1. Abako-Israyeli sebehlamukile, yiyiphi inhlanganiso eyayisibizwa ngebizo likaJehova? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

 UJEHOVA nguye owasungula ibandla lobuKhristu ekhulwini lokuqala njalo nguye owabuyisela ukukhonza kweqiniso ezikhathini zalamuhla. Njengoba sibonile esihlokweni esidlulileyo, inhlanganiso eyayibunjwa ngabalandeli bakaKhristu bokuqala yiyo eyayisibizwa ngebizo likaJehova ngemva kokulahlwa kwesizwe sako-Israyeli esasesihlamukile. Inhlanganiso le entsha, eyayibusiswa kakhulu nguNkulunkulu yasinda lapho iJerusalema libhujiswa ngo-70 C.E. (Luk. 21:20, 21) Izenzakalo lezo ezekhulu lokuqala zaziyikuqala kwentuthuko esiyibona ezincekwini zikaJehova lamuhla. Sekuseduze ukuthi umumo wezinto kaSathane uphele, kodwa inhlanganiso kaNkulunkulu ayisoze itshabalale ezinsukwini lezi zokucina. (2 Tim. 3:1) Kuyini okungenza singathandabuzi ukuthi sizasinda?

2. UJesu wathini ‘ngokuhlupheka okukhulu,’ njalo kuzaqalisa njani?

² UJesu ekhuluma ngokuba khona kwakhe okungabonakaliyo kanye lokuphela komumo lo wezinto wathi: “Kuzakuba lokuhlupheka okukhulu, okungazange kube khona kulokhu kwadabuka umhlaba kuze kube manje​—⁠njalo kakusoze kube khona futhi.” (Mat. 24:​3, 21) Ukuhlupheka lokhu okungazake kubonakale kuzaqalisa nxa uJehova esesebenzisa izinhlanganiso zezombusazwe  ukuthi atshabalalise “iBhabhiloni eNkulu,” umbuso womhlaba wonke wenkolo yamanga. (Isam. 17:3-5, 16) Kuyini okuzalandela ngemva kwalokho?

3. Inkolo yamanga isitshabalalisiwe, kuzakwenzakalani ebantwini bakaJehova?

³ Ngemva kokutshabalaliswa kwenkolo yamanga, uSathane uzahlasela izinceku zikaJehova encedisana lezinhlanganiso ezitshiyeneyo zomhlaba lo. Ngokwesibonelo, mayelana ‘loGogi waselizweni laseMagogi’ iMibhalo yakhuluma ngokuzakwenzakala isithi: “Wena lamabutho akho wonke kanye lezizwe ezinengi ezilawe lizakuya khonale, liqhubeka njengesiphepho; lizakuba njengeyezi lisibekele ilizwe.” OFakazi bakaJehova bazakhanya angani bangatshabalaliswa lula nje, ngenxa yokuthi abalazikhali njalo bangabantu abalokuthula ukwedlula bonke emhlabeni. Kodwa lizabatshonela emini abahlaseli laba.​—Hez. 38:1, 2, 9-12.

4, 5. UJehova uzakwenzani nxa uSathane esezama ukutshabalalisa izinceku zakhe?

⁴ UNkulunkulu uzakwenzani nxa uSathane esezama ukutshabalalisa abantu bakhe? UMbusi wendawo yonke, uJehova, uzangenela ukuze abasindise. Kuye kufanana lokuthi kuhlaselwa yena nxa izinceku zakhe zihlaselwa. (Bala uZekhariya 2:⁠. *) Yikho-ke uBaba wethu osezulwini uzaphangisa ukuthatha inyathelo ukuze asikhulule. Ekucineni umhlaba lo obuswa nguSathane uzabhujiswa nge-Amagedoni, ‘impi yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uSomandla.’​—Isam. 16:14, 16.

