Isahluko Seshumi Nambili
Waqiniswa Isithunywa Esasivela KuNkulunkulu
1. UDaniyeli wabusiswa kanjani ngokuba nesithakazelo esibukhali ekufezekeni kwenjongo kaJehova?
ISITHAKAZELO sikaDaniyeli esiqotho ekufezekeni kwenjongo kaJehova savuzwa ngokucebile. Wanikezwa isiprofetho esivusa amadlingozi samasonto angu-70 esiphathelene nesikhathi sokuvela kukaMesiya. UDaniyeli wavuzwa nangokubona insali ekholekile yabantu bakubo iphindela ezweni layo. Lokho kwenzeka ngo-537 B.C.E., ngasekupheleni ‘konyaka wokuqala kaKoresi inkosi yasePheresiya.’—Ezra 1:1-4.
2, 3. Cishe kungani uDaniyeli engaphindelanga ezweni lakwaJuda nensali yamaJuda?
2 UDaniyeli wayengekho phakathi kwalabo ababuyela ezweni lakwaJuda. Ukuhamba kwakungase kube nzima ngenxa yokuthi wayesekhulile. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yikuphi, uNkulunkulu wayesenenye inkonzo ayefuna ayenze eBabiloni. Kwadlula iminyaka emibili. Ukulandisa kube sekusitshela: “Ngomnyaka wesithathu kaKoresi, inkosi yasePheresiya, uDaniyeli ogama lakhe labizwa ngokuthi uBeliteshasari wambulelwa izwi; izwi laliqinisile, lalingukulwa okukhulu; waliqonda izwi, waqonda nombono.”—Daniyeli 10:1.
3 ‘Unyaka wesithathu kaKoresi’ wawungo-536/535 B.C.E. Kwase kudlule iminyaka engaphezu kuka-80 uDaniyeli alethwa eBabiloni kanye nenzalo yasebukhosini nentsha yakwaJuda ezalwa yizikhulu. (Daniyeli 1:3) Uma afika eBabiloni esanda kweva eshumini nambili, kumelwe ukuba manje wayecela eminyakeni eyikhulu ubudala. Yeka umlando omuhle wenkonzo yokwethembeka ayenawo!
4. Naphezu kokukhula kukaDaniyeli, iyiphi indima ebalulekile ayesazoyifeza enkonzweni kaJehova?
4 Nokho, naphezu kokukhula kwakhe, yayingakapheli indima kaDaniyeli enkonzweni kaJehova. UNkulunkulu wayesazomemezela ngaye umyalezo oyisiprofetho owawubaluleke kakhulu. Wawuzoba isiprofetho esasizofinyelela ezikhathini zethu nangalé kwazo. Ukuze alungiselele uDaniyeli lo msebenzi owengeziwe, uJehova wakubona kufanele ukuba amsize, amqinisele inkonzo ayesazoyenza.
ISIZATHU SOKUKHATHAZEKA
5. Yimiphi imibiko okungenzeka ukuthi yayikhathaza uDaniyeli?
5 Nakuba uDaniyeli engabuyelanga ezweni lakwaJuda nensali yamaJuda, wayenesithakazelo esibukhali kulokho okwakwenzeka ezweni lakubo elithandekayo. Emibikweni ayeyithola, uDaniyeli wezwa ukuthi izinto zazingahambi kahle khona. Kwase kumiswe kabusha i-altare, kwakhiwa nesisekelo sethempeli eJerusalema. (Ezra, isahluko 3) Kodwa izizwe ezingomakhelwane zazimelene nomsebenzi wokwakha kabusha, futhi zazihlongoza ukuwenza isilo sengubo amaJuda ayebuyile. (Ezra 4:1-5) Ngempela, ziningi izinto ezazingamkhathaza kalula uDaniyeli.
