1. Impilo yomphostoli uJohane yayinjani ngabo-95 C.E?

NGABO-95 C.E., * umphostoli uJohane wayephakathi kwelitshe lembokodo. Wayesegugile futhi eyisibotshwa esihlengeni sasePhathimosi njalo kungenzeka nguye yedwa umphostoli owayesaphila. (Isam. 1:9) Wayekwazi ukuthi abahlamuki babekhohlisa abanye ebandleni futhi bebangela ukuthi kube lokwahlukana. Kwasekukhanya angani kuzasala kungelamaKhristu eqiniso.​—Jud. 4; Isam. 2:15, 20; 3:1, 17.

2. Yiwuphi umbono owabonwa nguJohane okukhulunywa ngawo kuSambulo 7:9-14? (Khangela umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

² Lanxa uJohane wayesebunzimeni uNkulunkulu wamembulela umbono othokozisayo omayelana lekusasa. Embonweni lo ingilosi zitshelwa ukuthi zibambe imimoya ebhubhisayo yokuhlupheka okukhulu iqembu lezinceku zikaNkulunkulu lize lifakwe uphawu lokucina. (Isam. 7:1-3) Iqembu leli libunjwa ngabangu-144 000 abazabusa loJesu ezulwini. (Luk. 12:32; Isam. 7:4) UJohane uphinda akhulume ngeqembu elikhulu athi: “Ngemva kwalokho ngabona ixuku elikhulu njalo kakho owayesenelisa ukulibala! Laliphuma kuzo zonke izizwe, lezizwana, labantu kanye lezindimi, futhi lalimi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi laphambi kweMvana.” (Bala iSambulo 7:9-14.) Kumele ukuthi uJohane wathokoza kakhulu esibakwazi ukuthi esikhathini esizayo kwakuzakuba labantu abanengi ababezakhonza ngeqiniso.

3. (a) Kungani kumele umbono kaJohane uqinise ukholo lwethu? (b) Sizafundani esihlokweni lesi?

³ Asithandabuzi ukuthi umbono lo waqinisa ukholo lukaJohane. Thina kumele usiqinise kakhulu njengoba siphila esikhathini  sokugcwaliseka kwawo. Lamuhla kuqoqwa amamiliyoni abantu alethemba lokusinda ekuhluphekeni okukhulu lokuphila emhlabeni kuze kube nini lanini. Esihlokweni lesi sizafunda ngokuthi uJehova wabanceda njani abantu bakhe bazi ukuthi ixuku elikhulu libunjwa ngobani. Lokhu wakwenza eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-80 eyadlulayo. Sizaphinda sixoxe ngezinto ezimbili mayelana leqembu leli. Okokuqala, ukuthi likhulu kakhulu, okwesibili ukuthi libunjwa ngabantu abavela emhlabeni wonke. Imicijo esizaxoxa ngayo kumele iluqinise ukholo lwalabo abaseqenjini leli elibusisiweyo.

4. Yiliphi iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini elingazwisiswa ngamasonto njalo aBafundi beBhayibhili babetshiyene njani lawo?

⁴ Amasonto awafundisi abantu iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini elithi abalungileyo bazaphila emhlabeni nini lanini. (2 Khor. 4:3, 4) Amanengi akhona afundisa ukuthi bonke abalungileyo baya ezulwini nxa bengafa. Kodwa lokhu akusikho okwakukholwa liqembu elincane laBafundi beBhayibhili ababedinda iNqabayokulinda kusukela ngo-1879. Lalikuzwisisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayezabuyisela iPharadayisi emhlabeni lokuthi abantu abalungileyo bazaphila khonapha emhlabeni hatshi ezulwini. Kodwa kwalithatha isikhathi ukuthi lizwisise sibili ukuthi abantu laba abalungileyo babezabe bengobani.​—Mat. 6:10.

5. Kuyini aBafundi beBhayibhili ababekuzwisisa mayelana labangu-144 000?

⁵ ABafundi beBhayibhili babekuzwisisa lokuthi iMibhalo ithi kuleqembu labantu ‘elalizathengwa emhlabeni’ ukuthi liyebusa loJesu ezulwini. (Isam. 14:3) Iqembu lelo lalizabunjwa ngamaKhristu akhutheleyo njalo azinikeleyo angu-144 000, ayezabe ekhonze uNkulunkulu ethembekile esesemhlabeni. Kodwa babekholwani ngexuku elikhulu?

