1, 2. Nguyiphi imphi lesondzelako, futsi yini tinceku taNkulunkulu lokungeke kudzingeke tiyente?

NGA-OCTOBER 30, 1938, tigidzi tebantfu baseMelika betilalele luhlelo lwemsakato lolwatiwa kakhulu loluhlanganisa nemdlalo wemoya. Umdlalo wangalelo langa bowutsatselwe encwadzini yetinganekwane tesayensi letsi The War of the Worlds. Labo labebadlala tincenye talabafundza tindzaba bachaza kutsi kunetidalwa letivela kuplanethi lebitwa ngekutsi yi-Mars letihlasela umhlaba futsi titawubhubhisa. Nanobe bekumenyetelwe kutsi bekungumane nje kungumdlalo wemoya, tilaleli letinyenti beticabanga kutsi lokuhlasela kuliciniso futsi tetfuka kakhulu. Letinye tilaleli tenta imetamo yekutivikela kuletidalwa letingabonakali.

² Lamuhla kusondzela imphi mbamba. Nobe kunjalo, bantfu bayehluleka kutsatsa tinyatselo letifanele. Lemphi yabiketelwa eVini laNkulunkulu leliphefumulelwe, liBhayibheli, hhayi encwadzini yetinganekwane tesayensi. Lena yimphi ye-Amagedoni—imphi yaNkulunkulu yekucedza lelive lelibuswa nguSathane. (Semb. 16:14-16) Kulemphi, tinceku taNkulunkulu letisemhlabeni angeke kudzingeke titivikele etidalweni letitsite letivela kulamanye emapulanethi. Nobe kunjalo, titawubamba wangentansi ngekubona tentakalo letimangalisako naletiveta emandla aNkulunkulu.

3. Ngusiphi siphrofetho lesitawucoca ngaso, futsi sibaluleke ngani kitsi?

³ Siphrofetho seliBhayibheli lesibhalwe kuZakhariya sehluko 14 sikhuluma ngalokucondzile mayelana nalemphi ye-Amagedoni. Ngisho nobe sabhalwa eminyakeni lengaba ngu-2 500 leyendlulile, lesiphrofetho siyakutsintsa kuphila kwetfu. (Rom. 15:4) Lokunyenti lokukhulunywa ngako kulesiphrofetho kumayelana netimo letitsintsa bantfu baNkulunkulu  kusukela kwabekwa uMbuso waMesiya ezulwini nga-1914 netentakalo letijabulisako letitawenteka masinyane. Tintfo letibaluleke kakhulu kulesiphrofetho tifaka ekhatsi kwakhiwa ‘kwesigodzi lesikhulu’ nekugeleta ‘kwemanti laphilako.’ (Zak. 14:4, 8) Lesigodzi sinendzima lebalulekile ekuvikeleni tikhonti taJehova. Nangabe sati kahle kutsi lamanti laphilako asho kutsini kitsi, angeke sigcine ngekubona sidzingo sekuwanatsa kodvwa sitawuphindze sifune kuwanatsa. Ngako-ke, kutawusizuzisa kusinakisisa lesiphrofetho.—2 Phet. 1:19, 20.

4. (a) Lacala nini ‘lilanga laSimakadze’? (b) Yini tikhonti taJehova lebetiyimemetela emakhulwini eminyaka ngembikwa-1914, futsi yini leyentiwa baholi bemave?

⁴ Sehluko 14 sencwadzi yaZakhariya sicala ngekukhuluma ‘ngelilanga laSimakadze.’ (Fundza Zakhariya 14:1, 2.) Liyini lelilanga? Leli ‘lilanga leNkhosi,’ lelacala ngesikhatsi “umbuso walomhlaba” uba ‘ngumbuso weNkhosi yetfu, naKhristu wakhe.’ (Semb. 1:10; 11:15) Lelo langa lacala nga-1914 ngekuba khona kweMbuso waMesiya ezulwini. Emakhulwini eminyaka ngembikwa-1914, tikhonti taJehova tamemetela kutsi kuphela kwetikhatsi letibekiwe tetive bekutawufika ngalowo mnyaka nekutsi umhlaba bowutawucala kuba netinkinga letingakaze taba khona. (Luk. 21:24) Yini tive letayenta ngalesimemetelo? Esikhundleni sekunaka leso secwayiso lebesifike ngesikhatsi, baholi betepolitiki nebenkholo bahlekisa futsi bashushisa labo bashumayeli labagcotjiwe labebanenshisekelo. Ngekwenta kanjalo, labo baholi bemave bebahlekisa ngaNkulunkulu Somandla, ngobe emancusa eMbuso lagcotjiwe amelela ‘iJerusalema yasezulwini’—uMbuso waMesiya—njengobe ayincenye yawo.—Heb. 12:22, 28.

