1, 2. (a) Yini engase ithonye lokho esisuke sikubona? (b) Yini esingaqiniseka ngayo ngokuphathelene noMbuso kaNkulunkulu?

KUNGENZEKA ukuthi usuke wakuphawula ukuthi ofakazi bokuzibonela besenzakalo esithile bakhumbula imininingwane ngendlela ehluke kakhulu. Ngokufanayo, umuntu angase akuthole kunzima ukukhumbula ngokuthe ngqo lokho udokotela akushilo ngemva kokuhlonza isifo sakhe. Kanti kungenzeka futhi umuntu abe nenkinga yokuthola okhiye noma izibuko zakhe, zibe ziseduze. Kungenzeka ukuthi zonke lezi zimo zihlangene nalokho abacwaningi abathi kuwuhlobo oluthile lobumpumputhe—ukungayiboni into, noma ukukhohlwa okuthile ngenxa yokuthi ingqondo yakho isaphazanyiswe okunye. Kuthiwa lokhu kungenye yezindlela ubuchopho bethu obusebenza ngayo.

² Abantu abaningi namuhla bahlaselwe uhlobo olufanayo lobumpumputhe ngokuphathelene nezenzakalo zezwe. Bangase bavume ukuthi izwe lishintshe kakhulu kusukela ngo-1914, kodwa abakuboni lokho ngempela okushiwo yilezi zenzakalo. Njengabafundi beBhayibheli, siyazi ukuthi ngomqondo othile uMbuso kaNkulunkulu weza ngo-1914 lapho uJesu emiswa njengeNkosi ezulwini. Kodwa siyazi ukuthi kuningi okuhilelekile empendulweni yomthandazo othi “Umbuso wakho mawuze. Intando yakho mayenzeke nasemhlabeni, njengasezulwini.” (Math. 6:10) Ngokusobala lokho  kuhlanganisa nokuphela kwalesi simiso esibi. Intando kaNkulunkulu iyokwenzeka emhlabeni njengasezulwini kuphela lapho lesi simiso sesiphelile.

3. Ukutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu kusibeka kusiphi isimo esingcono kunabanye?

³ Ngenxa yokuthi silitadisha njalo iZwi likaNkulunkulu, siyakwazi ukubona ukuthi iziprofetho ziyagcwaliseka kwamanje. Ngokungafani nathi, iningi labantu aliboni lutho! Limatasa kakhulu nokuphila kwalo nangezinto eliziphishekelayo kangangokuthi liyabushalazela ubufakazi obucacile bokuthi uKristu ubelokhu ebusa kusukela ngo-1914 nokuthi uzoletha izahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu maduze. Nokho, ake ucabange ngalo mbuzo obhekiswe kumuntu ngamunye: Uma sekungamashumi eminyaka ukhonza uNkulunkulu, ingabe usaqaphela futhi usakhathazeka ngokushiwo izikhathi zethu njengoba kwakunjalo eminyakeni edlule? Ngisho noma usanda kuba uFakazi, yini ogxile kuyo? Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi impendulo yethu ithini, ake sibukeze izizathu ezintathu ezibalulekile ezisenza siqiniseke ukuthi iNkosi kaNkulunkulu egcotshiwe izothatha izinyathelo ezengeziwe maduze zokuqinisekisa ukuthi intando kaNkulunkulu yenziwa ngokugcwele emhlabeni.

4, 5. (a) Yini uJesu abeyenza kusukela ngo-1914? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.) (b) Ukugabavula kwamahhashi amathathu abagibeli kufanekiselani, futhi izinto ziye zenzeka ngayiphi indlela?

