1-2. Kungani kufanele sikwazi okutshiwo libhuku leSambulo?

 WAKE wabuka amapikitsha aku-album yomuntu othile yini? Ngesikhathi uwabuka uyabe ubona abantu ongabaziyo kodwa ubususima usubone enye ipikitsha ngenxa yokuthi lawe ukuyo. Nxa uyikhangelisisa uyazama ukukhumbula ukuthi kwakunini lokuthi kwakungaphi. Uyazama lokubona ukuthi ngobani abanye abasepikitsheni. Ipikitsha le iqakathekile kuwe.

² Ibhuku leSambulo lifanana lepikitsha leyo ngenxa yezizatho ezimbili. Esokuqala yikuthi ibhuku leli labhalelwa thina. Ivesi yalo yokuqala ithi: “Isambulo esethulwa nguJesu Khristu, asiphiwa nguNkulunkulu ukuze atshengise izinceku zakhe izinto okufanele zenzakale masinyane.” (Isam. 1:1) Yikho-ke okubhalwe ebhukwini leSambulo akubhalelwanga abantu bonke nje kodwa kwabhalelwa thina izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezizinikeleyo. Akumelanga kusimangalise ukuthi siyahlanganyela ekugcwalisekeni kweziphrofetho ezisebhukwini leli ngoba singabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Kufanana lokuthi lathi sisepikitsheni.

3-4. Iziphrofetho ezisebhukwini leSambulo zigcwaliseka nini futhi thina kumele senzeni?

³ Isizatho sesibili simayelana lokuthi iziphrofetho lezi zazizagcwaliseka nini. Umphostoli uJohane wasitshela isikhathi leso lapho esithi: “Ngaphefumulelwa ngaba sosukwini lweNkosi.” (Isam. 1:10) UJohane wabhala amazwi la phose ngo-96 C.E., futhi ‘usuku lweNkosi’ lwalusesekhatshana. (Mat. 25:14, 19; Luk. 19:12) Iziphrofetho eziseBhayibhilini zitshengisa ukuthi usuku lolo lwaqala ngo-1914  lapho uJesu esiba yiNkosi ezulwini. Kusukela ngalowomnyaka, iziphrofetho ezikuSambulo ezihlanganisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu zaqalisa ukugcwaliseka. Khathesi siphila ‘osukwini lweNkosi.’

⁴ Njengoba siphila esikhathini sokugcwaliseka kweziphrofetho lezi kumele sisiqakathekise iseluleko esisithola kuSambulo 1:3 esithi: “Uyathokoza obalela phezulu amazwi alesisiphrofetho lalabo abawezwayo kanye labenza izinto ezibhalwe kuso ngoba isikhathi esibekiweyo sesiseduze.” Kumele ‘sibalele phezulu,’ ‘sizwe amazwi esiphrofetho’ njalo ‘senze’ izinto ezibhalwe kuso. Yiwaphi amazwi okumele siwalalele?

5. Ibhuku leSambulo litshengisa njani ukuthi kuqakathekile ukukhonza uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo?

⁵ Zisuka nje kusahluko 1 seSambulo sithola ukuthi uJesu ukwazi mhlophe okwenzakala emabandleni abantu bakaNkulunkulu. (Isam. 1:12-16, 20; 2:1) Lokhu sikubona emazwini awatshela amabandla ayisikhombisa asesabelweni se-Asiya. Watshela amaKhristu ayesebandleni ngalinye lokho okwakumele akwenze ukuze akhonze uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo. Lokho akutshoyo kuyasebenza lasebantwini bakaNkulunkulu lamuhla. Sifundani? UKhristu uJesu uMkhokheli wethu uyakwazi ukuthi bunjani ubungane bethu loJehova. Uyasikhokhela njalo uyasivikela futhi akulanto angayiboniyo. Uyakwazi okumele sikwenze ukuze sihlale singabangane bakaJehova. Kuyini akutshela amaKhristu akuqala okumele lathi sikulandele?

6. (a) Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuSambulo 2:3, 4, yiluphi uhlupho olukhulu uJesu athi lwalusebandleni le-Efesu? (b) Sifundani kulokho?

