1, 2. (a) Ngibuphi ubufakazi obuveza bona iKosethu beyibusa kusukela ngo-1914? (b) Sizokukhuluma ngani esahlukwenesi?

SIVUSELELEKILE ekukholweni nasibuyekeza koke okwenziwe mBuso kaZimu ezitheni zawo. (Rhu. 110:2) IKosethu inebutho layo elizimisele ukutjhumayela. Ibahlwengisile ngokomoya nangokokuziphatha abalandeli bayo. Begodu thina solo sisabumbene ephasini loke, naphezu kwayo yoke imizamo yezitha zomBuso yokusiphadlhula phakathi. Lezi nezinye izinto ezenziwe mBuso lo esesikhulume ngazo, zibufakazi obupheleleko bokuthi kusukela ngo-1914, iKosethu beyisolo ibusa phakathi kwezitha zomBuso.

² UmBuso lo zinengi khulu izinto osazozenza esikhathini esingaphelisihliziyo esizako. “Uzokutshidlha bewuphelise” zoke izitha zawo. (Mat. 6:10; Dan. 2:44) Kodwana ngaphambi kobana kufike isikhatheso, kusese nokhunye okufuze kwenzeke. Yini lokho? Kuneemphorofido ezimbalwa zeBhayibheli eziphendula umbuzo lo. Akhesizihlole iimphorofidwezo, sibone ukuthi khuyini okusafuze kwenzeke.

3. Ngiyiphi ituthuko yokuthoma esiyilindeleko?

³ Isaziso sokuthula. UPowula wasihlathulula isenzakalo sokuthoma esisazokwenzeka ngesikhathi atlolela beThesalonika. (Funda 1 Thesalonika 5:2, 3.) Encwadini le, uPowula ukhuluma ‘ngelanga leKosi [uJehova],’ okungilo elizokuqubula irawurawu yokusahlelwa kweBhabhiloni eliKhulu. (IsAm. 17:5) Kodwana ngaphambi kokufika kwelanga lakaJehova, izizwe zizabe zithi, “Ukuthula nokuphepha!” Amezwi la angaba sisaziso sinye namkha ezinengi ezizokulandela. Kghani nabadosiphambili bekolo bazokubandakanyeka? Njengombana nabo bangebephaseli, bazokutjho kanye nezizwe bathi, “Kunokuthula!” (Jor. 6:14; 23:16, 17; IsAm. 17:1, 2) Isimemezelo sokuthulesi, ngiso esizokutjho ukuthi ilanga lakaJehova selitjhidele kangangani. Izitha zomBuso kaZimu ‘angekhe ziphunyurhe.’

4. Sizuza njani ngokuzwisisa isiphorofido esiphawulekako sakaPowula esikhuluma ngesaziso sokuthula nokuphepha?

⁴ Sizuza njani-ke ngokuzwisisa isiphorofidwesi? UPowula uthi: “Anikho ebumnyameni kobana ilangelo linganithelekela  njengesela.” (1 Thes. 5:3, 4) Ngokungafani nabanye abantu, thina siyabona ukuthi izinto ezenzeka nje zitjhingaphi. Yeke, umbuzo kukuthi, sizokuzaliseka nini isiphorofidwesi sokuthula nokuphepha? Akhesijame kancani, sibone ukuthi kuyokukhamba bekufikephi. Begodu ekujameni kwethokho, “asihlaleni siphapheme,” siqaquluke!—1 Thes. 5:6; Zef. 3:8.

