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# The Book of Joel and The Laodicean Seventh-day Adventist Church - Number Fifteen

Incwadi kaYoweli neBandla lama-Adventist oMhla weSixhenxe laseLawodikea - Inani Leshumi elinesihlanu

Number Fifteen

Inani Leshumi Elinesihlanu

Author

Jeff Pippenger

Published

December 21, 2025

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I contend that it is important to understand the connection of the symbol of four generations with the latter rain message to have the best hope of recognizing the significance of the opening four verses of Joel chapter one. Joel sings the song of the vineyard, but his opening stanza is the covenant’s prophetic association with four generations.

Ndiphikisa ngelithi kubalulekile ukuqonda unxulumano lomfuziselo wezizukulwana ezine nomyalezo wemvula yamva ukuze kubekho elona themba lilungileyo lokuqonda ukubaluleka kweevesi ezine zokuqala zesahluko sokuqala sikaYoweli. UYoweli ucula ingoma yesidiliya, kodwa isitanza sakhe sokuqala sisidibaniso sesiprofeto somnqophiso nezizukulwana ezine.

> And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. Genesis 15:13–16.

> Wathi kuAbram, Yazi ngokuqinisekileyo ukuba imbewu yakho iya kuba ngabaphambukeli ezweni elingelolayo, ibe iya kubakhonza; nabo baya kuyicinezela iminyaka engamakhulu amane; kananjalo nolo hlanga, eya kulukhonza, ndiya kulugweba; yaye emva koko baya kuphuma benempahla eninzi. Ke wena uya kuya koobawo bakho unoxolo; uya kungcwatywa sele umdala kakhulu. Kodwa ke kwisizukulwana sesine baya kubuya apha; ngokuba ubugwenxa bama-Amori abukafikeleli ekuzaleni kwabo. Genesis 15:13–16.

This passage is the prophecy that was fulfilled through the life of Moses. When the book of Joel begins the song of the vineyard by referencing four generations of escalating destruction, it is aligning the book of Joel with the prophetic fourth and final generation. That generation is Peter’s “chosen generation” who have been called out of darkness into His “marvelous light.” They are contrasted with their generational counterpart represented as a generation of vipers. That fourth and final generation is represented by John, who is a symbol of the one hundred and forty-four thousand, who “are called, and chosen, and faithful.”

Le ndawo yesiBhalo sisiprofeto esazalisekiswa ngobomi bukaMoses. Xa incwadi kaJoel iqala ingoma yesidiliya ngokubhekisa kwizizukulwana ezine zentshabalalo eyandayo, idibanisa incwadi kaJoel nesizukulwana sesine nesokugqibela sesiprofeto. Eso sizukulwana sisiso sikaPetros esithi “sisizukulwana esinyuliweyo” esibiziweyo saphuma ebumnyameni sangena “ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo.” Bamiselwa ngokwahlukileyo ngokuthelekiswa noogxa babo besizukulwana, abamelwa njengesizukulwana seenyoka ezinobuhlungu. Eso sizukulwana sesine nesokugqibela simelwa nguYohane, ongumfuziselo wekhulu elinamashumi amane anesine amawaka, “ababiziweyo, abanyuliweyo, nabathembekileyo.”

Called at 9/11, chosen in the Midnight Cry and faithful at the Sunday law crisis, just as the Levites were faithful in Aarons and Jeroboams’ golden calf rebellions. The souls who are purified as silver in Malachi three, are Levites who are chosen during the message of the Midnight Cry, for the sealing is accomplished with, and by, an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Babizwa ngowe-9/11, bakhethwa kwiSikhalo saphakathi kobusuku, baza bathembeka ngexesha lentlekele yomthetho weCawe, kanye njengokuba abaLevi babethembekile kwiimvukelo zethole legolide zika-Aron noYerobheham. Imiphefumlo ehlanjululwa njengesilivere kuMalaki isahluko sesithathu, ngabaLevi abakhethwa ngexesha lomyalezo weSikhalo saphakathi kobusuku, kuba ukutywinwa kufezekiswa ngokuthululwa koMoya oyiNgcwele, kwanangoMoya oyiNgcwele.

In the previous article we brought out lines from the history of Moses, who Sister White identifies as the alpha of Bible prophecy, who prophetically connects with Christ as the omega of Bible prophecy. Moses is the foundation stone and Christ is the capstone. They both are symbols of deliverance from sin, as represented by the deliverance from Egypt with Moses. Yet all the manifestations of the power of God that occurred at the hands of Moses, were far surpassed, when Christ confirmed the covenant with many for one week. Moses is the alpha and Christ is the omega, and the omega is the number “22” and the alpha is the number “1.”

Kwinqaku elingaphambili sakhupha imigca kwimbali kaMoses, lowo uDade White amchaza njenge-alpha yesiprofeto seBhayibhile, lowo ngokwesiprofeto unxibelelana noKristu njenge-omega yesiprofeto seBhayibhile. UMoses lilitye lesiseko, yaye uKristu lilitye lentloko. Bobabini bangumfuziselo wenkululeko esonweni, njengoko imelwe kukukhululwa eYiputa ngoMoses. Kanti ke zonke izibonakaliso zamandla kaThixo ezathi zenzeka ngezandla zikaMoses, zagqwesa kakhulu ngaphezu kwazo, xa uKristu waqinisekisa umnqophiso nabaninzi iveki enye. UMoses ngu-alpha yaye uKristu ngu-omega, yaye i-omega linani elithi “22” kwaye i-alpha linani elithi “1.”

Dealing with Moses we find the deliverance which pervades his prophetic testimony is set within water. His deliverance from the water of the Nile at his birth, typified Noah in the ark. The baptism at the Red Sea aligns with Noah and the eight within the ark, which in turn aligns with the baptism of Joshua at the Jordan River, that was repeated by Christ at the very same spot. The testimony of Moses begins with deliverance at the Nile River and ends at the banks of the Jordan River. The baptism of Christ was His anointing to witness for three and a half years leading up to His death, which was represented at the beginning at His baptism. At His resurrection there was a few drops until the full outpouring at Pentecost.

Xa sisebenza ngoMoses sifumanisa ukuba inkululeko egubungele ubungqina bakhe bobuprofeti ibekwe emanzini. Ukuhlangulwa kwakhe emanzini eNayile ekuzalweni kwakhe, kwakungumfuziselo kaNowa emkhombeni. Ubhaptizo eLwandle oluBomvu luyahambelana noNowa nabasibhozo abangaphakathi emkhombeni, nto leyo ke ehambelana nobhaptizo lukaYoshuwa eMlanjeni iYordan, olwaphindwa nguKristu kanye kuloo ndawo inye. Ubungqina bukaMoses buqala ngokuhlangulwa eMlanjeni iNayile buze buphele elunxwemeni loMlambo iYordan. Ubhaptizo lukaKristu lwaluluthambiso lwaKhe lokungqina iminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha ekhokelela ekufeni kwaKhe, okwakumelwe kwasekuqaleni ebhaptizweni lwaKhe. Ekuvukeni kwaKhe kwabakho amathontsi ambalwa de kwaba kukuthululwa okupheleleyo ngePentekoste.

God’s covenant promise to mankind begins with Noah, and His covenant promise to a chosen people through Abraham was fulfilled with Moses. Moses the alpha typified Jesus the omega who would come and confirm the covenant with “many,” not just a chosen people. As a type of Christ, Moses’ birth aligns with the covenant given to Noah, with the rainbow as the sign for all people. Moses also aligns with the covenant given to a chosen people, with circumcision as the sign for the chosen people. Moses’ covenant work was with “many,” not simply a chosen people. If that had not been the case, they would not have been constantly plagued by the mixed multitude.

Isithembiso somnqophiso sikaThixo kuluntu siqala ngoNowa, yaye isithembiso saKhe somnqophiso kubantu abanyuliweyo ngoAbraham sazalisekiswa ngoMoses. UMoses, uAlpha, wayengumfuziselo kaYesu, uOmega, owayeza kuza awuqinise umnqophiso naba “baninzi,” kungekhona nabantu abanyuliweyo kuphela. Njengomfuziselo kaKristu, ukuzalwa kukaMoses kuhambelana nomnqophiso owanikwa uNowa, umnyama usisibonakaliso sabo bonke abantu. UMoses ukwahambelana nomnqophiso owanikwa abantu abanyuliweyo, ulwaluko lusisibonakaliso sabantu abanyuliweyo. Umsebenzi womnqophiso kaMoses wawunab “baninzi,” kungekhona abantu abanyuliweyo nje kuphela. Ukuba kwakungenjalo, ngebengazange bahlale behlaselwa sisihlwele esixubeneyo.

In the middle of all the various ‘waters of deliverance’ represented throughout the life of Moses, the baptism at Bethabara on the Jordan River connects the beginning of ancient Israel’s covenant history in the Promised Land with the end of its history, during the week that Christ confirmed the covenant with many. Christ’s baptism aligns with ancient Israel’s baptism and both histories speak to His resurrection when He breathed a few drops of rain, before the plentiful showers at Pentecost fifty days later. The entire line of alpha and omega in terms of Moses to Christ is portrayed within the waters of deliverance.

Phakathi kwazo zonke iindidi ngeendidi “zamanzi osindiso” ezimelweyo kubo bonke ubomi bukaMoses, ubhaptizo lwaseBethabara eMlanjeni iYordan ludibanisa isiqalo sembali yomnqophiso kaSirayeli wamandulo kwiLizwe leDinga nesiphelo sembali yalo, ngeveki apho uKristu waqinisayo umnqophiso nababaninzi. Ubhaptizo lukaKristu luhambelana nobhaptizo lukaSirayeli wamandulo, yaye zombini ezo mbali zithetha ngovuko lwaKhe xa Waphefumla amathontsi ambalwa emvula, ngaphambi kweemvula ezininzi ngePentekoste kwiintsuku ezingamashumi amahlanu kamva. Umgca uphela we-alpha ne-omega ngokwemeko kaMoses ukuya kuKristu ubonakaliswa ngaphakathi kwamanzi osindiso.

> “In teaching these disciples, Jesus showed the importance of the Old Testament as a witness to His mission. Many professed Christians now discard the Old Testament, claiming that it is no longer of any use. But such is not Christ’s teaching. So highly did He value it that at one time He said, ‘If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.’ Luke 16:31.

> “Ekufundiseni aba bafundi, uYesu wabonakalisa ukubaluleka kweTestamente eNdala njengengqina kumsebenzi waKhe. Abaninzi abazibiza ngokuba bangamaKristu ngoku bayilahla iTestamente eNdala, besithi ayiseyonto inalo naluphi na uncedo. Kodwa oko asikokufundisa kukaKristu. Wayixabisa kakhulu kangangokuba ngelinye ixesha wathi, ‘Ukuba abava uMoses nabaprofeti, abasayi koyiseka, kwanokuba kuvuke umntu kwabafileyo.’ Luka 16:31.

> “It is the voice of Christ that speaks through patriarchs and prophets, from the days of Adam even to the closing scenes of time. The Saviour is revealed in the Old Testament as clearly as in the New. It is the light from the prophetic past that brings out the life of Christ and the teachings of the New Testament with clearness and beauty. The miracles of Christ are a proof of His divinity; but a stronger proof that He is the world’s Redeemer is found in comparing the prophecies of the Old Testament with the history of the New.” The Desire of Ages, 799.

> “Lilizwi likaKristu elithetha ngootata bezizwe nangabaprofeti, ukususela kwimihla ka-Adam kwada kwaseziganekweni zokugqibela zexesha. UMsindisi utyhilwe eTestamenteni eNdala ngokucacileyo njengaseTestamenteni eNtsha. Kukukhanya okuvela kwixesha eladlulayo lesiprofeto okuzisa ubomi bukaKristu neemfundiso zeTestamente eNtsha ngokucaca nangobuhle. Imimangaliso kaKristu ibubungqina bobuThixo baKhe; kodwa obona bungqina bunamandla bokuba unguMkhululi wehlabathi bufunyanwa ekuthelekiseni iziprofeto zeTestamente eNdala nembali yeTestamente eNtsha.” The Desire of Ages, 799.

In the articles addressing the book of Joel, we have been “comparing the prophecies of the Old Testament with the history of the New,” and also the history of modern spiritual Israel. Whether it is the Old or New Testaments or the history of the three angels that began in 1798, all of those lines are represented as “the voice of Christ.” The written testimony of the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy is the voice of Christ, and the voice of Christ, is the voice of He who is the Word of God.

Kumanqaku athetha ngencwadi kaYoweli, besi “thelekisa iziprofeto zeTestamente eNdala nembali yeNtsha,” kwanembali kaSirayeli womoya wanamhlanje. Nokuba ziTestamente eNdala okanye eNtsha, okanye imbali yezithunywa zezulu ezintathu eyaqala ngo-1798, zonke ezo migca zimelwe njenge “lizwi likaKristu.” Ubungqina obubhaliweyo beBhayibhile noMoya wesiProfeto lilizwi likaKristu, yaye ilizwi likaKristu lilizwi laLowo uliLizwi likaThixo.

The “voice” of the Word of God, is God’s message as represented in His written Word. His message in the last days is the message of the latter rain, which includes a former rain, followed by a former and latter rain, according to Joel.

“Izwi” leLizwi likaThixo, ngumyalezo kaThixo njengoko umelwe eLizwini laKhe elibhaliweyo. Umyalezo waKhe wemihla yokugqibela ngumyalezo wemvula yasemva, oquka imvula yokuqala, ize ilandelwe yimvula yokuqala neyasemva, ngokukaYoweli.

John the Revelator represents the one hundred and forty-four thousand who return to the old paths, for he hears a “voice” behind him. The “voice” behind is the voice of Christ “from the days of Adam” onward.

UYohane umTyhileli umele ikhulu elinamashumi amane anesine amawaka abuyela ezindleleni zamandulo, kuba uva “ilizwi” emva kwakhe. “Ilizwi” elingasemva lilo ilizwi likaKristu “ukususela emihleni ka-Adam” ukuya phambili.

