1. Ziziphi iziganeko ezenzeka ngo-66 C.E.? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

KHAWUBE nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wakho ungumKristu uhlala eYerusalem ngo-66 C.E. Zininzi iziqebheyi ezazisenzeka. Igosa elingumRoma uFlorus lalibe iitalente eziyi-17 kubuncwane basetempileni. Ngoko nangoko amaYuda avutha ngumsindo. Abulala amajoni amaRoma amaninzi aza athi awasekho phantsi kolawulo lwamaRoma wona. Kodwa amaRoma asabela ngokukhawuleza. Kwiinyanga nje ezintathu, amajoni ayi-30 000 awayekhokelwa nguCestius Gallus angqonga iYerusalem. Abavukeli abangamaYuda bazifihla kwinqaba yetempile, kodwa amajoni amaRoma ade afikelela kudonga olungaphandle lwetempile aza azama ukutyhoboza ukuze angene. Bonke abantu besixeko baqalisa ukoyika. Ukuba yayinguwe owayebona le nquleqhu, ngewawuvakalelwe njani?

2. Ayemele enze ntoni amaKristu xa ebona amajoni aseRoma engqonge isixeko sawo, ibe ayenokuyenza njani loo nto?

² Kwiminyaka ethile ngaphambili, uYesu wabalumkisa abafundi bakhe ngesi siganeko, waza wabayalela oku: “Xa niyibona iYerusalem ingqongwe yimikhosi emise iintente, yazini ke ukuba kusondele ukuphanziswa kwayo. Mabandule abo  bakwelakwaYuda basabele ezintabeni, nabo baphakathi kuyo mabemke, nabo bakwiindawo ezisemaphandleni mabangangeni kuyo.” (Luka 21:20, 21) Babeza kuwuthobela njani umyalelo kaYesu wokuba basabe eYerusalem xa isixeko sasingqongwe ngamajoni? Kwenzeka into emangalisayo. Umkhosi wamaRoma wasuka wemka! Kanye njengoko uYesu wayetshilo, olo hlaselo ‘lwanqunyulwa’ okanye lwanqunyanyiswa msinya. (Mateyu 24:22) Emva kokumka kwalo mkhosi, kwavuleka ithuba lokuba amaKristu athembekileyo athobele uYesu ngokusabela ezintabeni ngoko nangoko. * (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.) Kamva, ngo-70 C.E., kweza omnye umkhosi wamaRoma eYerusalem. Kweli tyeli, wasitshabalalisa isixeko. Kodwa bonke abathobela imiyalelo kaYesu, basinda.

3. Yiyiphi imeko efanayo amaKristu aza kuba kuyo kungekudala, yaye siza kuthetha ngantoni kweli nqaku?

³ Izilumkiso nemiyalelo kaYesu ziyasebenza nakule mihla yethu. Kungekudala, siza kuba kwimeko efanayo. UYesu wasebenzisa iziganeko ezenzeka ngenkulungwane yokuqala ukucacisa oko kwakuya kwenzeka xa “imbandezelo enkulu” iqalisa ngequbuliso. (Mateyu 24:3, 21, 29) Njengokuba kwakukho amaKristu athembekileyo awasindayo xa kwakutshatyalaliswa iYerusalem, kuza kubakho “isihlwele esikhulu” esiza kusinda xa kutshatyalaliswa ihlabathi lonke. (Funda iSityhilelo 7:9, 13, 14.) Kubaluleke kakhulu ukukuqonda oko iBhayibhile isixelela kona ngezi ziganeko zizayo. Ngoba? Kuba ubomi bethu buxhomekeke ekuziqondeni. Ngoko ke, makhe sibone indlela ezisichaphazela ngayo ezi ziganeko.

4. Iya kuqalisa njani imbandezelo enkulu?

⁴ Iza kuqalisa njani imbandezelo enkulu? Ngokuthi kutshatyalaliswe lonke unqulo lobuxoki. EBhayibhileni, unqulo lobuxoki lubizwa “iBhabhiloni Enkulu, unina wamahenyukazi.” (ISityhilelo 17:5-7) Kutheni lubizwa ihenyukazi? Kuba abefundisi bayo abakhange bathembeke kuThixo. Kunokuba baxhase uYesu noBukumkani bakhe ngokunyaniseka, baye baxhasa oorhulumente babantu baza bagatya iimfundiso zeBhayibhile ukuze babe nempembelelo engakumbi. Unqulo lwabo alufani nonqulo oluhlambulukileyo lwabathanjiswa. (2 Korinte 11:2; Yakobi 1:27; ISityhilelo 14:4) Kodwa ngubani oya kutshabalalisa iBhabhiloni Enkulu? UYehova uya kubangela ‘iimpondo ezilishumi’ ‘zerhamncwa elimbala ungqombela’ ‘ziphumeze iingcamango zakhe.’ ‘Irhamncwa elimbala ungqombela’ limela iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo, zize ‘iimpondo ezilishumi’ zona zimele onke amagunya epolitiki azixhasayo.—Funda iSityhilelo 17:3, 16-18.

