1, 2. Ziintoni esinokulahlekelwa zizo namhlanje, futhi loo nto inokusenza sizive njani?

 UMNTWANA ulahla okanye waphula into yokudlala ayithandayo aze akhale kalusizi. Utsho ngesibuhlungu sona isikhalo! Kodwa, ngaba wakha wayibona indlela atyhileka ngayo ebusweni umntwana xa umzali embuyisela loo nto ebelahlekene nayo? Kumzali, kusenokuba yinto elula kakhulu ukumfumanela enye into yokudlala okanye ayilungise. Kodwa yena umntwana utsho ngolugoso uncumo emangaliswe ngendlela engathethekiyo. Into abecinga ukuba imlahlekele umphelo iphinde yabuyiselwa!

² UYehova, oyena Mzali mkhulu, unamandla okubabuyisela abantwana bakhe basemhlabeni oko basenokucinga ukuba balahlekene nako umphelo. Noko ke, asibhekiseli kwizinto zokudlala. Kula “maxesha ekunzima ukuwanyamezela,” silahlekelwa zizinto ezinkulu ngakumbi. (2 Timoti 3:1-5) Abantu balahlekana nezinto ezininzi abazixabisileyo—izindlu, impahla, ingqesho kwanempilo. Kwakhona sisenokuziva sidimazekile xa sicingisisa ngokutshatyalaliswa kwendalo nokubhangiswa kwezinto ezininzi eziphilayo. Noko ke, akukho nto esigqiba njengokufa komntu esimthandayo. Siziva siphelelwe ngamandla kwaye singenakukwazi ukunyamezela.—2 Samuweli 18:33.

3. Liliphi ithemba elithuthuzelayo elichazwe kwiZenzo 3:21, yaye uYehova uza kulizalisekisa njani?

³ Kuthuthuzela nyhani ke ukwazi ukuba uYehova unamandla okubuyisela! Njengoko siza kubona, kuyamangalisa ukwazi izinto uThixo aza kubabuyisela zona abantwana bakhe basemhlabeni. Eneneni, iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba uYehova unenjongo ‘yokubuyisela zonke izinto.’ (IZenzo 3:21) Ukuze afeze oku, uYehova uza kusebenzisa uBukumkani obungoMesiya, obulawulwa nguNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu.  Ubungqina bubonisa ukuba obu Bukumkani baqalisa ukulawula ezulwini ngo-1914. a (Mateyu 24:3-14) Yintoni eza kubuyiselwa? Makhe sihlolisise eminye yemisebenzi kaYehova emikhulu yokubuyisela. Omnye wayo sele ubonakala kakade. Eminye iza kubonakala ngakumbi kwixesha elizayo.

4, 5. Yintoni eyenzekayo kubantu bakaThixo ngo-607 B.C.E., yaye liliphi ithemba uYehova awabanika lona?

⁴ Into uYehova asele eyibuyisele kakade yindlela eyiyo yokumkhonza. Ukuze ukuqonde oku, makhe sihlolisise imbali yobukhosi bakwaYuda. Oko kuya kusikhanyisela ngamandla kaYehova okubuyisela.—Roma 15:4.

⁵ Khawuyithelekelele nje indlela avakalelwa ngayo amaYuda athembekileyo ngo-607 B.C.E. xa kwatshatyalaliswa iYerusalem. Isixeko sawo asithandayo sasingamabhodlo, neendonga zaso zidiliziwe. Okubi nangakumbi kukuba, itempile ezukileyo eyakhiwa nguSolomon, eyayikukuphela kwendawo uYehova awayekhonzwa kuyo ngendlela eyiyo emhlabeni wonke, nayo yashiywa ingamabhodlo. (INdumiso 79:1) Lawo asindileyo athinjelwa eBhabhiloni, elishiya ilizwe lawo lingamanxuwa ekudakasa kuwo izilwanyana zasendle. (Yeremiya 9:11) Ngokwembono yabantu, kwakubonakala ngathi alahlekelwe yiyo yonke into. (INdumiso 137:1) Kodwa uYehova, owayekuchaze kwangaphambili ukuza kwaloo ntshabalalo, wanikela ithemba lokuba uza kukubuyisela oko kulahlekileyo.

