“Baqhubeka Belandela IWundlu”
“Laba yibo abaqhubeka belandela iWundlu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi liyaphi.”—ISAM. 14:4.
1. Abafundi bakaJesu beqiniso babezizwa kanjani ngokumlandela?
SEKUYIMINYAKA engaba mibili nengxenye uJesu eqale inkonzo yakhe, futhi manje ‘ufundisa emhlanganweni weningi eKapernawume.’ Ngenxa yenkulumo yakhe abayithola ishaqisa, ‘abaningi kubafundi bakhe bayahamba baye ezintweni abazishiye emuva futhi ababe besahamba naye.’ Lapho uJesu ebuza abaphostoli bakhe abangu-12 ukuthi babefuna yini nabo ukuhamba, uSimoni Petru waphendula: “Nkosi, ubani esizoya kuye? Nguwe onamazwi okuphila okuphakade; siye sakholwa futhi sesiyazi ukuthi ungoNgcwele kaNkulunkulu.” (Joh. 6:48, 59, 60, 66-69) Abafundi bakaJesu beqiniso abazange bayeke ukumlandela. Ngemva kokugcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele, baqhubeka bezithoba esiqondisweni sikaJesu.—IzE. 16:7-10.
2. (a) Ubani ‘oyinceku ethembekileyo neqondayo,’ noma “umphathi othembekile”? (b) Inceku iye yazenzela kanjani umlando omuhle ‘wokulandela iWundlu’?
2 Yini engase ishiwo ngamaKristu agcotshiwe ezikhathini zanamuhla? Esiprofethweni sakhe esiphathelene ‘nesibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakhe nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto,’ uJesu wabiza iqembu labalandeli bakhe abagcotshwe ngomoya emhlabeni ngokuthi “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo,” noma “umphathi othembekile.” (Math. 24:3, 45; Luka 12:42) Njengeqembu, lesi sigaba senceku siye sazakhela umlando omuhle ‘wokulandela iWundlu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi liyaphi.’ (Funda isAmbulo 14:4, 5.) Amalungu aso ahlala eyizintombi ngomqondo ongokomoya ngokungazingcolisi ngezinkolelo nangemikhuba ‘yeBhabhiloni Elikhulu,’ umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. (IsAm. 17:5) Akukho zimfundiso zamanga ‘ezitholakala emilonyeni yawo’ futhi azigcina ‘engenasici’ sezwe likaSathane. (Joh. 15:19) Esikhathini esizayo, insali egcotshiwe esesemhlabeni ‘iyolandela’ iWundlu iye ezulwini.—Joh. 13:36.
3. Kungani kubalulekile ukuba sisethembe isigaba senceku?
3 UJesu uye wamisa inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo ‘phezu kwabendlu yakhe,’ okungukuthi, amalungu esigaba senceku, “ukuze ibanike ukudla kwabo ngesikhathi esifanele.” Uye wayimisa ‘naphezu kwakho konke okungokwakhe.’ (Math. 24:45-47) ‘Okungokwakhe’ kuhlanganisa “isixuku esikhulu” esandayo ‘sezinye izimvu.’ (IsAm. 7:9; Joh. 10:16) Akufanele yini amalungu abagcotshiweyo “nezinye izimvu” bayethembe inceku emiswe phezu kwabo? Kunezizathu eziningi zokuba sisethembe isigaba senceku. Nazi izizathu ezimbili eziyinhloko: (1) UJehova uyasethemba isigaba senceku. (2) UJesu naye uyasethemba. Ake sihlole ubufakazi obubonisa ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu bayethemba ngokuphelele inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo.
UJehova Uyayethemba Inceku
4. Kungani singakwethemba ukudla okungokomoya esikulungiselelwa inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo?
4 Cabanga ngalokho okwenza ukuba inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo ikwazi ukulungiselela ukudla okungokomoya okunomsoco ngesikhathi esifanele. UJehova uthi: “Ngizokwenza ube nokuqondisisa ngikufundise indlela okufanele uhambe ngayo.” Uyanezela: “Ngiyonika iseluleko iso lami likubhekile.” (IHu. 32:8) Yebo, uJehova uyayiqondisa le nceku. Ngakho, singalwethemba ngokugcwele ulwazi lwemiBhalo, ukuqonda okukuyo nesiqondiso esisekelwe kuyo esikuthola ngenceku.
