1. Nguyiphi inhlangano leyavala sikhala sema-Israyeli yaba bantfu lababitwa ngelibito laJehova? (Buka sitfombe lesisekucaleni kwalesihloko.)

JEHOVA ukufanele kutfola ludvumo ngenca yekusungulwa kwelibandla lebuKhristu ekhulwini lekucala nekubuyiselwa kwekukhonta kweliciniso etikhatsini tamanje. Njengobe sifundzile esihlokweni lesendlulile, lenhlangano lebeyakhiwa balandzeli baKhristu bekucala yavala sikhala sesive sema-Israyeli lebesihlubukile, yaba bantfu lababitwa ngelibito laJehova. Lenhlangano lensha lebeyemukelwa nguNkulunkulu, yasindza ngesikhatsi kubhujiswa liJerusalema nga-70 C.E. (Luk. 21:20, 21) Loko lokwenteka ngelikhulu lekucala kungumfanekiso wetintfo letentekako letiphatselene netinceku taJehova lamuhla. Ngekushesha nje, lelive laSathane litawubhujiswa kodvwa inhlangano yaNkulunkulu itawusindza ekupheleni kwalamalanga ekugcina. (2 Thim. 3:1) Yini lesenta siciniseke ngaloko?

2. Yini Jesu layisho mayelana “nekuhlupheka lokukhulu,” futsi kutawucala njani?

² Akhuluma mayelana nekuba khona kwakhe lokungabonakali kanye nekuphela kwalelive, Jesu watsi: “Kutawuba nekuhlupheka lokukhulu lokungazange sekwenteke kusukela kwaba khona umhlaba, nalokungeke kuphindze kube khona.” (Mat. 24:3, 21) Lokuhlupheka lokungakake kube khona kutawucala ngalesikhatsi  Jehova abhubhisa “iBhabhulona Lenkhulu” lokungumbuso wemhlaba wenkholo yemanga, asebentisa baholi bepolitiki. (Semb. 17:3-5, 16) Kutawentekani emva kwaloko?

3. Ngemuva kwekubhujiswa kwenkholo yemanga, ngumiphi imetamo yekuhlasela bantfu baJehova letawentiwa?

³ Ngemuva kwekubhujiswa kwenkholo yemanga, Sathane kanye nalabo labamsekelako batawuhlasela tinceku taJehova. Nasi sibonelo: Mayelana ‘naGogi waseveni lakaMagogi’ imiBhalo yabiketela yatsi: “Wena kanye nawo onkhe emabutfo akho netive letinyenti letinawe niyawukhuphuka, nishulungane njengesihhuhhula semoya, niyawuba njengelifu lelimbonya live.” Ngesizatfu sekutsi BoFakazi BaJehova abatisebentisi tikhali futsi bakuphela kwebantfu labanekuthula emhlabeni, batawubonakala bangakavikeleki. Kodvwa kuhlasela bona kutawufana nekutiphatsa ngapelepele emehlweni.—Hez. 38:1, 2, 9-12.

4, 5. Yini Jehova latayenta ngemetamo yaSathane yekucedza tinceku takhe?

⁴ Yini Nkulunkulu latayenta ngemetamo yaSathane yekucedza bantfu bakhe? Jehova utawungenela asebentisa ligunya lakhe njengobe anguMbusi wako konkhe lokukhona. Kuhlaselwa kwebantfu bakhe ukutsatsa shengatsi kuhlaselwa yena. (Fundza Zakhariya 2:8.) Ngako-ke, Babe wetfu wasezulwini utawutsatsa sinyatselo ngekushesha kute asivikele. Lokukhululwa kwetfu kutawuphetsela ekubhujisweni kwelive laSathane e-Amagedoni, “emphini yelilanga lelikhulu laNkulunkulu Somandla.”—Semb. 16:14, 16.

