Ukuphatha Okungokwasezulwini Enkathini YobuKristu

“Kungokuvumelana nesihle sakhe . . . ukuphinde abuthele ndawonye zonke izinto kuKristu, izinto ezisezulwini nezinto ezisemhlabeni.”—EFESU 1:9, 10.

1, 2. (a) Ukubuthwa ‘kwezinto ezisezulwini’ kwaqhubeka kanjani, kusukela ngo-33 C.E.? (b) AmaKristu agcotshiwe aye awubonisa kanjani umoya onjengokaMose no-Eliya kusukela ngo-1914?

LOKHU kubuthwa ‘kwezinto ezisezulwini’ kwaqala ngo-33 C.E., lapho kuzalwa “u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.” (Galathiya 6:16; Isaya 43:10; 1 Petru 2:9, 10) Ngemva kwekhulu lokuqala C.E., izinga lokubuthwa lehla ngoba amaKristu eqiniso (uJesu awabiza ngokuthi “ukolweni”) ambozwa “ukhula” oluyizihlubuki olwahlwanyelwa uSathane. Kodwa njengoba “isikhathi sokuphela” sasisondela, u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu weqiniso wabuye wabonakala, futhi ngo-1919 wamiswa phezu kwakho konke okukaJesu.a—Mathewu 13:24-30, 36-43; 24:45-47; Daniyeli 12:4.

² Phakathi nempi yezwe yokuqala, amaKristu agcotshiwe enza imisebenzi yamandla, efana neyenziwa uMose no-Eliya.b (IsAmbulo 11:5, 6) Kusukela ngo-1919 aye ashumayela izindaba ezinhle ezweni elinobutha, enza kanjalo ngesibindi esinjengesika-Eliya. (Mathewu 24:9-14) Futhi kusukela ngo-1922 aye amemezela izahlulelo zikaJehova esintwini, njengoba nje uMose aletha izinhlupho zikaNkulunkulu eGibithe lasendulo. (IsAmbulo 15:1; 16:2-17) Namuhla insali yalamaKristu agcotshiwe iwumongo womphakathi wezwe elisha woFakazi BakaJehova.

Indikimba Ebusayo Iyasebenza

 3. Yiziphi izenzakalo ezibonisa ukuthi ibandla lobuKristu lokuqala lalihleleke kahle?

³ Kusukela ekuqaleni, abalandeli bakaJesu abagcotshiwe bahlelwa. Njengoba inani labafundi lalanda, kwakhiwa amabandla ezindawo futhi kwamiswa abadala. (Thithu 1:5) Ngemva kuka-33 C.E., abaphostoli abangu-12 basebenza njengendikimba ebusayo eyinhloko nenegunya. Njengabanjalo, bahola ngokungesabi emsebenzini wokufakaza. (IzEnzo 4:33, 35, 37; 5:18, 29) Bahlela ukwabiwa kokudla kwabampofu, futhi bathumela uPetru noJohane eSamariya ukuba balandelele isithakazelo esasibikiwe lapho. (IzEnzo 6:1-6; 8:6-8, 14-17) UBarnaba wahamba noPawulu waya kubo ukuze abaqinisekise ukuthi lona owayengumshushisi manje wayesengumlandeli kaJesu. (IzEnzo 9:27; Galathiya 1:18, 19) Futhi ngemva kokuba uPetru eshumayele kuKorneliyu nendlu yakhe, wabuyela eJerusalema wachazela abaphostoli nabanye abafowabo baseJudiya indlela umoya ongcwele owawubonise ngayo intando kaNkulunkulu kulendaba.—IzEnzo 11:1-18.

 4. Yimuphi umzamo owenziwa wokubulala uPetru, kodwa ukuphila kwakhe kwasindiswa kanjani?

⁴ Indikimba ebusayo yabe isihlaselwa ngesihluku. UPetru waboshwa, futhi ukuphila kwakhe kwasindiswa kuphela ukungenela kwengelosi. (IzEnzo 12:3-11) Manje ngokokuqala ngqá, othile ongeyena omunye wabaphostoli abangu-12 wabonakala esikhundleni esivelele eJerusalema. Lapho uPetru ekhululwa ejele, watshela iqembu elalibuthene endlini kanina kaJohane Marku: “Bikelani uJakobe [umfowabo kaJesu ngamzali munye] nabafowethu lezizinto.”—IzEnzo 12:17.

