1. Ngiyiphi ihlangano eyajamiselela u-Israyeli osihlubuki—abantu bebizo lakaJehova? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

UJEHOVA waziwa ngokuhlonywa kwebandla lobuKrestu emihleni yabapostoli nangokubuyiselwa kokukhulekela kweqiniso esikhathini sethu. Njengombana sibonile esihlokweni esigadungileko, ihlangano ebeyinabalandeli bakaKrestu bekadeni yajamiselela isitjhaba sakwa-Israyeli ebekubabantu bebizo lakaJehova. Ihlangano etja leyo ebeyithandwa nguZimu yasinda nakurhayilwa iJerusalema ngomnyaka ka-70. (Luk. 21:20, 21) Izenzakalo zekadenezo bezinjengehlahlandlela letuthuko efaka hlangana nabantu bakaJehova banamhlanjesi. Ihlelo lakaSathana esiphila kilweli, lizokuphela kungasikade, kodwana ihlangano kaZimu izokusinda ngemihla yokuphela. (2 Thim. 3:1) Ngisiphi isiqinisekiso salokhu?

2. Wathini uJesu ngeenhlupheko ezikulu, begodu zizokuthoma njani?

² Malungana nokubuya kwakhe ngemihla yokuphela, uJesu wathi: “Iinhlupheko ngesikhatheso zizabe zizimbi khulu, zingalingani nalezo ezakhe zabakhona kusukela ekuthomeni kwephasi bekwaba kunjesi nezingasoze zaba khona godu.” (Mat. 24:3, 21) Iinhlupheko ezikulwezi zizokubhidlanga mhla uJehova arhayila “iBhabheli eliKhulu,” umbuso wephasi wekolo  yamala ngemibuso yezepolotiki. (IsAm. 17:3-5, 16) Bese kulandelani-ke ngemva kwalokho?

3. Ngemva kokurhayilwa kwekolo yamala, kuzokwenzekani ngabantu bakaJehova?

³ Kuzakuthi naseyirhayiliwe ikolo yamala, uSathana nephasi lakhe basahlele abantu bakaJehova. Isibonelo salokho, kula imiTlolo ikhuluma khona ‘ngeGogi yakwaMagogi,’ ithi: “Wena uzakurhwanta, uze njengesiwuruwuru, ube njengelifu elembese inarha; iye wena nebutho lakho loke nezizwe ezinengi kanye nawe.” Ngombana aboFakazi bakaJehova abakahlomi ngalitho begodu baziwa njengabantu abanokuthula ephasini loke, bazokufana nenyama kakatsu. Kodwana ukubasahlela kuyokuba mtjhapho ongangomtjhapho!—Hez. 38:1, 2, 9-12.

4, 5. UJehova uzowaliya njani amano kaSathana wokurhayila abantu bakhe?

⁴ UZimu uzokungenela njani-ke emizamweni kaSathana yokurhayila abantu bakhe? Okuyokwenza uJehova afake isandla, lilungelo analo njengoMnikazi wendawo yoke. Phela ukusahlelwa kweenceku zakhe, kusahlelwa kwakhe. (Funda uZakariya 2:8.) Yeke, uBabethu wezulwini, uzoyisikimela msinyana leyo ngokuthi asihlangule. Itjhaphuluko leyo izokufika esitlhorini mhla kurhayilwa iphasi lakaSathana nge-Arimagedoni, ‘ipi yelanga elikhulu lakaZimu uMninimandlawoke.”—IsAm. 16:14, 16.

⁵ Nasikhuluma nge-Arimagedoni isiphorofido seBhayibheli sithi: “‘USomnini unesimangalo ngezizwe, ugweba inyama yoke begodu iinkhohlakali uzazinikelela ngesabula.’ Kutjho uSomnini. Nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini uMninimandlawoke: ‘Qalani, ihlekelele iphuma kusuka esizweni ukuya kesinye, kuvuka isiwuruwuru esikhulu ukusuka emajukujukwini wephasi!’ Labo abamadlhwe nguSomnini mhlokho bazakunabela ukusuka emaphethelweni wephasi ukuya kwamanye. Abazukulilelwa namkha babuthwe namkha babulungwe, kodwana bazokuba njengomsuqwa emasimini.’” (Jor. 25:31-33) I-Arimagedoni iyoliqeda nya ihlelo elikhohlakelekweli. Iphasi lakaSathana lizokusuduka endleleni, kusale ihlangano kaJehova yephasini.

6, 7. (a) Bavelaphi abantu abakha “isiqubuthu esikhulu”? (b) Ngikuphi ukwanda esikubonako kweminyaka egadungileko?

