Ngubani Owenza Imithetho Elawula Indalo?

“NGABA uyayazi imimiselo yamazulu?” (Yobhi 38:33) Xa uThixo wayebuza uYobhi loo mbuzo, wayenceda umkhonzi wakhe aqonde indlela oluncinane ngayo ulwazi lwabantu xa luthelekiswa nobulumko boMdali obungasikelwanga mda. Uthini ngale ntelekiso?

Abantu bafunde into eninzi ngemithetho elawula indalo, kodwa inkoliso yezazinzulu ziyavuma ukuba zininzi izinto ekusafuneka zizifunde. Sihlandlo ngasinye izazinzulu zifumanisa into entsha loo nto izenze zacinga ngokutsha ngendlela esebenza ngayo indalo. Ngaba ezi zinto zintsha ziye zafunyaniswa zibenze abantu bazi yonke into ngendalo? Okanye ngaba inkqubela eye yenziwa iye yabonisa ukuba nguYehova uMyili wemithetho yendalo?

IBhayibhile ineengxelo eziphendula loo mibuzo. Kakade ke, kuyavunywa ukuba iBhayibhile asiyoncwadi yenzululwazi. Noko ke, xa igqabaza ngendalo, into eyithethayo idla ngokuchana ngendlela emangalisayo yaye kuba ngaphambi kokuba izazinzulu ziyifumanise loo nto.

Imbono Yabantu Bamandulo Ngendalo

Ukuze sibone imbono yabantu bamandulo, makhe sithi tsi kwinkulungwane yesine Ngaphambi Kwexesha Eliqhelekileyo, malunga nasemva kwenkulungwane igqityiwe ukubhalwa “iTestamente Endala” inxalenye yesiHebhere yeBhayibhile. Ngelo xesha, intanda-bulumko yamaGrike uAristotle wayefundisa abona baphengululi babalaseleyo bexesha lakhe ngendalo. Namhlanje ubalwa phakathi kwezona zazinzulu zinempembelelo kwezakhe zaphila. (Funda ibhokisi kwiphepha 25.) Ngokutsho kweEncyclopædia Britannica, “uAristotle wayesisazi nzulu sokuqala embalini. . . . Zonke izazinzulu zifunde kuye.”

UAristotle wazoba indlela awayecinga ukuba imi ngayo indalo. Kulo mzobo indalo yenziwe ngezazinge ezikrelekrele ezingaphezu kwama-50 ngasinye siphakathi kwesinye uze umhlaba ube sembindini. Iinkwenkwezi zikwisazinge sokugqibela zize zona izijikelezi-langa zibe kwizazinge ezikufutshane nomhlaba. Yonke enye into engekho emhlabeni ayitshintshi ihlala injalo. Ezo ngcamango zinokuvakala zingamampunge namhlanje kodwa zaphembelela izazinzulu iminyaka engama-2 000.

Zinjani iimfundiso zika-Aristotle xa uzithelekisa neBhayibhile? Ziziphi iimfundiso eziye zamela nezanzwili zexesha? Makhe sihlalutye imibuzo emithathu ngemithetho elawula indalo yethu. Iimpendulo zayo ziya kusinceda sibe nokholo kuMbhali weBhayibhile, uMenzi ‘wemimiselo yamazulu.’—Yobhi 38:33.

1. Ngaba Indalo Imi Ndawonye?

UAristotle wayesithi izazinge ezenza indalo azihambi. Isazinge esibambe iinkwenkwezi, njengezinye sasingenakuncipha singenakwanda.

Ngaba iBhayibhile inembono efanayo? Akunjalo, ithetha ngendlela eyahlukileyo. Noko ke, phawula ingcaciso yayo ebangel’ umdla: “Kukho Lowo uhlala phezu kwesazinge somhlaba, abo bahlala kuwo banjengeentethe, Lowo waneka amazulu njengeyasuyasu elicikizekileyo, owatwabulula njengentente yokuhlala.”—Isaya 40:22.a

Yiyiphi echanileyo namhlanje—nguAristotle okanye yiBhayibhile? Izazi ngendalo zanamhlanje ziyijonga njani indalo? Ngenkulungwane yama-20, izazinzulu ngeenkwenkwezi zothuka zisakufumanisa ukuba indalo ayimanga ndawonye. Enyanisweni iminyele ibonakala ngathi iya ibhekela omnye komnye ngesantya esiphezulu. Zimbalwa izazinzulu, ukuba zikho kwaukubakho ezakhe zacinga ukuba indalo iyanda. Namhlanje, izazi ngendalo zikholelwa ukuba indalo yaqala incinane yaza yanda ukususela ngoko. Izazinzulu, zithi uluvo luka-Aristotle bubuvuvu.

