1. Amanye amaKristu athembekileyo azibuza wuphi umbuzo?

UDADE othembekileyo onyamezele iingxaki ezininzi kangangamashumi eminyaka ngokuzithoba wabuza, “Ngaba isiphelo siza kufika ndingekafi?” Abanye abantu abasele benethuba bekhonza uYehova baye bazibuza into efanayo. Sikulindele ngamehlw’ abomvu ukubona uThixo esenza zonke izinto zibe ntsha, eshenxisa iingxaki esijamelana nazo ngoku. (ISityhi. 21:5) Nangona zininzi izinto ezisiqinisekisa ukuba le nkqubo kaSathana sele iza kupheliswa, kunokuba nzima ukulinda ngomonde de ifike loo mini.

2. Yiyiphi imibuzo ephathelele umonde kaThixo esiza kuyixubusha?

² Sekunjalo, iBhayibhile ithi sifanele sibe nomonde. Njengabakhonzi bakaThixo bangaphambili, siya kuzifumana izithembiso zikaThixo ukuba sinokholo olomeleleyo lokulinda ukuzaliseka kwezithembiso zakhe. (Funda amaHebhere 6:11, 12.) UYehova uye waba nomonde. Ngekukudala wabuphelisayo ubungendawo, kodwa ulinde ixesha elifanelekileyo. (Roma 9:20-24) Kutheni enomonde kangaka nje? UYesu uwubonise njani yena umonde ofana nokaThixo? Kuya kusinceda njani ukuhlakulela umonde onjengokaThixo? Iimpendulo zale mibuzo zinokusinceda sibe nomonde nokholo olomeleleyo, nangona kusenokubonakala ngathi uYehova uyalibazisa.

3, 4. (a) Kutheni uYehova ebe nomonde ukuze kuzaliseke injongo yakhe emhlabeni? (b) UYehova wenza ntoni emva kwemvukelo yase-Eden?

³ UYehova unezizathu ezivakalayo zokuba nomonde. Kona unelona gunya liphakamileyo kwindalo yonke; sekunjalo, imvukelo yase-Eden yashiya imibuzo ebalulekileyo ephathelele indalo yonke. UYehova uye walinda esazi ukuba kuza kuthath’ ixesha ngaphambi kokuba loo  mibuzo iphenduleke kakuhle. Ekubeni ezazi kakuhle izinto ezenziwa zizidalwa ezisezulwini nasemhlabeni kwakunye nezimo zengqondo zazo, siqinisekile ukuba yonke into ayenzayo yeyokunceda thina.—Heb. 4:13.

⁴ Injongo kaYehova yayikukuba inzala ka-Adam noEva izalise umhlaba. Kwanaxa uSathana wakhohlisa uEva waza uAdam akathobela, injongo kaThixo ayizange itshintshe. Akazange aphakuzele, enze izigqibo ezingacingwanga, okanye othuke ayincame intsapho yabantu. Kunoko, weza nendlela yokuqinisekisa ukuba injongo yakhe ngoluntu nangoMhlaba iyazaliseka. (Isa. 55:11) Ukuze azalisekise injongo yakhe aze athethelele nolongamo lwakhe, uYehova uye wazeyisa waza waba nomonde kangangamawaka eminyaka elinde ukuba zizaliseke kakuhle ezinye iinkalo zenjongo yakhe.

5. Ukuba nomonde kukaYehova kuvulela ithuba lokufumana yiphi intsikelelo?

⁵ Esinye isizathu sokuba uYehova abe nomonde kukuvulela ithuba abantu abangakumbi ukuba bafumane ubomi obungunaphakade. Kungokunje, wenza amalungiselelo okusindisa “isihlwele esikhulu.” (ISityhi. 7:9, 14; 14:6) UYehova usebenzisa umsebenzi wokushumayela esiwenzayo ukuze afikelele abantu ebamemela ukuba bafunde ngoBukumkani bakhe nangemilinganiselo yakhe yobulungisa. Isigidimi soBukumkani sizezona ndaba zimnandi ebantwini—‘siziindaba ezilungileyo’ ngokwenene. (Mat. 24:14) Mntu ngamnye uYehova amtsalayo uba yinxalenye yebandla elisehlabathini lonke labahlobo abanyanisekileyo abathanda oko kufanelekileyo. (Yoh. 6:44-47) UThixo wethu onothando unceda abantu abanjalo ukuba benze izinto ezimkholisayo. Kanti ebezikhethela abantu abaza kuba ngamalungu orhulumente wakhe wasezulwini. Emva kokuba befumene izigxina zabo ezulwini, aba bazinikeleyo baza kunceda abantu abathobelayo ukuba bade bafezeke baze baphile ubomi obungunaphakade. Licacile elokuba, nangona elinde ngomonde, uYehova ebezalisekisa iinjongo zakhe ukuze kungenelwe thina.

