1-3. (a) UJehova uzavuka “ngolaka olwesabekayo” abesesenzani? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esahlukweni lesi?

 ABAFOWETHU labodadewethu labantwababo bamile futhi bahlabela ingoma yoMbuso. Ngemva kwalokho umdala webandla uthandaza ngenhliziyo yonke, encenga uJehova ukuthi abavikele. Bonke ebandleni bayakwazi ukuthi uJehova uzabavikela, kodwa bafuna ukududuzwa lokuqinisekiswa ukuthi uzakuba labo. Phandle kuzwakala umsindo omkhulu wabantu abalwayo. I-Amagedoni isiqalisile!—Isam. 16:14, 16.

² Empini ye-Amagedoni, uJehova uzabhubhisa abantu abangamlaleliyo. Lokhu uzakwenza “ngolaka olwesabekayo.” (Bala uHezekheli 38:18.) UJehova kasoze athululele ulaka lwakhe phezu kwebutho elilodwa kumbe isizwe esisodwa nje kuphela, kodwa uzatshabalalisa bonke abantu abenza okubi emhlabeni wonke. Labo abazabulawa nguJehova ngalelolanga “bazagcwala umhlaba wonke, kusukela komunye umkhawulo womhlaba kusiya komunye.”—Jer. 25:29, 33.

³ IBhayibhili lithi uJehova ‘ulozwelo lesihawu futhi uyaphuza ukuthukuthela.’ Manje kuyini okuzakwenza ukuthi uJehova  uNkulunkulu olothando olungaka ‘avuke ngolaka’ atshabalalise abantu? (Eks. 34:6; 1 Joh. 4:16) Impendulo yombuzo lo izasiduduza kakhulu, isincede ukuthi sibe lesibindi njalo sihlale sikhuthele emsebenzini wokutshumayela. Sizaxoxa ngakho lokhu esahlukweni lesi.

4, 5. Okwenziwa nguJehova nxa ethukuthele kutshiyene njani lokwenziwa ngabantu?

⁴ Okokuqala okumele sikukhumbule yikuthi ulaka lukaJehova alufanani lolwabantu. Nxa abantu bangathukuthela kakhulu bajayele ukwenza izinto ezimbi abacina sebezisola ngazo. Ngokwesibonelo uKhayini, indodana ka-Adamu yokuqala “wazonda wafuthelana” ngoba uJehova wayengawamukelanga umhlatshelo wakhe kodwa wamukela oka-Abela. Kwasekusenzakalani? UKhayini wacina ebulele umfowabo owayelungile. (Gen. 4:3-8; Heb. 11:4) Cabanga langoDavida. IBhayibhili lithi wayelungile, eyithokozisa inhliziyo kaJehova. (Imiseb. 13:22) Lanxa kunjalo waphosa wenza icala elibi kakhulu ngesikhathi esizwa ukuthi uNabhali umthethisile yena lamadoda ayehamba lawo. UDavida lamabutho akhe bazonda babila, ‘bahloma ngezinkemba’ basuka sebesiyabulala uNabhali labo bonke abesilisa ababesemzini wakhe. U-Abhigeli umkaNabhali nguye owalamulayo, wancenga uDavida kanye lamadoda ayehamba lawo ukuthi bangakwenzi lokho. (1 Sam. 25:9-14, 32, 33) Aliqiniso sibili amazwi abhalwa nguJakhobe athi: “Ukuzonda komuntu akukulethi ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu.”—Jak. 1:20.

⁵ Okwenziwa nguJehova nxa ethukuthele akufanani lokwenziwa ngabantu. Abantu bacina sebesenza izinto ezimbi kodwa uJehova yena uhlala esenza okuqondileyo njalo uyabe ehlose okuhle. Lanxa angaze azonde njani wenza okulungileyo kuphela. Nxa esilwa lezitha zakhe, kabulali abantu ‘abenza okubi ahlanganise labalungileyo.’ (Gen. 18:22-25) Kanti njalo nxa uJehova ejezisa abantu kuyabe kulesizatho esilengqondo esimenze wathukuthela. Asixoxeni ngezizatho ezimbili lokuthi yiziphi izifundo esingazithola kuzo.

