1. Kwakunjani ukuphila kukamphostoli uJohane ngawo-95 C.E.?

NGAWO-95 C.E., umphostoli uJohane wayesesimweni esicindezelayo. Wayesemdala, eboshiwe esiqhingini sasePhatmose futhi cishe kunguyena yedwa umphostoli owayesaphila. (IsAm. 1:9) Wayazi ukuthi abaphikisi badukisa amabandla futhi babangela ukwahlukana. Kwakubonakala sengathi ilangabi elilokozayo lebandla lobuKristu lase lizocishwa ngokuphelele.—Jude 4; IsAm. 2:15, 20; 3:1, 17.

2. NgokwesAmbulo 7:9-14, imuphi umbono oyisiprofetho ojabulisayo uJohane awuthola? (Bheka isithombe esisesembozweni.)

² Phakathi nalesi sikhathi esibucayi, uJohane wathola umbono oyisiprofetho ojabulisayo. Kuwo, izingelosi zitshelwa ukuba zibambe imimoya ebhubhisayo yosizi olukhulu lize libekwe uphawu lokugcina iqembu lezinceku zikaNkulunkulu. (IsAm. 7:1-3) Lelo qembu lakhiwa abangu-144 000 abayobusa noJesu ezulwini. (Luka 12:32; IsAm. 7:4) UJohane ube esekhuluma ngelinye iqembu elikhulu kangangokuba uyababaza: “Bheka!”—okuyigama ongalisebenzisa lapho ubona okuthile okukumangazayo. Ubonani uJohane? “Isixuku esikhulu, okungekho muntu owakwazi ukusibala, siphuma kuzo zonke izizwe nezinhlanga nabantu nezilimi, simi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi naphambi kweWundlu.” (Funda isAmbulo 7:9-14.) Cabanga indlela ajabula ngayo lapho ethola ukuthi esikhathini esizayo kuyoba nesixuku sabantu abayokhulekela uNkulunkulu ngendlela ayifunayo!

3. (a) Kungani umbono kaJohane kufanele uluqinise ukholo lwethu? (b) Sizofunda ngani kulesi sihloko?

³ Akungabazeki ukuthi lowo mbono waluqinisa ukholo lukaJohane. Kufanele uluqinise nakakhulu olwethu ukholo, njengoba siphila esikhathini okugcwaliseka ngaso lo mbono! Siye sabona ukubuthwa kwezigidi zabantu abanethemba lokusinda osizini olukhulu nelokuphila phakade emhlabeni. Kulesi sihloko, sizofunda indlela uJehova abembulele ngayo abantu bakhe eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-80  edlule ukuthi siyini isixuku esikhulu. Sizobe sesixoxa ngezici ezimbili zalesi sixuku: (1) ukuthi sikhulu ngesibalo nokuthi (2) amalungu aso avela emazweni ahlukahlukene. La maphuzu kufanele aluqinise ukholo lwabo bonke abanethemba lokuba kulelo qembu elibusisekile.

4. Yiliphi iqiniso eliseBhayibhelini inkolo yamanga engaliqondi, futhi abaFundi BeBhayibheli babehluke kanjani ngokuqondene nalokhu?

⁴ Inkolo yamanga ayilifundisi iqiniso eliseBhayibhelini lokuthi esikhathini esizayo abantu abalalelayo bayophila phakade emhlabeni. (2 Kor. 4:3, 4) Namuhla, izinkolo eziningi ezithi zingezobuKristu zifundisa ukuthi bonke abantu abalungile baya ezulwini lapho befa. Nokho, iqembu elincane labaFundi BeBhayibheli elalinyathelisa INqabayokulinda kusukela ngo-1879 lalifundisa okuhlukile. Laliqonda ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzolibuyisela iPharadesi emhlabeni nokuthi izigidi zabantu abalalelayo zizophila la emhlabeni—hhayi ezulwini. Nokho kwathatha isikhathi ukuba liqonde ngokucacile ukuthi bangobani laba bantu abalalelayo.—Math. 6:10.

5. Yini abaFundi BeBhayibheli ababeyikholelwa ngeqembu labangu-144 000?

⁵ AbaFundi BeBhayibheli babazi nokuthi iBhayibheli lithi kunabathile ‘abazothengwa emhlabeni’ ukuze bayobusa noJesu ezulwini. (IsAm. 14:3) Lelo qembu liyokwakhiwa amaKristu ashisekayo nazinikezele angu-144 000 ayobe ekhonze uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka lapho esemhlabeni. Isixuku esikhulu sona?