⁵ Mayelana ne-Amagedoni, siphrofetho seliBhayibheli sitsi: “‘Simakadze tive uyawutibeka emacala, uyakwehlulela bonkhe bantfu, lababi abalalise phansi ngenkemba,’ kusho Simakadze. Naku-ke lokushiwo nguSimakadze longuSomandla, utsi: ‘Bukani! Inhlekelele yandza tive ngetive, kukhuphuka sivunguvungu lesinemandla emikhawulweni yonkhe yemhlaba.’ Ngaleso sikhatsi labo labayawube sebabulewe nguSimakadze bayawugcwala yonkhe indzawo, kusukela ngala kwemhlaba kuye ngale kwawo. Bangeke balilelwe, futsi bangeke babutfwe nome bangcwatjwe, kodvwa bayawufanana netibi letisakateke phansi emhlabatsini.” (Jer. 25:31-33) I-Amagedoni italicedza nya lelive lelibi. Live laSathane ngeke liphindze libe khona, kodvwa luhlangotsi lolusemhlabeni lwenhlangano yaJehova lutawusindza.

6, 7. (a) Bantfu labakha “sicumbi lesikhulu” bavela kuphi? (b) Ngukuphi kwandza lokube khona eminyakeni lesandza kwendlula?

⁶ Inhlangano yaNkulunkulu ichubeka ikhula emhlabeni ngobe bantfu labakuyo bemukelwa nguNkulunkulu. LiBhayibheli lisicinisekisa ngekutsi: “Emehlo aJehova akulabalungile, netindlebe takhe tisekuncuseni kwabo.” (1 Phet. 3:12) Bantfu labalungile bahlanganisa “sicumbi lesikhulu” lesitawuphuma ‘ekuhluphekeni lokukhulu.’ (Semb. 7:9, 14) Labo labatawusindza abasiso nje “sicumbi.” Kodvwa, ‘basicumbi lesikhulu’—linani lelikhulu lebantfu. Uyatibona yini nawe usemkhatsini walabo labatawusindza “ekuhluphekeni lokukhulu”?

⁷ Labantfu labakha sicumbi lesikhulu bavela kuphi? Babutselwe ndzawonye ngemsebenti Jesu laphrofetha kutsi utawuba yincenye yesibonakaliso sekuba khona kwakhe. Watsi: “Letindzaba letimnandzi teMbuso tiyawushunyayelwa emhlabeni wonkhe, kuze kube bufakazi etiveni tonkhe, bese-ke kuphela kuyefika.” (Mat. 24:14) Lona ngumsebenti loyinhloko lowentiwa yinhlangano yaNkulunkulu kulamalanga ekugcina. Ngesizatfu semsebenti wekufundzisa newekushumayela lowentiwa BoFakazi BaJehova emhlabeni wonkhe, tigidzi tebantfu tifundze kukhonta  Nkulunkulu “ngemoya nangeliciniso.” (Joh. 4:23, 24) Nasi sibonelo: Eminyakeni lelishumi leyengcile—ngemnyaka wemsebenti wanga-2003 kuya ku-2012—bantfu labangetulu kwa-2 707 000 babhajatiswa bakhombisa kutinikela kuNkulunkulu. Emhlabeni wonkhe, BoFakazi sebangetulu kwa-7 900 000 futsi kunetigidzi letitihlanganisa nabo ikakhulukati ngesikhatsi seSikhumbuto lesiba khona minyaka yonkhe. Asitikhukhumeti ngekwandza lesikubonako, ngobe ‘nguNkulunkulu lochubeka akhulisa.’ (1 Khor. 3:5-7) Nanobe kunjalo, kuyacaca kutsi lesicumbi lesikhulu siyakhula futsi sichubeka sandza umnyaka nemnyaka.

8. Yini lebangela lokwandza lokukhulu kangaka enhlanganweni yaJehova yalamuhla?

⁸ Kube nekwandza lokukhulu enanini letinceku taNkulunkulu ngobe nguJehova losekela BoFakazi bakhe. (Fundza Isaya 43:10-12.) Lokwandza kwabiketelwa kulamavi esiphrofetho latsi: “Lomncane wenu uyawuba yinkhulungwane, lophansi kakhulu abe sive lesinemandla. NginguSimakadze, ngesikhatsi sako ngiyawukwenta loko ngekushesha lokukhulu.” (Isa. 60:22) Esikhatsini lesitsite, insali yalabagcotjiwe beyifana ‘nalomncane,’ kodvwa linani layo lakhula njengobe kwengetwa lamanye ema-Israyeli aNkulunkulu enhlanganweni yakhe. (Gal. 6:16) Ngesizatfu sesibusiso saJehova kuleminyaka, kwandza kuyachubeka njengobe kubutfwa sicumbi lesikhulu.