⁵ Isiphrofetho esiseBhayibhilini esikhuluma nge-Amagedoni sithi: “ ‘UJehova uzazethesa amacala izizwe; uzakwahlulela abantu bonke ababi ababhubhise ngenkemba,’ kutsho uJehova. Nanku akutshoyo uJehova uSomandla: ‘Khangelani! Umonakalo uyanda usuka kwesinye isizwe usiya kwesinye; isiphepho esikhulu siyavunguza sivela emikhawulweni yomhlaba.’ Ngalesosikhathi labo ababulewe nguJehova bazakuba sezindaweni zonke​—⁠kusukela komunye kusiya komunye umkhawulo womhlaba. Kabayikukhalelwa loba babuthwe kumbe bangcwatshwe, kodwa bazakuba njengezibi emhlabathini.” (Jer. 25:31-33) I-Amagedoni izatshabalalisa umumo wezinto lo omubi. Umhlaba obuswa nguSathane uzabe ungasekho kodwa ingxenye yenhlanganiso kaJehova esemhlabeni ayisoze itshabalale.

6, 7. (a) ‘Ixuku elikhulukazi’ libunjwa ngabantu abavela ngaphi? (b) Yiyiphi intuthuko ebekhona eminyakeni esanda kwedlula?

⁶ Inhlanganiso kaNkulunkulu izaqhubeka ikhona njalo ithuthuka emhlabeni ngoba ibunjwa ngabantu abemukelwa nguye. Lokhu asikuthandabuzi ngoba iBhayibhili lithi: “Amehlo eNkosi aphezu kwabalungileyo, lezindlebe zayo ziyayilalela imikhuleko yabo.” (1 Phet. 3:12) Abalungileyo bagoqela ‘ixuku elikhulukazi’ ‘eliphuma ekuhluphekeni okukhulu.’ (Isam. 7:9, 14) Abantu laba abazasinda kabasilo ‘xuku’ nje, kodwa ‘balixuku elikhulukazi’ okutsho ukuthi ngabantu abanengi kakhulu. Wena uzibona uphakathi kwabo yini abazasinda “ekuhluphekeni okukhulu”?

⁷ Ixuku leli elikhulukazi libunjwa ngabantu abavela ngaphi? UJesu ekhuluma ngokunye okwakuzakuba yisibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakhe wathi: “Lelivangeli lombuso lizatshunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba njengobufakazi kuzo zonke izizwe, besekufika ukucina.” (Mat. 24:14) Lo ngumsebenzi oqakatheke kakhulu owenziwa yinhlanganiso kaNkulunkulu ezinsukwini zokucina esiphila kuzo. Izigidi zabantu sezifunde ukukhonza uNkulunkulu “ngomoya langeqiniso”  ngenxa yomsebenzi wokutshumayela lokufundisa owenziwa ngoFakazi bakaJehova emhlabeni wonke. (Joh. 4:23, 24) Ngokwesibonelo eminyakeni elitshumi esanda kwedlula, ngomnyaka wenkonzo ka-2003 kusiya ku-2012, kwabhaphathizwa abantu abedlula abangu-2 707 000 betshengisa ukuthi sebezinikele kuNkulunkulu. Emhlabeni wonke kulaboFakazi abedlula abangu-7 900 000 kuphinde kube labanye abantu abayizigidi ababuya emihlanganweni ikakhulu eSikhumbuzweni esenziwa kanye ngomnyaka. Kasizikhukhumezi ngokuba banengi ngoba “nguNkulunkulu kuphela owenza izinto zikhule.” (1 Khor. 3:5-7) Kodwa kuyazicacela ukuthi ixuku elikhulukazi lokhu likhula njalo abanengi baqhubeka besiba yingxenye yalo umnyaka munye ngamunye.

8. Kuyini okwenza ukuthi inhlanganiso kaJehova iqhubeke isiba labantu abanengi?

⁸ Inani lezinceku zikaNkulunkulu liqhubeka lisanda okumangalisayo ngenxa yokuthi uJehova nguye osekela oFakazi bakhe. (Bala u-Isaya 43:10-12.) Ukwanda lokhu kwakhulunywa ngakho esiphrofethweni lesi esithi: “Ingcosana yakho izakuba yinkulungwane, abancinyane bazakuba yisizwe esilamandla. Mina nginguJehova; ngesikhathi esifaneleyo lokhu ngizakwenza ngokuphangisa.” (Isaya. 60:22) Insalela yabagcotshiweyo yake yaba ‘yingcosana,’ kodwa inani layo landa lapho amanye amalunga ka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu elethwa enhlanganisweni yakhe. (Gal. 6:16) Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova ubelokhu ebusisa izinceku zakhe, inani lazo liqhubeka lisanda njengoba kubuthwa lamalunga exuku elikhulukazi.

