1, 2. (a) Yintoni uYehova awathi iza kwenzeka kwixesha lethu? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo eza kuphendulwa kweli nqaku? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

UYEHOVA wathi, ngexesha lethu “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.’” (Zekariya 8:23) ‘Indoda engumYuda’ ifanekisela abo uThixo abathambise ngomoya oyingcwele. Bakwabizwa nangokuba ‘nguSirayeli kaThixo.’ (Galati 6:16) “Amadoda alishumi” wona afanekisela abo banethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni. Ayazi ukuba uYehova ubasikelele abathanjiswa, yaye akugqala njengelungelo ukumnqula kunye nabo.

² Njengokuba nomprofeti uZekariya watshoyo, uYesu naye wathi abantu bakaThixo babeya kumanyana. Ubachaza abo banethemba lokuphila ezulwini ‘njengomhlambi omncinane,’ aze abo banethemba lokuphila emhlabeni abachaze ‘njengezinye izimvu.’ Kodwa wathi bonke babeya kuba ‘ngumhlambi omnye,’ balandele yena kuphela ‘njengomalusi’ wabo. (Luka 12:32; Yohane 10:16) Ekubeni  kukho amaqela amabini, abanye basenokuzibuza: (1) Ngaba ezinye izimvu zimele ziwazi amagama abo bonke abantu abathanjisiweyo namhlanje? (2) Abathanjiswa bamele bazijonge njani? (3) Ukuba umntu osebandleni lam uqalisa ukutya eSikhumbuzweni, ndimele ndimjonge njani? (4) Ngaba ndimele ndikhathazeke xa ndibona inani labantu abatyayo eSikhumbuzweni lisanda? Le mibuzo iza kuphendulwa kweli nqaku.

3. Kutheni singenakwazi ngokuqinisekileyo ukuba ngoobani abaza kuba yinxalenye ye-144 000?

³ Ngaba ezinye izimvu zimele ziwazi amagama abo bonke abathanjiswa abasesemhlabeni namhlanje? Akunjalo. Ngoba? Kuba akukho mntu unokuqiniseka ukuba bonke baza kuwufumana umvuzo wabo. [1] (Jonga umbhalo osekugqibeleni.) Nangona uThixo ebamemele ukuya ezulwini, baya kuwufumana umvuzo wabo kuphela ukuba bahlala bethembekile. USathana uyakwazi oku, ibe usebenzisa ‘abaprofeti bobuxoki’ ukuzama ‘ukubalahlekisa.’ (Mateyu 24:24) AmaKristu athanjisiweyo awanakuqiniseka ukuba aza kuwufumana umvuzo wawo de uYehova awenze acacelwe ukuba uwagqala njengathembekileyo. UYehova uwatywina okokugqibela ngaphambi kokuba afe okanye ngaphambi nje kokuqalisa ‘kwembandezelo enkulu.’—ISityhilelo 2:10; 7:3, 14.

4. Ukuba asinakuwazi amagama abo bonke abantu abathajisiweyo abasemhlabeni namhlanje, ‘sinokuhamba njani nabo’?

⁴ Ukuba ezinye izimvu azinakuwazi amagama abo bonke abantu abathajisiweyo abasemhlabeni namhlanje, ‘zinokuhamba njani nabo’? IBhayibhile ithi amadoda alishumi ayeza “kubamba isondo lendoda engumYuda, esithi: ‘Siza kuhamba nani, kuba sivile ukuba uThixo unani.’” Le vesi ikhankanya indoda yomYuda enye. Kodwa ibhekisela kubantu abaninzi xa isithi “nani” naxa isithi “unani.” Oku kutheth’ ukuba indoda yomYuda asingomntu nje omnye, kodwa ngabo bonke abathanjiswa. Ezinye izimvu ziyakwazi oku, ibe zikhonza uYehova kunye nabo. Akuyomfuneko ukuba zazi igama lomthanjiswa ngamnye zize zilandele yena. Kaloku nguYesu iNkokeli yethu, ibe iBhayibhile ithi simele silandele yena yedwa.—Mateyu 23:10.