6. Kungani izimo zaseJerusalema zazimhlupha uDaniyeli?
6 UDaniyeli wayesazi kahle isiprofetho sikaJeremiya. (Daniyeli 9:2) Wayazi ukuthi ukwakhiwa kabusha kwethempeli eJerusalema nokubuyiselwa kokukhulekela kweqiniso khona kwakuhlobene kakhulu nenjongo kaJehova ngokuqondene nabantu baKhe, nokuthi konke lokhu kwakuyokwandulela ukuvela kukaMesiya othenjisiwe. Eqinisweni, uDaniyeli waba nelungelo eliphakeme lokuthola isiprofetho ‘samasonto angamashumi ayisikhombisa’ kuJehova. Ngaso, waqonda ukuthi uMesiya wayeyofika ngemva ‘kwamasonto’ angu-69 kuphumé izwi lokubuyisela nokwakha kabusha iJerusalema. (Daniyeli 9:24-27) Kodwa ngenxa yesimo seJerusalema sokuba incithakalo nokubambezeleka kokwakhiwa kwethempeli, kulula ukubona ukuthi kungani uDaniyeli ayengadikibala, adangale futhi acindezeleke.
7. Yini uDaniyeli ayenza amasonto amathathu?
7 Ukulandisa kuthi: “Ngalezo zinsuku mina, Daniyeli, ngangilila amasonto amathathu apheleleyo. Ngangingadli isinkwa esithandiweyo, nenyama newayini akungenanga emlonyeni wami, futhi angizigcobanga nakanye kwaze kwaphelela amasonto amathathu.” (Daniyeli 10:2, 3) “Amasonto amathathu,” noma izinsuku ezingu-21 zokulila nokuzila ukudla, ayeyinkathi ende ngokungavamile. Kubonakala sengathi yaphela “ngosuku lwamashumi amabili nane lwenyanga yokuqala.” (Daniyeli 10:4) Ngakho, inkathi yokuzila kukaDaniyeli yahlanganisa nePhasika, elaligujwa ngosuku lwe-14 lwenyanga yokuqala, u-Nisan, nomkhosi owalandela wezinsuku ezingu-7 wesinkwa esingenamvubelo.
8. Kukusiphi isenzakalo sangaphambili lapho uDaniyeli ayenxuse khona ngobuqotho isiqondiso sikaJehova, futhi wawube yini umphumela?
8 UDaniyeli wayeke wenza okufanayo ngaphambili. Ngaleso sikhathi, wayekhungathekiswe ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sikaJehova esiphathelene neminyaka engu-70 yokuba incithakalo kweJerusalema. Yini uDaniyeli ayenza ngaleso sikhathi? “Ngase ngibhekisa ubuso bami kuyo iNkosi uNkulunkulu,” kusho uDaniyeli, “ukuba ngikhuleke, nginxuse ngokuzila ukudla, nangendwangu yamasaka, nangomlotha.” UJehova waphendula umthandazo kaDaniyeli ngokuthumela ingelosi uGabriyeli nomyalezo owamkhuthaza kakhulu. (Daniyeli 9:3, 21, 22) Ingabe namanje uJehova wayezokwenza okufanayo, anikeze uDaniyeli isikhuthazo ayesidinga kakhulu kangaka?
UMBONO OSABEKAYO
9, 10. (a) Wayekuphi uDaniyeli ngesikhathi ethola umbono? (b) Chaza lokho uDaniyeli akubona embonweni.
9 UDaniyeli akadumali. Uyaqhubeka asitshele okwenzekayo, ethi: “Ngiseceleni komfula omkhulu iHidekeli, ngaphakamisa amehlo ami, ngabona; bheka, nango umuntu embethe ilineni, ebhince okhalweni igolide elicwengekileyo lase-Ufazi.” (Daniyeli 10:4, 5) IHidekeli kwakungomunye wemifula emine esizalo sayo sasisensimini yase-Edene. (Genesise 2:10-14) Ngolimi lwasendulo lwasePheresiya, iHidekeli kwakuthiwa i-Tigra, igama okuvela kulo elesiGreki elithi Tigris. Indawo ephakathi kwayo ne-Ewufrathe yabizwa ngokuthi iMesopotamiya, okusho ukuthi “Izwe Eliphakathi Kwemifula.” Lokhu kuqinisekisa ukuthi ngesikhathi uDaniyeli ethola lo mbono, wayesesezweni laseBabiloni, nakuba mhlawumbe ayengekho emzini waseBabiloni.
