Isahluko 15
IEdomi Lanamuhla Elingokomfanekiso Lizosuswa
1, 2. UMdali uzibheka kanjani izizwe ezinezikhali ezinamandla, futhi siyini isinqumo sikaJehova, ngokwesiprofetho sikaIsaya?
NAMUHLA umhlaba unezikhali ezinamandla kunanini ngaphambili. Izikhali zenuzi zezizwe ziwusongo lwangempela kukho kanye ukuba khona kwesintu. Khona-ke, uMdali womkhaya wesintu, uJehova uNkulunkulu, usibheka kanjani lesimo? Lokhu kubekwe ngokukhanyayo esahlukweni 34 sesiprofetho sikaIsaya, esiqala ngalamazwi:
2 “Sondelani nina-zizwe, nizwe, nilalele nina-bantu: makuzwe umhlaba nokugcwala kwawo, nezwe nakho konke okuvela kulo. Ngokuba uJehova uthukuthelela izizwe zonke, ufuthekela yonke impi yazo; uziqalekisile, uzinikele ekubulaweni. Ababuleweyo bazo balahliwe, nokunuka kuyenyuka ezidunjini zabo; izintaba zincibilika ngegazi labo. Ibandla lonke lasezulwini liyaphela, izulu [ohulumeni babantu abahlulekayo] lisongwe njengomqulu; ibandla lonke liyawa njengokuwa kweqabunga emvinini nanjengokubunileyo emkhiwaneni.” (Isaya 34:1-4) Isiprofetho esithusayo ngempela!
3. (a) Izizwe zibizelwa ukulalelani, futhi kungani uJehova ngokufanelekile engazinika umyalo? (b) Yini ebonisa ukuthi izizwe azizange zilalele?
3 Kunempikiswano phakathi koMdali wendawo yonke nezizwe namuhla. Kungakho izizwe zibizelwa ukulalela isigijimi esisekelwe eBhayibhelini aye wenza ukuba simenyezelwe emhlabeni wonke kusukela ngo-1919. Kumelwe zilalele lokho akushoyo ngoFakazi bakhe. Kodwa isimo sezenzakalo zezwe sibonisa ukuthi azizange zikwenze lokho, futhi oFakazi bakhe izizwe azizange zibanake, zakhetha iZizwe Ezihlangene hhayi uMbuso wasezulwini ezandleni zeNdodana yakhe ebekwe esihlalweni sobukhosi, “iNkosi yokuthula.”
Isiprofetho SikaIsaya Nge-Edomi
4, 5. (a) Babengobani abakwaEdomi, futhi yisiphi isimo sengqondo ababa naso ngasesizweni esiyiwele nabo, sakwaIsrayeli? (b) Ngakho-ke yini uJehova ayimemezela ngokuqondene ne-Edomi?
4 Phakathi kwamaqembu anamuhla ezizwe kukhona okunye okunecala ngokukhethekile. Lokho kwafanekiselwa isizwe sakwaEdomi, esibizwe ngegama kulesiprofetho. AbakwaEdomi babeyinzalo kaEsawu, owathengisa ubuzibulo bakhe kumfowabo ayiwele naye, uJakobe, ‘ngesinkwa nokudla kwembumba.’ Kukulesosehlakalo lapho uEsawu abizwa khona ngokuthi uEdomi, okusho “Okubomvu.” (Genesise 25:24-34) Ngenxa yokuthi uJakobe wathatha ubuzibulo bakhe obuyigugu, uEsawu wagcwala inzondo ngomfowabo ayiwele naye. IEdomi laba isitha esinonya sesizwe sakwaIsrayeli sasendulo, noma uJakobe, ngisho nakuba kwakuyizizwe ezingamawele. Ngenxa yalolunya kubantu bakaNkulunkulu, ngokufanelekile iEdomi lathola ulaka lukaJehova, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, futhi wamemezela ukubhujiswa kwaphakade kwe-Edomi. Lesisinqumo saphezulu sibekwe emazwini omprofethi uIsaya:
5 “Ngokuba inkemba yami izanelisile ngegazi ezulwini; bheka, iyakwehlela phezu kukaEdomi naphezu kwabantu besiqalekiso sami ukuba ibahlulele. UJehova unenkemba; igcwele igazi, inonile ngamanoni nangegazi lamawundlu nelezimbuzi, nangamanoni ezinso zezinqama, ngokuba uJehova uyanikela eBosira [umuzi odumile wase-Edomi], unokuhlaba okukhulu ezweni lakwaEdomi.”—Isaya 34:5, 6.
