1-2. Yisiphi isinqumo esiqakathekileyo amaJuda ayehlala eBhabhiloni okwasekumele asenze? (U-Ezra 1:2-4)

 AMAJUDA ayethunjwe eBhabhiloni okweminyaka engaba ngu-70 ayesekhululekile ukubuyela elizweni lawo lako-Israyeli njengoba inkosi yayisiwakhululile! (Bala u-Ezra 1:2-4.) Akula omunye umuntu owayengakwenza lokho ngaphandle kukaJehova. Yindaba sisitsho njalo? Kungenxa yokuthi iBhabhiloni yayingajayelanga ukukhulula abantu eyayibathumbile. (Isaya. 14:4, 17) Kodwa khathesi yayisinqotshiwe futhi umbusi omutsha watshela amaJuda ukuthi ayesengabuyela kibo ngoba ayesekhululekile. Yikho-ke amaJuda, ikakhulu izinhloko zemuli, kwasekumele akhethe ukuthi azasuka yini eBhabhiloni kumbe azaqhubeka ehlala khona. Kumele ukuthi kwakunzima sibili ukwenza isinqumo leso. Ngenxa yani?

² Kwabanye kwakungaba nzima ukuthi bathathe uhambo lolu olude ngenxa yokuthi basebegugile. Amanye amaJuda ayezalelwe eBhabhiloni ayengakaze ayehlala kwezinye indawo. Phela kubo ilizwe lako-Israyeli kwakuyilizwe labokhokho babo nje. Kukhanya amanye amaJuda ayephumelela kakhulu eBhabhiloni yikho kwakungaba nzima ukuthi atshiye izindlu zawo ezinhle kumbe amabhizimusi awo esiyahlala endaweni angayijayelanga.

3. AmaJuda ayethembekile ayezathola siphi isibusiso esiqakathekileyo ngokubuyela ko-Israyeli?

³ AmaJuda ayethembekile ayekwazi ukuthi ukubuyela ko-Israyeli kwakuzakwenza athole izibusiso ezinengi kakhulu ukwedlula loba yini ayengabe eyitshiyile. Esinye isibusiso esiqakathekileyo ayezasithola sasiphathelane lokukhonza. Abantu beBhabhiloni babelamathempeli abonkulunkulu  babo ayedlula 50 kodwa kwakungelathempeli likaJehova edolobheni lelo. Ama-Israyeli ayengelalo i-alithare ayenganikela kulo imihlatshelo yawo njengoba umthetho kaMosi wawusitsho futhi kwakungelabaphristi ababenganikela imihlatshelo leyo. Kanti njalo eBhabhiloni abantu abakhonza uJehova babebalutshwana. Abanengi babekhonza onkulunkulu bamanga futhi bengelandaba lemithetho kaJehova. Yikho amaJuda ayethanda uJehova ayekulindele ngabomvu ukubuyela elizweni lawo ukuze ayevuselela ukukhonza kweqiniso.

4. UJehova wathembisa ukuthi wayezawancedisa njani amaJuda ayezabuyela ko-Israyeli?

⁴ Ukusuka eBhabhiloni usiya ko-Israyeli kwakungathatha izinyanga ezingaba zine. Kodwa uJehova wathembisa amaJuda ukuthi wayezakhipha loba yibuphi ubunzima obabungabangela ukuthi acine engasafikanga. U-Isaya wabhala wathi: ‘Vulani indlela kaJehova! Lungiselani uNkulunkulu wethu umgwaqo omkhulu oqondileyo, odabula enkangala. Umhlabathi olamagodigodi kawendlaleke, lendawo elamatshe kayibe ligceke.’ (Isaya. 40:3, 4) Akucabange ukuthi kwakuzabe sekunjani sekulomgwaqo omkhulu odabula enkangala, lendawo elamagodigodi isiyendlalekile. Kwakuzabe kumnandi ukuhamba ngaleyondlela! Kwakuzabe kulula sibili ukuthi bahambe ngomgwaqo omkhulu oqondileyo kulokuthi bahambe beqansa besehla ezintabeni, emaqaqeni lasezindaweni ezilamagodigodi. Kanti njalo babezafika masinyane.

