Lokutfunjwa kwebantfu baNkulunkulu kwacala cishe ngemuva kwemnyaka wanga-100 futsi kwaphela nga-1919. Kungani lolushintjo ludzingeka endleleni lesicondza ngayo lamaciniso?

Lobufakazi buveta kutsi nga-1919, emaKhristu lagcotjiwe akhululwa eBhabhulona Lenkhulu futsi ahlanganiswa ndzawonye ebandleni lelihlantiwe. Asewucabange ngaloku: Ngekushesha ngemuva kwekutsi uMbuso waNkulunkulu sewucale kubusa ezulwini nga-1914, bantfu baNkulunkulu bavivinywa futsi kancane kancane bahlantwa ekukhonteni kwemanga. * (Fundza umbhalo longentansi.) (Malakhi 3:1-4) Nga-1919, Jesu wabeka ‘sisebenti lesetsembekile nalesihlakaniphile’ kutsi sinikete bantfu baNkulunkulu “kudla ngesikhatsi lesifanele.” (Matewu 24:45-47) Ngalowo mnyaka, bantfu baNkulunkulu bakhululwa ekutfunjweni lokungumfanekiso yiBhabhulona Lenkhulu. (Sembulo 18:4) Kodvwa bantfu baNkulunkulu batfunjwa nini?

Esikhatsini lesendlulile, besitsi bantfu baNkulunkulu batfunjwa yiBhabhulona Lenkhulu sikhatsi lesifishane lesacala nga-1918. Sicongosekulindza sanga-March 15, 1992, saveta kutsi njengobe ema-Israyeli atfunjwa yiBhabhulona, netinceku taJehova tatfunjwa yiBhabhulona Lenkhulu nga-1918. Kodvwa lucwaningo loluphindze lwentiwa luveta kutsi ngaphambi kwa-1918 besekuphele iminyaka leminyenti bantfu baNkulunkulu batfunjiwe.

Siphrofetho lesikuHezekeli 37:1-14 sasho kusengaphambili kutsi bantfu baNkulunkulu bebatawutfunjwa, bese bayakhululwa ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi. Hezekeli wabona umbono wesigodzi lesasigcwele ematsambo. Jehova watsi: “Lamatsambo lawa, angiyo yonkhe indlu yaka-Israyeli.” (Vesi 11) Loku kubhekisela esiveni saka-Israyeli futsi ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi bekungabhekisela ‘naku-Israyeli waNkulunkulu,’ lokungulabagcotjiwe. (Galathiya 6:16; Imisebenti 3:21) Kulombono, lamatsambo aphila futsi aba libutfo lelikhulu. Loku kuchaza indlela bantfu baNkulunkulu labakhululwa ngayo eBhabhulona Lenkhulu nga-1919. Kodvwa lesiphrofetho sikuveta njani kutsi bebatfunjwe sikhatsi lesidze?

Kwekucala, Hezekeli wabona kutsi lamatsambo  alabantfu labafile “abome nkhwa.” (Hezekeli 37:2, 11) Loko kusho kutsi labantfu besebanesikhatsi lesidze bafile. Kwesibili, Hezekeli wabona kutsi labantfu bacala kuphila kancane kancane, hhayi ngekushesha. “Kwaba nemsindvo, kwakhala bukhehlekhehle, ematsambo ahlangana, litsambo laya etsanjeni.” Ngemuva kwaloko, “kwavela kuwo imisipha nenyama.” Kwabese kulandzela sikhumba lesavala lenyama. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi umoya “wangena kuwo, ase ayaphila.” Ekugcineni, ngemuva kwekutsi labantfu sebavukile, Jehova wabanika indzawo lebebatawuhlala kuyo. Konkhe loko kwatsatsa sikhatsi.​—Hezekeli 37:7-10, 14.

Njengobe lesiphrofetho sasishito kusengaphambili, ema-Israyeli atfunjwa sikhatsi lesidze. Lokutfunjwa kwawo kwacala ngemnyaka wanga-740 ngaphambi kwekuba khona kwaKhristu, ngesikhatsi tive letilishumi taka-Israyeli, lokungumbuso wasenyakatfo, tiphocelelwa kutsi tishiye live lato. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, ngemnyaka wanga-607 ngaphambi kwekuba khona kwaKhristu, liJerusalema labhujiswa yiBhabhulona, futsi leletinye tive letimbili, lokungumbuso wakaJuda waseningizimu, nato taphocelelwa kutsi tishiye live lato. Kwabese kutsi ngemnyaka wanga-537 ngaphambi kwekuba khona kwaKhristu, lokutfunjwa kwaphela ngesikhatsi emaJuda lambalwa abuyela eJerusalema ayokwakha kabusha lithempeli futsi ayokhonta Jehova.

