Amanxila Okomoya—Angoobani?

“Yeha ke, isithsaba sekratshi samanxila akwaEfrayim.”—ISAYA 28:1.

1. Ngawaphi amathemba abaninzi abaye banawo, kodwa ngaba amathemba abo aya kuzalisekiswa?

SIPHILA kumaxesha eziganeko ezichukumisayo. Abantu abaninzi baye bachulumanca kukubona iinguqulelo eziphawulekayo kwezobupolitika ehlabathini lonke nakukubona iZizwe Ezimanyeneyo zizibandakanya ngakumbi koku. NgoDisemba 1989 iDetroit Free Press yathi: “Njengokuba ihlabathi lingena kwiminyaka yee-1990, kuye kwakho uxolo.” Iphephancwadi laseRashiya lavakalisa oku: “Silungiselela ukukhanda amakrele abe ngamakhuba,” ngoxa usosiba-jikelele weZizwe Ezimanyeneyo wathi: “Imfazwe yomlomo iphelile.” Ewe, izinto ziyathembisa gqitha, yaye ngokungathandabuzekiyo, imeko-bume yehlabathi iyaguquka. Kutshanje, imfazwe eqhubeka kwiGulf iye yabonisa indlela iinguqulelo ezisenokwenzeka ngokukhawuleza ngayo. Kodwa ngaba liya kuze libekho ixesha loxolo nonqabiseko lokwenene kweli hlabathi, kunye nazo zonke iingenelo oluhamba nazo? Impendulo ithi akunjalo. Enyanisweni, kusondela ixesha lamanqam aqatha aya kuligungqisa eli hlabathi neziseko zalo! Eli lixesha lamanqam unqulo olubandakanyeke nzulu kulo.

2. Imeko yanamhlanje yafanekiselwa njani kuSirayeli nakuYuda wamandulo?

² Eli xesha lamanqam lafanekiselwa kwangaphambili ziziganeko ezenzeka kuSirayeli nakuYuda wamandulo ebudeni benkulungwane yesixhenxe neyesibhozo Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Kwanasemva apho, abantu babecinga ukuba babelufumene uxolo. Kodwa uThixo, esebenzisa umprofeti wakhe uIsaya, wabalumkisa esithi uxolo lwabo lwaluyinkohliso, eyayiya kuthi kungekudala idandalaziswe. Ngendlela efanayo nanamhlanje, uYehova, esebenzisa amaNgqina akhe, ulumkisa uluntu ngokuthi luyazikhohlisa ukuba lunethemba lokuzuza uxolo oluhlala luhleli ngemigudu yabantu. Makhe sifunde isilumkiso sikaYehova esibuprofeti size sibone indlela esisebenza ngayo namhlanje. Sifumaneka kwisahluko sama-28 sencwadi kaIsaya yaye sabhalwa ngaphambi kowama-740 B.C.E., ngokunokwenzeka ebudeni bolawulo lukaKumkani uPeka ongendawo wakwaSirayeli nolukaKumkani uAhazi onobutshinga wakwaYuda.

“Amanxila AkwaEfrayim”

3. Ngawaphi amazwi awothusayo omgwebo uIsaya awawavakalisayo?

³ Kwindinyana 1 yesahluko 28, sikhwankqiswa ngamazwi othusayo athi: “Yeha ke, isithsaba sekratshi samanxila akwaEfrayim, nentyatyambo ebunayo yamakhazikhazi esihombo sakhe, esemantloko omfula ochumayo wababuleweyo yiwayini!” Hayi indlela amele ukuba amaSirayeli othuka ngayo sisigidimi somgwebo esibukhali ngolo hlobo! Ayengoobani la “manxila akwaEfrayim”? Sasiyintoni ‘isithsaba sawo sekratshi’? Yaye iyintoni ‘intloko yomfula ochumayo’? Okubaluleke ngakumbi kukuba, athetha ukuthini la mazwi kuthi namhlanje?

4. (a) Wayemela ntoni uEfrayim nentloko yomfula ochumayo? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze uSirayeli azive enqabisekile?