6. ABafundi beBhayibhili babekholwani mayelana lexuku elikhulu?

⁶ UJohane wabona iqembu leli ‘limi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi laphambi kweMvana.’ (Isam. 7:9) Lokhu kwenza aBafundi beBhayibhili baphetha ngokuthi ixuku elikhulu lizaphila ezulwini njengabayi-144 000. Nxa kuyikuthi womabili amaqembu la ayezaphila ezulwini, pho ayezabe etshiyene njani? ABafundi beBhayibhili babecabanga ukuthi ixuku elikhulu libunjwa ngamaKhristu ayengazange amlalele ngokupheleleyo uNkulunkulu ngesikhathi esesemhlabeni. Lanxa ayeyabe eziphathe ngendlela uNkulunkulu ayifunayo, amanye kungenzeka ayeyabe elokhu engamalunga amasonto amanga. ABafundi beBhayibhili baphetha ngokuthi amaKhristu la ayengamthandi kangako uNkulunkulu yikho ayengeke abuse loJesu. Ayezakuya sibili ezulwini abe phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi kodwa angahlali ezihlalweni zobukhosi.

7. ABafundi beBhayibhili babekholwa ukuthi ngobani ababezaphila emhlabeni ngesikhathi sokubusa kukaKhristu kweminyaka eyinkulungwane njalo kuyini ababekukholwa ngamadoda athembekileyo aphila kudala?

⁷ Manje ngobani ababezaphila emhlabeni? ABafundi beBhayibhili babekholwa ukuthi nxa abayi-144 000 lexuku elikhulu sebeqoqelwe ezulwini, amamiliyoni abantu ayezaphila emhlabeni akholise izibusiso ezazizalethwa yikubusa kukaKhristu kweminyaka eyinkulungwane. Babengakhangelelanga ukuthi abantu laba bakhonze uJehova ukubusa kukaKhristu kungakaqalisi. Babecabanga ukuthi bazafunda ngoNkulunkulu ukubusa kukaKhristu sekuqalisile. Ngemva kweminyaka eyinkulungwane labo ababezantshintsha impilo zabo balandele izindlela zikaJehova babezathola ukuphila okungapheliyo emhlabeni besekusithi  labo abangalaleliyo babhujiswe. Kanti njalo aBafundi beBhayibhili babecabanga ukuthi mhlawumbe abanye ababezakuba “ngamakhosana” emhlabeni ngalesosikhathi, kuhlanganise lamadoda athembekileyo afa uJesu engakabuyi emhlabeni babezanikwa umvuzo wokuyaphila ezulwini ngemva kweminyaka eyinkulungwane.​—Hubo. 45:16.

8. ABafundi beBhayibhili babekholwa ukuthi kulawaphi amaqembu amathathu?

⁸ Yikho aBafundi beBhayibhili babekholwa ukuthi kulamaqembu amathathu. Elokuqala, ngelabayi-144 000 ababezabusa loJesu ezulwini. Elesibili, lixuku elikhulu lamaKhristu elingamthandi kangako uNkulunkulu elalizakuma phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi laphambi kweMvana ezulwini. Elesithathu, ngamamiliyoni abantu ayezafundiswa ngoJehova ngesikhathi sokubusa kukaKhristu kweminyaka eyinkulungwane. * Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJehova wenza ukukhanya kwaqhubeka kukhanya endabeni le.​—Zaga. 4:18.

9. (a) Ixuku elikhulu elisemhlabeni lima njani “phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi laphambi kweMvana”? (b) Kungani indlela esesizwisisa ngayo uSambulo 7:9 ilengqondo?

⁹ Ngo-1935 oFakazi bakaJehova bakuzwisisa kuhle ukuthi ngobani ababumba ixuku elikhulu elabonwa nguJohane embonweni. Kwabacacela ukuthi ukuma kwexuku elikhulu “phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi laphambi kweMvana” akutsho ukuthi sekumele libe sezulwini. Bakuzwisisa ukuthi lima ngendlela engokomfanekiso. Lanxa ixuku elikhulu laliyabe lisemhlabeni, bakuzwisisa ukuthi lima “phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi” ngokuvuma ukuthi uJehova nguye uMbusi wendawo yonke langokumlalela. (Isaya. 66:1) Lima ‘phambi kweMvana’ ngokutshengisa ukuthi lilokholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu. UMathewu 25:31, 32 uyasinceda sizwisise ukuthi okutshiwo kuSambulo 7:9 yinto engokomfanekiso. Usitshela ukuthi “zonke izizwe” okugoqela abantu ababi “zizabuthelwa” phambi kukaJesu osesihlalweni sobukhosi esikhazimulayo. Kusegcekeni ukuthi zonke izizwe lezi azikho ezulwini kodwa zisemhlabeni. Ukuntshintshwa kwalokho esasikukholwa kulengqondo ngoba kuveza ukuthi kungani iBhayibhili lingakhulumi ngokuthi ixuku elikhulu lizakuya ezulwini. Liqembu elilodwa kuphela elithenjiswa ukuphila ezulwini. Iqembu leli ngabayi-144 000 ‘abazakuba ngamakhosi babuse umhlaba’ beloJesu.​—Isam. 5:10.

