1. Umfowethu uRussell labanye bakhe babesenzani nxa befunda futhi kungani le kwakuyindlela enhle yokufunda?

EMINYAKENI ephezu kwengu-100 eyadlulayo, umfowethu uC. T. Russell kanye labanye bakhe baqalisa ukuhlangana ndawonye. Abafundi beLizwi likaNkulunkulu laba babefuna ukubona ukuthi bangenelisa yini ukuzwisisa ukuthi iBhayibhili lifundisani sibili ngoJehova uNkulunkulu, ngoJesu Khristu, ngesimo sabafileyo langenhlawulo. Indlela ababefunda ngayo yayilula. Kwakusithi othile angabuza umbuzo, bahlole wonke amavesi akhuluma ngendaba ebuziweyo. Sebeqedile, babebhala phansi ababekutholile. UJehova wancedisa amadoda lawo ukuthi azwisise iqiniso eliqakathekileyo eliseBhayibhilini futhi iqiniso leli lilokhu liqakathekile lalamuhla.

2. Kuyini okungenza ngezinye izikhathi sicine sikholwa okungaqondanga nxa sizama ukuzwisisa isiphrofetho esiseBhayibhilini?

² Kodwa kungakayi ngaphi abafundi beBhayibhili laba bananzelela ukuthi ukuzwisisa isiphrofetho seBhayibhili kunzima kulokuzwisisa imfundiso yeBhayibhili eyisisekelo. Kungani kunjalo? Esinye isizatho yikuthi iziphrofetho zeBhayibhili zijayele ukuzwisiseka kuhle ngesikhathi zigcwaliseka kumbe sezigcwalisekile. Kodwa kulesinye isizatho. Kumele siqale sihlole isiphrofetho sonke ukuze sisizwisise ngendlela eqondileyo. Nxa singakhangela okunye okutshiwo yisiphrofetho leso sitshiye okunye, sizasizwisisa ngendlela engaqondanga. Kukhanya angani lokho yikho okwenzakalayo ngesinye isiphrofetho esisebhukwini likaJoweli. Kasisihloleni kutsha isiphrofetho leso besesibona ukuthi kungani kumele sintshintshe indlela esisizwisisa ngayo.

3-4. Kuyini ebesikukholwa mayelana lesiphrofetho esikuJoweli 2:7-9?

³ Bala uJoweli 2:7-9. UJoweli ukhuluma ngentethe ezizatshabalalisa  ilizwe lako-Israyeli. Intethe lezi eziyizihwaba njalo ezilamazinyo lemihlathi enjengeyesilwane zizakudla zonke izimila eziselizweni lako-Israyeli. (Jow. 1:4, 6, NWT) Sekuleminyaka eminengi sikholwa ukuthi okwenziwa ngumtshitshi wentethe lezi ezingavimbekiyo kumela indlela abantu bakaJehova abenza ngayo umsebenzi wokutshumayela. Sasisithi umsebenzi lo udala umonakalo ‘elizweni’ kumbe ebantwini abangaphansi kwabakhokheli benkolo yamanga. *

⁴ Nxa singabala uJoweli 2:7-9 kuphela, le kungakhanya kuyindlela eqondileyo yokuchasisa isiphrofetho leso. Kodwa singahlola isiphrofetho sonke sizananzelela ukuthi kumele sintshintshe indlela esisizwisisa ngayo. Asihloleni izizatho ezine ezenza sintshintshe.

5-6. Yiwuphi umbuzo esingazibuza wona nxa singabala (a) uJoweli 2:20? (b) uJoweli 2:25?

⁵ Okokuqala, nanzelela isithembiso sikaJehova mayelana lokuhlasela kwentethe. Uthi: “Ibutho lasenyakatho [intethe] ngizalixotshela khatshana lani.” (Jow. 2:20) Nxa kuyikuthi intethe zimela oFakazi bakaJehova abalalela umlayo kaJesu wokutshumayela lokwenza abafundi, pho kungani uJehova ethembisa ukuthi uzazixotshela khatshana? (Hez. 33:7-9; Mat. 28:19, 20) Kusegcekeni ukuthi uJehova kaxotsheli khatshana izinceku zakhe ezithembekileyo kodwa uxotshela khatshana into ethile loba umuntu othile ozonda abantu bakhe.

