Incwadi YeBhayibheli Yama-36—UZefaniya
Umlobi: UZefaniya
Yalotshelwa: KwaJuda
Ukuloba Kwaphela: Ngaphambi kuka-648 B.C.E.
1. (a) Kungani isigijimi sikaZefaniya sasifanelana nesikhathi sakhe? (b) Incazelo yegama lakhe yafanelana kanjani nesimo?
EKUQALENI kokubusa kweNkosi yakwaJuda uJosiya (659-629 B.C.E.), esikhathini lapho ukukhulekelwa kukaBali kwakudlangile futhi “abapristi bezithixo” behola kulokhu kukhulekela okungcolile, kumelwe ukuba sabashaqisa abantu baseJerusalema isigijimi esasimenyezelwa umprofethi uZefaniya. Nakuba ngokunokwenzeka ayewumzukulu weNkosi uHezekiya wendlu yobukhosi yakwaJuda, uZefaniya wayezigxeka kakhulu izimo ezazisesizweni. (Zef. 1:1, 4) Isigijimi sakhe sasingesembubhiso. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu babengasalaleli, futhi uJehova kuphela owayengababuyisela ekukhulekeleni okuhlanzekile futhi ababusise ukuze babe “igama nendumiso phakathi kwabantu bonke bomhlaba.” (3:20) UZefaniya waveza ukuthi kungokungenela kwaphezulu kuphela lapho umuntu ‘engasitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova.’ (2:3) Yeka indlela elifaneleka ngayo igama lakhe elithi Tsephan·yahʹ (ngesiHeberu), okusho ukuthi “UJehova Uthukusile (Ubekelele)”!
2. Imizamo kaZefaniya yathela kanjani izithelo, kodwa kungani lokhu kwakumane kungokwesikhashana?
2 Imizamo kaZefaniya yaba nezithelo. INkosi uJosiya, owayenyukele esihlalweni sobukhosi eneminyaka eyisishiyagalombili, waqala ngonyaka we-12 wokubusa kwakhe “ukuhlambulula uJuda neJerusalema.” Wasusa ukukhulekela kwamanga, walungisa “indlu kaJehova,” futhi wamisa kabusha ukugujwa kwePhasika. (2 IziKr., izahl. 34, 35) Nokho, izinguquko ezenziwa iNkosi uJosiya zazimane zingezesikhashana ngoba walandelwa esikhundleni amathathu emadodaneni akhe noyedwa kubazukulu bakhe, bonke abenza “okubi emehlweni kaJehova.” (2 IziKr. 36:1-12) Konke lokhu kwagcwalisa amazwi kaZefaniya: “Ngihambele izikhulu, namadodana enkosi, . . . [naba]gcwalisa indlu yamakhosi abo ngobudlova nangenkohliso.”—Zef. 1:8, 9.
3. UZefaniya waprofetha nini futhi kuphi, futhi isiphi isigijimi esikabili lencwadi esiqukethe?
3 Ngokwalokhu okungenhla kubonakala sengathi ‘izwi likaJehova lafika kuZefaniya’ esikhathini esithile ngaphambi kuka-648 B.C.E., unyaka we-12 kaJosiya. Akukhona nje kuphela ukuthi ivesi lokuqala limchaza njengokhuluma ekwaJuda kodwa ulwazi olunemininingwane alubonisayo ngezindawo namasiko aseJerusalema kubonisa ukuthi wayehlala kwaJuda. Isigijimi esiqukethwe kulencwadi sikabili, siyasongela futhi siyaduduza. Ngokwengxenye enkulu, sigxile osukwini lukaJehova, usuku lokwesaba oluseduze, kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo, sibikezela ukuthi uJehova uyobuyisela abantu abathobekile labo ‘abethemba igama likaJehova.’—1:1, 7-18; 3:12.