6. UJehova uzwa njani nxa abantu bengcolisa ibizo lakhe?

⁶ Isizatho: Ukungcoliswa kwebizo likaJehova. Labo abathi bakhonza uJehova kodwa besenza izinto ezimbi bayalingcolisa ibizo lakhe futhi lokhu kwenza athukuthele. (Hez. 36:23) Njengoba sibonile ezahlukweni ezidlulileyo, abako-Israyeli balingcolisa kakhulu ibizo likaJehova. Lokhu kwamzondisa kakhulu ngoba babengamlaleli futhi besenza izinto ezimbi. Kodwa uJehova kazange athukuthele aze adlulise amalawulo, wabajezisa ngendlela efaneleyo. (Jer. 30:11) Wathi esebajezisile kazange aqhubeke ebathukuthelele.—Hubo. 103:9.

7, 8. Okwenziwa nguJehova ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli engcolisa ibizo lakhe kusifundisani?

⁷ Esikufundayo: Lokho uJehova akwenzayo ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli engcolisa ibizo lakhe kuyisixwayiso lakithi. Phela lathi sibizwa  ngebizo likaJehova njengama-Israyeli akudala. SingoFakazi bakaJehova. (Isaya. 43:10) Indlela esiziphatha ngayo lesikhuluma ngayo ingenza abantu badumise uJehova kumbe bamsole. Ngakho asifuni ukwenza izinto ezilihlazo ezingcolisa ibizo lakhe. Ukwenza angani sikhonza uJehova ngapha sisenza izinto ezimbi kuyamthukuthelisa. Sekuseduze ukuthi abajezise bonke abenza njalo, alwele ibizo lakhe.—Heb. 3:13, 15; 2 Phet. 2:1, 2.

⁸ Ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uyavuka “ngolaka olwesabekayo” kwenza sesabe yini ukusondela kuye? Hatshi, uJehova uyabekezela futhi uyathethelela. (Isaya. 55:7; Rom. 2:4) Kodwa siyakunanzelela lokuthi ngeke ayekele ukujezisa abantu abenza okubi. Siyamhlonipha kakhulu uJehova ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi uyabathukuthelela bonke abaqhubeka besenza okubi ngabomo. Kavumi ukuthi abantu abanjalo baqhubeke bephakathi kwabantu bakhe. (1 Khor. 5:11-13) UJehova ukwenze kwacaca ukuthi kuyini okumenza athukuthele. Ngakho kungumlandu wethu ukuthi simlalele njalo singenzi izinto ezimcaphulayo.—Joh. 3:36; Rom. 1:26-32; Jak. 4:8.

9, 10. UJehova wenzani nxa abantu bakhe abathembekileyo behlaselwa? Nika izibonelo.

⁹ Isizatho: Ukuhlaselwa kwabantu bakaJehova abathembekileyo. UJehova uyathukuthela nxa izitha zihlasela abantu bakhe abathembekileyo abaphephela ngaphansi kwakhe. Ngokwesibonelo ama-Israyeli athi esephumile eGibhithe, uFaro lebutho lakhe elilamandla bawaxotshanisa. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu basebevalelwe luLwandle Olubomvu futhi kwakukhanya kungelanto abangayenza. UJehova wavula uLwandle Olubomvu ukuze abantu bakhe bachaphe. UFaro lebutho lakhe bangena phakathi kolwandle bebalandela. Kodwa uJehova waqalisa ukukhulula amaviri ezinqola zabo, wasesenza ukuthi ulwandle lubasibekele bonke. IBhayibhili lithi: “Kakho loyedwa owasilayo phakathi kwabo.” (Eks. 14:25-28) UJehova wavuka ngolaka watshabalalisa amaGibhithe ngoba wayethanda abantu bakhe ‘ngothando oluqotho.’—Bala u-Eksodusi 15:9-13.

¹⁰ Langesikhathi seNkosi uHezekhiya, uJehova wabavikela abantu bakhe ngoba ebathanda. Ama-Asiriya ahlasela idolobho leJerusalema. Ibutho lawo lalilamandla kakhulu futhi lilesihluku. Lavimbezela abantu bakaJehova lihlose ukuthi babulawe yindlala baze baphele du. (2 Amakho. 18:27) Kodwa uJehova wathuma ingilosi eyodwa kuphela yafika yabulala amasotsha angu-185 000 ngobusuku obubodwa! (2 Amakho. 19:34, 35) Ake ucabange ukuthi kwavuka kunjani enkambeni yama-Asiriya. Kwakuthule cwaka, kuyizidumbu zodwa yonke indawo. Akuzange kukhale cilongo lokuvusa amabutho futhi akulamlawuli wamabutho owazwakala ekhwaza. Imikhonto lamahawu lezinkemba kwakulokhu kulapho okwakubekwe khona izolo.

