1-3. Ngiziphi izehlakalo ezenza umnyanya wePentekoste waba ngoqakathekileko, begodu izehlakalwezo zakuzalisa njani okwakhulunywa miTlolo? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

BEKUNGOSONDARHA ekuseni eJerusalema. Ilangeli bekungeliqakathekileko nelimnandi. Abantu bebagidinga umnyanya wePentekoste, umnyanya lo bewuqakatheke khulu, bewugidingwa qobe nakuthoma ukuvunwa kwekoroyi. Umpristi omkhulu mhlokho ekuseni ethempelini, wenza iminikelo njengemhleni. Kwathi nakubetha isimbi yethoba poro ehloko, wanikela kuJehova ngamalofu amabili wesikwa abhicwe ngeflowuru yesivuno sokuthoma. Umpristi bekazakuphakamisa ngezandla zombili izikwezo kuJehova. Lelo-ke bekuliPentekoste lomnyaka ka-33.​—Levitikusi 23:15-20.

² Kwaphela amakhulu weminyaka umpristi omkhulu asolo enza umnikelo wokuphakanyiswa qobe mnyaka. Umnikelo owenziwa ngomnyaka ka-33, bewunento eqakathekileko ebewuyitjho. Bekuhlangene abafundi bakaJesu abayi-120 elawini eliphezulu bathandaza, eJerusalema. (IzEnzo 1:13-15) Eminyakeni emakhulu abunane eyadlulako, umphorofidi  uJuweli watlola ngendaba le. (Juweli 2:28-32; IzEnzo 2:16-21) Phela into eyenzekako beyiqakatheke khulu.

³ Funda izEnzo 2:2-4. NgePentekoste lomnyaka ka-33 uZimu wapha amaKrestu lawo umoyakhe ocwengileko, abantwabo bakhethwa. (IzEnzo 1:8) Abantu bomphakathi bathoma ukubabungelela, nabafundi bathoma ukukhuluma ngezinto ezikarisako ebebazizwile nebazibonileko. Umpostoli uPitrosi wahlathulula ebekwenzekile, watjho nokuthi kuqakatheke kangangani lokho. Nakakhuluma newoma labantwelo wathi: ‘Tjhugulukani ezonweni zenu, omunye nomunye wenu abhabhadiswe ebizweni lakaJesu Krestu, khona izono zenu zizalitjalelwa; nimukele isipho esivela kuZimu, somoya ocwengileko.’ Mhlokho kwabhajadiswa abantu abayi-3 000, nabo bamukela umoya ocwengileko.​—IzEnzo 2:37, 38, 41.

4. (a) Kubayini kufuze sikuthathele phezulu okwenzeka ngomnyanya wePentekoste? (b) Ngiziphi ezinye izehlakalo eziqakathekileko ezenzeka ngelangelo eminyakeni eyadlulako? (Qala isiphetho.)

⁴ Iminikelo ebeyenziwa qobe ngePentekoste nompristi omkhulu bekujamele ini? Umpristi omkhulu bekajamele uJesu. Kuthi izikwa zijamele abafundi abakhethwa nguJesu. Abafundabo, bakhethwe hlangana nabantu abanesono, nje-ke sebabizwa ngokuthi “mazibulo.” (Jakopo 1:18) UZimu ubamukele njengamadodanakhe ababusi abazokuba makhosi noJesu ezulwini njengengcenye yomBuso kaZimu. (1 Pitrosi 2:9) UJehova uzokusebenzisa umBuswakhe abusise woke umuntu olalelako. Yeke, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ikhaya lethu lizokuba sezulwini noJesu namkha epharadesi elisephasini iPentekoste lango-33 liqakatheke khulu kithi. ^[1]​—Qala isiphetho.

