Zithembeke Kangakanani Izibikezelo ZeBhayibheli?

IZINCWADI zezomlando ziyintilibathwa namuhla. Lokhu kulandisa ngalokho okuye kwenzeka esikhathini esidlule ngokuvamile kuhlaba umxhwele ngempela. Njengoba sikufunda, singase sizibone nathi sikuleyonhlalo yasendulo. Imicabango yethu ingase ijubalale njengoba abantu, izindawo, nezenzakalo kubonakala kuvumbuka emakhasini athule.

IBhayibheli liyincwadi enjalo—egcwele ukulandisa okungokomlando okuvusa amadlingozi. Ngamakhasi alo, singajwayelana namadoda nabesifazane abanjengo-Abrahama, umkakhe uSara, iNkosi uDavide, iNdlovukazi u-Esteri, noMfundisi Omkhulu, uJesu Kristu. Empeleni, singahambisana nabo, sizwe lokho abakusho, futhi sibone lokho abakubona. Kodwa abaningi babheka iBhayibheli njengelingaphezulu kakhulu kokuba incwadi yomlando. Bakholelwa ukuthi liqukethe lokho okuye kwabizwa ngokuthi umlando owabhalwa kusengaphambili. Kungani kunjalo? Ngoba iBhayibheli ligcwele izibikezelo, noma iziprofetho.

Nokho, zithembeke kangakanani izibikezelo zeBhayibheli? Uma iziprofetho zeBhayibheli zagcwaliseka ezenzakalweni zesikhathi esidlule, ingabe akufanele yini silindele ukuba izibikezelo ezinjalo eziphathelene nezenzakalo zesikhathi esizayo zigcwaliseke? Manje ake sicabangele izibonelo ezithile ukuze sibone ukuthi izibikezelo zeBhayibheli zithembekile yini.

U-Israyeli Ne-Asiriya Enkundleni Yomhlaba

Umprofethi kaNkulunkulu u-Isaya, owaqala ukuprofetha cishe ngo-778 B.C.E., wabikezela: “Umqhele wokuziphakamisa wezidakwa zakwaEfrayimi [Israyeli] uyakunyathelwa ngezinyawo, imbali ebunayo yobuhle bakhe obukhazimulayo, esenhloko yesigodi esivundileyo, ibe-njengekhiwane elivuthiwe kungakafiki ukuvuna; olibonayo uyalibuka, aligwinye, lisesesandleni sakhe.” (Isaya 28:3, 4) Njengoba kwakubikezelwe kanjalo, phakathi nekhulu lesishiyagalombili B.C.E., inhlokodolobha yakwa-Israyeli, iSamariya, yayibe njengekhiwane elivuthiwe elilungele ukukhiwa futhi ligwinywe amabutho ezempi ase-Asiriya. Yilokho kanye okwenzeka lapho iSamariya inqotshwa abase-Asiriya ngo-740 B.C.E.—2 AmaKhosi 17:6, 13, 18.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwaba yithuba le-Asiriya ukuba ibe umbuso wesikhathi esidlule. Inhlokodolobha yayo kwakuyiNineve, eyayinedumela elibi lokuphatha ngonya abathunjwa kangangokuthi yabizwa ngokuthi “umuzi wezingazi.” (Nahume 3:1) UJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe wayekhiphe umyalo wokuba ibhujiswe iNineve. Ngokwesibonelo, ngomprofethi uNahume, uNkulunkulu wathi: “Bheka, ngimelene nawe . . . [Ngiyakukuhlazisa], ngikubeke ube-yinto ebukwayo. Kuyakuthi bonke abakubonayo bakubalekele, bathi: INineve lichithekile.” (Nahume 3:5-7) UZefaniya naye wabikezela ngokubhujiswa kwe-Asiriya nokuchithwa kweNineve. (Zefaniya 2:13-15) Leziprofetho zagcwaliseka ngo-632 B.C.E., lapho ngokumangalisayo, amabutho ahlangene enkosi yaseBabiloni uNabopolassar noCyaxares umMede ephanga futhi echitha iNineve—ngokuphelele kangangokuthi ngisho nendawo lowomuzi owawukuyo ayizange yaziwe iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-2 000. Ngokulandelayo kwaba uMbuso waseBabiloni enkundleni yomhlaba.

Ukubhujiswa KweBabiloni Kwakubikezelwe

IBhayibheli labikezela ukuthi uMbuso waseBabiloni wawuyoketulwa futhi labikezela indlela inhlokodolobha yawo, iBabiloni, eyayiyokuwa ngayo. Cishe emakhulwini amabili eminyaka kusengaphambili, umprofethi u-Isaya waxwayisa ngokuthi uMfula i-Ewufrathe wawuyokomiswa. Wawugeleza unqamula eBabiloni, futhi amasango ayegudle umfula ayeyingxenye ebalulekile yokuvikeleka kwalomuzi. Isiprofetho sabiza uKoresi njengowayezowunqoba futhi saphawula ukuthi “iminyango” yaseBabiloni yayingeke ivalwe lapho kuza abahlaseli. (Isaya 44:27–45:7) Ngenxa yalokho, uNkulunkulu waqikelela ukuthi iminyango yaseBabiloni eyayigudle i-Ewufrathe ishiywa ivulekile phakathi nedili langobusuku ayezohlasela ngabo amabutho kaKoresi Omkhulu. Ngakho-ke, ngaphandle kobunzima angena emzini edabula emfuleni owawunamanzi abohlile futhi alithumba iBabiloni.

