Ukubona Uhlobo Olufanele Lwesithunywa
“[Ngingogcwalisa] izwi lenceku yakhe, afeze ukululekana kwezithunywa zakhe.”—ISAYA 44:25, 26.
1. UJehova ulubonakalisa kanjani uhlobo olufanele lwezithunywa, futhi uludalula kanjani olwamanga?
UJEHOVA UNKULUNKULU unguMbonakalisi Omkhulu wezithunywa zakhe zeqiniso. Uzibonakalisa ngokufeza izigijimi azidlulisela ngazo. UJehova futhi unguMdaluli Omkhulu wezithunywa zamanga. Uzidalula kanjani? Ubhuntshisa izibonakaliso nezibikezelo zazo. Ngalendlela ubonisa ukuthi zingababikezeli abazimise bona, abazigijimi zabo empeleni zivela ekucabangeni kwabo okungamanga—yebo, ukucabanga kwabo kobuwula nokungokwenyama!
2. Yikuphi ukuphikisana phakathi kwezithunywa okwenzeka ezikhathini zama-Israyeli?
2 Bobabili u-Isaya noHezekeli bathi bayizithunywa zikaJehova uNkulunkulu. Ingabe babeyizo? Ake sibone. U-Isaya waprofetha eJerusalema cishe kusukela ngo-778 B.C.E. kwaze kwaba sesikhathini esithile ngemva kuka-732 B.C.E. UHezekeli wadingiselwa eBabiloni ngo-617 B.C.E. Lapho, waprofetha kubafowabo abangamaJuda. Bobabili abaprofethi bamemezela ngesibindi ukuthi iJerusalema liyobhujiswa. Abanye abaprofethi bathi uNkulunkulu wayengeke akuvumele lokho kwenzeke. Obani ababonakala bewuhlobo olufanele lwezithunywa?
UJehova Udalula Abaprofethi Bamanga
3, 4. (a) Yiziphi izigijimi ezimbili ezingafani ezadluliselwa kuma-Israyeli eBabiloni, futhi uJehova wasidalula kanjani isithunywa samanga? (b) UJehova wathi yini eyayiyokwenzeka kubaprofethi bamanga?
3 Lapho eseBabiloni, uHezekeli wanikezwa umbono walokho okwakwenzeka ethempeli laseJerusalema. Ekungeneni kwesango lalo elingasempumalanga kwakunamadoda angu-25. Phakathi kwawo kwakunezikhulu ezimbili, uJahazaniya noPhelathiya. UJehova wayezibheka kanjani? UHezekeli 11:2, 3 uyaphendula: “Ndodana yomuntu yilawamadoda aceba okubi, anika iziluleko ezimbi kulomuzi, athi: Akuseduze yini ukuba kwakhiwe izindlu?” Lezi zithunywa zokuthula ezigabadelayo zazithi, ‘Akukho ngozi ezokwehlela iJerusalema. Phela, maduze nje sizokwakha izindlu ezengeziwe kulo!’ Ngakho uNkulunkulu watshela uHezekeli ukuba aprofethe okuphambene nokwalaba baprofethi abaqamba amanga. Evesini 13 lesahluko 11, uHezekeli usitshela lokho okwenzeka komunye wabo: “Kwathi lapho ngiprofetha, uPhelathiya indodana kaBenaya wafa.” Mhlawumbe lokhu kwenzeka ngenxa yokuthi uPhelathiya wayeyisikhulu esinethonya nesivelele kakhulu futhi ehamba phambili ekukhonzeni izithombe. Ukufa kwakhe okuzumayo kwabonisa ukuthi wayengumprofethi wamanga!
4 Ukubulala kukaJehova uPhelathiya akuzange kubayekise abanye abaprofethi bamanga ukuqamba amanga ngegama likaNkulunkulu. Laba bakhohlisi baqhubeka enkambweni yabo engenangqondo yokubikezela izinto eziphambene nentando kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho uJehova uNkulunkulu watshela uHezekeli: “Wo kubaprofethi abayiziwula, abalandela umoya wabo nabangakubonanga!” NjengoPhelathiya, babeyoshabalala ‘bangabi bikho’ ngenxa yokuthi ngokwedelela banikeza imibono ngeJerusalema, “imibono yokuthula, . . . ukuthula kungekho.”—Hezekeli 13:3, 15, 16.
5, 6. Naphezu kwazo zonke izithunywa zamanga, u-Isaya walwelwa kanjani njengomprofethi weqiniso?
