1. Chaza izenzakalo ezenzeka lapho kubhujiswa iJerusalema.

NGO-607 B.C.E., ibutho elikhulu laseBhabhiloni elaliqondiswa iNkosi uNebukhadinezari II lahlasela umuzi waseJerusalema. Mayelana nokuchitheka kwegazi okwalandela, iBhayibheli lithi: “Inkosi . . . [uNebukhadinezari] yabulala izinsizwa zabo ngenkemba endlini yendlu yabo engcwele, ayibanga nabubele ngansizwa noma ngantombi, ngamuntu omdala noma ngoxhwalile. . . . Yashisa indlu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso futhi yadiliza udonga lwaseJerusalema; yonke imibhoshongo yalo yokuhlala bayishisa ngomlilo nazo zonke izinto zalo ezifiselekayo, ukuze babangele incithakalo.”​—2 IziKr. 36:17, 19.

2. UJehova wanikeza siphi isixwayiso ngokubhujiswa kweJerusalema okwakusondela futhi kwakuzokwenzekani kumaJuda?

² Kwakungafanele kubamangaze abantu ababehlala eJerusalema ukubhujiswa kwalo. Kwase kuphele iminyaka eminingi abaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu bexwayisa amaJuda ngokuthi uma eqhubeka engawunaki umthetho kaNkulunkulu, ayezonikelwa ezandleni zabaseBhabhiloni. AmaJuda amaningi ayezofa ngenkemba; noma ubani owayeyosinda cishe wayeyochitha ukuphila kwakhe konke ekudingisweni eBhabhiloni. (Jer. 15:2) Kwakunjani ukuphila kwabadingeselwe lapho? Ingabe ukuthunjelwa eBhabhiloni kuyafana nalokho okwenzeka ezikhathini zobuKristu? Uma kunjalo, nini?

3. Ukudingiselwa eBhabhiloni kwakuhluke kanjani nokuba kwama-Israyeli yizigqila eGibhithe?

³ Lokho abaprofethi abakubikezela kwenzeka. NgoJeremiya, uJehova weluleka labo ababezodingiswa ukuba bamukele isimo sabo esisha futhi basisebenzise ngokunenzuzo. Wathi: “Yakhani izindlu [eBhabhiloni] nihlale kuzo, nitshale amasimu nidle izithelo zawo. Futhi, funani ukuthula komuzi engibangele ukuba nidingiselwe kuwo, niwuthandazele kuJehova, ngoba ngokuthula kwawo nani niyoba nokuthula.” (Jer. 29:5, 7) Labo abenza ngokuvumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu, ngandlela thile baphila ukuphila okuvamile eBhabhiloni. Abathumbi babo babebavumela ukuba basingathe izindaba zabo ngokwezinga elithile. Ababedingisiwe babenenkululeko yokuya ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene kulelo zwe. Endulo, iBhabhiloni laliyindawo eyinhloko okwakwenzelwa kuyo ezohwebo nezentengiselwano futhi imivubukulo ibonisa ukuthi amaJuda amaningi afunda amakhono okuthenga nokudayisa kanti abanye bafunda ukuba ababazi abanekhono. Amanye amaJuda aceba. Ukudingiselwa eBhabhiloni kwakuhluke ngokuphelele ekubeni yizigqila eGibhithe, okuyinto ama-Israyeli abhekana nayo emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili.—Funda u-Eksodusi 2:23-25.

4. Ngaphandle kwama-Israyeli ayizihlubuki, obani abathintwa ukuthunjelwa eBhabhiloni futhi babekelwa miphi imingcele ekukhulekeleni kwabo uNkulunkulu ngokwamukelekayo?

⁴ Nakuba amaJuda adingisiwe ayezithola izinto ezibonakalayo ayezidinga, kuthiwani ngezidingo zawo ezingokomoya? Ithempeli likaJehova kanye ne-altare lalo kwakucekelwe phansi futhi abapristi babengasasebenzi ngendlela ehlelekile. Kulabo ababedingisiwe kwakukhona nezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile ezazingakufanelekeli lokhu kujeziswa ngoba zazingenzanga lutho kodwa kwadingeka zihlupheke kanye naso sonke isizwe. Nokho, zenza okusemandleni azo ukuze zigcine uMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, eBhabhiloni, uDaniyeli nabangane bakhe abathathu—uShadiraki, uMeshaki no-Abhedinego—abakudlanga ukudla okwakungavunyelwe kumaJuda. Siyazi ukuthi uDaniyeli waqhubeka ethandaza njalo kuJehova. (Dan. 1:8; 6:10) Noma kunjalo, ngaphansi kombuso wamaqaba kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba umJuda owesaba uNkulunkulu azigcine zonke izimfuneko zoMthetho.

