Oku kwaqalisa emva konyaka ka-100 kwaza kwaphela ngo-1919. Kutheni lufuneka olu tshintsho kwindlela ebesiwuqonda ngayo lo mbandela?

Bonke ubungqina bubonisa ukuba ngo-1919, amaKristu athanjisiweyo akhululwa kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu aza ahlanganiselwa kwibandla elihlanjululiweyo. Khawucinge ngoku: Ngokukhawuleza emva kokuba uBukumkani bukaThixo buqalise ukulawula emazulwini ngo-1914, abantu bakaThixo bavavanywa, baza ngokuthe ngcembe bahlanjululwa kunqulo lobuxoki. * (Jonga umbhalo osemazantsi.) (Malaki 3:1-4) Ngo-1919, uYesu wamisela ‘ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi’ ukuze linike abantu bakaThixo abahlanjululiweyo ‘ukutya ngexesha elifanelekileyo.’ (Mateyu 24:45-47) Kwangaloo nyaka, abantu bakaThixo bakhululwa ekuthinjweni kokomfuziselo eBhabhiloni Enkulu. (ISityhilelo 18:4) Kodwa baba ngabo nini abathinjwa?

Kwixesha elidlulileyo, sathi abantu bakaThixo bathinjelwa eBhabhiloni Enkulu ithutyana nje ekuqaleni kuka-1918. IMboniselo kaMatshi 15, 1992, yathi kanye njengokuba amaSirayeli athinjelwa eBhabhiloni, ngo-1918 abakhonzi bakaYehova baba ngabathinjwa eBhabhiloni Enkulu. Kodwa uphando olungakumbi lubonisa ukuba abantu bakaThixo baba ngabathinjwa kwiminyaka emininzi ngaphambi kuka-1918.

Isiprofeto esikuHezekile 37:1-14 sachaza kwangaphambili ukuba abantu bakaThixo babeya kuba ngabathinjwa baze kamva bakhululwe. UHezekile waba nombono wentlambo ezele ngamathambo. UYehova wathi: ‘La mathambo yindlu kaSirayeli iphela.’ (Indinyana 11) Oku kwakubhekisela kuhlanga lwakwaSirayeli kwaza kamva kwabhekisela ‘kuSirayeli kaThixo’ othanjisiweyo. (Galati 6:16; IZenzo 3:21) Embonweni, amathambo abuyela ebomini aza aba ngumkhosi omkhulu. Oku kwacacisa indlela abantu bakaThixo abakhululwa ngayo eBhabhiloni Enkulu ngo-1919. Kodwa esi siprofeto sibonisa njani ukuba baba ngabathinjwa ixesha elide?

Okokuqala, uHezekile waqaphela ukuba amathambo abantu “ayesele omile kakhulu” (Hezekile 37:2,  11) Oku kuthetha ukuba babesele benexesha elide kakhulu befile. Okwesibini, uHezekile wabona ukuba babuyela ebomini ngokuthe ngcembe, kungekhona ngesiquphe. Weva “isandi, kwarhashaza, aza amathambo aqalisa ukusondelelana, ithambo lisiya kwithambo lalo.” Emva koko wabona ‘kusiza imisipha nenyama.’ Lwaza ulusu lwambesa inyama. Kamva, “impefumlo yangena kuwo, aphila.” Ekugqibeleni, emva kokuba abantu bebuyele ebomini, uYehova wabanika umhlaba wabo ukuba bahlale kuwo. Yonke le nto yayiza kuthath’ ixesha.—Hezekile 37:7-10, 14.

Kanye njengokuba isiprofeto sasichaze kwangaphambili, amaSirayeli aba ngabathinjwa ixesha elide. Ukuthinjwa kwawo kwaqalisa ngonyaka ka-740 ngaphambi kokufika kukaKristu, xa izizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli, ubukumkani basemntla, zagxothwayo elizweni lazo. Kamva, ngonyaka ka-607 ngaphambi kokufika kukaKristu, iYerusalem yatshatyalaliswa ngamaBhabhiloni, zaza izizwe ezibini zobukumkani basezantsi bakwaYuda, nazo zagxothwa elizweni lazo. Ngonyaka ka-537 ngaphambi kokufika kukaKristu, ukuthinjwa kwafikelela esiphelweni xa amaYuda ambalwa abuyela eYerusalem ukuze aphinde akhe itempile nokuze anqule uYehova kwakhona.

