Maphunziro Othandiza Otengedwa ku Dziko Lolonjezedwa

DZIKO Lolonjezedwa la m’mbiri ya Baibulo linali lapaderadi. M’dera laling’ono limeneli, tikupeza malo amitundumitundu. Kumpoto, kuli mapiri okutidwa ndi chipale chofeŵa pamwamba; kummwera, madera otentha. Kuli zidikha zachonde, madera a zipululu, ndi dziko lamapiri laminda ya zipatso ndi mabusa.

Kusiyanasiyana kwa mitunda, mkhalidwe wa dziko, ndi nthaka zimalola mitengo, zitsamba, ndi zomera zina zambiri zosiyanasiyana​—kuphatikizapo zina zimene zimamera mokondwa m’madera ozizira amapiri, zina zimene zimamera m’chipululu chotentha, ndiponso zina zimene zimakula bwino m’dambo lamakande kapena pachawe chamiyala. Wasayansi ya zomera wina akunena kuti mitundu ya zomera pafupifupi 2,600 ingapezeke m’deralo! Aisrayeli oyamba amene anayendera dzikolo anaona umboni nthaŵi yomweyo wakuti linali labwino. Kuchokera ku chigwa china, iwo anabwerako ndi tsango la mphesa lalikulu kwambiri kwakuti amuna aŵiri analinyamula mopika! Moyenerera chigwacho chinatchedwa Esikolo, kutanthauza “Tsango [la Mphesa].”a​—Numeri 13:21-24.

Koma tiyeni tiyang’anitsitse kwambiri mbali zina za malo a dziko lapaderali, makamaka za ku chigawo chakummwera.

Shefela

Malire a kumadzulo a Dziko Lolonjezedwa ndiwo gombe lake la ku Mediterranean Sea. Pafupifupi makilomita 40 mkati kuli Shefela. Liwulo “Shefela” limatanthauza “Chidikha,” koma m’chenicheni dera limeneli ndi lamapiri ndipo lingangotchedwa chidikha pamene liyerekezeredwa ndi mapiri a Yuda chakummaŵa.

Yang’anani pa mapuwa osonyeza kusiyana ndipo onani kusiyana kwa Shefela ndi madera ake ozungulira. Chakummaŵa kuli mapiri a Yuda; kummadzulo, dambo lakugombe la Filistiya. Chotero, Shefela anali monga chochinga, chopinga chimene m’nthaŵi za Baibulo chinalekanitsa anthu a Mulungu ndi adani awo akale. Gulu la nkhondo loukira kuchokera kumadzulo linayenera kudutsa Shefela lisanaukire Yerusalemu, likulu la Israyeli.

Chochitika chonga chimenechi chinachitika mkati mwa zaka za zana lachisanu ndi chinayi B.C.E. Mfumu Hazaeli ya Aramu, limasimba motero Baibulo, ‘inakwera, nithira nkhondo pa Gati, [mwinamwake kumalire a Shefela] niulanda, nilunjikitsa nkhondo yake kukwera ku Yerusalemu.’ Mfumu Yoasi inakwanitsa kuletsa Hazaeli, ikumamnyengerera ndi zinthu zamtengo wapatali za m’kachisi ndi m’nyumba ya mfumu. Ngakhale zili choncho, mbiri imeneyi ikusonyeza kuti Shefela anali wofunika kwambiri pa chitetezo cha Yerusalemu.​—2 Mafumu 12:17, 18.

Pamenepa tingatengepo phunziro lothandiza. Hazaeli anafuna kugonjetsa Yerusalemu, koma choyamba anafunikira kudutsa Shefela. Mofananamo, Satana Mdyerekezi ‘akufunafuna kulikwira’ atumiki a Mulungu, koma kaŵirikaŵiri amayenera choyamba kupyola chochinga cholimba​—kumamatira kwawo ku mapulinsipulo a Baibulo, monga aja onena za mayanjano oipa ndi kukonda chuma. (1 Petro 5:8; 1 Akorinto 15:33; 1 Timoteo 6:10) Kunyalanyaza mapulinsipulo a Baibulo kaŵirikaŵiri ndiko sitepe loyamba lomka ku kuchita machimo aakulu. Chotero sungani chochinga chimenecho chili cholimba. Tsatirani mapulinsipulo a Baibulo lero, ndipo simudzaswa malamulo a Mulungu maŵa.

