1, 2. Luluphi utshintsho olwenzeka ngePentekoste ka-33 C.E., yaye ngoobani ababa sisizwana sikaYehova? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

IPENTEKOSTE ka-33 C.E. yayibalulekile kwimbali yabantu bakaYehova emhlabeni. Kwenzeka utshintsho olukhulu. Ngolo suku, uYehova wasebenzisa umoya wakhe ukuze asungule uSirayeli wokomoya—“uSirayeli kaThixo.” (Gal. 6:16) Okwesihlandlo sokuqala ukususela kwimihla ka-Abraham, abantu bakaThixo babengayi kwahlulwa ngolwaluko lokoqobo. Kunoko, uPawulos wathi ulwaluko lwelungu ngalinye lolo hlanga lutsha lwaluya kuba ‘lolwentliziyo ngawo umoya.’—Roma 2:29.

² Amalungu okuqala ohlanga olutsha lukaThixo yayingabapostile nabanye abafundi bakaKristu ababengaphezu kwekhulu, ababehlanganisene kwigumbi eliphezulu eYerusalem. (IZe. 1:12-15) UThixo wathulula umoya wakhe kubo, baza baba ngoonyana bakhe. (Roma 8:15, 16; 2 Kor. 1:21) Kwatsho kwabonakala ukuba uYehova wayewamkele umbingelelo kaKristu waza wafaka umnqophiso omtsha endaweni yomnqophiso woMthetho. (Luka 22:20; funda amaHebhere 9:15.) Ngenxa yoko aba bafundi baba ngamalungu ohlanga lukaYehova olutsha. Umoya oyingcwele wabenza bakwazi ukushumayela ngeelwimi ezahlukeneyo ezazithethwa ngamaYuda  nabantu ababeguqukele ebuYudeni, ababeze kubhiyozela uMthendeleko Weeveki wamaYuda, okanye iPentekoste eYerusalem, besuka kubo bonke uBukhosi baseRoma. Aba bantu baziva baza baziqonda ngeelwimi zabo “izinto zobungangamela zikaThixo” ezazishunyayelwa ngala maKristu athanjiswe ngomoya.—IZe. 2:1-11.

3-5. (a) Wathini uPetros kumaYuda ngePentekoste? (b) Lwakhula njani olu hlanga lutsha kwiminyaka yalo yokuqala?

³ UYehova wasebenzisa umpostile uPetros ukuba akhokele ekuvuleni indlela yokuba amaYuda nabantu ababeguqukele ebuYudeni babe ngamalungu olu hlanga lutsha, ibandla lamaKristu. Ngomhla wePentekoste, uPetros waxelela amaYuda ukuba ayemele amamkele uYesu, kanye lowo ‘ayembethelele esibondeni,’ kuba ‘uThixo wayemenze iNkosi wamenza noKristu.’ Xa eso sihlwele sabuza ukuba senze ntoni ngaloo nto, uPetros wathi: “Guqukani, yaye ngamnye wenu makabhaptizwe egameni likaYesu Kristu ukuze kuxolelwe izono zenu, kwaye niya kwamkela isipho sesisa somoya oyingcwele.” (IZe. 2:22, 23, 36-38) Ngaloo mini, kongezwa abantu abamalunga ne-3 000 kuhlanga olutsha olunguSirayeli wokomoya. (IZe. 2:41) Emva koko, ukushumayela kwabapostile ngenkuthalo kwaqhubeka kuvelisa iziqhamo ezingakumbi. (IZe. 6:7) Olu hlanga lutsha lwalukhula.

⁴ Kamva, umsebenzi wokushumayela wenziwa nakumaSamariya, ibe waphumelela. Amaninzi abhaptizwa ngumshumayeli wevangeli uFilipu, kodwa awazange awufumane kwangoko umoya oyingcwele. Iqumrhu elilawulayo elaliseYerusalem lathumela umpostile uPetros noYohane kumaSamariya awayesandul’ ukuguquka, ibe ‘bawabeka izandla, aza amkela umoya oyingcwele.’ (IZe. 8:5, 6, 14-17) Ngenxa yoko, nala maSamariya aba ngamalungu oSirayeli wokomoya.

