1, 2. (a) Kuyini okumele sizikhethele khona? (b) Ingilosi ethembekileyo yathini uJohane esefuna ukuyikhonza?

 NGAMUNYE wethu kumele azikhethele ukuthi uzakhonza bani. Abanengi bangathi indaba le ayihluphi ngoba akulamuntu ongakwaziyo ukuthi kumele akhonze uNkulunkulu. Kodwa akumelanga kuphelele ekukhulumeni nje ukuthi sikhonza uNkulunkulu. Lokho esikwenzayo yikho okuzatshengisa ukuthi sikhonza uNkulunkulu yini kumbe sikhonza uSathane uDeveli.

² USathane ukufuna ngabomvu ukukhonzwa. Lokhu kwakhanya ngesikhathi elinga uJesu. Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 1 sebhuku leli, uSathane wathembisa ukunika uJesu yonke imibuso yomhlaba. Lo kwakungumvuzo omkhulu sibili. Kodwa kuyini ayefuna uJesu aqale akwenze? USathane watshela uJesu wathi: ‘Guqa phansi ungikhonze kanye nje kuphela.’ (Mat. 4:9) Lokhu kutshiyene kakhulu lokwenziwa yingilosi eyathunywa ukuthi itshengise uJohane isambulo. Yona yala ukukhonzwa. (Bala iSambulo 22:8, 9.) UJohane wathi eseziwisele phansi enyaweni zengilosi le esefuna ukuyikhonza, ingilosi le ethobekileyo yathi: “Ungakwenzi lokho!” Kulokuthi ithi, ‘Khonza mina,’ ingilosi yathi, “Khonza uNkulunkulu.”

3. (a) Ibingeyani inhloso yebhuku leli? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani?

 ³ Inhloso yebhuku leli ibingeyokusincedisa ukuthi siqhubeke sizimisele ukukhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu kuphela njengoba ingilosi yatsho. (Dute. 10:20; Mat. 4:10) Khathesi asihloleni izifundo ezimayelana lokukhonza kweqiniso esizithole eziphrofethweni zikaHezekheli kanye lasemibonweni ayibonayo. Ngemva kwalokho sizahlola iMibhalo ezasinceda sizwisise lokho okuzakwenzakala esikhathini esizayo lapho wonke umuntu oyabe esemhlabeni azalingwa khona okokucina. Labo abazaqhubeka bethembekile ngalesosikhathi yibo abazakuba lesibusiso sokukhonza uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo kuze kube nini lanini.

4. Yiziphi izifundo ezintathu eziqakathekileyo esizithola ebhukwini likaHezekheli?

⁴ Ibhuku likaHezekheli lisifundisa ukuthi ukukhonza kweqiniso akutsho ukwenza izinto okukhangelelwe ukuthi sizenze nje kuphela kodwa kumele kube ngokusuka enhliziyweni. Lokhu kugoqela (1) ukuzinikela kuJehova kuphela, (2) ukumkhonza ngendlela ehlanzekileyo simanyene kanye (3) lokutshengisa ukuthi siyabathanda abanye. Khathesi asixoxeni ngokuthi imibono leziphrofetho esifunde ngazo ebhukwini leli ziziveza njani izifundo lezi eziqakathekileyo.

5-9. Sifundeni ngokuzinikela kuJehova kuphela?

⁵ Isahluko 3: a Embonweni uHezekheli wabona uJehova ephezu kwezidalwa zomoya ezilamandla futhi egonjolozelwe ngumchilowamakhosikazi. Umbono lo usifundisa iqiniso eliqakathekileyo elokuthi kumele sikhonze uJehova uNkulunkulu uSomandla kuphela.—Hez. 1:4, 15-28.