9. Yini lokufanele siyente nangabe sifuna kujabulela likusasa lelihle leletsenjiswe eVini laNkulunkulu?

⁹ Nome ngabe singemaKhristu lagcotjiwe nome singemalunga esicumbi lesikhulu, singalitfola likusasa lelihle leletsenjiswe eVini laNkulunkulu. Nobe kunjalo, kuze silijabulele kufanele sente ngekuvumelana naloko Jehova lakufunako. (Isa. 48:17, 18) Cabanga ngema-Israyeli labengaphansi kweMtsetfo waMosi. Lenye injongo yaloMtsetfo beyikuvikela ema-Israyeli ngekuwanika imitsetfo lemihle lemayelana nekutiphatsa etindzabeni telicasi, kusebentelana kwawo emabhizinisini, kukhulisa bantfwana, indlela yekuphatsa kahle labanye, nalokunye lokunyenti. (Eks. 20:14; Lev. 19:18, 35-37; Dut. 6:6-9) Kwenta ngekuvumelana naloko Nkulunkulu lakufunako kuyasizuzisa natsi ngetindlela letifanako—futsi akusiwo umtfwalo kwenta intsandvo yakhe. (Fundza 1 Johane 5:3.) Ecinisweni, njengobe ema-Israyeli abevikelwa nguMtsetfo, kwenta ngekuvumelana nemitsetfo yaJehova Nkulunkulu netimiso takhe akusivikeli nje kuphela kodvwa kusenta sihlale ‘siphilile ekukholweni.’—Thit. 1:13.

10. Kungani kufanele sibekele eceleni sikhatsi sekutadisha liBhayibheli nesekuba nekuKhonta Kwemndeni kwakusihlwa kwamaviki onkhe?

¹⁰ Luhlangotsi lolusemhlabeni lwenhlangano yaJehova luchubekela embili ngetindlela letinyenti. Nasi sibonelo: Indlela lesicondza ngayo emaciniso laseBhayibhelini ichubeka icaca kakhulu. Loko sikulindzele ngobe “indlela yalabalungile ifanana nekukhanya kwentsatsakusa, lokuya ngekuya kuze kube ngusemini.” (Taga 4:18) Kodvwa singatibuta: ‘Ngiyahambisana yini nelushintjo lolwentiwa endleleni lesicondza ngayo emaciniso lasemiBhalweni? Ngikwenta umkhuba yini kufundza liBhayibheli malanga onkhe? Ngikukhutsalele yini kufundza tincwadzi lesitilungiselelwe yinhlangano? Mine nemndeni wami siba nako maviki onkhe yini Kukhonta Kwemndeni kwakusihlwa?’ Linyenti letfu lingavuma kutsi akusilukhuni kakhulu kwenta konkhe loku. Etikhatsini letinyenti kuba yindzaba yekubekela sikhatsi eceleni kuze sikwente. Kubaluleke kakhulu kungenisa lwati lolungulonalona lwemiBhalo, silusebentise futsi sitfutfuke ebuhlotjeni betfu naNkulunkulu, ikakhulukati njengobe sesisondzele kakhulu ekuhluphekeni lokukhulu.

11. Imibutsano yangesikhatsi lesendlulile nemihlangano yalamuhla yelibandla, yesifundza, lekhetsekile, neyesigodzi isizuzisa ngatiphi tindlela?

