1, 2. (a) Ngubani owaqala ukudalwa nguJehova, njalo wamsebenzisa njani? (b) Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi izingilosi zihlelwe kuhle?

 UJEHOVA, uMdali wakho konke wenza izinto ngokuhleleka. Isidalwa sakhe sokuqala kwakuyiNdodana yakhe eyiyo yodwa, njalo ebizwa ngokuthi ‘nguLizwi’ ngoba yiyo umkhulumeli wakhe omkhulu. ULizwi wasebenzela uJehova okweminyaka eminengi kakhulu ngoba iBhayibhili lithi: “Ekuqaleni wayekhona uLizwi, uLizwi wayeloNkulunkulu.” Okunye esikutshelwayo yikuthi: “Izinto zonke zenziwa ngaye [uLizwi]; ngaphandle kwakhe kakulalutho olukhona olwenziwayo.” Eminyakeni engadlula engu-2 000 uNkulunkulu wathuma uLizwi emhlabeni. ULizwi wabizwa ngokuthi nguJesu Khristu njalo wenza intando kaNkulunkulu ngokuthembeka ngenxa yokuthi wayengelasono.​—Joh. 1:1-3, 14.

² Ingakabuyi emhlabeni, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu yasebenza laye ngokuthembeka ‘ingumbumbi kumbe isisebenzi esiyingcitshi.’ (Zaga. 8:30) UJehova wayisebenzisa ukudala ezinye izidalwa zasezulwini eziyizigidi ezinengi kakhulu. (Kol. 1:16) Elinye ivesi eliseBhayibhilini elikhuluma ngezingilosi lezi lithi: “Izinkulungwane lezinkulungwane zazimkhonza [uJehova]; izinkulungwane ezilitshumi ziphindwe ngezinkulungwane ezilitshumi zema phambi kwakhe.” (Dan. 7:10) Izidalwa zikaNkulunkulu zasezulwini ezinengi kakhulu zibizwa ngokuthi ‘ngamabandla’ kaJehova ahlelwe kuhle.​—Hubo. 103:21.

3. Izinkanyezi kanye lama-planets kungaki, njalo kuhlelwe njani?

 ³ Singathini ngezidalwa esizibonayo, ngokwesibonelo izinkanyezi ezinengi okwamagama kanye lama-planets? Omunye umbiko owawuphathelane lezinkanyezi owakhitshwa yi-Chronicle, iphephandaba laseHouston, Texas, uchaza ukuthi ngemva kokuhlolisiswa, kwatholakala ukuthi kulamabhiliyoni lamabhiliyoni ezinkanyezi kanye lama-planets, inani elidlula kathathu lelo elalitholwe ngabezesayensi kuqala. * Izinkanyezi zihlelwe zaba yimithala njalo umthala munye ngamunye ulezinkanyezi ezingamabhiliyoni kumbe ezingama-trillion kanye lama-planets. Imithala eminengi iphinde yahlelwa yaba ngamaqembu abuthene ndawonye njalo iphinde yahlelwa yaba ngamaqembu emithala amakhulu kakhulu.

4. Kungani singathi uNkulunkulu ngeke ehluleke ukuhlela izinceku zakhe ezisemhlabeni?

⁴ Izinto ezidaliweyo ezisemkhathini lazo zihlelwe kuhle kakhulu njengezidalwa ezilungileyo ezisezulwini. (Isaya. 40:26) Yikho-ke lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi uJehova ngeke ehluleke ukuhlela izinceku zakhe ezisemhlabeni. Ufuna zihlale zihlelekile njalo lokho kuqakatheke kakhulu ngoba kulomsebenzi omnengi afuna ziwenze. Umlandu omangalisayo ophathelane lokuthembeka kwezikhonzi zikaJehova zasendulo lezalamuhla ulobufakazi obugcweleyo bokuthi ubelokhu ezisekela izikhonzi zakhe lokuthi “kasuye Nkulunkulu wengxabangxoza kodwa owokuthula.”​—Bala u-1 Khorinte 14:33, 40.

