Isahluko Seshumi Nesithupha

Thembela KuJehova Ukuze Uthole Isiqondiso Nesivikelo

Isaya 20:1-6

1, 2. Iyiphi ingozi abantu bakaNkulunkulu ababhekene nayo ekhulwini lesi-8 B.C.E., futhi abaningi babo bathambekele ekuphendukeleni kubani ukuze bathole isivikelo?

NJENGOBA sibonile ezahlukweni ezingaphambili zale ncwadi, abantu bakaNkulunkulu babhekene nosongo olwethusayo ekhulwini lesi-8 B.C.E. Abase-Asiriya abanequnga bachitha amazwe amaningi, futhi akusensuku zatshwala bahlasele umbuso wakwaJuda oseningizimu. Izakhamuzi zaleli zwe zizophendukelaphi ukuze zithole isivikelo? Zisebuhlotsheni besivumelwano noJehova futhi kufanele zincike kuye ukuze zithole usizo. (Eksodusi 19:5, 6) Yilokho okwenziwa iNkosi uDavide. Yavuma: “UJehova uyidwala lami nesiphephelo sami noMenzi wendlela yami yokuphunyuka.” (2 Samuweli 22:2) Ngokusobala, abaningi ekhulwini lesi-8 B.C.E. abathembeli kuJehova njengesiphephelo sabo. Bathanda ukuthembela eGibithe naseTopiya, becabanga ukuthi zombili lezi zizwe zizoba isivikelo ekuhlaselweni i-Asiriya okusongelayo. Bashaye phansi.

² Ngomprofethi wakhe u-Isaya, uJehova uxwayisa ngokuthi ukufuna isiphephelo eGibithe noma eTopiya kuyoletha inhlekelele. Amazwi aphefumulelwe omprofethi anikeza abantu aphila nabo isifundo esihle, futhi nathi asiphathele isifundo esiwusizo ngokubaluleka kokwethemba uJehova.

Izwe Lokuchithwa Kwegazi

 3. Chaza indlela i-Asiriya eliwagcizelela ngayo amandla ezempi.

³ Abase-Asiriya babaziwa ngamandla abo ezempi. Incwadi ethi Ancient Cities iyaphawula: “Babekhulekela izikhwepha, futhi babethandaza kuphela ezithombeni ezinkulu zamatshe, izingonyama nezinkunzi ezizitho zazo ezinkulu, amaphiko okhozi namakhanda abantu kwakufanekisela izikhwepha, isibindi nokunqoba. Lesi sizwe sasilwa njalo, futhi abapristi bengabaphehli bempi abaphikelelayo.” Kuyafaneleka ukuba umprofethi waseBhayibhelini uNahume achaze iNineve, inhloko-dolobha yase-Asiriya, ngokuthi “umuzi wokuchithwa kwegazi.”—Nahume 3:1.

 4. Abase-Asiriya bazishayisa kanjani ngovalo ezinye izizwe?

⁴ Amaqhinga empi abase-Asiriya ayenesihluku ngendlela engavamile. Imifanekiso eqoshiwe yalezo zinsuku ibonisa amaqhawe ase-Asiriya ehola izithunjwa ngamahhuku afakwe emakhaleni noma ezindebeni. Ezinye izithunjwa babezikhipha amehlo ngemikhonto. Omunye umbhalo oqoshiwe ulandisa ngokunqoba kwebutho lase-Asiriya elanquma izitho zomzimba zezithunjwa zalo, labe selenza izinqwaba ezimbili ngaphandle komuzi—enye kungeyamakhanda enye kungeyezinye izitho. Izingane zabanqotshiwe zazishiswa ngomlilo. Kumelwe ukuba ukwesaba okwakubangelwa isihluku esinjalo kwakubasiza abase-Asiriya empini, kwenze izitha zabo zingadazi inkani.

