Isahluko Seshumi Elinesixhenxe

“IBhabhiloni Iwile!”

Isaya 21:1-17

1, 2. (a) Uyintoni umxholo oyintloko weBhayibhile, kodwa nguwuphi umxholwana obalulekileyo okuIsaya? (b) IBhayibhile inaba njani ngomxholo ophathelele ukuwa kweBhabhiloni?

IBHAYIBHILE inokufaniswa nothotho lweengoma ezinomxholo omnye omkhulu, nganye kuzo inomxholwana wayo osekela lo mxholo mkhulu. Ngokufanayo, neBhayibhile inomxholo oyintloko—ukuthethelelwa kolongamo lukaYehova ngorhulumente woBukumkani bukaMesiya. Ikwanayo neminye imixholo emincinane ebalulekileyo. Omnye wayo uphathelele ukuwa kweBhabhiloni.

² Lo mxholo uqale ukuvela kuIsaya isahluko 13 nese-14. Uphinda uvele kwisahluko 21 nakwisahluko 44 nesama-45. Emva kwenkulungwane, uYeremiya uye wanaba nalo mxholo ukwamnye, waza waya kuqukunjelwa ngendlela ehlab’ umxhelo yincwadi yeSityhilelo. (Yeremiya 51:60-64; ISityhilelo 18:1–19:4) Mfundi ngamnye ozimiseleyo weBhayibhile umele azixhalabise ngalo mxholwana ubalulekileyo weLizwi likaThixo. UIsaya isahluko 21 uyanceda kule nkalo, kuba unikela iinkcukacha ezibangel’ umdla ngesiprofeto sokuwa kwelo gunya likhulu lehlabathi. Kamva, siza kubona ukuba uIsaya isahluko 21 ugxininisa omnye umxholo obalulekileyo weBhayibhile—lowo usinceda ukuba sinikel’ ingqalelo kwindlela esiphaphe ngayo njengamaKristu namhlanje.

“Umbono Olukhuni”

 3. Kutheni iBhabhiloni ibizwa ngokuba ‘yintlango yaselwandle,’ yaye elo binzana lidiza ntoni ngekamva layo?

³ Zisuka nje isahluko 21 sikaIsaya sidiza intlekele: “Isibhengezo nxamnye nentlango yaselwandle: Njengesaqhwithi somoya ezantsi ukhukula uye phambili, kukho okuzayo kuvela entlango, kwilizwe eloyikekayo.” (Isaya 21:1) IBhabhiloni ithe thabalala ngakuMlambo umEfrate, yaye ngakwicala langasempuma ixhagwe yimilambo emibini emikhulu, umEfrate neTigris. Ithe qelele noko ukusuka elwandle. Kutheni, ke ngoko, ibizwa ngokuba ‘yintlango yaselwandle’? Kungenxa yokuba ummandla waseBhabhiloni wawudla ngokuba nezikhukula nyaka ngamnye, nto leyo eyadala umgxobhozo omkhulu ‘wolwandle.’ Kodwa ke, amaBhabhiloni awubonela icebo lo mgxobhozo wamanzi ngokuthi akhe iindonga, imisele nemijelo emikhulu yokuwathintela. Ngobuchule aye awasebenzisa la manzi njengenxalenye yenkqubo yokhuseleko lwesixeko. Sekunjalo, ayikho imigudu yomntu enokuyisindisa iBhabhiloni ekugwetyweni nguThixo. Yayikade iyintlango—iza kuphinda ibe yintlango. Izelwa yintlekele, evunguza njengesaqhwithi esinamandla esifana neso sidla ngokubhudla ngamandla kwilizwe lakwaSirayeli sivela kwintlango eyoyikekayo yasemzantsi.—Thelekisa uZekariya 9:14.

 4. Umbono weSityhilelo ophathelele “iBhabhiloni Enkulu” unakuthanani ‘namanzi’ kwakunye ‘nentlango,’ kwaye yintoni emelwa ‘ngamanzi’?

