1-2. Yisiphi isizathu sokuqala esisenza sifune ukwazi ngencwadi yesAmbulo?

 WAKE wacelwa ukuba ubuke i-albhamu yezithombe yomunye umuntu? Njengoba ubuka lezi zithombe, ubona abantu abaningi ongabazi. Kodwa kunesithombe esisodwa esikudonsayo. Kungani? Kungoba nawe ukhona kulesi sithombe. Njengoba usibuka, uzama ukukhumbula ukuthi konje sashuthwa nini futhi kuphi. Uzama nokubona ukuthi obani abanye abakulesi sithombe. Lesi sithombe sibaluleke kakhulu kuwe.

² Incwadi yesAmbulo ifana naleso sithombe. Kanjani? Okungenani ngenxa yezizathu ezimbili. Esokuqala, le ncwadi yeBhayibheli yabhalelwa thina. Evesini lokuqala nje siyafunda: “Isambulo sikaJesu Kristu, asinikwa uNkulunkulu, ukuze abonise izinceku zakhe izinto okumelwe zenzeke maduzane.” (IsAm. 1:1) Ngakho, okubhalwe kule ncwadi akukona okukawonk’ uwonke, kodwa okwethu thina zinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezizinikezele. Njengabantu bakaNkulunkulu, akufanele simangale uma sithola ukuthi nathi sinengxenye ekugcwalisekeni kweziprofetho ezikule ncwadi emnandi. Ngamanye amazwi, sikhona nathi kulesi “sithombe.”

3-4. Ngokwencwadi yesAmbulo, zaziyogcwaliseka nini iziprofetho zayo, futhi kufanele zimthinte kanjani umuntu ngamunye?

³ Isizathu sesibili sihilela isikhathi okuzogcwaliseka ngaso lezi ziprofetho. Umphostoli uJohane osekhulile wabonisa ukuthi sasiyoba nini leso sikhathi lapho ethi: “Ngokuphefumulelwa ngaba sosukwini lweNkosi.” (IsAm. 1:10) Ngesikhathi uJohane ebhala lawo mazwi cishe ngo-96 C.E., ‘usuku lweNkosi’ lwalusekude. (Math. 25:14, 19; Luka 19:12) Kodwa ngokwesiprofetho  seBhayibheli, lolo suku lwaqala ngo-1914 lapho uJesu eba inkosi ezulwini. Kusukela ngalowo nyaka, iziprofetho zesAmbulo ezihilela abantu bakaNkulunkulu zaqala ukugcwaliseka. Yebo, manje siphila “osukwini lweNkosi”!

⁴ Ngenxa yokuthi siphila kulesi sikhathi esivusa amadlingozi, yithina okudingeka sisinake ngokukhethekile iseluleko sothando esisencwadini yesAmbulo 1:3: “Uyajabula lowo ofunda ngokuzwakalayo, nalabo abezwa amazwi alesi siprofetho futhi abagcina izinto ezilotshwe kuso, ngoba isikhathi esibekiwe siseduze.” Ngempela, kudingeka ‘siwafunde ngokuzwakalayo amazwi alesi siprofetho, siwezwe futhi siwagcine.’ Yimaphi amanye ala mazwi okudingeka siwagcine?

5. Incwadi yesAmbulo isigcizelela kanjani isidingo sokuqiniseka ukuthi indlela esikhonza ngayo uJehova iyamukeleka?

⁵ Kusukela esahlukweni sokuqala sesAmbulo, sifunda ukuthi uJesu ukubona ngokucacile okwenzeka emabandleni abantu bakhe. (IsAm. 1:12-16, 20; 2:1) Wakubonisa lokho emiyalezweni ayithumela emabandleni ayisikhombisa ase-Asia Minor. Kuleyo miyalezo, wakhipha iziqondiso ezazizosiza amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala aqiniseke ngokuthi akhonza uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, okushiwo yileyo miyalezo kuyasebenza kubo bonke abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla. Sifundani kulokhu? UMholi wethu, uKristu Jesu, usazi kahle isimo sethu esingokomoya. Singaphansi kwesivikelo sakhe; ayikho into angayiboni. Uyazi ukuthi yini okudingeka siyenze ukuze uJehova aqhubeke esamukela. Yisiphi isiqondiso asikhipha okudingeka sisigcine namuhla?

6. (a) Njengoba kuboniswe encwadini yesAmbulo 2:3, 4, iyiphi inkinga eyinhloko eyembulwa emyalezweni kaJesu oya ebandleni lase-Efesu? (b) Yisiphi isifundo esisifunda kulokhu?

