1. Lumbululai bintu byamwekele kimye kyaonawinwe Yelusalema.

MU MWAKA wa 607 B.C.E., nzhita ikatampe ya bena Babilona yo batangijilenga kwi Mfumu Nebukaneza wa bubiji yatujile bulemo muzhi wa Yelusalema. Baibolo waamba pa bantu bavula bafwile amba: “[Nebukaneza] waipayile bansongwalume babo na mpoko mu nzubo yabo yazhila; kechi waumvwijile lusa nsongwalume nangwa kisungu nangwa mukote nangwa kilema ne. . . . Wasokele nzubo ya Lesa wa kine, kabiji wakundwile nsakwa ya Yelusalema ne kusoka byamba byayo byonse byakosa na mujilo, ne konauna bya buneme byonse.”—2 Moba 36:17, 19.

2. Yehoba wajimwineko byepi bantu banji pa lonaiko lwa Yelusalema, kabiji ki ka kyamwekejile Bayudea?

² Bangikazhi ba mu Yelusalema kechi bafwainwe kukumya pa kumona muzhi byo bamonawine ne. Pa myaka yavula, bangauzhi ba Lesa bajimwinengako Bayudea amba inge baleka kukookela Mizhilo ya Lesa bakebalukuka ku bena Babilona. Bayudea bavula bebepayile na mpoko, kabiji aba bapulukile bebatwajile mu buzha mu Babilona. (Yele. 15:2) Aba bo batwajile mu buzha baikalanga byepi? Nanchi kintu kyamwekejile boba bajinga mu buzha mu Babilona kyamwekejilepo ne bena Kilishitu nyi? Inge ibyo, ñanyi kimye?

3. Buzha bwa mu Babilona bwapusene byepi na buzha bwajingamo bena Isalela mu Ijipita?

³ Bintu byaambijile jimo bangauzhi byafikile. Yehoba watumine Yelemiya kubuula bantu amba inge bakebatwale mu buzha, bakaswe kuya kabiji bakekalenga monka. Wibabuujile’mba: “Shimikai mazubo [mu Babilona] ne kwikalamo. Jimai majimi ne kuja bipangwa bikafumangamo. Kabiji lengelai mutende kwikala mu muzhi mo nemutwala buzha ne kumulombelako kwi Yehoba, mambo inge mu muzhi mwaikala mutende ne anweba mukekala mu mutende.” (Yele. 29:5, 7) Aba bakookejile bibakambizhe Lesa, baikelengako bwikalo bwawama mu Babilona. Bena Babilona baswishishe Bayudea kwiubila bintu bimo. Bano bazha bajinga ne na luusa lwa kufwakasha mwaya kyalo. Babilona wajinga muzhi mo baubilanga busulu mu myaka ya kala, kabiji bintu byo bataana bimwesha’mba Bayudea bavula bafunjile bya kuba busulu, kabiji bakwabo bafunjile bya kulengalenga. Bayudea bamo banonkele. Buzha bwa mu Babilona bwapusene bingi na buzha bwajingamo bena Isalela mu Ijipita mu myaka ya kala.—Tangai Kulupuka 2:23-25.

4. Bañanyi bakwabo bamanamijile pamo na bena Isalela basatukile bo batwajile mu buzha mu Babilona, kabiji ki ka kyalengejile kupopwela Lesa kukatazha?

⁴ Nangwa kya kuba Bayudea bajinga na bintu bikebewa mu bwikalo, pano nga bulunda bwabo ne Lesa bwajinga byepi? Nzubo ya Yehoba ne kya kusokelapo bitapisho bebyonawine, kabiji bañanga balekele kwingila byo baingilanga kala. Bino pa bano bazha pajinga ne bakalume ba Lesa ba kishinka babujile kubapo kintu kyatama kya kwibakambwilapo, pano bino nabo bamanamijilenga pamo na kisaka kyonse. Nangwa byonkabyo, bebikileko kukookela Mizhilo ya Lesa. Mu Babilona, Danyela ne balunda nanji basatu ba Shadalaka, Meshaka ne Abedenego bakaine kuja kajo ko bazhijikile Bayudea. Kabiji twayuka’mba Danyela walombanga kwi Lesa kimye kyonse. (Da. 1:8; 6:10) Pano bino, na mambo a kuba’mba bebalamanga ku bantu bapopwelanga balesa ba bubela, kyakatezhe bingi Bayudea baakamwanga Lesa kulondela byonse byaambile Mizhilo ya Lesa.

