1-2. (a) Ababusi babaphikise njani abantu bakaJehova kodwana bona basabele njani? (b) Ukuhlunguphazwa kungaba njani nomphumela othabisako? (Qala isithombe esingaphandle.)

 NJENGANJE, umsebenzethu uvinjelwe eenarheni ezima-30 ephasini loke. Kwezinye zeenarhezi, iimphathimandla zifake abafowethu nabodadwethu emajele. Kghani khuyini okumbi abakwenzileko? Akunalitho elimbi abalenzileko phambi kwakaJehova. Abakwenzileko kukobana bafunde iBhayibheli, bacocele abanye ngeenkolelo zabo begodu babekhona qobe emihlanganweni yebandla. Ngaphezu kwalokho, khenge bavume ukuthatha ihlangothi eendabeni zepolotiki. Naphezu kokuphikiswa okunamandla, iinceku zakaZimu ezithembekilekwezi ziragele phambili nokuhlala zithembekile, b zatjengisa ukuzinikela okunamandla kuJehova. Kuyabathabisa ukwenza lokho!

² Kungenzeka bona khewazibona iinthombe zabafowethu abanesibindi nabathembekilekwaba, watjheja nobuso babo obumomothekako. Bathabile ngombana bayazi ukuthi uJehova uyakuthabela ukubabona bathembekile. (1 Kron. 29:17) UJesu wathi: “Bayathaba abahlunguphazwa ngebanga lokulunga . . . Thabani nijekezele, ngombana umvuzo wenu mkhulu.”—Mat. 5:10-12.

3. Njengombana kutlolwe encwadini yeZenzo 4:19, 20, abapostoli basabela njani lokha nabahlunguphazwako ngekhulu lokuthoma begodu kubayini?

³ Abafowethu nabodadwethu baqalene nalokhu abafowethu  bekhulu lokuthoma abaqalana nakho lokha nabahlunguphazelwa ukutjhumayela ngoJesu. Ikhotho ephakemeko yamaJuda yabakhalima ngokubuyelelweko bona “bangakhulumi litho ngesisekelo sebizo lakaJesu.” (IzE. 4:18; 5:27, 28, 40) Kghani abapostoli basabela njani? (Funda IzEnzo 4:19, 20.) Bebazi ukuthi kunothileko onamandla ‘obalayele bona batjhumayele ebantwini begodu banikele ubufakazi obupheleleko’ ngoKrestu. (IzE. 10:42) Yeke abajameli babo, uPitrosi noJwanisi, ngesibindi bathi bazokulalela uZimu kunabahlulelabo begodu bathi angeze balisa ukukhuluma ngoJesu. Kuhlekuhle, babuza abaphathi bathi, ‘Nicabanga bona abantu kufuze balalele nina kunoZimu?’

4. Njengombana kuvezwe kuZenzo 5:27-29, ngisiphi isibonelo abapostoli abasibekela amaKrestu wamambala begodu singabalingisa njani?

⁴ Abapostoli babekela amaKrestu wamambala isibonelo esihle asasilandela nanje sokuthi kufuze “silalele uZimu njengombusi kunabantu.” (Funda IzEnzo 5:27-29.) Ngemva kokubetjhwa ngebanga lokuthembeka kwabo, abapostoli baphuma ekhotho ephakemeko yamaJuda, “bathabile ngombana babalwa njengabafanelwe ukuhlaziswa ngebanga lebizo lakhe [uJesu],” baragela phambili nokutjhumayela!—IzE. 5:40-42.

5. Ngimiphi imibuzo ekutlhogeka iphendulwe?

⁵ Isibonelo abapostoli abasibekela sona senza sibe nemibuzo. Ngokwesibonelo, isiqunto sabo sokulalela uZimu kunabantu sivumelana njani nomyalo ongokomTlolo othi, ‘sizithobe eemphathimandleni eziphakemeko’? (Rom. 13:1) ‘Singabalalela njani aborhulumende neemphathimandla,’ njengombana umpostoli uPowula atjho begodu sithembele kuZimu njengomBusi ophuma phambili?—Tit. 3:1.

6. (a) Bobani “iimphathimandla eziphakemeko” ekukhulunywa ngazo kwebeRoma 13:1, begodu kufuze siziqale njani? (b) Khuyini esiyaziko ngababusi babantu?