9. Kumele senzeni nxa sifuna ukuthola izibusiso ezinhle kakhulu esizithenjiswa eLizwini likaNkulunkulu?

⁹ Sonke singazithola izibusiso ezinhle kakhulu esizithenjiswa eLizwini likaNkulunkulu kungelani lokuthi singamaKhristu agcotshiweyo kumbe singabexuku elikhulukazi. Kodwa nxa sizifuna kumele senze intando uJehova. (Isaya. 48:17, 18) Cabanga ngoMthetho kaMosi owawusetshenziswa ngabako-Israyeli. Wawenzelwe ukuthi ubavikele ngokubanika izimiso ezazisenza ukuthi bondle kuhle abantwana, bahlalisane kuhle labanye, baziphathe kuhle kwezamacansi, kwezamabhizimusi lakwezinye izinto. (Eks. 20:14; Levi. 19:18, 35-37; Dute. 6:6-9) Lathi ukwenza lokho uNkulunkulu afuna sikwenze kuyasinceda njalo asikuboni kunzima ukwenza intando yakhe. (Bala u-1 Johane 5:3.) UMthetho wawubavikela abantu bako-Israyeli. Yikho-ke lathi nxa silandela imithetho kaJehova uNkulunkulu kanye lezimiso zakhe siyavikelwa siphinde ‘siqine ekukholweni.’​—Tit. 1:13.

10. Kungani kumele sizinike isikhathi sokufunda iBhayibhili lesokuba loKukhonza Kwemuli iviki yinye ngayinye?

¹⁰ Ingxenye yasemhlabeni yenhlanganiso kaJehova ithuthuka ngezindlela ezitshiyeneyo. Ngokwesibonelo iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini liqhubeka lisicacela. Sikhangelele ukuthi kube njalo ngenxa yokuthi “indlela yabalungileyo injengovivi lokusa, kukhule ukukhanya kwalo kuze kuphelele emini.” (Zaga. 4:18) Kodwa singazibuza lokhu: ‘Angisaleli emuva yini nxa kungantshintshwa okuthile ekuzwisiseni kwethu iqiniso eliseMibhalweni? Ngihambisana lakho yini? Ngilibala nsuku zonke yini iBhayibhili? Ngiwabala kokuphela yini amabhuku ethu? Mina lemuli yami sikwenza iviki yinye ngayinye yini uKukhonza Kwemuli?’ Abanye bangabona angani kunzima kakhulu ukwenza izinto lezi. Kodwa kanengi okuqakathekileyo yikuthi uhlele isikhathi sokuzenza. Njengoba ukuhlupheka okukhulu sekuseduze kangaka, kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi sibe lolwazi oluqondileyo oluseMibhalweni, silusebenzise ekuphileni kwethu njalo siqhubeke siqinisa ubuhlobo bethu loNkulunkulu.

11. Imikhosi eyayisenziwa endulo yayinceda ngani, njalo imihlangano emikhulu lemincane esiba layo lamuhla isinceda ngani?

