ILizwi LikaYehova Liphilile
Iimbalasane Zencwadi KaYoweli NoAmosi
EKUPHELA kwento asixelela yona ngaye kukuba ‘unguYoweli unyana kaPetuweli.’ (Yoweli 1:1) Kwincwadi ebizwa ngegama lakhe, incinane kakhulu eny’ into uYoweli asixelela yona, ngaphandle kokuhlab’ emxholweni kwisigidimi sakhe. Kangangokuba nonyaka wesiprofeto sakhe uyaqikelelwa—malunga nowama-820 B.C.E., iminyaka elithoba emva kokuba u-Uziya enziwe ukumkani kwaYuda. Yintoni le yenza uYoweli angathethi kangako ngaye? Isizathu ekucingelwa kuso kukuba wayefuna ukubhekisa ingqalelo kwisigidimi kunokubhekisa kumthwali waso.
Kwelinye icala, ngemihla kaUziya, ‘umalusi nomtheni wamakhiwane emithi yesikamore’ ogama linguAmosi wakwaYuda, uyalelwa ukuba abe ngumprofeti. (Amosi 7:14) Ngokwahlukileyo kuYoweli owayeprofeta kwaYuda, uAmosi uthunyelwa emantla, kwiintlanga ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli. Incwadi ka-Amosi equkunjelwe malunga nowama-804 B.C.E., emva kokuba lo mprofeti ebuyele kwaYuda, ibhalwe ngolwimi olulula nolucacileyo.
“AWU KE LOO MINI”—NGOBA KUTHENI?
Ukuhlaselwa yimibungu, ziinkumbi nangamaphela koko kubonwa nguYoweli embonweni. Aba bahlaseli kubhekiselwa kubo ngokungathi “sisizwana esikhulu nesinamandla” yaye kubhekiswa kuso “njengamadoda anamandla.” (Yoweli 1:4; 2:2-7) UYoweli enesingqala uthi: “Awu ke loo mini; ngenxa yokuba ikufuphi imini kaYehova, kwaye iya kuza njengokuphanga ivela kuLowo unguSomandla!” (Yoweli 1:1–3:21) UYehova ululeka abemi baseZiyon ngokuthi: “Buyelani kum ngeentliziyo zenu zonke.” Ukuba benza ngaloo ndlela, “uYehova uya kuba nemfesane ngabantu bakhe” yaye uya kumshenxisa abe kude ‘owasemntla’—uhlanga oluhlasela njengezinambuzane. Ngaphambi kokufika kwemini yakhe enkulu, uYehova ‘uya kuthululela umoya wakhe phezu kwalo lonke uhlobo lwenyama aze enze nemihlola emazulwini nasemhlabeni.’—Yoweli 2:12, 18-20, 28-31.
Izizwe zicelwa umngeni: “Khandani amakhuba enu abe ngamakrele nezikere zokuthena imithi zibe ngamakrele” zize zizilungiselele imfazwe. Ziyalelwa ukuba “zihle ziye entilini kaYehoshafati” apho ziya kugwetywa khona zize zitshatyalaliswe. “Kodwa yena uYuda, uya kuba nabemi ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo.”—Yoweli 3:10, 12, 20.
Iimpendulo Kwimibuzo YeZibhalo
1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14—Yintoni “imini kaYehova”? Imini kaYehova lixesha lokuba uYehova aphumeze imigwebo kwiintshaba zakhe, oku kuya kuphumela ekutshatyalalisweni kwazo kodwa abanquli bokwenyaniso baya kusinda. Ngokomzekelo, imini efana nale yafika kwiBhabhiloni yamandulo ngowama-539 B.C.E., xa yoyiswa ngamaMedi namaPersi. (Isaya 13:1, 6) Enye “imini kaYehova” ikufuphi, xa eya kuphumeza umgwebo wobuthixo phezu “kweBhabhiloni Enkulu”—ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki.—ISityhilelo 18:1-4, 21.
2:1-10, 28—Sizaliseke njani isiprofeto sokuhlaselwa zizinambuzane? Akukho ngxelo iseBhayibhileni echaza ukuhlaselwa kwelizwe lamaKanan ngomlinganiselo ochazwe kwincwadi kaYoweli. Ngoko ke, uhlaselo oluchazwa nguYoweli lusisiprofeto sowama-33 C.E. xa uYehova wathululela umoya oyingcwele kubalandeli bakaKristu baza bashumayela isigidimi esasingcungcuthekisa iinkokeli zonqulo lobuxoki. (IZenzo 2:1, 14-21; 5:27-33) Kulilungelo lethu ukuba nathi namhlanje sibe nenxaxheba kulo msebenzi.
