ISahluko 12

‘Bambelela Ngokuqinile Kulokho Onakho’

IFILADELFIYA

 1. Isigijimi sikaJesu sesithupha sasibhekiswe ebandleni elikumuphi umuzi, futhi lisho ukuthini igama lalowo muzi?

UTHANDO LOBUZALWANE—yeka imfanelo efiselekayo! Ngokungangabazeki uJesu unalokhu engqondweni lapho ekhipha isigijimi sakhe sesithupha, esiqondiswe ebandleni laseFiladelfiya, ngoba lelo gama lisho “Uthando Lobuzalwane.” UJohane osegugile usasikhumbula isikhathi lapho, eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-60 ngaphambili, uPetru ephikelela izikhathi ezintathu kuJesu ukuthi yena, Petru, wayenothando olufudumele ngeNkosi yakhe. (Johane 21:15-17) Ingabe amaKristu aseFiladelfiya, ohlangothini lwawo, ayalubonisa uthando lobuzalwane? Ngokusobala ayalubonisa!

 2. IFiladelfiya yayiluhlobo luni lomuzi, luhlobo luni lwebandla elalilapho futhi uJesu uthini engelosini yaleli bandla?

² Iqhele eSardesi ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-48 ukuya eningizimu-mpumalanga (endaweni yedolobha lanamuhla laseTurkey, i-Alasehir) futhi iFiladelfiya yosuku lukaJohane ingumuzi ochuma kahle. Nokho, ukuchuma kwebandla lobuKristu lapho kuphawuleka ngokwengeziwe. Yeka injabulo okumelwe ukuba bamukela ngayo isikhonzi esijikelezayo, okungenzeka seza ngendlela yaseSardesi! Isigijimi esibaphathele sona sineseluleko esishukumisayo. Kodwa okokuqala sibhekisela egunyeni loMthumeli waso okhazimulayo. Uthi: “Ingelosi yebandla laseFiladelfiya yilobele lokhu: Yilezi izinto azishoyo ongcwele, oqinisileyo, onesihluthulelo sikaDavide, ovula kungavali muntu, futhi avale kungavuli muntu.”—IsAmbulo 3:7.

 3. Kungani kufaneleka ukuba uJesu abizwe ngokuthi ‘ungcwele,’ futhi kungashiwo kanjani ukuthi ‘uqinisile’?

³ UJohane wayezwe uPetru ethi endodeni uJesu Kristu: “Nguwe onamazwi okuphila okuphakade; siye sakholwa futhi sesiyazi ukuthi ungoNgcwele kaNkulunkulu.” (Johane 6:68, 69) Njengoba uJehova uNkulunkulu eyiwona msuka wobungcwele, iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa nayo kumelwe ibe “ngcwele.” (IsAmbulo 4:8) UJesu futhi ‘uqinisile.’ Igama lesiGreki elisetshenziswe lapha (a·le·thi·nosʹ) lisho ubuqiniso. Ngalo mqondo, uJesu uwukukhanya kweqiniso nesinkwa seqiniso esehla sivela ezulwini. (Johane 1:9; 6:32) Ungumvini weqiniso. (Johane 15:1) UJesu futhi uqinisile ngomqondo wokuthi unokwethenjelwa. Ukhuluma iqiniso njalo. (Bheka uJohane 8:14, 17, 26.) Ngempela le Ndodana kaNkulunkulu ikufanele ukukhonza njengeNkosi noMahluleli.—IsAmbulo 19:11, 16.

‘Isihluthulelo SikaDavide’

 4, 5. “Isihluthulelo sikaDavide” sasihlangene nasiphi isivumelwano?

⁴ UJesu ‘unesihluthulelo sikaDavide.’ Esebenzisa sona, ‘uvula kungavali muntu, avale kungavuli muntu.’ Siyini lesi “sihluthulelo sikaDavide”?