⁶ Isahluko 5: UHezekheli wabona umbono owawutshengisa indlela abantu abasebelingcolise ngayo ithempeli likaJehova futhi lokho kwamethusa. Umbono lo usifundisa ukuthi akulalutho olufihlakeleyo kuJehova. Wayebabona abantu bakhe nxa bekhonza izithombe lanxa lokho babekwenza becatshile. Lokho kusifundisa ukuthi uyazibona zonke izinto ezenziwa ngabantu. Uzwa ubuhlungu nxa ebona abantu abangathembekanga futhi uzabajezisa.—Hez. 8:1-18.

⁷ Isahluko 7: Iziphrofetho ezimayelana lezizwe ezazihlukuluza abako-Israyeli futhi ‘zibachothoza’ zitshengisa ukuthi uJehova uzabajezisa bonke abaphatha kubi abantu bakhe. (Hez. 25:6) Kodwa kulesinye isifundo esisitholayo endleleni ama-Israyeli ayesebenzelana ngayo lezizwe lezo. Sifunda ukuthi kumele siqakathekise ukuhlala sithembekile kuJehova ukwedlula loba yini. Siqhubeka silandela izimiso zikaJehova kungelani lokuthi lokho kuziphatha njani izihlobo zethu ezingayisiboFakazi. Kanti njalo asithembeli enothweni futhi asifuni ukucina sesisekela ohulumende bomhlaba kodwa sizimisele ukusekela ubukhosi bukaJehova kuphela.

⁸ Isahluko 13 lo-14: Umbono wethempeli eliphezu kwentaba ende kakhulu usifundisa ukuthi kumele silandele izimiso zikaJehova  eziphakemeyo njalo sinanzelele ukuthi yena uphezu kwabo bonke abanye onkulunkulu.—Hez. 40:1–48:35.

⁹ Isahluko 15: Isiphrofetho esifanisa isizwe sako-Israyeli lesakoJuda lezifebe sitshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyakwenyanya ukuthi abantu abamkhonzayo balandele imikhuba yenkolo yamanga.—Hez. isahl. 16, 23.

10-14. Ibhuku likaHezekheli likugcizelela njani ukuthi ukukhonza uJehova simanyene kuqakathekile?

¹⁰ Isahluko 8: Iziphrofetho zikaHezekheli ezilesithembiso sikaJehova sokuthi wayezabeka “umelusi oyedwa” ozanakekela abantu bakhe zisifundisa ukuthi kumele sikhonze simanyene njalo silokuthula sikhokhelwa nguJesu.—Hez. 34:23, 24; 37:24-28.

¹¹ Isahluko 9: Labo abafuna ukuthokozisa uJehova lamuhla bathola isifundo esihle eziphrofethweni zikaHezekheli ezimayelana lokukhululwa kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu eBhabhiloni lokubuyiselwa kwabo elizweni labo. Nxa sifuna ukukhonza uJehova ngendlela ehlanzekileyo kumele sibalekele izimfundiso zamanga kanye lemikhuba yenkolo yamanga. Abantu abasenhlanganisweni kaJehova babengena amasonto atshiyeneyo futhi balamasiko atshiyeneyo. Kanti njalo abanye babo banothile futhi abanye bangabayanga. Lanxa kunjalo kumele sihlale simanyene ukuze kukhanye ukuthi singabantu bakaNkulunkulu.—Hez. 11:17, 18; 12:24; Joh. 17:20-23.

¹² Isahluko 10: Umbono wamathambo awomileyo wona wenza kucace ukuthi ukumanyana kuqakathekile. Kuyisibusiso esikhulu ukukhonza uJehova phakathi kwabantu bakhe abanengi ababambisanayo kukho konke abakwenzayo.—Hez. 37:1-14.

¹³ Isahluko 12: Isiphrofetho sezigodo ezimbili ezahlanganiswayo zaba yisigodo esisodwa sigcizelela ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu kumele bamanyane. Kuyaluqinisa kakhulu ukholo lwethu ukubona amaKhristu agcotshiweyo kanye labezinye izimvu begcwalisa isiphrofetho lesi. Khathesi ezombusazwe lezinkolo zenza ukuthi abantu bahlukane kakhulu kodwa thina siqhubeka simanyene ngoba siyathandana futhi siqotho.—Hez. 37:15-23.

