1-2. Kutheni sinomdla kwincwadi yeSityhilelo?

 NGABA wakha wabukiswa ialbham yomnye umntu? Njengokuba ubuka iifoto, ubona abantu abaninzi ongabaziyo. Kodwa uthi xa ufika kwenye ifoto, angasuki amehlo akho kuyo. Kutheni? Kuba nawe ukhona kule foto. Njengokuba uyijongile, uzama ukukhumbula ukuba yayifotwe nini, ifotelwa phi. Uzama nokujonga abantu obaziyo. Le foto ikuxelela into eninzi.

² Incwadi yeSityhilelo ke iyafana nale foto. Njani? Ngeendlela ezimbini. Eyokuqala, le ncwadi yeBhayibhile yayibhalelwe thina. Kwivesi nje yokuqala, ithi: “Isityhilelo esityhilwa nguYesu Kristu, asinikwe nguThixo, ukuba abonise amakhoboka akhe izinto ezimele zenzeke kungekudala.” (ISityhi. 1:1) Ngoko le ncwadi ayibhalelwanga wonke umntu, ibhalelwe thina bakhonzi bakaThixo. Ayifanelanga isothuse ke into yokuba sikhona kwizinto ezenzekayo ekwakuprofetwe ngazo kule ncwadi ebangel’ umdla. Ngamany’ amazwi, nathi sikhona kule “foto.”

3-4. Ngokutsho kwencwadi yeSityhilelo, iziprofeto ezikuyo zaziza kwenzeka nini? Loo nto ifanele isenze sifune ukwenza ntoni?

³ Enye into esenza sibe nomdla kule ncwadi lixesha ekwathiwa ziza kwenzeka ngalo iziprofeto ezikuyo. Ingwevu engumpostile uYohane yalichaza elo xesha xa yathi: “Umoya oyingcwele wandinceda ndabona izinto ezaziza kwenzeka ngemini yeNkosi.” (ISityhi. 1:10) Xa uYohane wayebhala la mazwi malunga no-96 C.E., ‘imini yenkosi’ yayingekabiphi ukufika. (Mat. 25:14, 19; Luka 19:12) Ngokutsho kwesiprofeto esiseBhayibhileni, loo mini yaqala ngo-1914 xa uYesu wayebekwa esihlalweni soBukumkani  ezulwini. Zaqala ngaloo nyaka ukwenzeka iziprofeto ezikwiSityhilelo ezithetha ngabantu bakaThixo. Ngoku, ‘sikwimini yeNkosi.’

⁴ Sithi ekufuneka balihoye kakhulu icebiso elikwiSityhilelo 1:3 kuba siphila kweli xesha libangel’ umdla. Eli cebiso lithi: “Wonwabile umntu owafunda ngokuvakalayo amazwi esi siprofeto nabo bawevayo amazwi aso, nabazenzayo izinto ezibhalwe kuso, kuba ixesha elibekiweyo lisondele.” Njengokuba lisitsho, kufuneka ‘siwafunde ngokuvakalayo, siweve amazwi esi siprofeto,’ size ‘sizenze izinto ezibhalwe kuso.’ Zeziphi ezinye izinto ezibhalwe kuso ekufuneka sizenze?

5. Incwadi yeSityhilelo iyiveza njani indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba siqiniseke ukuba simkhonza ngendlela ayifunayo uYehova?

⁵ Kwisahluko sokuqala nje sencwadi yeSityhilelo, siva ukuba uYesu wazi yonke into eyenzeka kumabandla abantu bakhe. (ISityhi. 1:12-16, 20; 2:1) Loo nto wayibonisa kwimiyalezo awayithumela kumabandla ayi-7 aseAsia Minor. Kuyo wachaza ngokucacileyo izinto ezaziza kuwanceda amaKristu elo xesha aqiniseke ukuba amkhonza ngendlela ayifunayo uYehova. Ezo zinto wawaxelela zona zisasebenza kubantu bakaThixo namhlanje. Isifundisa ntoni loo nto? Isifundisa ukuba iNkokheli yethu, uKristu uYesu, yazi kakuhle ukuba bunjani ubuhlobo bethu noYehova. Uyasikhokela, uyasikhusela, futhi akukho nto angayiboniyo. Uyazi ukuba kufuneka senze ntoni ukuze sihlale simvuyisa uYehova. Yintoni awayithethayo ekufuneka siyenze nathi namhlanje?

6. (a) Ngokutsho kwamazwi akwiSityhilelo 2:3, 4, yayiyintoni ingxaki yebandla lase-Efese? (b)Yintoni esiyifundayo thina?

