1. Ukufika koMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuyosho ukuthini?

LAPHO uJesu efundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathandazele uMbuso kaNkulunkulu, wayazi ukuthi ukufika kwawo kuyoqeda izinkulungwane zeminyaka yokuzibusa kwabantu ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu. Phakathi naso sonke leso sikhathi, intando kaNkulunkulu ibingenziwa emhlabeni uwonke. (IHubo 147:19, 20) Kodwa ngemva kokumiswa koMbuso ezulwini, intando kaNkulunkulu kumelwe yenziwe yonke indawo. Isikhathi soshintsho olwesabekayo kusuka ekubuseni kwabantu kuya ekubuseni koMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini siseduze kakhulu.

2. Luyobonakala kanjani ushintsho kusuka ekubuseni kwabantu kuya ekubuseni koMbuso?

² Lolu shintsho luyobonakala ngokufika kwenkathi uJesu ayibiza ngokuthi “usizi olukhulu olungakaze lwenzeke kusukela  ekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube manje, cha, futhi olungasayikuphinde lwenzeke.” (Mathewu 24:21) IBhayibheli alisho ukuthi leyo nkathi iyoba yinde kangakanani, kodwa izinhlekelele eziyokwenzeka phakathi nayo ziyoba zimbi kunanoma yini eyake yenzeka emhlabeni. Ngasekuqaleni kosizi olukhulu, kuyokwenzeka okuthile okuyobethusa kakhulu abantu abaningi emhlabeni: ukubhujiswa kwayo yonke inkolo yamanga. Lokho ngeke kubethuse oFakazi BakaJehova, ngoba sekukudala bekulindele. (IsAmbulo 17:1, 15-17; 18:1-24) Usizi olukhulu luphela e-Armagedoni lapho uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ucoboshisa sonke isimiso sikaSathane.—Daniyeli 2:44; IsAmbulo 16:14, 16.

3. UJeremiya ukuchaza kanjani okuyokwenzeka kwabangalaleli?

³ Kuyosho ukuthini lokhu kubantu “abangamazi uNkulunkulu nakulabo abangazilaleli izindaba ezinhle” ngokuphathelene noMbuso wakhe wasezulwini osezandleni zikaKristu? (2 Thesalonika 1:6-9) Isiprofetho seBhayibheli siyasitshela: “‘Bheka, okubi kuyaphuma kwesinye isizwe kuye kwesinye, nesivunguvungu siyavuswa emikhawulweni yomhlaba.’ Ngalolo suku ababuleweyo bakaJehova bayakusukela komunye umkhawulo womhlaba, baze bafike komunye; abayikukhalelwa, abayikubuthwa, abayikumbelwa, bayakuba ngumquba ebusweni bomhlaba.”—Jeremiya 25:32, 33.

4. Kungani kufaneleka ukuba uJehova asiqede lesi simiso esibi?

⁴ Sekuyizinkulungwane zeminyaka uJehova uNkulunkulu ebekezelele ububi, isikhathi eside ngokwanele ukuba abantu abanezinhliziyo ezilungileyo babone ukuthi ukubusa kwabantu kuyinhlekelele. Ngokwesibonelo, ngokomthombo othile, ekhulwini lama-20 lilodwa kuye kwabulawa abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-150 ezimpini, ekuvukeleni nakwezinye iziyaluyalu zezakhamuzi. Unya lomuntu lwabonakala ngokukhethekile phakathi neMpi Yezwe II lapho kwabulawa khona abangaba yizigidi ezingu-50, abaningi babo befa ngendlela enyantisayo emakamu okuhlushwa amaNazi. Njengoba nje iBhayibheli labikezela, esikhathini sethu ‘abantu ababi nabakhohlisi baye baqhubeka besuka kokubi beya kokubi kakhulu.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, 13) Namuhla, ukuziphatha okubi, ubugebengu, ubudlova, ukukhohlakala nokudelelwa kwezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu kudlangile. Ngakho, kufaneleka ngokugcwele ukuba uJehova asiqede lesi simiso esibi.

