1, 2. UJehova uyembule kanjani injongo yakhe ngesintu?

ABAZALI abanothando bayazihilela izingane zabo lapho bexoxa ngezindaba zomndeni. Kodwa bayaqaphelisisa ukuthi kungakanani abazitshela kona. Bazitshela kuphela imininingwane abacabanga ukuthi sezikhule ngokwanele ukuba zingayiqonda.

² Ngokufanayo, uJehova uye wawembulela kancane kancane umkhaya ongabantu injongo yakhe. Kodwa uwembulele kuphela lapho esebona ukuthi sekuyisikhathi esifanele. Ake sibukeze kafushane indlela uJehova awembule ngayo amaqiniso aphathelene noMbuso.

3, 4. Ingabe uJehova wanquma kusengaphambili ukuthi uzoba njani umlando wabantu? Chaza.

³ Ekuqaleni, uMbuso KaMesiya wawungeyona ingxenye yenjongo kaJehova. Ngani? Ngoba uJehova akazange anqume kusengaphambili ukuthi uyoba njani umlando wabantu; phela wadala abantu baba nenkululeko yokuzikhethela. Ngakho, watshela u-Adamu no-Eva injongo yakhe ngesintu, ethi: “Zalani nande nigcwalise umhlaba niwunqobe.” (Gen. 1:28) UJehova wayefuna nokuba bahloniphe imithetho yakhe yokuhle nokubi. (Gen. 2:16, 17) U-Adamu no-Eva babengakhetha ukuhlala beqotho. Ukube bona nenzalo yabo babenze kanjalo, sasingeke siwudinge uMbuso ophethwe uKristu ukuba ufeze injongo kaNkulunkulu. Ngabe njengamanje imbulunga yonke igcwele abantu abaphelele, abakhulekela uJehova.

⁴ Ukuhlubuka kukaSathane, u-Adamu kanye no-Eva akumenzanga uJehova walahla injongo yakhe yokugcwalisa umhlaba ngomkhaya wabantu abaphelele. Kunalokho, uJehova washintsha indlela yakhe yokuyifeza yavumelana nezimo. Injongo yakhe ayifani nesitimela, sona okumelwe sihambe kujantshi othile ukuze sifike lapho silibangise khona futhi esingaphuma kujantshi ngenxa yezenzo zabanye. Lapho uJehova eseyishilo injongo yakhe, akukho lutho ezulwini nasemhlabeni olungayivimba ingafezeki. (Funda u-Isaya 55:11.) Uma, ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso, inselele ethile isongela ujantshi othile, uJehova usebenzisa omunye. * (Eks. 3:14, 15) Uma ebona kufaneleka,  uyazitshela izinceku zakhe eziqotho indlela entsha azoyisebenzisa ukuze afeze injongo yakhe.

5. UJehova wasabela kanjani ekuhlubukeni kwase-Edene?

⁵ Ngenxa yokuhlubuka kwase-Edene, uJehova wajonga ukumisa uMbuso. (Math. 25:34) Kulowo mzuzu owawubonakala ungathembisi emlandweni wesintu, uJehova waqala ukwembula ithuluzi ayezolisebenzisela ukubuyisela isintu ekupheleleni, aqede nobuhlungu obubangelwe ukuthatha kukaSathane amandla. (Gen. 3:14-19) Noma kunjalo, uJehova akayembulanga yonke kanye kanye imininingwane ephathelene noMbuso.

6. Yini uJehova ayithembisa, kodwa yini angayembulanga?

⁶ Esiprofethweni sokuqala ngqa, uJehova wathembisa ukuthi ‘inzalo’ ethile yayizochoboza inyoka. (Funda uGenesise 3:15.) Kepha akwembulwanga ngaleso sikhathi ukuthi yayingubani leyo nzalo nenzalo yenyoka. Empeleni, kwaze kwaphela iminyaka engaba ngu-2 000 uJehova engayikhanyisanga leyo mininingwane. *

7. Kungani kwakhethwa u-Abrahama, futhi yisiphi isifundo esibalulekile esisifundayo kulokhu?

⁷ Ekugcineni, uJehova wakhetha u-Abrahama ukuba kube nguye eyayiyofika ngaye leyo nzalo ethenjisiwe. U-Abrahama wakhethwa ngoba ‘walalela izwi [likaJehova].’ (Gen. 22:18) Sifunda isifundo esisemqoka kulokhu—uJehova wembula injongo yakhe kubantu abamesabayo nabamhloniphayo kuphela.—Funda iHubo 25:14.

