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# The Book of Daniel - Number One-Hundred and Eleven

Incwadi kaDaniyeli — Ikhulu Elinanye Elinanye】

Unveiling the Prophetic Significance of Abubakar in the First Woe of Revelation

Ukutyhila Intsingiselo Yesiprofeto ka-Abubakar kwiYeha lokuQala leSityhilelo

Author

Jeff Pippenger

Published

March 2, 2024

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In the prophetic history of the first Woe, the leader who followed Mohammed was Abu Bakr Abdullah ibn Abi Quhafa, father-in-law of Mohammed. We will refer to him as Abubakar. Both he and Mohammed are referenced in the first four verses. Abubakar was the first Islamic ruler after Mohammed, and history records a command that he gave to his soldiers, that is represented in verse four of Revelation chapter nine. The command represents the sealing process that began at the arrival of the third woe, which was also the Seventh Trumpet, which was also the arrival of the third angel.

Kwimbali yokuqala yesiprofeto yoYeha lokuqala, inkokeli eyalandela uMohammed yayinguAbu Bakr Abdullah ibn Abi Quhafa, uyisezala kaMohammed. Siya kubhekisa kuye njengoAbubakar. Bobabini yena noMohammed bakhankanywa kwiivesi ezine zokuqala. UAbubakar wayengumlawuli wokuqala wamaSilamsi emva kukaMohammed, yaye imbali ibhala umyalelo awawunikeza amajoni akhe, omelwe kwivesi yesine yeSityhilelo isahluko sesithoba. Loo myalelo umele inkqubo yokutywinwa eyaqala ekufikeni koyeha lwesithathu, olwalukwayiXilongo lesiXhenxe, ekwakukwakho ukufika kwengelosi yesithathu.

> And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. Revelation 9:1–4.

> Yaza ke isithunywa sesihlanu savuthela isigodlo; ndaza ndabona inkwenkwezi isiwa ivela ezulwini isiza emhlabeni; yanikwa isitshixo somhadi ongenasiphelo. Yawuvula loo mhadi ungenasiphelo; kwenyuka umsi uphuma emhadini, unjengomsi weziko elikhulu; ilanga nomoya kwaza kwaba mnyama ngenxa yomsi womhadi. Emva koko kwaphuma iinkumbi emsini zeza phezu komhlaba; zanikwa amandla, njengoko oonomadudwane bomhlaba benamandla. Zayalelwa ukuba zingonakalisi ingca yomhlaba, nento eluhlaza nokuba ngumthi, kodwa kuphela abo bantu bangenalo itywina likaThixo emabunzini abo. ISityhilelo 9:1–4.

The “star” that fell from heaven was Mohammed, who began his ministry in the year 606. Mohammed was given a “key” that was to “open” the “bottomless pit” allowing “smoke” to darken the “sun and the air,” and brought forth “locusts” who were given “power” as the power of “scorpions.” The key was a military battle that produced weakness in the Roman’s military strength, thus allowing the rise of the warfare of Islam. The bottomless pit is a symbol of Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, and the smoke represented the false religion of Islam that was to spread across the earth and take possession of the same geography that would be swarmed by the swarms of locusts that sweep across northern Africa, southern Europe and Arabia. The locusts are a symbol of Islam, and power prophetically represents military power. Their power was to be as scorpions, which strike unexpectedly. Uriah Smith states:

“Inkwenkwezi” eyawa ivela ezulwini yayinguMohammed, owaqalisa inkonzo yakhe ngonyaka wama-606. UMohammed wanikwa “isitshixo” esasimele “ukuvula” “umhadi ongenasiphelo,” ukuze “umsi” wenze mnyama “ilanga nomoya,” waza wakhupha “iinkumbi” ezanikweyo “amandla” njengamandla “oonomadudwane.” Isitshixo sasisilidabi lemfazwe elavelisa ubuthathaka kumandla omkhosi wamaRoma, ngaloo ndlela savumela ukuvela kwemfazwe yobuSilamsi. Umhadi ongenasiphelo ngumqondiso weArabhiya, indawo yokuzalwa yobuSilamsi, yaye umsi wawumela inkolo yobuxoki yobuSilamsi eyayiza kusasazeka emhlabeni wonke yaza yathabatha ulawulo kwakweso sithili somhlaba esasiza kugutyungelwa zizihlwele zeenkumbi ezitshayela zinqumla umntla Afrika, umzantsi Yurophu, neArabhiya. Iinkumbi zingumqondiso wobuSilamsi, yaye amandla, ngokwesiprofeto, amele amandla omkhosi. Amandla azo ayemele afane nawoonamadudwane, abetha bengalindelekanga. U-Uriah Smith uthi:

> “A star fell from heaven unto the earth; and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

> “Inkwenkwezi yawa ivela ezulwini, yehla emhlabeni; yaye yanikwa isitshixo somhadi ongenasiphelo.