6. (a) Kungani uJehova ayengakhuluma ngokusebenzisa “inkemba” yakhe ngokumelene ne-Edomi “ezulwini”? (b) Ngesikhathi umbuso wakwaJuda uhlaselwa yiBabiloni, yisiphi isimo sonya iEdomi elasibonisa ngakubantu bakaJehova?
6 Izwe lesizwe sakwaEdomi esinequnga kumelwe ligcwale igazi laso ‘ngenkemba’ kaJehova. IEdomi lalisendaweni ephakeme, enezintaba. (Jeremiya 49:16) Ngakho lapho ebabulala kulelozwe, uJehova wayengasho ngokomfanekiso athi usebenzisa inkemba yakhe yokwahlulela “ezulwini.” IEdomi lalinamandla ngokwezempi, futhi amabutho alo ahlomile ayezulazula ezintabeni eziphakeme kakhulu ukuze avikele izwe kubahlaseli. Ngakho ibutho lakwaEdomi lalingabizwa ngokufanelekile ngokuthi ‘ibandla [“ibutho,” NW] lasezulwini.’ Kodwa iEdomi elinamandla alizange lisisize isizwe esiyiwele nalo, sakwaIsrayeli, lapho sihlaselwa amabutho aseBabiloni. Kunalokho, iEdomi lajabula lapho libona ukugumbuqelwa kombuso wakwaJuda futhi lakhuthaza ngisho nabachithi bawo. (IHubo 137:7) Ukumbuka kwe-Edomi kwaze kwafinyelela ezingeni lokuzingela abantu ababebaleka ngenxa yokuphila kwabo futhi libanikele esitheni. (Obadiya 10-14) AbakwaEdomi bahlela ukuthatha izwe elishiyiwe lamaIsrayeli, bekhuluma ngokuqhosha ngokumelene noJehova.—Hezekeli 35:10-15.
7. UNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli wabubheka kanjani ubumbuka besizwe sakwaEdomi?
7 Ingabe uJehova, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli wasendulo, akazange asinake lesenzo sonya sabakwaEdomi ngakubantu bakhe abakhethiwe? Cha. Kungakho inhliziyo kaNkulunkulu yahlakulela injongo ‘yosuku lokuphindisela’ “nomnyaka wokubuyisela” ephindisela lokho okwenziwa ngonya enhlanganweni yakhe yasemhlabeni, okuthiwa iSiyoni. Isiprofetho sathi: “Ngokuba kulusuku lokuphindisela kukaJehova; ngumnyaka wokubuyisela ngendaba [phambi kweNkantolo Yendawo Yonke] yaseSiyoni.”—Isaya 34:8; Hezekeli 25:12-14.
8. (a) Ubani uJehova amsebenzisa ekuletheni isahlulelo kuEdomi? (b) Umprofethi uObadiya wabikezelani ngokuqondene ne-Edomi?