11. Ukufunda ngendlela uJehova avikela ngayo abantu bakhe ngesikhathi behlaselwa kusinceda njani?

 ¹¹ Esikufundayo: Lokho uJehova akwenzayo ngesikhathi abantu bakhe behlaselwa kuyisixwayiso ezitheni zethu. IBhayibhili lithi: “Kuyinto eyesabekayo ukuwela ezandleni zikaNkulunkulu ophilayo” nxa esethukuthele. (Heb. 10:31) Kodwa lokho kuyasiduduza futhi kusenze sibe lesibindi. Kuyasiduduza ukwazi ukuthi isitha sethu esikhulu uSathane kasisoze siphumelele. Sekuseduze ukuthi ‘isikhathi sakhe esifitshane’ sokubusa siphele! (Isam. 12:12) Lokhu kwenza sikhonze uJehova silesibindi sisazi ukuthi akulamuntu loba inhlanganiso kumbe uhulumende ongasivimba ukuthi senze intando kaNkulunkulu. (Bala iHubo 118:6-9.) Umphostoli uPhawuli wayiveza indlela esimthemba ngayo uNkulunkulu lapho esithi: “Nxa uNkulunkulu elathi, ngubani ongasinqoba?”—Rom. 8:31.

12. Kuyini okuzakwenza uJehova avuke ngolaka olwesabekayo ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu?

¹² Ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu, uJehova uzasivikela njengoba nje wavikela ama-Israyeli ngesikhathi exotshaniswa ngamaGibhithe, waphinda wavikela amaJuda ayeseJerusalema ngesikhathi ehlaselwa ngama-Asiriya. UJehova uyasithanda kakhulu yikho  uzavuka ngolaka nxa izitha zethu sezizama ukusitshabalalisa. Labo abazasihlasela bayabe besenza ubuthutha sibili ngoba lokho kufanana lokuthi bayabe bethinta inhlamvu yelihlo likaJehova. UJehova uzahle abatshabalalise bonke baphele du! (Zak. 2:8, 9) Empini ezavuka lapho kuzakufa abantu abanengi kakhulu ukwedlula kuloba yiphi impi eyake yaba khona. Kodwa izitha zikaJehova kuyabe kungamelanga zimangale ukuthi kungani ezithukuthelele kangako. Kungani kungamelanga zimangale?

13. UJehova ubaxwayise ngani abantu?

¹³ UJehova ‘uyaphuza ukuthukuthela’ futhi uyabaxwayisa kanenginengi labo abaphikisana laye lalabo abathwalise nzima abantu bakhe. (Eks. 34:6, 7) UJehova wasebenzisa abaphrofethi bakhe uJeremiya, loHezekheli, loDanyeli, loKhristu uJesu, lomphostoli uPhetro, loPhawuli loJohane ukuthi baxwayise abantu ngempi enkulu ezabakhona.—Khangela ibhokisi elithi “UJehova Uxwayisa Abantu Ngempi Enkulu Ezayo.”

14, 15. Yiwuphi umsebenzi uJehova awenzileyo njalo kungani ewenzile?

 ¹⁴ UJehova waphefumulela abantu bakhe ukuthi babhale izixwayiso lezo eLizwini lakhe. Waphinda waba leqiniso lokuthi iBhayibhili liyahunyutshwa ngezindimi ezinengi ukwedlula loba yiliphi ibhuku ukuze litholwe ngabantu abanengi. Emhlabeni wonke ulebutho labantu bakhe abazimisele ukuncedisa abantu ukuthi babe lobudlelwano obuhle laye. Baxwayisa abantu ‘ngosuku olukhulu lukaJehova’ oseluseduze. (Zef. 1:14; Hubo. 2:10-12; 110:3) Wenze ukuthi abantu bakhe bahumutshe amabhuku asekelwe eBhayibhilini ngezindimi ezinengi lokuthi batshumayele amahora amanengi kakhulu umnyaka ngamunye betshela abantu ngezithembiso zakhe futhi bebaxwayisa besebenzisa iLizwi lakhe.