Isazi-mlando uHerodotus sabhala: “UKoresi . . . wamisa ingxenye yamabutho akhe endaweni lapho i-Ewufrathe ingena khona [eBabiloni] futhi enye ingxenye wayimisa ngaphesheya lapho iphumela khona ngaphandle, ewanike imiyalo yokuba womabili lamaqembu afohle emfuleni lapho nje esebona ukuthi amanzi asebohle ngokwanele. . . . Ngomsele ombiwe waphambukisa lomfula wagobhozela echibini (ngalesosikhathi elaliwubishi) futhi ngalendlela wakunciphisa kakhulu ukujula kwamanzi omfula kangangokuba kwakuhambeka kuwo, futhi ibutho lasePheresiya, elalishiywe eBabiloni ngenxa yalenjongo, langena emfuleni, manje owawusufinyelela nje cishe maphakathi nethanga lendoda, futhi, njengoba laligxambuzela liza ngomfula, langena emzini. . . . Kwakunedili, futhi ngisho nalapho umuzi wawuwa baqhubeka bedansa futhi bezijabulisa, kwaze kwaba yilapho amaqiniso abuhlungu ebasangulukisa.”—Herodotus—The Histories, eyahunyushwa u-Aubrey de Selincourt.

Ngabo lobobusuku, umprofethi kaNkulunkulu uDaniyeli wayexwayise umbusi waseBabiloni ngenhlekelele eyayisondela. (Daniyeli, isahluko 5) IBabiloni elase lingasenamandla laqhubeka likhona amakhulu athile eminyaka ngemva kwalokho. Ngokwesibonelo, kusukela ngalesosikhathi umphostoli uPetru waloba incwadi yakhe yokuqala ephefumlelwe ngekhulu lokuqala C.E. (1 Petru 5:13) Kodwa isiprofetho sika-Isaya sasithe: “IBabele . . . liyakuba-njengokuchitha kukaNkulunkulu iSodoma neGomora. Alisoze labuye lakhiwa.” UNkulunkulu wayethe futhi: “Nginqume eBabele igama, nensali, nendodana, nomzukulwana.” (Isaya 13:19-22; 14:22) Njengoba kwakubikezelwe, ekugcineni iBabiloni laba indunduma yencithakalo. Noma yikuphi ukuvuselelwa okungase kwenzeke kwalowomuzi wasendulo kungase kukhange izivakashi ezibuka izwe kodwa kusayowushiya ungenayo ‘indodana nomzukulwana.’

UDaniyeli—umprofethi kaJehova owayekhona eBabiloni lapho liwa—wabona umbono owawuhilela amaMede namaPheresiya ayenganqobayo. Wabona inqama enezimpondo ezimbili nempongo enophondo olukhulu phakathi namehlo ayo. Impongo yahlasela inqama yayigingqa phansi, iphula izimpondo zayo ezimbili. Kamuva uphondo olukhulu lwalempongo lwaphuka, futhi kwavela izimpondo ezine esikhundleni salo. (Daniyeli 8:1-8) Njengoba iBhayibheli lalibikezele futhi umlando ukuqinisekisile, inqama enezimpondo ezimbili yayimelela amaMede namaPheresiya. Impongo yayimelela iGrisi. Futhi kuthiwani ‘ngophondo lwayo olukhulu’? Lolu lwaba u-Alexander Omkhulu. Lapho loluphondo olukhulu olungokomfanekiso luphuka, izimpondo ezine ezingokomfanekiso (noma, imibuso) zathatha indawo yalo. Ngokuvumelana nalesiprofetho, ngemva kokufa kuka-Alexander, abane bawojenene bakhe bazithathela umbuso ngokwabo—uPtolemy Lagus ethatha iGibithe nePalestina; uSeleucus Nicator iMesopotamiya neSiriya; uCassander iMakedoniya neGrisi; futhi uLysimachus ethatha iThrace ne-Asia Minor.—Daniyeli 8:20-22.

Izibikezelo Zekusasa Eliqhakazile

Izibikezelo zeBhayibheli eziqondene nezenzakalo ezinjengokubhujiswa kweBabiloni nokuketulwa kwamaMede namaPheresiya zimane nje ziyizibonelo zeziprofetho eziningi ezingokomBhalo eziye zagcwaliseka esikhathini esidlule. IBhayibheli futhi liqukethe izibikezelo zekusasa eliqhakazile eziyogcwaliseka ngenxa kaMesiya, Ogcotshiwe kaNkulunkulu.

