1. Ibhuku leSambulo lisitshelani ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu?

 IBHUKU leSambulo lisitshela ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu usubusa ezulwini lokuthi uSathane waxotshwa khona. (Isam. 12:1-9) Lokhu kwenza kwaba lokuthula ezulwini kodwa kwabangela inhlupho ebantwini ngoba uSathane uzondile njalo uhlasela izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekileyo emhlabeni.—Isam. 12:12, 15, 17.

2. Kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi sihlale sithembekile?

² Kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi sihlale sithembekile lanxa uSathane esihlasela? (Isam. 13:10) Okunye okuzasinceda yikwazi lokho okuzakwenzakala esikhathini esizayo. Ngokwesibonelo, ebhukwini leSambulo umphostoli uJohane usitshela ngezinye izibusiso osekuseduze ukuthi sizithole. Esinye isibusiso yikutshabalaliswa kwezitha zikaNkulunkulu. Ake sihlole ukuthi ibhuku leSambulo lithini ngezitha lezi lokuthi kuzakwenzakalani kuzo.

3. Yiziphi ezinye izibonakaliso ezisebhukwini leSambulo?

³ Evesini yokuqala yebhuku leSambulo sihle sitshelwe ukuthi esizakubala kuzachasiswa kusetshenziswa “izibonakaliso.” (Isam. 1:1) Sitshelwa ngezilo ezitshiyeneyo ezimela izitha zikaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo ‘kulesilo esiphuma elwandle, esilempondo ezilitshumi lamakhanda ayisikhombisa.’ (Isam. 13:1) Isilo lesi silandelwa ‘ngesinye isilo esiphuma emhlabeni.’ Lesi sona sikhuluma njengomgobho njalo senza lokuthi “umlilo wehle  uvela ezulwini.” (Isam. 13:11-13) Siphinda sibone esinye ‘isilo esibomvu gebhu’ sigadwe yisifebe. Izilo lezi ezintathu zimela izitha zikaJehova uNkulunkulu esezilesikhathi eside zilwisana laye loMbuso wakhe. Yikho kuqakathekile ukuthi sazi ukuthi zingobani.—Isam. 17:1, 3.

4-5. UDanyeli 7:15-17 usinceda njani ukuthi sizwisise ukuthi izilo zimelani?

⁴ Kumele siqale sizwisise ukuthi izilo lesifebe kuyini singakaboni ukuthi izitha lezi zingobani. IBhayibhili yilo elizasinceda ukuthi sikuzwisise lokho. Izibonakaliso ezinengi ezisetshenziswe ebhukwini leSambulo ziyachasiswa kwamanye amabhuku eBhayibhili. Ngokwesibonelo umphrofethi uDanyeli waphupha ‘izilo ezine ezinkulu ziqhamuka olwandle.’ (Dan. 7:1-3) UDanyeli uyasitshela ukuthi zimelani. Izilo lezi zimela ‘imibuso’ emine. (Bala uDanyeli 7:15-17.) Lokhu kusinceda sizwisise ukuthi izilo okukhulunywa ngazo kuSambulo lazo zimela imibuso.

⁵ Khathesi asixoxeni ngezinye izibonakaliso ezisebhukwini leSambulo. Ngesikhathi sixoxa ngazo, iBhayibhili lizasinceda sibone ukuthi zimelani. Sizaqala ngokuxoxa ngezilo. Sizabona ukuthi zingobani besesibona ukuthi kuzakwenzakalani kuzo. Sizaphetha ngokuxoxa ngalokho esikufundayo.

6. Simelani isilo esilamakhanda ayisikhombisa okukhulunywa ngaso kuSambulo 13:1-4?

⁶ Simelani isilo esilamakhanda ayisikhombisa? (Bala iSambulo 13:1-4.) Isilo lesi sinjengengwe kodwa inyawo zaso zinjengezebhere, umlomo waso unjengowesilwane njalo silempondo ezilitshumi. Isilo lesi sihambelana lezilo ezine okukhulunywa ngazo kuDanyeli isahluko 7. Umehluko nje yikuthi ebhukwini leSambulo kukhulunywa ngesilo esisodwa esilezitho ezifanana lezezilo ezine okukhulunywa ngazo kuDanyeli. Isilo lesi asimeli uhulumende oyedwa kumbe umbuso obusa umhlaba wonke. UJohane wathi sibusa “phezu kwazo zonke izizwana, labantu, lezindimi, lezizwe.” Yikho kumele ukuthi silamandla kulohulumende welizwe elilodwa nje. (Isam. 13:7) Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi isilo lesi simela yonke imibuso ebibusa abantu kusukela kudala kuze kube khathesi. *—UmTshu. 8:9.