⁶ Bala iSambulo 2:3, 4. Kumele siqhubeke sithanda uJehova ngendlela esasimthanda ngayo kuqala. Amazwi uJesu awatshela ibandla le-Efesu atshengisa ukuthi laliqinisele njalo laqhubeka likhonza uJehova kungelani lenhlupho elalihlangana lazo. Lanxa kunjalo ababesebandleni lelo babengasamthandi uJehova ngendlela ababemthanda ngayo ekuqaliseni. Kwakumele baluvuselele uthando lolo ukuze ukukhonza kwabo kwamukeleke. Lathi lamuhla kuqakathekile ukuthi siqinisele nxa siphakathi kwenhlupho. Kodwa kumele siqinisele ngenxa yezizatho eziyizo. UNkulunkulu kalandaba lokuthi senzani kuphela kodwa ulendaba lokuthi sikwenzelani. Inhloso zethu ziqakathekile kuye ngoba ukhangelele ukuthi simkhonze ngenxa yokuthi siyamthanda futhi siyambonga ngalokho asenzele khona.—Zaga. 16:2; Mak. 12:29, 30.

7. (a) Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuSambulo 3:1-3, yiluphi uhlupho olwalusebandleni leSadisi? (b) Kuyini okumele sikwenze?

⁷ Bala iSambulo 3:1-3. Kumele sihlale siphapheme. AmaKhristu ayesebandleni leSadisi ayelohlupho olutshiyeneyo. Lanxa ayeke akhuthala ekukhonzeni uJehova, ngalesosikhathi ayengasakhuthalanga njengakuqala. UJesu wawatshela ukuthi ‘aphaphame.’ Sifundani kulokho? UJehova kasoze akukhohlwe esimenzele khona. (Heb. 6:10) Kodwa ukuthi sake sakhuthala kudala akutsho ukuthi akusamelanga sikhuthale khathesi. Lanxa singasenelisi ukwenza okunengi, kumele siqhubeke sikhuthele “emsebenzini  weNkosi” njalo sihlale siphapheme kuze kube sekucineni.—1 Khor. 15:58; Mat. 24:13; Mak. 13:33.

8. Sifundani emazwini abhalelwa ibandla leLawodikheya akuSambulo 3:15-17?

⁸ Bala iSambulo 3:15-17. Kumele sitshiseke njalo simkhonze ngenhliziyo yonke uJehova. Amazwi uJesu awabhalela abaseLawodikheya atshengisa ukuthi bona babelolunye uhlupho. Ukukhonza kwabo ‘kwasekuzikhudumalela nje.’ Yikho uJesu wabatshela ukuthi ‘bayazihawulela njalo bazwisa usizi.’ Kwakumele batshiseke ekukhonzeni uJehova. (Isam. 3:19) Thina sifundani lapha? Nxa singasatshiseki njengakuqala ekukhonzeni, kumele sicabangisise njalo simbonge uJehova ngakho konke asenzela khona langalokho esikwenzelwa yinhlanganiso yakhe. (Isam. 3:18) Akumelanga sisebenze nzima sizama ukuphila impilo entofontofo size sicine singasakuqakathekisi ukukhonza uJehova.

9. Yisiphi isixwayiso esisithola emazwini uJesu awabhalela ibandla lePhegamu leleThiyathira?

⁹ Kumele sixwaye imfundiso zabahlamuki. UJesu wakhuza abanye ababesebandleni lePhegamu ababefundisa imfundiso zabantu njalo bebangela ukwahlukana ebandleni. (Isam. 2:14-16) Wancoma ababesebandleni leThiyathira ababengazange balandele ‘izinto zikaSathane ezijulileyo’ njalo wabakhuthaza ukuthi ‘babambelele’ eqinisweni. (Isam. 2:24-26) AmaKhristu ayesethatheka ngemfundiso ezingamanga kwakumele aphenduke. Sifundani? Kumele sixwaye loba yiphi imfundiso ephikisana lalokho esikufundiswa nguJehova. Abahlamuki ‘bangakhanya angathi bayamesaba uNkulunkulu kodwa bephikisana lamandla alokho kumesaba.’ (2 Tim. 3:5) Nxa singahlala sitaditsha iLizwi likaNkulunkulu kuzakuba lula ukuthi sinanzelele imfundiso zamanga futhi sizixwaye.—2 Tim. 3:14-17; Jud. 3, 4.