6. (a) UYehova wawubonisa njani umonde ngomhla kaNowa? (b) UYehova uwubonise njani umonde namhlanje?

⁶ UYehova uba nomonde enoba sele ecatshukiswe kangakanani na. Loo nto siyibona kwindlela awabulungisa ngayo ubungendawo bangaphambi koMkhukula. Umhlaba wawuzaliswe kukuziphatha okubi nogonyamelo, yaye ‘yayibuhlungu intliziyo’ kaYehova ngenxa yokudodobala kwemeko yabantu. (Gen. 6:2-8) Akazange ayinyamezele loo meko ngonaphakade, ngenxa yoko wanisa umkhukula phezu kwabantu abangathobeliyo. Nangona “umonde kaThixo wawulindile ngemihla kaNowa,” uYehova wenza amalungiselelo okusindisa uNowa nentsapho yakhe. (1 Pet. 3:20) Ngexesha elifanelekileyo, uYehova wachazela uNowa ngesi sigqibo waza wamnika umsebenzi wokwakha umkhombe. (Gen. 6:14-22) Ukongezelela, uNowa ‘wayengumshumayeli wobulungisa,’ exelela abamelwane bakhe ngentshabalalo ezayo. (2 Pet. 2:5) UYesu wathi ixesha lethu liyafana nemihla kaNowa. UYehova sele elazi ixesha lokuphelisa le nkqubo ingendawo. Akukho mntu uwaziyo ‘umhla nelixa’ eza kupheliswa ngayo. (Mat. 24:36) Okwangoku, uThixo usinike umsebenzi wokulumkisa nokuxelela abantu ngendlela abanokusinda ngayo.

7. Ngaba uYehova uyacotha ukuzalisekisa izithembiso zakhe? Cacisa.

⁷ Licacile elokuba, ukuba nomonde kukaYehova akuthethi kuthi uhleli nje, ehambisa ixesha. Sekunjalo, asifanele sibhidanise ukuba nomonde kwakhe nokungakhathali! Liyinene elokuba njengokuba sikhula okanye sithwaxwa yile nkqubo ingendawo kusenokuba nzima ukukhumbula oko. Sisenokudimazeka okanye sivakalelwe kukuba uThixo uyacotha ukuzalisekisa izithembiso zakhe. (Heb. 10:36) Masingaze siyilibale into  yokuba unezizathu ezivakalayo ngokuba nomonde yaye uvulela ithuba abakhonzi bakhe abanyanisekileyo. (2 Pet. 2:3; 3:9) Makhe siphinde sixubushe ngendlela uYesu awawuxelisa ngayo umonde ofana nokaThixo.

8. UYesu waba nomonde ephantsi kwaziphi iimeko?

⁸ UYesu wenza ukuthanda kukaThixo ngenzondelelo kangangeenkulungwane ezininzi. Xa uSathana wavukelayo, uYehova wagqiba kwelokuba uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo eze emhlabeni njengoMesiya. Oku kuthetha ukuba kwakuza kufuneka uYesu alinde kangangamawaka eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba oko kwenzeke. (Funda eyabaseGalati 4:4.) Wayengahlelanga nje elindile ngalo lonke elo xesha; kodwa wayexakeke ngumsebenzi awayewunikwe nguYise. Xa wada weza emhlabeni, wayesazi ukuba uza kubulawa nguSathana njengoko kwakuprofetiwe. (Gen. 3:15; Mat. 16:21) Ngomonde wavumela ukuthanda kukaThixo, nangona oko kwakuthetha ukuba uza kuva iintlungu. Wayenyaniseke ngokwenene. Akazange acinge ngaye nesigxina sakhe yaye siyangenelwa koko.—Heb. 5:8, 9.

9, 10. (a) Ebesenza ntoni uYesu ngoxa elindele kuYehova ngomonde? (b) Sifanele sikujonge njani ukubala kukaYehova ixesha?

⁹ Emva kokuba evusiwe, uYesu wanikwa igunya ezulwini nasemhlabeni. (Mat. 28:18) Usebenzisa elo gunya ukuze aphumeze iinjongo zikaYehova ngokuvumelana nokubala ixesha kukaThixo. Ngomonde uYesu ulinda ngasekunene kukaThixo de ibe ngowe-1914 ukuze iintshaba zakhe zenziwe isitulo seenyawo zakhe. (INdu. 110:1, 2; Heb. 10:12, 13) Kungekudala ikho into aza kuyenza ukuze aphelise inkqubo kaSathana. Okwangoku, ngomonde uYesu usebenza nabantu yaye ubakhokelela ‘kumanzi obomi.’—ISityhi. 7:17.