> And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks. Revelation 1:12.

> Ndaza ndaguquka ukuze ndibone ilizwi ebelithetha nam. Ndathi ndakuguquka, ndabona iziphatho zezibane ezisixhenxe zegolide. IsiTyhilelo 1:12.

The verse represents a break in chapter one, for up until the previous verse John was in the isle which is called Patmos, but in verse twelve he turns, and from there on John is in the Heavenly Sanctuary. When he turns, he is doing so, for in verse ten he had heard a voice from behind.

Le ndima ibonisa ikhefu kwisahluko sokuqala, kuba kude kube yindima engaphambili uYohane wayesesihlalweni esibizwa ngokuba yiPatmos, kodwa kwindima yeshumi elinesibini uyajika, yaye ukusukela apho ukuya phambili uYohane useNgcweleni laseZulwini. Xa ejika, wenza oko, kuba kwindima yeshumi wayevile ilizwi emva kwakhe.

> I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. Revelation 1:10, 11.

> NdandikuMoya ngomhla weNkosi, ndeva emva kwam izwi elikhulu, ngathi lelexilongo, lisithi, NdinguAlfa no-Omega, owokuqala nowokugqibela; nento oyibonayo yibhale encwadini, uyithumele kuwo amabandla asixhenxe aseAsiya; e-Efese, naseSmirna, nasePergamo, naseTiyatira, naseSardesi, naseFiladelfiya, naseLawodike. IsiTyhilelo 1:10, 11.

John represents those who hear the voice of Christ behind them. He hears Jeremiah’s trumpet message to return to the old paths, the paths the wicked refused to walk in and the warning trumpet they refuse to listen to. John listened, and the voice behind him identified himself as Alpha and Omega—the One who illustrates the new path, with the old path.

UYohane umele abo balivayo ilizwi likaKristu emva kwabo. Uva isigidimi sexilongo sikaYeremiya sokubuyela ezindleleni zamandulo, ezo ndlela abangendawo abala ukuhamba kuzo, kwanexilongo lesilumkiso abala ukuliphulaphula. UYohane waliphulaphula, laza ilizwi elalingemva kwakhe lazichaza njengoAlfa no-Omega—Lowo ubonakalisa indlela entsha, kunye nendlela yamandulo.

> And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. Revelation 1:13–16.

> Kwaye phakathi kwezibane zezibane ezisixhenxe kwakukho ofana noNyana womntu, embethe ingubo ende esezantsi yaya ezinyaweni, ebhinqiswe esifubeni ngebhanti legolide. Intloko yakhe neenwele zakhe zazimhlophe njengoboya begusha, zimhlophe njengekhephu; namehlo akhe ayenjengedangatye lomlilo; neenyawo zakhe zifana nobhedu oluhle, ngokungathi zitshiswe ezikweni; nelizwi lakhe linjengesandi samanzi amaninzi. Wayephethe esandleni sakhe sokunene iinkwenkwezi ezisixhenxe; kwaza emlonyeni wakhe kwaphuma ikrele elibukhali elintlangothi-mbini; nobuso bakhe babunjengelanga elikhanya ngamandla alo. ISityhilelo 1:13–16.

In verse twelve John turns around and sees a vision of Christ which Sister White aligns with the vision of Christ that Daniel had, which is the vision Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Paul had.

Kwindinyana yeshumi elinambini uYohane uyajika aze abone umbono kaKristu, lowo uDade uWhite awudibanisa nombono kaKristu uDaniyeli awawubonayo, onguloo mbono awawunayo uIsaya, uYeremiya, uHezekile, noPawulos.

> “It is with an earnest longing that I look forward to the time when the events of the day of Pentecost shall be repeated with even greater power than on that occasion. John says, ‘I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.’ Then, as at the Pentecostal season, the people will hear the truth spoken to them, every man in his own tongue.

> “Ngomnqweno olunyanisekileyo ndikhangele phambili kwixesha apho iziganeko zosuku lwePentekoste ziya kuphindwa ngamandla amakhulu ngakumbi kunalawo abonakaliswa ngelo thuba. UYohane uthi, ‘Ndabona esinye isithunywa sezulu sisihla sivela ezulwini, sinamandla amakhulu; laza ihlabathi lakhanyiswa bubuqaqawuli baso.’ Emva koko, njengakwixesha lePentekoste, abantu baya kuva inyaniso ithethwa kubo, wonke umntu ngolwimi lwakhe.”

> “God can breathe new life into every soul that sincerely desires to serve Him [Adam and Ezekiel’s valley of bones], and can touch the lips with a live coal from off the altar [Isaiah], and cause them to become eloquent with His praise. Thousands of voices will be imbued with the power to speak forth the wonderful truths of God’s Word. The stammering tongue will be unloosed [Isaiah’s other tongue], and the timid will be made strong to bear courageous testimony to the truth. May the Lord help His people to cleanse the soul temple from every defilement [Malachi’s Levites], and to maintain such a close connection with Him that they may be partakers of the latter rain when it shall be poured out.” Review and Herald, July 20, 1886.

> “UThixo unokuphefumlela ubomi obutsha kuwo wonke umphefumlo onqwenela ngokunyanisekileyo ukumkhonza [uAdam nentili yamathambo kaHezekile], kwaye angazichukumisa iindebe ngehlahle elivuthayo elivela esibingelelweni [uIsaya], aze abangele ukuba zibe nobuciko bokuvakalisa indumiso yaKhe. Amawaka amazwi aya kuzaliswa ngamandla okuthetha iinyaniso ezimangalisayo zeLizwi likaThixo. Ulwimi oluthintithayo luya kukhululwa [olunye ulwimi lukaIsaya], baze abanentloni benziwe bomelele ukuze banike ubungqina benyaniso ngesibindi. Wanga iNkosi ingabanceda abantu baYo ukuba bayihlambulule itempile yomphefumlo kuko konke ukungcola [abaLevi bakaMalaki], baze balondoloze unxibelelwano olusondele ngolo hlobo naYo ukuze babe ngababelana ngemvula yamva xa iya kuthululwa.” Review and Herald, Julayi 20, 1886.

The vision we are considering includes the description of Christ’s voice. When John turns and hears Christ’s voice, it is as the sound of “many waters.” When Christ’s voice speaks of His covenant with men or with a chosen people it is associated with many waters. The message of Daniel seven through nine was unsealed in 1798, and then, in 1989 the message of Daniel ten through twelve was unsealed. 1798 is associated with the voice of the Ulai River and 1989 is the voice of the Hiddekel River.

Umbono esiwuqwalaselayo uquka inkcazo yelizwi likaKristu. Xa uYohane ejika aze alive ilizwi likaKristu, lifana nesandi “samanzi amaninzi.” Xa ilizwi likaKristu lithetha ngomnqophiso waKhe nabantu, okanye nabantu abanyuliweyo, linxulunyaniswa namanzi amaninzi. Isigidimi sikaDaniyeli isahluko sesixhenxe ukuya kwesesithoba satyhilwa ngowe-1798, kwaza ke ngowe-1989 satyhilwa isigidimi sikaDaniyeli isahluko seshumi ukuya kweseshumi elinesibini. U-1798 unxulunyaniswa nelizwi loMlambo i-Ulai, yaye u-1989 ulilizwi loMlambo i-Hiddekel.

> “The light that Daniel received from God was given especially for these last days. The visions he saw by the banks of the Ulai and the Hiddekel, the great rivers of Shinar, are now in process of fulfillment, and all the events foretold will soon come to pass.” Testimonies to Ministers, 112.

> “Ukukhanya awakwamkelayo uDaniyeli kuThixo kwakunikelwe ngokukodwa ngenxa yale mihla yokugqibela. Imibono awayibonayo ngasezindongeni zoUlai noHiddekel, imilambo emikhulu yaseShinare, ngoku isekwinkqubo yokuzaliseka, yaye zonke iziganeko ezaxelwayo ziya kuthi kungekudala zenzeke.” Testimonies to Ministers, 112.

The River Jordan is the link between the alpha covenant history and the omega covenant history of ancient Israel. The word Jordan means ‘descender’ and represents Christ ‘the great descender.’

UMlambo iYordan ulidibaniso phakathi kwembali yomnqophiso ka-alfa nembali yomnqophiso ka-omega kaSirayeli wamandulo. Igama elithi Yordan lithetha “owehlayo” yaye limela uKristu “owehlayo omkhulu.”

> Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:5–9.

> Yibani kuni le ngqondo ikwanjalo kuKristu Yesu: owathi, ekubeni ekwimo kaThixo, akakubanga kukuphanga ukulingana noThixo; kodwa wazihluba, wathabatha imo yomkhonzi, wenziwa wafana nabantu; waza, efunyaniswe ekwimo enjengomntu, wazithoba, waba ngolulamelayo kwada kwasa ekufeni, ewe, ukufa kwasemnqamlezweni. Filipi 2:5–9.

The Jordan River represents Christ ‘the great descender’ and the Jordan is the connection between the alpha and omega history of the chosen people of God, who were given a vineyard to maintain. Moses’ waters of deliverance represent the voice of Christ, that can be heard if a soul would but turn around, to hear ‘the voice behind them,’ and the voice they would then hear is—the voice of many waters. From the flood of Noah to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, waters of deliverance are set forth as waymarks for God’s covenant people. Those waymarks represent the internal history of God’s final covenant people, the one hundred and forty-four thousand. The water that supplies the Jordan River originates in the dew and snow that accumulates in the Hermon mountains, which form the head waters of the Jordan River.

UMlambo iYordan umela uKristu, “owehlayo omkhulu,” yaye iYordan ilunxibelelwano phakathi kwembali ye-alpha neye-omega yabantu abanyuliweyo bakaThixo, abanikwa isidiliya ukuba basigcine. Amanzi okusindisa kaMoses amela ilizwi likaKristu, elinokuvakala ukuba umphefumlo unokuthi ujike nje, uve “ilizwi elingasemva kwawo,” yaye ilizwi abaya kuliva ke lona lilo—ilizwi lamanzi amaninzi. Ukusukela kuNogumbe kaNowa kuse kude kube kukutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem ngowama-70 AD, amanzi okusindisa abekwe phambi kwethu njengeempawu zendlela kubantu bomnqophiso kaThixo. Ezo mpawu zendlela zimela imbali yangaphakathi yabantu bomnqophiso wokugqibela kaThixo, iwaka elinamakhulu alikhulu anamashumi amane anesine. Amanzi anika uMlambo iYordan aqala kumbethe nakwikhephu okuqokelelana kwiintaba zeHermon, ezakha imithombo eyintloko yoMlambo iYordan.

> A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. Psalms 133:1–3.

> Ingoma yokunyuka kaDavide. Yabonani, ukuba kuhle, kumnandi kangakanani na, ukuthi abazalwana bahlale ndawonye bemanyene! Kufana neoli exabisekileyo entloko, eye yehlela kwiindevu, iindevu zika-Aron; eye yehlela emqukumbelweni weengubo zakhe; Kufana nombethe waseHermon, nombethe owehlayo ezintabeni zaseZiyon; kuba apho uYehova wawisela intsikelelo, ubomi ngonaphakade. Iindumiso 133:1–3.

Those waters also produce the grotto of Pan, a deep pool, set within a cave located in Panium of Daniel 11:13–15, and Caesarea Philippi in the days of Peter. The head waters of the Jordan River also produce the satanic pool of the grotto of Pan. The voice of many waters identifies that the great controversy between Christ and Satan originated in the high mountain peaks of the Hermon mountains.

Lawo manzi akwavelisa nomqolomba kaPan, ichibi elinzulu, elibekwe ngaphakathi emqolombeni osePanium kaDaniyeli 11:13–15, naseKesareya Filipi ngemihla kaPetros. Imithombo eyintloko yoMlambo iYordan nayo ivelisa ichibi likaSathana lomqolomba kaPan. Ilizwi lamanzi amaninzi lichaza ukuba impikiswano enkulu phakathi kukaKristu noSathana yaqala kwiincopho eziphakamileyo zeentaba zeHermon.

> And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18.

> Kananjalo ndithi kuwe, Wena unguPetros, yaye phezu kweli litye ndiya kulakha ibandla lam; namasango esihogo akayi kuloyisa. Mateyu 16:18.

The name “Hermon” means “sacred, consecrated, devoted, or set apart,” and is a symbol of Heaven, the source of all water and the beginning of the great controversy as represented by “the gates of hell,” which was the label Jesus attached to the grotto of Pan, when at Caesarea Philippi. In that setting Simon Barjona's name was changed to Peter. Simon means ‘one who hears,’ and Barjona means ‘son of the dove.’ Simon was a symbol of the soul who heard the message of Jesus baptism that was represented by the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. As one who heard the message of Christ’s baptism, Peter is changed, representing the 144,000. Peter was sealed while at Panium, which is verses thirteen through fifteen of Daniel eleven.

Igama elithi “Hermon” lithetha “elingcwele, elimiselweyo, elizinikeleyo, okanye elahlulwe lodwa,” yaye lingumfuziselo weZulu, umthombo wawo onke amanzi nesiqalo sempikiswano enkulu njengoko imelwe “ngamasango esihogo,” elaliligama uYesu alincamathisela emqolombeni kaPan, xa wayeseKesariya Filipi. Kule meko igama likaSimon Barjona latshintshwa laba nguPetros. USimon uthetha ukuthi ‘lowo uvayo,’ yaye uBarjona uthetha ukuthi ‘unyana wehobe.’ USimon wayengumfuziselo womphefumlo owavayo umyalezo wobhaptizo lukaYesu olwalumelwe nguMoya oyiNgcwele ngohlobo lwehobe. Njengomntu owavayo umyalezo wobhaptizo lukaKristu, uPetros uyatshintshwa, emele i-144,000. UPetros watywinwa esePaniyam, oko kukuthi ziindinyana zeshumi elinesithathu ukuya kweleshumi elinesihlanu zikaDaniyeli ishumi elinanye.