10. Kuyini okunye esikufundayo kulokho uJesu akutshela ibandla lePhegamu leleThiyathira?

¹⁰ Kumele sixwaye ukuziphatha kubi kwezemacansini laloba yini elihlazo ephathelane lazo. Kwakulolunye uhlupho ePhegamu leThiyathira. UJesu wasola ababesemabandleni lawo ababebekezelela labo ababeziphatha kubi kwezemacansini. (Isam. 2:14, 20) Sifundani? Lanxa sesileminyaka eminengi sikhonza  uJehova njalo sisenza imisebenzi eminengi enhlanganisweni, asingeke sikhangelele ukuthi asibekezelele siziphatha kubi kwezemacansini kumbe sisenza ezinye izinto ezilihlazo eziphathelane lezemacansini. (1 Sam. 15:22; 1 Phet. 2:16) UJehova ufuna siqhubeke siziphatha kuhle lanxa umhlaba lo ulokhu usonakala.—Efe. 6:11-13.

11. Kuyini esesikufundile? (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Sifundani?”)

¹¹ Kuyini esesikufundile? Sibonile ukuthi kumele sikhonze uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo. Nxa kukhona esikwenzayo okungabangela ukuthi uJehova angakwamukeli ukukhonza kwethu kumele sihle sikutshiye. (Isam. 2:5, 16; 3:3, 16) Kodwa kulokunye uJesu akubhalela amabandla ayisikhombisa. Ake sixoxe ngakho.

12. Sifundani kulokho uJesu akutshela ibandla leSimina leleFiladelifiya? (ISambulo 2:10)

¹² Khathesi asixoxeni ngalokho uJesu akutshela ibandla leSimina leleFiladelifiya. Watshela amaKhristu ayesemabandleni lawo ukuthi angakwesabi ukuhlukuluzwa njengoba ayezathola umvuzo nxa engahlala ethembekile. (Bala iSambulo 2:10; 3:10) Lathi kumele silindele ukuthi sizahlukuluzwa njalo sizimisele ukuqinisela. (Mat. 24:9, 13; 2 Khor. 12:10) Kungani kuqakathekile lokho?

13-14. Okutshiwo kuSambulo isahluko 12 kubangeleni ebantwini bakaNkulunkulu?

¹³ Ibhuku leSambulo lisitshela ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bazahlukuluzwa ‘ngosuku lweNkosi’ okutsho isikhathi esiphila kuso. Isahluko 12 sebhuku leli sisitshela ukuthi kwaba lempi ezulwini uMbuso kaNkulunkulu usanda kubekwa. UMikhayeli okutsho uJesu Khristu okhazinyulisiweyo, kanye lengilosi zakhe balwa loSathane kanye lamadimoni akhe. (Isam. 12:7, 8) Izitha zikaNkulunkulu zanqotshwa futhi zaphoselwa phansi emhlabeni njalo zabangela ukuhlupheka kuwo. (Isam. 12:9, 12) Lokhu kwabangelani ebantwini bakaNkulunkulu?

¹⁴ ISambulo siyasitshela ukuthi uSathane wenzani esephoselwe emhlabeni. Kasenelisi ukubuyela ezulwini, yikho usebenza nzima ehlasela abagcotshiweyo. Abagcotshiweyo laba bangabameli boMbuso kaNkulunkulu njalo ‘balomsebenzi wokufakaza ngoJesu.’ (Isam. 12:17; 2 Khor. 5:20; Efe. 6:19, 20) Isiphrofetho lesi sigcwaliseke njani?

15. Ngobani ‘ofakazi ababili’ okukhulunywa ngabo kuSambulo isahluko 11 futhi kwenzakalani kubo?

 ¹⁵ USathane wabangela ukuthi izitha zikaNkulunkulu zihlasele abazalwane abagcotshiweyo ababekhokhela emsebenzini wokutshumayela. Abafowethu laba bamelwa ‘ngofakazi ababili’ okukhulunywa ngabo kuSambulo okuthiwa babulawa. * (Isam. 11:3, 7-11) Ngo-1918 abazalwane abakhokhelayo abayisitshiyagalombili bamangalelwa ngamanga njalo bagwetshwa iminyaka eminengi. Abantu abanengi babecabanga ukuthi umsebenzi wabagcotshiweyo wawusumisiwe.