5, 6. (a) Yini lebeyibiketelwe leyentiwa tive ngalokumelene ‘nalelidolobha’ netakhamuti talo? (b) Bekubobani ‘bantfu labebasele’?

⁵ Zakhariya wabiketela kutsi yini lebeyitawentiwa tive nakatsi: “Lelidolobha [iJerusalema] liyawutfunjwa.” “Lelidolobha” lifanekisela uMbuso waNkulunkulu loholwa nguMesiya. Emhlabeni, limelelwa takhamuti talo, insali yemaKhristu lagcotjiwe. (Fil. 3:20) Ngesikhatsi seMphi Yelive Yekucala, bazalwane labebacondzisa luhlangotsi lolusemhlabeni lwenhlangano yaJehova ‘batfunjwa’ nobe baboshwa futsi batfunyelwa ejele lase-Atlanta, eGeorgia eMelika. ‘Tindlu taphangwa,’ ngekutsi labazalwane labacotfo baphatfwe kabi nangebudlova. Letitsa taphanga umcebo wensali ngekuvala kushicilelwa kwetincwadzi tayo nekwetama kumisa umsebenti wekushumayela ngeMbuso.

⁶ Ngisho nobe titsa tebantfu baNkulunkulu betitinyenti, tibakhulumela emanga, tibaphikisa futsi tibahlupha, kukhonta kweliciniso akuzange kuphele. ‘Bekunebantfu labebasele,’ lokungemaKhristu lagcotjiwe lala ngebucotfo ‘kususwa kulelidolobha.’

7. Indlela yekuphila yaboFakazi BaJehova labagcotjiwe iwabekela siphi sibonelo emaKhristu eliciniso lamuhla?

⁷ Lesiphrofetho sagcwaliseka sonkhe yini ekupheleni kweMphi Yelive Yekucala? Cha, asizange. Tive betitawuchubeka tiwahlasela emaKhristu lagcotjiwe nebangani bawo labetsembekile labanelitsemba lekuphila emhlabeni. (Semb. 12:17) Bufakazi baloko babonakala ngeMphi Yelive Yesibili. Kuphila ngekwetsembeka kwaboFakazi labetsembekile baNkulunkulu labagcotjiwe kuyatikhutsata tinceku taNkulunkulu lamuhla kutsi tichubeke tikhutsatelela nobe ngutiphi tilingo letingavela. Leto tilingo tingafaka ekhatsi kuphikiswa tihlobo letingakholwa, bantfu labasebenta nato nobe labafundza  nato esikolweni labahlekisa ngekukholwa kwato. (1 Phet. 1:6, 7) Ngisho nobe tihlala kuyiphi indzawo, tikhonti teliciniso titimisele kuchubeka ‘ticinile emoyeni munye,’ ‘tingetfuswa lutfo ngalabo labamelene nato.’ (Fil. 1:27, 28) Bantfu baJehova batasitfola kuphi sivikelo kulelive lelibenyanyako?—Joh. 15:17-19.

8. (a) Tintsaba tingamelela ini eBhayibhelini? (b) ‘Intsaba yemincumo’ imelela ini?

⁸ Njengobe liJerusalema—“lelidolobha”—limelela liJerusalema lasezulwini, kusho kutsi ‘intsaba yemincumo, lengasemphumalanga yeJerusalema,’ nayo imane ingumfanekiso. Imelelani lentsaba? Kutawenteka njani kutsi “ichekeke ekhatsi” bese iba tintsaba letimbili? Yini leyenta Jehova ayibite ngekutsi ‘yintsaba yami’? (Fundza Zakhariya 14:3-5.) EBhayibhelini, tintsaba tingamelela imibuso nobe bohulumende. Tibusiso nesivikelo tivame kuhlobana nentsaba yaNkulunkulu. (Hla. 72:3; Isa. 25:6, 7) Ngako-ke, intsaba yemincumo Nkulunkulu leme kuyo emphumalanga yeliJerusalema lasemhlabeni, imelela bukhosi baJehova bendzawo yonkhe, kubusa kwakhe lokuphakeme.

