1. Bonke abagcotshiwe bayoba sezulwini nini?

 EMINYAKENI edlule, abantu bakaJehova bebezibuza, ‘UmKristu wokugcina kwabagcotshiwe uyoyiswa nini ezulwini?’ Sasicabanga ukuthi kungenzeka amanye amaKristu agcotshiwe azoqhubeka esemhlabeni aphile ePharadesi isikhathi esithile ngemva kwempi ye-Armagedoni. Kodwa kuyi-Nqabayokulinda kaJulayi 15, 2013, safunda ukuthi bonke abagcotshiwe abasesemhlabeni bazovuselwa ezulwini ngaphambi kokuba kuqale impi ye-Armagedoni.—Math. 24:31.

2. Yimuphi umbuzo ongase uphakame, futhi sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

² Nokho, kungase kuphakame umbuzo: Yini ezokwenzeka ‘kwezinye izimvu’ zikaKristu eziyobe zikhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka emhlabeni phakathi ‘nosizi olukhulu’? (Joh. 10:16; Math. 24:21) Namuhla, abanye bangase bakhathazeke ngokuthi bayozizwa beshiyiwe noma belahliwe lapho abafowabo nadadewabo abagcotshiwe abathandekayo sebeyiswe ezulwini. Ake sixoxe ngezindaba ezimbili eziseBhayibhelini ezingabenza bacabange kanjalo. Sizobe sesixoxa ngokuthi kungani kungadingeki bakhathazeke.

YINI ENGEKE YENZEKE?

3-4. Yini abanye abangase bazibuze yona, futhi kungani?

³ Abanye bangase bazibuze ukuthi ezinye izimvu ngeke yini ziyeke ukukhonza uJehova lapho zingasaqondiswa abafowabo abagcotshiwe beNdikimba Ebusayo. Bangase bazizwe ngale ndlela ngenxa yezindaba ezithile eziseBhayibhelini. Ake sixoxe ngezibonelo ezimbili. Esokuqala esoMpristi Ophakeme uJehoyada. Wayeyinceku kaNkulunkulu ethembekile. Yena nomkakhe, uJehoshabeyati, bavikela umfanyana uJehowashi, bamsiza waba yinkosi ekahle nethembekile. Ngesikhathi esaphila  uJehoyada osekhulile, uJehowashi wayenza izinto ezinhle. Kodwa ngemva kokufa kukaJehoyada, ngokushesha uJehowashi wenza izinto ezimbi. Walalela amakhosi amabi, washiya uJehova.—2 IziKr. 24:​2, 15-19.

⁴ Isibonelo sesibili esamaKristu ekhulu lesibili. Umphostoli uJohane, umphostoli wokugcina owayesaphila, wayeyithonya elihle kumaKristu amaningi, ewasiza ukuba akhuthazele enkonzweni ayenzela uJehova. (3 Joh. 4) Ekanye nabanye abaphostoli bakaJesu abathembekile, uJohane wayesebenze kanzima ukuze avikele amabandla emfundisweni yezihlubuki eyayisakazeka. (1 Joh. 2:18; 2 Thes. 2:7) Nokho, ngemva kokufa kukaJohane, imfundiso yezihlubuki yabhebhetheka njengomlilo wequbula. Eminyakeni eyalandela, ibandla lobuKristu lonakaliswa ngokuphelele.

5. Yini okungafanele siphethe ngayo lapho sifunda ngalezi zindaba ezimbili?

⁵ Ingabe lezi zindaba ezimbili eziseBhayibhelini zibonisa ukuthi kuzokwenzeka into efanayo kwezinye izimvu zikaKristu lapho abagcotshiwe sebeyiswe ezulwini? Ngaleso sikhathi, ingabe amaKristu athembekile asemhlabeni ayochezuka kulokho afundiswe kona njengoba kwenza uJehowashi, noma ingabe ayoba izihlubuki njengoba kwenza amaKristu amaningi ngekhulu lesibili C.E.? Lutho neze! Singaqiniseka ngokuthi lapho abagcotshiwe sebeyiswe ezulwini, uJehova uyoqhubeka ezinakekela kahle ezinye izimvu futhi ziyoqhubeka zimkhonza ngendlela efanele. Yini esenza siqiniseke ngalokho?

UKUKHONZA UJEHOVA NGENDLELA EMSULWA NGEKE KONAKALISWE

6. Yiziphi izinkathi ezintathu esizoxoxa ngazo kafushane?

⁶ Kungani singaqiniseka ngokuthi ukukhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa ngeke konakaliswe ngisho nangezikhathi ezinzima esisazobhekana nazo? Kungenxa yalokho esikufundile eBhayibhelini ngenkathi esiphila kuyo. Le nkathi esiphila kuyo ihluke kakhulu kweyama-Israyeli asendulo nakweyamaKristu angekhulu lesibili. Ake sithi ukuzibukisisa lezi zinkathi ezintathu: (1) Inkathi yama-Israyeli asendulo, (2) inkathi yangemva kokufa kwabaphostoli, (3) nenkathi yethu, “izikhathi lapho zonke izinto sezenziwe zaba zintsha.”—IzE. 3:21.

