UJehova Uqoqa Futhi Ahlomisele Abantu Bakhe Umsebenzi

Kuwo wonke amakhulu eminyaka, ukuhlubuka kuye kwagcwala kuwo wonke umhlaba. Amahlelo amaningi esonto ayenazo izimfundiso ezithile zeBhayibheli kodwa ngokuyinhloko alandela imikhuba yabantu kanye namasiko amaningi obuqaba. Amathemba okubuya kukaKristu ayenganakwa.—Qhathanisa no-Mathewu 13:24-30, 37-43.

Nokho, uJesu wayethe kumelwe kulindelwe ukubuya kwakhe! Elinye iqembu elalikwenza lokhu laliseAllegheny, Pennsylvania, eU.S.A. Ekuqaleni kwawo-1870 uCharles Taze Russell nabanye babangane bakhe baqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli ngokugcwele, nangokungasekelwe ehlelweni elithile ngokuphathelene nokubuya kukaKristu. Baqala nokufuna iqiniso leBhayibheli ngezinye izimfundiso eziningi eziyisisekelo. Lesi kwakuyisiqalo semisebenzi yosuku lwanamuhla yoFakazi BakaJehova.—Mathewu 24:42.

Leliqembu laqonda ukuthi imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu ayisekelwe eBhayibhelini kodwa uJehova kuphela onguNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke noMdali; uJesu Kristu uyindalo yaKhe yokuqala neNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa; nokuthi umoya ongcwele awusiye umuntu kodwa ungamandla kaNkulunkulu ayisiphekupheku angabonakali. Leliqembu labona ukuthi umphefumulo awuwona ongenakufa kodwa uyafa, ukuthi ithemba ngabafile liwuvuko, nokuthi isijeziso ngobubi okungaphendukwa kubo asisikho ukuhlushwa phakade kodwa ukubhujiswa.

Ukunikela kukaJesu ngokuphila kwakhe njengesihlengo sesintu kwabhekwa njengemfundiso yeBhayibheli eyisisekelo. Okokuqala, amadoda nabesifazane abayizi-144 000, abakhethwa kusukela ekhulwini lokuqala kuze kufike esikhathini sethu, bayohlengwa emhlabeni ukuba babe izindlalifa ezikanye noKristu eMbusweni wasezulwini. Khona-ke ngesihlengo sikaJesu izigidi zezinkulungwane zabantu, iningi lazo eliyovuswa kwabafileyo, ziyofinyelela ukuphila okuphelele zinethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni ngaphansi kwalokho kubusa koMbuso.

URussell nabangane bakhe babona futhi ukuthi ukuba khona kukaKristu kwakuyoba okungabonakali, okungokomoya. IZikhathi zabeZizwe, lezo phakathi nazo okwakungekho hulumeni emhlabeni owayemelela ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu, zaziyophela ngo-1914. Khona-ke uMbuso kaNkulunkulu wawuzomiswa ezulwini. Lezimfundiso namuhla zitholakala koFakazi BakaJehova.

URussell nabangane bakhe bamemezela lamaqiniso kuyo yonke indawo ngezinkulumo nangezincwadi ezinyathelisiwe. NgoJuly 1879 uRussell waqala ukukhipha incwadi iZion’s Watch Tower (manje ebizwa ngokuthi INqabayokulinda). Wakhipha isinqumo sokuthi imisebenzi yokushumayela yabaFundi BeBhayibheli kumelwe incike ngokuphelele eminikelweni yokuzithandela nokuthi kwakungenakuthathwa nkongozelo. Nokuthi, isigijimi kumelwe sisakazwe ngemizamo engakhokhelwa, yokuzithandela yalabo abakholwayo. URussell ngokwakhe wanikela ngalokho ayekuqongelele ebhizinisini kuze kube ngalesosikhathi.

AbaFundi BeBhayibheli bahlangana ndawonye baba amakilasi, njengoba amabandla abo ayebizwa kanjalo ngalesosikhathi. Babehlangana izikhathi ezintathu ngesonto, ukuze balalele izinkulumo, batadishe imiBhalo, futhi kube nemihlangano yobufakazi. Babemisa njalo amadoda athembekile njengabadala ukuze aqondise imisebenzi engokomoya yekilasi ngalinye.

