1. Kwenzakalani ngo-66 C.E.? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

 AKE sithi lawe wawungumKhristu owayehlala eJerusalema ngo-66 C.E. Zinengi izinto owawuzibona zisenzakala. Okokuqala, isikhulu seRoma okuthiwa nguFlorus sathatha ngenkani amathalenta angu-17 esiphaleni sengcebo ethempelini. AmaJuda athi ekuzwa lokhu avuka ngolaka abulala amabutho amaRoma ayeseJerusalema njalo ahlamukela umbuso wamaRoma. Masinyane amaRoma ayesebathathele inyathelo. Kusiyaphela izinyanga ezintathu amasotsha angu-30 000 ayesethelekile eJerusalema ekhokhelwa nguCestius Gallus. Amasotsha la angena engasadlanga nkotshana edolobheni leli, abahlamuki bamaJuda babaleka bayacatsha esigodlweni sethempeli. Ngemva kwalokho ibutho lamaRoma lagombolozela umduli owawubiyele ithempeli lifuna ukungena. Wonke umuntu wayesedlela evalweni. Wawuzakuzwa njani ubona konke lokhu kusenzakala?

2. AmaKhristu kwakumele enzeni ngo-66 C.E., njalo kungani enelisa ukukwenza?

² Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi wawuzakhumbula isixwayiso sikaJesu  esalotshwa nguMvangeli uLukha, esithi: “Lingabona iJerusalema isihonqolozelwe yizimpi lizakwazi ukuthi incithakalo isisondele.” (Luk. 21:20) Wayephinde wanika isiqondiso esithi: “Lapho-ke akuthi labo abaseJudiya babalekele ezintabeni, abasedolobheni kabaphume, kuthi labo abasemaphandleni bangangeni edolobheni.” (Luk. 21:21) Lanxa kunjalo wawungabe uzibuza ukuthi, ‘Ngizasilandela njani isiqondiso lesi sokuphuma eJerusalema njengoba umuzi wonke usuhonqolozelwe ngamabutho eRoma?’ Kodwa uthi usalibele kwenzakale isimanga. Ibutho lamaRoma liqalisa ukubuyela emuva, ukuhlasela kwalo ‘sekuphungulwa’ njengoba nje uJesu wayevele etshilo. (Mat. 24:22) Sokuye ngasifudlana ngoba khathesi usulethuba lokulalela isiqondiso sikaJesu. Wena lamanye amaKhristu athembekileyo aseJerusalema kanye lakwezinye izindawo eziseduzane lihle libalekele ezintabeni ngaphetsheya koMfula uJodani. * Besekusithi ngo-70 C.E., elinye ibutho lamaRoma liyisusele amanqe iJerusalema liyibhidlize. Kodwa wena ususindile ngenxa yokuthi ulalele isiqondiso sikaJesu.

3. Kuyini osekuseduze ukuthi kwehlele amaKhristu lamuhla, njalo sizahlolani esihlokweni lesi?

³ Sekuseduze sibili ukuthi lokhu kwenzakale lakithi lamuhla. UJesu kaxwayisanga amaKhristu ngokubhidlizwa kweJerusalema kuphela kodwa waphinda wasebenzisa izenzakalo lezi ukuze atshengise ukuthi kuzakwenzakalani lapho kuqalisa ‘ukuhlupheka okukhulu’. (Mat. 24:3, 21, 29) Okuthokozisayo yikuthi ‘ixuku elikhulukazi’ labantu lizasinda kulesi sigameko esizakwehlela umhlaba wonke. (Bala iSambulo 7:9, 13, 14.) IBhayibhili lisitshelani ngezenzakalo lezi esizilindeleyo? Kuqakathekile ukuthi sithole impendulo yombuzo lo ngoba kuzakutsho ukuthi siyasinda yini loba hatshi. Kasizihlolisiseni izenzakalo lezi esizilindeleyo sibone ukuthi munye ngamunye wethu zimthinta njani.

