Lokhu kwaqala esikhathini esithile ngemva konyaka ka-100 futhi kwaphela ngo-1919. Kungani kuye kwadingeka kwenziwe ushintsho endleleni esiqonda ngayo?

Bonke ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi ngo-1919, amaKristu agcotshiwe akhululwa eBhabhiloni Elikhulu futhi abuthelwa ebandleni elihlanziwe. Cabanga ngalokhu: Ngokushesha ngemva kokuba uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uqale ukubusa ezulwini ngo-1914, abantu bakaNkulunkulu bavivinywa futhi kancane kancane bahlanzwa ekungcolisweni ukukhulekela kwamanga. * (Malaki 3:1-4) Kwabe sekuthi ngo-1919, uJesu wamisa ‘inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo’ ukuze inike abantu bakaNkulunkulu abahlanziwe ‘ukudla ngesikhathi esifanele.’ (Mathewu 24:45-47) Ngawo lowo nyaka, abantu bakaNkulunkulu bakhululwa ekuthunjweni yiBhabhiloni Elikhulu okungokomfanekiso. (IsAmbulo 18:4) Kodwa babethunjwe nini?

Esikhathini esidlule, sasithe abantu bakaNkulunkulu baba yizithunjwa zeBhabhiloni Elikhulu okwesikhashana kusukela ngo-1918. INqabayokulinda ka-March 15, 1992, yathi njengoba nje ama-Israyeli ayethunjelwe eBhabhiloni, ngo-1918 izinceku zikaJehova nazo zathunjwa yiBhabhiloni Elikhulu. Kodwa ucwaningo olwengeziwe lubonisa ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu baba yizithunjwa eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambi kuka-1918.

Isiprofetho esikuHezekeli 37:1-14 sabikezela ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu babeyothunjwa bese kuthi kamuva bakhululwe. UHezekeli wabona umbono wesigodi esasigcwele amathambo. UJehova wathi: “La mathambo, ayiyo yonke indlu ka-Israyeli.” (Ivesi 11) Lokhu kwakubhekisela esizweni sakwa-Israyeli futhi kamuva kwakuzobhekisela “ku-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu,” okungukuthi abagcotshiwe. (Galathiya 6:16; IzEnzo 3:21) Kulowo mbono, amathambo aphinde aphila futhi aba yibutho elikhulu. Lokhu kwakuchaza indlela abantu bakaNkulunkulu abakhululwa ngayo eBhabhiloni Elikhulu ngo-1919. Kodwa lesi siprofetho sibonisa kanjani ukuthi baba yizithunjwa isikhathi eside?

Okokuqala, uHezekeli waphawula ukuthi amathambo abantu abafile “ayome nké.” (Hezekeli 37:2, 11)  Lokhu kusho ukuthi kwase kukudala labo bantu bafa. Okwesibili, uHezekeli waqaphela ukuthi labo bantu ababefile babuyela ekuphileni kancane kancane, hhayi ngokuphazima kweso. Wezwa ‘umsindo, ukukhehlezela, amathambo aqala ukusondelana, ithambo ethanjeni lalo.’ Wabe esebona ‘kuvela phezu kwawo imisipha nenyama.’ Inyama yabe seyembeswa ngesikhumba ngaphezulu. Kamuva “umoya wangena kubo, baqala ukuphila.” Ekugcineni, ngemva kokuba laba bantu sebephila, uJehova wabanika izwe labo ukuba bahlale kulo. Konke lokhu kwakuzothatha isikhathi.—Hezekeli 37:7-10, 14.

Njengoba nje lesi siprofetho sabikezela, ama-Israyeli aba yizithunjwa isikhathi eside. Ukuthunjwa kwawo kwaqala ngonyaka ka-740 ngaphambi kukaKristu, lapho izizwe eziyishumi zakwa-Israyeli, okuwumbuso wasenyakatho, ziphoqeleka ukuba zishiye izwe lazo. Kamuva, ngonyaka ka-607 ngaphambi kukaKristu, iJerusalema labhujiswa abaseBhabhiloni, futhi nalezi ezinye izizwe ezimbili, umbuso wakwaJuda oseningizimu, zaphoqeleka ukuba silishiye izwe lazo. Kwabe sekuthi ngonyaka ka-537 ngaphambi kukaKristu, ukuthunjwa kwaphela lapho amaJuda ambalwa ebuyela eJerusalema ukuze akhe kabusha ithempeli futhi aphinde akhulekele uJehova.

