1-3. (a) Ngutiphi timo letifanekisa liphuzu lemifanekiso lemibili yaJesu? (b) Ngumiphi imibuto lokufanele siyiphendvule?

TICABANGE ucelwa ngumuntfu losesikhundleni lesiphakeme kutsi umshayelele umyise emhlanganweni lobalulekile. Utsi nje nasewutawuhamba umlandze, ubone kutsi imoto yakho ite phethiloli lowenele futsi kudzingeka uphutfume uyowutsenga. Nawusandza nje kuhamba, efike lomuntfu losesikhundleni lesiphakeme. Akucalate angakuboni. Njengobe ajakele kulomhlangano, ucela lomunye umuntfu kutsi ammikise. Nawubuya, umkhandze asahambile. Ungativa njani?

² Nyalo ticabange ungumuntfu losesikhundleni lesiphakeme futsi ukhetse emadvodza lamatsatfu kutsi akubambele ebhizinisini lelitsite. Uyawachazela loko lokufanele akwente, futsi omatsatfu ayawemukela lomsebenti. Nawubuya lapho bowuyekhona, ukhandze kutsi lamabili kulamadvodza awente kahle lomsebenti. Lena yinye lengakawenti umsebenti wayo, ibeke taba ngekungawenti. Ayiketami nekwetama kuwenta. Ungativa njani?

³ Emfanekisweni wakhe, wetintfombi letilishumi newemathalenta, Jesu wasebentisa timo letifanana naleti lesisandza kukhuluma ngato kute afanekise kutsi yini letawubangela kutsi kulesikhatsi sekuphela lamanye emaKhristu lagcotjiwe abe ngulatsembekile nalahlakaniphile kodvwa lamanye angabi njalo. * (Mat. 25:1-30) Liphuzu lakhe waligcizelela ngekutsi atsi: “Ngako-ke lindzani, ngobe lilanga nemzuzu ningakwati”—lokusho sikhatsi lapho Jesu atawukhipha sehlulelo saNkulunkulu kulelive lelibuswa nguSathane. (Mat. 25:13) Natsi lamuhla kufanele sihlale silindzile. Sitawuzuzani ngekuhlala silindzile, njengobe Jesu asikhutsata kutsi sente njalo? Bobani labatikhombise bakulungele kusindza?  Yini tsine lokufanele siyente nyalo kute sihlale silindzile?

4. Kute sihlale silindzile, yini lekwenta kungabaluleki kulati ngalokucondzile lilanga lekufika kwesiphelo?

⁴ Tintfo lesitentako letifaka ekhatsi kusebenta efektri, kuya kadokotela nekuhamba ngetintfo letitfutsa sive tidzinga kutsi sibambe sikhatsi. Nobe kunjalo, leminye imisebenti njengemsebenti lowentiwa ngulabacisha umlilo nobe wekutakula bantfu labehlelwe yinhlekelele, ayidzingi kutsi labo bantfu banake kakhulu sikhatsi, ngobe loko kungaba yingoti. Etimeni letinjalo kubaluleke kakhulu kunaka umsebenti lowentako kunekunaka sikhatsi. Njengobe kuphela kwalelive lelibuswa nguSathane kusondzela, umsebenti wekusita bantfu kutsi bati Jehova kute basindze ubaluleke kakhulu. Kuhlala silindzile njengemaKhristu akusho kutsi kufanele sati kutsi kuphela kutawufika nini. Kunetindlela leticishe tibe sihlanu lesizuzako kuto ngenca yekutsi asilati lilanga nobe li-awa lelicondze ngco lekufika kwesiphelo.

5. Kungalati lilanga neli-awa lekufika kwesiphelo kusisita njani kutsi sivete lokusenhlitiyweni yetfu?

⁵ Kwekucala, kungati kutsi kuphela kutawufika nini kusenta sivete loko lokusetinhlitiyweni tetfu. Kungalati lelolanga kusiniketa litfuba lekusebentisa inkhululeko yetfu yekutikhetsela kute sikhombise bucotfo betfu kuJehova. Nanobe sikubuke ngalabovu kutsi sisindze nakubhujiswa lelive lelibuswa nguSathane, sikhonta Jehova ngobe simtsandza, hhayi nje ngobe sifuna kuphila (Fundza Tihlabelelo 37:4.) Sitfola injabulo ngekwenta intsandvo yakhe futsi siyabona kutsi Nkulunkulu usifundzisa tintfo letisizuzisako. (Isa. 48:17) Kungako imiyalo yakhe ingesiwo umtfwalo kitsi.—1 Joh. 5:3.

