1. Kwenzekani ngomnyaka ka-66? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

AKHUZICABANGE umKresu ophila eJerusalema ngomnyaka ka-66. Kunengi khulu ebekwenzeka ngesikhatheso. Isikhulu sombuso weRoma uFlorus sebe amathalenta ayi-17 ebulungelweni lethempeli. Akwate abile amaJuda nakezwa ngesahlakalwesi. Kuthi kusesenjalo, kube bujadajada beendumbu zamasotja weRoma abulelwe maJuda. Ngemva kwalokho amaJuda azihlukanise nombuso weRoma. Kodwana iRoma nayo izibuyiselele ngokuthatha igadango msinya. Phakathi neenyanga ezintathu amasotja ayi-30 000 alawulwa nguCestius Gallus abhode iJerusalema-ke kwanjesi. Amavukela mbuso wamaJuda azifihle ngamaboda wethempeli, kodwana amasotja weRoma alinge ukugiriza iboda langaphandle lethempeli. Woke umuntu athome ukungenwa mamanzi emadolweni kwanjesi. Wena-ke bewuzozizwa njani njengombana ubona zoke izintwezi zenzeka?

2. Bekufuze enzeni amaKrestu nakabona amasotja abhoda idorobha labo, begodu lokho bebazokwenza njani?

² Eminyakeni engaphambi kwaleyo, uJesu wakhe wayelelisa  abafundi bakhe ngesehlakalwesi, wathi kibo, “Lokha nanibona iJerusalema iragelelwe mabutho, nizakwazi bona ukubhujiswa kwayo sekutjhidele. Yeke akuthi labo abaseJudiya babalekele eentabeni, abangaphakathi kwalo baphume, nalabo abasemaphandleni bangangeni kilo.” (Lukasi 21:20, 21) Bebazosilalela njani isinqophiso sakaJesu njengombana naka namasotja abhode idorobho? Kwathi kusesenjalo kwenzeka into erarako. Nakuya amasotja weRoma azakukhamba abuyele emva! Amezwi kaJesu akhenge awele phasi, ngombana amalanga wokuhlaselwa besele ‘ancitjhisiwe.’ (Matewu 24:22) Njengombana ibuthweli sele likhambile, besele kusikhathi sokuthi amaKrestu athembekileko alalele uJesu, ngokuthi khonokho abalekele eentabeni. * (Qala umtlolo ongenzasi.) Ngomnyaka ka-70 elinye ibutho lamaRoma labuyela eJerusalema. Mhlokho khenge lisariyada, lalibhubhisa idorobheli. Kodwana woke umuntu olalele amezwi kaJesu wasinda.

3. Ubujamo amaKrestu azokuqalana nabo bufana nabuphi? Sizokucoca ngani esihlokweni esilandelako?

³ Iseluleko sakaJesu siyasebenza nanamhlanjesi. Kungasikade nathi sizokuqalana nobujamo obupheze bufane nalobu esikhulume ngabo. UJesu ukhulume ngezehlakalo zangesikhathi samaKrestu wokuthoma, wahlathulula bona kuzokwenzekani nasekuthome isikhathi sesizi elikhulu namkha ‘seenhlupheko  .  ezimbi.’ (Matewu 24:3, 21, 29) Njengombana kwaba khona amaKrestu asindako ngesikhathi kubhujiswa iJerusalema, nanje kuzakuba ‘nesiqubuthu esikhulu’ esizokusinda nakufika ihlekelele yephasi loke. (Funda IsAmbulo 7:9, 13, 14.) Kuqakatheke khulu bona sizwisise okutjhiwo yiBhayibheli ngezenzakalo ezizokwenzeka ngomuso lezi. Kubayini sitjho njalo? Kungombana izehlakalwezi zithinta ipilwethu. Okwanje akhe sithi mbondombondo ngokuthi zisithinta njani thina.