4. Kuyini okuzatshengisa ukuthi ukuhlupheka okukhulu sekuqalisa, futhi kuzakwenzakala njani?

⁴ Kuzaqalisa njani ukuhlupheka okukhulu? Impendulo siyithola kuSambulo lapho okuchasiswa khona ngokubhujiswa ‘kweBhabhiloni Enkulu.’ (Isam. 17:5-7) Kuwafanele sibili wonke amasonto amanga ukubizwa ngokuthi yisiphingi! Abakhokheli bamasonto baphinga lamakhosi omhlaba lo omubi. Kulokuthi basekele uJesu loMbuso wakhe, bona basekela amakhosi omhlaba lo futhi bephula izimiso zikaNkulunkulu ukuze bathole amandla okutshaya imithetho kwezombusazwe. Kulomehluko omkhulu phakathi kwabo labagcotshiweyo bakaNkulunkulu abamsulwa futhi abanjengentombi epheleleyo. (2 Khor. 11:2; Jak. 1:27; Isam. 14:4) Kodwa ngubani ozayibhidliza inhlanganiso le enjengesiphingi? UJehova uNkulunkulu uzafaka “injongo yakhe” ezinhliziyweni ‘zezimpondo ezilitshumi’ ‘zenyamazana ebomvu gebhu.’ Izimpondo lezi zimela bonke ababusi abakhona lamuhla abasekela i-United Nations, inhlanganiso emelwa ‘yinyamazana ebomvu gebhu.’—Bala iSambulo 17:3, 16-18.

5, 6. Kungani sisithi ayisibo bonke abantu abasezinkolweni abazabhujiswa nxa iBhabhiloni Enkulu isitshabalaliswa?

⁵ Pho sesingatsho yini ukuthi bonke abantu abasezinkolweni lezi labo bazatshabalaliswa baphele ngesikhathi kubhujiswa iBhabhiloni Enkulu? Hatshi. Umphrofethi uZekhariya waphefumulelwa ukuba abhale ngalokho okuzakwenzakala. Indaba le ikhuluma ngomuntu owake waba senkolweni yamanga. Ithi: “Uzakuthi, ‘Kangisumphrofethi, ngingumlimi; umhlabathi uyilapho okulokuphila kwami kusukela  ebutsheni bami.’ Aluba ebuzwa kuthiwe, “Ngawani amanxeba la asemzimbeni wakho?” Uzaphendula athi, ‘Ngamanxeba engawazuza endlini yabangane bami.’ ” (Zek. 13:4-6) Kungenzakala ukuthi abanye abakhokheli bamasonto enkolo yamanga bazaphika bembe phansi ukuthi bake baba ngamalunga amasonto la.

⁶ Kuzakwenzakalani ebantwini bakaNkulunkulu? UJesu wathi: ‘Uma lezozinsuku bezingaphungulwanga, kakho obezaphepha, kodwa ngenxa yabakhethiweyo lezozinsuku zizaphungulwa.’ (Mat. 24:22) Sibonile ukuthi ngo-66 C.E. ukuhlupheka ‘kwaphungulwa.’ Lokhu kwanceda ‘abakhethiweyo,’ okutsho abagcotshiweyo ababeseJerusalema lakwezinye izindawo ezaziseduze kwalo ukuthi babaleke. Ukuhlupheka okukhulu okuzayo lakho ‘kuzaphungulwa’ “ngenxa yabakhethiweyo.” Ababusi bomhlaba abamelwa ‘zimpondo ezilitshumi’ kabasoze bavunyelwe ukutshabalalisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Kodwa ukuhlasela lokhu kuzake kuthi hemu kancane.

7, 8. Yiliphi ithuba esizalithola nxa izinhlanganiso zenkolo yamanga sezitshabalalisiwe, njalo kuzakhanya njani ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu behlukene labanye abantu?

⁷ Kuzakwenzakalani ngemva kokubhujiswa kwezinkolo zamanga? Kuzabe kulithuba lokuveza ukuthi kuyini sibili okusezinhliziyweni zethu. Ngalesosikhathi inengi labantu lizadinga isivikelo ezinhlanganisweni zabantu ezifaniswa ‘lamadwala ezintaba.’ (Isam. 6:15-17) Kodwa abantu bakaNkulunkulu bona bazadinga isivikelo kuJehova. Ngesikhathi ukuhlupheka ‘kuphungulwa’ ekhulwini lokuqala, kwakungayisiso sikhathi sokuthi uquqaba lwamaJuda luguquke lube ngamaKhristu. Kodwa kwakuyisikhathi sokuthi ababengamaKhristu balalele isixwayiso, baphume eJerusalema. Ngakho-ke ukuphungulwa kokuhlupheka okukhulu okuzayo akusoze kube yisikhathi sokuthi uquqaba lwabantu luguquke lube ngamaKhristu eqiniso. Kodwa kuzabe kuyisikhathi sokuthi bonke abangamaKhristu eqiniso batshengise ukuthi bayamthanda uJehova futhi basekele abafowabo bakaKhristu.​—Mat. 25:34-40.

