1. Yini eyayingabangela ukuba abantu bakaNkulunkulu babe nethemba lokukhululwa eBhabhiloni Elikhulu futhi yimiphi imibuzo esizoyihlola?

ESIHLOKWENI esandulele, sifunde ngendlela amaKristu athembekile azithola ngayo ethunjwe yiBhabhiloni. Nokho, okujabulisayo ukuthi babengeke bahlale bekuleso simo. Umyalo kaNkulunkulu othi, “Phumani kulo, bantu bami” wawungeke ube nenjongo uma kwakungekho muntu owayengaphunyuka ethonyeni lombuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. (Funda isAmbulo 18:4.) Silangazelela ukuthola ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bakhululwa nini ngokuphelele ekuthunjweni yiBhabhiloni! Kodwa okokuqala, kumelwe siphendule le mibuzo elandelayo: Yisiphi isinqumo esathathwa abaFundi BeBhayibheli ngaphambi kuka-1914 mayelana neBhabhiloni Elikhulu? Babekhuthele kangakanani abazalwane emsebenzini wokushumayela phakathi neMpi Yezwe I? Ingabe kunokuhlobana okukhona phakathi kwesidingo sabo sokulungiswa nokuyalwa ngaleso sikhathi, nokuthunjelwa kwabo eBhabhiloni?

2. Yisiphi isinqumo esenziwa abaFundi BeBhayibheli mayelana nenkolo yamanga njengoba base beyiqonda?

² Phakathi namashumi eminyaka aholela eMpini Yezwe I, uCharles Taze Russell nabangane bakhe baqaphela ukuthi izinhlangano  zeLobukholwa zazingafundisi iqiniso leBhayibheli. Ngakho, banquma ukuba bangazihlanganisi nenkolo yamanga njengoba base beyiqonda. Ngo-November 1879, i-Zion’s Watch Tower yakuveza ngokucacile ukuma kwabo okungokomBhalo lapho ithi: “Wonke amasonto athi ayizintombi ezimsulwa ezisekela uKristu, kodwa eqinisweni ebe ebumbene nezwe (isilo) futhi esekelwa yilo, kumelwe sibonise ukuthi ayisonto eliyisifebe njengoba kusho imiBhalo,” okubhekisela eBhabhiloni Elikhulu.​—Funda isAmbulo 17:1, 2.

3. Yisiphi isinqumo esiwujuqu abaFundi BeBhayibheli abasithatha esibonisa ukuthi babesiqonda isidingo sokuzehlukanisa nenkolo yamanga? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

³ Amadoda nabesifazane abesaba uNkulunkulu babazi ukuthi kumelwe benzeni. Babengeke balindele ukuthola isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu uma beqhubeka nokusekela izinhlangano zenkolo yamanga. Ngenxa yalokho, abaFundi BeBhayibheli abaningi babhala izincwadi zokwesula emasontweni abo. Kwezinye izimo, lezo zincwadi babezifunda phambi kwamalungu esonto. Lapho kwakungavumelekile ukufunda incwadi obala, abanye babethumela amakhophi ayo kuwo wonke amalungu esonto. Babengasafuni ukuzihlanganisa nenkolo yamanga! Ukube babephila kwenye inkathi, ukuma kwabo okuqinile kwakungabeka ukuphila kwabo engcupheni. Kodwa emazweni amaningi ngasekupheleni kwawo-1800, uHulumeni wawusuqala ukungalisekeli isonto. Emazweni anjalo, izakhamuzi zazinenkululeko yokukhuluma ngezindaba zenkolo nokuphikisa obala amasonto amakhulu ngokukhululekile ngaphandle kokwesaba ukujeziswa.

