IZwi LikaJehova Liyaphila
Amaphuzu Avelele Encwadi KaNahume, KaHabakuki NekaZefaniya
UMBUSO WEZWE wase-Asiriya usulibhubhisile iSamariya, inhloko-dolobha yombuso wakwa-Israyeli wezizwe eziyishumi. Sekuyisikhathi eside i-Asiriya liwusongo nakuJuda. Umprofethi wakwaJuda uNahume unesigijimi maqondana nenhloko-dolobha yase-Asiriya, iNineve. Leso sigijimi sisencwadini yeBhayibheli kaNahume eyabhalwa ngaphambi kuka-632 B.C.E.
Umbuso olandelayo ozovela nguMbuso WaseBhabhiloni, ngezinye izikhathi obuswa amakhosi angamaKhaledi. Incwadi kaHabakuki, mhlawumbe eyaqedwa ngo-628 B.C.E., ibikezela ngendlela uJehova azosebenzisa ngayo lowo mbuso wezwe njengethuluzi lakhe lokukhipha isahlulelo nangalokho okuzokwehlela iBhabhiloni ekugcineni.
Umprofethi wakwaJuda uZefaniya waprofetha ngaphambi kwabo bobabili uNahume noHabakuki. Njengoba aprofetha kusasele iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-40 ngaphambi kokuba iJerusalema libhujiswe ngo-607 B.C.E., wamemezela isigijimi sembubhiso nesethemba kuJuda. Incwadi yeBhayibheli kaZefaniya iqukethe nezimemezelo ngezinye izizwe.
“MAYE KUWO UMUZI WOKUCHITHWA KWEGAZI”
“Isimemezelo ngeNineve” sivela kuJehova uNkulunkulu, ‘owephuza ukuthukuthela futhi omkhulu ngamandla.’ Nakuba uJehova ‘eyisiphephelo ngosuku lokucindezeleka’ kulabo abaphephela kuye, iNineve kumelwe libhujiswe.—Nahume 1:1, 3, 7.
“UJehova ngokuqinisekile uyobuyisela inkazimulo kaJakobe.” Nokho, i-Asiriya liye lahlukumeza isizwe sabantu bakaNkulunkulu ‘njengengonyama edwengulayo.’ UJehova ‘uyozishisa emsini izinqola zempi zaseNineve. Inkemba iyoshwabadela amabhongo alo ezingonyama anomhlwenga.’ (Nahume 2:2, 12, 13) “Maye kuwo umuzi wokuchithwa kwegazi”—iNineve. “Bonke abezwa umbiko [ngalo] ngokuqinisekile bayoshaya ihlombe” bajabule.—Nahume 3:1, 19.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo
1:9—Kuyosho ukuthini ngoJuda ‘ukuqothulwa kweNineve kungasali lutho’? Kuyosho ukukhululwa unomphela esandleni sabase-Asiriya; “usizi ngeke luvuke okwesibili.” Ekhuluma sengathi iNineve alisekho, uNahume uyabhala: “Bheka! Phezu kwezintaba izinyawo zoletha izindaba ezinhle, omemezela ukuthula. O Juda, gubha imikhosi yakho.”—Nahume 1:15.
2:6—Imaphi “amasango emifula” avuleka? La masango abhekisela esikhaleni esavulwa amanzi oMfula iTigrisi ezindongeni zaseNineve. Ngo-632 B.C.E. lapho lihlaselwa amabutho ahlangene aseBhabhiloni nawamaMede, iNineve alizange lizibone lisengozini. Njengoba lalizizwa lilondekile ngaphakathi kwezindonga zalo eziphakeme, lalizibheka njengomuzi ongangeneki. Nokho, izimvula ezinkulu zabangela ukuba iTigrisi igcwale iphuphume. Ngokwesazimlando uDiodorus, lokhu “kwenza ingxenye yomuzi yagcwala izikhukhula kwabhidliza nengxenye ethile yezindonga.” Kanjalo, amasango omfula avuleka futhi njengoba kwakubikezelwe, iNineve ladliwa ngokushesha njengomlilo ushisa izinhlanga ezomile.—Nahume 1:8-10.
