1, 2. (a) Yibuphi ubufakazi obubonisa ukuthi iNkosi yethu ibilokhu ibusa kusukela ngo-1914? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sahluko?

KUYE kwaqinisa ukholo ukubukeza lokho uMbuso kaNkulunkulu okufezile phakathi kwezitha zawo. (IHu. 110:2) INkosi yethu ivuse ibutho labashumayeli abazinikele ngokuzithandela. Iye yahlanza futhi yacwengisisa abalandeli bayo ngokomoya nangokuziphatha. Futhi naphezu kwayo yonke imizamo yezitha zoMbuso yokusihlukanisa, sinobunye emhlabeni wonke namuhla. Lokhu kanye nokunye okuningi okufezwe uMbuso esixoxe ngakho, kuwubufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bokuthi kusukela ngo-1914 iNkosi yethu ibilokhu ibusa phakathi kwezitha zoMbuso.

² Maduze, uMbuso uzokwenza izinto eziningi nakakhulu ezivusa amadlingozi. ‘Uzokuza’ ‘uzochoboza, uqede’ izitha zawo. (Math. 6:10; Dan. 2:44) Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba kufike leso sikhathi, kunezinye izenzakalo ezibalulekile eziyokwenzeka. Yiziphi lezo? Iziprofetho eziningana zeBhayibheli ziyawuphendula lowo mbuzo. Ake sizihlole ukuze sibone ukuthi yini esasihlalele.

3. Yisiphi isenzakalo sokuqala esisilindele?

³ Ukumemezela ukuthula. Lapho ebhalela abaseThesalonika, umphostoli uPawulu wachaza isenzakalo sokuqala esisilindele. (Funda eyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:2, 3.) Kule ncwadi ukhuluma ‘ngosuku lukaJehova,’ oluzoqala ngokuhlaselwa ‘kweBhabhiloni Elikhulu.’ (IsAm. 17:5) Kodwa ngaphambi nje kokuqala kosuku lukaJehova, izizwe ziyobe zithi, “Ukuthula nokulondeka!” Le nkulumo kungenzeka ibhekisela esimemezelweni esisodwa noma emazwini awuchungechunge aphawulekayo. Ingabe abaholi benkolo bayohileleka? Njengoba beyingxenye yezwe, kungenzeka bahlanganyele nazo izizwe ekutheni, “Kukhona ukuthula!” (Jer. 6:14; 23:16, 17; IsAm. 17:1, 2) Lesi simemezelo sokuthula nokulondeka siyoba uphawu lokuthi usuku lukaJehova seluzoqala. Izitha zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ‘azisoze zaphunyuka nangayiphi indlela.’

4. Sizuza kanjani ngokuqonda ukubaluleka kwesiprofetho sikaPawulu ngesimemezelo sokuthula nokulondeka?

 ⁴ Sizuza kanjani ngokuqonda ukubaluleka kwalesi siprofetho? UPawulu uthi: “Anikho ebumnyameni, ukuba lolo suku lunifice njengoba belungafica amasela.” (1 Thes. 5:3, 4) Ngokungafani nabantu abaningi, siyaqonda ukuthi ziphokophelephi izenzakalo zamanje. Siyogcwaliseka kanjani kahle-hle lesi siprofetho esikhuluma ngokuthula nokulondeka? Kumelwe silinde sibone ukuthi kwenzekani ezimweni zezwe. Ngakho-ke, “masihlale siphapheme futhi sihlale sisangulukile.”—1 Thes. 5:6; Zef. 3:8.

