1. Ngibuphi ubuntu bakaZimu obukhamba phambili, begodu ukwazi lokho kukwenza uzizwe njani?

IBHAYIBHELI lithi “uZimu ulithando.” (1 Jwanisi 4:8) Kutjho ukuthini lokho? Ithando alisibubuntu obuhle nje uJehova anabo. Kodwana kizo zoke izinto anazo, ithando likhamba phambili. UZimu akanathando. Ulithando. Ithando lilawula koke akwenzako. Sizokuhlala sithokoza bona ithando ngilo elahlohlozela uJehova bona adale izulu nephasi nayo yoke into ephilako!

2. Yini esenza siqiniseke bona uZimu uyasithanda? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

² UJehova uyayithanda indalwakhe. Ithandweli ngilo elisiqinisekisa bona nakuyihloswakhe ngabantu yona izokwenzeka ngendlela ehle ukuzidlula zoke. Ngebangelo-ke woke umuntu omlalelako uzokuthaba kwamambala. Ngokwesibonelo, ngombana uyasithanda “sele abeke ilanga azokugweba ngalo iphasi ngokulunga ngaloyo amkhethileko” uJesu Krestu. (IzEnzo 17:31) Siyaqiniseka bona ukugwetjwokhu kuyeza. Labo abalalelako bayokuhlala isiphelani.

3. Beyizokuba njani ipilo thana uZimu bekangasithandi?

³ Abantu bebazokuphila njani thana ithando belingakhambi phambili ebuntwini bakaZimu? Abantu bebazokuraga nokubusana, balawulwa ngusingazimu onehloyo uSathana. (2 Korinte 4:4; 1 Jwanisi 5:19; funda isAmbulo 12:9, 12.) Thana uJehova bekangasithandi, ingomuso belizokuba limbi khulu!

4. Kubayini uJehova avumela bona abantu bamhlanukele?

⁴ Kwathi bona uSathana ahlanukele ukubuswa nguZimu, wadunga neengqondo zababelethi bethu bokuthoma bona nabo bahlubuke. Wavusa ipikiswano yokuthi uZimu uyafaneleka na bona abe Mbusi wezulu nephasi. Wathi yena angabusa ngcono kunoZimu. (Genesisi 3:1-5) UJehova wamvumela bona abuse isikhatjhana khona azokutjengisa bona uqinisile na. Kodwana okwanjesi sekuyabonakala bona uSathana nomuntu wakomuntu babhalelwe.

5. Umlando wabantu uveze buphi ubufakazi?

⁵ Eenkhathini zanamhlanjesi izinto sele zithuwelele ukuthuwelela. Sekuhlongakele abantu abangaphezu kweengidi eziyi-100, babulawa ezipini eminyakeni elikhulu edlulileko. IBhayibheli nalikhuluma ‘ngemihla yokuphela’ lithi “Kodwana iinkhohlakali nabakhohlisi bazakuragela phambili ebumbini, badukisa nabo badukiswa.” (2 Thimothi 3:1, 13) Libuye litjho lithi: ‘[Jehova], ngilemuke bona umuntu akaziphileli; akusisemuntwini ukuzikhambela nokunqophisa amagadangwakhe.’ (Joromiya 10:23) Umlando wabantu ukuvezile bona amezwi la aliqiniso. UJehova khenge adale abantu bona bazibuse ngaphandle kwakhe.

6. Kubayini uZimu avumele ukukhohlakala?

⁶ UJehova nakazokuvumela bona ukukhohlakala kuhlale isikhatjhana, bekafuna ukutjengisa bona nguye kwaphela ongabusa kuhle. Ngikho esikhathini esizako azokususa woke umuntu okhohlakeleko. Ngemva kwalokho, nange kungavuka umuntu athome aphikise ukubusa kwakhe, uZimu uzolithatha mhlokho igadango. Angasebenzisa umlando wabantu njengobufakazi bokuthi nakungaba nomuntu ovusa umsila asuswe msinya, nobukhohlakali bungasavunyelwa nangelanga lomhlolo.

7, 8. UJehova usitjengise njani bona uyasithanda?

⁷ UJehova usitjengise ngeendlela ezinengi bona usithanda khulu. Cabanga bona umkayi wethu muhle kangangani. Unemithala emabhiliyoni, uthi umunye umthala loyo ube neengidigidi zeenkwekwezi. Umthala esiphila kiwo i-Milky Way, enye yeenkwekwezi ekiwo lilanga. Ngaphandle kwelanga, bekungekhe kube nento ephilako ephasinapha. Yeke, koke lokhu kubufakazi bokuthi uJehova Mdali wethu. Begodu ubuntu bakhe bubonakala kizo izinto azidalilekwezi, njengamandlakhe, ukuhlakanipha nethando. “Ubuntu  bakaZimu obungabonakaliko bubonakala endalweni esephasini kuya phambili, ngombana bubonakala ezintweni azidalileko. Ngombana izintwezi zitjengisa amandla wobuZimu bakhe.”—Roma 1:20.