Kuthekani ngamazwi eBhayibhile? Akukho nzima ukuba nomfanekiso ngqondweni womprofeti uIsaya ondele esibhakabhakeni esibona sondlaleke njengentente.b Mhlawumbi wayekubona ukufana koMthala wezulu ‘neyasuyasu elicikizekileyo.’

Ukongezelela koko, amazwi kaIsaya ayasimema ukuba sibe nomfanekiso ngqondweni. Sinokucinga ngentente yamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile; mhlawumbi sinokuba nomfanekiso ngqondweni womqulu welaphu elitwatyululwayo, ngaphambi kokuba lixhonywe ezibondeni lize libe yintente. Ngendlela efanayo sinokucinga ngomrhwebi ekhetha umqulu omncinane weyasuyasu elicikizekileyo elandlala ukuze lihlolwe ngumthengi. Kuzo zombini ezi meko, into ekhangeleka incinane iyatwabuluka ize ibe nkulu.

Kakade ke, asithi umzekelo wentente osetyenziswe neyasuyasu elicikizekileyo eBhayibhileni wenzelwe ukuze ucacise indlela ekhula ngayo indalo. Ngaba ayichukumisi into yokuba iBhayibhile ichaza indalo ngendlela evisisana nenzululwazi yezi mini? UIsaya wayephila kwiinkulungwane ezingaphezu kwezintathu ngaphambi kuka-Aristotle kumawaka eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba inzululwazi ibe nobungqina obubambekayo. Sekunjalo, inkcazelo eyabhalwa ngulo mprofeti ungumHebhere akuyomfuneko ukuba ihlaziywe njengeka-Aristotle.

2. Zibanjwe Yintoni Izinto Ezisesibhakabhakeni?

UAristotle wayesithi indalo ixinene. Wayesithi umhlaba nesibhakabhaka ziyilwe zizinto ezine—umhlaba, amanzi, umoya nomlilo. Ngapha kwazo kwakukho izazinge ezikrelekrele, ezaziyilwe ngento awayithiya ngokuba ngamafu. Indalo esezulwini ibanjwe zezi zazinge zingabonakaliyo. Le ngcamango ka-Aristotle yayithandwa zizazinzulu ezininzi, kuba yayivumelana nento ababeyicingela: Yokuba yonke into kufuneka ixhaswe okanye ibekw’ entweni kungenjalo iza kuwa.

Kuthekani ngeBhayibhile? Inamazwi endoda ethembekileyo uYobhi, owathi ngoYehova: “Ulixhoma kokungento.” (Yobhi 26:7) Loo ngcamango yayiza kumshiya ebambe ongezantsi uAristotle.

Ngenkulungwane ye-17 yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, emva kweminyaka engama-3 000 ukususela kuYobhi, inzululwazi yelo xesha yayibambelele kwelokuba indalo yayibanjwe luhlobo oluthile lolwelo kungekhona izazinge. Nangona ekupheleni kwaloo nkulungwane, isazinzulu uMhlekazi uIsaac Newton weza nengcamango eyahlukileyo. Wathi ngumxhuzulane obambe indalo. UNewton wayekufutshane ekuqondeni ukuba umhlaba nayo yonke enye indalo uxhonywe kokungento, emehlweni abantu kubonakala “kungekho nto.”

Ingcamango kaNewton yomxhuzulane yachaswa kanobom. Kwakunzima kwizazinzulu ezininzi ukuyamkela into yokuba iinkwenkwezi nezinye izidalwa ezisezulwini kwakungekho nto izibambileyo. Kwakunokwenzeka njani ukuba umhlaba okanye izinto ezisesibhakabhakeni zijinge esithubeni? Ezinye zazisithi loo ngcamango ichasene nemvelo. Ekubeni ngexesha lika-Aristotle, inkoliso yezazinzulu zazikholelwa ukuba kumele ukuba kukho into esesibhakabhakeni.

Kakade ke, uYobhi wayengazi ukuba kukho into engabonakaliyo ebambe umhlaba ukuze ujikeleze ilanga. Yintoni eyabangela ukuba athi ukuba isijikelezi langa sethu ‘sixhonywe kokungento’?

