Lokho kwathoma ngemva komnyaka we-100 kwaphela ngo-1919. Kubayini kuqakathekile ukuthi silungise indlela esizwisisa ngayo indaba le?

Boke ubufakazi butjengisa ukuthi amaKrestu akhethiweko atjhaphuluka ekuzibandakanyeni neBhabhele elikhulu ngo-1919, abuthelwa ebandleni elihlanzekile. Akhucabange nganapu ubujamo, kwathi nje umBuso kaZimu nawuqeda ukuthoma ukubusa ezulwini ngo-1914, abantu bakaZimu bahlolwa bebazihlukanisa nokukhulekela kwamala. * (Qala ikwekwezi engenzasi.) (Malaki 3:1-4) Bese kwathi ngo-1919, uJesu wakhetha “inceku ethembekileko nehlakaniphileko” bona iphe abantu bakaZimu abacwengileko ‘ukugoma ngesikhathi esifaneleko.’ (Matewu 24:45-47) Ngomnyaka wona loyo, Abantu bakaZimu batjhatjhululwa ngokomfanekiso eBhabhele elikhulu. (IsAmbulo 18:4) Kanti abantu bakaZimu bathunjwa nini?

Esikhathini esidlulileko sathi abantu bakaZimu bathunjelwa eBhabhele elikhulu isikhatjhana kusukela ngo-1918. INqabayokulinda kaMarch 15 1992, yathi njengombana ama-Israyeli athunjelwa eBhabhele, abantu bakaJehova nabo bathunjelwa eBhabhele elikhulu ngo-1918. Kodwana amarhubhululo atjengise bona abantu bakaZimu bathunjwa emnyakeni eminengi engaphambi kwaka-1918.

Isiphorofido esikuHezekiyeli 37:1-14 satjho bona abantu bakaZimu bazokuthunjwa bese ngokukhamba kwesikhathi batjhatjhululwe. UHezekiyeli wabona umbono, embonweni loyo wabona umrhoba ozele amathambo. UJehova wathi: “Amathambo la angiyo yoke indlu yakwa-Israyeli.” (Ivesi 11) Lokho kusebenza esitjhabeni sakwa-Israyeli okuzokuthi kamva kusebenze ‘ku-Israyeli kaZimu,’ abakhethiweko. (Galatiya 6:16; IzEnzo 3:21) Embonweni loyo, amathambo lawo aphila begodu aba libutho elikhulu. Lokhu kuhlathulula indlela abantu bakaZimu abatjhatjhululwa ngayo eBhabhele elikhulu ngo-1919. Umbuzo kukuthi isiphorofidwesi sitjengisa njani ukuthi abantu bazokuthunjwa isikhathi eside?

 Ekuthomeni, uHezekiyeli wayelela ukuthi amathambo lawo “omile.” (Hezekiyeli 37:2, 11) Lokho kutjho ukuthi abantwabo besele kukade bahlongakala. Kwesibili, uHezekiyeli wayelela ukuthi abantwabo bavuswa kancanikancani. Kwaba khona “itjhada; qala-ke, bekubukhehlekhehle, Amathambo ahlangana, ithambo lalumbana nelinye lekhabo.” Bese wabona “imisipha phezu kwawo, inyama beyiphezu kwawo.” Ngemva kwalokho nesikhumba sambesa inyama. Bese “umoya wangena emizimbenapho, yaphila.” Emaswapheleni, abantu sebavusiwe uJehova wabanikela inarha kobana bahlale kiyo. Koke lokho bekuzokuthatha isikhathi bona kwenzeke.—Hezekiyeli 37:7-10, 14, NW.

Njengombana isiphorofidwesi sabikezela, ama-Israyeli athunjwa isikhathi eside. Ukuthunjwa kwawo kwathoma ngo-740 ngaphambi kokubelethwa kwakaKrestu, lokha iintjhaba eziyi-10 zakwa-Israyeli, umbuso wetlhagwini, ukatelelwa bona utjhiye inarhawo. Ngomnyaka ka-607 ngaphambi kokubelethwa kwakaKrestu, iJerusalema latjhatjalaliswa babantu beBhabhele, bese neentjhaba ezimbili, umbuso wetlhagwini wakwaJuda kwafuze utjhiye inarhawo ngekani. Bese kwathi ngomnyaka ka-537 ngaphambi kokubelethwa kwakaKrestu, ukuthunjwa kwabo kwaphela lokha idlanzana lamaJuda naliyokuvuselela ithempeli labuyela godu lalotjha uJehova eJerusalema.