10. Kungani kumele ixuku elikhulu lifundiswe ngoJehova njalo limkhonze ukubusa kukaKhristu kweminyaka eyinkulungwane kungakaqalisi?

¹⁰ Kusukela ngo-1935 oFakazi bakaJehova besebezwisisa ukuthi ixuku elikhulu elabonwa nguJohane embonweni libunjwa ngamaKhristu athembekileyo alethemba lokuphila emhlabeni kuze kube nini lanini. Okuzakwenza ixuku leli lisinde ekuhluphekeni okukhulu yikufunda ngoJehova lokumkhonza ukubusa kukaKhristu kweminyaka eyinkulungwane kungakaqalisi. Kumele litshengise ukuthi lilokholo oluqinileyo ukuze “lenelise ukuphunyuka ezintweni zonke lezi okumele zenzakale” ukubusa kukaKhristu kungakaqalisi.​—Luk. 21:34-36.

11. Kungani aBafundi beBhayibhili babecabanga ukuthi mhlawumbe abanye babezakuya ezulwini ngemva kokubusa kukaKhristu kweminyaka eyinkulungwane?

¹¹ Pho kuthiwani ngomcabango wokuthi amanye amadoda athembekileyo akudala ayezakuya ezulwini ngemva kokubusa kukaKhristu kweminyaka eyinkulungwane? Lokhu kwakhulunywa ngakho ku-Nqabayokulinda kaFebruary 15 1913.  Okwenza iNqabayokulinda le yafika kulesosiphetho yikuthi kwakukhanya kungelangqondo ukuthi abantu abathembekileyo abaphila kudala bavuselwe ukuthi baphile emhlabeni kodwa labo ababengathembekanga kangako baphiwe umvuzo wokuyaphila ezulwini. Kusegcekeni ukuthi okwenza aBafundi beBhayibhili batsho njalo yikuthi babecabanga ukuthi ixuku elikhulu lalizaphila ezulwini lokuthi leloxuku lalizabunjwa ngamaKhristu ayengamthandi kangako uNkulunkulu.

12-13. Kuyini okunanzelelwa ngabagcotshiweyo kanye labexuku elikhulu mayelana lomvuzo abazawuthola?

¹² Kodwa kusukela ngo-1935 oFakazi bakaJehova besebekuzwisisa ukuthi ixuku elikhulu elabonwa nguJohane embonweni yilo elizasinda e-Amagedoni. Ixuku leli ‘lizaphuma ekuhluphekeni okukhulu’ khonapha emhlabeni futhi ‘lizaqhubeka limemeza ngelizwi elikhulu lisithi: “Insindiso ivela kuNkulunkulu wethu ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi, lakuyo iMvana.”’ (Isam. 7:10, 14) Bazwisisa lokuthi amadoda akudala ayethembekile ayengasoze aye ezulwini. Phela iMibhalo ifundisa ukuthi labo abazavuswa ukuthi bayephila ezulwini bazathola “okungcono” kulalokho okuzatholwa ngamadoda la. (Heb. 11:40) Yikho abafowethu labodadewethu baqalisa ukutshiseka benxusa abantu ukuthi bazekhonza uJehova belethemba lokuphila emhlabeni nini lanini.

¹³ Abexuku elikhulu bayathokoza kakhulu ngethemba abalalo. Bayakuzwisisa ukuthi uJehova nguye okhethayo ukuthi izinceku zakhe ezithembekileyo zizamkhonza zisezulwini loba emhlabeni. Abagcotshiweyo labexuku elikhulu bayananzelela ukuthi umusa omkhulu uJehova awutshengisa ngokunikela ngoJesu Khristu yiwo ozakwenza bathole umvuzo.​—Rom. 3:24.

14. Ngemva kuka-1935, kungani abanengi bazibuza ukuthi isiphrofetho esimayelana lexuku elikhulu sizagcwaliseka njani?

¹⁴ Abantu bakaJehova bathi sebezwisisile okwacaciswa ngo-1935, abanengi bazibuza ukuthi labo abalethemba lokuphila emhlabeni babezakwanda njani babe lixuku elikhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, uRonald Parkin wayeleminyaka engu-12 lapho kucaciswa ukuthi ixuku elikhulu libunjwa ngobani. Uthi: “Ngalesosikhathi kwakulabamemezeli abangaba ngu-56 000 emhlabeni wonke njalo kungenzeka abanengi babegcotshiwe. Yikho ixuku elikhulu lalikhanya lingalikhulu.”