8, 9. Yimaphi amaqiniso mayelana nenzalo eyayithenjisiwe uJehova awembulela u-Abrahama noJakobe?

⁸ Lapho uJehova ekhuluma nomngane wakhe u-Abrahama esebenzisa ingelosi, wembula ngokokuqala ngqa leli qiniso elisemqoka ngenzalo eyayithenjisiwe: Yayizoba umuntu. (Gen. 22:15-17; Jak. 2:23) Kodwa lo muntu wayezoyichoboza kanjani inyoka? Yayingubani inyoka? Okwakuzokwambulwa kamuva kwakuzoyiphendula le mibuzo.

⁹ UJehova wanquma ukuthi inzalo ethenjisiwe iyovela ngomzukulu ka-Abrahama uJakobe, umuntu owabonisa ukholo olukhulu kuNkulunkulu. (Gen. 28:13-22) NgoJakobe, uJehova wabonisa ukuthi oThenjisiwe uyoba owozalo lwendodana kaJakobe, uJuda. UJakobe waprofetha ukuthi le nzalo kaJuda yayiyonikwa “intonga,” induku efanekisela igunya lobukhosi nokuthi ‘yayiyolalelwa izizwe zonke.’ (Gen. 49:1, 10) Ngalawo mazwi, uJehova wabonisa ukuthi lona oThenjisiwe wayeyoba umbusi, inkosi.

10, 11. Kungani uJehova embula injongo yakhe kuDavide noDaniyeli?

¹⁰ Eminyakeni engaba ngu-650 ngemva kosuku lukaJuda, uJehova wembula okwengeziwe ngenjongo yakhe eNkosini uDavide, inzalo kaJuda. UJehova wachaza uDavide ngokuthi “umuntu ovumelana nenhliziyo yami.” (1 Sam. 13:14; 17:12; IzE. 13:22) Ngenxa yokuthi uDavide wayemesaba futhi emhlonipha uNkulunkulu, uJehova wakhetha ukwenza isivumelwano naye, wamthembisa ukuthi omunye enzalweni yakhe uyobusa phakade.—2 Sam. 7:8, 12-16.

 ¹¹ Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-500, uJehova wasebenzisa umprofethi uDaniyeli ukuba embule unyaka othe ngqo ayezofika ngawo emhlabeni lona oGcotshiwe, noma uMesiya. (Dan. 9:25) UJehova wayebheka uDaniyeli ‘njengomuntu ofiseleka kakhulu.’ Ngani? Ngoba wayemhlonipha ngokujulile uJehova futhi waqhubeka emkhonza.—Dan. 6:16; 9:22, 23.

12. Kwathiwa akenzeni uDaniyeli, futhi ngani?

¹² Nakuba uJehova asebenzisa abaprofethi abathembekile njengoDaniyeli ukuba balobe imininingwane emininginingi ngenzalo ethenjisiwe, uMesiya, kwakungakabi isikhathi sikaJehova sokuba izinceku zakhe ziqonde ukubaluleka kwalokho aziphefumulela ukuba zikulobe. Ngokwesibonelo, ngemva kokunikwa umbono ohilela ukumiswa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu, uDaniyeli watshelwa ukuba asivale isiprofetho kuze kube yisikhathi esimiswe uJehova. Ngaleso sikhathi esasisengaphambili, ulwazi lweqiniso ‘lwaluyoba luningi.’—Dan. 12:4.

13. (a) Kwakungubani inzalo eyayithenjisiwe? (b) UJesu wasichaza kanjani isiprofetho esikuGenesise 3:15?

¹³ UJehova wamusho ngokucacile uJesu ukuthi uyinzalo ethenjisiwe, inzalo kaDavide eyayiyobusa njengeNkosi. (Luka 1:30-33; 3:21, 22) Lapho uJesu eqala inkonzo yakhe, kwaba njengokungathi ulwazi lwabantu ngenjongo kaNkulunkulu luyakhanya. (Math. 4:13-17) Ngokwesibonelo, uJesu wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi ubani “inyoka” okukhulunywa ngayo kuGenesise 3:14, 15, ebiza uDeveli ngokuthi ‘umbulali noyise wamanga.’ (Joh. 8:44) Esambulweni asinika uJohane, waveza “inyoka yokuqala” ‘njengalowo obizwa ngokuthi uDeveli noSathane.’ * (Funda IsAmbulo 1:1; 12:9.) Esambulweni esifanayo, uJesu wabonisa ukuthi yena—njengenzalo ethenjisiwe—wayeyogcina esigcwalise kanjani isiprofetho okwakhulunywa ngaso ensimini yase-Edene nokuthi uzomchoboza kanjani uSathane.—IsAm. 20:7-10.

