“Isizwe” Esigcwalisa Ubuso Bomhlaba Ngezithelo

“Ngezinsuku ezizayo uJakobe uyakugxila, uIsrayeli akhahlele, aqhakaze, bagcwalise ubuso bomhlaba ngezithelo.”—ISAYA 27:6.

 1. Umphostoli uPetru wabhekisela kanjani esizweni sikaIsrayeli ongokomoya?

NGOKUQONDENE nokuzalwa kwebandla labafundi bakaKristu ‘njengesizwe’ ngo-33 C.E., umphostoli uPetru waloba lamazwi ngaphambi nje kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngonyaka ka-70 C.E.: “Kepha nina niluhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubupristi obobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, abantu abazuziweyo, ukuze nishumayele ubukhosi balowo owanibiza niphume ebumnyameni, ningene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo; ekade naningesiso isizwe, kepha manje niyisizwe sikaNkulunkulu, enaningahawukelwanga, kepha manje nihawukelwe.” (1 Petru 2:9, 10) Yeka ukuthi lokho kwakukuhle kanjani kuNkulunkulu!

 2, 3. Njengababiziweyo bakaJehova uNkulunkulu, isiphi isibopho uIsrayeli ongokomoya anaso, futhi uJesu Kristu ubafanisa nani kuJohane isahluko 15?

² Namuhla, eminyakeni engamakhulu ayi-19 kusukela uPetru abhala lawomazwi, kusekhona emhlabeni insali ‘yalesosizwe’ esizelwe ngomoya. Isinciphile manje yaze yaba yinani elingaphansi kwezinkulungwane eziyishumi, ngokwemibiko yokugujwa kweSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa minyaka yonke. ‘Ingabantu bakaJehova abazuziweyo,’ futhi njengenjalo kumelwe ishumayele ubukhosi bukaJehova uNkulunkulu, owayibiza ukuba ‘iphume ebumnyameni bezwe, ingene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo.’ Lokhu ‘kukhanya’ kuye kwakhanya ikakhulukazi kusukela ekupheleni ‘kwezikhathi zabeZizwe,’ noma “izikhathi ezimisiwe zabezizwe,” ngonyaka ka-1914.a (Luka 21:24) ‘Njengabantu abazuziweyo’ boMuphi Waphezulu walokhu kukhanya okumangalisayo, iyigugu kuye. Kuye ifana nomvini ongokomoya.

³ Lapha sikhumbula lokho uJesu Kristu akusho kubaphostoli bakhe, ababemelela bonke ababeyoba abalandeli bakhe abazelwe ngomoya: “Mina ngingumvini owonawona, uBaba ungumlimi, yilelo nalelogatsha elikimi, elingatheli izithelo, uyalisusa. Yilelo nalelo elithela izithelo uyalihlunga ukuba lithele kakhulu. Nina senihlanzekile ngezwi engilikhulumé kinina. Hlalani kimi, nami kini. Njengalokhu igatsha lingethele izithelo ngokwalo, kuphela uma lihlala emvinini, kunjalo nani, kuphela uma nihlala kimi. Mina ngingumvini, nina ningamagatsha; ohlala kimi, nami kuye, lowo uthela izithelo eziningi; ngokuba ngaphandle kwami ningenze lutho.”—Johane 15:1-5.

 4. (a) Umfanekiso kaJesu usikhumbuza ngayiphi incazelo ekuIsaya isahluko 27? (b) Kwenzeka nini ukugcwaliseka kwanamuhla kwalesiprofetho, futhi kobani? (c) Imuphi umbono uJehova angasenawo ngabantu bakhe?

⁴ Lokho kuqhathanisa, noma umfanekiso, okwenziwa uJesu Kristu kusikhumbuza amazwi kaJehova kuIsaya 27:2-4, lapho sifunda khona ukuthi;

“Ngalolosuku kuyakuba-khona isivini [“sewayini elinxanelekayo,” NW] hlabelelani ngaso. Mina-Jehova ngingumlindi waso, ngiyakusinisela njalo; funa soniwe, ngiyakusilinda ubusuku nemini. Ukufutheka akukho kimi.”

