1. Kwakunjani kumpostile uYohane malunga nonyaka ka-95 C.E?

MALUNGA nonyaka ka-95 C.E., kwakunzima kakhulu kumpostile uYohane kuba wayelixhego, evalelwe kwisiqithi sasePatmos. (ISityhi. 1:9) Kusenokwenzeka nokuba abekho abanye abapostile ababephila ngelo xesha. Wayesazi ukuba kukho nabantu ababelahlekisa abazalwana noodade ibe bexabanisa. Mhlawumbi wayebona ngathi bonke abantu abalandela uKristu baza kuyeka.​—Yude 4; ISityhi. 2:15, 20; 3:1, 17.

2. ISityhilelo 7:9-14 sithi uYohane wabona ntoni? (Jonga umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

² Kanye ngelo xesha, uThixo ubonisa uYohane izinto ezimvuyisayo eziza kwenzeka kwixesha elizayo. Ubona iingelosi zixelelwa ukuba ziyibambe imimoya yembandezelo enkulu kude kugqitywe ukuqokelelwa amakhoboka kaThixo. (ISityhi. 7:1-3) La makhoboka ngabantu abayi-144 000 abaza kulawula noYesu ezulwini. (Luka 12:32; ISityhi. 7:4) Emva koko, uYohane ubona abanye abantu abaninzi aze okomntu owothukileyo athi: “Khangela!” Ngoobani abo bantu? ‘Sisihlwele esikhulu, ekungekho mntu wakwaziyo ukusibala, siphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe nezizwana neelwimi, simi phambi kwetrone naphambi kweMvana.’ (Funda iSityhilelo 7:9-14.) Inoba wavuya nyhani akubona ukuba kuseza kubakho abantu abaninzi abakhonza uYehova.

3. (a) Kutheni zimele zilomeleze nyhani ukholo lwethu izinto ezabonwa nguYohane? (b) Yintoni esiza kuyifunda kweli nqaku?

³ Siqinisekile ukuba lomelela nyhani ukholo lukaYohane emva kokubona ezo zinto. Zimele zilomeleze kakhulu  olwethu ukholo ezi zinto zabonwa nguYohane kuba zenzeka kule mihla yethu. Baninzi abantu abakhonza uYehova kule mihla nabanethemba lokusinda ngembandezelo enkulu baze baphile ngonaphakade apha emhlabeni. Kweli nqaku, siza kufunda indlela uYehova awasichaza ngayo esi sihlwele sikhulu kwiminyaka engaphezu kweyi-80 eyadlulayo. Emva koko siza kufunda (1) ngendlela esikhulu ngayo (2) nokuba abantu abakuso bavela kuwo wonke umhlaba. Ezi zinto ziza kulomeleza ukholo lwesihlwele esikhulu.

4. Yintoni ethethwa yiBhayibhile engafundiswayo ezicaweni, ibe yintoni ababeyiqonda bona aBafundi BeBhayibhile?

⁴ Iicawa azibafundisi abantu ukuba iBhayibhile ithi abantu abathobela uThixo baza kuphila emhlabeni. (2 Kor. 4:3, 4) Ezininzi zifundisa ukuba abantu abalungileyo baya ezulwini xa besifa. Bona aBafundi BeBhayibhile abaprinta iiMboniselo ukususela ngo-1879 babengafundisi loo nto. Babeqonda ukuba uThixo uza kuwenza ube yiParadesi umhlaba baze abantu abaninzi abamthobelayo baphile apha emhlabeni, hayi ezulwini. Kodwa babazi emva kwexesha elide ukuba ngoobani aba bantu bamthobelayo uThixo.​—Mat. 6:10.

5. Yintoni ababeyazi aBafundi BeBhayibhile nge-144 000?

⁵ Enye into ababeyazi aBafundi BeBhayibhile kukuba kukho abantu “abathengwe emhlabeni” abaza kulawula noYesu ezulwini. (ISityhi. 14:3) Abo bantu ngamaKristu ayi-144 000 aye athembeka kuThixo ngoxa esesemhlabeni. Yintoni ababeyazi ngesihlwele esikhulu?

