1. UMzalwan’ uRussell neqela elincinci labafundi beLizwi LikaThixo babeyifunda njani iBhayibhile, ibe kutheni sisithi yasebenza loo ndlela?

KWIMINYAKA elikhulu edlulileyo, uMzalwan’ uC .T. Russell wadibana neqela elincinci labanye abafundi beLizwi LikaThixo. Babefuna ukuqonda ukuba iBhayibhile ithini ngoYehova uThixo, ngoYesu Kristu, ngabantu abaswelekileyo nangentlawulelo. Indlela ababeyifunda ngayo yayilula, omnye wayebuza umbuzo baze xa bebonke bajonge iZibhalo ezithetha ngaloo nto. Xa begqibile babebhala phantsi yonke into abayifumeneyo. UYehova wawanceda loo madoda afumana eyona nyaniso ithethwa yiBhayibhile, ibe izinto awazifumanayo zisabalulekile nanamhlanje.

2. Yintoni enokwenza sisiqonde ngendlela engachananga isiprofeto seBhayibhile?

² Abo bafundi beBhayibhile bafumanisa ukuba eyona nto inzima kukuqonda isiprofeto seBhayibhile kunento eyifundisayo. Kutheni kunzima ukusiqonda? Kaloku, iziprofeto zeBhayibhile siziqonda kakuhle xa zisenzeka okanye emva kokuba zenzekile. Enye into, ukuze sisiqonde ngendlela echanileyo isiprofeto, kufuneka sisifunde sonke. Ukuba sifunda nje iivesi ezimbalwa zaso, siziyeke ezinye, sinokusiqonda ngendlela engachananga. Kubonakala ngathi kwenzeke loo nto kwisiprofeto esikwincwadi kaYoweli. Makhe siphinde sisijonge ukuze sibone ukuba kutheni kufuneka siyitshintshe indlela esisiqonda ngayo.

3-4. Besisoloko sisiqonda njani isiprofeto esikuYoweli 2:7-9?

³ Funda uYoweli 2:7-9. Apha uYoweli uthetha ngesibetho seenkumbi eziza konakalisa ilizwe lakwaSirayeli. Ezi nkumbi zinamazinyo nemihlathi efana neyengonyama, ziza kuzitya zizigqibe zonke izityalo zakwaSirayeli. (Yow. 1:4, 6) Besisoloko  sisithi esi siprofeto sithetha ngabantu bakaYehova abangayekiyo ukushumayela nokuba sekutheni, kanye njengebubu leenkumbi. Besiqonda ukuba lo msebenzi uveza ubuxoki obufundiswa ezicaweni. *

⁴ Ibonakala ichanile indlela ebesisiqonda ngayo esi siprofeto ukuba sifunda nje uYoweli 2:7-9. Kodwa xa sisifunda sonke, siye sabona ukuba simele siyitshintshe indlela esisiqonda ngayo. Ngoku makhe sithethe ngezizathu ezine ezenza siyitshintshe.

5-6. Ngowuphi umbuzo ophakamayo xa sifunda (a) uYoweli 2:20? (b) uYoweli 2:25?

⁵ Esokuqala, khawuve into eyathenjiswa nguYehova xa wayethetha ngesibetho seenkumbi. Wathi: “Ndiza kumgxothela kude kuni lowo uvela ngasemntla [okanye iinkumbi].” (Yow. 2:20) Ukuba iinkumbi zimela amaNgqina KaYehova athobela umyalelo kaYesu wokushumayela nokwenza abafundi, kutheni uYehova ethembisa ukuba uza kuwagxothela kude? (Hez. 33:7-9; Mat. 28:19, 20) Le nto yenza kucace ukuba uYehova akagxothi abakhonzi bakhe, kodwa ugxotha abantu abangabafuniyo abantu bakhe.

⁶ Isizathu sesibini, khawucinge ngento ethethwa kuYoweli 2:25. UYehova uthi: “Ndiza kunibuyekeza ngelahleko yeminyaka ebangelwe libubu leenkumbi, umqikela, iinkumbi ezitshabalalisayo neenkumbi ezibhuqayo, ezingumkhosi wam omkhulu wamajoni endanithumela ngawo.” Apha uYehova uthembisa ukuba uza ‘kuwubuyekeza’ umonakalo owenziwe ziinkumbi. Ukuba iinkumbi zimela abantu abashumayela ngoBukumkani, loo nto ibiya kuthetha ukuba umyalezo abawuphetheyo ubenza buhlungu abantu. Kodwa lo myalezo usindisa ubomi, ibe unokubangela ukuba abantu abenza izinto ezimbi baguquke. (Hez. 33:8, 19) Intle kakhulu loo nto.