⁴ Ekubeni uEfrayim wayesesona sizwe sikhulu kwezilishumi zakwaSirayeli, igama elithi “Efrayim” ngamanye amaxesha lalibhekisela kubukumkani basentla buphela. Ngoko “amanxila akwaEfrayim” eneneni ayengamanxila akwaSirayeli. Ikomkhulu lakwaSirayeli laliyiSamari, eyayimi kwindawo ephakamileyo emantloko omfula ochumayo. Ngoko amazwi athi “emantloko omfula ochumayo” abhekisela kwiSamari. Ngexesha lokubhalwa kwala mazwi, ubukumkani bakwaSirayeli babonakele kakhulu ngokonqulo. Ngaphezu koko, babenze isivumelwano sobupolitika neSiriya (elakwa-Aram) nxamnye nelakwaYuda yaye ngoku babuziva bunqabisekile. (Isaya 7:1-9) Oko kwakuza kuguquka kungekudala. Ixesha lamanqam lalisondela, nto leyo eyabangela uYehova athi “Yeha ke isithsaba sekratshi samanxila akwaEfrayim.”

5. (a) Sasiyintoni isithsaba sekratshi sikaSirayeli? (b) Ayengoobani amanxila akwaEfrayim?

⁵ Sasiyintoni “isithsaba sekratshi”? Isithsaba sifuzisela igunya lobukumkani. Ngokucacileyo, “isithsaba sekratshi” sasiyimeko kaSirayeli yokuba bubukumkani obuzimeleyo, obabuzimele geqe kuYuda. Kwakuza kwenzeka okuthile okwakuza kuyiphelisa inkululeko kaSirayeli yokuba bubukumkani obuzimeleyo. Ngoko ke, ayengoobani “amanxila akwaEfrayim”? Alithandabuzeki elokuba, ayekho amanxila okoqobo kwaSirayeli, ekubeni iSamari yayisisazulu sonqulo lobuhedeni oluvakalala. Ukanti, iBhayibhile ithetha ngohlobo olubi ngakumbi lokunxila. KuIsaya 29:9, sifunda oku: “Bayanxila kungengawayini, bayatalasa kungengasiselo sinxilisayo.” Oku yayikukunxila kokomoya, ukunxila kokungacoceki nokubulalayo. Iinkokeli zikaSirayeli—ngokukodwa iinkokeli zakhe zonqulo—ngokucacileyo zazithwaxwa bubunxila obunjalo ngokomoya.

6. Yintoni eyayinxilise uSirayeli wamandulo?

⁶ Yintoni eyayibangele ubunxila bokomoya bukaSirayeli wamandulo? Ngokusisiseko, yayisisivumelwano awayesenze neSiriya nxamnye noYuda, esabangela iinkokeli zolo hlanga zanemvakalelo entle yonqabiseko. Oku kunxila ngokomoya kwamenza uSirayeli akacinga ngeemeko zokoqobo. Njengenxila lokoqobo, wayekholosile nangona kwakungekho sizathu sakukholosa. Ngaphezu koko, uSirayeli wayeqhayisa ngesivumelwano sakhe neSiriya, njengesidanga sokuhomba. Kodwa, ngokutsho kukaIsaya, esi yayisisidanga esibunayo esasingazukuhlala thuba lide.

7, 8. Phezu kwako nje ukuba nemvakalelo yolwaneliseko, yintoni eyayiza kwenzeka kuSirayeli wamandulo?

⁷ UIsaya uyakubethelela oku kwisahluko 28, indinyana 2: “Yabona, iNkosi inento eyomeleleyo, ekhaliphileyo, njengesiphango sesichotho, isaqhwithi esibhubhisayo; njengesiphango esimanzi anamandla akhukulayo, iya kunqumela emhlabeni ngesandla.” Yayiyintoni le ‘nto yomeleleyo, ikhaliphileyo’? Ngexesha likaSirayeli wamandulo, yayibuBukhosi baseAsiriya obunamandla. Eli gunya lehlabathi likhohlakeleyo nelingenatarhu laliya kumfikela uSirayeli njengesiphango sesichotho esinamanzi anamandla, akhukulayo. Ngayiphi imiphumo?

