1, 2. (a) Yini uJehova athe izokwenzeka esikhathini sethwesi? (b) Ngimiphi imibuzo ezokuphendulwa esihlokwenesi? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

UJEHOVA wathi esikhathini sethwesi, “amadoda alitjhumi kizo zoke izizwe ezihlukeneko azakukakarela umJuda ngomphetho wesambatho sakhe athi: ‘Sifuna ukukhamba nawe ngombana sizwile bonyana uZimu unani.’” (Zakariya 8:23) “UmJuda” okukhulunywa ngawo la, ujamele labo uZimu abakhethe ngomoyakhe ocwengileko. Godu babizwa ‘ngo-Israyeli kaZimu.’ (Galatiya 6:16) Bese kuthi amadoda “alitjhumi” wona ajamele labo abanethemba lokuphila ephasini unomphela. Bayazi ukuthi abakhethiwekwaba uJehova ubabusisile, begodu kulilungelo ukulotjha kunye nabo.

² Njengomphorofidi uZakariya, uJesu wathi abantu bakaZimu bazokubumbana. UJesu ubabiza ngokuthi “mhlanjana omncani” labo abazokuphila ezulwini, bese labo abazokuphila ephasini ababize ngokuthi ‘ngezinye izimvu.’ Nanyana bangeengaba ezimbili njalo, uJesu uthi boke “mhlambi owodwa” begodu bazokulandela yena ‘njengomelusi oyedwa.’ (Lukasi 12:32; Jwanisi 10:16) Njengombana kuneengaba  ezimbili nje, abanye bangazibuza ukuthi: (1) Kghani ezinye izimvu kufuze zibazi ngamabizo na, boke abakhethiweko namhlanjesi? (2) Abakhethiweko kufuze baziqale njani? (3) Nakhibe omunye ebandleni lami uthoma ukudla isikwa asele newayini esiKhumbuzweni, kufuze ngimthathe njani? (4) Kufuze ngitshwenyeke na ngesibalo esikhuphukako sabantu abadla isikwa basele newayini esiKhumbuzweni? Imibuzo le izokuphendulwa esihlokwenesi.

3. Kubayini singeze saqiniseka ukuthi bobani abazokuya ezulwini?

³ Ezinye izimvu kufuze ziwazi na amabizo wabo boke abakhethiweko abasesesephasini? Awa. Kubayini kungakafuzi? Ngombana akekho owaziko ukuthi abakhethiweko bazowufumana umvuzwabo. ^[1] (Qala isiphetho.) Nanyana uZimu abamemele ezulwini nje, umvuzwabo bazowufumana kwaphela nange bahlala bathembekile. USathana ukwazi kuhle koke lokho, yeke uzokulinga ‘ukubakhohlisa’ ngokuthi asebenzise ‘abaphorofidi bamanga.’ (Matewu 24:24) Abakhethiweko angeze baqiniseka ukuthi bazowufumana umvuzwabo bekube kulapho uJehova abaqinisekisa khona ukuthi ubahlulela njengabalungileko. UJehova ubaqinisekisa ngaphambi kokuthi bafe namkha ngaphambi kokuthi kungenwe “ekubandezelekeni okukhulu.”​—IsAmbulo 2:10; 7:3, 14.

4. Njengombana singeze sawazi amabizo wabo boke abakhethiweko abasephasini, ‘singakhamba’ njani nabo?

⁴ Njengombana uJehova angakawambuli amabizo wabazesiweko abasesesephasini, ezinye izimvu ‘zingakhamba nabo’ njani? IBhayibheli lithi “emihleni leyo ‘amadoda alitjhumi’ kizo zoke izizwe ezihlukeneko azakukakarela umJuda ngomphetho wesambatho sakhe athi, ‘Sifuna ukukhamba nawe ngombana sizwile bonyana uZimu unani.’” IBhayibheli la ikhuluma ngomJuda oyedwa, kodwana ithi “nawe” ibuye ithi “nani” kuhlekuhle iqalisele ebantwini abanenganyana. Lokho-ke kutjho ukuthi umJuda lo siqhema sabo boke abakhethiweko. Ezinye izimvu nazo ziyakwazi lokho, yeke zikhonza uJehova kunye nabo. Akutlhogeki bona zazi amabizo wabo bese zibalandele. UJesu nguye umRholi wethu, kungebangelo iBhayibheli lisikhuthaza bona silandele yena yedwa.​—Matewu 23:10.