¹¹ Inhlanganiso kaJehova inceda thina  nxa isitshela ukuthi silandele iseluleko somphostoli uPhawuli esithi: “Kasicabangeni ukuba singakhuthazana kanjani ethandweni lasezenzweni ezinhle. Kasingakudeli ukuhlangana, njengalokho abanye abajayele ukukwenza, kodwa kasikhuthazane​—⁠ikakhulu njengoba libona uSuku lusondela.” (Heb. 10:24, 25) Ukholo lwabantu bako-Israyeli lwaluqina ngenxa yemikhosi eyayisenziwa minyaka yonke kanye leminye imibuthano eyayiphathelane lokukhonza. Kanti njalo abantu babethokoza kakhulu emikhosini eqakathekileyo eyayisenziwa ngesikhathi sikaNehemiya njengoMkhosi weZihonqo. (Eks. 23:15, 16; Neh. 8:9-18) Lathi imihlangano yethu emikhulu lemincane iyasinceda kakhulu. Yikho-ke akumelanga siyikhuthe ngoba yenza ukuthi sihlale silobuhlobo obuhle loNkulunkulu njalo sithokoze.​—Tit. 2:2.

12. Kumele siwubone njani umsebenzi wokutshumayela ngoMbuso?

¹² Thina esisenhlanganisweni kaNkulunkulu siyathokoza ngokwenza ‘umlandu wobuphristi [“umsebenzi ongcwele,” NW ] wokutshumayela ivangeli likaNkulunkulu.’ (Rom. 15:16) Ukwenza ‘umsebenzi lo ongcwele’ kwenza sibe ‘yizisebenzi kanye’ loNkulunkulu ‘ongcwele,’ uJehova. (1 Khor. 3:9; 1 Phet. 1:15) Ukutshumayela izindaba ezinhle kwenza ibizo likaJehova elingcwele lihlonitshwe. Kanti njalo kuyisibusiso esikhulu kakhulu ukuthi siphiwe umsebenzi wokutshela abanye “izindaba ezinhle ezikhazimulayo zikaNkulunkulu othokozayo.”​—1 Tim. 1:11, NW.

13. Kumele senzeni nxa sifuna ukuba lobuhlobo obuhle loNkulunkulu kanye lokuthola ukuphila?

¹³ UNkulunkulu ufuna sibambelele siqine kuye njalo sibambisane lenhlanganiso yakhe emisebenzini etshiyeneyo ukuze sihlale silobuhlobo obuhle laye. UMosi watshela abako-Israyeli wathi: “Lamuhla nginxusa izulu lomhlaba ukuba ngofakazi bami ukumelana lani ngisithi sengimise phambi kwenu ukuphila loba ukufa, izibusiso leziqalekiso. Khathesi zikhetheleni ukuphila, ukuze kuthi lina kanye labantwabenu libe lokuphila kanye lokuthi limthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, lilalele ilizwi lakhe, libambelele liqine kuye, ngoba uJehova uyikuphila kwenu, njalo nguye ozalinika iminyaka eminengi lihlezi elizweni afunga ukuba uzalinika okhokho benu, u-Abhrahama, u-Isaka loJakhobe.” (Dute. 30:19, 20) Ukuphila sikuthola kuphela nxa sisenza intando kaJehova, simthanda, silalela ilizwi lakhe njalo sibambelela siqine kuye.

14. Omunye umfowethu wayezizwa njani ngengxenye yenhlanganiso kaNkulunkulu yasemhlabeni?

¹⁴ Umfowethu uPryce Hughes owahlala ethembekile kuNkulunkulu njalo ehambisana lenhlanganiso kaNkulunkulu wake wabhala wathi: “Ngiyabonga kakhulu ukuthi bengiphila ngilolwazi oluphathelane lezinjongo zikaJehova kusukela ezinsukwini sekuzafika u-1914 . . . Okwakuqakatheke kakhulu kimi kwakuyikuhlala ngibambisana lengxenye yasemhlabeni yenhlanganiso kaJehova kukho konke. Engahlangana lakho empilweni yami kwangenza ngabona ukuthi akulangqondo ukuthemba imibono yabantu. Ngazimisela ukuthi ngangingasoze ngilalele imibono yabantu, kodwa ngangizahlala ngihambisana lenhlanganiso ethembekileyo. Kambe kuyini okunye umuntu angakwenza ukuze uJehova amamukele njalo ambusise?”

15. Nika isibonelo esiseMibhalweni esitshengisa ukuthi kumele sikwamukele njani lokho okuyabe kulungisisiwe endleleni esizwisisa ngayo okuseBhayibhilini.