4. Zizokuthoma njani iinhlupheko ezimbi?

⁴ Kazi zizokuthoma njani iinhlupheko ezimbi? Zizokuthoma ngokubhujiswa kwamasondo wekolo yamala. IBhayibheli nalikhuluma ngamasondo wekolo yamala liwabiza ngokuthi: ‘YiBhabheli elikhulu, nina weengwadla namanyala wephasi.’ (IsAmbulo 17:5-7) Nawucabangako kubayini amasondo la abizwa ngokuthi yingwadla? Kungombana abefundisi bawo akhenge bathembeke kuZimu. Kunokobana basekele uJesu nomBuswakhe, bona base bakhetha ukusekela imibuso yabantu, banyula ukuthandwa babantu kunokufundisa iqiniso leBhayibheli. Indlela abalotjha ngayo uZimu isilaphele, ayifani nendlela abakhethiweko abamlotjha ngayo. (2 Korinte 11:2; Jakopo 1:27; IsAmbulo 14:4) Kodwana ngubani ozokubhubhisa iBhabheli elikhulweli? UJehova uzokubangela bona ‘iimpondo ezilitjhumi’ zesibanda esinombala ‘osabubende’ ‘zenze ihloso yakhe.’ ‘Isibandesi’ sijamelela iinTjhaba eziBumbeneko, begodu “iimpondo ezilitjhumi” lezi zona-ke zijamelela yoke imibuso esekela iinTjhaba eziBumbeneko.—Funda IsAmbulo 17:3, 16-18.

5, 6. Sikutjho ngaliphi ukuthi nakubhujiswa iBhabhiloni eliKhulu angekhe kufe woke amalungu walo?

⁵ Inga-kghani woke amalunga wamasondo wekolo yamala azokubulawa nakubhujiswa iBhabheli eliKhulu? Awa.  UJehova waphefumulela umphorofidi uZakariya bona atlole ngokuzokwenzeka ebantwini abaphunyurhileko ebebasekolweni yamala. Ngesikhatheso umuntu okhe waba sekolweni yamala uzakuthi: “‘Angisuye umphorofidi mina; ngimlimi; ihlabathi yintwami engayithoma ngisemntwana.’ Nange umuntu ambuza athi: ‘Alo, ziimbazi zani lezi, hlangana namahlombakhwapha?’ Yeke uzakuthi: ‘Awa, iimbazezi, ngezokubethwa, ngazithola endlini yeenini zami.’” (Zakariya 13:4-6) Kwabarholi bekolwabo bazokwenza ngasuthi abasondi, begodu bazokuphika ukuthi khebaba nesandla ekolweni yamala.

⁶ Alo-ke yini ezokwenzeka ebantwini bakaZimu hlangana nesikhatheso? UJesu wahlathulula wathi, “Nakube amalanga lawo bekangakancitjhiswa, akakho obezakusinda, kodwana ngenca yalabo abakhethiweko, amalanga lawo azokuncitjhiswa.” (Matewu 24:22) Nangesikhathi samaKrestu wokuthoma iinhlupheko zeJerusalema nazo ‘zancitjhiswa.’ Lokho kwavula ithuba lokuthi “abakhethiweko,” abamaKrestu azokubusa noJesu abone enganatjani. Kuyafana-ke nanamhlanjesi, ingcenye yokuthoma yeenhlupheko ezimbi ‘izokuncitjhiswa’ ngebanga ‘labakhethiweko.’ Imibuso yezepolotiki le, efanekiselwa ‘ziimpondo ezilitjhumi’ angeze ivunyelwe bona ibhubhise nabantu bakaZimu. Kunalokho kuzakhe kube nesikhathi sokukhokha umoya nakuphela ukuhlaselwa kokuthoma.

7, 8. Ngiliphi ithuba elizokuba khona ngemva kokubhujiswa kwekolo yamala? Mhlokho abantu bakaZimu bazokuhluka njani ebantwini abanye?

⁷ Kuzokwenzekani-ke ngemva kokubhujiswa kwekolo yamala? Ukuthi sibabantu abanjani ngeenhliziyweni zethu kuzakuvela mhlokho. Ngesikhatheso, abantu abanengi bazokutjhinga eenhlanganweni zephasi bafune zibavikele, “amadwala weentaba.” (IsAmbulo 6:15-17) Kodwana nakubabantu bakaJehova bazokufuna ukuvikelwa nguye. Kuthe ukuhlaselwa kwangesikhathi samaKrestu wokuthoma ‘kwangancitjhiswa’ akhenge kube sikhathi esaneleko sokobana woke amaJuda avele atjhuguluke abe maKrestu. Kunalokho bekusikhathi sokuthi labo ebebavele bamaKrestu baphume eJerusalema njengombana uJesu abalayele. Kuyokwenzeka soneso-ke nesikhathineso, ngesikhathi ukuhlaselwa kweBhabhiloni Ledumo ‘kuncitjhiswa’ angekhe silindele ukuthi isitjhaba sabantu sivele sibe maKrestu wamambala. Kunalokho kuzokuba lithuba labantu abathembekileko ekulotjheni uJehova bona baveze indlela abasekela bebathande ngayo abakhethiweko.—Matewu 25:34-40.

