Ukufanisa Uhlobo Olulungileyo Lomthunywa

‘Mna ndinguMmisi welizwi lomkhonzi wakhe; uMzalisi wecebo labathunywa bakhe.’—ISAYA 44:25, 26.

1. UYehova ulufanisa njani uhlobo olulungileyo lwabathunywa, ibe ubabhenca njani abobuxoki?

UYEHOVA UTHIXO unguMfanisi Ozukileyo wabathunywa bakhe bokwenene. Ubafanisa ngokuzalisekisa izigidimi abathuma zona. UYehova ukwanguMbhenci Obalaseleyo wabathunywa bobuxoki. Ubabhenca njani? Uphuthisa imiqondiso yabo nezinto abazixela kusengaphambili. Ngale ndlela uyabonisa ukuba zizanuse ezingathunywanga, eneneni eziphethe izigidimi ezivela kwingqiqo yazo ephosakeleyo—ewe, ingcamango yazo ebubudenge, neyokwenyama!

2. Luluphi ungquzulwano olwabakho phakathi kwabathunywa ngexesha lamaSirayeli?

² UIsaya noHezekile babesithi bangabathunywa bakaYehova uThixo. Ngaba babengabo? Makhe sibone. UIsaya wayengumprofeti eYerusalem ukususela malunga nowama-778 B.C.E. ukusa kwixesha elithile emva kowama-732 B.C.E. UHezekile wathinjwa eBhabhiloni ngowama-617 B.C.E. Waprofeta kubazalwana bakhe abangamaYuda ababelapho. Bobabini aba baprofeti bayivakalisa ngenkalipho into yokuba iYerusalem yayiza kutshatyalaliswa. Abanye abaprofeti babesithi uThixo wayengayi kuyivumela yenzeke loo nto. Ngoobani abangqineka beluhlobo olulungileyo lwabathunywa?

UYehova Ubhenca Abaprofeti Bobuxoki

3, 4. (a) Ziziphi izigidimi eziphikisanayo ezadluliselwa kumaSirayeli eBhabhiloni, ibe uYehova wambhenca njani umthunywa wobuxoki? (b) UYehova wathi kwakuya kwenzeka ntoni kubaprofeti bobuxoki?

³ Ngoxa wayeseBhabhiloni, uHezekile waboniswa umbono woko kwakusenzeka etempileni eYerusalem. Kwisango elingasempuma kwakukho amadoda angama-25. Phakathi kwawo kwakukho abathetheli ababini, uYazaniya noPelatiya. Wayebajonga njani uYehova? UHezekile 11:2, 3 uyaphendula: “Nyana womntu, ngawo la amadoda acinga inkohlakalo, aceba amacebo amabi kulo mzi; atshoyo ukuthi, Alikasondeli na ixesha lokwakha izindlu?” (Thelekisa iNW.) Aba bathunywa boxolo banekratshi babesithi, ‘Akukho ngozi eYerusalem. Ewe, kungekudala siza kwakha izindlu ezingakumbi kuyo!’ Ngoko uThixo waxelela uHezekile ukuba aprofete ngokunxamnye naba baprofeti baxokayo. Kwindinyana 13 yesahluko 11, uHezekile usixelela okwenzekayo komnye wabo: “Kwathi ke ndakuprofeta, wafa uPelatiya unyana kaBhenaya.” Mhlawumbi unozala woku yayikukuba uPelatiya wayengoyena mthetheli uphambili nowayenempembelelo nowayetshotsha phambili ekunquleni izithixo. Ukufa kwakhe ngesiquphe kwabonisa ukuba wayengumprofeti wobuxoki!

⁴ Ukubulawa kukaPelatiya nguYehova akuzange kubathintele abanye abaprofeti ekuxokeni ngegama likaThixo. La mabhedengu aqhubeka nekhondo lawo elitenxileyo lokuxela izinto kusengaphambili nxamnye nokuthanda kukaThixo. Ngoko uYehova uThixo waxelela uHezekile oku: “Yeha ke, abaprofeti abanobudenge, abalandela owabo umoya, nento abangayibonanga!” NjengoPelatiya, ‘babengazukubakho’ ngenxa yokuba ngenkani babona eYerusalem “umbono woxolo, kungekho luxolo.”—Hezekile 13:3, 15, 16.

5, 6. Nangona kwakukho abathunywa bobuxoki, uIsaya wathethelelwa njani njengomprofeti wokwenene?

