1-3. Yini uJesu ayenza lapho ethola ukuthi ithempeli liyangcoliswa?

UJESU wayelihlonipha kakhulu ithempeli laseJerusalema ngoba wayekwazi elalikumelele. Kwase kuyiminyaka eminingi liyisikhungo sokukhulekela kweqiniso emhlabeni. Kodwa lokho kukhulekela—ukukhulekela uNkulunkulu ongcwele, uJehova—kumelwe kuhlanzeke futhi kube msulwa. Cabanga-ke indlela okumelwe ukuba uJesu wazizwa ngayo lapho efika ethempelini ngoNisani 10, 33 C.E., ethola abantu belingcolisa. Babenzani?—Funda uMathewu 21:12, 13.

² EGcekeni Labezizwe, abathengisi nabashintshi bemali abangamagovu babedlala ngabakhulekeli ababelethe iminikelo kuJehova. * UJesu “waxosha bonke abathengisayo nabathengayo ethempelini, wagumbuqela amatafula abashintshi bemali.” (Qhathanisa noNehemiya 13:7-9.) Wabalahla labo bantu abangamagovu ngoba babenza indlu kaYise “umhume wabaphangi.” Ngokwenza kanjalo uJesu wabonisa inhlonipho ngethempeli nalokho elalikumelele. Ukukhulekelwa kukaYise kwakumelwe kugcinwe kuhlanzekile!

³ Ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka, lapho esemiswe njengeNkosi EnguMesiya, uJesu waphinde wahlanza ithempeli—ithempeli elihilela bonke abafuna ukukhulekela uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo namuhla. Yiliphi-ke leli thempeli alihlanza ngaleso sikhathi?

4, 5. (a) Abalandeli bakaJesu abagcotshiwe bacwengisiswa futhi bahlanzwa kanjani kusukela ngo-1914 kuya ekuqaleni kuka-1919? (b) Ingabe kwaphela lapho ukucwengisiswa nokuhlanzwa kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu? Chaza.

⁴ Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 2 sale ncwadi, ngemva kokubekwa esihlalweni sobukhosi ngo-1914, uJesu wafika noYise bezohlola ithempeli elingokomoya—ilungiselelo lokukhulekela okumsulwa. * Ngenxa yalokho kuhlola, iNkosi yabona ukuthi amaKristu agcotshiwe, “amadodana kaLevi,” ayedinga ukucwengisiswa nokuhlanzwa. (Mal. 3:1-3) Kusukela ngo-1914 kuya ekuqaleni kuka-1919, umCwengi, uJehova, wavumela abantu bakhe ukuba badlule ezilingweni nasebunzimeni obuningi obabacwengisisa futhi babahlanza. Ngokujabulisayo, labo abagcotshiwe baphuma kulolo vivinyo olunjengomlilo besesimweni  esihlanzekile, bezimisele ukubonisa ukuthi bayayisekela iNkosi EnguMesiya!

⁵ Ingabe kwaphelela lapho ukucwengisiswa nokuhlanzwa kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu? Cha. Kuzo zonke lezi zinsuku zokugcina, uJehova esebenzisa iNkosi EnguMesiya uye waqhubeka esiza abalandeli bakhe ukuba bahlanzeke ukuze bahlale besethempelini elingokomoya. Ezahlukweni ezimbili ezilandelayo, sizobona indlela abacwengisise ngayo endabeni yokuziphatha nasezicini ezithinta inhlangano. Kodwa okokuqala ake sixoxe ngokuhlanzwa ngokomoya. Kuqinisa ukholo ukucabanga ngalokho okwenziwe uJesu—kokubili ngezindlela ezibonakala ngokucacile nezingabonakali emehlweni ethu—ukuze asize abalandeli bakhe bahlanzeke ngokomoya.

6. Imiyalo kaJehova kumaJuda ayedingisiwe isisiza kanjani siqonde okuhilelekile ekuhlanzekeni okungokomoya?

⁶ Kuyini ukuhlanzeka okungokomoya? Ukuze siphendule, ake sihlole amazwi uJehova awasho kumaJuda ayedingisiwe njengoba ayesezolishiya iBhabhiloni ekhulwini lesithupha B.C.E. (Funda u-Isaya 52:11.) Lawo maJuda ayephindela kubo eJerusalema ngokuyinhloko ukuze akhe kabusha ithempeli abuyisele nokukhulekela kweqiniso. (Ezra 1:2-4) UJehova wayefuna abantu bakhe bayishiye yonke iminonjana yenkolo yaseBhabhiloni. Phawula ukuthi wabanika imiyalo elandelanayo: “Ningathinti lutho olungcolile,” “phumani phakathi kwalo,” “zigcineni nihlanzekile.” Ukukhulekela kukaJehova okumsulwa akumelwe kungcoliswe ukukhulekela kwamanga. Yini-ke okumelwe siphethe ngayo? Ukuhlanzeka okungokomoya kuhilela ukuhlukana nezimfundiso nemikhuba yenkolo yamanga.

