Ubani Owenza Imithetho Elawula Izinto Ezisemkhathini?

“INGABE uye wayiqonda imithetho yasemkhathini?” (Jobe 38:33, The New Jerusalem Bible) Ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu ebuza uJobe lo mbuzo, wayezama ukusiza inceku yaKhe ecindezelekile ukuba iqonde ukuthi abantu abazi lutho kangakanani uma kuqhathaniswa nokuhlakanipha koMdali okungenamkhawulo. Ucabangani wena ngesilinganiso sokuhlakanipha kwethu uma kuqhathaniswa nokoMdali?

Abantu baye bafunda okuningi ngemithetho elawula izinto ezisemkhathini, kodwa ososayensi abaningi bayavuma ukuthi kusekuningi okusamelwe kufundwe. Izinto ezintsha abazitholayo ziye zaholela ekutheni babukeze ngokuphindaphindiwe iziphetho abaye bazifinyelela mayelana nendlela izinto ezisemkhathini ezisebenza ngayo. Ingabe amaqiniso abasanda kuwathola abonisa ukuthi umbuzo uNkulunkulu awubuza uJobe awusasebenzi namuhla ngoba sesazi yonke into? Noma ingabe izinto abazitholayo zinikeza ubufakazi bokuthi nguJehova uMenzi wemithetho yezinto ezisemkhathini?

IBhayibheli liqukethe ukwaziswa okuthakazelisayo okuphendula imibuzo enjalo. Kuyavunywa, iBhayibheli alisho ukuthi liyincwadi yesayensi. Nokho, lapho likhuluma ngamazulu agcwele izinkanyezi, elikushoyo kunembe ngendlela emangalisayo futhi likhuluma amaqiniso okubathathe izinkulungwane zeminyaka abantu ukuba bawathole.

Imibono Ethile Yangesikhathi Esidlule

Ukuze siyithole kahle le ndaba, ake sixoxe ngenkathi yangekhulu lesine B.C.E., sekudlule cishe ikhulu leminyaka kwaqedwa iTestamente Elidala—ingxenye yeBhayibheli eyabhalwa ngesiHebheru. Isazi sefilosofi esingumGreki, u-Aristotle, sasifundisa izazi zefilosofi ezaziqavile zangaleso sikhathi ngezinto ezisemkhathini. Nanamuhla, u-Aristotle usabhekwa njengomunye wezazi zesayensi ezinethonya elikhulu kwezake zaphila. (Bheka ibhokisi ekhasini 25.) I-Encyclopædia Britannica, ithi: “U-Aristotle wayengusosayensi wokuqala wangempela emlandweni. . . . Bonke ososayensi kumelwe bambonge ngalokho akufeza.”

U-Aristotle wacwaninga ngokucophelela futhi wachaza umkhathi nendawo yonke ngale ndlela: Indawo yonke yakhiwa izindikimba eziyizimbulunga ezingaphezu kuka-50 eziphakathi kwezinye futhi umhlaba wona uphakathi nendawo. Izinkanyezi zinamathele embulungeni engaphandle, kanti amaplanethi asezimbulungeni eziseduze komhlaba. Yonke into engaphandle komhlaba ayiguquki futhi iyohlala injalo kuze kube phakade. Izincazelo ezifana nalezi zingase zizwakale njengembudane kithi namuhla, kodwa zathonya izazi zesayensi iminyaka engaba ngu-2 000.

Nokho, zinjani izimfundiso zika-Aristotle uma ziqhathaniswa nezeBhayibheli? Yiziphi eziye zatholakala ziyiqiniso? Ake sicabangele imibuzo emithathu ephathelene nemithetho elawula umkhathi. Izimpendulo zizosisiza ukuba sakhe ukholo kuMlobi weBhayibheli, uMenzi-mthetho odale “izimiso zamazulu.”—Jobe 38:33.

1. Ingabe Izindikimba Ezisemkhathini Azinyakazi?

U-Aristotle wathi izindikimba eziyizimbulunga azinyakazi futhi zimi ndawonye. Wathi indikimba ebambe izinkanyezi, kuhlanganise nezinye, ayinciphi futhi ayinwebeki.