5 Ngokuqondene no-Isaya zonke izigijimi zakhe ngeJerusalema zafezeka. Ehlobo lika-607 B.C.E., abaseBabiloni bawubhubhisa lomuzi bathumba insali yamaJuda babuyela nayo eBabiloni. (2 IziKronike 36:15-21; Hezekeli 22:28; Daniyeli 9:2) Ingabe lezi zinhlekelele zabanqanda abaprofethi bamanga ekuhlaseleni abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngezinkulumo eziyize? Cha, lezo zithunywa ezinamanga zaphikelela!
6 Njengokungathi lokhu kwakungenele, abathunjwa abangama-Israyeli bachaywa nakubabikezeli benhlanhla, ababhuli nabafunda izinkanyezi baseBabiloni abaqhoshayo. Nokho, uJehova wabonisa zonke lezi zithunywa zamanga ziyiziwula ezinqotshiwe, eziprofetha okungeyikho. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wabonisa ukuthi uHezekeli wayeyisithunywa sakhe seqiniso, njengo-Isaya. UJehova wawagcwalisa wonke amazwi awakhuluma ngabo, njengoba nje ayethembisile: “[NginguJehova] oshafisa izibonakaliso zabaprofethi bamanga, enze ababhuli ukuba bahlanye, obuyisela emuva abahlakaniphileyo, enze ukwazi kwabo kube-ngubuwula; ogcwalisa izwi lenceku yakhe, afeze ukululekana kwezithunywa zakhe.”—Isaya 44:25, 26.
Izigijimi Ezethusayo NgeBabiloni NeJerusalema
7, 8. Yisiphi isigijimi esiphefumulelwe u-Isaya ayenaso ngeBabiloni, futhi ayesho ukuthini amazwi akhe?
7 ElakwaJuda neJerusalema kwakumelwe kube yincithakalo, kungahlalwa muntu iminyaka engu-70. Nokho, ngo-Isaya noHezekeli uJehova wamemezela ukuthi lowo muzi uyokwakhiwa kabusha nezwe lakhiwe ngaso kanye isikhathi ayesibikezele! Lesi kwakuyisibikezelo esimangalisayo. Ngani? Ngoba iBabiloni lalinedumela lokungazikhululi iziboshwa zalo. (Isaya 14:4, 15-17) Ngakho ubani owayengakhulula laba bathunjwa? Ubani owayenganqoba iBabiloni elinamandla, nezindonga zalo eziphakeme nesivikelo somfula? UJehova uMninimandla onke wayengakwenza! Futhi wathi wayezokwenza: “Oshoyo kuwo umsinga [okungukuthi, isivikelo samanzi somuzi], ukuthi: Yisha, ngiyakomisa imifula yakho; oshoyo ngoKoresi ukuthi: Ungumalusi wami, uyakufeza konke okwentando yami, athi ngeJerusalema: Liyakwakhiwa nakulo ithempeli: Isisekelo sakho siyakubekwa.”—Isaya 44:25, 27, 28.
8 Cabanga ngalokho! UMfula i-Ewufrathe, isithiyo esesabeka ngempela kubantu, kuJehova wawunjengeconsi lamanzi endaweni eshisayo. Ngokuphazima kweso, lesi sithiyo sasizokusha! IBabiloni lalizokuwa. Nakuba kwakuyiminyaka engaba ngu-150 ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaKoresi wasePheresiya, uJehova wenza ukuba u-Isaya abikezele ukuthumba kwalenkosi iBabiloni nokukhululwa kwabathunjwa abangamaJuda ngokugunyaza ukuba babuyele emuva bayokwakha kabusha iJerusalema nethempeli lalo.
9. Ubani uJehova ambiza ngegama njengenxusa lakhe lokujezisa iBabiloni?
9 Ku-Isaya 45:1-3 sithola lesi siprofetho: “Usho kanje uJehova kogcotshiweyo wakhe, kuKoresi, osandla sakhe sokunene ngisibambile ukuba ngahlule izizwe phambi kwakhe . . . ngivule iminyango phambi kwakhe, amasango angabe esavalwa. Mina ngiyakuhamba phambi kwakho, ngihlelembe amagebhugebhu, ngaphule izivalo zethusi, nginqume imigoqo yensimbi. Ngiyakukunika ingcebo yobumnyama, nemfuyo ethukusiweyo ezindaweni ezisithekileyo, ukuba wazi ukuthi nginguJehova okubiza ngegama lakho.”
10. UKoresi ‘wayegcotshwe’ ngayiphi indlela, futhi uJehova wayengakhuluma kanjani naye eminyakeni engaphezu kwekhulu ngaphambi kokuzalwa kwakhe?
