INgxenye 5—IJavani—Umbuso Wezwe Omkhulu Wesihlanu

Njengengwe enamaphiko enesivinini, uAlexander waphuma eJavani eyonqoba iAsia Minor (iTurkey yanamuhla), iPalestina, iGibithe, nombuso wamaMede namaPheresiya kwaze kwafinyelela emngceleni waseNdiya. Ingabe uyathanda ukwazi okwengeziwe ngalomnqobi ovelele nalokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngaye?

LAPHO eneminyaka engama-20 nje kuphela, uAlexander osemusha wazuza ngefa isihlalo sobukhosi saseMacedon. Eminyakeni emibili kamuva, elandela icebo likayise uPhilip, uAlexander waphuma impi yokuphindisela kwabasePheresiya ababenamandla, abambuso wabo wawungasempumalanga. Ngaphambi kokuba ame, uAlexander wayeselinqobile izwe losuku lwakhe.

Lesisazi sezempi esasiseyinsizwa sakhukhula iAsia Minor, iAramu, iPalestina, iGibithe, iBabele nawo wonke umbuso wamaMede namaPheresiya kwaze kwaba semaphethelweni eNdiya yasendulo! Eqashelwa mhlawumbe njengojenene omkhulu kunabo bonke wasezikhathini zasendulo, namuhla waziwa ngokuthi uAlexander oMkhulu.

Esikhathini esifushane ngokumangalisayo, iJavani (Greece) yase ingowesihlanu emibusweni yezwe yomlando weBhayibheli—omkhulu kunanoma imuphi owawungaphambi kwawo. Into enjalo yenzeka kanjani? Ihlangene kanjani neZwi likaNkulunkulu? Isho ukuthini kuwe?

Yabikezelwa Esiprofethweni SeBhayibheli

Eminyakeni engamakhulu amabili ngaphambi kwesikhathi sika-Alexander, lapho kusalawula iBabele futhi amaMede namaPheresiya engakabi umbuso wezwe, umprofethi kaJehova uDaniyeli wanikezwa imibono engokwesiprofetho emikhulu emibili eyayinikeza umbono womlando wezwe wesikhathi esizayo. Khona-ke, ngemva kokuba iBabiloni liwile, wathola isiprofetho sesithathu ngokuphathelene nezinto ezaziyokwenzeka esikhathini eside ngemva kwesakhe. UDaniyeli waziloba phansi. Leziprofetho, ezingaqalanga ukugcwaliseka kwaze kwaba semakhulwini amabili eminyaka kamuva, ziqukethe ukwaziswa okunembile ngezinto ezaziyokwenzeka kuAlexander nasembusweni wakhe.

Yini eyambulwa kuDaniyeli? Ungathola leziprofetho encwadini yeBhayibheli kaDaniyeli, eyalotshwa cishe ngonyaka ka-536 B.C.E. Ngamafuphi, nazi izinto azibona njengoba zazihlobene nombuso wezwe wesihlanu, iJavani:

Embonweni wokuqala ongokwesiprofetho, iJavani lalimelelwe njengengwe ehlonyiselwe ukuhamba ngokushesha. ‘Yayinamaphiko amane enyoni, emhlane; . . . yanikwa ukubusa.’—Daniyeli 7:6.

Embonweni wesibili ongokwesiprofetho, kwabonakala impongo ‘ivela ngasentshonalanga ebusweni bawo wonke umhlaba,’ igijima ngesivinini esikhulu kangangokuthi “yayingawuthinti umhlaba.” Yaya enqameni enezimpondo ezimbili ingelosi eyathi ngayo “ingamakhosi aseMediya nasePheresiya.” Impongo “yayishaya inqama, yazaphula izimpondo zayo ezimbili.” UDaniyeli watshelwa: “Impongo iyinkosi yaseJavani.”—Daniyeli 8:5-8, 20, 21.

