1. Hlathulula ebekwenziwa balindi bakaJehova ebebasesiphorofidweni nezenzakalo ezilandelako.

 UMLINDI ujame phezu kwamaboda weJerusalema, uqale kude begodu uvikela amehlwakhe elangeni njengombana litjhinga. Kusesenjalo, uphakamisa ibhorompita, udosa ummoya, enze itjhada lokuyelelisa abantu ukuthi amasotja weBhabhiloni ayeza! Kodwana ayisekho into abantu bedorobheli abangayenza ngetjhada lephondo elenziwa ngumlindi. Sekuminyaka eminengi, uJehova abeka abalindi namkha abaphorofidi, ebebayelelisa abantu ngokufika kwelangeli kodwana abantu akhenge balalele. Nje, ibutho leBhabhiloni lizombeleze idorobho. Ngemva kweenyanga ezinengi livinjezelwe, amasotja agiriza amaboda wedorobho, amotjha ithempeli, arhayila namkha athumba abantu abanganakukholwa, abalotjha iinthombe eJerusalema.

2, 3. (a) Ngibuphi ubujamo abantu abaqalene nabo ephasini? (b) Sizokucoca ngayiphi imibuzo?

² Namhlanjesi, amasotja kaJehova ayamatjha atjhinga ebantwini abangakholwako bephaseli. (IsAm. 17:12-14) Ipi leyo izokuba yivuthondaba lesizi elikhulu emlandweni wabantu. (Mat. 24:21) Kodwana kusesenesikhathi sokobana abanengi balalele isiyeleliso salabo uJehova ababeke bona babe balindi.

 ³ Khuyini eyenza uJehova wabeka abalindi? Mlayezo onjani otjhunyayelwa mlindi? Bobani abenza umsebenzi lo begodu thina sidlala yiphi indima? Akhe sicoce ngeempendulo zemibuzo le.

4. Kubayini uJehova abeka abalindi? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁴ Funda uHezekiyeli 33:7. Ekadeni, abalindi bebajama emabodeni wedorobho ukuqinisekisa bona abahlali baphephile. Ukuba khona kwabo bekubufakazi bokuthi umbusi wedorobho unendaba nabantu bakhe. Ngitjho nanyana itjhada lephondo elenziwa mlindi lingavusa abahlali abaleleko, itjhadelo lingasindisa ukuphila kwalabo abalilalelako. Ngendlela efanako, uJehova ubeke abalindi, ingasi bona bathuse ama-Israyeli ngomlayezo wokutjhatjalaliswa kodwana bekanendaba nabantu bakhe begodu afuna ukusindisa ukuphila kwabo.

5, 6. Ubulungiswa bakaJehova bubonakala ngayiphi indlela?

⁵ UHezekiyeli nakabekwa bona abe mlindi, wasivezela izinto ezisiduduzako ngoJehova. Akhe sicoce ngezimbili zazo.

⁶ Ubulungiswa: Ubulungiswa bakaJehova bubonakala endleleni asebenzelana ngayo nathi ngaphandle kokusikhethulula. Ngokwesibonelo, ngitjho nanyana abantu abanengi bawuzwa umlayezo kaHezekiyeli, akhenge bawulalele kodwana uJehova akhenge athi woke ama-Israyeli la akanandlebe, kunalokho wafuna ukubona ukuthi ngamunye usabela njani. Kanengi ukhuluma ‘ngokhohlakeleko’ ‘nolungileko.’ Ngikho, uJehova nakakhupha isahlulelo aqala bona umuntu usabele njani emlayezweni loyo.—Hez. 33:8, 18-20.

7. Khuyini uJehova ayiqalako nakahlulela abantu?

⁷ Ubulungiswa bakaJehova bubonakala nendleleni ahlulela ngayo abantu. Abantu abahlulelwa ngokwalokho abakwenza kade, kunalokho bahlulelwa ngendlela abasabela ngayo esiyelelisweni abasifumana nje. UJehova watjela uHezekiyeli ukuthi: “Nangithi kokhohlakeleko: ‘Nakanjani uzokufa,’ aphenduke esonweni sakhe bese enze okuhle nokulungileko, . . . nakanjani uzokuragela phambili aphila.” Ngemva kwalokho uJehova wangezelela ngamezwi athinta ihliziyo athi: “Zoke izono azenzileko angekhe zikhunjulwe.” (Hez. 33:14-16) Ngakwelinye ihlangothi, labo abenza okungileko angekhe balindela bona okuhle abakwenzako kubaphe ilungelo lokungalaleli. UJehova wathi nange umuntu “athembele ekulungeni kwakhe enze okungakalungi, izenzo zokulunga kwakhe angeze zikhunjulwe kodwana uzokufa ngebanga lokungalungi akwenzileko.”—Hez. 33:13.