6. Nasikhonta Nkulunkulu ngobe simtsandza, utiva njani futsi yini lementa ative ngaleyo ndlela?

⁶ Inzuzo yesibili yekungalati lilanga lekufika kwesiphelo kutsi siba nelitfuba lekwenta inhlitiyo yaJehova ijabule. Nasimkhonta ngobe simtsandza—hhayi ngobe sati lilanga lelitsite nobe sigadze kutsi asinikete umvuzo—sisuke sisita Jehova kutsi akhombise ngalokusebaleni kutsi sitsa sakhe lesinguSathane sicala emanga. (Jobe 2:4, 5; fundza Taga 27:11.) Nasicabanga ngabo bonkhe buhlungu nelusizi lolubangelwe nguDeveli, ngenjabulo sisekela bukhosi baJehova futsi sikwale kubuswa nguSathane.

7. Yini lekwenta ufune kusebentisa kuphila kwakho kute ukhonte Nkulunkulu futsi usite labanye?

⁷ Kwesitsatfu, kukhonta kwetfu Jehova sibe singati kutsi utalibhubhisa nini lelive, kusikhutsata kutsi singatigodli kodvwa sisebentise kuphila kwetfu simkhonta futsi sisita nalabanye. Labanye lamuhla labangamkhonti Nkulunkulu bayakholelwa kutsi lomhlaba utawubhujiswa. Njengobe bayesaba inhlekelele letawenteka kulomhlaba, batitjela kutsi “kuncono sidle sinatse, ngobe kusasa sitawufa.” (1 Khor. 15:32) Ngakulolunye luhlangotsi, tsine asesabi lutfo, futsi asinaki nje kuphela loko lokutawuzuzisa tsine. (Taga 18:1) Esikhundleni saloko, siyatinikela sisebentise sikhatsi setfu, emandla naletinye tintfo kute sitjele labanye tindzaba letimnandzi teMbuso waNkulunkulu. (Fundza Matewu 16:24.) Umsebenti wetfu lesiwentela Nkulunkulu uyasijabulisa, ikakhulukati njengobe sisita labanye kutsi bamati.

8. Ngusiphi sibonelo lesiseBhayibhelini lesikhombisa kutsi kufanele setsembele kakhulu kuJehova naseVini lakhe?

⁸ Kwesine, kungalati lilanga lembhubhiso kuyasisita kutsi setsembele kakhulu kuJehova futsi sitimisele kusebentisa liVi lakhe ekuphileni kwetfu. Njengobe sinesono lobunye butsakatsaka lesinabo ngumkhuba wekutetsemba. Pawula wecwayisa onkhe emaKhristu watsi: “Lotsi umile, akacaphele kutsi angawi.” Bantfu labangu-23 000 labangazange bamlalele Jehova bafa  ngembikwekutsi Joshuwa ahole bantfu baNkulunkulu abayise eVeni Lesetsembiso. Pawula wachubeka watsi: “Konkhe loko . . . kwabhalwa phansi njengesecwayiso kitsi tsine lesesifikelwe sikhatsi sekugcina.”—1 Khor. 10:8, 11, 12.

9. Tilingo tingakucinisa njani kukholwa kwetfu futsi tisente sisondzele kuNkulunkulu?

⁹ Indlela yesihlanu lesizuza ngayo ngekungalati lilanga lesiphelo kutsi tinkinga lesihlangabetana nato nyalo tiyasisita sicinise kukholwa kwetfu. (Fundza Tihlabelelo 119:71.) Emalanga ekugcina lesiphila kuwo vele ‘atikhatsi letimatima.’ (2 Thim. 3:1-5) Bantfu labanyenti labakulelive lelibuswa nguSathane bayasenyanya, ngako singahle sihlushwe ngenca yekukholwa kwetfu. (Joh. 15:19; 16:2) Nangabe sititfoba futsi sifuna sicondziso saNkulunkulu nasibhekene netikhatsi letimatima, kukholwa kwetfu kutawucina. Asiphelelwa ngemandla, kodvwa esikhundleni saloko sitawusondzela kuJehova kakhulu kunaloko lebesikucabanga.—Jak. 1:2-4; 4:8.

10. Yini leyenta kubonakale shengatsi sikhatsi siyagijima?

¹⁰ Sikhatsi singabonakala sihamba kancane nobe kakhulu. Nangabe simatasatasa singasibuki sikhatsi, kuba shengatsi siyagijima. Ngendlela lefanako, nasinaka kakhulu umsebenti Jehova lasinike wona, lilanga lembhubhiso yakhe lingafika singakanaki. Labanyenti labagcotjiwe basibonelo lesihle kitsi, ngobe bamatasatasa emsebentini waNkulunkulu. Ase sitsi caphucaphu ngaloko lokwenteka ngemuva kwekubekwa kwaJesu njengeNkhosi nga-1914 futsi sibone kutsi labanye bakhombisa njani kutsi bebakulungele babe labanye bangakakulungeli.

