Incwadi Yesiprofetho

Abantu banesithakazelo esikhathini esizayo. Bafuna izibikezelo okungathenjelwa kuzo ngokuphathelene nezindaba eziningi, kusukela ekubikezeleni isimo sezulu kuya ezinkombeni zezomnotho. Nokho, ngokuvamile lapho benza izinto ngokwalezo zibikezelo, bayadumazeka. IBhayibheli linezibikezelo eziningi, noma iziprofetho. Zinembe kangakanani lezo ziprofetho? Ingabe ziwumlando obhalwe kusengaphambili? Noma ingabe ziwumlando okushaywa sengathi uyiziprofetho?

ISIKHULU sikahulumeni wamaRoma uCato (234-149 B.C.E.) kubikwa ukuthi sathi: “Kuyangimangalisa ukuthi umbhuli akahleki lapho ebona omunye umbhuli.”¹ Ngempela, kuze kube manje abantu abaningi abasabathembi ababikezeli benhlanhla, izazi zezinkanyezi kanye nabanye ababhuli. Ngokuvamile izibikezelo zabo zishiwo ngamazwi angacacile futhi izindaba zingase zichazwe ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene.

Kodwa-ke, kuthiwani ngeziprofetho zeBhayibheli? Ingabe sikhona isizathu sokungazethembi? Ingabe sikhona isisekelo sokuzethemba?

Azikona Ukuqagela Okwenziwe Ngobuhlakani

Abantu abanolwazi bangase bazame ukusebenzisa imikhuba eqashelwayo ukuze benze ukuqagela okunembile ngokuphathelene nekusasa, kodwa njalo bashaya phansi. Incwadi ethi Future Shock iyaphawula: “Wonke umphakathi awubhekani nje nochungechunge lwezenzakalo zesikhathi esizayo ezingase zenzeke, kodwa ubhekana nohide lwezenzakalo zesikhathi esizayo ezingenzeka, kanye nokuphikisana ngezenzakalo zesikhathi esizayo ezifiselekayo.” Iyanezela: “Yiqiniso, akekho ongase ‘azi’ isikhathi esizayo ngomqondo ophelele. Singamane sihlele izenzakalo ngokulandelana kwazo futhi siqiniseke ngempela ngalokho esikucabanga ngekusasa bese sizama ukubona ukuthi yiziphi izenzakalo ezibonakala zingase zenzeke.”²

Kodwa abalobi beBhayibheli abazange nje “basho izenzakalo ezingase zenzeke” ‘zalokho ababekucabanga’ ngesikhathi esizayo. Futhi izibikezelo zabo ngeke kumane nje kuthiwe zingamazwi angaqondakali angase achazwe ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene. Ngokuphambene nalokho, eziningi zeziprofetho zabo zashiwo ngokucace kakhulu futhi zazishaya emhloleni ngendlela engavamile, izikhathi eziningi zibikezela okuphambene nalokho okungase kulindelwe. Isibonelo salokho yilokho iBhayibheli elakusho kusengaphambili ngomuzi wasendulo iBabiloni.

‘Liyakushanelwa Ngomshanelo Wencithakalo’

IBabiloni lasendulo laba “itshe eliyigugu lemibuso.” (Isaya 13:19, The New American Bible) Lomuzi okhulayo wabekwa ngenhloso emzileni wokuhweba osuka ePersian Gulf uye oLwandle LwaseMedithera, usebenza njengesikhungo sezentengiselwano sokuhwebelana ezweni nasolwandle phakathi kweMpumalanga neNtshonalanga.

Ngekhulu lesi-7 B.C.E., iBabiloni lalibonakala liyinhloko-dolobha yoMbuso waseBabiloni engenakunqotshwa. Lomuzi wawuhleli phezu koMfula i-Ewufrathe, futhi amanzi alomfula asetshenziselwa ukwakha umsele wamanzi obanzi nojulile owawuzungeze umuzi kanye neminye imisele eminingi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lomuzi wawuvikelwe ngezindonga ezinkulu ezimbili, ezisekelwe yimibhoshongo eminingi yokuvikela. Yingakho izakhamuzi zawo zazizizwa zilondekile.

Noma kunjalo, ngekhulu lesi-8 B.C.E., ngaphambi kokuba iBabiloni lidlondlobale libe nodumo, umprofethi u-Isaya wabikezela ukuthi iBabiloni ‘lalizoshanelwa ngomshanelo wencithakalo.’ (Isaya 13:19; 14:22, 23) U-Isaya wachaza ngisho nendlela iBabiloni elalizokuwa ngayo. Abahlaseli ‘babeyokomisa’ imifula yalo—umthombo wesivikelo salo onjengomsele—kwenze umuzi ungavikeleki. U-Isaya waze washo ngisho negama lomnqobi—“uKoresi,” inkosi enkulu yasePheresiya, lowo ‘amasango ayovulwa phambi kwakhe futhi iminyango ingavalwa.’—Isaya 44:27–45:2, The New English Bible.

