1-2. (a) Yintoni abanye oorhulumente abayenzileyo kubantu bakaYehova, kodwa baye baziva njani abantu bakaThixo? (b) Kutheni sinokonwaba naxa sitshutshiswa? (Thetha nangomfanekiso ongaphandle.)

 SITHETHA nje, kumazwe angaphezu kwayi-30 umsebenzi wethu uvaliwe okanye ubekelwe imithetho. Kwamanye aloo mazwe, abasemagunyeni baye bavalela abazalwana noodade etrongweni. Ikhona into erongo abayenzileyo? Hayi, kuYehova akukho nto imbi bayenzileyo. Ekuphela kwento abayenzileyo kukufunda iBhayibhile, ukuxelela abanye abantu ngezinto abazikholelwayo nokuya kwiintlanganiso. Abavumanga nokuthath’ icala kwizinto zeepolitiki. Nangona bengafunwa kangaka, aba bakhonzi bakaYehova baye bahlala bethembekile, bebonisa ukuba bazinikele nyhani kuye. Iyabavuyisa ke loo nto!

² Mhlawumbi ukhe uzibone iifoto zala maNgqina anesibindi, uyibone nendlela ancume ngayo. Onwabile kuba ayayazi indlela uYehova ayithanda ngayo into yokuba ahlale ethembekile kuye. (1 Kron. 29:17a) UYesu wathi: “Bonwabile abo baye batshutshiswa kuba besenza izinto ezilungileyo . . . Vuyani kakhulu, kuba ninomvuzo omkhulu.”—Mat. 5:10-12.

3. IZenzo 4:19, 20 zithi benza ntoni abapostile xa babephethwe kakubi? Kwakutheni ukuze benze loo nto?

³ Into eyenzeka kubazalwana noodade iyafana nento eyayinyamezelwe ngabapostile, xa babephethwe kakubi kuba beshumayela ngoYesu. Iijaji zeNkundla Ephakamileyo YamaYuda zazisoloko zibaxelela ukuba “bayeke  ukuthetha ngegama likaYesu.” (IZe. 4:18; 5:27, 28, 40) Benza ntoni abapostile? (Funda iZenzo 4:19, 20.) Babesazi ukuba nguMntu onegunya ngaphezu kwezo jaji ‘obayalele ukuba bashumayele ebantwini nokuba babacacisele’ ngoKristu. (IZe. 10:42) Ngenxa yaloo nto, uPetros noYohane ababemela abapostile baba nesibindi sokuzixelela ezo jaji ukuba endaweni yokuba bathobele zona, baza kuthobela uThixo; ngoko abazukuyeka ukuthetha ngoYesu. Kwaba ngathi bathi kuzo, ‘Nicinga ukuba ningoobani nina ukuba imithetho yenu ingade ibaluleke ngaphezu kwekaThixo?’

4. IZenzo 5:27-29 zithi benza ntoni abapostile? Sinokubalinganisa njani?

⁴ Abapostile benza into eyenziwa ngawo onke amaKristu ukususela kwixesha labo. ‘Bathobela uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu.’ (Funda iZenzo 5:27-29.) Emva kokubethwa ngenxa yokuhlala bethembekile, abapostile baphuma kwiNkundla Ephakamileyo YamaYuda “bevuya, kuba uThixo wayebabona bekufanelekele ukuhlaziswa ngenxa yegama likaYesu.” Emva koko baqhubeka beshumayela!—IZe. 5:40-42.

5. Yeyiphi imibuzo ekufuneka siyiphendule?

⁵ Into eyenziwa ngabapostile yenza kubekho imibuzo efana nale: Babekwazi njani ukuthobela uThixo kunabantu, baphinde benze into ethethwa ziZibhalo yokuba ‘bathobele abasemagunyeni’? (Roma 13:1) Thina sinokukwazi njani ‘ukuthobela oorhulumente nabantu abanegunya’ njengokuba umpostile uPawulos watshoyo, kodwa sihlale sithembekile nakuThixo, ongoyena Mlawuli mkhulu kunabo bonke?—Tito 3:1

6. (a) Ngoobani abasemagunyeni ekuthethwa ngabo kumaRoma 13:1? Kufuneka sibaphathe njani? (b) Yintoni esiyaziyo ngegunya abanalo abantu abalawulayo?