‘Isivini sewayini elinxanelekayo’ emhlabeni namuhla singaqhathaniswa nensali yamagatsha ‘alowomvini’ ongokomfanekiso lapho amaKristu azelwe ngomoya ‘esizwe esingcwele’ engamalungu athelayo. Khona-ke, anesibopho sokuthela izithelo eziningi. (Johane 15:5) Ngokwesiprofetho sikaIsaya, kwakuyoba ngesikhathi sokubuyiselwa kwabantu bakaJehova emuseni wakhe lapho ingoma ‘ngesivini esinxanelekayo’ yayiyohlatshelelwa khona. (Qhathanisa noIsaya 27:13.) Lokhu bekuyobeka ukugcwaliseka kwanamuhla kwalesiprofetho esijabulisayo njengokwenzeka ngonyaka ongemva kwempi unyaka ka-1919, futhi amaqiniso omlando afakazela ukugcwaliseka kwaso kuze kube manje. Namuhla uJehova ‘akabafuthekeli’ abantu bakhe, ngisho nensali yakhe ‘yesizwe esingcwele, abantu bakhe abazuziweyo,’ ngisho namaKristu aqotho alangazelela ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni. Ngobubele uye wabonisa umusa wakhe kuwo, lowo obangela ukuecuma nokuthela kwawo ngokomoya.

 5. Abantu baye bathokoziswa yini kulesivini esingokomfanekiso, futhi yini abangayilandisa ngaso?

⁵ ‘Lesizwe’ esingokomoya, kanye nabangane baso abasebenza kanzima, siye safana nesivini esithelayo esiye saveza “iwayini elinxanelekayo” eliningi. Liyiwayini elingokomoya eliye lenza inhliziyo kaJehova neyomuntu yajabula. (AbAhluleli 9:13) Ngenxa yalesizathu esiqinile abantu abaye bathokoziswa ukuphuza lesiphuzo esingokomoya bangahlabelela ngenjabulo ngalesivini futhi bangalandisa ngakho konke lokho uMlimi Waphezulu ‘walesivini’ aye wakwenzela ‘lesivini’ esingokomfanekiso. Ngokomfanekiso, uye ‘wasinisela’ ngempela ‘lesivini’ ngenjongo yokuba sihlale sisisha, ukuze sithele izithelo ezihlwabusayo, ezimnandi kakhulu, nezithokozisayo.

Okuphambene Nalokho—“Umvini Womhlaba”

 6. Nokho, kuyoba yini okuhlangenwe nakho ‘komvini womhlaba,’ ngokwesAmbulo isahluko 14?

⁶ Akubanga njalo ngalokho incwadi yokugcina yeBhayibheli ekubiza ngokuthi “umvini womhlaba.” Ngokushesha, umyalo waphezulu uzokhishwa emabuthweni asezulwini aletha isahlulelo: “Faka isikela lakho elibukhali, ubuthe amahlukuzo omvini womhlaba, ngokuba izithelo zomvini zivuthiwe.” Khona-ke, njengoba isAmbulo esingokwesiprofetho siqhubeka sibonisa, “ingelosi yayisiliphonsa isikela layo emhlabeni, yawuvuna umvini womhlaba, yawuphonsa esikhamweni sewayini esikhulu solaka lukaNkulunkulu. Isikhamo sanyathelwa ngaphandle komuzi, kwaphuma igazi esikhamweni, laze lafika ematomini amahashi, liqeda amastadiyu ayinkulungwane namakhulu ayisithupha.” (IsAmbulo 14:18-20) Kuyokwenzeka kanjalo-ke engxenyeni enguhulumeni yenhlangano kaSathane ebonakalayo emhlabeni; iyilokho uSathane angumlimi wakho, futhi iphikisana “nomvini wangempela” lowo uJehova anguMlimi wawo. Ngeke neze kwaba khona ukubuyiselwa ‘komvini womhlaba’!

 7-9. Unakuphi ukugcwaliseka okukabili uIsaya 27:7-13, futhi ngaziphi izikhathi?