⁵ Ngokuphathelele uIsaya, zonke izigidimi zakhe awayezithunywe nguThixo ezingeYerusalem zazaliseka. Ngehlobo lowama-607 B.C.E., amaBhabhiloni asitshabalalisa esi sixeko aza athabatha intsalela yamaYuda ayisa eBhabhiloni njengabathinjwa. (2 Kronike 36:15-21; Hezekile 22:28; Daniyeli 9:2) Ngaba la mashwangusha abathintela aba baprofeti bobuxoki ekukhathazeni abantu bakaThixo ngobuvuvu? Hayi, abo bathunywa baxokayo bazingisa!

⁶ Ngokungathi oko kwakunganelanga, abathinjwa abangamaSirayeli babekwachanabeke kubaxeli-thamsanqa, kubakhafuli nakubavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi ababezigwagwisa baseBhabhiloni. Noko ke, bonke aba bathunywa bobuxoki uYehova wabangqina bezizidenge eziphuthileyo, ezazigqwetha izinto. Ngexesha elifanelekileyo wabonisa ukuba uHezekile wayengumthunywa wakhe wokwenene, njengoIsaya. UYehova wazalisekisa onke amazwi awayewathethe ngabo, kanye njengoko wayethembisile: ‘NdinguMtshitshisi wemiqondiso yabaphololoza into engeyiyo; uMgezisi wabavumisayo; uMbuyisi wezilumko umva; uMzulisi wokwazi kwazo; uMmisi welizwi lomkhonzi wakhe; uMzalisi wecebo labathunywa bakhe.’—Isaya 44:25, 26.

Izigidimi Ezothusayo Eziphathelele IBhabhiloni NeYerusalem

7, 8. Sisiphi isigidimi esiphefumlelweyo uIsaya awayesiphathele iBhabhiloni, ibe amazwi akhe ayethetha ukuthini?

⁷ ElakwaYuda neYerusalem laliza kuba yinkangala, lingabi nabemi, kangangeminyaka engama-70. Noko ke, uYehova wavakalisa ngoIsaya noHezekile ukuba eso sixeko sasiya kwakhiwa kwakhona nelizwe limiwe ngexesha kanye awayelixele kwangaphambili! Esi yayisisiprofeto esingummangaliso. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba iBhabhiloni yayidume ngokungawakhululi amabanjwa ayo. (Isaya 14:4, 15-17) Ngoko ngubani owayenokubakhulula aba bathinjwa? Ngubani owayenokubhukuqa iBhabhiloni eyayinamandla, eyayineendonga eziluqilima yaye inqabisekile ngenxa yomlambo wayo? UYehova uSomandla wayenako! Kwaye wathi uza kukwenza oko: ‘Ndiza kuthi kumanzi enzonzobila, Yitshani, ndiyomise imilambo yakho; Ndithi kuKoreshi, Ngumalusi wam, oya kukuzalisa konke ukuthanda kwam; athi kwiYerusalem, Mayakhiwe; nakwitempile, Mayisekwe.’—Isaya 44:25, 27, 28.

⁸ Khawufan’ ucinge! UMlambo umEfrati, umqobo ongenakushenxiswa mntu, kuYehova wawunjengethontsi lamanzi eliphezu kwento ebomvu krwe ngenxa yokutshisa. Lo mqobo wawuza kuthi shwaka, utshe! IBhabhiloni yayiza kuwa. Nangona kwakumalunga neminyaka engama-150 ngaphambi kokuba uKoreshi owayengumPersi azalwe, uYehova wathuma uIsaya ukuba axele kusengaphambili ngokuthimba kwalo kumkani iBhabhiloni nokukhulula kwakhe abathinjwa abangamaYuda ngokuyalela ukuba bagoduke baye kwakha iYerusalem netempile yayo.

9. Ngubani owamiselwa nguYehova njengommeli wakhe ekohlwayeni iBhabhiloni?

⁹ Esi siprofeto sisifumana kuIsaya 45:1-3: “Utsho uYehova kumthanjiswa wakhe, kuKoreshi, endimbambe ngesandla sokunene, ukuba ndizinyathele iintlanga phambi kwakhe; . . . ukuba ndizivule iingcango ezingambini, namasango angabi nakuvalwa: ukuthi, Ndiya kuhamba phambi kwakho, ndilungelelanise iindawo ezimaqhubu, ndiqhekeze iingcango zobhedu, ndixakaxe nemivalo yesinyithi; ndikunike ubuncwane obusemnyameni, neengqwebo ezisezintsithelweni; ukuze wazi, ukuba mna Yehova ndingulo ukubize ngegama.”

10. UKoreshi ‘wayethanjiswe’ ngayiphi ingqiqo, ibe uYehova wayenokuthetha njani ngaye kwiminyaka engaphezu kwekhulu ngaphambi kokuba azalwe?