⁸ UIsaya uhlabela mgama aze athi: “Siya kunyashwa ngeenyawo isithsaba sekratshi samanxila akwaEfrayim. Intyatyambo ebunayo yamakhazikhazi esihombo sakhe, esemantloko omfula ochumayo, yoba njengekhiwane elilikhikhizela, kungekabi sehlotyeni; athi olibonileyo alibone, aliginye esaliphethe ngesandla.” (Isaya 28:3, 4) Ikomkhulu lakwaSirayeli, iSamari, kwiAsiriya lalifana nekhiwane elivuthiweyo, elilungele ukukhiwa lize liginywe. Isivumelwano sikaSirayeli neSiriya esifana nesidanga sasiza kunyashwa. Sasingayi kuba naxabiso xa kufika umhla womgwebo. Okude kwakubi ngakumbi kukuba, uzuko lwakhe olufana nesithsaba njengobukumkani obuzimeleyo lwaluza kunyashwa ziinyawo zotshaba oluyiAsiriya. Enjani yona intlekele okuyiyo oko!

‘Umbingeleli Nomprofeti Bayotyiwe’

9. Kutheni uYuda esenokuba wayelindele isigidimi esilungileyo kuYehova kuneso safunyanwa nguSirayeli wamandulo?

⁹ Ewe, uSirayeli wayelindelwe ngumgwebo oqatha, yaye kanye njengokuba uYehova uThixo wayelumkisile, loo mgwebo wafika ngowama-740 B.C.E xa iSamari yatshatyalaliswa yiAsiriya baza ubukumkani basentla bayeka ukuba luhlanga oluzimeleyo. Oko kwenzeka kuSirayeli wamandulo kusisilumkiso kunqulo lobuxoki olungathembekanga namhlanje, njengoko siza kubona. Kodwa kuthekani ngobukumkani obungudadeboSirayeli ngezantsi, uYuda? Ngexesha likaIsaya itempile kaYehova yayisasebenza eYerusalem, ikomkhulu lakwaYuda. Isibingeleli sasisasebenza apho yaye abaprofeti abanjengoIsaya, uHoseya noMika babethetha egameni likaYehova. Ngoko, uYehova wayenasiphi isigidimi kuYuda?

10, 11. Yiyiphi imeko emasikizi eyayikho kwaSirayeli nakwaYuda?

¹⁰ UIsaya uhlabela mgama asixelele oku: “Kwanaba ke [oko kukuthi, ababingeleli nabaprofeti baseYerusalem] bayotywe yiwayini, bayahexa sisiselo esinxilisayo; umbingeleli nomprofeti bayotywe sisiselo esinxilisayo.” (Isaya 28:7a) Ngokucacileyo, neenkokeli zonqulo zakwaYuda zazinxilile. NjengakwaSirayeli, kusenokwenzeka ukuba ezinye zazo zazingamanxila okoqobo, yaye ukuba kwakunjalo, oku kwakulihlazo. UMthetho kaThixo wawubalela ngokungqalileyo ababingeleli ukuba basebenzise iziselo ezinxilisayo xa bephumeza inkonzo yabo etempileni. (Levitikus 10:8-11) Ukunxila ngokoqobo endlwini kaThixo kwakuya kuba kukwaphulwa okothusayo koMthetho kaThixo.

¹¹ Noko ke, okwakude kwakubi ngakumbi kukuba, kwakukho ubunxila bokomoya kwaYuda. Kanye njengokuba uSirayeli wayenze isivumelwano neSiriya nxamnye noYuda, ngokufanayo noYuda wafuna unqabiseko ngokwenza isivumelwano neAsiriya. (2 Kumkani 16:5-9) Phezu kwabo nje ubukho betempile kaThixo nabaprofeti bakhe, uYuda wayekholose ngabantu ngoxa wayefanele athembele ngoYehova. Ngaphezu koko, ekubeni zenze izivumelwano zobuyatha ezinjalo, iinkokeli zakhe zaba nemvakalelo yokungakhathali njengabamelwane bazo bangasentla ababenxilile ngokomoya. Isimo sazo sokungakhathali sasilisikizi kuYehova.