6-8. (a) Yintoni ababesoloko bebhala ngayo abaprofeti abangamaHebhere, yaye zazaliseka njani okokuqala ezo ziprofeto? (b) Namhlanje, ziye zazaliseka njani kubantu bakaThixo iziprofeto zokubuyiselwa?

 ⁶ Eneneni, ukubuyiselwa kwakuyinto ababesoloko bebhala ngayo abaprofeti abangamaHebhere. b UYehova wasebenzisa bona ukuvakalisa isithembiso sakhe sokubuyisela abantu bakhe elizweni labo, alenze lichume, yaye abakhusele ekuhlaselweni ngamarhamncwa asendle naziintshaba zabo. Walichaza ilizwe labo elibuyiselweyo njengeparadesi yokwenene! (Isaya 65:25; Hezekile 34:25; 36:35) Ngaphezu koko, indlela eyiyo yokukhonza yayiza kubuyiselwa, netempile iphinde yakhiwe. (Mika 4:1-5) Ezi ziprofeto zawanika ithemba amaYuda asekuthinjweni, zawanceda ukuba anyamezele iminyaka eyi-70 yokuthinjelwa kwawo eBhabhiloni.

⁷ Ekugqibeleni, lada lafika ixesha lokubuyiselwa. Akuba ekhululwe eBhabhiloni, amaYuda abuyela eYerusalem aza aphinda ayakha itempile kaYehova apho. (Ezra 1:1, 2) Logama ayebambelele kwindlela eyiyo yokukhonza, uYehova wawasikelela waza walenza lachuma ilizwe lawo. Wawakhusela kwiintshaba nakumarhamncwa asendle awayehlala kwelo lizwe kangangamashumi eminyaka. Amele ukuba ayivuyela nyhani into yokubona uYehova esebenzisa amandla akhe okubuyisela! Kodwa ezo zazisisiqalo nje kuphela sokuzaliseka kweziprofeto zokubuyiselwa. Kwakuseza kubakho ukuzaliseka okukhulu ngakumbi “ekupheleni kwemihla,” ngexesha lethu, ekubekweni etroneni kweNdlalifa eyathenjiswa kudala kaKumkani uDavide.—Isaya 2:2-4; 9:6, 7.

⁸ Kungekudala emva kokubekwa kukaYesu etroneni kuBukumkani basezulwini ngo-1914, waqalisa ukunceda abantu abathembekileyo bakaThixo emhlabeni ukuba bamkhonze ngendlela eyiyo kwakhona. Kanye njengokuba uKoreshi wasePersi wawakhululayo eBhabhiloni ngo-537 B.C.E. amaYuda awayeshiyekile, naye uYesu wawakhulula amaYuda okomoya ashiyekileyo—abalandeli bakhe—kwiicawe zobuxoki, ‘eziyiBhabhiloni Enkulu.’ (ISityhilelo 18:1-5; Roma 2:29) Ukususela ngo-1919, indlela eyiyo yokukhonza  iye yabuyiselwa kumaKristu okwenene. (Malaki 3:1-5) Ukususela ngoko, abantu bakaYehova baye bamnqulela kwitempile yakhe yokomoya ecociweyo—elilungiselelo likaThixo lokuba akhonzwe ngendlela eyiyo. Kutheni kubalulekile nje kuthi oku namhlanje?

9. Emva kwexesha labapostile, yintoni ezayenzayo iicawe zamaKristu obuxoki kunqulo lukaThixo, kodwa yintoni aye wayenza uYehova kumhla wethu?