⁸ Asazi bona kuhlekuhle yini ezokwenzeka ngesikhathi sokuvivinywa. Kodwana asikalindeli bona ipilo ibe lula, yeke kuzokufuze sizidele. AmaKrestu wokuthoma kwatlhogeka bona atjhiye izindlu zawo akghodlhelelele iinkhathi ezibudisi. (Markosi 13:15-18) Kufuze sizibuze nasi imibuzo, ‘Ngizimisele na ukudela izinto  engiziphilisa ngazo? Ngizimisele na ukwenza nanyana yini bona ngihlale ngithembekile kuJehova?’ Akhe ucabange! Ngesikhatheso kuzabe kungithi kwaphela esilotjha uZimethu, ngitjho nanyana kwenzekani. Sizabe senza into eyenziwa mphorofidi uDanyela.—Danyela 6:10, 11.

9, 10. (a) Abantu bakaZimu bazokurhatjha muphi umlayezo hlangana neenhlupheko ezimbi? (b) Amanaba kaZimu wona azokuthatha liphi igadango?

⁹ Isikhathi seenhlupheko ezimbi kuzabe kungasi sikhathi sokutjhumayela “ivangeli lombuso.” Yeke sizabe siphelile isikhathi sokutjhumayela. ‘Isiphetho’ sizabe sifikile! (Matewu 24:14) Abantu bakaZimu bazakuba nesibindi sokutjela abantu umlayezo wokuthi abantu boke bazokugwetjwa. Kungenzeka umlayezo lo uzabe umayelana nokubhujiswa ngokupheleleko kwephasi lakaSathana elikhohlakeleko. IBhayibheli limadanisa umlayezo lo nesinanja, nalithi: “Isinanja esineengidija ezinobudisi obungaba makhilogremu amatjhumi amane nahlanu, sawulukela phezu kwabantu sehla ezulwini. Abantu bahlambalaza uZimu ngebanga lobuhlungu besinanja ngombana besisabeka kokufa.”—IsAmbulo 16:21.

¹⁰ Amanabethu azowuzwa umlayezo ohlabako lo. UJehova waphefumulela umphorofidi uHezekiyeli bona ahlathulule ukuthi iinqhema zephasi ezibizwa eBhayibhelini ngokuthi nguGogi wakwaMagogi zizokuthatha liphi igadango. Uthi: “Nakhu okutjhiwo” nguJehova “uSomandla, ‘Mhlokho imizindlo izakufika emicabangwenakho bese uhlosa amaqhinga amambi: Uzazitjela bonyana uzakwenyuka ujamelane nenarha enemizana enganamithangala, iye, uzakwehlela phezu kwabantu abanokuthula nabahlezi ngokuphepha, boke abahlala lapha kunganamithangala khona nangaphandle kweenqabo namkha amasango. Uzakwenza lokho ukuze uthathe ipango, uhluthule ipahla, welule isandla sakho ngokujamelana namarubhi okwakhiwe kiwo godu nesizweni esabuthelelwa kwezinye izizwe, sabuthelela ifuyo nepahla, besahlala ekabeni yephasi.’” (Hezekiyeli 38:10-12) Abantu bakaZimu bazokuhluka enengini, kuzokuba ngasuthi “bahlala ekabeni yephasi.” Iintjhaba azizokukghona ukuzibamba. Zizokuvukwa madlharuma zifune ukuhlasela abakhethiweko bakaJehova nabasekeli babo.

11. (a) Yini-ke thina ekufuze siyikhumbule ngokudlhegana kwezenzakalo hlangana neenhlupheko ezimbi? (b) Abantu bona bazokusabela njani nababona amatshwayo?

¹¹ Ngemva kwazo zoke izehlakalwezi, kuzokwenzekani? IBhayibheli alisitjeli izenzakalo ezizokwenzeka ngamananeko wakhona, kodwana kungenzeka ezinye zenzeke ngesikhathi sinye. Isiphorofido sakaJesu esikhuluma ngesiphelo sephaseli sithi: “Kuzokuba khona iimbonakaliso elangeni, enyezini neenkwekwezini. Ephasini, izizwe zizakuba sesizini begodu zikhene lokha ilwandle nalihlokomako begodu likhiphizela. Abantu bazakuyatha ngevalo ngalokho okuzokwehlela iphasi loke ngombana umkhambathi wezulu uzakunyakaziswa. Ngesikhatheso bazakubona iNdodana yoMuntu isiza elifwini ngamandla nangephazimulo ekulu.” (Lukasi 21:25-27; Funda uMarkosi 13:24-26) Inga-kghani  amatshwayo asesiphorofidwenesi azokuhlanganisa nezinto esithusako ezizokubonakala esibhakabhakeni? Kwethu nje kulinda sibone. Esikwaziko kukuthi amanaba kaZimu nakabona amatshwayo la, azokuhlangahlangana aqande emathunjini.

