IBabiloni Elikhulu Liyamangalelwa

OCHUNGECHUNGENI lwemihlangano emikhulu kuwo wonke umhlaba ngo-1988-89, izigidi zoFakazi BakaJehova zemukela izwi lesinqumo elibonisa ukwenyanya kwabo ukuziphatha kweBabiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga—ikakhulukazi njengoba limelelwe eLobukholwa. Abanye abantu abaqotho bangase babuze, Ingabe lokho akukhona ukuma okuqine kakhulu? Cha, lutho neze! Uma sibona indlela abaprofethi bakwaIsrayeli wasendulo abakulahla ngayo ngesibindi ukukhonza izithombe kosuku lwabo nokuthi uJesu wabudalula ngolimi olushube kanjani ubuzenzisi benkolo besikhathi sakhe, thina njengoFakazi BakaJehova sikholelwa ukuthi lokhu kuma kufaneleke ngokuphelele. Kuyalezwe ngisho nawuNkulunkulu.—Isaya 24:1-6; Jeremiya 7:16-20; Mathewu 23:9-13, 27, 28, 37-39.

Ngakho senyanya ukuziphatha kweBabiloni Elikhulu phezu kwasiphi isisekelo? Yibuphi ubufakazi obungokomlando esinabo bokwehluleka kwenkolo ukudumisa iNkosi enguMbusi wendawo yonke, uJehova?

IBabiloni Lanamuhla Lidelela Igama

INkosi enguMbusi wendawo yonke ayiyona engaziwa. Izibize ngokwayo cishe izikhathi eziyizi-7 000 eBhayibhelini ngokuthi inguJehova. Inikeza igama layo ukubaluleka okukhulu. Umyalo wesithathu weMiyalo Eyishumi uthi: “Ungaliphathi ngeze igama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ngokuba uJehova akayikumyeka oliphatha ngeze igama lakhe.” Futhi uJesu waqokomisa igama likaYise eMthandazweni Omkhulu, ethi, “Malingcweliswe igama lakho.”—Eksodusi 20:7; Mathewu 6:9.

Irekhodi leLobukholwa ekudumiseni igama likaNkulunkulu libi kakhulu. Ngisho neBhayibheli iKing James ka-1611 lisebenzisa igama elithi Jehova, lilodwa noma lihlangane namanye, izikhathi eziyisikhombisa kuphela.a Ezinye izinguqulo ziye zalikhipha ngokuphelele leligama. Izinkolo eziningi ziyehluleka ukulidumisa. Kunalokho, ziye zaphakamisa uZiqu-zintathu wazo “ongcwele” futhi, ngezinye izikhathi, uMariya okuthiwa uNina kaNkulunkulu ngaphezu kukaNkulunkulu weBhayibheli. Igama likaJehova eliyigugu liye lehliselwa ekusetshenzisweni okuncane kakhulu.b

Ngokutusekayo, amaSulumane aqaphela uNkulunkulu oyedwa, ambiza ngokuthi uAllah, ngokuvumelana nencwadi yawo engcwele, iKoran. Nokho, awalisebenzisi igama lakhe, elithi Jehova, njengoba lembulwa kuqala eBhayibhelini okungenani eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ezimbili ngaphambi kokuba iKoran ibe khona. AmaHindu akhulekela izigidi zawonkulunkulu nawonkulunkulukazi, kodwa uJehova akekho phakathi kwalabonkulunkulu.

Okuvelele njengesoni mayelana negama likaNkulunkulu ubuJuda. Ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka, amaJuda aye azisholo ukuthi angabantu begama likaNkulunkulu, nokho ngenxa yesiko lawo, aye abangela igama likaNkulunkulu leqiniso ukuba lehliselwe ekungasetshenzisweni ngokuphelele.

Ngakho, njengoFakazi beNkosi enguMbusi uJehova, kumelwe sibonakalise ukunengwa kwethu ngenxa yokunganakwa kwegama likaNkulunkulu elingcwele yiBabiloni Elikhulu.

