1, 2. (a) UJehova wathi kuyini okuzakwenzakala esikhathini esiphila kuso? (b) Sizaxoxa ngayiphi imibuzo esihlokweni lesi? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

UJEHOVA wakhuluma ngesikhathi lesi esiphila kuso wathi: “Ngalezonsuku amadoda alitshumi aphuma kuzo zonke izindimi lezizwe azagagadlela umphetho wengubo yomJuda oyedwa athi, ‘Wothi sihambe lawe ngoba sesizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulani.’” (Zek. 8:23) Amadoda la alitshumi ‘agagadlele umphetho wengubo yomJuda oyedwa’ amela bonke abalethemba lokuphila emhlabeni. Bayaziqhenya ngokusebenza ndawonye ‘lomJuda oyedwa’ omela ‘u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu’ ngoba bayakwazi ukuthi uJehova uyababusisa abagcotshiweyo bakhe.​—Gal. 6:16.

² UJesu laye wakhuluma ngokumanyana kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu esenanela kulokho okwaphrofethwa nguZekhariya. Wathi abalandeli bakhe bangamaqembu amabili, ‘umhlambi omncane’ kanye ‘lezinye izimvu,’ kodwa wathi amaqembu la ayezakuba ‘ngumhlambi owodwa’ okhokhelwa ‘ngumalusi oyedwa.’ (Luk. 12:32; Joh. 10:16) Kodwa ubudlelwano obukhona phakathi kwamaqembu la benza kube lemibuzo le: (1) Abezinye izimvu kumele bawazi yini amabizo abo bonke abagcotshiweyo abaphilayo  khathesi? (2) Abagcotshiweyo kumele babenjani? (3) Kumele lenzeni nxa omunye ebandleni lenu angaqalisa ukudla eSikhumbuzweni? (4) Kumele likhathazeke yini ngokuthi inani labantu abadlayo eSikhumbuzweni lilokhu likhwela? Ake sixoxeni ngayo imibuzo le.

3. Kungani kungancedi ukuthi umuntu azame ukudingisisa amabizo alabo abazabumba i-144 000?

³ Abezinye izimvu kumele bawazi yini amabizo abo bonke abagcotshiweyo abaphilayo khathesi? Hatshi. Ngenxa yani? Ngoba nxa umuntu esekhethiwe ayisikho ukuthi usewutholile umvuzo, kuzamele ahlale ethembekile kuze kube sekucineni. Yikho uSathane esenza ukuthi kuvele ‘abaphrofethi bamanga ukuze bakhohlise kanye labakhethiweyo—aluba lokho kungenzeka.’ (Mat. 24:24) Akulamuntu ongatsho ukuthi umKhristu ogcotshiweyo uzathola umvuzo wokuya ezulwini, nguJehova kuphela owahlulelayo. UJehova nguye okhethayo njalo nguye obeka uphawu okokucina kwabagcotshiweyo, kungaba kulabo abafa bethembekile khathesi kumbe kulabo abazabe bephila ‘ukuhlupheka okukhulu’ kungakaqalisi. (Isam. 2:10; 7:3, 14) Ngakho-ke akuncedi ukuthi khathesi umuntu abelokhu ezama ukudingisisa amabizo alabo abazabumba iqembu labangu-144 000. ^[1]

4. ‘Singahamba’ njani labagcotshiweyo abalokhu besaphila thina singawazi amabizo abo?

⁴ Pho ezinye izimvu ‘zingahamba’ njani labagcotshiweyo abakhona lamuhla njengoba zingawazi amabizo abo? Khumbula ukuthi uZekhariya wathini mayelana lamadoda alitshumi. Wathi “azagagadlela umphetho wengubo yomJuda oyedwa athi, ‘Wothi sihambe lawe ngoba sesizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulani.’” Lanxa evesini le kukhulunywa ngomJuda oyedwa, isabizwana esithi “lawe” esisetshenziswe lapha asitsho umuntu oyedwa. Yikho umJuda lo liqembu hatshi umuntu oyedwa! Ngakho-ke kasikho isizatho sokwazi ogcotshiweyo ngamunye besesihamba laye. Kodwa okumele sikwenze yikusekela abagcotshiweyo beliqembu. IMibhalo isitshela ukuthi silandele uJesu ngoba nguye uMkhokheli wethu, hatshi omunye umuntu.​—Mat. 23:10.

