Isahluko 7 — Ukuthuthuka Okusheshayo Komyalezo

GSAM 126.1“NGABONA enye ingelosi enamandla iyehla isuka ezulwini, egqoke ifu: kwakukhona uthingo ekhanda lakhe, nobuso bakhe babungathi ilanga, nezinyawo zakhe zazifana nezinsika zomlilo; wayephethe encwadini encane evulekile esandleni sakhe: wabeka unyawo lwakhe lwesokudla olwandle, nolwesobunxele emhlabeni, wakhala ngelizwi elikhulu, njengokukhala kwengonyama; futhi lapho esekhale, ukuduma okuyisikhombisa kwazwakalisa amazwi ako.... Futhi ingelosi engayibona imi olwandle nasemhlabeni yaphakamisa isandla sayo phezulu ezulwini, yafunga ngalowo ophilayo unaphakade nanaphakade, owadala izulu nezinto ezikulo, nomhlaba nezinto ezikulo, nolwandle nezinto ezikulo, ukuthi isikhathi ngeke sibe khona: kodwa ezinsukwini zokuzwakala kwezwi lengelosi yesikhombisa, lapho izoqala ukubetha icilongo, imfihlakalo kaNkulunkulu izopheleliswa, njengoba ayishilo ezincekweni zakhe, abaprofethi.”¹

GSAM 126Ingelosi Isibonakaliso Sabathunywa Babantu

GSAM 126.2Njengoba sekubonisiwe, umsebenzi wokushumayela ivangeli unikezwe umuntu, futhi iNkosi ithembise ukubusisa lo msebenzi kuze kube “sekupheleni kwezwe”.² Ngakho-ke ingelosi ethwala lo myalezo kumele ibe isibonakaliso somyalezo ophathelene nesikhathi ozoshunyayelwa kubahlali bomhlaba. Lo myalezo umemezelwa encwadini “evulekile”, okusho ngokusobala ukuthi yayivaliwe ngaphambilini. Laba bathunywa bayahlonishwa nguNkulunkulu; ngoba “uthingo,” uphawu lwesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, uphezu kwabo, futhi bemi begqoke ukukhanya kobuqaqawuli bukaNkulunkulu, futhi bamemezela umyalezo ngokugunyazwa koMdali wazo zonke izinto. Lokho okumenyezelwe lapha kuwumyalezo wesikhathi, owake “wavalwa,” kodwa manje umemezelwa encwadini “evulekile.”

GSAM 127.1Ezahlukweni zangaphambilini sekufakazelwe ukuthi iNkosi yaphawula isikhathi lapho ukukhanya bekuzonikezwa maqondana nokuphela kwesikhathi esikhulu sobuprofethi—izinsuku eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili namakhulu amathathu—okuqondisa ekwahlulelweni kokuphenya; ukuthi isiprofetho sokuthi ulwazi luzokwanda sagcwaliseka ngokunembile ngokuvusa abaningi ayebembulele lokho kukhanya; futhi ukuthi waphinde waphawula isikhathi lapho “isifaniso somuthi wefigi” bekufanele sifundwe khona, ngokuvusa abafundisi bakhe ngaleso sikhathi lapho ukuze baphume bamemezele leso sifaniso emhlabeni. Ngokunembile kanjalo waphawula iphuzu lapho umyalezo wesikhathi bekufanele ukhule ube ukukhala okukhulu, futhi ngokunembile kanjalo kwafezeka.

GSAM 127Ukukhala Okukhulu Komyalezo Wokuqala

GSAM 127.2Iphuzu lesikhathi lapho ukukhala okukhulu walesi simemezelo kwakufanele wenziwe liyindaba ethakazelisayo. Leli phakathi kokushaya kwezithrompethi zesithupha nesikhombisa, okungabonakala hhayi kuphela ngokuma kwalo eMibhalweni, kodwa nangokomyalezo uqobo, othi: “Ezinsukwini zizwi lengelosi yesikhombisa, lapho izoqala ukukhala, imfihlakalo kaNkulunkulu izophela, njengoba esebikile ezincekweni zakhe abaprofethi.” Lokhu kuwubufakazi obuqinile bokuthi isikhathi esimemezelwe kulo myalezo sihlanganisa kuze kube sekukhaliweni kwethrompethi yesikhombisa.

