1, 2. Iluphi ushintsho olwenzeka ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., futhi obani ababa amalungu esizwe esisha sikaJehova? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

IPHENTEKOSTE lika-33 C.E. laba ingqopha-mlando kubantu bakaJehova emhlabeni. Kwenzeka ushintsho olukhulu ngalolo suku. Esebenzisa umoya wakhe, uJehova waveza isizwe esisha—u-Israyeli ongokomoya, “u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.” (Gal. 6:16) Ngokokuqala ngqa kusukela ezinsukwini zika-Abrahama, abantu bakaNkulunkulu babengeke besabonakala ngokusoka kwabesilisa babo. Kunalokho, uPawulu wabhala lokhu ngelungu ngalinye laleso sizwe esisha: “[Ukusoka] kwakhe yilokho kwenhliziyo ngomoya.”—Rom. 2:29.

² Amalungu okuqala alesi sizwe esisha sikaNkulunkulu kwaba abaphostoli nabanye abafundi bakaKristu abangaphezu kwekhulu ababehlangene ndawonye ekamelweni eliphezulu eJerusalema. (IzE. 1:12-15) Kwathululelwa kubo umoya ongcwele owabenza baba amadodana kaNkulunkulu azelwe ngomoya. (Roma 8:15, 16; 2 Kor. 1:21) Lokhu kwaba ubufakazi bokuthi isivumelwano esisha sase siqalile ukusebenza, umlamuleli waso kunguKristu futhi siqiniswe ngegazi lakhe. (Luka 22:20; funda eyamaHebheru 9:15.) Laba bafundi babe sebeba amalungu esizwe esisha sikaJehova, abantu bakhe abasha. Umoya ongcwele wabenza bakwazi ukushumayela ngezilimi  ezihlukahlukene ezazikhulunywa amaJuda namaproselithe ayeze eJerusalema evela kuwo wonke uMbuso WamaRoma ezogubha uMkhosi WamaJuda Wamasonto, noma iPhentekoste. Laba bantu bezwa futhi baqonda ‘izinto ezinhle kakhulu zikaNkulunkulu’ amaKristu azelwe ngomoya ayezishumayela ngezilimi zabo.—IzE. 2:1-11.

3-5. (a) Yini uPetru ayitshela amaJuda ngosuku lwePhentekoste? (b) Iziphi izinyathelo ezilandelanayo ezaba nomthelela ekukhuleni kwesizwe esisha sikaJehova phakathi neminyaka yaso yokuqala?

³ UJehova wasebenzisa umphostoli uPetru ukuba ahole ekuvuleleni amaJuda namaproselithe ithuba lokuba amalungu alesi sizwe esisha, ibandla lobuKristu. Ngosuku lwePhentekoste, uPetru watshela amaJuda ngesibindi ukuthi kumelwe amukele uJesu, umuntu ‘ayembophele esigxotsheni,’ ngoba “uNkulunkulu wayemenze iNkosi noKristu.” Lapho isixuku sibuza ukuthi kwakufanele senzeni, uPetru waphendula: “Phendukani, yilowo nalowo kini abhapathizwe egameni likaJesu Kristu ngenjongo yokuthethelelwa kwezono zenu, khona-ke nizokwamukela isipho sesihle somoya ongcwele.” (IzE. 2:22, 23, 36-38) Ngalolo suku kwanezelwa abantu abangaba ngu-3 000 kuleso sizwe esisha sika-Israyeli ongokomoya. (IzE. 2:41) Ngemva kwalokho, ukushumayela kwabaphostoli ngentshiseko kwaqhubeka kuthela ngokwengeziwe. (IzE. 6:7) Lesi sizwe esisha sasikhula.

⁴ Kamuva, umsebenzi wokushumayela wafinyelela nakumaSamariya futhi waba nemiphumela emihle. Umvangeli uFiliphu wabhapathiza amaningi kuwo, kodwa awazange awuthole ngaso leso sikhathi umoya ongcwele. Indikimba ebusayo eJerusalema yathumela abaphostoli, uPetru noJohane, kula maSamariya ayephendukile, futhi ‘bawabeka izandla, amukela umoya ongcwele.’ (IzE. 8:5, 6, 14-17) Ngakho, la maSamariya nawo aba amalungu ka-Israyeli ongokomoya agcotshwe ngomoya.