⁸ UZimu nakalidalako iphaseli bekalidalela bona kube nepilo kilo ngokukhethekileko. Phela yoke into esephasini izuzisa abantu neenlwana. Wenzela abantu isimu ehle wabanikela imizimba neengqondo ezipheleleko bona baphile isiphelani. (Funda isAmbulo 4:11.) Ngaphezu kwalokho, “nguye opha ukudla kikho koke okuphilako, ukwethembeka kwakhe kujame isiphelani.”—IRhubo 136:25.

9. Nanyana uJehova unguZimu wethando yini ayihloyileko?

⁹ UJehova unguZimu wethando, kodwana nakukukhohlakala khona ukuhloyile. Ngokwesibonelo, iRhubo 5:4-6 lithi ngoJehova: “Wena awusuye uZimu ozwana nekohlakalo. . . boke abenzi bobumbi uyabazonda.” Nabantu ‘abanenturhu nabakhohlisako’ ubahloye ukubahloya.

10, 11. (a) Kuzokwenzekani ebantwini abakhohlakeleko? (b) UJehova uzobanikela ini abantu abalalelako?

¹⁰ Ngesikhathi esifaneleko, uJehova uzokususa koke ukukhohlakala ezulwini nephasini ngombana unguZimu wethando ohloye ubumbi. IliZwi lakaZimu lithi: ‘Abenzi bobumbi bazakususwa, kodwana abarhuluphela [uJehova] bazakuzuza inarha. Kuzakuba muzuzwana isikhohlakali singasabi khona nalokha uhlola indawaso, awusoze usasifunyana.’ Amanaba kaJehova ‘azakunyamalala njengentuthu.’—IRhubo 37:9, 10, 20.

¹¹ IliZwi lakaZimu lisithembisa nokuthi: “Abalungileko bazakuzuza inarha, bahlale kiyo nini nanini.” (IRhubo 37:29) Abantu abathembekileko ‘bazakuthabela ukuthula okukhulu.’ (IRhubo 37:11) Kubayini kuzokuba njalo? Kungombana uZimethu onethando uzifunela okuhle kodwa iinceku zakhezi. Ngikho iBhayibheli lithi: “Uzokwesula zoke iinyembezi emehlwenabo. Ukufa angekhe kusaba khona, ngitjho nokulila nobuhlungu angekhe kusaba khona ngombana izinto zokuthoma zidlulile.” (IsAmbulo 21:4) Awazi bona abantu abalalelako nabathanda uZimu banengomuso eliqakatheke kangangani!

12. Ngubani ‘omsulwa’?

¹² IBhayibheli lithi: “Qalisisa omsulwa, ubeke ilihlo koqotho: Kunelikusasa emuntwini onokuthula. Kodwana abaphambukileko bazakubhujiswa ndawonye nelikusasa leenkhohlakali lizakususwa.” (IRhubo 37:37, 38) “Omsulwa” uyamazi uJehova nendodanakhe begodu uyamlalela enze nentandwakhe. (Funda uJwanisi 17:3.) Ukukholwa ngehliziywakhe yoke ukuthi “iphasi neenkanuko zalo kuyadlula; kodwana loyo owenza intando kaZimu unokuphila okungapheliko.” (1 Jwanisi 2:17) Ngebanga lokuthi isiphelo sephaseli sele sifikile, kurhabile tle ukuthi ‘sirhuluphele’ uJehova ‘sikhambe endlelenakhe.’—IRhubo 37:34.

13. Ngisiphi isenzo uZimu asenzako esitjengisa ithando lakhe khulu?

¹³ Nanyana sinesono nje, singamlalela uZimu. Singaba netjhebiswano elihle noJehova, ngombana uJesu wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe. Ayikho indlela uZimu angasitjengisa ngayo ithando ukudlula le. UJehova nguye ohlele isihlengo khona abantu abalalelako bazokutjhaphuluka esonweni nekufeni. (Funda amaRoma 5:12; 6:23.) UJesu wathembela kuJehova isikhathi eside khulu asezulwini, ngebangelo-ke uJehova naye bekaqiniseka khulu bona iNdodanakhe le izokuhla ithembekile nayiza ephasini. NjengoBaba onethando uJehova wezwa ubuhlungu khulu nakabona abantu baphatha iNdodanakhe kumbi. Ngaphezu kwalokho uJesu wasekela ukubusa kwakaZimu bewakubeka nepepeneneni, bona umuntu onganasono angahlala athembekile kuZimu ngitjho nanyana abhodwe ziintjhijilokazi.

14, 15. Ukuhlongakala kwakaJesu kubenzeleni abantu?