9. Ichekeka njani ‘iNtsaba Yemincumo’?

⁹ Kusho kutsini kucheketwa kwalentsaba yemincumo? Kucheketwa kwalentsaba, lesemphumalanga yeJerusalema kusho kutsi Jehova ubeka lomunye umbuso lotawuba wesibili. Lombuso wesibili nguMbuso webuMesiya loholwa nguJesu Khristu. Kungako Jehova akhuluma ngaletintsaba letimbili letiba khona nakacheketa ‘iNtsaba Yemincumo’ ngekutsi ‘yintsaba yami.’ (Zak. 14:4) Totimbili letintsaba takhe.

10. Simelelani “sigodzi lesikhulu” lesisemkhatsini waletintsaba letimbili?

¹⁰ Nakuchekeka lentsaba lengumfanekiso, incenye yayo ibe ngasenyakatfo lenye ibe ngaseningizimu, tinyawo taJehova tichubeka time kuto totimbili letintsaba. Ngaphansi kwetinyawo taJehova, kuba ‘nesigodzi lesikhulu.’ Lesigodzi lesingumfanekiso sisho sivikelo saNkulunkulu, lesenta tinceku taJehova tivikeleke ngaphansi kwekubusa kwakhe kwendzawo yonkhe neMbuso webuMesiya weNdvodzana yakhe. Jehova utawucinisekisa kutsi kukhonta kweliciniso akupheli. Kwenteka nini lokucheketwa kwalentsaba yemincumo? Kwenteka ngesikhatsi kucala kuba khona uMbuso waMesiya, ekupheleni kweTikhatsi Tebetive nga-1914. Tikhonti teliciniso tacala nini kubalekela kuleso sigodzi lesingumfanekiso?

11, 12. (a) Kwacala nini kubalekela kulesigodzi lesingumfanekiso? (b) Yini lekhombisa kutsi sandla saJehova lesinemandla sinebantfu bakhe?

¹¹ Jesu wecwayisa balandzeli bakhe watsi: “Tonkhe tive tiyawunitondza ngenca yelibito lami.” (Mat. 24:9) Kulamalanga ekugcina alelive lelibuswa nguSathane, kusukela nga-1914, kube kukhulu kakhulu loko kutondvwa. Ngisho nobe bekunekuhlaselwa lokumatima kwemaKhristu lagcotjiwe ngesikhatsi seMphi Yelive Yekucala, alizange libulawe lonkhe lelo cembu leletsembekile. Nga-1919 lakhululwa eBhabhulona Lenkhulu—umbuso welive wenkholo yemanga. (Semb. 11:11, 12) * Kwacala lapho kubalekela kulesigodzi setintsaba taJehova.

¹² Kusukela nga-1919 lesigodzi sesivikelo saNkulunkulu siyachubeka sivikela tikhonti teliciniso emhlabeni wonkhe. Kulamakhulu eminyaka, etincenyeni letinyenti temhlaba, umsebenti wekushumayela netincwadzi letisekelwe eBhayibhelini taboFakazi BaJehova,  betivinjelwa futsi tivalwa. Kuvinjelwa lokunjalo kusachubeka kulamanye emave. Ngisho nobe tive tingetama kangakanani, angeke tiphumelele kuvala kukhonta kweliciniso. Sandla saJehova lesinemandla sitawuhlala sinebantfu bakhe.—Dut. 11:2.

13. Singahlala njani esigodzini saJehova sekusivikela, futsi yini leyenta kubaluleke kakhulu nyalo kutsi sihlale kuso?

¹³ Nasibambelela kuJehova futsi sime sicinile ecinisweni, yena neNdvodzana yakhe lenguJesu Khristu, batawudlala indzima yabo, futsi Nkulunkulu angeke avumele lutfo kutsi ‘lusihlwitse esandleni saKhe.’ (Joh. 10:28, 29) Jehova ukulungele kusiniketa nobe nguluphi lusito lesiludzingako kute sichubeke simlalela njengeMbusi Wendzawo Yonkhe futsi sihlale sitikhonti letetsembekile teMbuso waMesiya. Kubaluleke kakhulu kutsi sihlale kulesigodzi sesivikelo, ngobe kubaluleka kwaso kutawubonakala kakhulu njengobe kuhlupheka lokukhulu kusondzela masinyane.

14, 15. ‘Ngelilanga laNkulunkulu lemphi’ lekucedza titsa takhe, bantfu labangekho esigodzini batawube bakusiphi simo?