5. Umgwaqo omkhulu owawusuka eBhabhiloni usiya ko-Israyeli waphiwa liphi ibizo?

⁵ Lamuhla imigwaqo emikhulu ijayele ukuba lamabizo. Lomgwaqo omkhulu u-Isaya abhala ngawo lawo wawulebizo. Wabhala wathi: “Kuzakuba lomgwaqo omkhulu, umgwaqo lo uzabizwa ngokuthi yiNdlela yobuNgcwele. Akulamuntu ongcolileyo ozahamba ngaleyondlela.” (Isaya. 35:8) Isithembiso lesi sasisitshoni kuma-Israyeli futhi sitshoni kithi lamuhla?

6. Kungani umgwaqo omkhulu wawubizwa ngokuthi ungcwele?

⁶ Umgwaqo lo omkhulu wawuphiwe ibizo elihle kakhulu elithi ‘iNdlela yobuNgcwele.’ Kungani wawubizwa ngokuthi ungcwele? Kungenxa yokuthi phakathi kwabantu ababebuyela ko-Israyeli kwakungasoze kutholakale ‘umuntu ongcolileyo,’ okutsho ukuthi kwakungasoze kube lomJuda owayeziphatha kubi, ekhonza izithombe kumbe esenza ezinye izono ezinkulu. AmaJuda ayebuyela kwakumele abe ‘yisizwe esingcwele’ kuNkulunkulu. (Dute. 7:6) Lanxa kunjalo kukhona okwakumele kulungisiswe ngabantu laba ababesuke eBhabhiloni ukuze bathokozise uJehova.

7. Yiziphi ezinye izinto okwakumele amaJuda azilungisise? Nika isibonelo.

⁷ Njengoba kuke kwatshiwo, amaJuda amanengi ayezalelwe eBhabhiloni futhi kukhanya amanengi ayesecabanga njengabantu baseBhabhiloni futhi esenza njengabo. Ngemva kweminyaka amaJuda ebuyele ko-Israyeli, u-Ezra wezwa ukuthi amanye ayesetshade labafazi ababekhonza onkulunkulu bamanga. (Eks. 34:15, 16; Ezra. 9:1, 2) Kanti njalo ngemva kwesikhathi uMbusi uNehemiya wasala engelankani esizwa ukuthi abantwana ababezalelwe ko-Israyeli babengalwazi ulimi lwamaJuda. (Dute. 6:6, 7; Neh. 13:23, 24) Manje abantwana laba babezafunda njani ukuthanda uJehova futhi bamkhonze bona bengasizwisisi isiHebheru? Phela amabhuku amanengi eBhayibhili ayebhalwe ngesiHebheru. (Ezra. 10:3, 44) Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi zinengi izinto okwakumele amaJuda azilungisise, kodwa kwakuzabe kulula ukuthi azilungisise eseko-Israyeli, lapho ukukhonza kweqiniso  okwakubuyiselwa khona kancane kancane.—Neh. 8:8, 9.

8. Kungani singafunda okunengi kulokho okwenzakala kumaJuda? (Khangela umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

⁸ Abanye bangathi kwakunzima sibili kumaJuda. Kodwa okwenzakala kubo kusifundisani lamuhla? Kunengi esikufundayo ngoba lathi sihamba ‘eNdleleni yobuNgcwele.’ Sonke kumele siqhubeke sihamba ‘eNdleleni yobuNgcwele’ kungelani lokuthi singabagcotshiweyo kumbe ‘singabezinye izimvu.’ (Joh. 10:16) Indlela le izasincedisa ukuthi siqhubeke sikhonza uJehova iphinde isincede sithole izibusiso ezizalethwa nguMbuso esikhathini esizayo. b Kusukela ngo-1919, abantu abanengi, amadoda labesifazana labantwana, sebetshiye iBhabhiloni Enkulu, umbuso womhlaba wonke wenkolo yamanga baqalisa ukuhamba emgwaqweni lo ongcwele. Kufanele ukuthi lawe ungomunye wabo. Lanxa abantu baqalisa ukuhamba emgwaqweni lo eminyakeni engaba ngu-100 eyadlulayo, waqalisa ukulungiswa kusasele iminyaka ukuthi abantu bahambe kuwo.