Yeke yoke imininingwana le itjengisa bona amaKrestu akhethiweko athunjelwa eBhabhele elikhulu isikhathi eside, ingasi kusukela ngo-1918 kuya ku-1919. UJesu naye wakhe wayiphatha indaba le, wathi amaKrestu womgunyadi, ikhula, lizokukhula ndawonye ‘namadodana wombuso,’ imbewu ehle. (Matewu 13:36-43) Ngesikhatheso, bekunamaKrestu amancani khulu weqiniso. Inengi labantu ebelizibiza ngamaKrestu lamukela iimfundiso zamala laba ziinhlubuki. Kungebangelo singatjho ukuthi ibandla lobuKrestu lathunjelwa ebhabhele elikhulu. Ukuthunjwokhu kwathoma ngeminyaka yabo-100, begodu yaraga njalo bekwaba kulapho ithempeli lakaZimu elingokomfanekiso lihlanzwa khona ngeenkathi zamaswaphela.—IzEnzo 20:29, 30; 2 Thesalonika 2:3, 6; 1 Jwanisi 2:18, 19.

Hlangana neminyaka elikhulu leyo, abarholi bamasondo nabarholi bezepolotiki, bebafuna ukulawula abantu. Nasi isibonelo salokho, abantu bebangakavunyelwa ukuthi babe neBhayibheli ingasaphathwa yokulifunda ngelimi abalizwisisako. Abanye abalifundako batjhiselwa eengodweni zokuhlunguphazwa. Bese kuthi labo ebabangavumelani nalokho ebekutjhiwo barholi bamasondo bebatlhoriswa kabuhlungu tle! Kuyakhanya ukuthi bekungakghonakali ukuthi umuntu afunde iqiniso bese alifundise nabanye abantu.

 Godu sifunda embonweni kaHezekiyeli, ukuthi abantu bakaZimu baphila bebatjhatjhululwa nemasondweni wamala kancanikancani. Yeke lokhu kwathoma njani begodu nini? Embonweni kaHezekiyeli kukhulunywe ‘ngobukhehlekhehle.’ Lokhu kuthome ukwenzeka emaphethelweni weminyaka eyi-100 ngaphambi kwesikhathi samaswaphela. Ngesikhatheso bekunabantu abathembekileko ebebalifuna iqiniso begodu bakufuna kwamambala ukulotjha uZimu ngitjho nanyana bebaphahlwe ziimfundiso zamala. Bafunda iBhayibheli bebenza okusemandlenabo bona batjele nabanye abantu ngabakufundako. Kukulapho abanye nabo bangakazibeki phasi, bazikhandla batjhugululela iBhayibheli nakwamanye amalimi.

Bese kwathi ekupheleni kwabo-1800, kwaba ngasuthi inyama nesikhumba kuhlala phezu kwamathambo. UCharles Taze Russell nabangani bakhe basebenza budisi khulu, bafuna iqiniso eliseBhayibhelini begodu bafuna nokulotjha uJehova. Basiza nabanye abantu ukuthi bazwisise iqiniso, lokho bakwenza basebenzisa i-Zion’s Watch Tower nezinye iincwadi. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ngo-1914 “I-Photo-Drama of Creation” nencwadi ethi, The Finished Mystery ngo-1917 yasiza abantu bakaJehova bonyana baqinise ukukholwa kwabo. Emaswapheleni-ke, ngo-1919 kwaba ngasuthi banikelwe ipilo nenarha etja. Kusukela mhlokho, boke labo abanethemba lokuphila ephasini unomphela bazibandakanya nabakhethiweko. Boke njalo balotjha uJehova begodu baba “libutho elikhulu khulu.”—Hezekiyeli 37:10; Zakariya 8:20-23. *—Qala ikwekwezi engenzasi.

Kusebaleni-ke ukuthi abantu bakaZimu bathunjelwa eBhabhele elikhulu ngemva ngomnyaka we-100. Lesi-ke kwaba sikhathi la abantu abanengi baba ziinhlubuki khona, bebamukela neemfundiso zamasondo wamala, bafulathela iqiniso. Kwaphela iminyaka eminengi abantu balotjha uJehova kabuhlungu, njengalokha ama-Israyeli nakabotjhiweko. Okuhle kukuthi, namhlanjesi iqiniso litjhunyayelwe kiwo woke umuntu. Qala bona sithaba kangangani ukwazi ukuthi siphila esikhathini lapho ‘abahlakaniphileko bakukhanya’ khona. Abanengi “bazakuhlungwa,” “bebacwengiswe,” begodu bamukele ukukhulekela kwamambala!—Danyela 12:3, 10..

Asiqiniseki ngokuthi uSathana wamtjengisa njani uJesu ithempelelo.

Abatloli beBhayibheli uMatewu noLukasi bobabili batlola ngokwenzekako. UMatewu wathi: “uSathana wathatha” uJesu wamusa eJerusalema, “wamjamisa esiqongolweni sethempeli.” (Matewu 4:5) ULukasi naye wathi: “uSathana wamthatha wamusa eJerusalema, wamjamisa esiqongolweni sethempeli.”—Lukasi 4:9.

