1. Singawusebenzisa njani umthandazo obhalwe kuMathewu 6:9-13 nxa sisenkonzweni?

ABANTU abanengi bawazi ngekhanda uMthandazo weNkosi. Lathi sijayele ukuwusebenzisa nxa sitshumayela endlini ngendlu ukuze sincede abantu ukuthi bazwisise ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu nguhulumende okhona sibili njalo yiwo ozantshintsha umhlaba lo ube muhle kakhulu. Kanti njalo singasebenzisa lamazwi okuqala asemthandazweni lo ukuze sibatshengise ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulalo ibizo futhi kumele ‘lihlonitshwe’ kumbe lingcweliswe.—Mat. 6:9.

2. Sikwazi njani ukuthi uJesu wayengahlosanga ukuthi nxa sikhuleka siphindaphinde amazwi omthandazo wakhe njengoba enjalo?

² UJesu wayehlose ukuthi zikhathi zonke nxa sithandaza siphindaphinde amazwi la yini? Abantu abanengi ezinkolweni bayakwenza lokhu kodwa kayisikho ayekuhlosile. Engakawutsho umthandazo lo oyisibonelo, uJesu waqala wathi: “Nxa likhuleka, lingakhulumi izinto ezifananayo kanenginengi.” (Mat. 6:7, NW) Ngelinye ilanga wawuphinda umthandazo lo kodwa wasebenzisa  amazwi atshiyene lalawo akuMathewu. (Luk. 11:1-4) Ngakho-ke uJesu wasinceda ukuthi sizazi izinto okumele sizithandazele kanye lokuthi zilandelana njani ngokuqakatheka kwazo. Yikho umkhuleko lo ubizwa ngokuthi ngumthandazo oyisibonelo.

3. Yiphi imibuzo esingacabangisisa ngayo nxa sichwayisisa umthandazo oyisibonelo?

³ Esihlokweni lesi lakwesilandelayo sizachwayisisa okumunyethwe emthandazweni lo oyisibonelo. Nxa sesiwuhlolisisa, zibuze lokhu, ‘Umthandazo weNkosi unganginceda njani ukuthi ngithandaze ngendlela engcono?’ Kanti njalo nanku okuqakatheke kakhulu ongazibuza khona, ‘Ngiyakwenza yini okutshiwo emthandazweni lo?’

4. Amazwi athi “Baba wethu” asikhumbuzani, njalo kungani kuthiwa uJehova ‘nguBaba’ wamaKhristu wonke alethemba lokuphila emhlabeni?

⁴ UJesu wathi kumele sithi “Baba wethu,” kazange athi “Baba wami.” Lokhu kusikhumbuza ukuthi siyingxenye ‘yabazalwane’ bomhlaba wonke abathandana ngenhliziyo yonke. (1 Phet. 2:17) Yisibusiso esikhulu kakhulu lesi. AmaKhristu agcotshiweyo angambiza sibili uJehova ngokuthi “Baba” ngenxa yokuthi asengabantwana bakaNkulunkulu uqobo abalethemba lokuyaphila ezulwini. (Rom. 8:15-17) Abalethemba lokuthola ukuphila okungapheliyo emhlabeni labo bangabiza uJehova ngokuthi “Baba” ngoba nguye obanika ukuphila njalo uyabanakekela bonke abamkhonza ngeqiniso. Kodwa laba abalethemba lokuphila emhlabeni bazakuba ngabantwana bakaNkulunkulu sibisibili nxa isono abazalwa belaso sesisusiwe futhi sebetshengise ukuthi bathembekile ngemva kokuvivinywa kokucina.—Rom. 8:21; Isam. 20:7, 8.

