1, 2. (a) Yintoni enokubangela ukuba sibe nohlobo oluthile lobumfama? (b) Yintoni esiqiniseke ngayo ngokuphathelele uBukumkani bukaThixo?

MHLAWUMBI uye waqaphela ukuba abantu bayakwazi ukubona isiganeko esinye kodwa basibalise ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo. Ngendlela efanayo, umntu usenokungayikhumbuli kakuhle into ethethwe ngugqirha emva kokuba emchazele isigulo sakhe. Okanye omnye usenokungaziboni izitshixo okanye izipeksi zakhe, ngoku zilapha phambi kwakhe. Zonke ezi zinto sithethe ngazo zisenokubangelwa luhlobo oluthile lobumfama—ukungayiqapheli into okanye ukuyilibala ngenxa yokuphazanyiswa zezinye. Kuthiwa le yindlela esebenza ngayo ingqondo yomntu.

² Namhlanje abantu abaninzi banale ngxaki “yobumfama” kuba abayiboni intsingiselo yeziganeko ezenzeka ehlabathini. Basenokuvuma ukuba ihlabathi liye latshintsha gqitha ukususela ngo-1914, kodwa babe bengayiqondi intsingiselo yezi ziganeko. Ekubeni sifunda iBhayibhile, thina siyazi ukuba uBukumkani bukaThixo bafika ngo-1914 xa uYesu wamiselwa waba nguKumkani ezulwini. Enye into esiyaziyo kukuba umthandazo othi, “Mabufike ubukumkani bakho. Makwenzeke ukuthanda kwakho nasemhlabeni,” awukazaliseki ngokupheleleyo.  (Mat. 6:10) Kaloku, ukuzaliseka kwawo kuquka ukupheliswa kwale nkqubo yezinto ingendawo. Kusemva kokuba uzaliseke ngokupheleleyo kuphela apho ukuthanda kukaThixo kuya kwenziwa emhlabeni kanye njengasezulwini.

3. Ukufunda iLizwi likaThixo kusinceda siqonde ntoni?

³ Ekubeni silifunda rhoqo iLizwi likaThixo, siyakwazi ukubona ukuba esi siprofeto sizaliseka kanye ngoku. Into ebuhlungu kukuba abantu abaninzi abayiboni yonke loo nto! Bathe phithi kukuleqana nezinto zobu bomi kangangokuba bubasithele ubungqina obuzicaceleyo bokuba uKristu ebelawula ukususela ngo-1914 yaye kungekudala uza kuzisa umgwebo kaThixo. Noko ke, khawucinge ngalo mbuzo: Ukuba sele uneminyaka ukhonza uThixo, ngaba usakholelwa njengakuqala ukuba isiphelo sale nkqubo sisemnyango nokuba izinto ezenzekayo zingqina kanye oko? Nokuba usandul’ ukuba liNgqina, yintoni eyona nto iphambili kuwe? Enoba ithini impendulo yakho, makhe sithethe ngezizathu ezithathu ezisenza siqiniseke ukuba uKumkani othanjisiweyo kaThixo uza kuqinisekisa ukuba ukuthanda kukaYise kuyenziwa emhlabeni.

4, 5. (a) Yintoni ebisenziwa nguYesu ukususela ngo-1914? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.) (b) Yintoni efuziselwa ngabakhweli-mahashe abathathu, ibe isiprofeto sabo siye sazaliseka njani?

⁴ Ngo-1914, uYesu Kristu—obonwa ekhwele ihashe elimhlophe—wanikwa isithsaba sakhe waba ngukumkani ezulwini. Zisuka nje waqalisa iphulo lokoyisa inkqubo engendawo kaSathana. (Funda iSityhilelo 6:1, 2.) Isiprofeto esikwiSityhilelo isahluko 6 sachaza ukuba emva kokumiselwa koBukumkani bukaThixo, imeko yayiza kuba maxongo ehlabathini—kwakuza kubakho iimfazwe, kunqongophale ukutya kuze kubekho izifo ezibulalayo. Ezi ntlekele zifuziselwa ngabakhweli-mahashe abathathu abalandela uYesu Kristu ngokusondeleyo.—ISityhi. 6:3-8.

⁵ Njengoko kwakuprofetiwe, uxolo ‘lwasuswa emhlabeni,’ phezu kwazo nje izithembiso zabantu zokuzisa uxolo ehlabathini. IMfazwe Yehlabathi I yaba yeyokuqala kwiimfazwe ezimanyumnyezi ezaluphelisa nya uxolo emhlabeni. Nakuba kuye kwabakho inkqubela kwezoqoqosho nakwisayensi ukususela ngo-1914, ihlabathi lisenengxaki yokunqongophala kokutya. Ngaphezu koko, akakho umntu onokuthi akayiboni into yokufa kwezigidi zabantu minyaka le ngenxa yoobhubhani bezifo, iintlekele zemvelo, kunye ‘nezibetho ezibulalayo.’ Zonke ezi zinto azizange khe zenzeke ngomkhamo ongaka. Ngaba uyayiqonda intsingiselo yoko?