5. Ñanyi mulaye Yehoba ye alayile bantu banji, kabiji nanchi uno mulaye wafikile nyi?

⁵ Nanchi bena Isalela bakonsheshe kupopwela Lesa jikwabo mu jishinda jaitabilwa nyi? Pa kyokya kimye kyamwekele kukatazha kuba bino. Bena Babilona bajinga na muzhilo wa kuba’mba kafwako kukasulula bazha ne. Bino pa kulenga uno muzhilo kechi balangulukile’mba kuji ne Yehoba Lesa ne. Lesa walayile’mba bantu banji bakafuma mu buzha, ne kine bafuminemo. Milaye ya Lesa ifika.—Isa. 55:11.

6, 7. Mambo ka o twafwainwa kupimpwilako ndumbulwilo yetu pa kimye bena Kilishitu ba mu ano moba kyo baikele buzha mu Babilona?

⁶ Nanchi bena Kilishitu bakikalapo kala bazha mu Babilona nyi? Pa myaka yavula, uno magazini walumbululanga’mba bakalume ba Lesa ba ano moba bayile mu buzha mu Babilona mu 1918 kabiji bafuminemo mu 1919. Pano bino, bishinka byo tusakulumbulula mu uno mutwe ne walondelapo, byamwesha kuba’mba twafwainwa kupimpulako ndumbulwilo yetu.

⁷ Akilangulukai pa kino: Babilona Mukatampe ke bupopweshi bwa bubela bwa ntanda yonse. Inge kya kuba bantu ba Lesa baikele bazha mu Babilona mu 1918, ko kuba’mba bajinga bazha mu bupopweshi bwa bubela. Bino, bishinka bimwesha’mba myaka ya kunangijila ku Nkondo Itanshi ya Ntanda Yonse, bakalume ba Lesa bashingwa batendekele kufumamo mu Babilona Mukatampe, kechi kyo kimye kyo baikele  bazha ne. Ibyo kuba’mba bashingwa bebamanyikilenga mu kimye kya Nkondo Itanshi ya Ntanda Yonse, bino bya malwa byo bapichilengamo byafuminenga ku bantangi ba makafulumende, kechi ku Babilona Mukatampe ne. Onkao mambo, kechi kyayilamo kwamba’mba bantu ba Yehoba baikele buzha mu Babilona Mukatampe mu 1918 ne.

8. Lumbululai mafunjisho a bubela byo atendekele kutwela mu bena Kilishitu ba kine. (Monai kipikichala kitanshi.)

⁸ Pa Pentekosita 33 C.E., Bayudea bavula bingi ne bantu bakwabo baalukile ke Bayudea bashingilwe na mupashi wazhila. Bano bena Kilishitu bakatataka baikele ‘mukoka wasalwa, bañanga ba bufumu, kisaka kyazhila, bantu baikala kya bunonshi.’ (Tangai 1 Petelo 2:9, 10.) Batumwa saka bakyangye kufwa, bo batangijilenga bipwilo bya bantu ba Lesa. Bino batumwa byo bafwile, banabalume bamo batendekele kufunjisha “mafunjisho aluwankana kukeba kongola baana ba bwanga amba bebalondelenga.” (Byu. 20:30; 2 Tesa. 2:6-8) Bano banabalume bamo bo batangijilanga bipwilo, bamo bajinga bakalama, kabiji kulutwe batatwile kutelwa’mba “bishopu.” Jibumba ja bantangi ba bupopweshi jatatwile kulengwa nangwa kya kuba Yesu waambijile baana banji ba bwanga amba: “Anweba bonse mwi balongo na balongo.” (Mat. 23:8) Banabalume batangijilenga balondejilenga buntemwa maana bwa ba Aristotle ne Plato kabiji batendekele kufunjisha mafunjisho a bubela. Mu kuya kwa kimye balekele kufunjisha mafunjisho a kine aji mu Mambo a Lesa.

