1. Bekunjani kuphila kwemphostoli Johane nasekuyophela likhulu lekucala?

NGASEKUPHELENI kwelikhulu lekucala, umphostoli Johane bekasesimeni lesimatima. Besekamdzala kakhulu, avalelwe esihlengeni sasePhatmose, futsi kungenteka bekunguye yedvwa umphostoli lobekasaphila. (Semb. 1:9) Johane bekati kutsi baphikisi bebakhohlisa libandla futsi bebabanga kwehlukana. Bekubonakala ngatsi ngekushesha nje atawuphela onkhe emaKhristu elicinso.—Juda 4; Semb. 2:15, 20; 3:1, 17.

2. Ngekusho kweSembulo 7:9-14, ngumuphi umbono losiphrofetho Johane lembulelwa wona? (Buka sitfombe lesisekhasini lekucala.)

² Ngesikhatsi Johane asekulesimo lesimatima, Nkulunkulu wamembulela umbono lomayelana netintfo letijabulisako lebetitawenteka esikhatsini lesitako. Kulombono, tingilosi tatjelwa kutsi tibambe imimoya yembubhiso yekuhlupheka lokukhulu kuze kube ngulapho licembu letisebenti libekwa luphawu lwekugcina. (Semb. 7:1-3) Lelicembu lakhiwa bantfu labangu-144 000 labatawubusa naJesu ezulwini. (Luk. 12:32; Semb. 7:4) Ngemuva kwaloko, Johane wakhuluma ngalelinye licembu, futsi belilikhulu kangangekutsi waze watsi: “Ngemuva kwaloko ngatsi ngiyabuka, ngabona sicumbi lesikhulu lokute muntfu lowakhona kusibala, siphuma kuto tonkhe tive, tinhlanga, bantfu, kanye netilwimi sime embikwesihlalo sebukhosi nasembikweliWundlu.” (Fundza Sembulo 7:9-14.) Kungenteka Johane wajabula kakhulu ngekwati kutsi esikhatsini lesitako bekutawuba nebantfu labanyenti lebebatawukhonta Nkulunkulu ngendlela lelungile!

3. (a) Kungani umbono waJohane kufanele ucinise kukholwa kwetfu? (b) Sitawufundza ngani kulesihloko?

³ Siyaciniseka kutsi lombono wakucinisa kukholwa kwaJohane. Lombono kufanele ukucinise kakhulu kukholwa kwetfu njengoba ukhuluma ngemalanga ekugcina lesiphila kuwo. Sikubonile kubutsiswa  ndzawonye kwetigidzigidzi tebantfu labanelitsemba lekusindza ekuhluphekeni lokukhulu futsi labatawuhlala emhlabeni kuze kube phakadze. Kulesihloko, sitawufundza ngekutsi eminyakeni lengetulu kwalengu-80 leyendlulile, Jehova wabembulela njani bantfu bakhe kutsi babobani labakha sicumbi lesikhulu. Sitawubese sifundza ngetintfo letimbili ngalesicumbi lesikhulu: (1) bukhulu baso, nekutsi (2) emalunga aso avela emhlabeni wonkhe. Letintfo titakucinisa kukholwa kwabo bonkhe labangemalunga alesicumbi lesibusisiwe.

4. Nguliphi liciniso lelisemiBhalweni Tinkholo Letitsi TebuKhristu letingalicondzi, futsi Bafundzi beliBhayibheli bebehluke njani kuto?

⁴ Tinkholo Letitsi TebuKhristu atilifundzisi liciniso lelisekelwe emiBhalweni lekutsi ngalelinye lilanga bantfu labalalelako batawuphila phakadze emhlabeni. (2 Khor. 4:3, 4) Lamuhla, Tinkholo letinyenti Letitsi TebuKhristu tifundzisa kutsi bonkhe bantfu labalungile baya ezulwini nabafa. Kodvwa bekwehlukile ngelicembu lelincane leBafundzi beliBhayibheli lebelishicilela Sicongosekulindza kusukela nga-1879. LaBafundzi bebacondza kutsi Nkulunkulu utawenta umhlaba ube liPharadisi, nekutsi tigidzigidzi tebantfu labalalelako titawuhlala lamhlabeni, hhayi ezulwini. Kepha kwatsatsa sikhatsi lesidze kutsi bacondze kutsi bekutawuba bobani labantfu labalalelako.—Mat. 6:10.

