1. Chaza iziganeko ezenzekayo ekutshatyalalisweni kweYerusalem.

NGONYAKA KA-607 B.C.E., umkhosi omkhulu waseBhabhiloni kaKumkani uNebhukadenetsare II wahlasela isixeko saseYerusalem. Xa ithetha ngegazi elaphalalayo apho, iBhayibhile ithi: “[UNebhukadenetsare] wabulala abafana babo ngekrele endlwini yabo engcwele, akabanga namfesane ngamfana nangantombi inyulu, omdala okanye owalupheleyo. . . . Wayitshisa indlu kaThixo oyinyaniso wadiliza iindonga zeYerusalem; nazo zonke iinqaba zayo zokuhlala bazitshisa ngomlilo kwaneempahla zayo ezinqwenelekayo.”​—2 Kron. 36:17, 19.

2. Zeziphi izilumkiso ezingokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem ezakhutshwa nguYehova, kwaye kwakuza kwenzeka ntoni kumaYuda?

² Ukutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem kumele ukuba akuzange kubothuse abemi bayo. Kangangeminyaka, abaprofeti ababethunywe nguThixo babewalumkisile amaYuda ukuba, ukuba ayewophula uMthetho kaThixo, ayeza kunikelwa ezandleni zamaBhabhiloni. AmaYuda amaninzi ayeza kubulawa ngekrele; asindileyo ayesenokuphila ubomi bawo bonke ekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni. (Yer. 15:2) Abathinjwa babephila njani apho? Ngaba ngexesha lamaKristu ikho into enokufaniswa nokuthinjelwa eBhabhiloni? Ukuba ikho, yenzeke nini?

3. Ukuthinjwa kwamaSirayeli eBhabhiloni kwakwahluke njani kubukhoboka baseYiputa?

³ Izinto ezazithethwe ngabaprofeti zenzeka. UYehova wasebenzisa uYeremiya ukuze axelele abo babeza kuthinjwa ukuba bayamkele imeko yabo baze baqhubeke nobomi. Wathi: “Yakhani izindlu [eBhabhiloni] nize nihlale kuzo, kwaye tyalani imiyezo nize nidle iziqhamo zayo. Funani uxolo lwesixeko endinibangele ukuba niye kuso ekuthinjweni, nize nisithandazele kuYehova, kuba ngoxolo lwaso nani niya kuba noxolo.” (Yer. 29:5, 7) EBhabhiloni, abo bammamelayo uThixo baphila ubomi obungahlukanga kangako kobo babuqhelileyo. Abathimbi babo babengalawuli yonk’ into abayenzayo. Abathinjwa babenenkululeko yokuya naphi na kwelo lizwe. IBhabhiloni yayiyindawo yorhwebo noshishino mandulo, kwaye iingxelo eziye zafunyanwa zibonisa ukuba amaYuda amaninzi akufunda apho ukuthenga nokuthengisa kanti amanye afunda ukuba ngamachule omsebenzi wezandla. Amanye amaYuda ade aba zizityebi. Ukuthinjwa eBhabhiloni kwakungafani nobomi bobukhoboka baseYiputa amaSirayeli awayebuphile kumakhulu eminyaka ngaphambili.​—Funda iEksodus 2:23-25.

4. Ngaphandle kwamaSirayeli awayenemvukelo, ngoobani abanye abathinjelwa eBhabhiloni ibe ziintoni ezabangela abakwazi ukumnqula kakuhle uThixo?

⁴ AmaYuda ayenazo izinto eziphathekayo azidingayo ekuthinjweni, kodwa ngaba ayekwazi ukunqula uYehova? Itempile kaYehova nesibingelelo sayo zazitshatyalalisiwe, kwaye nababingeleli babengasakwazi ukuwenza kakuhle umsebenzi wabo. Kubathinjwa kwakukho nabakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaThixo ababengenzanga nto imbi, kodwa babotshwa ngabande linye nohlanga lonke. Nangona kwakunjalo, benza unako-nako ukuba bathobele uMthetho kaThixo. Ngokomzekelo, eBhabhiloni, uDaniyeli noogxa bakhe abathathu​—uShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego—​abazange bakutye ukutya amaYuda awayengavumelekanga ukukutya. Kwaye siyazi ukuba uDaniyeli wayeqhubeka ethandaza kuThixo rhoqo. (Dan. 1:8; 6:10) Nangona kunjalo, kwakungenakwenzeka kumYuda owoyika uThixo ukwenza yonke into efunwa nguMthetho kaMoses ngoxa elawulwa ngabahedeni.

