1, 2. Ngo-2018, yisiphi isenzakalo esizothuthukisa ubunye bethu, kungani sisho kanjalo? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

NGOMASHI 31, 2018, lapho ilanga lishona, abantu bakaNkulunkulu nabaningi abamenyiwe bazohlangana ukuze bakhumbule iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa saminyaka yonke. Ngalolo suku izigidi zabantu zizohlangana ukuze zikhumbule ukufa kukaKristu. Unyaka ngamunye, lesi senzakalo senza abantu emhlabeni wonke babe nobunye kunanoma yisiphi esinye isenzakalo!

² Kumelwe ukuba uJehova noJesu bayajabula lapho bebona izigidi zabantu emhlabeni zethamela lesi senzakalo esikhethekile. IBhayibheli labikezela ukuthi “isixuku esikhulu, okungekho muntu owakwazi ukusibala, [siyophuma] kuzo zonke izizwe nezinhlanga nabantu nezilimi” futhi siyomemeza sithi: “Insindiso yethu ivela kuNkulunkulu wethu, ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi, nakulo iWundlu.” (IsAm. 7:9, 10) Kuyajabulisa ukwazi ukuthi abantu abeza eSikhumbuzweni saminyaka yonke badumisa uJehova noJesu ngakho konke abasenzele khona!

3. Sizophendula miphi imibuzo kulesi sihloko?

³ Kulesi sihloko sizophendula le mibuzo elandelayo. (1) Yini  ongayenza ukuze ulungele iSikhumbuzo, ezokusiza uzuze ngokugcwele kuso? (2) ISikhumbuo sisenza kanjani sibe nobunye? (3) Yini wena ongayenza ukuze uthuthukise lobo bunye? (4) Ingabe kuyoke kube neSikhumbuzo sokugcina? Uma kunjalo, siyoba khona nini?

4. Kungani kubalulekile ukuba khona eSikhumbuzweni?

⁴ Cabangisisa ngokuthi kubaluleke ngani ukuba khona eSikhumbuzweni. Khumbula, imihlangano yebandla iyingxenye yokukhulekela kwethu. Ngokuqinisekile uJehova noJesu bayaqaphela ukuthi obani abenza imizamo yokuba khona kulo mhlangano obaluleke kangaka onyakeni. Eqinisweni, sifuna babone ukuthi sizoba khona nakanjani eSikhumbuzweni. Ukuphela kwento engasenza singabi khona, ukugula noma izimo ezingaphezu kwamandla ethu. Lapho sibonisa ngezenzo ukuthi imihlangano yokukhulekela ibalulekile kithi, sisuke sinika uJehova isizathu zokugcina amagama ethu ‘encwadini yakhe yenkumbulo’—‘incwadi yokuphila’—enamagama alabo abayophila phakade.—Mal. 3:16; IsAm. 20:15.

5. Ezinsukwini eziholela eSikhumbuzweni, singazihlola kanjani ukuthi sisokholweni yini?

⁵ Ezinsukwini eziholela eSikhumbuzweni, singazinika isikhathi esengeziwe sokuthandaza nesokucabangisisa ngokuthi buqine kangakanani ubuhlobo bethu noJehova. (Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 13:5.) Singakwenza kanjani lokho? ‘Ngokuhlola ukuthi sisokholweni yini.’ Ukuze senze lokho, senza kahle ngokuzibuza: ‘Ngiyaqiniseka ngempela yini ukuthi ngisenhlanganweni okuwukuphela kwayo uJehova ayisebenzisayo ukuze afeze intando yakhe? Ingabe ngenza konke okusemandleni ami ukuze ngishumayele futhi ngifundise izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso? Ingabe izenzo zami zibonisa ukuthi ngiyaqiniseka ngempela ukuthi lezi izinsuku zokugcina nokuthi ukubusa kukaSathane kuzophela maduze? Ingabe ngisakholelwa kuJehova nakuJesu njengoba kwakunjalo ngesikhathi nginikezela ukuphila kwami kuJehova uNkulunkulu?’ (Math. 24:14; 2 Thim. 3:1; Heb. 3:14) Ukucabangisisa ngale mibuzo kuzosisiza sihlole lokho esiyikho.

6. (a) Iyiphi indlela okuwukuphela kwayo yokuphila? (b) Umdala othile ukulungela kanjani ukuya eSikhumbuzweni unyaka nonyaka futhi wena ungayenza kanjani into efanayo?