2:32—Kuthetha ukuthini ‘ukubiza egameni likaYehova’? Ukubiza egameni likaYehova kuthetha ukulazi igama lakhe, ukulihlonela ngokunzulu, nokuthemba umnini walo.—Roma 10:13, 14.
3:14—Yintoni “intili yesigqibo”? Yindawo yokomfuziselo yokuphumeza umgwebo kaThixo. Ngemihla kaKumkani uYehoshafati, ukumkani wakwaYuda, ogama lakhe lithetha, “uYehova nguMgwebi,” uThixo wasindisa amaYuda kwizizwe ezaziwangqongile ngokudubaduba imikhosi yazo. Ngenxa yoko, le ndawo ikwabizwa ngokuba “yintili kaYehoshafati.” (Yoweli 3:2, 12) Kumhla wethu, ifanekisela indawo yokomfuziselo apho zonke iintlanga ziya kuxovulwa njengesidiliya kwisixovulelo sewayini.—ISityhilelo 19:15.
Oko Sikufundayo:
1:13, 14. Ukuguquka ngokwenene nokuvuma ukuba uYehova nguThixo wokwenyaniso kubalulekile ukuze sisinde.
2:12, 13. Inguquko yokwenene imele isuke entliziyweni. Ibandakanya ‘ukukrazula iintliziyo zethu kungekhona izambatho zethu.’
2:28-32. Kuphela ngumntu ‘obiza egameni likaYehova oya kusindiswa’ xa kufika ‘imini kaYehova enkulu nebangela uloyiko.’ Hayi indlela okumele kusivuyise ngayo ukwazi ukuba uYehova uthulula umoya wakhe phezu kwayo yonke inyama yaye abancinane nabakhulu, amadoda nabafazi, banesabelo kumsebenzi wokuprofeta, oko kukuthi, ukuvakalisa “izinto zobungangamela zikaThixo”! (IZenzo 2:11) Njengokuba imini kaYehova isondela ngaba asimele siphuphume ngokuphathelele “ihambo engcwele nezenzo zozinikelo lobuthixo?”—2 Petros 3:10-12.
3:4-8, 19. UYoweli waprofeta ukuba iintlanga ezazingcungcuthekisa abantu bakaThixo zaziya kuphendula. Ngokuvumelana naloo mazwi enyaniso, isixeko saseTire sanqunqelwa egoqweni ngukumkani wamaBhabhiloni uNebhukadenetsare. Kamva, xa esi sixeko sisesiqithini sawela ezandleni zika-Aleksandire Omkhulu, amawaka amajoni omkhosi wakhe nabanye ababesemaqhuzwini babulawa yaye abangama-30 000 kubemi baso bathengiselwa ebukhobokeni. AmaFilisti afumana impatho efanayo ezandleni zika-Aleksandire nabanye abangena ezihlangwini zakhe. Ngenkulungwane yesine Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo iEdom yayiyinkangala. (Malaki 1:3) Ukuzaliseka kwezi ziprofeto kuqinisa ukholo lwethu kuYehova njengoMzalisekisi weziprofeto zakhe. Kwakhona, zibonisa ukuba uYehova uza kuqubisana neentlanga ezitshutshisa abanquli bakhe namhlanje.
3:16-21. “Izulu nomhlaba ngokuqinisekileyo ziya kunyikima,” neentlanga ziya kufumana umgwebo kaYehova oqatha. “Kodwa uYehova uya kuba yindawo yokusabela yabantu bakhe,” ebanika ubomi eparadesi. Ngaba asimele siqiniseke ngokusondela kuye njengokuba imini yakhe yokuphumeza umgwebo kweli hlabathi lingendawo isondela?
“ZILUNGISELELE UKUHLANGANA NOTHIXO WAKHO”
UAmosi wayenesigidimi esasijoliswe kwiintshaba ezazingqonge uSirayeli nesinye esasijoliswe kuYuda noSirayeli. Intshabalalo yayisemnyango kwiSiriya, kwiFilisti, kwiTire, e-Edom nelakwaMowabhi, ngenxa yokuphatha abantu bakaThixo. Abemi bakwaYuda babeza kugwetywa “ngenxa yokuwugatya kwabo umthetho kaYehova.” (Amosi 2:4) Kuthekani ngezizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli? Izono zazo zaziquka ukubawa, ukucinezela amahlwempu, ukudodobala kokuziphatha nempatho-mbi yabaprofeti bakaThixo. UAmosi ulumkisa ngelithi, uYehova uya ‘kuziphendulisa izibingelelo zaseBheteli, aze axabele indlu yasebusika ukongezelela kwindlu yasehlotyeni.’—Amosi 3:14, 15.