5. Yiliphi ithemba uJehova alinika abantu bakhe futhi kungani lesi sithembiso sasiphawuleka?

⁵ Ingabe ama-Israyeli ayeyokwazi ukuphinde akhulekele uNkulunkulu ngendlela eyamukeleka ngokuphelele? Ngaleso sikhathi, kwakubonakala sengathi ayengasoze akwazi. IBhabhiloni lalingakaze likhulule abantu elalibathumbile. Nokho, lokho kwakungamthinti uJehova uNkulunkulu. Wayethembise ukuthi abantu bakhe babezokhululwa futhi bakhululwa. Izwi likaNkulunkulu lesithembiso lihlale lifezeka.​—Isaya 55:11.

6, 7. Kungani kufaneleka ngathi ukuba sicacise ukuqonda kwethu ngokuthunjwa yiBhabhiloni lanamuhla?

⁶ Ingabe amaKristu ake abhekana nesimo esingafaniswa nokuthunjelwa eBhabhiloni? Iminyaka eminingi, lo magazini uye wasikisela ukuthi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zanamuhla zangena ekuthunjweni yiBhabhiloni ngo-1918 nokuthi zakhululwa eBhabhiloni ngo-1919. Ngenxa yezizathu esizozichaza kulesi sihloko nakwesilandelayo, kuye kwadingeka ukuba siphinde siyihlole le ndaba.

⁷ Cabanga ngalokhu: IBhabhiloni Elikhulu liwumbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. Ngakho, ukuze bathunjwe yiBhabhiloni ngo-1918, abantu bakaNkulunkulu kwakuzodingeka babe yizigqila zenkolo yamanga ngandlela thile ngaleso sikhathi. Nokho,  amaqiniso abonisa ukuthi phakathi namashumi eminyaka aholela eMpini Yezwe I, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezigcotshiwe zazilishiya iBhabhiloni Elikhulu, ziyeka ukuba izigqila zalo. Nakuba kuyiqiniso ukuthi abagcotshiwe babeshushiswa phakathi nempi yezwe yokuqala, usizi ababhekana nalo lwalubangelwa ngokuyinhloko iziphathimandla zezwe hhayi iBhabhiloni Elikhulu. Ngakho, kubonakala sengathi abantu bakaNkulunkulu abathunjelwanga eBhabhiloni Elikhulu ngo-1918.

8. Chaza ukuthi ubuKristu beqiniso bonakaliswa kanjani. (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁸ NgePhentecoste lika-33 C.E., izinkulungwane zamaJuda namaproselithe zagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele. La maKristu amasha aba “uhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubupristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, isizwe esiyimpahla ekhethekile.” (Funda eyoku-1 Petru 2:9, 10.) Abaphostoli bawaqapha ngokucophelela amabandla kaNkulunkulu ngesikhathi besaphila. Nokho, ngokukhethekile ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli, kwavela amadoda ayekhuluma “izinto ezisontekile ukuze amonyule abafundi ukuba bawalandele.” (IzE. 20:30; 2 Thes. 2:6-8) Iningi lalawo madoda ayenemithwalo emabandleni, ekhonza njengababonisi futhi kamuva “njengababhishobhi.” Kwaqala kanjalo ukuba khona kwabefundisi, nakuba uJesu ayethe kubafundi bakhe: “Nonke nina ningabafowabo bomunye nomunye.” (Math. 23:8) Amadoda avelele ayethanda amafilosofi ka-Aristotle noPlato eza nezimfundiso zenkolo ezingamanga, kancane kancane ekhipha izimfundiso ezimsulwa zeZwi likaNkulunkulu.