Okwesithathu, uDaniyeli watshelwa ukuthi iNkosi “yasePheresiya . . . iyakuvusa bonke ukulwa nombuso waseJavani. Kuyakuvela inkosi enamandla eyakubusa ngokubusa okukhulu, yenze njengentando yayo.”—Daniyeli 11:2, 3.

Lezi zifanekiselo zazisho ukuthini? Ingabe lezizinto zenzeka ngendlela uDaniyeli atshelwa ukuthi zaziyokwenzeka ngayo? Make sibone.

Iziprofetho Ziyagcwaliseka

Entwasahlobo yonyaka ka-334 B.C.E., uAlexander wangena eAsiya eDardanelles (iHellespont yasendulo) enamasosha ayizi-30 000 ahamba ngezinyawo nayizi-5 000 agibele amahhashi. Ngesivinini sengwe enamaphiko amane engokomfanekiso noma sembuzi okwakubonakala ingawuthinti umhlaba, wakhukhula wonke amazwe ombuso wamaPheresiya—odlula ubukhulu bombuso wakhe ngokuphindwe kamashumi amahlanu! Ingabe ‘wayeyobusa ngokubusa okukhulu, enze njengentando yakhe’? Umlando uyaphendula.

EMfuleni iGranicus echosheni elisenyakatho-ntshonalanga yeAsia Minor (iTurkey yanamuhla) uAlexander wanqoba empini yakhe yokuqala elwa namaPheresiya. Ngalobobusika wanqoba intshonalanga Asia Minor. Ekwindla elandelayo eIssus echosheni eliseningizimu-mpumalanga yeAsia Minor, wanqoba ngokuphelele ibutho lamaPheresiya elalilinganiselwa emadodeni ayingxenye yesigidi, futhi inkosi enkulu, uDariyu III wasePheresiya, wabaleka, eshiya umkhaya wakhe ezandleni zika-Alexander.

Kunokuba axoshe amaPheresiya abalekayo, uAlexander waphikelela eningizimu ngasogwini lwaseMedithera, enqoba izizinda zezikhali zempi ezazisetshenziswa imikhumbi yempi enamandla yasePheresiya. Umuzi oyisiqhingi waseTire wazabalaza izinyanga eziyisikhombisa. Ekugcineni, esebenzisa imvuthu yomuzi oyinhloko omdala owawubhujiswe uNebukadinesari, uAlexander wakha indlela emanzini eya kulowomuzi oyisiqhingi. Insalela yaleyondlela iyabonakala namuhla, okuqinisekisa ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sikaHezekeli sokuthi isihlabathi saseTire sasiyolahlelwa emanzini.—Hezekeli 26:4, 12.

Eshiya iJerusalema, elazinikela kuye, uAlexander waqhubekela eningizimu, enqoba iGaza futhi andisa ‘ukubusa kwakhe okukhulu’ futhi enza ‘njengentando yakhe’ eGibithe, lapho abingelelwa khona njengomkhululi. EMemphis wenzela inkunzi uApis umhlatshelo, ngaleyondlela ethokozisa abapristi baseGibithe. Futhi wasungula umuzi waseAleksandriya, lowo kamuva owawuncintisana neAthene njengesikhungo sokufunda futhi osenegama lakhe namanje.

Zonke izinhloso zecebo likaPhilip zahlangatshezwa futhi kwadlulelwa ngalé kwazo, kodwa uAlexander wayengakaqedi neze. Njengempongo egijima ngesivinini, waphendukela emuva enyakatho-mpumalanga, edlula ePalestina futhi waqhubekela phezulu eMfuleni iTigris. Lapho, ngonyaka ka-331 B.C.E., waholela abasePheresiya empini eGaugamela, engekude nencithakalo yalokho okwakuyinhloko-dolobha yaseAsiriya, iNineve. Amadoda ka-Alexander ayizi-47 000 ahlula ibutho lamaPheresiya elalihlelwe kabusha elalinabayi-1 000 000. UDariyu III wabaleka futhi kamuva wabulawa ngabantu bakhe siqu.

