1, 2. UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi ungumkhokheli olenhlakanipho?

 AKE sithi umuntu oselesikhathi eside esebenza ukukhokhela lokutshengisa izivakatshi indawo, ubhoda lawe ekutshengisa idolobho elihle okumangalisayo. Wena lalabo ohamba labo liyaliqabuka idolobho leli, ngakho liyawalalelisisa wonke amazwi eliwatshelwa ngolikhokhelayo. Ngesikhathi libhoda, liba lelukuluku lokwazi ngezindawo elingakafiki kuzo ezisedolobheni leli. Nxa libuza olikhokhelayo ngezindawo lezi, ukhetha ukungalitsheli lutho kuze kufike isikhathi esifaneleyo, mhlawumbe alitshele selizafika kulezozindawo. Ngokuya kwesikhathi, liqalisa ukubabaza inhlakanipho yakhe ngoba ulitshela okumele likwazi ngaso kanye isikhathi okumele likwazi ngaso.

² Thina amaKhristu eqiniso sinjengezivakatshi lezi. Siqhubeka sifunda ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu olidolobho elimangalisayo, “idolobho elilezisekelo.” (Heb. 11:​10) UJesu esesemhlabeni wakhokhela abafundi bakhe ukuze bathole ulwazi oluzikileyo ngoMbuso lo. Wayiphendula yini yonke imibuzo yabo ephathelane loMbuso ngesikhathi esisodwa? Hatshi, wathi: “Kusekunengi engingakutsho kini kodwa kungalisinda.” (Joh. 16:​12) Ngenxa yokuthi uJesu ungumkhokheli olenhlakanipho kulabo bonke, kazange abathwalise nzima abafundi bakhe ngokubagqiba ngolwazi isikhathi singakafiki.

3, 4. (a) UJesu ubafundise njani abantu abathembekileyo ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu? (b) Sizahlolani esihlokweni lesi?

³ UJesu wakhuluma amazwi la akuJohane 16:​12 ngobusuku bakhe bokucina elapha emhlabeni. Kodwa wayezaqhubeka ebafundisa njani abantu abathembekileyo ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngemva kokufa kwakhe? Waqinisekisa abaphostoli bakhe wathi: ‘Umoya weqiniso uzalikhokhelela kulo lonke iqiniso.’ a (Joh. 16:​13) Umoya ongcwele unjengomkhokheli olesineke. UJesu uyawusebenzisa ukuze afundise abalandeli bakhe loba yini okumele bayazi ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngesikhathi okumele bayazi ngaso.

⁴ Ake sibone ukuthi umoya ongcwele kaJehova uwakhokhele njani amaKhristu eqiniso ukuthi abelolwazi olunengi ngoMbuso lo. Sizaqala ngokuhlola indlela esacina sesizwisisa ngayo ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu waqalisa nini ukubusa. Okwesibili, sizahlola ukuthi ngobani abazabusa lokuthi ngobani  abazabuswa nguMbuso lo, kanye lokuthi balaliphi ithemba ngekusasa. Sizacina ngokubona ukuthi abalandeli bakaKhristu bakuzwisisa njani okutshiwo yikuthembeka eMbusweni.

5, 6. (a) ABafundi beBhayibhili babelawuphi umbono ongaqondanga mayelana lokusungulwa koMbuso lesikhathi sokuvuna? (b) Kungani imibono engaqondanga kungamelanga isenze sithandabuze ukuthi uJesu wayekhokhela abalandeli bakhe?