Ngo-1884, iZion’s Watchtower Tract Society yamiswa ngokomthetho njengenhlangano engasebenzeli inzuzo ePennsylvania. Umongameli walenhlangano wayezokhethwa minyaka yonke. Lokhu kwalungiselela ithuluzi elingokomthetho, elingancikile ekuphileni kwanoma imuphi umuntu, lokuqhubekisela phambili umsebenzi wemfundo yeBhayibheli. UCharles T. Russell wamiswa njengomongameli, futhi ihhovisi lakhe lalibhekwa njengendlunkulu.

Kwenziwa imizamo emikhulu yokunwebela umsebenzi kwamanye amazwe. Ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1880 wafinyelela eCanada naseNgilandi. Ngo-1891 uRussell wavakashela eYurophu naseMpumalanga ePhakathi ukuze acabangele ukuthi yini eyayingenziwa ukuze kuthuthukiswe ukusakazwa kweqiniso lapho. Ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1900, kwamiswa amahhovisi egatsha eNhlangano eBrithani, eJalimane, naseAustralia.

Ngo-1909 indlunkulu yeWatch Tower Society yathuthelwa eBrooklyn, eNew York, ukuze kuqhutshekiswe ukwanda komsebenzi wokushumayela ngesilinganiso somhlaba wonke. Kwaba nesidingo sokumisa inhlangano ewumsizi ngaphansi komthetho kaHulumeni waseNew York, manje eyaziwa ngokuthi iWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. Ngo-1914 i-International Bible Students Association yamiswa eLondon, eNgilandi, ukuze kuthuthukiswe imisebenzi yabaFundi BeBhayibheli kuwo wonke uMbuso waseBrithani. Manje cishe izinhlangano ezingama-70 kanye nezinhlangano ezisizayo ezimiswe ngokomthetho emazweni amaningi kuwo wonke umhlaba zikhonza izinjongo zeWatch Tower Society. Zonke zincike ezimalini ezivela kubantu, zisekelwa ngeminikelo yokuzithandela nayizisebenzi zokuzithandela.

Ngo-1916 uCharles Taze Russell wafa, futhi walandelwa uJoseph Franklin Rutherford njengomongameli weWatch Tower Society. Phakathi neminyaka yokugcina yeMpi Yezwe I, abaFundi BeBhayibheli bavivinywa kanzima ngoshushiso olwafinyelela umvuthwandaba walo ngokuboshwa ngokungemthetho kwabazalwane abayisishiyagalombili ababekhonza ezikhundleni ezibalulekile endlunkulu yeNhlangano eMelika. Umsebenzi wabaFundi BeBhayibheli wabonakala usengozini. Nokho, ngo-1919 labazalwane bakhululwa futhi baxolelwa, futhi kwaqala lapho ukwanda okukhulu komsebenzi wokushumayela.

Ngendlunkulu yeNhlangano, indikimba enobunye yabaFundi BeBhayibheli abangamaKristu agcotshiwe yaqhubeka ilungiselela bonke abantu abazihlanganisa nenhlangano ukudla okungokomoya ngesikhathi esifanele. Njengoba nje ibandla lamaKristu agcotshiwe ekhulwini lokuqala lalakha “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” uJesu akhuluma ngayo, kanjalo iqembu eligcotshiwe labaFundi BeBhayibheli abazinikezele, elihlanganyela emsebenzini woMbuso, lakha isigaba “senceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” esikhathini sethu. Lapho uJesu efika ukuzohlola ibandla, wathola lesigaba silungiselela ukudla kwabendlu; khona-ke wasimisa phezu kwakho konke anakho.—Mathewu 24:45-47; Luka 12:42.

Ngokushesha ngemva kweMpi Yezwe I, kwabonakala ngokusobala ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngoKristu Jesu wawumisiwe emazulwini ngo-1914. Ngakho amazwi kaJesu manje ayengagcwaliseka ngokuphelele: “Lelivangeli lombuso liyakushunyayelwa ezweni lonke, kube-ngubufakazi ezizweni zonke, andukuba kufike ukuphela.” UJoseph F. Rutherford wathatha isinyathelo kuqala sokwenza lesigijimi soMbuso sitholakale kubantu abaningi ngisho nangokwengeziwe.—Mathewu 24:14.

