1, 2. (a) UJesu wathini ngemihla yokuphela? (b) Sizokucoca ngamiphi imibuzo?

MBONE uJesu engqondwenakho ahlezi eNtabeni yama-Oliva athe njo ethempelini eliseJerusalema. Uhlezi nabapostoli bakhe, uPitrosi, u-Andrisi, uJakopo noJwanisi. Bavule iindlebe nje bakarwe siphorofido uJesu abatjela sona ngezinto ezizokwenzeka ngomuso. Isiphorofidwesi sikhuluma ngezinto ezizokwenzeka emihleni yokuphela, esikhathini lapho uJesu azokuba yiKosi yomBuso kaZimu khona. Ahlathulule-ke uJesu ukuthi esikhathini esizakweso ‘incekwakhe ethembekileko nehlakaniphileko’ izomjamelela ephasinapha, beyiphakele abalandeli bakhe ukudla okungokomfanekiso ngesikhathi esifaneleko.—Matewu 24:45-47.

² Kiso isiphorofidweso, uJesu utjho umfanekiso wamatlawu alitjhumi. (Funda uMatewu 25:1-13.) Esihlokwenesi  sizokuphendula nasi imibuzo: (1) Umfanekiso lo ukhuluma ngani? (2) Abakhethiweko basisebenzise njani isiluleko esisemfanekisweni lo? (3) Namhlanjesi, yini engafundwa nginanyana ngubani wethu emfanekisweni kaJesu lo?

3. Eminyakeni edlulileko le, iincwadi zethu beziwuhlathulula njani umfanekiso wamatlawu alitjhumi? Lokho bekuba namuphi umphumela?

³ Esihlokweni esibuya kiswesiya, sifunde ukuthi eminyakeni edlulileko le, inceku ethembekileko ilungise indlela ehlathulula ngayo ezinye zeendaba eziseBhayibhelini. Yeke, idzimelele khulu kilokho esingakufunda besikusebenzise kunokobana isolo ihlathulula bona indaba leyo ifanekisela ini, nokuthi isiphorofidweso sitjho ukuthini. Akhesenze isibonelo ngomfanekiso kaJesu wamatlawu alitjhumi. Iincwadi zethu bezifundisa bonyana iimbani, amafutha nemijekanawo zifanekisela umuntu namkha into ethileko. Kghani lokho kutjho bona ukusolo sihlathululana nezintwezi kusithe umlayezo orhabako womfanekiso lo? Ipendulo yomBuzo lo iqakathekile.

4. Emfanekisweni lo, (a) sazi njani bonyana umkhwenyana ngubani? (b) sazi njani ukuthi amatlawu bobani?

⁴ Khesihlolisise bona kuhlekuhle umfanekiso lo ukhuluma ngani. Asithome ngokucoca ngabantu abasemfanekisweni wamatlawu alitjhumi lo. Ngubani umkhwenyana? NguJesu. Lokho sikutjhwiso kukuthi ngaphambi kwalokho uJesu khewatjho ukuthi umkhwenyana. (Lukasi 5:34, 35) Bobani-ke abamatlawu? Amatlawu la ‘amhlanjana omncani’ wamaKrestu akhethiweko. Kubayini sitjho njalo? Phela emfanekisweni lo, amatlawu la bekufuze ahlale alinde umkhwenyana ngeembani bekube kulapho afika khona. Ngikho-ke uJesu atjela abakhethiweko wathi kibo: “Yembathani nilungele umsebenzi, neembani zenu zihlale zivutha, njengamadoda alinde ikosawo kobana ibuye emnyanyeni womtjhado.” (Lukasi 12:32, 35, 36) Umpostoli uPowula noJwanisi nabo khebamadanisa abalandeli bakaKrestu abakhethiweko namatlawu amsulwa. (2 Korinte 11:2; IsAmbulo 14:4) Sesikuzwisisa kuhle-ke kwanjesi bona iseluleko nesiyeleliso esiya ematlawini alitjhumi akuMatewu 25:1-13, kuhlekuhle siya kubalandeli bakaJesu abakhethiweko.