15. Kuyini okwenze ukuthi ixuku elikhulu liqhubeke lisanda?

¹⁵ Kodwa eminyakeni eyalandelayo, abanali bathunyelwa emazweni amanengi njalo  inani laboFakazi bakaJehova laqhubeka lisanda. Ngo-1968, saqalisa ukusebenzisa ibhuku elithi The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life nxa sasifunda labantu iBhayibhili. Lalichasisa iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini ngendlela elula okwenza abantu abamnene babuya enhlanganisweni kaJehova. Kungakapheli iminyaka emine kwasekubhabhathizwe abafundi abatsha abedlula 500 000. AmaKatolika amanengi eLatin America lakwamanye amazwe atshiya isonto yawo futhi umsebenzi wethu wavunyelwa ngokusemthethweni e-Eastern Europe lakwezinye izindawo e-Africa. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi amamiliyoni abantu abhabhathizwe. (Isaya. 60:22) Eminyakeni edlulileyo inhlanganiso kaJehova isilungisele amathuluzi amanengi ukuze incede abantu bafunde iBhayibhili. Asithandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uqoqa ixuku elikhulu, khathesi eledlula 8 miliyoni.

16. Ixuku elikhulu liphuma ngaphi?

¹⁶ Lapho uJohane ebhala ngombono awubonayo wathi ixuku elikhulu lizaphuma “kuzo zonke izizwe, lezizwana, labantu kanye lezindimi.” Umphrofethi uZekhariya wayevele ekhulume ngento ehambelanayo. Wabhala wathi: “Ngalezonsuku amadoda alitshumi aphuma kuzo zonke izindimi lezizwe azagagadlela umphetho wengubo  yomJuda oyedwa athi, ‘Wothi sihambe lawe ngoba sesizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulani.’”​—Zek. 8:23.

17. Kuyini okwenziwayo ukuze kuncedwe abantu bezizwe zonke kanye lezindimi?

¹⁷ OFakazi bakaJehova bayananzelela ukuthi izindaba ezinhle kumele zitshunyayelwe ngezindimi ezinengi ukuze kuqoqwe abantu bazo zonke izindimi. Sesileminyaka edlula 130 sihumutsha amabhuku asekelwe eBhayibhilini kodwa khathesi senza umsebenzi omkhulu ongakaze wenziwe wokuhumutsha ngezindimi ezedlula 900. Kusegcekeni ukuthi uJehova wenza isimanga sokuqoqa abexuku elikhulu bevela ezizweni zonke. Ixuku leli limanyene ekukhonzeni uJehova lanxa livela emhlabeni wonke ngoba lileBhayibhili kanye lamabhuku asekelwe kulo atholakala ngezindimi ezinengi. Kanti njalo laziwa ngokutshiseka ekutshumayeleni lokutshengisa uthando lobuzalwane. Lokhu kusiqinisa ukholo sibili.​—Mat. 24:14; Joh. 13:35.

18. (a) Ngokuka-Isaya 46:10, 11, kungani kungasimangalisi ukuthi uJehova usigcwalisile isiphrofetho esimayelana lexuku elikhulu? (b) Kungani labo abazaphila emhlabeni bengaboni angani kukhona abakuncitshiweyo?

¹⁸ Isiphrofetho esimayelana lexuku elikhulu siyasithokozisa okwamagama. Akusimangalisi ukuthi uJehova usigcwalise ngendlela emangalisayo isiphrofetho lesi. (Bala u-Isaya 46:10, 11.) Abexuku elikhulu bayabonga ngethemba uJehova abanike lona. Ababoni angani kukhona abakuncitshiweyo ngenxa yokuthi abagcotshwanga ngomoya kaNkulunkulu ukuthi bayebusa loJesu ezulwini. EBhayibhilini sifunda ngamadoda labesifazana abalokholo ababekhokhelwa ngumoya ongcwele lanxa babengelathemba lokuya ezulwini. Abanye babo nguJohane uMbhabhathizi loDavida. (Mat. 11:11; ImiSeb. 2:34) Bona kanye labanye abanengi bazavuswa ukuthi baphile emhlabeni olipharadayisi. Bendawonye labexuku elikhulu bazathola ithuba lokutshengisa ukuthi baqotho kuJehova lokuthi bayabusekela ubukhosi bakhe.

19. Sizakwenzani nxa siwuzwisisa umbono owabonwa nguJohane omayelana lexuku elikhulu?

¹⁹ Kuyaqala ngqa ukuthi uJehova amanyanise amamiliyoni abantu avela ezizweni zonke ukuthi amkhonze. Kungelani lokuthi silethemba lokuphila ezulwini loba emhlabeni, kumele sincede abantu abanengi ukuthi babe ngamalunga exuku elikhulu ‘lezinye izimvu.’ (Joh. 10:16) Sekuseduze ukuthi ukuhlupheka okukhulu kufike lapho uJehova azabhubhisa khona ohulumende kanye lamasonto amanga abangele ukuhlupheka ebantwini. Bonke abexuku elikhulu balesibusiso sokukhonza uJehova kuze kube nini lanini lapha emhlabeni!​—Isam. 7:14.