1. Chaza ukuthi kwenzakalani lapho iJerusalema ihlaselwa.

NGOMNYAKA ka-607 B.C.E., ^[1] ibutho elikhulu laseBhabhiloni elalikhokhelwa yiNkosi uNebhukadinezari II latheleka eJerusalema lafika layisusela amanqe. IBhayibhili liyasibikela ngenkemenkeme eyabakhona edolobheni lelo, lithi: “Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, yabulala amajaha akibo ngenkemba endlini engcwele, njalo akusindanga jaha loba ntombi, indoda endala loba oseluphele. . . . Bathungela ngomlilo ithempeli likaNkulunkulu njalo badiliza umduli weJerusalema; batshisa zonke izigodlo batshabalalisa lakho konke okwakuligugu khonapho.”​—2 ImiLan. 36:17, 19.

2. Yisiphi isixwayiso uJehova asinika amaJuda futhi kuyini okwakuzakwenzakala kuwo?

² Ukuchithwa kweJerusalema akuzange kubamangalise abantu ababehlala khona. Phela kwasekudlule iminyaka eminengi abaphrofethi bakaNkulunkulu bebaxwayisa ukuthi nxa bangaqhubeka beqinisa amakhanda bengalaleli uMthetho wakhe babezanikelwa ezandleni zabaseBhabhiloni. AmaJuda amanengi ayezakufa ngenkemba kuthi loba ngubani owayezaphunyuka wayezathunjwa asiwe eBhabhiloni ahlale khona phose okwempilo yakhe yonke. (Jer. 15:2) Yayinjani impilo ababeyiphila sebethunjiwe? Kambe amaKhristu lawo ayezakwehlelwa yisigameko esifanana lalesi yini? Nxa kunjalo, kwakuzakwenzakala nini lokhu?

3. Impilo yabantu bakaNkulunkulu ababeyiphila eBhabhiloni yayitshiyene njani laleyo abake bayiphila eGibhithe?

³ Lakanye kwagcwaliseka okwakukhulunywe ngabaphrofethi. UJehova waphrofetha esebenzisa uJeremiya ukuthi nxa abantu bakhe bangathunjwa ngabaseBhabhiloni kwakuzamele bayamukele impilo entsha ababezayiphila khonale njalo bahlale bazinze. Wabatshela wathi: “Yakhani izindlu [eBhabhiloni] lihlale phansi; limani izivande lidle izithelo zazo. Funani ukuthula lokuphumelela kwedolobho engilise ekuthunjweni kulo. Likhulekeleni kuJehova, ngoba uma liphumelela lani lizaphumelela.” (Jer. 29:5, 7) Bonke abakwamukelayo lokho uJehova ayebatshele khona bafika baziphilela kuhle lanxa babethunjiwe. AbaseBhabhiloni babanika amalungelo athile ayebavumela ukuthi bazenzele ezinye izinto ezaziqondane labo. Babephiwe lenkululeko yokuvakatsha kuzo zonke izindawo kulelolizwe. Ngalesosikhathi iBhabhiloni yayiyisigodlo samabhizimusi njalo ezinye izingwalo zasendulo ziveza ukuthi amaJuda amanengi afunda ukuqhuba amabhizimusi okuthenga lokuthengisa futhi amanye ayesezingcitshi emisebenzini yokubaza lokubumba. Amanye akhona anotha aze akhithika imikhaba. Impilo ababeyiphila besekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni yayingafanani lempilo abake bayiphila kudala besebugqilini eGibhithe.​—Bala u-Eksodusi 2:23-25.

4. Ngobani abanye ababethunjiwe ngaphandle kwalabo abasebehlamukile njalo kuyini okwakusenza kube nzima ukuthi bakhonze uNkulunkulu ngokugcweleyo?

⁴ AmaJuda ayethola konke ayekudinga ukuze aqhubeke ephila, kodwa ayezakwenelisa yini ukuqhubeka elokholo oluqinileyo? Phela ithempeli likaJehova kanye le-alithare kwasekubhidliziwe njalo labaphristi babengasawufezi ngendlela ehlelekileyo umsebenzi wabo. Lanxa abanengi basebehlamukile, bakhona abanye ababelokhu bethembekile kuNkulunkulu. Abantu laba babezama sibili ukulandela uMthetho kaNkulunkulu ngesikhathi beseBhabhiloni. Ngokwesibonelo uDanyeli, uShadreki, uMeshaki lo-Abhediniko bala ukudla okwakungavunyelwa eMthethweni. Kanti njalo uDanyeli kazange ayekele loba nini ukukhuluma loNkulunkulu ngomthandazo. (Dan. 1:8; 6:10) Kodwa kwakunzima ukuthi abantu laba ababethembekile benze intando kaNkulunkulu ngokugcweleyo ngenxa yokuthi babebuswa ngabahedeni.

