1, 2. (a) Yini uJehova athi yayiyokwenzeka esikhathini sethu? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo ezophendulwa kulesi sihloko? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

UJEHOVA wathi esikhathini sethu, ‘amadoda ayishumi avela kuzo zonke izilimi zezizwe ayobamba, yebo, impela ayobamba umphetho wengubo yendoda engumJuda, athi: “Sizohamba nani, ngoba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.”’ (Zakariya 8:23) ‘Indoda engumJuda’ imelela labo uNkulunkulu abagcobe ngomoya ongcwele. Babizwa nangokuthi “u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.” (Galathiya 6:16) “Amadoda ayishumi” amelela labo abanethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni. Bayazi ukuthi uJehova ulibusisile leli qembu labagcotshiwe futhi bazizwa benelungelo ngokumkhulekela kanye nalo.

² Njengomprofethi uZakariya, uJesu wathi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bayoba nobunye. Wachaza labo abanethemba lokuphila ezulwini ngokuthi ‘umhlambi omncane’ nalabo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni ngokuthi ‘ezinye izimvu.’ Kodwa uJesu wathi bonke babezoba “mhlambi munye” futhi babeyolandela yena, ‘umalusi wabo oyedwa.’ (Luka 12:32; Johane 10:16) Njengoba kunamaqembu amabili, abanye bangase bazibuze: (1) Kuyadingeka yini ukuba ezinye izimvu zazi  amagama abo bonke abagcotshiwe namuhla? (2) Abagcotshiwe kufanele bazibheke kanjani? (3) Uma othile ebandleni lethu eqala ukudla isinkwa nokuphuza iwayini eSikhumbuzweni, kufanele ngimphathe kanjani? (4) Ingabe kudingeka ngikhathazeke lapho ngibona inani lalabo abadla isinkwa futhi baphuze iwayini eSikhumbuzweni landa? Lesi sihloko sizophendula le mibuzo.

3. Kungani kungenakwenzeka ukuba siqiniseke ngokuthi obani abazoba yingxenye yabangu-144 000?

³ Kuyadingeka yini ukuba ezinye izimvu zazi amagama abo bonke abagcotshiwe abasesemhlabeni namuhla? Cha. Kungani? Kungenxa yokuthi akekho ongase azi ngokuqinisekile ukuthi laba bazowuthola yini umvuzo wabo. ^[1] (Bheka umbhalo osekugcineni.) Nakuba uNkulunkulu ebamemile ukuba baye ezulwini, bazothola umvuzo wabo kuphela uma behlala bethembekile. USathane uyakwazi lokhu, futhi usebenzisa “abaprofethi bamanga” ukuze azame ‘ukubadukisa.’ (Mathewu 24:24) AmaKristu agcotshiwe awanakuqiniseka ngokuthi ayowuthola yini umvuzo wawo kuze kube yilapho uJehova ewenza aqonde ngokucacile ukuthi usewahlulele njengathembekile. UJehova ubonisa lokhu kuwamukela kokugcina, noma ukubekwa uphawu okokugcina, ngaphambi kokuba afe noma ngaphambi nje kokuqala ‘kosizi olukhulu.’​—IsAmbulo 2:10; 7:​3, 14.

4. Uma kungenakwenzeka ukwazi amagama abo bonke abagcotshiwe abasemhlabeni namuhla, ‘singahamba’ kanjani nabo?

⁴ Uma kungenakwenzeka ukwazi amagama abo bonke abagcotshiwe abasemhlabeni namuhla, pho ezinye izimvu ‘zingahamba’ kanjani nabo? IBhayibheli lithi amadoda ayishumi ‘ayezobamba umphetho wengubo yendoda engumJuda, athi: “Sizohamba nani, ngoba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.”’ Leli vesi leBhayibheli likhuluma ngendoda engumJuda eyodwa. Kodwa inkulumo ethi “nani” nethi “unani,” ibhekisela kubantu abaningi. Lokhu kusho ukuthi le ndoda engumJuda ayisho nje umuntu oyedwa kodwa imelela lonke iqembu labagcotshiwe. Ezinye izimvu ziyakwazi lokhu, futhi zikhonza uJehova kanye naleli qembu. Akudingeki zazi amagama awo wonke amalungu aleli qembu futhi zilandele umuntu ngamunye kulo. UJesu unguMholi wethu, futhi iBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi kumelwe silandele yena yedwa.​—Mathewu 23:10.

