1. Yintoni eyabangela abantu bakaThixo baba nethemba lokukhululwa kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu, ibe yeyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyiphendula?

KWINQAKU elingaphambi kweli, sifunde ukuba amaKristu athembekileyo azifumana engathi athinjwe eBhabhiloni. Kodwa okuvuyisayo kukuba, ayengayi kuhlala umphelo kuloo meko. Umyalelo kaThixo othi “Phumani kuyo, bantu bam” ubuya kuba lilize kaloku ukuba abantu bebengenakukwazi ukuphuncula kwifuthe leecawa zobuxoki. (Funda iSityhilelo 18:4.) Sinomdla wokwazi ukuba abantu bakaThixo bakhululwe nini ekuthinjweni yiBhabhiloni! Kodwa ke masiqale ngokuphendula le mibuzo ilandelayo: ABafundi BeBhayibhile bayichasa njani iBhabhiloni Enkulu ngaphambi ko-1914? Abazalwana bethu babewukhuthalele kangakanani umsebenzi wokushumayela ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi I? Ngaba ukuthinjwa kwabo yiBhabhiloni kunento yokwenza nento yokuba kufuneke balungiswe ngelo xesha?

2. ABafundi BeBhayibhile bokuqala bazichasa njani izinto ababezijonga izezonqulo lobuxoki?

² Kwiminyaka eliqela eyayingaphambi kweMfazwe Yehlabathi I, uCharles Taze Russell noogxa bakhe babona ukuba iNgqobhoko yayingazithathi eBhayibhileni izinto ezifundisayo. Ngenxa  yoko, bagqiba kwelokuba bangabi nanto ibadibanisa nezinto ababezijonga izezonqulo lobuxoki. KwangoNovemba 1879, iZion’s Watch Tower yayenza yacaca indlela esekelwe kwiZibhalo ababezijonga ngayo izinto xa yathi: “Cawa nganye ezibanga inyulu yaye iganelwe uKristu, kodwa enyanisweni imanyene yaye ixhaswa (lirhamncwa) lehlabathi simele siyichase njengecawa elihenyukazi xa sisebenzisa intetho yezibhalo.” Yayibhekisa kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu.​—Funda iSityhilelo 17:1, 2.

3. Liliphi inyathelo elicacileyo elalithathwa ngaBafundi BeBhayibhile elibonisa ukuba babeqonda kakuhle ukuba bamele babhekele kunqulo lobuxoki? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

³ Abantu aboyika uThixo babeyazi into amabayenze. Kaloku babengenakulindela ukusikelelwa nguThixo ukuba babeqhubeka bexhasa unqulo lobuxoki. ABafundi BeBhayibhile abaninzi babhala iileta zokucima amagama abo ezicaweni. Abanye babede bazifunde ngokuvakalayo ezo leta phambi kwamarhamente. Xa bengavunyelwa ukuba bazifunde phambi komntu wonke, abanye babethumela iikopi zazo kuwo onke amalungu ecawa. Babengafuni nto iza kubadibanisa nonqulo lobuxoki! Ukuba loo nto babeyenze kwixesha elingaphambi kwelo, ngebabengene kwembi inkathazo. Kodwa ke, ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yoo-1800, iicawa zazingasaxhaswa kangako ngooRhulumente bamazwe amaninzi. Kuloo mazwe, abantu babekhululekile ukuba bathethe ngonqulo kwaye bagxeke iicawa ezaziwayo ngaphandle kokoyika impindezelo.

4. Abantu bakaThixo babeqhubana njani neBhabhiloni Enkulu ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi I?

⁴ ABafundi BeBhayibhile baqonda ukuba akwanelanga ukuchazela izalamane, abahlobo namalungu ecawa ukuba abayonxalenye yonqulo lobuxoki. Kwakufuneka wonke umntu azi ukuba iBhabhiloni Enkulu yayilihenyukazi lonqulo! Ngenxa yoko, phakathi kukaDisemba 1917 nasekuqaleni kuka-1918, loo mawaka ambalwa aBafundi BeBhayibhile aphum’ izithuba esasaza iikopi eziyi-10 000 000 zephecana elalithetha ‘Ngokuwa KweBhabhiloni’ nelaliyigxeka kakhulu iNgqobhoko. Unokuyithelekelela nawe into yokuba abefundisi babelugcwabevu ngumsindo; kodwa aBafundi BeBhayibhile babengoyiki ngokoyikiswa, bafunza phambili ngalo msebenzi ubalulekileyo. Babezimisele ukuthobela “uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu.” (IZe. 5:29) Lilonke sithini ke? Kuyacaca ukuba, kunokuba la maKristu abe ngamakhoboka eBhabhiloni Enkulu ebudeni bemfazwe, azikhulula kwimpembelelo yayo aza akhulula nabanye abantu.

