1-2. Yisiphi isinqumo esibalulekile amaJuda ayehlala eBhabhiloni okwakudingeka asenze? (Ezra 1:2-4)

 IZWI lase liphumile! AmaJuda ayekade ethunjwe eBhabhiloni iminyaka engaba ngu-70, ayesekhululiwe ukuze abuyele ezweni lawo, kwa-Israyeli. (Funda u-Ezra 1:2-4.) NguJehova kuphela owayengenza lokho. Kungani sisho kanjalo? Kungoba iBhabhiloni lalingavamile ukukhulula abantu elalibathumbile. (Isaya 14:4, 17) Kodwa iBhabhiloni lase linqotshiwe, umbusi walo omusha wayetshele amaJuda ukuthi angahamba eBhabhiloni. Ngenxa yalokho, wonke amaJuda, ikakhulukazi izinhloko zemindeni, kwakudingeka enze isinqumo: azohamba yini eBhabhiloni noma azohlala. Kumele ukuba kwakungelula ukwenza leso sinqumo. Kungani?

² Ukukhula ngeminyaka kwavimbela abaningi ukuba bathathe lolo hambo olude nolunzima. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba amaJuda amaningi ayezalelwe eBhabhiloni, ayengakaze ahlale kwenye indawo. Kwa-Israyeli kwakusezweni lokhokho bawo. Kubonakala sengathi amanye amaJuda ayesecebile eBhabhiloni, ngakho kungenzeka kwaba nzima ukushiya imizi yawo emihle noma amabhizinisi awo ayohlala ezweni angalazi.

3. AmaJuda athembekile ayezobuyela kwa-Israyeli ayezothola siphi isibusiso?

³ KumaJuda athembekile, ukuya kwa-Israyeli kwakuzoba nezinzuzo ezinkulu kakhulu kunanoma yikuphi ukuzidela okwakudingeka akwenze. Isibusiso esikhulu kakhulu sasihilela indlela ayekhonza ngayo uNkulunkulu. Nakuba kwakunamathempeli okukhonza onkulunkulu bamanga angaphezu kuka-50 eBhabhiloni, lalingekho ithempeli likaJehova kulelo dolobha. Lalingekho i-altare ama-Israyeli ayenganikela kulo imihlatshelo eyayifunwa uMthetho KaMose, bengekho nabapristi ababehlelelwe ukunikela leyo mihlatshelo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abantu bakaJehova babembalwa kakhulu kunamadoda nabesifazane ababekhonza onkulunkulu bamanga, ababengenandaba noJehova  nemithetho yakhe. Ngakho, izinkulungwane zamaJuda esaba uNkulunkulu zazikulangazelela ngempela ukubuyela ezweni lawo ziphinde zikhonze uNkulunkulu ngendlela emsulwa.

4. UJehova wathembisa ukuwasiza kanjani amaJuda ayebuyela kwa-Israyeli?

⁴ Uhambo olunzima olusuka eBhabhiloni luya kwa-Israyeli lwalungathatha cishe izinyanga ezine, kodwa uJehova wathembisa ukuthi noma yiziphi izinkinga ayezohlangana nazo endleleni ezazingase ziwavimbe lapho ebuyela emuva zaziyosuswa. U-Isaya wabhala: “Lungisani indlela kaJehova! Yenzelani uNkulunkulu wethu umgwaqo omkhulu oqondile onqamula ogwadule. . . . Indawo eneziduli kumele yenziwe iqonde, nemagebhugebhu ibe yithafa.” (Isaya 40:3, 4) Awubone lokhu ngeso lengqondo: umgwaqo omkhulu oyithafa onqamula ogwadule. Abahamba kuwo bangakujabulela kakhulu ukuhamba kuwo! Kungaba lula kakhulu ukuhamba emgwaqweni omkhulu oqondile kunokunqamula noma ukuzungeza ezintabeni, emagqumeni noma ezigodini. Kungashesha futhi.