¹⁴ Isahluko 16: Umbono wendoda elezinto zokubhala lamadoda ayethwele izikhali zokubulala usinika isixwayiso okumele sihlale sisikhumbula. Wenza sinanzelele ukuthi labo abazabe bekhonza uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo ngesikhathi ‘ukuhlupheka okukhulu’ kuqalisa, yibo kuphela abazafakwa uphawu lokusinda.—Mat. 24:21; Hez. 9:1-11.

15-18. Kungani kumele siqhubeke silothando futhi singatshengisa njani ukuthi silalo?

¹⁵ Isahluko 4: Umbono kaHezekheli wezidalwa ezine eziphilayo usifundisa ngobuntu bukaJehova, ikakhulu ukuthi uluthando. Nxa indlela esikhuluma ngayo lesiphatha ngayo abanye itshengisa ukuthi silothando kuzakhanya ukuthi uNkulunkulu wethu nguJehova.—Hez. 1:5-14; 1 Joh. 4:8.

 ¹⁶ Isahluko 6 lo-11: Uthando yilo olwenza uJehova wabeka abalindi ababezaxwayisa abantu bakhe. UHezekheli wayengomunye wabalindi labo. UNkulunkulu uluthando yikho kafuni ukuthi loba ngubani abhujiswe ngesikhathi esetshabalalisa umbuso kaSathane. (2 Phet. 3:9) Thina silesibusiso sokutshengisa ukuthi silothando njengoNkulunkulu ngokuncedisa emsebenzini owenziwa ngumlindi obekwe nguNkulunkulu lamuhla.—Hez. 33:1-9.

¹⁷ Isahluko 17 lo-18: UJehova uyakwazi ukuthi abantu abanengi abasoze bawamukele umusa wakhe kodwa bazazama ukutshabalalisa abantu abamkhonzayo. UJehova uyabathanda abantu bakhe abaqotho yikho uzabavikela nxa ‘uGogi waselizweni laseMagogi’ esebahlasela. Lathi siyabathanda abantu yikho sibaxwayisa sibatshela ukuthi uJehova uzababhubhisa bonke abahlukuluza abantu bakhe.—Hez. 38:1–39:20; 2 Thes. 1:6, 7.

¹⁸ Isahluko 19, 20 lo-21. Umbono womfula olamanzi okuphila lombono wokwabiwa kwelizwe itshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyabathanda kakhulu abantu bakhe. Imibono le iveza izibusiso esizazithola ngenxa yokuthi uJehova wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe. Le yindlela ezedlula zonke atshengisa ngayo ukuthi uyasithanda. Inhlawulo yenza ukuthi sithethelelwe izono, sibuyiselwe emulini kaNkulunkulu futhi sithole ukuphila okungapheliyo. Enye indlela esingatshengisa ngayo ukuthi siyabathanda abantu, yikubatshela ngekusasa elihle uJehova alilungiselele labo abatshengisa ukuthi balokholo eNdodaneni yakhe.—Hez. 45:1-7; 47:1–48:35; Isam. 21:1-4; 22:17.

19. Kuyini uJesu azakwenza nxa esebusa okweminyaka eyinkulungwane? (Khangela lebhokisi elithi, “Ukulingwa Kokucina.”)

¹⁹ Phakathi kweminyaka eyinkulungwane ebusa, uJesu uzavusa amabhiliyoni abantu aqede lobuhlungu obubangelwa ‘yisitha sethu sokucina ukufa.’ (1 Khor. 15:26; Mak. 5:38-42; Imiseb. 24:15) Sekulesikhathi eside ukufa kubathwalise nzima abantu njalo kubangela lobuhlungu obukhulu. Kodwa nxa uJesu esevusa abantu abafileyo uzabuqeda ubuhlungu lobu futhi abantu abavusiweyo uzabanika ithuba lokuqalisa impilo entsha. UJesu uzasebenzisa inhlawulo yakhe ukuthi aqede wonke umonakalo obangelwe yimikhuhlane, izimpi kanye lendlala. Phezu kwalokho uJesu uzasusa isono esasithola ku-Adamu ngoba yiso esibangele zonke inhlupho zabantu. (Rom. 5:18, 19) ‘Uzayibhidliza imisebenzi kaDeveli.’ (1 Joh. 3:8) Ngemva kwalokho kuyini okuzakwenzakala?