5, 6. Kutheni sisithi ukutshatyalaliswa kweBhabhiloni Enkulu akuthethi ukufa kwawo onke amalungu ayo?

⁵ Ngaba onke amalungu onqulo lobuxoki aza kubulawa xa kutshatyalaliswa iBhabhiloni Enkulu? Akunjalo. UYehova waphefumlela umprofeti uZekariya ukuba abhale ngoko kuza kwenzeka. Ngelo xesha, umntu obeyinxalenye yonqulo lobuxoki uya kuthi: “‘Andingomprofeti. Ndingumntu olima umhlaba, ngenxa yokuba wandizuza umntu wasemhlabeni ukususela  ebutsheni kuse phambili.’ Ubani umele athi kuye, ‘Ayintoni na la manxeba asezandleni zakho?’ Kuya kufuneka ke athi, ‘Ngalawo ndabethwa wona endlwini yabo ndibathanda kakhulu.’” (Zekariya 13:4-6) Ngoko nkqu neenkokeli zonqulo ziya kukhanyela ukuba ziyakhonza nokuba zazikhe zayinxalenye yonqulo lobuxoki.

⁶ Kuya kwenzeka ntoni kubantu bakaThixo ngelo xesha? UYesu uyaphendula: “Enyanisweni, ngaphandle kokuba loo mihla inqunyulwe, bekungayi kubakho nyama isindayo; kodwa ngenxa yabanyuliweyo loo mihla iya kunqunyulwa.” (Mateyu 24:22) Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, imbandezelo eyayiseYerusalem ‘yanqunyulwa.’ Oku kwanika “abanyuliweyo,” okanye amaKristu athanjisiweyo, ithuba lokusaba. Ngokufanayo, inxalenye yokuqala yembandezelo enkulu iya “kunqunyulwa” ngenxa “yabanyuliweyo.” Amagunya ezopolitiko, okanye ‘iimpondo ezilishumi,’ aziyi kuvunyelwa ukuba zitshabalalise abantu bakaThixo. Kunoko, kuya kubakho inzolo okwethutyana xa uhlaselo lokuqala luphela.

7, 8. Emva kokutshatyalaliswa konqulo lobuxoki, ngawaphi amathuba aya kubakho, ibe abantu bakaThixo baya kwahluka njani kwabanye abantu?

⁷ Kuya kwenzeka ntoni emva kokutshatyalaliswa konqulo lobuxoki? Iya kuba lithuba lokuveza eyona nto isezintliziyweni zethu. Ngelo xesha, abantu abaninzi baya kuzama ukufumana uncedo nokhuseleko kwimibutho yabantu, okanye “emaweni eentaba.” (ISityhilelo 6:15-17) Kodwa abantu bakaYehova baya kulufuna kuye ukhuseleko. Xa ‘lwanqunyulwayo’ uhlaselo lwangenkulungwane yokuqala, elo yayingeloxesha lokuba amaYuda aguquke abe ngamaKristu. Kunoko, yayilixesha lokuba abo babengamaKristu baphume eYerusalem ngokwemiyalelo kaYesu. Ngendlela efanayo, kwixesha elizayo, xa ukuhlaselwa kweBhabhiloni Enkulu ‘kunqunyulwa,’ asinakulindela ukuba abantu abaninzi baza kuba ngamaKristu okwenene ngesiquphe. Kunoko, iya kuba lithuba lokuba bonke abanquli bokwenyaniso babonise ukuba bayamthanda uYehova kwaye baxhase abathanjiswa.—Mateyu 25:34-40.