4. Phakathi neMpi Yezwe I babunjani ubuhlobo babantu bakaNkulunkulu neBhabhiloni Elikhulu?

⁴ AbaFundi BeBhayibheli babeqonda ukuthi kwakunganele ukwazisa izihlobo zabo, abangane abaseduze namalungu esonto ngesinqumo sabo sokushiya inkolo yamanga. Umhlaba wonke kwakudingeka ubone lokho iBhabhiloni Elikhulu eliyikho ngempela​—isifebe esingokwenkolo! Ngakho, kusukela ngo-December 1917 kuya ekuqaleni kuka-1918, izinkulungwane ezimbalwa zabaFundi BeBhayibheli ngentshiseko zahambisa amakhophi angu-10 000 000 epheshana elalinesihloko esithi “The Fall of Babylon”​—a hard-hitting indictment of Christendom. Njengoba ungase ucabange, abefundisi babecasukile kodwa abaFundi BeBhayibheli abavumanga ukuphazanyiswa futhi baqhubeka nalo msebenzi obalulekile. Babezimisele ukulalela “uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.” (IzE. 5:29) Singaphetha ngokuthini? Njengoba babeyizigqila zeBhabhiloni Elikhulu phakathi nempi, manje la madoda nabesifazane abangamaKristu babegqashula ethonyeni lalo futhi besiza nabanye ukuba benze kanjalo.

5. Yibuphi ubufakazi obukhona obubonisa ukuthi abafowethu babeshiseka kakhulu phakathi neMpi Yezwe I?

⁵ Eminyakeni edlule, sasikholelwa ukuthi uJehova wayengajabule ngabantu bakhe ngenxa yokuthi babengahlanganyeli ngentshiseko emsebenzini wokushumayela phakathi neMpi Yezwe I. Saphetha ngokuthi ngenxa yalesi sizathu, uJehova wavumela ukuba bathunjwe yiBhabhiloni Elikhulu okwesikhashana. Nokho, abafowethu nodadewethu abathembekile ababekhonza uNkulunkulu kusukela ngo-1914 kuya ku-1918 kamuva bakwenza kwacaca ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bebonke benza konke ababengakwenza ukuze baqhubeke nomsebenzi wokushumayela. Kunobufakazi obuqand’  ikhanda obusekela lokhu. Ukuwuqonda ngokunembile umlando wenhlangano yethu kusenze  saziqonda ngokucacile izenzakalo ezithile ezilotshwe eBhayibhelini.

6, 7. (a) Phakathi neMpi Yezwe I yiziphi izinselele abaFundi BeBhayibheli okwadingeka bazinqobe? (b) Nikeza izibonela ezibonisa intshiseko yabaFundi BeBhayibheli.

⁶ Eqinisweni, abaFundi BeBhayibheli ababekhona phakathi neMpi Yezwe I (1914-1918) banikeza ubufakazi obukhulu phakathi naleso sikhathi. Kwakungelula ngabo ukwenza kanjalo, ngenxa yezizathu eziningi. Sizoxoxa ngezimbili zazo. Esokuqala, umsebenzi oyinhloko owawenziwa ngalezo zinsuku wawuhlanganisa ukusakazwa kwezincwadi zeBhayibheli. Lapho incwadi ethi The Finished Mystery ivalwa iziphathimandla zezwe ekuqaleni kwawo-1918, umsebenzi wokushumayela waba nzima kubazalwane abaningi. Babengakwazi ukushumayela ngeBhayibheli kuphela, babethembele kule ncwadi ukuthi “izobakhulumela.” Isizathu sesibili sasihilela ukuvela komkhuhlane waseSpain ngo-1918. Ukubhebhetheka kwalesi sifo esiwumshayabhuqe kwenza kwabanzima ngabamemezeli ukuba bahambe ngokukhululeka. Nokho, naphezu kwalezi zinselele nezinye, abaFundi BeBhayibheli bebonke benza konke ababengakwenza ukuze baqhubeke nomsebenzi.

⁷ Ngo-1914 nje kuphela, iqembu elincane labaFundi BeBhayibheli labukisa abantu abangaphezu kuka-9 000 000 “i-Photo-Drama of Creation.” Le Drama, njengoba yayibizwa kanjalo, yayinezithombe nama-slide okuhambisana nomsindo futhi yayibonisa umlando wesintu kusukela ekuqaleni kwendalo kuze kube sekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane. Ngaleso sikhathi lokhu kwakuyinto ebabazekayo. Cabanga nje. Inani labantu ababukela leyo Drama ngo-1914 babebaningi ukwedlula inani labamemezeli boMbuso abashisekayo emhlabeni namuhla! Imibiko ibonisa nokuthi ngo-1916 abantu abangu-809 393 baba khona emihlanganweni yasobala e-United States, futhi ngo-1918 inani lakhuphuka lafinyelela ku-949 444. Labo baFundi BeBhayibheli babeshiseka ngempela!

