1, 2. Yiyiphi ilahleko ethwaxa abantu namhlanje, yaye isichaphazela njani thina?

 UMNTWANA ulahla okanye waphula into yokudlala ayithandayo aze akhale kalusizi. Utsho ngesikhalo esikrakra! Kodwa, ngaba wakha wayibona indlela umntwana achulumanca ngayo xa umzali embuyisela loo nto ebephulukene nayo? Kumzali, kusenokuba yinto elula kakhulu ukumfumanela enye into yokudlala okanye ayilungise. Kodwa yena umntwana utsho ngolugoso uncumo emangaliswe ngendlela engathethekiyo. Into abecinga ukuba imlahlekele umphelo iphinde yabuyiselwa!

² UYehova, oyena Mzali mkhulu, unamandla okubabuyisela abantwana bakhe basemhlabeni oko basenokucinga ukuba baphulukene nako umphelo. Noko ke, asibhekiseli kwizinto zokudlala. Kula “maxesha amanqam ekunzima ukujamelana nawo,” silahlekelwa zizinto ezinkulu ngakumbi. (2 Timoti 3:1-5) Abantu baphulukana nezinto ezininzi abazixabisileyo—izindlu, impahla, ingqesho kwanempilo. Kwakhona sisenokuziva sidimazekile xa sicingisisa ngokutshatyalaliswa kwendalo nemiphumo yokubhangiswa kwezinto ezininzi eziphilayo. Noko ke, akukho nto esithwaxa kanobom njengokufa komntu esimthandayo. Siziva siphelelwe ngamandla kwaye sibindekile.—2 Samuweli 18:33.

 3. Liliphi ithemba elithuthuzelayo elichazwe kwiZenzo 3:21, yaye uYehova uza kulizalisekisa njani?

³ Ngoko, hayi indlela ekuthuthuzela ngayo ukwazi ukuba uYehova unamandla okubuyisela! Njengoko siza kubona, kuyamangalisa ukwazi izinto uThixo aza kubabuyisela zona abantwana bakhe basemhlabeni. Eneneni, iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba uYehova unenjongo ‘yokubuyisela zonke izinto.’ (IZenzo 3:21) Ukuze afeze oku, uYehova uza kusebenzisa  uBukumkani obungoMesiya, obulawulwa nguNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu. Ubungqina bubonisa ukuba obu Bukumkani baqalisa ukulawula ezulwini ngowe-1914. a (Mateyu 24:3-14) Yintoni eza kubuyiselwa? Makhe sihlolisise eminye yemisebenzi kaYehova emikhulu yokubuyisela. Omnye wayo sele ubonakala kakade. Eminye iza kubonakala ngakumbi kwixesha elizayo.

4, 5. Yintoni eyenzekayo kubantu bakaThixo ngowama-607 B.C.E., yaye liliphi ithemba uYehova awabanika lona?

⁴ Into uYehova asele eyibuyisele kakade lunqulo olunyulu. Ukuze ukuqonde oku, makhe sihlolisise imbali yobukhosi bakwaYuda. Oko kuya kusikhanyisela ngamandla kaYehova okubuyisela.—Roma 15:4.

⁵ Khawuyithelekelele nje indlela avakalelwa ngayo amaYuda athembekileyo ngowama-607 B.C.E. xa kwatshatyalaliswa iYerusalem. Isixeko sawo esithandekayo saphanziswa, neendonga zaso zadilizwa. Okubi nangakumbi kukuba, itempile ezukileyo eyakhiwa nguSolomon, eyayisisazulu sonqulo olunyulu lukaYehova emhlabeni wonke, nayo yaphanziswa. (INdumiso 79:1) Lawo asindileyo athinjelwa eBhabhiloni, elishiya ilizwe lawo lingamanxuwa ekudakasa kuwo izilwanyana zasendle. (Yeremiya 9:11) Ngokwembono yabantu, kwakubonakala ngathi alahlekelwe yiyo yonke into. (INdumiso 137:1) Kodwa uYehova, owayekuchaze kwangaphambili ukuza kwaloo ntshabalalo, wanikela ithemba lokuba uza kukubuyisela oko kulahlekileyo.

