Incwadi YeBhayibhile 39—Malaki
Umbhali: NguMalaki
Indawo Eyabhalelwa Kuyo: EYerusalem
Ukugqitywa Kokubhalwa Kwayo: Ngemva kowama-443 B.C.E.
1. Yintoni ebonisa inzondelelo kaMalaki ngoYehova?
WAYENGUBANI uMalaki? Ayikho naphi na ingxelo ebhaliweyo ngokubhekisele kumnombo okanye imbali yakhe yobuqu. Noko ke, ngokusuka kumongo wesiprofeto sakhe, kuyacaca ukuba wayezinikele ngokupheleleyo kuYehova uThixo, ephakamisa igama Lakhe nonqulo olunyulu, ibe wayebathiye egazini abo babezibabaza bekhonza uThixo kodwa babe bekhonza izilangazelelo zabo kuphela. Igama likaYehova likhankanywa izihlandlo ezingama-48 (NW) kwizahluko ezine zesiprofeto sakhe.
2. Kusenokuba iyintoni intsingiselo yegama likaMalaki, ibe kubonakala ukuba wayephila nini?
2 NgesiHebhere igama lakhe lithi Mal·ʼa·khiʹ, mhlawumbi elithetha ukuthi “Mthunywa Wam.” IZibhalo zesiHebhere, iSeptuagint, nalo lonke uludwe lobalo-maxesha lweencwadi lumchaza uMalaki njengowokugqibela kwabo babizwa ngokuba ngabaprofeti abangaphantsi abali-12. Ngokutsho kwenkcazelo yabaphengululi beNtlanganiso Enkulu, waphila ngethuba lasemva komprofeti uHagayi noZekariya ibe wayephila ngexesha likaNehemiya.
3. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba isiprofeto sikaMalaki sabhalwa emva kowama-443 B.C.E.?
3 Sabhalwa nini esi siprofeto? Kwakusebudeni bolawulo lwerhuluneli ethile, nto leyo esenza ukuba sibe sabhalwa ngexesha lokubuyiselwa kweYerusalem okwakulandela iminyaka engama-70 yokuphanziswa kukaYuda. (Mal. 1:8) Kodwa yiyiphi loo rhuluneli? Ekubeni kukhankanywa inkonzo yasetempileni kodwa kungathethwa nto ngokwakhiwa kwetempile, kumele ukuba kwakusemva kwexesha leRhuluneli uZerubhabheli, lowo itempile yagqitywa ukwakhiwa ebudeni bolawulo lwakhe. Kukho irhuluneli enye kuphela eyenye ekhankanywe kwiZibhalo eyayilawula ngeli thuba, leyo ke nguNehemiya. Ngaba esi siprofeto siyalifanelekela ixesha likaNehemiya? Akukho nto ithethwayo kuMalaki ngokuphathelele ukwakhiwa kwakhona kweYerusalem nodonga lwayo, nto leyo ethetha ukuba esi siprofeto sasingenakuthanani nenxalenye yokuqala yolawulo lukaNehemiya. Noko ke, kuthethwa okuninzi ngokuphathelele ukuxhaphaza okwakusenziwa ludidi lwababingeleli, nto leyo enxibelelanisa uMalaki nemeko eyayikho xa uNehemiya wathi weza okwesibini eYerusalem, emva kokuba ephinde wabizelwa eBhabhiloni nguArtashashta ngowama-443 B.C.E., unyaka wama-32 wokulawula kwaloo kumkani. (Mal. 2:1; Neh. 13:6) Iindinyana ezifanayo kuMalaki nakuNehemiya zibonisa ukuba esi siprofeto sisebenza kanye kweli xesha.—Mal. 2:4-8, 11, 12—Neh. 13:11, 15, 23-26; Mal. 3:8-10—Neh. 13:10-12.
4. Yintoni engqina ukuba incwadi kaMalaki iyinyaniso kwaye iphefumlelwe?
4 Incwadi kaMalaki ibisoloko isamkelwa ngamaYuda njengeyinyaniso. Ukucatshulwa kwayo kwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike, uninzi lwazo olubonisa ukuzaliseka kwesiprofeto sayo, kungqina ukuba incwadi kaMalaki yaphefumlelwa kwaye iyinxalenye yemibhalo engcwele yeZibhalo zesiHebhere ezazixatyiswa libandla lamaKristu.—Mal. 1:2, 3—Roma 9:13; Mal. 3:1—Mat. 11:10 noLuka 1:76 nese-7:27; Mal. 4:5, 6—Mat. 11:14 nese-17:10-13; Marko 9:11-13 noLuka 1:17.
