1. Yini letinye tinceku taNkulunkulu letetsembekile letitibuta yona?

DZADZE lowabeketelela tilingo letinyenti emashumi eminyaka, ngekutitfoba wabuta kutsi: “Ngitakubona yini kuphela ngembikwekutsi ngife?” Labanyenti lasebakhonte Jehova sikhatsi lesidze, batibuta umbuto lofananako. Siyafisa kutsi kufike lilanga lapho Nkulunkulu atawenta tonkhe tintfo tibe tinsha, asuse tinkinga lesibhekene nato. (Semb. 21:5) Nanobe sinetizatfu letinyenti letisenta setsembe kutsi sekudvutane kuphela kwalelive lelibuswa nguSathane, kungaba matima kubeketelela kufika kwalelo langa.

2. Ngumiphi imibuto lemayelana nekubeketela kwaNkulunkulu lesitawucoca ngayo?

² LiBhayibheli likhombisa kutsi kufanele sibeketele. Njengetinceku taNkulunkulu tangesikhatsi lesendlulile, sitakutfola loko lesetsentjiswe kona nguNkulunkulu nangabe sinekukholwa lokucinile futsi simela sikhatsi sakhe lesifanele kute afeze leto tetsembiso. (Fundza Hebheru 6:11, 12.) Jehova uyabeketela. Angabucedza nobe nini bubi lobusemhlabeni, kodvwa umele sikhatsi lesifanele sekwenta njalo. (Rom. 9:20-24) Yini lementa abeketele? Jesu ukukhombise njani kubeketela kwaNkulunkulu? Ngutiphi tibusiso lesitatitfola nasibeketela njengaNkulunkulu? Timphendvulo talemibuto tingasenta sikwati kubeketela futsi sibe nekukholwa lokucinile, ngisho nobe ngalesinye sikhatsi singabona shengatsi Jehova sekumtsetse sikhatsi lesidze kucedza bubi.

3, 4. (a) Yini leyente Jehova wakhombisa kubeketela endzabeni lephatselene nenjongo yakhe ngemhlaba? (b) Yini Jehova layenta ngekuvukela lokwenteka e-Edeni?

³ Jehova unetizatfu letinhle tekubeketela. Kuliciniso kutsi uneligunya leliphakeme kuyo yonkhe indzawo; nobe kunjalo, kuvukela lokwenteka e-Edeni kwaphakamisa imibuto lebalulekile kulabo labaphila emhlabeni  nasezulwini. Jehova abesolo abeketela, ngesizatfu sekutsi uyati kutsi kuphendvula leyo mibuto ngendlela lecacile kutawutsatsa sikhatsi. Njengobe akwati kahle loko lokwentiwa bantfu ezulwini nasemhlabeni, kuyacaca-ke kutsi usentela lokuhle ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi.—Heb. 4:13.

⁴ Kwakuyinjongo yaJehova kutsi titukulwane tabo-Adamu na-Eva tigcwalise wonkhe umhlaba. Ngalesikhatsi Sathane ayenga Eva futsi na-Adamu wangalaleli, Nkulunkulu akazange ayiyekele injongo yakhe. Akazange atatatele nobe ente tintfo angakacabangi, aze ngisho alahle nebantfu. Esikhundleni saloko, wayincuma kusesele sikhatsi indlela latawugcwalisa ngayo injongo yakhe ngebantfu nangemhlaba. (Isa. 55:11) Kute afeze injongo yakhe futsi aphumelelise nebukhosi bakhe, Jehova ukhombise kutibamba lokukhulu nekubeketela, udzimate wema tinkhulungwane teminyaka kute agcwalise tinjongo takhe ngendlela lefanele.