⁴ Njengoko sifundile kwiSahluko 14 sale ncwadi, iBhabhiloni yamandulo inalo ihlakani layo lale mihla—“iBhabhiloni Enkulu,” ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki. KwiSityhilelo, iBhabhiloni Enkulu nayo ichazwa njengenento yokwenza ‘nentlango’ ‘namanzi.’ Umpostile uYohane usiwa entlango ukuze aboniswe iBhabhiloni Enkulu. Uxelelwa ukuba ‘ihleli phezu kwamanzi amaninzi’ afanekisela “izizwana nezihlwele neentlanga neelwimi.” (ISityhilelo 17:1-3, 5, 15) Ukuxhaswa konqulo lobuxoki ngabantu abaninzi kuko okulwenze lwahlala luhleli, kodwa loo “manzi” akayi kulukhusela ekugqibeleni. Njengehlakani lalo lamandulo, nalo luya kuphelela ngokuba ze, liyinkangala ephanzileyo.

 5. IBhabhiloni iye yaduma njani ‘njengenobuqhophololo’ “nomphangi”?

⁵ Ngomhla kaIsaya iBhabhiloni ayikabi logunya libalaseleyo ehlabathini, kodwa uYehova ubone kwangaphambili ukuba lisakufika ixesha layo, iza kulisebenzisa kakubi igunya layo. UIsaya uhlabela mgama esithi: “Ndixelelwe umbono olukhuni: Iqhophololo liqhubana ngobuqhophololo, nomphangi uyaphanga.” (Isaya 21:2a) Ngokwenene iBhabhiloni iza kuphanga ize iqhubane ngobuqhophololo neentlanga ezoyisayo, kuquka uYuda. AmaBhabhiloni aza kuyigqogqa iYerusalem, ayiphange itempile yayo, aze abantu bayo abathimbele eBhabhiloni. Apho, ezi ntathambula zabathinjwa ziza kuphathwa ngobuqhophololo, zigculelwe ngenxa yokholo lwazo, zinganikwa nethemba lokuba zakuze zibuyele kwilizwe lazo.—2 Kronike 36:17-21; INdumiso 137:1-4.

 6. (a) Kukuphi ukuncwina aza kukuphelisa uYehova? (b) Ziziphi iintlanga ekuxelwa kwangaphambili ukuba ziza kuhlasela iBhabhiloni, yaye oku kuzaliseka njani?

⁶ Ewe, iBhabhiloni iwufanele ngokwenene lo “mbono olukhuni,” oya kuthetha amaxesha anzima kuyo. UIsaya uhlabela mgama esithi: “Nyuka, Elam! Ngqinga, Medi! Ndikuyekisile konke ukuncwina okungenxa yakhe.” (Isaya 21:2b) Abo bacinezelwa bobu bukhosi bunobuqhophololo baza kufumana isiqabu. Ekugqibeleni, kuza kuphela ukuncwina kwabo! (INdumiso 79:11, 12) Siza kubangelwa yintoni esi siqabu? UIsaya ukhankanya iintlanga ezimbini eziza kuhlasela iBhabhiloni: amaElam namaMedi. Kwiinkulungwane ezimbini kamva, ngowama-539 B.C.E., uKoreshi umPersi uza kukhokela umkhosi omanyeneyo wamaPersi namaMedi usiya kuhlasela iBhabhiloni. Inxalenye yelakwaElam, iza kuthatyathwa ngabalawuli bamaPersi ngaphambi kowama-539 B.C.E.a Ngoko ke imikhosi yamaPersi iza kuquka namaElam.

