Izifundo Eziluncedo Ezifumaneka KwiLizwe Ledinga

ILIZWE LEDINGA ekuthethwa ngalo eBhayibhileni ngokuqinisekileyo lalikhethekile. Kulo mmandla mncinane noko, sifumana iindlela ezahlukeneyo zokuma komhlaba. Kumntla, kukho iintaba ezigqunywe likhephu; kumazantsi, yimimandla etshisayo. Kukho nemimandla esemazantsi enemveliso, imimandla eyinkangala neenduli ezinemiyezo namadlelo.

Ukungafani kokuphakama komhlaba, imozulu nomhlaba zenza kubekho iintlobo ezininzi zemithi, amatyholo nezinye izityalo—kuquka nezinye ezichuma kwimimandla ephakamileyo ebandayo, ezinye zikhula kwintlango etshisa ngokugqithisileyo, yaye kukho ezinye ezimila emathafeni okanye emixawukeni. Esinye isazinzulu ngezityalo siqikelela ukuba kukho iintlobo zezityalo ezimalunga nama-2 600 kuloo mmandla! AmaSirayeli okuqala awayehlola eli lizwe akubona kwangoko oko likuquletheyo. Kwenye intlambo abuya ephethe isihloko seediliya esasisikhulu kangangokuba sasinokuthwalwa ngamadoda amabini esebenzisa isibonda! Ngokufanelekileyo le ntlambo yabizwa ngokuba yiEshekoli, okuthetha ukuthi ‘isiHloko Seediliya.’a—Numeri 13:21-24.

Kodwa ngoku makhe siqwalasele ezinye zeendlela zokuma kweli lizwe lahlukileyo, ngokukodwa icala elisemazantsi.

IShefela

Unxweme olusentshona lweLizwe Ledinga lunxweme lwayo kuLwandle lweMeditera. Kumgama weekhilomitha ezimalunga nama-40 ukungena kulo mhlaba kukho indawo ekuthiwa yiShefela. Igama elithi “Shefela” lithetha “uMmandla Osemazantsi,” kodwa enyanisweni lo mmandla uneenduli yaye kunokuthiwa usemazantsi xa uthelekiswa neentaba zakwaYuda ezisempuma.

Jonga kwimaphu elapha uze uthelekise iShefela nemihlaba eyijikelezileyo. Ngasempuma kukho iintaba zakwaYuda; entshona, kukho ithafa eliselunxwemeni lamaFilisti. Ngaloo ndlela, ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile iShefela yayingummandla owahlulayo, owawusahlula abantu bakaThixo kwiintshaba zabo zamandulo. Nawuphi na umkhosi owawuhlasela uvela ngasentshona kwakufuneka udlule kwiShefela ngaphambi kokuba uye eYerusalem, isixeko esasilikomkhulu lakwaSirayeli.

Isiganeko esinjalo senzeka ebudeni benkulungwane yesithoba ngaphambi kweXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo. IBhayibhile ithi uKumkani uHazayeli waseSiriya, “wenyuka waya kulwa neGati [esenokuba yayikumda weShefela], wayithimba. UHazayeli wabubhekisa ubuso bakhe ukuba enyuke aye eYerusalem.” UKumkani uYowashe wakwazi ukumnqanda uHazayeli, emnyoba ngobuncwane obabusetempileni nobabukwibhotwe lakhe. Noko ke, le ngxelo ibonisa ukuba iShefela yayibaluleke gqitha ukuze iYerusalem inqabiseke.—2 Kumkani 12:17, 18.

Sinokungenelwa ngokufunda oku. UHazayeli wayefuna ukuthimba iYerusalem, kodwa kuqala kwafuneka adlule kwiShefela. Ngokufanayo, uSathana uMtyholi ‘ufuna ukuqwenga’ abakhonzi bakaThixo, kodwa ngokufuthi umele adlule kummandla owahlulayo—ukunamathela kwabo kwimigaqo yeBhayibhile, enjengaleyo iphathelele unxulumano olubi nokuthanda izinto eziphathekayo. (1 Petros 5:8; 1 Korinte 15:33; 1 Timoti 6:10) Ukulalanisa kwimigaqo yeBhayibhile ngokufuthi kuba linyathelo lokuqala elikhokelela ekwenzeni izono ezinzulu. Ngoko gcina lo mmandla wahlulayo unqabisekile. Yilandele ngoku imigaqo yeBhayibhile, ibe awuyi kuyaphula imithetho kaThixo kwixesha elizayo.