⁵ ESahlukweni sesibili sebhuku leli, sabona ukuthi aBafundi beBhayibhili baqamba ukuthi umnyaka ka-1914 wawuzakuba ngoqakathekileyo ekugcwalisekeni kwesiphrofetho seBhayibhili kusasele iminyaka eminengi ukuthi ufike. Kodwa ngalesosikhathi babekholwa ukuthi ukuba khona kukaKhristu kwakuqalise ngo-1874, ukuthi uKhristu wayeqalise ukubusa ezulwini ngo-1878, kanye lokuthi uMbuso wawuzaqalisa ukubusa emhlabeni ngo-October 1914. Babesithi isikhathi sokuvuna sasiqalise ngo-1874 njalo sasizaphela ngo-1914, sekuqoqwa abagcotshiweyo besiya ezulwini. Imibono yabo engaqondanga isenza sithandabuze yini ukuthi uJesu wayekhokhela abafowethu laba abathembekileyo esebenzisa umoya ongcwele?

⁶ Hatshi! Cabanga futhi ngomzekeliso esiqalise ngawo. Kambe kungathiwa okhokhelayo kawazi kuhle umsebenzi wakhe ngenxa nje yokuthi izivakatshi zilemibono engaqondanga lemibuzo eminenginengi? Ngitsho! Ngendlela efananayo, kusegcekeni ukuthi uJesu uyabakhokhela abantu bakaNkulunkulu, lanxa kwezinye izikhathi bezama ukuzwisisa okuthile ngenjongo kaJehova singakafiki isikhathi sokuthi umoya ongcwele ubaqondise kuleloqiniso. Yikho-ke abantu abathembekileyo bazimisele ukwamukela ukuqondiswa njalo bayalungisa imibono yabo ngokuzithoba.​—Jak. 4:6.

7. Yikuphi ukukhanya kweqiniso abantu bakaNkulunkulu ababusiswa ngakho?

⁷ Eminyakeni eyalandela u-1919, abantu bakaNkulunkulu baqhubeka bebusiswa ngokukhanya kweqiniso. (Bala iHubo 97:11.) I-The Watch Tower ka-1925 yayilesihloko esalungisisa ukuzwisisa kwabo esasisithi “Ukusungulwa kweSizwe.” Sanika ubufakazi obuqinileyo obusuka eMibhalweni bokuthi uMbuso kaMesiya wasungulwa ngo-1914, okwakugcwalisa isiphrofetho sowesifazane kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini obelethayo, esibhalwe kuSambulo isahluko 12. b Isihloko lesi saphinda saveza ukuthi ukuhlukuluzwa lobunzima obehlela abantu bakaJehova ngaleyominyaka kwakuyibufakazi obucacileyo bokuthi uSathane wayesejikelwe emhlabeni ‘egcwele intukuthelo, ngoba ekwazi ukuthi isikhathi sakhe sifitshane.’​—Isam. 12:12.

8, 9. (a) Kwacaciswa njani ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uqakatheke kakhulu? (b) Yiphi imibuzo esizayiphendula?

⁸ Uqakatheke kangakanani uMbuso? I-The Watch Tower ka-1928 yaqalisa ukugcizelela ukuthi uMbuso wawuqakatheke kulokusindiswa kwabantu ngenhlawulo kaJesu. Eqinisweni uJehova uzasebenzisa uMbuso kaMesiya ukuthi angcwelise ibizo lakhe, alwele ubukhosi bakhe njalo agcwalise izinjongo zakhe eziphathelane losapho loluntu.

⁹ Ngobani ababezabusa loKhristu eMbusweni lo? Ngobani abezabuswa yiwo belapha emhlabeni? Njalo yiwuphi umsebenzi okumele wenziwe ngabalandeli bakaKhristu?

10. Kuyini abantu bakaNkulunkulu ababevele sebekuzwisisa mayelana labangu-144 000?

¹⁰ Kusasele iminyaka eminengi ukuthi kube ngu-1914, amaKhristu eqiniso ayesekwazi ukuthi abalandeli bakaKhristu abangu-144 000 babezabusa laye ezulwini. c ABafundi beBhayibhili bakubona ukuthi inani lelo lalingokoqobo lokuthi abeqembu lelo baqalisa ukukhethwa ngekhulu lokuqala C.E.