 5. Ukwakheka kwendikimba ebusayo kwashintshwa kanjani ngemva kokuba uJakobe ebulawelwe ukholo?

⁵ Ngaphambili, ngemva kokuba uJuda Iskariyothe, umphostoli oyimbuka, ezibulele, kwabonakala isidingo sokuba “isikhundla sakhe sobubonisi” njengomphostoli sinikwe omunye owayenoJesu phakathi nenkonzo yakhe futhi owayebone ukufa nokuvuswa kwakhe. Nokho, lapho uJakobe, umfowabo kaJohane, ebulawa, akekho owathatha isikhundla sakhe njengomunye wabangu-12. (IzEnzo 1:20-26; 12:1, 2) Kunalokho, umBhalo olandelayo obhekisela endikimbeni ebusayo ubonisa ukuthi yayandisiwe. Lapho kuphakama impikiswano ngokuthi kufanele yini abeZizwe abalandela uJesu babe ngaphansi koMthetho kaMose, indaba yethulwa “kubaphostoli namadoda amadala eJerusalema” ukuba banqume. (IzEnzo 15:2, 6, 20, 22, 23; 16:4) Kungani manje kubonakala ‘kunamadoda amadala’ endikimbeni ebusayo? IBhayibheli alisho, kodwa inzuzo yayisobala. Ukufa kukaJakobe nokuboshwa kukaPetru kwakubonise ukuthi ngolunye usuku abaphostoli bangaboshwa noma babulawe. Esimweni esinjalo, ukuba khona kwabanye abadala abafanelekayo, abajwayelene nezinqubo zendikimba ebusayo, kwakuyoqinisekisa ukuthi ukwengamela kuqhubeka ngokuhleleka.

 6. Indikimba ebusayo yaqhubeka kanjani isebenza eJerusalema, ngisho nalapho amalungu ayo okuqala engasekho kulowo muzi?

⁶ Lapho uPawulu efika eJerusalema cishe ngonyaka ka-56 C.E., wabika kuJakobe, futhi iBhayibheli lithi, “wonke amadoda amadala ayekhona.” (IzEnzo 21:18) Kungani bengaphawulwanga abaphostoli kulomhlangano? Nalapha, iBhayibheli alisho. Kodwa kamuva isazi-mlando u-Eusebius sabika ukuthi esikhathini esithile ngaphambi kuka-66 C.E., “abaphostoli abasele, njengoba babehlale besengozini yozungu lokubulawa, baphuma eJudiya. Kodwa ukuze bafundise isigijimi sabo baya kuwo wonke amazwe ngamandla kaKristu.” (Eusebius, Book III, V, v. 2) Yiqiniso, amazwi ka-Eusebius awayona ingxenye yombhalo ophefumulelwe, kodwa ayavumelana nalokho lowo mbhalo okushoyo. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-62 C.E., uPetru wayeseBabiloni—kude neJerusalema. (1 Petru 5:13) Nokho, ngo-56 C.E., cishe kwaze kwaba ngu-66 C.E., ngokusobala indikimba ebusayo yayisebenza eJerusalema.

Ukuphatha Ezikhathini Zanamuhla

 7. Uma kuqhathaniswa nendikimba ebusayo yekhulu lokuqala, yimuphi umehluko ophawulekayo endleleni iNdikimba Ebusayo namuhla eyakheke ngayo?

⁷ Kusukela ngo-33 C.E. kuze kube usizi lwaseJerusalema, ngokusobala indikimba ebusayo yayakhiwa amaKristu angamaJuda. Phakathi nokuhambela kwakhe ngo-56 C.E., uPawulu wathola ukuthi amaKristu amaningi angamaJuda eJerusalema, nakuba ‘ayephethe ukholo lweNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, ayesashisekela uMthetho [kaMose].’c (Jakobe 2:1; IzEnzo 21:20-25) Kungenzeka ukuthi amaJuda anjalo ayenobunzima bokucabanga ngoweZizwe esendikimbeni ebusayo. Nokho, ezikhathini zanamuhla, kuye kwaba nolunye ushintsho kulabo abakha lendikimba. Namuhla, yakhiwa amaKristu eZizwe agcotshiwe kuphela, futhi uJehova uye wakubusisa kakhulu ukwengamela kwayo.—Efesu 2:11-15.

