1, 2. (a) Yini sonke okumelwe sizikhethele yona? (b) Ingelosi ethembekile yathini lapho othile efuna ukuyikhonza?

NGAMUNYE wethu kumelwe aphendule lo mbuzo obalulekile: Ubani engizomkhonza? Abaningi bangase bathi le ndaba inzima futhi iyadida. Nokho, eqinisweni akukuningi okufanele sikhethe kukho futhi akunzima. Singakhetha ukukhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu noma ukukhonza uSathane uDeveli.

² USathane ufuna simkhonze. Lokho kwabonakala ngokucacile lapho elinga uJesu. Njengoba sixoxile eSahlukweni 1 sale ncwadi, uSathane wathembisa ukunikeza uJesu okuthile okumangalisayo—igunya phezu kwayo yonke imibuso yomhlaba. Yini uDeveli ayeyifuna kuJesu? Wanxusa uJesu wathi: ‘Iwa phansi ungikhonze.’ (Math. 4:9) Ngokungefani noSathane, ingelosi eyaletha isambulo kumphostoli uJohane yenqaba ukuba ayikhonze. (Funda isAmbulo 22:8, 9.) Lapho uJohane efuna ukuyikhonza, leyo ndodana kaNkulunkulu ethobekile ewumoya yathi: “Ungakwenzi lokho!” Kunokuba ingelosi ithi, ‘Khonza mina,’ yathi “Khulekela uNkulunkulu.”

3. (a) Iyini injongo yale ncwadi? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani manje?

³ Injongo yale ncwadi iwukusisiza sizimisele ukwenza njengoba  leya ngelosi yayala—ukukhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu kuphela. (Dut. 10:20; Math. 4:10) Ake sihlole kafushane lokho esikufundile ngendlela emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu eziprofethweni zikaHezekeli nasemibonweni yakhe. Ngemva kwalokho, ngosizo lwemiBhalo, sizoxoxa ngesikhathi esizayo lapho wonke umuntu emhlabeni eyobhekana novivinyo lokugcina—uvivinyo oluyonquma ukuthi ubani oyophila phakade abone indlela emsulwa yokukhonza uJehova ibuyiselwa ngokuphelele.

4. Yiziphi izihloko ezintathu ezigcizelelwe encwadini kaHezekeli?

⁴ Incwadi kaHezekeli isifundisa ukuthi indlela emsulwa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu ayihileli ukwenza izinto okufanele sizenze nje kuphela. Kudingeka (1) sizinikele kuJehova kuphela, (2) sihlale simunye ekukhonzeni uJehova ngendlela ehlanzekile, (3) sithande abanye. Cabanga ukuthi iziprofetho nemibono esixoxe ngako kule ncwadi kuziqokomisa kanjani lezi zihloko ezintathu.

5-9. Yini esiyifundile ngokuzinikela kuJehova kuphela?

⁵ ISahluko 3: * Umbono omangalisayo kaJehova ezungezwe uthingo ephezu kwezidalwa zomoya ezinamandla ugcizelela kithi iqiniso elibalulekile, eliwukuthi nguMninimandla Onke kuphela ofanelwe ukuba simkhonze.—Hez. 1:4, 15-28.

⁶ ISahluko 5: Kwakushaqisa kakhulu ukubona umbono wethempeli likaJehova lingcoliswa! Lo mbono ubonisa ukuthi ayikho into efihlekile kuJehova. Uyazibona izenzo zokungathembeki, njengalapho abantu bakhe beqala ukukhonza izithombe, ngisho noma abanye abantu bengaziboni lezo zenzo. Izenzo ezinjalo zimzwisa ubuhlungu futhi uyabajezisa abazenzayo.—Hez. 8:1-18.

⁷ ISahluko 7: Ukwahlulelwa kwezizwe ezazizungeze u-Israyeli zimphatha ‘ngendelelo futhi zimbhuqa’ kubonisa ukuthi uJehova uyabajezisa abaphatha kabi abantu bakhe. (Hez. 25:6) Kodwa sifunda nesinye isifundo ekusebenzelaneni kuka-Israyeli nalezo zizwe—ukuba qotho kuJehova kumelwe kuhambe phambili. Asisoze savumela izihlobo ezingamkhonzi uJehova ukuba zisenze sephule imithetho yakhe; singeke futhi sathembela engcebweni yethu noma sithathe uhlangothi kwezepolitiki kunokuba sithembele kuJehova kuphela.