⁹ Khawucinge ngoko kwenzekayo kwixesha elidluleyo. AmaKristu okuqala ayekhonza ngendlela eyiyo futhi esondele kuYehova. Kodwa uYesu nabapostile baxela kwangaphambili ukuba unqulo lokwenyaniso lwaluza konakaliswa luze luphele. (Mateyu 13:24-30; IZenzo 20:29, 30) Emva kwexesha labapostile, kwavela amaKristu obuxoki. Abefundisi bawo bamkela iimfundiso nezinto ezenziwa ngabahedeni. Kwakhona bakwenza kwaba yinto enzima gqitha ukusondela kuThixo, bemchaza ngendlela engaqondakaliyo yokuba uneziqu ezithathu emnye baza bafundisa abantu ukuba bavume izono kubefundisi yaye bathandaze kuMariya ‘nakwiingcwele’ ezahlukahlukeneyo kunokuba bathandaze kuYehova. Ngoko, emva kwaloo monakalo weminyaka engamakhulu amaninzi, yintoni aye wayenza uYehova? Kweli hlabathi lanamhlanje—ihlabathi eligcwele unqulo lobuxoki nelenza izinto ezingekokuthanda kukaThixo—uye wangenelela waza wabuyisela indlela eyiyo yokumkhonza! Ngaphandle kokuzibaxa izinto, sinokuthi oku kubuyiselwa kusesinye sezona zinto zibalulekileyo zakha zenzeka kwixesha lanamhlanje.

10, 11. (a) Ziziphi izinto ezimbini ezibandakanyekileyo kwiparadesi yokomoya, yaye wena uchaphazeleka njani? (b) Luhlobo olunjani lwabantu aye uYehova wabahlanganisela kwiparadesi yokomoya, yaye yintoni abaza kuba nelungelo lokuyibona?

¹⁰ Ngoko ke amaKristu okwenyaniso akwiparadesi yokomoya namhlanje eya isiba ntle ngakumbi nangakumbi. Ibandakanya ntoni le paradesi? Inezinto ezimbini ezibalulekileyo. Eyokuqala yindlela eyiyo yokukhonza uThixo oyinyaniso, uYehova. Uye wasisikelela ngonqulo olungenabo ubuxoki neengcamango ezigqwethekileyo.  Uye wasisikelela ngokutya kokomoya. Oku kusenza sifunde ngoBawo wethu wasezulwini, simkholise, yaye sisondele kuye. (Yohane 4:24) Inkalo yesibini yeparadesi yokomoya ibandakanya abantu. Njengoko uIsaya waxela kwangaphambili, “ekupheleni kwemihla,” uYehova uye wabafundisa abanquli bakhe iindlela zoxolo. Uye waziphelisa iimfazwe phakathi kwethu. Phezu kwako nje ukungafezeki kwethu, uyasinceda ukuba sambathe “ubuntu obutsha.” Uyayisikelela imizamo yethu ngomoya wakhe oyingcwele, ovelisa isiqhamo esihle kuthi. (Efese 4:22-24; Galati 5:22, 23) Xa usenza ngokuvisisana nomoya kaThixo, ngokwenene uyinxalenye yeparadesi yokomoya.

¹¹ UYehova uye wahlanganisela kule paradesi yokomoya uhlobo lwabantu abathandayo—abo bamthandayo, abathanda uxolo, ‘nabaqondayo ukuba bayamdinga.’ (Mateyu 5:3) Ngabo abantu abaya kuba nelungelo lokubona ukubuyiselwa okukhulu ngakumbi—ukubuyiselwa kwabantu nokomhlaba wonke.

12, 13. (a) Kutheni iziprofeto zokubuyiselwa zimele zizaliseke kwakhona? (b) Iyintoni injongo kaYehova ngomhlaba njengoko wayichaza e-Eden, yaye kutheni oku kusinika ithemba lekamva?

