1-3. (a) Iziphi izimo ezicacisa iphuzu lemifanekiso kaJesu emibili? (b) Imiphi imibuzo okudingeka siyiphendule?

ZICABANGE ucelwa isikhulu esivelele ukuba usiyise emhlanganweni obalulekile ngemoto. Nokho, kusasele imizuzu embalwa ngaphambi kokuba usilande ukuze usiyise kulowo mhlangano, uqaphela ukuthi uphethiloli awanele ukunifikisa khona. Kudingeka uphuthume uyowuthenga. Lapho usahambile, isikhulu sisale sifika. Siyakuqalaza kodwa asikutholi. Asikwazi ukulinda, ngakho sicela omunye umuntu ukuba asihambise. Usheshe ubuye bese uqaphela ukuthi leso sikhulu sesihambile. Ubungazizwa kanjani?

² Manje zicabange uyileso sikhulu futhi ukhethe amadoda amathathu owathembayo ukuba akwenzele umsebenzi othile obalulekile. Uyawachazela ukuthi yini ehilelekile futhi womathathu avuma ngaphandle kokunqikaza. Nokho, lapho ubuya emva kwesikhathi esithile, uthola ukuthi mabili kuphela awenzile umsebenzi wawo. Okubi nakakhulu ukuthi lena engawenzanga ibeka izaba. Empeleni, ayizange izame ngisho nokuzama. Ubungazizwa kanjani?

³ Emfanekisweni wakhe wezintombi nowamathalenta, uJesu wasebenzisa izimo ezicishe zifane nalezi ukuze acacise ukuthi kungani amanye amaKristu agcotshiwe phakathi nesikhathi sokuphela ayeyoba athembekile naqondayo, kodwa amanye angabi njalo. * (Math. 25:1-30) Wagcizelela iphuzu lakhe ngokuthi: “Ngakho-ke, hlalani nilindile, ngoba anilwazi usuku noma ihora”—okungukuthi, isikhathi uJesu ayokhipha ngaso isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu ezweni likaSathane. (Math. 25:13) Singasisebenzisa leso seluleko namuhla. Singazuza kanjani ngokuhlale silindile, njengoba uJesu asikhuthaza? Obani abaye bazibonakalisa bekulungele ukusinda? Yini okumelwe siyenze manje ukuze sihlale silindile?

4. Kungani ‘ukuhlale uphapheme’ kungasho ukulokhu ubheke isikhathi?

⁴ Ezinye zezinto esizenzayo, njengokusebenza embonini, ukuya kudokotela, noma ukuhamba ngezinto zomphakathi, zidinga ukuba sigcine isikhathi esibekiwe. Nokho, ukulokhu ubheka isikhathi lapho wenza eminye imisebenzi enjengokucima umlilo noma wokutakula ngemva kokugadla kwenhlekelele, kungakuthikameza, noma kungabangela ingozi, okuyinto embi nakakhulu. Ezimweni ezinjalo, kubaluleke kakhulu ukugxila emsebenzini owenziwayo kunokugxila esikhathini esibekiwe. Njengoba ukuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto kulokhu kusondela, umsebenzi wokubonisa abantu amalungiselelo kaJehova ensindiso ubaluleke kunanini ngaphambili. Ukuhlale siphapheme njengamaKristu akusho ukulokhu sibheka isikhathi. Eqinisweni, kunezindlela okungenani eziyisihlanu esizuza ngazo ngokungalwazi usuku oluqondile noma ihora ukuphela okuyofika ngalo.

5. Ukungalwazi usuku noma ihora kungasiza kanjani ekuboniseni lokho okusezinhliziyweni zethu?

⁵ Eyokuqala, ukungazi kwethu ukuthi ukuphela kuyofika nini kusinikeza ithuba lokubonisa lokho ngempela okusezinhliziyweni zethu. Eqinisweni, ukungazi kubonisa ukuthi uJehova uyasihlonipha, usinika ithuba lokuba sibonise ubuqotho bethu kuye ngokuzithandela. Nakuba sikulangazelela ukusinda lapho lesi simiso siphela, sikhonza uJehova ngoba simthanda, hhayi ngoba nje sifuna ukuthola ukuphila. (Funda iHubo 37:4.) Siyajabula ngokwenza intando kaNkulunkulu, futhi siyaqaphela ukuthi usifundisa okusizuzisayo. (Isaya 48:17) Cha, asiyizwa iwumthwalo imiyalo yakhe.—1 Joh. 5:3.

