1, 2. (a) Bubuphi ubungqina obubonisa ukuba uKumkani wethu ebelawula ukususela ngo-1914? (b) Siza kuthetha ngantoni kwesi sahluko?

KUYE kwalomeleza ukholo lwethu ukufunda ngoko kuye kwaphunyezwa buBukumkani bukaThixo nakuba nje bulawula phakathi kweentshaba. (INdu. 110:2) UKumkani wethu uye wanabantu abashumayela ngokuzithandela. Uye wacoca waza waphucula indlela abaziphethe ngayo abantu bakhe nendlela abamkhonza ngayo uThixo. Nakuba iintshaba zoBukumkani ziye zazama ukusahlula, siseyimbumba yamanyama nanamhlanje. Ezi zinto kunye nezinye ezininzi eziphunyezwe buBukumkani ebesikhe sathetha ngazo, zibubungqina obungenakuphikiswa bokuba uKumkani wethu ebelawula phakathi kweentshaba zoBukumkani ukususela ngo-1914.

² Kungekudala uBukumkani buza kwenza izinto ezingakumbi ezimangalisayo. ‘Ukufika’ kwabo buza ‘kuzityumza buziphelise’ iintshaba zabo. (Mat. 6:10; Dan. 2:44) Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba lifike elo xesha, kuza kwenzeka iziganeko ezibalulekileyo. Ziziphi ezo ziganeko? Iziprofeto ezininzi zeBhayibhile ziyawuphendula lo mbuzo. Makhe sihlolisise ezinye zezo ziprofeto ukuze sibone izinto eziza kwenzeka.

3. Sisiphi isiganeko sokuqala esilindele ukuba senzeke?

³ Kuvakaliswa uxolo. Ebhalela amaTesalonika, umpostile uPawulos wachaza isiganeko sokuqala esisilindeleyo. (Funda eyoku-1 KwabaseTesalonika 5:2, 3.) Kule leta uPawulos usithela thsuphe ‘ngemini kaYehova,’ eza kuqala ngokuhlaselwa ‘kweBhabhiloni Enkulu.’ (ISityhi. 17:5) Kodwa, ngaphambi nje kokuba imini kaYehova iqale, iintlanga ziya kube zisithi, “Luxolo nonqabiseko!” Eli binzana lisenokuba libhekisa kwisaziso nje esinye, okanye kusenokuthethwa ngalo kwiziganeko ezicacileyo ezilandelelanayo. Ngaba iinkokeli zonqulo ziza kubandakanyeka? Kuba nazo ziyinxalenye yehlabathi, zisenokuncedisa iintlanga xa zisithi, “Luxolo!” (Yer. 6:14; 23:16, 17; ISityhi. 17:1, 2) Ukuvakaliswa koxolo nonqabiseko kuya kuba ngumqondiso wokuba ayifikang’ igalelekile  imini kaYehova. Iintshaba zoBukumkani ‘azisayi kuze zisinde.’

4. Yintoni esiyizuzayo ngokuqonda ukubaluleka kwesiprofeto sikaPawulos esingokuvakaliswa koxolo nonqabiseko?

⁴ Yintoni esiyizuzayo ngokuqonda ukubaluleka kwesi siprofeto? UPawulos uthi: “Anikho bumnyameni, ukuba ingade loo mini iniqubule njengamasela.” (1 Tes. 5:3, 4) Ngokwahlukileyo kwabanye abantu, siziqonda kakuhle ukuba iziganeko zisingise phi. Siza kuzaliseka njani kanye kanye esi siprofeto soxolo nonqabiseko? Kuza kufuneka sibukele ukuze sibone oko kuza kwenzeka. Ngoko ke, “masihlale siphaphile, sithe qwa.”—1 Tes. 5:6; Zef. 3:8.