8. Iimphorofido ezisiyeleliso zisifundisani ngobulungiswa bakaJehova?

⁸ Enye indlela etjengisa bona uJehova unobulungiswa, kukhupha isiyeleliso kusesenesikhathi ngaphambi kobana athathe igadango. UHezekiyeli wathoma umsebenzakhe emnyakeni esithandathu ngaphambi kobana ibutho leBhabhiloni litjhabalalise iJerusalema. Nanyana kunjalo, uHezekiyeli bekangasingewokuthoma ukuyelelisa  abantu bakaZimu ukuthi kuzokufuze baphendule. Emakhulwini weminyaka ngaphambi kobana kutjhatjalaliswe iJerusalema, uJehova wathumela abaphorofidi abanjengoHosiya, u-Isaya, uMikha, u-Odedi noJoromiya bona babe balindi. UJehova wathi uJoromiya akhumbuze ama-Israyeli ukuthi: “Ngibeke abalindi abathe, ‘Lalelisisani itjhada lephondo!’” (Jor. 6:17) UJehova nabalindi bebangekhe basolwe lokha nakuhlongakala abantu iBhabhiloni nayikhupha isahlulelo sakaJehova.

9. UJehova walitjengisa njani ithando nokuthembeka?

⁹ Ithando: UJehova watjengisa ithando nokuthembeka nakathumela abalindi bona bayelelise abantu abalungileko nabangakalungi, abaphula ihliziywakhe behlisa nesithunzi sakhe. Akhe ucabange, ama-Israyeli bekababantu bakaJehova kodwana ngokubuyelelweko amfulathela aya kibozimu bamala! UJehova waveza indlela ezwe ubuhlungu ngayo ngokwenziwe ma-Israyeli ngokufanisa isitjhabesi nomfazi ongwadlako. (Hez. 16:32) Nanyana kunjalo, uJehova akhenge alahle itewu msinya. Bekafuna ukubuyisana nawo, ingasi ukuzibuyiselela. UJehova bekahlala afuna ukunikela abantu bakhe ithuba lokuphenduka. Kubayini enza njalo? Watjela uHezekiyeli ukuthi: “Akungithabisi ukufa komuntu okhohlakeleko kodwana ngifisa ngasuthi okhohlakeleko angatjhuguluka endlelenakhe bese aragele phambili aphila.” (Hez. 33:11) Leyo yindlela uJehova ebekazizwa ngayo kade begodu usazizwa ngendlela efanako nanamhlanjesi.—Mal. 3:6.

10, 11. Khuyini esingayifunda endleleni uJehova asebenzelana ngayo nabantu?

 ¹⁰ Khuyini esingayifunda endleleni enobulungiswa nenethando uJehova asebenzelana ngayo nama-Israyeli? Isifundo sokuthoma kukuthi akukafuzi siqale abantu esibatjhumayezako njengabantu engeze balalela, kunalokho kufuze sitjhumayeze boke abantu. Sizabe siyatjhapha nange sikhetha ukuthi umuntu ufanelwe kukuzwa umlayezo esiwutjhumayelako ngokuya ngokwalokho ebekakwenza esikhathini esidlulileko namkha isiko, ikoro, umnotho nelimi alikhulumako! UJehova wafundisa umpostoli uPitrosi isifundo nathi esingafunda kiso namhlanjesi esithi: “UZimu akakhethi, kodwana kizo zoke iintjhaba umuntu omesabako begodu enze okulungileko uyamukeleka kuye.”—IzE. 10:34, 35.