9. U-Isaya 57:14 uthi ‘iNdlela yobuNgcwele’ yalungiswa njani?

⁹ UJehova waba leqiniso lokuthi akulalutho olwaluzaphambanisa amaJuda ayesuka eBhabhiloni ngesikhathi esendleleni. (Bala u-Isaya 57:14.) Namuhla ‘iNdlela yobuNgcwele’ ilungiswa njani? Kungakafiki u-1919 uJehova wayesebenzisa abantu ababemthanda ukuthi balungise indlela yabantu bakhe ukuthi baphume eBhabhiloni Enkulu. (Khangela lo-Isaya 40:3.) Abantu laba basebenza nzima belungisa indlela eyayizanceda abantu abaqotho ukuthi basuke eBhabhiloni Enkulu besebengena endleleni eyayibasa eqinisweni. Yiwuphi umsebenzi abawenzayo? Ake sixoxe ngokunye abakwenzayo ukuze balungise indlela.

10-11. Ukuphrinta lokuhunyutshwa kweBhayibhili kwanceda njani ukuthi abantu abanengi babelazi iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini? (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

¹⁰ Ukuphrinta. Kwafika iminyaka yabo 1450 abantu belokhu bekopa iBhayibhili ngezandla. Umsebenzi lo wawuthatha isikhathi eside futhi kwakunzima ukuthola amaBhayibhili njalo ayekhona ayesemba eqolo. Kodwa kwathi sekwenziwe umtshina wokuphrinta kwasekulula ukuthi iBhayibhili liphrintwe lokuthi abantu abanengi balithole.

¹¹ Ukuhumutsha. Kwadonsa iminyaka eminengi iBhayibhili litholakala ngesiLatin kuphela, ulimi olwaluzwisiswa ngabantu abafundileyo. Kodwa kwathi sekulemitshina eminengi yokuphrinta, abantu abanengi abathanda uJehova basebenza nzima behumutshela iBhayibhili ezindimini ezazikhulunywa ngabantu. Abantu basebengazibalela iBhayibhili baqathanise lokho ababekufundiswa ngabafundisi lalokho okufundiswa liBhayibhili.

12-13. Kusukela ngabo-1835 abantu ababethanda iBhayibhili bawaveza njani amanga ayefundiswa ezinkolweni?

¹² Amabhuku ayencedisa abantu ukuzwisisa iBhayibhili. Kulabanye ababetaditsha iBhayibhili benanzelela futhi zinengi izinto abazifunda eLizwini likaNkulunkulu. Abantu laba baqalisa ukutshela abanye lokho ababekufunda eBhayibhilini futhi lokho kwabazondisa kakhulu abafundisi. Ngokwesibonelo, ngabo-1835 kulamadoda ayephrinta amaphetshana ayeveza egcekeni izimfundiso zamanga ezazifundiswa emasontweni.

¹³ Ngabo-1835, enye indoda eyayisesaba uNkulunkulu okuthiwa nguHenry Grew yaphrinta iphetshana elalikhuluma ngokuthi kwenzakalani kithi nxa singafa. Ephetshaneni  lelo yaveza ukuthi imfundiso ethandwa kakhulu emasontweni eyokuthi umphefumulo awufi ingamanga. UHenry Grew wasebenzisa iMibhalo ukuze aveze ukuthi uNkulunkulu nguye kuphela olamandla okunika abantu impilo engapheliyo. Ngo-1837 omunye umfundisi okuthiwa nguGeorge Storrs wathola iphetshana lelo esitimeleni. Walibala futhi wasala engathandabuzi ukuthi uselitholile iqiniso. Waqalisa ukutshela abanye lokho ayekufundile. Ngo-1842 waqalisa ukuhamba esenza izintshumayelo ezazilesihloko esithi “Abantu Abenza Okubi Balomphefumulo Ongafiyo Yini?” UCharles Taze Russell ngomunye walabo ababebala izinto ezazibhalwa nguGeorge Storrs futhi zamnceda kakhulu.