Ngako yonkhe lemininingwane ikhombisa kutsi emaKhristu lagcotjiwe abetfunjwe yiBhabhulona Lenkhulu sikhatsi lesidze, hhayi nje kusukela nga-1918 kuya ku-1919. NaJesu wabhekisela kulesikhatsi lesidze nakatsi emaKhristu mbumbulu, lokulukhula, abetawukhula kanye ‘nemadvodzana eMbuso,’ lokungukolo. (Matewu 13:36-43) Ngaleso sikhatsi, bekunemaKhristu lambalwa eliciniso. Labanyenti balabo lebebatsi bangemaKhristu bemukela timfundziso letingemanga futsi baba tihlubuki. Kungako singatsi libandla lebuKhristu belitfunjwe yiBhabhulona Lenkhulu. Lokutfunjwa kwacala ngemuva kwemnyaka wa-100 futsi kwachubeka kwaze kwaba ngulapho lithempeli laNkulunkulu lihlantwa esikhatsini sekuphela.​—Imisebenti 20:29, 30; 2 Thesalonika 2:3, 6; 1 Johane 2:18, 19.

Ngalawo makhulu eminyaka, bafundisi bemasontfo nebaholi betepolitiki bebafuna kulawula bantfu. Sibonelo saloko kutsi bantfu bebangavunyelwa kuba neliBhayibheli nobe kulifundza ngelulwimi labalumunya. Labanye lebebafundza liBhayibheli bebashiswa baphanyekwe elugodvweni. Labo lebebaphikisana naloko lebekushiwo bafundisi bemasontfo, bebajeziswa kamatima. Bekungasimelula nganome ngubani kufundza liciniso nobe kulifundzisa labanye.

Embonweni waHezekiya, siphindze sifundze kutsi bantfu baNkulunkulu baphindze baphila futsi  bakhululwa kancane kancane enkholweni yemanga. Ngako loko kwacala nini kwenteka futsi kanjani? Lombono uchaza kutsi “kwakhala bukhehlekhehle.” Loku kwacala kwenteka ngasekupheleni kweminyaka lelikhulu ngaphambi kwesikhatsi sekuphela. Ngaleyo minyaka, bekunebantfu labetsembekile lebebafuna kufundza liciniso futsi bakhonte Nkulunkulu ngisho nobe bebahlala nebantfu lebebafundzisa emanga. Badadisha liBhayibheli futsi benta konkhe lokusemandleni abo kuze bacocele labanye ngaloko bebakufundza. Labanye bebasebenta kamatima kuze bahumushele liBhayibheli etilwimini lebeticondvwa bantfu.

Ngako ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yabo 1800, kwaba shengatsi inyama nesikhumba kuhlangana nematsambo. Charles Taze Russell nebangani bakhe, basebenta kamatima kuze batfole liciniso leliBhayibheli futsi bakhonte Jehova. Baphindze basita labanye kutsi bacondze liciniso basebentisa i-“Zion’s Watch Tower” kanye naletinye tincwadzi. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, nga-1914, i-“Photo-Drama of Creation” nencwadzi letsi “The Finished Mystery” yanga-1917, kwasita bantfu baJehova kutsi bacinise kukholwa kwabo. Ekugcineni, nga-1919, kwaba shengatsi bantfu baNkulunkulu sebaniketwe kuphila nelive lelisha. Kusukela ngaleso sikhatsi, labo lebebanelitsemba lekuphila phakadze emahlabeni bahlanganiswa nalabagcotjiwe. Bonkhe bakhonta Jehova futsi balibutfo ‘lemphi lenkhulu kakhulu.’—Hezekeli 37:10; Zakhariya 8:20-23. *—Fundza umbhalo longentansi.

Ngako-ke kuyacaca kutsi bantfu baNkulunkulu batfunjwa yiBhabhulona Lenkhulu ngemuva kwemnyaka wa-100. Lesi sikhatsi lapho bantfu labanyenti baba tihlubuki ngekutsi bemukele timfundziso letingemanga futsi balahle liciniso. Kwaphela iminyaka leminyenti kumatima kukhonta Jehova, njengobe kwakunjalo ngema-Israyeli ngesikhatsi atfunjiwe. Kodvwa lamuhla liciniso lishunyayelwa kubantfu bonkhe. Siyajabula kutsi siphila esikhatsini lapho “labo labahlakaniphile bayawucwebetela njengekumanyatela.” Labanyenti lamuhla ‘bangatihlambulula,’ “bacengisiswe” futsi bemukele kukhonta kweliciniso!​—Danyela 12:3, 10.

Asati mbambambamba kutsi Sathane wamkhombisa njani Jesu lelithempeli.

Babhali beliBhayibheli boMatewu naLukha, babhala ngaloko lokwenteka. Matewu watsi ‘Develi wayisa’ Jesu eJerusalema futsi “wammisa esicongweni selithempeli,” lokusho indzawo lephakeme yalelithempeli. (Matewu 4:5) Lukha watsi Develi “wamyisa eJerusalema, wammisa esicongweni selithempeli.”​—Lukha 4:9.