Ukongezelela koko, ingcamango yokuba umhlaba akukho nto iwuxhasileyo iphakamisa omnye umbuzo: Yintoni ebambe umhlaba nezinye izinto? Khawuve amazwi uThixo awathetha kuYobhi: “Ngaba ungayibopha iqine imixokelelwane yekroza leKima, okanye ngaba ungazikhulula na iintambo zekroza leKesile?” (Yobhi 38:31) Ngalo lonke ixesha lokudla amazimba kukaYobhi wayesoloko ezibona ezo nkwenkwezi ziphuma zitshona.c Kodwa kutheni zikhangeleka ngendlela efanayo iminyaka ngeminyaka? Yintoni ebambe ezi nkwenkwezi nezinye izinto ezisesibhakabhakeni? Ngokuqinisekileyo ukucinga ngezo zinto kwakummangalisa uYobhi.

Ukuba iinkwenkwezi bezimi ngxi bekungazi kubakho mfuneko yaloo makroza. Izazinzulu zayazi emva kwamawaka eminyaka into yokuba kukho izinto “ezibambe” indalo. UIsaac Newton noAlbert Einstein kamva baye baduma ngezinto abaye bazifumanisa. Kakade ke, uYobhi wayengazi nowathwethwa ngamandla uThixo awasebenzisayo ukuba abambe indalo esesibhakabhakeni. Sekunjalo amazwi aphefumlelweyo kaYobhi aye amela nezanzwili zexesha kuneengcamango zika-Aristotle. Ngubani omnye ngaphandle koMenzi-mthetho onokuziqonda ezo zinto?

3. Ziya Kuhlala Ngonaphakade Okanye Ziza Konakala?

UAristotle wayekholelwa ukuba kukho umda omkhulu phakathi kwamazulu nomhlaba. Wathi umhlaba unokutshintsha, wonakale uze uguge, ngoxa amafu engatshintshi ehlala ngonaphakade. Izazinge ezikrelekrele nenye indalo ebanjwe zizo azinakutshintsha, ziguge okanye zibhange.

Ngaba iBhayibhile ifundisa loo nto? INdumiso 102:25-27 ithi: “Wazibeka kwakudala iziseko zomhlaba, namazulu angumsebenzi wezandla zakho. Ezo zinto ziya kutshabalala, kodwa wena uya kuqhubeka umile; zonke ziya kuguga kanye njengesambatho. Uya kuzithabathel’ indawo kanye njengesinxibo, yaye ziya kuligqiba ithuba lazo. Kodwa wena ukwanguwe, neminyaka yakho ayiyi kuphela.”

Phawula ukuba lo mdumisi, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba wabhala iinkulungwane ezimbini ngaphambi kwexesha lika-Aristotle, akathelekisi umhlaba namazulu, ngokungathi umhlaba uyonakala ngoxa iinkwenkwezi zihlala ngonaphakade. Kunoko, uthelekisa amazulu nomhlaba kunye noThixo, uMoya omkhulu owabangela ukuba zidalwe.d Le ndumiso ibonisa ukuba iinkwenkwezi zinokonakala njengayo nantoni na esemhlabeni. Ziye zafumanisa ntoni izazinzulu namhlanje?

Inzululwazi ngokuma komhlaba ixhasa iBhayibhile noAristotle ngokuba umhlaba uyonakala. Xa silitsolisa, amatye omhlaba ayaguga ngenxa yokukhukuliseka komhlaba aze ahlaziywe lugqabhuko dubulo.

Kuthekani ngeenkwenkwezi? Ngaba ziyonakala, njengokuba iBhayibhile ibonisa okanye ngaba zihlala ngonaphakade ngokutsho kuka-Aristotle? Izazi ngeenkwenkwezi zaseYurophu zaqalisa ukuyithandabuza ingcamango ka-Aristotle yokungonakali kwenkwenkwezi xa zabona inkwenkwezi isifa ngenkulungwane ye-16 yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Ukususela ngoko izazinzulu ziye zafumanisa ukuba iinkwenkwezi zinokufa ngogonyamelo okanye zizifele ngokuthe ngcembe. Noko ke, izazi ngeenkwenkwezi ziye zabona iinkwenkwezi ezintsha zisakheka kumafu eenkwenkwezi ezifileyo. Ngenxa yoko, ingcaciso yombhali weBhayibhile yokuguga njengesambatho nokuthatyathelw’ indawo njengesinxibo ifanelekile.e Iyamangalisa into yokuba lo mdumisi wamandulo akwazi ukubhala amazwi avisisana ngokupheleleyo nezinto eziye zafunyaniswa kule mihla!