5. Siya kuba yintoni isiqalo ‘sembandezelo enkulu’?

⁵ Kuhlaselwa unqulo. Khumbula ukuba uPawulos wabhala: “Xa besithi: ‘Luxolo nonqabiseko!’ iya kwandula ke intshabalalo yequbuliso ibafikele ngephanyazo.” Njengaxa ukulanyaza kombane kulandelwa sisithonga sendudumo, msinya nje emva kokuba kuthiwe “Luxolo nonqabiseko!” kuza kube sekufika “intshabalalo yequbuliso.” Kuza kutshatyalaliswa ntoni? Kuza kuqalwa ‘ngeBhabhiloni Enkulu,’ ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki, ekwabizwa ngokuba ‘lihenyukazi.’ (ISityhi. 17:5, 6, 15) Ukutshatyalaliswa kweNgqobhoko nazo zonke ezinye iintlangano zonqulo lobuxoki kuza kuba sisiqalo ‘sembandezelo enkulu.’ (Mat. 24:21; 2 Tes. 2:8) Abaninzi, baya kuqabuka sekophulwe. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba de kufike elo xesha, ihenyukazi liza kuzibona ‘lingukumkanikazi ongasayi kuze akubone ukuzila.’ Kodwa liza kukhawuleza lizibone ukuba liziqhathile. Liya kususwa ngokukhawuleza ngokungathi ‘kungemini enye.’—ISityhi. 18:7, 8.

6. Ngubani okanye yintoni eza kuhlasela “iBhabhiloni Enkulu”?

⁶ Ngubani okanye yintoni eza kuhlasela “iBhabhiloni Enkulu”? ‘Lirhamncwa eIineempondo ezilishumi.’ Incwadi yeSityhilelo yenza sibone ukuba eli rhamncwa ziZizwe Ezimanyeneyo. Iimpondo ezilishumi zimela onke amagunya ezopolitiko akhoyo ngoku naxhasa ‘irhamncwa elimbala ungqombela.’ (ISityhi. 17:3, 5, 11, 12) Liza kuyihlasela kabuhlungu kangakanani? Amazwe angamalungu eZizwe Ezimanyeneyo aya kubuphanga ubutyebi behenyukazi, alihlazise, aliqwenge, aze ‘alitshise ngokupheleleyo.’—Funda ISityhilelo 17:16. *

7. Amazwi kaYesu akuMateyu 24:21, 22 azaliseka njani ngenkulungwane yokuqala, yaye aza kuzaliseka njani kwixa elizayo?

⁷ Imihla yenziwa mifutshane. UKumkani usichazela into eza kwenzeka ngeli xesha kwimbandezelo enkulu. UYesu wathi: “Kodwa ngenxa yabanyuliweyo loo mihla iya kunqunyulwa.” (Funda uMateyu 24:21, 22.) Amazwi kaYesu azaliseka kancinane ngonyaka ka-66 xa uYehova ‘wanqumla’ ukuhlaselwa kweYerusalem ngamaRoma. (Marko 13:20) Oko kwasindisa amaKristu aseYerusalem nakwaYuda. Kuza kwenzeka ntoni ke ehlabathini ebudeni bembandezelo enkulu?  Esebenzisa uKumkani wethu, uYehova uza ‘kukunqumla’ ukuhlaselwa konqulo ziZizwe Ezimanyeneyo ukuze zingaphumeli nakunqulo lokwenyaniso. Ngoko ke, xa kutshatyalaliswa iintlangano zonqulo lobuxoki, unqulo lokwenyaniso aluzi kuchathwa. (INdu. 96:5) Ngoku makhe sithethe ngeziganeko eziza kulandela emva kokuba unqulo lobuxoki lutshatyalalisiwe.

8, 9. Nguwuphi umqondiso ekusenokwenzeka ukuba uYesu wayethetha ngawo, yaye baza kuthini abantu xa bebona zonke ezi zinto?

⁸ Isiprofeto sikaYesu esingemihla yokugqibela sibonisa ukuba kuza kubakho iziganeko ezininzi eziphawulekayo ezikhokelela kwiArmagedon. Iziganeko zokuqala ezibini esiza kuthetha ngazo zikwincwadi yeVangeli kaMateyu, ekaMarko nekaLuka.—Funda uMateyu 24:29-31; Marko 13:23-27; Luka 21:25-28.