7. Kungani ama-Israyeli asendulo athembekile engazange aphele amandla lapho isizwe namakhosi aso bekhetha ukwenza izinto ezimbi?

⁷ Inkathi yama-Israyeli asendulo. Ngaphambi nje kokufa kwakhe, uMose watshela ama-Israyeli: “Ngazi kahle ukuthi ngemva kokufa kwami nakanjani nizokwenza izinto ezimbi, niphambuke endleleni enginiyale ngayo.” (Dut. 31:29) UMose waxwayisa ama-Israyeli nangokuthi uma evukela ayezodingiswa. (Dut. 28:​35, 36) Kwenzeka ngempela yini lokho? Yebo. Kwaphela amakhulu eminyaka amakhosi amaningi enza izinto ezimbi, edukisa nabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Lokhu kwenza uJehova wajezisa abantu ababi bakwa-Israyeli, waqeda nelungiselelo lamakhosi angabantu. (Hez. 21:​25-27) Kodwa lapho ama-Israyeli athembekile ebona amazwi kaNkulunkulu egcwaliseka aba nesibindi sokuqhubeka emkhonza ngokwethembeka.—Isaya 55:​10, 11.

8. Kufanele kusimangaze yini ukuthi ibandla lobuKristu langekhulu lesibili lonakaliswa? Chaza.

⁸ Inkathi yangemva kokufa kwabaphostoli. Kufanele kusimangaze yini ukuthi ibandla lobuKristu langekhulu lesibili lonakaliswa? Cha. UJesu wabikezela ukuthi kwakuyoba nezihlubuki eziningi. (Math. 7:​21-23; 13:​24-30, 36-43) Abaphostoli uPawulu, uPetru noJohane bonke bavuma ukuthi isiprofetho sikaJesu sase siqalile ukugcwaliseka ngekhulu lokuqala C.E. (2 Thes. 2:​3, 7; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 Joh. 2:18) Ngekhulu lesibili C.E., ibandla lobuKristu lonakaliswa. AmaKristu ayizihlubuki ayeqhubeka  anda futhi aba yingxenye enkulu yeBhabhiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. Lokho uJesu akubikezela kwagcwaliseka.

9. Isikhathi esiphila kuso sihluke kanjani kwesama-Israyeli asendulo nasesikhathini sebandla lobuKristu langekhulu lesibili?

⁹ “Izikhathi lapho zonke izinto sezenziwe zaba zintsha.” Isikhathi esiphila kuso sihlukile kwesama-Israyeli asendulo nasesikhathini okwaba khona ngaso ukuhlubuka okukhulu ngekhulu lesibili C.E. Sibizwa ngokuthini isikhathi esiphila kuso? Sivame ukubiza isikhathi esiphila kuso ngokuthi ‘izinsuku zokugcina’ zaleli zwe elibi. (2 Thim. 3:1) Kodwa iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi ngesikhathi esifanayo kwaqala inkathi enkulu nende. Izoqhubeka kuze kube yilapho uMbuso kaMesiya usuqede isono kubantu, washintsha nomhlaba waba ipharadesi. Le nkathi ibizwa ngokuthi “izikhathi lapho zonke izinto sezenziwe zaba zintsha.” (IzE. 3:21) Yaqala ngo-1914. Yini eyabuyiselwa? UJesu waba iNkosi ezulwini. Ngakho uJehova waphinde waba nombusi ozommelela, indlalifa yeNkosi uDavide ethembekile. Nokho, akubona lobo bukhosi kuphela uJehova abubuyisela. Ngokushesha nje ngemva kwalokho, ukukhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa kwabuyiselwa ekugcineni! (Isaya 2:​2-4; Hez. 11:​17-20) Ingabe kuyophinde konakaliswe?

10. (a) Yini iBhayibheli elayibikezela ngokukhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa esikhathini sethu? (Isaya 54:17) (b) Kungani iziprofetho ezifana nalezi ziqinisa idolo?

¹⁰ Funda u-Isaya 54:17. Cabanga ngaleso siprofetho: “Asikho isikhali esenzelwe ukulwa nawe esiyoke siphumelele”! Lawo mazwi aphefumulelwe ayagcwaliseka namuhla. Amazwi alandelayo aduduzayo ayasebenza nasesikhathini sethu: “Bonke abantwana bakho bayofundiswa uJehova, nokuthula kwabantwana bakho kuyochichima. Uyomiswa uqine ngokulunga. . . . Ngeke wesabe noma wethuswe yilutho, ngoba ngeke kusondele kuwe.” (Isaya 54:​13, 14) Ngisho uSathane imbala “unkulunkulu waleli zwe,” akanawo amandla okumisa umsebenzi wokufundisa owenziwa abantu bakaJehova. (2 Kor. 4:4) Ukukhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa sekubuyiselwe, ngeke kuphinde konakaliswe. Kuzoba khona kuze kube phakade. Asikho isikhali esenzelwe ukulwa nathi esiyoke siphumelele!