5. Sisiphi isilumkiso abamele bacingisise ngaso abathanjiswa, yaye ngoba?

⁵ Abathanjiswa bamele bacingisise nzulu ngesilumkiso esikweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 11:27-29. (Yifunde.) Umthanjiswa unokutya njani “ngokungafanelekanga” eSikhumbuzweni? Ukuba  akahlali enolwalamano oluhle noYehova yaye akathembekanga kuye, kodwa atye isonka aze asele newayini, uyadelela. (Hebhere 6:4-6; 10:26-29) Esi silumkiso sinamandla sikhumbuza abathanjiswa ukuba bamele bahlale bethembekile ukuba bafuna ukufumana “umvuzo wobizo lwaphezulu lukaThixo ngoKristu Yesu.”—Filipi 3:13-16.

6. AmaKristu athanjisiweyo amele azijonge njani?

⁶ UPawulos wathi kumaKristu athanjisiweyo: “Mna, ke ngoko, endilibanjwa eNkosini, ndiyanibongoza ukuba nihambe ngokulufaneleyo ubizo enabizwa ngalo.” Afanele akwenze njani oku? UPawulos wathi: “Ngokuthobeka okupheleleyo kwengqondo nobulali, ninokuzeka kade umsindo, ninyamezelana ngothando, nikuzabalazela ngokunyamekileyo ukugcina ubunye bomoya kumxokelelwane omanyanisayo woxolo.” (Efese 4:1-3) Umoya oyingcwele kaYehova unceda abakhonzi bakhe bathobeke, bangakhukhumali. (Kolose 3:12) Ngoko abathanjiswa abazicingeli bhetele kunabanye abantu. Bayazi ukuba uYehova akabaniki umoya oyingcwele omninzi kunabanye abakhonzi bakhe. Yaye abacingi ukuba bona bayiqonda bhetele iBhayibhile kunabanye abantu. Bengasoze baxelele nabani na ukuba uthanjisiwe yaye umele atye eSikhumbuzweni. Kunoko, bathobekile besazi ukuba nguYehova kuphela onokumemela abantu ezulwini.

7, 8. Yintoni abangayilindelanga abathanjiswa, yaye ngoba?

⁷ Nangona abathanjiswa bekujonga njengelungelo elikhulu ukumenyelwa kwabo ezulwini, abalindelanga ukuba abantu babaphathe ngendlela ekhethekileyo. (Efese 1:18, 19; funda amaFilipi 2:2, 3.) Bayazi nokuba xa uYehova wayebathambisa, akazange axelele wonk’ umntu. Ngoko umthanjiswa akothuki xa abanye bengayikholelwa zisuka into yokuba uthanjisiwe. Uyaqonda ukuba iBhayibhile ithi asimele sikhawuleze sikholelwe nabani na othi uThixo umkhethile. (ISityhilelo 2:2) Ekubeni umthanjiswa engalindelanga ukuba abanye bamnik’ imbeko ekhethekileyo, akahamb’ exelela abantu aqal’ ukudibana nabo ukuba uthanjisiwe. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba angaxeleli kwamntu. Futhi akaqhayisi ngezinto ezimangalisayo aza kuzenza ezulwini.—1 Korinte 1:28, 29; funda eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 4:6-8.

⁸ Abathanjiswa abavakalelwa kukuba bamele banxulumane bodwa, ngokungathi bangamalungu eqela elithile. Abakhangeli abanye abathanjiswa ukuze bancokole ngokuthanjiswa kwabo okanye bakhethane bodwa ukuze bafundisise iBhayibhile. (Galati 1:15-17) Belingasoze limanyane ibandla ukuba bebesenza oku. Bebeya kuba baphikisana nomoya oyingcwele onceda abantu bakaThixo babe noxolo nomanyano.—Funda amaRoma 16:17, 18.

9. Kutheni sifanele siyilumkele indlela esibajonga ngayo abo batyayo eSikhumbuzweni? (Jonga ibhokisi ethi “ Uthando ‘Aluziphathi Ngokungandilisekanga.’”)