3:4—INineve lalifana kanjani nesifebe? INineve lakhohlisa izizwe ngokuzithembisa ubungane nosizo kodwa empeleni lazilethela ijoka lokucindezelwa. Ngokwesibonelo, i-Asiriya lanikeza inkosi yakwaJuda u-Ahazi usizo oluthile lapho yakhelwa uzungu amaSiriya nama-Israyeli. Nokho, ekugcineni ‘inkosi yase-Asiriya yeza yalwa no-Ahazi yambangela ukucindezeleka.’—2 IziKronike 28:20.
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
1:2-6. Ukuziphindiselela kukaJehova ezitheni zakhe, ezenqabayo ukuzinikela kuye yedwa, kubonisa ukuthi ulindele ukuba abakhulekeli bakhe bazinikele kuye kuphela.—Eksodusi 20:5.
1:10. Izindonga ezinkulu ezinamakhulu ezinqaba azizange zikuvimbele ukugcwaliseka kwezwi likaJehova ngeNineve. Izitha zabantu bakaJehova namuhla ngeke zikwazi ukubalekela izahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu ezibuhlungu.—IzAga 2:22; Daniyeli 2:44.
‘OLUNGILEYO UYOQHUBEKA EPHILA’
Izahluko ezimbili zokuqala zencwadi kaHabakuki ziyingxoxo phakathi komprofethi noJehova uNkulunkulu. Ekhathazeke ngalokho okwenzeka kwaJuda, uHabakuki ubuza uNkulunkulu: “Kungani ungenza ngibone okulimazayo, futhi uqhubeka ubheke inkathazo nje?” Ephendula, uJehova uthi: “Ngivusa amaKhaledi, isizwe esibabayo nesinamawala.” Lo mprofethi uyamangala ngokuthi uNkulunkulu uzosebenzisa “labo abenza ngokukhohlisa” ukuze ajezise uJuda. (Habakuki 1:3, 6, 13) UHabakuki uyaqinisekiswa ukuthi olungileyo uyoqhubeka ephila, kodwa isitha ngeke siphunyule esijezisweni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uHabakuki ubhala omaye abahlanu abayokwehlela izitha ezingamaKhaledi.—Habakuki 2:4.
Emthandazweni wokucela isihe, uHabakuki ulandisa ‘ngezingoma zokulila’ ukubonakaliswa kwamandla kaJehova esabekayo ngezikhathi ezidlule okunjengokwasoLwandle Olubomvu, okwasehlane nokwaseJeriko. Lo mprofethi ubikezela nangokuphuma kukaJehova ethukuthele, eyobhubhisa e-Armagedoni. Lo mthandazo uphetha ngala mazwi: “UJehova iNkosi EnguMbusi ungamandla ami; uyokwenza izinyawo zami zibe njengezezindluzelekazi, futhi uyongenza ngihambe ezindaweni zami eziphakeme.”—Habakuki 3:1, 19.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo
1:5, 6—Kungani ukuvuswa kwamaKhaledi ukuba ayokulwa neJerusalema kwakungase kubonakale kungakholeki kumaJuda? Ngesikhathi uHabakuki eqala ukuprofetha, uJuda wayesengaphansi kombuso waseGibhithe onamandla. (2 AmaKhosi 23:29, 30, 34) Nakuba abaseBhabhiloni base beqala ukuba namandla, amabutho abo ayengakamnqobi uFaro Nekho. (Jeremiya 46:2) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ithempeli likaJehova laliseJerusalema, futhi amakhosi ohlanga lukaDavide ayebuse lapho engaphazanyiswa. KumaJuda angaleso sikhathi, “umsebenzi” kaNkulunkulu wokuvumela amaKhaledi ukuba abhubhise iJerusalema wawuyobonakala ungenakwenzeka. Nokho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kungenzeka amazwi kaHabakuki ezwakala engakholeki kanjani kuwo, umbono wokubhujiswa kweJerusalema abaseBhabhiloni ‘wagcwaliseka nakanjani’ ngo-607 B.C.E.—Habakuki 2:3.
