1. (a) Finqa umzekeliso wengqoloyi lokhula. (b) UJesu wawuchasisa njani?

 OMUNYE wemizekeliso kaJesu omayelana loMbuso uchaza umlimi ohlanyela inhlanyelo enhle yengqoloyi kanye lesitha esifika sihlanyele ukhula phakathi kwenhlanyelo enhle. Ukhula lukhulela ingqoloyi kodwa umlimi utshela izisebenzi ukuthi: “Kuyekeleni kukhule ndawonye kuze kube yisikhathi sokuvuna.” Ngesikhathi sokuvuna ukhula luyatshabalaliswa kodwa ingqoloyi iyaqoqwa. UJesu uphinda awuchasise umzekeliso lo. (Bala uMathewu 13:24-30, 37-43.) Umzekeliso lo uvezani? (Bona itshathi elithi “Ingqoloyi loKhula.”)

2. (a) Izehlakalo ezenzakala ensimini yomlimi zisitshengisani? (b) Yiphi ingxenye yomzekeliso esizayikhangela?

² Izehlakalo ezenzakala ensimini yomlimi zitshengisa isikhathi lendlela uJesu azaqoqa ngayo abanjengengqoloyi phakathi kwabantu, okutsho amaKhristu agcotshiweyo azabusa laye eMbusweni wakhe. Ukuhlanyela kwaqalisa ngePhentekhosti lika-33 C.E. Ukuqoqwa kuzapheleliswa ngesikhathi abagcotshiweyo abazabe bephila ekucineni komumo wezinto befakwa uphawu okokucina besebehanjiswa ezulwini. (Mat. 24:31; Isam. 7:1-4) Njengoba nje ukugada phezu kwentaba kunceda umuntu ukuthi abone indawo emgombolozeleyo, umzekeliso lo usinceda ukuthi sibe lombono obanzi ngendlela izinto ezazizantshintsha ngayo okweminyaka engaba ngu-2 000. Ngombono wethu obanzi, yikuphi ukuntshintsha okuphathelane loMbuso esikuzwisisayo? Umzekeliso lo uchasisa ngesikhathi sokuhlanyela, sokukhula kanye lesokuvuna. Isihloko lesi sizagxila kakhulu esikhathini sokuvuna. *

3. (a) Yisiphi isimo esavela sekudlule ikhulu lokuqala? (b) KuMathewu 13:28 yiwuphi umbuzo owabuzwayo njalo wabuzwa ngobani? (Khangela lenothi elisekucineni.)

³ Ikhulu lesibili C.E. lisanda kuqalisa, ‘ukhula lwavela’ lapho amaKhristu amanga eqalisa ukubonakala emhlabeni wonke. (Mat. 13:26) Ekhulwini lesine, inani lamaKhristu  anjengokhula laselisedlula khatshana elamaKhristu agcotshiweyo. Khumbula ukuthi emzekelisweni, izisebenzi zacela kumnininsimu imvumo yokuthi zisiphune ukhula. (Mat. 13:28) Umnininsimu waphendula wathini? *

4. (a) Kuyini okuvezwa yimpendulo yoMnininsimu, uJesu? (b) AmaKhristu anjengengqoloyi aqalisa nini ukubonakala?

⁴ Ekhuluma ngengqoloyi lokhula uJesu wathi: “Kuyekeleni kukhule ndawonye kuze kube yisikhathi sokuvuna.” Umlayo lo uveza ukuthi kusukela ekhulwini lokuqala kuze kufike khathesi, amaKhristu agcotshiweyo afananiswa lengqoloyi abelokhu ekhona emhlabeni. Umcijo lo uphinda usekelwe yilokhu okwakhulunywa nguJesu ngemva kwesikhathi esithile etshela abafundi bakhe esithi: “Mina ngilani insuku zonke kuze kube sekupheleni kwesikhathi.” (Mat. 28:20, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Ngakho-ke amaKhristu agcotshiweyo ayezaqhubeka evikelwa nguJesu izinsuku zonke kuze kufike isikhathi sokucina. Kodwa njengoba ayesekhulelwe ngamaKhristu amanga, asilaqiniso ukuthi ngobani sibili ababebumba iqembu lengqoloyi kulesosikhathi eside. Lanxa kunjalo kusasele amatshumi eminyaka ukuthi isikhathi sokuvuna siqalise, abanjengengqoloyi baqalisa ukubonakala. Kwenzakala njani lokhu?

