1, 2. (a) Wawuyintoni “umnquba kaDavide,” ibe wawuza kuphinda wakhiwe njani? (b) Ngoobani abakhonza kunye njengabakhonzi bakaYehova namhlanje?

EBUDENI bentlanganiso eyimbalasane yequmrhu elilawulayo eyayiseYerusalem ngowama-49 C.E., umfundi uYakobi wathi: “USimiyon [Petros] ubalise ngokucokisekileyo indlela uThixo okwesihlandlo sokuqala awayiphethulela ngayo ingqalelo yakhe ezintlangeni ukuba kuzo athabathe isizwana segama lakhe. Yaye amazwi abaProfeti ayavumelana noku, kanye njengoko kubhaliwe kwathiwa, ‘Emva kwezi zinto ndiya kubuya ndize ndiwakhe umnquba kaDavide owe phantsi; yaye ndiya kubuya ndiwakhe amanxuwa awo ndize ndiwumise kwakhona, ukuze abo baseleyo ebantwini bamfune ngenyameko uYehova, ndawonye nabantu beentlanga zonke, abantu ababizwa ngegama lam, utsho uYehova, ozenzayo ezi zinto, ezaziwayo kwakudala.’”—IZe. 15:13-18.

² “Umnquba [okanye indlu yasebukhosini] kaDavide” yawa xa kwasuswa uKumkani uZedekiya etroneni. (Amosi 9:11) Kodwa, loo ‘mnquba’ wawuza kuphinda wakhiwe ngenzala kaDavide uYesu oyiKumkani engayi kususwa etroneni. (Hez. 21:27; IZe. 2:29-36) Njengokuba uYakobi wachazayo kuloo ntlanganiso, esi siprofeto sika-Amosi sasizaliseka ngokuhlanganiswa kweendlalifa zoBukumkani eziphuma kumaYuda nakubantu beeNtlanga. Namhlanje, intsalela yamaKristu athanjisiweyo nezigidi ‘zezinye izimvu’ zikaYesu zimanyene ekuvakaliseni inyaniso yeBhayibhile njengabakhonzi bakaYehova.—Yoh. 10:16.

3, 4. Yintoni eyanceda abantu bakaYehova ngokomoya eBhabhiloni?

³ Xa amaYuda ayethinjelwa eBhabhiloni, kwacaca  ukuba “umnquba kaDavide” uwile. Ekubeni unqulo lobuxoki lwalugqugqisile eBhabhiloni, basinda njani abantu bakaThixo ngokomoya kuloo minyaka ingama-70 bethinjwe apho ukususela ngowama-607 B.C.E. ukusa ngowama-537 B.C.E.? Ngendlela efanayo nale sisinda ngayo namhlanje kweli hlabathi lilawulwa nguSathana. (1 Yoh. 5:19) Bubuteketeke belifa lokomoya obusinceda sisinde.

⁴ Njengenxalenye yelifa lokomoya, sineBhayibhile epheleleyo. AmaYuda athinjwe eBhabhiloni ayengenazo iZibhalo Ezingcwele ezipheleleyo, kodwa ayewazi uMthetho kaMoses, oquka iMithetho Elishumi. Ayezazi “iingoma zaseZiyon,” nentaphane yemizekeliso, esazi nabanye abakhonzi bakaYehova ababethembekile ngaphambi kwabo. Loo maYuda ade alila xa ekhumbula iZiyon, ibe akazange amlibale uYehova. (Funda iNdumiso 137:1-6.) Zezo zinto kanye ezawanceda ahlala ethe qwa ngokomoya kuloo Bhabhiloni izaliswe ziimfundiso nonqulo lobuxoki.

5. Bubuphi ubungqina esinabo boothixo abaneziqu ezithathu ababenqulwa eBhabhiloni nakwiYiputa yamandulo?

⁵ Ukunqulwa kothixo oneziqu ezithathu emnye kwakuyinto eqhelekileyo eBhabhiloni. Omnye wolu hlobo lothixo eBhabhiloni wayebunjwa nguSin (uthixo wenyanga), nguShamash (uthixo welanga) noIshtar (uthixo wenzala nemfazwe). KwiYiputa yamandulo, uthixo kwakusithiwa ubunjwa yindoda etshate nothixokazi oye wamzalela unyana, “nto leyo emenza abe neziqu ezithathu. Nakuba ezi ziqu zikuthixo omnye, kwakusithiwa zinegunya elingalinganiyo, ibe kwakungasoloko kukhonya utata. Omnye uthixo wamaYiputa wayebunjwa nguthixo uOsiris, uthixokazi uIsis, nonyana wabo uHorus.