6. Ngoobani abaye bakuqonda ukuzaliseka kweziprofeto zeBhayibhile, ibe loo nto iye yabangela ukuba benze ntoni?

⁶ Abantu abaninzi kwabothusa gqitha ukuqhambuka kweMfazwe Yehlabathi I noMbathalala. Ukanti, wona amaKristu athanjisiweyo ayekhangele phambili ku-1914 njengonyaka wokuphela kwamaXesha Eentlanga, okanye “amaxesha amisiweyo eentlanga.” (Luka 21:24) Ayengaqinisekanga ncam ngeyona nto yayiza kwenzeka. Sekunjalo, ayesazi ukuba kwakukho isiganeko esasiza kwenzeka ngokuphathelele uBukumkani bukaThixo ngo-1914. Athi akuqonda ukuba isiprofeto seBhayibhile sizalisekile, avakalisa ngesibindi ukuba uThixo uqalisile ukulawula. Loo migudu yawo yokuvakalisa uBukumkani yabazisela intshutshiso eqatha. Kwale yokuba loo ntshutshiso yenzeke kumazwe ngamazwe yaba kukuzaliseka kwesiprofeto. Kwiminyaka eyalandelayo, iintshaba zoBukumkani zasebenzisa kakubi umthetho, zibhenela ‘ekuyileni inkathazo ngommiselo.’ Zabhenela  nakugonyamelo, ukuvalela abantu bakaThixo entolongweni, nasekubabulaleni ngokubaxhoma ngentambo, ukubadubula nokubanqumla umqala.—INdu. 94:20; ISityhi. 12:15.

7. Kutheni abantu abaninzi bengayiqondi intsingiselo yeziganeko ezenzeka ehlabathini?

⁷ Nakuba bungaka ubungqina bokuba uBukumkani bukaThixo sele bulawula ezulwini, kutheni abantu abaninzi bengafuni ukuyamkela intsingiselo yoko? Kutheni bengakwazi kuyiqonda into yokuba iziganeko ezenzeka ehlabathini zithetha ukuzaliseka kweziprofeto zeBhayibhile esele kudala zivakaliswa ngabantu bakaThixo? Ngaba le nto ayibangelwa kukuba abantu befuna ukunikela ingqalelo kwizinto abazibona ngamehlo kuphela? (2 Kor. 5:7) Ngaba ukuthi phithi kwabo ziingxaki zobomi kubenza bangaziboni izinto ezenziwa nguThixo? (Mat. 24:37-39) Ngaba bakho abaphazanyiswa bubuvuvu obusasazwa nguSathana? (2 Kor. 4:4) Kufuneka sibe nokholo ukuze sikwazi ukubona izinto ezenziwa buBukumkani bukaThixo. Isivuyisa gqitha into yokuba sisindile ekumfanyekisweni nguSathana!

8-10. (a) Zizaliseke njani izinto ezichazwe kweyesi-2 kuTimoti 3:1-5? (b) Kutheni sinokuthi ubungendawo buye baqatsela?

⁸ Nasi isizathu sesibini esisinceda sibone ukuba kungekudala uBukumkani bukaThixo buza kungenelela kwiingxaki zomhlaba: Ubungendawo ehlabathini buya buqatsela. Sekudlule phantse ikhulu leminyaka kubonakala ubungqina bokuzaliseka kwezinto ezachazwa kweyesi-2 kuTimoti 3:1-5. Nazo ezo zinto ziye zaba nochatha. Ngaba akuyiboni indlela ekuye kwathabath’ unyawo ngayo ukuzaliseka kwesi siprofeto? Makhe sithethe ngemizekelo yoku.—Funda eyesi-2 kuTimoti 3:1, 13.

⁹ Khawucinge ngezinto ezazibothusa abantu ngee-1940 nee-1950, uzithelekise nezinto ezenzeka namhlanje emsebenzini, indlela abantu abazonwabisa ngayo, kwezemidlalo nakwifashoni. Ugonyamelo nokungakwazi ukuziphatha kwabantu sele izizinto eziqhelekileyo. Abantu bafuna ukwaziwa njengabona boyikekayo, ababalaseleyo ekuziphatheni okubi nabona bakhohlakeleyo. Iinkqubo ezazingamanyala ukuba zibukelwe kwiTV  ngee-1950 sele zibukelwa ngumntu wonke entsatsheni. Abaninzi baye bayiphawula into yokuba amafanasini atshila phambili kwezolonwabo nefashoni, ekhuthaza abantu ukuba bazeke mzekweni. Simbulela ngokungazenzisiyo uThixo ngokusibonisa iindlela zakhe!—Funda uYude 14, 15.

