1, 2. Ngiliphi itjhuguluko elenzeka ngePentekoste yangomnyaka ka-33, begodu bobani ababa malunga wesizwe esitjha sakaJehova? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

IPENTEKOSTE yomnyaka ka-33 yaba lilanga elikhethekileko emlandweni wabantu bakaJehova emihleni yabapostoli. Makhulu amatjhuguluko enzeka mhlokho. Ngelangelo, uJehova ngomoyakhe wakha isizwe esitjha—u-Israyeli ongokomfanekiso obizwa bona ‘ngu-Israyeli kaZimu!’ (Gal. 6:16) Bekukokuthoma kusukela emihleni yabo-Abrahama kwenzeka into enjengale, yeke abantu bakaZimu bebangekhe basabonakala ngokusokwa kwamadoda. Yeke, uPowula nakakhuluma nelunga ngalinye lesizwe esitjheso wathi: ‘Ukusoka kwamambala ngokwehliziyo’ kwenziwa nguZimu.—Rom. 2:29.

² Amalunga wokuthoma wesizwe esitjha sakaZimu bekubapostoli nabafundi bakaKrestu abangaphezu kwekhulu abahlangana elawini eliphezulu eJerusalema. (IzE. 1:12-15) Amalunga la afumana umoya ocwengileko, wabakhetha baba bantwana bakaZimu abakhethiweko. (Rom. 8:15, 16; 2 Kor. 1:21) Lokhu bekubufakazi bokuthi isivumelwano esitjha esenziwa nguKrestu ngeengazi zakhe sele sithomile. (Luk. 22:20; funda amaHebheru 9:15.) Abafundaba baba malunga wesizwe esitjha sakaJehova. Umoya ocwengileko wabasiza bona batjhumayele ngeenlimi ezihlukahlukeneko ebezikhulunywa maJuda namaProselithe  ebekaseJerusalema avela eMbusweni weRoma. Bebalapho ngebanga lokuzokugidinga iveke yomgidingo wamaJuda obizwa ngePentekoste. Abantwaba bezwa, bazizwisisa kuhle “iimangaliso zakaZimu” zitjhunyayelwa bantwana bakaZimu abakhethiweko ngeenlimi zabo.—IzE. 2:1-11.

3-5. (a) UPitrosi wathini kumaJuda ngelanga lePentekoste? (b) Ngimaphi amagadango amahle athathwa bafundi bona kube namalunga amanengi esitjhabeni esitjha sakaJehova phakathi nesikhathi okwathoma ngaso ukukhethwa?

³ UJehova wasebenzisa umpostoli uPitrosi bona abe mdosiphambili ekuvuleleni amaJuda namaProselite indlela bona abe malunga wesitjhaba esitjhesi, okulibandla lamaKrestu. Ngelanga lePentekoste, uPitrosi waba nesibindi watjela amaJuda bona kufuze amukele uJesu loyo ‘abambethela egodweni,’ ngombana “uZimu wenze uJesu abe yiKosi noKrestu.” Lokha isiqubuthu sabantu sibuza bona kufuze senzeni, uPitrosi waphendula wathi: ‘Phendukani, omunye nomunye wenu abhajadiswe ebizweni lakaJesu Krestu ukuze nithethelelwe izono, khona nizakwamukela isipho somoya ocwengileko.’ (IzE. 2:22, 23, 36-38) Ngelangelo kwangezelelwa abantu aba-3 000 esitjhabeni esitjha saka-Israyeli ongokomoya. (IzE. 2:41) Ngemva kwalokho, abapostoli baragela phambili nokutjhumayela ngokuzimisela begodu lokho kwaletha imiphumela emihle. (IzE. 6:7) Isitjhaba esitjha besisolo sikhula.

⁴ Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, kwatjhunyayelwa nakumaSamariya, kwaphenduka abantu abanengi lapho. Abantu abanengi babhajadiswa ngumvangeli uFlebhe, kodwana khenge bafumane umoya ocwengileko khonokho. Isihlopha esibusako seJerusalema sathumela umpostoli uPitrosi noJwanisi bona baye kumaSamariya, nebafika lapho ‘bababeka izandla, bamukela umoya ocwengileko.’ (IzE. 8:5, 6, 14-17) AmaSamariya la nawo aba malunga akhethwe ngomoya ka-Israyeli ngomoya.

