Incwadi Yesiprofeto

Abantu banomdla kwikamva. Babhula besela befuna izinto ezithembekileyo ezinokubachazela kusengaphambili ngemibandela emininzi, enjengemozulu nemeko yezoqoqosho. Noko ke amaxesha amaninzi ezo zinto zibashiya bedane bemanzi. IBhayibhile inezinto ezininzi ezichaza kusengaphambili, okanye iziprofeto. Zichane kangakanani ezi ziprofeto? Ngaba ziyimbali ebhalwe ngaphambili? Okanye ngaba ziyimbali eyenziwe yangathi sisiprofeto?

UMPHATHISWA waseRoma uCato (234-149 B.C.E.) kuthiwa wakha wathi: “Ndikhe ndizibuze ukuba xa umvumisi ebona omnye umvumisi akahleki na.”⁠¹ Eneneni, unanamhla oku abantu ababathembi abaxeli-thamsanqa, oojong’ iinkwenkwezi nabanye abavumisi. Amaxesha amaninzi badla ngokuthetha izinto ezingacacanga nekuye kunyanzeleke ukuba zitolikwe ngeendlela ngeendlela.

Noko ke, kuthekani ngeziprofeto zeBhayibhile? Ngaba sikho isizathu sokuzithandabuza? Okanye ngaba sinezizathu zokuzithemba?

Aziloqikelelo Nje Lwezinto Ezaziwayo

Abantu abakrelekrele basenokuzama ukujonga izinto ezithile baze basebenzise zona ukuqikelela ikamva ngokuchanileyo, kodwa abasoloko bechanile. Incwadi ethi Future Shock ithi: “Indawo nganye ayaneli nje ukuba nezinto ekusenokwenzeka ziyehlele, kodwa inothotho lwezinto ekulindeleke ukuba ziyehlele, kunye nentaphane yezinto ekunqwenelwa ukuba zehle.” Yalek’ umsundulo yathi: “Kambe ke, akukho mntu ‘unokulazi’ ngokupheleleyo ikamva. Ekuphela kwento esinokuyenza kukwenza uqash-qash size sizame ukumenza abonakale njengento enokwenzeka.”⁠²

Kodwa ababhali beBhayibhile abazange bazame ukwenza “uqash-qash” wabo “abonakale njengento enokwenzeka” xa bethetha ngekamva. Yaye izinto abazithethayo asinakusuka sithi zinzima kude kunyanzeleke ukuba zitolikwe ngeendlela ngeendlela. Kunoko, iziprofeto zabo ezininzi bazinikela ngendlela ecace nengqale ngendlela engaqhelekanga, amaxesha amaninzi bethetha izinto ezingafaniyo nezo zilindelekileyo. Ngokomzekelo qwalasela oko kwaprofetwa yiBhayibhile ngeBhabhiloni yamandulo.

Imele ‘Itshayelwe Ngomtshayelo Wentshabalalo’

IBhabhiloni yamandulo yaba ‘likhazikhazi lezikumkani.’ (Isaya 13:19) Esi sixeko sikhulu sasimiswe ngobuchule kwindlela yabarhwebi esuka kwiNyoba yasePersi ngakuLwandle lweMeditera, sasiliziko lezorhwebo kwabahamba ngendlela nabahamba ngamanzi besuka eMpuma besiya eNtshona.

Ngenkulungwane yesixhenxe ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, iBhabhiloni yayibonakala njengekomkhulu elingenakoyiswa loBukhosi baseBhabhiloni. Esi sixeko sasingxabalaze phezu koMlambo umEfrati, yaye amanzi aloo mlambo asetyenziswa ukwenza umjelo obanzi nonzulu nemijelo exananazileyo. Ukongezelela, esi sixeko sasikhuselwe ngeendonga eziluqilima, ezixhaswe ngeentsika ezineendawo zabalindi. Yiloo nto ke abemi balapho babeziva benqabisekile.

Sekunjalo, ngenkulungwane yesibhozo ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, ngaphambi kokuba iBhabhiloni ibe semanqwanqweni aphezulu, umprofeti uIsaya waxela kwangaphambili ukuba iBhabhiloni iya ‘kutshayelwa ngomtshayelo wentshabalalo.’ (Isaya 13:19; 14:22, 23) Kwakhona uIsaya wayichaza njengokuba injalo indlela eyayiza kuwa ngayo iBhabhiloni. Abo babeyihlasela babeza ‘kuyomisa’ imilambo yayo—imijelo yayo yokukhusela—ishiya eso sixeko sisesichengeni. UIsaya wada wachaza negama lomntu owayeza kuyoyisa—“uKoreshi,” ukumkani omkhulu wasePersi, owayeza ‘kuvulelwa iingcango namasango angabi nakuvalwa.’—Isaya 44:27–45:2.