¹² Iziprofeto ezininzi ezithetha ngokubuyiselwa zibhekisela kokungakumbi kunokubuyiselwa kokomoya. Ngokomzekelo, uIsaya wabhala ngexesha lokuphiliswa kwabagulayo, iziqhwala, iimfama nezithulu, kwanangokuginywa kokufa ngonaphakade. (Isaya 25:8; 35:1-7) Ezo zithembiso azizange zizaliseke ngokoqobo kuSirayeli wamandulo. Yaye nangona siye sakubona ukuzaliseka kokomoya kwezi zithembiso namhlanje, sinesizathu esihle sokukholelwa ukuba kwixesha elizayo, ziza kuzaliseka ngokoqobo, nangokupheleleyo. Sikwazi njani oko?

¹³ Emva phayaa e-Eden, uYehova wayenza yacaca injongo yakhe ngomhlaba: Wawuza kumiwa ngabantu abonwabileyo, abasempilweni nabamanyeneyo. Amadoda namabhinqa ayeza kuwunyamekela umhlaba nayo yonke indalo ekuwo, ayenze yonke le planethi ibe yiparadesi. (Genesis 1:28) Oko kwahluke ngokupheleleyo kwimeko esiyibonayo namhlanje. Noko ke, qiniseka ukuba iinjongo zikaYehova azinakuthintelwa. (Isaya 55:10, 11) NguYesu,  uKumkani onguMesiya owamiselwa nguYehova, oza kuzisa le Paradesi yomhlaba wonke.—Luka 23:43.

14, 15. (a) UYehova uya kuzenza njani ‘zonke izinto zibe ntsha’? (b) Buza kuba njani ubomi eParadesi, yaye yiyiphi eyona nto ibangel’ umdla kakhulu kuwe?

¹⁴ Khawube nombono womhlaba wonke usiba yiParadesi! UYehova uthi ngelo xesha: “Jonga! Zonke izinto ndizenza ntsha.” (ISityhilelo 21:5) Khawucinge nje ngoko kuya kuthethwa koko. Emva kokuba uYehova eyitshabalalisile le nkqubo indala ingendawo, kuya kusala “amazulu amatsha nomhlaba omtsha.” Oku kuthetha ukuba urhulumente omtsha uya kulawula ezulwini phezu kwebutho elitsha lasemhlabeni elibunjwa ngabo bamthandayo uYehova nabenza ukuthanda kwakhe. (2 Petros 3:13) USathana, kunye needemon zakhe, baza kuvalw’ umlomo. (ISityhilelo 20:3) Okokuqala ngqa emva kwamawakawaka eminyaka, abantu baza kukhululeka kwimpembelelo yabo eyonakalisayo, eyonyanyekayo neyingozi. Oko kukhululeka kuya kuchulumancisa ngokwenene.

¹⁵ Ekugqibeleni, siza kukwazi ukuyinyamekela le planethi intle ngokuhambisana nenjongo yasekuqaleni. Umhlaba unamandla emvelo okuzihlaziya. Amachibi nemilambo engcolisiweyo inokuzicoca ngokwayo ukuba into engcolisayo iyapheliswa; umonakalo odalwe ziimfazwe emhlabeni unokulungiswa ukuba iimfazwe zinokupheliswa. Hayi indlela ekuya kuchulumancisa ngayo ukusebenzisana nomhlaba, ekuwenzeni ube yipaki engumyezo, iEden yomhlaba wonke eneentlobo-ntlobo zezinto eziphilayo! Kunokuba abantu batshabalalise izilwanyana nezityalo, baza kuba seluxolweni nayo yonke indalo esemhlabeni. Kwanabantwana abasayi kuzoyika izilwanyana zasendle.—Isaya 9:6, 7; 11:1-9.

