INCWADI yesAmbulo inezinkulumo okungamelwe ziqondwe njengoba zinjalo. (IsAmbulo 1:1) Ngokwesibonelo, ikhuluma ngowesifazane okulotshwe igama elithi “iBhabhiloni Elikhulu” ebunzini lakhe. Kuthiwa uhlezi phezu ‘kwezixuku nezizwe.’ (IsAmbulo 17:1, 5, 15) Njengoba engekho umuntu wesifazane wangempela ongenza lokhu, kumelwe ukuba iBhabhiloni Elikhulu lingokomfanekiso. Sifanekiselani-ke lesi sifebe esingokomfanekiso?

Encwadini yesAmbulo 17:18, yena lona wesifazane ongokomfanekiso uchazwa ngokuthi “umuzi omkhulu onombuso phezu kwamakhosi omhlaba.” Igama elithi “umuzi” lisho  iqembu labantu abayinhlangano. Njengoba lo “muzi omkhulu” ubusa “amakhosi omhlaba,” kumelwe ukuba lo wesifazane obizwa ngokuthi iBhabhiloni Elikhulu uyinhlangano enethonya phezu kwawo wonke umhlaba. Ingabizwa kufanele ngokuthi umbuso wezwe. Nhloboni yombuso? Owenkolo. Phawula indlela amanye amavesi encwadi yesAmbulo asiholela ngayo kulesi siphetho.

Umbuso ungaba owezombusazwe, owezentengiselwano, noma owenkolo. Lona wesifazane okuthiwa iBhabhiloni Elikhulu akawona umbuso wezombusazwe ngoba iZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi “afeba” naye “amakhosi omhlaba,” noma izinhlangano zezombusazwe zasemhlabeni. Ukufeba kwalo kubhekisela ezivumelwaneni elizenze nababusi baleli zwe futhi kuchaza ukuthi kungani libizwa ngokuthi ‘isifebe esikhulu.’—IsAmbulo 17:1, 2; Jakobe 4:4.

IBhabhiloni Elikhulu aliwona umbuso wezentengiselwano ngoba ‘abathengisi bomhlaba,’ abafanekisela izinhlangano zezentengiselwano, bayolililela lapho libhujiswa. Eqinisweni, kuthiwa amakhosi nabathengisi balibukela “kude” iBhabhiloni Elikhulu. (IsAmbulo 18:3, 9, 10, 15-17) Ngakho, kunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi iBhabhiloni Elikhulu liwumbuso wenkolo hhayi wezombusazwe noma wezentengiselwano.

Ukuthi iBhabhiloni Elikhulu liyinkolo kubuye kufakazelwe inkulumo ethi lidukisa zonke izizwe ‘ngokusebenzelana kwalo nemimoya.’ (IsAmbulo 18:23) Njengoba zonke izinhlobo zokusebenzelana nemimoya zivela emademonini, akumangazi ukuthi iBhayibheli libiza iBhabhiloni Elikhulu ngokuthi “indawo yokuhlala amademoni.” (IsAmbulo 18:2; Duteronomi 18:10-12) Lo mbuso uchazwa nangokuthi uphikisa inkolo yeqiniso, ushushise ‘abaprofethi nabangcwele.’ (IsAmbulo 18:24) Eqinisweni, iBhabhiloni Elikhulu liyizonda kakhulu inkolo yeqiniso kangangokuba libashushisa ngendluzula “ofakazi bakaJesu” lize libabulale nokubabulala. (IsAmbulo 17:6) Khona-ke kusobala ukuthi lona wesifazane obizwa ngokuthi iBhabhiloni Elikhulu ufanekisela umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, ohlanganisa zonke izinkolo eziphikisana noJehova uNkulunkulu.