¹¹ Esinye isifundo esiyihloko kukuthi kufuze sitjheje indlela esenza ngayo izinto; imisebenzi emihle esiyenze esikhathini esidlulileko ayisiphi ibanga lokwenza izinto ezingakalungi. Kuhle ukukhumbula bona nathi sinesono njengabantu esibatjhumayezako. Iseluleko umpostoli uPowula asinikela ibandla leKorinte sisasebenza nakithi namhlanjesi esithi: “Ocabanga ukuthi ujamile akatjheje bona angawi. Asikho isilingo esinifikelako abanye abangakhange baqalane naso.” (1 Kor. 10:12, 13) Asifuni ‘ukuthembela ekulungeni kwethu,’ sicabange bona singenza izinto ezimbi singajeziswa ngebanga lokuthi senza nezinto ezihle. (Hez. 33:13) Akunandaba bona silotjhe uJehova isikhathi esingangani, kuqakathekile ukuhlala sithembekile begodu sizimisele ukulalela.

12. Nasenze isono esikhulu esikhathini esidlulileko, khuyini ekufuze siyikhumbule?

 ¹² Alo, kuthiwani nange khesenza isono esikhulu kodwana nje sesiyazisola? Emlayezweni kaHezekiyeli, sifunda ukuthi uJehova uzokujezisa izoni ezingaphendukiko. Nanyana kunjalo, sifunda nokuthi uJehova unguZimu onethando, ingasi ozibuyiselelako. (1 Jwa. 4:8) Nasitjengisa bona siphendukile, akukafuzi sizizwe ngasuthi uZimu angeze asilibalela. (Jak. 5:14, 15) UJehova bekazimisele ukulibalela ama-Israyeli ebewangwadla ngokomfanekiso begodu nathi uzimisele ukusilibalela.—Rhu. 86:5.

13, 14. (a) Bekumlayezo onjani abalindi ebekufuze bawumemezele? (b) U-Isaya wadlulisela muphi umlayezo?

¹³ Funda uHezekiyeli 33:2, 3. Bekumlayezo onjani uJehova bekafuna abalindi bakhe bawumemezele? Ingcenye eqakathekileko yomsebenzabo bekukudlulisa iinyeleliso. Bebamemezela neendaba ezimnandi. Akhe sicoce ngezinye iimbonelo.

¹⁴ U-Isaya, obekamlindi kusukela ngo-778 kufikela ngo-732 B.C.E., wayelelisa bona abantu beBhabhiloni bebazokuthumba iJerusalema bebathumele abahlali bakhona ekudingisweni. (Isa. 39:5-7) Waphefumulelwa nokuthi atlole ukuthi: “Lalela! Abonogada bakho baphakamisa amaphimbwabo. Barhuwelela ngethabo kanyekanye, ngombana bazokubona ngokukhanyako uJehova nakabuthelela iZiyoni.” (Isa. 52:8) U-Isaya wamemezela iindaba ezimnandi, ukulotjha kweqiniso bekuzokubuyiselwa!

15. UJoromiya wamemezela muphi umlayezo?

¹⁵ UJoromiya, owaba mlindi kusukela ngo-647 kufikela ngo-580 B.C.E., kanengi bekaziwa ngokuthi ubikezela “ihlekelele.” Siyaqiniseka bona wawenza kuhle umsebenzi wokuyelelisa ama-Israyeli akhohlakeleko ngeenhlekelele uJehova ebekazobalethela zona. a Kodwana wamemezela nangeendaba ezimnandi, zokuthi abantu bakaZimu bazokubuyela enarhenabo bekubuyiselwe nokulotjha okuhlwengileko lapho.—Jor. 29:10-14; 33:10, 11.

16. Umlayezo kaHezekiyeli wabazuzisa njani abathunjelwe eBhabhiloni?

¹⁶ UHezekiyeli waba mlindi ngo-613 B.C.E., bekwaba ngo-591 B.C.E. Njengombana sifundile esaHlukweni sesi-5 nesesi-6 zencwadi le, uHezekiyeli wayelelisa ama-Israyeli ngokutjhatjalaliswa kwawo, ngokwenza njalo bengeze abe nomlandu weengazi nakungenzeka kuhlongakale abantu. Njengombana enza njalo, wayelelisa abadingisiweko ukuthi uJehova uzokujezisa abahlubukileko eJerusalema begodu wasiza abadingisiweko eBhabhiloni bona babe netjhebiswano elihle noJehova bebalungele umsebenzi ozokuba khona esikhathini esizako. Nakuphela iminyaka ema-70 yabadingisiweko, uJehova bekazokubeka abaseleko enarheni yakwa-Israyeli ebuyiselweko. (Hez. 36:7-11) Abaseleko bekuzokuba bantwana nabazukulu balabo abalalela uHezekiyeli. Njengombana ezinye izahluko eNgcenyeni 3 yencwadi le zivezile, kunengi okuhle uHezekiyeli akhuluma ngakho, okutjengisa ukuthi ukulotjha okuhlwengileko bekuzokubuyiselwa eJerusalema.

