Kholosa NgoYehova—Ungakholosi ‘Ngeyelenqe!’

1. Yayinjani imeko yentlangano kaYehova ebonakalayo ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi I?

EBUDENI beMfazwe Yehlabathi I, inani labantu bakaYehova laye lancipha kanobom ngenxa yowexuko olwalunamandla. Bakwabhuqwa yintshutshiso eyayixhokonxwa ziintshaba zabo zonqulo. Ikomkhulu labo eliseBrooklyn, eNew York, lavalwa. Ngokungakumbi, babengasalufumani uncedo lomongameli woMbutho, unobhala owayekwangunondyebo, umphathi weofisi, umbhali okwangumhleli nabanye abameli abane boMbutho bonke ababephoswe kwezimnyama izisele zentolongo enkulu yaseAtlanta, eGeorgia. Kwabonakala ngathi sasifikile isiphelo saBafundi BeBhayibhile abazelwe ngomoya nokuba lalifikile ixesha lokuba bazukiswe ezulwini. Kodwa—kwakungenjalo!

2. Sisiphi isiprofeto sikaIsaya esaba nentsingiselo yakalokunje ngowe-1919?

² Enyanisweni, ngentlakohlaza yowe 1919 imibuzo eyaphakanyiswa ngumprofeti uIsaya yayinokuvakaliswa kwakhona kwintsingiselo yakalokunje kaIsaya 66:6-8: “Phulaphulani isandi esiphuma kuwo umzi, ilizwi eliphuma etempileni; ilizwi likaYehova, ephindezela impatho yeentshaba zakhe. Ingekazibhijabhiji, yazala; ingekezi inimba kuyo, yathi tyibilili umntwana oyinkwenkwe. Ngubani okhe weva [okunjalo]? Ngubani na okhe wabona izinto ezinjalo? Kuya kuzalwa ilizwe [imeko enempumelelo ezukileyo ngokomoya] ngamininye na? Kuzalwa uhlanga ngasihlandlo sinye na? Ngokuba isathi ukuthi ukuzibhijabhija, yabazala onyana bayo iZiyon.”

3. Bubuphi ubungqina obabukho ngowe-1919 bokuba iZiyon yayibabuyisile oonyana bayo nokuba “uhlanga” olutsha lwaluzelwe “ngasihlandlo sinye”?

³ Ngokungathi babevuswe ekufeni, ngoSeptemba 1-8, 1919, Abafundi BeBhayibhile Bezizwe Ngezizwe baqhuba indibano yabo yokuqala yasemva kwemfazwe eCedar Point, eOhio. Umongameli woMbutho, unobhala owayekwangunondyebo, umphathi weofisi nabanye ababevalelwe, abahlanjwayo kuzo zonke ezi zityholo, babekho kwesi sihlandlo sovuyo. UMongameli uRutherford wavakalisa ngokupapashwa kwephephancwadi elitsha elithi, The Golden Age—namhlanje elaziwa ngokuba nguVukani! nto leyo eyabavuyisayo ababeze endibanweni. Kwakhona, kwabhaptizwa abantu abangaphezu kwama-200 ababesandul’ ukuzahlulela. Intlangano kaYehova yolawulo lobuthixo yababuyisela ebomini oonyana bayo kwixesha lasemva kwemfazwe. Oko kwafuna ukuba “uhlanga” olwazalwayo lube nemilinganiselo emitsha, ewe, eyenkalipho nesisikhokelo, ngokungathi kungasihlandlo sinye luze luzinze ‘kwilizwe’ olwalubuyiselwe kulo ngequbuliso.

4. (a) Konke oku kwakuza kuba nawuphi umphumo ‘kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu?’ (b) Ukubhencwa kwemeko yokwenene ‘yeBhabhiloni Enkulu’ ngakumagunya asezulwini anamandla angaphaya kwawomntu kwakusandulela ntoni?