11. Ababezakuba ngumlobokazi kaKhristu bawuzwisisa njani kancane kancane umsebenzi okwakumele bawenze besesemhlabeni?

¹¹ Kodwa kuyini okwakumele kwenziwe yilabo ababezabumba iqembu elingumlobokazi kaKhristu ngesikhathi besesemhlabeni? Babona ukuthi uJesu wayegcizelele ukuqakatheka komsebenzi wokutshumayela njalo wawufanisa lesikhathi sokuvuna. (Mat. 9:37; Joh. 4:35) Njengoba sabona eSahlukweni 2, kulesikhathi lapho ababecabanga khona ukuthi isikhathi sokuvuna sasizathatha iminyaka engu-​40, njalo sasizacina ngokuqoqwa kwabagcotshiweyo sebesiya ezulwini. Kodwa njengoba umsebenzi lo wachaphela ngale kweminyaka engu-​40, kwasekumele baphinde bacaciselwe ngodaba lolu. Khathesi sesikwazi ukuthi isikhathi sokuvuna, okutsho isikhathi sokwehlukanisa ingqoloyi lokhula, kumbe esokwehlukanisa amaKhristu agcotshiweyo athembekileyo lawamanga, saqalisa ngo-1914. Sasesifikile isikhathi sokuthi kuqoqwe inani eliseleyo lalabo ababezaphila ezulwini!

12, 13. Umzekeliso kaJesu wezintombi ezilitshumi kanye lowamathalenta ugcwaliseke njani ezinsukwini zokucina?

¹² Kusukela ngo-1919, uKhristu waqhubeka ekhokhela inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo ukuba ifundise ukuthi umsebenzi wokutshumayela uqakathekile. Wayenike umlayo wokwenza umsebenzi lo ngekhulu lokuqala. (Mat. 28:19, 20) Waphinda waveza lokho okwakumele kwenziwe ngabalandeli bakhe abagcotshiweyo ukuze benelise ukwenza umsebenzi wokutshumayela. Wakwenza njani lokhu? Wasebenzisa umzekeliso wezintombi ezilitshumi owatshengisa ukuthi abagcotshiweyo kwakumele bahlale belindile, bephapheme ekukhonzeni, ukuze benelise ukuba khona edilini lomtshado elikhulu elizakuba sezulwini, lapho sebehlanganiswa loKhristu ‘bengumlobokazi’ wakhe wabangu-144 000. (Isam. 21:2) UJesu waphinda wasebenzisa umzekeliso wamathalenta ukuze afundise ukuthi izinceku zakhe ezigcotshiweyo kwakumele ziwukhuthalele umsebenzi wokutshumayela ayeziphathise wona.​—Mat. 25:1-30.

 ¹³ Abagcotshiweyo batshengise ukuthi baphapheme njalo bakhuthele eminyakeni engu-100 edlulileyo. Loba sekutheni bazawuthola umvuzo ngenxa yokuthi bahlala bephapheme! Kodwa umsebenzi omkhulu wokuvuna wawuzakuba ngowokuqoqa abangu-144 000 abazabusa loKhristu kuphela yini?

14, 15. Yiwaphi amaqembu amane okwakhulunywa ngawo ebhukwini elithi The Finished Mystery?

¹⁴ Sekulesikhathi eside amadoda labesifazane abathembekileyo befisa kakhulu ukwazi ‘ngexuku elikhulukazi’ okukhulunywa ngalo kuSambulo 7:​9-14. Yikho kungamangalisi ukuthi okunengi okwakukhulunywa ngendaba le kwakuyimpumalanga lentshonalanga nxa kuqathaniswa leqiniso esesilazi lamuhla, elicacileyo, elilula njalo esilithandayo, njengoba sasingakafiki isikhathi sokuthi uKhristu aveze ukuthi lingobani iqembu leli elikhulu.