From Hermon’s waters, the Jordan river, a symbol of Christ—the great descender concludes His journey at the Dead Sea. From Heaven, where the dew of life originates, Christ descended to the death of the cross, represented by the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea shoreline is the deepest exposed surface land on earth. The Jordon river that descends, descends to the lowest water level on earth, as Christ descended to His death on the cross. From the water of life to the water of death, the River Jordan represents the descent of Christ from heaven to the cross.

Emanzini aseHermon, umlambo iYordan, uphawu lukaKristu—owehlayo omkhulu—uphetha uhambo lwawo kuLwandle Olufileyo. Usuka eZulwini, apho kuphuma khona umbethe wobomi, uKristu wehla waya ekufeni komnqamlezo, okumelwe luLwandle Olufileyo. Unxweme loLwandle Olufileyo lolona mhlaba luveziweyo lusezantsi kakhulu emhlabeni. Umlambo iYordan owehlayo, wehla uye kowona mgangatho usezantsi wamanzi emhlabeni, njengoko uKristu wehla waya ekufeni kwakhe emnqamlezweni. Ukusuka emanzini obomi ukuya emanzini okufa, uMlambo iYordan umele ukuhla kukaKristu ukusuka ezulwini ukuya emnqamlezweni.

Important themes of Bible prophecy are associated with water, and Bible prophecy is the voice of Christ, which is a voice of many waters. The whore of Babylon is seated upon many waters, and the waters of the Euphrates are dried up to prepare the way of the kings of the east, and the merchants and kings stand a far off and lament for the ships of Tarshish are destroyed in the midst of the seas, and the covenant of death that the drunkards of Ephraim accepted when the hid themselves under lies, is disannulled by the overwhelming flood of the papal Sunday law.

Imixholo ebalulekileyo yesiprofeto seBhayibhile inxulunyaniswa namanzi, yaye isiprofeto seBhayibhile lilizwi likaKristu, elilizwi lamanzi amaninzi. Ihenyukazi laseBhabheli lihleli phezu kwamanzi amaninzi, yaye amanzi omEfrate ayoma ukuze kulungiswe indlela yookumkani basempumalanga, yaye abarhwebi nookumkani bema mgama baze balile kuba iinqanawa zaseTarshishe zitshatyalalisiwe phakathi kweelwandle, yaye umnqophiso wokufa owamkelwa ngamanxila akwaEfrayim xa babezifihle phantsi kobuxoki, uyachithwa ngumkhukula ogqithisayo womthetho weCawe weCawa wobupopu.

When Sister White references the “great rivers of Shinar,” she is addressing the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Those waters can be traced back to the Garden of Eden where they are the third and fourth river to come out of Eden.

Xa uDade White ebhekisa “kwimilambo emikhulu yaseShinare,” uthetha ngeMilambo iTigris ne-Efrati. Loo manzi anokulandelwa abuyele eMyezweni wase-Eden, apho eyimlambo yesithathu neyesine ephuma e-Eden.

> And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. Genesis 2:14.

> Igama lomlambo wesithathu yiHidekele; ngulowo uhamba usiya ngasempumalanga yeAsiriya. Umlambo wesine nguYufrathe. Genesis 2:14.

The Hiddekel is the Tigris, and of course, the Euphrates was the Euphrates, though modern historians and theologians disagree. They insist that the Ulai was not a great river, but simply a man-made aqueduct in Persia, not Shinar. Those same human authorities identify that the only two rivers of any note that are associated with Shinar, were the Tigris and Euphrates, and the prophetess states that the Ulai and the Hiddekel were “the great rivers of Shinar.”

IHidekel yiTigris, yaye ke, i-Ewufrathe yayiyi-Ewufrathe, nangona ababhali-mbali bale mihla neengcali zezakwalizwi bengavumelani noko. Bayagxininisa besithi iUlai yayingengomlambo omkhulu, koko yayisisiphango-manzi esenziwe ngumntu ePersi, kungekhona eShinare. Kwanabo basemagunyeni abangabantu bayachaza ukuba ekuphela kwemilambo emibini ebalulekileyo enxulunyaniswa neShinare yayiyiTigris ne-Ewufrathe, yaye umprofetikazi uthi iUlai neHidekel “yayiyimifula emikhulu yaseShinare.”

The prophetess words on the message of water opposes the modern experts, as did the ancient experts—who opposed Noah’s message of water. We are informed that the two visions represented by the two rivers are in the process of fulfillment, and therefore, everything represented within those two visions that were given by “the two great rivers of Shinar,” will soon come to pass. The message associated with those rivers is the voice of Christ, for His voice is as many waters. The Tigris and Euphrates represent a major prophetic theme, and their testimony is related to the covenant that the alpha Moses set forth, which is the same covenant that the omega Christ confirmed.

Amazwi omprofetikazi ngomyalezo wamanzi achasene neengcali zale mihla, njengoko zenzayo neengcali zamandulo—ezachasana nomyalezo kaNowa wamanzi. Siyaziswa ukuba imibono emibini emelwe yimilambo emibini ikwinkqubo yokuzaliseka, yaye ngoko ke, yonke into emelwe ngaphakathi kwaloo mibono mibini eyanikelwa “yimilambo emibini emikhulu yaseShinari,” kungekudala iya kwenzeka. Umyalezo onxulunyaniswa naloo milambo lilizwi likaKristu, kuba ilizwi laKhe linjengamanzi amaninzi. ITigris ne-Ewufrathe zimela umxholo omkhulu wesiprofeto, yaye ubungqina bazo bunxulumene nomnqophiso awawumiselayo uMoses we-alpha, onguloo mnqophiso mnye owangqinwa nguKristu we-omega.

In prophecy the Tigris represents Assyria and the Euphrates is Babylon. In this relation they are the two powers, represented as lions by Jeremiah who would carry first the northern kingdom and thereafter the southern kingdom into captivity.

Esiprofetweni iTigris imela iAsiriya, yaye i-Euphrates yiBhabheli. Kolu lwalamano zingamandla amabini lawo, amelwe njengeengonyama nguYeremiya, awayeza kuthimba kuqala ubukumkani basemantla, aze emva koko ubukumkani basemazantsi, awase ekuthinjweni.

> Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones. Jeremiah 50:17.

> UYsirayeli yigusha elisasazekileyo; iingonyama zimdudulele kude; kuqala ukumkani waseAsiriya umdlile; ekugqibeleni lo Nebhukadenetsare, ukumkani waseBhabheli, uwaphule amathambo akhe. Yeremiya 50:17.

Both Assyria and Babylon were northern enemies in relation to either kingdom of Israel, and are therefore types of the counterfeit king of the north—the papal power. Essentially the same political and religious traditions were carried out by the two powers that arose from the same cultural setting, but Assyria’s political structure emphasized statecraft, whereas; Babylon emphasized churchcraft, though very similar. Pagan Rome and papal Rome at some levels are identical, but still, pagan Rome represents statecraft and papal Rome churchcraft. Assyria, in prophetic relation to Babylon was a kingdom of statecraft, followed by Babylon a similar power that emphasized churchcraft. Assyria represented pagan Rome and Babylon represents papal Rome. All four of these powers trampled down God’s sanctuary and host. Assyria is associated with the Tigris and Babylon the Euphrates. This is in agreement with the drying up of the Euphrates in the book of Revelation, to prepare the way for the kings of the east as typified by the work of Cyrus in diverting the Euphrates to bring down Babylon. Babylon is the Euphrates; Assyria is the Tigris.

Zombini iAsiriya neBhabheli zazizintshaba ezisemntla ngokunxulumene nobukumkani nobuphi na bakwaSirayeli, yaye ngenxa yoko ziyimizekelo yokumkani wobuxoki wasemntla—amandla obupapa. Ngokusisiseko, izithethe ezifanayo zopolitiko nezenkolo zaphunyezwa ngala mandla mabini avela kwimeko yenkcubeko enye, kodwa ulwakhiwo lwezopolitiko lwaseAsiriya lwagxininisa ulawulo lombuso, logama ke iBhabheli yagxininisa ulawulo lwebandla, nangona zazifana kakhulu. IRoma yobuhedeni neRoma yobupapa, kumanqanaba athile, ziyafana kanye, kodwa sekunjalo, iRoma yobuhedeni imele ulawulo lombuso, yaye iRoma yobupapa imele ulawulo lwebandla. IAsiriya, ngokobudlelwane besiprofeto neBhabheli, yayibubukumkani bolawulo lombuso, yalandelwa yiBhabheli, amandla afanayo awagxininisa ulawulo lwebandla. IAsiriya yayimela iRoma yobuhedeni, yaye iBhabheli imela iRoma yobupapa. Onke la mandla mane ayingqusha ingcwele kaThixo nomkhosi wakhe. IAsiriya inxulunyaniswa neTigris, yaye iBhabheli neYufrathe. Oku kuyavumelana nokoma kweYufrathe encwadini yeSityhilelo, ukuze kulungiswe indlela yookumkani basempuma njengoko kufanekiswa ngumsebenzi kaKoreshi ekuphambukiseni iYufrathe ukuze iwe iBhabheli. IBhabheli yiYufrathe; iAsiriya yiTigris.

The king of the north in prophecy conquers the world during the Sunday law crisis and thereafter falls, but the conquering is often represented as an overwhelming flood. The story of the king of the north, as represented by Assyria and Babylon, is symbolized by rivers for the story is told by the voice of many waters.

Ukumkani wasentla esiprofetweni uyawoyisa umhlaba ngexesha lentshabalalo yomthetho weCawa, aze emva koko awe, kodwa olo loyiso ludla ngokumelwa njengomkhukula ogqithisileyo. Ibali lokumkani wasentla, njengoko limelwe yiAsiriya neBhabhiloni, lifuziselwa ngemilambo, kuba ibali lixelwa lilizwi lamanzi amaninzi.

The land between the two rivers is called Mesopotamia, which means ‘the land between two rivers.’ The two rivers represent the northern power which God employs to chastise His apostate people by scattering them into captivity. One of the tributary streams of the voice of many waters is found in the name “Padanaram,” which is referenced only ten times in the Scriptures. The first mention is in association with the covenant, for it identifies the blood roots of Rebekah, the wife of Isaac. The verse says:

Umhlaba ophakathi kwemilambo emibini ubizwa ngokuba yiMesopotamia, okuthetha ukuthi “umhlaba ophakathi kwemilambo emibini.” Le milambo mibini imela amandla asemntla uThixo awasebenzisayo ukohlwaya abantu bakhe abawexukileyo ngokubasasaza ekuthinjweni. Omnye wemisinga yesebe yelizwi lamanzi amaninzi ufumaneka egameni elithi “Padanaram,” ekubhekiswa kulo izihlandlo ezilishumi kuphela eZibhalweni. Ukukhankanywa kwalo kokuqala kunxulumene nomnqophiso, kuba kuchaza iingcambu zegazi zikaRebheka, umfazi kaIsake. Le ndima ithi:

> And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

> Kwaye uIsake wayeneminyaka emashumi mane ubudala ekuthabatheni kwakhe uRebheka ukuba abe ngumfazi wakhe, intombi kaBhetuweli, umSiriya wasePadanaram, udadewabo kaLabhan, umSiriya.

The end of forty years has been shown upon the three witnesses of Moses to lead to Kadesh, 1863 and the Sunday law. The marriage of Isaac is a covenant marriage typifying the marriage of Christ to the one hundred and forty-four thousand at the Sunday law, which is 1863, which is Kadesh, which is the end of a forty-year covenant history. Rebekah was a daughter of a Syrian and the sister of Laban a Syrian, (who in the next generation of covenant history, broke a covenant with Isaac’s son Jacob.)

Ukuphela kweminyaka engamashumi amane kuye kwaboniswa phezu kwamangqina amathathu kaMoses ukuba kukhokelela eKadeshe, ku-1863, nasemthethweni weCawa. Umtshato kaIsake ngumtshato womnqophiso omela umtshato kaKristu nabalikhulu elinamashumi amane anesine amawaka ngexesha lomthetho weCawa, ongu-1863, onguKadeshe, ongukuphela kwembali yomnqophiso yeminyaka engamashumi amane. URebheka wayeyintombi yomSiriya, nodade boLabhan umSiriya, (owathi kwisizukulwana esilandelayo sembali yomnqophiso, wawaphula umnqophiso nonyana kaIsake, uYakobi.)

Bethuel means ‘house of desolation or desolator,’ so Rebekah was the daughter of “the house of the desolator.’ Syria means highland and plateau, and Padanaram means Mesopotamia, or the land between. Rebekah was from the bloodline of Syrians who came from Mesopotamia the highland between ‘the Tigris of Assyria’ and ‘the Euphrates of Babylon,’ who represent the lions which the Lord used to scatter his apostate sheep. The house of the desolators was joined with the house of God in the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah. It is not an accident that in the first mention of Padanaram, these two rivers representing the prophetic king of the north who is represented as an overflowing flood is first mentioned in Genesis 25:20.

UBhetuweli uthetha “indlu yenkangala” okanye “umchithi,” ngoko ke uRebheka wayeyintombi “yendlu yomchithi.” ISiriya ithetha ilizwe eliphakamileyo nethafa eliphakameleyo, yaye iPadanaram ithetha iMesopotamiya, okanye ilizwe eliphakathi. URebheka wayevela kumlibo wegazi wamaSiriya ababevela eMesopotamiya, ilizwe eliphakamileyo eliphakathi “kweTigrisi yaseAsiriya” ne “Yufrathe yaseBhabheli,” abamele iingonyama iNkosi eyazisebenzisayo ukusasaza iigusha zayo ezawexukayo. Indlu yabachithi yadityaniswa nendlu kaThixo emtshatweni kaIsake noRebheka. Asiyongozi nje into yokuba ekukhankanyweni kokuqala kwePadanaram, le milambo mibini emele ukumkani wasemantla wesiprofeto, omelwe njengonogumbe ophuphumayo, ikhankanywa kuqala kwiGenesis 25:20.