11. Ngemuva kwa-1914, yini leyenta labanye kulabagcotjiwe bacabanga kutsi iNkhosi iyephuta?

¹¹ Ase siphindze sicabange ngemfanekiso waJesu, wetintfombi letilishumi newemathalenta. Kube letintfombi letilishumi nobe letisebenti kulemifanekiso betati kutsi umkhwenyana nobe inkhosi itawufika nini, bekutawuba bete sidzingo sekutsi tihlale tilindzile. Ngesizatfu sekutsi betingati, kwadzingeka kutsi tihlale tilindzile. Nanobe labagcotjiwe bebati kutsi umnyaka wa-1914 ukhetsekile, bebangakucondzi loko bekutakwenteka ngalowo mnyaka. Ngesikhatsi tintfo tingenteki ngendlela labebacabanga ngayo, bekungaba shengatsi uMkhwenyana uyephuta. Ngemuva kwesikhatsi lomunye umzalwane watsi: “Lidlazana letfu belicabanga kutsi sitawuhamba siye ezulwini ngeliviki lekucala la-October [1914].”

12. Labagcotjiwe bakhombisa njani kutsi basisebenti lesetsembekile nalesihlakaniphile?

¹² Cabanga kutsi bekungadvumata njani kugadza kutsi kufike kuphela kodvwa kungefiki. Ngetulu kwaloko, labazalwane bashushiswa ngeMphi Yelive Yekucala. Umsebenti wekushumayela wacishe wema, kwaba shengatsi labagcotjiwe balele. Kodvwa nga-1919, kukhona lokwabavusa. Jesu wefika kute atewuhlola bonkhe labo labatsi bangemaKhristu. Kwatfolakala kutsi labanye labagcotjiwe akusabafaneli kusebentela iNkhosi lenguJesu. (Mat. 25:16) Kwaba shengatsi balele bafanana netintfombi letitilima letingazange tigcwalise emafutsa etibane tato. Bebaphindze bafanane nesisebenti lesivilaphako, ngobe bebangakatimiseli kutinikela ngenca yeMbuso. Nobe kunjalo, linyenti lalabagcotjiwe lakhombisa kuba nebucotfo nesifiso lesicinile sekukhonta iNkhosi ngisho nobe bebabhekene netikhatsi letimatima.

13. Labagcotjiwe bebanasiphi simo sengcondvo ngemuva kwa-1914, futsi banasiphi simo sengcondvo lamuhla?

¹³ Ngemuva kwa-1914, magazini we-Sicongosekulindza waveta nali liphuzu lelibalulekile: “Bazalwane, tsine lesinebudlelwane lobuhle naNkulunkulu asidvumateki ngemalungiselelo aKhe. Besingafisi kutsi  tintfo tenteke ngendlela yetfu; ngako-ke ngalesikhatsi sitfola kutsi loko lebesicabanga kutsi kutawenteka nga-October, 1914 akusilo liciniso, sajabula ngekutsi iNkhosi ayizange ilushintje Luhlelo lwaYo. Bekungasiso sifiso setfu kutsi ilushintje. Lesasikufisa kulwati kahle luhlelo netinjongo taYo.” Labagcotjiwe lamuhla bakhombisa simo lesifanako sekutitfoba nesekutinikela. Abatishayi sifuba batsi baphefumulelwe, kodvwa batimisele kwenta umsebenti iNkhosi lebanikete wona emhlabeni. Nyalo emaKhristu lakha “sicumbi lesikhulu” ‘saletinye timvu,’ letinelitsemba lekuphila emhlabeni alingisa sibonelo salabagcotjiwe.—Semb. 7:9; Joh. 10:16.

14. Kunamatsela endleleni Nkulunkulu lasondla ngayo kusivikela njani?

¹⁴ Njengobe kwenta emaKhristu lagcotjiwe, emalunga laphapheme esicumbi lesikhulu anamatsela endleleni Nkulunkulu layisebentisako kute awondle. Kuba shengatsi nawo agcwalisa tibane tawo ngemafutsa laliVi laNkulunkulu nemoya wakhe. (Fundza Tihlabelelo 119:130; Johane 16:13, NW.) Njengobe nawo aciniswa, akulungela kahle kubuya kwaKhristu, ahlala amatasatasa emsebentini waJehova ngisho nasetimeni letilukhuni. Nasi sibonelo: Kulenye inkambu yelijele lemaNazi, ekucaleni bazalwane labebalapho bebanalinye liBhayibheli. Ngako-ke, bathantazela kutsi batfole tincwadzi letinyenti. Akuzange kuphele sikhatsi lesidze bathantazile, beva kutsi lomunye umzalwane losandza kuboshelwa kulenkambu ute nemakhophi lambalwa e-Sicongosekulindza lesisha awafihle emlenteni wakhe wekufakelwa. Lomunye walabo labasindza kulenkambu, kwakungumzalwane logcotjiwe, Ernst Wauer, watsi: “Jehova wasisita ngendlela lesimanga sakwati kukhumbula emaciniso lakhutsatako labekakulabomagazini.” Wachubeka watsi: “Lamuhla, kumelula kutfola tincwadzi letisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Siyakujabulela yini kutifundza? Ngiyaciniseka kutsi Jehova ubabekele tibusiso letinhle labo labetsembela kuye, labagcina bucotfo nalabadla etafuleni lakhe.”