Zonke ezi nkcukacha zibonisa ukuba amaKristu athanjisiweyo amele ukuba aba ngabathinjwa eBhabhiloni Enkulu ixesha elide, kungekhona nje ukususela ngo-1918 ukusa ku-1919. UYesu naye wayebhekisela kweli xesha lide xa wathi, ukhula olungamaKristu obuxoki, lwaluya kukhula kunye nengqolowa, ‘oonyana boBukumkani.’ (Mateyu 13:36-43) Ebudeni belo xesha, ayembalwa amaKristu okwenyaniso. Abaninzi kwabo babesithi bangamaKristu, bamkela iimfundiso zobuxoki baza baba ngabawexuki. Kungoko sinokuthi ibandla lamaKristu lathinjelwa eBhabhiloni Enkulu. Oku kuthinjwa kwaqalisa emva konyaka ka-100 kwaza kwaqhubeka, de itempile yokomoya kaThixo yahlanjululwa ngexesha lesiphelo.—IZenzo 20:29, 30; 2 Tesalonika 2:3, 6; 1 Yohane 2:18, 19.

Ebudeni baloo makhulukhulu eminyaka, iinkokeli zecawa nezopolitiko zazifuna ukuhlala zitsala abantu ngempumlo. Ngokomzekelo, zazibalela abantu ukuba babe neeBhayibhile okanye bazifunde ngolwimi abaluqondayo. Abo babeyifunda iBhayibhile babetshiswa esibondeni. Ukanti bona abo babephikisa iimfundiso zeenkokeli zeecawa, babesohlwaywa ngokuqatha. Kwada kwabonakala ngathi ayinakwenzeka into yokuba ubani afunde inyaniso okanye ayidlulisele kwabanye.

 Okunye esikufundayo kumbono kaHezekile kukuba abantu bakaThixo babuyela ebomini baza bakhululwa kunqulo lobuxoki ngokuthe ngcembe. Yaqalisa nini le nto, yaye njani? Kulo mbono kuvakala “ukurhashaza.” Oku kwaqalisa ukwenzeka kumakhulu ambalwa eminyaka ngaphambi kwexesha lesiphelo. Ngaloo minyaka, kwakukho abantu abathembekileyo ababekhangela inyaniso befuna nokukhonza uThixo, nangona babengqongwe ziimfundiso zobuxoki. Bafunda iBhayibhile baza bazama kangangoko ukuxelela abanye ngoko babekufunda. Abanye basebenza nzima beguqulela iBhayibhile kwiilwimi ezaziqondwa ngabantu.

Ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yoo-1800, kwakungathi inyama nolusu zambes’ amathambo. UCharles Taze Russell nabahlobo bakhe basebenza nzima bekhangela inyaniso yeBhayibhile ukuze bakhonze uYehova. Banceda nabanye abantu ukuba bayiqonde inyaniso, ngokusebenzisa iZion’s Watch Tower nezinye iincwadi. Kamva i-“Photo-Drama of Creation” ngo-1914, nencwadi ethi The Finished Mystery ngo-1917, zanceda ukomeleza ukholo lwabantu bakaYehova. Ekugqibeleni, ngo-1919 kwaba ngathi abantu bakhe banikwe ubomi nomhlaba omtsha. Ukususela ngoko, abo banethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni baye bathelela abathanjiswa. Banqula uYehova kunye, ibe baye ‘bangumkhosi wamajoni omkhulu kunene.’—Hezekile 37:10; Zekariya 8:20-23. *—Jonga umbhalo osemazantsi.

Icacile ke into yokuba abantu bakaThixo baba ngabathinjwa eBhabhiloni Enkulu emva konyaka ka-100. Leli xesha apho abaninzi baye bawexuka ngokwamkela iimfundiso zonqulo lobuxoki baza bagatya inyaniso. Kangangeminyaka emininzi kwakunzima kakhulu ukukhonza uYehova, kanye njengoko kwakunzima kumaSirayeli xa ayengabathinjwa. Kodwa namhlanje inyaniso ishunyayelwa ebantwini bonke. Sivuya nyhani kuba siphila ngexesha laxa ‘abo banengqiqo baya kukhanya ngokuqaqambileyo’! Abaninzi ngoku ‘banokuzihlambulula’ “basulungekiswe,” baze bamkele unqulo lokwenyaniso!—Daniyeli 12:3, 10.

Asiqinisekanga ukuba uSathana wambonisa njani uYesu itempile.

Ababhali beBhayibhile uMateyu noLuka, babhala ngoko kwenzekayo. UMateyu wathi, “uMtyholi wamthabatha” uYesu wamsa eYerusalem waza “wammisa phezu koqoqo lwetempile,” oko kuthetha ukuthi, kweyona ndawo iphezulu. (Mateyu 4:5) ULuka wathi, uMtyholi “wamsa eYerusalem waza wammisa phezu koqoqo lwetempile.”—Luka 4:9.