5. UYehova wabathembisa ntoni abantu bakhe, ibe yintoni eyayinokwenza ingazaliseki?

⁵ Ngaba amaSirayeli ayenokuze akwazi ukunqula uThixo ngendlela yena afuna ukunqulwa ngayo? Ngelo xesha, kwakubonakala ngathi ayisoze yenzeke loo nto. IBhabhiloni yayingabakhululi abantu ebathimbileyo. Kodwa uYehova uThixo wayengayi kunqandwa yiloo ndlela yayo yokwenza izinto. Wathembisa ukubakhulula abantu bakhe yaye nangoku wabakhulula. Amazwi kaThixo awaze awe phantsi nanini na.​—Isa. 55:11.

6, 7. Kutheni kufanelekile ukuba siphinde siyicacise indlela esikuqonda ngayo ukuthinjwa yiBhabhiloni kule mihla?

⁶ Ngaba amaKristu akhe aba ngathi athinjiwe yiBhabhiloni? Kangangeminyaka le magazini ibisithi abakhonzi bakaThixo bale mihla bathinjwa yiBhabhiloni ngo-1918 baza bakhululwa kuyo ngo-1919. Kodwa ngenxa yezizathu esiza kuthetha ngazo kweli nqaku nakwelilandelayo, kuye kwafuneka siphinde siwuhlolisise lo mbandela.

⁷ Khawucinge ngoku: IBhabhiloni Enkulu, iyingqokelela yazo zonke iicawa zobuxoki. Ngoko, ukuze abantu bakaThixo bathinjwe yiBhabhiloni ngo-1918, kwakuza kufuneka ukuba ngandlel’ ithile bathinjwe  lunqulo lobuxoki ngelo xesha. Kodwa ke, izibakala zibonisa ukuba kumashumi eminyaka ngaphambi kweMfazwe Yehlabathi I, abakhonzi bakaThixo abathanjisiweyo babekhululeka kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu, babengathinjwa yiyo. Ewe kona abathanjiswa batshutshiswa ngemfazwe yehlabathi yokuqala, kodwa loo ntshutshiso yayivela koorhulumente kungekhona kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu. Ngoko, akubonakali ngathi abantu bakaYehova bathinjwa yiBhabhiloni Enkulu ngo-1918.

8. Cacisa ukuba yintoni eyangcolisa ubuKristu benene. (Bona umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁸ NgePentekoste ka-33 C.E. amaYuda amaninzi nabo babeguqukele kubuYuda bathanjiswa ngomoya oyingcwele. La maKristu matsha aba ‘sisizwe esinyuliweyo, ububingeleli basebukhosini, uhlanga olungcwele, isizwana esisesakhe [uThixo] ngokukhethekileyo.’ (Funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 2:9, 10.) Ngoxa babesaphila, abapostile balikhusela ibandla. Kodwa, ingakumbi emva kokufa kwabapostile, kwabakho amadoda athetha “izinto ezijijekileyo ukuze abatsale abafundi emva kwawo.” (IZe. 20:30; 2 Tes. 2:6-8) Amaninzi kula madoda ayeneembopheleleko ebandleni, engabaveleli yaye kamva aba “ngoobhishopu.” Kwaqalisa ukubakho abefundisi nangona uYesu wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Nonke nina ningabazalwana.” (Mat. 23:8) Amadoda adumileyo awayezithanda iimfundiso zika-Aristotle noPlato eza neemfundiso zobuxoki, ngokuthe ngcembe zathath’ indawo yeemfundiso ezisulungekileyo zeLizwi likaThixo.