15, 16. Wabusiswa njani umsebenti wenkhutsalo lowentiwa ngulamanye emaKhristu lashadene, futsi yini wena loyifundzako kuloku lokuhlangenwe nako?

¹⁵ Letinye timvu tihlala timatasatasa emsebentini weNkhosi kute telekelele bomnakaboKhristu. (Mat. 25:40) Ngalokungafani nesisebenti lesibi nalesivilaphako Jesu lakhuluma ngaso emfanekisweni wakhe,  titimisele kutinikela tiphindze tente konkhe lokusemandleni kute tibeke uMbuso kucala. Nasi sibonelo: Ngalesikhatsi Jon naMasako bacelwa kutsi bayosita endzaweni lenebantfu labakhuluma siShayina eKenya, ekucaleni bebangaciniseki kutsi batawuya. Ngemuva kwekuthantaza ngalendzaba bacabangela netimo tabo, bancuma kutfutsela khona.

¹⁶ Nkulunkulu wababusisa ngaloko labakwenta. Batsi: “Siyijabulela kakhulu insimu kulendzawo lesitfutsele kuyo.” Bacala tifundvo letisikhombisa teliBhayibheli, futsi kunalokuhlangenwe nako lokunyenti labakujabulela. Ekwephetseni batsi: “Simbonga onkhe malanga Jehova ngekusivumela kutsi sitfutsele kulendzawo.” Kuliciniso kutsi kunebazalwane nabodzadze labanyenti labakhombisile kutsi bafuna kuba matasatasa ekukhonteni Nkulunkulu ngisho nome kuphela kungafika nini. Cabanga ngetinkhulungwane talabo labaphotfule eSikolweni saseGileyadi labatitfunywa telivangeli. Fundza ngemsebenti lokhetsekile wabo ngephansi kwesihloko lesitsi “Senza Okusemandleni Ethu!” lesiku-Sicongosekulindza sa-October 15, 2001, ngesiZulu. Njengobe ufundza lokwatiswa lokumayelana nenjabulo labayitfolako lilanga nelilanga emsebentini wetitfunywa telivangeli, cabanga ngetindlela longandzisa ngato umsebenti lowentela Nkulunkulu, futsi loko kungakwenta ujabule.

17. Kungalati lilanga lekubhujiswa kwalomhlaba kusibusiso njani kitsi?

¹⁷ Kuyacaca kutsi kungalati ngalokucondzile lilanga Nkulunkulu latawubhubhisa ngalo lelive lelibuswa nguSathane, kube sibusiso kitsi. Esikhundleni sekutsi sikhatsateke nobe sidvumale, sitikhandza sisondzela kakhulu kuJehova, longuBabe wetfu lonelutsandvo, njengobe siyenta ngenhlitiyo yonkhe intsandvo yakhe. Kwenta umsebenti Jesu lasiniketa wona futsi sibalekele tiphatamiso, kusenta sijabule kakhulu emsebentini weNkhosi.—Luk. 9:62.

18. Yini lesenta singafuni kwehlisa emandla ekukholweni kwetfu?

¹⁸ Sesisondzele kakhulu elangeni laNkulunkulu lekwehlulela. Kute kitsi lofuna kudvumata Jehova nobe Jesu. Basinikete umsebenti lobalulekile naloligugu kulamalanga ekugcina. Sijabula kakhulu ngekusetsemba kwabo.—Fundza 1 Thimothi 1:12.

19. Singakhombisa njani kutsi sililungele lilanga laJehova?

¹⁹ Ngisho nobe sineletsemba lekuphila ezulwini nobe ePharadisi emhlabeni, asitimisele kuwenta ngekwetsembeka umsebenti Nkulunkulu lasinikete wona wekushumayela nekwenta bafundzi. Sisengakalati ngalokucondze ngco lilanga nobe li-awa lelitawufika ngalo lilanga laJehova, futsi kute sidzingo sekulati. Sitawuchubeka sililungele. (Mat. 24:36, 44) Siyaciniseka kutsi nasetsembele kuJehova futsi sibeka uMbuso wakhe kucala, angeke sidvumateke.—Rom. 10:11.