⁵ Ngo-36 C.E., uPetru waphinde wasetshenziswa ekuvuleleni abanye ithuba lokuba amalungu esizwe esisha sika-Israyeli ongokomoya. Lokhu kwenzeka ngesikhathi eshumayeza induna yekhulu engumRoma uKorneliyu nezihlobo nabangane bayo. (IzE. 10:22, 24, 34, 35) Umlando weBhayibheli uthi: “Lapho uPetru esakhuluma . . . , umoya ongcwele wehlela kubo bonke [ababengewona amaJuda] ababezwa izwi. Futhi abathembekileyo ababeze noPetru ababengabalabo abasokile, bamangala, ngoba isipho samahhala somoya ongcwele sasithululelwe naphezu kwabantu bezizwe.” (IzE. 10:44, 45) Ngakho amakholwa ayengabeZizwe abangasokile ayesevunyelwe ukuba abe amalungu esizwe esisha sika-Israyeli ongokomoya.

6, 7. Amalungu esizwe esisha ayezoba ‘isizwe segama likaJehova’ ngaziphi izindlela, futhi akwenza ngezinga elingakanani lokhu?

⁶ Emhlanganweni wendikimba ebusayo yamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala owaba  ngo-49 C.E., umfundi uJakobe wathi: “USimeyoni [uPetru] useyilandise ngokuphelele indlela uNkulunkulu anaka ngayo izizwe ngokokuqala ukuze athathe kuzo isizwe segama lakhe.” (IzE. 15:14) Lesi sizwe esisha esibizwa ngegama likaJehova sasiyohlanganisa amakholwa angamaJuda nangewona amaJuda. (Roma 11:25, 26a) Kamuva, uPetru wabhala: “Kade ningesona isizwe, kodwa manje seniyisizwe sikaNkulunkulu.” UPetru wachaza umsebenzi wawo ngokuthi: “‘Niluhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubupristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, isizwe esiyimpahla ekhethekile, ukuze nimemezele kabanzi ubuhle’ balowo owanibiza ukuba niphume ebumnyameni ningene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo.” (1 Pet. 2:9, 10) Kwakumelwe amemezele udumo lwaLowo ayemmelela futhi akhazimulise igama lakhe obala. Kwakumelwe abe ofakazi abanesibindi bakaJehova, uMbusi Wendawo Yonke.

⁷ Njengoba kwakunjalo ngo-Israyeli ongokwenyama, uJehova wabiza amalungu ka-Israyeli ongokomoya ngokuthi “isizwe engizibumbele sona, ukuba silandise ngodumo lwami.” (Isaya 43:21) Lawo maKristu okuqala adalula bonke onkulunkulu bamanga ababekhulekelwa ngaleso sikhathi ngokumemezela ngesibindi ukuthi uJehova uwukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso. (1 Thes. 1:9) Afakaza ngoJehova nangoJesu “eJerusalema nakulo lonke elaseJudiya neSamariya nasezingxenyeni ezikude kakhulu zomhlaba.”—IzE. 1:8; Kol. 1:23.

8. Umphostoli uPawulu wabaxwayisa ngani abantu bakaNkulunkulu ekhulwini lokuqala?

⁸ Umphostoli uPawulu ungomunye wamalungu ayenesibindi ‘esizwe segama likaJehova’ sekhulu lokuqala. Emi phambi kwezazi zefilosofi ezingamaqaba, wabuvikela ngesibindi ubukhosi bukaJehova, “uNkulunkulu owenza umhlaba nakho konke okukuwo, iNkosi yezulu nomhlaba.” (IzE. 17:18, 23-25) Ngasekupheleni kohambo lwakhe lwesithathu njengesithunywa sevangeli, uPawulu waxwayisa amalungu esizwe segama likaNkulunkulu: “Ngiyazi ukuthi ngemva kokuhamba kwami kuzongena izimpisi ezicindezelayo phakathi kwenu futhi ngeke ziwuphathe ngozwela umhlambi, naphakathi kwenu ngokwenu kuzovela amadoda, akhulume izinto ezisontekile ukuze amonyule abafundi ukuba bawalandele.” (IzE. 20:29, 30) Lokhu kuhlubuka okwabikezelwa kwase kubonakala ngokucacile ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala.—1 Joh. 2:18, 19.