6. UNkulunkulu uzizwa kanjani lapho simkhonza ngoba simthanda, futhi ngani?

⁶ Inzuzo yesibili yokungalwazi usuku noma ihora ukuthi kusinika ithuba lokwenza inhliziyo kaJehova ijabule. Lapho simkhonza ngoba simthanda—hhayi ngenxa yosuku noma ngenxa nje yomvuzo—siba nengxenye ekuphenduleni kukaJehova ukukloloda okungasekelwe ndawo kwesitha sakhe, uSathane. (Jobe 2:4, 5; funda izAga 27:11.) Sicabanga ngabo bonke ubuhlungu nosizi uDeveli aye wakubangela, sibusekela ngenjabulo ubukhosi bukaJehova futhi senqabe ukubusa kukaSathane okubi.

7. Kungani ucabanga ukuthi ukuphishekela ukuphila kokuzidela kuyinto efiselekayo?

⁷ Eyesithathu, ukukhonza kwethu singacabangi ngosuku oluthile kusikhuthaza ukuba siphishekele ukuphila kokuzidela. Abanye abantu namuhla abangamazi uNkulunkulu nabo bayakholelwa ukuthi leli zwe esiphila kulo ngeke liqhubeke likhona isikhathi eside. Ukwesaba kwabo inhlekelele ethile engase igadle noma nini kubenza babe nalesi simo sengqondo: “Masidle siphuze, ngoba kusasa sizokufa.” (1 Kor. 15:32) Ngokungefani nabo, thina asesabi. Asivumi ukuzihlukanisa nabanye abantu ngenjongo yokwanelisa izifiso zethu zobugovu. (IzAga 18:1) Kunalokho, siyazidela futhi ngesihle sisebenzisa isikhathi sethu, amandla nezinye izinto zethu ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (Funda uMathewu 16:24.) Sithola injabulo ngokukhonza uNkulunkulu, ikakhulu ngokusiza abanye ukuba bamazi.

8. Isiphi isibonelo esiseBhayibhelini esibonisa ukuthi kungani kudingeka sithembele ngokuphelele kuJehova naseZwini lakhe?

⁸ Inzuzo yesine yokungalwazi kwethu usuku noma ihora ukuthi kusisiza sithembele ngokuphelele kuJehova futhi sikukhuthalele ukusebenzisa iZwi lakhe ekuphileni kwethu. Esinye isici esivelele sokuba yizoni ukuthambekela esinakho kokuthembela kithi ngokwethu. UPawulu wayala wonke amaKristu: “Lowo ocabanga ukuthi umile makaqaphele angawi.” Abantu abayizinkulungwane ezingu-23 balahlekelwa umusa kaJehova ngaphambi nje kokuba uJoshuwa ahole abantu bakaNkulunkulu bangene eZweni Lesithembiso. UPawulu  uthi: “Lezi zinto . . . zalotshelwa ukuba zibe yisixwayiso kithi esesifikelwe ukuphela kwezimiso zezinto.”—1 Kor. 10:8, 11, 12.

9. Izimo ezinzima zingasicwengisisa kanjani futhi zisisondeze kuNkulunkulu?

⁹ Indlela yesihlanu esizuza ngayo ngokungazi ukuthi ukuphela kuyofika nini ukuthi kusinikeza ithuba lokucwengisiswa izimo ezinzima zanamuhla. (Funda iHubo 119:71.) Izinsuku zokugcina zalesi simiso ngempela ‘ziyizikhathi ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo.’ (2 Thim. 3:1-5) Abaningi ezweni likaSathane bayasizonda, ngakho singase sishushiswe ngenxa yokholo lwethu. (Joh. 15:19; 16:2) Uma sizithoba futhi sifune isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu lapho sibhekene nalobo bunzima, ukholo lwethu luyocwengisiswa njengokungathi ngomlilo. Ngeke siphele amandla. Kunalokho, siyosondela ngokwengeziwe kuJehova ngendlela esingakaze siyicabange.—Jak. 1:2-4; 4:8.

10. Yini eyenza isikhathi sibonakale sishesha?

¹⁰ Ukuthi isikhathi siyashesha noma cha kuxhomeke kumuntu ngamunye. Lapho simatasa futhi sigxile emsebenzini othile kunokulokhu sibheka iwashi, isikhathi sibonakala sishesha. Ngokufanayo, uma sigxila emsebenzini othakazelisayo uJehova asinike wona, siyothi siqambe siphaphama, lolo suku nalelo hora lube selufikile. Kule ndaba, abaningi abagcotshiweyo baye babeka isibonelo esihle kakhulu. Ake sibukeze kafushane okwenzeka ngemva kokumiswa kukaJesu njengeNkosi ngo-1914 futhi sibone ukuthi abanye bazibonakalisa kanjani belindile kuyilapho abanye behluleka ukwenza kanjalo.