12. Wawuza kuba yintoni umphumo wokunxila ngokomoya kukaYuda?

¹² UIsaya uhlabela mgama esenjenje: “Baginywe yiwayini, bayahexa sisiselo esinxilisayo; bayotyiwe bebona imibono, bayagexa begweba ityala. Kuba zonke izithebe zizele ngumhlanzo oyintshontsho; akukho ndawo ingenawo.” (Isaya 28:7b, 8) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba, xa benxilile, abathile babehlanza ngokoqobo etempileni. Kodwa okude kwakubi ngakumbi kukuba, ababingeleli nabaprofeti ababefanele bakhokele kwizinto zonqulo babehlanza ukungcola kokomoya. Ngaphezu koko, ngaphandle kwabambalwa abathembekileyo, abaprofeti babegweba ngobugqwetha. Babeprofeta izinto ezibubuxoki kolo hlanga. UYehova wayeza kumohlwaya uYuda ngenxa yoku kungacoceki kokomoya.

Amanxila Okomoya Namhlanje

13. Yintoni eyayifana nemeko yakwaYuda ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, ibe ifana nantoni namhlanje?

¹³ Ngaba iziprofeto zikaIsaya zazaliseka kuSirayeli noYuda wamandulo kuphela? Akunjalo konke konke. UYesu nompostile uPawulos bawacaphula amazwi akhe angokunxila kokomoya baza bawabhekisela kwiinkokeli zonqulo zomhla wabo. (Isaya 29:10, 13; Mateyu 15:8, 9; Roma 11:8) Nanamhlanje, kukho imeko efana naleyo yomhla kaIsaya—ngoku kwiNgqobhoko, intlangano yonqulo yazwenibanzi ezibanga imela uThixo. Kunokuba iyimele ngokuqinileyo inyaniso ize ithembele ngoYehova, iNgqobhoko, amaKatolika namaProtestanti, ikholose ngoko kunokwenziwa lihlabathi. Ngaloo ndlela iyahexa njengamanxila akwaSirayeli nakwaYuda. Amanxila okomoya ezo ntlanga zamandulo azifanekisela kakuhle iinkokeli zokomoya zeNgqobhoko namhlanje. Makhe sibone indlela kanye okwenzeka ngayo oku.

14. Iinkokeli zonqulo zeNgqobhoko zinxile ngokufanayo njani neenkokeli zelakwaSamari neYerusalem yamandulo?

¹⁴ NjengeSamari neYerusalem, iNgqobhoko iye yazifica ngewayini yezivumelwano zobupolitika. Ngowe-1919 yayiphakathi kwabona baxhasi baphambili boManyano Lwezizwe. Ngoxa uYesu wayethe amaKristu ayengayi kuba yinxalenye yehlabathi, iinkokeli zeNgqobhoko zakha ulwalamano neenkokeli zobupolitika. (Yohane 17:14-16) Iwayini yokomfuziselo yesenzo esinjalo iyabayoba abefundisi. (Thelekisa ISityhilelo 17:4.) Bayakuvuyela ukuba abezobupolitika beze kufuna amacebiso kubo nokunxulumana neendwalutho zeli hlabathi. Ngenxa yoko, abanalo ukhokelo lokomoya oluyinyaniso. Bahlanza ukungcola kunokuba bathethe isigidimi esinyulu senyaniso. (Zefaniya 3:9) Ekubeni bebona ngamehlo aluzizi namfiliba, abalukhokeli kakuhle uluntu.—Mateyu 15:14.

“Umthetho Phezu Komthetho”

15, 16. Abantu bomhla kaIsaya basabela njani kwizilumkiso zakhe?