 ¹¹ Inhlangano yaJehova isifunela lokuncono kakhulu nayisikhutsata kutsi silalele seluleko semphostoli Pawula lesitsi: “Asinakaneni kuze sikhutsatane elutsandvweni nasemisebentini lemihle, singakuyekeli kuhlangana kwetfu ndzawonye njengobe kungumkhuba walabanye, kodvwa asikhutsatane ikakhulukati njengobe nibona lilanga lisondzela.” (Heb. 10:24, 25) Imikhosi yaminyaka yonkhe naleminye imibutsano yekukhonta beyenta ema-Israyeli abe nebuhlobo lobuhle naNkulunkulu. Ngetulu kwaloko, imikhosi lekhetsekile lefaka ekhatsi uMkhosi Wemadlangala wangesikhatsi saNehemiya beyimibutsano lejabulisako. (Eks. 23:15, 16; Neh. 8:9-18) Sizuza ngendlela lefanako emihlanganweni yelibandla, emihlanganweni yesifundza nalekhetsekile kanye neyesigodzi. Shengatsi singawasebentisa ngalokugcwele lamalungiselelo kute sakhe buhlobo betfu naNkulunkulu futsi sijabule.—Thit. 2:2.

12. Kufanele sitive njani ngemsebenti wekushumayela ngeMbuso?

¹² Njengobe sitihlanganisa nenhlangano yaNkulunkulu, sijabulela kuhlanganyela ‘emsebentini longcwele wetindzaba letimnandzi taNkulunkulu.’ (Rom. 15:16) Kwenta ‘lomsebenti longcwele’ kusenta sibe ‘tisebenti letikanye’ naJehova, ‘longuLoyo Longcwele.’ (1 Khor. 3:9; 1 Phet. 1:15) Kushumayela tindzaba letimnandzi kufaka sandla ekungcwelisweni kwelibito lelingcwele laJehova. Kulilungelo lelikhulu kuphatsiswa ‘tindzaba letimnandzi letikhatimulako taNkulunkulu lojabulako.’—1 Thim. 1:11.

13. Kuphila kwetfu nebuhlobo betfu naNkulunkulu kusime kuphi?

¹³ Nkulunkulu ufuna sichubeke sinebuhlobo lobuhle naye ngekutsi sinamatsele kuye futsi sisekele inhlangano yakhe emisebentini yayo leminyenti. Mosi watjela ema-Israyeli watsi: “Lamuhla ngibita lizulu nemhlaba kutsi kube ngufakazi kini kutsi ngibeke embikwenu kufa nekuphila, tibusiso neticalekiso. Ngako khetsani kuphila, kuze niphile nine kanye nebantfwabenu, kuze nitsandze Simakadze Nkulunkulu wenu, nive liphimbo lakhe, ninamatsele kuye. Simakadze uyimphilo yenu, futsi uyakuninika iminyaka leminyenti kulelo live lalifungela kulinika bokhokho benu, bo-Abrahama, na-Isaka, naJakobe.” (Dut. 30:19, 20) Kuphila kwetfu kusime ekwenteni intsandvo yaJehova, ekumtsandzeni, ekulaleleni livi lakhe nasekunamatseleni kuye.

14. Lomunye umzalwane wativa njani ngenhlangano yaNkulunkulu lebonakalako?

¹⁴ UMzalwane Pryce Hughes, lowatsatsa sincumo sekunamatsela kuNkulunkulu nekuhambisana nenhlangano yaKhe, wake wabhala watsi: “Ngibonga kakhulu ngekutsi ngiphile nginelwati ngetinjongo taJehova kusukela esikhatsini lesendlulile ngaphambi nje kwa-1914 . . . Intfo lebeyibaluleke kakhulu kimi, kuchubeka ngisedvute nenhlangano yaJehova lebonakalako. Lokwenteka kimi kwangifundzisa kutsi akusiko kuhlakanipha kwetsembela ekucabangeni kwemuntfu. Ngako ngatsi nasengente sincumo, ngatimisela kuchubeka nalenhlangano leyetsembekile. Nguyiphi lenye indlela umuntfu langatfola ngayo umusa waJehova nesibusiso sakhe?”

15. Niketa sibonelo lesisemiBhalweni lesikhombisa indlela lokufanele sente ngayo nakunelushintjo endleleni lesiticondza ngayo tindzaba letiseBhayibhelini.