17. UJehova wababeka nini abalindi?

 ¹⁷ Inga-kghani abaphorofidi abakhuluma nabantu bakaZimu ngesikhathi sokutjhatjalaliswa kweJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E. bekungibo kwaphela na uJehova abasebenzisa bona babe balindi? Akusinjalo. Qobe nakwenzeka isenzakalo esikhulu nakuzaliseka umnqophwakhe, uJehova bekabeka abalindi bona bayelelise abakhohlakeleko bebamemezele neendaba ezimnandi.

18. Ngimuphi umsebenzi ebewenziwa nguJwanisi uMbhabhadisi?

¹⁸ Ngekhulu lokuthoma C.E., uJwanisi uMbhabhadisi bekamlindi. Wayelelisa ama-Israyeli bona kungasikade azokulahlwa. (Mat. 3:1, 2, 9-11) Wenza okungaphezu kwalokho. UJesu wathi uJwanisi ‘bekasithunywa’ ekwabikezelwa ngaso ebesizolungiselela uMesiya indlela. (Mal. 3:1; Mat. 11:7-10) Ingcenye yomsebenzi loyo beyifaka hlangana ukumemezela iindaba ezimnandi ezithi “iMvana kaZimu,” uJesu, ifikile begodu izokususa “isono sephasi.”—Jwa. 1:29, 30.

19, 20. UJesu nabafundi bakhe bawenza njani umsebenzi wokuba balindi?

¹⁹ Kibo boke abalindi, uJesu bekaphuma phambili. NjengoHezekiyeli, naye wathunyelwa nguJehova “endlini yakwa-Israyeli.” (Hez. 3:17; Mat. 15:24) UJesu wayelelisa ukuthi isitjhaba sakwa-Israyeli besizokulahlwa kungasikade nokuthi iJerusalema lizokutjhatjalaliswa. (Mat. 23:37, 38; 24:1, 2; Luk. 21:20-24) Umsebenzakhe oyihloko bekukumemezela iindaba ezimnandi.—Luk. 4:17-21.

²⁰ UJesu nakasephasini watjela abalandeli bakhe ngokukhanyako ukuthi: “Hlalani niqalile.” (Mat. 24:42) Bawulalela umyalwakhe begodu baba balindi, bayelelisa bona uJehova uyilahlile indlu yakwa-Israyeli nedorobho eliseJerusalema ephasini. (Rom. 9:6-8; Gal. 4:25, 26) Njengabalindi baphambilini, nabo bekufuze bamemezele iindaba ezimnandi. Umlayezwabo okarisako bewuhlanganisa ukumemezela ukuthi Abantu Beentjhaba bebazokuba yingcenye ka-Israyeli kaZimu ozeswe ngommoya begodu bebazokuba nelungelo lokusiza uKrestu ekubuyiseleni ukulotjha okuhlwengileko ephasini.—IzE. 15:14; Gal. 6:15, 16; IsAm. 5:9, 10.

21. Ngisiphi isibonelo esabekwa nguPowula?

²¹ Hlangana nabalindi bangekhulu lokuthoma, umpostoli uPowula wabeka isibonelo esiphuma phambili. Umsebenzakhe bewuqakathekile kuye. NjengoHezekiyeli, bekazi bona bekazokuba nomlandu weengazi nakangabhalelwa ukufeza isabelo sakhe. (IzE. 20:26, 27) Alandela isibonelo sabanye abalindi, uPowula akhenge ayelelise abanye kwaphela, kunalokho wamemezela neendaba ezimnandi. (IzE. 15:35; Rom. 1:1-4) Kuhlekuhle, anqotjhiswa mmoya ocwengileko, wadzubhula isiphorofido esatlolwa ngu-Isaya nakathi: “Qala bona zihle kangangani eentabeni iinyawo zaloyo oletha iindaba ezimnandi” begodu wawuqalisela emsebenzini owenziwa balandeli bakaKrestu njengombana batjhumayela ngomBuso kaZimu.—Isa. 52:7, 8; Rom. 10:13-15.

