IZwi LikaJehova Liyaphila
Amaphuzu Avelele Encwadi Ka-Obadiya, KaJona NekaMika
“UMBONO ka-Obadiya.” (Obadiya 1) Lawo amazwi okuqala encwadi yeBhayibheli ka-Obadiya. Lo mprofethi akasitsheli lutho ngaye ngaphandle kwegama lakhe encwadini ayibhala ngo-607 B.C.E. Encwadini eyabhalwa emakhulwini amabili eminyaka ngaphambili, umprofethi uJona ukulandisa ngobuqotho okwenzeka kuye ngokuqondene nesabelo sakhe njengesithunywa sakwelinye izwe. Umsebenzi kaMika wokuprofetha weminyaka engu-60 wawenza maphakathi nesikhathi sika-Obadiya nesikaJona, kusukela ngo-777 B.C.E. kuya ku-717 B.C.E. Ukuphela kwento uMika asitshela yona ngaye ukuthi ‘uvela emzini waseMoresheti’ nokuthi izwi likaJehova lafika kuye “ezinsukwini zikaJothamu, u-Ahazi, uHezekiya, amakhosi akwaJuda.” (Mika 1:1) Ukujwayelana kwalo mprofethi nempilo yasemaphandleni kubonakala ohlotsheni lwemifanekiso ayisebenzisayo ukuze agcizelele amaphuzu esigijimi sakhe.
U-EDOMI ‘KUYOMELWE ANQUNYWE KUZE KUBE NINI NANINI’
Nakhu u-Obadiya akushoyo ngokuqondene no-Edomi: “Ngenxa yobudlova obenze kumfowenu uJakobe, uyombozwa amahloni, futhi kuyomelwe unqunywe kuze kube nini nanini.” Lo mprofethi uzikhumbula kahle izenzo zobudlova abakwa-Edomi abasanda kuzenza kubantwana bakaJakobe—ama-Israyeli. Ngo-607 B.C.E., ngesikhathi abaseBhabhiloni bebhubhisa iJerusalema, abakwa-Edomi ‘bamela eceleni’ futhi bachema ‘nabantu bezinye izizwe’ ababelihlasela.—Obadiya 10, 11.
Indlu kaJakobe yona ngeke inqunywe, kunalokho izobuyiselwa ezweni layo. Isiprofetho sika-Obadiya sithi: “Abaphunyukile bayoba seNtabeni iZiyoni, futhi iyoba yinto engcwele.”—Obadiya 17.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo
5-8—Yini ephawulekayo ngokufaniswa kokubhujiswa kuka-Edomi nokufika kwabaphangi ebusuku nokwabavuni bamagilebhisi? Ukube kwakufike amasela kwa-Edomi, ayeyothatha izinto azifunayo kuphela. Ukube kwakufike abavuni, babeyoshiya ezinye izithelo ngenjongo yomkhothozo. Nokho, lapho u-Edomi ewa, abaphangi babeyocinga wonke amagugu akhe futhi ‘wona kanye amadoda ayesesivumelwaneni naye’—abangane bakhe baseBhabhiloni—ayeyomphanga ngokuphelele.—Jeremiya 49:9, 10.
10—U-Edomi ‘wanqunywa kuze kube nini nanini’ ngayiphi indlela? Njengoba kwabikezelwa, isizwe sakwa-Edomi, esasinohulumeni nabantu ababehlala endaweni ethile, saphela. UNabonidasi, inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, yanqoba u-Edomi cishe maphakathi nekhulu lesithupha B.C.E. Ngekhulu lesine B.C.E., indawo yakwa-Edomi yayisihlalwa amaNabataea, futhi abakwa-Edomi kwadingeka bahlale engxenyeni eseningizimu yeJudiya, indawo yaseNegebhi kamuva eyabizwa ngokuthi i-Idumiya. Ngemva kokuba abaseRoma bebhubhise iJerusalema ngo-70 C.E., abakwa-Edomi baphela nya.
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
3, 4. Ngenxa yokuthi babehlala esifundeni sezintaba eziphakeme ezimangelengele nemihosha ejulile eyayiyisivikelo ezitheni, kungenzeka ukuthi abakwa-Edomi bazethemba ngokweqile bacabanga ukuthi baphephile futhi balondekile kanti bayazikhohlisa. Izahlulelo zikaJehova azinakubalekelwa.
8, 9, 15. Ukuhlakanipha namandla omuntu akumvikeli ‘ngosuku lukaJehova.’—Jeremiya 49:7, 22.