⁸ IZahluko 13 no-14: Umbono wethempeli elisentabeni ephakeme usifundisa ukuthi kumelwe siphile ngokuvumelana nemithetho kaJehova ephakeme, siqaphele ukuthi uphakeme kunabo bonke abanye onkulunkulu.—Hez. 40:1–48:35.

 ⁹ ISahluko 15: Ukuchazwa okuyisiprofetho kuka-Israyeli noJuda ngokuthi bayizifebe kusikhumbuza indlela uJehova akwenyanya ngayo ukumkhonza simxube nabanye onkulunkulu.—Hez., izahl. 16, 23.

10-14. Sigcizelelwe kanjani isidingo sokuba sihlale sinobunye ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu ngendlela ehlanzekile?

¹⁰ ISahluko 8: Iziprofetho ezithembisa ukuthi uJehova wayeyovusa “umalusi oyedwa” oyonakekela abantu baKhe zigcizelela ukuthi kudingeka sisebenze ngobunye nangokuthula njengoba siholwa uJesu.—Hez. 34:23, 24; 37:24-28.

¹¹ ISahluko 9: Iziprofetho zikaHezekeli ezimayelana nokukhululwa kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni nokubuyiselwa kwabo ezweni labo zinomyalezo oya kwabafuna ukujabulisa uJehova namuhla. Abantu abakhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa kumelwe baphume enkolweni yamanga futhi bazigcine bengangcolisiwe inkolo yamanga. Naphezu kokuba sivela ezinkolweni eziningi, ezizindeni zomnotho ezingalingani nasezinhlangeni ezihlukahlukene kumelwe sibugcine ubunye bethu obusisiza saziwe njengabantu bakaNkulunkulu.—Hez. 11:17, 18; 12:24; Joh. 17:20-23.

¹² ISahluko 10: Isihloko sobunye sagcizelelwa umbono wamathambo omile aphinde aphila. Yeka ilungelo esinalo lokuba phakathi kweqembu lezikhonzi ezihlanziwe elisebenza ndawonye njengebutho!—Hez. 37:1-14.

¹³ ISahluko 12: Ubunye bagcizelelwa nakakhulu iziprofetho zezinduku ezimbili eziba induku eyodwa. Kuluqinisa kakhulu ukholo ukubona abagcotshiwe nezinye izimvu begcwalisa leso siprofetho! Nakuba siphila ezweni elihlukaniswe inzondo yezenkolo nezepolitiki, sihlale sinobunye ngenxa yothando nobuqotho.—Hez. 37:15-23.

¹⁴ ISahluko 16: Umbono wendoda ephethe uphondo lukayinki namadoda aphethe izikhali zokuphihliza unesixwayiso esisangulukisayo—yilabo kuphela abangena ‘osizini olukhulu’ bekhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa abayoba sethubeni lokubekwa uphawu lokusinda.—Math. 24:21; Hez. 9:1-11.

15-18. Kungani kumelwe siqhubeke sibonisa uthando, futhi singakwenza kanjani?

¹⁵ ISahluko 4: Umbono wezidalwa ezine eziphilayo usifundisa ngezimfanelo zikaJehova, evelele kuzo okuwuthando. Lapho sikhuluma futhi senza ngendlela ebonisa ukuthi sinothando, sifakazela ukuthi uNkulunkulu wethu nguJehova.—Hez. 1:5-14; 1 Joh. 4:8.

¹⁶ IZahluko 6 no-11: Uthando lukaNkulunkulu lwamenza wabeka abalindi abanjengoHezekeli. Ngenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu  uluthando, akafuni kube khona obhujiswayo lapho eqeda ukubusa kukaSathane emhlabeni. (2 Pet. 3:9) Sinelungelo lokubonisa uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu ngokufeza indima yethu ekusekeleni umsebenzi womlindi wanamuhla.—Hez. 33:1-9.