5. Siyini isiqalo ‘sosizi olukhulu’?

⁵ Ukuhlaselwa kwenkolo. Khumbula ukuthi uPawulu waloba: “Noma nini lapho bethi: ‘Ukuthula nokulondeka!’ khona-ke imbubhiso engazelelwe iyobafikela ngaso leso sikhathi.” Njengoba nje ukubaneka kombani kulandelwa eduze ukuduma kwezulu, kanjalo isikhathi sokuthi “Ukuthula nokulondeka!” siyolandelwa ngaso leso sikhathi “imbubhiso engazelelwe.” Yini eyobhujiswa? Okokuqala, “iBhabhiloni Elikhulu,” umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, elaziwa nangokuthi “isifebe.” (IsAm. 17:5, 6, 15) Lokhu kubhujiswa kweLobukholwa nazo zonke ezinye izinhlangano zenkolo yamanga kuyisiqalo ‘sosizi olukhulu.’ (Math. 24:21; 2 Thes. 2:8) Lesi senzakalo siyobazuma abaningi. Kungani? Phela kuze kube yileso sikhathi, isifebe siyobe sizibona ‘sinjengendlovukazi engasoze yakubona ukulila.’ Kodwa kungazelelwe siyobona ukuthi besithembe ubala. Siyosuswa ngokuphazima kweso, njengokungathi “ngalusuku lunye.”—IsAm. 18:7, 8.

6. Ubani noma yini eyohlasela “iBhabhiloni Elikhulu”?

⁶ Ubani noma yini eyohlasela “iBhabhiloni Elikhulu”? ‘Isilo sasendle esinezimpondo eziyishumi.’ Incwadi yesAmbulo ibonisa ukuthi lesi silo sasendle sibhekisela eZizweni Ezihlangene (United Nations [UN]). Izimpondo eziyishumi zimelela wonke amagunya ezombusazwe amanje asekela lesi “silo sasendle esinombala obomvu.” (IsAm. 17:3, 5, 11, 12) Uyoba mkhulu kangakanani umonakalo oyobangelwa yilokhu kuhlasela? Izizwe ze-UN ziyophanga umcebo wesifebe, zisishwabadele bese ‘zisishisa ngomlilo siphele.’—Funda isAmbulo 17:16. *

7. Agcwaliseka kanjani amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 24:21, 22 ekhulwini lokuqala C.E., futhi azogcwaliseka kanjani esikhathini esizayo?

⁷ Ukufinyeza izinsuku. INkosi yethu yakwembula okuyokwenzeka ngalesi sikhathi phakathi nosizi olukhulu. UJesu wathi: “Ngenxa yabakhethiweyo lezo zinsuku ziyofinyezwa.” (Funda uMathewu 24:21, 22.) Amazwi kaJesu agcwaliseka ngezinga elincane ngo-66 C.E. ngesikhathi uJehova ‘efinyeza’ ukuhlasela kwebutho lamaRoma iJerusalema. (Marku 13:20) Lokho kwanikeza amaKristu aseJerusalema naseJudiya ithuba lokusindiswa. Ngokwezinga lomhlaba wonke, yini eyokwenzeka phakathi nosizi olukhulu oluzayo? UJehova, esebenzisa  iNkosi yethu, uyofinyeza ukuhlaselwa kwenkolo yiZizwe Ezihlangane ukuze inkolo yeqiniso ingaqedwa neyamanga. Ngakho, nakuba zonke izinhlangano zenkolo yamanga ziyoqedwa, yinkolo eyodwa yeqiniso eyosinda. (IHu. 96:5) Manje ake sixoxe ngokuthi yiziphi izenzakalo eziyokwenzeka ngemva kokuba le ngxenye yosizi olukhulu isidlulile.

8, 9. Kungenzeka uJesu wayebhekisela kusiphi isenzakalo esingavamile, futhi bayosabela kanjani abantu kulokho abakubonayo?

⁸ Isiprofetho sikaJesu esikhuluma ngezinsuku zokugcina sibonisa ukuthi kunezenzakalo eziningana ezibalulekile eziyokwenzeka phakathi nesikhathi esiholela e-Armagedoni. Izenzakalo zokuqala ezimbili esizofunda ngazo kukhulunywa ngazo eVangelini likaMathewu, uMarku noLuka.—Funda uMathewu 24:29-31; Marku 13:23-27; Luka 21:25-28.