⁴ Le meko yayilucelomngeni. Yabangela ukuba ‘iBhabhiloni Enkulu,’ ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki, imangaliswe. Amalungu ayo, ingakumbi iNgqobhoko, aphazamiseka gqitha. Yaba noluvo lokuba uxolo lwayo lwaluphazanyiswa. Ngoku oku yayikukonakalisa unqabiseko lwayo njengeyayizibanga ngokungenakuphikiswa ixakekile zizinto zonqulo. Ulwalamano lokwenene enalo namagunya asezulwini anamandla angaphaya kwawomntu lwaluza kucaca, ibhencwe njengengenalwalamano noThixo weBhayibhile Engcwele, kodwa ‘nothixo weli phakade’—uSathana, okhuthaza uMchasi-Kristu owaxelwa kwangaphambili kwisiprofeto seBhayibhile. (2 Korinte 4:4; 1 Yohane 2:18) Oku kubhencwa kwayo kwakusandulela nje iintlungu zokufa kwayo. Uya kwandula ke uMgwebi Ophakamileyo wendalo iphela ayithabathele ezandleni zakhe ayigwebe, eyibangela ukuba ingaphuncuki kwizithandane zayo zangaphambili ehenyuza gqitha nazo ngoku, amakrexe ayo ezobupolitika.

5. (a) Kutheni le nto iNgqobhoko iya kufunyanwa ingaphaphanga, ibe uThixo weBhayibhile uyijonga njani? (b) Yintoni le ‘iBhabhiloni Enkulu’ ingayiboniyo?

⁵ KwaneNgqobhoko ephethe iBhayibhile ezixela kwangaphambili zonke ezi zinto, iya kufunyanwa ingaphaphanga. Iya kukholosa ngesibhengezo esisondelayo ‘soxolo nonqabiseko’ olucetywe ziintlanga ethe emazweni azo yaqhuba izithethe namasiko ayo onqulo. Kwangaxeshanye, iicawa zayo zihambisa izityana zenkongozelo, zizityebisa ngeminikelo efakwa apho. Noko ke, kuThixo weZibhalo Ezingcwele ‘ilihlwempu, iyimfama, ihamba ze.’ Ayikholosanga ngoYehova, yaye ayibusebenzisi nobuncwane bokwenene obubobomoya abulungiseleleyo. (ISityhilelo 3:17, 18) Ayiwuboni umbhalo wesandla oseludongeni. Ngalo mbhalo sisingisele entwenini?

Ukubonakala Kombhalo Wesandla Eludongeni

6. Ngoku liliphi igunya lehlabathi lamandulo esicinga ngalo, yaye abantu bakaYehova bokomfuziselo babekwimeko enjani ngelo xesha?

⁶ Ukuze siwuqonde, simele sikhangele emva phayaa kwiiyure zokugqibela zegunya lehlabathi lesithathu kwimbali yeBhayibhile, iBhabhiloni, ekunxweme loMlambo umEfrati. UBheleshatsare waba ngumlawuli wokugqibela waseBhabhiloni eyayiquka isiza seNqaba yaseBhabheli, awathi kuso uThixo ongusomandla waduba intetho enye yabakhi waza wabachithachitha. (Genesis 11:1-9) Ngexesha leeyure zokugqibela zeBhabhiloni, abantu bakaYehova bokomfuziselo, amaYuda, ayengabathinjwa kwelo lizwe labahedeni. Kodwa iminyaka engama-70 yokuthinjwa kwabo yayisele iza kuphela.

7. (a) Kwakutheni aze uKumkani uBheleshatsare enzele izikhulu zakhe isidlo enentembelo epheleleyo? (b) Kwenzeka ntoni ebudeni beso sidlo, yaye wachaphazeleka njani ukumkani?

⁷ AmaMedi namaPersi amanyeneyo, awayeza kubumba igunya lehlabathi lesine kwimbali yeBhayibhile, eza kuhlasela isixeko saseBhabhiloni esibiyelwe ngodonga nesasinqabiseke gqitha, sibonakala singenakoyiswa. UMlambo umEfrati wawugelezela embindini wesi sixeko, unamachweba angaselunxwemeni lwawo ekuvulekela ngakuwo iingcango ezimbini ezenziwe ngobhedu zodonga lwesixeko. Enentembelo epheleleyo yokuba isixeko sinqabisekile, uKumkani uBheleshatsare walenzela “isidlo esikhulu iwaka lezikhulu zakhe”—isidlo sakhe esangqineka isesokugqibela. Ngequbuliso, uBheleshatsare esajongile, kwabonakala isandla esibhalayo eludongeni. Yaye kolo donga sabhala amagama awayethetha intlekele athi “MENE, MENE, TEKELE, UFARSIN.” (Daniyeli 5:1, 5, 25) Oko kwenzeka ngobusuku bango-Oktobha 5, 539 B.C.E. La yayingamazwi akhwankqisayo. UKumkani uBheleshatsare wayetyhwatyhwa kukoyika. Kodwa khawume ke! Nako kungena amadoda azizilumko—anemilingo navumisa ngeenkwenkwezi adume ngokukwazi ukucacisa imiqondiso nokuhlaba izihlabo. Kodwa ekubeni ayengakwazi kwaukuwafunda loo magama amangalisayo, ayengenakukwazi ukuwatyhila. Kwakuza kwenziwa ntoni ke ngoku?

