Isahluko 10

Ukukhula Kulwazi Oluchanileyo Lwenyaniso

INJONGO ephambili yamaNgqina kaYehova asikokuseka iimfundiso ezintsha, indlela entsha yokukhonza, unqulo olutsha. Kunoko, imbali yawo yanamhlanje ibonisa umgudu onyanisekileyo wokufundisa oko kufumaneka eBhayibhileni, iLizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo. Alatha kuyo njengesiseko sazo zonke iinkolelo nekhondo lawo lobomi. Kunokuyila iinkolelo ezibonakalisa utyekelo lwehlabathi lanamhlanje lokuvula zibhuqe, aye azabalazela ukuzivisisanisa ngakumbi neemfundiso zeBhayibhile noko kwakusenziwa kubuKristu benkulungwane yokuqala.

Ekuqaleni kweminyaka yee-1870, uCharles Taze Russell nezinxulumani zakhe baqalisa ukuyifundisisa ngenyameko iBhayibhile. Kwabacacela ukuba iNgqobhoko yayizishiye kude iimfundiso nezinto ezazisenziwa kubuKristu bokuqala. uMzalwan’ uRussell akazange azibange engowokuqala ukukuqonda oku, yaye wavuma ngokuphandle ukuba wayemele abulele abanye ngokumnceda kwabo kwiminyaka awaqala ngayo ukufundisisa iZibhalo. Wavakalisa uxabiso ngomsebenzi omhle owenziwa ngamaqela athile kuHlaziyo, ngenjongo yokwenza ukukhanya kwenyaniso kuqaqambe ngakumbi. Wawakhankanya ngamagama amadoda awayekhulile kunaye anjengoJonas Wendell, uGeorge Stetson, uGeorge Storrs noNelson Barbour, awaba negalelo ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo ekumncedeni aliqonde iLizwi likaThixo.a

Kwakhona wathi: “Iimfundiso ezahlukahlukeneyo esibambelele kuzo nezibonakala zintsha ibe zihlaziya yaye zahlukile kwakubanjelelwe kuzo ngandlel’ ithile kwakudala: ngokomzekelo—uNyulo, uBabalo, ukuBuyiswa, ukuGwetyelwa eBulungiseni, ukuNgcwaliswa, ukuZukiswa, uVuko.” Noko ke, ngokufuthi iqela elithile lonqulo lalisahluka ngokuqonda inyaniso ethile yeBhayibhile ngokucace ngakumbi; elinye iqela, liqonde enye inyaniso. Ngokufuthi inkqubela yawo engakumbi yayiphazanyiswa kukuba ayebambelele ngokuqinileyo kwiimfundiso nezivumo zokholo ezaziyilwe ziinkolelo ezazibalasele kwiBhabhiloni yamandulo naseYiputa okanye ezazisuka kwizithandi zobulumko zamaGrike.

Kodwa liliphi iqela elaliya kuthi, ngoncedo lomoya kaThixo, ngokuthe ngcembe liwubambe kwakhona wonke “umzekelo wamazwi aphilileyo” owawuligugu kumaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala? (2 Tim. 1:13) Ngumendo woobani owawuya kungqineka ngokwenene “unjengokukhanya komso, okuya kuba mhlophe ngokuba mhlophe, kude kube semini enkulu”? (IMize. 4:18) Ngoobani ngokwenene ababeya kwenza umsebenzi uYesu awawuyalelayo xa wathi: “Nibe ngamangqina am . . . kude kuse nasekupheleni komhlaba”? Ngoobani ababengayi kuphelela nje ngokwenza abafundi kodwa ababeya ‘kubafundisa kwanokuba bazigcine zonke izinto’ uYesu awayebawisele umthetho ngazo? (IZe. 1:8; Mat. 28:19, 20) Eneneni, ngaba lalifikile ixesha iNkosi eyayiya kuwahlula ngokucacileyo ngalo amaKristu okwenyaniso eyawafanisa nengqolowa kulawo obuxoki eyabhekisela kuwo njengokhula (eneneni, ukhula olufana gqitha nengqolowa de kube lixesha lokuvuna)?b (Mat. 13:24-30, 36-43, NW) Ngoobani ababeza kungqineka ‘bengumkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo’ eyayiya kuthi iNkosi, uYesu Kristu, ekufikeni kwayo isemandleni oBukumkani, ibanike iimbopheleleko ezingakumbi ngokuphathelele umsebenzi ekwakuxelwe kwangaphambili ukuba wawuya kwenziwa ekuqoshelisweni kwale nkqubo yezinto?—Mat. 24:3, 45-47.

Ukukhanyisa

UYesu wayalela abafundi bakhe ukuba babelane nabanye ngokukhanya kwenyaniso kaThixo ababekufumene kuye. Wathi: “Nina nilukhanyiselo lwehlabathi. . . . Malukhanye ngokunjalo ukhanyiselo lwenu phambi kwabantu.” (Mat. 5:14-16; IZe. 13:47) UCharles Taze Russell nezinxulumani zakhe baqonda ukuba babenembopheleleko yokwenza oko.

Ngaba babecinga ukuba babenazo zonke iimpendulo, ukukhanya okupheleleyo kwenyaniso? UMzalwan’ uRussell wawuphendula ngokuthe ngqo loo mbuzo wathi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo akunjalo; kwaye asisayi kuba nayo de kube ‘yimini egqibeleleyo.’” (IMize. 4:18, KJ) Ngokufuthi babebhekisela kwiinkolelo zabo zeZibhalo ngokuthi “inyaniso ekhoyo”—kungekhona kuba babenengcamango yokuba inyaniso yona iyaguquka kodwa kunoko kuba babecinga ukuba babeyiqonda ngokwamabakala.

Aba bafundi beBhayibhile banyanisekileyo abazange bayiphephe ingcamango yokuba ikho inyaniso kwimibandela yonqulo. UYehova babemgqala ‘njengoThixo wenyaniso’ yaye iBhayibhile njengeLizwi lakhe lenyaniso. (INdu. 31:5; Yosh. 21:45; Yoh. 17:17) Baqonda ukuba kwakusekuninzi ababengakwazi, kodwa abazange barhoxobise ukuxeleni ngolweyiseko oko babekufunde eBhayibhileni. Yaye xa iimfundiso nezinto ezingokwesithethe ezazisenziwa kunqulo zaziphikisana noko babekufumanise kuchazwe ngokucacileyo kwiLizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo, babesithi, bexelisa uYesu Kristu, babubhence ubuxoki, nakubeni oku kwakubenza bagculelwe yaye bathiywe ngabefundisi.—Mat. 15:3-9.

Ukuze kufikelelwe abanye baze bondliwe ngokomoya, ngoJulayi 1879, uC. T. Russell waqalisa ukupapasha iphephancwadi elithi Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence.

IBhayibhile—Ngokwenene IliLizwi LikaThixo

Intembelo kaCharles Taze Russell eBhayibhileni yayingengombandela nje wokwamkela imbono engokwesithethe eyayithandwa ngelo xesha. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, abaninzi ngelo xesha babethanda uhlalutyo oluqatha. Abo babelukhuthaza babecel’ umngeni ukuthembeka kwengxelo yeBhayibhile.

Ngoxa wayeselula, uRussell wayelilungu leCawa yamaCongregational yaye wayesebenza ngenkuthalo kuyo, kodwa ukungabikho ngqiqweni kweemfundiso zesithethe kwambangela wanamathandabuzo. Wafumanisa ukuba oko wayekufundisiwe kwakungenakuxhaswa ngokwanelisayo ngeBhayibhile. Waza wazityeshela iimfundiso ezisekelwe kwizivumo zokholo zecawa, kuquka neBhayibhile. Ngokulandelayo, wahlolisisa iinkonzo eziphambili zaseMpuma, kodwa nazo azizange zimanelise. Wandula ke waqala ukuzibuza enoba mhlawumbi iBhayibhile yayingagqwethwanga zizivumo zokholo zeNgqobhoko kusini na. Ekhuthazwe koko wakuva ngenye ingokuhlwa kwintlanganiso yama-Adventist, waqalisa ukuzifundisisa ngokucokisekileyo iZibhalo. Oko kwatyhilekayo kuye kwakuliLizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo ngokwenene.

Wachukumiseka ngokunzulu kukuvisisana kweBhayibhile nabubuntu baLowo kuthiwa nguThixo onguMyili wayo. Ukuze ancede abanye bangenelwe koku, kamva wabhala incwadi ethi The Divine Plan of the Ages, awayipapasha ngowe-1886. Kuyo waxubusha kakhulu ngombandela othi “IBhayibhile Njengesityhilelo SikaThixo Ijongwa Ngokwezibakala.” Ngasekupheleni kweso sahluko, ngokuphandle wathi: “Ubunzulu namandla nobulumko nobukhulu bobungqina beBhayibhile buseyisela kwelokuba asingomntu, kodwa nguThixo uSomandla, umyili wamacebo nezityhilelo zayo.”

Ukuyithemba iBhayibhile iphela njengeLizwi likaThixo kusaqhubeka kungundoqo weenkolelo zamaNgqina kaYehova anamhlanje. Ehlabathini lonke, anezixhobo eziluncedo ekufundisiseni iBhayibhile eziwanceda ahlolisise ubungqina bokuphefumlelwa kwayo. Iinkalo zalo mbandela zixutyushwa ngokufuthi kumaphephancwadi awo. Ngowe-1969 apapasha incwadi ethi Is the Bible Really the Word of God? Emva kwamashumi amabini eminyaka, incwadi ethi IBhayibhile—Ngaba Ililizwi LikaThixo Okanye Lomntu? yaphinda yawuhlolisisa umba wobunyaniso beBhayibhile, yatsalela ingqalelo kubungqina obungakumbi, yaza yafikelela kwisigqibo esifanayo: Ngokwenene, iBhayibhile iliLizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo. Enye yeencwadi zawo, eyashicilelwa okokuqala (ngesiNgesi) ngowe-1963 yaza yahlaziywa ngowe-1990, ithi “Sonke ISibhalo Siphefumlelwe NguThixo Kwaye Siyingenelo.” Iinkcukacha ezingakumbi zifumaneka kwintyilalwazi yawo yeBhayibhile ethi, Insight on the Scriptures, epapashwe ngowe-1988.

Ngokufundisisa kwawo ngokobuqu nanjengebandla umbandela onjalo, eyisekile kukuba nangona kwasetyenziswa abantu abamalunga nama-40 kwisithuba seenkulungwane ezili-16 ukuba babhale oko kukwiincwadi zeBhayibhile ezingama-66, nguThixo owayesalathisa ukubhalwa kwayo ngomoya wakhe. Umpostile uPawulos wabhala: “Sonke isibhalo, siphefumlelwe nguThixo.” (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20, 21) Olu lweyiseko lunguthunywashe onamandla kubomi bamaNgqina kaYehova. Lithetha ngoku, iphephandaba laseBritani lathi: “Yonke into eyenziwa liNgqina inesizathu esingokweZibhalo. Eneneni, umgaqo wawo osisiseko kukwamkela iBhayibhile . . . njengeyinyaniso.”

Ukuzuza Ulwazi NgoThixo Wokwenyaniso

Njengokuba uMzalwan’ uRussell nezinxulumani zakhe babezifundisisa iZibhalo, akuzange kuthabathe thuba lide ngaphambi kokuba baqonde ukuba uThixo ochazwe eBhayibhileni akanguye uthixo weNgqobhoko. Oku kwakubalulekile kuba, njengokuba uYesu Kristu watshoyo, ithemba labantu lokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade lixhomekeke ekwazini kwabo okuphela koThixo oyinyaniso nalowo wamthumayo, iMbangi yakhe yosindiso. (Yoh. 17:3; Heb. 2:10) UC. T. Russell neqela awayefundisisa iBhayibhile kunye nalo baqonda ukuba okusesikweni kukaThixo kulungelelaniswe ngokugqibeleleyo nobulumko, uthando namandla kaThixo, yaye ezi mpawu zibonakala kuyo yonke imisebenzi yakhe. Ngokusekelwe kulwazi ababenalo ngoko ngenjongo kaThixo, balungiselela ingxubusho engesizathu sokuvunyelwa kobungendawo baza bayiquka kwenye yeempapasho zabo zokuqala neyona yasasazwa ngokubanzi, incwadi enamaphepha ali-162 ethi Food for Thinking Christians, eyakhutshwa okokuqala njengohlelo olukhethekileyo lweZion’s Watch Tower ngoSeptemba 1881.

Ufundisiso lwabo lweLizwi likaThixo lwabanceda baqonda ukuba uMdali unegama lakhe lobuqu yaye ulungiselele ukuba abantu bamazi baze babe nolwalamano olusenyongweni naye. (1 Kron. 28:9; Isa. 55:6; Yak. 4:8) IMboniselo (yesiNgesi) ka-Oktobha-Novemba 1881 yathi: “UYEHOVA ligama elisetyenziswa kuLowo uPhakamileyo kuphela—uBawo wethu, lowo uYesu wambiza ngokuthi Bawo nokuthi Thixo.”—INdu. 83:18; Yoh. 20:17.

Kunyaka olandelayo, kuphendulwa umbuzo othi, “Ngaba nithi iBhayibhile ayifundisi ukuba kukho iziqu ezithathu kuThixo omnye?” kwanikelwa impendulo ethi: “Ewe: Ngokwahlukileyo koko, isixelela ukuba kukho uThixo omnye nonguYise weNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu ezingaye zonke izinto (okanye owadala zonke izinto). Ngoko sikholelwa kuThixo Omnye noYise, nakwiNkosi enye uYesu Kristu . . . Kodwa aba babini asingomntu omnye. Banye kuphela ngengqiqo yokuba bayavisisana. Kwakhona sikholelwa kumoya kaThixo . . . Kodwa njengokuba umoya woomtyholi nomoya weHlabathi nomoya woMchasi Kristu ungengomntu nawo ngokunjalo awungomntu.”—Zion’s Watch Tower, Juni 1882; Yoh. 17:20-22.