5. Khuyini okuzokuba sithomo ‘seenhlupheko ezikulu’?

⁵ Ikolo iyasahlelwa. Khumbula okwatlolwa nguPowula nakathi: “Lokha nabathi: ‘Kunokuthula nokuphepha,’ khonapho-ke bazakwehlelwa kurhayila msinyana.” Njengombana ukumekeza kombani kulandelwa mijijo edumako, kuzokuba njalo nangamhla kuthiwa, ‘Ukuthula nokuphepha!’ kuzokuthi ngokurhabako ngemva kwalokho kulandele “ukurhayila kwamsinyana.” Khuyini okuzabe kurhayilwa? Kuzokuthonywa ngeBhabhiloni eliKhulu, umbuso wephasi wekolo yamala, owaziwa ‘nangengwadla.’ (IsAm. 17:5, 6, 15) Ukubhujiswa kwekolo yamala nazo zoke ezinye iinhlangano zekolo ezikhamabisana nayo, kuzokuba sithomo ‘seenhlupheko ezikulu.’ (Mat. 24:21; 2 Thes. 2:8) Kwabanengi isenzakalwesi sizokwenzeka bangakatjheji. Kubayini kunjalo? Kungombana bekube sikhatheso, ingwadla le izabe iziqala “njengendlovukazi” ‘engekhe yalibona isizi.’ Kodwana nayithi mehlo suka, kulapho izokulemuka khona bona ukuzithembanyana kwayokho, kunjengomlilo wamaphepha. Izokurhayilwa kungaba ziindaba zalitho, njengokungathi “ngelanga linye.”—IsAm. 18:7, 8.

6. Khuyini okuzokusahlela iBhabhiloni eliKhulu?

⁶ Khuyini okuzokusahlela iBhabhiloni eliKhulu? ‘Sibanda’ somango ‘esineempondo ezilitjhumi.’ Incwadi yesAmbulo ithi isibandesi sifanekisela iinTjhaba eziBumbeneko (UN). Bese kuthi iimpondo ezilitjhumi, zifanekisele zoke iinhlangano zepolotiki ezisekela “isibanda esibubende” okukhulunywa ngaso la. (IsAm. 17:3, 5, 11, 12) Izabe injani irawurawu le? Ngendlela okungayo, izizwe zeenTjhaba eziBumbeneko zizoyikhwabanisela ingwadla le, ziyirhiribidele, “beziyiqothule ngomlilo.”—Funda isAmbulo 17:16. *

7. Amezwi kaJesu akuMatewu 24:21, 22 azaliseka njani esikhathini sekadeni, begodu azokuzaliseka njani esikhathini esizako?

⁷ Ukuncitjhiswa kwamalanga. IKosethu isitjengisile ukuthi kuzokwenzekani phakathi nesikhathi seenhlupheko ezikulu. UJesu wathi: “Ngenca yalabo abakhethiweko, amalanga lawo azokuncitjhiswa.” (Funda uMatewu 24:21, 22.) Amezwi kaJesu lawo, azaliseka ngezinga eliphasi ngomnyaka ka-66, ngesikhathi uJehova ‘anciphisa’ ukusahlela kwebutho lamaRoma eJerusalema. (Mar. 13:20) Isenzweso sanikela amaKrestu weJerusalema neweJudiya ithuba lokusinda. Khuyini-ke okuzokwenzeka ngezinga eliphakemeko phakathi nesikhathi esizako sesizi elikhulu? UJehova usazokusebenzisa  iKosethu ‘ekunciphiseni’ isahlelo leenTjhaba eziBumbeneko njengombana kuzabe kusahlelwa ikolo, ukwenzela bona ikolo yeqiniso ingazokurhayilwa neyamala. Yeke, kuzokuthi zoke ezinye iinkolo nazibhujiswako, ikolo yeqiniso yona isinde. (Rhu. 96:5) Nje-ke, akhesiqale yokuzokwenzeka ngemva kobana sekudlule iinhlupheko ezikulwezi.

8, 9. UJesu bekakhuluma ngamiphi imikarisomraro, begodu abantu bazokusabela njani kilokho abazokubona?

⁸ Isiphorifido sakaJesu semihla yokuphela siveza ukuthi kusese nezinto eziphawulekako okusafuze zenzeke phakathi nesikhathi esitjhinga e-Arimagedoni. Izenzakalo zokuthoma ezimbili esizokukhuluma ngazo, zivezwe eVangelini lakaMatewu, uMarkosi, noLukasi.—Funda uMatewu 24:29-31; Mar. 13:23-27; Luk. 21:25-28.