5. Sazi njani ukuthi abantu abakhethwa mumoya, abakhethwa ngendlela efanako?

⁵ Abafundi ebebaselawini eliphezulwelo angeze balilibala ilangelo. Umuntu ngamunye bekanelangabi lomlilo phezu kwehlokwakhe. UJehova wabe wabapha nekghono lokukhuluma iinlimi zakosobantu. Abafundaba akhenge bebafikelwe kungabaza kokuthi bebakhethwe mumoya ocwengileko. (IzEnzo 2:6-12) Kodwana iinkarisomrarwezi azenzeki kiwo woke amaKrestu nawakhethwako. Ngokwesibonelo, iBhayibheli ayitjho ukuthi kwaba nelangabi lomlilo eenhlokweni zeenkulungwana zabantu abakhethwa mumoya ocwengileko eJerusalema esenzakwalweni esenzeka ngemva kwaleso. Babhajadiswa bebakhethwa khonokho. (IzEnzo 2:38) Kodwana, bekungasiwo woke amaKrestu akhethwa nawabhajadiswako. AmaSamariya wona bewakhethwa ngemva kokubhajadiswa. (IzEnzo 8:14-17) Kwabuye kwenzeka isenzakalo ebesihluke khulu, uKorneliyasi nomndenakhe bakhethwa ngaphambi kokuthi babhajadiswe.​—IzEnzo 10:44-48.

6. Khuyini emukelwa babantu boke abakhethwe nguZimu, begodu lokhu kuba namuphi umphumela kibo?

⁶ AmaKrestu nawakhethwako abona lokho ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneko. Abanye kungenzeka babona khonokho ukuthi uJehova sekabakhethile. Kuthi abanye babone isikhathi sesikhambakhambile. Kodwana uPowula uyahlathulula ukuthi kwenzekani emuntwini ngamunye, uthi: ‘Senikholiwe, nabekwa  kuye itshwayo ngesigibo ekungumoya ocwengileko owathenjiswako. Yena osibambiso esiqinisa ilifa lethu bekufike ukuhlengwa kwalabo abaselifeni.’ (Efesu 1:13, 14) Ngikho uJehova akubeke kwakhanya emaKrestwini la awakhethe ngomoyakhe ocwengileko, ukuthi ayokuphila ezulwini. Ngalendlela-ke, umoya ocwengileko ‘usibambiso esibaqinisako,’ nofana isiqinisekiso sokuthi bazokuhlala unomphela ezulwini, ingasi ephasini.​—Funda 2 Korinte 1:21, 22; 5:5.

7. Khuyini ekufuze yenziwe mKrestu okhethwe mumoya kaZimu ukwenzela bona afumane umtlomela wokuya ezulwini?

⁷ Kghani umKrestu nakakhethwe mumoya kaZimu, lokhu kutjho bona sebele amukele nomtlomelakhe? Akusinjalo. UmKrestu lo usuke azi ukuthi sekamenyiwe bona ayokuphila ezulwini. Kodwana uzokufumana umtlomelakhe kwaphela nange ahlala athembekile kuJehova. UPitrosi wayihlathulula bunje indaba le: “Ngalokho-ke bazalwana, khuthalani khulu nibonise ukubizwa nokukhethwa kwenu ngombana nanenza lokho angekhe nakhubeka. Ngendlela leyo nizakwamukeliswa ngokuphuphumako ukungena embusweni ongapheliko weKosethu noMsindisi, uJesu Krestu.” (2 Pitrosi 1:10, 11) Yeke, amaKrestu akhethwe nguZimu akukafaneli avumele nanyana yini ibavimbe ekulotjheni uJehova. Ngitjho nanyana besekamenyelwe ukuya ezulwini, nange angahlali athembekile, angeze awufumana umtlomela.​—Hebheru 3:1; IsAmbulo 2:10.

8, 9. (a) Yini eyenza kube budisi ebantwini abanengi ukuzwisisa okwenzeka ebantwini abakhethwe mumoya kaZimu? (b) Umuntu wazi njani ukuthi sekamenyelwe ezulwini?