¹⁵ Ngo-1917 ibhuku elithi The Finished Mystery lathi “kulemihlobo emibili yamaqembu azasindiswa aphile eZulwini, njalo kulemihlobo emibili yamaqembu azasindiswa aphile emhlabeni.” Ngobani ababebumba amaqembu la amane ayezasindiswa aphile ezindaweni ezitshiyeneyo? Abokuqala ngabangu-144 000 ababezabusa loKhristu. Abesibili kwakungabexuku elikhulukazi. Ngalesosikhathi kwakucatshangwa ukuthi babelihlekana lamaKhristu ayelokhu ephakathi kwamasonto azenza awesiKhristu. Babelokholo kancane kodwa bengazange babe lesibindi sokumela iqiniso. Yikho-ke kwakucatshangwa ukuthi babezaphiwa izikhundla ezingaphansi kwalezo ezazizaphiwa abeqembu lokuqala ezulwini. Besekusithi ngapha emhlabeni, babecabanga ukuthi iqembu lesithathu “ngelabathembekileyo abaphila endulo,” abanjengo-Abhrahama, uMosi, labanye ababezabusa iqembu lesine, elalizabunjwa ngabanye bonke nje abantu abasemhlabeni.

16. Yiliphi iqiniso elakhanyiswa ngo-1923 lango-1932?

¹⁶ Umoya ongcwele ubaqondise njani abalandeli bakaKhristu ukuze baluzwisise kuhle udaba lolu? Waqhubeka ubalethela ukukhanya kancane kancane. Ngo-1923, i-The Watch Tower yayisiqalisile ukukhuluma ngeqembu elalingasoze liye ezulwini kodwa elalizaphila emhlabeni libuswa nguKhristu. Eka-1932 yakhuluma ngoJehonadabi owahamba loJehu, iNkosi yako-Israyeli eyayigcotshwe nguNkulunkulu, ukuze amncedise empini yokulwisana lokukhonza kwamanga. (2 AmaKho. 10:15-17) Imagazini le yathi kuleqembu labantu abanjengoJehonadabi ezinsukwini zalamuhla, njalo uJehova “uzabasindisa ngesikhathi se-Amagedoni” ukuze baphile lapha emhlabeni.

17. (a) Yikuphi ukukhanya kweqiniso okwabakhona ngo-1935? (b) AmaKhristu athembekileyo azizwa njani lapho ecaciselwa ngexuku elikhulukazi? (Khangela ibhokisi elithi ‘ Bethulwa Umthwalo Osindayo.’)

¹⁷ Ngo-1935, kwaphinda kwakhanyiswa elinye iqiniso ngendlela emangalisayo. Emhlanganweni owawuseWashington, D.C., kwacaciswa ukuthi ixuku elikhulukazi liqembu lalabo abazaphila emhlabeni, elinjengezimvu ezisemzekelisweni kaJesu wezimvu lezimbuzi. (Mat. 25:​33-​40) Ixuku elikhulukazi lalizakuba yingxenye ‘yezinye izimvu,’ uJesu  athi ngazo: “Lazo ngimele ngizilethe.” (Joh. 10:​16) Lapho uMfowethu uJ. F. Rutherford eqeda ukuthi: “Sicela bonke abalethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni basukume,” inengi lalabo ababesenkundleni lathi lothu! Wasememeza wathi: “Khangelani! Ixuku elikhulukazi!” Abanengi bathokoza kakhulu ngenxa yokuthi basebelizwisisa ithemba labo ngekusasa.

18. Abalandeli bakaKhristu basebenze njani ngamandla abo wonke ekutshumayeleni, njalo kube lempumela bani?

¹⁸ Kusukela khonapho, uKhristu ubekhokhela abantu bakhe ukuthi basebenzise amandla abo wonke ekuqoqeni labo abazakuba ngamalunga exuku leli elikhulukazi, elizaphuma ekuhluphekeni okukhulu liphila njalo livikelekile. Umsebenzi lo waqalisa ungathi kawuphumeleli kuhle, uMfowethu uRutherford ngesinye isikhathi waze wathi: “Kukhanya angathi ‘ixuku elikhulukazi’ kalisoze libe likhulu kangako.” Thina sesikwazi ukuthi uJehova usibusise kangakanani isikhathi sokuvuna kusukela ngalesosikhathi! Njengoba abagcotshiweyo kanye ‘lezinye izimvu’ bekhokhelwa nguJesu lomoya ongcwele, ‘sebengumhlambi owodwa’ okhonza ndawonye ngaphansi ‘kukamalusi oyedwa,’ njengoba nje uJesu wayetshilo.