Ilizwe Leentaba LakwaYuda

Xa ungena phakathi kwiShefela kukho ilizwe leentaba lakwaYuda. Lo ngummandla osezintabeni owawuvelisa ukutya okuziinkozo, ioli yeminquma newayini entle. Ngenxa yokuphakama kwalo, elakwaYuda nalo laliyindawo entle gqitha yokusabela. Ngenxa yoko, uKumkani uYotam wakha “iinqaba neemboniselo” kulo. Ngamaxesha enkathazo, abantu babesabela kwezi ndawo ukuze bakhuseleke.—2 Kronike 27:4.

IYerusalem, eyayikwabizwa ngokuba yiZiyon, yayiyindawo ebalulekileyo kwilizwe leentaba lakwaYuda. IYerusalem yayibonakala inqabisekile ekubeni yayijikelezwe ziintlambo ezinzulu kwiimbombo zayo ezintathu, yaye kwicala elingasemntla, ngokutsho kombhali-mbali wenkulungwane yokuqala uJosephus, yayikhuselwe ziindonga ezintathu. Kodwa kwindawo yokusabela kufuneka okungakumbi kuneendonga nezixhobo ukuze ihlale inqabisekile. Ikwamele ibe namanzi. Oku kubalulekile xa ingqongwe ziintshaba, kuba ngaphandle kwamanzi, abemi bayo abavalelekileyo bebeya kunyanzeleka ukuba banikezele ngokukhawuleza.

IYerusalem yayisebenzisa amanzi awayevela kwiChibi laseSilowa. Noko ke ebudeni benkulungwane yesibhozo ngaphambi kweXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, esoyika ukungqongwa ngama-Asiriya, uKumkani uHezekiya wakha udonga olungaphandle ukuze akhusele iChibi laseSilowa, walifaka ngaphakathi kwesixeko. Kwakhona wayivala imithombo yamanzi eyayingaphandle kwesixeko, ukuze xa ama-Asiriya eyingqongile asokole xa efuna amanzi. (2 Kronike 32:2-5; Isaya 22:11) Akuphelelanga apho. Ngandlel’ ithile uHezekiya wenza icebo lokungenisa amanzi awongezelelekileyo phakathi eYerusalem!

Kuloo nto iye yabizwa ngokuba ngomnye wemisebenzi ebalaseleyo yobunjineli yamandulo, uHezekiya wemba umjelo osuka kumthombo waseGihon ukuya kwiChibi laseSilowa.b Lo mjelo wawumalunga neemitha ezisisi-1,8 ukuphakama, yaye unobude obuziimitha ezingama-533. Khawufan’ ucinge—umjelo ophantse ube sisiqingatha sekhilomitha ubude, ugqobhoza eliweni! Namhlanje, kwiminyaka engama-2 700 kamva, abakhenkethi abatyelele eYerusalem banokungena kobo bugcisa bobunjineli, ngokuqhelekileyo obubizwa ngokuba nguMjelo kaHezekiya.—2 Kumkani 20:20; 2 Kronike 32:30.

Imigudu kaHezekiya yokukhusela nokwandisa amanzi awayesetyenziswa eYerusalem inokusifundisa isifundo esiluncedo. UYehova ‘ulithende lamanzi aphilileyo.’ (Yeremiya 2:13) Iingcamango zakhe, eziqulethwe yiBhayibhile, ziyaphilisa. Kungoko ufundisiso lobuqu lweBhayibhile lubalulekile. Kodwa ithuba lokufundisisa, nolwazi olufumanayo ngenxa yokufundisisa, azinakusuka nje zizizele. Kusenokufuneka ‘umbe imijelo,’ njengaxa uphila ubomi obuxakekileyo, ukuze ufumane ithuba. (IMizekeliso 2:1-5; Efese 5:15, 16) Wakuba uqalisile, namathela kucwangciso lwakho, ulugqale njengento ebalulekileyo ufundisiso lwakho lobuqu. Kulumkele ukuvumela nabani okanye nantoni na ikuhluthe la manzi axabisekileyo.—Filipi 1:9, 10.