6. Ungamchaza njani uBathathu Emnye, ibe siye sakhuselwa njani kule mfundiso yobuxoki?

⁶ Nayo iNgqobhoko namhlanje inowayo uthixo oneziqu ezithathu—uBathathu Emnye. Abefundisi bathi ubunjwa nguBawo, uNyana, nomoya oyingcwele. Kodwa le mfundiso sisithuko kumongami uYehova, kuba ibonisa ukuba akanamandla apheleleyo kuba uyinxalenye yesithathu kaThixo. Abantu bakaYehova baye bakhuselwa kule mfundiso yobuxoki kuba bavumelana nala mazwi aphefumlelweyo: “Phulaphula, Sirayeli: UYehova uThixo wethu nguYehova mnye.” (Dut. 6:4) UYesu wawacaphula la mazwi, ngaba ukho umKristu wokwenyaniso obeya kumphikisa?—Marko 12:29.

7. Kutheni kungenakwenzeka ukuba umntu okholelwa kuBathathu Emnye abhaptizwe ezahlulela kuThixo?

⁷ Le mfundiso kaBathathu Emnye iyaphikisana nothumo uYesu awalunika abalandeli bakhe esithi ‘benze abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke, bababhaptize egameni loYise neloNyana nelomoya oyingcwele.’ (Mat. 28:19) Ukuze abe ngumKristu wokwenene neNgqina likaYehova elibhaptiziweyo, umntu umele ayamkele into yokuba uYise, uYehova, unegunya, kwaye uYesu unguNyana kaThixo oweza emhlabeni ukuze asihlawulele. Umntu oza kubhaptizwa umele akholelwe nokuba umoya oyingcwele ungamandla kaThixo awasebenzisayo, kungekhona inxalenye kaBathathu Emnye. (Gen. 1:2) Umntu osakholelwa kuBathathu Emnye akanako ukubhaptizwa, ezahlulela kuYehova uThixo. Lilungelo elikhethekileyo kuthi ukuba neli lifa lokomoya neliye lasikhusela kule mfundiso inyelisa uThixo!

8. Yiyiphi inkolelo ababenayo eBhabhiloni ngoothixo needemon?

⁸ Unqulo lwaseBhabhiloni lwalunentaphane yeemfundiso zobuxoki, oothixo,  iidemon nokusebenzelana nemimoya. IThe International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia ithi: “Kubantu baseBhabhiloni iidemon zazibaluleke kangangokuba zazinokwenza abantu bagule. Abaninzi babesoloko bethandaza koothixo ukukhuselwa kuzo.”

9. (a) Ukubuya kwawo ekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni, amaYuda amaninzi aba ngawo njani amaxhoba eemfundiso zobuxoki? (b) Sikhuselwa njani kwiingozi zokuzibandakanya needemon?

⁹ Ukubuya kwawo ekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni, amaYuda amaninzi abuya engamaxhoba ezi mfundiso zobuxoki. Kamva amaninzi amkela iinkolelo zamaGrike zokuba iidemon zinokwenza okubi okanye okulungileyo. Kodwa eli lifa sinalo liyasikhusela kwiingozi zokuzibandakanya needemon, kuba siyazi ukuba uThixo wayikhaba into yokusebenzelana nemimoya yaseBhabhiloni. (Isa. 47:1, 12-15) Eyona nto ibalulekileyo kuthi kukuba uThixo uyakwalela ukusebenzelana nemimoya.—Funda iDuteronomi 18:10-12; iSityhilelo 21:8.

10. Kunokuthwani ngemvelaphi neenkolelo zeBhabhiloni Enkulu?

¹⁰ Olu qheliselo lokusebenzelana nemimoya lugqugqisile nanamhlanje. Ngenxa yokuba lwalugqugqisile kwiBhabhiloni yamandulo, iBhayibhile ibhekisela kulo lonke unqulo lobuxoki olusemhlabeni ngokuthi yiBhabhiloni Enkulu. (ISityhi. 18:21-24) IThe Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible ithi: “IBhabhiloni [Enkulu] inengxube-vange yeenkolelo nezithethe. Ichazwa njengebalaseleyo ngonqulo zithixo.” (Umqu. 1, iphe. 338) Ngenxa yokuxhaphaka kokusebenzelana nemimoya, unqulo zithixo, nezinye izono, iBhabhiloni Enkulu isekho—kodwa sekumbovu itshatyalaliswe.—Funda iSityhilelo 18:1-5.