GSAM 127Isikhathi Sokukhala Okukhulu

GSAM 127.3Lapho ingelosi yesikhombisa ishaya ithrompethi, sifunda ukuthi “ithempeli likaNkulunkulu lavulwa ezulwini, kwabonakala ethempelini lakhe umphongolo wesivumelwano sakhe.”³ Enkonzweni yendawo engcwele yasemhlabeni, igumbi elaliqukethe umphongolo—indawo engcwele kunazo zonke—lavulwa kanye ngonyaka kuphela; kwakungosuku lokuxolelwa izono, ngenhloso yokusula izono—ukuhlanza indawo engcwele. Isikhathi okukhulunywa ngaso ngabaprofethi, lapho lo msebenzi wokuhlanza, owenziwe nguKristu, wawuzokwenzeka ekupheleni kwezinsuku eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili namakhulu amathathu.⁴ Kuphinde kwashiwo ukuthi lapho ingelosi yesikhombisa ishaya ithrompethi, amazwi ezulwini athi sekufikile isikhathi sokwahlulelwa kwabafileyo.⁵

GSAM 128.1Lesi sibonakaliso sobuprofethi seSambulo 10 sibonisa isikhathi lapho lo myalezo uzokhishwa “ngezwi elikhulu,” futhi ekugcineni, “njengokukhala kwengonyama.” Isikhathi lapho, ngokwalobu buprofethi, umyalezo wawuzokhula ube “ukukhala okukhulu” siqala ekupheleni kwethrompethi yesithupha kuze kube sekupheleni kwaleso sikhathi sobuprofethi esiholela ekuhlanzeni indawo engcwele, ngamanye amazwi, ekupheleni kwezinsuku eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili namakhulu amathathu. Izithrompethi zokuqala ezine zagcwaliseka ezimeni zempi zamaGoths, amaVandals, amaHuns, njll., ezahlukanisa iRoma YaseNtshonalanga yaba izingxenye eziyishumi noma imibuso.

GSAM 128Ithrompethi Yesihlanu

GSAM 128.2Ithrompethi yesihlanu iveza ukuvuka kobuSulumane ngenkungu yamaphutha, kodwa ikakhulukazi isikhathi “sezinyanga ezinhlanu”, noma iminyaka eyikhulu namashumi amahlanu ngokoqobo kusukela ngesikhathi “babe nombusi phezu kwabo.” NgoJulayi 27, 1299, u-Othman, umsunguli wombuso wama-Ottoman, wahlasela indawo yaseNicomedia. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi ama-Ottoman ahlukumeza futhi “ahlukumeza” umbuso waseMpumalanga waseRoma kuze kube nguJulayi 27, 1449, iminyaka eyikhulu namashumi amahlanu yokushaya kwethrompethi yesihlanu. Ngaleso sikhathi amaTurkey afika ngamabutho awo edolobheni laseConstantinople uqobo, esebenzisa impuphu eqhumayo empini; futhi besebenzisa inganono esindayo, ngokusho kombhali womlando uGibbon, eyayidinga izinkomo ezingamashumi ayisithupha ukuze idonswe, badubula amatshe amakhulu odongeni lweConstantinople.

GSAM 128Ukuvalwa KweTrompethi Yesithupha

GSAM 128.3Ngaleso sikhathi uJohn Palleologus, obhalwe ngababhali bomlando njengombusi waseGrisi wokugcina, washona. UConstantine Decozes wayeyindlalifa eqondile yesihlalo sobukhosi, kodwa kuthiwa ukwesaba kwakhe u-Amurath, iSultan yamaTurkey, owayelwa naye kule mpi, kwamenza acele imvume ku-Amurath yokukhuphuka esihlalweni sobukhosi. Isenzo esinjalo sasizovela cishe njengokunikeza isihlalo sobukhosi kumaTurkey. Eqinisweni, kungakapheli sikhathi eside ama-Ottoman athola idolobha laseConstantinople nombuso waseRoma waseMpumalanga. Ngakho-ke bona (ngokwezombusazwe) “babulala” lowo mbuso ababeqala “bahlupha.” Babemelwe “ukubulala” lowo mbuso “ihora elilodwa, nosuku olulodwa, nenyanga eyodwa, nonyaka owodwa.”