5. UJehova wayebathembiseni abantu bakhe njalo kungani singathandabuzi ukuthi ayekutshilo kwakuzagcwaliseka?

⁵ Abako-Israyeli babezaphinda benelise yini ukukhonza uNkulunkulu bekhululekile? Ngalesosikhathi kwakungakhanya kungeke kwenzakala lokhu ngoba abaseBhabhiloni babengabakhululi abantu nxa bebathumbile. Kodwa uJehova wayethembise abantu bakhe ukuthi uzabakhulula futhi lakanye wakwenza lokhu. Phela ilizwi likaJehova aliweli phansi.​—Isaya. 55:11.

6, 7. Kungani kufanele silungisise indlela ebesichasisa ngayo indaba yokuthunjwa kwamaKhristu eqiniso yiBhabhiloni Enkulu?

⁶ Lokho okwenzakala kuma-Israyeli endulo kwakuzakwenzakala yini lakumaKhristu eqiniso? Okweminyaka eminengi imagazini le ibisithi abantu bakaJehova bathunjwa yiBhabhiloni Enkulu ngo-1918 njalo bakhululwa ngo-1919. Kodwa ngenxa yezizatho esizaxoxa ngazo esihlokweni lesi lakwesilandelayo sizabona ukuthi bekufanele sibili ukuthi silungisise indlela ebesichasisa ngayo indaba le.

⁷ Khumbula ukuthi nxa kukhulunywa ngeBhabhiloni Enkulu kuyabe kutshiwo izinkolo zamanga ezisemhlabeni wonke. Nxa kuyikuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bathunjwa yiBhabhiloni Enkulu ngo-1918 kwakuzamele kube lokuthile okutshengisa ukuthi babengaphansi kwenkolo yamanga ngalesosikhathi. Kodwa ubufakazi butshengisa ukuthi okweminyaka eminengi kungakafiki  iMpi Yomhlaba Yokuqala abantu bakaNkulunkulu abagcotshiweyo basebeqalisile ukuphuma eBhabhiloni Enkulu. Kuliqiniso sibili ukuthi abagcotshiweyo bahlukuluzwa kakhulu ngesikhathi seMpi Yomhlaba Yokuqala kodwa ubunzima ababehlangana labo babubangelwa ngohulumende hatshi iBhabhiloni Enkulu. Yikho kasingeke sithi abantu bakaJehova bathunjwa yiBhabhiloni Enkulu ngo-1918.

8. Chaza ukuthi lagqitshelwa njani iqiniso eliseLizwini likaNkulunkulu. (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁸ NgePhentekhosti ka-33 C.E., izinkulungwane zamaJuda labanye abantu abasebephendukele enkolweni yeqiniso bagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele. AmaKhristu la amatsha aba ngabantu “abakhethiweyo, ubuphristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, abantu abangaba-kaNkulunkulu.” (Bala u-1 Phetro 2:9, 10.) Ngesikhathi abaphostoli besaphila babewakhokhela kuhle amabandla abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Kodwa kwathi sebefile, kwavela amadoda ebandleni futhi ‘alihlanekela iqiniso’ ukuze ahuge abafundi ukuthi bawalandele. (ImiSeb. 20:30; 2 Thes. 2:6-8) Inengi lawo kwakungamadoda ayekhokhela ebandleni futhi engababonisi. Kodwa ngokuya kwesikhathi acina esezibeka ukuba ngabafundisi lanxa uJesu wayetshilo ukuthi kungabi labafundisi ebandleni. (Mat. 23:8) Amadoda la ayesethathekile ngezimfundiso zamanga zika-Aristotle loPlato njalo azingenisa kancane kancane ebandleni zaqhubeka zimemetheka zaze zaligqibela iqiniso eliseLizwini likaNkulunkulu.