Sekunjalo, usenokubuza ukuba: ‘Ngaba iBhayibhile ifundisa ukuba umhlaba, okanye amazulu aya kuze atshabalale okanye kufuneke ukuba athatyathelw’ indawo ngamanye?’ Akunjalo, iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba aya kubakho ngonaphakade. (INdumiso 104:5; 119:90) Kodwa loo nto ayibangelwa kukuba zizizimakade, kunoko uThixo owazidalayo uyazilondoloza. (INdumiso 148:4-6) Akayichazi ukuba njani, kodwa ngaba ayikho ngqiqweni into yokuba Lowo wayidala unamandla okuyilondoloza? Ngendlela efanayo, umakhi olichule unokukwazi ukulungisa indlu ayakhele intsapho yakhe.

Ngubani Ofanele Azukiswe?

Ukucamngca ngemithetho embalwa elawula iziqu ezisezulwini kuyawuphendula lo mbuzo. Xa sicinga ngomntu owabangela ukuba iinkwenkwezi zithi saa esibhakabhakeni, obangela ukuba zingangqubani zime kwiindawo zazo, nobangela ukuba zihlale zikho, ngaba asimangaliswa?

Mhlawumbi izizathu zokuba simangaliswe zichazwe kakuhle kuIsaya 40:26: “Phakamiselani amehlo enu phezulu nize nibone. Ngubani na odale ezi zinto? NguLowo uzisa umkhosi wazo kanye ngokwenani, uzibiza nangegama xa zizonke.” Iinkwenkwezi zifaniswa nomkhosi, onamajoni amaninzi. Ukuba loo mkhosi ubungenayo inkumanda bekuya kuba sisiphithiphithi. Ukuba ibingekho imithetho kaYehova, izijikelezi langa, iinkwenkwezi, neminyele bezingayi kulungelelana bekuza kuba sisiphithiphithi nje. Kunoko, yiba nomfanekiso ngqondweni weebhiliyoni zomkhosi neNkumanda yawo engapheleli nje ekuwuyaleleni kodwa ijoni ngalinye ilazi ngegama apho likhoyo nemeko elikuyo.

Imithetho elawula iziqu ezisezulwini isinceda siqonde ubulumko bale Nkumanda. Ingangubani omnye umntu obenokuyila imithetho aze aphefumlele amadoda ukuba ayibhale ngokuchanileyo kwiinkulungwane okanye amawaka eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba izazinzulu ziyiqonde? Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo sinazo zonke izizathu zokunika uYehova “uzuko nembeko.”—ISityhilelo 4:11.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 24, 25]

Impembelelo Enamandla

“UAristotle wayeyeyona ntanda bulumko ibalaseleyo nesazi nzulu samaxesha amandulo.” Itsho njalo incwadi ethi The 100—A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History. Akunzimanga ukubona isizathu sokuba kuthethwe ngolu hlobo ngale ndoda. UAristotle (384-322 B.C.E.) wayengumfundi wentanda bulumko edumileyo uPlato waza kamva wafundisa inkosana eyaba nguAlexander Omkhulu. Ngokutsho kwengxelo yamandulo, uAristotle wabhala iincwadi ezimalunga ne-170, ezingama-47 kuzo zisekho. Wabhala ngeenkwenkwezi, ngenzululwazi yezilwanyana nezityalo, yemichiza, yendalo, ukuma komhlaba nokusebenza kwengqondo. Obunye ubuceducedu awabubhalayo ngezinto eziphilayo abuzange bufundwe de kwadlula iinkulungwane. Incwadi ethi The 100 ithi: “Impembelelo ka-Aristotle kwindlela yabantu yokucinga yaba nkulu kakhulu.” Noko ke, iphinda ithi: “UAristotle wathandwa kakhulu kangangokuba kumaxesha aphakathi wayengathi sisithixo.”

[Inkcazelo]

Royal Astronomical Society/Photo Researchers, Inc.

Ivela kwincwadi ethi A General History for Colleges and High Schools, yowe-1900

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26, 27]

Indalo esesibhakabhakeni ibanjwe ngumxhuzulane

[Inkcazelo]

NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScl)

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26, 27]

Iqela leenkwenkwezi ekuthiwa sisilimela

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]

Ezinye iinkwenkwezi ziyafa

[Inkcazelo]

ESA/Hubble

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]

Iinkwenkwezi ezintsha ezivelayo

[Inkcazelo]

J. Hester and P. Scowen (AZ State Univ.), NASA

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

© Peter Arnold, Inc./Alamy