4. Yini ebonisa ukuthi incwadi kaZefaniya iyiqiniso futhi iphefumlelwe uNkulunkulu?
4 Ubuqiniso balencwadi yesiprofetho ngeke buphikiswe ngokuphumelelayo. IJerusalema labhujiswa ngo-607 B.C.E., eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-40 ngemva kokuba uZefaniya ekubikezele. Lokhu akufakazelwa nje kuphela umlando wezwe kodwa iBhayibheli ngokwalo liqukethe ubufakazi bokuthi lokhu kwenzeka njengoba nje uZefaniya ayeprofethile. Ngokushesha ngemva kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema, uJeremiya waloba incwadi yesiLilo, echaza izinhlekelele ayezibonile, zisezintsha engqondweni. Ukuqhathanisa izingxenye eziningana kufakazela ukuthi isigijimi sikaZefaniya ngempela ‘siphefumlelwe uNkulunkulu.’ UZefaniya uxwayisa ngesidingo sokuphenduka “lungakanehleli ulaka oluvuthayo lukaJehova,” kuyilapho uJeremiya ebhekisela kokuthile osekwenzekile kakade lapho ethi, “uJehova . . . uthululile ukufutheka kwentukuthelo [“ulaka oluvuthayo,” NW] yakhe.” (Zef. 2:2; IsiLilo 4:11) UZefaniya ubikezela ukuthi uJehova “ [u]yakucindezela abantu, bahambe njengezimpumputhe . . . igazi labo liyakuthululwa njengothuli.” (Zef. 1:17) UJeremiya ukhuluma ngalokhu njengento esiyenzekile: “Bazulazula njengezimpumputhe ezitaladini, bengcolile ngegazi.”—IsiLilo 4:14; qhathanisa uZefaniya 1:13—IsiLilo 5:2; Zefaniya 2:8, 10—IsiLilo 1:9, 16 no-3:61.
5. Umlando ubonisa kanjani ukuthi isiprofetho sikaZefaniya sagcwaliseka ngokunembile?
5 Umlando ngokufanayo ubika ukubhujiswa kwezizwe ezingamaqaba, uMowabi noAmoni kanye neAsiriya, kuhlanganise nekomkhulu lalo iNineve, njengoba nje uZefaniya ayebikezele ngokuqondisa kukaNkulunkulu. Njengoba nje nomprofethi uNahume abikezela ukubhujiswa kweNineve (Nah. 1:1; 2:10), kanjalo uZefaniya wathi uJehova “alenze iNineve libe-yincithakalo, lome njengehlane.” (Zef. 2:13) Lokhu kubhujiswa kwakuphelele kangangokuthi ingakapheli ngisho neminyaka engu-200 kamuva, isazi-mlando uHerodotus sabhala ngeTigris ngokuthi “umfula okwakumi kuwo umuzi waseNineve.”a Cishe ngo-150 C.E. umlobi ongumGreki uLucian waloba ukuthi “akusekho ngisho nomkhondo wawo osele manje.”b INew Westminster Dictionary of the Bible (1970), ikhasi 669, ithi amabutho ayehlasela “asizwa kakhulu ukungenisa okwakungalindelekile kweTigris, okwakhukhula ingxenye enkulu yodonga lomuzi futhi kwashiya indawo ingavikelekile. . . . Ukuchithwa kwakungokuphelele kangangokuthi ngezikhathi zamaGreki namaRoma iNineve laba njengenganekwane. Nokho sonke lesikhathi ingxenye yomuzi yayingcwatshwe izindunduma zalokho okwase kubonakala kungudoti.” Ekhasini 627 wona lomqulu ubonisa ukuthi uMowabi naye wabhujiswa njengoba kwakuprofethiwe: “UNebukadinesari wanqoba abakwaMowabi.” UJosephus futhi ubika ukunqotshwa kuka-Amoni.c Kokubili abakwaMowabi nabakwa-Amoni ekugcineni bapheza ukuba khona njengezizwe.
6. Khona-ke, kungani incwadi kaZefaniya inendawo efanelekayo ohlwini lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli?
6 AmaJuda abelokhu enikeza incwadi kaZefaniya indawo yayo efanelekayo ohlwini lwezincwadi zemiBhalo eziphefumlelwe. Izimemezelo zayo ezashiwo egameni likaJehova ziye zagcwaliseka ngokuphawulekayo, kwaba ukulwelwa kukaJehova.
OKUQUKETHWE INCWADI KAZEFANIYA
7. Luyosho ukuthini usuku olukhulu lukaJehova ezitheni zakhe?
7 Usuku lukaJehova luseduze (1:1-18). Lencwadi iqalisa ngesimemezelo sembubhiso. “Ngiyakuqothula nokuqothula konke, kusuke ebusweni bomhlaba, usho uJehova.” (1:2) Akukho lutho oluyophunyuka, abantu noma izilwane. Abakhulekeli bakaBali, abapristi bezithixo, abakhulekeli bamazulu bephezu kwezindlu, labo abaxuba ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova nokukaMilkomu, labo abahlehlayo kuJehova, nalabo abangenaso isithakazelo ekumfuneni—bonke kumelwe babhubhe. Umprofethi uyayala: “Thula phambi kobuso beNkosi uJehova, ngokuba usuku lukaJehova luseduze.” (1:7) UJehova ngokwakhe ulungisile umhlatshelo. Izikhulu, abanobudlova, abakhohlisi, nabanganaki ezinhliziyweni—bonke bayofunwa. Ingcebo yabo nempahla yabo kuyokwenziwa ize. Usuku olukhulu lukaJehova luseduze! “Lungusuku lolaka, usuku lokuhlupheka nolosizi, usuku lwencithakalo nolokuyize, usuku lobumnyama nolwesigayegaye, usuku lwamafu nolobumnyama obukhulu.” Igazi lalabo abonayo kuJehova liyothululwa njengothuli. “Nasiliva labo nagolide labo akuyikuba-namandla okubophula ngosuku lwentukuthelo lukaJehova.” Umlilo womhawu wakhe uyoqeda wonke umhlaba.—1:15, 18.