5. Isiphrofetho sikaMalaki sagcwaliseka njani ekhulwini lokuqala?

⁵ Kusasele amakhulu eminyaka ukuthi uJesu atsho umzekeliso wengqoloyi lokhula, uJehova waphefumulela umphrofethi wakhe uMalaki ukuthi abikezele izehlakalo ezitholakala emzekelisweni kaJesu. (Bala uMalaki 3:1-4.) UJohane uMbhaphathizi kwakunguye ‘isigijimi kumbe isithunywa esasizalungisa indlela.’ (Mat. 11:10, 11) Ngesikhathi efika ngo-29 C.E., isikhathi sokwahlulela isizwe sako-Israyeli sasesiseduze. UJesu wayeyisithunywa sesibili. Wahlambulula ithempeli eJerusalema kabili, waqala walihlambulula esanda kuqalisa  inkonzo yakhe wasephinda futhi esezayiphetha. (Mat. 21:12, 13; Joha. 2:14-17) Yikho-ke, ukuhlambulula kukaJesu kwathatha isikhathi esithile.

6. (a) Yikuphi ukugcwaliseka okukhulu kwesiphrofetho sikaMalaki? (b) UJesu walihlola kusiphi isikhathi ithempeli elingokomoya? (Khangela lenothi elisekucineni)

⁶ Yikuphi ukugcwaliseka okukhulu kwesiphrofetho sikaMalaki? Sekusele amatshumi eminyaka ukuthi u-1914 afike, u-C. T. Rus­sell labanye bakhe benza umsebenzi ofanana lokaJohane uMbhaphathizi. Umsebenzi lo oqakathekileyo wawugoqela ukwenza ukuthi iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini litholakale futhi. Abafundi beBhayibhili babefundisa ukuthi yayisitshoni inhlawulo yomhlatshelo kaKhristu, beveza ukuba ngamanga komlilo wesihogo, njalo babememezela ukuthi sekuseduze ukucina kweZikhathi zabeZizwe. Lanxa kunjalo kwakuseselamaqembu ezinkolo amanengi ayezithi angabalandeli bakaKhristu. Yikho-ke kulombuzo oqakathekileyo okwakumele uphendulwe othi: Ngobani ababeyingqoloyi phakathi kwawo wonke amaqembu la? Ukuze aphendule umbuzo lo uJesu waqalisa ukuhlola ithempeli elingokomoya ngo-1914. Umsebenzi wokuhlola lokuhlambulula wawuzakwenziwa okwesikhathi esithile, kusukela ngo-1914 kuze kufike ekuqaliseni komnyaka ka-1919. *

7. UJesu eqalisa ukuhlola kwakhe ngo-1914, watholani?

⁷ UJesu eqalisa ukuhlola kwakhe watholani? Wathola aBafundi beBhayibhili ababeliqembu elincane ababetshiseka abasebedlulise iminyaka engu-30 besebenzisa amandla abo lenotho yabo emkhankasweni wokutshumayela ovuthayo. * Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uJesu lezingilosi zakhe bathokoza kakhulu ­sebethole izikhwebu lezi ezilutshwana ezazizinhle futhi ezingavumanga ukubuniswa lukhula lukaSathane! Lanxa kunjalo kwakudingeka ukuthi  ‘kuhlanjululwe abaLevi,’ okutsho abagcotshiweyo. (Mal. 3:2, 3; 1 Pet. 4:17) Ngenxa yani?

