1-2. Sesiphi isigqibo esibalulekileyo ekwakufuneka senziwe ngamaYuda awayehlala eBhabhiloni? (Ezra 1:2-4)

 UKUMKANI wenza isaziso! Eso saziso sasikhulula amaYuda awayethinjwe eBhabhiloni iminyaka emalunga neyi-70, sisithi angabuyela kwilizwe lawo, kwaSirayeli. (Funda uEzra 1:2-4.) NguYehova qha owayenokuyibangela yenzeke loo nto. Kutheni sisitsho? Kaloku yayingaqhelekanga into yokuba iBhabhiloni ibakhulule abantu ebathimbileyo. (Isa. 14:4, 17) Kodwa ngoku yayoyisiwe, waza ukumkani omtsha waxelela amaYuda ukuba angemka kwelo lizwe. Ngenxa yaloo nto onke amaYuda, ngokukodwa iintloko-ntsapho, kwakuza kufuneka enze isigqibo sokuba ayahlala na eBhabhiloni okanye ayemka. Inoba kwakunzima nyhani ukusenza eso sigqibo. Ngoba?

² Mhlawumbi abanye babesele bebadala kakhulu, bengasenakukwazi ukuhamba loo ndlela yayiza kuba nde. Abaninzi kubo babezalelwe eBhabhiloni, zange khe bayokuhlala kwenye indawo. Ngoko babezixelela ukuba ilizwe lakwaSirayeli yayingelolizwe labo, yayilelookhokho babo. Kungenzeka ukuba abanye babesele bezizityebi eBhabhiloni, kungekho lula ukushiya amakhaya namashishini abo baye kuhlala kwilizwe abangalaziyo.

3. Ayeza kuncedakala njani amaYuda athembekileyo awayeza kubuyela kwaSirayeli?

³ AmaYuda athembekileyo ayesazi ukuba ukubuyela kwaSirayeli kwakuza kuwanceda ngaphezu kwayo nantoni na ekwakuza kufuneka ayincame. Eyona nto awayeza kuncedakala kakhulu kuyo yayikukukhonza uYehova. Kaloku eBhabhiloni  kwakukho iitempile zoothixo bobuxoki ezingaphezu kwe-50, kungekho nenye ekaYehova. UMthetho owabhalwa nguMoses wawufuna benze imibingelelo, kodwa kwakungekho sibingelelo, bengekho nababingeleli. Enye into, abantu abaninzi ababehlala kweso sixeko babekhonza oothixo bobuxoki bengenaxesha likaYehova nemithetho yakhe. Ngoko amaYuda amaninzi awayesoyika uThixo ayefuna nyhani ukubuyela kwilizwe lawo ukuze aphinde akhonze uYehova ngendlela ayifunayo.

4. UYehova wawathembisa ntoni amaYuda awayeza kubuyela kwaSirayeli?

⁴ Uhambo olwalunzima olwalusuka eBhabhiloni lusiya kwaSirayeli lwalunokuwathatha iinyanga ezimalunga neziyi-4 amaYuda, kodwa uYehova wawathembisa ukuba wayeza kususa nantoni na endleleni eyayinokwenza kubonakale kunzima ukubuyela kwilizwe lawo. UIsaya wathi: “Vulelani uYehova indlela! Yenzelani uThixo wethu uhola wendlela othe tye, onqumla entlango. . . . Umhlaba onamatye mawugudiswe, nomhlaba ongamaxethuka ube lithafa elisentlanjeni.” (Isa. 40:3, 4) Khawube nombono wohola wendlela nethafa elisentlanjeni. Abantu babeza kukuvuyela ukuhamba kwindlela enjalo. Kwakuza kuba lula ukuhamba kuhola wendlela othe tye kunokwehla benyuka kwiinduli nakwiintaba, behamba nasemaxethukeni. Babeza kukhawuleza bafike nalapho babesiya khona.

