1-3. (a) Yintoni eza kwenzeka xa uYehova ‘ecaphuke kakhulu’? (b) Siza kuthetha ngantoni?

AMADODA, amabhinqa, nabantwana bamile becula ingoma yoBukumkani. Emva koko, umdala uyathandaza, ecela uYehova ukuba abakhusele. Bonke abantu abasebandleni baqinisekile ukuba uYehova uza kubanceda, kodwa basakudinga ukuthuthuzelwa nokukhuthazwa. Ngaphandle, kutsho ingxolo yabantu abalwayo. IArmagedon iqalile!​—ISityhi. 16:14, 16.

² NgeArmagedon, uYehova uza kutshabalalisa abantu ‘ecaphuke kakhulu.’ (Funda uHezekile 38:18.) Akazukuba nomsindo kumkhosi okanye uhlanga nje olunye, kodwa uza kuba nomsindo kubantu abaninzi kakhulu abakuwo wonke umhlaba. Ngaloo mini, abo babulewe nguYehova “baza kususela kwesinye isiphelo somhlaba bayokutsho kwesinye isiphelo somhlaba.”​—Yer. 25:29, 33.

³ Yintoni eza kwenza uYehova acaphuke kakhulu kangaka, kodwa kuthiwa nguThixo oluthando, ‘onenceba  novelwano, nongakhawuleziyo ukucaphuka’? (Eks. 34:6; 1 Yoh. 4:16) Makhe sijonge ukuba ukuphendula lo mbuzo kuza kusinceda njani sithuthuzeleke, sibe nesibindi size siqhubeke sishumayela.

4, 5. Umsindo kaYehova wahluke njani kowabantu?

⁴ Kufuneka siqale siqonde ukuba umsindo kaYehova awufani nowabantu. Xa umntu enomsindo aze acaphuke kakhulu, uye enze izinto eqhutywa ngumsindo, ibe amaxesha amaninzi wenza izinto ezimbi. Ngokomzekelo, uKayin, unyana omdala ka-Adam, “wacaphuka kakhulu” ngenxa yokuba uYehova engazange awuthande umnikelo wakhe, kodwa wathanda oka-Abheli. Kwenzeka ntoni? UKayin wambulala umntakwabo. (Gen. 4:3-8; Heb. 11:4) Omnye umzekelo ngokaDavide, ochazwa njengendoda ethandwayo yintliziyo kaYehova. (IZe. 13:22) Waphants’ ukwenza into embi xa weva ukuba isityebi esinguNabhali simthukile yena namadoda akhe. UDavide namajoni akhe bacaphuka kakhulu, baza ‘bafaka amakrele abo ezinqeni’ beza kubulala uNabhali nayo yonke into eyindoda esendlini yakhe. Kodwa inkosikazi kaNabhali yamcenga uDavide namadoda akhe ukuba bangaziphindezeli. (1 Sam. 25:9-14, 32, 33) Ngoko siyabonakala isizathu sokuba uYehova aphefumlele uYakobi ukuba athi: “Ukucaphuka akumenzi umntu abe lilungisa emehlweni kaThixo.”​—Yak. 1:20.

⁵ Ngokungafaniyo nabantu, uYehova akaveli nje awukhuphele kuye nabani na umsindo wakhe, ibe siye sibonakale isizathu sokuba abe nomsindo. Nokuba angacaphuka kangakanani, uYehova wenza izinto ngobulungisa. Xa esilwa notshaba, akasoze ‘atshayele ilungisa kunye nomenzi-bubi.’ (Gen. 18:22-25) Enye into, yena uYehova ucaphuka ngenxa yobulungisa. Makhe sijonge izizathu ezibini, nezinto esinokuzifunda kuzo.