8, 9. (a) Njengecebo lokugqibela, liliphi ikhondo lesenzo ekwanconyelwa ukuba ukumkani alithabathe? (b) UDaniyeli wawucacisa njani umbhalo wesandla oseludongeni? (c) Kwakutheni size isidlo esikhulu sikaKumkani uBheleshatsare siphumele kweso siprofeto soyikekayo?

⁸ Makuye kubizwa umYuda. Intoni? Kubizwe umYuda? Ewe, omnye wabo bathetheli namagorha owathinjwa eYerusalem kwelokuzalwa kwakhe waza weziswa eBhabhiloni nguMlawuli uNebhukadenetsare ukuze aqeqeshelwe inkonzo yaseburhulumenteni. Kaloku, njengecebo lokugqibela, kwakukuphela kwento eyayinokwenziwa leyo. Ngukumkanikazi owancomela into yokuba uDaniyeli wayeyindoda enobulumko—indoda eyayikwazi ukufunda izinto ize izicacise. (Daniyeli 5:10-12) Sinokuyicingela inzolo eyayikho kwelo gumbi lalinesidlo njengoko uDaniyeli wayeqalisa ukucacisa loo mazwi ayimfihlelo kumlawuli wegunya lehlabathi lesithathu kwimbali yeBhayibhile nezikhulu zakhe, ngokuvisisana nesicelo sikaKumkani uBheleshatsare.

⁹ Wasusela uDaniyeli wathi: “Waza wathuma, kwavela kuye oko kuphela kwesandla, lo mbhalo ke wawubhaliwe. Nangu ke loo mbhalo wawubhaliwe: MENE, MENE, TEKELE, UFARSIN. Nanku ukutyhilwa kwale nto: elokuba MENE lithi, UThixo ububalile ubukumkani bakho, wabuphelisa. Elokuba TEKELE lithi, Wena ulinganisiwe esikalini, wafunyanwa ulula. Elokuba PERESa lithi, Buyahlulwa ubukumkani bakho, bunikwe amaMedi namaPersi.” (Daniyeli 5:24-28) UKumkani uBheleshatsare nezikhulu zakhe nabafazi bazo ababelapho babonisa ukuludela ngabom nokuluhlambela unqulo loThixo kaDaniyeli. Njani? Ngokusela iwayini ngezitya zegolide ezazithatyathwe kwitempile kaYehova eYerusalem ngexesha lokutshatyalaliswa kweso sixeko singcwele ngonyaka wama-607 B.C.E. Oko kwakufana nokwaleka isithuko sendelelo kumonakalo owawusele wenziwe.—Daniyeli 5:3, 4, 23.

UKoreshi Owaxelwa Kwangaphambili Uqalisa Ukulawula

10, 11. (a) Ngubani lo uYehova wamxela kwangaphambili ukuba wayeza kuyoyisa iBhabhiloni, ibe uIsaya waluchaza njani uloyiso olwalusondela? (b) UYehova wasizalisekisa njani esi siprofeto waza wamohlwaya ngendlela emfaneleyo uKumkani uBheleshatsare nezikhulu zakhe?

