1, 2. Nguluphi lushintjo lolwenteka ngeliPhentekhoste la-33 C.E., futsi bobani lababa ngemalunga esive lesisha saJehova? (Buka sitfombe lesisekucaleni kwalesihloko.)

LIPHENTEKHOSTE la-33 C.E. laliyincophamlandvo emlandvweni webantfu baJehova emhlabeni. Kwenteka lushintjo lolubalulekile. Ngalelo langa, Jehova wasebentisa umoya wakhe longcwele kute asungule sive lesisha—‘lokungu-Israyeli waNkulunkulu.’ (Gal. 6:16) Kwakutawuba kwekucala ngca kusukela ngesikhatsi sa-Abrahama kutsi bantfu baNkulunkulu labadvuna bangasasoki. Esikhundleni saloko, Pawula wakhuluma ngelilunga ngalinye lalesive watsi: “Usuke asoke enhlitiyweni ngemoya longcwele.”—Rom. 2:29.

² Emalunga ekucala esive lesisha saNkulunkulu bekubaphostoli kanye nebafundzi baKhristu labangetulu kwelikhulu, lebebahlangene ndzawonye ekamelweni lelisetulu eJerusalema. (Imis. 1:12-15) Laba batfola umoya longcwele waNkulunkulu lowabenta baba ngemadvodzana akhe lagcotjwe ngemoya. (Rom. 8:15, 16; 2 Khor. 1:21) Loku kwakhombisa kutsi sivumelwane lesisha lebesentiwe ngaKhristu nangengati yakhe besesisebenta. (Luk. 22:20; fundza Hebheru 9:15.) Ngaleyo ndlela, labafundzi baba ngemalunga esive lesisha saJehova, futsi baba bantfu bakhe. Umoya longcwele wabenta kutsi bashumayele ngetilwimi letehlukahlukene letikhulunywa ngemaJuda nalabagucukele  enkholweni yebuJuda, lebebete eJerusalema besuka eMbusweni wemaRoma kute bagubhe uMkhosi Wemaviki nobe liPhentekhoste. Labantfu beva “tintfo letimangalisako taNkulunkulu” lebetishunyayelwa ngulamaKhristu lagcotjwe ngemoya futsi baticondza ngelulwimi labalumunya.—Imis. 2:1-11.

3-5. (a) Yini Phetro layitjela emaJuda ngelilanga leliPhentekhoste? (b) Ngutiphi tinyatselo letenta kutsi sive lesisha saJehova sikhule nasisacala kuba khona?

³ Jehova wasebentisa umphostoli Phetro kuze ahole ekusiteni emaJuda nalabo labagucukele enkholweni yebuJuda kutsi babe ngemalunga alesive lesisha, lokulibandla lebuKhristu. Ngelilanga leliPhentekhoste, Phetro watjela emaJuda ngesibindzi kutsi kufanele emukele Jesu, lendvodza ‘layibetsela elugodvweni,’ ngobe “Nkulunkulu umente iNkhosi futsi wamenta waba nguKhristu.” Ngesikhatsi lesicumbi sibuta kutsi yini lokufanele siyente, Phetro waphendvula watsi: “Phendvukani, nibhajatiswe egameni laJesu Khristu kute nitsetselelwe tono tenu, futsi nitawutfola sipho lesingumoya longcwele.” (Imis. 2:22, 23, 36-38) Ngalelo langa, bantfu labacishe babe ngu-3 000 bengetwa kulesive lesisha lesingu-Israyeli waNkulunkulu. (Imis. 2:41) Ngemuva kwaloko, kushumayela ngemfutfo kwebaphostoli kwachubeka kutsela titselo letinhle. (Imis. 6:7) Lesive lesisha besikhula.

⁴ Ngemuva kwaloko, umsebenti wekushumayela wendlulela nakumaSamariya, futsi loko kwaphumelela. Labanyenti babhajatiswa ngumvangeli Filiphu, kodvwa abazange bawutfole ngaleso sikhatsi umoya longcwele. Sigungu lesibusako lebesiseJerusalema satfumela umphostoli Phetro naJohane kulamaSamariya labegucukile, ‘bawabeka tandla, futsi emukela umoya longcwele.’ (Imis. 8:5, 6, 14-17) Ngako lamaSamariya nawo aba ngemalunga lagcotjwe ngemoya a-Israyeli waNkulunkulu.