⁵ Ngo-36 C.E., uPetros waphinda wanikwa inyhweba yokuvulela abanye abantu ithuba lokungena kuSirayeli wokomoya omtsha. Loo nto yenzeka xa wayeshumayela kwigosa lomkhosi waseRoma, uKorneli, nakwintsapho nabahlobo bakhe. (IZe. 10:22, 24, 34, 35) IBhayibhile ithi: “Ngoxa uPetros wayesathetha . . . , umoya oyingcwele wawela phezu kwabo bonke abo [babengengawo amaYuda ababeliva] ilizwi. Yaye abo bathembekileyo ababeze noPetros ababengabalukileyo bathi manga, ngenxa yokuba isipho sesisa somoya oyingcwele sasithululwa kwanaphezu kwabantu beentlanga.” (IZe. 10:44, 45) Ngenxa yoko, neeNtlanga ezingolungakanga zazinokuba ngawo amalungu oSirayeli wokomoya.

6, 7. Amalungu olu hlanga lutsha ayeza kwenza ntoni ukubonisa ukuba ‘asisizwana segama likaYehova,’ kwaye ayenza ukusa kuwuphi umkhamo loo nto?

⁶ Kwintlanganiso yequmrhu elilawulayo lamaKristu okuqala eyayiqhutywa ngo-49 C.E., umfundi uYakobi wathi:  “USimiyon [Petros] ubalise ngokucokisekileyo indlela uThixo okwesihlandlo sokuqala awayiphethulela ngayo ingqalelo yakhe ezintlangeni ukuba kuzo athabathe isizwana segama lakhe.” (IZe. 15:14) Esi sizwana sitsha esasithwele igama likaYehova sasiza kuquka amakholwa angamaYuda kunye naweentlanga. (Roma 11:25, 26a) Kamva uPetros wasibhalela esithi: “Nanikhe anabi sisizwana, kodwa ngoku nisisizwana sikaThixo.” UPetros walucacisa uthumo lwaso esithi: “Nisisizwe esinyuliweyo, ububingeleli basebukhosini, uhlanga olungcwele, isizwana esisesakhe ngokukhethekileyo, ukuze nivakalise ngokubanzi iimbalasane zalowo wanibizayo ukuba niphume ebumnyameni ningene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okungummangaliso.” (1 Pet. 2:9, 10) Sasimele sidumise lowo wayesithumile size sizukise igama lakhe ekuhleni. Sasimele sibe ngamangqina akhaliphileyo kaYehova, uMongami Wendalo Iphela.

⁷ NjengoSirayeli wokoqobo, uSirayeli wokomoya wabizwa nguYehova ngokuthi ‘ngabantu aziyilele bona, ukuze babalise indumiso yakhe.’ (Isa. 43:21) Loo maKristu okuqala avakalisa ngesibindi ukuba nguYehova kuphela uThixo wokwenene, ebhenca zonke izithixo ezazinqulwa ngelo xesha. (1 Tes. 1:9) Angqina ngoYehova nangoYesu “eYerusalem nakulo lonke elakwaYuda naseSamariya kude kuse nakwezona nxalenye zikude zomhlaba.”—IZe. 1:8; Kol. 1:23.

8. Umpostile uPawulos wabalumkisa ngantoni abantu bakaThixo benkulungwane yokuqala?

⁸ Omnye umKristu wenkulungwane yokuqala owayenesibindi yayingumpostile uPawulos. Emi phambi kwezilumko zabahedeni, waluthethelela ngesibindi ulongamo lukaYehova, “uThixo owenza ihlabathi nazo zonke izinto ezikulo, ekubeni Yena, eyiNkosi yezulu nomhlaba.” (IZe. 17:18, 23-25) Ngasekupheleni kohambo lwakhe lwesithathu lokushumayela ivangeli, uPawulos walumkisa amaKristu esithi: “Ndiyazi ukuba emva kokumka kwam kuya kungena iingcuka ezicinezelayo phakathi kwenu yaye aziyi kuwuphatha ngemfesane umhlambi, kwaye phakathi kwenu kuya kusuka amadoda aze athethe izinto ezijijekileyo ukuze abatsale abafundi emva kwawo.” (IZe. 20:29, 30) Olu wexuko wayesithi luyeza lwalusele lubonakala ekupheleni kwenkulungwane yokuqala.—1 Yoh. 2:18, 19.