5. Yisiphi isixwayiso abagcotshiwe okufanele bacabangisise ngaso, futhi ngani?

⁵ Abagcotshiwe kufanele bacabangisise ngesixwayiso esitholakala kweyoku-1 Korinte 11:​27-29. (Funda.) Ogcotshiwe angasidla kanjani isinkwa aphuze newayini “ngokungafanele” eSikhumbuzweni? Uma engalondolozi ubuhlobo obuhle noJehova futhi engathembekile  kuye, khona-ke lapho lowo muntu edla isinkwa futhi ephuza newayini, usuke engabonisi inhlonipho. (Hebheru 6:​4-6; 10:​26-29) Lesi sixwayiso esiqinile sikhumbuza abagcotshiwe ukuthi kumelwe bahlale bethembekile uma befuna ukuthola “umklomelo wobizo lwaphezulu lukaNkulunkulu ngoKristu Jesu.”​—Filipi 3:​13-16.

6. AmaKristu agcotshiwe kufanele azibheke kanjani?

⁶ UPawulu watshela amaKristu agcotshiwe: “Mina siboshwa eNkosini, ngiyanincenga ukuba nihambe ngokufanele ukubizwa enabizwa ngakho.” Kufanele akwenze kanjani lokhu? UPawulu wachaza: “Ngokuthobeka kwengqondo okuphelele nobumnene, ngokubekezela, nibekezelelana ngothando, nizama ngenkuthalo ukugcina ubunye bomoya esibophweni esihlanganisayo sokuthula.” (Efesu 4:​1-3) Umoya ongcwele kaJehova usiza izinceku zakhe ukuba zithobeke, hhayi zikhukhumale. (Kolose 3:12) Ngakho abagcotshiwe abacabangi ukuthi bangcono kunabanye. Bayazi ukuthi uJehova akaniki abagcotshiwe umoya ongcwele omningi kunalowo awunika ezinye izinceku zakhe. Futhi abacabangi ukuthi bakwazi ukuwaqonda ngokujule ngokwengeziwe amaqiniso eBhayibheli ukwedlula noma ubani omunye. Futhi abasoze batshele omunye umuntu ukuthi naye ugcotshiwe nokuthi kufanele aqale ukudla isinkwa aphuze newayini eSikhumbuzweni. Kunalokho, bathobekile futhi bayazi ukuthi uJehova kuphela ongamema abantu ukuba baye ezulwini.

7, 8. Yini amaKristu agcotshiwe angayilindele, futhi kungani?

⁷ Nakuba abagcotshiwe bekubheka njengelungelo ukumenywa ukuba baye ezulwini, abalindele ukuba abanye babaphathe ngendlela ekhethekile. (Efesu 1:​18, 19; funda eyabaseFilipi 2:​2, 3.) Bayazi nokuthi lapho uJehova ebagcoba, akazange atshele wonke umuntu ngaleyo ndaba. Ngakho, umuntu ogcotshiwe akamangali lapho abanye bengakholwa ngokushesha ukuthi ugcotshiwe. Uyaqaphela ukuthi iBhayibheli lisiyala ukuba singasheshi simethembe umuntu othi uNkulunkulu umnikeze ilungelo elikhethekile. (IsAmbulo 2:2) Ngenxa yokuthi umuntu ogcotshiwe akalindele ukuba abanye bamnake ngaphezu kokujwayelekile, ngeke atshele abantu aqalayo ukubabona ukuthi yena ugcotshiwe. Empeleni, cishe lokhu ngeke akutshele muntu. Ngeke futhi aziqhayise ngezinto ezinhle azozenza ezulwini.​—1 Korinte 1:​28, 29; funda eyoku-1 Korinte 4:​6-8.

⁸ AmaKristu agcotshiwe awanawo umbono wokuthi kufanele achithe isikhathi sawo nabanye abagcotshiwe kuphela, njengokungathi bangamalungu eqembu elithile. Awazami ukuthola abanye abagcotshiwe ukuze baxoxe ngokugcotshwa kwabo noma bahlangane njengamaqembu ukuze batadishe iBhayibheli. (Galathiya 1:​15-17) Ibandla belingeke libe nobunye ukube abagcotshiwe bebengenza lokhu. Bebeyobe bamelana nomoya ongcwele, osiza abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba babe nokuthula nobunye.​—Funda eyabaseRoma 16:​17, 18.

9. Kungani kudingeka uqaphele indlela ophatha ngayo labo abadla isinkwa futhi baphuze iwayini eSikhumbuzweni? (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Uthando ‘Aluziphathi Ngokuhlazisayo.’”)