5. Lwaphambaniseka njani uhlelo oluhle olwaluzakwenza ukuthi abantu bande emhlabeni?

⁵ Lapho uJehova edala abantu bokuqala, wabatshela wathi: “Zalani lande ngobunengi; wugcwaliseni umhlaba, liwubuse. Busani phezu kwezinhlanzi zolwandle lezinyoni zemoyeni laphezu kwezidalwa zonke ezihambayo emhlabathini.” (Gen. 1:28) Yikho-ke abantu kwakumele bande ngendlela ehlelwe kuhle ukuze bagcwalise umhlaba njalo baqhelise iPharadayisi lize ligcwale umhlaba wonke. Uhlelo lolu lwaphambaniseka okwesikhathi esithile ngenxa yokungalaleli kuka-Adamu lo-Eva. (Gen. 3:1-6) Ngokuya kwesikhathi, “uNkulunkulu wabona ukuthi ukuxhwala kwabantu kwasekukukhulu kanganani emhlabeni, njalo lokuthi zonke izinkanuko zeminakano yezinhliziyo zabo zaziyibubi kuphela sonke isikhathi.” Ngenxa yalokhu, ‘umhlaba wawusuxhwalile phambi kukaNkulunkulu njalo usugcwele ubudlwangudlwangu.’ Yikho-ke uNkulunkulu wabona kungcono ukuthi alethe uzamcolo emhlabeni wonke ukuze atshabalalise abantu abangamesabiyo.​—Gen. 6:5, 11-13, 17.

6, 7. (a) Kungani uNowa wathola umusa kuJehova? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.) (b) Kuyini okwenzakalayo ebantwini ababengathembekanga abaphila ngesikhathi sikaNowa?

⁶ Kodwa “uNowa wathola umusa emehlweni kaNkulunkulu” ngoba “wayeyindoda elungileyo, engelasici phakathi kwabantu ngalesosikhathi.” UJehova walaya uNowa ukuthi akhe umkhumbi omkhulu kakhulu ngenxa yokuthi ‘wayebambelele kuye.’ (Gen. 6:8, 9, 14-16) Umkhumbi lo wakhiwa kuhle okokuthi wawusenelisa ukugcina abantu lezinyamazana. “UNowa wakwenza konke lokho akulaywa nguJehova,” ngenxa yokuthi wayelalela njalo imuli yakhe yabambisana laye yikho wawuqeda ngendlela ehlelekileyo umsebenzi lo wokwakha. Konke okuphilayo sekungenisiwe emkhunjini, ‘uJehova wamvalela phakathi.’​—Gen. 7:5, 16.

⁷ Lapho uZamcolo ufika ngo-2370 B.C.E., “yonke into ephilayo phezu komhlaba yakhukhulwa,” kodwa uJehova wasindisa uNowa owayethembekile kanye lemuli yakhe ngokubagcina emkhunjini. (Gen. 7:​23) Lamuhla wonke umuntu osemhlabeni uyisizukulwane sikaNowa, esamadodana akhe kanye labomkabo. Kodwa bonke abantu ababengathembekanga abangazange bangene emkhunjini batshabalala ngoba kabamlalelanga uNowa, “umtshumayeli wokulunga.”​—2 Phet. 2:5.

8. Kuyini okwakutshengisa ukuthi abako-Israyeli babehlelwe kuhle ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu ebalaya ukuthi bayengena eLizweni ababelithenjisiwe?