5. Wawuqanjwe ngaliphi igama umgwaqo omkhulu ongokomfanekiso owawusuka eBhabhiloni uye kwa-Israyeli?

⁵ Namuhla, imigwaqo eminingi emikhulu iqanjwe ngamagama noma ibizwa ngezinamba. Umgwaqo omkhulu ongokomfanekiso u-Isaya abhala ngawo nawo wawunegama. Siyafunda: “Kuyoba khona umgwaqo omkhulu lapho, yebo indlela ebizwa ngokuthi iNdlela Yobungcwele. Ongahlanzekile ngeke ahambe kuyo.” (Isaya 35:8) Sasisho ukuthini lesi sithembiso kuma-Israyeli angaleso sikhathi? Sisho ukuthini kithi namuhla?

6. Kungani lo mgwaqo kwakuthiwa ungcwele?

⁶ “INdlela Yobungcwele”​—laze lamnandi igama lalo mgwaqo omkhulu! Kungani lo mgwaqo kwakuthiwa ungcwele? Esizweni sakwa-Israyeli esibuyiselwe, yayingeke ibe khona indawo yomuntu “ongahlanzekile”​—noma yimuphi umJuda owayeziphatha kabi, ekhonza izithombe, enza nezinye izono ezinkulu. AmaJuda ayebuyela ezweni lawo ayezoba “isizwe esingcwele” kuNkulunkulu wawo. (Dut. 7:6) Kodwa lokho kwakungasho ukuthi labo abahamba eBhabhiloni kwakungadingeki bashintshe ukuze bajabulise uJehova.

7. Yiziphi izinguquko amanye amaJuda okwakudingeka azenze? Nikeza isibonelo.

⁷ Njengoba kuphawuliwe ngaphambili, iningi lamaJuda lalizalelwe eBhabhiloni futhi kubonakala sengathi amaningi ayeseyijwayele indlela yokucabanga neyokuziphatha yabaseBhabhiloni. Ngemva kwamashumi eminyaka amaJuda okuqala ebuyele kwa-Israyeli, u-Ezra wathola ukuthi amanye ayeseshade nabesifazane abakhonza onkulunkulu bamanga. (Eks. 34:15, 16; Ezra 9:1, 2) Ngaphezu kwalokho, kamuva uMbusi uNehemiya washaqeka lapho ethola ukuthi izingane ezazizalelwe kwa-Israyeli zazingakalufundi nakulufunda ulimi lwamaJuda. (Dut. 6:6, 7; Neh. 13:23, 24) Lezo zingane zazingafunda kanjani ukuthanda uJehova nokumkhonza uma zingasiqondi isiHebheru​—ulimi oluyinhloko okwakubhalwe ngalo iZwi likaNkulunkulu? (Ezra 10:3, 44) Ngakho, kwakunezinguquko eziningi okwakudingeka azenze lawo maJuda, kodwa kwakuzoba lula ukwenza lezo zinguquko ekwa-Israyeli, lapho ukukhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa kwakubuyiselwa khona kancane kancane.​—Neh. 8:8, 9.

8. Kungani izinto ezenzeka kudala kangaka kufanele zisithinte namuhla? (Bheka isithombe esisekhasini 1.)

⁸ Abanye bangase bacabange, ‘Kuyezwakala konke lokho, kodwa ingabe lokho okwenzeka kumaJuda kudala kangaka kuyasithinta thina namuhla?’ Impela kuyasithinta ngoba ngomqondo othile nathi sihamba ‘eNdleleni Yobungcwele.’ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi  sigcotshiwe noma ‘singabezinye izimvu,’ kudingeka siqhubeke sihamba ‘eNdleleni Yobungcwele.’ Le ndlela izosisiza siqhubeke sikhonza uJehova manje nasesikhathini esizayo lapho uMbuso uletha izibusiso emhlabeni. b (Joh. 10:16) Kusukela ngo-1919 C.E., izigidi zamadoda, abesifazane nezingane zilishiyile iBhabhiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, zahamba kulowo mgwaqo ongokomfanekiso. Cishe nawe uphakathi kwazo. Nakuba lo mgwaqo wavulwa eminyakeni engaba yikhulu edlule, abanye baqala ukuwulungiselela eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambi kwaleso sikhathi.