12-14. Abakwa-Edomi bayisibonelo esiyisixwayiso kulabo abajabula ngobunzima izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezingase zibhekane nabo. UJehova ukuthatha ngokungathí sina ukuphathwa kabi kwabantu bakhe.
17-20. Lesi siprofetho sokubuyiselwa kwabantwana bakaJakobe saqala ukugcwaliseka ngo-537 B.C.E. lapho insali iphuma eBhabhiloni ibuyela eJerusalema. Izwi likaJehova liyagcwaliseka njalo. Singazethemba ngokugcwele izithembiso zakhe.
‘ININEVE LIYOGUMBUQELWA’
Kunokuba alalele umyalo kaNkulunkulu othi ‘aye eNineve umuzi omkhulu, amemezele kuwo’ isigijimi sesahlulelo, uJona ubalekela kwenye indawo. Ngokubangela “umoya omkhulu olwandle” nangokusebenzisa “inhlanzi enkulu,” uJehova uyisa uJona endaweni okufanele aye kuyo futhi amthume ngokwesibili ukuba aye enhloko-dolobha yase-Asiriya.—Jona 1:2, 4, 17; 3:1, 2.
UJona ungena eNineve futhi amemezele isigijimi esingagunci: “Kusele izinsuku ezingamashumi amane kuphela, bese iNineve ligumbuqelwa.” (Jona 3:4) Umphumela angawulindele wokushumayela kwakhe ubangela uJona ukuba ‘avuthe ngentukuthelo.’ UJehova usebenzisa “uselwa” ukuze afundise uJona isifundo sokuba nesihe.—Jona 4:1, 6.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo
3:3—Ingabe ngempela iNineve ‘lalingangohambo lwezinyawo lwezinsuku ezintathu’? Yebo. Ngezikhathi zasendulo, cishe iNineve lalibhekwa njengelihlanganisa nezinye izindawo kusukela eKhorsabad enyakatho kuya eNimrud eningizimu. Uma uzizungeza zonke lezi zindawo ezaziyingxenye yeNineve zazingamakhilomitha ayikhulu.
3:4—Ingabe kwadingeka ukuba uJona afunde isi-Asiriya ukuze akwazi ukushumayeza abaseNineve? Kungenzeka ukuthi uJona wayesesazi kakade isi-Asiriya, noma wakwazi ukusikhuluma ngokuyisimangaliso. Kungenzeka futhi ukuthi wasidlulisela ngesiHebheru isigijimi sakhe esifushane, kunothile owayehumusha. Uma ayehunyushelwa, kumelwe ukuba amazwi akhe enza abantu baba nesithakazelo nakakhulu sokwazi isigijimi ayesiphethe.
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
1:1-3. Ukuhlela eminye imisebenzi ngamabomu ukuze sigweme ukuhlanganyela ngokugcwele emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokwenza abafundi kuwuphawu lokuthi sinezisusa ezimbi. Umuntu owenza kanjalo kufana nokuthi ubalekela isabelo asinikwe uNkulunkulu.
1:1, 2; 3:10. UJehova akabonisi isihe sakhe esizweni noma ohlangeni olulodwa kuphela noma eqenjini elithile labantu. “UJehova muhle kubo bonke, isihe sakhe siphezu kwayo yonke imisebenzi yakhe.”—IHubo 145:9.
1:17; 2:10. Izinsuku nobusuku obuthathu uJona abuchitha enhlanzini enkulu kuyisiprofetho esasikhomba ekufeni nasovukweni lukaJesu.—Mathewu 12:39, 40; 16:21.
1:17; 2:10; 4:6. UJehova wamophula uJona olwandle oluthukuthele. UNkulunkulu wabuye “wathuma uselwa, ukuba lumile lwengame uJona, ukuze lube umthunzi phezu kwekhanda lakhe, ukuze amkhulule esimweni sakhe esiyinhlekelele.” Abakhulekeli bakaJehova banamuhla bangathembela kuNkulunkulu wabo nasemseni wakhe wothando, ukuze abaqaphe futhi abakhulule.—IHubo 13:5; 40:11.
2:1, 2, 9, 10. UJehova uyayizwa imithandazo yezinceku zakhe futhi uyakulalela ukunxusa kwazo.—IHubo 120:1; 130:1, 2.
3:8, 10. UNkulunkulu weqiniso “wadabuka,” noma washintsha umqondo wakhe ngenhlekelele ayekhulume ngayo, futhi “akabange esayibangela.” Kungani enza kanjalo? Ngoba abaseNineve “babebuyile endleleni yabo embi.” Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, isoni singasigwema isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu esibuhlungu uma sibonisa ukuphenduka kweqiniso.