10 Phawula ukuthi uJehova ukhuluma noKoresi njengokungathi uyaphila kakade. Lokhu kuvumelana namazwi kaPawulu athi uJehova ‘ubiza izinto ezingekho njengokungathi zikhona.’ (Roma 4:17) Futhi uNkulunkulu ubiza uKoresi ngokuthi “ogcotshiweyo wakhe.” Wakwenzelani lokho? Ingani umpristi kaJehova ophakeme akazange athele amafutha angcwele okugcoba ekhanda likaKoresi. Yiqiniso, kodwa lokhu ukugcoba okungokwesiprofetho. Kubonisa ukubekwa esikhundleni esikhethekile. Ngakho uNkulunkulu wayengakhuluma ngokumisa kwakhe uKoresi kusengaphambili njengokumgcoba.—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 AmaKhosi 19:15-17; 2 AmaKhosi 8:13.
UNkulunkulu Uyawagcwalisa Amazwi Ezithunywa Zakhe
11. Kungani izakhamuzi zaseBabiloni zazizizwa ziphephile?
11 Ngesikhathi uKoresi ehlasela iBabiloni, izakhamuzi zalo zazizizwa ziphephile futhi zilondeke kakhulu. Umuzi wazo wawuzungezwe umsele ovikelayo ojulile nobanzi, owawakhiwa uMfula i-Ewufrathe. Lapho lomfula udabula khona phakathi komuzi, kwakufike kube nendawo egandayiwe ezinhlangothini zombili zosebe lomfula olungasempumalanga. Ukuze awuhlukanise nomuzi, uNebukadinesari wakha lokho akubiza ngokuthi “udonga olukhulu, olwalungenakususwa njengoba nentaba injalo . . . Phezulu [wayeluphakamise] njengentaba.”a Lolu donga lwalunamasango ayeneminyango yethusi emikhulu. Ukuze angene kuwo, umuntu kwakudingeka akhuphuke umqansa osuka osebeni lomfula. Akumangalisi ukuthi iziboshwa zaseBabiloni zazingenalo ithemba lokuthi ziyoke zikhululeke!
12, 13. Amazwi kaJehova ngesithunywa sakhe u-Isaya agcwaliseka kanjani lapho iBabiloni liwela kuKoresi?
12 Kodwa kwakuhlukile ngalabo bathunjwa abangamaJuda ababenokholo kuJehova! Babenethemba eliqhakazile. Ngabaprofethi bakhe, uNkulunkulu wayethembise ukubakhulula. UNkulunkulu wasigcwalisa kanjani isithembiso sakhe? UKoresi wayala amabutho akhe ukuba aphambukise uMfula i-Ewufrathe endaweni engamakhilomitha amaningana ngasenyakatho yeBabiloni. Ngaleyo ndlela, isimiso somuzi sokuzivikela esiyinhloko saphenduka saba umfula owomile ngandlela-thile. Ngobusuku obubucayi, ababexokozeliswa uphuzo eBabiloni, ngobudedengu bayishiya yomibili iminyango yesango ivuliwe ngasemanzini e-Ewufrathe. UJehova akazange ayenze izicucu ngokoqobo leminyango yethusi; futhi akazange ephule imigoqo yensimbi eyayivalwa ngayo, kodwa ukwenza kwakhe ngokuyisimangaliso ukuba ihlale ivuliwe futhi ingavaliwe ngezinsimbi, kwaba nomphumela ofanayo. Izindonga zaseBabiloni azisizanga. Amabutho kaKoresi akuzange kudingeke ukuba azicace ukuze angene ngaphakathi. UJehova wahamba phambi kukaKoresi, ehlelemba “amagebhugebhu,” yebo, zonke izithiyo. U-Isaya wabonakala eyisithunywa sikaNkulunkulu seqiniso.
13 Lapho umuzi usungaphansi kokulawulwa uKoresi ngokuphelele, yonke ingcebo yawo yaba sezandleni zakhe, kuhlanganise naleyo eyayifihlwe emagumbini amnyama, asekusithekeni. Kungani uJehova uNkulunkulu amenzela lokhu uKoresi? Ukuze azi ukuthi uJehova, ‘ombiza ngegama lakhe,’ unguNkulunkulu wesiprofetho seqiniso neNkosi enguMbusi yendawo yonke. Wayeyokwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayehlele ukuba abuse ukuze akhulule abantu baKhe, u-Israyeli.
14, 15. Sazi kanjani ukuthi ukunqoba kukaKoresi iBabiloni kwakungenxa kaJehova?