9. Chaza indlela amaKristu awexukileyo awaxhaswa ngayo nguRhulumente WaseRoma, nokuba oko kwaphumela entwenini.

⁹ Ngo-313 C.E., la maKristu awexukileyo amiselwa ngokusemthethweni ngumhedeni onguMlawuli WaseRoma, uConstantine. Ukususela ngoko, iCawa noRhulumente zaba ngumtya nethunga. Ngokomzekelo, emva kweBhunga LaseNicaea, uConstantine owayelapho wagunyazisa ukuba umfundisi uArius abanjwe, kuba lo mfundisi wayengafuni nokuva ukuba uYesu unguThixo. Kamva xa kwakulawula uTheodosius I (379-395 C.E.), iCawa YamaKatolika, ebubuKristu bobuxoki, yaqalisa ukwaziwa ibe yamiselwa njengonqulo olusemthethweni kwiindawo ezilawulwa yiRoma. Ababhali-mbali bathi iRoma eyayiphantsi kobuhedeni kwathiwa bubuKristu ngenkulungwane yesine. Inyaniso kukuba kwathi kufika elo xesha abe amaKristu awexukileyo sele eqhogene neecawa zobuhedeni ezikwimimandla elawulwa yiRoma, aba ngamalungu eBhabhiloni Enkulu. Nakuba kunjalo, iqaqobana labathanjiswa, amaKristu afana nengqolowa, lalisenza konke okusemandleni alo ukuze linqule uThixo, kodwa lalingenafuthe. (Funda uMateyu 13:24, 25, 37-39.) Lalithinjwe nyhani yiBhabhiloni!

10. Yintoni eyenza abantu abafuna ukuyazi nyhani iBhayibhile bakwazi ukuthelekisa izinto ezazifundiswa yicawa kumakhulu eminyaka yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo?

¹⁰ Sekunjalo, kumakhulu eminyaka yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, abantu abaninzi babekwazi ukuzifundela iBhayibhile ngesiGrike okanye ngesiLatini. Ngoko babekwazi ukuthelekisa izinto ezifundiswa liLizwi likaThixo kunye nezifundiswa yicawa. Ngenxa yoko babekufunde eBhayibhileni, abanye babo bayeka ukuzikholelwa iimfundiso zecawa ezingekhoyo kwizibhalo, kodwa kwakuyingozi yaye kubeka ubomi babo esichengeni ukuthetha ngaloo nto.

11. Kwenzeka njani ukuba iBhayibhile ifundwe ngabefundisi kuphela?

¹¹ Ekuhambeni kwexesha iilwimi eyayikho ngazo iBhayibhile zayeka ukusetyenziswa ngabantu abaninzi, ibe icawa yayingafuni tu ukuba iLizwi likaThixo liguqulelwe kwiilwimi ezazisetyenziswa  ngabantu. Ngenxa yoko, yayingabefundisi nabantu abafundileyo kuphela ababekwazi ukuzifundela iBhayibhile, nangona yayingengabo bonke abefundisi ababekwazi ukufunda nokubhala kakuhle. Nabani na owayephikisa izinto ezazifundiswa yicawa wayesohlwaywa kabuhlungu. Abakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaThixo abathanjisiweyo kwafuneka badibane emfihlekweni bengamaqela, ukuba babekwazi kwaukudibana. Njengokuba kwakunjalo kubathinjwa baseBhabhiloni yamandulo, “ububingeleli basebukhosini,” obuthanjisiweyo babungakwazi ukusebenza kakuhle. IBhabhiloni Enkulu yabenza abakwazi nokushukuma!

12, 13. Ziintoni ezimbini ezanceda abantu bakhululeka ngokuthe ngcembe kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu? Cacisa.

¹² Ngaba amaKristu enene ayenokuze anqule uThixo ngokukhululekileyo nangendlela afuna ukunqulwa ngayo? Ewe! Kwaqalisa ukukhanya phakathi kobo bumnyama ngenxa yezinto ezimbini ezenzekayo. Eyokuqala, kwabakho umatshini wokuprinta ngeminyaka yoo-1400. Ngaphambi kokuba ubekho lo matshini kumazwe aseNtshona, iBhayibhile yayikhutshelwa ngesandla, ibe yayingumsebenzi onzima lowo. IiBhayibhile zazinqabile ibe zibiza. Kuthiwa, kwakunokumthatha iinyanga ezilishumi umkhupheli olichule ukukhuphela ngesandla iBhayibhile nje enye! Izinto ababebhala kuzo (izikhumba) zazifuna umntu abe ngathi uyatshona epokothweni. Kodwa xa esebenzisa umatshini wokuprinta, umntu okwazi kakuhle ukuwusebenzisa wayenokukhuphela amaphepha ayi-1 300 ngosuku!