⁶ Funda amaRoma 13:1. Xa le vesi ithetha ngabantu abalawulayo, ithi ‘ngabasemagunyeni.’ AmaKristu kufuneka  abathobele aba bantu. Kaloku benza kuhlale kukho uxolo, bayaqiniseka ukuba abantu bayawuthobela umthetho baze ngamanye amaxesha bakhusele nabantu bakaYehova. (ISityhi. 12:16) Ngoko kuthiwa masizenze ezi zinto bazifunayo: Sibanike irhafu, siboyike size sibahloniphe. (Roma 13:7) Kodwa aba rhulumente banegunya kuba bevunyelwe nguYehova. UYesu wayenza yacaca loo nto xa wayephekwa esophulwa ngemibuzo nguMlawuli wamaRoma, uPontiyo Pilato. Xa uPilato wathi unegunya lokumkhulula okanye lokuthi makabulawe, uYesu wathi: “Awunagunya lakundenza nto ngaphandle kokuba uvunyelwe nguThixo.” (Yoh. 19:11) Nabantu abalawulayo namhlanje bayafana noPilato, kukho izinto abangenalo igunya lokuzenza.

7. Simele singabathobeli xa kutheni oorhulumente? Yintoni abamele bangayilibali?

⁷ AmaKristu amele ayithobele imithetho karhulumente engaphikisaniyo nekaThixo. Kodwa awanakuyithobela xa ifuna enze izinto ezingafunwayo nguThixo okanye xa ifuna angazenzi izinto uThixo azifunayo. Ngokomzekelo, urhulumente usenokufuna abafana baye emkhosini ukuze balwele ilizwe labo. * Okanye usenokuthi akukho semthethweni ukusebenzisa iNguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha neempapasho ezithetha ngayo, aze angavumi ukuba sishumayele okanye siye kwiintlanganiso. UYehova ubajongile abalawuli abalisebenzisa kakubi igunya, bebaphatha kakubi abalandeli bakaKristu. Baza kuphendula Kuye!—INtshu. 5:8.

8. Yintoni umahluko phakathi kokuba ‘negunya’ nokuba ‘nguLowo Uphakamileyo’? Kutheni kubalulekile ukuyiqonda le nto?

⁸ Igama elithi ‘igunya’ lithetha “ukuba kwisikhundla esibhetele, esikhulu nesiphezulu.” Kodwa alithethi “ukuba kwesona sikhundla sibhetele, esona sikhulu nesona siphezulu,” nto leyo ecacisa igama elithi ‘Ophakamileyo.’ Nangona iBhayibhile isithi oorhulumente ‘ngabasemagunyeni,’ kukho uMntu onegunya elingaphezu kwelabo, Elona Liphakamileyo. IBhayibhile ithi “Lowo Uphakamileyo” kude kube kayi-4 xa ithetha ngoYehova.—Dan. 7:18, 22, 25, 27.

9. Yintoni eyabonwa ngumprofeti uDaniyeli?

⁹ Imibono eyabonwa ngumprofeti uDaniyeli yenza kwacaca ukuba igunya analo uYehova lelona liphakamileyo. Waqala wabona amarhamncwa amane amakhulu namela la magunya ehlabathi: iBhabhiloni, amaMedi namaPersi, iGrisi, iRoma negunya elilawulayo ngoku lamaNgesi namaMerika. (Dan. 7:1-3, 17) Emva koko uDaniyeli wabona uYehova ehleli etroneni, kwinkundla yasezulwini. (Dan. 7:9, 10) Into awayibona emva kwale ifanele ibe sisilumkiso kubalawuli banamhlanje.

