1, 2. UYehova ubatyhilele njani abantu injongo yakhe?

 ABAZALI ababathandayo abantwana babo bayathetha nabo ngezinto ezibandakanya ikhaya. Noko ke, besebenzisa ukuqonda, bathetha nabo ngezinto abavakalelwa kukuba zibalingene.

² Ngendlela efanayo, uYehova uye wayityhila ngokuthe ngcembe injongo yakhe kubantu bakhe. Kodwa uye wakwenza oko kuphela ngexesha alaziyo ukuba lifanelekile. Khawuve nje ngokufutshane indlela uYehova aye wazityhila ngayo iinyaniso ngoBukumkani ukutyhubela imbali.

3, 4. Ngaba uYehova wayimisela kwangaphambili indlela imbali yabantu efanele ihambe ngayo? Cacisa.

³ Ekuqaleni, uBukumkani obulawulwa nguMesiya babungeyonxalenye yenjongo kaYehova. Ngoba? Kaloku uYehova zange ayimisele kwangaphambili indlela imbali yabantu efanele ihambe ngayo; ngapha koko, wabadala abantu banenkululeko yokuzikhethela. Yiyo loo nto waxelela uAdam noEva injongo yakhe ngabantu, eyile: “Qhamani, nande, niwuzalise umhlaba nize niwoyise.” (Gen. 1:28) Kwakhona, uYehova wayefuna bayithobele imilinganiselo yakhe yokwahlula okulungileyo nokubi. (Gen. 2:16, 17) UAdam noEva babenokukwazi ukukhetha ukuhlala bethembekile. Ukuba bona nenzala yabo babekwenzile oku, bebungazukufuneka uBukumkani obulawulwa nguKristu obuza kufeza injongo kaThixo. Sithetha nje, lo mhlaba ngowuthe mome ngabantu abagqibeleleyo, bonke benqula uYehova.

⁴ Ukuvukela kukaSathana, uAdam noEva zange kubangele ukuba uYehova ayilahle injongo yakhe yokuzalisa umhlaba ngabantu abafezekileyo. Kunoko, watshintsha nje indlela aza kuyizalisekisa ngayo. Kaloku, injongo yakhe ayifani nololiwe ekufuneka ahambe kwisiporo sakhe ukuze ayokufika apho aya khona, othi xa ephazanyisiwe aphume kuso. Ukuba uYehova uyichazile injongo yakhe, akukho nto kwindalo inokuyithintela ingazaliseki. (Funda uIsaya 55:11.) Ukuba  kukhe kwakho into engathi ixaba endleleni, uYehova usebenzis’ enye. a (Eks. 3:14, 15) Xa ebona ukuba lifikile ixesha, uyabachazela abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo indlela entsha aza kuyisebenzisa ukuze azalisekise injongo yakhe.

 5. Yintoni awayenzayo uYehova ukuze alungise imvukelo yase-Eden?

⁵ Ukuze alungise umonakalo owabangelwa yimvukelo yase-Eden, uYehova wamisela uBukumkani. (Mat. 25:34) Kwelo xesha lobunzima kwimbali yabantu, uYehova wakhupha inkcazelo ngesixhobo awayeza kusisebenzisa ukuze ancede abantu nokuze aphelise iintlungu ezibangelwe kukufuna kukaSathana ulawulo angasoze alufumane. (Gen. 3:14-19) Sekunjalo, uYehova zange achaze zonke iinkcukacha ngobo Bukumkani ngelo xesha.

 6. Yintoni uYehova awayithembisayo, kodwa yintoni angazange ayichaze?

⁶ Kwakwisiprofeto sokuqala ngqa, uYehova wathembisa ukuba “imbewu [inzala]” ethile yayiza kutyumza inyoka. (Funda iGenesis 3:15.) Sekunjalo, zange achaze ngelo xesha ukuba ngubani le nzala, engazange achaze naleyo yenyoka. Enyanisweni, iinkcukacha ezingakumbi wazichaza emva kweminyaka eyi-2 000. b

 7. Kwakutheni ukuze kukhethwe uAbraham yaye sisiphi isifundo esibalulekileyo esisifumanayo?

⁷ Ekugqibeleni, uYehova wakhetha uAbraham njengomntu eyayiza kuphuma kuye inzala ethenjisiweyo. Wakhethwa kuba ‘wayeliphulaphule ilizwi likaYehova.’ (Gen. 22:18) Apha sifunda isifundo esibalulekileyo sokuba uYehova utyhila injongo yakhe kuphela kwabo bamoyikayo.—Funda iNdumiso 25:14.