5. Yayibizwa njani indlela efuziselayo eyayisuka eBhabhiloni isiya kwaSirayeli?

⁵ Namhlanje oohola beendlela abaninzi babizwa ngamagama okanye ngeenombolo. Nalo hola ufuziselayo awathetha ngawo uIsaya wawunegama. Wathi: “Apho kuza kubakho uhola wendlela, obizwa ngokuba yiNdlela Yobungcwele. Akuzukuhamba moni kuwo.” (Isa. 35:8) Yayithetha ntoni le nto kuSirayeli? Ithetha ntoni kuthi?

6. Kwakutheni ukuze kuthiwe le ndlela ingcwele?

⁶ Lalimnandi nyhani igama lalo hola wendlela elithi ‘iNdlela Yobungcwele.’ Kwakutheni ukuze kuthiwe le ndlela ingcwele? AmaSirayeli awayeza kubuyela kwilizwe lawo ayengazukuvunyelwa ukuba ahambe nomntu owayesazimisele ukuziphatha kakubi, ukukhonza izithixo okanye ukwenza ezinye izono ezinzulu. Kaloku ayeza kuba ‘sisizwana esingcwele’ kuThixo wawo. (Dut. 7:6) Kodwa loo nto yayingathethi kuthi kwakungekho zinto ekwakufuneka azilungise ukuze avuyise uYehova.

7. Ziintoni amanye amaYuda ekwakufuneka azilungise? Yenza umzekelo.

⁷ Njengokuba besekutshiwo ekuqaleni, amaYuda amaninzi ayezalelwe eBhabhiloni, ngoko kusenokwenzeka ukuba amaninzi kuwo ayesele eqhelene nendlela yokucinga neyokwenza izinto yalapho. Emva kweminyaka eyi-69 ebuyele kwaSirayeli, uEzra wafumanisa ukuba amanye awo ayetshate nabafazi ababekhonza izithixo. (Eks. 34:15, 16; Ezra 9:1, 2) Ekuhambeni kwexesha noMlawuli uNehemiya wothuka akufumanisa ukuba abantwana abazalelwa kwaSirayeli babengekalufundiswa ulwimi lwamaYuda. (Dut. 6:6, 7; Neh. 13:23, 24) Abo bantwana babenokumthanda baze bamkhonze njani uYehova bengasazi isiHebhere, olona lwimi lalibhalwe ngalo iLizwi LikaThixo? (Ezra 10:3, 44) Ngoko loo maYuda kwakufuneka alungise izinto ezininzi. Kwakuza kuba lula ukuyenza ke loo nto kwaSirayeli apho amaSirayeli ayebuyela kancinci kancinci kwindlela uYehova awayefuna ukukhonzwa ngayo.—Neh. 8:8, 9.

8. Kutheni simele sibe nomdla kwizinto ezenzeka kumaYuda? (Jonga umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

 ⁸ Abanye basenokuthi, ‘Libangel’ umdla nyhani eli bali, kodwa ngaba ikhona into esidibanisa nento eyenzeka kudala kumaYuda?’ Ikhona, kuba ngokungathi kunjalo nathi sihamba ‘kwiNdlela Yobungcwele.’ Nokuba singabathanjiswa okanye ‘singabezinye izimvu,’ kufuneka singayeki ukuhamba kule ‘Ndlela Yobungcwele’ kuba iza kusinceda singayeki ukukhonza uYehova ngoku naxa sekulawula uBukumkani bakhe emhlabeni. b (Yoh. 10:16) Ukususela ngo-1919 iimiliyoni zabantu, amadoda, abafazi nabantwana zaye zayishiya iBhabhiloni Enkulu eyingqokelela yazo zonke iicawa zobuxoki, zaqalisa ukuhamba kule ndlela. Mhlawumbi nawe ungomnye wabo. Abantu baqalisa ukuhamba kule ndlela kwiminyaka emalunga neyi-100 edlulileyo, kodwa abanye baqalisa ukuyilungisa kwiminyaka emininzi ngaphambi koko.