Kwakufuna inkalipho ngokwenene ukuthetha ezi zinto. Kodwa ngaba zenzeka? Imbali iyasichazela.

‘Awuzange Ulwe’

Kwiinkulungwane ezimbini emva kokuba uIsaya wabhala isiprofeto sakhe, ngobusuku bukaOktobha 5, ngowe-539 B.C.E., imikhosi yamaMedi namaPersi ikhokelwa nguKoreshi Omkhulu yayixhwarhe kufutshane neBhabhiloni. Kodwa amaBhabhiloni ayezithembe ngolona hlobo. Ngokutsho kombhali-mbali ongumGrike uHerodotus (wenkulungwane yesihlanu ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo), ayenezinto ezininzi ezazinokuwagcina ephila kangangeminyaka emininzi.⁠³ Kwakhona ayekhuselwe nanguMlambo umEfrati naziindonga eziluqilima zeBhabhiloni. Sekunjalo, kwangobo busuku, ngokutsho kweNcwadi Yeziganeko kaNabonidus, “umkhosi kaKoreshi awuzange ulwe ukuze ungene eBhabhiloni.”⁠⁴ Yenzeka njani loo nto?

UHerodotus usichazela ukuba phakathi kweso sixeko, abantu “babejuxuza ingamayeyeye yimigcobo.”⁠⁵ Noko ke, ngaphandle kweso sixeko uKoreshi wayejika amanzi omEfrati. Njengokuba amanzi ayethotha ngokuthotha, umkhosi wakhe wawugxampuza kuloo mlambo, amanzi ebetha emathangeni. Wenjenjeya udlula kwabo rhec’ izulu beendonga waza wangena kwindawo uHerodotus awayeyibiza ngokuba “ngamasango avulekela emlanjeni,” amasango awayeshiywe nje engavalwanga.⁠⁶ (Thelekisa uDaniyeli 5:1-4; Yeremiya 50:24; 51:31, 32.) Abanye ababhali-mbali, abaquka uXenophon (malunga nowama-431–malunga nowama-352 B.C.E.), kwakunye namatye akroliweyo awafunyanwa ngabembi bezinto zakudala, bayakungqina ukuwa kwequbuliso kweBhabhiloni iwiswa nguKoreshi.⁠⁷

Sazaliseka ngaloo ndlela isiprofeto sikaIsaya esingeBhabhiloni. Okanye ngaba siso ngokwenene? Akungebi mhlawumbi esi yayingesosiprofeto nto nje oku kwabhalwa emva kokuba kwenzekile? Eneneni, nezinye iziprofeto zeBhayibhile zingakwenza ubuze loo mbuzo.

Ngaba Yimbali Eyenziwe Yangathi Sisiprofeto?

Ukuba abaprofeti beBhayibhile—abaquka uIsaya—babebhala imbali eyayibhalwe ngaphambili baze bayenze ibonakale njengesiprofeto, makube ke babengoosomaqhingana abakrelekrele. Kodwa yintoni eyayiza kubangela bade benze obo bumenemene? Abaprofeti bokwenene balenza lacaca elokuba babengafuni kunyotywa. (1 Samuweli 12:3; Daniyeli 5:17) Yaye sele sibuxubushile ubungqina obunesihlahla bokuba ababhali beBhayibhile (abaninzi kubo ababengabaprofeti) babengamadoda athembekileyo awayengonqeni nokuchaza iimpazamo zawo eziziintloni. Ingayintsomi into yokuba la madoda angazimisela ukwenza ubuqhetseba, etshintsha imbali ibonakale njengesiprofeto.

Kukho enye into efanele iqwalaselwe. Iziprofeto ezininzi zeBhayibhile ziqulethe amazwi achaza ukutshatyalaliswa kwabantu babo, ababequka ababingeleli nabalawuli. Ngokomzekelo, uIsaya, wakugxeka kabukhali ukuziphatha okubi kwamaSirayeli—okweenkokeli nabantu balapho—ngomhla wakhe. (Isaya 1:2-10) Abanye abaprofeti bazibhenca elubala izono zababingeleli. (Zefaniya 3:4; Malaki 2:1-9) Kunzima ukucinga isizathu esinokubangela ukuba bazakhele iziprofeto ezilolo hlobo ezigxeka abantu babo nesizathu sokuba ababingeleli nabo bangene kobo buqhinga.

Ngaphezu koko, abaprofeti—ukuba babengamamenemene ngokwenene—babenokuphumelela njani ukumisa obo buqhinga? KwaSirayeli yayikhuthazwa imfundo. Besebancinane, abantwana babefundiswa ukulesa nokubhala. (Duteronomi 6:6-9) Babekhuthazwa ukuba bazifundele iZibhalo. (INdumiso 1:2) Rhoqo ngeSabatha kwakufundwa iZibhalo ekuhleni. (IZenzo 15:21) Ingangumnqa into yokuba uhlanga lonke olunezifundiswa, noluzazi kakuhle iZibhalo, lungakhohliswa yimfeketho elolo hlobo.