8. Kwenzakalani sekudlule u-1914?

⁸ Sekusiyaphela u-1914 abanye aBafundi beBhayibhili badana ngenxa yokuthi babengayanga ezulwini. Ngo-1915 lo-1916 ukuphikisa okwakuvela phandle kwenhlanganiso kwabuyisela emuva umsebenzi wokutshumayela. Okwaba kubi kakhulu yikuthi ngemva kokufa koMfowethu uRussell ngo-October 1916, ukuphikisa kwaqubuka phakathi kwenhlanganiso. Abaqondisi abane kwabayisikhombisa be-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society bahlamukela isinqumo sokubekwa koMfowethu uRuth­er­ford ukuthi abe nguye okhokhelayo. Bazama ukwehlukanisa abazalwane kodwa ngo-August 1917 batshiya iBhetheli. Lokhu kwaba yikuhlanjululwa kweqiniso. Kanti njalo abanye aBafundi beBhayibhili bakhulelwa yikwesaba abantu. Kodwa iqembu leli lilonke lawamukela umsebenzi kaJesu wokuhlambulula lingabanjwanga ngamandla, lantshintsha lapho okwakumele lintshintshe khona. Ngenxa yakho konke lokhu uJesu wabahlulela ngokuthi bangamaKhristu eqiniso, ingqoloyi, kodwa walahla wonke amaKhristu amanga kugoqela lawo wonke ayesemasontweni ayezithi ngawesiKhristu. (Mal. 3:5; 2 Tim. 2:19) Kwenzakalani ngemva kwalokhu? Ukuze siphendule umbuzo lo asibuyeleni emzekelisweni wengqoloyi lokhula.

9, 10.(a) Kuyini esizaxoxa ngakho mayelana lesikhathi sokuvuna? (b) Kuyini okwaqala ukwenziwa ngesikhathi sokuvuna?

⁹ UJesu wathi: “Ukuvuna yikuphela kwesikhathi.” (Mat. 13:39, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Lesosikhathi sokuvuna saqala ngo-1914. Sizaxoxa ngezehlakalo ezinhlanu ezabikezelwa nguJesu mayelana lesikhathi sokuvuna.

¹⁰ Esokuqala, yikuqoqwa kokhula. UJesu uthi: ‘Ngesikhathi sokuvuna ngizakuthi kubavuni: Qalani ngokuqoqa ukhula lilubophe izinyanda.’ Ngemva kuka-1914, izingilosi zaqalisa ‘ukuqoqa’ amaKhristu alukhula ngokuwehlukanisa ‘lamadodana ombuso’ agcotshiweyo.​—Mat. 13:30, 38, 41.

11. Kuze kube lamuhla, kuyini okwenze kwaba lomahluko phakathi kwamaKhristu eqiniso lawamanga?

¹¹ Njengoba umsebenzi wokuqoqa wawuthuthuka, ukungafanani kwamaqembu la amabili kwaqhubeka kucaca. (Isam. 18:1, 4) Ngo-1919 kwasekusegcekeni ukuthi iBhabhiloni eNkulu yayisiwile. Kuyini okwakusenza ukuthi kukhanye ukuthi kulomahluko omkhulu phakathi kwamaKhristu eqiniso lawamanga? Ngumsebenzi wokutshumayela. Ababekhokhela baqalisa ukugcizelela ukuthi kuqakathekile ukuthi uMfundi weBhayibhili munye ngamunye enze umsebenzi wokutshumayela ngoMbuso. Ngokwesibonelo iphetshana eladindwa ngo-1919 elalilesihloko esithi, To Whom the Work Is Entrusted, lakhuthaza wonke amaKhristu agcotshiweyo ukuthi atshumayele indlu ngendlu. Lalisithi: “Umsebenzi lo ukhanya unzima kodwa ngoweNkosi futhi ngamandla ayo sizaphumelela ukuwenza. Kuyisibusiso ukuba ngomunye wabawenzayo.” Bakwamukela njani lokhu? INqabayokulinda ka-1922 ilandisa ukuthi, kusukela khonapho bawuthuthukisa umsebenzi wabo wokutshumayela. Yikho-ke umsebenzi wokutshumayela indlu ngendlu wahle waba luphawu lwamaKhristu la athembekileyo futhi ulokhu uluphawu lwawo lalamuhla.