6-8. (a) Yintoni ababesoloko bebhala ngayo abaprofeti abangamaHebhere, yaye zazaliseka njani okokuqala ezo ziprofeto? (b) Namhlanje, ziye zazaliseka njani kubantu bakaThixo iziprofeto zokubuyiselwa?

⁶ Eneneni, ukubuyiselwa kwakuyinto ababesoloko bebhala  ngayo abaprofeti abangamaHebhere. b UYehova wasebenzisa bona ukuvakalisa isithembiso sakhe sokubuyisela abantu bakhe elizweni labo, alenze lichume, yaye abakhusele ekuhlaselweni ngamarhamncwa asendle naziintshaba zabo. Walichaza ilizwe labo elibuyiselweyo njengeparadesi yokwenene! (Isaya 65:25; Hezekile 34:25; 36:35) Ngaphezu koko, unqulo olunyulu lwaluza kubuyiselwa, netempile iphinde yakhiwe. (Mika 4:1-5) Ezi ziprofeto zawanika ithemba amaYuda asekuthinjweni, zawanceda ukuba anyamezele ebudeni bama-70 eminyaka yokuthinjelwa kwawo eBhabhiloni.

⁷ Ekugqibeleni, lada lafika ixesha lokubuyiselwa. Akuba ekhululwe eBhabhiloni, amaYuda abuyela eYerusalem aza aphinda ayakha itempile kaYehova apho. (Ezra 1:1, 2) Logama nje ayenamathele kunqulo olunyulu, uYehova wawasikelela waza walenza lachuma ilizwe lawo. Wawakhusela kwiintshaba nakumarhamncwa asendle awayehlala kwelo lizwe kangangamashumi eminyaka. Hayi indlela amele ukuba akuvuyela ngayo ukusebenzisa kukaYehova amandla akhe okubuyisela! Kodwa ezo zazisisiqalo nje kuphela sokuzaliseka kweziprofeto zokubuyiselwa. Kwakuseza kubakho ukuzaliseka okukhulu ngakumbi “ekupheleni kwemihla,” ngexesha lethu, ekubekweni etroneni kweNdlalifa eyathenjiswa kudala kaKumkani uDavide.—Isaya 2:2-4; 9:6, 7.

⁸ Kungekudala emva kokubekwa kukaYesu etroneni kuBukumkani basezulwini ngowe-1914, wanikel’ ingqalelo kwiintswelo zokomoya zabantu abathembekileyo bakaThixo emhlabeni. Kanye njengokuba uKoreshi wasePersi wayikhululayo eBhabhiloni intsalela yamaYuda ngowama-537 B.C.E., uYesu naye wayikhulula intsalela yamaYuda okomoya—abalandeli bakhe—kwimpembelelo yeBhabhiloni yanamhlanje, ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki. (Roma 2:29; ISityhilelo 18:1-5) Ukususela ngowe-1919, unqulo olunyulu luye lwabuyiselwa kwindawo yalo efanelekileyo ebomini bamaKristu okwenene. (Malaki 3:1-5) Ukususela ngoko, abantu bakaYehova baye bamnqulela kwitempile yakhe yokomoya ehlanjululweyo—ilungiselelo likaThixo lonqulo olunyulu. Kutheni kubalulekile nje kuthi oku namhlanje?

 9. Emva kwexesha labapostile, yintoni ezayenzayo iicawa zeNgqobhoko kunqulo lukaThixo, kodwa yintoni aye wayenza uYehova kumhla wethu?