Isizathu Sokuba Senyanye Izimfundiso ZobuBabiloni

Izigidi zabantu ziye zaxhashazwa futhi zagcinwa zisekwesabeni ngesisekelo semfundiso yobuBabiloni yokuthi umuntu unomphefumulo ongafi. Kusukela ezikhathini zasendulo, inkolo yamanga iye yasebenzisa ukwesatshwa kokuhlupheka komphefumulo phakade okungenzeka esihogweni somlilo ngemva kokufa. Ukunongwa kobunyoka okukhulu kwaleyomfundiso kuwukuhlushwa kwesikhashana emililweni yesihlanzo. Abantu abaqotho bakhokha izimali ukuze kwenzelwe abafileyo iMisa kodwa abakaze bazi ukuthi ukukhokha kupheza nini ukuba okudingekile! Lezimfundiso ezihlambalazayo azisekelwe eBhayibhelini.—Qhathanisa noJeremiya 7:31.

Eqinisweni, iBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi umuntu ungumphefumulo ophilayo, ofayo. Ngenxa yokungalaleli kwakhe uAdamu wanqunyelwa ukufa hhayi ukuya esihogweni somlilo noma esihlanzweni. Kalula nje, “inkokhelo yesono ingukufa.” (Roma 6:23; Genesise 2:7, 17; 3:19) Ithemba elingokomBhalo labafileyo alisekelwa emphefumulweni ongafi, kodwa, kunalokho lisekelwe esithembisweni sikaNkulunkulu sokuvuselwa ekuphileni okuphelele emhlabeni oyipharadesi.—Johane 5:28, 29; IsAmbulo 21:1-4.

Nokho enye imfundiso yobuBabiloni inguZiqu-zintathu “ongcwele.” Lemfundiso yabantu abathathu kuNkulunkulu oyedwa ayizange ibe yingxenye yokholo lwamaHeberu asendulo. (Duteronomi 5:6, 7; 6:4) EngumJuda ngokwakhe, uJesu ngokuqinisekile akazange akholelwe noma afundise ukuthi wayenguNkulunkulu umninimandla onke. Akazange athi wayeyingxenye kaziqu-zintathu njengoba ayefundiswa emfundisweni yobuBabiloni noma emfundisweni engaphikiswa.—Marku 12:29; 13:32; Johane 5:19, 30; 14:28; 20:17.

Ngakho, siyazenqaba izimfundiso zobuBabiloni ezihlambalazayo njengoba zifundiswa ezinkolweni zamanga zalelizwe. Sikhulekela uNkulunkulu oyedwa kuphela weqiniso, uJehova, ngeNdodana yakhe, eyaba ‘inhlawulo’ yezono kungezona ezamaKristu agcotshiwe kuphela kodwa nezezwe lesintu sonke.—1 Johane 2:2.

Isizathu Sokuba Senqabe Amafilosofi Aphika UNkulunkulu

Opapa nabefundisi beLobukholwa bayakhala ngokwanda okukhulayo kokungakholelwa kuNkulunkulu, futhi abaningi ayakusebenzisa ukuze bathethelele ukusekela kwabo ezombangazwe ezimelene nezinguquko. Nokho, kudingeka kubuzwe lombuzo: Obani abathethelele izenzo zokungalungi nezokukhetha ezabangela lokhu kudlondlobala kokungakholelwa kuNkulunkulu, ikakhulukazi ekhulwini leminyaka elidlule? Kwenzeka ngendlela evelele endaweni yombuso weLobukholwa. Ngokwesibonelo, iSonto LobuOrthodox LaseRashiya lalivumelane nababusi baseRashiya, ababecindezelé abantu ngonya. Ukuntuleka kwezimiso zobuKristu zeqiniso kulabo abazibiza ngokuthi bangabameleli bakaNkulunkulu kwanezela ezimweni ezakha indawo yokuchumisa ukungakholelwa kuNkulunkulu.