Dziko Lamapiri la Yuda

Kuloŵa mkati kwambiri kuchoka ku Shefela kuli dziko lamapiri la Yuda. Limeneli ndi dera lamapiri ambiri limene linkatulutsa mbewu zabwino, mafuta a azitona, ndi vinyo. Chifukwa cha kukhala kwake pamwamba, Yuda analinso pothaŵira pabwino kwambiri. Ndiye chifukwa chake, Mfumu Yotamu inamanga “nyumba zansanja, ndi nsanja zomwe” kumeneko. M’nthaŵi za mavuto, anthu anali kuthaŵira kumeneko kaamba ka chitetezo.​—2 Mbiri 27:4.

Yerusalemu, wotchedwanso Ziyoni, anali mbali yotchuka ya dziko lamapiri la Yuda. Yerusalemu anaoneka kukhala wotetezereka popeza kuti ku mbali zitatu anali wozingidwa ndi zigwa zakuya, ndipo mbali yakumpoto, malinga ndi wolemba mbiri wa m’zaka za zana loyamba Josephus, inali yotetezeredwa ndi makoma atatu otsatizana. Koma malo othaŵirapo samangofunikira makoma ndi zida kuti akhalebe otetezereka. Ayenera kukhalanso ndi madzi. Zimenezi nzofunika pamene adani azinga mudzi, popeza popanda madzi, nzika zotsekeredwazo zingakakamizike kudzipereka mwamsanga kwa adani.

Yerusalemu ankapeza madzi kuchokera pa Dziŵe la Siloamu. Komabe, m’zaka za zana lachisanu ndi chitatu B.C.E., poyembekezera kuukira kwa Asuri, Mfumu Hezekiya inamanga khoma lina lakunja lotetezera Dziŵe la Siloamu, kulitsekera mkati mwa mzinda. Inatsekanso akasupe amene anali kunja kwa mzinda, kotero kuti Asuri oukirawo adzavutike kwambiri kudzipezera madzi. (2 Mbiri 32:2-5; Yesaya 22:11) Si zokhazo. Hezekiya anapeza njira yokhotetsera madzi owonjezereka kuloŵa mkati mwenimweni mwa Yerusalemu!

Pa imene yatchedwa imodzi ya ntchito zazikulu zauinjiniya zaluso kwambiri zakale, Hezekiya anakumba ngalande kuchoka pa kasupe wa Gihoni kukafika ku Dziŵe la Siloamu.b Yakuya kwa mamita 1.8 pa avereji, ngalande imeneyi inali yautali wa mamita 533. Tangoiganizirani​—ngalande yautali woposa theka la kilomita, yokumbidwa kupyola thanthwe! Lerolino, pafupifupi zaka 2,700 pambuyo pake, alendo ku Yerusalemu amayenda m’madzi a ngalande yauinjiniya yaluso kwambiri imeneyi, yodziŵika ndi ambiri monga ngalande ya Hezekiya.​—2 Mafumu 20:20; 2 Mbiri 32:30.

Zoyesayesa za Hezekiya za kutetezera ndi kuchulukitsa madzi a Yerusalemu zingatiphunzitse phunziro lothandiza. Yehova ndiye “kasupe wa madzi amoyo.” (Yeremiya 2:13) Malingaliro ake, opezeka m’Baibulo, amachirikiza moyo. Ndiye chifukwa chake phunziro la Baibulo laumwini nlofunika. Koma mpata wa phunziro, ndi chidziŵitso chimene chimatulukapo, sizidzangokufikani pachabe. Mungafunikire ‘kukumba ngalande,’ monga zopyola m’zochita zanu zochuluka zatsiku ndi tsiku, kupezera nthaŵi phunzirolo. (Miyambo 2:1-5; Aefeso 5:15, 16) Mutayamba, mamatirani ku ndandanda yanu, mukumaika phunziro lanu laumwini patsogolo. Samalani kusalola munthu wina kapena chinthu china kukulandani madzi amtengo wapatali ameneŵa.​—Afilipi 1:9, 10.