⁹ Khawucinge ngoko kwenzekayo kwixesha elidluleyo. AmaKristu ngenkulungwane yokuqala anandipha iintsikelelo ezininzi zokomoya. Kodwa uYesu nabapostile baxela kwangaphambili ukuba unqulo lokwenyaniso lwaluza konakaliswa luze luphele. (Mateyu 13:24-30; IZenzo 20:29, 30) Emva kwexesha labapostile, kwavela iNgqobhoko. Abefundisi bayo bamkela iimfundiso noqheliselo lobuhedeni. Kwakhona bakwenza kwaba yinto enzima gqitha ukusondela kuThixo, bemchaza njengoBathathu Emnye ongaqondakaliyo baza bafundisa abantu ukuba bavume izono kubefundisi yaye bathandaze kuMariya ‘nakwiingcwele’ ezahlukahlukeneyo kunokuba bathandaze kuYehova. Ngoko, emva kwaloo monakalo weenkulungwane ezininzi, yintoni aye wayenza uYehova? Kweli hlabathi lanamhlanje—ihlabathi elizaliswe lunqulo lobuxoki nabubungendawo—uye wangenelela waza wabuyisela unqulo olunyulu! Ngaphandle kokuzibaxa izinto, sinokuthi oku kubuyiselwa kusesinye sezona ziganeko zibalulekileyo zakha zenzeka kwixesha lanamhlanje.

10, 11. (a) Ziziphi iinkalo ezimbini ezibandakanywa yiparadesi yokomoya, yaye wena uchaphazeleka njani? (b) Luhlobo olunjani lwabantu aye uYehova wabahlanganisela kwiparadesi yokomoya, yaye yintoni abaza kuba nelungelo lokuyibona?

¹⁰ Ngoko ke amaKristu okwenyaniso anandipha iparadesi yokomoya namhlanje. Ibandakanya ntoni le paradesi? Ngokuyintloko, ibandakanya iinkalo ezimbini. Eyokuqala lunqulo olunyulu loThixo oyinyaniso, uYehova. Uye wasisikelela ngonqulo olungenabo ubuxoki neengcamango ezigqwethekileyo. Uye wasisikelela ngokutya kokomoya. Oku kusenza sifunde ngoBawo wethu wasezulwini, simkholise, yaye sisondele kuye. (Yohane 4:24) Inkalo yesibini yeparadesi yokomoya ibandakanya abantu. Njengoko uIsaya waxela kwangaphambili, “ekupheleni kwemihla,” uYehova uye wabafundisa abanquli bakhe iindlela zoxolo. Uye waziphelisa iimfazwe phakathi kwethu. Phezu kwako nje ukungafezeki kwethu, uyasinceda ukuba sambathe “ubuntu obutsha.” Uyayisikelela imizamo yethu ngomoya wakhe oyingcwele,  ovelisa isiqhamo esihle kuthi. (Efese 4:22-24; Galati 5:22, 23) Xa usenza ngokuvisisana nomoya kaThixo, ngokwenene uyinxalenye yeparadesi yokomoya.

¹¹ UYehova uye wahlanganisela kule paradesi yokomoya uhlobo lwabantu abathandayo—abo bamthandayo, abathanda uxolo, ‘nabayiphapheleyo intswelo yabo yokomoya.’ (Mateyu 5:3) Ngabo abantu abaya kuba nelungelo lokubona ukubuyiselwa okukhulu ngakumbi—ukubuyiselwa koluntu nokomhlaba uphela.

12, 13. (a) Kutheni iziprofeto zokubuyiselwa zimele zizaliseke kwakhona? (b) Iyintoni injongo kaYehova ngomhlaba njengoko wayichaza e-Eden, yaye kutheni oku kusinika ithemba lekamva?

¹² Iziprofeto ezininzi ezithetha ngokubuyiselwa zibhekisela kokungakumbi kunokubuyiselwa kokomoya. Ngokomzekelo, uIsaya wabhala ngexesha lokuphiliswa kwabagulayo, iziqhwala, iimfama nezithulu, kwanangokuginywa kokufa ngonaphakade. (Isaya 25:8; 35:1-7) Ezo zithembiso azizange zizaliseke ngokoqobo kuSirayeli wamandulo. Yaye nangona siye sakubona ukuzaliseka kokomoya kwezi zithembiso namhlanje, sinesizathu esihle sokukholelwa ukuba kwixesha elizayo, ziza kuzaliseka ngokoqobo, nangokupheleleyo. Sikwazi njani oko?