Ukulwa Ne-Ashidodi

 5. Kwakungubani umbusi onamandla wase-Asiriya osukwini luka-Isaya, futhi indaba yakhe eseBhayibhelini yafakazelwa kanjani njengeyiqiniso?

⁵ Osukwini luka-Isaya, uMbuso Wase-Asiriya, ngaphansi kweNkosi uSarigoni, wathola amandla owawungakaze ube nawo ngaphambili.a Sekuyiminyaka eminingi abagxeki bengabaza ukuthi lo mbusi wayekhona, ngoba babengakaze bezwe kukhulunywa ngaye ezincwadini. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, abavubukuli bavubukula amanxiwa esigodlo sikaSarigoni, futhi ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kwafakazelwa njengokuyiqiniso.

6, 7. (a) Cishe kungaziphi izizathu uSarigoni ekhipha umyalo wokuba kuhlaselwe i-Ashidodi? (b) Ukuwa kwe-Ashidodi kubathinta kanjani omakhelwane beFilistiya?

⁶ U-Isaya uchaza kafushane omunye wemikhankaso yezempi kaSarigoni: “Ngonyaka uTharithani eza ngawo e-Ashidodi, lapho uSarigoni inkosi yase-Asiriya emthuma, walwa ne-Ashidodi walithumba.” (Isaya 20:1)b Kungani uSarigoni ekhipha umyalo wokuba kuhlaselwe umuzi wamaFilisti wase-Ashidodi? Phakathi kokunye, iFilistiya liwumbimbi neGibithe, futhi i-Ashidodi, lapho kukhona khona ithempeli likaDagoni, lisemgwaqweni ongasogwini osuka eGibithe uye ePalestine. Ngakho lo muzi usendaweni ekahle. Ukuthunjwa kwalo kungabhekwa njengesinyathelo sokulungiselela ukunqoba iGibithe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, imibhalo yase-Asiriya ibika ukuthi u-Azuri, inkosi yase-Ashidodi, wayakhela i-Asiriya uzungu. Ngakho, uSarigoni wenza ukuba le nkosi evukelayo isuswe abese ebeka umfowabo wenkosi omncane, u-Ahimiti, esihlalweni sobukhosi. Kodwa lokho akufezi lutho. Kuqubuka okunye ukuvukela, futhi manje, uSarigoni uthatha isinyathelo esinqala nakakhulu. Ukhipha umyalo wokuba i-Ashidodi lihlaselwe, khona-ke liyavinjezelwa bese liyanqotshwa. Cishe u-Isaya 20:1 ubhekisela kulesi sigigaba.

⁷ Ukuwa kwe-Ashidodi kuyibika lokubi komakhelwane balo, ikakhulukazi uJuda. UJehova uyazi ukuthi abantu bakhe bathambekele ekufuneni usizo ‘engalweni yenyama,’ njengeGibithe noma iTopiya eseningizimu. Ngakho-ke, uthuma u-Isaya ukuba akhiphe isixwayiso esiphuthumayo ngokuba enze isenzo esithile.—2 IziKronike 32:7, 8.

“Enqunu Futhi Engafaké Zimbadada”