Iincwadi zethu ngaphambilini zathi kungenzeka uSathana akhenge enze isenzo samambala ngokuthatha uJesu amjamise ethempelini azame ukumlinga. I-Watchtower kaMatjhi 1, 1961 ihlobanisa indaba le neyangesikhathi uSathana ufuna ukulinga uJesu ngokumtjengisa yoke imibuso yephasi amjamise esiqongolweni sentaba. Incwadi le ithi ayikho intaba engaba phezulu ngokwaneleko bona umuntu angakghona ukubona yoke imibuso yephasi. Ibuye ithi godu, kungenzeka uSathana akhenge enze isenzo samambala sokuthatha uJesu amuse ethempelini. Khonapho iinhloko ezalandela  ebezisesiThaleneso zathi nakhibe uJesu wakhe waziphosela phasi bekazokufa.

Abanye bathi ngebanga lokuthi uJesu bekangasuye umLevi, bengeze avunyelwa ukuyokujama esiqongolweni sethempeli. Yeke bathi kungenzeka uSathana wazama ukumlinga ngombono. Emakhulwini weminyaka adlulako, uHezekiyeli wakhe wathathwa ngombono wayokubekwa ethempelini.—Hezekiyeli 8:3, 7-10; 11:1, 24; 37:1, 2.

Kodwana nangabe uJesu wathathwa ngombono wayokubekwa ethempelini abanye bangakhese bazibuze:

• Alo-ke uJesu bekazokuzwa njani bona kwamambala ulingwa ngokuthi eqe ethempelini aziphosele phasi?

• Esinye isikhathi la uSathana azama khona ukulinga uJesu, wathi kuye akaphendule amatje abe burotho, wabe wambawa nokuthi aguqe amlotjhe. Yeke kuyakghonakala na bonyana uSathana wafuna uJesu ukuthi eqe ethempelini lamambala aziphosele phasi?

Godu nangabe uSathana akhenge asebenzise umbono athathe uJesu amuse ethempelini lamambala, abanye bangazibuza nabo ukuthi:

• Kghani uJesu waphula umthetho na ngokuthi ayokujama esiqongolweni sethempeli?

• Yeke nangabe kunjalo uJesu wasuka njani emangweni wayokujama ethempelini eliseJerusalema?

Akhesiqalelele napu obunye ubufakazi obukhona obuzosisiza siphendule imibuzo emibili le eseleko.

UPhrofesa D. A. Carson watlola wathi ibizo lesiGirigi elithi “thempeli” elisetjenziswe encwadini kaMatewu noLukasi kungenzeka beliqalisela emakhiweni wethempeli sewuwoke, ingasi esiqongolweni, ngani ngoba leyo bekuyindawo ebekuvunyelwe amaLevi wodwa ukungena kiyo. Isewula yethempeli beyinomfulelo othabaleleko, bese umfulelo loyo ube phezulu ukudlula woke umakhiwo wethempeli. Yeke kungenzeka uJesu bekajanyiswe kiwo umfulelo loyo. Ukusuka lapho esiqongolweneso ukutjhinga phasi emkghobeni weKidron bekungaba mamithara ayi-140. UJosephus osisazi sezomlando uthi indawo leyo beyiphakeme kangangobana bekuthi umuntu nakajame lapho bese aqale phasi “beka banjwa siyezi.” Nanyana uJesu bekangasuye umLevi, bekangajama lapho begodu bekungekho umuntu obekangambuza.

Kodwana uJesu bekazokusuka njani emangweni masinyana abe sethempelini leJerusalema? Akwaziwa. Kodwana iBhayibheli ithi uJesu wasiwa eJerusalema. Ayitjho ukuthi bekakude kangangani neJerusalema namkha ayitjho nokuthi uSathana wamlinga isikhathi esingangani. Kuyakghonakala-ke bona uJesu wakhamba waya eJerusalema, ngitjho nanyana lokho bekungamthatha ibanga elide.

Kwathi ngesikhathi uSathana atjengisa uJesu “yoke imibuso yephasi,” kungenzeka wasebenzisa umbono, ngebanga lokuthi, angeze kwakghonakala ukubona imibuso yoke ujame kinanyana ngiyiphi intaba ekhona ephasinapha. Indaba le ingafaniswa nokubukelisa umuntu iinthombe zeengcenye zakelinye iphasi esikrinini sokubukela amafilimu. USathana naye wasebenzisa umbono, kodwana into ebekayifuna kukuthi uJesu aguqe amlotjhe. (Matewu 4:8, 9) Ngesikhathi uSathana athatha uJesu amusa ethempelini, kungenzeka bekafuna bona uJesu adlale ngepilwakhe eqe ethempelini aziphosele phasi. Kodwana uJesu wamkghaphela eqadi. Bekuzokuthiwani-ke nangabe lesi bekumane kusilingo esisembonwenakhe?

Yeke kuyakghonakala bona uJesu waya eJerusalema wayokujama esiqongolweni sethempeli. Njengombana khekwatjhiwo ekuthomeni kwesihlokwesi, asazi ukuthi uSathana kuhlekuhle wamtjengisa njani uJesu ithempeli. Kodwana singaqiniseka ngokuthi uSathana bekasolo azama ukulinga uJesu bona enze isenzo esimbi, noJesu naye bekahlala amqinisela isandla amkghaphele eqadi