5. Yiyiphi imeko ephantsi ngokomoya eyaqhubela uMalaki ekubeni aprofete?
5 Isiprofeto sikaMalaki sibonisa ukuba inzondelelo nehlombe elingokonqulo ezavuselelwa ngumprofeti uHagayi noZekariya ngexesha lokwakhiwa kwakhona kwetempile zazingasekho. Ababingeleli bathi baba ngabangakhathaliyo, abanekratshi nabazingcayo. Iinkonzo zasetempileni zaba yinto eyintlekisa. Izishumi zazingasanikelwa neminikelo ingasenziwa ngenxa yemvakalelo eyayikho yokuba uThixo wayengasenamdla kuSirayeli. Amathemba oko kwakuza kufezwa nguZerubhabheli ayengazalisekanga, ibe ngokwahlukileyo koko kwakulindelwe, uMesiya akazange afike. Imeko yamaYuda engokomoya yayingaginyisi mathe. Sisiphi isizinzi esasikho sokukhuthazeka nokuba nethemba? Abantu babenokwenziwa njani bayiphaphele imeko yabo yokwenene baze bavuselelwe ukuba babuyele ebulungiseni? Isiprofeto sikaMalaki sinikela impendulo.
6. UMalaki usebenzisa siphi isimbo sokubhala?
6 Isimbo sokubhala sikaMalaki siyangqala kwaye sihlab’ umxhelo. Uqala ngokwandlala umbandela oyintloko aza kuthetha ngawo aze ke aphendule abo athetha ngabo. Uthi ke aqukumbele ngokubek’ umnwe koko akuthethe ekuqaleni. Oku kwenza ingxoxo yakhe ibe namandla ize icace gca. Endaweni yokucikoza, usebenzisa uhlobo lwentetho ephandle nolubonakalisa ukungacengi solala phi.
OKUQULETHWE YEKAMALAKI
7. Ngoobani uYehova abathandayo nabathiyileyo?
7 Umyalelo kaYehova kubabingeleli (1:1–2:17). Okokuqala uYehova uvakalisa uthando analo ngabantu bakhe. Uye wamthanda uYakobi waza wamthiya uEsawu. UEdom makazame ukwakha amanxuwa akhe; uYehova uya kubagungxula yaye kuya kuthiwa “bangumda wokungendawo,” abantu ababhavumelayo uYehova, kuba uYehova uya kwenziwa ‘mkhulu phezu komda wakwaSirayeli.’—1:4, 5.
8. Ababingeleli basingcolise njani isithebe sikaYehova, ibe kutheni le nto beza kufikelwa sisiqalekiso nje?
8 Ngoku uYehova uthetha ngokungqalileyo ‘nababingeleli abalidelileyo igama lakhe.’ Njengoko bezama ukuzithethelela, uYehova uthetha ngemibingelelo yabo yezilwanyana eziziimfama, eziqhwalelayo nezifayo, aze abuze athi, Ngaba irhuluneli iya kukholiswa yiminikelo enjalo? NoYehova akakholiswa yiyo. Igama lakhe limele liphakanyiswe phakathi kweentlanga, kodwa aba bantu bayamhlambela ngokuthi: “Isithebe sikaYehova singcolile.” Baya kuqalekiswa kuba bathe ngobuqhinga abazizalisekisa izibhambathiso zabo ngokunikela imibingelelo engento. “Ngokuba ndingukumkani omkhulu, utsho uYehova wemikhosi, negama lam liyoyikeka phakathi kweentlanga.”—1:6, 12, 14.
9. Ababingeleli basilele ukwenza ntoni, ibe babuhlambele njani ubungcwele bukaYehova?
9 Ngoku uYehova unikela umyalelo kubabingeleli, ebaxelela ukuba ukuba abasamkeli esi siluleko, uya kuthumela isiqalekiso phezu kwabo naphezu kwentsikelelo yabo. Uya kubatshiza ebusweni babo ngomswane wemithendeleko yabo kuba besilela ukugcina umnqophiso wabaLevi. “Kuba umlomo wombingeleli ngowokugcina ukwazi, umyalelo bawufune emlonyeni wakhe; ngokuba ungumthunywa kaYehova wemikhosi.” (2:7) UMalaki uvuma isono esikhulu sikaSirayeli noYuda. Baye banginiza baza bahlambela ubungcwele bukaYehova, uBawo noMdali wabo, ngokuzeka intombi yothixo wolunye uhlanga. Bagqithisile ekumdiniseni uYehova. Bade babuza bathi, “Uphi na uThixo wokugweba?”—2:17.