⁵ Nga-36 C.E., Phetro waphindze wasetjentiswa kute avulele labanye litfuba lekuba yincenye yesive lesisha sa-Israyeli waNkulunkulu. Loko kwenteka ngesikhatsi ashumayela Khoneliyuse, sikhulu lesingumRoma, netihlobo nebangani bakhe. (Imis. 10:22, 24, 34, 35) Kulandzisa kweliBhayibheli kutsi: “Njengobe Phetro akhuluma, umoya longcwele wehlela kubo bonkhe [labangesiwo emaJuda] lebebalalele livi laNkulunkulu. Emakholwa lasokile labehamba naPhetro amangala ngenca yekutsi sipho lesingumoya longcwele besesitfululelwa nakubantfu betive.” (Imis. 10:44, 45) Ngako kuba ngemalunga esive lesisha sa-Israyeli waNkulunkulu besekuvulekele bantfu beTive labakholwako labangakasoki.

6, 7. Emalunga esive lesisha kwakufanele abe ‘bantfu lababitwa ngelibito laJehova’ ngatiphi tindlela, futsi loko akwenta ngelizinga lelingakanani?

⁶ Emhlanganweni wesigungu lesibusako semaKhristu angelikhulu lekucala lobewunga-49 C.E., umfundzi Jakobe watsi: “Simeyoni [Phetro] sewusichazele kahle  ngendlela Nkulunkulu labanake ngayo kwekucala bantfu betive kuze kubo atitfolele bantfu labatawubitwa ngelibito lakhe.” (Imis. 15:14) Lesive lesisha lesibitwa ngelibito laJehova besitawuhlanganisa emakholwa langemaJuda nalawo langesiwo emaJuda. (Rom. 11:25, 26a) Ngemuva kwaloko, Phetro wabhala watsi: “Nake nangabi bantfu baNkulunkulu, kodvwa nyalo senibantfu bakhe.” Phetro wachaza umsebenti wabo ngekutsi atsi: “Nine ‘niluhlanga lolukhetsiwe, umbuso webaphristi, sive lesingcwele, nebantfu labayimphahla lekhetsekile, kuze kuyo yonkhe indzawo nimemetele buhle’ baloyo lowanibita naphuma ebumnyameni nangena ekukhanyeni kwakhe lokumangalisako.” (1 Phet. 2:9, 10) Kwakufanele bamemetele ludvumo lwaLoyo lebebammelela futsi badvumise libito lakhe kubo bonkhe bantfu. Kwakufanele babe bofakazi labanesibindzi baJehova, uMbusi Wendalo Yonkhe.

⁷ Njengobe kwakunjalo ngema-Israyeli emvelo, emalunga a-Israyeli waNkulunkulu besekungiwo Jehova lawabita ngekutsi “sive lengatibumbela sona, kuze sitewumemetela ludvumo lwami.” (Isa. 43:21) LamaKhristu angelikhulu lekucala embula bonkhe bonkulunkulu bemanga lebebakhontwa ngaleso sikhatsi, ngekutsi amemetele ngesibindzi kutsi Jehova ukuphela kwaNkulunkulu weliciniso. (1 Thes. 1:9) Aniketa bufakazi ngaJehova naJesu “eJerusalema, kuyo yonkhe iJudiya neSamariya, nakuto tonkhe tincenye temhlaba.”—Imis. 1:8; Khol. 1:23.

8. Ngusiphi secwayiso umphostoli Pawula lasinika bantfu baNkulunkulu ngelikhulu lekucala leminyaka?

⁸ Umphostoli Pawula abelilunga lelinesibindzi ‘lebantfu lababitwa ngelibito laJehova’ bangelikhulu lekucala. Ngesikhatsi eme embikwetati tefilosofi letingamkhonti Nkulunkulu, wabumelela ngesibindzi bukhosi baJehova, ‘Nkulunkulu lowadala umhlaba nako konkhe lokukuwo, loyiNkhosi yelizulu nemhlaba.’ (Imis. 17:18, 23-25) Ngasekupheleni kweluhambo lwakhe lwesitsatfu lwetitfunywa telivangeli, Pawula wecwayisa emalunga esive lesibitwa ngelibito laNkulunkulu watsi: “Ngiyati kutsi nasengihambile, emkhatsini wenu kutawuvela timphisi letiyingoti, tiwuphatse kabi umhlambi, futsi lapha kini kutawuvela emadvodza, akhulume tintfo letisontsekile kuze advonse bafundzi kutsi bawalandzele.” (Imis. 20:29, 30) Lokuhlubuka labiketela ngako kwabonakala ngalokucacile ngasekugcineni kwelikhulu lekucala leminyaka.—1 Joh. 2:18, 19.