YINI EZOKWENZEKA?

11. Yini esenza siqiniseke ukuthi isixuku esikhulu ngeke sishiywe dengwane lapho abagcotshiwe sebeyiswe ezulwini?

¹¹ Yini ezokwenzeka lapho abagcotshiwe sebeyiswe ezulwini? Khumbula, uJesu unguMalusi wethu. Uyinhloko yebandla lobuKristu. UJesu washo ngokucacile: “Munye uMholi  wenu, uKristu.” (Math. 23:10) INkosi yethu ebusayo ayisoze yehluleka ukwenza umsebenzi wayo. Ngenxa yokuthi izintambo ziyobe ziphethwe uKristu, abalandeli bakhe lapha emhlabeni ngeke kudingeke besabe. Yiqiniso, asiyazi yonke imininingwane emayelana nokuthi uKristu uyobahola kanjani abantu bakhe ngaleso sikhathi. Ake sixoxe ngezinye izibonelo eziseBhayibhelini ezingasiqinisa idolo.

12. UJehova wabanakekela kanjani abantu bakhe (a) ngemva kokuba uMose eseshonile? (b) ngemva kokuba u-Eliya esethole esinye isabelo? (Bheka nesithombe.)

¹² Ngaphambi kokuba ama-Israyeli angene eZweni Lesithembiso, uMose washona. Yini eyenzeka kubantu bakaNkulunkulu? Ingabe uJehova wayeka ukusiza abantu bakhe ngemva kokuba leyo ndoda ethembekile isishonile? Cha. UJehova wayebanakekela uma nje besathembekile. Ngaphambi kokuba uMose ashone, uJehova wamtshela ukuthi akamise uJoshuwa abe umholi wabantu. Kwase kuphele iminyaka eminingi uMose eqeqesha uJoshuwa. (Eks. 33:11; Dut. 34:9) Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwakukhona namanye amadoda amaningi afanelekayo ayehola—izinduna zabayizinkulungwane, zabangamakhulu, zabangamashumi ayisihlanu nezabangamashumi. (Dut. 1:15) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu babenakekelwa kahle. Esinye isibonelo esifanayo esika-Eliya. Kwase kuphele iminyaka eminingi ehola ama-Israyeli ekukhonzeni uJehova ngendlela emsulwa. Kodwa kamuva uJehova wamnika isabelo esisha sokuyokhonza eningizimu yakwaJuda. (2 AmaKh. 2:1; 2 IziKr. 21:12) Ingabe bashiywa dengwane abantu abathembekile bombuso wezizwe eziyishumi wakwa-Israyeli? Cha. Kwase kuphele iminyaka u-Eliya eqeqesha u-Elisha. Kwakukhona ‘namadodana abaprofethi’ ayeqeqeshiwe. (2 AmaKh. 2:7) Ngakho, maningi amadoda athembekile ayekhona ukuze asize ekuholeni abantu bakaNkulunkulu. UJehova waqhubeka efeza injongo yakhe, wanakekela nezikhonzi zakhe ezithembekile.

13. EyamaHebheru 13:5b isiqinisekisa ngani? (Bheka nesithombe.)

¹³ Unalezo zibonelo engqondweni, ucabanga ukuthi yini eyokwenzeka lapho owokugcina kwabagcotshiwe eseyiswe ezulwini? Akudingeki sikhathazeke ngalokho. IBhayibheli lisitshela iqiniso elilula nelisiqinisayo: UJehova akasoze abalahla abantu bakhe abasemhlabeni. (Funda eyamaHebheru 13:5b.) NjengoMose no-Eliya, iqembu elincane lamaKristu agcotshiwe aholayo namuhla liyakuqonda ukubaluleka kokuqeqesha abanye. Sekuphele iminyaka eminingi abazalwane beNdikimba Ebusayo beqeqesha amadoda ezinye izimvu ukuba  ahole. Ngokwesibonelo, baye bahlela ukuba kube nezikole eziningi zokuqeqesha abadala, ababonisi abajikelezayo, amalungu eKomiti Yegatsha, ababonisi baseBethel kanye nabanye. INdikimba Ebusayo iye yazibambela mathupha ekuqeqesheni abasizi bamakomiti ahlukahlukene eNdikimba Ebusayo. Njengamanje, la basizi bawenza ngokwethembeka umsebenzi omkhulu abawuphathisiwe. Bakuhlomele ukuqhubeka nomsebenzi wokunakekela izimvu zikaKristu.