⁷ Nokho, lesiprofetho sikaIsaya, isahluko 27, ngempela siyisiprofetho sokubuyiselwa, okokuqala kwesizwe sikaIsrayeli wemvelo bese kuba amaIsrayeli angokomoya ekhulwini lethu lama-20. Lokhu kusobala ngokwalokho isiprofetho esikushoyo evesini lesi-7 kwehle kuze kufike evesini le-13, lelo lesahluko esiphetha ngalo. Lawomavesi afundeka ngalendlela:

⁸ “Ubashayile nangalokho ebashayile ababashayayo na? Babulewe njengokubulawa kwababulewe nguye na? Ngokubamukisa nangokubaxosha uyabajezisa; wabasusa ngomoya wakhe olukhuni ngosuku lomoya wasempumalanga. Ngakho ububi bukaJakobe buyakuhlangulwa ngalokhu, lokhu kube-yisithelo sonke sokususa isono sakhe, lapho enza ukuba onke amatshe ealtare avithizeke njengamatshe omcako, kungabe kusamiswa oAshera nama-altare empepho. Ngokuba umuzi obiyelweyo uyize, nekhaya limukelwe, lishiyiwe njengehlane; ithole liyakuklaba khona, libuthise khona, lidle, liqede, amahlamvu awo. Lapho amagatsha awo esebunile, ayakwaphulwa, kufike abesifazane, baphembe umlilo kuwo, ngokuba bangabantu abangenakuqonda; ngalokho owabenzayo akayikubahawukela, nowababumbayo akayikuba-namusa kubo.

⁹ “Kuyakuthi ngalolosuku uJehova avuthuze ezikhwetshini zasemfuleni kuze kube-semfuleni waseGibithe, nibuthwe abanye ngabanye nina-bantwana bakwaIsrayeli. Kuyakuthi ngalolosuku libethwe icilongo elikhulu, kufike ababelahlekile ezweni laseAsiriya nabaxoshiweyo ezweni laseGibithe, bakhuleke kuJehova entabeni engcwele eJerusalema.”

10. Imuphi umbuso wezwe owawuvelele ngesikhathi sesiprofetho sikaIsaya, futhi wahamba kanjani ekuhlaseleni kwawo ikomkhulu lombuso wakwaJuda?

¹⁰ Ezinsukwini zalesiprofetho sikaIsaya, iAsiriya lase lingumbuso wezwe omkhulu emhlabeni, lithatha isikhundla sowokuqala ochungechungeni lwemibuso yezwe eyisikhombisa, nakuba iGibithe lalisabusa kodwa njengombuso osizayo. Umbuso wezizwe eziyishumi zakwaIsrayeli wawusuhlubukile ngaphansi kokubuswa isizwe sakwaJuda sendlu yobukhosi yeNkosi uDavide. Ngakho-ke inkosi yaseAsiriya yeza yafuna ukuba umuzi waseJerusalema uzinikele ngenkani, uma ungafuni ukubhujiswa. Nokho, uJehova wawulwela umbuso wakwaJuda futhi wenza iNkosi eqhoshayo uSaneheribi yabuyela ekhaya inqotshwe ngokudabukisayo.—Isaya, izahluko 36 no-37.

11. Kwakuwumbusi wamuphi umbuso wezwe owachitha umbuso wakwaJuda, futhi uIsaya 27 ubhekisela kanjani kulesehlakalo?

¹¹ Ngakho-ke umbusi woinbuso wezwe olandelayo, uMbuso Wezwe waseBabioni, wagunyazwa ukuba abhubhise umuzi ongcwele waseJerusalema nethempeli lawo. Ngokwezikhombo zeBhayibheli, lokhu kwenzeka ngonyaka ka-607 B.C.E., ngaphansi koMbusi uNebukadinesari. Uyena owabathumbela ezweni laseBabiloni, ukuba bahlale iminyaka engama-70 bethunjiwe lapho. Kwakungenxa yokusondela kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema nokuthunjelwa eBabiloni iminyaka engama-70 okwenza ukuba kuphakanyiswe lemibuzo ngokufanelekile:

“Ubashayile [isizwe sakwaIsrayeli] njengalokho ebashayile ababashayayo na?” (Isaya 27:7)