Ezinye izibikezelo eziphathelene noMesiya emiBhalweni YesiHeberu zasetshenziswa kuJesu Kristu ngabalobi bemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki. Ngokwesibonelo, ababhali bamaVangeli baveza ukuthi uJesu wazalelwa eBetlehema, njengoba kwakubikezelwe umprofethi uMika. (Mika 5:2; Luka 2:4-11; Johane 7:42) Ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho sikaJeremiya, kwabulawa abantwana ngemva kokuzalwa kukaJesu. (Jeremiya 31:15; Mathewu 2:16-18) Amazwi kaZakariya (9:9) agcwaliseka lapho uKristu engena eJerusalema egibele ithole lembongolo. (Johane 12:12-15) Futhi lapho amasosha abelana ngengubo kaJesu ngemva kokubethelwa kwakhe, lokhu kwagcwalisa amazwi omhubi: “Babelana izingubo zami, benzelana inkatho ngesambatho sami.”—IHubo 22:18.

Ezinye izibikezelo eziphathelene noMesiya zikhomba esikhathini esijabulisayo ngohlanga lwesintu. Embonweni, uDaniyeli wabona “onjengendodana yomuntu” ethola “ukubusa, nobukhosi, nombuso” kuJehova, “omdala wezinsuku.” (Daniyeli 7:13, 14) Ngokuqondene nokubusa kobuMesiya kwaleyoNkosi yasezulwini, uJesu Kristu, u-Isaya wamemezela: “[I]gama lakhe liyakuthiwa uMluleki omangalisayo, uNkulunkulu onamandla, uYise ongunaphakade, iNkosi yokuthula. Umbuso uyakuba-mkhulu, ukuthula kungabi-nakuphela esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavide nasembusweni wakhe, ukuze uqiniswe, usekelwe ngokwahlulela nangokulunga, kusukela manje kuze kube-phakade. Ukushisekela kukaJehova-Sebawoti kuyakwenza lokhu.”—Isaya 9:6, 7.

Ngaphambi kokuba ukubusa kobuMesiya kokulunga kubuse ngokugcwele, kukhona into ebaluleke kakhulu okumelwe yenzeke. Nayo yabikezelwa eBhayibhelini. Ngokuqondene neNkosi enguMesiya, umhubi wahlabelela: “Bophela inkemba yakho okhalweni lwakho wena-qhawe . . . Hlahlameleka ebukhosini bakho, uqhubeke ngenxa yeqiniso nokuthobeka nokulunga.” (IHubo 45:3, 4) Ibhekisela osukwini lwethu, imiBhalo yabikezela futhi: “Ezinsukwini zalawomakhosi uNkulunkulu wasezulwini uyakumisa umbuso ongasoze wachithwa nobukhosi bawo bungayikushiyelwa kwabanye abantu, kepha uyakuchoboza, uqede yonke lemibuso, wona uqobo ume phakade.”—Daniyeli 2:44.

IHubo 72 linikeza umbono wangaphambili wezimo eziyoba khona ngaphansi kokubusa kobuMesiya. Ngokwesibonelo, “ezinsukwini zayo olungileyo uyakuqhakaza, kuvame ukuthula, ize ingabikho inyanga.” (Ivesi 7) Khona-ke ngeke kusaba khona ukucindezelwa noma ubudlova. (Ivesi 14) Akukho muntu oyolamba, ngoba “kuyakuba-khona inala kakolweni ezweni esiqongweni sezintaba.” (Ivesi 16) Futhi ake ucabange nje! Ungajabulela lezibusiso kanye nezinye epharadesi lasemhlabeni lapho isimiso sezinto samanje sesithathelwe indawo izwe elisha elithenjiswe nguNkulunkulu.—Luka 23:43; 2 Petru 3:11-13; IsAmbulo 21:1-5.

Khona-ke, ngokuqinisekile kufanele ukuba uzihlolisise izibikezelo zeBhayibheli. Ngakho-ke, kungani ungaceli oFakazi BakaJehova ukuba bakunikeze ukwaziswa okwengeziwe? Ukuhlola iziprofetho zeBhayibheli kungakusiza ukuba ubone ukuthi sikuphi ohlelweni lwezikhathi. Futhi kungahlakulela enhliziyweni yakho ukwazisa okujulile ngoJehova uNkulunkulu nangelungiselelo lakhe lesibusiso saphakade kubo bonke abamthandayo nabamlalelayo.

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

Ingabe uyayazi incazelo yombono kaDaniyeli ohilela impongo nenqama?

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Ingabe uyoba khona ukuze ujabulele ukugcwaliseka kwezibikezelo zeBhayibheli eziphathelene nokuphila okujabulisayo emhlabeni oyipharadesi?