⁹ Umele ubajonge njani abathanjiswa? UYesu wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Nonke nina ningabazalwana.” Waphinda wathi: “Nabani na oziphakamisayo uya  kuthotywa, yaye nabani na ozithobayo uya kuphakanyiswa.” (Mateyu 23:8-12) Ngoko akulunganga ukuthi phithi ngumntu, enoba ungumthanjiswa kaKristu. Xa iBhayibhile ithetha ngabadala, isikhuthaza ukuba sixelise ukholo lwabo, kodwa ayitsho ukuba masijonge nabani na njengenkokeli yethu. (Hebhere 13:7) Ewe kona, iBhayibhile iyatsho ukuba abanye ‘bafanelwe yimbeko ephindiweyo.’ Isizathu kukuba ‘basebenza nzima ekuthetheni nasekufundiseni’ hayi kuba bethanjisiwe. (1 Timoti 5:17) Ukuba siyabatatazelela okanye sibabizel’ amehlo, basenokuba neentloni. Okubi nangakumbi, singabenza bakhukhumale. (Roma 12:3) Akakho kuthi obenokufuna ukwenza abazalwana bakaKristu abathanjisiweyo benze impazamo enkulu ngolo hlobo!—Luka 17:2.

10. Ungabonisa njani ukuba uyabahlonela abathanjiswa?

¹⁰ Sinokubonisa njani ukuba siyabahlonela abo bathanjisiweyo nguYehova? Ngokuthi singababuzi ukuba bathanjiswe njani. Oko kuyinto yobuqu, ibe ayisifuni nganto thina. (1 Tesalonika 4:11; 2 Tesalonika 3:11) Kwakhona asicingi ukuba abayeni okanye abafazi babo, abazali babo, okanye amanye amalungu eentsapho zabo nawo athanjisiwe. Ukuthanjiswa akulolifa. (1 Tesalonika 2:12) Simele siyilumkele nemibuzo enokubakhathaza abanye. Ngokomzekelo, asifanelanga sibuze umfazi womthanjiswa ukuba uvakalelwa njani ngokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni ngaphandle komyeni wakhe. Ngapha koko, sinokuqiniseka ukuba kwihlabathi elitsha uYehova uya ‘kwanelisa umnqweno wayo yonke into ephilayo.’—INdumiso 145:16.

11. Sizikhusela njani ukuba siyakulumkela ‘ukubancoma’ ngokugqithiseleyo abanye?

¹¹ Kwakhona, sakuba siyazikhusela ukuba asibajongi abathanjiswa njengababalulekileyo kunabanye. Njani? IBhayibhile ithi kusenokubakho ‘abazalwana bobuxoki’ ebandleni abasenokude bathi bathanjisiwe. (Galati 2:4, 5; 1 Yohane 2:19) Kwakhona, abanye abathanjiswa basenokungathembeki. (Mateyu 25:10-12; 2 Petros 2:20, 21) Kodwa ukuba siyakulumkela ‘ukubancoma’ ngokugqithiseleyo abanye, asisayi kuze silandele abantu, kuquka abathanjiswa okanye abantu abaziwayo nabanexesha elide bekhonza uYehova. Ngoko, ukuba kunokwenzeka bangathembeki okanye bashiye intlangano, asiyi kukhubeka okanye siyeke ukukhonza uYehova.—Yude 16.

12, 13. Kutheni singamele sizikhathaze ngenani labo batyayo eSikhumbuzweni?

¹² Kangangeminyaka, inani labo batyayo eSikhumbuzweni beliqhubeka lincipha. Kodwa mva nje, eli nani liya lisanda unyaka nonyaka. Ngaba oku kumele kusikhathaze? Hayi. Masibone ukuba kutheni.

¹³ “UYehova uyabazi abakhe.” (2 Timoti 2:19) Abazalwana ababala abantu abatyayo eSikhumbuzweni abazi ukuba ngubani kanye kanye othanjisiweyo, kuba kaloku bona abafani noYehova. Ngoko elo nani liquka nabo bacinga ukuba bathanjisiwe, bengathanjiswanga. Ngokomzekelo, abanye ababekade besitya eSikhumbuzweni, baye bayeka. Abanye babephazamisekile  engqondweni okanye ngokweemvakalelo baza bacinga ukuba baza kulawula noKristu ezulwini. Kucacile ke ukuba asibazi ukuba bangaphi abathanjiswa abasesemhlabeni.