⁸ Inengi labantu bakaZimu namhlanje lingakufumana kubudisi ukuzwisisa okwenzeka emuntwini okhethwe mumoya kaZimu. Kungokwemvelo ukuzizwa njalo, phela abantu abazibuzakwaba abakakhethwa. UZimu wadala abantu bona bahlale ephasini unomphela, ingasi ezulwini. (Genesisi 1:28; IRhubo 37:29) Kodwana wakhetha abanye ukuthi bayokuba makhosi nabapristi ezulwini. Yeke, nakabakhethako, ithemba labo nendlela abacabanga ngayo iyatjhentjha, sebakuqale ngabovu ukuyokuhlala ezulwini.​—Funda kwebe-Efesu 1:18.

⁹ Manje-ke umuntu wazi njani ukuthi sekamenyelwe ukuya ezulwini? Akhese uqalelele indlela uPowula akhuluma ngayo nabazalwana beRoma abakhethwa mumoya kaZimu ‘babizelwa ekubeni ngabacwengileko.’ Wathi: ‘Azange namukeliswe ummoya onenza bona nibe makhoboka godu benesabe, kodwana namukele umoya onenza nibe bantwana bakaZimu. Yeke ngaye siyabiza sithi: “Aba, Baba!”: Umoya ngokwawo ufakazela ummoya wethu bonyana sibantwana bakaZimu.’ (Roma 1:7; 8:15, 16) UZimu usebenzise umoyakhe ocwengileko ukuthi kube ngiwo owenza kube semtarini ebantwini  abamemele ukubusa noJesu ezulwini.​—1 Thesalonika 2:12.

10. Umtlolo weyo-1 Jwanisi 2:27 utjho ukuthini nawuthi amaKrestu akhethiweko akatlhogi ukutjelwa ngomunye umuntu ukuthi akhethiwe?

¹⁰ Abantu abamenywe nguZimaba abakutlhogi ukutjelwa mumuntu ukuthi vele sebakhethwe mumoyakhe. UJehova ubenza baqiniseke. Umpostoli uJwanisi nakakhuluma namaKrestu la uthi: ‘Kodwana nina nazeswa ngiloyo ocwengileko, yeke ninelwazi loke.’ Wabuye wathi: “Nakungini, izeso lenu enalamukela kuye lihlala kini, ngalokho anidingi kobana nanyana ngubani anifundise. Kodwana njengombana izeso lakhe linifundisa ngezinto zoke, kuliqiniso akusiwo amanga, yeke njengombana linifundisile, hlalani kuye.” (1 Jwanisi 2:20, 27) AmaKrestu akhethiweko nawo kusatlhogeka afundiswe nguJehova njengawo woke umuntu. Kodwana awatlhogi ukuqinisekiswa ngomunye umuntu bona akhethiwe. UJehova usebenzise umoyakhe onamandla, umoya ocwengileko, ukuthi kube ngiwo obaqinisekisako ukuthi bakhethiwe!

11, 12. Khuyini amaKrestu akhethiweko evane azibuze yona, kodwana khuyini ebenza bangangabazi?

¹¹ AmaKrestu akhethwe mumoya kaZimu la, atjhuguluka kangangobana uJesu wabe wathi ‘babelethwe kabutjha.’ (Jwanisi 3:3, 5) Wanaba ngokuthi: ‘Ungarareki ngombana ngithe kuwe kufanele ubelethwe butjha. Ummoya uvunguza ngapha ufuna ngakhona; uzwa ukuphephetha kwawo, kodwana awazi lapha uvela khona nalapha uya khona. Kunjalo kiloyo naloyo obelethwa mumoya.’ (Jwanisi 3:7, 8) Akusiyinto elula ukuhlathululela umuntu ongakakhethwa ukuthi kuhlekuhle kunjani ukuba mumuntu okhethwe mumoya kaZimu. ^[2]​—Qala isiphetho.