14. Liyini iphuzu eliyinhloko lale ngxoxo?

¹⁴ Nali iphuzu eliyinhloko lale ngxoxo: Lapho abokugcina kwabagcotshiwe sebeyiswe ezulwini ngasekupheleni kosizi olukhulu, ukukhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa kuyoqhubeka lapha emhlabeni. Siyabubonga ubuholi bukaJesu Kristu ngokuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bayoqhubeka bemkhonza ngokwethembeka. Yiqiniso, ngaleso sikhathi, siyohlaselwa iqembu lezizwe eziyohlangana ukuze zihlasele abantu bakaNkulunkulu iBhayibheli elizibiza ngokuthi uGogi WakwaMagogi. (Hez. 38:​18-20) Kodwa lokho kuhlasela kwesikhashana ngeke kuphumelele; ngeke kubayekise abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba bamkhulekele. Uyobasindisa nakanjani! Embonweni, umphostoli uJohane wabona “isixuku esikhulu” sezinye izimvu zikaKristu. UJohane watshelwa ukuthi lesi “sixuku esikhulu” siphuma “osizini olukhulu.” (IsAm. 7:​9, 14) UJehova uyosisindisa nakanjani!

15-16. NgokwesAmbulo 17:​14, yini abagcotshiwe bakaKristu abazobe beyenza phakathi nempi ye-Armagedoni, futhi kungani lokho kukhuthaza?

¹⁵ Noma kunjalo, abanye bangase bazibuze: ‘Kuthiwani ngabagcotshiwe? Yini abayoyenza ngemva kokuba sebeyiswe ezulwini?’ IBhayibheli liwuphendula ngokuqondile lowo mbuzo. Lembula ukuthi ohulumeni baleli zwe ‘bayolwa neWundlu.’ Kodwa ngeke banqobe. Siyafunda: ‘IWundlu liyobanqoba.’ Obani abayolisiza? Ivesi liyaphendula. Yilabo “ababiziwe,” “nabakhethiwe,” “nabathembekile.” (Funda isAmbulo 17:14.) Obani labo? Abagcotshiwe abavusiwe! Ngakho lapho abokugcina kwabagcotshiwe abasemhlabeni sebeyiswe ezulwini ngasekupheleni kosizi olukhulu, esinye sezabelo zabo zokuqala kuyoba ukulwa. Leso isabelo esimangalisayo! Amanye amaKristu agcotshiwe ayengophumasilwe ngaphambi  kokuba abe oFakazi BakaJehova. Kanti amanye ayengamasosha. Kodwa kamuva aphenduka aba amaKristu eqiniso, afunda ukuphilisana nabanye ngokuthula. (Gal. 5:22; 2 Thes. 3:16) Ayeka ukusekela izimpi. Nokho, ngemva kokuvuselwa ezulwini, azokhonza noKristu kanye nezingelosi zakhe ezingcwele, balwe nezitha zikaNkulunkulu empini yokugcina.

¹⁶ Ake ucabange nje! Emhlabeni, amanye amaKristu agcotshiwe asekhulile ngeminyaka futhi abuthaka. Kodwa lapho esevuselwe ezulwini ayoba izidalwa zomoya ezinamandla, alwe ekanye neNkosi yawo eyiQhawe, uJesu Kristu. Ngemva kokulwa impi ye-Armagedoni, ayosebenza noJesu, asize ekuqedeni isono kubantu. Asingabazi ukuthi bayokwenzela abafowabo nodadewabo abathandekayo abasemhlabeni okuhle kakhulu lapho sebesezulwini kunalokho abangabenzela kona bengabantu abanesono!

17. Sazi kanjani ukuthi zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ziyobe ziphephile phakathi nempi ye-Armagedoni?

¹⁷ Ingabe ungomunye wezinye izimvu? Uma kunjalo, yini okuyodingeka uyenze lapho kuqala impi ebaluleke kakhulu ye-Armagedoni? Yilokhu nje: Thembela kuJehova, ulandele isiqondiso sakhe. Kungase kuhlanganise ini lokho? IBhayibheli lisho la mazwi aduduzayo: “Ngenani emakamelweni enu angaphakathi, nivale iminyango ngemva kwenu. Zifihleni umzuzwana kuze kudlule intukuthelo.” (Isaya 26:20) Zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile, ezulwini nasemhlabeni, ziyobe ziphephile ngaleso sikhathi. Njengomphostoli uPawulu, siyaqiniseka ukuthi “nahulumeni nazinto ezikhona manje nazinto ezizayo . . . ngeke kukwazi ukusihlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu.” (Roma 8:​38, 39) Ungalokothi ukhohlwe: UJehova uyakuthanda, futhi akasoze akulahla!