6. UYehova uye azive njani xa igama lakhe lingcoliswa?

⁶ Isizathu: Igama likaYehova liyangcoliswa. Abantu abathi bamela uYehova kodwa babe besenza izinto ezimbi, bayalingcolisa igama lakhe ibe bamenza abe nomsindo. (Hez. 36:23) Kwizahluko ezingaphambi kwesi, siye safunda ukuba amaSirayeli alingcolisa kakhulu igama likaYehova. Izinto awayezenza zazimcaphukisa kakhulu, kodwa wayewohlwaya ngendlela ewalingeneyo. (Yer. 30:11) Xa uYehova ebohlwayile abantu bakhe, umsindo wakhe wawuphela aze angabi nanqala.​—INdu. 103:9.

7, 8. Sifunda ntoni kwindlela uYehova awawaphatha ngayo amaSirayeli?

⁷ Izinto esizifundayo: Indlela uYehova awawaphatha ngayo amaSirayeli isisilumkiso kuthi. NjengamaSirayeli, sinenyhweba yokubizwa ngegama lakhe. SingamaNgqina KaYehova. (Isa. 43: 10) Izinto esizithethayo okanye esizenzayo zenza abantu bacinge kakuhle okanye kakubi ngoYehova. Asifuni ukwenza izinto ezimbi ngabom eziza kungcolisa igama lakhe, kuba loo nto iza kumcaphukisa kakhulu aze akhusele igama lakhe.​—Heb. 3:13, 15; 2 Pet. 2:1, 2.

⁸ Ngaba into yokwazi ukuba uYehova ‘unokucaphuka kakhulu,’ imele isenze singasondeli kuye? Hayi. Kaloku siyazi ukuba unomonde ibe uyaxolela. (Isa. 55:7; Roma 2:4) Kodwa siyazi nokuba uyasiqeqesha xa kuyimfuneko. Siyamhlonipha uYehova, kuba siyazi ukuba ucaphuka kakhulu xa sisenza izinto ezimbi. Abantu abenza izinto ezimbi akabavumeli ukuba babe phakathi kwabantu bakhe. (1 Kor. 5:11-13) Usichazele ukuba ziintoni ezimenza abe nomsindo. Ixhomekeke kuthi ke into yokuba siyazenza okanye asizenzi ezi zinto zimcaphukisayo.​—Yoh. 3:36; Roma 1:26-32; Yak. 4:8.

9, 10. Uye enze ntoni uYehova xa abantu bakhe behlaselwa? Yenza imizekelo.

⁹ Isizathu: Abantu bakaYehova bayahlaselwa. UYehova uba nomsindo xa iintshaba zihlasela abantu bakhe abafuna ukukhuselwa nguye. Ngokomzekelo, emva kokuba amaSirayeli eshiye iYiputa, uFaro nomkhosi wakhe bawaleqa kuba ayebonakala ngathi awazukuncedakala ngakuLwandle Olubomvu. Kodwa wathi lo mkhosi wakufika phakathi elwandle, uYehova watoncula amavili eenqwelo zawo waza wawuphosa phakathi elwandle. “Akukho nokuba abe mnye owasindayo.” (Eks. 14:20-28) UYehova wacaphuka kakhulu ngenxa yokuba ‘ebathanda ngokungagungqiyo’ abantu bakhe.​—Funda iEksodus 15:9-13.

¹⁰ Indlela uYehova abathanda ngayo abantu bakhe yamenza wafuna ukubanceda naxa kwakulawula uKumkani uHezekiya. Ama-Asiriya, awayenowona mkhosi ukhohlakeleyo ngela xesha, afika eYerusalem sele efuna ukuyihlasela. Oyikisa abantu bakaYehova ngokuthi aza kubarhangqa baze bafe kabuhlungu. (2 Kum. 18:27) UYehova yena wathumela ingelosi enye; yabulala amadoda ayi-185 000 ngobusuku nje obunye. (2 Kum. 19:34, 35) Khawuyicinge nawe into yokuba inoba kwakunjani kwinkampu yama-Asiriya ngentsasa elandelayo. Imikhonto, amakhaka namakrele ayethe saa phantsi. Akukho xilongo livusa mntu, kungekho nomntu ochaza into emayenzeke. Kuthe cwaka kule nkampu, kugcwele izidumbu kuyo yonke indawo.