⁶ Isizatho sesibili sitholakala kuJoweli 2:25. Evesini le uJehova uthi: “Ngizalihlawula okwaleyo minyaka lokho okwadliwa zintethe, lesikhonyane lobuyane, ezinye izintethe kanye lemitshitshi yezintethe—ibutho lami elikhulu engalithumela kini.” Nanzelela ukuthi evesini le uJehova uthembisa ‘ukuhlawula’ ngenxa yomonakalo odalwe zintethe. Nxa kuyikuthi intethe lezo zimela abavangeli boMbuso kutsho ukuthi umlayezo abawutshumayelayo udala umonakalo. Kodwa umlayezo lo usindisa abantu futhi wenza labanye ababi baphenduke. (Hez. 33:8, 19) Lezo zindaba ezinhle!

7. Amazwi akuJoweli 2:28, 29 athi ‘ngemva kwalokho’ asinceda sizwisiseni?

⁷ Bala uJoweli 2:28, 29. Isizatho sesithathu sicaciswa yindlela izenzakalo zesiphrofetho lesi ezilandelana ngayo. Unanzelele yini ukuthi uJehova uthi uzathela umoya wakhe ngemva kokuba intethe seziqede umsebenzi ebeziwuphiwe? Manje nxa intethe zimela labo abatshumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, uJehova uyabe ewuthululelani kubo umoya wakhe ngemva kokuphela komsebenzi wabo wokufakaza? Iqiniso yikuthi aluba bebengancediswa ngumoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, bebengeke benelise ukuqhubeka betshumayela okweminyaka eminengi ngapha bephikiswa njalo umsebenzi wabo uvinjelwa.

8. Intethe okukhulunywa ngazo kuSambulo 9:1-11 zimelani? (Khangela umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

⁸ Bala iSambulo 9:1-11. Khathesi asihloleni isizatho sesine. Okunye okwenza sakholwa ukuthi ukuhlasela kwentethe okukhulunywa ngakho kuJoweli kumela umsebenzi wethu wokutshumayela yisiphrofetho esisebhukwini leSambulo esihambelana lesikaJoweli. Isiphrofetho leso sikhuluma ngomtshitshi wentethe ezilobuso obunjengobomuntu futhi ‘ezilezinto ezingathi yimiqhele yegolide’ emakhanda azo. (Isam. 9:7) Zihlukuluza “abantu [izitha zikaNkulunkulu] abangelalo uphawu lukaNkulunkulu emabunzini abo.” Zibahlukuluza okwenyanga ezinhlanu,  okuhambelana lobude bempilo yentethe. (Isam. 9:4, 5) Kuyakhanya sibili ukuthi ivesi le ikhuluma ngezinceku zikaJehova ezigcotshiweyo. Zikhuluma ngesibindi ngezahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu ezizakwehlela umhlaba lo omubi futhi lokho kwenza abawusekelayo bangakhululeki.

9. Yiwuphi umehluko okhona phakathi kwentethe uJoweli loJohane abakhuluma ngazo?

⁹ Isiphrofetho esikuSambulo siyahambelana sibili lesikuJoweli. Lanxa kunjalo kulomehluko omkhulu phakathi kwazo. Ngokwesibonelo, intethe okukhulunywa ngazo kuJoweli ziyazitshabalalisa izimila. (Jow. 1:4, 6, 7) Kodwa ezabonwa nguJohane embonweni “zatshelwa ukuthi zingalimazi izilimo ezisemhlabeni.” (Isam. 9:4) Intethe ezabonwa nguJoweli zavela enyakatho. (Jow. 2:20) Kodwa ezabonwa nguJohane zaphuma emgodini ongelamkhawulo. (Isam. 9:2, 3) Intethe uJoweli akhuluma ngazo zixotshelwa khatshana. Okukhulunywa ngazo kuSambulo zona azixotshelwa khatshana kodwa ziyavunyelwa ukuthi ziqede umsebenzi wazo. Akulandawo eBhayibhilini etshengisa ukuthi uJehova kathokozi ngezikwenzayo.—Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Iziphrofetho Ezimayelana Lentethe—Ziyahambelana Kodwa Zitshiyene.”

10. Yisiphi isibonelo esiseBhayibhilini esiveza ukuthi intethe uJoweli loJohane abakhuluma ngazo zimela izinto ezitshiyeneyo?