8. Izidingo ezingokomoya zabafowethu zaneliswa kanjani phakathi nempi yezwe yokuqala?

⁸ Phathaki nempi yezwe yokuqala, kwakwenziwa konke okwakungenziwa ukuze kuqhutshekwe kunikezwa ukudla okungokomoya nesikhuthazo kubaFundi BeBhayibheli ababehlakazekile. La malungiselelo anika abazalwane amandla okuqhubeka nomsebenzi wokushumayela. URichard  H. Barber, owayekhonza ngaleso sikhathi, wathi: “Sakwazi ukugcina ababonisi abajikelezayo abambalwa besebenza, ukugcina INqabayokulinda isakazwa nokuyithumela eCanada lapho eyayingavunyelwe khona. Nganginelungelo lokuthumela amakhophi akwazi ukungena ephaketheni e-The Finished Mystery kubangane bethu abaningana ababephucwe amakhophi abo. UMfoweth’ uRutherford wacela ukuba sihlele imihlangano emadolobheni ahlukahlukene entshonalanga ye-United States nokuba sithumele izikhulumi ukuba zizame ukukhuthaza abafowethu kangangokunokwenzeka.”

9. (a) Kungani abantu bakaNkulunkulu babedinga ukulungiswa nesiyalo phakathi kuka-1914 no-1919? (b) Ngisho noma babedinga ukulungiswa, kungaba yiphutha ukufinyelela siphi isiphetho?

⁹ Akukhona konke okwakwenziwa abaFundi BeBhayibheli phakathi kuka-1914 no-1919 okwakuhambisana nezimiso ezingokomBhalo. Nakuba babeqotho, ngezinye izikhathi abazalwane babengenawo umbono ofanele wokuthobela iziphathimandla. (Roma 13:1) Ngakho, njengeqembu, ngezinye izikhathi babethatha uhlangothi empini. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho umongameli wase-United States ememezela ukuthi usuku lwango-May 30, 1918, lwaluzoba usuku lokuthandazela ukuthula, INqabayokulinda yanxusa abaFundi BeBhayibheli ukuba nabo bathandaze. Abazalwane abathile bathenga ama-bond ukuze basekele impi ngokwezimali futhi abanye baze baya empini bephethe izibhamu nezinsabula. Noma kunjalo, kungaba yiphutha ukuphetha ngokuthi abaFundi BeBhayibheli bathunjwa yiBhabhiloni Elikhulu ngenxa yokuthi babedinga ukulungiswa nesiyalo. Ngokuphambene nalokho, babesiqonda isibopho sabo sokuzehlukanisa nenkolo yamanga futhi phakathi neMpi Yezwe I bacishe bagqashula ngokuphelele embusweni wezwe wenkolo yamanga.​—Funda uLuka 12:47, 48.

10. Yisiphi isinqumo esiwujuqu esathathwa abaFundi BeBhayibheli mayelana nobungcwele bokuphila?

¹⁰ Nakuba babengaziqondi zonke izici zokungathathi hlangothi kobuKristu njengoba siziqonda namuhla, abaFundi BeBhayibheli babekwazi lokhu: IBhayibheli liyakwenqabela ukubulala. Ngakho ngisho nalabo bazalwane abambalwa abathatha izikhali futhi bangenela impi ngeMpi Yezwe I benqaba ngokuqinile ukusebenzisa lezo zikhali ekubulaleni omunye umuntu. Abanye abenqaba ukubulala babekwa phambili empini, ngenjongo yokuba babulawe.

11. Iziphathimandla zezwe zasabela kanjani esinqumweni esingokomBhalo sabaFundi BeBhayibheli mayelana nempi?

¹¹ Ngokucacile uDeveli wayengeneme neze ngesinqumo sabazalwane mayelana nempi, yize babeshiyeka kwezinye izici. Ngenxa yalokho, wabiyela “inkathazo ngesinqumo somthetho.” (IHu. 94:20) Engxoxweni yaso noMfoweth’ uRutherford kanye noW. E. Van Amburgh, isikhulu sebutho lase-United States uJames Franklin Bell saveza ukuthi uMnyango Wezobulungisa wase-United States uke wazama ukubeka umthetho omusha ozovumela ukuba labo abenqaba ukuya empini bathole isigwebo sentambo. Sasibhekisela kubaFundi BeBhayibheli ngokukhethekile. Ethukuthele engqangqa, uGeneral Bell wathi kuMfoweth’ uRutherford: “Lowo mthetho awuphumelelanga ngenxa yokuthi [umongameli wase-U.S.] uWilson wawuvimba; kodwa siyazi ukuthi sizonithola kanjani futhi sizokwenza nakanjani!”