Uxabiso Olukhulayo Ngegama LikaThixo

Ngokuthe ngcembe abo Bafundi beBhayibhile bayiqonda indlela iZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo ezilibalaselisa ngayo igama likaThixo lobuqu. Elo gama lalifihlakele kwinguqulelo yeBhayibhile yesiNgesi yamaRoma Katolika iDouay neyamaProtestanti iKing James, njengokuba kamva lafihlwayo yinkoliso yeenguqulelo kwiilwimi ezininzi kwinkulungwane yama-20. Kodwa iinguqulelo ezahlukahlukeneyo kwaneencwadi zeembekiselo zeBhayibhile zazinikela ubungqina bokuba igama elithi Yehova kwimibhalo yeelwimi zantlandlolo livela izihlandlo ezininzi—eneneni, ngaphezu kwalo naliphi na elinye igama, yaye ngaphezu kwezihlandlo elivela ngazo igama elithi Thixo nelithi Nkosi edityanisiwe. ‘Njengabantu begama lakhe,’ uxabiso lwabo ngegama likaThixo lwakhula. (IZe. 15:14) KwiMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaJanuwari 1, 1926, bachaza oko babekuqonda njengembambano mntu ngamnye amele ajamelane nayo, oko kukuthi, “Ngubani Oya Kuzukisa UYehova?”

Indlela ababelibalaselisa ngayo igama likaThixo yayingengombandela nje wolwazi ngonqulo. Njengokuba kucaciswa kwincwadi ethi Prophecy (eyapapashwa ngowe-1929), imbambano eyintloko ejamelene nayo yonke indalo enengqiqo ibandakanya igama nelizwi likaYehova uThixo. AmaNgqina kaYehova abethelela ukuba iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba wonk’ ubani umele alazi igama likaThixo aze aliphathe njengelingcwele. (Mat. 6:9; Hez. 39:7) Lumele lususwe lonke ugculelo oluye lwafunjwa phezu kwalo, kungekuphela nje ngabo baye bamchasa ngokuphandle uYehova kodwa kwanangabo baye bammela kakubi ngeemfundiso nezenzo zabo. (Hez. 38:23; Roma 2:24) Ngokusekelwe eZibhalweni, amaNgqina ayaqonda ukuba intlalo-ntle yendalo yonke kwaneyabemi bayo ixhomekeke ekungcwalisweni kwegama likaYehova.

Ayaqonda ukuba ngaphambi kokuba uYehova atshabalalise abangendawo, kungumsebenzi nelungelo lamangqina akhe ukuxelela abanye inyaniso ngaye. AmaNgqina kaYehova ebesenza oko emhlabeni wonke. Ebeyiphumeza ngenzondelelo loo mbopheleleko kangangokuba, emhlabeni wonke, nabani na olisebenzisa ngokukhululekileyo igama likaYehova ngokukhawuleza uqondwa njengomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova.

Ukubhenca UBathathu Emnye

Njengamangqina kaYehova, uC. T. Russell nezinxulumani zakhe bavakalelwa kukuba babenembopheleleko enzulu yokubhenca iimfundiso ezazimmela kakubi uThixo, ukuze bancede abathandi benyaniso baqonde ukuba ezi azisekelwanga eBhayibhileni. Babengengabokuqala ukuqonda ukuba uBathathu Emnye akakho ezibhalweni,c kodwa baqonda ukuba ukuba babeza kuba ngabakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaThixo babenembopheleleko yokwazisa inyaniso ngaye. Ngenkalipho, ukuze kungenelwe bonke abathandi benyaniso, bayidandalazisa imvelaphi yobuhedeni yale mfundiso isisiseko yeNgqobhoko.

IMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaJuni 1882 yathi: “Xa izithandi zobulumko ezininzi ezingabahedeni zafumanisa ukuba kwakuza kubakho umthetho wokuba abantu babe ngamalungu onqulo olwalulutsha [uhlobo oluthile lobuKristu obuwexukileyo olwasekwa ngabalawuli baseRoma ngenkulungwane yesine yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo], zazama ukufumana indlela elula yokungena kulo ngokuzama ukufumana ezinto ezazifana phakathi kobuKristu nobuHedeni, ukuze ngaloo ndlela zihlanganise ezi nkqubo zombini. Zaphumelela kakuhle gqitha. . . . Njengokuba imfundiso yezakwalizwi yakudala yayinoothixo abaphambili abaliqela, kunye noothixo abaninzi abangaphantsi abangamadoda nabangamabhinqa, amaKristu-bahedeni (ukuba siza kubanika igama) bazimisela ukuphinda baluvuselele olu ludwe ukwenzela imfundiso entsha yezakwalizwi. Ngoko ke, kungeli xesha ekwayilwa imfundiso yooThixo abathathu—uThixo uYise, uThixo uNyana noThixo uMoya Oyingcwele.”

Bambi abefundisi bazama ukuyenza imfundiso yabo ibonakale iyeyeBhayibhile ngokucaphula izibhalo ezifana neyoku-1 kaYohane 5:7, kodwa uMzalwan’ uRussell wanikela ubungqina obubonisa ukuba abaphengululi babesazi kakuhle ukuba inxalenye yaloo ndinyana yayongezelelwe, amabinzana ahlonyelwa ngenkohliso ngumkhupheli ukuze axhase imfundiso engekhoyo eZibhalweni. Abanye abaxhasi bakaBathathu Emnye babhenela kuYohane 1:1, kodwa IMboniselo yasihlalutya eso sibhalo iqwalasela oko sikutshoyo kwakunye nomongo ukuze ibonise ukuba asiyixhasi tu kwaphela inkolelo kaBathathu Emnye. Ngokuvisisana noku, kwinkupho yayo (yesiNgesi) kaJulayi 1883, IMboniselo yathi: “Ukuba bekufundisiswa kakhulu imfundiso yeBhayibhile kuze kufundisiswe kancinane oko kubhalwe eculweni lo mbandela ngewucace nakuthathatha. Imfundiso kabathathu emnye iphikisana ngokupheleleyo neSibhalo.”

Ngokungafihlisiyo uMzalwan’ uRussell wabubhenca ubuyatha bokuthi ubani uyayikholelwa iBhayibhile ngoxa kwangaxeshanye efundisa imfundiso efana nekaBathathu Emnye, ephikisanayo noko kuthethwa yiBhayibhile. Ngaloo ndlela wabhala: “Enjani yona ingxuba-kaxaka yokuziphikisa nokudideka abazifumana bekuyo abo bathi uYesu noYise banguThixo omnye! Oku bekuya kubandakanya ingcamango yokuba iNkosi yethu uYesu yayihanahanisa ngoxa yayisemhlabeni yaye yayisenza ngathi ithetha noThixo emthandazweni, ngoxa Yona yayinguloo Thixo. . . . Kwakhona, uBawo ebesoloko engongenakufa, ngenxa yoko wayengenakufa. Ngoko, kwakutheni ukuze uYesu afe? Bonke abaPostile bangamangqina obuxoki xa besithi uYesu wafa waza wavuswa ukuba akazange afe. Noko ke, iZibhalo zithi wafa.”d

Ngaloo ndlela, kwasekuqaleni kwimbali yawo yanamhlanje, amaNgqina kaYehova ayigatya ngokungqongqo imfundiso yeNgqobhoko kaBathathu Emnye aza amkela imfundiso esengqiqweni nekhuthazayo yeBhayibhile.e Umsebenzi awenzileyo ukupapasha ezi nyaniso nokunika abantu ezindaweni zonke ithuba lokuva ngazo uye wenzeka ngomlinganiselo ongazange ufikelelwe nanguwuphi na umntu okanye iqela, ngaphambili okanye ngoku.

Iyintoni Imeko Yabafi?

Oko kwakuya kwenzeka kubantu abangalamkelanga ilungiselelo likaThixo losindiso kwakumxhalabisa ngokunzulu uC. T. Russell kususela esengumfana. Xa wayeseyinkwenkwana, wayekholelwa oko abefundisi babekuthetha ngomlilo wesihogo; wayecinga ukuba bashumayela iLizwi likaThixo. Wayedla ngokuhamba ebusuku aye kubhala iindinyana zeBhayibhile kwiindawo ezinokubonwa lula kuzo ukuze abaphangeli abadlula apho bafumane isilumkiso baze basindiswe kwintshabalalo eyoyikekayo yokuthuthunjiswa ngonaphakade.

Kamva, emva kokuba ezibonele oko iBhayibhile ikufundisayo ngokwenene, omnye wezinxulumani zakhe wamcaphula esithi: “Ukuba iBhayibhile ifundisa ukuba isiphelo sabantu bonke ngaphandle kweengcwele kukuthuthunjiswa ngonaphakade, oko kufanele kushunyayelwe—ewe, kuhlokonyiswe ngezwi elikhulu iiveki ngeeveki, imihla ngemihla, iiyure ngeeyure; ukuba ke ayikufundisi, oko kufanele kwaziswe, lize lisuswe ibala elibi elinyelisa igama likaThixo elingcwele.”

Kwasekuqaleni kufundisiso lwakhe lweBhayibhile, uC. T. Russell wabona ngokucacileyo ukuba isihogo asiyondawo yokuthuthunjiswa kwemiphefumlo emva kokufa. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba koku wancedwa nguGeorge Storrs, umhleli weBible Examiner, uMzalwan’ uRussell awathetha ngaye ngoxabiso kwiincwadi zakhe naye owayebhale kakhulu ngoko wayekufumanise eBhayibhileni ngokuphathelele imeko yabafi.

Kodwa kuthekani ngomphefumlo? Ngaba aBafundi beBhayibhile babeyixhasa inkolelo yokuba uyinxalenye yomntu engumoya, okuthile okuqhubeka kuphila emva kokufa komzimba? Ngokwahlukileyo koko, ngowe-1903 IMboniselo (yesiNgesi) yathi: “Simele siphawule ngenyameko ukuba asifundiswa ukuba umntu unomphefumlo, kodwa sifundiswa ukuba umntu ungumphefumlo, okanye isiqu. Makhe sithabathe umzekelo wezinto zendalo—umoya esiwuphefumlayo: uquka umongo-moya nenitrojeni, akukho nanye kwezi gesi eyiatmosfera, okanye umoya; kodwa xa ezi zimbini zidibana, njengokuba zidibana ngesilinganiso esisiso, kuphuma iatmosfera. Kunjalo ke nangomphefumlo. UThixo uthetha nathi ngokwale ngqiqo, yokuba sonke siyimiphefumlo. Akathethi nemizimba yethu okanye nempefumlo yobomi esinayo, kodwa uyathetha nathi njengeziqu ezinengqiqo, okanye imiphefumlo. Xa wayevakalisa isohlwayo sokwaphula umthetho wakhe, akazange athethe nomzimba ka-Adam ngokukhethekileyo, kodwa wathetha nomntu, umphefumlo, isiqu esinengqiqo: ‘Mhlana uthe wawudla, uya kufa.’ ‘Umphefumlo owonayo, kuya kufa wona.’—Gen 2:17; Hez. 18:20.” Oku kwakuvisisana noko IMboniselo (yesiNgesi) yayikuthethile kwangoAprili 1881.f

Ngoko, yavela njani inkolelo ekhoyo yokungafi kwemiphefumlo yabantu? Ngubani umyili wayo? Emva kokuyihlolisisa ngenyameko imbali yeBhayibhile neyonqulo, uMzalwan’ uRussell kwiMboniselo (yesiNgesi) ka-Aprili 15, 1894 wabhala: “Kucacile ukuba ayiveli eBhayibhileni . . . Ngokucacileyo iBhayibhile ithi umntu uyafa, kunokwenzeka ukuba afe. . . . Xa sihlolisisa imbali, sifumanisa ukuba, nangona imfundiso yokungafi komntu ingafundiswa ngamangqina kaThixo aphefumlelweyo, ingundoqo kuzo zonke iinkonzo zobuhedeni. . . . Ngoko ke, aliyonyaniso elokuba uSocrates noPlato babengabokuqala ukufundisa le mfundiso: ukho owayifundisa kuqala kunabo bobabini, yaye lowo unobuchule ngakumbi. . . . Ingxelo yokuqala yale mfundiso yobuxoki ifumaneka kweyona mbali yakudala eyaziwa ngabantu—iBhayibhile. Loo mfundisi wobuxoki yayinguSathana.”g

Ukuvulela “Umbhobho Wamanzi” Esihogweni

Ngokuvisisana nomnqweno onamandla kaMzalwan’ uRussell wokususa ibala elibi kwigama likaThixo elalibangelwe yimfundiso yesihogo somlilo sentuthumbo kanaphakade, wabhala iphecana elalibalaselisa umbandela othi, “Ngaba IZibhalo Zifundisa Ukuba Intuthumbo Kanaphakade Ngumvuzo Wesono?” (The Old Theology, 1889) Kulo wathi:

“Imfundiso yentuthumbo kanaphakade inemvelaphi yobuhedeni, nangona ngoxa yayiseyeyabahedeni yayingeyomfundiso ebonisa ukungabi nanceba ngendlela eyaba yiyo kamva, xa yathi ngokuthe ngcembe yancamathela kubuKristu begama xa babuvangwa neentanda-bulumko zabahedeni ngenkulungwane yesibini. Luwexuko olukhulu olwathi lwayijika intanda-bulumko yabahedeni lwayifakela iinkcukacha ezoyikekayo abantu abaninzi abakholelwa kuzo ngoku, lwayityabeka ezindongeni zecawa, njengokuba kwakusenziwa eYurophu, lwayibhala kwizivumo zalo zokholo nakumaculo, lwaza lwaligqwetha iLizwi likaThixo ukuze ugculelo olunyelisa uThixo lubonakale ngathi luxhaswa nguThixo. Ngoko ke, abantu abafane bakholwe banamhlanje bayifumana le mfundiso njengelifa, elingaveli eNkosini, okanye kubapostile, okanye kubaprofeti, kodwa elivela kumoya wohanahaniso owabangela ukulahlwa kwenyaniso nengqiqo, waza ngokuziintloni wabangela ukuguqulwa kweemfundiso zobuKristu, ngenxa yebhongo elingengcwele nokukruthakruthana ngegunya nobutyebi nabona balandeli baninzi. Umvuzo wesono okukuthuthunjiswa ngonaphakade wawungaziwa ngoosolusapho bamaxesha angaphambili; wawungaziwa ngaprofeti bamaxesha amaYuda; yaye wawungaziwa yiNkosi nangabapostile; kodwa ubuyimfundiso ephambili yamaKristu Egama ukususela kuwexuko olukhulu—olube sisibetho abathe ngaso abakholwa ngokukhawuleza, abasebumnyameni nabaneenkolo beli hlabathi bakhotyokiselwa kubuzwilakhe. Bonke ababephikisa okanye bagatye igunya lamaRoma babegrogriswa ngentuthumbo kanaphakade, yaye icawa yayizama ngako konke okusemandleni ayo ukuba iyiqalise loo ntuthumbo kwakobu bomi.”