 7. UIsaya uchatshazelwa njani ngumbono wakhe, yaye oko kufanekisela ntoni?

⁷ Phawula indlela uIsaya ayichaza ngayo indlela omchaphazela ngayo lo mbono: “Kungenxa yoko le nto isinqe sam sizele ziintlungu eziqatha. Ndibanjwe kukuzibhijabhija, njengokuzibhijabhija komfazi ozalayo. Ndiphazamisekile kangangokuba andiva; ndixakanisekile kangangokuba andiboni. Intliziyo yam ibhadu-bhadule; ndinkwantyiswe kukutyhwatyhwa. Urhatya endilulangazeleleyo lwenziwe lwandingcangcazelisa.” (Isaya 21:3, 4) Kubonakala ukuba, lo mprofeti uyazinandipha iiyure zangorhatya, xesha elo elithe cwaka nekumnandi ukucamngca ngalo. Kodwa ngoku urhatya alusenamtsalane, kunoko lubangela uloyiko, intlungu nokungcangcazela. Uyazibhijabhija njengomfazi obelekayo, nentliziyo yakhe ‘iyabhadu-bhadula.’ Omnye umphengululi uliguqulela ngokuthi eli binzana, “intliziyo yam ibetha ngamandla,” esithi libhekisela “ekubeni nomkhuhlane nokungabethi kakuhle kwentliziyo.” Kutheni exinezeleke kangaka nje? Ngokucacileyo, ezi mvakalelo zikaIsaya zibuprofeti. Ngengokuhlwa yango-Oktobha 5/6, 539 B.C.E., amaBhabhiloni aza kufikelwa luloyiko olufanayo.

 8. Njengoko kuprofetiwe, yintoni eyenziwa ngamaBhabhiloni, nangona iintshaba zawo zingxange ngaphandle kweendonga?

⁸ Ngorhatya lwaloo ngokuhlwa yeshwangusha, amaBhabhiloni akanayo nentwana encinane yoloyiko. Kwiinkulungwane ezimbini ngaphambili, uIsaya uthi: “Makumiswe iitafile ngolungelelwano, kulungiselelwe iindawo zezihlalo, kudliwe, kuselwe!” (Isaya 21:5a) Ewe, uKumkani onekratshi uBheleshatsare unesihikahika setheko. Kulungiswe izihlalo zewaka lezihandiba zakhe, kwanezabafazi namashweshwe amaninzi. (Daniyeli 5:1, 2) Aba bavukeli bayazi ukuba kukho umkhosi ongxangileyo ngaphandle kweendonga, kodwa bakholelwa ukuba akukho bani unokuze akwazi ukungena kwisixeko sabo. Oorhec’ izulu beendonga zaso nomjelo waso onzulu wamanzi wenza kubonakale ngathi asinakuze soyiswe; oothixo baso abaninzi benza bangacingi nokucinga ngokoyiswa. Ngoko ke ‘makudliwe, kuselwe!’ UBheleshatsare usela ade anxile, yaye kusenokwenzeka ukuba akayedwa. Okubonisa ukuba amagosa aphakamileyo nawo asenokuba ayeyotyiwe sisibakala sokuba kwade kwafuneka avuswe, njengoko amazwi kaIsaya alandelayo esiprofeto ebonisa.

 9. Kutheni kufuneka ‘kuthanjiswe ikhaka’?

⁹ “Vukani, zinkosana, thambisani ikhaka.” (Isaya 21:5b) Ngequbuliso, laphela itheko. Iinkosana kufuneka zivukile! Kuziswa umprofeti uDaniyeli owalupheleyo, yaye uzibonela ngokwakhe indlela uYehova amtyhwatyhwisa ngayo uKumkani uBheleshatsare waseBhabhiloni kanye njengoko wayechazile uIsaya. Izidwangube zikakumkani ziminxan’ ingqondo zisakubona imikhosi emanyeneyo yamaMedi, namaPersi kwanamaElam ityhobozela esixekweni sazo. IBhabhiloni iwa ngokukhawuleza! Noko ke, kuthetha ukuthini ‘ukuthambisa ikhaka’? Maxa wambi iBhayibhile ibhekisela kukumkani wohlanga njengekhaka ngenxa yokuba ungumkhuseli welizwe.b (INdumiso 89:18) Ngoko le ndinyana kaIsaya isenokuba ixela kwangaphambili ukuba kuza kufuneka ukumkani omtsha. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba uBheleshatsare ubulawa “ngabo kanye obo busuku.” Ngoko ke, kufuneka ‘kuthanjiswe ikhaka,’ okanye kunyulwe ukumkani omtsha.—Daniyeli 5:1-9, 30.