GSAM 129.1Uma lokhu kuthathwa njengokwesiprofetho, usuku luyonyaka, kungaba yisikhathi esingakanani? Inkinga ilula: unyaka unezinsuku ezingama-360; inyanga inezi-30; nosuku olulodwa luyonyaka owodwa—konke kungama-391 ezinsuku, noma ngokoqobo, iminyaka engu-391. Ihora eliyingxenye yamashumi amabili nane yosuku, njengesibonakaliso, lingaba isigamu senyanga, noma izinsuku eziyishumi nanhlanu. Isikhathi sonke sobukhosi obuzimele bamaSulumane esifundeni saseRoma saseMpumalanga ngaleyo ndlela sizoba iminyaka engu-391 nezinsuku eziyishumi nanhlanu. Lokhu kufakwa kuJulayi 27, 1449, kusiholela ku-Agasti 11, 1840, ekupheleni kwesikhathi sokuzimela kwamaTurkey, njengoba kuchazwe ngaphansi kwethrompethi yesithupha.

GSAM 129UDkt. Josiah Litch Ubikezela Ukuwa Kombuso Wama-Ottoman

GSAM 129.2Ngo-1838 uDkt. Josiah Litch, wasePhiladelphia, ePennsylvania, ngemva kokwamukela iqiniso elachazwa nguWilliam Miller, wahlanganyela emsebenzini wokwazisa umyalezo kabanzi. Walungiselela izihloko zoshicilelo lomphakathi ngesihloko sezithrompethi eziyisikhombisa zeSambulo. Wathatha isikhundla esiqinile sokuthi ithrompethi yesithupha izoyeka ukukhala futhi amandla ama-Ottoman awele ngosuku lwe-11 ku-Agasti 1840, nokuthi lokho kuzoveza emhlabeni ukuthi usuku ekuphrofethweni okufanekiswayo kumela unyaka wangempela.

GSAM 129.3Abanye babafowethu, ngisho nalabo abakholelwa naye kule ndaba, bathuthumela ngokwesaba ngomphumela “uma kungeke kwenzeke” njengoba ayekushilo. Lokhu, nokho, akuzange kumethuse, kodwa waqhubeka wenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukwazisa umbono wakhe ngendaba yaseTurkey. Amaphephandaba omphakathi asabalalisa isimangalo ayesenzile ngalesi sihloko. Amakilabhu abangakholwayo axoxa ngalolu daba emihlanganweni yawo, athi, “Nansi indoda ezibeka engcupheni, futhi uma le ndaba iphuma njengoba ethi, izomisa isimangalo sakhe ngaphandle kokungabaza sokuthi usuku olulodwa esiprofethweni lumela unyaka owodwa, nokuthi izinsuku eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili namakhulu amathathu ziyiminyaka eyizinkulungwane ezimbili namakhulu amathathu, nokuthi zizoqedwa ngo-1844.”

GSAM 130.1Ukuphrintwa kwenkulumo kaDkt. Litch kwadala ukuduma okukhulu, kwathi izinkulungwane zabantu zabizwa ukuba zilindele ukuphela kwezinselelo ezaziphakathi kukaMehemet Ali, ipasha yaseGibhithe, noSultan waseTurkey. Amakhulu athi, “Uma le ndaba iphela njengoba udokotela ekhulumile, izoqinisa umgomo wokuthi ‘usuku luyonyaka’ ekuchazeni isikhathi esifanekiswayo, futhi sizoba ama-Adventist.”

GSAM 130USultan waseTurkey Esempini noPasha waseGibhithe

GSAM 130.2Eminyakeni embalwa ngaphambi kuka-1840, iSultan yayibandakanyekile empini noMehemet Ali, iPasha yaseGibhithe. Ngo-1838 inkinga phakathi kweSultan nomuntu wakhe waseGibhithe yavinjwa okwesikhashana ngenxa yomthelela wabathunywa bamazwe angaphandle. Ngo-1839, nokho, impi yaqala futhi, yaqhubeka kuze kwaba impi enkulu phakathi kwemikhosi kaSultan noMehemet, lapho ibutho likaSultan labhujiswa ngokuphelele, futhi imikhumbi yakhe yathathwa nguMehemet yathuthelwa eGibhithe. USultan wayehlisiwe ngokuphelele kangangokuba, lapho impi iqala futhi ngo-Agasti, wayenazo kuphela izikebhe ezimbili ezinkulu nezifrijethi ezintathu njengamasalela adabukisayo wemikhumbi yamaTurkey eyake yaba namandla. Le mikhumbi uMehemet wenqaba ngokuqinile ukuyiyekela ibuyele kuSultan, wathi uma amandla ezizwe ezazama ukuyithatha kuye, wayezoyishisa. Kwase kumi izinto kanjalo, ngonyaka ka-1840, iNgilandi, iRussia, i-Austria nePrussia zangenelela, zaze zanquma ukuxazulula le nkinga; ngoba kwakucacile ukuthi, uma zimshiya yedwa, uMehemet wayezoba ngumnikazi wesihlalo sobukhosi bukaSultan kungekudala.

