1, 2. (a) UJesu wavezani mayelana lezinsuku zokucina? (b) Sizaxoxa ngayiphi imibuzo?

UPHETRO, u-Andreya, uJakhobe kanye loJohane babethe gwaqa eNtabeni yama-Oliva eyayikhangelane lethempeli elaliseJerusalema. Babethiye indlebe belalele uJesu ebalandisela isiphrofetho esimangalisayo esasiphathelane lekusasa. Kumele ukuthi babengeke balikhohlwa lelolanga. Wabatshela izinto ezinengi ezazizakwenzakala ezinsukwini zokucina zomhlaba lo omubi lapho ayezabe eseyiNkosi eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu. Wabatshela ukuthi ngesikhathi leso inceku yakhe “ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo” yayizammela njalo yayizafeza umsebenzi wokupha abalandeli bakhe ukudla ngesikhathi esifaneleyo.—Mat. 24:45-47.

² UJesu kazange acine khonapho kodwa wathi esabatshela isiphrofetho leso wasengenisa lomzekeliso wezintombi ezilitshumi. (Bala uMathewu 25:1-13.) Ake sihlolisise imibuzo elandelayo: (1) Yisiphi isixwayiso esisemzekelisweni lo? (2) Abagcotshiweyo abathembekileyo basisebenzise njani iseluleko esisemzekelisweni wezintombi njalo kube lawuphi umpumela? (3) Umzekeliso lo ungasinceda njani thina?

3. Kudala umzekeliso kaJesu wezintombi ezilitshumi ubuchasiswa njani emabhukwini ethu, njalo lokhu kungabe kwakubangelani?

³ Esihlokweni esidlulileyo sibonile ukuthi eminyakeni esanda kwedlula indlela obekuchasiswa ngayo iMibhalo ibilokhu intshintsha kancane kancane. Inceku ethembekileyo isigcizelela kakhulu ukuthi sifundani, hatshi ukuthi okutshiwo yiMibhalo kumelani. Kudala amabhuku ethu ayechasisa lezinto ezincane nje ezisemzekelisweni kaJesu wezintombi ezilitshumi. Kwakuchazwa ukuthi izibane, amafutha, amagabha kanye lokunye okunengi kwakumelani. Kodwa kungenzeka yini ukuthi indlela ebesichasisa ngayo umzekeliso lo ibisenza ukuthi umcijo oqakathekileyo ucine ungasakhanyi? Isihloko lesi sizasitshengisa ukuthi impendulo yombuzo lo iqakatheke kakhulu.

4. Singabona njani ukuthi (a) ngubani umyeni okukhulunywa ngaye emzekelisweni? (b) izintombi ngobani?

⁴ Ake sikhangele ukuthi yiwuphi umcijo owavezwa nguJesu emzekelisweni lo. Kasiqaleni ngokukhangela abantu okukhulunywa ngabo emzekelisweni. Umyeni ngubani? Ngelinye ilanga uJesu wake wathi yena ungumyeni. (Luk. 5:34, 35) Yikho-ke kusegcekeni ukuthi umyeni nguJesu. Izintombi zona-ke? Emzekelisweni lo uJesu watshengisa ukuthi lapho umyeni efika, kwakumele athole izintombi zilindile njalo izibane zazo zibhebha. UJesu wake wakutsho lokhu kubalandeli bakhe abagcotshiweyo ababumba ‘umhlambi omncane.’ Wathi: “Gqokani lilindele inkonzo, izibane zenu zihlale zibhebha, njengamadoda elindele inkosi yawo ukuba ibuye edilini lomthimba.” (Luk. 12:32, 35, 36) Kanti njalo umphostoli uPhawuli laye waphefumulelwa ukuthi afanise abalandeli bakaKhristu abagcotshiweyo lentombi epheleleyo kumbe egcweleyo. (2 Khor. 11:2) Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi uJesu wayehlose ukuthi abalandeli bakhe abagcotshiweyo bathole iseluleko kanye lesixwayiso emzekelisweni lo okuMathewu 25:1-13.