Imimandla Eyintlango

Kwimpuma yeentaba zakwaYuda kukho iNtlango yakwaYuda, ekwabizwa ngokuba yiYeshimon, ethetha ‘iNkangala.’ (1 Samuweli 23:19, bona umbhalo osemazantsi weNW.) KuLwandle Lwetyuwa, lo mmandla ungenabemi unemiwonyo enamatye neengxondorha. Ekubeni isihla ngeemitha ezili-1 200 kumgama nje oziikhilomitha ezingama-24, iNtlango yakwaYuda ayiyifumani imimoya eza nemvula evela entshona, ibe ngenxa yoko ifumana imvula encinane. Ngokuqinisekileyo le yintlango eyathunyelwa kuyo ibhokwe ka-Azazele ngoMhla Wocamagusho owawubakho minyaka le. Kwakhona kulapho uDavide wasabela khona ebaleka uSawule. Kulapho uYesu wazila iintsuku ezingama-40 waza kamva walingwa nguMtyholi.—Levitikus 16:21, 22; INdumiso 63:0, umbhalo osemantla; Mateyu 4:1-11.

Malunga neekhilomitha ezili-160 kumzantsi-ntshona weNtlango yakwaYuda kukho iNtlango yaseParan. Iindawo ezininzi amaSirayeli awayemisa kuzo iintente ebudeni bohambo lwawo lweminyaka engama-40 ukusuka eYiputa ukuya kwiLizwe Ledinga zazikulo mmandla. (Numeri 33:1-49) UMoses wabhala ‘ngentlango enkulu eyoyikekayo, eneenyoka ezinobuhlungu, noonomadudwane, nebalelelwe lilanga, engenamanzi.’ (Duteronomi 8:15) Kuyamangalisa ukuba izigidi zamaSirayeli zibe zasinda! Kodwa, uYehova wazilondoloza.

Ngamana oku kungasikhumbuza ukuba uYehova unokusilondoloza, kwanakweli hlabathi libharhileyo ngokomoya. Ewe, nathi sihamba phakathi kweenyoka noonomadudwane, nangona ingengabo abokoqobo. Sisenokunyanzeleka ukuba sidibane nabantu abangakuchasanga ukuthetha izinto ezimbi ezinokuyityhefa ngokulula indlela esicinga ngayo. (Efese 5:3, 4; 1 Timoti 6:20) Abo bazabalazela ukukhonza uThixo phezu kwayo nje le miqobo bamele banconywe. Ukuthembeka kwabo kububungqina obeyisayo bokuba ngokwenene uYehova uyabalondoloza.

Iinduli ZeKarmele

Igama elithi Karmele lithetha “uMyezo.” Lo mmandla utyebileyo usemntla, oziikhilomitha ezingama-50 ubude, unezidiliya, imithi yeminquma neyeziqhamo. Iphondo elingena elwandle lalo mmandla uneenduli lihle ngendlela engalibalekiyo. UIsaya 35:2 uthetha ‘ngobungangamela beKarmele’ njengophawu lozuko olunik’ isiqhamo lelizwe elibuyiselweyo lakwaSirayeli.

Zininzi iziganeko ezibalaseleyo ezenzeka eKarmele. Kulapho uEliya wacel’ umngeni abaprofeti bakaBhahali waza “wawa ke umlilo kaYehova” ungqina ubungangamsha Bakhe. Kwakhona, kusencotsheni yeKarmele awathi uEliya watsalela ingqalelo kwilifu elincinane elaba yimvula enkulu, ngaloo ndlela liyiphelisa ngokungummangaliso imbalela kwaSirayeli. (1 Kumkani 18:17-46) Owangena ezihlangwini zikaEliya, uElisha, wayekwintaba yeKarmele xa umShunemekazi weza kucela uncedo kuye ngomntwana wakhe ofileyo, kamva awathi uElisha wamvusa.—2 Kumkani 4:8, 20, 25-37.

Amathambeka eKarmele asenemiyezo, imithi yeminquma nezidiliya. Entlakohlaza, la mathambeka agutyungelwa ziintyatyambo ezintle gqitha. USolomon wathi kwintombi yomShulami: “Intloko yakho phezu kwakho injengeKarmele,” mhlawumbi ebhekisela kubuhle beenwele zayo okanye kwindlela intloko yayo eyayivele kakuhle ngayo entanyeni yayo.—Ingoma yazo iiNgoma 7:5.