¹² Umuntu okhethiweko angakhe azibuze bona ‘Kubayini uJehova akhethe mina kunomunye umuntu?’ Angabuye azibuze nokuthi kazi ngiwulungele na umsebenzi lo. Kodwana lokhu akutjho ukuthi uyakungabaza ukukhethwa kwakhe nguJehova. Kunalokho uzizwa athabe khulu ngesipho esihle kangaka. Abantu abakhethiwekwaba bazizwa ngendlela uPitrosi azizwa ngayo nakathi: “Akadunyiswe uZimu uYise weKosethu uJesu Krestu, owathi ngomusa wakhe omkhulu wasipha ukubelethwa kabutjha ethembeni eliphilako ngokuvuswa kwakaJesu Krestu kabafileko, kobana sibe nelifa elingabhubhiko, elingasilaphazekiko nelingapheliko enibulungelwe lona ezulwini.” (1 Pitrosi 1:3, 4) AmaKrestu akhethiweko nakezwa amezwi la, abe awafikelwa kungabaza ngitjho nakancani, azi kuhle bona uBabawo ukhuluma nawo.

13. Umcabango womuntu okhethwe mumoya kaZimu utjhentjha njani, begodu yini ebangela itjhentjhwelo?

¹³ Ngaphambi kobana uJehova awamemele ezulwini amaKrestu la, kungenzeka nawo bekanethemba lokuphila unomphela ephasinapha. Bekakulindele ngabovu ukuthi uJehova uzokwenza iphasi libe yipharadeyisi asuse boke ubumbi. Mhlamunye  bekazibona ngamehlwengqondo ahlangabeza imindenawo nofana abangani bawo abafako. Athabele nokuthi azakhe akhe imizi ahlale kiyo namkha atjale imithi bewadle neenthelo zayo. (Isaya 65:21-23) Khuyini ebangele bona athome ukucabanga ngokuhlukileko? Kghani atjhentjhiswe kugandeleleka nofana kusuhleka khulu? Nofana amane aphetha ngokuthi kuzokudondisa ukuphila ephasini umlibe, lokho bekuwenze angasathabela ipilo? Kghani mhlamunye bewafuna ukubona ukuthi kuzokuba njani ukuyokuphila ezulwini? Akusinjalo. UZimu nguye owakhethileko. Nakawamemako, usebenzisa umoyakhe ocwengileko kube ngiwo owatjhentjha indlela acabanga ngayo, unande uwakhumbuze nomtlomela awulindele ngabomvu.

14. Abantu abakhethiweko bazizwa njani nabasaphila ephasina?

¹⁴ Yeke siphetha ngokuthi abakhethiwekwaba bafuna ukuzibona bafile na? UPowula wakuhlathulula ukuthi abakhethiweko bazizwa njani. Wahlobanisa iimzimbabo ‘nedladla’ wabuye wathi: “Nasisahlezi ngedladlenapha, siyabubula begodu siyadisibezeka ngombana asifisi ukwambulwa kodwana sifuna ukumbathiswa ngobuhlalo bethu bezulwini ukuze kuthi okubhubhako kuginywe kuphila.” (2 Korinte 5:4) Ngalokho-ke angeze kwathiwa amaKrestu la afuna ukufa. Kunalokho ayakuthanda ukuphila begodu afuna nokusebenzisa isikhathi sawo soke nemindenawo nabangani balotjhe uJehova. Kodwana kunanyana yini abayenzako, abakulibali abakuthenjiswe nguZimu ngengomuso labo.​—1 Korinte 15:53; 2 Pitrosi 1:4; 1 Jwanisi 3:2, 3; IsAmbulo 20:6.

