1-3. UJesu wenzani lapho ethola ithempeli lingcoliswa?

UJESU wayelihlonipha kakhulu ithempeli elaliseJerusalema ngoba wayekwazi ukuthi lalimelani. Kwasekulesikhathi eside ithempeli leli liyindawo yokukhonza kweqiniso emhlabeni. Kodwa ukukhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu ongcwele kwakumele kuhlanzeke futhi kube msulwa. Ake ucabange ukuthi uJesu wezwa njani lapho ethola abantu bengcolisa ithempeli ngoNisan 10, 33 C.E. Kwakusenzakalani?​—Bala uMathewu 21:12, 13.

² Izihwaba ezazithengisa lezazintshintsha izimali eGumeni Labezizweni zazidlelezela abantu ababezokwenza iminikelo yabo kuJehova. * UJesu “wabaxotsha bonke ababethenga lababethengisa khona. Wagenqula amatafula alabo ababentshintshela abanye izimali.” (Qathanisa loNehemiya 13:7-9.) Wawahalada amagovu la ngenxa yokuthi ayesesenza indlu kaYise “ubhalu lwabaphangi.” Ngokwenza lokhu, uJesu watshengisa ukuthi wayelihlonipha ithempeli kanye lalokho elalikumela. UYise kwakumele aqhubeke ekhonzwa ngendlela ehlanzekileyo.

³ Kwathi sekwedlule amakhulu eminyaka, uJesu waphinda wahlanza ithempeli eseyiNkosi enguMesiya. Ithempeli leli ligoqela bonke abantu abafuna ukukhonza uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo lamuhla. Yiliphi ithempeli alihlanzayo ngalesosikhathi?

4, 5. (a) Abalandeli bakaJesu abagcotshiweyo bacengwa futhi bahlanjululwa njani kusukela ngo-1914 kwaze kwaba sekuqaliseni kuka-1919? (b) Kwasekuphelele khonapho yini ukucengwa lokuhlanjululwa kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu? Chaza.

⁴ Njengoba safunda kuSahluko 2, uJesu owayesebekwe njengeNkosi ngo-1914, weza loYise bezohlola ithempeli elingokomfanekiso, elimela ukukhonza okuhlanzekileyo. * Sebelihlolile, iNkosi yabona ukuthi amaKhristu agcotshiweyo, “abaLevi,” kwakumele acengwe njalo ahlanjululwe. (Mal. 3:1-3) Kusukela ngo-1914 kusiya ekuqaliseni kuka-1919, uMcengi onguJehova wavumela ukuthi abantu bakhe behlelwe yizilingo kanye lobunzima obutshiyeneyo ukuze bacengwe njalo bahlanjululwe. Okuhle yikuthi abagcotshiweyo baphuma ezilingweni lezi ezazinjengomlilo sebehlanzekile njalo sebezimisele ukutshengisa ukuthi bayayisekela iNkosi enguMesiya!

⁵ Kwaphelela khonapho yini ukucengwa kanye lokuhlanjululwa kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu? Hatshi, ngoba uJehova ubelokhu  esebenzisa iNkosi enguMesiya kulezi zinsuku zokucina ukuthi isize abalandeli bayo ukuthi bahlale behlanzekile ukuze baqhubeke besethempelini elingokomfanekiso. Ezahlukweni ezimbili ezilandelayo, sizabona ukuthi ihlambulule njani ukuziphatha kwabo kanye lendlela izinto ebezihlelwe ngayo enhlanganisweni. Kodwa ake siqale sixoxe ngokuhlanjululwa okungokomfanekiso. Kuzasiqinisa ukholo ukuhlola izinto ezikhanya ngokucacileyo kanye lesingaziboniyo ezenziwe nguJesu ukuze ukukhonza kwabalandeli bakhe kuhlale kuhlanzekile.

6. Lokho uJehova akulaya amaJuda ayethunjiwe kusinceda njani ukuthi sizwisise lokho okutshiwo yikukhonza okuhlanzekileyo?

⁶ Kutshoni ukukhonza ngendlela ehlanzekileyo? Ukuze sithole impendulo, asihloleni amazwi kaJehova awatshela amaJuda ayesezakhululwa ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni ngo-537 B.C.E. (Bala u-Isaya 52:11.) Isizatho esikhulu sokubuyela kwabo eJerusalema sasiyikuyakwakha kutsha ithempeli kanye lokuvuselela ukukhonza kweqiniso. (Ezra. 1:2-4) UJehova wayefuna abantu bakhe batshiye yonke imikhuba yenkolo yaseBhabhiloni. Lokhu wakugcizelela ngamazwi athi: “Lingathinti lutho olungcolileyo,” “phumani kulo,” “libe ngabahlambulukileyo.” Ukukhonza uJehova ngendlela ehlanzekileyo akumelanga kungcoliswe yikukhonza kwamanga. Ngakho-ke siphetha ngokuthini? Ukukhonza ngendlela ehlanzekileyo kugoqela ukungazingcolisi ngezimfundiso kanye lemikhuba yenkolo yamanga.