¹⁰ Kumzekelo kaYesu, ngaba uyayibona indlela ofanele ukujonge ngayo ukubala kukaYehova ixesha? UYesu wayekulungele ukwenza nantoni na uYise amcela ukuba ayenze; sekunjalo wayekwakulungele ukuyenza loo nto ngexesha likaThixo. Njengoko silindele ukupheliswa kwenkqubo kaSathana, sonke sifanele sibe nomonde singenzi izinto ngaphambi kokuba uThixo anikele ulwalathiso ngazo okanye sinikezele. Singenza ntoni ukuze sihlakulele loo monde?

11. (a) Ukholo nomonde zinxibelelana njani? (b) Kutheni sinezizathu ezivakalayo zokuba nokholo olomeleleyo?

¹¹ Ngaphambi kokuba uYesu eze emhlabeni, iziprofeto kunye nabanye abakhonzi abathembekileyo bamisela umzekelo wokuba nabantu abangafezekanga banako ukunyamezela ngomonde. Lukhona unxibelelwano olwalukho phakathi kokholo lwabo kunye nokuba nomonde kwabo. (Funda uYakobi 5:10, 11.) Ukuba babengazange bazikholelwe izinto ababezixelelwa nguYehova—ukuba babeswele ukholo—ngaba babeya kuyilinda ngomonde inzaliseko yeziprofeto zakhe? Sihlandlo ngasinye, bedibana neemvavanyo ezoyikisayo nezilucelo-mngeni, babeqinisekile ukuba uThixo wayeyakwenza oko akuthembisileyo. (Heb. 11:13, 35-40) Sinesizathu esingakumbi sokuba nokholo olomeleleyo, kuba ngoku uYesu ukhonza ‘njengoMgqibelelisi wokholo lwethu.’ (Heb. 12:2) Wazalisekisa isiprofeto waza watyhila iinjongo zikaThixo nto leyo esenza sibe nezizathu ezivakalayo zokuba nokholo.

12. Yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze sakhe ukholo lwethu?

¹² Ngawaphi amanyathelo asebenzisekayo esinokuwathabatha ukuze siqinise ukholo lwethu size sihlakulele nomonde? Eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukusebenzisa isiluleko sikaThixo. Ngokomzekelo, cinga ngezizathu  ezibangela ukuba ububeke kuqala uBukumkani ebomini bakho. Ngaba ungakwazi ukwenza umgudu ongakumbi wokusebenzisa isiluleko esifumaneka kuMateyu 6:33? Oko kusenokuthetha ukuchitha ixesha elininzi entsimini okanye ukulungelelanisa iinkalo ezithile zobomi bakho. Musa ukuyilibala indlela uYehova ayisikelela ngayo imigudu yakho. Usenokuba uye wakwenza wakwazi ukuqhuba isifundo seBhayibhile okanye wakunceda wafumane “uxolo lukaThixo olungaphaya kokuqonda.” (Funda eyabaseFilipi 4:7.) Njengoko unandipha iintsikelelo oye wazifumana ngokulandela imiyalelo kaYehova, oko kukwenza ukubone ukubaluleka kokuba nomonde.—INdu. 34:8.

13. Sinokuyichaza njani inkqubo yokwakha ukholo nomonde?

¹³ Oku kuyafana nomzekelo wokuhlwayela, ukuhlakulela, nokuvuna. Sihlandlo ngasinye umfama evuna ngokuyintabalala, oko kuyamkhuthaza ukuba atyale nakwixesha elilandelayo lokulima. Eneneni, kusenokufuneka alinde ngomonde ukuze afumane imveliso, kodwa oko akusayi kumthintela ekubeni angatyali, kunoko usenokude alime umhlaba omkhulu kwanangaphambi kokuba kufike ixesha lokulima. Unethemba lokuba uza kuvuna. Ngokufanayo, njengoko siqhubeka sifunda iziluleko zikaYehova, sizilandela, size sifumane iingenelo, ukuthembela ngoYehova kuya kukhula. Ukholo lwethu ngokufanayo luyakhula, yaye kuba lula ngathi ukulinda iintsikelelo esaziyo ukuba siza kuzifumana.—Funda uYakobi 5:7, 8.

14, 15. Simele sikujonge njani ukubandezeleka kwabantu?