¹³ Into yesibini eyenzekayo kukuba, ekuqaleni kweminyaka yoo-1500, amadoda ambalwa anesibindi agqiba ekubeni  aliguqulele iLizwi likaThixo ngeelwimi abazaziyo abantu abaqhelekileyo. Abaguquleli abaninzi babeka ubomi babo esichengeni ngokwenza loo msebenzi. Icawa yayityhwatyhwa luloyiko. Yayicinga ukuba yayinokuba sengozini xa indoda okanye umfazi owoyika uThixo eneBhayibhile, ngoko yayisoyika. IBhayibhile yayisiya ifumaneka yaye abantu bayifunda. Njengoko babeyifunda, babezibuza: ‘ILizwi likaThixo lithetha ndawoni ngentlambululo-miphefumlo, ngoopopu nangeekhadinali?’ Ngokokubona kwecawa, yayingumlo lo. Bangoobani ukuba baphikasane nabefundisi? Ngoko icawa yazilwela. Amadoda nabafazi babegwetywa kuba bengazamkeli izinto ezazifundiswa yicawa, ezinye zazo ezaziziimfundiso zobuhedeni zika-Aristotle noPlato, amadoda aweyephila ngaphambi kokuba uYesu Kristu azalwe. Icawa yayibagwebela ukufa, aze uRhulumente yena ababulale. Yayifuna abantu bayeke ukufunda iBhayibhile nokuphendulisana necawa. Elo qhinga lasebenza, kuba abaninzi bayeka. Nakuba kunjalo, abantu abambalwa abanesibindi babengafuni ukuthinjwa yiBhabhiloni Enkulu. Babesele benofifana ngeLizwi likaThixo, ngoko babefuna ukulazi ngakumbi! Esi yayisisiqalo sokukhulula abantu kunqulo lobuxoki.

14. (a) Yintoni eyanceda ekubeni iBhayibhile iqondwe ngakumbi ekupheleni kweminyaka yoo-1800? (b) Chaza izinto uMzalwan’ uRussell awazenzayo ngoxa wayefuna inyaniso?

¹⁴ Abaninzi ababefuna ukwazi iBhayibhile babalekela kumazwe apho icawa ingenafuthe kangako khona. Babefuna ukuyifundisisa baze bancokole nabanye ngayo kungekho mntu ubaxelela ukuba bafanele bacinge ntoni. IMerika lelinye laloo mazwe, apho uCharles Taze Russell nabanye baqalisa ukufundisisa iBhayibhile ekupheleni kweminyaka yoo-1800. Ekuqaleni, uMzalwan’ uRussell wayefuna ukwazi ukuba kwiinkonzo ezaziwayo yeyiphi eyayifundisa inyaniso. Wathelekisa izinto ezazifundiswa ziinkonzo ezininzi, nkqu nezingezozabuKristu kunye noko kufundiswa yiBhayibhile. Kungekudala wafumanisa ukuba ayikho nenye kuzo eyayisenza yonke into efundiswa liLizwi likaThixo. Wakha wadibana nabefundisi basekuhlaleni enethemba lokuba baza kuzamkela iimfundiso yena nabanye ababekunye naye abazifumana eBhayibhileni baze bazifundise amarhamente abo. Abefundisi babengenamdla waloo nto. ABafundi BeBhayibhile babemele baqonde oku: Babengenakukwazi ukuzidibanisa nabo bazimisele ukubambelela nkqi kunqulo lobuxoki.​—Funda eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 6:14.

15. (a) AmaKristu athinjwa nini yiBhabhiloni Enkulu? (b) Yeyiphi imibuzo eza kuphendulwa kwinqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁵ Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, sifunde ukuba amaKristu enene athinjwa yiBhabhiloni kungekudala emva kokuba kufe abapostile. Kodwa kusekho le mibuzo ifuna ukuphendulwa: Bobuphi obunye ubungqina obukhoyo obubonisa ukuba kumashumi eminyaka ukuya kuthi ga ngo-1914, abathanjiswa babeqalisa ukukhululeka kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu? Yinyani na ukuba uYehova wacatshukiswa ngabakhonzi bakhe ngenxa yokuba isantya sokushumayela sathotha ngexesha leMfazwe Yehlabathi I? Ngaba ngelo xesha bakho abazalwana bethu abayeka ukungathathi cala waza uYehova akakholiswa ngabo? Owokugqibela, ukuba amaKristu athinjwa lunqulo lobuxoki ukususela ngenkulungwane yesibini yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo ukuya phambili, akhululeka nini? Yimibuzo emihle le. Iza kuphendulwa kwinqaku elilandelayo.