1. Iyiphi inhlangano eyathatha indawo ka-Israyeli owahlubuka yaba abantu begama likaJehova? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

KUSHIWO kufanele ukuthi nguJehova owamisa ibandla lobuKristu ekhulwini lokuqala nowavuselela ukukhulekela kweqiniso ezikhathini zamuva. Njengoba siphawulile esihlokweni esandulele, inhlangano eyakhiwa abalandeli bakaKristu bokuqala yathatha indawo yesizwe sakwa-Israyeli esiyizihlubuki yaba abantu begama likaJehova. Leyo nhlangano entsha, eyathandwa kakhulu uNkulunkulu, yasinda lapho kubhujiswa iJerusalema ngo-70 C.E. (Luka 21:20, 21) Lezo zenzakalo zekhulu lokuqala ziyisandulela sezenzakalo ezihilela izinceku zikaJehova zanamuhla. Isimiso sezinto sikaSathane sizophela maduze, kodwa inhlangano kaNkulunkulu iyoqhubeka ikhona nangemva kwezinsuku zokugcina. (2 Thim. 3:1) Singaqiniseka kanjani ngalokhu?

2. Yini uJesu ayisho ngokuphathelene ‘nosizi olukhulu,’ futhi luyoqala kanjani?

² Ngokuphathelene nokuba khona kwakhe okungabonakali nesiphelo sesimiso sezinto, uJesu wathi: “Kuyoba khona usizi olukhulu olungakaze lube khona kusukela ekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube manje, cha, futhi olungasayikuphinde lube khona.” (Math. 24:3, 21) Lolu sizi olungakaze lube khona luyoqala lapho uJehova ebhubhisa “iBhabhiloni Elikhulu,” umbuso wezwe wenkolo  yamanga, esebenzisa imibuso yezombusazwe. (IsAm. 17:3-5, 16) Kuyobe sekwenzekani?

3. Ngemva kokuba inkolo yamanga ibhujisiwe, imuphi umzamo wokuhlasela abantu bakaJehova oyokwenziwa?

³ Ngemva kokuba inkolo yamanga isibhujisiwe, uSathane nezingxenye ezihlukahlukene zezwe lakhe bayohlasela izinceku zikaJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, ngokuphathelene “noGogi wezwe lakwaMagogi,” imiBhalo ibikezela ukuthi: “Uyofika njengesivunguvungu. Uyoba njengamafu asibekela izwe, wena nawo wonke amaviyo akho nezizwe eziningi kanye nawe.” Ngenxa yokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova abanawo amabutho ahlomile futhi bangabantu abanokuthula kunabo bonke emhlabeni, bayobonakala beyizisulu ezilula. Kodwa kuyoba iphutha elikhulu ukubahlasela!—Hez. 38:1, 2, 9-12.

4, 5. UJehova uyosabela kanjani emizamweni kaSathane yokubhubhisa izinceku zaKhe?

⁴ UNkulunkulu uyosabela kanjani emizamweni kaSathane yokubhubhisa abantu baKhe? UJehova uyongenela, asebenzise ilungelo lakhe njengoMbusi Wendawo Yonke. KuJehova, lapho kuhlaselwa izinceku zakhe kunjengokungathi kuhlaselwa yena mathupha. (Funda uZakariya 2:8.) Ngakho-ke, uBaba wethu osezulwini uyothatha isinyathelo ngokushesha ukuze asisindise. Lokho kukhululwa kuyofinyelela umvuthwandaba wako ngokubhujiswa kwezwe likaSathane e-Armagedoni, ‘impi yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke.’—IsAm. 16:14, 16.