10 Yeka umbono uDaniyeli awuthola! Ngokusobala, ngesikhathi ephakamisa amehlo akabonanga umuntu ovamile. UDaniyeli unikeza le ncazelo ecacile: “Umzimba wakhe wawunjengekrisolithe, nobuso bakhe bunjengokubonakala konyazi, namehlo akhe enjengezibani zomlilo, izingalo zakhe nezinyawo zakhe zinjengokubengezela kwethusi eliphucuziweyo, nezwi lamazwi akhe linjengezwi lesixuku.”—Daniyeli 10:6.
11. Lo mbono waba namuphi umphumela kuDaniyeli nakubantu ayenabo?
11 Nakuba umbono wawukhazimula kanjalo, “abantu ababenami abawubonanga umbono,” kusho uDaniyeli. Ngenxa yesizathu esingachaziwe, “behlelwa ngukuthuthumela okukhulu, babaleka ukuba bacashe.” UDaniyeli wabe esesala yedwa osebeni lomfula. “Lo mbono omkhulu” wamqeda amandla waze wavuma: “Akusalanga mandla kimi, ngokuba ubuhle bami baphenduka ukonakala kimi, angaba namandla.”—Daniyeli 10:7, 8.
12, 13. Yini eboniswa (a) izambatho zesithunywa? (b) ukubukeka kwaso?
12 Ake sisibukisise lesi sithunywa esamthusa kangaka uDaniyeli. ‘Sasembethe ilineni, sibhincé okhalweni igolide elicwengekileyo lase-Ufazi.’ Kwa-Israyeli wasendulo, ibhande lompristi omkhulu, ingubo yamahlombe, isihlangu sesifuba, namabhantshi abanye abapristi, kwakwenziwa ngelineni elicolekileyo eliphothiwe bese kuhlotshiswa ngegolide. (Eksodusi 28:4-8; 39:27-29) Ngakho, izambatho zalesi sithunywa zibonisa ubungcwele nokuba sesikhundleni esiphakeme.
13 UDaniyeli wathuswa nayindlela esasibukeka ngayo lesi sithunywa—ukukhanya okubenyezelayo komzimba waso onjengetshe eliyigugu, nokubenyezela okuxhophayo kobuso baso obukhanyayo, amandla amehlo aso anomlilo nokubenyezela kwezingalo nezinyawo zaso ezinamandla. Ngisho nephimbo laso elinamandla lalesabisa. Konke lokhu kubonisa ukuthi sasingeyena umuntu ovamile. Lo ‘muntu owayembethe ilineni’ kwakuyingelosi esesikhundleni esiphakeme uqobo lwayo, leyo ekhonza endaweni engcwele lapho kukhona khona uJehova, lapho yayivela khona nomyalo.a
‘UMUNTU OTHANDEKAYO’ UYAQINISWA
14. UDaniyeli wayedinga lusizo luni ukuze amukele umyalezo wengelosi?
14 Umyalezo uDaniyeli ayewuphathelwe ingelosi kaJehova wawusinda futhi uyinkimbinkimbi. Ngaphambi kokuba uDaniyeli awuthole, wayedinga usizo lokululama ekucindezelekeni emzimbeni nasengqondweni. Ngokusobala ingelosi ikuqaphela lokhu, ngothando yanikeza uDaniyeli usizo ayeludinga nesikhuthazo. Ake sizwe uDaniyeli ezilandisela lokho okwenzeka.