5, 6. Yiliphi igugu elikhulu abazali abangalipha abantwababo, njalo umntwana munye ngamunye kumele enzeni ngegugu leli? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁵ Nxa abazali befundisa abantwababo ukuthandaza njalo bebancedisa ukuthi babone uJehova njengoBaba osezulwini obathandayo, bayabe bebapha igugu elikhulu. Omunye umfowethu ongumbonisi wesiqinti eSouth Africa wathi: “Kusukela abantwabethu abangamankazana bezalwa ngangithandaza labo nsuku zonke bengakalali, ngaphandle nxa ngingekho. Abantwabethu bathi kabasawakhumbuli njengoba enjalo amazwi engangiwatsho nxa ngangithandaza labo. Kodwa abangakukhohlwanga yindlela ababezizwa ngayo ngesikhathi sithandaza. Babezizwa bekhululekile futhi behlalisekile njalo bebona ubuhle bokukhuluma loBaba wethu uJehova ngenhlonipho. Ngesikhathi sebesenelisa ukuthandaza bebodwa, ngahle ngabakhuthaza ukuthi bathandaze ngisizwa ukuze ngibazwe betshela uJehova ababekucabanga kanye lendlela ababezizwa ngayo. Lokhu kwakunginika ithuba elihle lokuthi ngibone okwakusezinhliziyweni zabo. Ngemva kwalokhu besengibafundisa kuhle kuhle ukuthi nxa bekhuleka bafake lezinto eziqakathekileyo ezisemthandazweni oyisibonelo ukuze imithandazo yabo ibe lesisekelo esihle.”

⁶ Abantwana bomfowethu lo baqhubeka bethuthuka ekukhonzeni. Khathesi sebetshadile futhi bonke bayathokoza labomkabo njalo benza intando kaNkulunkulu enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo. Nxa abazali bencedisa abantwababo ukuthi babe lobuhlobo obuhle loJehova bayabe bebanika igugu elingeke liqathaniswe lalutho. Lanxa kunjalo, kusemuntwini munye ngamunye ukuthi ahlale elobuhlobo obuhle loJehova. Lokhu kugoqela ukuthi afunde ukuthanda ibizo lakhe kanye lokwenza izinto ezitshengisa ukuthi uyalihlonipha kakhulu.—Hubo. 5:11, 12; 91:14.

7. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu balasiphi isibusiso, njalo kumele benzeni?

⁷ Silesibusiso esikhulu sokwazi ibizo likaNkulunkulu lesokuba ‘ngabantu abangabakhe,’  okutsho ukuthi sibizwa ngebizo lakhe. (ImiSeb. 15:14; Isaya. 43:10) Sikhuleka kuBaba wethu osezulwini sincenga sisithi: “Malihlonitshwe ibizo lakho.” Ukuthandazela lokhu kungakukhuthaza ukuthi ucele uJehova akuncedise ukuthi izenzo zakho lezinto ozikhulumayo zingangcolisi ibizo lakhe licine lingasahlonitshwa. Asifuni ukuba njengabanye abantu ababephila ngekhulu lokuqala ababengazenzi izinto ababezitshumayeza abanye. Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhala ngabo wathi: ‘Ibizo likaNkulunkulu lihlanjaziwe phakathi kwabezizwe ngenxa yenu.’—Rom. 2:21-24.

8, 9. Nika isibonelo esitshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyababusisa abantu abalendaba lokungcweliswa kwebizo lakhe.

⁸ Sifuna ukungcwelisa ibizo likaNkulunkulu. Omunye udadewethu waseNorway wafelwa ngumkakhe engalindelanga wasala lendodana yabo eyayileminyaka emibili. Uthi: “Kwakunzima kakhulu. Ngangithandaza nsuku zonke, phose ihora ngehora ngicela ukuthi ngithole amandla ukuze ngingakhathazeki ngedlulise ngize ngenze isinqumo esibi kumbe ngilahle ubuqotho bami, besenginika uSathane ithuba lokuthi eyise uJehova. Ngangifuna ukungcwelisa ibizo likaJehova njalo ngangifuna ukuthi indodana yami iphinde imbone uyise ePharadayisi.”—Zaga. 27:11.

⁹ Umthandazo kadade lo owayefuna ukungcwelisa ibizo likaJehova waphendulwa yini? Waphendulwa sibili. Abafowethu labodadewethu abalothando baqhubeka bemsekela. Kanti njalo ngemva kweminyaka emihlanu watshada lomunye umdala webandla. Indodana yakhe khathesi isileminyaka engamatshumi amabili futhi seyabhaphathizwa. Udade lo uthi: “Ngiyathokoza kakhulu ukuthi umkami wangincedisa ukuyondla.”

10. Kuyini okumele kwenzakale ukuze ibizo likaNkulunkulu lihlonitshwe kuze kube nini lanini?

¹⁰ Kuyini okumele kwenzakale ukuze ibizo likaNkulunkulu lihlonitshwe kuze kube nini lanini futhi lingaphindi lingcoliswe? UJehova kumele asuse bonke abangafuniyo ukubuswa nguye. (Bala uHezekheli 38:22, 23.) Isono esisebantwini sizasuswa kancane kancane. Ngalesosikhathi zonke izinceku zikaJehova ezisezulwini lezisemhlabeni zizatshengisa ukuthi ziyalihlonipha ibizo likaJehova. Sisilindele sibili isikhathi lesi. Ekucineni uBaba wethu osezulwini uzakuba “yikho konke kukho konke.”—1 Khor. 15:28.

