1-2. Ngisiphi isiqunto esiqakathekileko amaJuda ahlala eBhabhiloni ebekufuze asenze? (Ezra 1:2-4)

 IKOSI yenza isaziso! AmaJuda ebewathunjelwe eBhabhiloni iminyaka ema-70, atjhatjhululwa bona abuyele enarhenawo, kwa-Israyeli. (Funda u-Ezra 1:2-4.) NguJehova kwaphela obekangenza lokho. Kubayini sitjho njalo? Bekungakajayeleki bona iBhabhiloni itjhaphulule abantu ebathumbileko. (Isa. 14:4, 17) Kodwana iBhabhiloni lahlulwa begodu umbusi omutjha watjela amaJuda bona angakhamba enarheni. Ngebanga lalokho, woke amaJuda, khulukhulu iinhloko zemindeni kwafuze enze isiqunto sokuthi azokukhamba eBhabhiloni namkha azokuhlala. Kungenzeka isiquntweso bekungasilula ukusenza. Kubayini?

² Abanengi kungenzeka besele baluphele ukuthi bangathatha ikhambweli. Njengombana inengi lamaJuda belibelethelwe eBhabhiloni, bekukuphela kwekhaya alaziko. Kiwo, inarha yakwa-Israyeli bekuyinarha ebeyihlala abokhokho bawo. Amanye amaJuda besele anjingile eBhabhiloni, yeke kungenzeka bekubudisi ukutjhiya imizawo emihle namkha amarhwebawo, ayokuhlala enarheni angakayijayeli.

3. UJehova bekazowabusisa njani amaJuda athembekileko abuyele kwa-Israyeli?

³ AmaJuda athembekileko bekazi ukuthi azokuzuza khulu ngokubuyela kwa-Israyeli ukudlula izinto azitjhiyileko. Isibusiso esikhulu ebewazosifumana sihlanganisa ukulotjha kwawo. Nanyana bekunamathempeli wamala angaphezu kwama-50 eBhabhiloni, belingekho ithempeli lakaJehova edorobhenelo.  Bekungana-aldara ama-Israyeli ebewanganikela kilo imihlatjelo ebeyifunwa mThetho kaMosi begodu bekunganamphristi ohleliweko bona anikele imihlatjelo leyo. Godu bekunabantu abanengi edorobheneli ebebalotjha abozimu bamala ukudlula labo ebebahlonipha uJehova nemithethwakhe. Nje-ke iinkulungwana zamaJuda ezithanda uJehova, beziqale phambili ekubuyeleni enarhenawo lapho zizokubuyisela khona ukulotjha okuhlwengileko.

4. Ngiliphi isizo uJehova athembisa ukulinikela amaJuda abuyela kwa-Israyeli?

⁴ Ikhambo elibudiseli elisuka eBhabhiloni liye kwa-Israyeli belingathatha iinyanga ezingaba zine, kodwana uJehova wathembisa ukuthi nanyana ngisiphi isiqabo esibonakala sizowakhandela nawabuyako sizokususwa. U-Isaya watlola wathi: “Lungisani indlela kaJehova! Yenzelani uZimu indlela ekulu, enqophileko ekhamba hlangana nerhalawumba. . . . Ihlabathi eneendunduma kufuze ilelezeke nehlabathi enamatje kufuze ibe mrhoba othabaleleko.” (Isa. 40:3, 4) Akhucabange ngalokhu: indlela enqophileko ekhamba hlangana nerhalawumba, umrhoba othabaleleko. Lokho bekuzokuba sibusiso esikhulu kilabo abazabe bakhamba endleleni enjalo! Bekuzokuba bulula ngabo ukukhamba endleleni enjalo kunokuthi bakhuphuke, behle, babhode iintaba, imibundu namkha imirhoba. Bekuzokuba msinyana.