¹³ Emva phayaa e-Eden, uYehova wayenza yacaca injongo yakhe ngomhlaba: Wawuza kumiwa ngabantu abonwabileyo, abasempilweni nabamanyeneyo. Amadoda namabhinqa ayeza kuwunyamekela umhlaba nayo yonke indalo ekuwo, asenze sonke esi sijikelezi-langa sibe yiparadesi. (Genesis 1:28) Oko kwahluke ngokupheleleyo kwimeko esiyibonayo namhlanje. Noko ke, qiniseka ukuba iinjongo zikaYehova azinakuthintelwa. (Isaya 55:10, 11) NguYesu, uKumkani onguMesiya owamiselwa nguYehova, oza kuzisa le Paradesi yomhlaba wonke.—Luka 23:43.

14, 15. (a) UYehova uya kuzenza njani ‘zonke izinto zibe ntsha’? (b) Buza kuba njani ubomi eParadesi, yaye yiyiphi eyona nkalo ibangel’ umdla kakhulu kuwe?

¹⁴ Khawube nombono womhlaba wonke usiba yiParadesi! UYehova uthi ngelo xesha: “Khangela! Zonke izinto ndizenza ntsha.” (ISityhilelo 21:5) Khawucinge nje ngoko kuya  kuthethwa koko. Akuba uYehova eyitshabalalisile le nkqubo indala ingendawo, kuya kusala “amazulu amatsha nomhlaba omtsha.” Oku kuthetha ukuba urhulumente omtsha uya kulawula ezulwini phezu kwebutho elitsha lasemhlabeni elibunjwa ngabo bamthandayo uYehova nabenza ukuthanda kwakhe. (2 Petros 3:13) USathana, kunye needemon zakhe, baza kuvalw’ umlomo. (ISityhilelo 20:3) Okwesihlandlo sokuqala emva kwamawakawaka eminyaka, uluntu luza kukhululeka kwimpembelelo yabo eyonakalisayo neyonyanyekayo. Oko kukhululeka kuya kuchulumancisa ngokwenene.

¹⁵ Ekugqibeleni, siza kukwazi ukusinyamekela esi sijikelezi-langa sihle ngokuvisisana nenjongo yantlandlolo. Umhlaba unamandla emvelo okuzihlaziya. Amachibi nemilambo engcolisiweyo inokuzicoca ngokwayo ukuba into engcolisayo iyapheliswa; umonakalo odalwe ziimfazwe emhlabeni unokulungiswa ukuba iimfazwe zinokupheliswa. Hayi indlela ekuya kuchulumancisa ngayo ukusebenzisana nomhlaba, ekuwenzeni ube yipaki engumyezo, iEden yomhlaba wonke eneentlobo-ntlobo zezinto eziphilayo! Kunokuba abantu batshabalalise izilwanyana nezityalo, baza kuba seluxolweni nayo yonke indalo esemhlabeni. Kwanabantwana abasayi kuzoyika izilwanyana zasendle.—Isaya 9:6, 7; 11:1-9.