15. Ingelosi yenzani ukuze isize uDaniyeli?
15 “Lapho ngezwa izwi lamazwi akhe, ngase ngilele ubuthongo obukhulu, ubuso bami bubheke phansi.” Cishe ukwesaba nokukhathazeka kwakwenze umqondo kaDaniyeli wadungeka. Ingelosi yenzani ukuze imsize? “Bheka-ke,” kusho uDaniyeli, “kwangithinta isandla, sangimisa ukuba ngitotobe ngamadolo ami nangezintende zezandla zami.” Ngaphandle kwalokho, ingelosi yakhuthaza lo mprofethi ngala mazwi: “Daniyeli, wena muntu othandekayo, qonda amazwi engiwakhuluma kuwe, ume nokuma, ngokuba ngithunywe kuwe.” Lesi sandla esamsiza namazwi enduduzo kwamvuselela uDaniyeli. Nakuba ‘ayethuthumela,’ uDaniyeli ‘wema.’—Daniyeli 10:9-11.
16. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJehova usabela masinyane emithandazweni yezinceku zakhe? (b) Kungani ingelosi yabambezeleka lapho izosiza uDaniyeli? (Hlanganisa nebhokisi.) (c) Isithunywa sasimphathele muphi umyalezo uDaniyeli?
16 Ingelosi yaveza ukuthi yayizele ukuzoqinisa uDaniyeli ngokukhethekile. “Ungesabi, Daniyeli,” kusho ingelosi, “ngokuba kusukela osukwini lokuqala owabeka ngalo inhliziyo yakho ukuqonda nokuzithoba phambi kukaNkulunkulu wakho amazwi akho ezwiwa; mina ngifikile ngenxa yamazwi akho.” Ingelosi yabe isichaza ukuthi kungani iye yabambezeleka. Yathi: “Kepha isikhulu sasembusweni wasePheresiya samelana nami izinsuku ezingamashumi amabili nanye, kepha bheka, uMikayeli, omunye wezikhulu zokuqala, weza ukungisiza, noma kade ngishiyiwe ngedwa khona namakhosi asePheresiya.” Ngosizo lukaMikayeli, le ngelosi yakwazi ukufeza eyayikuthunyiwe, yeza kuDaniyeli iphethe lo myalezo ophuthuma kakhulu: “Sengifikile ukuba ngikuqondise okuyakwehlela abantu bakho ngezinsuku ezizayo, ngokuba umbono usenezinsuku.”—Daniyeli 10:12-14.
17, 18. UDaniyeli wasizwa kanjani okwesibili, futhi lokho kwamenza wakwazi ukwenzani?
17 Esikhundleni sokuba uDaniyeli aphaphanyiswe ukuzwa umyalezo othakazelisa kanjena, kubonakala sengathi izinto azizwa zamphatha kabi. Ukulandisa kuthi: “Esekhulumile kimi lawo mazwi, ngabhekisa ubuso bami phansi, ngathula.” Kodwa lesi sithunywa esiyingelosi sasikulungele ukunikeza usizo lothando—okwesibili. UDaniyeli wathi: “Bheka, onesimo samadodana abantu wathinta izindebe zami; ngase ngiwuvula umlomo wami, ngakhuluma.”b—Daniyeli 10:15, 16a.
18 UDaniyeli waqina lapho ingelosi imthinta izindebe. (Qhathanisa no-Isaya 6:7.) Lapho esephinde wakwazi ukukhuluma, uDaniyeli wakwazi ukuchazela isithunywa esiyingelosi ubunzima ayebukhuthazelela. UDaniyeli wathi: “Nkosi yami, ngenxa yombono imihelo ingehlele, angisenamandla. Inceku enje yenkosi yami ingakhuluma kanjani nenkosi yami enje na? Ngokuba mina, khona lapho akusalanga mandla kimi, nokuphefumula bekungasekho kimi.”—Daniyeli 10:16b, 17.
19. UDaniyeli wasizwa kanjani okwesithathu, kwaba namuphi umphumela?
19 UDaniyeli wayengeve ekhononda noma ebeka izaba. Wayemane echaza isimo sakhe, futhi ingelosi yakwamukela ayekusho. Ngakho, uDaniyeli wasizwa yisithunywa esiyingelosi okwesithathu. “Wabuye wangithinta obonakala njengomuntu, wangiqinisa,” kusho lo mprofethi. Lapho lesi sithunywa sesimthinte ngendlela eyamnikeza amandla, salandelisa ngala mazwi enduduzo: “Ungesabi, muntu othandekayo; ukuthula makube kuwe; qina, yebo, mawuqine.” Kubonakala sengathi yilokho kuthintwa kothando nalawo mazwi akhayo kanye uDaniyeli ayekudinga. Waba yini umphumela? UDaniyeli wathi: “Lapho ekhuluma kimi, ngaqiniswa, ngathi: ‘Mayikhulume inkosi yami, ngokuba ungiqinisile.’” Manje uDaniyeli wayeselungele esinye isabelo esinzima.—Daniyeli 10:18, 19.