5. Yini ebonisa ukuthi umoya kaNkulunkulu unika isigaba senceku amandla?
5 UJehova ubusisa isigaba senceku nangomoya wakhe ongcwele. Nakuba umoya wakhe ungabonakali, kodwa ubonakala emisebenzini efezwa yilabo osebenza kubo. Cabanga ngalokho okuye kwafezwa inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo ekunikezeni ubufakazi emhlabeni wonke ngoJehova uNkulunkulu, ngeNdodana yakhe nangoMbuso wakhe. Abakhulekeli bakaJehova bashumayela isigijimi soMbuso ngentshiseko emazweni angaphezu kuka-230 naseziqhingini. Ingabe lokhu akunikezi ubufakazi obungenakuphikwa bokuthi umoya kaNkulunkulu unika le nceku amandla? (Funda IzEnzo 1:8.) Lapho isigaba senceku silungiselela ukudla okungokomoya kwabantu bakaJehova emhlabeni wonke ngesikhathi esifanele, kunezinqumo ezibalulekile okudingeka sizenze. Lapho sizenza futhi sizidlulisela, isigaba senceku sibonisa uthando, ubumnene nezinye izimfanelo zezithelo zomoya.—Gal. 5:22, 23.
6, 7. UJehova uyethemba ngezinga elingakanani inceku ethembekileyo?
6 Ukuze uqonde izinga uJehova ayethemba ngayo inceku ethembekileyo, cabanga ngalokho aye wakwethembisa amalungu ayo. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Icilongo liyokhala, futhi abafileyo bayovuswa benokungonakali, futhi thina siyoshintshwa. Ngoba lokhu okonakalayo kumelwe kugqoke ukungonakali, nalokhu okufayo kumelwe kugqoke ukungafi.” (1 Kor. 15:52, 53) Abalandeli bakaKristu abagcotshiwe, abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka futhi abafa benemizimba eyonakalayo, bavuswa besesimweni esingaphezulu kwesezidalwa zomoya ezinokuphila okuphakade. Banikezwa ukungafi—ubuphakade nokungabhubhi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, banikwa ukungonakali nemizimba engenakubola futhi okubonakala ikwazi ukuzigcina iphila. IsAmbulo 4:4 sichaza laba abavusiwe njengabahleli ezihlalweni zobukhosi benemiqhele yegolide emakhanda abo. AmaKristu agcotshiwe alindelwe inkazimulo yasebukhosini. Kodwa kusenobunye ubufakazi bokuthi uJehova uyawethemba.
7 IsAmbulo 19:7, 8 sithi: “Umshado weWundlu ufikile nomkalo uzilungisile. Yebo, unikwé ukuba avunule ngelineni elikhanyayo, elihlanzekile, nelicolekileyo, ngoba ilineni elicolekileyo limelela izenzo ezilungileyo zabangcwele.” UJehova uye wakhetha amaKristu agcotshiwe ukuba abe umlobokazi weNdodana yakhe wesikhathi esizayo. Ukungonakali, ukungafi, ubukhosi, “umshado weWundlu”—yeka ukuthi lezi izipho ezimangalisa kangakanani! Ziwubufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bokuthi uNkulunkulu uyabethemba abagcotshiweyo, “abaqhubeka belandela iWundlu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi liyaphi.”
UJesu Uyayethemba Inceku
8. UJesu ubonisa kanjani ukuthi uyabethemba abalandeli bakhe abagcotshwe ngomoya?
8 Ibuphi ubufakazi esinabo bokuthi uJesu ubethemba ngokuphelele abalandeli bakhe abagcotshwe ngomoya? Ngobusuku bokugcina bokuphila kwakhe lapha emhlabeni, uJesu wenza isethembiso kubaphostoli bakhe abathembekile abangu-11. Wathi kubo: “Nina aningishiyanga ekulingweni kwami; ngenza isivumelwano nani, njengoba nje uBaba enze isivumelwano sombuso nami, sokuba nidle futhi niphuze etafuleni lami embusweni wami, nihlale ezihlalweni zobukhosi ukuze nahlulele izizwe eziyishumi nambili zakwa-Israyeli.” (Luka 22:28-30) Isivumelwano uJesu asenza nabaphostoli bakhe abangu-11 sasiyohlanganisa wonke amaKristu agcotshiwe angu-144 000. (Luka 12:32; IsAm. 5:9, 10; 14:1) Ingabe uJesu wayeyosenza isivumelwano sokubusa nabo uma ayengabethembi?
9. Kuhlanganisani ‘konke okungokukaKristu’?
9 Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu Kristu umise le nceku ethembekileyo neqondayo ‘phezu kwakho konke okungokwakhe’—zonke izinto zoMbuso emhlabeni. (Math. 24:47) Lezi zinto zihlanganisa izakhiwo zendlunkulu yomhlaba wonke yoFakazi BakaJehova, amahhovisi amagatsha emazweni ahlukahlukene, amaHholo OMhlangano namaHholo OMbuso emhlabeni wonke. Kuhlanganisa nanomsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokwenza abafundi. Ukhona yini umuntu ongabela umuntu angamethembi ukuba anakekele futhi asebenzise izinto zakhe eziyigugu?
10. Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJesu Kristu ukanye nabalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe?
10 Ngaphambi nje kokuba anyukele ezulwini, uJesu ovusiwe wabonakala kubafundi bakhe abathembekile futhi wabethembisa: “Bhekani! Nginani izinsuku zonke kuze kube isiphelo sesimiso sezinto.” (Math. 28:20) Ingabe uJesu uye wasifeza lesi sethembiso? Eminyakeni engu-15 edlule, inani lamabandla oFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni wonke liye landa lisuka kwangaba ngu-70 000 laya kwangaphezu kuka-100 000—ukwanda ngamaphesenti angaphezu kwangu-40. Bangaki abafundi abasha abaye babhapathizwa? Kule minyaka engu-15 edlule kubhapathizwe abafundi abayizigidi ezingaba ngu-4,5—isilinganiso sabangaphezu kwabangu-800 ngosuku. Lokhu kwanda okubabazekayo kuwubufakazi obusobala bokuthi uKristu uyabaqondisa abalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe emihlanganweni yabo yebandla futhi uyabasekela emsebenzini wabo wokwenza abafundi.
Inceku Ithembekile Futhi Iyaqonda
11, 12. Inceku iye yazibonakalisa kanjani ithembekile futhi ingeqondayo?
11 Njengoba uJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu beyethemba ngokuphelele inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo, akufanele yini nathi siyethembe? Kakade, iye yazibonakalisa ithembekile ngokwenza umsebenzi eyabelwe wona. Ngokwesibonelo, umagazini INqabayokulinda usuneminyaka engu-130 unyatheliswa. Imihlangano yebandla, eyesifunda neyesigodi yoFakazi BakaJehova iyaqhubeka isakha ngokomoya.
12 Ngaphezu kwalokho, inceku ethembekileyo ingeqondayo ngoba ayigabadeli, ihambele uJehova phambili, noma isilele lapho isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu sicacile endabeni ethile. Ngokwesibonelo, nakuba abaholi benkolo yamanga bekuvuna buthule noma obala ukuziphatha kwabantu bezwe okubonisa ukungamesabi uNkulunkulu nobugovu, inceku yona iyaxwayisa ngezingibe zesimiso sikaSathane esibi. Ikwazi ukunikeza izixwayiso ezihlakaniphile nezifike ngesikhathi ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu bayayibusisa. Ngakho, iyakufanelekela ukuba siyethembe ngokuphelele. Nokho, singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyayethemba le nceku ethembekileyo neqondayo?
“Hamba” Nabagcotshiweyo Njengoba Belandela IWundlu
13. Ngokwesiprofetho sikaZakariya, singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyayethemba inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo?
13 Incwadi yeBhayibheli kaZakariya ikhuluma ‘ngamadoda ayishumi’ aya ‘endodeni engumJuda’ afike athi: “Sizohamba nani.” (Funda uZakariya 8:23.) Njengoba kusetshenziswe isabizwana esithi “nani” lapho kukhulunywa ngale “ndoda engumJuda,” kusho ukuthi ayiyena umuntu oyedwa. Esikhathini sethu, imelela insali yamaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya—ingxenye ‘ka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.’ (Gal. 6:16) “Amadoda ayishumi avela kuzo zonke izilimi zezizwe” amelela isixuku esikhulu sezinye izimvu. Njengoba nje amaKristu agcotshiwe elandela uJesu nomaphi lapho eya khona, isixuku esikhulu ‘sihamba’ nenceku ethembekileyo neqondayo. Abesixuku esikhulu akufanele nanini babe namahloni okuzibiza njengabangane ‘babahlanganyeli bokubizwa kwasezulwini.’ (Heb. 3:1) UJesu akanamahloni okubiza abagcotshiweyo ngokuthi ‘abafowabo.’—Heb. 2:11.
14. Singabasekela kanjani ngobuqotho abafowabo bakaKristu?
14 UJesu Kristu ubheka ukusekelwa okuqotho kwabafowabo njengokungathi kusekelwa yena. (Funda uMathewu 25:40.) Ngakho, labo abanethemba lasemhlabeni bangabasekela ngayiphi indlela abafowabo bakaKristu abagcotshwe ngomoya? Ngokuyinhloko, ngokubasiza emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso. (Math. 24:14; Joh. 14:12) Nakuba inani labagcotshiweyo emhlabeni liye lancipha emashumini eminyaka adlule, inani lezinye izimvu liye landa. Lapho labo abanethemba lasemhlabeni behlanganyela emsebenzini wokufakaza, bekhonza njengezikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele uma bekwazi, basuke besekela abagcotshwe ngomoya ekufezeni isabelo sabo sokwenza abafundi. (Math. 28:19, 20) Akufanele siwayeke amathuba okusekela lo msebenzi ngokwezimali ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene.