The connection of the house of desolation with God’s covenant people continues when Jacob flees from Esau, and ends up at his uncle Laban’s and there serves two periods’ of 2520 days in order to secure the next covenant marriage. One marriage ends with the scattering of the northern kingdom of Israel and the other marriage ends with the scattering of the southern kingdom. When those two kingdoms respective period of scattering ended in 1798 and 1844, the marriage that Jacob labored to accomplish over two periods of 2520 was fulfilled, as the bridegroom came to the marriage on October 22, 1844.

Unxulumano lwendlu yentshabalalo nabantu bomnqophiso kaThixo luyaqhubeka xa uYakobi esaba kuEsawu, aze afike kowakwabo uLabhan, apho akhonza amaxesha amabini eemihla engama-2520 ukuze azuze umtshato olandelayo womnqophiso. Omnye umtshato uphela ngokusasazwa kobukumkani basentla bakwaSirayeli, yaye omnye umtshato uphela ngokusasazwa kobukumkani basemzantsi. Xa la maxesha okusasazwa ala mabukumkani mabini aphela ngokulandelelana kwawo ngo-1798 nango-1844, umtshato uYakobi awawusebenzela ngawo omabini amaxesha angama-2520 wazaliseka, njengoko umyeni weza emtshatweni ngo-Oktobha 22, 1844.

Did Christ then marry Leah, which means ‘weary and tired,’ or did He marry Rachel, which means ‘a good traveler?’ Leah and Rachel represent two classes of travelling virgins, one virgin who ‘grows weary’ and one virgin who ‘travels well’ on the path to marry Jacob on October 22, 1844.

Ngaba uKristu watshata noLeya, okuthetha ukuthi “udiniwe yaye ukhathele,” okanye watshata noRakeli, okuthetha ukuthi “umhambi olungileyo”? ULeya noRakeli bamele iindidi ezimbini zeentombi ezihambayo, intombi enye “ediniwayo” nenye intombi “ehamba kakuhle” endleleni eya kutshata noYakobi ngo-Oktobha 22, 1844.

> “They had a bright light set up behind them at the beginning of the path, which an angel told me was the ‘midnight cry.’ This light shone all along the path, and gave light for their feet, so that they might not stumble.

> “Babenokukhanya okuqaqambileyo kumiswe emva kwabo ekuqaleni kwendlela, ingelosi eyandixelela ukuba kwakulisikhalo ‘sasezinzulwini zobusuku.’ Oku kukhanya kwakukhanyisa ecaleni kwayo yonke indlela, kwanika ukukhanya ezinyaweni zabo, ukuze bangakhubeki.

> “If they kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who was just before them, leading them to the city, they were safe. But soon some grew weary, and said the city was a great way off, and they expected to have entered it before. Then Jesus would encourage them by raising His glorious right arm, and from His arm came a light which waved over the advent band, and they shouted ‘Alleluia!’ Others rashly denied the light behind them, and said that it was not God that had led them out so far. The light behind them went out, leaving their feet in perfect darkness, and they stumbled and lost sight of the mark and of Jesus, and fell off the path down into the dark and wicked world below.” Early Writings, 15.

> “Ukuba amehlo abo ayegxininiswe kuYesu, owayephambi kwabo kanye, ebakhokela esixekweni, babekhuselekile. Kodwa kungekudala abanye badinwa, baza bathi isixeko sisekude kakhulu, yaye babelindele ukuba ngeli xesha sele bengene kuso. Wandula ke uYesu abakhuthaze ngokuphakamisa ingalo yaKhe yasekunene enobuqaqawuli, yaye kwaphuma ekwingalo yaKhe ukukhanya okwakuzulazula phezu kwebandla le-advent, baza bamemeza besithi, ‘Haleluya!’ Abanye, ngokungxama, bakukhanyela ukukhanya okwakusemva kwabo, baza bathi yayingengoThixo owayebakhokele de bafika apho. Ukukhanya okwakusemva kwabo kwacima, kwashiya iinyawo zabo ebumnyameni obupheleleyo, baza bakhubeka, balahlekelwa kukubona uphawu nangoYesu, baza bawa baphuma endleleni, besihla besiya kwihlabathi elimnyama nelikhohlakeleyo elingezantsi.” Early Writings, 15.

In 1844, the Philadelphian Millerite movement went into the marriage. The marriage of October 22, 1844 separated two classes of worshippers represented by Rachel and Leah. Rachel, represents a class who had successfully travelled on the path to the marriage of October 22, 1844, but Leah’s class grew weary. They were then separated and the testing process of the third angel began, right where the testing-process of the Midnight Cry concluded.

Ngowe-1844, intshukumo yamaMillerite yaseFiladelfiya yangena emtshatweni. Umtshato wango-Oktobha 22, 1844 wahlukanisa iindidi ezimbini zabanquli ezimelwe nguRakeli noLeya. URakeli umele udidi olwaluhambe ngempumelelo endleleni eya emtshatweni wango-Oktobha 22, 1844, kodwa udidi lukaLeya lwadinwa. Emva koko bahlukaniswa, yaye inkqubo yokuvavanywa yengelosi yesithathu yaqalisa kanye apho inkqubo yokuvavanywa yesiKhalo saphakathi kobusuku yaphelela khona.

The marriage had commenced and it was to thereafter to be consummated and tested. The marriage was consummated in 1846, and the testing process of the third angel began. In 1849 and 1850 the Lord was stretching out His hand a second time to gather His remnant. The second table of Habakkuk was then placed into history, as typified by the second set of Commandments. After Moses broke the first set, the second set of tables were set forth. The 1850 chart replaced the 1843, and in 1850, the testing of ancient Israel as God’s new covenant bride continued towards Kadesh and 1863.

Umtshato wawusele uqalile, yaye emva koko wawuza kugqityezelwa uze uvavanywe. Umtshato wagqityezelwa ngowe-1846, kwaza kwaqalisa inkqubo yovavanyo yengelosi yesithathu. Ngowe-1849 nango-1850 iNkosi yayisolula isandla saYo okwesibini ukuze ihlanganise intsalela yaYo. Itafile yesibini kaHabakuki ngoko yabekwa embalini, njengoko yayifuziselwe siseti yesibini yeMithetho eliShumi. Emva kokuba uMoses eyaphule iseti yokuqala, iseti yesibini yeetafile yabekwa phambi kwabo. Itshathi ka-1850 yathabatha indawo ka-1843, yaye ngowe-1850 ukuvavanywa kukaSirayeli wamandulo njengomtshakazi kaThixo womnqophiso omtsha kwaqhubeka kusondela eKadeshe naku-1863.

In 1856, more water from the two rivers came through the pen of Hiram Edson. The light upon the “seven times” which came through Edson’s pen, was the light represented by the two rivers that began their prophetic testimony at the Garden of Eden. The Garden of Eden is a symbol of mankind’s rebellion against God’s law, and is where the waters of the Ulai and Hiddekel rivers begin their journey. They travel through covenant history, for that Garden, the symbol of rebellion, is also where a lamb was slain to provide clothes to replace the fig leaves upon Adam and Eve. Covenant history begins with the covenant of life between Adam and God. That covenant symbolized by the tree of life, led to the broken covenant by Adam and Eve, that initiated a new covenant of life, when the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world provided clothing for the naked and lost pair. The two rivers which flow from that Garden ultimately become the symbols of the powers God employs as His rod of chastisement.

Ngowe-1856, amanzi angakumbi avela kule milambo mibini adlula ngosiba lukaHiram Edson. Ukukhanya ngale “maxesha asixhenxe” okwafika ngosiba lukaEdson, kwakukungukukhanya okumelwe yile milambo mibini eyaqala ubungqina bayo bobuprofeti eMyezweni wase-Eden. UMyezo wase-Eden ungumfuziselo wokuvukela komntu umthetho kaThixo, yaye kulapho amanzi emilambo iUlai neHiddekel aqala khona uhambo lwawo. Ahamba enqumla kwimbali yomnqophiso, kuba loo Myezo, umqondiso wokuvukela, ikwalapho kwaxhelwa khona itakane ukuze kubonelelwe ngezambatho ezithabatha indawo yamagqabi omkhiwane awayephezu koAdam noEva. Imbali yomnqophiso iqala ngomnqophiso wobomi phakathi kuka-Adam noThixo. Lowo mnqophiso, umfuziselwa ngumthi wobomi, wakhokelela ekwaphulweni komnqophiso nguAdam noEva, nto leyo eyasungula umnqophiso omtsha wobomi, xa iMvana eyaxhelwa kwasekusekweni kwehlabathi yabonelela ngezambatho eso sibini sasize silahlekile. Le milambo mibini ephuma kuloo Myezo ekugqibeleni iba yimifuziselo yamagunya uThixo awasebenzisayo njengentonga yakhe yokohlwaya.

> O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. Isaiah 10:5, 6.

> Wena waseAsiriya, intonga yomsindo wam; nentonga esesandleni sabo ngumsindo wam. Ndiya kumthumela nxamnye nohlanga olungahloneliyo Thixo, yaye nxamnye nabantu bomsindo wam ndiya kumnika umyalelo, ukuba athabathe amaxhoba, athimbe impango, abanyathele phantsi njengodaka lwezitrato. Isaya 10:5, 6.

Those two rivers flowed out of Eden into the lineage of Rebekah and her covenant marriage to Isaac, and onward to Jacob, where the water of the two rivers is represented as two distinct periods of seven times. Then, the same two rivers flow through the last six chapters of Daniel, where three chapters are represented by each river. One river represents the increase of knowledge which was unsealed in chapters seven, eight and nine and the other river represents the increase of knowledge which was unsealed in chapters ten, eleven and twelve.

Loo milambo mibini yaphuma e-Eden yangena emlibeni kaRebheka nakumtshato wakhe womnqophiso noIsake, yaza yaqhubekela kuYakobi, apho amanzi aloo milambo mibini abonakaliswa njengamaxesha amabini ahlukeneyo aphindwe kasixhenxe. Emva koko, loo milambo mibini inye iqukuqela idlule kwizahluko ezintandathu zokugqibela zikaDaniyeli, apho izahluko ezithathu zimelwe ngumlambo ngamnye. Omnye umlambo umele ukwanda kolwazi olwatyhilwayo kwizahluko zesixhenxe, zesibhozo nezesithoba, kanti omnye umlambo umele ukwanda kolwazi olwatyhilwayo kwizahluko zeshumi, zeshumi elinanye nezeshumi elinesibini.

Chapters seven, eight and nine are represented as the vision of the Ulai and Christ is portrayed in a similar way in chapters ten, eleven and twelve. In both river visions, represented by three chapters—Christ is represented as standing upon the water.

Izahluko zesixhenxe, ezesibhozo nezethoba zimelwe njengombono waseUlai, yaye uKristu ubonakaliswa ngendlela efanayo kwizahluko zeshumi, ezeshumi elinanye nezeshumi elinesibini. Kuzo zombini iimbono zemilambo, ezimelwe zizahluko ezithathu, uKristu umelwe emi phezu kwamanzi.

> And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man. And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. Daniel 8:15, 16.

> Kwathi ke, mna, ndinguDaniyeli, ndakuba ndiwubonile umbono ndaza ndafuna intsingiselo yawo, khangela, kwema phambi kwam okunjengokubonakala komntu. Ndaza ndeva ilizwi lomntu phakathi kweendonga zoUlai, elabizayo, lisithi, Gabriyeli, menze lo mntu awuqonde umbono. Daniyeli 8:15, 16.

The vision of Christ in chapter ten is similar to the vision John witnessed in Revelation chapter one, and in Daniel’s vision of chapter eight Palmoni is upon the waters, as He was in chapter twelve, where He was clothed in linen.

Umbono kaKristu kwisahluko seshumi uyafana nombono awawubonayo uYohane kwiSityhilelo isahluko sokuqala, yaye embonweni kaDaniyeli wesahluko sesibhozo uPalmoni uphezu kwamanzi, njengoko wayenjalo kwisahluko seshumi elinesibini, apho wayembethe ilinen.

> “At the time of Gabriel’s visit, the prophet Daniel was unable to receive further instruction; but a few years afterward, desiring to know more of subjects not yet fully explained, he again set himself to seek light and wisdom from God. ‘In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all…. Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz. His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.’

> “Ngexesha lokutyelelwa kukaGabriyeli, umprofeti uDaniyeli wayengenako ukwamkela eminye imiyalelo; kodwa kwiminyaka embalwa kamva, enqwenela ukwazi ngakumbi ngezinto ezazingekacaciswa ngokupheleleyo, waphinda wazimisela ukufuna ukukhanya nobulumko kuThixo. ‘Ngaloo mihla mna Daniyeli ndandizila iiveki ezintathu ezipheleleyo. Andityanga sonka simnandi, akwafika nyama nalwayini emlonyeni wam, andizithambisanga konke konke…. Ndaza ndaphakamisa amehlo am, ndakhangela, nanko umntu othile embethe ilinen, ezinqeni zakhe ebebhinqiswe igolide ecikizekileyo yaseUfazi. Umzimba wakhe wawunjengeberile, ubuso bakhe bunjengokubonakala kombane, amehlo akhe enjengezibane zomlilo, iingalo neenyawo zakhe zinombala wobhedu olukhazimlisiweyo, nelizwi lamazwi akhe linjengelizwi lesihlwele.’

> “No less a personage than the Son of God appeared to Daniel. This description is similar to that given by John when Christ was revealed to him upon the Isle of Patmos. Our Lord now comes with another heavenly messenger to teach Daniel what would take place in the latter days. This knowledge was given to Daniel and recorded by inspiration for us upon whom the ends of the world are come.” Review and Herald, February 8, 1881.

> “Akakho ongaphantsi kobukhulu kunoNyana kaThixo owabonakala kuDaniyeli. Le nkcazo iyafana nale yanikwa nguYohane xa uKristu watyhilwa kuye esiQithini sasePatmos. INkosi yethu ngoku iza kunye nomnye umthunywa wasezulwini ukuze afundise uDaniyeli oko kwakuya kwenzeka ngemihla yokugqibela. Olu lwazi lwanikwa uDaniyeli lwaza lwabhalwa ngokuphefumlelwa ngenxa yethu esifikelwe ziziphelo zehlabathi.” Review and Herald, Februwari 8, 1881.