9. Chaza indlela ubuKristu bezihlubuki obasekelwa ngayo uMbuso waseRoma futhi waba yini umphumela.

⁹ Ngo-313 C.E., uMbusi oyiqaba ongumRoma, uConstantine, wagunyaza ukuba ubuKristu bezihlubuki buqashelwe njengenkolo esemthethweni. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, iSonto noHulumeni kwaqala ukuba yimbumba. Ngokwesibonelo, ngemva koMkhandlu waseNicaea, uConstantine, owayekhona kulowo mkhandlu, wayala ukuba umpristi ophikisayo, u-Arius, adingiswe ngenxa yokuthi u-Arius wayengafuni ukuvuma ukuthi uJesu unguNkulunkulu. Kamuva, ngaphansi koMbusi uTheodosius I (379-395 C.E.), iSonto lamaKatolika, laba inkolo esemthethweni yoMbuso waseRoma—ubuKristu obonakalisiwe. Izazi zomlando zibhekisela kumaRoma angamaqaba njengalawo “aguqukela ebuKristwini” ngekhulu lesine. Iqiniso liwukuthi ngaleso sikhathi, ubuKristu bezihlubuki bazihlanganisa nezinhlangano zezinkolo zombuso waseRoma njengamalungu eBhabhiloni Elikhulu. Noma kunjalo, iqembu elincane lamaKristu agcotshiwe anjengokolweni ayenza konke okusemandleni ukuze akhulekele uNkulunkulu kodwa izinto abebezisho zazingalalelwa. (Funda uMathewu 13:24, 25, 37-39.) Babethunjwe yiBhabhiloni ngempela!

10. Yini eyayingabangela ukuba abantu abaqotho benqabe izimfundiso zesonto phakathi namakhulu eminyaka okuqala eNkathini yethu Evamile?

¹⁰ Emakhulwini okuqala eNkathi yethu Evamile, abantu abaningi babekwazi ukufunda iBhayibheli ngesiGreki noma ngesiLatini. Ngakho, babengakwazi ukuqhathanisa izimfundiso zeZwi likaNkulunkulu nezimfundiso zesonto. Ngenxa yalokho ababekufunda eBhayibhelini, abanye phakathi kwabo benqaba izimfundiso zesonto ezingasekelwe emiBhalweni, kodwa kwakuyingozi ukuveza leyo mibono obala​—babengabulawa nokubulawa.

11. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba iBhayibheli lilawulwe abefundisi?

¹¹ Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, bancipha abantu abaqonda izilimi zeBhayibheli futhi isonto lamelana nemizamo yokuhumushela  iZwi likaNkulunkulu ezilimi ezivamile. Ngenxa yalokho, abefundisi kuphela nabanye abantu abafundile ababekwazi ukuzifundela iBhayibheli, nakuba kungebona bonke abefundisi ababekwazi ukufunda nokubhala kahle. Noma ubani owayephikisana nezimfundiso zasesontweni wayejeziswa kanzima. Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezigcotshiwe futhi ezithembekile kwadingeka zihlangane njengamaqembu ngasese​—uma zazikwazi ukuhlangana. Njengoba kwakunjalo ekudingisweni kwangaphambili kwaseBhabhiloni, “abapristi basebukhosini” abagcotshiwe babengakwazi ukusebenza ngendlela ehlelekile. IBhabhiloni Elikhulu lalibabambe ngokuqinile abantu!

12, 13. Yiziphi izici ezimbili ezathambisa isandla seBhabhiloni Elikhulu? Chaza.

¹² Ingabe amaKristu eqiniso ayoke akwazi ukukhulekela uNkulunkulu ngokukhululekile nangendlela eyamukelekayo? Yebo! Inhlansi yokukhanya okungokomoya yaqala ukuvela ebumnyaneni ngenxa yezici ezimbili ezibalulekile. Esokuqala, phakathi nekhulu le-15 kwasungulwa umshini wokunyathelisa owawusebenzisa izinhlamvu ezihlelwa ngesandla. Ngaphambi kokuba kuqalwe ukunyathelisa emazweni aseNtshonalanga, iBhayibheli lalikopishwa ngesandla ngokucophelela. Amakhophi eBhayibheli ayengandile futhi ebiza. Kuthiwa kungathatha umkopishi onekhono izinyanga eziyishumi ukukopisha iBhayibheli elilodwa vo! Ngaphezu kwalokho, izinto umkopishi ayebhalela kuzo (i-vellum noma i-parchment) zazibiza. Ngokuphambene nalokho, esebenzisa umshini wokunyathelisa nephepha​—okuyindlela elula—​umuntu onyathelisayo onekhono wayenganyathelisa amakhasi angu-1 300 ngosuku!