¹⁰ Usenokucinga nangezinto ezazigqalwa njengesigezo kubantwana ngee-1950 uze uthelekise nezinto abazenzayo kule mihla. Befanele phofu, abazali babedla ngokuba nexhala lokuba abantwana babo batshaye, basele utywala okanye badanise ngendlela engcolileyo. Namhlanje sele iqheleke gqitha into yokuva iingxelo ezothusayo njengezi: Umfundi oneminyaka eyi-15 uvulele ngembumbulu kwabanye afunda nabo, ebulala aba-2 ngoxa engxwelerha abayi-13. Iqela labantwana abanxilileyo liye labulala kabuhlungu intombazana eneminyaka esithoba laza langomba kanobom uyise nomza wayo. Kwelinye ilizwe laseAsia kuthiwa isiqingatha sonke sezenzo zolwaphulo-mthetho sibangelwe lulutsha kule minyaka ilishumi idluleyo. Ngaba ukho umntu onokuphika ukuba imeko yehlabathi iye yaba mandundu?

11. Kutheni abantu abaninzi bengaqapheli ukuba izinto ziya zisiba mandundu?

¹¹ Umpostile uPetros wayenyanisile xa wathi: “Ngemihla yokugqibela kuya kufika abagculeli nokugculela kwabo, beqhubeka ngokweminqweno yabo baze bathi: ‘Buphi obu bukho bakhe buthenjisiweyo? Kuba ukususela ngomhla ookhokho bethu abalala ngawo ekufeni, zonke izinto zisaqhubeka kanye njengasekuqaleni kwendalo.’” (2 Pet. 3:3, 4) Yintoni ebangela ukuba abanye bacinge ngolu hlobo? Xa into isenzeka qho, abantu bade bayiqhele de bangayihoyi. Siyothuka xa umhlobo osondeleyo kuthi esenza into esingayilindelanga. Kodwa asidli ngakuqaphela xa abantu beziphatha kakubi ngokuthe ngcembe. Sekunjalo, oku kuziphatha okubi kuyingozi.

12, 13. (a) Kutheni iimeko zeli hlabathi zingamele zisenze siphelelwe ngamandla? (b) Yintoni eza kusinceda sikwazi ukujamelana nale mihla ‘kunzima ukujamelana nayo’?

¹² Umpostile uPawulos walumkisa wathi “ngemihla yokugqibela,” kwakuya kufika amaxesha “ekunzima ukujamelana nawo.” (2 Tim. 3:1) Kodwa sinako ukujamelana nawo, ngoko asimele siphelelwe ngamandla. Xa sincedwa nguYehova, ngumoya wakhe nalibandla lamaKristu, siya kutsho sikwazi ukujamelana nayo nantoni na, ibe siya kuhlala sithembekile. “Amandla angaphaya koko kuqhelekileyo” asingowethu, ngakaThixo.—2 Kor. 4:7-10.

¹³ Phawula ukuba uPawulos waqalisa isiprofeto semihla yokugqibela ngamazwi athi “kwazi oku.” Loo mazwi aqinisekisa ukuba loo nto kuthethwa ngayo iza kwenzeka ngokuqinisekileyo. Asiyithandabuzi into yokuba abantu abangamoyikiyo uThixo baseza kuqatsela kubungendawo babo de uYehova angenelele. Imbali ibonisa ukuba abantu kudala bengakwazi ukuziphatha. Kodwa ke, izinto azizange khe zibe mbi kwindlela abaziphatha ngayo njengakule mihla yethu. Abanye abantu basenokungakuthatheli ntweni oku, kodwa iziganeko ezenzeke ukususela ngo-1914 zimele zisenze sibone ngokucacileyo ukuba sinokuqiniseka ukuba uBukumkani bukaThixo buza kungenelela kungekudala.

14-16. Sisiphi isizathu sesithathu esisiqinisekisayo ukuba uBukumkani bukaThixo buza ‘kufika’ kungekudala?

¹⁴ Sinaso nesizathu sesithathu sokuba nethemba. Izinto ezenzeke phakathi kwabantu bakaThixo zibonisa ukuba isiphelo sisondele. Ngokomzekelo, ngaphambi kokumiselwa koBukumkani bukaThixo  ezulwini, kwakukho iqaqobana labathanjiswa abathembekileyo elalikhonza uThixo. Xa izinto elalizilindele zingazange zenzeke ngo-1914, lenza ntoni? Abaninzi kwaba bazalwana bayigcina ingqibelelo yabo phezu nje kwezilingo nentshutshiso baza baqhubeka bekhonza uYehova. Ukutyhubela iminyaka, inkoliso yabathanjiswa—ukuba asingabo bonke—iye yathembeka de yaligqiba ikhondo layo lasemhlabeni.