⁶ Ihlangano kaZimu iphunyeleliswa kukuthi inabantu abalungileko abathandwa nguye. IBhayibheli lisiqinisekisa ngokuthi: “Amehlo [‘kaJehova,’ NW] aphezu kwabalungileko, iindlebe zakhe zivulekele imithandazwabo.” (1 Pit. 3:12) Nakukhulunywa ngabalungileko kutjhiwo ‘nebesiqubuthu esikhulu’ esivela “kizo zoke izizwe.” (IsAm. 7:9, 14) Abantwaba abasisiqubuthu nje, kodwana ‘basiqubuthu esikhulu’—iwomakazi labantu. Nje-ke, uyazibona na nawe uphakathi kwaso isiqubuthweso esisinde ‘eenhluphekweni ezikulu’?

⁷ Babuyaphi-ke abantu abakha isiqubuthwesi? Babuthelelwa ngendlela uJesu athi izokuba sibonakaliso semihla yokuphela, njengombana khewatjho. Wathi: “Ivangeli lombusweli lizakutjhunyayelwa ephasini loke, kube bufakazi kizo zoke izizwe ngaphambi kobana kufike isiphetho.” (Mat. 24:14) Emihleni le yokuphela, umsebenzi lo ngiwo oyihloko ehlanganweni kaZimu. Ngebanga lomsebenzi wokutjhumayela nokufundisa owenziwa boFakazi bakaJehova, sebanengi khulu abantu abafunde ukulotjha uZimu “ngomoya nangeqiniso.” (Jwa. 4:23, 24) Nasi isibonelo, eminyakeni elitjhumi  edlulileko—phakathi neminyaka yekonzo ka-2003 bekuyokufika ku-2012—sekubhajadiswe abantu ababalelwa ku-2 707 000, njengesibonakaliso sokuzinikela kuZimu. Ephasini loke sekunaboFakazi abangaphezu kwe-7 900 000, nabanye abaziingidigidi abahlanganyela nabo, khulukhulu ngeenkhathi zesiKhumbuzo. Thina asizikhathazi kangako ngenani labantu ngombana ‘nguZimu okhulisako.’ (1 Kor. 3:5-7) Kanti-ke vele siyakubona ukwanda kwesiqubuthu esikhulwesi unyaka nonyaka!

8. Ngikuphi ukwanda okuphawulekako ngehlangano kaJehova esikhathini sanamhlanjesi?

⁸ Sezande ngesibalo esikhulu iinceku zakaZimu ngombana uJehova ngokwakhe nguye osekela aboFakazi bakhe. (Funda u-Isaya 43:10-12.) Ukwandokhu kwabikezelwa nganaka amezwi asiphorofido: “Ophasi ngesibalo uzokuba yikoro nomncani abe sisizwe esinamandla. [‘NginguJehova,’ NW]. Nje-ke ngesikhathi esifaneleko ngizakwenza msinyana lokhu.” (Isa. 60:22) Khekwaba nesikhathi la abazesiweko ‘bebabancani’ khona, kodwana isibalo sabo sanda njengo-Israyeli ongokomoya olethwe ehlanganweni kaZimu. (Gal. 6:16) Ngebanga lesibusiso sakaJehova, nyaka uvela isibalwesi besisolo sanda njengesiqubuthu esikhulu.

9. Kufuze senzeni nesizakuba nengomuso elithe tjha esilithenjiswe nguZimu ngeliZwi lake?

⁹ Ukuthi singabazesiweko namkha singebesiqubuthu esikhulu, soke singakufumana esikuthenjiswe nguZimu ngeliZwi lake. Kodwana nakuzakwenzeka lokho, kufuze sizivumelanise neemfuneko zakaJehova. (Isa. 48:17, 18) Khewucabange ngama-Israyeli ebekaphila ngomThetho owanikelwa uMosi. Umnqopho womThetho loyo bekukuvikela ama-Israyeli ngokuziphatha okuhle, ukuziphatha kwezomseme, zamabhizinisi, ukutlhogomela abantwana, ukusebenzelana kuhle nabanye abantu, nokhunye okunjalo. (Eks. 20:14; Lev. 19:18, 35-37; Dut. 6:6-9) Kuba njalo-ke nangathi nasenza okufunwa nguZimu—begodu akusimthwalo kithi ukwenza intando yakhe. (Funda 1 Jwanisi 5:3.) Eqinisweni, njengombana umThetho bewuwavikela ama-Israyeli, kithi-ke ukululalela kwethu imithethokambiso kaZimu akugcini ngokusivikela kwaphela, kodwana godu kusenza sibe “nokukholwa okuthe tjha.”—Tit. 1:13.