22. Kwenzekani ngemva kokuhlongakala kwabapostoli?

 ²² Ngemva kokuhlongakala kwabapostoli, ukuhlubuka okwabikezelwa ngakho kwazala ebandleni lobuKrestu. (IzE. 20:29, 30; 2 Thes. 2:3-8) Hlangana nesikhathi eside sokwanda kwamaKrestu, amaKrestu wamala anjengekhula aba manengi ukudlula abalandeli bakaKrestu abathembekileko abanjengekoroyi begodu umlayezo okhanyako ngomBuso kaZimu bewugutjuzeswe ziimfundiso zamala. (Mat. 13:36-43) Nanyana kunjalo, nakufika isikhathi sokobana uJehova angenele eendabeni zabantu bakhe, nalapho watjengisa ithando nobulungiswa bakhe, ngokuthi abeke abalindi abazokudlulisela isiyeleliso esikhanyako bebamemezele iindaba ezimnandi. Bobani ababa balindabo?

23. Ngiyiphi indima eyadlalwa nguC. T. Russell nabakhambisani bakhe?

²³ Eminyakeni engaphambi kwaka-1914, uCharles Taze Russell nabakhambisani bakhe baba ‘ziinthunywa’ ‘ebezizokulungisa indlela’ ngaphambi kokujanyiswa komBuso kaMesiya. b (Mal. 3:1) Isiqhemeso senza nomsebenzi wokuba balindi, sisebenzisa umagazini othi Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence ukuyelelelisa abantu ngesahlulelo sakaZimu nangokurhatjha iindaba ezimnandi ngomBuso kaZimu.

24. (a) Inceku ethembekileko iwenze njani umsebenzi womlindi? (b) Khuyini oyifundileko esibonelweni sabalindi bekadeni? (Funda itjhadi elithi “Abalindi Abaziimbonelo.”)

 ²⁴ Ngemva kokujanyiswa komBuso, uJesu wabeka isiqhema esincani samadoda bona sibe yinceku ethembekileko. (Mat. 24:45-47) Kusukela ngesikhatheso, inceku ethembekileko, nje eyaziwa ngokuthi siHlopha esiBusako, yenza umsebenzi womlindi. Idosa phambili ekuyeleliseni abantu ‘ngelanga lokuzibuyiselela’ begodu imemezela ‘ngomnyaka kaJehova womusa.’—Isa. 61:2; funda neyesi-2 yebeKorinte 6:1, 2.

25, 26. (a) Ngimuphi umsebenzi boke abalandeli bakaKrestu ekufuze bawenze begodu wenziwa njani? (b) Sizokukhuluma ngani esihlokweni esilandelako?

²⁵ Njengombana inceku ethembekileko idosa phambili emsebenzini wokuba mlindi, uJesu ufuna “boke” abalandeli bakhe ‘bahlale baqalile.’ (Mar. 13:33-37) Silalela umyalo lo ngokuthi sihlale senza izinto ezisitjhideza kuZimu, sibasekele ngokuthembeka abalindi banamhlanjesi. Sitjengisa bona sinobuhlobo obuhle noZimu ngokuthi sitjhumayele. (2 Thim. 4:2) Lokhu sikwenza ngebanga lokuthi sifuna ukusindisa ukuphila kwabantu. (1 Thim. 4:16) Esikhathini esingaphelisi ihliziyo abantu abanengi bazokuhlongakala ngebanga lokungalaleli isiyeleliso esikhutjhwa balindi bangesikhathi sethu. (Hez. 3:19) Umnqophwethu oyihloko kukuthi sifuna ukutjela abantu iindaba ezimnandi ngokubuyiselwa kokulotjha okuhlwengileko! Kodwana nje, ‘kusesemnyaka kaJehova womusa’ begodu umnyango usavulekile bona abantu abanengi bahlanganyele nathi ekulotjheni uZimethu onobulungiswa nethando, uJehova. Kungasikade boke abasindileko nakuphela iphasi elimbeli bazokuzuza nakubusa iNdodanakhe enomusa, uKrestu Jesu. Kghani ikhona into engasivimbela bona singasekeli abalindi bangesikhathi sethu ekumemezeleni iindaba ezimnandi!—Mat. 24:14.

²⁶ Ngitjho nangaphambi kokuphela kwephaseli, uJehova wenze abantu bakhe babumbana ngendlela ekarisako. Esahlukweni esilandelako sizokucoca ngesiphorofido esihlanganisa iingodo ezimbili ezisetjenziswa emfanekisweni, ukutjengisa bona kwenzeka njani lokho.