¹⁵ Nxa ufuna uJehova akwamukele njalo akubusise kumele uhambisane lenhlanganiso yakhe njalo uvumelane lokuyabe kulungisisiwe endleleni esizwisisa ngayo iMibhalo. Cabanga ngalokhu: UJesu esefile, kwakulezinkulungwane zamaKhristu angamaJuda ezazilokhu  zitshisekela uMthetho njalo kunzima kuzo ukuthi ziwutshiye. (ImiSeb. 21:17-20) Kodwa incwadi kaPhawuli ayeyibhalele amaHebheru yanceda amaKhristu la ukuthi avume ukuthi awangcweliswanga ngemihlatshelo ‘umthetho owawusithi yenziwe,’ kodwa “ngomhlatshelo womzimba kaJesu Khristu kanye kuphela.” (Heb. 10:5-10) Akuthandabuzwa-ke ukuthi inengi lamaKhristu la osendo lwakoJuda lalungisisa ukucabanga kwawo njalo lathuthuka ekukhonzeni. Lathi kumele sikhuthale ekutaditsheni njalo samukele lokho okuyabe kulungisisiwe ekuzwisiseni kwethu iLizwi likaNkulunkulu kumbe emsebenzini wethu wokutshumayela.

16. (a) Yiziphi izibusiso ezizakwenza ukuthi sikholise emhlabeni omutsha? (b) Kuyini okulindele ngabomvu emhlabeni omutsha?

¹⁶ UJehova uzahlala ebabusisa bonke abaqhubeka bethembekile kuye lasenhlanganisweni yakhe. Zinengi izibusiso ezizatholwa ngabagcotshiweyo abathembekileyo sebezindlalifa kanye loKhristu ezulwini. (Rom. 8:16, 17) Nxa ulethemba lokuphila emhlabeni, cabanga ngokuthi impilo izabe imnandi njani ePharadayisi. Ngenxa yokuthi siyingxenye yenhlanganiso kaJehova, akuthandabuzwa ukuthi kuyasithokozisa kakhulu ukutshela abanye ngomhlaba omutsha esiwuthenjiswe nguNkulunkulu. (2 Phet. 3:13) IHubo 37:11 lithi, “Abathobekileyo bazakudla ilifa lelizwe bakholise ukuthula okukhulu.” Abantu “bazakwakha izindlu bahlale kuzo” njalo bazakholisa “umsebenzi wezandla zabo.” (Isaya. 65:21, 22) Ukucindezelwa, ubuyanga kanye lendlala kuyabe kungasekho. (Hubo. 72:13-16) IBhabhiloni eNkulu ngeke iphinde ikhohlise abantu ngoba izabe isiyinganekwane nje. (Isam. 18:8, 21) Abafileyo bazavuswa besebenikwa ithuba lokuthi baphile kuze kube nini lanini. (Isaya. 25:8; ImiSeb. 24:15) Siyabona-ke ukuthi izigidi zabantu ezizinikele kuJehova zilindele izibusiso ezinengi kakhulu. Yikho-ke ukuze mina lawe sikuthole lokho esikuthenjiswayo eMibhalweni, kumele siqhubeke sithuthuka ekukhonzeni, sihambisane lenhlanganiso kaNkulunkulu njalo singasaleli emuva.

17. Ucabangani ngokukhonza uJehova langenhlanganiso yakhe?

17 Kasihlaleni siqinile ekukholweni njalo silubonge kakhulu uhlelo lukaNkulunkulu oluphathelane lokukhonza ngoba sekuseduze ukuthi isimiso lesi siphele. Yikho okwakusenziwa ngumhubi uDavida owahlabela wathi: “Yinye into engiyicelayo kuJehova, yilokhu engikudingayo: ukuba ngihlale endlini kaJehova zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwami, ngibuke ubuhle bukaJehova, lokuthi ngimdinge ethempelini lakhe.” (Hubo. 27:4) Sonke kasibambeleleni siqine kuJehova, sibambisane labantu bakhe njalo singasaleli emuva nxa inhlanganiso yakhe isiya phambili.