Ejatshuliswa ukunqoba, uAlexander waphendukela eningizimu wathatha inhloko-dolobha ebandayo yasePheresiya. Walawula izinhloko-dolobha iShushani nePersepolis, ethatha ingcebo eningi yamaPheresiya futhi eshisa isigodlo esikhulu saseXerxes. Ekugcineni, inhloko-dolobha iAkimetha yawela kuye. Lomnqobi osheshayo wabe esenqoba wonke amanye amazwe amaPheresiya, waze wafika nasendaweni ekude empumalanga eMfuleni i-Indus ePakistan lanamuhla. Ngokungangabazeki, iJavani yase iwumbuso wezwe omkhulu wesihlanu emlandweni weBhayibheli.

Ukunqoba kuka-Alexander futhi kwasakaza ulimi lwesiGreki nempucuko kuyo yonke lendawo enkulukazi. Njengoba amazwe anqotshiwe aba ngaphansi kokubusa kweJavani, iKoine Greek evamile yaba ulimi lwezizwe zonke zalolosuku. Yiyiwulimi kamuva olwasetshenziswa ekulobeni imiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki yeBhayibheli.

UMbuso Ka-Alexander Uyahlukaniswa

UAlexander wayefuna ukwakha kabusha iBabiloni njengenhloko-dolobha yombuso wakhe. Kodwa lokhu kwakungamelwe kwenzeke. Iziprofetho zaziye zachaza impongo njengenophondo olulodwa olukhulu, uDaniyeli atshelwa ngalo ukuthi:

“Impongo yayisizikhulisa kakhulu; kwathi lapho isinamandla, uphondo olukhulu lwaphuka; esikhundleni salo kwamila ezine ziqhamela ngasemimoyeni yomine yezulu. . . . Impongo iyinkosi yaseJavani; uphondo olukhulu olusemkhathini wamehlo ayo luyinkosi yokuqala. Kepha olwaphukileyo, esikhundleni salo okwavela ezine, kuyakuvela imibuso emine esizweni salo, ingenamandla alo kodwa.”—Daniyeli 8:8, 21, 22.

“Iyakwanele ukuvela nje, umbuso wayo uyakufohlozwa, wahlukaniselwe emimoyeni yomine yezulu, ungabi-ngowenzalo yayo, ungabi-njengasekubuseni kwayo eyabusa ngakho, ngokuba umbuso wayo uyakusishulwa, ube-ngowabanye ngaphandle kwalaba.”—Daniyeli 11:4.

Njengoba iBhayibheli labikezela, ukujabulela kuka-Alexander ukubusa umhlaba kwakungokwesikhashana. Khona kanye ekuphakameni kwenkambo yakhe yokunqoba, eneminyaka engama-32 kuphela ubudala, ukunqoba kuka-Alexander kolunya kwaphela. Ephethwe umalaleveva, waqhubeka ezitika ngophuzo waze wadakwa wafa ngokungazelele eBabiloni ngo-323 B.C.E. Isidumbu sakhe sayiswa eGibithe futhi sangcwatshwa eAleksandriya. “Uphondo olukhulu oluyinkosi yokuqala” lwase luphukile. Khona-ke yini eyenzeka embusweni wakhe?

Isiprofetho sasithé umbuso wakhe wawuyokwehlukaniswa ‘ungabi-ngowenzalo yakhe.’ Umfowabo ka-Alexander owayengafaneleki uPhilip Arrhidaeus wabusa isikhathi esifushane kodwa wabulawa. Kwaba okufanayo ngendodana ka-Alexander engokomthetho uAlexander (Allou) nendodana yakhe engemthetho uHeracles (Hercules). Ngakho-ke uhlu lozalo luka-Alexander oMkhulu, umchithi omkhulu wegazi, lwafa lonke.

Okwabikezelwa futhi ukuthi ‘kuyakuvela imibuso emine esizweni sakhe, ingenamandla akhe kodwa’ nokuthi umbuso wakhe ‘wawuyohlukaniselwa emimoyeni yomine yezulu, . . . ungabi-njengasekubuseni kwakhe abusa ngakho.’ Ingabe lokhu kwenzeka?