⁸ Lanxa singakuzwisisi ngokugcweleyo okuzakwenzakala ngalesosikhathi sokuvivinywa, kumele silindele ukuthi akusoze kube lula, kungadingeka sidele ezinye izinto. AmaKhristu ekhulu lokuqala kwakumele atshiye impahla yawo futhi abekezelele ubunzima ukuze asinde. (Mak. 13:15-18) Sizavuma yini ukudela impahla yethu ukuze sihlale sithembekile? Sizazimisela yini ukwenza loba yini edingakalayo ukuze sitshengise ukuthi sithembekile kuJehova? Phela ngalesosikhathi yithi sodwa esizabe silokhu simkhonza uJehova lanxa kuzabe kunzima. Lokhu yikho kanye okwenziwa ngumphrofethi wasendulo uDanyeli.​—Dan. 6:10, 11.

9, 10. (a) Yisiphi isimemezelo esizakwenziwa ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu? (b) Izitha zabantu bakaNkulunkulu zizakwenzani nxa zikuzwa lokho?

⁹ Lesi akusoze kube yisikhathi sokutshumayela ‘ivangeli loMbuso.’ Isikhathi leso siyabe sesidlulile ngoba ‘ukucina’ kuyabe sekufikile! (Mat. 24:14) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ngalesosikhathi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bazamemezela isahlulelo esibuhlungu. Isimemezelo lesi singagoqela ukutshela abantu ukuthi umhlaba omubi kaSathane usuzabhujiswa. IBhayibhili lifanisa umlayezo lo lesiqhotho. Lithi: “Emkhathini kwehla amatshe amakhulukazi esiqhotho lilinye lingaba ngamakhilogramu angama-30 awela phezu kwabantu. Bamthuka uNkulunkulu ngenxa yesifo sesiqhotho, ngoba isifo lesi sasisesabeka.”​—Isam. 16:21.

¹⁰ Lokhu kuzazicunula izitha zethu. Umphrofethi uHezekheli waphefumulelwa ukuthi achasise lokho okuzakwenziwa nguGogi waseMagogi, okutsho izizwe ezizamanyana zilenhloso  yokuhlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Wathi: “Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova Wobukhosi: Ngalolosuku kuzafika imicabango engqondweni yakho njalo uzaceba isu elibi. Uzakuthi, ‘Ngizahlasela ilizwe elilemizi engelamithangala; ngizahlasela abantu abalokuthula abanganqineki lutho—bonke abahlezi bengelamithangala njalo bengelamasango lemigoqo. Ngizaphanga njalo ngithumbe ngiphinde ngiguqulele isandla sami ekumeleni amanxiwa asahlaliswa abantu lasebantwini abaqoqwa ezizweni, abalezifuyo ezinengi lempahla, abahlala enkabeni yelizwe.’ ” (Hez. 38:10-12) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu bona bazabe betshiyene labanye, kuzabe kungani bahlala ‘enkabeni yelizwe.’ Izizwe zizathi zikubona lokhu zehluleke ukuzibamba, zizabe sezifuna ukubahlasela abagcotshiweyo bakaJehova kanye labezinye izimvu.

11. (a) Kuyini okumele sikukhumbule ngokulandelana kwezenzakalo zesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu? (b) Abantu bazakuzwa njani nxa sebebona iziboniso ezizavela emkhathini?

¹¹ Kuyini okuzakwenzakala ngemva kwalokho? Khumbula ukuthi iLizwi likaNkulunkulu kalisitsheli ukuthi izenzakalo lezi zizalandelana njani. Mhlawumbe ezinye zizaqalisa ezinye zingakapheli. UJesu wakhuluma ngesiphrofetho esimayelana lokucina komumo lo wezinto wathi: “Kuzabakhona iziboniso elangeni, lenyangeni lasezinkanyezini. Emhlabeni izizwe zizaba phakathi kosizi lokudideka ngenxa yokuhuba lokukhaphaza kolwandle. Abantu bazaphela amandla ngokwesaba, benqinekiswa yilokho okuzayo emhlabeni, ngokuba izibunjwa zasemkhathini zizazanyazanyiswa. Kulesosikhathi bazayibona iNdodana yoMuntu isiza ngeyezi ilamandla lenkazimulo enkulu.” (Luk. 21:25-27; Mak. 13:24-26; bala uMakho 13:24-26.) Ukugcwaliseka kwesiphrofetho lesi kuzagoqela iziboniso lezenzakalo ezesabekayo emkhathini esizazibona ngamehlo yini? Kasilindeni sizabona ngakho. Esikwaziyo yikuthi iziboniso lezo zizakwenza ukuthi izitha zikaNkulunkulu ziphele amandla ngokwesaba.