⁶ Funda kwebeRoma 13:1. Evesineli, igama elithi, “iimphathimandla eziphakemeko” liqalisele ebabusini abanamandla nelawulo phezu kwabanye. AmaKrestu  kufuze abalalele ababusaba. Ababusaba baqala ihlalakuhle yomphakathi, babeke imithetho begodu ngezinye iinkhathi bavikele ngitjho nabantu bakaJehova. (IsAm. 12:16) Kufuze sibanikele umthelo, ukusatjwa, imbadelo nokuhlonitjhwa abakufunako. (Rom. 13:7) Ababusaba baziimphathimandla ngebanga lokuthi babekwe nguJehova. UJesu wakwenza kwakhanya lokho ngesikhathi umBusi weRoma uPilatu amhloma ngemibuzo. Lokha uPilatu nakathi nguye ozokuqunta bona uJesu uzokubulwa namkha ngeze, uJesu wamtjela wathi: “Bengekhe ube namandla phezu kwami ngathana bewungakawanikelwa ezulwini.” (Jwa. 19:11) Njengombana bekunjalo ngoPilatu, nanamhlanjesi amandla wabababusi abababantu nabosopolotiki alinganiselwe.

7. Ngibuphi ubujamo la singekhe silalele khona ababusi ababantu begodu khuyini ekufuze bayazi?

⁷ AmaKrestu alalela yoke imithetho ebekwa babusi babantu, khulukhulu nayingasikhandeli bona silalele imithetho kaZimu. Angeze sabalalela ababusi nabathi senze lokho uZimu angakufuniko namkha silise ukwenza lokho uZimu akufunako. Ngokwesibonelo, bangakhupha umyalo wokobana abafowethu abasesebatjha baye epini bayokulwela inarha. c Bangatjhisa amaBhayibheli neencwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini bebasikhandele bona sitjhumayele namkha sihlangane ndawonye silotjhe uZimu. Lokha ababusi nabangawasebenzisi kuhle amandlabo, ngokuthi bahlunguphaze abalandeli bakaKrestu, kuzokufuze baziphendulele kuZimu. UJehova ubaqalile!—UMtj. 5:8.

8. Uyini umahluko hlangana kwegama elithi, “ophakemeko” nelithi “ongophezulu” begodu kubayini ukwazi lokhu kuqakathekile?

⁸ Igama elithi, “ophakemeko,” litjho ukuthi “ongcono, omkhulu, oqalelwa phezulu.” Alitjho ukuthi, “ophuma phambili, omkhulu kunabo boke.” Leyo, yihlathululo yegama elithi, “ongophezulu.” Ababusi ababantu babizwa ngokuthi, “ziimphathimandla eziphakemeko,” nanyana kunjalo, kunomunye onesikhundla esingaphezu kwesabo, loyo ungophezulu. Iinkhathi ezinye eBhayibhelini, uJehova ubizwa ngokuthi, “ongoPhezulu.”—Dan. 7:18, 22, 25, 27.

9. Khuyini uDanyela ayibonako embonweni?

⁹ Umphorofidi uDanyela wabona umbono oveza uJehova angophezulu kibo boke ababusi. UDanyela wathoma ngokubona iimbandana ezine ezikulu ezifanekisela umbuso wephasi wangaphambili nowanje, iBhabhiloni, amaMede namaPheresiya, iGirisi neRoma nombuso wanje i-Anglo-America. (Dan. 7:1-3, 17) Ngemva kwalokho, uDanyela wabona uZimu ahlezi esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi sezulwini. (Dan. 7:9, 10) Lokho umphorofidi othembekileko akubona ngokulandelako kufuze kube siyeleliso ebabusini banamhlanjesi.

10. NgokwakaDanyela 7:13, 14, 27, ngubani uJehova amnikela amandla wokubusa iphasi begodu lokho kutjho ukuthini ngaye?

¹⁰ Funda uDanyela 7:13, 14, 27. UZimu uthatha woke amandla wokubusa ebabusini abababantu, awanikele labo abanamandla khulu nokubafaneleko ukubusa. Kghani bobani labo? Ngiloyo “ofana nendodana yomuntu,” uJesu Krestu kunye ‘nabacwengileko boPhezulu,’ abazii-144 000 abazokubusa ‘kube nini nanini.” (Dan. 7:18) Kuyakhanya  bona uJehova nguye “ongophezulu” ngombana nguye kwaphela onamandla wokwenza lokho.