⁴ Ngo-1914, uJesu Kristu—ochazwe njengogibele ihhashi elimhlophe—wanikwa umqhele wakhe wasezulwini. Akapholisanga maseko waphuma eyophelelisa ukunqoba kwakhe isimiso sikaSathane esibi. (Funda isAmbulo 6:1, 2.) Isiprofetho esinemininingwane eningiliziwe esikusAmbulo isahluko 6 sanikeza isizathu sokulindela ukuba ngemva kokumiswa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu, izimo zezwe ziwohloke masinyane—impi, indlala, izifo eziwumshayabhuqe nezinye izimbangela zokufa. Lezi zenzakalo zichazwe ngokugabavula kwamahhashi amathathu abagibeli abalandela elikaJesu Kristu eduze.—IsAm. 6:3-8.

⁵ Naphezu kwezithembiso zabantu zokubambisana nokwakha ubudlelwane emhlabeni wonke, ukuthula ‘kwasuswa emhlabeni,’ njengoba nje kwakubikezelwe. IMpi Yezwe I ingabhekwa njengeyokuqala ezimpini ezaphawuleka, njengoba kufakazelwa izenzakalo zezwe zamuva. Naphezu kokuthi kwaba nentuthuko enkulu kwezomnotho nesayensi kusukela ngo-1914, ukuntuleka kokudla kuyaqhubeka kusongela ukulondeka komhlaba. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ubani ongaphika ukuthi izinhlobonhlobo zezifo eziwumshayabhuqe, izinhlekelele zemvelo nezinye ‘izifo ezibulalayo’ ziyaqhubeka zibulala izigidi zabantu unyaka ngamunye? Lezi zenzakalo bezilokhu zisakazeka, zivama futhi zigadla ngamandla ngendlela engakaze ibonwe emlandweni. Ingabe uyakunaka okushiwo yilezi zenzakalo?

6. Obani abaye banaka ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho seBhayibheli, futhi lokhu kubaholele ukuba benzeni?

⁶ Abantu abaningi baphazamiseka lapho kugqashuka iMpi Yezwe I nomkhuhlane waseSpain. Noma kunjalo, amaKristu agcotshiwe ayewubheke ngabomvu unyaka ka-1914 njengosho ukuphela kweZikhathi Zabezizwe, noma “izikhathi ezimisiwe zezizwe.” (Luka 21:24) Ayengaqiniseki ngokuphelele ngalokho okwakuzokwenzeka. Noma kunjalo, ayazi ukuthi u-1914 wawuzoletha ushintsho olukhulu ngokuphathelene nokubusa kukaNkulunkulu. Kwathi nje lapho eqonda ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho seBhayibheli, abe esememezela ngesibindi kwabanye ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uqalile ukubusa. Imizamo yawo yokumemezela lo Mbuso yaletha ushushiso olunzima. Iqiniso lokuthi lokhu kwenzeka ezizweni eziningi nalo laba ubufakazi obengeziwe bokugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho. Emashumini eminyaka alandela, izitha zoMbuso zaphendukela ‘ekubiyeleni inkathazo ngesinqumo somthetho.’  Zaphendukela nasebudloveni, ekubopheni abafowethu ngisho nasekubabulaleni ngokubalengisa, ukubadubula noma ukubanquma amakhanda.—IHu. 94:20; IsAm. 12:15.

7. Kungani iningi labantu lingakuqondi lokho okushiwo izenzakalo zezwe ngempela?

⁷ Njengoba bubuningi kangaka ubufakazi obubonisa ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu usumisiwe ezulwini, kungani iningi labantu lingakwamukeli okushiwo yilokhu? Kungani lingakwazi ukuhlanganisa izimo zezwe neziprofetho zeBhayibheli eziqondile osekuyisikhathi eside abantu bakaNkulunkulu bezimemezela? Kungenzeka yini ukuthi abantu abaningi bagxila kuphela kulokho abakubona ngamehlo abo? (2 Kor. 5:7) Ingabe ukuba matasa kwabo ngezindaba zansuku zonke kubavala amehlo bangakuboni lokho uNkulunkulu akwenzayo? (Math. 24:37-39) Ingabe abanye babo baphazanyiswa umsindo wenkulumo-ze kaSathane? (2 Kor. 4:4) Kudinga ukholo nokuqonda okungokomoya ukubona lokho okwenzekayo endaweni yomoya. Yeka ukuthi sijabula kanjani ngokuthi amehlo ethu awavalekile ukuba sibone ukuthi kwenzekani ngempela!