¹⁷ IZahluko 17 no-18: UJehova uyazi ukuthi abaningi bayosenqaba isihe sakhe bazame ukuqothula izikhonzi zakhe eziqotho. Uthando uJehova analo luyomenza alwele abantu bakhe lapho ‘uGogi wezwe lakwaMagogi’ ehlasela labo abaqotho kuYe. Ukuthanda abanye kusenza sixwayise abaningi ngangokunokwenzeka ukuthi uJehova uzobabhubhisa abacindezela abantu bakhe.—Hez. 38:1–39:20; 2 Thes. 1:6, 7.

¹⁸ IZahluko 19, 20, no-21: Uthando lukaJehova ngabantu lubonakala ngokucacile embonweni womfula wamanzi anikeza ukuphila, nasembonweni wokuhlukaniswa kwezwe. Le mibono ichaza imiphumela yesenzo sothando sikaJehova esikhulu kunazo zonke, ukunikela ngeNdodana yakhe ukuze izono zethu zithethelelwe, sijabulele nokuphila okungenasono njengengxenye yomndeni kaNkulunkulu. Enye yezindlela ezinhle kakhulu yokubonisa abantu ukuthi siyabathanda ukubatshela ngekusasa elihle uJehova alibekele labo abanokholo eNdodaneni yakhe.—Hez. 45:1-7; 47:1–48:35; IsAm. 21:1-4; 22:17.

19. Yini uJesu ayoyenza phakathi nokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane? (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Ukubhekana Novivinyo Lokugcina.”)

¹⁹ Phakathi nokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, uJesu uyovusa izigidi, apholise ubuhlungu obubangelwa “isitha” sethu ‘esiwukufa.’ (1 Kor. 15:26; Marku 5:38-42; IzE. 24:15) Uma ubheka umlando wesintu, kuba sengathi ulalele indaba ebuhlungu, edabukisayo yokushonelwa. Njengoba isizukulwane ngasinye siyobe sivuswa, uJesu uyosusa izinkumbulo ezimbi, anikeze abavusiwe ithuba lokuqala kabusha. Ngenxa yomhlatshelo wesihlengo, uyoqeda wonke umonakalo obangelwe ukugula, izimpi, izifo nendlala. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uyosisiza siqede imbangela eyinhloko yokuhlupheka kwethu—isono esasithola ku-Adamu njengefa. (Roma 5:18, 19) UJesu ‘uyoyibhidliza’ ngokuphelele “imisebenzi kaDeveli.” (1 Joh. 3:8) Kuyobe sekwenzekani?

20. UJesu nabangu-144 000 bayokubonisa kanjani ukuthobeka okukhulu? Chaza. (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

²⁰ Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 15:24-28. Lapho abantu sebengenaso isono, umhlaba usuyiPharadesi uJehova ayelihlosile ekuqaleni, uJesu nabangu-144 000 ayobusa nabo bayokwenza isenzo esibonisa ukuthobeka okukhulu; bayobuyisela uMbuso kuJehova. Ngeke benqabe ukulibuyisela kuye igunya abayobe bebenalo iminyaka eyinkulungwane. Konke lokho uMbuso oyokwenza kuyohlala phakade.

21, 22. (a) Liyobe linjani izwe ekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane? (b) Kungani uJehova eyokhulula uSathane namademoni?

²¹ UJehova uyobe esenza into emangalisa kakhulu, into ebonisa ukuthi uzethemba kakhulu izinceku zakhe zasemhlabeni. Uyoyala ukuba uSathane namademoni bakhululwe kwalasha, indawo abayobe beboshwe kuyo iminyaka eyinkulungwane. (Funda isAmbulo 20:1-3.) Bayobona umhlaba nabantu abahluke kakhulu kulabo ababebazi. Ngaphambi kwe-Armagedoni, iningi labantu liyobe lidukiswe uSathane futhi ubunye babo bulinyazwe inzondo nobandlululo. (IsAm. 12:9) Kodwa ekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane, bonke abantu bayobe bekhonza uJehova, bewumndeni onobunye nonothando. Umhlaba uyoba iPharadesi elinokuthula.