12, 13. (a) Kuyini okuzakwenzakala nxa uJesu esesiza ‘elamandla lenkazimulo enkulu’? (b) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu bona bazakwenzani?

¹² Kuyini okuzakwenzakala nxa uJesu esesiza ‘elamandla lenkazimulo enkulu’? Lesi kuzakuba yisikhathi sokunika abathembekileyo umvuzo lesokujeziswa kwababi. (Mat. 24:46, 47, 50, 51; 25:19, 28-30) KuMathewu, uJesu wachaza okunengi ngendaba le esebenzisa umzekeliso wezimvu lezimbuzi, wathi: “Nxa iNdodana yoMuntu isisiza ngenkazimulo yayo, kanye lezingilosi zonke, izahlala esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi ilenkazimulo yasezulwini. Zonke izizwe zizabuthaniswa phambi kwayo, ibe isisahlukanisa abantu omunye komunye njengomalusi esahlukanisa izimvu ezimbuzini. Izabeka izimvu ngasekunene kwayo lezimbuzi ngasekhohlo.” (Mat. 25:31-33) Kuyini okuzakwenzakala kulabo abayizimvu lakulabo abayizimbuzi? Impendulo siyithola emazwini okuphetha asemzekelisweni lo athi: “Bazasuka [abayizimbuzi] baye ekujezisweni kwaphakade, kodwa abalungileyo baye ekuphileni okungapheliyo.”​—Mat. 25:46.

¹³ Abayizimbuzi bazakwenzani nxa sebenanzelela ukuthi sebesiya “ekujezisweni kwaphakade”? ‘Bazalila.’ (Mat. 24:30) Abafowabo bakaJesu kanye labezinye izimvu bona ke? Ngenxa yokuthi balokholo kuJehova uNkulunkulu laseNdodaneni yakhe uJesu uKhristu, bazalalela umlayo kaJesu othi: “Nxa lezizinto seziqala ukwenzakala manini liqine, liphakamise amakhanda enu, ngokuba ukuhlengwa kwenu sekusondela.” (Luk. 21:28) Ngakho-ke kasisoze sesabe lutho ngoba sizabe sesikwazi ukuthi ukusindiswa kwethu sekusondele.

14, 15. Yiwuphi umsebenzi wokuqoqa ozakwenziwa nxa uGogi waseMagogi eseqalisile ukuhlasela, njalo umsebenzi lo ugoqelani?

¹⁴ Kuzahamba njani nxa uGogi waseMagogi eseqalisa ukuhlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu? UMathewu loLukha bakhuluma ngesenzakalo esifananayo esithi: “[INdodana yomuntu] izathuma izingilosi zayo ziqoqe abakhethiweyo bayo kuyo yonke imimoya yomine, kusukela emikhawulweni yomhlaba kusiya emikhawulweni yamazulu.” (Mak. 13:27; Mat. 24:31) Indaba le kayikhulumi ngokuqoqwa kwabagcotshiweyo okwaqalisa ngo-33 C.E., njalo kayitsho ukubekwa uphawu kwabagcotshiweyo abalokhu besemhlabeni. (Mat. 13:37, 38) Ukubekwa uphawu kwabagcotshiweyo abayabe besemhlabeni kuzakwenzakala ukuhlupheka okukhulu kungakaqalisi. (Isam. 7:1-4) Manje yikuphi ukuqoqwa uJesu ayekhuluma ngakho? Wayesitsho isikhathi lapho abaseleyo kwabangu-144 000 abazanikwa khona umvuzo wabo wokuya ezulwini. (1 Thes. 4:15-17; Isam. 14:1) Kuzakuba lesikhathi lapho abazaqoqwa khona nxa uGogi waseMagogi eseqalisile ukuhlasela. (Hez. 38:11) Ngalesosikhathi azagcwaliseka amazwi kaJesu athi: “Lapho-ke abalungileyo bazakhazimula njengelanga embusweni kaYise wabo.”​—Mat. 13:43. *