¹⁵ Ngenkulungwane yesibhozo Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, uIsaya wabhenca ngokukhethekileyo ikhondo eliphosakeleyo leenkokeli zokomoya zakwaYuda. Zasabela njani? Zakucaphukela oko kubhencwa! Xa uIsaya wazingisa evakalisa izilumkiso zikaThixo, iinkokeli zonqulo zaphendula zisithi: “Uya kuyala bani na ukuba azi? aqondise bani na udaba? Abalunyulweyo emasini? abancothulweyo ebeleni?” (Isaya 28:9) Kaloku, ngaba uIsaya wayecinga ukuba wayethetha neentsana? Iinkokeli zonqulo zaseYerusalem zazizigqala zingamadoda akhulileyo, akwazi ngokupheleleyo ukuzenzela izigqibo. Zakubona kungeyomfuneko ukuba ziphulaphule amazwi akhumbuzayo nakruqulayo kaIsaya.

¹⁶ Abo bantu bonqulo bade benza intlekisa ngomsebenzi kaIsaya wokushumayela. Bamvumela ingoma besithi: “Kuba umthetho uza phezu komthetho, umthetho phezu komthetho; ummiselo phezu kommiselo, ummiselo phezu kommiselo; intwana apha, intwana phaya.” (Isaya 28:10) Babesithi, ‘uIsaya uphindaphinda into enye. Usoloko esithi: “Nguwo lo umthetho kaYehova! Nguwo lo umthetho kaYehova! Nguwo lo ummiselo kaYehova! Nguwo lo ummiselo kaYehova!”’ KwisiHebhere santlandlolo, uIsaya 28:10 usisicengcelezo esiphindaphindwayo, okanye singathi isicengcelezo sabantwana. Yaye leyo yindlela iinkokeli zonqulo ezazimjonga ngayo uIsaya, ephinda-phinda intw’ enye yaye enobuntwana.

17. Abaninzi basabela njani kwisigidimi esilumkisayo esivakaliswa ngamaNgqina kaYehova?

¹⁷ Ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, ukushumayela kukaYesu nabafundi bakhe ngokufanayo kwakuvakala ikukuphinda-phinda into enye yaye kungantsonkothanga. Abo babelandela uYesu babegqalwa ziinkokeli zonqulo zamaYuda njengezilekehlana nje ezingaphucukanga, amadoda angafundanga nangazi nto. (Yohane 7:47-49; IZenzo 4:13) Ngokufuthi namhlanje amaNgqina kaYehova ajongwa ngendlela efanayo. Awayanga kwizikolo zobufundisi zeNgqobhoko, yaye awasebenzisi zibizo zibonisa ubukhulu okanye intetho yezakwalizwi njengokuba besenza abefundisi. Ngenxa yoko izikhakhamela zeNgqobhoko ziwajongela phantsi, zicinga ukuba afanele ayazi indawo yawo aze azinike imbeko engaphezulu.

18. Yintoni etyeshelwayo ziinkokeli zonqulo namhlanje?

¹⁸ Noko ke, kukho into eziyityeshelayo ezo nkokeli zonqulo. Nangona izikhakhamela zomhla kaIsaya zasigatyayo isigidimi sakhe, wayethetha inyaniso, yaye izilumkiso zakhe zazaliseka! Ngokufanayo, izilumkiso ezivakaliswa ngamaNgqina kaYehova namhlanje ziyinyaniso, zisekelwe ngokuqinileyo kwiLizwi likaThixo lenyaniso, iBhayibhile. (Yohane 17:17) Ngenxa yoko, ziya kuzaliseka.