Kwixesha elidlulileyo, iincwadi zethu ziye zathi, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uSathana akazange amthathe ngokoqobo uYesu amse etempileni xa wayemlinga. IMboniselo kaMatshi 1, 1961, yathelekisa oku nesihlandlo apho uSathana walinga uYesu ngokumbonisa zonke izikumkani zomhlaba emi phezu kwentaba ephakamileyo. Yathi, akukho ntaba iphakame ngokwaneleyo ukuba ubani angabona zonke izikumkani zomhlaba emi kuyo. IMboniselo yaphinda yathi, ngendlela efanayo, uSathana kusenokwenzeka ukuba akazange amthathe ngokoqobo amse  etempileni uYesu. Kamva, iMboniselo yathi, ukuba uYesu wayeziphose phantsi, wayeya kufa.

Abanye bathi, ekubeni uYesu wayengenguye umLevi, wayengenakuvunyelwa ukuba eme phezu kwengcwele yetempile. Ngoko, bathi kumele ukuba uSathana walinga uYesu esebenzisa umbono. Kumakhulu eminyaka ngaphambili, noHezekile wasiwa etempileni embonweni.—Hezekile 8:3, 7-10; 11:1, 24; 37:1, 2.

Ukuba uYesu wasiwa etempileni embonweni, abanye basenokuzibuza:

• Ngaba uYesu wayenokulingeka nyhani ukuba aziphose phantsi?

• Ngezinye izihlandlo xa uSathana wayelinga uYesu, wathi makajike amatye okoqobo abe zizonka zokoqobo, ibe wafuna enze isenzo sokoqobo sokumnqula. Ngoko ngaba kusenokwenzeka ukuba uSathana wayefuna uYesu aziphose phantsi kwitempile yokoqobo?

Kodwa, ukuba uSathana akazange asebenzise umbono, kunoko wamthatha uYesu wamsa etempileni ngokoqobo, abanye basenokuzibuza:

• Ngaba uYesu wophula uMthetho ngokuma phezu kwengcwele yetempile?

• Wasuka njani uYesu entlango ukuya etempileni eYerusalem?

Makhe siqwalasele inkcazelo eyongezelelekileyo eza kusinceda siphendule le mibuzo mibini yokugqibela.

UProfesa D. A. Carson wabhala wathi, igama lesiGrike elithi “itempile” elisetyenziswe kuMateyu noLuka, limele ukuba lalibhekisela kuwo wonke ummandla wetempile, kungekhona nje kwingcwele, ndawo leyo ekwakuvumeleke kuphela abaLevi kuyo. Imbombo ekumzantsi-ntshona wetempile yayinophahla olusicaba olwaluyeyona ndawo iphakamileyo etempileni. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uYesu wayeme kolo phahla. Lwaluphakame ngeemitha eziyi-140 ukusuka kwiNtlambo yaseKidron. Umbhali-mbali uJosephus wathi, olu phahla lwaluphakame kangangokuba, ukuba umntu wayenokuma kulo aze ajonge ezantsi, “wayenokuba nesiyezi.” Nakuba uYesu wayengenguye umLevi, wayesenokuma apho, angabuzwa nto mntu.

Kodwa wasuka njani uYesu entlango ukuya etempileni eYerusalem? Asiqinisekanga. IBhayibhile ithi, uYesu wasiwa eYerusalem. Ayisixeleli ukuba wayekude kangakanani eYerusalem, okanye wavavanywa ixesha elide kangakanani nguSathana. Ngoko kusenokwenzeka ukuba uYesu wahamba ngeenyawo ukuya eYerusalem, nakuba oko kwakunokuthatha ixesha elide.

Xa uSathana wabonisa uYesu “zonke izikumkani zehlabathi,” kusenokwenzeka ukuba wasebenzisa umbono, kuba akukho ntaba emhlabeni onokuma kuyo uze ubone zonke izikumkani zomhlaba. Le nto isenokufaniswa nendlela onokubonisa ngayo umntu imifanekiso yezinye iinxalenye zomhlaba usebenzisa iscreen esikhulu. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uSathana wasebenzisa umbono, kodwa eneneni wayefuna ukuba uYesu aqubude kuye aze amnqule ngokoqobo. (Mateyu 4:8, 9) Ngoko xa uSathana wathatha uYesu wamsa etempileni, kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayefuna abeke ubomi bakhe esichengeni ngokuziphosa ezantsi. Kodwa uYesu wamgatya. Yayingenakuba sisilingo ncam ukuba uYesu wayelingwe embonweni!

Ngoko kusenokwenzeka ukuba uYesu waya nyhani eYerusalem waza wama kweyona ndawo iphakamileyo etempileni. Njengoko besitshilo ekuqaleni kweli nqaku, asiqinisekanga ukuba uSathana wambonisa njani uYesu itempile. Kodwa sinako ukuqiniseka ukuba uSathana waqhubeka ezama indlela yokuba uYesu enze into ephosakeleyo, yaye uYesu wayemgatya ngokupheleleyo sihlandlo ngasinye.