GSAM 131Ukungenelela Kwamandla Ahlangene

GSAM 131.1“USultan wamukela lokhu kungenelela kwamandla ahlangene, ngaleyo ndlela wanikela ngokuzithandela lo mbuzo ezandleni zawo. Kwahlelwa ingqungquthela yala mandla eLondon, lapho uSheikh Effendi Bey Likgis ayekhona njengommeli ophelele wama-Ottoman. Kwakhiwa i-ultimatum eyayizokwethulwa kuPasha waseGibhithe, lapho iSultan wayezomnikela khona ngobuholi bezizukulwane baseGibhithe, kanye nazo zonke izingxenye zaseSyria ezisukela ethekwini laseSuez ziye echibini laseTiberias, kuhlanganise nesifunda sase-Acre, impilo yakhe yonke; yena, ngakolunye uhlangothi, wayezohoxa kuzo zonke ezinye izingxenye zombuso weSultan ayezibambe ngaleso sikhathi, futhi abuyisele imikhumbi yama-Ottoman. Uma enqaba lesi siphakamiso esivela kusultan, amandla amane ayezothatha udaba ezandleni zawo, futhi asebenzise ezinye izindlela ukuze amqinisekise ukuthi uyavuma, njengoba ebona kufanelekile.

GSAM 131.2“Kwabonakala ngokusobala ukuthi ngokushesha nje lapho le ultimatum seyibekwe ezandleni zikaMehemet Ali, lolu daba lwalungeke luphinde lulawulwe ngowangaphambilini [uSultan], futhi ukuphathwa kwezindaba zakhe, kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, kwakuzoba ezandleni zamandla angaphandle.

GSAM 131Isiprofetho Sagcwaliseka—Ukuphela Kokuzimela KwaseTurkey

GSAM 131.3“USultan wathumela uRifat Bey ngesikebhe sikahulumeni e-Alexandria, ukuze amtshele i-ultimatum kuPasha. Yafakwa ezandleni zakhe, futhi wamukelwa yena, ngosuku lwe-11 ku-Agasti 1840! Ngaleso suku iSultan wathumela inothi kubathunywa bezizwe ezine, ebabuza ukuthi yiliphi icebo elizolandelwa uma iPasha ingavumi ukulandela imigomo ye-ultimatum; baphendula bathi sekucatshangwe konke, futhi akudingeki azikhathaze nganoma yisiphi isimo esingavela. Ngalolu suku isikhathi seminyaka engu-391 nezinsuku eziyishumi nanhlanu esabelwe ukuqhubeka kwamandla ama-Ottoman siphelile; kwathi inkululeko kaSultan yayiphi?—Yaphela!”⁶

GSAM 132.1Kusukela ngalolo suku kuze kube manje iSultan kumele ahambe ngaphansi kwemiyalelo yamandla, abuke ukwahlukaniswa kombuso wakhe, njengoba ingxenye ngengxenye yayinikezwa ukuze bayisebenzisele bona.