> “While the Persian monarch contemplated the wonders of his art and power, he received an epistle from an obscure citizen of Mecca, inviting him to acknowledge Mohammed as the apostle of God. He rejected the invitation, and tore the epistle. ‘It is thus,’ exclaimed the Arabian prophet, ‘that God will tear the kingdom, and reject the supplication of Chosroes.’ Placed on the verge of these two empires of the East, Mohammed observed with secret joy the progress of mutual destruction; and in the midst of the Persian triumphs he ventured to foretell, that, before many years should elapse, victory would again return to the banners of the Romans. ‘At the time when this prediction is said to have been delivered, no prophecy could be more distant from its accomplishment since the first twelve years of Heraclius announced the approaching dissolution of the empire.’. ..

> “Ngoxa umlawuli wasePersi wayecamngca ngemimangaliso yobugcisa namandla akhe, wamkela incwadi evela kumhlali ongaziwayo waseMecca, eyayimmema ukuba amamkele uMohammed njengompostile kaThixo. Wasikhaba eso simemo, wayikrazula nencwadi. ‘Kungale ndlela kanye,’ watsho umprofeti waseArabhiya, ‘athi uThixo abukrazule ubukumkani, aze awale isibongozo sikaChosroes.’ Emi emdeni wale mibuso mibini yaseMpuma, uMohammed wayebukele ngovuyo oluyimfihlo inkqubela yokutshatyalalisana kwawo; yaye phakathi koloyiso lwamaPersi wazama ukuxela kwangaphambili ukuba, ngaphambi kokuba kudlule iminyaka emininzi, uloyiso luya kubuyela kwakhona kwiibhanile zamaRoma. ‘Ngexesha ekuthiwa esi siprofeto sanikelwa ngalo, kwakungekho siprofeto sinokuba kude ngakumbi nokuzaliseka kwaso, kuba iminyaka elishumi elinesibini yokuqala kaHeraclius yayisele ibhengeze ukusondela kokupheliswa kobukumkani.’...”

> “Chosroes subjugated the Roman possession [in] Asia and Africa. And ‘the Roman empire,’ at that period, ‘was reduced to the walls of Constantinople, with the remnant of Greece, Italy, and Africa, and some maritime cities, from Tyre to Trebizond, of the Asiatic coast. The experience of six years at length persuaded the Persian monarch to renounce the conquest of Constantinople, and to specify the annual tribute of the ransom of the Roman empire,—a thousand talents of gold, a thousand talents of silver, a thousand silk robes, a thousand horses, and a thousand virgins. Heraclius subscribed to these ignominious terms. But the time and space which he obtained to collect those treasures from the poverty of the East were industriously employed in the preparation of a bold and desperate attack.’

> “UChosroes wayoyisa phantsi kobukhosi bakhe indawo eyayiphethwe ngamaRoma eAsia naseAfrika. Kwaye ‘ubukhosi bamaRoma,’ ngelo xesha, ‘babuncitshiswe baba ziindonga zaseConstantinople, kunye nentsalela yaseGrisi, yaseItali, neyaseAfrika, kunye nezixeko ezimbalwa zaselwandle, ukusuka eTire ukuya eTrebizond, kunxweme lwaseAsia. Amava eminyaka emithandathu ekugqibeleni amqinisekisa ukumkani wamaPersi ukuba alulahle uloyiso lweConstantinople, aze acacise umrhumo wonyaka wentlawulelo yobukhosi bamaRoma,—iitTalente zegolide eziliwaka, iitalente zesilivere eziliwaka, iingubo zesilika eziliwaka, amahashe aliwaka, neentombi ezinyulu eziliwaka. UHeraclius wavuma kule miqathango ihlazisayo. Kodwa ixesha nethuba awalifumanayo lokuqokelela ezo ndyebo kubuhlwempu baseMpuma walisebenzisa ngenkuthalo ekulungiseleleni uhlaselo olunesibindi nolokuphelelwa lithemba.’”

> “The king of Persia despised the obscure Saracen, and derided the message of the pretended prophet of Mecca. Even the overthrow of the Roman empire would not have opened a door for Mohammedanism, or for the progress of the Saracenic armed propagators of an imposture, though the monarch of the Persians and chagan of the Avars (the successor of Attila) had divided between them the remains of the kingdoms of the Caesars. Chosroes himself fell. The Persian and Roman monarchies exhausted each other’s strength. And before a sword was put into the hands of the false prophet, it was smitten from the hands of those who would have checked his career and crushed his power.

> “Ukumkani wasePersi wamdelela umSaracen ongaziwayo, waza wawugculela umyalezo womprofeti ozenzisayo waseMecca. Kwanokubhukuqwa kobukumkani bamaRoma bekungayi kuvulela uMohammedanism umnyango, okanye inkqubela yabasasazi abaxhobileyo bobuqhetseba baseSaracen, nangona ukumkani wamaPersi kunye nechagan wama-Avar (owangena esikhundleni sika-Attila) babebehlule phakathi kwabo iintsalela zobukumkani booKesare. UChosroes ngokwakhe wawa. Ubukumkani basePersi nobaseRoma baphelisana amandla. Kwaye ngaphambi kokuba ikrele lifakwe esandleni somprofeti wobuxoki, labethwa lasuswa ezandleni zabo abo babeya kuwunqanda umendo wakhe baze bawatyumze amandla akhe.