 ⁸ Ngemva kweminyaka edlula engu-800 uZamcolo ephelile, uNkulunkulu waqoqa ama-Israyeli ukuthi abe yisizwe esihlelwe kuhle. Kukho konke ababekwenza kwakumele babe lokuhleleka, ikakhulu ekukhonzeni kwabo. Ngokwesibonelo, ko-Israyeli kwakulabaphristi abanengi kanye labaLevi kuphinde kube ‘labesifazana [“ababehlelelwe,” NW ] ukusebenza esangweni lethente lokuhlanganela.’ (Eks. 38:8) Kodwa lapho uJehova uNkulunkulu elaya ama-Israyeli ukuthi ayengena eKhenani, awazange alalele, ngakho wawatshela wathi: “Kakho loyedwa wenu ozangena elizweni engafunga ngokuphakamisa isandla ukuthi libe likhaya lenu, ngaphandle kukaKhalebi indodana kaJefune loJoshuwa indodana kaNuni.” Babezangena ngoba babelethe umbiko omuhle ngemva kokuhlola iLizwe elalithenjisiwe. (AmaN. 14:30, 37, 38) Elandela lokho ayekutshelwe nguNkulunkulu, uMosi ngemva kwesikhathi esithile wabeka uJoshuwa ukuthi abe nguye ozakhokhela abantu. (AmaN. 27:18-23) Lapho uJoshuwa esezakhokhela ama-Israyeli esiyangena eKhenani, watshelwa ukuthi: “Qina ube lesibindi ungethuki njalo ungalahli ithemba, ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho uzakuba lawe loba kungaphi lapho oya khona.”​—Josh. 1:9.

9. URahabi wazizwa njani ngoJehova langabantu bakhe?

⁹ UJehova uNkulunkulu wasekela uJoshuwa kukho konke ayekwenza. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngalokho okwenzakalayo ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli esezihonqweni duzane leJerikho, idolobho elaliseKhenani. Ngo-1473 B.C.E., uJoshuwa wathuma amadoda amabili ukuthi ayehlola ukuthi izinto zimi njani eJerikho njalo athi efika khonale athola uRahabi owayeyisifebe. URahabi wawafihla ophahleni lwendlu yakhe, ukuze angathunjwa ngamasotsha ayethunywe yinkosi yaseJerikho. Watshela izinhloli lezi ezimbili ezingama-Israyeli ukuthi: ‘Ngiyazi ukuthi uJehova uselinike lelilizwe. Sesizwile ukuthi uJehova walenzela amanzi oLwandle Olubomvu atsha, lalokho elakwenza kumakhosi amabili ama-Amori.’ Waphinda wathi: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wenu unguNkulunkulu  ophezulu ezulwini laphansi emhlabeni.” (Josh. 2:9-11) URahabi wabambisana lokwakuhlelwe nguJehova. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi uNkulunkulu abe leqiniso lokuthi uyamsindisa yena kanye labemuli yakhe ngesikhathi abako-Israyeli benqoba iJerikho. (Josh. 6:25) URahabi watshengisa ukuthi ulokholo, wayebahlonipha abantu bakaNkulunkulu njalo emesaba uJehova.

10. UJesu wabatshelani abakhokheli benkolo bamaJuda, futhi kungani watsho njalo?

¹⁰ Abako-Israyeli banqoba amadolobho amanengi kakhulu bekhokhelwa nguJoshuwa basebelithatha ilizwe laseKhenani. Kodwa kwahamba njani ngokuhamba kwesikhathi? Eminyakeni eyalandelayo, ama-Israyeli ayelokhu esephula imithetho kaNkulunkulu. Ngesikhathi uJehova ethuma iNdodana yakhe emhlabeni, ayelokhu engamlaleli uNkulunkulu lezithunywa zakhe okokuthi uJesu wabiza iJerusalema ngokuthi “wena obulala abaphrofethi.” (Bala uMathewu 23:37, 38.) UNkulunkulu wacina engasabemukeli abakhokheli bamaJuda ngenxa yokuthi babengathembekanga kuye. Yikho-ke uJesu wabatshela wathi: “Umbuso kaNkulunkulu lizawuthathelwa uphiwe abantu abazathela izithelo zawo.”​—Mat. 21:43.

11, 12. (a) Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi ekhulwini lokuqala uJehova wayesebusisa enye inhlanganiso hatshi isizwe sakoJuda? (b) Ngobani ababebumba uhlelo olutsha olwalusemukelwa nguNkulunkulu?