15. Ngimiphi imibuzo engasenza singaphethi ngokuthi umuntu ukhethwe mumoya ocwengileko?

¹⁵ Mhlamunye uyazibuza ukuthi kghani uJehova nawe ukumemele ezulwini. Nangabe ucabanga njalo, akhese uzibuze nasi imibuzo eqakathekileko: Kghani uzizwa ngasuthi utjhisakalela isimu ngokukhethekileko? Uyakuthabela na ukufunda iBhayibheli nokufunda ‘ngemfihlakalo zakaZimu’? (1 Korinte 2:10) Kungenzeka uzizwa ngathi uJehova wenze umsebenzakho wathela ekonzweni yokutjhumayela? Mhlamunye ayikho enye into oyifunako ukudlula leyo ethandwa nguJehova? Nofana indlela othanda ngayo abantu ikwenza bewuzizwe ufuna ukubenzela izinto ezihle, ukwenzela bona barage nokulotjha uJehova? Walemuka nokuthi uJehova ukusize ngezinto ezinengi khulu epilwenakho? Nangabe imibuzo le yoke nje uyiphendule ngo-iye, kghani-ke lokho kutjho ukuthi umenyelwe ukuya ezulwini? Awa akusinjalo. Sikutjho ngaliphi? Ngebanga lokuthi iinceku zakaZimu zoke zingazizwa ngalendlela, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zingabakhethiweko nofana azikakhethwa. Begodu ngebanga lomoya ocwengileko, uJehova angasipha amandla afanako, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi siyokufumana muphi umtlomela. Nangabe uyazibuza ukuthi mhlamunye nawe kungenzeka umenyelwe ukuya ezulwini, lokhu kukutjela khona ukuthi awukamenywa. Phela labo abamenywe nguJehova abasolo bazibuza ngendaba le! Bayazi kuhle!

16. Sazi njani ukuthi akusibo boke abantu abamukela umoya kaZimu abayokuphila ezulwini?

¹⁶ Sineembonelo ezinengi khulu eBhayibhelini zabantu abathembekileko abamukela  umoya kaJehova ocwengileko, kodwana abangakhenge baye ezulwini. Omunye wabo nguJwanisi umBhabhadisi. UJesu wakhe wathi akakho umuntu owaba mkhulu ukwedlula uJwanisi, kodwana wabuye wathi nanyana kunjalo uJwanisi bekangeze abuse njengekosi ezulwini. (Matewu 11:10, 11) UDavida naye bekarholwa mumoya ocwengileko. (1 Samyela 16:13) Umoya ocwengileko wamsiza wazwisisa izinto ezizikileko ngoJehova wabe wamsiza nokuthi atlole ezinye iingcenye zeBhayibheli. (Markosi 12:36) Nanyana kunjalo, uPitrosi nakakhuluma ngaye wathi, “uDavida akakakhutjhulelwa ezulwini.” (IzEnzo 2:34) UJehova wasebenzisa umoya ocwengileko bona ubaphe amandla bakwazi ukwenza iinkarisomraro, kodwana akhenge asebenzise umoyakhe ukubamemela ezulwini. Kghani lokho bekutjho bona abantwaba bebangakathembeki ukuthi bangayokubusa ezulwini? Akusinjalo. UJehova uzobabuyisela ukuphila kwabo ephasini eliyipharadeyisi.​—Jwanisi 5:28, 29; IzEnzo 24:15.

17, 18. (a) Ngiwuphi umtlomela iinceku zakaZimu eziwuqale ngabovu namhlanjesi? (b) Ngiyiphi imibuzo ezokudenjwa esihlokweni esilandelako?

¹⁷ Iinceku zakaZimu ezinengi namhlanjesi angeze ziyokuphila ezulwini. U-Abrahamu, uDavida, uJwanisi umBhabhadisi nabanye abomma ekwakhulunywa ngabo ngeenkhathi zeBhayibheli nabo balindele ukuphila ephasini elizokubuswa ngurhulumende kaZimu. (Hebheru 11:10) Bese-ke kuthi abayi-144 000 bazokubusa noJesu ezulwini. Kodwana iBhayibheli ibuye ikhulume “ngabaseleko” abangabakhethiweko abasese sephasini emalangeni wamaswaphela la. (IsAmbulo 12:17, NW) Inengi labayi-144 000 selihlongakele labe laya ezulwini.

¹⁸ Akhesithi kuyenzeka umuntu athi naye ngowabakhethiweko, kufuze thina abanethemba lokuphila ephasini siyiginye njani indaba le? Nangabe omunye ebandleni lenu sekathoma ukudla uburotho abe asele newayini ngesiKhumbuzo, kufuze nimthathe njani? Ithiwani-ke yesibalo sabakhethiwekwaba esisole sikhula ukuya phambili? Kghani kufuze sitshwenyeke ngalokho? Imibuzo le izokuphendulwa esihlokweni esilandelako.