⁶ Funda iSityhilelo 2:3, 4. Simele singayeki ukumthanda njengakuqala uYehova. Into uYesu awayixelela ibandla lase-Efese ibonisa ukuba abantu beli bandla banyamezela, futhi zange bayeke ukukhonza uYehova nangona babeneengxaki ezinzima. Kodwa ke, lwaphola uthando ababenalo ekuqaleni. Kwakufuneka baluvuselele olo thando, kungenjalo, yayingazukwamkeleka indlela ababekhonza ngayo. Kunjalo nakuthi ke namhlanje, asimelanga siphelele nje ekunyamezeleni, kufuneka sinyamezele ngenxa yezizathu ezizizo. UThixo wethu akajongi ukuba yintoni esiyenzayo qha, kodwa ujonga nokuba kutheni siyenza loo nto. Izizathu esinazo zibalulekile kuye kuba ufuna simkhonze kuba simthanda kakhulu futhi simbulela.​—IMize. 16:2; Marko 12:29, 30.

7. (a) Ngokutsho kweSityhilelo 3:1-3, uYesu wabona eyiphi ingxaki kwibandla laseSardesi? (b) Yintoni ekufuneka siyenze?

⁷ Funda iSityhilelo 3:1-3. Simele sihlale sithe qwa. AmaKristu ebandla laseSardesi ayenenye ingxaki. Ekuqaleni ayekhuthele enkonzweni, kodwa ngoku ayerhuq’ iinyawo. UYesu wathi ‘mawavuke.’ Sesiphi isilumkiso esisifumanayo thina? Siyazi ukuba uYehova akasoze awulibale umsebenzi wethu. (Heb. 6:10) Sekunjalo, asinakuzingomb’ isifuba ngezinto esimenzele zona kwixesha elidlulileyo, sicing’ ukuba sigqibile. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba asisakwazi ukwenza izinto njengakuqala, kodwa kufuneka sihlale sithe qwa, sixakekile “emsebenzini weNkosi,” de kube sekupheleni.​—1 Kor. 15:58; Mat. 24:13; Marko 13:33.

8. Yintoni esiyifundayo kwinto uYesu awayixelela amaKristu aseLawodike kwiSityhilelo 3:15-17?

 ⁸ Funda iSityhilelo 3:15-17. Simele sikhuthale futhi simkhonze ngentliziyo yethu yonke uYehova. Umyalezo kaYesu owawusiya kwibandla laseLawodike wabonisa enye ingxaki. AmaKristu eli bandla ‘ayedikidiki.’ Ngenxa yokonqena kwawo, uYesu wawaxelela ukuba “awonwabanga” futhi ‘alusizana.’ Kwakufuneka azimisele, akukhuthalele ukukhonza uYehova. (ISityhi. 3:19) Isifundisa ntoni loo nto? Ukuba asisakhuthalanga njengakuqala, simele sivuselele indlela esasizibulela ngayo izinto esizenzelwa nguYehova nayintlangano yakhe. (ISityhi. 3:18) Singaze siphazanyiswe kukufuna ubomi obutofotofo, kude ukukhonza uYehova kungabaluleki kangako kuthi.  

9. Umyalezo uYesu awawuxelela amaKristu asePergamo nawaseTiyatira usilumkisa entwenini?

⁹ Simele singazimameli izinto ezifundiswa ngabawexuki. UYesu wawakhalimela amanye amaKristu asePergamo awayelahlukanisa ibandla, esenza kubekho amaqela. (ISityhi. 2:14-16) Wawancoma awaseTiyatira awayehambela kude ‘kwizinto ezinzulu zikaSathana,’ waza wawakhuthaza ukuba ‘aqhubeke’ esenyanisweni. (ISityhi. 2:24-26) AmaKristu aloo mabandla awayengaqinanga, awayeqalise ukulandela iimfundiso zobuxoki kwakufuneka aguquke. Yintoni ekufuneka siyenze thina? Simele sival’ iindlebe kuyo nayiphi na imfundiso engavumelaniyo nendlela uThixo acinga ngayo. Abawexuki ‘bangabonakala ngathi bayamkhonza uThixo,’ kodwa indlela abaphila ngayo “ibe ingatsho.” (2 Tim. 3:5) Kulula ukuzibona iimfundiso zobuxoki nokungazimameli xa sikukhuthalele ukufunda iLizwi LikaThixo.​—2 Tim. 3:14-17; Yuda 3, 4.