11. Isinceda njani imizekelo esuka eZibhalweni yendlela uYehova abakhusela ngayo abantu bakhe?

¹¹ Izinto esizifundayo: Kule mizekelo sifunda ukuba xa iintshaba zisoyikisa abantu bakaYehova zifanele ziqonde ukuba: “Kuyoyikisa ukuwela ezandleni zikaThixo ophilayo” xa enomsindo. (Heb. 10:31) Le mizekelo iyasithuthuzela ize isenze sibe nesibindi. Into esithuthuzelayo kukwazi ukuba olona tshaba lwethu,  uSathana, aluyi kuphumelela. Kungekudala, ‘ixesha lakhe elifutshane’ liza kuphela. (ISityhi. 12:12) Okwangoku, sinokukhonza uYehova sinesibindi, siqinisekile ukuba akakho umntu okanye urhulumente oya kusenza siyeke ukwenza into efunwa nguThixo. (Funda iNdumiso 118:6-9.) Umpostile uPawulos wayichaza ngolu hlobo le nto: “Ukuba uThixo ukwicala lethu, ngubani onokulwa nathi?”​—Roma 8:31.

12. Xa ilixesha lentlungu engathethekiyo, yintoni eza kwenza uYehova abe nomsindo?

¹² Ngexesha lentlungu engathethekiyo, uYehova uza kusikhusela njengokuba wayewakhusele amaSirayeli xa ayeleqwa ngamaYiputa, naxa amaYuda aseYerusalem ayerhangqwe ngama-Asiriya. Xa iintshaba zethu zizama ukusitshabalalisa, loo nto iza kumenza uYehova abe nomsindo kuba esithanda. Abo baza kusihlasela baza kuba ngathi bachukumisa ilihlo likaYehova. Uza kukhawuleza abatshabalalise. (Zek. 2:8, 9) Uza kutshabalalisa abantu abaninzi kakhulu ngendlela engazange yenzeka  ngaphambili. Kodwa akukho nto iza kuzenza zothuke iintshaba zikaYehova xa esiba nomsindo. Ngoba?

13. Zeziphi izilumkiso ezivela kuYehova?

¹³ UYehova ‘akakhawulezi acaphuke,’ ibe uye wakhupha izilumkiso ezininzi zokuba uza kubatshabalalisa abantu abangekho kwicala lakhe nabafuna ukuhlasela abantu bakhe. (Eks. 34:6, 7) Uye wachazela abantu ngemfazwe enkulu, esebenzisa abaprofeti abafana noYeremiya, uHezekile, uDaniyeli, uYesu Kristu nabapostile abanjengoPetros, uPawulos noYohane.​—Jonga ibhokisi ethi, “UYehova Ulumkisa Abantu Ngemfazwe Enkulu Ezayo.”

14, 15. Yintoni uYehova aye waqiniseka ukuba iyenzeka, ibe ngoba?

¹⁴ UYehova waqinisekisa ukuba ezi zilumkiso ziyabhalwa kwiLizwi lakhe. Waqinisekisa nokuba iBhayibhile iza kuba yeyona ncwadi iguqulelwa ngeelwimi ezininzi neyona yakha yasasazwa kakhulu. Ehlabathini lonke, unomkhosi wabantu abanceda  abanye ngokubafundisa ukuba banokuba ngabo njani abahlobo bakhe, baze babalumkise ‘ngemini yakhe enkulu.’ (Zef. 1:14; INdu. 2:10-12; 110:3) Uye wakhuthaza abantu bakhe ukuba baguqulele iincwadi ezithetha ngeBhayibhile kwiilwimi ezininzi. Bathetha nabanye abantu ngezithembiso nezilumkiso eziseLizwini lakhe, kangangeeyure eziziimiliyoni nangaphezulu nyaka ngamnye.