Lezi kwakuyizibikezelo ezidinga isibindi. Kodwa ingabe zenzeka? Umlando uyaphendula.

‘Kungazange Kulwiwe’

Emakhulwini amabili eminyaka ngemva kokuba u-Isaya ebhale isiprofetho sakhe, ngobusuku buka-October 5, 539 B.C.E., amabutho amaMede namaPheresiya ekhuzwa uKoresi Omkhulu ayekanise eduze kwaseBabiloni. Kodwa abaseBabiloni babezethemba. Ngokwesazimlando esingumGreki uHerodotus (wekhulu lesihlanu B.C.E.), babeqongelele izinto ezanele ezazizobaqhuba iminyaka eminingi.³ Futhi babenoMfula i-Ewufrathe kanye nezindonga eziqinile zaseBabiloni zokubavikela. Noma kunjalo, ngabo lobo busuku, ngokoMlando kaNabonidus, “amabutho kaKoresi angena eBabiloni engalwanga.”⁴ Kwenzeka kanjani lokho?

UHerodotus uchaza ukuthi ngaphakathi emzini, abantu “babedansa bejabule edilini.”⁵ Nokho, ngaphandle, uKoresi wayephambukise amanzi e-Ewufrathe. Njengoba amanzi ebohla, ibutho lakhe langena lagxadaza osebeni lomfula, amanzi efika emathangeni. Langena ladlula ezindongeni eziwumbhoshongo futhi langena kulokho uHerodotus akubiza ngokuthi “amasango avulekela emfuleni,” amasango ngobudedengu ayeshiywe engavaliwe.⁶ (Qhathanisa noDaniyeli 5:1-4; Jeremiya 50:24; 51:31, 32.) Ezinye izazi zomlando, kuhlanganise noXenophon (c. 431–c. 352 B.C.E.), kanye nezibhebhe ze-cuneiform ezatholwa abavubukuli, ziyakuqinisekisa ukuthi iBabiloni lawela kuKoresi ngokungazelelwe.⁷

Isiprofetho sika-Isaya ngeBabiloni sagcwaliseka kanjalo. Ingabe kwakugcwaliseka sona ngempela? Ingabe kungenzeka ukuthi lesi kwakungesona isibikezelo kodwa empeleni kwabhalwa ngemva kokuba sekwenzekile? Empeleni, kungase kubuzwe okufanayo ngokuphathelene nezinye iziprofetho zeBhayibheli.

Umlando Owashintshwa Waba Isiprofetho?

Uma abaprofethi beBhayibheli—kuhlanganise no-Isaya—bamane babhala kabusha umlando ukuze kubonakale sengathi isiprofetho, khona-ke lamadoda ayemane nje engabakhohlisi abangamaqili. Kodwa sasiyoba yini isisusa sabo sokukhohlisa okunjalo? Abaprofethi beqiniso babengananazi ukusho ukuthi babengenakufunjathiswa. (1 Samuweli 12:3; Daniyeli 5:17) Futhi sesibucabangele kakade ubufakazi obuqinisekisayo bokuthi abalobi beBhayibheli (abaningi babo ababengabaprofethi) babengamadoda athembekile ayezimisele ukwembula ngisho nawabo amaphutha ahlazisayo. Akubonakali kungenzeka ukuba amadoda alolu hlobo enze ukukhohlisa okukhulu, eshaya sengathi umlando uyisiprofetho.

Kunokunye okufanele kucatshangelwe. Iziprofetho eziningi zeBhayibheli zinamazwi abuhlungu ayelahla bona kanye abantu bakubo kwalabo baprofethi, okwakuhlanganisa nabapristi kanye nababusi. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Isaya wasigxeka isimo sokuziphatha okudabukisayo sama-Israyeli osuku lwakhe—sabaholi nabantu. (Isaya 1:2-10) Abanye abaprofethi bazidalula ngokungesabi izenzo zabapristi. (Zefaniya 3:4; Malaki 2:1-9) Kunzima ukuqonda ukuthi kungani babengasungula iziprofetho eziqukethe izijeziso ezinzima kangaka kubantu bakubo nokuthi kungani abapristi babengahlanganyela ecebweni elinjalo.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, abaprofethi—uma babemane nje bengabakhohlisi—babengakuphumelelisa kanjani ukukhohlisa okungaka? Ama-Israyeli ayekhuthazwa ukuba afunde. Kusukela zisezincane, izingane zazifundiswa ukufunda nokubhala. (Duteronomi 6:6-9) Kwakukhuthazwa ukuba umuntu azifundele eyedwa imiBhalo. (IHubo 1:2) ImiBhalo yayifundwa obala emasinagogeni njalo ngeSabatha lamasonto onke. (IzEnzo 15:21) Kubonakala kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba isizwe sonke esifundile, esiyazi kahle imiBhalo, sikhohliswe ubuqili obunjena.