7. Limelani ikhanda ngalinye lesilo?

⁷ Ikhanda ngalinye lesilo limelani? ISambulo isahluko 17 siyasinceda sithole impendulo. Esahlukweni lesi kuchasiswa isithombe sesilo okukhulunywa ngaso kusahluko 13. Kusahluko 17:10 sithola amazwi la: “Kulamakhosi ayisikhombisa: Amahlanu asewile, eyodwa ikhona njalo enye kayikafiki; kodwa nxa ingafika, kumele iqhubeke ikhona okwesikhatshana.” Kuyo yonke imibuso esetshenziswe nguSathane ngeyisikhombisa efaniswa “lamakhanda” ngoba ibilamandla amakhulu. Imibuso le ibibusa lapho okulabantu bakaNkulunkulu khona kumbe ibahlukuluza. Ngesikhathi umphostoli uJohane esaphila kwasekubuse emihlanu, iGibhithe, i-Asiriya, iBhabhiloni, amaMede lamaPhesiya, leGrisi. Umbuso weRoma  owawungowesithupha wawusabusa ngesikhathi uJohane etshengiswa iSambulo. Yiwuphi umbuso owawuzakuba likhanda lesikhombisa lelokucina?

8. Ikhanda lesikhombisa lesilo limelani?

⁸ Njengoba sizabona, iziphrofetho ezisebhukwini likaDanyeli ziyasinceda sibone ukuthi ikhanda lokucina lesilo limelani. Yiwuphi umbuso olamandla kulayo yonke ngalesisikhathi sokucina esibizwa langokuthi ‘lusuku lweNkosi’? (Isam. 1:10) Ubunjwa ngohulumende ababili abalamandla, iBritain le-America kumbe i-Anglo-America. Yikho singaphetha ngokuthi umbuso lo yilo ikhanda lesikhombisa lesilo okukhulunywa ngaso kuSambulo 13:1-4.

9. Simelani isilo ‘esilempondo ezimbili ezinjengezemvana’?

⁹ ISambulo isahluko 13 sisitshela ukuthi ikhanda leli lesikhombisa elimela umbuso we-Anglo-America liphinda lenze njengesilo ‘esilempondo ezimbili ezinjengezemvana, kodwa saqalisa ukukhuluma njengomgobho.’ ISambulo isahluko 16 lo-19 sithi isilo lesi ‘singumphrofethi wamanga.’ (Isam. 16:13; 19:20) Embonweni owabonwa nguJohane, isilo lesi “senza lezibonakaliso ezinkulu, size senze lokuthi umlilo wehle uvela ezulwini usiza emhlabeni abantu bekhangele.” (Isam. 13:11-15) UDanyeli laye ukhuluma okuhambelana lokukuSambulo. Uthi umbuso we-Anglo-America ‘uzakwenza umonakalo wokubhidliza okukhulu.’ (Dan. 8:19, 23, 24) Lokhu yikho kanye okwenzakalayo eMpini Yomhlaba Yesibili. Amabhomba amabili acina esenza ukuthi impi leyo iphele enziwa ngabezesayensi beBritain labe-America. Ngokwenza amabhomba la kwakungani umbuso we-Anglo-America ubangela ukuthi “umlilo wehle uvela ezulwini usiza emhlabeni.”