8, 9. Yini eye yenzeka eNdikimbeni Ebusayo ezikhathini zanamuhla?

⁸ Kusukela kwamiswa i-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania ngo-1884 kwaze kwaba ngo-1972, umongameli weNhlangano wayenegunya elikhulu enhlanganweni kaJehova, kanti iNdikimba Ebusayo yayisebenzelana ngokuseduze nebhodi yabaqondisi yeNhlangano. Izibusiso ezatholakala kuleyo minyaka zabonisa ukuthi uJehova wayelamukela lelo lungiselelo. Phakathi no-1972 no-1975, iNdikimba Ebusayo yandiswa yaba namalungu angu-18. Izinto zasondela elungiselelweni lekhulu lokuqala lapho lendikimba eyandisiwe inikwa igunya elengeziwe, abanye bayo bengabaqondisi be-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.

⁹ Kusukela ngo-1975 inani elithile lalaba abangu-18 liye laqeda inkambo yalo yasemhlabeni. Liye lanqoba izwe lase ‘lihlala noJesu esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi.’ (IsAmbulo 3:21) Ngenxa yalesi sizathu nezinye, manje iNdikimba Ebusayo inamalungu ayishumi, kuhlanganise nelanezelwa ngo-1994. Abaningi bayo sebekhulile impela ngeminyaka. Nokho, labafowethu abagcotshiwe bathola ukusekelwa okuhle njengoba befeza imisebenzi yabo esindayo. Kutholakalaphi lokhu kusekelwa? Ukubheka izenzakalo zanamuhla phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu kuyawuphendula lowo mbuzo.

Ukusekelwa Kuka-Israyeli KaNkulunkulu

10. Kulezi zinsuku zokugcina, obani abaye bahlanganyela nabagcotshiwe enkonzweni kaJehova, futhi lokhu kwaprofethwa kanjani?

¹⁰ Emuva ngo-1884 cishe bonke ababehlanganyela no-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu babengamaKristu agcotshiwe. Nokho, kancane kancane, elinye iqembu laqala ukuvela, futhi ngo-1935 leli qembu lachazwa ‘njengesixuku esikhulu’ sesAmbulo isahluko 7. Njengoba benethemba lasemhlabeni, laba bamelela ‘izinto ezisemhlabeni’ uJehova ajonge ukuzibuthela ndawonye kuKristu. (Efesu 1:10) Bamelela “ezinye izimvu” zomfanekiso kaJesu wezibaya zezimvu. (Johane 10:16) Kusukela ngo-1935, ezinye izimvu ziye zathuthelekela enhlanganweni kaJehova. Ziye ‘zandiza njengefu, nanjengamajuba aya ezidlekeni zawo.’ (Isaya 60:8) Ngenxa yokwanda kwesixuku esikhulu nokuncipha kwesigaba esigcotshiwe njengoba abaningi baso beqeda inkambo yabo yasemhlabeni ngokufa, ezinye izimvu ezifanelekayo ziye zaba nendima eyandayo emisebenzini yobuKristu. Ngaziphi izindlela?