⁵ Ngokuphathelene ne-Armagedoni, isiprofetho seBhayibheli sithi: “ ‘UJehova unempikiswano nezizwe. Uyozibeka yena mathupha ekwahluleleni nayo yonke inyama. Ngokuqondene nababi, uyobanikela enkembeni,’ kusho uJehova. Yilokhu uJehova wamabutho akushilo, ‘Bheka! Kuphuma inhlekelele kwesinye isizwe iya kwesinye, nesiphepho esikhulu siyovuswa sivela ezingxenyeni ezikude kakhulu zomhlaba. Ababulewe nguJehova ngalolo suku ngokuqinisekile bayosukela komunye umkhawulo womhlaba kuze kube komunye umkhawulo womhlaba. Ngeke balilelwe, futhi ngeke babuthwe noma bangcwatshwe. Bayoba njengomquba ebusweni bomhlaba.’ ” (Jer. 25:31-33) I-Armagedoni iyosiqeda nyá lesi simiso sezinto esibi. Izwe likaSathane liyoshabalala, kodwa ingxenye esemhlabeni yenhlangano kaJehova iyoqhubeka ikhona.

6, 7. (a) Bavelaphi abantu abakha “isixuku esikhulu”? (b) Ikuphi ukwanda okuye kwaba khona eminyakeni yamuva?

⁶ Inhlangano kaNkulunkulu iqhubeka ikhona futhi ichuma emhlabeni ngenxa yokuthi abantu abayingxenye yayo bayamukeleka kuye. IBhayibheli liyasiqinisekisa: “Amehlo kaJehova aphezu kwabalungileyo, nezindlebe zakhe zisekunxuseni kwabo.” (1 Pet. 3:12) Abalungileyo bahlanganisa ‘nesixuku esikhulu’ ‘esiphuma osizini olukhulu.’ (IsAm. 7:9, 14) La bantu abayosinda abasona nje “isixuku.” ‘Bayisixuku esikhulu’—abantu abaningi kakhulu. Ingabe uzibona uphakathi kwabo, usinde “osizini olukhulu”?

⁷ Bavelaphi la bantu abakha isixuku esikhulu? Baqoqwa ngenxa yalokho uJesu abikezela ukuthi kuyoba ingxenye yesibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakhe. Wathi: “Lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiwe ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke; khona-ke ukuphela kuyofika.” (Math. 24:14) Lona umsebenzi oyinhloko wenhlangano kaNkulunkulu kulezi zinsuku zokugcina. Ngenxa yomsebenzi wokushumayela nokufundisa emhlabeni wonke owenziwa oFakazi BakaJehova, izigidi zabantu ziye zafunda ukukhulekela  uNkulunkulu “ngomoya nangeqiniso.” (Joh. 4:23, 24) Ngokwesibonelo, eminyakeni eyishumi edlule—phakathi nonyaka wenkonzo ka-2003 noka-2012—kubhapathizwe abantu abangaphezu kuka-2 707 000 njengesibonakaliso sokuzinikezela kwabo kuNkulunkulu. Emhlabeni wonke manje kunoFakazi abangaphezu kuka-7 900 000, futhi kunezigidi zabanye abantu ezizihlanganisa nabo, ikakhulu ngeSikhumbuzo esenziwa minyaka yonke. Asiqhoshi ngalezi zibalo, ngoba ‘uNkulunkulu oqhubeka ekhulisa.’ (1 Kor. 3:5-7) Noma kunjalo, kusobala ukuthi isixuku esikhulu siyakhula futhi siba sikhulu nakakhulu unyaka ngamunye.

8. Kungani kunokwanda okuphawulekayo enhlanganweni kaJehova yanamuhla?

⁸ Kuye kwaba nokwanda okuphawulekayo kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ngenxa yokuthi uJehova uyabasekela oFakazi bakhe. (Funda u-Isaya 43:10-12.) Lokhu kwanda kwabikezelwa ngala mazwi ayisiprofetho: “Omncane uyoba yinkulungwane, umuntukazana abe yisizwe esinamandla. Mina, Jehova, ngiyokusheshisa ngesikhathi sako.” (Isaya 60:22) Insali egcotshiweyo yake yaba ‘njengomncane,’ kodwa isibalo sayo sanda njengoba amanye amalungu ka-Israyeli ongokomoya ebuthelwa enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu. (Gal. 6:16) Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova ubelokhu eyibusisa kuyo yonke le minyaka, ukwanda kuye kwaqhubekela nasekubuthweni kwesixuku esikhulu.