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, umbuso omkhulu ka-Alexander wahlukaniselwa ojenene bakhe abane: (1) UJenene Cassander—iMakedoniya neJavani. (2) UJenene Lysimachus—iAsia Minor neThrace yaseYurophu. (3) UJenene Seleucus Nicator—iBabiloni, iMediya, iAramu, iPheresiya nezifunda ezisempumalanga yoMfula i-Indus. (4) UJenene Ptolemy Lagus—iGibithe, iLibiya, nePalestina. Njengoba kwaprofethwa, embusweni owodwa omkhulu ka-Alexander, kwavela imibuso emine eLingisa iJavani, noma yobuGreki.a

Owahlala isikhathi eside kunayo yonke kulena kwaba umbuso wobuPtolemy eGibithe. Waba ngaphansi kweRoma ngo-30 B.C.E., ngalokho iRoma yathatha isikhundla seJavani yaba eyesithupha emibusweni yezwe enamandla.

Amathemba Akhanya Ngokwengeziwe Esintu Angaphambili

Ingabe imibuso yezwe ecindezelayo yayizoqhubeka ngokudedelana phakade? Cha, ngoba iBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi siphila eduze nesiphelo sowokugcina wayo.—IsAmbulo 17:10.

Ngemva kokubona labohulumeni babantu abanjengezilo, uDaniyeli wabona okuthile okuhlukile. Wanikezwa umbono ovelele wakhona kanye emazulwini, lapho abona “omdala wezinsuku,” uNkulunkulu uqobo, enikeza uMbuso, hhayi kumholi ongumuntu okhathalela ikusasa, kodwa “konjengendodana yomuntu”—uJesu Kristu wasezulwini ovusiwe!—Daniyeli 7:9, 10, 13.

Yeka umehluko! Yeka ukuthi lowoMbuso wasezulwini nokubusa kwawo wawuhluke kanjani kuleyo yababengamakhosi angabantu alwayo. UDaniyeli wathi ‘ngalendodana yomuntu’ ephakanyisiwe yasezulwini: “Yanikwa ukubusa, nobukhosi, nombuso, ukuze bonke abantu, nezizwe, nezilimi bayikhonze; ukubusa kwayo kungukubusa okuphakade okungayikudlula, nombuso wayo yiwo ongayikuchithwa.” (Daniyeli 7:14) Kwakuyoba uMbuso wokuthula nokulunga.—Isaya 9:6, 7.

Njengoba sibheka emuva ebugovwini nasebudloveni bokubusa komuntu, yeka ukuthi singajabula kanjani ukwazi ukuthi loMbuso wasezulwini usumisiwe kakade nokuthi ukubusa kwawo kokulunga komhlaba wonke kuseduze!—IsAmbulo 12:10, 12.

“Ngokuba umbono usengowesikhathi esimisiweyo; uphuthuma ekupheleni, awuyikukhohlisa; noma ulibala, wulindele, ngokuba uyakufika nokufika, awukuyikwephuza.”—Habakuki 2:3.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 23]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

Ukwenaba kombuso ka-Alexander

ISardesi

I-Issus

IDamaseku

ITire

IJerusalema

IAleksandriya

IMemphis

IThebe

UMfula iEwufrathe

UMfula iTigris

IGaugamela

IBabele

IAkimetha

IShushani

IPersepolis

IAleksandriya Eschafe

ITaxila

UMfula i-Indus

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 25]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

Ukwehlukana kombuso ka-Alexander

ULwandle oluKhulu

UCASSANDER

IPhela

ILYSIMACHUS

ULysimachia

UPTOLEMY LAGUS

IAleksandriya

USELEUCUS NICATOR

IAntiyokiya

Seleucia

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

Ugu oluseduze kweAleksandriya yanamuhla

[Umthombo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.