 8. Isiphi isenzo esiphefumulelwe esasiyisiprofetho esenziwa u-Isaya?

⁸ UJehova uthi ku-Isaya: “Hamba, yithukulule indwangu yesaka okhalweni lwakho; futhi kufanele ukhumule izimbadada zakho ezinyaweni zakho.” U-Isaya uyawulalela umyalo kaJehova. “Wenza kanjalo, ehambahamba enqunu futhi engafaké zimbadada.” (Isaya 20:2) Indwangu yesaka yingubo emaholo evame ukugqokwa abaprofethi, ngezinye izikhathi ihambisana nesigijimi esiyisixwayiso. Iyagqokwa nangezikhathi zenhlekelele noma lapho umuntu ezwé izindaba ezibuhlungu. (2 AmaKhosi 19:2; IHubo 35:13; Daniyeli 9:3) Ingabe ngempela u-Isaya uhambahamba enqunu ngomqondo wokuthi akagqoke lutho nhlobo? Akunjalo. Igama lesiHeberu elihunyushwe ngokuthi “enqunu” lingabhekisela nasekugqokeni komuntu into ewubala. (1 Samuweli 19:24, umbhalo waphansi) Ngakho kungenzeka ukuthi u-Isaya wamane wakhumula ingubo yakhe yangaphandle, kwasala ingubo emfushane okwakuvame ukuqalwa ngayo uma kugqokwa. Imifanekiso eqoshiwe yase-Asiriya iye iveze izithunjwa zesilisa zigqoke kanjalo.

 9. Sichaza ukuthini isenzo sika-Isaya esasiyisiprofetho?

9 Asishiywa singayazi incazelo yesenzo sika-Isaya esingavamile: “UJehova waqhubeka wathi: ‘Njengoba nje inceku yami u-Isaya iye yahambahamba inqunu futhi ingafaké zimbadada iminyaka emithathu njengesibonakaliso nebika ngeGibithe nangeTopiya, kanjalo inkosi yase-Asiriya iyohola indikimba yezithunjwa zaseGibithe nabadingisiweyo baseTopiya, abafana namaxhegu, behamba nqunu futhi bengafaké zimbadada, izinqe zabo zihlubule, ubunqunu baseGibithe.’” (Isaya 20:3, 4) Yebo, abaseGibithe nabaseTopiya bazothunjwa ngokushesha. Ngeke kusale muntu. Ngisho ‘nabafana namaxhegu’—izingane nabantu abadala—bayophucwa konke abanakho futhi bathunjwe. Yebo, ngalo mfanekiso ongenathemba, uJehova uxwayisa izakhamuzi zakwaJuda ngokuthi kuyoba yize ukwethemba kwazo iGibithe neTopiya. Ukuwa kwalezi zizwe kuyozenza ‘zihambe nqunu’—zithelwe ngelikhulu ihlazo!

Ithemba Liyashabalala, Ubuhle Buyaphela

10, 11. (a) Uyosabela kanjani uJuda lapho ebona ukuthi iGibithe neTopiya alikwazi ukumelana ne-Asiriya? (b) Kungani izakhamuzi zakwaJuda zingase zithambekele ekuthembeni iGibithe neTopiya?

¹⁰ Ngokulandelayo, ngokwesiprofetho uJehova uchaza ukusabela kwabantu bakhe lapho bebona ukuthi iGibithe neTopiya, isiphephelo sabo abebesithembile, liye lahluleka ukumelana nabase-Asiriya. “Ngokuqinisekile bayokwesaba kakhulu futhi babe namahloni ngeTopiya ithemba labo ababelibhekile nangeGibithe ubuhle babo. Owakhé kuleli zwe elingasogwini ngokuqinisekile uyothi ngalolo suku, ‘Bheka indlela elingayo ithemba lethu ebesilibhekile, esabalekela kulo ukuze sithole usizo, ukuze sikhululwe ngenxa yenkosi yase-Asiriya! Thina ngokwethu siyophunyuka kanjani?’”—Isaya 20:5, 6.

¹¹ ElakwaJuda ungathi isiqeshana nje sendawo esogwini uma liqhathaniswa nemibuso yaseGibithe naseTopiya. Mhlawumbe ezinye izakhamuzi ‘zaleli zwe elingasogwini’ zikhangwa ubuhle beGibithe—izakhiwo zakhona ezinhle ezingonxa-ntathu, amathempeli akhona aphakeme nezindlu zakhona zikanokusho ezinkulu nezinezingadi, amasimu ezithelo namachibi. Umklamo omuhle weGibithe ubonakala uwubufakazi bokuthi lizinzile futhi lizohlala phakade. Leli zwe lingaba kanjani nje incithakalo! Kungenzeka ukuthi amaJuda ahlatshwa umxhwele amabutho alwa ngeminsalo, izinqola zempi namabutho ahamba ngamahhashi aseTopiya.