⁸ Asiyazi ncam into eza kwenzeka ngexesha leemvavanyo. Sekunjalo, siyaqonda ukuba akuyi kuba lula, nokuba kuza kufuneka sibe nezinto esizincamayo. Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, amaKristu kwanyanzeleka ashiye izindlu zawo aze anyamezele ubunzima ukuze asinde. (Marko 13:15-18) Simele sizibuze: ‘Ngaba ndikulungele ukuncama izinto eziphathekayo? Ngaba ndikulungele ukwenza nantoni na ukuze ndihlale ndinyanisekile kuYehova?’ Khawucinge nje! Ngelo xesha, iya kube isithi kuphela abanqula uThixo wethu enoba kwenzeka ntoni, kanye njengomprofeti uDaniyeli.—Daniyeli 6:10, 11.

9, 10. (a) Nguwuphi umyalezo oya kuvakaliswa ngabantu bakaThixo ngexesha lembandezelo enkulu? (b) Iintshaba zabantu bakaThixo ziya kusabela njani?

 ⁹ Imbandezelo enkulu iya kube ingelilo ixesha lokushumayela ‘iindaba ezilungileyo zobukumkani.’ Elo xesha liya kube lidlule. Kuya kube kufike ixesha ‘lesiphelo’! (Mateyu 24:14) Abantu bakaThixo baya kuvakalisa ngesibindi umyalezo onamandla womgwebo oya kuchaphazela abantu bonke. Loo myalezo usenokuchaza ukuba ihlabathi elingendawo likaSathana likufuphi ekutshatyalalisweni ngokupheleleyo. IBhayibhile ifanisa loo myalezo nesichotho xa isithi: “Kwehla ezulwini phezu kwabantu isichotho esikhulu esilitye ngalinye laso lalimalunga nobunzima betalente, baza abantu bamnyelisa uThixo ngenxa yeso sibetho sesichotho, kuba sasisikhulu ngokungaqhelekanga.”—ISityhilelo 16:21.

¹⁰ Iintshaba zethu ziya kuwuva lo myalezo onamandla. UYehova waphefumlela umprofeti uHezekile ukuba achaze indlela eziya kusabela ngayo iintlanga ezibizwa eBhayibhileni ngokuthi nguGogi wakwaMagogi: “Itsho iNkosi enguMongami uYehova ukuthi, ‘Ngaloo mini kumele kunyuke izinto entliziyweni yakho, kwaye ngokuqinisekileyo uya kucinga icebo lenkohlakalo; uthi: “Ndiya kunyuka ndiye kwilizwe elivulekileyo lasemaphandleni. Ndiya kubafikela abo bangenasiphazamiso, abahleli ngonqabiseko, bonke behleli bengenaludonga, bengenamivalo nazingcango.” Oku uya kukwenza ngenjongo yokuthimba, uphange amaxhoba amaninzi, ukuze ubuyisele isandla sakho kwiindawo eziphanzileyo ezinabemi kwakhona nakwisizwana esihlanganiselwe ndawonye siphuma ezintlangeni, eso siziqwebela indyebo nempahla, eso sihleli esazulwini somhlaba.’” (Hezekile 38:10-12) Abantu bakaThixo baya kwahluka kwabanye abantu, ngokungathi bahleli “esazulwini somhlaba.” Iintlanga aziyi kukwazi ukuzibamba. Ziya kufuna ukuhlasela abathanjisiweyo bakaYehova nabo babaxhasayo.

11. (a) Simele sikhumbule ntoni ngokulandelelana kweziganeko ngexesha lembandezelo enkulu? (b) Baya kusabela njani abantu xa bebona imiqondiso?

¹¹ Kuya kwenzeka ntoni emva koko? IBhayibhile ayisichazeli ngokuthe ngqo ukulandelelana kweziganeko, kodwa mhlawumbi ezinye iziganeko ziya kwenzeka ngexesha elinye. Kwisiprofeto sakhe sokupheliswa kwale nkqubo yezinto, uYesu wathi: “Kuya kubakho imiqondiso elangeni nasenyangeni nasezinkwenkwezini, nokubandezeleka kweentlanga emhlabeni, zingayazi indlela yokuphuma ngenxa yokugquma kolwandle nokuyaluzela kwalo, ngoxa abantu besifa isiqaqa ngenxa yoloyiko nolindelo lwezinto ezifikela umhlaba omiweyo; kuba amandla amazulu aya kugungqiswa. Yaye baya kwandula ke bambone uNyana womntu esiza ngelifu enamandla nobuqaqawuli obukhulu.” (Luka 21:25-27; funda uMarko 13:24-26) Ngaba ukuzaliseka kwesi siprofeto kuya kuquka imiqondiso eyoyikisayo neziganeko esibhakabhakeni? Simele silinde sibone. Sekunjalo, siyazi  ukuba xa iintshaba zikaThixo zibona imiqondiso, ziya kuphakuzela kukoyika.