6. ABafundi BeBhayibhile babecinga ntoni ngesihlwele esikhulu?

⁶ UYohane ubona aba bantu ‘bemi phambi kwetrone naphambi kweMvana.’ (ISityhi. 7:9) Le nto yabangela ukuba aBafundi BeBhayibhile bathi isihlwele esikhulu ne-144 000, bonke baza kuya ezulwini. Ukuba bebeza kuya bonke ezulwini, yintoni eyenza isihlwele esikhulu sohluke kwi-144 000? ABafundi BeBhayibhile babecinga ukuba isihlwele esikhulu ngamaKristu angakhange athembeke kangako kuThixo ngoxa ebesesemhlabeni. Ngoxa ayesenza izinto ezithethwa yiBhayibhile, kusenokwenzeka ukuba amanye awo ayengazishiyanga ncam iicawa zawo. ABafundi BeBhayibhile bathi loo maKristu ayemthanda uThixo kodwa ayengenakulawula noYesu ezulwini. Wona ayengazukuba kwitrone esezulwini, ayeza kuba phambi kwayo kuba ayengamthandi kangako uThixo.

7. ABafundi BeBhayibhile babesithi ngoobani abaza kuphila emhlabeni xa kulawula uYesu iminyaka eliwaka? Babesithini ngabantu abafa bethembekile kuYehova ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaYesu?

⁷ Ngoobani ke ababeza kuphila emhlabeni? ABafundi BeBhayibhile babekholelwa ukuba, emva kokuba isihlwele isikhulu siye ezulwini ne-144 000, abanye abantu baza kuphila emhlabeni balawulwe nguKristu iminyaka eliwaka. Babekholelwa nokuba aba bantu abazukukhonza uYehova ngaphambi kokuba uYesu alawule iminyaka eliwaka. Babesithi baza kufundiswa ngoYehova xa uYesu elawula iminyaka eliwaka. Emva koko, abantu abamthobeleyo uYehova babeza kuphila ubomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni baze abangamthobelanga batshabalale. Ngenxa yokuba kwiminyaka eliwaka kuza kubakho ‘iinkosana,’  babekholelwa ukuba abanye kwezi nkosana ngabantu abavusiweyo ababethembekile kuYehova ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaYesu. Babesithi ezo nkosana ziza kuya ezulwini emva kweminyaka eliwaka.​—INdu. 45:16.

8. Ngawaphi amaqela amathathu ababesithi akho aBafundi BeBhayibhile?

⁸ Ngoko aBafundi BeBhayibhile babesithi kukho la maqela mathathu: (1) abantu abayi-144 000 abaza kulawula noYesu ezulwini; (2) isihlwele esikhulu samaKristu ayengamthandi kangako uYehova, esiza kuma phambi kwetrone ezulwini, (3) nabantu abaza kuphila emhlabeni abaza kufundiswa ngoYehova xa kulawula uKristu Iminyaka Eliwaka. * Ekuhambeni kwexesha uYehova wabenza bayazi eyona nto iza kwenzeka.​—IMize. 4:18.

9. (a) Isihlwele esikhulu siza kuma njani “phambi kwetrone naphambi kweMvana”? (b) Kutheni indlela esicaciswa ngayo iSityhilelo 7:9 ivakala ngoku?

⁹ Ngo-1935 isihlwele esikhulu esabonwa nguYohane sacaciswa kakuhle. AmaNgqina KaYehova aqonda ukuba isihlwele esikhulu asizukuya ‘kuma phambi kwetrone naphambi kweMvana’ ngokoqobo. Siza kuphila apha emhlabeni, kodwa ukuma kwaso “phambi kwetrone” kuthetha ukuba siza kumhlonipha size simthobele uYehova olawula indalo yonke. (Isa. 66:1) Siza kuma ‘phambi kwemvana’ ngokuba nokholo kwintlawulelo. UMateyu 25:31, 32 ude athi “zonke iintlanga,” ekukho kuzo nabantu abangamthobeliyo uThixo, ziza “kuhlanganiselwa phambi” koYesu ehleli etroneni. Le nto yenza kucace ukuba, ezi ntlanga azikho zulwini, zisemhlabeni. Le ndlela icaciswa ngayo iyavakala kuba yenza siqonde ukuba kutheni iBhayibhile ingatsho ukuba isihlwele esikhulu siza kuya ezulwini. Ngabantu abayi-144 000 kuphela abaza kuya ezulwini babe ‘ngookumkani kunye noYesu phezu komhlaba.’​—ISityhi. 5:10.