7. Amazwi akuYoweli 2:28, 29 asinceda siqonde ntoni?

⁷ Funda uYoweli 2:28, 29. Isizathu sesithathu yindlela ezilandelelana ngayo izinto ezenzeka kwesi siprofeto. Ubonile ukuba uYehova uthi: “Emva koko ndiza kuthulula umoya wam”? Loo nto ithetha ukuba uza kuthulula umoya wakhe emva kokuba iinkumbi ziwenze zawugqiba umsebenzi wazo. Ukuba iinkumbi zimela abavakalisi boBukumkani, kutheni uYehova eza kuthulula umoya wakhe phezu kwazo emva kokuba ziwenze zawugqiba umsebenzi wokushumayela? Inyaniso kukuba, ukuba uThixo ebengabaniki umoya wakhe, bebengenakuqhubeka beshumayela kangangeminyaka naxa bechaswa okanye umsebenzi wabo uvaliwe.

8. Iinkumbi ekuthethwa ngazo kwiSityhilelo 9:1-11 zimela oobani? (Jonga umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

⁸ Funda iSityhilelo 9:1-11. Ngoku makhe sithethe ngesizathu sesine. Besikade sisithi isibetho seenkumbi ekuthethwa ngaso kuYoweli ngumsebenzi wethu wokushumayela, kuba esi siprofeto siyafana neso sikwiSityhilelo. Esi siprofeto seSityhilelo sithetha ngebubu leenkumbi ezinobuso obufana nobomntu nekukho “izinto ezingathi zizithsaba zegolide” kwiintloko zazo. (ISityhi. 9:7) Kangangeenyanga ezintlanu, okanye ixesha eziphila ngalo iinkumbi, zibavisa ubuhlungu “abantu [okanye iintshaba  zikaThixo] abangenalo uphawu lukaThixo emabunzini abo.” (ISityhi. 9:4, 5) Kubonakala ngathi apha kuthethwa ngabakhonzi bakaYehova abathanjisiweyo. Benesibindi, bavakalisa ukuba uThixo uza kuligweba eli hlabathi, ibe loo nto yenza ukuba abantu abalithandayo bangazinzi.

9. Ziintoni izinto ezibalulekileyo ezahluke ngazo iinkumbi ezibonwa nguYoweli nezo zichazwa nguYohane?

⁹ Zikho izinto ezibalulekileyo ezohluke ngazo iinkumbi ekuthethwa ngazo kwiSityhilelo nezo kuthethwa ngazo kuYoweli. Kwisiprofeto esikuYoweli, iinkumbi zitya bonke utyani. (Yow. 1:4, 6, 7) Kanti kumbono kaYohane, iinkumbi ‘zixelelwa ukuba zingabonakalisi utyani bomhlaba.’ (ISityhi. 9:4) Iinkumbi ezibonwa nguYoweli zivela ngasemntla. (Yow. 2:20) Kanti ezibonwa nguYohane ziphuma kumngxuma ongenasiphelo. (ISityhi. 9:2, 3) Iinkumbi ezikwisiprofeto sikaYoweli zigxothelwa kude. EzikwiSityhilelo azigxothelwa kude, kodwa ziyavunyelwa ziwenze ziwugqibe umsebenzi wazo. EBhayibhileni ayikho indawo ebonisa ukuba uYehova wayengavuyiswa yinto eziyenzayo.—Funda ibhokisi ethi “ Izinto Ezibalulekileyo Ezahluke Ngazo Iziprofeto Ezithetha Ngeenkumbi.”