⁵ UJehova wenza isivumelwano sombuso waphakade neNkosi uDavide yakwa-Israyeli. (IHubo 89:1-4, 34-37) Indlu kaDavide yabusa esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaJehova eJerusalema kusukela ngo-1070 kuya ku-607 B.C.E., kodwa kamuva isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu sakhishwa kulowo mbuso ngoba waphendukela ebubini. Kanjalo uJehova waqala ukugcwalisa isiprofetho sakhe esikuHezekeli 21:27: “Ngizokwenza [iJerusalema lasemhlabeni] kube incithakalo, incithakalo, incithakalo. Nalokhu futhi [intonga yobukhosi ohlwini lukaDavide], ngeke kube okwamuntu aze afike onelungelo elingokomthetho, ngikunike yena.”

 6, 7. Wayezovela nini futhi kanjani “onelungelo elingokomthetho”?

⁶ Wayeyofika kanjani futhi nini lona “onelungelo elingokomthetho”? Wayeyoyinikwa kanjani intonga yobukhosi yombuso kaDavide?

⁷ Eminyakeni engaba ngu-600 kamuva, umzukulu weNkosi uDavide, intombi engumJuda uMariya, wakhulelwa ngomoya ongcwele. UNkulunkulu wathuma ingelosi uGabriyeli ukuba yazise uMariya ukuthi wayezoba nendodana, eyayizoqanjwa ngokuthi uJesu. UGabriyeli wanezela: “Iyoba umuntu omkhulu ibizwe ngokuthi yiNdodana YoPhezukonke; uJehova uNkulunkulu uyoyinika isihlalo sobukhosi sikaDavide uyise, futhi iyobusa njengenkosi phezu kwendlu kaJakobe kuze kube phakade, nombuso wayo ngeke uphele.”—Luka 1:31-33.

 8. UJesu wazibonakalisa kanjani ekufanelekele ukudla ifa lobukhosi bukaDavide?

⁸ Ngo-29 C.E., lapho uJesu ebhapathizwa eMfuleni iJordani futhi egcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele, waba iNkosi Emisiwe ohlwini lukaDavide. Wabonisa intshiseko eyisibonelo ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso futhi wathuma abafundi bakhe ukuba nabo bashumayele. (Mathewu 4:23; 10:7, 11) UJesu wazithoba, kwaze kwaba sekufeni esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa, kanjalo ezibonakalisa ekufanelekele ngokugcwele ukudla ifa lobukhosi bukaDavide. UJehova wavusa uJesu njengomoya ongenakufa futhi wamphakamisela ngakwesokunene saKhe emazulwini. Lapho, wazuza njengefa wonke amalungelo ombuso kaDavide. Ngesikhathi esifanele uJesu wayezosebenzisa ilungelo lakhe ‘lokunqoba phakathi kwezitha zakhe.’—IHubo 110:1, 2; Filipi 2:8, 9; Hebheru 10:13, 14.

 9. Kukanjani uJesu esebenzisa isihluthulelo sikaDavide ekuvuleni nasekuvaleni?

⁹ Okwangaleso sikhathi uJesu wayezosebenzisa isihluthulelo sikaDavide, evula amathuba namalungelo ahlangene noMbuso kaNkulunkulu. NgoJesu, uJehova manje wayezokhulula amaKristu agcotshiwe asemhlabeni “egunyeni lobumnyama,” ewayisa “embusweni weNdodana yothando lwakhe.” (Kolose 1:13, 14) Isihluthulelo sasizosetshenziswa futhi ekuncisheni noma yibaphi ababonakala bengathembekile amalungelo anjalo. (2 Thimothewu 2:12, 13) Njengoba le ndlalifa yaphakade yombuso kaDavide isekelwa uJehova, akukho sidalwa esingayivimbela ekufezeni imisebenzi enjalo.—Qhathanisa noMathewu 28:18-20.