11. Ngikuphi okhunye uDanyela atlola ngakho okutjengisa ukuthi uJehova unamandla ngaphezu kwazo zoke iintjhaba?

¹¹ Isenzakalo uDanyela asibona embonweni sivumelana nalokho akubona ekuthomeni. UDanyela wathi, “UZimu wezulwini, wehlisa amakhosi abuye abeke amanye.” Watlola godu, wathi: “ongoPhezulu unamandla phezu kwemibuso . . . , unikela ukubusa kinanyana ngubani amthandako.” (Dan. 2:19-21; 4:17) Kghani khekwaba neenkhathi la uJehova abeka khona begodu asuse ababusi? Iye, khekwenzeka!

12. Nikela isibonelo sendlela uJehova asusa ngayo ababusi ebukhosini babo esikhathini sangaphambili. (Qala isithombe.)

¹² UJehova ukuveze ngokukhanyako ukuthi amandlakhe makhulu ukudlula “weemphathimandla eziphakemeko.” Akhesicoce ngeembonelo ezintathu. UFaro weGibhide wathumba abantu bakaJehova begodu akhenge avume ukubatjhaphulula. UZimu wabatjhaphulula begodu wacwilisa uFaro eLwandle Elibovu. (Eks. 14:26-28; Rhu. 136:15) IKosi uBhelitjhatsari weBhabhiloni yaba nomnyanya ‘yaziphakamisa kuMbusi wezulwini’ begodu ‘yadumisa abozinyana besiliva nebegolide’ kunoJehova. (Dan. 5:22, 23) UJehova wayithobisa indoda engazisiko le. “Ngobusukobo,” uBhelitjhatsari wabulawa begodu umbuswakhe wahlukaniswa wanikelwa amaMede namaPheresiya. (Dan. 5:28, 30, 31) IKosi uHerode Agrippa I wePalestine wabulala uJakopo ngemva kwalokho wavalela uPitrosi anomnqopho wokumbulala. UJehova wakhandela uHerode bona angambulali uPitrosi. “Ingilozi kaJehova yamdula phasi,” wahlongakala.—IzE. 12:1-5, 21-23.

13. Nikela isibonelo sendlela uJehova ahlula ngayo isiqubuthu sababusi.

¹³ UJehova watjengisa godu ukuthi unamandla adlula wesiqubuthu sababusi. Walwela u-Israyeli bewamvumela nokobana ahlule isiqubuthu samakhosi weKanana ama-31 bewathumba nengcenye ekulu yeNarha yesiThembiso. (Jotj. 11:4-6, 20; 12:1, 7, 24) UJehova godu  wavumela bona kuhlulwe ngokupheleleko iKosi uBhen-Hadadi nababusi bamaSiriya abama-32 ebebalwa no-Israyeli.—1 Kho. 20:1, 26-29.

14-15. (a) Khuyini amaKhosi uNebukadinetsari noDariyu abayitjho ngobukhosi bakaJehova? (b) Khuyini umRhubi ayitjhoko ngoJehova nesitjhaba sakhe?

¹⁴ UJehova bekasolo aziveza bona unguloyo ongoPhezulu! IKosi uNebukadinetsari weBhabhiloni wazikhakhazisa wathi, ‘Angitjho iBhabhiloni ekulu le ngiyakhe ngamandlami amakhulu njengehloko yesigodlo bona ibe ngeyedumo nobukhosi bami na?’ kunokobana ivume ukuthi nguJehova ofanelwe lidumo, ngebangelo, uZimu wayenza yahlanya. Nakapholako, uNebukadinetsari ‘wadumisa ongoPhezulu’ bewavuma nokuthi “ubukhosi bakhe bubukhosi banini nanini.” Wangezelela wathi: “Akakho noyedwa ongaphaya isandla sakhe.” (Dan. 4:30, 33-35) Ngemva kobana ukuthembeka kwakaDanyela kuJehova kwazizinywa begodu uJehova wamsindisa emgodini wamabhubezi, iKosi uDariyasi yakhupha isimemezelo yathi: “Abantu bembuswenami kufuze bathuthumele bebasabe phambi kwakaZimu kaDanyela. Ngambala unguZimu ophilako, iye, uphila isiphelani. Umbuswakhe angekhe wabhujiswa nobukhosi bakhe angeze baphela.”—Dan. 6:7-10, 19-22, 26, 27.