20. UJesu labangu-144 000 bazatshengisa njani ukuthi bathobekile? Chasisa. (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

²⁰ Bala u-1 Khorinte 15:24-28. Ngemva kweminyaka eyinkulungwane abantu bazabe bengaselasono futhi umhlaba wonke uyabe usulipharadayisi. Lokhu yikho uJehova ayekuhlosile ekuqaliseni. Ngalesosikhathi uJesu labangu-144 000 azabe ebusa labo bazatshengisa ukuthi bathobekile sibili ngokubuyisela uMbuso kuJehova. Lanxa beyabe sebeleminyaka eyinkulungwane bebusa, bazabuyisela ubukhosi kuJehova bengabanjwanga ngamandla futhi kungazange kuliwe. Kodwa  konke abazabe bekwenzile ngesikhathi bebusa kuzahlala kuze kube nini lanini.

21, 22. (a) Umhlaba uzabe usunjani ekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane? (b) Kuyini okuzakwenza uJehova akhulule uSathane lamadimoni akhe?

²¹ Ngemva kwalokho uJehova uzakwenza into ezatshengisa ukuthi uyabathemba kakhulu abantu bakhe abasemhlabeni. Uzakhulula uSathane lamadimoni emgodini ongelamkhawulo abayabe bevalelwe kuwo okweminyaka eyinkulungwane. (Bala iSambulo 20:1-3.) Ngalesosikhathi izinto ziyabe sezitshintshe kakhulu emhlabeni. Phela i-Amagedoni ingakafiki, abantu abanengi emhlabeni bayabe bedukiswe nguSathane, bezondana njalo bebandlululana. (Isam. 12:9) Lanxa kunjalo, ngemva kweminyaka eyinkulungwane abantu bonke bazabe bethandana, bemanyene futhi bekhonza uJehova njalo umhlaba wonke uyabe usulipharadayisi.

²² Manje kuyini okuzakwenza ukuthi uJehova akhulule uSathane lamadimoni akhe njengoba izinto ziyabe sezihamba kuhle kangaka  emhlabeni? Ekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane inengi labantu liyabe lingakaze lilingwe ukuze kubonakale ukuthi lithembekile kuJehova. Abanengi babo bayabe bafa bengalitholanga ithuba lokufunda ngoJehova basebevuselwa ePharadayisi. UJehova uyabe ebavusile wabanika impilo, waphinda wabanakekela futhi wabafundisa ukuthi kumele bamkhonze njani. Bayabe bengakaze balingwe ukuthi benze okubi ngoba bonke abantu abayabe bephila labo bayabe bemthanda uJehova futhi bemkhonza. USathane uyabe engabasola ngendlela asola ngayo uJobe athi bakhonza uJehova ngenxa yokuthi uyabavikela futhi uyababusisa. (Jobe. 1:9, 10) Ngakho uJehova uzanika bonke abantu ithuba lokutshengisa ukuthi bathembekile yini kuye lokuthi bayafuna ukuthi aqhubeke enguYise wabo loMbusi wabo. Amabizo abo bonke abazaqhubeka bethembekile azabhalwa ebhukwini lokuphila kuze kube nini lanini.—Isam. 20:12, 15.