¹¹ Ekhulwini lokuqala C.E., uJehova wasilahla isizwe sako-Israyeli esasingathembekanga. Lanxa kunjalo, lokhu kwakungasoze kwenze ukuthi asale engaselanhlanganiso ehlelekileyo yezinceku ezithembekileyo emhlabeni. Kodwa uJehova wayesebusisa inhlanganiso entsha eyayithuthuka eyayikhokhelwa nguJesu Khristu njalo ilandela izimfundiso zakhe. Inhlanganiso le yaqalisa ngePhentekhosti lika-33 C.E. Ngalesosikhathi, abafundi bakaJesu abangaba ngu-120 babebuthene kwenye indawo eJerusalema kwathi “masinyane kwaba khona umsindo onjengokuvunguza komoya wesiphepho usehla uvela ezulwini wagcwala indlu yonke.” Ngemva kwalokho, ‘babona okwakungathi ngamalangabi omlilo asuka ehlukana ahlala kulowo lalowo wabo. Bonke bagcwaliswa ngomoya ongcwele basebeqalisa ukukhuluma ezinye izindimi njengokuphiwa kwabo amandla ngomoya.’ (ImiSeb. 2:1-4) Isenzakalo lesi esimangalisayo saba yibufakazi obabungeke buphikwe bokuthi uJehova wayelusekela uhlelo lolu olutsha olwalubunjwa ngabafundi bakaKhristu.

¹² Ngelanga lelo elalilezenzakalo ezimangalisayo, kwengezwa enanini labalandeli bakaJesu abantu ‘abangaba yizinkulungwane ezintathu.’ Kanti njalo “iNkosi yengeza inani labo izinsuku zonke ngalabo abase besindisiwe.” (ImiSeb. 2:41, 47) Abatshumayeli bekhulu lokuqala babesebenza gadalala okokuthi “ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lamemetheka. Inani labafundi eJerusalema landa ngokuphangisa, kwathi lenani elikhulu labaphristi layilandela inkolo.” (ImiSeb. 6:7) Abantu abanengi ababefuna ukufunda sibili balemukela iqiniso leli elalimenyezelwa ngamalunga ohlelo lolu olutsha. Ngemva kwesikhathi, uJehova waphinda watshengisa ukuthi wayewusekela umsebenzi lo lapho eqalisa ukuletha ‘abezizwe’ ebandleni lobuKhristu.​—Bala imiSebenzi 10:44, 45.

13. Yiwuphi umsebenzi owawusenziwa ngaphansi kohlelo lukaNkulunkulu olutsha?

¹³ Kwasekucaca ukuthi yiwuphi umsebenzi uNkulunkulu ayewunike abalandeli bakaKhristu. UJesu wayebatshiyele isibonelo, ngoba esanda kubhaphathizwa waqalisa ukutshumayela ‘ngoMbuso wezulu.’ (Mat. 4:17) Wafundisa labafundi bakhe ukuthi bawenze umsebenzi lo. Wabatshela wathi: “Lizakuba ngofakazi bami eJerusalema, lakulo lonke eleJudiya laseSamariya, lasemikhawulweni yomhlaba.” (ImiSeb. 1:8) Abalandeli bakaKhristu bokuqala basebekuzwisisa sibili okwakumele bakwenze. Ngokwesibonelo uPhawuli loBhanaba bese-Antiyokhi yasePhisidiya  bakhuluma ngesibindi lamaJuda ayebaphikisa bathi: “Besimele ilizwi likaNkulunkulu silikhulume kini kuqala. Kodwa njengoba lililahla ngoba lizibona lina lingakufanelanga ukuphila okungapheliyo, khathesi sesiphendukela kwabeZizwe. Phela nanku iNkosi esisiyale khona yathi: ‘Sengilenze isibane sabeZizwe, ukuthi lilethe insindiso emikhawulweni yomhlaba.’ ” (ImiSeb. 13:14, 45-47) Kusukela ekhulwini lokuqala ingxenye yenhlanganiso kaNkulunkulu yasemhlabeni ibilokhu itshela abantu ngalokho akuhlelileyo ukuze basindiswe.