12. Iqembu labengqoloyi liqalise nini ukuqoqwa?

¹² Esesibili yikuqoqwa kwengqoloyi. UJesu ulaya izingilosi zakhe esithi: ‘Qoqani amabele liwalethe esiphaleni sami.’ (Mat. 13:30) Kusukela ngo-1919 abagcotshiweyo bebeqoqwa belethwa ebandleni lobuKhristu elavuselelwayo. AmaKhristu agcotshiweyo azabe ephila kuze kube sekupheleni kwesikhathi, azaqoqwa okokucina ngesikhathi esamukela umvuzo wawo wasezulwini.​—Dan. 7:18, 22, 27.

13. USambulo 18:7 uvezani ngokucabanga kwesiphingi kumbe iBhabhiloni eNkulu lamuhla kanye lamasonto azithi ngawesiKhristu?

¹³ Esesithathu yikukhala lokugedla. Kuzakwenzakalani izingilosi sezibophe ukhula lwaba zinyanda? Ekhuluma ngesimo seqembu lokhula,  uJesu uthi: “Lapho kuzakuba khona ukukhala lokugedla amazinyo.” (Mat. 13:42, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Lamuhla lokhu kuyenzakala yini? Hatshi. Lamuhla amasonto azithi ngawesiKhristu, ugatsha lwesiphingi alokhu ezitshela esithi: “Ngihlezi njengendlovukazi; kangisumfelokazi, njalo kangisoze ngilile.” (Isam. 18:7) Kuliqiniso ukuthi amasonto azithi ngawesiKhristu azibona ebusa, aze azitshele ukuthi ‘ahlezi njengendlovukazi’ phezu kwamaqembu abakhokheli bezombusazwe. Okwakhathesi, labo abanjengokhula bazitshaya isifuba, kabakhali. Kodwa lokhu sekuzaphela.

14. (a) Kuyini okuzakwenza ukuthi amaKhristu amanga ‘agedle amazinyo’ njalo azakwenza nini lokho? (b) Ukuzwisisa kwethu okulungisisiweyo mayelana loMathewu 13:42 kuhambelana njani lalokho okukhulunywa kuHubo 112:10? (Khangela inothi elisekucineni)

¹⁴ Ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu, izinhlanganiso zonke zenkolo yamanga sezitshabalalisiwe, abasekeli bazo bazaphithizela bedinga indawo abangaphephela kuyo kodwa kabasoze bayithole indawo yokucatsha. (Luka. 23:30; Isam. 6:15-17) Bazathi sebebona ukuthi abangeke baphunyuke ekutshabalalisweni lokhu, bakhale ngokwesaba okukhulu ‘besebegedla amazinyo’ ngenxa yentukuthelo. Njengoba uJesu wabikezela esiphrofethweni sakhe mayelana lokuhlupheka okukhulu, ‘bazalila’ ngesikhathi leso sobumnyama. *​—Mat. 24:30; Isam. 1:7.

15. Ukhula luzakwenziwani, njalo lokho kuzakwenzakala nini?

¹⁵ Esesine yikuphoselwa eziko. Luzakwenziwani ukhula olubotshwe lwaba zinyanda? Izingilosi ‘zizaluphosela eziko lomlilo.’ (Mat. 13:42, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Ukuphoselwa lokho kuzatsho ukutshabalaliswa ngokupheleleyo. Yikho-ke, labo ababengabasekeli bezinhlanganiso zenkolo zamanga bazatshabalaliswa ngesikhathi sengxenye yokucina yokuhlupheka okukhulu, i-Amagedoni.​—Mal. 4:1.

16, 17. (a) Yisiphi isehlakalo sokucina esiqanjwa nguJesu emzekelisweni wakhe? (b) Kungani siphetha ngokuthi ukugcwaliseka kwesehlakalo leso kuzakwenzakala esikhathini esizayo?