10. Yeyiphi enye into esiyifundayo kwinto uYesu awayithetha kwibandla lasePergamo nelaseTiyatira?

¹⁰ Simele singaziphathi kakubi nangayiphi na indlela, singanyamezeli okanye senze ngathi asiboni xa kukho umKristu oziphethe kakubi. Kwakukho nenye ingxaki ePergamo naseTiyatira. Kula mabandla, uYesu wakhalimela amanye amaKristu awayengakuchasanga ukuziphatha kakubi. (ISityhi. 2:14, 20) Isifundisa ntoni thina loo nto? Asinakulindela ukuba uYehova asinyamezele xa siziphatha kakubi, nokuba senza imisebenzi emininzi  kwintlangano yakhe okanye sesineminyaka emingaphi simkhonza. (1 Sam. 15:22; 1 Pet. 2:16) Ulindele ukuba siqhubeke siziphethe ngendlela ayifunayo nokuba indlela yokuziphatha yeli hlabathi iya isiba mbi kangakanani.​—Efe. 6:11-13.

11. Sifunde ntoni ukuza kutsho ngoku? (Jonga ibhokisi ethi “ Izinto Esizifundayo Thina.”)

¹¹ Sifunde ntoni ukuza kutsho ngoku? Sibonile ukuba simele siqiniseke ukuba simkhonza ngendlela ayifunayo uYehova. Ukuba kukho into esiyenzayo enokwenza uYehova angayithandi indlela esimkhonza ngayo, masikhawuleze siyilungise. (ISityhi. 2:5, 16; 3:3, 16) Kodwa ke, ikhona nenye into uYesu awathetha ngayo kula mabandla. Yintoni leyo?

12. Yintoni eyathethwa nguYesu kwibandla laseSmirna nelaseFiladelfi esifanele sibe nomdla kuyo? (ISityhilelo 2:10)

¹² Ngoku makhe sithethe ngezinto uYesu awazixelela ibandla laseSmirna nelaseFiladelfi. Wathi amaKristu alapho mawangayoyiki intshutshiso kuba uYehova wayeza kuwasikelela xa ehlala ethembekile. (Funda iSityhilelo 2:10; 3:10) Isifundisa ntoni thina loo nto? Simele siyilindele intshutshiso, size sikulungele ukuyinyamezela. (Mat. 24:9, 13; 2 Kor. 12:10) Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba sihlale siyikhumbula loo nto?

13-14. Yintoni eye yenzeka kubantu bakaThixo ngenxa yezinto ezichazwe kwiSityhilelo isahluko 12?

¹³ Incwadi yeSityhilelo isixelela ukuba abantu bakaThixo babeza kutshutshiswa “ngeMini yeNkosi,” eyile mihla siphila kuyo ngoku. Isahluko 12 sithi kwabakho imfazwe ezulwini emva nje kokuqala koBukumkani BukaThixo ukulawula. UMikayeli, onguYesu Kristu ozukisiweyo, nomkhosi wakhe, balwa noSathana needemon zakhe. (ISityhi. 12:7, 8) Kuloo mfazwe, iintshaba zikaThixo zoyiswa zaza zaphoswa emhlabeni. Ukufika kwazo, zenza abantu baphila ubomi obubuhlungu ngendlela engathethekiyo. (ISityhi. 12:9, 12) Kodwa yintoni eye yenzeka kubantu bakaThixo?

¹⁴ Ngoku iSityhilelo sisixelela into ayenzayo uSathana. Kuba engasakwazi ukungena ezulwini, ukhuphela umsindo wakhe kubathanjiswa abashiyekileyo, abamela uBukumkani BukaThixo emhlabeni, “nabanomsebenzi wokungqinela uYesu.” (ISityhi. 12:17; 2 Kor. 5:20; Efe. 6:19, 20) Siye senzeka njani esi siprofeto?

15. Ngoobani ababemelwa ngamangqina amabini ekuthethwa ngawo kwiSityhilelo isahluko 11? Kwenzeka ntoni kubo?

¹⁵ USathana wenza iintshaba zikaThixo zahlasela abazalwana abangabathanjiswa  ababekhokela kumsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani. Loo madoda ayemelwa ‘ngamangqina amabini’ awabulawayo ekuthethwa ngawo kwincwadi yeSityhilelo. * (ISityhi. 11:3, 7-11) Ngo-1918, abazalwana abayi-8 ababekhokela bamangalelwa ngezinto abangazenzanga baza bagwetywa ixesha elide etrongweni. Ebantwini kwakubonakala ngathi umsebenzi waba bathanjiswa ‘ubulewe.’