10. Isiphi isikhuthazo uJesu asinikeza ibandla laseFiladelfiya?

¹⁰ Njengoba evela emthonjeni onjalo onegunya, amazwi kaJesu kumaKristu aseFiladelfiya kumelwe ukuba aduduza ngokukhethekile! Uyawatusa, ethi: “Ngiyazazi izenzo zakho—bheka! ngibeké phambi kwakho umnyango ovulekile, okungekho muntu ongawuvala—ukuthi unamandla amancane, kodwa uligcinile izwi lami futhi awuzange uzibonakalise ungathembekile egameni lami.” (IsAmbulo 3:8) Leli bandla belikhuthele, futhi umnyango ulivulekele—ngokungangabazeki umnyango wethuba lenkonzo yezikhonzi. (Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Korinte 16:9; 2 Korinte 2:12.) Ngakho-ke, uJesu ukhuthaza ibandla ukuba lilisebenzise ngokugcwele ithuba lokushumayela. Liye lakhuthazela futhi labonisa ukuthi, ngosizo oluvela emoyeni kaNkulunkulu, linamandla anele okuqhubeka lenza “izenzo” ezengeziwe enkonzweni kaJehova. (2 Korinte 12:10; Zakariya 4:6) Liye layithobela imiyalo kaJesu futhi langamphika uKristu, ngezwi noma ngesenzo.

‘Bayokhothama Phambi Kwakho’

11. Isiphi isibusiso uJesu asithembisa amaKristu, futhi safezeka kanjani?

¹¹ Ngakho, uJesu ubathembisa isithelo: “Bheka! Ngiyokwenza labo abavela esinagogeni likaSathane abathi bona bangamaJuda, kodwa nokho bengewona, beqamba amanga—bheka! ngiyobenza beze bakhothame phambi kwezinyawo zakho, ngibenze bazi ukuthi ngikuthandile.” (IsAmbulo 3:9) Mhlawumbe, njengaseSmirna, leli bandla liye laba nezinkinga ngamaJuda endawo. UJesu uwabiza ngokuthi ‘isinagoge likaSathane.’ Nokho, sekuseduze ukuba okungenani amanye alawo maJuda abone ukuthi lokho amaKristu abekushumayela ngoJesu kuyiqiniso. Cishe ‘ukukhothama’ kwawo kuyoba ngendlela echazwe uPawulu kweyoku-1 Korinte 14:24, 25, ukuze aphenduke ngempela futhi abe amaKristu, eluqaphela ngokugcwele uthando olukhulu lukaJesu ngokudela ngisho nokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yabafundi bakhe.—Johane 15:12, 13.

12. Cishe kungani amalungu esinagoge lamaJuda eFiladelfiya ayezokwethuka ukuzwa ukuthi abanye bawo ‘babeyokhothamela’ umphakathi wendawo wamaKristu?

¹² Cishe amalungu esinagoge lamaJuda eFiladelfiya ayezokwethuka ukuzwa ukuthi abanye bawo ‘babezokhothamela’ umphakathi wendawo wamaKristu. Ngenxa yeqiniso lokuthi ngokungangabazeki baningi abangemaJuda kulelo bandla, ayezolindela ukuba kwenzeke okuphambene. Ngani? Ngoba u-Isaya wabikezela: “Amakhosi [angemaJuda] ayoba ngabanakekeli bakho [bantu bakwa-Israyeli], namakhosazana awo abe ngabazanyana bakho. Bayokukhothamela ubuso babo bubheke phansi.” (Isaya 49:23; 45:14; 60:14) Ngendlela efanayo, uZakariya waphefumlelwa ukuba abhale: “Kuyothi ngalezo zinsuku amadoda ayishumi [abangemaJuda] avela kuzo zonke izilimi zezizwe abambe, yebo, impela abambe umphetho wengubo yendoda engumJuda, athi: ‘Sizohamba nani, ngoba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.’” (Zakariya 8:23) Yebo, abangemaJuda babeyokhothamela amaJuda, kungabi yiwo akhothamela bona!