16. EParadesi, kukuphi ukubuyiselwa okuya kuba yingenelo kumntu ngamnye othembekileyo?

¹⁶ Kwakhona siza kungenelwa ngokobuqu koko kubuyiselwa. Emva kweArmagedon, abo basindileyo baza kubona ummangaliso wokuphiliswa kwabantu emhlabeni wonke. Kanye njengoko wenzayo xa wayesemhlabeni, uYesu uza kusebenzisa amandla awanikwe nguThixo ukuba enze iimfama ziphinde zibone, abazizithulu beve, kwanabo baneziphene babe yimiqabaqaba. (Mateyu 15:30) Abalupheleyo baya kukuvuyela ukubuyiselwa ebutsheni nasempilweni entle. (Yobhi 33:25) Imibimbi iza kunyamalala, imizimba iswabuluke, nezihlunu ziphinde zibe namandla. Lonke uluntu oluthembekileyo luza kuyibona imiphumo yesono nokungafezeki inyamalala ngokuthe ngcembe. Hayi indlela esiya kumbulela ngayo uYehova uThixo ngamandla akhe amangalisayo okubuyisela! Ngoku makhe sihlolisise inkalo  echukumis’ intliziyo ngokukhethekileyo yeli xesha lichulumancisayo lokubuyisela.

17, 18. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uYesu abakhalimele abaSadusi? (b) Ziziphi iimeko ezakhokelela ekubeni uEliya acele uYehova ukuba avuse umntwana?

¹⁷ Ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, ezinye iinkokeli zonqulo, ezazibizwa ngokuba ngabaSadusi, zazingakholelwa eluvukweni. UYesu wazikhalimela ngala mazwi: “Niyaphazama, kuba ningazazi iZibhalo namandla kaThixo.” (Mateyu 22:29) Ewe, iZibhalo ziyachaza ukuba uYehova unawo amandla okubuyisela ubomi. Njani?

¹⁸ Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni woko kwenzekayo ngomhla kaEliya? Umhlolokazi othile wayephethe umzimba otyokololo womntwana wakhe okuphela kwakhe. Le nkwenkwe yayifile. Umprofeti uEliya, owayedla ngokumtyelela loo mhlolokazi, umele ukuba wothuka ngokwenene. Ngaphambilana, wamnceda lo mntwana ukuba angafi yindlala. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uEliya wayeyithanda gqitha le nkwenkwana. Ngokwenene yayibuhlungu intliziyo kanina. Le nkwenkwe yiyo kuphela eyayimkhumbuza ngendoda yakhe eyafayo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayenethemba lokunyanyekelwa ngulo nyana wakhe ebudaleni bakhe. Ebindekile, lo mhlolokazi wayesoyika esithi mhlawumbi wayesohlwaywa ngenxa yobubi awabenzayo kwixesha elidluleyo. UEliya akazange akwazi ukuyinyamezela le meko ilusizi kangaka. Wasithabatha ngobunono isidumbu eso esifubeni sikanina, waya naso egumbini lakhe, waza wamcela uYehova uThixo ukuba abuyisele umphefumlo, okanye ubomi balo mntwana.—1 Kumkani 17:8-21.

19, 20. (a) UAbraham wabonisa njani ukuba wayenokholo kumandla kaYehova okubuyisela, yaye lwalusekelwe entwenini olo kholo? (b) UYehova waluvuza njani ukholo lukaEliya?

¹⁹ UEliya wayengenguye umntu wokuqala ukukholelwa eluvukweni. Kwiinkulungwane ezingaphambi koko, uAbraham wayekholelwa ukuba uYehova wayenawo amandla okubuyisela ubomi—yaye wayenesizathu esivakalayo sokukukholelwa oko. Xa uAbraham wayeneminyaka eli-100 ubudala yena uSara  enama-90, uYehova wawabuyisela amandla abo enzala, waza ngokungummangaliso wenza ukuba uSara azale unyana. (Genesis 17:17; 21:2, 3) Kamva, yakuba inkwenkwe leyo ikhule ngokupheleleyo, uYehova wamcela uAbraham ukuba abingelele ngalo nyana wakhe. UAbraham wabonisa ukholo, eqonda ukuba uYehova wayenako ukumbuyisela ebomini kwakhona uIsake othandekayo. (Hebhere 11:17-19) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba lolo kholo luqinileyo olwabangela ukuba uAbraham, ngaphambi kokunyukela kwakhe entabeni ukuya kunikela ngonyana wakhe, abaqinisekise abakhonzi bakhe ukuba yena noIsake babeza kubuya.—Genesis 22:5.