5. Bubuphi ubungqina obukhoyo bokuba abazalwana babekhuthele ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi I?

⁵ Kwiminyaka edlulileyo, besikholelwa ukuba uYehova waye akakholiswa ngabantu bakhe ngenxa yokuba babengawukhuthalelanga umsebenzi wokushumayela ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi I. Sagqiba kwelokuba ngenxa yesi sizathu, uYehova wavumela iBhabhiloni Enkulu ukuba ibathimbe kangangexesha elifutshane. Kodwa abazalwana noodade abathembekileyo ababekhonza uThixo phakathi ko-1914 no-1918 bayenza yacaca into yokuba abantu beNkosi babesenza konke okusemandleni abo ukuze baqhubeke beshumayela. Buninzi ubungqina obuxhasa loo nto. Izibakala ezichane ngakumbi zembali yethu zisenze saziqonda kakuhle iziganeko ezithile ezibhalwe eBhayibhileni.

6, 7. (a) Zeziphi iingxaki ababejongene nazo aBafundi BeBhayibhile ngeMfazwe Yehlabathi I? (b) Yeyiphi imizekelo ebonisa ukuba aBafundi BeBhayibhile babekhuthele?

 ⁶ Izibakala zibonisa ukuba, aBafundi BeBhayibhile ababekho ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi I (1914-1918) bashumayela kakhulu ngelo xesha. Zininzi izinto ezazisenza kube nzima kubo ukushumayela. Siza kuthetha ngezimbini kuzo. Eyokuqala, owona msebenzi mkhulu owawusenziwa ngaloo mihla wawubandakanya ukusasaza iincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni. Xa abasemagunyeni bakwalelayo ukusasazwa kwencwadi ethi The Finished Mystery ekuqaleni ko-1918, kwaba nzima ukushumayela kubazalwana abaninzi. Babengekakwazi ukushumayela ngeBhayibhile yodwa, bethembe ukuba iThe Finished Mystery “yayiza kubathethela.” Eyesibini, ngo-1918 kwabakho isifo soMbathalala esabulala abantu abaninzi. Ukuxhaphaka kwesi sifo siyingozi kwenza kwanzima ukuhambahamba kubavakalisi. Kodwa nangona kunjalo, aBafundi BeBhayibhile njengeqela benza konke okusemandleni abo ukuze bawuqhube umsebenzi.

⁷ Ngo-1914 kuphela, elo qaqobana laBafundi BeBhayibhile labonisa i-“Photo-Drama of Creation” kubantu abangaphezu kwe-9 000 000. Kule Drama, kwakuboniswa imifanekiso ehambisana nesandi, kulandwa imbali yabantu ukususela ekuqaleni kwendalo ukuya kutsho ekupheleni kweWaka Leminyaka. Yayiyinto enkulu le ngelo xesha. Khawufan’ ucinge nje, inani labantu ababukela le Drama ngo-1914 kuphela lalingaphaya kwenani labavakalisi boBukumkani abashumayela ehlabathini lonke namhlanje! Iingxelo ziphinda zibonise ukuba ngo-1916 babeyi-809 393 abantu ababeze kwiintetho zesidlangalala eMerika, ibe ngo-1918 elo nani lanyuka laya ku-949 444. Ngokwenene babekhuthele abo Bafundi BeBhayibhile!