Izinkolo zeLobukholwa ziye futhi zamukela imfundiso yokuziphendukela kwemvelo eyenyelisa uMdali. Zithi ubunkimbinkimbi nokwahlukahluka kwezinhlobo zokuphila ezingaphezu kwesigidi kubangelwe amandla emvelo angaqondiswa. Ngamanye amazwi, zithi lokhu kwahlukahlukana kwavela ngochungechunge lwezinhlanhla eziyinzuzo. Ifilosofi enjalo yenza uNkulunkulu angadingeki nomuntu angabi nothile okumelwe alandise kuye. Izimiso zokuziphatha ziba indaba yokuzikhethela komuntu siqu. (IHubo 14:1) Omunye umphumela uwukuthi ukukhishwa kwezisu manje kufinyelela izigidi eziyishumi unyaka ngamunye—emazweni azisholo ukuthi athanda inkolo!

Siyawenqaba lamafilosofi nalemikhuba ephika uNkulunkulu. Sikhulekela uJehova, “ophilayo kuze kube-phakade naphakade, owadala izulu nokukulo, nomhlaba nokukuwo, nolwandle nokukulo.”—IsAmbulo 10:6; 19:6.

Isizathu Sokuba Senyanye Izithelo ZeBabiloni Elikhulu

ELobukholwa lehlulekile ukulalela izigijimi eziyisixwayiso eziya emabandleni ayisikhombisa eziphawulwe kusAmbulo izahluko 2 no-3. Lezigijimi zixwayisa ngomkhuba wokudala amaqembu, ukukhonza izithombe, nobufebe, nangokuba-sivivi nokunganaki.

Ukuvakashela cishe noma iyiphi indawo yokukhulekela kuyokwembula indlela abantu abaningi abathanda inkolo abaye baphakamisa ngayo isidalwa kunoMdali. Kanjani? Ngokuhlonipha kwabo izithombe nemifanekiso edwetshiwe nangokhulekela kwabo abakunikeza “osanta,” oMariya abayiziNcasakazi, neziphambano.—Qhathanisa neHubo 115:2-8; 2 Korinte 5:7; 1 Johane 5:21.

Endabeni yabo, kugcwaliseka lamazwi kaPawulu: “Ngokuba kuthé bemazi uNkulunkulu, kabamdumisanga . . . baba-yiziwula, nenkazimulo kaNkulunkulu ongabhubhiyo bayiguqula ifane nomfanekiso womuntu obhubhayo, owezinyoni, nowezilwane ezinezinyawo ezine nezinwabuzelayo.”—Roma 1:21-23.

Isizathu Sokuba Silahle Ukuziphatha Okubi KweBabiloni

Kuleminyaka engama-20 edlule kuye kwemukelwa ubungqingili noma bathethelelwa njengenye yezindlela zokuphila okungaphendukelwa kuzo. Izigidi zongqingili ziye “zaphumela obala” futhi manje ziyacanasa emigwaqweni, zibukisa ‘ngokuZidla’ kwazo kokuba “oNgqingili.” UNkulunkulu ububheka kanjani ubungqingili bazo?

IBhayibheli lasho ngokucacile eminyakeni engaba yizi-3 500 edlule: “Ungalali nowesilisa njenganowesifazane; kuyisinengiso.” (Levitikusi 18:22) Futhi cishe eminyakeni eyizi-2 000 edlule uPawulu wabonisa ukuthi izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zazingakashintshi lapho ebhala: “Ngenxa yalokho uNkulunkulu wabanikela ekuhuhekeni okuyihlazo; ngokuba abesifazane babo baguqula ukwenza kwemvelo kwaba-ngokuphambene nemvelo; ngokunjalo nabesilisa bayeka ukwenza kwemvelo kowesifazane, basha ngokukhanukelana, abesilisa benza okuyichilo kwabesilisa, bezitholela umvuzo ofanele ukuduka kwabo.”—Roma 1:26, 27; 1 Korinte 6:9, 10; 1 Thimothewu 1:10.