10. Ukuzaliseka kwesiprofeto sikaIsaya esiphathelele umphangi onobuqhophololo kubathuthuzela njani abanquli bakaYehova?

¹⁰ Bonke abathanda unqulo lokwenyaniso bayathuthuzelwa yile ngxelo. IBhabhiloni yale mihla, iBhabhiloni Enkulu, nayo ingumphangi onobuqhophololo ngokufana nqwa nehlakani layo lamandulo. Unanamhla iinkokeli zonqulo zenza amayelenqe okuba uvalwe umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova, atshutshiswe, okanye abizwe inkuntyula yerhafu. Kodwa njengoko esi siprofeto sisikhumbuza, uYehova uyabubona bonke obo buqhophololo bazo, yaye nakanjani na uza kuzohlwaya. Uza kuluphelisa lonke unqulo oluphosakeleyo nolungcungcuthekisa abantu bakhe. (ISityhilelo 18:8) Ngaba intw’ enjalo inokwenzeka? Ukuze sikukholelwe oku, makhe sihlole indlela esele zizaliseke ngayo izilumkiso zakhe eziphathelele ukuwa kweBhabhiloni yamandulo nehlakani layo lanamhlanje.

“Iwile!”

11. (a) Iyintoni imbopheleleko yomlindi, yaye ngubani obesebenza njengomlindi namhlanje? (b) Yintoni efanekiselwa yinqwelo yokulwa yamaesile neyeenkamela?

¹¹ Ngoku uYehova uthetha nomprofeti. UIsaya usichazela esithi: “Utsho uYehova kum ukuthi: ‘Yiya, umise umlindi ukuze axele oko akubonayo.’” (Isaya 21:6) La mazwi asidlulisela komnye umxholo obalulekileyo wesi sahluko—owokuhlala silindile, okanye siphaphile. Oku kubangel’ umdla kuwo onke amaKristu okwenyaniso namhlanje, kuba uYesu wabongoza abalandeli bakhe ukuba ‘bahlale belindile.’ “Ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi” alizange nakanye liyeke ukuxela oko likubonayo ngokuphathelele ukusondela kwemini kaThixo yomgwebo neengozi zeli hlabathi lonakeleyo. (Mateyu 24:42, 45-47) Yintoni ebonwa ngumlindi osembonweni kaIsaya? “Wabona inqwelo yokulwa inesipani samahashe okulwa, inqwelo yokulwa yamaesile, inqwelo yokulwa yeenkamela. Kwaye wanikela ingqalelo ngokucokisekileyo, ephulaphule kakhulu.” (Isaya 21:7) Ezi nqwelo zokulwa zahlukeneyo zisenokuba zifanekisela izintlu zeenqwelo zokulwa eziya edabini ngesantya samahashe aqeqeshelwe imfazwe. Ngokufanelekileyo inqwelo yokulwa yamaesile neyeenkamela zifanekisela amagunya amabini, elamaMedi nelamaPersi, aza kumanyana kolu hlaselo. Ngaphezu koko, imbali iqinisekisa ngokuba umkhosi wamaPersi wawusebenzisa amaesile neenkamela emfazweni.

12. Ziziphi iimpawu azibonisayo umlindi osembonweni kaIsaya, yaye ngoobani ekufuneka babe nazo ezi mpawu namhlanje?

¹² Ngoko, umlindi kunyanzelekile ukuba anikele ingxelo. “Wamemeza njengengonyama wathi: ‘Owu Yehova, ndimi rhoqo emboniselweni emini, yaye ndimi endaweni yam yokulinda ubusuku bonke. Ke, nako kusiza amadoda ngenqwelo yokulwa, inesipani samahashe emfazwe!’” (Isaya 21:8, 9a) Lo mlindi wasembonweni umemeza ngenkalipho, “njengengonyama.” Kufuna inkalipho ukubhengeza isigidimi somgwebo nxamnye nohlanga oluluqilima njengeBhabhiloni. Enye into efunekayo—kukunyamezela. Umlindi uhlala endaweni yakhe imini nobusuku, ethe qwa ngenkalipho. Ngokufanayo, udidi lomlindi kule mihla yokugqibela kuye kwafuneka lubonise inkalipho nonyamezelo. (ISityhilelo 14:12) Onke amaKristu okwenyaniso afanele abe nazo ezi mpawu.