⁹ Imiqondiso evela esibhakabhakeni. UYesu uprofeta esithi: “Ilanga liya kwenziwa mnyama, nenyanga ayiyi kunika ukukhanya kwayo, yaye kuya kuwa iinkwenkwezi ezulwini.” Ngokuqinisekileyo abantu abazi kufuna iimpendulo kwiinkokeli zonqulo—kuba baya kube besazi ukuba akukho yazo. Ngaba uYesu wayethetha nangemimangaliso eza kwenzeka ezulwini? Mhlawumbi kunjalo. (Isa. 13:9-11;Yow. 2:1, 30, 31) Baza kuthini abantu xa bebona zonke ezi zinto? Baza ‘kubandezeleka’ kuba ‘bengayazi indlela yokuphuma.’ (Luka 21:25; Zef. 1:17) Ewe, iintshaba zoBukumkani bukaThixo, ‘ookumkani namakhoboka’—‘ziza kufa isiqaqa ngenxa yoloyiko nolindelo lwezinto ezifikela umhlaba,’ zibe zikhangela nendawo yokuzimela. Kodwa, aziyi kufumana nenye indawo yokuzimela kwingqumbo kaKumkani wethu.—Luka 21:26; 23:30; ISityhi. 6:15-17.

10. UYesu uza kuvakalisa wuphi umgwebo, yaye baza kwenza ntoni abaxhasi nabachasi boBukumkani bukaThixo?

¹⁰ Kuvakaliswa umgwebo. Zonke iintshaba zoBukumkani bukaThixo ziya kunyanzeleka ukuba zibukele isiganeko esiya kuzenza zigcume nangakumbi. UYesu uthi: ‘Ziya kumbona uNyana womntu esiza emafini enamandla amakhulu nobuqaqawuli.’ (Marko 13:26) Ukubonakaliswa kwala mandla amangalisayo kuya kuba bubungqina bokuba uYesu uze kugweba. Kwakwesi siprofeto singemihla yokugqibela, uYesu usichazela ngeenkcukacha zomgwebo oza kwenzeka kwesi sithuba. Ezi nkcukacha siziva kumzekeliso wezimvu neebhokhwe. (Funda uMateyu 25:31-33, 46) Abaxhasi boBukumkani bukaThixo baza kugwetywa ‘njengezimvu’ baze ‘baphakamise iintloko zabo,’ beqonda ukuba ‘iyasondela intlangulo yabo.’ (Luka 21:28) Kodwa bona abachasi boBukumkani, baza kugwetywa ‘njengeebhokhwe’ baze ‘bazimbambazele besentlungwini,’ beqonda ukuba ‘intshabalalo engunaphakade’ ibalindile.—Mat. 24:30; ISityhi. 1:7.

11. Yintoni esimele siyikhumbule xa sihlolisisa iziganeko eziseza kwenzeka?

 ¹¹ Emva kokuba uYesu evakalise umgwebo kuzo “zonke iintlanga,” kuza kulandela uthotho lweziganeko ezibalulekileyo ngaphambi kokuba iArmagedon iqale. (Mat. 25:32) Siza kuthetha ngezimbini zazo: ukuhlasela kukaGogi nokuhlanganiswa kwabathanjiswa. Njengokuba sihlolisisa ezi ziganeko, ze sikhumbule ukuba iLizwi likaThixo alisichazeli elona xesha ziza kwenzeka ngalo. Kodwa, kubonakala ngathi esinye siza kuqala esinye singekapheli.

12. USathana uza kubuhlasela njani uBukumkani?

¹² Kuhlaselwa ngamandla. UGogi wakwaMagogi uza kuhlasela abathanjiswa abaseleyo kunye nezinye izimvu. (Funda uHezekile 38:2, 11.) USathana uya kube ebuhlasela okokugqibela uBukumkani obumiselweyo njengokuba ebesoloko echukela abathanjiswa abasesemhlabeni ukususela oko wagxothwa ezulwini. (ISityhi. 12:7-9, 17) USathana uye wazama nangakumbi ukuba bangahambeli ndawo kwizinto zobuthixo ukususela ngexesha lokuhlanganiselwa kwabo kwibandla lamaKristu—kodwa khange aphumelele. (Mat. 13:30) Sekunjalo, xa iintlangano zonqulo lobuxoki zingasekho, nabantu bakaThixo bebonakala ngathi abakhuselekanga, “behleli bengenaludonga, bengenamivalo nazingcango,” uSathana uza kulibona ilithuba elihle eli. Uya kubangela ukuba abantu abangendawo bahlasele abaxhasi boBukumkani ngamandla.