¹⁴ Ngitjho nanyana aqalene neenlingo ezimaphorodlha, uJesu wahlala athembeke njalo asekela ilungelo lakaJehova lokubusa. Kufuze sithabe ukuthi uJesu wasifela sibhembese, ngani ngoba uJesu wabhadela inani lesihlengo, kazi lokhu kusinikela ithuba lokuphila ngokungapheliko ephasini elitjha lakaZimu! Umpostoli uPowula nakahlathulula ithando elatjengiswa nguJehova noJesu ngesihlengo uthi: “Sathi sisesebuthakathaka, ngesikhathi esifaneleko uKrestu wafela abangakalungi. Ngambala, akukavami bona umuntu afele olungisisiweko, nanyana mhlambe kwenzeka bona umuntu angahle afele olungileko. Kodwana uZimu ubonise ithando lakhe kithi ngendlela yokobana sithe sisesezizoni, uKrestu wasifela.” (Roma 5:6-8) Umpostoli uJwanisi naye wathi: “Ithando lakaZimu labonakaliswa phakathi kwethu ngokuthumela iNdodanakhe eyodwa tere ephasinapha ukuze siphile  ngayo. Ithando ngilokhu: Akusingithi esamthandako uZimu, kodwana nguye owasithandako bewasithumela neNdodanakhe bona ibe mhlabelo oyihlawulo yezono zethu.”—1 Jwanisi 4:9, 10.

¹⁵ UJesu wathi: “Mbala uZimu walithanda kangaka iphasi, wabe wanikela ngeNdodanakhe ebelethwe yodwa, khona kuzakuthi loyo okholwa kiyo angabhubhi, kodwana abe nepilo engapheliko” (Jwanisi 3:16) Ngitjho nanyana bekubuhlugu nje kuJehova ukwenza lokho, kodwana wayinikela iNdodanakhe njengesihlengo. Kuyatjho bona uJehova uyabathanda tle abantu. Asinakuzaza bona ithando lizokuhlala likhona. Kungebangelo uPowula asithi: “Nje-ke ngineqiniso lokobana akunalitho, nanyana kungaba kukufa, kuphila, ziingilozi, babusi, zizinto ezikhona, zizinto ezizakubakhona, mibuso, kuphakama, kuzika, nanyana kungaba yini edaliweko ezasihlukanisa nethando lakaZimu kuKrestu Jesu iKosethu.”—Roma 8:38, 39.

16. Uyini umBuso kaMesiya, begodu ngubani umBusi wawo?

¹⁶ Umbuso kaZimu nomBuso kaMesiya, kubufakazi bokobana uJehova uyabathanda abantu. Kubayini sitjho njalo? Phela uJehova sele akhethe umBusi obathanda tle abantu begodu ukufanele ukubusa, uJesu Krestu. (IzAga 8:31) Godu uZimu wakhetha abantu abayi-144 000 bona bayokubusa noKrestu ezulwini. Nabavukako, bazokukhumbula bona bekunjani ukuba mumuntu. (IsAmbulo 14:1) Lokha uJesu nakasephasini, ukutjhumayela ngomBuso bekuyindaba eqakathekileko, bewafundisa nabafundi bakhe bona bathandaze bunje: “Baba wethu osezulwini, alicwengiswe ibizo lakho, umbuso wakho awufike, intando yakho yenziwe ephasini njengombana kunjalo ezulwini.” (Matewu 6:9, 10) Sikulinde ngabovu ukubona umthandazo lo uzaliseka, phela umBuso kaZimu uzokuletha iimbusiso ezinengi tle!

17. Madanisa ukubusa kwakaJesu nokwabantu.

¹⁷ Kunomehluko omkhulu phakathi kokubusa kwakaJesu nokubusa kwabantu. Ukubusa kwabantu kubangele izipi ezabangela bona kuhlongakale iingidigidi zabantu. UJesu umBusi wethu, usithanda kwamambala begodu ulingisa ubuntu bakaZimu, khulukhulu ithando lakhe. (IsAmbulo 7:10, 16, 17) UJesu wathi: “Yizani kimi noke nina enidiniweko nenidisibezekako, mina ngizaniphumuza. Thwalani ijogi lami, nifunde kimi ngombana ngimnene begodu ngithobile ngehliziyo, imimoya yenu izakufumana ukuphumula ngombana ijogi lami lilula nomthwalo wami awudisibezi.” (Matewu 11:28-30) Qala bona ziinthembiso ezihle kangangani lezo!

18. (a) Yini ebeyenzeka kusukela ngo-1914? (b) Esihlokweni esilandelako sizokukhuluma ngani?

¹⁸ IBhayibheli lisitjengisa bona ukuBusa kwakaZimu kuthome ukubusa ezulwini ngo-1914. Kusukela ngesikhatheso, kwabuthelelwa labo abayokubusa noJesu ezulwini kunye “nesiqubuthu esikhulu”, okubabantu abazokusinda ephasineli bangene ephasinelitjha. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 13, 14) Sikhulu kangangani isiqubuthu esikhulu namhlanjesi? Yini uZimu afuna bayenze? Isihloko esilandelako sizokuphendula imibuzo le.