Ngapha koko, isiprofeto sikaIsaya ngeBhabhiloni asiphelelanga nje ekuweni kwayo. Kukho nenye inkcazelo eyayingenakuze ibhalwe emva kokuba yenzekile.

“Ayi Kumiwa Naphakade”

IBhabhiloni yayiza kuphelela phi emva kokuwa kwayo? UIsaya waxela kwangaphambili wathi: “Ayi kumiwa naphakade, ayi kuza ihlalwe ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwana, angagxumeki ntente khona nomArabhi, nabalusi bangakhi khona buhlanti.” (Isaya 13:20) Noko kwakusenokubonakala kusisimanga ukuthi eso sixeko simi kakuhle ngolo hlobo asisayi kuphinda simiwe naphakade. Ngaba amazwi kaIsaya abhalwa emva kokuba eye wabona iBhabhiloni iyinkangala?

Emva kokuba uKoreshi eyihlasele, iBhabhiloni enabemi—nangona yayisele incinane ngoku—yaqhubeka ikho kangangeenkulungwane. Khumbula ukuba uMsongo woLwandle Olufileyo unencwadi kaIsaya epheleleyo ekubonakala ukuba wabhalwa kwinkulungwane yesibini ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Malunga nexesha owakhutshelwa ngayo loo msongo, amaParti ayebamb’ iintambo eBhabhiloni. Kwinkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, kwakukho amaYuda ahlala eBhabhiloni, yaye umbhali weBhayibhile uPetros wakha watyelela apho. (1 Petros 5:13) Ngelo xesha, uMsongo woLwande Olubomvu kaIsaya wawusele ukho kangangeenkulungwane ezimbini. Ngoko, ukususela kwinkulungwane yokuqala kwiXesha Eliqhelekileyo, iBhabhiloni yayingekabi yinkangala ngokupheleleyo, ukanti incwadi kaIsaya kwakusele kukudala yagqitywayo.a

Njengokuba kwaxelwa kwangaphambili, iBhabhiloni ekugqibeleni yaba “ngumwewe.” (Yeremiya 51:37) Ngokutsho komphengululi womHebhere uJerome (wenkulungwane yesine yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo), ngomhla wakhe iBhabhiloni yayiyindawo yokuzingela apho “zonke iintlobo zamarhamncwa” zazidakasa khona.⁠⁹ IBhabhiloni iseyinkangala nanamhla oku.

UIsaya wafa ngaphambi kokuba iBhabhiloni ibe yinkangala. Kodwa amabhodlo eso sixeko sikhulu, esikwiikhilomitha ezingama-80 kumazantsi eBaghdad, kwindawo namhlanje eyi-Iraq, akwenza uzibonele inzaliseko yamazwi akhe athi: “Ayi kumiwa naphakade.” Iindwendwe zinganomdla gqitha xa iBhabhiloni inokuvuswa yenziwe indawo yabakhenkethi, kodwa ‘igama namasalela’ eBhabhiloni anyamalele ngonaphakade.—Isaya 13:20; 14:22, 23.

Ngaloo ndlela uIsaya akazange enze isiprofeto esingacacanga esinokungena nakweyiphi na into eyayinokwenzeka kwixesha elizayo. Yaye akazange abhale imbali eyayikhe yabhalwa ngaphambili ayenze ibonakale njengesiprofeto. Khawucinge ngolu hlobo: Umntu onamaqhinga “wayenokuprofeta” njani ngento awayengenako ukulawula ukwenzeka kwayo—leyo yokuba iBhabhiloni enamandla yayingayi kuphinda imiwe?

Esi siprofeto singokuwa kweBhabhiloni singumzekelo nje omnye eBhayibhileni.b Ngenxa yenzaliseko yeziprofeto zayo abantu abaninzi bayaqonda ukuba iBhayibhile imele ukuba ivela kumthombo ongaphezulu kunowomntu. Mhlawumbi nawe uya kulivuma elokuba, ubuncinane, le ncwadi yesiprofeto imele ifundwe. Inye into eqinisekileyo: Iziprofeto zeBhayibhile ezicacileyo, ezingangxengwanga nezingqalileyo zahluke mpela kubumenemene nobubhedengu boosomaqhingana babavumisi banamhlanje.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 28]

Ngaba ababhali beBhayibhile babengabaprofeti bokwenene okanye babengoosomaqhingana abakrelekrele?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]

Amabhodlo eBhabhiloni yamandulo