1, 2. Yiluphi untshintsho olwabakhona ngePhentekhosti lika-33 C.E., njalo ngobani abasebebumba isizwe sikaJehova esitsha? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

 NGEPHENTEKHOSTI lika-33 C.E., kwaba lontshintsho olumangalisayo ebantwini bakaJehova emhlabeni. Ngalelolanga, uJehova wasebenzisa umoya wakhe ukuthi abumbe isizwe esitsha, okutsho ‘u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.’ (Gal. 6:16) Lanxa ukusoka kwabesilisa kwakuluphawu olwalutshengisa ukuthi izizukulwane zika-Abhrahama zingabantu bakaNkulunkulu, lokhu kwantshintsha kusukela ngePhentekhosti leli. UPhawuli wakutshengisa ukuthi kwakungasadingeki ukuthi ababumba isizwe esitsha basokwe lapho ebhala ukuthi: ‘Lokusoka yikusoka kwenhliziyo, ngomoya.’—Rom. 2:29.

² Ababa ngabokuqala ukubumba isizwe sikaNkulunkulu esitsha ngabaphostoli kanye labanye abalandeli bakaKhristu ababesedlula 100 ababesemhlanganweni endlini ephezulu eJerusalema. (ImiSeb. 1:12-15) Abantu laba bathululelwa umoya ongcwele owabenza baba ngamadodana kaNkulunkulu agcotshwe ngomoya. (Rom. 8:15, 16; 2 Khor. 1:21) Lokhu kwaba yibufakazi bokuthi isivumelwano esitsha sasesiqalisile ukusebenza. Senziwa sasebenza ngenxa yegazi likaKhristu elachithekayo njalo nguye ummeli waso. (Luk. 22:20; bala uHebheru 9:15.) Yikho-ke abafundi  laba yibo abasebebumba isizwe sikaJehova esitsha, okutsho abantu bakhe abatsha. Umoya ongcwele wabenza benelisa ukutshumayela ngezindimi ezitshiyeneyo ezazikhulunywa ngabaJuda lamakholwa ayephendukele enkolweni yesiJuda. Abantu laba babeze eJerusalema bevela ezindaweni ezitshiyeneyo ezazingaphansi kombuso wamaRoma njalo babelande ukuzonanza uMkhosi Wamaviki owawusenziwa ngabaJuda, owawubizwa langokuthi yiPhentekhosti. Bazizwa ngezindimi zabo “izimangaliso zikaNkulunkulu” ezazitshunyayelwa ngamaKhristu ayesegcotshwe ngomoya njalo bazizwisisa.—ImiSeb. 2:1-11.

3-5. (a) UPhetro wabatshelani abaJuda ngelanga lePhentekhosti? (b) Qamba ukuthi kuyini okwabangela ukuthi isizwe sikaJehova esitsha sikhule ngesikhathi sisanda kubunjwa.

³ UJehova wasebenzisa umphostoli uPhetro ukuthi kunikwe abaJuda lamakholwa ayephendukele enkolweni yesiJuda ithuba lokuthi babe ngamalunga esizwe esitsha esasesibunjiwe, okutsho ibandla lobuKhristu. Ngelanga lePhentekhosti, uPhetro waba lesibindi sokutshela abaJuda ukuthi kwasekumele bamamukele uJesu. Lokhu kwakungenxa yokuthi ‘uNkulunkulu wayesenze uJesu, abambethelayo, ukuba yiNkosi loKhristu.’ Lapho abantu bebuza uPhetro ukuthi kwakumele benzeni, uPhetro wathi kubo: ‘Phendukani libhaphathizwe lonke, ebizweni likaJesu Khristu ukuze lithethelelwe izono zenu. Lani lizakwamukela isipho somoya ongcwele.’ (ImiSeb. 2:22, 36-38) Mhlalokho isizwe lesi esitsha, okutsho u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu, sakhula ngoba kwengezwa abanye abangaba yi-3 000. (ImiSeb. 2:41) Ngemva kwalokho, inani labafundi laqhubeka lisanda kakhulu ngenxa yokuthi abaphostoli babesebenza gadalala ekutshumayeleni. (ImiSeb. 6:7) Isizwe esitsha sasikhula sibili.

⁴ Ngemva kwesikhathi kwatshunyayezwa lamaSamariya njalo azamukela izindaba ezinhle. Amanengi abhaphathizwa nguFiliphu owayengumvangeli kodwa kawazange awamukele khonapho khonapho umoya ongcwele. Iqula elibusayo elaliseJerusalema lathuma umphostoli uPhetro lomphostoli uJohane kumaSamariya la ayesephendukile njalo bafika ‘bawabeka izandla, base bewemukela umoya ongcwele.’ (ImiSeb. 8:5, 6, 14-17) Yikho-ke lokhu kwenza ukuthi amaSamariya la ayesegcotshwe ngomoya abe ngamalunga ka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.

