📖 Ufunuo — Somo la Kina — Sehemu ya 11: Kurudi kwa Kristo, Utawala wa Miaka Elfu, na Hukumu📖 Revelation Intensive — Unit 11: The Return of Christ, the Millennium, and Judgment

Maandiko: Ufunuo wa Yohana 19-20Text: Revelation 19-20

Haleluya za Mbinguni na Arusi ya Mwana-KondooHeaven's Hallelujahs and the Marriage of the Lamb

Anguko la Babeli linafuatwa na shangwe mbinguni. Mkutano mkubwa unalia, "Haleluya; wokovu na utukufu na heshima na nguvu zina Bwana Mungu wetu; kwa kuwa hukumu zake ni za kweli, na za haki" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 19:1-2). Mara nne katika mistari hii mbingu zinaimba "Haleluya," neno lisilopatikana mahali pengine popote katika Agano Jipya, na wale wazee ishirini na wanne na wale wenye uhai wanne wanaanguka na kusujudu. Kisha sauti inatangaza badiliko kuu: "Haleluya; kwa kuwa Bwana Mungu wetu, Mwenyezi, amemiliki. Tufurahi, tushangilie, tumtukuze; kwa kuwa arusi ya Mwana-Kondoo imekuja, na mkewe amejiweka tayari" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 19:6-7). Bibi-arusi ni kanisa, naye amevikwa kitani nzuri, ing'aayo, safi, "kwa maana kitani nzuri ni matendo ya haki ya watakatifu" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 19:8). Baraka inatamkwa: "Heri walioalikwa karamu ya arusi ya Mwana-Kondoo" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 19:9). Yohana anapoanguka ili kumsujudia malaika anayemwonyesha mambo haya, malaika anakataza, akisema, "Msujudie Mungu; kwa maana ushuhuda wa Yesu ndio roho ya unabii" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 19:10).The fall of Babylon gives way to rejoicing in heaven. A great multitude cries, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments" (Revelation 19:1-2). Four times in these verses heaven sings "Alleluia," a word found nowhere else in the New Testament, and the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fall down and worship. Then a voice declares the great turning point: "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready" (Revelation 19:6-7). The bride is the church, and she is arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, "for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints" (Revelation 19:8). A blessing is pronounced: "Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb" (Revelation 19:9). When John falls to worship the angel who shows him these things, the angel forbids it, saying, "Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Revelation 19:10).

Mpanda Farasi MweupeThe Rider on the White Horse

Sasa mbingu zenyewe zinafunguka, na Yohana anamwona Kristo anayerudi katika utukufu. Farasi mweupe anatokea, "na yeye aliyempanda aitwa Mwaminifu na Wa-kweli, naye kwa haki ahukumu na kufanya vita" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 19:11). Macho yake ni kama mwali wa moto, juu ya kichwa chake kuna vilemba vingi, naye ana jina asilolijua mtu ila Yeye mwenyewe. Amevikwa vazi lililochovywa katika damu, na "jina lake aitwa Neno la Mungu" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 19:13). Majeshi ya mbinguni yanamfuata juu ya farasi weupe, wamevikwa kitani nzuri, nyeupe, safi. Kinywani mwake unatoka upanga mkali ili awapige mataifa, naye anakanyaga shinikizo la divai ya ukali wa hasira ya Mungu Mwenyezi. Na katika vazi lake na paja lake limeandikwa jina: "MFALME WA WAFALME, NA BWANA WA MABWANA" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 19:16). Huyu si tena Mwana-Kondoo anayepelekwa machinjoni, bali ni Mfalme mshindi anayerudi kwa nguvu. Yesu yule yule aliyekuja mara moja kwa unyenyekevu sasa anakuja kwa utukufu kuuhukumu ulimwengu kwa haki, na hakuna nguvu yoyote duniani inayoweza kusimama mbele zake.Now heaven itself is opened, and John sees the returning Christ in glory. A white horse appears, "and He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war" (Revelation 19:11). His eyes are like a flame of fire, on His head are many crowns, and He bears a name no one knew but Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and "His name is called The Word of God" (Revelation 19:13). The armies of heaven follow Him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of His mouth goes a sharp sword to strike the nations, and He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And on His robe and on His thigh is written a name: "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (Revelation 19:16). This is no longer the Lamb led to slaughter, but the conquering King returning in power. The same Jesus who came once in humility now comes in glory to judge the world in righteousness, and no power on earth can stand before Him.

