Incwadi YeBhayibheli Yama-39—UMalaki
Umlobi: UMalaki
Yalotshelwa: EJerusalema
Ukuloba Kwaphela: Ngemva kuka-443 B.C.E.
1. Yini ebonisa intshiseko kaMalaki ngoJehova?
WAYENGUBANI uMalaki? Akukho lutho olulotshiwe ngokuphathelene nozalo lwakhe noma umlando wakhe siqu. Nokho, ngokwenjongo yesiprofetho sakhe, kusobala ukuthi wayeshiseka kakhulu ekuzinikeleni kwakhe kuJehova uNkulunkulu, ephakamisa igama laKhe nokukhulekela okuhlanzekile, nokuthi wayebathukuthelela kakhulu labo ababethi bakhonza uNkulunkulu kodwa bezikhonza bona kuphela. Igama likaJehova lithintwa izikhathi ezingu-48 ezahlukweni ezine zesiprofetho sakhe.
2. Ngokunokwenzeka lisho ukuthini igama likaMalaki, futhi kubonakala sengathi waphila nini?
2 Igama lakhe ngesiHeberu linguMal·ʼa·khiʹ, mhlawumbe okusho ukuthi “Isithunywa Sami.” ImiBhalo yesiHeberu, iSeptuagint, nokulandelana kwezincwadi ngokwezikhathi konke kugcina ngoMalaki kubaprofethi abangu-12 okuthiwa abangabalulekile. Ngokwenkolelo yabeSinagoge Elikhulu, waphila ngemva kwabaprofethi uHagayi noZakariya futhi wayenguntanga kaNehemiya.
3. Yini ebonisa ukuthi isiprofetho sikaMalaki salotshwa ngemva kuka-443 B.C.E.?
3 Lesiprofetho salotshwa nini? Kwakuphakathi nokuphatha kombusi othile, okwenza kube ngesikhathi sokubuyiselwa kweJerusalema ngemva kokuchithwa kukaJuda iminyaka engu-70. (Mal. 1:8) Kodwa muphi umbusi? Njengoba kukhulunywa ngenkonzo yethempeli kodwa kungashiwo lutho ngokwakhiwa kwethempeli, kumelwe ukuba kwakungemva kwesikhathi soMbusi uZerubabele, ithempeli elaqedwa phakathi nesikhathi sakhe. Kunoyedwa kuphela omunye umbusi walenkathi okukhulunywa ngaye emiBhalweni, futhi uNehemiya. Ingabe isiprofetho siyavumelana nesikhathi sikaNehemiya? Akukho lutho olushiwo kuMalaki ngokuphathelene nokwakhiwa kabusha kweJerusalema nodonga lwalo, okwenza kungabi sengxenyeni yokuqala yobubusi bukaNehemiya. Nokho, kuningi okushiwoyo ngokuphathelene nokuxhaphaza kwabapristi, okuhlanganisa uMalaki nesimo esasikhona lapho uNehemiya efika okwesibili eJerusalema, ngemva kokubizelwa kwakhe eBabiloni uAritahishashita ngo-443 B.C.E., unyaka wama-32 wokubusa kwalenkosi. (Mal. 2:1; Neh. 13:6) Izingxenye ezifanayo kuMalaki nakuNehemiya zibonisa ukuthi isiprofetho sisebenza kuso lesikhathi.—Mal. 2:4-8, 11, 12—Neh. 13:11, 15, 23-26; Mal. 3:8-10—Neh. 13:10-12.
4. Yini ebonisa ukuthi incwadi kaMalaki iyiqiniso futhi iphefumlelwe?
4 Ngaso sonke isikhathi incwadi kaMalaki ibilokhu yamukelwa amaJuda njengeyiqiniso. Izingcaphuno zayo emiBhalweni yamaKristu yesiGreki, eziningana zazo ezibonisa ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sayo, zibonisa ukuthi incwadi kaMalaki iphefumlelwe futhi iyingxenye yohlu lwezincwadi zemiBhalo yesiHeberu eyayiqashelwa yibandla lobuKristu.—Mal. 1:2, 3—Roma 9:13; Mal. 3:1—Math. 11:10 noLuka 1:76 no-7:27; Mal. 4:5, 6—Math. 11:14 no-17:10-13, Marku 9:11-13 noLuka 1:17.