10. Nguwuphi umsebenzi wokugweba ewuzelayo iNkosi etempileni yayo?
10 INkosi yokwenyaniso nomthunywa (3:1-18). Ngoku esi siprofeto sifikelela incopho yaso ngamazwi ‘kaYehova wemikhosi’ athi: “Yabona, ndiya kuthuma umthunywa wam, agece indlela phambi kwam. Iya kuza ke ngesiquphe etempileni yayo iNkosi leyo niyifunayo; kwaumthunywa womnqophiso enimlangazelelayo, yabona, uyeza.” (3:1) Njengomnyibilikisi, Uya kubacoca oonyana bakaLevi ibe uya kuba lingqina elikhawulezayo ngokunxamnye nabangendawo abangamoyikanga Yena. UYehova akaguquguquki, ibe ngenxa yokuba bengoonyana bakaYakobi, uya kuthi ngenceba abuyele kubo ukuba bona babuyela kuye.
11. Ngoku bafanele bamlinge ngantoni uThixo, ibe ziziphi iintsikelelo eziya kulandela oko?
11 Abantu bebesoloko bemqhatha uThixo, kodwa ngoku mabamlinge ngokuzisa izishumi endlwini yobuncwane bakhe ukuze kubekho ukudla endlwini yakhe, benentembelo yokuba uya kuthulula ngeengcango zezulu iintsikelelo ngomlinganiselo omkhulu. Baya kuba lilizwe elinanziweyo eziya kuthi zonke iintlanga linoyolo. Abo bamoyikayo uYehova bebethetha omnye komnye, ibe uYehova ebenikel’ ingqalelo kwaye ephulaphule. “Incwadi yokukhumbuza phambi kwakhe yabhalelwa abamoyikayo uYehova, abacinga ngegama lakhe.” (3:16) Ngokuqinisekileyo baya kuba yinqobo kuYehova ngemini akwenza ngayo oko.
12. Kuthenjiswa ntoni ngokuphathelele imini eyoyikekayo kaYehova?
12 Imini kaYehova enkulu neyoyikekayo (4:1-6). Le yimini ezayo eza kutshayela abangendawo, engashiyi ngcambu nasebe. Kodwa ilanga lobulungisa liya kuqaqamba kwabo boyika igama likaYehova, ibe liya kubaphilisa. UYehova ubaluleka ukuba bakhumbule uMthetho kaMoses. Ngaphambi kwemini yakhe enkulu neyoyikekayo, uYehova uthembisa ukuthumela uEliya umprofeti. “Wobuyisela iintliziyo zooyise kubantwana, neentliziyo zabantwana kooyise, hleze ndize ndilichithe ilizwe ngokuliphanzisa.”—4:6.
ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE YINGENELO
13. Uthini uMalaki ngokuphathelele (a) inceba nothando lukaYehova? (b) imbopheleleko yabo bafundisa iLizwi likaThixo? (c) abo bavukela imithetho nemigaqo kaThixo?
13 Incwadi kaMalaki inceda ekuqondeni imigaqo engaguquguqukiyo nothando oluhambisana nenceba lukaYehova uThixo. Ekuqaleni, igxininisa uthando olukhulu lukaYehova ngabantu bakhe “uYakobi.” Uvakalisa oku koonyana bakaYakobi: “Mna, Yehova, andiguquguquki.” Phezu kwabo nje ubungendawo babo obugqithiseleyo, wayekulungele ukubuyela ebantwini bakhe ukuba bona babuyela kuye. Ngokwenene unguThixo onenceba! (Mal. 1:2; 3:6, 7; Roma 11:28; Eks. 34:6, 7) NgoMalaki, uYehova wabethelela ukuba imilebe yababingeleli ‘yeyokugcina ukwazi.’ Bonke abaphathiswe imfundiso yeLizwi likaThixo bafanele bayiphaphele le ngongoma, beqinisekisa ukuba badlulisela ulwazi oluchanileyo. (Mal. 2:7; Fil. 1:9-11; thelekisa uYakobi 3:1.) UYehova akabanyamezeli abahanahanisi, abo bazama ukwenza kubonakale ngathi “abenza okubi balungile emehlweni kaYehova.” Akukho namnye omele acinge ukuba unokukhohlisa uYehova ngokwenza nje uphela sonwabe xa enikela kulo Kumkani mkhulu. (Mal. 2:17; 1:14; Kol. 3:23, 24) UYehova uza kuba lingqina elikhawulezayo nxamnye nabo bonke abaphula imithetho nemigaqo yakhe yobulungisa; akukho namnye onokulindela ukwenza okungendawo aze angohlwaywa. UYehova uya kubagweba abanjalo. (Mal. 3:5; Heb. 10:30, 31) Abalungileyo basenokuqiniseka ngokupheleleyo ukuba uYehova uya kuyikhumbula imisebenzi yabo aze abavuze ngayo. Bafanele banikel’ ingqalelo kuMthetho kaMoses, kwananjengokuba uYesu wenzayo, kuba uqulethe izinto ezininzi ezizaliseka kuye.—Mal. 3:16; 4:4; Luka 24:44, 45.