11. Yimaphi amalungelo aye anikwa ezinye izimvu, ekuqaleni ayengawamaKristu agcotshiwe kuphela?

¹¹ Ukumemezela kabanzi ubuhle bukaJehova bekulokhu kuyisibopho esikhethekile ‘sesizwe esingcwele’ sikaNkulunkulu. UPawulu wakhuluma ngakho njengomhlatshelo wethempeli, futhi uJesu wanikeza umyalo wokushumayela nokufundisa kulabo ababezoba “ubupristi bobukhosi.” (Eksodusi 19:5, 6; 1 Petru 2:4, 9; Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20; Heberu 13:15, 16) Noma kunjalo, INqabayokulinda (yesiNgisi) ka-August 1, 1932 yakhuthaza ngokukhethekile labo abafanekiselwa uJonadaba ukuba bahlanganyele kulomsebenzi. Empeleni, abaningi bezinye izimvu base bekwenza kakade lokhu. Namuhla, cishe wonke umsebenzi wokushumayela wenziwa ezinye izimvu njengengxenye yazo evelele ‘yokunikela inkonzo engcwele kuNkulunkulu imini nobusuku ethempelini lakhe.’ (IsAmbulo 7:15) Ngokufanayo, ngasekuqaleni komlando wanamuhla wabantu bakaJehova, abadala bamabandla babengamaKristu agcotshiwe, “izinkanyezi” esandleni sokunene sikaJesu Kristu. (IsAmbulo 1:16, 20) Kodwa INqabayokulinda (yesiNgisi) ka-May 1, 1937, yakhipha isaziso sokuthi abezinye izimvu abafanelekayo bangaba izinceku zamabandla (ababonisi abengamele). Ngisho noma amadoda agcotshiwe ekhona, abezinye izimvu babengase basetshenziswe uma amadoda agcotshiwe engenakukwazi ukusingatha lomthwalo wemfanelo. Namuhla, cishe bonke abadala bamabandla bangabezinye izimvu.

12. Yisiphi isandulela esingokomBhalo esikhona sokuba ezinye izimvu ezifanelekayo zamukele imithwalo yemfanelo esindayo yenhlangano?

¹² Ingabe kuyiphutha ukunikeza ezinye izimvu imithwalo yemfanelo esinda kanjalo? Cha, kunesandulela emlandweni. Amaproselithe athile angabezizwe (abafokazi) ayenezikhundla ezivelele kwa-Israyeli wasendulo. (2 Samuweli 23:37, 39; Jeremiya 38:7-9) Ngemva kokuthunjwa yiBabiloni, amaNethini afanelekayo (izinceku zasethempelini ezingewona ama-Israyeli) anikwa amalungelo enkonzo yethempeli ngaphambili ayengawamaLevi kuphela. (Ezra 8:15-20; Nehemiya 7:60) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uMose, owabonakala enoJesu embonweni wokuguqulwa isimo, wamukela iseluleko esihle asinikwa uJetiro wakwaMidiyani. Kamuva, wacela indodana kaJetiro uHobabi ukuba ibahole ehlane.—Eksodusi 18:5, 17-24; Numeri 10:29.

13. Ngokunikeza ngokuthobeka abezinye izimvu abafanelekayo imithwalo yemfanelo, abagcotshiwe bebelingisa umoya omuhle kabani?

¹³ Ngasekupheleni kweminyaka engu-40 ehlane, uMose, azi ukuthi ngeke angene eZweni Lesithembiso, wathandazela ukuba uJehova alungiselele umuntu owayezomlandela. (Numeri 27:15-17) UJehova wamtshela ukuba athume uJoshuwa phambi kwabo bonke abantu, futhi uMose wenza kanjalo, nakuba ayesenamandla futhi engazange ayeke ngokushesha ukukhonza u-Israyeli. (Duteronomi 3:28; 34:5-7, 9) Ngomoya ofanayo wokuthobeka, abagcotshiwe bese bevele benikeza amadoda afanelekayo ezinye izimvu amalungelo engeziwe.

14. Yiziphi iziprofetho ezibonisa indima yezinye izimvu eyandayo enhlanganweni?

¹⁴ Indima yezinye izimvu eyandayo enhlanganweni yaprofethwa. UZakariya wabikezela ukuthi umFilisti ongeyena umIsrayeli wayezoba ‘umbusi kwaJuda.’ (Zakariya 9:6, 7) Ababusi babeyizikhulu zezizwe, ngakho uZakariya wayethi isitha sika-Israyeli sangaphambili sasiyokwamukela ukukhulekela kweqiniso futhi sibe njengesikhulu sesizwe eZweni Lesithembiso. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho ekhuluma no-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu, uJehova wathi: “Abezizwe bayakumela ukwalusa imihlambi yenu, abafokazi babe-ngabalimi benu nabaphathi bezivini zenu. Kepha nina niyakuthiwa abapristi bakaJehova, niyakubizwa ngokuthi izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu wethu.” (Isaya 61:5, 6) “Abezizwe” ‘nabafokazi’ bangezinye izimvu. Laba baye banikezwa imithwalo yemfanelo ukuze benze umsebenzi owengeziwe njengoba insali egcotshiwe esikhulile iqeda inkambo yayo yasemhlabeni futhi iyokhonza ngomqondo ophelele ‘njengabapristi bakaJehova’ basezulwini, izungeze isihlalo sobukhosi sikaJehova ‘njengezikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu wethu.’—1 Korinte 15:50-57; IsAmbulo 4:4, 9-11; 5:9, 10.