¹⁵ UmRhubi wathi: “USomnini uhlangahlanganisa iinhloso zezizwe, araranise amaqhinga wabantu.” Wangezelela wathi: “Sibusisiwe isizwe uZimaso kuSomnini, isizwe uSomnini azikhethele bona sibe lilifa lakhe.” (Rhu. 33:10, 12) Kwamambala, sinebanga elihle elenza siragele phambili nokuthembeka phambi kwakaJehova!

16. Khuyini esiqiniseka ngakho malungana ‘nesizi elikhulu’ begodu kubayini? (Qala isithombe.)

¹⁶ Sifundile ngalokho uJehova akwenzileko  esikhathini esidlulileko. Khuyini esingalindela bona yenzeke esikhathi esingaphelisi ihliziyo esizako? Singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uzozisindisa iinceku zakhe ezithembekileko hlangana ‘nesizi elikhulu’ elizako. (Mat. 24:21; Dan. 12:1) Lokho uzokwenza lokha iintjhaba ezibumbeneko ezibizwa ngoGogi wakwamaGogi zihlasela abantu bakaJehova abathembekileko ephasini loke. Ngitjho nanyana iintjhaba ezihlangenekwezo zifaka hlangana amalunga ali-193 weenTjhaba Ezibumbeneko, ngeze zaba lilitho nazimadaniswa nongoPhezukoke nebutho lakhe lezulwini! Naku uJehova akuthembisako: “Ngizakubonakalisa ubukhulu bami nokucwengeka kwami begodu ngizazise phambi kwezizwe ezinengi. Ngalokho zizakwazi bonyana nginguSomnini.”—Hez. 38:14-16, 23; Rhu. 46:10.

17. IBhayibheli lithi labo abathembekileko kuJehova namakhosi wephasi, bazokufumana ingomuso elinjani?

¹⁷ Ukuhlasela kwakamaGogi kuzokudosela epini ye-Armagedoni, lapho uJehova azokutjhabalalisa khona ‘amakhosi wephasi loke.’ (IsAm. 16:14, 16; 19:19-21) Ngokuhlukileko kilokho, “abaqotho bazakunzinza enarheni nabanganamlandu bahlale kiyo.”—IzA. 2:21.

18. Khuyini amaKrestu wamambala amanengi ebekazimisele ukuyenza begodu kubayini? (Danyela 3:28)

¹⁸ Eminyakeni emakhulu eyadlulako, inengi lamaKrestu wamambala belizimisele ukulahlekelwa yikululekwalo ngitjho nokuphila kwalo ngebanga lokuthanda umBusi weNdawo yoke uJehova. AmaKrestu la bewazimisele ukuhlala athembekile kuJehova njengamaHebheru amathathu ahlala athembekile kiloyo ongoPhezulu begodu ngebanga lalokho, wasindisa ukuphila kwabo lokha nabasemlilweni omkhulu.—Funda uDanyela 3:28.

19. UJehova uzobahlulela ngasiphi isisekelo abantu bakhe begodu khuyini ekufuze siyenze?

¹⁹ Umrhubi uDavida watlola ngokuqakatheka kokuthembeka kuZimu: “uSomnini nguye ogweba abantu. Nje-ke Somnini, yewungigwebe ngokulunga kwami nangokuya ngobuqotho obukimi.” (Rhu. 7:9, 7:8, NW) UDavida watlola godu wathi: “Kwanga ubuqotho nokulunga kungangilondoloza.” (Rhu. 25:21) Indlela ephuma phambili yokuphila kukobana sihlale sithembekile kuJehova, nanyana singaqalana nani. Nasenza njalo, sizozizwa njengomrhubi owatlola wathi: “Babusisiwe abamsulwa . . . , abakhamba ngokuya ngomthetho kaSomnini.”—Rhu. 119:1.