9. Ngokuvumelana no-Isaya 57:14, umsebenzi wokulungiselela “iNdlela Yobungcwele” wenziwe ngamuphi umqondo?

⁹ UJehova waqikelela ukuthi ziyasuswa izikhubekiso ezazingase ziphazamise amaJuda ayesuka eBhabhiloni. (Funda u-Isaya 57:14.) Kuthiwani ‘ngeNdlela Yobungcwele’ yanamuhla? Eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambi kuka-1919, uJehova wasebenzisa amadoda amesabayo ukuze avule indlela ephuma eBhabhiloni Elikhulu. (Qhathanisa no-Isaya 40:3.) Lawo madoda enza umsebenzi owawudingeka wokulungiselela lo mgwaqo ongokomfanekiso ukuze abantu abanezinhliziyo eziqotho bakwazi ukuphuma eBhabhiloni Elikhulu, bakhonze uJehova ngendlela emsulwa namanye amaKristu eqiniso. Wawuhilelani lo msebenzi wokulungiselela umgwaqo? Cabanga ngeminye yemisebenzi yokulungiselela eyenziwa.

10-11. Ukunyathelisa nokuhumusha iBhayibheli kube nayiphi indima ekusakazekeni kolwazi oluseBhayibhelini? (Bheka nesithombe.)

¹⁰ Ukunyathelisa. IBhayibheli lalikopishwa ngesandla cishe kwaze kwaba unyaka ka-1450. Lo msebenzi wawuthatha isikhathi eside namakhophi eBhayibheli ayengemaningi futhi ebiza kakhulu. Kodwa lapho sekwenziwe imishini yokunyathelisa, iBhayibheli lase linganyatheliswa futhi lisakazwe kalula.

¹¹ Ukuhumusha. Kwaphela iminyaka eminingi iBhayibheli litholakala ngokuyinhloko ngesiLatini, esasiqondwa abantu abafundile kuphela. Nokho, lapho imishini yokunyathelisa seyandile, abantu abesaba uNkulunkulu basebenza kanzima behumushela iBhayibheli ezilimini ezikhulunywa abantu abavamile. Manje abantu abafunda iBhayibheli base bengakwazi ukuqhathanisa okwakufundiswa abefundisi nalokho iBhayibheli elikufundisayo ngempela.

12-13. Nikeza isibonelo sokuthi abafundi beBhayibheli abaqotho bangawo-1835 baqala kanjani ukudalula izinto ezingamanga ezazifundiswa emasontweni.

¹² Izincwadi zokutadisha iBhayibheli. Abafundi beBhayibheli abacophelelayo bazuza kakhulu kulokho ababekufunda eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Lokho ababekuthola lapho betadisha babengavamile ukukugcina kubo kuphela futhi lokho kwakubacasula abefundisi. Ngokwesibonelo, ngawo-1835 idlanzana lamadoda aqotho laqala ukunyathelisa amapheshana ayedalula izinto ezingamanga ezazifundiswa emasontweni.

¹³ Cishe ngo-1835 indoda eyesaba uNkulunkulu okuthiwa uHenry Grew yabhala ipheshana elikhuluma ngesimo sabafile. Kulelo pheshana, yanikeza ubufakazi obuvela emiBhalweni bokuthi ukungafi kuyisipho esivela kuNkulunkulu, akusona isimo sonke esizalwa naso, okuyinto amasonto amaningi ayeyifundisa. Ngo-1837 uGeorge Storrs owayeyiyisikhonzi wathola lelo pheshana ngesikhathi ehamba ngesitimela. Walifunda, wagculiseka ngokuthi wayethole iqiniso elibalulekile. Wanquma ukukutshela nabanye lokho ayekufundile. Ngo-1842 wanikeza uchungechunge lwezinkulumo ezivusa amadlingozi olwalunesihloko esithi  “Uphenyo​—Ingabe Ababi Abanakufa?” Izinto ezabhalwa uGeorge Storrs zaba nomphumela omuhle ensizweni okuthiwa uCharles Taze Russell.

14. UMfoweth’ uRussell nabangani bakhe bazuza kanjani emsebenzini wokulungiselela umgwaqo ongokomfanekiso owawenziwe esikhathini esingaphambili? (Bheka nesithombe.)