> “‘Since the days of Scipio and Hannibal, no bolder enterprise has been attempted than that which Heraclius achieved for the deliverance of the empire. He explored his perilous way through the Black Sea and the mountains of Armenia, penetrated into the heart of Persia, and recalled the armies of the great king to the defense of their bleeding country.’

> “‘Ukususela kwimihla kaScipio noHannibal, akukho linyathelo linesibindi ngakumbi lakha lazanywa kunelo uHeraclius aliphumezileyo ukuze kuhlangulwe ubukumkani. Wavula indlela yakhe enobungozi enqumla kuLwandle oluMnyama nakwiintaba zaseArmenia, wangena embindini wePersi, waza wabuyisela imikhosi yokumkani omkhulu ekukhuseleni ilizwe labo elaliphuma igazi.’”

> “In the battle of Nineveh, which was fiercely fought from daybreak to the eleventh hour, twenty-eight standards, besides those which might be broken or torn, were taken from the Persians; the greatest part of their army was cut in pieces, and the victors, concealing their own loss, passed the night on the field. The cities and palaces of Assyria were opened for the first time to the Romans.’

> “Kwimfazwe yaseNineve, eyaliwa ngamandla ukususela ekuphumeni kokusa kwada kwayeyure yeshumi elinanye, kwaqwengwa kwiPersi iiflegi zomkhosi ezingamashumi amabini anesibhozo, kungabalwa ezo zazinokuthi zaphukwe okanye zikrazuke; inxalenye enkulu yomkhosi wabo yacandwa yaziingceba, baza aboyisileyo, befihla ilahleko yabo, bachitha ubusuku entsimini yemfazwe. Izixeko namabhotwe aseAsiriya avuleka okokuqala kumaRoma.”

> “The Roman emperor was not strengthened by the conquests which he achieved; and a way was prepared at the same time, and by the same means, for the multitudes of Saracens from Arabia, like locusts from the same region, who, propagating in their course the dark and delusive Mohammedan creed, speedily overspread both the Persian and the Roman empire.

> “Umlawuli waseRoma akazange omelezwe luloyiso awaluzuzayo; kwaza kwalungiswa kwangaxeshanye, nangezo ndlela zifanayo, indlela yezihlwele zamaSaracen ezivela eArabhiya, ezinjengeenkumbi eziphuma kwakuloo mmandla, ezathi, zisasaza ekuhambeni kwazo inkolo emnyama nekhohlisayo kaMohammed, zakhawuleza zasibekela sobabini ubukumkani basePersi nobaseRoma.

> “More complete illustration of this fact could not be desired than is supplied in the concluding words of the chapter from Gibbon, from which the preceding extracts are taken. ‘Although a victorious army had been formed under the standard of Heraclius, the unnatural effort seems to have exhausted rather than exercised their strength. While the emperor triumphed at Constantinople or Jerusalem, an obscure town on the confines of Syria was pillaged by the Saracens, and they cut in pieces some troops who advanced to its relief,—an ordinary and trifling occurrence, had it not been the prelude of a mighty revolution. These robbers were the apostles of Mohammed; their frantic valor had emerged from the desert; and in the last eight years of his reign, Heraclius lost to the Arabs the same provinces which he had rescued from the Persians.

> “Umzekeliso opheleleyo ngakumbi wale nyaniso ubungenakunqweneleka kunalowo unikelwa ngamazwi okuphetha esahluko sikaGibbon, apho izicatshulwa ezingaphambili zithatyathwe khona. ‘Nangona umkhosi owawoyisile wawusekiwe phantsi komqondiso kaHeraclius, loo mzamo ungeyowendalo ubonakala ngathi wawuphelise amandla abo kunokuba wawawasebenzise. Ngoxa umlawuli wayesoyisa eConstantinople okanye eYerusalem, idolophu engaziwayo emideni yaseSiriya yaphangwa ngamaSaracen, aza aqwenga-qwenga eminye imikhosi eyahamba isiya kuyihlangula,—isiganeko esiqhelekileyo nesingenamsebenzi kangako, ukuba besingengengabula-zigcawu yoguquko olukhulu. Aba baphangi babengabapostile bakaMohammed; ubukroti babo obuphambeneyo babuphume entlango; yaye kwiminyaka esibhozo yokugqibela yolawulo lwakhe, uHeraclius walahlekelwa ngama-Arabhu ngawona maphondo awawakhululayo kumaPersi.

> “‘The spirit of fraud and enthusiasm, whose abode is not in the heavens,’ was let loose on earth. The bottomless pit needed but a key to open it, and that key was the fall of Chosroes. He had contemptuously torn the letter of an obscure citizen of Mecca. But when from his ‘blaze of glory’ he sunk into the ‘tower of darkness’ which no eye could penetrate, the name of Chosroes was suddenly to pass into oblivion before that of Mohammed; and the crescent seemed but to wait its rising till the falling of the star. Chosroes, after his entire discomfiture and loss of empire, was murdered in the year 628; and the year 629 is marked by ‘the conquest of Arabia,’ and ‘the first war of the Mohammedans against the Roman empire.’ ‘And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth; and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit.’ He fell unto the earth. When the strength of the Roman empire was exhausted, and the great king of the East lay dead in his tower of darkness, the pillage of an obscure town on the borders of Syria was ‘the prelude of a mighty revolution.’ ‘’The robbers were the apostles of Mohammed, and their frantic valor emerged from the desert.’