9. Kumelwe senzeni ukuze sijabulele ikusasa eliqhakazile elithenjiswa eZwini likaNkulunkulu?

⁹ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi singamaKristu agcotshiwe noma singamalungu esixuku esikhulu, singalithola ikusasa eliqhakazile elithenjiswe eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Nokho, ukuze silithole, kumelwe senze ngokuvumelana nalokho uJehova akufunayo. (Isaya 48:17, 18) Cabanga ngama-Israyeli ngaphansi koMthetho KaMose. Enye injongo yalo Mthetho yayiwukuvikela ama-Israyeli ngokuwanika imithetho emihle eyayiqondisa ukuziphatha kwawo ngokobulili, ukusebenzelana kwawo kwezamabhizinisi, ukunakekela izingane, ukuphatha kahle amanye ama-Israyeli akubo nokunye. (Eks. 20:14; Lev. 19:18, 35-37; Dut. 6:6-9) Ukwenza ngokuvumelana nalokho uNkulunkulu akufunayo kusizuzisa ngezindlela ezifanayo—futhi ngokuqinisekile asikutholi kuwumthwalo ukwenza intando yakhe. (Funda eyoku-1 Johane 5:3.) Eqinisweni, njengoba nje uMthetho wawuwaqapha ama-Israyeli, ukwenza kwethu ngokuvumelana nemithetho kaJehova uNkulunkulu akugcini nje ngokusivikela kodwa futhi kusigcina ‘siphilile okholweni.’—Thithu 1:13.

10. Kungani kufanele sibekele eceleni isikhathi sokutadisha iBhayibheli nesobusuku bokuKhulekela Komkhaya kwamasonto onke?

¹⁰ Ingxenye esemhlabeni yenhlangano kaJehova iqhubekela phambili ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene. Ngokwesibonelo, ukuqonda kwethu iqiniso leBhayibheli kuqhubeka kucaca ngokwengeziwe. Singakulindela lokhu, ngoba “indlela yabalungileyo injengokukhanya okukhulu okuqhubeka kukhanya ngokwengeziwe kuze kube semini enkulu.” (IzAga 4:18) Kodwa senza kahle ngokuzibuza: ‘Ngiyahambisana yini nokuthuthukiswa kwendlela esiqonda ngayo iqiniso elisemiBhalweni? Ingabe ngikwenza umkhuba ukufunda iBhayibheli nsuku zonke? Ngikukhuthalele yini ukufunda izincwadi zethu? Ingabe mina nabathandekayo bami siba nobusuku bokuKhulekela Komkhaya masonto onke?’ Iningi lethu liyovuma ukuthi akunzima kakhulu ukwenza lezi zinto. Ngokuvamile kudingeka nje sibekele eceleni isikhathi sokuzenza. Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukungenisa ulwazi olunembile lwemiBhalo, ukulusebenzisa nokuthuthuka ngokomoya—ikakhulu manje njengoba usizi olukhulu lusondela kangaka!

11. Imikhosi yasendulo nemihlangano yosuku lwanamuhla yebandla, yesifunda neyesigodi iye yaba ezuzisa ngaziphi izindlela?