13. Ayengobani amaJuda ayezobona ukugcwaliseka kweziprofetho ezibhekiswe ku-Israyeli wasendulo?

¹³ Lezo ziprofetho zazibhekiswe esizweni sikaNkulunkulu esikhethiwe. Ngesikhathi zishiwo, u-Israyeli ongokwenyama wayekuleso sikhundla esihloniphekayo. Kodwa lapho isizwe samaJuda silahla uMesiya, uJehova wasilahla. (Mathewu 15:3-9; 21:42, 43; Luka 12:32; Johane 1:10, 11) NgePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., esikhundleni saso wakhetha u-Israyeli weqiniso kaNkulunkulu, ibandla lobuKristu. Amalungu awo angamaJuda angokomoya asokwe ngempela enhliziyweni. (IzEnzo 2:1-4, 41, 42; Roma 2:28, 29; Galathiya 6:16) Ngemva kwalokho, ukuphela kwendlela amaJuda angokwenyama ngamanye ayengabuyela ngayo ebuhlotsheni obuhle noJehova yayingaba ngokuba nokholo kuJesu njengoMesiya. (Mathewu 23:37-39) Ngokusobala, lokhu kwase kuzokwenzeka ngabathile eFiladelfiya.a

14. U-Isaya 49:23 noZakariya 8:23 baye bagcwaliseka kanjani ngokuphawulekayo ezikhathini zanamuhla?

¹⁴ Ezikhathini zanamuhla, iziprofetho ezinjengo-Isaya 49:23 noZakariya 8:23 ziye zaba nokugcwaliseka okuphawuleka kakhulu. Njengomphumela wokushumayela kwesigaba sikaJohane, amanani amakhulu abantu aye angena ngomnyango ovuliweyo enkonzweni yoMbuso.b Abaningi balaba baye baphuma kweLobukholwa, elizinkolo zalo ziqamba amanga zithi zingu-Israyeli ongokomoya. (Qhathanisa nabaseRoma 9:6.) Laba, njengesixuku esikhulu, bahlanza izingubo zabo bazenza zibe mhlophe ngokubonisa ukholo egazini likaJesu lomhlatshelo. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 10, 14) Bethobela ukubusa koMbuso kaKristu, banethemba lokudla ifa lezibusiso zawo lapha emhlabeni. Beza kubafowabo bakaJesu abagcotshiwe futhi ‘babakhothamele,’ ngomqondo ongokomoya, ngoba ‘bazwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unabo.’ Bakhonza laba abagcotshiwe, ababa munye nabo enhlanganweni yomhlaba wonke yabazalwane.—Mathewu 25:34-40; 1 Petru 5:9.

‘Ihora Lokuvivinywa’

15. (a) Yini uJesu ayithembisa amaKristu aseFiladelfiya, futhi yini akhuthazwa ukuba ayenze? (b) Imuphi “umqhele” amaKristu ayebheke phambili ekuwamukeleni?

¹⁵ UJesu uyaqhubeka athi: “Ngenxa yokuthi uligcinile izwi lokukhuthazela kwami, nami ngiyokugcina ukuba ungangeni ehoreni lokuvivinywa, eliyofika phezu komhlaba wonke owakhiwe, ukuze kuvivinywe abahlala emhlabeni. Ngiyeza masinyane. Qhubeka ubambelele ngokuqinile kulokho onakho, ukuze kungabikho muntu othatha umqhele wakho.” (IsAmbulo 3:10, 11) Nakuba amaKristu osuku lukaJohane ayengeke aphile kuze kube usuku lweNkosi (olwaqala ngo-1914), ukuqiniseka kwawo ngokuthi uJesu wayeza kwakuzowanika amandla okuqhubeka eshumayela. (IsAmbulo 1:10; 2 Thimothewu 4:2) “Umqhele,” noma umklomelo wokuphila okuphakade, wawubalindile ezulwini. (Jakobe 1:12; IsAmbulo 11:18) Uma babethembeka kuze kube sekufeni, akekho owayengabamuka lowo mvuzo.—IsAmbulo 2:10.

16, 17. (a) Liyini ‘ihora lokuvivinywa, elizofika phezu komhlaba wonke owakhiwe’? (b) Sasiyini isimo sabagcotshiwe ekuqaleni ‘kwehora lokuvivinywa’?