9. Lumbululai bena Kilishitu basatukile byo bakwatankene na Bufumu bwa bena Loma, ne byafuminemo.

⁹ Mu mwaka wa 313 C.E., Mfumu wa bena Loma aye Constantine waswishishe buno bupopweshi bwa bena Kilishitu basatukile. Kufumatu kyokya kimye, uno Chechi wakwatankene na kafulumende wa bena Loma. Panyuma ya kuba Constantine wisamba na bantangi ba bupopweshi, pa misambo yaikejile mu muzhi wa Nicaea, Constantine wakambizhe’mba pulishiti umo aye Arius bamutwale mu buzha mambo wakaine kwitabila’mba Yesu ye Lesa. Mu kuya kwa kimye, mu bukalama bwa Mfumu Theodosius I, (379-395 C.E.), buno bupopweshi bwa bubela bwatendekele kutelwa’mba Chechi wa Bakatolika, kabiji waikele ke chechi wa bena Loma bonse. Bashayuka ba bintu byamwekele kala bamba’mba bupopweshi bwa bena Loma bwatendekele kutelwa’mba bwa bena Kilishitu mu myaka kitota kya buna. Kishinka ke kya kuba’mba buno bwina Kilishitu bwa bansatuki bwakwatankene pamo na mabumba a bupopweshi bwa bubela ajinga mu Loma kabiji baikele lubaji lwa Babilona Mukatampe. Nangwa byonkabyo, kajibumba kacheche ka bena Kilishitu bashingwa kajinga nobe wichi waambilepo Yesu batwajijile kupopwela Lesa, bino kafwako wateleko muchima ku byo baambilenga ne. (Tangai Mateo 13:24, 25, 37-39.) Kine, bajinga bazha mu Babilona.

10. Ki ka kyalengejile bantu bamo kuzhinauka byo bafunjishanga mu chechi?

¹⁰ Nangwa byonkabyo, pa myaka yavula Yesu saka abwela kala mwiulu, bantu bavula batangilenga Baibolo mu Kingiliki nangwa mu Kilatini. Onkao mambo, baesakenyenga mafunjisho aji mu Mambo a Lesa na mafunjisho a chechi. Bintu byo batangilenga mu Baibolo byalengejile bamo kuzhinauka mafunjisho a bubela o bafunjishenga mu chechi, pano bino, bachinanga kwamba pa bino bintu mambo a kuba’mba bakonsheshe kwibepaya.

11. Bantangi ba bupopweshi baikele byepi na bulume pa Baibolo?

¹¹ Mu kuya kwa kimye, bantu bachechetu bo baambanga Kingiliki ne Kilatini, kabiji bantangi ba mu chechi bakainyenga kutuntulula  Mambo a Lesa mu milaka yaambanga bantu bavula. Kyafuminemo ke kya kuba’mba bantangi ba bupopweshi ne bantu bamo bafunjile bo bonkatu batanganga Baibolo, kabiji kechi bonse bantangi ba bupopweshi bayukile kutanga ne kunemba ne. Muntu yense wakananga byo bafunjishanga mu chechi bamukambulanga. Bakalume ba Lesa bashingwa bapwilanga pamo mu mabumba mu bufyamfya, kabiji bamo kechi bapwilanga pamo ne. Byonkatu byo kyajinga ku bo batwajile mu buzha mu Babilona wa kala, “bañanga ba bufumu,” ko kuba’mba bashingwa kechi bakasulukile kupopwela Lesa ne. Babilona Mukatampe kechi washijilepo bantu kaanya ka kuba byo bakeba ne.

12, 13. Ñanyi bintu bibiji byakwashishe kuba’mba bantu batendeke kufuma mu Babilona Mukatampe? Lumbululai.

¹² Nanchi kino kyalumbulwile’mba bena Kilishitu ba kine kechi bakapopwelapo Lesa bulongo jibiji nenyi? Ine. Mintetenga ya kyeya kya ku mupashi yatendekele kupita mu mfishi. Kwajinga bintu bibiji byakwashishe. Kitanshi, mu mwaka wa 1450, balengele munkinyi wa kupulinchilako mabuku. Uno munkinyi saka akyangye kwikalako, Baibolo bamukopololangatu na maboko. Onkao mambo, Mabaibolo kechi avujile ne, kabiji ajinga bingi na mutengo. Kyashimunwa’mba nangwatu shenyenye wayukile bingi kukopolola, pa kubatu’mba apwishe kukopolola Baibolo umo papitanga bañondo jikumi. Kabiji mivungilo ya biseba po bakopolwelanga Baibolo beipotanga na mali avula bingi. Bino kwingijisha minkinyi ne mapepala kwapezhezheko bintu, kabiji bakonshanga kupulinta mapa 1,300 pa juba pa juba.