> “‘Umoya wenkohliso nowentshiseko, ommandla wawo ungekho emazulwini,’ wakhululwa emhlabeni. Umhadi ongenasiphelo wawufuna isitshixo kuphela ukuze uvulwe, yaye eso sitshixo saba kukuwa kukaChosroes. Wayeyikrazule ngendelelo incwadi yommi ongaziwayo waseMecca. Kodwa xa esuka ‘ekukhazimuleni kobuqaqawuli’ bakhe watshona ‘kwinqaba yobumnyama’ ekungekho liso lalinokuyigqobhoza, igama likaChosroes laliza kudlula ngesiquphe ekulityalweni phambi kwelikaMohammed; yaye inyanga ecrescent yabonakala ngathi ilindele kuphela ukuphuma kwayo de iwe inkwenkwezi. UChosroes, emva kokoyiswa kwakhe ngokupheleleyo nokulahlekelwa bubukumkani, wabulawa ngonyaka ka-628; yaye unyaka ka-629 uphawulwa ‘ngoloyiso lweArabhiya,’ kunye ‘nemfazwe yokuqala yamaMohammedan nxamnye nobukumkani baseRoma.’ ‘Yaza ingelosi yesihlanu yavuthela isigodlo, ndabona inkwenkwezi isiwa ivela ezulwini isiya emhlabeni; yanikwa yona isitshixo somhadi ongenasiphelo. Yawuvula ke umhadi ongenasiphelo.’ Yawa yaya emhlabeni. Xa amandla obukumkani baseRoma ayesele ephelile, yaye ukumkani omkhulu waseMpuma elele efile kwinqaba yakhe yobumnyama, ukuphangwa kwedolophu engaziwayo emideni yaseSiriya kwaba ‘sisingeniso senguquko enkulu.’ ‘Abaphangi babengabapostile bakaMohammed, yaye ubugorha babo obuphithizelayo baphuma entlango.’”

> “The Bottomless Pit.—The meaning of this term may be learned from the Greek , which is defined ‘deep, bottomless, profound,’ and may refer to any waste, desolate, and uncultivated place. It is applied to the earth in its original state of chaos. Gen.1:2. In this instance it may appropriately refer to the unknown wastes of the Arabian desert, from the borders of which issued the hordes of Saracens like swarms of locusts. And the fall of Chosroes, the Persian king, may well be represented as the opening of the bottomless pit, inasmuch as it prepared the way for the followers of Mohammed to issue from their obscure country, and propagate their delusive doctrines with fire and sword, till they had spread their darkness over all the Eastern empire.” Uriah Smith, Daniel and Revelation, 495–498.

> “Umhadi Ongenamazantsi.—Intsingiselo yeli gama inokuqondwa kwisiGrike, apho lichazwa ngokuthi ‘nzulu, ayinamazantsi, inzulu gqitha,’ yaye linokubhekisa nakweyiphi na indawo eyinkangala, eshiyekileyo, nengalinywanga. Lisetyenziswa emhlabeni kwimeko yawo yokuqala yesiphithiphithi. Gen. 1:2. Kule meko linokubhekisa ngokufanelekileyo kwiinkangala ezingaziwayo zentlango yaseArabhiya, ezisemideni yazo kwaphuma kuzo amaqela amaninzi amaSaracen njengezihlwele zeenkumbi. Kwaye ukuwa kukaChosroes, ukumkani wasePersi, kunokumelwa kakuhle njengokuvulwa komhadi ongenamazantsi, kuba kwalungiselela indlela yokuba abalandeli bakaMohammed baphume kwilizwe labo elalingaziwa kakhulu, baze basasaze iimfundiso zabo ezikhohlisayo ngomlilo nangekrele, bada basasaza ubumnyama babo phezu kobukumkani bonke baseMpuma.” Uriah Smith, Daniel and Revelation, 495–498.

The first woe, which is the fifth trumpet identifies the beginning of the warfare of Islam against Rome, and it identifies a battle between Rome and Persia where Rome prevailed, but in doing so expended its military strength to the extent that it could not prevent the rise of the Islamic power. The prophetic characteristics of the first woe and the second woe, identify the prophetic characteristics of the third woe, and it is important to recognize the first two woes as symbols of the history of the third woe, for that history represents the period of the sealing of the one hundred and forty-four thousand, which began on September 11, 2001. After the prophetic history represented by Mohammed in the first three verses, verse four introduces Abubakar, the first leader after Mohammed.