Nokho, baningi kakhulu abefundisi beLobukholwa abaqhuba ubungqingili kangangokuba baye bakwazi ukumisa iqembu elinamandla elimelela ubungqingili kweziningi zezinkolo ezinkulu. Bafuna ngenkani ukuba indlela yabo yokuphila iqashelwe nokuba banikezwe isikhundla sobufundisi. Isibonelo salokhu yileso sehlelo elikhulu kunawo wonke amahlelo obuProthestani aseCanada, iUnited Church yaseCanada, abaholi halo abangama-205 abahlula abayi-160 ngoAugust 24, 1988 ngevoti, ekusekeleni ukuvunyelwa kongqingili ezikhundleni zobufundisi.

Isizathu Sokuba Senyanye Ubundindwa Obungokomoya BeBabiloni

IsAmbulo sidalula ubufebe beBabiloni ‘namakhosi omhlaba,’ ababusi bawo bezombangazwe. Isifebe sichazwa njengesihlezi “phezu kwamanzi amaningi,” asho ‘abantu, izixuku, nezizwe, nezilimi.’ (IsAmbulo 17:1, 2, 15) Ngokuba nobuhlobo obuseduze nababusi bezombangazwe, inkolo yamanga emakhulwini eminyaka adlule iye yasebenzisa ithonya layo obala noma ngobunyoka ekucindezeleni nasekuxhaphazeni abantu abaphansi.

Izibonelo zalelithonya ziyizivumelwano iVatican eyazisayina nababusi bobuNazi nabobuFascist kulelikhulu lama-20 leminyaka. Ngenxa yalokho, ithonya lesonto emihlanjini laholela ekukhonzeni ababusi abanonya ngokwesaba okuphelele. Ngo-1929 iVatican yenza isivumelwano nomashiqela wobuFascist uBenito Mussolini. Yini eyalandela eJalimane? Ukhadinali Faulhaber waseJalimane, usenza siqonde okwakucatshangwa upapa ngoHitler, uma ethi lamazwi alandelayo ashiwo uPius XI: “Ngiyajabula; ungumbusi wokuqala ukuba akhulume ngokumelene nobuBolshevist.” UFaulhaber kamuva waphawula: “Uhambo lwami lokuya eRome lwaqinisekisa lokho ngokunokwenzeka engakusola isikhathi eside. ERome, ubuNazi nobuFascist kucatshangelwa njengokuphela kokukhululwa ebuKhomanisini nakubuBolshevist.”

Ababhishobhi baseJalimane abangamaKatolika babephikisane nefilosofi yobuNazi ngaphambi kuka-1933. Kodwa njengoba umlobi waseJalimane uKlaus Scholder esho encwadini yakhe iThe Churches and the Third Reich, ababhishobhi babeyalezwe inxusa leVatican eJalimane, uKhadinali Pacelli, ukuba babukeze isimo sabo sengqondo mayelana nobuNazi. Yini eyagqugquzela lolushintsho? Kwakuyithemba lesivumelwano phakathi koMbuso WaseJalimane neVatican esasayinwa ngoJuly 20, 1933.

UKlaus Scholder uyabika: “Okhethweni lomhla ka-12 November [1933] uHitler wavuna izithelo zesivumelwano soMbuso ngamavoti ‘avumayo’ amaningi ngokumangalisayo kunabo bonke emaqenjini obuKatolika ababekhona bebanga ukhetho.”

Nakuba abaholi abambalwa abangamaProthestani babonisa ukuphikisana nokubusa kobuNazi ngo-1933, amazwi abo anyamalala ngokushesha ekuxokozeleni kwezixuku kokushisekela ubuzwe. UScholder uyachaza: “Ngokusobala kwakunokushesha okwandayo esontweni lobuProthestani ukushiya ukuxwaya okwakuboniswe esikhathini esidlule futhi manje ekugcineni lalishesha ukubambeka osikisikini lokushisekela ubuzwe. . . . Kwaqala ukuvela izinkulumo ezingokomthetho zesonto ezazisekela uMbusi omusha ngokungagodli.” Eqinisweni, ubuProthestani bazithengisa ngokwabo ekushisekeleni ubuzwe kobuNazi futhi baba isisebenzi sabo, njengoba nje neSonto LamaKatolika lalenzile.