13, 14. (a) Siyintoni isiphelo seBhabhiloni yamandulo, yaye izithixo zayo zaphulwa ngayiphi ingqiqo? (b) IBhabhiloni Enkulu iwa ngokufanayo njani yaye nini?

¹³ Umlindi osembonweni kaIsaya uyibona inqwelo yokulwa ibheka phambili. Ziziphi iindaba azidluliselayo? “Wathetha wathi: ‘Iwile! IBhabhiloni iwile, nayo yonke imifanekiso eqingqiweyo yoothixo bayo uyaphulele emhlabeni!’” (Isaya 21:9b) Enjani yona ukubangel’ imincili ingxelo! Ekugqibeleni, eli qhophololo lomphangi wabantu bakaThixo liwile!c Noko ke, yona imifanekiso eqingqiweyo nezithixo zaseBhabhiloni zaphulwe ngayiphi ingqiqo? Ngaba abahlaseli bamaMedi namaPersi baza kugqogqa iitempile zaseBhabhiloni baze bahlekeze loo nkumbula yezithixo? Akunjalo, kuba oko akuyomfuneko. Izithixo zaseBhabhiloni ziya kwaphulwa ngengqiqo yokuba ziya kubhenceka zingenawo amandla okukhusela eso sixeko. Yaye iBhabhiloni iza kuwa ngokuthi ingakwazi ukuqhubeka ibacinezela abantu bakaThixo.

¹⁴ Kuthekani ngeBhabhiloni Enkulu? Ngokuphembelela kwayo ukucinezelwa kwabantu bakaThixo ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi I, yaphumelela ukubagcina besekuthinjweni kangangethuba elithile. Umsebenzi wabo wokushumayela waphantse wema ngxi. Umongameli namanye amagosa aphambili eWatch Tower Society bavalelwa entolongweni ngezityholo zobuxoki. Kodwa ngowe-1919 kwabakho iinguqu ezimangalisayo. Amagosa akhululwa entolongweni, iofisi yekomkhulu yavulwa kwakhona, kwaza kwaphinda kwaqhutyekwa nomsebenzi wokushumayela. Ngaloo ndlela, iBhabhiloni Enkulu yawa ngokuthi ingakwazi ukuphinda ibabambe nkqi abantu bakaThixo.d KwiSityhilelo, oku kuwa kubhengezwa kabini yingelosi isebenzisa amazwi esibhengezo esikuIsaya 21:9.—ISityhilelo 14:8; 18:2.

15, 16. Abantu bomhla kaIsaya ‘bangababhuliweyo’ ngayiphi ingqiqo, yaye yintoni esinokuyifunda kwisimo sengqondo sikaIsaya ngabo?

¹⁵ UIsaya usiqukumbela esi sigidimi sesiprofeto ngokuvakalisa uvelwano kubantu bakowabo. Uthi: “Owu nina nibhuliweyo bam nonyana wesanda sam, oko ndikuvileyo kuYehova wemikhosi, uThixo kaSirayeli, ndikuxelile kuni.” (Isaya 21:10) EBhayibhileni, ukubhula kudla ngokufanekisela ukuqeqeshwa nokusulungekiswa kwabantu bakaThixo. Abantu bakaThixo bomnqophiso baza kuba ‘ngoonyana besanda,’ apho kubhulelwa khona ingqolowa isahlukaniswa nomququ, ukuze kusale kuphela iinkozo ezisulungekileyo nezinqwenelekayo. UIsaya akabavuyeleli ngenxa yokufumana kwabo olu qeqesho. Kunoko, unovelwano ngaba ‘nyana besanda’ bexesha elizayo, abaya kuthi abanye babo bachithe ubomi babo bonke besekuthinjweni ezweni lasemzini.