9. Chaza ukuthi ababusi beRoma bayisekela njani inkolo yamanga eyayisungulwe ngabahlamuki lokuthi kwaphetha ngani.

⁹ Ngomnyaka ka-313 C.E., inkolo yobuKhristu eyayisungulwe ngabahlamuki yabhaliswa ngokusemthethweni nguMbusi weRoma owayengumhedeni uConstantine. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi kusiyaphambili isonto lohulumende weRoma baba zimbila zantabanye. Ngokwesibonelo uConstantine wenza umhlangano labafundisi bamasonto futhi umbuthano lo wacina ubizwa ngokuthi yiCouncil of Nicaea. Ngemva komhlangano lo uConstantine waxotsha umphristi okuthiwa ngu-Arius elizweni ngenxa yokuthi wayengavumi ukuthi uJesu unguNkulunkulu. Kusukela ngo-379 kusiya ku-395 C.E., sekubusa uTheodosius I inkolo le eyayisixubene labahedeni yaqalisa ukubizwa ngokuthi yiSonto yamaKatolika futhi yaba yisonto ehlonitshwa kakhulu eMbusweni waseRoma. Abezembali babika ukuthi ngekhulu lesine umbuso lo owawungowabahedeni waqalisa ukukhanya angathi ngowesiKhristu. Kodwa iqiniso yikuthi amaKhristu ayesehlamukile ayesemanyene lezinkolo zabahedeni ezazigcwele eMbusweni weRoma lawo aba yingxenye yeBhabhiloni Enkulu. Loba kunjalo bakhona abagcotshiweyo ababelokhu bethembekile futhi ababefanana lengqoloyi eyatshiwo nguJesu. Babezimisele ukukhonza uNkulunkulu kodwa akulamuntu owayelalela lokho ababekukhuluma. (Bala uMathewu 13:24, 25, 37-39.) IBhabhiloni Enkulu yayisibathumbile sibili abagcotshiweyo laba!

10. Kuyini okwenza abantu babona ukuthi izinto ababezifundiswa esontweni zazingamanga?

¹⁰ Eminyakeni edlula 100 uKhristu esukile emhlabeni abantu abanengi babelokhu besenelisa ukubala iBhayibhili ngesiGiriki loba ngesiLatin. Ngakho kwakulula ukuthi bahlole eLizwini likaNkulunkulu ukuthi lokho ababekufundiswa esontweni kuliqiniso na. Lokhu kwabenza babona ukuthi izinto ababezifundiswa esontweni zazingamanga aluhlaza njalo abazange bazamukele. Kodwa nxa wawungatshela abanye umbono wakho wawuyabe uzidonsele amanzi ngomsele, kwezinye izikhathi lalingahle likutshonele emini!

11. Kwenzakala njani ukuthi iLizwi likaNkulunkulu libe sezandleni zabafundisi kuphela?

¹¹ Ngokuya kwesikhathi basebebalutshwana abantu ababesenelisa ukubala iBhayibhili  ngesiGiriki langesiLatin. Kanti njalo abafundisi besonto babengavumi ukuthi iLizwi likaNkulunkulu lihunyutshwe ngezinye izindimi. Ngakho abafundisi labanye abantu ababefundile yibo kuphela ababesenelisa ukubala iBhayibhili. Kodwa-ke kayisibo bonke abafundisi ababesenelisa ukubala lokubhala. Loba ngubani owayephikisana lalokho okwakufundiswa esontweni wayeyifunda ivaliwe. Yikho abantu ababethembekile ababekhona ngalesosikhathi kwakumele bahlangane ngudlu bengamaqembu amancinyane ikanti kwabanye kwakusiba nzima ukuthi bahlangane. Ngalesosikhathi babengasenelisi ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela ehlelekileyo basebefanana lamaJuda ayethunjiwe ahanjiswa eBhabhiloni. Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu basebengaphansi kweBhabhiloni Enkulu!

12, 13. Yiziphi izizatho ezimbili ezabangela ukuthi abantu bakhululeke kancane ebugqilini beBhabhiloni Enkulu? Chaza.

¹² Manje amaKhristu eqiniso ayezaphinda enelise yini ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela ayamukelayo futhi ekhululekile? Ye! Lanxa abantu babekomnyama ubambile, inhlansi yeqiniso yaqalisa ukukhanya ngenxa yezizatho ezimbili. Isizatho sokuqala yikusungulwa komtshina wokudinda amabhuku ngabo-1450. Umtshina lo ungakabi khona iBhayibhili lalibhalwa ngesandla futhi kwakungumsebenzi onzima kakhulu owawubangela ukuthi amaBhayibhili angatholakali lula lokuthi intengo yawo yembe eqolo. Ubufakazi buveza ukuthi kwakuthatha izinyanga ezingu-10 ukuthi umlobi oyingcitshi abhale ikhophi yeBhayibhili ayiqede. Kanti njalo abalobi babebhalela ezikhumbeni futhi zazidula kakhulu. Kodwa ukusebenzisa umtshina wokudinda kanye lamaphepha kwakutshiphile futhi abalobi abazingcitshi babesenelisa ukudinda amakhasi angu-1 300 ngelanga.