UMzalwan’ uRussell wayeqonda kakuhle ukuba inkoliso yabantu abaqiqayo yayingayikholelwa ngokwenene imfundiso yesihogo somlilo. Kodwa, njengokuba watshoyo, ngowe-1896, kwincwadana ethi What Say the Scriptures About Hell?, “ekubeni becinga ukuba iBhayibhile iyayifundisa, naliphi na inyathelo lenkqubela abalenzayo elibonakala libubulumko bokwenene nelibonakalisa ububele bobuzalwana . . . amaxesha amaninzi likukuphambuka kwiLizwi likaThixo, abalityholayo ngale mfundiso.”

Ukuze abuyisele abo bantu bacingayo kwiLizwi likaThixo, kule ncwadana wabhala zonke iindinyana zeKing James Version elivela kuzo igama elithi isihogo, ukuze abafundi bazibonele oko ezi ndinyana zazikutsho, waza ke wathi: “Siyambulela uThixo, kuba singafumani ndawo injalo yokuthuthunjiswa ngonaphakade njengokuba ngemposiso kufundiswa kwizivumo zokholo nakumaculo, nakwiipulpiti ezininzi. Kodwa sisifumene ‘isihogo,’ isheol, ihadesi, olugwetyelwe kuyo lonke uhlanga lwethu ngenxa yesono sika-Adam, nesihlangulwe kuyo sonke kukufa kweNkosi; yaye eso ‘sihogo’ lingcwaba—imeko yabafi. Kwaye sifumana nesinye ‘isihogo’ (igehena—ukufa kwesibini—intshabalalo kanaphakade) esiziswe engqalelweni yethu njengesohlwayo sokugqibela kubo bonke abo baya kuthi, emva kokuba behlangulwe baza bayaziswa ngokuzeleyo inyaniso, baza benziwa bakwazi ngokupheleleyo ukuyithobela, sekunjalo bakhethe ukufa ngokunyula ikhondo lokuchasa uThixo nobulungisa. Yaye iintliziyo zethu zithi, Amen. Zinobulungisa yaye ziyinyaniso iindlela zakho, Kumkani weentlanga. Ngubani na ongekhe akoyike wena, Nkosi, angalizukisi igama lakho? Ngokuba inguwe wedwa ongcwele; ngokuba zonke iintlanga ziya kuza ziqubude phambi kwakho, ngokuba imisebenzi yakho yobulungisa ibonakalalisiwe.”—ISityhi. 15:3, 4.

Oko wayekufundisa kwakubacaphukisa yaye kubaphoxa abefundisi beNgqobhoko. Ngowe-1903 wacelwa umngeni ukuba abe nenxaxheba kwingxoxo yasesidlangalaleni. Imeko yabafi yayingomnye wemibandela ekwaxoxwa ngayo kungcelele lweengxoxo ezalandelayo phakathi koC. T. Russell noGqr. E. L. Eaton, owayesisithethi somanyano olungekho mthethweni lwabefundisi bamaProtestanti bommandla ongasentshona wePennsylvania.

Ebudeni bezo ngxoxo uMzalwan’ uRussell walimela ngokuqinileyo elokuba “ukufa kukufa, yaye abathandekayo bethu, xa besishiya, bafile ngokwenene, abaphili nezithunywa zezulu okanye needemon kwindawo yokungabi nathemba.” Exhasa oku, wabhekisela kwizibhalo ezinjengeNtshumayeli 9:5, 10; Roma 5:12; 6:23; neGenesis 2:17. Kwakhona wathi: “Izibhalo zivumelana ngokupheleleyo noko mna nawe naye nawuphi na umntu onengqondo noqiqayo ehlabathini aya kuvuma ukuba yimo esengqiqweni nefanelekileyo yoThixo wethu. Kuthiwani ngoBawo wethu wasezulwini? Kuthiwa usesikweni, unobulumko, unothando, unamandla. Bonke abantu abangamaKristu baya kuzivuma ezi mpawu zikaThixo. Ukuba oku kunjalo, ngaba sinokufumana naliphi na igama ngandlel’ ithile elinokuchaza uThixo osesikweni aze sekunjalo asohlwaye ngonaphakade isidalwa esingumsebenzi wezandla Zakhe, kungakhathaliseki ukuba sisiphi isono esisenzileyo? Andithetheleli izono; andiphili esonweni nam, yaye andize ndishumayele isono. . . . Kodwa ndikuxelela ukuba bonke aba bantu balapha umzalwana wethu [uGqr. Eaton] athi bathuka uThixo ngokumnyelisa yena negama elingcwele likaYesu Kristu ngabantu abayifundisiweyo le mfundiso yentuthumbo kanaphakade. Yaye bonke ababulali, amasela nabenzi bobubi abazalise iintolongo, bonke bayifundiswa le mfundiso. . . . Ezi ziimfundiso ezimbi; bezilenzakalisa ihlabathi lonke eli xesha; aziyonxalenye yemfundiso yeNkosi konke konke, yaye ubumnyama bokomoya bamaxesha obumnyama abukasuswa ngokupheleleyo emehlweni omzalwana wethu othandekayo.”

Kuthiwa emva kwaloo ngxoxo umfundisi owayekho apho waya kuRussell waza wathi: “Ndiyavuya ukukubona uvulela umbhobho wamanzi esihogweni uze ucime loo mlilo.”

Ukuze ayisasaze ngakumbi inyaniso engemeko yabafi, uMzalwan’ uRussell wathetha kungcelele lweendibano ezininzi zosuku olunye, ukususela ngowe-1905 ukusa kowe-1907, kuzo awayebalaselisa intetho yesidlangalala ethi “Ukuya Nokubuya Esihogweni! Ngoobani Na Abalapho? Ithemba Lokubuya Kwabaninzi.” Lo mxholo wawukhwankqisa, ibe wathimba ingqalelo yabaninzi. Iiholo zendibano zazizala zime ngeembambo ngabaphulaphuli ababeze kuzivela le ntetho kwizixeko ezikhulu nezincinane kwelaseUnited States naseKhanada.

Phakathi kwabo bashukunyiswa ngokunzulu koko iBhayibhile ikuthethayo ngemeko yabafi yayingumfundi waseyunivesithi eCincinnati, eOhio, owayelungiselela ukuba ngumfundisi waseRhabe. Ngowe-1913 wayefumene kumnakwabo incwadana ethi Where Are the Dead?, ebhalwe nguJohn Edgar, uMfundi weBhayibhile owayekwangugqirha wezamayeza eSkotlani. Lo mfundi wafumana le ncwadi yayinguFrederick Franz. Ngemva kokuyifunda ngocoselelo, eqinisekile wathi: “Le yinyaniso.” Engachithanga xesha, waluguqula usukelo lwakhe ebomini waza wangenela ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo njengomshumayeli weendaba ezilungileyo onguvulindlela. Ngowe-1920 waba lilungu labasebenzi kwikomkhulu leWatch Tower Society. Kwiminyaka emininzi kamva waba lilungu leQumrhu Elilawulayo lamaNgqina kaYehova waza, kamva, wangumongameli weWatch Tower Society.

Idini Lentlawulelo LikaYesu Kristu

Ngowe-1872, ngokuphathelele uhlolisiso lwakhe lweZibhalo, uMzalwan’ uRussell nezinxulumani zakhe bawuhlolisisa ngokutsha umbandela wokubuyiswa, ngokwembono yentlawulelo eyanikelwa nguYesu Kristu. (IZe. 3:21) Wachwayita xa wabona kumaHebhere 2:9 ukuba ‘uYesu ngobabalo lukaThixo weva ukufa ngenxa yabantu bonke.’ Oko akuzange kumenze akholelwe ekusindisweni kwendalo yonke, kuba wayesazi ukuba iZibhalo zikwathi umntu umele abe nokholo kuYesu Kristu ukuze asindiswe. (IZe. 4:12; 16:31) Kodwa waqalisa ukuqonda—nangona engazange aqonde yonke into ngaxeshanye—indlela elibalasele ngayo ithuba elalivulekela uluntu ngedini lentlawulelo likaYesu Kristu. Labavulela indlela yokufumana oko kwalahlwa nguAdam, ithemba lobomi obungunaphakade njengabantu abafezekileyo. UMzalwan’ uRussell akazange athule akukuqonda oku; wayiqonda intsingiselo enzulu yentlawulelo waza wayimela ngamandla, kwanaxa izinxulumani ezisenyongweni zazivumela ukucinga kwazo konakaliswe ziimbono zeentanda-bulumko.

Phakathi kowe-1878, uMzalwan’ uRussell wayengusekela-mhleli, kangangonyaka onesiqingatha, wephephancwadi elithi Herald of the Morning, uN. H. Barbour awayengumhleli walo ophambili. Kodwa xa uBarbour, kwinkupho ka-Agasti 1878 yephephancwadi labo, wabonisa ukuyijongela phantsi imfundiso yeZibhalo yentlawulelo, uRussell waphendula ngokuyimela ngamandla loo nyaniso ibalulekileyo yeBhayibhile.

Ngaphantsi komxholo othi “UCamagusho,” uBarbour wayebonise indlela awayevakalelwa ngayo ngale mfundiso, esithi: “Ndithi kunyana wam, okanye komnye wezicaka zam, xa uJames eluma udade wabo, uze ubambe impukane, uyihlabe ngonotaka uze uyibethelele eludongeni, ndiya kumxolela uJames. Le yindlela yokuchaza imfundiso yokuthabathel’ indawo.” Nangona wayesithi uyakholelwa kwintlawulelo, uBarbour wabhekisela kwingcamango yokuba ngokufa kwakhe uKristu wahlawulela isohlwayo sesono senzala ka-Adam “njengengekho zibhalweni, nekhabanayo nazo zonke iingcamango zethu zokusesikweni.”h

Kwinkupho elandelayo yeHerald of the Morning (Septemba 1878), uMzalwan’ uRussell wavakalisa ukungakuthandi ngokwenene oko kwakubhalwe nguBarbour. URussell wakudandalazisa oko iZibhalo zazikuthetha ngokwenene nokuvisisana kwazo “nokugqibelela kokusesikweni [kukaThixo], yaye okokugqibela nenceba nothando lwakhe olubalaseleyo” njengoko kubonakaliswe ngelungiselelo lentlawulelo. (1 Kor. 15:3; 2 Kor. 5:18, 19; 1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18; 1 Yoh. 2:2) Ngentwasahlobo elandelayo, emva kwemigudu eliqela yokuzama ukunceda uBarbour abone izinto ngokweZibhalo, uRussell wayeka ukuyixhasa iHerald; yaye ukususela kwinkupho kaJuni 1879, igama lakhe alizange libe savela njengosekela-mhleli welo phephancwadi. Ukuma kwakhe kwenkalipho nangokungaxengaxengiyo ngokuphathelele le mfundiso isisiseko yeBhayibhile kwaba nemiphumo enzulu.

Kuyo yonke imbali yawo yanamhlanje, amaNgqina kaYehova ebesoloko eyimela imfundiso yeZibhalo yentlawulelo. Inkupho yokuqala yeZion’s Watch Tower (Julayi 1879) yagxininisa ukuba “ukufaneleka kuThixo kuxhomekeke . . . kwidini elifezekileyo likaKristu.” Ngowe-1919, kwindibano eyayilungiselelwe yi-International Bible Students Association eCedar Point, eOhio, kucwangciso olushicilelweyo ayevela kaninzi amazwi athi “Namkelekile! Nonke Nina Bakholelwa Kwidini Lentlawulelo Elibalaseleyo.” Iphepha lesibini leMboniselo lisaqhubeka litsalela ingqalelo kwintlawulelo, lisithi ngenjongo yeli phephancwadi: “Ikhuthaza ukuba nokholo kuKumkani kaThixo olawulayo ngoku, uYesu Kristu, ogazi lakhe laphalalayo livulela uluntu indlela yokuzuza ubomi obungunaphakade.”

Benza Inkqubela, Ababanjwanga Zizivumo Zokholo

Ukuliqonda ngokucacileyo iLizwi likaThixo akuzange kwenzeke konke ngaxeshanye. Kwiimeko ezininzi aBafundi beBhayibhile babeqonda isolotya libe linye lenyaniso ethile babe bengekacacelwa yiyo yonke. Sekunjalo, babekulungele ukufunda. Babengabanjwanga zizivumo zokholo; babesenza inkqubela. Babesabelana nabanye ngoko babekufunda. Babengaluthabatheli kubo uzuko ngezinto ababezifundisa; babefuna ukuba “ngabafundiswa bakaThixo.” (Yoh. 6:45) Yaye baqonda ukuba uYehova usenza sikwazi ukuqonda iinkcukacha zenjongo yakhe ngelakhe ixesha nangendlela yakhe.—Dan. 12:9; thelekisa uYohane 16:12, 13.

Ukufunda izinto ezintsha kuthetha ukulungiswa kweembono. Ukuba kuza kuvunywa iimpazamo kuze kwenziwe iinguqulelo eziyingenelo, kufuneka ukuthobeka. Olu phawu neziqhamo zalo luyathandeka kuYehova, yaye ikhondo elinjalo linomtsalane ngokwenene kubathandi benyaniso. (Zef. 3:12) Kodwa liyahlekwa ngabo baqhayisa ngezivumo zokholo eziye zahlala zinjengokuba zinjalo kangangeenkulungwane, nangona zayilwa ngabantu abangafezekanga.

Indlela Ebuya Ngayo INkosi

Kwakuphakathi ngeminyaka yee-1870 awathi uMzalwan’ uRussell nabo babezihlolisisa ngenkuthalo kunye naye iZibhalo baqonda ukuba xa iNkosi ibuya yayingayi kubonwa ngamehlo enyama.—Yoh. 14:3, 19.

Kamva uMzalwan’ uRussell wathi: “Sasibuhlungu gqitha ngemposiso yamaSecond Adventist, awayelindele ukuba uKristu abuye esenyameni, yaye efundisa ukuba ihlabathi nako konke okukulo ngaphandle kwamaSecond Adventist kwakuya kutshiswa ngowe-1873 okanye ngowe-1874, nto leyo ebangele ukuba ukubeka kwawo amaxesha nokuphoxeka kwawo neengcamango zawo ezibonisa ukungabi nalwazi ngenjongo nendlela yokuza [kukaKristu] kuphantse kuzise ugculelo kuthi nakubo bonke abo bebelangazelela yaye bevakalisa uBukumkani bakhe obuzayo. Ezi mbono ziphosakeleyo ekubanjelelwe kuzo ngabaninzi zenjongo nendlela eya kubuya ngayo iNkosi zikhokelele ekubeni ndibhale iphecana—‘The Object and Manner of Our Lord’s Return.’” Eli phecana lapapashwa ngowe-1877. UMzalwan’ uRussell wathi makushicilelwe kuze kusasazwe angama-50 000.