5. Ngisiphi iseluleko abakhethiweko okufuze bacabangisise ngaso, begodu kubayini?

⁵ Abakhethiweko kufuze bacabangisise ngeseluleko esikweyo-1 Korinte 11:27-29. (Ifunde.) Umuntu okhethiweko angadla isikwa abe asele newayini njani “ngokungakafaneli” esiKhumbuzweni? Nangabe akanatjhebiswano elihle noJehova, begodu angakathembeki kuye, bese adle isikwa asele newayini, kuyatjho ukuthi akahloniphi. (Hebheru  6:4-6; 10:26-29) Lokhu kukhumbuza abakhethiweko ukuthi kufuze bahlale bathembekile nabafuna ukufumana “umvuzo wokubizwa kwezulwini okungekwakaZimu ngoKrestu Jesu.”​—Filipi 3:13-16.

6. Abakhethiweko kufuze baziqale njani?

⁶ UPowula watjela amaKrestu akhethiweko ukuthi: “Mina sibotjhwa ngebanga leKosi ngiyanincenga bonyana niphile ipilo efanelana nokubizwa kwenu.” Bangakwenza njani-ke lokho abakhethiweko? UPowula uyahlathulula: ‘Nizithobe ngokupheleleko, nibe mnene, ninyamezele benibekezelelane ngethando. Yenzani ngakho koke okusemandlenenu ukulonda ubunye bomoya ngesibopho sokuthula.’ (Efesu 4:1-3) Umoya kaJehova ocwengileko usiza abakhulekeli bakhe ukuthi bathobeke bangazikhakhazisi. (Kolose 3:12) Yeke abakhethiweko abaziqali bancono kunabanye. Bayazi nokuthi uJehova akabaphi umoya ocwengileko ukudlula wabanye. Begodu abacabangi ukuthi amaqiniso weBhayibheli bawazwisisa khulu ukudlula abanye. Angeze batjela abanye abantu ukuthi bakhethiwe begodu nabo kufuze bathome ukudla isikwa basele newayini esiKhumbuzweni. Kunalokho bayazithoba balemuke ukuthi nguJehova kwaphela okufuze ameme abantu ukuthi baye ezulwini.

7, 8. Yini abakhethiweko abangakayilindeli, begodu kubayini?

⁷ Abakhethiweko bayazi ukuthi kulilungelo tle ukuthi bamenyelwe ezulwini, kodwana abakalindeli ukuphathelwa phezulu. (Efesu 1:18, 19; funda uFilipi 2:2, 3.) Bayazi nokuthi uJehova nakabakhethako, akhenge atjele muntu ngalokho. Yeke umuntu okhethiweko akarareki nange abanye abantu bangakukholelwa zisuka zibekwa ukuthi ukhethiwe. Uyayelela nokuthi iBhayibheli ithi akukafuzi siphethe msinya ngokuthi umuntu ukhethiwe. (IsAmbulo 2:2) Ngebanga lokuthi umKrestu okhethiweko akalindeli ukuphathelwa phezulu, angeze athi athoma nokubona abantu abatjele ukuthi phela yena ukhethiwe. Mhlamunye angeze abatjela ngitjho nokubatjela. Angeze azikhakhazise ngamalungelo azowathabela ezulwini.​—1 Korinte 1:28, 29; funda 1 Korinte 4:6-8.

⁸ AmaKrestu akhethiweko akazizwa ngasuthi kufuze ahlale namanye amaKrestu akhethiweko kwaphela, kwangathi manje babantu abasesiqhemeni esisodwa. Angeze athoma alinge ukufumana amanye amaKrestu akhethiweko ukuze bakhulume ngokuthi kunjani ukuba ngokhethiweko, nofana bahlangane ngeenqhema badembe ngeBhayibheli. (Galatiya 1:15-17) Kazi abakhethiweko nange bangenza izintwezi, maye nakulibandla lona lingahlukana phakathi! Begodu bazabe balwisana nomoya ocwengileko, okungiwo osiza abantu bakaZimu bona babe nokuthula nebumbano.​—Funda kwebeRoma 16:17, 18.

9. Kubayini kufuze uyelele khulu ukuthi kufuze baphathwe njani labo abadlako esiKhumbuzweni? (Qala ibhoksi elithi “Ithando ‘Aliziphathi Ngendlela Engakafaneli.’”)