In the Hiddekel vision of Christ in chapter ten, Christ is upon the water and clothed in linen and in the Ulai vision He is upon the water. The vision of Revelation one aligns with the vision presented in the Ulai and Hiddekel visions, where Sister White identifies that it is “no less a personage than the Son of God.” When she identifies the angel of Revelation ten she states the angel was “no less a personage than Jesus Christ.” The angel in Revelation ten lifts up His hand to heaven and swears by Him that liveth forever and ever, connected with the vision of Christ in chapter twelve who lifts up both His hands to heaven and swears by Him that liveth forever and ever. In Revelation ten He is upon both the water and land.

Embonweni kaKristu waseHiddekel kwisahluko seshumi, uKristu uphezu kwamanzi yaye embethe ilinen, yaye embonweni waseUlai Yena uphezu kwamanzi. Umbono weSityhilelo sokuqala uyahambelana nombono obekwe phambi kwethu kwimibono yaseUlai naseHiddekel, apho uDade White echaza ukuba “ayingomnye umntu ngaphandle koNyana kaThixo.” Xa echaza ingelosi yeSityhilelo seshumi, uthi ingelosi leyo “ayingomnye umntu ngaphandle kukaYesu Kristu.” Ingelosi ekwiSityhilelo seshumi iphakamisa isandla saYo iye ezulwini ize ifunge ngaLowo uphilayo ngonaphakade kanaphakade, inxulunyaniswe nombono kaKristu kwisahluko seshumi elinesibini ophakamisa zozibini izandla zaKhe ziye ezulwini aze afunge ngaLowo uphilayo ngonaphakade kanaphakade. KwiSityhilelo seshumi Yena uphezu kwamanzi nomhlaba.

What exists “between the banks” of a river is water, and Daniel heard “a man’s voice between the banks,” so the voice came from the man upon the water, and the voice was the sound of the waters of the Ulai river.

Okukho “phakathi kweendonga” zomlambo ngamanzi, yaye uDaniyeli weva “ilizwi lendoda phakathi kweendonga,” ngoko ke ilizwi lavela kule ndoda iphezu kwamanzi, yaye ilizwi layo lalingumsindo wamanzi omlambo iUlai.

> And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. …

> Ngomhla wamashumi amabini anesine wenyanga yokuqala, xa ndandisecaleni komlambo omkhulu, oyiHidekele; ndaphakamisa amehlo am, ndakhangela, yaye nanko umntu othile embethe ilinen, izinqe zakhe zibhinqiswe ngegolide ecocekileyo yase-Ufaz. Umzimba wakhe nawo wawunjengeberile, nobuso bakhe bunjengokubonakala kombane, namehlo akhe enjengezibane zomlilo, neengalo zakhe neenyawo zakhe zinjengobhedu olugudisiweyo ngombala, nesandi samazwi akhe sinjengesandi sesihlwele. …

> But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

> Ke wena, Daniyeli, vala la mazwi, uyitywine incwadi kude kube lixesha lesiphelo; baninzi abaya kuhambahamba benyuka besihla, nokwazi kuya kwanda. Ndandaza mna Daniyeli, ndabona, nanko kumi abanye ababini, omnye engapha kunxweme lomlambo, nomnye engapha kwelinye icala lonxweme lomlambo. Wathi omnye kuloo ndoda yambethe ilinen, ibiphezu kwamanzi omlambo, Koda kube nini na kuse ekupheleni kwezi zimanga? Ndayiva loo ndoda yambethe ilinen, ibiphezu kwamanzi omlambo, xa yayiphakamisa isandla sayo sasekunene nesandla sayo sasekhohlo isibhekise ezulwini, yafunga ngaLowo uphilayo ngonaphakade ukuba kuya kuba lixesha, namaxesha, nesiqingatha sexesha; yaye xa iya kube ikugqibile ukusasaza amandla abantu abangcwele, ziya kube zizalisekile zonke ezi zinto.

> And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. Daniel 10:4–6; 12:4–10.

> Ndava, kodwa andaqonda; ndaza ndathi, Owu Nkosi yam, siphelo sini sale nto? Wathi yena, Hamba indlela yakho, Daniyeli; kuba la mazwi avalelwe, atywiniwe, ade afike ixesha lokuphela. Baninzi abaya kuhlanjululwa, benziwe mhlophe, bavavanywe; kodwa abangendawo baya kwenza okungendawo; yaye akukho namnye kwabangendawo oya kuqonda; ke bona izilumko ziya kuqonda. Daniyeli 10:4–6; 12:4–10.

The great rivers of Shinar as Sister White identifies them, are both attached to a vision where Christ is upon the water speaking, for His voice is as the sound of many waters. In both visions the question of “how long” is asked. Both rivers are also represented in Daniel’s ‘question and answer’ of chapter eight, which is the central pillar and foundation of Adventism. There, the two rivers are symbols of the “seven times” of scattering and trampling down of both the sanctuary and the host. The two rivers fulfill their role as God’s rod of chastisement, only to thereafter flow into the Millerite history of the first angel, where William Miller discovered his first prophetic jewel, which was the line of the “seven times” in Leviticus twenty-six. The two rivers represent the two scatterings of 2520 years, which were accomplished by the two lions of Assyria and Babylon, who are represented by the Tigris and Euphrates, and of course by Leah and Rachel, nieces of Rebekah, whose covenant marriage occurred when Isaac was forty years old, as recorded in Genesis 2520.

Imilambo emikhulu yaseShinare, njengoko uDade White eyichaza, yomibini inxulumene nombono apho uKristu ephezu kwamanzi ethetha, kuba ilizwi laKhe linjengesandi samanzi amaninzi. Kuzo zombini ezo miboniso kubuzwa umbuzo othi, “kuya kude kube nini na?” Yomibini le milambo ikwamelwe kwakhona kumboniso kaDaniyeli ‘wombuzo nempendulo’ wesahluko sesibhozo, oyintsika esembindini nesiseko se-Adventism. Apho, le milambo mibini yimiqondiso “yamaxesha asixhenxe” okusasazwa nokunyathelwa phantsi kwengcwele kwakunye nomkhosi. Le milambo mibini iyayizalisekisa indima yayo njengentonga kaThixo yokohlwaya, ize emva koko ingene kwimbali yamaMillerite yengelosi yokuqala, apho uWilliam Miller wafumanisa ubuncwane bakhe bokuqala besiprofeto, obabungumgca “wamaxesha asixhenxe” kwiLevitikus amashumi amabini anesithandathu. Le milambo mibini imele ukusasazwa okubini kweminyaka eyi-2520, okwafezekiswa ziingonyama ezimbini zaseAsiriya naseBhabheli, ezimelwe yiTigris ne-Ewufrathe, kwanangoLeah noRakeli, abatshana bakaRebheka, abatshato labo lomnqophiso lwenzeka xa uIsake wayeneminyaka emashumi amane ubudala, njengoko kubhaliwe kwiGenesis 2520.

Miller only presented the scattering of “seven times” against the southern kingdom of Judah, which was fulfilled with the 2300-year prophecy in 1844. In 1856, the “new wine” of the “seven times” identified the same scattering upon the northern kingdom ending in 1798. As the first prophetic discovery of William Miller, the water of the river Euphrates arrived as the alpha doctrine in the history of the first angel. The water of the Ulai river arrived with the third angel. The alpha discovery of Miller was the seven times represented by the river Ulai and the omega discovery of Hiram Edson was the seven times represented by the Hiddekel river.

UMiller wazisa kuphela ukusasazwa kwe-“zihlandlo ezisixhenxe” ngokuchasene nobukumkani basemazantsi bakwaYuda, okwazalisekiswa kunye nesiprofeto seminyaka engama-2300 ngowe-1844. Ngowe-1856, “iwayini entsha” ye-“zihlandlo ezisixhenxe” yachonga kwaloo ukusasazwa phezu kobukumkani basemantla, kuphele ngowe-1798. Njengokufunyanwa kokuqala kwesiprofeto sikaWilliam Miller, amanzi omlambo i-Efrati afika njengemfundiso ye-alpha kwimbali yengelosi yokuqala. Amanzi omlambo i-Ulai afika kunye nengelosi yesithathu. Ukufunyanwa kwe-alpha kukaMiller kwakuzizo izihlandlo ezisixhenxe ezimelwe ngumlambo i-Ulai, yaye ukufunyanwa kwe-omega kukaHiram Edson kwakuzizo izihlandlo ezisixhenxe ezimelwe ngumlambo i-Hiddekel.

The 2520 represents the length of the period that is the same for each kingdom, but that begins and ends forty-six years apart. 1798 marks the time of the end and the arrival of the first angel of Revelation fourteen. 1798 is the fulfillment of the 2520 years of scattering brought upon the northern kingdom by the lion of Assyria. 1844 is the fulfillment of the “seven times” brought upon the southern kingdom and is represented by the lion of Babylon. The two rivers are the bookends for the history of the first and second angels’ messages that ended with the arrival of the third on October 22, 1844, when both the seventh trumpet and also the jubilee trumpet were sounded on the antitypical Day of Atonement.

I-2520 imela ubude bexesha obufanayo kubukumkani ngabunye, kodwa obuqala buphele bahlukaniswe ngeminyaka engamashumi amane anesithandathu. U-1798 uphawula ixesha lesiphelo nokufika kwengelosi yokuqala yeSityhilelo seshumi elinesine. U-1798 kukuzaliseka kweminyaka eyi-2520 yokusasazwa okwehliselwe ubukumkani basemantla yingonyama yaseAsiriya. U-1844 kukuzaliseka “kwamaxesha asixhenxe” ehliselwe ubukumkani basemazantsi yaye umelwa yingonyama yaseBhabhiloni. Le milambo mibini izizikhonkwane zokuphela kwimbali yezigidimi zengelosi yokuqala neyesibini, eyaphela ngokufika kweyesithathu ngo-Oktobha 22, 1844, xa kwavakaliswayo zombini isigodlo sesixhenxe kunye nexilongo lejubhile ngoMhla woCamagushelo ongowomfuziselo ozalisekileyo.

> Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. Leviticus 25:9.

> Ngoko ke woyivakalisa ixilongo leyubhile ngomhla weshumi wenyanga yesixhenxe; ngemini yoxolelaniso niya kulivakalisa ixilongo kulo lonke ilizwe lenu. Levitikus 25:9.

The sounding of the seventh trumpet is a symbol of Christ’s work in combining His Divinity with humanity, and is represented by the 2300 years of the Ulai River vision, and the sounding of the jubilee trumpet is a symbol of the covenant of the land that was broken and brought upon God’s people, what Daniel called the curse and oath of Moses, and what Moses called the “quarrel of God’s covenant.”

Ukuvakala kwexilongo lesixhenxe luphawu lomsebenzi kaKristu wokudibanisa ubuThixo baKhe nobuntu, yaye kumelwe yiminyaka engama-2300 yombono woMlambo i-Ulai; kanti ukuvakala kwexilongo lejubili luphawu lomnqophiso welizwe owaphulwayo nowawuziswa phezu kwabantu bakaThixo, oko uDaniyeli wakubiza ngokuba sisiqalekiso nesifungo sikaMoses, noko uMoses wakubiza ngokuba “yingxabano yomnqophiso kaThixo.”

> Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. Daniel 9:11.

> Ewe, onke amaSirayeli ayigqithile umthetho wakho, kwanokuphambuka, ukuze angalithobeli ilizwi lakho; ngenxa yoko isiqalekiso sigalelwe phezu kwethu, nesifungo esibhaliweyo emthethweni kaMoses, umkhonzi kaThixo, kuba sonile kuye. Daniyeli 9:11.

The “curse” and the “oath” written of “in the law of Moses” is the “seven times” of Leviticus twenty-six. The word translated as “oath” is the same Hebrew word that in Leviticus is translated as “seven times.” The curse, for breaking the oath of the covenant in chapter twenty-five, is set forth in chapter twenty-six, where Moses identifies the curse as the “quarrel of the covenant.”

“Isiqalekiso” kunye “nesifungo” ekubhalwe ngaso “emthethweni kaMoses” sesi “xhenxe” seLevitikus amashumi amabini anesithandathu. Igama eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “isifungo” lelona gama linye lesiHebhere elithi, kwiLevitikus, liguqulelwe ngokuthi “izihlandlo ezisixhenxe.” Isiqalekiso, ngenxa yokwaphula isifungo somnqophiso kwisahluko samashumi amabini anesihlanu, sibekwe kwisahluko samashumi amabini anesithandathu, apho uMoses echaza isiqalekiso njengalo “ungquzulwano lomnqophiso.”

> Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins. And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. Leviticus 26:24, 25.

> Ngoko ke ndiya kuhamba nani ndinichase, ndinihlwaye ngokuphindwe kasixhenxe ngenxa yezono zenu. Ndiya kunizisela ikrele, eliya kuphindezela imbambano yomnqophiso wam; yaye xa niqokelelene phakathi kwezixeko zenu, ndiya kuthumela ubhubhane phakathi kwenu; nani niya kunikelwa esandleni sotshaba. Levitikus 26:24, 25.

The Lord brought the sword of the lion of Assyria upon the northern kingdom to “punish” them by delivering them into “the hand of the enemy,” in 723 BC. Forty-six years later in 677 BC, the southern kingdom felt the curse of Moses. The curse of Moses is the quarrel of the covenant. For forty-six years the lions of Mesopotamia were employed by God to remove and trample down the host. At the end of that period of forty-six years Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the sanctuary. The host of Daniel’s question in verse thirteen of Daniel eight was enslaved by their enemies over a forty-six-year period that culminated with the destruction of the sanctuary, which was the other subject that was to be trampled down in verse thirteen. When those rivers reached 1798 and 1844 respectably, a host had been gathered together as a temple, for the host is a body, and the body is a temple. At the end of that period the temple erected over the forty-six years was to join with the heavenly temple in the marriage of Divinity with humanity. Marriage is between two temples, and what God joins together is not to be apart.