5, 6. Chaza ububi obabuseKhanani lasendulo.

⁵ Isimo manje sifana nesaseKhanani eminyakeni engaba ngu-3 500 edlule. IBhayibheli lithi: “[Izizwe] zenzile konkulunkulu bazo konke okuyisinengiso kuJehova akuzondayo, lokhu ziwashisela ngomlilo onkulunkulu bazo amadodana azo namadodakazi azo.” (Duteronomi 12:31) UJehova watshela isizwe sakwa-Israyeli: “Kungobubi balezo zizwe uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho azixosha phambi kwakho.” (Duteronomi 9:5) Isazi-mlando seBhayibheli uHenry H. Halley sathi: “Ukukhulekelwa kukaBali, u-Ashitaroti nabanye onkulunkulu baseKhanani kwakuba namadili okuphuza eqisa kakhulu; amathempeli abo ayeyizikhungo zobubi.”

⁶ UHalley wabonisa izinga ububi babo obedlulele obase bulifinyelele, ngoba kwenye yezindawo eziningi ezinjalo, abavubukuli “bathola inqwaba yezitsha ezinezinsalela zabantwana ababenziwe umhlatshelo kuBali.” Wathi: “Kwahlaluka ukuthi yonke le ndawo yayingamangcwaba abantwana abasanda kuzalwa. . . . AmaKhanani ayekhulekela, ngokuzitika ekuziphatheni okubi okuwumkhosi ongokwenkolo, phambi konkulunkulu babo; bese kuba ngokubulala abantwana babo abangamazibulo njengomhlatshelo kubo lab’ onkulunkulu. Kubonakala sengathi, ngezinga elikhulu, izwe laseKhanani lase liphenduke uhlobo oluthile lweSodoma neGomora ngesilinganiso sesizwe sonke. . . . Ingabe impucuko yokungcola nobulwane obunyanyeka kanjalo yayinalo ilungelo lokuqhubeka ikhona? . . . Abavubukuli abamba emanxiweni amadolobha amaKhanani bayamangala ngokuthi uNkulunkulu akababhubhisanga ngokushesha kunokuba enza.”

7, 8. UNkulunkulu uzowuhlanza kanjani lo mhlaba?

⁷ Njengoba nje ahlanza iKhanani, ngokushesha uNkulunkulu uzowuhlanza wonke umhlaba awunike labo abenza intando yakhe. “Abaqotho bayakuhlala ezweni, abapheleleyo basale kulo. Kepha ababi bayakunqunywa ezweni, nabambuluzayo bayakusishulwa kulo.” (IzAga 2:21, 22) Futhi umhubi uthi: “Kuse ngumzuzwana, omubi angabe esabakho. . . . Kepha abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu.” (IHubo 37:10, 11) NoSathane uyobe esesusiwe, ukuze “angabe esazidukisa izizwe ize iphele leyominyaka eyinkulungwane.” (IsAmbulo 20:1-3) Yebo, “izwe liyadlula kanjalo nesifiso salo, kodwa lowo owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade.”—1 Johane 2:17.

⁸ Ekhulumela ngamafuphi ithemba elihle lalabo abafuna ukuphila phakade emhlabeni, uJesu wathi: “Bayajabula abanomoya omnene, ngoba bayozuza umhlaba njengefa.” (Mathewu 5:5) Cishe wayebhekisela kumaHubo 37:29, ábikezela: “Abalungileyo bazakudla ifa lomhlaba, bahlale kuwo njalonjalo.” UJesu wayazi ukuthi kwakuyinjongo kaJehova ukuba abanezinhliziyo ezilungileyo baphile phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. UJehova uthi: “Mina ngenzile umhlaba, nomuntu, nesilwane okukhona emhlabeni  ngamandla ami amakhulu . . . , ngiwunika lowo ofanele emehlweni ami.”—Jeremiya 27:5.