Ubungangamela obabubonakala kwiinduli zeKarmele busikhumbuza ubuhle bokomoya athe uYehova wabunika intlangano yabanquli bakhe bale mihla. (Isaya 35:1, 2) Ngokwenene amaNgqina kaYehova aphila kwiparadisi yokomoya, yaye avumelana namazwi kaKumkani uDavide, owabhala wathi: “Amacandelo andiwele ezindaweni ezimnandi; Hee! Ndide ndaba nelifa elihle.”—INdumiso 16:6.

Kuyinyaniso ukuba lukho ucelomngeni olunzima uhlanga lukaThixo lokomoya olumele lujamelane nalo namhlanje, kanye njengokuba amaSirayeli amandulo ahlangabezana nenkcaso ezingisileyo evela kwiintshaba zikaThixo. Sekunjalo, amaKristu okwenyaniso awaze azilibale iintsikelelo ezivela kuYehova—kuquka ukukhanya kwenyaniso yeBhayibhile okuqhubeka kusanda, ubuzalwana behlabathi lonke, nethuba lokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade kumhlaba oyiparadisi.—IMizekeliso 4:18; Yohane 3:16; 13:35.

“Njengomyezo KaYehova”

ILizwe Ledinga lamandulo lalisithi ndijonge. Lalichazwa kakuhle ‘njengelibaleka amasi nobusi.’ (Genesis 13:10; Eksodus 3:8) UMoses wathi ‘lilizwe elihle; ilizwe lemilanjana yamanzi, lemithombo namanzi enzonzobila, aphuma ezihlanjeni nasezintabeni; ezweni lengqolowa, nerhasi, neediliya, nemikhiwane, neerharnate; ilizwe leminquma yeoli, nobusi; ilizwe ongayi kudla sonka kulo uyimbedlenge, ongayi kuswela nanye into kulo; ilizwe elimatye asinyithi, elintaba womba ubhedu kuzo.’—Duteronomi 8:7-9.

Ukuba uYehova wayenokunika abantu bakhe bamandulo ilizwe elityebe, nelihle ngolo hlobo, ngokuqinisekileyo unokubakunika abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo bale mihla iparadisi ezukileyo yomhlaba wonke—eneentaba, iintlambo, imilambo namachibi. Ewe, iLizwe Ledinga lamandulo nazo zonke izinto zalo ezingafaniyo yayikukungcamla kusengaphambili iparadisi yokomoya enanditshwa ngamaNgqina namhlanje neParadisi yehlabathi elitsha yexesha elizayo. Liya kuzaliseka apho idinga elibhalwe kwiNdumiso 37:29: “Amalungisa aya kulidla ilifa ilizwe, ahlale kulo ngonaphakade.” Xa uYehova enika uluntu oluthobelayo elo khaya liyiParadisi, hayi indlela oluya kukuvuyela ngayo ukuhlola onke “amagumbi” ayo luze luqhubeke lukwenza ngonaphakade oko!

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Imaphu ekwiphepha 4]

IGALILI

INtaba yeKarmele

ULwandle LwaseGalili

ISAMARI

SHEFELA

Iintaba ZakwaYuda

ULwandle Lwetyuwa

[Inkcazelo]

NASA photo

[Imaphu ekwiphepha 4]

IShefela yayingummandla owahlulayo phakathi kwabantu bakaThixo neentshaba zabo

MI 0 5 10

KM 0 8 16

Ithafa LamaFilisti

IShefela

Ilizwe Leentaba lakwaYuda

INtlango yakwaYuda

IRift Valley

ULwandle Lwetyuwa

Ilizwe lakwa-Amon nelakwaMowabhi

[Imaphu/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 5]

Umjelo kaHezekiya: unobude obuziimitha ezingama-533, ugqobhoza eliweni eliqinileyo

INtlambo iTyropoeon

ISilowa

ISIXEKO SIKADAVIDE

INtlambo iKidron

IGihon

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 6]

UDavide wabalekela kwiNtlango yakwaYuda, xa wayebaleka uSawule. Kamva uYesu wahendwa apha nguMtyholi

[Inkcazelo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 7]

INtaba yeKarmele, apho uEliya wahlekisa ngaprofeti bakaBhahali

[Inkcazelo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 8]

“UYehova uThixo wakho ukungenisa ezweni elihle; ezweni lemilanjana yamanzi, lemithombo namanzi enzonzobila, aphuma ezihlanjeni nasezintabeni.”—Duteronomi 8:7