10. Zeziphi iZibhalo ezibonisa ukuba into enye ikhe ifanekisele izinto ezahlukeneyo kwiimeko ezingafaniyo?

 ¹⁰ Izinto ezahluke ngazo ezi ziprofeto zibini, zenza sibone ukuba azidibani. Ngaba sithi, ‘iinkumbi’ ekuthethwa ngazo kuYoweli azifani nezo kuthethwa ngazo kwiSityhilelo? Ewe sitsho. EBhayibhileni, iqhelekile into yokuba into enye ifanekisele izinto ezahlukeneyo xa isetyenziswa kwiimeko ezingafaniyo. Ngokomzekelo, kwiSityhilelo 5:5 kuthiwa uYesu ‘yiNgonyama yesizwe sakwaYuda,’ ngoxa kweyoku-1 kaPetros 5:8 kusithiwa uMtyholi ‘unjengengonyama egqumayo.’ Le ndlela sisiqonda ngayo esi siprofeto sikaYoweli isenze sanemibuzo. Ngoko siyabona ukuba kufuneka siyitshintshe. Siyitshintshe sithini?

11. UYoweli 1:6 no-2:1, 8, 11, usinceda siqonde ukuba iinkumbi zimela oobani?

¹¹ Xa sifunda nezinye iivesi zesiprofeto sikaYoweli, siyabona ukuba esi siprofeto sithetha ngomkhosi ohlaselayo. (Yow. 1:6; 2:1, 8, 11) UYehova wathi uza kusebenzisa ‘umkhosi wakhe omkhulu’ (amajoni aseBhabhiloni) xa esohlwaya amaSirayeli angamthobeliyo. (Yow. 2:25) Lo mkhosi uza kuhlasela amaSirayeli uvela “ngasemntla.” (Yow. 2:20) Ufaniswa nebubu leenkumbi. Xa ethetha ngawo uYoweli uthi, ijoni ‘ngalinye lihamba ngendlela yalo. Ayagxalathelana ukungena esixekweni, abaleka eludongeni. Akhwela ezindlini, angene ngeefestile njengesela.’ (Yow. 2:8, 9) Khawube nomfanekiso wale nto. Amajoni agcwele yonk’ indawo. Akho ndawo umntu anokuzimela kuyo. Akakho onokukwazi ukuwubaleka umkhosi waseBhabhiloni.

12. Yenzeka njani into eyaprofetwa nguYoweli ngeenkumbi?

¹² Njengeenkumbi, amaBhabhiloni (okanye amaKhaledi) asitshabalalisa isixeko saseYerusalem ngo-607 B.C.E. IBhayibhile ithi: ‘Ukumkani wamaKhaledi, owabulala abafana babo ngekrele zange abe nalusizi ngomfana okanye ngentombi, omdala okanye ogulayo. UThixo wayinikela esandleni sakhe yonke into. Wayitshisa indlu yoThixo wokwenene, waludiliza udonga lwaseYerusalem, yaye zonke iinqaba zayo ezikhuselekileyo wazitshisa ngomlilo. Watshabalalisa kwanto exabisekileyo.’ (2 Kron. 36:17, 19) Emva kokuba iYerusalem itshatyalaliswe yiBhabhiloni, abantu babesithi: “Lilizwe elitshabaleleyo elingenamntu nasilwanyana sasendle, yaye linikelwe esandleni samaKhaledi.”—Yer. 32:43.

13. Uthetha ngantoni uYeremiya 16:16, 18?

¹³ Emva kweminyaka emalunga neyi-200 uYeremiya eprofetile, uYehova wathumela uYeremiya ukuba aprofete ngenye into eyayiza kwenzeka xa kuhlaselwa. Wathi kwakuza kukhangelwa namaSirayeli awayesenza izinto ezimbi, ibe kwakungekho nomnye owayeza kusinda. “‘Ndithumela ukuba kubizwe abalobi abaninzi,’ utsho uYehova, ‘baze bawalobe. Emva koko ndiza kuthumela ukuba kubizwe abazingeli abaninzi, bawazingele kuzo zonke iintaba nakuzo zonke iinduli nakwiimfanta zamawa. . . . Ndiza kuwabhatalisa ngokupheleleyo ngenxa yesiphoso sawo nesono sawo.’” Loo maSirayeli ayengazukwazi ukuzifihla naphi na.—Yer. 16:16, 18.