⁶ Funda isAmbulo 2:3, 4. Akumelwe siphelelwe uthando esasinalo ekuqaleni ngoJehova. Umyalezo kaJesu owawuya ebandleni lase-Efesu wawubonisa ukuthi lalikhuthazelile futhi laqhubeka likhonza uJehova naphezu kwezinselele ezihlukahlukene. Noma kunjalo, lwase luphelile uthando elalinalo ekuqaleni. Kwakudingeka luluvuselele lolo thando​—ngaphandle kwalokho, indlela elalikhonza ngayo yayingeke yamukeleke. Ngendlela efanayo nanamuhla, kudingeka senze okungaphezu kokukhuthazela. Kudingeka sibe nezizathu ezinhle zokukhuthazela. UNkulunkulu wethu akathandi ukubona lokho esikwenzayo kuphela, kodwa uthanda nokubona ukuthi kungani sikwenza. Izisusa zethu zibalulekile kuye ngoba ulindele ukuba indlela esimkhonza ngayo isekelwe othandweni olujulile ngaye nasekumaziseni.​—IzAga 16:2; Marku 12:29, 30.

7. (a) Njengoba kuboniswe encwadini yesAmbulo 3:1-3, iyiphi inkinga uJesu ayibona ebandleni laseSardesi? (b) Yini okudingeka siyenze?

⁷ Funda isAmbulo 3:1-3. Kumelwe sihlale siphapheme futhi siqaphile. Amalungu ebandla laseSardesi ayenenkinga ehlukile. Nakuba ayekade ekhuthele ngokomoya esikhathini esingaphambili, ayengasayinakile inkonzo ayeyenzela uNkulunkulu. Ngakho, uJesu wawatshela ukuba ‘avuke.’ Yisiphi isixwayiso esisitholayo? Yiqiniso, uJehova ngeke awukhohlwe umsebenzi wethu. (Heb. 6:10) Noma kunjalo, ngeke sibambelele nje kuphela kulokho esakwenza enkonzweni kaJehova esikhathini esidlule. Nakuba kungenzeka asisakwazi ukwenza lokho esasinamandla okukwenza ngaphambili, kudingeka sihlale  simatasa “emsebenzini weNkosi,” sihlale siphapheme futhi siqaphile kuze kube sekupheleni.​—1 Kor. 15:58; Math. 24:13; Marku 13:33.

8. Yisiphi isifundo esisifunda emazwini ayeqondiswe kubazalwane baseLawodikeya njengoba ebhalwe encwadini yesAmbulo 3:15-17?

⁸ Funda isAmbulo 3:15-17. Kumelwe sishiseke futhi sikhonze uJehova ngenhliziyo ephelele. Umyalezo kaJesu kwabaseLawodikeya waveza enye inkinga ehlukile. ‘Babentukuntuku’ endleleni ababekhonza ngayo uJehova. Ngenxa yokungabi nandaba kwabo, uJesu wabatshela ukuthi ‘babengabosizi, bedabukisa.’ Kwakudingeka babonise intshiseko ngoJehova nangendlela ababemkhonza ngayo. (IsAm. 3:19) Sifundani kulokhu? Uma intshiseko yethu iye yancipha, kumelwe sivuselele ukwazisa kwethu ingcebo engokomoya esinayo. (IsAm. 3:18) Asifuni neze ukuvumela ukuphishekela ukuphila okuntofontofo kusiphazamise, kusenze sizibeke endaweni yesibili izinto ezingokomoya.

9. Njengoba kuboniswe emiyalezweni kaJesu eya kumaKristu asePhergamu nawaseThiyathira, iyiphi ingozi okudingeka siyigweme?

⁹ Kumelwe sizenqabe izimfundiso zezihlubuki. UJesu wabasola abasePhergamu ababekhuthaza ukuhlukana nokuba khona kwamaqembu enkolo. (IsAm. 2:14-16) Wabancoma abaseThiyathira ababengazihlanganisanga ‘nezinto ezijulile zikaSathane,’ wabakhuthaza ukuba ‘babambelele ngokuqinile’ eqinisweni. (IsAm. 2:24-26) AmaKristu angavuthiwe ayeyengwe izimfundiso zamanga, kwadingeka aphenduke. Kuthiwani ngathi namuhla? Kumelwe senqabe noma iyiphi imfundiso emelene nokucabanga kukaJehova. Izihlubuki zingase ‘zibonakale zizinikele kuNkulunkulu,’ kodwa zibe ziwaphika “amandla alokho kuzinikela.” (2 Thim. 3:5) Kulula ukubona nokwenqaba izimfundiso zamanga uma singabafundi abakhuthele beZwi likaNkulunkulu.​—2 Thim. 3:14-17; Jude 3, 4.