⁵ Ngomnyaka ka-36 emihleni yabapostoli, uZimu wasebenzisa uPitrosi ukusiza abanye bona babe malunga wesitjhaba esitjha saka-Israyeli kaZimu. Lokhu kwenzeka lokha nekatjhumayela kumphathimabutho wamaRoma uKorneliyasi neenhlobo zakhe nabangani. (IzE. 10:22, 24, 34, 35) IBhayibheli latlola yathi: ‘Kwathi uPitrosi asakhuluma . . . , umoya ocwengileko wehlela phezu kwabo boke [abangasimaJuda] egade balalele umlayezo. Amakholwa asokiweko nalabo abeze noPitrosi babamba ongenzasi ngombana isipho somoya ocwengileko besithelwe naphezu kwabatjhili.’ (IzE. 10:44, 45) Ngalokho, ukukhethwa kwamalunga wesitjhaba esitjha saka-Israyeli kaZimu sadluliselwa nemaKrestwini angakasoki ebekangasimaJuda.

6, 7. Kubayini amalunga wesitjhaba esitjha bekazokuba ‘sisizwe esibizwa ngebizo [lakaJehova]’, begodu lokho bakwenze ngezinga elingangani?

⁶ Umpostoli uJakopo watjho lokhu emhlanganweni wesihlopha esibusako samaKrestu owabanjwa ngomnyaka ka-49 emihleni yabapostoli: “USimoni [uPitrosi] usihlathululele bona ekuthomeni uZimu  bekanetjisakalo kangangani ngokuthatha kabatjhili isizwe esibizwa ngebizo lakhe.” (IzE. 15:14) Isizwe esitjhesi ebesifakaza ngebizo lakaJehova besakhiwa maJuda nabangasimaJuda. (Rom. 11:25, 26a) Kuthe ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, uPitrosi wawatlolela wathi kiwo: “Phambilini beningasibo abantu, kodwana kwanjesi nisisizwe sakaZimu.” UPitrosi wakhuluma ngomsebenzabo nekathi: “Nina nisisizwe esikhethiweko, ubuphristi bobukhosi, isizwe esicwengileko, abantu ekungebakaZimu kobana nitjhumayele imisebenzi yamandla yaloyo owanibiza bona niphume ebumnyameni nize ekukhanyeni kwakhe okukarisako.” (1 Pit. 2:9, 10) Lokho bekutjho bona isizwe esitjhesi sizokuragela phambili sidumisa Loyo esifakaza ngaye begodu besizokuphakamisa ibizo lakhe eemphakathini. Isizwesi besizokufakaza ngesibindi ngoJehova, uMbusi weNdawo Yoke.

⁷ Njengombana bekunjalo ngo-Israyeli wenyama, amalunga ka-Israyeli ongokomoya ngilabo uJehova ababiza ngokuthi ‘babantu engazibumbela bona bonyana bamemezele idumo lami.’ (Isa. 43:21) AmaKrestu la akhuluma ngesibindi ngabosingazimu ebebalotjhwa ngesikhatheso atjhumayela nokobana uJehova nguye uZimu weqiniso. (1 Thes. 1:9) Afakaza ngoJehova noJesu “eJerusalema, kiyo yoke iJudiya neSamariya kufikela emaphethelweni wephasi.”—IzE. 1:8; Kol. 1:23.

8. Ngisiphi isiyeleliso umpostoli uPowula asinikela isizwe sakaZimu ngekhulu lokuthoma?

⁸ Ilunga ebelinesibindi ‘lesizwe esibizwa ngebizo [lakaJehova]’ sangesikhathi sabapostoli, bekunguPowula. Ngesikhathi umpostoli uPowula nekajame hlanu kwabantu egade bakholelwa emfundisweni zoburhedeni, ngesibindi walwela ubukhosi bakaJehova wathi, “uZimu obumbe iphasi nakho koke okukilo, oyiKosi yezulu nephasi.” (IzE. 17:18, 23-25) Kwathi nasele azokuqedelela ikhambo lakhe lesithathu lokutjhumayela kezinye iinarha, uPowula wayelelisa amalunga wesizwe sakaZimu: “Ngiyazi bona kuzakuthi nasele ngikhambile kuze hlangana nani iimpisi ezikhwabithako, zingawuncanekeli umhlambi. Ngitjho naphakathi kwenu kuzakuvela abanye abahlanakezela iqiniso ukuze bawunge abafundi babalandele.” (IzE. 20:29, 30) Ukuhlubukokho besele buthome ukuveza ihloko emihleni kaJwanisi.—1 Jwa. 2:18, 19.