¹⁰ Phawula ukuba uYehova uthetha noKoreshi ngokungathi sele ephila. Oku kuvisisana namazwi kaPawulos athi uYehova ‘ubiza izinto ezingekhoyo ngokungathi bezikho.’ (Roma 4:17) Kwakhona, uThixo ubiza uKoreshi ngokuthi ‘ngumthanjiswa wakhe.’ Kwakutheni ukuze enze oko? Ngapha koko, umbingeleli omkhulu kaYehova akazange athulule ioli engcwele yokuthambisa kwintloko kaKoreshi. Kuyinyaniso oko, kodwa oku yayikukuthanjiswa okungokwesiprofeto. Kubonisa ukubekwa kwisikhundla esikhethekileyo. Ngoko uThixo wayenokuchaza ukumisela kwakhe uKoreshi kwangaphambili njengokumthambisa.—Thelekisa eyoku-1 yooKumkani 19:15-17; 2 Kumkani 8:13.

UThixo Uzalisekisa Amazwi Abathunywa Bakhe

11. Kwakutheni ukuze abemi baseBhabhiloni bazive benqabisekile?

¹¹ Xa uKoreshi wayehlasela iBhabhiloni, abemi bayo babeziva bekhuseleke yaye benqabiseke gqitha. Isixeko sabo sasingqongwe ngumjelo wamanzi onzulu nobanzi owawusikhusela, owawenziwe nguMlambo umEfrati. Apho lo mlambo wawunqumla khona esixekweni, kwakukho indawo ende yokumisa iinqanawa ukuhlisa icala elingasentshona lomlambo. Ukuze ayahlule kweso sixeko, uNebhukadenetsare wakha oko wayekubiza ngokuthi “ludonga olukhulu, olungenakushenxiswa njengentaba . . . Oluncopho yalo eyayiphakame njengentaba.”a Olu donga lwalunamasango aneengcango ezinkulu zobhedu. Ukuze angene kuzo, ubani kwakufuneka akhwele kwithambeka eliphezu komlambo. Akumangalisi ngoko ukuba amabanjwa aseBhabhiloni abe ayephelelwa lithemba lokukhululeka!

12, 13. Azaliseka njani amazwi kaYehova ngomthunywa wakhe uIsaya xa iBhabhiloni yawela kuKoreshi?

¹² Kodwa kwakungenjalo kubathinjwa abangamaYuda ababekholose ngoYehova! Babenethemba eliqaqambileyo. Esebenzisa abaprofeti bakhe, uThixo wayethembise ukubakhulula. UThixo walizalisekisa njani idinga lakhe? UKoreshi wayalela imikhosi yakhe ukuba iwukhuphele ecaleni uMlambo umEfrati kwindawo ethile ekwiikhilomitha eziliqela kumntla weBhabhiloni. Ngaloo ndlela, eyona nto ibalulekileyo ekukhuseleni eso sixeko yayiguqukele ekubeni yintsele yomlambo owomileyo. Ngabusuku buthile, amanxila aseBhabhiloni angakhathaliyo ashiya iingcango ezingambini zingavalwanga kummandla wesixeko ongaphambi komEfrati. UYehova akazange aziqhekeze zibe ziingceba ngokoqobo iingcango zobhedu; engazange ayaphule imigqala yentsimbi ezazivalwa ngayo, kodwa icebo lakhe lokuzigcina zivuliwe yaye zingafakwanga migqala laba nomphumo ofanayo. Iindonga zaseBhabhiloni zazifana nezingekhoyo. Kwakungeyomfuneko ukuba amajoni kaKoreshi akhwele kuzo ukuze angene ngaphakathi. UYehova wamkhokela uKoreshi, etyeneneza “iindawo ezimaqhubu,” ewe, yonke imiqobo. UIsaya wangqineka engumthunywa wokwenene kaThixo.

¹³ Xa uKoreshi wazithabathela kuye ngokupheleleyo iintambo kweso sixeko, bonke ubuncwane baso bawela ezandleni zakhe, kuquka nobo babufihlwe ezingontsini. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova uThixo amenzele oku uKoreshi? Yayikukuze azi ukuba uYehova, ‘lowo umbize ngegama,’ nguThixo wesiprofeto esiyinyaniso neNkosi enguMongami wendalo iphela. Wayeza kukwazi ukuba uThixo wayenze ilungiselelo lokuba alawule ukuze akhulule abantu Bakhe, amaSirayeli.

14, 15. Sazi njani ukuba nguYehova owabangela ukuba uKoreshi oyise iBhabhiloni?