12, 13. (a) Kungani abazalwane abanomthwalo bagwetshwa isikhathi eside ejele? (b) Ingabe ukugqunywa ejele kwenza ukuzimisela kwabazalwane ukulalela uJehova kwaba buthaka? Chaza.

¹² Iziphathimandla zaphumelela kulokho  kusongela. Njengabameleli be-Watch Tower Society, uMfoweth’ uRutherford no-Van Amburgh nabanye abayisithupha baboshwa. Lapho likhipha isigwebo, ijaji elalisingatha lelo cala lathi: “Izimfundiso zenkolo zala madoda ziyingozi ukwedlula amasosha aseJalimane. La madoda awagcinanga ngokumangalela izikhulu zikaHulumeni zezomthetho kanye nomnyango wezempi kodwa aye amelana nabefundisi bawo wonke amasonto. Kufanele ajeziswe kanzima.” (I-Faith on the March, ebhalwe u-A. H. Macmillan, k. 99) Izijesizo sabo sasinzima ngempela. Abafundi beBhayibheli bagwetshwa isikhathi eside ejele likahulumeni lokuqondisa izigwegwe e-Atlanta, eGeorgia. Nokho, bakhululwa lapho kuphela impi futhi amacala abo esulwa.

¹³ Ngisho nalapho esejele, la madoda abambelela ngokuqinile emiBhalweni. Lapho ecela ukuboniswa umusa, encwadini ayibhalela umongameli wase-United States athi: “Intando yeNkosi yile njengoba kulotshiwe emiBhalweni, ‘Ungabulali,’ ngenxa yalokho noma yiliphi ilungu [le-International Bible Students] Association elizinikezele eNkosini elingaphula isivumelwano sokuzinikezela ngokuzithandela lingazilahlekisela ngomusa kaNkulunkulu, okungaholela ngisho nasekushabalaleni. Ngakho amalungu anjalo ngeke akwazi ukuhlanganyela ngokuzithandela ekubulaweni komuntu.” Lawo ngamazwi abonisa isibindi ngempela! Kusobala ukuthi abazalwane babezimisele ukuhlala bethembekile!

14. Chaza usebenzisa imiBhalo lokho okwenzeka kusukela ngo-1914 kuya ku-1919.

¹⁴ UMalaki 3:1-3 uchaza isikhathi​—kusukela ngo-​1914 kuya ekuqaleni kuka-1919—lapho “amadodana kaLevi” agcotshiwe ayeyongena enkathini yokucwengisiswa. (Funda.) Phakathi naleso sikhathi, uJehova uNkulunkulu, “INkosi yeqiniso,” ephelezelwa uJesu Kristu, ‘isithunywa sesivumelwano,’ wafika ethempelini elingokomoya ukuze ahlole labo ababekhonza kulo. Ngemva kokuthola isiyalo esasidingeka, abantu bakaJehova abahlanziwe babekulungele ukuthatha esinye isabelo senkonzo. Ngo-1919, “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” yamiswa ukuze inikeze abanokholo ukudla okungokomoya. (Math. 24:45) Manje abantu bakaNkulunkulu base bekhululekile ethonyeni leBhabhiloni Elikhulu. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, ngomusa kaJehova ongafanelwe, abantu bakhe bebelokhu bekhula olwazini lwentando kaNkulunkulu nasothandweni ngoBaba wabo osezulwini. Yeka ukuthi basazisa kanjani lesi sibusiso esivela kuye! ^[1]

15. Ukukhululwa kwethu eBhabhiloni Elikhulu kufanele kusithinte kanjani?

¹⁵ Yeka ukuthi kujabulisa kanjani ukukhululwa eBhabhiloni Elikhulu! Imizamo kaSathane yokuqeda ubuKristu beqiniso emhlabeni iye yabhuntsha. Nokho, akumelwe siyikhohlwe injongo kaJehova ebangele ukuba asinike le nkululeko. (2 Kor. 6:1) Abantu abaningi abaqotho basathunjwe inkolo yamanga. Badinga ukuboniswa indlela yokuphuma. Singabaqondisa. Ngakho-ke, silingisa abafowethu bangekhulu eledlule, masenze konke esingakwenza ukuze sibasize bakhululekele!