5. Yisiphi isimo esiphansi esingokomoya esabangela isiprofetho sikaMalaki?
5 Isiprofetho sikaMalaki sibonisa ukuthi intshiseko nosikisiki olungokwenkolo olwaluvuselelwe abaprofethi uHagayi noZakariya ngesikhathi kwakhiwa kabusha ithempeli kwase kuphelile. Abapristi babengasanaki, beqhosha, futhi bezibona abalungile. Izinkonzo zasethempelini zase ziyinhlekisa. Okweshumi neminikelo kwakungasenziwa ngenxa yomuzwa wokuthi uNkulunkulu wayengenandaba noIsrayeli. Amathemba ayegxiliswe kuZerubabele ayengazange afezeke, futhi ngokuphambene namathemba athile, uMesiya wayengazange afike. Isimo samaJuda esingokomoya sasiphansi kakhulu. Yisiphi isizathu esasikhona sokukhuthazeka nethemba? Abantu babengenziwa kanjani baqaphele isimo sabo sangempela futhi bavuselwe ukuba babuyele ekulungeni? Isiprofetho sikaMalaki sanikeza impendulo.
6. Iyini indlela kaMalaki yokuloba?
6 Indlela kaMalaki yokuloba iqondile futhi inamandla. Okokuqala usho isiphakamiso abese ephendula ukuphikisa kwalabo akhuluma nabo. Ekugcineni, uqinisa isiphakamiso sakhe sokuqala. Lokhu kwenza iphuzu lakhe libe namandla futhi likhanye ngokwengeziwe. Kunokuba asebenzise ubuciko obuphakeme bokukhuluma, usebenzisa indlela yokuveza amaphuzu ngokungagunci, nangamandla.
OKUQUKETHWE INCWADI KAMALAKI
7. Yiluphi uthando nenzondo uJehova akuzwakalisayo?
7 Umyalo kaJehova kubapristi (1:1–2:17). Okokuqala uJehova ubonisa uthando lwakhe ngabantu bakhe. Umthandile uJakobe wamzonda uEsawu. UEdomi makazame ukwakha izincithakalo zakhe; uJehova uyobadiliza futhi bayobizwa ngokuthi “uMkhawulo wobuBi,” abantu uJehova abathukuthelelayo, ngoba uJehova “uyakuba-mkhulu, kudlule nasemkhawulweni kaIsrayeli.”—1:4, 5.
8. Abapristi balingcolise kanjani itafula likaJehova, futhi kungani beyofikelwa isiqalekiso?
8 Manje uJehova ukhuluma ngokuqondile ‘nabapristi abedelela igama lakhe.’ Njengoba bezama ukuzithethelela, uJehova ukhomba imihlatshelo yabo yezilwane eziyizimpumputhe, eziqhugayo, nezigulayo, abese ebuza, Ingabe ngisho nombusi ubeyoyamukela imihlatshelo enjalo? UJehova ngokwakhe akajabuli ngayo. Igama lakhe kumelwe liphakanyiswe phakathi kwezizwe, kodwa labantu bayamhlambalaza ngokuthi: “Itafula leNkosi [uJehova] lingcolile.” Bayokwehlelwa isiqalekiso ngoba beqile ngobuqili izifungo zabo ngokunikela ngemihlatshelo eyize. “Ngokuba ngiyinkosi enkulu, usho uJehova-Sebawoti, negama lami liyesabeka phakathi kwezizwe.”—1:6, 12, 14.
9. Yini abapristi abahluleke kuyo, futhi bayingcolise kanjani indlu engcwele kaJehova?
9 Manje uJehova unikeza abapristi umyalo, ethi uma leseluleko bengasibeki enhliziyweni, uyothuma isiqalekiso phezu kwabo naphezu kwezibusiso zabo. Uyothela umquba wemikhosi yabo ebusweni babo ngenxa yokwehluleka kwabo ukugcina isivumelwano sikaLevi. “Ngokuba izindebe zompristi ziyakugcina ukwazi, kufunwe umthetho emlonyeni wakhe, ngokuba uyisithunywa sikaJehova-Sebawoti.” (2:7) UMalaki uvuma isono esikhulu sikaIsrayeli noJuda. Baye bakhohlisana futhi bangcolisa ubungcwele bukaJehova, uYise, noMdali, ngokuganwa indodakazi kankulunkulu wabezizwe. Baye badlulela ngokukhathaza uJehova. Babuzile ngisho nokubuza, “Uphi uNkulunkulu wokwahlulela na?”—2:17.
