1. Liliphi ithemba elichulumancisayo ‘lesihlwele esikhulu?’

YIBA nomfanekiso ngqondweni wezinto ezintle eziza kwenzelwa abantu ngurhulumente onokusesikweni nonothando kangangeminyaka eliwaka. Elo themba lichulumancisayo ‘lelesihlwele esikhulu’ esingenakubalwa esisinde ‘kwimbandezelo enkulu’ eya kutshabalalisa le nkqubo ingendawo.—ISityhi. 7:9, 14.

2. Ziintoni eziye zehlela abantu kule minyaka ingama-6 000 idluleyo?

² Kule minyaka ingama-6 000 abantu bephila, ukuzilawula kwabo kubazisele intlungu engathethekiyo nokubandezeleka. Kwakude kudala iBhayibhile yathi: “Ngexesha athi umntu alawule umntu iba kukwenzakala kwakhe.” (INtshu. 8:9) Kwenzeka ntoni namhlanje? Ngaphandle kweemfazwe neengxwabangxwaba, kukho iingxaki ezigqugqisileyo ezifana nendlala, izifo, ukonakaliswa kwendalo, ukutshintsha kwemozulu nezinye ezingakumbi. Amagosa karhulumente aye alumkisa ngelithi ukuba asiyeki ukuzithatha lula izinto, kuya kuphumela kwintlekele.

3. Kuza kwenzeka ntoni ebudeni beMinyaka Eliwaka Yolawulo?

³ Ngaphantsi koKumkani onguMesiya, uYesu Kristu kunye nabali-144 000 aza kulawula nabo, ngokuthe ngcembe uBukumkani bukaThixo buya kulungisa wonke umonakalo owenziwe ebantwini nakwikhaya labo, elinguMhlaba. ULawulo Lweminyaka Eliwaka luya kuzalisekisa isithembiso esichulumancisayo sikaYehova uThixo: “Ndidala amazulu amatsha nomhlaba omtsha; kwaye izinto zangaphambili aziyi kukhunjulwa, zinganyuki zithi qatha entliziyweni.” (Isa. 65:17) Ziziphi iziganeko ezimangalisayo ezingekabonwa esizilindeleyo? Makhe sivumele  iLizwi likaThixo lesiprofeto lisikrobise kwezi ziganeko zimangalisayo ‘zingekabonwa.’—2 Kor. 4:18.

4. Ziziphi iimeko zokuhlala abajamelana nazo abantu abaninzi namhlanje?

⁴ Bonke abantu bayakunqwenela ukuba nezindlu zabo, indawo abaza kuziva bona neentsapho zabo bekhuselekile kuyo. Noko ke, kweli xesha siphila kulo kunzima ukuba nezindlu ezifanelekileyo. Abantu bahlala kwizixeko ezixineneyo. Abaninzi bahlala ematyotyombeni. Kubo ukuba nendlu kuliphupha nje.

5, 6. (a) Uza kuzaliseka njani uIsaya 65:21 noMika 4:4? (b) Sinokuzifumana njani ezo ntsikelelo?

⁵ Xa sele kulawula uBukumkani, wonke umntu uya kuba nendlu yakhe, kuba uIsaya waprofeta wathi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo baya kwakha izindlu baze bahlale; batyale izidiliya baze badle isiqhamo sazo.” (Isa. 65:21) Kodwa ukuba nezindlu zethu asikokuphela kwethemba esinalo. Ngapha koko, abanye abantu nanamhlanje banazo izindlu, abanye ke bade babe nawo namapomakazi. Kodwa sisoloko sinexhala lokuba singaphulukana nezo zindlu ngenxa yokungabi namali yakuzihlawula okanye ngenxa yokuqhekezelwa yimigewu. Zonke izinto ziya kwahluka ngokupheleleyo eBukumkanini! Umprofeti uMika wabhala wathi: “Baya kuhlala, ngamnye phantsi komdiliya wakhe naphantsi komkhiwane wakhe, yaye akuyi kubakho bani ubangcangcazelisayo.”—Mika 4:4.