5. UJesu wasiveza njani isikhathi ayekhuluma ngaso emzekelisweni lo?

⁵ Khathesi kasixoxeni ngokuthi uJesu wayekhuluma ngokwakuzakwenzakala ngasiphi isikhathi. Wathi esezawuphetha umzekeliso wakhe wakhuluma okuthile okungasinceda ukuthi sisazi isikhathi leso. Wathi: “Umyeni wafika.” (Mat. 25:10) INqabayokulinda yesiNdebele kaJuly 1, 2013 yacacisa ukuthi isiphrofetho sikaJesu esikuMathewu izahluko 24 lo-25 sikhuluma ka-8 ‘ngokufika’ kwakhe kumbe ‘ukuza’ kwakhe. Kuzo zonke izikhathi lezo uJesu wayekhuluma ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu lapho ayezafika khona ezokwahlulela njalo ezobhubhisa umhlaba lo omubi. Yikho-ke kuyakhanya ukuthi emzekelisweni lo, uJesu wayekhuluma ngezinsuku zokucina kanye lokufika kwakhe ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu.

6. Yisiphi isixwayiso esisemzekelisweni kaJesu?

⁶ Yisiphi isixwayiso esisemzekelisweni lo? Khumbula ukuthi uJesu wayevele ekhuluma ngani. Wayesanda kukhuluma ngenceku yakhe ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo. Inceku le yayizabunjwa liqembu elincane lamadoda agcotshiweyo ayezakhokhela abalandeli bakaKhristu ezinsukwini zokucina. UJesu waxwayisa amadoda la ukuthi kwakuzamele ahlale ethembekile. Ngemva kwalokhu walandisa umzekeliso wezintombi ezilitshumi exwayisa bonke abalandeli bakhe abagcotshiweyo ababezaphila ngezinsuku zokucina ukuthi bahlale ‘belindile’ ukuze umvuzo wabo wokuya ezulwini ungabaphunyuki. (Mat. 25:13) Kasehleni lawo umzekeliso lo sibone ukuthi abagcotshiweyo basisebenzise njani iseluleko esisithola kuwo.

7, 8. (a) Yiziphi izinto ezimbili ezasiza izintombi ezihlakaniphileyo ukuthi zihlale zilindile? (b) Kukhanya njani ukuthi abagcotshiweyo bazilungiselele?

⁷ Umzekeliso kaJesu utshengisa ukuthi ngesikhathi umyeni efika izintombi ezihlakaniphileyo  zazilindile kodwa eziyiziwula zazingalindanga. Kuyini okwasiza ezihlakaniphileyo ukuthi zilinde? Yikuthi zazizilungiselele njalo zaziphapheme. Zonke izintombi ezazilindele umyeni kwakumele zigcine izibane zazo zibhebha futhi zihlale ziphapheme ubusuku bonke umyeni aze afike. Ezinhlanu ezazihlakaniphile kazenzanga njengabosowabo ababeyizithutha, kodwa zona zazilungiselela zabuya lezibane kanye lamanye amafutha okwengezelela. Manje abagcotshiweyo abathembekileyo bona bazilungiselele yini njengezintombi lezi?

⁸ Bazilungiselele sibili! Ezinsukwini zokucina amaKhristu agcotshiweyo abelokhu esenza njengezintombi ezihlakaniphileyo. Azimisele ukufeza umsebenzi awuphiweyo kuze kube sekucineni. Ayakunanzelela ukuthi ukuze aphumelele emsebenzini wawo kumele atshiye izinto ezinengi ezisemhlabeni lo obuswa nguSathane futhi ayakwazi ukuthi ukuthembeka kwawo kuzakwenza athole umvuzo. Ayamthanda uJehova njalo aqotho kuye laseNdodaneni yakhe yikho ezinikela ukuthi akhonze yena kuphela. Kamkhonzeli ukuthi ayakwazi ukuthi ukuphela sekusemnyango. Aqhubeka eqotho njalo kawalandeli izenzo zabantu bomhlaba lo omubi abathanda inotho, abangaziphathanga njalo abangelandaba lomunye umuntu. Konke lokhu kuwasiza ukuthi ahlale elindile, eqhubeka ecwebezela njengezinkanyezi futhi kawakhathali lanxa kungakhanya angani uMyeni usephuza ukufika.—Flp. 2:15.