Ngakho-ke, iNhlangano yanquma ukuzinyathelisela yona siqu isebenzisa izisebenzi zokuzithandela ezazingamadoda azinikezele, ukuze iqiniseke ngokuthi izincwadi zeBhayibheli zikhiqizwa njalo ngezindleko eziphansi ngangokunokwenzeka. Bonke abaFundi BeBhayibheli bakhuthazwa ukuba bahlanganyele njalo ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. Emazweni amaningi izinkulumo zeBhayibheli zasakazwa emisakazweni.

Ngaphambi kuka-1918 abaFundi BeBhayibheli baqonda ukuthi injongo yabo yokushumayela yayiwukuqoqa abasasele balabo abakhethiwe ukuba babe noKristu Jesu ezulwini nokuxwayisa izwe ngesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu esizayo. Akuzange kucatshangwe ngokuqoqa labo ababeyosinda ekupheleni kwesimiso esibi samanje ukuze baphile emhlabeni. Khona-ke kusukela ngo-1918 kuqhubeke kwanikezwa kabanzi inkulumo ethi “Izigidi Eziphilayo Manje Zingase Zingafi Neze!”

Ngo-1923 ukutadishwa komfanekiso kaJesu wezimvu nezimbuzi kuMathewu 25:31-46 kwabonisa ukuthi ngaphambi kweHarmagedoni abantu abanesimo sokulunga abangeke bathole uMbuso wasezulwini nabo babeyozuza ukuvunyelwa uNkulunkulu futhi babeyosinda eHarmagedoni. Ngo-1935 ukutadisha okuqhubekayo kwabonisa ukuthi labantu abanjengezimvu bafana nesixuku sabantu esikhulu, esingenakubalwa esichazwe kusAmbulo 7:9-17. Laba babeyoqoqwa kuzo zonke izizwe futhi babeyoba nethemba lokusinda oSizini Olukhulu bazuze ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni. Lokhu kuqonda kwanikeza umfutho omkhulu emsebenzini wokushumayela.—Johane 10:16.

Ngo-1931 abaFundi BeBhayibheli bamukela igama elithi oFakazi BakaJehova. Ngaphambi kwalokho babaziwa ngokuthi abaFundi BeBhayibheli, abaFundi BeBhayibheli Bezizwe Zonke, abantu bokuQala Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, nokuthi abantu beWatch Tower. Baze bagconwa ngisho nangokuthi abalandeli bakaRussell nangokuthi abalandeli bakaRutherford. Alikho nelilodwa kulamagama elalibachaza kahle. Nakuba igama elithi umKristu, elanikezwa abafundi bakaJesu ngokuqondisa kwaphezulu ekhulwini lokuqala, lalifaneleka ngempela, lalisetshenziswa futhi amaqembu amaningi ayelandela izimfundiso zamanga. Ukuze bazehlukanise ezigidini zamaKristu okuzisholo, kwakumelwe kube negama elalizobehlukanisa ngokucacile abalandeli beqiniso bakaKristu kulolusuku lwanamuhla.

Ukuhlola imiBhalo kwenza kwaba sobala ukuthi njengoba ngisho noJehova ayebize abantu bakhe uIsrayeli ngokuthi ofakazi bakhe, kanjalo nabantu bakhe esiphelweni sesimiso sezinto, ababezinikezele ekwenzeni igama lakhe nenjongo kwaziwe, kwakumelwe babizwe ngokufanelekile ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova. Leligama liye labehlukanisa kahle abakhulekeli beqiniso bakaJehova abangamaKristu kubo bonke abanye abazisholo ukuthi bangamaKristu namuhla.—IHubo 83:18; Isaya 43:10-12.

Ngo-1942, phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, uJoseph F. Rutherford wafa, futhi walandelwa uNathan H. Knorr njengomongameli weWatch Tower Society. Iziprofetho manje zabonakala zikhomba ngokukhanyayo ukuthi kwakuyoba nenkathi yangemva kwempi yokuthula nenkululeko eyingcacamezela eyayiyovumela ukwanda okukhulu komsebenzi wokushumayela ngaphambi kokuphela kwalesimiso. NgoFebruary 1943 iSikole seBhayibheli saseGileyadi seWatchtower samiswa ukuze siqeqeshe izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele ukuba zenze umsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli ezithunyelwa kwamanye amazwe. Kamuva ngawo lowonyaka, esimisweni semihlangano samasonto onke soFakazi BakaJehova kwanezelwa isimiso esikhethekile sokuqeqeshela inkonzo.