9. Kwenzekani ‘ngesizwe segama likaJehova’ ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli?

⁹ Ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli, ukuhlubuka kwachuma futhi kwaveza amasonto eLobukholwa. Kunokuba azibonakalise ‘eyisizwe segama likaJehova,’ amaKristu ayizihlubuki aye alisusa ngisho nokulisusa igama likaNkulunkulu ezinguqulweni zawo zeBhayibheli eziningi. Aye amukela imikhuba yobuqaba futhi ahlambalaza uNkulunkulu ngezimfundiso zawo ezingasekelwe emiBhalweni, ‘ngezimpi zawo ezingcwele’ nangokuziphatha kwawo okubi. Ngenxa yalokho, kwaphela amakhulu amaningi eminyaka uJehova enedlanzana nje labakhulekeli abathembekile emhlabeni, engenaso ‘isizwe esihlelekile segama lakhe.’

10, 11. (a) Yini uJesu ayibikezela emfanekisweni wakhe kakolweni nokhula? (b) Umfanekiso kaJesu wagcwaliseka kanjani ngemva kuka-1914, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?

¹⁰ Emfanekisweni wakhe kakolweni nokhula, uJesu wabikezela isikhathi sobusuku obungokomoya esasiyoba umphumela walokho kuhlubuka. Wathi “ngesikhathi abantu besalele,” uDeveli wayeyohlwanyela ukhula ensimini iNdodana yomuntu eyayihlwanyele kuyo imbewu kakolweni.  Kwakuyokhula ndawonye kuze kube “isiphelo sesimiso sezinto.” UJesu wachaza ukuthi “imbewu enhle,” imelela “abantwana bombuso” futhi “ukhula” lumelela “abantwana bomubi.” Phakathi nesikhathi sokuphela iNdodana yomuntu yayiyothumela “abavuni,” izingelosi, ukuba zihlukanise ukolweni ongokomfanekiso okhuleni. Abantwana boMbuso babeyobuthwa. (Math. 13:24-30, 36-43) Kwenzeka kanjani lokhu, futhi kuhlobene kanjani nokuba kukaJehova nesizwe emhlabeni?

¹¹ “Isiphelo sesimiso sezinto” saqala ngo-1914. Phakathi nempi eyagqashuka ngalowo nyaka, amaKristu agcotshiwe ayizinkulungwane ezimbalwa, “abantwana bombuso,” ayethunjwe ngokomoya yiBhabhiloni Elikhulu. Ngo-1919, uJehova wawakhulula, wenza kwaba nomahluko ocacile phakathi kwawo ‘nokhula,’ noma amaKristu mbumbulu. Wabuthela “abantwana bombuso” esizweni esihlelekile, egcwalisa isiprofetho sika-Isaya: “Ingabe izwe lingazalwa ngemihelo ngosuku olulodwa? Noma ingabe isizwe singazalwa ngasikhathi sinye? Ngoba iZiyoni lifikelwe ukusikwa futhi lazala amadodana alo.” (Isaya 66:8) IZiyoni, inhlangano kaJehova yezidalwa zomoya, lazala amadodana alo agcotshwe ngomoya futhi lawahlela aba isizwe.

12. Abagcotshiweyo bazibonakalise kanjani ukuthi ‘bayisizwe segama likaJehova’ namuhla?

¹² NjengamaKristu okuqala, “abantwana bombuso” abagcotshiwe babezoba ofakazi bakaJehova. (Funda u-Isaya 43:1, 10, 11.) Ngakho, babezohluka ngokuziphatha kwabo kobuKristu nangokushumayela “lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso . . . ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke.” (Math. 24:14; Fil. 2:15) Ngale ndlela, baye basiza abaningi, eqinisweni izigidi, ukuba babe nokuma okuhle phambi kukaJehova.—Funda uDaniyeli 12:3.

13, 14. Yini okumelwe labo abangewona ama-Israyeli angokomoya bayenze ukuze bakhulekele futhi bakhonze uJehova ngokwamukelekayo, futhi lokhu kwabikezelwa kanjani eziprofethweni zeBhayibheli?

¹³ Sibonile esihlokweni esidlule ukuthi  kwa-Israyeli wasendulo abezinye izizwe babengamkhulekela uJehova ngokwamukelekayo, kodwa labo bantu kwakufanele bazihlanganise nabantu bakaJehova besivumelwano. (1 AmaKh. 8:41-43) Nanamuhla, labo abangewona ama-Israyeli angokomoya kumelwe bazihlanganise nabantu bakaJehova, “abantwana bombuso”—oFakazi BakaJehova abagcotshiwe.