14. Ithini iBhayibhile ngenani labathanjiswa abaza kube besekho xa kuqalisa imbandezelo enkulu?

¹⁴ Kuza kube kukho abathanjiswa kwiinxalenye ezininzi zomhlaba xa uYesu eze kubathabathela ezulwini. IBhayibhile ithi uYesu “uya kuthumela iingelosi zakhe zinesandi esikhulu sexilongo, zihlanganisele ndawonye abo banyuliweyo bakhe bevela koomoya abane, ukusuka kwesinye isiphelo samazulu ukusa kwesinye isiphelo sawo.” (Mateyu 24:31) Iyatsho nokuba ngemihla yokugqibela kuza kubakho abathanjiswa abambalwa abaseleyo emhlabeni. (ISityhilelo 12:17) Kodwa ayitsho ukuba bangaphi abaza kube besekho xa kuqalisa imbandezelo enkulu.

15, 16. Yintoni esifanele siyiqonde nge-144 000 ekhethwe nguYehova?

¹⁵ UYehova uyazikhethela ukuba abathambise nini abantu. (Roma 8:28-30) Waqalisa ukukhetha abathanjiswa emva kokuvuswa kukaYesu. Kubonakala ngathi onke amaKristu okwenyaniso enkulungwane yokuqala ayethanjisiwe. Kumakhulu eminyaka kamva, abaninzi ababezibiza ngokuba bangamaKristu babengengobalandeli bokwenene bakaKristu. Kodwa nangayo loo minyaka, ayekho amaKristu okwenene ambalwa awathanjiswayo. Ayefana nengqolowa uYesu awayethe iya kukhula  kunye nokhula. (Mateyu 13:24-30) Ebudeni bemihla yokugqibela, uYehova uye waqhubeka ekhetha abantu abaza kuba yinxalenye ye-144 000. [2] (Jonga umbhalo osekugqibeleni.) Ngoko ukuba ukhetha ukuthambisa abantu ngaphambi nje kokufika kwesiphelo, asimele sicinge ukuba akayazi into ayenzayo. (Isaya 45:9; Daniyeli 4:35; funda amaRoma 9:11, 16.) [3] (Jonga umbhalo osekugqibeleni.) Simele silumke singafani nabasebenzi abakhalazela indlela inkosi yabo eyabaphatha ngayo abo baqala ukusebenza ngeyure yokugqibela.—Funda uMateyu 20:8-15.

¹⁶ Ayingabo bonke abathanjiswa abayinxalenye ‘yekhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.’ (Mateyu 24:45-47) Njengakwinkulungwane yokuqala, nanamhlanje uYehova noYesu basasebenzisa abantu abambalwa ukuze bondle okanye bafundise abaninzi. Ambalwa amaKristu athanjisiweyo awasetyenziselwa ukubhala iZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike ngenkulungwane yokuqala. Nanamhlanje, ambalwa amaKristu athanjisiweyo asetyenziswa nguThixo ukuba anike abantu bakhe ‘ukutya ngexesha elifanelekileyo.’

17. Ufunde ntoni kweli nqaku?

¹⁷ Sifunde ntoni kweli nqaku? UYehova ukhethe ukunika abaninzi ithemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni waza wanika abanye ithemba lokulawula noYesu ezulwini. UYehova uyabavuza bonke abakhonzi bakhe, ‘indoda engumYuda namadoda alishumi,’ yaye ulindele ukuba bonke bathobele imithetho efanayo baze bahlale bethembekile. Bonke bamele bahlale bethobekile. Bonke bamele bamnqule kunye bemanyene. Yaye bonke bamele bazimisele ukugcina uxolo ebandleni. Njengoko isiphelo sisondela, sonke masiqhubeke sikhonza uYehova yaye silandela uKristu njengomhlambi omnye.