14-16. Ingabe abafundi bekhulu lokuqala babekuqonda ngaso sonke isikhathi ukubaluleka kwamaqiniso ayembulwa uJesu? Chaza.

¹⁴ Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 1 sale ncwadi, uJesu wakhuluma kabanzi ngoMbuso. Noma kunjalo, akayivezanga ngaso sonke isikhathi yonke imininingwane abafundi bakhe ababefuna ukuyazi. Ngisho nalapho esho imininingwane ethile, kwakudlula isikhathi—ngezinye izikhathi kube amakhulu eminyaka—ngaphambi kokuba abalandeli bakhe bakuqonde ngokugcwele ukubaluleka kwamaqiniso ayembulwe iNkosi yabo. Nazi izibonelo ezimbalwa.

¹⁵ Ngo-33 C.E. uJesu wacacisa ukuthi abayobusa naye basize iNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu babeyothathwa emhlabeni bayophila ezulwini njengezidalwa zomoya. Abafundi bakhe abazange basiqonde ngaso leso sikhathi lesi sambulo. (Dan. 7:18; Joh. 14:2-5) Ngawo lowo nyaka, uJesu wasebenzisa imifanekiso ukuze abonise ukuthi uMbuso wawungeke umiswe  kuze kube yilapho sekwedlule isikhathi eside anyukela ezulwini. (Math. 25:14, 19; Luka 19:11, 12) Abafundi abazange baliqonde leli phuzu elibalulekile futhi kamuva babuza uJesu ovusiwe: “Ingabe uzowubuyisela umbuso ku-Israyeli ngalesi sikhathi na?” Nokho, uJesu wakhetha ukungayidaluli imininingwane eyengeziwe ngaleso sikhathi. (IzE. 1:6, 7) Wabuye wafundisa ukuthi kwakuyoba “nezinye izimvu” ezazingeke zibe yingxenye ‘yomhlambi omncane’ wababusi abakanye naye. (Joh. 10:16; Luka 12:32) Abalandeli bakaKristu abazange bawuqonde kahle umehluko kula maqembu amabili, baze bawuqonda ngemva kwesikhathi eside uMbuso wamiswa ngo-1914.

¹⁶ Ziningi izinto uJesu ayengazitshela abafundi bakhe ngesikhathi esenabo emhlabeni, kodwa wayazi ukuthi babengeke baziqonde. (Joh. 16:12) Asingabazi ukuthi luningi ulwazi ngoMbuso olwembulwa ngekhulu lokuqala. Noma kunjalo, kwakungakabi isikhathi sokuba lolo lwazi lube luningi.

17. Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze siqonde amaqiniso aphathelene noMbuso, kodwa yini futhi edingekayo?

¹⁷ UJehova wathembisa uDaniyeli ukuthi phakathi ‘nesikhathi sokuphela,’ abaningi ‘babeyozulazula, futhi ulwazi lweqiniso’ ngenjongo kaNkulunkulu lube luningi. (Dan. 12:4) Labo abafuna lolo lwazi kumelwe basebenze kanzima ukuze baluthole. Enye incwadi ithi isimo sesenzo sesiHebheru esithi ‘ukuzulazula’ sidlulisela umqondo womuntu ohlolisisa incwadi ngokucophelela. Noma kunjalo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi silihlolisisa kangakanani iBhayibheli, ngeke siwaqonde kahle amaqiniso oMbuso ngaphandle kokuba uJehova asinike lelo lungelo.—Funda uMathewu 13:11.

18. Abantu abesaba uJehova baye balubonisa kanjani ukholo nentobeko?

¹⁸ Njengoba nje uJehova ayewembula kancane kancane amaqiniso ngoMbuso enkathini eyandulela u-1914, uyaqhubeka enza kanjalo naphakathi nesikhathi sokuphela. Njengoba  iSahluko 4 no-5 sale ncwadi sizobonisa, abantu bakaNkulunkulu kuye kwadingeka bakulungise kaningana ukuqonda kwabo. Ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi uJehova akabasekeli? Cha! Uyabasekela. Ngani? Ngenxa yokuthi labo abesaba uJehova baye babonisa izimfanelo ezimbili azithandayo—ukholo nokuthobeka. (Heb. 11:6; Jak. 4:6) Izinceku zikaJehova zinokholo lokuthi zonke izithembiso eziseZwini likaNkulunkulu zizogcwaliseka. Zibonisa ukuthobeka lapho zivuma ukuthi bezingaqondi kahle ukuthi lezo zithembiso ziyogcwaliseka kanjani. Leso simo sengqondo sokuthobeka sibonakala kuyi-Nqabayokulinda yesiNgisi ka-March 1, 1925, eyathi: “Siyazi ukuthi iNkosi iyakwazi ukuzichazela iZwi layo, iyolichazela abantu bayo ngendlela yayo enhle nangesikhathi sayo esifanele.”