5. Yini Bafundzi beliBhayibheli labayicondza mayelana nalabangu-144 000?

⁵ Bafundzi beliBhayibheli bacondza nekutsi imiBhalo beyitsi labanye ‘bebatawutsengwa emhlabeni’ kuze bayobusa naJesu ezulwini. (Semb. 14:3) Lelo cembu belitawakhiwa ngemaKhristu langu-144 000 lakhutsele futsi latinikele, lakhonte Nkulunkulu ngekwetsembeka ngesikhatsi asesemhlabeni. Kutsiwani ngesicumbi lesikhulu?

6. Yini Bafundzi beliBhayibheli lebebayikholelwa mayelana nesicumbi lesikhulu?

⁶ Kulombono, Johane wabona lesicumbi “sime embikwesihlalo sebukhosi nasembikweliWundlu.” (Semb. 7:9) Loku kwenta Bafundzi beliBhayibheli baphetsa ngekutsi sicumbi lesikhulu naso sitawuphila ezulwini njengalabangu-144 000. Nangabe omabili lamacembu bekatawuphila ezulwini, linye licembu belitawehluka njani kulelinye? LaBafundzi beliBhayibheli bebacabanga kutsi sicumbi lesikhulu besitawakhiwa ngemaKhristu lebekangakamlaleli kahle Nkulunkulu ngesikhatsi aselamhlabeni. LaBafundzi bebatsi nanobe lamaKhristu bekatilandzela timiso teliBhayibheli tekutiphatsa, kungenteka lamanye awo bekachubeka angemalunga eTinkholo Letitsi TebuKhristu. LaBafundzi bebacabanga nekutsi lamaKhristu ayamtsandza Nkulunkulu, kodvwa lolutsandvo lwawo belungawenti akulungele kubusa naJesu. Ngenca yekutsi bebatsi lutsandvo lwawo ngaNkulunkulu belungakacini, bebacabanga kutsi sicumbi lesikhulu besingema embikwesihlalo sebukhosi ezulwini, kodvwa besingakulungeli kuhlala etihlalweni tebukhosi.

7. Bafundzi beliBhayibheli bebakholelwa kutsi bobani labatawuphila emhlabeni ngesikhatsi sekuBusa kwaKhristu, futsi yini lebebayikholelwa mayelana nemadvodza latsembekile akadzeni?

⁷ Bobani-ke labatawuhlala emhlabeni? Bafundzi beliBhayibheli bebakholelwa kutsi ngemuva kwekutsi labangu-144 000 kanye nesicumbi lesikhulu sebabutselwe kuyophila ezulwini, tigidzigidzi tebantfu betitawuvunyelwa kutsi tiphile lamhlabeni kuze titfole tibusiso ngesikhatsisekuBusa kwaKhristu Kweminyaka Leyinkhulungwane. Bafundzi beliBhayibheli bebangacabangi kutsi letigidzigidzi tebantfu betitawube tikhonte Jehova ngembikwekutsi kucale kuBusa kwaKhristu. Esikhundleni saloko, bebacabanga kutsi labantfu batawufundziswa ngaJehova ngesikhatsi sekuBusa kwaKhristu. Ngemuva kwaloko, labo  lebebatawuphila ngetimiso taJehova bebatawubusiswa ngekuphila phakadze emhlabeni, futsi babhujiswe labo labebangeke balalele. Bafundzi beliBhayibheli bebacabanga nekutsi labanye lebebatawuba “tikhulu” talamhlabeni ngesikhatsi sekuBusa kwaKhristu Kweminyaka Leyinkhulungwane bebatawuya ezulwini nasekuphele leso sikhatsi. Bebacabanga nekutsi ‘letikhulu’ tifaka ekhatsi nalamanye emadvodza lafa etsembekile ngaphambi kwekufika kwaKhristu futsi lebekatawuvuswa Kuleminyaka Leyinkhulungwane.—Hla. 45:16.