¹⁵ Kwisiprofeto sakhe esasithetha ngokupheliswa kwale nkqubo yezinto, uYesu wathi: “Asisayi kudlula esi sizukulwana zingadanga zenzeke zonke ezi zinto.” (Funda uMateyu 24:33-35.) Siyazi ukuba xa wayethetha ‘ngesi sizukulwana,’ uYesu wayebhekisela kumaqela amabini amaKristu athanjisiweyo. Iqela lokuqala lalikho ngo-1914, ibe lakhawuleza lawuqonda umqondiso wobukho bukaKristu ngaloo nyaka. Abo babeyila eli qela yayingengobantu nje babephila ngo-1914, kodwa yayingoonyana bakaThixo abathanjiswe ngomoya ngaloo nyaka okanye ngaphambi koko.—Roma 8:14-17.

¹⁶ Iqela lesibini ‘lesi sizukulwana’ ngabathanjiswa abaye baphila bengekafi abo beqela lokuqala. Asingobantu nje abaye baphila ngexesha lokudla amazimba kweqela lokuqala, kodwa baye bathanjiswa ngoxa besaphila abo beqela lokuqala. Ngoko, asinguye wonke umntu othanjisiweyo namhlanje oyinxalenye ‘yesi sizukulwana’ wayethetha ngaso uYesu. Namhlanje, nabo beqela lesibini sele baluphele. Sekunjalo, amazwi kaYesu akuMateyu 24:34 asiqinisekisa ukuba bakho ‘kwesi sizukulwana abangayi kudlula’ de ifike imbandezelo enkulu. Oku kumele kusenze siqiniseke ngakumbi ukuba lincinane kakhulu ixesha eliseleyo ngaphambi kokuba uKumkani woBukumkani bukaThixo atshabalalise abangendawo aze azise ihlabathi elitsha elinobulungisa.—2 Pet. 3:13.

17. Ubungqina esiye sathetha ngabo kweli nqaku businceda siqonde ntoni?

¹⁷ Zisixelela ntoni ezi zibakala zithathu sithethe ngazo? UYesu wasixelela ukuba sasingayi kuwazi umhla nelixa, ibe nyhani asiwazi. (Mat. 24:36; 25:13) Kodwa uPawulos wathi siyalazi “ixesha.” (Funda amaRoma 13:11.) Siphila kwelo xesha, imihla yokugqibela. Ukuba sinikela ingqalelo kwisiprofeto seBhayibhile nakwizinto ezenziwa nguYehova uThixo noYesu Kristu, abunakusisithela ubungqina bokuba siphila kanye kumagqibela kankqoyi ale nkqubo yezinto.

18. Yintoni eza kwenzeka kwabo bangabuboneli ntweni uBukumkani bukaThixo?

¹⁸ Abo bangaliboneli ntweni igunya elinikwe uYesu Kristu, uMkhweli wehashe elimhlophe owoyisayo, sekumbovu bawaginye amazwi abo. Abayi kukwazi ukuwuphepha umgwebo kaThixo. Ngelo xesha, abaninzi baya kubhomboloza bathi: “Ngubani na onako ukuma?” (ISityhi. 6:15-17) Isahluko esilandelayo sale ncwadi yeSityhilelo siyawuphendula loo mbuzo. Abantu abaya “kuma” ngaloo mini ngabathanjiswa nabo banethemba lokuphila emhlabeni akholiswayo ngabo uThixo. Emva koko eso ‘sihlwele sikhulu’ sezinye izimvu siza kusinda ngembandezelo enkulu.—ISityhi. 7:9, 13-15.

19. Ekubeni ubuqonda ubungqina bokuba le mihla yokugqibela sele iza kuphela, yintoni okhangele phambili kuyo?

¹⁹ Xa sinikela ingqalelo ekuzalisekeni kwesiprofeto seBhayibhile kule mihla ibangel’ umdla, asiyi kuphazanyiswa yingxokozelo eyenziwa leli hlabathi likaSathana; ibe ayiyi kusiphosa intsingiselo yeziganeko ezenzeka kweli hlabathi. Kungekudala uKristu uza kuloyisa ngokupheleleyo eli hlabathi lingamoyikiyo uThixo kwimfazwe yaseArmagedon. (ISityhi. 19:11, 19-21) Cinga nje indlela esiya konwaba ngayo ngelo xesha!—ISityhi. 20:1-3, 6; 21:3, 4.