10. Simelani “isithombe sesilo”? (ISambulo 13:14, 15; 17:3, 8, 11)

¹⁰ Khathesi asixoxeni ngesinye isilo. Isilo lesi siphose sifanane lesilamakhanda ayisikhombisa. Umehluko nje yikuthi sona sibomvu gebhu. Kuthiwa ‘siyisithombe sesilo’ njalo ‘siyinkosi yesitshiyagalombili.’ * (Bala iSambulo 13:14, 15; 17:3, 8, 11.) UJohane uthi ‘inkosi’ le yaba khona yasinyamalala yaphinda yavela. Lokhu kuyichaza kuhle inhlanganiso yomanyano wamazwe omhlaba (i-United Nations) eyenza lokho okufunwa ngohulumende bomhlaba. Inhlanganiso le yaqalisa ibizwa kuthiwa yi-League of Nations. Yanyamalala ngeMpi Yomhlaba Yesibili yasizovela isiyi-United Nations.

11. Zizakwenzani izilo njalo kungani kungamelanga sizesabe?

¹¹ Izilo kumbe ohulumende zizakhuluma amanga ukuze zenze abantu baphikisane loJehova labantu bakhe. UJohane uthi kuyabe kungani ziqoqela ‘amakhosi omhlaba wonke’ empini ye-Amagedoni ‘elusuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uSomandla.’ (Isam. 16:13, 14, 16) Kodwa akumelanga sesabe ngoba uNkulunkulu wethu omkhulu uJehova uzangenela ukuze asindise bonke abasekela ubukhosi bakhe.—Hez. 38:21-23.

12. Kuzakwenzakalani kuzo zonke izilo?

¹² Kuzakwenzakalani kuzo zonke izilo?  USambulo 19:20 uthi: “Isilo sabanjwa kanye lomphrofethi wamanga owayesenza izibonakaliso phambi kwaso, lezo ayedukisa ngazo ababemukele uphawu lwesilo lababekhonza isithombe saso. Bobabili baphoselwa besaphila echibini lomlilo ovutha isalufa.” Yikho izilo lezi zizatshabalaliswa ngesikhathi zisabusa.

13. Yibuphi ubunzima esilabo?

¹³ Sifundani? Kumele sibe qotho kuNkulunkulu njalo sisekele uMbuso wakhe. (Joh. 18:36) Yikho akumelanga sizingene ezombusazwe. Lokhu kungaba nzima ngenxa yokuthi ohulumende bafuna sibasekele kukho konke. Labo abacina bebasekela bafakwa uphawu lwesilo. (Isam. 13:16, 17) Kodwa uJehova kasoze abamukele abalophawu lolu njalo kasoze abanike ukuphila okungapheliyo. (Isam. 14:9, 10; 20:4) Yikho kuqakathekile sibili ukuthi singazingeni ngitsho ezombusazwe lanxa ohulumende bengazama ukusibamba ngamandla ukuthi sibasekele.

14. USambulo 17:3-5 uthi kuyini okwamangalisa uJohane?

¹⁴ Bala iSambulo 17:3-5. Umphostoli uJohane uthi ‘wamangaliswa kakhulu’ ngokunye akubonayo. Wabona owesifazana egade esinye sezilo lezi ezesabekayo. ‘Uyisifebe esikhulu’ njalo kuthiwa ‘uyiBhabhiloni Enkulu.’ ‘Uziphatha kubi kwezemacansini lamakhosi omhlaba.’—Isam. 17:1, 2, 6.

15-16. Kuyini “iBhabhiloni Enkulu” futhi kungani sisitsho njalo?

¹⁵ Kuyini “iBhabhiloni Enkulu”? Owesifazana lo angeke amele inhlanganiso yezombusazwe ngenxa yokuthi kuthiwa ufeba lamakhosi omhlaba. (Isam. 18:9) Kanti njalo kuthiwa ugade isilo okutshengisa ukuthi uzama ukwenzisa amakhosi la intando yakhe. Kangeke amele abezokuthengiselana abayizihwaba ngoba bona kuthiwa ‘bangabathengisi bomhlaba.’—Isam. 18:11, 15, 16.