Ingabe iBhayibheli liyavumelana nalokhu? Cha; aligomeli ngalutho kuleli phuzu. Nokho, phawula umfanekiso othakazelisayo owenza sikubone ngeso lengqondo okuyikho: “Ukhona Lowo ohlala ngaphezu kwesiyingi somhlaba, abahlala kuso abanjengezintethe, Lowo owelula amazulu njengokungathi ukotini ocolekile osalulwembu, awendlale njengokungathi itende okuzohlalwa kulo.”—Isaya 40:22.a

Yikuphi okubonakala kunembile namuhla—incazelo ka-Aristotle noma eyeBhayibheli? Abafunda ngokuma komhlaba namuhla bathi unjani umkhathi nendawo yonke? Ekhulwini leminyaka lama-20, izazi zezinkanyezi zamangala kabi lapho zithola ukuthi umkhathi nendawo yonke kuyanwebeka futhi kuyanyakaza. Eqinisweni, kubonakala sengathi imithala yezinkanyezi iyaqhubeka ihamba futhi iqhelelana. Bambalwa, uma bekhona, ososayensi abake bayicabanga into enjalo. Namuhla, izazi zomkhathi nendawo yonke zikholelwa ukuthi umkhathi nendawo yonke kwakukuncane kakhulu ekuqaleni nokuthi bekulokhu kunwebeka kuze kube manje. Eqinisweni, isayensi iye yenza kwaba sobala ukuthi umbono ka-Aristotle uphelelwe isikhathi.

Kuthiwani ngamazwi eBhayibheli? Kulula ukumbona ngeso lengqondo umprofethi u-Isaya egqolozele phezulu esibhakabhakeni esimbozwe izinkanyezi ezinhle, okuthi lapho esibuka afikelwe umfanekiso wetende eleluliwe.b Kungenzeka nokuthi waphawula ukufana phakathi kweMilky Way nokubukeka ‘kukakotini ocolekile osalulwembu.’

Ngaphezu kwalokho, amazwi ka-Isaya asishukumisela ukuba sifune ukukubona ngeso lengqondo lokho ayekhuluma ngakho. Singase sicabange ngetende langezikhathi zeBhayibheli; mhlawumbe singacabanga ngendwangu egoqiwe, eqinile nengadle ngabukhulu, evulwayo yelulwe iboshelwe ezingodweni ngaphambi kokuba ziphakanyiswe bese kwakheka itende. Singase futhi sicabange ngomthengisi ophethe isigaqa sikakotini omncane ocolekile futhi olokhu ewuqhaqha ukuze umthengi awuhlolisise kahle. Kuzo zombili lezi zibonelo, kuthathwa into encane, yelulwe futhi igcine isibukeka inkulu.

Yiqiniso, akukhona ukuthi indlela esankondlo echazwa iBhayibheli ngetende nokotini ocolekile ihloselwe ukuchaza ukweluleka kwezindikimba zasezulwini. Nokho, akuthakazelisi yini ukuthi iBhayibheli lichaza umkhathi ngendlela evumelana nsé nesayensi yanamuhla? U-Isaya waphila eminyakeni engaphezu kwamakhulu amathathu ngaphambi kuka-Aristotle, futhi waphila eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ngaphambi kokuba isayensi inikeze ubufakazi obuzwakalayo bale ndaba. Nokho, incazelo yalo mprofethi ophansi ongumHebheru ayidingi kubukezwa njengoba kuye kwenzeka encazelweni ka-Aristotle eyayizwakala ihlakaniphile.

2. Yini Ebambe Izindikimba Ezisemkhathini?

U-Aristotle wathi indawo yonke igcwele mfí. Wayecabanga ukuthi umhlaba kanye nomkhathi kwakhiwa izakhi ezine—umhlabathi, amanzi, umoya nomlilo. Wathi umkhathi ugcwele izimbulunga zekristalu, futhi zonke zakhiwe ngesakhi esingapheli esibizwa ngokuthi i-ether. Izindikimba ezisemkhathini zinamathele ezimbulungeni ezingabonakali ngamehlo. Sekuyisikhathi eside ososayensi abaningi bevumelana nalo mbono ka-Aristotle, ngoba wawubonakala uvumelana nokucabanga okuyisisekelo: Noma yini kumelwe incike noma inanyatheliswe kokuthile, kungenjalo izowela phansi

Lithini iBhayibheli ngale ndaba? Liqukethe amazwi endoda ethembekile uJobe, owathi ngoJehova: ‘Ulengise umhlaba phezu kweze.’ (Jobe 26:7) Nakanjani la mazwi ayengezwakala engenangqondo ku-Aristotle.