¹⁶ Oku kufanele kube sisikhumbuzo esibalulekileyo kuthi sonke. Ebandleni lamaKristu, bambi basenokutyekela ekuphelelweni luvelwano ngabenzi-bubi. Kwanabo bafumana uqeqesho basenokutyekela ekulugatyeni. Noko ke, ukuba sihlala sikhumbula ukuba uYehova ubaqeqesha abantu bakhe ngenjongo yokusulungekisa, asisayi kulujongela phantsi uqeqesho kwakunye nabo balwamkela ngokuthobekileyo yaye singasayi kulugatya xa silufumana. Masilwamkele uqeqesho lukaThixo njengolubonisa ukusithanda kwakhe.—Hebhere 12:6.

Ukubuzwa Komlindi

17. Kutheni ngokufanelekileyo iEdom ibizwa ngokuba ‘yiDuma’?

¹⁷ Isigidimi sesibini sesiprofeto sikaIsaya isahluko 21 sibalaselisa umsebenzi womlindi. Siqala ngokuthi: “Isibhengezo nxamnye noDuma: Kukho omemeza kum ekwaSehire, esithi: ‘Mlindi, kuthekani na ngobusuku? Mlindi, kuthekani na ngobusuku?’” (Isaya 21:11) Iphi le Duma? Kubonakala ukuba kwakukho iidolophu eziliqela ezazibizwa ngelo gama ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, kodwa akubhekiswa nakwenye yazo apha. Ayikho indawo ebizwa ngokuba yiDuma kwaSehire, gama elo elibhekisela kwiEdom. Noko ke, igama elithi “Duma” lithetha “Ukuthula.” Ngoko kubonakala ukuba, ngokufanayo nakwisibhengezo sangaphambili, lo mmandla unikwa igama elidiza oko kuza kwenzeka kuwo kwixesha elizayo. IEdom, ekukudala ilutshaba olukhohlakeleyo lwabantu bakaThixo, iza kuthuliswa—ukuthula kokufa. Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuba oko kwenzeke, abathile benxunguphele baza kubuzisa ngekamva.

18. Isibhengezo esithi, “Intsasa iza kufika, kwanobusuku,” sizaliseka njani kwiEdom yamandulo?

¹⁸ Ngexesha lokubhala kukaIsaya, iEdom yayisendleleni yomkhosi onamandla wama-Asiriya. Bambi e-Edom balangazelela ukwazi ukuba buya kuphela nini na ubusuku bokucinezelwa kwabo. Ithini impendulo? “Umlindi wathi: ‘Intsasa iza kufika, kwanobusuku.’” (Isaya 21:12a) Izinto aziyihambeli kakuhle kwaphela iEdom. Kuza kuba ngathi kuthi gqi ilitha lokusa elundini phayaa, liphinde lisithele ngokukhawuleza. Kuya kuthi ngesiquphe, elo litha lokusa lilandelwe bubusuku—obulelinye ixesha lobumnyama bengcinezelo. Onjani wona ukuthi gca umfanekiso-ngqondweni woko kuza kwehlela iEdom! Iza kuphela ingcinezelo yeAsiriya, kodwa iBhabhiloni eza kungena ezihlangwini zeAsiriya njengegunya lehlabathi iza kuyitshabalalisa iEdom. (Yeremiya 25:17, 21; 27:2-8) Kanti akuzukuphelela apho. Emva kwengcinezelo yeBhabhiloni kuza kulandela ingcinezelo yePersi neyeGrisi. Kuza kwandula ke kubekho “intsasa” emfutshane ebudeni bexesha lamaRoma, xa ooHerode—ababengamaEdom ngaphambili—befumana igunya eYerusalem. Kodwa loo “ntsasa” ayizukuhlala thuba lide. Ekugqibeleni, iEdom iza kuthuliswa ngonaphakade, ingabikho nasezimbalini. Lakutsho ke ngoko liyifanele igama elithi Duma.