8-10. (a) Eyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:1-5 iye yagcwaliseka kanjani? (b) Kungani singase sithi ububi buqhubeka buba bubi nakakhulu?

⁸ Kunesizathu sesibili esenza sazi ukuthi sekuseduze ukuba uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uzithathe ngokuphelele izintambo zokubusa umhlaba: Ububi emphakathini buba bubi nakakhulu. Sekuyiminyaka ecishe ibe ikhulu izimo ezibikezelwe kweyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:1-5 zilokhu zibonakala. Empeleni bezilokhu zisakazeka emazweni amaningi kakhulu, zivama futhi zithatha isikhathi eside. Awuboni yini ukuthi ukugcwaliseka kwalesi siprofetho kuye kwakhula kakhulu? Ake sihlole izibonelo ezimbalwa ezikucacisa kahle lokhu.—Funda eyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:1, 13.

⁹ Cabanga ngomahluko okhona phakathi kwalokho okwakubhekwa njengokushaqisayo ngawo-1940 noma ngawo-1950 nalokho okwenzekayo namuhla emsebenzini, kwezokuzijabulisa, emidlalweni nakwezemfashini. Ubudlova nokuziphatha okubi ngokwedlulele sekuyinsakavukela. Abantu sebencintisana ngokuthi ubani ozoba nobudlova ngokwengeziwe, ozokwenza amanyala anyantisayo noma ozoba nesihluku ukudlula bonke abanye. Izinhlelo zethelevishini ezazibhekwa njengezingamukeleki  ngawo-1950 manje zibhekwa njengezilungele wonke umuntu ekhaya. Futhi abaningi bayaqaphela ukuthi ongqingili baneqhaza elikhulu emikhakheni yezokuzijabulisa nezemfashini, bekhuthaza indlela yabo yokuphila obala. Yeka ukuthi sibonga kanjani ngokwazi umbono kaNkulunkulu!—Funda uJude 14, 15.

¹⁰ UmKristu angase acabange nangalokho okwakubhekwa njengokuvukela kwentsha ngawo-1950 akuqhathanise nalokho okwenzekayo namuhla. Abazali babevame ukukhathazeka, futhi kufanele, ngokuthi hleze izingane zabo seziyabhema, ziyaphuza noma zidansa ngendlela evusa inkanuko. Namuhla sekuvame kakhulu imibiko eshaqisayo: Umfundi oneminyaka engu-15 uvulele ngenhlamvu kwafunda nabo, wabulala ababili kwalimala abangu-13. Iqembu lentsha edakiwe libulale intombazanyana eneminyaka engu-9 lashaya uyise nengane eyisihlobo. Kuthiwa ezweni elithile lase-Asia, ingxenye yamacala enziwe eminyakeni eyishumi esanda kudlula enziwa yintsha. Ukhona yini ongaphika ukuthi izinto sezizimbi kakhulu?

11. Kungani abantu abaningi bengaqapheli ukuthi izinto ziya ziba zimbi nakakhulu?

¹¹ Umphostoli uPetru wabikezela ngokunembile: “Ezinsukwini zokugcina kuyofika abahleki bosulu nokuhleka kwabo usulu, beqhubeka ngokwezifiso zabo siqu bethi: ‘Kuphi lokhu kuba khona kwakhe okuthenjisiwe? Phela, kusukela osukwini okhokho bethu abalala ngalo, zonke izinto ziqhubeka ngokufana ncamashí nasekuqaleni kwendalo.’” (2 Pet. 3:3, 4) Kungachazwa kanjani ukwenza kwabanye abantu ngale ndlela? Kubonakala sengathi lapho isimo siya sijwayeleka, abantu ababe besasinaka. Ukuwohloka okuqhubekayo ekuziphatheni komphakathi usuwonke kungase kubonakale kungethusi ngendlela ukushintsha kokuziphatha okungalindelekile komngane oseduze okungasethusa ngayo. Noma kunjalo lokhu kuwohloka kokuziphatha okwenzeka kancane kancane kuyingozi.