Ekhulwini leminyaka le-17 C.E., cishe ngemva kweminyaka engu-3 000 uJobe afa, umbono wesayensi owawuthandwa kakhulu wawuthi indawo yonke igcwele uhlobo oluthile loketshezi, hhayi izimbulunga zekristalu. Nokho, kamuva kulo lelo khulu leminyaka, isazi sesayensi yemvelo uSir Isaac Newton saqhamuka nombono ohluke ngokuphelele. Sathi amandla adonsela phansi abangela ukusondelana kwezindikimba ezisemkhathini. UNewton wasondela kancane ekuqondeni ukuthi umhlaba nezinye izindikimba ngempela kulenga emkhathini ongenalutho, okwakuyobonakala kubantu ‘njengeze.’

Umbono kaNewton wamandla adonsela phansi waphikiswa kakhulu. Kwakusenzima ngososayensi abaningi ukuqonda ukuthi izinkanyezi nezinye izindikimba ezisemkhathini azibanjwanga yilutho eqinile. Babezibuza ukuthi kungenzeka kanjani ukuba umhlaba wethu omkhulu kangaka namanye amaplanethi nezinkanyezi kulenge nje emkhathini? Abanye kula madoda babebheka lo mbono njengamampunge. Kusukela ngesikhathi sika-Aristotle, ososayensi abaningi babekholelwa ukuthi umkhathi ugcwele okuthile.

Yiqiniso, uJobe wayengazi lutho ngamandla angabonakali abambe umhlaba njengoba uzungeza ilanga. Pho yini eyamholela ukuba athi iplanethi yethu ‘ilenga phezu kweze’?

Ngaphezu kwalokho, umqondo wokuthi akukho okubambe umhlaba wenza kuphakame omunye umbuzo: Yini egcina wona nezinye izindikimba kusendaweni yako? Phawula amazwi ahlaba umxhwele uNkulunkulu ake wawabhekisa kuJobe: “Ungazibopha yini ziqine izibopho zomlaza iKhima, noma ungazithukulula yini izintambo zomlaza iKhesili?” (Jobe 38:31) Ukuphila kwakhe konke, njalo ebusuku, uJobe wayebona leyo milaza yezinkanyezi iphuma futhi isithela.c Kodwa kungani yayibonakala ifana kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sekudlule unyaka noma amashumi eminyaka? Yiziphi izibopho ezazibambe lezo zinkanyezi, kuhlanganise nazo zonke ezinye izinto ezisemkhathini? Ngokuqinisekile, uJobe wayebamba ongezansi uma ecabanga ngalokho.

Ukube izinkanyezi bezinamathele ezimbulungeni besingeke sibe khona isidingo sezibopho. Ososayensi baze bathola sekudlule izinkulungwane zeminyaka ukuthi kukhona “izibopho” noma “izintambo” ezingabonakali ezibambe izindikimba ezisemkhathini njengoba ziqhubeka zihamba esigayegayeni sobumnyama bomkhathi. U-Isaac Newton, kamuva no-Albert Einstein baduma ngenxa yezinto abazithola kulo mkhakha. Yiqiniso, uJobe wayengazi lutho ngamandla uNkulunkulu awasebenzisa ukubamba izindikimba ezisemkhathini. Nakuba kunjalo, amazwi aphefumulelwe asencwadini kaJobe aye aba yiqiniso ukuyedlula kude lé imibono yesifundiswa esingu-Aristotle. Ukhona yini obengaba nokuqonda okungako ngaphandle kukaMenzi-mthetho?

3. Ingabe Kumi Phakade Noma Kuyoguga?

U-Aristotle wayekholelwa ukuthi kunomehluko omkhulu phakathi kwamazulu nomhlaba. Wathi umhlaba uyashintsha, uguge futhi uwohloke kuyilapho i-ether okwenziwe ngayo amazulu ingashintshi, ihlala phakade. Wathi futhi izimbulunga zekristalu nezindikimba ezinamathele kulezo zimbulunga akushintshi, akugugi futhi akufi.