⁵ Ngo-36 C.E., uPhetro waphinda wasetshenziswa ukuthi kunikwe abanye ithuba lokuthi babe ngamalunga esizwe sikaNkulunkulu esitsha. Lokhu kwenzakala ngesikhathi etshumayeza umlawuli webutho waseRoma okwakuthiwa nguKhoneliya, kanye lezihlobo zakhe labangane. (ImiSeb. 10:22, 24, 34, 35) IBhayibhili lithi: ‘UPhetro elokhu esakhuluma, umoya ongcwele wehlela kubo bonke [ababengayisibo baJuda] abalizwayo ilizwi. Amakholwa asokiweyo ayeze loPhetro amangaliswa yikuthi umoya ongcwele wawuthululelwe lakwabeZizwe.’ (ImiSeb. 10:44, 45) Yikho-ke amakholwa ayengabeZizwe angasokwanga lawo ayesengaba ngamalunga esizwe esitsha, okutsho u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.

6, 7. Kuyini okwakusenziwa ngamalunga esizwe esitsha esasesibizwa ngebizo likaJehova, njalo lokhu akwenza aze afika ngaphi?

⁶ Ngo-49 C.E., emhlanganweni wequla elibusayo elalibunjwa ngamaKhristu ekhulu lokuqala, umfundi uJakhobe wathi: “USimoni [Phetro] usesilandisele ngokuthi ekuqaleni uNkulunkulu watshengisa njani ukunakekela kwakhe abeZizwe ngokukhetha phakathi kwabo abantu ukuba babe ngabakhe.” (ImiSeb. 15:14) Isizwe lesi esitsha esasesibizwa ngebizo likaJehova sasibunjwa ngabaJuda kanye lamakholwa angayisiwo baJuda. (Rom. 11:25, 26a) Ngemva kwesikhathi, uPhetro wabhala wathi: “Lake langabi ngabantu, kodwa khathesi selingabantu bakaNkulunkulu.” Wakhuluma langomsebenzi wabo wathi: “Lina lingabantu abakhethiweyo, ubuphristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, abantu abangaba-kaNkulunkulu, ukuba limemezele izindumiso zakhe yena owalibiza lisemnyameni ukuba lize ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo.” (1 Phet. 2:9, 10) Kwakumele bamemezele izindumiso zikaJehova, uMbusi Wendawo yonke ababemmela njalo balikhazimulise obala ibizo lakhe. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi kwakumele babe lesibindi sokufakaza ngaye.

⁷ Khathesi isizwe lesi esitsha yiso uJehova ayesesibiza ngokuthi “abantu engazenzela bona ukuba bangidumise.” (Isaya. 43:21) Yikho-ke, amaKhristu okuqala abaveza egcekeni bonke onkulunkulu bamanga ababekhonzwa ngalesosikhathi njalo amemezela ngesibindi ukuthi uJehova nguye yedwa uNkulunkulu oqotho. (1 Thes. 1:9) Afakaza ngoJehova kanye loJesu “eJerusalema, lakulo lonke eleJudiya laseSamariya, lasemikhawulweni yomhlaba.”—ImiSeb. 1:8; Kol. 1:23.

8. Umphostoli uPhawuli wabaxwayisa wathini abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngekhulu lokuqala?

⁸ Sesibonile ukuthi ngekhulu lokuqala uJehova wakhetha “abantu ukuba babe ngabakhe.” Omunye wabo kwakungumphostoli uPhawuli owayetshumayela ngesibindi. Wathi emi phambi kwezinjulangqondo ezingabahedeni wabuvikela ngesibindi ubukhosi bukaJehova wamchaza ngokuthi ‘unguNkulunkulu owenza umhlaba lakho konke okukuwo uyiNkosi yezulu lomhlaba.’ (ImiSeb. 17:18, 23-25) Esesiyaphutsha uhambo lwakhe lwesithathu emsebenzini wakhe wobunali, waxwayisa labo ababebizwa ngebizo likaNkulunkulu wathi: “Ngiyazi ukuthi nxa sengisukile lapha, izimpisi eziphangayo zizakuza phakathi kwenu ziwungenele umhlambi. Laphakathi kwenu kuzavela abantu abazalihlanekela iqiniso ukuze babuyele kubo abanye abafundi.” (ImiSeb. 20:29, 30) Sekusiyaphela ikhulu lokuqala, kwasekulabahlamuki abanengi.—1 Joh. 2:18, 19.