Ngendlela engakaze yenzeke emlandweni wesizwe kusukela ngo-1513 B.C.E., uIsrayeli isizwe sikaNkulunkulu sashaywa ngesibhaxu esibuhlungu kakhulu ngo-607 B.C.E., isibhaxu esacishe sabangela ukubhujiswa kwaso. Baningi abafa ngokuvinjezelwa komuzi waseJerusalema. Yebo, uJehova wabona ukuthi isidingo sokuthatha lesinyathelo esingathi sína sasibalulekile, futhi kwakumelwe sithathwe. Wabona isidingo esikhulu sokujezisa labo okwakumelwe bahlale bengabangane bakhe, abahlobo bakhe, labo enza nabo isivumelwano soMthetho ngomlamuleli uMose.

12. Khona-ke imuphi umbuzo uJehova ayengaphefumlela umprofethi uIsaya ukuba awubuze ngokuqondene nokuhlangenwe nakho kukaIsrayeli, futhi waba yini umphumela ebuhlotsheni bukaIsrayeli noJehova?

¹² UJehova wayengabuza ngokuqhubekayo:

“Babulewe [isizwe sakwaIsrayeli, noma uJakobe] njengokubulawa kwababulewe nguye na?” (Isaya 27:7)

Yebo, ngoba manje kwase kudingekile ngoJehova ukuba amelane nabantu ababethandeka kuye, abangele ukukhala okusabisayo ‘ukukhala okwethusayo,’ okuvela emabuthweni empi oMbuso Wezwe waseBabiloni, ongowesithathu emlandweni weBhayibheli. Kungakho kunalenkulumo yaphezulu:

“Ngokukhala okwethusayo uyokulwa nabo lapho ubamukisa. Kumelwe abaxoshe ngesivunguvungu sakhe, esinzima ngosuku lomoya wasempumalanga [okubonisa uhlangothi ukukhala okwethusayo kwempi okuyoqhamuka ngakulo].” (Isaya 27:8, NW)

Ngokukhala okunjalo kokuqala wayeyomukisa isizwe esingathembekile esasikade sifana nomfazi wakhe ongokomfanekiso njengenhlangano yakhe ebonakalayo emhlabeni. Manje wayesesixosha ezweni esasilinikezwe uNkulunkulu esinikela ezandleni zabathumbi baseBabiloni ezweni elikude, ngokungathi wayehlukanisa naso isikhashana.—Qhathanisa noIsaya 50:1.

13. Ngokwesiprofetho sikaIsaya, isizwe sakwaIsrayeli sasiyoyenza kanjani inhlawulo ngokwephula kwaso isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu?

¹³ Manje isikhathi sase sifikile ngesizwe sakwaIsrayeli, noma uJakobe, ukuba senze inhlawulo ‘ngobubi’ baso ngendlela ebiza kakhulu kunemihlatshelo yezilwane eyayinikelwa ealtare lethempeli eJerusalema. Ilokho uJehova akusho ngenhlangano yakhe efana nomfazi, ethi:

“Ngakho ububi bukaJakobe buyakuhlangulwa ngalokhu, lokhu kube-yisithelo sonke sokususa isono sakhe, lapho enza ukuba onke amatshe ealtare avithizeke njengamatshe omcako, kungabe kusamiswa oAshera nama-altare empepho.” (Isaya 27:9)

Yeka ukubonakaliswa kolaka lwaphezulu, noma intukuthelo, ukugcwaliseka kwalesiprofetho okwakuyoba yikho, kube kufanele! Kwakungeke kuphinde kumiswe izithixo zoAshera nama-alatare empepho phakathi kwesizwe sakhe esijezisiwe.

14. Kukuluphi uhlobo lwencithakalo izwe lakwaIsrayeli elaliyokwehliselwa kulo, futhi ukukhula kwalo njengomuthi ongokomfanekiso kwakuyokwenzekani kukho?

¹⁴ Ebonisa incithakalo eyayizokwehliselwa kulesizwe sakwaIsrayeli wasendulo esifana nomfazi, uJehova uyanezela:

“Ngokuba umuzi obiyelweyo uyize, nekhaya limukelwe, lishiyiwe njengehlane.”