10. Ngokutsho kukaDaniyeli 7:13, 14, 27, uYehova ulinika bani igunya lokulawula umhlaba? Lento isixelela ntoni ngaye?

¹⁰ Funda uDaniyeli 7:13, 14, 27. UThixo uthatha igunya kubo bonke oorhulumente bomhlaba, alinike abantu elibafaneleyo nabanamandla kunabo. Ngoobani abo? Ngulowo ‘ufana nonyana womntu,’ uYesu Kristu, ‘nabangcwele baLowo Uphakamileyo’ abayi-144 000, abaza kulawula “ngonaphakade kanaphakade.” (Dan. 7:18) Nyhani, uYehova ‘nguLowo  Uphakamileyo’ kuba nguye yedwa onegunya lokwenza le nto.

11. Yintoni eyabhalwa nguDaniyeli ebonisa ukuba uYehova ngOyena Uphakamileyo kunabanye ookumkani?

¹¹ Izinto awazibonayo uDaniyeli zingqina into awayekhe wayithetha. Wathi: “UThixo wezulu . . .  ususa ookumkani, abeke ookumkani.” Waphinda wabhala wathi: “Oyena Uphakamileyo unguMlawuli wobukumkani babantu ibe ubunika lowo athanda ukumnika.” (Dan. 2:19-21; 4:17) Ngaba bakhona ookumkani abakhe basuswa okanye babekwa nguYehova? Bakhona!

12. Khawusibalisele ngendlela uYehova awabasusa ngayo ookumkani kwiitrone zabo kwixesha elidlulileyo. (Jonga umfanekiso)

¹² UYehova uyenze yacaca indlela eliphakame ngayo igunya analo kunelabantu “abasemagunyeni.” Makhe sithethe ngemizekelo emithathu. UFaro waseYiputa wabenza amakhoboka abantu bakaYehova, engafuni tu ukubakhulula. Kodwa uThixo wabakhulula, watshonisa loo Faro kuLwandle Olubomvu. (Eks. 14:26-28; INdu. 136:15) UKumkani uBheleshatsare waseBhabhiloni wenza itheko waza ‘waziphakamisa phambi kweNkosi yamazulu, edumisa oothixo begolide nesilivere’ kunokuba adumise uYehova. (Dan. 5:22, 23) UThixo wayibeka endaweni yayo loo ndoda yayiziphakamisa. “Kanye ngobo busuku,” uBheleshatsare wabulawa baza ubukumkani bakhe banikwa amaMedi namaPersi. (Dan. 5:28, 30, 31) UKumkani uHerode Agripa I wasePalestina wabulala umpostile uYakobi waza wavalela umpostile uPetros etrongweni, efuna ukumbulala naye. Kodwa uYehova zange amvumele ukuba ayenze loo nto. “Ingelosi kaYehova yambetha” wafa.—IZe. 12:1-5, 21-23.

13. Khawusibalisele ngamaqela abalawuli awawoyisayo uYehova.

¹³ UYehova wayibonisa nakumaqela abalawuli indlela aphakame ngayo. Walwela amaSirayeli, ewanceda atshabalalise iqela lookumkani bakwaKanan abayi-31, aza athatha imihlaba emikhulu yeLizwe Lesithembiso. (Yosh. 11:4-6, 20; 12:1, 7, 24) Waphinda wawanceda oyisa uKumkani uBhen-hadadi kunye nabanye  ookumkani abayi-32 baseSiriya.—1 Kum. 20:1, 26-29.

14-15. (a) UKumkani uNebhukadenetsare noKumkani uDariyo bathini ngolawulo lukaYehova? (b) Wathini umdumisi ngoYehova nangohlanga Lwakhe?

¹⁴ UYehova wayesoloko ezibonakalisa ukuba unguLowo Uphakamileyo! Xa uKumkani uNebhukadenetsare waseBhabhiloni wayezingomba isifuba ngenxa ‘yamandla, uzuko nobukhulu bakhe,’ endaweni yokuba avume ukuba uYehova ngOyena ufanelwe kukudunyiswa, uThixo wamenza waligeza. Emva kokuba ebuyele ezingqondweni ‘wamdumisa Oyena Uphakamileyo,’ waza wavuma ukuba “[UYehova] ulawula ngonaphakade.” Waphinda wathi: “Akukho mntu unokumnqanda.” (Dan. 4:30, 33-35) Emva kokuba kwenzeke into eyafuna uDaniyeli abonise ukuba uthembeke kangakanani kuThixo, waza uYehova wamsindisa emngxunyeni weengonyama; uKumkani uDariyo wakhupha lo myalelo: “Wonke umntu . . . . makamoyike aze amngcangcazelele uThixo kaDaniyeli, kuba unguThixo ophilayo nohlala ekho ngonaphakade. Ubukumkani bakhe soze bonakaliswe, ibe ulawula ngonaphakade.”—Dan. 6:7-10, 19-22, 26, 27.