14 Lalela amazwi kaJehova kuKoresi: “Ngenxa yenceku yami uJakobe, uIsrayeli okhethiweyo wami, ngikubizile ngegama lakho, ngikunikile igama lodumo, ungakangazi. Mina nginguJehova, akakho omunye; ngaphandle kwami akakho uNkulunkulu; ngiyakubhincisa ungakangazi, ukuze bazi kusukela empumalanga nasentshonalanga ukuthi akakho ngaphandle kwami; mina nginguJehova, akakho omunye; yimi engenza ukukhanya nengidala ubumnyama, ngenza ukuthula, [ekwenzela abantu bakhe abasekuthunjweni] ngidala okubi [ngeBabiloni]; nginguJehova owenza konke lokho.”—Isaya 45:4-7.
15 UKoresi kwakufanele abonge uJehova ngenxa yokunqoba kwakhe iBabiloni, ngoba nguYe owayemnike amandla okufeza intando yaKhe kulowo muzi omubi futhi akhulule abantu baKhe ababethunjiwe. Ngokwenza lokhu, uNkulunkulu wenza amazulu akhe ukuba alethe amathonya noma amandla alungileyo. Wenza umhlaba wakhe ukuba uvuleke ukhiphe izenzakalo ezilungileyo nokusindiswa kwabantu bakhe. Futhi amazulu nomhlaba wakhe okungokomfanekiso kwasabela kulomyalo. (Isaya 45:8) Ngemva kweminyaka engaphezu kwekhulu efile, u-Isaya wabonakala eyisithunywa sikaJehova seqiniso!
Izindaba Ezinhle Zesithunywa NgeSiyoni!
16. Yiziphi izindaba ezinhle ezazingamenyezelwa emzini owawuyincithakalo waseJerusalema lapho iBabiloni linqotshwa?
16 Kodwa kunokwengeziwe. U-Isaya 52:7 ukhuluma ngezindaba ezinhle ngeJerusalema: “[Zinhle, NW] kangakanani ezintabeni izinyawo zoletha izindaba ezinhle, nomemezela ukuthula, obika izindaba ezinhle, ezwakalise ukusindiswa, oshoyo kulo iSiyoni ukuthi: UNkulunkulu wakho uyinkosi.” Cabanga ukuthi kwakujabulisa kanjani ukubona isithunywa ezintabeni siza eJerusalema! Kumelwe ukuba sinezindaba. Ndaba zini? Izindaba ezijabulisayo ngeSiyoni. Izindaba zokuthula, yebo, izindaba ezithakazelelwa uNkulunkulu. IJerusalema nethempeli lalo kumelwe kwakhiwe kabusha! Futhi isithunywa simemezela ngentshiseko yokunqoba: “UNkulunkulu wakho uyinkosi.”
17, 18. Ukunqoba kukaKoresi iBabiloni kwalithinta kanjani igama likaJehova?
17 Lapho uJehova evumela abaseBabiloni ukuba bagumbuqele isihlalo sakhe sobukhosi esingokomfanekiso okwakuhlala kuso amakhosi ohlu lozalo lukaDavide, kwakungase kubonakale sengathi uJehova wayengaseyona iNkosi. UMarduk, unkulunkulu oyinhloko waseBabiloni, wabonakala eyinkosi esikhundleni sakhe. Nokho, lapho uNkulunkulu waseSiyoni egumbuqela iBabiloni, wabonisa ubukhosi bakhe bendawo yonke—ukuthi wayeyiNkosi enkulu kunawo wonke. Futhi ukugcizelela leli qiniso, iJerusalema, “umuzi weNkosi enkulu” kanye nethempeli lawo, kwakuzomiswa kabusha. (Mathewu 5:35) Ngokuqondene nesithunywa esaletha izindaba ezinhle kanjalo, nakuba izinyawo zaso zazinothuli, zingcolile futhi zilimele, emehlweni alabo abathanda iSiyoni noNkulunkulu walo, zazibukeka zizinhle kakhulu!
18 Ngomqondo ongokwesiprofetho, ukuwa kweBabiloni kwasho ukuthi umbuso kaNkulunkulu wawumisiwe futhi lowo owayenezindaba ezinhle wayengummemezeli walelo qiniso. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lesi sithunywa sasendulo, esabikezelwa ngo-Isaya, safanekisela isithunywa sezindaba ezinhle ngokwedlulele—ezinhle ngokwedlulele ngoba ziqukethe isigijimi esihle futhi zinesihloko soMbuso, kanye nemiphumela emangalisayo kubo bonke abantu bokholo.