Phezu kwazo nje izohlwayo ezahlukeneyo ezazisele ziphunyeziwe, uSirayeli wabonisa ubuntamo-lukhuni ngokunqula izithixo. UAmosi ubaxelela oku: “Zilungiselele ukuhlangana noThixo wakho.” (Amosi 4:12) Oku kwakuthetha ukuba, amaSirayeli ayeza kuya “ekuthinjweni ngaphaya kweDamasko,” oko kukuthi eAsiriya. (Amosi 5:27) UAmosi ujamelene nenkcaso evela kubabingeleli baseBheteli kodwa akagungqi. UYehova uxelela uAmosi la mazwi: “Isiphelo sibafikele abantu bam amaSirayeli.” Walek’ umsundulu ngokuthi: “Andisayi kuba sabaxolela ngokubhekele phaya.” (Amosi 8:2) Nkqu neShiyol neentaba zazingenako ukubakhusela kumgwebo kaThixo. (Amosi 9:2, 3) Nakuba kunjalo, kukho isithembiso sokubuyiselwa. UYehova uthi: “Ndiza kubabuyisa abathinjiweyo babantu bam amaSirayeli, kwaye okunene baya kwakha izixeko eziphanzileyo baze babe ngabemi bazo, batyale izidiliya baze basele iwayini yazo, benze imiyezo baze badle iziqhamo zayo.”—Amosi 9:14.
Iimpendulo Kwimibuzo YeZibhalo
4:1—Ngoobani abafanekisela ‘iinkomo zaseBhashan’? Ihewu lakwaBhashan, ummandla osempuma yoLwandle lwaseGalili, lalisaziwa ngokuba nezilwanyana ezihle kuquka iinkomo. Amadlelo aluhlaza alapho ayenegalelo koku. UAmosi uthelekisa ukuphila tofotofo kwabafazi baseSamariya neenkomo zaseBhashan. Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo, aba bafazi babeziphethel’ imbengwana “iinkosi” zabo, okanye abayeni babo, ukuba baqhathe iinkedama khon’ ukuze bona batyibilike ebhotolweni bubutyebi.
4:6—Lithetha ukuthini ibinzana elithi “ukucoceka kwamazinyo”? Eli binzana lisetyenziswe ngokusondeleyo “nokuswela isonka,” yaye libhekisa kwixesha lendlala xa amazinyo ehlala ecocekile ngenxa yokunqaba kwento esiwa phantsi kwempumlo.
5:5—Kungayiphi indlela amaSirayeli ayengamele ‘afune iBheteli’? UYerobhoham wamisela ithole legolide eBheteli. Ukususela ngoko, eso sixeko saba liziko lonqulo lobuxoki. IGiligali neBher-shebha nazo, zazingene zwabha kunqulo lowexuko. Ukuze angachatshazelwa ligazi yile ntlekele eyaprofetwayo, uSirayeli kwafuneka ayeke ukuya kwiindawo eziphakamileyo zokunqula izithixo aze aqalise ukufuna uYehova.
7:1—Ibhekisela entwenini “ingca kakumkani”? Ibhekisela kwirhafu eyayibekwe ngukumkani ukuze agcine abakhweli bamahashe nezilwanyana ziphila. Le rhafu kwafuneka ihlawulwe “ekuqaleni kokuphuma koko kwakuhlwayelwe kamva.” Emva koko, abantu babenokuvuna iinkozo zabo. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba benze oko, ibubu leenkumbi lafika laza latshayela kwathi tu zonke iinkozo nolunye uhlaza.
8:1, 2—Yayifuzisela ntoni “ingobozi eneziqhamo zasehlotyeni”? Yayifuzisela ukuba imini kaYehova yayikufuphi. Iziqhamo zasehlotyeni zazivunwa xa kwakuza kuphela ixesha lokuvuna, oko kukuthi ngasekupheleni konyaka wesivuno. Xa uYehova wenza ukuba uAmosi abone “ingobozi yeziqhamo zasehlotyeni” oku kwakuthetha ukuba ukuphela kwakusele kumbovu kuSirayeli. Ngoko ke, uThixo waxelela uAmosi oku: “Isiphelo sibafikele abantu bam amaSirayeli. Andisayi kuba sabaxolela ngokubhekele phaya.”—Amosi 8:1, 2.