6. Yini abaFundi BeBhayibheli ababeyikholelwa ngesixuku esikhulu?

⁶ Embonweni wakhe, uJohane wabona isixuku esikhulu “simi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi naphambi kweWundlu.” (IsAm. 7:9) La mazwi enza ukuba abaFundi BeBhayibheli baphethe ngokuthi isixuku esikhulu naso sizophila ezulwini, njengeqembu labangu-144 000. Uma abangu-144 000 nesixuku esikhulu bezophila ezulwini, uyini umehluko kula maqembu? AbaFundi BeBhayibheli babecabanga ukuthi isixuku esikhulu kumelwe ukuba singamaKristu abengamlaleli ngokuphelele uNkulunkulu ngesikhathi esaphila emhlabeni. Nakuba ayephila ukuphila okuhlanzekile ngokwezinga elithile, cishe amanye awo ayeyobe engazange aphume emasontweni enkolo yamanga. AbaFundi BeBhayibheli baphetha ngokuthi laba babeyobe beyibonisile intshiseko ngokwezinga elithile kodwa hhayi ngokwanele ukuba babuse noJesu. Ngenxa yokuthi uthando lwaso ngoNkulunkulu luyobe lungaqinile ngokwanele, isixuku esikhulu sizofanelekela ukuba sezulwini phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi kodwa hhayi ukuba sihlale ezihlalweni zobukhosi.

7. AbaFundi BeBhayibheli babekholelwa ukuthi obani ababeyophila emhlabeni phakathi neMinyaka Eyinkulungwane, futhi yini ababeyikholelwa ngabantu basendulo ababethembekile?

⁷ Obani-ke ababeyophila emhlabeni? AbaFundi BeBhayibheli babekholelwa ukuthi ngemva kokuba abangu-144 000 nesixuku esikhulu sebebuthelwe ezulwini, izigidi zabanye zizophila emhlabeni ukuze zithole izibusiso zokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane. Babengalindele ukuba lezo zigidi zikhonze uJehova ngaphambi kokuqala kokuBusa KukaKristu. Kunalokho, babecabanga ukuthi leli qembu lizofundiswa ngoJehova phakathi neMinyaka Eyinkulungwane. Ngemva kwalokho, labo ababeyovumelanisa ukuphila kwabo nentando kaJehova babeyobusiswa ngokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni, ababengeke balalele babhujiswe. AbaFundi BeBhayibheli babecabanga nokuthi mhlawumbe abanye ababeyokhonza “njengezikhulu” ngaleso sikhathi—kuhlanganise nezikhonzi  zasendulo (abantu ababethembekile abafa ngaphambi kukaKristu)—ngandlela thile babeyonikwa umvuzo wokuphila ezulwini ekupheleni kweMinyaka Eyinkulungwane.—IHu. 45:16.

8. Yimaphi amaqembu amathathu okwakucatshangwa ukuthi azothola izibusiso zikaNkulunkulu?

⁸ Ngakho, abaFundi BeBhayibheli babenomuzwa wokuthi kuyoba namaqembu amathathu: (1) abangu-144 000, ababeyobusa noJesu ezulwini; (2) isixuku esikhulu samaKristu angashiseki ngokwanele, esasizokuma phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi sikaJesu ezulwini; (3) nezigidi zabantu ababezofundiswa intando kaJehova emhlabeni phakathi nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane. * Nokho, ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifanele, ukukhanya kweqiniso kwaqala ukukhanya ngokwengeziwe ngokuqondene nale ndaba.—IzAga 4:18.

9. (a) Isixuku esikhulu esiyophila emhlabeni siyokuma kanjani “phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi naphambi kweWundlu”? (b) Kungani inengqondo indlela esisiqonda ngayo isAmbulo 7:9?

⁹ Ngo-1935 isixuku esikhulu esisembonweni kaJohane sachazwa ukuthi singobani. OFakazi BakaJehova babona ukuthi isixuku esikhulu akudingeki sibe sezulwini ukuze sime “phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi naphambi kweWundlu.” Kunalokho, la mazwi angokomfanekiso. Nakuba siyophila emhlabeni, isixuku esikhulu sima “phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi” ngokuqaphela igunya likaJehova nangokuzithoba ebukhosini bakhe. (Isaya 66:1) Sima “phambi kweWundlu” ngokubonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni wesihlengo sikaJesu Kristu. Ngendlela efanayo, uMathewu 25:31, 32, uthi “zonke izizwe”—kuhlanganise nabantu ababi—“ziyobuthelwa phambi” kukaJesu osesihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi esikhazimulayo. Kusobala ukuthi zonke lezi zizwe azikho ezulwini, kodwa zisemhlabeni. Lokhu kulungiswa kwendlela okwakuqondwa ngayo le ndaba kunengqondo. Kusenza siqonde ukuthi kungani iBhayibheli lingasho ukuthi isixuku esikhulu sizoyiswa ezulwini. Lilodwa kuphela iqembu elithenjiswe ukuphila okuphakade ezulwini—abangu-144 000, ‘abayobusa njengamakhosi phezu komhlaba’ noJesu.—IsAm. 5:10.