8 Ngokushesha ngemva kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema, uJehova waqala ukubonisa impindiselo yakhe yokulunga kwabakwaEdomi ngenkosi yaseBabiloni, uNebukadinesari. (Jeremiya 25:8, 15, 17, 21) Ngesikhathi amabutho aseBabiloni ehlasela iEdomi, akukho lutho olwalungasindisa abakwaEdomi! Amabutho aseBabiloni anqoba abakwaEdomi ezindaweni zabo eziphakemeyo ezinamadwala. ‘Kwakuwumnyaka wokubuyisela’ e-Edomi. Njengoba uJehova ayebikezele ngomunye umprofethi: “Ngenxa yendluzula eyenziwa kumfowenu uJakobe, amahloni ayakukusibekela, unqunywe kuze kube-phakade. . . . Njengokwenza kwakho kuyakwenziwa kanjalo kuwe; izenzo zakho ziyakubuyela ekhanda lakho.”—Obadiya 10, 15.
9. Lingubani iEdomi lanamuhla elingokomfanekiso, futhi ngani?
9 Lokhu futhi kubonisa isimo sengqondo sikaJehova nge-Edomi lanamuhla elingokomfanekiso. Lingubani? Nokho, ekhulwini lama-20 leminyaka, ubani oye wahola ekuklolodeleni nasekushushiseni izinceku zikaJehova? Akulona yini eLobukholwa elihlubukayo ngesigaba salo sabefundisi abaqhoshayo? Yebo! ELobukholwa, inkundla yobuKristu bamanga, liye laziphakamisa laba ngangezintaba ezindabeni zalelizwe. Liyingxenye ephakeme yenhlangano yesimiso sezinto sesintu, futhi izinkolo zalo zakha ingxenye eyinhloko yeBabiloni Elikhulu. Kodwa uJehova uye wamemezela “umnyaka wokubuyisela” ngokumelene ne-Edomi lanamuhla elingokomfanekiso ngenxa yokuphatha ngobudlova abantu bakhe, oFakazi bakhe.
Ikusasa Elinjengele-Edomi
10. UIsaya 34:9, 10 ulichaza kanjani ikusasa le-Edomi, kodwa lesiprofetho sisebenza kubani namuhla?
10 Njengoba sicabangela ingxenye eqhubekayo yalesiprofetho sikaIsaya, singacabanga ngeLobukholwa lanamuhla: “Imifudlana yakhona iyakuphenduka ikolitayi, uthuli lwakhona lube-yisibabule, nezwe langakhona libe-yikolitayi elivuthayo. Aliyikucinywa ubusuku nemini; umusi walo uyakukhuphuka kuze kube-phakade.” (Isaya 34:9, 10) Ngaleyondlela izwe lakwaEdomi livezwa njengeliyincithakalo kangangokuthi kwakunjengokungathi imifudlana yalo yayigeleza ikolitayi nanjengokungathi uthuli lwalo lwaluyisibabule, khona-ke lezizinto ezivuthayo zokhelwa ngomlilo.—Qhathanisa nesAmbulo 17:16.
11, 12. Ngokwencazelo engokwesiprofetho enikezwe kuIsaya 34:10-15, kwakuyokwenzekani ngezwe lakwaEdomi, futhi lesosimo sezwe sasiyoqhubeka isikhathi eside kangakanani?
11 Isiprofetho sikaIsaya siyaqhubeka: “Izizukulwane ngezizukulwane liyakuba-yize, akuyikulidabula-muntu nanini nanini. Liyakuba-yifa levuba nelikanondwebu, kwakhe kulo isikhova negwababa; uyakuwelula phezu kwalo intambo yencithakalo, nomthofu wokumisa wokuyize. Phakathi kwabakhulu balo akakho oyakumemezela umbuso, nazo zonke izikhulu zalo ziyakuba-yinto engelutho. Ameva ayakukhuphukela ezindlini zamakhosi, izimbabazane namakhakhasi ezinqabeni zalo, libe-yikhaya lamakhanka negceke lezintshe. Izilwane zasehlane ziyakuhlangana nezimpungushe, nedemoni liyakukhala kumngane walo, kwakhe khona umkhovu, uzitholele indawo yokuphumula. Lapho umantshingeyana uyakwakha ikhaya lakhe, azalele.”—Isaya 34:10-15.