¹⁶ Esesihlanu, yikukhazimula njengelanga. UJesu uphetha isiphrofetho sakhe ngokuthi: ‘Lapho-ke kumbe ngesikhathi leso abalungileyo bazakhazimula njengelanga embusweni kaYise wabo.’ (Mat. 13:43) Lokhu kuzakwenzakala nini njalo ngaphi? Amazwi la azagcwaliseka ngesikhathi esizayo. UJesu wayengabikezeli umsebenzi owenziwa emhlabeni lamuhla kodwa wayebikezela okuzakwenzakala ezulwini ngesikhathi esizayo. * Ake sihlole izizathu ezimbili zokuthi kungani siphetha ngokutsho njalo.

¹⁷ Okwakuqala, ngumbuzo othi “nini.” UJesu wathi: ‘Lapho-ke kumbe ngesikhathi leso abalungileyo bazakhazimula.’ Kusegcekeni ukuthi umutsho othi “ngesikhathi leso” utsho isehlakalo esasisanda kuqanjwa nguJesu,  ‘ukuphosela ukhula eziko lomlilo.’ Lokhu kuzakwenzakala engxenyeni yokucina yokuhlupheka okukhulu. Ngakho-ke, ‘ukukhazimula njengelanga’ kwabagcotshiweyo lakho kumele kwenzakale ngesikhathi leso esizayo. Okwesibili ngumbuzo othi “ngaphi.” UJesu wathi abalungileyo ‘bazakhazimula embusweni.’ Kutshoni lokhu? Kutsho ukuthi bonke abathembekileyo abagcotshiweyo abazabe besesemhlabeni, ingxenye yokuqala yokuhlupheka okukhulu isidlulile bayabe sebelufakiwe uphawu lwabo lokucina. Ngemva kwalokho bazaqoqwa baye ezulwini, njengoba kutshiwo esiphrofethweni sikaJesu esimayelana lokuhlupheka okukhulu. (Mat. 24:31) Sebekhonale bazakhazimula “embusweni kaYise wabo,” njalo impi ye-Amagedoni isanda kuphela, bazajabula loJesu bengumlobokazi ‘emthimbeni weWundlu.’​—Isam. 19:6-9.

18, 19. Ukuzwisisa umzekeliso kaJesu wengqoloyi lokhula kukunceda ngaziphi izindlela?

¹⁸ Umbono obanzi esiwunikwa ngumzekeliso lo usinceda ngani? Ake sixoxe ngezindlela ezintathu. Okokuqala, ujulisa ukuqedisisa kwethu. Umzekeliso lo uveza isizathu esiqakathekileyo sokuthi kungani uJehova evumela ukuthi kube lobubi. ‘Watshengisa ukubekezelela okukhulu izidalwa zentukuthelo’ ukuze alungiselele ‘izinto zesihawu sakhe’ okutsho iqembu lengqoloyi. * (Roma. 9:22-24) Okwesibili kwenza sibe lesibindi. Njengoba ukuphela kwesikhathi kusondela, izitha zethu zizaqhubeka zisilwisa ngamandla, kodwa ‘kazisoze zisehlule.’ (Bala uJeremiya 1:19.) Sibonile ukuthi sekuyiminyaka eminengi uJehova elokhu evikela iqembu lengqoloyi, ngakho-ke uBaba wethu osezulwini uzasisekela “insuku zonke” ezizayo esebenzisa uJesu kanye lezingilosi.​—Mat. 28:20.

¹⁹ Okwesithathu, umzekeliso lo wenza sikwazi ukuthi ngobani abaliqembu lengqoloyi. Kungani lokho kuqakatheke kakhulu? Ukwazi ukuthi yiwaphi amaKhristu anjengengqoloyi kuqakathekile ukuze sithole impendulo yombuzo owabuzwa nguJesu esiphrofethweni sakhe sezinsuku zokucina esihlanganisa izinto ezinengi. Wabuza wathi: “Ngubani kambe oyinceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo?” (Mat. 24:45) Izihloko ezimbili ezilandelayo zizasinika impendulo esuthisayo yombuzo lo.