8, 9. Zintoni uYehova awazithetha kuAbraham noYakobi ngenzala ethenjisiweyo?

⁸ Xa wayethetha nomhlobo wakhe uAbraham esebenzisa ingelosi, uYehova wayeqala ukuchaza le nkalo ibalulekileyo ngenzala eyayithenjisiwe: Yayiza kuba ngumntu. (Gen. 22:15-17; Yak. 2:23) Kodwa umntu wayeza kuyityumza njani inyoka? Yayiza kuba ngubani inyoka? Izityhilelo ezaziza kukhutshwa kamva zaziza kuyiphendula le mibuzo.

⁹ UYehova wagqiba kwelokuba le nzala ithenjisiweyo yayiza kuvela kumzukulwana ka-Abraham uYakobi, indoda eyaba nokholo olomeleleyo kuThixo. (Gen. 28:13-22) UYehova waxelela uYakobi ukuba Othenjisiweyo wayeza kuphuma kunyana wakhe onguYuda. UYakobi waprofeta ukuba le nzala kaYuda yayiza kufumana “intonga yobukhosi,” eyayibonisa ukuba negunya lokulawula, nokuba yile nzala eyayiza ‘kuthotyelwa zizizwana.’ (Gen. 49:1, 10) Ngala mazwi, uYehova wayesithi Othenjisiweyo wayeza kuba ngumlawuli, ukumkani.

10, 11. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova achazele uDavide noDaniyeli injongo yakhe?

¹⁰ Kwiminyaka eyi-650 emva kwemihla kaYuda, uYehova wachazela uKumkani uDavide wenzala kaYuda iinkcukacha ezingakumbi ngenjongo yakhe. UYehova wamchaza uDavide ‘njengendoda evunyiweyo yintliziyo yakhe.’ (1 Sam. 13:14; 17:12; IZe. 13:22) Ngenxa yokuba uDavide wayesoyika uThixo,  uYehova wakhetha ukwenza isivumelwano naye, emthembisa ukuba omnye kwinzala yakhe wayeza kulawula ngonaphakade.—2 Sam. 7:8, 12-16.

¹¹ Malunga neminyaka eyi-500 kamva, uYehova wasebenzisa uDaniyeli ekuxeleni unyaka awayeza kubonakala ngawo Othanjisiweyo okanye uMesiya apha emhlabeni. (Dan. 9:25) UYehova wamjonga uDaniyeli ‘njengonqweneleka kakhulu.’ Ngoba? Kuba wayemhlonela ngokunzulu uYehova yaye akazange ayeke ukumkhonza.—Dan. 6:16; 9:22, 23.

12. Kwathiwa makenze ntoni uDaniyeli, yaye ngoba?

¹² Nangona wasebenzisa abaprofeti abathembekileyo abafana noDaniyeli ukuze achaze iinkcukacha ngenzala eyayithenjisiwe, uMesiya, kuyabonakala ukuba lalingekafiki ixesha lokuba bakuqonde ngokupheleleyo oko uYehova wabaphefumlela ukuba bakubhale. Ngokomzekelo, emva kokuba uDaniyeli enikwe umbono ongokumiselwa koBukumkani bukaThixo, waxelelwa ukuba asitywine eso siprofeto de kube lixesha elimiselwe nguYehova. Xa lifika elo xesha, ulwazi lokwenyaniso ‘lwaluza kuba luninzi.’—Dan. 12:4.

13. (a) Yayingubani inzala eyayithenjisiwe? (b) UYesu wasicacisa njani isiprofeto esikwiGenesis 3:15?

¹³ UYehova wenza kwacaca ukuba uYesu uyinzala eyayithenjisiwe neyayiza kulawula njengoKumkani, ephuma kumnombo kaDavide. (Luka 1:30-33; 3:21, 22) Xa uYesu waqalisa ukushumayela, kwatsho kwasa ebantwini ngenjongo kaThixo. (Mat. 4:13-17) Ngokomzekelo, uYesu wenza kwacaca ukuba ngubani kanye kanye loo ‘nyoka’ ichazwe kwiGenesis 3:14, 15, esithi nguMtyholi, ‘umbulali noyise wabo ubuxoki.’ (Yoh. 8:44) Kwisityhilelo awasinika uYohane, uYesu wathi ‘inyoka yantlandlolo yileyo ibizwa ngokuba nguMtyholi, noSathana.’ c (Funda iSityhilelo 1:1; 12:9.) Kwakweso sityhilelo, wachaza indlela inzala ethenjisiweyo eyayiza kuthi ekugqibeleni isizalisekise ngayo isiprofeto sase-Eden ngokuthi ityumze uSathana kuthi tu ngaye.—ISityhi. 20:7-10.