Kwelo phecana, wabhala: “Sikholelwa kwelokuba izibhalo zifundisa ukuba, ekuzeni kwayo [iNkosi] nasemva kwethuba elithile izile, iya kuhlala ingabonakali; ize emva koko izibonakalise ngemigwebo nangeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo, ukuze ‘onke amehlo ayibone.’” Exhasa oku, waxubusha iindinyana ezifana neZenzo 1:11 (‘uya kuza ngolu hlobo nimbone esimka ngalo’—oko kukuthi, engabonwa lihlabathi) noYohane 14:19 (“liselilifutshane ixesha, ukuze ihlabathi lingabi sandibona”). UMzalwan’ uRussell wabhekisela nakwisibakala sokuba iThe Emphatic Diaglott, eyayipapashwe okokuqala iphelele ngowe-1864 inecala eliguqulela igama negama lenguqulelo yesiNgesi, yanikela ubungqina bokuba ibinzana lesiGrike elithi pa·rou·siʹa lalithetha “ubukho.” Xa wayehlalutya ukusetyenziswa kwelo gama eBhayibhileni, uRussell wacacisa wathi kweli phecana: “Igama lesiGrike ngokuqhelekileyo elisetyenziselwa ukubhekisela ekubuyeni kwesibini—Parousia, ngokufuthi eliguqulelwa ngokuthi ukuza—ngokungaguqukiyo libonisa ukubakho ngokobuqu, njengofikileyo, okhoyo ibe alize libonise ukuba sendleleni, njengokuba sisebenzisa igama elithi ukuza.”

Xa wayexubusha ngenjongo yobukho bukaKristu, uRussell wenza kwacaca ukuba le yayingeyonto eyayiya kwenziwa ngesiquphe. Wabhala: “Ukubuya kwesibini, njengokokuqala, kugubungela ixesha elithile, yaye akusosiganeko esenzeka ngephanyazo.” Wabhala wathi, ngelo xesha ‘umhlambi omncinane’ uya kunikwa umvuzo wawo kunye neNkosi njengeendlalifa kunye nayo kuBukumkani bayo; abanye, mhlawumbi amawaka ezigidi, aya kunikwa ithuba lokufumana ubomi obufezekileyo kumhlaba obuyiselwe kubuhle be-Eden.—Luka 12:32.

Emva kweminyakana nje embalwa, ngokusekelwe kufundisiso olungakumbi lweZibhalo, uRussell waqonda ukuba uKristu wayengayi kuphelela nje ngokubuya ngokungabonakaliyo kodwa wayeya kuhlala engabonakali, kwanaxa ebonakalisa ubukho bakhe ngokugweba abangendawo.

Ngowe-1876, xa uRussell okokuqala wayefunde umbhalo weHerald of the Morning, wayefunde ukuba kwakukho elinye iqela ngoko elalikholelwa ukuba ukubuya kukaKristu kwakuya kuba kokungabonakaliyo nelalinxulumanisa oko kubuya nokusikelelwa kwazo zonke iintsapho zomhlaba. UMnu. Barbour, umhleli welo phephancwadi, wameyisela uRussell kwelokuba ukubuya kukaKristu okungabonakaliyo kwakuqalise ngowe-1874.i Kamva oku kwabalaseliswa ngomxholwana othi “Herald of Christ’s Presence” (Evakalisa Ubukho BukaKristu), owawukwiphepha elingaphandle leZion’s Watch Tower.

Ukuqonda ukuba ubukho bukaKristu bobungabonakaliyo kwaba sisiseko esibalulekileyo ekwakuza kwakhelwa kuso indlela yokuqonda iziprofeto ezininzi zeBhayibhile. Abo Bafundi beBhayibhile bokuqala baqonda ukuba ubukho beNkosi babufanele bube yinto ebalulekileyo kuwo onke amaKristu okwenyaniso. (Marko 13:33-37) Babenomdla kakhulu ekubuyeni kweNkosi yaye babesiphaphele isibakala sokuba babenembopheleleko yokukuvakalisa, kodwa babengekaziqondi ngokucacileyo zonke iinkcukacha. Kodwa, oko umoya kaThixo wabancedayo bakwazi ukukuqonda kwasekuqaleni apho kwakumangalisa ngokwenene. Enye yezi nyaniso yayibandakanya umhla obaluleke kakhulu ophawulwa kwiziprofeto zeBhayibhile.

Ukuphela KwamaXesha EeNtlanga

Kwakusele kukudala abafundi beBhayibhile benomdla okhethekileyo kumbandela wobalo-maxesha lweBhayibhile. Abaphengululi babeneembono ezahlukahlukeneyo ngesiprofeto sikaYesu ‘samaxesha eeNtlanga’ nengxelo yomprofeti uDaniyeli engephupha likaNebhukadenetsare lesiphunzi somthi esabotshwayo ‘amaxesha asixhenxe.’—Luka 21:24, KJ; Dan. 4:10-17.

Kwangowe-1823, uJohn A. Brown, oncwadi yakhe yapapashwa eLondon, eNgilani, wawabala “amaxesha asixhenxe” akuDaniyeli isahluko 4 njengayiminyaka engama-2 520 ubude. Kodwa akazange awuqonde kakuhle umhla eli xesha libuprofeti elaqala okanye elaliya kuphela ngawo. Noko ke, wawahlanganisa la “maxesha asixhenxe” namaXesha eeNtlanga akuLuka 21:24. Ngowe-1844, uE. B. Elliott, umfundisi waseBritani, watsalela ingqalelo kowe-1914 njengomhla ekwakusenokwenzeka aphele ngawo “amaxesha asixhenxe” akuDaniyeli, kodwa wanikela kwanenye imbono eyayisalatha kwixesha leMvukelo yaseFransi. URobert Seeley, waseLondon, ngowe-1849, wawuxubusha ngendlela efanayo lo mbandela. Ubuncinane ngowe-1870, impapasho eyayihlelwe nguJoseph Seiss nezinxulumani zakhe yaza yashicilelwa ePhiladelphia, ePennsylvania, yabala amaxesha awayesalatha kowe-1914 njengomhla obalulekileyo, nakubeni indlela eyayibala ngayo yayisekelwe kubalo-maxesha uC. T. Russell awalugatyayo kamva.

Kwathi, kwiinkupho zeHerald of the Morning zika-Agasti, zikaSeptemba nezikaOktobha 1875, uN. H. Barbour wadibanisa iinkcukacha ezaziboniswe ngabanye. Esebenzisa ubalo-maxesha olwaqulunqwa nguChristopher Bowen, umfundisi waseNgilani, lwaza lwapapashwa nguE. B. Elliott, uBarbour wathi amaXesha eeNtlanga aqala ekususweni kukaKumkani uZedekiya ekubeni ngukumkani njengokuba kwaxelwa kwangaphambili kuHezekile 21:25, 26, waza walatha kowe-1914 njengonyaka wokuphela kwamaxesha eeNtlanga.

Ekuqaleni kowe-1876, uC. T. Russell wafumana umbhalo weHerald of the Morning. Wambhalela kwangoko uBarbour waza wachitha ixesha elithile ekunye naye ePhiladelphia ehlotyeni, bexubusha, phakathi kwezinye izinto, amaxesha eziprofeto. Ngokukhawuleza emva koko, kwinqaku elinomxholo othi “AmaXesha EeNtlanga: Aphela Nini?”, URussell naye waqiqa ngalo mbandela ngokusuka eZibhalweni waza wathi ubungqina bubonisa ukuba “amaxesha asixhenxe aya kuphela ngoA.D. 1914.” Eli nqaku lashicilelwa kwinkupho kaOktobha 1876 yeBible Examiner.j Incwadi ethi Three Worlds, and the Harvest of This World, eyapapashwa ngowe-1877 nguN. H. Barbour esebenzisana noC. T. Russell, yafikelela kwakweso sigqibo sinye. Emva koko, iinkupho zokuqala zeMboniselo (yesiNgesi), njengekaDisemba 1879 nekaJulayi 1880, zalathisela ingqalelo kowe-1914 C.E. njengonyaka obaluleke ngokwenene ngokweziprofeto zeBhayibhile. Ngowe-1889 sonke isahluko sesine soMqulu II weMillennial Dawn (kamva eyabizwa ngokuthi Studies in the Scriptures) sasixubusha ‘NgamaXesha EeNtlanga.’ Kodwa ukuphela kwamaXesha eeNtlanga kwakuza kuthetha ntoni?

ABafundi beBhayibhile babengaqinisekanga ngokupheleleyo ngoko kwakuza kwenzeka. Babeyisekile kukuba kwakungayi kuphumela ekutshisweni komhlaba nasekutshatyalalisweni kobomi babantu. Kunoko, babesazi ukuba kwakuya kuphawula ixesha elibalulekileyo ngokuphathelele ulawulo lukaThixo. Ekuqaleni, babecinga ukuba ngelo xesha uBukumkani bukaThixo babuya kube buzithabathe ngokupheleleyo iintambo kulawulo lomhlaba. Xa oko kungazange kwenzeke, intembelo yabo kwiziprofeto zeBhayibhile eziphawula loo mhla ayizange ixengaxenge. Kunoko, bagqiba kwelokuba loo mhla wawuphawula kuphela ixesha lokuqalisa kolawulo loBukumkani.

Ngokufanayo, ekuqaleni babekwacinga nokuba loo mhla wawuya kwandulelwa ziinkathazo ehlabathi lonke ezaziya kufikelela incopho yazo ngesiphithiphithi sokwenene (ababesithi sinxulumene nemfazwe “yaloo mini inkulu kaThixo uSomandla”). (ISityhi. 16:14) Kodwa ke, kwiminyaka elishumi ngaphambi kowe-1914, IMboniselo yayithe iziphithiphithi zehlabathi ezaziya kuphumela ekutshatyalalisweni kwamaziko abantu zaziya kulandela ngokukhawuleza emva kokuphela kwamaXesha eeNtlanga. Babelindele ukuba unyaka we-1914 wawuya kuphawula ukuguquka kwemeko yeYerusalem, ekubeni isiprofeto sasithe ‘iYerusalem iya kunyathelelwa phantsi’ de azaliseke amaXesha eeNtlanga. Xa babona owe-1914 usondela kodwa bengekafi njengabantu yaye ‘bengekaxwilelwa emafini’ ukuba baye kukhawulela iNkosi—ngokuvisisana noko babekulindele ngaphambili—ngolangazelelo babenethemba lokuba babeya kwenziwa kumila kumbi ekupheleni kwamaXesha eeNtlanga.—1 Tes. 4:17.

Njengoko iminyaka yayiqengqeleka bazihlolisisa baza baphinda bazihlolisisa iZibhalo, ukholo lwabo kwiziprofeto lwahlala luqinile, yaye abazange barhoxobise ukukuthetha oko babelindele ukuba kwenzeke. Nangona babengasoloko bephumelela ngendlela efanayo, bazabalazela ukukuphepha ukuqiniseka ngokugqithisileyo ngeenkcukacha ezingabhalwanga ngokuthe ngqo eZibhalweni.

Ngaba “Iwotshi Ekhalayo” Yakhala Ngaphambi Kwexesha?

Ngokuqinisekileyo kwabakho isiphithiphithi esikhulu ehlabathini ngowe-1914 xa kwaqhambuka iMfazwe Yehlabathi I, kangangeminyaka emininzi eyayibizwa ngokuba yiMfazwe eNkulu, kodwa ayizange ikhokelele ekubhukuqweni kwalo lonke ulawulo lwabantu olwalukho ngoko. Njengokuba iziganeko ezinxulumene nePalestina zenzeka emva kowe-1914, aBafundi beBhayibhile bacinga ukuba babebona ubungqina beenguqulelo eziphawulekayo kwaSirayeli. Kodwa, iinyanga zaziqengqeleka yaye kunjalo nangeminyaka, yaye aBafundi beBhayibhile abazange bawufumane umvuzo wabo wasezulwini njengokuba babelindele. Basabela njani koko?

IMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaFebruwari 1, 1916, yatsalela ingqalelo ngokukhethekileyo kuOktobha 1, 1914, yaza yathi: “Ubalo-maxesha lweBhayibhile luphela kulo mhla ukusixelela okuthile ngokubhekisele koko kuya kwenzeka kwiCawa. Ngaba iNkosi isixelele ukuba siya kuthatyathelwa [ezulwini] ngelo xesha? Akunjalo. Itheni? ILizwi layo nokuzaliseka kweziprofeto kubonakele kusalatha ngokungqalileyo kwelokuba lo mhla uphawula ukuphela kwamaXesha eeNtlanga. Ngokusuka koku siye sagqiba kwelokuba ‘ukwenziwa kumila kumbi’ kweCawa kwakuya kwenzeka ngaloo mhla okanye ngaphambi kwawo. Kodwa uThixo akasixelelanga ukuba kuya kuba njalo. Usiyekile ukuba sigqibe kwelo; yaye sikholelwa kwelokuba oku bekuluvavanyo oluyimfuneko kwiingcwele zikaThixo ezithandekayo ezindaweni zonke.” Kodwa ngaba oku kwangqina ukuba ithemba labo elizukileyo lalililize? Akunjalo. Kwathetha nje ukuba asizizo zonke izinto ezazisenzeka ngokukhawuleza ngendlela ababelindele ngayo.

Kwiminyaka eliqela ngaphambi kowe-1914, uRussell wayebhale oku: “Kuyabonakala ukuba ubalo-maxesha (iziprofeto zamaxesha xa zizonke) lwalungenzelwanga ukunika abantu bakaThixo inkcazelo engqalileyo engobalo-maxesha yazo zonke iinkulungwane. Kucacile ukuba lwenzelwe ukuba lube yiwotshi ekhalayo yokuvusa nokomeleza abantu beNkosi ngexesha elililo. . . . Kodwa makhe sithi, ngokomzekelo, uOktobha, 1914, uyadlula yaye igunya leeNtlanga alibonakali liphela ngokuphawulekayo. Oku kuya kungqina okanye kungangqini ntoni? Akuyi kungqina nayiphi na inkalo yeCebo likaThixo Leminyaka ibubuxoki. Ixabiso lentlawulelo elahlawulwa eKhalvari liya kuqhubeka lisisiqinisekiso sokuzaliseka ngokupheleleyo koCwangciso lukaThixo olubalaseleyo lokubuyiswa koluntu. ‘Ubizo lwasezulwini oluphakamileyo’ lweCawa lokuva ubunzima kunye noMkhululi nokuzukiswa kunye naye njengelungu lakhe okanye njengomTshakazi wakhe aluyi kuguquka. . . . Ekuphela kwento echatshazelwa lubalo-maxesha lixesha lokuzaliseka kwala mathemba azukileyo kwiCawa nakwihlabathi. . . . Yaye ukuba loo mhla uyadlula uya kubonisa nje ukuba ubalo-maxesha lwethu, ‘iwotshi yethu ekhalayo,’ ikhale lingekafiki ixesha. Ngaba besiya kukugqala njengeshwangusha ukuba iwotshi yethu ekhalayo isivuse ngaphambilana kokuba ixesha lifike ngentsasa yemini eza kuzaliswa luvuyo nemigcobo? Ngokuqinisekileyo akunjalo!”