 ¹¹ Inhlangano kaJehova ikhathalela inhlalakahle yethu lapho isikhuthaza ukuba silalele iseluleko somphostoli uPawulu: “Masicabangelane ukuze sivuselelane uthando nemisebenzi emihle, singakuyeki ukuhlangana kwethu ndawonye, njengoba kungumkhuba wabanye, kodwa sikhuthazane, futhi ikakhulu njengoba nibona usuku lusondela.” (Heb. 10:24, 25) Imikhosi yaminyaka yonke neminye imibuthano yokukhulekela yawakha ama-Israyeli ngokomoya. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, izenzakalo ezinjengoMkhosi Wamadokodo okhethekile wangosuku lukaNehemiya zaziyizikhathi ezijabulisayo. (Eks. 23:15, 16; Neh. 8:9-18) Sithola izinzuzo ezifanayo emihlanganweni yethu yebandla, yesifunda neyesigodi. Masiwasebenzise ngokugcwele la malungiselelo enzelwe ukuqinisa ingokomoya lethu nokwandisa injabulo yethu.—Thithu 2:2.

12. Kufanele sizizwe kanjani ngomsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso?

¹² Njengoba sisenhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu, sithola injabulo yokuhlanganyela ‘emsebenzini ongcwele wezindaba ezinhle zikaNkulunkulu.’ (Roma 15:16) Ukuhlanganyela kulo “msebenzi ongcwele” kusenza sibe “izisebenzi ezikanye” noJehova, “oNgcwele.” (1 Kor. 3:9; 1 Pet. 1:15) Ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle kunengxenye ekungcwelisweni kwegama likaJehova elingcwele. Ngokuqinisekile, kuyilungelo elingenakuqhathaniswa ukuphathiswa ‘izindaba ezinhle ezikhazimulayo zikaNkulunkulu ojabulayo.’—1 Thim. 1:11.

13. Ubuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu nokuphila kwethu ngokwako kuxhomeke kuphi?

¹³ UNkulunkulu ufuna ukuba sihlale sinobuhlobo obuhle naye ngokunamathela kuye nangokusekela inhlangano yakhe emisebenzini yayo ehlukahlukene. UMose watshela ama-Israyeli: “Ngimisa amazulu nomhlaba njengofakazi ngokumelene nani namuhla, bokuthi ngibeke ukuphila nokufa phambi kwakho, isibusiso nesiqalekiso; kumelwe ukhethe ukuphila ukuze uqhubeke uphila, wena nenzalo yakho, ngokuthanda uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ngokulalela izwi lakhe nangokunamathela kuye; ngoba ungukuphila kwakho nobude bezinsuku zakho, ukuze uhlale ezweni uJehova afunga kokhokho bakho o-Abrahama, u-Isaka noJakobe ukubanika lona.” (Dut. 30:19, 20) Ukuphila kwethu kuxhomeke ekwenzeni intando kaJehova, ekumthandeni, ekulaleleni izwi lakhe nasekunamatheleni kuye.

14. Wazizwa kanjani omunye umzalwane ngengxenye ebonakalayo yenhlangano kaNkulunkulu?

¹⁴ UMfoweth’ uPryce Hughes, owanamathela ngokuqinile kuNkulunkulu futhi wahambisana nenhlangano yaKhe, wake wabhala: “Angive ngibonga ngokuthi ngiye ngaphila nginolwazi ngezinjongo zikaJehova kusukela ngalezo zinsuku zokuqala zangaphambi nje kuka-1914 . . . Uma ngingabalula into eyodwa ebilokhu ibaluleke kakhulu kimi, ngingathi ukuhlale ngiseduze nenhlangano kaJehova ebonakalayo. Izinto engahlangabezana nazo ekuqaleni zingifundise ukuthi akunangqondo kangakanani ukuthembela ekucabangeni kwabantu. Kwathi lapho senginqumile ukuthi kuyiqiniso lokhu, ngazimisela ukuba sohlangothini lwale nhlangano ethembekile. Ngalé kwalokho, umuntu angasithola kanjani isibusiso nomusa kaJehova?”

15. Nikeza isibonelo esisemiBhalweni esibonisa indlela okufanele sibheke ngayo ukuthuthukiswa kwendlela esiziqonda ngayo izindaba eziseBhayibhelini.

