Ukuze siqonde ukuthi isiphelo sizofika nini, kubalulekile ukuba siqonde kuqala ukuthi iBhayibheli lilisebenzisa kanjani elithi “umhlaba.” Igama lesiGreki elithi kosmos, ngokuvamile elihunyushwa ngokuthi “umhlaba,” livame ukubhekisela emhlabeni wesintu, ikakhulu lowo odedaniswe kude noNkulunkulu kanye nentando yakhe. (Johane 15:18, 19; 2 Petru 2:5) Ngezinye izikhathi, elithi kosmos libhekisela emphakathini wesintu uwonke.​—1 Korinte 7:31; 1 Johane 2:15, 16. a

Kuyini “ukubhubha komhlaba”?

Inkulumo ethi “ukubhubha komhlaba,” evela ezinguqulweni zamaBhayibheli eziningi, ingabuye ibekwe ngokuthi ‘isiphelo sesimiso sezinto,’ noma “ukugcina kwesikhathi.” (Mathewu 24:3; English Standard Version) Ayibhekiseli ekubhujisweni komhlaba noma kwabantu bonke, kunalokho ibhekisela ekupheleni komphakathi othile wesintu.​—1 Johane 2:​17.

IBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi ‘abenzi bokubi bazoqedwa’ ukuze abantu abalungile bajabulele ukuphila emhlabeni. (IHubo 37:9-11) Le mbubhiso iyokwenzeka ngesikhathi ‘sosizi olukhulu,’ oluyoholela empini i-Armagedoni.​—Mathewu 24:21, 22; IsAmbulo 16:14, 16.

Uyobhubha nini umhlaba?

UJesu wathi: “Ngokuphathelene nalolo suku nalelo hora akekho owaziyo, nazingelosi zasemazulwini naNdodana, kodwa nguBaba kuphela.” (Mathewu 24:36, 42) Wanezela ngokuthi isikhathi sokuphela siyofika ngokuzumayo, “ngehora eningalicabangi.”​—Mathewu 24:44.

Nakuba singeke salwazi ngokuqondile usuku nehora, uJesu wanikeza “izibonakaliso” eziningi noma iqoqo lezenzakalo, ezaziyobonisa inkathi yesikhathi eholela ekupheleni komhlaba. (Mathewu 24:​3, 7-​14) IBhayibheli libhekisela kule nkathi ngokuthi “isikhathi sokuphela” nokuthi ‘izinsuku zokugcina.’​—Daniyeli 12:4; God’s Word Bible; 2 Thimothewu 3:​1-5.

Ingabe kukhona okuyosala ngemva kokubhujiswa komhlaba?

Yebo. Umhlaba uzolokhu ukhona, ngoba iBhayibheli lithi: “Ngeke untengantengiswe kuze kube nini nanini, noma kuze kube phakade.” (IHubo 104:5) Futhi umhlaba uyogcwala abantu njengoba iBhayibheli lithembisa: “Abalungile bayokudla ifa lomhlaba, futhi bayohlala kuwo kuze kube phakade.” (IHubo 37:29) UNkulunkulu uyobe eseletha izimo ayezihlosile kwasekuqaleni:

• Ipharadesi.​—Isaya 35:1; Luka 23:43.

• Ukuchuma nokulondeka.​—Mika 4:4.

• Umsebenzi onenjongo nowanelisayo kubo bonke.​—Isaya 65:21-​23.

• Ukuphela kwezifo nokuguga.​—Jobe 33:25; Isaya 33:24.