9. Luhlobo luni lwezwe elizolethwa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu?

⁹ Ngemva kwe-Armagedoni, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uyoletha ‘umhlaba omusha’ omangalisayo ‘okuyohlala kuwo ukulunga.’ (2 Petru 3:13) Yeka impumuzo okuyoba yiyo kwabasinde e-Armagedoni ukuhlukana nalesi simiso sezinto esibi nesicindezelayo! Yeka indlela abayojabula ngayo ukungena emhlabeni omusha wokulunga ngaphansi kukahulumeni woMbuso wasezulwini, belindelwe yizibusiso ezimangalisayo nokuphila okumi phakade!—IsAmbulo 7:9-17.

10. Yiziphi izinto ezimbi eziyobe zingasekho ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso?

¹⁰ Abantu ngeke besasongelwa yimpi, ubugebengu, indlala ngisho nezilwane ezidla inyama. ‘Ngiyakwenza [nabantu bami] isivumelwano sokuthula, ngiqede izilwane ezimbi ezweni. Umuthi osendle uyakuthela izithelo zawo, umhlabathi uthele ukudla kwawo, bahlale belondekile ezweni labo.’ ‘Bayakukhanda izinkemba zabo zibe ngamakhuba, imikhonto yabo ibe ngocelemba; isizwe asiyikuphakamisela isizwe inkemba, zingabe zisafunda ukulwa. Bayakuhlala, kube yilowo nalowo phansi komvini wakhe naphansi komkhiwane wakhe; akakho oyakubesabisa.’—Hezekeli 34:25-28; Mika 4:3, 4.

11. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi ukugula ngokwenyama kuyophela?

¹¹ Ukugula, ukudabuka ngisho nokufa kuyoqedwa. “Abakhe khona abayikusho ukuthi: ‘Ngiyagula;’ abantu abahlala khona bayakuthethelelwa ububi babo.” (Isaya 33:24) ‘UNkulunkulu uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni abo, futhi ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlulile. “Bheka! Ngenza zonke izinto zibe zintsha.”’ (IsAmbulo 21:4, 5) Lapho esemhlabeni, uJesu wabonisa ukuthi angazenza lezo zinto ngamandla ayewanikwe nguNkulunkulu. Esekelwa ngumoya ongcwele, uJesu wadabula izwe lonke ephulukisa abayizinyonga futhi elapha abagulayo.—Mathewu 15:30, 31.

12. Kunaliphi ithemba ngabafileyo?

 ¹² UJesu wenza ngisho nokungaphezulu. Wavusa abafileyo. Basabela kanjani abantu abathobekileyo? Lapho evusa intombazane eneminyaka engu-12 ubudala, abazali bayo “besasa kakhulu ngokudlulele.” (Marku 5:42) Lesi kwakungesinye isibonelo salokho uJesu ayokwenza emhlabeni wonke ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso, ngoba ngaleso sikhathi “luyoba khona uvuko kokubili olwabalungileyo nabangalungile.” (IzEnzo 24:15) Cabanga ngokwesasa okukhulu okuyoba khona lapho amaqembu ngamaqembu abafileyo evuselwa ekuphileni futhi ephinda ehlangana nabathandekayo bawo! Ngokungangabazeki kuyoba nomsebenzi omkhulu wokufundisa oyoqondiswa uMbuso, ukuze ‘umhlaba ugcwale ukumazi uJehova njengamanzi asibekela ulwandle.’—Isaya 11:9.