15. AmaKristu ngamanye kufanele azizwe kanjani ngokudla okungokomoya okufika ngesikhathi okuvela encekwini nangezinqumo ezenzayo eziphathelene nokuhlelwa kwenhlangano?
15 NjengamaKristu ngamanye, sikubheka kanjani ukudla okungokomoya okufika ngesikhathi okukhishwa inceku ethembekileyo ngezincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini nangemibuthano yobuKristu? Ingabe sikudla ngokwazisa futhi sisheshe sikusebenzise lokho esikufundayo? Sisabela kanjani ezinqumweni ezenziwa inceku eziphathelene nokuhlelwa kwenhlangano? Ukusilalela ngokuzithandela isiqondiso sayo kuwubufakazi bokuthi sinokholo elungiselelweni likaJehova.—Jak. 3:17.
16. Kungani kufanele ukuba wonke amaKristu alalele abafowabo bakaKristu?
16 UJesu wathi: “Izimvu zami ziyalilalela izwi lami, nami ngiyazazi, futhi ziyangilandela.” (Joh. 10:27) Kunjalo ngamaKristu agcotshiwe. Yini elindeleke kulabo ‘abahamba’ nawo? Kumelwe balalele uJesu. Kumelwe balalele nabafowabo bakaJesu. Kakade, yibona abaphathiswe umthwalo wemfanelo oyinhloko wokunakekela inhlalakahle engokomoya yabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Kuhilelani ukulalela izwi labafowabo bakaKristu?
17. Kuhilelani ukulalela isigaba senceku?
17 Inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo namuhla imelelwa iNdikimba Ebusayo, ehola futhi iqondise umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso emhlabeni wonke. Amalungu eNdikimba Ebusayo angabadala abagcotshwe ngomoya abanokuhlangenwe nakho. Yibo ngokuyinhloko esingabachaza ngokuthi “abaholayo” phakathi kwethu. (Heb. 13:7) Laba babonisi abagcotshiwe ‘banokuningi kokukwenza emsebenzini weNkosi’ ngoba banakekela abamemezeli boMbuso abacela ku-7 000 000 emabandleni angaphezu kuka-100 000 emhlabeni wonke. (1 Kor. 15:58) Ukulalela isigaba senceku kusho ukubambisana ngokugcwele neNdikimba yaso Ebusayo.
Abalalela Inceku Bayabusiswa
18, 19. (a) Babusiswa kanjani labo abalalela inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo? (b) Yini okufanele sizimisele ukuyenza?
18 Kusukela inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo yamiswa, ibilokhu ‘iletha abaningi ekulungeni.’ (Dan. 12:3) Laba bahlanganisa abanethemba lokusinda lapho kubhujiswa lesi simiso sezinto esibi. Yeka ukuthi lokhu kubhekwa uNkulunkulu njengabalungile kuyisibusiso kangakanani!
19 Esikhathini esizayo, lapho ‘umuzi ongcwele, iJerusalema Elisha, [owakhiwa abangu-144 000] wehla uvela ezulwini kuNkulunkulu, ulungisiwe njengomlobokazi ehlotshiselwe umyeni wakhe,’ imuphi umvuzo oyotholwa yilabo abaye balalela izwi lenceku? IBhayibheli lithi: “UNkulunkulu ngokwakhe uyoba nabo. Uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni abo, ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlulile.” (IsAm. 21:2-4) Ngakho, masilalele uKristu nabafowabo abathembekile abagcotshwe ngomoya.
Ufundeni?
• Ibuphi ubufakazi obubonisa ukuthi uJehova uyayethemba inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo?
• Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJesu Kristu usethemba ngokuphelele isigaba senceku?
• Kungani umphathi othembekile ekufanelekela ukuba simethembe?
• Sibonisa kanjani ukuthi siyayethemba inceku?
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
Ingabe uyazi ukuthi obani uJehova abakhethe ukuba babe umlobokazi weNdodana yakhe wesikhathi esizayo?
[Isithombe ekhasini 26]
UJesu Kristu uphathise inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo lokho ‘okungokwakhe’
[Isithombe ekhasini 27]
Lapho sishumayela, sisekela abagcotshwe ngomoya