5. UJesu ukuveza njani ukuthi umfanekiswakhe lo uzokwenzeka nini?

⁵ Umbuzo olandelako uthi, abakhethiwekwaba bekufuze basisebenzise nini isiluleko sakaJesu? Kunamezwi uJesu awatjho ngekugcineni komfanekiso lo. Uthi: “Umyeni wafika.” (Matewu 25:10) IsiThala sakaJulayi 15, 2013 sathi isiphorofido sakaJesu esikuMatewu 24 no-25 siveza isenzo esithi “ukufika” iinkhathi ezibunane. UJesu nakakhuluma “ngokufika” kwakhe,  kuhlekuhle usuke akhuluma ngokufika kwakhe ngesikhathi sesizi elikhulu azokwahlulela bekarhayile iphasi elonakelekweli. Yeke siphetha ngokuthi umfanekiso kaJesu lo uzokwenzeka esikhathini sokuphela kodwana yena ‘uzokufika’ hlangana nesizi elikhulu.

6. Ngimuphi umlayezo osebaleni womfanekiso lo?

⁶ Ngimuphi umlayezo osebaleni emfanekisweni lo? Ungalibali ukuthi amanye amavesi aseBhayibhelini angaba mthelela endabeni le. KuMatewu 24 uJesu ukhulume “ngenceku ehlakaniphileko.” Inceku le siqhenyana samadoda akhethiweko azokudosa abalandeli bakaKrestu phambili emihleni yokuphela. UJesu watjho nokuthi amadoda la kufuze ahlale athembekile. Yeke kuMatewu 25 bakaJesu khani asebenzisa umfanekiso wamatlawu alitjhumi, kiwo woke ozokuba mlandelakhe okhethiweko emihleni yokuphela. Umlayezo kaJesu kibo ngewokuthi ‘bahlale balindile’ khona bangazokulahlekelwa yipilo yezulwini abayithenjisiweko. (Matewu 25:13) Akhesiwuhlolisise godu umfanekiso lo sibone ukuthi abakhethiweko basisebenzisile na iseluleko sakaJesu.

7, 8. (a) Kubayini sithi amatlawu ahlakaniphileko bekakulungele ukwamukela umkhwenyana? (b) Abakhethiweko bona bakubhincele njani ukufika kwakamkhwenyana?

⁷ Emfanekiswenakhe, uJesu ugandelela iphuzu lokuthi amatlawu ahlakaniphileko bekakulungele ukufika komkhwenyana kunalawo aziindlhadlha. Kubayini? Ngombana bekazilungiselele, alindile. Woke amatlawu la bekufuze angabunuki ubuthongo, alinde ngokuhlala akhanyise iimbani ebusuku. Amatlawu amahlanu ahlakaniphileko bekakulungele ngombana bekaphethe amafutha amanengi neembani, aphala aziindlhadlha la. Alo-ke, amaKrestu akhethiweko akubhincele njani ukufika kwakaJesu?

⁸ Abakhethiweko bazimisele ukwenza isabelo sabo bekube sekugcineni. Bazi kuhle bona umsebenzi abawenzela uZimu lo ufuna badele koke okusephasini lakaSathana. Nanyana kunjalo bazimisele ukuwenza. Baqede nehliziywabo bonyana bazokuthembeka ekwenzeni umsebenzi kaJehova lo. Alo-ke bazakuthi bahlaleleni ngombana nasi nesiphelo sisemnyango. Lokho abakwenzi ngombana batjho ukuphela kufikile kodwana bakwenziswa lithando abanalo ngaye nangeNdodanakhe. Abafuni ukungena ngehloko ezintweni uZimu angazifuniko njengokuthanda imali, ukuziphatha okumbi, nobumarhamaru obuzele iphaseli. Njengamatlawu alitjhumi ebekalinde ngeembani, abakhethiweko nabo bakhanyisa zabo iimbani, bahlala balindele umkhwenyana bona afike ngitjho nanyana abonakala ngasuthi uyariyada.—Filipi 2:15.

9. (a) UJesu wabayelelisa wathini ngendaba yokuyenda? (b) Kghani abakhethiweko barhwelele na, bathi: “Nangu umyeni”? (Qala umtlolo ongenzasi.)