¹⁵ Yonke le nto uYehova uyenze kuba ‘engafuni kutshabalale nabani na, kodwa ethanda ukuba wonke umntu aguquke.’ (2 Pet. 3:9) Yinyhweba nyhani ukumela uThixo wethu onothando nomonde, nokuncedisa ekusasazeni umyalezo wakhe. Kodwa kungekudala, abantu abangamameliyo baza kude baphelelwe lixesha lokuguquka.

16, 17. UYehova wazi njani ukuba abantu bakhe baza kuhlaselwa nini?

¹⁶ UYehova uyayazi ukuba iza kuba nini imfazwe yakhe enkulu. Sele eyazi ukuba abantu bakhe baza kuhlaselwa nini. (Mat. 24:36) Uyazi njani loo nto?

 ¹⁷ Kwisahluko esingaphambi kwesi, sibonile ukuba uYehova uthi kuGogi: ‘Ndiza kukufaka iihaki emihlathini.’ UYehova uza kuqhubela iintlanga kweyona mfazwe inkulu. (Hez. 38:4) Le nto ayithethi ukuba nguye oza kuqala le mfazwe, ingathethi nokuba uza kuzinyanzela iintshaba zakhe ukuba zilwe. Kodwa ibonisa ukuba uYehova uyazazi iintliziyo zabantu, ibe uyayazi into enokwenziwa ziintshaba zakhe xa zifumana ithuba lokutshabalalisa abantu bakhe.​—INdu. 94:11; Isa. 46:9, 10; Yer. 17:10.

18. Yintoni eza kwenza abantu bafune ukulwa noSomandla?

¹⁸ Ukuba ayingoYehova oqala imfazwe okanye akazukunyanzela iintshaba zakhe ukuba zilwe, yintoni eza kwenza abantu bafune ukulwa noSomandla? Esinye isizathu kukuba ngelo xesha basenokuzixelela ukuba uThixo akakho, okanye akazukuzingena izinto ezenzeka emhlabeni. Into esenokubenza bacinge ngolu hlobo kukuba baza kube bezitshabalalise zonke iinkonzo zobuxoki emhlabeni. Ngoko banokuthi, ukuba ebekhona ngebalwele abantu bakhe. Baza kube bengayiqondi into yokuba  nguThixo obenze bazitshabalalisa iinkonzo ezingcolise igama lakhe.​—ISityhi. 17:16, 17.

19. Yintoni esenokwenzeka emva kokuba iinkonzo zobuxoki zitshatyalalisiwe?

¹⁹ Emva kokuba iinkonzo zobuxoki zitshatyalalisiwe, abantu bakaYehova basenokuba nomnye umyalezo. KwiSityhilelo, lo myalezo ufaniswa nesichotho, ibe amatye aso makhulu, lilinye liziikhilogram eziyi-20. (ISityhi. 16:21) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba lo myalezo uza kuthetha ngokupheliswa kweepolitiki namashishini. Ndlela le baza kucaphuka ngayo abantu abaza kuwuva, baza kude bathethe kakubi ngoThixo. Isenokuba ngulo myalezo lo uza kwenza iintlanga zifune ukusihlasela zize zisitshabalalise. Ziza kucinga ukuba sizizisulu nje ezingakwazi kuzilwela. Ziza kube zenze eyona mpazamo inkulu.

20, 21. Ngubani uGogi, ibe kuza kwenzeka ntoni kuye?

²⁰ KwiSahluko 17 siye sabona ukuba uHezekile ukubiza ukumanyana kweentlanga eziza kuhlasela abantu bakaThixo ngokuthi ‘nguGogi welizwe lakwaMagogi.’ (Hez. 38:2) Kodwa ezi ntlanga ziza kube zingamanyenanga ncam. Nangona ziza kubonakala ngathi zimanyene, ziza kuqhubeka zithanda amazwe azo, zikhuphisana, ibe ziziphakamisile. Kuza kuba lula ukuba uYehova azenze zijikelane, umntu ‘arholele umntakwabo ikrele.’ (Hez. 38:21) Kodwa ke nguThixo oza kube ezitshabalalisa.