2:5—Ubani “indoda enamandla,” futhi kungani ‘ingeke iwufinyelele umgomo wayo’? AbaseBhabhiloni, ababesebenzisa amabutho abo anekhono ukunqoba izizwe, ‘babeyindoda enamandla.’ Ubumnandi bokunqoba bayenza yafana nomuntu odakwe iwayini. Nokho, yayingeke iphumelele ekuqoqeleni zonke izizwe kuyo ngoba uJehova wayezosebenzisa amaMede namaPheresiya ekuyiwiseni. Namuhla, le “ndoda” yakhiwa imibuso yezombusazwe. Nayo idakwe ukuzethemba nokuqhosha futhi inephango elingapheli lokwandisa indawo yayo. Kodwa ayiwufinyeleli umgomo wayo ‘wokubuthela kuyo zonke izizwe.’ UMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuphela oyokwenza isintu sibe nobunye.—Mathewu 6:9, 10.
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
1:1-4; 1:12–2:1. UHabakuki wabuza imibuzo eqotho futhi uJehova wamphendula. UNkulunkulu weqiniso uyayilalela imithandazo yezinceku zakhe ezithembekile.
2:1. NjengoHabakuki, kufanele sihlale siphapheme futhi sikhuthele ngokomoya. Kufanele sihlale sikulungele nokulungisa ukucabanga kwethu kuvumelane nanoma ikuphi ‘ukusolwa,’ noma ukulungiswa, esingase sikuthole.
2:3; 3:16. Njengoba sikulindele ngokholo ukufika kosuku lukaJehova, masingaphelelwa umuzwa wokuphuthuma.
2:4. Ukuze sisinde ngosuku lokwahlulela lukaJehova oluzayo, kumelwe sikhuthazele ngokwethembeka.—Hebheru 10:36-38.
2:6, 7, 9, 12, 15, 19. Ngokuqinisekile umuntu ohahela inzuzo yokungathembeki, othanda ubudlova, oziphatha kabi noma okhonza izithombe uyofikelwa umaye. Kumelwe siqaphele ukugwema lezi zici nale mikhuba.
2:11. Uma singabudaluli ububi baleli zwe, “kuyokhala itshe kalusizi.” Kubalulekile ukuba siqhubeke sishumayela isigijimi soMbuso ngesibindi!
3:6. Akukho okuyovimba uJehova lapho ekhipha isahlulelo sakhe, ngisho nezinhlangano zabantu ezibonakala ziqine njengezintaba nanjengamagquma.
3:13. Siyaqiniseka ukuthi imbubhiso ye-Armagedoni ngeke ingakhethi. UJehova uyosindisa izinceku zakhe ezithembekile.
3:17-19. Ngisho noma singehlelwa ubunzima ngaphambi noma phakathi ne-Armagedoni, singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uyosinika “amandla” njengoba siqhubeka simkhonza ngenjabulo.
“USUKU LUKAJEHOVA LUSEDUZE”
Ukukhulekelwa kukaBhali kudlangile kwaJuda. Ngomprofethi wakhe uZefaniya, uJehova uthi: “Ngizokwelula isandla sami ngimelane noJuda futhi ngimelane nabo bonke abakhileyo eJerusalema.” UZefaniya uyaxwayisa: “Usuku lukaJehova luseduze.” (Zefaniya 1:4, 7, 14) Ngalolo suku ‘kuyositshekelwa’ kuphela labo abahlangabezana nezimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu.—Zefaniya 2:3.
“Maye kuwo . . . umuzi ocindezelayo”—iJerusalema! “‘Hlalani ningilindele,’ kusho uJehova, ‘kuze kube usuku lokuvukela kwami empahleni edliwe, ngoba isinqumo sami sokwahlulela siwukubuthela izizwe ndawonye . . . ukuze ngithululele phezu kwazo ukulahla kwami.’” Kodwa uNkulunkulu uyathembisa: “Ngizonenza nibe yigama nodumo phakathi kwazo zonke izizwe zomhlaba, lapho ngibutha bonke abathunjiweyo benu ngibabuyisa phambi kwamehlo enu.”—Zefaniya 3:1, 8, 20.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo
2:13, 14—Elikabani ‘izwi eliyoqhubeka lihlabelela’ eNineve elichithwe ngokuphelele? Njengoba iNineve lalizoba indawo yezilwane zasendle nezinyoni, izwi elaliyoqhubeka lihlabelela libhekisela emsindweni wokukhala kwezinyoni futhi kungenzeka libhekisela nasekuwusheni komoya emafasiteleni ezindlu ezingasahlali muntu.