11. Ngemva kuka-1914, kungani abanye babagcotshiweyo baphetha ngokuthi iNkosi iyephuza?

¹¹ Khumbula umfanekiso kaJesu wezintombi nowamathalenta. Ukube izintombi noma izinceku kuleyo mifanekiso zazazi ukuthi umkhwenyana noma inkosi yayiyofika nini, kwakungeke kudingeke ukuba zihlale zilindile. Kodwa zazingazi, ngakho kwakudingeka zihlale zikulungele. Nakuba kwase kungamashumi eminyaka abagcotshiweyo bebheke u-1914 njengonyaka ophawuliwe, babengakuqondi ngokucacile okwakuyokwenzeka. Lapho izinto zingenzeki ngendlela ababeyilindele, kwakungase kubonakale sengathi uMkhwenyana uyephuza. Kamuva, omunye umzalwane wathi, “Abambalwa phakathi kwethu babekholelwa ngempela ukuthi sizokuya ezulwini phakathi nesonto lokuqala lalowo October [ka-1914].”

12. Abagcotshiweyo bazibonakalisa kanjani bethembekile futhi benokuqonda?

¹² Cabanga nje ukuthi kumelwe ukuba kwakudumaza kanjani ukulindela ukuba ukuphela kufike kodwa kungafiki! Ngaphezu kwalokho, abazalwane babhekana nokuphikiswa okuhlobene neMpi Yezwe I. Kwabe sekuqala inkathi okwakungenziwa lutho ngayo, njengokungathi kulelwe. Kodwa ngo-1919, banxuswa ukuba bavuke! UJesu wayesefikile ethempelini likaNkulunkulu elingokomoya, futhi kwase kuyisikhathi sokuhlolwa. Nokho, abanye abaphumelelanga kulokho kuhlolwa futhi balahlekelwa ilungelo labo lokuqhubeka emsebenzini weNkosi. (Math. 25:16) Kwakunjengokungathi babengakukhuthalele ukugcwalisa amafutha abo angokomoya, njengezintombi eziyiziwula. Njengenceku evilaphayo, babengazimisele ukuzidela ngenxa yoMbuso. Nokho, iningi labagcotshiweyo labonisa ubuqotho obungantengantengi nesifiso esinamandla sokukhonza iNkosi yabo ngisho naphakathi kwaleyo minyaka enzima yempi.

13. Isigaba senceku sasinasiphi isimo sengqondo ngemva kuka-1914, futhi sinjani isimo saso sengqondo namuhla?

¹³ Ngemva kuka-1914, INqabayokulinda yesiNgisi yasho la mazwi aphawulekayo: “Bafowethu, labo phakathi kwethu abanesimo sengqondo esifanele ngoNkulunkulu abadumazeki nganoma imaphi amalungiselelo  akhe. Besingafisi ukuba kwenzeke intando yethu; ngakho lapho sithola ukuthi besilindele into okungeyona ngo-October, 1914, khona-ke siye sakujabulela ukuthi iNkosi ayizange ishintshe iNjongo yayo ukuze ivumelane nathi. Besingafisi ukuba yenze kanjalo. Simane sifisa ukuba sikwazi ukuqonda izinhloso nezinjongo zayo.” Lesi simo sengqondo sokuthobeka nokuzinikela sisewuphawu lwabagcotshiweyo beNkosi. Abasho ukuthi baphefumulelwe, kodwa bazimisele ukwenza umsebenzi weNkosi emhlabeni. Manje, “isixuku esikhulu” ‘sezinye izimvu,’ amaKristu anethemba lasemhlabeni, silingisa intshiseko yabo nokuhlala kwabo belindile.—IsAm. 7:9; Joh. 10:16.

14. Ukunamathela emzileni kaNkulunkulu olungiselela ukudla okungokomoya kusilonda kanjani?

¹⁴ NjengamaKristu agcotshiwe, amalungu aphapheme esixuku esikhulu anamathela emzileni uNkulunkulu awumisile ukuba ulungiselele ukudla okungokomoya. Ngenxa yalokho, kunjengokungathi nawo agcwalisa izibani zawo ngamafutha angokomoya avela eZwini likaNkulunkulu nasemoyeni wakhe. (Funda iHubo 119:130; Johane 16:13.) Eqiniswe ngale ndlela, nawo azibonisa ekulungele ukubuya kukaKristu, ahlale ematasa ngisho nalapho ebhekene novivinyo olukhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, kwelinye ikamu lamaNazi elaliyijele, ekuqaleni abazalwane babeneBhayibheli elilodwa vo. Ngakho, bathandazela ukuba bathole ukudla okungokomoya okwengeziwe. Ngemva nje kwalokho bezwa ukuthi umzalwane othile owayesanda kuboshwa wayekwazile ukungena nomagazini abasha abambalwa be-Nqabayokulinda ekamu ebafake ngaphakathi komlenze wakhe wokhuni. Phakathi kwalabo abasinda kwakunomzalwane ogcotshiwe, u-Ernst Wauer, kamuva owakhumbula: “UJehova wasisiza ngendlela emangalisayo ukuba siwabambe ngekhanda amazwi aqinisayo ayekulezo zihloko.” Wabe esethi: “Namuhla, akuve kulula ukuthola ukudla okungokomoya, kodwa ingabe siyakwazisa njalo? Ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova ubagcinele insada yezibusiso labo abamethembayo, bahlale beqotho futhi badle etafuleni lakhe.”