10. Yimuphi umsebenzi wokwahlulela iNkosi ewufikelayo ethempelini layo?
10 INkosi yeqiniso nesithunywa (3:1-18). Manje isiprofetho sifinyelela emvuthwandaba ngamazwi ‘kaJehova-Sebawoti’: “Bhekani, ngiyathuma isithunywa sami; siyakulungisa indlela phambi kwami. INkosi eniyifunayo iyakufika ngokuzumayo ethempelini layo; nesithunywa sesivumelwano enithokoza ngaso, bheka, siyeza.” (3:1) Njengomcwengisisi, iyohlanza amadodana kaLevi futhi iyoba ufakazi osheshayo kwababi abangazange bayesabe. UJehova akaguquki, futhi njengoba bengamadodana kaJakobe, uyobuyela kubo ngomusa uma bebuyela kuye.
11. Kumelwe bamvivinye kanjani manje uNkulunkulu, futhi yiziphi izibusiso ezizolandela?
11 Bebephanga uNkulunkulu, kodwa manje mabamvivinye ngokuletha okweshumi kwabo endlini yengcebo ukuba kube nokudla endlini yakhe, beqiniseka ngokuthi uyothulula ngamafasitele asezulwini izibusiso zakhe ezigcwele. Bayoba yizwe elithokozisayo zonke izizwe eziyothi libusisiwe. Labo abesaba uJehova bebekhuluma bodwa, futhi uJehova ubenakile futhi elalele. “Kwalotshwa phambi kwakhe incwadi yokukhumbula ababemesaba uJehova, bezindla ngegama lakhe.” (3:16) Ngempela bayoba abakaJehova ngosuku ayoveza ngalo imfuyo yakhe.
12. Yini ethenjiswayo ngokuphathelene nosuku lukaJehova olwesabekayo?
12 Usuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo (4:1-6). Lolu usuku oluzayo oluyoqothula ababi, lungashiyi-mpande nagatsha. Kodwa ilanga lokulunga liyophumela abesaba igama likaJehova, futhi bayophiliswa. UJehova ubayala ukuba bakhumbule uMthetho kaMose. Ngaphambi kosuku lwakhe olukhulu nolwesabekayo, uJehova uthembisa ukuthuma uEliya umprofethi. “Uyakuphendulela izinhliziyo zawoyise kubantwana nezinhliziyo zabantwana koyise, funa ngifike, ngishaye izwe ngesiqalekiso.”—4:6.
ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE NENZUZO
13. Yini uMalaki ayishoyo (a) ngomusa nothando lukaJehova? (b) ngomthwalo wemfanelo wabafundisi beZwi likaNkulunkulu? (c) ngalabo abeqa imithetho nezimiso zikaNkulunkulu?
13 Incwadi kaMalaki iyasiza ekuqondeni izimiso ezingaguquki zikaJehova uNkulunkulu nothando lomusa wakhe. Ekuqaleni, igcizelela uthando olukhulu lukaJehova ngabantu bakhe “uJakobe.” Wathi emadodaneni kaJakobe: “Mina-Jehova angiguquki.” Naphezu kobubi babo obukhulu, wayekulungele ukubuyela kubantu bakhe uma bebuyela kuye. UNkulunkulu onomusa ngempela! (Mal. 1:2; 3:6, 7; Roma 11:28; Eks. 34:6, 7) NgoMalaki, uJehova wagcizelela ukuthi izindebe zompristi “ziyakugcina ukwazi.” Bonke abaphathiswe ukufundisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu kumelwe baliqaphele leliphuzu, beqiniseka ukuthi bafundisa ulwazi oluqondile. (Mal. 2:7; Fil. 1:9-11; qhathanisa noJakobe 3:1.) UJehova akababekezeleli abazenzisi, labo abazama ukuveza ukuthi ‘ukwenza okubi kuhle emehlweni kaJehova.’ Akekho okumelwe acabange ukuthi angakhohlisa uJehova ngokwenza umnikelo nje wokuzenzisa kuleNkosi enkulu. (Mal. 2:17; 1:14; Kol. 3:23, 24) UJehova uyoba ufakazi osheshayo kubo bonke abeqa imithetho nezimiso zakhe zokulunga; akukho-muntu ongalindela ukwenza okubi futhi angajeziswa ngakho. UJehova uyobahlulela. (Mal. 3:5; Heb. 10:30, 31) Abalungileyo bangaba nesiqinisekiso esigcwele sokuthi uJehova uyokhumbula izenzo zabo futhi abavuze. Kumelwe balalele uMthetho kaMose, njengoba noJesu enza, ngoba uqukethe izinto eziningi ezigcwaliseka kuye.—Mal. 3:16; 4:4; Luka 24:44, 45.