⁶ Njengoko sinelo themba limangalisayo, yintoni ke esimele siyenze? Kakade ke, sonke siyakufuna ukuba nezindlu ezifanelekileyo. Kodwa ke, kunokuba siwe sivuka ngoku sifunana nezindlu zephupha, side singene zwabha ematyaleni, kuya kusinceda ukuhlala sicinga ngezithembiso zikaYehova. Uz’ ukhumbule ukuba uYesu wakha wathi: “Iimpungutye zinemingxuma neentaka zezulu zineendlwana, kodwa yena uNyana womntu akanayo nendawo le yokufaka intloko.” (Luka 9:58) UYesu wayenawo amandla okuba angazakhela okanye azithengele indlu engayiwayo. Kwakutheni ukuze angayenzi loo nto? Wayengafuni ukuphazamiseka okanye azibophelele kangangokuba angakwazi ukubeka uBukumkani kwindawo yokuqala. Nathi masixelise umzekelo wakhe size sigcine amehlo ethu engenakumbi—singazibopheleli okanye sizixhalabise ngezinto eziphathekayo.—Mat. 6:33, 34.

7. Xa wayedala, uYehova wayalela ukuba lube njani ulwalamano phakathi kwabantu nezilwanyana?

⁷ Kuyo yonke indalo kaYehova esemhlabeni, abantu badalwa ekugqibeleni. Wathi xa wayechazela izibulo lakhe, elinguMsebénzi Onobuchule ngenjongo yakhe: “Masenze umntu ngokomfanekiso wethu, ngokufana nathi, yaye makabe nobukhosi kwiintlanzi zolwandle nakwizidalwa eziphaphazelayo emazulwini nakwizilwanyana zasekhaya nakuwo wonke umhlaba nakuzo zonke izinambuzane ezinambuzelayo emhlabeni.” (Gen. 1:26) Ngoko ke, uAdam noEva, kunye nabo bonke abantu bayalelwa ukuba balawule izilwanyana.

8. Zinjani izilwanyana ngokuqhelekileyo namhlanje?

⁸ Ngaba nyhani inokwenzeka into yokuba abantu bathotyelwe zizilwanyana zize zibe seluxolweni kunye nabo? Abantu abaninzi bayazithanda izinja neekati. Kodwa kuthekani ngezilwanyana  zasendle? Enye ingxelo ithi: “Izazinzulu eziye zasondela kwizilwanyana zasendle zafunda indlela eziphila ngayo, zifumanise ukuba zonke izilwanyana ezanyisayo zinazo iimvakalelo.” Kambe ke, sikhe sizibone izilwanyana zisoyika okanye zibe nengcwangu xa zihlaselwa, kodwa ziyakwazi ukuba nothando, ngokutsho kwabanye abantu. Ithi le ngxelo xa ihlabela mgama: “Uthando olumangalisayo lwezilwanyana ulubona xa zikhulisa inzala yazo.”

9. Luluphi utshintsho esinokululindela kwizilwanyana?

⁹ Asimele sothuke xa sisiva iBhayibhile isixelela ukuba kuza kubakho uxolo phakathi kwabantu nezilwanyana. (Funda uIsaya 11:6-9; 65:25.) Ngoba? Ukuba uyakhumbula, xa uNowa nentsapho yakhe baphuma emkhombeni emva koMkhukula, uYehova wathi kubo: “Ziya kuqhubeka zinoyika kwaye zinkwantya ngenxa yenu zonke izidalwa eziphilayo emhlabeni.” (Gen. 9:2, 3) UYehova uya kukususa oko kunkwantya, ukuze afeze injongo yakhe yangaphambili. (Hos. 2:18) Kuya kuba mnandi ngokwenene kuye wonke umntu oya kuba ephila emhlabeni ngelo xesha!

10. Ziintoni ezidla ngokulilisa abantu?

¹⁰ Xa uSolomon wabona “izenzo zengcinezelo ezenziwayo phantsi kwelanga” wathi: “Khangela! iinyembezi zabo bacinezelweyo, kodwa bengenamthuthuzeli.” (INtshu. 4:1) Kuyafana nakweli xesha siphila kulo ukuba akudanga kuthi kratya. Sonke sakha sanyembezana ngenxa yokuthile. Eneneni, maxa wambi ikhe ibe ziinyembezi zovuyo. Kodwa ngokuqhelekileyo iinyembezi zidla ngokubonisa intlungu engathethekiyo.