¹⁶ Nokho, liyini ‘ihora lokuvivinywa’? Ngokungangabazeki, lawo maKristu ase-Asia kwakumelwe abhekane nelinye igagasi lokushushiswa okwesabekayo okwakuvela embusweni waseRoma.c Nokho, ukugcwaliseka okukhulu yihora lokuhlungwa nokwahlulelwa ekugcineni elafika phakathi nosuku lweNkosi, lwafinyelela umvuthwandaba kusukela ngo-1918 kuya phambili. Uvivinyo lwalungolokubona ukuthi umuntu umelela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu omisiwe noma izwe likaSathane. Ngokuqhathaniswa lungolwesikhashana, ‘luyihora,’ kodwa alukakapheli. Akumelwe neze sikhohlwe ukuthi siphila “ehoreni lokuvivinywa,” lize liphele.—Luka 21:34-36.

¹⁷ Ngo-1918 isigaba sikaJohane samaKristu agcotshiwe—njengalelo bandla elithembekile laseFiladelfiya—kwadingeka ukuba sibhekane nokuphikiswa okwakuvela “esinagogeni likaSathane.” Abaholi benkolo beLobukholwa, ababezibiza ngamaJuda angokomoya, balawula ngobuqili ababusi ukuba bacindezele amaKristu eqiniso. Nokho, lesi sigaba sazama kanzima ‘ukugcina izwi lokukhuthazela kukaJesu’; ngakho, ngosizo olungokomoya, “amandla amancane” aphawulekayo, sasinda futhi savuselwa ukungena ngomnyango manje owawusivulekele. Ngayiphi indlela?

“Umnyango Ovulekile”

18. Yikuphi ukumisa uJesu akwenza ngo-1919, futhi ngaleyo ndlela omisiwe wayefana kanjani nenceku kaHezekiya ethembekile?

¹⁸ Ngo-1919 uJesu wasigcwalisa isithembiso sakhe futhi waqaphela iqembu elincane lamaKristu eqiniso agcotshiwe ‘njengenceku yakhe ethembekileyo neqondayo.’ (Mathewu 24:45-47) Laba bangenela ilungelo elifana nalelo elalijatshulelwa yinceku ethembekile u-Eliyakimi esikhathini seNkosi uHezekiya.d UJehova wathi ngo-Eliyakimi: “Ngiyobeka isihluthulelo sendlu kaDavide phezu kwehlombe layo, iyovula kungabikho ovalayo, ivale kungabikho ovulayo.” U-Eliyakimi wathwalela uHezekiya, indodana kaDavide yasebukhosini, imithwalo enzima. Ngokufanayo namuhla, isigaba sikaJohane esigcotshiwe kubekwe “isihluthulelo sendlu kaDavide” ehlombe laso ngokuthi siye saphathiswa izithakazelo zasemhlabeni zoMbuso kaMesiya. UJehova uye waqinisa izinceku zakhe ngenxa yaleli lungelo, andisa amandla azo amancane eba amandla amakhulu anele ubufakazi obukhulu bomhlaba wonke.—Isaya 22:20, 22; 40:29.

19. Isigaba sikaJohane sayiphatha kanjani imithwalo uJesu ayinikeza sona ngo-1919, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?

¹⁹ Kusukela ngo-1919 kuya phambili insali egcotshiwe, ilandela isibonelo sikaJesu, yaqalisa umkhankaso wentshiseko wokushumayela kabanzi izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. (Mathewu 4:17; Roma 10:18) Ngenxa yalokho, abanye besinagoge likaSathane lanamuhla, eLobukholwa, beza kule nsali egcotshiwe, bephendukile futhi ‘bekhothama,’ beqaphela igunya lenceku. Nabo futhi beza ukuzokhonza uJehova ngobunye nasebekhulile besigaba sikaJohane. Lokhu kwaqhubeka kwaze kwaba yilapho sesihlanganisiwe isibalo esiphelele sabafowabo bakaJesu abagcotshiwe. Ngemva kwalokhu, “isixuku esikhulu . . . siphuma kuzo zonke izizwe” siye seza ‘ukuzokhothama’ encekwini egcotshiwe. (IsAmbulo 7:3, 4, 9) Ndawonye, inceku kanye nalesi sixuku esikhulu bakhonza njengomhlambi owodwa woFakazi BakaJehova.

20. Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla kumelwe baqine ngokukhethekile okholweni futhi bakhuthale enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu?