13. Uza kwenza ntoni uYehova xa kuhlaselwa abantu bakhe?

¹³ UHezekile uchaza oko kuza kwenzeka. Malunga noGogi, isiprofeto sithi: ‘Uya kuza uvela endaweni yakho, kweyona mimandla ithe qelele yasemntla, wena nezizwana ezininzi zikunye nawe, bonke bekhwele emahasheni, ibandla elikhulu, ewe umkhosi omkhulu wamajoni. Uya kubafikela abantu bam njengamafu agubungele ilizwe.’ (Hez. 38:15, 16) Uza kwenza ntoni uYehova xa kusenzeka oku kubonakala ngathi akunakunqandeka? ‘Ubushushu bam bunyuke baza empumlweni yam,’ utsho uYehova. ‘Ndiza kubizela ikrele.’ (Hez. 38:18, 21; funda uZekariya 2:8.) UYehova uya kungenelela esilwela abantu bakhe. Oko kungenelela kuya kuthetha imfazwe yeArmagedon.

14, 15. Sisiphi esinye isiganeko esiza kwenzeka ngaxa lithile emva kokuqalisa kukaSathana ukuhlasela?

¹⁴ Ngaphambi kokuba sithethe ngendlela uYehova aza kubalwela ngayo abantu bakhe kwimfazwe yeArmagedon, makhe sithi xha okomzuzwana, sikhe sithethe ngesinye isiganeko esibalulekileyo. Esi siza kwenzeka ngaxa lithile phakathi kokuqalisa kukaSathana ukuhlasela nokungenelela kukaYehova ngeArmagedon. Njengoko besele sifundile kwisahluko 11, esi siganeko kukuhlanganiswa kweqaqobana labathanjiswa abasesemhlabeni.

¹⁵ Kuhlanganiswa abathanjiswa. Bobabini uMateyu noMarko babhala ingxelo kaYesu ethetha ‘ngabanyuliweyo’—amaKristu athanjiswe ngomoya—njengesinye kuthotho  lweziganeko eziza kwenzeka ngaphambi kokufika kweArmagedon. (Funda isiqendu 7.) Ethetha ngaye enguKumkani, uYesu uyaprofeta: ‘Uya kuthumela iingelosi aze abahlanganisele ndawonye abo banyuliweyo bakhe bevela koomoya abane, ukusuka kwisiphelo somhlaba ukusa kwisiphelo sezulu.’ (Marko 13:27; Mat. 24:31) UYesu uthetha ngokuphi ukuhlanganiswa? Akathethi ngokutywinwa kokugqibela kwamaKristu angabathanjiswa asesemhlabeni, okuza kwenzeka ngaphambi nje kokuba imbandezelo enkulu iqale. (ISityhi. 7:1-3) Kunoko, uthetha ngesiganeko esiza kwenzeka ngembandezelo enkulu. Ngoko, kubonakala ukuba emva kokuba uSathana eqalise ukuhlasela abantu bakaThixo, abathanjiswa abaza kube besesemhlabeni baya kuhlanganiselwa ezulwini.

16. Baza kuncedisa njani abathanjiswa abavusiweyo kwimfazwe yeArmagedon?

¹⁶ Oku kuhlanganiswa kwabathanjiswa kudibana njani nesiganeko esiza kulandela, iArmagedon? Ixesha abahlanganiswa ngalo bonke abathanjiswa libonisa ukuba bonke baza kube sele besezulwini xa kuqala imfazwe kaThixo iArmagedon. Ezulwini, i-144 000 eza kulawula noKristu iza kufumana igunya lokuncedisa uYesu isebenzisa ‘intonga yentsimbi’ yokutshabalalisa zonke iintshaba zoBukumkani bukaThixo. (ISityhi. 2:26, 27) Emva koko, bekunye neengelosi, abathanjiswa abavusiweyo baza kulandela uKristu, uKumkani oliGorha, xa esiya kulwa ‘nomkhosi omkhulu’ weentshaba oza kube uvingcela ixhoba lawo—abantu bakaYehova. (Hez. 38:15) Iya kuba kukuqala kweArmagedon ke oko!—ISityhi. 16:16.