 ⁹ Enye into eyenza amatlawu ahlakaniphile alungela ukufika kwakamkhwenyana kukuthi bebasolo balindile. Kodwana emfanekisweni lo, woke amatlawu alitjhumi ‘ayayenda’ agcine sele alele njengombana bekungasuthi umkhwenyana uyariyada. Kghani kuyenzeka na ngamaKrestu akhethiweko namhlanje bona ‘agcina sekalele,’ namkha athikamezeke ekulindeleni kwawo uKrestu? Iye. UJesu bekazi ukuthi liphandlwa liqalile, okutjho bona nanyana umuntu angazimisela kangangani ukuhlala aqalile, angathikamezeka njengombana amlindile. Ngikho-ke abakhethiweko kufuze bakhuphe amehlo enyameni, benze koke abangakwenza khona bazakuhlala balindile. Sikutjhwiso yini lokho? Phela emfanekisweni lo, woke amatlawu alitjhumi ayarhuwelela athi: “Nangu umyeni!” Nanyana kunjalo, matlawu alitjhumi kwaphela ebekakulungele ukufika komyeni lo. (Matewu 25:5, 6; 26:41) Kuyafana nanamhlanjesi. Emihleni yokuphela le amaKrestu akhethiweko athembekileko arhuwelele athi: “Nangu umyeni!” Bamukele ukuthi nakunguJesu yena uyeza, begodu bamlinde ngabovu.  * (Qala umtlolo ongenzasi.) Kodwana akhesihlolisise amezwi avala umfanekiso kaJesu lo. Amezwi la kunesikhathi aqalisele kiso. Ngisiphi?

10. Ngimiphi imibuzo esingaba nayo ngendaba yokuthi amatlawu aziindlhadlha abawe amafutha kahlakaniphileko?

¹⁰ Nasewuyokuphela umfanekiso lo uveza ukuthi amatlawu aziindlhadlha abawa ahlakaniphileko amafutha bona akhanyise iimbani zawo. Kodwana amatlawu ahlakaniphileko abhala nawo. (Funda uMatewu 25:8, 9.) Kanti kwakhe kwenzeka na bona amaKrestu athembekileko nakhethiweko ale ukusiza umuntu? Ungalibali ukuthi sifuna ukwazi isikhathi umfanekiso lo ozokwenzeka ngaso. Siyazi ukuthi uJesu umkhwenyana uzokufika nekuyokuphela isizi elikhulu. Yeke kungenzeka bona ingcocwabo yokubawana amafutha le izokwenzeka ngaphambi kokuphela kwesizi elikhulu. Kubayini sitjho njalo? Sitjho ngombana abakhethiweko bazabe sebatshwaywe kwamaswaphelo.

11. (a) Khuyini ezokwenzeka ngaphambi kobana kuthome isizi elikhulu? (b) Bekatjho ukuthini amatlawu ahlakaniphileko nakazakutjela aziindlhadlha bona akakhambe ayokuthenga amafutha?

¹¹ Yeke ngaphambi kobana isizi elikhulu lithome, woke umuntu okhethiweko nothembekileko ephasini ngesikhatheso uzabe sekatshwaywe kwamaswaphelo. (IsAmbulo 7:1-4) Begodu siyaqiniseka bona bangaya ezulwini nanyana kunini mhlokho. Kodwana cabanga ukuthi kuyokwenzekani kabakhethiweko abangakathembeki, abangakhenge balinde eminyakeni eyandulela isizi elikhulu? Nakulitshwayo lamaswaphelo lona angekhe balifumane. Yeke kuyokufuze bona kukhethwe amanye amaKrestu athembekileko  esikhundleni sabo ngesikhatheso. Nakuthoma isizi elikhulu, abakhethiweko abaziindlhadlha ezabuya nentambo ekuthezeni bazokumangala ngokubona iBhabhiloni eliKhulu lirhayilwa bangakatshwaywa. Kulapho-ke bazokulemuka khona ukuthi bebangakakulindeli ukufika kwakaJesu. Yini eyokwenzeka ngesikhatheso nabathoma bathi bafuna isizo? Ipendulo yombuzo lo isemfanekisweni. Uthi amatlawu ahlakaniphileko azolikhomba libaba, angabanikeli amafutha, awatjele nokuthi awakhambe ayowathenga. Alo azawathenga kwabani amafutha “phakathi kobusuku”? Bazabe bangakabuzi elangeni!

12. (a) Hlangana nesizi elikhulu, kuzokwenzekani ngalabo abakhethiweko kodwana abangakathembeki ngaphambi kokutshwaywa kwamaswaphelo? (b) Kuzokwenzekani ngalabo abanjengamatlawu aziindlhadlha?