5. Yisiphi isixwayiso abagcotshiweyo okumele bahlale besikhumbula, njalo kungani?

⁵ Labo abadla isinkwa banathe lewayini eSikhumbuzweni kumele bacabangisise ngesixwayiso esitholakala ku-1 Khorinte 11:27-29. (Bala.) Yiwuphi umcijo umphostoli uPhawuli ayewuveza lapha? UmKhristu ogcotshiweyo uyabe esenza into engafanelanga nxa esidla eSikhumbuzweni yena engathembekanga kumbe engelabo ubuhlobo obuqinileyo loJehova. (Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26-29) Isixwayiso lesi sisiza abagcotshiweyo ukuthi bakhumbule ukuthi kusamele bakusebenzele ukuthola umvuzo wabo. Yikho kumele balwise ukufinyelela ‘ukuthola umvuzo uNkulunkulu ababizele wona ezulwini ngoJesu Khristu.’​—Flp. 3:13-16.

6. AmaKhristu agcotshiweyo kumele abe njani?

⁶ UPhawuli waphefumulelwa ukuthi atshele amaKhristu agcotshiweyo ‘ukuba aphile impilo efanele ukubizwa [kwawo] akwamukelayo.’ Angakwenza njani lokhu? UPhawuli uqhubeka esithi: ‘Wobani ngabathobekileyo labamnene okupheleleyo; bekezelani, libekezelelane ethandweni. Zamani ngamandla wonke ukugcina ukumanyana komoya ngesibopho sokuthula.’ (Efe. 4:1-3) Umoya kaJehova ukhuthaza ukuthobeka hatshi ukuzikhukhumeza. (Kol. 3:12) Abagcotshiweyo  bayazehlisa njalo bayakwazi ukuthi uJehova kabaniki umoya ongcwele omnengi kulezinye izinceku zakhe ezilethemba lokuphila emhlabeni. Kabatsho ukuthi bona balolwazi olujule kakhulu ukwedlula abanye kumbe ukuthi kukhona okuthile uJehova abembulela khona njalo abaziboni beqakathekile. Kanti njalo kabaqali ukutshela umuntu ukuthi aqalise ukudla eSikhumbuzweni besithi usegcotshiwe kodwa bayazithoba bevuma ukuthi uJehova nguye okhetha abagcotshiweyo.

7, 8. AmaKhristu agcotshiweyo awalindelanga ukuphathwa njani, njalo kungani kunjalo?

⁷ Lanxa kuyisibusiso esikhulu kakhulu ukuyaphila ezulwini abagcotshiweyo kabalindelanga ukuthi abanye bababone angani bangcono. (Efe. 1:18, 19; bala uFiliphi 2:2, 3.) Umoya ongcwele kaJehova ufakaze kubo kuphela njalo akuzange kumenyezelwe emhlabeni ukuthi sebegcotshiwe. Yikho kabamangali nxa bebona abanye bengakukholwa ukuthi bagcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele sibisibili. Okukhona yikuthi bayananzelela ukuthi iMibhalo iyakhuthaza ukuthi singaphangi sikholwe loba ngubani othi ukhethwe ukuyaphila ezulwini. (Isam. 2:2) Ngakho abasebenzisi ukugcotshwa kwabo njengendlela yokuzethula ebantwini ukuze baziwe. Kanti njalo abatsheli abanye ukuthi bona bagcotshiwe befuna ukubukwa futhi kabahambi bezitshaya izifuba ngokuthi bazaphila ezulwini.​—1 Khor. 1:28, 29; bala u-1 Khorinte 4:6-8.

⁸ Abagcotshiweyo abaziboni beliqembu elizimele lodwa eliqakatheke ukwedlula abanye. Kabahambi bedinga abanye abagcotshiweyo ukuze babumbe ubudlelwano labo njalo kababumbi amaqembu abo okufunda iBhayibhili bebodwa. (Gal. 1:15-17) Lokhu kungadala ukwehlukana ebandleni njalo kuyaphikisana lomoya ongcwele ngoba wona ukhuthaza ukuthula lokumanyana.​—Bala uRoma 16:17, 18.

9. Kungani kumele sinanzelele indlela esiphatha ngayo abadlayo eSikhumbuzweni? (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Uthando Kaluziphathi Ngokungafanelanga.”)