9. UIsaya 57:14 uthi yalungiswa njani ‘iNdlela Yobungcwele’?

⁹ UYehova waqiniseka ukuba endleleni yamaYuda awayesuka eBhabhiloni kususwa yonke into eyayiza kuwaphazamisa. (Funda uIsaya 57:14.) Wenze ntoni ‘kwiNdlela Yobungcwele’ yanamhlanje? Kwiminyaka emininzi ngaphambi ko-1919, uYehova wasebenzisa amadoda amoyikayo ukuze ancede alungise indlela eyayiza kunceda abantu baphume kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu. (Thelekisa uIsaya 40:3.) Enza umsebenzi owawuza kunceda abantu abaneentliziyo ezilungileyo bashiye iicawe zobuxoki, baze bakhonze uYehova bekunye nabantu bakhe. Yintoni eyayisenziwa kulo msebenzi? Nazi ezinye izinto ezazisenziwa.

10-11. Ukuprinta nokuguqulela kwanceda njani ukuze iBhayibhile yaziwe ngabantu abaninzi? (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

¹⁰ Ukuprinta. De kwamalunga nonyaka ka-1450, iikopi zeBhayibhile zazikhutshelwa ngesandla. Lo msebenzi wawuthatha ixesha elide, neeBhayibhile zinqabile futhi ziduru. Kwathi kwakusetyenziswa umatshini wokuprinta, kwenziwa iiBhayibhile ezininzi, batsho bakwazi ukuzifumana abantu.

¹¹ Ukuguqulela. Kangangeminyaka emininzi iBhayibhile yayifumaneka ngesiLatini, ulwimi olwalusaziwa zizifundiswa qha. Kwathi kwakuxhaphaka umsebenzi wokuprinta, abantu aboyika uThixo basebenza nzima beguqulela iBhayibhile ngeelwimi ezazithethwa ngabantu abaninzi. Loo nto yenza abantu abafunda iBhayibhile bakwazi ukuthelekisa into abayifundiswa ezicaweni nento efundiswa yiBhayibhile.

12-13. Kwiminyaka yoo-1800 abafundi beBhayibhile abanyanisekileyo babubhenca njani ubuxoki obabufundiswa ezicaweni?

¹² Iincwadi ezifundisa iBhayibhile. Abantu ababekukhuthalele ukufunda iBhayibhile bafunda izinto ezininzi kuyo. Emva koko baxelela abanye abantu ngezinto abazifundayo, yaza loo nto yabacaphukisa kakhulu abefundisi. Ngokomzekelo, kwiminyaka yoo-1835, iqela lamadoda anyanisekileyo laqalisa ukwenza amaphecana awayebhenca ubuxoki obabufundiswa ezicaweni.

¹³ Malunga no-1835 indoda eyayisoyika uThixo, uHenry Grew, yenza iphecana elalibonisa ukuba kwenzeka ntoni emntwini xa eswelekile. Kulo, wasebenzisa iZibhalo ezibonisa ukuba nguThixo qha onokwenza umntu aphile ngonaphakade, asizalwa sinomphefumlo ongafiyo, njengokuba kwakufundiswa loo nto ezicaweni. Ngo-1837 umfundisi uGeorge Storrs wafumana eli phecana etreynini.  Emva kokuba elifundile waqiniseka ukuba ufumene inyaniso ebalulekileyo. Wazixelela ukuba uza kuxelela abanye ngento ayifundileyo. Ngo-1842 wanikela iintetho ezazinomxholo owenz’ umdla othi “Uphando—Ngaba Abangendawo Abafi?” Omnye wabantu abancedwa zizinto ezazifundiswa nguGeorge Storrs yayinguCharles Taze Russell owayengumfana.

14. UMzalwan’ uRussell nabahlobo bakhe bancedwa njani ngumsebenzi wokulungisa indlela yokukhonza uThixo ngendlela ayifunayo owawusele wenziwe? (Jonga umfanekiso.)