5. Ngutiphi tibusiso lesitawutitfola ngekubeketela kwaJehova?

⁵ Lesinye sizatfu lesente Jehova wabeketela, kutsi ufuna bantfu labanyenti batfole kuphila lokuphakadze. Nyalo, wenta konkhe langakwenta kute asindzise “sicumbi lesikhulu.” (Semb. 7:9, 14; 14:6) Jehova ufinyelela tonkhe tinhlobo tebantfu ngemsebenti lesiwentako wekushumayela, abameme kute batewufundza ngeMbuso wakhe nangetimiso takhe letilungile. Umlayeto weMbuso utindzaba letimnandzi lokufanele tiviwe bantfu—leli ‘liVangeli ngembuso.’ (Mat. 24:14) Umuntfu ngamunye lodvonswa nguJehova uba yincenye yelibandla lebangani sibili, labatsandza lokulungile. (Joh. 6:44-47) Nkulunkulu wetfu lonelutsandvo uyabasita labanjalo kutsi bemukeleke kuye. Kubantfu labaphila emhlabeni, uphindze akhetse labo labatawuba ngemalunga ahulumende wasezulwini. Nasebasezulwini, batawusita bantfu labalalelako labasemhlabeni kutsi babete sono futsi batfole kuphila lokuphakadze. Kuyacaca-ke kutsi nanobe Jehova abeketele, usachubeka asebentela kugcwalisa tinjongo takhe kute kuzuze tsine.

6. (a) Jehova wakukhombisa njani kubeketela ngesikhatsi saNowa? (b) Jehova ukukhombisa njani kubeketela esikhatsini setfu?

⁶ Jehova uyabeketela ngisho nobe bantfu bametfuka, futsi loko kubonakala ngalokucacile endleleni lenta ngayo ngembikwekufika kwaZamcolo. Ngaleso sikhatsi umhlaba wawugcwele bantfu labatiphatsa kabi nalabanebudlova, futsi Jehova “wadzabuka enhlitiyweni yakhe” ngesizatfu sebubi. (Gen. 6:2-8) Abengeke asibeketelele leso simo kuze kube phakadze, kungako aletsa Zamcolo kubantfu labebangamlaleli. “Ngesikhatsi Nkulunkulu abalindzele ngekubeketela ngemalanga ekwakhiwa kwemkhumbi waNowa,” wenta emalungiselelo ekusindzisa Nowa nemndeni wakhe. (1 Phet. 3:20) Ngesikhatsi lesifanele, Jehova watjela Nowa ngesincumo labekasitsetse futsi wamtfuma kutsi akhe umkhumbi. (Gen. 6:14-22) Ngetulu kwaloko, Nowa ‘abengumshumayeli wekulunga,’ atjela bomakhelwane bakhe ngenhlekelele leyayisondzela. (2 Phet. 2:5) Jesu watsi sikhatsi lesiphila kuso sifana ncamashi nemalanga aNowa. Jehova sewusentile sincumo sekutsi utalibhubhisa nini lelive lelibuswa nguSathane. Kute umuntfu lowati “lelo langa nemzuzu.” (Mat. 24:36) Nyalo, sinemsebenti lesiniketwe wona nguNkulunkulu wekwecwayisa bantfu siphindze sibatjele kutsi yini labangayenta kute basindze.

7. Jehova utsatsa sikhatsi yini kugcwalisa tetsembiso takhe? Chaza.

⁷ Kubeketela kwaJehova akusho kutsi umele kwendlule sikhatsi. Natsi akukafaneli sicabange kutsi akanendzaba natsi. Kuliciniso kutsi kungase kube melula ngatsi kucabanga ngaleyo ndlela njengobe sikhula ngeminyaka futsi sihlupheka kulelive lelibuswa nguSathane. Singadvumateka nobe sicabange kutsi Nkulunkulu utsatsa sikhatsi lesidze kugcwalisa tetsembiso takhe. (Heb. 10:36) Ungakhohlwa kutsi  unetizatfu letinhle tekubeketela nekutsi usebentisa lesikhatsi kute kuzuze tinceku takhe letetsembekile. (2 Phet. 2:3; 3:9) Nyalo, ase sibone kutsi Jesu wakukhombisa njani kubeketela kwaNkulunkulu.