⁹ Kumele sibaphathe njani abadlayo eSikhumbuzweni? UJesu watshela abafundi bakhe wathi: “Lina lonke lingabafowenu.” Waseqhubeka esithi: “Ngokuba lowo oziphakamisayo uzathotshiswa, lalowo ozithobayo uzaphakanyiswa.” (Mat. 23:8-12) Ngakho-ke kubi ukukhukhumeza abantu lanxa bengabafowabo bakaKhristu abagcotshiweyo. IBhayibhili lisikhuthaza ukuthi silingisele ukholo lwabadala abakhokhelayo kodwa kalitsho ukuthi siphakamise loba ngubani simenze umkhokheli wethu. (Heb. 13:7) Kuliqiniso ukuthi iMibhalo ithi abanye ‘bafanele ukuhlonitshwa okuphindiweyo.’ Kayisikho ukuthi bahlonitshwa ngenxa yokuthi bagcotshiwe kodwa ngenxa yokuthi ‘baqhuba kuhle imisebenzi yebandla ikakhulu ukutshumayela lokufundisa.’ (1 Tim. 5:17) Ngakho-ke ogcotshiweyo kangeke aphatheke kuhle nxa singamphakamisa kumbe simnike udumo olungamfanelanga. Okubi kakhulu yikuthi nxa singenza njalo kungaba nzima ukuthi ahlale ethobekile. (Rom. 12:3) Asifuni ukuthi abazalwane bakaKhristu benze isono ngokucina sebezigqaja.​—Luk. 17:2.

10. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyabahlonipha abagcotshiweyo?

¹⁰ Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyabahlonipha abagcotshiweyo? Akumelanga sibathwalise nzima ngokubabuza imibuzo emayelana lokugcotshwa kwabo. Lokhu kuzatshengisa ukuthi kasifuni kuzigaxa ezindabeni ezingaqondananga lathi. (1 Thes. 4:11; 2 Thes. 3:11)  Akumelanga sicabange lokuthi nxa umuntu egcotshiwe kutsho ukuthi umkakhe, abazali loba amanye amalunga emuli yakhe lawo agcotshiwe. Ubuhlobo kanye lokuthi umuntu utshade lobani akusebenzi endabeni yokugcotshwa. (1 Thes. 2:12) Okunye okungamelanga sikwenze yikubuza abatshade labagcotshiweyo ukuthi bazizwa njani ngokuthi kabasoze baphile labomkabo ePharadayisi. Kulokuthi sibuze imibuzo engazwisa abanye ubuhlungu, kumele sitshengise ukuthi silethemba lokuthi uJehova uzavula isandla sakhe ‘asuthise izidingo zakho konke okuphilayo.’​—Hubo. 145:16.

11. Siyabe sibalekela yiphi ingozi nxa siphatha abagcotshiweyo ngendlela efaneleyo?

¹¹ Nxa singabaphakamisi abagcotshiweyo siyabe sizivikela engozini engasivelela singananzeleli. IMibhalo isitshela ukuthi “abazalwane bamanga” bangangena ebandleni silibele. (Gal. 2:4, 5; 1 Joh. 2:19) Abazalwane laba abakhohlisayo bangasitshela lokuthi bagcotshiwe. Okunye njalo yikuthi labanye abagcotshiweyo bangaphambuka ekukholweni. (Mat. 25:10-12; 2 Phet. 2:20, 21) Ngakho nxa singayekela umkhuba wokudumisa kumbe ukukhonza abantu kasisoze sidukiswe ngabantu abanjalo futhi kasisoze sisale sesizinhlanzi ezitshelwe ngamanzi nxa umKhristu oselesikhathi eside ekhonza esethe waphambuka endleleni eyiyo.​—Jud. 16.

12, 13. Kungani kungamelanga sikhathazeke ngenani labadlayo eSikhumbuzweni?

¹² Okweminyaka eminengi inani labadlayo eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaJesu belilokhu lisehla. Kodwa eminyakeni le esanda kwedlula inani leli belikhuphuka njalo nje. Kumele kusikhathaze yini ukukhuphuka kwenani leli? Hatshi. Ake sixoxe ngalokho okungamelanga sikukhohlwe ngendaba le.