¹⁰ KuIsaya 45:1-3 uThixo Osenyangweni wayekuxele kwangaphambili oku: “Utsho uYehova kumthanjiswa wakhe, kuKoreshi, endimbambe ngesandla sokunene, ukuba ndizinyathele iintlanga phambi kwakhe; ndikhulule amanqe ookumkani, ukuba ndizivule iingcango ezingambini, namasango angabi nakuvalwa, ukuthi, Ndiya kuhamba phambi kwakho, ndilungelelanisa iindawo ezimaqhubu, ndiqhekeze iingcango zobhedu, ndixakaxe nemivalo yesinyithi; ndikunike ubuncwane obusemnyameni; neengqwebo ezisezintsithelweni; ukuze wazi, ukuba mna Yehova ndingulo ukubize ngegama.”

¹¹ Ukuze azalisekise esi siprofeto, uYehova wakubeka engqondweni kaKoreshi umPersi ukuba awajikele bucala amanzi oMlambo umEfrati ukuze aqukuqele aye kwichibi elikufuphi. Ngoko, yakuba intsele yomlambo ingenamanzi, yaye kumnyama, imikhosi kaKoreshi yakha ihlelo ukwehlisa amacala omlambo yaza yangena phakathi kanye esixekweni. Ekubeni iingcango ezimbini ezazikhangelene nalo mlambo zazishiywe zivulekile, imikhosi yenyuka ngonxweme lomlambo yaza yangena kwigumbi elinesidlo, ibulala abalindi. Ngoko isidlo sikaKumkani uBheleshatsare saphela ngendlela eyintlekele ngokohlwaywa kwakhe nezikhulu zakhe ngendlela eyayibafanele—ngenxa yokuba bayihlazisa, bayidelela baze bayinyelisa “iNkosi yamazulu” ngokuzisebenzisa kakubi izitya zetempile ezabiwa kwindawo kaYehova engcwele eYerusalem.

12. (a) Ekubeni uIsaya wayexele kwangaphambili ukuba uKoreshi wayeya kuyoyisa iBhabhiloni, kutheni le nto uDaniyeli esithi nguDariyo umMedi owayithimbayo iBhabhiloni? (b) UDariyo neqabane lakhe, uKoreshi umPersi, babefanekisela bani kwangaphambili?

¹² Indinyana yokugqibela kaDaniyeli isahluko sesi-5 isixelela ukuba akuba uKumkani uBheleshatsare ebulewe, uDariyo umMedi “wabuthabatha ubukumkani, eminyaka ekumashumi amathandathu anamibini ezeIwe.” Ekubeni uDariyo wayemdala kunoKoreshi umPersi, uDaniyeli uthi ngulo kumkani wamaMedi owathimba iBhabhiloni. Ukususela ngowe-539 ukuya kowe-537 B.C.E. wayelawula njengomlawuli wasebukhosini kubukhosi bamaMedi namaPersi. Umfanekisela kakuhle uYehova uThixo. Iqabane likaDariyo, uKoreshi umPersi, lafanekisela kwangaphambili uYesu Kristu, oya kusetyenziswa ngokubalaseleyo nguYehova ukuba abhukuqe aze atshabalalise ‘iBhabhiloni Enkulu,’ ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki.

13, 14. Ngokungathandabuzi wathini uDaniyeli xa ethetha noKoreshi umPersi, yaye incwadi kaEzra eyabhalwa emva kokuthinjwa iqalisa ngelithini?

¹³ Ekuhlaleni kukaKoreshi etroneni ukuba alawule amaMedi namaPersi ngowama-537 B.C.E., alithandabuzeki elokuba umprofeti uDaniyeli wamxelela isiprofeto sikaYehova esithetha ngaye njengoko sibhalwe kuIsaya 45. Incwadi eyabhalwa nguEzra emva kwexesha lokuthinjwa iqalisa ngala mazwi:

¹⁴ “Ke kaloku ngowokuqala umnyaka kaKoreshi, ukumkani wasePersi, ukuze kuzaliseke ilizwi likaYehova ngomlomo kaYeremiya [elalisithi ukuthinjwa kwakuya kuba yiminyaka engama-70 ubude (Yeremiya 25:12; 29:10, 14)], uYehova wawuxhokonxa umoya kaKoreshi, ukumkani wasePersi; wahambisa izwi ebukumkanini bakhe bonke, walibhala, esithi, “Utsho uKoreshi ukumkani wasePersi, ukuthi, Zonke izikumkani zehlabathi uzinike mna uYehova, uThixo wamazulu. Yena undiyalele ukuba ndimakhele indlu eYerusalem, ekwaYuda. Ubani ophakathi kwenu ebantwini bakhe bonke, uThixo wakhe makabe naye, anyuke aye eYerusalem ekwaYuda, ayakhe indlu kaYehova, uThixo kaSirayeli (nguye uThixo), eseYerusalem.”—Ezra 1:1-3.