Ngo-1950 iNhlangano yaqala ukukhipha izingxenye zeNew World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, inguqulo yeBhayibheli yesiNgisi sanamuhla ethathwe emibhalweni yolimi lwakuqala. LeliBhayibheli elihunyushwe ngokucophelela, okulula ukuliqonda, elanyatheliswa ngezindleko eziphansi emishinini yeNhlangano, liye laba usizo olukhulu emsebenzini wokushumayela. Kuze kube namuhla, kuye kwakhishwa amaBhayibheli ayizigidi ezingama-40 ngezilimi eziyi-11.

Ngasekupheleni kuka-1985, oFakazi BakaJehova abangaphezu kwezigidi ezintathu babehlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela emazweni angaphezu kwangama-200 naseziqhingini zolwandle. ESikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu, okwakuwumhlangano owawunabaningi kakhulu ababekhona kunanoma imuphi owake wenzelwa emabandleni abo ayizi-49 716 phakathi no-1985, kwakunabantu abayizi-7 792 109.

Ukuthi uNkulunkulu ngempela usebenzisa oFakazi BakaJehova kubonakala ekuqhubekeni kwabo bekhuthele enkonzweni yakhe, ebunyeni babo bomhlaba wonke, ekushisekeleni kwabo ukusekela igama likaJehova nokushumayela ngoMbuso wakhe, ezindinganisweni zabo ezihlanzekile zokuziphatha, ekwamukeleni kwabo lonke iBhayibheli njengeZwi likaNkulunkulu elingenaphutha, nasekukhululekeni kwabo ekukholelweni ezeni nasemimoyeni emibi.

Izingxenye ezilandelayo zibonisa indlela ongazuza ngayo kulokhu kubuyiselwa kokukhulekelwa kweqiniso kukaNkulunkulu.

• Iziphi izimfundiso zeBhayibheli eziyisisekelo ezenza abaFundi BeBhayibheli bahluke emahlelweni esonto?

• Iyiphi intuthuko yenhlangano abaFundi BeBhayibheli abayibona kwaze kwaba ngo-1918?

• Kungashiwo kanjani ukuthi iqembu labaFundi BeBhayibheli abagcotshiwe lakha “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” kaMathewu 24:45-47?

• Ikuphi ukuqondwa kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu okwanikeza umfutho omkhulu ekwandiseni umsebenzi wokushumayela?

• Igama elithi oFakazi BakaJehova lifeza yiphi injongo?

• Ibuphi ubufakazi bokuthi uNkulunkulu ngempela usebenzisa oFakazi BakaJehova?

[Izithombe ekhasini 8]

UC. T. Russell ngo-1879

Umagazini kaJuly 1879

IQembu Lokuqala labaFundi BeBhayibheli, ePittsburgh, Pa.

[Izithombe ekhasini 9]

Indlunkulu, ngo-1889-1909, ePittsburgh, Pa.

Amahhovisi ayinhloko, ngo-1909-1918, eBrooklyn, N.Y.

Isakhiwo sokuhlala sasendlu-nkulu, ngo-1909-1926, eBrooklyn, N.Y.

[Izithombe ekhasini 10]

Indlunkulu yomhlaba wonke yoFakazi BakaJehova, eBrooklyn, New York, eU.S.A.

Phezulu ngakwesobunxele: Amahhovisi

Phezulu ngakwesokudla: Izakhiwo zokuhlala

Phansi ngakwesobunxele: Ifekthri

Phansi ngakwesokudla: Indawo yokuthumela izincwadi

[Izithombe ekhasini 11]

UJ. F. Rutherford usakaza emsakazweni

Umshini wokuqala wokunya-thelisa werotary weWatchtower Society, usetshenziswa izisebenzi zokuzithandela

IBhayibheli iNew World Translation, manje linyatheliswa ngezilimi eziyi-11