Madera a Zipululu

Chakummaŵa kwa mapiri a Yuda kuli Chipululu cha Yuda, chotchedwanso Yesimoni, kutanthauza “Chipululu.” (1 Samueli 23:19, NW, mawu amtsinde) Ku Nyanja Yamchere, dera louma limeneli lili ndi mipata ya miyala ndi matherezi ojenya. Chipululu cha Yuda chotsika mamita 1,200 pa makilomita 24 okha, chimachingidwa ku mphepo zobweretsa mvula zochokera kumadzulo, ndipo chifukwa cha zimenezo chimangolandira mvula yochepa. Mosakayikira mbuzi ya Azazeli inali kutumizidwa ku chipululu chimenechi pa Tsiku la Chitetezo chaka ndi chaka. Ndi kumenenso Davide anathaŵira pothaŵa Sauli. Kunoku Yesu anasala kudya masiku 40 ndipo pambuyo pake anayesedwa ndi Mdyerekezi.​—Levitiko 16:21, 22; Salmo 63, mawu apamwamba; Mateyu 4:1-11.

Pafupifupi makilomita 160 kummwera koma chakumadzulo kwa Chipululu cha Yuda kuli Chipululu cha Parana. Zigono zambiri za Israyeli mkati mwa ulendo wawo wa zaka 40 wochokera ku Aigupto kupita ku Dziko Lolonjezedwa zinali muno. (Numeri 33:1-49) Mose analemba za ‘chipululu chachikulu ndi chowopsa, mmene munali njoka zamoto, ndi zinkhanira, mouma mopanda madzi.’ (Deuteronomo 8:15) Nzodabwitsa kuti mamiliyoni a Aisrayeli anapulumuka! Inde, Yehova anawachirikiza.

Chimenechitu chikhale chikumbutso chakuti Yehova angatichirikize ifenso, ngakhale m’dziko lino louma mwauzimu. Inde, ifenso tikuyenda pakati pa njoka ndi zinkhanira, ngakhale kuti si m’lingaliro lenileni. Tsiku ndi tsiku tingafunikire kumachitira zinthu pamodzi ndi anthu amene sada nkhaŵa ndi kulankhula nkhani zonyansa zimene zingayambukire malingaliro athu mosavuta. (Aefeso 5:3, 4; 1 Timoteo 6:20) Awo amene amayesetsa kutumikira Mulungu mosasamala kanthu za zopinga zimenezi ayenera kuyamikiridwa. Kukhulupirika kwawo kuli umboni wamphamvu wakuti Yehova akuwachirikizadi.

Mapiri a Karimeli

Dzinalo Karimeli limatanthauza “Munda wa Zipatso.” Dera lachonde limeneli lakumpoto, lautali wa makilomita pafupifupi 50, nlokongola chifukwa cha minda ya mphesa, mitengo ya azitona, ndi mitengo ya zipatso. Nsolomondo yokathera m’nyanja ya mtandadza wa mapiri ameneŵa njosaiŵalika kwambiri kukongola kwake. Yesaya 35:2 amanena za “[kukongola kwa, NW] Karimeli” monga chizindikiro cha ulemerero wa kubala zipatso wa dziko lobwezeretsedwa la Israyeli.

Zochitika zapadera zingapo zinachitikira m’Karimeli. Kunali kuno kumene Eliya anatokosa aneneri a Baala ndi kumene “moto wa Yehova unagwa” kusonyeza ukulu Wake. Ndiponso, ndi pamwamba pa Karimeli pamene Eliya anasonyeza mtambo waung’ono umene unakhala mvula yaikulu, motero akumathetsa chirala pa Israyeli mozizwitsa. (1 Mafumu 18:17-46) Woloŵa m’malo wa Eliya, Elisa, anali pa Phiri la Karimeli pamene mkazi wa ku Sunemu anabwera kudzapempha thandizo lake pa mwana wake wakufa, amene Elisa anamuukitsa pambuyo pake.​—2 Mafumu 4:8, 20, 25-37.

Zigwa za Karimeli zidakali ndi minda ya zipatso, mitengo ya azitona, ndi mphesa. Mkati mwa ngululu, zigwa zimenezi zimakutidwa ndi maluŵa okongola osiyanasiyana. “Mutu wako ukunga Karimeli,” anatero Solomo kwa mtsikana wa ku Sulami, mwinamwake akumanena za kukongola kwa tsitsi lake kapena za mmene mutu wake wokongolawo unakhalira pamwamba pa khosi lake mochititsa kaso.​—Nyimbo ya Solomo 7:5.