¹⁴ UMzalwan’ uRussell nabahlobo bakhe bancedwa njani ngumsebenzi wokulungisa indlela yokukhonza uThixo ngendlela ayifunayo owawusele wenziwe? Xa babephanda basebenzisa iilexicon, iiconcordance neenguqulelo zeBhayibhile ezahlukahlukeneyo ezazikho ngaphambi kokuba baqalise umsebenzi wabo. Bancedwa nazizinto ezaphandwa nguHenry Grew, uGeorge Storrs nabanye ngeBhayibhile. UMzalwan’ uRussell nabahlobo bakhe nabo bafak’ isandla kumsebenzi wokulungisa indlela yokukhonza uThixo ngendlela ayifunayo ngokwenza iincwadi ezininzi namaphecana awayethetha ngeBhayibhile.

15. Zeziphi izinto ezibalulekileyo ezenzeka ngo-1919?

¹⁵ Ngo-1919 abantu bakaThixo bakhululeka kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu. Ngaloo nyaka ‘ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi’ laqalisa ukusebenza ukuze lincede abantu abaneentliziyo ezinyanisekileyo bahambe ‘kwiNdlela Yobungcwele.’ (Mat. 24:45-47) Umsebenzi wokulungisa indlela owawenziwe kwixesha elidlulileyo wanceda abantu ababeqala ukuhamba kuyo bafunda izinto ezininzi ngoYehova nezinto aza kuzenza. (IMize. 4:18) Bakwazi nokuphila ngendlela uYehova ayilindeleyo kubo. UYehova ebengalindelanga ukuba abantu bakhe batshintshe yonke into ngexesha elinye, kodwa ebebalungisa ngokuya ixesha lihamba. (Jonga ibhokisi ethi “ UYehova Ubalungisa Kancinci Kancinci Abantu  Bakhe.”) Kuza kuba mnandi nyhani xa sesikwazi ukwenza yonke into ngendlela evuyisa uYehova.—Kol. 1:10.

16. Ukususela ngo-1919 ‘iNdlela Yobungcwele’ iye yalungiswa njani? (Isaya 48:17; 60:17)

¹⁶ Yonke indlela ifuna ukuhlal’ ilungiswa. Ukususela ngo-1919 ‘iNdlela Yobungcwele’ iye yaqhubeka ilungiswa ukuze nabanye abantu bakwazi ukuyishiya iBhabhiloni Enkulu. Ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi elalisand’ ukubakho laqalisa ukusebenza. Ngo-1921 lenza incwadi yokufunda iBhayibhile ukuze lincede abantu abaqalayo ukuhamba kule ndlela bazi inyaniso. Kwasasazwa iikopi eziphantse zibe yi-6 miliyon zaloo ncwadi ithi uHadi LukaThixo, ngeelwimi eziyi-36. Abantu abaninzi bayifunda kuyo inyaniso. Kutshanje kuye kwakhululwa incwadi yokufundisa iBhayibhile ethi Phila Ubomi Obumnandi Ngonaphakade! Kule mihla yokugqibela uYehova uye wasebenzisa intlangano yakhe ukuze ihlale isifundisa izinto eziqinis’ ukholo neziza kusinceda singayeki ukuhamba ‘kwiNdlela Yobungcwele.’—Funda uIsaya 48:17; 60:17.

17-18. Isisa phi ‘iNdlela Yobungcwele’?

¹⁷ Sinokuthi xa umntu evuma ukufundelwa iBhayibhile ufumana ithuba lokungena ‘kwiNdlela Yobungcwele.’ Abanye bathi besaqala ukuhamba kuyo bayishiye. Kanti abanye bazimisele ukuhamba ngayo de bafike apho baya khona. Baya phi?

¹⁸ Abo banethemba lokuphila ezulwini, ‘iNdlela Yobungcwele’ ibasa kwiparadesi kaThixo esezulwini. (ISityhi. 2:7) Kanti abo baza kuphila emhlabeni lo hola wendlela ubasa ekupheleni kweminyaka eyi-1 000, apho wonke umntu eza kube engenasono. Ukuba uhamba kulo hola wendlela ungaze ujonge ngasemva okanye uwushiye de uyokufika apho uya khona, kwihlabathi elitsha. “Uhambe kakuhle.”