Intlekele yokuqala, eyiyeyona xilongo yesihlanu, ichaza ukuqala kwemfazwe yamaSilamsi nxamnye neRoma, yaye ichaza idabi phakathi kweRoma nePersi apho iRoma yoyisayo, kodwa ngokwenjenjalo yachitha amandla ayo omkhosi kangangokuba ayizange ikwazi ukuthintela ukuvela kwamandla obuSilamsi. Iimpawu zesiprofeto zentlekele yokuqala nezentlekele yesibini zichaza iimpawu zesiprofeto zentlekele yesithathu, yaye kubalulekile ukuqonda iintlekele ezimbini zokuqala njengemiqondiso yembali yentlekele yesithathu, kuba loo mbali imele ixesha lokutywinwa kwekhulu elinamashumi amane anesine amawaka, elaqala ngoSeptemba 11, 2001. Emva kwembali yesiprofeto emelwe nguMohammed kwiindima ezintathu zokuqala, indima yesine yazisa uAbubakar, inkokeli yokuqala emva kukaMohammed.

> And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. Revelation 9:4.

> Baye bayalelwa ukuba bangonakalisi ingca yomhlaba, nantoni na eluhlaza, nomthi wonke; koko mabonakalise kuphela abo bantu bangenalo itywina likaThixo emabunzini abo. ISityhilelo 9:4.

The command of Abubakar instructed the Islamic warriors to make a distinction between two types of worshippers that existed in the Roman territories at that time. One class was the Catholics, who had some religious orders that shaved the back of their heads (the tonsure), and observed the worship of Sunday. The other class were seventh-day Sabbath keepers, and the Sabbath is the seal of God.

Umyalelo ka-Abubakar wayalela amajoni amaSilamsi ukuba enze umahluko phakathi kweentlobo ezimbini zabakhonzi ezazikho kwimimandla yamaRoma ngelo xesha. Olunye udidi lwalungamaKatolika, awayenemiyalelo ethile yonqulo eyayicheba umva wentloko yawo (i-tonsure), yaye egcina unqulo lwangeCawa. Olunye udidi lwalungabagcini beSabatha yosuku lwesixhenxe, yaye iSabatha iluphawu lukaThixo.

> “After the death of Mohammed, he was succeeded in the command by Abubekr, A.D. 632, who, as soon as he had fairly established his authority and government, dispatched a circular letter to the Arabian tribes, from which the following is an extract:—

> “Emva kokufa kukaMohammed, walandelwa emyalelweni nguAbubekr, ngowama-632 A.D., owathi, kwakamsinya nje akuba elumisele ngokuqinileyo igunya lakhe norhulumente wakhe, wathumela ileta ejikelezayo kwizizwe zama-Arabhu, apho okulandelayo kusisicatshulwa:—

> “‘When you fight the battles of the Lord, acquit yourselves like men, without turning your backs; but let not your victory be stained with the blood of women and children. Destroy no palm-trees, nor burn any fields of corn. Cut down no fruit-trees, nor do any mischief to cattle, only such as you kill to eat. When you make any covenant or article, stand to it, and be as good as your word. And as you go, you will find some religious persons who live retired in monasteries, and propose to themselves to serve God that way; let them alone, and neither kill them nor destroy their monasteries. And you will find another sort of people that belong to the synagogue of Satan, who have shaven crowns; be sure you cleave their skulls, and give them no quarter till they either turn Mohammedans or pay tribute.’

> “‘Xa nilwa amadabi eNkosi, zibonakaliseni njengamadoda, ningaze nijike nibanike umva; kodwa mayingangcoliswa impumelelo yenu ligazi labafazi nabantwana. Musani kutshabalalisa mithi yesundu, kananjalo ningatshisi amasimi engqolowa. Musani kugawula mithi yeziqhamo, ningoni nangeenkomo, ngaphandle kwezo nizixhelayo ukuze nidle. Xa nisenza nawuphi na umnqophiso okanye nasiphi na isivumelwano, yimani kuwo, nibe ngabanyanisekileyo kwilizwi lenu. Yaye njengoko nihamba, niya kufumana abantu benkolo abathile abaphila bodwa kwiimonastri, bezimisele ukukhonza uThixo ngaloo ndlela; bayekeni, ningababulali, ningazitshabalalisi nezo monastri zabo. Kanjalo niya kufumana olunye uhlobo lwabantu abangabendlu yesikhungu kaSathana, abanentloko ezichetywe isithsaba; qinisekani ukuba niqhekeza iintloko zabo, ningabaniki nceba de baguqukele kubuMohammedan okanye bahlawule irhafu.’”

> “It is not said in prophecy or in history that the more humane injunctions were as scrupulously obeyed as the ferocious mandate; but it was so commanded them. And the preceding are the only instructions recorded by Gibbon, as given by Abubekr to the chiefs whose duty it was to issue the commands to all the Saracen hosts. The commands are alike discriminating with the prediction, as if the caliph himself had been acting in known as well as direct obedience to a higher mandate than that of mortal man; and in the very act of going forth to fight against the religion of Jesus, and to propagate Mohammedanism in its stead, he repeated the words which it was foretold in the Revelation of Jesus Christ that he would say.