10. Kungani kudingeka isixuku esikhulu sifundiswe intando kaJehova ngaphambi kweMinyaka Eyinkulungwane?

¹⁰ Kusukela ngo-1935, oFakazi BakaJehova baye baqonda ukuthi isixuku esikhulu esabonwa uJohane embonweni siyiqembu lamaKristu athembekile anethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni. Ukuze sisinde osizini olukhulu, isixuku esikhulu kuzodingeka sifundiswe intando kaJehova ngaphambi kokuba kuqale iMinyaka Eyinkulungwane. Kuzodingeka sibonise ukholo oluqinile ukuze ‘siphumelele ekuphunyukeni kuzo zonke lezi zinto ezimiselwe ukwenzeka’ ngaphambi kokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane.—Luka 21:34-36.

11. Kungani abanye abaFundi BeBhayibheli babecabanga ukuthi kunabathile abangase bayiswe ezulwini ngemva kweMinyaka Eyinkulungwane?

¹¹ Kuthiwani ngombono wokuthi izikhonzi zasendulo ezithembekile zizoyiswa ezulwini ngemva kweMinyaka Eyinkulungwane? Lowo mbono wavela kuyi-Nqabayokulinda kaFebhuwari 15, 1913. Umuntu wayengase azibuze, ‘Kungani abantu abathembekile basendulo beyothola nje umvuzo wokuphila emhlabeni kodwa amaKristu angenalo ukholo oluqinile eyonikwa umvuzo wokuphila ezulwini?’ Lo mbono wawubangelwa  izizathu ezimbili ezinganembile: (1) ukuthi isixuku esikhulu siyophila ezulwini nokuthi (2) isixuku esikhulu siyoba amaKristu angashiseki ngokwanele.

12-13. Yini abagcotshiwe nesixuku esikhulu abayaziyo ngomvuzo wabo?

¹² Nokho, njengoba sibonile, kusukela ngo-1935, oFakazi BakaJehova baye baqonda ngokucacile ukuthi labo abayosinda e-Armagedoni yibo abayisixuku esikhulu esisembonweni kaJohane. Yibo “[abayophuma] osizini olukhulu” lapha emhlabeni futhi ‘bamemeze ngezwi elikhulu, bathi: “Insindiso yethu ivela kuNkulunkulu wethu, ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi, nakulo iWundlu.”’ (IsAm. 7:10, 14) Ngaphezu kwalokho, iBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi labo abayovuselwa ezulwini bathola “okuthile okungcono” kunabantu ababethembekile basendulo. (Heb. 11:40) Ngakho ngenkuthalo abafowethu baqala ukusiza abantu bakhonze uJehova ukuze babe nethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni.

¹³ Isixuku esikhulu sijabula kakhulu ngethemba esinalo. Siyaqonda ukuthi nguJehova onqumayo ukuthi izikhonzi zakhe ezithembekile zizomkhonza zikuphi, emhlabeni noma ezulwini. AmaKristu agcotshiwe nesixuku esikhulu bayazi ukuthi umvuzo wabo bayowuthola kuphela ngenxa yomusa ongafanelwe kaJehova awubonisa ngomhlatshelo wesihlengo sikaJesu Kristu.—Roma 3:24.

14. Ngemva kuka-1935, kungani abaningi babezibuza ukuthi isiprofetho esimayelana nesixuku esikhulu siyogcwaliseka kanjani?

¹⁴ Ngemva kokulungiswa kwendlela abantu bakaJehova ababeqonda ngayo ngo-1935, abantu babesazibuza ukuthi labo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni babeyoba kanjani isixuku esikhulu ngesibalo. Ngokwesibonelo, uRonald Parkin wayeneminyaka engu-12 lapho kulungiswa indlela okwakuqondwa ngayo isixuku esikhulu. Uyakhumbula, “Ngaleso sikhathi, abamemezeli emhlabeni wonke babengu-56 000 futhi cishe iningi labo laligcotshiwe. Ngakho isixuku esikhulu sasingesikhulu.”