16. EParadesi, ziziphi izinto eziza kubuyiselwa mntu ngamnye othembekileyo?

¹⁶ Kwakhona umntu nomntu unezakhe izinto eziza kubuyiselwa. Emva kweArmagedon, abo basindileyo baza kubona ummangaliso wokuphiliswa kwabantu emhlabeni wonke. Kanye njengoko wenzayo xa wayesemhlabeni, uYesu uza kusebenzisa amandla awanikwe nguThixo ukuba enze iimfama ziphinde zibone, abazizithulu beve, kwanabo baneziphene babe yimiqabaqaba. (Mateyu 15:30) Abalupheleyo baya kukuvuyela ukubuyiselwa ebutsheni nasempilweni entle. (Yobhi 33:25) Imibimbi iza kunyamalala,  imizimba iswabuluke, nezihlunu ziphinde zibe namandla. Bonke abantu abathembekileyo baza kubona izinto ezibangelwe sisono nokungafezeki zinyamalala kancinci kancinci. Siza kumbulela nyhani uYehova uThixo ngamandla akhe amangalisayo okubuyisela! Ngoku makhe sihlolisise into echukumis’ intliziyo ngokukhethekileyo yeli xesha livuyisayo lokubuyisela.

17, 18. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uYesu abakhalimele abaSadusi? (b) Yintoni eyabangela uEliya acele uYehova ukuba avuse umntwana?

¹⁷ Kwiminyaka elikhulu yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, ezinye iinkokeli zonqulo, ezazibizwa ngokuba ngabaSadusi, zazingakholelwa eluvukweni. UYesu wazikhalimela ngala mazwi: “Niyaphazama, kuba anizazi iZibhalo ningawazi namandla kaThixo.” (Mateyu 22:29) Ewe, iZibhalo ziyachaza ukuba uYehova unawo amandla okubuyisela ubomi. Njani?

¹⁸ Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni woko kwenzekayo ngomhla kaEliya? Umhlolokazi othile wayephethe umzimba otyokololo womntwana wakhe okuphela kwakhe. Le nkwenkwe yayifile. Umprofeti uEliya, owayedla ngokumtyelela loo mhlolokazi, umele ukuba wothuka ngokwenene. Ngaphambilana, wamnceda lo mntwana ukuba angafi yindlala. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uEliya wayeyithanda gqitha le nkwenkwana. Ngokwenene yayibuhlungu intliziyo kanina. Le nkwenkwe yiyo kuphela eyayimkhumbuza ngendoda yakhe eyafayo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayenethemba lokunyanyekelwa ngulo nyana wakhe ebudaleni bakhe. Esentlungwini, lo mhlolokazi wayesoyika esithi mhlawumbi wayesohlwaywa ngenxa yobubi awabenzayo kwixesha elidluleyo. UEliya akazange akwazi ukuyinyamezela le meko ilusizi kangaka. Wasithatha ngobunono isidumbu eso esifubeni sikanina, waya naso egumbini lakhe, waza wamcela uYehova uThixo ukuba abuyisele ubomi balo mntwana.—1 Kumkani 17:8-21.

19, 20. (a) UAbraham wabonisa njani ukuba wayenokholo kumandla kaYehova okubuyisela, yaye yintoni eyayimenza abe nolo kholo? (b) UYehova wamvuza njani uEliya ngenxa yokholo lwakhe?

¹⁹ UEliya wayengenguye umntu wokuqala ukukholelwa eluvukweni. Kwiinkulungwane ezingaphambi koko, uAbraham wayekholelwa ukuba uYehova wayenawo amandla okubuyisela ubomi —yaye wayenesizathu esivakalayo sokukukholelwa oko. Xa uAbraham wayeneminyaka eyi-100 ubudala yena uSara ena-90, uYehova wawabuyisela amandla abo enzala, waza ngokungummangaliso wenza ukuba uSara azale unyana. (Genesis 17:17; 21:2, 3) Kamva, yakuba inkwenkwe leyo indala, uYehova wamcela uAbraham ukuba abingelele ngalo nyana wakhe. UAbraham wabonisa ukholo, eqonda ukuba uYehova wayenako ukumbuyisela ebomini kwakhona uIsake othandekayo. (Hebhere 11:17-19) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba lolo kholo luqinileyo olwabangela ukuba uAbraham, ngaphambi kokunyukela kwakhe entabeni ukuya kunikela ngonyana wakhe, abaqinisekise abakhonzi bakhe ukuba yena noIsake babeza kubuya.—Genesis 22:5.