²² Kungani uJehova eyodedela lezi zigebengu ezinguSathane namademoni ukuba zibe kulo mhlaba ohlanzekile? Kungoba iningi lalabo abayobe bephila ekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane,  buyobe bungazange buvivinywe ubuqotho babo lapho sebekhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka. Abaningi bayobe befe bengamazi uJehova futhi bavuselwa ePharadesi. UJehova uyobe engagcinanga ngokubanika ukuphila kodwa uyobe ebanikeze nezidingo zabo ezingokwenyama namalungiselelo okwenza ubuhlobo babo naye buqine. Bayobe bengazange bathonywe abantu ababi, kodwa bayobe bethonywe abantu abalungile kuphela. Bayobe bezungezwe abantu abathanda uJehova nabamkhonzayo. USathane uyobeka laba abavusiwe icala alibeka uJobe—lokuthi bakhonza uNkulunkulu kuphela ngoba ebavikela futhi ebabusisa. (Jobe 1:9, 10) Ngakho, ngaphambi kokuba uJehova abhale amagama ethu phakade encwadini yokuphila, uyosinikeza ithuba lokubonisa ngaphandle kokungabaza ukuthi siqotho kuye njengoBaba wethu nanjengoMbusi wethu.—IsAm. 20:12, 15.

23. Umuntu ngamunye uyobhekana nasiphi isimo?

 ²³ Okwesikhashana uSathane uyonikwa ithuba lokuzama ukwenza abantu bayeke ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Uyokwenza kanjani lokho? Akungabazeki ukuthi umuntu ngamunye uyobhekana nesimo u-Adamu no-Eva ababhekana naso—ukukhetha ukwamukela imithetho kaJehova, ukusekela ubukhosi bakhe nokumkhonza, noma ukuhlubuka kuNkulunkulu asekele uSathane.

24. Kungani labo abavukelayo bebizwa ngokuthi uGogi noMagogi?

²⁴ Funda isAmbulo 20:7-10. Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi abavukelayo phakathi neminyaka eyinkulungwane babizwa ngokuthi uGogi noMagogi. Benza izinto ezifana nalezo ezenziwa izihlubuki uHezekeli aprofetha ukuthi zaziyohlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu phakathi nosizi olukhulu. Lelo qembu labantu, ‘uGogi wezwe lakwaMagogi,’ lalihlukene laba izizwe ezaziphikisa ukubusa kukaJehova. (Hez. 38:2) Ngokufanayo, labo abahlubuka ekupheleni kokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane bachazwa ngokuthi ‘bayizizwe.’ Lokhu kusitshela okuthile. Kusitshelani? Njengoba phakathi nokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane abantu beyobe bengasahlukanisiwe ngokwezizwe; bonke bayobe bengaphansi kukahulumeni owodwa,  uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Siyobe siyisizwe esisodwa esikhonza uNkulunkulu. Ngokubiza lezi zihlubuki ngokuthi uGogi noMagogi nangokuthi ‘ziyizizwe,’ lesi siprofetho sibonisa ukuthi uSathane uyokwazi ukwenza kube nokwahlukana phakathi kwabanye abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Abekho abayophoqwa ukuba babe ngasohlangothini lukaSathane. Umuntu ngamunye uyozenzela esakhe isinqumo engasenaso isono.

25, 26. Bangaki abayoba sohlangothini lukaSathane, futhi kuyokwenzekani kubo?

²⁵ Bangaki abayoba sohlangothini lukaSathane? Isibalo salabo abayovukela “singangesihlabathi solwandle.” Lokhu akusho ukuthi yingxenye enkulu yabantu abayovukela. Sazi kanjani? Cabanga ngesithembiso esenziwa ku-Abrahama. UJehova wathi inzalo ka-Abrahama yayiyoba “ngangesihlabathi esisogwini lolwandle.” (Gen. 22:17, 18) Kodwa inzalo yakhe yagcina ingabantu abangu-144 001. (Gal. 3:16, 29) Lelo nani, nakuba lingabonakala lilikhulu, limane liyingxenyana nje yaso sonke isintu. Ngokufanayo, inani lalabo abayoba sohlangothini lukaSathane lingase libe likhulu, kodwa hhayi ngendlela ebabazekayo. Lezi zihlubuki ngeke zibe usongo olukhulu ezincekwini zikaJehova eziqotho.