11. Yiyiphi eyona ngxelo yeBhayibhile ekuchukumisayo kwezi?

¹¹ Khawucinge nje ngeziganeko ezichukumisayo owakha wafunda ngazo eBhayibhileni. Xa uSara wafa eneminyaka eli-127 ubudala, “uAbraham waya kumenzela isijwili uSara, wamlilela.” (Gen. 23:1, 2) Xa uNahomi wayesahlukana nabahlolokazi ababini ababengoomolokazana bakhe, “baphakamisa amazwi abo balila” yaye “baphakamisa amazwi abo baza balila ngakumbi.” (Rute 1:9, 14) Xa uKumkani uHezekiya wayegulela ukufa, wathandaza kuThixo “walila kakhulu” yaye oko kwamkhathaza uYehova. (2 Kum. 20:1-5) Isichukumisa sonke ingxelo yokukhanyelwa kukaYesu ngumpostile uPetros. Esakuva umqhagi ukhonya, uPetros “waphuma phandle waza walila ngokukrakra.”—Mat. 26:75.

12. Ulawulo loBukumkani luza kubazisela siphi isiqabu sokwenene abantu?

¹² Ngenxa yeengxaki ezinkulu nezincinane ezisehlelayo, abantu bayifuna ngamandla intuthuzelo nesiqabu. ULawulo Leminyaka Eliwaka luza kubenzela loo nto abalawulwa balo: “[UThixo] uya kuzisula zonke iinyembezi emehlweni abo, kungabi sabakho kufa, kungabi sabakho kuzila nakukhala nantlungu kwakhona.” (ISityhi. 21:4) Nangona kuza kuba mnandi kuba ukuzila, ukukhala nentlungu kungasekho, uThixo ukwathembisa nokuba uya kuphelisa olona tshaba lwethu—ukufa. Iza kwenzeka njani loo nto?

13. Ukufa kuye kwabachaphazela njani abantu ukususela oko uAdam wonayo?

¹³ Ukususela oko uAdam wonayo, ukufa bekulawula uluntu njengokumkani. Bekulutshaba olungoyiswayo, isiphelo somntu wonke onesono, nonobangela wentlungu  engathethekiyo. (Roma 5:12, 14) Kangangokuba izigidi zabantu, ‘ziye zangamakhoboka okoyika ukufa ubomi bazo bonke.’—Heb. 2:15.

14. Yintoni eza kwenzeka xa ukufa kungasekho?

¹⁴ IBhayibhile ithetha ngexesha apho ‘olokugqibela utshaba oluya kubhangiswa ikukufa.’ (1 Kor. 15:26) Oku kuya kunceda amaqela amabini. “Isihlwele esikhulu” esisaphilayo siya kusindela kwihlabathi elitsha, sinethemba lokungaze sife. Zona izigidi ezisele zisutywe kukufa, ziya kufumana ithuba lokuvuswa. Khawucinge nje ngesankxwe semincili esiya kubakho xa abantu abaphilayo besamkela abo bavuswayo. Ukuhlolisisa ezinye iingxelo eziphathelele uvuko eBhayibhileni kunokusikrobisa kwindlela eziya kuba yiyo izinto.—Funda uMarko 5:38-42; Luka 7:11-17.

15. Ucinga ukuba uya kuziva njani xa ubona isalamane sakho sivuswa emangcwabeni?

¹⁵ Khawetyise la mabinzana, “bathi phithi kwaoko bethabatheke ngokugqithiseleyo,” yaye “baqalisa ukumzukisa uThixo.” Ukuba wawulapho, mhlawumbi ngewawuvakalelwe ngendlela efanayo. Enyanisweni, asisayi kuzibamba yimincili xa sibona izalamane zethu zivuswa emangcwabeni. UYesu wathi: “Liyeza ilixa ekuya kuthi ngalo bonke abo bakumangcwaba enkumbulo balive ilizwi lakhe baze baphume.” (Yoh. 5:28, 29) Akukho namnye kuthi owakha wayibona intw’ enjalo isenzeka; ngokuqinisekileyo iya kuba sesinye sezihlandlo ezibalaseleyo ‘kwezingazange zabonwa.’

16. (a) Kutheni sifanele sithethe ngehlombe ngeentsikelelo ezingekabonwa? (b) Wathini uPawulos xa wayekhuthaza amaKristu aseKorinte?