11. Ziziphi izilumkiso eziye zapapashwa ngokusebenzelana nemimoya?

¹¹ UYehova uthi: “Andinakukunyamezela ukusetyenziswa kwamandla angaqhelekanga.” (Isa. 1:13) Ngenkulungwane ye-19 ukusebenzelana nemimoya kwakuxhaphakile. Ngenxa yoko, iZion’s Watch Tower kaMeyi 1885 yathi: “Inkolelo yokuba abafileyo baphila ndaweni ithile kudala ikho. Yayikho kwakunqulo lwamandulo yaye yingcambu yazo zonke iintsomi ezikhoyo.” Eli nqaku longeza ngelithi ingcamango yokuba abafileyo bayakwazi ukunxibelelana nabaphilayo “iye yanceda iidemon zakwazi ukukhohlisa abantu ngokuzifihla. Ziye zavela ebantwini zibonakala ngathi ngabo bafileyo, kwaza oko kwaphembelela abaninzi.” Enye yeencwadana zokuqala ethi What Say the Scriptures About Spiritism? yakhupha izilumkiso ezifanayo, kanye njengeencwadi zethu zakutshanje.

12. Xa wayephemfulelwe, wathini uSolomon ngemeko yabafileyo?

¹² “Bonke abo baye bafikelela ekuyazini inyaniso” bangawuphendula lo mbuzo. (2 Yoh. 1) Sivumelana namazwi kaSolomon athi: “Inja ephilayo ilunge ngakumbi kunengonyama efileyo. Kuba abaphilayo bayazi ukuba baya kufa; kodwa abafileyo, abazi nto konke konke . . . Konke esikufumanayo ukuba sikwenze isandla sakho kwenze ngamandla akho onke, kuba akukho msebenzi nakuyila nakwazi nakulumka eShiyol, kwindawo oya kuyo.”—INtshu. 9:4, 5, 10.

13. AmaYuda achatshazelwa njani ziinkolelo nezithethe zamaGrike?

¹³ AmaYuda ayemele ayazi inyaniso ngemeko yabafileyo kuba uYehova wayewaxelele. Kodwa xa iinjengele zika-Aleksandire Omkhulu zahlulelana ngolawulo lweGrisi, kwenziwa imigudu yokumanyanisa uYuda neSiriya, ngokuba kwamkelwe unqulo lwamaGrike nezithethe  zawo. Ngenxa yoko, amaYuda amkela iimfundiso zobuxoki zokungafi komphefumlo nobukho bendawo ekuthuthunjiswa kuyo abafileyo. Le ngcamango ayizange ize namaGrike, kuba abantu baseBhabhiloni babekholelwa ukuba “kukho ilizwe . . . Ekugquba izinto ezimbi, . . . apho kulawa oothixo needemon ezinamandla nezithuthumbisa abantu kulo.” (The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria) Ewe, abantu baseBhabhiloni babekholelwa ekungafini komphefumlo.

14. Yintoni awayeyazi uYobhi noAbraham ngemeko yabafileyo novuko?

¹⁴ Nakuba indoda elilungisa uYobhi yayingenayo iBhayibhile, yayiyazi inyaniso ngemeko yabafileyo. Yaqonda nokuba uYehova unguThixo onothando okulangazelelayo ukuyivusa. (Yobhi 14:13-15) NoAbraham wayelukholelwa uvuko. (Funda amaHebhere 11:17-19.) Ekubeni engenakuvuswa umntu ongafiyo, kuloo madoda oyika uThixo yayiyintsomi into yokungafi komphefumlo. Imele ibe ngumoya kaThixo owanceda uYobhi noAbraham bayiqonda imeko yabafileyo baza banokholo kuvuko. Nale inyaniso yinxalenye yelifa lethu.

15, 16. Yiyiphi indlela esiye sakhululwa ngayo kwisono nokufa?

¹⁵ Simele simbulele uThixo ngokusichazela indlela asihlangule ngayo kwisono nokufa esakuzuza ilifa kuAdam. (Roma 5:12) Siyaqonda ukuba uYesu “weza, kungekhona ukuze alungiselelwe, kodwa ukuze alungiselele nokuze anikele ngomphefumlo wakhe ube yintlawulelo ngenxa yabaninzi.” (Marko 10:45) Kusivuyisa ngokwenene ukwazi ukuba ‘siye sakhululwa ngentlawulelo ngoKristu Yesu’!—Roma 3:22-24.