⁹ Kufanele ubaphathe kanjani abafowethu  nodadewethu abagcotshiwe? UJesu watshela abafundi bakhe: “Nonke nina ningabafowabo bomunye nomunye.” Waqhubeka wathi: “Noma ubani oziphakamisayo uyothotshiswa, futhi noma ubani ozithobayo uyophakanyiswa.” (Mathewu 23:​8-12) Ngakho kungaba yiphutha ukuhlonipha umuntu ngokweqile, ngisho noma engumfowabo kaKristu ogcotshiwe. Lapho iBhayibheli likhuluma ngabadala, lisikhuthaza ukuba silingise ukholo lwabo, kodwa alisitsheli ukuthi singenza noma yimuphi umuntu abe umholi wethu. (Hebheru 13:7) Yiqiniso ukuthi iBhayibheli lithi abanye ‘bafanelwe udumo oluphindiwe.’ Kodwa lokhu kungenxa yokuthi ‘bengamela ngendlela enhle’ futhi ‘basebenza kanzima ekukhulumeni nasekufundiseni,’ hhayi ngenxa yokuthi bagcotshiwe. (1 Thimothewu 5:17) Uma sinika abagcotshiwe udumo nenhlonipho eyeqile, sizobabangela amahloni. Noma okubi nakakhulu, singabenza bakhukhumale. (Roma 12:3) Akekho phakathi kwethu ofuna ukwenza noma yini engabangela omunye wabafowabo bakaKristu abagcotshiwe ukuba enze iphutha elikhulu kangakho!​—Luka 17:2.

10. Ungabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyawahlonipha amaKristu agcotshiwe?

¹⁰ Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyabahlonipha labo uJehova abagcobile? Ngeke sibabuze ukuthi bagcotshwa kanjani. Lena yindaba yabo, esingenalo ilungelo lokwazi ngayo. (1 Thesalonika 4:11; 2 Thesalonika 3:11) Futhi akufanele sicabange ukuthi abayeni noma omkabo, abazali noma amanye amalungu omndeni nawo agcotshiwe. Umuntu akalitholi emndenini wakhe njengefa leli themba. (1 Thesalonika 2:12) Kufanele sigweme nokubuza imibuzo engazwisa abanye ubuhlungu. Ngokwesibonelo, ngeke sibuze inkosikazi yomfowethu ogcotshiwe ukuthi izizwa kanjani ngokuphila phakade emhlabeni kuyilapho umyeni wayo eyobe engekho. Empeleni, singaqiniseka ngokugcwele ngokuthi ezweni elisha, uJehova ‘uyokwanelisa isifiso sayo yonke into ephilayo.’​—IHubo 145:16.

11. Sizivikela kanjani uma sigwema ‘ukuncoma abantu’ ngokungafanele?

¹¹ Uma singaphathi abagcotshiwe njengababaluleke kakhulu kunabanye, siyazivikela nathi. Kanjani? IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi kungase kube ‘nabazalwane bamanga’ ebandleni abangase basho nokuthi bagcotshiwe. (Galathiya 2:​4, 5; 1 Johane 2:19) Kanti okunye, abanye abagcotshiwe bangase bangahlali bethembekile. (Mathewu 25:​10-12; 2 Petru 2:​20, 21) Kodwa uma sigwema ‘ukuncoma abantu’ ngokungafanele, asisoze salandela abanye, ngisho nalabo abagcotshiwe noma abadumile noma labo asebekhonze uJehova isikhathi eside. Khona-ke, uma kwenzeka bengathembeki noma beshiya ibandla, ngeke silahlekelwe ukholo lwethu kuJehova noma siyeke ukumkhonza.​—Jude 16.

12, 13. Kungani kungafanele sikhathazeke ngenani lalabo abadla isinkwa futhi baphuze iwayini eSikhumbuzweni?

¹² Kwase kuyiminyaka eminingi inani lalabo abadla isinkwa futhi baphuze iwayini eSikhumbuzeni lincipha. Kodwa muva nje, leli nani belilokhu lenyuka unyaka nonyaka. Ingabe kudingeka sikhathazeke ngalokhu? Cha. Ake sibone ukuthi kungani.