8. Ngumaphi emacembu lamatsatfu lebekucatjangwa kutsi anendzima letsite enjongweni yaNkulunkulu?

⁸ Bafundzi beliBhayibheli bebacabanga kutsi kunemacembu lamatsatfu: (1) lebantfu labangu-144 000 labatawubusa naJesu ezulwini; (2) sicumbi lesikhulu semaKhristu lakhutsele latawuma embikwesihlalo sebukhosi nasembikweliWundlu; kanye (3) netigidzigidzi tebantfu labatawufundziswa ngaJehova ngesikhatsi sekuBusa kwaKhristu Kweminyaka Leyinkhulungwane. * Kodvwa ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, Jehova wasita laBafundzi bayicondza kahle lendzaba.—Taga 4:18.

9. (a) Sicumbi lesikhulu sitawuma kanjani “embikwesihlalo sebukhosi nasembikweliWundlu”? (b) Kungani inengcondvo indlela lesesiwucondza ngayo umbhalo weSembulo 7:9?

⁹ Nga-1935, BoFakazi BaJehova bacondza kahle kutsi sibobani sicumbi lesikhulu lesabonwa nguJohane embonweni. Babona kutsi ngeke kudzingeke kutsi sicumbi lesikhulu sibe sezulwini kuze sime “embikwesihlalo sebukhosi nasembikweliWundlu.” Kodvwa loko besitakwenta ngendlela lengumfanekiso. Nanobe sicumbi lesikhulu sitawuphila emhlabeni, sitawuma “embikwesihlalo sebukhosi” ngekutsi sihloniphe ligunya laJehova futsi sititfobe ngephansi kwebukhosi bakhe. (Isa. 66:1) Lesicumbi sitawuma “nasembikweliWundlu” ngekutsi sikholwe emhlatjelweni waJesu loyinhlawulo. Ngendlela lefanako, kuMatewu 25:31, 32, “tonkhe tive,” lokufaka ekhatsi nalababi, kutsiwa “tiyawubutsana” embikwesihlalo saJesu lesikhatimulako. Ngako kuyacaca kutsi tonkhe letive atikho ezulwini kodvwa tilamhlabeni. Kunengcondvo lokucondzakala kahle kwalendzaba lokwalungiswa nga-1935. Kwenta kukhanye kutsi kwentiwa yini liBhayibheli lingasho kutsi sicumbi lesikhulu sivuselwa ezulwini. Linye kuphela licembu leletsenjiswe kuphila phakadze ezulwini, licembu lebantfu labangu-144 000, ‘labatawubusa naJesu njengemakhosi etikwemhlaba.’—Semb. 5:10.

10. Kungani kutawudzingeka kutsi sicumbi lesikhulu sibe sesifundzile ngaJehova kusengakacali kuBusa kwaKhristu Kweminyaka Leyinkhulungwane?

¹⁰ Kusukela nga-1935, BoFakazi BaJehova bacondza kutsi sicumbi lesikhulu lesabonwa nguJohane sakhiwa licembu lemaKhristu latsembekile lanelitsemba lekuphila phakadze emhlabeni. Kuze sisindze ekuhluphekeni lokukhulu, lesicumbi kufanele sibe sesifundzile ngaJehova kusengakacali kuBusa kwaKhristu Kweminyaka Leyinkhulungwane. Kutawudzingeka sivete kutsi sinekukholwa lokucinile kuze ‘sikhone kubalekela tonkhe letintfo letihlelelwe kwenteka’ ngaphambi kwekuBusa kwaKhristu Kweminyaka Leyinkhulungwane.—Luk. 21:34-36.

11. Bekwentiwa yini kutsi labanye Bafundzi beliBhayibheli bacabange kutsi labanye bantfu batawuvuselwa ezulwini ngemuva kwekuBusa kwaKhristu Kweminyaka Leyinkhulungwane?

¹¹ Kutsiwani ngembono lotsi ngemuva kwekuBusa kwaKhristu Kweminyaka Leyinkhulungwane, bantfu lebebaphila lamhlabeni futsi lebebasibonelo lesihle batawuvuselwa ezulwini? Lendzaba kwakhulunywa ngayo kadzeni ku-Sicongosekulindza  saFebruary 15, 1913. Labanye bangatsi, ‘Kungenteka njani kutsi tinceku taNkulunkulu letetsembekile takadzeni titfole umvuzo wekuphila lamhlabeni, bese kutsi emaKhristu lebekangaketsembeki kakhulu njengato atfole umvuzo wekuphila ezulwini?’ Bangacabanga kanjalo ngenca yetizatfu letimbili letingasilo liciniso: (1) kutsi sicumbi lesikhulu sitawuphila ezulwini, nekutsi (2) sicumbi lesikhulu sitawakhiwa ngemaKhristu langaketsembeki kangako.