14. Umsebenzi owawenziwe ngabanye wamnceda njani umfowethu uRussell labangane bakhe? (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

¹⁴ Lokho okwenziwa ngabantu ababelithanda iBhayibhili kwamnceda njani umfowethu uRussell labangane bakhe? Ngesikhathi bebala babehlolisisa amaBhayibhili atshiyeneyo lamabhuku ayechasisa okuseBhayibhilini ayesekhona ngalesosikhathi. Ukuchwayisisa okwenziwa nguHenry Grew loGeorge Storrs kanye labanye kwamnceda kakhulu uRussell labangane bakhe. Labo babhala amabhuku amanengi kanye lamaphetshana ayehlafuna izindaba ezitshiyeneyo eziseBhayibhilini.

15. Kuyini okwenzakala ngo-1919?

¹⁵ Ngo-1919, abantu bakaNkulunkulu baphuma eBhabhiloni Enkulu. Ngalowomnyaka kwaba ‘lenceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo’ futhi yaba khona ngesikhathi ukuze incedise abantu abalenhliziyo eziqotho ababuya ‘eNdleleni yobuNgcwele.’ (Mat. 24:45-47) Umsebenzi omkhulu wokulungisa indlela owenziwa ngabanye wabanceda kakhulu abantu bakaNkulunkulu ababeqalisa ukuhamba endleleni le ukuthi bafunde ngoJehova langezinjongo zakhe. (Zaga. 4:18) Labo basebengatshintsha indlela ababephila ngayo ukuze ihambelane lalokho okufunwa nguJehova. Kodwa uJehova kakhangelelanga ukuthi abantu bahle batshintshe izinto zonke ngelanga elilodwa.  Abantu bakhe ubancedisa kancane kancane. (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ UJehova Uncedisa Abantu Bakhe Kancane Kancane.”) Sizathokoza kakhulu sesisenelisa ukuthokozisa uJehova ngakho konke esikwenzayo!—Kol. 1:10.

16. Kusukela ngo-1919, yiwuphi umsebenzi wokulungisisa obusenziwa ‘eNdleleni yobuNgcwele’? (U-Isaya 48:17; 60:17)

¹⁶ Yonke imigwaqo kumele ihlale ilungisiswa ukuze ihlale imihle. Kusukela ngo-1919, ‘iNdlela yobuNgcwele’ layo ibiqhubeka ilungisiswa ukuze kube lula ukuthi abantu basuke eBhabhiloni Enkulu bahambe kuyo. Inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo yathi isanda kubekwa yahle yawuqalisa umsebenzi. Ngo-1921 yaphrinta ibhuku elalizancedisa abantu ukuthi bafunde iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini. Ibhuku lelo lalilesihloko esithi, The Harp of God futhi kwaphrintwa amakhophi alo angaba ngu-6 miliyoni ngendimi ezingu-36. Banengi kakhulu abantu abafunda iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini besebenzisa ibhuku leli. Khathesi sesifundisa abantu iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini sisebenzisa ibhuku elitsha elithi, Ungathokoza Kuze Kube Nini Lanini! Ezinsukwini lezi zokucina uJehova usebenzise inhlanganiso yakhe ukuthi asinike ukudla okuqinisa ukholo ukuze siqhubeke sihamba ‘eNdleleni le yobuNgcwele.’​—Bala u-Isaya 48:17; 60:17.

17-18. Iya ngaphi ‘iNdlela yobuNgcwele’?

¹⁷ Nxa umuntu evuma ukuthi siqalise ukufunda laye iBhayibhili kuyabe kungathi usengena ‘eNdleleni yobuNgcwele.’ Abanye bahamba umango omfitshane besebephuma endleleni le. Abanye bazimisele ukuqhubeka behamba ngayo baze bayefika lapho eya khona. Iya ngaphi vele indlela le?

¹⁸ Labo abalethemba lokuyaphila ezulwini, indlela le ibasa ‘epharadayisi likaNkulunkulu’ elisezulwini. (Isam. 2:7) Labo abalethemba lokuphila emhlabeni bazaqhubeka behamba endleleni le isono esilaso size siqedwe ekupheleni kweminyaka engu-1 000 yokubusa kukaJesu Khristu. Nxa kuyikuthi usuphakathi kwayo indlela le siyakukhuthaza ukuthi ungakhangeli izinto owazitshiya emuva. Qhubeka uhamba ngendlela le uze uyefika emhlabeni omutsha! Sikufisela uhambo oluhle.