8. Abazalwana baqhubeka njani beqiniswa elukholweni ngemfazwe yehlabathi yokuqala?

⁸ Ngemfazwe yehlabathi yokuqala, kwenziwa yonke into eyayinokwenziwa ukuze aBafundi BeBhayibhile ababethe saa baqhubeke beqiniswa elukholweni kwaye bakhuthazwe. Olo khuthazo lwabaqinisa abazalwana, baqhubeka nomsebenzi wokushumayela. URichard H. Barber, owayexakeke ngulo msebenzi ngelo  xesha, wakhumbula oku: “Sakwazi ukuba nabaveleli abahambahambayo abaqhubeka nomsebenzi nokusasaza iMboniselo nokuyithumela eKhanada nangona abasemagunyeni babengafuni nokuyibona apho. Ndaba nenyhweba yokuthumela ngeposi iikopi zeThe Finished Mystery kubazalwana abaninzi ababezihluthwe ngabasemagunyeni ezabo. UMzalwan’ uRutherford wacela ukuba silungiselele iindibano kwizixeko eziliqela ezikwintshona yeMerika kwaye sithumele izithethi ukuze zizame ukukhuthaza abazalwana kangangoko kunokwenzeka.”

9. (a) Kutheni kwakufuneka abantu bakaThixo balungiswe phakathi ko-1914 no-1919? (b) Ukulungiswa kwabo kwakungathethi ntoni?

⁹ Ezinye izinto ezazisenziwa ngaBafundi BeBhayibhile phakathi ko-1914 no-1919 zazingqubana nemigaqo yeZibhalo. Nangona babengenazinjongo zimbi, ngamany’ amaxesha aba bazalwana babengabajongi ngendlela eyiyo oorhulumente. (Roma 13:1) Ngenxa yoko, kwezinye izinto babethatha icala emfazweni. Ngokomzekelo, xa umongameli waseMerika wayalela ukuba uMeyi 30, 1918, abe lusuku lokuthandazela uxolo, iMboniselo yabongoza aBafundi BeBhayibhile ukuba nabo benjenjalo. Abanye abazalwana babolekisa ngemali kurhulumente ukuze baxhase imfazwe, kwaye abambalwa bade baya edabini bephethe imipu nezinye izixhobo. Sekunjalo, besiya kuba siyaphazama ukuba besinokucinga ukuba aba Bafundi BeBhayibhile bathinjwa yiBhabhiloni Enkulu ngenxa yokuba besenezinto ababemele bazilungise. Kunoko, babesazi ukuba bamele bacezele kude kunqulo lobuxoki, kwaye ngeMfazwe Yehlabathi I, kwakusele kancinci nje ukuba bazahlule ngokupheleleyo kulo.​—Funda uLuka 12:47, 48.

10. Yintoni eyayibonisa ukuba ubomi bomntu babuxabisekile kuBafundi BeBhayibhile?

¹⁰ Nangona aBafundi BeBhayibhile babengakuqondi ngokupheleleyo ukungathathi cala kwizinto zehlabathi, nantsi into eyayibacacele: IBhayibhile ayikuvumeli ukubulala umntu. Kwanaloo mbinana yabazalwana eyathatha izixhobo yaza yaya edabini ngeMfazwe Yehlabathi I yala kwaphela ukusebenzisa ezo zixhobo ukuze ibulale abantu. Abanye abangazange bavume ukubulala basiwa kufutshane notshaba, ngethemba lokuba babeza kubulawa.

11. Abasemagunyeni bathini xa aBafundi BeBhayibhile babengafuni ukuya emfazweni?

¹¹ Nangona zazisekho izinto abazalwana abanokuphucula kuzo, kucacile ukuba uMtyholi wayeyicaphukela indlela ababeyijonga ngayo imfazwe. Ngenxa yoko, wayila “inkathazo ngommiselo.” (INdu. 94:20) Xa uNjengele James Franklin Bell womkhosi waseMerika wayethetha noMzalwan’ uJ. F. Rutherford noMzalwan’ uW. E. Van Amburgh waveza ukuba iSebe Lezobulungisa LaseMerika lalizamile ukwenza iPalamente ipasise umthetho owawuvumela ukuba abantu abangafuniyo ukulwa emfazweni bagwetyelwe ukufa. Wayebhekisa kuBafundi BeBhayibhile ke xa esitsho. Enomsindo, uNjengele Bell wathi kuMzalwan’ uRutherford: “Lo mthetho awupasanga kuba [uMongameli WaseMerika] uWilson uwuthintele; kodwa siyazi apho siza kunibamba khona, kwaye siza kunifumana!”