12, 13. (a) Kungani kungadingeki ukuba izenzakalo zezwe zisidikibalise? (b) Ukuqaphela ini okuyosisiza ukuba sibhekane ngokuphumelelayo nezimo “okunzima ukubhekana nazo”?

¹² Umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa ngokuthi “ezinsukwini zokugcina,” ‘kuyoba nzima ukubhekana’ nezimo. (2 Thim. 3:1) Kodwa akusho ukuthi akunakwenzeka ukubhekana nazo, ngakho akumelwe silibalekele lelo qiniso. Ngosizo lukaJehova, umoya wakhe nebandla lobuKristu, singabhekana ngokuphumelelayo nanoma ikuphi ukudumazeka nezimo ezesabisayo esihlangabezana nazo. Singaqhubeka sithembekile. “Amandla angaphezu kwavamile” esincike kuwo akuwona awethu, kodwa ngakaNkulunkulu.—2 Kor. 4:7-10.

¹³ Kuhle ukuphawula ukuthi uPawulu waqala isiprofetho esiphathelene nezinsuku zokugcina ngamazwi athi, “yazi lokhu.” Lawo mazwi ayisiqinisekiso sokuthi lokho okuzoshiwo ngokulandelayo kuzokwenzeka nakanjani. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi umphakathi ongamesabi uNkulunkulu uyoqhubekela kokubi nakakhulu kuze kube yilapho uJehova engenela ukuba awuqede. Izazimlando ziye zabhala ngezindawo ezithile lapho umphakathi noma isizwe esiye sabhekana khona nokuwohloka kokuziphatha sabe sesiwa. Nokho, kuyaqala emlandweni ukuba isimilo emhlabeni wonke siwohloke kuze kufinyelele eqophelweni esesikulo namuhla. Abantu abaningi bangase bakushaye indiva okushiwo yilokhu, kodwa lesi senzakalo esiyingqayizivele esaqala ngo-1914 kufanele sisibonise ngokucacile ukuthi singaba nethemba lokuthi maduze uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uzothatha isinyathelo esiwujuqu.

14-16. Yisiphi isizathu sesithathu esenza sikholelwe ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ‘uzofika’ ngokushesha?

¹⁴ Kunesinye isizathu sesithathu esenza siqiniseke. Lokho okuye kwenzeka phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu kubonisa ukuthi ukuphela kuseduze. Ngokwesibonelo, ngaphambi kokumiswa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu  ezulwini, kuneqembu labagcotshiweyo abathembekile ababekhonza uNkulunkulu ngenkuthalo. Yini abayenza lapho ezinye zezinto ababelindele ukuba zenzeke ngo-1914 zingenzeki? Abaningi kubo babonisa ubuqotho ngaphansi kovivinyo noshushiso futhi baqhubeka bekhonza uJehova. Njengoba iminyaka ihamba, abaningi kubo—uma kungebona bonke—baye bayiqeda ngokwethembeka inkambo yabo yasemhlabeni.

¹⁵ Esiprofethweni sakhe esiningiliziwe esiphathelene nokuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto, uJesu wathi: “Lesi sizukulwane asisoze sadlula zingakenzeki zonke lezi zinto.” (Funda uMathewu 24:33-35.) Siqonda ukuthi lapho uJesu ekhuluma ‘ngalesi sizukulwane,’ wayebhekisela emaqenjini amabili amaKristu agcotshiwe. Elokuqala lalikhona ngo-1914, futhi lasheshe lasibona isibonakaliso sokuba khona kukaKristu ngalowo nyaka. Akukhona nje ukuthi abakha leli qembu babephila ngo-1914, kodwa ngalowo nyaka noma ngaphambi kwawo base begcotshiwe ngomoya njengamadodana kaNkulunkulu.—Roma 8:14-17.