4:1-4. Akekho umuntu ongenza uNkulunkulu angabonisi isihe sakhe ngendlela athanda ngayo. Kufanele siqaphele singazigxeki izindlela zikaJehova zesihe.
4:11. UJehova ngesineke wenza ukuba isigijimi soMbuso sishunyayelwe emhlabeni wonke ngoba uyabadabukela labo “abangawazi nhlobo umehluko phakathi kwesandla sabo sokunene nesobunxele,” njengoba abadabukela abantu baseNineve abangu-120 000. Akufanele yini nathi sibadabukele abantu abasensimini yethu futhi sihlanganyele ngentshiseko emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokwenza abafundi?—2 Petru 3:9.
‘IMPANDLA YABO IYOKWENZIWA IBE BANZI’
UMika wembula izono zika-Israyeli noJuda, abikezele ukuchithwa kwezinhloko-dolobha zakhona abese ethembisa ukubuyiselwa. ISamariya lizoba “yinqwaba yezincithakalo zasensimini.” Ngenxa yokukhonza kwabo izithombe, u-Israyeli noJuda bafanelwe “impandla,” noma amahloni. Ukuthunjwa kwabo kuzokwenza izimpandla zabo zibe banzi ‘njengezezinkozi’—ngokusobala zohlobo lwenqe elinoboya obumbalwa obuluphusana ekhanda. UJehova uyathembisa: “Ngokuqinisekile ngiyombutha uJakobe.” (Mika 1:6, 16; 2:12) Ngenxa yabaholi abonakele nabaprofethi abangalaleli, iJerusalema nalo “liyoba nje yinqwaba yezincithakalo.” Kodwa uJehova ‘uyobaqoqela ndawonye abantu bakhe.’ ‘EBhetlehema-Efratha’ kuyovela “ozoba umbusi kwa-Israyeli.”—Mika 3:12; 4:12; 5:2.
Ingabe uJehova usebenzelane no-Israyeli ngendlela engenabulungisa? Ingabe izimfuneko zakhe zinzima kakhulu? Lutho. Ukuphela kwento uJehova ayicela kubakhulekeli bakhe ukuba ‘babonise ubulungisa, bathande umusa futhi babe nesizotha’ ekuhambeni noNkulunkulu wabo. (Mika 6:8) Nokho, abantu besikhathi sikaMika sebebe babi kakhulu kangangokuthi “ongcono kunabo bonke kubo unjengobobe, oqotho kunabo bonke kubo mubi kunothango lwameva,” bamzwisa ubuhlungu noma ubani osondela kubo. Kodwa umprofethi uyabuza: “Ubani onguNkulunkulu [onjengoJehova]?” UNkulunkulu uzophinde ababonise isihe abantu bakhe ‘aziphonse ekujuleni kolwandle zonke izono zabo.’—Mika 7:4, 18, 19.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo
2:12—Sagcwaliseka nini isiprofetho ‘sokuqoqela ndawonye abaseleyo baka-Israyeli’? Sagcwaliseka okokuqala ngo-537 B.C.E. lapho insali yamaJuda ibuyela ezweni layo ngemva kokudingiselwa eBhabhiloni. Ezikhathini zanamuhla, lesi siprofetho sigcwaliseka “ku-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.” (Galathiya 6:16) Kusukela ngo-1919, amaKristu agcotshiwe aye aqoqelwa ndawonye “njengomhlambi esibayeni.” Njengoba “isixuku esikhulu” ‘sezinye izimvu’ siye sazihlanganisa nawo, ikakhulu kusukela ngo-1935, ‘sekunomsindo wabantu.’ (IsAmbulo 7:9; Johane 10:16) Bebonke, bakusekela ngentshiseko ukukhulekela kweqiniso.
4:1-4—“Engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku,” uJehova ‘usikhipha’ kanjani “isahlulelo phakathi kwezizwe eziningi, alungise izindaba ngokuqondene nezizwe ezinamandla”? Inkulumo ethi ‘izizwe eziningi’ nethi ‘izizwe ezinamandla’ ayibhekiseli emaqenjini ezizwe noma amaqembu ezombusazwe. Kunalokho, lezi zinkulumo zikhuluma ngabantu bazo zonke izizwe asebengabakhulekeli bakaJehova. UJehova ukhipha isahlulelo futhi alungise izindaba ngendlela engokomoya.