¹⁴ Phulaphula amazwi kaYehova kuKoreshi: “Ngenxa yomkhonzi wam uYakobi, uSirayeli umnyulwa wam, ndakubiza ngegama lakho, ndakuthiya namanye amagama, ungandazi. NdinguYehova; akukho wumbi, akukho Thixo ingendim. Ndakubhinqa ungandazi ukuze bazi, bethabathela ekuphumeni kwelanga bese nasekutshoneni kwalo, ukuba akukho namnye ingendim; ndinguYehova, akukho wumbi. NdinguMenzi wokukhanya, uMdali wobumnyama, uMenzi woxolo [oko kukuthi, kubantu bakhe abathinjiweyo], uMdali wobubi [kwiBhabhiloni]: mna Yehova ndinguMenzi wezo zinto zonke.”—Isaya 45:4-7.

¹⁵ Uzuko lokoyisa kukaKoreshi iBhabhiloni lwalufanele luye kuYehova, kuba Nguye owamomelezayo ukuba enze ukuthanda Kwakhe nxamnye neso sixeko singendawo aze akhulule abantu Bakhe abathinjiweyo. Esenza oku, uThixo wayalela amazulu akhe ukuba athulule impembelelo okanye amandla obulungisa. Wayalela umhlaba wakhe ukuba uvuleke uze wenze izenzo zobulungisa nezosindiso kubantu bakhe abathinjiweyo. Ibe amazulu nomhlaba wakhe wokomfuziselo asabela kulo myalelo. (Isaya 45:8) Emva kweminyaka engaphezu kwekhulu efile, uIsaya wangqineka engumthunywa wokwenene kaYehova!

Iindaba Ezilungileyo Zomthunywa EZiyon!

16. Ziziphi iindaba ezilungileyo ezavakaliswa kwisixeko esasiyinkangala saseYerusalem xa iBhabhiloni yoyiswayo?

¹⁶ Kodwa akuphelelanga apho. UIsaya 52:7 uthetha ngeendaba ezilungileyo zeYerusalem: “Hayi, ukuba zintle kwazo ezintabeni iinyawo zabashumayela iindaba ezimnandi, zabavakalisa uxolo, zabashumayela iindaba ezilungileyo, zabavakalisa usindiso; zabathi kwiZiyon, Uyalawula uThixo wakho!” Khawuthelekelele indlela ekwakuchwayitisa ngayo ukubona umthunywa esiza eYerusalem evela ezintabeni! Umele abe neendaba. Zithini? Ziindaba ezibangela imincili ezingeZiyon. Ziindaba zoxolo, ewe, iindaba zenkoliseko kaThixo. IYerusalem netempile yayo kufuneka zakhiwe! Ibe umthunywa uvakalisa ngehlombe elibonakalisa uloyiso esithi: “Uyalawula uThixo wakho!”

17, 18. Uloyiso lukaKoreshi eBhabhiloni lwaba nayiphi impembelelo kwigama likaYehova?

¹⁷ Xa uYehova wavumela abemi baseBhabhiloni ukuba babhukuqe itrone yakhe yokomfuziselo ababehlala kuyo ookumkani bomnombo kaDavide, kusenokuba kwakubonakala ngathi akasenguye uKumkani. Kunoko, yaba nguMarduk, uthixo omkhulu waseBhabhiloni owaba ngukumkani. Noko ke, xa uThixo weZiyon wabhukuqa iBhabhiloni, wabonakalisa ulongamo lwakhe kwindalo iphela—ukuba wayengoyena Kumkani mkhulu. Yaye ukuze abethelele le ngongoma, iYerusalem, “isixeko sikaKumkani omkhulu,” yayiza kwakhiwa, kunye netempile yayo. (Mateyu 5:35) Ngokuphathelele umthunywa owayezise ezo ndaba zilungileyo, nangona iinyawo zakhe zazinothuli, zimdaka yaye zinamadyungudyungu, emehlweni abathandi beZiyon noThixo wayo, njengoko babezibuka, hayi ukuba zintle kwazo!

¹⁸ Ngengqiqo engokwesiprofeto, ukuwa kweBhabhiloni kwakuthetha ukuba ubukumkani bukaThixo babumisiwe ibe umthwali weendaba ezilungileyo wayengumvakalisi weso sibakala. Ukongezelela koko, lo mthunywa wamandulo, owaxelwa kwangaphambili nguIsaya, wayefanekisela umthunywa weendaba ezilungileyo ezizuke ngakumbi—zizuke ngakumbi ngenxa yomongo wazo obalaseleyo nomxholo wazo ongoBukumkani, zibaluleke gqitha kubo bonke abantu abakholwayo.