UKoreshi Omkhulu Uyayoyisa ‘IBhabhiloni Enkulu’

15. (a) UKoreshi omkhulu waqalisa nini kanye kanye ukulawula? (b) Sisiphi isimo sengqondo esingaxengaxengiyo amaNgqina kaYehova anaso ngeyelenqe elenziwa neZizwe Ezimanyeneyo, yaye ngoba?

¹⁵ UKoreshi Omkhulu wakalokunje waqalisa ukulawula ngowe-1914 ekupheleni ‘kwamaxesha eentlanga,’ njengokuba axeIwa kwangaphambili nguYesu kuLuka 21:24. Zibonisa ukungasinanzi okupheleleyo esi sibakala sibalulekileyo ehlabathini, iintlanga ezibumba iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo zavumelana ngelokuba unyaka we-1986 nguNyaka Woxolo Wezizwe Ngezizwe. Kodwa amaNgqina kaYehova akafunyanwanga engaphaphile ngokunxibelelene noku. Xa isibhengezo esaxelwa ngaphambili esithi “luxolo nokunqaba” sisithi sivakaliswe ekugqibeleni, akayi kubathelela abaxhasi beepolitiki nezinxulumani ezingabahlobo bazo ‘zeBhabhiloni Enkulu’ ekubhiyozeleni elo linge likhulu kweli xesha sele liphelile kwimbali yeentlanga zehlabathi. Akalixhasi iyelenqe leZizwe Ezimanyeneyo okanye omnye uthunywashe wokuzisa uxolo. (Isaya 8:12) Ngozimiselo, athetha amazwi akuIsaya 8:20 esithi: “Bhekani esiyalweni, esingqinweni! Ukuba bathe abathetha ngokwelo lizwi, boba abanasifingo.” Yaye benikela isizathu sokuba beme ngokungaxengaxengiyo, bathi: “Ngokuba uThixo unathi.” (Isaya 8:10) Ngokungqalileyo, oku kuthetha ukuba uYehova uThixo akahambisani nemilinganiselo yobupolitika eyamkelwa ziintlanga ukuze kuziswe “uxolo nokunqaba” kodwa kunoko akavisisani nje ngokupheleleyo nayo.

16. Amazwi esiprofeto akwiSityhilelo 17:16, 17 aya kuthethelelwa njani ngokupheleleyo, yaye ngawuphi umphumo kubantu bakaYehova?

¹⁶ Ngenyathelo lobuchule, uYehova, esebenzisa uKoreshi wakhe Omkhulu, uya kubeka ezintliziyweni nasezingqondweni zeenkokeli zobupolitika zehlabathi ukuba ziyijikele ‘iBhabhiloni Enkulu,’ ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki. Ngokungathi kungeempondo zerhamncwa elinoburhalarhume, ziya kuyidlavula ziyibulale. Amazwi esiprofeto akwiSityhilelo 17 aya kuthethelelwa ngokupheleleyo, yaye ngenxa yoku amaNgqina kaYehova asemhlabeni aya kugcoba.—ISityhilelo 17:16, 17; 19:1-3.

Ukulondoloza Umanyano Lwethu Olufanelekileyo NoYehova

17. Nangona amaNgqina kaYehova engeyonxalenye ‘yeBhabhiloni Enkulu,’ abalawuli behlabathi baya kwenza ntoni?

¹⁷ Ngoko, nangona amaNgqina kaYehova engeyonxalenye ‘yeBhabhiloni Enkulu’ koko engabantu abayibhenca ngokuzimisela, yaye nakubeni engenanxaxheba kwimicimbi yezobupolitika yeli hlabathi, abo thunywashe bobupolitika abangabahedeni baya kuphethukela kumaNgqina asindileyo. Bezimisele ukuba ngoozwilakhe abalawula ngegqudu kuyo yonke imicimbi yabantu emhlabeni, baya kuwahlasela kanobom amaNgqina agcina ingqibelelo kaThixo, onguMthombo worhulumente wobulungisa.