7. Yimuphi umzila uJesu asize ngawo abalandeli bakhe ukuba bahlanzeke ngokomoya?

⁷ Ngemva nje kokubekwa kukaJesu njengeNkosi, wabeka umzila obonakala ngokucacile asize ngawo abalandeli bakhe ukuba bahlanzeke ngokomoya. Lowo mzila yinceku ethembekile neqondayo uKristu ayimisa ngo-1919. (Math. 24:45) Ngalowo nyaka, abaFundi BeBhayibheli base bezihlanzile kakade ezimfundisweni zenkolo yamanga. Noma kunjalo, kwakusadingeka baqhubeke behlanzwa ngokomoya. Ngenceku yakhe ethembekile, kancane kancane uKristu uye wakhanyisela abalandeli bakhe ngemikhuba nemicikilisho eminingi okudingeke bayilahle. (IzAga 4:18) Ake sifunde ngezibonelo zayo.

8. Yini abaFundi BeBhayibheli okwase kuyisikhathi eside beyivuma ngoKhisimusi, kepha yini ababengayiqondi kahle?

⁸ Sekuyisikhathi eside abaFundi BeBhayibheli bevuma ukuthi uKhisimusi unomsuka wobuqaba nokuthi uJesu akazalwanga ngo-December 25. I-Zion’s Watch Tower ka-December 1881 yathi: “Izigidi zabantu zangena esontweni zivela ebuQabeni. Kodwa zashintsha ikakhulukazi ngegama nje kuphela, ngoba abapristi bobuqaba baba abapristi bobukristu, amaholidi obuqaba abizwa ngamagama obukristu—uKhisimusi ungelinye lalawo maholidi.” Ngo-1883, ngaphansi kwesihloko esithi “Wazalwa Nini UJesu?,”  INqabayokulinda yabonisa ukuthi uJesu wazalwa cishe ekuqaleni kuka-October. * Yize kunjalo, abaFundi BeBhayibheli abasibonanga ngokucacile ngaleso sikhathi isidingo sokuba bayeke ukugubha uKhisimusi. Ngisho namalungu omkhaya waseBethel YaseBrooklyn aqhubeka ewugubha. Kepha ngemva kuka-1926, izinto zaqala ukushintsha. Kungani?

9. Yini abaFundi BeBhayibheli abayiqonda ngoKhisimusi?

⁹ Ngenxa yokuhlolisisa nokubhekisisa le ndaba, abaFundi BeBhayibheli baqonda ukuthi umsuka kaKhisimusi nemikhuba ehlobene nawo empeleni kuhlambalaza uNkulunkulu. Isihloko esithi “Umsuka KaKhisimusi,” esasikuyi-Golden Age ka-December 14, 1927, saphawula ukuthi uKhisimusi uwumkhosi wobuqaba, ugxile ezinjabulweni futhi uhilela ukukhulekela izithombe. Lesi sihloko sakhanyisa ukuthi uKristu akayalanga ukuba lo mkhosi ugujwe, sase siphetha ngokulimisa ngesihloko: “Ukuthi izwe, ukuthambekela kwenyama noDeveli kuyathanda ukuba uqhubeke ugujwa . . . kuyiphuzu lokugcina nelinamandla elenza kungafaneleki ukuba ugujwe abantu abazinikele ngokuphelele enkonzweni kaJehova.” Akumangalisi-ke ukuthi umkhaya waseBethel awuzange uwugubhe uKhisimusi ngalowo December—futhi awuphindanga wawugubha!

10. (a) UKhisimusi wadalulwa kanjani ngokuningiliziwe ngo-December 1928? (Bheka nebhokisi elithi “ UKhisimusi, Umsuka Nenjongo Yawo.”) (b) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu baqwashiswa kanjani ngamanye amaholidi nemikhosi okufanele igwenywe? (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Ukudalula Amanye Amaholidi Nemikhosi.”)