¹³ Esinye isizatho yikuthi ekuqaliseni kwabo-1600 kwaba lamadoda athile ayezimisele ukuhumutsha iLizwi likaNkulunkulu ngezindimi ezazikhulunywa ngabantu abanengi. Abanye babo bafaka ukuphila kwabo engozini ukuze baphumelele ukwenza umsebenzi lo. Lokhu kwenza abakhokheli  besonto bazonda badla inja. Babekwazi ukuthi nxa iBhayibhili lingaba sezandleni zabantu ababefuna ukwazi iqiniso, isonto yayizabe ingenelwe yimpehlane. Lakanye iBhayibhili laselitholakala njalo abantu balibala basebesiba lemibuzo eminengi. Ngokwesibonelo baqalisa ukubuza ukuthi kungaphi lapho iBhayibhili elikhuluma khona ngokuthi umuntu angafa umphefumulo wakhe uqala uhlanjululwe endaweni ethile ungakayi ezulwini? Kungaphi lapho elikhuluma khona ngokuthi umfundisi kumele abhadalwe nxa angaphatha umngcwabo? Loba lapho elikhuluma khona ngezikhundla zabopapa labokhadinali? Abafundisi babephuphuma ngolaka nxa abantu bebabuza imibuzo le njalo bonke ababephikisana lezimfundiso zabo babegwetshelwa ukufa. Ezinye izimfundiso zabo zazisekelwe kumafilosofi ka-Aristotle loPlato, amadoda ayengabahedeni aphila uJesu engakabuyi emhlabeni. Inhloso yabakhokheli laba kwakuyikuvimbela abantu ukuthi babale iBhayibhili lokuthi bangaphikisani lalokho ababekufundisa. Icebo leli labasebenzela sibili. Lanxa kunjalo bakhona abanye abangazange bavume ukwethuselwa yiBhabhiloni Enkulu ngenxa yokuthi basebelibale balizwisisa iBhayibhili bazimisela ukulimela iqiniso. Ngakho-ke indlela yokuphuma ebugqilini benkolo yamanga yayisiqalisa ukuvuleka.

14. (a) Kuyini okwabangela ukuthi abanye balizwisise ngcono iBhayibhili ekupheleni kwabo-1800? (b) Chaza okwenziwa ngumfowethu uRussell okuveza ukuthi wayekufuna sibili ukwazi iqiniso.

¹⁴ Njengoba inkolo yayisisidla ubhedu, abanengi ababezimisele ukulazi iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini babaleka baya kwamanye amazwe. Babefuna ukubala iBhayibhili balizwisise kuhle baphinde bakhululeke ukuxoxisana labanye kungelamuntu obacindezelayo. Elinye lamazwe la yiMelika njalo kulapho uCharles Taze Russell labangane bakhe abaqalisa khona ukuhlangana ndawonye ukuze bahlolisise iBhayibhili ekupheleni kwabo-1800. Inhloso kamfowethu uRussell yayingeyokubona ukuthi ezinkolweni ezazikhona ngalesosikhathi yiphi eyayifundisa iqiniso. Waqathanisa izimfundiso zezinkolo zonke ezazikhona ngalesosikhathi ukuze abone ukuthi zazihambelana yini lokutshiwo liBhayibhili. Ekucineni wabona ukuthi akula ngitsho leyodwa eyayilandela okutshiwo liLizwi likaNkulunkulu. Ngelinye ilanga umfowethu uRussell wahlangana labakhokheli bamasonto atshiyeneyo ukuze axoxe labo ngeqiniso yena labangane bakhe abasebelitholile eBhayibhilini. Wayelethemba lokuthi bazalamukela iqiniso leli futhi balifundise abantu ababesemasontweni abo. Kodwa-ke abakhokheli laba kabazange bavumelane laye. Kwahle kwathi dlwe kuBafundi beBhayibhili babona ukuthi izinkolo lezi ngezamanga futhi babengeke bahlanganyele lazo ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu.​—Bala u-2 Khorinte 6:14.

15. (a) AmaKhristu athunjwa nini yiBhabhiloni Enkulu? (b) Yiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁵ Sesibonile ukuthi amaKhristu eqiniso athunjwa yiBhabhiloni Enkulu ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli. Kodwa lokhu kuvusa imibuzo eminengi. Yibuphi obunye ubufakazi obutshengisa ukuthi abagcotshiweyo basebeqalisile ukuphuma eBhabhiloni Enkulu eminyakeni ethile kungakafiki umnyaka ka-1914? Kuliqiniso yini ukuthi uJehova wabazondela abantu bakhe ngenxa yokuthi babeyekethisa emsebenzini wokutshumayela ngesikhathi seMpi Yomhlaba Yokuqala? Kambe abanye abazalwane bangenela yini kwezombangazwe ngalesosikhathi njalo kwenza ukuthi uJehova abazondele? Kanti njalo amaKhristu akhululwa nini nxa kuyikuthi athunjwa yinkolo yamanga kusukela ngekhulu lesibili kusiyaphambili? Le yimibuzo emihle kakhulu futhi izaphendulwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.