3:9—Luyini ‘ulimi oluhlanzekile,’ futhi lukhulunywa kanjani? Luyiqiniso likaNkulunkulu elitholakala eZwini lakhe, iBhayibheli. Luhlanganisa zonke izimfundiso zeBhayibheli. Silukhuluma ngokukholelwa iqiniso, ngokulifundisa abanye ngokunembile nangokuphila ngokuvumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu.
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
1:8. Kusobala ukuthi abathile ngosuku lukaZefaniya babefuna ukwamukelwa izizwe ezazibazungezile ‘ngokugqoka izembatho zezinye izizwe.’ Yeka ukuthi kungaba ubuwula kanjani ngabakhulekeli bakaJehova namuhla ukuzama ukuzivumelanisa nezwe ngezindlela ezifanayo!
1:12; 3:5, 16. UJehova waqhubeka ethumela abaprofethi bakhe ukuze axwayise abantu bakhe ngezinqumo zakhe zokwahlulela. Lokho wakwenza naphezu kokuba amaJuda amaningi ayegxile endleleni yawo yokuphila futhi engenandaba nesigijimi—njengenhlese ejiyile phansi emphongolweni wewayini. Njengoba usuku olukhulu lukaJehova lusondela, kunokuba sivumele isimo sengqondo sabantu sokunganaki ukuba senze ‘izandla zethu ziyethe,’ kudingeka siqhubeke simemezela isigijimi soMbuso ngaphandle kokuyekethisa.
2:3. UJehova kuphela ongasisindisa ngosuku lwentukuthelo yakhe. Ukuze sihlale samukeleka kuye, kudingeka ‘sifune uJehova’ ngokutadisha iZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli ngokucophelela, ngokucela isiqondiso sakhe ngomthandazo nangokusondela kuye. Kumelwe ‘sifune ukulunga’ ngokuhlale sihlanzekile ngokokuziphatha. Futhi kudingeka ‘sifune ubumnene’ ngokuhlakulela isimo sengqondo sokuthobeka.
2:4-15; 3:1-5. Ngosuku lokukhishwa kwesahlulelo sikaJehova, eLobukholwa nazo zonke izizwe eziye zacindezela abantu bakaNkulunkulu, bayobhekana nalokho okwehlela iJerusalema lasendulo nezizwe ezazilizungezile. (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16; 18:4-8) Kufanele siqhubeke simemezela izahlulelo zikaNkulunkulu ngesibindi.
3:8, 9. Njengoba silindele usuku lukaJehova, sizilungiselela ukusinda ngokufunda ukukhuluma ‘ulimi oluhlanzekile’ ‘nangokubiza igama likaNkulunkulu’ ngokuzinikezela kuye. Futhi sikhonza uJehova ‘silinganisene ihlombe nehlombe’ kanye nabantu bakhe futhi sinikela kuye njengesipho “umhlatshelo wokudumisa.”—Hebheru 13:15.
‘Luyashesha’
Umhubi wahlabelela: “Sekuyisikhashana nje, omubi abe engasekho; ngokuqinisekile uyoyibheka indawo yakhe, futhi uyobe engekho.” (IHubo 37:10) Lapho sizindla ngalokho okwabikezelwa ngeNineve encwadini kaNahume nangeBhabhiloni noJuda oyisihlubuki encwadini kaHabakuki, asingabazi ukuthi amazwi omhubi ayogcwaliseka. Ngakho, kusamelwe silinde isikhathi eside kangakanani?
UZefaniya 1:14 uthi: “Usuku olukhulu lukaJehova luseduze. Luseduze, lushesha kakhulu.” Incwadi kaZefaniya ibonisa nendlela esingase sisitshekelwe ngayo ngalolo suku nalokho okumelwe sikwenze manje ukuze sizilungiselele ukusinda. Ngempela, “izwi likaNkulunkulu liyaphila, linamandla.”—Hebheru 4:12.
[Izithombe ekhasini 8]
Izindonga ezinkulu zaseNineve azizange zikuvimbe ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sikaNahume
[Umthombo]
Randy Olson/National Geographic Image Collection