14-16. Ngaba abafundi bakaYesu babesoloko beziqonda ngokupheleleyo iinyaniso awayebachazela zona? Cacisa.

¹⁴ Kanye njengokuba siye seva kwiSahluko 1 sale ncwadi, uYesu wathetha kakhulu ngoBukumkani. Sekunjalo, wayengasoloko ebaxelela yonk’ into abafuna ukuyazi abafundi bakhe. Kwanaxa eye wabaxelela iinkcukacha ezithile, bekuye kudlule ixesha—nkqu namakhulu eminyaka—ngaphambi kokuba baziqonde ngokupheleleyo iinyaniso abaye bazinikwa yiNkosi yabo. Khawuphawule le mizekelo ilandelayo.

¹⁵ Ngonyaka ka-33, uYesu wenza kwacaca ukuba abo wayeza kulawula nabo kuBukumkani bukaThixo babeza kuthathwa emhlabeni baze bavuselwe ezulwini njengezidalwa ezingabonakaliyo. Sekunjalo, abafundi bakhe zange basiqonde ngoko nangoko esi sityhilelo. (Dan. 7:18; Yoh. 14:2-5) Kwakuloo nyaka, uYesu wathetha ngemizekeliso ebonisa ukuba emva  kokunyukela kwakhe ezulwini, kwakuza kudlula ixesha elide ngaphambi kokuba kumiselwe uBukumkani. (Mat. 25:14, 19; Luka 19:11, 12) Abafundi bakhe abazange bayiqonde le ngongoma ibalulekileyo baza kamva babuza uYesu ovusiweyo lo mbuzo: “Ububuyisela ngeli xesha na ubukumkani kuSirayeli?” Noko ke, uYesu wakhetha ukungabaxeleli yonk’ into ngelo xesha. (IZe. 1:6, 7) UYesu wafundisa nokuba kwakuza kubakho ‘nezinye izimvu’ ezazingazukuba yinxalenye ‘yomhlambi omncinane’ owawuza kulawula naye. (Yoh. 10:16; Luka 12:32) Abalandeli bakaKristu zange bawaqonde la maqela mabini de kwasemva kokumiselwa koBukumkani ngo-1914.

¹⁶ Ngoxa wayelapha emhlabeni, uYesu wayenokubaxelela izinto ezininzi abalandeli bakhe, kodwa wayesazi ukuba abanakuzithwala zonke. (Yoh. 16:12) Phezu kwayo yonke loo nto, luninzi ulwazi ngoBukumkani olwatyhilwa ngenkulungwane yokuqala. Sekunjalo, elo yayingekabi loxesha lokuba olo lwazi lube yintabalala.

17. Sifanele senze ntoni ukuze siziqonde iinyaniso ngoBukumkani, kodwa luluphi uncedo olufunekayo?

¹⁷ UYehova wathembisa uDaniyeli ukuba ‘ngexesha lesiphelo,’ baninzi abantu ababeya “kuphengulula, yaye ulwazi lokwenyaniso” ngenjongo kaThixo lwaluza kuba yintabalala. (Dan. 12:4) Abo bafuna olo lwazi bamele basebenze nzima ukuze balufumane. Enye imbekiselo ithi isenzi sesiHebhere esithi “ukuphengulula” sidlulisela ingcamango yomntu ohlolisisa incwadi ngenyameko nangocoselelo. Phofu ke, nokuba singayiphicotha ngenyameko kangakanani na iBhayibhile, asinakuze siziqonde ngokupheleleyo iinyaniso ngoBukumkani ngaphandle kokuba sincedwa nguYehova.—Funda uMateyu 13:11.

18. Abantu aboyika uYehova babonise njani ukuba banokholo yaye bathobekile?

 ¹⁸ Njengoko uYehova ebetyhila iinyaniso ngoBukumkani de yangu-1914, usaqhubeka esenjenjalo kweli xesha lesiphelo. Njengoko siza kufunda kwiSahluko 4 nese 5 sale ncwadi, kule minyaka iyi-100 idluleyo, kangangezihlandlo ezininzi abantu bakaThixo kuye kwafuneka bayilungise indlela abebecinga ngayo. Ngaba loo nto ithetha ukuba abaxhaswa nguYehova? Akunjalo! Kutheni sisitsho? Kuba abo boyika uYehova baye babonakalisa iimpawu ezimbini azithandayo—ukholo nokuthobeka. (Heb. 11:6; Yak. 4:6) Abakhonzi bakaYehova banalo ukholo lokuba zonke izithembiso eziseLizwini lakhe ziza kwenzeka. Babonisa ukuthobeka xa bevuma ukuba baye abayiqonda eyona ndlela ziza kuzaliseka ngayo ezo zithembiso. Ukuthobeka okunjalo kuchazwe kwiMboniselo kaMatshi 1, 1925, eyathi: “Siyazi ukuba iNkosi iyicacisa ngokwayo into eyithethileyo, nokuba iya kubacacisela abantu bayo oko kuseLizwini layo ngendlela yayo nangexesha layo elifanelekileyo.”