8. Ngukutiphi timo lapho Jesu akhombisa khona kubeketela?

⁸ Jesu wenta intsandvo yaNkulunkulu futsi sewuyente tinkhulungwane teminyaka. Ngalesikhatsi Sathane avukela, Jehova wancuma kutsi iNdvodzana yakhe lokukuphela kwayo ite emhlabeni ibe nguMesiya. Cabanga ngekubeketela Jesu lakukhombisa njengobe abelindze tinkhulungwane teminyaka kute kufike leso sikhatsi. (Fundza Galathiya 4:4.) Ngaleso sikhatsi, akusho kutsi Jesu abehleli, esikhundleni saloko, abematasatasa ngemsebenti labeniketwe wona nguBabe wakhe. Naketa emhlabeni, abekwati kamhlophe kutsi Sathane utawubangela kutsi afe njengobe kwakuphrofethiwe. (Gen. 3:15; Mat. 16:21) Watinikela ekwenteni intsandvo yaNkulunkulu, nanobe loko kwakuhambisana nekutsi eve buhlungu lobukhulu. Jesu waba sibonelo lesihamba embili semuntfu lowetsembeka kuNkulunkulu. Abengakatibuki nje yena kuphela nesikhundla sakhe, futsi natsi singazuza esibonelweni sakhe.—Heb. 5:8, 9.

9, 10. (a) Yini lebeyentiwa nguJesu njengobe amele kutsi Jehova atsatse sinyatselo? (b) Kufanele sisitsatse njani sikhatsi Jehova lasikhetsile?

⁹ Ngemuva kwekuvuswa kwakhe, Jesu watfola ligunya ezulwini nasemhlabeni. (Mat. 28:18) Usebentisa lelo gunya kute afeze injongo yaJehova ngesikhatsi Nkulunkulu lasibekile. Ngekubeketela Jesu wahlala ngesekudla saNkulunkulu kwadzimate kwaba ngu-1914 kute titsa takhe tifakwe ngaphansi kwetinyawo takhe. (Hla. 110:1, 2; Heb. 10:12, 13) Ngekushesha utawutsatsa sinyatselo abhubhise lelive lelibuswa nguSathane. Kwanyalo, Jesu usebenta nebantfu futsi ubacondzisa ‘emantini ekuphila.’—Semb. 7:17.

¹⁰ Kulesibonelo saJesu, uyayibona yini indlela lokufanele usitsatse ngayo sikhatsi Jehova lasikhetsile? Jesu abefuna kwenta konkhe Babe wakhe lamcele kutsi akwente; nobe kunjalo, abenesifiso sekumela sikhatsi lesifanele saNkulunkulu. Njengobe simele kuphela kwalelive lelibuswa nguSathane, sonkhe siyakudzinga kubeketela kwaNkulunkulu. Akukafaneli simhambele embili Nkulunkulu nobe singenwe ngemanti emadvolweni ngenca yekutsi sidvumatekile. Yini lesingayenta kute sibe nekubeketela kwaNkulunkulu?

11. (a) Kungayiphi indlela kunekuhlobana emkhatsini wekukholwa nekubeketela? (b) Yini lesenta sibe netizatfu leticinile tekuba nekukholwa?

¹¹ Ngembikwekutsi Jesu ete emhlabeni, baphrofethi naletinye tinceku taJehova letetsembekile basibekela sibonelo lesihle sekutsi ngisho sinesono singakwati kubeketela. Bekunekuhlobana lokuhle ekukholweni kwabo nasekubeketeleni kwabo. (Fundza Jakobe 5:10, 11.) Kube bebangakukholelwa loko Jehova labekabatjele kona—nobe bete kukholwa—bebangakubeketelela yini kugcwaliseka kwetetsembiso takhe? Sikhatsi nesikhatsi, bebahlangabetana netimo letetfusako naletivivinya kukholwa kwabo, kodvwa bebaneletsemba lekutsi Nkulunkulu utatigcwalisa tetsembiso takhe. (Heb. 11:13, 35-40) Tsine lamuhla sinetizatfu letinyenti tekuba nekukholwa lokucinile, ngobe Jesu nyalo ‘unguMphelelisi wekukholwa kwetfu.’ (Heb. 12:2) Wagcwalisa tiphrofetho waphindze wembula netinjongo taNkulunkulu ngendlela lesenta kutsi sibe netizatfu leticinile tekukholwa.