⁶ Funda bese ucabangisisa ngemiBhalo ekhuluma ngokubaluleka kweSikhumbuzo. (Funda uJohane 3:16; 17:3.) Ukuphela kwendlela esingathola ngayo ukuphila okuphakade ihilela ‘ukungenisa ulwazi’ ngoJehova ‘nokubonisa ukholo’ kuJesu, iNdodana yaKhe ezelwe yodwa. Ukuze ulungele iSikhumbuzo kunganjani uzenzele isimiso sokutadisha esizokusiza usondelane noJehova noJesu. Nakhu obekulokhu kwenziwa umzalwane osekhonze iminyaka njengomdala. Ubelokhu eqoqa izihloko ze-Nqabayokulinda ezikhuluma ngokukhethekile ngeSikhumbuzo nangendlela uJehova noJesu abasithanda ngayo. Emasontweni angaphambi kweSikhumbuzo, uphinde azifunde lezo zihloko bese ecabangisisa ngokubaluleka kokuya eSikhumbuzweni. Ngezinye izikhathi, unezela izihloko ezimbalwa ezintsha kulezo aseziqongelele. Lo mdala uphawule ukuthi njalo ngonyaka kunezinto ezintsha azifundayo lapho efunda lezi zihloko nalapho efunda futhi ecabangisisa ngokufundwa kweBhayibheli kweSikhumbuzo. Okubaluleke nakakhulu ukuthi uthando lwakhe ngoJehova nangoJesu lujula nakakhulu unyaka nonyaka. Ukutadisha okunjalo kungakusiza ujulise uthando nokwazisa kwakho ngoJehova noJesu, ngaleyo ndlela uzuze ngokugcwele eSikhumbuzweni.

7. (a) Yini uJesu ayithandazela ngobusuku bokuqala beSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa? (b) Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJehova uwuphendulile umthandazo kaJesu?

⁷ Ngobusuku bokuqala beSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa, uJesu wathandazela ukuba abalandeli bakhe babe nobunye, balingise ubunye obuphakathi kwakhe noYise. (Funda uJohane 17:20, 21.) Ngempela uJehova uwuphendulile umthandazo weNdodana yakhe ayithandayo. ISikhumbuzo, ngokungafani neminye imihlangano yabantu bakaNkulunkulu, siye sanikeza ubufakazi obuqand’ikhanda bokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova banobunye. Emhlabeni wonke abantu bazo zonke izizwe nezinhlanga bahlangana ndawonye. Kwezinye izindawo, ukuhlangana kwezinhlanga ezihlukahlukene ezindaweni zokukhulekela akwaziwa futhi abanye bakubheka njengento engafaneleki. Kodwa lobo bunye buhle emehlweni kaJehova noJesu.

8. Yisiphi isigijimi uJehova asinika uHezekeli mayelana nobunye?

⁸ Njengabantu bakaJehova abusimangazi ubunye esinabo. Empeleni, uJehova owakubikezela lokho. Cabanga ngalokho akusho kumprofethi uHezekeli mayelana nokuhlanganiswa kwezinduku ezimbili, induku ‘engekaJuda’ nenduka ‘engekaJosefa.’ (Funda uHezekeli 37:15-17.) INqabayokulinda kaJulayi 2016, esihlokweni esithi “Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi” yachaza: “UJehova wanika uHezekeli isigijimi esithembisa ukuhlanganisa isizwe sakwa-Israyeli ngemva kokubuyiselwa eZweni Lesithembiso. Leso sigijimi siphinde sibikezele nokuhlanganiswa kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu okwaqala ukwenzeka phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina.”

9. Ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sikaHezekeli kubonakala kanjani njalo ngonyaka eSikhumbuzweni?

⁹ Kusukela ngo-1919 kuqhubeke, kancane kancane uJehova waqala ukuhlela kabusha nokuhlanganisa abagcotshiwe, ababemelelwa induku ‘engekaJuda.’ Njengoba babeya beba baningi abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni—abamelelwa induku ‘engekaJosefa’—ababezihlanganisa nabagcotshiwe, la maqembu amabili aba “mhlambi munye.” (Joh. 10:16; Zak. 8:23) UJehova wathembisa ukuhlanganisa lezi zinduku ezimbili azenze zibe yinduku eyodwa esandleni sakhe. (Hez. 37:19) Manje la maqembu amabili akhonza ngobunye ngaphansi kweNkosi eyodwa—uJesu Kristu ongcwelisiwe, ngokwesiprofetho obizwa ngokuthi “uDavide inceku” kaNkulunkulu. (Hez. 37:24, 25) Ubunye obuyigugu obuchazwe encwadini kaHezekeli bubonakala ngokucacile njalo ngonyaka njengoba insali yabagcotshiwe kanye nabezinye izimvu behlangana ndawonye eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu! Nokho, yini wena ongayenza ukuze ugcine futhi uthuthukise lobo bunye?