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
1:6, 9; 3:12; 5:2. ISamariya labhujiswa abase-Asiriya ngo-740 B.C.E.—phakathi nesikhathi sokuphila kukaMika. (2 AmaKhosi 17:5, 6) Ama-Asiriya afika naseJerusalema ngesikhathi sokubusa kukaHezekiya. (2 AmaKhosi 18:13) AbaseBhabhiloni bashisa iJerusalema ngomlilo ngo-607 B.C.E. (2 IziKronike 36:19) Njengoba isiprofetho sasho, uMesiya wazalelwa ‘eBhetlehema-Efratha.’ (Mathewu 2:3-6) Izwi likaJehova eliyisiprofetho akwenzeki lingafezeki.
2:1, 2. Yeka indlela okungaba ingozi ngayo kithi ukuba sithi sikhonza uNkulunkulu kodwa sifune kuqala ingcebo kunokufuna “umbuso nokulunga kwakhe.”—Mathewu 6:33; 1 Thimothewu 6:9, 10.
3:1-3, 5. UJehova ulindele ukuba labo abaholayo phakathi kwabantu bakhe benze ngendlela enobulungisa.
3:4. Uma sifuna uJehova aphendule imithandazo yethu, akumelwe sisenze umkhuba isono noma siphile ukuphila okumbaxambili.
3:8. Umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle, ezihlanganisa izigijimi zesahlulelo, singakwazi ukuwenza kuphela ngokuqiniswa umoya ongcwele kaJehova.
5:5. Lesi siprofetho esiphathenene noMesiya sisiqinisekisa ngokuthi lapho izitha zihlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu, “abelusi abayisikhombisa [isibalo esimelela ukuphelela]” kanye ‘nezikhulu eziyisishiyagalombili’—inani elikhulu lamadoda anekhono—bayovuswa ukuze bahole abantu bakaJehova.
5:7, 8. Kubantu abaningi namuhla, amaKristu agcotshiwe ‘anjengamazolo avela kuJehova’—isibusiso esivela kuNkulunkulu. Lokhu kunjalo ngoba usebenzisa abagcotshiwe ekumemezeleni isigijimi soMbuso. “Ezinye izimvu” ziyasiza ekuletheleni abantu ukuqabuleka okungokomoya ngokusekela ngenkuthalo abagcotshiwe emsebenzini wokushumayela. (Johane 10:16) Yeka ukuthi kuyilungelo elingakanani ukuhlanganyela kulo msebenzi olethela abanye ukuqabuleka kwangempela!
6:3, 4. Kufanele silingise uJehova uNkulunkulu sibe nomusa nobubele ngisho nakulabo okunzima ukusebenzelana nabo, noma ababuthaka ngokomoya.
7:7. Njengoba sibhekana nezinkinga ekupheleni kwalesi simiso sezinto, akufanele siphele amandla. Kunalokho, kudingeka ‘sibonise isimo sengqondo sokulinda uNkulunkulu wethu’ njengoba kwenza uMika.
7:18, 19. Njengoba uJehova ekulungele ukusithethelela iziphambeko zethu, kufanele nathi sikulungele ukubathethelela labo abasonayo.
Qhubeka ‘Uhamba Ngegama LikaJehova’
Abantu abalwa noNkulunkulu nabantu bakhe ‘kuyomelwe banqunywe kuze kube nini nanini.’ (Obadiya 10) Kodwa uma silalela isixwayiso sikaJehova, ‘sibuye endleleni embi’ uyoyinqanda intukuthelo yakhe. (Jona 3:10) “Engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku,” okungukuthi, phakathi nalezi ‘zinsuku zokugcina,’ ukukhulekela kweqiniso kuphakanyiswa ngaphezu kwayo yonke inkolo yamanga futhi abantu abalalelayo bagobhozela kukho. (Mika 4:1; 2 Thimothewu 3:1) Ngakho, kwangathi singazimisela ‘ukuhamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube nini nanini, yebo kuze kube phakade.’—Mika 4:5.
Yeka izifundo eziwusizo incwadi ka-Obadiya, kaJona nekaMika ezisifundisa zona! Nakuba zabhalwa eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-2 500 edlule, isigijimi sazo ‘sisaphila futhi sisenamandla’ ngisho nanamuhla.—Hebheru 4:12.
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
U-Obadiya waprofetha lokhu ngo-Edomi: “Kuyomelwe unqunywe kuze kube nini nanini”
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
UMika ‘wabonisa isimo sengqondo sokulinda uJehova,’ nawe ungasibonisa
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Umsebenzi wokushumayela uyilungelo okufanele silazise