¹⁵ UJehova wenze konke lokhu “ngoba kafisi ukuthi loba ngubani abhujiswe kodwa ufisa ukuthi abantu bonke baphenduke.” (2 Phet. 3:9) Kuyisibusiso esikhulu ukumela uNkulunkulu wethu olothando lobekezelayo kanye lokutshela abantu izixwayiso ezivela kuye. Kodwa sekuseduze ukuthi abajezise labo abangalaleliyo nxa bexwayiswa.

16, 17. UJehova uselibekile yini ilanga lempi yokucina? Chasisa.

¹⁶ UJehova uselubekile usuku lwempi yakhe enkulu. Uyakwazi ukuthi abantu bakhe bazahlaselwa nini. (Mat. 24:36) Ukwazi njani?

¹⁷ Esahlukweni esidlulileyo sibonile ukuthi uJehova utshela uGogi athi: ‘Ngizafaka amawuka emihlathini yakho.’ UJehova uzakwenza ukuthi izizwe zihlasele abantu bakhe besekuvuka impi ye-Amagedoni. (Hez. 38:4) Lokhu akutsho ukuthi uJehova nguye ozavusa impi kumbe ukuthi uzakwenzisa izizwe into ezingayifuniyo. UJehova ukwazi mhlophe okusezinhliziyweni zabantu. Uyakwazi ukuthi nxa izitha zakhe zingathola ithuba lokuhlasela abantu bakhe ngeke zilidlalise.—Hubo. 94:11; Isaya. 46:9, 10; Jer. 17:10.

18. Kuyini okuzakwenza abantu babe lesibindi sokulwa loSomandla?

¹⁸ UJehova kasoze azibambe ngamandla izitha zakhe ukuthi zilwe. Manje kuyini okuzakwenza ukuthi zibe lesibindi sokuhlasela abantu bakhe zicine sezisilwa loSomandla? Esinye isizatho yikuthi ziyabe sezizitshela ukuthi uNkulunkulu kakho kumbe ukuthi nxa ekhona kalandaba lokwenzakala emhlabeni. Mhlawumbe okuzakwenza zicabange njalo yikuthi ziyabe zisanda kutshabalalisa zonke  izinkolo emhlabeni. Ngakho zingacabanga ukuthi aluba uNkulunkulu ukhona ubezazivikela izinhlanganiso zezinkolo ngoba zithi zimela yena. Ziyabe zingakunanzelelanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu nguye okufake ezinhliziyweni zazo ukuthi zitshabalalise izinkolo lezo ebezingcolisa ibizo lakhe.—Isam. 17:16, 17.

19. Kuyini okungenzakala ngemva kokubhujiswa kwenkolo yamanga?

¹⁹ Ngemva nje kokubhujiswa kwenkolo yamanga kungenzakala ukuthi uJehova athume abantu bakhe ukuthi batshele abantu umlayezo ozabazwisa ubuhlungu. Ibhuku leSambulo lifanisa umlayezo lo lamatshe amakhulu esiqhotho. Ilitshe ngalinye lingaba ngamakhilogremu angu-20. (Isam. 16:21, amabala angaphansi) Kukhanya angani bazabe bexwayisa abantu ngokuthi ezombusazwe lezokuthengiselana sezizatshabalaliswa. Umlayezo lo uzabazwisa ubuhlungu kakhulu abantu baze bathethise uNkulunkulu. Kungenzakala ukuthi umlayezo lo yiwo ozakwenza izizwe zihlasele abantu bakaNkulunkulu zihlose ukubatshabalalisa baphele du. Zizabona angani asivikelekanga, zizitshele ukuthi zizasithanyela zisiqede lula nje. Kodwa zizayifunda ivaliwe!

20, 21. Ngubani uGogi, njalo kuzakwenzakalani kuye?

²⁰ Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 17 sebhuku leli, uHezekheli wabiza izizwe ezizamanyana zisihlasele ngokuthi ‘nguGogi waselizweni laseMagogi.’ (Hez. 38:2) Kodwa lokho akutsho ukuthi ziyabe sezibambene futhi sezilokuthula. Lanxa kuyabe kukhanya angani zimanyene ziyabe zilokhu ziyizitha, ziziphakamisa futhi isizwe ngasinye sifuna ukugijimisa inhloso zaso. Ngakho kuzaba lula ukuthi uJehova enze ukuthi zivukelane zihlaselane zodwa. (Hez. 38:21) Kodwa uNkulunkulu nguye ozazitshabalalisa.