10. Kubayini kuqakathekile ukubekela ncanye isikhathi sokufunda iBhayibheli nokukhulekela komndeni?

¹⁰ Ingcenye yephasini yehlangano kaJehova ithuthuka ngeendlela ezihlukahlukeneko. Ngokwesibonelo, indlela egade sizwisisa ngayo iBhayibheli iyakhanya njengombana nesikhathi sikhamba. Kulindelekile bona kube njalo vele ngani ngoba ‘umzila wabalungileko ufana nomkhanyo welanga . . . okhanya ukuya ngokuya bekube semini.’ (IzA. 4:18) Kodwana singazibuza ukuthi: ‘Ngiyakhambasina na namtjhuguluko kunye neenlungiso zamaqiniso angokomTlolo? Ngiyifunda qobe na iBhayibheli? Ngihlala ngizifunda na iincwadi zethu? Ukukhuleleka komndeni khona siyakwenza na njengomndeni?’ Banengi abangavuma ukuthi akusibudisi kangako nokho ukwenza izintwezi. Okufunekako nje, kukuzibekela isikhathi sokuthi uzenze. Ukuzondla ngelwazi lemiTlolo, silisebenzise, besithuthuke, zizinto eziqakatheke kwamambala—khulukhulu esikhathini sethwesi njengombana iinhlupheko ezikulu zibandamele nje!

11. Imigidi yekadeni neyanamhlanjesi—okumihlangano yebandla, emincani nemikhulu zizuzisa ngayiphi indlela?

¹¹ Ihlangano kaJehova isuke isifunela okuhle navane isikhuthaza bona silandele  isiluleko sakaPowula esithi: “Asitjhejaneni bona singakhuthazana njani ethandweni nemisebenzini emihle; singakudeli ukuhlangana njengombana kunjalo kwabanye; kodwana asikhuthazaneni omunye nomunye, khulukhulu njengomnana nibona bonyana ilanga selitjhidele.” (Heb. 10:24, 25) Imigidi yokukhulekela yaqobe mnyaka egade igidingwa ma-Israyeli, beyiwakhuthaza emoyeni. Ngaphezu kwakho koke, umNyanya wemiTlhatlhana emihleni kaNerhemiya bekusisenzakalo esithabisa kwamambala. (Eks. 23:15, 16; Nerh. 8:9-18) Nathi sizuza ngendlela efanako emihlanganweni yethu yebandla, kwemincani nakwemikhulu. Asingazivilapheli-ke izintwezi njengombana ituthuko yethu kunye nethabo, kudzimelele kizo.—Tit. 2:2.

12. Kufuze sizizwe njani ngomsebenzi wokutjhumayela ngomBuso?

¹² Thina esisehlanganweni kaZimu sithatjiswa kumemezela “ivangeli lakaZimu.” (Rom. 15:16) Ukuhlanganyela emsebenzinakhe ocwengileko lo, kusenza ‘sisebenze ndawonye’ noJehova njengombana naye ‘acwengile.’ (1 Kor. 3:9; 1 Pit. 1:15) Ukutjhumayela iindabezi kunomthelela nekuphazimuliseni ibizo lakaJehova elicwengileko. Yeke, kulilungelo engeze lamadaniswa nalitho ukuphathiswa ‘ivangeli elihle lakaZimu obusisekileko.’—1 Thim. 1:11.

13. Ipilo ehle ngokomoya nokuphila kwethu kudzimelelephi?

¹³ UZimu ufuna sihlale siphilile ngokomoya ngokuthi sinamathelane nehlanganwakhe ngokwenza imisebenzi eminengi ehlukahlukeneko. UMosi watjela ama-Israyeli wathi: “Ngenza izulu nephasi kobana zibe bofakazi bami namhlanje ngokujamelene nani: Ngibeka phambi kwenu ipilo nokufa, iimbusiso namanikelela. Ngalokho khethani ukuphila ukuze niphile nina neenzukwalana zenu, nikhathalele uSomnini uZimenu, nilalele ilizwi lakhe, nikakarele kuye ngombana lokho kukuphila kini nokwanda kwangamalanga ukuze nihlale enarheni uSomnini ayifungela kiboyihlomkhulu u-Abrahamu, u-Isaka noJakopo kobana uzabanikela yona.” (Dut. 30:19, 20) Ipilo yethu idzimelele ekwenzeni okuthandwa nguJehova, simthande, simlalele besinamathelane naye.