¹⁰ Ngonyaka olandelayo, abaFundi BeBhayibheli bathola inkulumo eyayiwudalula ngokuningiliziwe umsuka kaKhisimusi. Ngo-December 12, 1928, uMfoweth’ uRichard H. Barber, owayesebenza endlunkulu, wanikeza inkulumo emsakazweni eyawuveza obala umsuka ongcolile waleli holidi. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu basabela kanjani esiqondisweni esicacile esivela  endlunkulu? Lapho uMfoweth’ uCharles Brandlein ekhumbula mhla yena nomkhaya wakhe beyeka ukugubha uKhisimusi, wathi: “Kwasikhathaza yini ukuyeka lezo zinto zobuqaba? Lutho! . . . Kwakufana nje nokukhumula ingubo engcolile uyitshinge kude.” Enanela lelo phuzu, uMfoweth’ uHenry A. Cantwell, kamuva owaba umbonisi ojikelezayo, wathi: “Kwasithokozisa ukuthi sakwazi ukuyeka okuthile ukuze sifakazele uthando lwethu ngoJehova.” Abalandeli bakaKristu abaqotho babezimisele ukwenza izinguquko ezazidingeka futhi bangabi nangxenye ekugubheni umkhosi osuka ekukhulekeleni okungcolile. *—Joh. 15:19; 17:14.

11. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyayisekela iNkosi EnguMesiya?

¹¹ Yeka isibonelo esihle esasibekelwa yilabo baFundi BeBhayibheli abathembekile! Lapho sicabanga ngesibonelo sabo, kuhle sizibuze: ‘Ngisibheka kanjani isiqondiso esivela endlunkulu? Ingabe ngisamukela ngenjabulo, ngenze engikufundayo?’ Ukuzimisela kwethu ukulalela kubonisa ukusekela kwethu iNkosi EnguMesiya, esebenzisa inceku ethembekile ukuba yabe ukudla okungokomoya ngesikhathi.—IzE. 16:4, 5.

12. Kwaphela iminyaka eminingi abaFundi BeBhayibheli besibheka kanjani isiphambano?

¹² Kwaphela iminyaka eminingi abaFundi BeBhayibheli bebheka isiphambano njengophawu lobuKristu olufanelekayo. Bona babengacabangi neze ukuthi kufanele sikhulekelwe ngoba babeqonda ukuthi ukukhulekela izithombe kuyinto engafanele. (1 Kor. 10:14; 1 Joh. 5:21) Ngo-1883, INqabayokulinda yalimisa ngesihloko yathi “zonke izinhlobo zokukhulekela  izithombe ziyisinengiso kuNkulunkulu.” Noma kunjalo, ekuqaleni abaFundi BeBhayibheli ababonanga lutho olubi ngokwenza lokho ababecabanga ukuthi kuwukusebenzisa isiphambano ngendlela efanelekile. Ngokwesibonelo, babesifaka ngeqholo isipeletu esiyisiphambano nomqhele njengento ebahlukanisayo kwabanye. Kubona, lesi sipeletu sasibonisa ukuthi uma bethembeka kuze kube sekufeni, bayothola umqhele wokuphila. Kusukela ngo-1891, uphawu lwesiphambano nomqhele lwavela esembozweni se-Nqabayokulinda.

13. Yikuphi ukukhanyiselwa abalandeli bakaKristu abakuthola ngokusebenzisa isiphambano? (Bheka nebhokisi elithi “ Ukukhanyiselwa Okuqhubekayo Ngokusebenzisa Isiphambano.”)

¹³ AbaFundi BeBhayibheli babelubheka njengoluyigugu lolu phawu lwesiphambano nomqhele. Kodwa kusukela ekupheleni kwawo-1920, abalandeli bakaKristu baqhubeka bekhanyiselwa maqondana nokusebenzisa isiphambano. Lapho uMfoweth’ uGrant Suiter, kamuva owakhonza eNdikimbeni Ebusayo, ekhumbula umhlangano wango-1928 owawuseDetroit, eMichigan, e-U.S.A., wathi: “Kulo mhlangano kwavezwa ukuthi akukona nje kuphela ukuthi uphawu lwesiphambano nomqhele aludingeki kodwa futhi luyenyanyeka.” Ngemva kweminyaka embalwa kwalandela ukukhanyiselwa okwengeziwe. Kwaba sobala ukuthi isiphambano asinandawo ekukhulekeleni okumsulwa nokuhlanzekile ngokomoya.

14. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu basabela kanjani ekukhanyiselweni okuqhubekayo abakuthola ngesiphambano?