12. UJuda kufanele athembele kubani?

¹² Ngenxa yesixwayiso u-Isaya asikhipha ngokwenza isenzo esithile, namazwi kaJehova esiprofetho, noma ibaphi abantu bakaNkulunkulu abathanda ukuthembela eGibithe naseTopiya kumelwe bacabangisise kahle. Yeka ukuthi kungcono kanjani ukuba bathembele kuJehova kunakumuntu wasemhlabeni! (IHubo 25:2; 40:4) Umphumela uba ukuthi uJuda uhlupheka kabi ehlushwa inkosi yase-Asiriya, futhi kamuva, ubona ithempeli lakhe nenhloko-dolobha kubhujiswa yiBabiloni. Nokho, kusala “ingxenye yeshumi,” “inzalo engcwele,” ibe njengesiphunzi somuthi omkhulu. (Isaya 6:13) Lapho kufika isikhathi, isigijimi sika-Isaya siyoluqinisa kakhulu ukholo lwalelo qembu elincane eliqhubeka lithembela kuJehova!

Beka Ithemba Lakho KuJehova

13. Yiziphi izingcindezi ezisithinta sonke—abakholwayo nabangakholwa—namuhla?

¹³ Isixwayiso sika-Isaya ngobuze bokwethembela eGibithe naseTopiya asiwona nje umlando ongasho lutho. Siwusizo osukwini lwethu. Siphila ‘ezikhathini ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1) Izinkinga ezinkulu zezimali, ubumpofu obuthé bhe, ukuntengantenga kwezombangazwe, izinxushunxushu zombango nezimpi ezincane nezinkulu kunemiphumela emibi kakhulu—hhayi nje kulabo abadelela ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu kuphela kodwa nakulabo abamkhonzayo. Umbuzo ngamunye wethu abhekene nawo yilo, ‘Ngizophendukela kubani ukuze ngithole usizo?’

14. Kungani kufanele sibeke ithemba kuJehova kuphela?

¹⁴ Abanye bangase bahlatshwe umxhwele ongqondongqondo bezezimali banamuhla, abezombangazwe nososayensi, abakhuluma ngokuxazulula izinkinga zomuntu besebenzisa ukuhlakanipha nobuchwepheshe bomuntu. Nokho, iBhayibheli likubeka ngembaba: “Kungcono ukuphephela kuJehova kunokuthembela ezicukuthwaneni.” (IHubo 118:9) Wonke amacebo omuntu okudala ukuthula nokulondeka ayohluleka, ngenxa yesizathu esishiwo umprofethi uJeremiya: “Ngazi kahle, Jehova, ukuthi indlela yomuntu wasemhlabeni akuyona eyakhe. Akukona okomuntu ohambayo ngisho nokuqondisa isinyathelo sakhe.”—Jeremiya 10:23.

15. Ubani owukuphela kwethemba lesintu esicindezelekile?

¹⁵ Khona-ke, akufanele ukuba izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zikhangwe ngokungafanele yinoma yini engase ibonakale ingamandla noma ukuhlakanipha kwaleli zwe. (IHubo 33:10; 1 Korinte 3:19, 20) UMdali, uJehova, uwukuphela kwethemba lesintu esicindezelekile. Labo ababeka ithemba labo kuye bayosindiswa. Njengoba umphostoli uJohane ophefumulelwe aloba, “izwe liyadlula, kanjalo nesifiso salo, kodwa lowo owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade.”—1 Johane 2:17.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

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Abase-Asiriya babeye bazikhiphe amehlo ezinye zezithunjwa zabo

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Abanye bangase bakhangwe izinto ezifezwe umuntu, kodwa kungcono ukuthembela kuJehova