5. Ngiliphi igama elanikelwa indlela engokomfanekiso ehlangana kweBhabhiloni nakwa-Israyeli?

⁵ Namhlanjesi iindlela ezinengi zinamagama namkha iinomboro ezibizwa ngawo. Indlela engokomfanekiso u-Isaya atlola ngayo nayo inegama. “Kuzokuba nendlela ekulu lapho, Iye, indlela ebizwa ngokuthi yiNdlela yokuCwengeka. Ongakahlwengeki angekhe akhambe kiyo.” (Isa. 35:8) Isithembiswesi besitjho ukuthini kuma-Israyeli wangesikhatheso? Sitjho ukuthini kithi namhlanjesi?

6. Kubayini indlela le beyibizwa ngokuthi icwengile?

⁶ ‘INdlela yokuCwengeka’—qala bona ligama elihle kangangani lendlela! Kubayini indlela le beyibizwa ngokuthi icwengile? “Ongakahlwengeki”—okumJuda nanyana ngimuphi, oziphatha kumbi ngokomseme, olotjha iinthombe namkha owenza ezinye izono ezimbi khulu angekhe avunyelwe kwa-Israyeli. AmaJuda abuyileko bekazokuba ‘babantu abacwengileko’ kuZimawo. (Dut. 7:6) Lokho bekungatjho ukuthi labo abasuke eBhabhiloni akutlhogeki benze amatjhuguluko bona bathabise uJehova.

7. Ngimaphi amatjhuguluko amanye amaJuda ebekutlhogeka awenze? Nikela isibonelo.

⁷ Njengombana khesatjho ngaphambilini, amaJuda amanengi abelethelwa eBhabhiloni, nje-ke ajayela indlela yokucabanga nemithetho yabantu beBhabhiloni. Eminyakeni eminengi ngemva kokuthi amaJuda abuyele kwa-Israyeli, u-Ezra wezwa ukuthi amanye amaJuda atjhade nabafazi abangalotjhi uZimu. (Eks. 34:15, 16; Ezr. 9:1, 2) Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uMbusi uNerhemiya warareka khulu nakafumana ukuthi abantwana ababelethelwe kwa-Israyeli akhenge bafunde ilimi lamaJuda. (Dut. 6:6, 7; Nerh. 13:23, 24) Abantwanaba bebazokuthanda bebalotjhe njani uJehova nange bangazwisisi isiHebheru—ebekulilimi ekutlolwe ngalo iliZwi lakaZimu? (Ezr. 10:3, 44) AmaJuda lawo bekuzokutlhogeka enze amatjhuguluko amakhulu, bekuzokuba bulula ngawo bona enze amatjhuguluko la kwa-Israyeli, lapho ukulotjha okuhlwengileko bekubuyiselwa kancanikancani khona.—Nerh. 8:8, 9.

8. Kubayini izinto ezenzeka esikhathini sangaphambilini zingasithinta namhlanjesi? (Qala isithombe esingaphandle.)

 ⁸ Abanye abantu bangathi, ‘Koke lokhu kuyarara, inga-kghani okwenzeka kumaJuda esikhathini esidlulileko kutjho okuthileko kithi namhlanjesi?’ Iye, ngombana esikwenzako kungafaniswa nokukhamba ‘eNdleleni yokuCwengeka.’ Akunandaba bona sizesiwe namkha ‘singezinye izimvu,’ kufuze sihlale ‘eNdleleni yokuCwengeka’ izosisiza siragele phambili silotjha uJehova nje nesikhathini esizako, lokha umBuso uletha ubujamo obukarisako ephasini. b (Jwa. 10:16) Kusukela ngo-1919 C.E., iingidigidi zamadoda, abafazi nabantwana zitjhiye iBhabhiloni eliKhulu, umbuso wephasi wekolo yamala, zithome ukukhamba endleleni engokomfanekiso leyo. Kungenzeka ungomunye wazo. Abantu abanengi bathome ukukhamba endleleni leyo eminyakeni engaba makhulu eyadlulako kodwana abanye bathome ukuyilungisa eminyakeni eminengi ngaphambi kwalokho.