12, 13. (a) Kuya kwenzeka ntoni xa uYesu esiza “enamandla nobuqaqawuli obukhulu”? (b) Abakhonzi bakaThixo baya kusabela njani ngelo xesha?

¹² Kuya kwenzeka ntoni xa uYesu esiza “enamandla nobuqaqawuli obukhulu”? Uya kubavuza abathembekileyo aze ohlwaye abangathembekanga. (Mateyu 24:46, 47, 50, 51; 25:19, 28-30) UYesu wasebenzisa umzekeliso ukuze acacise oku ngakumbi. Wathi: “Xa uNyana womntu efika esebuqaqawulini bakhe, nazo zonke iingelosi zikunye naye, uya kwandula ke ahlale phantsi kwitrone yakhe yobuqaqawuli. Kwaye zonke iintlanga ziya kuhlanganiselwa phambi kwakhe, abahlule abantu omnye komnye, kanye njengokuba umalusi esahlula izimvu ezibhokhweni. Uya kuzibeka izimvu ngasekunene kwakhe, kodwa zona iibhokhwe ngasekhohlo kwakhe.” (Mateyu 25:31-33) Kuya kwenzeka ntoni kwizimvu nakwiibhokhwe? Ziya kugwetywa. Iibhokhwe, okanye abangathembekanga, “baya kumka baye kwintshabalalo engunaphakade.” Kodwa izimvu, okanye abathembekileyo, baya kuzuza ubomi obungunaphakade.—Mateyu 25:46.

¹³ Iibhokhwe ziya kusabela njani xa zifumanisa ukuba ziza kutshatyalaliswa? Ziya ‘kuzimbambazela zisenza isijwili.’ (Mateyu 24:30) Kodwa baya kusabela njani bona abathanjiswa kunye nabo babaxhasayo? Baya kuthobela la mazwi kaYesu athi: “Njengoko ezi zinto ziqala ukubakho, yimani nkqo nize niziphakamise iintloko zenu, ngenxa yokuba iyasondela intlangulo yenu.”—Luka 21:28.

14, 15. Nguwuphi umsebenzi wokuhlanganisa oza kwenziwa emva kokuba uGogi wakwaMagogi eqalise ukuhlasela, ibe kuza kwenzeka njani oku?

¹⁴ Kuya kwenzeka ntoni emva kokuba uGogi wakwaMagogi eqalise ukuhlasela abantu bakaThixo? IBhayibhile ithi uNyana womntu “uya kuthumela iingelosi zakhe zinesandi esikhulu sexilongo, zihlanganisele ndawonye abo banyuliweyo bakhe bevela koomoya abane, ukusuka kwesinye isiphelo samazulu ukusa kwesinye isiphelo sawo.” (Marko 13:27; Mateyu 24:31) Lo msebenzi wokuhlanganisa awubhekiseli ekuthanjisweni kokuqala kwamaKristu athanjisiweyo. Ibe awubhekiseli kukutywinwa kokugqibela kwabathanjisiweyo abasesemhlabeni. (Mateyu 13:37, 38) Oko kutywinwa kwenzeka ingekaqali imbandezelo enkulu. (ISityhilelo 7:1-4) Ngoko, uyintoni lo msebenzi wokuhlanganisa? Lixesha laxa abathanjiswa abasesemhlabeni beya kufumana umvuzo wabo baze baye ezulwini. (1 Tesalonika 4:15-17; ISityhilelo 14:1) Esi siganeko siya kwenzeka emva kokuba uGogi wakwaMagogi eqalise ukuhlasela. (Hezekile 38:11) Kuya kuthi emva koko, njengoko uYesu watshoyo, “amalungisa aqaqambe njengelanga ebukumkanini bukaYise.”—Mateyu 13:43. * (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.)