INkosi yazisa ikrele lengonyama yaseAsiriya phezu kobukumkani basentla ukuze “ibohlwaye” ngokubanikelayo “esandleni sotshaba,” ngowama-723 BC. Kwiminyaka engamashumi amane anesithandathu kamva, ngowama-677 BC, ubukumkani basemazantsi baziva isiqalekiso sikaMoses. Isiqalekiso sikaMoses yingxabano yomnqophiso. Kangangeminyaka engamashumi amane anesithandathu iingonyama zaseMesopotamiya zasetyenziswa nguThixo ukususa nokunyathela phantsi umkhosi. Ekupheleni kwelo xesha leminyaka engamashumi amane anesithandathu uNebhukadenetsare watshabalalisa ingcwele. Umkhosi wombuzo kaDaniyeli kwindinyana yeshumi elinesithathu kaDaniyeli isibhozo wenziwa amakhoboka ziintshaba zawo kwisithuba seminyaka engamashumi amane anesithandathu esafikelela encotsheni ngokutshatyalaliswa kwengcwele, eyayiyeyona nto yimbi eyayiza kunyathelwa phantsi kwindinyana yeshumi elinesithathu. Xa loo milambo yafikelela ku-1798 naku-1844 ngokulandelelana, umkhosi wawuhlanganiselwe ndawonye njengetempile, kuba umkhosi ngumzimba, yaye umzimba uyitempile. Ekupheleni kwelo xesha itempile eyakhiwe kuloo minyaka ingamashumi amane anesithandathu yayiza kumanyana netempile yasezulwini emtshatweni wobuThixo nobuntu. Umtshato uphakathi kweetempile ezimbini, yaye oko uThixo akumanyanisileyo makungahlulwa.

The water of the Tigris came to 1798 and the water of the Euphrates came to 1844. Just before the arrival of the third angel, the second angel arrived, and thereafter at the Exeter, New Hampshire camp meeting on August 12–17, 1844, the message of the Midnight Cry was poured out. Exeter means “a water fortress,” and at the camp meeting, there was a counterfeit meeting held in a different tent, set up by a group from Watertown, Massachusetts. The waters that originated in Eden, according to Sister White, were about to be dispersed as “a tidal wave” across the eastern seaboard of the United States. The earthquake which triggered that tidal wave occurred in the Garden of Eden when Satan conquered mankind, causing a seismic upheaval in Eden whose waves reached the Midnight Cry of the Millerite history. That tidal wave floods into the Midnight Cry in the history of the one hundred and forty-four thousand, and the wave that began at the earthquake of Adam’s sin reaches to the earthquake of the Sunday law of Revelation chapter eleven.

Amanzi eTigris afika kowe-1798, yaye amanzi eEfrati afika kowe-1844. Kanye nje phambi kokufika kwengelosi yesithathu, kwafika ingelosi yesibini, yaye emva koko kwintlanganiso yenkampu yase-Exeter, eNew Hampshire, ngoAgasti 12–17, 1844, umyalezo weSikhalo Sasezinzulwini Zobusuku wathululwa. I-Exeter ithetha ukuthi “inqaba yamanzi,” yaye kwintlanganiso yenkampu kwakukho intlanganiso yomgunyathi eyayiqhutyelwe kwelinye intente, eyamiselwa liqela laseWatertown, eMassachusetts. Amanzi awaqala e-Eden, ngokukaDade uWhite, ayesele eza kusasazwa “njengomaza amakhulu olwandle” kuwo wonke ummandla wonxweme olusempuma lweUnited States. Inyikima eyabangela elo zaza lamaza yenzeka eMyezweni wase-Eden xa uSathana woyisa uluntu, ebangela ukuxhuzula komhlaba e-Eden amaza ayo afikelela kwiSikhalo Sasezinzulwini Zobusuku sembali yamaMillerite. Elo zaza lamaza lingena lizalise iSikhalo Sasezinzulwini Zobusuku kwimbali yabaliwaka elinamakhulu alikhulu anamashumi amane anesine, yaye iliza elaqala kwinyikima yesono sika-Adam lifikelela kwinyikima yomthetho weCawa yeSityhilelo isahluko seshumi elinanye.

The voice of Christ is the voice of many waters, and the waters combined, make up the message of the latter rain. Isaiah and his son Shearjashub are standing in verse three of chapter seven at the pool from the upper conduit, presenting the latter rain message in the sealing time of the one hundred and forty-four thousand. There Isaiah’s pronouncement upon the foolish and wicked king Ahaz is that the Lord would send upon Ahaz the waters of Assyria, king Sennacherib and his water would flow up to the neck.

Ilizwi likaKristu lilizwi lamanzi amaninzi, yaye amanzi ehlanganisiwe enza umyalezo wemvula yasemva kwexesha. UIsaya nonyana wakhe uSheyar-yashub beme kwivesi yesithathu yesahluko sesixhenxe echibini elingaseludongeni olungentla, bevakalisa umyalezo wemvula yasemva kwexesha ngexesha lokutywinwa kwekhulu elinamashumi amane anesine amawaka. Apho isibhengezo sikaIsaya phezu kokumkani osisidenge nongendawo uAhazi sesokuba iNkosi yayiza kuthumela phezu kukaAhazi amanzi aseAsiriya, uKumkani uSenakeribhe, yaye amanzi akhe aya kunyuka ade afike entanyeni.

> The Lord spake also unto me again, saying, Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son; Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks: And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel. Isaiah 8:5–8.

> INkosi yabuya yandithetha kwakhona, isithi, Kuba aba bantu beyala amanzi aseShiloha ahamba ngokuthambileyo, baze bavuye ngoRezin nangonyana kaRemaliya; ngoko ke, yabonani, iNkosi inyusa phezu kwabo amanzi omlambo, anamandla namaninzi, oko kukuthi ukumkani waseAsiriya, nabo bonke ubukhazikhazi bakhe; uya kunyuka phezu kwayo yonke imijelo yayo, agqithe kuyo yonke imiphetho yayo; uya kudlula kwaYuda; uya kuphuphuma aze agqithe, afike ade entanyeni; nokolulwa kwamaphiko akhe kuya kuzalisa ububanzi belizwe lakho, wena Imanuweli. Isaya 8:5–8.

Ahaz refused the waters that were ‘sent’ by the Lord, so the Lord ‘sent’ the waters of Assyria to Ahaz. Ahaz “rejoiced” in the confederacy of “Rezin and Remaliah’s son.” Ahaz “rejoices” in a counterfeit latter rain message represented by Rezin and Remaliah’s son.

UAhazi wazala amanzi “athunyiweyo” yiNkosi, ngoko iNkosi “yathumela” amanzi aseAsiriya kuAhazi. UAhazi “wavuya” ngomfelandawonye ka “Rezini nonyana kaRemaliya.” UAhazi “uyavuya” kumyalezo wemvula yamva wobuxoki omelwe nguRezini nonyana kaRemaliya.

Rezin and the son of Remaliah, who is Pekah, king of the northern kingdom, represent a counterfeit of Isaiah and his son. The foolish and wicked king Ahaz “rejoices” in the confederacy represented by the ten northern tribes of Israel and Syria, typifying the unlawful relationship of church and state at the Sunday law. Ahaz rejoices, for shame and joy are the two opposite emotions that are employed by inspiration to address those who are represented in the debate of the latter rain. When Jeremiah ate the little book it was the joy and rejoicing of his heart, and Joel informs us God’s people will never be ashamed. Ahaz, as a Laodicean is blind, so he is rejoicing in the false water message and rejecting Isaiah’s true water message. He should be ashamed for trusting in the counterfeit latter rain message represented by the flood of the king of the north, but he has rejected the message of Shiloah.

URezin nonyana kaRemaliya, onguPeka, ukumkani wobukumkani basentla, bamele umgunyathi kaIsaya nonyana wakhe. Ukumkani osisidenge nongendawo uAhazi “uyavuya” ngenxa yomanyano olumelwe zizizwe ezilishumi zasentla zakwaSirayeli neSiriya, nto leyo emele, ngokomfuziselo, ubudlelane obungekho mthethweni becawa norhulumente ngexesha lomthetho weCawa. UAhazi uyavuya, kuba ihlazo novuyo zizimvakalelo ezibini ezichaseneyo ezisetyenziswa yimpembelelo engcwele ukuthetha nabo bamelwe kwingxabano yemvula yamva. Xa uYeremiya wayidlayo incwadi encinane, yaba luvuyo nokuchulumacha kwentliziyo yakhe, yaye uYoweli usixelela ukuba abantu bakaThixo abasayi kuze bahlazeke. UAhazi, njengomLaodikeya, uyimfama, ngoko ke uyavuya ngomyalezo wobuxoki wamanzi aze awukhabe umyalezo oyinyaniso wamanzi kaIsaya. Bekufanele abe neentloni ngokuthembela kumyalezo womgunyathi wemvula yamva omelwe ngumkhukula wokumkani wasentla, kodwa uwalahlile umyalezo waseShiloha.

The message of Shiloah in Isaiah eight is the message of the latter rain. The pool of Shiloah is identified in the New Testament as the pool of Siloam. In Hebrew or Greek it means “sent.” It was expedient for Christ to leave that He might “send” the Holy Spirit. Isaiah and Ahaz are at the pool of Shiloah, and the test is based upon whether to have faith in the pool Shiloah as represented by Isaiah and his son, or faith in Rezin and Remaliah’s son? Ahaz is choosing between two waters, the waters of Shiloah or the waters of the King of Assyria. Ahaz rejoiced in the alliance and message represented by Rezin and Remaliah’s son and he therefore received the flood of desolation, instead of the water that runs softly at his judgment. His judgment represents the Sunday law when the king of the north overflows the entire world like a flood. It does so from the Sunday law onward, when the flood of the Midnight Cry is also sweeping the world.

Umyalezo weShiloah kuIsaya isahluko sesibhozo ngumyalezo wemvula yamva. Idama laseShiloah lichongiwe kwiTestamente eNtsha njengedama laseSiloam. NgesiHebhere okanye ngesiGrike lithetha ukuthi “thunyiweyo.” Kwakufanelekile ukuba uKristu ahambe ukuze “athumele” uMoya oyiNgcwele. UIsaya noAhazi bakwidama laseShiloah, yaye uvavanyo lusekelwe ekubeni makube nokholo na kwidama laseShiloah njengoko limelwe nguIsaya nonyana wakhe, okanye ukholo lube kuRezin nonyana kaRemaliya? UAhazi ukhetha phakathi kwamanzi amabini, amanzi aseShiloah okanye amanzi eKumkani yaseAsiriya. UAhazi wavuyela umanyano nomyalezo owawumelwe nguRezin nonyana kaRemaliya, yaye ngoko wamkela umkhukula wentshabalalo, endaweni yamanzi ahamba ngokuzolileyo ngexesha lomgwebo wakhe. Umgwebo wakhe umele umthetho weCawa xa ukumkani wasemntla ephuphuma phezu kwehlabathi liphela njengomkhukula. Wenza njalo ukususela kumthetho weCawa ukuya phambili, xa nomkhukula woKhalelo lwasezinzulwini zobusuku usitshayela ihlabathi ngokunjalo.

Ahaz rejoices in the alliance of the ten northern tribes and Syria, and thus rejoices in the message that combines church and state, as represented by every unlawful alliance found within God’s Word. Isaiah represents a Philadelphian and Ahaz a Laodicean. Christ connects Isaiah’s testimony with His own when He cures the blind man, a Laodicean at the pool of Siloam.

UAhazi uyavuya ngomanyano lwezizwe ezilishumi zasentla neSiriya, yaye ngaloo ndlela uyavuya kumyalezo odibanisa ibandla norhulumente, njengoko umelwe lulo lonke umanyano olungekho mthethweni olufumaneka ngaphakathi kweLizwi likaThixo. UIsaya umele owaseFiladelfiya, kanti uAhazi umele owaseLawodike. UKristu udibanisa ubungqina bukaIsaya nobakhe xa ephilisa indoda eyimfama, owaseLawodike, echibini laseSilowam.

> And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

> Ke kaloku xa uYesu wayedlula, wabona indoda eyayiyimfama kwasekuzalweni kwayo. Abafundi bakhe bambuza, besithi, Mfundisi, ngubani owonayo, yile ndoda, okanye ngabazali bayo, ukuze izalwe iyimfama?

> Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

> UYesu waphendula wathi, Lo mntu akonanga, kwanabazali bakhe abakoni; koko kwenzelwa ukuba imisebenzi kaThixo ibonakaliswe kuye. Ndimele ndisebenze imisebenzi yalowo wandithumayo, kusemini; kuyeza ubusuku, ekungekho bani unako ukusebenza. Logama ndisehlabathini, ndilukhanyiso lwehlabathi. Akuba etshilo oko, watshica emhlabeni, wenza udongwe ngamathe, wawathambisa amehlo emfama ngolo dongwe, Wathi kuye, Hamba uye kuhlamba echibini laseSilowam, (okuthi ngentetho evakalayo kuthiwe, Othunyiweyo.) Wahamba ke ngoko, wahlamba, wabuya ebona.

> The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

> Ngoko ke abamelwane, nabo ababekade bembona ngaphambili ukuba wayengumfama, bathi, Lo asinguye na lo wayehleli ecela? Bambi bathi, Nguye lo; abanye bathi, Uyafana naye; ke yena wathi, Ndim lo. Ngoko ke bathi kuye, Avulwe njani na amehlo akho?

> He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. John 9:1–11.

> Waphendula wathi, Umntu ekuthiwa nguYesu wenza udongwe, wandithambisa amehlo, waza wathi kum, Yiya echibini laseSilowam, uhlambe; ndaza ndahamba ndahlamba, ndabuya ndabona. Yohane 9:1–11.