Umgwebo

19. UYuda wanyanzelwa njani ukuba aphulaphule abantu basemzini bethetha ngolwimi oluthintithayo?

¹⁹ KuIsaya 28:11, sifunda oku: “Uya kuthetha ngentetho ethintithayo nangalulwimi lumbi kwaba bantu.” KuYuda imfundiso kaIsaya yayivakala ngathi kukuphololoza ngolwimi lwasemzini. Nangona uYuda wasindayo ekutshatyalalisweni kukaSirayeli yiAsiriya, ekuhambeni kwethuba uYehova wamohlwaya uYuda esebenzisa omnye umntu wasemzini, uNebhukadenetsare. (Yeremiya 5:15-17) Intetho yaseBhabhiloni yayivakala ingqwabalala yaye ikukuthintitha kuloo maHebhere. Kodwa anyanzeleka ukuba ayiphulaphule xa iYerusalem netempile yayo zatshatyalaliswayo ngowama-607 B.C.E. baza abemi bakhona barholelwa ekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni. Ngokufanayo namhlanje, kungekudala iNgqobhoko iza kwehlelwa bububi ngenxa yokuba, njengoYuda wakudala, iyazityeshela izibongozo zikaYehova.

20, 21. Yintoni amaNgqina kaYehova azingisayo ukuyivakalisa, kodwa yintoni iinkokeli zeNgqobhoko ezingafuniyo ukuyenza?

²⁰ Esi siprofeto sithi ngabanjalo: “Watshoyo kubo ukuthi, Nantsi indawo yokuphumla, phumzani abatyhafileyo; nantsi indawo yokunyhamnyheka; basuka abavuma ukuva. Ngoko ke ilizwi likaYehova loba ngumthetho phezu komthetho kubo, umthetho phezu komthetho; ngummiselo phezu kommiselo, ummiselo phezu kommiselo; intwana apha, intwana phaya: ukuze baye bakhubeke, bawe ngomva, baphuke, barhintyelwe, babanjiswe.”—Isaya 28:12, 13.

²¹ Ezingisa, kanye njengokuba uIsaya wasithethayo isigidimi sikaThixo, amaNgqina kaYehova axelela iNgqobhoko ukuba ifanele ithembele kwilizwi likaYehova. Kodwa iyala ukuphulaphula. Kuyo, amaNgqina abonakala ephololoza ngolwimi lwasemzini. Athetha intetho engayiqondiyo. INgqobhoko iyala ukumphumza otyhafileyo ngokumxelela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo nehlabathi elitsha eliza kubakho. Kunoko, inxilile yiwayini yolwalamano lwayo neli hlabathi. Ikhetha ukuxhasa izicombululo zobupolitika kwiingxaki zoluntu. NjengamaYuda omhla kaYesu, ayiyifunanga indawo yokuphumla eBukumkanini, yaye ayibaxeleli nabanye ngayo.—Mateyu 23:13.

22. UYehova uzilumkisa ngelithini iinkokeli zeNgqobhoko?

²² Ngenxa yoko, amazwi kaIsaya abuprofeti ayabalumkisa abefundisi ngelokuba uYehova akayi kusoloko ethetha ngamaNgqina Akhe angenabungozi. Kungekudala, uYehova uza kuwuzalisekisa “umthetho phezu komthetho, ummiselo phezu kommiselo” wakhe, yaye umphumo uya kuba yintlekele kwiNgqobhoko. Iinkokeli zayo zonqulo nemihlambi yazo iya ‘kwaphulwa, irhintyelwe, ibanjiswe.’ Ewe, njengeYerusalem yakudala, inkqubo yonqulo yeNgqobhoko iya kutshatyalaliswa ngokupheleleyo. Esinjani sona ukothusa isiganeko ebesingalindelekanga okuya kuba siso oko! Yaye onjani wona ukoyikeka umphumo wokukhetha kwabefundisi ukunxila kokomoya kunamazwi akhumbuzayo kaYehova!

Ngaba Unokucacisa?

◻ Ayengoobani amanxila akwaEfrayim, yaye ayenxiliswe yintoni?

◻ Zanyashwa njani izithsaba zekratshi zamanxila akwaEfrayim?

◻ Yiyiphi imeko emasikizi eyayikho kwaYuda awayibhencayo uIsaya?

◻ Namhlanje sikubona phi ukunxila kokomoya?

◻ Kutheni amaKristu efanele akuphaphele oko kwenzeka kuhlanga lwamandulo lwakwaYuda?