19. Yisiphi isigijimi ngezwe lakwa-Israyeli uJehova asinika ngoHezekeli?
19 UHezekeli naye wanikwa iziprofetho ezikhazimulayo zokubuyisela. Waprofetha: “Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: . . . Ngiyakwenza ukuba imizi ihlalwe, zakhiwe izindawo ezichithekileyo. Bayakuthi: Lelizwe ekade laliyize selinjengensimu yase-Edene.”—Hezekeli 36:33, 35.
20. Yisiphi isikhuthazo esijabulisayo u-Isaya asinika iJerusalema ngokwesiprofetho?
20 Besekuthunjweni eBabiloni, abantu bakaNkulunkulu babekhalela iSiyoni. (IHubo 137:1) Manje babengajabula. U-Isaya wakhuthaza: “Qhumukani ngokuhlabelela, nihlabelele kanyekanye, nina-zindawo ezichithekileyo zaseJerusalema, ngokuba uJehova ubaduduzile abantu bakhe, ulihlengile iJerusalema. UJehova wambulile ingalo yakhe engcwele emehlweni ezizwe zonke, namajukujuku onke omhlaba ayakubona insindiso kaNkulunkulu wethu.”—Isaya 52:9, 10.
21. Amazwi ka-Isaya 52:9, 10 agcwaliseka kanjani ngemva kokunqotshwa kweBabiloni?
21 Yebo, abantu bakaJehova abakhethiwe babenesizathu esikhulu sokujabula. Manje babezophinde bahlale kulezo zindawo ezake zaba yincithakalo, bazenze zibe njengensimu yase-Edene. UJehova ‘wayebambulele ingalo yakhe engcwele.’ Wafingqa umkhono wakhe, ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso, ukuze asebenzele ukubabuyisela ezweni labo elithandekayo. Lesi kwakungesona isenzakalo esiwubala nesingasho lutho emlandweni. Cha, bonke abantu ababephila ngaleso sikhathi babona ‘ingalo eyambuliwe’ kaNkulunkulu inegalelo elinamandla ezindabeni zabantu ukuze ifeze ukusindiswa kwesizwe okumangalisayo. Banikwa ubufakazi obungenakuphikiswa bokuthi u-Isaya noHezekeli babeyizithunywa zikaJehova zeqiniso. Akekho owayengangabaza ukuthi uNkulunkulu weSiyoni wayewukuphela kukaNkulunkulu ophilayo noweqiniso kuwo wonke umhlaba. Ku-Isaya 35:2, siyafunda: “[Kuyokuba khona labo abayobona, NW] inkazimulo kaJehova, nobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu wethu.” Labo abamukela lobu bufakazi bokuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu baphendukela ekumkhulekeleni.
22. (a) Yini esingabonga ngayo namuhla? (b) Kungani kufanele sibonge ngokukhethekile ngokuthi uJehova udalula izithunywa zamanga?
22 Yeka indlela okufanele sibonge ngayo ngokuthi uJehova wembula izithunywa zakhe zeqiniso! Ngempela, ‘ugcwalisa izwi lenceku yakhe, afeze ukululekana kwezithunywa zakhe.’ (Isaya 44:26) Iziprofetho zokubuyiselwa azinika u-Isaya noHezekeli zikhulisa uthando lwakhe olukhulu, umusa ongafanelwe, nesihe ezincekwini zakhe. Ngokuqinisekile, uJehova ufanelwe yilo lonke udumo oluvela kithi ngalokhu! Futhi thina namuhla kufanele sibonge ngokukhethekile ngokuthi udalula izithunywa zamanga. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi manje seziziningi emhlabeni. Izigijimi zazo eziyihaba zizishaya indiva izinjongo zikaJehova ezimenyezelwe. Isihloko esilandelayo sizosisiza ukuba sibone lezo zithunywa zamanga.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a The Monuments and the Old Testament, ka-Ira Maurice Price, 1925.
Ungachaza?
◻ UJehova uzibonakalisa kanjani izithunywa zakhe zeqiniso?
◻ Ngo-Isaya, ubani uJehova ambiza ngenxusa lakhe lokunqoba iBabiloni?
◻ Zagcwaliseka kanjani iziprofetho zika-Isaya ezichaza ukunqotshwa kweBabiloni?
◻ Ukunqotshwa kweBabiloni kwaba namiphi imiphumela emihle egameni likaJehova?
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
IBabiloni lalibonakala lingenakunqotshwa ezizweni zosuku lukaHezekeli