19. Singancedisa njani ukuze ixuku elikhulukazi liqhubeke lisanda?

¹⁹ Inengi labantu abathembekileyo lizaphila phakade epharadayisi emhlabeni, libuswa nguKhristu labanye bakhe abangu-144 000. Siyathokoza kakhulu nxa sicabanga ngendlela uKhristu akhokhele ngayo abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba bazwisise ithemba eliseMibhalweni elicace kangaka ngekusasa. Kuyisibusiso esikhulu ukutshela esibathola enkonzweni ngethemba esilalo! Kasisebenzeni ngamandla ethu wonke ukuze inani lexuku elikhulukazi liqhubeke lisanda, ukwenzela ukuthi babe banengi abantu abadumisa ibizo likaJehova!​—Bala uLukha 10:2.

20. Ibunjwa ngobani inhlanganiso kaSathane, njalo amaKhristu angatshengisa njani ukuthi athembekile eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu?

²⁰ Njengoba abantu bakaNkulunkulu babeqhubeka befunda ngoMbuso, kwakumele bakuzwisise kuhle lokuthi kutshoni ukuthembeka kulowo hulumende wasezulwini. Yikho-ke i-The Watch Tower ka-1922 yaveza ukuthi kulezinhlanganiso ezimbili, ekaJehova kanye lekaSathane. EkaSathane ibunjwa ngezokuthengiselana, ngezombusazwe kanye lezenkolo. Abathembekileyo eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu obuswa nguKhristu akumelanga benze izinto ezingalunganga ezenziwa yinhlanganiso kaSathane, bacine bengasathembekanga. (2 Khor. 6:​17) Kutshoni lokhu?

21. (a) Inceku ethembekileyo ixwayise njani abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngezokuthengiselana? (b) Ngo-1963 iNqabayokulinda yavezani ‘ngeBhabhiloni eNkulu’?

²¹ Inceku ethembekileyo ibilokhu iveza ukuthi kulokungathembeki okunengi kwezokuthengiselana njalo ixwayisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuthi bangathatheki bacine sebegijimisa inotho. (Mat. 6:24) Kanti njalo amabhuku ethu abehlala esixwayisa ngenkolo yamanga, eyingxenye yenhlanganiso kaSathane. Ngo-1963, iNqabayokulinda yacacisa ukuthi “iBhabhiloni eNkulu” yayingameli amasonto azithi ngawesiKhristu kuphela, kodwa imela lombuso womhlaba wonke wenkolo yamanga. Yikho njengoba sizafunda eSahlukweni 10 sebhuku leli, abantu  bakaNkulunkulu abasemazweni wonke labalamasiko atshiyeneyo bancedisiwe ukuthi ‘baphume kuyo,’ ngaleyondlela bezihlambulula kuyo yonke imikhuba yenkolo yamanga.​—Isam. 18:2, 4.

22. Ngesikhathi seMpi Yomhlaba Yokuqala, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezinengi zazicabangani ngeseluleko esikuRoma 13:1?

²² Kuthiwani-ke ngezombusazwe eziyingxenye yenhlanganiso kaSathane? Kwakuqondile yini ukuthi amaKhristu eqiniso ancedise amazwe lapho exabana kumbe esempini? Empini Yomhlaba Yokuqala, aBafundi beBhayibhili babekuzwisisa ukuthi abalandeli bakaKhristu akumelanga babulale abanye. (Mat. 26:52) Kodwa abanengi babecabanga ukuthi iseluleko esikuRoma 13:1 esithi kumele sizithobe “kulabo ababusayo” sasisitsho ukuthi kumele babengamasotsha, bagqoke iyunifomu yawo njalo bathwale lemibhobho, kodwa nxa sebetshelwa ukuthi babulale isitha, bona kwakumele badubule emoyeni.