16. Kuyini okumangalisayo okwenzakala ngo-1919 kodwa uSathane ubesenzani kusukela ngalesosikhathi?

¹⁶ Isiphrofetho esikuSambulo isahluko 11 saphinda sathi ‘ofakazi ababili’ babezavuka ngemva kwesikhatshana. Isiphrofetho lesi sagcwaliseka ngendlela emangalisayo ngomnyaka owalandela ukubotshwa kwabo. Ekuqaliseni kuka-1919 abafowethu laba abagcotshiweyo bakhululwa ejele njalo amacala abo esulwa. Bahle babuyela emsebenzini wokutshumayela lokufundisa. Kodwa uSathane kazange ayekele ukuhlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Kusukela lapho, ubangele ukuhlukuluzwa kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu ‘okunjengomfula.’ (Isam. 12:15) ‘Lapha yikho okufuneka khona ukuthi siqinisele futhi sibe lokholo’ sibili.—Isam. 13:10.

17. Yiluphi uncedo abantu bakaNkulunkulu abalutholileyo lanxa uSathane eqhubeka ebahlasela?

¹⁷ KuSambulo isahluko 12 sitshelwa ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu babezathola uncedo oluvela endaweni ababengayicabangeli. Kwakuzabe kungathi “umhlaba” uginye “umfula” wokuhlukuluzwa. (Isam. 12:16) Lokhu yikho kanye okwenzakeleyo. Ngezinye izikhathi inhlangothi zomhlaba kaSathane njengezomthetho zamanye amazwe zibancedile abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Kukanengi imithethwandaba inika izinceku zikaJehova inkululeko yokuthi ziqhubeke ngomsebenzi wazo. Ziyisebenzise njani inkululeko le? Ziwenze ngenkuthalo  umsebenzi uJehova azinike wona. (1 Khor. 16:9) Ugoqelani umsebenzi lo?

18. Yiwuphi umsebenzi oqakathekileyo esilawo?

¹⁸ UJesu wathi abalandeli bakhe babezatshumayela ‘izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso [kaNkulunkulu]’ emhlabeni wonke ukuphela kungakafiki. (Mat. 24:14) Bancediswa zingilosi okuthiwa ‘zilezindaba ezinhle zaphakade ukuze zizimemezele kulabo abahlala emhlabeni, kuzo zonke izizwe, lezizwana, lezindimi kanye labantu.’—Isam. 14:6.

19. Kuyini okunye okumele sitshumayele ngakho?

¹⁹ Izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ayisizo zodwa abantu bakaNkulunkulu okumele bazimemezele. Kumele basekele lomsebenzi owenziwa zingilosi okukhulunywa ngazo kuSambulo isahluko 8 kusiya ku-10. Ingilosi lezi zimemezela inhlupheko ezizakwehlela abantu abangamukeli uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Yikho oFakazi bakaJehova bamemezela amazwi esahlulelo afaniswa “lesiqhotho lomlilo” atshengisa okuzakwehlela inhlangothi ezitshiyeneyo zomhlaba omubi kaSathane. (Isam. 8:7, 13) Abantu kumele bakwazi ukuthi ukuphela sekuseduze ukuze batshintshe impilo zabo njalo basinde ngosuku lwentukuthelo kaJehova. (Zef. 2:2, 3) Kodwa abantu abafuni ukukuzwa lokho. Kumele sibe lesibindi ukuze sibatshele ngakho. Ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu, isimemezelo sokucina sesahlulelo sizabe silamandla kulalesi.—Isam. 16:21.

20. Sizaxoxa ngani ezihlokweni ezimbili ezilandelayo?

²⁰ Kumele siwalalele sibili “amazwi alesisiphrofetho” ngoba lathi siyahlanganiswa ekugcwalisekeni kwalokho esibala ngakho kuSambulo. (Isam. 1:3) Kodwa kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi siqinisele nxa sihlukuluzwa njalo siqhubeke sitshumayela ngesibindi? Okokuqala yilokho ibhuku leSambulo elithi kuzakwenzakala ezitheni zikaNkulunkulu. Okwesibili yikucabangisisa ngezibusiso esizazithola nxa singahlala sithembekile. Sizaxoxa ngalokho ezihlokweni ezimbili ezilandelayo.