12, 13. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze abazalwana abasibhozo ababekhokela entlanganweni bagwetywe iminyaka emininzi entolongweni? (b) Ngaba intolongo yabenza bayekelela ekuthobeleni uYehova? Cacisa.

¹² Abasemagunyeni babengaqhuli xa babesenza esi sisongelo, bade babafumana. Abameli beWatch Tower Society  abasibhozo, ababequka uMzalwan’ uRutherford noMzalwan’ uVan Amburgh, babanjwa. Xa ijaji yayiwisa isigwebo setyala labo, yathi: “Ubuxoki bonqulo obusasazwa ngala madoda buyingozi ngaphezu kweqela lamajoni amaJamani . . . Awanelanga ukuphikisa amagosa omthetho kaRhulumente neentlola zomkhosi kodwa aye achasa bonke oonyawontle bazo zonke iicawa. Amele afumane isohlwayo esiqatha.” (Faith on the March, ebhalwe nguA. H. Macmillan, iphe. 99) Ngokwenene saba qatha eso sigwebo. Abo Bafundi BeBhayibhile basibhozo bathiwa nka ngeminyaka emininzi kwintolongo eyayigcina amabanjwa ayingozi yaseAtlanta, eGeorgia. Kodwa ekupheleni kwemfazwe, bakhululwa zaza zarhoxiswa izityholo ababetyatyekwe zona.

¹³ Kwanasentolongweni apho, la madoda asibhozo abambelela kwindlela awayeziqonda ngayo iZibhalo. Xa ayecela ukwenzelwa inceba kumongameli waseMerika, abhala athi: “Ukuthanda kweNkosi kuchaziwe kwiZibhalo, ‘Uze ungabulali,’ ngoko naliphi na ilungu [laBafundi BeBhayibhile Bezizwe Ngezizwe] elizinikele eNkosini eliya kuthi ngokuzithandela lophule isivumelwano sokuba liza kuzinikela kuyo aliyi kukholeka emehlweni kaThixo, kwaye liya kutshatyalaliswa ngokupheleleyo. Ngenxa yoko la malungu awayi kubandakanyeka ekubulaleni ngabom abanye abantu.” Ngokwenene ayenesibindi! Kuyacaca ukuba aba bazalwana babengazimiselanga ukulalanisa!

14. Sebenzisa iZibhalo ukuze uchaze okwenzeka phakathi ko-1914 no-1919.

¹⁴ UMalaki 3:1-3 uthetha ngexesha​—elisusela ngo-1914 liye kutsho ekuqaleni ko-1919—​apho “oonyana bakaLevi” abathanjisiweyo babeya kucikizwa. (Mfunde.) Ngelo xesha, uYehova uThixo, “iNkosi yokwenyaniso,” noYesu Kristu, “umthunywa womnqophiso,” beza ukuza kuhlola abantu abakhonza kwitempile yokomoya. Emva kokuba belungisiwe, abantu bakaYehova abahlanjululweyo babelungele esinye isabelo. Ngo-1919, kwamiselwa “ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi” ukuze lilungiselele indlu yokholo ukutya kokomoya. (Mat. 24:45) Abantu bakaThixo babekhululekile kwifuthe leBhabhiloni Enkulu. Ukususela ngoko, ngenxa yobubele obungasifanelanga bukaYehova, abantu bakhe baye baya bekuqonda ukuthanda kukaThixo kwaye bamthanda nangakumbi uYise osemazulwini. Bambulela ngokungazenzisiyo kuba eye wabasikelela! ^[1]

15. Ekubeni sikhululwe kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu, sifanele sifune ukwenza ntoni?

¹⁵ Ivuyisa ngokwenene into yokuba sikhululekile ekuthinjweni yiBhabhiloni Enkulu! USathana uwe phantsi kwimizamo yakhe yokuwatshayela athi tu amaKristu enene. Kodwa ke masingayiphosi injongo yokuba uYehova esinike le nkululeko. (2 Kor. 6:1) Baninzi abantu abasathinjwe lunqulo lobuxoki. Kufuneka baboniswe indlela eya enkululekweni. Sithi abanokuyenza loo nto. Ngoko, masenze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze sixelise abazalwana bethu benkulungwane edluleyo, sincede abantu bakhululeke!