²¹ Ngaphambi kokuba iintshaba zethu zitshatyalaliswe, ziza kubona ummangaliso wobukho boNyana womntu, osenokuba ngamandla angaqhelekanga kaYehova noYesu. Ziza kubona izinto eziza kuzenza zoyike kakhulu. UYesu wathi “abantu baza kuphelelwa ngamandla ngenxa yokoyika izinto eziza kwenzeka emhlabeni.” (Luka 21:25-27) Baza kuqonda ukuba khange bayicinge kakuhle into yokuhlasela abantu bakaYehova. Baza kutsho bazi ukuba uMdali nguYehova wemikhosi. (INdu. 46:6-11; Hez. 38:23) UYehova uza kukhupha umkhosi wakhe wasezulwini aze asebenzise namandla emvelo ukuze akhusele abantu bakhe, aze atshabalalise iintshaba zakhe.​—Funda eyesi-2 kaPetros 2:9.

22, 23. Ngoobani abaza kukhusela abantu bakaThixo, ibe baza kuziva njani ngalo msebenzi?

²² Khawuyicinge indlela aza kuziva ngayo uYesu xa ekhokela umkhosi, beyokuhlasela iintshaba zikaYehova baze bakhusele abantu abakhonza uTata wakhe. Cinga nangendlela abathanjiswa abaza kuziva ngayo ngelo xesha. Ngaphambi kokuba kuqale iArmagedon, abathanjiswa abaza kube besesemhlabeni baza kusiwa ezulwini ukuze yonke i-144 000 iye noYesu emfazweni. (ISityhi. 17:12-14) Abaninzi kubo baza kube bebengabahlobo nesihlwele esikhulu, kuba bebesebenza naso ngemihla yokugqibela. Ngoko xa iyiArmagedon, abathanjiswa baza kuba negunya  namandla okubathethelela abo baye basebenza nabo bengagungqi ngemihla yesiphelo.​—Mat. 25:31-40.

²³ Neengelosi ziza kube zikhona kulo mkhosi kaYesu wasezulwini. (2 Tes. 1:7; ISityhi. 19:14) Zamncedisa naxa kwakugxothwa uSathana needemon zakhe ezulwini. (ISityhi. 12:7-9) Ziyancedisa nasekuqokeleleni abantu abafuna ukukhonza uYehova apha emhlabeni. (ISityhi. 14:6, 7) Ngoko siyabonakala isizathu sokuba uYehova avumele ukuba ezi ngelosi zikhusele abantu bakhe. Eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukuba, bonke abakulo mkhosi baza kuyivuyela into yokungcwalisa igama likaYehova ngokuncedisa xa kutshatyalaliswa iintshaba zakhe.​—Mat. 6:9, 10.

24. Ngaba isihlwele esikhulu siza koyika?

²⁴ Ekubeni isihlwele esikhulu siza kukhuselwa ngulo mkhosi unamandla, asizukuba nasizathu sokoyika. Eyona nto siza kuyenza ‘kukuma nkqo size siphakamise iintloko zaso, kuba sele siza kusindiswa.’ (Luka 21:28) Kubalulekile ukuba ngaphambi kokuba ifike imini kaYehova, sincede abantu abaninzi kangangoko ukuba bazi baze bathande uTata wethu onenceba nosikhuselayo.​—Funda uZefaniya 2:2, 3.

25. Siza kuthetha ngantoni kwisahluko esilandelayo?

²⁵ Zithi xa ziphela iimfazwe zabantu kube sisiphithiphithi kuze kube kubi. Kodwa ke, emva kweArmagedon kuza kubakho ucwangco, kube mnandi. Kuza kuba njani xa uYehova eyekile ukucaphuka, imikhosi yakhe iwabeke phantsi amakrele nesandi semfazwe siphelile? Kwisahluko esilandelayo, siza kuthetha ngaloo nto.