Ngaphandle kwalokho, kuningi okusesiprofethweni sika-Isaya okukhuluma ngokuwa kweBabiloni. Kukhona nomniningwane othile okwakungenakwenzeka nhlobo ukuba ubhalwe ngemva kokuba sewenzekile.

“Alisoze Labuye Lakhiwa”

Yini eyayiyokwenzeka eBabiloni ngemva kokuwa kwalo? U-Isaya wabikezela: “Alisoze labuye lakhiwa, akusayikuhlalwa kulo ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane; umArabiya akayikumisa khona, nabelusi abayikulala lapho nemihlambi yabo.” (Isaya 13:20) Kungenzeka kwezwakala kuyinqaba nje ukubika ukuthi umuzi osendaweni enhle kangaka kwakungeke kuphindwe kuhlalwe kuwo. Ingabe amazwi ka-Isaya kwakungenzeka ukuba abhalwe ngemva kokuba esebone iBabiloni liyincithakalo?

Ngemva kokuba selithathwe uKoresi, iBabiloni elalakhiwe—elase liseqophelweni eliphansi—laqhubeka amakhulu amaningi eminyaka. Khumbula ukuthi iMiqulu YasoLwandle Olufile ihlanganisa nekhophi ephelele yencwadi ka-Isaya ehlehlela emuva ekhulwini lesibili B.C.E. Cishe amaPharithiya aqala ukulawula iBabiloni ngesikhathi okwakukopishwa ngaso lowo mqulu. Ekhulwini lokuqala C.E., kwakunomuzana wamaJuda eBabiloni, futhi umlobi weBhayibheli uPetru wawuvakashela. (1 Petru 5:13) Ngaleso sikhathi uMqulu WasoLwandle Olufile ka-Isaya wawusubekhona ingxenye enkulu yekhulu lesibili. Ngakho, ngekhulu lokuqala C.E., iBabiloni lalingakabi incithakalo ngokuphelele, kodwa incwadi ka-Isaya kwase kukudala yaqedwa.a

Njengoba kwabikezelwa, ekugcineni iBabiloni laba “yizinqwaba zamatshe.” (Jeremiya 51:37, qhathanisa ne-NW.) Ngokwesazi esingumHeberu uJerome (wekhulu lesine C.E.), ngosuku lwakhe iBabiloni laliyindawo yokuzingela lapho kwakuzulazula khona “izilwane zazo zonke izinhlobo.”⁹ IBabiloni liseyincithakalo namanje.

U-Isaya wafa engalibonanga iBabiloni liba indawo engahlalwa muntu. Kodwa amanxiwa alowo muzi owake waba namandla, aqhele cishe ngamakhilomitha angu-80 ngaseningizimu yeBaghdad, eyi-Iraq yanamuhla, anikeza ubufakazi buthule bokugcwaliseka kwamazwi akhe athi: “Alisoze labuye lakhiwa.” Noma ikuphi ukuvuselelwa kweBabiloni njengendawo yokuvakashelwa kungase kuzihehe izivakashi, kodwa ‘udumo nokuchuma’ kweBabiloni kwahamba unomphela.—Isaya 13:20; 14:22, 23.

Ngakho umprofethi u-Isaya akazange asho izibikezelo ezingacacile ezazingase zenziwe zifanelane nanoma isiphi isenzakalo sesikhathi esizayo. Futhi akazange aphinde abhale umlando ukuze awenze ubonakale sengathi uyisiprofetho. Ake ucabange ngalokhu: Umkhohlisi wayengalokotha kanjani nje ‘aprofethe’ ngokuthile ayengenamandla nhlobo okukulawula—ukuthi iBabiloni elinamandla ngeke liphinde lakhiwe?

Lesi siprofetho esiphathelene nokuwa kweBabiloni simane nje singesinye sezibonelo eziseBhayibhelini.b Lapho iziprofetho zalo zigcwaliseka, abantu abaningi babona inkomba yokuthi kumelwe ukuba iBhayibheli livela emthonjeni ophakeme kunomuntu. Mhlawumbe uzovuma ukuthi, okungenani, lencwadi ikufanele ukuhlolwa. Kunento eyodwa eqinisekile: Kunomehluko omkhulu phakathi kwezibikezelo ezingacacile noma eziwuwangala zababhuli banamuhla kanye neziprofetho zeBhayibheli ezicacile, ezinengqondo nezingagwegwesi.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 28]

Ingabe abalobi beBhayibheli babengabaprofethi abanembayo noma abakhohlisi abahlakaniphile?

[Isithombe ekhasini 29]

Amanxiwa eBabiloni lasendulo