoni; nawo wonke amakhosi aseTire, nawo wonke amakhosi aseSidoni, namakhosi eziqhingi ezingaphesheya kolwandle; iDedani, neTema, neBuzi, nabo bonke abasemakhoneni aqhelileyo; nawo wonke amakhosi ase-Arabiya, nawo wonke amakhosi abantu abaxubileyo abahlala ehlane; nawo wonke amakhosi aseZimri, nawo wonke amakhosi ase-Elamu, nawo wonke amakhosi amaMede; nawo wonke amakhosi asenyakatho, akude nasondelene, elinye nelinye, nayo yonke imibuso yomhlaba ephezu kobuso bomhlaba; inkosi yaseSheshaki iyakuphuza emva kwawo. Ngakho uyakuthi kubo: Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: Phuzani, nidakwe, nihlanze, niwe, ningabe nisavuka, ngenxa yenkemba engiyithumelayo phakathi kwenu. Kuyakuthi, uma benqaba ukwamukela indebe esandleni sakho ukuze bayiphuze, uyakuthi kubo: Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti: Impela niyakuyiphuza. Ngokuba bheka, ngiqala ukuletha okubi emzini obizwa ngegama lami; pho nina ningasala ningajeziswanga ngokuphelele na? Aniyikusala ningajeziswanga; ngokuba ngiyakubiza inkemba phezu kwabo bonke abakhileyo emhlabeni, usho uJehova Sebawoti. Ngakho profetha wena kubo wonke la mazwi, uthi kubo: UJehova uyakubhonga esezulwini, akhiphe izwi lakhe esendaweni yakhe engcwele; uyakubhonga ngamandla phezu kwendawo yakhe yokuhlala; uyakumemeza njengabacindezela amagilebhisi, amelane nabo bonke abakhileyo emhlabeni. Umsindo uyakufika kuze kube semikhawulweni yomhlaba; ngokuba uJehova unempikiswano nezizwe, uyakwahlulela bonke abenyama; ababi uyakubanikela enkembeni, usho uJehova. Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti: Bheka, okubi kuyakuphuma kusuke esizweni kuye esizweni, nesivunguvungu esikhulu siyakuvuswa emikhawulweni yomhlaba. Futhi ababuleweyo bakaJehova ngalolo suku bayakuba khona kusukela komunye umkhawulo womhlaba kuze kube komunye umkhawulo womhlaba; abayikulilelwa, futhi abayikubuthwa, futhi abayikungcwatshwa; bayakuba njengomquba phezu komhlabathi. Jeremiya 25:15–33.