19. Yintoni ngoku uYehova asincede kuyo, yaye ngoba?

¹⁹ Xa kwakumiselwa uBukumkani ngo-1914, abantu bakaThixo babengayazi ngokupheleleyo indlela ezaziza kuzaliseka ngayo iziprofeto ezingoBukumkani. (1 Kor. 13:9, 10, 12) Ngenxa yokuba sisenza konke okusemandleni kuba sifuna ukubona inzaliseko yezithembiso zikaThixo, ngamathub’ athile sikhe sifikelele kwizigqibo eziye zifune ukulungiswa kamva. Njengoko iminyaka ihamba, aye aphawuleka ebubulumko amazwi akwiMboniselo ekhankanywe kwesi siqendu singasentla. Inqaku layo lathi: “Kubonakala ibubulumko ukuyamkela into yokuba isiprofeto asinakusiqonda de sibe sizalisekile okanye siyazaliseka.” Njengokuba singene nzulu kwixesha lwesiphelo, iziprofeto ezininzi ngoBukumkani ziye zazaliseka yaye zisazaliseka. Ngexa yokuba abantu bakaThixo bethobekile yaye bekulungele ukulungiswa, uYehova uye wasiceda  sayiqonda ngokupheleleyo injongo yakhe. Ulwazi lwenyaniso luye lwaba luninzi!

20, 21. Yintoni eyenzekayo kumaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala xa kwakulungiswa ukuqonda kwawo?

²⁰ Xa uYehova elungisa indlela esiyiqonda ngayo inyaniso, siye sivavanyeke. Ngaba ukholo nokuthobeka kuya kusenza sikulungele ukutshintsha? AmaKristu awayephila ngenkulungwane yokuqala afumana olo vavanyo. Ngokomzekelo, masithi ubungumKristu ongumYuda owayephila ngelo xesha. Uwuhlonela nyhani uMthetho kaMoses yaye unegugu ngezithethe zohlanga lakowenu. Ngoku ufumana iileta eziphefumlelweyo zikampostile uPawulos ezithi awusabophelelekanga eMthethweni yaye uYehova uwalahlile amaSirayeli waza wahlanganisa amaYuda neeNtlanga ukuze avelise uSirayeli wokomoya. (Roma 10:12; 11:17-24; Gal. 6:15, 16; Kol. 2:13, 14) Wawuza kuthini?

²¹ AmaKristu athobekileyo ayamkela ingcaciso ephefumlelweyo kaPawulos aza asikelelwa nguYehova. (IZe. 13:48) Abanye balucaphukela olu tshintsho baza bafuna ukubambelela kokwabo ukuqonda. (Gal. 5:7-12) Ukuba babengayitshintshi imbono yabo, abo bantu babeza kuphulukana nethuba lokulawula noKristu.—2 Pet. 2:1.

22. Uthini wena ngendlela okulungiswa ngayo ukuyiqonda kwethu injongo kaThixo?

²² Kule minyaka yakutshanje, uYehova uye wayilungisa indlela esiziqonda ngayo iinkcukacha ngoBukumkani. Ngokomzekelo, uye wasinceda sazi ngokucacileyo ukuba abo baza kulawulwa buBukumkani baya kohlulwa nini kubantu abangathobeliyo, kanye njengokuba kusahlulwa izimvu kwiibhokhwe. Usifundise nokuba baya kuphelela nini abo bayi-144 000, intsingiselo yemizekeliso kaYesu engoBukumkani nokuba owokugqibela kubathanjiswa uya kuvuselwa nini ezulwini. d Ngaba wena uyayamkela le ngcaciso? Ngaba ukholo lwakho lomeleziwe? Ngaba uyijonga njengobungqina bokuba uYehova uqhubeka ebafundisa abantu bakhe abathobekileyo? Kwezi zahluko zilandelayo le ncwadi iza kukunceda uqonde ngakumbi ukuba uYehova uqhubeka ebatyhilela injongo yakhe abo bamoyikayo.