9. Malungana ‘nesizwe esibizwa ngebizo [lakaJehova],’ khuyini eyenzeka ngemva kokuhlongakala kwabapostoli?

⁹ Ngemva kokuhlongakala kwabapostoli, ukuhlubuka kwaba kunengi, kwathoma amasondo wamaKrestu mbumbulu. Ngemva kokubhalelwa ukuba ‘sisizwe esibizwa ngebizo [lakaJehova],’ amaKrestu aziinhlubuki asusa ibizo lakaZimu emaBhayibhelini amanengi wawo. Afaka amasiko, akhenge ahloniphe noZimu ngemfundiso zawo ezingekho emtlolweni, “njengezipi ezicwengileko,” nangokuziphatha kwabo okumbi. Yoke iminyaka leyo uJehova bekanedlanzana labantu abathembekile abamlotjhako ephasini kodwana bebangasi ‘sisizwe esibizwa ngebizo lakhe’ esihleliweko.

10, 11. (a) Khuyini okwabikezelwa nguJesu emfanekisweni wekoroyi nekhula? (b) Umfanekiso kaJesu wazaliseka njani ngemva kwaka-1914 begodu lokho kwaletha miphi imiphumela?

¹⁰ Emfanekisweni wekoroyi nekhula, uJesu wakhuluma ngobusuku obungokomfanekiso ebebuzokulethwa ziinhlubuki. Kwathi, “woke umuntu asalele,” uDeveli uzokutjala ikhula kukulapho iNdodana kaZimu itjale imbewu ehle yekoroyi. Bekuzokukhula ndawonye bekube kulapho ‘kuphela isikhathi sokuvuna.’ UJesu wahlathulula bona “imbewu ehle” ifanekisela ‘amadodana womBuso’ bese kuthi “ikhula  lifanekisele amadodana akhohlakeleko.” Hlangana nesikhathi sokupheleso, iNdodana kaZimu izokuthumela “abavuni,” abaziingilozi, bona bahlukanise imbewu nekhula. Amadodana womBuso azokuhlanganiswa woke. (Mat. 13:24-30, 36-43) Lokho kuzokwenzeka njani, begodu lokhu kuzokutjho ukuthini ngokwakaJehova nesizwe ephasini?

¹¹ ‘Ukuphela kwesivuno’ kwathoma ngo-1914. Epini eyaba yikulu ngomnyaka lowo, iinkulungwana ezimbalwa zamaKrestu akhethiweko,“okubantwana bomBuso” emfanekisweni lo bebathunjiwe baseBhabhiloni eliKhulu elingokomfanekiso. Ngo-1919 uJehova wabatjhaphulula, wenza kwaba nomehluko hlangana kwamaKrestu weqiniso newamala ‘alikhula’ elisemfanekisweni kaJesu. Nakazakuzalisa isiphorofido esitlolwe ku-Isaya, wabuthelela ‘amadodana womBuso’ bona abe sisizwe esihleliweko wathi: “Isizwe singabelethwa ngasikhathi sinye na? Kuthe bona iZiyoni ibe nemirhele, yazala amadodanayo.” (Isa. 66:8) Ihlangano kaJehova yeengilozi ebizwa bona yiZiyoni, yabeletha amadodana ngokuwakhetha ngomoya kaZimu begodu wawahlela bona abe sisizwe.

12. Abakhethiweko baziveze njani bona ‘basisizwe esibizwa ngebizo [lakaJehova]’?

¹² NjengamaKrestu wokuthoma, ‘amadodana womBuso’ akhethiweko bekufuze abe boFakazi bakaJehova. (Funda u-Isaya 43:1, 10, 11.) Yeke bekufuze babe maKrestu ahlukileko endleleni abaziphatha ngayo, nangokutjhumayela “ivangeli lombusweli . . . kube bufakazi kizo zoke izizwe.” (Mat. 24:14; Flp. 2:15) Umsebenzabo lo, sewusize iingidi zabantu bona zamukelwe nguJehova.—Funda uDanyela 12:3.

13, 14. Khuyini okufuze kwenziwe ngilabo abangasiwo amalunga ka-Israyeli ongokomfanekiso nebafuna ukwamukelwa nguJehova? Ngiziphi iimphorofido ezifakazela lokho?

¹³ Njengombana sifundile esihlokweni esigadungileko bona nange umuntu oliphandle afuna ukulotjha uJehova ngeqiniso, bekufuze azihlanganise nabantu abanesivumelwano noJehova. (1 Kho. 8:41-43) Kusesenjalo nanamhlanjesi. Labo  abangasi yingcenye ka-Israyeli ongokomfanekiso kusafanele bazihlanganise nabantu bakaJehova, ‘abamadodana womBuso’—aboFakazi bakaJehova abakhethelwe ukubusa noKrestu.