¹⁵ Umdumisi wathi: “UYehova uye wawagxobha amayelenqe eentlanga, wawenza awaphumelela amacebo ezizwana.” Waphinda wathi: “Lonwabile uhlanga olunoThixo onguYehova, abantu abanyulileyo balilifa lakhe.” (INdu. 33:10, 12) Siso kanye esi isizathu esenza ukuba sihlale sithembekile kuYehova!

16. Yintoni esimele siqiniseke ukuba iza kwenzeka ngexesha “lentlungu engathethekiyo”? Kutheni sinokuqiniseka? (Jonga umfanekiso)

¹⁶ Sesifundile ngezinto aye wazenza uYehova. Yintoni esimele siyilindele kwixesha elizayo? Sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uza kubasindisa abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo ngexesha “lentlungu  engathethekiyo.” (Mat. 24:21; Dan. 12:1) Le nto uza kuyenza xa iqela leentlanga ekuthiwa nguGogi wakwaMagogi lihlasela abantu bakaYehova abathembekileyo emhlabeni wonke. Nokuba amazwe ayi-193 akwiZizwe Ezimanyeneyo angakwelo qela leentlanga, soze alenze ixesha kuLowo Uphakamileyo nemikhosi yakhe yasezulwini! UYehova uthi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo ndiza kuzenza mkhulu, ndibonise ukuba ndingcwele ndize ndizazise phambi kwamehlo eentlanga ezininzi; zazi ukuba ndinguYehova.”—Hez. 38:14-16, 23; INdu. 46:10.

17. IBhayibhile ithi kuza kwenzeka ntoni kookumkani bomhlaba nakubantu abahlala bethembekile kuYehova?

¹⁷ Ukuhlasela kukaGogi kuza kwenza kuqalise iArmagedon, apho uYehova aza kutshabalalisa ‘ookumkani bomhlaba wonke.’ (ISityhi. 16:14, 16; 19:19-21) Iza kuba “ngabalungileyo kuphela abaza kuhlala emhlabeni, ibe ngabo bahlala bethembekile abaza kushiyeka kuwo.”—IMize. 2:21, umbhalo osemazantsi.

18. Aye enza ntoni amaKristu okwenene amaninzi? Ayenzele ntoni loo nto? (Daniyeli 3:28)

¹⁸ Kangangeminyaka emininzi, amaKristu okwenene amaninzi aye axolela ukuphila kabuhlungu nokubeka ubomi bawo engozini, kuba ethanda uYehova onguMlawuli Wendalo Yonke. Loo maKristu azimisele ukuhlala ethembekile kuYehova, anjengamaHebhere amathathu awahlala ethembekile kuLowo Uphakamileyo, nowawasindisa kwiziko lomlilo.—Funda uDaniyeli 3:28.

19. Yintoni aza kuyijonga uYehova xa egweba abantu bakhe? Yintoni esimele siyenze thina ngoku?

¹⁹ Umdumisi uDavide wabhala ngendlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuhlala uthembekile kuThixo wathi: “UYehova uza kuwisa isigwebo kwizizwana. Owu yhini Yehova, ndigwebe ngokobulungisa bam [nangokuthembeka] kwam.” (INdu. 7:8) Waphinda wathi: “Kwanga ndingakhuselwa [kukuthembeka] nabubulungisa.” (INdu. 25:21) Eyona ndlela ibhetele yokuphila kukuhlala sithembekile kuYehova, singanikezeli nokuba kwenzeka ntoni! Ukuba siyayenza le nto, siza kuziva ngendlela awayeziva ngayo umdumisi owathi: “Bonwabile abo [bathembekileyo],. . . , Abo bahamba emthethweni kaYehova.”—INdu. 119:1.