¹⁴ Ukuthutheleka kwabantu abaningi ukuze bakhulekele uJehova nabantu bakhe kulesi sikhathi sokuphela kwabikezelwa abaprofethi ababili basendulo. U-Isaya waprofetha: “Izizwe eziningi ziyohamba zithi: ‘Wozani sikhuphukele entabeni kaJehova, endlini kaNkulunkulu kaJakobe; uzosifundisa izindlela zakhe, sihambe emikhondweni yakhe.’ Ngoba umthetho uyophuma eZiyoni, nezwi likaJehova eJerusalema.” (Isaya 2:2, 3) Ngokufanayo, umprofethi uZakariya wabikezela ukuthi “amaqembu abantu amaningi nezizwe ezinamandla ziyofika impela zizomfuna uJehova wamabutho eJerusalema nokumnxusa uJehova.” Wawachaza ngokuthi “amadoda ayishumi avela kuzo zonke izilimi zezizwe,” lawo ngokomfanekiso ayeyobamba ingubo ka-Israyeli ongokomoya, athi: “Sizohamba nani, ngoba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.”—Zak. 8:20-23.

15. “Ezinye izimvu” ‘zihamba’ nama-Israyeli angokomoya kumuphi umsebenzi?

¹⁵ “Ezinye izimvu” ‘zihamba’ nama-Israyeli angokomoya emsebenzini wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. (Marku 13:10) Ziba yingxenye yabantu bakaNkulunkulu, zibe “mhlambi munye” nabagcotshiweyo, ngaphansi ‘kukamalusi munye,’ uKristu Jesu.—Funda uJohane 10:14-16.

16. UJehova uyoyiletha kanjani ingxenye yokugcina ‘yosizi olukhulu’?

¹⁶ Ngemva kokubhujiswa kweBhabhiloni Elikhulu, abantu bakaJehova bayohlaselwa nxazonke, futhi ngaleso sikhathi kuyodingeka sibe sesivikelweni uJehova ayosinikeza izinceku zakhe. Njengoba lokhu kuhlasela kuyosho ukuqala kwengxenye yokugcina ‘yosizi olukhulu,’ nguJehova ngokwakhe oyoqondisa izinto futhi akhethe isikhathi esifanele salolu suku lwamanqamu. (Math. 24:21; Hez. 38:2-4) Ngaleso sikhathi, uGogi uyohlasela ‘isizwe esibuthwe ezizweni,’ abantu bakaJehova. (Hez. 38:10-12) Lokho kuhlasela kuyobangela uJehova ukuba akhiphe izahlulelo zakhe kuGogi nasemabuthweni akhe. UJehova uyokhulisa ubukhosi bakhe, angcwelise negama lakhe ngoba uthi: “Ngokuqinisekile . . . [ngiyozenza] ngaziwe phambi kwamehlo ezizwe eziningi; ziyokwazi ukuthi nginguJehova.”—Hez. 38:18-23.

17, 18. (a) Lapho uGogi ehlasela abantu bakaJehova, iziphi iziqondiso abayozithola? (b) Yini okumelwe siyenze uma sifuna isivikelo sikaJehova?

¹⁷ Lapho uGogi eqala ukuhlasela, uJehova uyotshela izinceku zakhe: “Hambani bantu bami, ngenani emakamelweni enu angaphakathi, nivale iminyango yenu ngemva kwenu. Zifihleni umzuzwana nje kuze kudlule isijeziso.” (Isaya 26:20) Ngaleso sikhathi esibucayi, uJehova uyosinikeza iziqondiso ezisindisa ukuphila, futhi kungenzeka ukuthi la ‘makamelo angaphakathi’ ahlobene namabandla esikuwo.

¹⁸ Ngakho-ke, uma sifisa ukuzuza esivikelweni sikaJehova phakathi nosizi olukhulu, kumelwe siqaphele ukuthi uJehova unabantu emhlabeni, abahlelwe baba amabandla. Kumelwe siqhubeke sisohlangothini lwabo futhi sizigcine siseduze nebandla esikulo. Kwangathi singahlanganyela nomhubi ngezinhliziyo zethu zonke ekumemezeleni ukuthi: “Insindiso ingekaJehova. Isibusiso sakho siphezu kwabantu bakho.”—IHu. 3:8.