¹³ Kya bubiji, ku ntendekelo ya myaka kitota kya bu 16, banabalume bacheche babujile moyo bafuukwilepo kutuntulula Mambo a Lesa mu milaka yaambanga bantu  bavula. Bantuntuluzhi bavula babikile bumi bwabo mu kizumba pa kwingila uno mwingilo. Bantangi ba chechi bazhingijile bingi. Baakaminwe’mba umvwe bantu bakamwa Lesa baikala na Baibolo ne kumutanga, bakatendeka kuzhinauka mafunjisho a mu chechi. Ne kine Mabaibolo byo avujile, bantu batendekele kutanga. Byo batangilenga, baipwizhenga mepuzho nabiji a kuba’mba: ‘Pepi mu Mambo a Lesa panembwa’mba kuji mpunzha ya lumanamo? Pepi Baibolo po aamba’mba muntu wafwainwa kupana mali ku bapulishiti kuba’mba balombeleko muntu wafwa? Pepi Baibolo po aamba’mba kwafwainwa kwikala Bapapa ne bankwasho babo?’ Bantangi ba chechi bazhingijile bingi pa kwibepuzha mepuzho a uno mutundu. Mafunjisho a mu chechi avula aimenejile pa buntemwa maana bwa ba Aristotle ne Plato, banabalume bajingako Yesu Kilishitu saka akyangye kusemwa pa ntanda. Banabalume ne banabakazhi bakananga ano mafunjisho bebazhachishanga ku bantangi ba chechi ne kwibapana ku kafulumende kuba’mba bebepaye. Bakebelenga amba bantu baleke kutanga Baibolo ne kuleka kuzhinauka mafunjisho a mu chechi. Ne kya kine bavula balekele. Nangwa byonkabyo, kwajinga bantu bacheche bakaine kukookela byakebelenga Babilona Mukatampe. Bataaine bukine bwa mu Mambo a Lesa kabiji bakebelenga kuyukilapo byavula. Kimye kya kufuma mu bupopweshi bwa bubela kyafwenyenyenga pepi.

14. (a) Ñanyi bintu byalengejile bantu kumvwisha bukine bwa mu Baibolo byo kyafikilenga mu mwaka wa 1870? (b) Lumbululai byaubile Mulongo Russell pa kukeba bukine.

¹⁴ Bantu bavula bakebelenga kufunda bukine bwa mu Baibolo banyemejile ku byalo kwabujile bantangi ba chechi bakanama bavula. Bakebelenga kutanga ne kufunda Baibolo ne kwisambapo na bakwabo kwa kubula kwibakatazha. Kyalo kimo kwakepele bantangi ba chechi bakanama ke United States. Byo kyafikilenga mu mwaka wa 1870, Charles Taze Russell ne bakwabo batendekele kufunda Baibolo. Patanshi, Mulongo Russell wakebelenga kuyuka bupopweshi bwafunjishenga bukine. Waesakenyenga byaamba Baibolo na byafunjishanga bupopweshi bwapusana pusana, kubikapotu ne bupopweshi bwabula bwa bena Kilishitu. Wataaine kuba’mba kafwako bupopweshi bwalondelanga Mambo a Lesa ne. Kabiji wisambilepo na bantangi ba bupopweshi na mulanguluko wa kuba’mba bano banabalume basakuswa bukine bwa mu Baibolo bo ataaine pamo na balunda nanji, ne kuya na kufunjisha bantu mu bipwilo byabo. Bino bano bantangi ba bupopweshi balengulwile. Bafunda Baibolo bafunjile kuba’mba kechi bafwainwe kupopwelanga Lesa pamo na bantu bakaine kusha bupopweshi bwa bubela ne.—Tangai 2 Kolinda 6:14.

15. (a) Ñanyi kimye bena Kilishitu kyo baikele bazha mu Babilona Mukatampe? (b) Ñanyi mepuzho akakumbulwa mu mutwe walondelapo?

¹⁵ Byonka byo twamona, bena Kilishitu ba kine baikele bazha mu Babilona kimyetu kyafwile batumwa bapeleleko. Bino, twakonsha kushikisha mepuzho alondelapo: Ñanyi bishiino bimwesha’mba mu myaka ya kunangijila ku 1914 bashingwa batendekele kufuma mu Babilona Mukatampe, kabiji kechi batwajijile kwikala bazha kwi aye ne? Nanchi kya kine kuba’mba Yehoba kyamufichile ku muchima pa kumona kuba’mba bakalume banji balekele kusapwila na mukoyo kimye kya Nkondo Itanshi ya Ntanda Yonse nyi? Kabiji nanchi balongo betu bamo batendekele kwivwanga mu milukuchi ya ntanda ne kufichisha Yehoba ku muchima nyi? Kabiji inge kya kuba bena Kilishitu baikele bazha ku bupopweshi bwa bubela panyuma ya lufu lwa batumwa, ñanyi kimye kyo bakasulukile? Ano ke mepuzho awama bingi. Akakumbulwa mu mutwe walondelapo.