GSAM 132Ukuthakazelela Komphakathi Eziprofethweni Kuvuswe

GSAM 132.2Lokhu kugcwaliseka okumangalisayo kwesiprofetho kwaba nomthelela omkhulu ezingqondweni zomphakathi. Kwakhuphula intshisekelo yabantu ekuzweni ngesihloko seziprofetho esezigcwalisekile nasezigcwalisekayo. UDkt. Litch wathi phakathi kwezinyanga ezimbalwa emva kuka-Agasti 11, 1840, wamukela izincwadi ezivela kubantu abangaphezu kwenkulungwane abangakholwa, abanye babo babe abaholi bamakilabhu abangakholwa, lapho babesho khona ukuthi bayekile impi yokulwa neBhayibheli, futhi bayamukele njengokudalulwa kukaNkulunkulu kumuntu. Abanye babo baguquka ngokuphelele baya kuNkulunkulu, futhi inani labo laba izikhulumi ezinamandla emkhankasweni omkhulu wokubuya kwesibili kukaKristu. Abanye baziveze kuDkt. Litch ngale ndlela: “Besithi abachazayo iziprofetho basebenzisa amakhasi omlando agugile ukuze baqinise izimangalo zabo zokugcwaliseka kweziprofetho; kodwa kulokhu sinamaqiniso aphilayo phambi kwamehlo ethu.”

GSAM 132.3Ukuze ngiveze ukuthi kanjani, ngesikhathi sokuphela kwethrompethi yesithupha, umyalezo wokufika kukaKristu waqala ukuya “ngezwi elikhulu,” ngizokhuluma ngodaba olwalibikwe kimi ngomunye wababambe iqhaza kulo myalezo.

GSAM 132.4Ngonyaka ka-1840, u-E. C. Williams, umenzi wamatende namaseli omkhumbi omkhulu waseRochester, eNew York, wamukela lo myalezo, wamema oMfundisi uMiller noHimes ukuthi beze eRochester bakhulume nezinkulungwane zalelo dolobha. Baphendula bathi babengenayo imali edingekayo ukuqasha ihholo elaneleyo ukwamukela abantu. Waphendula wathi, “Nginetende eliyindilinga elinobubanzi obuyi-120 feet. Ngizolimisa, ngilihlele, futhi ngilinakekele mahhala. Woza nikhankase umyalezo.” “Bafika,” wangitshela, “futhi itende alizange libe nendawo ngisho nesigamu sabo bonke ababeze ukuzolalela, ngakho ngafaka isihlanganisi esingu-40-foot, kwenza itende libe ngu-160 x 120 feet ngobukhulu. Leli tende lagcwaliswa abantu nsuku zonke, futhi amakhulu abantu agcwala eduze ngaphandle, bonke befuna ukuzwa izwi.”

GSAM 133Amakhulu Abamemezela Umyalezo

GSAM 133.1Ukuze kuhlangatshezwane nentshisekelo ekhulayo, kwasetshenziswa amatende amakhulu, kwabanjwa nemihlangano emahlathini ngesikhathi sasehlobo. Ezinye zezakhiwo zamabandla ezinkulu kakhulu namahholo omphakathi zazisetshenziswa ebusika, futhi zonke zagcwala ngokuphelele ngalabo ababekhona abanesithakazelo. Esikhundleni sokuba uMfundisi Miller manje ame “yedwa cishe” ekushumayeleni umyalezo, njengoba ayenzile ngaphambi kuka-1840, cishe abantu abangamakhulu amathathu bahlanganyela naye ekumemezelweni esidlangalaleni kokuphela kwesikhathi sezinsuku eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili namakhulu amathathu, bamemeza bathi, “Sekungeke kube nesikhathi esisele,” kanye nokuthi, “Isikhathi sokwahlulela kwakhe sesifikile.” Ngakho-ke siyabona ukuthi lapho sekufika isikhathi seNkosi sokuthi lo myalezo uthuthuke emhlabeni wonke, izwi lakhe lagcwaliseka, kwathi izigidi zabantu zavuselelwa isifiso sokuzwa lesi sibizo.

GSAM 133.2Lokho okwakuyiqiniso ngomkhankaso eMelika kwakuyiqiniso nakwamanye amazwe. Kusukela ngonyaka ka-1840, esikhundleni sabantu abambalwa abasabalalisa izincwadi zabo, amashumi abantu avela phambili, njengokuthi, ukumemezela lesi simemezelo. ENgilandi kwakukhona abashumayeli abangamakhulu ayisikhombisa beBandla laseNgilandi bodwa bamemezela lo myalezo, singasakhulumi ngabanye abaningi ababebamba iqhaza kulo msebenzi ofanayo. Emazweni angaphezu kwamashumi amabili aphambili emhlabeni, lo myalezo wawuhamba ngomdlandla owawenza ababukeli bathi, “Laba bantu bazimisele ngempela.”