20. Kungani kwakudingeka umzamo ukuze isithunywa esiyingelosi sifeze esasikuthunyiwe?
20 Njengoba ingelosi yayisimqinisile uDaniyeli futhi yamsiza ukuba aphinde athole amandla akhe engqondo nawomzimba, yaphinde yasho injongo yokuthunywa kwayo. Yathi: “Uyazi ukuthi ngifikeleni kuwe na? Kepha manje ngiyakubuya ukuba ngilwe nesikhulu sasePheresiya; lapho ngiphumile kuso, siyakufika isikhulu saseJavani. Kepha ngiyakutshela okulotshwe embhalweni weqiniso. Akakho noyedwa ozihlanganisa nami ukulwa nalaba ngaphandle kukaMikayeli, isikhulu senu.”—Daniyeli 10:20, 21.
21, 22. (a) Kulokho okwehlela uDaniyeli, yini esingayifunda endleleni uJehova asebenzelana ngayo nezinceku zakhe? (b) UDaniyeli manje wayeseqiniselwe ukuba enzeni?
21 Yeka uthando nokucabangela kukaJehova! Ngaso sonke isikhathi usebenzalana nezinceku zakhe ngokwamakhono azo nokulinganiselwa kwazo. Kolunye uhlangothi, uzinikeza izabelo ngokwalokho aziyo ukuthi zingakufeza, nakuba ngezinye izikhathi zingase zingaboni kanjalo. Ngakolunye, uzimisele ukuzilalela abese ezinikeza lokho ezikudingayo ukuze azisize zifeze izabelo zazo. Kwangathi singamlingisa njalo uBaba wethu wasezulwini, uJehova, ngokubakhuthaza ngothando nangokubaqinisa esikholwa nabo.—Heberu 10:24.
22 Umyalezo wengelosi oduduzayo wamkhuthaza kakhulu uDaniyeli. Nakuba ayesekhulile, manje uDaniyeli wayeseqinisiwe futhi ekulungele ukwamukela nokuloba esinye isiprofetho esiphawulekayo ukuze kuzuze thina.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Nakuba le ngelosi ingashiwongo ngegama, kubonakala sengathi iyona lena okwazwakala izwi layo itshela uGabriyeli ukuba ayosiza uDaniyeli ngombono ayesanda kuwubona. (Qhathanisa uDaniyeli 8:2, 15, 16 no-12:7, 8.) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uDaniyeli 10:13 ubonisa ukuthi uMikayeli, “omunye wezikhulu zokuqala,” weza ezosiza le ngelosi. Ngakho, kumelwe ukuba le ngelosi engashiwongo ngegama ijabulela ilungelo lokusebenzelana eduze noGabriyeli noMikayeli.
b Nakuba kuyiyo le ngelosi eyayikhuluma noDaniyeli okungenzeka ukuthi yamthinta izindebe, yamvuselela, indlela okukhulunywa ngayo lapha yenza kube nokwenzeka ukuthi ngenye ingelosi, mhlawumbe uGabriyeli, eyenza lokhu. Kunoma yikuphi, uDaniyeli waqiniswa yisithunywa esiyingelosi.
YINI OYIZUZILE?
• Kungani ingelosi kaJehova yabambezeleka ekunikezeni uDaniyeli usizo ngo-536/535 B.C.E.?
• Izambatho nokubukeka kwesithunywa sikaNkulunkulu esiyingelosi kwabonisani ngaso?