11, 12. Ngo-1876 kuyini amaKhristu eqiniso ancediswa ukuthi akuzwisise?

¹¹ UJesu wathi engakenyukeli ezulwini abaphostoli bakhe bambuza bathi: “Nkosi, khathesi usuzabuyisela umbuso ko-Israyeli na?” Impendulo kaJesu yaveza ukuthi isikhathi sokuthi bakwazi ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu wawuzaqalisa nini ukubusa sasingakafiki. Watshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi okwakumele bazihluphe ngakho ngumsebenzi wokufakaza oqakathekileyo okwakumele bawenze. (Bala imiSebenzi 1:6-8.) Lanxa kunjalo, uJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuthi bakulindele ukuza koMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Yikho-ke kusukela ezikhathini zabaphostoli, amaKhristu abelokhu ethandazela ukuthi uMbuso lo uze.

¹² Lapho kufika isikhathi sokuthi uJesu aqalise ukubusa ezulwini, uJehova wanceda abantu bakhe ukuthi bazwisise ukuthi lokhu kwakuzakwenzakala ngawuphi umnyaka. Ngo-1876, uCharles Taze Russell wabhala isihloko esasisithi, “Gentile Times: When Do They End?” (“Izikhathi Zabezizwe: Ziphela Nini?”) esaphuma kumagazini okuthiwa yi-Bible Examiner. Isihloko lesi saveza ukuthi umnyaka ka-1914 wawuzakuba ngumnyaka oqakathekileyo. Saphinda sachaza lokuthi “izikhathi eziyisikhombisa” okukhulunywa ngazo esiphrofethweni sikaDanyeli zingenelana njani ‘lezikhathi zabeZizwe’ uJesu  akhuluma ngazo. *—Dan. 4:16, NW; Luk. 21:24.

13. Kwenzakalani ngo-1914, njalo izinto ebezilokhu zisenzakala emhlabeni kusukela ngaleso sikhathi zitshengisani?

¹³ Ngo-1914 kwalumatha impi emazweni ase-Europe eyamemetheka yagcwala umhlaba wonke. Yathi isiyaphela ngo-1918 kwasekulendlala enkulu njalo kwaba lomvimbano obuhlungu kakhulu owabulala abantu abanengi ukwedlula labo ababefele empini. Lesi ‘kwakuyisiboniso’ sokuthi uJesu wayeseyiNkosi ezulwini. (Mat. 24:3-8; Luk. 21:10, 11) Kulobufakazi obunengi obutshengisa ukuthi uJesu Khristu “waphiwa umqhele” ngo-1914. “Wasuka wahamba njengomnqobi ehlose ukunqoba.” (Isam. 6:2) Walwa loSathane lamadimoni akhe wabaphosela phansi emhlabeni, ezulwini kwasala kubetha umoya. Kusukela lapho, abantu bayakubona ukugcwaliseka kwamazwi la aphefumulelwayo athi: “Maye kuwo umhlaba lolwandle ngoba omubi useze phansi kini! Ugcwele intukuthelo, ngoba uyakwazi ukuthi isikhathi sakhe sifitshane.”—Isam. 12:7-12.

14. (a) Kungani kulokhu kuqakathekile ukuthi sithandazele ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uze? (b) Yiwuphi umsebenzi oqakathekileyo okumele siwenze khathesi?

¹⁴ Isiphrofetho esikuSambulo 12:7-12 sichaza ukuthi kungani uMbuso kaNkulunkulu wathi usungulwa, kwahle kwaqalisa ukuba lobunzima obulokhu busehlela abantu emhlabeni. UJesu, iNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu waqalisa ukubusa phakathi kwezitha  zakhe. Sizaqhubeka sithandazela ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uze, kuze kube yilapho uJesu esenqobe zonke izitha zakhe njalo esesuse bonke ububi obusemhlabeni. Kanti njalo, okunye esingakwenza ukuze sitshengise ukuthi siyakwenza lokho esikuthandazelayo yikuncedisa ekugcwaliseni ‘isiboniso’ esimangalisayo esakhulunywa nguJesu. Wathi: “Leli vangeli lombuso lizatshunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba njengobufakazi kuzo zonke izizwe, besekufika ukucina.”—Mat. 24:14.