Ngakho yonke le mininingwane ibonisa ukuthi kumelwe ukuba amaKristu agcotshiwe aba yizithunjwa zeBhabhiloni Elikhulu isikhathi eside, hhayi nje kusukela ku-1918 kuya ku-1919. UJesu naye wabhekisela kule nkathi ende lapho ethi amaKristu mbumbulu, okuwukhula, ayeyokhula ndawonye ‘nabantwana bombuso,’ ukolweni. (Mathewu 13:36-43) Phakathi naleyo nkathi, kwakunamaKristu eqiniso ambalwa nje kuphela. Iningi lalabo ababethi bangamaKristu lamukela izimfundiso zamanga futhi laba yizihlubuki. Yingakho singase sithi ibandla lobuKristu lalithunjwe iBhabhilini Elikhulu. Lokhu kuthunjwa kwaqala esikhathini esithile ngemva konyaka ka-100 futhi kwaqhubeka kwaze kwaba yilapho kuhlanzwa ithempeli likaNkulunkulu elingokomoya esikhathini sokuphela.—IzEnzo 20:29, 30; 2 Thesalonika 2:3, 6; 1 Johane 2:18, 19.

Phakathi nalawo makhulu eminyaka, abaholi bamasonto nabezombusazwe babefuna ukulawula abantu. Ngokwesibonelo, abantu babengavunyelwe ukuba namaBhayibheli noma ukufunda iBhayibheli ngolimi abaluqonda kalula. Abanye ababefunda iBhayibheli babeze bashiswe ngisho nasesigxotsheni. Kanti labo ababegxeka lokho okwakufundiswa abaholi besonto babejeziswa kanzima. Kwakucishe kube yinto engenakwenzeka nganoma ubani ukuba afunde iqiniso noma alifundise abanye.

 Embonweni kaHezekeli sifunda nokuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu baphinde baphila futhi bakhululwa kancane kancane enkolweni yamanga. Lokhu kwaqala nini ukwenzeka futhi kwenzeka kanjani? Umbono ukhuluma ‘ngomsindo wokukhehlezela.’ Lokhu kwaqala ukwenzeka emakhulwini eminyaka ambalwa ngaphambi kwesikhathi sokuphela. Phakathi naleyo minyaka, kwakunabathile abathembekile ababefuna ukuthola iqiniso futhi bakhonze uNkulunkulu nakuba babezungezwe yizimfundiso zamanga. Batadisha iBhayibheli futhi benza konke ababengakwenza ukutshela abantu ngalokho ababekufunda. Abanye basebenza kanzima behumushela iBhayibheli ezilimini ezaziqondwa abantu.

Kwathi ngasekupheleni kwawo-1800, kwaba sengathi inyama nesikhumba kuqala ukwemboza amathambo. UCharles Taze Russell nabangane bakhe bazikhandla bezama ukuthola iqiniso leBhayibheli nokukhonza uJehova. Basiza nabanye ukuba baqonde iqiniso besebenzisa i-Zion’s Watch Tower kanye nezinye izincwadi. Kamuva, i-“Photo-Drama of Creation” ngo-1914 kanye nencwadi ethi The Finished Mystery ngo-1917 kwasiza abantu bakaJehova ukuba baqinise ukholo lwabo. Ekugcineni, ngo-1919, kwaba sengathi abantu bakhe babenikezwe ukuphila nezwe elisha. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, labo abanethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni baye bazihlanganisa nabagcotshiwe. Bonke bakhulekela uJehova, futhi ‘sebeyibutho elikhulu kakhulu impela.’—Hezekeli 37:10; Zakariya 8:20-23. *

Ngakho kusobala ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu baba yizithunjwa zeBhabhiloni Elikhulu ngemva konyaka ka-100. Lesi yisikhathi abantu abaningi ababa ngaso yizihlubuki ngokwamukela izimfundiso zenkolo yamanga nangokwenqaba iqiniso. Kwaphela iminyaka eminingi kunzima kakhulu ukukhonza uJehova, njengoba nje kwakunjalo ngama-Israyeli ngesikhathi esekudingisweni. Kodwa namuhla iqiniso lishunyayelwa kuwo wonke umuntu. Ave sijabula ngokuthi siphila esikhathini lapho ‘abanokuqondisisa beyokhanya khona’! Abaningi manje ‘bangazihlanza,’ ‘bacwengwe,’ futhi bamukele ukukhulekela kweqiniso!—Daniyeli 12:3, 10.

Asiqiniseki ukuthi uSathane wambonisa kanjani uJesu ithempeli.

Abalobi beBhayibheli ababili uMathewu noLuka babhala ngalokho okwenzeka. UMathewu wathi “uDeveli wamthatha” uJesu wamyisa eJerusalema “wammisa phezu kombhoshongo wethempeli,” okuyindawo ephakeme kunazo zonke ethempelini. (Mathewu 4:5) ULuka wathi uDeveli “wamholela eJerusalema wammisa phezu kombhoshongo wethempeli.”—Luka 4:9.

Esikhathini esidlule, izincwadi zethu zathi uSathane wayengenakumthatha ngokoqobo uJesu amyise ethempelini lapho ezama ukumlinga. INqabayokulinda ka-March 1, 1961, yaqhathanisa lokhu nalapho uSathane ezama ukulinga uJesu ngokumbonisa yonke imibuso yomhlaba esentabeni ephakeme. Yathi ayikho intaba ephakeme ngokwanele ukuba umuntu angakwazi ukubona yonke imibuso yomhlaba uma ekuyo. INqabayokulinda yabe isithi ngendlela efanayo, cishe uSathane akazange amthathe ngokoqobo  uJesu amyise ethempelini elingokoqobo. Nokho, ezinye izihloko zakamuva ze-Nqabayokulinda zathi ukube uJesu wagxuma esuka phezu kwethempeli, wayeyofa.