⁹ Izenzakalo eziphawulekayo ezulwini. UJesu uyabikezela: “Ilanga liyokuba mnyama, nenyanga ngeke ikunikeze ukukhanya kwayo, futhi izinkanyezi ziyokuwa ezulwini.” Ngokungangabazeki ukukhanya ngeke kucingwe kubaholi benkolo—bayobe bengaselusizo lwalutho. Ingabe uJesu wayebhekisela nasesibonakalisweni esingavamile ezulwini? Kungenzeka. (Isaya 13:9-11; Joweli 2:1, 30, 31) Bayosabela kanjani abantu kulokho abayobe bekubona? Bayoba ‘nosizi’ ngenxa ‘yokungayazi indlela yokuphuma.’ (Luka 21:25; Zef. 1:17) Yebo, izitha zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu—kusukela ‘emakhosini’ kuye ‘kwabayizigqila’—ziyoba “nesinxi ngenxa yokwesaba nokulindela izinto ezehlela umhlaba” futhi ziyobaleka zifuna ukucasha. Kodwa ayikho indawo yokucasha eziyoyithola iwusizo ukuze zibalekele kuyo ulaka lweNkosi yethu.—Luka 21:26; 23:30; IsAm. 6:15-17.

10. Isiphi isahlulelo esiyokhishwa uJesu, futhi abasekeli nabaphikisi boMbuso kaNkulunkulu bayosabela kanjani kuso?

¹⁰ Ukukhishwa kwesahlulelo. Ngaleso sikhathi zonke izitha zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ziyophoqeleka ukuba zibone isenzakalo esiyokwenezela osizini lwazo. UJesu uthi: “Bayobona iNdodana yomuntu iza isemafwini inamandla amakhulu nenkazimulo.” (Marku 13:26) Lokhu kubonakaliswa kwamandla angaphezu kwavamile kuyoba uphawu lokuthi uJesu usefikile ezokhipha isahlulelo. Kwenye ingxenye yaso lesi siprofetho esimayelana nezinsuku zokugcina, uJesu unikeza imininingwane eyengeziwe ngesahlulelo esiyokhishwa ngalesi sikhathi. Lokho sikuthola emfanekisweni wezimvu nezimbuzi. (Funda uMathewu 25:31-33, 46.) Abasekeli abaqotho boMbuso kaNkulunkulu bayokwahlulelwa “njengezimvu” futhi ‘bayophakamisa amakhanda abo’ beqaphela ukuthi ‘ukukhululwa kwabo kuyasondela.’ (Luka 21:28) Kodwa abaphikisi boMbuso bayokwahlulelwa “njengezimbuzi” futhi ‘bayozishaya belila,’ beqaphela ukuthi ‘ukunqunywa kwaphakade’ kubalindele.—Math. 24:30; IsAm. 1:7.

11. Yini okufanele siyikhumbule njengoba sihlola izenzakalo eziseza?

 ¹¹ Ngemva kokuba uJesu ekhiphe isahlulelo sakhe kuzo “zonke izizwe,” kunezenzakalo eziningana ezibalulekile eziyokwenzeka ngaphambi kokuqala kwempi ye-Armagedoni. (Math. 25:32) Sizokhuluma ngezimbili zalezo zenzakalo: ukuhlasela kukaGogi nokubuthwa kwabagcotshiweyo. Njengoba sizihlola, kudingeka sikhumbule ukuthi iZwi likaNkulunkulu alisivezi isikhathi esithe ngqo eziyokwenzeka ngaso. Empeleni, kubonakala kungenzeka kube nesikhathi esithile eziyokwenzeka ngaso ngasikhathi sinye.

12. USathane uyowakhipha kanjani amangwevu lapho ehlasela uMbuso?

¹² Ukukhipha amangwevu. UGogi wakwaMagogi uyohlasela abaseleyo babagcotshiwe nabangane babo bezinye izimvu. (Funda uHezekeli 38:2, 11.) Lokhu kuhlaselwa kokubusa koMbuso omisiwe kuyoba ukulwa kokugcina kukaSathane empini abelokhu eyilwa nensali yabagcotshiwe kusukela axoshwa ezulwini. (IsAm. 12:7-9, 17) Kusukela ikakhulukazi ngesikhathi abagcotshiwe beqala ukubuthelwa ebandleni lobuKristu elibuyiselwe, uSathane ubelokhu ezama ukuqeda ukuchuma kwabo ngokomoya—kodwa wehluleka. (Math. 13:30) Nokho, lapho seziqedwe zonke izinhlangano zenkolo yamanga nabantu bakaNkulunkulu bebonakala ‘behleli bengenaludonga, futhi bengenamigoqo ngisho nazicabha,’ uSathane uyothi ngibonwa yini. Uyogqugquzela abasekeli bakhe ababi ukuba bakhiphele amangwevu kulabo abasekela uMbuso.