15, 16. Ukushisekela inkonzo yobuKristu komunye umbhangqwana kwavuzwa kanjani, futhi yini ongayifunda kokuhlangenwe nakho okunjalo?

¹⁵ Ezinye izimvu nazo zihlale zimatasa emsebenzini weNkosi, zisekela ngokugcwele abafowabo bakaKristu. (Math. 25:40) Ngokungafani nenceku embi nevilaphayo  yomfanekiso kaJesu, zizimisele ukuzidela nokuzikhandla ekubekeni izithakazelo zoMbuso kuqala. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uJon noMasako becelwa ukuba bayosiza insimu yesiShayina eKenya, baqale banqikaza. Kodwa ngemva kokucabanga ngezimo zabo nangokuthandaza ngazo, banquma ukuthuthela khona.

¹⁶ Bavuzwa kakhulu ngokuzidela kwabo. Bathi: “Ayive imnandi insimu yalapha.” Baqala izifundo zeBhayibheli ezingu-7. Kwabe sekulandela okuhlangenwe nakho okuningi okuthakazelisayo. Baphetha, “Simbonga nsuku zonke uJehova ngokusivumela ukuba sibe lapha.” Yiqiniso, kunabanye abazalwane nodade abaningi abaye babonisa ngezinqumo zabo ukuthi bazimisele ukuba matasa ngokugcwele enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ukuphela kufika nini. Cabanga ngezinkulungwane eziye zathweswa iziqu eSikoleni SaseGileyadi zabe sezingenela inkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli. Kunganjani uzitholele amazwibela aleyo nkonzo ekhethekile ngokufunda isihloko esithi “Senza Okusemandleni!” esavela kuyi-Nqabayokulinda ka-October 15, 2001? Njengoba ubukeza lokho kulandisa okuvusa amadlingozi kosuku emsebenzini wezithunywa zevangeli, cabanga ngezindlela wena ongase wandise ngazo inkonzo yakho kube udumo kuNkulunkulu, futhi kukulethele injabulo.

17. Ukungalwazi usuku noma ihora kuye kwaba kanjani isibusiso?

¹⁷ Ngokusobala, ukungalwazi kwethu usuku oluqondile noma ihora okuzophela ngalo lesi simiso kuye kwaba isibusiso kithi. Kunokuba sikhungatheke noma sidumazeke, sizithola sisondela nakakhulu kuJehova, uBaba wethu onothando, njengoba sizigcina simatasa ekwenzeni intando yakhe. Ukugcina isandla sethu sinjengokungathi sisegejeni nokugwema izithikamezo kuye kwasilethela injabulo enkulu enkonzweni yeNkosi yethu.—Luka 9:62.

18. Kungani singafuni ukuphela amandla okholweni lwethu?

¹⁸ Sisondela ngokushesha osukwini lukaNkulunkulu lokwahlulela. Akekho kithi ofuna ukudumaza uJehova noma uJesu. Basiphathise amalungelo enkonzo ayigugu kulezi zinsuku zokugcina. Yeka ukuthi sikwazisa kanjani ukusethemba kwabo!—Funda eyoku-1 Thimothewu 1:12.

19. Singazibonakalisa kanjani sikulungele?

¹⁹ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ithemba lethu elokujabulela ukuphila ezulwini noma ePharadesi emhlabeni, masizimisele ukuhlale sithembekile esabelweni uNkulunkulu asinike sona sokushumayela nokwenza abafundi. Namanje asilwazi usuku oluqondile noma ihora okuyofika ngalo usuku lukaJehova, futhi akudingeki ngempela silwazi. Singakwazi ukuzibonisa sikulungele futhi siyoqhubeka senza kanjalo. (Math. 24:36, 44) Siyaqiniseka ukuthi uma nje siqhubeka sethembele ngokuphelele kuJehova futhi sibeka uMbuso wakhe kuqala, asisoze sadumazeka.—Roma 10:11.