12. Yini lesingayenta kute sakhe kukholwa kwetfu?

¹² Ngutiphi tinyatselo lesingatitsatsa kute sicinise kukholwa kwetfu siphindze sibeketele? Kubalulekile kutsi sisebentise teluleko taNkulunkulu. Nasi sibonelo: Cabanga  ngetizatfu lonato tekubeka uMbuso kucala ekuphileni kwakho. Ungakhona yini kufaka emandla kute usebentise seluleko lesiku-Matewu 6:33? Loko kungasho kucitsa sikhatsi lesinyenti emsebentini wekushumayela nobe wente lushintjo lolutsite ekuphileni kwakho. Ungayibukeli phansi indlela Jehova layibusise ngayo imetamo yakho kudzimate kube ngunyalo. Kusenekwenteka ukusitile wakwati kuchuba sifundvo seliBhayibheli lesisha nobe ukusite wakhona kutfola “kuthula kwaNkulunkulu lokwendlula konkhe kwati.” (Fundza Filiphi 4:7.) Nawucabanga ngetinzuzo lotitfolile ngekulandzela ticondziso taJehova, utakujabulela kakhulu kubeketela kwakhe.—Hla. 34:8.

13. Singakufanekisa njani kwakha kukholwa kwetfu nekubeketela?

¹³ Loku kufanana ncamashi nemjikeleto wekuhlanyela, kulima nekuvuna. Sikhatsi nesikhatsi umlimi nakatfola sivuno lesihle, uba nesibindzi sekuphindze ahlanyele ngemnyaka lolandzelako. Kuliciniso kutsi kutawudzingeka abeketele kudzimate kufike sikhatsi sekuvuna, kodvwa loko akumvimbi kutsi ahlanyele. Ngalesinye sikhatsi udzimate ahlanyele imbewu emasimini lamakhulu kunalawo labekawahlanyele emnyakeni lowendlulile. Usuke anelitsemba lekutsi utayishaya inala. Ngendlela lefanako, nasichubeka sifundza teluleko taJehova, sitilandzele bese sitfola tinzuzo tekwenta njalo, kwetsembela kwetfu kuJehova kutawukhula. Kukholwa kwetfu kuyakhula futsi kuba melula ngatsi kubeketela kute kufike tibusiso lesatiko kutsi titawufika.—Fundza Jakobe 5:7, 8.

14, 15. Kufanele sibe namuphi umbono ngekuhlupheka kwebantfu?

¹⁴ Lokunye lesingakwenta kute sikwati kubeketela kuhlola indlela lesicabanga ngayo ngelive nangetimo tetfu. Yetama kubuka tintfo ngendlela Jehova latibuka ngayo. Nasi sibonelo: Ase ucabange ngendlela lakutsatsa ngayo kuhlupheka kwebantfu. Uva buhlungu lobukhulu nakabona bantfu  bahlupheka; kodvwa akabuvumeli lobo buhlungu kutsi bumvimbele ekwenteni lokuhle. Watfumela iNdvodzana yakhe lokukuphela kwayo kute ‘itewucitsa imisebenti yaSathane’ iphindze ilungise wonkhe umonakalo lawuletse kubantfu. (1 Joh. 3:8) Liciniso lelisebaleni kutsi Nkulunkulu utabucedza phakadze bubi. Ngako-ke, esikhundleni sekutsi sivumele lelive lelibuswa nguSathane lisicedze emandla nobe sibe nesimo sekungabeketeli ngenca yekutsi lelive solo alibhujiswa, asibe nekukholwa etintfweni letingabonakali letitawuba khona kuze kube phakadze. Jehova uyalati lilanga lelicondzile latawucedza ngalo bubi, futsi sinyatselo utasitsatsa ngesikhatsi lesifanele.—Isa. 46:13; Nah. 1:9.