13. Uyongenela kanjani uJehova ukuze asize abantu bakhe?

¹³ UHezekeli uchaza okuyokwenzeka. Ngokuphathelene noGogi, lesi siprofetho sithi: “Uyokuza uvela endaweni yakho, ezingxenyeni ezikude kakhulu zenyakatho, wena nezizwe eziningi kanye nawe, zonke zigibele amahhashi, ibandla elikhulu, yebo ibutho lempi elinabantu abaningi. Nakanjani uyokhuphuka ngokumelene nabantu bami, njengamafu asibekela izwe.” (Hez. 38:15, 16) Uyosabela kanjani uJehova kulokhu kuhlasela okubonakala kunganqandeki? Uthi: ‘Ukufutheka kwami kuyokhuphukela emakhaleni ami. Ngiyombizela inkemba.’ (Hez. 38:18, 21; funda uZakariya 2:8.) UJehova uyongenela ngenxa yabantu bakhe abasemhlabeni. Lokho kungenela kuyobe sekuyimpi ye-Armagedoni.

14, 15. Yisiphi esinye isenzakalo esiyokwenzeka ngesikhathi esithile ngemva kokuhlasela kukaSathane?

¹⁴ Ngaphambi kokukhuluma ngendlela uJehova ayobavikela ngayo abantu bakhe phakathi nempi ye-Armagedoni, ake sime kancane sihlole esinye isenzakalo esibalulekile. Siyokwenzeka ngesikhathi esithile phakathi kokuqala kokuhlasela kukaSathane nokuqala kokungenela kukaJehova e-Armagedoni. Njengoba kuphawuliwe esigabeni 11, lesi senzakalo sesibili esokubuthwa kwabaseleyo bensali yabagcotshiwe.

¹⁵ Ukubuthwa kwabagcotshiwe. UMathewu noMarku baloba amazwi kaJesu “ngabakhethiweyo”—amaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya—njengengxenye yezenzakalo ezilandelanayo eziyokwenzeka ngaphambi kokugqashuka kwe-Armagedoni.  (Bheka isigaba 7.) Ebhekisela kuye njengeNkosi, uJesu uyaprofetha: “Khona-ke iyothuma izingelosi zibuthele ndawonye abakhethiweyo bayo bevela emimoyeni yomine, kusukela emkhawulweni womhlaba kuye emkhawulweni wezulu.” (Marku 13:27; Math. 24:31) Ikuphi ukubuthwa uJesu abhekisela kukho lapha? Akakhulumi ngokubekwa uphawu kokugcina kwensali yamaKristu agcotshiwe, okuyokwenzeka ngaphambi nje kokuqala kosizi olukhulu. (IsAm. 7:1-3) Kunalokho, uJesu ukhuluma ngesenzakalo esiyokwenzeka phakathi nosizi olukhulu oluzayo. Ngakho, kubonakala sengathi ngesikhathi esithile ngemva kokuqala kukaSathane ukuhlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu, abagcotshiwe abayobe besesemhlabeni bayobuthelwa ezulwini.

16. Abagcotshiwe abavusiwe bayoba naliphi iqhaza empini ye-Armagedoni?

¹⁶ Lokhu kubuthwa kwensali yabagcotshiwe kuhlobana kanjani nesenzakalo esiyolandela, i-Armagedoni? Isikhathi sokubutha sibonisa ukuthi bonke abagcotshiwe bayobe sebesezulwini ngaphambi kokuqala kwempi kaNkulunkulu, i-Armagedoni. Ezulwini, abangu-144 000 abayobusa noKristu bayothola igunya lokuhlanganyela noJesu ekusebenziseni ‘induku yensimbi’ ebhubhisayo kuzo zonke izitha zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (IsAm. 2:26, 27) Khona-ke, bekanye nezingelosi ezinamandla, abagcotshiwe abavusiwe bayolandela uKristu, iNkosi Eyiqhawe, njengoba elungela ukuliqonda ngqo “ibutho lempi” eliyizitha eliya lisondela eduze esisulwini salo—abantu bakaJehova. (Hez. 38:15) Lapho betholana phezulu, kuyobe sekuyimpi ye-Armagedoni!—IsAm. 16:16.