Kodwa loo “wotshi ekhalayo” yayingakhalanga ngaphambi kwexesha. Enyanisweni, koko loo “wotshi” eyayibavusela kona okwakungekuko ngqo oko babekulindele.

Kwiminyaka ethile kamva, xa ukukhanya kwakuqaqambe ngakumbi, bavuma ukuba: “Inkoliso yeengcwele ezithandekayo yayicinga ukuba wawenziwe wonke umsebenzi. . . . Zazivuya ngenxa yobungqina obucacileyo bokuba ihlabathi laliphelile, nokuba ubukumkani bamazulu babusondele, yaye imini yokukhululwa kwazo yayisondele. Kodwa zazityeshele enye into emele yenziwe. Iindaba ezilungileyo ezazizifumene zazimele zixelelwe abanye; kuba uYesu wayalela oku: ‘Le vangeli yobukumkani iya kushunyayelwa kulo lonke ilizwe, ibe sisingqino kuzo zonke iintlanga: kwandule ke ukufika ukuphela.’ (Mateyu 24:14)”—IMboniselo (yesiNgesi), Meyi 1, 1925.

Njengokuba iziganeko zasemva kowe-1914 zaziqalisa ukwenzeka, yaye naBafundi beBhayibhile bezithelekisa noko iNkosi yayikuxele kwangaphambili, ngokuthe ngcembe baqalisa ukuqonda ukuba babephila kwimihla yokugqibela yale nkqubo indala nokuba oko kwakunjalo ukususela ngowe-1914. Kwakhona baqonda nokuba ubukho bukaKristu obungabonakaliyo babuqale ngonyaka we-1914, yaye oku kwakungathethi ukuba wayebuyele ngokoqobo (nangona wayengabonakali) kummandla womhlaba, kodwa ngokwalathisela ingqalelo yakhe emhlabeni njengoKumkani olawulayo. Bayibona baza bayamkela imbopheleleko ebalulekileyo ababenayo yokuvakalisa “ezi ndaba zilungileyo zobukumkani” ukuze zibe bubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga kula maxesha anomngcipheko embali yabantu.—Mat. 24:3-14.

Kanye kanye sasiyintoni isigidimi soBukumkani ababemele basishumayele? Ngaba sasahlukile kwisigidimi samaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala?

UBukumkani BukaThixo, Ekuphela Kwethemba Loluntu

Ngenxa yokulifundisisa ngenyameko iLizwi likaThixo, aBafundi beBhayibhile ababenxulumene noMzalwan’ uRussell baqonda ukuba uBukumkani bukaThixo babungurhulumente uYehova awayethembise ukumseka esebenzisa uNyana wakhe ukuze kusikelelwe uluntu. UYesu Kristu, esezulwini, wayeza kunxulumana ‘nomhlambi omncinane’ owawuza kuba ngabalawuli abanyulwe nguThixo phakathi koluntu. Baqonda ukuba lo rhulumente wawuza kumelwa ngamadoda athembekileyo akudala awayeya kukhonza njengabathetheli emhlabeni wonke. Aba kwakubhekiselwa kubo ‘njengabantu ababalaseleyo bamandulo.’—Luka 12:32; Dan. 7:27; ISityhi. 20:6; INdu. 45:16.

Kwakusele kukudala iNgqobhoko ifundisa ‘ngelungelo abanalo ookumkani elivela kuThixo,’ njengendlela yokugcina abantu bethobela. Kodwa aba Bafundi beBhayibhile babona ngokusuka eZibhalweni ukuba ikamva loorhulumente babantu lalingenasiqinisekiso sivela kuThixo. Ngokuvisisana noko babekufunda, iMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaDisemba 1881 yathi: “Kakade ke, ukusekwa kobu bukumkani kuya kubandakanya ukubhukuqwa kwazo zonke izikumkani zomhlaba, njengokuba zonke—nditsho nezona zilungileyo kuzo—zisekelwe kokungekho sikweni namalungelo angalinganiyo nasekucinezelweni kwesininzi nokuthandwa kwegcudwana—kuba siyafunda: ‘Buya kuzicola buzigqibe zonke ezo zikumkani bona bume ngonaphakade.’”—Dan. 2:44.

Ngokubhekisele kwindlela ezo zikumkani zicinezelayo ezaziya kucolwa ngayo, kwakusekuninzi ekwakusafuneka aBafundi beBhayibhile bakufunde. Babengekayiqondi ngokucacileyo indlela iingenelo zoBukumkani bukaThixo ezaziya kufikelela ngayo kulo lonke uluntu. Kodwa uBukumkani bukaThixo babengabubhidanisi nemvakalelo engacacanga esentliziyweni kabani okanye nolawulo lwamabhunga onqulo awayesebenzisa uRhulumente njengesixhobo sawo.

Ngowe-1914, abakhonzi bakaThixo abathembekileyo bangaphambi kobuKristu babengekavuswa emhlabeni njengabameli abangabathetheli boKumkani onguMesiya, njengokuba kwakulindelwe, yaye nabasaseleyo ‘bomhlambi omncinane’ babengekamtheleli uKristu kuBukumkani basezulwini ngaloo nyaka. Sekunjalo, IMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaFebruwari 15, 1915, ngentembelo yathi owe-1914 wayelixesha elifanelekileyo “lokuba iNkosi yethu iwathabathe amandla Ayo amakhulu ize ilawule,” ngaloo ndlela iphelise amawaka eminyaka okulawula kweeNtlanga ngaphandle kokuphazanyiswa. Kwinkupho yayo (yesiNgesi) kaJulayi 1, 1920, IMboniselo yaphinda yakubethelela oko yaza yakunxulumanisa neendaba ezilungileyo uYesu awayexele kwangaphambili ukuba zaziya kuvakaliswa emhlabeni wonke ngaphambi kokufika kokuphela. (Mat. 24:14) Kwindibano yaBafundi beBhayibhile eyayiseCedar Point, eOhio, ngowe-1922, le ndlela yokuqonda izinto yaphindwa kwisigqibo esamkelwa ngabo bonke ababekho, waza uMzalwan’ uRutherford wabongoza abo babekho kuloo ndibano esithi: “Mbhengezeni, mbhengezeni, mbhengezeni, uKumkani nobukumkani bakhe.”

Noko ke, ngelo xesha aBafundi beBhayibhile babevakalelwa kukuba uBukumkani babungayi kumiswa, busekwe ngokupheleleyo ezulwini, de amalungu okugqibela omtshakazi kaKristu azukiswe. Ngoko ke, kwafikelelwa inqanaba elibaluleke ngokwenene ngowe-1925, xa IMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaMatshi 1 yabalaselisa inqaku elithi “Ukuzalwa Kohlanga.” Lalinengxubusho eyatsho kwathi qwenge ngeSityhilelo isahluko 12. Eli nqaku lanikela ubungqina bokuba uBukumkani obungoMesiya babuzelwe—babumiselwe—ngowe-1914, nobokuba ngoko uKristu wayeqalisile ukulawula kwitrone yakhe yasezulwini, nokuba emva koko uSathana wayekhutshelwe ngaphandle kwezulu walahlelwa kummandla womhlaba. Ezi yayiziindaba ezilungileyo ezazimele zivakaliswe, iindaba zokuba uBukumkani bukaThixo babusele busebenza. Hayi indlela oku kuziqonda kakuhle izibakala okwabashukumisa ngayo aba bavakalisi boBukumkani ukuba bashumayele kuse eziphelweni zomhlaba!

Ngazo zonke iindlela ezifanelekileyo, abantu bakaYehova banikela ubungqina bokuba buBukumkani bukaThixo kuphela obabunokubakhulula ngokusisigxina abantu buze bucombulule iingxaki ezinzulu ezithwaxe uluntu. Ngowe-1931 esi sigidimi sasasazwa kunomathotholo nguJ. F. Rutherford kolona thungelwano lukhulu loonomathotholo ukuza kuthi ga ngelo xesha. Okwakukuloo nkqubo kanomathotholo kwapapashwa nangeelwimi ezininzi ngencwadana ethi The Kingdom, the Hope of the World—ngeenyangana nje ezimbalwa kwasasazwa izigidi zayo. Ukongezelela ekusasazweni kwayo ngokubanzi kuwonke wonke, kwenziwa umgudu okhethekileyo wokuba abezobupolitika, oosomashishini ababalaseleyo nabefundisi bafumane imibhalo yayo.

Phakathi kwezinye izinto, loo ncwadana yathi: “Oorhulumente behlabathi abangenabulungisa abakhoyo ngoku abanakunikela themba tu kwaphela ebantwini. UThixo ubagwebele ukuba batshatyalaliswe. Ngoko ke, ithemba lehlabathi, ekuphela kwethemba, bubukumkani okanye urhulumente wobulungisa kaThixo uKristu Yesu anguMlawuli wabo ongabonakaliyo.” Baqonda ukuba obo Bukumkani buya kuzisa uxolo nonqabiseko lokwenyaniso kuluntu. Ngaphantsi kolawulo lwabo umhlaba uya kuba yiparadisi yokwenene, yaye ukugula nokufa akuyi kubakho.—ISityhi. 21:4, 5.

Iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo ziseyenye yeenkolelo ezisisiseko zamaNgqina kaYehova. Ukususela kwinkupho (yesiNgesi) kaMatshi 1, 1939, iphephancwadi lawo eliphambili, ngoku elipapashwa ngeelwimi ezingaphezu kwe-110, belinomxholo othi IMboniselo Evakalisa UBukumkani BukaYehova.

Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba ulawulo loBukumkani lwenze umhlaba ube yiparadisi, le nkqubo ikhoyo ingendawo imele itshatyalaliswe. Kuya kwenziwa njani oku?

Imfazwe Yaloo Mini Inkulu KaThixo USomandla

Imfazwe yehlabathi eyaqalisa ngowe-1914 yayigungqisa kwaneziseko zayo le nkqubo yezinto ikhoyo. Okwethuba elithile kwakubonakala ngathi izinto zaziza kwenzeka ngendlela aBafundi beBhayibhile ababelindele ukuba zenzeke ngayo.

Emva phaya ngoAgasti 1880, uMzalwan’ uRussell wayebhale oku: “Siyaqonda ukuba ngaphambi kokuba intsapho yabantu ibuyiselwe okanye iqalise kwaukusikelelwa izikumkani zehlabathi ezikhoyo ngoku ezibophelela nezicinezela uluntu zonke ziya kubhukuqwa buze uBukumkani bukaThixo buthabathe iintambo zize iintsikelelo nokubuyiswa zize ngobo bukumkani butsha.” Zaziya ‘kubhukuqwa njani izikumkani’? Ngokusekelwe kwiimeko awayezibona ziqalisa ngelo xesha ehlabathini, uRussell wayekholelwa kwelokuba ebudeni bemfazwe yeArmagedon, uThixo wayeya kusebenzisa amacala alwayo oluntu ukuze abhukuqe amaziko akhoyo. Wathi: “Umsebenzi wokutshayela ubukhosi babantu uqalisile. Igunya eliza kububhukuqa sele lisebenza. Abantu sele beqalisile ukuhlanganisa imikhosi yabo abayibiza ngokuthi yeyamaKomanisi, amaSoshiyali, abaNihili, njalo njalo.”

Incwadi ethi The Day of Vengeance (kamva eyabizwa ngokuthi The Battle of Armageddon), eyapapashwa ngowe-1897, yayicacisa ngakumbi indlela aBafundi beBhayibhile ababewuqonda ngayo lo mbandela ngoko, isithi: “INkosi, ngegunya layo elinganakuphikiswa, iya kulisebenzisa eli hlokondiba labantu abanganelisekanga—oothandizwe, abo bathanda uhlaziyo, amasoshiyali, abo baphakamisa imilinganiselo yokuziphatha, abo balwisana noorhulumente, abangenalwazi nabaphelelwe lithemba—ize isebenzise amathemba abo, oko bakoyikayo, ubuyatha nokuzingca kwabo, ngokuvisisana nobulumko bayo bobuthixo, ukuze ifeze iinjongo zayo ezizukileyo zokubhukuqa amaziko akhoyo, nokuze yenze abantu balungele uBukumkani bobuLungisa.” Ngaloo ndlela imfazwe yeArmagedon babeyinxulumanisa neenguqu ezinogonyamelo zasentlalweni.

Kodwa ngaba iArmagedon yayiza kuba ngumlo phakathi kwamacala aphikisanayo abantu kuphela, inguqu yasentlalweni eyayiza kusetyenziswa nguThixo ukubhukuqa amaziko akhoyo? Njengoko kwakunikelwa ingqalelo engakumbi kwizibhalo ezingalo mbandela, IMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaJulayi 15, 1925, yatsalel’ ingqalelo kuZekariya 14:1-3 yaza yathi: “Ngokusuka koku siya kuqonda ukuba zonke iintlanga zomhlaba, ezalathiswa nguSathana, ziya kuhlanganiselwa ukulwa nodidi lweYerusalem, oko kukuthi, abo bema ngakwicala leNkosi . . . ISityhilelo 16:14, 16.”

Kunyaka olandelayo, kwincwadi ethi Deliverance, kwanikelwa ingqalelo kwinjongo yokwenene yale mfazwe, kwathiwa: “Ngoku uYehova, ngokweLizwi lakhe, uya kubonakalisa amandla akhe ngokucacileyo nangokuqinisekileyo kangangokuba abantu babe nokweyiseka kukuba ikhondo labo libonisa ukungahloneli Thixo baze baqonde ukuba uYehova unguThixo. Eso sisizathu esabangela uThixo azise umkhukula omkhulu, adilize iNqaba yaseBhabheli, atshabalalise umkhosi kaSaneribhe ukumkani waseAsiriya, waza wazulumbela amaYiputa; yaye kungenxa yoko nangoku eza kuzisa enye inkathazo enkulu ehlabathini. Iintlekele zangaphambili zazizizithunzi nje kuphela zaleyo izayo ngoku. Abantu bahlanganiselwa kwimini enkulu kaThixo uSomandla. Leyo ‘yimini enkulu neyoyikekayo yeNkosi’ (Yoweli 2:31), leyo uThixo aya kuzenzela igama ngayo. Kolu ngquzulwano lukhulu nolokugqibela abantu beentlanga zonke, imizalwana neelwimi baya kufunda ukuba uYehova unguThixo onamandla onke, nobulumko bonke nosesikweni.” Kodwa abakhonzi bakaYehova abasemhlabeni balunyukiswa: “Kule mfazwe inkulu akukho mKristu uya kuhlasela. Isizathu sokuba engayi kwenjenjalo kukuba uYehova uthe: ‘Kuba imfazwe asiyoyenu, yekaThixo.’” Imfazwe echazwayo apha ngokuqinisekileyo asiyiyo leyo yaliwa ziintlanga, eyaqalisa ngowe-1914. Yayisamele ifike.