10. Kutheni kufuneka isihlwele esikhulu sifundiswe ngoYehova ngaphambi kweMinyaka Eliwaka?

¹⁰ Ukususela ngo-1935, amaNgqina KaYehova aye aqonda ukuba isihlwele esikhulu esabonwa nguYohane ngamaKristu athembekileyo anethemba lokuphila emhlabeni ngonaphakade. Ukuze esi sihlwele sisinde kwimbandezelo enkulu, kufuneka sifundiswe ngoYehova ngaphambi kokuba kuqale Iminyaka Eliwaka. Kufuneka sibe nokholo oluqinileyo ukuze ‘siphumelele ekubalekeni zonke izinto ezimiselwe ukubakho’ ngaphambi kweMinyaka Eliwaka yokulawula kukaKristu.​—Luka 21:34-36.

11. Kwakutheni ukuze abanye aBafundi BeBhayibhile bacinge ukuba kwakukho abantu ababeza kuvuselwa ezulwini emva kweMinyaka Eliwaka?

¹¹ Ngaba nyhani abantu abafe bethembekile babeza kuvuselwa ezulwini emva kweMinyaka Eliwaka? IMboniselo kaFebruwari 15, 1913 yayikhe yayiveza into enjalo. Omnye umntu ebesenokuzibuza athi, ‘Kutheni amanye amadoda awafa ethembekile kuThixo ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaYesu eza kuphila emhlabeni, aze wona amaKristu awafa engamthandi kangako uThixo aphile ezulwini?’ Kaloku loo nto yayisenziwa yindlela ababecinga ngayo abanye aBafundi BeBhayibhile. Babecinga ukuba: (1) isihlwele esikhulu sasiza kuphila ezulwini nokuba (2) sasiza kuba ngamaKristu awayengamthandi kangako uThixo.

12-13. Yintoni ayiqondayo amaKristu athanjisiweyo nesihlwele esikhulu ngomvuzo aza kuwufumana?

 ¹² Sesibonile ukuba ukususela ngo-1935, amaNgqina KaYehova aye aqonda ukuba isihlwele esikhulu esabonwa nguYohane ngabantu abaza kusinda kwiArmagedon. Baza ‘kuphuma embandezelweni enkulu’ babe lapha emhlabeni, baze bekhwaza ‘ngelizwi elikhulu bathi: “Usindiso silufumene kuThixo wethu, ohleli etroneni, nakuyo iMvana”’ (ISityhi. 7:10, 14) Enye into, iZibhalo zisixelela ukuba abantu abaza kuvuselwa ezulwini bafumana ‘okuthile okubalungele ngakumbi’ kunamadoda awafa ethembekile ngaphambi kokuba uYesu azalwe. (Heb. 11:40) Loo nto yenza ukuba abazalwana baqalise ukumema abantu ukuba bakhonze uYehova benethemba lokuphila emhlabeni ngonaphakade.

¹³ Isihlwele esikhulu siyalivuyela ithemba esinalo. Siyaqonda ukuba kuxhomekeke kuYehova ukuba abantu bakhe baza kumkhonza phi, ezulwini okanye emhlabeni. AmaKristu athanjisiweyo nesihlwele esikhulu ayaqonda ukuba umvuzo wokuphila ezulwini nowokuphila emhlabeni awufumana ngenxa yobubele bukaThixo obungawafanelanga awabubonisa ngokunikela ngoNyana wakhe uYesu Kristu.​—Roma 3:24.

14. Emva konyaka ka-1935, kwakutheni ukuze abanye abantu bazibuze ukuba yintoni eza kubangela ukuba inani lesi sihlwele libe likhulu?

¹⁴ Emva kokuba kucacisiwe ngo-1935 ukuba siyintoni isihlwele esikhulu, abanye abantu bakaYehova babesazibuza ukuba yintoni eza kubangela ukuba inani laso libe likhulu. Ngokomzekelo, xa kwakuchazwa ukuba siyintoni isihlwele esikhulu, uRonald Parkin wayeneminyaka eyi-12. Uthi: “Ngelo xesha kwakukho abavakalisi abayi-56 000 ehlabathini, abaninzi kubo babethanjisiwe. Abo besihlwele esikhulu babebonakala bembalwa kakhulu.”