12, 13. (a) Kuzokwenzekani uJesu nakeza “ngamandla nangephazimulo ekulu”? (b) Abantu bakaZimu bazokusabela njani bona?

¹² Kuzokwenzekani lokha uJesu nakeza “ngamandla nangephazimulo ekulu”? Uzokuvuza abathembekileko bese-ke kuthi abangathembeki bona bagwetjwe. (Matewu 24:46, 47, 50, 51; 25:19, 28-30) UJesu wasebenzisa umfanekiso ekuhlathululeni imininingwana ngokungeziweko. Wathi, “Mhlana iNdodana yoMuntu iza ngephazimulwayo iphekelelwa ziingilozi zayo zoke, izakuhlala esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi ephazimulweni yezulwini. Zoke izizwe zizakubuthanela phambi kwayo. Izakuhlukanisa boke abantu ngeenqhema njengomelusi nahlukanisa izimvu neembuzi. Izakubeka izimvu ngesidleni sayo neembuzi ngesinceleni sayo.” (Matewu 25:31-33) Yini ezokwenzeka ngezimvu neembuzi? Nazo zizokugwetjwa. Iimbuzi ezijamelela abantu abangakathembeki, ‘zizakubhujiswa isiphelani.’ Kodwana nakuzizimvu ezibabantu abathembekileko, zizifumanele ukuphila okungapheliko.—Matewu 25:46, NW.

¹³ Iimbuzi zizokwenzani-ke nasele zibona ukuthi kwanje zizokubhujiswa? ‘Zizokulila.’ (Matewu 24:30) Kodwana abakhethiweko nabasekeli babo bazokwenzani-ke bona? Bazokwenza njengombana uJesu atjhwile: “Lokha izintwezi nazithoma ukwenzeka, sikimani niphakamise iinhloko zenu ngombana ukuhlengwa kwenu kutjhidele.”—Lukasi 21:28.

14, 15. Ngikuphi ukubuthelela okuzokuthoma ngemva kokuhlasela kwakaGogi wakwaMagogi, begodu kuzokwenziwa njani?

¹⁴ UGogi wakwaMagogi nasele ahlasele abantu bakaZimu kuzokwenzekani? IBhayibheli lithi iNdodana yomuntu, “Izokuthumela iingilozi zayo beyibuthele ndawonye abakhethiweko bayo emajikeni womane wephasi, epelazwe nemaphelelweni womkayi.” (Markosi 13:27; Matewu 24:31) Ukubuthelelwokhu akusikuzeswa kokuthoma kwamaKrestu akhethiweko. Godu akusikubekwa iphawu lamaswaphela kwabakhethiweko abasesephasini. (Matewu 13:37, 38) Ukubekwa iphawu kwamaswaphela kuzokwenzeka ngaphambi kobana kuthome iinhlupheko ezimbi. (IsAmbulo 7:1-4) Alo khuyini ukubuthelelwokhu? Kusikhathi lapha abakhethiweko abazokufumana unongorwanabo baye ezulwini. (1 Thesalonika 4:15-17; IsAmbulo 14:1) Isenzakalwesi sizokwenzeka hlangana nesikhathi lapha uGogi wakwaMagogi athoma ukuhlasela khona abantu bakaZimu. (Hezekiyeli 38:11) Njengombana uJesu atjho, “Nje-ke abalungileko bazakuphazima njengelanga embusweni kaYise wabo.”—Matewu 13:43. * (Qala umtlolo ongenzasi.)