Mnyama na Nabii wa Uongo WanashindwaThe Beast and the False Prophet Defeated

Malaika aliyesimama katika jua anawaita ndege wote wakusanyike "kwa karamu kuu ya Mungu" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 19:17), mgeuko wa kutisha wa karamu ya arusi ya Mwana-Kondoo, ili wale nyama za wafalme na za majemadari na za watu wenye nguvu. Kisha Yohana anamwona yule mnyama na wafalme wa nchi na majeshi yao wamekusanyika "wafanye vita na yeye aliyempanda farasi yule, tena na majeshi yake" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 19:19). Lakini hakuna vita halisi. Mnyama anakamatwa, na pamoja naye yule nabii wa uongo aliyewadanganya wale walioipokea chapa na kuisujudia sanamu. "Hao wawili wakatupwa wangali hai ndani ya ziwa la moto liwakalo kiberiti" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 19:20), na waliosalia wanauawa kwa upanga unaotoka kinywani mwa yule Mpanda Farasi. Maadui wakuu wa Mungu walioonekana kutoshindika katika sura ya kumi na tatu na kumi na saba wanashindwa mara moja, bila mapambano, kwa neno la Kristo. Ushindi wa Mfalme ni kamili na usio na taabu, kwa maana anahitaji kunena tu na maadui zake wanaanguka.An angel standing in the sun calls all the birds to gather "for the supper of the great God" (Revelation 19:17), a grim reversal of the marriage supper of the Lamb, to eat the flesh of kings and captains and mighty men. Then John sees the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together "to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army" (Revelation 19:19). But there is no real battle. The beast is captured, and with him the false prophet who had deceived those who received the mark and worshiped the image. "These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone" (Revelation 19:20), and the rest are slain by the sword that comes from the mouth of the Rider. The great enemies of God who had seemed invincible through chapters thirteen and seventeen are defeated in an instant, without a struggle, by the word of Christ. The victory of the King is complete and effortless, for He has only to speak and His enemies fall.

Shetani Anafungwa, na Ile Miaka ElfuSatan Bound, and the Thousand Years

Kisha Yohana anamwona malaika akishuka akiwa na ufunguo wa kuzimu na mnyororo mkubwa. Anamshika "yule joka, nyoka wa zamani, aliye Ibilisi na Shetani, akamfunga miaka elfu" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 20:2), akimtupa shimoni, akilifunga na kulitia muhuri, "asiwadanganye mataifa tena, hata ile miaka elfu itimie" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 20:3). Yohana anaona viti vya enzi, na walioketi juu yake waliopewa mamlaka ya kuhukumu, na roho za wale waliokatwa vichwa kwa ajili ya ushuhuda wa Yesu na kwa ajili ya neno la Mungu, ambao hawakumsujudia yule mnyama. "Wakawa hai, wakatawala pamoja na Kristo miaka elfu" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 20:4). Huu, andiko linasema, "ndio ufufuo wa kwanza," nalo linatamka baraka: "Heri na mtakatifu ni yeye aliye na sehemu katika ufufuo wa kwanza. Juu ya hao mauti ya pili haina nguvu; bali watakuwa makuhani wa Mungu na wa Kristo, nao watatawala pamoja naye hiyo miaka elfu" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 20:6). Ni lazima kusemwa waziwazi kwamba Wakristo waaminifu wenye imani sahihi wameielewa miaka hii elfu, kufungwa huku kwa Shetani, na ufufuo huu wa kwanza kwa njia zaidi ya moja, na mitazamo mitatu mikuu ndiyo mada ya sehemu tatu zinazofuata. Hapa kifungu kinawasilishwa jinsi kilivyo tu, na kozi haipendelei tafsiri yoyote moja; kilicho hakika ni kwamba Shetani amefungwa kwa nguvu za Mungu na kwamba watu wa Mungu wanatawala pamoja na Kristo.John then sees an angel come down with the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. He lays hold of "the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years" (Revelation 20:2), casting him into the pit, shut and sealed, "so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished" (Revelation 20:3). John sees thrones, and seated on them those given authority to judge, and the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast. "And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years" (Revelation 20:4). This, the text says, "is the first resurrection," and it pronounces a blessing: "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years" (Revelation 20:6). It must be said plainly that sincere, orthodox Christians have understood this thousand years, this binding of Satan, and this first resurrection in more than one way, and the three main views are the subject of the next three units. Here the passage is presented simply as it stands, and the course does not favor any one reading; what is certain is that Satan is bound by the power of God and that the people of God reign with Christ.