9. U-Isaya 57:14 uthi, ‘iNdlela yokuCwengeka’ yalungiselelwa njani?

⁹ UJehova wasusela amaJuda asuka eBhabhiloni iinqabo. (Funda u-Isaya 57:14.) Kuthiwani-ke ‘ngeNdlela yokuCwengeka’ yanamhlanjesi? Amakhulu weminyaka ngaphambi kwaka-1919, uJehova wasebenzisa amadoda amhloniphako ukwenzela bona kukghoneke ngabanye ukuphuma eBhabhiloni eliKhulu. (Madanisa no-Isaya 40:3.) Enza umsebenzi oqakathekileko ukwenza kukghoneke ngabantu abathembekileko bona batjhiye iBhabhiloni eliKhulu balotjhe uJehova nabantu bakhe. Umsebenzi ‘wokulungisa indlela’ le bewuhlanganisani? Cabanga ngomunye umsebenzi wokulungisa owenziwako.

10-11. Ukugadangisa nokutjhugulula iBhayibheli kusize njani ekurhatjheni ilwazi leBhayibheli? (Qala nesithombe.)

¹⁰ Ukugadangisa. Bekube kuphakathi kwamakhulu ama-15 weminyaka, iBhayibheli lakopululwa ngesandla. Umsebenzi lo wathatha isikhathi eside, amakhophi weBhayibheli bekangafumaneki lula begodu bekadura. Lokha nakuba nemitjhini yokugadangisa, kwaba lula ukwenza amaBhayibheli amanengi nokuwanikela abantu.

¹¹ Ukutjhugulula. Emakhulwini weminyaka iBhayibheli belifumaneka khulu ngesi-Latin, okulilimi ebelaziwa babantu abafundileko kwaphela. Lokha ukugadangisa nasele kuyinto ejayelekileko, amadoda asaba uZimu asebenza budisi ukutjhugululela iBhayibheli emalimini amanengi ebekakhulunywa babantu. Nje abantu abafunda iBhayibheli bebakghona ukumadanisa lokho okufundiswa bafundisi nalokho okufundiswa liBhayibheli.

12-13. Nikela isibonelo sendlela abafundi beBhayibheli bangekhulu le-19 abaveza ngayo iimfundiso zamala zamasondo.

¹² Izinto ezisiza ekufundeni iBhayibheli. Abafundi beBhayibheli abatjhejisisako, bafunde okunengi nabafunda iliZwi lakaZimu. Kodwana abafundisi basilingeka khulu lokha abafundi beBhayibheli nabatjela abanye ngalokho abakufundileko. Ngokwesibonelo, ngekhulu le-19 amadoda athembekileko athoma ukugadangisa amaphetjhana aveza iimfundiso ezimamala zamasondo.

¹³ Ngabo-1835 indoda esaba eZimu u-Henry Grew wagadangisa iphetjhana elikhuluma ngobujamo babahlongakeleko. Kilo, watjengisa imiTlolo eveza ukuthi ukungafi sisipho esivela kuZimu, ingasi ubujamo esibelethwa nabo njengombana amasondo afundisa njalo.  Ngo-1837 umfundisi u-George Storrs wafumana ikhophi yephetjhanelo asesitimeleni. Walifunda begodu waqiniseka ukuthi ufumene iqiniso eliqakathekileko. Waqunta ukutjela abanye ngalokho akufundileko. Ngo-1842 wanikela iinkulumo ezimlandelande zesihloko esithi, “Ukuhlolisisa—Inga-kghani Umphefumulo Wabantu Abambi Awufi?” Omunye umuntu owafunda ku-George Storrs ngu-Charles Taze Russell.

14. UMfowethu u-Russell nabakhambisani bakhe bazuza njani emsebenzini wokusiza abantu balotjhe uZimu owenziwa esikhathini esidlulileko? (Qala isithombe.)