18. Sisiphi isenzo esikhwankqisayo uYehova aya kusenza, esiwodlula lee uMkhukula womhla kaNowa?

¹⁸ Kulapha ke apho amele angenelele khona uMongami onguSomandla wezulu nomhlaba yaye umele abangele ukuba abo bantu bebetshabalalisa ‘iBhabhiloni Enkulu’ bazi baze baqonde ukuba Lowo kule nkulungwane yama-20 ebenamaNgqina unguThixo wokwenene, uThixo ongusomandla—uThixo ofanelwe kukunqulwa ngentliziyo iphela nangemvisiswano zizidalwa ezilapha emhlabeni, kwisihlalo seenyawo zakhe. Oku uya kukwenza ngendlela ekhwankqisayo eya kusuka ibangele nje ukuba amaNgqina akhe abukeleyo athi ng’a imilomo ngenxa yokumangaliswa. Ukuze afumane uloyiso lobuthixo, uya kusebenzisa iindlela zokulwa ezingenamanduleli nezizukileyo. (ISityhilelo 16:14, 16; 19:19-21) Oko kuya kuthetha ukuphela kwale nkqubo yezinto ingendawo nelawulwa nguMtyholi ngendlela eya kuyidlula lee leyo yoMkhukula owatshabalalisa ihlabathi ngomhla kaNowa.

19. Ngawaphi amangqina okuzibonela ukuzibalula kwakhe njengoMongami Wendalo Iphela aya kuba nawo uYehova, ibe oku kuya kubonisa ntoni?

¹⁹ Kanye njengokuba uYehova wayenamangqina awakubonayo ukupheliswa kwehlabathi elidala ngoMkhukula owarhaxa lonke uluntu olungaphandle komkhombe, ngokuzuke ngakumbi, apba kanye emhlabeni uya kuba namangqina okuzibonela esi senzo sakhe singasayi kuphindwa sokuzibalula njengoMongami Wendalo Iphela. (2 Petros 3:6, 7, 13, 14) La mangqina iya kuba ngabo bakholose ngaye ukuze bafumane uxolo nonqabiseko phakathi kweli blabathi ligwetyelwe intshabalalo. Hayi indlela oya kuvuya ngayo ngokubalelwa phakatbi kwaloo maNgqina ababalwe ngokumangalisayo. Uxolo nonqabiseko lwakho luya kube lubonakaliswe njengolo luvela kuYebova uThixo yaye lungaveli nakulupbi na umanyano, okanye iyelenqe, elenziwa ngamagunya obupolitika ale nkqubo yezinto ilawulwa nguMtyholi.

20. UYehova uya kubonakala njani, yaye sizimisele ukwenza ntoni?

²⁰ UYehova uThixo uya kubonakala ngokuzukileyo njengaLowo unelungelo lokunqulwa nokukhonzwa njengoThixo ophakamileyo—uThixo woothixo, okuphela kwaLowo amazwi omdumisi ophefumlelweyo awayebhekiswe kuye ngokuthi: “Kususela kwaphakade kude kuse ephakadeni, wena unguThixo.” (INdumiso 90:2) Ngoxabiso oluya lukhula ngokukhula, ukukholosa kwethu ngoYehova nokumanyana kwethu naye ngoKoreshi Omkhulu, uYesu Kristu, masikulondoloze.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Uyakhumbula Na?

◻ Yintoni le ‘iBhabhiloni Enkulu’ ingayiboniyo?

◻ Ukuphela okuyintlekele kwesidlo sikaBheleshatsare kufanekisela ntoni?

◻ Ngubani oya kuyoyisa ‘iBhabhiloni Enkulu?’

◻ Sisiphi isimo sengqondo anaso amaNgqina kaYehova ngeyelenqe elenziwa ziZizwe Ezimanyaneyo?

◻ Kutheni le nto beya konwaba nje bonke abo bakholose ngoYehova ukuze bafumane uxolo nonqabiseko?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

UDaniyeli ucacisa ukuba umbhalo oyimfihlelo usisigidimi esithetha ukutshatyalaliswa kobukhosi baseBhabhiloni