¹⁴ Abantu bakaNkulunkulu basabela kanjani ekukhanyiselweni ababeqhubeka bekuthola ngesiphambano? Ingabe baqhubeka bebambelele kulolu phawu ababeluthanda kangaka? “Kwaba lula ukuluyeka lapho sesiqaphela ukuthi lumelelani,” kukhumbula uLela Roberts, udade owayesenesikhathi eside ekhonza uJehova. Omunye udade othembekile u-Ursula Serenco, waveza umuzwa wabaningi lapho ethi: “Saqaphela ukuthi le nto esasiyithanda ngoba sithi imelela ukufa kweNkosi yethu nokuzinikela kwethu kobuKristu empeleni iwuphawu lobuqaba. Ngokuvumelana nezAga 4:18, sajabula ngokuthi indlela yayenziwa ikhanye bha.” Abalandeli bakaKristu abaqotho babengafuni ukuba nengxenye emikhubeni engcolile yenkolo yamanga!

15, 16. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi sizimisele ukuwagcina ehlanzekile amagceke asemhlabeni ethempeli likaJehova elingokomoya?

¹⁵ Nathi sizizwa ngendlela efanayo namuhla. Siyaqaphela ukuthi uKristu ubesebenzisa umzila obonakala ngokucacile—inceku yakhe ethembekile neqondayo—ukuze asize abantu bakhe bahlale behlanzekile ngokomoya. Ngakho, lapho ukudla okungokomoya esikutholayo kusiqwashisa ngemikhosi, imikhuba noma amasiko athile angcoliswe inkolo yamanga, siyalalela futhi sithathe isinyathelo masinyane. Njengabafowethu nodadewethu ababephila engxenyeni yokuqala yokuba khona kukaKristu, sizimisele ukuwagcina ehlanzekile amagceke asemhlabeni ethempeli likaJehova elingokomoya.

¹⁶ Phakathi nalezi zinsuku zokugcina, uKristu ubesebenza enza nezinto esingaziboni thina ukuze avikele amabandla abantu bakaJehova kubantu abangawangcolisa ngokomoya. Ukwenze kanjani lokho? Ake sizwe.

17, 18. Emfanekisweni wenetha, kusho ukuthini (a) ukwehlisa inetha, (b) “ukuqoqa zonke izinhlobo zezinhlanzi,” (c) ukufaka izinhlanzi ezinhle ezitsheni (d) nokulahla izinhlanzi ezingafanelekile?

¹⁷ INkosi uJesu Kristu iqapha amabandla abantu bakaNkulunkulu emhlabeni wonke ngeso elibukhali. UKristu nezingelosi bebenza umsebenzi wokuhlukanisa, bewenza ngezindlela esingeke saziqonda ngokugcwele. UJesu wachaza lo msebenzi emfanekisweni wakhe wenetha. (Funda uMathewu 13:47-50.) Usho ukuthini lo mfanekiso?

¹⁸ Ukwehlisela ‘inetha olwandle.’ Inetha lifanekisela ukushumayela ngoMbuso okwenziwa kuso sonke isintu esifana nolwandle. “Libutha izinhlanzi zazo zonke izinhlobo.” Izindaba ezinhle zidonsa abantu bazo zonke izinhlobo—labo abathatha izinyathelo zokuba amaKristu eqiniso, kanye nenqwaba yabanye abangase baqale babonise isithakazelo kodwa bangasenzi isinqumo sokusekela ukukhulekela okumsulwa. * Ukubuthela “ezinhle ezitsheni.” Abantu abaqotho baqoqelwa emabandleni afana nezitsha, lapho benikela khona ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile kuJehova. Ukulahla izinhlanzi “ezingafanelekile.” Phakathi nalezi zinsuku zokugcina, uKristu nezingelosi bebelokhu behlukanisa “ababi kwabalungileyo.” * Ngenxa yalokho, abantu abangenaso isimo esifanele senhliziyo—mhlawumbe abangazimisele ukulahla izinkolelo noma imikhuba engalungile—abazange bavunyelwe ukuba bangcolise amabandla. *

19. Uzizwa kanjani ngalokho uKristu abekwenza ukuze alonde ukuhlanzeka kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu nobumsulwa bokukhulekela kweqiniso?

¹⁹ Akuqinisi yini idolo ukwazi ukuthi iNkosi yethu, uJesu Kristu, iyabavikela labo abangaphansi kwayo? Akududuzi yini nokwazi ukuthi intshiseko yayo ngokukhulekela kweqiniso—nangabakhulekeli beqiniso—isavutha nanamuhla njengoba yayinjalo ngesikhathi ihlanza ithempeli ekhulwini lokuqala C.E? Asive sibonga ngokuthi uKristu ubelokhu esebenza ukuze alonde ukuhlanzeka okungokomoya kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu nobumsulwa bokukhulekela kweqiniso! Singabonisa ukuthi siyayisekela iNkosi noMbuso wayo ngokugwema noma yini ehlangene nenkolo yamanga.