9. (a) Emzekelisweni kaJesu sithola siphi isixwayiso mayelana lokuwozela? (b) Kuyini obekulokhu kusenziwa ngabagcotshiweyo okutshengisa ukuthi bayezwa kumenyezelwa kuthiwa, “Nangu umyeni”? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.)

⁹ Okunye okwasiza izintombi lezo ukuthi zihlale zilindile yikuthi zaziphapheme. Kungenzakala yini ukuthi umKhristu ogcotshiweyo awozele ngesikhathi esalinde ukuthi uMyeni afike? Kungenzakala sibili. Nanzelela ukuthi uJesu wachaza ukuthi izintombi “zonke zaze zawozela zathathwa yibuthongo” ngesikhathi sekukhanya angani umyeni usephuza ukufika. Wayekwazi mhlophe ukuthi lanxa umuntu elesifiso njalo ezimisele ukulinda, angaphanjaniswa yikuba buthakathaka emzimbeni. Abagcotshiweyo abathembekileyo bayakunanzelela ukuthi uJesu wayebaxwayisa yikho besebenza gadalala ukuze bahlale bephapheme futhi belindile. Emzekelisweni lo zonke izintombi zaphaphama ngesikhathi zisizwa kumenyezelwa phakathi kobusuku kuthiwa: “Nangu umyeni!” Kodwa ezazihlakaniphile yizo kuphela ezama zaqina kwaze kwaba sekupheleni. (Mat. 25:5, 6; 26:41) Abagcotshiweyo abathembekileyo lamuhla bona-ke? Kusukela kwaqalisa izinsuku zokucina bebelokhu betshengisa ukuthi bayabubona ubufakazi bokuthi umyeni usezafika. Kabapheli amandla, kodwa balokhu belindele ukuthi uMyeni afike. * Bekungani bayezwa kumenyezelwa kuthiwa, “Nangu umyeni!” Lanxa kunjalo isiphetho somzekeliso lo sisitshela ngalokho okwakuzakwenzakala ngesinye isikhathi. Ake sixoxe ngakho.

10. Ingxoxo ephakathi kwezintombi ezihlakaniphileyo leziyiziwula yenza kube lawuphi umbuzo ophicayo?

¹⁰ Okungabe kuphica kakhulu yingxoxo ebakhona phakathi kwezintombi ezihlakaniphileyo leziyiziwula esiyithola nxa umzekeliso ususiyaphela. (Bala uMathewu 25:8, 9.) Ingxoxo le yenza kube lombuzo othi: “Kwakuzakwenzakala nini embalini yabantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuthi abagcotshiweyo abathembekileyo bale ukuncedisa abanye abacela  usizo?” Okungasisiza ukuthi sithole impendulo yikukhangela ukuthi umzekeliso lo usebenza nini. Khumbula ukuthi sacaciselwa ukuthi uJesu, onguye uMyeni, uzafika esezokwahlulela nxa ukuhlupheka okukhulu sekusiya komlindi uyacina. Kambe lokhu kungabe kusitsho ukuthi ingxoxo ephakathi kwezintombi lezo itshengisa okuzakwenzakala ukuhlupheka okukhulu sekusiyaphela yini? Kungenzeka, ngoba ngaleso sikhathi abagcotshiweyo bayabe sebebekwe uphawu okokucina.

11. (a) Kuyini okuzakwenzakala ukuhlupheka okukhulu kungakaqalisi? (b) Impendulo eyanikwa izintombi eziyiziwula lapho sezicela amafutha ebusuku isitshengisani?