9. Kwenzakalani ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli?

⁹ Abaphostoli bathi sebefile, kwaba labahlamuki abanengi kakhulu njalo lokhu kwabangela ukuthi kube lamasonto amanengi atshiyeneyo. Kusegcekeni ukuthi abahlamuki laba kayisibo abakhethwe nguNkulunkulu “ukuba babe ngabakhe,” okutsho ukuthi babizwe ngebizo lakhe. Phela ngitsho lebizo likaNkulunkulu kabalifaki emaBhayibhilini abawahumutshayo. Kanti njalo benza imikhuba yabahedeni futhi bangcolisa ibizo likaNkulunkulu ngezimfundiso zabo ezingekho eMibhalweni, ngezimpi zabo abathi zingcwele langokuziphatha kwabo okwenyanyekayo. Yikho-ke, kwahlala amakhulu eminyaka uJehova elezinceku ezilutshwana ezithembekileyo emhlabeni, kodwa wayengelabo ‘abantu abangabakhe,’ okutsho abantu abahleliweyo ababizwa ngebizo lakhe.

10, 11. (a) UJesu wathini emzekelisweni wakhe wengqoloyi lokhula? (b) Umzekeliso kaJesu wagcwaliseka njani ngemva kuka-1914, njalo lokhu kwaba lawuphi umpumela?

¹⁰ Lapho elandisa umzekeliso wengqoloyi lokhula uJesu wathi abantu babezafika komnyama  ubambile okutsho isikhathi lapho ababezabe bengaliboni iqiniso ngenxa yabahlamuki. Wathi “ngesikhathi wonke umuntu elele,” uDeveli wayezahlanyela ukhula lapho iNdodana yomuntu eyayihlanyele khona inhlanyelo yengqoloyi. Ukhula lengqoloyi kwakuzakhula ndawonye kuze kufike esikhathini ‘sokuphela komhlaba.’ UJesu wachaza lokuthi “inhlanyelo enhle” imela “amadodana ombuso” lokuthi “ukhula lungamadodana omubi.” Esikhathini sokuphela komhlaba, iNdodana yomuntu yayizathuma “abavuni,” okutsho izingilosi, ukuthi behlukanise abantu abamelwa yingqoloyi kulabo abamelwa lukhula. Lamadodana oMbuso ayezaqoqwa. (Mat. 13:24-30, 36-43) Lokhu kwenzakala njani futhi kwanceda njani ukuthi uJehova aphinde abe labantu abangabakhe emhlabeni?

¹¹ Ngo-1914 yikho lapho okwaqalisa khona isikhathi ‘sokuphela komhlaba.’ Ngesikhathi sempi eyabakhona ngalowomnyaka, ‘kwakulamadodana ombuso,’ okutsho amaKhristu agcotshiweyo angaba yi-5 000 ayelokhu ethunjiwe eBhabhiloni eNkulu. Ngo-1919, uJehova wawakhulula wacacisa ukuthi kulomahluko omkhulu phakathi kwawo kanye ‘lokhula’ okutsho amaKhristu amanga. Waqoqa “amadodana ombuso” wawenza aba ngabantu abahleliweyo njalo lokhu kwagcwalisa isiphrofetho sika-Isaya esithi: “Ilizwe lingazalwa ngelanga elilodwa loba isizwe sizalwe ngesikhatshana na? Ikanti iZiyoni ithi ngokuhelelwa nje ihle ibazale abantwana bayo.” (Isaya. 66:8) IZiyoni, okutsho inhlanganiso kaJehova yezidalwa zomoya, yazala amadodana ayo asemhlabeni agcotshwe ngomoya yasiwaqoqa ukuthi abe yisizwe.

12. Abagcotshiweyo batshengise njani ukuthi bangabantu ababizwa ngebizo likaJehova?

¹² “Amadodana ombuso” agcotshiweyo kwasekumele abe ngofakazi bakaJehova njengamaKhristu okuqala. (Bala u-Isaya 43:1, 10, 11.) Yikho-ke kwakuzakhanya ukuthi kawafanani labanye abantu ngenxa yokuziphatha kwawo kobuKhristu kanye lokutshumayela kwawo ‘ivangeli lombuso, njengobufakazi kuzo zonke izizwe.’ (Mat. 24:14; Flp. 2:15) Lokhu akwenzile sibili ngoba asencede izigidi zabantu ukuthi zibe lobuhlobo obuhle loJehova.—Bala uDanyeli 12:3.

13, 14. Abangekho eqenjini lika-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu kumele benzeni nxa befuna ukuthi ukukhonza kwabo kwamukelwe nguJehova, futhi yiziphi iziphrofetho eziseBhayibhilini ezakhuluma ngalokhu?