Esikhatsini lesendlulile, tincwadzi tetfu betitsi kungenteka Sathane akazange amyise ethempelini mbamba Jesu ngesikhatsi etama kumlinga. Sicongosekulindza saMarch 1, 1961, sacatsanisa loku nesikhatsi lapho Sathane etama kulinga khona Jesu ngekumkhombisa yonkhe imibuso yemhlaba asentsabeni lephakeme. Satsi ayikho intsaba lephakeme kangangekutsi umuntfu lome kuyo angakhona kubona yonkhe imibuso yemhlaba. Le-Sicongosekulindza sabese sitsi ngendlela lefanako, Sathane akazange ayise Jesu ethempelini mbamba.  Nanobe kunjalo, tihloko letaphuma kamuva ku-Sicongosekulindza tatsi kube Jesu watijika phansi esuka ethempelini, abengafa.

Labanye batsi njengobe Jesu abengasuye umLevi, abengeke avunyelwe kutsi eme endzaweni lengcwele yelithempeli. Ngako batsi kungenteka Sathane wetama kumlinga asebentisa umbono. Eminyakeni lelikhulu ngaphambi kwaloko, naHezekeli embonweni watsatfwa wayiswa ethempelini.​—Hezekeli 8:3, 7-10; 11:1, 24; 37:1, 2.

Kodvwa nangabe Jesu embonweni atsatfwa wayiswa ethempelini, labanye bangase batibute:

• Jesu abengativa alingwa mbamba yini kutsi atijike phansi esuka ethempelini?

• Ngalesinye sikhatsi lapho Sathane etama kulinga Jesu, watsi akagucule ematje awente sinkhwa futsi bekafuna amkhonte mbamba. Ngako kungenteka yini vele kutsi Sathane bekafuna Jesu atijike phansi mbamba esuka ethempelini?

Kodvwa nangabe Sathane angazange asebentise umbono futsi watsatsa Jesu wamyisa ethempelini mbamba, labanye bangase batibute:

• Jesu wawephula yini uMtsetfo ngekutsi eme etulu endzaweni lengcwele yelithempeli?

• Wesuka njani Jesu ehlane waya ethempelini leliseJerusalema?

Asesihlole leminye imininingwane leyengetiwe letasisita kute siphendvule lemibuto lemibili yekugcina.

Profesa D. A. Carson wabhala kutsi ligama lesiGriki lelitsi “lithempeli” lelisetjentiswe kuMatewu nakuLukha kungenteka libhekisela kulo lonkhe lithempeli hhayi nje kuphela endzaweni lengcwele, lapho kwakungemaLevi kuphela lebekavumeleke kutsi aye khona. Indzawo leseningizimu mphumalanga yalelithempeli beyineluphahla lolubekile futsi kwakuyindzawo lephakeme yalo. Jesu bekangema kulelophahla. Kwakungemamitha langu-140 kusuka lapho kuya eSihosheni saseKhidroni. Sati mlandvo lesinguJosephus sitsi lendzawo yayiphakeme kakhulu kangangekutsi umuntfu lome kuyo nakabuka phansi, “abengashaywa siyeti.” Ngisho nobe Jesu abengasuye umLevi, abengema kulendzawo futsi kute lobekangamalela.

Kodvwa Jesu bekangakhona njani kusuka ehlane aye ethempelini leliseJerusalema? Asati. LiBhayibheli limane litsi Jesu watsatfwa wayiswa eJerusalema. Alisho kutsi Jesu abekhashane kangakanani naseJerusalema nobe kutsi Sathane wamlinga sikhatsi lesingakanani. Ngako kungenteka kutsi Jesu wahamba ngetinyawo kuya eJerusalema, ngisho nobe loko bekungenteka kumtsatse sikhatsi lesidze.

Ngesikhatsi Sathane akhombisa Jesu “yonkhe imibuso yemhlaba,” kungenteka wasebentisa umbono ngobe angeke kwenteke kutsi ubone yonkhe imibuso yemhlaba ume kunome nguyiphi intsaba lesemhlabeni. Loku kungase kufane nendlela longasebentisa ngayo i-TV kute ukhombise lotsite titfombe takulenye indzawo lesemhlabeni. Kungenteka Sathane wasebentisa umbono, kodvwa bekafuna mbamba kutsi Jesu aguce kuye amkhonte. (Matewu 4:8, 9) Ngako-ke ngesikhatsi Sathane atsatsa Jesu amyisa ethempelini, kungenteka abefuna kutsi Jesu afake kuphila kwakhe engotini ngekutsi atijike phansi esuka ethempelini. Kodvwa Jesu wala kukwenta loko. Cabanga kutsi leso bekutawuba silingo lesinganani kunekutsi Jesu alingwe embonweni!

Ngako kungenteka kutsi Jesu waya mbamba eJerusalema futsi wema etulu ethempelini. Njengobe kuvetiwe ekucaleni kwalesihloko, asati ngalokucacile kutsi Sathane wamkhombisa njani Jesu lelithempeli. Kodvwa siyaciniseka kutsi Sathane wachubeka etama kulinga Jesu kutsi ente tintfo letimbi, nekutsi ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi Jesu bekala kulingwa.