¹² Njengombana isizi elikhulu lizokurhagala nje abathembekileko babakhethiweko angekhe bakghone ukusiza abangakathembeki. Isikhathi sizabe sikhambile. Yeke, kuzokwenzekani kilabo abangakathembeki? Tjheja bona kwenzekani ematlawini aziindlhadlha: “Wafika umyeni. Amatlawu ebegade azilungiselele angena naye ngemnyanyeni womtjhado. Umnyango wavalwa.” UJesu nakafika ephazimulwenakhe ngekupheleni kwesizi elikhulu, uzokubuthela boke abakhethiweko abathathe baye ezulwini. (Matewu 24:31; 25:10; Jwanisi 14:1-3; 1 Thesalonika 4:17) Kodwana nakungilabo abangakathembeki uzobaphara phasi okwethimila. Njengamatlawu aziindlhadlha lawa bazakuthi: “Kosi, Kosi! Sivulela singene!” Kodwana uJesu uzokuthini? Maye kuzakutlhuwisa kangangani nakabatjela amezwi afana nalawo azowatjela inengi labantu abaziimbuzi: “Ngiqinisile ngiyanitjela ngithi anginazi.”—Matewu 7:21-23; 25:11, 12.

13. (a) Kubayini kungakafaneli siphethe ngokuthi inengi labakhethiweko angekhe lithembeke? (b) Kubayini sithi umfanekiso kaJesu uveza ukuthi uyabathemba abakhathiweko bakhe? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

¹³ Kghani uJesu bekatjho bona inengi labakhethiweko angekhe lithembeke, bekutlhogeke bona kukhethwe abanye? Awa. KuMatewu 24, sifunda ukuthi uJesu waluma inceku ehlakaniphileko indlebe ukuthi ingathomi ibe yinceku ekhohlakeleko. Lokho akutjho bona uJesu bekalindele bonyana lokho kwenzeke. Kuyafana-ke nangomfanekiso wamatlawu alitjhumi. Njengombana amatlawu amahlanu aziindlhadlha amanye amahlanu ahlakaniphile, umKrestu okhethiweko ngamunye kufuze azilungiselele ahlale alindile. Nakangakwenzi lokho angagcina asidlhadlha namkha angakathembeki. NoPowula wakhe watjho into efanako nekayelelisa abazalwana bakhe abakhethiweko. (Funda amaHebheru 6:4-9; umadanise noDuteronomi 30:19.) Bekufanele bona atjho njalo, kodwana bekanethemba lokuthi abazalwana bakhe bazowufumana umvuzo. Usiyeleliso esisemfanekisweni wamatlawu alitjhumi siveza bona uJesu  uyabathemba abakhethiweko. Uyazi ukuthi iinceku zakhe ezikhethiweko zizokuhlala zithembekile khona zizokuthola umvuzo!

14. Kubayini ‘nezinye izimvu’ singazuza emfanekisweni wamatlawu alitjhumi?

¹⁴ Umfanekiso kaJesu lo bewukhuluma namaKrestu akhethiweko. Kodwana inga-kghani ‘ezinye izimvu’ zakaKrestu zingazuza kiwo? (Jwanisi 10:16) Iye! Umlayezo womfanekiso lo ubulula khulu, uthi: “Hlalani nilindile.” UJesu kwewathi: “Lokho engikutjho kini, ngikutjho kibo boke: Qaphelani!” (Markosi 13:37) UJesu yena ufuna boke abalandeli bakhe bahlale bazilungiselele, balindile. Woke amaKrestu kufuze enze njengombana kwenza abakhethiweko, endabeni yokwenza izinto zakaJehova qangi epilwenawo. Ungalibali phela ukuthi amatlawu aziindlhadlha agcina sele abawa amafutha ematlawini ahlakaniphileko abatjela bona balale balahlile, amafutha wona angekhe bawathole. Isenzwesi sisikhumbuza bona kusemandlenethu ukuthembeka kuZimu nokuthi sihlale silindile. Akukho namunye ongasenzela khona. Omunye nomunye kithi uzokujama phambi komahluleli olungileko, uJesu Krestu, sikhuluma nje osendleleni ezako. Bakwethu, asihlale silindile!

15. Kubayini sithi umtjhado kaKrestu nomlobokazakhe uyasithabisa thina maKrestu sisoke?

¹⁵ Woke amaKrestu ayawuthabela umtjhado osemfanekisweni kaJesu. Esikhathini esingaqedi ihliziyo, ngemva kwepi ye-Arimagedoni, abakhethiweko bazakuba mlobokazi kaKrestu. (IsAmbulo 19:7-9) Yeke woke umuntu osephasini uzokuzuza okunengi emtjhadweni wezulwini lo. Kubayini sitjho njalo? Ngombana abantwaba bazokuba ngurhulumende opheleleko obusa woke umuntu. Yeke-ke kungakhathaliseki bona siyokuphila ephasini namkha ezulwini kufuze sizimisele ukuhlala silindile sizilungiselele. Nasingenza njalo, sizokuthabela koke uJehova asilungiselele khona esikhathini esizako!