¹⁴ UMfoweth’ uRussell nabangani bakhe bazuza kanjani emsebenzini wokulungiselela umgwaqo ongokomfanekiso owawenziwe esikhathini esingaphambili? Lapho befunda, babesebenzisa izichazamazwi, amakhonkodensi nezinguqulo ezihlukahlukene zamaBhayibheli, okwakuyizinto ezazilungiselelwe ngaphambi kwesikhathi sabo. Bazuza nasocwaningweni oluvela eBhayibhelini olwalwenziwe amadoda afana noHenry Grew, uGeorge Storrs nabanye. UMfoweth’ uRussell nabangani bakhe baba nesandla emsebenzini wokulungiselela umgwaqo ongokomfanekiso ngokukhiqiza izincwadi namapheshana amaningi akhuluma ngalokho okushiwo iBhayibheli.

15. Yini ebalulekile eyenzeka ngo-1919?

¹⁵ Ngo-1919, iBhabhiloni Elikhulu alibange lisakwazi ukulawula abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Ngalowo nyaka, kwavela “inceku ethembekile neqondayo,” yavela ngesikhathi esikahle ukuze yamukele abanezinhliziyo eziqotho kule “Ndlela Yobungcwele” eyayisanda kuvulwa. (Math. 24:45-47) Ngenxa yezisebenzi ezithembekile ezazilungiselela umgwaqo esikhathini esidlule, abantu ababehamba kulo mgwaqo omkhulu bakwazi ukwandisa ulwazi lwabo ngezinjongo zikaJehova. (IzAga 4:18) Bakwazi ngisho nokuvumelanisa ukuphila kwabo nalokho okufunwa uJehova. UJehova akazange alindele ukuba abantu bakhe bazenze ngesikhathi esisodwa izinguquko okudingeka bazenze. Kunalokho, uye wabacwenga kancane kancane. (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ UJehova Ubacwenga Kancane Kancane Abantu Bakhe.”) Asive siyojabula lapho sonke sesikwazi ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu wethu kukho konke esikwenzayo!​—Kol. 1:10.

16. Kusukela ngo-1919, yimuphi umsebenzi obuwenziwa wokulungiselela “iNdlela Yobungcwele”? (Isaya 48:17; 60:17)

¹⁶ Yonke imigwaqo idinga ukulungiswa njalo. Kusukela ngo-1919, umsebenzi owenziwa kule “Ndlela Yobungcwele” ubulokhu uqhubeka ukuze abantu abengeziwe bakwazi ukushiya iBhabhiloni Elikhulu. Inceku ethembekile neqondayo eyayisanda kumiswa yakhwela phezu komsebenzi, kwathi ngo-1921 yakhipha incwadi yokutadisha iBhayibheli eyayihloselwe ukusiza abantu abathanda ukufunda ngoNkulunkulu ukuba bafunde iqiniso eliseBhayibhelini. Leyo ncwadi ibizwa ngokuthi The Harp of God. Kwagcina kusakazwe amakhophi ayo acishe abe izigidi eziyisithupha ngezilimi ezingu-36 futhi abaningi balifunda kuyo iqiniso. Muva nje, sithole incwadi entsha nenhle yokuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli ebizwa ngokuthi Phila Kuze Kube Phakade! Phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina, uJehova usebenzise inhlangano yakhe ukuze aqhubeke esinikeza imfundo eseZwini laKhe ngenjongo yokusisiza sonke siqhubeke sihamba ‘eNdleleni Yobungcwele.’​—Funda u-Isaya 48:17; 60:17.

17-18. Iholelaphi “iNdlela Yobungcwele”?

¹⁷ Singasho ukuthi noma nini lapho umuntu amukela isifundo seBhayibheli uvulekelwa ithuba lokuhamba ‘eNdleleni Yobungcwele.’ Abanye bahamba ibanga elifushane bese beyawushiya umgwaqo omkhulu. Abanye bayaqhubeka behamba kuwo baze bafike lapho beya khona. Bayaphi?

¹⁸ Kulabo abanethemba lokuphila ezulwini, “iNdlela Yobungcwele” iya “epharadesi likaNkulunkulu” ezulwini. (IsAm. 2:7) Kulabo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni, lowo mgwaqo omkhulu uholela ekuphileni okungenasono ekupheleni kweminyaka engu-1 000. Uma uhamba kulowo mgwaqo omkhulu namuhla, ungabe usabheka emuva. Ungachezuki kuwo uze ufike lapho uya khona, ezweni elisha! Sikufisela uhambo oluhle.