¹⁶ Iqembu lesibili elihlanganisiwe ‘kulesi sizukulwane,’ elabagcotshiweyo abaye baphila neqembu lokuqala. Akukhona nje ukuthi babephila phakathi nesikhathi sokuphila salabo abaseqenjini lokuqala, kodwa bagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele phakathi nesikhathi lapho abeqembu lokuqala besaphila emhlabeni. Ngakho akubona bonke abagcotshiwe namuhla abahlanganisiwe ‘kulesi sizukulwane’ uJesu akhuluma ngaso. Namuhla, labo abaseqenjini lesibili kwabona bayakhula ngeminyaka. Nokho, amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 24:34 asinikeza ithemba lokuthi okungenani abanye ‘kulesi sizukulwane abasoze badlula’ bengakakuboni ukuqala kosizi olukhulu. Lokhu kumelwe kusenze siqiniseke nakakhulu ukuthi sekusele isikhathi esincane kakhulu ngaphambi kokuba iNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ithathe isinyathelo sokubhubhisa ababi futhi ilethe izwe elisha elinokulunga.—2 Pet. 3:13.

17. Ubufakazi obuthathu esixoxe ngabo busenza siphethe ngani?

¹⁷ Ubufakazi obuthathu esesixoxe ngabo busenza siphethe ngani? UJesu waxwayisa ngokuthi asisoze salazi usuku noma ihora ngokuqondile—futhi asilazi. (Math. 24:36; 25:13) Kodwa singayazi futhi siyayazi “inkathi,” njengoba uPawulu asho. (Funda amaRoma 13:11.) Siphila kuleyo nkathi, izinsuku zokugcina. Uma sisinakisisa isiprofetho seBhayibheli nalokho uJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu abakwenzayo, ngeke sehluleke ukubona ubufakazi obucacile bokuthi ngempela siphila eduze nesiphelo salesi simiso sezinto.

18. Yini elindele labo abenqaba ukuqaphela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu?

¹⁸ Labo abenqabayo ukuqaphela igunya elikhulu elinikezwe uJesu Kristu, uMgibeli onqobayo wehhashi elimhlophe, maduze bazophoqeleka ukuba bavume iphutha abalenzayo. Ngeke baphunyuke. Ngaleso sikhathi, abaningi bayokhamuluka ngenxa yokwesaba: “Ubani okwaziyo ukuma na?” (IsAm. 6:15-17) Nokho, sona kanye isahluko esilandelayo encwadini yesAmbulo sinikeza impendulo. Abagcotshiweyo nalabo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni ngokuqinisekile ‘bayokuma’ ngalolo suku ngoba bemukelwa uNkulunkulu. Ngemva kwalokho “isixuku esikhulu” sezinye izimvu siyosinda osizini olukhulu.—IsAm. 7:9, 13-15.

19. Njengoba ubona, uvuma futhi usabela kahle ebufakazini obucacile bokuthi izinsuku zokugcina zizophela maduzane, yini oyilangazelelayo?

¹⁹ Uma sigxila ekugcwalisekeni kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli kulezi zikhathi ezivusa amadlingozi, ngeke siphazanyiswe umsindo wezwe likaSathane; futhi ngeke singakuboni lokho ngempela okushiwo yilezi zenzakalo. Maduzane uKristu uzophelelisa ukunqoba kwakhe umphakathi wabantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu empini yokugcina yokulunga. (IsAm. 19:11, 19-21) Cabanga ngalokho iBhayibheli elisiqinisekisa ngokuthi siyokuthola bese sikujabulela!—IsAm. 20:1-3, 6; 21:3, 4.