¹⁵ Inga-kghani lokhu kutjho ukuthi abakhethiweko ‘bazokuhlwithwa’? Inengi lamasondo wesingabuKrestu licabanga bona amaKrestu azokuya ezulwini ngomzimba wenyama. Bacabanga nokuthi bazombona ngamehlo uJesu nakabuya azokubusa ephasini. Nanyana kunjalo iBhayibheli likubeka kukhanye bona uJesu angekhe simbone ngamehlo nakabuyako, nalihlathulula indaba le lithi, “Ngesikhatheso isibonakaliso seNdodana yoMuntu sizakuvela emkayini.” (Matewu 24:30) Libuye lithi, “inyama neengazi angekhe kwalidla ilifa lombuso kaZimu.” Yeke labo abazokuyiswa ezulwini kokuthoma ‘bazokutjhugululwa ngomzuzwana, iye, ngokuphazima kwelihlo, nakulila iporompita yokugcina.’ * (Qala umtlolo ongenzasi.) (Funda 1 Korinte 15:50-53) Yeke asisalisebenzisi la ibizo elithi ‘ukuhlwithwa’ nasihlathulula isenzakalwesi, ngebanga lokuthi lisetjenziswa eemfundisweni zamala zamasondo wesingabuKrestu. Nanyana kunjalo, abakhethiweko abathembekileko abasephasini ngesikhatheso bazokubuthelwa ndawonye khonokho.

16, 17. Kufuze kwenzekeni ngaphambi kobana imvana itjhade?

¹⁶ Nasele boke abayi-144 000 sebasezulwini, kulapho-ke kuyokuthoma khona amalungiselelo wamaswaphelo womtjhado wemvana. (IsAmbulo 19:9) Kodwana kunokuthileko ekufuze kwenzeke ngaphambi komgidi othabisako lo. Ungakhohlwa phela ukuthi uGogi uzokuhlasela abantu bakaZimu abakhethiweko basesesephasini. (Hezekiyeli 38:16) Abantu bakaZimu bona bazokusabela njani? Bazokulalela nazi iinqophiso, “Akusikho kwenu ukulwa epini le. Zihleleni kuhle, nibukele isindiso” uJehova “azaninikela yona, . . . Yeke masani ukwesaba, ningapheli amandla.” (2 IinKronike 20:17) Ngemva kobana ukusahlela kwakaGogi sekuthomile, boke abakhethiweko abasesesephasini bazokuyiswa ezulwini. IsAmbulo 17:14  sisitjela ngegadango elizokuthathwa ezulwini uGogi nakasahlelako. Amanaba kaZimu “azokulwa neMvana kodwana iMvana yona izawahlula ngombana iyiKosi yamakhosi noMbusi wababusi; nalabo abangakiyo ngababiziweko, abakhethiweko nabathembekileko” bazawahlula. Yeke, uJesu nabakhethiweko bakhe abayi-144 000 abasezulwini bazokusindisa abantu bakaZimu abasephasina.

¹⁷ Isindiso leyo izokuvulela i-Arimagedoni indlela, ezokuletha idumo ebizweni lakaJehova elicwengileko. (IsAmbulo 16:16) Boke abahlulelwe njengeembuzi namkha abangakathembeki bazokubhujiswa. Angekhe kusaba nokukhohlakala ephasini, “isiqubuthu esikhulu” sizokusinda nge-Arimagedoni. Emaswapheleni ivuthondaba ethabisako esencwadini yeSambulo izokwenzeka, nasitjho njalo, sikhuluma ngomtjhado wemvana! (IsAmbulo 21:1-4) * (Qala umtlolo ongenzasi.) Boke abasindileko abasephasini bazolizwa ithando lakaZimu nokuphana kwakhe. Sisiqale ngabovu isikhatheso. Leso kuzoba sikhathi esimnandi kwamambala!—Funda 2 Pitrosi 3:13.

18. Njengombana kuseduze bona kwenzeke izenzakalo ezikarisakwezi, yini ekufuze sizimisele ukuyenza?

¹⁸ Yini ngamunye wethu ekufuze ayenze njengombana siqale isenzakalo esithabisako esibandamelakwesi? UJehova waphefumulela umpostoli uPitrosi bona atlole ukuthi: “Njengombana zoke izintwezi zizakupheliswa, alo-ke kufanele nibe babantu abanjani epilweni yokucwenga nekumesabeni uZimu na? Iye, ekulindeleni nekurhabeleni ukufika kwelanga lakaZimu . . . Ngalokho-ke bathandekako, njengombana nilindele lokhu, tjhisekelelani bona nifunyanwe nguye ninokuthula begodu ninganabala namkha umphambo.” (2 Pitrosi 3:11, 12, 14) Njenganje kufuze ngamunye wethu azimisele ukulotjha uZimu ngokuthembeka, angathomi azibandakanye nekolo yamala. Asisekele iKosi yokuThula uJesu Krestu.