14. Yenzeka nini into ekuthethwa ngayo kuYoweli 2:28, 29?

¹⁴ Ngoku uYoweli uthetha ngeendaba ezimnandi. Ilizwe liza kuphinda lichume.  (Yow. 2:23-26) Ekuhambeni kwexesha abantu abaninzi baza kuyazi inyaniso. UYehova uthi: “Ndiza kuthulula umoya wam phezu kwalo lonke uhlobo lwabantu, yaye baza kuprofeta oonyana benu neentombi zenu . . . Nkqu naphezu kwezicaka nezicakakazi zam ndiza kuthulula umoya wam.” (Yow. 2:28, 29) Loo nto ayizange yenzeke ngokukhawuleza emva kokuba amaSirayeli ebuyiselwe kwilizwe lawo. Yenzeka emva kweminyaka emalunga neyi-600, ngePentekoste ka-33 C.E. Siyazi njani loo nto?

15. KwiZenzo 2:16, 17, ngawaphi amazwi esiprofeto esikuYoweli 2:28 awawatshintshayo uPetros, ibe loo nto ithetha ntoni?

¹⁵ Umpostile uPetros waphefumlelwa ukuba asebenzise uYoweli 2:28, 29 xa wayethetha ngento emangalisayo eyenzeka ngosuku lwePentekoste. Malunga nentsimbi yesithoba ngaloo ntsasa, uThixo wathululela umoya wakhe oyingcwele kubantu abathetha “izinto ezinkulu zikaThixo.” (IZe. 2:11) Xa uPetros wayecaphula isiprofeto sikaYoweli, waphefumlelwa ukuba athethe amazwi ohluke kancinci kuso. Uwabonile loo mazwi? (Funda iZenzo 2:16, 17.) Endaweni yokuba aqale ngamazwi athi “emva koko,” wathi, “ngemihla yokugqibela.” Le mihla yokugqibela athetha ngayo yeyangaphambi kokuba iYerusalem netempile yayo zitshatyalaliswe. Ngelo xesha uThixo wayeza kuthululela umoya wakhe “phezu kwalo lonke uhlobo lwabantu.” Le nto ithetha ukuba kwadlula ixesha elide ngaphambi kokuba yenzeke into eyathethwa kwisiprofeto sikaYoweli.

16. Umoya oyingcwele kaThixo wawanceda njani amaKristu awayephila ngexesha labapostile kumsebenzi wokushumayela, ibe usinceda njani ngoku?

¹⁶ Emva kokuba uThixo ethulule umoya wakhe kumaKristu awayephila ngexesha labapostile,  aqalisa umsebenzi wokushumayela owawuza kwenziwa emhlabeni wonke. Malunga nonyaka ka-61 C.E., xa uPawulos wayebhalela ibandla laseKolose, wakwazi ukuthi iindaba ezilungileyo zishunyayelwa “kwindalo yonke ephantsi kwezulu.” (Kol. 1:23) Xa uPawulos wayesithi “kwindalo yonke,” wayethetha ngeendawo yena nabanye ababenokukwazi ukuya kuzo. Ngoncedo lomoya oyingcwele kaYehova, iindaba ezilungileyo ziye zashunyayelwa kakhulu kule mihla, ukuya kutsho “nakwezona ndawo zikude zomhlaba.”—IZe. 13:47; funda ibhokisi ethi “ Ndiza Kuthulula Umoya Wam.”

17. Yintoni etshintshileyo kwindlela esisiqonda ngayo isiprofeto sikaYoweli esithetha ngeenkumbi?

¹⁷ Yintoni etshintshileyo? Ngoku sisiqonda ngendlela echanileyo isiprofeto esikuYoweli 2:7-9. Kucacile ukuba ezi vesi azithethi ngomsebenzi esiwenzayo wokushumayela, zithetha ngomkhosi waseBhabhiloni owoyisa iYerusalem ngo-607 B.C.E.

18. Yintoni engatshintshanga ngabantu bakaYehova?

¹⁸ Yintoni engatshintshanga? Abantu bakaYehova basashumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kuzo zonke iindawo, besebenzisa zonke iindlela abanokukwazi ukuzisebenzisa. (Mat. 24:14) Akukho nto inokwenziwa ngurhulumente enokusiyekisa ukushumayela. Ngenxa yentsikelelo kaYehova, sikhuthele kakhulu kulo msebenzi kwaye siwenza ngesibindi. Sixhomekeke kuYehova ukuba asincede sisiqonde kakuhle isiprofeto seBhayibhile. Siqinisekile ukuba ngexesha elifanelekileyo, uza kusinceda ‘siyazi kakuhle’ inyaniso.—Yoh. 16:13.