Umbhalo ongokomlando ubonisa ukuthi kuwo wonke lamakhulu eminyaka, inkolo yamanga iye yahlangana namaqembu abusayo aphakeme anamandla futhi yaqinisa izikhundla zawo ngokulimala kwabantu abaphansi. ‘Isimo sengqondo sikaKristu’ asizange siboniswe abaholi bezwe benkolo, abaye baphishekela ngobugovu amandla, impahla, nengcebo. NjengoFakazi BakaJehova, siyabenyanya ubundindwa obunjalo obungokomoya.—Johane 17:16; Roma 15:5, NW; IsAmbulo 18:3.

Isizathu Sokuba Senyanye Icala Legazi LeBabiloni

Encwadini yesAmbulo, iBabiloni Elikhulu limangalelwa ngecala elikhulu legazi: “Ngase ngibona owesifazane edakiwe yigazi labangcwele negazi lawofakazi bakaJesu. Futhi kwafunyaniswa [kuye] igazi labaprofethi nelabangcwele nelabo bonke ababebulewe emhlabeni.”—IsAmbulo 17:6; 18:24.

Umlando wenkolo yamanga ungowenzondo nokuchitha igazi, eLobukholwa kuyilona elinecala legazi elikhulu kunawo wonke. Izimpi ezimbili zezwe zaqala endaweni yombuso wezizwe ezibizwa ngokuthi ezobuKristu. Abaholi bezombangazwe “abangamaKristu” baphendukela ezikhalini ngo-1914 nango-1939, futhi abefundisi kuzo zonke izizwe ezilwayo banikeza isibusiso sabo. Mayelana neMpi Yezwe I iThe Columbia History of the World ithi: “Iqiniso kanye nokuphila kwashaywa indiva, futhi akubanga nazwi elaphakanyiswa lokunganeliseki. Abavikeli bezwi likaNkulunkulu bahola amaqembu ezempi. Impi ephelele yasho inzondo ephelele.” (Omalukeke sizenzele) Abefundisi bezempi bakhuthaza amabutho abo ukuba abe nosinga lokushisekela izwe lakubo njengoba intsha yezinhlangothi zombili yaba izisulu zokudutshulwa. Yona lencwadi efanayo yomlando ithi: “Ukonakaliswa ngesu kwezingqondo zabantu ngezindida zokushisekela ubuzwe . . . ngokuqhubekayo kwathiya inqina yokufuna ukuthula.”

Kuwo wonke umhlaba inkolo yamanga iyaqhubeka iphehla inzondo njengoba izingxabano zidlondlobala phakathi komJuda nomSulumane, umHindu nomSikh, umKatolika nomProthestani, umSulumane nomHindu, umBuddha nomHindu. Yebo, inkolo yamanga iyaqhubeka iba nesandla ethantaleni legazi ‘labo bonke ababebulewe emhlabeni.’—IsAmbulo 18:24.

Ngokucabangela bonke ubufakazi obuvezwe ngenhla, oFakazi BakaJehova banomuzwa wokuthi izwi lesinqumo lomhlangano omkhulu ka-1988 liyafaneleka futhi lifike ngesikhathi. Ngokufanele, sisola inkolo yamanga njengesifebe esinecala legazi, iBabiloni Elikhulu. Simemezela emhlabeni okuwukuphela kwendlela yeqiniso eya ekuthuleni nasekukhulekeleni kweqiniso—ukuphendukela eNkosini enguMbusi wendawo yonke, uJehova uNkulunkulu, ngaLowo amthumela emhlabeni, uKristu, noma uMesiya, uJesu. Lokhu kusho ukwamukela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu njengohulumeni wokulunga, ohlala njalo okuwukuphela kwawo onganelisa izidingo zesintu. Futhi kusho ukuthi manje yisikhathi sokulalela lomyalo othi: “Phumani kulo [iBabiloni Elikhulu], bantu bami, ukuze ningahlanganyeli nalo izono zalo, nokuba ningamukeli okwezinhlupho zalo.”—IsAmbulo 18:4; Daniyeli 2:44; Johane 17:3.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]