Izwe elalinabantu abaningi liyoshiywa, libe yidlelo okwesikhashana.

“Ithole liyakuklaba khona, libuthise khona, [inxusa likaJehova] lidle, liqede amahlamvu awo. Lapho amagatsha awo esebunile, ayakwaphulwa, kufike abesifazane, baphembe umlilo kuwo, [avuthe].” (Isaya 27:10, 11)

Khona-ke isizwe esinjengomfazi kaJehova ongokomfanekiso sasiyokwehliswa sibe izinkuni zokubasa umlilo, ngoba nabesifazane ngaphandle kobunzima babeyoba namandla anele okuzisiza ngalokho okusele kuso. Yeka isimo esidabukisayo sokuthotshiselwa kuso lokhu okwakuyoba yiso ngenhlangano kaIsrayeli enjengomfazi ongokomfanekiso! Kodwa kungani izinyathelo ezinjalo zokuchoboza kwakumelwe zithathwe uNkulunkulu onjengomyeni kanjalo njengoJehova? Lalela:

15. Ngokucabangela impatho kaNkulunkulu ekhethekile, hlobo luni lwabantu isizwe sakwaIsrayeli okwakumelwe sibe yilo, kodwa kungani baba abafana nesizwe esikhulekela izithombe?

¹⁵ “Ngokuba bangabantu abangenakuqonda; ngalokho owabenzayo akayikubahawukela, nowababumbayo akayikuba-namusa kubo.” (Isaya 27:11)

Ngalo lonke ilungiselelo uJehova alenza ukuze kufundiswe futhi bekhanyiselwe inhlangano yakhe emiswe ngokumangalisayo, amaIsrayeli kwakumelwe azibonakalise engabantu abanokuhlakanipha okukhulu. Kwakumelwe abe ngakhaliphile nanokuqonda okwanele ukuba abone ubuze bokukhulekela izithombe, yebo, abe nokuqonda okwanele ukuba azibonele ukungabi nangqondo kokukhulekelwa kwezithombe, okwakwenziwa yizizwe ezazingazi lutho ezazingaphandle kobuhlobo besivumelwano noNkulunkulu oyedwa ophilayo noweqiniso, uJehova. Kodwa ngenxa yokungabonakali koMdali wabo noMenzi wasezulwini, balahla ukholo futhi bakhetha ukuphendukela konkulunkulu ababonakalayo abenziwe ngabantu, okwabaholela ekuweni. Kungakho uniusa oqhubekayo nobubele baphe-zulu kwasuswa kubantu abanjalo abanenkani.

Ukukhululwa Ekuthunjweni

16. Ngokuqondene nokubuyisela abantu bakhe, uJehova kwakumelwe akuqondise kuphi ukunakekela kwakhe?

¹⁶ Ngakho manje, ukuze ababuyisele ekukhulekelweni kwakhe ezweni lakubo, kwakuyodingeka ngoJehova ukuba aphendulele ukunakekela kwakhe ezweni laseBabiloni lapho “uMfula” omkhulu, iEwufrathe, unqamula khona. Wayeyoletha ukunakekela kwakhe ngaseningizimu ngisho nasezweni laseGibithe, ngoba abantu bakhe babethunjelwe ezindaweni ezinjalo ukuze bajeziswe. Ngokuqondene nalokhu uJehova kwakumelwe agcwalise amazwi alandelayo enjongo yakhe:

“Kuyakuthi ngalolosuku uJehova avuthuze ezikhwetshini zasemfuleni [iEwufrathe] kuze kube-semfuleni waseGibithe [ethafeni elisemngceleni ongaseningizimu weZwe Lesithembiso], nibuthwe abanye ngabanye nina-bantwana bakwaIsrayeli.”—Isaya 27:12; qhathanisa noNumeri 34:2, 5.