¹⁴ Enye indlela yokuhlakulela umonde kukucinga ngendlela esilijonga ngayo ihlabathi kwakunye neemeko zethu zobuqu. Simele sizame ukuzijonga izinto ngendlela uYehova azijonga ngayo. Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge ngendlela akujonga ngayo ukubandezeleka  kwabantu. Uyavakalelwa xa abantu bebandezeleka, sekunjalo, akaze onganyelwe yintlungu, ade angakwazi ukwenza okulungileyo. Wathumela uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo ‘ukuba ayichithe imisebenzi kaMtyholi’ aze alungise wonke umonakalo owaziswa nguSathana ebantwini. (1 Yoh. 3:8) Inyaniso kukuba kungekudala uThixo uza kukuphelisa konke ukubandezeleka. Ngokufanayo, kunokuba sizivumele songanyelwe yile nkqubo ingendawo kaSathana okanye siphelelwe ngumonde wokutshatyalaliswa kwayo, masibe nokholo kwizinto ezingabonakaliyo neziya kubakho ngonaphakade. UYehova uyalazi ixesha alimisileyo ukuphelisa ubungendawo, ibe akasayi kulibazisa.—Isa. 46:13; Nah. 1:9.

¹⁵ Ebudeni bala maxesha anzima eentsuku zokugqibela, kusenokufuneka sinyamezele iimeko ezinzima nezivavanya ukholo lwethu. Kunokuba sibe nomsindo xa sisiba ngamaxhoba ogonyamelo okanye xa isalamane sethu sibandezeleka, kufuneka sizimisele ukuthembela ngoYehova ngokupheleleyo. Asifezekanga, ngoko akukho lula ukwenjenjalo. Noko ke, makhe sicinge ngoko kwenziwa nguYesu njengoko kubhalwe kuMateyu 26:39.—Yifunde.

16. Yintoni esingamele siyenze kweli xesha liseleyo?

¹⁶ Enye into enokusenza singabi nawo umonde ofana nokaThixo kukungamthembi. Ithetha ukuthini loo nto? Kaloku umntu ongayikholelwayo into yokuba isiphelo sisondele, unokwenza amanye amalungiselelo axa izinto zisenokungahambi ngendlela uYehova athe ziza kwenzeka ngayo. Ngamany’ amazwi, usenokuzixelela ukuba, ‘Ndiza kulinda ukuze ndibone enoba uYehova unyanisekile na kwizinto azithethayo.’ Unokuzama ukuzenzela igama kweli hlabathi, aziqwebele imali eninzi kunokuba abeke uBukumkani bukaThixo kwindawo yokuqala, okanye avakalelwe kukuba imfundo ephakamileyo inokumenza aphile ubomi obutofotofo ngoku. Ngaba enyanisweni loo nto ibingayi kubonisa ukuba loo mntu uswele ukholo? Khumbula ukuba uPawulos wathi, masixelise abo bathembekileyo abathenjiswa nguYehova ngenxa ‘yokholo nomonde.’ (Heb. 6:12) UYehova akasayi kuyivumela le nkqubo ukuba iqhubeke ixesha elide ngokugqithiseleyo de iphazamisane nenjongo yakhe. (Hab. 2:3) Okwangoku masingaze sidlulis’ usana kunina xa sikhonza uYehova. Kunoko masiphaphe size sikhuthale xa sishumayela iindaba ezilungileyo, nto leyo enokusenza saneliseke ngendlela engathethekiyo ngoku.—Luka 21:36.

17, 18. (a) Ngoku sinaliphi ithuba njengoko silinde ngomonde? (b) Siya kusikelelwa njani ngokubonisa umonde ngoku?

¹⁷ Enoba sineenyangana okanye amashumishumi eminyaka sikhonza uThixo, kufuneka simkhonze ngonaphakade. Ukuba nomonde kusinceda sinyamezele de sisindiswe, enoba kusele ixesha elingakanani kule nkqubo. Ngoku uYehova usinika ithuba lokuzingqina ukuba sithembele ngokupheleleyo kwizigqibo azenzayo, yaye ukuba kuyimfuneko, sikulungele ukunyamezela ububi ngenxa yegama lakhe. (1 Pet. 4:13, 14) Kanti uThixo uyasiqeqesha ukuze sibe nomonde ofunekayo ukuze sisindiswe.—1 Pet. 5:10.

¹⁸ Lonke igunya linikwe uYesu ezulwini nasemhlabeni, yaye akukho nto inokukususa kwikhusi lakhe—ngaphandle kokuba uzisuse wena. (Yoh. 10:28, 29) Akunasizathu sakoyika ikamva, nkqu nokufa. Abo banyamezela de kube sekupheleni baya kusinda. Ngoko simele siqiniseke ukuba, asilivumeli ihlabathi ukuba lisihende lize lisenze siyeke ukuthembela kuYehova. Kodwa masizimisele ukukhula elukholweni size siwusebenzise ngobulumko umonde kaThixo.—Mat. 24:13; funda eyesi-2 kaPetros 3:17, 18.