19. Xa umlindi esithi, “Ukuba niyabuza, buzani. Yizani kwakhona!” usenokuba uthetha ukuthini?

¹⁹ Umlindi usiqukumbela isigidimi sakhe esifutshane ngamazwi athi: “Ukuba niyabuza, buzani. Yizani kwakhona!” (Isaya 21:12b) Ibinzana elithi “Yizani kwakhona!” lisenokuba libhekisela ‘kubusuku’ obulandelelanayo obuza kufikela iEdom. Okanye ngenxa yokuba eli binzana lisekwanokuguqulelwa ngokuthi “ukubuya,” apha umprofeti usenokuba umema nawaphi na amaEdom afuna ukusinda ekutshatyalalisweni kolo hlanga ukuba aguquke aze ‘abuyele’ kuYehova. Enoba yiyiphi na ingcaciso echanileyo, kodwa okuphawulekayo kukuba umlindi umema nabaphi na abafunayo ukuba babuze.

20. Kutheni isibhengezo esikuIsaya 21:11, 12 sibalulekile kubantu bakaYehova namhlanje?

²⁰ Esi sibhengezo sifutshane sithetha lukhulu kubantu bakaYehova kule mihla yethu.e Siyaqonda ukuba uluntu lungene nzulu kubusuku obumnyama bokumfameka ngokomoya nobokudedela kude noThixo obuya kukhokelela ekutshatyalalisweni kwale nkqubo yezinto. (Roma 13:12; 2 Korinte 4:4) Ebudeni beli xesha lobusuku, naluphi na ufifi lwethemba lokuba uluntu lungaze ngandlel’ ithile luzise uxolo nonqabiseko lufana nje nocimi-cimi welitha lokusa eliza kulandelwa ngamaxesha amnyama ngakumbi. Ukusa kokwenene kuyeza—ukusa koLawulo lukaKristu Lwewaka Leminyaka kulo mhlaba. Kodwa logama kusesebusuku, simele silandele ukhokelo lodidi lomlindi ngokuhlala siphaphile ngokomoya size sikubhengeze ngenkalipho ukusondela kwesiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto yonakeleyo.—1 Tesalonika 5:6.

Ukufika Kobusuku Kwithafa Eliyinkqantosi

21. (a) Kukuphi ukudlala ngamagama okusenokuba kwenzekile kwibinzana elithi “isibhengezo nxamnye nethafa eliyinkqantosi”? (b) Iyintoni imiqodi yabantu bakwaDedan?

²¹ Isibhengezo sokugqibela sikaIsaya isahluko 21 sibhekiswa nxamnye “nethafa eliyinkqantosi.” Siqala ngokuthi: “Isibhengezo nxamnye nethafa eliyinkqantosi: Ehlathini ethafeni eliyinkqantosi niya kuchitha ubusuku, miqodi yabantu bakwaDedan.” (Isaya 21:13) Ngokucacileyo ithafa eliyinkqantosi ekubhekiselwa kulo apha lilizwe lama-Arabhu, kuba esi sibhengezo sibhekiswa kwiqela lezizwe zama-Arabhu. Igama eliguqulelwe ngokuthi ‘ithafa eliyinkqantosi’ maxa wambi liguqulelwa ngokuthi “ingokuhlwa,” njengoko la magama ezizifanokuthi ngesiHebhere. Bambi bathi apha kudlalwe ngamagama, ngelokubonisa ukuba lo mmandla sele uza kufikelwa yingokuhlwa emnyama—ixesha lenkathazo. Ekuchazeni kwaso eli xesha lasebusuku, esi sibhengezo siqala ngokutsalel’ ingqalelo kwimiqodi yabantu bakwaDedan, abasisizwe esibalaseleyo sama-Arabhu. Le miqodi ityhutyha le nkqantosi, ithwele iziqholo, iiperile nobunye ubuncwane. Kodwa apha siyibona inyanzeleka ukuba iyeke ukukhenketha ize ichithe ubusuku obuninzi izifihlile. Ngoba?

22, 23. (a) Luluphi uxanduva olusele luza kufikela izizwe zama-Arabhu, yaye oko kuza kuba nawuphi umphumo kuwo? (b) Iza kufika kamsinyane kangakanani le ntlekele, yaye iziswa ngubani?