¹¹ Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi ukuhlupheka okukhulu kungakaqalisi, bonke abagcotshiweyo abathembekileyo abayabe besemhlabeni bazabe sebebekwe uphawu okokucina. (Isam. 7:1-4) Umvuzo wabo wokuya ezulwini uyabe usuqinisekile. Kodwa kuyini okunye okuzakwenzakala ukuhlupheka okukhulu kungakaqalisi? Ngaleso sikhathi, abagcotshiweyo abangazange bahlale belindile njalo beqotho bazalahlekelwa ngumvuzo wokuya ezulwini. Kusegcekeni ukuthi nxa sekubekwa uphawu okokucina, bona kabasoze babekwe uphawu. Kodwa kuzagcotshwa abanye abathembekileyo ukuze bathathe indawo yalabo abayabe bengazange bathembeke. Ukuhlupheka okukhulu kuzathi kuqalisa, abayiziwula kungabethusa ukubona iBhabhiloni eNkulu isibhujiswa. Kungenzeka ukuthi kulapho-ke okuzathi dlwe sebebona ukuthi uMyeni ufike bengazilungiselelanga. Kuzakwenzakalani nxa sebetatazela becela usizo? Sithola impendulo ebuhlungu emzekelisweni kaJesu. Nansi: Izintombi ezihlakaniphileyo kazizange zivume lamafutha azo, zathi izintombi eziyiziwula kazihambe ziyewadinga kulabo abawathengisayo. Kodwa khumbula ukuthi ‘kwakuphakathi kobusuku.’ Kambe zazingabathola yini abathengisa amafutha ebusuku? Zazingasoze zibathole, zaseziphuzile.

12. (a) Ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu, abagcotshiweyo abathembekileyo bazakwenelisa yini ukusiza abagcotshiweyo abayabe bengathembekanga? Chaza. (b) Bazaphetha ngani labo abazakwenza njengezintombi eziyiziwula?

¹² Ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu abagcotshiweyo abathembekileyo ngeke benelise ukuphathisa ogcotshiweyo ongazange athembeke. Kuyabe kungasela abangakwenza. Ayabe esechithekile engasabutheki. Pho bazaphetha ngani laba abangazange bathembeke? UJesu wachaza ukuthi kwahamba njani lapho izintombi eziyiziwula ziyedinga amafutha phakathi kobusuku. Wathi: “Umyeni wafika. Izintombi ezazizilungiselele zangena laye edilini lomthimba. Umnyango wase uvalwa.” Ngesikhathi uKhristu efika enkazimulweni yakhe ukuhlupheka okukhulu sekusiyaphela, uzaqoqa abagcotshiweyo bakhe abathembekileyo baye ezulwini. (Mat. 24:31; 25:10; Joh. 14:1-3; 1 Thes. 4:17) Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi abagcotshiweyo abangasoze bathembeke njengezintombi eziyiziwula bazavalelwa phandle. Kuzabe sekungani bayamemeza njengezintombi lezi besithi: “Mnumzana! Mnumzana! Ake usivulele umnyango!” Kodwa bazaphendulwa njengabo bonke abanye abafana lezimbuzi abazakwahlulelwa ngaleso sikhathi, kuthiwe kubo: “Ngiqinisile, kangilazi.” Lokhu kuyadanisa sibili.—Mat. 7:21-23; 25:11, 12.

13. (a) Kungani kungamelanga sihle siphethe ngokuthi inengi labalandeli bakaKhristu abagcotshiweyo kalisoze lithembeke? (b) Kungani isixwayiso sikaJesu singabe sitshengisa lokuthi uyabathemba abagcotshiweyo? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