¹⁵ Kuze sitfole umusa waJehova nesibusiso sakhe, kufanele sisekele inhlangano yakhe futsi semukele lushintjo lolwentiwako endleleni lesicondza ngayo imiBhalo. Cabanga ngaloku: Ngemuva kwekufa kwaJesu, bekunetinkhulungwane temaKhristu langemaJuda labebambelele kakhulu eMtsetfweni futsi lakutfola kumatima  kuwuyekela. (Imis. 21:17-20) Nobe kunjalo, ngelusito lwencwadzi Pawula layibhalela emaHebheru, emukela kutsi abengakangcweliswa ngenca yemihlatjelo “lenikelwa ngekuvumelana neMtsetfo,” kodvwa “ngekunikelwa kwemtimba waJesu Khristu lokwenteke kanye kuphela.” (Heb. 10:5-10) Kuyacaca kutsi lamanyenti alamaKhristu langemaJuda ayilungisa indlela labecabanga ngayo futsi achubeka acinisa buhlobo bawo naNkulunkulu. Natsi kufanele sitadishe ngekutimisela futsi sibe nemcondvo lovulekile nangabe kunelushintjo endleleni lesilicondza ngayo liVi laNkulunkulu, nobe emsebentini wetfu wekushumayela.

16. (a) Ngutiphi tibusiso letitawenta kuphila emhlabeni lomusha kujabulise? (b) Yini loyibuke ngalabovu emhlabeni lomusha?

¹⁶ Bonkhe labahlala betsembekile kuJehova nasenhlanganweni yakhe utawuchubeka ababusisa. Labagcotjiwe labetsembekile batawujabulela emalungelo lamakhulu ekuba tindlalifa naKhristu ezulwini. (Rom. 8:16, 17) Nasinelitsemba lekuphila emhlabeni, cabanga nje kutsi kutasijabulisa njani kuphila ePharadisi. Njengobe siyincenye yenhlangano yaJehova, kuyasijabulisa kutjela labanye ngemhlaba lomusha lowetsenjiswe nguNkulunkulu. (2 Phet. 3:13) Tihlabelelo 37:11 titsi: “Labamnene bayawulidla lifa lemhlaba, bahlale kahle, batijabulise ngekuthula lokukhulu.” Bantfu “bayakwakha tindlu, bahlale kuto” futsi batawujabula “ngemisebenti yetandla tabo.” (Isa. 65:21, 22) Ngeke kusaba khona kucindzeteleka, buphuya, kanye nendlala. (Hla. 72:13-16) Kute lotawudukiswa yiBhabhulona Lenkhulu ngobe itawube seyingekho. (Semb. 18:8, 21) Labafile batawuvuswa baphindze baphile phakadze. (Isa. 25:8; Imis. 24:15) Tigidzi letitinikele kuJehova titawujabulela ematsemba lamahle! Kute letetsembiso letisemiBhalweni tibe yintfo mbamba kitsi, kufanele sichubeke sicinisa buhlobo betfu naNkulunkulu, sihambisane nenhlangano yakhe.

17. Kufanele sibe nasiphi simo sengcondvo ngekukhonta Jehova nangenhlangano yakhe?

¹⁷ Njengobe lelive selisondzele ekupheleni, kukholwa kwetfu kufanele kuhlale kucinile futsi kufanele sikhombise kubonga lokukhulu ngemalungiselelo aNkulunkulu ekumkhonta. Nguleso simo sengcondvo labenaso umhlabeli Davide, lowahlabela watsi: “Kunye kuphela lengakucela kuSimakadze, ngiko kodvwa lengikufunako: kutsi ngihlale endlini yaSimakadze onkhe emalanga ekuphila kwami, ngibukisise buhle baSimakadze, ngizindle ngaye ngisethempelini lakhe.” (Hla. 27:4) Shengatsi ngamunye wetfu anganamatsela kuNkulunkulu, ahambisane nebantfu bakhe futsi achubeke ahambisana nenhlangano yaJehova.