⁹ Kufuze ubaphathe njani abazalwana nabodade abakhethiweko? UJesu wathi: “Nina noke nje nibafo.” Waraga wathi: “Ngombana loyo oziphakamisako uzakuthotjiswa, naloyo ozithobako  uzakuphakanyiswa.” (Matewu 23:8-12) Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi kumbi ukuphakamisa namkha ukudumisa umuntu, ngitjho nanyana amKrestu okhethiweko. IBhayibheli iye khona ithi kufuze silingise ikholo labadala, kodwana ayisitjeli ukuthi silandele omunye umuntu. (Hebheru 13:7) Kuliqiniso ukuthi iBhayibheli ithi abadala kufuze “bahlonitjhwe ngokubuyelelweko.” IBhayibheli itjho lokhu ngombana abadala ‘bakhuthalele ukutjhumayela nokufundisa,’ ingasi ngombana bamaKrestu akhethiweko. (1 Thimothi 5:17) Kufuze sikhumbule godu ukuthi nange sibaphakamisa namkha sibadumisa sibaphathisa iinhloni. Okumbi ukudlula koke singabenza bazikhakhazise. (Roma 12:3) Akekho kithapha ongathanda ukubangela abakhethiweko bakaKrestu ukuthi benze imitjhapho emikhulu!​—Lukasi 17:2.

10. Singabahlonipha njani abakhethiweko?

¹⁰ Singabahlonipha njani labo abakhethwe nguJehova? Angeze sababuza ukuthi bakhethwe njani. Kufuze sikhumbule ukuthi indaba le ngeyabo noJehova, yeke asinalo ilungelo lokubuza ngayo. (1 Thesalonika 4:11; 2 Thesalonika 3:11) Akukafaneli sicabange ukuthi abobaba bakwabo, abomkabo, ababelethi babo namkha amalunga womndenabo nawo akhethiwe. Phela ithemba labweli aliveli emndeninabo. (1 Thesalonika 2:12) Kufuze godu sibalekele nokubabuza imibuzo engaphatha abanye kumbi. Ngokwesibonelo angeze sabuza umfazi womzalwana okhethiweko ukuthi uzizwa njani ngokuphila ephasini ngaphandle kwaka babakwakhe. Esiqiniseka ngakho kukuthi ephasini elitjha uJehova ‘uzokwanelisa iimfiso zakho koke okuphilako.’—IRhubo 145:16.

11. Sizivikela njani nange sibalekela ukuphathela abanye phezulu?

¹¹ Nange singabaphathi njengeentatanyiswa abakhethiweko, siyazivikela ngokwenza njalo. Kubayini sitjho njalo? Ngombana iBhayibheli isitjela ukuthi kungaba “nabafowethu bamala” ebandleni, bangaleya amala batjele abanye ukuthi bakhethiwe. (Galatiya 2:4, 5; 1 Jwanisi 2:19) Begodu nabo abakhethiweko kungenzeka bangathembeki. (Matewu 25:10-12; 2 Pitrosi 2:20, 21) Kungebangelo-ke kufuze sibalekele “ukubaphathela phezulu” namkha ukubadumisa, nasenza njalo angeze salandela abantu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ngabakhethiweko, abaziwa khulu ehlanganweni, sitjho nalabo ese bakhonze uJehova isikhathi eside. Ukuze kuthi nakwenzeka bangathembeki, bebatjhiye nehlangano, thina singapheli amandla bese nathi silisa ukukhonza uJehova ngebanga labo.​—Juda 16.

12, 13. Kubayini kungakafuzi sitshwenyeke ngesibalo salabo abadlako esiKhumbuzweni?

¹² Sekuminyaka isibalo salabo abadla isikwa basele newayini esiKhumbuzweni sisolo sehla. Kodwana mvanyana nje isibalwesi sesikhula qobe mnyaka. Kghani lokho kufuze kusitshwenye? Awa akukafuzi. Akhesibone ukuthi kubayini kungakafuzi sitshwenyeke.