¹⁵ Ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba abathanjiswa baya “kuxhwilwa”? Abantu abaninzi beNgqobhoko bakholelwa ukuba amaKristu aza kuya ezulwini enemizimba yenyama. Bacinga nokuba baza kumbona uYesu ngeliso lenyama ebuya ukuza kulawula emhlabeni. Sekunjalo, iBhayibhile ibonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba uYesu akazukubonakala ngokoqobo kuba ithi: “Uya kwandula ke umqondiso woNyana womntu ubonakale ezulwini” kwaye, uYesu uza kuza “esemafini ezulu.” (Mateyu 24:30) IBhayibhile iphinda ithi “inyama negazi azinakubudla ilifa ubukumkani bukaThixo.” Ngoko abo baza kuthatyathelwa ezulwini kuza kufuneka kuqala ‘batshintshwe ngesiquphe, ngokuqhwanyaza kweliso, ebudeni bexilongo lokugqibela.’ * (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.) (Funda eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 15:50-53.) Thina asilisebenzisi apha igama elithi “ukuxhwilwa” ukuchaza esi siganeko ngenxa yokunxulumana kwalo nemfundiso yobuxoki yeNgqobhoko. Sekunjalo, abathanjiswa abathembekileyo abasesemhlabeni baya kuhlanganiswa ngokukhawuleza.

16, 17. Yintoni emele yenzeke ngaphambi komtshato weMvana?

¹⁶ Xa yonke i-144 000 yabathanjiswa inyukele ezulwini, amalungiselelo okugqibela omtshato weMvana angaqalisa. (ISityhilelo 19:9) Kodwa kukho nto yimbi emele yenzeke ngaphambi kwesi sihlandlo sivuyisayo. Khumbula kaloku, uGogi uya kuhlasela abantu bakaThixo ngoxa kusekho abathanjiswa apha emhlabeni. (Hezekile 38:16) Baya kusabela njani abantu bakaThixo? Baya kuthobela lo myalelo: “Akukho mfuneko yakulwa ngesi sihlandlo. Zimiseni, nime ngxi nilubone usindiso lukaYehova ngenxa yenu. . . . Musani ukoyika okanye ninkwantye.” (2 Kronike 20:17) Emva kokuqalisa kokuhlasela kukaGogi, intsalela yabathanjiswa esemhlabeni  iya kusiwa ezulwini. ISityhilelo 17:14 sisixelela ngento eza kwenzeka ezulwini xa uGogi ehlasela. Iintshaba zabantu bakaThixo ‘ziya kulwa neMvana, kodwa, ngenxa yokuba iyiNkosi yeenkosi noKumkani wookumkani, iMvana iya kuzoyisa. Ngokunjalo, nabo babiziweyo nabanyuliweyo nabathembekileyo abakunye nayo baya koyisa.’ Ngaloo ndlela, uYesu kunye nookumkani abathanjisiweyo abayi-144 000 baya kuhlangula abantu bakaThixo emhlabeni.

¹⁷ Loo ntlangulo iya kuphumela kwiArmagedon, eya kuzisa uzuko kwigama likaYehova elingcwele. (ISityhilelo 16:16) Bonke abo baya kugwetywa njengeebhokhwe, okanye abangathembekanga, baza kutshatyalaliswa. Akusayi kubakho bungendawo emhlabeni, kwaye “isihlwele esikhulu” siya kusinda kwiArmagedon. Ekugqibeleni, kuya kwenzeka into evuyisayo equkunjelwa ngayo incwadi yeSityhilelo, umtshato weMvana! (ISityhilelo 21:1-4) * (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.) Bonke abo baya kube besindile emhlabeni baya kukholeka emehlweni kaThixo, abathande kwaye abenzele ububele. Sijonge phambili kwelo xesha. Uya kuba mnandi nyhani loo mtshato!—Funda eyesi-2 kaPetros 3:13.

18. Yintoni esimele sizimisele ukuyenza njengoko sijonge phambili kwiziganeko ezivuyisayo ezizayo?

¹⁸ Njengokuba sijonge phambili kwiziganeko ezivuyisayo ezizayo, ngamnye wethu umele enze ntoni ngoku? UYehova waphefumlela uPetros ukuba abhale athi: “Ekubeni ke zonke ezi zinto ziza kuchithakala, luhlobo luni lwabantu enifanele nibe lulo ngokuphathelele ihambo engcwele nezenzo zozinikelo lobuthixo, nihlale nibulindile yaye nibukhumbula ubukho bemini kaYehova . . . Ngoko ke, zintanda, ekubeni nilindele ezi zinto, yenzani unako-nako ukuze ekugqibeleni anifumane ningenabala, ningenasiphako yaye niseluxolweni.” (2 Petros 3:11, 12, 14) Ngoko masizimisele ukugcina unqulo lwethu lusulungekile, lungenanto yakwenza nonqulo lobuxoki, size sixhase uKumkani Woxolo, uYesu Kristu.