14. (a) Yini, ngokukhethekile, uMalaki akhomba phambili kuyo? (b) UMalaki 3:1 wagcwaliseka kanjani ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka C.E.?
14 Njengencwadi yokugcina yemiBhalo yesiHeberu ephefumlelwe, uMalaki ukhomba phambili ezenzakalweni ezizungeze ukufika kukaMesiya, okubonakala kwakhe eminyakeni engaphezu kwengamakhulu amane kamuva kwanikeza isizathu sokuloba imiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki. Njengoba kulotshwe kuMalaki 3:1, uJehova-Sebawoti wathi: “Bhekani, ngiyathuma isithunywa sami; siyakulungisa indlela phambi kwami.” Ekhuluma ngaphansi kokuphefumlelwa, uZakariya osegugile wabonisa ukuthi lokhu kwagcwaliseka endodaneni yakhe, uJohane uMbhapathizi. (Luka 1:76) UJesu Kristu wakuqinisekisa lokhu, ngesikhathi esifanayo ethi: “Akuvelanga omkhulu kunoJohane uMbhapathizi; kepha omncane embusweni wezulu mkhulu kunaye.” Njengoba uMalaki abikezela, uJohane wayethunyelwe ukuba ‘alungise indlela,’ ngalokho wayengekho phakathi kwalabo uJesu kamuva enza nabo isivumelwano soMbuso.—Math. 11:7-12; Luka 7:27, 28; 22:28-30.
15. Ungubani “uEliya” osesiprofethweni sikaMalaki?
15 Khona-ke, kuMalaki 4:5, 6, uJehova wathembisa: “Bhekani, ngiyakuthuma kini uEliya umprofethi.” Ungubani ‘loEliya’? Bobabili uJesu nengelosi eyabonakala kuZakariya basebenzisa lamazwi kuJohane uMbhapathizi, bebonisa ukuthi nguye ‘oyakubuyisela konke’ futhi ‘alungiselele uJehova isizwe esilungiselweyo’ ukuba samukele uMesiya. Nokho, uMalaki uthi futhi “uEliya” ungumhambeli phambili ‘wosuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo,’ ngaleyondlela ebonisa ukugcwaliseka okusazokwenzeka esikhathini esizayo ngosuku lokwahlulela.—Math. 17:11; Luka 1:17; Math. 11:14; Marku 9:12.
16. Yiluphi usuku olubusisiwe uMalaki akhomba phambili kulo, futhi yisiphi isikhuthazo esifudumele asinikezayo?
16 Ebheke phambili kulolosuku, uJehova-Sebawoti uthi: “Kusukela ekuphumeni kwelanga kuze kube-sekushoneni kwalo igama lami likhulu phakathi kwezizwe. . . . Ngokuba ngiyinkosi enkulu, . . . negama lami liyesabeka phakathi kwezizwe.” Liyesabeka ngempela! Ngoba ‘usuku luyovutha njengeziko, futhi bonke abaziqhenyayo nabo bonke abenza okubi kumelwe babe njengamabibi.’ Nokho, bayajabula labo abesaba igama likaJehova, ngoba kubo “kuyakuphuma ilanga lokulunga, linokuphilisa emaphikweni alo.” Lokhu kuqondisa ukunakekela esikhathini esijabulisayo lapho abantu abalalelayo bomkhaya wesintu beyophiliswa ngokuphelele—ngokomoya, ngokomzwelo, ngokwengqondo, nangokwenyama. (IsAm. 21:3, 4) Ekhomba phambili kulolosuku olukhazimulayo nolubusisiwe, uMalaki usikhuthaza ukuba silethe umnikelo wethu endlini kaJehova ngomphefumulo wonke: “Ningivivinye ngalokhu, usho uJehova-Sebawoti, uma ngingayikunivulela amafasitele asezulwini, nginithululele isibusiso kunokwaneleyo.”—Mal. 1:11, 14; 4:1, 2; 3:10.
17. Izixwayiso zikaMalaki zithanjiswa isiphi isimemo sokuba nombono okhanyayo?
17 Nakuba iqhubeka nokuxwayisa ‘ngokushaya izwe ngesiqalekiso,’ lencwadi yokugcina kubaProfethi ikhuthaza umbono okhanyayo nokuthokoza ngokuvumelana namazwi kaJehova kubantu bakhe: “Zonke izizwe ziyakuthi nibusisiwe, ngokuba niyakuba-yizwe elithokozisayo.”—4:6; 3:12.