14. Kwenzakalani eJerusalema ngekhulu lokuqala, kodwa ngobani abasindayo?

¹⁴ Inengi lamaJuda alizange lamukele izindaba ezinhle. Ngenxa yalokhu lalizakwehlelwa lusizi ngoba uJesu wayexwayise abalandeli bakhe wathi: “Lingabona iJerusalema isihonqolozelwe yizimpi lizakwazi ukuthi incithakalo isisondele. Lapho-ke akuthi labo abaseJudiya babalekele ezintabeni, abasedolobheni kabaphume, kuthi labo abasemaphandleni bangangeni edolobheni.” (Luk. 21:20, 21) Okwakukhulunywe nguJesu kwenzakala sibili. Ngenxa yomvukela wamaJuda, amabutho amaRoma ayekhokhelwa nguCestius Gallus ahonqolozela iJerusalema ngo-66 C.E. Kodwa amabutho la kasazange ahlasela, abuyela emuva njalo lokhu kwanika abalandeli bakaJesu ithuba lokuphuma eJerusalema kanye leJudiya. Isifundiswa sezembali u-Eusebius siveza ukuthi abanengi babaleka bachapha uMfula iJodani baqonda ePella yasePhereya. Ngo-70 C.E., amabutho amaRoma ayekhokhelwa yisikhulu sebutho uTitus abhidliza iJerusalema. Kodwa amaKhristu athembekileyo asinda ngoba alalela isixwayiso sikaJesu. *

15. Chaza ukuthi kungani kwakungalula ukuthi amaKhristu ahlale eqinile ekukhonzeni.

¹⁵ Lanxa abalandeli bakaKhristu babelezinhlupho, behlukuluzwa njalo behlangana lezilingo ezazingaxegisa ukholo lwabo, abantu abanengi baphenduka baba ngamaKhristu ekhulwini lokuqala. (ImiSeb. 11:19-21; 19:1, 19, 20) Kanti njalo, amaKhristu la ahlala eqinile ekukhonzeni ngenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu wayewabusisa.​—Zaga. 10:22.

16. Kwakumele enzeni amaKhristu ukuze ahlale elokholo oluqinileyo?

¹⁶ UmKhristu munye ngamunye kwakumele enze okusemandleni akhe ukuze ahlale elokholo oluqinileyo. Ukufunda iMibhalo zikhathi zonke lokuba khona emihlanganweni yokukhonza kanye lokukhuthala emsebenzini wokutshumayela ngoMbuso kwakuqakatheke kakhulu. Kwakusenza ukuthi abantu bakaJehova bamanyane njalo bahlale belobuhlobo obuqinileyo laye njengoba kunjalo lalamuhla. Ababonisi kanye lezinceku ezikhonzayo ababezimisele njalo besebenza gadalala ukuthi basize, bawanceda kakhulu amalunga ayesemabandleni okuqala ayehlelwe kuhle. (Flp. 1:1; 1 Phet. 5:1-4) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi amabandla ayethokoza kakhulu nxa evakatshelwe ngabadala ababehambela, omunye wabo okwakunguPhawuli. (ImiSeb. 15:36, 40, 41) Ukuhambelana okukhona phakathi kwendlela amaKhristu ekhulu lokuqala ayekhonza ngayo lendlela esikhonza ngayo kuyamangalisa kakhulu. Siyabonga kakhulu ngokuthi uJehova ubelokhu ehlela izinceku zakhe kusukela kudala kuze kube lamuhla. *

17. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁷ Njengoba umhlaba lo obuswa nguSathane ususiyaphela ezinsukwini lezi zokucina, ingxenye yasemhlabeni yenhlanganiso kaJehova ilokhu ithuthuka kakhulu. Wena uhambisana layo yini? Uyathuthuka yini ekukhonzeni? Isihloko esilandelayo sizakutshengisa ukuthi ungakwenza njani lokhu.