¹⁶ Abo bahlala bethembekile kuYehova kula maxesha anzima banekamva eliqaqambileyo! Nangona zingekabikho iintsikelelo ezimangalisayo, ukungazilibali  kuya kusinceda siqhubeke sisenza izinto ezibalulekileyo size sikuphephe ukuphazanyiswa zizinto eziza kuphelelwa lixesha. (Luka 21:34; 1 Tim. 6:17-19) Masithethe ngehlombe ngethemba lethu elimangalisayo ebudeni bonqulo lwentsapho, xa sincokola namanye amaKristu, naxa sixubusha nezifundo zeBhayibhile nabantu abanomdla. Oku kuya kulenza lihlale lithe tha ezingqondweni nasezintliziyweni zethu. Yiloo nto kanye eyenziwa ngumpostile uPawulos xa wayekhuthaza amaKristu. Wemka nawo, ngeliso lengqondo waya kuwabeka kuLawulo Lweminyaka Eliwaka LikaKristu. Khawukhe ucinge ngendlela abaluleke ngayo amazwi kaPawulos akweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 15:24, 25, 28.—Yifunde.

17, 18. (a) Ekudalweni kwabantu, uYehova ‘wayezizinto zonke kubo bonke’ ngayiphi ingqiqo? (b) UYesu uza kwenza ntoni ukuze abuyisele umanyano nemvisiswano?

¹⁷ Amazwi athi “ukuze uThixo abe zizinto zonke kubo bonke” ayichaza kakuhle indlela ekuza kuba yiyo emva kweminyaka eliwaka. Athetha ukuthini? Usakhumbula e-Eden xa uAdam noEva abafezekileyo babeyinxalenye yentsapho kaYehova enoxolo nenemvisiswano? UYehova, uMongami weNdalo yonke, wayeyilawula ngokwakhe yonke indalo yakhe, eziingelosi nengabantu. Yayithetha naye, imnqula yaye wayeyisikelela. ‘Wayezizinto zonke kubo bonke.’

¹⁸ Xa abantu baphenjelelwa nguSathana, olo manyano lwaphazamiseka baza bavukela ulongamo lukaYehova. Kodwa ke, ukususela ngowe-1914, uBukumkani bukaMesiya buye bathabatha amanyathelo athe ngcembe okubuyisela umanyano nemvisiswano. (Efe. 1:9, 10) Ebudeni boLawulo Lweminyaka Eliwaka, izinto ezimangalisayo ngoku ‘esingekaziboni’ ziza kwenzeka. Emva koko, kuza kulandela “isiphelo,” esibhekisela ekupheleni koLawulo lukaKristu Lweminyaka Eliwaka. Yintoni eza kulandela? Nangona enikwe “lonke igunya ezulwini nasemhlabeni” uYesu akalinyolukelanga. Akanazinjongo zakubhukuqa uYehova. Ngokuzithoba ‘unikela ubukumkani kuThixo wakhe noYise.’ Isigxina negunya lakhe uya kuzisebenzisela ‘ukuzukisa uThixo.’—Mat. 28:18; Fil. 2:9-11.

19, 20. (a) Abalawulwa boBukumkani baya kubonisa njani enoba bayalwamkela kusini na ulongamo lukaYehova? (b) Liliphi ithemba elimangalisayo esiya kulifumana?

¹⁹ Ngelo xesha, kuya kube kubuyiselwe abalawulwa basemhlabeni boBukumkani emfezekweni. Baya kulandela umzekelo kaYesu baze ngokuthobeka balugqale ulongamo lukaYehova. Baya kuba nethuba lokubonisa ukuba bayakufuna ukukwenza oko, ngokuphumelela uvavanyo lokugqibela. (ISityhi. 20:7-10) Emva koko, bonke abavukeli—abangabantu nabazizidalwa zomoya—baya kutshatyalaliswa ngonaphakade. Eneneni elo iya kuba lixesha lemigcobo nemincili! Yonke indalo iya kumdumisa ngovuyo uYehova, oya kuba ‘ezizinto zonke kubo bonke.’—Funda iNdumiso 99:1-3.

²⁰ Ngaba izinto ezimangalisayo eziya kuziswa buBukumkani kungekudala zikwenza unikele ingqalelo ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaThixo? Ngaba uyakuphepha ukuphazanyiswa ngamathemba angekhoyo nokuthuthuzelwa zizinto ezithenjiswa lihlabathi likaSathana? Ngaba uzimisele ukulumela ulongamo lukaYehova? Ngamana indlela ozenza ngayo izinto ingangqina ukuba unqwenela ukwenjenjalo ngonaphakade. Uya kwandula ke ube nelungelo lokuphila eluxolweni naselonwabeni kangangeminyaka eliwaka—nangaphezulu!