¹⁵ Lokhu kutsho ukuthi abagcotshiweyo ‘bazahlwithwa’ yini? Abantu abanengi emasontweni bakholwa ukuthi imfundiso le itsho ukuthi amaKhristu azathathwa emhlabeni ngemizimba yawo yenyama aye ezulwini. Bacabanga lokuthi bazambona ngamehlo uJesu esesiza ukuzobusa umhlaba. Kodwa iBhayibhili liyakucacisa ukuthi kasisoze simbone ngamehlo nxa esesiza. Lithi: “Isiboniso seNdodana  yoMuntu sizavela emkhathini” njalo uJesu ‘uzakuza ngamayezi esibhakabhakeni.’ (Mat. 24:30) IBhayibhili liveza lokuthi ‘inyama legazi akungeke kudle ilifa loMbuso kaNkulunkulu.’ Yikho labo abazathathwa baye ezulwini bazaqala ‘baguqulwe ngesikhatshana, ngokucwayiza kwelihlo, ngecilongo lokucina.’ * (Bala u-1 Khorinte 15:50-53.) Ngakho-ke lanxa ibala elithi ‘ukuhlwithwa’ singasoze silisebenzise lapha ngenxa yendlela elisetshenziswa ngayo ezinkolweni, esikwaziyo yikuthi abagcotshiweyo abathembekileyo abasesemhlabeni bazaqoqwa ngokucwayiza kwelihlo.

16, 17. Kuyini okumele kwenzakale umtshado weWundlu ungakaqalisi ezulwini?

¹⁶ Nxa bonke abangu-144 000 sebesezulwini, amalungiselelo okucina omtshado weWundlu asengaqala. (Isam. 19:9) Kodwa kulokunye okuzakwenzakala umtshado lo ungakaqalisi. Singalibali ukuthi uGogi uzahlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngesikhathi abaseleyo kwabangu-144 000 bengakayi ezulwini. (Hez. 38:16) Kuzakwenzakalani nxa uGogi esehlasela? Abantu bakaNkulunkulu abasemhlabeni bazakhanya angani kabalasivikelo. Bazalandela iziqondiso ezakhitshwa ngezinsuku zeNkosi uJehoshafathi, ezithi: “Aliyikuyilwa limpi. Lunganini ezindaweni; lime ngesibindi lizabona ukukhulula kukaJehova azalenzela khona, O lina bakaJuda lani beJerusalema. Lingesabi, lingadangali.” (2 ImiLan. 20:17) Kodwa ezulwini kuzakwenzakala okutshiyeneyo. ISambulo 17:14 sisitshela ngalokho okuzakwenziwa yizitha zabantu bakaNkulunkulu lapho bonke abagcotshiweyo sebesezulwini. Sithi: “Azakulwa impi leWundlu, kodwa iWundlu lizawanqoba ngoba liyiNkosi yamakhosi loMbusi wababusi—njalo lizakuba lilababiziweyo balo, abangabalandeli abakhethiweyo labathembekileyo.” UJesu kanye labangu-144 000 azabusa labo ezulwini bazangenela masinyane bazonceda abantu bakaNkulunkulu abasemhlabeni.

¹⁷ Lokhu kuzaletha impi ye-Amagedoni ezakwenza ukuthi ibizo likaJehova elingcwele lidunyiswe. (Isam. 16:16) Ngalesosikhathi bonke abazabe benjengezimbuzi bazakuya “ekujezisweni kwaphakade.” Ngemva kwalokho ububi bonke buzabe sebukhitshiwe emhlabeni futhi abexuku elikhulukazi bazadlula engxenyeni yokucina yokuhlupheka okukhulu. Nxa konke lokhu sekwenzakele sekungaqalisa umtshado weWundlu, isenzakalo esiqakatheke kulazo zonke ebhukwini leSambulo. (Isam. 21:1-4) * UNkulunkulu uzabamukela ngezandla ezimhlophe labo abazasinda njalo bazathola izibusiso ezinengi ezizatshengisa ukuthi uyabathanda kakhulu. Leli kuzabe kulidili elimnandi sibili! Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi sisilindele ngabomvu isikhathi leso.​—Bala u-2 Phetro 3:13.

18. Kumele sizimisele ukwenzani njengoba sisalindele izenzakalo ezithokozisayo okwaphrofethwa ngazo?

¹⁸ Munye ngamunye wethu kumele enzeni khathesi njengoba sonke sisalindele izenzakalo zonke lezi ezithokozisayo? Umphostoli uPhetro waphefumulelwa ukuba alobe ukuthi: “Njengoba izinto zonke zizachithwa ngale indlela, lina kumele libe ngabantu abanjani na? Kumele liphile impilo engcwele leyokumesaba uNkulunkulu lisalindele usuku lwakhe liphangisise ukufika kwalo . . .. Ngakho-ke, bangane abathandekayo, njengoba lokhu likulindele, yenzani imizamo yonke ukuba litholakale lingelasici, lingelacala njalo lihlalisane laye ngokuthula.” (2 Phet. 3:11, 12, 14) Ngakho-ke kasizimiseleni ukuhlala simsulwa ekukhonzeni, sisekela iNkosi Yokuthula.