Abanye bathi njengoba uJesu ayengeyena umLevi, wayengeke avunyelwe ukuba ame endaweni engcwele yethempeli. Ngakho bathi kumelwe ukuba uSathane wazama ukulinga uJesu esebenzisa umbono. Emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili, uHezekeli naye wayiswa ethempelini esembonweni.—Hezekeli 8:3, 7-10; 11:1, 24; 37:1, 2.

Kodwa uma kuwukuthi uJesu wayiswa ethempelini esembonweni, abanye bangase bazibuze:

• Ingabe uJesu wayeyolingeka ngempela yini ukuba aziphonse phansi esuka ethempelini?

• Ngezinye izikhathi lapho uSathane ezama ukulinga uJesu, wamcela ukuba aguqule amatshe angokoqobo abe yisinkwa esingokoqobo futhi wayefuna uJesu enze isenzo esingokoqobo sokumkhulekela. Manje, kungenzeka yini ukuthi uSathane wayefuna nokuba uJesu agxume esuka phezu kwethempeli elingokoqobo?

Kodwa uma uSathane engazange asebenzise umbono futhi athatha uJesu wamyisa ethempelini elingokoqobo, abanye bangase bazibuze:

• Ingabe uJesu waphula uMthetho ngokuma phezu kwendawo engcwele yethempeli?

• UJesu wafika kanjani ethempelini eliseJerusalema esuka ehlane?

Ake sihlole imininingwane eyengeziwe ezosisiza siphendule le mibuzo emibili yokugcina.

Uprofesa uD. A. Carson wabhala ukuthi igama lesiGreki elisho “ithempeli” elisetshenziswe kuMathewu nakuLuka cishe lalibhekisela kuyo yonke indawo yethempeli hhayi indlu engcwele kuphela, okuyindawo okungamaLevi kuphela ayevunyelwe ukungena kuyo. Ekhoneni eliseningizimu-mpumalanga yesakhiwo sethempeli kwakunophahla oluyisicaba olwaluyindawo yethempeli ephakeme kunazo zonke. UJesu wayengase amiswe kulolo phahla. Ubude bebanga ukusuka lapho kuya phansi eSigodini SaseKidroni kwakungamamitha angu-140. Isazi-mlando uJosephus wathi le ndawo yayiphakeme kangangokuba uma umuntu eme kuyo bese ebuka phansi, “wayengaphathwa yisiyezi.” Nakuba uJesu ayengeyena umLevi, wayengama kule ndawo futhi kungabi namuntu omenqabelayo.

Kodwa uJesu wayengafika kanjani ethempelini eJerusalema esuka ehlane? Asiqiniseki. IBhayibheli limane nje lithi uJesu wayiswa eJerusalema. Alisho ukuthi uJesu wayekude kangakanani neJerusalema noma ukuthi uSathane wamlinga isikhathi eside kangakanani. Ngakho kungenzeka ukuthi uJesu wahamba ngezinyawo ukuya eJerusalema, ngisho nakuba lokhu kwakuyothatha isikhathi eside.

Lapho uSathane ebonisa uJesu “yonke imibuso yezwe,” cishe wasebenzisa umbono, ngoba akunakwenzeka ukubona yonke le mibuso ukunoma iyiphi intaba esemhlabeni. Lokhu kungase kufane nendlela esisebenzisa ngayo indwangu yokubukisa ibhayisikobho ukuze sibonise umuntu izithombe zezinye izingxenye zomhlaba. Kungenzeka uSathane wasebenzisa umbono, kodwa empeleni wayefuna ukuba uJesu akhothame amkhulekele. (Mathewu 4:8, 9) Ngakho, lapho uSathane eyisa uJesu ethempelini, kungenzeka ukuthi wayefuna ukuba uJesu abeke ukuphila kwakhe engozini ngokugxumela phansi esuka phezu kwethempeli. Kodwa uJesu wenqaba. Akungabazeki ukuthi lokhu kwakuyoba yisilingo sangempela kunalapho uJesu elingwa kuphela embonweni!

Ngakho, kungenzeka ukuthi uJesu waya ngempela eJerusalema futhi wama endaweni ephakeme kunazo zonke yethempeli. Yiqiniso, njengoba kushiwo ekuqaleni kwalesi sihloko, asiqiniseki ngempela ukuthi uSathane wambonisa kanjani uJesu ithempeli. Kodwa singaqiniseka ngokuthi uSathane wayelokhu ezama ukulinga uJesu nokuthi isikhathi ngasinye uJesu wamelana ngokuqinile naye.