• Luhlobo luni losizo uDaniyeli ayeludinga, futhi ingelosi yamnikeza kanjani lona kathathu?
• Isithunywa sasimphathele muphi umyalezo uDaniyeli?
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 204, 205]
Abanakekeli Abayizingelosi Noma Ababusi Abangamademoni?
SINGAFUNDA okuningi kulokho incwadi kaDaniyeli ekushoyo ngezingelosi. Isitshela ngendima yazo ekufezekeni kwezwi likaJehova nomzamo eziwenzayo ukuze zifeze izabelo zazo.
Ingelosi kaNkulunkulu yathi, lapho iya kokhuluma noDaniyeli, yaphazanyiswa “isikhulu sasembusweni wasePheresiya.” Ngemva kokulwa naso izinsuku ezingu-21, lesi sithunywa esiyingelosi sakwazi ukuqhubeka ngenxa yosizo ‘lukaMikayeli, omunye wezikhulu zokuqala.’ Ingelosi yabuye yathi kuzodingeka iphinde ilwe naleso sitha mhlawumbe kanye ‘nesikhulu saseJavani.’ (Daniyeli 10:13, 20) Akuwona umsebenzi olula, ngisho nasengelosini! Kodwa zazingobani lezi zikhulu, esasePheresiya nesaseJavani (eGrisi)?
Okokuqala, siyaphawula ukuthi uMikayeli wabizwa ngokuthi ‘ungomunye wezikhulu zokuqala,’ nangokuthi “isikhulu senu.” Kamuva, uMikayeli ubizwa ngokuthi “isikhulu esiqhamileyo esimela abantwana babantu [bakubo kaDaniyeli].” (Daniyeli 10:21; 12:1) Lokhu kuveza uMikayeli njengengelosi eyayithunywe uJehova ukuba ihole ama-Israyeli ehlane.—Eksodusi 23:20-23; 32:34; 33:2.
Okusekela lesi siphetho yinkulumo yomfundi uJude ethi ‘uMikayeli ingelosi eyinhloko akezwananga noDeveli futhi baphikisana ngesidumbu sikaMose.’ (Jude 9) Isikhundla sikaMikayeli‚ amandla akhe negunya lakhe kwamenza “ingelosi eyinhloko” ngempela, okusho ukuthi “ingelosi enkulu‚” noma “ingelosi evelele.” Kuyafaneleka ukuthi lesi sikhundla esiphakeme kangaka asinakunikezwa omunye ngaphandle kukaJesu Kristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, ngaphambi kokuphila kwayo emhlabeni nangemva kwako.—1 Thesalonika 4:16; IsAmbulo 12:7-9.
Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi uJehova wamisa izingelosi phezu kwezizwe ezinjengesasePheresiya naseJavani ukuba ziziqondise ezindabeni zazo? UJesu Kristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, yasho ngokucacile: “Umbusi walelizwe . . . akangibambanga ndawo.” UJesu wabuye wathi: “Umbuso wami awuyona ingxenye yalelizwe . . . umbuso wami awuveli kulomthombo.” (Johane 14:30; 18:36) Umphostoli uJohane wathi “lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi.” (1 Johane 5:19) Kusobala ukuthi izizwe zomhlaba azikaze zibe ngaphansi kokuqondisa noma ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu noma uKristu futhi namanje kusenjalo. Nakuba uJehova evumela ‘amagunya aphakeme’ ukuba abe khona futhi alawule izindaba zohulumeni bomhlaba, akazimisi izingelosi zakhe phezu kwawo. (Roma 13:1-7) Noma yiziphi “izikhulu” noma “ababusi” abawaphethe basuke bebekwe “umbusi walelizwe,” uSathane uDeveli. Baba ngababusi abangamademoni hhayi abanakekeli abayizingelosi. Khona-ke, kunamabutho, noma “izikhulu” ezingamademoni ezingabonakali, ezilawula ababusi ababonakalayo futhi izingxabano zezizwe zisuke zihilela okungaphezu kwabantu nje.
[Isithombe esigcwele ikhasi 199]
[Isithombe esigcwele ikhasi 207]