²⁰ Bemunye njengamaKristu aseFiladelfiya esibophweni sothando lweqiniso lobuzalwane, namuhla oFakazi BakaJehova bayaqaphela ukuthi umsebenzi wabo wokushumayela kumelwe wenziwe ngokuphuthuma. Ngokushesha, usizi olukhulu luzoletha isiphetho ezweni likaSathane elikhohlakele. Ngaleso sikhathi, kwangathi ngamunye wethu angatholakala eqinile okholweni futhi ekhuthele enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu, ukuze amagama ethu angasulwa encwadini kaJehova yokuphila. (IsAmbulo 7:14) Masisithathe ngokungathí sina iseluleko sikaJesu ebandleni laseFiladelfiya ukuze sibambisise amalungelo ethu enkonzo futhi sizuze umvuzo wokuphila okuphakade.

Izibusiso Zabanqobayo

21. AmaKristu agcotshiwe namuhla aye ‘aligcina’ kanjani ‘izwi lokukhuthazela kukaJesu,’ futhi yiliphi ithemba eliwalindele?

²¹ Isigaba sikaJohane namuhla siye ‘saligcina izwi lokukhuthazela kukaJesu,’ okungukuthi, siye salandela isibonelo sakhe futhi sakhuthazela. (Hebheru 12:2, 3; 1 Petru 2:21) Ngaleyo ndlela, siye sakhuthazwa kakhulu amazwi kaJesu aqhubekayo ebandleni laseFiladelfiya: “Onqobayo—ngiyomenza insika ethempelini likaNkulunkulu wami, akasoze aphinde aphume kulo.”—IsAmbulo 3:12a.

22. (a) Liyini ithempeli likaNkulunkulu kaJesu? (b) AmaKristu agcotshiwe anqobayo ayoba kanjani izinsika kuleli thempeli?

²² Yeka ilungelo okuyilo ngomuntu ukuba abe yinsika ethempelini likaJehova! EJerusalema lasendulo, ithempeli elingokoqobo laliyisikhungo sokukhulekelwa kukaJehova. Ngaphakathi ethempelini, umpristi omkhulu wayenikela ngegazi lezilwane zomhlatshelo, usuku olulodwa njalo ngonyaka, phambi kokukhanya okuyisimangaliso okwakumelela ukuba khona kukaJehova ‘eNgcwelengcwele.’ (Hebheru 9:1-7) Ekubhapathizweni kukaJesu, kwaba khona elinye ithempeli, ilungiselelo elikhulu elingokomoya, elinjengethempeli lokukhulekela uJehova. Ingcwelengcwele yaleli thempeli isezulwini, lapho uJesu abonakala khona ngokufanelekile “phambi kukaNkulunkulu.” (Hebheru 9:24) UJesu ungumPristi Ophakeme, futhi munye kuphela umhlatshelo onikelwayo ukuze kusitshekelwe izono ngokuphelele: igazi elichithiwe lendoda ephelele uJesu. (Hebheru 7:26, 27; 9:25-28; 10:1-5, 12-14) Uma nje ehlala ethembekile, amaKristu agcotshiwe asemhlabeni akhonza njengabapristi abangaphansi kwakhe emagcekeni asemhlabeni aleli thempeli. (1 Petru 2:9) Kodwa lapho nje esenqobile, nawo futhi angena kuleyo ngcwelengcwele yasezulwini futhi abe yizinsika ezingenakunyakaziswa, zelungiselelo lokukhulekela elinjengethempeli. (Hebheru 10:19; IsAmbulo 20:6) Ayikho ingozi yokuba aphinde “aphume kulo.”

23. (a) Isiphi isithembiso uJesu asenzayo futhi kumaKristu agcotshiwe anqobayo? (b) Yini eba umphumela wokubhalwa kwegama likaJehova negama leJerusalema elisha kubanqobi abangamaKristu?