 ²⁶ Labo abayovukela bayoqothulwa ngokukhulu ukushesha. Bona kanye noSathane namademoni ngeke besaba khona—ngeke baphinde bathole elinye ithuba lokuphila. Into nje eyokhunjulwa kuze kube phakade yizinqumo zabo ezimbi nemiphumela yazo.—IsAm. 20:10.

27-29. Yini elindele labo abayophumelela ovivinyweni lokugcina?

²⁷ Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abayophumelela ovivinyweni lokugcina, amagama abo ayobhalwa kuze kube phakade “encwadini yokuphila.” (IsAm. 20:15) Ngemva kwalokho, wonke amadodana namadodakazi kaJehova aqotho ayomkhonza ngendlela emfanele esewumndeni onobunye.

²⁸ Cabanga ngaleso sikhathi esizayo. Ulindelwe umsebenzi ojabulisayo nabangane abakwakhayo. Wena nabantu obathandayo ngeke niphinde nihlupheke. Uyokwazi ukuzimela phambi kukaJehova ungasenaso isono. Wonke umuntu uyoba umngane kaNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwemingcele. Okubaluleke kunakho konke, ezulwini nasemhlabeni uJehova uyobe ekhonzwa ngendlela emsulwa ngendlela ayifunayo. Ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela emsulwa kuyobe sekubuyiselwe ngokuphelele!

²⁹ Ingabe uyobe ukhona lapho lokho kwenzeka? Ungaba khona uma uqhubeka usebenzisa izifundo ezintathu eziyinhloko  esizithole encwadini kaHezekeli—ukuzinikela kuJehova kuphela, ukuba munye nabanye ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu ngendlela ehlanzekile nokuthanda abanye. Iziprofetho zikaHezekeli zisinikeza isifundo sokugcina esibalulekile. Yisiphi leso sifundo?

30, 31. Isimemezelo esithi “bayokwazi ukuthi nginguJehova” siyosho ukuthini (a) ezitheni zakhe? (b) kubantu bakhe?

³⁰ Kuyo yonke incwadi kaHezekeli, isimemezelo esithi “bayokwazi ukuthi nginguJehova” siphindaphindwa kaningi. (Hez. 6:10; 39:28) Umphumela waleso simemezelo ezitheni zikaNkulunkulu uyoba impi nokufa. Ziyophoqeka ukuba zenze okungaphezu kokuvuma ukuthi uJehova ukhona. Ziyofunda kanzima ukuthi lisho ukuthini igama lakhe—“Ubangela Ukuba Kube Khona.” ‘UJehova wamabutho’ uyoba “iqhawe elinamandla” eliyolwa nazo. (1 Sam. 17:45; Eks. 15:3) Kuyobe sekwephuze kakhulu lapho ziqonda leli qiniso elibalulekile ngoJehova: Akukho okungamvimba ukuba afeze injongo yakhe.

³¹ Kubantu bakaNkulunkulu, umphumela wesimemezelo esithi “bayokwazi ukuthi nginguJehova” uyoba ukuthula nokuphila. UJehova uyosenza sibe yilokho ayekuhlosile ekuqaleni—amadodana namadodakazi abonisa izimfanelo zakhe ngendlela yena ayifunayo. (Gen. 1:26) Kwamanje uJehova unguBaba wethu osithandayo noMalusi osivikelayo. Maduze uzoba iNkosi yethu enqobayo. Lungakafiki lolo suku, masilalele umyalezo kaHezekeli. Usuku ngalunye masibonise ngamazwi nangezenzo ukuthi siyazi ukuthi uJehova ungubani nokuthi unguNkulunkulu onjani. Uma senza kanjalo, kuyothi lapho usizi olukhulu luqala, singesabi. Esikhundleni sokwesaba, siyophakamisa amakhanda ngoba siyobe sazi ukuthi ukukhululwa kwethu kuyasondela. (Luka 21:28) Okwamanje sengathi singasiza abantu yonke indawo bazi futhi bathande owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu ofanelwe ukukhonzwa, uNkulunkulu onegama elikhulu kunawo wonke—uJehova.—Hez. 28:26.