⁹ Imikarisomramro yezulwini. UJesu wathi: “Ilanga lizakufiphala, inyezi ingakhanyisi, iinkwekwezi zizakuwa emkayini, amandla wezulwini asikinywe.” Ngesikhatheso abadosiphambili bekolo angekhe basafana nomkhanyo kilabo ababaqala njalo. Kghani la uJesu bekaqalisele neembonakalisweni ezingakajayeleki zemazulwini? Kungenzeka kunjalo. (Isa. 13:9-11; Juw. 2:1, 30, 31) Bazokusabela njani-ke abantu kilokho abazokubona? Bazokuba “sesizini” ngombana angekhe babe nendlela yokuphuma. (Luk. 21:25; Zef. 1:17) Izitha zomBuso kaZimu—kusukela ‘emakhosini bekuyokufika emakhobokeni’—zizokuyatha “ngevalo ngalokho okuzokwehlela iphasi” begodu zizabe zifuna isizo. Kodwana akunandawo yobuphephelo ezizayithola malungana nokuphepha elakeni leKosethu.—Luk. 21:26; 23:30; IsAm. 6:15-17.

10. UJesu uzokukhipha siphi isahlulelo, begodu kuzokwenzekani kilabo abasekela umBuso nalabo abaphikisana nawo?

¹⁰ Isaziso sesahlulelo. Zoke izitha zomBuso kaZimu zizokukateleleka ukuthi ziyibone indlela ezizokuzwiswa ngayo ubuhlungu. UJesu uthi: “Bazakubona iNdodana yoMuntu isiza emafini ngamandla amakhulu nephazimulo.” (Mar. 13:26) Isibonakaliso esingakajayelekesi samandla, ngiso esizokutjho ukuthi uJesu sekafikile nesahlulelo. Kanti-ke kwenye ingcenye yesiphorofido semihla yokuphela, uJesu utjho imininingwana enabileko emalungana nesahlulelweso azosikhipha. Imininingwana leyo siyithola emfakisweni wezimvu neembuzi. (Funda uMatewu 25:31-33, 46.) Abasekeli bomBuso kaZimu abathembekileko bazokwahlulelwa ‘njengezimvu’ begodu ‘bazokuphakamisa iinhloko zabo,’ ngokulemuka bona ‘ukuhlengwa kwabo kuzabe kutjhidele.’ (Luk. 21:28) Kodwana, abaphikisana nomBuso bazokwahlulelwa ‘njengeembuzi’ begodu ‘bazakulila,’ ngokulemuka bona balindelwe ‘kuhlunguphazwa okungapheliko.’—Mat. 24:30; IsAm. 1:7.

11. Khuyini okufuze sikukhumbule njengombana sicabanga ngezinto ezisazokwenzeka?

¹¹ Ngemva kobana uJesu atjho isaziso sesahlulelo sakhe kizo “zoke izizwe,” kusazokwenzela ezinye izenzakalo  ezimbalwa ngaphambi kokuqubuka kwepi ye-Arimagedoni. (Mat. 25:32) Sizokukhuluma ngezimbili zezenzakalwezo: ukusahlelwa kweGogi, nokubuthelelwa kwabaseleko babazesiweko. Njengombana sihlola izenzakalo ezimbilezo, kufuze sikhumbule ukuthi iliZwi lakaZimu alisitjho ngokunqophileko isikhathi ezizokwenzeka ngaso. Begodu ngendlela okungayo, kubonakala kwanga esinye sizokwenzeka phezu kwesinye.

12. USathana uzowusahlela njani umBuso?

¹² Ukusahlelwa. IGogi lakwaMagogi lizokusahlela abaseleko babazesiweko nabakhambisani balo bezinye izimvu. (Funda uHezekiyeli 38:2, 11.) Le kuzabe kuyipi yamaswaphela uSathana azoyilwa ngokujamelene nomBuso, okuyipi athoma ukuyilwa nabaseleko babazesiweko kusukela mhla aqotjhwa ezulwini. (IsAm. 12:7-9, 17) Phela solo abazesiweko bathoma ukubuthelwa ebandleni lobuKrestu, uSathana naye bekangakazibeki phasi ngemizamo yokubatshinyeza ngokomoya—kodwana wabhalelwa. (Mat. 13:30) Kuzakuthi nasele zoke iinhlangano zezekolo zingasekho, abantu bakaZimu babonakale kwanga bahleli “lapha kunganamithangala khona nangaphandle kweenqabo namkha amasango,” begodu lokho kuSathana kuzokubonakala njengethuba elihle khulu. Uzokwenza bona amabutho wakhe akhohlakeleko asahlele boke abantu bakaZimu abasekela umBuso.