16. Yintoni emangalisayo eyenzekayo ngo-1919, kodwa uSathana waqhubeka esenza ntoni?

¹⁶ Isiprofeto esikwisahluko 11 saphinda sathi la ‘mangqina mabini’ ayeza kuphinda avuswe kwixeshana nje elincinci. Into ethethwa seso siprofeto yenzeka ngendlela emangalisayo kungekapheli nonyaka evalelwe. Ngasekuqaleni kuka-1919 abo bazalwana bathanjisiweyo bakhululwa etrongweni, ethubeni zarhoxiswa izityholo ababebekwe zona. Zange balibazise, babuyela kumsebenzi wokushumayela nokufundisa ngoBukumkani. Kodwa loo nto zange imenze ayeke uSathana ukuhlasela abantu bakaThixo. Ukususela ngoko, uye wabazisela ‘umlambo’ wentshutshiso bonke abantu bakaThixo. (ISityhi. 12:15) Kulapho ‘kufuneka khona ke ukunyamezela nokuba nokholo’ kuthi sonke.​—ISityhi. 13:10.

17. Yeyiphi indawo engalindelekanga abaye balufumana kuyo uncedo abantu bakaThixo ngoxa behlaselwa nguSathana?

¹⁷ Xa siqhubeka iSityhilelo 12 sibonisa ukuba abantu bakaThixo babeza kufumana uncedo kwindawo engalindelekanga. Kwakuza kuba ngathi “umhlaba” uwuginyile “umlambo” wentshutshiso. (ISityhi. 12:16) Kuye kwenzeka loo nto kanye. Ngamany’ amaxesha, xa amaziko ehlabathi likaSathana, njengezinye iinkundla zomthetho, enobulungisa, baye bancedakale abantu bakaThixo. Amaxesha amaninzi abakhonzi bakaYehova baye baphumelela amatyala asezinkundleni aye abanika inkululeko ethile. Baye bayisebenzisa njani le nkululeko? Baye balisebenzisa lonke ixesha abalifumanayo lokwenza umsebenzi abawunikwe nguYehova. (1 Kor. 16:9) Ngumsebenzi wokwenza ntoni lowo?

18. Ngowuphi owona msebenzi wethu uphambili kule mihla yokugqibela?

 ¹⁸ UYesu waprofeta wathi abantu bakhe babeza kushumayela ‘iindaba ezilungileyo ezingoBukumkani BukaThixo’ ngaphambi kokuba kufike isiphelo. (Mat. 24:14) Xa beshumayela, baye bafumane uncedo kwiingelosi, ekuthiwa ‘zineendaba ezilungileyo eziza kuhlala ngonaphakade, ezifuna ukuzixelela abantu abahlala emhlabeni, zonke iintlanga, izizwe, iilwimi nezizwana.’​—ISityhi. 14:6.

19. Ngowuphi omnye umyalezo omele ushunyayelwe ngabantu abathanda uYehova?

¹⁹ Umyalezo omele uvakaliswe ngabantu bakaThixo awuphelelanga kwiindaba ezilungileyo ezithetha ngoBukumkani. Kufuneka bancedise nakumsebenzi owenziwa ziingelosi ekuthethwa ngazo kwiSityhilelo isahluko 8 ukuya ku-10. Ezi ngelosi zivakalisa izinto ezibuhlungu eziza kwehlela abo bangabufuniyo uBukumkani BukaThixo. Ngoko amaNgqina KaYehova ebevakalisa umyalezo womgwebo, ofana ‘nesichotho nomlilo,’ ochaza imigwebo kaThixo kumaziko ahlukahlukeneyo ehlabathi elibi likaSathana. (ISityhi. 8:7, 13) Abantu kufuneka bazi ukuba asifikanga sigalelekile isiphelo, ukuze batshintshe indlela abaphila ngayo baze basinde ngemini yomsindo kaYehova. (Zef. 2:2, 3) Kodwa ke, ayingabo bonke abantu abawuthandayo lo myalezo. Ukuze sikwazi ukuwuxelela abantu, kufuneka sibe nesibindi. Ngexesha lentlungu engathethekiyo, umyalezo wokugqibela womgwebo uza kubanyol’ esweni abantu.​—ISityhi. 16:21.

20. Siza kuthetha ngantoni kumanqaku amabini alandelayo?

²⁰ Kufuneka nyhani ukuba sizenze izinto ‘ezikumazwi esi siprofeto’ kuba nathi sikhona kwizinto ezenzekayo esifunda ngazo kwincwadi yeSityhilelo. (ISityhi. 1:3) Kodwa singakwazi njani ukunyamezela intshutshiso sithembekile size siqhubeke siyishumayela ngesibindi le miyalezo? Zimbini izinto eziza kusiqinisa. Eyokuqala, yinto ethethwa yincwadi yeSityhilelo ngeentshaba zikaThixo, ize eyesibini, ibe ziintsikelelo esiza kuzifumana kwixesha elizayo ukuba sihlala sithembekile. Ezo zinto siza kuthetha ngazo kumanqaku amabini alandelayo.