9. Kwenzeka ntoni ‘kwisizwana segama likaYehova’ emva kokufa kwabapostile?

⁹ Emva kokufa kwabapostile, olo wexuko lwanwenwa okomlilo wedobo lwaza lwavelisa iicawa zeNgqobhoko. Endaweni yokuba abe ‘sisizwana segama likaYehova,’ amaKristu awexukileyo ade alisusa igama likaThixo kwiinguqulelo zawo zeBhayibhile ezininzi. Aye amkela amasiko obuhedeni aza amhlazisa uThixo ngeemfundiso zawo ezingasekelwanga kwizibhalo, “ngeemfazwe ezingcwele,” nangokuziphatha kakubi kwawo. Ngenxa yoko, kangangeminyaka engamakhulu uYehova wayenembinana yabantu abamnqulayo, kodwa engenaso “isizwana segama lakhe.”

10, 11. (a) Waprofeta ngantoni uYesu kumzekeliso wakhe wengqolowa nokhula? (b) Wazaliseka njani umzekeliso kaYesu ngo-1914, ibe waba yintoni umphumo?

¹⁰ Kumzekeliso wakhe wengqolowa nokhula, uYesu waprofeta esithi kuza ixesha lobumnyama bokomoya elaliya kubangela ukuba kubekho uwexuko. Wathi, “xa baleleyo abantu” uMtyholi wayeya kuhlwayela ukhula kwintsimi eyayisele ihlwayelwe ingqolowa nguNyana womntu. Loo ngqolowa kunye nokhula zaziya kukhula kunye de ‘kupheliswe inkqubo yezinto.’ UYesu wacacisa wathi “imbewu  entle” yayimela “oonyana bobukumkani” ngoxa “ukhula” lumela “oonyana bongendawo.” Ngexesha lesiphelo, uNyana womntu wayeza kuthumela “abavuni” bakhe, iingelosi, ukuze bahlule ingqolowa kukhula lokomfuziselo. Kwakuya kuqokelelwa oonyana boBukumkani. (Mat. 13:24-30, 36-43) Yenzeka njani loo nto, ibe yabangela njani ukuba uYehova aphinde abe nesizwana emhlabeni?

¹¹ ‘Ukupheliswa kwenkqubo yezinto’ kwaqala ngo-1914. Ebudeni bemfazwe eyaqalisa ngaloo nyaka, loo mawaka ambalwa amaKristu athanjisiweyo, “oonyana bobukumkani,” ayethinjwe yiBhabhiloni Enkulu. Ngo-1919, uYehova wawahlangula, esenza kucace ukuba ahlukile ‘kukhula,’ okanye kumaKristu obuxoki. Waqokelela “oonyana bobukumkani” wabenza isizwana, ezalisekisa isiprofeto sikaIsaya esithi: “Kuya kuveliswa ilizwe ngeentlungu zokubeleka ngamini-nye na? Okanye kuya kuzalwa uhlanga ngesihlandlo esinye na? Kuba iZiyon ifikelwe yinimba yaza yazala oonyana bayo.” (Isa. 66:8) IZiyon, eyintsapho kaYehova yeengelosi, yavelisa oonyana bomoya bakaThixo baza baba luhlanga.

12. Abathanjiswa baye babonisa njani kule mihla ukuba ‘basisizwana sikaYehova’?

¹² NjengamaKristu okuqala, “oonyana bobukumkani” abathanjisiweyo babemele babe ngamangqina kaYehova. (Funda uIsaya 43:1, 10, 11.) Ngenxa yoko, babeya kwahluka ngehambo yabo yobuKristu nangokushumayela ‘iindaba ezilungileyo zobukumkani kuze kube bubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga.’ (Mat. 24:14; Fil. 2:15) Ngokwenjenjalo, baye banceda izigidi zabantu zaba ngamalungisa emehlweni kaYehova.—Funda uDaniyeli 12:3.

13, 14. Yintoni emele yenziwe ngabo bangengawo amaSirayeli okomoya ukuze banqule uYehova ngendlela eyamkelekileyo, ibe loo nto yaprofetwa njani eBhayibhileni?

¹³ Siye sabona kwinqaku elandulela eli ukuba kuSirayeli wamandulo, abaphambukeli babenako ukumnqula ngendlela eyamkelekileyo uYehova, kodwa ke kwakufuneka banxulumane nabantu ababenze  umnqophiso noYehova. (1 Kum. 8:41-43) Nanamhlanje ke, abantu abangengawo amaSirayeli okomoya bamele banxulumane nesizwana sikaYehova, “oonyana bobukumkani”—amaNgqina kaYehova athanjisiweyo.