¹³ Isici sesibili esiphawulekayo, yisinqumo esenziwa amadoda anesibindi ngasekuqaleni  kwekhulu le-16, sokuhumushela iZwi likaNkulunkulu ezilimini ezazikhulunywa abantu abavamile. Abahumushi abaningi bawenza lo msebenzi befaka ukuphila kwabo engozini. Isonto lalishaqekile. IBhayibheli ezandleni zendoda noma zowesifazane owesaba uNkulunkulu lingaba isikhali esiyingozi—yilokho okwakwesatshwa abaholi besonto. Njengoba iBhayibheli lase litholakala, abantu balifunda. Njengoba befunda, babebuza imibuzo: ‘Kukuphi nendawo lapho iZwi likaNkulunkulu likhuluma khona ngesihlanzo? ngokukhokhelwa kwethikithi? ngopapa nokhadinali?’ Lokhu kwakubacasula abefundisi. Kungenzeka kanjani ukuba abantu baphikise abaholi besonto? Isonto laziphindiselela. Amadoda nabesifazane bajeziswa ngokuba izihlubuki ngenxa yokuthi babenqabe izimfundiso zesonto, ezinye zazo ezazisekelwe kumafilosofi obuqaba ka-Aristotle noPlato—amadoda aphila ngaphambi kokuba kuzalwe uJesu Kristu. Isonto lalikhipha isahlulelo sokufa; uHulumeni enze ngokuvumelana naleso sinqumo. Umgomo kwakuwukudikibalisa abantu ekufundeni iBhayibheli nasekungabazeni izimfundiso zesonto. Leli cebo lasebenza ngokwezinga elithile. Nokho, abantu abambalwa abanesibindi benqaba ukwesatshiswa iBhabhiloni Elikhulu. Base belinambithile iZwi likaNkulunkulu​—futhi babefuna ukwazi okwengeziwe! Ukukhululwa enkolweni yamanga kwakusondela.

14. (a) Yiziphi izimo ezaba nomthelela ekutheni iqiniso leBhayibheli liqondwe kakhudlwana ngasekupheleni kwawo-1800? (b) Chaza indlela uMfoweth’ uRussell alifuna ngayo iqiniso.

¹⁴ Abaningi ababomele iqiniso leBhayibheli babalekela emazweni imfundiso yesonto eyayingasabalele kuwo. Babefuna ukufunda, batadishe futhi baxoxe nabanye ngaphandle kokutshelwa ukuthi bacabange kanjani. I-United States yayingelinye lalawo mazwe. Kulelo zwe uCharles Taze Russell nabangane bakhe abambalwa baqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli ngendlela ehlelekile ngasekupheleni kwawo-1800. Ekuqaleni, umgomo kaMfoweth’ uRussell kwakuwukuthola ukuthi iyiphi inkolo kulezi ezazivelele eyayifundisa iqiniso. Wayeqhathanise ngokucophelela izimfundiso zezinkolo eziningi ezihlukahlukene, ngisho nezingezona ezobuKristu, nalokho okushiwo iBhayibheli. Washeshe waqaphela ukuthi kulezo zinkolo kwakungekho neyodwa eyayenza ngokuvumelana neZwi likaNkulunkulu ngokuphelele. Ngesinye isikhathi, uRussell wahlangana nabefundisi bendawo abaningana enethemba lokuthi la madoda ayezowamukela amaqiniso ababewathole eBhayibhelini nokuthi babezowafundisa amalungu amabandla abo. Laba befundisi babengenasithakazelo. AbaFundi BeBhayibheli kwakuzodingeka babhekane namaqiniso: Babengeke babe nobudlelwane nalabo ababezimisele ukubambelela enkolweni yamanga.​—Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 6:14.

15. (a) AmaKristu angena nini ejokeni leBhabhiloni Elikhulu? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo ezophendulwa esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁵ Sesibonile ukuthi amaKristu eqiniso athunjwelwa eBhabhiloni ngemva nje kokufa kwabaphostoli bokugcina. Nokho, kuphakama imibuzo eminingi: Yibuphi obunye ubufakazi obukhona obubonisa ukuthi emashumini eminyaka aholela ku-1914, abagcotshiwe babegqashula eBhabhiloni Elikhulu, beyeka ukuba izigqila zalo? Ingabe kuyiqiniso ukuthi uJehova wayengajabule ngezinceku zakhe ngenxa yokuthi zazehlise isivinini somsebenzi wokushumayela phakathi neMpi Yezwe I? Ingabe abanye babazalwane bethu phakathi naleso sikhathi bahileleka empini ngaleyo ndlela benza uJehova wangajabula? Okokugcina, uma amaKristu agqilazwa yinkolo yamanga kusukela ngekhulu lesibili C.E. kuqhubeke, akhululwa nini? Imibuzo emihle kakhulu lena. Izophendulwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.