Oko Sikufundayo:
1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13; 2:1, 4, 6. Kwakungenxa yomsindo wakhe nxamnye noSirayeli, noYuda, neentlanga ezintandathu ezazibangqongile awathi uYehova ngabo: “Andiyi kukubuyisa oku.” Imigwebo kaYehova ayiphepheki.—Amosi 9:2-5.
2:12. Asimele sibadimaze abo basebenza ngenkuthalo: oovulindlela, abaveleli abahambahambayo, abavangeli basemazweni namalungu eentsapho zaseBheteli ukuba bayeke inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo baze baphile ubomi okufane kuthiwe buqhelekile. Kunoko, simele sibakhuthaze ukuba baqhubele phambili nomsebenzi wabo omhle.
3:8. Njengokuba ubani esoyika xa kugquma ingonyama, uAmosi waziva enyanzelekile ukuba ashumayele xa weva uYehova esithi: “Yiya uprofete kubantu bam amaSirayeli.” (Amosi 7:15) Ukoyika uThixo kufanele kusishukumisele ekubeni sishumayele ngenzondelelo isigidimi soBukumkani.
3:13-15; 5:11. Ngoncedo lukaYehova, umalusi owayejongelwa phantsi uAmosi wakwazi ‘ukunikela ubungqina’ ebantwini abathe futhu ngezinto eziphathekayo yaye ngenxa yoko wayengoyiki. Ngendlela efanayo, uYehova usixhobisela ukuba sivakalise isigidimi soBukumkani kungakhathaliseki ukuba ilukhuni kangakanani na intsimi yethu.
4:6-11; 5:4, 6, 14. Nakuba amaSirayeli ayesilela ngokuphindaphindiweyo ‘ukubuyela’ kuYehova, abongozwa ukuba ‘amfune, aqhubeke ephila.’ Njengokuba uYehova eqhubeka evumela le nkqubo yezinto ingendawo, simele sikhuthaze abo bakuyo babuyele kuThixo.
5:18, 19. Bubudenge ‘ukunqwenela imini kaYehova’ singekakulungeli ukufika kwayo. Imeko enjalo ifana nendoda ebaleka ingonyama kanti iza kuthi gqi nebhere, ithi isabaleka ibhere isuke ilunywe yinyoka. Bubulumko ukuhlala “siphaphile” ngokomoya size sihlale silindile.—Luka 21:36.
7:12-17. Simele singoyiki yaye sibe nenkalipho ekuvakaliseni isigidimi sikaThixo.
9:7-10. Ukuba yinzalelwane yoosolusapho abathembekileyo nabakhutshwa eYiputa njengabantu abakhethekileyo kuThixo akuzange kuthintele amaSirayeli ukuba angakholeki kuThixo njengamaKushe. Ukuba ngokholekileyo kuThixo ongenakhethe akuxhomekekanga kumlibo othile wokuzalwa, kodwa kuxhomekeke ‘ekoyikeni uThixo nasekwenzeni ubulungisa.’—IZenzo 10:34, 35.
Esimele Sikwenze
Ayifikanga igalelekile imini yokuphunyezwa komgwebo nxamnye nehlabathi likaSathana. UThixo uye wathulula umoya wakhe oyingcwele kubakhonzi bakhe ebaxhobisela ukuba balumkise uluntu ngemini yakhe ezayo. Ngaba asimele sizijul’ ijacu ekuncedeni abanye bamazi uYehova baze ‘babize egameni lakhe’?—Yoweli 2:31, 32.
UAmosi ubongoza ngale ndlela: “Thiyani okubi, nithande okulungileyo, vulelani okusesikweni indawo esangweni.” (Amosi 5:15) Njengokuba imini kaYehova isemnyango, bubulumko ukusondela kuThixo size sizigcine sahlukile ehlabathi elingendawo nakunxulumano lwalo olonakalisayo. Ukuze sifikelele oko, sifanele sifunde kwizifundo ezisexesheni ezikwiincwadi zeBhayibhile, ekaYoweli neka-Amosi.—Hebhere 4:12.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 12]
UYoweli waprofeta wathi: “Imini kaYehova ikufuphi!”
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 15]
NjengoAmosi, simele singoyiki yaye sibe nenkalipho ekuvakaliseni isigidimi sikaThixo