‘Isizukulwane Esizayo’

15. Kulesi sikhathi sokuphela, yiliphi iqembu lamaKristu eselifinyelele ‘ebudaleni,’ futhi yiliphi iqembu elimelela ‘isizukulwane esizayo’?

¹⁵ Insali egcotshiwe ibilangazelela ukuqeqeshela ezinye izimvu imithwalo yemfanelo eyengeziwe. IHubo 71:18 lithi: “Mawungangishiyi, nxa ngimdala, ngiyimpunga, ngize ngishumayele ingalo yakho kuso isizukulwane, amandla akho kubo bonke abezayo.” Ikhulumela leli vesi, INqabayokulinda (yesiNgisi) ka-December 15, 1948, yaveza ukuthi iqembu lamaKristu agcotshiwe lase likhulile ngempela. Yaqhubeka yathi abagcotshiwe ngenjabulo “babheke phambili ekukhanyeni kwesiprofetho seBhayibheli futhi babona isizukulwane esisha.” Lokhu kubhekisela kobani ngokukhethekile? Le-Nqabayokulinda yathi: “UJesu wakhuluma ngaso ‘njengezinye izimvu’ zakhe.” ‘Isizukulwane esizayo’ sibhekisela kubantu abayophila ngaphansi kokuphatha okusha kwasemhlabeni okwenganyelwe uMbuso wasezulwini.

16. Yiziphi izibusiso labo ‘besizukulwane esizayo’ ababheke phambili ngentshiseko kuzo?

¹⁶ IBhayibheli alisho ngokuqondile ukuthi amaKristu agcotshiwe ayobashiya nini abafowabo balesi ‘sizukulwane esizayo’ ukuze ayokhazinyuliswa noJesu Kristu. Kodwa laba abagcotshiwe bayaqiniseka ukuthi isikhathi salokhu siyasondela. Izenzakalo ezabikezelwa esiprofethweni sikaJesu esikhulu mayelana ‘nesikhathi sokuphela’ bezenzeka kusukela ngo-1914, okubonisa ukuthi ukubhujiswa kwalelizwe kuseduze. (Daniyeli 12:4; Mathewu 24:3-14; Marku 13:4-20; Luka 21:7-24) Ngokushesha, uJehova uzoletha izwe elisha lapho ‘isizukulwane esizayo’ ‘siyozuza njengefa umbuso [emhlabeni] esawulungiselelwa kusukela ekusekelweni komhlaba.’ (Mathewu 25:34) Siyakujabulela ukulindela ukubuyiselwa kwePharadesi nokuvuswa kwezigidi zabafileyo eHayidese. (IsAmbulo 20:13) Ingabe abagcotshiwe bayoba khona ukuze bamukele abavusiwe? Emuva ngo-1925, INqabayokulinda (yesiNgisi) ka-May 1 yathi: “Akufanele sizisholo ngokuthanda kwethu lokho uNkulunkulu ayokwenza nangeke akwenze. . . . [Kodwa] siholelwa esiphethweni sokuthi amalungu eBandla [amaKristu agcotshiwe] ayokhazinyuliswa ngaphambi kokuvuswa kwabafanele basendulo [ofakazi abakholekile bangaphambi kobuKristu].” Ngokufanayo lapho ixoxa ngokuthi abanye babagcotshiwe bayoba khona yini ukuze bamukele abavusiwe, INqabayokulinda ka-September 1, 1989, yathi: “Lokhu ngeke kudingeke.”d

17. Yimaphi amalungelo amangalisayo abagcotshiwe, njengeqembu, abayohlanganyela kuwo neNkosi ebekwe esihlalweni sobukhosi, uJesu Kristu?