15. Yini eye yenziwa ukuze kuqhutshekwe kubuthwa isixuku esikhulu?

¹⁵ Nokho, emashumini eminyaka eyalandela, kwathunyelwa izithunywa zevangeli emazweni amaningi futhi inani loFakazi BakaJehova laqhubeka landa. Ngo-1968, kwasungulwa uhlelo lokutadisha iBhayibheli ngencwadi ethi IQiniso Eliholela Ekuphileni Okuphakade. Indlela elula eyayichaza ngayo iqiniso leBhayibheli yadonsela abantu abaningi  kuJehova kunanini ngaphambili. Ingakapheli iminyaka emine, kwase kubhapathizwe abafundi abasha abangaphezu kuka-500 000. Lapho iSonto LobuKatolika liqala ukuphelelwa amandla eLatin America nakwamanye amazwe futhi umsebenzi wethu usuvunyelwe eMpumalanga Yurophu nasezingxenyeni zase-Afrika, kwabhapathizwa ezinye izigidi eziningi. (Isaya 60:22) Eminyakeni yamuva, inhlangano kaJehova ikhiqize amanye amathuluzi amaningana okusiza abantu bafunde amaqiniso eBhayibheli. Akungabazeki ukuthi isixuku esikhulu—manje esesingaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-8—sesibuthiwe.

16. Sivela kuphi isixuku esikhulu esibuthwayo?

¹⁶ Ngesikhathi uJohane ebhala umbono wakhe, waveza ukuthi isixuku esikhulu sasiyovela “kuzo zonke izizwe nezinhlanga nabantu nezilimi.” Umprofethi uZakariya ekuqaleni wayebikezele isiprofetho esicishe sifane naleso. Wabhala: “Kuyothi ngalezo zinsuku amadoda ayishumi avela kuzo zonke izilimi zezizwe abambe, yebo, impela abambe umphetho wengubo yendoda engumJuda, athi: ‘Sizohamba nani, ngoba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.’”—Zak 8:23.

17. Yini eyenziwayo ukuze kusizwe abantu bazo zonke izizwe nezilimi?

 ¹⁷ OFakazi BakaJehova bayaqaphela ukuthi ukuze kubuthwe abantu bazo zonke izilimi, izindaba ezinhle kumelwe zishunyayelwe ngezilimi eziningi. Eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-130, besilokhu sihumusha izincwadi namavidiyo asiza abantu batadishe iBhayibheli, kodwa manje senza umsebenzi wokuhumusha omkhulu kunayo yonke ngezilimi eziningi. Kuyacaca ukuthi uJehova wenza isimangaliso sangosuku lwethu—ukubuthwa kwesixuku esikhulu esivela kuzo zonke izizwe. Ngenxa yokuthi iBhayibheli nezincwadi ezisekelwe kulo kutholakala ngezilimi eziningi, leli qembu likhonza uJehova ngobunye, nakuba livela kuzo zonke izizwe emhlabeni. Abantu bakaJehova baziwa kabanzi ngokushumayela ngentshiseko nangendlela abathandana ngayo. Kuqinisa ukholo ngempela lokhu!—Math. 24:14; Joh. 13:35.

18. (a) Ngokuka-Isaya 46:10, 11, kungani kungasimangazi ukuthi uJehova uye wasigcwalisa isiprofetho esimayelana nesixuku esikhulu? (b) Kungani labo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni bengazizwa belahliwe?

¹⁸ Sinezizathu zokujabula ngesiprofetho esimayelana nesixuku esikhulu! Akusimangazi ukuthi uJehova uye wagcwalisa lesi siprofetho ngendlela emangalisayo. (Funda u-Isaya 46:10, 11.) Labo besixuku esikhulu bayajabula ngethemba uJehova abanike lona. Abazizwa belahliwe ngoba nakhu bengagcotshiwe ngomoya kaNkulunkulu ukuze bayobusa noJesu ezulwini. EBhayibhelini sifunda ngabesilisa nabesifazane abathembekile ababeqondiswa umoya ongcwele; nokho abayona ingxenye yabangu-144 000. Omunye wabo uJohane uMbhapathizi. (Math. 11:11) Omunye uDavide. (IzE. 2:34) Bona nabanye abaningi bayovuswa baphile emhlabeni oyipharadesi. Bonke—kuhlanganise nabesixuku esikhulu—bayoba nethuba lokubonisa ukuthi baqotho kuJehova nasekubuseni kwakhe.

19. Ukugcwaliseka kombono kaJohane wesixuku esikhulu kubonisa kanjani ukuphuthuma kwesikhathi esiphila kuso?

¹⁹ Kuyaqala ngqa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ahlanganise izigidi zabantu ezivela kuzo zonke izizwe ukuze zimkhonze ngobunye. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinethemba lokuphila ezulwini noma emhlabeni, kudingeka sisize abantu abaningi babe ingxenye yesixuku esikhulu ‘sezinye izimvu.’ (Joh. 10:16) Maduzane, uJehova uzoletha usizi olukhulu oluzobhubhisa bonke ohulumeni nenkolo yamanga eye yahluphekisa abantu. Bonke abesixuku esikhulu banethuba elimangalisayo lokukhonza uJehova phakade emhlabeni!—IsAm. 7:14.