15. Yintoni eye yabangela ukuba likhule inani lesihlwele esikhulu?

¹⁵ Kwiminyaka eyalandelayo, kwasiwa abathunywa bevangeli kumazwe amaninzi, ibe loo nto yabangela ukuba amaNgqina KaYehova aye esanda. Ngo-1968 kwaqaliswa ukufundela abantu iBhayibhile kusetyenziswa incwadi ethi Inyaniso Ekhokelela Kubomi Obungunaphakade. Indlela eyayiyicacisa lula ngayo iBhayibhile yenza abantu abaninzi  bakhonza uYehova. Kwiminyaka nje emine, kwabhaptizwa abafundi abangaphezu kwe-500 000. Xa iCawa YamaKatolika yayingasathandwa kangako kuMbindi nakuMzantsi Merika nakwamanye amazwe, naxa amaNgqina avunyelwayo ukuba ashumayele kwiMpuma Yurophu nakwamanye amazwe aseAfrika, kwabhaptizwa abantu abaninzi kakhulu. (Isa. 60:22) Kule minyaka idlulileyo, intlangano kaYehova iye yenza izixhobo ezininzi zokunceda abantu bafunde iBhayibhile. Ngoku, sekuhlanganiswe isihlwele esikhulu esingaphezu kweemiliyoni ezisibhozo.

16. Siphuma phi isihlwele esikhulu?

¹⁶ Xa wayebhala ngesihlwele esikhulu awasibonayo uYohane, wathi sasiza kuphuma “kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe nezizwana neelwimi.” Nomprofeti uZekariya wayekhe wayithetha into enjalo. Wathi: “Ngezo mini ke amadoda alishumi aphuma kuzo zonke iilwimi zeentlanga aya kubamba, ewe, okunene aya kubamba isondo lendoda engumYuda, esithi: ‘Siza kuhamba nani, kuba sivile ukuba uThixo unani.’”​—Zek. 8:23.

17. Yintoni eye yenziwa ukuze kuncedwe abantu abaphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga neelwimi?

 ¹⁷ AmaNgqina KaYehova ayazi ukuba ukuze kuhlanganiswe abantu abathetha zonke iilwimi, kufuneka iindaba ezilungileyo zishunyayelwe ngeelwimi ezininzi. Ngaphezu kweminyaka eyi-130 ebeguqulela iincwadi ezifundisa iBhayibhile. Ngoku enza into angazange ayenza, aguqulela iincwadi ngeelwimi ezininzi kakhulu. Kule minyaka, uYehova wenza ummangaliso wokuhlanganisa isihlwele esikhulu esiphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga. Ngenxa yeBhayibhile neencwadi ezithetha ngayo, aba bantu bamanyene ekukhonzeni uYehova ngoxa bephuma kwiintlanga ezahlukahlukeneyo. Baziwa ngokukhuthala kumsebenzi wokushumayela nangokuthandana. Iluqinisa kakhulu ukholo ke loo nto.​—Mat. 24:14; Yoh. 13:35.

18. (a) UIsaya 46:10, 11 uthi kutheni ingasimangalisi indlela uYehova abangele senzeka ngayo esi siprofeto? (b) Kutheni abantu abaza kuphila emhlabeni bengacingi ukuba uYehova akabahoyanga?

¹⁸ Sivuya kakhulu xa sicinga ngesiprofeto esithetha ngesihlwele esikhulu. Ayisimangalisi indlela uYehova abangele senzeka ngayo esi siprofeto. (Funda uIsaya 46:10, 11.) Isihlwele esikhulu simbulela kakhulu uYehova ngento asithembise yona. Asicingi ukuba uThixo akasihoyanga kuba sona engasithambisanga ngomoya oyingcwele ukuze sibe kunye noYesu ezulwini. KwiZibhalo sifunda ngamadoda nabafazi ababenokholo nababencedwa ngumoya oyingcwele, kodwa nabo abazukuya ezulwini. Abanye babo nguYohane umBhaptizi noDavide. (Mat. 11:11; IZe. 2:34) Bona kunye nabanye abaninzi baza kuvuselwa kumhlaba oyiparadesi. Bonke kunye nesihlwele esikhulu baza kufumana ithuba lokubonisa indlela abamthanda ngayo uYehova nokuba bayafuna ukulawulwa nguye.

19. Ekubeni siyibona indlela esihlanganiswa ngayo isihlwele esikhulu esabonwa nguYohane, yintoni ekufuneka siyenze?

¹⁹ UYehova uyaqala ukuhlanganisa abantu abangaka abaphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga. Nokuba siza kuphila ezulwini okanye emhlabeni, kufuneka sincede abantu abaninzi kakhulu babe ngabanye besihlwele esikhulu ‘sezinye izimvu.’ (Yoh. 10:16) Kungekudala, uYehova uza kuzisa imbandezelo enkulu eza kutshabalalisa oorhulumente kunye neecawa eziye zabangela intlungu enkulu ebantwini. Sonke isihlwele esikhulu siza kuphila kamnandi emhlabeni kuba siza kukhonza uYehova ngonaphakade.​—ISityhi. 7:14.