13. Kuyobonakaliswa kanjani ukufaneleka kokubusa kukaNkulunkulu?

¹³ Ekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane yokubusa koMbuso, umkhaya wesintu uyobe usubuyiselwe ekupheleleni engqondweni nasemzimbeni. Umhlaba uyoba yinsimu yase-Edene yembulunga yonke, ipharadesi. Kuyoba khona ukuthula, injabulo, ukulondeka kanye nomphakathi wesintu onothando. Into enjengalena ayikaze nanini ibe khona emlandweni wesintu ngaphambi kokubusa koMbuso. Yeka umahluko omkhulu oyobe ubonakele ngaleso sikhathi phakathi kweminyaka eyizinkulungwane eyandulele yokubusa kwabantu okudabukisayo nokubusa okuhle kakhulu koMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini kweminyaka eyinkulungwane! Ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu ngoMbuso wakhe kuyobe kubonakaliswe kungcono kakhulu ngazo zonke izici. Ilungelo likaNkulunkulu lokubusa, ubukhosi bakhe, liyobe lilwelwe ngokuphelele.

14. Kuyokwenzekani ezihlubukini lapho kuphela iminyaka eyinkulungwane?

¹⁴ Ekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane, uJehova uyovumela abantu abaphelele basebenzise inkululeko yabo yokuzikhethela mayelana nalowo abafuna ukumkhonza. IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi uSathane “uyothukululwa aphume etilongweni lakhe.” Uyophinde azame ukudukisa abantu, abanye babo abayokhetha ukuzibusa ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu. Ukuze avimbele ‘ukuhlupheka kungaveli ngokwesibili,’ uJehova uyombhubhisa uSathane, amademoni akhe nabo bonke abayohlubuka ebukhosini bukaJehova. Akekho ongathi abantu abayobhujiswa phakade ngaleso sikhathi abalitholanga ithuba noma athi inkambo yabo engalungile yayibangelwe ukungapheleli. Cha, bayobe benjengo-Adamu no-Eva ababephelele, abakhetha ngokuzithandela ukuhlubuka ekubuseni kukaJehova okulungileyo.—IsAmbulo 20:7-10; Nahume 1:9.

15. Abaqotho bayoba nabuphi ubuhlobo noJehova?

¹⁵ Ngakolunye uhlangothi, cishe iningi labantu liyokhetha ukusekela ubukhosi bukaJehova. Lapho zonke izihlubuki sezibhujisiwe, abalungileyo bayokuma phambi kukaJehova, bephumelele ovivinyweni lobuqotho lokugcina. Laba abaqotho bayobe sebamukelwa nguJehova njengamadodana namadodakazi akhe. Ngakho-ke babuyela ebuhlotsheni u-Adamu no-Eva ababenabo noNkulunkulu ngaphambi kokuba bahlubuke. Ngakho, amaRoma 8:21 ayogcwaliseka: “Indalo ngokwayo [uhlanga lwesintu] nayo iyokhululwa ekugqilazweni ukonakala futhi ibe nenkululeko ekhazimulayo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.” Umprofethi u-Isaya uyabikezela: “[UNkulunkulu] uyakugwinya ukufa kuze kube phakade; iNkosi uJehova iyakwesula izinyembezi ebusweni bonke.”—Isaya 25:8.

16. Kungani kufaneleka ukulangazelela umvuzo wokuphila okumi phakade?

¹⁶ Yeka ithemba elimangalisayo elilindele abathembekileyo, ukwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyobathululela phakade inala yezinzuzo ezingokomoya nezingokwenyama! Umhubi washo kufanele wathi: “Uyavula isandla sakho, usuthise ukufisa [okufanelekile] kwakho konke okuphilayo.” (IHubo 145:16) UJehova ukhuthaza  labo besigaba sasemhlabeni ukuba benze leli themba lokuphila ePharadesi libe yingxenye yokholo lwabo kuye. Nakuba ubukhosi bukaJehova bubaluleke ngokwengeziwe, akasho ukuthi abantu mabamkhonze bengenathemba lokuthola umvuzo. Kulo lonke iBhayibheli, ubuqotho kuNkulunkulu nethemba lokuphila phakade kuhlanganiswe ndawonye ngokungenakuhlukaniswa, njengezingxenye ezidingekayo zokholo lomKristu kuNkulunkulu. “Lowo osondela kuNkulunkulu kumelwe akholelwe ukuthi ukhona nokuthi uba umvuzi walabo abamfuna ngobuqotho.”—Heberu 11:6.

17. UJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi kufanelekile ukusekelwa yithemba lethu?

¹⁷ UJesu wathi: “Lokhu kusho ukuphila okumi phakade, ukungenisa kwabo ulwazi ngawe, owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, nangalowo owamthuma, uJesu Kristu.” (Johane 17:3) Lapha, ukwazi uNkulunkulu nezinjongo zakhe wakuhlanganisa nomvuzo okukulethayo. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho umenzi wobubi ecela ukukhunjulwa ngemva kokuba uJesu efike eMbusweni wakhe, uJesu wathi: “Uyoba nami ePharadesi.” (Luka 23:43) Akazange atshele leyo ndoda ukuthi ayibe nokholo ngisho noma ingeke iwuthole umvuzo. Wayazi ukuthi uJehova ufuna izinceku zakhe zibe nethemba lokuphila okumi phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi ukuze lizisekele lapho zihlangabezana nokulingwa okuhlukahlukene kuleli zwe. Ngakho, ukulangazelela umvuzo kuwusizo olusemqoka ekukhuthazeleni njengomKristu.

18, 19. Kuyokwenzekani ngeNkosi noMbuso ekupheleni kokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane?

¹⁸ Njengoba uMbuso uwuhulumeni osizayo osetshenziswa nguJehova ukuze alethe umhlaba nezakhamuzi zawo ezingabantu ekupheleleni futhi azenze zibuyisane naye, iNkosi uJesu Kristu namakhosi nabapristi abangu-144 000 bayoba nayiphi indima ngemva kweMinyaka Eyinkulungwane? “Ngokulandelayo, ukuphela, lapho enikela umbuso kuNkulunkulu noYise, lapho esebenzé ize bonke ohulumeni nalo lonke igunya namandla. Ngoba kumelwe abuse njengenkosi kuze kube yilapho uNkulunkulu esebeke zonke izitha ngaphansi kwezinyawo zakhe.”—1 Korinte 15:24, 25.

¹⁹ Lapho uKristu enikeza uNkulunkulu uMbuso, kufanele iqondwe kanjani imibhalo ekhuluma ngawo njengohlala phakade? Okuyofezwa uMbuso kuyohlala phakade. UKristu uyohlonishwa phakade ngenxa yendima yakhe ekusebenzeleni ukulwelwa kobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu. Kodwa njengoba isono nokufa kuyobe sekususwe ngokuphelele, futhi isintu sesihlengiwe, siyobe singasekho isidingo sakhe njengoMhlengi. UkuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane koMbuso nakho kuyobe kufezeke ngokugcwele; ngakho siyobe singasekho isidingo sikahulumeni osizayo phakathi kukaJehova nesintu esilalelayo. Ngakho, ‘uNkulunkulu uyokwazi ukuba yikho konke kuwo wonke umuntu.’—1 Korinte 15:28.

20. Singathola kanjani ukuthi ikusasa limphatheleni uKristu nabangu-144 000?

²⁰ Iyiphi indima uKristu nababusi abakanye naye abayoba nayo esikhathini esizayo ngemva kokuphela kokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane? IBhayibheli alisho. Nokho, singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyobanika amalungelo enkonzo amaningi ngokwengeziwe kuyo yonke indalo yakhe. Kwangathi sonke namuhla singabusekela ubukhosi bukaJehova futhi sinikwe ukuphila okuphakade, ukuze isikhathi esizayo sisifice siphila futhi sibone ukuthi iyini injongo kaJehova ngeNkosi namakhosi nabapristi abakanye nayo, nangendawo yonke yakhe emangalisayo!