¹⁰ Umehluko okhona phakathi kweziphrofetho lezi ezimbili wenza sibone ukuthi  azikhulumi ngezinto ezifananayo. Sitsho ukuthi intethe uJoweli akhuluma ngazo zitshiyene yini lezikuSambulo? Ye. Ngezinye izikhathi ulutho okukhulunywa ngalo kwamanye amavesi lungamela into etshiyeneyo kwamanye. Ngokwesibonelo, kuSambulo 5:5 uJesu ubizwa ngokuthi ‘uyiSilwane sesizwana sakoJuda’ kodwa ku-1 Phetro 5:8 uDeveli kuthiwa ‘unjengesilwane esibhongayo.’ Yikho-ke ngokwalokho esesixoxe ngakho kuyazikhanyela ukuthi kumele sisichasise ngenye indlela isiphrofetho sikaJoweli. Kambe singabe simelani isiphrofetho lesi?

11. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuJoweli 1:6 lo-2:1, 8, 11, intethe zimelani?

¹¹ Nxa singahlolisisa amanye amavesi asesiphrofethweni sikaJoweli sizazwisisa ukuthi wayephrofetha ngokuhlasela kwebutho. (Jow. 1:6; 2:1, 8, 11) UJehova wathi uzasebenzisa ‘ibutho lakhe elikhulu’ (okutsho amasotsha eBhabhiloni) ukujezisa ama-Israyeli angalaleliyo. (Jow. 2:25) Kuqondile sibili ukuthi kuthiwe ibutho leli livela ‘enyakatho’ ngoba abaseBhabhiloni babezahlasela abako-Israyeli bevela enyakatho. (Jow. 2:20) Ibutho leli lifaniswa lomtshitshi wentethe ohlelekileyo. Ekhuluma ngalo uJoweli uthi: ‘Lowo lalowo uhamba eqonde phambili. Baya ngesiqubu edolobheni; bagijima besekele umduli. Bayakhwela bangene ezindlini; bangena ngamawindi njengamasela.” (Jow. 2:8, 9) Kubone ngelihlo lengqondo okwenzakalayo, kugcwele amasotsha yonke indawo. Akula ndawo yokucatsha. Kakho ongalibalekela ibutho leBhabhiloni.

12. Isiphrofetho sikaJoweli esimayelana lentethe sagcwaliseka njani?

¹² Njengentethe, abaseBhabhiloni (kumbe amaKhaledi) bahlasela idolobho leJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E. * IBhayibhili lithi: ‘Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yabulala amajaha akibo ngenkemba njalo akusindanga jaha loba ntombi, indoda endala loba oseluphele. UNkulunkulu wabanikela bonke esandleni sikaNebhukhadinezari. Bathungela ngomlilo ithempeli likaNkulunkulu njalo badiliza umduli weJerusalema; batshisa zonke izigodlo batshabalalisa lakho konke okwakuligugu khonapho.’ (2 ImiLan. 36:17, 19) Kwathi abaseBhabhiloni sebelihlasele balitshabalalisa ilizwe abantu bathi: “Lilugwadule oluphundlekileyo, olungelabantu lezinyamazana, ngoba lanikelwa kumaKhaledi.”​—Jer. 32:43.

13. Chasisa okutshiwo kuJeremiya 16:16, 18.

¹³ Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-200 kulotshwe isiphrofetho sikaJoweli, uJehova wasebenzisa uJeremiya ukuthi aphrofethe ngokunye okumayelana lokuhlasela lokhu. Wathi abaseBhabhiloni babezawadinga baze bawathole ama-Israyeli ayesenza izinto ezimbi njalo bawathumbe wonke. “UJehova uthi, ‘Kodwa khathesi ngizathumela abagoli benhlanzi abanengi, bazababamba. Emva kwalokho ngizathumela abazingeli abanengi, bazabazingela ezintabeni zonke lasemaqaqeni wonke njalo lasezingoxweni zamadwala. . . . Ngizaphindisela ngokuphindiweyo ububi babo lesono sabo.’” Lanxa ama-Israyeli ayengacatsha elwandle loba eguswini, abaseBhabhiloni babezawabamba kuphela.​—Jer. 16:16, 18.