¹⁴ UMfowethu u-Russell nabakhambisani bakhe bazuza njani emsebenzini wokusiza abantu balotjhe uZimu owenziwa esikhathini esidlulileko? Eemfundweni zabo bakghona ukuhlola iinhlathululimezwi namaBhayibheli ahlukahlukeneko, koke bekulungiselelwe ngaphambi kobana bathome umsebenzi. Bazuza nerhubhululweni elenziwa ngu-Henry Grew, u-George Storrs nabanye. UMfowethu u-Russell nabakhambisani bakhe baba nesandla emsebenzini wokusiza abantu balotjhe uZimu, ngokwenza iincwadi ezinengi namaphetjhana akhuluma ngalokho iBhayibheli elikutjhoko.

15. Khuyini eqakathekileko eyenzeka ngo-1919?

¹⁵ Ngo-1919 iBhabhiloni eliKhulu akhenge sakghona ukulawula abantu bakaZimu. Ngomnyaka loyo, inceku “ethembekileko nehlakaniphileko” yathoma ukusebenza ukwenzela bona abathembekileko bakghone ukukhamba ‘eNdleleni yokuCwengeka.’ (Mat. 24:45-47) Umsebenzi owenziwa ngabanye phambilini ‘wokulungiselela indlela’ wasiza abantu abathoma ukukhamba endleleni leyo bona bafunde okungeziweko ngoJehova nangomnqophwakhe. Bebangavumelanisa nokuphila kwabo nalokho uJehova akufunako. UJehova akakalindeli bona abantu bakhe benze amatjhuguluko ngesikhathi sinye. Kunalokho ulungisa abantu bakhe kancanikancani. (Qala ibhoksi elithi, “ UJehova Ulungisa Abantu Bakhe Kancanikancani.”) Sizokuthaba khulu nasele sikghona ukuthabisa  uZimethu ngakho koke esikwenzako!—Kol. 1:10.

16. Kusukela ngo-1919 ngikuphi ukulungiswa okwenziweko ‘eNdleleni yokuCwengeka’? (Isaya 48:17; 60:17)

¹⁶ Bona indlela ihlale isebujamweni obuhle kufuze ihlale itlhogonyelwa. Kusukela ngo-1919, umsebenzi wokusiza abantu bakhambe ‘eNdleleni yokuCwengeka’ uragele phambili, ukwenzela bona abantu abanengi baphume eBhabhiloni eliKhulu. Inceku ethembekileko nehlakaniphileko esand’ukubekwa yasebenza, ngo-1921 yagadangisa incwadi esiza ekufundeni iBhayibheli eyenzelwe ukusiza labo abathoma ukufunda iqiniso leBhayibheli. Incwadi ethi, The Harp of God, ekukhambeni kwesikhathi kwasabalaliswa amakhophi wayo apheze abe ziingidi ezisithandathu ngamalimi ama-36 begodu abanengi bafunde ngayo iqiniso. Mvanje sinencwadi etja yokuraga iimfundo zeBhayibheli ethi, Thabela Ukuphila Ngokungapheliko! Emalangeni wokuphela la uJehova usebenzise ihlanganwakhe bona isinikele iinqophiso ezivela eliZwini lakhe ukusisiza soke sikhambe ‘eNdleleni yokuCwengeka.’—Funda u-Isaya 48:17; 60:17.

17-18. Isinqophisa kuphi ‘iNdlela yokuCwengeka’?

¹⁷ Singatjho ukuthi lokha umuntu nakamukela isifundo seBhayibheli, unethuba lokukhamba ‘eNdleleni yokuCwengeka.’ Abanye bakhamba kiyo isikhathi esifitjhani bese balise. Abanye bazimisele ukukhamba kiyo bebafike la baya khona. Kukuphi lapho?

¹⁸ Labo abanethemba lokuphila ezulwini ‘iNdlela yokuCwengeka’ ibasa ‘epharadesini lakaZimu’ ezulwini. (IsAm. 2:7) Labo abanethemba lokuphila ephasini, indlela leyo ibanqophisa ekupheleni kweminyaka eyi-1 000 lapho woke umuntu azabe angasanasono. Nange ukhamba endleleni leyo namhlanjesi, ungaqali emuva. Ungasuki kiyo bekube kulapho uqeda ikhambo lakho lokuya ephasini elitjha! Sikufisela “ikhambo eliphephileko.”