The blind man along with the foolish and wicked king Ahaz are tested as to whether to place their confidence in the pool of Siloam or the flood of Assyria. The blind man knows he is blind, but Ahaz is rich, increased with goods and in need of nothing. Ahaz is the foolish virgin at the pool of the latter rain, and the blind man a wise virgin. The waters that are Sent from, or the waters that are sent from Assyria are the test.

Indoda eyimfama, kunye nokumkani osisidenge nongendawo uAhazi, bayavavanywa ukuba baya kubeka na ithemba labo echibini laseSilowam okanye kunogumbe waseAsiriya. Indoda eyimfama iyazi ukuba iyimfama, kodwa uAhazi usisityebi, wandile ngeempahla, yaye akaswele nto. UAhazi uyintombi esisidenge echibini lemvula yamva, yaye indoda eyimfama iyintombi enobulumko. Amanzi aThunyelweyo avela, okanye amanzi athunyelwa evela eAsiriya, aluvavanyo.

A pool is where water is gathered together, and prophetically a pool is where the various streams, rivers, creeks, seas, oceans, lakes, rain and dew of all the “waters” which represent the voice of Christ are gathered together. The pool of the latter rain is formed by the water which flows from the upper pool. The pool represents the message of the latter rain in the context of a test. Ahaz rejected the waters that flow softly, but the blind man was obedient to the message connected with the pool. Jesus took some of His Divinity, represented as “spit” and combined it with clay, representing the combination of Divinity with humanity that is accomplished by Christ in the Most Holy Place.

Idama yindawo apho amanzi aqokelelwa khona ndawonye, yaye ngokwesiprofeto idama yindawo apho imijelo eyahlukeneyo, imilambo, imisinga emincinane, iilwandle, iilwandlekazi, amachibi, imvula nombethe wawo onke “amanzi” amele ilizwi likaKristu aqokelelwa khona ndawonye. Idama lemvula yamva lenziwa ngamanzi aqukuqela ephuma kwidama elingasentla. Idama limela isigidimi semvula yamva kwimeko yovavanyo. UAhazi wawalahla amanzi aqukuqela ngokuthambileyo, kodwa indoda eyimfama yayithobela isigidimi esinxulumene nedama. UYesu wathabatha inxalenye yoButhixo baKhe, emelwe “ngamathe,” wayidibanisa nodongwe, olumela ukudityaniswa koButhixo nobuntu okuphunyezwa nguKristu kwiNdawo Engcwele Kakhulu.

Christ spat on the ground and mixed His spit to form clay. He used the message of the combination of Divinity and humanity to anoint the eyes of the blind man. The message represented by the combination of Divinity and humanity is the message of 1888, and it is designed to transform a person from the condition of Laodicea unto the condition of Philadelphia. But the message requires human participation. They must go to the pool, then wash.

UKristu watshica emhlabeni, waxuba amathe Akhe ukuze enze udongwe. Wasebenzisa umyalezo wokudityaniswa kobuThixo nobuntu ukuthambisa amehlo endoda eyayiyimfama. Umyalezo omelwe kukudityaniswa kobuThixo nobuntu ngumyalezo wango-1888, yaye umiselwe ukuguqula umntu esuka kwimeko yaseLawodikea amse kwimeko yaseFiladelfiya. Kodwa ke umyalezo lowo ufuna ukuthabatha inxaxheba komntu. Bamele baye echibini, baze bahlambe.

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God, but Jesus said the blind man and his parents had not sinned. Jesus is removing the question of blame from the blind man’s condition, and identifies him as a man that was raised up to glorify the Lord, and the prophetic man in Bible prophecy that is raised up for the purpose that “the works of God should be made manifest” are the ensign, which is made up of men and women who have transitioned from Laodicea to Philadelphia. The ensign is where the works of God are manifested, for His work was to combine Divinity with humanity (as represented by the ointment of clay), and the trophies of that work are those who not only heard the Laodicean message, but those who followed the prescription in the message. The prescription for the blind man was to go and wash. Once he could see he did not need to try and glorify God, the circumstances surrounding him made that happen.

Bonke bonile baza basilela kuzuko lukaThixo, kodwa uYesu wathi indoda eyimfama nabazali bayo babengonanga. UYesu ususa umbuzo wesityholo kwimeko yale ndoda iyimfama, aze ayichaze njengendoda eyavuselwa phezulu ukuze izukise iNkosi; yaye indoda yesiprofeto ekwisiprofeto seBhayibhile evuselweyo ngenjongo yokuba “imisebenzi kaThixo ibonakaliswe” yiyo ibhanile, eyenziwe ngamadoda nabafazi abatshintshe besuka eLawodike baya eFiladelfiya. Ibhanile yindawo apho imisebenzi kaThixo ibonakaliswa khona, kuba umsebenzi waKhe wawukukudibanisa ubuThixo nobuntu (njengoko bumelwe sisithambiso sodongwe), yaye iindebe zolo msebenzi ngabo abangazange beve kuphela isigidimi saseLawodike, koko ngabalandela umyalelo okwisigidimi. Umyalelo waloo ndoda iyimfama wawukukuba iye ihlambe. Yakuba ibona, yayingasafuneki ukuba izame ukuzukisa uThixo, kuba iimeko eziyijikelezileyo zenza ukuba oko kwenzeke.

It began with Christ’s approach, followed by Christ’s work. The last work of Christ in the Heavenly sanctuary in relation to man is to transform a human being from a valley of dead dry bones, or from being dead in the streets or from being blind as a bat. His last work is to recreate His people into His image, and that is the very work He did when He created Adam out of the dust of the ground, then breathed into him the breath of life. The last work is the first work, for He first made the clay and then anointed that clay with the life of His Spirit. With Adam the Spirit was His breath, with the blind man it was the water. With Ezekiel’s valley of dead bones it was a gathering message which created the body. Then a message of the four winds was breathed upon the body, and then it stood up as an mighty army.

Kwaqalisa ngokusondela kukaKristu, kwalandela umsebenzi kaKristu. Umsebenzi wokugqibela kaKristu engcweleni yaseZulwini ngokunxulumene nomntu kukuguqula umntu aphume kwintlambo yamathambo awomileyo afileyo, okanye ekubeni efile ezitratweni, okanye ekubeni eyimfama ngokupheleleyo. Umsebenzi waKhe wokugqibela kukubumba kwakhona abantu baKhe babe ngokomfanekiso waKhe, yaye lowo kanye ngumsebenzi awawenzayo xa wayedala uAdam ngothuli lomhlaba, waza waphefumlela kuye umphefumlo wobomi. Umsebenzi wokugqibela ngumsebenzi wokuqala, kuba waqala ngokwenza udongwe, waza waluthambisa olo dongwe ngobomi boMoya waKhe. KuAdam uMoya wawungumphefumlo waKhe, kwindoda eyimfama yayiyamanzi. Kwintlambo kaHezekile yamathambo afileyo kwakukho umyalezo wokuhlanganisa owadala umzimba. Emva koko umyalezo wemimoya emine waphefumlelwa phezu komzimba, waza wema ngeenyawo njengomkhosi omkhulu onamandla.

While the blind man was yet blind, Jesus saw Him and then approached him. He approaches the blind man within the context of a question that was raised by His disciples, thus allowing Him to establish the proper prophetic setting for the illustration. The “works of God” are a prophetic symbol upon many various lines of witnesses in the Bible. Every manifestation of the “works of God” in the Scriptures is fulfilled in the time of the latter rain. Jesus is placing the context of the story in terms of the final message, as represented by Elijah in the last verses of Malachi.

Ngoxa lo mntu uyimfama wayesengumfama, uYesu wambona, wandula ke wasondela kuye. Wasondela kuloo mfama ngaphakathi komongo wombuzo owawuphakanyiswe ngabafundi Bakhe, ngaloo ndlela emvumela ukuba amise imeko efanelekileyo yesiprofeto yaloo mzekeliso. “Imisebenzi kaThixo” iluphawu lwesiprofeto kwimigca emininzi eyahlukeneyo yamangqina eBhayibhileni. Konke ukubonakaliswa “kwemisebenzi kaThixo” eziBhalweni kuzaliseka ngexesha lemvula yasemva. UYesu ubeka umongo webali ngokwemigaqo yomyalezo wokugqibela, njengoko umelwe nguEliya kwiindinyana zokugqibela zikaMalaki.

The parents and the blind child are not condemned as sinners, for this is the time of God’s marvelous works, and in that time the hearts of the parents and the hearts of the children will get turned to see the issue at hand. The issue being—whether the blind Laodicean man has been changed into a anointed Philadelphian man. That is the issue that confronts the parents and the child in the time of the latter rain, for that is also the time of judgment. And the time of judgment is carried out during the third and fourth generations according to Abraham’s covenant prophecy. The blind man is the last and fourth generation, and his parents are the third. In that period the Elijah message places families into circumstances where they are forced to accept or reject the message of the pool of Siloam. The foolish and wicked king Ahaz rejected the message of that pool, but the blind man accepted. The Elijah message of Malachi is set in the context of a curse before the great and terrible day of the Lord.

Abazali nomntwana oyimfama abagwetywa njengaboni, kuba eli lixesha lemisebenzi emangalisayo kaThixo, yaye ngelo xesha iintliziyo zabazali neentliziyo zabantwana ziya kuguqulwa ukuze zibone umba okhoyo. Umbandela lowo ngulo—ukuba indoda yaseLawodike eyimfama itshintshiwe yaba yindoda yaseFiladelfiya ethanjisiweyo na. Lowo ngumba ojongene nabazali nomntwana ngexesha lemvula yasemva, kuba elo likwalixesha lomgwebo. Yaye ixesha lomgwebo lenziwa kwisizukulwana sesithathu nesesine ngokwesiprofeto somnqophiso ka-Abraham. Indoda eyimfama sisizukulwana sokugqibela nesesine, yaye abazali bayo basisizukulwana sesithathu. Ngelo xesha isigidimi sikaEliya sibeka iintsapho kwiimeko apho zinyanzeleka ukuba zisamkele okanye zisikhabe isigidimi sechibi laseSilowam. Ukumkani osisidenge nongendawo, uAhazi, wasikhaba isigidimi selo chibi, kodwa indoda eyimfama yasamkela. Isigidimi sikaEliya sikaMalaki simiswe kumxholo wesiqalekiso phambi komhla omkhulu nowoyikekayo weNkosi.

When Jesus organized the setting we are considering, He included in His summary of the purpose of the miracle was that He must work then, for a time will come when no man can work. The work He referred to takes place in the daylight, and the end of work is represented as night. His reference is to the close of probation.

Xa uYesu wayelungiselela imeko esiyiqwalaselayo, waquka kwisishwankathelo saKhe senjongo yommangaliso lowo ukuba wayemelwe kukusebenza ngelo xesha, kuba kuya kufika ixesha apho kungekho namnye umntu uya kuba nako ukusebenza. Umsebenzi awayebhekisa kuwo wenziwa emini, yaye ukuphela komsebenzi kumelwa bubusuku. Oku wayekubhekisa ekupheleni kwexesha lobabalo.

When He finishes His work of judgment, he takes off His priestly garments and puts on His garments of vengeance. When He finishes that work of separating the lost from the saved, the work of salvation ends. Probation is closed and it is now nighttime when no man can work. Christ’s message was not only the Laodicean message to a blind man, but it was the Elijah message set within the context of the nearness of the close of probation, which is Christ’s sanctified motivation to work for the saving of souls.

Xa egqiba umsebenzi waKhe womgwebo, ukhulula izambatho zaKhe zobubingeleli aze anxibe izambatho zaKhe zempindezelo. Xa ewugqiba loo msebenzi wokwahlula abalahlekileyo kwabasindisiweyo, umsebenzi wosindiso uyaphela. Ixesha lovavanyo liyavalwa, ibe ngoku sele kusebusuku apho kungekho mntu unokusebenza. Umyalezo kaKristu wawungengomyalezo waseLawodikea kuphela oya kwimfama, kodwa wawungumyalezo kaEliya obekwe ngaphakathi komxholo wokusondela kokuvalwa kwexesha lovavanyo, nto leyo eyintsusa engcwalisiweyo kaKristu yokusebenza ukuze kusindiswe imiphefumlo.

First Christ approached the blind man, then prepared and applied the ointment, then gave instructions for a work that the blind man must do for himself, and just as importantly is that as he takes up the work his sight is restored. Once he has sight he has transformed from a blind Laodicean into a Philadelphian. The transformation period of those two churches was fulfilled in the beginning from 1856 unto 1863.

Kuqala uKristu wasondela kwimfama, waza walungisa waza wayiqaba loo ntyholo, emva koko wanika imiyalelo ngomsebenzi ekwakufuneka imfama iwuzenzele yona; yaye okubaluleke ngokulinganayo kukuba, xa iwuthabatha loo msebenzi, ukubona kwayo kuyabuyiselwa. Yakuba ibona, iguqukile isuka ekubeni nguLaodikeya oyimfama yaya ekubeni nguFiladelfiya. Ixesha lenguquko lala mabandla mabini lazalisekiswa ekuqaleni, ukususela kowe-1856 ukuya kowe-1863.

That period represents the separation of the wheat and tares, and the final sealing of the one hundred and forty-four thousand who are thereafter lifted up as an ensign. The blind man immediately became the public focus—once he changed from a Laodicean unto a Philadelphian. The blind man is the one hundred and forty-four thousand and the wicked and foolish king Ahaz are the former covenant people who are spewed out of the mouth of the Lord. At the same point in history, Jesus is either using his spit to anoint His new covenant people, or He is spitting the old covenant people out of His mouth.

Elo xesha limela ukwahlulwa kwengqolowa nokhula, nokutywinwa kokugqibela kwamawaka alikhulu anamashumi amane anesine, abathi emva koko baphakanyiswe njengomqondiso. Indoda eyimfama ngoko nangoko yaba yeyona nto ijoliswe luluntu—yakuba itshintshile isuka ekubeni nguLaodike yase yaba nguFiladelfiya. Indoda eyimfama ngamawaka alikhulu anamashumi amane anesine, yaye ukumkani okhohlakeleyo nosisidenge uAhazi ngabantu bomnqophiso wangaphambili abagatywayo emlonyeni weNkosi. Kanye kwelo nqanaba linye lembali, uYesu usenokuba usebenzisa amathe Akhe ukuthambisa abantu Bakhe bomnqophiso omtsha, okanye usuke etshicela abantu bomnqophiso omdala ngaphandle emlonyeni Wakhe.