 ¹³ “UJehova uyabazi abangabakhe.” (2 Thimothewu 2:19) Ngokungefani noJehova, abafowethu ababala inani labantu abadla isinkwa futhi baphuze iwayini eSikhumbuzweni abazi ukuthi ubani ngempela ogcotshiwe. Ngakho, leli nani lihlanganisa nalabo abacabanga ukuthi bagcotshiwe kodwa kube kungenjalo. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye ababedla isinkwa baphuze newayini esikhathini esidlule bayeka ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Abanye kungenzeka banezinkinga zengqondo noma ezingokomzwelo futhi bakholelwa ukuthi bazobusa noKristu ezulwini. Ngokusobala, asazi ngokuthe ngqo ukuthi bangaki abagcotshiwe abasesemhlabeni.

14. Lithini iBhayibheli ngenani labagcotshiwe abazobe besesemhlabeni lapho kuqala usizi olukhulu?

¹⁴ Kuzobe kunabagcotshiwe ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba lapho uJesu eza ezobathatha abayise ezulwini. IBhayibheli lithi uJesu ‘uyothuma izingelosi zakhe nomsindo omkhulu wecilongo, zibuthele ndawonye abakhethiweyo bakhe bevela emimoyeni yomine, kusukela komunye umkhawulo wamazulu kuye komunye umkhawulo wawo.’ (Mathewu 24:31) IBhayibheli libonisa nokuthi phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina, kuzobe kunenani elincane labagcotshiwe abasele emhlabeni. (IsAmbulo 12:17) Kodwa alisho ukuthi bangaki abazobe besasele lapho kuqala usizi olukhulu.

15, 16. Yini okudingeka siyiqonde ngabangu-144 000 abakhethwe uJehova?

¹⁵ UJehova nguye onqumayo ukuthi uzobakhetha nini abagcotshiwe. (Roma 8:​28-30) UJehova waqala ukukhetha abagcotshiwe ngemva kokuvuswa kukaJesu. Kubonakala sengathi ngekhulu  lokuqala, wonke amaKristu eqiniso ayegcotshiwe. Emakhulwini eminyaka alandela, iningi lalabo ababethi bangamaKristu lalingamlandeli ngempela uKristu. Noma kunjalo, phakathi naleyo minyaka, uJehova wabagcoba labo abambalwa ababengamaKristu eqiniso. Babenjengokolweni uJesu athi wawuzokhula phakathi kokhula. (Mathewu 13:​24-30) Phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina, uJehova uye waqhubeka ekhetha abantu abazoba yingxenye yabangu-144 000. ^[2] (Bheka umbhalo osekugcineni.) Ngakho uma uNkulunkulu enquma ukukhetha abanye balaba ngaphambi nje kokuba kufike ukuphela, ngokuqinisekile ngeke singabaze ukuthi wenza into efanele. (Isaya 45:9; Daniyeli 4:35; funda eyabaseRoma 9:​11, 16.) ^[3] (Bheka umbhalo osekugcineni.) Kumelwe siqaphele ukuba singasabeli njengezisebenzi ezakhononda ngendlela inkosi eyaphatha ngayo labo abaqala ukusebenza ngehora lokugcina.​—Funda uMathewu 20:​8-15.

¹⁶ Akubona bonke abanethemba lokuyophila ezulwini abayingxenye ‘yenceku ethembekile neqondayo.’ (Mathewu 24:​45-47) Njengasekhulwini lokuqala, uJehova noJesu namuhla basebenzisa abantu abambalwa ukondla noma ukufundisa abaningi. AmaKristu agcotshiwe ambalwa kuphela ekhulwini lokuqala asetshenziselwa ukuloba imiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki. Futhi nanamuhla, ambalwa kuphela amaKristu agcotshiwe anomthwalo wokunika abantu bakaNkulunkulu ‘ukudla ngesikhathi esifanele.’

17. Yini oyifundile kulesi sihloko?

¹⁷ Sifundeni kulesi sihloko? UJehova unqume ukunika iningi labantu bakhe ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni kanye nokuphila kwasezulwini kulabo abazobusa noJesu. UJehova uvuza zonke izinceku zakhe, ‘indoda engumJuda’ kanye ‘namadoda ayishumi,’ futhi ufuna ukuba bonke balalele imithetho efanayo futhi bahlale bethembekile. Bonke kumelwe bahlale bethobekile. Bonke kumelwe bamkhonze ndawonye futhi babe nobunye. Futhi bonke kumelwe balwele ukulondoloza ukuthula ebandleni. Njengoba sisondela ekupheleni kwalesi simiso, sonke masiqhubeke sikhonza uJehova futhi silandela uKristu njengomhlambi owodwa.