7. Yiphi indlela uJesu ayisebenzisileyo ekusizeni abalandeli bakhe ukuthi bakhonze ngendlela ehlanzekileyo?

⁷ Esanda kubekwa ukuba yiNkosi, uJesu wakhetha ukusebenzisa indlela ekhanyayo lecacileyo ukuze asize abalandeli bakhe ukuthi bakhonze ngendlela ehlanzekileyo. Indlela le yinceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo, uKhristu ayibeka ngo-1919. (Mat. 24:45) Ngomnyaka lo, aBafundi beBhayibhili basebezitshiyile izimfundiso ezinengi zenkolo yamanga. Kodwa indlela ababekhonza ngayo kwakusamele ihlanjululwe. UKhristu usebenzise inceku ethembekileyo ukuze akhanyisele abalandeli bakhe kancane kancane ngemikhosi kanye lemikhuba obekumele bayitshiye. (Zaga. 4:18) Ake sibone ezinye izibonelo.

8. Kuyini aBafundi beBhayibhili ababevele sebekwazi mayelana leKhisimusi, kodwa kuyini ababelokhu bengakuzwisisi?

⁸ Kwasekulesikhathi eside aBafundi beBhayibhili bevuma ukuthi iKhisimusi idabuka kubahedeni, lokuthi uJesu kazalwanga mhlaka 25 December. NgoDecember 1881, i-Zion’s Watch Tower yathi: “Amamiliyoni abantu ayengabahedeni antshintsha eza esontweni. Kodwa izikhathi ezinengi ayentshintsha amabizo kuphela, ngoba abaphristi abangabahedeni baba ngabaphristi besikhristu njalo imikhosi yobuhedeni yaqalisa ukuphiwa amabizo esikhristu. Ikhefu leKhisimusi ngelinye lawo.” Ku-Watch Tower ka-1883 kwakulesihloko esasisithi “UJesu Wazalwa Nini?” esaveza ukuthi uJesu wazalwa phose ekuqaliseni kuka-October. * Kodwa ngalesosikhathi aBafundi beBhayibhili  babengaboni lutho olubi ngokuqhubeka benanza iKhisimusi. Yaqhubeka inanzwa layimuli yaseBhetheli eBrooklyn. Kodwa izinto zaqalisa ukuntshintsha ngemva komnyaka ka-1926. Ngenxa yani?

9. Kuyini okwacina kunanzelelwa ngaBafundi beBhayibhili mayelana leKhisimusi?

⁹ Ngenxa yokuthi basebehluze bafika emkantshweni wendaba le, aBafundi beBhayibhili bananzelela ukuthi imvelaphi yeKhisimusi kanye lemikhuba yayo iyalingcolisa ibizo likaNkulunkulu. Isihloko esasiku-The Golden Age kaDecember 14, 1927 esasisithi, “Imvelaphi yeKhisimusi” sathi iKhisimusi ingumkhosi wabahedeni, ngeyokuzikholisela nje futhi ihlanganisa ukukhonza izithombe. Isihloko lesi sakucacisa ukuthi uKhristu kazange alaye ukuthi umkhosi lo unanzwe njalo saphetha ngomcijo othi: “Iqiniso lokuthi umhlaba, inhliziyo, kanye loDeveli kufuna siqhubeke siyinanza . . . liyisizathu sokucina esingaphikekiyo esitshengisa ukuthi labo abakhonza uJehova ngokupheleleyo akumelanga bayinanze.” Yikho kungamangalisi ukuthi imuli yeBhetheli kayizange inanze iKhisimusi ngoDecember 1927 njalo kayizange iphinde iyinanze.

10. (a) Kuyini okwaphinda kwacaciswa mayelana leKhisimusi ngoDecember 1928? (Khangela lebhokisi elithi “ Imvelaphi YeKhisimusi Lenhloso Yayo.”) (b) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu balinyukiswa njani ngemikhosi kanye lamaholideyi okungamelanga agcinwe? (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Ukuveza Ububi Beminye Imikhosi Lamaholideyi.”)