²¹ Izitha zikaNkulunkulu zizathi zingakatshabalaliswa zibone isibonakaliso seNdodana yomuntu. Kungenzakala ukuthi lokhu kuyabe kuyikubonakaliswa kwamandla amakhulu kaJehova loJesu. Izitha zethu zizabona izinto ezizakwenza ukuthi zikhathazeke kakhulu. Njengoba uJesu watsho, ‘abantu bazaphela amandla ngenxa yokwesaba lokulindela izinto ezizakwehlela umhlaba.’ (Luk. 21:25-27) Bazakwethuka sebenanzelela ukuthi baphambanisile ngokuhlasela abantu bakaJehova. Zizakwazi ngenkani ukuthi uMdali ulebutho elikhulu kakhulu, yikho kuthiwa unguJehova wamabutho. (Hubo. 46:6-11; Hez. 38:23) Kumele ukuthi uJehova uzasebenzisa amandla emvelo kanye lebutho lasezulwini ukuthi atshabalalise izitha zakhe kodwa avikele labo abathembekileyo kuye.—Bala u-2 Phetro 2:9.

22, 23. Ngobani abazavikela abantu bakaNkulunkulu, futhi bezwa njani ngomsebenzi lo abawuphiweyo?

²² Akucabange ukuthi uJesu uzabe ezimisele kangakanani ukukhokhela ibutho elizatshabalalisa izitha zikaNkulunkulu futhi livikele labo abathanda uYise labamkhonzayo. Ubona angani abagcotshiweyo bona bayabe besizwa njani ngalesosikhathi? Phela  i-Amagedoni isizaqalisa, bonke abagcotshiweyo abayabe besemhlabeni bazakuya ezulwini ukuze bancedisane loJesu nxa esezokulwa lezitha zikaNkulunkulu empini ye-Amagedoni. (Isam. 17:12-14) Khathesi abagcotshiweyo balabangane abangabezinye izimvu ababancedisayo emisebenzini abayiphathiswe nguNkulunkulu. Ngakho ngesikhathi se-Amagedoni bazabe bezimisele ukusebenzisa amandla abo ukuthi bavikele abangane babo laba ababancedisayo ngesikhathi besebunzimeni.—Mat. 25:31-40.

²³ Izingilosi lazo zizabe zisebuthweni likaJesu. (2 Thes. 1:7; Isam. 19:14) Izingilosi lezo yizo ezancedisa uJesu ngesikhathi exotsha uSathane lamadimoni akhe ezulwini. (Isam. 12:7-9) Kanti njalo khathesi ziyancedisa ekuqoqeni labo abafuna ukukhonza uJehova. (Isam. 14:6, 7) Lokhu kwenza sibone ukuthi kungani uJehova ezathuma izingilosi lezo ukuthi zivikele abantu bakhe abathembekileyo. Okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi bonke abasebuthweni likaJehova bazimisele ukulwela lokungcwelisa ibizo lakhe, yikho bezancedisa ekutshabalaliseni izitha zakhe.—Mat. 6:9, 10.

24. Kuyini ozakuzakwenza abexuku elikhulu bangesabi?

²⁴ Abexuku elikhulu kabasoze besabe ngenxa yokuthi bayabe belebutho elilamandla elizimiseleyo ukubavikela. ‘Bazasukuma bame baphakamise amakhanda ngoba ukukhululwa kwabo kuyabe sekuseduze.’ (Luk. 21:28) Kuqakathekile ukuthi khathesi, usuku lukaJehova lungakafiki, sincedise abantu abanengi ukuthi bamazi futhi bamthande uBaba wethu olesihawu futhi osivikelayo!—Bala uZefaniya 2:2, 3.

25. Sizaxoxa ngani esahlukweni esilandelayo?

²⁵ Nxa kungaba lempi abantu basala behlupheka futhi kujayele ukuba leziphithiphithi. Kodwa ngemva kwempi ye-Amagedoni kuzakuba lokuthula futhi abantu bazasala bethokoza. Kuzakwenzakalani emhlabeni nxa ulaka lukaJehova seluphelile futhi amabutho akhe eseziqede zonke izitha zakhe? Esahlukweni esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngekusasa elihle uJehova asithembisa lona.