> “Akuthethwa siprofeto okanye yimbali ukuba imiyalelo enobuntu ngakumbi yathotyelwa ngononophelo olulinganayo nomyalelo onoburhalarhume; kodwa yayingolo hlobo eyayiyalelwe kubo. Kwaye oku kungasentla kuko kuphela okuyimiyalelo ebhalwe nguGibbon, njengaleyo yanikelwa nguAbubekr kubathetheli abakhulu, ababebophelelekile ukuba bakhuphe imiyalelo kuyo yonke imikhosi yamaSaracen. Imiyalelo leyo iyahambelana ngokwahlulahlula nesiprofeto, ngokungathi ikhalifa ngokwakhe wayesenza oko ekuthobeleni okwaziwayo kwanokungqongqo umyalelo ophakamileyo kunowomntu ofayo; yaye kanye kweso senzo sokuphuma aye kulwa nenkolo kaYesu, nokusasaza ubuMohammed endaweni yayo, waphinda amazwi ekwakuxelwe kwangaphambili kwiSityhilelo sikaYesu Kristu ukuba uya kuwawathetha.

> “The Seal of God in Their Foreheads.—In remarks upon chapter 7:1–3, we have shown that the seal of God is the Sabbath of the fourth commandment; and history is not silent upon the fact that there have been observers of the true Sabbath all through the present dispensation. But the question has here arisen with many, who were those men who at this time had the seal of God in their foreheads, and who thereby became exempt from Mohammedan oppression? Let the reader bear in mind the fact, already alluded to, that there have been those all through this dispensation who have had the seal of God in their foreheads, or have been intelligent observers of the true Sabbath; and let them consider further that what the prophecy asserts is that the attacks of this desolating Turkish power are not directed against them, but against another class. The subject is thus freed from all difficulty; for this is all that the prophecy really asserts. Only one class of persons is directly brought to view in the text; namely, those who have not the seal of God in their foreheads; and the preservation of those who have the seal of God is brought in only by implication. Accordingly, we do not learn from history that any of these were involved in any of the calamities inflicted by the Saracens upon the objects of their hate. They were commissioned against another class of men. And the destruction to come upon this class of men is not put in contrast with the preservation of other men, but only with that of the fruits and verdure of the earth; thus, Hurt not the grass, trees, nor any green thing, but only a certain class of men. And in fulfilment, we have the strange spectacle of an army of invaders sparing those things which such armies usually destroy, namely, the face and productions of nature; and, in pursuance of their permission to hurt those men who had not the seal of God in their foreheads, cleaving the skulls of a class of religionists with shaven crowns, who belonged to the synagogue of Satan.

> “Uphawu lukaThixo Ezibunzini Zabo.—Kumazwi ethu ngaso isahluko 7:1–3, sibonisile ukuba uphawu lukaThixo yiSabatha yomthetho wesine; yaye imbali ayithuli ngento yokuba bekukho abagcini beSabatha eyinyaniso kulo lonke eli xesha langoku lolawulo. Kodwa apha kuye kwavela umbuzo kwabaninzi, wokuba ngoobani na abo bantu abathi ngelo xesha babe benophawu lukaThixo ezibunzini zabo, baza ngaloo nto basindiswa kwingcinezelo yamaMohammed? Umfundi makakhumbule into esele ichaziwe, yokuba bekukho abo kulo lonke eli xesha lolawulo ababenophawu lukaThixo ezibunzini zabo, okanye ababengabagcini beSabatha eyinyaniso ngokuqonda; aze aqwalasele ngakumbi ukuba into eyithethayo isiprofeto kukuba ukuhlasela kwala mandla aseTurkey achithayo akujoliswanga kubo, kodwa kujoliswe kwelinye iqela. Ngoko ke umxholo uyakhululeka kubo bonke ubunzima; kuba le yiyo yonke into esiyinyaniso esiyithethayo isiprofeto. Linye kuphela iqela labantu eliziswa ngqo ekubonweni kulo mbhalo; oko kukuthi, abo bangenalo uphawu lukaThixo ezibunzini zabo; yaye ukulondolozwa kwabo banalo uphawu lukaThixo kungeniswa kuphela ngokuthe ngqo okusisiphumo. Ngokufanelekileyo, asifundi embalini ukuba nabani na kwaba wayebandakanyekile nakweyiphi na kwezo ntlekele ezathwalwa ngamaSaracen phezu kwezinto zentiyo yawo. Ayethunyelwe ngokuchasene nelinye iqela labantu. Kwaye intshabalalo eyayiza kufikela elo qela labantu ayibekwanga ngokwahlukileyo xa ithelekiswa nokusindiswa kwabanye abantu, koko ibekwe ngokwahlukileyo kuphela ekusindisweni kweziqhamo nokuluhlaza komhlaba; ngoko ke, Musani ukonakalisa ingca, imithi, nanto nayiphi na into eluhlaza, kodwa kuphela iqela elithile labantu. Kwaye ekuzalisekeni kwako, sibona umbono ongaqhelekanga womkhosi wabahlaseli osindisa ezo zinto imikhosi enjalo idla ngokuzitshabalalisa, oko kukuthi, inkangeleko nokuveliswa kwendalo; yaye, ngokulandela imvume yabo yokwenzakalisa abo bantu babengenalo uphawu lukaThixo ezibunzini zabo, beqhekeza izikhakhayi zeqela labenkolo ababenentloko ezichetyiweyo phezulu, ababengabesesinagogeni likaSathana.”