12-13. Yini labagcotjiwe kanye nesicumbi lesikhulu labayatiko mayelana nemvuzo wabo?

¹² Njengobe sesibonile, kusukela nga-1935, BoFakazi BaJehova bacondza kahle kutsi sicumbi lesikhulu lesabonwa nguJohane embonweni ngiso lebesitawusindza nge-Amagedoni. ‘Sitawuphuma ekuhluphekeni lokukhulu’ lokutawuba lamhlabeni futsi sitawuchubeka “simemeta ngelivi lelikhulu sitsi: ‘Insindziso ivela kuNkulunkulu wetfu lohleti esihlalweni sebukhosi, nakulo liWundlu.’” (Semb. 7:10, 14) Ngetulu kwaloko, imiBhalo ifundzisa kutsi labo labatawuvuselwa ezulwini batawutfola “lokuncono kakhulu” kunemadvodza latsembekile laphila endvulo. (Heb. 11:40) Ngemndlandla, bazalwane betfu bacala kumema bantfu kutsi bakhonte Jehova kuze labantfu babe nelitsemba lekuphila phakadze emhlabeni.

¹³ Emalunga esicumbi lesikhulu ayajabula ngelitsemba lanalo. Ayati kutsi nguJehova lokhetsa kutsi tinceku takhe letetsembekile titamkhonta ezulwini yini nobe emhlabeni. Labagcotjiwe kanye nesicumbi lesikhulu bayati kutsi batawutfola lomvuzo ngenca yemusa lomkhulu Jehova lasikhombisa wona asebentisa umhlatjelo loyinhlawulo waJesu Khristu.—Rom. 3:24.

14. Ngemuva kwa-1935, kwentiwa yini kutsi bantfu labanyenti batibute kutsi sitawugcwaliseka njani siphrofetho lesimayelana nesicumbi lesikhulu?

¹⁴ Ngemuva kwekutsi bantfu baJehova sebayicondze kahle lendzaba nga-1935, labanyenti bebatibuta kutsi kutawenteka njani kutsi bantfu labanelitsemba lekuphila emhlabeni babe sicumbi lesikhulu. Nasi sibonelo, Ronald Parkin bekaneminyaka lengu-12 budzala ngesikhatsi kucaciswa kutsi sakhiwa bobani sicumbi lesikhulu. Nakakhumbula utsi: “Ngaleso sikhatsi bekunebamemeteli labangu-56 000 emhlabeni wonkhe, futsi labanyenti babo bebagcotjiwe. Ngako sicumbi lesikhulu besingabonakali sisikhulu.”

15. Yini leyentiwe kuze kuhlanganiswe ndzawonye sicumbi lesikhulu?

¹⁵ Eminyakeni leminyenti ngemuva kwaloko, kwatfunyelwa titfunywa telivangeli emaveni lamanyenti, futsi linani laBoFakazi BaJehova lachubeka likhula. Nga-1968, kwacaliswa luhlelo lwekufundzisa ngeliBhayibheli, futsi bekusetjentiswa  incwadzi letsi “The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life.” Beyichaza emaciniso laseBhayibhelini ngendlela lemelula, futsi loko kwakhanga bantfu labanyenti kakhulu kutsi bakhonte Jehova. Ngeminyaka nje lemine, kwabhajatiswa bantfu labangetulu kwehhafu yesigidzi. Kwabhajatiswa naletinye tigidzigidzi tebantfu ikakhulukati ngobe Lisontfo lemaKatolika beselite emandla kangako eLatin America nakulamanye emave, kantsi nemsebenti wetfu wekushumayela besewuvunyelwe eMphumalanga Yurophu nakulamanye emave e-Afrika. (Isa. 60:22) Nakuleminyaka, inhlangano yaJehova ikhicite lamanye emathulusi lalusito kakhulu kubantfu kuze batfole loko liBhayibheli lelikufundzisako. Nyalo kuyacaca kutsi sicumbi lesikhulu lesesingetulu kwetigidzi letingu-8 sihlanganiswe ndzawonye.