19. Yini uJehova asivumele ukuba siyiqonde, futhi ngani?

¹⁹ Lapho kumiswa uMbuso ngo-1914, abantu bakaNkulunkulu babenolwazi olulinganiselwe lokuthi iziprofetho eziphathelene noMbuso zaziyogcwaliseka kanjani. (1 Kor. 13:9, 10, 12) Ngenxa yokushisekela kwethu ukubona izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu zigcwaliseka, ngezinye izikhathi siye safinyelela iziphetho okungezona. Njengoba iminyaka ihamba, ukuhlakanipha kwamanye amazwi akuyi-Nqabayokulinda ecashunwe esigabeni esingaphambili kuye kwaba sobala. Lesi sihloko sathi: “Kubonakala kuwumthetho okuwukuhlakanipha ukuwulandela, ukuthi asikwazi ukuqonda isiprofetho kuze kube yilapho sigcwaliseka noma siphakathi nokugcwaliseka kwaso.” Njengoba sesingene sagamanxa esikhathini sokuphela, iziprofetho eziningi zoMbuso seziye zagcwaliseka futhi ziyaqhubeka zigcwaliseka. Ngenxa yokuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bathobekile futhi bayavuma ukulungiswa, uJehova uye wenza sayiqonda ngokuphelele injongo yakhe. Ngempela, ulwazi lweqiniso luye lwaba luningi!

20, 21. Ukulungiswa kokuqonda kwawathinta kanjani amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala?

²⁰ Lapho uJehova elungisa ukuqonda kwethu iqiniso, kuvivinyeka isimo sethu senhliziyo. Ingabe ukholo nokuthobeka kuyosishukumisela ukuba sizamukele izinguquko? AmaKristu ayephila maphakathi nekhulu lokuqala abhekana novivinyo olunjalo. Ngokwesibonelo, zicabange ungumKristu ongumJuda uphila ngaleso sikhathi. Uwuhlonipha ngokujulile uMthetho KaMose futhi uyaziqhenya ngamasiko esizwe sakini. Hawu, usuthola izincwadi eziphefumulelwe ezivela kumphostoli uPawulu zithi awusabophekile ukuba ugcine uMthetho nokuthi uJehova uwulahlile u-Israyeli wemvelo wakhetha ukuqoqa u-Israyeli ongokomoya owakhiwa amaJuda nabeZizwe. (Roma 10:12; 11:17-24; Gal. 6:15, 16; Kol. 2:13, 14) Wawuyosabela kanjani?

²¹ AmaKristu athobekile ayamukela incazo ephefumulelwe kaPawulu futhi uJehova wawabusisa. (IzE. 13:48) Abanye bakucasukela lokho kulungiswa, bafuna ukubambelela kokwabo ukuqonda. (Gal. 5:7-12) Uma babengeke bawushintshe umbono wabo, babeyolahlekelwa ithuba lokubusa noKristu.—2 Pet. 2:1.

22. Uzizwa kanjani ngokucaciswa kokuqonda kwethu injongo kaNkulunkulu?

²² Eminyakeni yamuva, uJehova uye wakulungisa ukuqonda kwethu uMbuso. Ngokwesibonelo, usisizile sabona ngokucacile ukuthi labo abayoba izikhonzi zoMbuso bahlukaniswa nini kwabangasabeli, ngendlela izimvu ezihlukaniswa ngayo ezimbuzini. Usifundise nokuthi liyogcwaliswa nini inani labangu-144 000, ukuthi isho ukuthini imizekeliso yoMbuso eyashiwo uJesu nokuthi owokugcina kwabagcotshiwe uyovuselwa nini ekuphileni kwasezulwini. * Usabela kanjani lapho kucaciswa izinto ezinjalo? Ingabe ukholo lwakho luyaqina? Ingabe uzibona njengeziwubufakazi bokuthi uJehova uyaqhubeka efundisa abantu bakhe abathobekile? Ukwaziswa okulandelayo kule ncwadi kuzokuqinisekisa nakakhulu ukuthi uJehova ubembulela kancane kancane injongo yakhe abantu abamesabayo.