¹⁵ Ukuze ngamunye wethu athole isibusiso nomusa kaJehova, kumelwe asekele inhlangano yakhe futhi amukele ukulungiswa kwendlela esiyiqonda ngayo imiBhalo. Cabanga ngalokhu: Ngemva kokufa kukaJesu, kwakunezinkulungwane zamaKristu angamaJuda ezazishisekela uMthetho futhi ezakuthola kunzima ukugqashula  kuwo. (IzE. 21:17-20) Nokho, ngosizo lwencwadi uPawulu ayibhalela amaHebheru, zalamukela iqiniso lokuthi zazingazange zingcweliswe ngenxa yemihlatshelo “enikelwa ngokoMthetho,” kodwa “ngomnikelo womzimba kaJesu Kristu kube kanye kuphela.” (Heb. 10:5-10) Akungabazeki ukuthi iningi lalawo maKristu ayengamaJuda ngokuzalwa lakulungisa ukucabanga kwalo futhi laqhubeka lithuthuka ngokomoya. Nathi kudingeka sitadishe ngenkuthalo futhi sibe nomqondo ovulekile lapho kwenzeka kulungiswa okuthile endleleni esiliqonda ngayo iZwi likaNkulunkulu noma emsebenzini wethu wokushumayela.

16. (a) Iziphi izibusiso eziyokwenza ukuphila ezweni elisha kujabulise kakhulu? (b) Yini oyilangazelelayo ezweni elisha?

¹⁶ UJehova uyoqhubeka ebabusisa bonke abahlale beqotho kuye nasenhlanganweni yakhe. Abagcotshiweyo abathembekile bayojabulela amalungelo amahle kakhulu njengezindlalifa ezikanye noKristu ezulwini. (Roma 8:16, 17) Uma unethemba lokuphila emhlabeni, cabanga ukuthi kuyojabulisa kangakanani ukuphila ePharadesi. Njengengxenye yenhlangano kaJehova, yeka ukuthi sijabula kanjani kwamanje ngokuxoxela abanye ngezwe elisha likaNkulunkulu elithenjisiwe! (2 Pet. 3:13) IHubo 37:11 lithi: “Abamnene bayodla ifa lomhlaba, futhi ngempela bayothola injabulo enkulu ngokuchichima kokuthula.” Abantu “bayokwakha izindlu bahlale kuzo,” bajabulele “nomsebenzi wezandla zabo.” (Isaya 65:21, 22) Ngeke kusaba khona ukucindezelwa, ubumpofu nendlala. (IHu. 72:13-16) Akekho osayokhohliswa iBhabhiloni Elikhulu ngoba liyobe lingasekho. (IsAm. 18:8, 21) Abafileyo bayovuswa futhi banikezwe ithuba lokuphila phakade. (Isaya 25:8; IzE. 24:15) Yeka amathemba avusa amadlingozi ayojatshulelwa izigidi eziye zazinikezela kuJehova! Ukuze lezo zithembiso ezisemiBhalweni zigcwaliseke kithi ngabanye, kumelwe siqhubeke sithuthuka ngokomoya, sihambisane nenhlangano kaNkulunkulu, singalokothi sisilele emuva.

17. Kufanele sibe yini isimo sethu sengqondo ngokukhulekela uJehova nangenhlangano yakhe?

¹⁷ Njengoba isiphelo salesi simiso sesiseduze kangaka, masihlale siqinile okholweni futhi sibonise ukuthi simbonga ngokujulile uNkulunkulu ngelungiselelo lakhe lokumkhulekela. Yileso simo sengqondo umhubi uDavide ayenaso, owahlabelela: “Yinye into engiyicelé kuJehova—iyilokho engiyokufuna, ukuba ngihlale endlini kaJehova zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwami, ukuze ngibone ubuhle bukaJehova futhi ngibuke ithempeli lakhe ngokwazisa.” (IHu. 27:4) Kwangathi ngamunye kithi anganamathela kuNkulunkulu, ahambisane nabantu bakhe futhi aqhubeke ehambisana nenhlangano kaJehova.