¹⁷ Yiqiniso, asazi ukuthi yini eyokwenzeka kumKristu ogcotshiwe ngamunye. Kodwa ukuba kukaMose no-Eliya noJesu embonweni wokuguqulwa isimo kubonisa ukuthi amaKristu agcotshiwe avusiwe kulindeleke ukuba abe noJesu lapho eza ngenkazimulo ‘ezobuyisela kulowo nalowo ngokokuziphatha kwakhe’ njengoba ekhipha isahlulelo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sikhumbula isithembiso sikaJesu sokuthi amaKristu agcotshiwe ‘anqobayo’ ayohlanganyela naye ‘ekwaluseni izizwe ngenduku yensimbi’ e-Armagedoni. Lapho uJesu eza ngenkazimulo, ayohlala naye ‘ahlulele izizwana eziyishumi nambili zakwa-Israyeli.’ EnoJesu, ‘ayochoboza uSathane ngaphansi kwezinyawo zawo.’—Mathewu 16:27–17:9; 19:28; IsAmbulo 2:26, 27; 16:14, 16; Roma 16:20; Genesise 3:15; IHubo 2:9; 2 Thesalonika 1:9, 10.

18. (a) Siyini isimo ngokuqondene ‘nokubuthelwa ndawonye kwezinto ezisezulwini kuKristu’? (b) Singathini ‘ngokubuthelwa ndawonye kwezinto ezisemhlabeni kuKristu’?

¹⁸ Ngokuvumelana nokuphatha kwakhe izinto, uJehova uphokophelele ekubeni ‘aphinde abuthele ndawonye zonke izinto kuKristu.’ Ngokuqondene ‘nezinto ezisezulwini,’ injongo yakhe isondela ekupheleni. Ukuhlanganiswa kukaJesu nabo bonke abangu-144 000 ezulwini ‘emshadweni weWundlu’ kuseduze. Ngakho, abafowethu abengeziwe bezinye izimvu asebenesikhathi eside nabavuthiwe, abamelela ‘izinto ezisemhlabeni,’ baye baphathiswa imithwalo yemfanelo esindayo ukuze basekele abafowabo abagcotshiwe. Yeka isikhathi esivusa amadlingozi esiphila kuso! Yeka ukuthi kujabulisa kangakanani ukubona injongo kaJehova isondela ekugcwalisekeni kwayo! (Efesu 1:9, 10; 3:10-12; IsAmbulo 14:1; 19:7, 9) Futhi yeka indlela ezinye izimvu ezikujabulela ngayo ukusekela abafowabo abagcotshiwe njengoba womabili lamaqembu ngokuzithoba eNkosini uJesu Kristu, ekhonza ndawonye ‘njengomhlambi owodwa’ ngaphansi ‘kukamalusi oyedwa,’ kube inkazimulo kuMbusi omkhulu Wendawo Yonke, uJehova uNkulunkulu!—Johane 10:16; Filipi 2:9-11.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ungachaza?

◻ Inhlangano kaNkulunkulu yaqhubekela kanjani phambili ekhulwini lokuqala?

◻ INdikimba Ebusayo iye yakhula kanjani emlandweni wosuku lwanamuhla woFakazi BakaJehova?

◻ Yimiphi imiBhalo egunyaza ukuba ezinye izimvu enhlanganweni kaJehova zinikezwe igunya?

◻ “Izinto ezisezulwini” kanye “nezinto ezisemhlabeni” ziye zabuthelwa kanjani ndawonye kuKristu?

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Ngisho nalapho amalungu ayo okuqala engasekho eJerusalema, indikimba ebusayo yaqhubeka isebenza lapho

[Izithombe ekhasini 18]

AmaKristu agcotshiwe avuthiwe aye aba isibusiso kubantu bakaJehova

UC. T. Russell 1884-1916

UJ. F. Rutherford 1916-42

UN. H. Knorr 1942-77

UF. W. Franz 1977-92

UM. G. Henschel 1992-