Hukumu ya Mwisho ya ShetaniSatan's Final Doom

Ile miaka elfu itakapotimia, Shetani anafunguliwa kutoka kifungoni mwake na kutoka tena "kuwadanganya mataifa walio katika pembe nne za nchi, Gogu na Magogu, kuwakusanya waje vitani" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 20:8), na hesabu yao ni kama mchanga wa bahari. Wanapanda juu ya upana wa nchi na kuizunguka "kambi ya watakatifu, na ule mji uliopendwa" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 20:9). Lakini hapa pia hakuna vita, kwa maana "moto ukashuka kutoka mbinguni ukawala." Kisha "yule Ibilisi mwenye kuwadanganya akatupwa katika lile ziwa la moto na kiberiti, walimo yule mnyama na yule nabii wa uongo" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 20:10), ili ateswe mchana na usiku hata milele na milele. Uasi wa mwisho wa uovu unaruhusiwa ili tu upondwe, na adui wa zamani aliyewadanganya Adamu na Hawa, aliyemjaribu Kristo, na aliyefanya vita na watakatifu analetwa hatimaye kwenye kushindwa kwake kwa milele na kwa mwisho. Hapewi ushindi wa pili, ila lile ziwa la moto ambalo hakuna kurudi kutoka kwake.When the thousand years are finished, Satan is released from his prison and goes out once more "to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle" (Revelation 20:8), and their number is as the sand of the sea. They go up over the breadth of the earth and surround "the camp of the saints and the beloved city" (Revelation 20:9). But there is no battle here either, for "fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them." Then "the devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are" (Revelation 20:10), to be tormented day and night forever and ever. The last revolt of evil is permitted only to be crushed, and the ancient enemy who deceived Adam and Eve, who tempted Christ, and who made war on the saints is brought at last to his eternal and final defeat. He is given no second triumph, only the lake of fire from which there is no return.

Kiti Kikubwa Cheupe cha Enzi: Vitabu VinafunguliwaThe Great White Throne: The Books Are Opened

Kisha inakuja hukumu ya mwisho. Yohana anaona "kiti cha enzi kikubwa, cheupe, na yeye aketiye juu yake; ambaye nchi na mbingu zilikimbia mbele ya uso wake, na mahali pao hapakuonekana" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 20:11). Wafu, "wakubwa kwa wadogo," wanasimama mbele za Mungu, na vitabu vinafunguliwa. Katika maktaba ya mbinguni kuna kitabu kinachoandika matendo ya wanadamu, kila kazi na kila neno, kila wazo lisilo na maana na kila dhambi ya siri, na kwa kitabu hicho yule aliyejitumainia mwenyewe anahukumiwa. "Na wafu wakahukumiwa katika mambo yale yaliyoandikwa katika vile vitabu, sawasawa na matendo yao" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 20:12). Bahari inawatoa wafu waliokuwamo ndani yake, na Mauti na Kuzimu zinawatoa wafu waliokuwamo ndani yao, na kila mmoja anahukumiwa sawasawa na matendo yake. Kitabu cha matendo kinaposomwa, kila kinywa kinafumbwa, kwa maana kinaonyesha kwamba wote wamefanya dhambi na kupungukiwa na utukufu wa Mungu, na kwamba mshahara wa dhambi ni mauti. Hakuna mtu anayeweza kusimama mbele ya kiti kile cha enzi kwa kumbukumbu ya maisha yake mwenyewe, kwa maana matendo matakatifu zaidi ya watu walio bora kabisa yametiwa doa, na kitabu kinasema kweli kuhusu kila nafsi.Then comes the last judgment. John sees "a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them" (Revelation 20:11). The dead, "small and great," stand before God, and the books are opened. There is in the library of heaven a book that records the deeds of men, every work and word, every idle thought and secret sin, and by it the one who has trusted in himself is judged. "And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books" (Revelation 20:12). The sea gives up its dead, and Death and Hades give up the dead in them, and each one is judged according to his works. When the book of deeds is read, every mouth is stopped, for it shows that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and that the wages of sin is death. No one can stand before that throne on the record of his own life, for the holiest deeds of the best of men are stained, and the book tells the truth about each soul.