¹⁰ Ngo-1928 aBafundi beBhayibhili baphinda bacaciselwa ngeKhisimusi. Mhlaka 12 December 1928 uMfowethu uRichard H. Barber, owayesebenza emawofisini ethu amakhulu, wakhuluma inkulumo kurediyo eyakuveza egcekeni ukuthi ikhefu leli lalivela kubahedeni. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu bazizwa njani ngomlayezo lo owawucacile owawuvela kunceku ethembekileyo? UMfowethu uCharles Brandlein wakhuluma ngesikhathi imuli yangakibo eyacina ngaso ukunanza iKhisimusi,  wathi: ‘Kwasikhathaza yini ukutshiya imikhuba yobuhedeni? Ngitsho sibili! Kwakufanana lokukhipha isigqoko esingcolileyo usilahlele le.’ UMfowethu Henry A. Cantwell owacina esengumbonisi ohambelayo, wazizwa ngendlela efananayo, wathi: “Kwasithokozisa ukuthi senelisa ukutshiya okuthile ukuze sitshengise ukuthi uJehova simthanda kangakanani.” Abalandeli bakaKhristu abathembekileyo babezimisele ukuntshintsha lapho okwakudingeka khona lokungawunanzi umkhosi owawuvela ekukhonzeni okungcolileyo. *​—Joh. 15:19; 17:14.

11. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyayisekela iNkosi enguMesiya?

¹¹ ABafundi beBhayibhili basitshiyela isibonelo esihle kakhulu! Kuhle ukuthi sicabangisise ngesibonelo sabo besesizibuza ukuthi: ‘Ngizibona njani iziqondiso ezivela kunceku ethembekileyo? Ngizamukela ngenhliziyo yonke yini? Ngiyakusebenzisa yini lokho engikufundayo?’ Ukuzimisela kwethu ukulalela kutshengisa ukuthi sisekela iNkosi enguMesiya, esinika ukudla ngesikhathi esifaneleyo isebenzisa inceku ethembekileyo.​—ImiSeb. 16:4, 5.

12. ABafundi beBhayibhili bathatha iminyaka eminengi becabangani ngesiphambano?

¹² Kwadlula iminyaka eminengi aBafundi beBhayibhili becabanga ukuthi isiphambano siluphawu olwamukelekayo lwesiKhristu. Babekwazi kuhle ukuthi isiphambano kwakungamelanga sikhonzwe, ngoba besazi ukuthi ukukhonza izithombe kubi. (1 Khor. 10:14; 1 Joh. 5:21) I-Watch Tower ka-1883 yayisikubeke kwacaca ukuthi “zonke izinhlobo zokukhonza izithombe ziyenyanyeka kuNkulunkulu.” Kodwa aBafundi beBhayibhili baqalisa bengaliboni icala kulokho ababecabanga  ukuthi yikusetshenziswa kuhle kwesiphambano. Ngokwesibonelo, babeziqhenya ngokugqoka amabheji abo ayelesiphambano lomqhele. Kubo kwakusitsho ukuthi nxa babengaqhubeka bethembekile baze bayekufa, babezaphiwa umqhele wokuphila. Kusukela ngo-1891, isiphambano lomqhele kwasekufakwa ekhasini lokuqala le-Watch Tower.

13. Kuyini abalandeli bakaKhristu abakukhanyiselwayo mayelana lokusetshenziswa kwesiphambano? (Khangela lebhokisi elithi “ Ukucaciselwa Kancane Kancane Ngokusetshenziswa Kwesiphambano.”)

¹³ ABafundi beBhayibhili babeyiqakathekisa ibheji eyayilesiphambano lomqhele. Kodwa ekupheleni kwabo-1920, abalandeli bakaKhristu baqalisa ukukhanyiselwa kancane kancane ngokusetshenziswa kwesiphambano. UMfowethu uGrant Suiter owacina eselilunga leQula Elibusayo walandisa ngomhlangano ka-1928 owawuseDetroit, eMichigan, e-U.S.A. wathi: “Emhlanganweni kwakhanyiswa ukuthi amabheji ayelesiphambano lomqhele ayengafaneleki njalo kwakungamelanga asetshenziswe.” Udaba lolu lwaqhubeka lukhanyiswa njengoba iminyaka yayiqhubeka. Kwasekusegcekeni ukuthi isiphambano kwakungamelanga sisetshenziswe ekukhonzeni okuhlanzekileyo lokumsulwa.

14. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu benzani ngokukhanyiselwa ababeqhubeka bekuphiwa mayelana lesiphambano?

¹⁴ Abantu bakaNkulunkulu benzani ngokukhanyiselwa ababeqhubeka bekuphiwa mayelana lesiphambano? Baqhubeka beyisebenzisa yini ibheji yabo ababeyithanda kangaka? ULela Roberts oselesikhathi eside ekhonza uJehova uthi: “Kwaba lula ukuthi siyekele ukuyisebenzisa ngoba sasesikuzwisisa ukuthi yayimelani.” Omunye udadewethu othembekileyo okuthiwa ngu-Ursula Serenco, waveza okwakusezinhliziyweni zabanengi lapho esithi: “Sakunanzelela ukuthi lokho esasikuqakathekisa sisithi luphawu lokufa kweNkosi yethu kanye lolokuthi singamaKhristu, kwakuluphawu lwabahedeni. Sabonga kakhulu ukuthi ukukhanya kwakulokhu kukhula njengoba iZaga 4:​18 zisitsho.” Abalandeli bakaKhristu abathembekileyo babengafuni ukuthinta loba yiphi imikhuba engcolileyo yenkolo yamanga!