¹⁴ Abaphorofidi ababili bakade bakhe babikezela bona kuzokuba nabantu abanengi abazokulotjha uZimu ngeqiniso emihleni yokuphela. U-Isaya yena waphorofida wathi: “Kuzakuthi emihleni yokuphela intaba yethempeli [lakaJehova, NW] inzinziswe esiqongolweni seentaba. Izakuphakanyiswa ngaphezu kwemibundu nezizwe zoke ziwulukele kiyo. Nabantu abanengi bazakuza bathi: ‘Nambani sikhuphukeleni entabeni [kaJehova, NW] ethempelini lakaZimu kaJakopo ukuze asifundise iindlela zakhe kobana sikhambe ngemizilakhe.’ Mbala, umthetho uzakuvela eZiyoni nelizwi [lakaJehova, NW] eJerusalema.” (Isa. 2:2, 3) Nomphorofidi uZakariya waphorofida ukuthi “izizwe ezinengi nabantu abanengi bazakuza bazokufuna umusa [kaJehova, NW] uMninimandlawoke eJerusalema batende [uJehova, NW].” Abantwaba wabafanisa ‘namadoda alitjhumi’ avela kizo zoke izizwe, ebebazokukakarela umphetho wesambatho som-Israyeli omutjha kaZimu athi: “Sifuna ukukhamba nawe ngombana sizwile bonyana uZimu unani.”—Zak. 8:20-23.

15. U-Israyeli ongokomfanekiso “nezinye izimvu” babambisene kimuphi umsebenzi?

¹⁵ ‘Ezinye izimvu’ ‘zikhamba’ no-Israyeli ongokomfanekiso emsebenzini wokutjhumayela ivangeli lomBuso kaZimu. (Mar. 13:10) Yeke, ziba “mhlambi owodwa” nabakhethiweko, ongaphasi ‘komelusi olungileko’, uJesu Krestu.—Funda uJwanisi 10:14-16.

16. UJehova uzokwenzani ekugcineni kwesizi elikhulu?

¹⁶ Ngemva kokurhayilwa kweBhabhiloni elikhulu, abantu bakaJehova bazokusahlelwa ibe yincani indawo. Ngesikhatheso bazositlhoga isivikelo sakaJehova. Njengombana ukusahlelwokhu kuzokwenzeka ngasemaphethelweni wesizi elikhulu. Kulapho-ke uJehova azokubeka zoke izinto emnananeni, athathe igadango elifaneleko. (Mat. 24:21; Hez. 38:2-4) Nekufika isikhatheso, uGogi uzokusahlela ‘isizwe esabuthelelwa kwezinye izizwe,’ esibabantu bakaJehova. (Hez. 38:10-12) UGogi namabuthwakhe bazabe bazidosela amanzi ngomsele ngokuhlaselokho ngombana kulapho-ke uJehova azobajezisa khona. Bazomazi kuhle uJehova ngombana uzoziphakamisa, acwengise nebizo lakhe. Ngikho athi: “Njeke, ngizakubonakalisa ubukhulu bami nokucwengeka kwami begodu ngizazise phambi kwezizwe ezinengi. Ngalokho zizakwazi bonyana [nginguJehova NW].”—Hez. 38:18-23.

17, 18. (a) Nekuhlasela uGogi, abantu bakaJehova bazokufumana ziphi iinqophiso? (b) Nange sifuna ukuba ngaphasi kwesivikelo sakaJehova, kufuze senzeni?

¹⁷ Kuzakuthi uGogi nakathoma ukusahlela, uJehova atjele iinceku zakhe ukuthi: “Yenize bantu bami, ningene ngemalawinenu, nivale iminyango nasele ningenile zifihleni kwesikhatjhana, bekudlule ilaka lakaZimu.” (Isa. 26:20) Esikhathini esibudiseso, uJehova uzosinikela iinqophiso ezizosiphulusa. ‘Amalawu’ la kungenzeka abe mabandla esihlanganyela kiwo.

¹⁸ Nengabe siyafuna ukuba ngaphasi kwesivikelo sakaJehova hlangana nesizi elikhulu, kufuze siqiniseke ukuthi uJehova unabantu abamjameleleko ephasinapha, abahlelwe baba mabandla. Kufuze sizimisele ukuhlala sisemabandleni esihlanganyela kiwo. Kwanga soke nje, singabhina nomrhubi owathi: “Ukusindiswa kuvela [kuJehova, NW]. Isibusiso sakho asibe phezu kwabantu bakho”—Rhu. 3:9; [3:8, NW].