¹³ Esihlokweni esidlulileyo sibonile ukuthi ko-Israyeli wasendulo uJehova wayebemukela abezizweni ukuthi bamkhonze. Kodwa kwakumele bahlanganyele labantu uJehova ayenze labo isivumelwano. (1 AmaKho. 8:41-43) Lalamuhla, abantu abangekho eqenjini lika-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu kumele bahlanganyele labantu bakaJehova, “amadodana ombuso” okutsho oFakazi bakaJehova abagcotshiweyo.

¹⁴ Abanye abaphrofethi ababili basendulo bakutsho ukuthi esikhathini sokuphela abantu babezabuya ngobunengi babo bezokhonza uJehova bendawonye labantu bakhe. U-Isaya waphrofetha wathi: “Abantu abanengi bazakuza bathi, ‘Wozani siye phezu kwentaba kaJehova, endlini kaNkulunkulu kaJakhobe. Uzasifundisa izindlela zakhe ukuze sihambe ezindleleni zakhe.’ Umthetho uzavela eZiyoni, ilizwi likaJehova livele eJerusalema.” (Isaya. 2:2, 3) UZekhariya laye waphrofetha wathi “abantu abanengi lezizwe ezilamandla zizakuza eJerusalema ukuzafuna uJehova.” Abantu laba wabafananisa ‘lamadoda alitshumi aphuma kuzo zonke izindimi lezizwe’ ayezagagadlela umphetho wengubo ka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu esithi: “Wothi sihambe lawe ngoba sesizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulani.”—Zek. 8:20-23.

15. Kutshoni ukuthi “ezinye izimvu” ‘zihamba’ lo-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu?

¹⁵ “Ezinye izimvu” ‘zihamba’ lo-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi lazo ziyawenza umsebenzi wokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. (Mak. 13:10) Izimvu lezi lazo ziba phakathi kweqembu labantu bakaNkulunkulu. Yikho-ke abagcotshiweyo kanye lezinye izimvu babumba ‘umhlambi owodwa’ okhokhelwa nguJesu Khristu, ‘umalusi olungileyo.’—Bala uJohane 10:14-16.

16. Kuyini okuzakwenziwa nguJehova okuzabangela ukuthi ingxenye yokucina ‘yokuhlupheka okukhulu’ iqalise?

¹⁶ Ngemva kokubhujiswa kweBhabhiloni eNkulu, uGogi uzabasusela amanqe abantu bakaJehova njalo ngalesosikhathi kuzasinceda ukwamukela loba kuyini uJehova azakwenza ukuze avikele izinceku zakhe. UJehova yena ngokwakhe nguye ozakwenza ukuthi izinto zenzakale ngesikhathi sakhe ngoba ukuhlaselwa lokhu yikho okuzaletha ingxenye yokucina ‘yokuhlupheka okukhulu.’ (Mat. 24:21; Hez. 38:2-4) Ngalesosikhathi, uGogi uzahlasela ‘abantu abaqoqwa ezizweni,’ okutsho abantu bakaJehova. (Hez. 38:10-12) Ukuhlasela lokhu kuzakwenza ukuthi uJehova alwe loGogi kanye lamaxuku akhe. UJehova uzatshengisa ukuthi ubukhosi bakhe bukhulu njalo angcwelise ibizo lakhe ngoba uthi: “Ngizakwenza ngazakale phambi kwezizwe ezinengi. Lapho-ke bazakwazi ukuthi mina nginguJehova.”—Hez. 38:18-23.

17, 18. (a) Abantu bakaJehova bazaphiwa yiphi imilayezo nxa uGogi esebahlasela? (b) Kumele senzeni nxa sifuna ukuvikelwa nguJehova?

¹⁷ Nxa uGogi eseqalisa ukuhlasela kwakhe, uJehova uzatshela izinceku zakhe athi: “Hambani bantu bami, ngenani ezindlini zenu, lizivalele phakathi; lizifihle okwesikhatshana ulaka lwakhe luze luphele.” (Isaya. 26:20) Ngalesosikhathi esizabe sinzima, uJehova uzasinika imilayezo ezakwenza sisinde njalo ‘izindlu’ okukhulunywa ngazo eBhayibhilini zingabe zilokungenelana okuthile lamabandla esikuwo.

¹⁸ Yikho-ke nxa sifuna ukuvikelwa nguJehova ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu, kumele sihlale sikwazi ukuthi ulabantu bakhe emhlabeni njalo abantu laba basemabandleni. Akumelanga sehlukane labantu bakaJehova loba sekutheni njalo akumelanga siyekele ukuhlanganyela lamabandla esikuwo. Kasiwamemezeleni ngenhliziyo yonke amazwi omhubi athi: ‘KuJehova kuvela ukukhululwa. Sengathi isibusiso sakho singaba sebantwini bakho.’—Hubo. 3:8.