¹⁵ Kulamalanga ekugcina lalukhuni alelive laSathane, singahlangabetana netintfo letilinga kukholwa kwetfu. Esikhundleni sekutsi sitfukutsele nasihlaselwa ngebudlova nobe nakuhlaselwa labo lesibatsandzako, kufanele setsembele ngalokuphelele kuJehova. Siyati kutsi sinesono, futsi akusimelula kwenta njalo. Ase ucabange ngaloko lokwentiwa nguJesu, lokusembhalweni wa-Matewu 26:39.—Fundza.

16. Yini lesifuna kungayenti kulesikhatsi lesisele?

¹⁶ Lenye intfo lengasenta singakhoni kukhombisa kubeketela kwaNkulunkulu ngumbono lotsi: ‘Ase ngime ngibone kutsi kutawentekani.’ Usho kutsini lombono? Umuntfu longabatako kutsi lelive liyaphela, angase acabange kutsi tetsembiso taJehova angeke tiphumelele, bese ucala kutentela letinye tintfo takhe eceleni. Ngalamanye emagama, loyo muntfu usuke atsi: ‘Ngitawuma ngibone kutsi Jehova ucinisile yini ngaloko lakushoko.’ Angabese uyacala-ke utakhela ligama kulelive, ngekutsi afune umcebo esikhundleni sekubeka kucala uMbuso waNkulunkulu nobe etsembele emfundvweni lephakeme kute aphile kahle nyalo. Kwenta njalo angeke yini kukhombise kutsi loyo muntfu unekukholwa lokubutsakatsaka? Khumbula kutsi Pawula wasincenga kutsi silingise emakholwa latsembekile latfola tetsembiso taJehova “ngekukholwa nangekubeketela.” (Hebheru 6:12) Jehova angeke avumele kutsi lelive lelibuswa nguSathane lichubeke likhona, futsi angeke ephute kutsatsa sinyatselo. (Hab. 2:3) Kwanyalo, kufanele sikubalekele kwenta lokuncane kakhulu emsebentini waJehova. Esikhundleni saloko, sifuna kuhlala siphapheme futsi siwente ngekutimisela umsebenti wekushumayela tindzaba letimnandzi, longumtfombo wenjabulo yetfu lamuhla.—Luk. 21:36.

17, 18. (a) Sivulekelwe nguliphi litfuba njengobe sibeketele? (b) Nangabe sibeketela nyalo, ngutiphi tibusiso lesitawutitfola?

¹⁷ Ngisho nobe sesikhonte Nkulunkulu tinyanga letimbalwa nobe emashumi eminyaka, sitimisele kumkhonta phakadze. Kubeketela kuyasisita kute sitfole kusindziswa, nobe kungatsatsa sikhatsi lesingakanani kutsi kufike. Nyalo Jehova usinikete litfuba lekutsi sikhombise kutsi setsembele ngalokuphelele kuloko lakushoko nekutsi sitimisele kuhlala setsembekile kuye nobe sihlupheka. (1 Phet. 4:13, 14) Nkulunkulu uphindze asinikete kuceceshwa lokungasisita kute sikhone kubeketela siphindze sisindziswe.—1 Phet. 5:10.

¹⁸ Jesu unalo lonkhe ligunya ezulwini nasemhlabeni, futsi kute lokungakususa esivikelweni sakhe—nguwe kuphela longatisusa kuso. (Joh. 10:28, 29) Asikho sizatfu sekutsi silesabe likusasa ngisho nekufa imbala. Labo lababeketela kudzimate kufike kuphela batawusindziswa. Ngako-ke, kufanele sente konkhe lokusemandleni kute singavumeli lelive lisiyenge futsi lisente siyekele kwetsembela kuJehova. Esikhundleni saloko, kufanele sitimisele kukhulisa kukholwa kwetfu siphindze sisisebentise ngekuhlakanipha sikhatsi saNkulunkulu sekubeketela.—Mat. 24:13; fundza 2 Phetro 3:17, 18.