²⁰ UYehova wamsindisa uIsake, ngoko akuzange kubekho mfuneko yovuko ngelo xesha. Kodwa kwimeko kaEliya, unyana womhlolokazi wayesele efile—kodwa engafanga thuba lide. UYehova waluvuza ukholo lwaloo mprofeti ngokuthi amvuse umntwana lowo! Wandula ke uEliya wayibuyisela kunina inkwenkwe leyo, waza wathetha la mazwi angalibalekiyo: “Jonga, unyana wakho uyaphila”!—1 Kumkani 17:22-24.

21, 22. (a) Yayiyintoni injongo yovuko oluchazwe eZibhalweni? (b) EParadesi, luza kuba lukhulu kangakanani uvuko, yaye luza kwenziwa ngubani?

²¹ Ngoko okwesihlandlo sokuqala kwingxelo yeBhayibhile, sibona ukusebenzisa kukaYehova amandla akhe okubuyisela ubomi bomntu. Kwakhona, kamva uYehova wanika uElisha, uYesu, uPawulos noPetros amandla okubuyisela abafileyo ebomini. Kambe ke, abo bavuswayo ekugqibeleni baphinda bafa. Kodwa ezo ngxelo zeBhayibhile zisinika umfanekiso-ngqondweni wemimangaliso eza kwenzeka.

²² EParadesi, uYesu uza kuba ‘luvuko nobomi.’ (Yohane 11:25) Uza kuvusa izigidi ngezigidi zabantu, azivulele ithuba lokuphila ngonaphakade kwiParadesi yasemhlabeni. (Yohane 5:28, 29) Khawuluthelekelele umanyano olunjalo xa abahlobo nezalamane ezithandekayo, ezazahlukaniswe kukufa kangangethuba elide, zisangana, yaye zivuya kakhulu! Bonke abantu baza kumdumisa uYehova ngenxa yamandla akhe okubuyisela.

23. Yiyiphi eyona ndlela ibalaseleyo uYehova awawabonakalisa ngayo amandla akhe, yaye oku kuliqinisekisa njani ithemba lethu ngekamva?

 ²³ UYehova usinike isiqinisekiso esingenakuguquka sokuba loo mathemba aza kuzaliseka. Wawabonakalisa amandla akhe ngeyona ndlela ibalaseleyo, ngokuthi avuse uNyana wakhe, uYesu, njengesidalwa esomeleleyo somoya, emenza abe kwisigxina sesibini ukusuka kuYehova. UYesu ovusiweyo wabonakala kumakhulukhulu amangqina okuzibonela. (1 Korinte 15:5, 6) Kwanabo babengakholelwa, babengenakubuphikisa ubungqina ababubonayo. UYehova unawo amandla okubuyisela ubomi.

24. Kutheni sinokuba nethemba lokuba uYehova uza kubavusa abafileyo, yaye liliphi ithemba amele ngamnye wethu alixabise?

²⁴ UYehova akanamandla nje kuphela okubuyisela abafileyo ebomini kodwa ukwanawo nomnqweno wokuyenza loo nto. Indoda ethembekileyo uYobhi yaphefumlelwa ukuba ithi uYehova ukufuna ngamandla ukubuyisela abafileyo ebomini. (Yobhi 14:15) Ngaba akuziva utsalelekile na kuThixo wethu, okulangazelelayo ukusebenzisa amandla akhe ngendlela enjalo yothando? Kodwa ke, khumbula ukuba ayilovuko kuphela umsebenzi omkhulu wokubuyisela uYehova aza kuwenza kwixesha elizayo. Njengoko usondela ngakumbi kuye, lixabise nyhani ithemba onalo lokuba lapho ukuze uzibonele xa uYehova ‘esenza zonke izinto zibe ntsha.’—ISityhilelo 21:5.