17. UJehova wabavuthuza kanjani abantu bakhe ekuthunjweni kwabo, futhi wasebenzisani?

¹⁷ Ukuze uJehova abuyisele abantu bakhe ezweni lakubo lakwaJuda, kwakumelwe abavuthuze abantu bakhe abathembekile njengokukhiwa kwesithelo, kanjalo abakhulule. Lokhu wakuphumelelisa ngokugumbuqela umbuso wezwe waseBabiloni wangenisa uMbuso wamaMede namaPheresiya, umbuso wezwe wesine emlandweni weBhayibheli. Isimemezelo sombusi wasePheresiya uKoresi oMkhulu ekuqaleni kokubusa kwakhe sakhishwa ukuze kukhululwe abantu bakaJehova ababethunjiwe futhi babuyiselwe endaweni yeJerusalema lasendulo ukuba bakhe kabusha ithempeli likaJehova. Lokhu kubuyiselwa kwafika ekupheleni kweminyaka engama-70 yokuthunjwa kwamaJuda, ngo-537 B.C.E.—Isaya 45:1-7.

18. Kumelwe ukuba kwaba yini ukusabela kwabathunjwa esimemezelweni sokukhululwa kwabo?

¹⁸ AmaIsrayeli ayejeziselwe eBabiloni, kanye naseAsiriya naseGibithe, ayeyimpahla kaNkulunkulu, futhi wayenelungelo lokubakhipha njengokuvuthuzwa kwesikhwebu esingokomfanekiso ekuthunjweni nasekuhlakazekeni kokungazithandeli, futhi kanjalo ababonise ububele, umusa ongafanelekanga. Yeka ukuthi lawomaIsrayeli asendulo kumelwe ukuba asijabulela kanjani lesosimemezelo sikaKoresi, futhi yeka intshiseko okumelwe ukuba bayibonisa ekusebenziseni ngokugewele lelothuba elihle kakhulu abanikezwa lona! Yini-ke, eyayingashiwo “ngalolosuku” oluthokozisayo?

19. (a) Kwabikezelwa ukuba akhuleke kubani amaIsrayeli ayelahlekele ezweni laseAsiriya nelaseGibithe? (b) Lokhu kwakuyosho ukuthini ngokuqondene nokukhulekelwa kukaJehova endaweni okwakunethempeli kuyo ekuqaleni, futhi lokhu kuthinta siphi isizwe esingokomoya namuhla?

¹⁹ “Kuyakuthi ngalolosuku libethwe icilongo elikhulu, kufike ababelahlekile ezweni laseAsiriya nabaxoshiweyo ezweni laseGibithe, bakhuleke kuJehova entabeni engcwele eJerusalema.” (Isaya 27:13)

Yini enye eyayingashiwo yilokho ngaphandle kokugcwaliswa kabusha kweZwe Lesithembiso ngabantu nokuvuselelwa kwethempeli eJerusalema, livuselelwe ngenjongo yokukhulekela uMbumbi noMenzi wesizwe esivusiwe sakwaIsrayeli? Lokhu kwakuzokwenzeka ngokwamazwi ashiwo ngaphambili umprofethi uIsaya alotshwe evesini lesi-6. Izwe labantu bakhe ababuyiselwe laliyoba yizwe eligcwele abantu, abahlangane ekumkhulekeleni ethempelini lakhe, nakuba lendawo ebuyiselwe yokukhulekela yayingasazukuba nalobo bucwazicwazi bethempeli elihle kakhulu elakhiwa iNkosi uSolomoni. Ngalendlela kwakuyofuzisela ukugcwaliseka okungokomoya kosuku lwanamuhla okuhilela ‘uIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu,’ ekugcwaliseni bonke “ubuso bomhlaba” ngezithelo eziphilisayo.—Galathiya 6:16; Isaya 27:6.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Uphendula kanjani?

◻ UIsrayeli wemvelo wasithola nini futhi kanjani isibhaxu, njengoba kwabikezelwa kuIsaya 27:7?

◻ UIsrayeli ‘wagxila’ kanjani? (Isaya 27:2, 6)

◻ Obani ezikhathini zanamuhla abahilelekile ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho sikaIsaya isahluko 27?

◻ Laba baye baba kanjani njengesivini esiveza “iwayini elinxanelekayo”?

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

Ngokusebenzisa abaseBabiloni, uJehova wadedela isibhaxu esibi ngo-607 B.C.E.