¹³ “[UJehova] uyabazi labo ekungebakhe.” (2 Thimothi 2:19) Phela abazalwana ababala isibalo sabadlako, abafani noJehova ngani ngoba uJehova uyabazi  abakhethileko kukulapho abazalwanaba bona bangazi ukuthi bobani abakhethiweko. Yeke isibalwesi sihlanganisa nalabo abangaqinisekiko ukuthi bakhethiwe kwamambala na. Isibonelo salokho, kunabanye ekhebadla, kwathi ngokukhamba kwesikhathi balisa. Abanye benziwe kugula ngomkhumbulo namkha benziwe ngeminye imiraro, ebenza bakholelwa ukuthi bona bayokubusa noKrestu ezulwini. Kusebaleni-ke ukuthi namhlanjesi asazi ukuthi bangakhi abakhethiweko abasesesephasini.

14. IBhayibheli ithini ngesibalo sabakhethiweko abazabe basesesephasini nakuthoma iimbandezelo ezikulu?

¹⁴ Kuzokuba nabakhethiweko eengcenyeni ezinengi zephasi, lokha uJesu nakazobathatha baye ezulwini. IBhayibheli ithi iKosi Jesu “izakuthuma iingilozi zayo ngokulila okukhulu kwepalapala. Zona zizakubuthelela abakhethekileko bayo emagumbini womane wephasi, ukusuka ehlangothini elinye lomkayi bekube kukelinye.” (Matewu 24:31) IBhayibheli ibuye isitjele ukuthi emihleni yokuphela, kuzabe sekunedlazana labakhethiweko abasesesephasini. (IsAmbulo 12:17) Kodwana okufuze sikuyelele kukuthi ayitjho ukuthi bazabe bayingakhi nakuthoma iimbandezelo ezikulu.

15, 16. Yini okufuze siyizwisise ngabayi-144 000 abakhethwe nguJehova?

¹⁵ UJehova nguye okhethako ukuthi uzomkhetha nini umuntu. (Roma 8:28-30) Uthome ukubakhetha ngemva kokuhlongakala kwakaJesu. Kubonakala  kwanga ngekhulu lokuthoma woke amaKrestu bekakhethiwe. Ngemva kokuthi sekudlule amakhulu weminyaka, inengi lalabo ebelithi limaKrestu belingasi balandeli bakaJesu beqiniso. Nanyana bekunjalo, hlangana neminyaka leyo uJehova bekasolo akhetha idlazana ebelithembekile. Bebayikoroyi uJesu athi izakukhula hlangana nekhula. (Matewu 13:24-30) Emihleni yokuphela le uJehova usasolo akhetha abantu ukuthi babe yingcenye yabayi-144 000. ^[2] (Qala isiphetho.) Yeke nange uZimu aqunta ukukhetha abanye ngaphambi kokuthi kufike isiphelo, sizokuqiniseka ukuthi wenza okulungileko. (Isaya 45:9; Danyela 4:35; funda amaRoma 9:11, 16.) ^[3] (Qala isiphetho.) Kufuze siyelele singalingisi iinsebenzi ezanghonghoyila ngokuthi kubayini umqatjhazo aphatha kuhle iinsebenzi ezithome ukusebenza lada.​—Funda uMatewu 20:8-15.

¹⁶ Akusibo boke abanethemba lezulwini abayingcenye ‘yenceku ethembekileko nehlakaniphileko.’ (Matewu 24:45-47) Njengombana bekunjalo ngekhulu lokuthoma, uJehova noJesu nanamhlanjesi basebenzisa abambalwa babo bona bondle, bebafundise abantu. Ngekhulu lokuthoma ambalwa khulu amaKrestu akhethiweko asetjenziswa bona atlole imiTlolo yamaKrestu yesiGirigi. Kusese njalo-ke nanamhlanjesi, ambalwa anomsebenzi wokunikela abantu bakaZimu ‘ukugoma kwabo ngesikhathi esifaneleko.’

17. Yini oyifundileko esihlokwenesi?

¹⁷ Yini esiyifundileko esihlokwenesi? UJehova ukhethe ukupha abantu abanengi isipho sokuthi baphile ephasini unomphela, bese kuthi abanye ubaphe ipilo yezulwini bayokubusa noJesu. UJehova uvuza boke abakhulekeli bakhe, “umJuda” “nabantu abalitjhumi,” begodu kufuze balalele imithetho kaJehova njengabo boke abanye abantu bebahlale bathembekile. Boke kufuze bathobeke. Bamlotjhe babumbene. Benze koke abangakwenza ukuze ebandleni kube nokuthula. Njengombana isiphelo sitjhidela nje, asirageleni phambili sikhonza uJehova begodu silandele uJesu njalo simhlambi munye.