17. Kuza kwenzeka ntoni ‘kwiibhokhwe’ ngeArmagedon?

¹⁷ Kuphunyezwa umgwebo. Imfazwe yeArmagedon iya kube iyincopho yembandezelo enkulu. Ngelo xesha, uYesu uza kwenza nomnye umsebenzi. Ngaphandle kokuba nguMgwebi wazo “zonke iintlanga,” uya kuba nguye noMtshabalalisi weentlanga—oko kukuthi, bonke abo abagwebe ‘njengeebhokhwe.’ (Mat. 25:32, 33) ‘Ngekrele elide elibukhali,’ uKumkani wethu uza ‘kuxabela iintlanga.’ Ewe, bonke abafana neebhokhwe—ukususela ‘kookumkani’ ukusa ‘kumakhoboka’—“baya kumka baye kwintshabalalo engunaphakade.”—ISityhi. 19:15, 18; Mat. 25:46.

18. (a) Ziya kutshintsha njani iimeko ‘kwizimvu’? (b) Yintoni aya kuyenza uYesu akuba oyisile?

¹⁸ Ziya kutshintsha iimeko kwabo uYesu aya kube ebagwebe ‘njengezimvu!’ Nangona kuya kubonakala ngathi siza kutyunyuzwa ngumkhosi omkhulu kaSathana ‘weebhokhwe,’ ‘isihlwele esikhulu,’ esiya kubonakala ‘njengezimvu’ ezingakhuselekanga siya kuhlangulwa size ‘siphume embandezelweni enkulu.’ (ISityhi. 7:9, 14) Emva kokuba uYesu oyisile, ezisusile neentshaba zoBukumkani bukaThixo ezingabantu, uya kuphosa uSathana needemon zakhe  enzonzobileni. Apho baya kuba ngathi bafile, bengakwazi kwenza nto kangangeminyaka eliwaka.—Funda iSityhilelo 6:2; 20:1-3.

19, 20. Sinokufunda ntoni kumazwi akuIsaya 26:20 no-30:21?

¹⁹ Simele senze ntoni ukuze silungiselele ezi ziganeko zothusayo? Kule minyaka imbalwa idluleyo iMboniselo yathi: “Ukusinda kuya kuxhomekeka ekuthobeleni.” Ngoba? Impendulo ifumaneka kwisilumkiso uYehova awasinika amaYuda awayethinjelwe kwiBhabhiloni yamandulo. Waxela kwangaphambili ukuba iBhabhiloni yayiza koyiswa. Babeza kwenza ntoni abantu bakhe ukuze bazilungiselele eso siganeko? UYehova wathi: “Hambani, bantu bam, ningene emagumbini enu angaphakathi, nize nivale iingcango zenu emva kwenu. Zifihleni umzuzwana kude kudlule isiqalekiso.” (Isa. 26:20) Qwalasela izenzi ezikule vesi: “Hambani,” “ningene,” “nivale,” “zifihleni”—zonke zikwimo yongxamiseko kwaye ziyimiyalelo. AmaYuda awuthobelayo lo myalelo abonakala ngokuhlala ezindlini zawo, kude lee namajoni aweyegqugqisa ezitratweni. Kucacile ukuba ukusinda kwawo kwakuxhomekeke ekuthobeleni imiyalelo kaYehova. *

²⁰ Sifunda ntoni thina? Njengabakhonzi bakaThixo bamandulo, nathi, ukusinda kwethu kuxhomekeke ekuthobeleni imiyalelo kaYehova. (Isa. 30:21) Loo miyalelo siyifumana kwiintlanganiso. Ngenxa yoko, sifuna ukufunda ukuyithobela ngokusuk’ entliziyweni imiyalelo esiyifumanayo. (1 Yoh. 5:3) Ukuba senza njalo namhlanje, akuyi kuba nzima kuthi ukuthobela kwikamva, ngaloo ndlela siya kukhuselwa nguBawo wethu uYehova, kunye noKumkani wethu uYesu. (Zef. 2:3) Oko kuya kusenza sizibonele ngawethu amehlo indlela uBukumkani bukaThixo obuza kuzitshayela ngayo iintshaba zabo. Eso iya kuba sisiganeko esingasoze silibaleke!