¹³ “UJehova uyabazi labo abangabakhe.” (2 Tim. 2:19) Ababala inani labantu abadlayo eSikhumbuzweni kabangeke batsho ukuthi ngubani sibili olethemba lokuya ezulwini. Phela abanye abadlayo yilabo abacabanga ukuthi bagcotshiwe khona kungenjalo. Ngokwesibonelo abanye baqala besidla kodwa ngokuya kwesikhathi bama. Abanye njalo ngenxa yokungaphili kuhle engqondweni basuka bacabange ukuthi bazakuyabusa loKhristu ezulwini. Ngakho-ke kasingeke sithi inani  labadlayo yilo elitshengisayo ukuthi bangaki abagcotshiweyo abasesekhona emhlabeni.

14. IBhayibhili lisitshelani ngenani labagcotshiweyo abazabe besemhlabeni ngesikhathi ukuhlupheka okukhulu kuqalisa?

¹⁴ Abagcotshiweyo bazabe bekhona emagumbini womane womhlaba ngesikhathi uJesu ezobathatha ukuthi baye ezulwini. IBhayibhili likhuluma ngalokho okuzakwenziwa yiNkosi uJesu ngalesosikhathi, lithi: “Izathumela izingilosi zayo zitshaya icilongo ngomsindo omkhulu, beseziqoqa abakhethiweyo bayo kumagumbi womane womhlaba, kusukela ngapha kwasezulwini kusiya ngale.” (Mat. 24:31) IMibhalo isitshela ukuthi balutshwana abagcotshiweyo abazabe besele emhlabeni ngezinsuku zokucina. (Isam. 12:17) Kodwa kayitsho ukuthi bangaki abazabe besele ngesikhathi ukuhlupheka okukhulu kuqalisa.

15, 16. Kuyini okumele sikuzwisise ngalabo abakhethwa nguJehova ukuthi babumbe i-144 000?

¹⁵ UJehova nguye okwaziyo ukuthi kunini lapho akhetha khona abagcotshiweyo. (Rom. 8:28-30) UJehova waqalisa ukukhetha abagcotshiweyo ngemva kokuvuswa kukaJesu njalo kukhanya angathi wonke amaKhristu ayekhona ngekhulu lokuqala ayegcotshiwe. Kusukela ngekhulu lokuqala kuze kube sekuqaliseni kwezinsuku zokucina inengi lalabo ababesithi balandela uKhristu babengamaKhristu amanga njalo uJesu wabafanisa ‘lokhula.’ Lanxa kunjalo, ngalesosikhathi uJehova waqhubeka egcoba abanye ababethembekile ngoba ‘babenjengengqoloyi’ uJesu akhuluma ngayo. (Mat. 13:24-30) Lasezinsukwini zokucina uJehova ubelokhu ekhetha abanye ukuthi babumbe i-144 000. ^[2] Lanxa angakhetha ukuthi aqalise ukugcoba abanye futhi ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu, singobani thina ukuthi sisole inhlakanipho yakhe? (Isaya. 45:9; Dan. 4:35; bala uRoma 9:11, 16.) ^[3] Kumele sinanzelele, singenzi njengezisebenzi ezazondela umqhatshi wazo zimsola ngendlela aphatha ngayo izisebenzi ezaqhatshwa ngehora lokucina.​—Bala uMathewu 20:8-15.

¹⁶ Kayisibo bonke abalethemba lokuya ezulwini ababumba ‘inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo.’ (Mat. 24:45-47) Lamuhla uJehova loJesu bafundisa abantu abanengi iqiniso eliseBhayibhili besebenzisa izandla ezilutshwana. Yikho ababekwenza lasekhulwini lokuqala, balutshwana abagcotshiweyo abasetshenziwa ukuthi balobe iMibhalo yamaKhristu yesiGiriki. Lalamuhla malutshwana amaKhristu agcotshiweyo abekwe ukuthi anike abantu ‘ukudla kwabo ngesikhathi esifaneleyo.’

17. Ufundeni esihlokweni lesi?

¹⁷ Sifundeni esihlokweni lesi? UJehova ukhethe ukupha amaqembu amabili umvuzo; ithemba lokuyaphila ezulwini kulabo abamelwa ngumJuda oyedwa kanye lethemba lokuphila emhlabeni kulabo abamelwa ngamadoda alitshumi. Kodwa ukhangelele ukuthi bonke abasemaqenjini la bahlale bethembekile, bazithobe futhi bamanyane. Kumele balwise lokuthi kube lokuthula ebandleni. Njengoba sinanzelela ukuthi isihuba sakutsha, kasizimiseleni ukukhonza uJehova singumhlambi owodwa okhokhelwa nguKhristu.