Kwakusekho nezinye iimbambano ekwakusafuneka ziconjululwe ngokusuka eZibhalweni. Enye yezi yayibandakanya ukufaniswa kweYerusalem eyayiza kunyathelelwa ngaphantsi kweenyawo de aphele amaXesha eeNtlanga, njengokuba kusitshiwo kuLuka 21:24; yaye okunye okunxulumene noku yayikukufaniswa kukaSirayeli ekubhekiselwa kuye kwiziprofeto ezininzi zokubuyiswa.

Ngaba UThixo Wayeza Kuwabuyisela EPalestina AmaYuda?

ABafundi beBhayibhile babeziqonda kakuhle iziprofeto ezininzi zokubuyiswa ezadluliselwa kuSirayeli wamandulo ngabaprofeti bakaThixo. (Yer. 30:18; 31:8-10; Amosi 9:14, 15; Roma 11:25, 26) Kwade kwaba ngowe-1932, becinga ukuba ezi ziprofeto zazisebenza ngokukhethekileyo kumaYuda emvelo. Ngaloo ndlela, babekholelwa ukuba amaSirayeli ayeya kuphinda azuze inkoliseko kaThixo, ngokuthe ngcembe awabuyisele ePalestina amaYuda, awenze ayibone inyaniso engoYesu njengalowo walungiselela iNtlawulelo nonguKumkani onguMesiya, yaye awasebenzise njengothunywashe wokusikelela iintlanga zonke. Ekubeni wayeziqonda ngolu hlobo izinto, uMzalwan’ uRussell wathetha kumaYuda amaninzi eNew York naseYurophu ngombandela othi “UbuZiyon Kwisiprofeto,” yaye uMzalwan’ uRutherford ngowe-1925 wabhala incwadi ethi Comfort for the Jews.

Kodwa ngokuthe ngcembe kwacaca ukuba oko kwakusenzeka ePalestina ngokubhekisele kumaYuda kwakungekokuzalisekiswa kweziprofeto zikaYehova ezizukileyo ezingokubuyiswa. IYerusalem yenkulungwane yokuqala yatshatyalaliswa ngenxa yokuba amaYuda ayengamamkelanga uNyana kaThixo, uMesiya, lowo wayethunywe egameni likaYehova. (Dan. 9:25-27; Mat. 23:38, 39) Kwakusiya kucaca ngakumbi ukuba njengeqela labantu ayengekasiguquli isimo sawo sengqondo. Ayengaguqukanga kwisenzo esiphosakeleyo esasenziwe ngooyisemkhulu. Ukubuyela kwamanye ePalestina kwakungashukunyiswa luthando ngoThixo okanye ngumnqweno wokuba igama lakhe lenziwe likhulu ngokuzalisekiswa kweLizwi lakhe. Oku kwachazwa ngokucacileyo kumqulu wesibini wencwadi ethi Vindication, eyapapashwa yiWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society ngowe-1932.k Ukuchana kwale ndlela yokuqonda izinto kwaqinisekiswa ngowe-1949, xa iLizwe lakwaSirayeli, elalisandul’ ukusekwa njengelizwe elizimeleyo nelizwe lokuzalwa lamaYuda, lathi laba lilungu leZizwe Ezimanyeneyo, ngaloo ndlela libonisa ukuba lalingakholosanga ngoYehova kodwa ngamazwe ezobupolitika ehlabathi.

Okwakusenzeka kuzalisekisa ezo ziprofeto zokubuyiswa kwabonisa enye into eyahlukileyo. Abakhonzi bakaYehova baqala ukuqonda ukuba yayinguSirayeli wokomoya, ‘uSirayeli kaThixo,’ obunjwe ngamaKristu athanjiswe ngomoya, owayenandipha uxolo noThixo ngoYesu Kristu, nto leyo eyayizalisekisa injongo kaThixo. (Gal. 6:16) Ngoku bakwazi ukubona ngokucacileyo kwiinkqubano zikaThixo naloo maKristu okwenyaniso ukuzaliseka ngokomoya okumangalisayo kwezo zithembiso zokubuyiswa. Ekuhambeni kwexesha baqonda nokuba iYerusalem eyayiphakanyisiwe ekupheleni kwamaXesha eeNtlanga yayingesosixeko nje sasemhlabeni, okanye kwanabantu abasemhlabeni abamelwa seso sixeko, kodwa, kunoko, ‘yayiyiYerusalem yasezulwini,’ apho uYehova wayembeke khona uNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu, emnika igunya lokulawula ngowe-1914.—Heb. 12:22.

Ekubeni le mibandela yayicacile, amaNgqina kaYehova ayenokukwazi ngakumbi ukuluzalisekisa ngaphandle komkhethe kuwo onke amaqela uthumo lokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani “kulo elimiweyo liphela, zibe bubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga.”—Mat. 24:14.

Ngubani omele azukiswe ngayo yonke le nkcazelo yeBhayibhile ebiphuma kwiimpapasho zeWatch Tower?

Iindlela Abafundiswa Ngazo Abakhonzi BakaYehova

UYesu Kristu waxela kwangaphambili ukuba emva kokubuyela kwakhe ezulwini, wayeya kuthumelela abafundi bakhe umoya oyingcwele. Lo moya wawuya kuba ngumncedi, ubakhokelele “kuyo yonke inyaniso.” (Yoh. 14:26; 16:7, 13) Kwakhona uYesu wathi njengeNkosi yamaKristu okwenyaniso, wayeya kuba ‘nekhoboka elithembekileyo neliqondayo,’ ‘igosa elithembekileyo,’ elaliya kunikela ‘ukudla kokomoya ngexesha elililo’ kwabendlu, abo basebenza kwindlu yokholo. (Mat. 24:45-47, NW; Luka 12:42) Ngubani elo khoboka lithembekileyo neliqondayo?

Kwainkupho yokuqala yeMboniselo (yesiNgesi) yabhekisela kuMateyu 24:45-47 xa yathi injongo yabapapashi belo phephancwadi yayikukuphaphela iziganeko ezinxulumene nobukho bukaKristu nokunikela ‘inyama yokomoya ngexesha elifanelekileyo’ kwabendlu yokholo. Kodwa umhleli weli phephancwadi wayengathi yena ulikhoboka elithembekileyo neliqondayo, okanye “umkhonzi othembekileyo nolumkileyo” (ngokutsho kwendlela ebekwe ngayo kwiKing James Version).

Ngaloo ndlela, kwinkupho (yesiNgesi) kaOktobha-Novemba 1881 yelo phephancwadi, uC. T. Russell wathi: “Sikholelwa ukuba lungu ngalinye lalo mzimba kaKristu, enoba kungokuthe ngqo okanye ngenye indlela, lixakeke ngulo msebenzi usikelelekileyo wokunikela inyama ngexesha elifanelekileyo kwabendlu yokholo. ‘Ngoko ngubani loo mkhonzi uthembekileyo nolumkileyo iNkosi yakhe emenze umlawuli phezu kwendlu yayo,’ ukuba abanike inyama ngexesha elifanelekileyo? Ngaba ‘asingomhlambi omncinane’ wabakhonzi abazinikeleyo abaphumeza izibhambathiso zabo zokuzinikela ngokuthembeka—umzimba kaKristu—kusini na, yaye ngaba asingomzimba wonke njengabantu ngabanye nanjengeqela, onikela inyama ngexesha elifanelekileyo kwabendlu yokholo—ibandla elikhulu lamakholwa? Usikelelekile loo mkhonzi (umzimba kaKristu uphela) eya kuthi iNkosi yakhe yakufika (ngesiGrike, elthon) imfumane esenjenjalo. ‘Inene, ndithi kuni, iya kumenza umlawuli wayo yonke impahla yayo.’”

Noko ke, ngaphezu kweminyaka elishumi kamva umfazi kaMzalwan’ uRussell ngokuphandle wavakalisa ingcamango yokuba uRussell wayengumkhonzi othembekileyo nolumkileyo.l Kangangeminyaka emalunga nama-30 aBafundi beBhayibhile ngokubanzi babambelela kule mbono wayivakalisayo ngokuphathelele oko anguye ‘umkhonzi othembekileyo.’ UMzalwan’ uRussell akazange ayiphikise imbono yabo, kodwa yena ngokobuqu wakuphepha ukuyisebenzisa ngolo hlobo le ndinyana, ebalaselisa ukuyichasa kwakhe ingcamango yodidi lwabefundisi abanothumo lokufundisa iLizwi likaThixo ngokuchasene nodidi lwamarhamente angenalo olo thumo. Indlela yokuqonda lo mbandela eyavakaliswa nguMzalwan’ uRussell ngowe-1881 yokuba umkhonzi othembekileyo nolumkileyo eneneni wayengumkhonzi oyintlanganisela, obunjwa ngawo onke amalungu omzimba kaKristu athanjiswe ngomoya asemhlabeni, yagxininiswa kwiMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaFebruwari 15, 1927.—Thelekisa uIsaya 43:10.

UMzalwan’ uRussell wayeyigqala njani indima yakhe? Ngaba wayesithi wayenesityhilelo esikhethekileyo esivela kuThixo? KwiMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaJulayi 15, 1906 (iphepha 229), ngokuzithoba uRussell waphendula: “Hayi, zihlobo ezithandekayo, andithi ndingaphezulu kwabanye, okanye ndinamandla angaphezu kwawemvelo, isidima okanye igunya; kungenguwo nomnqweno wam ukuziphakamisa ngaphezu kwabazalwana bam bendlu yokholo, ngaphandle kwendlela iNkosi eyasibongoza ukuba senze ngayo, isithi, ‘Osukuba enga angaba mkhulu phakathi kwenu, makabe ngumlungiseleli wenu.’ (Mat. 20:27.) . . . Iinyaniso endizichazayo, njengesithethi sikaThixo, andizityhilelwanga embonweni okanye ephupheni, okanye ngelizwi likaThixo elivakalayo, okanye ngaxeshanye, kodwa ngokuthe ngcembe . . . Yaye oku kutyhileka ngokucacileyo kwenyaniso akubangelwanga bubukrelekrele okanye ukuqonda kakuhle komntu, kodwa kubangelwe sisibakala esilula sokuba ixesha likaThixo elifanelekileyo lifikile; yaye ukuba bendingathethanga, yaye akwafunyanwa nomnye umthunywa, kwanamatye la ebeya kuthetha.”

Abafundi beMboniselo bakhuthazwa ukuba bakhangele kuYehova uMyaleli wabo Ozukileyo, kanye njengokuba onke amaNgqina kaYehova ekhuthazwa namhlanje. (Isa. 30:20, NW) Oku kwabethelelwa ngamandla kwiMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaNovemba 1, 1931, kwinqaku elithi “Bafundiswa nguThixo,” elathi: “IMboniselo iyavuma ukuba inyaniso yekaYehova, asiyoyaso nasiphi na isidalwa. IMboniselo ayisosixhobo sakhe nawuphi na umntu okanye iqela labantu, yaye ayipapashwa ngokweminqweno yabantu. . . . UYehova uThixo nguMfundisi obalaseleyo wabantwana bakhe. Ngokuqinisekileyo, ezi nyaniso zipapashwa ngabantu abangafezekanga, yaye ngenxa yoko azipapashwa ngendlela egqibeleleyo; kodwa zipapashwa ngendlela ebonisa inyaniso kaThixo ayifundisa abantwana bakhe.”

Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, xa kwakuphakama imibuzo engemfundiso okanye inkqubo ethile, yayibhekiswa kwiqumrhu elilawulayo elalibunjwa ngamadoda akhulileyo ngokomoya. Kwakusenziwa izigqibo emva kokuqwalasela oko iZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo zikutshoyo kwanobungqina bomsebenzi owawuvisisana nezo Zibhalo nowawuphumelela ngenxa yokusebenza komoya oyingcwele. Ezi zigqibo zazidluliselwa emabandleni ngeencwadi. (IZe. 15:1–16:5) Kusasebenza loo nkqubo naphakathi kwamaNgqina kaYehova namhlanje.

Imfundo yeZibhalo idluliselwa ngamanqaku amaphephancwadi, iincwadi, ucwangciso lweendibano, nangolwandlalo lweentetho ezinikelwa emabandleni—zinto ezo xa zizonke ezilungiselelwa ngaphantsi kolwalathiso lweQumrhu Elilawulayo lomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo. Oko zikuquletheyo kubonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba oko uYesu wakuxela kwangaphambili kuyinyaniso namhlanje—ukuba, ngokwenene, unodidi lomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo olufundisa ‘zonke izinto aluwisele umthetho ngazo’ ngokunyaniseka; ukuba lo thunywashe “ulindile,” uphaphele iziganeko ezizalisekisa iziprofeto zeBhayibhile ngokukodwa ezibhekisele kubukho bukaKristu; ukuba unceda abantu aboyika uThixo baqonde oko kubandakanyekileyo ‘ekugcineni’ izinto ezayalelwa nguYesu baze ngaloo ndlela bazingqine bengabafundi bakhe bokwenyaniso.—Mat. 24:42; 28:20; Yoh. 8:31, 32.