²⁰ UYehova wamsindisa uIsake, ngoko akuzange kubekho mfuneko yovuko ngelo xesha. Kodwa kwimeko kaEliya, unyana womhlolokazi wayesele efile—kodwa engafanga thuba lide. UYehova waluvuza ukholo lwaloo mprofeti ngokuthi amvuse umntwana lowo! Wandula ke uEliya wayibuyisela kunina inkwenkwe leyo, waza wathetha la mazwi angalibalekiyo: “Uyabona, unyana wakho uyaphila”!—1 Kumkani 17:22-24.

21, 22. (a) Yayiyintoni injongo yovuko oluchazwe eZibhalweni? (b) EParadesi, luya kubakho ngomkhamo ongakanani uvuko, yaye luya kwenziwa ngubani?

²¹ Ngoko okwesihlandlo sokuqala kwingxelo yeBhayibhile, sibona ukusebenzisa kukaYehova amandla akhe okubuyisela ubomi bomntu. Kwakhona, kamva uYehova wanika uElisha, uYesu, uPawulos noPetros amandla okubuyisela abafileyo ebomini. Kambe ke, abo bavuswayo ekugqibeleni baphinda bafa. Kodwa ezo ngxelo zeBhayibhile zisinika umfanekiso-ngqondweni wemimangaliso eza kwenzeka.

²² EParadesi, uYesu uza kuzalisekisa indima yakhe ‘njengovuko nobomi.’ (Yohane 11:25) Uza kuvusa izigidi ngezigidi zabantu, azivulele ithuba lokuphila ngonaphakade kwiParadesi yasemhlabeni. (Yohane 5:28, 29) Khawuluthelekelele umanyano olunjalo xa abahlobo nezalamane ezithandekayo, ezazahlukaniswe kukufa kangangethuba elide, zisangana, yaye zizaliswe luvuyo! Lonke uluntu luya kumdumisa uYehova ngenxa yamandla akhe okubuyisela.

23. Yiyiphi eyona ndlela ibalaseleyo uYehova awawabonakalisa ngayo amandla akhe, yaye oku kuliqinisekisa njani ithemba lethu ngekamva?

 ²³ UYehova usinike isiqinisekiso esingenakuguquka sokuba loo mathemba aza kuzaliseka. Wawabonakalisa amandla akhe ngeyona ndlela ibalaseleyo, ngokuthi avuse uNyana wakhe, uYesu, njengesidalwa esomeleleyo somoya, emenza abe kwisigxina sesibini ukusuka kuYehova. UYesu ovusiweyo wabonakala kumakhulukhulu amangqina okuzibonela. (1 Korinte 15:5, 6) Kwanabo babengakholelwa, babengenakubuphikisa ubungqina ababubonayo. UYehova unawo amandla okubuyisela ubomi.

24. Kutheni sinokuba nentembelo yokuba uYehova uza kubavusa abafileyo, yaye liliphi ithemba amele ngamnye wethu alixabise?

²⁴ UYehova akanamandla nje kuphela okubuyisela abafileyo ebomini kodwa ukwanawo nomnqweno wokwenjenjalo. Indoda ethembekileyo uYobhi yaphefumlelwa ukuba ithi uYehova uyakulangazelela ukubuyisela abafileyo ebomini. (Yobhi 14:15) Ngaba akuziva utsalelekile na kuThixo wethu, okulangazelelayo ukusebenzisa amandla akhe ngendlela enjalo yothando? Noko ke, khumbula ukuba uvuko luyinkalo enye kuphela yemisebenzi emikhulu kaYehova yokubuyisela kwixesha elizayo. Njengoko usondela ngakumbi kuye, lixabise kanobom ithemba onalo lokuba lapho ukuze uzibonele xa uYehova ‘esenza zonke izinto zibe ntsha.’—ISityhilelo 21:5.