17. Kuyokwenzekani ‘ezimbuzini’ nge-Armagedoni?

¹⁷ Ukukhishwa kwesahlulelo. Impi ye-Armagedoni iyosho ukuphela kosizi olukhulu. Ngaleso sikhathi, uJesu uyoba nomsebenzi owengeziwe. Ngaphandle kokuba umaHluleli wazo “zonke izizwe,” uyobuye abe umBhubhisi wezizwe—okuwukuthi, uyobhubhisa bonke abantu ayobe ebahlulele ‘njengezimbuzi’ ngaphambili. (Math. 25:32, 33) INkosi yethu ‘iyoshaya izizwe ngenkemba “ende ebukhali.”’ Yebo, bonke abanjengezimbuzi—kusukela ‘emakhosini’ kuye ‘kwabayizigqila’—“bayomuka baye ekunqunyweni kwaphakade.”—IsAm. 19:15, 18; Math. 25:46.

18. (a) Izinto ziyozishintshela kanjani “izimvu”? (b) UJesu uyokuphelelisa kanjani ukunqoba kwakhe?

¹⁸ Yeka indlela izinto eziyobe zibashintshele ngayo labo uJesu abahlulele ‘njengezimvu’! Esikhundleni sokucishe sinyathelwe ibutho likaSathane ‘lezimbuzi,’ “isixuku esikhulu” ‘sezimvu’ esibonakala singavikelekile siyosinda ekuhlaselweni isitha futhi ‘siphume osizini olukhulu.’ (IsAm. 7:9, 14) Kuyothi ngemva kokuba uJesu esenqobe futhi waqeda zonke izitha zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ezingabantu, uyophonsa uSathane namademoni akhe kwalasha. Belapho, bayogcinwa  besesimweni esifana nokufa, isimo sokungenzi lutho iminyaka eyinkulungwane.—Funda isAmbulo 6:2; 20:1-3.

19, 20. Singasisebenzisa kanjani isifundo esisithola ku-Isaya 26:20 no–30:21?

¹⁹ Singazilungiselela kanjani ukubhekana nezenzakalo ezesabekayo eziseza? Eminyakeni eminingi edlule INqabayokulinda yathi: “Ukusinda kuyoxhomeka ekulaleleni.” Kungani kunjalo? Impendulo itholakala emazwini ayisixwayiso uJehova awatshela amaJuda athunjiwe ayehlala eBhabhiloni lasendulo. UJehova wabikezela ukuthi iBhabhiloni lalizonqotshwa, kodwa yini okwakufanele yenziwe abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuze bazilungiselele leso senzakalo? UJehova wathi: “Hambani bantu bami, ngenani emakamelweni enu angaphakathi, nivale iminyango yenu ngemva kwenu. Zifihleni umzuzwana nje kuze kudlule isijeziso.” (Isaya 26:20) Phawula izenzo ezikuleli vesi: “hambani,” “ngenani,” ‘valani,’ “zifihleni”—zonke zisendleleni ephoqayo; ziyimiyalo. AmaJuda alalela leyo miyalo ahlala ngaphakathi ezindlini zawo, kude namasosha aqothulayo ezitaladini. Ngakho, ukusinda kwawo kwakuxhomeke ekulaleleni imiyalo kaJehova. *

²⁰ Sifundani kulokhu? Njengoba kwakunjalo kulezo zinceku zikaNkulunkulu zasendulo, ukusinda kwethu ezenzakalweni ezizayo kuyoxhomeka ekulaleleni imiyalo kaJehova. (Isaya 30:21) Leyo miyalo siyithola ngelungiselelo lebandla. Ngakho-ke, sifuna ukusilalela ngokusuka enhliziyweni isiqondiso esisitholayo. (1 Joh. 5:3) Uma senza kanjalo namuhla, kuyoba lula ukulalela esikhathini esizayo, ngaleyo ndlela sithole isivikelo sikaBaba wethu uJehova neseNkosi yethu uJesu. (Zef. 2:3) Leso sivikelo saphezulu siyosenza sikwazi ukuzibonela ngawethu indlela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu oyoziqeda ngokuphelele ngayo izitha zawo. Yeka ukuthi kuyoba isigameko esingasoze sasilibala kanjani leso!