10. Singabuthuthukisa kanjani ubunye babantu bakaNkulunkulu?

¹⁰ Indlela yokuqala esingabuthuthukisa ngayo ubunye babantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba abathobekile. Ngesikhathi esemhlabeni uJesu wayala abafundi bakhe ukuba bathobeke. (Math. 23:12) Uma sithobekile ngeke sinqotshwe umoya wezwe wokuzikhukhumeza. Kunalokho, ukuthobeka kuzosisiza silalele abaholayo futhi umoya onjalo wokuthobeka ubalulekile ukuze ibandla libe nobunye. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuthobeka kwethu kuzojabulisa uNkulunkulu ngoba “uyamelana nabazidlayo, kodwa abathobekile ubapha umusa ongafanelwe.”​—1 Pet. 5:5.

11. Ukucabangisisa ngokuthi izifanekiselo zeSikhumbuzo zimelelani kukuthuthukisa kanjani ukuthula?

¹¹ Indlela yesibili esingabuthuthukisa  ngayo ubunye, ukucabanga ngalokho okumelelwa izifanekiselo ezisetshenziwa eSikhumbuzweni. Ngaphambi kwalobo busuku obukhethekile—ikakhulukazi ngabo lobo busuku—cabangisisa ngokujulile ngokuthi isinkwa esingenamvubelo newayini elibomvu kumelelani. (1 Kor. 11:23-25) Isinkwa simelela umzimba kaJesu ongenasono owanikelwa njengomhlatshelo kanti iwayini limelela igazi lakhe elachitheka. Sidinga okungaphezu nje kokuqonda ukuthi lezi zifanekiselo zimelelani. Khumbula ukuthi umhlatshelo wesihlengo kaKristu ubonisa indlela abantu ababili abasithanda ngayo—uthando uJehova alubonisa ngokunikela ngeNdodana yakhe ngenxa yethu, nothando uJesu alubonisa ngokunikela ngokuzithandela ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yethu. Ukucabangisisa ngokujulile ngothando lwabo kuzokwenza ukuthi nathi sibathande. Uthando sonke esinalo ngoJehova luzosihlanganisa luqinise isibopho sethu sobunye.

12. Emfanekisweni wakhe wenkosi elungisa izindaba, uJesu wakwenza kanjani kwacaca ukuthi uJehova ulindele ukuba sithethelelane?

¹² Indlela yesithathu esingabuthuthukisa ngayo ubunye, ukuthethelela abanye ngokukhululekile. Lapho sithethelela abasonayo, sibonisa ukuthi siyakwazisa ukuthethelelwa kwezono zethu okwenzeka ngenxa yomhlatshelo wesihlengo sikaKristu. Cabanga ngomfanekiso kaJesu osencwadini kaMathewu 18:23-34. Zibuze: ‘Ngiyakwenza yini lokho okwafundiswa uJesu? Ingabe ngiyababekezelela futhi ngizame ukubaqonda engikholwa nabo? Kulula yini ukuthethelela abangonayo?’ Kuyavunywa ukuthi kunezono okunzima ukuzithethelela njengabantu abanesono. Noma kunjalo, lo mfanekiso usifundisa lokho uJehova akulindele kithi. (Funda uMathewu 18:35.) UJesu wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi uJehova ngeke asithethelele uma nathi singabathetheleli abafowethu lapho kunesizathu esizwakayo sokwenza kanjalo. Ngempela, lesi yisifundo okufanele sicabangisise ngaso! Sisuke sivikela futhi sigcina ubunye bethu obuyigugu lapho sithethelela abanye njengoba uJesu asifundisa.