²³ UJesu uyaqhubeka, ethi: “Futhi ngiyoloba kuye igama likaNkulunkulu wami negama lomuzi kaNkulunkulu wami, iJerusalema elisha elehla livela ezulwini kuNkulunkulu wami, naleliya gama lami elisha.” (IsAmbulo 3:12b) Yebo, laba banqobi banegama likaJehova elibhalwe kubo—uNkulunkulu wabo noNkulunkulu kaJesu. Lokhu kubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi uJehova noJesu bangabantu ababili abahlukene futhi abazona izingxenye ezimbili zikaNkulunkulu onezingxenye ezintathu, noma uZiqu-zintathu. (Johane 14:28; 20:17) Yonke indalo kumelwe ibone ukuthi laba abagcotshiwe bangabakaJehova. Bangofakazi bakhe. Futhi kubhalwe kubo igama leJerusalema elisha, umuzi wasezulwini owehla uvela ezulwini ngomqondo wokuthi wenabisela ukubusa kwawo okumnene phezu kwaso sonke isintu esithembekile. (IsAmbulo 21:9-14) Ngaleyo ndlela zonke izimvu zasemhlabeni ezingamaKristu nazo ziyokwazi ukuthi laba banqobi abagcotshiwe bayizakhamuzi zoMbuso, iJerusalema lasezulwini.—IHubo 87:5, 6; Mathewu 25:33, 34; Filipi 3:20; Hebheru 12:22.

24. Limeleleni igama likaJesu elisha, futhi libhalwe kanjani kumaKristu agcotshiwe athembekile?

²⁴ Ekugcineni, laba banqobi abagcotshiwe kubhalwe kubo igama likaJesu elisha. Lokhu kubhekisela esikhundleni sikaJesu esisha namalungelo ayingqayizivele awanikezwa uJehova. (Filipi 2:9-11; IsAmbulo 19:12) Akekho omunye olaziyo lelo gama, ngomqondo wokuthi akekho omunye onalokho okuhlangenwe nakho noma onikwe lawo malungelo. Nokho, lapho uJesu ebhala igama lakhe kubafowabo abathembekile, bangena ebuhlotsheni obuseduze kakhulu naye kuleyo ndawo yasezulwini futhi baze bahlanganyele ngisho nasemalungelweni akhe. (Luka 22:29, 30) Akumangalisi ukuthi uJesu uphetha isigijimi sakhe esiya kwabanjalo abagcotshiwe ngokuphinda umyalo: “Onendlebe makezwe lokho umoya okushoyo emabandleni.”—IsAmbulo 3:13.

25. UmKristu ngamunye namuhla angasisebenzisa kanjani isimiso esiseselulekweni uJesu asinikeza ibandla laseFiladelfiya?

²⁵ Yeka isikhuthazo esihle leso sigijimi okumelwe ukuba saba yiso kumaKristu athembekile aseFiladelfiya! Futhi ngokuqinisekile sinesifundo esinamandla ngesigaba sikaJohane manje, phakathi nosuku lweNkosi. Kodwa izimiso zaso zibalulekile ngomKristu ngamunye, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ungowabagcotshiwe noma ungowezinye izimvu. (Johane 10:16) Ngamunye wethu uyobe wenza kahle ngokuqhubeka ekhiqiza izithelo zoMbuso njengoba kwenza lawo maKristu aseFiladelfiya. Sonke sinawo okungenani amandla amancane. Sonke singenza okuthile enkonzweni kaJehova. Masiwasebenzise la mandla! Ngokuqondene namalungelo oMbuso andisiwe, masiphaphamele ukungena nganoma yimuphi umnyango osivulekelayo. Singaze ngisho sikuthandazele ukuba uJehova awuvule umnyango onjalo. (Kolose 4:2, 3) Njengoba silandela isibonelo sikaJesu sokukhuthazela futhi sizibonakalisa sithembekile egameni lakhe, siyobonisa ukuthi, nathi futhi, sinendlebe yokuzwa lokho umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu okushoyo emabandleni.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 63]