14. Omunye umzalwana wazizwa njani ngehlangano kaZimu yephasini?

¹⁴ UMzalwana uPryce Hughes ebekasolo akakarele kuZimu nehlanganwakhe, wakhe wathi: “Ngithokoziswa kukuthi uJehova ngamazi inarha isalele ngaphambi kwabo 1914 . . . Ebekuqakatheke khulu ekuphileni kwami, bekukunamathelana noJehova nehlanganwakhe ebonakalako. Engaqalana nakho esikhathini sangaphambili, kwangilemukisa ukuthi kubudlhadlha kangangani ukuthembela emibonweni yabantu. Kwathi nasengicaculukile endabeni leyo, ngazimisela ukukhamba nehlangano ethembekileko. Angiboni ukuthi kunenye indawo umuntu angathola kiyo isibusiso sakaJehova!”

15. Khewusiphe isibonelo sendlela okufuze siziqale ngayo iinlungiso zalokho esikwaziko eBhayibhelini.

¹⁵ Nesifuna ukwamukelwa nguJehova sifumane neembusiso ezivela kuye, kufuze siyisekele ihlanganwakhe, besamukele nazo zoke iinlungiso zendlela esiyizwisisa ngayo imiTlolo. Cabangela naku: Ngemva kokuhlongakala kwakaJesu, bekuneenkulungwana zamaJuda amaKrestu egade atjhisekela umThetho okwaba budisi bona awulise. (IzE. 21:17-20) Kodwana incwadi uPowula yitlolela amaHebheru, yabenza bavuma ukuthi  abakahlengwa ngeminikelo yokutjhiswa ebeyenziwa “ngokuya ngomthetho,” kodwana “ngomnikelo womzimba kaJesu Krestu.” (Heb. 10:5-10) Akubilayelwa bona inengi lamaKrestu lawo ebekamaJuda lalungisa indlela ebelicabanga ngayo, laragela phambili likhula ngokomoya. Nathi-ke kufuze sifunde begodu sihlale siziphaphamele iinlungiso zendlela ebesilizwisisa ngayo iliZwi lakaZimu namkha ezimalungana nomsebenzi wokutjhumayela.

16. (a) Ngiziphi iimbusiso ezizokwenza iphasi elitjha lithabise? (b) Ngikuphi okululukela khulu ephasini elitjha?

¹⁶ Boke abahlala bathembekile kuJehova nehlanganwenakhe, bazokusolo babusiseka. Abathembekileko babalabo abakhethiweko, bazokufumana unongorwana wokuyokubusa noKrestu ezulwini. (Rom. 8:16, 17) Thina-ke abanethemba lokuphila ephasini, siqale phambili epilweni emnandi ePharadesi. Njengombana siyingcenye yehlangano kaJehova, kulithabo elingangethabo ukutjela abanye ngephasi elitjha lakaZimu asithembise lona! (2 Pit. 3:13) IRhubo 37:11 lithi, “abathobekileko bazakuzuza inarha, bathabele ukuthula okukhulu.” Abantu “bazakwakha iinkumba bebahlale kizo” bebathabele ‘nomsebenzi wezandla zabo.’ (Isa. 65:21, 22) Angekhe kusaba negandeleleko, umtlhago nendlala. (Rhu. 72:13-16) IBhabheli eliKhulu angekhe lisakhohlisa muntu ngombana lizabe lingasekho. (IsAm. 18:8, 21) Abahlongakeleko bazokuvuswa banikelwe ithuba lokuphila ngokungapheliko. (Isa. 25:8; IzE. 24:15) Lelo kuyokuba lithabo lamambala ebantwini abanengi abazinikele kuJehova! Yeke, zoke izintwezo nazizakuba ngezamambala kithi kufuze siragele phambili sithuthuka ngokomoya, sikhambisane nehlangano kaZimu, singasaleli emuva.

17. Kufuze sizizwe njani ngokukhulekela uJehova nangehlanganwakhe?

¹⁷ Njengombana iphaseli selifikele emaphethelwenalo nje, asihlaleni siqinile ekukholweni, sithokoze nangakho koke uZimu asenzela khona malungana nokumkhulekela. Nomrhubi uDavida bekayithatha njalo indaba le nekazakubhina athi: “Kunye engikubawa kuSomnini begodu ngizakulandelela lokho: Kukobana ngihlale ngekumbeni kaSomnini, amalanga woke wokuphila kwami, nje-ke ngizazizwela umusa kaSomnini nokuhlahlwa ethempelini lakhe.” (Rhu. 27:4) Kwanga soke, singanamathelana noJehova uZimu, sikhambisane nabantu bakhe, begodu sibambe siqinise ehlanganwenakhe yephasini njengombana iragela phambili.