¹⁴ Abaprofeti ababini bamandulo bachaza ukuba abantu abaninzi babeza kuthontelana ukuya kunqula uYehova kunye nesizwana sakhe kule mihla yokugqibela. UIsaya waprofeta wathi: “Izizwana ezininzi ziya kuhamba zisithi: ‘Yizani, masinyuke siye entabeni kaYehova, endlwini kaThixo kaYakobi; asiyalele ngeendlela zakhe, ukuze sihambe emendweni wakhe.’ Kuba kuya kuphuma umthetho eZiyon, nelizwi likaYehova eYerusalem.” (Isa. 2:2, 3) Nomprofeti uZekariya waprofeta esithi “izizwana ezininzi neentlanga ezinamandla ziya kuza zifuna uYehova wemikhosi eYerusalem zize zibongoze uYehova.” Wazichaza ‘njengamadoda alishumi aphuma kuzo zonke iilwimi zeentlanga,’ awayeya kuthi ngelifuziselayo abambe isondo loSirayeli wokomoya, esithi: “Siza kuhamba nani, kuba sivile ukuba uThixo unani.”—Zek. 8:20-23.

15. “Ezinye izimvu” ‘zihamba’ noSirayeli wokomoya kuwuphi umsebenzi?

¹⁵ “Ezinye izimvu” ‘zihamba’ noSirayeli wokomoya kumsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. (Marko 13:10) Ziba yinxalenye yesizwana sikaThixo, kwaye ‘zimhlambi mnye’ nabathanjiswa, phantsi ‘komalusi omhle,’ uKristu uYesu.—Funda uYohane 10:14-16.

16. Yintoni eza kwenziwa nguYehova ukuze kufike inxalenye yokugqibela ‘yembandezelo enkulu’?

¹⁶ Emva kokutshatyalaliswa kweBhabhiloni Enkulu, isizwana sikaYehova siza kuhlaselwa kanobom, ibe ngelo xesha kuza kufuneka sikhuselwe nguYehova njengabakhonzi bakhe. Ekubeni olo hlaselo luya kuba sisiqalo senxalenye yokugqibela ‘yembandezelo enkulu,’ nguYehova ngokwakhe oza kube ebambe iintambo kwaye yonke loo nto iya kwenzeka ngexesha afuna ngalo. (Mat. 24:21; Hez. 38:2-4) Ngelo xesha, uGogi uya kuhlasela “isizwana esihlanganiselwe ndawonye siphuma ezintlangeni,” isizwana sikaYehova. (Hez. 38:10-12) Xa kusenzeka loo nto, uYehova uya kuphumeza imigwebo yakhe kuGogi nakubalandeli bakhe. UYehova uya kuluphakamisa ulongamo lwakhe aze angcwalise igama lakhe, kuba uthi: ‘Ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kuzazisa phambi kwamehlo eentlanga ezininzi; zazi ukuba ndinguYehova.’—Hez. 38:18-23.

17, 18. (a) Xa uGogi ehlasela isizwana sikaYehova, yiyiphi imiyalelo esiza kuyifumana? (b) Yintoni esimele siyenze ukuba sifuna uYehova asikhusele?

¹⁷ Xa uGogi eqalisa ukuhlasela, uYehova uya kuthi kubakhonzi bakhe: “Hambani, bantu bam, ningene emagumbini enu angaphakathi, nize nivale iingcango zenu emva kwenu. Zifihleni umzuzwana kude kudlule isiqalekiso.” (Isa. 26:20) Ngelo xesha, uYehova uya kusinika imiyalelo eza kusindisa ubomi bethu, kwaye kusenokwenzeka ukuba ‘amagumbi angaphakathi’ aya kuba ngamabandla esikuwo.

¹⁸ Ngoko, ukuba sifuna ukukhuselwa nguYehova ngembandezelo enkulu, simele siyamkele into yokuba uYehova unesizwana sakhe apha emhlabeni, kwaye usilungelelanise saba ngamabandla. Simele siqhubeke simi ngakwicala laso kwaye sinxulumane nebandla lasekuhlaleni. Ngamana singawaphinda ngeentliziyo ezipheleleyo amazwi omdumisi athi: “Usindiso lolukaYehova. Intsikelelo yakho ikubantu bakho.”—INdu. 3:8.