¹⁶ EBhayibhilini ibala elithi isifebe lingatsho labo abathi bakhonza uNkulunkulu ngapha bekhonza izithombe kumbe abathi bakhonza uNkulunkulu ngapha bengabangane bomhlaba. (Hez. 16:2, 35, 36; Jak. 4:4) Kodwa labo abakhonza uJehova bethembekile kuthiwa ‘bamsulwa’ kumbe “bazintombi ezigcweleyo.” (2 Khor. 11:2; Isam. 14:4, amabala angaphansi) Kudala, ukukhonza kwamanga kwakubhahile eBhabhiloni. Yikho-ke iBhabhiloni Enkulu imela yonke imihlobo yokukhonza kwamanga. Ingumbuso womhlaba wonke wenkolo yamanga.—Isam. 17:5, 18; khangela isihloko sesiZulu esithi ku-jw.org “Liyini IBhabhiloni Elikhulu?”

17. Izakwenziwani iBhabhiloni Enkulu?

¹⁷ Izenziwani iBhabhiloni Enkulu? USambulo 17:16, 17 uthi: “Impondo ezilitshumi ozibonileyo kanye lesilo, zizasizonda isifebe, zisiphundle konke esilakho futhi zisinqunule. Zizakudla inyama yaso, zisitshise ngomlilo size siphele du, ngoba uNkulunkulu ukufake ezinhliziyweni zazo ukuthi zenze umcabango wakhe.” UJehova uzakwenza ukuthi izizwe zisebenzise isilo esibomvu gebhu okutsho i-United Nations, ukuthi siphendukele umbuso womhlaba wonke wenkolo yamanga futhi siwutshabalalise.—Isam. 18:21-24.

18. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi asiyisekeli ngitsho iBhabhiloni Enkulu?

 ¹⁸ Sifundani? ‘Indlela yethu yokukhonza kumele ibe ngehlanzekileyo lengangcolanga ngokubona kukaNkulunkulu wethu.’ (Jak. 1:27) Akumelanga sithatheke ngezimfundiso zamanga zeBhabhiloni Enkulu kumbe ngemikhosi yayo yobuhedeni. Akumelanga silandele lemikhuba yayo yokungaziphathi leyobudimoni. Kanti njalo kumele sitshele abantu ukuthi ‘baphume kuyo’ ukuze bangahlanganyeli ezonweni zayo.—Isam. 18:4.

19. Ngubani ‘umgobho obomvu gebhu’?

¹⁹ Ibhuku leSambulo liphinda likhulume ‘ngomgobho obomvu gebhu.’ (Isam. 12:3) Umgobho lo ulwa loJesu lezingilosi zakhe. (Isam. 12:7-9) Uhlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu njalo unika izilo kumbe ohulumende amandla. (Isam. 12:17; 13:4) Ngubani umgobho lo? ‘Yinyoka yokuqala ebizwa ngokuthi nguDeveli langokuthi nguSathane.’ (Isam. 12:9; 20:2) Nguye oqondisa zonke ezinye izitha zikaNkulunkulu.

20. Uzakwenziwani umgobho?

²⁰ Uzakwenziwani umgobho? USambulo 20:1-3 uthi ingilosi izaphosela uSathane emgodini ongelamkhawulo. Kuyabe kungani uvalelwe ejele. Ngesikhathi uSathane esemgodini lo kasoze ‘aphinde azidukise izizwe ize iphele iminyaka eyinkulungwane.’ Ekucineni uSathane lamadimoni akhe ‘bazaphoselwa echibini lomlilo lesalufa’ okutsho ukuthi bazabhujiswa bangaphindi babekhona. (Isam. 20:10) Akucabange ukuthi kuzabe sekumnandi njani nxa uSathane lamadimoni akhe bengasekho!

21. Kusinceda ngani lokho esikubale ebhukwini leSambulo?

²¹ Kuyanceda sibili ukuzwisisa izibonakaliso lezi ezisebhukwini leSambulo. Sesibonile ukuthi izitha zikaJehova zingobani lokuthi kuzakwenzakalani kuzo. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi “uyathokoza obalela phezulu amazwi alesisiphrofetho lalabo abawezwayo.” (Isam. 1:3) Kodwa yiziphi izibusiso ezizatholwa ngabantu abathembekileyo nxa izitha zikaNkulunkulu sezitshabalalisiwe? Sizaphendula umbuzo lo esihlokweni esilandelayo.