9. Ngemuva kwekufa kwebaphostoli, yini leyenteka ‘ngebantfu lababitwa ngelibito laJehova’?

⁹ Ngemuva kwekufa kwebaphostoli, lokuhlubuka kwandza futsi kwabangela kutsi kube nemasontfo eTinkholo Letitsi TebuKhristu. Esikhundleni sekutsi atikhombise ‘abantfu lababitwa ngelibito laJehova,’ emaKhristu latihlubuki alikhipha libito laNkulunkulu emahumushweni awo lamanyenti eliBhayibheli. Akopa emasiko ebantfu labangamkhonti Nkulunkulu futsi amedzelela ngetimfundziso tawo letingakasekelwa emiBhalweni, “ngetimphi latsi tingcwele” kanye nangekutiphatsa kwawo lokubi. Ngako kwaphela iminyaka leminyenti Jehova anetikhonti letimbalwa letetsembekile emhlabeni kodvwa ete bantfu labahleliwe ‘lababitwa ngelibito lakhe.’

10, 11. (a) Yini Jesu layisho emfanekisweni wakhe wakolo nelukhula? (b) Lomfanekiso waJesu wagcwaliseka njani ngemuva kwa-1914, futsi kwaba namuphi umphumela?

¹⁰ Emfanekisweni wakhe wakolo nelukhula, Jesu wabiketela ngebumnyama lobebutawubangelwa kuhlubuka. Watsi “kutsite bantfu baselele,” Develi wahlanyela lukhula ensimini lapho iNdvodzana yemuntfu beyihlanyele khona kolo. Kokubili  bekutawukhula ndzawonye kudzimate kufike sikhatsi ‘sekuphela kwalelive.’ Jesu wachaza kutsi “inhlanyelo lenhle” imelela ‘emadvodzana eMbuso’ nekutsi “lukhula” “ngemadvodzana alomubi.” Ngesikhatsi sekuphela, iNdvodzana yemuntfu beyitawutfumela “bavuni,” lokutingilosi, kute tehlukanise kolo longumfanekiso elukhuleni. Emadvodzana eMbuso abetawubutselwa ndzawonye. (Mat. 13:24-30, 36-43) Kwenteka njani loko, futsi kuhlobene njani nendzaba yekutsi Jehova unebantfu bakhe emhlabeni?

¹¹ “Kuphela kwalelive” kwacala nga-1914. Ngesikhatsi semphi leyaba khona ngaloyo mnyaka, tinkhulungwane letimbalwa temaKhristu lagcotjiwe, ‘lokungemadvodzana eMbuso,’ betitfunjwe yiBhabhulona Lenkhulu. Nga-1919, Jehova wawakhulula futsi wenta umehluko locacile emkhatsini wawo ‘nelukhula,’ nobe emaKhristu mbumbulu. Wabutsela ‘emadvodzana eMbuso’ ndzawonye aba sive lesihleliwe, kute kugcwaliseke siphrofetho sa-Isaya lesitsi: “Live lingatalwa yini ngalanga linye? Sona sive sake savela yini ngesikhashana nje? Noko iSiyoni itsite ingakaphatfwa ngumhelo yatala bantfwana bayo.” (Isa. 66:8) ISiyoni, lokuyinhlangano yaJehova yetidalwa temoya, yaveta emadvodzana lagcotjwe ngemoya yawabutsela ndzawonye aba sive.

12. Labagcotjiwe bakhombise njani kutsi ‘babantfu lababitwa ngelibito laJehova’ lamuhla?

¹² NjengemaKhristu angelikhulu lekucala, ‘emadvodzana eMbuso’ lagcotjiwe abetawuba bofakazi baJehova. (Fundza Isaya 43:1, 10, 11.) Abetawubonakala ehlukile ngekutiphatsa kwawo kwebuKhristu nangekushumayela ‘tindzaba letimnandzi teMbuso . . . kuze kube bufakazi etiveni tonkhe.’ (Mat. 24:14; Fil. 2:15) Ngekwenta njalo, asite tigidzi tebantfu kutsi tibe nebuhlobo lobuhle naJehova.—Fundza Danyela 12:3.

13, 14. Kute bakhonte Jehova ngendlela lefanele, labo labangasiye Israyeli waNkulunkulu kufanele benteni, futsi loko kwabiketelwa njani etiphrofethweni teliBhayibheli?

¹³ Esihlokweni lesendlulile sibonile kutsi ka-Israyeli wasendvulo, tihambi betingamkhonta  Jehova ngendlela lefanele, kodvwa bekufanele titihlanganise nebantfu lente nabo sivumelwane. (1 Khos. 8:41-43) Ngendlela lefanako, nalamuhla labo labangasiye Israyeli waNkulunkulu kufanele batihlanganise nebantfu baJehova, ‘emadvodzana eMbuso’—lokuBoFakazi labagcotjiwe BaJehova.