> “These were doubtless a class of monks, or some other division of the Roman Catholic Church. Against these the arms of the Mohammedans were directed. And it seems to us that there is a peculiar fitness, if not design, in describing them as those who had not the seal of God in their foreheads; inasmuch as that is the very church which has robbed the law of God of its seal, by tearing away the true Sabbath, and erecting a counterfeit in its place. And we do not understand, either from the prophecy or from history, that those persons whom Abubekr charged his followers not to molest were in possession of the seal of God, or necessarily constituted the people of God. Who they were, and for what reason they were spared, the meager testimony of Gibbon does not inform us, and we have no other means of knowing; but we have every reason to believe that none of these who had the seal of God were molested, while another class, who emphatically had it not, were put to the sword; and thus the specifications of the prophecy are amply met.” Uriah Smith, Daniel and Revelation, 500–502.

> “Aba ngokungathandabuzekiyo babeyiklasi yeemonki, okanye elinye icandelo leCawa yamaRoma Katolika. Izikhali zamaMohammedan zazijoliswe kubo aba. Kwaye kubonakala kuthi kukho ukufaneleka okukhethekileyo, ukuba asikokuyilwa ngokukodwa, ekubachazeni njengabo babengenatywina likaThixo emabunzini abo; kuba yileyo kanye icawa eye yaphanga umthetho kaThixo itywina lawo, ngokususa iSabatha yokwenyaniso, yaza yamisa eyomgunyathi endaweni yayo. Kwaye asiqondi, nokuba sisusela kwisiprofeto okanye kwimbali, ukuba abo bantu uAbubekr awayalela abalandeli bakhe ukuba bangabakhathazi babenalo itywina likaThixo, okanye ukuba ngokuyimfuneko babengabantu bakaThixo. Babeziziphi na, yaye ngenxa yesiphi na isizathu basindiswa, ubungqina obuncinane bukaGibbon abusazisi, yaye asinayo enye indlela yokwazi; kodwa sinesizathu sonke sokukholwa ukuba akukho namnye kwaba babenetywina likaThixo owakhathazwayo, lo gama elinye iqela, elalingenalo ngokucacileyo, labulawa ngekrele; yaye ngaloo ndlela iinkcukacha zesiprofeto zizalisekiswa ngokwaneleyo.” Uriah Smith, Daniel and Revelation, 500–502.

Abubakar consolidated Mohammed’s followers into a Caliphate after Mohammed’s death, so even though they are two different historical figures, taken together they represent the beginning of the testimony of Islam of the first woe, and the historical figure who marks the history of the first woe is Mohammed.

U-Abubakar wadibanisa abalandeli bakaMohammed baba liCaliphate emva kokufa kukaMohammed; ngoko ke, nangona bengabantu ababini bembali abohlukileyo, xa bethatyathwe kunye bamele ukuqala kobungqina be-Islam beshwangusha lokuqala, yaye umntu wembali ophawula imbali yeshwangusha lokuqala nguMohammed.

In the beginning history of the second woe, Mohammed II conquered Constantinople in 1453. In 1449, four angels, representing Islam were loosed. The beginning and ending of the first woe, is marked by a Mohammed, the first and second respectively. Prophetically the beginning and ending of the history of the first woe, bears the signature of Alpha and Omega.

Kwimbali yokuqala yembandezelo yesibini, uMohammed II wayoyisa iConstantinople ngowe-1453. Ngowe-1449, kwakhululwa iingelosi ezine, ezazimele ubuSilamsi. Ukuqala nokuphela kwembandezelo yokuqala kuphawulwa nguMohammed, owokuqala nowesibini ngokulandelelana. Ngokwesiprofeto, ukuqala nokuphela kwembali yembandezelo yokuqala kuthwele uphawu luka-Alfa no-Omega.

The beginning of the second woe includes a time prophecy of four angels, who represent Islam who were then loosed, and then restrained on August 11, 1840. From that point until October 22, 1844, the sealing of the one hundred and forty-four thousand is illustrated. The beginning of the second woe identifies the loosing of Islam, and the ending marks the restraining of Islam. Both the first and second woe have precise prophetic markers tying their beginnings to the endings.

Ukuqala kwesibetho sesibini kuquka isiprofeto sexesha seengelosi ezine, ezimele ubuSilamsi ezathi ngelo xesha zakhululwa, zaza ke zathintelwa ngo-Agasti 11, 1840. Ukusukela kuloo ndawo kude kube ngu-Oktobha 22, 1844, ukutywinwa kwekhulu elinamashumi amane anesine amawaka kuyabonakaliswa. Ukuqala kwesibetho sesibini kuchaza ukukhululwa kobuSilamsi, yaye ukuphela kwaso kuphawula ukuthintelwa kobuSilamsi. Zombini isibetho sokuqala nesesibini zineempawu ezichanekileyo zesiprofeto ezibophelela ukuqala kwazo kwiziphelo zazo.