15, 16. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi sizimisele ukugcina amaguma asemhlabeni ethempeli likaJehova ehlanzekile?

¹⁵ Yiyo indlela esizizwa ngayo lathi lamuhla. Kuyasicacela ukuthi uKhristu ubelokhu esebenzisa inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo, eyindlela ekhanyayo asize ngayo abantu bakhe ukuthi baqhubeke bekhonza ngendlela ehlanzekileyo. Yikho-ke nxa sithola iziqondiso ezisilimukisa ngemikhosi, imikhuba kumbe amasiko angcoliswe yinkolo yamanga, kasicabangi kabili kodwa sihle silalele masinyane. Sizimisele ukugcina amaguma asemhlabeni ethempeli likaJehova ehlanzekile, silingisela lokho okwenziwa ngabafowethu labodadewethu abaphila ekuqaliseni kokubakhona kukaKhristu.

¹⁶ Kulezi zinsuku zokucina, uKhristu ubelokhu evikela amabandla abantu bakaJehova ukuthi kungabi lomuntu ongcolisa ukukhonza kwabo. Lokhu ubekwenza ngezindlela esingaziboniyo ngamehlo. Ake sibone ukuthi ukwenze njani lokhu.

17, 18. Emzekelisweni wombule, kutshoni (a) ukwehlisela phansi umbule, (b) ‘ukuhuquluza zonke izinhlobo zezinhlanzi,’ (c) ukuqoqela izinhlanzi ezilungileyo ezitsheni, (d) ukulahla izinhlanzi ezimbi?

¹⁷ INkosi enguJesu Khristu ikhangela amabandla abantu bakaNkulunkulu emhlabeni wonke jikelele ngelihlo elibukhali. UKhristu kanye lezingilosi bebelokhu besenza umsebenzi wokwehlukanisa ngezindlela esingasoze sizizwisise ngokugcweleyo. UJesu wachaza umsebenzi lo emzekelisweni wakhe wombule. (Bala uMathewu 13:47-50.) Utshoni umzekeliso lo?

¹⁸ Ukwehlisela ‘umbule phansi echibini kumbe olwandle.’ Umbule umela umsebenzi wokutshumayela ngoMbuso owenziwa emhlabeni wonke onjengolwandle. ‘Ukuhuquluza zonke izinhlobo zezinhlanzi.’ Izindaba ezinhle zikhanga abantu bazo zonke izinhlobo, okugoqela labo abathatha amanyathelo ukuze babe ngamaKhristu eqiniso, kanye labanengi abaqalisa befuna ukufunda kodwa bacine bengathathanga amanyathelo okuthi basekele ukukhonza kweqiniso. * Ukuqoqela “ezitsheni zonke izinhlanzi ezilungileyo.” Abalezinhliziyo eziqotho bayaqoqelwa emabandleni anjengezitsha, lapho abangakhonza khona uJehova ngendlela ehlanzekileyo. Ukulahla izinhlanzi “ezimbi.” Kusukela ekuqaliseni kwezinsuku zokucina, uKhristu kanye lezingilosi bebesehlukanisa “ababi kwabalungileyo.” * Yikho-ke labo abangelazo izinhliziyo eziqotho, abangazimiselanga mhlawumbe ukulahla imikhuba kanye lamasiko amabi, kabazange bavunyelwe ukuthi bangcolise amabandla. *

19. Uzizwa njani ngalokho obekusenziwa nguKhristu ukuze agcine abantu bakaNkulunkulu behlanzekile lokuthi ahlambulule ukukhonza kweqiniso?

¹⁹ Akuqinisi ukholo yini ukwazi ukuthi iNkosi yethu enguJesu Khristu iyabavikela abantu ebabusayo? Njalo akududuzi yini ukwazi ukuthi intshiseko eyayilayo ngokukhonza kweqiniso langezikhonzi zeqiniso, isavutha lalamuhla njengalapho ihlanza ithempeli ngekhulu lokuqala C.E.? Siyabonga kakhulu ukuthi uKhristu ubesebenza nzima ukuze abe leqiniso lokuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bakhonza ngendlela ehlanzekileyo lemsulwa! Singatshengisa ukuthi siyayisekela iNkosi loMbuso wayo ngokuxwaya konke okuphathelane lenkolo yamanga.