¹⁴ Kwandza kwebantfu labanyenti labakhonta Jehova nebantfu bakhe kulesikhatsi sekuphela, kwabiketelwa baphrofethi lababili bakadzeni. Isaya waphrofetha watsi: “Bantfu labanyenti bayawufika batsi: ‘Wotani, senyukele entsabeni yaSimakadze, endlini yaNkulunkulu waJakobe. Utasifundzisa tindlela takhe, khona sitewuhamba emikhondvweni yakhe.’ Ngobe umtsetfo uyawuphuma eSiyoni, livi laSimakadze liphume eJerusalema.” (Isa. 2:2, 3) Ngendlela lefanako, umphrofethi Zakhariya wabiketela kutsi “tive letinyenti netive letinemandla tiyawuta eJerusalema titewufunisisa Simakadze longuSomandla, timncenge.” Watifanisa ‘nemadvodza lalishumi lasuka kuto tonkhe tilwimi netive,’ latawunkonkoshela umphetfo wesembatfo sa-Israyeli waNkulunkulu ngendlela lengumfanekiso, atsi: “Asihambisane nani, ngobe sivile kutsi Nkulunkulu unani.”—Zak. 8:20-23.

15. Ngumuphi umsebenti ‘letinye timvu’ ‘letihambisana’ kuwo na-Israyeli waNkulunkulu?

¹⁵ ‘Letinye timvu’ ‘tihambisana’ na-Israyeli waNkulunkulu emsebentini wekushumayela tindzaba letimnandzi teMbuso. (Mak. 13:10) Tiba yincenye yebantfu baNkulunkulu, ‘labangumhlambi munye’ nalabagcotjiwe, ngephansi ‘kwemelusi lomuhle,’ longuKhristu Jesu.—Fundza Johane 10:14-16.

16. Jehova utawubangela njani kutsi kucale incenye yekugcina ‘yekuhlupheka lokukhulu’?

¹⁶ Nasekubhujiswe iBhabhulona Lenkhulu, bantfu baJehova batawuhlaselwa kakhulu futsi ngaleso sikhatsi kutawudzingeka kutsi sibe sendzaweni lesivikelo Jehova latayentela tinceku takhe. Njengobe lokuhlaselwa kutawubangela kutsi kucale incenye yekugcina ‘yekuhlupheka lokukhulu,’ nguJehova lotawucondzisa tintfo futsi akhetse sikhatsi lesifanele sekucala kwemphi yakhe. (Mat. 24:21; Hez. 38:2-4) Ngaleso sikhatsi, Gogi utawuhlasela ‘bantfu lababutfwe etiveni ngetive,’ lokubantfu baJehova. (Hez. 38:10-12) Loko kuhlasela kutawenta kutsi Jehova angenele, akhiphe sehlulelo sakhe kuGogi nasebutfweni lakhe. Jehova utawukhombisa kutsi bukhosi bakhe bukhulu futsi angcwelise libito lakhe, njengobe atsi: “Ngiyawutenta kutsi ngatiwe emehlweni etive letinyenti. Ngulapho-ke bayawungati khona kutsi mine nginguSimakadze.”—Hez. 38:18-23.

17, 18. (a) Ngesikhatsi Gogi ahlasela bantfu baJehova, ngutiphi ticondziso labatatitfola? (b) Nasifuna kuvikelwa nguJehova, yini lokufanele siyente?

¹⁷ Ngesikhatsi Gogi acala kuhlasela, Jehova utawutjela tinceku takhe atsi: “Balekani, sive sami, ngenani etindlini tenu, nitivalele ngekhatsi. Tifihleni ngekhatsi kwesikhashana, kuze kwendlule lulaka lwakhe.” (Isa. 26:20) Ngaleso sikhatsi lesimatima, Jehova utasiniketa ticondziso letitawusindzisa kuphila kwetfu futsi ‘letindlu’ kungenteka kutsi kube ngemabandla lesikuwo.

¹⁸ Ngako-ke, nangabe sifisa kuvikelwa nguJehova ngesikhatsi sekuhlupheka lokukhulu, kufanele sati kutsi Jehova unebantfu bakhe emhlabeni lababutselwe emabandleni. Kufanele sichubeke sibe munye nabo futsi sihlale sitihlanganisa nelibandla lesikulo. Ngetinhlitiyo tetfu tonkhe, shengatsi singasho emavi lashiwo ngumhlabeli latsi: “Insindziso ivela kuwe, Simakadze; sibusiso sakho asibesesiveni sakho!”—Hla. 3:8.