13. Ukuba abenzi bokuthula kubuthuthukisa kanjani ubunye?

¹³ Lapho sithethelela abanye, sibonisa  ukuthi singabenzi bokuthula. Khumbula isiyalo somphostoli uPawulu esithi kufanele ‘sizame ngenkuthalo ukugcina ubunye bomoya esibophweni esihlanganisayo sokuthula.’ (Efe. 4:3) Phakathi nenkathi yeSikhumbuzo, ikakhulukazi ngobusuku baso, cabangisisa ngokujulile ngendlela obaphatha ngayo abanye. Zibuze: ‘Ingabe kuyabonakala kwabanye ukuthi angibambi amagqubu? Ingabe ngaziwa njengomuntu ozikhandlayo ukuze enze ukuthula?’ Lena yimibuzo ebalulekile okufanele sicabange ngayo kule nkathi yonyaka.

14. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi ‘sibekezelelana ngothando’?

¹⁴ Indlela yesine yokuthuthukisa ukuthula ukubonisa uthando njengoJehova, uNkulunkulu oluthando. (1 Joh. 4:8) Asifuni nanini ukuthi sithi mayelana nesikholwa nabo, “Kungase kudingeke ngibathande abafowethu ngoba ngikholwa nabo kodwa bayangicika”! Ukucabanga ngale ndlela kuphambene nesiyalo sikaPawulu sokuthi kufanele ‘sibekezelelane ngothando.’ (Efe. 4:2) Phawula ukuthi akazange athi kufanele ‘sibekezelelane’ nje kuphela. Wathi kufanele sikwenze “ngothando.” Kunomehluko. Emabandleni esikuwo sihlanganyela nazo zonke izinhlobo zabantu uJehova azidonsele kuye. (Joh. 6:44) Njengoba uJehova ebadonsele kuye laba bantu kusho ukuthi ubone okuthile akuthandayo kubo. Pho-ke thina sisithathaphi isibindi sokwahlulela abafowethu sithi abakufanelekeli ukuthandwa yithi? Akumelwe sigodle uthando uJehova asiyala ukuba silubonise.—1 Joh. 4:20, 21.

15. Sazi kanjani ukuthi kuyoba nesikhumbuzo sokugcina?

¹⁵ Kuyofika usuku lapho iSikhumbuzo siyokwenziwa okokugcina. Sazi kanjani? Encwadini yakhe yokuqala ephefumulelwe eya kwabaseKorinte kumaKristu agcotshiwe, uPawulu wabhala ukuthi lapho sikhumbula ukufa kukaJesu njalo ngonyaka, ‘simemezela ukufa kweNkosi, ize ifike.’ (1 Kor. 11:26) Igama elithi “ifike” lapha libhekisela esenzakalweni esifanayo ‘nokuza’ kweNdodana yomuntu uJesu akhuluma ngakho esiprofethweni sakhe esimayelana nesikhathi sokuphela. Mayelana nosizi olukhulu oluseduze, wathi: “Isibonakaliso seNdodana yomuntu [uJesu], siyobonakala ezulwini, bese zonke izizwe zomhlaba zizishaya zilila, futhi ziyobona iNdodana yomuntu iza iphezu kwamafu ezulu inamandla nenkazimulo enkulu. Iyothuma izingelosi zayo nomsindo omkhulu wecilongo, zibuthele ndawonye abakhethiweyo bayo bevela emimoyeni yomine, kusukela komunye umkhawulo wamazulu kuye komunye umkhawulo wawo.” (Math. 24:29-31) Lokhu kubuthelwa ndawonye kubhekisela esikhathini lapho amaKristu agcotshiwe asemhlabeni eyothola umvuzo wawo ezulwini. Lokhu kuyokwenzeka ngemva kokuqala kosizi olukhulu kodwa ngaphambi kokuqala kwempi ye-Armagedoni. Ngemva kwalokho, uJesu kanye nabo bonke abangu-144 000 bayokulwa namakhosi omhlaba futhi bawanqobe. (IsAm. 17:12-14) ISikhumbuzo sokugcina siyoba ngaphambi kokuba abagcotshiwe babuthelwe bonke ezulwini ngoba uJesu uyobe ‘esefikile.’

16. Kungani uzimisele ukuba khona eSikhumbuzweni kulo nyaka?

¹⁶ Kwangathi singazimisela ukuzuza ngokuba khona eSikhumbuzweni ngoMashi  31, 2018. Masicele uJehova ukuba asisize sibe nengxenye ekuthuthukiseni ubunye babantu bakhe! (Funda iHubo 133:1.) Khumbula ukuthi iSikhumbuzo esiba khona kuso kungaba esokugcina. Okwamanje, kwangathi singenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze sibe khona futhi kwangathi singabazisa ubunye esibubona eSikhumbuzweni.