13. UJehova uzobalamulela njani abantu bakhe?

¹³ UHezekiyeli uyahlathulula ngokuzokwenzeka. Isiphorofidwesi nasikhuluma ngeGogi sithi: “Uzakwiza usuka endawenakho esemajukujukwini wetlhagwini, wena nabantu abanengi, boke njalo bakhwele iinjomani, bamkhambathi omkhulu nebutho elinamandla. Kwamambala uzakurhwanta ujamelene nabantu bami.” (Hez. 38:15, 16) UJehova uzoyingena njani-ke irawurawu le ezabe ibonakala njengeyamlibe? “Ilaka lami lizokuvutha,” kutjho uJehova. “Ngizokuletha isabula.” (Hez. 38:18, 21; funda uZakariya 2:8.) UJehova uzoyingena ngomnqopho wokuvikela iinceku zakhe zephasini. Begodu ukuyingena kwakhe kutjho ipi ye-Arimagedoni.

14, 15. Khuyini okhunye okuzokwenzeka ngemva kokuthoma kwesahlelo lakaSathana?

¹⁴ Ngaphambi kobana sirage neyokuthi uJehova uzobavikela njani abantu bakhe epini ye-Arimagedoni, akhesijameni kancani sihlole esinye isenzakalo esiphawulekako. Lesi-ke sisenzakalo esizokwenzeka phakathi nesahlelo lakaSathana nokungenela kwakaJehova nge-Arimagedoni. Njengombana kuveziwe esigabeni 11, lesi kuzokuba sisenzakalo sokubuthelelwa kwabaseleko babazesiweko.

¹⁵ Ukubuthelwa ezulwini kwabaseleko babazesiweko. Bobabili uMatewu noMarkosi bakhuluma ngamezwi kaJesu aphathelene ‘nabakhethiweko’—okumaKrestu azeswe ngomoya—njengengcenye yomlandelande wezenzakalo ezizokwenzeka ngaphambi kokuqubuka kwepi ye-Arimagedoni.  (Qala isigaba 7.) Nasekazitjho yena njengeKosi, uJesu uthi: “Izokuthumela iingilozi zayo beyibuthele ndawonye abakhethiweko bayo emajikeni womane wephasi, epelazwe nemaphethelweni womkayi.” (Mar. 13:27; Mat. 24:31) Ngikuphi ukubuthwa uJesu akhuluma ngakho la? La, akakhulumi ngokubekwa iphawu lamaswaphela emaKrestwini azesiweko, elizokwenzeka ngaphambi kokuthoma kweenhlupheko ezikulu. (IsAm. 7:1-3) Kunalokho, la uJesu uqalisele kokuzokwenzeka phakathi nesikhathi seenhlupheko ezikulu ezizako. Yeke, kuzakuthi ngemva kwesikhatjhana uSathana nasele athomile ukusahlela abantu bakaZimu, kuthathwe boke abazesiweko abazabe basese sephasini, babuthelwe ezulwini.

16. Abazesiweko nasele bavusiwe, bazosifaka njani isandla epini ye-Arimagedoni?

¹⁶ Isenzakalo sokubuthelelwa kwabaseleko babazesiweko sihlobana njani nese-Arimagedoni? Phela isikhathi sokubuthelelwa kwabo sinqopha bona abazesiweko bazabe sebaphelele boke ezulwini mhla uZimu aletha ipi ye-Arimagedoni. Yeke, abalingani bakaJesu abazi-144 000 nabafika ezulwini, bazokunikelwa igunya lokubusa “ngentonga yesimbi,” abazokuphahlaza ngayo zoke izitha zomBuso kaZimu. (IsAm. 2:26, 27) Bese kuthi abazesiwekwabo nasebaboke kunye neengilozi ezinamandla ezulwini, balandele uKrestu, iKosi eHlulako, njengombana ihlomisa ‘ibutho elinamandla’ bona liyokusahlela amanabakazi la, aphilisa abantu bakaJehova matotolwana. (Hez. 38:15) Kuzakuthi nakwenzeka lokho, kube kuqubuka kwepi ye-Arimagedoni!—IsAm. 16:16.