Ngokuthe ngcembe, njengokuba iminyaka ibihamba, izenzo ezazinokutsalela ingqalelo engafanelekanga kubantu abathile mayela nokulungiselelwa kokutya kokomoya ziye zayekwa. De kwasekufeni kukaC. T. Russell, igama lakhe njengomhleli lalibhalwa phantse kuzo zonke iinkupho zeMboniselo. Amagama abanye ababenegalelo ekubhalweni kwamanqaku athile ngokufuthi ayevela ekupheleni kwamanqaku ababewalungiselele. Kwandula ke, ukususela kwinkupho kaDisemba 1, 1916, kunokuveza igama lomntu omnye njengomhleli, IMboniselo (yesiNgesi) yadwelisa amagama ekomiti yabahleli. Kwinkupho kaOktobha 15, 1931 (yesiNgesi), nolu ludwe lwasuswa, endaweni yalo kwavela uIsaya 54:13. Xa ecatshulwa kwiAmerican Standard Version, ufundeka ngolu hlobo: “Yaye bonke abantwana bakho baya kufundiswa nguYehova; ibe luya kuba lukhulu uxolo lwabantwana bakho.” Ukususela ngowe-1942 bekuyinto eqhelekileyo ukuba uncwadi olupapashwe yiWatch Tower Society lungatsaleli ngqalelo kuye nawuphi umntu njengombhali.a Ngaphantsi kolwalathiso lweQumrhu Elilawulayo, amaKristu azahluleleyo kuMntla nakuMzantsi Merika, eYurophu, eAfrika, eAsia, nakwiziqithi zolwandle ebenegalelo ekulungiselelweni kombandela onjalo ukuze usetyenziswe emabandleni amaNgqina kaYehova ehlabathini lonke. Kodwa lonke uzuko lunikwa uYehova uThixo.

Ukukhanya Kuya Kuqaqamba Ngakumbi

Njengokuba imbali yawo yanamhlanje ibonisa, okwenzeke kumaNgqina kaYehova kufana noko kuchazwe kwiMizekeliso 4:18: “Umendo wamalungisa unjengokukhanya komso, okuya kuba mhlophe ngokuba mhlophe, kude kube semini enkulu.” Ukuqaqamba kokukhanya bekusenzeka ngokuqhubekayo, kanye njengokuba ukukhanya kwasekuseni kuthatyathelwa indawo kukuphuma kwelanga kwandule kuvele ukukhanya kwemini entsha. Ekubeni imibandela bebeyijonga ngokusekelwe kukukhanya obekukho ngelo xesha, maxa wambi bebesiba neengcamango ezingaphelelanga kwanezingachananga. Kungakhathaliseki ukuba bebezama ngamandla kangakanani na, bebengakwazi ukuziqonda iziprofeto ezithile de ezi ziqalise ukuzaliseka. Njengokuba uYehova eye wanikela ukukhanya okungakumbi kwiLizwi lakhe ngomoya wakhe, ngokuzithoba abakhonzi bakhe bebekulungele ukwenza uhlengahlengiso oluyimfuneko.

Ukuqonda izinto ngokuqhubekayo ngolo hlobo akuzange kuphelele kwixesha lokuqalisa kwembali yawo yanamhlanje. Kuyaqhubeka ukuza kutsho ngoku. Ngokomzekelo, ngowe-1962 kwenziwa uhlengahlengiso kwindlela awayeqondwa ngayo “amagunya awongamileyo” akumaRoma 13:1-7.

Kangangeminyaka emininzi aBafundi beBhayibhile babefundisa ukuba ‘amagunya aphezulu’ (Appleyard) yayinguYehova uThixo noYesu Kristu. Ngoba? KwiMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaJuni 1 nekaJuni 15, 1929, kwacatshulwa imithetho eyahlukahlukeneyo yoorhulumente, kwaza kwaboniswa ukuba okwakuvunyelwa kwelinye ilizwe kwakwalelwe kwelinye. Kwatsalelwa ingqalelo kwimithetho yoorhulumente eyayifuna ukuba abantu benze oko uThixo akwaleleyo okanye eyayisalela oko uThixo ayalele abakhonzi bakhe ukuba bakwenze. Ngenxa yomnqweno wabo onzulu wokubonisa intlonelo kwigunya eliphakamileyo likaThixo, aBafundi beBhayibhile babona ukuba ‘amagunya aphezulu’ amele abe nguYehova uThixo noYesu Kristu. Babesayithobela imithetho yoorhulumente, kodwa kwakugxininiswa ekuthobeleni uThixo kuqala. Eso yayisisifundo esibalulekileyo, esabomelezela iminyaka eyayineziphithiphithi eyalandelayo. Kodwa babengakuqondi kakuhle okwakuthethwa ngamaRoma 13:1-7.

Kwiminyaka ethile kamva, esi sibhalo sahlolisiswa ngenyameko kwakhona, kunye nomongo nentsingiselo yaso ngokuvisisana nayo yonke iBhayibhile. Ngenxa yoku, ngowe-1962 kwaqondwa ukuba “amagunya awongamileyo” ngabalawuli behlabathi, kodwa ngoncedo lweNew World Translation, umgaqo wokuzithoba okulinganiselweyo waqondwa kakuhle.b Oku akuzange kubangele ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova enze utshintsho olukhulu kwisimo sawo sengqondo ngakoorhulumente behlabathi, kodwa kwayilungisa indlela awayeyiqonda ngayo inxalenye ebalulekileyo yeZibhalo. Kwangaxeshanye, kwavela ithuba lokuba iNgqina ngalinye liqwalasele ngenyameko enoba ngokwenene laliphila ngokuvisisana nembopheleleko yalo ngakuThixo nakumagunya ehlabathi. Oku kuwaqonda ngokucacileyo “amagunya awongamileyo” kuye kwawakhusela amaNgqina kaYehova, ingakumbi kumazwe apho ukuvuka kobuhlanga nokulwela inkululeko engakumbi kuye kwaphumela kugonyamelo nokusekwa koorhulumente abatsha.

Kunyaka olandelayo, ngowe-1963, intsingiselo ‘yeBhabhiloni Enkulu’ yachazwa ngokubhekele phaya.c (ISityhi. 17:5) Ukuhlolisiswa kwembali yehlabathi neyonqulo kwakhokelela kwisigqibo sokuba impembelelo yeBhabhiloni yamandulo yayingangenanga kwiNgqobhoko kuphela kodwa kwanakulo lonke ihlabathi. Ngaloo ndlela iBhabhiloni Enkulu yaqondwa njengabo bonke ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki. Ukwazi oku kuwancedile amaNgqina kaYehova ukuba ancede abantu abaninzi ngakumbi, abaneemvelaphi ezahlukahlukeneyo, basabele kulo myalelo weBhayibhile: “Phumani kuyo, bantu bam.”—ISityhi. 18:4.

Eneneni, ukutyhileka kweziganeko ezaxelwa kwangaphambili kwincwadi yeSityhilelo iphela kunikele ukukhanya okukhulu kokomoya. Ngowe-1917 kwapapashwa uhlolisiso lwencwadi yeSityhilelo kwincwadi ethi The Finished Mystery. Kodwa ‘imini yeNkosi,’ ekuthethwa ngayo kwiSityhilelo 1:10, yayisaqalisa ngoko; okuninzi koko kwakuxelwe kwangaphambili kwakungekenzeki yaye kwakungaqondwa kakuhle. Noko ke, izinto ezenzeka kwiminyaka elandelayo zayikhanyisa ngakumbi intsingiselo yaloo nxalenye yeBhayibhile, yaye ezi ziganeko zaluchaphazela ngokunzulu uhlolisiso lweSityhilelo olwapapashwa ngowe-1930 kwimiqulu emibini eyayinomxholo othi Light. Ebudeni beminyaka yee-1960 le nkcazelo yaphinda yahlaziywa kwakhona kwincwadi ethi “Babylon the Great Has Fallen!” God’s Kingdom Rules! nethi “Then Is Finished the Mystery of God.” Emva kweminyaka engamashumi amabini yaphinda yahlolisiswa ngokweenkcukacha kwakhona loo ncwadi yeBhayibhile. Intetho yokomfuziselo esetyenziswe kwiSityhilelo yahlolisiswa ngenyameko ngokuvisisana namazwi afanayo akwezinye iinxalenye zeBhayibhile. (1 Kor. 2:10-13) Iziganeko zale nkulungwane yamashumi amabini ezizalisekisa iziprofeto zahlolisiswa. Okwafunyaniswayo kwapapashwa ngowe-1988 kwincwadi echulumancisayo ethi ISityhilelo—Incopho Yaso Ezukileyo Isondele!

Ebudeni beminyaka yokuqala yembali yawo yezi mini, kwakubekwa iziseko. Kwanikelwa ukudla kokomoya okuxabiseke ngokwenene. Kwiminyaka yakutshanje kuye kwanikelwa umbandela wokufundisisa iBhayibhile owahlukahlukeneyo ukuze kwaneliswe iintswelo zamaKristu akhulileyo nabafundi abatsha abaneemvelaphi ezininzi. Ufundisiso oluqhubekayo lweZibhalo, kunye nokuzaliseka kweziprofeto zikaThixo, kwiimeko ezininzi kuye kwenza kwalula ukuchaza iimfundiso zeBhayibhile ngokucace ngakumbi. Ngenxa yokuba elifundisisa ngokuqhubekayo iLizwi likaThixo, amaNgqina kaYehova anentabalala yokudla kokomoya, kanye njengokuba iZibhalo zaxela kwangaphambili ukuba kwakuya kuba njalo ngabakhonzi bakaThixo. (Isa. 65:13, 14) Akuze kwenziwe uhlengahlengiso kwimbono ngenjongo yokwamkeleka ngakumbi ehlabathini ngokwamkela imigaqo yalo ewohlokayo yokuziphatha. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, imbali yamaNgqina kaYehova ibonisa ukuba uhlengahlengiso lwenziwa ngenjongo yokubambelela ngokusondele ngakumbi eBhayibhileni, yokuzifanisa ngakumbi namaKristu athembekileyo enkulungwane yokuqala, yaye ngaloo ndlela amkeleke ngakumbi kuThixo.

Ngaloo ndlela, okwenzekayo kuwo kuvisisana nomthandazo wompostile uPawulos, owabhalela amanye amaKristu wathi: “Asiphezi ukunithandazela nokunicelela, ukuze nizaliswe kukukwazi kakuhle ukuthanda kwakhe, ninokulumka nokuqonda konke okukokomoya; ukuze nihambe ngokuyifaneleyo iNkosi, nise kuko konke ukukholisa, nixakathe isiqhamo kuwo wonke umsebenzi olungileyo, nikhulela ekumazini uThixo.”—Kol. 1:9, 10.

Kwakhona oko kwanda kolwazi oluchanileyo lukaThixo kwaba nokuthanani negama lawo—amaNgqina kaYehova.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 120]

UC. T. Russell waluvuma ngokuphandle uncedo awalufumana kwabanye kwiminyaka awaqala ngayo ukufundisisa iBhayibhile

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 122]

Aye azihlolela ngokwawo ubungqina bokuba iBhayibhile ngokwenene iliLizwi likaThixo

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 123]

ABafundi beBhayibhile baqonda ukuba ukuba sesikweni kukaThixo kulungelelaniswe ngokugqibeleleyo nobulumko, uthando namandla akhe

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 127]

URussell wabona ngokucacileyo ukuba isihogo asiyondawo yokuthuthunjiswa emva kokufa

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 129]

Inkoliso yabantu abanengqiqo yayingayikholelwa imfundiso yesihogo somlilo

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 132]

Ukuyimela ngokuqinileyo kukaRussell intlawulelo kwaba nemiphumo enzulu

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 134]

Babebona ukuba owe-1914 wayephawulwe ngokucacileyo kwiziprofeto zeBhayibhile

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 136]

Asizizo zonke izinto ezenzeka ngokukhawuleza ngendlela ababelindele ngayo

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 139]

Iindaba ezilungileyo ezimele zivakaliswe: UBukumkani bukaThixo sele buqalisile!

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 140]

Ngaba iArmagedon yayiza kuba ziinguqu zasentlalweni kuphela?

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 141]

Ekugqibeleni, ngowe-1932, ‘uSirayeli kaThixo’ wokwenene waqondwa

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 143]

“Umkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo”—ngaba ngumntu okanye liqela?

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 146]

Ngokuthe ngcembe, izenzo ezazinokutsalela ingqalelo engafanelekanga kubantu abathile ziye zayekwa

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 148]

Utshintsho olwenziwayo lwenziwa ngenjongo yokubambelela ngokusondele ngakumbi kwiLizwi likaThixo

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 124]

Ukwazisa Igama LikaThixo

◆ Ukususela ngowe-1931 igama elithi amaNgqina kaYehova belisetyenziselwa ukuchaza abo banqula baze bakhonze uYehova njengokuphela koThixo oyinyaniso.

◆ Ukususela ngo-Oktobha 15, 1931, igama lobuqu likaThixo uYehova belikwiphepha elingaphandle lenkupho nganye yephephancwadi “IMboniselo.”

◆ Ngexesha igama lobuqu likaThixo lalishiywa kwinkoliso yeenguqulelo zezi mini zeBhayibhile, amaNgqina kaYehova aqalisa ukupapasha, ngowe-1950, i-“New World Translation,” eyalibuyiselayo igama likaThixo kwindawo yalo efanelekileyo.

◆ Ukongezelela kwiBhayibhile, iWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society iye yapapasha olunye uncwadi oluninzi ukuze yalathisele ingqalelo ngokukhethekileyo kwigama likaThixo—ngokomzekelo, incwadi ethi “Jehovah” (1934), “Let Your Name Be Sanctified” (1961), nethi “‘The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah’—How?” (1971), kwanencwadana enemifanekiso ethi “IGama LikaThixo Eliya Kuhlala Likho Ngonaphakade” (1984).

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 126]

‘Ngaba Siza Kumphikisa UKristu?’

Emva kokubhenca ukungabikho zibhalweni nokungabikho ngqiqweni kwemfundiso kaBathathu Emnye, uC. T. Russell ngokufanelekileyo wavakalisa ukucaphuka xa wabuza oku: “Ngaba ngaloo ndlela siza kubaphikisa abaPostile nabaProfeti noYesu, size siyeke ukusebenzisa ingqiqo nengqondo engokwemvelo, ukuze sibambelele kwimfundiso esiyizuz’ ilifa kumaxesha obumnyama neenkolo angaphambilli, ivela kwiCawa eyonakeleyo newexukileyo? Nakanye! ‘KuMthetho nakubungqina! Ukuba abathethi ngokuvisisana neli Lizwi, kungenxa yokuba abanako ukukhanya.’”—“IMboniselo” (yesiNgesi), ka-Agasti 15, 1915.

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 133]

Inyaniso Eqhubekayo

Ngowe-1882, uC. T. Russell wabhala: “IBhayibhile kuphela komlinganiselo wethu, yaye imfundiso yayo ikuphela koko sikholelwa kuko, yaye ekubeni siyiqonda indlela iinyaniso zeZibhalo ezityhileka ngokuqhubekayo ngayo, silungele ukongeza okanye ukulungisa oko sikholelwa kuko (ukholo—inkolelo) njengokuba sifumana ukukhanya okungakumbi kuMlinganiselo wethu.”—“IMboniselo” (yesiNgesi) ka-Aprili 1882, iphe. 7.