10. Yisiphi esinye isifundo esisifunda kulokho uJesu akusho ebandleni lasePhergamu nelaseThiyathira?

¹⁰ Akumelwe sihlanganyele kunoma yiluphi uhlobo lokuziphatha okubi, sikubekezelele noma sikukhuthaze. Kwakukhona nenye futhi inkinga ePhergamu naseThiyathira. UJesu wabalahla abanye kulawo mabandla ngoba bengakwenqabanga ukuziphatha okubi. (IsAm. 2:14, 20) Sifundani kulokhu? Asinakulindela ukuba uJehova ashalazelele noma yikuphi ukuziphatha kwethu okubi  ngisho noma sesimkhonze iminyaka eminingi futhi sijabulela amalungelo amaningi manje. (1 Sam. 15:22; 1 Pet. 2:16) Ulindele ukuba sinamathele emithethweni yakhe yokuziphatha ephakeme kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sesiwohloke kangakanani isimilo ezweni.​—Efe. 6:11-13.

11. Yini esiyifundile kuze kube manje? (Bheka nebhokisi elithi “ Izifundo Esizitholayo Namuhla.”)

¹¹ Singakufingqa kanjani esikufundile kuze kube manje? Sibonile ukuthi kudingeka siqiniseke ukuthi indlela esikhonza ngayo uJehova iyamukeleka. Uma kukhona esikwenzayo okungenza indlela esikhonza ngayo uJehova ingamukeleki, kudingeka sithathe isinyathelo ngokushesha ukuze silungise izinto. (IsAm. 2:5, 16; 3:3, 16) Nokho, kunokunye uJesu akugcizelela emiyalezweni yakhe eya emabandleni. Kuyini?

12. Yini uJesu ayisho kubazalwane baseSmirna nabaseFiladelfiya, futhi sifundani kuyo namuhla? (IsAmbulo 2:10)

¹² Manje ake sixoxe ngemiyalezo kaJesu eya ebandleni laseSmirna nelaseFiladelfiya. Watshela amaKristu akulawo mabandla ukuthi angalwesabi ushushiso ngoba ayezothola umvuzo ngenxa yokwethembeka kwawo. (Funda isAmbulo 2:10; 3:10) Yini esiyifundayo thina namuhla? Kumelwe silulindele ushushiso futhi sizimisele ukulukhuthazelela. (Math. 24:9, 13; 2 Kor. 12:10) Kungani sibalulekile lesi sikhumbuzo?

13-14. Izenzakalo ezichazwe encwadini yesAmbulo isahluko 12 zibathinte kanjani abantu bakaNkulunkulu?

¹³ Incwadi yesAmbulo isitshela ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bayoshushiswa osukwini lwethu​—‘usuku lweNkosi.’ IsAmbulo isahluko 12 sithi ngemva nje kokuzalwa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu kugqashuka impi ezulwini. UMikayeli​—okunguJesu Kristu okhazinyulisiwe—​nezingelosi zakhe balwa noSathane namademoni. (IsAm. 12:7, 8) Ngenxa yalokho, lezo zitha zikaNkulunkulu ziyanqotshwa, ziphonswe phansi emhlabeni, zibangele olukhulu usizi emhlabeni nakubantu. (IsAm. 12:9, 12) Lokhu kubathinta kanjani abantu bakaNkulunkulu?

¹⁴ IsAmbulo sibe sesisitshela lokho okwenziwa uSathane. Akasenandawo ezulwini, ngakho uthukuthelele abagcotshiwe abasele, abangabameleli basemhlabeni boMbuso kaNkulunkulu “nabanomsebenzi wokufakaza ngoJesu.” (IsAm. 12:17; 2 Kor. 5:20; Efe. 6:19, 20) Sigcwaliseke kanjani lesi siprofetho?

15. Bamelela bani ‘ofakazi ababili’ okukhulunywa ngabo encwadini yesAmbulo isahluko 11, futhi kwenzekani kubo?

¹⁵ USathane wabangela ukuba kuhlaselwe abazalwane abagcotshiwe ababehola  emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso. Abavelele kubo ‘babengofakazi ababili’ abangokomfanekiso okuthiwa babulawa. * (IsAm. 11:3, 7-11) Ngo-1918, abazalwane abaholayo abangu-8 bamangalelwa ngamacala amanga, ngamunye wagwetshwa isikhathi eside ayezosibhadla ejele. Ngokombono womuntu, kwakubukeka sengathi umsebenzi walaba abagcotshiwe wawusumisiwe.