14. UJoweli 2:28, 29 wagcwaliseka nini?

¹⁴ Khathesi uJoweli useletha izindaba ezinhle. Ilizwe lizaphinda lithele. (Jow. 2:23-26) Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile  kuzatholakala ukudla okunengi okuqinisa ukholo. UJehova uthi: ‘Ngizathela umoya wami ebantwini bonke. Amadodana enu lamadodakazi enu azaphrofetha. Lakuzinceku zami, ezesilisa lezesifazana, ngizathela umoya wami.’ (Jow. 2:28, 29) UNkulunkulu kazange athele umoya wakhe ama-Israyeli esanda kufika elizweni lawo evela eBhabhiloni. Kodwa wawuthela ngemva kweminyaka eminengi, ngePhentekhosti lika-33 C.E. Sikwazi njani lokhu?

15. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kumiSebenzi 2:16, 17, yiluphi untshintsho uPhetro alwenzayo emazwini akuJoweli 2:28 njalo lokhu kutshengisani?

¹⁵ Umphostoli uPhetro wathi ephefumulelwe, wakhuluma isiphrofetho esikuJoweli 2:28, 29 echasisa isimanga esenzakala ngelanga lePhentekhosti. Ngalelolanga ngabo-9 ekuseni kwathululwa umoya ongcwele ngendlela eyisimanga futhi labo abawamukelayo baqalisa ukukhuluma “izinto ezimangalisayo zikaNkulunkulu.” (ImiSeb. 2:11) Ephefumulelwe uPhetro wasebenzisa amazwi atshiyene kancane lalawo asesiphrofethweni sikaJoweli. Ulunanzelele yini untshintsho alwenzayo? (Bala imiSebenzi 2:16, 17.) Kulokuthi aqalise ngokuthi ‘ngemva kwalokho,’ uPhetro wathi: “Ezinsukwini zokucina,” esitsho isikhathi iJerusalema lethempeli lingakabhujiswa. Ngalesosikhathi umoya kaNkulunkulu wawuzathululwa “kuyo yonke imihlobo yabantu.” Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi kwadlula isikhathi eside isiphrofetho sikaJoweli singakagcwaliseki.

16. Umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu wancedisa njani emsebenzini wokutshumayela ngesikhathi sabaphostoli futhi usincedisa njani lamuhla?

¹⁶ Ngemva kokuthululwa komoya kaNkulunkulu ngesikhathi sabaphostoli, amaKhristu aqalisa umsebenzi wokutshumayela owawuzakwenziwa emhlabeni wonke. Ngesikhathi umphostoli uPhawuli ebhala  incwadi yabaseKholose ngabo-61 C.E., wayeqinisile sibili lapho esithi izindaba ezinhle zasezitshunyayelwe “kukho konke okudaliweyo okungaphansi kwezulu.” (Kol. 1:23) Ngesikhathi uPhawuli esithi “konke okudaliweyo” wayesitsho izindawo lapho yena labanye ababengatshumayela khona. Khathesi umsebenzi wokutshumayela usuqhele waze wafika “emaphethelweni omhlaba” ngenxa yokuthi umoya ongcwele kaJehova olamandla ubusincedisa.—ImiSeb. 13:47; khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Ngizathulula Umoya Wami.”

17. Indlela ebesizwisisa ngayo isiphrofetho sikaJoweli esimayelana lentethe intshintshe njani?

¹⁷ Kuyini okuntshintshileyo? Khathesi sesisizwisisa ngendlela eqondileyo isiphrofetho esikuJoweli 2:7-9. Kuyacaca ukuthi amavesi la awakhulumi ngomsebenzi wethu wokutshumayela esiwenza ngentshiseko kodwa akhuluma ngalokho okwenzakala ngesikhathi ibutho laseBhabhiloni lihlasela iJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E.

18. Kuyini okungantshintshanga ngabantu bakaJehova?

¹⁸ Kuyini okungantshintshanga? Abantu bakaJehova baqhubeka betshumayela izindaba ezinhle endaweni yonke besebenzisa zonke izindlela abangazisebenzisa. (Mat. 24:14) Akulalutho olungenziwa ngohulumende olungasivimbela ukuthi silalele umlayo wokuthi sitshumayele. Sikhuthele kakhulu futhi silesibindi sokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ngoba uJehova uyasibusisa. Siqhubeka sithembele kuye ukuthi asincedise sizwisise iziphrofetho zeBhayibhili ngoba siyaqiniseka ukuthi ngesikhathi esifaneleyo uzasikhokhela “kulo lonke iqiniso.”—Joh. 16:13.