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 144, 145]

Iinkolelo ZamaNgqina KaYehova

◆ IBhayibhile iliLizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17)

Oko ikuquletheyo akuyombali nje okanye imbono yabantu kodwa lilizwi likaThixo, elibhalelwe ukuze kungenelwe thina. (2 Pet. 1:21; Roma 15:4; 1 Kor. 10:11)

◆ UYehova ungokuphela koThixo oyinyaniso. (INdu. 83:18; Dut. 4:39)

UYehova unguMdali wezinto zonke, yaye ngenxa yoko, nguye kuphela ofanelwe kukunqulwa. (ISityhi. 4:11; Luka 4:8)

UYehova unguMongami Wendalo Iphela, ungulowo sifanele simthobele ngokupheleleyo. (IZe. 4:24; Dan. 4:17; IZe. 5:29)

◆ UYesu Kristu ungokuphela koNyana ozelwe nguThixo, okuphela kodalwe nguThixo ngokuthe ngqo. (1 Yoh. 4:9; Kol. 1:13-16)

UThixo wadala uYesu ngaphambi kwayo yonke enye indalo; ngaloo ndlela, ngaphambi kokuba akhawulwe aze azalwe engumntu, uYesu wayephila ezulwini. (ISityhi. 3:14; Yoh. 8:23, 58)

UYesu unqula uYise njengokuphela koThixo oyinyaniso; uYesu akazange athi uyalingana noThixo. (Yoh. 17:3; 20:17; 14:28)

UYesu wanikela ngobomi bakhe obufezekileyo njengomntu ukuba bube yintlawulelo yoluntu. Idini lakhe lenza bonke abo babonakalisa ukholo lokwenyaniso kulo bakwazi ukufumana ubomi obungunaphakade. (Marko 10:45; Yoh. 3:16, 36)

UYesu wavuswa ekufeni engumntu womoya ongafiyo. (1 Pet. 3:18; Roma 6:9)

UYesu ubuyile (ekubeni ejolise ingqalelo yakhe njengoKumkani emhlabeni) yaye ngoku ukho engumoya ozukileyo. (Mat. 24:3, 23-27; 25:31-33; Yoh. 14:19)

◆ USathana ‘ungumphathi weli hlabathi’ ongabonakaliyo. (Yoh. 12:31; 1 Yoh. 5:19)

Ngaphambili wayengunyana ofezekileyo kaThixo, kodwa wavumela iimvakalelo zokubaluleka zikhule entliziyweni yakhe, wanqwenela unqulo olwalulolukaYehova kuphela, waza wahendela uAdam noEva ekubeni bathobele yena kunokuphulaphula uThixo. Ngaloo ndlela wazenza uSathana, okuthetha “uTshaba.” (Yoh. 8:44; Gen. 3:1-5; thelekisa iDuteronomi 32:4, 5; Yakobi 1:14, 15; Luka 4:5-7.)

USathana ‘ulahlekisa elimiweyo liphela’; yena needemon zakhe babekek’ ityala ngokwanda kokubandezeleka emhlabeni kweli xesha lesiphelo. (ISityhi. 12:7-9, 12)

Ngexesha uThixo alimisileyo, uSathana needemon zakhe baya kutshatyalaliswa ngonaphakade. (ISityhi. 20:10; 21:8)

◆ UBukumkani bukaThixo obulawulwa nguKristu buya kubashenxisa bonke oorhulumente babantu buze bube ngurhulumente omnye phezu koluntu lonke. (Dan. 7:13, 14)

Le nkqubo ikhoyo ingendawo yezinto iya kutshatyalaliswa ngokupheleleyo. (Dan. 2:44; ISityhi. 16:14, 16; Isa. 34:2)

UBukumkani bukaThixo buya kulawula ngobulungisa ibe buya kuzisa uxolo lokwenene kubalawulwa babo. (Isa. 9:6, 7; 11:1-5; 32:17; INdu. 85:10-12)

Abangendawo baya kunqunyulwa ngonaphakade, yaye abanquli bakaYehova baya kunandipha unqabiseko olungapheliyo. (IMize. 2:21, 22; INdu. 37:9-11; Mat. 25:41-46; 2 Tes. 1:6-9; Mika 4:3-5)

◆ Ngoku, ukususela ngowe-1914,d siphila ‘kwixesha lokuphela’ leli hlabathi lingendawo. (Mat. 24:3-14; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; Dan. 12:4)

Ebudeni beli xesha, kunikelwa ubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga; emva koko siya kufika isiphelo, kungekhona esomhlaba, kodwa esenkqubo engendawo nesabantu abangahloneli Thixo. (Mat. 24:3, 14; 2 Pet. 3:7; INtshu. 1:4)

◆ Inye kuphela indlela esa ebomini; uThixo akakholiswa zizo zonke iinkonzo okanye iindlela zonqulo. (Mat. 7:13, 14; Yoh. 4:23, 24; Efe. 4:4, 5)

Unqulo lokwenyaniso alubetheleli isithethe nembonakaliso yangaphandle kodwa lubethelela uthando lokwenyaniso ngoThixo, olubonakaliswa ngokuthobela imithetho yakhe nokuthanda abanye abantu. (Mat. 15:8, 9; 1 Yoh. 5:3; 3:10-18; 4:21; Yoh. 13:34, 35)

Abantu bazo zonke iintlanga, nezizwe neelwimi banokumkhonza uYehova baze bafumane inkoliseko yakhe. (IZe. 10:34, 35; ISityhi. 7:9-17)

Umthandazo umele ubhekiswe kuYehova kuphela ngoYesu; imifanekiso ayimele isetyenziswe njengezinto zokuhlonelwa okanye zokunceda ekunquleni. (Mat. 6:9; Yoh. 14:6, 13, 14; 1 Yoh. 5:21; 2 Kor. 5:7; 6:16; Isa. 42:8)

Ukusebenzelana nemimoya kumele kuphetshwe. (Gal. 5:19-21; Dut. 18:10-12; ISityhi. 21:8)

AmaKristu okwenyaniso awahlulwahlulwanga aba ngabefundisi namarhamente. (Mat. 20:25-27; 23:8-12)

UbuKristu bokwenyaniso abuquki ukugcinwa kwesabatha yeeveki ngeeveki okanye ukuphila ngokuvisisana nezinye iimfuneko zoMthetho kaMoses ukuze ubani azuze usindiso; ukwenjenjalo bekuya kuba kukumchasa uKristu, owawuzalisekisayo uMthetho. (Gal. 5:4; Roma 10:4; Kol. 2:13-17)

Abo baqhelisela unqulo lokwenyaniso abatheleli kuzwelonke. (2 Kor. 6:14-17; ISityhi. 18:4)

Bonke abo ngokwenene bangabafundi bakaYesu babhaptizwa ngokuntywiliselwa ngokupheleleyo. (Mat. 28:19, 20; Marko 1:9, 10; IZe. 8:36-38)

Bonke abalandela umzekelo kaYesu baze bathobele imithetho yakhe banikela ubungqina kwabanye ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. (Luka 4:43; 8:1; Mat. 10:7; 24:14)

◆ Ukufa kungumphumo wokuzuza njengelifa isono sikaAdam. (Roma 5:12; 6:23)

Xa umntu esifa, ngumphefumlo ofayo. (Hez. 18:4)

Abafileyo abazi lutho. (INdu. 146:4; INtshu. 9:5, 10)

Isihogo (“Sheol,” Hadesi) lingcwaba eliqhelekileyo loluntu. (Yobhi 14:13, “Dy”; ISityhi. 20:13, 14, “KJ,” umbhalo oseludinini)

‘Idike lomlilo’ abangendawo ngokugqithiseleyo abalahlelwa kulo lifanekisela, njengokuba iBhayibhile isitsho, “ukufa kwesibini,” ukufa ngonaphakade. (ISityhi. 21:8)

Ithemba labafi nelabo banabathandekayo babo abafileyo luvuko. (1 Kor. 15:20-22; Yoh. 5:28, 29; thelekisa uYohane 11:25, 26, 38-44; Marko 5:35-42.)

Ukufa okwabangelwa sisono sika-Adam kuya kuphela. (1 Kor. 15:26; Isa. 25:8; ISityhi. 21:4)

◆ ‘Umhlambi omcinane,’ oli-144 000 kuphela, uya ezulwini. (Luka 12:32; ISityhi. 14:1, 3)

Aba ngabo ‘bazelwe ngokutsha’ njengoonyana bokomoya bakaThixo. (Yoh. 3:3; 1 Pet. 1:3, 4)

UThixo ukhetha aba kubo bonke abantu neentlanga ukuze balawule njengookumkani noKristu eBukumkanini. (ISityhi. 5:9, 10; 20:6)

◆ Abanye abanenkoliseko kaThixo baya kuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni. (INdu. 37:29; Mat. 5:5; 2 Pet. 3:13)

Umhlaba awusayi kuze utshatyalaliswe okanye ungabi nabemi. (INdu. 104:5; Isa. 45:18)

Ngokuvisisana nenjongo kaThixo yantlandlolo, wonke umhlaba uya kuba yiparadisi. (Gen. 1:27, 28; 2:8, 9; Luka 23:42, 43)

Kuya kubakho amakhaya afanelekileyo nentabalala yokudla ukuze kunanditshwe ngabo bonke. (Isa. 65:21-23; INdu. 72:16)

Ukugula, zonke iintlobo zeziphene, kwanokufa kuya kuba zizinto zexesha eligqithileyo. (ISityhi. 21:3, 4; Isa. 35:5, 6)

◆ Amagunya ehlabathi amele aphathwe ngentlonelo efanelekileyo. (Roma 13:1-7; Tito 3:1, 2)

AmaKristu okwenyaniso awabi nanxaxheba ekuvukelweni kwamagunya oorhulumente. (IMize. 24:21, 22; Roma 13:1)

Athobela yonke imithetho engangqubaniyo nomthetho kaThixo, kodwa ukuthobela uThixo kuza kuqala. (IZe. 5:29)

Axelisa uYesu ngokungathabathi cala kwimicimbi yezobupolitika yeli hlabathi. (Mat. 22:15-21; Yoh. 6:15)

◆ AmaKristu amele avisisane nemigaqo yeBhayibhile ngokuphathelele igazi nokuziphatha ngokwesini. (IZe. 15:28, 29)

Ukufaka igazi emzimbeni ngomlomo okanye ngemithambo kukwaphula umthetho kaThixo. (Gen. 9:3-6; IZe. 15:19, 20)

AmaKristu amele acoceke ngokokuziphatha; uhenyuzo, ukrexezo nobufanasini azimele zibe nandawo kubomi bawo, ngokunjalo nokunxila nokusebenzisa kakubi iziyobisi. (1 Kor. 6:9-11; 2 Kor. 7:1)

◆ Ukunyaniseka nokuthembeka komntu ngamnye ekunyamekeleni iimbopheleleko zomtshato nezentsapho kubalulekile kumaKristu. (1 Tim. 5:8; Kol. 3:18-21; Heb. 13:4)

Ukunganyaniseki kwintetho okanye kushishino, kwanokuba ngumhanahanisi, akuvisisani nokuba ngumKristu. (IMize. 6:16-19; Efe. 4:25; Mat. 6:5; INdu. 26:4)

◆ Ukunqula uYehova ngokwamkelekileyo kufuna ukuba simthande ngaphezu kwento yonke. (Luka 10:27; Dut. 5:9)

Ukwenza ukuthanda kukaYehova, ngaloo ndlela esizisa uzuko kwigama lakhe, yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kubomi bomKristu wokwenyaniso. (Yoh. 4:34; Kol. 3:23; 1 Pet. 2:12)

Ngoxa esenza okulungileyo kubantu bonke xa enako, amaKristu ayaqonda ukuba anembopheleleko ekhethekileyo kwabanye abakhonzi bakaThixo; ngoko ngaba abanceda ngokukhethekileyo ngamaxesha okugula neentlekele. (Gal. 6:10; 1 Yoh. 3:16-18)

Xa emthanda uThixo amaKristu okwenyaniso awamele athobele umthetho wakhe wokuthanda ummelwane kuphela kodwa akwamele angayithandi indlela yokuphila yokuziphatha okubi nokuthanda izinto eziphathekayo zehlabathi. AmaKristu okwenyaniso awayonxalenye yehlabathi ngoko ayakuphepha ukungenelela kwizinto eziya kuwafanisa nabo banomoya walo. (Roma 13:8, 9; 1 Yoh. 2:15-17; Yoh. 15:19; Yak. 4:4)

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 121]

UC. T. Russell waqalisa ukupapasha i-“Zion’s Watch Tower” ngowe-1879, xa wayeneminyaka engama-27 ubudala

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 125]

UMhlekazi Isaac Newton noHenry Grew babephakathi kwabo kwanga-phambilana babemgatyile uBathathu Emnye njengongekho zibhalweni

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 128]

Kwingxoxo yasesidlangalaleni, uRussell wema ngelithi abafi bafile ngokwenene, abaphili nezithunywa zezulu okanye needemon kwindawo yokungabi nathemba

ICarnegie Hall, eAllegheny, ePennsylvania—apho le ngxoxo yaqhutyelwa khona

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 130]

URussell waya kwizixeko ezikhulu nezincinane ukuze achaze inyaniso ngesihogo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 131]

Xa uFrederick Franz, umfundi waseyunivesithi, wafunda inyaniso ngemeko yabafi, waluguqula ngokupheleleyo usukelo lwakhe ebomini

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 135]

ABafundi beBhayibhile bamvakalisa kakhulu owe-1914 njengonyaka wokuphela kwamaXesha eeNtlanga njengakweli phecana leI.B.S.A. elasasazwa ebudeni bowe-1914

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 137]

Ngowe-1931 esebenzisa olona thungelwano lukhulu loonomathotholo ukuza kuthi ga ngelo xesha, uJ. F. Rutherford wabonisa ukuba buBukumkani bukaThixo kuphela obunokulukhu-lula ngokusi-sigxina uluntu

Intetho ethi “UBukumkani, Ithemba Lehlabathi,” yasasazwa ngamaziko ali-163 ngaxeshanye yaza yaphindwa ngamanye angama-340 kamva

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 142]

UA. H. Macmillan wathunyelwa ePalestina ngenqanawa ngowe-1925 ngenxa yokuba kwakukho umdla okhethekileyo kwindima yamaYuda ngokunxulumene nesiprofeto seBhayibhile