16. Sitawakhiwa bobani sicumbi lesikhulu?

¹⁶ Ngesikhatsi abhala umbono wakhe, Johane watsi lesicumbi lesikhulu sitawuphuma “kuto tonkhe tive, tinhlanga, bantfu, kanye netilwimi.” Umphrofethi Zakhariya bekake wakhuluma ngentfo lefanako lebeyitawenteka. Wabhala watsi: “Ngalawo malanga emadvodza lalishumi lasuka kuto tonkhe tilwimi netive ayawunkonkoshela umJuda munye ngemphetfo wesembatfo sakhe, atsi: ‘Asihambisane nani, ngobe sivile kutsi Nkulunkulu unani.’”—Zak. 8:23.

17. Yini leyentiwako kuze kusitwe bantfu bato tonkhe tive netilwimi?

¹⁷ BoFakazi BaJehova babona kutsi kuze bantfu  bato tonkhe tilwimi babutsiswe ndzawonye, bekufanele kushunyayelwe tindzaba letimnandzi ngetilwimi letinyenti. Sekuphele iminyaka lengetulu kwalengu-130 sihumusha tincwadzi letisekelwe eBhayibhelini, futsi nyalo sihumushela etilwimini letinyenti kakhulu. Kuyabonakala kutsi Jehova wenta simangaliso kulamalanga, ubutsisa sicumbi lesikhulu lesiphuma kuto tonkhe tive. Sijabula kakhulu ngekutsi liBhayibheli kanye netincwadzi letisekelwe kulo titfolakala ngetilwimi letinyenti kakhulu, futsi lelicembu lelakhiwa bantfu labaphuma kuto tonkhe tive likhonta Nkulunkulu ngebunye. Bantfu baJehova batiwa kuyo yonkhe indzawo ngekushumayela kwabo ngekutimisela nangelutsandvo labanalo ngebazalwane babo. Loku kukucinisa kakhulu kukholwa kwetfu!—Mat. 24:14; Joh. 13:35.

18. (a) Ngekusho kwembhalo wa-Isaya 46:10, 11, kungani singamangali ngekutsi Jehova usigcwalisile siphrofetho lesimayelana nesicumbi lesikhulu? (b) Kungani labo labanelitsemba lekuphila emhlabeni bangeke bative bashiyelwe ngaphandle?

¹⁸ Sijabula kakhulu ngalesiphrofetho lesimayelana nesicumbi lesikhulu! Akusimangalisi kutsi Jehova usigcwalise ngelizinga lelisetulu lesiphrofetho. (Fundza Isaya 46:10, 11.) Emalunga esicumbi lesikhulu abonga kakhulu ngelitsemba Jehova lawanike lona. Nanobe angakagcotjwa ngemoya waNkulunkulu kutsi abuse naJesu ezulwini, akativa ashiyelwe ngaphandle. EmiBhalweni, sifundza ngemadvodza nebafati lebebatsembekile futsi lebebacondziswa ngumoya longcwele; kodvwa abasiyo incenye yalabangu-144 000. Johane uMbhabhatisi ungulomunye wabo. (Mat. 11:11) Kanjalo naDavide. (Imis. 2:34) Bona kanye nalabanye labanyenti batawuvuselwa emhlabeni lolipharadisi. Bonkhe laba, lokufaka ekhatsi sicumbi lesikhulu, batawuba nelitfuba lekukhombisa kutsi batsembeke kanganani kuJehova nasekubuseni kwakhe.

19. Sitawenta njani nangabe siwucondza umbonowaJohane mayelana nesicumbi lesikhulu?

¹⁹ Kwekucala ngca kutsi Nkulunkulu ahlanganise ndzawonye tigidzigidzi tebantfu letivela kuto tonkhe tive kuze timkhonte. Ngisho nobe sinelitsemba lekuphila ezulwini nobe emhlabeni, kufanele sitimisele kusita bantfu labanyenti kutsi babe yincenye yesicumbi lesikhulu ‘saletinye timvu.’ (Joh. 10:16) Ngekushesha, Jehova utawuletsa kuhlupheka lokukhulu lokwakhulunywa ngako, lokutawubhubhisa bohulumende labakhona kanye netinkholo letibangele bantfu labanyenti kutsi bahlupheke. Emalunga esicumbi lesikhulu anelitfuba lelihle kakhulu lekukhonta Jehova lamhlabeni kuze kube phakadze!—Semb. 7:14.