23. Kuyini okuzamele ngamunye wethu azikhethele khona?

²³ USathane uzaphiwa isikhathi esincane ukuze azame ukudukisa abantu abatshiyise ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Uzakwenza njani lokhu?  Kumele ukuthi uzasebenzisa indlela azisebenzisa ngesikhathi elinga u-Adamu lo-Eva. Umuntu ngamunye oyabe ephila ngalesosikhathi kuzamele akhethe ukuthi uzalandela izimiso zikaJehova yini njalo asekele ubukhosi bakhe futhi amkhonze, loba ukuthi uzamhlamukela asekele uSathane.

24. Kungani labo abazahlamuka bebizwa ngokuthi nguGogi loMagogi?

²⁴ Bala iSambulo 20:7-10. Unanzelele yini ukuthi labo abazahlamuka ngemva kweminyaka eyinkulungwane babizwa ngokuthi nguGogi loMagogi? Benza njengabahlamuki uHezekheli aphrofetha ngabo ukuthi bazahlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu. ‘UGogi waselizweni laseMagogi’ uHezekheli akhuluma ngaye yizizwe eziphikisana lobukhosi bukaJehova. (Hez. 38:2) Lalabo abazahlamukela uJehova ekupheleni kokubusa kukaKhristu okweminyaka eyinkulungwane babizwa ngokuthi ‘yizizwe.’ Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi kukhona uSathane ayabe ephumelele ukukwenza. Phela phakathi kweminyaka eyinkulungwane yokubusa kukaJesu abantu bazabe bengehlukaniswanga baba yizizwe ezitshiyeneyo. Abantu bonke bazabuswa nguhulumende oyedwa, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Sonke siyabe sesiyisizwe esisodwa esikhonza uJehova. Ngakho nxa isiphrofetho sibiza labo abazahlamuka ngokuthi nguGogi loMagogi langokuthi ‘bayizizwe,’  sitshengisa ukuthi uSathane uzaphumelela ukwenza ukuthi abanye abantu bakaNkulunkulu bahlamuke. Kodwa akulamuntu ozabanjwa ngamandla ukuthi asekele uSathane. Umuntu ngamunye uzazikhethela ukuthi ufuna ukusekela bani.

25, 26. Banengi kangakanani abantu abazasekela uSathane?

²⁵ Banengi kangakanani abantu abazasekela uSathane? IBhayibhili lithi inani labo “lingangetshebetshebe yolwandle.” Kodwa lokho akutsho ukuthi inengi labantu emhlabeni lizahlamuka. Sikwazi njani lokhu? Cabanga ngalokho uJehova akuthembisa u-Abrahama. UJehova wathi inzalo ka-Abrahama yayizakuba ‘njengetshebetshebe ekhunjini lolwandle.’ (Gen. 22:17, 18) Kodwa labo ababumba inzalo yakhe bangu-144 001 kuphela. (Gal. 3:16, 29) Lanxa inani lelo lingakhanya lilikhulu, lincane kakhulu nxa liqathaniswa labantu abasemhlabeni. Ngakho labantu abazalandela uSathane bazakhanya angathi banengi kodwa bayabe bebalutshwana kakhulu nxa sebeqathaniswa lezinceku zikaJehova eziyabe zithembekile. Labo abazahlamuka abasoze benelise ukutshabalalisa izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekileyo.

²⁶ Bonke abasekela uSathane bazabhujiswa baphele. Bona loSathane lamadimoni akhe bazatshabalala bangaphindi babe khona.  Okuzakhunjulwa nje ngabo yikuthi bakhetha ngobuphukuphuku bavuna kabuhlungu.—Isam. 20:10.

27-29. Abantu abazaqhubeka bethembekile bazatholani?

²⁷ Amabizo alabo abazaqhubeka bethembekile ngalesosikhathi azabhalwa “ebhukwini lokuphila” kuze kube nini lanini. (Isam. 20:15) Bazasala beyimuli emanyeneyo futhi bazakuba ngamadodana lamadodakazi kaJehova, baqhubeke bemkhonza ngendlela ayamukelayo.