14. (a) UMalaki walatha phambili enini ngokukhethekileyo? (b) Wazaliseka njani uMalaki 3:1 ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo?
14 Njengencwadi yokugqibela yeZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo zesiHebhere, uMalaki walatha phambili kwiziganeko ezinento yokwenza nokuza kukaMesiya, obukho bakhe bathi kwiinkulungwane ezingaphezu kwezine kamva baba sisizathu sokubhalwa kweZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike. Njengoko kubhaliwe kuMalaki 3:1, uYehova wemikhosi wathi: “Yabona, ndiya kuthuma umthunywa wam, agece indlela phambi kwam.” Ethetha ephantsi kwempefumlelo, uZekariya osel’ ekhulile wabonisa ukuba oku kwazaliseka kunyana wakhe, uYohane uMbhaptizi. (Luka 1:76) UYesu Kristu wakuqinisekisa oku, kwangaxeshanye ebonisa oku: “Akuvelanga mkhulu kunoYohane umbhaptizi; kanti ke nomncinane kwabanye ebukumkanini bamazulu mkhulu kunaye.” Njengoko uMalaki waxela kwangaphambili, uYohane wayethunywe ukuba ‘ayilungise indlela,’ ukuze angabikho phakathi kwabo wathi kamva uYesu wenza umnqophiso woBukumkani kunye nabo.—Mat. 11:7-12; Luka 7:27, 28; 22:28-30.
15. Ngubani “uEliya” wesiprofeto sikaMalaki?
15 Ngoko, kuMalaki 4:5, 6, uYehova wathembisa oku: “Yabonani, ndiya kuthumela kuni uEliya umprofeti.” Ngubani lo “Eliya”? UYesu nesithunywa sezulu esabonakala kuZekariya bawabhekisa kuYohane uMbhaptizi la mazwi, bebonisa ukuba wayengulowo wayeza ‘kubuye azimise zonke izinto’ aze “alungisele iNkosi abantu abalungisiweyo” ukuba bamkele uMesiya. Noko ke, uMalaki ukwathi “uEliya” ungumanduleli ‘wemini enkulu neyoyikekayo kaYehova,’ ngaloo ndlela ebonisa ukuzaliseka kwakhona koku ngemini ezayo yomgwebo.—Mat. 17:11; Luka 1:17; Mat. 11:14; Marko 9:12.
16. UMalaki walatha phambili kweyiphi imini esikelelekileyo, ibe luluphi ukhuthazo olufudumeleyo alunikelayo?
16 Ekhangele phambili kuloo mini, uYehova wemikhosi uthi: “Kuthabathela ekuphumeni kwelanga, kude kuse ekutshoneni kwalo, likhulu igama lam phakathi kweentlanga; . . . ngokuba ndingukumkani omkhulu, . . . negama lam liyoyikeka phakathi kweentlanga.” Loyikeka ngokwenene! Kuba ‘loo mini iya kuvutha njengeziko; baya kuba ziindiza bonke abakhukhumali, nabenzi bonke bokungendawo.’ Ukanti, banoyolo abo boyika igama likaYehova, kuba kubo “ilanga lobulungisa liya kuphuma, linophiliso emaphikweni alo.” Oku kwalatha kwixesha elonwabisayo laxa abathobekileyo bentsapho yoluntu beya kuphiliswa ngokupheleleyo—ngokomoya, ngokweemvakalelo, ngokwasengqondweni nangokwasemzimbeni. (ISityhi. 21:3, 4) Esalatha phambili kuloo mini izukileyo nesikelelweyo, uMalaki usikhuthaza ukuba sibe ngabantliziyo zipheleleyo ekuziseni umnikelo endlwini kaYehova: “Ngoku nindicikide ngale nto, utsho uYehova wemikhosi, ukuba andisayi kunivulela na iingcango zezulu, ndinithululele iintsikelelo, kude kungasweleki lutho.”—Mal. 1:11, 14; 4:1, 2; 3:10.
17. Izilumkiso zikaMalaki zivakaliswa ngaluphi ukhuthazo lokuba nethemba?
17 Ngoxa iqhubeka ilumkisa ‘ngokuchitha ilizwe ngokuliphanzisa,’ le ncwadi yokugqibela yabaProfeti ikhuthaza ukuba nethemba nokugcoba ngokuvisisana namazwi kaYehova awathetha kubantu bakhe athi: “Iintlanga ziya kuthi ninoyolo, ngokuba niya kuba lilizwe elinanziweyo.”—4:6; 3:12.