23, 24. Sasiwuzwisisa njani umbhalo kaRoma 13:1 ngesikhathi seMpi Yomhlaba Yesibili, njalo abalandeli bakaKhristu baqondiswa ukuthi bawuzwisise ngayiphi indlela eqondileyo?

²³ Kwathi kuqhamuka iMpi Yomhlaba Yesibili ngo-1939, iNqabayokulinda yakhipha isihloko esahlolisisa indaba yokungasekeli ezombusazwe. Isihloko lesi sacacisa ukuthi amaKhristu kwakungamelanga ahlanganyele ezingxabanweni lasezimpini ezisemhlabeni obuswa nguSathane. Isiqondiso lesi sasifike ngesikhathi! Ngakho-ke abalandeli bakaKhristu kabazange babe lecala legazi njengezizwe ezazisempini leyo. Kodwa ngo-1929, amabhuku ethu aqalisa ukufundisa ukuthi uRoma 13:1 wayengakhulumi ngababusi abasemhlabeni lamuhla, kodwa wayesitsho uJehova loJesu. Indlela ababezwisisa ngayo kwakusamele iqondiswe.

²⁴ Umoya ongcwele waqondisa abalandeli bakaKhristu  ukuthi bazwisise uMbhalo lo ngo-1962, lapho izihloko ze-Nqabayokulinda kaNovember 15 lekaDecember 1 zicacisa uRoma 13:​1-7. Ekucineni abantu bakaNkulunkulu basizwisisa isimiso sokuzithoba okulemingcele uJesu akhuluma ngaso emazwini la: “Nikani uKhesari okungokukaKhesari, linike uNkulunkulu okungokukaNkulunkulu.” (Luk. 20:​25) Khathesi amaKhristu eqiniso asezwisisa ukuthi ababusi okukhulunywa ngabo yilabo ababusa emhlabeni lamuhla njalo amaKhristu kumele azithobe kubo. Kodwa ukuzithoba lokhu kulalapho okucina khona. Nxa ababusi sebefuna sephule umthetho kaJehova uNkulunkulu, siphendula njengabaphostoli bakudala abathi: “Simele silalele uNkulunkulu kulokulalela abantu!” (ImiSeb. 5:29) ESahlukweni 13 lo-14 sebhuku leli sizafunda okunengi ngendlela abantu bakaNkulunkulu abasebenzise ngayo isimiso sokuthi amaKhristu akumelanga asekele ezombusazwe.

25. Kungani ukubona kuyisibusiso ukuthi sikhokhelwa ngumoya ongcwele ukuze sizwisise uMbuso kaNkulunkulu?

²⁵ Cabanga ngakho konke abalandeli bakaKhristu asebekufundisiwe ngoMbuso eminyakeni elikhulu edlulileyo. Sesifundile ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasungulwa nini ezulwini lokuthi uqakatheke kangakanani. Sesikuzwisisa kuhle ukuthi ezinye izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekileyo zizaphila ezulwini njalo ezinye zizaphila emhlabeni. Sesikwazi lokuthi singatshengisa njani ukuthi sithembekile eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu ngapha sihlonipha amakhosi abusayo lamuhla. Zibuze ukuthi, ‘Bengizalazi yini iqiniso lonke leli eliqakathekileyo aluba uJesu Khristu ubengazange akhokhele inceku ethembekileyo esemhlabeni ukuthi ilizwisise kuhle futhi ilifundise abanye?’ Kuyisibusiso esikhulu ukuthi sikhokhelwa nguJesu kanye lomoya ongcwele!