Kitabu cha Uzima na Mauti ya PiliThe Book of Life and the Second Death

Lakini kuna kitabu kingine katika maktaba ya mbinguni, nacho kinaleta tofauti yote. Ni Kitabu cha Uzima cha Mwana-Kondoo, orodha ya majina ya mbinguni yenyewe, na swali moja linaloamua umilele ni kama jina limeandikwa humo. Orodha inaposomwa, wengine wanashtuka kukuta majina yao hayamo. Mmoja anasihi kwamba alikuwa mshiriki wa kanisa kwa miaka mingi; jibu ni hili tu, hiki ndicho kitabu. Mwingine anasihi kwamba alikuwa shemasi, au mwalimu, au mtu mwema mwenye maadili; bado jibu ni lile lile. Kwa maana hakuna ushirika, hakuna cheo, na hakuna maadili yanayoweza kuandika jina katika kitabu kile; ni damu ya Mwana-Kondoo pekee inayoweza kufanya hivyo. Lakini orodha inapomfikia mwenye dhambi ambaye zamani aliacha kuutegemea wema wake mwenyewe na kuweka kila kitu juu ya haki ya Kristo, jina lake limo, limeandikwa mara moja kwa daima kwa wino usiofutika wenye rangi nyekundu ya damu iliyomwagika ya Yesu, wala haliwezi kufutwa kamwe. "Kisha mauti na kuzimu zikatupwa katika lile ziwa la moto. Hii ndiyo mauti ya pili" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 20:14), "na iwapo mtu awaye yote hakuonekana ameandikwa katika kitabu cha uzima, alitupwa katika lile ziwa la moto" (Ufunuo wa Yohana 20:15). Kwa hiyo sura ya kumi na tisa na ishirini ni ushindi wa Kristo — kurudi kwake kwa utukufu kama Mfalme wa wafalme, kushindwa kwa mnyama na kwa Shetani, na hukumu ya mwisho ya wafu wote. Kuhusu kuja kwa mara ya pili chenyewe kila Mkristo anakubali; asili ya ile miaka elfu inachunguzwa katika sehemu zinazofuata. Na swali moja linaloamua umilele wa kila nafsi ni rahisi: je, jina lako limeandikwa katika Kitabu cha Uzima cha Mwana-Kondoo?But there is another book in the library of heaven, and it makes all the difference. It is the Lamb's Book of Life, heaven's own roll, and the one question that decides eternity is whether a name is written there. As the roll is read, some are shocked to find their names missing. One pleads that he was a church member for many years; the answer is only, here is the book. Another pleads that he was a deacon, or a teacher, or a good and moral person; still the answer is the same. For no membership, no office, and no morality can write a name in that book; only the blood of the Lamb can do that. Yet when the roll reaches a sinner who long ago stopped trusting his own goodness and staked everything on the righteousness of Christ, his name stands there, written once and for all in indelible ink the scarlet color of the shed blood of Jesus, and it can never be erased. "Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death" (Revelation 20:14), "and anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15). So chapters nineteen and twenty are the triumph of Christ — His glorious return as King of kings, the defeat of the beast and of Satan, and the final judgment of all the dead. On the second coming itself every Christian agrees; the nature of the thousand years is studied in the units that follow. And the one question that decides each soul's eternity is simple: is your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life?

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