¹⁴ Njengobe kuphela kwalelive lelibuswa nguSathane kusondzela, Sathane utawuchubeka nekutihlasela kakhulu tinceku taJehova. Ngemuva kwaloko kutawufika ‘lilanga laNkulunkulu lemphi’ lekucedza titsa takhe. Jehova utawenta kutsi lokuhlasela kwaSathane kube kwekugcina. Ngalelo langa, uMbusi wendzawo yonkhe utawubonakala aLichawe lelinemandla kakhulu kunanobe nguliphi lelinye ‘lilanga lemphi.’—Zak. 14:3.

¹⁵ Ngelilanga laNkulunkulu lemphi, sitawuba njani simo sebantfu labangephandle ‘kwesigodzi lesikhulu’ sesivikelo? “Kuyawubate kukhanya” lokuvela kuNkulunkulu kubo. Ngalelo langa lemphi, “emahhashi neminyuzi, nemakamela, netimbongolo, kanye nato tonkhe tilwane kuleto tinkambu”—letimelela tikhali tekulwa tetive—titawuphatamiseka. Leto tikhali ‘titawuba nesitfwatfwa,’ lokusho kutsi angeke tisakhona kusebenta kufane nekutsi tigongobaliswe ngemakhata. Jehova utawuphindze asebentise sifo ‘nesishayo.’ Ngisho nobe kungaba sishayo mbamba nobe cha, leso sishayo sitawuticedza titsa. Ngalelo langa ‘emehlo abo . . . netilwimi tabo kuyawubola’ ngobe letitsa angeke tikhone kusihlasela futsi nemavi ato atawuthuliswa. (Zak. 14:6, 7, 12, 15) Kute incenye yemhlaba letawusindza kulokubhujiswa. Emabutfo lasekela Sathane kuleyomphi atawube amanyenti. (Semb. 19:19-21) “Labo labayawube sebabulewe nguSimakadze bayawugcwala yonkhe indzawo, kusukela ngala kwemhlaba kuye ngale kwawo.”—Jer. 25:32, 33.

16. Njengobe sicabanga ngekusondzela kwelilanga laNkulunkulu lemphi, ngumiphi imibuto lokufanele sitibute yona, futsi yini lokutawudzingeka siyente?

¹⁶ Imphi ivame kuletsa kuhlupheka, ngisho nakulabo labancobile. Kungaba bete kudla. Bantfu bangalahlekelwa tindzawo tekuhlala. Tindlela tekuphila tingaba matima. Inkhululeko bantfu labanayo ingancipha. Sitawenta njani nasivelelwa nguleto timo letimatima? Sitawetfuka yini? Sitakulahla yini kukholwa kwetfu nasicindzetelwa? Sitawulahlekelwa litsemba yini futsi injabulo yetfu inciphe? Kubaluleke kakhulu kutsi ngesikhatsi sekuhlupheka lokukhulu sichubeke sinekukholwa emandleni aJehova ekusisindzisa futsi sihlale esigodzini saJehova sekusivikela.—Fundza Habakhuki 3:17, 18.

17, 18. (a) Ayini “emanti laphilako”? (b) ‘Lwandle lolungasemphumalanga,’ ‘nelwandle lolungasenshonalanga’ lumelela ini? (c) Njengobe ubuke likusasa, yini lotimisele kuyenta?

¹⁷ Ngemuva kwe-Amagedoni, “emanti  laphilako” atawuchubeka ageleta esuka esihlalweni seMbuso waMesiya. ‘Lamanti laphilako’ angemalungiselelo aJehova ekuphila. ‘Lwandle lolungasemphumalanga,’ lusho Lwandle Lolufile, futsi ‘lwandle lolungasenshonalanga’ lunguMfula iMedithera. Lemifula lemibili isho bantfu. Lwandle Lolufile lubafanekisela kahle labo labasemathuneni. Njengobe uMfula iMedithera ugcwele tintfo letinyenti letiphilako, ungafanekisela “sicumbi lesikhulu” sebantfu labasindze e-Amagedoni. (Fundza Zakhariya 14:8, 9; Semb. 7:9-15) Ngako-ke, omabili lamacembu atawuzuza ngekukhululwa kulokufa lokwavela nga-Adamu, njengobe achubeka anatsa lamanti laphilako langumfanekiso nobe “umfula wemanti ekuphila.”—Semb. 22:1, 2.

¹⁸ Ngephansi kwesivikelo saJehova sitawusindza nakuphela lelive lelibuswa nguSathane futsi singene emhlabeni lomusha wekulunga kwaNkulunkulu. Ngisho nobe tive tisenyanya, asichubeke sitimisele kuhlala sitikhonti letetsembekile teMbuso waNkulunkulu, sitimisele nekuhlala esigodzini saJehova sesivikelo.