²² UIsaya ucacisa esithi: “Ukuhlangabeza onxaniweyo zisani amanzi, bemi belizwe lakwaTema, nimkhawulele ngesonka osabayo. Kuba basabile ngenxa yamakrele, ngenxa yekrele elirholiweyo, nangenxa yesaphetha esigotyiweyo nangenxa yobunzima bemfazwe.” (Isaya 21:14, 15) Ewe, ezi zizwe zama-Arabhu ziya kufikelwa luxanduva lwemfazwe. Ilizwe lakwaTema, elilelinye lawona achumileyo kulo mmandla, linyanzeleka ukuba lise amanzi nesonka kwabo baseshweni lokuba ziimbacu zemfazwe. Iza kufika nini le nkathazo?

²³ UIsaya uhlabela mgama esithi: “Utsho uYehova kum ukuthi: ‘Kwakulo nyaka, ngokweminyaka yomqeshwa, lonke uzuko lwakwaKedare lumele luphele. Nabo baseleyo kwinani labantu abadubula ngesaphetha, amadoda anamandla koonyana bakaKedare, baya kuba mbalwa, kuba uYehova, uThixo kaSirayeli, uthethile.’” (Isaya 21:16, 17) Isizwe sakwaKedare sibalasele kakhulu kangangokuba maxa wambi kuye kuthethwe ngaso xa kubhekiselwa kulo lonke elama-Arabhu. UYehova uzimisele ukubanciphisa kanobom abantu abadubula ngesaphetha kwanamadoda anamandla esi sizwe. Nini? “Kwakulo nyaka,” hayi kwixesha elingakumbi, kanye njengokuba nomqeshwa engasebenzi xesha lingakumbi kunelo alihlawulelwayo. Ayaziwa ngokuthe ngqo eyona ndlela kwazaliseka ngayo oku. Abalawuli ababini baseAsiriya—uSargon II noSenaribhe—bazibabaza ngokoyisa elama-Arabhu. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ngomnye wabo owazitshabalalisa ngokupheleleyo ezi zizwe zinekratshi zama-Arabhu, njengoko kwakuxelwe kwangaphambili.

24. Sinokuqiniseka njani ukuba isiprofeto sikaIsaya nxamnye nelama-Arabhu sazaliseka?

²⁴ Noko ke, sinokuqiniseka ukuba esi siprofeto sazaliseka ngokupheleleyo. Okusiqinisekisa ngakumbi ngamazwi okuqukumbela esi sibhengezo, athi: “UYehova, uThixo kaSirayeli, uthethile.” Kubantu bomhla kaIsaya, isenokubonakala ingenakwenzeka into yokuba iBhabhiloni ingoyisa iAsiriya ize iphinde ingqulwe phantsi ebudeni bomsitho wengokuhlwa nje enye. Isenokubonakala ingenakwenzeka nento yokuba iEdom enamandla ingaze ithuliswe fi kwaneyokuba izizwe ezinobutyebi zama-Arabhu zingaze zithwaxwe bubusuku beenkxwaleko. Kodwa uYehova uthe kuza kwenzeka, yaye kuyenzeka. Namhlanje, uYehova usixelela ukuba ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki buza kubhangiswa. Le asiyonto nje enokwenzeka; iza kwenzeka ngokuqinisekileyo. Kutsho uYehova uqobo!

25. Sinokuwuxelisa njani umzekelo womlindi?

²⁵ Ngoko ke, masibe njengomlindi. Masihlale siphaphile, ngokungathi simi kwinqaba ephakamileyo, sijonge ntsho elundini phayaa sikhangele nawuphi na umqondiso wengozi esondelayo. Masizimanye ngokusondeleyo nodidi lomlindi othembekileyo, intsalela yamaKristu athanjisiweyo esemhlabeni namhlanje. Masiyithelele ekubhengezeni ngenkalipho kanye oko sikubonayo—ubungqina obubangel’ imincili bokuba uKristu uyalawula ezulwini; nobokuba kungekudala uza kuwuphelisa umsantsa wobumnyama bokudediselwa koluntu kude noThixo; kwanobokuba emva koko uza kuzisa ukusa kokwenene, uLawulo Lwewaka Leminyaka emhlabeni oyiparadesi!

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 219]

‘Makudliwe, kuselwe!’

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 220]

Umlindi “wamemeza njengengonyama”

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 222]

‘Ndimi rhoqo imini nobusuku bonke’