Ingabe yilokho okufundiswa iBhayibheli? IHubo 102:25-27 lifundeka kanje: “Kudala wabeka izisekelo zomhlaba ngokwawo, futhi amazulu awumsebenzi wezandla zakho. Kona kuyoshabalala, kodwa wena uyoqhubeka umile; konke kuyoguga njengengubo nje. Njengengubo nje uyobeka okunye esikhundleni sako, futhi kuyophelelwa isikhathi sako. Kodwa wena ulokhu unjalo, futhi iminyaka yakho ngeke iphele.”

Phawula ukuthi lo mhubi wabhala la mazwi kusasele cishe amakhulu amabili eminyaka ngaphambi kuka-Aristotle, futhi akazange aqhathanise umhlaba namazulu anezinkanyezi, athi umhlaba uyaguga kodwa izinkanyezi zihlala phakade. Kunalokho, wakhuluma ngezulu nomhlaba wakuqhathanisa noNkulunkulu, uMoya onamandla owaqondisa ukudalwa kwako.d Leli hubo lisikisela ukuthi izinkanyezi ziyaguga njengayo yonke into esemhlabeni. Yini eye yatholwa isayensi yanamuhla?

Isayensi yokwakheka komhlaba isekela umbono weBhayibheli noka-Aristotle ngokuphathelene nokuthi umhlaba uyaguga. Empeleni, amadwala asemhlabeni ayaqhubeka egumuzeka ngenxa yokuguguleka komhlabathi nangenxa yezinto ezifana nentaba-mlilo nezinye ezithinta ukuma komhlaba.

Izinkanyezi zona? Ingabe nazo ziyaguga njengoba kusho iBhayibheli, noma zihlala kuze kube phakade, njengoba kwasho u-Aristotle? Izazi zezinkanyezi zaseYurophu zaqala ukuyingabaza imfundiso ka-Aristotle yangekhulu le-16 C.E. ethi izinkanyezi zihlala zizintsha, lapho ngokokuqala ngqa, zibona i-supernova, ukuqhuma kwenkanyezi okumangalisayo. Ososayensi baye baqaphela ukuthi izinkanyezi zingase zife ngenxa yalokho kuqhuma noma zishe kancane kancane noma zivele ziziwele. Nokho, izazi zezinkanyezi ziye zabona izinkanyezi ezintsha zakheka kumagesi anjengamafu. Ukuqhuma kwezinkanyezi ezindala kwenza la magesi anothe. Ngakho-ke, umfanekiso womlobi weBhayibheli wokuguga kwengubo bese kubekwa enye esikhundleni sayo ufaneleka kahle kakhulu.e Yeka indlela okuphawuleka ngayo ukuthi lo mhubi wasendulo wakwazi ukubhala amazwi avumelana kahle kangaka nezinto ezitholwe esikhathini sethu!

Nakuba kunjalo, ungase uzibuze: ‘Ingabe iBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi ngelinye ilanga umhlaba noma isibhakabhaka esinezinkanyezi kuyophela noma kudingeke okunye okusha?’ Cha, iBhayibheli lithembisa ukuthi kuyohlala phakade. (IHubo 104:5; 119:90) Kodwa lokho akusho ukuthi lezi zinto zidalwe ngendlela yokuba zibe nokuthile okuzenza zihlale phakade; kunalokho, uNkulunkulu ozidalile uthembisa ukuzilondoloza. (IHubo 148:4-6) Akasitsheli ukuthi kanjani, kodwa akubonakali yini kunengqondo ukuthi Lowo odale umkhathi unawo amandla okuwulondoloza? Njengoba nje umakhi onekhono eyinakekela indlu ayakhele umndeni wakhe, noJehova angawunakekela umhlaba awudalile.

Ubani Okufanele Athole Inkazimulo Nodumo?