¹⁶ Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, amaYuda nabantu beentlanga kwakufuneka baguquke kwizono zabo baze babe nokholo  kwidini lentlawulelo likaYesu. Ngaphandle koko, zazingenakuxolelwa izono zabo. Kusenjalo ke nanamhlanje. (Yoh. 3:16, 36) Ukuba umntu usabambelele kwiimfundiso zobuxoki, ezifana noBathathu Emnye nokungafi komphefumlo, akanakuncedwa yintlawulelo. Kodwa thina iyasinceda kuba siyayazi inyaniso ‘ngoNyana wothando lukaThixo, ekuthe ngaye sakhululwa ngentlawulelo, saxolelwa izono zethu.’—Kol. 1:13, 14.

17, 18. Sinokuyifumana phi inkcazelo eluncedo ngembali yethu, ibe kungasinceda njani ukufunda ngayo?

¹⁷ Singathetha de kuse xa sichaza iimfundiso eziyinyaniso esizikholelwayo, izinto ezenzeka kuthi kuba sikhonza uThixo, kuquka iintsikelelo zokomoya nezezinto eziphathekayo. Sekuqengqeleke amashumi eminyaka, iiNcwadi Zonyaka zibalisa iingxelo ezichukumisayo ngomsebenzi wethu owenziwa ehlabathini. Imbali yethu iyafumaneka kwividiyo ethi Ukholo Olunemisebenzi, Icandelo 1 nelesi-2, nakwiincwadi ezifana nethi AmaNgqina KaYehova—Abavakalisi BoBukumkani BukaThixo. Namaphephancwadi ethu asoloko esiba neengxelo zabazalwana bethu ababalisa ngobomi babo.

¹⁸ Njengokuba amaSirayeli kwawancedayo ukuqwalasela indlela awahlangulwa ngayo nguThixo kubukhoboka baseYiputa, nathi kuya kusinceda ukuqwalasela imbali yentlangano kaYehova. (Eks. 12:26, 27) Njengegqala elazibonela ngokwalo imisebenzi emangalisayo kaThixo, uMoses wabongoza amaSirayeli esithi: “Khumbula iimini zakudala, uqwalasele iminyaka yamandulo yezizukulwana ngezizukulwana; buza kuyihlo, angakuxelela; kumadoda amakhulu akowenu, angakwazisa.” (Dut. 32:7) ‘Njengabantu bakaYehova nomhlambi wedlelo lakhe,’ sonke sivakalisa ngovuyo uzuko lwakhe sixelela abanye ngemisebenzi yakhe emikhulu. (INdu. 79:13) Ngaphezu koko, senza kakuhle xa sihlola imbali yethu, sifunde kuyo, size sicinge ngekamva.

19. Yintoni esimele siyenze njengoko sisekukhanyeni kokomoya?

¹⁹ Siyambulela uThixo ngokusinika ukukhanya kokomoya endaweni yokufathul’ ebumnyameni. (IMize. 4:18, 19) Ngoko masiqhubeke silifunda iLizwi likaThixo size sishumayele ngenzondelelo kwabanye njengomdumisi owathi ngoYehova, iNkosi enguMongami: “Ndiya kubukhankanya ubulungisa bakho, obakho wedwa. Owu Thixo, undifundise ukususela ebutsheni bam, yaye kude kube ngoku ndiqhubeka ndixela imisebenzi yakho emangalisayo. Owu Thixo wam, musa ukundishiya ndide ndibe mdala ndibe nezimvi, de ndixelele izizukulwana ngegama lakho, kubo bonke abo baza kuza, ngamandla akho.”—INdu. 71:16-18.

20. Yiyiphi imbambano ekhoyo, yaye uvakalelwa njani ngayo?

²⁰ Njengabantu bakaYehova abazahluleleyo, siyayiqonda imbambano ekhoyo yolongamo lukaThixo nokugcina kwabantu ingqibelelo. Enyanisweni, sivakalisa inyaniso enganakuphikwa yokuba uYehova unguMongami Wendalo Iphela, yaye simele simnqule ngentliziyo epheleleyo. (ISityhi. 4:11) Ekubeni esiphe umoya wakhe, sivakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo kwabalulamileyo, sibopha abantliziyo zaphukileyo yaye sithuthuzela abo bazilileyo. (Isa. 61:1, 2) Phezu kwayo nje imigudu elilize kaSathana yokulawula abantu bakaThixo noluntu luphela, siyalixabisa ilifa lethu lokomoya yaye sizimisele ukugcina ingqibelelo kuThixo size simdumise uYehova iNkosi eNgumongami ngoku nangonaphakade.—Funda iNdumiso 26:11; 86:12.