15, 16. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi sifuna ukuthi intando kaNkulunkulu yenziwe emhlabeni?

¹⁵ Eminyakeni engaba ngu-6 000 eyadlulayo, intando kaNkulunkulu yayisenziwa emhlabeni kungelalutho olunxele. Yikho uJehova wathi ebona impilo enhle ayeyinike umuntu ekuqaliseni wabona ukuthi konke “kwakukuhle kakhulu.” (Gen. 1:31) Kuthe sekunjalo uSathane wahlamuka njalo kusukela lapho, intando kaNkulunkulu ibisenziwa ngabantu abalutshwana emhlabeni. Kodwa lamuhla sibusisiwe ngoba siphila esikhathini lapho okulaboFakazi abangaba yi-8 000 000 abathandazela ukuthi intando kaNkulunkulu yenziwe emhlabeni, njalo abazama ngazo zonke izindlela ukwenza okutshiwo emthandazweni weNkosi. Lokhu bakwenza ngokukhuthala emsebenzini wokwenza abafundi langokulalela imilayo kaNkulunkulu.

¹⁶ Ngokwesibonelo, omunye udadewethu owabhaphathizwa ngo-1948 futhi owayengumnali e-Africa wathi: “Engikwenzayo ukuze ngilandele okutshiwo emthandazweni oyisibonelo yikukhulekela ukuthi bonke abanjengezimvu batholakale besebencediswa ukuthi bamazi uJehova isikhathi sisesekhona. Nxa ngingakatshumayezi umuntu, ngiyakhuleka ngicela inhlakanipho yokuthi ngenelise ukuthinta inhliziyo yakhe. Kanti njalo ngiyathandaza kuJehova ngimcela ukuthi asibusise nxa sisenza imizamo yokuncedisa abanjengezimvu asebetholakele.” Siyabona-ke ukuthi kungani udadewethu lo oleminyaka engu-80 ephumelela kakhulu enkonzweni futhi usesize abanengi ukuthi babe ngoFakazi bakaJehova ephathisana labanye abazalwane. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi lawe bakhona abanye obaziyo abazinikele ngenhliziyo yonke ukuthi benze intando kaNkulunkulu lanxa sebeluphele.—Bala iHubo 110:3.

17. Wena uzwa njani ngokuzakwenziwa nguJehova nxa esephendula isicelo sethu sokuthi intando yakhe yenziwe emhlabeni?

¹⁷ Sizaqhubeka sithandazela ukuthi intando kaNkulunkulu yenziwe kuze kube yilapho izitha zoMbuso wakhe zisuswa. Sezisusiwe, intando kaNkulunkulu izakwenzakala ngokupheleleyo njalo amabhiliyoni abantu azavuswa kwabafileyo ukuze aphile epharadayisi emhlabeni. UJesu wathi: “Kakungalimangalisi lokhu ngokuba siyeza isikhathi lapho okuzakuthi bonke abasemathuneni abo bezalizwa ilizwi [lami] baphume.” (Joh. 5:28, 29) Kuzasithokozisa kakhulu ukwamukela izihlobo zethu labangane bevuka emathuneni. UNkulunkulu “uzazesula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni [ethu].” (Isam. 21:4) Abanengi abazavuswa kwabafileyo ‘ngababi’ okutsho abantu abafa bengakalitholi ithuba lokufunda iqiniso ngoJehova uNkulunkulu kanye leNdodana yakhe. Kuzabe kuyisibusiso ukubafundisa intando kaNkulunkulu, sibancedisa ukuze bathole “ukuphila okungapheliyo.”—ImiSeb. 24:15; Joh. 17:3.

18. Yiziphi izicelo eziqakatheke kakhulu ebantwini?

¹⁸ Nxa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu usubuyile uzangcwelisa ibizo likaJehova kube lokuthula kanye lokumanyana emhlabeni lasezulwini. Yikho-ke impendulo egcweleyo yezicelo ezintathu zokuqala ezisemthandazweni oyisibonelo izakwenza ukuthi abantu bathole izinto eziqakatheke kakhulu ezimpilweni zabo. Kodwa zikhona futhi ezinye izinswelo zethu ezitholakala kwezinye izicelo ezine ezisemthandazweni kaJesu oyisibonelo. Sizaxoxa ngazo esihlokweni esilandelayo.