19. Sisiphi isigidimi esadluliselwa nguYehova ngoHezekile ngokuphathelele ilizwe lamaSirayeli?

¹⁹ NoHezekile wanikwa iziprofeto ezivuyisayo zokubuyiselwa. Waprofeta: “Itsho iNkosi uYehova ukuthi, . . . Ndiya kuyenza imizi ukuba imiwe, akhiwe amanxuwa. Baya kuthi, Eli lizwe, bekusenkangala kulo, lisuke laba njengomyezo wase-Eden.”—Hezekile 36:33, 35.

20. Sisiphi isibongozo esichwayitisayo esanikelwa nguIsaya kwisiprofeto sakhe esingeYerusalem?

²⁰ Ekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni, abantu bakaThixo babezilela iZiyon. (INdumiso 137:1) Ngoku, babenokuvuya. UIsaya wababongoza: “Gqobhokelani ekumemeleleni kunye, manxuwa aseYerusalem; ngokuba uYehova ubathuthuzele abantu bakhe, uyihlawulele wayikhulula iYerusalem. UYehova uyihlubile ingalo yakhe engcwele emehlweni eentlanga zonke; zonke iziphelo zehlabathi ziya kulubona ke usindiso loThixo wethu.”—Isaya 52:9, 10.

21. Azaliseka njani amazwi kaIsaya 52:9, 10 emva kokoyiswa kweBhabhiloni?

²¹ Ewe, abantu abakhethwe nguYehova babenesizathu esibalaseleyo sokuvuya. Ngoku babeza kuphinda baye kuhlala kwezo ndawo zaziyinkangala, bazenze zibe njengomyezo wase-Eden. UYehova ‘wayebahlubele ingalo yakhe engcwele.’ Ngokungathi kunjalo, wasonga umkhono wakhe, ukuze azibhokoxe ekubabuyiseleni kwilizwe labo ababelithanda. Esi yayingesosiganeko nje esincinane, esingabalulekanga embalini. Ewe, bonke abantu ababephila ngelo xesha bayibona ‘ingalo ehlutyiweyo’ kaThixo isebenzisa amandla kwimicimbi yabantu ukuze izise usindiso olumangalisayo kolu hlanga. Babona ubungqina obungathandabuzekiyo bokuba uIsaya noHezekile babengabathunywa bokwenene bakaYehova. Akukho namnye owayenokuthandabuza ukuba uThixo weZiyon wayekuphela koThixo ophilayo noyinyaniso kuwo wonke umhlaba. KuIsaya 35:2, sifunda oku: “Ezo ndawo ziya kububona ubuqaqawuli bukaYehova, ubungangamsha boThixo wethu.” Abo babamkelayo obu bungqina bokuba uYehova unguThixo baguqukela ekumnquleni.

22. (a) Yintoni esinokuba nombulelo ngayo namhlanje? (b) Kutheni sifanele sibe nombulelo ngokukodwa ekubeni uYehova ebhenca abathunywa bobuxoki?

²² Hayi indlela esifanele sibe nombulelo ngayo kuba uYehova efanisa abathunywa bakhe bokwenene! Ngokwenene ‘unguMmisi welizwi lomkhonzi wakhe; umzalisi wecebo labathunywa bakhe.’ (Isaya 44:26) Iziprofeto zokubuyiselwa awazinika uIsaya noHezekile zibalaselisa uthando lwakhe olukhulu, ububele bakhe obungasifanelanga, nenceba kubakhonzi bakhe. Ngokuqinisekileyo, uYehova ufanelwe yiyo yonke indumiso yethu ngenxa yoku! Kwaye thina namhlanje sifanele sibe nombulelo ngokukhethekileyo kuba ebhenca abathunywa bobuxoki. Oku kungenxa yokuba bangangoboya benja ngoku ehlabathini. Izigidimi zabo ezitsal’ amehlo azivumelani nenjongo kaYehova ayivakalisileyo. Inqaku elilandelayo liza kusinceda sifanise abo bathunywa bobuxoki.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Unokuchaza Uthini?

◻ UYehova ubafanisa njani abathunywa bakhe bokwenene?

◻ Esebenzisa uIsaya, ngubani uYehova awambiza njengommeli owayeza koyisa iBhabhiloni?

◻ Zazaliseka njani iziprofeto zikaIsaya ezazichaza ngokoyiswa kweBhabhiloni?

◻ Nguwuphi umphumo omhle ukoyiswa kweBhabhiloni okwaba nawo kwigama likaYehova?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]

IBhabhiloni yayibonakala ingenakoyiswa ziintlanga zomhla kaHezekile