Ukusiza Abaningi Ukuba Bakhothame

Kwabangu-144 000 abagcotshiwe abazodla ifa loMbuso wasezulwini, kubonakala ukuthi insali, isigaba sikaJohane, sabangaphansi kuka-9 000 kusafanele siqede inkambo yaso emhlabeni. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, isixuku esikhulu, siye sanda saba yisixuku esingu-6 600 000 nangaphezulu. (IsAmbulo 7:4, 9) Yini eye yasiza ukuba kwenzeke lokhu kwanda okukhulu? Izikole ezihlukahlukene eziqhutshwa oFakazi BakaJehova ziye zaba nengxenye enkulu. Ngokuhluke kakhulu emakholiji eLobukholwa afundisa amafilosofi ezwe nalulaza iBhayibheli, lezi zikole zoFakazi zigxilisa ukholo olujulile eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Zibonisa ukusebenza kwalo okuwusizo ngokuqondene nokuphila okuhlanzekile, kokuziphatha okuhle nenkonzo yokuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu. Emhlabeni wonke kusukela ngo-1943, ibandla ngalinye loFakazi BakaJehova eHholo lalo LoMbuso liqhuba ISikole Senkonzo Esingokwasezulwini sebandla. Izigidi ziba khona kulesi sikole isonto ngalinye, zilandela isimiso esinobunye semfundo yeBhayibheli.

Kusukela ngo-1959 oFakazi BakaJehova baye futhi baqhuba Izikole Zenkonzo ZoMbuso zokuqeqesha abadala bebandla nezinceku ezikhonzayo. Futhi kusukela ngo-1977, Izikole Zenkonzo Zamaphayona ziye zaqeqesha abazalwane nodade abangamakhulu ezinkulungwane, abakhonza uJehova isikhathi esigcwele emsebenzini wokushumayela ngomoya wangempela waseFiladelfiya. Ngo-1987 kwaqaliswa Isikole Sokuqeqeshela Inkonzo sokuqeqeshela oFakazi besilisa izabelo ezikhethekile ensimini yomhlaba.

Esivelele phakathi kwezikole eziqhutshwa oFakazi BakaJehova kuye kwaba yi-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. Kusukela ngo-1943 lesi sikole sezithunywa zevangeli, esiseNew York State, siye sathwesa amaqembu amabili abafundi iziqu cishe unyaka ngamunye. Sekukonke, sesiqeqeshe izikhonzi zikaJehova ezingaphezu kuka-7 000 ngenjongo yenkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli kwamanye amazwe. Abathole iziqu kulesi sikole baye bakhonza emazweni angaphezu kwekhulu, kwamaningi awo babe usizo ekuqaliseni umsebenzi woMbuso. Ngemva kweminyaka cishe engu-60, eziningi zezithunywa zevangeli zokuqala zisekuwo lo msebenzi, zihlanganyela nezithunywa zevangeli ezintsha ekuthuthukiseni ukwanda komhlaba wonke kwenhlangano kaJehova. Yeka ukwanda okumangalisayo lokhu okubé yikho!

[Ishadi ekhasini 64]

Ngo-1919 iNkosi ebusayo uJesu yavula umnyango wethuba lenkonzo yamaKristu. Isibalo esandayo samaKristu azinikele siye sasebenzisa lelo thuba ngokunenzuzo.

1918 14 3 868 591

1928 32 23 988 1 883

1938 52 47 143 4 112

1948 96 230 532 8 994

1958 175 717 088 23 772

1968 200 1 155 826 63 871

1978 205 2 086 698 115 389

1988 212 3 430 926 455 561

1998 233 5 544 059 698 781

2005 235 6 390 022 843 234

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ishadi ekhasini 65]

Umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova wenziwa ngenhliziyo yonke. Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela amahora abaye bawasebenzisa ekushumayeleni nasekufundiseni nesibalo esikhulu sezifundo zeBhayibheli zamahhala abaye baziqhuba emakhaya abantu.

1918 19 116 Asigcinwanga

1928 2 866 164 Asigcinwanga

1938 10 572 086 Asigcinwanga

1948 49 832 205 130 281

1958 110 390 944 508 320

1968 208 666 762 977 503

1978 307 272 262 1 257 084

1988 785 521 697 3 237 160

1998 1 186 666 708 4 302 852

2005 1 278 235 504 6 061 534

[Isithombe ekhasini 59]

Isihluthulelo samaRoma sekhulu lokuqala