The first two woes are to be placed upon one another, “line upon line,” in order to identify the third woe. One of the prophetic characteristics that is identified by the first two witnesses of Islam is that they represent a specific period of time that marks the beginning and ending with the signature of Alpha and Omega. They also possess a secondary signature, for the beginning of the first woe, identifies the sealing of God’s people, and the ending of the second woe, also identifies the sealing of God’s people.

Iinkxwaleko ezimbini zokuqala zimele ukubekwa phezu kwenye, “umgca phezu komgca,” ukuze kuchongwe eyesithathu inkxwaleko. Olunye lweempawu zobuprofeti ezichongwa ngamangqina amabini okuqala eSilamsi kukuba amele ixesha elithile eliphawulayo isiqalo nesiphelo ngotyikityo luka-Alfa no-Omega. Kananjalo anotyikityo lwesibini, kuba ukuqala kwenkxwaleko yokuqala kuchaza ukutywinwa kwabantu bakaThixo, yaye ukuphela kwenkxwaleko yesibini nako kuchaza ukutywinwa kwabantu bakaThixo.

The third woe arrived when Islam suddenly and unexpectedly attacked the earth beast of Revelation thirteen, thus beginning the period of the sealing. The sealing of the one-hundred and forty-four thousand ends at the soon-coming Sunday law, and in response to that apostasy national apostasy is followed by national ruin. As typified with pagan Rome and papal Rome national ruin is accomplished by God’s trumpet judgments. The three woes are also trumpets. Islam of the third woe, will strike suddenly and unexpectedly again at the soon coming Sunday law in the United States, when the period of the sealing of the one hundred and forty-four thousand ends. That period has been typified by the beginning period of the first woe, and also by the ending period of the second woe.

Ushwangusha lwesithathu lwafika xa iSilamsi ngequbuliso nangokungalindelekanga sahlasela irhamncwa lasemhlabeni lesiTyhilelo seshumi elinesithathu, ngaloo ndlela kuqalwa ixesha lokutywinwa. Ukutywinwa kwabalikhulu elinamashumi amane anesine amawaka kuphela kumthetho weCawa osondelayo ngokukhawuleza, yaye ngenxa yoko kuwexuko, uwexuko lwesizwe lulandelwa yintshabalalo yesizwe. Njengoko kwafaniswa neRoma yobuhedeni neRoma yobupopu, intshabalalo yesizwe izalisekiswa zizigwebo zikaThixo zamaxilongo. Ezo zishwangusha zintathu zikwangamaxilongo. ISilamsi soshwangusha lwesithathu siya kuphinda sibethe ngequbuliso nangokungalindelekanga kumthetho weCawa osondelayo ngokukhawuleza eUnited States, xa ixesha lokutywinwa kwabalikhulu elinamashumi amane anesine amawaka liphela. Elo xesha liye lafanekiswa lixesha lokuqala loshwangusha lokuqala, kwanomzuzu wokugqibela woshwangusha lwesibini.

We will continue this study in the next article.

Siza kuqhubekeka nesi sifundo kwinqaku elilandelayo.

> And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son. And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. Genesis 21:9–20.

> USara wabona unyana kaHagare umYiputa, awayemzele uAbraham, ehleka. Ngenxa yoko wathi kuAbraham, Gxotha esi sicakazana nonyana waso; kuba unyana wesi sicakazana akayi kuba yindlalifa kunye nonyana wam, uIsake. Yaba yinto embi kakhulu emehlweni ka-Abraham ngenxa yonyana wakhe. Wathi uThixo kuAbraham, Masingabi yinto embi emehlweni akho ngenxa yenkwenkwe, nangenxa yesicakazana sakho; kuko konke akuthethileyo uSara kuwe, phulaphula ilizwi lakhe; kuba kuIsake yiyo imbewu yakho eya kubizwa. Kanjalo nonyana wesicakazana ndiya kumenza uhlanga, ngokuba eyimbewu yakho. Wavuka uAbraham kwakusasa ngentsasa, wathabatha isonka nentsuba yamanzi, wakunika uHagare, eyibeka egxalabeni lakhe, kunye nomntwana, wamndulula; wemka ke, wazulazula entlango yaseBher-shebha. Aphela amanzi entsubeni, wamphosa umntwana phantsi kwesinye sezihlahla. Wemka, wahlala phantsi malunga naye kude, kangangomgama wokuphoswa kotolo; kuba wathi, Mandingakuboni ukufa komntwana. Wahlala malunga naye, waliphakamisa ilizwi lakhe, walila. UThixo waliva ilizwi lenkwenkwe; saza isithunywa sikaThixo sabiza kuHagare siphuma ezulwini, sathi kuye, Yintoni na ekukhathazayo, Hagare? Musa ukoyika; kuba uThixo ulivile ilizwi lenkwenkwe apho ikhona. Suka, uyiphakamise inkwenkwe, uyibambe ngesandla sakho; kuba ndiya kuyenza ibe luhlanga olukhulu. UThixo wawavula amehlo akhe, wabona iqula lamanzi; waya, wayizalisa intsuba ngamanzi, wayisela inkwenkwe. UThixo waba kunye nenkwenkwe; yakhula, yahlala entlango, yaba ngumtoli. Genesis 21:9–20.

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