We will continue these thoughts in the next article.

Siya kuqhubekekisa ezi ngcinga kwinqaku elilandelayo.

> “The Coming Crisis

> “Ingxaki Ezayo”

> “With unerring accuracy the Infinite One keeps an account with all nations. While his mercy is offered with calls to repentance, this account will remain open; but when a certain limit which God has fixed is reached, the ministry of his wrath begins. The account is then closed; divine patience ceases; there is no more pleading for mercy in their behalf.

> “Ngokuchaneka okungaphosiyo Lowo ungenasiphelo ugcina ingxelo ngazo zonke iintlanga. Ngoxa inceba yakhe inikelwa ngezibizo zokuguquka, le ngxelo iya kuhlala ivuliwe; kodwa xa kufikelelwe kumlinganiselo othile awumisele uThixo, ulungiselelo lwengqumbo yakhe luyaqalisa. Ingxelo ke iyavalwa; umonde wobuthixo uyaphela; akusabikho kubongoza inceba ngenxa yazo.

> “The prophet, looking down the ages, had our time presented before his vision. The nations of this age have been the recipients of unprecedented mercies. The choicest of Heaven’s blessings have been given them; but increased pride, covetousness, idolatry, contempt of God, and base ingratitude, are written against them. They are fast closing up their account with God.

> “Umprofeti, ekhangela phantsi kwizizukulwana, waboniswa ixesha lethu embonweni wakhe. Iintlanga zeli xesha zibe ngabamkeleli beenceba ezingazange zabonwa ngaphambili. Ezona ntsikelelo zikhethiweyo zaseZulwini zinikiwe zona; kodwa ukwanda kwekratshi, kokunyoluka, kokunqula izithixo, kokudelela uThixo, nokungabuleli okusezantsi, kubhaliwe nxamnye nazo. Ziyakhawuleza ukuvala ingxelo yazo noThixo.

> “The days are fast approaching when there will be great perplexity and confusion in the religious world. There will be gods many and lords many; every wind of doctrine will be blowing; and Satan, clothed in angel robes, would deceive, if it were possible, the very elect.

> “Iintsuku zisondela ngokukhawuleza xa kuya kubakho ukudideka okukhulu nokuxhalaba ehlabathini lonqulo. Kuya kubakho oothixo abaninzi neenkosi ezininzi; yonke imimoya yemfundiso iya kuvuthuza; yaye uSathana, enxibe iingubo zeengelosi, angabakhohlisa, ukuba bekunokwenzeka, kwanabakhethiweyo kanye.”

> “The universal scorn thrown upon true piety and holiness, leads those who have not a living connection with God to lose their reverence for his law. And as the disrespect for the divine law becomes more manifest, the line of demarcation between its observers and the world and a world-loving church will become more distinct. Love of God’s precepts increases with one class, according as contempt for them increases with the other.

> “Ukudelelwa ngokubanzi okuphoswa phezu kobungcwele bokwenyaniso nokuhlonela uThixo ngokunyanisekileyo, kukhokelela abo bangenalo unxibelelwano oluphilayo noThixo ekubeni balahlekelwe yintlonelo yabo ngomthetho wakhe. Kwaye njengoko ukungahlonelwa komthetho kaThixo kuya kusiba kubonakala ngakumbi, umgca wokwahlula phakathi kwabagcini bawo nehlabathi, kunye necawa ethanda ihlabathi, uya kusiba ngocacileyo ngakumbi. Uthando lwemimiselo kaThixo luyanda kwelinye iqela, kanye njengoko ukudelelwa kwayo kusanda kwelinye.”

> “The great I AM is vindicating his law. He is speaking to those who make it void in storms, in floods, in tempests, in earthquakes, in perils by land and by sea. Now is the time for his people to show themselves true to principle.

> “OMKHULU NDINGUYE uyalithethelela umthetho wakhe. Uthetha kwabo bawenza ilize phakathi kwezaqhwithi, phakathi kwezikhukula, phakathi kweemimoya ezinamandla, phakathi kweenyikima zomhlaba, phakathi kweengozi emhlabeni naselwandle. Ngoku lixesha lokuba abantu bakhe bazibonakalise benyanisekile kumgaqo-siseko.

> “We are standing on the threshold of great and solemn events. The Lord is at the door. Upon the Mount of Olives the Saviour rehearsed the scenes that were to precede this great event: ‘Ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars,’ he said. ‘Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.’ While these prophecies received a partial fulfilment at the destruction of Jerusalem, they have a more direct application in the last days.

> “Simi phezu komnyango weziganeko ezinkulu nezindilisekileyo. INkosi isemnyango. Phezu kweNtaba yemiNquma uMsindisi wacacisa kwangaphambili imiboniso eyayiza kwandulela esi siganeko sikhulu esithi: ‘Niya kuva ngeemfazwe namarhe eemfazwe,’ watsho. ‘Uhlanga luya kuvukela uhlanga, nobukumkani buvukele ubukumkani; kuya kubakho iindlala, neendyikitya zokufa, neenyikima zomhlaba kwiindawo ngeendawo. Zonke ezi zizintshayelelo zentlungu.’ Nangona ezi ziprofeto zafezekiswa ngokuyinxenye ekutshatyalalisweni kweYerusalem, zinokusetyenziswa okungakumbi ngokuthe ngqo kwimihla yokugqibela.

> “John and the other prophets also were witnesses of the terrible scenes that will take place as signs of Christ’s coming. They saw armies mustering for battle, and men’s hearts failing them for fear. They saw the earth moved out of its place, the mountains carried into the midst of the sea, the waves thereof roaring and troubled, and the mountains shaking with the swelling thereof. They saw the vials of God’s wrath opened, and pestilence, famine, and death come upon the inhabitants of the earth.

> “UYohane nabanye abaprofeti nabo babengamangqina emiboniso eyoyikekayo eya kwenzeka njengemiqondiso yokufika kukaKristu. Babona imikhosi iqokelelana ilungiselela idabi, neentliziyo zabantu ziphelelwa ngamandla ngenxa yokoyika. Babona umhlaba ushukunyiswa uphume endaweni yawo, iintaba ziphoswa phakathi kolwandle, amaza alo egquma aze abe nesiphithiphithi, neentaba zinyikima ngenxa yokudumba kwalo. Babona iingqayi zengqumbo kaThixo zivulwa, nobhubhane, nendlala, nokufa kusiza phezu kwabemi bomhlaba.

> “Already the restraining Spirit of God is being withdrawn from the world. And hurricanes, tempests, disasters by sea and land, follow each other in quick succession. Science seeks to explain all these. The signs thickening around us, telling of the near approach of the Son of God, are attributed to any other than the true cause. Men cannot discern the sentinel angels restraining the four winds that they may not blow until the servants of God are sealed; but when God shall bid his angels loose the winds, there will be such a scene of his avenging wrath as no pen can picture.

> “Sele uMoya kaThixo othintelayo sele erhoxiswa ehlabathini. Kwaye iinkanyamba, izaqhwithi, iintlekele zaselwandle nasemhlabeni, zilandelana ngokukhawuleza okukhulu. Inzululwazi ifuna ukuzichaza zonke ezi zinto. Imiqondiso eyandayo isijikelezile, esixelela ngokusondela kokufika koNyana kaThixo, ichazwa ngayo nayiphi na enye into ngaphandle kwesona sizathu siyinyaniso. Abantu abakwazi ukuqonda iingelosi ezingabalindi ezithintela imimoya emine ukuze ingavuthuzi de abakhonzi bakaThixo batywinwe; kodwa xa uThixo eya kuthi ayalele iingelosi zakhe ukuba ziyikhulule imimoya, kuya kubakho umbono wengqumbo yakhe ephindezelayo ongenakuchazwa nangayiphi na ipeni.

> “A crisis is just upon us; but God’s servants are not to trust to themselves in this great emergency. In the visions given to Isaiah, Ezekiel, and John, we see how closely heaven is connected with the events transpiring upon the earth. We see the care of God for those who are loyal to him. The world is not without a ruler. The program of coming events is in the hands of the Lord. The Majesty of heaven has the destiny of nations, as well as the concerns of his church, in his own keeping.

> “Intlekele isemnyango phezu kwethu; kodwa abakhonzi bakaThixo mabangazithembi ngokwabo kolu ngxamiseko lukhulu. Emibonweni eyanikwa uIsaya, uHezekile, noYohane, siyabona indlela izulu elinxulumene ngokusondeleyo ngayo neziganeko ezenzekayo emhlabeni. Siyalubona ukhathalelo lukaThixo kwabo banyanisekileyo kuye. Ihlabathi alinambusi. Inkqubo yeziganeko ezizayo isezandleni zeNkosi. Ubungangamsha bezulu bunekamva leentlanga, kwakunye nemicimbi yebandla lakhe, ekugcineni kwabo ngesandla sakhe.”

> “God has revealed what is to take place in the last days, that his people may be prepared to stand against the tempests of opposition and wrath. Those who have been warned of the events before them are not to sit in calm expectation of the coming storm, comforting themselves that the Lord will shelter his faithful ones in the day of trouble. We are to be as men waiting for their Lord, not in idle expectancy, but in earnest work, with unwavering faith. It is no time now to allow our minds to be engrossed with things of minor importance.

> “UThixo usityhile oko kuya kwenzeka ngemihla yokugqibela, ukuze abantu bakhe balungiselelwe ukuma ngokuchasene nezaqhwithi zenkcaso nengqumbo. Abo balunyukiswe ngeziganeko eziphambi kwabo mabangahlali kulindelo oluzolileyo lwesaqhwithi esizayo, bezithuthuzela ngokuthi iNkosi iya kukhusela abathembekileyo bayo ngemini yembandezelo. Simele sibe njengabantu abalindele iNkosi yabo, kungekhona ngolindelo olungasebenziyo, kodwa ngomsebenzi onyanisekileyo, benokholo olungagungqiyo. Eli asiseloxesha ngoku lokuvumela iingqondo zethu zixakekiswe zizinto ezinokubaluleka okuncinane.”

> “While men are sleeping, Satan is actively arranging matters so that the Lord’s people may not have mercy or justice. The Sunday movement is now making its way in darkness. The leaders are concealing the true issue, and many who unite in the movement do not themselves see whither the under-current is tending. Its professions are mild, and apparently Christian; but when it shall speak, it will reveal the spirit of the dragon. It is our duty to do all in our power to avert the threatened danger. We should bring before the people the real question at issue, thus interposing the most effectual protest against measures to restrict liberty of conscience. We should search the Scriptures, and be able to give the reason for our faith. Says the prophet, ‘The wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.’

> “Ngoxa abantu belele, uSathana usebenza ngamandla ekulungiseleleni izinto ukuze abantu beNkosi bangafumani nceba okanye bulungisa. Intshukumo yeCawa ngoku ihamba ngendlela yobumnyama. Iinkokeli ziyawufihla umba wokwenyaniso, yaye abaninzi abadibana nale ntshukumo abaziboni bona ngokwabo apho umsinga ongaphantsi usingise khona. Iingxelo zayo zithambile, yaye kubonakala ngathi zingezobuKristu; kodwa xa iya kuthetha, iya kutyhila umoya wenamba. Luxanduva lwethu ukwenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuthintela ingozi esongelayo. Simele ukubeka phambi kwabantu owona mbuzo uxokozelayo, ngaloo ndlela simise olona qhankqalazo lusebenzayo ngokuchasene nemilinganiselo yokuthintela inkululeko yesazela. Simele ukuphengulula iziBhalo, size sikwazi ukunika isizathu sokholo lwethu. Utsho umprofeti ukuthi, ‘Abangendawo baya kwenza okungendawo, yaye akukho namnye kwabangendawo oya kuqonda; kodwa izilumko ziya kuqonda.’”

> “The important future is before us. To meet its trials and temptations, and to perform its duties, will require great faith, energy, and perseverance. But we may triumph gloriously; for not one watching, praying, believing soul will be ensnared by the devices of the enemy. All heaven is interested in our welfare, and waits our demand upon its wisdom and strength. Every opposing influence, whether open or secret, may be successfully resisted, ‘not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.’ God is just as willing now as anciently to work through human efforts, and to accomplish great things through weak instrumentalities. We shall not gain the victory through numbers, but through full surrender of the soul to Jesus.

> “Ikamva elibalulekileyo liphambi kwethu. Ukuze sihlangabezane neengxaki zalo nezilingo zalo, nokufeza imisebenzi yalo, kuya kufuneka ukholo olukhulu, amandla, nokunyamezela. Kodwa sinokoyisa ngozuko; kuba akukho namnye umphefumlo ophaphileyo, othandazayo, okholwayo, oya kubanjiswa ngamacebo otshaba. Izulu lonke linomdla kwimpilo-ntle yethu, yaye lilindele ukuba sicenge ubulumko namandla alo. Yonke impembelelo echasayo, nokuba ivulekile okanye ifihlakele, inokuchaswa ngempumelelo, ‘kungabi ngamandla, kungabi ngabugorha, kodwa ngoMoya wam, utsho uYehova wemikhosi.’ UThixo usakulungele kanye ngoku njengakudala ukusebenza ngeenzame zabantu, nokuphumeza izinto ezinkulu ngezixhobo ezibuthathaka. Asiyi kuluzuza uloyiso ngamanani, kodwa ngokunikezela ngokupheleleyo komphefumlo kuYesu.

> “Now, while mercy still lingers, while Jesus is making intercession for us, let us make thorough work for eternity.” Southern Watchman, December 25, 1906.

> “Ngoku, ngoxa inceba isahleli, ngoxa uYesu esenzela ukuthethelela, masenze umsebenzi opheleleyo ngenxa yobunaphakade.” Southern Watchman, December 25, 1906.

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