²⁸ Akucabange ukuthi impilo izabe isinjani ngalesosikhathi. Zonke inhlupho wena lemuli yakho elilazo khathesi ziyabe seziphelile. Uzayikholisa impilo ulabangane bakho lezihlobo zakho futhi uzayikholisa lemisebenzi oyabe uyenza. Uyabe ususenelisa ukuba seduze kakhulu loJehova ngoba uyabe ungaselasono. Kuyabe kungasadingakali inhlawulo kumbe umphristi omkhulu ukuthi akumele kuJehova. Wonke umuntu uyabe esengumngane kaNkulunkulu. Okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi zonke izidalwa zikaJehova ezisezulwini lezisemhlabeni ziyabe sezimkhonza ngendlela ayamukelayo. Abantu bayabe sebekhonza uJehova bengasamoneli. Nxa sekunjalo ukukhonza kweqiniso kuyabe sekuvuselelwe ngokupheleleyo.

²⁹ Wena uzabe ukhona yini ngalesosikhathi? Ungenelisa ukuba khona nxa ungaqhubeka usebenzisa izifundo ezintathu esizithole ebhukwini likaHezekheli. Sifunde ukuthi kumele sizinikele kuJehova kuphela, simkhonze ngendlela ehlanzekileyo simanyene labantu bakhe  njalo sithande abanye ngenhliziyo yonke. Kulesinye futhi isifundo esiqakatheke kakhulu esisithola eziphrofethweni zikaHezekheli. Yisiphi?

30, 31. Amazwi athi “bazakwazi ukuthi mina nginguJehova” (a) azixwayisa ngani izitha zikaNkulunkulu? (b) atshoni ebantwini bakaNkulunkulu?

³⁰ Ebhukwini likaHezekheli amazwi athi “bazakwazi ukuthi mina nginguJehova” atholakala izikhathi ezinengi. (Hez. 6:10; 39:28) Amazwi la azixwayisa ngani izitha zikaNkulunkulu? Azixwayisa ngokuthi uJehova uzakulwa lazo azibhubhise. Zizayifunda ivaliwe! Zizakwazi ukuthi uJehova ukhona futhi zizafunda kabuhlungu ukuthi ibizo lakhe litsho ukuthi, “Wenza Ukuthi Kube Khona.” ‘UJehova wamabutho’ uzakuba ‘liqhawe elilamandla’ alwe lezitha zakhe. (1 Sam. 17:45; Eks. 15:3) Zizabona ukuthi akulalutho olungavimba uJehova ukuthi agcwalise inhloso yakhe. Kodwa lokho akusoze kuzincede ngalutho ngoba kuyabe sekuphuze kakhulu.

³¹ Amazwi athi “bazakwazi ukuthi mina nginguJehova” atshoni ebantwini bakaNkulunkulu? Atsho ukuthi uJehova uzabanika impilo enhle futhi elokuthula. UJehova uzakwenza ukuthi sibe ngamadodana lamadodakazi akhe alobuntu obufanana xathu lobakhe! Lokhu yikho ayekuhlosile ngesikhathi edala abantu. (Gen. 1:26) Khathesi uJehova unguBaba wethu olothando loMelusi wethu osivikelayo. Sekuseduze ukuthi anqobe zonke izitha zethu. Kodwa singakafiki lesosikhathi, asiqhubekeni sisebenzisa zonke izifundo ezisithole ebhukwini likaHezekheli. Nsuku zonke kumele sitshengise ngamazwi langezenzo ukuthi siyakwazi ukuthi uJehova ungubani lokuthi unguNkulunkulu onjani. Lokhu kuzakwenza ukuthi nxa ukuhlupheka okukhulu sekuqalisa singesabi kodwa siphakamise amakhanda sisazi ukuthi ukukhululwa kwethu sekuseduze. (Luk. 21:28) Okwakhathesi asincediseni abantu emhlabeni wonke ukuthi bamazi njalo bamthande uJehova ngoba nguye yedwa uNkulunkulu ofanele ukukhonzwa futhi olebizo eliphakemeyo kulawo wonke amabizo.—Hez. 28:26.