Ukucabangela imithetho embalwa yezindikimba ezisemazulwini kuyasisiza ekuphenduleni lo mbuzo. Uma sicabanga ukuthi ubani obangela izinkanyezi ezingenakubalwa ukuba zimboze sonke isibhakabhaka, ozibamba ngesibopho samandla adonsela phansi nozilondoloza kuyo yonke imijikelezo yazo engapheli, ingabe asisali sikhexile?

Mhlawumbe isizathu esibangela ukuba sisale sikhexile sivezwe kahle ku-Isaya 40:26: “Phakamiselani amehlo enu phezulu nibone. Ngubani odale lezi zinto? YiLowo okhipha ibutho lazo ngisho nangesibalo, zonke azibize ngisho nangamagama.” Kufaneleka kahle kakhulu ukuba izinkanyezi zifaniswe nebutho elakhiwa inqwaba yamasosha. Ngaphandle kweziqondiso ezivela kumkhuzi walo, lelo butho lingafana nesixuku esibanga isiyaluyalu. Ukube uJehova akazange enze imithetho yomkhathi, amaplanethi, izinkanyezi nemithala bekungeke kuhleleke; bekuyoba nesiyaluyalu. Cabanga ngezinkanyezi ezifana nebutho elakhiwa izigidigidi zamasosha. UMkhuzi walo akakhiphi nje kuphela iziyalezo zokuthi lihambe kanjani, kodwa futhi wazi isosha ngalinye ngegama, ukuthi likuphi nesimo salo!

Imithetho yamazulu isinikeza amazwibela okuhlakanipha okungenamkhawulo kwalo Mkhuzi. Ubani nje omunye obengaklama imithetho enjalo, bese ephefumulela amadoda ukuba abhale ngokunembile ngayo kusasele amakhulu ngisho nezinkulungwane zeminyaka ngaphambi kokuba ososayensi bayiqonde? Khona-ke, akungabazeki ukuthi sinezizathu ezinhle kakhulu zokunikeza uJehova “inkazimulo nodumo.”—IsAmbulo 4:11.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe emakhasini 24, 25]

Waba Nethonya Elikhulu

Incwadi ethi The 100—A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History ithi: “U-Aristotle wayeyisazi sefilosofi nososayensi ovelele kunabo bonke wangezikhathi zasendulo.” Kulula ukubona ukuthi kungani le ndoda engavamile ichazwa ngale ndlela. U-Aristotle (wango-384 kuya ku-322 B.C.E.) wayengumfundi wesazi sefilosofi esidumile uPlato futhi kamuva wafundisa inkosana eyaba ngu-Alexander Omkhulu. Umlando ubonisa ukuthi u-Aristotle wabhala izincwadi ezicishe zibe ngu-170, futhi ezingu-47 zisekhona. Wabhala kabanzi ngokufundwa kwezinkanyezi nomkhathi, isayensi yezinto eziphilayo, yokuthakwa kwamakhemikhali, eyemvelo, yokuma komhlaba neyokusebenza kwengqondo. Wayehlola izinto eziphilayo bese eningiliza lapho ebhala izinto ezithakazelisayo azitholile. Kwadlula amakhulu ngamakhulu eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba kube khona ofunda ngazo futhi athole okufanayo. Incwadi ethi The 100 ibuye ithi: “U-Aristotle wayithonya kakhulu indlela yokucabanga yabantu baseNtshonalanga kusukela ngaleso sikhathi.” Nokho, iyenezela: “Abantu bamthanda futhi bamhlonipha kakhulu u-Aristotle kangangokuthi eNkathini Ephakathi wacishe wakhulekelwa.”

[Imithombo]

Royal Astronomical Society/Photo Researchers, Inc.

From the book A General History for Colleges and High Schools, 1900

[Isithombe emakhasini 26, 27]

Amandla adonsela phansi agcina izindikimba ezisemkhathini zisendaweni yazo

[Umthombo]

NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScl)

[Isithombe emakhasini 26, 27]

Iqoqo lezinkanyezi i-“Pleiades”

[Isithombe ekhasini 28]

Ezinye izinkanyezi ziyaqhuma

[Umthombo]

ESA/Hubble

[Isithombe ekhasini 28]

Izinkanyezi ezintsha zakheka kumagesi anjengamafu

[Umthombo]

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

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 24]

© Peter Arnold, Inc./Alamy