17. Kuzokwenzekani ‘ngeembuzi’ nakufika i-Arimagedoni?

¹⁷ Ukukhitjhwa kwesahlulelo. Ipi ye-Arimagedoni izokuba livuthondaba leenhlupheko ezikulu. Begodu lokho kuzokutjho umsebenzi owandileko kuJesu. Naphezu kokuthi unguMahluleli ‘wazo zoke izizwe,’ godu usazokuba nanguMrhayili wezizwe—okungibo boke labo abahlulele ‘njengeembuzi’ phambilini. (Mat. 25:32, 33) IKosethu le izozirhayila ‘ngesabula ebukhali’ izizwezo. Lokhu kutjho ukuthi boke labo abaziimbuzi—‘kusukela emakhosini bekuyokufika emakhobokeni’—‘bazokuhlunguphazwa ngokungapheliko.’—IsAm. 19:15, 18; Mat. 25:46.

18. (a) Izinto zizabe zijame njani malungana ‘nezimvu’? (b) UJesu uzokuqedelela njani ukuhlula kwakhe?

¹⁸ Izinto zizabe zigaya ngomunye umhlathi kilabo uJesu abahlulele ‘njengezimvu,’ ngani ngoba kuzabe kusele kancani bona bapatlazwe libutho lakaSathana elifanekiselwa ‘ziimbuzi.’ Kodwana ‘isiqubuthu esikhululwesi’ esizabe sifana ‘nezimvu’ ezinganabani, sizokusinda ekusahlelwenokho, njengombana kuzabe kuqaliselwa kiso njengesivela “ekuhluphekeni okukhulu.” (IsAm. 7:9, 14) Bese ngemva kokuthi uJesu sekahlulile bewasusa zoke izitha zomBuso kaZimu, avalele uSathana namadimonakhe emgodini otjhingako.  Ngemgodinapho bazakutsirimezeka njengabahlongakeleko bekube minyaka eyikulungwana.—Funda isAmbulo 6:2; 20:1-3.

19, 20. Singasisebenzisa njani isifundo esisithola encwadini ka-Isaya 26:20 naku-30:21?

¹⁹ Singazilungela njani-ke izenzakalo ezithusakwezi ezingehla kwethu? Eminyakeni eminengi eyadlulako, isiThala sathi: “Ukusinda kuya ngokulalela.” Kubayini kunjalo? Ipendulo yombuzo lo siyithola esiyelelisweni ebesivela kuJehova siya emaJudeni ebekahlala eBhabhiloni lekadeni. UJehova wabikezela bona iBhabhiloni lizokubhujiswa, yeke khuyini ebekufuze kwenziwe babantu bakaZimu malungana nokuhlomela isenzakalweso? UJehova wathi: “Yenize bantu bami, ningene ngemalawinenu, nivale iminyango nasele ningenile, zifihleni kwesikhatjhana, bekudlule ilaka lakaZimu.” (Isa. 26:20) Khewutjheje amezwi asevesineli athi: “yenize,” “ningene,” “nivale,” “zifihleni”—woke aqakathekile ngombana alilayelo. Woke amaJuda ebekenza ngokuvumelana nelayelwelo, bekazokuhlala ngezindlwini zawo, kunokuthi abe hlangana namajoni arhayilako eentaradeni. Ngikho ukusinda kwabo bekudzimelele ekulaleleni ilayelo elivela kuJehova. *

²⁰ Sifundaki-ke kilokhu? Nathi njengabantu bakaZimu bekadenabo, ukusinda kwethu enzenzakalweni ezizizakwezi, kuzokuya ngokuthi sizilalela kangangani iinqophiso ezivela kuJehova. (Isa. 30:21) Iinqophiswezi sizithola ngehlelo lebandla. Yeke, sifuna ukuba neenhliziyo ezizokulalela koke esilayalelwa bona sikwenze. (1 Jwa. 5:3) Nasikghona ukwenza njalo namhlanjesi, kuyatjho ukuthi sizokwenza ngezinga elithuthuke khudlwana esikhathini esizako, okuyokwenza bona sithole isivikelo esivela kuBabethu uJehova, neKosethu uJesu. (Zef. 2:3) Isivikelo esivela phezulwesi, sizosenza sikubone kuhle ukuthi umBuso kaZimu urhuluphele ukuwasusa woke amanaba wawo. Leso kuyokuba sisenzakalo engekhe salibaleka!