Kukongola kumene kunali mkhalidwe wa mapiri a Karimeli kumatikumbutsa za kukongola kwauzimu kumene Yehova wapatsa gulu lake lamakono la alambiri. (Yesaya 35:1, 2) Mboni za Yehova zikukhaladi m’paradaiso wauzimu, ndipo zimavomereza mawu a Mfumu Davide, imene inalemba kuti: “Zingwe zandigwera mondikondweretsa; inde chosiyira chokoma ndili nacho.”​—Salmo 16:6.

Zoona, pali zovuta zimene mtundu wauzimu wa Mulungu umayang’anizana nazo, monganso mmene Aisrayeli akale anakumanirana ndi chitsutso chosalekeza cha adani a Mulungu. Komabe, Akristu oona samaiŵala konse madalitso amene Yehova wapereka​—kuphatikizapo kuunika komawonjezereka kwa choonadi cha Baibulo, ubale wapadziko lonse, ndi mwaŵi wa kupeza moyo wosatha padziko lapansi la paradaiso.​—Miyambo 4:18; Yohane 3:16; 13:35.

“Monga Munda wa Yehova”

Dziko Lolonjezedwa lakale linali losangalatsa kuliyang’ana. Lafotokozedwa bwino kukhala ‘loyenda mkaka ndi uchi.’ (Genesis 13:10; Eksodo 3:8) Mose analitcha “dziko lokoma, dziko la mitsinje yamadzi, la akasupe, ndi la maiŵe akutuluka m’zigwa, ndi m’mapiri; dziko la tirigu ndi barele, ndi mipesa, ndi mikuyu, ndi makangaza; dziko la azitona a mafuta, ndi uchi; dziko loti mudzadyamo mkate wosapereŵeza; simudzasoŵamo kanthu; dziko loti miyala yake njachitsulo, ndi m’mapiri ake mukumbe mkuwa.”​—Deuteronomo 8:7-9.

Ngati Yehova anapereka dziko lolemera ndi lokongola motero kwa anthu ake akale, ndithudi adzapereka kwa atumiki ake okhulupirika amakono paradaiso waulemerero wokuta dziko lonse lapansi​—wokhala ndi mapiri, zigwa, mitsinje, ndi nyanja. Inde, Dziko Lolonjezedwa lakale ndi zinthu zake zonse zamitundumitundu linali chabe chitsanzo cha paradaiso wauzimu amene Mboni zake zikukhalamo lerolino ndi cha Paradaiso wamtsogolo wadziko latsopano. Mmenemo lonjezo lolembedwa pa Salmo 37:29 lidzakwaniritsidwa: “Olungama adzalandira dziko lapansi, nadzakhala momwemo kosatha.” Pamene Yehova adzapereka mudzi wa Paradaiso umenewo kwa anthu omvera, iwo adzakhala achimwemwe kotani nanga kuyendera “zipinda” zake zonse ndipo kumatero kosatha!

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Mapu patsamba 4]

(Onani m’magazini yeniyeni kuti mumvetse izi)

GALILEYA

Phiri la Karimeli

Nyanja ya Galileya

SAMARIYA

SHEFELA

Mapiri a Yuda

Nyanja Yamchere

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Chithunzi cha NASA

[Mapu patsamba 4]

(Onani m’magazini yeniyeni kuti mumvetse izi)

Shefela anali chopinga pakati pa anthu a Mulungu ndi adani awo

MI 0 5 10

KM 0 8 16

Dambo la Filistiya

Shefela

Dziko Lamapiri la Yuda

Chipululu cha Yuda

Rift Valley

Nyanja Yamchere

Dziko la Amoni ndi Moabu

[Mapu/​Chithunzi patsamba 5]

(Onani m’magazini yeniyeni kuti mumvetse izi)

Ngalande ya Hezekiya: Yautali wa mamita 533, yokumbidwa m’thanthwe lenileni

Chigwa cha Tiropiya

Siloamu

MUDZI WA DAVIDE

Chigwa cha Kidroni

Gihoni

[Zithunzi patsamba 6]

Mu Chipululu cha Yuda ndimo mmene Davide anabisala pothaŵa Sauli. Pambuyo pake Yesu anayesedwa ndi Mdyerekezi munomu

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Zithunzi patsamba 7]

Phiri la Karimeli, kumene Eliya anachepetsa aneneri a Baala

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Zithunzi patsamba 8]

“Yehova Mulungu wanu akuloŵetsani m’dziko lokoma, dziko la mitsinje yamadzi, la akasupe, ndi la maiŵe akutuluka m’zigwa, ndi m’mapiri.”​—Deuteronomo 8:7