12 Ngokwabantu iEdomi laliyoba yizwe ‘lencithakalo.’ Laliyoba yizwe leze elinezilwane zasendle, izinyoni, nezinyoka kuphela. Lesisimo sezwe sencithakalo sasizoqhubeka, njengoba ivesi le-10 lisho, “kuze kube-phakade.” Izakhamuzi zalo zakuqala zazingeke zibuyiselwe.—Obadiya 18.
13. Yini ebikezelwa ngeLobukholwa “encwadini kaJehova,” futhi, ngokuthe ngqó, iyini lencwadi?
13 Yeka isimo esihlasimulisayo lokhu okwakusifanekisela nge-Edomi lanamuhla elingokomfanekiso—eLobukholwa! Liye lazibonakalisa liyisitha esikhulu sikaJehova uNkulunkulu, esiye sashushisa oFakazi bakhe ngonya. Ngakho lokhu kubhujiswa kwalo okusondelayo okwandulela iHarmagedoni kuye kwabikezelwa “encwadini kaJehova.” (Isaya 34:16) Ngokuthe ngqó, ‘lencwadi kaJehova’ iyincwadi yakhe yezindaba, enikeza imininingwane yezindaba okumelwe azilungise nalabo abayizitha zakhe nabacindezeli babantu bakhe. Lokho okwakulotshwe “encwadini kaJehova” ngokuqondene ne-Edomi lasendulo kwenzeka, futhi lokhu kuqinisekisa ukuthi njengoba isiprofetho sisebenza kweLobukholwa, iEdomi lanamuhla, ngokufanayo siyogcwaliseka.
14. Yini abakwaEdomi banamuhla abangokomfanekiso abangazange bayamukele, futhi isiphi isibonelo sabantu bakaJehova abaye bahluleka ukusilandela?
14 AbakwaEdomi banamuhla abangokomfanekiso abazange bamamukele uJehova uNkulunkulu njengeNkosi phakathi ‘nalesiphelo sesimiso sezinto.’ Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba eLobukholwa liyingxenye evelele kangaka yeBabiloni Elikhulu, limiselwe ukuhlanganyela izinhlupho zalo. Alizange lihambisane nomyalo kaJehova ‘wokuphuma’ eBabiloni Elikhulu. (IsAmbulo 18:4) Alizange lisilingise isibonelo sensali yamaIsrayeli angokomoya noma leso ‘sesixuku esikhulu’ ‘sezinye izimvu.’
15, 16. Liyini ikusasa eliseduze leLobukholwa, njengoba libikezelwe kusAmbulo 17 no-18 nakuIsaya 34?
15 Ikusasa eliseduze leLobukholwa alinathemba ngempela. Lenza konke okusemandleni alo ukuba lithulise abangane balo bezombangazwe nokubenza bangahlangani ukuze bathathe isinyathelo ngokumelene nalo, kube ukubhujiswa kwalo ngokuphelele, kodwa liyahluleka!
16 NgokwesAmbulo isahluko 17 no-18, uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke, uJehova, uyokufaka ezinhliziyweni zabo ukuba amandla abo ezombangazwe nawezempi bawasebenzise ngonya ngokumelene neBabiloni Elikhulu kuzo zonke izingxenye zalo ezingokwenkolo, kuhlanganise neLobukholwa. Lokhu kuyobuqeda ubuKristu bokuzisholo emhlabeni wonke. Isimo seLobukholwa siyoba njengalesosimo esingenathemba esichazwe kuIsaya 34. Ngeke libe khona ukuba lizibonele ‘ukulwa kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke’ okungumnqamulajuqu nezizwe, eziyobe seziliphangile iBabiloni Elikhulu. IEdomi elingokomfanekiso, eLobukholwa, liyosuswa ngokuphelele ebusweni bomhlaba, “kuze kube-phakade.”
[Isithombe ekhasini 122]
ELobukholwa liyothola isahlulelo esifana naleso sabakwaEdomi, inzalo kaEsawu, owathengisa ubuzibulo bakhe ngesidlo sinye