16. Yini engalindelekile eyenzeka ngo-1919, kodwa yini uSathane aye aqhubeka eyenza kusukela ngaleso sikhathi?

¹⁶ Isiprofetho esisencwadini yesAmbulo isahluko 11 sabonisa nokuthi ‘lab’ ofakazi ababili’ babeyovuswa ngemva kwesikhashana. Ekugcwalisekeni kwalesi siprofetho, kwenzeka into emangalisayo ngemva konyaka beboshiwe. Ekuqaleni kuka-1919, labo bazalwane abagcotshiwe bakhululwa ejele, kamuva amacala abo esulwa. Babuyela ngokushesha emsebenzini​—umsebenzi wokushumayela nokufundisa ngoMbuso. Kodwa lokho akuzange kumvimbe uSathane ukuba ahlasele abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, uye wabangela ukuba bonke abantu bakaNkulunkulu bathole ushushiso ‘olunjengomfula.’ (IsAm. 12:15) Yingakho ngamunye kithi edinga “ukukhuthazela nokholo.”​—IsAm. 13:10.

17. Yiluphi usizo olungalindelekile olutholwe abantu bakaNkulunkulu nakuba uSathane ebelokhu enabo shaqa?

¹⁷ IsAmbulo isahluko 12 sibe sesibonisa ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu babeyothola usizo endaweni engalindelekile. Kwakuyoba njengokungathi “umhlaba” ugwinye ushushiso ‘olunjengomfula.’ (IsAm. 12:16) Yilokho kanye okwenzeka. Ngezinye izikhathi, izinhlangano ezinganyakaziseki kalula zezwe likaSathane, njengezinkantolo ezithile, ziye zabasiza abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Izinceku zikaJehova ziye zanqoba kaningi emacaleni ezazibekwe wona, zathola inkululeko ethe xaxa. Ziyisebenzise kanjani leyo nkululeko? Ziwasebenzise ngokugcwele lawo mathuba ukuze zenze umsebenzi eziwunikezwe uJehova. (1 Kor. 16:9) Uhlanganisani lo msebenzi?

18. Yimuphi umsebenzi wethu oyinhloko kulezi zinsuku zokugcina?

¹⁸ UJesu waprofetha ukuthi abantu bakhe babeyomemezela “izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso  [kaNkulunkulu]” emhlabeni ngaphambi kokuba ukuphela kufike. (Math. 24:14) Lapho benza kanjalo, basizwa yingelosi, noma iqembu lezingelosi, echazwe ngokuthi “inezindaba ezinhle zaphakade ukuba izimemezele kwabahlala emhlabeni, kuzo zonke izizwe nezinhlanga nezilimi nabantu.”​—IsAm. 14:6.

19. Yimuphi omunye umyalezo okumelwe bawumemezele labo abathanda uJehova?

¹⁹ Akuzona izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kuphela abantu bakaNkulunkulu okudingeka bazimemezele. Kudingeka basekele nomsebenzi wezingelosi ochazwe encwadini yesAmbulo izahluko 8 kuya ku-10. Lezi zingelosi zimemezela omaye abalandelanayo abayokwehlela abantu abenqaba uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho, oFakazi BakaJehova bebelokhu bememezela umyalezo oyisahlulelo ofaniswe ‘nesichotho nomlilo,’ ochaza izahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu ezizotholwa izingxenye ezihlukahlukene zezwe likaSathane elonakele. (IsAm. 8:7, 13) Abantu kudingeka bazi ukuthi ukuphela sekuseduze ukuze benze izinguquko ezinkulu ekuphileni kwabo, basinde ngosuku lwentukuthelo kaJehova. (Zef. 2:2, 3) Kodwa abantu abaningi abawuthandi lo myalezo. Ukuwumemezela kudinga sibe nesibindi. Phakathi nosizi olukhulu, umyalezo wesahlulelo sokugcina uyotinyela nakakhulu.​—IsAm. 16:21.

20. Sizoxoxa ngani ezihlokweni ezimbili ezilandelayo?

²⁰ Kuyadingeka ngempela ukuba siwagcine “amazwi alesi siprofetho” ngoba nathi siyathinteka ekugcwalisekeni kwalokho esikufunda encwadini yesAmbulo. (IsAm. 1:3) Kodwa singakukhuthazelela kanjani ngokwethembeka ukushushiswa, siqhubeke senza ingxenye yethu ekumemezeleni le miyalezo? Zimbili izinto ezizosinika amandla: eyokuqala, yilokho incwadi yesAmbulo ekwembulayo ngezitha zikaNkulunkulu, eyesibili, yizibusiso esiyozithola esikhathini esizayo uma sihlala sithembekile. Sizoxoxa ngalokho ezihlokweni ezimbili ezilandelayo.