¹³ Pho sesingaphetha ngokuthini nxa sikhangela esesixoxe ngakho? Kambe uJesu wayesitsho ukuthi izinceku zakhe ezinengi ezigcotshiweyo zizaphambuka yini besekubangela ukuthi kucine kugcotshwa abanye? Hatshi. Khumbula ukuthi wayesanda kuxwayisa ‘inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo’ ukuthi ingantshintshi ibe yinceku embi. Lokhu akutsho ukuthi wayekhangelele  ukuthi izantshintsha. Yikho-ke umzekeliso lo uyisixwayiso esiqakathekileyo. Sibonile ukuthi izintombi ezinhlanu zaba yiziwula kodwa ezinhlanu zahlakanipha. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi umuntu munye ngamunye ogcotshiweyo ulethuba lokuzikhethela lokho afuna ukukwenza. Omunye angakhetha ukuzilungiselela lokuphaphama, kodwa omunye angakhetha ukuba yisiwula futhi angathembeki. Ngakho-ke kungani sisithi isixwayiso esisemzekelisweni kaJesu laso sitshengisa ukuthi uyabathanda abagcotshiweyo lokuthi uyabathemba? Umphostoli uPhawuli laye waphefumulelwa ukuthi atsho isixwayiso esifanana lalesi lapho ebhalela amaKhristu agcotshiweyo. (Bala uHebheru 6:4-9; khangela loDutheronomi 30:19.) Nanzelela ukuthi uPhawuli wawaxwayisa engakhekhelezi, kodwa waphinda wakhuluma ‘ngezinto ezingcono’ okutshengisa ukuthi wayelethemba lokuthi abafowabo labodadewabo abangamaKhristu babezawuthola umvuzo wabo. Ngakho-ke uKhristu uyakwazi ukuthi bonke abagcotshiweyo bangenelisa ukuhlala bethembekile futhi bathole umvuzo omuhle kakhulu!

14. Kungani umzekeliso wezintombi ezilitshumi ungasiza ‘lezinye izimvu’?

¹⁴ Sesibonile ukuthi uJesu wayekhuluma ngabalandeli bakhe abagcotshiweyo lapho elandisa umzekeliso wezintombi ezilitshumi. Manje sesingathi indaba le kayizincedi ngalutho “ezinye izimvu” zikaKhristu yini? (Joh. 10:16) Akungeke kube njalo! Khumbula ukuthi isifundo esisemzekelisweni lo sicacile. Nansi: “Lindani.” Lokhu kumele kwenziwe ngabagcotshiweyo kuphela yini? UJesu wake wathi: “Engikutshoyo kini ngikutsho emuntwini wonke: ‘Lindani!’ ” (Mak. 13:37) UJesu ufuna ukuthi bonke abalandeli bakhe balungise izinhliziyo zabo ukuze bakhonze bethembekile, njalo ufuna bonke bahlale belindile. Yikho-ke wonke amaKhristu kumele ahlale elindile njengabagcotshiweyo, alingisele isibonelo sabo esihle njalo aqakathekise inkonzo ukwedlula loba kuyini okunye empilweni. Kuqakathekile ukuthi sonke singakhohlwa ukuthi izintombi eziyiziwula zacela amafutha ezintombi ezihlakaniphileyo, kodwa kazizange zithole lutho. Lokhu kusikhumbuza ukuthi akumelanga sithembele kwabanye abantu. Kumele thina ngokwethu sithembeke, sinamathele eqinisweni, njalo sihlale silindile. Munye ngamunye wethu uzaziphendulela kuMahluli olungileyo okhethwe nguJehova. Kufanele sihlale sizilungiselele ngoba usezafika!

15. Kungani wonke amaKhristu eqiniso ewulindele ngabomvu umtshado kaKhristu lomlobokazi?

¹⁵ Okulandiswa nguJesu emzekelisweni lo mayelana lomtshado kungawanceda wonke amaKhristu. Abagcotshiweyo bazabe sebesezulwini, njalo bazakuba ngumlobokazi kaKhristu ngemva kwempi ye-Amagedoni. (Isam. 19:7-9) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi sonke siwulindele ngabomvu umtshado lo oyabe usezulwini. Ngaleso sikhathi bonke abantu abazabe besemhlabeni bazathola izibusiso ngoba ukuhlanganiswa komyeni lomlobokazi kutsho ukuthi kuyabe sekulohulumende omuhle ozabusa abantu. Ngakho-ke kasizimiseleni ukusebenzisa isifundo esiqakathekileyo esisithola emzekelisweni wezintombi ezilitshumi, kungelani lokuthi silethemba lokuphila emhlabeni loba ezulwini. Kasihlaleni siphapheme njalo silindile, sime siqine futhi silungise izinhliziyo zethu. Singenza njalo sizathola impilo enhle kakhulu uJehova asithembisa yona!