8. (a) Isivikelo singatholakala kanjani? (b) Yikuphi ukukhalelwa kwezizwe okumenyezelwayo?
8 Funani uJehova; izizwe ziyobhujiswa (2:1-15). Ngaphambi kokuba lolosuku ludlule njengamakhoba, othobekileyo ‘makafune uJehova . . . afune ukulunga, afune ukuthobeka,’ futhi mhlawumbe ‘uyositshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova.’ (2:3) Amazwi kaJehova ayaqhubeka, ememezela umaye ezweni lamaFilisti, kamuva eliyoba ‘ugu lwensali yendlu yakwaJuda.’ UMowabi noAmoni abaziphakamisayo bayochithwa njengeSodoma neGomora “ngokuba bathukile, bazikhulisela abantu bakaJehova-Sebawoti.” Onkulunkulu babo bayobhubha kanye nabo. (2:7, 10) ‘Inkemba’ kaJehova futhi iyobhubhisa amaKushe (abaseTopiya). Kuthiwani ngeAsiriya, nekomkhulu lalo laseNineve, elisenyakatho? Liyoba ihlane elingenalutho nendawo yokubuthisa izilwane, yebo, “incithakalo,” kangangokuthi “bonke abadlula kuwo bayakuncimfa” ngokumangala.—2:12, 15.
9. (a) Kungani kungumaye ngeJerusalema, futhi siyini isinqumo sikaJehova ezizweni? (b) Isiprofetho siphetha ngamaphi amazwi ajabulisayo?
9 IJerusalema elihlubukayo libizelwa ukuba lilandise; insali ethobekile iyabusiswa (3:1-20). Kukhalelwa neJerusalema futhi, umuzi ohlubukayo nocindezelayo! Izikhulu zawo, “izingonyama ezibhongayo,” kanye nabaprofethi bawo, “abakhohlisi,” abathembelanga kuNkulunkulu wabo, uJehova. Uzofuna ukuba balandise ngokugcwele. Ingabe izakhamuzi zawo zizomesaba uJehova futhi zamukele ukulaywa? Cha, ngoba “bavuka ekuseni, benza okubi.” (3:3, 4, 7) Kuyisinqumo sikaJehova sokwahlulela ukubutha izizwe nokuthulula phezu kwazo lonke ulaka lwakhe oluvuthayo, futhi wonke umhlaba uyodliwa umlilo womhawu wakhe. Kodwa, kunesithembiso esimangalisayo! UJehova “[u]yakunika abantu izindebe ezihlanzekileyo, ukuze bonke babize igama likaJehova, bamkhonze nganhliziyonye.” (3:9) Abajabula ngokuzidla bayosuswa, futhi insali ethobekile eyenza ukulunga iyothembela egameni likaJehova. Ukuhlabelela ngokujabula, ukumemeza, ukuthokoza, nokwethaba kuyezwakala eSiyoni, ngoba uJehova iNkosi yakwaIsrayeli uphakathi kwabo. Lesi akusona isikhathi sokwesaba noma sokuyekethisa izandla, ngoba uJehova uyosindisa futhi ethabe ngabo othandweni nasekujabuleni kwakhe. “Ngokuba ngiyakunenza igama nendumiso phakathi kwabantu bonke bomhlaba, lapho ngibuyisa ukuthunjwa kwenu phambi kwamehlo enu, usho uJehova.”—3:20.
ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE NENZUZO
10. Isiprofetho sikaZefaniya sasinanzuzoni ngezinsuku zeNkosi uJosiya?
10 Ngokwesibonelo, iNkosi uJosiya, yalalela isigijimi sikaZefaniya sesixwayiso futhi yazuza kakhulu kuso. Yaqalisa umkhankaso omkhulu wokwenza inguquko engokwenkolo. Lokhu futhi kwenza kwatholakala incwadi yoMthetho, eyayilahleke ngenkathi indlu kaJehova ibhidlika. UJosiya wadabuka lapho ezwa imiphumela yokungalaleli ayifundelwa kulencwadi, eyayiqinisekisa ngomlomo womunye ufakazi, uMose, lokho uZefaniya ayekade ekuprofetha sonke lesikhathi. Manje uJosiya wazithoba phambi kukaNkulunkulu, kwaphumela ekutheni uJehova amthembise ukuthi ukubhujiswa okwakubikezelwe kwakungeke kufike osukwini lwakhe. (Dut., izahl. 28-30; 2 AmaKh. 22:8-20) Izwe lalisindile enhlekeleleni! Kodwa kwakungokwesikhashana, ngoba amadodana kaJosiya ahluleka ukulandela isibonelo esihle asibeka. Nokho, kuJosiya nabantu bakhe, ukulalela kwabo “izwi likaJehova elafika kuZefaniya” kwaba nenzuzo enkulu ngempela.—Zef. 1:1.
11. (a) Incwadi kaZefaniya ihlangana kanjani neNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni kanye nencwadi kaPawulu eyayiya kumaHeberu ekunikezeni isiyalo esinengqondo? (b) Kungani uZefaniya ethi “mhlawumbe niyakusitshekelwa”?
11 ENtshumayelweni yakhe edumile yaseNtabeni, uKristu Jesu, umprofethi kaNkulunkulu omkhulu kunabo bonke, wasekela uZefaniya njengomprofethi weqiniso kaNkulunkulu ngokukhuluma amazwi afana ngokumangalisayo neseluleko sikaZefaniya esahlukweni 2, ivesi 3: “Funani uJehova nina nonke-bathobekileyo bomhlaba . . . funani ukulunga; funani ukuthobeka.” Isiyalo sikaJesu sasithi: “Funani kuqala uMbuso kaNkulunkulu nokulunga kwakhe.” (Math. 6:33) Labo abafuna kuqala uMbuso kaNkulunkulu kumelwe baqaphele ukunganaki uZefaniya axwayisa ngakho lapho ekhuluma ngalabo “ababuyile ekumlandeleni uJehova, nabangamfunanga uJehova bengabuzanga ngaye” kanye nalabo “abathi ezinhliziyweni zabo: UJehova akenzi okuhle, akenzi nokubi.” (Zef. 1:6, 12) Encwadini yakhe eya kumaHeberu, ngokufanayo uPawulu ukhuluma ngosuku oluzayo lwokwahlulela futhi uxwayisa ngokuhlehlela emuva. Uyanezela: “Kepha thina asisibo abokuhlehlela ekubhujisweni, kodwa singabokukholwa, kuze kube-ngukusindiswa komphefumulo.” (Heb. 10:30, 37-39) Umprofethi akakhulumi nabahlehlayo noma nabangenakwazisa kodwa nalabo abathobekile nabafuna uJehova ngobuqotho benokholo uma ethi: “Mhlawumbe niyakusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova.” Kungani ethi “mhlawumbe”? Ngoba insindiso yokugcina ixhomeke enkambweni yomuntu. (Math. 24:13) Kuyisikhumbuzo futhi sokuthi asinakubuthatha kalula ububele bukaNkulunkulu. Isiprofetho sikaZefaniya asishiyi kungabaza ngokuzuma lolosuku oluyofika ngakho kulabo abangalindele.—Zef. 2:3; 1:14, 15; 3:8.
12. Yisiphi isizathu sokuba nesibindi uZefaniya asinikeza labo ‘abafuna uJehova’?
12 Khona-ke, lesi isigijimi esibikezela ukubhujiswa kwalabo abonayo kuJehova kodwa esinikeza imibono ekhanyayo yezibusiso kulabo ‘abafuna uJehova’ ngokuphenduka. Laba abaphendukayo bangaba nesibindi, ngoba, uZefaniya uthi, “iNkosi yakwaIsrayeli, uJehova, iphakathi kwakho.” Akusona isikhathi sokuba iSiyoni lesabe noma liyekethise izandla lingenzi lutho. Isikhathi sokuthembela kuJehova. “Iqhawe eliyakukusindisa; uyakujabula ngawe ngentokozo, athule othandweni lwakhe, ethabe ngawe ngokuhlabelela.” Bayajabula futhi labo ‘abafuna umbuso wakhe kuqala,’ belindele isivikelo sakhe sothando nesibusiso saphakade!—3:15-17.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a ICyclopedia kaMcClintock noStrong, eyaNyatheliswa Kabusha ngo-1981, Umq. VII, ikhasi 112.
b Lucian, eyahunyushwa uA. M. Harmon, 1968, Umq. II, k. 443.
c Jewish Antiquities, X, 181, 182 (ix, 7).